A Whisper of Eternity

by Amanda Ashley

  "I need to find Bryan," she said.

  He nodded.

  "I guess we should start at his place, but I don't know where he lives."

  "Kitana will know where he is."

  "How do we find her?"

  Dominic stared into the distance a moment. "She is at The Catacombs. The boy is with her."

  "Is he all right?"

  Dominic stilled for a moment, then crossed the distance between them and took her in his arms. "She has brought him across."

  "No!" She pounded her fists against his chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, no!"

  "I am sorry, querida. I did not think she would act so swiftly."

  "You knew she'd do it? You knew, and didn't tell me?" She pounded her fists against his chest again. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you stop her?"

  "I could do nothing to stop her."

  Tracy collapsed against him, sobbing, "Poor Bryan."

  Dominic held her while she cried, one hand lightly stroking her hair, until her tears subsided.

  Moving out of his arms, she went into the kitchen, wet a dish towel, and wiped her face. Bryan, a vampire.

  Dominic's voice sounded behind her. "Perhaps it was his idea."

  "No. He loved being a lifeguard. He loved the sun, the outdoors." She turned to face him. "And he hated vampires. Why would he become one?"

  "Kitana can be very persuasive. Do you still wish to go?"

  "I don't know. Maybe he wouldn't want me to see him… that way."

  Dominic smiled faintly. "It is nothing shameful, querida, only a different way of being."

  "Isn't there some way to undo it?"

  "No."

  Tracy sighed. "Let's go." She had to see Bryan, had to talk to him, ask him if he was all right. "I hope he's all right."

  The Catacombs was in full swing when they arrived. Tracy saw Marcus and his human companion sitting at a table in the back. Landau and Magdalena were standing at the bar. There were others she recognized but had no names for.

  And then she saw Bryan.

  He was standing at the end of the bar beside the most beautiful woman Tracy had ever seen.

  As though feeling her gaze, the vampire turned to look at her and Tracy knew immediately that this was Kitana, the vampire who had made Bryan. The vampire who had made Petrina.

  The vampire who had made Dominic.

  Bryan turned then, his gaze meeting hers across the room.

  She was suddenly sorry she had come here. What could she say to him?

  Bryan smiled at her and then, apparently seeing the horror in her eyes, the smile died away. He spoke to Kitana, then started toward Tracy.

  She took a step backward, only to be brought up short when she ran into Dominic. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

  "He is still Bryan," Dominic said quietly.

  She forced a smile as Bryan drew closer. "Hi, Bry."

  "Hi, Tracy."

  An awkward silence fell between them.

  Tracy's gaze moved over Bryan. He looked the same, and yet he didn't. She tried to put her finger on what was different. The changes were subtle. His hair seemed fuller, darker. His skin was flawless. And even though he was a new vampire, his power danced over her skin.

  She looked up into his eyes. "Did you want this, Bryan? Was it your choice?" She glanced at Kitana. "Or hers?"

  "It was hers, but now that it's done…" He shrugged. "It's not so bad."

  "Did you… have you… ?"

  He nodded.

  "Bry, I'm so sorry."

  "It's not your fault. And it's not bad, really."

  "Not bad? How can you say that? You hated vampires! You called them…" She paused, acutely aware that she was surrounded by vampires.

  "I know," Bryan said, smiling sheepishly. "But Tracy, you can't believe the power! It's amazing, the things I can do. I'll bet I could swim from here to Catalina and back again. And colors… you've never seen such colors. Kitana said she'll take me to Europe once…" He paused and glanced over his shoulder.

  "Once what?" Tracy asked.

  "Nothing."

  "I think he means once things are settled between me and Petrina," Dominic remarked. "Isn't that right?"

  Bryan shifted from one foot to the other, but said nothing.

  Tracy looked over at Kitana again, only to find the vampire regarding her through cold, calculating eyes. She was glad to feel Dominic's arm slide possessively around her waist as the other vampire glided across the room toward them.

  "Dominic," Kitana said, inclining her head in his direction.

  "Kitana. I see you have brought your new playmate with you."

  She slid her arm through Bryan's and smiled up at him. "Yes. He pleases me very well."

  "For how long, I wonder."

  "For as long as I desire," she retorted, then turned her attention to Tracy. "I wonder how soon you will tire of this one, now that she no longer resists you. It was always the chase that thrilled you."

  "She is my wife now," Dominic said.

  "Your wife!" Kitana exclaimed, her eyes narrowing. "You married a mortal? Why?"

  "My business is no longer your business," Dominic replied, his voice cool. "Except where Petrina is concerned. Where is she hiding?"

  "Surely you don't think I will tell you."

  "She cannot hide from me forever."

  "Is this bit of ground worth fighting over?"

  "It is to me, but she has more to answer for than that."

  Kitana nodded. "She was wrong to attack you in such a cowardly fashion."

  "She paid for it. Zarabeth and Turk are no more."

  "Petrina will never forgive you for that."

  Dominic snorted. "If not for Petrina, they would still be among us. She has no one to blame but herself."

  "She does not see it that way."

  He shrugged. "She does not worry me. But you do."

  "You have nothing to fear from me."

  "And when I destroy Petrina?"

  "I would rather you didn't."

  "And when I do, will I have to fight you as well?"

  Kitana shrugged. "Who can predict the future?"

  "If you still have any power over her, tell her to leave this place. The next time we meet, I will destroy her."

  Chapter 32

  Tracy looked up at Dominic, alarmed by the quiet menace in his tone.

  Kitana heard it, too.

  Bryan shifted restlessly, obviously upset by all the talk of killing. Tracy didn't blame him. She was feeling more than a little unsettled herself.

  Kitana smiled reassuringly at Bryan. "Do not let such talk bother you." She turned to Dominic once more. "Remember what I told you," she said, and glanced pointedly in Tracy's direction.

  "I remember."

  Kitana laid her hand on Dominic's arm. "Take care of yourself."

  Tracy looked up at Dominic as Kitana led Bryan away. "What did she mean? What did she tell you?"

  "Not now," Dominic said.

  "All right, but we're going to talk about it later."

  Dominic guided Tracy to a table and ordered her a drink, then moved through the room, speaking to each of the vampires. It reminded her of the way candidates running for public office shmoozed with the common folk, garnering votes and good will. Was Dominic asking for the support of the vampires in the coming battle with Petrina? Would they give it to him? Was Petrina so strong he needed help to defeat her?

  She tapped her fingernails on the table, took a sip of her drink. There was something in the air, something that made the hair raise along the back of her neck, something that made it impossible to sit still.

  Frowning, she gazed around the room again. Was it her imagination, or were there fewer vampires than before? She hadn't seen any of them leave, but Marcus and his companion were gone. So were Magdalena and Landau and Nicholas and some of the others she had seen earlier.

  With a start, she realized there were only a handful of vampires left in the room, and that they w
ere all standing with their backs to the bar. Five males and one female. She knew somehow that they had sided with Petrina. But why had the others gone and left Dominic alone? And even as she asked herself that question, she heard Dominic's voice in the back of her mind. This is my territory. If I am to hold it, I must be strong enough to do it alone. She knew then that he had sent the others away.

  She looked at the vampires again. Was he strong enough to fight them all?

  A sudden stillness fell over the room. Power shimmered in the air, crawling over her skin like ants.

  There was a faint sound, like static in the air, and Petrina materialized in the center of the room.

  Dominic turned away from the bar to face her. "So," he said quietly. "It begins."

  "We don't have to fight," she said. "You could leave."

  "I will not."

  "Nor will I."

  Dominic glanced at Tracy. "Go home, querida, and lock the doors."

  She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you."

  Dominic nodded. She would be as safe here as anywhere else so long as he survived.

  Blocking everything from his mind, he gathered his power around him.

  There was no warning, no signal.

  Energy flamed through the air as Petrina launched herself at him, her hands like claws, her fangs bared.

  The other vampires formed a loose circle around them, their eyes glittering, their nostrils flaring as Petrina drew first blood.

  A slow smile spread over Dominic's face as the hand he lifted to his cheek came away bloody. It was a foolish thing to do, letting her draw first blood, but some latent sense of honor rebelled at the thought of fighting a woman, even a woman who was determined to see him dead.

  With a cry, she sprang at him again but he was ready for her now. She was an old vampire. She carried the blood of ancients in her veins, but she was no match for him. He was older, stronger, and carried the same blood in his veins.

  She shrieked in outrage as he pinned her against the wall, his fangs at her throat.

  "You are beaten. Admit it and leave this place."

  She shook her head, and smiled at him.

  Tracy screamed, "Dominic, look out!"

  He turned, but it was already too late. The vampires closed in on him, their nails and fangs savaging his flesh.

  With a roar, he struck out at his attackers. Save for Petrina, they were all young vampires, overconfident of their powers, and yet they were strong and determined. He wondered what Petrina had promised them in return for their treachery. One on one, he could have destroyed them without effort. But the five of them circled him like angry gnats, darting in and out, giving almost as much damage as they received. He was vaguely aware that Petrina had slipped away.

  And then he heard Tracy cry out.

  Over the heads of the vampires trying to wrestle him to the ground, he saw Franco and Laslo grab Tracy. They forced her back into the booth until she was lost from his sight beneath the two of them.

  Her fear drove straight to his heart. With a mighty surge, he turned on the vampires, flinging them aside the way a horse shook water from its coat.

  Heedless of the blood flowing from his arms and legs, he battled the other vampires. Hatred fueled his anger, making him oblivious to the wounds they inflicted on him. One of the younger vampires turned and ran from his rage.

  He tore out the throat of the second, ripped the heart out of the third.

  In the lull that followed, he heard a harsh cry of pain, turned to see Laslo and Franco reeling backward, their faces contorted with anguish as they clawed at their eyes.

  Tracy sat up, a small brown bottle in one hand. "Holy water."

  Dominic grinned at her, and then felt a new wave of fear as Petrina rose up behind Tracy and wrapped the fingers of one hand around Tracy's throat.

  "Your little bottle is empty," Petrina said with a sneer. "And you are mine."

  "No!" Dominic started forward, but Petrina held out her free hand. "Another step and I will tear out her heart."

  "No!"

  Petrina glanced at Franco and Laslo. "We are going to go now, and we will take your little mortal with us, to make sure you don't follow."

  "Petrina, wait…"

  "You took Zarabeth and Turk from me," Petrina said. "Now it is my turn to take something from you."

  "If you kill her, I will hunt you down. There will be no place where you can hide, no place where I will not find you."

  Something that might have been fear flickered in Petrina's eyes and was quickly gone. "I will make you a deal then," she said, her hand tightening on Tracy's throat. "I will not kill her, and you will leave Sea Cliff to me."

  "You will not turn her?"

  "No."

  Dominic stared at Petrina for a long moment, as though weighing her words, and then sighed in resignation. "Very well. Leave her and go."

  Petrina shook her head. "I do not trust you. We will take her with us, and leave her where you can find her."

  Dominic's gaze rested on Tracy's face. "Do not be afraid, my best beloved one. I will find you." He looked at Petrina again. "Do not betray me."

  "I have your word that you will not follow us?"

  He nodded.

  "And your word that you will wait until tomorrow to find her, that you will not use the bond between you before that time?"

  He nodded again. "Have I your word that you will not kill her and you will not turn her?"

  "Yes, my word."

  Dominic grunted softly, wondering what Petrina's word was worth.

  "Franco, Laslo, come."

  The two vampires went to stand beside Petrina. The skin on their faces was red and scorched. In some places, it hung in lacy tatters, like bloody cobwebs.

  Dominic looked at Tracy again. "I will find you, querida. I will always find you."

  Eyes wide with fear, she nodded.

  And then Petrina took her away.

  Dominic stood in the middle of the room, his mental anguish far greater than the pain of his wounds, which continued to bleed profusely.

  He had gambled everything he loved, everything he held dear, on Petrina's promise. His only hope was that she wanted Sea Cliff bad enough to keep her word. If she betrayed him, he would not rest until he had cut her heart from her body and flung it into the sea.

  Suddenly overcome with the loss of blood, he left The Catacombs. He lacked the energy to will himself home. Instead, he slid behind the wheel of one of the cars parked outside, started the engine with a thought, and drove to Nightingale House.

  Leaving the car in the driveway, he went up the porch stairs. He stood on the verandah for several minutes looking out over the ocean. The water was like a great black mirror reflecting the light of the moon. He looked skyward, his gaze tracing the outline of the Big Dipper, following the path of the Milky Way. He would miss this place but it was a small price to pay for Tracy's life. Perhaps they would go back to his house in Maine. She had been happy there. As for himself, he could be happy anywhere, so long as she was there beside him.

  Tracy. He clenched his hands at his sides. He could find her with a thought but he had promised not to do so. Was he being a fool to wait, a fool to trust Petrina? He knew without doubt that if he broke his word, she would kill Tracy without a qualm. And yet his apprehension grew with every passing moment.

  Opening the front door, he stepped inside.

  And knew immediately that Petrina had been there.

  "Tracy!"

  Calling her name, he followed Petrina's scent up the stairs, down the hall to Tracy's bedroom.

  He came to an abrupt halt when he opened the door, his gaze taking it all in in a single glance. Franco and Laslo stood on either side of the bed. Petrina knelt on the mattress. Her head jerked around as he opened the door. There was a smear of blood on her lips.

  Tracy's blood. She was lying on the bed, her eyes closed, her face as pale as death itself.

  Rage rose up within him as he met Petrina's gaze.


  Defiantly, she returned his stare.

  "You gave me your word," Dominic said coldly.

  "You gave me your word you would not follow me."

  "I did not follow you. This is where I live." His eyes narrowed. "And where you will die."

  He was moving as he spoke, his hands reaching for Petrina. But she was moving, too, and when he reached the foot of the bed, she disappeared in a swirling black mist.

  Undaunted, Franco and Laslo attacked him, one from each side, bearing him down to the ground.

  Dominic was feeling weak and light-headed from the amount of blood he had lost earlier, but his rage, combined with his soul-deep concern for Tracy, fueled his flagging strength. With a roar, he surged to his feet. The two vampires flew after him, but he was too quick for them. Pivoting on his heel, he broke the mirror over Tracy's dresser. Grabbing two long shards of glass, he whirled around, slashing first Laslo and then Franco across the throat, slicing their jugular veins. Blood fountained from the killing wounds. Both vampires fell back, their hands clutching at their throats, screams issuing from their lips as the mirror's silver backing scorched their preternatural flesh.

  Dominic saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and Petrina materialized in front of him. He ducked just in time to avoid the brunt of her attack. Nevertheless, her nails, as sharp as a raptor's claws, raked his cheek as she hurtled past him. He felt a sudden wetness on his skin and knew she had drawn blood.

  She caught herself and whirled around, her fangs bared.

  Dominic faced her, his feet spread wide, waiting.

  She sprang at him again, her face contorted with hatred.

  Dominic waited until the last second, then, darting backward, he grabbed the stake from the dresser and drove it into her breast.

  She shrieked as the wood pierced her heart. Eyes wide, she stared at the blood spreading over the front of her dress, then slowly sank to the floor where she twitched once, then lay still.

  Panting heavily, Dominic spared hardly a glance for the bodies on the floor as he hurried to Tracy's side. She was still alive, but close to death.

  Two tiny drops of blood stood out in stark relief against her throat.

  "Tracy! Querida, can you hear me?"

  She didn't respond, only lay there unmoving, her breathing growing more shallow by the moment.