Eternity

by Teresa Federici

  “Call him.” He ground out. I shook my head negatively, as much as his grip would allow.

  “Call him!” he screamed it this time, his fangs descending, the red light in the black depths of his eyes flaring brightly. I closed my eyes again and shook my head more firmly.

  He stood abruptly and kicked me, his booted foot coming into contact with my stomach. It was like being kicked by a jack hammer. I curled around myself, trying to protect my midsection as he lashed out at me.

  I was in excruciating pain, but inside I was satisfied with my stubbornness. He was this angry because he couldn’t get into my head. I had held him back successfully.

  He could hurt me physically as much as he wanted. I would heal or I would die.

  He left off beating me abruptly and called out to Damien, his voice raised in anger.

  Damien came in the door and halted when he saw me curled on the floor. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, but he took his gaze off me and looked at Padraigan.

  “Where is the house?” Padraigan demanded, stalking back and forth in front of me, his hands opening and closing. Sparks flew out of his hands every time they clenched, and I flinched as they landed on me, burning like little embers from a fire.

  “I haven’t found it yet, I’ve told you that countless times. I’m close.” He shrugged, the large shoulders moving up and down under his leather coat. He stole a glance down at me when Padraigan turned his back and tipped me another wink. I nodded slightly, then closed my eyes.

  I didn’t dare try to communicate with him, not with Padraigan in the room, but he obviously had something planned. I remembered what he said in the clearing, about not wanting to hurt innocents. Why would he help me? Obviously, he could still use me to get to Gareth.

  His image came to me and I gathered strength from it. I wanted so badly to link with him, to attempt to see where he was, but I just couldn’t take the chance. I was feeling faint from my beating, and had to maintain all the control I had to remain awake.

  “You find it, now. You have twelve hours. If you do not find it by then, I will hunt you down and kill you like the dog that you are.” His voice was dripping with disgust, his eyes still burning red.

  “Don’t threaten me, Padraigan. It will get you nowhere. It hasn’t worked so far, has it?” Damien taunted and I wanted to hit him. What the hell was he playing at?

  “I’m not threatening Damien, I’m promising.” He hissed, baring his fangs at Damien. Without another word, Damien bowed mockingly out of the office, not even looking my way.

  Padraigan continued to pace back and forth, but the sparks were no longer flying and I tried to straighten up, but pain ripped across my midsection and I gasped. Hopefully he hadn’t ruptured anything inside, but just bruised me.

  He glanced disdainfully at me, stopping his pacing.

  “Do you love him that much?” he sneered, moving to crouch in front of me again.

  “What does it matter?” I muttered, attempting to straighten again. The pain was almost incapacitating, but I did it, pressing my back into the wall behind me.

  “Oh it matters greatly. How much you love him is in direct connection with how much pain you’ll handle before giving me what I want.”

  “Since I already told you I would rather die than hand him over to you, it’s a moot point.” I answered with as much strength as I could muster.

  “Oh no, you won’t die. I can keep you alive for quite a long time, writhing in pain and agony.”

  He stood and strode out of the office, and I watched the door shut behind him, the sound of the lock seating into its niche loud in the small office. I waited to see if he would come back before I let my tears come. I did not want to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

  After what seemed like hours I let my guard down slowly, but still didn’t open my mind. I would’ve at least liked to try to contact Harley or Teagan, or even Noah, but it would be too dangerous for them, and I just had to hope that Gareth was trying to find me another way.

  I thought again about Damien, and wondered what he was up to. He had obviously been trying to alert me to something, but what? Was he going to try to help me escape? He had no other reason to do that other than to use me to get to Gareth, which I wouldn’t allow to happen.

  I snorted to myself. Like I was in any condition to stop anyone from doing whatever they wanted. I had a broken wrist, possible internal bleeding, and a myriad of bruises covering almost my entire body. My head pounded with every heartbeat and there was a ringing in my ears.

  I rested my eyes, listening for sounds announcing Padraigan’s return, but he left me alone in my misery.

  I had all this power in me, and it wasn’t helping me at all. I couldn’t call Gareth or the others for fear of bringing them into danger, and although I could open the door and use fire to burn my way out, I was in no condition to move. Tears started to seep out again from my closed eyes, and I fought them back. This was no time to give into a pity party. I had to figure a way out. I couldn’t wait around to see if Damien was going to help me, or for Gareth to find me. It was up to me.

  With what was left of my strength, I pushed myself up, using my left hand and the wall as leverage. I swayed with pain and my vision went black around the edges, and I almost passed out. I leaned against the wall, trying to clear my vision and let my head stop spinning.

  I looked around the office when my world stopped tilting, and noticed the clock on the wall. If it was correct, it was nine-thirty. Gareth was probably beside himself with worry and had probably called the others. If I could just get out of the warehouse unseen, I had a chance of getting to them.

  I stepped away from the wall and took a tentative step, still holding my injured right hand to my chest. My leg muscles screamed, but otherwise held me. Good, no broken bones there. I looked out the windows of the office, but it seemed that the main warehouse was empty. I knew that was deceiving. They were probably hidden in the shadows.

  So no one got suspicious, I moved to the desk and leaned on it, positioning myself facing the door, so I could see someone approach. I stared at the door lock, picturing it unlocking, and was rewarded with a satisfying click.

  My heart rose in my throat as I saw Blondie flash by the windows, his long blonde hair identifying him. Otherwise he was just a blur. I thought he was coming in for me, but I saw the main door of the warehouse open to the night and close behind him.

  After my heart slowed down, I brought my attention back to the door and opened it, just enough that I could feel cool air come in from the main room. I didn’t want to open it completely until I knew I could make it across the warehouse without alerting anyone. My legs were still wobbly and my stomach was screaming still.

  I jumped again as another vampire blurred through the warehouse, and I heard a scream that was abruptly cut off. What was going on?

  I stayed where I was, not moving, but listening intently. I focused my attention to the warehouse, letting my mind free for a split second, but that was enough to have hope surging through me.

  Damien burst through the main door, but in wolf form. The huge black animal came running towards the office, but was cut off by two vampires that came out of nowhere, landing on him with fangs bared. He shook them off and went after one, while the other responded to a roar from Padraigan. “Guard her!”

  I couldn’t see where he was, he was keeping himself hidden, the coward. The second vampire came to stand in front of the office door, looking in at me for a brief moment. I knew that face. It was a familiar face, but in my terror for Damien, I couldn’t place it.

  I watched the scene unfolding in the main room with gruesome fascination. Damien and the other vampire were circling each other, the vampire in a fighting crouch, hissing and spitting at Damien. Damien was growling low in his chest, a warning growl that sounded as terrifying as the hissing.

  With a lunge the vampire leapt at Damien, but Damien ducked low and the vampire sailed over the top of him, only to l
and on his feet and come back. Damien launched himself towards the vampire and they caught each other in mid-flight. The vampire latched his mouth on Damien’s neck, but the thick fur gave him some protection and Damien was able to shake him off. He darted in low and grabbed the vampire in the leg, jerking his head to the side and ripping at the same time. With a high-pitched scream the vampire lost its leg. Damien spit out the offending limb and came back for the other.

  I grimaced at the spray of blood over the dirty floor but kept watching. I wanted to be able to warn him if I could. I had no idea how many others there were in the building, and I knew others would come out.

  Damien had the vampire down and was about to rip his throat out when I saw another darting from the shadows.

  “Damien! Behind you!” I screamed out loud and to his thoughts, and with a growl he turned around just as the new one would’ve reached him.

  Everything was moving so fast that it amazed me that I could keep up. The vampires moved in a blur, Damien almost as fast.

  Over the melee in the middle of the room I saw the main door open, and I groaned, thinking that reinforcements were coming to get Damien. I turned my gaze to those that came in through the door and focused all my energy, thinking that I could try to push them out with my mind when I heard Damien in my thoughts.

  No, don’t! They’re here for us!

  I squinted my eyes, but before I could make out faces, I heard him. At the sound of that burr, my legs gave way and I sagged to the floor.

  “Anna!” his voice was filled with agony, but I reached out to him, finally able to communicate with him.

  Gareth, help Damien!

  Damien was surrounded now, five other vampires circling him. He was turning in circles, trying to watch them all at once. I could see Noah behind Gareth now, as they moved towards the group in the center of the warehouse.

  The vampire at my door was shifting from side to side, as if he wanted to get in on the fight, but he was held there by Padraigan’s command. Where was he, the fucking coward?

  I watched as three of the vampires broke off from Damien and flashed toward Gareth and Noah, who had stopped.

  Noah grinned wide and raised his arms, tipping his head back. Fire leapt out of his open palms and engulfed one of them. With a cry it disintegrated into a pile of ash.

  “Nicely done.” Gareth commented, as though he was congratulating Noah on a good golf shot.

  Noah shrugged a shoulder just as the other two flew at them. Noah braced himself as one came at him and he flipped it over his shoulder, and then turned and hit it with twin spheres of flame, just as the other one came at Gareth.

  With barely any effort, Gareth caught it in the neck with his hand and darted his head, his fangs sinking into the hard flesh at the other vampire’s throat. With a horrible tearing sound Gareth jerked his head, and ripped away a large piece of flesh. He threw the jerking body away and Noah turned that one into a pile of ash also.

  I watched all this with detached amazement. I had just watched my lover and my teacher kill, and there was no feeling of revulsion, only an urge to cheer them on.

  Damien was still grappling with two other vampires, and he wasn’t winning. They were both on top of him, and just as Noah and Gareth reached him, another vampire came out of nowhere and landed on Noah.

  “You piece of shit!” Noah roared as he fought to get the wriggling creature off his back, reaching up to protect his neck, and at the same time falling backward to land heavily on top of the vampire on his back. It crawled out from under him and hissed as Noah flipped up and pulled a knife from the sheath at his belt.

  “Come on you piece of crap. I’ll enjoy doing this the old fashioned way.” Noah snarled as he crouched, motioning the vampire to come at him. It darted at him, moving in fast and then away just as quickly.

  Meanwhile, Gareth got one of the other vampires off of Damien and tore out its throat, dispatching him as quickly as the other.

  Damien easily threw the other one off and tore at it before it could recover, his powerful jaws nearly decapitating it.

  The two of them, previous enemies now united, turned to Noah, just as he drove his knife to the hilt into the chest of the vampire he was fighting, a lick of flame running down the blade and into the vampire, who immediately turned into ash.

  Noah turned to face the carnage around him, and casually flicked fire at the other two vampires on the ground, who were starting to twitch with movement. Where they had lain, ash now covered the ground.

  Gareth turned towards the office, and the vampire guarding the door tensed. Gareth started toward him, but before he could get far, lightning came from across the warehouse and hit him square in the chest. He flew backward, hit the ground and slid halfway across the room. He was motionless where he lay.

  “NO!” I screamed and lurched forward, the door flinging open ahead of me as I wrenched it open with my mind. The vampire standing outside looked at it with surprise, then at me. As I raised my arms and released fire from my hands, he leapt at me, but my fire caught him and he turned into a pile of ash. I didn’t think twice as I walked through the mess, my mind and heart wanting to run to where Gareth still lay motionless on the floor, but my body betrayed me and I could only fall forward. Noah caught me before I could hit the ground and I pushed at him. “No, leave me here, go to Gareth. I don’t need you, Noah!” I hit him with my broken hand, but I didn’t feel any pain, just kept shoving at him so he would put me down and go after Gareth.

  “Anna, calm down. He’s moving, see?” Noah turned my head to face where Gareth lay, and I saw him raise himself up to his full height and set his shoulders, rolling his head on his neck, as if to work out a crick. I sobbed with happiness, but then he threw himself out of the way as another volley of lightning came at him. He hit the ground on his shoulder and rolled into a crouch, baring his fangs as Padraigan materialized in front of him.

  Now I fought Noah to release me so I could go help, but he held me down and Damien came to stand in front of both of us, his hackles raised, low growls issuing from his chest.

  I watched helplessly as they circled one another, Padraigan occasionally releasing bursts of lightning at Gareth, who was forced to jerk out of the way, losing ground.

  “Noah, help him!” I moaned, but Noah shook his head.

  “I can’t, Anna, I could hit Gareth.” He was watching the deadly dance as intently as I was, looking for a clear shot.

  “I knew you would come for her. It’s such a human weakness that you held on to.” Padraigan sneered, releasing another volley of lightning. Gareth dodged out of the way again, just in time, but didn’t bother to answer him.

  “She’s quite the pretty thing. I think after you’re gone, I’ll keep her around, use her for a few centuries.” He taunted, and although I could see the effect of the words on Gareth’s blood smeared face, he still didn’t answer, just kept circling.

  “What’s this? Nothing to say?”

  “I have plenty to say, and none of it good for you. You have to kidnap a helpless woman to get to me, and then try to taunt me into losing control. That’s not very good strategy.” He mocked, and I noticed that he was closing in on Padraigan, tightening the circle he made around him.

  Damien moved forward, inching toward the two circling vampires.

  “It worked, so I’d say it was a wonderful strategy.”

  “This isn’t going to turn out the way you think it will.” Gareth assured him.

  Padraigan chuckled. “Yes, I rather think it will.” More lightning erupted from his finger tips, but in a blur of motion, Gareth ducked and came up under it, hitting Padraigan in the stomach with a shoulder, driving him backward, straight into Damien, who had moved behind him. Lightning flew wildly, and Noah shoved me out of the way, where I landed hard on my already broken hand, which made a splintering noise as it broke in another spot. I cried out in pain, the agony threatening to incapacitate me.

  I watched from my spot on the floor as Damien latche
d onto Padraigan, his jaws closing on the vampire’s flank and he shook his head, like a dog playing with a toy, but instead of a chew bone, a large piece of Padraigan detached itself from his side and Damien dropped the piece on the ground. Padraigan screamed in pain, twisting around to glare at Damien, momentarily forgetting Gareth. He shot a stream of lightning at Damien, who tried to move out of range, but he wasn’t fast enough. The lightning caught him high on a hip and with a yelp Damien fell to the ground and was silent.

  At that moment Gareth came at him, fangs bared and a growl issuing from his mouth. Padraigan met him head on and they grappled, Padraigan not able to use his weapon of choice in close quarters.

  I could barely watch as they fought, slamming each other against steel pillars, the ground, and throwing punches that would have killed a mortal man.

  Noah was bent over Damien and I crawled over to see if I could help, always keeping my eyes on Gareth.

  “That hole in his leg is going to make him very pissed when he wakes up, but it didn’t hit anything vital. Granted, I’m not a veterinarian, but once he turns back into a human, it should be somewhere around the fleshy part of his upper leg.”

  “Can’t you help him, Noah?” I begged, watching Gareth throw Padraigan into a steel support beam.

  “No, I can’t, I already told you. This is for Gareth to resolve.”

  His lack of concern was pissing me off. Other than a large chunk taken out of his side, which was most likely healing as he fought, Padraigan was fresh. Gareth had already been hit by lightning and had fought two other vampires, although they hadn’t been much of a fight for him.

  “Why do you seek to destroy me?” I heard Gareth ground out as he slammed Padraigan onto the floor and knelt over him, his hand at the other vampire’s throat.

  “Because you seek to destroy our kind. I can’t let that happen.” Padraigan answered, bringing his legs up and using them to throw Gareth back. Gareth recovered quickly and darted out of the way of another volley of lightning shot toward him. He ran forward, used a wall to give him leverage and launched himself full length at Padraigan, who caught him and threw him down on the ground.