She ran away from the light now, back to the darkness.
“Daddy!” she called out, starting to cry. “Help me!”
Though her legs pumped beneath her, she felt as though she wasn’t getting anywhere. Running into the dark, she had no concept of anything moving past her. She might have just been running in place.
A cold hand reached out of the dark and touched her cheek. She screamed again and spun around, batting out into thin air. “Leave me alone,” she cried. “Just go away!”
From somewhere behind came the sound of laughter.
Elizabeth woke up screaming, and bolted upright in bed. Salty tears wet her cheeks. Her damp bedcovers clung to her skin. She caught her breath, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.
The bedroom door opened and her light flicked on. She blinked in the sudden illumination and lifted her hand to shield her eyes.
Bridget hurried to her side. The nanny sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair with a gentle but firm touch.
“It’s okay, Elizabeth. You just had a bad dream. Everything’s all right.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I dreamed about a bad man chasing me.”
“Hush, this whole thing is over now, Elizabeth. We’ve got your mommy home safe and no one else is going to hurt you.”
“This was different,” she said. “It was a different man.”
“You being upset is only normal. You’ve been through so much. But I promise you, you had a nightmare. No one is trying to get you.” She gave Elizabeth a pretend scowl. “And they’d have to get through me first.”
Elizabeth sniffed but felt a bit better. “And Sebastian,” she said.
Bridget pulled the sheets up around her shoulders and she settled back into the big bed. “You know your daddy would never let anything happen to you.”
She wanted to agree with Bridget, but the memory of the dream lingered. Something bad had happened to her in the dream and she worried it wasn’t just a dream but one of those dreams.
But everything Bridget said was true. They had her mommy back now and the bad man was dead. Sebastian killed him; she’d been there when it happened. She had no reason to believe someone else would be after her.
“Will you put the blue blanket over me?” Elizabeth asked.
Bridget smiled down at her. “Of course.”
The blue blanket was Bridget’s specialty and always made her feel better after she’d had a nightmare.
“Ready?” Bridget asked and Elizabeth nodded. Bridget rubbed the palms of her hands together and bent her forehead to the tips of her fingers. She closed her eyes and muttered in low tones, words Elizabeth couldn’t make out.
After a few moments, she lifted her head and smiled down at Elizabeth, though her hands continued the rubbing motion, as though attempting to keep them warm.
“I’m creating a magical blue light in the palms of my hands,” she said. “Can you see the glow?”
Elizabeth nodded, and for the briefest of moments, she thought perhaps she did get a glimpse of the magical light.
Bridget held her hands above Elizabeth, hovering in the air a couple of inches above her body. She began to stroke the air above her, as if smoothing down something Elizabeth couldn’t see.
“I’m spreading out the blue light to cover every part of you,” she continued. “And I’m smoothing it down so there are no creases or wrinkles. The blanket is a perfect blue light.”
“You need to tuck it in,” Elizabeth reminded her.
“Ah, yes, of course.” She began to push Elizabeth’s real blankets in snug around her and then proceeded to tuck the magic blue blanket right over the top of her head.
“Done,” she said, sitting back as though to admire her work. “No bad dreams are getting past that beauty.”
Elizabeth smiled. “So if I put my hand up, will my fingers go right through the blanket?”
“Nope. The blue light bends with your hand so you’ll always be protected.”
Satisfied, Elizabeth snuggled back into her pillow. “Thanks, Bridget.”
Her nanny leaned over and kissed her forehead. “You’re welcome, angel. Now get some more sleep. Your mommy’s going to need you wide awake and fighting fit.”
Bridget backed out of the room and flicked the light switch, plunging the room back into a darkness that was the result of the perfect fitting blinds. Outside of the window, the rest of the city was already several hours into morning.
Elizabeth shut her eyes again. She tried to picture the magical blue light surrounding her, the one that was supposed to keep out bad thoughts, but all she could make out on the backs of her eyelids was the face of the man from her dreams. The man with the long dark hair and black-as-midnight eyes.
Who are you? She threw the question out with her mind, as though the atmosphere could conjure up the answer. Just leave us alone. Go away and leave us alone.
Chapter Seven
Sebastian woke the moment the sun set below the horizon. He opened his eyes, as he always did, with none of the foggy sleepiness humans experienced. Instead, he was as awake as if he’d been up for hours.
Serenity.
The first thought on his mind. Closely followed by, Elizabeth.
He swung his legs off the bed and first made his way to Elizabeth’s room. He poked his head around the door and his vampire eyes took in the sight of her small frame still curled beneath the bedcovers. Her heavy breathing, punctuated by soft snores, met his ears, signaling she was still in a deep sleep.
He backed out of the room and closed the door gently behind him. The poor girl must still be exhausted after yesterday’s long journey. Children her age could easily sleep twelve hours or more, and despite Elizabeth’s uncanny way of going without sleep, he wasn’t worried about her having a lie-in.
Heading back down the hall, he stopped outside of Serenity’s door and lightly knocked. He could tell she was awake by her breathing, but both that and the sound of her heart wasn’t that of a healthy young woman. The slow, strained rate was more that of a man on his deathbed.
Serenity was far from healthy.
His knocked received no answer, so he pushed open the door. Serenity sat on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the side. Her long hair fell in sheets on either side of her face. The sight of her, so fragile and yet still so beautiful, despite everything she’d been through, made him want to weep.
She glanced up as he walked in.
“Hi,” he said, offering her a smile. “Sleep well?”
Serenity smiled back, the one reserved for when she didn’t know what to say. Then, taking him by surprise, she said, “I remembered something last night.”
“That’s great!” His heart lifted and he crossed the room to be closer to her. He sat on the bed beside her, but kept a respectful distance. “Perhaps it won’t be long before your memory returns. Now you’re away from Jackson and he’s dead, the hold he had on you might be fading.”
“The memory confused me,” she said. “I remembered you, but I was crying because you’d hurt me somehow.”
“I’d never hurt you,” he said, an automatic response he’d given no thought to.
He was wrong; he had hurt her.
Sebastian paused, steeling himself for what he was about to admit to. “But I did let you down. Many years ago, after we’d first met and before either of us knew about Elizabeth, I left you. You begged me to take you with me, but I refused because I thought you’d go on to have a normal life and be happy. I didn’t want you to become like me.”
“So I was crying because I missed you.”
He nodded. “I think so.”
“I must have really loved you.”
The use of the past tense stabbed like ice in his heart.
“I hope you will again,” he said.
She paused, considering his words. “How is the little girl?”
“Elizabeth.”
“Elizabeth,” she repeated.
“She’s your daughter, Se
renity. She’s our daughter.”
“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. I don’t understand how I’m supposed to feel.”
“You don’t need to feel anything right now, Serenity. Let’s just get you better. Everything else will come back to you in time.” He smiled, reassuring. “That you’re already remembering is a good sign. Does anything else seem familiar to you? This house, perhaps?”
She shook her head, but didn’t answer. Instead, she stared back down to where her hands rested in her lap, anxiously twisting around each other. Her hands expressed a worry and anxiety she’d not voiced, and Sebastian mentally chided himself. He needed to try to put himself in her place—she’d only known Jackson. He and Elizabeth were like strangers to her. He shouldn’t be pushing her, however frustrating he found it not to have her back as her old self.
Sebastian longed for her to wrap her arms around his neck, hold him tight and tell him how much she had missed him and that she still loved him. His heart yearned for her so desperately it felt like a physical ache.
“Are you feeling stronger?” he asked, dragging his thoughts back to more practical matters. “Do you think you can eat something now?”
“I can try.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
They made their way downstairs, Sebastian still supporting her. Bridget sat on one of the leather couches, her feet tucked under her, a paperback in hand. Her long white hair was wrapped around her neck like a scarf. She glanced up as they reached the ground floor and offered them both a smile.
“Hi, you two,” she said. “All rested?”
“Yes, thanks Bridget,” replied Sebastian.
“Where’s the little one?”
“Still sleeping.”
“Ah, well. She must have needed her rest.”
Serenity stood awkwardly by Sebastian’s side, making no attempt to join the conversation. Bridget gave a slight raise of her eyebrows; a gesture that said, ‘Well? Any better?’ Not wanting to discuss Serenity’s recollection, especially not in front of Serenity herself, Sebastian gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.
“You can get home now, if you like,” he said.
“You sure?” she said, already getting to her feet.
“Of course. Same time in the morning?”
“Always.”
He saw Bridget out of the front door. Her small Prius sat parked in his driveway. She climbed in the car and started the vehicle up. She swung around, the tires crunching on the gravel driveway. He waved her off as she used her own key fob to open the big gates and drove off down the hill.
Sebastian stood and watched as the gates closed behind her and then closed the front door. Security was important to him. While he wasn’t worried about someone causing him harm, the fragility of his little family always had him on high alert.
Happy the house was secure once more, he turned his attention back to Serenity. She stood exactly how he’d left her.
“Come on,” he said, guiding her toward the kitchen. “I’m not a great cook, but I’m sure I can find something to tempt you.”
“Please, something plain is fine,” she said, finally speaking again. “I’m not sure I can stomach much more.”
“Anything you want, I’ll get you.” Though she didn’t realize, he was talking about more than just what she might want to eat. He’d do whatever it took to make her well again; he didn’t care what sort of boundaries he needed to push.
The past two years living with Elizabeth had made him more at ease with preparing food. At first he’d found the idea strange—the act of cooking, cleaning, chopping. He had no idea how things were supposed to taste and much of what he’d learned had come from Elizabeth spitting out strange combinations he’d put together—ketchup and peanut butter, eggs and yogurt. He’d found it frustrating at first—to have so many capabilities but to have his culinary skills laughed at by a four-year-old. However, it had simply been part of the learning curve of becoming a father.
Serenity didn’t need to be experimented upon with his cooking so his mind went to what people who’d been ill would eat: soup and toast. He was pretty sure he could crack open a can and toast some bread without making too much of a mess.
He helped Serenity onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar and turned to the job at hand. Within minutes, chicken soup simmered on the stove and bread popped out of the toaster, hot and crispy. He smiled at himself. To think a vampire could be so domesticated.
Feeling absurdly proud, he placed the meal in front of Serenity.
She picked up the toast and put the slice to her lips. He smiled at her, and she opened her mouth and took a bite. Serenity chewed, in slow, deliberate movements and swallowed. A strangled, painful sound came from her throat. She gagged, choking on the piece of toast.
He moved with his vampire’s speed; at her back in an instant. Holding himself back, for fear of shattering her projecting spine, he gently (for him) banged her on the back, dislodging the bread from her throat.
Serenity pushed away from him and spat the lump of bread on the floor.
She sank to the ground. Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, I tried.”
“It’s okay. We’ll try something different, and we’ll keep trying.”
She was able to take small sips of soup and Sebastian watched her with worried eyes. He didn’t want to have to get any authorities involved. For many months following Serenity’s disappearance he’d dealt with the interference of child support agencies and the police. It had been a hard juggling act; to be medically registered as suffering with a severe case of Xeroderma pigmentosum or XP, especially as his skin appeared to be so perfect, flawless even. Most people who suffered from the condition presented with patches of lightened or darkened skin, and those undiagnosed quickly developed cancerous growths. Nevertheless, money could buy almost anything, including a diagnosis from one of the most recognized physicians in the field.
After that, obtaining custody of Elizabeth had been much easier. With the employment of Bridget as her nanny, and the birth certificate naming Sebastian Bandores as the father, no one could object to Elizabeth coming to live with him.
Fending off all the busy-bodies who wanted to know what was going on in their lives long term proved to be more of a challenge. The authorities would always rather the girl went to live with an immediate family member—such as her father—than be put in state care, but that didn’t stop social services making ‘routine visits’ to make sure Elizabeth was well-cared for and that her father’s condition and night living hadn’t affected her in any negative way.
“Done,” Serenity declared, pushing the empty bowl out toward him. Then her face paled, and she turned to one side and vomited on the floor.
He darted to her side and rubbed her back, holding her hair out of her face as she retched again, bringing up only bile now.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, lifting her head. Tears trembled in her eyes and tiny forks of red burst through the whites. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t be silly. You ate too much at once. We’ve just got to take things slow.”
Moving as a blur before her eyes, he cleared the mess away. It didn’t bother him. He’d cleared away much worse for Serenity after she’d killed Jackson, and if that was what was needed, he’d do it over and over again in order to bring her back to him.
She put her head in her hands. “I hate what I’ve become.”
He circled her in his arms, unable to stay away. Her thin frame stiffened against him momentarily but then she relaxed. Her head settled against his broad chest and her warmth burned through his clothing. He lowered his face and allowed himself the moment to believe she felt the same way about him as he felt for her.
Sebastian wished he had the ability to take her pain from her. “None of this is your fault. I’ll find a way to make you well again. Whatever it takes.”
“What are you?” she asked. “Are you the same as my master?”
“Jackson,�
�� he corrected. “His name was Jackson and he wasn’t your master, he was your husband. He beat and abused you for years. When you decided to leave him, he wouldn’t let you go and you stabbed him.”
Her eyes widened. “I stabbed him?”
“Yes, and he died. I thought I’d helped you to cover up the murder, but the woman who made me, Madeline, turned him into the monster you knew.”
“But if he was my husband, how did you and I know each other?”
“We met by accident one day. I saw you running through the streets and I followed you.”
“So what are you?”
“I’m a vampire, Serenity. I drink blood, like Jackson did. He and I shared the same strength and speed, but I’m not like him. I love you and I love Elizabeth.”
“Elizabeth,” she repeated the name as though practicing the feel of the word in her mouth. “Our daughter?”
He nodded. “Our daughter.”
The padding of small, bare feet at the top of the stairs made him look up. Elizabeth stood in her pink nightdress, watching her parents.
“Are you feeling better now, Mommy?” she asked.
The name made Serenity glance up and she hesitated, unsure of how to answer. Concern and worry blanketed Elizabeth’s small features and Serenity smiled brightly.
“I am feeling a little better,” she said. “Are you okay?”
Elizabeth continued down the stairs as she spoke, “I had a bad dream.”
“I have bad dreams too sometimes,” Serenity admitted. “But they’re only dreams, they can’t hurt you.”
“Sometimes dreams come true.”
“Only the good ones,” said Sebastian, smiling at her.
Elizabeth didn’t return the smile. “That’s not true.”
Sebastian stepped in. “Elizabeth has dreams about things that happen. She also sometimes has visions, or if she touches someone, she can know things about them that she’s never been told. She’s had the ability since she was tiny. That’s how we were able to find you.”
“You dreamed about me? About where I was?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Most of the time I dreamed things, but the last time I was awake and it was like I was there with you.”
The Serenity Series: Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 49