by Alisha Basso
***
Nikolas watched Tessa sleep, her long dark hair fanned out on the pillow. He longed to touch her, and it was ironic that she was finally here in his bed and he couldn’t. Tentatively, he put his hand out and let it hover about twelve inches over her body. He moved his hand back and forth imagining his hand caressing her soft skin. Nik clenched his teeth, his jaw tight, fighting back the desire that flooded through his body. No good could come of driving himself crazy. He lowered his hand just a bit, feeling the crackling from the magic, knowing he would get a burning shock if he got much closer. Then he moved away from her, putting enough distance between them so that he wouldn’t get burned accidentally.
After about an hour of lying next to the woman he wanted more than anything, Nik got up and paced the tiny cabin. He couldn’t take it anymore. Leaving the cabin, he made his way to the lounge. There weren’t many people inside, and he suspected there weren’t many people aboard the ship. At the bar, he ordered a double shot of Scotch and turned around on his stool to watch the men and women sitting at tables, drinking and laughing. Then he saw her; a lone woman sat in the far corner, eyeing him with a smile on her face. He grinned a predatory grin and started toward her. He could feel the blood lust coursing through his body, and he didn’t even try to fight it. After all, he couldn’t have the woman he really wanted, so who could blame him?
“Why is a pretty girl like you sitting here all by herself?” he asked, not caring how lame the line sounded. He wasn’t here to be witty.
“Waiting for you, of course,” she replied.
“I guess it’s your lucky night, then,” he said.
“I guess it is. How would you like it to be your lucky night?”
Was this really happening? Was she going to make it this easy? “I would love to get lucky. What did you have in mind?”
She smiled broadly. “All kinds of things. Come with me.”
I’m only interested in one thing. “Lead the way.”
When they got to her cabin, she opened the door and walked inside, swaying her hips suggestively. She had no idea that Nikolas wasn’t interested in what she thought he wanted. He closed the door behind him and locked it. Wasting no time, she slipped off her dress, revealing she had nothing on underneath. Nik smiled, but it was the veins and arteries pulsing under her skin that he was interested in.
“Come here,” he commanded.
She walked over to him and put her arms around his neck. He pulled one of her arms back down and turned her wrist toward him. She looked puzzled for a moment, but he moved his tongue in lazy circles around her wrist. The woman closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure. Nik bit down hard into her veins, and she gave a sharp cry of pain, but then she relaxed and groaned, the ecstasy obvious on her face. Nikolas drank and drank, savoring the taste, reveling in the pleasure of satisfying the blood lust that had tortured him.
Nikolas began to feel a niggling of unease in the back of his mind. He tried to push the feeling back down, not wanting anything to interrupt this feeling of total bliss, but it kept rising to the surface. Reluctantly, he raised his head from the woman’s wrist. When he let go of her, she slid to the floor, unconscious. Alarmed, he knelt down and was relieved to find she was still alive. How could he have done something so stupid? What if he had killed her? This ship was way too small to cover up something like that unless he threw her overboard. And what if someone caught him doing that? All he could hope for was that she would wake up and think she had gotten drunk and passed out, dreaming of a vampire she had picked up in the bar. He lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the bed. After laying her gently on top of the covers, he composed himself the best he could and went back to his cabin where Tessa was sleeping in his bed. He opened the door and walked in as quietly as he possibly could.
“Where have you been?”
***
Tessa had awakened to find herself alone in Nik’s cabin. She sat up and looked around, but she didn’t see him anywhere. Where could he have gone in the middle of the night? Tessa really didn’t want to know the answer to that question because the choices weren’t good. Of course, he could have just gotten restless since he didn’t sleep at night like she did. Maybe he just went out to explore the ship. Or maybe he got a drink in the lounge. She couldn’t convince herself of any of these scenarios, though. Perhaps it was better if she didn’t know. There was a mixture of horror and jealousy that sprung just beneath the surface of her conscious thought, and she tried to bury it before it rose to the surface. Nikolas was a vampire without a soul. They were going to find his soul. Then he would be different, wouldn’t he? None of them really knew what would happen when his soul was returned to him, but surely it would restore his conscience and he would no longer be a killer. But if he was still a vampire, what would he do about blood? Was she willing to volunteer her own blood? These were things she had tried not to think about, but waiting here for Nikolas gave her time to do nothing but think.
She heard the click of the door, and she turned toward it, waiting for Nik to walk through. She tried not to ask him where he had been, but when she saw him, the words just tumbled out of her mouth. He looked at her, almost as if in defiance, and she saw something that made her fears rush to the surface and tumble out in the form of tears. There was blood on his lips. It looked like he hadn’t made any attempt to wipe it off. Almost as if he wanted her to see it, to see him once again for what he was. Then he licked his lips clean, and she shuddered.
“Why do you cry, Tessa? You know what I am. You know what I need.”
“Couldn’t you have held off just a little longer, Nik? Did you have to drink someone’s blood right here on the ship?”
“Did you expect me to swim somewhere to find blood? Or perhaps you expected me to find a mermaid to drink from.”
“Stop it! This isn’t funny!” she said, still crying.
“I’m not laughing,” he said. “And I don’t understand why you’re crying. I didn’t kill the woman, and I certainly can’t hurt you with that blasted barrier around you. So I don’t see what all the weeping is about.”
“Are you really this cold? Is that your dark side talking, or is this the real you? How can you not know why I’m upset?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you just tell me?”
“Okay, fine. I’ll tell you. What does it matter anyway? I’ve already made a fool of myself by traipsing off to probably get myself killed over a man who doesn’t care about me anyway. So here it is. I’m stupidly falling in love with you. Are you happy now? Does that make it even easier to be cruel to me?”
Nik’s face seemed to turn to stone, but his eyes betrayed him. She saw something in them, but she wasn’t sure exactly what. Was it possible he actually had some feelings for her? After trying to kill her, and then indiscriminately feeding from other women, did he still care for her after all?
“I wasn’t aware I was being cruel, Tessa,” he said, doing just that by not acknowledging what she had just told him.
“That’s all you have to say? After I bared my soul to you, that’s all you have?”
“At least you have a soul to bare. Look, I need to sleep. It’s getting close to dawn, so if you don’t mind, please return to your cabin.”
She looked at him in astonishment. Was he actually dismissing her? Was this the man she was willing to risk her life for? No, it probably wasn’t. She just hoped this was the vampire side of him coming out and not the human side being brutally honest. She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then turned and walked out of the cabin.
Chapter Twenty
Tessa tried to get some sleep after she returned to her cabin, but it was impossible after her conversation with Nik. Besides, if she was going to have to leave the ship during the night, it might be better for her to try to sleep during the day. That way she would be on the same schedule as Nikolas was.
Restless, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay in the cabin, so she decided to explore the ship. Leaning against
the railing, she looked out across the ocean and watched the sun rise. Nikolas should be going into deep sleep right now, and she suddenly felt alone. She knew no one else on the ship, so she didn’t have anyone to talk to or to be with. Tessa decided she would go see if she could find some breakfast since she would probably sleep better with a full stomach.
When Tessa entered the dining room, she saw there were several people eating breakfast, which surprised her considering the early hour. She sat down and the server immediately took her order of eggs, bacon, and toast. Looking around, she saw a woman sitting in the corner looking dazed, confused, and quite pale. Tessa’s stomach clenched up as the truth dawned on her. This was the woman. Somehow she just knew. She should have been relieved, knowing that Nik had told her the truth about the woman still being alive. But all Tessa could think of was how beautiful she was and that Nik had been close to her and drank from her. She felt a stab of guilt. How could she be more jealous than concerned about the fact Nik could have drained this woman? Was she as bad as Nik when it came to being cold? No, she wouldn’t accept that. She just cared so much for Nik that she couldn’t help being overcome with jealousy. That didn’t mean she didn’t care what had happened to the woman, did it?
“May I join you, young miss?” said a voice beside her.
She looked up and saw a very tiny and very old woman standing there beside her. Her hair, pulled up into a bun, was pure white and surprisingly thick for such an old person. Her face was wrinkled, but her teeth were very white, and amazingly, looked like her own. Who, at this age, still had her own teeth? The old woman was still smiling patiently, waiting for an invitation.
“Oh, I’m sorry, yes, please sit down,” Tessa said.
“What brings you on this journey, young one?” the old lady asked.
“Um, I’m just going to Isla de las Almas for a little relaxation.”
“No one goes to Isla de las Almas to relax. No, I think you’re looking for something. Something very special for your vampire lover.”
“He’s not my lover!” said Tessa quickly. Then she realized she hadn’t denied the important part of the woman’s statement.
“Not yet, my child, but soon. Yet, you have a barrier around you that prevents this. Why do you protect yourself from the one you love?”
Tessa looked at the woman in astonishment. “How do you know all this? Who are you?”
The old woman cackled. “I know many things, child. Most of these people on the ship are going to Bermuda, but not you and me. We are going to a much more interesting place, are we not?”
“What’s your business there?” asked Tessa.
“That’s not your concern, missy. But I know what you’re after. You have a hindrance, though. Something that could cause things not to work out quite as well as you would hope.”
“Hindrance?” asked Tessa with a frown. “What hindrance?”
“The magical barrier that protects you from the one you love also prevents him from protecting you…or you from protecting him. This barrier will be the downfall of both of you, and you will not get what you seek.”
“How do you know what I seek?”
The woman grinned. “There’s only one reason anyone besides a magic practitioner would go to that island. You’re looking for the soul of the one you love. But you will be sorely disappointed.”
Tessa looked at her in alarm, somehow believing this old woman she had just met. “What can I do?”
“Lift the barrier, child,” said the woman.
“I can’t. I don’t know anything about magic. I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry yourself. I can take care of that barrier for you. For a price.”
“A price? I don’t have anything to give.”
“Yes, you do. There is an artifact, a very old one, that resides in the museum where you are employed. I’ve seen this artifact, and you, in my dreams, child. I knew you were the one to get it for me. If you promise to do this, then I will remove the barrier that keeps your lover from protecting you in the Cave of the Lights. Promise me.”
Tessa sat there in shock. What was she to do? What the old lady said rang true…without being able to touch each other, she and Nik couldn’t protect each other. But could she do something as unethical as stealing an artifact for this person she had just met? Could she excuse her own actions, believing she had no choice?
“Which artifact is it you want?”
“The gold chalice.”
“Chalice? I don’t have a chalice in my collection.”
“Oh, but you do, child. You just haven’t unpacked it yet. Promise me you’ll give it to me, and I’ll wipe away the barrier. It’s your choice.”
Tessa nodded. “Okay, yes, I’ll do it. Anything that will keep us from getting hurt or killed.”
“All right. Come to my cabin in one hour.”
The old lady gave her directions to her cabin, and Tessa sat there in a daze after the woman had gone. She glanced at her half-finished breakfast and knew she couldn’t eat another bite. She did, however, ask for more coffee. Feeling suddenly sleepy, she needed something to keep her alert until it was time to meet the witch. Because Tessa was sure that’s what she was.
After drinking several more cups of coffee, Tessa got up from the table and went back out to the deck. The sun was shining brightly now, and it reflected off the water so brilliantly, it was hard to look at. Would Nikolas ever be able to see this again? What would change about him once his soul was intact? It was too much to hope that he would be human again, but would any of his vampire traits change? The important thing, though, was that he would have humanity in his heart once again. And if he chose to be with her, she would learn to adapt to anything she needed to, including being awake at night instead of during the day. Her whole life would change, but it would be worth it. Wouldn’t it?
After the hour was up, she made her way to the old lady’s cabin. Before she could knock on the door, it was opened to her, and she stepped in. She was surprised to see all sorts of herbs in jars, and little carvings of animals sitting around in the small area of the cabin. This lady truly was a witch.
“What do I need to do?” asked Tessa.
“Just lie there on the bed, child, and I’ll do the rest.”
Tessa lay down on her back, a little uncomfortable about doing this, but knowing it was necessary. She tried to slow down her breathing, not wanting to show her panic. The old lady held a rod carved with symbols over her, and Tessa could see little sparks coming from it. They were all different colors and quite beautiful. The witch waved the rod over her as she chanted in a language Tessa didn’t recognize. The sparks flew over her in a glittering burst of color, not touching her, but being held back by the barrier. The woman moved the rod faster and faster, and the sparks became more plentiful, almost obscuring the old lady from her sight. The colorful flashes drew closer and closer to her as the barrier broke down. As the last of the protection left her, the sparks fell against her skin, the burning sensation an agony. She screamed.
When Tessa woke up, she suddenly remembered what had happened and quickly sat up, checking herself for burns. There was nothing. She looked around the cabin and saw the old witch sitting in a chair watching her.
“You could have told me what to expect,” said Tessa.
“It was better you didn’t know until it happened. That way you wouldn’t worry about it. Besides, it’s over quickly. And the barrier is gone.”
“If the witches that put the barrier in place were the ones to take it away, would it have hurt like that?”
“No, child. It’s only when I have to undo someone else’s spell that it causes pain. It can’t be helped. Now, you should go to your cabin and get some more sleep. You were only out for a few minutes. You’re going to need to be rested up for what you will face in the cave.”
Tessa made her way to her cabin, weariness making it hard to walk. She stopped at Nik’s cabin for a moment, the desire to enter overriding even her exhau
stion. But then she made herself move on. She didn’t really want to see Nik in his vampire sleep. Soon, things would be different. At least she hoped so.
When she got to her cabin, sleep overtook her almost immediately. She dreamed of the old woman, whose name she had never asked. But in the dream she did ask. The witch said her name was Ariel. What a pretty name for such an old woman. She also dreamed of the gold chalice. She was holding it in her hands, but it was trying to get away from her. There was a beautiful woman standing in front of her, holding out her hands, and the chalice seemed to want to go to her. Finally, she lost her grip on the cup, and it flew to the beautiful woman like a pet would go to its master. The woman lifted the chalice to her lips and drank. As she did, she looked at Tessa over the rim of the cup. She knew those eyes…she had seen them somewhere before. But where?
Chapter Twenty-One
Tessa woke up several hours later and looked at the clock beside her bed. It was a little after seven o’clock, and she knew Nik would be awake by now. Part of her wanted to see him, but another part was still a little uncomfortable about their earlier conversation. Sometimes she just couldn’t tell how much of the vampire was talking and how much of it was the man. Was Nik really unaffected by her declaration of love, or was he afraid of it? Or was the vampire inside of him taking over more and more? She knew he had slipped into the darker persona more than once, especially the time she went to his house. She had almost lost her life, and he had almost lost his soul for good. But, so far, he had hung on to his humanity a little better here on the ship. It was true he had drunk from a woman, but he hadn’t killed her. He had been able to stop himself. She hoped he continued to hang on since she had given up the barrier her friends had placed around her.