“Vanora, you cannot deny me” the vampire said ominously.
“Don’t say my name! Don’t come near me!” Vanora fumbled around in the dark, holding her cross out before her. She found the floor lamp and twisted the knob. The light refused to switch on.
“You’re making me very angry!”
“Stay back!”
The vampire towered over her, his tall form intimidating in its deadliness. The muted moonlight washed over him, revealing his beauty and perfection. “Come here! You’re mine!”
She let out a sob, knowing that everything he said was true. She was his. Some dark power had granted her to him, but she refused to accept that edict. This was her life, her heart, her body, and her mind. She would choose for herself.
“Get out!” Vanora advanced on him, the cross burning her hand.
A strong, supernatural wind howled into the room, tossing his hair about his face. “You’re mine! I will not be denied. I will come for you at the appointed time.”
Vanora rushed him, the chain of the necklace threaded between her fingers, the cross against her palm. She struck him, the cross erupting in blue flame when it touched his chest. “Your invitation is revoked!”
With a scream of rage, the vampire hurtled backward through the doorway, across the living room, out the open door onto the balcony, then over the railing into the night sky.
Vanora could hardly stand as the adrenaline left her system. Clutching the glowing cross, she flipped on the light in the living room.
Rhonda lay on the floor, her long hair covering her face.
“No!”
Falling to her knees beside Rhonda, Vanora rolled her best friend onto her back. Rhonda moaned and dragged her eyes open.
Relieved laughter spilled from Vanora’s lips. “You’re okay!”
“Was I sleepwalking?” Rhonda yawned, then looked about in confusion. “I kept dreaming that some hot guy wanted me to open the balcony door and let him in. That’s what I get for going to bed horny.”
Collapsing beside her friend, Vanora pressed the cross to her own heart. “Oh my God. You scared me. I thought something had happened to you.”
Rhonda winced, rubbing the back of her head. “I think I fell down.”
“But you’re okay!” Vanora’s relief was overwhelming.
“Yeah. I guess.” Rhonda stared at Vanora for a long moment. “So, what’s with the topless look?”
Vanora hugged herself, shivering in the aftermath of her terror. “I forgot to put it on.”
“Uh huh. You’re so weird sometimes.”
It took nearly an hour for Vanora to stop shaking. Rhonda, not understanding what was happening, went back to bed, leaving Vanora awake. Feeling sullied, Vanora shed the clothes she’d been wearing and threw them in the waste basket. After a hot shower, she then stripped her bed, changing the sheets and comforter. At last, she climbed into bed and curled up beneath the covers. It was then she saw a single white rose resting on the bed stand.
Picking up the rose, she hurled it across the room at the waste basket near her desk. The vampire had to have left it, which meant he had also left the one a year earlier.
Leaving the light on, she waited for the morning to come.
“This is unacceptable,” Aeron declared, prowling about the small living room. His tall body trembled with his barely subdued rage.
Lorelei sat in Armando's desk chair, swiveling it back and forth, an irritating smile upon her lips. “I told you she’s annoying.”
Armando watched the two visiting vampires from where he leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest. It was difficult not to reveal his great pleasure at the news that Vanora had rebuffed Aeron. He'd been aware of his Master's growing obsession with Vanora, but had been surprised when he'd insisted on visiting Austin.
“She's mine! How could she reject me?” Aeron stopped before Armando, his purple eyes filled with rage. “It's these modern times! It’s warped women!”
“Yes, absolutely,” Armando agreed, nodding.
Aeron continued his pacing. “I felt her power respond to mine. It was perfect synchronicity. Yet, she forced me out of the apartment and removed my invitation. Why?”
“Because she's a stupid little girl?” Lorelei suggested.
Aeron paused long enough to glower at his favorite offspring. A vampire at fifteen, Lorelei's youthful beauty was beguiling, but her eyes were cold fire. She smirked instead of withering under his glare.
“Maybe you're right,” Aeron said after a beat. “This era extends adolescence.”
Armando merely nodded, playing along with the conversation. Aeron was not used to failure. It was impossible for his Master to accept that Vanora simply did not want him.
“It may not have been the wisest decision to come to her tonight, but I wasn't about to let her mother reveal any more information about me. That witch continues to aggravate me from the grave.” The albino vampire's Welsh accent was thicker than normal. “I should have killed her sooner.”
Lorelei rolled her eyes. “Like that would have helped. Carys being as powerful as she was in life, and still is dead, just reveals that the prophecy is true. She’s the mother of your future queen. So stop being so melodramatic.”
“Seeing Vanora made me...foolish.” Aeron stopped behind Lorelei's chair and rested his hands on her shoulders. “You were right, Lorelei. I should have let you deal with her birthday. Now is not the time for us to be together. I rushed her.”
“I told you, I should've killed her roommate. That would've kept her distracted.” Lorelei's eyes blazed a dangerous red. “I could still kill her. Right now.”
“What's the point in killing Rhonda?” Armando asked, disengaging himself from the wall.
“Because it would be fun to kill Rhonda?” Lorelei licked one sharp fang. “And delicious.”
“You're not ready to claim Vanora. She needs to remain safely tucked out of sight. Austin is perfect. It's filled with young people.” Armando gazed steadily at Aeron, willing him to see the logic in his words.
Aeron's his long fingers stroked Lorelei's golden curls. The gesture amused Armando. Aeron treated Lorelei like a favorite pet most of the time, though the girl didn't seem to mind. She practically purred under his gentle ministrations.
“Armando does make a valid point, Lorelei.”
Lorelei scoffed, disagreeing.
At least his Master was wise enough to acknowledge that he was right in this matter. Armando had argued with Aeron for weeks about him visiting Austin to see Vanora. The Spanish vampire had been concerned that it would possibly draw Aeron's enemies to the city, but Aeron had been adamant. The reports from the private investigator that had saved Armando from Aeron's wrath initially had also made Aeron's obsession with Vanora worse. Though Aeron claimed to have waited over a millennium for her to be born, he was swiftly losing patience now that she was on his life's stage. Aeron was particularly frustrated about not being able to bring his war against the Seven Sisters to an end.
“She's already run once. Do you want her to run again?” Armando arched an eyebrow.
“Aeron, I still think we should lock her up somewhere. Let Armando watch over her until the time is right.” Lorelei narrowed her eyes at Armando, her smile coy.
“Tempting, but again, it may draw unnecessary interest to her.”
Armando found his Master's words amusing considering the immense risk he had taken coming to the Americas just to see his future queen. If Parthenia or her lover, Althea, had trackers on Aeron, Vanora could be in danger.
“Armando can take care of it for Aeron, can't you? You're all noble and strong.”
There was a mocking lilt to Lorelei’s voice that made Armando uneasy. Though he'd been careful not to reveal his true feelings toward Vanora, he knew Lorelei was vigilant in protecting Aeron's interests. Armando loved Aeron as a father, brother, and friend. They'd spent nearly a century together warring against Glaucia, the fiercest of the Seven. Yet, his devotion to his Ma
ster's cause was compromised by his love for Vanora.
Aeron shook his head, his white hair trembling around his face. “No. No. We continue on as we have been. I will find Parthenia and crush her, bringing her era to an end. I will not be denied my destiny.”
“She'll move now.” Armando drew back the curtain over the window that faced Vanora's apartment. Her bedroom light was still on. “She won't stay here.”
“Then follow her.” Aeron's irritation was a dangerous. “Make sure she remains safe.”
“You really should drink human blood,” Lorelei said, smiling with false sweetness.
“If I am to continue my facade with Roman and his vampires, I can't,” Armando reminded her.
“Oh, them.” Lorelei made a face. “Why are they still alive?”
Aeron continued to lightly stroke her hair. The gesture did seem to be calming him gradually. “Because I will need him later.”
“More plans?” Armando asked, though he didn't expect an answer. Aeron tended to only give Armando little glimpses of his more elaborate schemes. It was Aeron's nature to be secretive.
“Always.” Aeron shrugged. “I'm tired of this place.”
Lorelei hopped out of the chair. “Good! It's horrible.”
Aeron rested his hand on Armando's shoulder. “Keep an eye on her and her wayward siblings. I trust you.”
“What if your visit brings down Parthenia?” It was a genuine concern.
“Then I will finally know where she is and kill her. You will keep Vanora safe against all danger.”
Aeron's words were an edict. The bond between him and his Master flared to life, burning the words into Armando’s very being.
Armando bowed his head. “I will.”
The vampires vanished from the room in the blink of an eye.
A smile slowly spread on Armando's lips. The words that were meant to bind him to Aeron's will had actually loosened his Master's grip. Now when the time was right, he would be able to protect Vanora against Aeron.
April 2009
Rhonda's tawny curls were golden fire in the sunlight. Tucked into a metal chair on the patio of the Spiderhouse Cafe, she was deeply engrossed in her book. Vanora sat across from her roommate, shielded from the sun by a large hat, sunglasses, and a gauzy white wrap covered in pink skulls. The air was cool and fresh after an earlier rain. Drops of water adorned the broken statues and plants that decorated the patio filled with old metal chairs, picnic tables, and benches. The atmosphere was serene, but Vanora struggled to relax. After several attempts to distract her anxious mind with several books she had downloaded onto her laptop, Vanora finally resorted to playing games instead.
It was moving day, but Vanora had insisted on hiring people to pack and transport their possessions to their new home, a luxury loft complex. She'd even pocketed the expenses from her latest trust fund check. The old apartment now felt tainted after the invasion of the vampire and no longer felt like home. Rhonda had been muddled after the mysterious vampire's intrusion, but believed Vanora when she said someone had broken into their place. Whatever the vampire had done to Rhonda’s mind to compel her to open the door and allow him inside had left her roommate unsettled.
Vanora sipped her chai tea while frowning at the stupid little cartoon on the screen of her laptop that refused to do her bidding. As her fingers slid over the touchpad, the diamonds in her pinky ring caught the sunlight, making her wince. Bright flashes of light hurt her sensitive eyes. The ring had been delivered the day after her birthday. When she'd opened the FedEx package and found the small blue box inside, her heart had beat ever faster. Tucked within the familiar jewelry case had been a sweet little platinum ring decorated with a half-moon and two tiny stars. There was no card, of course, but she knew who it was from. Again, she had been torn about whether or not she should wear a gift from Armando, but when the ring fit perfectly on her finger she'd relented. He'd been her first love and she couldn't deny that.
“Oh, my God, the guy in this book is so hot!” Rhonda waved her hands at her face, pretending to cool herself off. “I need me one of these!”
“A fifteen-year-old hot guy? Eww!”
“He's fifteen?” Rhonda flipped the book over to read the summary again. “Oh. Well, he's not described like a fifteen year old.”
Vanora peered at the image on the front of the book. “Doesn't look it on the cover either. But then again, the girl looks like she's in her twenties.”
“Well, it's superhot anyway. They're reincarnations of these two tragic lovers and destined to be together, but the bad guy is totally gunning for the chick.”
With a shudder, Vanora said, “Yuck.”
“Yuck? No, no. Totally awesome. Can you imagine? You're fated to be with some hot guy who loves you more than life itself. So romantic.”
Shifting in her chair, uncomfortable with the topic, Vanora said, “Sounds horrible to me.”
Rhonda lifted her eyebrows, the slim arches appearing over her sunglasses. “Really? Seriously?”
“Well, yeah! You're having your free will stolen from you! You're destined to be with some guy and have no choice. What if he's a jerk? What if he's evil? How is that fair?”
“Well, the guy tends to be kinda on the stalker side and has a temper, but it's totally because he knows he's supposed to be with the girl. Plus, he's trying to save her from the bad guy.”
The memory of the vampire in her room made Vanora shiver. “Does the girl know what's up?”
“Not yet. She's still in the dark, so she's fighting her fate.”
“That's my point. She's fighting it because it's not fair to her. What if some guy showed up and was all, 'Hey, Rhonda, the Fates say we're soul mates. Let's do this!' How would you feel?”
“No fuss, no muss. Done! The guy will love you forever because he's supposed to. No worries about impressing him because you're his auto-hottie.” Rhonda tapped her finger on the book. “It's perfect. You just have to sit back and let him worship you.”
“It's slavery. A curse.” Vanora remembered all too vividly how the darkness within her had craved the vampire. It had felt unnatural, powerful, and suffocating. The truth was that she knew instinctively that she belonged to the vampire, but that didn't mean she would give into a fate that was foisted upon her.
“It's fiction. Not real.” Rhonda shrugged.
“But if it was real, would you really want it?”
Rhonda considered the question, then nodded. “Sure. Who doesn't want to be adored?”
“But he'd adore you because he's supposed to! It's not about who you are! It's about what some magical voodoo decided for you.”
“Wow, this really gets to you, huh?” Rhonda took off her sunglasses and studied Vanora's expression. “Is this about Dan? I can't believe you rescheduled your date.”
“We're moving today.”
“Yeah, by sitting at a coffee shop. You could totally make that date tonight.”
Fingers stroking her bracelet, Vanora shrugged. “I'm not ready.”
“God, Vanora! It's been almost two years. You've gone on what? Maybe four dates in that time? You really need to get over Armando.”
“But I am over him!” Vanora protested.
Rhonda rolled her eyes. “Then why are you putting off Dan?”
Adjusting the brim of her hat, Vanora fidgeted, unable to give a truthful answer to Rhonda and maybe even herself. The reality of the situation was that Vanora didn't know if anything she was doing in her life was the right thing anymore. No matter how normal her life with Rhonda seemed from the outside looking in, Vanora felt as though she were playing a part. She was going through the motions of the life expected of her. Secrets enshrouded her entire existence, keeping her on edge, afraid, and uncertain. Was it even right to move into another apartment with Rhonda? What if the vampire found her again? He said their time had not yet come, but what about when it did? She'd even considered running back to her brother and sister in Houston, but the thought terrified her. It was as
if she were giving into the darkness, giving up any hope of a normal mortal life, if she were to return. To make matters worse, she wasn't really over Armando. She dreamed of him often and missed him every day. The world she now lived in felt false, empty, and oftentimes more frightening than the life she had lived in the mansion in Houston surrounded by vampires. Yet she'd seen the bloody, violent reality of that world and knew she could never return to the naive mindset that had made it possible to live among the vampires.
“Vanora?”
With a sigh, Vanora met Rhonda's concerned gaze. “I'm putting Dan off because I'm afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Living, I guess.” Vanora lifted a shoulder. “What if I build a new life and it all falls apart?”
“You've already built a new life, Vanora, you just need to enjoy it.”
Lightly chewing on her bottom lip, Vanora gave Rhonda a slight nod. Her roommate had a point. It wasn't as if she couldn't defend herself. She’d stood up to the vampire who had killed Roman and Alisha. She had repelled the albino vampire. Already, she had bought quite a few decorative crosses to hang by the windows and doors in the new place. She'd even bought a book on vampires and how to ward against them. She wasn't weak. Even in her vision, she had managed to deflect the vampire. Carys said she was powerful, so maybe she had to start trusting herself. Was she really just going to wait for something terrible to happen, or fight for a life worth living?
“You're so right.” Vanora extricated her iPhone from her purse. “Totally right.”
“So, what’re you going to do?” Rhonda wore a smirky look that said she already had a good idea who Vanora was about to call.
“Start living,” Vanora answered, and pressed Dan's name on the screen.
2009 October
It was Halloween again.
Armando had come to despise the holiday. It had never been a particular favorite, but since the night he had lost Vanora, it held no allure. Though he passed out candy to any of the children knocking on his apartment door, the fanciful costumes failed to lift his spirits.
In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete Second Season: Episodes 6-10 Page 6
