“Monsieur LeClerc, I have a document that says a Jacques LeClerc was hired by Queen Marie Antoinette to care for . . .”
Before Noble could finish, Jacques interrupted. “To care for Marie Therese Aquilla in her illness. When she died, the queen hired me to give her a proper burial.”
“In a mass grave at St. Marguerite’s?” Noble asked.
“We have a lot to talk about, but not here. Will you come to the catacombs with us?” Jacques asked.
“No.” Donovan moved Noble behind him.
“I understand that you don’t know us and have no reason to trust. Where would you like to talk?”
“La Maison Rose.”
“We accept, but not now. We have to leave here immediately.” Jacques looked around. “The Nesters are coming.”
“Who?” Noble asked.
“Slayers. You must go. We’ll meet tomorrow at midnight. Now go!” Jacques and Louis disappeared.
Donovan merely said, “Poof,” and all four teleported to the downstairs foyer where they checked in at La Maison Rose. The car would be retrieved by a daywalker a day or two later.
“Lasalle, inform the knights that we will have guests tomorrow night around midnight. They are to be treated with all courtesy.”
“Yes, my Prince.”
“I also want to know any information you can gather on the Nesters. We’ll be in our room.”
Donovan took Noble’s hand. They teleported to their bedroom. Alaire knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
“Good evening, my Prince and Princess. I have brought up the dinner as earlier arranged. Shuma Moot, blood wine, a hearty Vin de Sang de Boeuf for the Prince, a Vampire Special pizza with mushrooms, broccoli, and beef bits, and my surprise.” He lifted the cover to reveal a small round chocolate cake topped with crème. “My mini Bomb de Chocolat.”
Noble applauded. “Merci, Alaire! Merci!”
They were eating, when Lasalle knocked on the door. Pierre was with him. Donovan invited them in. Just as Noble finished her exquisite dessert, Pierre set up his laptop again on the small desk.
“We have never run into slayers. Perhaps it’s because we don’t hunt, and our pallor is not as deathlike as some of the catacomb vampires. But you have to see what Pierre found.”
Chapter 32
Noble stopped to take a photo. The glorious sunset filled the sky with purples and pinks. Ten Arnhem Knights, many daywalkers and some not but all trained in hand-to-hand, walked with Noble and Donovan below the Eiffel Tower. Every time she saw a good photo, they turned and paused, the Arnhem Knights around them.
The tower tours were cancelled due to the brutally cold wind. Only a few humans wandered about, mostly taking photos, too. Noble felt safe surrounded by humanity, just as she had in New York.
As if on some silent cue, all human eyes turned to them. Humans charged them wielding knives, stakes and crossbows. Donovan picked up a manhole cover and deflected arrows.
Jump into the river was his silent command to the knights, but humans rushed between them and the Seine. Run, he mindtalked to them. They ran. Humans converged on them like swarming ants. He stood with Noble back-to-back. She twirled, kicking six humans in the head. They smacked into the approaching hoard. Donovan punched four in rapid succession. Grabbing one by the arm, he knocked down three more. A human rushed him from the side breaking his proximity to Noble. More humans joined the assault. The sun had not set. They were rapidly outnumbered.
Noble begged God to let the sun set. Every knight that shielded her was cut down or pulled away. Donovan turned and rushed toward her.
In one moment, a human reached in between the battling knights and pulled her. She kicked him away. Two others grabbed her. Donovan leapt toward her. “Noble!”
A human tackled him to the ground. Several more jumped on top.
A car pulled up, opening its door. They threw Noble inside. The car sped off.
As soon as she was inside, someone shoved a gray bag over her face and tightened it around her neck. As the sun dipped, Noble felt her vampire powers returning and just as quickly being drained from her. There was something bad about this bag. She screamed. The setting sun could not help her. She felt as weak as a kitten. They pushed her down to the floor.
“Please, let me go. Why are you doing this to me?”
“You’re a vampire.”
“What! Are you crazy! I’m a woman. Please, let me go.”
Hatcher! Cassius! Get Noble!
Both vampires ran off in pursuit. Cassius being both a daywalker and an ancient had his powers in the day. Hatcher ran. Cassius, not caring that anyone saw, flew straight at the car.
Donovan ripped the humans off him, kicking them aside as more came. He struggled to free himself from the surrounding chaos, ducking knives, punching and kicking humans out of the way. More humans joined the battle. They were slayers, and the knights put up a hell of a defense.
Hatcher continued running even though the car was rapidly outpacing him. Cassius leapt on the car. Then was shot off. He got up and gave chase again. Another arrow brought him down in the street.
Rage burst through Donovan’s heart. All he could think of was Noble. Every part of him screamed for her. More humans jumped him. He fought them off and more came. He heard her say, Help me. Looking through her eyes, he saw gray.
The men talked about dissecting her.
Noble, take off the hood, he thought to her mind.
I can’t. It’s tied. My hands are tied. Something in the hood is draining me. I feel like I’m dying.
Noble, come to me.
There was a silence between the two, then words of fear and defeat.
I can’t. I can’t teleport. This bag drains powers. Help me.
My Noble is not defeated. There was silence. Then he shouted, Noble, come to me now! Every part of him and her were forever tied to each other. In his mind, he reached for her, felt her hands, and pulled her into his embrace.
She appeared in Donovan’s arms. He cut her ties and ripped off the hood. Noble’s eyes widened, her mouth dropped open in surprise. She smiled as the sun sank below the horizon.
Vampires rushed to aid the Arnhem Knights. Catacomb vampires.
Donovan thought to Lasalle. I’m taking Noble home. Get all the Arnhem Knights out of here. Retrieve the wounded. Your father is two blocks from here, having fallen in the street.
Noble shoved Donovan. He felt the arrow hit her.
Noble?
It’s only a flesh wound. She collapsed in his arms.
Donovan teleported them directly to their bedroom at La Maison Rose. Alaire, also the house medic, arrived to help.
“This should not be happening. It’s only an arrow.” Alaire carefully pulled it out. “It has a strange smell.”
An Arnhem Knight ran into the room. “Three vampires from the catacombs are here to see you, my Prince.”
“Tell them I cannot see them.”
“They say it’s a matter of life and death.”
“Bring them here.”
Louis, Jacques and a woman hurried into the room.
Jacques spoke first. “Pardon, Prince Donovan, for our intrusion. My mate Margot is a healer. We saw the Princess struck by an arrow.”
“Please, let me help her,” the woman pleaded.
Alaire said, “I took out the arrow with the head intact, but she’s unconscious. I gave her Royal Nectar orally and also poured it into the wound. She should start healing, but she isn’t.”
Margot examined the arrow. “Yellow feathers.” She opened her bag, and after looking at two bottles, poured one down Noble’s throat. She took a stethoscope from her bag and listed to Noble’s heart.
Hatcher appeared in the room. “My Prince, the
wounded are returning with the vampires from the cata—” His gaze fell on the three in the room, and he quickly amended. “The Parisian vampires with healers among them.
“Go downstairs and organize that effort, Hatcher.”
“Yes, my Prince.” He disappeared.
“Alaire, I would like you to meet the healers downstairs. Make sure they have any ingredients they need from our supplies.”
“Yes, my Prince.” He also teleported out.
“You’re going to trust us to help you?” Jacques asked.
“I am.”
“We’re losing her,” Margot said. “Are you her true lifemate or an honored companion?”
“I am her true lifemate.”
“Can you vapor?”
“Yes, how many times do you want me to pass through her?”
“Five times each way.”
Donovan lifted her away from the pillow. Margot held her on one side by the arm.
Noble, stay with me.
He turned to vapor. Slowly Donovan passed through her body back and forth. He called to her, saw her walking away into the distance toward a great light. He called her name, but she didn’t turn around. Sha, I love you. Come back to me. There was no response. His heart was breaking.
Donovan saw something else. His vapor passed through Madame LeClerc’s hand and forearm. He saw her with a small dark-haired girl. They were dressed from another age.
When he reappeared, Margot was listening to her heart. She looked at him, her face tense. He saw the resemblance. The same green eyes and delicate mouth.
“You’re Marie Therese Aquilla, aren’t you?”
Her hands shook. “Yes.” She dropped her stethoscope on top of Noble and reached to where it landed on her abdomen. Margot’s eyes widened.
“Francesca’s with child?”
“Yes. We have to save them.”
“Jacques. Louis. Come here. Put your hands over her abdomen here. Not touching. Reach out for the child who is about the size of a peanut. Give her your energy. Create the ball of orange golden light and put it around the baby. This is a ball of love, of energy for my grandchild.”
Both men sat on the bed and did as Margot instructed.
“Why are you doing this?” Donovan asked.
“To protect the child from the poison in Francesca’s body.” She took two more little bottles from her bag and poured them down Noble’s throat. There was no cough or gag reflex.
“Now you must be cruel to get her back. It’s our only chance.”
“What do I have to do?”
“To shock her back into her body because she is walking away.”
Donovan nodded. “I will do it. Tell me how.”
“You must bite her brutally between the shoulder and the neck on the right side.”
He stuck out his tongue to lick the spot.
“No!”
Donovan stopped.
“This is not a sexually arousing bite, so do not numb the area. You must bite as hard as you can, through the bone like a monster. Do it now!”
In his heart, Donovan called out to her a final time. She did not speak to his mind. With fangs extended as if in anger, he bit her fast and hard. The bone broke. His heart with it.
Screams pierced his thoughts. Her screams of pain and horror.
“What is he doing?”
“Please, you can’t interfere. We’re trying to save her.”
Donovan cringed at hearing the exchange between Max and Jacques. Max was here! He’d have a lot to answer for.
“Suck now!” Margot said.
Taking a deep breath, he sucked her blood into him.
The screams grew louder, first with desperation but then with a growing rage. Then Donovan realized he was hearing screams with his ears. Noble was awake. Quickly he licked the ragged wound he made.
She pushed him away. Because of his strength he didn’t fly across the room as she intended but only a few inches from her.
Pain and torment strained her face. Her eyes glowed, fangs extended as in battle mode ready to attack.
“Noble, it’s me, your Donovan.”
Her face showed no emotion other than blind rage.
“Sha, you forgot me and the baby. You forgot us and were leaving forever. Remember me, Noble. I’m your lifemate. It’s Donovan. Remember the Bébé.”
Shaking her head, she looked down. “Juliette was there. She said, ‘Noble, you’re forgetting something.’ I didn’t understand her.” She looked up at him. The glow in her eyes faded. “Please, forgive me.” She reached for him.
They embraced and kissed.
Noble looked over Donovan’s shoulder and saw the other people in the room. A dark-haired woman was easing off the bed. She knew her, the feeling was unmistakable.
“Mama?”
The woman looked up. It was her.
“Are you real? Am I dead? Am I just imagining you and Donovan? Oh, my God, my baby!”
“No, no, Francesca.” She moved up and hugged Noble. “I am here. The baby is going to be all right.”
“You’re alive!”
“As alive as a vampire can be,” Louis said.
Noble hugged both her mother and Donovan. She looked out between them to Louis. Jacques stood next to Father and Evie.
“Father?”
“I came as soon as I could,” Max said.
“Your father had a bad dream. He woke and packed us off for the plane. We brought Mina too,” Evie said. Noble’s doctor from New York waved.
It was all some surrealistic dream. Noble’s brain kept fighting for reality. She held onto Donovan and her mother, yet didn’t want to take her eyes off the others. Oh, how she ached. The images in the room warped and swam.
“Bathroom,” she cried and then teleported in.
Donovan looked around at everyone. “Excuse me. I have to help her.” He teleported after Noble.
When they came out, Noble sighed. “I’m sorry. Could everyone, please, give us some time?”
“Out of the room,” Mina said.
Everyone filed out and Mina and Noble’s mother helped Donovan put her into the bed again. She noticed the sheets, blanket, and comforter were all changed and clean.
“We’ll be just outside,” Max said, closing the door.
“Mina. Mama. I really want to be alone with Donovan for a while.”
“You will need to eat soon,” her mother said.
“I just need time.”
She was visibly trembling, and Mina ran to get her some Shuma Moot. Margot stopped her. “She cannot have Shuma Moot for at least another hour. Blood is better until the poison has been completely neutralized in her body.”
“You’re going to have to show me this poison,” Mina said.
“Ladies,” Donovan said. “We need some time, so if you please.”
After the two closed the door behind them, Donovan joined Noble in the bed holding her near.
“How are you doing now, Sha?”
“I’m horrified. I almost lost you and the baby. After waiting so long to meet you, I . . .”
“I refused to let that happen. You are my Noble.” He hugged her tightly against him. “Thank you for stepping in front of an arrow.”
She smiled. “You’ve done so much for me, so many times, my Donovan, my warrior.”
Hugging quietly, they listened to the voices in the next room. Alaire was preparing a dinner party.
“We don’t have to go,” he said.
“We do.”
Donovan got up and went to the little fridge. He returned and held the bottle of blood for her while she drank. Her hands still shook.
When she finished, he put the bottle on the nightstand.<
br />
“Please, help me shower and get dressed.”
He nodded and helped her back into the bathroom, washed and dried her with lots of love, so much that she couldn’t help smiling even though she still hurt all over. Standing behind her, he helped her make her hair into that little bun on top. Noble was confident enough but her footing was wobbly. Donovan misted his own clothes on, so he could maintain his hold on her. Then her clothes appeared on her body.
“Are you sure you want to go out there?”
She nodded, so they walked out together.
The table was laden with food, and the vampires that came with Jacques and the Arnhem Knights with Max and Evie sat around it.
“Francesca, we saved two seats at the head of the table for you and Donovan.”
They walked over and sat in the appointed seats. Alaire put a soup down in front of Noble.
“My Princess, your doctors have advised me as to the diet that will help neutralize the poison. This is my Seaweed Specialty rich with fish.”
“Smells delicious.”
Donovan drank a beef blood wine. They both listened to the vibrant conversations around the table. Jacques and Max were discussing how to resolve the Nester matter. Margot and Mina were comparing remedies for different poisons that affect vampires and what the feather colors meant on slayer arrows. Louis, Cassius, and Pierre rushed in with a laptop.
“We found them!”
Everyone stood up at once and crowded around Pierre as he placed his laptop on the table. “Cassius put a bug on the car that tried to take the Princess, and we followed it electronically until it parked. When he ripped off part of the roof, Cassius grabbed a person inside just as the Princess disappeared. Even though he was shot and fell off the car, he managed to put a bug on him. We have that man’s location.”
“Yes,” Max yelled. “We have two hours before morning. With your permission, Jacques, I’d like to remedy the slayer problem in Paris.”
Vampire Princess of New York (Arnhem Knights of New York) Page 27
