“Where do you think I can find him?” I asked.
“If I knew that, I would have tried to find him myself.” She forced a smile.
My eyes strayed to the calendar on the wall, next to the fridge. Jay’s little face stared back at me from the top of the calendar. It had been a Mother’s Day gift to our mother that year. He’d made it for her in Kindergarten and had been so proud of it. The calendar was still open to the month Jay died.
Like every time I thought of Jay, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes. It had been years now and still the wounds wouldn’t heal.
“Mom, do you hate me because of Jay?”
Grief twisted at her face and the tears returned. “No.” She shook her head. “I think it was just something that was meant to be.”
I wasn’t convinced. “I’m so sorry, Mom. If I could do that day all over again -”
Mom cut me off. “There’s no sense of dwelling on what cannot be.”
Getting up from my chair, I walked over to my mother and hugged her. “I should be going now.”
“Don’t go looking for him, Nicole. You belong in the light, not the darkness.”
Chapter Nine
Nicole
For me, the cemetery wasn’t just a place to reflect on grief and loss, it was also a place of beauty and tranquility. This was where I would go when the pain got to be too much to endure, like now.
After leaving my mom’s house, I headed straight for the cemetery. I felt the need to be as close to Jay as possible.
I sat on a small marble bench with my eyes fixed on the nearby tomb. It was beautiful, with depictions of angels and heaven carved into the face of the glossy white marble. On the plaque were the names of several members of my family that had already left this life. The last name on the plaque was Jason Trenton. This was the one name that shouldn’t be there. He’d gone to heaven much too soon.
I couldn’t stop thinking of Jay nor could I stop the tears that came whenever my thoughts turned to my little brother. It was during moments like this that I was glad for the privacy of the empty cemetery.
If it had been earlier in the day, there would have been groups of tourists tracking around the tombs, but the crowds usually didn’t stick around into the late afternoon.
A gust of wind lifted some dead rose petals from the ground and sent them into a whirlwind above the tomb. It was easy to imagine Jay throwing the petals into the wind like he used to do with piles of grass after we’d mow the lawn.
Lost in sorrow, I failed to notice the fading light or how the black clouds had obscured the sun, darkening the sky even more.
As the light faded and dusk settled on New Orleans, I continued to sit on the bench - crippled by the darkness gripping my soul.
I knew I shouldn’t be there. The cemetery gates were closed hours ago, but now that I knew another way in, I could visit Jay’s grave whenever I wanted.
Emerging from my haze of self-pity, I realized something was wrong. The atmosphere around me had changed from peaceful to menacing.
From the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of movement nearby. I didn’t react or give any indication that I’d seen anything.
I continued watching them, but without turning in their direction. It wasn’t easy, but I could see them from the corner of her eye. They stood behind a tomb, maybe a hundred feet away. They were vampires, I knew that much. I could sense the predator in them. My head began to ache as they tried to crawl into my thoughts.
What were they waiting for?
Why hadn’t they attacked yet?
I was alone and completely defenseless.
Without giving any hint that I knew they were there, I stood from the bench and started walking toward the gate where I could exit the cemetery. My car was parked on the street, just outside the gate that Ethan had shown me how to get in and out of.
It had grown dark, almost too dark to see.
I hadn’t gone very far when I heard them behind me. Still not daring to turn and look at them, I picked up the pace. With my heart pounding, I started to run, but I knew I wouldn’t get very far.
“That’s right! Run, Nicole!” The laughing female voice called out. “Here, you are in our world.”
Stopping suddenly, I turned to face my pursuers. There were two of them, a young man with blond hair that hung in his eyes, and a woman. The woman was dressed all in black and wore her red hair in a punk style that was not so common these days.
“What do you want?” I asked them, keeping my voice even so as not to betray my fear. They seemed to feed off fear as much as blood.
“You, of course,” the girl giggled.
A dark rage took hold of me; smothering my fear. My anger over life and its horrors finally erupted like a furious storm.
Smiling, I lifted my finger and motioned for them to come closer. “Then come and get me.”
Snarling, their eyes began to emit that unearthly light of the vampire. It was the radiance within them that signaled they were ready to feed. Suddenly, the night lit up and lightning flashed across the sky. My long hair seemed to come alive as a gust of wind blew across the cemetery.
Then, as if by magic, Alec was at my side. His cold eyes promised a painful ending for the vampires that were charging at me. As soon as they saw Alec, they stopped and started backing away.
The male vampire laughed. “This is our world, Alec,” he said with a sweeping motion of his arms. “When she is here, she is fair game, just like any human.”
“We’ll see about that!” Alec glared at the blond vampire.
“You won’t always be with her.” The vampire smiled, revealing vicious looking fangs.
This time, Alec didn’t respond. Instead, he continued to stare them down. Slowly, the two vampires backed away and disappeared into the shadows.
When I was sure they were gone, I looked over at Alec. “How did you know where I was?”
A frown twisted at his handsome face. “Your terror was like a beacon. I simply followed that beacon.”
“It’s a good thing you did,” I told him. “I thought you said they wouldn’t come after me?”
“I didn’t think they would,” he said, staring into the darkness, as if searching for something that simply wasn’t there. “Omar must be getting impatient and willing to take things into his own hands.”
Another streak of lightning illuminated the night sky. As I gazed at Alec, I had to catch my breath. With the wind blowing through his hair and the stormy sky behind him, he looked almost ethereal.
Alec turned his attention to me. “What are you doing here? It was a bad move to come to a place like this after the sun is down.”
Taking his hand in mine, I started walking toward my little brother’s tomb. When we reached it, I pointed to Jay’s name. “My little brother.” My voice trembled as the grief threatening to crush me once again.
He squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry.”
Just then, a gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet. Thunder shook the earth beneath us and the sky opened up, sending down a torrent of rain. With Alec in the lead, we ran through the cemetery until we came to a tomb. Not the most preferable source of shelter, but it was much closer than my car.
Alec pulled the heavy door open and slipped inside. “Come in. We’ll stay here until the rain stops.”
By the time I stepped inside, I was already shivering from the cold rain and the chill of the crypt didn’t help. I could hear Alec moving around and then the sound of a match striking against something. In the corner, there was a small stone altar with candles. One by one, Alec lit the candles until the inside of the tomb was aglow with light.
“Who does this tomb belong to anyway?” I asked, feeling as if I was intruding on someone’s eternal rest.
“Me. I had it built around the turn of the 20th century. Then I was known as Alexander Moreau.”
“You changed your name?” I asked.
He smiled. “It wouldn’t be g
ood if those who know me saw that I stay the same, though they grew old.”
“I guess not,” I admitted.
“Every few decades we must disappear and become someone else,” he explained.
“It must be a lonely existence.” I voiced the thought out loud.
Alec closed the distance between us and reach up to gently caressed my cheek. “It is.”
I covered his hand with mine. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
“What happened to your brother?” he asked.
Suddenly, I felt that familiar lump in my throat and I turned away as the darkness descended on my heart.
Thinking about it was like reliving the horror of that day all over again. “It happened a few years ago when I was seventeen and still living at home. My mom left me to tend Jay while she was at work. He was supposed to go to his kindergarten class, but that day he was home sick.” Again the tears came and Alec gently brushed them away.
“You don’t have to talk about this if it’s too hard,” he spoke softly, kissing my forehead.
Shaking my head, I pushed on. “No, it’s okay. I need to talk about it, I think.”
“Okay.” He gave me an encouraging smile.
I drew in a big gulp of air before continuing. “Jay was sick. I had him in a bath of cool water. The phone rang and I left him to answer it. I was only gone for a minute. I mean, he was five years old and the water wasn’t deep at all.” My words came out with a sob.
Stopping, I took several calming breaths as I struggled to bring my emotions under control. “When I came back, he was facedown in the water. I tried to save him. I tried to bring him back,” I cried. “But it didn’t work.”
Alec wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “You don’t have to say anymore.”
“They said he’d tried to get out of the tub and had a seizure … because of the fever.”
“You couldn’t have known.” Alec’s voice soothing, like a gentle breeze.
“I should have known! I should have been more responsible than that! The phone could have waited!” My self-hatred came through in every word.
“And now you seek death so that you can rectify this wrong? So that you can pay?” Alec asked.
He was right. Maybe that was the root of my fascination with death. “I should be the one dead, not Jay. He was just a little boy. He’d been as innocent as a soul could be.”
Clasping his hands on both sides of my face, Alec tilted my head so that I was looking into his eyes. “I know your pain.”
Lowering his mouth to mine, he kissed me. I eagerly opened my lips to his probing tongue, letting him draw me into his crushing embrace. Outside, the storm raged while in this place of death, I was finding the strength to endure life.
His hand slipped beneath my shirt and he was caressing my back, slowly making his way to the clasp of my bra. Easily freeing me of it, his slid his hand to the front of my blouse, where he seductively undid each button.
As his hand was softly gliding over my breasts, I felt as if the earth would give way beneath my feet. At first, he was gentle, squeezing and softly stroking my flesh, but then he began to squeeze harder, sending a sensation through her body that was pure erotic bliss.
His lips moved from my mouth to my jaw. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known,” he murmured in a raspy – deep voice.
Along with his soft kisses, I could feel his fangs nipping at my skin.
My body quivered, my need mounting until I was nearly beyond reason. “I want you, Alec,” I gasped.
Pulling back, he looked into my eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Oh yes. I’m sure,” I breathed.
Lifting me into his arms, he cradled me against his chest. The next thing I knew, Alec was placing me on top of the crypt. “Even if I have to make love to you here?” he asked.
“Yes.” I didn’t even hesitate.
Alec reached down and opened my blouse completely, his eyes drinking in the sight of my bare breasts. He then slipped my jeans off so that I was lying there, completely exposed to his eager eyes.
His clothes came off even more quickly than mine had.
When I saw him, I couldn’t help but gasp. He was glorious, his body a tribute to all that a man could ever be. Suddenly, I felt him spread my thighs and his tongue was darting teasingly at the moist ache heat between my legs. Arching my hips to meet his tongue, I couldn’t stop shivering as he continued to bring me such wicked pleasure.
The grip he had on my thighs was painful, but the pain only enhanced the delight. His tongue moved to my thighs as he slowly made his way to my stomach, and then to my breasts, tasting me as he did.
When his mouth found my erect peaks, he began sucking on them tenderly, but soon I felt his teeth piercing my skin.
A groan escaped from between my lips as my hunger exploded. When I felt his stiff erection against my thigh, I yearned for him to possess me.
Wiggling beneath him, I urged him to penetrate my throbbing core. Now I was crazy with lust to a degree that I’d never experienced. All I could think of was the instant that he would take me completely.
“Alec, I need you now!” she cried.
Growling, he moved his mouth to my neck. I could feel his teeth, but was beyond caring what he did to me, as long as he sated my hunger.
“Are you sure?” he asked again, his deep voice taking on the rough quality that I’d come to recognize as a sign of the vampire’s hunger. “I could hurt you.”
“I’m sure that I will melt if you don’t.” My words came out in little gasps.
Plunging his shaft deep inside of me, he thrust wildly, his body rocking against mine.
A scream found its way from my throat.
The pain went hand in hand with pure erotic sensation. I propelled my hips to meet his as he slammed his swollen, hot flesh into my body. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I pulled him in deeper.
Again I screamed as I felt the fire within me grow into an uncontrollable inferno, but then it erupted, spreading its flames through my body. My release was as complete as my passion had been.
“Nicole,” he growled.”
The exotic look in his eyes as his own need surged, plunged me into another orgasm. I reached that explosive point when I felt his hard flesh pulsate within me.
We remained motionless for a long time, our limbs still entwined, our bodies as one. But then the chilled air brought on a shudder. Making love to Alec was better than I could have ever imagined, but he lacked body heat.
Separating from me, Alec leaned over to kiss me gently. “That was incredible,” he whispered.
“Thank you, Alec,” I told him, lifting my head to kiss him again.
He chuckled. “You’re kidding, right? It is I that should be thanking you.”
“It was the most unbelievable experience,” I told him.
Sitting up, I took the blouse he was holding out to me.
In the aftermath of our passion, I finally remembered what my mother told me. “Do you know of a vampire that calls himself Donovan Ashe?”
Alec’s brows came together. “Why?”
“He’s my father,” I told him.
The expression on his face shifted from a look of contentment to alarm. “No wonder Omar wants you.”
Chapter Ten
Nicole
“This cannot happen again,” he said, turning away.
Surprised by his behavior, I reached out and touched his arm. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“It’s too dangerous. Not just because of who your father is, but because you share the DNA of a very ancient vampire. Just a trace of the vampire poison would probably turn you.”
“But I’m fine. Nothing happened.”
When he looked back at me, he was smiling, but it was a sad smile. “We were lucky this time. I can barely control my urges when I am making love to you. It would be too easy to poison you through a wound. If my blood gets into your system -”
“Who is Donovan?�
� I asked.
“He is Omar’s brother. This is why he wants me to bring you to him. He wouldn’t want to risk drawing Donovan’s attention. If you go to him on your own, what could Donovan do? But he will take the risk, if I don’t bring you to him soon,” he added.
I was silent while I thought about this new twist to my situation.
Alec continued, “He offered to tell me what I want to know about the ancient secrets if I did. I told him I would consider it, but that was only to buy some time.”
“But if you brought me to him, it would not be of my own will,” I pointed out.
“But Donovan wouldn’t know that. If you went with me, it would appear as if you did. Your father probably has Watchers.”
I felt relief wash over me. Finally, I felt as if I could truly trust Alec. His heart was not cold. I knew that now. “Where can I find my father?” I asked.
“I don’t know. It’s been years since he’s come to New Orleans. He disappeared, but like I said, I’m sure he has followers watching you.”
“If he was so concerned, why did he leave?” I asked, my bitterness evident.
“He probably didn’t want his brother to know about you,” Alec told me as he was getting into his clothes. “If Omar can turn you and become your maker, you would be a powerful ally. Many of us that oppose Omar have suspected he was up to something but didn’t know what.”
“So his intention has never been to kill me, but to turn me?” I tried to wrap my head around this bizarre twist.
“That is what I suspect.”
“How did he find out?”
“You likely came to his notice because you were working with Ethan. It wouldn’t take much to put it together, considering you use Donovan’s name.”
Stepping closer to Alec, I wrapped my arms around his neck and lightly brushed his lips with a kiss. “Alec, I don’t want this to be all we have.”
Alec closed his eyes. “We can’t chance it.”
“But I think I’m falling in love with you,” I told him, unable to keep the tremble from my voice.
Alec’s eyes snapped open and he peered down at me with something akin to anger. “Don’t love me, Nicole. I am a vampire and you are human. We cannot have forever.”
Dark Seduction: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 2) Page 4
