by Nix, Imogene
Hope kept pushing herself, as the screen grew blurry in front of her gaze. The hum of the computer and the tapping of keys made her sleepy, and she wasn’t quite through when she felt her body sway forward.
“Go ‘way. Not finished yet.” She swiped ineffectual hands at him, as he slid his hands beneath her, lifting her close to his chest. The metallic rattle of shutters filled the air, deployed against the sunlight that would soon shine.
A sensation of weightlessness shimmered through her once more as he carried her up the ornate staircase towards their room.
“You’ve got to stop carrying me everywhere.” She allowed the words to mumble out of her mouth while he laid her down on the deep bed. But before she could hear his answer she was asleep.
* * * *
Xavier woke with a jerk. Another nightmare. It shook him to the core. How much longer could she continue like this? He reached for and enfolded the shaking woman in his arms, holding her close to his body, willing her to accept the warmth and love in his embrace—needing to comfort her.
Each day had now become her personal torment, and she held herself together, arms wrapped around her waist and chest, as if, by doing so, she could control her reactions, or stop the dream from invading her very mind.
Once the shaking stopped, Xavier passed her the goblet of blooded wine without a word. There didn’t seem much to say when she woke screaming, the sounds shrill and chilling. He’d held her through her shudders, running a hand up and down her back, feeling the icy cold chill of her skin, while seeking to give her comfort as she had sobbed brokenly.
Quiet had descended in the room once more, and he drew himself upright, knowing that sunset was near. If what she saw came to pass, they didn’t have much time, and the need to protect and hold her roared at him to take her as his.
“Hope? In the eyes of the Council you are already as much my life partner as you would be with the ceremony, but formally, I… I want to ask you to be my consort, my lover. Please be my life partner.” He held his breath as she sat still in his arms. His stomach churned.
Dear God, let her say yes. The silence grew and the greasy bubble that had coated his insides felt like it was congealing. She was going to refuse him.
“Why?” The simple word contained so many subtleties, yet he knew what she was looking for. What she needed.
“Because I love you.” The words escaped. He’d never said that to another person, human or vampire. No woman had entranced him, aroused him or pushed him quite like she had. “Because for however many days and nights are left to me, I want and need you with me.” His hands shook and so did his voice, but he felt no shame.
This was the most important question of his long-lived life. As a human, he had not taken a wife, even when his father had urged him to for the sake of his household. In several hundred years as a vampire, he hadn’t found the one person he would trust by his side forever, that is until now. Until Hope. Now it was so important, he had to do this right.
“Yes.” He heard the word, and he knew a moment of utter peace. He closed his eyes and kissed the top of her head, holding her close to him.
“Thank you.” What more was there to say? He held her tightly and inhaled her scent. Just needing to be with her.
“You know, you could have waited until I was dressed or had at least washed my face.” Her voice was truculent, and he smiled at both her comment and her tone.
“I could have, but this was right.” She chuckled a watery sound, and his chest filled to overflowing with pride.
Now, he just needed to find a way to make forever something that they could achieve.
She was bone weary, but elation coloured her actions as she clung to him, resting her body against his, feeling the warmth he exuded.
She had just taken the biggest leap in her life, accepting Xavier as her life partner. It wasn’t a step taken lightly.
Now she needed to tell him, match the declaration he had made. She felt ready to make her own declaration. “Xavier? I love you too.” She knew the minute the words found him, when he roughly turned her in his arms. His sophistication ripped away and he kissed her hungrily. The kiss was scorching but brief. Xavier pulled back and she lifted a shaking finger to her passion-stung lips.
“You have given me the most perfect gift, Hope.” They sat together, quietly entwined for a while before rising in silence. There was little time for celebration now, yet she felt the glow of love and, glancing his way, saw his face shine.
With difficulty, Hope dragged her mind back to their problem, how to stop Estersham carrying out his evil plan. To do that, they still had to find where the attack would take place.
They dressed hurriedly, then moved down the staircase towards the room with the computers waiting where they had left them previously, taking up their spots in front of the flashing monitors.
Hope lifted the sheaf of papers, running through them, starting at the page she had been working on the night before. Residence by residence and building by building she searched, in the hope that the one would catch her eye quickly. Hope crossed off any that didn’t meet the criteria she had mentally prepared, understanding that it would continue in the same time-consuming and laborious way.
While they worked, Xavier told her of the information he had received, reading from the emails which he had found in his inbox. The message must have arrived while they slept over the course of the day from the human and vampire investigators the nest used periodically.
“Estersham was seen in the Mandrake Bar last night again. There is some talk he has a group of rogue vampires affiliated with him. We believe they are members of the Brethren.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It looks like one of them is possibly the guard from the execution. That would explain how he got away.”
“So, he has associates. That makes sense, but how long ago did he make those connections? Are they the same people he was with straight after his…turn?” She lifted her eyes to look at him for an instant, before focusing on the screen once more. “And didn’t anyone, you know, check to make sure he was dead?” Something about the whole thing felt wrong to her. The thought ate at her, like an itch irritating in the back of her mind. “I mean, don’t you have like a ledger or paperwork? And what about whoever was the witness?” She let the words hang in the air.
“Excellent points—but at the time, we had no expectation that we would be crossed like this. We believed that the membership was stable. I’ll make more enquiries, but not tonight. We need to have everything in place, in case it tips them off to a change in our plan.” He stood gracefully, and once more she found herself watching his movements. “How are you doing?” His eyes narrowed as he moved around the desk to see what she was doing.
“I’m about halfway through the list. It’s difficult, because what I see is smoky or foggy, and so damaged that it really bears little resemblance to the buildings in the pictures. I know it is in colour when I see it in my dreams, but I can’t make out distinct aspects of the building. The only thing I know for sure is there are multiple storeys and a lot of glass. That lets me eliminate the individual houses, but not businesses, commercial buildings or apartments.” She sighed heavily. “This is going to take forever.”
“Want me to help?” His voice was quiet, but she shook her head.
“I’d love you to, but there really isn’t much you can do. I need to go through each one and look for a landmark or something that pings…” She shrugged her shoulders, feeling dismayed it wasn’t easier to find the right building. “But I’ll keep on with this.” She gulped, looking back at the screen. There was one more question she had to ask, but she felt ill at the thought of the answer. “Have you got the results of the tests yet?”
They had taken a blood test since arriving to check her blood values, to see if they continued to carry the same antibodies that made her a siren.
“No. They may not come in for a few more days. However, the main thing is, so far it appears none of the Brethren appear to
have heard of your change, which means that they don’t know potentially what they wanted you for is gone.” A light hand settled on her arm. “So they continue their aggressive campaign, while we prepare to fight them. And win.” He smiled quickly, but she could see from the tight lines around his mouth and eyes that it was falsely bright, and she knew the concern in his mind, could feel it through their link.
“It’s okay. I understand. You need bait for the trap. I can accept that.” Hope touched his shoulder. It was a concept she hoped he found reassuring.
“The dreams are changing. Each night there is a difference, subtle, but there. I have a feeling we will soon find the key.” She watched as his face changed, waited a heartbeat before continuing. “I didn’t think you had picked that up yet. Yes, there are changes each night. I’ve been keeping a document on the computer in the last couple of days, tracking what I’m seeing. Highlighted the changes I’m noticing.” She brought up the file, showing him. He scanned it, smiling. She saw the muscles in his arms relaxing. “I’ll send it through to you after. But right now, we need to get back to work, to find that piece of information that will give us the advantage.”
He looked steadily into her eyes, and she felt something inside her shift slightly, while she waited. “You are one hell of an amazing woman, Hope.”
Warmth flooded through her. He rose, moving back to his side of the desk. For an instant, she fancied the air around her cooled, in the absence of his proximity, and she reminded herself inwardly those thoughts were fanciful.
Hope crossed off another building, turned the page and started typing once more.
* * * *
He watched the graceful, slim body, waiting in figure-hugging black yoga pants and a fitted sports top. She gripped the head of the whip in a firm hand and he could see the intense concentration on her face. She lifted her arm and the whip thwacked with her jerky motion. She moved again, this time the supple leather coiling and dropping back to the ground with an audible slap.
“Let me do it again.” The sheen of sweat on her skin glowed under the lights, but it was the glint of determination in her eyes that filled him with pride. After two hours, she had managed several decent cracks and pretty much each time had hit the target, which was a step towards being able to command the whip, as both a defensive and offensive weapon.
She bared her teeth and gave a grunt as she wielded it again. This time the crack echoed through the room.
“That is sufficient for tonight.” Xavier moved to take a step forward, but she turned.
“No. I need to…” He knew what she was about to say. Yes, she needed to master it, but for now, it was time to rest.
“No. You need to feed and we still have some work to do tracking that building.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at his face.
“You’ve heard something?” She dropped the arm she had raised and stalked forward, the muscles of her body moving with her steps.
Xavier grinned. He knew he smiled. He stepped back waiting for her to follow. A competitive streak had emerged with her change, one he appreciated fully. “I think you might like to take a quick shower first.”
“What?” She sniffed the air before wrinkling her nose. “Yes, I probably should. Geez, that is a huge drawback to my increased sense of smell. However, that doesn’t get you out of it. Walk up with me and tell me what you have found out.” She turned, not waiting for him and he watched her graceful movements, curling the whip up in her hands as she walked towards the door of the gymnasium.
Her gliding gait was mesmerising, her hips swaying slightly to and fro. She mounted the stairs and the muscles of her backside clenched and released, while she made her way along the landing, slipping through the door and heading towards the large built-in wardrobe. She stopped, snatching clean clothing before heading into the bathroom.
Hope left the door open. He reclined upon the bed, listening to the sounds of her movements. “So? Now that I know you have news, it would be unfair to make me wait.” The water rushed from the head of the tap and he closed his eyes, imagining her stepping beneath the spray, the water beading over her luscious curves. The ever-present arousal raised its head and he opened them again, willing away the sexual awareness that had dogged him unceasingly since meeting her.
“Yes. Well, we have your test results back. They are all negative. Which means the factors in your blood are now absent.” He stopped, waiting for her to absorb the information.
“So?” She stopped talking for an instant, and he would swear he could almost hear her thinking, though she had mastered the ability to erect a barrier between them when she needed to. Right now the barrier was like a block wall. She was probably weighing up the information. “Okay. He obviously doesn’t know yet. Do you think that will work for long?” He heard the quick, efficient twist of her hand when turned the shower off and the way she pulled the towel from the rack. He strained hoping to hear the rub of the fabric over her skin.
How he wanted to go to the bathroom and make love to her, sinking within her body as his arousal demanded. But he couldn’t, not now. That was for later, when there was time to show her how much he cared. Right now they had to solve the problem. He refused to be sidetracked into forgetting—it was one that needed a swift resolution, as time bled away.
Sounds filtered through the open door, that of clothing slipping over her skin, and he curled his fingers, as the heat simmered below the surface once again. “Do you want to get straight back to work?” Keep it light and innocuous, he thought. As far away from the temptation that would wrap him back into the veil of sensual thoughts.
She came back through the open doorway. “Yeah, I guess we should.” In her eyes he could see the same awareness that wavered between them. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her beautiful violet eyes were glinting with arousal. He stood quickly.
“Let’s get out of here.” His words sounded rough once more, but he was unashamed of the reaction to her. She was his life mate, the one he had waited empty centuries for.
She moved forward, twining her slender fingers through his and drawing him close, her lips whispering over his. The kiss nothing more than a promise, but even so, the electric touch of her set him aflame.
Xavier pulled away regretfully, putting space between them. “Come on.” He led the way out of the room.
* * * *
Once more she concentrated on the vision glowing before her. She was sure she knew the building. The smoke haze choked her, and the sound of crying humans was so loud she wanted to clap her hands over her ears. The humans who had escaped wore smeared white coats. Lost in the middle of the nightmare, she was sure this was important as she looked around, seeing the fear in their eyes, smelling it in the acrid, coppery tang of their body odour. Their hearts beat and blood pumped faster than ever before through their veins. Her mouth ached, and she fought to control the unfamiliar urges her body experienced.
The leather grip of the weapon in her hand moved as she flicked it to and fro, waiting for the moment they would appear. They would come, she knew it instinctively now. They always appeared in her dream.
Xavier waited beside her, as did Javed and the house guard. Each of them held their favoured weapon—Javed, a long scimitar that looked both ugly and beautiful, and Xavier carried a long slender sword in his hand. At his hip, she could make out the ultraviolet gun.
They waited, standing still, searching back and forth, scanning the grey choking cloud. They would soon be here.
The crunching and crashing from the building finally ceased, and all she could hear were the humans as they moved and huddled in groups, crying out. A scream rent the air while the ghostly dust started to dissipate, and finally they saw the hunters.
They moved with an unnatural grace—a predatory army. A moment of hysteria descended, gripping her.
A thought occurred before she could beat it back. What if they didn’t prevail? What if these creatures, these Brethren won the day? Then what?
Who would
be the defence of the humans then? “No. I won’t let that happen.” She voiced the words, taking strength in them.
“It will be okay, Hope. Breathe. Watch. Look for a weakness.” She could hear his voice as it filtered through the grey cloud. He was there. With her.
Then the Brethren moved. Circled. Looking for a gap they could exploit in their formation.
Javed feinted as one tried to launch a forward assault. He parried the attack while everyone watched in silence. The Brethren vampire lifted his sword and Javed parried again, holding his opponent off. The sound of grunts and clashing steel filled the air.
The others had engaged, but this was the main game, she knew. Javed got the upper hand and a quick silent thrust was followed by a jerky movement. It finished with a rolling head falling to the rubble strewn ground.
A roar filled the air, and finally the circle around them broke free from the mystical arrangement. The Brethren vampires surged forward, as their animalistic grunts filled the air.
Clangs and cracks met with the sound of whips and chains and they each found an opponent. One tried to engage her. She flicked her whip, felt the movement of it in her hand, wielding it with accuracy. It snaked through the air and she hit the one who came at her.
He ducked and dived, slid and slipped, trying to move out of the way of the flying leather.
The scent of blood was pervasive. Her jaw ached. She fought against the urge to drop the weapon and tear at him, to rip his throat and drink him dry. The vampire tried to wrest control, pulling on the leather, but she restrained her instincts, instead flicking it free of his hold. She watched, moving forward, advancing on the opponent. He moved back. Swipe. Into the arcing blade of one of her guards and the sound of flesh hitting the ground filled her with a mixture of pride and disgust.
She turned, seeking another opponent. Now wasn’t the time to be squeamish.