Awakening (Willow Creek Vampires Series Book 3)

by Stephanie Summers

  The thought of him feeding on her, though exhilarating at one time, disgusted her now, and it was only a matter of time before it would happen. His teeth scraping against her flesh would be magnificent, and she knew she couldn’t bear it. The euphoria would control her and bend her to its will. She had to get away before he had a chance.

  Where she would go, she wasn’t sure. She’d always felt like she had a home away from home with one of her two best friends. Unfortunately, Delia had moved to New York City, and her other best friend, Lana, hadn’t returned any of her texts recently. Just another person who had disappeared without a trace from her life.

  It didn’t matter anyway because he knew of every place she’d go to hide and those would have been dead giveaways. She had no money to get completely out of town, but she could try to get as far away as possible. Finding his car parked in the circle driveway out front where she’d left it, she slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. On the road within seconds, she couldn’t help but be drawn to her parent’s house.

  It was silly, of course, to go back there. She’d already fled The Manor once, and Gretchen had known exactly where to find her. Still, it was where she wanted to be, though she wished her family were there. As she approached her street, she continued to drive instead of turning toward her old neighborhood.

  She drove to the small grocery store in town, where she ditched the car because of the tank being close to empty and began to walk. Her heart broke for everything that had happened in the last couple of days—Remy dying, finding her family gone, Remy coming back completely different…

  Where could her parents and sister have gone? And where was Lana, for that matter? Why hadn’t she responded to her? It wasn’t like her family to just leave her after they’d been so adamant about making sure they could continue to see her. Bastian had agreed, so why did they leave?

  Could something have happened to them? Maybe they were hurt or worse. What if they’re dead from some freak accident, and no one bothered to tell me?

  Cleary Park became visible just ahead of her on the right. It was as good a place as any to sit and contemplate where her life was headed. She’d done it many times in the past. Her stomach fluttered as she thought of the very first time she’d ever met Remy at that same park. If he chose to come and find her, this would be another easy guess for him.

  Or would it? He didn’t have near as fond a memory of the place as she did. Even though he’d been a royal dick to her that night, it was the first time her attraction to him had reared its head. She’d tried to dismiss him, but he made her feel things that were hard to ignore. This was also the place she escaped to as a teenager when she needed to get away from her parents, and that was certainly not something Remy would identify with. Maybe it was the perfect place to go for the time being.

  Making her way quickly across the large field in the middle of the park, she hurried toward the amphitheater where concerts by local artists and the high school band were held on most weekends when the weather was warm. There was a little area beneath the stage that was used to house instrument cases, and it was just big enough for her to use for shelter, at least for the night. She knew it was there, and just how big it was, because she’d used it to make out with boys back in her high school days.

  Scraping her knee on the concrete, she crawled into the cubby and turned so that her back was against the wall and she could see if anyone approached. If they weren’t crawling around on the ground, they wouldn’t be able to see her.

  A burning sensation began to radiate across her kneecap as a small amount of blood oozed to the surface. Sabine fished around in her purse until she found a small bottle of water. Taking a capful, she poured it over her knee and blew on the abrasion to soothe it. At least she could get some of the dirt out of it and the blood washed away. Hopefully, the water would dilute the blood in the process. That’s all I need, some random vampire happening by, smelling my blood and finding me… Oh, wait, Remy and Damen are the only ones left. Okay, so I don’t want Remy to find me because of a few drops of blood.

  Searching through the soft fabrics making up her clothes, she pulled out a hoodie, laying it on the ground so she would have something to sleep on. Fumbling around in her suitcase, she found a T-shirt and wadded it up. The ground was hard, but at least she could lay her head on something soft.

  Sleep eluded her for what seemed like hours. She tossed and turned, trying to get just comfortable enough to drift off to sleep. At the point of giving up, she finally gave in to a restless night of dreams.

  *

  Running… Sabine found herself being chased through a thick forest. Who or what was chasing her remained a mystery. All she knew was that she was in danger and had to get away.

  She reached a thicket of brush and crawled underneath, hoping to hide her presence. Heavy footsteps slowed, trampling dry leaves in its path.

  Sabine peeked out from behind branches, trying to catch a glimpse of her pursuer. Black, leather boots covered feet that were attached to long, lean legs. Those legs, clothed in tight leather pants, led to a naked, muscular torso with strong arms. Her stomach dropped as her eyes rose to see the face of Remy searching for her.

  His eyes were cold and black. He was stiff and calculating as only his eyes moved and he occasionally sniffed the air, trying to detect just where she was hiding.

  “Come out. Now.”

  As if she weren’t in control of herself, she began to crawl out from the brush. Screaming at herself to stop, her body continued forward. She stood and walked slowly to him. His outstretched hand, beckoning her forward

  Just as her fingertips grazed his, another voice shouted, “Stop, Sabine! Don’t. He isn’t who you think he is.”

  She whirled around to face another Remy. Her Remy. His eyes, brilliant and green just like she’d remembered them, pleaded for her to come to him.

  “Don’t give up on me,” he said.

  As she ran to him, he faded just as she reached him.

  *

  Damen raced through the woods until he came to the edge of town. Emerging from the thick forest, he found himself in front of a car dealership that just so happened to also have a motorcycle for sale sitting out front. It has been far too long since I’ve been on one of those. His slow-beating heart sped up at the thought of racing down the road on the back of the black Harley.

  As he strolled over to it, a portly man in a suit hurried out to intercept him.

  “Is there something I can help you with today, sir?” he asked with the biggest, fakest smile plastered on his face.

  “Give me the key to this bike.” Damen knelt down, examining the curves of the bike and the shininess of the chrome accents.

  “You want to take it for a test drive?”

  Turning to the man, he caught him in his gaze. “No, I want the bike. You’re going to get me the key now. You can send a bill to Willow Creek Manor. Address it to Damen Hughes.”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Hughes. We’ll get you on the road shortly.”

  A little while later, Damen hit the open road on the bike. He’d be at Mary’s in a little over an hour if he went the speed limit. Of course, he didn’t intend to go that slow. Confident he could maneuver the bike in any traffic situation, he opened it up and sped toward his destination.

  He pulled up to her house and parked the bike. Mary met him at the front door before he could knock or ring the bell.

  “What the hell is going on, Damen? Sam sent me a message. She said you were on your way and that Remy needed me to come there. Last I heard, Remy was locked up and y’all were hoping to get him free in time to stop Bastian from taking Sabine.”

  “Well, that worked, but then the shit hit the fan. Can I please come in?”

  “Get your ass in here.” She stepped aside, allowing him access to her home.

  He plopped down on the couch and sighed, though he had no need to breathe. It was mostly for dramatic effect.

  “Remy killed Nicas and died. All
the vampires, except me, thanks to your unbinding spell, turned human. Nicas’ power or some shit like that revived him. Now Remy is some bad-ass vampire with more power than any of us and doesn’t really act like himself… in a nutshell.”

  “Okay… So what does that have to do with me?” She picked up a glass of iced tea and brought it to her lips.

  “I have no fucking clue. I was ordered to come and get you… and to use force if necessary.”

  Mary practically spit out the sip of tea she’d just taken. “Damn, boy, you’re gonna make me choke to death. You really think you can take me anywhere by force?”

  “No, I don’t, but I’m not sure that Remy can’t.”

  “That’ll be the day.”

  “Seriously, Mary, he isn’t the same. Please, come with me. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Mary stewed for a second before focusing her eyes on Damen. “If you think my ass is getting on that bike, you’ve got another thing coming.”

  *

  Sabine’s leg jerked as if she’d been kicked, startling her awake. Half expecting to wake up in the middle of the woods where her dream had left her, she was surprised to still be in the cubby under the stage.

  “Wakey, wakey…” Remy sat across from her, leaning back on his hands with his legs stretched out in front of him.

  “Well, I guess it didn’t take long for you to find me.”

  “I could smell your blood in the air as soon as I found my car. I’m getting bored watching you sleep, so get your ass up and come on. I’m hungry.”

  The moment had finally come. The one she’d been dreading the most…

  CHAPTER 5

  She crawled quietly out of the cubby and stood before him. “Where’s my suitcase?”

  “I sent it back with my assistant.”

  “Your assistant?”

  “Yes, Gretchen.”

  “Remy, she’s like your sister. Why would you call her your assistant?”

  “She isn’t anymore, is she? She’ll technically be my daughter later this evening, but I really have no feelings one way or the other about her. I’d just as soon turn her loose once she’s changed so she can go out into the world and make more vampires.”

  I need to see Gretchen. I was sort of a bitch to her, and it’s clear now that she’s probably hurting, too. How could she not when the person who has been her brother for centuries is now regarding her as an assistant and nothing more?

  His arms snaked around Sabine’s back, pulling her close and raising her off her feet.

  She tried to push away from him, but his arms only tightened around her. “What are you doing? I can walk. Put me down!”

  A low noise, like a cross between a chuckle and a growl, emanated from his throat. He leapt into the air, startling Sabine. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she stared in awe at the ground getting further and further away.

  Just when she was sure that they would go falling to the earth below, his body tilted slightly forward as they glided quickly through the air.

  “You never told me you could fly,” she whispered.

  “He… I mean, I couldn’t before. Much more convenient than anything else, if you ask me. I can’t imagine traveling long distances any other way.”

  Resting her chin on his shoulder, she wrapped her legs around his waist. It was true he wouldn’t drop her. She had to believe that some part of him, deep down, would never do anything to hurt her, but still, she felt the need to cling to him when they were so high in the air.

  She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes, wanting to lose herself to him. As much as she loved when he’d fed from her before, his power making every touch feel damn near like an orgasm, she couldn’t stand the thought of it now. She’d be helpless to him for that few moments that he fed on her. Would she give in to him or would she be able to remain strong and stand her ground? She didn’t want this Remy, and she was trying hard to convince herself of that.

  Minutes later, they began to descend and landed with a soft thud in the circled driveway in front of Willow Creek Manor. He sat her down gently and held onto her for an uncomfortable couple of seconds. When she looked up into his eyes, something about them changed for just a moment before he let her go. They were still black, but they seemed somehow less intense for that split second.

  “I’ll be in to see you shortly,” he said as he turned and walked away, leaving her there confused and alone.

  *

  Close to an hour later, he finally made it back to her. As he entered the room, he noticed Sabine curled into a ball on the bed, quietly resting. Her breath was soft and steady as he studied her, trying to figure out what to do with her.

  Why can I not just be with her the way we used to be? Every time I think of her, my heart opens wide and longs to embrace her, yet when I am face to face, I feel nothing but confusion. The way she looks at me makes me feel at odds with myself, like there are two forces within fighting over whether or not to love her.

  He sat beside her on the bed, his power reaching out to caress her body and mind. She rolled over, head tilting up to look at him through hooded eyes. He leaned over her, studying her neck and the throbbing artery just beneath the skin. His fangs descended as he anticipated the taste of her blood flowing over his tongue and down his throat.

  Her breast began to heave as her breathing quickened, and her body warmed with the power he sent to her to numb any pain he might cause her. As he brushed a few strands of hair away from her neck, her body reacted to the graze of his fingertips. He lowered his head, softly licking at her flesh before plunging his teeth into her skin. The blood, hot and sweet, hit his mouth. Immediately, he pulled her to his chest, cradling her.

  He sucked the life force from her body, replenishing his own and warming his skin as it flowed through him. Soft moans of pleasure escaped her lips as his cock hardened while he envisioned himself deep inside of her. Fangs disengaged from her skin. Pulling back, he peered down at the look of sheer pleasure plastered on her face, and it made him want her that much more.

  Laying her back on the bed, he settled himself between her legs and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. He pulled his power away from her to gauge her reaction. If she still wanted him, he planned to fuck her long and deep, but if she didn’t…

  “Shall I keep going?” he asked quietly in her ear. She pushed his shoulders up, lifting his head in the process, and gazed into his eyes, searching for something—what, he didn’t know—before she looked away. In that moment, he wanted to scream that he loved her, but something held him back. A force within kept him at bay.

  “I don’t know.”

  “It’s a simple yes or no.”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “It is. Would you like me to pleasure you or not?”

  “More than anything.” Her voice squeaked, breath catching in her throat.

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “You.”

  “Me?” He sighed and rolled off her. “I can see this is never going to work for either of us.” The words fell from his mouth, but they didn’t taste like his own.

  “Remy… I just need some time to figure out how I feel about everything. I know I loved who you were, but I don’t know you anymore, and I’m scared.” The dream she’d had played games with her mind. She was still drawn to him, no matter how hard she tried not to be, but was she willing to give up the man she’d fallen in love with in exchange for the one in front of her?

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  “Maybe you won’t hurt my body, but you will hurt me because you don’t care about me anymore. I’m nothing more than a warm body and a meal for you now. What happens when you get tired of me?”

  “I don’t see myself ever tiring of your blood, but you’ll be free if it does happen. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

  “It’s more complicated than that, and you know it. I love you. I want to be at your side no matter where in the world that may b
e, but I can’t do it if I’m terrified that you’ll throw me away at any second.”

  “How can I help ease your mind of these things?”

  “Love me again… Or help me find my family so I at least have them to go home to.”

  Yes, that was the answer. He’d simply love her again, though he didn’t feel as if he had stopped. “I will try, though I can’t promise anything.”

  “Try to love me or try to find my family?”

  The corner of his lip turned up before he spoke again. “I’ll try…”

  CHAPTER 6

  Mary Mercy, driving a hunter green Jeep, followed Damen on his Harley up the winding road to Willow Creek Manor. She eyed the place cautiously as she parked and got out.

  Damen smiled and turned toward her. “Welcome to Willow Creek, Mary.”

  “Yeah, I have a feeling I’m going to want to crawl out of my skin to get away from this place before it’s over with.”

  “You and me both, sister.”

  Mary rolled her eyes at Damen before walking through the front door and into a house full of people. As she glanced around at some familiar and some not-so-familiar faces, she saw people who she’d known as vampires for years, now weak and helpless as they tried to adjust to mortal lives.

  “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but we can check his and Sabine’s room.”

  “How is she?”

  He shrugged and motioned with his head for Mary to follow. A few moments later, Damen knocked on the door of the bedroom and waited for an answer. Sabine cracked open the door slowly, trying to sneak a peek at who might be on the other side. Her eyes met Mary’s, and she flung open the door. Her arms shot out, embracing her and pulling her closer.

  “I missed you, too, girl,” Mary said, returning Sabine’s hug.