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  “But what if I remember … from that other life. What if I come looking for you?” she was desperate to get anything from him that would help her find him again.

  “You don’t know how badly I want you to remember me, but perhaps it is best that you don’t.”

  They had reached the front porch and he dropped her hand. Darrien leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “Stay out of the dark,” he told her. “And be careful who you trust.”

  A lump formed in her throat as she watched him retreat into the darkness. Sarah felt anger mixed with her sadness.

  Chapter Six

  Peering through the thick darkness, Alec made his way along the passages beneath Castle Arges. All that could be heard was a slow - steady dripping of water, the result of condensation on the rock walls. Originally, the hidden passages beneath the castle had been used as an escape route. Just incase the family in residence should come under attack. The passages connected to different areas of the castle, and to tunnels that led to the village at the bottom of the cliff. This was common knowledge, but Alec discovered there were also hidden passages.

  Luciano had occupied the castle for the past two centuries. He rarely left the safety of his haven, and shunned all that sought an audience with him, even the ancients. Secrecy among the oldest vampires was not unusual, but Luciano took it far beyond the norm. But considering his reputation, it was no small wonder that he kept to himself. It was a widespread theory among vampires and slayers, that if you could destroy Luciano, you would break the curse of the immortal, but Alec wasn’t convinced.

  The passages beneath the castle seemed to go on forever. Alec had no idea where he would find the Book of Anu. If the manuscript was in the castle, it was hidden well. Donavan had hinted to a relic that was held in Luciano’s possession. The manuscript was the most legendary of the vampire relics, so it had to be what Luciano was hiding.

  About a hundred feet ahead of him, the passage took a sharp curve to the left. Flickering light pierced the heavy darkness, it was the only light that Alec had seen since entering the passageway. Staying close to the rock wall, Alec moved cautiously toward the light. When he reached the area where the tunnel curved, he peeked around the wall. The light was coming from torches that stood on each side of a large doorway.

  He moved quickly to the door. Keeping close to the wall, Alec peered inside. It appeared to be some type of chamber. Unlike the rest of the subterranean rooms, the walls in this chamber were smooth, and adorned with strange symbols painted in metallic gold. Two more torches illuminated another doorway at the far end of the chamber.

  Entering cautiously, he moved toward the second doorway. Unlike the first chamber, a metal door blocked his entrance to whatever lay beyond. Alec pulled on the handle and the door opened easily. Behind the door was another tunnel, this one descending deeper into the earth.

  Alec stepped into the darkness, but froze when her heard the deep laughter behind him. He looked back to see Luciano watching him, a look of amusement on his face.

  “It has been a long time since you tried to infiltrate my home. Whatever it is that you are looking for, you won’t find it in that tunnel.”

  Alec turned to face Luciano. “Where does the passage go?”

  Luciano scrutinized him, his black eyes stabbing painfully into Alec’s brain. Being in the ancient vampire’s presence was so overwhelming that it was like being in the throes of death - blissful but painful. The vampire’s long black hair was immaculately kept, and his soft features were too perfect to ever have been human. But his perfection was marred by the darkness that ate at his soul.

  “It leads nowhere, at least for you,” Luciano told him.

  “What is it that you are hiding down there Luciano?” Alec asked him. He was already in danger, pushing for an answer was not likely to cause him any further peril.

  Again Alec felt shattering pain behind his eyes, as Luciano probed his mind. It lasted only a few seconds, before he heard the vampire’s voice break through the agony in his head.

  “What you seek is not down there.” Luciano stepped closer and leaned down to whisper in Alec’s ear. “The Book of Anu is not here, it is not even in Romania.”

  “If it is not down there, what is it that is at the end of these passages?” Alec questioned him, no longer caring what it might cost him.

  “You will live an eternity Alec, and still it will not be long enough for you to discover what is at the end of that passageway.” Luciano taunted.

  “What do you plan to do with me?” Alec got straight to the point. He had no intention of playing a game of words with Luciano.

  Luciano smiled. “Alec, you place far too much importance on yourself. I would not have even interrupted your invasion of my home, if not for the fact that I find you amusing … a break from the monotony.”

  “Where can I find the book Luciano? The rule of the ancients is coming to an end. The Light Seeker movement will spread, and then there will be trouble for all of you.”

  Luciano waved his hand, indicating that Alec’s words were of no consequence. “You must have a desire to rule before the threat of the Light Seekers is relevant. It may matter to Omar, but I do not care to have power over others. I want only to be left alone.”

  Alec shook his head. “Why?”

  Luciano’s dark eyes became like stones. “When and if you ever find the Book of Anu, you will find out why ruling over the mutant vampires means little to me.”

  “Where do I find this book?” Alec decided to push his advantage. At least Luciano was talking, and that was further than he’d ever gotten with the vampire before.

  The hardness left the vampire’s eyes to be replaced by humor. “You are on a fool’s mission Alec,” Luciano smiled. “But if you insist on finding those elusive answers that you seek … you will want to search in Rome. I hear that the holy men of the Vatican are keeping it under lock and key.”

  “So it does exist?” Alec asked.

  Again Luciano shrugged his shoulders. “It is believed that a rebel recorded our history in this manuscript, but I cannot tell you if it still exists.”

  “Don’t you realize what could happen if Omar follows through with this plan to dominate all vampires? Already his followers feed off of the fear they inspire in the mortals. They do not treat them as a necessity, but as a feast.”

  “Omar is a fool and will perish because of it. His brothers must intervene … it is not my concern.”

  “But you are the most powerful of the ancients. It would be easy for you to stop him,” Alec insisted, boldly stepping toward Luciano.

  “Neither species is worth the trouble,” Luciano glared at Alec. “Now be on your way. I have grown tired of this exchange of meaningless words.”

  “Maybe you are a coward and are afraid to go against Omar?” Alec knew his words were a mistake, but he could not take them back, and wouldn’t have, even if he could.

  An unnatural light entered Luciano’s eyes. It was the only sign of his rage. “You will remove yourself from my sight Alec Norwood, or you will die with Omar.”

  Alec’s own rage gripped him and he wanted to fly toward Luciano and tear the vampire to pieces. What right did these ancients have to keep the truth hidden from their own kind?

  It took every ounce of control to keep from going with his instincts. He would not survive a fight with Luciano. No vampire in existence would. Luciano’s mind was so powerful, that he could pierce the heart and brain, and bleed his victims to death, without ever physically touching them. He was just as deadly to the vampires as he was the human race, maybe more so.

  * * * *

  The fading sun cast the forest deep in shadow. Sarah followed her aunt down the narrow path to the large clearing. For almost a hundred years, the Coven of Lazar had gathered for their celebrations and Sabbaths in the woods near Sutter Point. The area was surrounded with thick pines and foliage. It would not be easy to find, unless you knew where to look.

  Sarah lifted the hem of
her robe to keep it from catching on low-lying branches and rocks. Though she had been fighting against the idea of being initiated into the coven, she found her excitement growing. After all, the coven was her heritage and a part of who she was.

  The scent of burning wood filled the air. In the clearing a large bonfire burned, and dozens of people in bright colored robes of yellow, blue and green milled around, preparing for the night’s festivities. Sarah’s robe was black, the color of the initiate. Once she had gone through the rites, she would then wear a robe of another color.

  The Coven of Lazar consisted of nearly fifty members, but many of them lived nowhere near Sutter Point. Coven members would travel from all over the country to attend the Sabbaths in Sutter Point.

  Jeanie carried a large bowl of cakes that would be included in the feast once the ceremonies were done. She handed the bowl off to another member of the coven, and grabbed Sarah’s hand. The two of them followed another path to a smaller clearing, where Sarah would wait until it was time for the initiation rites.

  Aunt Jeanie pointed to the bench. “You can wait here. Someone will come and get you when it’s time.”

  Sarah sat on the bench. Being the only initiate, she would remain in the clearing alone, until it was time for her to join the rest of the coven. Someone had lit a small fire near the bench, so she wouldn’t be left in total darkness once the sun was down.

  The forest beyond the clearing was already murky. Sarah peered into that darkness, hoping that Darrien was out there waiting for night - waiting for the moment that he could come to her. With a deep sigh, Sarah pushed the thought away. She had not seen him since that night on the beach. He must have gone away like he’d told her he would.

  Her eyes strayed to the shadows that were gathering in the woods. She could not help but wonder if there someone else out there - someone that would be a lot more dangerous than Darrien. Though anything was possible, Sarah doubted any vampire would dare attack her with the coven so close. One witch may not be so difficult to deal with, but an entire coven was another matter.

  Since Darrien’s revelations about her past and who she was, Sarah’s mind had been in a whirlwind. Whoever Darrien was, she felt a connection with him that she had never felt with anyone else. Now that he was gone, it was as if an important part of her was missing.

  Then there were all of the questions - questions that she just didn’t have answers for. Was she really the daughter of a vampire, and the reincarnated spirit of her long dead ancestress?

  Once she’d been brought into the coven, Sarah intended to get some answers from her aunt. Maybe she could even find out more about what happened to her mother? The ritual for honoring the summer solstice was now underway, Sarah could hear the members of the coven chanting in the distance. When they had concluded the ritual, someone would come to get her.

  Though the ritual for the summer solstice lasted only a short time, to Sarah it felt like hours. Finally Taylor emerged from the darkness and stepped into the clearing. He wore a dark blue robe with a large hood pulled over his head. Without saying a word to her, Taylor covered her eyes with a blindfold and took her by the hand.

  Sarah could see nothing, but she sensed when they had come into the larger clearing. She knew that Taylor would lead her to the altar where Aunt Jeanie was waiting for her. Jeanie was the high priestess of the Coven of Lazar, and had been since the day her grandmother had passed into the afterlife.

  “Who approaches the sacred altar of the god and goddess?” It was her aunt’s voice.

  “I bring you one that seeks the wisdom of the coven. I bring you one that will honor the god and goddess,” Taylor answered.

  “By what name will you be known as a member of the Coven of Lazar?” Jeanie asked.

  “Caroline.” The name slipped out before she’d even had time to think about what she was saying.

  “Enter the sacred circle of the coven and kneel before the gods.”

  Sarah stepped forward, entering the sacred space that was filled with the presence of the gods, and the spirits of her ancestors. She knelt before the altar.

  Aunt Jeanie’s voice was distant and far away. The air was hot - so hot that she could not get any oxygen from it. She was gasping, trying to draw in more air, but it was too thin, and too hot to breathe. The world went dark, and then she was somewhere else.

  Luis was screaming, calling her name over and over again. Her husband had gone to the barn to check on the animals. They’d been restless all night, and he was worried a wolf was about - just waiting to get to their milking cows and chickens.

  She peered down at her shoes, but they were not hers. The brown leather was worn, and she could see her stockings peeking out of the seams. The long skirt was also faded and tattered. She was no longer Sarah, but Caroline.

  Rushing from the small farmhouse, she raced to the barn where she could still hear Luis screaming. Just as she reached for the barn door to pull it open, Luis’ screams faded and the night was once again silent.

  Caroline yanked the door open. What greeted her was more horrifying than anything she could have imagined.

  She was a witch, this shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. The mystical creatures known as vampires were something that all witches knew about, but few ever actually encountered them. The form that hovered over her husband, jumped back when she opened the door. He’d retreated into the darkness, out of the reach of the bright moonlight that entered through the open doorway.

  Caroline wanted to scream, but she could not utter a sound. The vampire’s eyes glowed with his poisonous hunger, and his growls shattered the silent night. The creature flew at her, but she held up her hand and willed all of the power of the universe to surround her, and protect her from his attack.

  The vampire seemed to hit a brick wall before he could get close to her. The impact stunned him, and he fell to the ground. When the creature’s features returned to normal, Caroline was startled to see a familiar face. The man lying there in the hay was no monster at all, but Lord Rousseau from the chateau near where she’d grownup in France.

  What was he doing in New Orleans? What had happened to him to bring him to such a horrible condition?

  As a girl, Caroline had been taken with the young man, but he’d barely noticed a poor village girl who was rumored to be the daughter of a witch, at least not at first. Then he did notice her, but soon disappeared. Eventually she had immigrated to the Americas, but over the years she’d never forgotten him. Now here he was, a vampire.

  At the moment, he was dazed and not moving. Caroline took the opportunity to go to Luis. When she kneeled next to his pale body, she knew he was gone. The creature had already drained his blood before she could stop him.

  Caroline glanced over at the vampire who was beginning to move. When he had recovered enough to sit up, he looked at her and she saw recognition enter his eyes.

  “Caroline!”

  Caroline said nothing. She continued to watch him, wary that he should make any sudden movements.

  He got to his feet and held out a hand to her. Still she didn’t move, making no attempt to take the offered hand.

  “I’m sorry Caroline. I would not have attacked you … if I’d been in my right mind.”

  “You are a creature of evil,” she spit out her words.

  “Alas you are right, but I won’t hurt you Caroline,” he smiled darkly.

  But he had hurt her, much worse than if he’d taken her life that night.

  Sarah came back to the present. She could hear the impatience in her aunt’s voice as she repeated her question.

  “Are you prepared to begin your life anew?”

  “Yes,” Sarah answered.

  “Rise up from the darkness of yesterday and become one with us.”

  Sarah rose to her feet and stood still, as two of the female members of the coven untied her robe, and let it slip from her body. She stood before the altar, naked for all to see. This was not something new for the coven, but it made
her feel uncomfortable.

  Someone was removing the blindfold, and when Sarah opened her eyes, the bright light of the fire sent pain through her head.

  “You are born again into the grace of the god and goddess. Receive their protection.” Jeanie’s voice echoed through the dark forest.

  Someone was now placing a white robe over her body. The changing of the robes symbolized her emergence from darkness to light.

  Aunt Jeanie stepped from the altar, and carried a small golden dish of burning incense to where Sarah stood. She covered her niece with the purifying smoke of the incense, and when she was done, she stepped back to the altar. The rites of initiation were concluded.

  Now they would feast and celebrate throughout the night. Sarah waited patiently for the moment she could get Jeanie alone.

  * * * *

  The vision of the firelight dancing on the smooth skin of her firm breasts, nearly sent him into a frenzy of hunger. It took all his willpower to keep himself hidden. He could not take his eyes off of her, but at the same time, he felt rage that others were gazing upon her naked flesh.

  Darrien knew he should leave and never return, but how could he let her face the fury of Omar alone. He would watch her until the time was right to leave, but he could not let himself get too near her. If he were to make love to her, he would never be able to let her go. In the end, his love would only cause her more suffering.

  He closed his eyes so that he would be able to hold his desire at bay. The urge to swoop down and take her away was so great, that he trembled with the effort it took to resist.

  Chapter Seven

  It was near dawn by the time Sarah and Jeanie returned home. Despite the fact that they were both tired, Sarah wasn’t going to bed until she had a chance to talk with her aunt. Jeanie must have already known that sleep wasn’t an option yet, because she headed for the kitchen instead of her bedroom.