by Mary Abshire
Feeling down in the dumps, I headed for the bedroom. I flipped the switch on the wall and found two twin-sized beds facing a television. Well, at least we wouldn't have to sleep in the same bed.
Jeremy peered into the room from over my shoulder. "Separate beds?"
I snorted. "It just wasn't meant to be."
"I can move them together," he said.
Ignoring his idea, I strolled to the farthest bed, paused, then kicked off my shoes. "Do you think they can hear us talk?"
"Definitely. And I'm positive they can hear every beat of our hearts."
My mood plummeted while all my hope evaporated. I was doomed. Actually, Jeremy and I were both in a deep pile of dog turd, surrounded by vampires. Great. Fucking great. And Drake wasn't close enough to help, if even he could.
I dropped on the bed and lay on my side, holding my arms tightly around me. The sound of waves crashing against the shore reminded me of how isolated we were from the rest of the world.
Jeremy turned off the lights. I stared at the concrete wall with small oval windows, listening to his shoes lightly padding on the hardwood floor. The bed jiggled, but I remained still. I didn't have the energy to fight him.
Jeremy's arms encompassed me. His closeness offered me security, while his energy surrounded me like a heat shield. I welcomed the protection he so willingly gave.
"Everything will be fine." He nestled against me.
I closed my eyes and gripped his hand. I wanted to believe him. I needed to. I needed his strength and confidence because mine was dwindling by the minute. For this one time, I allowed him to sleep next to me in my bed.
Chapter Twelve
Thin, white clouds dotted the blue sky while the bright afternoon sun shined down, warming me. Waves crashed into the rocks, forcing a shower of seawater up into the air. I sat at the top of a rocky cliff with a strong breeze carrying my long hair away from my shoulders. Fresh air filled my lungs while I marveled at the beautiful landscape. The breathtaking view calmed me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.
Rocks crunched in the distance behind me as someone drew nearer. I suspected it was Jeremy since he had taken off to wander around the fort while I enjoyed the serenity of the heavens and sea. A touch of heated energy also clued me in to his presence.
"We are surrounded by sea, and there is only one single road leading to the fort." Jeremy came to a stop at my side. Dressed in khakis and a black t-shirt, he scanned the vast waters. The sun lightened his hair and when he turned at just the right angle, tiny blond hairs revealed the start of an overgrowth on his face.
"Think we can swim to France or the UK?" I knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from him anyway.
He looked down and he shook his head.
"I tried using my phone at every side of this rock and couldn't get a signal."
Well that prevented me from calling Dani or Sean. They weren't going to be happy. "So they don't have a cell tower."
"Not here, but there must be one on the island. Dimitry used his phone in the car."
I pressed my lips together as I recalled the vampire had done just that. If he could make calls further inland, than that's what we needed to do. "Maybe they will take us to the island to make a call if we ask."
Jeremy kicked the stony ground with the tip of his tennis shoe. "I checked out the gated entrance and saw a male vampire in the shadows wearing a cloak. He watched my every move."
They were probably watching us now too, somehow, I thought. "Can they survive in the sunlight?"
"Older ones can, but they still cover themselves. The sun can burn them as it would any regular human."
"So the one you saw must be pretty old then?" My thoughts turned to Drake. He was over eight hundred years old and avoided direct sunlight. The vamp Jeremy saw must have been much older.
"I'm sure many of them are ancient." He squatted beside me. "How's your stomach?"
"Sore." After I woke up, the dry heaves ravaged me. Jeremy tried to help by holding his hand over my belly and forcing his energy into me. Eventually, the spasms stopped, but now I had a lasting ache in my body. "I didn't know you could share your energy with me in that way to help me."
"I wasn't sure I could either until we were in Phoenix. The first time I tried it was after you sent Matthew's soul to Hell."
Memories of that awful night returned. A werewolf rapist and murderer named Matthew had challenged Alan, the Alpha, for control over his trucking company, which was the largest in the United States. Alan won, and I had sent Matthew's soul where it belonged, but he had tried to escape by clawing at my insides. Jeremy had rested his hand over my abdomen and shifted some of his energy into me, helping to heal my wounds and ease the pain. Although I wasn't a full blooded demon, the fact that I had some demon blood had to mean we could help each other. At least, that's the only explanation I could come up with.
"You really should try to eat something." His gentle tone revealed his concern.
After a heavy sigh, I stood and brushed the dirt off the back of my jeans. "I'll try."
"If you let me, I'll feed you." A charming smile splayed across his face.
"Thanks, but I'm quite capable of feeding myself." I stepped around him and followed the narrow dirt path leading back to our building.
He walked close behind me. "But I will make it more interesting."
Oh, I had no doubt he would. "No thanks. When we get back, I want to take a bath and unpack."
"I can order something to eat. What are you in the mood for?"
"Well…fruit sounds good." I stopped, then spun around to face him. "Do you think they have any good fruit here?"
"We're on an island. I doubt it." A hint of amusement played upon his lips. "What's your second choice?"
I continued along the path and thought about what else I might want to eat. In truth, the thought of food made my stomach tighten. Yet, Jeremy was right. I had to eat something. "Potato soup and crackers. Or clam chowder."
"Wow, that sounds so…unappetizing."
I chuckled. Soup didn't whet my appetite either, but it would help keep my stomach calm. "Honestly, I'm not really hungry. But since you asked…"
"Soup it is," he said.
Upon our return to our lodging, I stopped in the living room to collect my suitcase. I lifted the handle until it snapped into place.
"Are you sure you don't want anything else? A cheeseburger, meatloaf, lasagna…" Jeremy asked on his way to the table with the phone.
His suggestions sounded good, but my stomach wasn't ready to handle much. "I'll stick with soup."
He lifted the receiver to his ear. "Okay. Just making sure."
I rolled my luggage into the bedroom. The long dresser underneath the television had six drawers with three small ones in the middle. It had plenty of space for Jeremy and me to share. I set my suitcase on the bed nearest the windows, then unpacked.
"They said it would take twenty minutes to a half hour," Jeremy said as he entered the room.
"Great. That gives me time to clean up."
"Do you need any help with that? I'm more than happy to assist.” He held a wide, mischievous grin.
I finished filling a third drawer with clothes, then shut it. "No thanks." I grabbed the robe Dani had packed for me, gathered my bathroom supplies, then headed for the door.
"The phone in the living room doesn't call outside the fort either," Jeremy said as he followed me out of the bedroom. "I tried to dial a number in the States and the line kept dying."
I stopped in the middle of the living room. "So we are totally cut off from communicating with anyone while we're at this fort?"
"Totally." He sighed heavily.
The news didn't comfort me. Anything could happen to us. Sean knew where I was, but essentially the vamps could kill us and walk away. The thought terrified me, but there was nothing I could do.
"Do you think we shouldn't have come?" I asked.
Jeremy moved to one of the recliners, th
en dropped into it. He propped his feet up on the table. "It was the right decision to come. If you had refused, they would have dragged you here. It's better to let them think they are in control, but never let your guard down."
I couldn't have agreed more with the last part. And if I had refused, they would've most likely ordered my death. At least I had a chance of living by agreeing to appear before them.
"Do you think they'll let us walk away from here?" I asked.
"Hard to say. We'll know more after we meet all of them."
I nodded in agreement and proceeded down the short hall.
After locking the bathroom door, I dumped my supplies on the small tiled countertop. The room was spotless with modern fixtures, but it was smaller than the one I shared with Dani. Everything, including the shower liner, was white. A little color would've helped the room seem less cold and plain. Wanting to finish quickly, I stripped, then stepped inside the porcelain tub.
My thoughts drifted to Drake as I washed under the warm water. I needed to talk to him about Dimitry, but now it was impossible. The other vampires could hear every word we spoke. They could even monitor our movements. Maybe he could take me out of the fort to the main island where we could talk. Besides, I needed to contact Sean and Dani. If I didn't check in with Sean, he would be beyond worried about me. Lord only knew what he would do if I didn't reach him. While I appreciated his concern, I didn't want him to get into any trouble with the vamps.
By the time I finished towel drying my hair, I started to feel a little hungry. My stomach actually growled, which was a good sign. I wrapped the robe around me, ran a comb through my locks, then headed out the door.
The smell of warm, peppery food and cooked meat tickled my taste buds as I stepped into the living room. Jeremy stood over a cart with a silver lid in his hand.
"They had strawberries and grapes. I also ordered soup for you," he said.
I pointed to the thick steak on a platter. "Is that yours?"
"Yep. All sixteen ounces." The greedy smile on his face said plenty.
"And I have soup." My tone was flat.
"Hey, you asked for soup." His voice held a spark that made me chuckle.
"Calm down. I won't touch your precious steak."
"Yeah, you better not."
"Or what?" I cocked a brow.
A knock at the door stole our attention.
"It wouldn't be Drake. He doesn't go outside in the sun," I said, giving him the hint that since our visitor couldn't be Drake, vampires or servants were the only other possible visitors.
Jeremy set the lid over the plate. "I'll answer it."
I watched him move to the door, then open it. He didn’t give the visitor much room to see inside.
"May I come in?" The voice was soft and feminine. I recognized it from last night.
Jeremy stepped aside and extended his arm.
"Thank you." Sophia stepped inside wearing a long, oversized cloak. A rush of cool energy flowed into the room as steady as a soft breeze. Striding toward me, she lowered the cover from her head. Her gaze drifted down my body. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, not at all. I just got out of the shower," I said. "Would you like to have a seat?"
"Thank you." She walked around me with a confident stride as she unbuttoned her cloak. Although the woman showed manners and acted respectable, my instincts warned me to be leery of her.
Before she took a seat, I said, "If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I'll get dressed and be right back."
"I'll keep her company." Jeremy winked at me.
I didn't wait for her approval. I strode into the bedroom, then shut the door behind me. Since this wasn't a formal meeting, I grabbed the first items in the drawer. A plain skirt and shirt would do. After donning undergarments, I slid the clothes on and then hurried out the door, bare feet patting on the hardwood floor.
Sophia sat in the middle of the sofa. Her cloak hung over the back. Jeremy faced her from one of the recliners.
"How is Drake?" I asked as I sat in the other chair so I could have a direct view of her.
"He is concerned about you. He wanted me to check on you." A small smile touched her lips as her gaze traveled up my bare legs.
Uncomfortable with her appraisal of me, I crossed my knees. "I'm doing fine. As you can see, we were getting ready to eat something."
She shifted her gaze to Jeremy. "Are you caring for her?"
"Of course," he replied, cocky. "You can tell him he doesn't need to worry."
I bit down on my tongue and glared at him. His tone and expression could easily give the wrong impression to this woman.
"If you can just tell him I'm well, that should be enough."
Her attention returned to me and she smiled. "He has told me much about both of you."
"Don't believe everything you hear," Jeremy said.
She let out a laugh of amusement. "You must be an old one." She studied Jeremy slow and meticulously, as if she were sizing up her next meal.
Jeremy shrugged and turned to me.
"Drake wanted me to tell you about the gathering tonight and the plans for the next night," she said.
"Oh?" I threaded my fingers together and clasped my hands on my lap.
"The gathering is a tradition for members. We come together, socialize with each other, and the servers will"—she paused and her lips twisted into an eerie smile—"entertain us."
I shot a questionable gaze at Jeremy.
"As food or sex?" he asked.
"Both."
Oh, hell no! I was not going to be part of their orgy. Temper rising, I dug my nails into the backside of my hands. I wondered if Drake knew about this gathering. Moreover, I was curious to find out if he partook of such wild adventures. He didn't seem like the type.
Jeremy slapped his hands on the cushioned armrests, then pushed himself to stand. "We are not part of the entertainment." His tone was firm.
"Relax." Sophia smiled. "You have been invited as guests. You are not required to participate. Drake and Kuri have been invited as well."
"So this is a member only event, for the most part," I said.
"That is correct," she said.
Jeremy lowered into the seat while I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn't imagine what we would've done if we had been the entertainment.
"Thanks for warning us," I said. Thank goodness she did. I would've been shocked if we walked into one massive vampire fuck fest.
"Tomorrow night, we will have an informal meeting and ask you questions. Monday night will begin our formal meeting where we will debate what to do."
"How long are these meetings?" I asked.
"It varies. Drake has informed the members with all the knowledge he had about you. We know about your mother's death, your warlock guardian, and when you started catching souls. He also told us about his relationship with you. But we were unaware of your involvement with Jeremy. I am certain members will questions about him."
I directed a curious gaze at Jeremy. Didn't Kuri tell them Jeremy nearly burned him to ashes in Phoenix? Surely, he would've since the evil Asian wanted to suck the life out of Jeremy.
"What has Kuri or Drake told you about Jeremy?" I asked.
"Drake informed me Jeremy is here to help support and protect you. Right now, I am the only one who knows about his special gift."
If she was the only one who knew, then Kuri had yet to say what had happened to him. Why? It didn't make sense to me why he would hide Jeremy's ability. For another matter, why would Drake only tell Sophia? What special relationship did he have with her? Now I really needed to speak to him in private.
"So I can expect to be probed about my relationship with Jeremy," I said rather than asked.
"Yes, you can be certain of it." Sophia rose. "I informed you as Drake wished. I won't take up anymore of your time."
Jeremy and I stood at the same time.
"Thank you for honoring his request," I said.
She approach
ed me with staid expression. "I have known Drake a long time. His principles have always been moral and ethical. I trust him. Therefore, I will stand by him and his decisions about you."
I stared into her brown eyes and saw strength and compassion. I also saw someone who could kill in an instant. "I appreciate your support."
She turned and faced Jeremy. "Would you come for a walk with me, please? I'd like to have a private conversation with you."
Jeremy looked at me as if questioning whether or not he should go. While I knew he could defend himself just fine, I still had an unsettling feeling stir in my stomach. Why did she want to have a secretive conversation with him?
Sophia gathered her cloak and slid it on. "I won't take up much more of your time," she said to Jeremy.
He gave his attention to Sophia. "All right."
She covered her head as she stepped closer to the exit.
"Don't touch my steak," he said as she opened the door.
I shook my head. "Fine." Of all things to be worried about, the top one was his steak. Wow.
Jeremy followed Sophia out and left me alone with the food. I was half tempted to eat his meal, but I doubted my stomach would tolerate it.
I plopped my butt back into the recliner. As I gnawed on my fingernail, I pondered on the conversation Jeremy was having. Did she want to know more about his ability? Was she asking if he was in love with me? Was she warning him of any dangers? So many questions filled my mind. Whatever they were talking about, I had confidence he'd inform me upon his return.
My stomach groaned. The tray full of food waited. Worried my soup was cooling, I headed to the cart. I lifted the silver cover and a puff of steam floated up from the creamy white liquid. The aroma drifted in my nose and it smelled delicious. I set aside the lid, then picked up the spoon.
The hot potato soup tasted good. I took several sips, then my flesh frosted. Goose pimples sprouted on my arms. I paused, holding the spoon mid-air. A rap at the door jolted me. My hand quivered and the soup on the spoon spilled back into the bowl.
