B00528UTDS EBOK Page 13

  “I just want to be sure that she gets through this okay,” he told Sarah’s aunt.

  “Hmm … and you don’t think that the more she is with you, the worse it’s going to hurt her when you are gone?”

  Darrien had no answer for her. It was all he could do to keep his hands off of Sarah when she was near. How could he be sure that he would not pull her further into the despair of his love?

  Closing his eyes, Darrien let his thoughts wander to that long ago night. Even now that he’d found her again, the pain still tore at his soul. He could almost taste her lips - feel her soft mounds of flesh in his hands. He loved the way her perky brown buds hardened at his touch, and how she’d gasp when he pinched them.

  Drifting into sleep, Darrien dreamt of the witch that was his soul mate.

  “Caroline … please! I must have you again. I cannot rest until I do.

  She smiled. “My, your appetites are no different than when you were a man.”

  “I am far more ravenous now,” he said, gathering her in his arms.

  Caroline struggled, but only halfheartedly. When his mouth came down on hers, she parted her lips to accept his probing tongue. The more he tasted the warmth of her mouth, the more he wanted her.

  He had to have her then, even if she protested.

  Darrien lifted Caroline into his arms and carried her to the feather bed near the fireplace. After laying her gently on the bed, he began unbuttoning her dress. Slowly at first, but his hunger drove him to madness and he ripped the remaining cloth from her body.

  “We can’t,” Caroline whispered. “You killed my husband.”

  “I should have been your husband,” he told her, licking at her budding nipples.

  And then there were no more words. She offered herself to him completely. Just as he joined with her, the door to the cottage flew open. An angry crowd stood at the door, their torches bathing the naked couple in revealing light.

  “The witch has taken the devil to her bed!” someone screamed.

  Darrien flew at the crowd, but there were just too many of them. He felt the flame of the torch ignite his hair, and then he was ablaze, his body melting away. Rolling onto the ground, he eventually put the fire out, but he had already received grave injuries. He was too weak to help protect her.

  For years he’d been haunted by the sound of her screams as they drug her away. Though he’d not healed completely, within a few hours he’d been strong enough to go to her, but he’d only had moments until sunrise. They’d taken her to a local jail where she’d received a mock trial before she burned.

  The witch trials had been over for two hundred years. But in such a religious parish, they would still burn witches in secret.

  Darrien stood outside of the barred window and called to her. “Caroline.”

  He heard movement from inside, and then he heard her voice. “You still live monsieur?”

  “Yes, but I am still recovering. Let me take you out of there. Let me turn you so that you no longer have to worry about this.”

  For several moments she said nothing. When she finally did speak, she did not say the words that he’d hoped to hear. “I will suffer my fate my lord. If I try to cheat death, it will come to my child. I ask only that you do something for me. Please take my daughter to the Coven of Lazar? They will care for her.”

  “But Caroline my love, I cannot let you go to your death!”

  “You must! Now go Darrien. The sun is almost up.”

  For the first time since he’d turned, he felt a tear slip down his cheek. “I love you,” he told her.

  “And I love you. It was always you my lord.”

  “I cannot go on without you,’ he told her, his voice quivering with pent up emotion.

  “I will return to you someday,” she promised. “You will know it is me when you look into my eyes.”

  He’d left her then - left her to a fate that she had not deserved. The plague had taken the lives of many of the locals, and they had to blame someone. Naturally it had to be the witch that slept with the devil. Never mind the fact that it was Caroline that had actually nursed many of those that had survived the plague.

  Bitterness burned within Darrien’s heart. He could barely endure thinking about what they’d done to her. The next night they’d taken her deep into the swamps and burned her. They would have killed the child too, if Darrien had not taken her away before the townspeople could find her.

  Darrien jumped awake when he felt a sharp pain in his side. Opening his eyes, he saw Jeanie staring at him, ready to poke him with her finger again.

  “We are getting ready to land,” she informed him. “I didn’t think vampires slept so soundly,” she added.

  Darrien said nothing, but gave her a sour look.

  A perky blond flight attendant leaned down and whispered in his ear. “Sir … you must fasten your seat belt.”

  When Darrien fastened his belt, the woman moved down the aisle to the next rebellious passenger.

  “I don’t need this thing,” Darrien muttered, his mood dark after reliving Caroline’s death through his dream.

  “You could at least pretend,” Jeanie scowled.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alec swallowed hard. It felt as if his skin was on fire. His body was so weak from not feeding that he could barely move. His mind filled with images of blood - blood gushing into his mouth as he bit into a beating artery - a soft neck. Saliva dripped from his mouth at the thought.

  He was only lucid for moments at a time. Beyond that, everything was a blur. He remembered a sharp sting, and then he’d blacked out. It was dark - the air was cool and musky. He was sure he was somewhere within the catacombs, but he had no clue who his captor was, or for what purpose they were keeping him alive.

  Someone stroked his face softly and he instinctively growled. “Oh Alec! I know you want to feed, but your dinner isn’t here yet,” the female voice cooed.

  In the haze of his hunger, Alec struggled to place the voice. It was Julia. Somehow they’d tracked him to Rome.

  “Bitch!” he snarled.

  Her dark laughter enraged him and he struggled with the chains to break free.

  Julia stepped closer, taking care to stay away from his fangs. He was suffering from blood deprivation, but he could still see her, though the image was dim.

  “Alec, would you like to hear a secret?” Julia asked, her voice purring. “If you inject a vampire with liquid folic acid, it will drop his blood count instantly. It will render him unconscious? The vampire becomes blood deprived as soon as it goes through his system.”

  Again Alec growled and pulled on the chains. The rattling and clanking of the chains echoed through the tunnels of the catacomb.

  “Don’t fret dear. Your human bitch will be here to feed you soon,” Julia laughed. “She really is a disobedient child … going against everything her father tells her.”

  Her last words reverberated through his head, gradually fading away as he slipped into blissful darkness.

  * * * *

  Jeanie stared down at the name of the coffee shop she’d scribbled on the notepaper. The Hole was on the first floor of the mall. An unlikely place to meet a vampire, but it was where Donavan had instructed her to be.

  Darrien was still with her. She’d tried to talk him into waiting at the hotel, but he wasn’t having it. Jeanie had to admit that his concern for Sarah seemed genuine enough, but she was worried how Donavan might react to one of Omar’s assassins showing up with her.

  The two of them stood outside the coffee shop instead of waiting for Donavan inside. She wasn’t sure what to expect, it had been years since she’d seen him, and even then she’d not been too cordial. As soon as Beth had told her about Donavan, she’d known that the vampire would eventually bring heartbreak into her sister’s life, just like she suspected would happen with Sarah.

  When Jeanie caught sight of him, she was struck with his dark charm, just like her sister must have been. He was tall, and his dark eyes sp
oke of mysteries better left to the imagination. Even though the style was outdated, he still wore his black hair long, as many vampires did.

  As he rode the escalator from the second floor, his eyes strayed to the two people waiting in front of the coffee shop. Donavan stepped off of the escalator and started toward them.

  “Miss Fabre,” he nodded without acknowledging her companion.

  “Donavan,” Jeanie greeted him, but she could not force a smile.

  “Would you care for some coffee?” he asked.

  “Sure.” Jeanie followed him into the dimly lit coffee shop. It was different than most cafes, which were usually illuminated with bright fluorescent lights. Jeanie knew that vampires had an aversion to bright lighting.

  When they were settled into an isolated booth and had received their drinks, Donavan turned his attention to Jeanie. “I’m assuming this must be about my daughter, Sarah?”

  Jeanie nodded. “She was forced into hiding because your brother sent assassins to kill her.”

  Donavan shook his head, a sadness entering his eyes. “This does not surprise me. Omar will not stop until he has his way … or he is dead.”

  “What do you plan to do about it?” Jeanie wanted to know.

  Donavan was silent for a long time and then he asked, “Is she in imminent danger at the moment?”

  Jeanie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. When she went into hiding, I was not told where she would be. A lycan took her away.”

  Donavan gave her a dark look. “That was not a good idea.”

  “As I told her,” Darrien finally spoke up.

  “And who are you?” Donavan asked. “I know you are an immortal, but what is your interest in my daughter?”

  Darrien’s eyes locked with Donavan’s “My only interest my lord … is that she remain safe.”

  “Is that so?” Donavan smiled, anger radiating from his eyes. “I hope for your sake your words are true.”

  Jeanie jumped in quickly, hoping to diffuse the conversation before it turned bad. “Beth … where is she?”

  Donavan looked at her sharply. “What do you mean, where is Beth?”

  “Don’t you know? She left years ago to find you,” Jeanie told him.

  Donavan closed his eyes, a look of defeat spread across his face. “Why didn’t you come to me then?”

  “I thought that she’d found you and … turned,” she said, an expression of distaste twisting her features.

  “I have not set eyes on her since I left,” he told her.

  If Beth wasn’t with Donavan, what happened to her? It must be exactly as she suspected. Her sister found a vampire that would turn her.

  “So you have had my daughter all of this time?” he asked.

  Jeanie nodded, unsure how to react to the news that her sister didn’t just abandon her daughter for this vampire, but was truly missing. There were just too many emotions hitting her all at once. She felt disbelief, horror, and even anger at Donavan for bringing such tragedy to her family.

  “How would I go about finding my sister and protecting Sarah?” Jeanie asked, her voice trembling.

  Donavan shook his head. “There is no telling what happened to Beth, particularly as she has been gone so long. Sarah must come home to New Orleans, where I can keep her safe from my brother.”

  “The lycan felt it would be better if she stayed away from New Orleans,” Jeanie informed him.

  “Well he is not her father … I am.” Donavan’s voice was hard and unyielding.

  “But Sarah will be safer if they don’t know where she is?” Jeanie was leery about bringing her niece to New Orleans, and into the midst of so many vampires.

  “With the lycans, she is in danger of two enemies instead of just one,” Donavan explained.

  “And Beth?” Jeanie reminded him.

  “Do you have a pen and paper?”

  Jeanie pulled out her notebook and a pen, handing them to Donavan. He scrawled something on the paper and gave it back to her. “Ethan is a vampire, but he is also a private investigator. He can help you retrace Beth’s movements after she left.”

  “That’s it? That’s all you can do to help find the woman that gave up everything for you?” Jeanie was furious.

  Donavan lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “My concern must be for my daughter at this time. Beth has been gone a long time. I suspect that you may not like what you find.”

  Jeanie narrowed her eyes. “Would you care to tell your daughter that, because I sure don’t want to?”

  “I will go in search of my daughter. When I’ve found Sarah, I will explain the situation,” he assured her.

  “My lord,” Darrien interrupted. “I will go and bring her back for you.”

  “And why would you do that?” Donavan asked.

  Darrien could not find the words to explain why it was so important to him to be near Sarah, and to know that she was safe.

  “Let me say it for you,” Donavan frowned. “You are in love with her.”

  Darrien looked down, unable to deny the truth of the ancient vampire’s words.

  “Catching the heart of the immortal seems to be a talent of my daughters,” Donavan growled.

  “I will protect her no matter the cost,” Darrien promised.

  “If I give you this responsibility, it would mean your end if something happened to her,” Donavan reminded him.

  “I know,” Darrien said, his voice low and difficult to hear.

  “Don’t you think you should tell him everything?” Jeanie drew her brows together, unsure if she trusted Darrien with her niece’s life.

  Donavan stared at Darrien, waiting for the other vampire to say whatever it was that Jeanie was referring to.

  “Omar sent me to Sutter Point to kill Sarah. I was her assassin,” Darrien told him, and then waited for Donavan’s fury.

  “So tell me … what changed your mind?” Donavan asked, his voice deceivingly calm.

  “Sarah’s soul is the soul of someone I knew a long time ago. She was, and is the woman I love. I could never hurt her.”

  Donavan smiled. “I cannot help but wonder what happened to this woman that you loved? What happened that she should perish to then be reborn as my daughter?”

  Darrien said nothing. How could he tell Sarah’s father that it had been his fault that Caroline died?

  Donavan held up his hand. “Do not worry. I don’t believe in such things, but as long as it keeps you from harming my daughter, you are welcome to believe it. Maybe you will actually find salvation in your belief?”

  Jeanie wanted to defend the concept of reincarnation because she knew it to be real, but she didn’t necessarily believe it to be the case with Sarah. Darrien had fallen in love with their ancestress, and saw similarities in Sarah. It was only natural that he would see similarities. After all, Sarah was descended from Caroline Fabre, as all Fabre witches were.

  “You can both get started by contacting Ethan,” Donavan told them.

  * * * *

  Lex enjoyed the cool night breeze that had finally brought some relief from the stifling heat of the day. Sitting back on the bench, he watched as a young couple strolled through the square.

  Jackson Square was one of his favorite spots in New Orleans, and one that he visited often. It provided him a way to step back and watch the world around him. The people were interesting, but what was even more fascinating were all of the other creatures that you could spot while watching from the sidelines. The people went about their business completely oblivious of those creatures. They just didn’t know how to spot them.

  Just as Lex was ready to glance at his watch, he saw the vampire emerge from the shadows of the St. Louis Cathedral. If you knew what to look for, there was no mistaking Donavan for anything other than what he was. He was all that one might imagine a vampire to be.

  Donavan made his way straight to where Lex was sitting.

  “Please … have a seat,” Lex told him.

  Donavan said nothing.
He stared at Lex, his dark eyes cutting right through him.

  “So how can I help you?” Lex asked.

  “Where is my daughter?”

  “She is safe for the time being,” Lex told him.

  “Sarah belongs with me.”

  “And then what? Will you kill your own brother to protect her … a girl that should never have been born? Will you go against your own species and the ancients to keep her safe?” Lex asked.

  “If need be, yes!” Donavan glared at him.

  “I don’t believe that you would,” Lex stated.

  “Why do you think it is your place to interfere with the immortals?” Donavan’s voice was even, but his fury shone through in his eyes.

  “It’s all about balance,” Lex told him. “If it continues like it has, that balance will be thrown off. When that happens then we must go to war to protect what we have been charged with protecting.”

  Donavan stepped closer. “She belongs with her own kind. You are endangering anyone that is with her.”

  Lex said nothing.

  “If you tell me where to find Sarah, I give you my word that she will be safe, and that I will stand against my own kind to keep the balance that you speak of. I know that you will need my support to accomplish this,” Donavan added.

  Lex eyed the vampire, wondering just how far he could be trusted.

  * * * *

  Leaning against the balcony railing, Sarah gazed up at the dark sky - losing herself in the beauty of the night. From where she stood, the lights of Reno did not obscure the stars. When she looked to her left, she could see the neon lights of the casinos that made up much of the city. The location was perfect really. She was close enough to the city for easy access, but far enough away that she could still enjoy the night sky.

  Though she had not come to Reno under the best of circumstances, her situation had turned out better than what she had hoped. Summer was fun to be with, and she didn’t seem the least concerned about Sarah’s background. Inhaling deeply, she savored the scent of roses that clung to the cool night air. Vine roses climbed the balcony rails, adding color to the already lovely view from Summer’s apartment.