Dominion

by Marissa Farrar

  “When the daytime comes?”

  Sebastian nodded. “I’ll sleep and then this thing will take control. I can’t stop it, Serenity. I’m scared of what I might do.”

  She laced her fingers through his and he lifted his eyes to hers once more. “Everything will be fine. We’ve got Iona now to stop you if the demon tries to control you.”

  “She’s only a girl, barely older than Elizabeth.”

  “But she’s powerful. She controlled the demon, made it tell her about Natasha. Don’t doubt her abilities, Sebastian.”

  “I’ve never been like this before. Never been helpless or at the mercy of something else.” His eyes burned. “I hate it.”

  She squeezed his large hand and pressed her lips together, trying to stem the tears threatening to overwhelm her. She hung her head so her hair fell over her face and stared at the ground, willing them away. Her self-control wasn’t enough and the ground blurred.

  “Serenity. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

  He pulled her against him and she allowed herself to be held, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his shoulder. He still felt so solid beneath her face, still so him. If she didn’t look at him, she could almost imagine there was nothing wrong—that he was still just Sebastian with nothing dark lurking beneath the surface.

  “I’m sorry.” She sniffed, lifting her face. “I wanted to be strong for you. It’s you who is suffering and I’m the one blubbering like a baby.”

  He cupped her face between his hands, holding their faces level. “I’d cry if I could, Serenity. Believe me.”

  She closed her eyes briefly and nodded. When she opened them again, he leaned forward and placed a smooth, cool kiss on her lips.

  “I love you,” he said, brushing her remaining tears from her cheeks.

  “I love you too.”

  They locked eyes, their hands held, the intimacy of the moment more than any words could contain.

  Sebastian broke the moment with a sad smile. “So what now?” he asked.

  “Iona located Natasha.”

  Immediately, he sat up straight. “Where?”

  “San Diego. We think she’s in an industrial area in Serra Mesa.”

  “So, she’s close,” said Sebastian. “Convenient.”

  “Perhaps she wanted to be near in case something went wrong.”

  “Well, what are we waiting for? We should go now!”

  She shook her head. “You’re not going. You need to stay here with Elizabeth.”

  “Why?”

  “We don’t know how long we’ll be or how much control Natasha has on the demon. Taking you to her might be asking for trouble.”

  “Okay,” he said slowly. “So, who is going to take on Natasha?”

  “Bridget and Elizabeth will stay here with you and I’ll go with Iona and Vincent. We’ll make Natasha take this thing back.”

  “It won’t be easy, Serenity,” he warned. “You know that.”

  “I know.” She gritted her teeth. “But if she doesn’t cooperate, she won’t be the first vampire I’ve had to kill.”

  He shook his head. “Just be careful.”

  “I will. I’ve got Vincent and Iona to protect me.” She stood and put her hand out to him.

  Sebastian took her hand, rising from the wall. He followed her back into Iona’s trailer, where everyone regarded him anxiously as he walked in.

  “Daddy!” Elizabeth rushed to his side and took the hand Serenity wasn’t holding. “You’re going to be okay, I know you are.”

  He smiled weakly down at her. “Have you seen anything, Elizabeth?”

  She understood what he meant and shook her head. “Not yet. I still see you in that other place. Still lost.”

  He smiled again. “I was hoping for something a little more positive.”

  She wrinkled her nose and gave an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, Daddy.”

  Iona stepped in. “We’ve only got about six hours of night left. I’m not sure we’re going to be back before it gets light. I’m worried about what will happen when day comes and the demon can take over.”

  Sebastian nodded. “I understand. Is there anywhere I can go if you’re not back before daybreak?”

  “There’s a crawl space below the trailer,” she said. “You won’t be comfortable, but you’ll be protected from the light.”

  “That’s fine. Thank you.”

  Serenity squeezed his hand and he turned to her. “We’ll be back before then. You won’t have to go through another day with this thing inside you.”

  He forced a smile. “I hope you’re right.”

  Serenity released Sebastian’s hand and crouched down to her daughter. “You be good for Bridget and your dad, okay?”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Yes, Mom. I’m not a baby anymore, you know.”

  Serenity grinned. “I know, but you’ll always be a baby to me—even when you’re twenty.”

  Elizabeth’s face scrunched up. “That’s really old, Mom.”

  She laughed, the first time in a while. “Yeah, ancient.”

  “We need to get moving,” said Iona.

  Serenity scooped Elizabeth up in a final hug, imprinting the memory of her daughter’s soft hair beneath her face, her arms around her neck in a tight squeeze, on her mind. Elizabeth hugged her back, hard.

  Serenity untangled herself and stood straight. She turned and kissed Sebastian goodbye, aware of all the eyes in the room on her.

  “Be careful,” he told her.

  “You too.”

  The small group divided into two—Bridget, Elizabeth and Sebastian all staying at the trailer, while Serenity, Iona and Vincent headed to the car. Henry and Conner were back, flanking the trailer door like two doormen at a club. Their presence was for Bridget’s benefit—just in case the others didn’t get back in time for sunrise.

  Serenity climbed into the driver’s seat. Vincent slid in beside her around the passenger side and Iona climbed in the back. It felt strange to have another girl sitting in the spot where Elizabeth should be.

  With her stomach in knots, she started the vehicle and maneuvered a three-point turn to head back the way they’d come.

  Before long, they left the town and the trailer camp far behind, driving along the open, empty desert road.

  “We’ll reach San Diego within a few hours,” said Iona from the back seat, as though sensing Serenity’s anxiety about not only being parted from the two people she loved best in the world, but also having to face another vampire who wanted her dead. “This Natasha won’t stand a chance against us. My magic is stronger than a solitary vampire will ever be.”

  “And even if it isn’t,” interjected Vincent. “I’m as strong as she is. We were created at the same time by the same vampire. No one else in the world is more her equal than me.”

  “So, she’s like your sister,” Iona said, pursing her lips and casting her gaze upward.

  Vincent snorted. “I guess she suffers from a bad case of sibling rivalry. She didn’t like anyone else being close to our maker. She wanted to be the only one. We were never exactly going to be friends, but then Demitri learned of my mother’s powers and forced her into Sebastian’s home. He threatened to keep me locked beneath ground, to starve me, if I didn’t get my mother to do as he wanted and find out more about the girl.”

  “Elizabeth,” Serenity said, her voice hard. She’d also not forgotten that Vincent had played his part in keeping her daughter captive, even if he had been threatened himself. “Her name is Elizabeth.”

  “Sorry.” The big vampire looked away, glancing out the window. “Anyway, Natasha couldn’t believe her luck when she found out about Demitri blackmailing my mother and me. In her twisted little mind, she figured Demitri’s actions meant he loved her best, that I was only being used. The stupid creature didn’t understand Demitri used everyone eventually. Her turn simply hadn’t come yet. But then you killed him, so her turn would never come. She’ll never truly understand what
Demitri was about.”

  Serenity allowed his words to sink in. The monologue was the longest she’d ever heard him speak.

  He turned to Serenity, fixing her with his gray gaze. The vampire dwarfed the inside of the large car, his presence overwhelming her in the same way Sebastian’s did—as though he took up more space than regular people, and not just because of his physical size. “I’m sorry for what I did to you daughter. I want to make things right.”

  “Thank you, Vincent.” She paused for a moment. “What about Sebastian? It’s unlikely we’ll return before daybreak. We’ve got to drive to San Diego and back and still find and confront Natasha.”

  “They’ll be fine until daybreak,” said Iona. “Sebastian has been able to keep the demon at bay when he’s been awake. Only when he’s asleep does the demon take control.”

  “And what happens if we’re not going to make it back for morning?”

  Vincent set his jaw. “If we’re running out of time, we’ll have to dump the car and I’ll run with you.”

  “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that,” said Iona.

  He twisted in his seat to face her. “Well, unless you can do some kind of transportation spell, I’m afraid we don’t have many other choices.”

  “Don’t worry, Iona,” said Serenity, keeping her eyes on the road. “I’ve traveled that way with a vampire before. The speed takes some getting used to, but it’s safe.” Sensing the tension radiating off the young sorceress, she changed the subject. “I’m worried whether we made the right choice about how we separated.”

  “I need you with me,” said Iona. “You’re the one with experience killing vampires. And I’m sure as hell not approaching one vampire without another one on our side. Besides, I’m sure you don’t want Elizabeth involved in all of this. Leaving her behind was for the best. Bridget is strong enough to protect her and my people are around in case she needs help.”

  “So, you don’t think Sebastian should be with us?”

  She shook her head. “Too dangerous. We don’t yet understand the sort of control this Natasha might have over the demon. Putting the two in the same room may create all sorts of consequences.”

  Serenity sighed. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’m just terrified about how all of this will turn out.” She took her eyes off the road briefly to glance at Iona.

  The girl looked back, her ice-blue eyes wide. “Honestly, so am I.”

  She gave her a wry smile. “You’re not making me feel any better.”

  She shrugged. “Sorry. I might have all this power, but I’m still only sixteen.”

  Serenity’s heart went out to her. It was easy to forget Iona was not much more than a kid. And one who’d grown up with no parents. In many ways, she shared much in common with Elizabeth. After all, her own daughter had spent most of her childhood so far with one of her parents missing.

  They stayed on the interstate, Serenity pushing her speed as much as she dared. She wished they’d used Vincent instead of taking the car. It would have saved them a couple of hours easily. But she knew Iona would never have gone for that option and Iona’s men would never have allowed it. Only when they had no other choice would the sorceress’ hand be forced.

  Serenity blinked hard, her eyes hot and gritty from tiredness, and forced them open. After a while, Iona dozed in the back, though of course Vincent remained bolt upright and wide awake.

  “I can drive, if you’d like?” the vampire offered.

  She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m fine.” She didn’t want to relinquish her small amount of control.

  Eventually, the landscape began to change, the desert giving way to greener mountains. About an hour outside of the city, Serenity pulled over at a service station and took a break, using the time to buy herself coffee and use the restroom. Vincent stayed by the car, looking like an intimidating bodyguard. Iona didn’t wake when they stopped, so Serenity let her sleep.

  She wished she’d thought to carry her own phone. A call back to Bridget now to check on Elizabeth and Sebastian was just what she needed.

  Back on the road again, her nerves grew in relation to the distance they’d covered. She had no idea what they were going to find. The demon told Iona that Natasha had acted alone, but the demon may have been lying. No one had even thought to question that possibility. She chewed on her lower lip, trying not to let her worries get the best of her. She had a massive vampire in the passenger seat beside her and a powerful sorceress asleep in the back seat.

  What could possibly go wrong?

  Chapter Eighteen

  An hour later, they entered the city and Serenity followed the signs for Serra Mesa. At this time in the morning, the wide streets of San Diego were deserted. Tall, evergreen eucalyptus trees lined the sidewalks.

  They crossed Areo Drive, into the Serra Mesa district. Immediately, the small group sat up, watching out the windows for any signs of an industrial estate.

  “I knew I should have gotten sat-nav,” Serenity muttered. She wished she hadn’t let Sebastian’s dislike of all things technological affect her own choices quite so much.

  Much of the housing on either side were smaller properties than Serenity was used to in the Hollywood Hills, homes for single-parent families or those on a low income. No wonder the government had allowed an industrial area to crop up here. The residents didn’t have enough money to fight them.

  “There,” Iona said, pointing to a crop of tall buildings. Serenity turned left and slowed the car to a crawl. Most of the buildings were clearly in use and would probably be populated with night guards—electrical businesses, hardware stores, and a US Army Maintenance shop.

  “Pull over,” said Vincent. “I’ll be able to get a better sense of her with my feet on the ground.”

  Serenity did as he asked and they all climbed from the car.

  “Anything?” she whispered.

  “Shhh.” Vincent stood still, his huge muscles tensed, his head cocked to the side like an animal.

  She fell silent, not wanting to interrupt him again, praying he’d pick up a scent.

  Suddenly, he strode off and called back over his shoulder, “Follow me.”

  Serenity and Iona exchanged a glance and then hurried after him.

  They half-jogged around the corner into a square parking lot surrounded by single-story buildings with roll-down shutters like garage doors. Many of them had business names beside the shutters, but a few had For Rent signs attached to their doors.

  Vincent put out a hand to stop them. “She’s here,” he said, keeping his voice low. “And she probably knows we’re here too.”

  The vampire strode over to one of the units, wrapped his fingers beneath the shutter and ripped up. The bottom of the door came away, turning the previously rigid structure into a floppy piece of metal.

  The stench of rotting eggs hit them like a tidal wave.

  In unison, they gasped, turning their faces away. Serenity lifted her arm over her mouth and nose, her eyes watering from the stink. The back of her throat contracted and she consciously tried not to breathe through her nostrils.

  “I knew you’d come.”

  Natasha’s voice came from the back of the unit and Serenity braced herself, expecting an attack. When none came, she nodded to Vincent, who lifted the now-ruined door, allowing Serenity and Iona to duck beneath. The big vampire followed close behind.

  Only a single florescent strip lit the large space, causing darkness to spill over much of the walls and floor. At first, Serenity didn’t see Natasha, but then her eyes grew used to the change in light and she could make out the vampire sitting against the far wall, cloaked in shadows.

  Natasha struggled to her feet.

  Her short blonde hair was missing in clumps, leaving her skull pale and flaking beneath. Patches of pink flesh were exposed on her cheeks and the backs of her arms and hands. She stood, her shoulders rounded over, her back curved like an old woman.

  As they stepped farther into the unit, the
stench grew stronger.

  “Sulphur,” Serenity realized aloud. “The smell is sulphur.”

  Vincent stared at Natasha in horror. “What the hell did you do?”

  The other vampire laughed, a raw, coarse sound. “Hell is about right, Vincent. I made a deal with the other side, my immortality in exchange for a demon.”

  “That wasn’t what the demon told us,” said Serenity, hoping her voice wouldn’t shake.

  She cocked an eyebrow. “You’ve spoken with it?”

  “We summoned it. It told us you’d promised Elizabeth’s soul.”

  Natasha laughed again. “Yes, well, of course that was a promise I couldn’t necessarily keep. You could call the addition of my own immortality a …” She sought for the words. “Fringe benefit.”

  “So, you’re going to die?” Serenity shot Iona a frantic look. If Natasha was going to die anyway, threatening to kill her would make no difference.

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Iona stepped forward. “You need to reverse whatever spell you used.”

  Natasha’s milky gaze traveled up and down Iona’s petite body. She curled her lip in a snarl. “So you brought a little witchy friend with you, Vincent. You don’t now believe a witch is stronger than a vampire, I hope?”

  Vincent folded his arms across his chest. “No, but Serenity wanted her here.”

  “Tell us the spell you used,” Iona insisted.

  “I didn’t use a spell. I’m not a witch.”

  Iona’s eyes narrowed. “So how did you do this?”

  “Do you actually think I’d tell you? If so, you people are more stupid than I gave you credit for.”

  “Well, whatever you did, you need to stop!” said Vincent. “A little girl might end up dead because of you.”

  “Good!” she spat, her eyes blazing yellow with venom. She directed her gaze at Serenity. “It’s her I want to hurt and if killing her child is the best way of doing so, then I’ll enjoy every minute.”

  “Even if it means the end of your own existence?” Vincent continued. “Look at yourself, Natasha. Look at what you’ve done to yourself. And for what?”