“Lawrence, is there something else you want to ask me?” Helen finally spoke out, breaking the ice.
Stiffening his resolve, Lawrence forced himself to ask Helen what had been on his mind since he’d first laid eyes on Tara.
As he inhaled a deep breath, he spoke on an exhale, “Do you think it’s possible that Tara might have inherited the Breedline genetics but doesn’t know anything about it?”
“It’s possible,” she replied. “A lot of our species are out there without the slightest clue. They carry the gene but never have the knowledge of it, especially if they’re born without an identical twin. It could be because it’s kept secret or their family doesn’t know. Look at Detective Sanchez for instance. He only found out a short time ago. His father carried the gene but never told his mother. It’s possible that even his father never knew of his lineage.”
Lawrence sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
When he said not another thing, the quiet was now making Helen feel uneasy. Then she said, “Would you like me to run a DNA test?”
His eyes rounded. “You would do that?”
She nodded. “Of course, this would have to be just between us.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” he said with a hint of excitement in his voice.
Before Helen walked away, she placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’ll let you know when I find out. Oh, and tell her not to worry about her job. I’ve taken care of everything at the hospital. When this is all over, she’ll be able to return to work.”
“Thank you, Helen.”
As Lawrence stood outside Tara’s room, grinning like a Cheshire cat, he felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. When he retrieved it, he saw it was Tim calling.
“This is Lawrence,” he answered.
“We’ve got a situation,” Tim said. “I just got a call from Detective Sanchez. His precinct was attacked.”
“Attacked?” Lawrence questioned. “By what?”
“Going by Detective Sanchez’s description, it sounds like we’re dealing with a rogue wolf,” Tim explained. “I need you and Roman to check this out ASAP. The guy’s name is Jimmy Fratianno. He’s a convicted felon brought in to turn over state’s evidence on a big mob case. In exchange, he would receive time off his sentence. After checking our records, I found out he’s a rogue wolf from the Chiang-Shih demon’s army that we apprehended two years ago. Jimmy had agreed to do his time in a human prison facility without shifting. It’s my fault,” Tim regretfully admitted. “I let this one slip through the cracks. I should have known better than to trust his word. He’s always been nothing but a damn criminal. Hell, his entire family raised him in that environment. I guess I just felt sorry for the bastard. When he refused to join the demon’s army, he’d been relentlessly tortured.” Tim let out a heavy sigh. “Now we have a whole damn police department to deal with. It’s just a matter of time before all this leaks out. The damn press is already having a field day over the Salem Cemetery murders. They will eat this shit up.”
“You can count me in,” Lawrence said.
“Thanks, Lawrence. Detective Sanchez will fill you in on all the details,” Tim said. “The good news is, we’ve got Jimmy’s location. Before he went off to prison, the council planted a tracking device on him. It’s inside his chest cavity. If he tries to remove the microchip, it will detonate.”
“Damn,” Lawrence shot back. “Does Jimmy know the device is an actual explosive?”
“Yeah, he knows.”
“I’ve got a feeling you’re about to tell me the bad news, am I right?” Lawrence sounded reluctant.
“Jimmy is hiding out at his Uncle Vincent Scarpelli’s estate.”
“Aw, shit,” Lawrence gritted out. “That place will be loaded down with security. It won’t be easy getting in there.”
“I’m sending Drakon, Jem, and Jace to meet you and Roman at the police station,” Tim explained. “Detective Sanchez knows you’re coming.”
“I’m on it,” Lawrence said.
After Lawrence ended the call with Tim, he headed toward Tara’s room. Before he left the Covenant to meet up with Roman and the others, he wanted to let her know Helen had taken care of her time off at the hospital. Mostly, he wanted to make sure she knew he was a man of his word. He promised to explain everything to her when he returned.
Chapter Fourteen
Hours later, after Angie had left the hospital, Jena suddenly came awake, her eyes searching through the dark room. She could have sworn she heard a faint movement on the other side of the door.
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, she rose from the bed, covered herself with a robe, and quietly crept toward the door. Then she heard that muffled sound again. It wasn’t exactly footsteps, but something softer... lighter... gently stirring the air.
As Jena pressed close to listen, she felt a cold draft on her bare feet coming from under the door. She crouched down and felt along the floor. Yes, she thought. I can feel it, but where is it coming from?
Contemplating whether she should investigate, Jena slipped out of her room before she could change her mind. Standing outside of the door, she took a nervous glance around. It was dark, except for a few flickering fluorescent lights that hung from the ceiling and a lamp on the receptionist’s desk.
That’s strange, she thought. There wasn’t a sign of life anywhere. No guards, no nurses, no one at the front desk. Not a soul in sight. Where did everyone go?
Instantly, the hairs on Jena’s arms lifted and goosebumps rose at the cool breeze that crept over her skin, as though someone had breathed down the back of her neck.
She whirled around, her eyes searching every corner. “Hello,” she called out. “Is anyone there?”
“Shhh... come this way.”
“Angie?”
Jena turned toward the soft echo of her friend’s voice and saw a distant shadow of a person standing in a narrow hallway, holding the door open that led to a stairwell.
“In here, Jena,” the familiar voice said, motioning Jena to follow.
Bewildered, Jena began to walk slowly, curiosity building inside her. Before she managed to get close, the dark figure of what looked like her friend disappeared through the door.
Jena rushed onward. “Angie, wait!”
Surely, Angie saw that I was coming. Why didn’t she wait for me?
Jena opened the door and nervously peered up the poorly lit stairwell. She couldn’t hear or see anyone. Deep inside, she knew she should turn back around and run to her room. Instead, she kept her feet moving up the stairs, one step at a time. She was compelled to find her friend. What was Angie doing? Why did she come back so late?
When she finally reached the top, she came to a door with a sign that read PRIVATE.
After a timid glance around, Jena slowly reached for the doorknob. It was cold to the touch. Pushing her fears aside, she went in.
She stood in a large room filled with shadows and damp, cool air. Jena shivered and shoved her hands inside the pockets of her robe.
“Angie?” she whispered, exhaling steam from her parted lips. Her gaze swept from one end of the room to the other. There were file cabinets, lab tables with computers, piles of books stacked on top of one another, and medical instruments she could not easily identify going by the odd shapes of them.
As Jena waited, her ears tensed for the slightest noise. She couldn’t hear anything but the rhythm of her heart beating and the hum of illuminated glass doors that were across the room. It reminded her of refrigerated shelved storage units in grocery stores until she moved closer.
That’s when she realized what was inside. It was blood.
Rows upon rows of bags of it stored and locked away. Shelf after shelf of dark red liquid kept chilled like the finest of wines.
Sweet wines that someone would sip with great pleasure, she thought as she ran her tongue over her lips.
Jena froze as a lone, tall figure suddenly appeared from out of the shadows and moved
into the light. She could see his elegant profile and was certain she’d seen it before.
In my dreams, Jena reminisced. “In my nightmares,” she whispered.
His handsome features were too beautiful and seductive to be real. The soft illumination from the glass clung to him like a shining aura.
It was at that moment she realized who he was: the stranger from her dreams... the monster in her nightmares.
Like a distant observer, she watched as he reached to open the glass door. Her mouth watered as he took out a precious bag of blood. He then slightly tilted his back and poised it delicately above his mouth. With his brows clenched, he curled his lip off his front teeth. His fangs positively gleamed in the light as he silently punctured the plastic. As the crimson gold ran down his throat, he let out a satisfied sigh.
After downing all the contents, he ran a hand over his mouth, and said, “Would you like a taste, Jena?”
The room faded around her. She struggled to breathe, to think, or to move, yet she could hear his velvety voice and recognized it at once.
He dropped the empty bag at his feet and held out his hand. “Come closer,” he told her. His tone was rich, deep, dominating.
“Where’s Angie?”
He made no reply.
“W-what do you want from me?” Jena cautiously asked, trying to hide the trembling in her voice.
“I want all of you,” he murmured. “We were destined to be together since the beginning.”
“What the hell are you?” she said, glaring at him. Her tone suggested monster could easily be the descriptor.
Leveling his stare on her, he said in a sultry voice, “You know what I am. I’m your destiny.” His words rolled off the tip of his tongue like silk.
A chill slithered down her spine. She wanted to escape, but she yearned for the truth. “You’re the one who took Todd and Sophie’s life, aren’t you?”
A sinister grin formed his lips. “But I spared yours.” He sounded pleased. “I gave you a gift.”
Jena gritted her teeth. “You damned my soul.”
“You’re very courageous, Jena, in spite of your fear. I find it quite arousing.”
“Tell me your name then,” she demanded.
With a powerful yearning flashing in his gleaming eyes, he whispered into her mind, “Jena, I am your beloved.”
“I don’t believe you,” she cried out. “You’re lying!”
Just then, Jena felt a warm sensation closing all around her, searing all the way through her. Her entire body was shaking. She could hardly stand.
“You feel it, don’t you?” His voice was hypnotic. “It’s a part of me flowing through your veins.”
“No...”
“Don’t you see, Jena? I’ve given you eternal life.”
In the blink of an eye, he was upon her. Jena’s breath caught in her chest. She looked up at him and froze. His glowing eyes were on her throat, and they were burning with a passion that wasn’t just sexual. A dark, spicy scent came out of his skin in a rush. As she drew it in, she could feel his whole body shaking with restraint.
When he took her by the arm and pulled her against his body, the element of surprise shocked her into surrender. Although she was trembling, she freely tilted her head to the side while his lips moved slowly down the length of her neck. Her skin tingled at his touch, and a faint moan escaped her lips.
“You know you crave the taste of blood,” he said as her body felt the merciless, ravaging lust. “And your body aches for me.”
Jena found that she could not fight it anymore. His lips created wave after wave of desire everywhere they touched her. Taking his time, he kissed the throbbing pulse at her throat so tender, so teasing... so demanding. He made a noise in the back of his throat, a purr that rolled through his chest. Her strength was rapidly fading away, drifting in a swirl of heated and painful longing.
Overwhelmed by his boldness, she gasped as he swept her off her feet and scooped her into his arms. As he carried her across the room, it was as though he floated in midair, his feet never touching the floor.
Carefully, he leaned her against a table and stripped the robe off her, handling her as gently as he could while her body willfully submitted. As he positioned himself between her thighs, she could feel the hardness of him pressing against her.
Her breathing began to quicken.
“Look at me, Jena,” he said in a sensual, disembodied drawl.
As if he controlled her eyes, they obeyed and rose to meet his.
“You hunger for me.” His voice dropped deeper. “Don’t you, Jena?”
She briefly closed her eyes. For a split second, her defense went down. Dear God, she wanted him—No, she didn’t.
Yes, she did.
He reached out with his mind and forced his way into hers. The vision was of him. And she was aching. She was aching for him.
“Yes,” she finally answered.
“Close your eyes.” His voice flowed like black satin.
As Jena closed them, he caught her off guard when he flipped her around. Her gasp was first one of shock, then one of ecstasy as he bent her over and splayed her legs apart. She felt his arousal against her core, the rigid length pressing in through the thin material of her panties. His hand found her breasts, then moved down to her stomach, and down lower to her hips. Then down farther...
She cried out, arching her back as two sharp points suddenly ran up the column of her neck to the curve of her jaw. Anticipation and a needy sensation flooded her veins. He was the master of her body, the driver, the one controlling her emotions. He knew exactly what he was doing to her.
“I’m going to take what belongs to me,” he growled as he buried his hand into her long blonde hair and pulled back. As she gasped in pleasure, wetness bloomed within her.
She wanted this. She wanted him. “Please,” she pleaded, her eyes squeezed tight.
He roughly positioned her neck to the side and exposed her throat. “Beg for me, Jena.” His tongue was warm and wet as it rode up her neck.
Jena opened her mouth but could only pant.
He licked her throat again, and then gently nipped at her earlobe. She flinched at the delightful twinge. “Beg me now,” he demanded, tugging at her hair.
She nearly sobbed, so aroused she could barely speak. “Please, take me.”
Then Jena felt his palm grip her shoulder. As he pulled her upright, his hand moved up her throat, locked onto her chin, and tilted her head back.
“Soon,” he whispered softly into her ear. “You’ll be begging to be at my side.”
When Jena opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself back in her hospital room, lying in her bed alone.
The hazy, but realistic images lingered and frustrated her like she’d lost her mind. As she sat up slowly, she was completely overwhelmed by the bizarre and unbelievable experience she’d just encountered. Looking around the dark room, she realized with dread that the whole thing had to have been a dream. Maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her. But the arousal she felt though? That was real. Was the mysterious man real or just a figment of my imagination? As she thought about it, she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t anymore.
Jena inhaled a deep breath and smelled something delicious. Her stomach immediately roared. She followed the sweet aroma and noticed that there was a tray set up next to the bed. As she lifted the silver lid off the platter, she saw a plastic container of blood.
Maybe this was all a horrible nightmare. She waited, praying she would wake up.
Instead, the crimson liquid that was in her dreams was now taunting with her sanity and her weaknesses. Jena closed her eyes and breathed in deep. Calm down. It’s just a dream, she tried to convince herself. Although the hunger still rose deep in her gut.
Disgusted with herself, she scrambled out of bed and hurried to the door. After Jena flipped on the light, she tried the knob but found it wouldn’t turn. What? Someone had locked her inside.
Damn i
t, she cursed to herself. This is not a dream.
She panicked and banged on the door. “Please, is anyone there?” she cried out. “Open this door!”
When the doorknob turned, she immediately stepped back as a stalky man, dressed in a uniform, peered inside and said, “Ma’am, is everything all right?”
“Th-the door.” Jena’s voice trembled in fear. “I-it was locked. I couldn’t get—”
The guard held up his hand in a reassuring gesture. “Ma’am, please, calm down. The door wasn’t locked.” He pointed to the knob. “See, there’s no lock on the outside.”
Jena looked at it confused, and then her eyes rose to meet the guard’s. “But I swore it was locked.”
“It could have been jammed,” he told her. “Don’t worry. Everything is just fine. You’re safe. There are two of us posted outside your door twenty-four seven.”
Her brows furrowed. “No.” She shook her head. “That’s not true. I came out of my room not long ago, and there was no one here. No guards, no nurses, no one. I swear to you, the hospital looked vacant.”
“I’m sorry,” he reluctantly said. “We’ve been stationed outside your door since this morning, and all the hospital staff has been here as well. We were here when your visitor came to see you today.”
“Angie?” Jena cocked her head a little. “Did she come back later?”
“No, ma’am. She hasn’t been back.”
Jena looked down and stared hard at the floor. What good would it do to ask anything else or continue this conversation? The guard didn’t know what she knew, hadn’t seen the unexplainable things she’d seen. The reality of it all was simply too much for anyone to believe or comprehend.
“I am your destiny...”
His words—the stranger in her dreams—still haunted her.
The room started to spin. Jena put her palm over her forehead and stumbled back. The guard quickly reached out to steady her. “Ma’am, I think you should lie down. You don’t look well.”
With his hand tucked under her arm, Jena went along as he walked her to the bed. “Should I call for a nurse?”
“No, no,” she quickly replied, climbing into the bed. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series Page 11
