The other figure approached and stood next to Tafari. It was Rinwa, and she was holding a sawed-off shotgun in one hand, and a machete in the other. “How long have you guys been out here?”
Samantha shrugged. “It feels like forever, but I’m not really sure. A week, at least.”
“Was he injured?”
Eyes narrowing, Samantha nodded. “Yeah, we had a long fall and Nik took the brunt of the landing, plus he was hurt during our escape at that building. But it’s no big deal. He’s been drinking blood every day to keep his strength up. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be dead.”
Rinwa and Tafari exchanged a knowing glance. “He has been drinking blood from wolves, then? Or perhaps bears?”
“Just a bear once, and the rest were wolves. Why should that . . . ” But Samantha didn’t finish. How could I forget? Leisha had told her a long time ago that the vampire had no choice but to drink human blood. If a vampire drank the blood of an animal, they would begin to show those animal characteristics. “They absorb the life essence as well as the blood,” she murmured to herself. “I’m such an idiot for not remembering!”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say it, but now that you mention it—”
Tafari lightly slapped Rinwa’s shoulder to quiet her. “You have been through a lot, Samantha. It is not your fault. However, your friend here should have known better.”
“He probably didn’t have much of a choice.” A new voice called out.
Gasping, Samantha turned to see Leisha jogging through the snow to her right. “Leisha!” She stepped to go to her friend, but again, Nik’s arm snaked around her and pulled her protectively into his body.
“He is acting like you’re his mate,” Leisha’s voice was calm and even. “You need to stay by his side if you want him to stay in control.”
Closing her eyes, Samantha snuggled into his warmth. She could hear Leisha’s slow approach, each step crunching loudly through the icy snow. She opened her eyes to see Nik watching the other vampire warily.
Leisha smiled softly and held her hands up in front of her body as she came closer. “I’m very glad to see you, Nikita,” she said in that same even tone. “We’ve been looking for you. I can tell you have done a great job of keeping Samantha safe.”
“Of course I have,” he snarled. Samantha could barely make out his words.
“Of course,” Leisha repeated. “And now is the time to get inside, so you’ll be out of the sun and Samantha will be safe and warm. With you.”
Nik nodded his head in a jerky movement. Samantha could tell that he was struggling within himself, trying to not let the animal side of him take over.
Leisha nodded with him and continued forward until she was at arm’s length.
Samantha watched Nik and could see that he held a good amount of trust and respect for Leisha. It shined through his eyes. She breathed out a sigh of relief.
Tafari and Rinwa began to walk forward as well, and the moment was over. Nik growled again and sprang forward to attack.
Rinwa aimed and shot the vampire while still midair. It jolted him and he fell to the side.
“Nik!” Samantha screamed. She tried to run to him, but her feet weren’t functioning and she fell, icy pelts brushing over her face.
Nik howled and bared his teeth as he crouched up to attack again. Before Rinwa could get off another shot, Leisha was on top of him, holding down his arms with hers, her shin over his neck to keep him from biting her. He snarled and snapped his teeth like an angry dog. Or more like an angry wolf. Tears sprang to Samantha’s eyes and she wiped them away with her thick gloves before they could freeze on her face.
“Get your kit, Rinwa,” Leisha ordered.
“What kit?” the blonde asked innocently.
The vampire glared up at her daughter. “Your vampire hunting kit. Don’t deny that you brought it on this trip. And I’m assuming you have some reinforced handcuffs and some reinforced chains?”
Rinwa nodded. “I’ll get them.” She rushed to the car that was still idling.
“You can’t tie him up!” Samantha protested. She crawled through the snow, using her wrists instead of her hands, but they were too far away for her to reach them.
Glancing over with concern, Leisha tossed Samantha a reassuring look. “I know what to do, Samantha. It will be fine. We just need to give him some human blood and let him rest for the day. When he wakes tonight, he’ll be fine. But right now, he sees Tafari and Rinwa as a threat and can’t be reasoned with.”
Samantha sat and watched in defeat as they trussed Nik and placed him in the SUV. He struggled against his bindings and tried to bite anyone near him. Samantha was numb as she watched. Or maybe it was the cold. Whatever it was, she didn’t like the hollow feeling.
Liam was suddenly by her side, his hand on her shoulder.
“Liam!” Samantha knelt up to give him a hug. “I was so worried about you! I’m glad you’re okay.” She pulled back and smiled.
“You’re not okay,” he responded and pulled off one of her gloves. His face was pinched with concern. “We need to get you inside and take care of those poor fingers. And from what you’re thinking, your feet may be even worse.”
Looking down, Samantha wanted to hide her blackened fingers from sight, but it would be no use. Instead, she leaned on Liam and stood up. He helped her limp to the vehicle where Leisha and the immortals were securing Nik.
The vampire calmed a little when he could see Samantha. “Can I sit with him?”
“No,” said Tafari. “He is too dangerous.”
Leisha shook her head. “He thinks she’s his mate. She’ll help him to stay in control.” The blonde vampire looked Samantha up and down. “You look terrible.” It came out in a jest, but Samantha could see the anxiety brimming in her demeanor.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“I never thought I would say this,” Tafari said, looking at her exposed hand. “But I am grateful that Leisha made you a human servant.”
Samantha swallowed at that. If she had been fully human, there was no way she would have survived this long in the dreary wilderness.
Leisha lifted her up next to Nik and then slid in beside her. Tafari took the driver’s seat while Rinwa and Liam squeezed into the passenger seat.
The ride was far from smooth, but it was warm. At first, the heat stung. Not just Samantha’s hands, but everywhere, especially her face. After a while, her body accustomed itself to the heat and she was able to relax. She kept a hand resting on Nik, and he didn’t struggle much. It was the first time in a while that Samantha could allow her guard down and truly rest. She wasn’t surprised that she fell asleep, even in the bouncing and jostling car.
Chapter 25
For what was probably the second time in her life, Leisha was glad that she’d made Samantha her human servant. It wasn’t a moment she was proud of, but as she entered the motel room and glanced over at the young woman, she could actually look back on that memory with gratitude instead of shame.
If Samantha had been a normal human, nothing would have been able to save her limbs. They would have had to take her to a hospital where the doctors would have surely amputated. But instead, they brought her to a motel to rest, with Nikita by her side.
Samantha drank a lot of hot chocolate and ate more soup than Leisha would have thought she could, but the human servant was finally getting back the use of her hands and feet.
Leisha walked over to the kitchenette and plopped the grocery bags on the small counter.
Nikita was resting on the bed with Samantha’s head nestled against his chest. Both appeared to be sleeping, but Leisha could tell from their breathing and heartbeats that they just had their eyes closed. At least their hearts aren’t pumping too much. Tafari had been worrying about those two spending too much time together on a bed, and Leisha had assured him that Nikita would be a p
erfect gentleman, but she couldn’t help feeling like they’d jumped back in time to when Nikita and Samantha had been a couple.
“Did you get more hot chocolate?” Samantha asked with her eyes still closed.
Leisha rolled her eyes. “You really think I’d deprive you like that?”
Chuckling, Samantha opened her eyes, sat up, and stretched her arms above her head. Leisha was struck at how young she looked, the gesture seeming so childlike.
Turning to the bags on the counter, Leisha pulled out the can of hot chocolate mix, a half-gallon of cream and placed them on the counter where Samantha now stood. “Since you’re feeling better, I’ll let you make your own this time.”
Ignoring the snide tone, Samantha smiled pleasantly. “Sounds great to me. Thanks for getting more.”
Leisha grabbed mixed nuts from the other sack and moved out of the kitchen area so Samantha could have room to move around. Opening the jar, Leisha snacked on the salty morsels as she sat on a chair next to the television.
Nikita was sitting up on the bed and flipping through a Wildlife magazine. He paused at a picture of a white wolf leaping through the air. He looked up and met Leisha’s gaze, his own somewhat uncertain. “I believe I owe you and the others an apology.”
Waving a hand, Leisha continued to munch on the nuts. “I’m over it. I understand. You did what you had to do to survive.” Feeling a flush spread along her cheeks, Leisha averted her eyes. “Besides, I know you heard stories about what I did when I drank from animals.”
“What did you do?” Samantha asked as she stirred her hot chocolate.
Nikita huffed and covered his mouth.
Leisha shrugged. “Oh you know. Just weird animal behavior.”
“There was one story about Leisha smelling people where they held their natural scent most when she met them,” Nikita offered.
Heat washed through her cheeks in embarrassment as Samantha chuckled.
“You mean the unflappable, tough Leisha was bending over and sniffing people’s butts?” The young woman put down her mug so she wouldn’t spill it while she chortled. “I would have loved to see that.”
“Laugh all you want,” Leisha said with a straight face. “I also killed humans in the most grotesque ways when I was like that. Those murders were what brought me back to myself, but then I had to deal with the fact that I’d seriously hurt them.”
That sobered Samantha, and she picked up her beverage and sipped it.
Nikita sent Leisha a reproving glance that she chose to ignore.
Rinwa entered at that moment and studied everyone’s faces before shrugging. “Well, we should get ready to go. Our boat leaves at sunrise.”
Leisha raised her eyebrows. “Boat?”
Her daughter narrowed her eyes as if Leisha were dense. “Yes,” she said with exaggerated slowness. “It’s something that floats in the water and generally transports people from one piece of land to another.”
“Why are we leaving on a boat?” Leisha asked. “That will take too long.”
“Too long for what?” Rinwa countered. “Running? Or perhaps hiding? It’s not like we need to get anywhere soon now that we’re all together.”
“But what if someone finds out where we are? We’ll be vulnerable sitting on a boat in the ocean—especially this far north: we’d freeze in a matter of minutes if anyone of us went overboard.”
“I think you and I are picturing different sized boats here,” Rinwa said. “When I said boat, I was referring to the cruise I booked for all of us.”
Samantha perked up at that. “We’re going on a cruise?” She turned to Leisha. “We’ve never been on a cruise before!”
Leisha sat back and turned to her snack. “Unless you count traveling on Tafari’s yacht when I nearly drank your blood.”
“Which won’t happen this time.” Samantha put her hands on her hips. “You’re really in a piss poor mood tonight. What’s going on?”
“She hasn’t gotten laid for a week. She must be dying.” Rinwa leaned her shoulder against the wall and folded her arms. “What?” she asked innocently when Leisha glared. “It’s true isn’t it?”
Leisha made a conscious effort to let that comment go.
“I guess I’m just getting restless,” she said, answering Samantha’s earlier question. “It will be good to be on the move again.”
“At least everyone has their own rooms on the cruise,” Rinwa stated. “And the boat, I mean ship, is pretty big. Plus, since it’s the first cruise of the season here, there will be plenty of people to blend in with. This is the best means of travel while staying low and off the grid.”
Considering the points Rinwa made, Leisha couldn’t think of any better option. “I guess it’s better than flying out of Anchorage. And we should be pretty well secluded.” She sighed. “It’s probably as good a place to hide as any.”
“So glad it meets with your approval, mother.” Rinwa left and Leisha heard her walk into the room next door, where Tafari and Liam were.
Is it just me, or does it seem like the only time she calls me mother is when she’s being nasty?
Chapter 26
The days spent on the cruise rejuvenated Samantha. Leisha had bought lots of warm clothes for her before they’d left and Samantha always bundled up before going onto the deck, but the cold didn’t scare her anymore, not even when she slipped on the icy deck in the early mornings. She was fully recovered and was determined to enjoy every moment.
The sunsets were her favorite. They painted the sky and the sea in a vision of gold and red. And the fact that Nik would come up and join her just as the last rays disappeared were a moment for her to look forward to. On the third night, however, Nik didn’t come up. Samantha waited until the sun was completely down. Liam approached and joined her at the balcony.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he said. “We were all worried about you.”
She looked down at him. The boy’s cheeks were red from the cold and his eyes were glassy. “I’m sorry everything has been so tense lately. It feels like we’ve been running from one trouble to another since December.”
He shrugged. “There will be more, and soon.”
Samantha swallowed. “Are you talking about what you’re trying to do to restore balance? You said that I would need to—” She cleared her throat. It difficult to say the word. “To k-kill someone for you.”
“Yes. The time is fast approaching.”
“How do you know?” Samantha thought, If we can discuss this with Leisha and Tafari, maybe they’ll be able to come up with a different plan.
“Instinct.” Liam reached for her arm and squeezed. His eyes bored into her with an intensity she’d never seen from him. “You can’t tell the others. It’s very important that we keep this between us.”
Samantha shook her head. “Why? They’d want to help. And Leisha deserves to know all this.”
“Because they’d stop us. With all their good intentions, they’d damn this world and mine.”
Chills broke out along her spine. She opened her mouth to say more, but Liam held up a hand. “I know you’re wondering where Nik is. Go find him. Enjoy his company. Life is very short in your world.” He walked back inside where the others were enjoying live singing.
Biting her lip, Samantha decided she should respect Liam’s wishes. She hated keeping secrets, but he made it sound like there was too much riding on his shoulders for her to betray him.
Turning back to the sky, she drew in a deep cleansing breath, and then decided to go below deck to Nik’s room. He opened the door before she was able to knock.
“You and your vampire hearing,” she said lightly. “It can be a bit unnerving sometimes.”
Nik’s lips quirked. “I wonder if I’d have a sixth sense about you even if I wasn’t a vampire.”
Heart fluttering at the comment, S
amantha took a deep breath. “You mind if I join you?”
The vampire hesitated before opening his door wider in invitation.
Samantha walked past and sat on his bed. Their rooms were pretty small. Each had a queen sized bed with a standard bathroom attached. Samantha’s room and the one Leisha and Tafari shared each had a balcony. The rest didn’t. She thought that Nik’s room felt smaller with no windows.
“So,” Samantha asked. “How come you’re hanging out in here tonight? Don’t you feel like stuffing your face on all that food?”
“You mean like we did last night, and the night before?” Nik sat next to her, making the bed dip. “I think I’m done with that buffet for a little while.” He glanced at her. “But if you’re hungry and want me to accompany you, I’d be happy to.”
A grimace came to her lips. “Actually, I ate about an hour ago. There was a big dinner and a show.” She placed her hand over his. “Sorry you have to hide out here while we do that stuff.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He looked completely at ease. “I’ve had a lot of rest I caught up on. And plenty of time to think.” His eyes grew distant with the last sentence.
Studying his profile, her fingers tightened over his. “Think about what?”
Coming out of his reverie, his gaze swept over her, filled with intense emotion that Samantha couldn’t identify. “Mostly about us,” he stated softly.
Samantha couldn’t hide the smile from spreading over her lips. “You were thinking about us? About me?”
Nik chuckled, his intensity evaporating. “I’m afraid I think about you a lot more than I should.” He pulled her into his body and wrapped his arms around her.
They sat like that for several minutes, Samantha cocooned by his warmth and natural scent. “Nik?” she murmured into his shoulder.
Deliverance Page 19
