Forbidden

by Amy Miles

  “Stop!” Sadie cried. “We’ll go.” She pulled William along behind her, following Nicolae.

  “Good girl,” Sorin grinned. “At least she’s smart enough to know that it will be safer locked behind bars than it will be for you, foolish boy.”

  Nicolae grimaced. Guilt gnawed freely deep in his gut. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he led Sadie and William to a cell. The thick iron bars looked aged but in decent condition. Gabriel hoped they would be safe locked away, but if what Sorin said really was true, would the bars be strong enough to keep a vampire out?

  “What do you want with me?” Gabriel asked, turning back towards Sorin after the cell lock fell into place.

  “You’re simply a means to an end. You want proof that Roseline is a vampire and I want her dead. It’s a win-win situation.”

  As Gabriel dove, the dagger pierced his skin, leaving a deep gash down his arm. Blood dripped onto the floor as he whirled around. His mind was beginning to feel a little fuzzy. The blood loss was starting to get to him. Already his shirt was beginning to soak through.

  Gabriel growled as Sorin suddenly appeared behind him, the knife tip pressing dangerously close to his artery. “Tie him up.”

  Nicole obeyed, dragging Gabriel up onto the platform in the middle of the room. A wooden table lay horizontally. Well worn straps hung lifelessly over the edge, dried blood stains marring the leather. Gabriel’s eyes widened with fear as he struggled against Nicolae. His strength was waning.

  “How could you do this to us,” he shouted, spitting in Nicolae’s face. “Traitor!”

  “Now, now Gabriel. According to you there’s nothing to fear…unless I’m right,” Sorin grinned wickedly, turning to head back up the stairs. “Make sure you leave his scent. I don’t want to take any chances tonight!” The small dagger flew through the air. Nicolae’s hand caught the bloody weapon.

  Gabriel howled as Sorin disappeared into the darkness. He bucked against the straps Nicolae fastened across his chest, clamping his arms down. “I’m really sorry about this,” Nicolae whispered, lowering the sharp blade.

  Sadie burrowed her head into William’s chest, desperate to block out Gabriel’s screams. They went on and on. But one sound, more horrifying than Gabriel’s screams, filled the air when he finally passed out from the pain…dripping.

  Chapter 13

  “Roseline? Can you hear me?” Fane cried, cradling her battered face in his hands. Roseline’s right eye was swollen completely shut; her left pupil was dilated, encircled by burst blood vessels. Her jaw hung open; several teeth were shattered and lodged in her throat.

  Tears streamed down Fane’s handsome face as he looked at his broken friend. “Please say something,” he pleaded, holding her close.

  Her groan gave Fane hope. He held Roseline’s hand as she fought to open her eye. “Oh my love, what has he done to you,” Fane moaned, gently brushing his hand over her blood soaked hair. Never before had her beating been so brutal. Her injuries were extensive. If she’d been human she would have died several hours earlier from internal bleeding.

  She lay, limp as a rag doll in his arms. Most of the bones in her body had been shattered. The worst part…Vladimir had waited for her to begin healing before he broke her bones again. Over and over. Fane had been beside himself as he listened to her screams that had echoed through the corridors of the castle, stretching on for endless hours. From sunup till long after the sun had disappeared over the horizon. Then he’d had to wait an unbearable length of time until Roseline was finally brought to her room.

  A raspy noise escaped from Roseline’s throat. Fane winced as blood seeped from her mouth. “Shh, it’s ok,” Fane whispered. “I’m getting you out of here.”

  Roseline shrieked in agony as she fought to shake her head. “No,” she croaked. “Leave me.”

  Fane’s heart wrenched. He never should have brought her back. He’d known Vladimir would be furious but Fane had hoped that his obsession with his new mistress, Lavinia Ardelean, would have eased some of his anger. Fane had been wrong.

  Roseline’s guttural screams would haunt him for centuries to come. “I’m not leaving you here,” he whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead, the only place that still seemed intact. “I won’t ever let him touch you again.”

  A single tear slid down from Roseline’s right eye. Fane couldn’t tell if it was acceptance, hope or sorrow. He decided he wasn’t going to stick around long enough to find out. Rising from her bed, Fane looped Roseline’s arm around his neck. It hung there limply before falling free again.

  He frantically looked all around, searching for the correct wall panel. His hands fluttered over the wall nearest her built in book case. “I know it’s here somewhere,” he grunted, struggling to keep Roseline balanced in one arm. A click sounded softly and dust filtered down onto the plush rug.

  “Got it!” Fane crowed, pushing the low panel aside.

  Only three people knew of the secret passageway. Fane had discovered it not long after Vladimir tore apart the entire castle in search of Roseline. But, try as he might to hide his discovery, Lucien had found it as well. Fane prayed that Lucien was still enchanted by his newest lady of the night to notice Fane’s disappearance this time.

  “Don’t,” Roseline voice grated.

  Fane glanced down. “I love you too much to let you stay.”

  “You’ll die,” she whispered, another tear escaping.

  Fane nodded solemnly, his love for her burning in his eyes. There was no denying his devotion. He would save her, even if that meant his life was forfeit. “Then so be it.”

  Roseline was too weak to protest further. Her head lolled to the side as Fane ducked low, hurrying through the passageway. The door slid shut behind him with a soft hiss. They were sealed in.

  Fane twisted and turned, thankful that his Immortal eyes allowed him to see even in the pitch dark. The tunnel thinned out, forcing Fane to lower Roseline’s nearly unconscious form into a hole and shimmy down next to her. At other places he was forced to pull Roseline behind him when the ceiling dropped off dramatically. Finally Fane detected light.

  “We’re almost there,” Fane whispered softly. He took Roseline in his arms once more, brushing the dirt and leaves from her hair. “Hold on just a little longer.” Fane froze, pressed tightly against the cold stone wall, as voices approached.

  “You seem to be in a good mood,” a low husky feminine voice cooed. Fane barely held back his snarl, instantly realizing who was standing above him.

  “She learned her lesson,” Vladimir responded indifferently.

  “Oh, don’t even try to act like you didn’t enjoy it,” the woman purred. There was a rustle of silk. “You know you enjoy a good torture.” A grunt of affirmation was all the woman was afforded. “Perhaps you’d like to work off some of that pent up frustration on me, my Lord.”

  Fane clamped down his jaw, sickened by the taunting voice of Vladimir’s mistress. He had always assumed the woman must possess a blackened heart in order to capture and retain Vladimir’s attention, but to actually hear her in action was revolting.

  “What did you have in mind?” Vladimir asked, his interest piqued.

  Fane was grateful that he couldn’t hear the whispers, but was disgusted to hear the quickening of Vladimir’s pulse. Whatever Lavinia had suggested must have been sadistic enough to excite Vladimir. With a high pitched giggle and a rustle of silk, the couple hurried off.

  When they were far enough away, Fane blew out the breath he’d been holding. He glanced down at the beaten face of the angel he held in his arms and felt his rage begin to build. From the moment he’d laid eyes on Roseline, she’d captured his heart. And now, over 300 years later, his love for her had never dwindled.

  The few brief moment’s they’d been able to share together had been far too short, but they’d kept him going all this time. Without her, Fane’s life would be meaningless. He had to save her, no matter what it took.

  Roseline would need bloo
d to rejuvenate to normal strength. Fane winced at the idea of her feeding. It wasn’t something they liked to do. Taking another person’s life blood had serious consequences but he couldn’t risk losing her. Nor could he offer her his own blood. He would need his full strength to get them out of the country. No. As much as he hated the idea, he would need to find a human.

  “Hold on, my love.” Fane reached up and pushed on the grate, wincing at the noise it made. He paused, straining his ears to pick up sounds of movement. He heard nothing.

  Fane poked his head out of the old stone well that stood in the middle of the courtyard, glancing all around to make sure no one was about. A gothic cross dangled from the top, hindering his view. Deciding it was now or never, Fane leaped out of the small space, crouching low as he scanned the deserted area.

  The moon shone full overhead, lighting the snow kissed ground. It was a cloudless night, frost hung in the air. Fane was out in the open. He would be easily seen from any window overlooking the courtyard. Fane reached down and pulled Roseline up into his arms and ran for the park grounds.

  ***

  Vladimir roared with outrage as the door to his chamber swung open mere seconds after the pounding ceased. “This had better be good,” he growled, pushing Lavinia away. She scurried back under the covers, glaring viciously at Lucien.

  “She’s gone,” Lucien hissed, the muscles in his gaunt waxy cheeks pulsed furiously.

  Vladimir leaped from the bed, ignoring his state of undress. “How?”

  Lucien averted his eyes, tossing his brother a robe. “There’s a passage in her room that leads to the courtyard. That’s how she escaped before.”

  “And you never cared to tell me about it before now?” Vladimir shouted, his black eyes gleaming murderously.

  “I felt she was in no condition to escape again,” he replied, sounding bored.

  Vladimir snatched a belt off the floor, winding it tightly around his waist. “There’s no way she could have healed so quickly.”

  “She had help,” Lucien’s silky voice whispered.

  “Who?” Vladimir growled, clamping down on his brothers arm.

  Lucien glared at the offending hand but did not pull away. “Who do you think?

  Vladimir snarled, his lips pulling back over his teeth. They glistened like a mother of pearl in the candlelight. “Fane.”

  ***

  “Hold on just a little longer. I’ll find somewhere safe for us,” Fane whispered, more for his own benefit than Roseline’s. She hung unconscious in his arms.

  Fane ducked and dove behind trees, needing to remain out of sight until he was off the castle grounds. His pulse pounded loudly in his ears, making it nearly impossible to detect anyone following them. Fane was desperate, struggling to think of somewhere to take her.

  He knew if they didn’t escape now, they were both dead. Vladimir would probably tear Roseline limb from limb while Fane watched, torturing him until the last moment. The image of Roseline’s body, broken far worse than it already was, drove him forward.

  When Fane reached the far gate, he leaped high up into a tree. Gripping Roseline tightly in his arms, Fane jumped, landing nimbly on his toes. He’d reached a road, but that did little to help him. No one in Romania would be dumb enough to be out during the full moon. Too many superstitions had been created around such a night. He was on his own.

  Trotting as fast as he dared, fearful of injuring Roseline further, Fane left the castle behind. He headed away from town, further into the countryside, knowing it was his only chance. If he led Vladimir into the heart of town, Vladimir would simply set the town ablaze until he flushed them out. Too many innocent lives would be lost.

  Dogs howled in the distance. Fane stopped, gripping Roseline tightly. “Oh no!” he cried, his desperation mounting. Vladimir already knew! They’d be hindered by the snow that’d begun to fall in heavy sheets, but Fane was no fool. Nothing would stop Vladimir now.

  Fane raced through the woods, not caring about the branches that reached out, lashing against his skin. He cuddled Roseline tighter to him, shielding her. The moon flitted in and out, doing little to help light Fane’s path.

  A scent hit him, bold and mouth watering. Fane slid to a stop, sniffing the air. Fresh blood…human blood!

  Fane shifted his course without thinking. All that mattered was healing Roseline. If she could feed then they might stand a chance.

  He followed the scent into unfamiliar territory. If he’d been thinking rationally, Fane would have instantly realized why he’d never been in this part of the woods before. But his terror had overridden sanity.

  A towering stone wall appeared before him but Fane scaled it easily. His feet landed with a soft whisper on the grass. He was racing ahead before his mind even realized he was on the ground.

  A small darkened hole appeared and Fane dove into it. His feet plodded on the hard dirt floor, wondering where exactly the tunnel would lead. The scent was getting stronger so he pushed forward, calling on energy reserves that he hadn’t been forced to use in ages.

  The second he stepped into the light he knew it was a trap. A glint of steel shot out from the dark, narrowly missing his neck. Fane dove to the right, curling his body around Roseline as he rolled back to his feet.

  Fane glanced at the sword quivering a few feet away. It was wedged in the stone, deep enough that a human would struggle to pull it free. Luckily he wasn’t human!

  “I’m sorry, my love.” Fane kissed Roseline’s feverish forehead and laid her on the bare floor. He hated to leave her, fearful that she might be attacked while she was helpless. There was only one thing he could do…keep his attacker’s gaze fixed on him until he could dispose of the human.

  Taking a deep breath, Fane leaped, grasping the sword from the wall as he spun back out of sight. An arrow shot through the air, whizzing past his ear. A narrow miss.

  “I didn’t expect you to come,” a deep voice called from the shadows.

  Fane glanced around, searching for the source. The sword and arrow had come from two different directions which meant he had at least two attackers to draw out. “Yeah well, I thought I’d take a midnight stroll,” Fane called, rolling tightly along the ground to a pillar nearby. Each movement he made was visible for only a split second. He hoped it was enough to distract them away from Roseline.

  “You were a fool to come. But I guess it’s just as well. She will come for both of you.”

  Scrunching up his brow, Fane pondered over the man’s words. He knew the voice. Oh yes. He’d know that voice anywhere. It was Sorin Funar. He’d made it his life’s mission to kill Fane and his family after that little Halloween incident ten years ago.

  But what did he mean about both of them? Was another of his family captured here? He couldn’t smell anyone. No big surprise since the human blood was overloading his senses. It was cool and refreshing, like the smell of a golf course after a spring rain. It was a mouthwatering aroma, but it turned Fane’s stomach.

  No. He would not be a monster like Vladimir or Lucien. The pull of human blood would not sway him. He was here for the blood, true, but only to heal Roseline. Nothing more!

  “Don’t you want to come out and play?” the throaty voice taunted.

  Fane cocked his head. He could hear a heart beat…but it wasn’t alone. He listened intently, counting five heartbeats in total. One was to his right, perched up in the rafters of the dungeon. A second, racing rather quickly, was hiding just off to his left, tucked behind a half wall. His fear tainted Fane’s nose with its enticing scent. The animalistic predator in him rose to the surface but he instantly squelched it back down.

  Two other heartbeats huddled together across the room. Fane risked a glance, noting two kids locked in a cell. He didn’t stop to wonder why they were caged as he threw himself to the side, kicking off the stone wall. Fane flipped over the half wall, scaring its young occupant. An arrow shot out but flew wide as Fane landed on his toes and immediately scaled the pillar in front of him.


  Once he was in position, high above Sorin, Fane took a second to look around. Twenty feet below him was the last heart beat. Now he could understand why it was slowly fading. A boy, his face rolled away, was slowly bleeding out. His body was riddled with small incisions, allowing a slow trickle of blood to flow, pooling on the ground below him.

  Fane gritted his teeth, angered by the waste of the boy’s precious blood. Roseline desperately needed it. And then it hit him. Fury curled like a venomous snake in the pit of his stomach. The boy was the trap. A trap for Roseline.

  Fane gnashed his teeth at Sorin’s cruelty. If Fane hadn’t been so desperate to heal Roseline he never would have followed the scent.

  “So do you like my little party favor?” Sorin asked, his voice echoing around the room.

  A whimper below caught Fane’s attention. His gaze drilled into the girl trapped in the cell. She clung desperately to a boy whose facial features greatly resembled her own. The girl’s frightened eyes were locked onto the bleeding boy on the platform. Something flickered in the back of his mind. Recognition? Perhaps. She did look oddly familiar.

  “Come now,” Sorin called, shifting in his perch. He was searching for Fane but couldn’t find any trace of him. That made Sorin a tad uneasy. “Don’t you want a taste? Just one little bite.”

  Fane licked his lips, struggling against the sudden urge to do just that. He shook his head, scolding himself for being so weak. No. He refused to become a monster.

  “It won’t work Sorin. The boy doesn’t entice me.”

  “Then why are you here?” he taunted. “Surely you smelled something you liked.”

  Yes. He liked it alright. But Fane wasn’t here for that. He was here for Roseline. Fane glanced down; checking to make sure Roseline was still safe. Her skin looked frightfully pale against her stained dress. Blood began to seep out from under her, staining the aged stone, her life slipping away. He had to move.

  “So what do you propose then?” Fane asked, leaping down from his perch. He stretched out his hand, letting his fingers graze Sorin’s cheek as he passed. He landed easily on the floor, righting himself instantly as he gazed up at Sorin.