Chapter 130 Mate Pact

Sofiya

Mozog Kingdom

Vlad stepped out of the closet in military pants and a black t-shirt. A bandolier sat on his shoulder, a few daggers in it, a rifle on his other shoulder and in his hand was thin gold chain with a small moon stone and in the middle. The sacred chain.

Vampires normally wore only gold chains because gold was sacred to them, the first gold was said to be made when God Sol touched a rock. Vladimir had added the moon stone after he met me, because I was a werewolf and we believed in the Moon Goddess and moon stone was sacred to us, it was said to be a broken piece of moon.

He handed the chain to me before kneeling on one knee.

A bittersweet smile formed on my lips before I opened it and began fastening it around his neck, as per the vampire tradition, "may Goddess Luna and God Sol continue blessing us with their power, love and guidance." After I was done, I cupped his cheeks and pressed my lips against his forehead.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by emotions and tears rose in my eyes.

Vlad kissed my belly before standing up and drawing me in his arms. "We will win and then I will come back to you, I promise."

"I know it." My throat closed up. "I'm just...it's sweat, I'm not crying, alright!"

"I know," amusement was clear in his voice but I let it go, not in the mood to be stubborn. "I love you." And then I growled out, "if you die, I'll kill you."

"I wouldn't let anyone else do the honours," he caressed my back. "I'm only yours to love and yours to kill, Sofiya."

"No dying now, Vlad. Only after I die." Like most vampire-werewolf couples, we had a pact. Since vampires were immortal and werewolves were not, we had decided that once I die, Vlad would kill himself so we would be together in the afterlife. Every couple did it. It sounded crazy but it was better than living with the pain of being without your mate for the rest of eternity.

He smiled in the way he usually did when he agreed with me and then gave me a toe-curling kiss, sending sparks zapping through my entire body. I let out a grunt when Valeralyn kicked hard, wanting some love too.

Vladimir's shoulders shook as he laughed silently and bent down to kiss his daughter. "Don't bother your mother too much, alright," he caressed my belly, "and absolutely do not come out when I'm not here, okay?"

She kicked again and I smiled, "she says, 'yes, daddy'."

Vlad smiled satisfactorily and stood up straight. It was time for him to go. "Security around the palace is tight. But I—"

"Yes, I know. This is the hundredth time you're telling me," I rolled my eyes, "the bag, safe-house, help everyone feel safe."

He smiled, satisfied. "Perfect." And then his eyes turned soft.

"I love you. Take care." He kissed me again. My lips moved against him with the same passion and fire. I wasn't scared one bit. I knew we were going to win, Vlad wouldn't allow anything otherwise. And our kingdom was strong and I knew we could take on whoever had dared to attack us.

"I love you too. Be safe." I murmured when he pulled back, licking my lips and taking in more of his delicious taste.

Sharing one last look, Vladimir turned around and walked out.

Releasing a breath, I motioned Silvia, my slave, to bring my bag that was filled with guns, bullets and daggers.

"Yes, Mistress." She replied, his voice panicked. She was obviously scared of the war.

Once she had the bag on her shoulder, I led her outside, towards the palace safe-house. "Don't worry, Silvia, everything is going to be fine. It'll be over before you know it."

"Yes, Mistress," she replied as she had been trained to but didn't look like she meant it. I didn't think too much about it, she'll know I'm speaking the truth soon enough.

The palace was almost empty, except the guards who were already standing in their positions. Nodding at them, I continued walking towards the safe-house which was a secret cellar above the throne room.

I entered the packed throne room and the room fell silent. Everyone looked at me with worry and fear filled in their eyes. There were about a fifty people here. The kingdom had numerous safe-house at regular intervals because it would be foolish to have everyone inside at the same time and no safe-place could be too big or else it would wouldn't be a secret safe-house.

These people were children, pregnant women like me, wounded or chronically sick and old people. Simply put, those who couldn't fight.

"There is no need to worry. We are going to win this war and nothing is going to happen to anybody. We have strong, powerful warriors fighting for us and God Sol and Goddess Luna are with us. We need to have our faith in them." I said after I motioned the guards to pull down the stairs.

One vampire jumped high and pulled down the latch in a single try before he moved away. When he pulled down the latch, an entire part of the ceiling opened before it slowly lowered at an angle till it touched the floor.

A set of staircase came in view and the people kept staring. The safe-house hadn't been used in a very long time which is why very few people knew about it. The people kept staring at it in relief. Did they really think that the throne room was the place we were going to stay in?

I shook my head and announced, "form lines, no one will rush or push anyone." I gave the guards a look and they nodded before mixing with the crowd, making sure my orders were being followed.

I waited for everyone to ascend before I made my way upstairs, Silvia by my side.

The cellar was as big as the throne room. It had been recently cleaned and a few mattresses had been placed on the floor for people to sit on. There were coolers and bags full of food in the corner and few chairs scattered here and there.

Two guards came in after me before someone from downstairs pushed the staircase close.

The people had already began taking seats on the mattresses and were chattering amongst themselves, fretting about what was to happen.

A guard was quick to bring me a chair. Thanking him, I took a seat.

I let out a breath of relief and caressed my bump.

"Are we going to be okay, Princess Sofiya?" A teenage girl asked. I looked down at her, she was sitting on the mattress besides my chair, looking up at me in fear.

"Yes, I have no doubt." I nodded with conviction. "These men have been fighting since hundreds of years. They are used to war, this is nothing for them," I said, trying to make it seem like it wasn't that big of a deal. What I was saying was the truth but it definitely was a big deal. It was the matter of life and death for Goddess's sake! But saying that was not going to make anything better.

"Can you tell me what's happening?" An excited boy came and took a seat beside me, a bag of popcorn in his hands. "This is the first time I've seen a war, it's so awesome!"

I realised I could!

I tuned in on the conversation between Vlad, Rhazien, Ezra, Jessica, Jester and Marc. I knew that they would keep in touch and keep each other updated about the situation going on.

'Everyone in position?' Vlad asking through the link.

'Positive.' Every one answered at the same time.

"The army is in position." I announced.

The update piqued the interest of many others and they started shifting in their places to face me. A few kids and teenagers even moved closer to me.

And then suddenly I felt the chair I was sitting on vibrate a little and dust fell on top of me. I wiped my hair in annoyance, should've got this ancient hole cleaned out properly.

'I see the enemy coming. We need to attack together to maintain the element of surprise. Do you see them too?' He asked.

'Positive.' They replied together.

"They see the enemies." I told everyone.

And then the floor started creaking and the chair I was sitting on began shaking too so I stood up with my hand over my bump.

"What's going on?" Someone asked frantically as we started swaying more and more along with the floor.

My hand flew out to catch the hand of the chair for support and then I felt something wet and slimy slide down my leg. Did I just freaking pee myself?

"Is it an earthquake?"

"What's that smell?

"What the hell is going on?"

"Do you smell that?"

"Why is it getting so hot in here?"

"It smells like...like..."

"My water just broke." I whispered, my mind shutting down the outside noise. My baby girl wanted to come out now. In the middle of a war.

And then I felt a sharp stabbing pain and I fell down on the floor with a scream.

"Princess Sofiya!" An older lady kneeled down beside me, instinctively knowing what was happening.

She gave me a determined look, "Take deep breaths, the Princess is coming out now, we will help you." I looked up and saw that despite the commotion, a couple of older ladies had gathered around me, determined to help me.

Tears gathered around the corner of my eye at their kindness. I breathed, "thank you."

And then the floor shuddered again and I felt what everyone kept going on about. The floor started shuddering and pungent acidic smell hit my nose before I started feeling hot. Like I was standing extremely close to fire.

My eyes widened and the people around me began running here and there frantically. The old ladies look less determined now and more worried.

What is happening?

I put my hands over my baby. Your mom is going to keep you safe Valeralyn.

And then all of a sudden a lot of air filled my lungs and stomach, so much so that I felt like I'll burst.

Protect the baby.

And then in a fraction of second, I felt like I had a huge rock thrown at me, that hit my entire body with full force, over a thousand times. It hurt. Goddess, it hurt.

Protect the baby.

Screams.

All I heard were screams.

And then I heard an ear shattering bang before was thrown across the room by an unyielding force and I hit my head hard.

Protect the baby.

I managed to curl myself in a way that my baby was safe.

And then another wave of pain hit me. It was much more intense. Much more loud. Bone crushing and soul wrenching. It was so hot, so fiery that I was sure I was burning. I was in so much pain that I wanted to cry but no tears came out. I wanted to scream but I couldn't find my voice for the life of me. Everything hurt. Everything burned. Everything sizzled. I could smell smoke. Fire. Debris. I was facing the wall so I couldn't see what was happening but I was sure there was fire somewhere.

Protect the baby.

And then suddenly, the pain ceased. Everything ceased. The noise from the background faded away. All I could hear was my daughter's heartbeat. It was weak but she was alive, I needed to hold on for her to live.

I stayed there motionless for Goddess knows how long, unable to move. My eyes kept drooping. My senses were all gone and my wolf was in so much but she was helping me survive. She wanted our child to survive. I knew I needed to stay alive if I wanted my baby to see the light of the day.

I didn't know how long I was laying there. Seconds. Minutes. Or most probably hours, it sure felt like it.

"Sofiya!" I forced my eyes to open when I heard Vlad's panicked voice. What's he doing here? We have a war to win.

I wanted to tell him to protect the baby but I couldn't move.

"No. No. No." Vlad was crying as he pulled me into his arms and rocked me back and forth, "you can't die, you can't die. Not yet. Not so quickly. Our life has just began. Sof....Sofiya." His heart wrenching voice was crushing my heart. He held me for Goddess knows how long, sobbing as he did so.

I'm here baby, I'm all well.

Now that I could see what was happening, I saw dozens of people extinguishing fire. And I saw dead bodies of everyone I was up here with.

Dead. Everyone was dead.

"I love you, Sofiya." Vladimir cried before he laid me down again.

Noooo. I wanted to scream at him to not stop holding me. But I was unable to move.

And then his eyes slid down to my stomach. At my bump, towards our daughter. Tears were continuously falling down his eyes.

That's when I saw just how breathless, battered, bruised and cut up he was. Like he was running to save his life. Or mine. What difference was there? Our lives were tied by the Holy Moon Goddess. We were one and the same.

And then my eyes slid to my stomach.

Vladimir let out a heart crushing sob before he dug his fingers in my stomach, ripping me open.

I wanted to scream, telling him what the hell was he doing? That I'm still alive! Couldn't he feel that? Couldn't he feel his own mate? Why was he causing me pain?

But surprisingly, I felt no pain. None at all. As if I'm detached from my own body.

Vlad put his other had too and ripped open my entire stomach when he pulled out our daughter.

I could hear her heartbeat. It was so low, so weak... one would think...no! Vlad will never let that happen. I willed him with all the energy I could muster to do something to make sure she lived.

She looked like such a healthy little baby. She had golden hair on top on her head. It was matted with blood and other stuff, her entire body was, but she was alive.

I heard her heart slow down. I saw Vladimir frantically rub her back, pump her chest and give her mouth to mouth. I watched his fingers tremble and his hands shake as he tried to get the heartbeat of our daughter up.

I wanted to speak. I wanted to help him. I wanted to hold our daughter. I was sure my touch—her mother's touch would help her somehow. It will. It has to.

"Valeralyn?" Vladimir sobbed out and then I heard a soft thump before my daughter's heart went still.

Vladimir let out a loud cry so painful that I felt it hurt my soul. It felt like my soul was torn apart.

It felt like my heart was crushed.

My daughter is dead.

Valeralyn is dead.

My babygirl is dead.

My family is gone.

Vladimir looked right at me, "I-I am go-going to honour my p-promise. I'm go-going to win the war and then—and then I'll j-join you on the other side," he bent forward and kissed my forehead and then my lips.

But I didn't feel anything.

He placed our daughter besides me and put my limp hand over her, "take care of her for me till I come back, Sof. I -I'll join you two soon." He couldn't take his eyes off me, and his eyes couldn't stop crying as he slowly stood up and turned around to walk away.

No! Why is he leaving? Why is he saying all that stuff? The promise was for when either of us died! Why is he bring that up now?

Vladimir! I screamed with all my might. I used all the energy I could muster and suddenly, I could move. I could move easily and freely now!

I jumped to my feet and rushed after him.

'Vlad!' I placed a hand on his shoulder. He stilled before his muscles tensed and he turned around. But he didn't even look at me. It was like he couldn't see me at me, like he was looking right through me.

I followed his gaze that was looking behind us, on the floor.

All breath escaped me when I saw myself lying on the floor besides Valeralyn. Most of my body was charred, like I was burned to death. There were multiple cuts and bruises on my body. My stomach was ripped open—by Vladimir. My intestines were hanging out.

I'm dead?

Why?

What happened?

Suddenly, I started remembering all the events. The war. The attack. The vibrations and the heat.

The explosion.

They had bombed the palace.

I died. My daughter died.

I rushed to pick up my daughter, to touch her, to hold her for once.

But my hands went through her body but I picked her up anyways—I picked up her soul. She was waiting for me. Her Mom. Tears erupted in my eyes. She didn't get a chance at life. She didn't get to live at all. It was so unfair.

She was so tiny in my arms but so precious. What I wouldn't give to live a life with her and Vlad.

I turned around to see he was already gone.

But he told me to take care of our daughter till he came back so we can go to the after-life together. So I will wait.

My daughter and I will wait for her father and my soulmate till we go to the afterlife together. I felt a gaping hole in my chest but there was no pain. There truly was no pain after death. But I couldn't even fathom the pain he must be feeling right now.

I love you Vladimir. Valeralyn loves you.

Come back to us.

And then let’s go...home.