Venom (The Reawakening Series Book 1)

by Daniele Lanzarotta

  “There is nothing to feel, Nick.”

  “I know you’re confused and angry,” I say, watching her every move to see how she reacts. “I could feel how you were looking at me back at the house while I was talking to Sarah.”

  “Nick, I’m not your play thing that you can do whatever you want with, throw away, and then go after again. And quit being so damn conceited.”

  She gets up and walks down the hall.

  I look back toward the area where Sarah is and decide to follow Lexi instead of sitting around and waiting.

  I follow her as she takes the stairs down and then until she is in the parking garage. That is when she turns around.

  “I’m leaving, Nick. There is not a damn thing you can do about it.”

  “You miss me. Admit it.”

  She is starting to get angry. I love pushing her buttons. Anger usually leads her to drop down her walls and say what she is really feeling.

  “You are wrong. What I miss is the connection… having blood ties with someone.”

  I cock my head to the side.

  “He never drank from you, once I released you as my minion?”

  She shakes her head.

  “Huh.”

  “He wanted a normal relationship, Nick. One based on love and not on manipulation because of blood imprints.”

  I focus on her eyes. “Are you claiming that is what we had for over thirty years?”

  “Ugh. No, Nick. I’m not and you know I’m not.” She pauses. “I’m leaving, Nick.”

  In a blur of movements, I’m in front of her. Without giving her time to think, my arms are around her waist and my lips are on hers. She resists for less than a second before she gives in. I can feel her hand on the back of my head, tugging at my hair, while her other hand is on my back, her fingernails digging into me through my shirt.

  We move until her back is against her car. Never once do we stop kissing. The hunger in this kiss is more powerful than anything I have ever felt and I know that she feels it too.

  When I stop kissing her, I don’t move my arms away. I hold her and she rests her head against my shoulder.

  “Stay,” I whisper.

  “I can’t, Nick. I can’t put myself through that again.”

  “Things will be different.”

  She pulls away. “I can’t do this to Tyler. And I can’t allow myself to trust you again, Nick. I see you. You’re the same player you were when I first met you and that hurts. I didn’t expect you to be depressed about us for the rest of eternity and I have no room to talk because I’m with Tyler, but you are not the kind of guy who settles down, let alone for eternity.”

  “I am if I have the right woman by my side.”

  She smiles and kisses my cheek. “Goodbye, Nick.”

  I stand there in the middle of the dark parking garage, watching her as she leaves. This time she is the one leaving me and she is leaving by choice.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  SARAH

  I take Ian’s phone with me when I leave the room. He said he would text me his new number as soon as he gets a phone. I hate leaving him, especially like this, but maybe he is right.

  When I step into the hallway, I don’t see anyone there. I start to walk toward the exit that leads to the parking garage when I feel someone’s hand over my mouth, keeping me from screaming, and I’m pulled into the elevator.

  As soon as we are in the elevator, he pushes the button for the door to close. We don’t move far before he makes the elevator stop, but the doors don’t open.

  “Don’t scream,” he says. “I’m a friend.”

  I stop to look at him. He seems familiar… tall, pale, military cut-brown hair.

  Once he realizes that I’m not screaming, he continues. “The people who are looking for you—they took Nicholas and Lexi.”

  My eyes widen and I feel like I can’t breathe. “How do you know? What happened?”

  “I will have time to answer your questions later. For now, I want to take you somewhere safe and then I will find them, okay?”

  “Where is Harvey? I want to go to him.”

  He gives me a reassuring smile. “Harvey is safe and we shouldn’t lead any attention to him.”

  I take a deep breath and nod.

  “By the way, I’m Tyler.”

  ***

  We leave the hospital through the back entrance. His car is parked in the staff parking lot. He keeps looking around as we walk toward it. I wonder if maybe he is looking to make sure that the vampires who took Nicholas and Lexi aren’t following us.

  As soon as we get in the car, he says, “Do you have a cell phone on you? You’ll need to get rid of it.”

  “I do,” I say, “but it’s not my phone. It’s my boyfriends. It’s safe.”

  He shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so. We’re not taking any risks.”

  Reluctantly, I give him Ian’s phone. He rolls the window down and throws the phone out, running over it as he drives off.

  I feel sick to my stomach as he drives off.

  “How did they find us?” I ask.

  “They heard something on the news.”

  I give him a puzzled look. “No one knew I was with Ian at the park. How did you know they took Lexi? How did you know where to find me?”

  He smiles. “We have a blood imprint. I can find her anywhere. And I knew she was with you.”

  I nod and look out the window.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “Somewhere safe.”

  Tyler is one of those guys who seems trustworthy. Nicholas even said he was always too nice, especially for a vampire, but something about this doesn’t feel right.

  I stop asking questions and look out the window. At some point during the drive, I fall asleep.

  ***

  I jump awake at the sound of a phone ringing. I look at the front panel of the car and blink a few times. I see Lexi’s name and number displayed on there. Tyler tries to decline the call but isn’t fast enough. It’s too late. I scream and even with the car moving at over 80mph, I try to open the door, but it’s locked. I’m trapped.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  NICHOLAS

  I sneak into the hospital room to find the boy sleeping, and Sarah gone. I move toward him and poke his arm. His eyes open right away, but he still looks sleepy… or drugged.

  “Where is she?”

  He gives me a confused look. More confused than the look he had because of the medicine.

  “She left a while back.”

  “Damn it. She doesn’t have her phone. I can’t find out where she went.”

  Ian takes a deep breath. “I gave her my phone so I can still call her.”

  “Huh. Smart. I have to give you points for that, even though the phone will be gone as soon as I find her. What’s the number?”

  I grab the hospital phone and dial the numbers as he tells me.

  No answer.

  Ian’s sister walks in the room. “I ran into the nurse in charge on the way here. She said she left with a guy.”

  I look at the boy. “Who else does she talk to besides you?” I growl.

  Ian panics. “Cody, but he is bad news. He’s part of Cassie’s group.”

  Ian starts to sit up and pull the IV off.

  “What are you doing?” asks his sister.

  “I’m going to look for her.”

  Blocking his sister’s view, I glamour Ian. “You are staying here and resting. Now tell me where I can find Cody and Cassie.”

  He gives me both of their addresses and I rush out to look for Sarah.

  ***

  I go to Cody’s house first but there is no one there. I rush to Cassie’s next. I hear laughter from the backyard, so I don’t even bother with the doorbell. I go toward the back.

  She smiles when she spots me coming around the corner.

  “Where is she?” I ask.

  “Whoever do you mean?”

  “Don’t try to act like an idiot. Sarah.
Where is she?”

  “I don’t know a Sarah.”

  Crap.

  “Noelle. Where is she?”

  “Oh, that one… probably by Ian’s bedside.”

  “Are you Cody?”

  The guy nods.

  I glamour him. “Where did you go after the park?”

  “I came straight here.”

  “And you stayed here the entire time?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about her?” I ask him.

  “The same.”

  “I want you to leave,” I tell him. “And forget that I was here.”

  He nods and obeys me.

  “Is anyone home?” I ask her.

  She shakes her head, grinning.

  “Invite me in.”

  I don’t have to compel her. She invites me without hesitation. She seems to be enjoying this.

  “I want you to stay away from my sister,” I say as soon as we are in the living room. Not that my request matters, being that we are leaving town, but some humans are crazy and she is definitely one of them.

  “I don’t know…” she says playfully. “I would say yes, but I’m not a very good listener when I don’t have supervision.”

  I move closer to her and she has a smile plastered on her face. I move slowly, taking in how someone human can be such a monster, bullying and manipulating others. I’m used to vampires being this kind of evil, but from time to time I run into humans who are worse than us and that shocks me every single time.

  “You know, there is something really annoying about you,” I say.

  She smiles. “What would that be?”

  This time, I’m the one who smiles at her. “You’re breathing, sweetheart.” I move faster this time, quickly moving her neck to the side and sink my fangs into her.

  I wish I could stop the venom from coming out; stop her from feeling any pleasure out of this. But I can’t and I hate every moan… every sign that she is enjoying me drinking every drop of her blood.

  A part of me can’t finish her off. She is vain and for someone as vain as she is, there is no punishment worse than letting her live her life and learn lessons the human way. It’s doubtful that someone will love her for anything other than her looks. What else is there? She will grow old, looks will be gone, and there will be nothing left. Unless she changes.

  I know I didn’t let out enough venom to turn her, so I use glamour before I go, telling her she needs to not only forget I was here, but that she needs to quit this dating business.

  Consider that my good deed for the century.

  I walk outside of the house not knowing what to do next.

  I finally get in my car and decide to call Harvey.

  I tell him everything that happened.

  “Do you think one of our kind has found her?” he asks.

  I shake my head. “I doubt it.”

  “Are you sure she wasn’t mentioned on the news in any way?”

  “Positive.”

  “Do you think she is hiding so she doesn’t have to leave Ian?” he asks.

  “Possible.”

  “Give me the number for the cell Ian gave her. I will leave her a message. She will call me back.”

  “And if she doesn’t?” I ask.

  “Head over to the hospital and ask them to see the security tapes… just in case.”

  ***

  I have to glamour security into letting me see the tapes.

  “WHAT THE HELL!”

  I dial Harvey’s number as I stare at the screen.

  “Tyler took her,” I say.

  “Lexi’s Tyler?” he asks confused.

  “That is who she left with.”

  “Where is Lexi?” asks Harvey.

  “She left earlier.”

  Harvey sighs. “Do you have any reason to believe she asked Tyler to take Sarah to keep her safe from you?”

  “Will you call Lexi?” I ask him. “Don’t hang up on me though… just add her to the line.”

  She answers right away.

  “Harvey? Is everything okay?”

  “Actually, no. Sarah is missing. Do you know anything about that?”

  I can hear her gasp. “No. Do you think she ran away so she can stay with Ian?”

  “That is what I thought at first, but no. Lexi, Nicholas viewed the security videos from the hospital and she left with Tyler.”

  She pauses. “Please tell Nicholas I don’t have time for games.”

  I send her a text with a screenshot from the security camera.

  She pauses again.

  “Lexi?” asks Harvey.

  “I will call you back.”

  She hangs up and I head back over to the house in case Sarah comes back.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  LEXI

  Tyler doesn’t answer any of my calls. I end up deciding to drive straight home and wait in our apartment for him. It’s hours before I hear him outside the door.

  I sit on the couch as I hear the door open.

  “Hey, Lexi.” He smiles. “When did you get in?”

  “A few hours ago.”

  “Sorry I didn’t answer your calls, I was driving and—”

  I stand up but keep my distance. “Where is she, Ty?”

  “Who?”

  “Sarah. I know you have her. I didn’t understand why you so willingly let me go anywhere near Nicholas… now that part of the story makes sense, but why do you have Sarah? Where is she?”

  “She is safe, Lexi.”

  “Where?”

  “Do you trust me?” he asks.

  “Usually.”

  He raises his eyebrow. “It’s only been days and you’ve already picked up his sarcastic habits.”

  “Tyler, please. Don’t go there.”

  There is a look of hurt in his eyes. “I can smell him on you,” he says.

  “Don’t change the subject, Ty. Where is she and why did you take her?”

  “I can’t tell you that, Lex. You’ll have to trust me. Look, I’m exhausted. I’m going to take a hot shower and then we’ll talk okay?”

  I close my eyes and nod.

  Tyler walks toward me, kisses my forehead and goes into the bathroom.

  I grab my phone and text Nicholas. I don’t know why I don’t go to Harvey first, but I don’t.

  “Tyler has her, but he won’t tell me anything. He just says she is safe.”

  “Where are you? I’ll get the bloody answers out of him.”

  I sigh. “No, Nick. I will find her. I will text you when I know more.”

  My phone rings… It’s Nick calling. I hit ignore and silence my phone.

  He texts back. “Would you at least tell me what city you are in so I’m near you and Sarah?”

  “It’s best if you don’t know. I will text you when I know more. Later, Nick.”

  I turn my phone off just as Tyler walks out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

  He takes one good look at me then stares at my phone.

  “Let me get dressed and I will take you to her.”

  “You will?” I ask doubtful.

  He nods. “But you’ll have to stay with her for a little while. That is the only way I will be able to tell you what’s going on.”

  “Okay,” I agree.

  He gets dressed and we leave. He starts to drive and he doesn’t say much in the car. When he does, I wish he hadn’t.

  “Do I have anything to worry about in relation to you and Nicholas?”

  “No, you don’t and I don’t want to talk about him.”

  We drive for a little over an hour until we get to a big house in Southampton.

  He parks the car towards the back of the house where I notice security guards by the doors and windows.

  “What’s this place?” I ask.

  “Work.”

  I give him a confused look but follow him inside, where we find more security. No one ever stops him or questions my being there.

  Once inside, he takes me to a ro
om with white couches and a lot of books. There is a two-way mirror in the room and on the other side Sarah lies asleep on a hospital bed.

  “She is just sleeping,” he says.

  I take in the monitors and wires hooked up to her before I turn to face him.

  “What is happening, Tyler?”

  He tries to hold my hand, but I pull it away.

  “Sit down, Lexi. I’ll explain everything.”

  I take another look at Sarah before seating.

  “I didn’t lie to you. She is safe here. There is no telling what would’ve happened to her if she was out there and a vampire with poor control and little knowledge found her.

  Sometime last year, I heard of this group of scientists who were working on something that could change everything for us. At the time, they were just asking for donations, but I knew I had more to offer them… an actual solution to what they were working toward.

  Sarah’s case always drew my attention. You have angel blood and so does Nicholas, which gives you a few human perks like being able to sleep and dream, but Sarah… we all know her blood is special and that she needs to be protected, but I started to wonder if there is more good than bad to the situation.”

  “What does that mean, Tyler?”

  “It means that she could be the solution to everything. They are testing her blood now. Lexi, she could have the cure to vampirism running through her veins. She could be the solution for us having the life we’ve dreamed of.”

  I shake my head. “Assuming that is true, you are talking about one little girl and an entire race of vampires. There will never be enough blood.”

  “Which is the reason why they are studying her and evaluating our options.”

  “If you knew of this possibility, how come you didn’t just drink from her in the car?”

  He looks away. “I did. It didn’t work.”

  “You drank a child’s blood? What’s happened to you? You are one of the few vampires who managed to keep an ounce of humanity and you’re putting that at risk by trying to become human again. Do you know how ironic that is?”

  “If I hadn’t, someone else would.”

  I look up at him, “Tyler, please let me just take her back to her home.”

  He looks at me like he’s shocked by my request.

  “This cure, if there is one… I don’t want it. Not at this cost.”

  “Lexi, come on sweetheart. You’re upset because you know her. Once you see that she is not hurt—”