“You’re angry because you couldn’t scare me like you were trying to do,” I accused.
Darrien shook his head. “Sarah, your hunger will control you one day, if you don’t take control of it now. If you were someone else, this would have frightened you but it only made your craving worse.”
Stepping closer, I rested a hand on his arm. “I don’t want you to go away.”
Darrien’s eyes were focused on the dark water of the Pacific. “There’s no way I can be close to you and not want to touch you,” he said, turning back to me.
“I want you to,” I insisted.
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
“I’m not that person. I’m not Caroline,” I told him, angrily.
“Go to your coven, Sarah, and ask for their protection. I can’t protect you from Omar if I can’t even protect you from me.” Darrien took my hand in his and we started walking back to the house.
“Where will you go?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter. To me, one place is the same as the next.”
Digging my heels into the sand, I forced him to stop. “You still haven’t told me anything about who you are, just your name.”
He stared at me, his dark eyes reflecting the silver moonlight. I wanted so badly to reach out and touch him, but I feared his rejection. It was far more painful than when his fangs punctured my flesh.
“I am death. That’s all you need to know about me,” he said before turning away and starting up the path to the house.
“But what if I remember something from that other life. What if I come looking for you?” I was desperate to get anything from him that would help me find him again.
“You have no idea how much I want you to remember me, but maybe it’s best that you don’t.”
When we reached the back porch, he leaned down and brushed my lips with his. “Stay out of the dark, and be careful who you trust.”
A lump formed in my throat as I watched him retreat into the darkness. I was sad that he was going, but I was also angry.
If he was feeling the same things I was, how could he just walk away so easily?
Chapter Eighteen
Alec
As I made my way along the dark passages of Castle Arges, all I could hear was the steady dripping of water; the result of condensation on the rock walls.
Originally, the hidden passages beneath the castle were used as an escape route. They were built just in case the family in residence should come under attack. The passages connected to different areas of the castle and to tunnels that led to the village located at the bottom of the cliffs. This was common knowledge, but I knew that there were also hidden passages.
Luciano had been living in the castle for almost two centuries. He rarely left the safety of his haven and shunned all who sought an audience with him, even the ancients. Secrecy amongst the oldest vampires wasn’t unusual, though Luciano took it far beyond the norm. But considering his reputation, I understood why he kept to himself. It was a widespread theory among vampires and slayers that if you could destroy Luciano, you would break the curse of the Immortal, but I was convinced that was just another myth.
The passages beneath the castle seemed to go on forever. There was no telling where I’d find the Book of Anu. If the book was in the castle, it was hidden well.
When Donovan had hinted to a relic in Luciano’s possession, my first thought was the Book of Anu. The book was the most legendary of the vampire relics so it had to be what Luciano was hiding.
About a hundred feet ahead, the passage took a sharp curve to the left. Flickering light from torches pierced the heavy darkness and was the only light I’d seen since entering the passageway.
Staying close to the rock wall, I moved cautiously toward the light. When I reached the area where the tunnel curved, I peeked around the wall. The light was coming from torches that stood on each side of a large doorway.
Taking care to remain close to the wall, I moved quickly toward the doorway and peered inside. It appeared to be some type of chamber. Unlike the rest of the subterranean rooms, the walls of this chamber were smooth and adorned with strange golden symbols. Two more torches illuminated another doorway at the far end of the chamber.
Entering cautiously, I moved toward the second doorway. Unlike the first chamber, a metal door blocked hid whatever lay beyond. When I pulled on the handle, the door opened easily. Behind the door was another tunnel. This one descended deeper into the earth.
I took a step through the doorway but then froze when I heard the deep laughter coming from behind me. Spinning on my heels, I came face to face with Luciano. There was a look of amusement on the ancient vampire’s face.
“It’s been a long time since you tried to infiltrate my home. Whatever it is you’re looking for, you won’t find it in that tunnel.”
“Where does the passage go?” I asked, refusing back down.
Luciano scrutinized me, his black eyes stabbing painfully into my brain. Being in the ancient vampire’s presence was so overwhelming, it was like being in the throes of death - blissful but painful. The vampire’s long black hair was immaculately kept and his soft features were too perfect to have ever been human. But his perfection was marred by the darkness eating at his soul.
“It leads nowhere, at least for you,” Luciano said.
“What are you are hiding down there, Luciano?” I asked.
Considering the fact that I was already screwed, pushing for an answer wasn’t likely to put me in any further peril.
Again, I felt shattering pain behind my eyes as Luciano probed my mind. It lasted only a few seconds before I heard the vampire’s voice break through the agony in my head.
“What you’re looking for isn’t down there.” Luciano stepped closer and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “The Book of Anu isn’t here. It’s not even in Romania.”
“If it’s not down there, what’s at the end of these passages?” I questioned him, no longer caring what it might cost me.
“You will live an eternity, Alec and still it won’t be long enough for you to discover what is at the end of that passage.” Luciano taunted.
“What do you plan to do with me?” I decided to get straight to the point. I had no intention of playing a game of words with Luciano.
Luciano smiled. “Alec, you place far too much importance on yourself. I wouldn’t have even interrupted your invasion of my home, if not for the fact that I find you amusing … a break from the monotony.”
“Where can I find the book, Luciano? The rule of the ancients is coming to an end. The Light Seeker movement will spread and then there will be trouble for all of you.”
Luciano waved his hand, an indication that my words were of no consequence. “You must have a desire to rule before the threat of the Light Seekers will be relevant. It may matter to Omar, but I don’t care to have power over others. I want only to be left alone.”
Confused, I shook his head. “Why?”
Luciano’s dark eyes turned to stones. “When and if you ever find the Book of Anu, you will find out why ruling over mutant vampires means little to me.”
“Where do I find this book?” I decided to push my advantage, while I still had one. At least Luciano was talking and that was further than I’d ever managed to get with him.
The hardness left the vampire’s eyes to be replaced by humor. “You are on a fool’s mission, Alec. But if you insist on finding those elusive answers you seek, you’ll want to search in Rome. I hear the holy men of the Vatican are keeping it under lock and key.”
“So it does exist?”
Luciano shrugged. “It is commonly believed that a rebel recorded our history in that book, but I can’t know if it still exists.”
“Don’t you realize what could happen if Omar follows through with this plan to dominate all vampires? Already his followers feed on the fear they inspire in humans. They don’t treat them as a necessity, but as a feast.”
“Omar is a fool and will p
erish because of it. His brothers must intervene. It’s not my concern.”
“But you are the most powerful of the ancients. It would be easy for you to stop him,” I insisted, boldly stepping toward Luciano.
“Neither species is worth the trouble,” Luciano glared at me. “Now be on your way. I have grown tired of this exchange of meaningless words.”
“Maybe you are a coward and are afraid to go against Omar?” I knew I was making a big mistake, but I couldn’t take it back, and wouldn’t have even if I could. It was time someone said it the way it was.
An unnatural light entered Luciano’s eyes. It was the only sign of his rage. “You will remove yourself from my sight, Alec Norwood, or you will die with Omar.”
Fury wrapped itself around me, tempting me to attack Luciano and tear him to pieces.
What right did these ancients have to keep the truth hidden from their own kind?
It took every ounce of control I had to keep from going with my instincts. I still had enough common sense to realize that I wouldn’t survive a fight with Luciano. No vampire in existence would. Luciano’s mind was so powerful that he could pierce the heart and brain and bleed his victims to death, without ever physically touching them. He was just as deadly to vampires as he was the human race, possibly more so.
Chapter Nineteen
Sarah
With the sunlight fading, the forest was deep in shadow. I followed my aunt down the narrow path to the large clearing. For almost a hundred years, the Coven of Lazar had gathered for their celebrations and Sabbaths in the woods near Sutter Point. The area was surrounded by thick pines and foliage and wasn’t easy to find unless you knew where to look.
Lifting the hem of my robe, I did my best to keep it from catching on low-lying branches and rocks. Though I’d been fighting against the idea of being initiated into the coven, now that I was actually doing it, I was kind of excited. After all, the coven was my heritage and a part of who I was.
In the clearing, there was a large bonfire and dozens of people in bright colored robes of yellow, blue and green milled around, preparing for the night’s festivities. My robe was black, the color of the initiate. Once I’d gone through the rites, I could then wear a robe of another color.
The Coven of Lazar was made up of nearly fifty members, but many of them lived nowhere near Sutter Point. Coven members would travel from all over the country to attend the Sabbaths in Sutter Point.
Jeanie carried a large bowl of cakes that would be included in the feast once the ceremonies were done. Handing the bowl off to another member of the coven, Jeanie grabbed my hand and led me down another path to a smaller clearing. Here, I would wait until it was time for the initiation rites.
Jeanie pointed to the bench. “You can wait here. Someone will come and get you when it’s time.”
Sighing, I sat on the bench. Being the only initiate, I would have to remain in the clearing alone, until it was time for to join the rest of the coven. There was a small fire near the bench, so at least I wouldn’t be left in total darkness once the sun was down.
The forest beyond the clearing was already dark. Staring into the shadows, I wondered if Darrien was out there, waiting for night - waiting for the moment he could come to me. I pushed the thought away. Since that night on the beach, Darrien seemed to have completely disappeared. He must have gone away.
Still, I couldn’t get over the feeling that there was someone out in the woods, watching me. Although anything was possible, I had serious doubts that any vampire would dare attack with the entire coven so close. One witch might not be too difficult to deal with but an entire coven was another matter.
Since Darrien’s revelation about my father and who he thought I was, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Whoever Darrien was, there was denying that I did feel a connection with him that I’d never felt with anyone else. Now that he was gone, it was as if an important part of me was missing.
And then there were the other questions.
Could I really be the daughter of a vampire and the reincarnation of some long ago ancestress?
Once the initiation was over, I intended to get some answers from my aunt. Maybe she would even give me more information about what happened to my mother.
The ritual for honoring the summer solstice had started. In the distance, I could hear coven chanting. Soon they would come to get me.
Finally, Taylor emerged from the darkness. He was wearing a dark blue robe with a large hood that he had pulled over his head. Without saying a word, Taylor covered my eyes with a blindfold and took me by the hand.
Although I couldn’t see a thing, I sensed when we came into the larger clearing. My destination was the altar where my aunt would be waiting for me. Jeanie was the high priestess of the Coven of Lazar.
“Who approaches the sacred altar of the god and goddess?” Jeanie asked.
“I bring you one who seeks the wisdom of the coven. I bring you one that will honor the god and goddess,” Taylor answered.
“By what name will you be known as a member of the Coven of Lazar?”
“Caroline.” The name slipped out before I realized what I was saying.
“Enter the sacred circle of the coven and kneel before the gods.”
Stepping forward, I entered the sacred space that was filled with the presence of the ancestors and knelt before the altar.
Aunt Jeanie’s voice was distant and far away. All of a sudden the air was hot - so hot that it seemed as if I couldn’t get any oxygen from it. Gasping, I tried to draw in more air, but it was too thin and hot to breathe. That’s when everything went dark and then suddenly I was someplace else.
It wasn’t just that I’d been transported to a different place; I was in a different time and in a different body.
A man was screaming my name, calling out to me over and over again. I knew the man. His name was Luis and he was my husband.
He’d gone into the barn to check the animals. They’d been restless all night and he’d been worried that there was a wolf sneaking around, just waiting to get to our milking cow and chickens.
When I looked down at my feet, I was no longer wearing my flip-flops. Now I had on a pair of brown leather shoes that were so worn that I could see the material of my stockings peeking out from the seams. My long skirt was also faded and tattered. I was no longer Sarah, but Caroline.
Rushing from the small farmhouse, I raced to the barn. I could still hear Luis screaming. Just as I reached for the barn door to pull it open, Luis’ screams faded and the night was once again silent.
When I yanked the door open, what greeted me was more horrifying than anything I could have imagined.
I was a witch, this shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. The mystical creatures known as vampires were something that all witches knew about, but few ever actually encountered them. The form hovering over my husband, jumped back when I opened the door. He’d retreated into the darkness, out of reach of the bright moonlight that was streaming in through the open doorway.
I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t utter a sound. The vampire’s eyes glowed with his poisonous hunger and his growls shattered the silent night. The creature flew at me, but I held up my hand and willed all of the power of the universe to surround and protect me from his attack.
The vampire seemed to hit a brick wall before he could get close to me. The impact stunned him and he fell to the ground. When his monstrous features returned to normal, I was startled to see a familiar face. The man lying there in the hay was no monster at all, but Lord Rousseau from the chateau near where she’d grown up in France.
What was he doing in New Orleans?
What happened to bring him to such a horrible condition?
As a girl, I’d been taken with the young lord, but he’d barely noticed a poor village girl rumored to be the daughter of a witch. At least not at first, he hadn’t noticed me. Then he did notice, but soon disappeared. Eventually, I left France for the Americas, but o
ver the years, I’d never forgotten him. Now here he was, a vampire.
At the moment, he was dazed and not moving. I took the opportunity to go to Luis. When I kneeled next to his pale body, I knew he was gone. The creature had already drained his blood before I could stop him.
Looking over at the vampire, I saw that he was starting to move. Once he’d recovered enough to sit up, he looked at me and that’s when I saw recognition in his eyes.
Even though he was now a vampire, he remembered me.
“Caroline!”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I continued watching him, wary that he should make any sudden movements.
The vampire got to his feet and held out a hand to me. Still, I didn’t move.
“I’m sorry, Caroline. I would not have attacked you if I was in my right mind.”
“You are a creature of evil,” I said, narrowing my eyes to glare at him.
“Alas, you are right, but I won’t hurt you, Caroline,” he smiled but it was a dark, almost menacing smile.
But did hurt me, and much worse than if he’d taken my life that night.
I was abruptly yanked back to the present where I could hear the frustration in my aunt’s voice as she repeated her question.
“Are you prepared to begin your life anew?”
“Yes.”
Chapter Twenty
Sarah
It was almost dawn by the time we returned home. Although I was tired, I wasn’t going to bed until I got the answered I’d been waiting so long for.
Aunt Jeanie read me like a book. She knew sleep wasn’t an option yet so she went straight to the kitchen. “I think we should have some tea while we talk,” she said.
I followed her into the kitchen and silently watched as she went about preparing the tea. I waited until Jeanie was done serving the tea before I started.
But before I could say anything, Jeanie sat down and turned angry eyes me. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice the bite marks on you?”
Dark Enchantment: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 3) Page 7
