by Cynthia Eden
A bouncer stood at the entrance, his beefy arms crossed over a barrel-like chest. His left eyebrow lifted at Savannah’s approach.
“Hello, little lady.” His gaze roamed over her body, lingering on her breasts.
Anger swept through her. She stared at him, fixing her gaze upon him.
Concentrate, Savannah. Focus on him. William’s soft orders slipped into her mind.
The bouncer’s gaze lifted to meet her dark stare. He blinked, once, twice, and then his jaw seemed to go slack.
“Open the door for me,” Savannah said softly, clenching her hands to disguise their trembling.
He hurried to obey, nearly tripping in his haste.
She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. That had certainly been easy enough.
It won’t always be. The stronger the mind, the harder it is to control. William followed her silently.
I don’t like this! I don’t like controlling someone else’s thoughts!
You don’t have to like it. You just have to do it. William was implacable.
There was a small dance floor in the middle of the room. A band played a loud, pounding rhythm on a stage encased in a wire fence.
Savannah walked toward the bar. It was crowded but she saw two empty stools.
She eased down onto the first stool, silently surveying the bar. Who could she pick? Who would satisfy William?
“What can I get for you?”
She spun around. The bartender, a woman with streaked blond hair and a tattoo of a snake around her neck, looked inquiringly at her. Savannah really didn’t want anything, and she wasn’t sure that she would be able to keep it down if she actually had to drink, but she didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention. “Uh . . . I’ll take a . . .” Inspiration struck. “A Bloody Mary. Yes, that please.”
William laughed softly.
“And you?” The bartender leaned across the bar, pushing her breasts forward suggestively. “What would you like?” Her voice indicated that not just alcohol was available.
Savannah glared at her. How dare that woman try to come on to William? Couldn’t she see that he was with her? She cleared her throat, loudly. The woman looked at her, annoyance flashing across her pinched face.
“What?”
Savannah’s eyes narrowed. “He’s with me.”
The woman blinked, once, twice. She shook her head and stepped back. “Right. Sorry.” She hurried to get Savannah’s drink.
Savannah watched her with unflinching eyes.
A few moments later, the bartender placed Savannah’s drink in front of her with careful hands. “I-is there anything else you need?”
“No.” Savannah turned her back on the woman and surveyed the crowd.
Was that really necessary?
Her shoulders tensed. She sipped her drink. What do you mean? She hadn’t done anything to the woman. She’d just told her to stay away from William.
You used compulsion on her.
She gasped. I most certainly did not! And she hadn’t, had she? She’d just told the annoying woman to leave William alone.
It was in your voice. The tone, the pitch.
Savannah’s face whitened. She truly hadn’t meant—Her fingers locked around the cool glass.
Just be careful. William cautioned her softly. Control your power, don’t let it control you.
She nodded. She would make certain that she used more care.
Her gaze traveled slowly around the room. Her foot began to tap in rhythm with the music.
So what am I supposed to do, exactly? She knew that coming to the bar was some sort of test for her, but she just didn’t understand fully what William wanted her to do.
You see that woman, the one in the black leather jacket leaning against the end of the bar?
Savannah turned her head a bit and caught a glimpse of the woman. She nodded her head slightly.
Read her mind.
What?
Focus on her. See if you can hear her thoughts. You have to be able to read the minds of humans. If not, then you may find yourself in serious danger. Don’t forget, some humans know of the existence of vampires. Some humans hunt us. You must be able to scan the minds of those around you. You must know if they intend you harm.
She nibbled her lip. She didn’t like the idea of invading someone else’s mind. It was too personal, too intimate an act.
Do it, Savannah.
No. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t pry into someone else’s mind, steal thoughts and dreams. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, do it.
She stood abruptly and headed for the dance floor.
Savannah!
She ignored his call and continued walking. A man with short blond hair and a thin moustache hurried to greet her.
“Hey, there, pretty thing! You wanna dance?” She could smell the alcohol on his breath, see it in the glazed expression of his eyes. She thought about refusing, was in fact opening her mouth to do so, when she heard William’s imperious command.
Leave him alone. Come back to me!
She lifted her chin and smiled at her would-be partner. “I’d love to dance,” she purred softly.
His eyes widened and he immediately pulled her onto the dance floor.
The band began to play a softer, lighter tune, and her partner pulled her close, sliding his hands down her back.
Savannah pushed lightly against his chest, wanting to put more distance between them. “Ah, look, buddy—”
His gaze was locked on her lips. “Bill. Name’s Bill.” His hands slid down to her hips.
This wasn’t what she intended. She’d only wanted to get away from William for a moment, just a moment, so that she could think—
He’d sure love to lay her down, strip the clothes from her hot little body, and—
Savannah gasped and shoved against Bill, sending him stumbling back. She knew the thoughts were his. She could actually feel the waves of his lust pounding against her.
“What the hell?” Bill glared at her and took a step forward, his hands clenched into tight fists.
“Don’t come near me,” she ordered, her eyes flashing.
Bill froze.
She lowered her voice, trying for the pitch she’d used earlier with the bartender. “Leave this bar, take a cab, and go home. And don’t ever come near me again.”
He blinked and then stepped widely around her. He walked straight toward the bar’s entrance.
Savannah watched him like a hawk, anger still pouring through her veins.
“Problem?” William asked softly, appearing at her side.
“Can we leave?” She asked, her voice a whisper. It was too much for her. The people. The noise. The smells. She just wanted to get outside. To get away.
She had to get away.
She didn’t wait for William to answer. She ran for the door.
She shoved the door open and stumbled outside, breathing heavily. The bouncer looked at her, frowning.
Savannah ran. As fast as she could. She didn’t care where she was going. She just knew that she had to get away.
Her feet pounded against the pavement. Buildings and trees passed by her in a sickening blur. Faster. Faster.
The sounds chased her. The smells. The voices.
She wanted to scream. To just make it all stop.
She ran into a park, dashing down an old trail. She pushed bushes and trees out of her way and dodged fallen limbs, stumbling to a halt in front of a small pond. She stood there a moment, gasping for breath.
Then she fell to her knees, staring blankly into the dark water. What had she done? What had she become?
“You haven’t changed,” his voice seemed to whisper to her from the darkness. “You’re the same
person that you always were.”
He’d found her. She’d known that he would. Her gaze stayed locked on the water. “No, I’m not.”
He sat down beside her, and she could feel the force of his gaze upon her. She knew he was waiting for her to tell him why she’d run.
The surface of the water looked so calm, so clear. But what secrets lay beneath its surface? She closed her eyes for a moment. “I don’t think I can do this.” Her eyes opened, staring fixedly at the water.
She felt him stiffen beside her. “You can do this. I wouldn’t have transformed you if I’d thought you weren’t strong enough.”
But she wasn’t strong. She’d never been strong. Mark had been the strong one.
“Savannah.” His voice was soft, compelling. “Look at me.”
She turned her head slowly toward him.
“You are the strongest person that I’ve ever met. You’ve lived through disease, through tragedy and death, and you’ve kept going.”
She shook her head. He didn’t understand. She’d just done what she’d had to do.
“No.” He was emphatic. “You’re the one who doesn’t understand. You don’t see yourself as the woman you really are. You tracked me down. You found me, when I’d been hiding for centuries.” A small smile flashed briefly. “And you blackmailed me. Knowing that I was a vampire, with enormous power and strength, you actually blackmailed me.”
She flushed. Had she really threatened to go to the press with his story?
His smile faded. “And you faced Geoffrey. Alone, unarmed. You tried to defeat a vampire with a thousand years’ worth of power.” He shook his head. “And you say that you’re not strong?”
He didn’t understand. “I had to fight him. He was going to hurt Mary!” She hadn’t attacked Geoffrey because she was strong. She’d done it to protect her friend.
“You could have died protecting your friend! You were willing to trade your life for hers. Don’t you realize how much courage that took?”
She swallowed. She hadn’t felt courageous at the time. She’d felt terrified.
“But you didn’t let your fear stop you. You faced Geoffrey anyway. And when you fight, even when you’re consumed by fear, that, sweet Savannah, is strength.”
She stilled. She wanted to believe him, but—
“It’s not about believing me. It’s about believing in yourself.”
He was right. She turned back to the pond. She had to believe in herself. To believe in her own strength. She’d cheated death. She’d fought a vampire and survived. And she would have vengeance for her brother.
“How long . . .” She stopped, cleared her throat, and then asked, “How long did it take to you to adjust to being a vampire?”
He laughed. “Ah, Savannah. I’m still adjusting.”
She smiled. She picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. A small ripple appeared on the clear surface. “I didn’t want to read anyone’s thoughts. It seemed too personal. Too much of an invasion.” Her lips compressed. “But then I did it anyway, without meaning to.”
“To the man you were dancing with?” There was a slight edge to his voice.
“Yes. He was imaging t-taking off my clothes and—”
“Bastard.” She could hear the rage in his voice, feel it in the suddenly tense atmosphere.
“When I knew what he wanted, I—” She took a deep breath. “I was furious. And I was so afraid that I would lose control and hurt him.”
“An understandable response.” William said, flexing his fingers into a tight fist. “I think the fellow deserved a bit of pain.”
“I used a compulsion on him,” she whispered, staring at the faint ripples still evident in the water. “I told him to leave and to never come near me again.”
“Hmmm. Seems he got off lightly.”
She clenched her teeth. “I didn’t want to know what he was thinking. I wish that I’d never heard his thoughts. I don’t want to know what anyone is thinking. It’s too much!” She couldn’t stand the idea of being bombarded with images of other people’s thoughts, their fantasies.
His hands touched her shoulders, caressing her lightly. “I can teach you to control it. You can learn to block them out.”
“I thought I knew how to block out the sounds, but when I was in the bar, I lost control. The sounds were too much. The smells too much. Everything was too damn much!” She’d been afraid that she’d shatter from the pressure on her sensitive mind.
He pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair with a gentle hand. “You’ve had a hell of an evening, haven’t you?”
She nodded, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. “Will it get better?” She asked him softly.
He kissed her temple. “Yes. Every day it will get easier. You’ll grow stronger.”
“I don’t want to read people’s minds.” She sounded like a petulant child, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t force her way into the minds of strangers.
“Then I’ll teach you how to block their thoughts. I’ll teach you how to shield your mind.”
She pushed herself back, staring into his eyes. “Thank you, William.”
He frowned. “For what?”
“For helping me.”
He stared into her eyes. His head lowered, and she lifted her face toward him, eager to feel his lips against hers.
Instead, she felt a shiver run the length of her spine. A cold wind seemed to blow straight through her.
Her eyes widened. “William?”
He pulled back, his face hard. “Let’s go, Savannah. Now.” He stood, pulling her to her feet.
“But I don’t understand—”
She heard the sound of a soft laugh. A man’s laugh.
William began to run, pulling her behind him.
And then she heard the whisper, floating on the wind.
Savannah.
She could feel him then, feel the darkness of his presence reaching out to her, calling her.
Geoffrey.
But how? William had said that he’d gone to ground, that he was recovering from his injuries. Had he healed already?
He’s close. Very close. William’s voice, strong and clear in her mind.
How has he already recovered? His strength was amazing. And terrifying.
William led her down a dark street, pulling her at a frantic pace. He hasn’t recovered, not fully.
Then how—
His resting place is near. He can sense us.
She jerked to a stop. “He’s near?” If Geoffrey was close by, and he was weak . . . then they could defeat him. “Why are we running? We have to find him. Now’s our chance! We can—”
William turned to face her, and his hard expression could have been cut from stone. Another shiver slid through her.
“We’re not running from him.”
Then who were they running from?
“Don’t you feel it?” He asked her. “Can’t you feel what’s coming?”
A shudder ran though her. She felt something, but—
She saw a faint tremor run through his body.
Her eyes widened. What was happening?
“The sun’s coming. Dawn is almost upon us. We run from the light, not from Geoffrey.” He lifted his hand, and she saw that it shook. “Our bodies warn us of the approaching light. Listen to your body, and always heed its warning.” He pulled her hand. “Now, come on, we haven’t much time.”
They ran, their hearts pounding and their limbs trembling.
How far away was the apartment? How long before the sun—
William grabbed her, hugging her tightly against his chest, and he took to the sky.
They soared, flying over buildings and rooftops, and
in mere minutes, they were on the roof of her apartment.
They ran inside the building just as the sun began to rise.
They hurried into her apartment. With a wave of his hand, William sent the blinds sliding down and secured the curtains. Not a trace of sunlight crept inside her home.
They were safe.
William took her into his arms and pulled her onto the bed.
A strange lethargy was already sweeping over her. Her body felt heavy, almost as if it were weighted down. And her heartbeat was slowing, slowing . . .
“William?” She was afraid. She couldn’t seem to take a deep breath. And her heart, her heart—
“Shhh.” His arms were tight around her. “Don’t fight it. Just relax.”
“I-I’m scared,” she whispered and then her heart stopped beating.
Chapter Fourteen
Today, father asked me if I was afraid to die. I have heard him ask that question to hundreds of men, right before he killed them.
—Entry from the diary of Henry de Montfort,
December 21, 1068
HIS STRENGTH was returning.
Geoffrey stretched slowly, feeling power course through him. He needed to feed. Blood would restore him to full strength.
It was a pity that dear Savannah wasn’t around. He would certainly enjoy draining her white throat dry. Sensing her the previous night had been an unexpected pleasure. He’d felt her strong mind seeking in the night.
And so he’d had to play with her, just a little.
Trust William to spoil his fun. His elder brother always tried to stop his games. But this time, William wasn’t going to stop him. This time, William would be defeated. Destroyed.
He would die, as he should have died centuries ago.
Geoffrey had planned his brother’s death, down to the minutest of details. He had the perfect place in mind for his brother’s murder. Absolutely perfect. It was a place of life, of hope. Of blood and destruction.
He smiled, preparing to rise and feed. It was time that he and his brother went home.
SHE OPENED HER eyes and found William staring down at her, his gaze intense.