James frowned. He picked up the extinguisher, testing the weight. The object felt heavy. For someone to throw it with such force would take some strength.
Strength enough to break thick glass?
“They can’t have gone far,” he told Dawson, referring to whoever had committed this new act of vandalism. “You take the elevator and I’ll take the stairwell.”
He swung open the door leading to the stairs and ran down. Part of him knew this chase was futile. Whoever had thrown the extinguisher might have stopped on any floor, hiding in any one of the rooms, but James would put money on them leaving the hotel. Something about the rage that action contained left him thinking; whoever threw the extinguisher wouldn’t be hiding.
Gasping for breath, the officer burst out onto the ground floor. A porter pushed a trolley full of luggage and James stopped him.
“Did anyone run past you?”
The porter frowned and shook his head.
“Shit!”
James pushed past the trolley and headed for the front doors.
Damn Madeline!
Sebastian didn’t know where she would take Serenity. He only hoped Madeline hadn’t caused her harm.
Standing outside the hotel, he realized he didn’t even know which direction to turn.
To think Serenity was out there somewhere, probably scared, possibly hurt, cut him deep inside. Rage burned like an incinerator, charring all other emotions. He clenched his fists, certain when he got his hands on the other vampire, he would tear her limb from limb.
For a moment, he allowed himself to believe such a thing was possible.
How stupid to leave Serenity alone. If he’d taken her with him, she would be safe.
He was always making mistakes, so many mistakes.
“Serenity!” he roared into the night.
Where should he start looking? Madeline liked fine things. She liked to be treated as though she were someone special; wanted those around her to know she had money and wasn’t afraid to spend it. He’d only known her in Europe, never in America, and it had been many, many years since they spent any time together. She could be anywhere in this huge city—even outside of it—and he had no idea where to start.
Madeline was spiteful enough to kill Serenity just to hurt him. But Madeline was also tenacious and to kill Serenity without first using her to threaten him would be a waste to her.
He could only hope Madeline would bring Serenity to him, alive.
Above him, the black sky lightened to a deep, indigo blue and slowly the stars went out, one by one. Day was coming and he had no choice but to head back to his house.
Fury and frustration filled him. Consumed with rage, he brought his palm down on the windshield of the car beside him, shattering the glass. Moving through the car lot, he smashed windshield after windshield, his rage blinding him. A variety of car alarms sounded in the night, like howler monkeys calling their troops in a rainforest.
How could he search for her when he would be bound to his house like a prisoner? At least Madeline would be forced to do the same thing—find a place of refuge during the day—and leave Serenity in peace.
There was nothing left for him to do except leave the hotel and go home.
James stood in the middle of the parking garage and stared around in amazement. Vandalized vehicles surrounded him, each car with its windshield shattered, the glass burst in over the driver and passenger seats. He put his hands over his ears against the cacophony of alarms filling the night.
What the hell was going on?
Chapter Twenty-one
Sebastian had been wrong; Madeline didn’t leave Serenity alone.
The windowless aircraft hangar meant the vampire didn’t need to hide away from the light any more than she already had.
Serenity huddled in a corner of the hangar. At first she sat with her back resting against the wall but, as the hours wore on, she found herself curled up on the hard floor, drifting in and out of an uncomfortable sleep.
She noticed Madeline also slept—at least, a sleep of her own kind. Though the vampire stood upright with her arms folded, her eyes glazed over and Serenity knew she wasn’t fully conscious.
Yet as soon as Serenity shifted her position to get more comfortable, Madeline sprang awake again.
All around her the drone and roar of airplanes coming to and from LAX waxed and waned. So many people around and no one could help her?
Falling asleep again, Serenity dreamed of planes crashing around her, of running as pieces of burning metal spun through the air past her head, smashing into the ground beside her. She dreamed of Sebastian being on one of the planes, that he was human and died, and she cried in her sleep.
The hard toe of a boot nudged her awake.
“Time to go,” Madeline told her.
Stiff and in pain, Serenity forced herself to sit and climbed to her feet.
“Where are we going?”
“To see your boyfriend. Where do you think?”
Sometimes, trying to talk to the vampire was like trying to converse with a bitchy shop assistant who liked to look down on her customers.
She tried again, “And where is he going to be?”
“Stop asking fucking questions!”
Taking Serenity by surprise, the vampire grabbed her by the wrist and started to pull her toward the front of the hangar. She moved too quickly for Serenity to keep up and Serenity stumbled over her feet until Madeline dragged her by the arm.
“Hey, slow down,” Serenity complained, her arm screaming in its joint.
The red-head whipped around, eyes flashing. “Shut up!” she hissed.
They reached the small door implanted in the huge aircraft entrance. With what seemed like little effort, Madeline grabbed the thin metal handle and ripped the door from its hinges, dropping it to the floor. The door’s padlock, which had been on the outside of the door, was split and hanging from the frame, as though severed by a bolt cutter.
Seeing the display of Madeline’s strength shot fear through Serenity’s heart. Serenity easily forgot what Madeline was capable of when she looked like a woman—albeit a stunning woman—she might meet in the street.
Dusk had fallen, but plenty of light illuminated the sky. In the dimness ahead, an aircraft’s blinking landing lights approached. The distant thrum of its engines grew louder as the space between them and the aircraft decreased.
Two young men in high visibility jackets stood on the runway. The sound of the door being torn off had been disguised by the approaching engines, but not enough to stop them noticing. Even at a distance, Serenity recognized the confusion in their faces at seeing two women standing in the doorway of the empty hangar.
Serenity grabbed her chance.
“Help me!” she screamed, raising her free arm, waving frantically at them.
The men didn’t even have time to react.
Madeline wrapped Serenity’s arm across her body, pinning Serenity to her torso. The vampire leaped away from the men, taking Serenity with her. Serenity’s head snapped back on her neck and she groaned in pain and fear.
Ahead of them stretched the broad expanse of the runway. Lights were embedded in the black tarmac, guiding in the aircraft for landing. Madeline ran across the asphalt, carrying Serenity with her, heading for the open space on the other side.
The approaching plane bore down on them. So close now, its huge metal belly was exposed as the wheels came down for landing. The sound blasted Serenity’s ears, the wind the aircraft created snatching the air from her lungs. Her hair whipped back from her face and the air pressure bore down on her. Her eyes widened with horror, the aircraft about to crush them, and every detail of the plane’s underbelly filled her vision.
The two men watched in shocked horror, the expectation of a terrible accident written on their faces.
Just as the rear wheels touched down, Madeline darted out from under the plane. Then they were away from the airport, leaving the men in shock and the aircraft saf
ely landed.
The vampire ran down the freeway, past vehicles traveling at one hundred miles an hour, their headlights catching only a flash of something moving in front of them.
Madeline carried Serenity as though she was no heavier than a sack of flour. They left the freeway and crossed busy streets, running down alleyways and leaping across rooftops. Serenity heard the blare of a car horn as they crossed another part of the freeway and caught a brief glimpse of the shocked faces of people who had seen and felt something pass. Voices flitted in and out of her hearing; the wail of a police siren rushed by her so fast the effect was like tuning in and out of a radio station.
Madeline continued to run through the night with long, bounding steps. When Serenity dared open her eyes, colored lights blurred past. She felt lightheaded and nauseous, motion-sickness threatening to take hold. Instead of fighting against the thing racing her through the night, Serenity clung to Madeline, like a person on a rollercoaster gripping the safety bar.
Finally, they came to a stop.
Serenity fell where Madeline dropped her. Immediately the nausea won out and she lurched onto her hands and knees, vomiting on the ground. Her head spun and she groaned as her stomach fought to climb up out of her throat. She wasn’t in the habit of heavy drinking, but this reminded Serenity of the odd occasion she’d experienced terrible hangovers.
On all fours, Serenity waited for her world to stop spinning. For a moment she had forgotten everything else; the vampire standing over her and the one she hoped waited for her.
Only the thought of seeing Sebastian again made her pull herself together.
Where had Madeline brought her?
Sharp stones pressing into her palms and knees stirred a memory; the cut of sharp gravel beneath the soles of her naked feet, her running across it with fear in her heart.
They were at Sebastian’s house, but where was he?
Serenity forced herself to sit, only to find Madeline staring at her with narrow-eyed hatred, her perfect nose wrinkling at the watery bile Serenity had brought up.
“What does he see in you?” the vampire said, disgust tainting her voice.
Serenity colored and a familiar doubt washed over her. Madeline’s words brought back a memory of Jackson shaking his head at her, saying, ‘What do I see in you?’ and making her feel like the most pointless person in the world.
Her empty stomach dropped out of itself and a weight crushing down on her shoulders made her so heavy she didn’t want to move.
The sensation was the depression that had haunted her for so many years threatening to return.
Serenity shook herself to re-focus. She refused to go back to those dark times.
“Come on,” Madeline said, grabbing her again and pulling her to her feet.
Serenity still felt weak and shaky, but at least the sickness had gone. She allowed herself to be pulled across the gravel and up the stone steps toward Sebastian’s huge front door. With her free hand, Madeline pushed open the door. The heavy wood slammed against the wall behind, the sound ricocheting through the vast hallway.
Serenity held her breath in anticipation.
Ahead of her, the huge curved staircase rose to the second floor. Standing at the top was Sebastian.
Serenity let her breath out in a strange, hitching sob. Seeing him again made her sag with relief.
He wore his customary suit and his strong, solid body filled the cut perfectly. His dark hair was swept away from his porcelain face and his eyes glared a ferocious yellow. He was beautiful and terrifying.
Slowly, like royalty making an entrance at a ball, he walked down the stairs toward them. He focused on Serenity, and his eyes melted back to the pure green she’d grown to love. His gaze never left Serenity’s face as he approached and she tried to talk to him through eye contact alone, willing him to read her thoughts.
Fight her, Sebastian. Don’t listen to what she says, just fight her.
Fear prevented her from speaking out loud. Madeline’s hand was wrapped around her upper arm; the vampire only needed to reach up and she could snap Serenity’s neck in an instant.
Sebastian reached the bottom of the stairs and whipped his attention to Madeline, his eyes flashing bright, fluorescent yellow.
“Let her go,” he snarled, his fists clenched, his knuckles even whiter than normal.
Madeline’s grip on her arm tightened.
“Oh, I will,” she said. “It’s what she wants, but you have to let her go too.”
“I’ll do whatever you want. Just get away from her.” He turned his attention back to Serenity. “Serenity, come over here.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. Madeline’s razor-sharp nails split the skin of her inner arm in warning.
“It’s what she wants as well,” Madeline said. “She doesn’t want you any more, Sebastian. She’s had enough.”
Serenity pressed her lips together, more tears filling her eyes. Surely he would see the truth in her face?
“You need to read this,” the vampire said, and flung him the folded piece of paper, stained with Serenity’s blood. The note fluttered through the air and landed on the marble floor at the foot of the staircase.
He watched it settle, like a leaf in the wind, and glanced up. “Serenity?”
Nails tightened into her skin. “Just read the letter,” she said. “Please.”
His eyes never left Serenity’s as he bent down and scooped the letter from the floor. He shook the paper open. Slowly, he brought the letter to his face and touched the blood with his lips.
“She hurt you,” he growled, his head lowered, bull-like, about to rush Madeline.
Serenity couldn’t even look at him. “Just read it,” she said.
His face blanched as he read, the muscles in his jaw twitching.
He looked up at her and she couldn’t read the cold hard expression on his face, but the sight frightened her. “I don’t believe you,” he said.
She took a deep breath. “Remember what I told you last night,” she said. “How I said we could live our lives separately, but we’d still know the other person would be out there somewhere, and we’d still love each other. Remember I said that?” Her voice shook with fear, terrified Madeline would realize she was trying to say more than she actually was. “I’ve realized that’s what I want. We should do whatever it takes to make that happen.” She paused again, wondering if she risked saying what she needed to, not wanting to push her luck, but she had to let him know where she would go should he need to find her.
“I’ll be all right,” she said breathlessly. “You know I’ll be somewhere special to me.” She stared at him in earnest, hoping he understood the context of her words.
Madeline snorted in disdain of Serenity’s emotions, so she continued, “That’s what the letter is trying to tell you. I love you, but I can’t do this anymore.”
He stared at her in disbelief and confusion.
“You’ve lost, Sebastian,” Madeline said. “She doesn’t want you anymore. She wants to live a ‘normal’ life, but I won’t let her unless you agree to leave with me. You know I’ll kill her if I have to. This is no different than with your wife. You let her down; your unseen presence in her life practically tortured her in the end,” Madeline taunted him. “You wouldn’t want to do the same with this human.”
With a roar, Sebastian leaped at Madeline. He flew through the air, his arms outstretched, his hands curled into claws, ready to rip her to shreds. He slammed against her with the impact of a truck. Air whipped past Serenity as the two vampires flew backward together and hit the wall with a crunch of plasterboard. As though two wild animals fought within its walls, sounds of snarls filled the immense hallway. Sebastian had Madeline pinned up against the wall and she fought him like a wild-cat.
Serenity froze for a split second, then turned and ran.
The front door and the main gates stood open and she sprinted through them without so much as pausing to check if she was being chased. Snarls and sh
rieks continued in the house and, despite her fear for Sebastian, she drew comfort in the sounds. As long as he grappled with Madeline, Serenity had the time to run.
She needed help, but she had no one to turn to. How was she supposed to run from this? How could she keep running from this? Wherever she went, Madeline would find her.
Pounding the pavement with each stride, she dragged air in and out of her lungs in short, painful bursts. She kept expecting an arm to wrap around her neck, to feel the vampire’s teeth sinking into her throat. Serenity ran because that was the only thing she could do, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to turn around and go back. Even with the terror behind her, she didn’t want to be separated from Sebastian.
Though still early evening, darkness had fallen across the city. The rest of Los Angeles continued their evening chores, completely unaware of the unimaginable horror taking place within their so-called civilized society.
Serenity ran blindly, as though the devil herself was on her tail.
She shoved past a couple walking their Labrador, shouts of indignation wafted after her. Cars drove by, people on their way home after a long, normal day at work. Drivers and passengers looked at her, their curiosity tinged with fear, but none stopped to enquire about her safety.
A terrible, sharp pain wrapped around her ribs and her lungs burned. She tried to ignore the pain but she needed to rest. Serenity forced herself to stop and bent over, trying to catch her breath. Her legs trembled, her calf muscles threatening to cramp.
Where did she think she was running to? Wherever she went in the world, there was the chance Madeline would find her again. Could she live like that? Always looking over her shoulder? Wouldn’t she be living exactly how she’d feared if she had left Jackson?
Serenity glanced around, taking stock, trying to figure out her location. The big houses of the hills had disappeared, giving way to more modest duplexes and apartment buildings.
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