SURVIVAL

by Karen Payton Holt

  As the smell of stale human sweat and mothballs coated his throat, Connor resisted the urge to cough and shatter the moment.

  Tracks in the layer of talcum powder-fine dust revealed Serge’s usual routine. The only furniture in the room with a polished surface was his desk, and the display of photos where human faces stared out from behind discolored glass. His family?

  Connor hoped Serge’s hatred would not desert him now. As he fingered the four vials of human blood in his pocket, he decided to give Serge a nudge. “I’m trading myself for Sebastian. You have no choice.”

  “So, you’re telling me Sebastian betrayed me? That he has from the start?” Serge’s pleasure at this turn of events glittered in his jaundiced gaze. “He knows where the human nest is, but is keeping it secret for his own advancement, and he has taken your human woman as his pet?” Serge grinned widely, clearly enjoying the illusion of being in control.

  Connor buried his satisfying image of Serge’s face contorting as he gripped his scrawny throat. “I will admit to ‘threatening the food supply’, and accept the death sentence. In return, you give up Sebastian’s location. My price is Rebekah’s safe return.”

  “And the human nest? Surely you can’t think I can let it pass?” Serge sneered at Connor. His bravado slipped away when Julian cleared his throat.

  “Oh, come now, we both know this is about Doctor Connor. His woman will be sent to the farm, but she will live. Let us do the trade.” Julian pushed away from the wall, demanding Serge’s attention. “I respect Doctor Connor, but as principal I cannot condone this, even in him.” Julian let his words sink in. “We are men of honor, and a deal has been struck.” Julian hit his oratory stride. “The vampire community will reel with shock when even a trusted hive member such as Doctor Connor is shown no mercy. They will sit up and show the council renewed respect. We all win,” he coaxed, his lowered tone drawing Serge in. “You can choose to take credit for that, or?”

  Serge’s eyes skittered from one face to the other, finally resting on Connor.

  Connor knew they had him. I just have to close the deal. “With Principal Julian here to witness it, there is no backing out.”

  “Very well.” Serge made one last demand to satisfy his vanity. “I want your word Sebastian will be taken alive, to answer in court for his part in this plot.”

  The kill had been firmly fixed in Connor’s mind. Sebastian’s cold, thick blood filling his throat as it oozed from his mouth. Not feeding – killing. Relinquishing it was hard. “Agreed,” he croaked, frustration clutching at his vocal chords.

  Serge smiled. “Very well.”

  Chapter 11

  A matter of yards separated Rebekah from Sebastian, with the heavy door to the basement firmly closed between them. Rebekah knew she was alone, because she could not see. The black velvet-thick air grew heavier with every passing moment, and although breathing was difficult, not breathing would have been a blessing.

  Sebastian’s saliva pooled in the contours of her collarbones. She shuddered, and dried tears made her face feel stiff as she finally understood the paralyzing fear of knowing he would return without warning.

  She kept her eyes open wide, pinning her blinded gaze on that space in the darkness. The gray rectangle of the door opening would give her barely a second’s warning of his arrival, but she clung to that.

  This time, Sebastian moved too fast to give her even a second. She felt his body settling on top of hers, and then she saw him. His presence was a vortex which sucked the oxygen from her lungs.

  The blackened eye sockets in his pale gray face flashed with chips of ice at every turn of his head. Saliva dripped from the gash of his mouth when it gaped open. Her body trembled as horror immobilized her.

  Rebekah’s ribcage creaked beneath his weight, and as he shoved his knee between her thighs, bruising the flesh, she screamed. He laughed, expelling rotten breath over her face as his hand covered her mouth. Taking her hand, he forced her fingers to caress the bones of his face. Ending with the hideous grin and wet mouth, he buried his teeth in the plump pad at the heel of her palm.

  Blood trickled down her forearm and red darts of pain seared through her brain. He ripped her shirt, and the tearing fabric yanked her body violently sideways, and as his lips dragged over the soft swell above her breast, she shriveled inside. Connor’s name raced in a litany through her head, a chant which occupied every space inside her, saving her sanity.

  “Fight,” he breathed. A deep cackle rattled in his throat as he inhaled loudly. “Ah, but your restraint smells delicious. I can see why Connor finds you so exciting.” His hand closed on the front of her thigh, and an electric charge of anger galvanized her into action. Connor’s name from his mouth disgusted her. If he touched her there, she would never feel love again. I would rather die. So, she fought him.

  Pedalling her knees and flailing her sluggish limbs scattered excruciating pain through tendon and bone, every jarring movement collided with his hard frame, bruising her flesh. His laughter when her burning muscles tired brought fresh tears of desperation to her eyes.

  “That’s better,” he leered, “but I think you have more to give.” His muzzle moved to her collarbone and he closed his teeth over it, slowly increasing the pressure, pressing down until the skin broke. She felt the vibration as the bone fiber tried to hold its shape and finally failed with a sickening snap.

  Rebekah screamed until the black clouds rolled in and saved her.

  Sebastian reined in his disappointment. His fingers grazed tenderly over her still face and he smiled. Half an hour, I think. And she will be awake again. I can wait. He left as quickly as he had arrived.

  Back in the main reception room of the house, Sebastian stood as a parody of a gentleman lost in thought while the time slipped slowly by. His chin went up and he smirked when he heard the accelerated breath of her consciousness returning. She is awake, but giving her another hour is of no matter.

  Sebastian straightened his tailored jacket and combed his fingers through his mussed wavy hair as he relished the taste of his moments with Rebekah. So delectable, she bruises much easier than I imagined. The musical snap of her bone when it broke had thrilled him, and he shrugged, as if to say, ‘it was only a matter of time’. She is strong and stubborn. He grinned to reveal teeth still stained pink. It makes everything so much more enjoyable.

  Reluctantly, Sebastian pulled himself back to the reason he was waiting. “I wonder what Serge wants?” The message the guardsmen delivered was annoyingly brief, ‘expect a visit from Councilor Serge within the hour’. And I am expected to wait like a lapdog? The sooner I rid myself of Serge’s patronage, the better.

  Checking his watch, Sebastian’s fingers stroked over the face of the heavy gold timepiece. Life is looking up. He had a nice house in a bowed terrace of Belgravia Square. Okay, I have ruined the decor by soundproofing a room as Rebekah’s cell, but it is a nice house nonetheless.

  Sebastian ran his tongue over his teeth, tasting her blood again. As he closed his mouth, the sound of splintering wood thundered through him and his eyes darted to the doorway. He saw the boulder of black cloth and a distorted white face hurtling towards him at the precise moment he was knocked from his feet and plowed into the wall.

  A cold hand gripped his throat as a snarling muzzle shoved under his chin forced it up until he could see only the ceiling. His head dug into the wall, covering his shoulders in powdered plaster. As the cold face moved to breathe into his ear, Sebastian pulled a diamond tipped knife from his pocket, and buried it swiftly, deep into his assailant’s side.

  Sebastian grunted with pleasure as the grip on his throat clenched tighter with the force of the blow, and then became slack as the needle of pain shocked through his attacker. He pushed against the sagging weight and grabbed the vampire by the neck. Rotating quickly, he, in his turn, rammed his visitor viciously up against the wall. His jaw jutted, he bared his teeth, and growled into Connor’s face.

  “Ah, the jealous
boyfriend. Quicker than I thought, I’m impressed.” Sebastian’s snarl melted to a sneer.

  Connor had expected Sebastian to fight. Not being allowed to kill him is the problem. He had not expected the burn of a honed blade plunging into his side. Well Sebastian, you sure as hell aren’t ready for what I have planned.

  Connor launched into his performance, responding to the boyfriend jibe as Sebastian would want him to. Disguising his calculating gaze beneath hooded lashes, his icy calm became the grating pants of pretended anguish. The game took three seconds, during which time Connor took every moment to savor the triumphant gloating expression on Sebastian’s face.

  Connor struggled convincingly, and then let defeat sag his shoulders and leveled his gaze at Sebastian. He cloaked his expression in despair.

  “Did you touch her?” His tormented tone was not entirely pretense.

  “Oh, I did so much more than that.” Sebastian grinned. Tightening his grip on Connor’s throat, he spat, “Pathetic. Humans have made you soft, and, to think, I admired you.” Three inches from Connor’s face he leered. “Yes I touched her... you’ll not be enough for her anymore.”

  “That’s a pity,” Connor said on a harsh sigh. “I might have let you keep your eye.” His gray gaze became as sharp as a razor and his expression grim while he watched the barb hit home.

  Sebastian recoiled, his surprise dissolved to uncertainty as he sucked in air to speak.

  With a flick of his wrist, a needle-thin steel spike dropped from Connor’s sleeve down into his palm. Before Sebastian could utter a word, Connor rammed the spike up into the soft space framed by his jaw. Sebastian felt the pressure surge into his head and pain lanced through his eyeball before, with a pop, it went dark.

  The aphrodisiac of supremacy raced through Connor. He had severed the optic nerve with clinical precision, and the forceful nudge up the skull caused all three of Sebastian’s brain centers to shut down at once. A reboot was a natural consequence, but for now, it was lights out. Sebastian’s motor function ceased and as his body folded downward, Connor made no attempt to break his fall.

  Sebastian hit the floor with a satisfying thud.

  Connor reached around to ease the blade from his side. Such a shame he’s not a doctor. There are many places a well-placed blade can cause damage, and he missed them all. He grinned at the irony.

  Stepping over Sebastian, Connor barked, “He’s ready,” to an invisible audience.

  Dismissing the body, he took a deep lungful of air. Yes, she’s here, but she’s hurting. Easily tracking her scent, he whisked along the hallway until he arrived at an oak door. The muted sounds of Sebastian being removed were of little interest to him. Serge can do what he wishes with him.

  Connor reached for the brass doorknob and opened the door as slowly as his wired muscles would allow. When he heard Rebekah whimper, it tore his heart out, and he stopped. Rushing in will scare her.

  “Rebekah, honey,” he whispered coarsely as pushing the door wider revealed what he did not want to see.

  Gray light tumbled across the threshold, and her terrified scent stung his nostrils. The stagnant air was ionized with fear as she scrabbled up the thin mattress. Cowering in the darkest corner, her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and she trembled uncontrollably.

  Connor deliberately scuffed his feet, letting her hear his approach. He absorbed every vibration rippling through her frame, and listened to the feeble beat of a heart filled with adrenalin, but too lethargic to pump it around her body.

  “It’s Connor. Rebekah. Honey, I’m here.” Connor wished he had killed Sebastian as his eyes moved over her body. For once, night vision was a curse. He stretched out his fingertips, and when he finally touched her hand, with a whimper that filled the darkness, she clung convulsively to it. He ached with relief when, instantly, she seemed to know him.

  Thank god. The bruising on her tortured body took his euphoric height in finding her and plunged it to ink-stained depths. I couldn’t bear to put her through more pain.

  Connor lowered down onto the stinking mattress. Crumbling the handcuff from Rebekah’s wrist in a passing clutch of his hand, he dusted the filings from his palm as he gently curled her into his chest and breathed, “I’m sorry, so sorry, honey.”

  Listening again to her lethargic heart rate, Connor clenched his jaw in anger as even the relief of him being here barely kicked it into second gear. To get that much venom into her system he must have bitten her. Connor’s temper flared as he rued the missed opportunity to grind Sebastian to dust.

  Following the trail of Sebastian’s scent on her skin, Connor cradled her wrist and raised her injured hand to his lips. Closing his mouth over the bite, he sucked gently, tasting the iron-tinged bitterness of Sebastian as he cleaned the wound and stroked his cold tongue firmly over the torn skin to calm the burning. Rebekah lay limply against him, and he was consoled that her trust was so complete. He rubbed his chin gently over her hair in a caress as he murmured again, “I’m sorry, honey.”

  Connor wanted to take her home to the eco-shelter. But there is no time, the council are waiting. Gently shifting Rebekah onto his lap and wrapping her in the thin blanket, he enfolded her in his arms. He felt at peace as his agony began to melt away. I’m definitely not going to last three years. In the couple of months since he had met her, he had died a million times. The rollercoaster ride was un-abating.

  “Hey, let’s get you out of here,” Connor said, rising smoothly to his feet. Pulling the blanket higher to protect Rebekah against the rushing wind, he took off for Julian’s house.

  At Connor’s approach, Julian opened the door and stepped aside. “I’ve got the medical supplies you asked for.” He jerked his chin towards the back of the house, and Connor swept down the hallway and into the old kitchen.

  Instruments which covered every possible scenario were laid out across the surface of a solid wooden table. Connor settled Rebekah on to it, hitched one hip and rested beside her.

  Looking into her face for the first time, Connor buried his emotions deep. Rebekah bore the marks of a prize fighter. Her cheekbone and eye socket had come off worst. She fought. His gaze dropped to her collarbone, and he dug a deeper hole to bury his feelings. He knew his anger would not help.

  Connor reached out to trace the break. It was a compression fracture, but long shards of the bone were still bonded. “So far, so good,” Connor mumbled on a smile. As his cold probing fingers made contact, remorse opened his heart to her pain, and he felt the grinding of the bone more deeply than she seemed to. He slipped into ‘doctor’ mode and manipulated the loose fragments back into place.

  Rebekah winced as the weight of his touch hurt, but she bore it with fierce concentration.

  “I’m sorry, nearly there,” Connor said. He finally taped a dressing in place, and felt relief when he met her gaze and the haunted look on her face melted away.

  Smiling gently, knowing the worst was over, he bound her arm to her side, immobilizing her shoulder. “Just until we get you back home,” he said.

  The purple lesions on her breast and the bruises inside her thighs were hard for him to witness. He wanted to ask, but he knew she would misunderstand. Sebastian’s words haunted him. If Sebastian has... possessed her, then I will make it better. He would take her pain, that charred-toffee aroma which washed through her every time she thought of Sebastian, and he would love her until she could no longer think of anyone but him. But he dare not ask.

  Julian appeared in the doorway and his eyes strayed over the debris of Connor’s ministrations. “You know, you really must get your own place.” He raised his hand, forestalling Connor’s response. “And no, examination room 2 of the surgical wing does not qualify.” He darted a piercing look at Connor, and in a vampire breath, too low and fast for Rebekah to hear, he said, “They’re here for you. It is time.”

  “Look after her. The binding will survive the journey back, but go as slow as you dare.”

  “That won’t be a problem. I t
hink the circus is in town.” Julian allowed himself a grim smile. “The word is out, and the courtroom gallery is bursting at the seams. At least Serge is playing into our hands by wanting bragging rights, and taking you in himself. It gives me time.”

  “True. You can get to the eco-shelter and back before the hearing starts,” said Connor.

  Julian nodded. “I’ll give you a minute.” He smiled at Rebekah before he left.

  Connor was grateful for Julian’s practised, detached facade. It served them well today, but the most dangerous part of the plan was yet to come.

  In a gesture that he had used a million times, Connor turned to Rebekah and slipped his hand to the nape of her neck, gently lifting her chin and studying her face. His cold fingertip grazed the bruises on her left cheek, and he sighed as he saw the worry which her veiled lashes could not hide.

  “I have been called before the council.” He confirmed her fears. “Julian will get you home. But I will be back, I promise.” The certainty in his voice resonated. I will not let her down again. He stared into her brown eyes until their depths warmed to the chocolate hue which had him addicted. He dropped a kiss onto her upturned mouth and was gone, stirring a breeze which tightened goosebumps over her skin, reminding her that she was still alive.

  Left alone, perched on the kitchen table with Connor’s promise still ringing in her ears, she closed her eyes, savoring his citrus-fresh scent still hanging in the air, knowing it would be gone all too soon. When she opened them again, Julian was standing there staring at her. She jolted in surprise, and, for a moment, pain shrieked through her collarbone.

  “I’m sorry.” Julian clearly felt her pain as a vibration, and his imagination provided the rest.

  Rebekah smiled. “I’m sorry. You startled me.”

  “I have something to ask... it’s a lot to ask.” Julian’s eyes skimmed the bruises on her face.

  “Ask me. If it has anything to do with helping Connor, I’ll do it.”

  Julian’s blank expression focused Rebekah’s attention. “I need human blood, a lot of it. I need your blood.