“Come. Let me show you.” In a flash, he snagged my wrists and jerked me into his chest.
Blackness consumed me again, as fast as before. Smoke, thick and impenetrable. This time, though, I was aware of my body, cocooned in darkness, pressed against another warm one. My brother’s body.
A voice spoke from the gloom. “Your brother sleeps deep within. He is at peace. Here, now, there is only me.” It wasn’t Tony’s voice, nor was it the Dark One’s harsh triple-layered, I’m-possessed-by-a-demon-in-a-scary-movie voice, either. No, this one was robust, manly, a hero’s voice. His real one?
“You hear the truth,” he confirmed.
Fantastic. Another vampire who can hear my thoughts.
His laughter vibrated the darkness and electrified my skin, making me shiver.
“Now, see the truth.” The darkness dissipated but I closed my eyes. Fear tore through my gut. Evil, don’t look at the face of evil.
“Carina. Look at me.”
I shook my head.
“Open your eyes.” Words backed with power this time, forcing me to obey.
Oh my God. My brother was gone and in his place, a handsome, bare-chested stranger.
The man parted his full lips, flashing perfect, white teeth. The smile reached his mesmerizing eyes, striking and surreal like Dixon’s. But if Dixon’s eyes were the moon, these were the sun, brilliant as orange sapphires, sparkling with power and personality. I wanted to gaze into them forever, bask in their warmth, curl up in their light like a contented cat and nap the day away, safe and warm. Cat eyes, tiger eyes.
Inhuman.
My body swayed. His grip on my wrists loosened changing to gentle pressure, like a lover’s caress.
“Angel,” I murmured. Dark One, a voice inside me insisted. But my mind ignored the warning, basking as I was in the promising warmth of this beautiful man.
This couldn’t be the boogeyman, the darkness personified. Why, there was nothing dark about him at all. He was, in fact, the light that made day, the sun incarnate, from his golden eyes and sun-kissed skin to his hair, long and straight and fine, a glorious blend of red and gold.
“Strawberry blond.” I took a handful, letting it sift through my fingers. Soft. Silky.
I rested my hand on the swell of his well-muscled chest, my hand so small and milky white, a sharp contrast to his golden, glowing skin, skin like amber honey. Hairless, flawless. My hands traced a light path down his arms, also smooth and pure, carved muscle. He made a soft sound as my hands slipped into his and my eyes were drawn upward again, to those perfect lips, his dazzling smile.
“Carina.” He pulled me close. His eyes promised peace, warmth, safety, everything good and right.
But, this was wrong.
Enthralled! A voice cried in my head.
My heart raced, my body panicking though frozen in place. I was forgetting something, needed to remember something important. But it was too difficult to focus on anything but his warmth, his beauty, those sultry lips, his glowing eyes.
The angel lowered his head, lips parted and wet, beckoning me, but I caught a scent, my brother’s scent, and it weakened the Dark One’s spell. I blinked and tore my gaze from those hypnotic eyes, focusing on the mouth nearing mine. I pushed weakly against his chest, to make space between us. Space between my brother’s body and mine.
I clung to the thought of my brother, used it to fight the part of me wanting to surrender, to give myself to this man, this vampire who’d captured me with his superior power, this enemy who wove such a powerful illusion I felt the difference in his hair and skin.
Such a beautiful lie.
“Lies.” I closed my eyes. My stomach tied itself into a million knots.
Resist. Fight. I turned my head at the last second and his lips grazed my ear.
His breath fanned my skin. “Yield to me.”
“No.” My voice sounded louder this time. Stronger.
“You are mine now, Carina.” He planted small kisses along my jaw. “Why do you bother to resist? Your blood hears my call, stellina.”
My brother’s lips, my brother’s body.
I repeated it, my new mantra, cracking the Dark One’s hold on me. My heart pounded so hard it hurt but my body finally got the adrenaline memo and I squirmed in his embrace. He released me, wrapping his large hand around my wrist.
“I’m not yours. I’m not anyone’s.” I mustered up a haughty glare.
His lips curled in amusement.
I stiffened. “I bow down to no man, no vampire.”
Brigid made a disgusted sound, brandishing her knife.
Dixon strolled over. “You see, Magnus? As I told you, she is not so easily swayed. Neither pretty face nor pleasant power play will capture our lovely princess.” He gave me a conspiratorial wink.
I frowned at him and glanced at my current captor. His gorgeous sun god illusion remained in place. Was it solely for me? “Can everyone see the strawberry-blond hottie?”
The query earned me a perplexed look from the hottie. “Hottie?”
“The show is for you, pet. No need to waste power on the rest of us,” Dixon replied. And to Magnus, “It is a compliment. A youthful word for handsome.”
“Ah.” The Dark One’s amber eyes scrutinized me, bemusement curling his lips.
Brigid retrieved her sparkly dagger, her face a mask of hatred. “Mind your tongue, Tranquilli spawn, and show the Dark Lord the respect he is due.”
My eyes tracked the swish of the knife. “You’re just jealous you can’t see his royal badness. I guess that makes me the only special girl for Magnus the Magnificent.”
She screeched, dagger swinging. The Dark One whisked me out of harm’s way and caught the witch’s arm with his free hand.
“This jealous rage does not become you, my goddess.”
She fell to her knees, head bowed. “Forgive me, Master.”
“Done.”
She rose. He planted a kiss on her eager lips. “Though it does please me to know how much you care.”
She beamed at him, blushing.
I rolled my eyes. “If I promise not to run, can I go sit over there, while you two get reacquainted?” Must delay whatever hell awaits me next.
Dixon sidled up to me. “Yes, Magnus, I would be delighted to sit and play with my new pet while you and your witch share a moment.”
He stroked my arm.
“Don’t touch me,” I snapped.
The Dark One narrowed his eyes. “The girl is mine.”
Dixon’s satisfied smirk disappeared. “If you wish to be restored to your full glory, Magnus, it would behoove you to remember and abide by the terms of our agreement.” His voice chilled the air.
“Exactly what are the terms of your agreement?” I interjected, but the two men ignored me.
“Then let us renegotiate, old friend. I wish to keep her for a while. She is not what I expected. She is more.”
“Yes, one of us,” Dixon agreed with a grave nod.
“No, I’m not,” I protested.
“Yet, she is more,” the Dark One added.
“And in three years time, she will be a threat to us all,” Brigid added, visibly displeased with the direction of this conversation. “Make use of her now, as planned, but we must destroy her before the Transfiguration. You doom us all if you allow her to come into her full power.”
The Dark One shook his head. “No, my love, if handled properly, she would be an asset, a powerful weapon in our already formidable arsenal.”
“Indeed. A handy tool,” Dixon agreed. “And in such a lovely package.”
I’d heard enough. “I’m not your secret weapon and you don’t need to worry about killing me because the big change is going to do that. Let go of my wrist. I can’t feel my hand at all.”
The Dark One complied. “Why do you believe the Transfiguration will kill you, stellina?”
I massaged my wrist and fingers as pins-and-needles circulation returned. “Carina. Mi chiamo Carina. I’m tired
of hearing pet, luv, stellina, princess, kitten. What is it with you vampires and pet names?”
He tilted his head and waited.
“Fine. Obviously you know about the prophecy with my name on it.” I gave him a pointed look. “You were there when Faith spelled it out for us. You know, the night you possessed her for a minute.”
He quirked a brow. I rushed on. “She said my human body can’t handle that much power from the change.”
Dixon let out a derisive snort.
My temper flared. “You think it’s funny? If the power kills me, that wouldn’t give you much time to get your revenge groove on against my uncle Tommy. I mean, at least not in vampire time. Three years is what, like three days to you super ancient dudes?”
“There are ways to prevent true death,” the Dark One replied.
“Yeah, so I heard. Some blood ritual.” I snapped my mouth shut. Shouldn’t have said that.
I knew nothing about this life-saving ritual, but I sure as hell didn’t want them to do it to me. The two vampires exchanged a meaningful look—and possibly words, mind to mind—then regarded me with eager eyes. Their obvious excitement made my stomach churn. I stepped back.
Dixon’s silver eyes flashed. “I had planned to spend a long time breaking you ever so slowly, my luscious pet. But we can, as you Americans say, cut to the chase. That, too, will cause the Warden—and your father—immeasurable pain.”
His lips curled, flashing major fang. “Yes, an eternity of suffering for your family, and the added benefit that you, my pet, would be able to survive much more damage. Yes, I quite like that.”
“As do I,” the Dark One agreed.
Dread slithered through me and I backed up another step. Endless suffering. Taking lots of damage. This is bad.
Brigid shook her head, scowling. “Master, I advise against changing our course of action at this juncture.”
“I always welcome your council, my dear, but in this your emotions cloud your judgment.”
“No, the mongrel is—”
“Oh come now, witch,” Dixon snapped. “It is but a small change in the larger scheme. I will turn the Tranquilli boy’s body for Magnus, as agreed, and she will be his first meal, as originally planned. But, now we will take her that extra step to death’s door.” He gazed at me with hungry eyes. “And bring her back with my blood.”
“Or mine,” added the Dark One. The two men locked eyes. “Or both,” he continued. “Thus, shall we own her for all eternity. And vengeance shall be ours.”
“So be it,” Dixon proclaimed. “I accept the new terms of this agreement. I do not usually share my assets, but for her, my revenge, and the great power this alliance will bring us, I will make an exception.”
All eyes turned to me. Eager.
I backed away, inching closer to Dr. O. They wanted to make me a full-fledged vampire, their vampire slave. Forever.
I shook my head. “No. Fucking. Way.”
They watched me move, wearing matching predatory expressions, terrifying me to the core.
“Master,” Brigid interrupted, voice anxious. “May I speak freely?”
“You may.”
“She is bound by blood to the youngling. I have felt the power of their union and I assure you, there is no guarantee you can break their bond with the turning.”
“That is of little consequence. He will submit or she will suffer. If their union is as strong as you say, he will submit.”
“Then I beg you to remember what transpired the last time you fed on her. She is no longer a child with an emerging power and I fear you risk your own true death if you attempt to turn her. Her power is vast and unpredictable. Her control, tenuous at best.”
I froze. “The last time?” I echoed.
What did she mean? I’d never met him before, had I? Pain stabbed my head. My knees gave out and I headed for the ground. Dr. O steadied me.
The Dark One arched a brow. “She does not remember.”
“No,” Brigid replied.
“Then it is time to show her. Unveil what you have hidden while Dixon and I attend to my new host body.”
“No. Tony, no!” I ignored my pain, struggling to free myself from Dr. O’s iron grip.
Brigid babbled in Gaelic. Her magic struck me like a brick wall. Darkness enveloped me, and I remembered.
Twenty Four
We ran through the night. Animals roared, men yelled, a lady screamed. Gun shots, breaking glass. I was afraid. Daddy was, too. I clung to him, hid my face in his neck. He smelled like olives. My throat kept making little kitty noises. He held me close.
“Va bene, va bene,” he repeated, but I knew he didn’t believe it.
Because they were coming.
They were cold, like the water in the fountain in the morning, like an ice cube if I held it too long in my hand. I didn’t want them to touch me. Daddy didn’t want them to touch me, either. But he was getting tired and they were almost here.
A woman yelled something in strange words. It made the air colder, like it was going to snow. Daddy made a funny sound and stopped by the fountain. I saw the lady with the long, yellow hair and the shadow man who followed her everywhere. There was another man at her feet, making scary animal sounds.
I whimpered and daddy squeezed me. “I tried. I’m so sorry. I tried.” He smiled at me, but his face was wet and his eyes looked sad. “I love you, little star.”
“Ti amo, papà.” I tried to hug him but he held me away. “Papà?” My tummy hurt and I was cold and wished the scary yellow-haired lady would go away. But then I blinked and the lady was behind daddy and there was a flash of silver and blood and screams.
Oh wait, that was the adult me screaming as the previous gaps in this old memory filled in with horrifying clarity. Brigid, not some faceless black blur, had killed Edoardo, slit his throat from ear to ear, not caring one bit he’d held a five-year-old child, namely me, in his arms. It was the Dark One, possessing the other vampire, who’d attacked me. Too bad he hadn’t died when I’d fried his host body.
The memory continued.
The Dark One oozed out of the burned vampire and hovered in front of me like a black ghost. Brigid rushed forward, dagger raised. I sat in the ashes, covered in Edoardo’s blood, shut down by shock, waiting for my end.
The Dark One spoke. “No, Brigantia. Take her memory, not her life.”
“But master, the night is ours. Edoardo is dead, along with countless others in the House of Tranquilli. The boys have escaped, but she is special to Maurizio. Her death will crush him.”
“Brigantia, can you deny what you have witnessed? Do you not feel her power?”
“I do, but—”
“Enough! The goal this night was to destroy Maurizio’s humans. This child is not human. She holds great power. Wipe us from her memory, and, though the pretense pains you so, continue your servitude in this house. I shall return when her power has matured and take it unto me.”
“Yes, master.” She leaned over and placed her palm on my tiny forehead.
“Until we meet again, stellina.” The Dark One disappeared.
Brigantia spoke one word in Gaelic and my world went black.
~ * ~
I jerked back to reality. Cold stone floor against my back. Storage room.
Dr. O sat next to me holding my hand while the image of Brigid slitting Edoardo’s throat played in my head on infinite loop. My stomach churned and I retched.
Dr. O whisked me to a metal utility sink, holding my hair while I leaned over and vomited for an eternity. He turned on the water, produced a fluffy white washcloth from thin air and handed it to me. I rinsed out my mouth, drank a bit of water, and cleaned up as best I could with one shaky hand, while the other clenched the rim of the sink so I wouldn’t slide to the floor in a weak, angry heap.
Brigid. The wicked witch killed my human dad.
Dr. O placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Princess?”
“She killed my dad. Edoardo.”
“It would appear so.” He escorted me to a folding chair by a steel coffin on a dolly.
I pressed my cheek against the coffin’s cool, metal side. “I’m going to kill her. Will you help me?”
Dr. O knelt in front of me and gave me serious, dark eyes. “I am your father’s loyal subject and all that I am is yours.”
“You said that before. That’s not exactly a yes, doc.”
“It is all I can offer you at present, for now we must—” The rest of his sentence went unheard because my brain remembered what I should never have forgotten.
“Tony.” I shot to my feet but Dr. O grabbed my arms, halting my charge from the room.
“It is too late for your brother.”
“No.” They were killing him. Making him a vampire. Then the Dark One would possess him forever. A strangled sob escaped my throat.
“I have to stop them.” I struggled against his tight grip. “I thought you were mine. If you’re mine, then as your damn princess, I order you to let me go.”
He complied and I bolted for the door. He moved with vampire speed and blocked the way.
“Move.” I threw a punch. He caught my fist.
“Hear me, Princess. It is too late. You cannot help him now. You can only help yourself.”
“I don’t believe you,” I choked. I didn’t want to believe.
He patted my shoulder. “I am sorry.”
I batted away his hand. “Not sorry enough to help us. You could have stopped this. But you promised them you wouldn’t interfere. You claim allegiance to my family yet you stood by and let Dixon and the Dark One torment me and now they’ve—” My voice cracked. “Killed my brother.”
Hot tears burned my eyes. I backed away, bumping into the coffin. It rolled a few inches, the dolly wheels unlocked.
Dr. O whooshed to my side. “I have kept you alive, Princess. That is all I can do. Had I not promised neutrality, Brigid would never have allowed me to enter her circle. You would have died without my assistance.”
“What does that matter now? When they’re done out there, they’re coming for me and they’re going to kill me, too. I can’t fight them alone. Are you going to stand by while they turn me into a full-fledged vampire and make me their slave?”
Haven Page 38
