In the lobby, I went over to the main desk.
"Hello, I'm Rachel—"
"Yes, I know who you are and that you are a guest of Count Vicar. How may I assist you?" The clerk, the same one as when we'd checked-in, shook his head impatiently, as if I were wasting his time.
"I would like to walk by the shore. What is the best route to get there?" His response had annoyed me, but I wasn't about to let it ruin my day.
He pointed to a side door, explaining that a path wound through some gardens and down to the beach area. I listened carefully, not wanting to have to ask him to repeat anything.
"The Count has gone through to the other side, so do be careful. I will try to keep anyone unpleasant away, but you are on your own." He wrinkled his nose, taking in a deep breath as if dealing with me had tired him.
"Thank you, I'll certainly keep that in mind." I wasn't going to ask what the other side was. Perhaps he meant that Nix went to another part of the hotel. I wanted to get outside and into the fresh air.
I followed the winding garden path until I came to a wrought iron gate. Heavy both in build and patina, the metal scrolling ended in a coat of arms. Fixed to the top of the gate was a large sign with bold lettering, CAUTION beyond this point. On the very top of the stone supports sat gargoyles, menacing in their demeanor, ready to lunge should they suddenly animate. Strange, but what did I expect? The dining room experience had left me wondering what exactly the Betherington Mansion Hotel was.
I went through, closing the gate behind me. The real world came into sharp focus with the wind tugging at my hair. In the distance I noted a boardwalk with benches and further along, a pier. It wasn't snowing, but with the clouds overhead, it might. I was glad of my coat, boots, scarf and gloves. I hadn't bothered with a purse or bag today, tucking everything into pockets. I wanted to be free.
It was colder down by the water. The ocean was choppy, green and moody, the waves dancing about. This was the kind of churned-up surf that made for the best sketches. I regretted not bringing my sketch book and pencils. The board walk was empty, but for a crow picking through a garbage can and two gulls circling about, waiting for any discarded morsels. There wasn't another soul I could see in either direction, and I set off. Immediately my mind went to Rein and our last encounter on the beach. He'd come through during his transition to ask me to help his mother. Anger bubbled up, filling me, making my body tense. I went onto the sand, snatching the nearest rock and hurling it into the waves.
Marion had been terrible to me and he'd allowed it. She'd set out to harm me and now I faced going to a new school in January. My graduation would be delayed by six months. Six months! All that hard work had been for not, but was that her game? Was she trying to get me to drop out? Was punishing me for Rein's death the only way for her to feel better? I wished I could go to her and tell her that her precious son had made a deal with a vampire to spare his life. I wanted to let her know her son was selfish and had allowed me to feel the pain of losing him while he'd planned a different outcome.
"All that rage and nothing to sketch on?" I recognized the voice, it came from behind.
I whirled about to find Yuri a few feet back. "Did you get my note?"
For a few seconds I was dumbstruck, trying to figure how to react. Finally, I ran over, grabbing him in a bear-hug. He swept me up, swinging me around before putting me down. Yuri's familiar manner was comforting.
"I'm so happy it was you. Nix found out and he was upset believing it might have been Caspian."
"You're lucky he loves you, otherwise..." He let his words trail off, giving me a stern stare. Today he wore a heavy wool sweater and the same long black leather coat I remembered. His face appeared disfigured, but not as severe as before. This peculiar light, with the clouds and sun changing places, had a kinder touch on his features.
"How did you know where to find me?" I kicked at the sand, digging my hands deep into my pockets. It was like meeting up with an old friend and realizing how much you'd missed the relationship. I'd never forget Yuri saving me from Tristan when he'd attacked.
He studied me, shaking his head. "He hasn't told you, has he?" Yuri sighed, blinking against the sudden burst of light as the sun came from behind a heavy cloud. "No, he hasn't. You wouldn't have asked me that if you knew."
"Knew what? Don't keep me hanging. I came here to walk, would you like to join me?" I wanted Yuri to stay. I wanted to hear his news and be in his company and in all truth, if Alistair came along; I knew Yuri wouldn't allow him near me.
"Good idea." He held his arm out for me to slip mine into. We strolled as a couple of friends might, our attention taken by a shrieking gull or to watch a larger wave crash against the pier.
"What hasn't Nix told me?" I wasn't about to let him off the hook.
"The true purpose of the Betherington Mansion Hotel." Yuri patted my arm with his gloved hand.
"Isn't that obvious, it's a hotel." Riddles again and here I'd had my fill of them during all that unfolding around Rein dying.
We came to a sudden stop and Yuri released my arm, stepping back.
"It's much more than that, Rachel. It doesn't impress me that he neglected to let you in on the secret. Where is he?"
"He went through, whatever that means." I didn't miss the shock on Yuri's face.
"He left you alone...here?" His sigh came out hard, smacking of frustration.
"If something is wrong, I need to know."
A log drifted aimlessly out in the waves, floundering about like a lost drowning soul. I felt an instant connection with it. That was me, adrift in a sea I wasn't certain I could stay afloat in. The log tipped and bobbed, at times going under the surf only to pop up on the surface at the mercy of the waves.
"This hotel is a portal where vampires and revenants enter and exit from this world to other dimensions and places. Our kind often has a home base that isn't...known or seen by humans. It may be a house or a castle or a village, but it is kept in a dimension that is protected by our power, undetectable to human sight and sense. There will be a place within the hotel that is used by our kind to come and go without detection. Have you seen many other guests?" Yuri asked.
"At first, no, but in the dining room I saw. Jackdaw gave me a drink that allowed me to focus and see. I thought the room was empty at first, but it was packed solid."
Why hadn't Nix told me any of this?
"You'd have to ask him."
I'd forgotten about Yuri being able to read my thoughts.
"Don't worry, I'll stay with you. I know for a fact there is another vampire that is far too interested in you and would take advantage of Nix being away."
At that moment, I caught sight of a figure coming along the boardwalk. My instincts knew who it was before I'd seen his face—Alistair.
"There he is now. Don't worry; I've got your back." Yuri took my hand in a protective gesture.
"Miss Owens, indeed what a pleasant surprise." Alistair came on us, although this time he was dressed more conservatively, minus the maroon velvet. He wore a long brown wool overcoat and boots. The scarf was silk, impractical in this climate, and whipped about as the gusts came in off the water.
Surprise my ass. What he meant was that he'd come after me and hadn't expected Yuri in the equation.
"Have you seen Nix?" I asked, sour and pointed.
Alistair gave me a contemptuous stare. "No, we both know he isn't here, which is why I came to warn you. I see you're here for the holidays, Yuri. We don't see many revenants about; you aren't as visible as the Count."
I got the dig. How would Yuri react?
"We like to keep a low profile. As you are aware, revenants aren't as showy as your lot." The acid in Yuri's tone wasn't subtle, nor should it have been. Alistair's condescending attitude was uncalled for. I got the distinct impression Alistair was baiting Yuri.
"Does the Count know that you are spending time with his...guest?"
Spoken over me like the true jerk he was. I wasn't about to le
t Yuri fight this alone.
I waved my hand before his face—close enough that he balked at the action, stepping back. "I'm right here and the last time I checked, I didn't need anyone's permission to choose my company. Have a nice day, Alistair."
The vampire blinked his mouth half open as he floundered for a response. Yuri's body shook as he laughed.
"You heard her, get lost."
Alistair's eyes blazed. "I came to warn you, Miss Owens, that you are in danger. Heed my words; you have stepped into the storm."
With a huff and a fling of his scarf, Alistair stomped off down the beach. I was glad to see him go and thankful that I'd run into Yuri, although I was starting to wonder about his remarkable timing when I was in trouble.
"That went well," I quipped, but Yuri's change in mood caught me.
He shook his head, his eyes serious. "Don't be flippant. It did go well considering who he is and what may have happened if I hadn't been here. He's got his gaze set on you, and you need to observe the warning. I've been keeping close tabs on you since Rein made his choice. I know you're furious and no one would expect anything else, he left you hanging. Rein should have been honest with you. There was no reason for him to keep his decision from you; it wasn't as if you weren't already involved. He behaved selfishly and he's paying for it."
I felt the weight of his hand on my shoulder. "I'm not trying to hurt you, I simply want to be honest and you've endured much over the past few months. You're in deep water with Nix and I want you to know that."
The sun came from behind a cloud, nearly blinding me. I held my hand to shade my eyes and it was only then I realized something significant about Yuri had changed—his hair.
"You cut your hair?" I reached, touching along the side of his head.
"La Maison des Cheveux. Reynaldo said I needed a makeover. I'm not used to that, but he did a good job."
Was that a blush I saw crawling over his pasty complexion? Yuri wasn't the kind that would preen before a mirror.
"You look really good, very handsome." I thought back to when Yuri and I had gone for fish and chips for lunch. His hair had been washed that day and he'd morphed his eyes into a blue. The shorter hair suited him. "You don't resemble the same creature that jumped out at me on the beach that day."
He seemed almost uneasy by my compliment. I knew his road had been difficult, he hadn't known becoming a revenant would mean a physical manifestation of his worst inner qualities. We'd already had that conversation and I wasn't about to dredge it up.
"I've come because I wanted to let you know about Tristan, and other things." Yuri indicated we should resume our walk.
"I heard about that. You wrote the word trash on his face. I have to be honest, I felt he deserved it. I'm not a mean person, but he's done serious harm to others. I'm sure with some cosmetic surgery via his daddy, he'll manage." My sympathy was running low, especially for a predator like Tristan. He used and abused people on a regular basis and I couldn't see that changing anytime soon.
"I didn't mark him permanently. I used a type of marking that can be removed. Yes, he'll have to undergo some treatment, but nothing will remain, no scarring. He's lucky, because I almost made it permanent, just like the scars he's inflicted on others." Yuri paused, staring intently at me. "He's left emotional and mental scars on some that won't ever heal—like Anna, the girl at your school that Tristan and his sister Crista went after. Those two disgust me—rich parents, given everything and they cause harm. They remind me of a pair of wild animals, always on the hunt, ready to tear pieces from their prey until nothing remains but the bones."
"Sometimes, Yuri..." I was lost for words. Once again, the revenant had surprised me with the depth of his insight.
"Rachel, I need to speak with you, but first, I need you to agree to have Nix's branding removed. With it on, it makes it easier for him to sense what we are speaking about and I can't have that. Do you agree?"
Whatever he wanted to tell me must be pretty hot to handle, otherwise he wouldn't have asked. I nodded my consent.
"Yes, go ahead and remove the branding."
Yuri moved his hand over my neck. I felt the area, finding it smooth. Once again, he'd removed the marking.
The revenant seemed agitated and that worried me.
"Rein is nearly through his transformation and he'll be coming for you."
"To what purpose?" I laughed at how stiff and formal I'd sounded.
"He believes there is still a chance."
I shook my head. "No, I had my blindfold taken off and there's no going back. He made his choices and they weren't about me." I kicked hard at a shell, shattering it in my moment of anger. All those years I'd believed Rein was being good to me, but really, he'd always looked after his own interests first.
"Ouch. Good thing that clam moved out a while ago. Poor guy, you don't have to be a home wrecker."
"Yuri, may I remind you that I was removed from school for no other reason than Marion being a bitch to me. She took the ring Rein gave to me and my graduation will be delayed because I have to start at Abby's Road in a couple of weeks. I'd worked hard trying to graduate early, but now it's all for nothing. Rein is the cause of the ruin and all because he couldn't stand up to his mommy. Why would I want someone like that in my life? Abby's Road is a hell-hole and I might not even graduate. It's a rough school. I turn eighteen on Christmas Day and I have very limited options. Nix loves me and he takes care of me. Perhaps Rein should take a page out of his book on how to treat the woman you love."
Yuri's narrow gaze put me on edge. "I do believe you have replaced one blindfold with another. Yes, Marion has caused harm, but she is suffering right now. She lost her son, and even though he isn't dead, she'll never be able to know he's still around. He can't appear and tell her the truth." He blew his breath out in frustration. "I'm not siding with her, Rachel. I'm simply pointing out some truths you need to hear. I want you prepared with your eyes open. Alistair's warning was about Caspian. He's been having you watched. His minions have been reporting back and with your being here, it will be easy for him to come after you. And don't think for a second that Nix can prevent it—Caspian was the one who put that scar on Nix's face. I can't protect you from him, so you need to get out of here and go home."
I jolted to a stop, whirling to face him. "Home? It's almost Christmas and I'm not spending it alone in that shitty hole I live in. Why would Caspian want anything to do with me? He's got Rein, isn't that what it was all about?"
Fury came over Yuri's face. "No, that isn't at all what it's about." Yuri stomped about, circling around me, his fists clenched tight. "Rachel, do you know how valuable Rein is to Caspian? He'll be more powerful than Caspian in time. Rein wants you, and Caspian will see to it he has you. They will do anything and everything to get you."
I tuned out, not wanting to hear his words, instead listening to the waves sloshing and the distant cries of the gulls. Whatever was eating at Yuri was big.
"So, what you're saying is that nothing has actually changed for Rein, he's still the same spoiled little boy that has to have things his way or else?"
"I understand why you see it that way." Yuri sighed, his face suddenly tired. "Rein will be furious that you're with Nix. Caspian will do everything in his power to destroy what you have with Nix. He may even destroy Nix. Everyone thought Rein was the prize, but really, it was you."
My heart jumped at that. Why would I be the prize?
"You need to wash your hands of Nix and go solo, Rachel. Nix is getting more from you than you are from him."
"What?" Why did I feel as if we were just getting to what Yuri was here to discuss? Silence filled the space around us; even the noisy birds went quiet. Yuri was dancing around a bigger truth and seemed to be having difficulty getting to the point.
The revenant looked tortured, as though he'd been through the wringer. "Rachel, he can afford to give you anything you want, but the price on your end is high." Sadness flooded his features.
&nb
sp; "What price?" But inside my guts were churning and I knew something bad was around the corner. "You've been holding back, I can sense it. What is it? I get the feeling I'm the only one who doesn't know the secret."
"He is living from you, through your blood. You are making him stronger, perhaps the strongest he's ever been. There is only one way a vampire can get more power and become stronger."
A shiver went over me. For an instant it was as though a specter reached its bony hand right into my heart, chilling my blood.
I thought back to what Nix had said. I'll never let you go, Rachel. Blood and life, they are one and the same.
Yuri reached, gently lifting my chin with his fingers. "You are beginning to understand. He loves you, but he is getting stronger from you, increasing his power and even if you want to walk away, he won't let you go without a fight. You wear his branding and he wants nothing less than to possess you—completely. The more entangled into his web you become, the more difficult it will be to extract yourself. Over time, you will find your own life secondary to what his wishes are."
I swallowed hard, my body shaking at his words. Every instinct I had said Yuri was speaking the truth.
"You have a rare, special component in your blood, Rachel. When Nix found Rein, he also found you. Nix didn't figure it out until he came within close proximity to you. He could smell it, as can every other vampire and revenant that gets within range. That was why he branded you, to be able to sample your blood and see if it did increase his strength and power. Once he knew for certain, he's been intent on keeping you to himself. Caspian will also know and will want you for Rein, so that he can increase his power. Alistair was correct with his warning, but he also would take you for his own, or worse, use you as a pawn. The Betherington is the worst possible place for you to be. Why do you think I'm here?"
If he'd slapped me across the face it would have been kinder. The temperature was dropping, the chill reaching through my coat. Yuri had dropped a ton of information on me, but I had to find out more.
Abby's Road Part 1 Page 4
