Bound by Blood (Vampire Romance)

by Tara Manderino

  Quickly, she worked the knot of the stiff rope, nearly sobbing when she was afraid she would not be able to undo it. With a sigh, she got the first knot undone. The second followed easily enough. When she made to toss it from her, Alex stayed her with his voice, weak though it was.

  “Hold it,” he told her.

  Nodding her understanding and hoping he could see it in the dim light she wrapped the rope and slipped it into her survival pocket, as she was beginning to think of it. She helped him sit up then she worked on the knots holding his ankles together, as he leaned against the shelving. Once she wrapped the ropes and he was freed, she let him rest while she tucked the bindings in her pocket. It was a testament as to how drained he was by the fact he didn’t argue with her or question why she was there.

  “Louis is in the area too,” she told him. “When you didn’t return--” Abruptly, he covered her mouth with his hand. She looked at him puzzled, but remained quiet. Someone else must be in the vicinity. Then she heard it too, it sounded like the same two men she had seen earlier. The door closed again and then their voices sounded closer. Were they here because of Alex? She hadn’t considered that earlier.

  Alex released her mouth, but she knew to remain quiet. Slowly, he moved further to the shadows, his hand on her arm was enough to guide her and ensure she followed. She noted he stayed away from her survival pocket holding the ropes.

  The men were sure footed as they advanced to where Alex had been. She swallowed convulsively. Alex’s hand rested on her shoulder. She took it as reassurance.

  “No way he could be gone,” the one man stated, his voice a harsh whisper.

  “Don’t see him. Do you?”

  “Think the guy came back and got him on his own?”

  She inhaled sharply when a large spotlight came on and the man holding it played the light around the room. Instantly, Alex’s hand was over her mouth and nose. She couldn’t breathe and clawed at his hands, but he ignored her efforts and pulled her even closer, turning her to the wall so his broad back covered hers.

  It couldn’t have been more than a moment, but seemed an eternity before the men were gone again, and he released his hold on her. She inhaled a lungful of air, and he let her. He ran his hand over her back as she bent over, hands on her knees.

  “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Frighten? No, she was a bit past that. “I like to breathe, Alex.” As she straightened, she could practically feel the energy flowing back into his body. Then he leaned close from behind her. She wanted to lean into him, but stopped herself in time. What had she been thinking? She was glad she had stopped when he whispered instructions that they were going to leave. Since he was warning her, she had a suspicion he did not mean out the front door. She was right.

  As they exited the window and landed near the building, Alex immediately pulled her into the shadows and put his finger to her lips. Not that she needed any urging. Her heart was still pounding from the descent, if not the near miss of tipping off their whereabouts to the men.

  In another moment, Louis joined them, a wry smile on his lips. “Don’t you ever listen?” he directed his comment to Lisa.

  Alex gave a weak chuckle. “I can’t complain.”

  “You’re all right?”

  Alex gave a weak nod. “I need rest. But I discovered Janelle is definitely behind these events.” He shook his head at Louis’s raised eyebrows. “Not now. Lisa will drive me back.”

  He did look tired, and she wasn’t sure, but he looked as if he were leaning against the lamppost. “To where?”

  “Philip’s.” He looked at Louis. “I think you need to come too.”

  ~*~

  Philip looked relieved to see them, though a bit wary of Louis. Sandy must have felt the same, because she slipped her hand into Philip’s and moved closer to him.

  “Come in,” Philip said, drawing Alex in by his arm. “You too,” he said to Louis who just raised his eyebrows in response, but followed Alex close enough.

  The priest guided, then pushed Alex into a chair. Lisa started to head in the same direction, but he put up a hand to stop her. She hoped she didn’t look as hurt as she felt.

  “Get rid of the ropes for now,” Alex told her.

  Shrugging off her jacket, she tossed it on to one of the chairs near the doorway before approaching him.

  “Is this something a child should hear,” Louis asked in a mocking voice as he joined them.

  Lisa felt herself blush, but turned to face him. “Alex was bound with ropes shot with silver. That’s why he couldn’t get free.” She started toward her coat. “Would you like to see them?”

  She stopped to face him and couldn’t help but see Alex’s tired grin.

  “I believe you,” Louis said. “So, it could not have been a vampire.”

  “We heard two other men--”

  Philip spoke up. “There is more to the story, but I think we should let the child rest first,” he said, using his head to point to Sandy sitting in one of the chairs watching them.

  Lisa immediately went to her side and stooped down so that she was eye level with the child. “It’s all right, Sandy. These men will take care of you.”

  She tilted her head to one side. “I have heard about vampires before, Lisa,” she said.

  Of course she had, hadn’t Alex demonstrated for both of them? She extended her hand and ran it down the length of Sandy’s tresses.

  “Yes, I know. Alex is a policeman too, he told me that. But I was remembering something else.”

  Lisa couldn’t imagine what, but she would listen to Sandy, she always would, and especially now when the child needed someone to care about her. If Alex had let her take the child home she would rest much easier, but he still insisted that she remain with them.

  “I saw that woman before,” Sandy said.

  Lisa looked at her then shot a puzzled look to Alex. She knew he would have heard.

  He pushed himself from the chair and walked over slowly, then got down on his haunches next to Lisa, calmly speaking to Sandy, as if aware she might be frightened. She inched closer to Lisa.

  “It’s very important that you remember, Cassandra. But first, perhaps you should tell us which woman.”

  Sandy scoffed, and Lisa struggled not to smile at the tone of the child’s voice. “The one that was with the bad man,” she said. “She had blonde hair.” She waved her hands about her heard indicating the woman’s hair style.

  “It sounds like Janelle,” Alex said.

  Sandy nodded in agreement. “That’s her. I wanted to say her name was Janet, but you’re right. I saw her before. She plays bridge with my mom sometimes.”

  Alex shot a quick look to Lisa, then back to the child. “You never said anything.” His comment was clearly directed to Lisa. Accusingly so.

  Did he think she withheld information? “I’ve never seen her before,” Lisa stated.

  “You had to have if Cassandra has seen her.” He stood now and even with the child between them she could feel the anger radiating from his body. Not heat, just anger. Did he really think she was involved in this?

  Sandy watched them, her head swiveling back and forth. Finally, when they stopped, she said, “It was Lisa’s day off, I think. She wasn’t home and I had to stay with mom for a while.” When they both looked at her and gave her their attention, she continued. “She didn’t seem very nice. I didn’t know it was the same person at first or I would have told her to take me home.”

  Alex stooped back down. “It’s all right, Cassandra. She probably didn’t realize it was you either, but now we don’t have to worry about them anymore.”

  “Can I go home yet? My daddy is probably worried.”

  “Your dad knows Lisa is with you and she will take care of you. It’s late now, though so why don’t you get ready for bed and Lisa will tuck you in.”

  “Are we going to stay here again?”

  Chapter 22

  He gave her a curt nod then stood, watching as the
child left the room with Lisa. He wanted her to stay, give him the opportunity to apologize for the one moment of doubt he had expressed but never experienced.

  Clenching his hand in frustration, he walked over to the table where Louis had busied himself looking over the documents. He noticed the new translation lay out on the table and enquired about it.

  “Lisa called her father,” Philip told him.

  Alex turned his head and gave him a penetrating look. The older man held up his hands, palm outward. “We needed to know what the text said.”

  “I know what it says,” he snapped.

  “You weren’t here, Alessandro,” Louis reminded him before shifting his attention back to Philip. “She said the Cardinal’s Ruby is real.”

  “So it is, and it’s set in Alex’s ring.”

  Louis drew air through is teeth. “All these years…I thought it was a myth.”

  “So did many others, including myself,” Alex said wryly.

  “You didn’t know what you held?”

  “Eventually I did, but not at first, nor did I understand why I should be the one to keep it.”

  “Your bloodlines--”

  “Exactly, Philip. My bloodlines were the reason for me keeping the ring, for guarding it, as such. It is also the reason Cassandra is in very mortal danger.” The world was endangered. All because of his ancestry, or more so because unscrupulous vampires had bothered to investigate it.

  “There’s more than Cassandra at stake, here,” Louis said. “You’re talking about a new world order if that ring is not found.”

  They turned at the gasp from the doorway. No one said anything until Lisa came close to the table. ”Are you serious?”

  Louis looked at her unblinkingly. “Do I appear to have a sense of humor?”

  She tilted her lips in response. “I guess not,” then turned her attention to Alex. He had tensed at her arrival, instinctively fisting his hand. She was one more person who would drastically be affected.

  “What is the worst that can happen? My father said it would be Armageddon but he has a tendency to exaggerate.”

  Alex gave her a mocking smile. “He is not far off. It’s not something I contemplate.” He glanced at Louis and his voice held determination, “But it is something we must stop.”

  “And how do you propose to do that?” she interrupted.

  “With a great deal of planning,” Alex told her. He waved her over to join them as they made themselves comfortable about the table and waited for Philip to rejoin them.

  Alex fingered his missing ring. That it was forcibly taken still rankled. That Lisa had been drawn into this vortex angered him even more. After wearing something for over two centuries its absence was noticeable. As Louis looked over the faxed papers spread on the table, Alex turned to Lisa, covering her hand with his. He was pleased she didn’t remove it, in fact, turned her hand so that they were palm to palm.

  Philip entered the room carrying a coffee pot and several mugs, placing one in front of Lisa and the other near his own seat. He nodded for the other two to start.

  Louis pushed the topmost sheet toward them. “This is the inscription in the ring. If you hear those words, get out.”

  Lisa pulled her hand from Alex’s and leaned forward.

  Alex recited the inscription in the ancient language.

  Lisa blinked at him, looking uncertain.

  “That is what the inscription says; that’s what it sounds like.”

  “Why can you say it now and I don’t have to leave?” She looked between Alex and Louis waiting for one or the other to answer.

  “There are other factors--”

  “Sandy is one of them?”

  Alex leaned forward. “Exactly. A very important component.”

  “I don’t understand. If the ring and the child and this,” she shoved the papers in front of them,” are all needed, why must it be done now? I mean, what’s to stop them from trying again?”

  “Me.” His voice was quiet, but the weight of it carried.

  “But they didn’t keep you when they had you! They wanted Sandy.”

  “Alessandro is certainly one of the few who may be able to stop them--”

  “Destroy them,” Philip said. His tone brooked no argument.

  “If need be,” Alex said, then turned his attention back to Lisa. “There is the timing. Other factors must also be in place. These do not align often.”

  “You mean, like planets and such?”

  His lips quirked. “Among others. For now, we’re going to split into two groups.” He looked at Philip, “You and Louis will remain here; I will take Lisa and Cassandra with me.”

  “Is it wise to take the child?” Philip asked.

  Alex gave him a bitter smile. “Probably not, but it has to be done. I can protect her better if she is within sight.”

  “And Lisa?” Philip’s gaze met the vampire’s.

  “Do you think that the child will go with me without her nanny? I think not,” he said when no one answered. He wanted Lisa there for other reasons, but they didn’t need to know that. “There’s no need to make her feel more stressed than she may already be.” He looked around the table then declared it would be best to let the child sleep while they finished making plans.

  Philip poured Lisa another cup of coffee. She looked at him in surprise. “One gets used to staying up all hours of the night once they meet Alex,” he said wryly.

  Alex rested his hand on hers again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. It pained him to see her so apprehensive. Not that she didn’t have reason to be. His regret was being the source.

  “Do you need to rest first, Lisa?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she assured him.

  “Good.” Louis pushed away from the table and stood. “Philip and I will make preparations.”

  Lisa stared at him, then back at Alex. “What kind of preparations do you need?”

  How to answer? Instead, he ignored it. “Lisa will help you for now,” Alex told them. “Or you could rest,” he turned his attention back to her, “but I must report to the office.” He, too, stood and announced his intention to return shortly.

  Lisa pushed her chair away from the table. “I think I would rather help,” she said standing next to Philip. “Lead on.” Suddenly she stopped. “If we leave this room, I don’t know if I’ll hear Sandy if she needs me.”

  “Louis will hear if there is any sound,” Alex told her.

  Louis nodded in agreement. In the next moment, Alex was gone.

  ~*~

  “Where do we start?” Louis asked.

  “The best place will be the basement. I have some rather antiquated volumes there.”

  “I have heard about your collection,” Louis admitted.”

  At Philip’s surprised look, Louis chuckled. “We do speak of things other than blood, you know.”

  Lisa was beginning to feel distinctly uncomfortable with the turn in the conversation. What did she know of Louis anyway.

  As if reading her thoughts, he looked directly at her, meeting her gaze, then looked at Philip. The teasing note was gone. “I am Alex’s friend. What he holds dear, I hold.”

  Philip gave him a brisk nod.

  Was that supposed to mean something?

  Evidently it did. “We need to go through the anteroom to the basement.” Philip instructed them, leading the way.

  The basement to the church was a warren of niches and she was quite happy to follow. It was not a place she would want to find herself alone. She started when she felt Louis’s hand on her back and stiffened. She doubted he had difficulty seeing. Maybe it was Sandy. She turned to face him, but he gave her a bland smile and urged her to continue.

  Down a dark corridor, then a few steps around the next corner and they reached their destination. Philip inserted the key he held ready and pushed the paneled wood door open. Lisa stood and looked about the darkened room as Philip made his way to a bulb suspended from the ceiling and turned it on. The light was rather
glaring and Lisa blinked as she looked around. There were pieces of wood and books piled everywhere. There wasn’t much else that she could discern.

  “And this will help, how?” she asked after surveying the room.

  Philip cleared his throat. “We need to find some material in the books.”

  Lisa looked around at the piles again with a new sense – one of despair. “Philip, can you actually find anything in these piles? It will take forever.”

  “Not quite,” Louis assured her, shooting her a grin.

  She wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. He just didn’t seem the lighthearted type. By now, she was closer to the stack near Philip and picked the top book from the pile, opened it and started leafing through it. “What am I supposed to be looking for?”

  She was surprised when a hand reached from behind her and took the book. Whirling around, she found Alex behind her. She tried to disguise her relief. She trusted Philip implicitly, but she hadn’t quite made up her mind about Louis. “I thought you went to the office?”

  “I thought better of it and called,” he told her, looking down at the book, frowning. “This is Latin – ancient Latin,” he corrected. “I doubt that you will be able to understand it.”

  Lisa resisted grinding her teeth and gave him a saccharine smile. “I understand it just fine.” She snatched the book from his hands. She ignored the warning look he sent Louis’s way.

  “Not a word,” Alex said as he turned his attention back to her. “We’re looking for anything that will have dates, or an astronomical line up of Jupiter and Saturn.

  “Those are never in alignment,” she said looking at the men around her. This would be downright frightening, she thought as she gazed at them, all serious faced. Recalling that two were vampires, and what did she know of them anyway, made her take an involuntary step back, straight into Alex’s chest. He steadied her. Even she could feel her blood rushing through her veins.

  “Calm down, Lisa,” Alex murmured in her ear, leaning over her shoulder.

  Was that supposed to relax her?

  Alex ran his hands up her arms, grasping her shoulders. She tensed even more, clutching the book to her.