Eternal 1: Eternal Embrace

by Ann Lory

  Cassandra. His voice caressed her name, his pain in every each syllable.

  He saw her jump and swallow.

  I feel like my world has just fallen apart.

  I know, love.

  I blame you.

  I know that, too.

  A strangled sob escaped her throat. “Stay out of my dreams and my head.”

  “As you wish.”

  Cassie curled up miserably on the couch and finally surrendered to her exhaustion and shock. Her last thoughts were of Dimitri, always Dimitri.

  Chapter Twelve

  The days that followed were the hardest of Cassie’s life. While work was quiet just before the opening of the exhibit, she was afraid to venture out at night, and Dimitri was constantly on her mind. She knew, too, that he was always with her; she could feel him, although he never intruded on her thoughts, and this both comforted and terrified her. Many times, she wanted to call out to him mentally -- she had so many questions -- but she always fought the compulsion to do so.

  Among the things she wanted the answers to were why she remembered the terrible dreams but not the actual blood exchange. Why had he sent her away from him a couple of months ago? And then there was the most important one: why did her heart ache for him when she knew what he was?

  She sighed and continued to flip through channels, not really seeing the TV. Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve; rather than the start of a great new relationship, it seemed the beginning of hell to her.

  Someone knocked on her door. Cassie gently pushed Patches from her lap and answered it.

  “Hi, Kelly,” Cassie said without enthusiasm. Her friend looked bright and chipper. As they moved into her living room, Kelly turned to her with a determined look.

  “It’s Saturday and you are going to come out into the land of the living.”

  Cassie wanted to laugh at the statement but couldn’t summon the energy. She just looked at her friend, feeling pathetic.

  Kelly grabbed Cassie’s hand and led her to her bedroom, “Go in there and get dressed. We’re going to the museum to check out the exhibit you’ve been telling me so much about.”

  Cassie began to tear up immediately. She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

  “I don’t care. We are going. It’s opening night, and I want to get there before the crowd. You better be ready in ten minutes. If you’re not, you’ll go in your pajamas.” Kelly stood with her feet apart and one hand on her hip. The other hand pointed in the direction of the bedroom.

  After a long staring contest with her friend, Cassie finally relented, slamming the door of her room behind her. She quickly donned a pair of jeans, a green fleece sweater and pair of tennis shoes. Looking in a mirror as she pulled her hair back in a ponytail, she saw dark circles under her eyes. Averting her eyes, she hesitated, then slipped her silver cross around her neck. She’d had the chain fixed after Thanksgiving.

  Cassie walked out of her room, fuming silently at her friend.

  “I should find Dimitri and kick his ass for getting you so tied in knots. I’ve never seen you so emotional over a guy.” Kelly blue eyes shone with concern.

  Cassie rubbed her temples and closed her eyes briefly. “Please, Kelly. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Okay, let’s go then.”

  They walked outside. Despite the brilliant sunlight, the air was cool. They climbed into Kelly’s blue Mustang and headed for the Fine Arts Museum. In the distance, they could see the Golden Gate Bridge, which they would have to cross to get to the museum. The sea was a bright blue-green, pure and sparkling like a thousand diamonds as the sun touched its surface.

  When they arrived at the museum, Cassie was grudgingly appreciative of the fact that the building exterior’s classic stone columns gave it a proper Greek atmosphere. One of the curators had insisted on adding them, and though it had cost the museum extra money, the ambiance it helped to create was well worth it.

  Once inside, she relaxed and found herself immersed in the history the artifacts told. She and Kelly first went to the sections that she hadn’t had a hand in, to see what her colleagues had put together. She read that in 1453, the Turks had invaded Constantinople and renamed the city Istanbul. She looked at the different swords and lances the invaders had used and the armor they wore. There were also paintings of the great battles that had taken place to keep the country from falling under foreign rule, but which had been in vain until the year 1829. The Triple Alliance -- Britain, France and Russia -- had helped Greece to gain her independence.

  Cassie was impressed with the sculptures of Greek mythology and the stories they wove. She grinned slightly, remembering a co-worker who had complained how it had been like pulling teeth to get some of the sculptures to the States.

  Cassie shook her head in amusement as she stood before the Greek statue of Aphrodite, whom Paris, the most handsome mortal man on earth, had decided was the fairest goddess of all, in order to win Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. Too bad Helen had been the wife of the King of Sparta, who, along with Helen’s brother, had raised an army to retrieve her and thus started the infamous Trojan War.

  Aphrodite’s statue depicted her dressed in a long toga with wraparound layers. Her hair fell loose around her neck, and her sculpted features faced off toward the distance, apparently lost in thought. Her nose was broken at the end, no doubt the inevitable result of time weighing on the piece. A small cherub sat at her feet, its little wings peeking from behind its back.

  Kelly wandered away to look at another piece while Cassie walked on, intrigued with all the objets d’art that surrounded her. She came upon another statue, this one of Leda and the swan. The woman stood nude and held up a long cloth as if she were preparing to cover herself and the swan, which nuzzled its head between her breasts, looking smitten. The woman was beautiful and graceful in the way she held the swan, who was Zeus in disguise.

  Like Dimitri, Cassie thought. He had been in disguise and had deceived her, had brought her under his spell with his dark eyes as Zeus had done with Leda. She gave one last look at the statue and walked quickly away.

  Next, Cassie entered a room filled with portraits of Greek aristocracy. They were arranged chronologically and showed the history of each family. Her heart began to pound as she moved along the walls, eventually approaching a family from the late 1400s. Suddenly, she found herself in front of a massive family portrait with a golden frame -- and had to swallow against the lump of fear that formed in her throat.

  A striking man with long black hair, graying slightly at the temples, stood tall and proud. He had fine brown eyes, a long, straight nose, strong defined cheek bones, thin lips and a square jaw, as well as a massive chest. His wife sat before him, her thick, dark hair pulled into a bun at the top of her head. She had fair features: large brown eyes, high delicate cheekbones, a small, rounded nose and full pink lips. Beside the woman was their son. His eyes were a rich brown, and he had high cheekbones and full lips like his mother, and the patrician nose and broad chest of his father. His silken black hair was from both parents and fell to his shoulders. There seemed to be a hint of amusement in his warm brown eyes.

  Cassie sucked in a breath and peered closer at the portrait: he was probably no more than twenty and looked younger in the painting, but she was certain it was Dimitri. There was no denying it.

  She read the small inscription of the family below the portrait:

  Dimitrius Nicolo Alexios, 1443–1510

  Isadora Elizabeth Alexios, 1451–1510

  Dimitrius Nicolo Alexios, 1472–Unknown

  The elder Dimitrius and Isadora married in the year 1471. Alexios senior was a respected man who often spoke of and worked toward peace among his people and their new rulers, thus both he and his wife supported the Turkish sultan. However, after the mysterious disappearance of their son, Alexios was filled with such grief that he neglected his duties and stopped paying tribute to the sultan. As a result, the Alexios home was invaded and b
urned to the ground.

  So this was Dimitri in his youth. Cassie closed her eyes and thought she could see him as he was then, back when he was happy and mortal, when his family had been alive and loved him.

  He was radiant with life, his skin pink and healthy, his eyes the brown of freshly turned soil and his hair in waves around his shoulders. He wore a blue tunic and leggings and was in his father’s vineyard, laughing and calling to her. His hand reached out to her, his warm fingers touching her cheek. She wanted to touch him back ...

  She cried out and whirled around wild-eyed when Kelly, touched her shoulder.

  “Cass, are you okay?”

  “No. I feel I will never be okay again.”

  Kelly looked puzzled then stared at the portrait. “My God, that looks just like ...” her words trailed off when Cassie shushed her, shaking her head frantically. Kelly didn’t say anything but looped her friend’s arm through hers, then headed toward the exit. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  “Thanks, Kelly.” She leaned on the other woman as she was led out of the museum.

  * * * * *

  Dimitri was looking through her eyes at his family and he felt a soul-searing pain at the loss of those he loved. He thought all had been lost during in the fire that had destroyed his home, but no, here was the last family portrait.

  He could feel Cassie’s pain and the overwhelming emotions she was suffering at trying to comprehend the incomprehensible. She believed, but yet it was too unreal, and he could feel her withdrawing inside herself. The fact that he could not go to her for fear of making it worse tore at his heart.

  He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be fine, but he didn’t know if it ever would be again. He missed her warmth, her scent. He missed seeing her radiant smiles that were just for him. He missed her heart-aching beauty that made him go weak with want. He loved her, and he had probably lost her forever.

  Cassie spent the rest of the day locked away in her apartment, awake for most of the night. As he usually did when he could not stand her torment any longer, he willed her to sleep. She fought it, but the end result was inevitable, and she drifted finally into a peaceful rest. When he felt the warmth of the sun, Rowlin appeared, and Dimitri took flight, racing toward the darkness of his chamber, where death claimed him.

  * * * * *

  It was New Year’s Eve and Cassie’s office was abuzz with excitement. Craig sauntered up to her desk. “Cass, you have got to get over this guy. Let’s go to the party tonight, you and me.”

  Cassie smiled up at him, “I’m supposed to go with Kelly, but you’re welcome to tag along if you like.”

  If Craig had not been leaning on her desk, he probably would have fallen over in surprise, causing Cassie to laugh. “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah. Do you want us to come by and pick you up?”

  “How about if I meet you at your place and we wait for Kelly there?”

  Cassie heard a warning growl in her head. For the third time, and without knowing how she was accomplishing such a feat, she reached out her mind to touch Dimitri’s. He was in his chamber, shrouded in darkness. In an instant, however, he put up a mind block, and she found herself back in her office. Cassie jumped in surprise.

  Craig was staring at her in concern. “Are you all right, Cass?”

  Still somewhat shocked, she nodded. “I’m fine. What were you saying?”

  “I asked what time I should be at your place.”

  “Kelly is supposed to come get me at eight, so how about then?”

  Craig was beaming. “I’ll be there.” He turned and walked away with a little skip in his step.

  * * * * *

  Cassie was putting the finishing touches on her make-up when someone showed up at the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest; she wondered if it would be Dimitri. When she peered through the peephole, she breathed a sigh of relief, or maybe it was a sigh of disappointment, at the sight of Craig. Pushing all thoughts of Dimitri aside, she put on her brightest smile and let her guest in.

  Craig whistled as he stepped past her. “You look hot!”

  She had left her hair down so that the silken strands framed her face and she wore an ankle-length black dress that fit her closely. Little spaghetti straps fell over her shoulders and a right side slit came up to just below her thigh, Four-inch black heels with ankle straps completed her outfit. The dress screamed sexy, and Craig couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her.

  Cassie blushed under his avid stare. “Thanks. It cost me a month’s rent, but I had to get it. Kelly’s influence, of course. She should be here any minute. Did you want anything to drink while we wait?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Her friend pulled up then and honked. Cassie grabbed her coat and locked up as Craig went to greet Kelly. Feeling uneasy, she looked around one last time before stepping off the patio and into the night. Cassie felt like she was being watched, then noticed a black hawk in one of the trees peering down at them. Its beady eyes seem to follow her every move, and she wondered if ... no, it couldn’t be. Kelly yelled at her to hurry up, and Craig was holding the car door open. Shaking off the feeling, she climbed into Kelly’s Mustang, ready to bring in the New Year.

  By the time Cassie and her group arrived at the party, it was well under way. Loud music pounded from inside the building and people had thoroughly mingled. When they stepped inside, Craig took both Cassie’s and Kelly’s coats and disappeared briefly while the two joined a group of friends. The lights dimmed in the room as a slow song came on over the speakers.

  “Do you want to dance,” Craig asked Cassie, his arm going around her waist.

  She almost shuddered at the feel of his arm. Forcing a smile on her face, she nodded. He led her out onto the dance floor and pulled her to him, his arms crushing her to his chest. He smiled down at her and she frowned, not sure how to respond.

  Finally deciding to relax, she placed her hands lightly on his shoulders as he led her around the floor. She felt his hands brush her bare shoulders, then his fingers skimmed over the nape of her neck. Once she looked up at him, his lips immediately captured hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth, exploring and searching. She was shocked at the sudden invasion and felt such revulsion that she wrenched herself from his arms and glared at him before storming off. She wiped his kiss from her lips, disgusted with him but more at herself because all she could think of was Dimitri and how no other man could make her feel the way he could with his touch.

  Everything seemed to slow as her gaze fell on a dark figure in the corner, her eyes widening with recognition. Her heart pounded a wild frenzy in her chest, and heat seemed to suffuse her skin. He was here! His black stare seemed to devour her, to caress her with their intensity. She felt warmth seep into her body, and she returned his look, taking all of him in. Seeing him made her realize that despite everything she’d missed him unbearably.

  Dimitri, what are you doing here?

  I came to see you, Cassandra. He seemed to savor each syllable of her name, and she shivered at the sound of his voice in her head. She wanted to forget everything and run into his arms, let him kiss all her hurts away, but she didn’t. He was still a vampire. One of the undead. And she remained angry with him for what he had done to her.

  She looked at him; the pain in his eyes seemed all-consuming.

  I could never hurt you, Cassandra.

  “But you did.” Her words were softly spoken, hanging in the air between them. He bowed his head, then slipped back into the shadows and disappeared into the crowded room. She wanted to call him back but didn’t. Why had he come? Why did she feel she would never be able to move on?

  God help her! Though she knew what he was, she still loved him. The room became too hot and closed in. She rushed toward the door and raced outside, letting the chilly air enfold her. She rubbed her hands over her bare arms and watched the mist her breath formed.

  Was she fighting a losing battle to try and stay away from him, when ever
y part of her being needed him so desperately? Had she made a mistake in sending him away from her? She knew deep down that he would never truly hurt her, that he cared deeply for her as she did him, but the shock of the previous events occurring all at once had been too much. Learning that he had drunk from her, then forced her to forget had made her feel angry and betrayed, so she’d reacted from fear. Now she was absolutely miserable without him.

  There was a sound behind her. She turned to see who had joined her, shrieking when a big burly man with curly blond hair grabbed her roughly, a blade in his hand. Another man just as big but with a tattoo of a spider on his cheek also appeared carrying a knife. Before she could gather her wits, Dimitri materialized from nowhere. He grabbed the man holding her, who released her in his surprise, and threw him across the yard. The other man charged him, yelling as he hit Dimitri, and both men went tumbling to the ground.

  Amazingly, the first man seemed unfazed by the fact that he had just been thrown with force and came after Cassie again. The metal in his hand glinted menacingly under the moonlight and the bulb from the building’s entrance.

  Dimitri tossed Spider Tattoo off him and sprang to his feet, rushing toward her. “Go back inside. Hide, but do not leave!”

  Cassie shook her head; “No I won’t leave you!”

  Just then, Blondie came at them, swinging the blade. Dimitri shoved her away and took the blow in his side, even as he threw an upper cut at his opponent, sending the man flying again. Spider Tattoo attacked once more, but Dimitri was able to get his hands around the man’s neck. Cassie heard bones crunching beneath his fingers, and she cringed as the man slumped, his face contorted.

  She cried out as Blondie tried to ambush Dimitri from behind. Cassie watched in horror as the man’s blade nicked Dimitri in the corner of his eye. When she saw his skin bleed and burn, she knew the blades were silver. Desperate to help, she quickly glanced around and broke a large branch off a nearby tree before approaching both men.