Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series

by Gayle Parness

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  The next six days flew by in a flurry of activity. Garrett would rise around three o’clock and take off for the island with Rob and Ethan. They were setting up traps and defenses in case things got out of hand and the vampires decided to forget the rules of the duel and attack us all. They also spent time training the twelve or so shifters who’d volunteered to fight. Garrett usually didn’t get back until around midnight, so any alone time we could squeeze in was precious.

  Sinc and Kyle spent days in the lab hunched over computers and experimental weapons. I had training sessions with Liam every morning at nine.

  “Jacqueline, I will train you to use magic to move like a vampire, faster than a human can see. This will be your best defensive weapon against Antoine because he will never expect it. But you must use it sparingly, two or three times at the most, as it will drain your energy and make you weak. When you’ve mastered this, we will move on to your offense.”

  Because of my upcoming duel with Antoine, Liam had agreed to train me every day this week, so we worked together for two-hour sessions. At the end of each one, I collapsed into bed and slept for another hour, always waking up completely famished. Liam would have food prepared and waiting for me and would usually keep me company while I ate.

  “You are doing well,” he would say, “but there is much more to learn.” I’d nod in understanding, eat what he put in front of me and take a few seconds to wish Garrett would hold me for a while. The closer to the duel we got, the more I felt I was in over my head.

  Maya would show up later in the afternoon, never friendly but always professional. The first two days were spent on defensive maneuvers to divert projectile weapons as one weapon for each combatant was allowed in the ring. Psychic cutting, pushing and throwing were next. She’d always bring a couple of shifter volunteers who were frightened at first, but who started to trust me when they saw I felt worse than they did about hurting them. Plus I was getting much better at the healing part, which helped all of us relax.

  Two days before the duel, Maya arrived with four shifters instead of the usual two. “Today we’re going to work on using your mind to drain Antoine’s energy. Liam is going to supervise because this isn’t one of my areas of expertise. It’s probably a good thing. There’d be a few very weak ex-boyfriends walking around town if I had your skill.” I laughed, but she didn’t bat an eye.

  Liam and Maya showed me how to darken my aura and create a void, then described how to pull in an enemy’s energy to fill it up, turning it emerald green again. Since my brave volunteers had no psychic connection to the magic, I needed to touch them in order for the drain to work. I realized this must be similar to what Garrett did when he fed from his shifters, and I hoped as I practiced, that the volunteers were feeling the pleasant floating sensation and not anything painful.

  When the volunteers left, Maya spoke to me in her serious way. “I’ll be at the duel. I don’t mean to add to your stress, but for Garrett to have the strength to win against Eleanor, you need to beat Antoine. The Shifter Council has decided that Crescent City needs you. This is your last official lesson with me, but you are always welcome to call me with questions.”

  A glimmer of respect shown in her eyes, probably all I’d get in the way of encouragement. She nodded and left, still looking twenty after two hundred years as a shifter. I heard a noise and turned, surprised to see Garrett standing in the doorway, up a little earlier than usual. I ran to him, holding him tightly, trembling from a combination of tension and exhaustion.

  “Liam and Maya have been working you hard, but they wouldn’t bother if they didn’t feel you were capable. You’ve earned their respect.” He lifted my chin and kissed both of my tired eyes. “You’re working too many hours. I’m worried about you.”

  “You’re working non-stop on the island and getting up earlier every afternoon. How can I do any less?”

  He took my hands, an excited gleam in his eye. “Let’s take off tonight, just the two of us. We’ll take my boat out and watch the sunset. I know a private cove where we can drop anchor away from the world. We’ll spend the night on the water and sail back before dawn.” After giving Garrett an excited hug, I and ran off to pack a few things for the sail. Garrett made several short phone calls and we were ready to go.

  We sailed out of the harbor at five in the evening on his thirty-five foot sloop named Spotted Lady. Garrett showed me how to tie off the lines and crank up the sails and even trusted me to steer, once we were in open water. The rocking motion of the boat was so peaceful I fell asleep outside on a cushioned bench, only to feel Garrett kissing me awake and laughing a little when I clung to his mouth like Velcro as he tried to pull away. We let the wind guide us south as we enjoyed a glass of wine and watched the sun go down over the Pacific, the glorious streaks of pink, orange and gold our own private Impressionist painting. In the twilight, Garrett turned us back toward the coast, maneuvering the sloop into a quiet cove and anchoring in a secluded spot where we could be alone.

  I’d watched him as he’d worked around the boat, bringing down the sails, steering into the inlet, stowing equipment, and releasing the anchor. He seemed truly happy, adding to my own inner glow. The strain of the last five days, so evident in our faces a few hours ago, had drifted slowly away along with the ocean currents. When he’d finished his captain’s duties, he sat next to me, one long arm over my shoulder, his fingers playing with my hair.

  Now was as good a time as ever. “What’s the third part of the mating ritual for vampires?”

  “The third part is of no concern.”

  “Why? You’ve decided you don’t want me? Am I too much trouble?” Since our lives had turned so serious, I particularly enjoyed these rare playful moments.

  He smiled. “Ma petit provocateur, My little troublemaker. You’re the kind of trouble I will always want to sink my teeth into.” He nibbled on my ear and as usual, my heartbeat raced.

  “Answer my question please, Monsieur.”

  “Or?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Or I will torture it out of you.”

  His voice lowered. “There’s some torture that’s quite delightful.”

  “Then it isn’t torture.”

  “I assure you, it is.” Now he was laughing at me.

  “You’ve changed the subject, but I won’t be put off. Please tell me.”

  He sighed. “Eleanor would have to approve my ‘selection’ and drink your blood. She’d use a knife to cut a small wound into our skin in a pattern of our choice and it would leave a matching scar, similar to a tattoo.”

  “What? Did you say Eleanor cuts us? And drinks my blood?” I shook my head in confusion.

  “I tried to explain. It’s of no concern because she’ll be dead soon.”

  “How do we complete the ritual if she’s dead?”

  “Eleanor has a maker, Francois. He’s much older and much more reasonable. He’s in town to support me at the duel. I’ll speak to him about it.”

  “You’ve never mentioned him before. Do you speak to him often?”

  “I contact him at least once a month. He lives in Paris.”

  “And have you told him about me?”

  “Yes, and he’s quite happy for us. When Eleanor murdered my family and turned me, he punished her severely. Francois called it an immoral act, although it wasn’t theoretically against vampiric law.”

  “Too bad he didn’t kill her,” I grumbled. Unsure, I reached to touch his hand. He smiled and wove his fingers between mine. “Why can’t we just do the shifter’s version of the ritual? You used to be a shifter.”

  “Unfortunately, the shifters wouldn’t agree. To them I’m a vampire, and as antiquated as the idea seems, the ritual that’s performed is according to the male’s race, not the female’s.”

  “And Francois is really okay with us?”

  He stood and pulled me to my feet. “I didn’t bring you out on the boat, under the stars to talk about Eleanor or Francois.
” He nuzzled my ear, kissing in a line down my cheek and neck.

  I’d leaned my head back to give him better access. “Why did you bring me here?”

  He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me with a passion I’d only dreamed about. His desire for me was as clear as the night, as mine was for him. I used my flattened palms to brush over the broad plains of his chest, continuing down to his firm abs. He made a contented sound, so I did it again.

  “I wish to forget for a few hours—to lose myself in your arms. I need you tonight.” He kissed me urgently and I opened to him, pulling in magic and mixing it with desire and love. It was a potent brew, which carried us below deck. We spent the next precious hours as he’d predicted: banishing our fears and strengthening our sweet connection. Sharing our bodies and our blood worked its magic, because as we sailed back to the Crescent City Marina, Garrett and I were feeling almost carefree.