She knew Gedeon could not remove the amulet. No one could. He wanted it, wanted her power, but she would have to give it willingly. She had to take a chance. Maybe if she riled him he would make a mistake.
“You know I am not Marika.”
Gedeon rose from the bed and growled. “You are whoever I wish you to be. When I bed you, you will sing to my tune and play your role, or you’ll go to your grave, like your mother.”
Juliette strained against the bonds.
“You said you’d tell me about my mother. She’s not alive?”
Gedeon paced the room impatiently. “I’m done talking. Now we’re about to leave. Do I need to sedate you again, or will you come willingly? If you don’t, you know what will happen to Kate.”
Juliette’s mind wandered to a time when her mother had sacrificed herself to protect her daughter. Now Juliette would willingly carry on that tradition.
“I will cooperate. Now untie me.”
Gedeon seemed satisfied with that answer.
“You’re ready to dispense with this pretense? You used to burn at my touch. Don’t you remember, Marika?”
The vampire’s hold on reality was unraveling at a rapid rate.
“I do,” Juliette whispered.
“And you will again.” Gedeon loosened her hands and lifted her out of the bed. Juliette’s arms ached. Her body ached. Her strength had been depleted.
All the stories she’d heard about vampires were one-sided. What would happen if you bit a vampire? Or made him angry? Would he bite back?
When he leaned in to steal a kiss, she took a bite out of Gedeon’s arm.
“You little bitch,” he yelled and dropped her unceremoniously on the carpeted floor. Juliette scrambled out of the room and locked the door behind her, sealing off the vampire and his monstrous rage.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“We’ve got several reports of cabs dropping off passengers in front of private residences, which is suspicious because Bermuda residents can drive, so why would they need to take a cab?”
“Let’s check them out,” Will said, straining to be on the way, like a starving hound.
“We need to wait for the police car. They know the island. We don’t. We may need backup.”
At that moment a local police car pulled up, and the driver emerged.
“I’m Captain Smith. I’m here to provide any assistance you need. There’s room for everyone in the car.”
Kate and Jack got in the back seat, and Will sat in front with the police captain.
“Okay, we have several addresses to check out. One is at a yellow private home in Hamilton. That’s the closest.”
“Does it have an ocean view?” Kate asked.
“No, primarily garden views, but very lovely. The wife and I—”
“They’re not there,” Kate stated abruptly. “We’re looking for a yellow mansion on a cliff overlooking the ocean.” A clear picture of the house burned in her mind.
Captain Smith checked his list. “Well, there’s only one on the list that it could possibly be, then. The cab driver said his passenger was asleep in the back seat. He offered to help with her wheelchair, but the man she was with left it in the doorway on Front Street.”
“That’s them!” Will shouted. “Let’s go.”
“Well, then, we have a problem. That’s a private residence. We can’t just barge in there.”
“We can ring the doorbell, can’t we?” Will reasoned.
“We can. I’ll radio ahead for backup. The gentleman who owns that property is a big muckety-muck.”
Jack piped in from the back seat. “Is he local?”
“He’s a British citizen with fingers in all sorts of pies. He’s connected, that’s for sure. Don’t want to rile him. He won’t abide us banging on his door unannounced.”
“I don’t care what he will or won’t abide. If I have to break the door down, I will.” Will was steaming in the front seat.
Jack placed his hand on Will’s shoulder. “Calm down. We’re going to find her.”
Kate closed her eyes and focused. Juliette was running, running for her life. Doors locked. Doors splintered. Long arms getting closer, closer to her neck. Juliette clutched her amulet, praying for strength. Now she was outside, running under a moon gate in the garden, breath coming in precious gulps, running around trees, closer and closer to the cliff and the ocean’s edge. Waves crashed below. The first star blinked in the darkening sky. The moon rose. Dusk. The man wanted to give chase. But something was holding him back. He was waiting until nightfall.
Juliette bolted forward breathlessly, trying to outpace the monster. She was scared, shaking, shoeless. There was nowhere to go. The man was right behind her, his shoes pounding the grass. She didn’t have to look back to know she was cornered.
“Hurry,” Kate whispered.
“Kate, did you say something?” Jack stared at his wife, in her trancelike state.
“Hurry.”
“How much longer?” Will demanded, drumming his fists on the dashboard.
“Five to ten minutes, no more.” The police car sped around a dry stone wall that leaned away from the road.
“If I go any faster, we’ll all be killed.”
****
Juliette’s heart hammered in her chest. Clutching the amulet, she prayed—to her mother’s soul, to a higher power, to whoever was out there, whoever would listen. She stopped short. If she went any farther, she’d end up splattered on the rocks below. Maybe that would be preferable to the fate Gedeon had in mind for her. But she wanted to live, at any cost. She wanted to see Kate again. She skidded to a halt and managed to swerve to the right. Gedeon’s steps closed the space between them. She felt his fingers reaching for her hair, but she was no longer in front of him. The momentum carried him forward, but he stopped himself before he went over the cliff. If he did go over the cliff, could he really fly?
****
A flash of purple fabric appeared to his right. Gedeon pursued it. Did the little fool think she could outrun him? He was a hawk. She was his prey. He was lightning fast and super strong. She was earthbound. He was invincible. But she persisted in playing her dreary cat-and-mouse games. He’d have to punish her when they got back to the castle. He bit his bottom lip. There were endless instruments of torture at his disposal and, of course, the dungeon, where her mother had met her end. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. Starvation had seemed like a good idea at the time, but he had overestimated Marika’s stamina and stubbornness.
But punishment would have to wait. They had a schedule to keep, and they needed to make it to the yacht. The limo he’d hired to take them to the wharf was idling in front of the house. His bags and the remainder of the paintings were already loaded in the car. Perhaps Juliette had hoped he would leave her behind. She had run now toward the front of the house, seeking salvation.
“Help me,” she pleaded. He heard her voice rise to a crescendo. Her hands were pounding on the window on the driver’s side of the dark stretch limousine. “Someone is after me.”
“Get in,” the driver said, obligingly. Juliette got into the back seat and doubled over, struggling to catch her breath, thankful to be rescued.
Gedeon smiled. Always expect the unexpected. While Juliette’s head was down, he slipped into the limo next to her, locked the doors and signaled to the driver to take off.
****
When Juliette raised her head, the shock was etched on her face. She clutched at her heart. She had escaped right into the devil’s tentacles. She saw Gedeon lift the syringe from his jacket pocket and felt it sink into her shoulder. The last thing she remembered was his smile as she slumped over into his lap.
****
Gedeon smiled as he watched Ilona—or was it Marika?—fall forward. He stroked her hair, winding his fingers into the beautiful mass of black curls. If only they were alone and Ilona had not been so obstinate.
The limo driver knew where to go. They were mere minutes from the wha
rf.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“This is it,” Kate exclaimed. “This is the house.”
The police car slowed to a stop on the circular driveway, and the occupants piled out. They ran up the steps of the welcoming arms staircase to the front door of the magnificent Tucker’s Town stone residence with its pale yellow walls and traditional Bermuda stepped roof.
The police captain knocked on the door.
No answer.
Then he rang the bell.
“This isn’t a damn social call,” Will bellowed. “Break down the door.”
“This is Bermuda cedar. It can’t be easily broken.”
“Then break a window.”
“That’s uncivilized.”
“You think I care how it looks? Try the back door.”
The officer started around to the back, and Will, Jack, and Kate followed. The house was large and heavily landscaped, and darkness and unfamiliarity with the property impeded their progress.
He entered a garden, walked up to the back door, and jiggled the handle. The door was open. He turned the handle, walked in, and raised his weapon. “If they were here, they must have left in a hurry.”
Will nearly bumped into the officer as he rushed in and looked around, while the officer did a room-by-room check. Nothing seemed out of place. No sign of anything amiss, until he got to the bedroom. “I smell Juliette’s perfume.”
“Juliette was definitely here,” Kate confirmed.
Will turned on the light and was confronted with a horrifying scene on the four-poster bed. A scene such as he had processed before in his career as a sheriff. But this time it was personal. He pointed to the bed but couldn’t speak.
Ropes were tied to the bedposts, ropes that had obviously held Juliette captive.
The officer walked into the bedroom and frowned at the sight of the ropes. “I’ve checked the entire house. There’s no one here.”
“I saw her in this bed, tied up. She was here, I’m sure.” Kate touched her hands to her stomach and shivered.
Will pounded his fist against the wall and shouted, “Then where is she?”
“Jack, look,” Kate said, pointing to two paintings on the wall and walking closer to inspect them. “The missing Monets. These were two of the paintings I saw in the gallery on the ship.”
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Jack, there’s no mistaking Monets. These are authentic. Whoever lives here must have purchased them from our art thief. And now he’s missing.”
“Well, he had no way of knowing we were on to them, so they must have been following a plan,” Jack reasoned. “No need to go to another location on the island if he felt safe here. Except it was strange that they left the back door open. Maybe they had to flee in a hurry. There’s no way off the island except by boat.”
“He wouldn’t take the cruise ship, because he’d know we were looking for him,” Jack reasoned, turning to the police captain. “Could he have chartered a vessel?”
“I’ll make a call and check that out and contact another officer to secure the scene here.”
What no one was saying out loud was—the crime scene. No evidence of a crime committed here, except possibly a depraved act. The man would have had plenty of time to do what he pleased with Juliette.
Jack put his arm around Kate. “Meanwhile, I’ll contact the captain and alert him that they might try to sneak back on the ship.”
“What about the paintings? We can’t just leave these here. We need to return these to the French government, get them back to a museum or trace them back to their rightful owners before they disappear again.”
“We will,” Jack assured her.
“I don’t care about the paintings,” Will objected. “We can’t just stand here and do nothing. We need to find Juliette. Let’s go to where the boats are docked.”
The police captain laughed. “This island is surrounded by water. Almost everyone on Bermuda has a boat. They could conceivably leave from anywhere, the wharf on the harbor, a private club, a private residence. We have no idea what type of boat they’re on or what their destination could be.”
“Could they possibly be headed for Europe?” Kate suggested. “Maybe to Hungary?”
“It’s as good a hunch as any,” said Captain Smith. “We can start out with the yachts.” The officer made a call. “Let’s head to the wharf at Hamilton. That’s most likely where they’ll be.”
The four headed for the front of the house, where they piled into the police car. The officer circled around and headed back on the road to Hamilton.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Help me get her out of the car,” Gedeon ordered. He lifted Juliette by her head and shoulders, and the driver lifted her feet. Passed out, her body felt like dead weight. They boarded the yacht and walked down to one of the bedrooms below and tossed Juliette onto the bed. Gedeon watched for any signs of movement and, satisfied, saw none.
“Get my luggage stowed,” said Gedeon. “I’ll take the big package myself.”
Gedeon handed the driver a hundred-dollar bill. “Now, not a word to anyone. If anyone asks, you didn’t see me or the woman. If I find out otherwise, you’ll be sorry.”
The driver held up his hands. “I never saw you.” He scurried off the ship like a rat.
A man in uniform introduced himself. “I’m the captain. Welcome aboard. The chef will have dinner ready in about an hour. Meanwhile, we’ll have some appetizers brought out for you and the lady.”
Gedeon scowled. “The lady is rather ill, and she gets seasick, I’m afraid. She’ll be spending most of the trip in her cabin. So she’s not to be disturbed. She’s heavily medicated, so I don’t want to take a chance of having her on deck. She might slip into the ocean. I’m not hungry.”
The captain nodded. “Well, if that’s everything, we’ll be setting sail within minutes.”
Gedeon carried his paintings into the second cabin, opened the Murphy bed, carefully placed the package on the mattress, and folded it into the wall. Unfortunately, he’d had to cut this trip short and so would be bringing back several of the paintings he had hoped to sell. He didn’t want any of the crew snooping around. He’d be spending the trip in Juliette’s cabin, so they’d be sharing a bed. No need for a bed of his own. But in case Juliette woke up, he didn’t want her to have access to his priceless package.
He walked into Juliette’s room. She was still asleep. She hadn’t eaten anything since he’d taken her this afternoon, but leaving her in a weakened state fit his plans. If she was good, he would feed her a few morsels, maybe offer her some water in return for—he stopped himself before he got too excited. Plenty of time for that once they were under way. She could either spend the voyage tied up and hungry, or they could be lovers. The decision was hers. He hoped she had better sense than her mother. Making love on a boat at sea was sublime, and it was a long voyage. The next time the sedative wore off, he might add something extra to the mix, just to get her in the mood. Some women needed help jumpstarting their desires. He had a lot to offer, and the sooner she realized her future was with him, the better it would be for her.
He didn’t want to have to gag her, but even on this large yacht people would be able to hear her screams, and he couldn’t afford to draw any attention to himself. She would be out for several more hours, and when she came to, he’d be there to quiet her and smother her screams, with a gag or with his mouth; it would be her choice. He anchored her wrists—for her own protection. She would still be listless when she woke. He couldn’t take the chance that she would wander about the ship and accidentally fall overboard.
He breathed in her alluring scent and studied her body as he sat beside her on the bed. She was irresistible—beautiful and curvy, a heady combination. He ventured a touch to the tips of her voluptuous breasts. He could easily slip off her panties. No, first things first. He would go out on deck, make small talk with the captain. Then, after they were under way, he’d come back to the cabin t
o see how his captive was faring. See if she had grown any more receptive to his attentions. She would if she knew what was good for her.
Gedeon was looking forward to walking the deck and breathing in the cool night air in the shadow of the stars. He desired to spend as much of the night outside as possible, to recharge, and the daylight hours occupied in Juliette’s cabin. She would soon learn his daily rhythms and adjust to his requirements. Sunlight was overrated. He contemplated the wonderful life they’d have together. He couldn’t wait to share it with her. She would be his Persephone, his possession in the bowels of Hades or within the walls of his castle, at night; free to wander about in the daylight, but under heavy guard.
Of course she had been hesitant, at first. That was only natural. He’d half forgiven her already for trying to escape. He believed in second chances. He had looked for her for half a lifetime. She needed time to grow used to his touch, to his lips on her body, before he entered her. He was throbbing. He couldn’t wait to taste her. Would she be as ripe as Marika? Could he tame her like he’d failed to tame Marika? He would certainly have fun trying.
He left his sleeping beauty, calm and peaceful and happy. Was that a faint smile on her lips? Was she dreaming of him? In the end, her body would betray her, just like Marika’s had.
Gedeon tiptoed out the door, so as not to wake his sleeping princess, and went up the wooden stairs to the upper deck to stretch and seek the moonlight.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The police captain hung up his phone. “We’ve got several large yachts docked at the wharf. We’ll have to board them one by one.”
“There’s no time.” Will jiggled his silver handcuffs relentlessly.
Jack’s firm hand calmed Will. “Kate, concentrate. Can you see Juliette? Can you help us find her?”
Kate closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat. Her face grimaced in pain, and she clutched the armrest.
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