by Ann Lory
Kelly spun around and searched for any signs of her friend and Craig. The sudden action caused a fresh wave of vertigo to spiral through her, and she rocked precariously on her feet.
Blinking rapidly and panting heavily, she hunted carefully for anything that might help her find Cassie. Noticing footprints, she walked to the edge of the rise and looked down a rough and sandy slope. Inspecting the area, she saw a gash of some sort in the cliff wall a little ways off. Nausea rolled in her stomach again, and she forced herself backward to avoid tumbling over the rise. Clutching her stomach, she wavered between going down there to try and rescue Cassie or find help.
Remembering the last time she had attempted to help Cassie, Kelly turned and began her climb to the highway above, slipping and falling as she went, and scraping her palms and knees against the gravel. She fought the constant urge to pass out by focusing determinedly on her goal. At long last, she reached the road and collapsed, gripping her head between her hands, struggling to not be sick, and waiting for the ringing and pressure in her head to subside.
Finally, she was able to glance around her and try to decide what to do. Go back to town and hope to flag someone down en route, or go to Dimitri’s home. She knew that Dimitri and Jacques would be ...
Jacques. Thinking of him, knowing what he was, caused a sudden pain in her chest. She didn’t want to, but she had to face him. Only the two vampires would be able to save Cassie.
Mentally girding herself, Kelly started her trek toward Dimitri’s, hoping she would reach his place well before sundown.
* * * * *
Kelly was too weary to bother knocking as she slogged up the stairs under the darkening sky and approached the main entrance. Though a few cars had passed her on the highway, the drivers must have been frightened by her condition, because most refused to stop to help her, and those drivers that did slow down didn’t appear to be the types of individuals she should accept a ride from. Now she tried the knob without much hope and was relieved when the door swung open easily. As she stumbled inside, she somehow immediately knew that Dimitri was awake. His seething emotions seemed to hang in the air all around her. He must be aware of everything that had happened, but how was that possible?
His voice boomed down the corridors at her. “Go to Jacques.” Kelly nodded, her tired feet seeming to know where to go and carrying her to the back of the house in the direction of the guesthouse.
Entering the place, she looked around, unable to locate Jacques in the dark interior. If he wasn’t there, she thought she’d drop where she stood. She was completely drained, having trudged uphill for what seemed hours. With a final Herculean effort, she managed to make it through another open door into a bedroom. Kelly sank down on the welcoming softness, but fought to stay awake.
“Jacques.” Her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. “Jacques, I need you.”
She heard a grating sound, like stone against stone. Rising up on the bed, she watched in stunned amazement as the floor parted and Jacques stepped out from the earth that lay there. She whimpered and struggled to jump to her feet and run.
Jacques caught her around the waist, and Kelly spun around, striking him hard across the face. Just as Craig had shaken off Rowlin’s blows, Jacques seemed unfazed by Kelly’s as he looked down at her, holding her close. Only his eyes betrayed him: he looked hurt.
“Vampire!” she accused, choking out the words. “You really are a vampire.” She fought wildly, her hair flying every which way, but the fight was quickly knocked out of her from her exhaustion. She tried to shove him one last time, but he tossed her onto the bed and came down over her, pinning her hands above her head. He roughly grabbed her chin in his large hand and forced her to look at him.
“Kelly, you have nothing to fear from me.”
Tears pooled in her eyes and fell from the corners, gliding down the sides of her face. “I have been with you often in the last several days and never once threatened you. Can’t you trust me now?”
She looked into the depths of his black eyes, saw open honesty, tenderness. He affected her more than she wanted, but she couldn’t deny the gentleness that was there, or the pleading for understanding.
Shaking her head slowly, Kelly closed her eyes and slowly relaxed beneath him. “No, you’ve never hurt me,” she whispered, then tensed again when she heard him release an angry breath as his hand traced the dried blood on the side of her face. She’d forgotten her injury during the long hike to the estate.
She looked up at him with renewed fear, realization a harsh reminder. Oh God, the blood!
“Who did this to you?” he hissed between clenched teeth.
“Craig. He has Cassandra.”
Kelly watched savage emotions cross Jacques’s face. Understanding, anger, then rage -- absolute rage. She stared in horror as his fangs lengthened and descended, an unholy expression entering his eyes, which glowed. He looked positively terrifying.
She cringed, not knowing what thought had brought on this change, and trembled violently, her pulse in her throat.
Jacques clearly sensed her fear. He closed his eyes and visibly fought for control. He breathed deeply, growling low in his throat. She abruptly realized that he seemed to be scenting her.
“Jacques, please, I don’t understand. You-you frighten me.”
Gulping in a last calming breath, he looked at her with his intense dark eyes. “Kelly, I would give my life before I hurt you.” He averted his gaze.
She studied his profile. Despite her fear, she acknowledged that he was still handsome to her, his features so striking, and ... Her eyes widened. “The painting,” she breathed.
His turned back to her. “What? What painting?”
No wonder she had thought she’d met him. “I saw your portrait. The one with you on cliffs overlooking the ocean.” Her words were barely above a whisper.
He was silent for a moment, then seemed to remember. “Dimitri painted that. I was not aware he still had it.”
Kelly nodded, her eyes focused on his dark ones. “It made me sad when I saw it; I wished then that I had known you ...” Her voice quavered. “And now that I’m with you, I’m sad all over again.”
Sighing, he moved beside her and drew her into his embrace, ignoring the stiffening of her body and the sudden suction of her breath. Jacques kissed her temple as if she were a child, threading his fingers through the strands of her hair.
“Sleep, cherie. Sleep, and know you are safe in my arms.”
His words were soothing, tugging at her weary mind, and her heavy eyelids drooped. She snuggled close to him, briefly pretending that he was hers. Today was all she could ask for, today was all she could have so she would take what it offered. His words were comforting to her, wrapping her in a warm cocoon that was his embrace, until she finally slept.
Jacques felt Dimitri’s turmoil radiate throughout the property like a living thing.
Dimitri, you must think, or you will never defeat Gabriella. For Cassie’s sake, you must remain calm and rational or you will both be lost.
He knew Dimitri heard him, that he had finally reached him although the younger vampire refused to respond. He’d even poured his strength into Dimtri earlier, aware that something terrible was happening by the swell of power that surged through the air itself. Now Jacques understood what had happened and was glad he’d been able to help. He felt some of the incandescent rage subside in Dimitri until all that remained was a cold, calculated predator.
Jacques turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. Under the flaking blood, her skin was pale and she looked vulnerable lying beside him. He clenched his jaw at the thought of that man, Craig, laying his hands on her, hurting her. Gabriella was obviously up to her old tricks and had deliberately kept him and Dimitri mentally blind to at least a portion of what was happening. Jacques had been unaware of Cassie and Kelly’s plight, but clearly Dimitri had witnessed much of it. The female vampire was no doubt tormenting Dimitri to good effect.
He closed his e
yes and fought for control, but the blood humming through her veins called to him. He had not fed in days, and hunger clawed painfully at his insides. The sweet scent assaulted his senses. He breathed deeply, realizing with startling clarity that he wanted her like he had wanted no other in his entire seven hundred odd years.
Jacques held her for a long time, allowing himself as he had not in many centuries to wish that he was human again, that she belonged to him. He imagined what it would be like to walk with her in the sunlight, to feel her warmth permeate his body like this every day. Mentally shaking his head for letting his thoughts wander to what could never be, he decided to settle for this moment. That was all he could ask for, all he could have, so he would seize it. He would hold her until the last ray touched the sky.
* * * * *
Cassie shivered where she paced. The crashing waves of the ocean below echoed inside the cold cave, and water dripped from large rock overhangs into large puddles on the floor. She had tried to contact Dimitri with her thoughts but he remained beyond her reach.
Craig sat across from her, smiling slyly. She’d ignored him for hours, but he wouldn’t be ignored. Everywhere she turned, he was there, seeming to enjoy needling her. Finally, unable to hold her tongue any longer, she glared at him.
“How could you do this to me? How could you be such a ... a ...” She couldn’t think of a word low and foul enough for him.
“Sometimes, people don’t know what they want, or what they really need, so they need just a little push in the right direction, Cassie.”
She snorted angrily, unable to believe her ears. “I don’t want you, Craig. I’ve only ever wanted us to be friends, but you’ve made that utterly impossible -- first at the club and now.” She turned her back on him but heard his footsteps as he approached her. His hands rested on her shoulders, and he swung her around to face him.
“I love you, I always have. Gabriella will turn me, then I’ll turn you, and we’ll be together forever at last.” He twined his fingers in her hair, but Cassie jerked away, horrified.
“No! Oh, God, Craig. Did you really bring me to Gabriella?”
Craig’s smile deepened. “You’ll see.”
“Yes, my dear. You will see.”
Cassie spun around, terror causing her stomach to knot as the female stepped into view. Her brilliant red gown flowed and swirled behind her as she literally floated into the room. The woman was still breathtakingly beautiful, but her eyes told the truth: they were cold and filled with hate.
“The sun has almost disappeared and we have much to do before our company gets here.” Cassie squeaked and jumped as Gabriella’s nails trailed down her face. She shied away from the woman’s touch, and the vampire laughed, grabbing her roughly by the chin and forcing her to look at her.
“Don’t be shy, little one. We need to get to know one another.” Her icy gaze settled on Craig. “Go and wait for the others.”
Craig hesitated, his grin disappearing. “Wait ...? You promised to turn me so I could change Cassie.”
Gabriella fixed him with her black stare, her eyes flashing. “Do not defy me, Craig, or you won’t get your chance.” She concentrated on Cassie again, patting her head in a tender gesture that was betrayed by the harsh expression in her eyes, and spoke to Craig once more. “Besides, if I turn you now, you will be too weak to fight, and then Dimitri might take her away from you. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
At that, Craig moved toward the entrance of the cave. “No, I wouldn’t.” He disappeared, taking a long, deadly-looking silver pole with him.
Gabriella smiled at Cassie, who felt a chilly shiver make its way up her spine. “Alone at last.” The vampire’s cold hands glided down Cassie’s arms, clutched Cassie’s hands. “Poor thing. Did Craig frighten you?”
Cassie refused to answer her.
“The last rays are upon us, precious,” Gabriella purred, licking her lips as if Cassie had become the main course at a banquet. The other woman’s eyes focused intently on her face. “What is your deepest fear, I wonder? I already know you have no love for spiders. Pity, you’re not that different from most mortals.”
Cassie swallowed hard and tried to control her trembling limbs, to keep the fear out of her voice. But she couldn’t seem to keep her body from shaking.
She had to fight. Even though she knew Gabriella was stronger and much more powerful, she had to do something. Cassie launched herself at Gabriella, but the woman laughed and held her as easily as a cat held a mouse.
“Foolish girl,” she taunted then knocked Cassie back.
Cassie slammed into the wet wall and tumbled down in a heap. She grabbed the back of her head, pain shooting through her.
Gabriella laughed, then used her fingers to make squiggly lines in the dirt floor of the cave. Cassie gasped as the lines coiled before her eyes and became eight black snakes. They rose up, their dark eyes piercing hers and their tongues spitting at her. They made hissing sounds and undulated toward her.
Cassie cried out, scrambling away from the menacing creatures. Gabriella scooped one up into her hand, petting it as she would an endearing pet. “Snakes aren’t so bad, are you?” she cooed to the reptile.
One of the snakes slithered closer and, with lightning speed, wrapped itself around one of Cassie’s legs. Cassie screamed and used her free foot to try to push the creature off. Two of the other snakes slid up her torso, winding their slithery bodies around her.
Tears fell unchecked from Cassie’s eyes as the horror of what was happening flooded her. Another snake approached, then another. Her shrill cries became gurgled shrieks as fangs bit into her flesh over and over, burning wherever they struck. She was frantic as she stared at Gabriella, who held the last snake in her palms. Cassie sobbed uncontrollably. “This isn’t real! Stop it, please stop it!”
Gabriella sighed dramatically and kissed the tip of the snake’s snout. “Oh, all right.” Then she tossed the snake toward Cassie’s face.
Terrified, Cassie screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and holding her arms protectively over her head. Her back shoved into the wall of the cave, and she waited for the reptile to strike her, but nothing happened. She sat motionless as the weight of the creatures on her and the burning sensation of teeth marks evaporated to nothing. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find a smug Gabriella and no snakes. It was as if they had never been there.
Cassie shook violently, huddling away from Gabriella, but the woman crooned to her and once more reached out and grabbed her. As she dragged Cassie across the cave floor with little effort, she twisted her arm painfully. Cassie cried out.
The vampire halted, her fingers lightly playing over the backs of Cassie’s hands. “What would you say is Dimitri’s deepest fear, hmm? What would hurt my dark, brooding Greek lover the most?”
Cassie could feel the disgusting sensation of Gabriella rummaging in her mind. She tried to close it to her invasion, but the woman merely laughed at her puny attempts. Cassie felt naked and vulnerable and her memories were sifted through and examined one by one.
Gabriella reared back in surprise. “Ah, yes, I see,” she whispered gleefully, her eyes gleaming wickedly, and clapped her hands with delight. “I think it’s time you joined the children of the night.”
“What?” Cassie couldn’t help the shrill pitch of her voice.
“Yes, yes, don’t be so impatient. You’ll join us ... and then meet the burning rays of the dawn. And all the while Dimitri will be helpless; he’ll be forced to watch you die before he meets his own destruction.” Gabriella stared directly at her, and Cassie knew that she was looking straight in the face of death. She had never felt fear like this before; it was so overpowering that the acrid, sour taste of it filled her mouth.
“Do you know what it is like to be burned alive?” Gabriella’s index finger trailed up Cassie’s arm, scorching her skin with the tip of her nail. “It’s rather excruciating, I would imagine.”
Cassie sobbed wretchedly, trying to pull her arm a
way from the searing pain, but Gabriella held firm with her other arm. Cassie watched in gross horror as her flesh bubbled and peeled while the other woman traced invisible fire along her flesh.
Then Gabriella rubbed her hand back down Cassie’s arm to her hand, causing Cassie to flinch in surprise. Amazingly, the raw line of burnt flesh disappeared and her skin was healthy and whole again, the pain gone.
“It goes by rather quickly for those who watch, but your screams will seem like eternity for Dimitri, and your torment everlasting for you both.” Gabriella’s smile was one of pure delight at outlining her game of torture.
Cassie’s eyes widened further as the vampire leaned toward her with protruding fangs and glowing eyes. “I love the smell of fear.” And then Cassie screamed again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Agony poured through Cassie as Gabriella tore into the delicate flesh of her neck. This was no gentle tasting as it had always been with Dimitri. It was brutal and meant to cause as much pain as possible. She shrieked, pounded her fists against her attacker, but the woman shoved her to the ground, holding her easily.
Screeching and yanking at Gabriella’s hair, Cassie begged and pleaded uselessly, then flinched as she listened to the woman drink the life from her, the sound nauseating. After a painful period, Gabriella pulled away and looked at her, blood dripping from the vampire’s lips. “You should try it sometime, Cassandra,” she said, brushing strands of hair from Cassie’s face.
Cassie tried to rise, but dizziness overwhelmed her, and she slumped back to the ground, feeling weak as a newborn babe.
“Just relax, my pet.”
A humming in Cassie’s veins seemed to intensify and she couldn’t make out anything Gabriella was saying. The other woman bent her head again and drank.
Cassie couldn’t lift her arms anymore. Her vision turned dark and she turned cold, a terrible, icy cold. She shivered as numbness set in; then even that faded after a while. The only thing she could think of was Dimitri. His tall, lean body; the long, raven-black hair that she loved twining her fingers through; those sensuous lips that kissed her so tenderly; and the dark, soul-searching eyes that always seemed to caress her with just a look.
