Bring Your Own Blood

“What do you need me to do?”

“Just hold my hands,” she answered, taking his had in hers. “We need to make a protective circle in the circle of our arms. This will keep Marcellus in one place long enough for me to banish him."

Hannah and Damon stood in Nic's backyard, around the place where Marcellus had come through..

"I want to stay by the circle at all times. If it gets too out of hand and Marcellus breaks free, I'll distract him while you get out of here."

Hannah stayed silent and laced her fingers through his. "Ready?"

He nodded.

She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"Elements of the spirit

Energies of the magickal way

Come this way

Powers of the night and day

I summon thee

I call upon thee

To hold thine enemy

So mote it be."

A soft light shone in a circle between their arms, forming a sort of webbed cage, growing brighter by the minute. With her next words, a harsh wind joined the circle.

"On wings of thunder, honor bound

Search me out, I drum the sound

Twist and turn in the night

Dragon come, my guiding light

Protecting guardian, friend not foe

Come to me, see my magick glow

Strong and true, this friendship charm

I beacon thee, protect me from harm

Around and about my magick swirls

Come to me, your wings unfurled

Welcome, O guardian of thee."

The ground rumbled and there was a roar in the air. Around the cage of light, there was a burst of blue flame in the shape of dragon wings that continued to stay wrapped around the cage.

"You can let go of my hands now," Hannah pointed out.

Damon shook himself out of his trance-like state, unclasped her hands and pulled her into his embrace, her back to his chest.

"Wha-"

"Just in case," he murmured, and kissed her temple.

She took three small vials out of her jeans pocket- mercury, hydrochloric acid, and her blood- and poured them into the circle. Damon tensed slightly as her arm went through the flames but it sliced cleanly through unscathed.

"I invoke thee Marcellus

I conjure thee into this circle of light

By the power of all that is good

I command thee

Enter!

And be bound!"

Marcellus dropped to his knees in the center of the circle, white-blonde hair cascading into his face. He glanced around the circle and then at Hannah, mouth set in a grim line.

"This won't keep me forever," he sneered, standing. "Are you prepared to take the risk of losing him just to fight me?"

"What's he talking about?" Damon demanded.

Hannah shook her head and stepped forward until she was almost touching the circle. "I won't lose him. I have enough power to protect him and destroy you." She turned back to Damon and pointed her index finger toward him.

"I call upon the guardians of the watchtower of the east

Let your raging winds surround him

I call upon the guardians of the watchtower of the west

Let your flowing waters surround him

I call upon the guardians of the watchtower of the south

Let your blazing fires surround him

I call upon the guardians of the watchtower of the north

Let your rolling earth surround him

Protect him from harm

I implore you, O ancient guardians

Keep him from the pains of this magickal war

This is my will, so let it be!"

No one could see this circle, but it's power could be felt. Damon stood trapped inside, staring at her in disbelief and anger.

"I'm sorry, Damon," she said softly. "I'm the one who has to kill him. And to do that, I have to become that which I fear the most. I don't want you to get caught in the crossfire."

"What are you talking about, Hannah?" he demanded, hands resting on the invisible barriers of the circle. "What haven't you told me?"

"Oh, we'll soon find out, I'm sure. I knew the little witch had power," Marcellus said, smiling cruelly.

"SHUT UP!"

"How dare you tell me to shut up, you filthy half-breed! Do you know who I-"

"SILENCE!!!" Hannah shouted above them, but wasn't exactly her voice. It was more like a chorus of four voices- hers, and older woman, an elderly woman, and then an almost ethereal voice that could never belong to any mortal woman- all twining together.

Hannah's eyes took on a transparent look before the whole of the eyes glowed with a blue light, and her skin grew even paler, becoming a shade akin to moonlight. It was almost as if her body took on an eerie quality, like something ancient, pure and very powerful. Something to be feared and revered. Something alien and inhumanly beautiful.

"There has been unfairness done to me

I summon the elements

I invoke them

I conjure them to do my bidding

The four watchtowers shall lay their eyes and minds

There shall be fear and guilt and bad blood

There shall be submission and no pity

I point the threefold law against thee

Against thee it shall be pointed

Threefold a hundred fold is the cost for any anger and pain

Thee shall be blinded by fear

Blinded by the pain

Blinded by me

Binded by me

Cursed by me

So mote it be!"

Her voice echoed through the night and seemed to reverberate across the bars of the magickal cage. Marcellus let out an ear-splitting wail and fell to the ground. His fingers clawed at his face, pulling off fleshy strips. The blood running out of his eyes and nose seemed to boil and curdle as it flowed.

"It burns!" he wailed. "It hurts too much!"

"This is your punishment, Marcellus," the voices said. "The pain you have inflicted upon others has come back to you." Hannah raised her pale arms to the sky, black cloak swirling about her in the wind.

"Hear me knights of past

Knights of the ancient law

Hear me dead knights of an English tongue

Hear me knights lost in battle

Who's blade did good

Hear me knights of old

Hear me nights of lost souls

This night I invoke thee

I summon thee to my arms aid

Hear me knights

A new cause be given

Your body gone, now spirit be

Hear me dead knights

I invoke thee

By your spirit blade

I invoke you

By your might

I invoke you

By your spirit

I invoke you

Come now, follow a new cause

I summon thee

Each of thee I enlist

I invoke you dead knights lost

Hear me and come to my aid

Hear me and fight at my side

Protect me from harm

Fight my battles I say to thee

Hear me spirits of lost knights

Come to my aid

Come to my side

Protect me from harm

I invoke you

I invoke you

I invoke you

I invoke you

I invoke you

Let my army be done

Let it be

Let it be."

A white mist began to rise from the ground, swirling around them in circles. Slowly, shapes began to form in the mist. Marcellus fell back to his knees, face stricken with fear.

"I underestimated you," he whispered hoarsely. "No witch could call upon powers this great. Ancients powers. Long forgotten… You're-"

The mist took on the forms of men clad in armor, all on horseback. Ghostly and menacing. They circled Hannah, waiting for order.

She pointed at Marcellus. "In the name of the Goddess, I condemn you to Cocytus. May you be frozen deep within it's layers of ice, face out, eyes and mouth frozen shut in the face of Satan. May you lament for your sins in this frigid pit pf despair. Take him!"

The Dead Knights surged forward. The circle that bound Marcellus broke apart, and he crawled forward, bowing before the woman.

"A Maiden."

The Knights circled him, closer and closer, until they could grab hold of him, dragging him back into the pits of hell.

His last words echoed through the night. "May you live an eternity and never reach your destiny! May you rot inside a body that will never die! May your soul be damned as you have damned mine!"

And then the ground exploded up from beneath her. The house behind was set aflame, and the sky rained with clumps of dirt and grass.

"/Hannah!/"

The debris settled in the crater that had been Nic's backyard. The only thing left standing was Damon as his protective circle wavered and then fell. He jumped down into the pit, throwing aside mounds of dirt, searching for the missing witch. He found her beneath the upturned slide, unconscious, soiled, and covered in blood.

"Hannah! Wake up!" he shouted, shaking her shoulders roughly. "Damn you! Don't do this to me!"

But she didn't wake. Her breathing continued to get softer, shallower, and her heart began to slow. Damon buried his head in her chest.

"I won't lose you too," he growled fiercely. "I lose everyone I love, but not this time. Not this time, god damn it! Not you!"

He felt a shimmer of recognition in their bond, and an answering surge of hope in him.

Hannah?

So… weak… need…

What? What do you need?

Silence.

Blood? Is that what you need?

No… energy…

Take mine.

No… could… kill…

We'll take that chance. Take mine!

Dam-

Do it!

This time, she didn't respond, but after a moment, he felt a sudden rushing sensation, as if he was falling off a skyscraper. He felt dizzy and weak and scared. He tried to struggle against the pull.

Don't she pleaded, her voice soothing. Just relax.

His arms wrapped around her, holding himself steady as he grew weaker. He could feel his energy poring into her and healing her, keeping her away from death and bringing him closer to his.

Enough.

The link was cut off and the world slowly came rushing back to him. He tried to keep the link open, struggling to continue healing her, but she was adamant.

You're still weak he protested.

I'll live her mental voice rasped. I just need some rest.

But you're still-

Comatose? Only physically. He got the mental impression of a shrug. Rest. I'll be fine. Just take me home.

He reluctantly followed her wishes and soon had her tucked in their bed. Her eyelids fluttered and her arm twitched slightly.

Are you all right? he asked worriedly, moving to sit beside her.

Yes, I'm just very… tired.

Rest then/mi amore/. I'll be here when you wake he assured.

He kissed her forehead and stood.

Damon?

Yes, Hannah?

I love you.

He felt a rush of warmth and need through their bond, unbearable with it's intensity. His knees buckled and he hit the ground.

Hannah… He'd almost lost her tonight. He could lose her at any moment. The fear he felt was overpowering, and he couldn't keep his heart away from her. I… love you…

I know.

He smiled slightly and kissed her hands. Her walls were down and he could feel everything inside of her. Her lack of doubt helped chase away his fears. And it felt right to be with her; he'd finally found someplace to call his own.

Home.

Who had thought it, he didn't know, but it was true. It was what he'd been searching for all along, and he'd found it in her. And for the first time in five centuries, he felt peace in the arms of a woman.

-----------------

Hannah's eyelids fluttered open, a soft moan eliciting itself from her lips.

Damon sat at her side, his expression unreadable, but she could feel his relief through their bond.

"Hey," she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Hey," he murmured, giving her a crooked smile. "You're awake."

"How long was I out?"

"Not too long, just about two weeks," he said indifferently.

"WHAT?!" She shot straight up and immediately regretted it as the room began to spin.

"Be careful now. I don't want you to pass out again."

"Shut up," she growled.

Damon laughed, and pulled her into his arms. "You had me a little worried. That was incredibly rude of you."

"Rude of me? Pssh, I'm sorry, but I was just a little comatose!"

"How could I forget?" he remarked dryly, kissing her temple. "What was that all about?"

Hannah shrugged. "I used up a lot of psychic energy. A body needs a certain amount to be able to function. You should know that already."

"I didn't mean your coma state. Marcellus was right; you're not an ordinary witch. What I'm curious about is what he meant when he called you a Maiden. Well?"

She turned to look at him. "I'm not exactly sure what he meant by that. Though…" Her face grew thoughtful and distant.

"Though what?" Damon pried.

"Well, there's this myth that I read about a long time ago, in a book on Druid history. I don't remember much except that it said that there were those- witches, I mean- that were blessed with certain gifts, destinies you could say, of the goddess. They lived their lives as everyday pagans, walking in the path of Spirit and worship and all that. But in each stage of their lives-maiden, mother and crone- they grew more powerful and could use their gifts for the greater good. But they never realize who they are until they pass on to the afterlife. The myth said that when they die, they become a part of Spirit, almost like guardian angels to the universe and help keep balance." Her face twisted in confusion. "Marcellus was wrong, though. I'm not a Maiden. I don't have that kind of power."

"You obviously don't recall much of that night, then. You had enough power to blow up a house."

"Yes, but… " She trailed off in wonder. "It would explain a lot of things, I suppose. The visions, things exploding or catching aflame when I'm over-emotional… Being able to summon you into this dimension… Do you think it possible?"

"At this rate I think anything's possible. Is there any way we could test this theory?"

"Well, the only people who would know for sure would most likely be the Druids…" she said slowly.

"Too bad we can't travel back in time."

"Well, we don't have to. There are still descendants of the Druids around, who still walk in the way of the Goddess. They'll still live in lands of their ancestors." At Damon's blank look, she added, "The British Isles, honey."

"Well, then, pack your bags. We'll go now."

"Really? You want to go?"

"I want answers/bella/. Besides, I have an eternity to waste, and I haven't been to the UK in centuries. It could be interesting." He gave her a dazzling grin and pulled her to her feet. "What do you say?"

"I say it's time to visit some Druids."

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MMkay, that's the end of Book One. I'm working on the second of the series, Bring Your Own Vampire, right now, and it's sure to be a nifty one!!