B00528UTDS EBOK

by Kennedy, Lorraine

  The walk to the front porch took them through a stunning garden of flowers and fountains. A shiver slid down his spine. He could not help but feel revulsion when he thought of the darkness within, and how such a beautiful garden could so easily mask such darkness.

  After climbing the large - covered porch, Father Rovati rang the doorbell. A short time later a blond woman answered the door. Right away he recognized her to be human. Before he could introduce himself and explain his visit, the woman’s eyes strayed to the limp body that one of the men behind him was holding in his arms.

  “Nicole!” she screamed, rushing out the door.

  “She is ill,” Father Rovati explained. “We must get her inside and into a bed.”

  “Of course,” she said, motioning for them to follow her.

  Vicky Trenton led them into an entry hall and by a staircase to a small bedroom on the main floor.

  Nicole was placed in a twin bed with an old fashion patchwork quilt. Father Rovati checked her vitals, and then busied himself changing her IV.

  “You can wait for me outside,” he spoke to his two companions.

  “Are you some kind of doctor? What’s wrong with her? What’s wrong with my daughter?” Vicky asked, as she held her hands together in an effort to keep them from trembling.

  “Yes, at one time I was a doctor,” he told her. Her question brought forth troubling memories. He’d been working at the hospital and a girl was brought in. She had been on the verge of death. She was dying from loss of blood, and some type of poisoning that he could not identify. There had been fang marks in her neck, and at first he’d believed the wounds to be inflicted by a snake, but he’d been confused about the loss of blood. Then the girl died.

  The other medical personnel had left the room. He was updating the girl’s medical charts. He’d heard a noise and looked up. The girl began moving - coming back to life. He’d thought it was a miracle - that was until she’d come at him like a rabid animal.

  The first thing he’d thought of was that she’d turned into some kind of zombie, as unbelievable as that was. Then he saw her fangs. In that instant he knew the vampire myth was true. The mutation had been too much for her body, and as quickly as she’d reanimated, she fell to the floor dead once again.

  This incident led him to the church, and his mission to rid the world of the vampire. That was a long time ago. Now he knew that it was not some hellish curse. No it was much more complicated than that.

  “Father!” Vicky tried to get his attention.

  The woman’s voice chased the memory away. “She has lost a lot of blood, and is comatose,” he finally answered.

  “Oh no! They got to her didn’t they?” Now Vicky’s worry had turned into full-blown panic.

  Rovati hesitated only a moment before nodding his head. “I must speak with Donavan Ashe.”

  Vicky’s mouth fell open.

  “Yes … I know him, and I know he is here,” he told her, his lips twitched as he tried to smile.

  Vicky nodded. “Wait here and I will ask him if he’ll see you. What’s your name?”

  “Father Rovati,” he told her.

  After the woman left, Rovati studied the room. It appeared so normal, but that was just like Donavan Ashe. It was also like him to take a human mate and sire a daughter. He knew now that was the reason that Alec’s blood had not turned her. Nicole was the daughter of an ancient. The blood of the ancients ran through her veins, and that gave her a built in immunity to the poison. That wasn’t always the way it worked. Some born vampires were very sensitive to the vampire’s poison, and could turn quickly. That didn’t seem to be the case with Nicole Ashe.

  Stepping to the window, he gazed out at the garden. Though the sun was gone, the gardens were beautifully lit, the walkway illuminated by small lanterns. The scent of roses drifted in the open window.

  “Well it’s my old enemy, the holy slayer. He has come right into the vampire’s lair.”

  Father Rovati turned at the sound of Donavan’s voice. While Rovati had aged, the vampire’s sinister good looks had remained the same. This did not surprise him, nor did the fact that Donavan still possessed the same dark charisma that was so useful to the vampire when it came to snaring victims.

  “Thank you for returning my daughter to me … and for not killing her,” Donavan added, his lips spreading into a cold smile.

  “I also did not kill the two vampires that were with her. They will be along shortly.”

  “Again … I must thank you for such an unusually generous act.” Donavan took a step toward the priest.

  Rovati backed away. He still did not trust Donavan completely. “They were searching for the Book of Anu when they were attacked by other vampires, but it was Alec Norwood that fed on her.”

  Donavan frowned, but said nothing.

  “They deprived him of blood, and then locked her in with him. It was strangely cruel and personal.”

  “I’m afraid that this was the work of my brother, Omar,” Donavan told the priest.

  “What is going on Donavan?” Rovati asked, a deep scowl on his face. “They were looking for the Book of Anu … your daughter and that Alec Norwood. You know how dangerous it could be in the wrong hands.”

  Donavan smiled and lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “She is a wayward child, I’m afraid.”

  “And Omar?”

  “My brother and his followers have disappeared from New Orleans. I have no way of knowing where he is, but you should be aware that he plans a slaughter like none you have ever seen before, and it will happen soon,” Donavan added.

  “But why? What does he hope to gain?” Rovati was confused. He had come to know the vampire as a dark creature, but one that only fed to survive. Their nature was changing, and he could not understand why.

  Donavan shrugged his shoulders. “To rule the immortals … to rule the humans. Maybe he is seeking retribution for the power given to the wolves? I cannot tell you what is in my brother’s mind.”

  “What do you plan to do about it?”

  “Nothing. I cannot go against my own brother … my own kind.” Donavan turned away from the priest to gaze on the still form of his daughter.

  “So you plan to let him slaughter a multitude of innocent people?” Rovati asked, astounded by Donavan’s seeming indifference.

  “That is not what I said,” Donavan’s voice turned hard. “It will be up to the Light Seekers and the wolves to bring order back to our world. I help by not impeding their efforts.”

  “Even after what they’ve done to your daughter?” Rovati’s voice shook with anger.

  Donavan’s eyes rested on Nicole’s pale face. “My daughter knew the possible consequence of loving an immortal, but she will come out of this okay. Her destiny was foretold to me by a higher source.”

  “You are very sure of yourself,” Rovati was doubtful. “Maybe it is time to reveal what is in the Book of Anu?”

  Donavan shook his head. “No one would believe, not even the immortals. The time will come, but that time is not now.”

  Before Rovati could say more, the chiming of the doorbell distracted him.

  The true darkness of the immortal would soon rear its ugly head. He knew it - he could feel it deep in his bones.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sarah wore cutoff shorts and a white T-shirt with pink hearts across the front of it. She appeared to be furthest you could get from a vampire or a witch, but she was both. Darrien stood behind her, his hand resting on her shoulder. His nearness offered her protection and support. Sarah wasn’t sure which she needed most at that moment.

  The woman that answered the door seemed mildly surprised when she saw them, but to her credit she smiled welcomingly. “Can I help you,” she asked.

  “I’ve come to see my sister, to see Nicole,” Sarah’s words were rushed. She was worried. She hadn’t heard Nicole whispering to her for hours now. Not since she’d been given direction on where she should go once she and Darrien reached New O
rleans.

  “Of course. Please come in.” Vicky stepped aside so they could enter. “She’s in here.”

  Sarah and Darrien followed the woman into a small room. A man wearing a black shirt and a priest’s collar stood near the bedroom window, but Sarah barely noticed him. It was the other man in the room that commanded her attention. His dark eyes were magnetizing. He very much resembled the girl - the phantom that had come to her the night before. This vampire was her father, and Nicole’s father.

  Sarah’s eyes strayed to the girl on the bed. She was still - her face a pale mask of death. Rushing to her sister’s bedside, she placed a hand on her forehead. Her sister was burning with fever. She would need to move quickly before Nicole’s soul left her body entirely.

  “Sarah?” The deep male voice called to her.

  Sarah turned to face the vampire that had fathered her.

  “Donavan.” Sarah’s voice was icy and flat. “Where is my mother?”

  He shook his head. “I have not seen her since I went away from you both.”

  “You mean since you left us stranded in a sleazy motel room in Portland?” Sarah spoke the words through clenched teeth, her anger overcoming her common sense.

  For a fraction of a moment she saw shock in his eyes.

  “Did you think I would not hear the stories?” she asked coldly.

  “I did not have a choice. Maybe one day you will see the truth of this.” It was the only explanation he offered.

  “Maybe … but I doubt it,” Sarah told him before turning back to Nicole.

  There was no more time to waste getting to know the father that had left her behind. At least Nicole had made an effort to find her, and it was her life that Sarah was concerned with at the moment.

  Before Sarah could think of what she should do to help Nicole, she heard a commotion at the front of the house and a door slamming. A second later, a man rushed into the room. He was wearing a business suit and seemed completely out of place. She found his run of the mill, clean-cut appearance confusing because he was a vampire. This she was sure of, despite the wire rimmed glasses that he wore, but very likely didn’t need. A vampire’s eyes were never bad. Sarah knew that much.

  The vampire went straight to Nicole’s bed. “Alec called me from the airport, he and Dash are on their way,” he told them. Glancing up at Sarah, the vampire held out his hand. “You must be Sarah,” he smiled. “I’m Ethan. I’ve been searching for you for a long time.”

  Sarah shook his hand, and decided right away that this was one vampire that she could like, aside from Darrien.

  For the first time Sarah noticed Jeanie in the bedroom doorway, and she ran to her aunt’s side. “Thank God you are okay. Darrien told me that someone thrashed the house.”

  Jeanie waved away Sarah’s worry like she always did. “They were just throwing a tantrum … that’s all. I’m sure they were very angry to find that you had slipped away right under their noses,” she laughed.

  “Oh … and Taylor sends his love,” Jeanie added with a wink.

  Sarah didn’t miss the look of distress on Darrien’s face. She was sure her aunt had done it purposely, but she chose to ignore her aunt’s reference to Taylor.

  “We have to do something for Nicole,” Sarah told her aunt.

  “I know … and we will, but first we need space to work. We’ll need enough room to lay her on the floor, and to surround her with candles.”

  “We can clear out the parlor,” Donavan spoke up.

  * * * *

  Nicole lay on the hardwood floor, encircled by white candles. Sarah knelt beside her, but the rest of the group stood outside the circle. Jeanie had told her what to do, but her aunt could not help. The magic would be far more powerful if a blood relative performed the ritual.

  From the darkness beyond the candlelight, Sarah was aware of Alec’s anxiety. Ethan and Dash were restraining her sister’s lover by force. When he’d arrived, he’d gone straight to Nicole’s side. They had been unable to talk him into letting go of her hand, so that Sarah could do what she had to do. It had taken three of them to pull him away from Nicole.

  Sarah chanted a spell of life, as she used mint oil to draw a star on Nicole’s head. Her hands shook with uncertainty, her doubts taunted her. She was after all - a novice witch. Could she really expect to pull this off?

  Pushing the self-doubt from her mind, Sarah cleared her thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand. She picked up her crystal dagger, placing the handle against Nicole’s forehead, with the blade positioned toward the ceiling.

  “Zaltar! I call you now!” Sarah called loudly.

  The dagger began to glow. At first the blue light was dim, but it slowly brightened.

  “I call the power of earth … fire … air … and water. I call to the spirits that reside in the north … the south … the east … the west. Breathe life back into her lungs. Give voice to her words, and chase away the shadow of death!”

  The light emanating from the dagger grew so bright that Sarah was had to use her hand to protect her eyes, but then the light changed into brilliant prisms of color so breathtaking that there was no mistaking it for anything other than magic. When the light faded, a white mist gathered above Nicole’s head. Like ghostly fingers, the mist crawled over her body - finding its way into her nose and mouth - entering her head through her ears.

  When the smoky mist began to retreat, it moved to Sarah - gathering at her shoulder. The mist darkened until it was completely black, and then it transformed into a raven.

  While the raven rested on Sarah’s shoulder, she knelt closer to her sister. “Nicole … can you hear me?”

  Nicole’s eyes fluttered open and she stared at Sarah, the confusion evident.

  “Do you remember me?” Sarah asked.

  Nicole shook her head. “No … maybe. I don’t know.”

  “That’s okay,” Sarah smiled. “It’s not unusual for people to lose their memory of the other side.”

  “What do you mean … the other side?” Nicole tried to sit up, but the effort seemed too much for her.

  “You were very close to death,” Sarah told her.

  “Nicole!” Alec called from across the room. Breaking away from Dash and Ethan, Alec went to where Nicole lay on the floor and knelt by her side.

  “Can you ever forgive me?” Alec choked on his words.

  Nicole reached up to touch his face. “There is nothing to forgive. I would do it all over again.”

  Alec shook his head. “No! You will never risk your life for me again.”

  Nicole’s only response was a strained smile. She then closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

  Vicky stepped forward to take her daughter’s hand. “Let’s get her to bed. She is still weak and needs her rest.”

  Sarah felt a twinge of jealousy that her sister should enjoy the love of a mother, while she had been denied that love for so long. Shamed by her thoughts, Sarah pushed them out of her head and reached out to grab Vicky’s hand.

  “I saw your son in a dream. He is happy and at peace. He is always near you and Nicole.”

  Tears crept into Vicky’s eyes. “Thank you,” she said, clearing her throat. “You should tell Nicole this when she is well. She will want to hear about her brother.”

  * * * *

  Sarah sat on a marble bench, enjoying the garden and the cool evening breeze. It had been two days since Nicole had woken, and she was quickly regaining her strength. Sarah had spent many hours getting to know her sister, and filling her in on what had happened while she was comatose.

  The sound of footsteps on the stone walkway intruded on the peaceful solitude she’d found in the garden. Donavan approached her, but Sarah refused to acknowledge him.

  “Sarah … do you mind if I sit here?” he asked.

  Sarah shrugged.

  “You have not spoken to me since the night you arrived. I believe we have much to talk about.”

  “Not really,” Sarah told him as she stood to leave.r />
  “Please don’t go. Talk with me,” Donavan spoke up before she could walk away.

  Taking a deep breath, Sarah returned to sitting on the bench next to him. “What do you have to say to me that you couldn’t have said years ago?” she asked.

  “I have three daughters, and I love them all equally. You must understand Sarah … I will not be the cause of harm coming to them. And I will not bring this curse of my existence onto the women that I have loved,” he tried to explain.

  “What do you mean?” Sarah was confused.

  “Your mother … she would not accept what she was. Beth wanted me to turn her into what I am, but I refused.” Donavan grew silent for a long time before he continued.

  “I knew that she loved me and would have done anything for me … even give up her existence as a human. I couldn’t let her do that. I loved her in my own way, and did not want her to live like I have had to live. Then there was you. I knew she could not be the mother that you needed, if she were to live as an immortal.”

  “Well she wasn’t that anyway.” Sarah’s words were full of bitterness.

  Sarah didn’t resist when Donavan took her hand in his. “For that I am so very sorry.”

  Sarah closed her eyes in an effort to hide her pain. “Jeanie was good to me. She was always there when I needed her.”

  “Yes, and I am eternally grateful to her for the love that she has given you … though I know she still disapproves of me,” Donavan added with a smile.

  “So what do you think happened to my mother?” she asked, her heart softening slightly toward her father.

  “I believe that she went in search of a vampire that would turn her. The fact that she never returned for you tells me that she found what she was looking for, and he brought her death, instead of the eternal life that she wanted.”

  Tears stung Sarah’s eyes. Her mother had been so beautiful and so full of life. It was difficult to imagine that she was really gone. She had always believed that her mom would come back for her someday. She had fantasized about it as a child - daydreaming about what it would be like.