Jude Stephens

by Touch of a VAmpire

  I hoped I wouldn’t have to walk between the two planes in the shadow world at all. Cheve was correct that it was difficult for me to return. I looked at everyone’s worried faces and said, “Let’s go back to the hotel and get some rest. Tomorrow will be here soon enough and we should all be on the top of our game.”

  When we got back to the hotel, no one was in the mood for chit chat and everyone went to their rooms. Alex and I rode the elevator to our room in silence. Alex was going to collect some things and go stay in Mark’s room as planned.

  As soon as we entered the room Alex pulled me into his arms. “Wren, I can’t let you do this. If something happens to you I will not survive.”

  I held him tight. “Alex, don’t worry. I may not be a fully trained Sensay yet, but I’m not without some power. You saw me tonight when I walked in the spirit world. Have some faith.”

  “I have faith in you. I know you are strong and brave, but there are too many things that can go wrong. We don’t know much about this Draco guy. I don’t remember much about Seamus except that he liked to shag a lot. It was London in the sixties.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  A plan began forming in my mind. “I may just be able to use that to my advantage.”

  “Uh Wren, I don’t like the sound of that. What are you planning?”

  Looking him in the eye I said, “Alex, if it came to my survival wouldn’t you want me to use any and all means necessary?”

  With no hesitation he answered, “Yes. You are nothing short of a warrior though you may not carry a sword and shield. I may not like your fighting style, but I do understand it and will always stand by your side.”

  “You are a miracle, Alex. I want you to know no matter what I have to do, it doesn’t change the way I feel about you. I give my heart and soul only to you.”

  Alex held me tighter in his arms “Baby, I love you. You are my heart and soul. I will be at your side for eternity, loving you and supporting you.”

  We held each other and the most amazing sense of wholeness surrounded us. We seemed to be attuned to not only each other’s bodies but to our thoughts and feelings too. It was at the same time sexual and spiritual.

  How long we stayed in each others arms like that I don’t know as we were interrupted by a knocking at the door. I pulled away and simply said, “Damn.”

  Alex looked as stunned as I felt. “That was the single most amazing thing that ever happened to me. What do you think it was?”

  “I’m not sure but it felt like we might have connected on another plane. What plane I’m not sure. I’ll have to talk to Cheve about it.”

  I opened the door to let Mark and Bullet enter.

  Alex pulled me into his arms and kissed me sweet and soft. “Be careful Baby and sleep well.”

  “Goodnight Alex. I’ll miss sleeping beside you.”

  With one last look he went out the door. I turned to look at Mark, but he had thoughtfully turned his back to us as he made a bed on the floor.

  “Thanks Mark and thanks for taking such good care of Bullet.” I went over and began to stroke Bullet’s soft silver fur.

  Mark replied, “I think he takes care of me more than I take care of him. That wolf always knows his way around.”

  I went in the bathroom and got ready for bed. I had to smile when I came out and saw that Mark had made his bed on one side of my bed and Bullet on the other. Surely I would be safe with two sentries guarding me. I crawled into bed, and though I knew the day would most likely bring danger, I couldn’t help but feel safe and protected surrounded by those that I loved. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

  I was awakened by a knocking on the door. I looked at the clock and it was only three pm. It was too early to be Janel or Cheve as we planned to meet in the restaurant.

  Mark got to the door before I did and said, “Stay back.” Bullet was by his side. Mark slowly opened the door to show an oriental man dressed impeccably in a dark suit standing there.

  He said, “My name is Sein Tun, and I am the owner of this hotel.”

  I quickly put on a robe and said, “Please come in Mr. Tun.”

  He bowed and said, “I apologize for waking you. I wanted to speak to you in regards to yesterday’s incident. I pride myself on the safety and security of my hotels around the world. For such a thing to happen here is unforgivable. I would like to speak to you about the incident in order to get as much information as possible. I would also like you to view the security tapes.”

  “Of course, I will just get dressed and meet you downstairs Mr. Tun.”

  “Thank you Ms. Sherman. I assure you that everything possible will be done to catch the perpetrators.”

  “Thank you Mr. Tun. I appreciate your diligence in this matter. I will be down in a half an hour.”

  Mr. Tun left with a slight bow. I turned to Mark, “You don’t have to come with me. Why don’t you try and get some rest? God knows what this night will bring us.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t like you going off by yourself.”

  “Mark, I’m not even leaving the hotel. You’ve seen the security inside this place. I will be fine. I should only be gone for a little while.”

  Mark looked like he wanted to argue.

  “I’m going to insist on this Mark. I’m not a baby. My intuition didn’t pick up on any bad vibes from Mr. Tun. I’m pretty sure that he just wants to help us.”

  Mark reluctantly said, “Okay, but promise to come right back here after your meeting.”

  I laughed “Yes Dad, I promise.”

  I took a quick shower and dressed in khaki’s and a white blouse. For some reason I felt that jeans were inappropriate to meet with a man like Mr. Tun. When I came out of the bathroom it appeared that Mark was sleeping. Bullet looked to have settled back down too. I slipped quietly from the room and went down to meet with Mr. Tun.

  The lobby had maybe a dozen people mulling around which led me to believe that there were more than vampires staying here. I looked at some of the hotel guests. I wish I had time to sit here and open my senses to see if I could figure out what species the guests were.

  I was about to ask the concierge where Mr. Tun’s office was when a repulsive feeling washed over me. I turned to see Myaing headed in my direction. I moaned out loud, “Oh God… not this woman again.” I fixed a polite smile on my face “Hello Myaing. How are you today?”

  Myaing smiled back, but the smile did not reach her cold eyes “I’m fine. How are you?” Without waiting for an answer she rushed, “I heard that you’re meeting with my father. I can show you to his office.”

  I smiled politely and replied, “Sure, thanks. That would be great.” Even though the last thing I wanted to do was spend any more time than was necessary with this vile woman.

  Myaing led me through a door that at first glance looked to be just a wall. We were in a service hallway. Myaing smiled at me, “The employee entrance is quicker.”

  We navigated several turns when Myaing stopped in front of a plain door. “This is it.”

  This didn’t look like a door to an office, I thought, even as loud alarms bells began ringing inside my head. Before I could turn to flee, the door before me was yanked open and I was pulled roughly inside. I struggled against my captor and was slammed up against a wall face first. I felt pain explode behind my right eye. I quickly concentrated on blocking the pain.

  As Cheve taught me, I calmed myself. I needed to assess the situation. I reached out with my senses. There were three men in the room. One of the men’s scent was familiar. I had smelled it before. It was the smell of damp and rotted leaves. I had a moment of elation as recognition hit me. The man was a troll. I had an encounter with a troll once before when one had kidnapped me from Roberto’s hotel in Atlantic City.

  Trolls were vicious mean things that had an uncanny ability to track people. The other two men I wasn’t able to identify except I knew they were of the same species. Both smelled of the desert, a salty, acrid
smell. One of the desert men said something in a language I did not recognize.

  The troll said, “I told you two, speak in English. I don’t understand Turkish.”

  Turkish? Who the hell were these guys?

  One of the Turkish guys replied in a thick accent, “I will speak in your tongue when it is necessary for you to understand something.”

  The toll replied, “I don’t like your type. I will be glad when this one is delivered.”

  Delivered? So they weren’t going to kill me here at least. I needed to weigh my options. I could probably take the guy who was holding me against the wall, but that left two others to deal with.

  “Give me the bottle.” I heard the troll say. Then a cloth was placed over my nose and mouth and everything went black.

  Chapter 28

  I awoke to blinding pain. I tried to ease my eyes open, but the effort caused jackhammers to begin pounding my skull.

  I began a slow and concentrated effort on my breathing to still my mind. Concentrating on every nerve ending in my body, I put up a brick wall between my nerve receptors and the pain. As soon as the pain disappeared I realized I was being held in someone’s arms. I jumped up and was in a position of defense before my brain registered the familiar touch.

  “Roberto!?”

  “Hello Piccolina. I’m glad to see you’re all right. I was worried when it took you so long to wake up.”

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Roberto. The man I had loved so deeply, the man who had touched my body in every imaginable way.

  “Where are we? The last thing I remembered was being pulled into a room with a troll and two other men.”

  Roberto reached up and lightly swept his fingers over my bruised eye. I tried not to shiver.

  “The men are Manticoras. They are one of the most vicious, brutal species on the earth. They are evolved from Caspian tigers. They were thought to be extinct, but it seems that there are a few of them left. They and the troll are the ones who took me also. They’ve been using white fungus on me. It makes me weak. I’ve been unable to overpower them and escape.” Roberto fixed me with his intense stare, “How are you Piccolina? Are things well with you? Despite your bruised eye, you look amazing. If it’s possible, you are even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.”

  I began pacing back and forth. “I’m good Roberto. I’ve been training hard and learning a lot about being a Sensay. I have a Sensay trainer his name is Cheve. Bullet is still with me too, and Mark. He really has taken to life on the island. He even has a girlfriend named Sarah. Mark that is, not Bullet. She’s a pretty girl. And, oh yeah, I met my mother! It seems that the Sherman’s adopted me when I was a little girl. My real mother’s name is Onatah and she is a tribal elder!”

  I took a deep breath as I had nervously rushed through that whole speech. I don’t know why I was so nervous to be around Roberto.

  Roberto stood and walked over to me. Taking my shaking hands in his and looking straight at me he said, “Its okay, Piccolina. I know about you and Alex.”

  My shoulders slumped. “How did you know?”

  “The men that are keeping us made sure I was aware of it. Myaing told them that was the reason she agreed to turn you over to them. She’s in love with Alex and wanted you out of the way. Chinthe’s are well known for their jealousy. I can’t believe Alex would overlook something like that and put you in such a vulnerable position.”

  I felt I had to defend Alex. “Don’t blame Alex, blame me. I should have felt this coming. I knew the woman was a bitch, but I never picked up on her evil aura.”

  Roberto dropped my hands. “You truly love Alex then?”

  I sighed. I didn’t want to do this right now. “Yeah Roberto, I truly love Alex as you truly love Annika.” Seeing the look of pain cross his face I softened. “By the way, I met Annika and Gjord. Your son is lovely. You should be proud.”

  Roberto looked anything but proud. A tic began on his jaw line. I thought maybe he was feeling guilty over our affair. I knew firsthand how passion can cloud a person’s mind so when I spoke I used a gentle understanding voice, “Roberto, don’t beat yourself up over things. I’ve learned in the last few months that emotions are not always black and white. Love and lust sometimes blur. What we had was beautiful and despite it all I don’t regret it. I was hurt for awhile only because you weren’t honest with me. After my marriage to Brian, honesty became the most important part of a relationship for me.” Brian my ex had lied and had affairs during our brief marriage.

  Roberto began to pace in agitation. “So you think that what we had was just lust?”

  I had to be honest. “Well yeah, you never told me about your mate and your son. You obviously love Annika or else you couldn’t have mated with her. I’ve learned a little bit about the process.”

  Roberto stopped dead in his tracks and in a low voice asked, “have you and Alex mated?’

  “No…not yet, but I’ve seen him in a mating frenzy and he told me about the process. We’ve decided to wait until there was a little less drama in our lives.” In a colder voice I added, “We tell each other everything.”

  Before the last word left my mouth Roberto pulled me roughly against him. “You want honesty, Piccolina? How’s this for honesty?” He dragged my hand down to feel his thick erection through his jeans. I tried to pull my hand away when something registered in my brain. I could feel the vibrations emitting from his erection.

  “I don’t understand,” I stuttered.

  He pushed me away. “I’m sure you would if you thought about it.”

  He walked over to the only cot in the room and sat down. My brain didn’t want to think about it. For some reason I kept shying away from thinking about why Roberto was in a mating frenzy for me. So instead I blurted out, “Don’t you have to do something about….about that?” I stupidly pointed to his crotch.

  Roberto leaned back on his elbows and stared at me with smoldering eyes. “What are you suggesting, Piccolina? That you would like to help me? Do you want to mate with me, Olivia?”

  “Nnno,” I stuttered. I was using all of my control to keep from launching myself at him. My body knew his so well. It knew every hard muscle, every angular plane, and every spot where my tongue could travel. I shook my head to clear it from memories that came rushing back. I wasn’t the same person he had hurt. I also loved Alex. A picture of his smiling green eyes calmed my body and my mind.

  “No. I don’t want to mate with you, and my name now is Orenda, though Alex has nicknamed me Wren, and it seems to have stuck. So you can call me Wren. Since my brain has been scrambled, literally, I would appreciate you speaking the truth to me plain and simple. No games.”

  I sat down on a lone chair that was next to a small wooden table and waited to hear the truth.

  Roberto sighed, “Okay no games, just the truth this time. I wish I had been honest from the beginning; I want you to understand though, that with my position on the vampire counsel it has not been easy for me to do so.

  Several years ago, my family and Alex’s became friends. We met one summer in Florence while on holiday. I was smitten with Annika and her with me. I marked her and last year we completed the bonding. Everyone was happy with the impending union. Then last year, the Sandstroms came to visit. It started as a great day. In the morning Alex, Annika and I went for a horseback ride on our estate. Annika loves horses. When we decided to return to the house, Annika wanted to stay out riding for awhile. She didn’t come back. We were frantic. At first we thought The Guardians had taken her, but then a few months later other evolved began reporting that they saw her in different places, Amsterdam, Sydney and here on Cat Island. We were all confused. None of us had any idea what had happened.”

  Roberto stood and ran a hand through his hair. “Until a few weeks ago, when someone reported seeing Annika here on Cat Island again.” Roberto looked me in the eye, “With a child. A child that you now know couldn’t be mine. As you’ve just witnessed I’ve never mated with anyon
e.”

  His words sank in. What I had witnessed a few minutes ago, and my brain had refused to understand was that Annika and Roberto were not mated. Annika had mated with someone else.

  Realization dawned on me. Roberto was not Gjord’s father. My mind raced back to when I was at Annika’s yesterday and to the child that looked so much like Roberto. Reality crashed down on me as a picture of Annika, Gjord and Cristoforo flashed in my head with stark clarity.

  My face must have shown my understanding because Roberto sighed deeply, “It is so Piccolina. Let me try and explain. When I first heard the report about Annika and a child the first thought to cross my mind was that she mated with someone else. It’s forbidden to do so when you’re bonded with another, but there have been some rare cases. I couldn’t understand why she ran away over it, but then the friend told me that the boy looked just like me. I knew immediately that it was Cristoforo’s child. I called Alex and told him of the child, though I didn’t want to disparage his sister so I didn’t tell him that the child wasn’t mine. I thought he should hear it from her.”

  Roberto looked so hurt that I got up and went to sit beside him on the bed. “That must have been devastating news for you, Roberto. I’m so sorry.” I truly was sorry, having just been through the heartache he was experiencing, I knew how it felt. Even though he was the cause of my heartache, I still cared enough about him to feel badly for him.

  Roberto grabbed me roughly by the arms. “You misunderstand, Wren. I’m not devastated by losing Annika. I’m devastated at losing my brother. When I fell in love with you, I realized my feelings for Annika were just a pale comparison to how love is supposed to feel. She was at first a friend and then a lover. The friendship was stronger than the love. My pain comes from the fact Cristoforo hates me and will do anything in his power to see me suffer.”

  Trying to ignore his words of love for me I asked, “Why? Why would Cristoforo hate you so much as to go after Annika?”

  Roberto let his hands fall to his side. “It’s a long story.”