She sat straight up until he pulled at her shoulders, encouraging her to rest against him, and tucking her head between his shoulder and chin. She pushed against him and reached into her pocket, then handed him his watch. “My father said you forgot this.”
Alex slipped it on his wrist, before pulling her back towards him. So the man realized which was the greater value.
Once she relaxed against him, he ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. There was much he wanted to tell her, but talk about the time not being right! Instead, he talked about what they would do when they got back.
“Stopping at Philip’s will be necessary, to both collect Cassandra and compare these notes.”
“Won’t Sandy be safe where she is? I mean, Louis could protect her.”
“In this case, not so well as I,” he assured her. “And there is no reason to make her more nervous than she needs to be. She will be comfortable with you.”
Chapter 25
The scene wasn’t quite what they expected when they reached Philip’s.
Louis was waiting for them, but of Philip and Sandy there was no sign. Alex showed no reaction, but Lisa looked about the room, her eyes widening each time they lighted on some new destruction.
“What in God’s name happened? And where is Sandy?” She didn’t wait for an answer but immediately ran for the stairs. Louis’s quick action as he grabbed her arm practically jerked her off her feet. She scowled at him while rubbing her arm.
“She’s not here,” he told her.
Alex was at his back instantly. “I trusted you,” he nearly snarled the words.
Louis turned on him, but not before Lisa saw his fangs and nearly screamed at the terror of it. That could not be good no matter how she looked at it.
Even though his fangs were bared he obviously meant no lasting harm because he started speaking in a low voice, almost too low for her to hear.
“They had mortals do their work for them, Alessandro.”
Alex nodded, and ran his hand through his hair. “I suspected that, I warned you.”
Louis agreed. “But I guess I did not seriously heed the threat to anyone here. They broke in here and staked me.” He moved his hand so they could both see the hole in his shirt, even if there was no longer one in his flesh.
“But you’re not dead,” Lisa said, clearly puzzled.
“Don’t sound disappointed,” Louis made a weak jest. “It slows us down considerably, nearly paralyzes us, but it doesn’t kill us. As I said, it immobilizes us so that something else can be done.”
“You didn’t tell me that earlier.”
Louis gave her a hard stare.
Alex looked around. “I don’t see any blood.” He raised his face to the ceiling and sniffed the air. She had seen him to do that before. This time he frowned. “Philip?”
Louis nodded once. “But he’s still alive. He needs to get to a hospital though.
“What happened? Where’s Sandy?” She was getting impatient, and more frightened by the minute.
“After they staked me, they intended to shoot me.”
“I thought bullets wouldn’t do anything,” she said.
“Not unless they’re silver,” Alex told her absently.
“Philip prevented that,” Louis said. “He threw himself in front of the bullet intended for me.” He shook his head, as if still amazed. “That was incredibly foolish, and incredibly courageous.” There was unmistakable respect in his voice.
“So where is he?”
“What about Sandy?”
Louis looked at one then the other, as if deciding whom to answer first. He pointed to the next room, while answering. “While I was immobile, and Philip shot, the men took Sandy. Philip managed to remove the stake, but by then it was too late to go after the child, and I could hardly leave Philip. I know they need the child, so I figured she was safe for the moment.”
“For the moment, indeed,” Alex said. He motioned for Lisa to go to the other room and check on Philip. “I’ll call for the ambulance.”
Louis waved his hand away. “Already done.” Before he finished speaking they heard the siren approaching, even though Lisa couldn’t.
Alex clasped his friend on the shoulder. “You go with him. While you’re waiting, make a visit to the blood bank; they know me there.” He pointed to the book on the table. “Lisa and I will go over the information. Once Philip is settled, come back and we’ll go to the next step.”
As soon as everything was clear, Lisa started setting the room to rights. Alex told her to sit and immediately took over the task, completing it in a matter of moments. On the up righted table, Lisa laid out the notes they already had, the book they used as a cross reference, and her father’s book. With all of the pieces in place, it didn’t take long to fit it all together.
Horrific was a pretty apt description. No wonder the vampires had been so concerned. Her father had understood too. She raised her eyes to Alex. “If this is true –“
“There is no if,” Alex said firmly. “It will happen.”
“It makes the Book of Revelation seem a fairy tale.”
“Not quite that far, but certainly a lot of its predictions will come to pass.”
“Alex, I’m still not clear. Why is Sandy so vital to this? You said if it was stopped now there was a good chance it will not be able to happen again.”
“Sandy is seven.”
“So what?” He had said that before, but she still hadn’t heard any explanation.
Alex pushed the book toward her and flipped through a few pages, highlighting a passage with is finger. “What is the missing number in the magic square?”
“I’m not too swift at this, but I’m going to guess it’s seven.” He seemed to fixate on that figure.
“Exactly. The only other time this could have occurred was when I was seven. That was two hundred and forty-six years ago. Even then, they would have had to get the ruby from another source and they would have had to learn the inscription. I did not have either until was fifteen.”
“But why is your lineage so important? I mean, I gathered you, somewhere along the line, were related to the cardinal and that’s how you have the ruby.”
“True. There have been miraculous properties attached to the stone for centuries. And to the men who held it in the past. The cardinal was a very holy man, Lisa. But before him was the alchemist and he was very powerful in his own right.”
“And you’re a vampire. It just doesn’t seem right.” She clasped her hand over her mouth as soon as the words escaped.
~*~
He gave her a wry smile. It didn’t seem right to him either, and it certainly wasn’t his choice. But it had been his trusting nature and utter stupidity that led him to this point. Could he admit it to Lisa? Perhaps, but he wasn’t sure now was the time.
“You’re right,” he told her, but there isn’t much I can do about it at this point, though I have tried.”
“Tried to what?”
“Reverse the process. I don’t have proof, but believe the ring could help me become human.”
“You would want to do that?”
“Absolutely.” Especially if it meant being with her, sharing her life and her daylight. Guarding her from hurts from people such as her mother. “But it is irrelevant at this point. Now, our concern in stopping Janelle.”
“You’re certain she is behind this?”
“There is no doubt in my mind.”
Alex flipped to the next page of the book and placed it in front of Lisa. Then going to Philip’s armoire, he booted up the computer.
“What are you doing?”
“I need a star map. You don’t happen to have one of those too, do you?” he asked in jest as he typed in the URL he needed. Immediately, the sky map appeared. “Bring me the coordinates, Lisa.”
Typing them in his brows drew together even more. Finally, he typed in the last number, and slammed his hand against the keyboard.
Lisa jumped in
response.
“We’re too damn late.”
“You can’t be! We can’t have gone through all of this and not stop it. And what about Sandy…”
Her words echoed every one of his thoughts. Alex straightened and waved toward the screen. “Everything is in place. All they have to do--” He grabbed her by the arm, and started to run.
He didn’t stop until they arrived at their destination.
“Another warehouse. Do vampires own stock in these things?”
How could she be so flippant? He didn’t bother responding. It had to be nervous reaction on her part.
They stopped in the back of one of the buildings, and Alex touched his finger to his lip indicated she should be quiet as he cocked his head, listening. Then he raised his face trying to detect Janelle or Carlos’s scent. Pulling her close, he savored her weight against him for the all too brief moment, and whispered in her ear that she was to stay nearby, out of trouble, and at all cost, get Sandy out of the way.
“You’re better. Faster. Why are you telling me this?”
He should have known she would have questions. “Because I will be otherwise occupied. I may not be close enough to the child.” He looked her over. Dressed in her jeans and sweater from the night before, he doubted she had little with her, but he asked anyway. “Do you have any weapons?”
“Alex, I don’t even know what would be a weapon against vampires.”
Her exasperation would have been endearing if the matter wasn’t so serious. “Do you have a lighter? Matches? Anything like that?” She didn’t have her purse so he knew asking about anything aerosol was out.
Lisa shook her head.
Quickly looking about, Alex spotted several wood pallets lying near the dumpster. The next moment, he was holding several longish pieces from their bases; the only thing long enough and strong enough to be of value. Removing his knife from his pants pocket, he rapidly drew it against the end of the wood, forming a stake. He quickly made two more before closing and slipping the knife back in his pocket. The whole process took less than a minute; a minute they could ill afford, he thought as he glanced at the sky. If they could even stop the process, they would be cutting it close as it was.
He passed the stakes to her, pressing her hands around them, and giving her a quick hard kiss. “Use them if you have to,” he told her. He wanted to tell her to take Louis’s advice -- use the stake on herself if necessary.
No sooner were the stakes into the back of her waistband than he tugged at her hand and dragged her after him. The time for words was past.
He had lifted them to the second story, and landed on the fire escape there. Indicating she should be silent, they made their way in.
Chapter 26
Like he had to tell her to be quiet, she thought. She was too terrified to speak. The only thing making noise would be her teeth as they clattered while she shook in fear.
She had only thought she had been afraid before. Now she knew true terror. She would have fallen from the grating if Alex had not been aware of her and wrapped one arm around her shoulders and his hand over her mouth.
Sandy was there, bound, on the table. Maybe it was supposed to be an altar, she thought. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Her mother was standing beside her. For a moment, Lisa thought the woman’s presence meant she would to release her daughter and was in danger herself then she realized the awful truth. Barbara was with the group. And she thought her mother had been unfeeling!
Alex removed his hand and made his way stealthily down the stairs. She knew he could have easily jumped, but could only guess he had his reasons, and they included her following at this human pace. She practically clung to him in spite of the fact her hands felt like ice; that had to be what was flowing through her veins now.
Pulling her deeper into the shadows, Alex again stopped and listened. Amazing how she could notice such little details at a time like this. The way he cocked his head and stood completely still. She could only imagine what he heard. She could only determine a drone of voices, an individual word picked out here and there.
He moved closer, and plastered to his back as she was, so did she, peering over his shoulder as they moved along. Now they were only a few dozen feet from the group. She practically held her breath. She tried to slow her thudding heart. How long would it be before one of them noticed they were about? She had been around vampires enough to know they were aware of each other’s presence.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, than the droning stopped.
“Alessandro, you may come out now.” A light female voice called.
Alex didn’t move.
“And the mortal.”
She was so close she felt his muscles tense, but still he did not move. He didn’t have to.
Immediately they were there, at least five of them. She could feel the vampires moving about, then she felt hands pry her from Alex’s side and she knew real terror. It didn’t help when Alex roared and joined them in the tremendous noise. She saw bodies flying in a manner she never expected to see. The strength she always accepted as leashed in Alex was suddenly freed. A single blow sent one vampire to the level above them. Then she winced as Alex was thrown with direct aim to land in front of Janelle, for the blonde woman could be no one else.
Lisa recited prayers from her childhood; words that instantly sprang to her lips. “Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us--”
“Bring her here,” Janelle demanded.
Even as one of the vampires brought her forward, Lisa saw it took three of them to hold Alex. His face was as fearsome as the others, but still she turned to look at him, and she could see the hopelessness in his eyes. He had said they were too late, and perhaps they were.
She heard a muffled sound from the table, and saw Sandy was wide awake. Alex immediately turned toward the sound, then away, averting his face.
“It’s okay, Sandy,” Lisa tried to get the words out in as soothing a voice as possible. What else could she say? Even though she knew there could be no good outcome from this event.
Janelle had stepped closer to Alex and noted he was contained for the moment, then she turned to the others. “We need to finish now.” A dismissive glance in her direction showed Janelle didn’t see a mere mortal as a threat. She was probably right.
Taking her previous place on the dais, for Lisa couldn’t think it anything else, Janelle indicated Lisa should be brought to her.
Even as she was escorted to the other vampire, she struggled to glance over her shoulder at Alex, to see if he could aid her in some way, but he still did not look at her. Why not? She needed him now. Turning away, she let those holding her drag her to meet Janelle. It wasn’t as if her strength was any match for theirs, so she may as well save her energy in case she had a chance to rescue Sandy and herself. A glint of gold caught her attention and she realized Janelle now wore Alex’s ring. She nearly called out, but movement to her left caught her attention. Barbara had absented herself from Sandy’s side and now flanked Janelle.
Lisa shook her head, trying to clear it. No mother could stand by and watch her child in danger, but Barbara seemed to be doing exactly that.
“Barbara!” Her voice cracked. The dryness in her throat prevented her from trying to utter anything more, not that she had any idea what could be said.
“I am surprised, Nanny,” Barbara said. “I hadn’t realized you took your duties quite so seriously.”
Obviously more seriously than she took motherhood. “Can’t you stop this?”
Barbara raised one eyebrow. “Probably not,” she shrugged, “but why would I want to. I have planned this for years.”
Lisa looked at the table where Sandy lay, her eyes wide, watching them, then turned back to face Barbara. She hoped the child couldn’t hear her mother. “Why? What do you gain from this?”
“Immortality, of course,” she said. “Is there anything else worth all of this?” She motioned with her hand encompassing Sandy and the rest of the men
and very few women gathered about.
Lisa followed her gaze. In doing so, she became aware that a significant part of the warehouse ceiling was missing, allowing the stars to show through.
Janelle noticed her attention. “All the better to actually watch the alignment of the planets. For mortals, it is a once in a life time event, if they are fortunate enough to see it. For myself, it is interesting, although this promises to be the best one yet.” She played with the ring on her finger as she looked where Alex was held. “Wouldn’t you agree, Alessandro?”
He grunted in response, pulling against his captors to avail.
Lisa had taken a step closer to Janelle. Her stakes were tucked in the back of her jeans, covered by her shirt, but she knew she would never have the strength to do more than maybe scratch one of the vampires with them. She never expected so many. She would have to wait her time and hope there would be an opening. If she was going down, it would be fighting.
She focused on Janelle. “What can you gain from it? I can understand Barbara’s fascination, but you are already a vampire…immortal.”
Janelle inclined her head in acknowledgement. “And a very powerful one, you mustn’t forget that.”
“Of course not.”
Janelle took a step down and closer to her. “But the events tonight would allow me to be immortal and invulnerable.”
So that’s what the text meant about not being able to stop the new race. At a nod from Janelle, the vampires holding Lisa released her but stayed close to her side. Lisa swept her arm out encompassing the rest of the room. “And everyone else? Would they share the same results?”
“Of course. That is why they are here. These are my followers.”
She addressed Barbara. “What can you gain? You are not a vampire.”
The woman turned her head to the side, allowing Lisa to see the trickle of blood on her neck. She turned away. Did that mean Alex would be affected also? She was afraid to look at him.
“That is also why you will not witness more than the beginning of the occurrence.” Janelle smiled at her, then nodded to one of the men standing nearby.
Bound by Blood (Vampire Romance) Page 20
