by Cynthia Eden
“No!” William swung the sword, catching his brother high in the shoulder.
Geoffrey screamed in pain, staggering back. Blood spilled down his arm.
Geoffrey glanced down at his wound, and he smiled, cradling his shoulder. “First blood is yours, brother.” He stepped back and ran toward the cliffs.
William swore and lunged after him. He saw Geoffrey bend down and scoop up an old pack. His brother’s hand reached inside. He pulled out a gun.
“Now it’s my turn,” Geoffrey screamed. He aimed the gun and pulled the trigger.
The bullet slammed into William’s chest, knocking him back, forcing him to his knees.
No! Savannah’s scream echoed in his mind.
His blood poured onto the ground and weakness swept through him. His father’s sword slipped from his fingers.
Geoffrey laughed and looked at Savannah. “Before you die, you can watch me kill your woman.”
Chapter Sixteen
I will never see another sunrise.
—Entry from the diary of Henry de Montfort,
December 27, 1068.
“NO!” SAVANNAH’S heart stopped when the bullet hit William. She saw him stumble to his knees, saw the blade drop from his hand. “William! No!” She knew that too much blood loss could kill a vampire. She ran to him, frantic.
His shirt front was soaked with blood, the ground stained with it. She dropped to her knees beside him, cradling him in her arms. “William!”
His eyelids lifted slowly, his pain-filled gaze locked on her. “Savannah . . . I’m sorry.”
She felt the touch of death then. Felt the icy fingers on her skin. “No!” She pulled him against her, rocking him. “You’re not going to die! I won’t let you! You can’t leave me!”
Geoffrey laughed softly. “How touching. How very touching.”
Savannah turned, shielding William with her body. She pushed her wrist against his mouth, carefully covering the move from Geoffrey’s watchful stare. Drink, she ordered him. Drink! There was no way she was going to let William die.
“You’re a sick bastard!” She snarled at Geoffrey, trying to keep his attention away from William.
Geoffrey’s smile widened. His fangs gleamed. “I’m really going to enjoy killing you.”
She felt William’s lips moving lightly against her, felt the sharp sting of pain as his teeth bit into her skin. She clenched her teeth, letting the pain wash through her.
She saw Geoffrey’s gaze drift to William.
“Are you going to shoot me, too?” she asked derisively, pulling his attention back to her.
He frowned, glancing down at the gun. Then he tossed it over the cliff’s edge. “No. For you, I’m going to use a more . . . personal touch.” Once again his fingers lengthened, became claws.
Savannah looked into his eyes. This was the man—no, the monster—who had killed Mark and Sharon. And shot William. She should have been afraid.
She had been, until that very moment. Now, she just felt . . . rage. She was going to kill him.
“Get up.”
William’s mouth slid back, freeing her hand. Had he taken enough blood? Would he be able to survive?
“I said, get up!” Geoffrey screamed.
Savannah glanced down at William. His eyes were shut. His body still.
“Don’t worry, he’s still alive.” Geoffrey’s lips twisted. “It takes a while for a vampire’s blood to drain out. He’ll live, at least long enough to see you die.”
William’s lashes jerked.
“Come here!” His claws flashed out, stopping inches away from William’s chest. “Or I’ll rip his heart out right now!”
Savannah rose. She could see Guy’s sword. It had fallen to the ground, just a few feet away. So close.
Geoffrey grabbed her, pulling her against his chest. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
“So have I,” Savannah whispered. She concentrated, focusing her energy as William had taught her.
One sharp claw moved slowly down her cheek, down the column of her throat. Down to the curve of her breast.
Revulsion swept through her.
“Do you see this, brother?” Geoffrey called out. “I’ve got her. And I can do anything I want to her . . .”
William had managed to sit up. Blood still poured from his wound, and fire burned in his gaze. He began to stand.
Geoffrey met his stare, his eyes narrowing at his brother’s increasing strength. “How—“
Savannah’s hands shifted, becoming claws. She knew she couldn’t hold the shape long, but a second was all she needed. She plunged her claws into his chest.
Geoffrey screamed. His claws slashed against her, catching her along the throat and chest. Pain lanced through her. She wanted to scream, to howl at the agony coursing through her.
Her claws disappeared, and she stumbled away from him and fell to the ground. From the corner of her eye, she saw Guy’s sword. She crawled toward it. If she could just get it—
Geoffrey stared in shock at the blood that poured down his chest. “You bitch!” He snarled. “You’re going to beg me to kill you!”
He lunged for her.
Savannah’s fingers curled around the handle of the sword. And when Geoffrey grabbed her, she swung, slamming the blade into his side.
The blade sliced deep into his skin, tearing flesh and sending blood pouring down his body.
He twisted away from her and grabbed the blade with his bare hands. The steel bit into his palms, cutting deeply into his flesh.
Savannah strained, fighting to control the blade. If she could just hit him again—
She saw William, moving slowly, his face a mask of pain.
Geoffrey jerked the blade from her hand. In one motion, he yanked her forward, spinning her against his chest and locking his bloody fingers around her throat. He faced William with Savannah held tightly against him.
“I’m going to make you beg for death,” he whispered into her ear.
In their struggle, the sword had fallen to the ground. But Savannah knew Geoffrey wouldn’t need the sword to kill her.
“Let her go!” William’s hands clenched.
“No!” Geoffrey’s gaze narrowed as it swept over William, over the already healing wound in his chest. “She helped you, didn’t she? The bitch gave you her blood!”
William just stared at him, his gaze redder than the fires of hell.
“Well, then I think it’s only fair that she helps me, too.” He sank his teeth into her throat, ripping her flesh.
Savannah screamed and kicked against him, catching Geoffrey in his shins.
William lunged forward and jerked her from Geoffrey’s grasp. He slammed into Geoffrey, and his brother fell to the ground. William grabbed the sword and crouched over him.
Geoffrey panted, his gaze locked on William. William placed the tip of the sword against his throat.
Geoffrey smiled. “Are you going to cut off my head, now, brother?”
William’s jaw clenched. “Yes.”
“You’re going to kill me, as you killed Henry?”
William lifted the sword, preparing to deliver the final death blow. “I didn’t kill Henry!”
Geoffrey’s smile widened. “I know. I did.”
“W-what?”
Geoffrey twisted, kicking out with his right foot. The blow caught William in his midsection, and he jerked, slashing down with the weapon. But it was too late.
Geoffrey rolled away, and the blade slammed into the earth. His brother jumped to his feet, licking his lips. “Her blood is strong,” he murmured. “I can already feel my power returning. I think I’ll have to have more of her.”
“Never.” William pulled the blade free and aimed th
e weapon at Geoffrey. “What did you do? What did you do to Henry?”
“After I killed Guy, I found Henry. He was in the tower.” Geoffrey shook his head. “It was really too easy, you know. The fool thought I was there to help him.”
“You’re the one,” William whispered. “You’re the one who left him to die.”
“He was weak. He was always weak. He didn’t deserve the de Montfort name! And neither did you!”
A wolf howled in the darkness. The howl was long, mournful, and full of rage.
Geoffrey blinked. “What—”
A large gray wolf sprang out of the night and launched its powerful body at Geoffrey. Its fangs slashed him, biting deep into his shoulders, his arms, his chest.
William stared down at the beast, stunned. He tried to touch the creature’s mind, but found only a world of pain, rage, and hate.
He moved back, hurrying to Savannah’s side. She was still, her body limp on the earth. He pulled her into his arms, cradling her softly. The wound at her throat bled sluggishly. He touched it gently. “Savannah?”
Her lashes lifted, and she stared up at him with dazed green eyes. “William, what—” Her eyes widened as she heard the snarl of a wolf.
He pulled Savannah to her feet. “I don’t know, Savannah. I don’t know where the hell he came from.” His gaze drifted over her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, her gaze locked on Geoffrey and the wolf. As she watched, Geoffrey’s claws flashed, cutting deeply into the wolf’s side. The animal howled in pain. “We’ve got to help it!”
Geoffrey shoved the animal away from him and staggered to his feet. The wolf shuddered and collapsed upon the ground.
“Enough of this!” Geoffrey’s arms lifted and he began to chant. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed across the night sky. “I have the dark powers, brother! Me, not you! And I will use them to kill you!”
A ball of fire formed over Geoffrey’s head. “Tell me this, brother . . . are you afraid to die?” The flames flew toward William.
“No!” Savannah screamed and launched herself at William. Her body slammed into his and they rolled across the earth. Savannah felt the kiss of the flames lance over her skin.
“Savannah!” William rolled, checking her body quickly.
She took a deep breath. “I’m all right.”
Another ball of flame began to form above Geoffrey. “I won’t miss this time,” he promised.
William rose to his feet. Savannah stood beside him. “Neither will I,” he vowed. And, before Savannah’s stunned gaze, a ball of fire began to form in his hand.
“H-how—” Geoffrey shook his head, disbelief etched onto the lines of his face. “Y-you can’t! I-I’m the only one who—”
William threw the flame, and it slammed into Geoffrey’s chest, knocking him to the ground. He was close to the cliff’s edge. Just a few more feet, and he would have fallen into the night.
“With age, comes power.” William’s red gaze was locked on his brother. “You’re not the only one who studied the dark arts.” He picked up the sword and walked slowly forward. “Now, brother,” he spat. “Tell me, are you afraid to die?”
Geoffrey’s eyes widened. Fear and rage flashed across his face. He lunged to his feet.
William attacked, swinging the sword in a swift arc.
The blade slammed into his brother’s chest. Geoffrey staggered, stumbling back. His booted heel slipped on the cliff’s edge. His face went slack with shock. And he fell back into the air, into nothing.
Savannah expected him to transform, to shift, to fly back up and attack them.
Instead, she just heard the sound of his scream.
“He’s too weak,” William whispered. “He can’t stop the fall.”
The screaming ended, choked off abruptly.
Savannah ran to the edge of the cliff. Her eyes searched the bottom, searched the rocky surface, the churning waters.
And she saw him. There, at the base of the cliff, his body dangling atop the old remains of a wooden boat. His head was twisted, his mouth open. His eyes stared sightlessly up at her.
A long sliver of wood from the ship’s bow had pierced his chest.
“I-is he dead?”
William didn’t answer. With his fingers clenched around the blade, he leapt off the cliff. Within seconds, he was beside Geoffrey, staring down at his still figure.
He lifted the sword. “Good-bye, brother.”
He slashed the blade across Geoffrey’s throat, severing his head in one quick blow.
William closed his eyes against the sight. The sword dropped from his fingers, to land in the blood beneath his feet.
Now, it was finished.
He returned to Savannah. He needed her, needed her touch to wipe the darkness from him. To banish the cold sweeping through him.
She was there, waiting on the cliff’s edge. He could see the tear tracks on her cheeks. He pulled her against him, desperate to feel her body against his. He inhaled her delicate scent and wrapped his arms tightly around her.
He’d almost lost her. His body began to shake.
“William?”
He kissed her with all the fire and desperation that was in him. It had been too close. He could still see Geoffrey, see him sinking his teeth into her delicate throat.
He shuddered.
He felt her fingers, lightly stroking his back. Soothing him. Reassuring him.
It’s all right, William. It’s over now. He felt her warmth pouring into him.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered. He wanted to leave this place and never come back.
She nodded, and they turned away from the cliffs.
William froze. He could feel something. Someone. Watching. Waiting.
His gaze searched the clearing. “Where did the wolf go?”
Savannah blinked. “I-I don’t know. I wasn’t watching—” She hurried over to the rocks and bent down, touching the ground lightly. When her hand lifted, there was blood on her fingers. “He was here a moment ago . . .”
And now he’d vanished.
But William could still feel him. Still feel his rage.
He’s watching us.
Savannah returned to his side, her body brushing lightly against his. Why?
He didn’t know, but all his senses were screaming a warning to him. The wolf was waiting. Hiding in the shadows. And he was going to attack.
William didn’t know if Savannah could survive another attack. She was weak. He’d taken her blood, and then Geoffrey had savaged her. She needed to feed in order to regain her strength. They both needed to feed. But he knew she wouldn’t want to do it, that she would fight the hunger. He would have to force her. He couldn’t risk her waning strength. Not when they had another killer on their trail.
He wanted to go after the wolf, to hunt the beast down and destroy it. But he had to take care of Savannah. She needed him.
He scooped her up into his arms, holding her tightly.
He heard a low growl, and he knew that it wasn’t just a wolf that was stalking him. He could feel the creature’s dark power. Its hunger.
Stay away from her. He knew the creature heard his warning.
William’s arms tightened around Savannah and he leapt into the air.
The wolf howled.
HE TOOK SAVANNAH to an inn on the outskirts of a small village. He knew they looked like hell, but with a small compulsion, he made the innkeeper overlook their haggard appearance and give them the best room that he had available, a room that, he assured William, had strong shutters that covered its windows.
William took Savannah upstairs, worried by her increasing pallor. She needed blood, and she needed it fast.
He locked the door behind him and pla
ced her gently on the bed.
She stared up at him, her eyes wide. “That wasn’t a wolf, was it?”
William shook his head. He noticed that her hands were shaking.
“What was it?”
“A vampire.” From the instant that the beast had attacked Geoffrey, he’d known that he was dealing with one of his kind.
Savannah nodded. “I thought so.” She swallowed and rubbed her head. “Why did he attack Geoffrey?”
“I don’t know. Geoffrey spent his life hurting others. Maybe he did something to the vampire, hurt him or someone that he cared about.”
She slid back against the pillows, weariness evident in every line of her body. “Geoffrey hurt so many people.”
He pulled the covers over her. “He won’t hurt anyone else.”
Her hand caught his. “Thank you, William.”
He stilled. Hunger flashed through him at her delicate touch. “For what?”
“For ending my nightmare.”
He took a deep breath. Her weakness beat against him. “Rest, now. Just close your eyes and rest.”
She frowned, shifting restlessly on the bed. “Are you leaving?”
“Only for a moment.”
She shook her head. “No! Don’t leave me.”
“Sleep, Savannah.” He pushed the compulsion. Normally, it wouldn’t have worked on her, but in her weakened state, there was no way she could fight him.
Her lashes lowered and her body stilled.
He couldn’t risk traveling far. Not with the other vampire close by. He would have to find food, fast, and return to Savannah.
He would use one of the inn’s staff. A maid or a bellhop. He would be quick. Savannah had to drink. And she wasn’t strong enough to get the blood on her own.
He hurried to the door. With every second that passed, her strength drained.
And with the wolf out there, she couldn’t afford to be weak. Not for a moment.