I dared to glance at him and what I saw frightened me. There was no hint of remorse in his eyes. Instead, they narrowed into pale, lavender slits on seeing me in Alec’s arms. I realised then he would never regard me as his sister. Alec was right. What Jean-Philippe felt for me was not love, but obsession—an unnatural and frightening desire to possess something forbidden.
He turned to Luc and snarled. ‘This is your fault! If you had only warned me… told me sooner!’
‘I can only ask for your forgiveness.’
The room was deathly quiet as Jean-Philippe shook his head. ‘Whatever friendship I felt for you is over. Fini! A partir d'aujourd'hui, nous sommes adversaires, mon pere!’
I sucked in a shocked breath. Even with my limited high-school French I knew what that meant—he and my father were now enemies.
Jean-Philippe’s head swivelled toward Alec and myself again. ‘I withdraw my challenge, but my dear half-sister,’ he sneered, ‘this isn’t over between us!’
Dreadful certainty filled his voice and I felt the blood drain from my cheeks as an icy coldness settled in the pit of my stomach. I turned my face into the sheltering warmth of Alec’s chest. As his arms tightened protectively around me, I heard the sound of glass shattering in the fireplace, receding footsteps, then the opening and slamming of a door. After that there was silence, except for my rapid breathing.
Alec handed the paper he’d been holding back to Luc as he walked me over to the settee. Luc placed another glass of brandy in my hand. ‘Drink, ma petite. All of it.’
It was Luc’s cure all. He looked stricken, as if he blamed himself for everything. Alec sat next to me and kept his arm around my shoulders. Judy sat on my other side and took one of my hands in both of hers.
‘He won’t be allowed back in this house,’ she said.
‘What’s going to happen to him?’ My initial anger and shock had begun to pass with the understanding Jean-Philippe would have to live with the knowledge of what he did to me. Could he endure knowing his desire would not, and could never, be satisfied? Those long held, cherished memories of my youth and the young man who had once been part of it, were now destroyed. What pity I may have felt for him, had been dashed by his brutal treatment of me. I could only think of him with loathing.
Yet his parting words haunted me.
‘He’ll be punished. As Ingenii, you have the power to order his death,’ Luc said as he crouched on the floor in front of me. There was pain in his voice.
‘No. I could never do that. Could you?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ll confer with the other Elders. They’ll decide what to do with him. I can’t be involved since he’s my son.’
‘Any other secrets we need to know about while we’re at it, Luc?’ Alec said.
Luc let out a pent up breath. ‘That’s enough for any man.’ He rose from his crouching position, took our empty glasses and went over to his desk. ‘I’ll send Cal and Sam after him; ask Marcus to hold him till a decision is made.’
He moved to the door, opened it and quietly spoke Cal’s name. In minutes, his smiling face appeared at the open door. ‘What’s up?’
‘Get Jake and go after Jean. Take him to Marcus and hold him there.’
‘Jean?’ Cal looked stunned. ‘Why?’
‘He tried to force himself on Laura,’ Alec answered.
‘What?’ Cal’s eyes widened as he scanned my face—my tear-stained cheeks, torn and swollen lip and bloodied dress. ‘Shit! Dark horse, isn’t he!’
Luc helped himself to another shot of brandy. The bottle was nearly empty. ‘Approach him carefully. He’s… disturbed.’
Cal nodded. ‘I’ll get Jake.’ He sped from the room.
I had no idea how late it was, but I felt suddenly so tired. Alec must have sensed it for he squeezed my shoulder and said, ‘You need to get some sleep. I’ll give you something to help.’
The door opened and Terens and Sam strode in. Their eyes fell on me. ‘You okay, pet? Cal told us,’ Terens said. I nodded and he then turned to Luc. ‘He and Jake have gone after Jean’s scent. What’s this about?’
Luc repeated the incident and once again the whole thing replayed in my mind. Both men’s eyes widened. They had difficulty believing it if the shake of Sam’s head was anything to go by.
‘Your son!’ Terens exclaimed.
Luc handed him the slip of paper and he and Sam quickly perused it then looked at Alec for confirmation.
‘Holy shit, what a mess! She can’t stay here, Luc,’ Sam said. ‘Jean knows every corner of this house. If he decides to come back here, he knows where every surveillance camera is and how to avoid it.’
My stomach lurched sickeningly. ‘He’ll come back?’
‘From what Cal told me, I’d say he will.’
‘Get him to take the Pledge,’ Alec said.
Luc opened another bottle of whisky and poured himself a full glass. ‘He would see that as an insult. Perhaps I can ask the Elders to banish him; send him back to France. I could persuade him.’
‘He didn’t listen to you thirty years ago what makes you think he’s going to do so now? He’s not going to let this go. You heard what he said.’ Alec’s voice rose.
‘He’s right,’ Terens said. ‘Jean’s even more dangerous now, that he can’t ever have her. I noticed the way he kept looking at her during the Ritual.’ He looked straight at me.
I nodded, remembering the way Jean-Philippe stared at me that night.
‘He must take the Pledge,’ Luc conceded, ‘and swear never to come near Laura again.’
‘And till then,’ Alec turned to me, ‘I’m taking you to my apartment, darling. I’m not risking leaving you here—not until Jake and Cal find him. Go pack some things. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.’
Judy helped me throw together an overnight bag and we were down in the hallway within minutes. Alec—who meanwhile must have dashed back to his room to throw on a T-shirt and shoes—took my bag and headed out the door. I kissed my parents goodbye and within seconds we were speeding through the dark and empty streets.
Chapter 46
Blood Lines
ALEC
Laura looked tense as I drove to my apartment in Pitt Street. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, her face pale with fear. I didn’t have to smell it to know.
I placed my hand over hers and squeezed. ‘The men will find him, darling, and bring him back to Luc. I promise.’
She turned her head to look at me. ‘What if he eludes them and comes to your place instead?’
It was a fair question. ‘I’m stronger and faster.’
‘I hope so. The thought of him touching me makes me sick.’
‘He’ll have to kill me first.’
‘I don’t want you to die. I love you!’ Her eyes began to glisten and she angrily swiped them away.
‘I love you, too, so listen to me. We’re meant to be together and I don’t believe for a second it’s going to end tonight. We have eternity, remember?’
She smiled, squeezed my hand and returned to gazing out the side window.
What else could I say? I’d waited my whole life for her and now, when there was everything to live for, would Jean’s obsession with his half-sister jeopardise that? I wasn’t going to let it happen.
Before we’d left the house, Luc had made arrangements to have Jean sent back to France—forcibly, if need be. But he’d blamed himself for this incident. ‘It’s not all his fault,’ he’d said, as he sat slumped in his desk chair.
‘You can’t possibly—’
‘It’s his mother’s and I don’t mean Adelaide. I didn’t know Lucinda had transformed him. Her blood carries insanity. There was nothing wrong with Jean while he was human.’
‘Is that why you never wanted her on the Eldership?’
He’d nodded. ‘She’s too unstable. When Jean mentioned her as his damsire it all fell into place. She too, has… unnatural tastes!’
‘Why didn’t I know about this?�
� I’d been leaning against one of his bookshelves and this made me straighten up and move to his desk.
‘It wasn’t relevant… then.’ He’d shrugged.
‘That’s why Maris was chosen instead.’ Even though she was at least two centuries younger.
He’d nodded again.
‘But now, with her gone, we’re short an Elder.’
Luc had pursed his lips and said, ‘Let me work on it.’
I’d left him to it, as I’d only had enough time to sprint to my room, throw on a clean T-shirt and jeans before meeting Laura in the hallway for the drive to my apartment.
Chapter 47
Unfinished Business
LAURA
‘Here we are,’ he said as we turned into a modern city apartment complex.
A private elevator whisked us straight up to his penthouse suite. The doors opened to reveal ceiling-to-floor tinted windows with a glorious, unhindered view of Sydney Harbour.
I gasped. ‘It’s incredible.’ The tiredness I felt earlier disappeared.
Glad you like it.’ I felt his gaze on me as I stepped out of the elevator and into the main living area.
Alec’s apartment was a modern and spacious penthouse, with pearl-grey tiled floors, chrome and steel furniture. An elegant black leather lounge suite faced the harbour view. Nearby, an onyx and jet alabaster chess set sat atop a low glass stool. The only thing that broke up the black and white scheme was a multi-coloured Mexican-print floor rug in the centre of the room.
Metal stairs with a steel handrail led up to an open loft containing a king size bed. The view of the harbour would be unparalleled from up there. I could almost imagine myself lying on that expansive bed on a bright sunny morning enjoying the view, Alec’s arms around me…
‘Take a look around.’ His voice dragged me from my thoughts.
Two walls were fitted with criss-cross shelving and layered with books, journals, CDs and a range of DVDs, a few watercolour landscapes, but no photographs. Odd, that he didn’t have any of that type of memorabilia, unlike Luc who surrounded himself with pictures of my mother and myself. Perhaps he didn’t have a family, or didn’t want to be reminded.
‘This is such a bachelor pad,’ I said.
‘How so?’
‘No soft touches.’ I waved my hand around. ‘All modern eclectic, a bichrome colour scheme, metal—very male,’ I concluded.
‘You could change that,’ he said quietly behind me.
Did that mean he wanted us to live here after we were married? Perhaps that’s why he brought me here now. I shelved that thought for the time being.
As I went to stand by the massive window, I spotted the Australian Colonial timber dining table and chairs, all alone, at the far end of the room. I recalled him mentioning it had belonged to his father, so I understood why he kept such a potentially dangerous material in his apartment. Most timber was dangerous, although white oak was the most lethal. It alone could reduce their immortal bodies to crystalline ash. I saw it happen to Russel—the fetch and carry man who was supposed to deliver me to someone unknown.
I shivered.
Alec came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back against him. ‘Cold? I can turn the air conditioning down.’
I leaned back against him and gazed out at the twinkling cityscape. ‘No, it’s not that. Just… Jean-Philippe’s out there…’
‘We’ll get him, Laura. I promise.’
His warmth of his body and the heat of his words enveloped me in a comforting cacoon. I consigned my fears to the back of my mind to let myself enjoy the present.
Alec swept my hair aside and nuzzled my neck.
‘Mmmmm, that’s nice,’ I cooed. ‘A little higher.’
He chuckled and kissed the hollowed spot behind my ear. ‘I’ve never brought any other woman up here, except Judy of course, and she was with Luc.’
‘Never?’
‘Never.’
‘Then I’m privileged.’
‘Sorry to contradict, but I’m the privileged one,’ he murmured as he angled my head to meet his lips. ‘How’s the lip?’ he asked.
‘Fine, almost completely healed.’ Even though my lip had already begun to heal and the swelling had nearly disappeared, the puncture marks caused by Jean-Philippe’s bite were still a little sensitive.
‘Good.’ He gently kissed me.
It was dark outside. Sunrise wasn’t due for another couple of hours and the waning moon glinted on the calm harbour waters.
‘It’s magic,’ I remarked. ‘Do you stand here often and watch?’
‘Sometimes. Normally I stay at work to complete experiments and reports, or I’m at Luc’s. There’s no one to come home too.’
‘Were you lonely?’
‘Never really thought about it, but I suppose I was. Explains why I stayed at the lab—work kept me occupied. You?’
‘I was surrounded by people all day—kids, other teaching staff, parents. So when I came home it was like a welcome relief. Yet other times I felt it—before Matt came along—when I just wanted the feel of someone’s arms around me and there was no one there.’
‘Any man would be privileged to have you by his side. Yet in some way I’m glad. I hate the thought of any other man touching you.’
For a moment I didn’t know what to say. Alec’s compliment stunned me. ‘I gave in to Matt and now I wish I hadn’t. I wish I’d waited for you!’
His arms around me tightened and I felt him kiss the top of my head. ‘You weren’t to know, darling, and you waited long enough as it was.’
I didn’t want to tell him that Matt never satisfied me; didn’t want to discuss Matt at all. It was him I was interested in. ‘Alec, was your father a blacksmith?’
He huffed. ‘I heard Jean’s disparaging remark. Arrogant bastard! My father was the village smithy in Dunkeld. That’s where the Munro’s are from. I helped him as a boy and well into my teens till we emigrated here. Later I got a scholarship to study medicine at Sydney University. It lessened the time I could help out at the forge.’
I spun around in his arms to look at him. He smiled as he spoke of his father and I could tell his eyes were seeing a scene far away and a long time ago. His voice took on an almost reverential tone.
‘He managed to set up a business here as well and later expanded to include motor vehicle repairs. Very enterprising, he was. Wanted me to be a doctor; said saving lives was more important than shoeing horses or fixing busted radiators.’ The smile increased. ‘He was a kind man, but not one to be taken advantage of.’
‘Like father, like son. I would’ve liked to have known him.’
‘He would have loved you as a daughter-in-law. Brave and clever women earned his respect. Didn’t agree with the suffragettes but he admired their courage and tenacity.’
Sometimes I forgot how old Alec was. Yet, every now and then, a word of his or gesture reminded me of his antiquity. He really was from another time.
‘I’m from a humble background, Laura. But I’m not ashamed of it.’
‘Why should you be? My dad—uncle, I suppose—is a builder. It’s who you are as a person that matters.’ I said indignantly. ‘Besides, who cares about such things anymore? I’d want to be with you even if you were nothing more than a—’ I searched for a lowly enough profession ‘—garbo!’ He gave me one of his dazzling smiles. ‘And for your information, don’t you know that doctors are practically royalty in this day and age?’
He laughed as he leaned down and kissed me. My knees swayed. ‘Laura, when was the last time you ate? I seem to be propping you up here.’
‘Um, ‘round sixish.’ I’m sure my unsteadiness had little to do with hunger.
He fished the mobile out of his back pocket and pressed a few buttons. ‘What flavour pizza do you like?’
‘Pizza? Aren’t they closed at this hour?’
‘Not this lot. They’re open twenty-four-seven.’
‘How do you know?’
‘M
y lab staff. They always order pizza from this place during all-night sessions when we’re waiting on the results of experiments.’
‘Oh, okay. Supreme, meat lovers. Whatever. No anchovies.’
He pressed a button. Speed dial? ‘Yeah, I’d like to order one large supreme, no anchovies,’ he said to whoever was on the other end of the line. ‘Coke?’ He looked down at me. I shook my head. No coke. Never did like the stuff. ‘No thanks, no coke,’ he said.
‘Half-supreme, half-meat lovers,’ I mouthed up at him.
‘Ah, can you make that half-supreme and half-meat lovers?’
‘Yum!’ I mouthed.
‘Carnivore,’ he mouthed back at me. ‘No, that’s all thanks,’ he said to the person on the other end. ‘Half an hour?’ I nodded. ‘That’s fine. Address is, the Penthouse Pitt St Towers.’
He rung off and tossed the mobile onto the sofa. ‘We’ve got thirty minutes before your dinner arrives. What would you like to do?’
Talk about a loaded question! ‘What do you have in mind?’
A devilish glint lit up his eyes. ‘Where do I begin?’ Suddenly he stiffened, his smile vanished and he looked at me in alarm.
‘What is it?’
He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the elevator. ‘I’ve got to get you out of here. Luc just told me Jean’s on his way and he’s crazy; nearly killed Jake. They couldn’t hold him.’
My stomach bunched into a tight knot. ‘Oh Lord.’
A shadow appeared outside, on the window, even though we were about twenty-five storeys up. There was a loud shattering noise as a figure crashed through the window and scattered glass shards at our feet. It slowly rose from its crouching position and Jean-Philippe stood before us.
His eyes didn’t resemble anything human. They were reptilian—pale, cold and frightening. He locked his gaze on me and grinned, revealing cruel fangs, then beckoned with his finger for me to come to him.
Alec threw me behind him. His hands clenched into fists as his arms anchored me in place. ‘Get out now, Jean!’
Jean-Philippe’s grin turned into a snarl. ‘She’s mine!’ and he lunged toward me.
I screamed.
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