I sniffed at the glass. “What is this?”
“It’s brandy. Drink it. It will help warm you. My name is Dorian Spark, by the way, and this is my home.”
“Tha . . . thank you,” I stuttered from the chatter of my teeth. “I’m Preston Knight.”
I tasted the foul-smelling liquid and swallowed some as the burn coated my throat, but it did as he said it would. With each sip, my body grew warmer. When I’d finished the entire glass, he poured me another and gave me some warm chicken broth.
“I don’t have much in the way of food,” he said. When I gave him a puzzled look, he added, “I don’t require much.”
“Thank you,” I uttered in a soft, cautious voice. Grateful for what he offered, yet the puzzle of our arrival here in his house was still a mystery.
“What is wrong with your leg?”
“I was born this way. They never gave it an actual name, and the cause for it was deemed inconclusive.”
He nodded. “How old are you, Preston?”
“I’m nineteen. You?”
“Let’s just say that, for all intents and purposes, I’m twenty-three.”
I thought about that for a minute, not sure what he meant by it, but being as polite as I could be, I didn’t question him. Either you were twenty-three, or you weren’t. My guess was that he was older but didn’t want to let on. Some men, I supposed, were vain about their age.
“Where are your parents?”
“Don’t have any. I grew up in Saint Mary’s Orphanage; the one by town hall,” I said, not really knowing what town we were near, but with any logic, it seemed we would have to be close to the school I taught at.
“Yes. I know of it.”
I had to admit, he was a handsome man. His long, dark hair was neatly combed and tucked back behind his ears. He had no facial hair concealing his smooth, unblemished skin. He seemed very refined, somewhat graceful even. He must have grown up in a very wealthy home, and I suddenly felt unworthy of this new friendship I found us developing. With the help of his charm and the brandy, I’d succeeded in shrugging off the low self-esteem that had plagued me my entire life and ignored the voices in my head telling me I wasn’t worthy.
I finished the broth he’d given me and set the bowl on the table to my left. Then I drained the contents of the second brandy before he poured me another. I wasn’t used to drinking, but the effects were dulling the pain in my leg and continuing to warm me up and make me feel more at ease, so I drank it. And when he offered me another, I drank that, too.
“Preston.”
I glanced at Dorian and grinned. He smiled back at me, and my vision blurred a bit. “What would you say if I told you I could heal you? Rid you of this awful disease.”
I laughed and then quickly restrained myself at his somber expression and realized my rudeness. “Are you a doctor?” My question, of course, was ridiculous, considering his age.
“Hardly,” he admitted and sipped at his own glass of brandy. “But I can heal you. In fact, not only can I heal you, but I can give you eternal life.”
I rubbed my ear, thinking I hadn’t heard him correctly. The effects of the booze must have been making me hear things. The absurdity of his claim was too farfetched to be believable.
“I only ask one thing.” He paused and tipped my chin up with his finger so that our eyes met. The golden glow mixed with the dark brown surrounding his pupil was beautiful, but I had to look away. And then his hand slipped to my thigh. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and then pressed his mouth gently to mine. I wasn’t the type of man that I suddenly realized he was. Though his offer to heal me had intrigued me, and I wanted to hear more. I was willing to do almost anything to be rid of the pain I’d had to endure my entire life.
Though his comment about eternal life still was not clear, I shoved that idea to the back of my mind and focused only on the part about me being a whole man instead of the cripple I was. With that thought firmly in mind, I allowed him to kiss me and found it less uncomfortable than I had expected.
“I will do whatever you ask,” I said against his lips.
He smiled and tipped my head to the side, and I gripped the fabric of the armchair as he consumed a part of me that would never resurface. My humanity.
“Preston!
“El?
“Preston! You okay?”
I opened my eyes to see Gage looming over me as if I’d been out for hours.
“I’m fine. I must have fallen asleep.”
“I’ll say. You were talking gibberish and fidgeting in your seat over here. Come on. We need to get out of here before the sun comes up.” He frowned and studied me for a moment. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I lied, willing away the haunting memory of my past as I released the death grip my hands had on the side of the chair as something clicked in my brain.
I stood and glanced at Gage.
“I think I know where he took her.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lily
I floated in and out of consciousness, still unable to move as the silver flowed through my veins, tainting the little blood I had left in them. I desperately needed fresh blood. I lifted my head a little, just enough to peek at my surroundings again. I tried to place the unfamiliar antique furnishings, but nothing came to mind.
I concentrated on trying to transmit a message to Preston through our bond. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I had to give it a try. I did know that if he were close enough, he’d be able to sense where I was. There was no sign of Dorian in the room, though I had the sense that he remained close.
I closed my eyes, wishing that I could help my blood replenish itself on my own, but I knew I’d need to ingest some in order for that to happen. A welcomed sleep took hold.
“Drink, Lily.” My brother’s voice was so clear in my head, yet so distant. “You’ll need to drink if you want to survive. He pressed something warm to my lips. It tasted of copper, and it was nasty, but once I swallowed it, the flavor changed, and my taste buds craved more. I sucked hard at whatever it was that Julian pressed against my mouth, drawing out as much of the liquid as possible. “That’s it. This is what you need to live.” Julian’s voice was soothing, and I opened my eyes to find his beautiful dark ones gazing into mine.
My eyes flicked open.
What a strange dream.
I heard someone whistling an old tune, one from years ago. The sound became louder as Dorian entered the room. He had a bag of blood in his hand, and he sipped at it. I licked my lips at the delicious smell. Was he going to give me some?
“I heard you call out for your brother. Don’t worry, he will be here soon, I promise.”
“No.” I shook my head slowly from side to side. It couldn’t be true. It was only a dream. This was all too cruel. It was the lack of sustenance playing tricks on my mind.
Dorian grinned as he sipped on the straw protruding from the bag. “You probably would like some of this, but then you’d get stronger, and I can’t afford that.”
“Dorian, please,” I begged. The scent of the blood, the much-needed nourishment, teased and tormented my senses. My arms barely twitched as I tried desperately to move them.
“No, I’m sorry, you need to stay incapacitated for a little bit longer. But Julian will come. He will come for you, I have no doubt. A brother’s love for his sister is strong. And I have to admit, your brother’s love for you is unusually strong. A love I could never quite understand, nor a bond I could sever.” He made some tsking noise with his tongue. “Though I tried several times, believe me. You’ve been nothing more than a nuisance, a huge inconvenience as far as I’m concerned. Sure, yes, you’ve come in handy with my career—which I am grateful for, mind you—but your existence has done nothing but interfere with my relationship with Julian. I came this close,”—he held his forefinger and thumb a quarter inch apart in front of my face—“so many times to killing you. But Julian would never forgive me for that. That’s why I agreed to keep you alive all those years ago
. So, my dear, here we are. Waiting.”
My body replete in misery, I closed my eyes.
What hell was I in?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Preston
I stood in the room where Lily had stayed when she was with Dorian, the color red prominent even in here, though this room was adorned with silk rather than velvet. I envisioned her sleeping all snuggled up under the soft silk spread covering the bed. I needed something of hers. Something imbrued with her essence.
As I stood over the bed, something caught my eye. Something dark blue, sticking out from under the pillow. I reached under the cushion and picked up Interview with a Vampire. I remembered her telling me about loving romance and erotica novels.
I found one of those reusable, canvas tote bags in Lily’s closet and shoved the book inside, throwing the strap over my shoulder.
I wanted to confirm my suspicions about where Dorian had taken Lily. The chances of the house of my second birth still standing were slim at best, and I needed Vanessa’s help in order to see if she could conjure a vision. I’d need to form a plan of attack and not just appear inside when I didn’t know what he had in store. Dorian was a clever vampire, and I had no doubt there would be a trap of some sort.
Everyone sat in the large living area when Gage and I returned. Julian stood the minute we entered the room. “You didn’t find them.” It wasn’t a question, but I shook my head anyway.
“I think I know where they are, though. Vanessa, I need your help.” I pulled the book out of the bag. “Do you think you could use this to conjure a locator spell?”
She stood and walked to me and took the book. “I should be able to. This is Lily’s?”
I nodded. “And if you can somehow see the place, the surroundings would be helpful. I don’t want to walk into a trap.”
“Good plan,” Lane said.
“Start searching in Louisiana and the surrounding areas. I’m working from memory, and unfortunately, that area isn’t anywhere near the same as it was.” I only wished I could remember exactly where, but too many years had passed, and for all I knew, changes to the land may have even destroyed the place. Hell, Louisiana wasn’t even a U.S. territory yet back then. Honestly, I’d be damn surprised if the property still existed.
“I have to go with you this time, and I won’t take no for an answer,” Julian said. “It’s my sister he’s holding captive.”
I didn’t respond, but I didn’t argue either. No one did. It was his neck, and he was right, she was his sister. We had no right to keep him from helping. I strolled over to the credenza and poured myself a drink, letting the burn of the scotch coat my throat as I glanced through the see-through one-way glass as the morning’s first sunlight glowed upon the hills on the other side of the bridge.
Julian stood in front of the windows looking out. Shielding his eyes, he stepped back a few feet. He stilled when he realized he would be okay. “This is amazing. I haven’t seen the sun in over a century.”
Everyone got up and joined him at the window to stare at the sun. It had become a morning activity that we all enjoyed.
“We had these windows installed a few months ago. We still haven’t gotten tired of admiring how the sun ignites the sky from behind us and watching it set in the afternoon,” Cian said.
“It is amazing. One of the only regrets I’ve ever had about becoming a vampire,” Julian said. “Well, aside from the last couple of decades of being held against my will. But Dorian wasn’t always a monster.” He glanced at me. “I’m sure you remember a much different man than the one you know today.”
I nodded. “Yes. What happened to him?”
He shrugged. “Love. Jealousy. Greed. He became obsessed with money, though he never had the patience to acquire it legally. He and I began peddling opium and morphine in the early nineteen hundreds to the sick and injured, then moved on to heroin and cocaine in the early twenties a few years after they became illegal. In the eighties, I told him I wanted out. That I didn’t want to push drugs anymore. He wouldn’t listen and just ignored my wishes. I stopped helping him and because of that, he was never home anymore. I told him I was taking my sister and leaving. I’d had an affair with someone who’d ignited the spark that was missing with Dorian and in a jealous rage, Dorian murdered him. I’m not saying what I did was right or how Dorian handled it was right or wrong, but since then, he’s kept me under his control, lacing me with silver, depriving me of blood, and now, recently, injecting me with some drug he calls Blaze. My sister only stayed because of me, and now her life is in danger. I can’t just sit back and let someone else rescue her.”
“Tell me more about this drug,” Grayson said as he put his arm around Julian’s shoulder and led him over to the sofa for a more in-depth conversation.
I tried to sleep but ended up tossing and turning too much. I drank some blood from the fridge. Three bags, in fact. I wanted to make sure I had enough strength to deal with Dorian. I wasn’t sure how Julian would handle himself, but I had to trust that he loved his sister and wouldn’t do anything to mess up the rescue.
As I lay in my bed, I tried to concentrate on Lily. Though we’d exchanged plenty of blood, my efforts were futile. My only hope was that Vanessa would be able to locate her with a spell.
After the sun had gone down again, I strolled into the living area and everyone was already there. Lane stood next to Vanessa, and she smiled at me as she held the book against her chest.
“You found them?”
She nodded. “Yep. And Lane found the property using Google Earth so you can get an idea of the surrounding area and how to approach the building. It’s an old stone house, off the beaten path, and hidden among a patch of trees. Very secluded.”
“Yes. That’s the same as it was. I’m surprised it’s still there.”
“So you know the place?”
“It’s where he turned me. I just couldn’t remember exactly where it was.”
“That’s an awfully long way for a vampire to travel, especially toting a disabled and helpless female,” Cian said.
“Unless they flew,” Julian spoke up. “He has passports for travel. We all do. And if he had her in a wheelchair, the airlines would have accepted them.”
I sighed.
“Looks like we’re going for a plane ride,” Lane said with a wide grin.
“Why would you come?” I asked.
“We’re all coming,” Gage said. “No way are we letting you tackle this dude on your own.”
“Even with Mister Kissy Face here, that’s not enough. You need us,” Lane added, pointing his thumb at Julian before quickly wrapping his arm tightly around Vanessa and tugging her against him. He’d had some issues not too long ago, issues pertaining to some abuse he’d endured as a kid, and I had to wonder if his little show with Julian last night had affected him in any way. But as long as he was able to crack a stupid, insulting joke, I figured he was fine.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Preston
We had to book an evening flight out of San Francisco International with a two-hour layover in Los Angles. Why we had to fly south for an hour to go east for four was beyond me, but I was thankful that the plane wasn’t very crowded and that Cian had managed, with a bit of compulsion, to acquire first-class seats.
I almost felt sorry for the poor first-class human ticket holders that had lost their seats to a last-minute emergency Vanessa had conjured as an illusion. But, hey, they could travel at any time of day and would be able to catch the next available flight. And this was an emergency.
The flight attendant brought me a scotch, and I tried like hell to relax. I wasn’t afraid to fly; I was just worried about Lily and what Dorian was doing to her. But considering who he was, I at least knew he wouldn’t sexually assault her. Though he could be rather mean and hurt her in other ways.
The coincidence of Lily and I having the same maker, and her brother also being of the same blood hadn’t escaped me. But I considered it a plus. Dorian m
ight have changed over time and may have coveted all the wrong things in life, but I didn’t think he had it in him to kill one of his own. Harm yes, but not kill. At least, I hoped not. I knew what I had to do, though, and it bothered me a great deal. I hoped that when the time came, I’d have the courage to go through with it.
Killing Dorian would be the hardest thing I’d ever have to do.
I sat next to Julian. He’d been chewing on his fingernail when a male flight attendant stopped by to see if we needed anything.
“You boys okay?” he asked, and Julian looked up at the guy as they gave each other a sexy smile.
Shit.
“Maybe a couple more scotches,” I said.
“Will do.” He gave Julian the once over before leaving to retrieve the drinks.
“Do you have to do that?” I asked.
“Do what?”
“Flirt with the attendant.”
He smiled. “I’ve been locked away for some time. Don’t begrudge me this one tiny pleasure. You’re looking at the new Julian. This is only the beginning of what I foresee as a very enjoyable future for myself.”
I nodded. How could I deny that?
The attendant placed the drinks down on our trays. “Thank you,” Julian said, brushing his fingers over the back of the guy’s hand as he let go of the plastic cup. The attendant winked at Julian and sashayed away.
I glanced at Julian. His brown eyes glowed with the same amber color as mine.
“We have the same eyes.”
“What?” he asked as he sipped his drink.
“Our eyes. Yours, mine, and Lily’s. We all have Dorian’s glow when we’re . . .” I worried about using the term with her brother, but what the hell. “Aroused.”
“Yes, though Lily’s eyes are not Dorian’s.”
“Of course, they are. That glow is unmistakable. They’re just like ours.”
“Mine. They are just like mine. I am my sister’s maker.”
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