She backed away from him, willing her mind to put up walls against whatever it was he was doing to her.
"Mannie, stop this,” Vaslov mumbled weakly from the corner.
"Mannie?” Jess frowned at him. Imagined him with hair. Her eyes narrowed. “Michai Constantine?” She'd fought many vampires over the years, but coming face to face with the bastard who'd ruined her life forever was something she'd given up on years ago.
Mannie's smile grew, and he bowed slightly to Jess, the whole time eyeing her body with renewed lasciviousness.
"You're the one who turned me into a vampire,” she choked out, dread and anger warring inside her.
"Finally! I thought you'd never notice.” His sick voice scraped over her, made her want to tear open his throat.
Suddenly, a figure with a wax face appeared beside Constantine. Somehow Constantine looked surprised. “How are you doing that?” he screamed at her.
"I'm not. I thought it was you.” She tried to force her lethargic limbs to move. To get away from the monster who'd ruined her life.
The vision moved toward Constantine with one hand out, index finger pointing. He slashed out a hand to fend off the attacker, but his hand went right through the apparition.
Then Constantine laughed. “A parlor trick? You think a mere parlor trick will scare me?"
To his surprise the finger physically touched his temple, Constantine reached up and pulled something sticky away from his skin. “What the hell? How'd you do that?” he screamed.
Jess could see the yellowish substance clinging to his temple. Then she watched the vision float away and disappear back into Drago's body.
An apparition he'd sent. He'd tried to help her.
Drago turned and stared at Vaslov lying on the floor, then spat on him. “You're dying, Vaslov. You've used the last of your energy on a weak parlor trick."
Vaslov looked very pale, and he didn't open his eyes.
The vampire turned his attention back to Jess. “Even with the use of this paste, I haven't been able to completely control you. You're the only one who's been able to block me. You're strong.” His lascivious gaze devoured her from head to toe. “And you're the woman I will have in every way possible, thanks to this South American find."
Vaslov groaned from the corner. Jess allowed a quick glance in his direction. The man was full of surprises. He'd actually regained some of his strength and was trying to stand.
When the outer office door suddenly flew inward and Britt burst into the room, Jess chanced a quick glance at him. He was beaten and bruised, but he was alive. In his right hand, he held his Ruger.
"Britt, stay back. He's very strong. He's Vaslov's assistant, Mannie. The reason we've never seen him before is because he's also Constantine, the vampire who turned me,” she said the words with slow deliberation, hoping to give Britt time to protect himself.
"I heard everything he said to you.” Britt tapped the headset he now wore, one he'd taken from his assailant.
Keeping the gun on Constantine, Britt reached out and wrapped his arm around Jess's waist to support her. “Against the two of us, he doesn't stand a chance, babe."
A roar of disgust filled the air, turning Britt's insides to the ice cold of death. And he'd thought Jess could send chills through him!
Along with those chills came a paralyzing rush that felt like ice crystals forming inside Britt's head—pervasive and debilitating. The vampire was fogging his mind.
"No!” Britt shouted, letting Jess go. He started speaking the words from the ancient text that Sampson had taught him. When both vampire and Jess began to scream, he stopped instantly, but not before Jess slumped against the wall and slid to the ground.
What had the words done to her?The vampire, still standing, laughed. “You'll pay for your choice of friends, human. You'll pay for an eternity."
He dove at Britt, fangs extended. Even though Britt was able to extricate his stake from its holster, it felt too heavy to hold. Britt aimed for the vampire's heart, but those ice crystals in his brain were slowing his movements.
"Britt, get out of here. He's using tactics we might not be able to combat,” Jess ground out. “I can't move. Constantine is controlling me."
"No, Jess. This has to end. Here and now. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get this creep off your ass."
"I don't want you to, Britt. You'll get hurt. I can't help you."
The logic center in Britt's brain began to seize. He had to act fast or he'd be totally under the vampire's control. Luckily Jess's words had broken his hold long enough for Britt to regain some of his strength.
"No matter what happens to me, Jess. I love you heart and soul. Nothing will ever really take me away from you,” Britt said.
"You will die!” Constantine screamed, angry to the point of insanity at Britt's words.
Even while Britt rushed at Constantine, he knew in his heart, this was a battle he'd lose. His freewill was almost nonexistent by the time Constantine's teeth sank into his carotid artery and he felt his life's blood draining away. Too late for Cyanide.
At the last moment a dark void swallowed him whole.
* * * *
Jess watched with horror from her position on the floor. Unable to move, she screamed, “Britt, fight him. Don't let him take you from me! I love you!"
Constantine whipped around with Britt's neck still in his mouth. His cold stare burned into her until he finished draining Britt then dropped him to the floor like a rag doll.
Blinding tears hung on Jess's eyelashes. She closed her eyes, forcing the tears to spill down her face while she focused on regaining her strength. She had to get to Britt before it was too late. She might still be able to save him.
Using methods of prayer and meditation that Regent had taught her, she concentrated on bringing her body back to its full physical strength and forcing her mind to shake off the effects of the drug. Pain spiked through her skull, but she ignored it. She had to get to Britt.
Before she could push herself off the floor, however, Drago had managed to stand. Weaving and looking like death on a slab, he rushed at Constantine.
"Help me, Jess,” Vaslov said through clenched teeth. “I can't do this by myself."
Constantine laughed. “To think that for the past twenty years I've let this insipid human think he was superior to me. All to gain control of you, Jess.” He put a hand around Vaslov's neck, and squeezed. Vaslov gurgled.
"Stop it Constantine,” Jess screamed.
Constantine looked at her, excitement evident in his evil gaze. “So you do remember me."
"I remember you,” she spat out. “To think I let you do this to me. You lured me away from the job that night fifty years ago. You lured me away to kill me."
His smile turned menacing. “Don't deceive yourself. You wanted me. You wanted this. After all, I was the only male on the force who accepted a woman police officer. How could you not fall for me?"
"You used your vampire skills to blind me to the truth. Don't pretend I would have wanted you otherwise."
He scowled and dropped a choking Vaslov to the floor. “As one of my creations, you have no choice but to bow to my wishes. I am your master. You will forget the humans and their frailties once you accept your true allegiance. When your brother is gone and you have no protector, you'll come crawling to me, begging me to take you back and protect you from your own brethren."
Jess cast a glance at Britt's unmoving form on the floor. She couldn't see his face since his back was turned to her, but Constantine had drained too much of his blood, of that she was sure. He needed a transfusion and fast.
She dug deep and fought the residual affects of the paste. She called upon every Saint and guardian angel in her repertoire. Then, even though they hadn't spoken for a very long time, she asked God for help. She had to save Britt.
"You're mine now, and he'll never have you again,” Constantine said, grinning wickedly at Britt's body.
"She's stronger than you know
, vampire. She can fight from the inside. You'll never be able to contain her spirit."
Jess heard Britt's words even though his body hadn't moved. His words had been inside her head. Had he really spoken them, or had he instilled that belief in her? She chanted a silent prayer for Britt's salvation, while reaching for her blade.
Vaslov hadn't given up yet. Somehow he was still alive and had actually crawled back to the urn. Since Constantine no longer perceived Drago as a threat he paid little attention to him.
With his fingers dripping with paste, Vaslov lunged at Constantine again and slathered it heavily across the vampire's right temple. Constantine turned wicked, black eyes on him and slammed out one hand, sending the injured Drago into the mirrors on the far side of the room.
The mirrors cracked and rained down on Drago's crumpled body.
Drago might have mastered the paste on others, but it was apparent he had no control over Constantine. The Paste hadn't affected him, but then, maybe Drago had to be conscious for that to happen. Jess scanned Drago. This time he was dead.
"At first I planned to kill you for betraying me,” Constantine said, his attention solely on Jess. “Then I came to my senses. I will have you as my own. And with your expertise at training vampire hunters, we'll turn the tables on your human hunters and wipe them out of existence."
"You assume Jess will let her humanity go. She's too strong for you,” James voice shouted from the doorway. “There's no way you'll make her forget those she loves."
Jess offered a silent thank you for sending help. Regent and James entered the room while Sampson hung back in the office.
Regent bent over and helped Jess to her feet.
"How'd you know to come?” she asked her brother.
"Britt phoned us,” Regent answered, “Sampson is here, too.” She saw the shock on Regent's face when he spied Britt's lifeless body on the floor. He sucked in a breath. “Oh God, hear my prayers..."
Jess felt cold tears forming at the back of her eyes again. Britt must've phoned before he'd broken into the office to save her, forfeiting himself for her.
James moved in front of her, and Jess knew he was giving her time to regain her strength. It was their practice after years of being partners.
"James, be careful. This is Constantine,” she said as quietly as possible.
James's back stiffened. “Are you certain?” he asked.
"Yes, he's the one who turned me, the one who did this to us,” she said, all the venom she felt coming out in her voice.
James focused on the vampire. “She's too strong, even for you, Constantine."
Ignoring James, Constantine smiled wickedly at Jess. “Do you think I'm afraid of your pathetic progeny?” He turned his gaze to James, staring at him as if he were an insignificant dust mite. “And you. You'd have impressed me much more if you'd proven your strength to her. You should have mated with her, made her yours. It is our way.” He grinned wickedly. “Of course, then I would have killed you for touching her."
"I think you underestimate Jess,” James said.
Constantine flicked an invisible piece of lint off his black leather jacket. “Enough of this bullshit. I'm tired of words. I want my prize."
He looked at Jess who instantly tore herself from Regent's protective embrace and took a step toward Constantine.
"No! Jess, wait. You're not strong enough. Don't let him control you,” Regent begged.
"I'm fine, brother.” She spared another glance at Britt. “I'm doing this for Britt."
James stepped back, giving her the space she needed. Constantine laughed at him.
"What a weak puppet you are, vampire. Stand your ground like a man. Even the human put up a better fight."
James watched him, anger and hate spilling from the depths of his gaze. Jess blessed her partner for knowing she'd have to do this on her own. She wanted revenge. She needed to kill Constantine herself. To make him pay for what he'd done to Britt. She had to hurry if Britt stood any chance at all for survival.
"You want me? Come and get me, but first let my brother and James, go,” Jess said, straightening her stance in front of him. His gaze moved over her body with salacious intent. In a blur he was on her. Had grabbed her by the throat with one hand while he stared into her eyes.
Gaining eye contact he forced his way into her mind. With an arm around her waist, and Regent protesting loudly in the background, Constantine yanked her closer. His fetid breath washed over her while she mindlessly tipped her head for him and exposed her neck.
"No!” Regent screamed.
"Jess?” James raised his voice to be heard. With one quick sideways glance she sent a silent message and James backed down. He turned his attention to Regent, to calm him.
Constantine waved them off with a flick of his hand. “You can go."
"Go to hell!” Regent shouted.
Constantine laughed, while at the same time delving deeper into Jess's psyche, invading her private moments, her deepest thoughts. She'd never been raped, but now she knew what it felt like. Besides the pain, there was the violation. Violation at a level so profound she writhed in an attempt to escape the hands digging into her upper arms.
Not satiated, he continued, slavering as he read her most intimate thoughts. Thoughts she'd never shared with anyone.
Suddenly, his eyes flew wide and his lips curled back in a snarl. “No! You miserable whore. You ruined yourself with that ... that human!"
Seeking a weapon against his infiltration of her innermost thoughts, she'd focused on her strongest memories of the night she'd made love with Britt. Pulled forth every scent, every erotic experience, in an attempt to drive a virtual stake through Constantine's heart.
"Only with him,” Jess said softly, lovingly, and immediately sensed the fire of rage that erupted inside Michai Constantine.
He pulled out of her mind and staggered backward, his expression black and volatile.
With only a second's advantage, Jess raised her dagger and attacked him. Before she could drive the blade into his heart, he reached out one hand and picked her off the floor by her neck. The black-hearted look on his face was horrifying even to her.
Her spine elongated and she screamed until her windpipe constricted and she could barely breathe. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she slammed the blade into his flesh. It was only his shoulder, but it hurt enough to make him drop her.
She coughed and sucked in some air. “I've been physically—sexually—satisfied in a way you'll never know, Constantine. Heart, mind and soul. No one will ever take Britt's place, no matter how dark and dank my soul might become. You may be able to turn me completely evil, but Britt's given me something more profound than you can imagine. Nothing will ever take that away from me."
With a snarl of rage, Constantine's gaze burrowed into Jess's. The dizzying speed at which he began to corrupt her freewill was almost unbearable.
His eyes were the only thing she was conscious of. The caustic, self-serving stare burning into her soul. Then, suddenly, he gasped, and his eyes flew open.
It took a Jess a moment to realize that while he was distracted, Regent had driven his eight inch cross into Constantine's back with James's help.
It wasn't enough to vaporize him, but it gave Jess a chance to finish the job. She moved quickly, and drove her dagger into his heart with as much strength as she could muster.
He screamed and imploded into a whirlwind of dust that had so much power it completely trashed the room, and left them all gasping.
When he was gone, they rushed to Britt's side. His eyes were open. Glassy. Frantic, Jess dropped to her knees beside him and felt for a pulse.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jess fought against the arms that pulled her back from Britt until she realized it was James. He was speaking softly, encouragingly in her ear. “Let Sampson help him, Jess. Give him room to help Britt."
Sampson's serious expression made her knees
go weak, and she literally dropped to her knees on the ground beside him. James didn't let go, he dropped with her, his arm still securely around her. She could hear Regent praying, but couldn't tear her gaze away from Britt.
"Is he going to be all right? Jess asked.
Sampson slowly took his fingers away from Britt's carotid artery. His eyes were red-rimmed and watery. “He's gone, Jess."
"No, he's not, Sampson. He's alive,” she said. “He has to be."
Sampson slowly took his cell phone from his belt and phoned for the team. Jess stared at him in shock. “What are you doing? Why are you calling the Black Ops team for Britt?"
Sampson gave her a caring look. “He's been killed by a vampire, Jess. He has to be processed through our lab."
She collapsed on top of Britt. His body still felt warm. “Britt, no! Don't leave me. Dear God, don't take him from me,” she sobbed.
Sampson looked at James. “Get her out of here, James."
Regent sniffed behind her, then placed a loving hand on her shoulder. “Jess, come with us. We should let Sampson do his job."
"No, Regent. It's a mistake. Britt's going to be fine. He saved me. He gave me the time to revive so I could fight Constantine. He's strong. He can't be killed so easily."
James bent down and lifted Jess up. She felt like a rag doll, no vampire anger, no ability to fight back. She felt as if she had no bones left in her body, and her world had gone horribly wrong.
* * * *
Two days later, Jess came out of her room. Regent was waiting for her in his office.
He jumped out of his chair and met her at the door. “Oh, Jess, I've been so worried about you. Come in and sit down."
She sniffed, her eyes bloodshot and her voice nearly gone from crying. “I can't believe he's gone, Regent. I just can't believe it."
"I know, hon. He was quite a guy."
Jess ran one hand over the settee's leather covering. “Did Sampson get the results yet? Was Britt going to become a vampire?” Her throat constricted. If Britt had been infected, Sampson would have killed him. It was what they did. Britt would want that.
Regent cleared his throat. “Jess, this is going to be difficult, but you have to be told."
Beyond the Grave Page 20
