Tears Dont Fall - R.J Reagle (management books to read TXT) 📗

in front of her chest. A heavy log laid in front of her and she grinned impishly.
“What in the world was that for?” Helena gasped at her. Ambrosia was way stronger than she looked, Helena had to keep that in mind. Ambrosia shrugged and stepped forward to help her up. “Lesson number one, never let down your guard. Ice is unstoppable and she will use every dirty trick to bring you down. You must be patient and tense at all times. I am not saying keep looking over your shoulder but be aware.”
“Ice? Who is Ice? Why would she want to kill me? And I wasn’t ready for that yet. You could’ve at least warn me first. I was blinded by the snow. I thought you said that sunlight doesn’t have an effect on vampires.” Helena complained. Ambrosia shook her head in frustration. “I will answer questions when we break. And here,” she pulled out a pair of black sunglasses, “wear these during the day. You didn’t listen to me before. I said it wouldn’t kill you but it will hurt your eyes and impair your vision. Now take my hand. We’re going to be late.”
Ambrosia took Helena’s hand and disappeared into the mist. When the mist cleared from around them they were standing in a bright clearing. There was grass and animals running wild. Bears, gazelles and many different animals roamed free. The scent of their blood made Helena’s nose twitch in disgust. A small brook trickled musically nearby. “What are we doing here Ambrosia?” Helena asked. Ambrosia searched the shadows around her. “This is farther south than you are used to, its our training area. Here I will teach you to hunt and attack. And I need to seek out what special talents you supposedly possess.” Ambrosia explained. Helena looked around again. “What if I do not possess these talents you speak of?” she asked.
Ambrosia gave her a cold hard look that sent chills into Helena. “Then young one you will not be able to fight, I will punish the one who told of you and then all of us will perish.” Ambrosia’s voice was sad and furious too. She hated the fact that no one but her was willing to cross Ice’s path. But Ice and Ambrosia had a centuries worth of history together and Ambrosia owed it to Ice for a little revenge. But she shook that thought aside and calmed down, suddenly smiling at a dark shadowy tree. “Welcome my friend.” Ambrosia said. Helena shook her head confused. It look empty and still to her and she squinted her eyes to see if she was missing something. Suddenly a tall, handsome figure stepped out of the darkness and startled Helena. She was instantly mesmerized as he smiled warmly at her. Ambrosia gave him the warmest smile she had reserved for him and him alone, but her eyes were full of sadness. “Welcome Shadow, I’m so glad you decided to join us.” Ambrosia said with warmth and Shadow nodded back at her.
“Greetings Ambrosia, and to you too young one. What is your name?” he asked Helena. She nodded back in a respectful greeting but was afraid to use her voice. Shadow smirked in amusement. Ambrosia stepped up to Shadow, “This is Helena. She’s a newborn and we must train her before the solstice. And I have some information for you concerning our situation, I shall speak with you in private.”
“So,” he mused, “this is our supposed savior? A newborn? I must admit I am a little disappointed. I was hoping you would find one with more experience.”
Ambrosia nodded in agreement, “As was I Shadow. As was I. Look at her though. What do you see unusual about her?” Shadow studied her for a moment. “Her eyes, they are bright green. Aren’t newborns supposed to have red eyes? Kind of similar to yours?” he asked. Ambrosia nodded at his good observation. Helena was furious. They were talking about her as if she wasn’t even there. “Listen, I do not have to be here you know. I didn’t even want to be a vampire in the first place. I didn’t ask for this. And you came to me, remember that.” she huffed.
Shadow and Ambrosia were quiet for a moment and for expressionless faces. Suddenly Shadow let out a booming laugh. “Hah ha, a feisty one I see. Maybe she will surprise us hmm?” he laughed. Ambrosia smiled a cold smile at Helena. “Shall we begin? We will break to regain strength in a few hours.” Ambrosia said quickly and they began.
Hours and hours they trained, showing Helena how to hunt for prey, using the technique on larger prey to get around evil minions of Ice. Helena was taught to hypnotize her victims and to lure them to her. Finally Ambrosia called for a break.
“You are doing well love. I don’t think Ice has a chance against you.” Ambrosia commented. Shadow looked at Ambrosia baffled that she should lie. Helena was a difficult student. She had a listening problem. Ambrosia threw him a look. She needed Helena to have confidence.
“Ambrosia can I ask you something?” Helena said. “Of course, now I will answer any and all questions.” Ambrosia said. Helena nodded and took in a breath. “Who is Ice and why are we training against her? No one told me why I am doing this.” Ambrosia paused a moment. “Ice is a very, very powerful witch who can manipulate the elements around her. She gave herself the name Ice because her favorite element is water. Her castle is made out of pure ice. In a months time, the winter solstice will come, and with it an eclipse. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem. But Ice has figured out how to cast a spell that will slowly drain the world of magic and trap it inside her staff, which is her main power source. When the eclipse is complete, all demons will vanish and the earth will fall apart. No magical creature is safe.
“I had sought out a powerful fortune teller near the village I found you in. She told me that you are the savior of the magical community and I must train you. I feel kind of responsible for what may come so I agreed to take you and train you and help you survive. I pray you don’t disappoint me.”
“What is so special about me though?” Helena asked. “I know not young one. That is something we will find out soon enough. You are quite unusual so there may be more to you as well.” replied Ambrosia. Helena sat and thought. That was a lot to ask, she thought. What if I fail? “Why do you feel responsible for Ice’s actions?” she asked. Ambrosia didn’t answer. “Come on you said you would answer all my questions.”
“Yes but that I shall not answer that question.” Ambrosia replied sharply. “Ask a different question.” Helena shuddered. “Ok, how about what are you and how did you become like this.”
Ambrosia smiled and looked at Helena sadly, “I’m a banshee, and I died of a broken heart.”


~*~ Chapter Five ~*~ Ambrosia ~*~


“A broken heart? If you died then how are you able to talk to me and move around?” Helena asked. Ambrosia let out a shrill laugh. “Oh Helena, your ignorance of our kind is so amusing. Before I was a banshee, I was a witch. My sister and I were fighting demons. I was madly in love. The man I had planned to marry was a mortal. Something that is forbidden for a witch to do. A witch is only aloud to marry another witch but I didn’t care. He was so handsome and charming and my sister was green with envy at what I had gained. The eve before my wedding, I went to see my sister for some advise. But when I opened her door I saw my soon to be husband in her bed and wrapped in his arms was my sister. I was heartbroken. I fled from her house and ran into the woods.
“Suddenly the ground started to shake beneath my feet as I cried and cried. I paid no mind to it and just sat there completely miserable. Then I heard a shrill scream surround me, a pack of wolves were howling somewhere in the woods and the screaming grew louder until I looked up and saw a banshee stand before me.
“She looked just like I do right now. I used to have black hair and chestnut eyes. And I was a lot darker. A nice summer tan all year round. But she screamed directly at me. You see a banshee feeds off the loneliness of others, another broken heart. It sustains us. Makes us stronger and virtually untraceable to witches. Only animals can hear our cries unless we are right in front of you zoning in on you. For a mortal, the pitch of the screams can burst all of their blood vessels and they bleed out. But for a witch, like myself, we turn into a banshee.” she finished with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Helena, who was sitting quietly the whole time, gazed at her in awe. “So, that’s how you get me the blood that I need? From the victims that died during your feeding time?” she asked. Ambrosia nodded, ashamed that she had to kill to survive in this miserable world. “Like you, I don’t not feel comfortable with killing others. Just like you hate to drink blood. Fortunately for you, you have an alternative. I on the other hand do not. If I don’t feed on other peoples sorrow then I will die.” Helena nodded at her. She knew she could replace animal blood for humans blood but it just didn’t taste as good. “Is there a cure for banshee’s? To turn them back to the witches they were before?” Helena asked. Ambrosia starred at the sky. “Yes, there is. The banshee’s betrayer or betrayers must say they regret everything that has ever happened and the lover of that banshee must pronounce his love to the whole world.” she said sadly. She sighed, “But my sister would never apologize and my lover has lost his own way. I am forever to remain like this. Cold and miserable for eternity.” she looked at Helena. “Come now it is getting late and you must rest some. Tonight at midnight we will resume training. Just you and myself. Sleep.”
Helena laid down on the soft grass and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


~*~ Chapter Six ~*~ Helena’s Powers ~*~


Ambrosia walked away from Helena. Tears were streaming down her beautiful face as she gracefully walked to the edge of the clearing. “What is the matter Ambrosia love?” Shadow’s velvety voice was filled with concern. Ambrosia just looked at him, gazed at every aspect of his face. The red markings were bright and fiery, like tiny flames symbolizing his eternal damnation. She looked away, ashamed of her undying love for him and knowing that they could never be. “I told her Shadow. I told her my story.” Shadow stood there motionless. Sighing he reached for her hand. “She must be someone special, for you to share your deepest secrets. How are you faring?”
Ambrosia snorted and looked at him with hate in her eyes. “How am I faring?” she asked with sarcasm. “I feel trapped and miserable. I am bound to this hell on earth forever and for nothing I did either. I have to kill people to survive. How would you say I’m feeling Shadow? How do you think!” she screamed in a mournful cry. He cringed and looked down. “I never meant to hurt you Ambrosia. Never in my life had I wanted