by Raven Steele
A narrow room stretched long. Rows and rows of shelving and black filing cabinets filled the space on top of white tile. It was poorly lit compared to the rest of the building and the walls were bare.
He walked up and down the aisles. Other than alphabet letters, the cabinets gave no indication as to what was inside them. If he had more time, he would’ve searched, but he wasn’t here for the contents of the cabinets. Someone powerful lurked nearby.
Getting a line on the ancient energy, Lucien moved toward a brown door in the back. His hand hesitated on the doorknob but only for a second. Time was of the essence.
The door opened, revealing an enormous library; rows upon rows of wooden bookshelves spanned the room. In the center was a progression of tables and chairs, and at the second one sat a tall, thin man with wavy brown hair. His head was bent over reading a book in front of him.
Lucien’s brow furrowed in concentration. He wasn’t a man, but a vampire, a really old and powerful one.
The vampire looked up at Lucien, not a hint of surprise on his face. “I never thought I’d see you here.”
Lucien stood still, his feet rooted to the floor beneath him. Normally in the presence of another vampire, he would bare his fangs and take an offensive position, but he felt nothing threatening about the old vampire.
“Do I know you?” Lucien asked.
The vampire closed the book in front of him. “My name’s Henry. We met once. A very long time ago.”
“I don’t think so,” Lucien said. “I would remember.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You weren’t in any condition to remember.”
An image flashed in Lucien's mind, causing his knees to buckle. It was of blackened corpses, hundreds of them piled on top of each other, flames burning all around. The macabre picture brought severe pain in his head. He pressed his palm to his temple and closed his eyes tightly, concentrating hard. Whatever that was, he never wanted to see it again.
“It’s not wise to bury the past,” Henry advised.
Lucien opened his eyes, unaware of what he was doing until Henry had pointed it out. He wondered how many times he had done that before.
“Why are you here?” Lucien asked.
“I think it’s pretty obvious why I’m here, but what’s not obvious is, why are you here?”
“I’m looking for Eve.”
“Ah, beautiful, untouchable Eve,” he mused. “And why would someone like you want to find someone like her?”
He didn’t know how to answer the question. It was the same question he asked himself every day. The only answer he could come up with was, “Because Eve found me.”
“That doesn’t answer the question. We both know who you are, Lucien,” Lucien flinched when the old vampire said his name, “and someone like you could never tolerate the presence of someone as good as Eve.”
When Lucien didn’t respond, Henry laughed and clapped his hands in realization. “How marvelous! The beast is in love with the beauty.”
Lucien’s eyes burned cold. “You know nothing about me.”
If he thought he had a chance, he would’ve ripped him apart right then and there, but Lucien knew he was no match for the old vampire. He could smell his ancient power as strong as if it were a physical presence itself. The only other option Lucien had was to leave.
“Perhaps, but Lucien—”
Lucien didn’t want to hear any more. He turned to leave but was stopped abruptly by an invisible wall. The vampire was using magic. Impossible!
Lucien turned back around. “How are you doing that?”
“Pay attention, boy,” Henry hissed, his finger pointed sharply at him. “If you ever attempt to pull another stunt like the last time we met, I will not hesitate to remove your lowly existence from this earth. Do you understand?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Lucien growled.
The vampire leaned forward, thoughtfully. “Maybe not, but I have a good idea the memory you think is locked and buried is about to break free. One cannot exist in both worlds of good and evil without being fully conscious of past choices.”
Henry dropped his finger and the invisible concrete wall dissipated. “When that time comes, you come see me. You’ll want to know how you fit into this web that was spun hundreds of years ago.”
***
Lucien left the building bewildered. He had no idea what Henry was talking about. He had tried to recall the missing pieces of his past, but whenever he did, a stabbing pain hit his head like a million-ton boulder. He pushed back the strange encounter with Henry to explore later. He had to focus on finding Eve.
Within a few blocks of her house, he knew she was there. He’d grown so accustomed to her scent that he could smell it hundreds of yards away.
Lucien parked in her driveway and entered her house. At first, he raced up the steps, but on the last few stairs he slowed down, wanting to appear casual.
Eve stood by her bed, folding clothes, and then placing them in a suitcase. He could tell by its size that she planned to be away for a very long time.
“How did you like my car you stole?” he asked.
Eve didn’t stop packing. “It was wonderful. I’m thinking of getting one myself.”
“Really? I was just thinking the same thing. You really should get one. Let’s go car shopping today. I’ll buy you one just like mine, except a different color.” He sat down on the chair nearest her bed and propped up his feet on the mattress. “How about red? You would look good in red.”
“That’s tempting, but I have to go away for a while.” Eve walked to the bathroom. From there, she called, “By the way, what is that beast in my driveway?”
“A poor substitute for the car you stole, but still a classic. I should have you arrested.”
She came back into the room and tossed a small bag into the suitcase. “And I should have you arrested for disturbing the peace. I heard that thing a million miles away.”
“Perfect! We’ll get arrested together. We can share the same cell, read nudey magazines, lift weights, join a gang, get—”
“Are you finished?” Eve interjected and shook her head. “Lucien, you’re making this very difficult. Both Charlie and I agree that I need to leave as soon as possible. Even you thought this would be best.”
He knew Eve had to leave the city, but he didn’t like how rushed everything felt. They needed a plan.
“What about Henry?” he asked. “Does Henry think you should leave, too?”
She froze. “How do you know that name?”
“I met him ten minutes ago in some stuffy library at the Deific.”
“You spoke to him?”
“Briefly.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Isn’t he remarkable?”
“Remarkable is not the word I’d use.” He stood. “I’m coming with you. That was the arrangement.”
“Our arrangement has changed. I have a plan, and for it to work, I need to be alone.” She left the room and walked down the stairs.
Lucien pulled out the big guns. He called after her, “I thought you said we had this amazing connection and you can’t stand being away from me.”
“I admit it will be difficult, but I shouldn’t have dragged you into this just yet. You’re not ready.”
Ready? Ready for what? Lucien hurried after her. “Can you just wait a few hours? One even? I just need to gather a few things.”
“No more waiting.”
He appeared in front of her.
“Please don’t go,” was all he could think of to say.
“I don’t want to play this game.” She side stepped him and continued toward the door.
Lucien gave in. “At least tell me where you’re going?”
Keeping her back to him, she said, “Ireland.”
It was as if Lucien had been punched in the gut. “No!”
He was instantly in front of her again, grabbing her shoulders. “You can’t go there. Anywhere bu
t there.”
“I’m going.”
“I won’t let you.” His grip tightened.
“You can’t stop me.”
“Yes, I can.”
A bright light flashed in her eyes, and before Lucien could react, Eve tossed him aside, sending him crashing on top of the stairs. She balled her hands tightly and stared down at him. “I realized something this morning. For the last several months, I’ve been obsessed with us, with what we would become. There is great power between us but only if we both accept it. I’m tired of trying, and I’m tired of waiting for you. It’s weakened my magic.”
She inhaled a great breath. “As much as I hate walking away from you, I already feel stronger.”
“Eve,” he pleaded.
“I want you, Lucien, really I do, but I don’t need you. I should’ve realized this sooner.” She stepped out the door but glanced back and said, “While I’m gone, fix the hole on my porch.”
The door slammed shut without being touched.
Lucien jumped up and threw it open again. He knew without taking another step that Eve was gone —untraceable, despite both cars still being visible. Not even a hint of her scent was left behind. Another stupid mystery he’d have to solve. He slammed his fist through her house, right next to the other hole.
Chapter 26
Lucien sat on the edge of Eve’s couch, staring at the wall, listening to a kitchen clock tick the seconds away. He groaned loudly. Why Ireland? Of all places, why did she have to go to Ireland? He swore he would never return there. He stood and paced the room. He could wait for her to return. It might not be that long. He groaned again. He didn’t want to wait! What if something happened?
He walked to her fridge and opened it, hoping to find some blood. There was none in there, but in the freezer, he found a gallon of it frozen. He unscrewed the cap and squeezed the blood up, eating it as if it were an Otter Pop.
He slouched back into the couch, grumbling. He used to love Ireland and its lush green countryside and constant storms. He knew Ireland better than any other place as he had lived there for over a hundred years, but they were a hundred years of torture, and not necessarily his own.
But he didn’t want to go back to his life before Eve, so if there was even a small chance something might happen to her, he had to prevent it.
He would have to go to Ireland.
With his mind made up, Lucien thought about what he knew of the vampires who had attacked him at the hotel. There were four of them. They seemed to be newbies because they didn’t move nearly as fast as he did. They worked together and, for some reason, wanted Eve alive. They could have easily killed her if they’d wanted to, despite her being an immortal.
Why would they want her alive?
He crushed the plastic jug, forcing the last of the blood up.
Time was running out. He pulled out his cell phone and called Scott, asking him to book a private jet to Ireland and have clothes and money ready for him on the plane within the hour. He also needed a car waiting for him at the airport in Dublin.
On the way to the airport, Lucien called Charlie.
When he answered, Lucien asked, “Why did you send Eve to Ireland?”
“You think I had a choice? She was going whether I helped her or not.”
“What is she going to do there?”
“The last thing Michael told us before he died was the date for some big gathering of vampires. It’s tonight. She’s going to try and use her ability to find out what they are all doing there. Her gift won’t work from far away. She has to be closer.”
“Do you know how dangerous that will be?”
Charlie fell silent. Finally, he said, “Alana will be with her, and the Deific office promised as many guards as she’d like.”
“Where is she staying?”
“I don’t know. She didn’t tell me. Can’t you call her and ask her yourself?”
“Her phone’s shut off.”
“Did you make her mad?”
He gripped the phone tightly. “You better hope nothing happens to her.”
Other than the two pilots, Lucien was the only one on the small plane. Just the way he liked it, or used to anyway. Since his time with Eve, he’d grown to appreciate daily conversation with someone else. Eve, specifically.
He thought again about what happened at her house. How had she disappeared like that? He was beginning to think that Eve was a lot more powerful than anyone suspected, including herself. She was something remarkable. And she loved him. His chest swelled with pride, an emotion he hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Several hours later, the small plane hit the runway in Ireland, its wheels screeching to a halt. Lucien’s foot tapped anxiously on the floor of the plane. At most, he could only be four hours behind Eve. If he was lucky, he might be able to pick up her scent at the airport.
Lucien, however, was not lucky. There wasn’t a trace of her. He approached a female airline employee who typed on a computer behind a counter. He placed his hand over hers. She stopped typing and looked up. Her thin mouth dropped open, and her painted-on eyebrows lifted.
“I’m so sorry to trouble you,” his voice purred, “but I’m trying to find my sister. You see, we took separate flights, and I’m afraid we’ve missed each other. I would be eternally in your debt if you could look her name up and let me know what time she arrived.”
The girl couldn’t answer, just stare.
“Are you all right, miss?” He removed his hand, hoping something would jolt her out of whatever trance she was in.
She finally stammered, “We’re not supposed to do that.”
“Oh, I know it’s a horrible thing I’m asking you to do, but I really must find her. Would you please check? Her name is Eve Andrews. Eve Andrews out of Seattle.” He smiled warmly, knowing he would get what he wanted.
She flipped her straight brown hair over one shoulder. “I guess it will be okay this once.”
“Of course it will,” he glanced down at her nametag, “Debbie.”
Her eyes met his, and she sighed, dazzled again.
“Keep typing, dear,” he ordered gently.
After several more clicks, she said, “There was an Eve Andrews who arrived on Lufthansa two hours ago.”
Eve had made it here safely. He exhaled a weighted breath and walked away without saying another word.
Because locating her would be difficult and time consuming, he decided to put himself on the same mission as her: find out what this stupid convention was all about. Eventually, their paths would have to cross.
After locating the car Paul had ordered for him, he immediately headed toward the worst part of Dublin. There he hoped to find another vampire who might know something about the meeting.
The sun had set two hours ago. With darkness fully covering the city, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a vampire. he ground his teeth together. He couldn’t believe he was seeking out another vampire. The thought repulsed him, especially in Ireland, but he didn’t know what else to do. If he could find out where they were meeting, he might be able to find Eve, too.
Lucien barely recognized Dublin as he drove through the streets. The buildings were much taller and the roads narrower. All the stores and homes were painted a different color, giving a special charm to Dublin that Lucien didn’t remember the city ever having before. He remembered Dublin as being dirty and overcrowded. It had been a dark time for Dublin in 1740, as the entire country endured the biggest famine in its history. Thousands were dying, creating a vampire frenzy around the world. Just like a shark goes mad by the smell of blood in water, vampires flocked to natural disasters. They could kill whomever they pleased with little adversity.
Vampire. Lucien slammed on his brakes, screeching to a stop. Behind him, a car swerved to miss him and honked loudly. He waited for it to pass before he turned the steering wheel and parked, one wheel on the sidewalk. He couldn’t believe he’d sensed a vampire this fast. It was unsettling.
Lucien go
t out of his car and looked around, trying to focus on the scent of the vampire. It was coming from a bar a few buildings down. He ducked inside, not bothering to take in his surroundings; as far as he was concerned, all bars looked the same. Even the customers were identical. Except for one.
The vampire, sitting at a lone table, turned to face Lucien. He had long, shaggy blond hair like an unkempt sheep dog. His face matched the length of his hair, and his bulbous nose looked as though it had been glued crookedly between two narrow eyes. His eyes were eerily yellow in the darkness of the bar.
Lucien nodded. The vampire nodded back and turned around to face an untouched beer. Lucien pulled out an empty chair and sat next to him. He thought about the best words to use to get the most information, as vampires did not mince words.
“Will you be at the gathering?” he asked.
The vampire nodded.
Point for Lucien.
He tried again. “I just arrived in town. Do you mind telling me where?”
The vampire turned to him, eyeing him suspiciously. He turned back toward his beer. “Old warehouse on Clarion Street.”
Two points.
Lucien pressed his luck. “No one’s told me why we’re meeting other than it’s big and I shouldn’t miss it. Do you know why?”
The vampire didn’t acknowledge him in any way. Game over.
Lucien, not wanting to appear anxious, remained still for several minutes before leaving. When he did, the vampire took no notice.
Lucien returned to his car and glanced at the time: 8:30 p.m. Most likely a meeting among vampires would start around midnight. He was surprised other vampires were allowing it. They typically didn’t like any type of organization, even amongst themselves.
He started the car and, without looking, pulled into traffic; several cars honked and swerved out of his way. He traveled toward Clarion Street and, hopefully, toward Eve.
Clarion Street reeked of tourists. All shapes and sizes hurried along the sidewalk, bumping into each other with their arms full of bags like little lemmings scurrying to find the next deal in identical souvenir shops. As if synchronized, they checked their watches. Only twenty minutes left to shop before stores closed. Then the lemmings would return to their holes only to appear the next day and repeat the same shallow schedule.