Grave Expectations - Jess Vandermire 4

by Lina Gardiner

  The vampire roared for the first time since they’d entered the room. Then he took a tentative step toward them.

  Jess aimed her stake and tapped her heel for her toe spike to unsheathe itself at the same time that Regent held his silver stake aloft.

  The blade pulsed again, and suddenly, the vampire shrieked, then dove back into the corner. His gaze was glued to the knife.

  She knew fear when she saw it, even in a slavering, vicious beast like him. And the knife was the source.

  “Where’d you get that blade?” she asked Fisk. The glowing blade seemed longer now.

  “I found it in a marketplace in Iran,” Fisk said, his voice as weak as he looked.

  “Right.” She gritted between her teeth and turned her attention back to the beast. At a time like this, she figured he was probably still lying to her.

  “Please move aside,” Britt said to her and Regent. “We need to have open access.”

  They stepped over, but remained on guard.

  Blue light emanated from Britt and Fisk individually, then took a synchronous path to hover side-by-side between the two men, before joining into a much larger orb.

  Vasilli gasped. “You really are children of the Fallen. I was told you might still exist, and even though I saw your light, I didn’t believe it.”

  Jess didn’t take her attention off the big vampire. He looked like he was in agony. It would be more humane to put him down, if he wasn’t supposed to be so important. She stared at him. Who was he, really?

  Without warning, Regent moved in on the vampire. For about two seconds, the vampire didn’t notice him. Jess wanted to scream for him to stop, but instead, spoke slowly, and in a calm voice. “Regent, back off. What are you doing?”

  “Just making sure the big guy knows who he’s dealing with,” he said, holding a stake in one hand and a specially handcrafted vampire-killing blade in the other.

  She had the feeling Regent was feeling the strength of his younger body, and wanted to test it out. Unfortunately, it’d been so long since he’d fought, he must’ve forgotten how strong vampires were, and that one this size could slice him in half with those talons.

  “We’re merely the rodeo clowns, Regent. For now, we have to give Britt and Fisk a chance to do their stuff. Get your ass back here, before it’s too late.”

  He sighed and backed away to his previous post. He’d moved just in time, too, because the vampire suddenly looked over his shoulder where Regent had been in range of his sharp fingernails just seconds before.

  “Sorry, Jess. I lost my head.”

  The blade hummed louder and shot a shaft of light at the hovering blue orb. Fisk’s hands had steam coming off them.

  “WHAT’S WRONG WITH your hands?” Britt asked.

  “Damned if I know. This has never happened before,” he said.

  Something else struck Britt. “Hey, Vasilli, what’s with the vampire? I thought he was insatiable. Out of control?”

  “You’re right. He’s never been like this. Not even at the beginning.”

  “What was the beginning?” Jess asked.

  “Need to know,” Vasilli said, peeking over the shoulders of two Vatican soldiers.

  “Maybe he’s planning how he’s going to kill us and drink fresh blood,” Fisk said, in a stupid attempt at humor.

  “Hell, man, don’t give him any ideas,” Britt said, under his breath.

  A blast of light flashed inside the room, encompassing every man and woman. Then the blade’s more vibrant light created a backwash and slammed into Britt. He instantly gained access to everyone’s thoughts in the room. Maybe everyone’s thoughts in the city. His head fairly burst with the onslaught of emotions. He nearly screamed and lost control, but somehow, he held it together. His breathing steadied and he seemed able to focus on the people in the rectory again. Most thoughts were numbed with terror. But one person’s thoughts stood out.

  “Damn you,” Britt said, jerking his head back to glare at Vasilli. “You’ve known all along this was a death sentence. The blade knows how to heal the vampire, but someone has to give up their life, willingly, in order for that to happen. You knew that!”

  The big vampire suddenly lurched forward and Vasilli shouted an order in Italian. Four soldiers forced their way through the middle and moved toward the vampire with bayonets on the ends of their guns.

  Britt’s mind turned to the vampire and the beast’s caustic thoughts rolled into him, wave upon stunning, crushing wave. He retched and grabbed onto Fisk for stabilizing power. He needed help. He could get lost in the blood-saturated black nightmares this beast held in his head.

  Fisk tried to shake Britt off. No doubt he felt some of the unending horrors bleeding into Britt’s subconscious, but Britt held on. Help me, goddamn it! he thought, and somehow, Fisk tightened his resolve. Fisk reached out and grabbed Britt’s shoulders, making him focus on him. Fisk. The debilitating thoughts and memories abated, until all that was left was a horrible feeling of devastation and ruin. And the feeling his world would never be the same again. But he still had no idea who this beast had been before he’d been turned. Could it be he was the original vampire? Had he been born a vampire and created the scourge on the planet? He had no idea, and it scared the hell out of him.

  THERE WAS NO doubt in Jess’s mind this was more about human sacrifice than fighting the creature off. As soon as she realized it, the beast slashed out with one hand and struck half the men down. After which, he licked his bloody fingernails.

  The other half ran away in terror. She didn’t blame them. They certainly hadn’t volunteered their lives. They’d been ordered.

  Jess’s breath stopped when the vampire’s sunken, dull-eyed gaze repaired itself, but just for a few seconds.

  As soon as his eyes turned back, he licked his lips and snarled. He couldn’t take his eyes off the bodies on the floor. They were still alive, yet it was apparent he was going to drain them.

  “Now!” Britt shouted to Fisk.

  They worked together in complete synchronicity. When their light joined and grew in size and strength, it shot straight at the vampire’s heart, where it sizzled its way through the massively bony chest that looked almost armor-plated. It seared and dug and finally burned a hole into the vampire’s chest cavity.

  The beast screamed and writhed, but he didn’t charge them.

  “I have no idea how to save the man, and drive away the beast. “What should I do, Fisk?” Britt shouted. “Can you think of any other way to heal him?”

  “Just put that thought in your mind and find your sweet spot. Or let it find you. Then focus on all the vampire’s evil melting off his flesh and falling away.”

  Jess felt impotent while the two men worked together. She wanted to help, but reaching the beast was up to them right now. She’d stand by and do whatever she could.

  “But the blade has already told me what has to happen. You know it’s true. Someone has to volunteer to die,” Britt ground out.

  When the vampire surged ahead again, Jess stepped forward, being careful of the blue light. She started speaking words from the ancient vampire scrolls. Words she’d used before to keep a big vampire at bay.

  At first, he stopped and looked shocked, his demeanor almost cowed by the words. She continued repeating them over and over. But, as she continued, she could see they were gradually losing their efficacy.

  Worse, she glanced back at Britt and saw sweat beading on his forehead and dripping into his eyes, as he maintained focus on the vampire. This was taking a lot out of him.

  He grunted and light flashed out of him so hard it nearly knocked him backward. It was then she realized Regent had stepped behind him to keep him from falling.

  “You’re doing it, Britt. Keep going,” Regent said. “You can do this.”

  One question kept plaguing Jess—who has to die in order to save this vampire?

  She began chanting the words again, her voice building in intensity until she was shouting the anc
ient words in order to stun the vampire. She continued, while soldiers were pulling the injured out of the room. She gave them time to get the wounded out while her words still had power over the beast.

  “Get back, Jess. You need to stop. It’s not working anymore,” Britt yelled, managing to break through to her.

  She stopped just on time and jumped back just before blue light expanded and filled in the space where she’d just been standing.

  It spread out and encompassed the giant vampire who arched and fell to his knees on the floor. Then, although it seemed impossible, his mouth stretched and his teeth grew even larger. His skin cracked more and it looked as if there were red gashes all over his body.

  “He’s growing again. Holy heaven, he’s growing again,” Vasilli shouted. “Your light isn’t working.”

  “My brain feels like it’s going to split open, is that normal, Fisk? I’m beginning to see why you find this so fatiguing,” Britt groaned. “Is it possible to defeat this beast?”

  Fisk didn’t respond. Jess glanced at him, not surprised to find him looking defeated. His face was a ghastly shade of gray, and his skin had grown sallow. He looked as if he’d being drained of all moisture.

  Maybe that’s why Britt had a headache, too? Both men had lost too much body fluid, their clothes were virtually saturated.

  Suddenly, the blade sang in a musical lilt for everyone to hear. How long could Britt hold up without Fisk’s help? “Britt, are you okay?” she shouted, unable to hold her tongue.

  “Don’t worry, it’s all beginning to make sense. The blade is speaking to me.”

  She eyed the metal in Fisk’s sagging hands. The man was about to drop, and then what would happen with Britt’s stronger connection between the light and the blade? Would it break and give the vampire the advantage? Jess considered her options if that happened.

  “It’s no use,” Vasilli wailed. “It’s true. Someone has to willingly die to save him.”

  “Then do it,” Regent shouted at Vasilli, surprising Jess. “Isn’t it your responsibility?”

  “I can’t. I won’t,” Vasilli said.

  “You were supposed to, though, weren’t you?” Regent shouted. “This was your burden to bear.”

  Vasilli burst into tears. “Yes. But I can’t do it. I don’t have the ability to sacrifice myself.”

  She backed even farther away from the vampire and dared another glance at Britt. He looked pale and obviously weaker. But, not the big beast. He seemed to be virtually unaffected, even though he’d been bathed in the glowing blue light.

  It terrified her when she noticed how hard Britt’s hands shook as he stretched his arms out, and continued to force himself beyond the limits of his stamina.

  “I’ll do it then,” Regent shouted.

  The vampire roared again and pounded his huge hands against the floor, making them lose their balance. How long before he brought the whole place down?

  “I’ve had a full life. I’ll sacrifice myself.”

  “You won’t,” Jess screamed. “You will live.”

  Suddenly, Jess realized Britt had been right when he’d said she was blessed. Why couldn’t she have recognized it sooner? She’d been blessed with the love of a brother who wouldn’t give up on her, and the love of a man whose touch made her ice-cold heart warm and feeling. Somehow, she’d been allowed to see the vampires’ evil as an entity outside herself, so she could work to rid humanity of its stain.

  She’d been blessed with friends over and over, and hadn’t even realized it. Sampson, James, Terry, Jane, and even baby Sephina. They loved her too, in their own way. She’d been loved. She’d been cherished and she’d given them nothing in return. Nothing but heartbreak and fear, and the trials of having to constantly pray for her, a chore that would shake the resolve of any saint.

  She felt a hitch inside her chest. Her heart had either just broken, or she’d kicked it into gear because she was loved. And there was only one way she could repay them for their faith in her. Nothing else would prove that more than sacrificing herself in their names.

  To save them. To save humanity. To prove she was blessed.

  She instantly made a run for the vampire and dove into the blue light. She hit the vampire’s chest and he flailed his arms, trying to fight her off. She managed to stake him once, but the silver bounced off his massive chest and barely left a scratch. The blue light wasn’t as kind to her … she was sizzling as if being burned alive by acid. She tried to stop the scream, but couldn’t.

  Through excruciating pain, she saw Britt falter. The expression on his face seared her tarnished soul with a different kind of agony. When his arms began to lower, and his light dimmed considerably, she managed to scream out to him, even though riptides of pain were dulling her thoughts. “Don’t stop,” she shrieked. “Britt, do this for me. Do this for everyone!”

  And, dear God, it was too late for her, anyway.

  Her soul ached while Regent pounded on Britt’s back. “Stop, Britt. Stop it, damn it. She’s going to die.”

  “She’s right. If I stop, everyone dies,” Britt said. “I can’t let Jess down. God damn it, I have to do this for her.”

  “Oh please, Britt, don’t let her die. You love her, too. How can you do this?” Regent wailed, still punching him, pounding on his arms now, trying to make him drop the blade, stop the light from killing his sister.

  Even while she felt herself fading, she saw tears rolling down Britt’s cheeks, before she fell into the vampire’s lap and everything went dark.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  BRITT’S BODY WENT instantly numb when the monster reached down with one hand and lifted Jess into the air, then lowered her again to his mouth. His fangs had hyper-extended to taste her. Britt had let this happen.

  “Oh, God in heaven, no!” Regent ran forward and bounced off the light as if it had been a solid wall.

  “It’s too late,” Vasilli said. “He’s chosen. She’s the one who will be his sacrifice. She’s done it willingly. We can only pray to heaven it will work.”

  Britt choked back a wave of panic. He must have been insane. How could he let her do this? Had the blade tricked him? He’d watched her kill herself. She’d looked only at him while the vampire drained the last of her existence, then let her fall in a heap on the floor.

  Regent still sobbed on the ground where he’d landed after hitting the force field.

  Britt’s whole upper body shook so hard he could barely maintain the light. Jesus, how could he continue living after allowing Jess to do this? And yet, the blade still sang to him. It forced him on.

  Beside him, Fisk rammed the blade into his hand before he dropped to the floor, unconscious. He’d used up every ounce of his energy, and he was definitely out of the picture.

  “Jess, Jess …” Regent wailed. “She’s dead, Britt. She’s dead.”

  Those words echoed in Britt’s brain like a battering ram, and he wanted to die himself. But he couldn’t. He sensed he was close to success. The knife hummed and jerked in his hand until it grew from a broken-off blade to a full-length spear. There was only one thing left to do with it.

  Britt aimed and threw it with a force he didn’t know he had. It pierced the vampire’s chest and hit his heart dead on.

  “What have you done? You’ve killed us all,” Vasilli wailed.

  THE BLADE PIERCED his skin and he felt it split his heart open. He screamed in pain. His flesh tore again as he fought against the desire to rip the blade out. He fought against the evil inside him that vied for life. It must die. No matter what happened to him, he could not let the vampire contain him any longer.

  It was when the female vampire gave up her life to save her brother and the man she loved that he knew. That’s when he realized there was a hope for humanity. If something as dark and damaged as she could still have that much goodness, maybe there was hope for people after all.

  The female, prostrate on the floor in front of him, was truly dead. Free of all her tr
oubles. He grunted and bent over while the blade buried deeper into his heart—moving of its own volition.

  His blade had come home and it would help him fight off the darkness, even if it had to kill him to do it.

  His torment wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

  Pain ripped through his limbs and his head felt like it would explode, but slowly, very slowly, the black death fell away, and his flesh and his mind returned to normal.

  His own inner light, helped along by his blade, healed his heart. It couldn’t have happened without Jess Vandermire’s gift of her life.

  Only her sacrifice could have proven his faith in this world was worthy.

  He fell next to the female. His size diminished and his body renewed, and he lay there for several minutes regaining his strength.

  No one approached him, and they watched his transformation in awe.

  Only two men cried. They cried for the woman called Jess. The vampire they loved beyond everything, yet they had allowed her to give herself up to save the world. That had been an impressive gift. They could have stopped her. But they knew she had to do the right thing.

  REGENT STARTED dragging himself toward Jess just as Sampson tore into the room and dropped to his knees beside her. He felt for a pulse while Britt watched.

  “I’m sorry, Regent. I couldn’t stop her. I couldn’t save her.” Britt’s voice cracked when he spoke. He had to brace himself against the need to totally break down. He’d do that later, in the privacy of his own room.

  Regent had tears running down his cheeks. “I know. And she knew it, too. She knew what had to be done. She’s always been like that. No matter how dark and evil she thought she was, she was always my light and my salvation, not the other way around.” He sobbed into his hands. “She gave more than she ever took.”

  “She was an amazing woman,” Britt croaked.

  Regent sobbed openly into his hands. “What will I ever do without her? Now that I’ve been given an extension on my life, I don’t want it. I want to go with her.”

  Britt’s heart had already fractured into a thousand pieces, if the pain in his chest meant anything. And while he felt sorry for Regent, it was his own loss that took over everything in his heart and mind now.