Reclaimed

by Diane Alberts

  An invisible force threw Elijah backward through the air. She heard a grunt of pain as he slammed into a tree. Unable to hold straight at the assault, it crashed to the ground. Elijah lay in a heap on the ground at the splintered base of the tree, unmoving for a split second. Leaping to his feet, he growled.

  She turned to search the forest, but the furious wind whipped her hair in her face and the thunder crashing overhead told her with frightening clarity who lurked in the shadows.

  Isaac.

  Her heart lurched to a halt as she realized he had seen her kissing Elijah. He would be mad. No, furious. The dangerous storm attested to as much. They were going to fight over her, and one of them would die.

  Oh, God.

  “Isaac, no!” She screamed too late. He already soared through the air to crash on top of Elijah. He snarled and grabbed Elijah’s head. She gasped when she realized he tried to rip his head off. The next step to killing him, she knew, would be salt water.

  He didn’t fight to teach a lesson to Elijah—he fought to kill.

  She rushed toward the pair and shrieked when Isaac flew through the air and slid across the ground before colliding against a huge rock. Elijah straddled him and lifted his head by the hair to punch him in the face.

  Anger surged through her at the assault. “Elijah, no. Get off of him!” He ignored her, and his fist smashed into Isaac’s face once more. Isaac struggled to free himself, but Elijah’s grip proved too strong to break. They spun in mid-air, defying gravity as each fought to gain the upper hand. Sabrina chased them once more.

  Damn it, why the heck can’t I fly?

  “I’ll…kill…you….” Isaac vowed.

  Sabrina noticed his teeth glistened in the moonlight, much like Elijah’s did. Oh, God, he’d turned into a vampire. She’d never seen him in another form, besides brief glimpses here and there as he left. Which left him vulnerable—and he could die. She had to make them stop this madness.

  “Isaac, Elijah, this has to stop, now. Get off him, Elijah!” she shouted as she bolted toward them once more.

  Oh, God, what if one of them got hurt—or worse yet, died? She had to do something besides shriek at them uselessly. They came to a halt by an enormous tree, and she wasted no time in reaching them. She was acting foolish, reckless even, to interfere in a battle between two immortals. But she could not—would not—stand by idly.

  She leapt onto Elijah’s back and yanked his hair as hard as she could. He hissed in anger, but didn’t release Isaac. She tightened her grip even more, but he continued to ignore her. She cocked an arm back and punched him as hard as she could on the side of his head. He snarled in response, but continued to pull on Isaac’s head. Isaac’s eyes were not on his opponent, but instead they focused on her. And he appeared furious.

  “Sabrina, get off him!” he shouted. “And leave now.”

  She glared in response. Leave? Not a bloody chance in hell. She snubbed him as inspiration struck. Her puny strength did nothing to stop Elijah, so she threw her hands over his eyes to blind him. Brilliant.

  He roared and arched his back, and reached behind his back to rip her off. Caught in the heat of battle, he tossed her aside. She cried out as her head slammed on the ground. She lay in a daze, staring up at the starless sky. Black spots swam before her vision, and she gasped for air.

  Air agonizingly returned to her lungs, and over her desperate breathing, she heard a man cry out in pain before silence descended. A shadow crouched over her, and she recognized Elijah. And Isaac didn’t come to her side.

  Oh, God. Is he…headless? Had he been a vampire still and therefore vulnerable?

  “Sabrina, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you—”

  “Isaac? Where’s Isaac?” she shrieked. He tensed and glared at her stubbornly.

  “Where do you think?” he asked. “I won, as I always did. And always will.”

  Pain flowed over her body, and she stopped breathing altogether.

  He was dead. Elijah had killed him.

  Fury encompassed her, and she clutched her hands into tight fists before launching herself at him.

  “You son of a bitch. I’ll kill you,” she shrieked. She raked her nails across his face, feeling the skin tear under her fingers and blood dampen them. She pummeled his chest with her fists, even as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I hate you. I hope you rot in hell.”

  He grabbed her arms and rolled her beneath him. She shrieked in fury at his grip, and struggled to be free.

  “Too late. I’m already there,” he whispered brokenly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Sabrina gasped and sat upright. She raised her fingers to her cheeks, amazed they came back wet. What the heck?

  Someone shook her, and she focused on her assailant, still in a daze.

  “Oh my God, Sabrina. What’s wrong? You were having a nightmare. You kept screaming Isaac’s name and yelling at someone named Elijah. Who’s Elijah? What’s wrong? You were like a woman possessed.”

  Then…oh God, she remembered.

  In an excruciating barrage, the memories assaulted her relentlessly. She clutched her chest and gasped for air as tears welled in her eyes, and she moaned, “Oh no. No, no, no, no, no….”

  “It’s okay, you just had a dream. Calm down.” Marie pulled her into her arms and patted her back in the age-old manner of someone trying to soothe a loved one.

  Even though she existed in full panic mode, Sabrina took a deep breath and forced a mask of calm over her face.

  One, two, three, oh God…. Four, five, six.

  Okay, breathe again. Deep breath. Good job. Now, to get rid of my sister.

  When she felt steady enough to open her mouth and speak coherently, she took one more deep breath. She smiled tightly. “Marie, I’m okay. I-I feel bad for waking you up. Please go back to bed. I-I want to write this dream down before I forget it. Okay?” She managed somehow to hold back the hysteria forming a bubble in her throat as she shooed Marie up the stairs. Sabrina really wanted to pick her up and throw her into the damn bed.

  God, could she waddle just a little bit faster?

  “But what did you dream?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, okay? I had a dream about my book, and I need to write it down before I forget it. It will make an awesome fight scene. Good night,” Sabrina called. She slammed the door in her sister’s confused face, wasting no time before she sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab her knife. She really needed to get a gun one of these days. She burst through the door and into the night.

  She made it halfway across the lawn before she tripped and landed on her knees. Damn it all to hell, she didn’t know where to go. Clutching her stomach to ward off the pain, she stared sightlessly into the forest. Her throat ached at the tears she held back, but her mind felt numb. Isaac lay somewhere out there and she could do nothing to help him. Possibly headless and tossed in the ocean to dissolve away into nothing.

  She wondered if Elijah and Isaac had felt this way that day in the meadow while Louisa had ruined them all. Useless. Lying on the green embankment, watching their loved ones die….

  Oh my God!

  Eyes wide, she leapt to her feet in determination and dashed into the forest. She knew where to go.

  Racing through the forest, she didn’t pause until she reached the clearing she had so often dreamt of. No wonder why Isaac hadn’t liked her being here in the light of day. Elijah brought her there in her dreams.

  She stumbled into the familiar area and spun in a frenzied circle looking for Isaac.

  Then she saw him.

  He was lying motionless where he had landed in her dream, with his head on. She rushed to his side, tossed aside the knife, and surveyed his bloody, pale face. Was he dead? Wait, maybe he still breathed. There! Had his chest just risen?

  Before she could investigate further, Elijah stepped out of the darkness he had hidden himself in. She grabbed the knife, jumped to her feet, and shoved him away from Isaac. He stumbled
backward and caught his balance warily. “Get away from him. Get away from us. Forever.” Anger washed over her like a medicine, and it helped to keep the fear for Isaac’s life away. “He’s been right all along. You’re no good for me, for any of us.”

  He held his hands up with a comical bewilderment on his face and backed away. “All right. All right. I’m leaving.”

  She turned her attention back to Isaac and relief swelled over her. Yes, his chest was rising and falling. He’d simply been knocked unconscious. He’d changed into a human.

  Thank God.

  “He’s not dead. He changed into human form when I threw you, and I took advantage of his momentary weakness. He’s knocked out.” He spoke slowly, as if to an imbecile. She kneeled beside Isaac, unable to move.

  He’s okay. He’s alive.

  Elijah moved to her side and touched her shoulder. She grabbed his hand and flipped him off his feet. Holy crap, she didn’t know she still had those self-defense lessons stored away in her brain. Not wasting any time, she jumped on top of him, held the knife to his throat, pushing in slightly until she drew a drop of blood from his neck. Not satisfied, she drew back and punched him in the eye.

  “Damnation, Sabrina! Knock it off, you little hellion!” he exclaimed. He grabbed her arms before she could punch him again and stared at her in horror. She growled and fought to free herself.

  She’d kill him.

  She brought her knee to his stomach and pushed as hard as she could. This earned her a grunt, and a change of position. He tackled her so all her limbs were useless, and she could only squirm in an attempt to be free, the knife rendered useless by his clutch on her wrist.

  The look on his face would have been comical if she weren’t so freaking furious. He looked at her like she was a freak of nature—this coming from a vampire.

  Hah.

  She struggled in his arms until exhaustion came over her, and she collapsed against his chest. “Bastard.” She whispered one last attempt at hurting him as he had hurt her.

  He laid his head against hers and hugged her to his chest. “I’m sorry. For scaring you like that. I should have told you he was okay right away. Can you forgive me?”

  Sabrina pulled away from his embrace and looked back at Isaac’s unconscious form, eager to see his rising chest. Instead of seeing him out cold, however, she met his gaze, her own widening in horror at how their position must look. He watched them, fury evident in his eyes, and his body trembled from the force of his rage. He snarled and Sabrina realized he intended to fight Elijah again.

  She cried out and ripped away from Elijah to fling herself across Isaac’s chest. “Isaac, please don’t!” she yelled.

  Isaac growled and vowed, “I’ll kill you.”

  “Isaac—” Elijah began as he reached out to pull Sabrina off of Isaac, presumably worried that his brother couldn’t control his temper in his current state of fury.

  “Touch her and die.” Isaac spoke through clenched teeth. In one nimble movement, he stood on his feet, ripped the knife from her hand, and swung Sabrina safely behind him. He held the knife out in a defensive position, and she fleetingly wondered if knives did anything to vampires.

  “I didn’t want to hurt her. I meant only to protect her, in case you were out of control.” Elijah’s voice came out so quiet she could barely hear him.

  “I’m not the one who’s dangerous to be around.” The slight emphasis on the first word made Elijah flinch. “Step back, and stay back.”

  She peered over Isaac’s shoulder, her eyes fixed on Elijah as she silently pleaded he give in to his brother’s demands. She knew he must know what she asked of him. No, what she commanded. He stared at her in silent stubbornness, and she waited for him to acquiesce.

  She had no question in her mind whether or not he would.

  Isaac, seeing where Elijah focused, growled and stepped forward menacingly. Elijah took a step back and snarled.

  “I’ll leave now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he whispered.

  “I’m fine, no thanks to you. Don’t return. Next time, I will kill you,” Isaac warned his brother.

  Elijah stiffened and stared at Sabrina one last time. All his longing and desire were plain in his eyes. And the look on his face? It would haunt her forever. The despair in his face hurt too much to ever forget. He gave a slight nod and left.

  Isaac turned to Sabrina, his gaze examining her face. He reached out to touch her cheek, and she flinched at his tortured expression.

  “You cry, but the question is, for whom?”

  In surprise, Sabrina raised a hand to her cheek. She opened her mouth to reply, but he shook his head, compressing his lips.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. Not here, not now. Maybe not ever. Let’s go.”

  “Isaac—”

  “No, Sabrina,” he said.

  He made it sound like…like they were over.

  Tears ran down her cheeks, and she blinked in an attempt to clear her eyes. She swallowed heavily and struggled to keep up to Isaac’s grueling pace. When she stumbled and almost fell, he gripped her elbow and dragged her behind him.

  She’d hurt Isaac, and now he might never forgive her, or trust her. Pain wracked her as she thought of all the things she could have—should have—done. She should have slapped Elijah, or not let him kiss her at all, or maybe woken up somehow.

  She bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed. If only he hadn’t come along when he had. If he had come a mere minute later, she wouldn’t have been kissing Elijah.

  Oh God, it must have looked horrible from his point of view.

  She must have looked like Amelia.

  Damn it, she looked just like Amelia.

  Isaac glared as he pictured Sabrina in Elijah’s arms. He’d entered the scene right when Elijah had pulled her into his arms and kissed her. His heart had dropped, yet he’d held back in the shadows.

  Watching.

  Waiting.

  Hoping Sabrina would pull away and slap him. Punch him, kick him in the balls.

  Something.

  But instead, she’d returned his kisses. Rage had taken over him until he could bear no more. He’d leapt out of the darkness, somehow changing into a vampire in mid-leap. He’d never done anything like it before. It had always taken a great amount of concentration on his part to make the switch. He usually needed to focus and concentrate to change, and to keep the change. If he ever lost his concentration, he would change back into a human.

  But this time, he’d jumped at Elijah, and in a split second, the transformation had been complete. After his instant change, he’d proceeded to attempt to kill his own brother.

  Bloody hell.

  He’d never felt such anger in his life. Hell, not even when he had come upon Amelia and Elijah. This betrayal caused more pain. It hurt worse. If Elijah hadn’t been quick enough, Isaac would have killed him before even realizing he’d begun to do so.

  When Sabrina had been thrown across the forest, his concentration had been enough for his transformation to slip—and gave Elijah ample opportunity to knock him over the head using a rock. He winced and probed the aching wound. It still hurt like hell, damn it.

  The next thing he had become aware of was Sabrina in his brother’s arms again. Isaac wished he’d killed Elijah before they noticed he had awoken. He cursed his damnable honor and kicked a rock as he continued to stalk toward Sabrina’s house. Time to get away from here.

  Away from her.

  He’d become plagued by questions that would not cease.

  Had she chosen Elijah over him again? Would she even have cared if Elijah had killed him? Or would she be relieved by no longer having to choose between the two men? It would have nicely cleared the way to Sabrina for Elijah, removing obstacles from his path.

  Maybe Isaac overestimated his pull on Sabrina, though. Maybe he wouldn’t an obstacle at all.

  They arrived at her door in complete silence, and she bit her lip when he wouldn’t look her in the eye
.

  “Isaac, please. Let me talk to you,” she cried, putting her hands out in a pleading gesture. She struggled to put her thoughts into words and must have hesitated too long, for he drew away from her both physically and mentally. A cold mask covered his features. Ice-man returned in full swing.

  “Sabrina, it’s late. It’s been a long night, and I’m going home,” he mumbled.

  Isaac turned on his heel to go. It became clear to her he would leave without allowing her to explain. He didn’t even want to wait until she’d gotten safely inside behind the locked door.

  This was bad. Really bad.

  Sabrina ran after him, but her weak legs refused to cooperate, causing her to fall clumsily to the ground, on all fours. She ignored the pain and rage building inside her at alarming speeds. She didn’t have the time to be angry. Not now.

  She swallowed her pride, and cried out, “Isaac. I love you, and only you. Please come back. Just let me explain.”

  His back stiffened, and he paused. Hope washed over her. Maybe now he would return and pull her into his arms where she belonged. He spun around, his face flushed bright red. His widened eyes blazed so brightly, she recoiled. “You dare say those words to me now, in the face of your treachery? You dare?” he shouted.

  “No, it’s true. I have been meaning to tell you, I just—”

  “Good night, Sabrina,” he interrupted curtly. This time he didn’t walk. He ran.

  She gasped and let herself fall to the ground as she watched him run away from her house. And from her.

  ***

  Jesus, her voice wouldn’t leave Isaac’s head.

  I love you, and only you.

  Talk about a punch in the gut.

  He wanted to trust her. Longed to believe her more than anything in the world. But not minutes earlier, she had been in his brother’s arms. It made her declaration a bit harder to swallow.

  Maybe he had behaved like an asshole, bolting right after she declared her feelings, but to hear her say the words he’d been longing to hear for so long had been too raw. If she had told him she hated him, it would have hurt less. How could she cling to Elijah and turn and vow her love to him, and only him?