Forbidden Touch

by K. S. Haigwood

  She was sure that Mitch had already been lied to about her, and that he possibly hated her. An aching pain crowded her chest at the thought of his hands and lips touching any woman but her. Had he gotten over his love for her so easily? The kiss with that other girl had been as intense as he had kissed her. Jealousy consumed her and she dove at Dane's sleeping form on the bed.

  She had only hit him once before he'd suddenly come awake and pinned her to the bed. She should have set his ass on fire. She would have gladly burned the room up and died under the heat of the flames with him than allow him to walk this earth another night.

  "Ciera, calm down!" he shouted at her as he held her to the bed with his hands. He smiled at her. "We are here, baby. This place is called Euphoria. It's paradise for our kind. We will be so happy here." He bent to kiss her and her knee came up between his legs. He groaned and fell on top of her. She pushed him off hard, then got out of bed to look for her clothes.

  "What was in that needle you stabbed me with?" she said as she found her jeans and began putting them on.

  He rolled over, laced his hands behind his head and stared at her. "It was the same tranquilizer they use on elephants. I wasn't sure if it would work but," he looked at his watch. "You have been out cold for a little over ten hours."

  Her eyes grew wide. "How the hell did you drive here in the daylight?"

  He smiled. "The vampires in Vegas are pretty smart. They come up with a special tint to put on the windows of their vehicles. It doesn't let in any UV rays. I was skeptical at first, but I really didn't have a choice. Lennard was eyeing you like a piece of candy, and he is boss there in Vegas. If I killed him, it would have only been a matter of seconds before his Family killed me and kept you for a sex toy." His grin broadened. "They were fascinated by the fact that you have managed to stay a virgin for over three centuries."

  She found her socks and shoes and put them on as she said, "And I plan to stay a virgin until I find Mitch."

  Dane was out of the bed and had her in his arms in the blink of an eye. His mouth was only a breath away from hers, but it wasn't intimacy she was feeling from him. "He hates you, Ciera. If you go anywhere near him Lazarus will kill you. Forget about him." He shook her hard. "I can give you anything you could ever want. Give me a chance!" he pleaded.

  "I've been around you for over a century. I don't feel anything for you. I fell in love with Mitch the first time I laid eyes on him. He is my soulmate."

  He took a step back from her, clenching his jaw a few times before he spoke. "I will see you dead before you will be with him."

  She gave him a cold smile. "If you loved me, you would be able to let me go so I could be happy. But yet, here you are threatening to kill me because I refuse to make you happy. How selfish, but I can't say I expected more from you."

  "If you loved him, you would be able to let him go as well," he said.

  "After he knows the truth…I will let him go, if he still wants me to leave him alone. I won't have a choice. You can't make somebody love you."

  "He will kill you!" Dane shouted at her.

  "Because he believes a lie!" she shouted back, then shook her head. "I don't care. Maybe I'm better off dead. I certainly don't have anything to live for now."

  "I can give you something to live for." He framed her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. She didn't move, and her lips were unyielding to him. He pulled back from her an inch. "Kiss me, Ciera. I can show you so many great things. I can change for you."

  "You shouldn't have to change for someone. You should already be who they need you to be for them."

  "Let me be what you need," he whispered as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  She met his eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't. After what you've done, I wouldn't ever be able to trust you."

  She backed away from him; he let her go, with a genuine hurt look on his face.

  She turned for the door.

  "Wait," he said quietly and she stopped. He sighed. "I can't let you go alone. Lazarus will kill you."

  She turned and gave him a disbelieving look. "You're going to help me get Mitch back?"

  He nodded slowly. "I guess I do love you enough to let you go."

  She sighed, heavily. She didn't love him, but she did feel something for him, friendship maybe? Whatever it was, she didn't want to lose it, or him. He was annoying and conceited, but the traits fit him well, and they were growing on her. From what she had heard of Lazarus, she wouldn't have a chance in hell at getting Mitch back. Dane evidently knew more than she did on the subject of Mitch's daddy. Dane was valuable, and she would be a complete fool to refuse his help. "Thank you, Dane."

  "Yeah…I'm not saying that he will even believe the truth now, but I will help you as much as I can." He shrugged. "I can still hope that he doesn't believe us. Maybe then you will give me a chance."

  She thought about that for a moment, then said, "If that is the only reason you are helping me, then just stay here. I love Mitch, and if he truly hates me now, it will shatter my heart into a million pieces and I will hate you for causing it. There will be no other chance for me to love again. I'm sorry."

  He walked to her and tilted her chin up to look at him. "I am doing this because I love you. It hurts that you don't love me back, but I only want you to be happy. If he doesn't want you after you talk to him, I will be happy just taking care of your shattered heart for the rest of eternity, and I will hate him for breaking it. I really only want you to be happy."

  "What changed your mind?" she asked him.

  "Seeing you almost walk out that door made me realize that you were walking out of my life forever; I don't want that." He brushed his hand across her cheek softly. "Just promise me that, no matter what happens, you will always be in my life."

  She swallowed hard. She had never seen Dane so sincere before, and she actually wasn't lying when she said, "I promise."

  He smiled. "Promises are usually sealed with a kiss."

  She frowned. "Don't push it, Dane." She held out her hand and he shook it with a smile.

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  Chapter 34

  Mitch walked alongside Lazarus down a long, damp hallway. Noises no longer bothered him. It was as if he had turned down the volume, but he knew exactly how to turn it back up when he needed to. He knew this hallway would be dark to a human, but with his new eyes it was as if he had night vision. Everything seemed bright to him, and that may have been why Lazarus kept it this dark. He was almost positive bright lights would hurt his eyes. But maybe he could adjust his sight like he could his hearing.

  Lazarus stopped in front of a door and flipped a switch on the wall beside it. There was a loud noise that sounded like metal creaking, and then Lazarus opened the metal door. It was another cylinder shaped stone room, and yet again, there was a table with chains attached to it in the center. The only thing different, Mitch thought, was that the table was illuminated. He walked in and looked up. The metal shutters, like in the other room, were open, and sunlight was streaming through in a single beam of bright white fire. Mitch realized that it wasn't really fire; it was just that his eyesight was so sensitive to the beam of sunlight coming through the shutters.

  It hurt his eyes to look at it, but other than that he wasn't bothered by it. He didn't look away from the light, he only squinted, but the longer he gazed at it, the irradiation seemed to get dimmer and more bearable for him to look at.

  Maybe I can control my eyes as well as my ears, he thought, amused. He looked to Lazarus. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

  Lazarus walked into the room, then went over to the illumination. He ran his hand through it; nothing happened. "Do ... that."

  Mitch raised an eyebrow and looked at his…hell, he couldn't seem to even think that this guy was his father. Lazarus didn't look much older than he did. Anyway, he looked at Lazarus like he was crazy. "I won't fry?"

  Lazarus shook his head. "No, if sunlight affects you, your skin will burn almost instantly.
After you get away from the light, your skin will begin to heal immediately. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes for you to be as good as new."

  Mitch took in a deep breath, then let it out. He walked up to the table, and before he could back out, he ran his hand through the brightness. He did it quickly, but nothing happened. He glanced up at Lazarus, who only nodded. Mitch, slowly this time, put his hand into the beam of light and left it there. He could feel the warmth of the sun, but nothing even remotely uncomfortable.

  Mitch laughed as he looked at his hand, then he hopped up on the table and put his whole body in direct sunlight. He spread his arms out and turned around in a slow circle. When he looked back at Lazarus, the guy had a perfect smile painted on his face. Mitch didn't think he'd ever seen the guy smile so big.

  "What is this place?" Mitch asked, after he jumped down from the table.

  "My home."

  He shot Lazarus a questioning look. "I have been to your house. It doesn't look anything like this."

  Lazarus chuckled. "I picked you up in Las Vegas in my private jet, then flew you back here to Illinois. This is my home, Mitch, but this is only the basement. I don't show people the basement when I give them a tour," he said with a mischievous smirk.

  Mitch looked astounded at him. He mentioned that they were back in Illinois. "Everyone thinks that I committed those murders. I'll never be able to stick my nose out of here."

  Lazarus seemed to think about that for a moment, then he said, "We will just have to figure out a way to clear your name."

  "And how do you suppose we do that? Frame someone else?" Mitch said, with a short laugh.

  Lazarus grinned at Mitch. "Exactly." Then he winked.

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  Chapter 35

  Ciera followed Dane through what appeared to be a super nice hotel. It didn't seem to have any windows though, so maybe it had been built with vampires in mind. Or maybe a vampire was the one who built it. She didn't know, but whoever designed it, they had done a wonderful job. It was beautiful. Everything screamed expensive and original.

  The floors were real marble, not the fake linoleum at Home Depot that looks, but really doesn't look, like marble. The light fixtures were beautiful, but again she didn't think they had been bought at any hardware store. They looked handmade, but whoever made them knew what they were doing.

  Dane stopped in front of an elevator and pushed the button. She looked at him and prayed that he didn't have something else up his sleeve. He could lie better than anyone she knew, but something about him seemed different.

  He caught her looking at him. "What?" he said, and smiled a genuine smile that she had never seen before on his face. The only time she had ever seen him smile was when he was torturing Rogue vampires. He had a really nice smile.

  The gesture made her smile back at him, and gave her the confidence to say what she had been thinking. "This isn't a trick, is it?"

  He lost his smile and framed her face with his hands. "No, Ciera. I'm sorry I tricked you before. I see now that it hurt me more than it helped me. I wish I had never told the Elders that you should work Mitch's case. Maybe you never would've met him. I'm truly sorry that I hurt you. I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

  She walked into the elevator when the doors opened, then crossed her arms as he walked in and stood beside her. "And are you sorry for telling the Elders that I was the one who committed the murders?"

  His eyes narrowed as he sucked air in through his teeth. He looked at her like she would be mad if he told her the truth.

  "Tell me, Dane! Are you sorry?"

  "Well…I didn't exactly tell the Elders that I saw you committing the murders," he said, then let out his breath.

  She turned her head to the side, trying to figure out what was going on in that handsome little head of his. "Well, what exactly did you tell the Elders?"

  He shrugged his shoulders as his eyebrows went up. He wouldn't look at her.

  "What?" she demanded.

  He put his hands up. "All right, all right…" he said, then mumbled something so low that she couldn't make it out.

  "Come again?"

  "I didn't tell them anything, okay? They think you are still monitoring Mitch without him knowing that we exist. I knew it wouldn't be a problem for you to get him to fall in love with you, but I never anticipated you falling for him. I was upset with you, but I never wanted you dead."

  Before she knew what she was doing, she had flung herself at him, and was giving him a huge hug. He seemed surprised at first, then laughed and hugged her back. "I ought to lie to you, and then tell you the truth more often. I've never had you this close willingly before."

  She pulled away from him. "I'm glad you didn't really tell them, but why did you lie to me about it?"

  He shrugged. "I knew that you would never be able to go back there if you thought the Elders were hunting you. I was willing to go with you wherever you needed to go. Besides, it's where Lazarus took Mitch and the plan was to keep the two of you apart." He looked back at her. "I still think we should stay here ... together," he said quietly, hoping she would change her mind

  She thought about Mitch for a moment, then sighed and said, "I understand why you did it. I wouldn't have gone about it the same way, but I suppose I would do anything to be with the person I love."

  The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He only nodded before walking into another hallway. She followed him. They only walked a little ways before he opened another door and led them into an underground garage, then over to a black Lexus that had windows so blacked out that even she couldn't see the interior.

  "You want to drive first?" he asked, and she could tell that he wasn't as happy as he'd been a few minutes ago. What had she said?

  "No, I'm fine with riding for a while. You can drive first. I don't know the way out of here, remember?" She caught a small glimpse of a smile before he unlocked the doors and got in.

  She stared out the window as he drove. He said it would be quicker to go up and hit I-80, instead of going back to Vegas. She didn't care; she only thought it was really nice to not have to make herself invisible during the daylight. She felt her body tingling, and she went very still in her seat. So still that Dane noticed.

  "What is it?" he asked, clearly concerned for her.

  "I don't…" She blacked out, and when she opened her eyes again all she could see was white fog or smoke all around her. Then she was staring at the interior of the Lexus again. Her breathing was labored. Dane had pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road and was shaking her.

  "Ciera!…Oh, thank God. What the hell was that about?"

  She shook her head in confusion. "I don't know. My body was tingling all over, like my hand does when it goes to sleep. Then it was like I was being forced into a dream."

  "Whose dream?"

  She focused on the brief memory. "I don't know. I didn't see anything except for fog ... or smoke. It looked like that's what it was."

  "Are you okay now?" he asked.

  She waited a few moments then finally nodded. "I seem to be."

  "All right," he nodded, then put the car back in drive. "What do you want me to do if it happens again?"

  "I don't know that there is anything you can do. I don't know what it is. I didn't get a bad vibe from it, so maybe it doesn't mean me any harm." She thought for a minute, then said, "It may have been Alice or Nellie trying to tell me something from the other side."

  His brow drew together. "Who is Alice and Nellie? And what the hell are you talking about?"

  She slumped in her seat and looked out the window, her anger and grief boiling just below the surface. "Alice was the psychic, and Nellie was the witch that you killed to find me."

  He was silent for a long time, so she looked over at him. He looked at her and shook his head. "I didn't kill them. I only got the information that I needed from them, and then I left. I haven't done as many bad things in my life that you think I have. Wel
l, not since I have met you anyway. You make me want to be…I don't know," he sighed, and looked away from her.

  She knew what he wanted to say, but she wasn't going to make him say it. She knew that he wasn't good with emotions. And she had never seen him pour out his heart before. She was definitely experiencing a lot of firsts with him. "It's all right. I'm very glad you didn't kill Alice and Nellie, but I don't have to hear how I make you feel. You said you want me in your life even if I choose not to be with you. I'm not friends with many liars, so if you could be honest with me from here on out, I would appreciate it very much. I wouldn't mind having you around either."

  He nodded. "I am sorry…for everything."

  "I accept your apology. Now, since we are not in a stolen car, and if we happen to get stopped by a cop, you will be able to get us out of it with your expert compulsion, do you think you can drive a little faster and get us there before next week? You drive like a grandpa."

  Dane smiled, and pushed the gas pedal to the floorboard.

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  Chapter 36

  Mitch shook his head a few times to clear it. Everything he had discovered since he'd woken up as a vampire was all real fascinating, but he couldn't seem to get Ciera out of his mind. He wanted to be angry with her. Had she really murdered all those people? He didn't think Lazarus was lying, but the guy had been lying to him several years without him knowing. There were still a few missing pieces to the puzzle, but why had she gone with Dane if her intentions had been to be with him? She had invaded his dreams, almost driving him to the brink of insanity. She didn't make him fall in love with her. He'd done that all on his own, but he would blame her for that as well.

  He had never been naive before, and he wasn't going to start making a habit out of it now. From this moment on, he wasn't going to trust anyone. He would listen and watch, but trust ... he would not.