Seared by Desire

by Jennifer T. Alli

  “Gareth, subtly is not your forte,” he chuckled. “I won’t tell you what she needs to do to wake me from my slumber. She’ll know what she’s done that makes my eyes turn red. Sara will be better in a few days and when I do drink from her, I’ll have men watch over me. If it looks like I’m beginning to take too much they’ll stop me. She just needs time Gareth, giving blood isn’t normal for her, her body isn’t used to the process but over time she won’t need as long to recover. She’s my bride Gareth, you have to understand she comes first in everything I do.”

  “I don’t know how you can expect me to put her well being over your life. I’ve served you faithfully for decades, I would like to think that we’re friends and Lady Sara is essentially a stranger to me. If it comes down to a decision between you and her it’s obvious who I will choose.”

  “Yes,” Lucian growled, “it is. You will choose her Gareth. That’s an order. Don’t disobey me in this. Hide me from her and when you’re sure that she’s healed bring her to me but only then.”

  “Lady Sara isn’t stupid my Lord, she’ll know that something is amiss, what do you want me to tell her?”

  “I don’t care what you have to tell her, just make sure she understands that I’m not available. If necessary tell her that I’ve gone back to New Malden to see if I can find any evidence of William.”

  “Without her?” Gareth scoffed, laughter spilling from his lips. “She’ll never believe that my Lord, not with the way you treat her, how you act towards her. She almost never leaves your side and when she does I’m sure it isn’t at your request.”

  “Gareth, you’re trying my patience. I’ve told you what is going to happen. It’s past time that you accepted that. There are issues surrounding her presence at my side…”

  “Is that what the scholars are all working so desperately on? My Lord, there’s something unusual about Lady Sara, are you not aware of it?”

  “I know everything I need to know about her Gareth. I know that she’s caring, generous and far too willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. If she found out about my condition she would rush to my side regardless of the consequences.”

  “And that’s how it should be,” Gareth muttered under his breath. He was becoming disconcerted by Lucian's willingness to put his bride so far ahead of all else in terms of priority and it only served to reinforce his desire not to find his own bride. Surely no single woman was worth the trouble that Lucian was putting himself through.

  Lucian sighed, trying to find the words to explain to his friend why his actions were necessary. “You have to understand Gareth, before I met Sara all I knew was war. Centuries of endless warfare. My family are dead, my comrades have died, all I had was myself and the desire to make things better for our people but then Sara came into my life and everything changed. When I first saw her I knew she was going to be trouble. I purposely avoided her but she sought me out and made a place in my life for herself. When I’m with her I feel hope Gareth. I feel as though I have a future, as though my life is worth living. She brings me such joy; I can’t bear the thought of her light being extinguished from the world. She has to live. No matter what happens to me, she has to live.”

  “Lady Sara has been good to us all but you can’t blame me for wanting you to live as well.”

  “You’re a good man Gareth but I won’t be moved on this. Sara has to live. Keep her away from me until she’s completely healed. But Gareth, if she calls for me in desperation and it looks like she can’t control her flames bring her to me immediately, don’t hesitate. That is the only time I will forgive you for bringing her to me. In the meantime have the generals gather here and bring their contingents with them.”

  “The whole army?” he asked surprised.

  “Yes. I can find William easily now. I can sense him, especially with the demon beside him. What he thinks to be his greatest strength is actually his greatest weakness and nothing will please me more than to prove him wrong. I want the men training every night because when I return we’re going to war.”

  Chapter Nineteen – Once Bitten…

  “There,” Sara exhaled proudly, stepping away from the anvil to momentarily admire her work. Lucian's armour was finally complete, the silver armour shimmering a faint red from the heat that had been forced into it. With no one else having crafted armour in such a way before, it had taken her a few days to complete, much of the time wasted on trial and error but the task was done now and when Lucian wore the suit into battle, he would be protected from any and all harm.

  “That is if I manage to see him again before he goes into battle,” she cursed softly, as she lifted the breastplate and began to make her way towards their room where the other completed pieces currently resided.

  She hadn’t seen Lucian in two days and was beginning to feel frustrated with his absence and the lack of information that she was being given. The lies I’m being told, her mind corrected angrily. There was something going on and the vampires were intent on keeping her in the dark. Lucian was their leader, they had to know where he was, they were the last ones to have seen him yet the stories each vampire told her differed. There was no clear consensus on his whereabouts and Gareth and Russell were the worst of a bad bunch.

  Gareth had told her he’d gone in search of William and she’d known as soon as he’d spoken the words that he was lying. The words had fallen uneasily from his lips; the lie evident without her even having to think any further and when she did think about it his guilt was only further compounded. Lucian would never simply abandon her to go and search for his enemy without a word of warning. He was more concerned about Seraphina’s re-emergence than she was, he always told her where he was in case of emergency. Yes, Seraphina had been quiet for a few days but she was still there, simmering below her skin and if what the scholars had told her was true she would need Lucian to prevent her from coming back. What made Gareth’s lie even worse was the lack of thought behind it. None of Lucian's men had gone with him on his supposed hunt. Lucian wouldn’t go looking for his enemy without support. Gareth was lying.

  Russell’s lies were even more unbelievable. When she’d asked him about Lucian's whereabouts, he’d told her that he’d gone to see a relative. All of Lucian's family were dead. Sara had been sorely tempted to call him on that lie but had quickly realised it wouldn’t do her any good. The vampires were intent on lying to her and simply seeing through their deception wouldn’t make them confess to what was going on. She was sure that both Gareth and Russell knew exactly where Lucian was but for some reason they were hiding him from her. If she didn’t trust them she’d be suspicious of their motivation for doing so. As it was, she’d become resigned to her fate of not knowing. When Lucian eventually returned she vowed to make him sorry for keeping the truth hidden from her.

  Sighing, she kicked open the bedroom door, laying the breastplate on Lucian's chair with the other pieces in preparation for his return. Sara tried to smile, tried to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in her work as she stared at the armour but it only made her feel more empty. The armour sat in Lucian's chair, strategically positioned to resemble the body of a man and it only made her think of Lucian, reminded her how much she missed him. She missed his rare smiles, the solid presence of his body, his strong will and determination, his stubborn desire to protect her, how he made her feel precious, cherished, the list went on and on. The estate felt empty without him within its walls and her heart ached with each day that passed where she couldn’t see him. She fingered the material of one of his black overcoats bringing the heavy jacket to her nose and inhaling deeply. She refused to let the maids take it from her, the lingering smell of Lucian embedded on the cloth reassuring her that he would return for her.

  “Hurry home Lucian,” she sighed.

  The silence of her room was broken as George barged through the door, the wood splintering slightly against the stone wall from the force he’d used to open the door. “Lady Sara!” he called desperately.

 
; She rolled her eyes, standing up and placing Lucian's overcoat over her sword crafting clothes, pulling the collar tight around her neck and relishing the way his scent surrounded her. It wasn’t as good as having Lucian at her side but for the moment it would have to suffice. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this George, my name is Sara. There’s no need to put ‘Lady’ in front of it, I’m well aware of my gender.”

  “Lady Sara,” he breathed in relief. “Thank the heavens you’re safe.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked confused, moving closer to him.

  “Demons are attacking the estate.”

  Her brows drew together as she became even more confused. “Demons? What on earth are they doing here? They don’t attack normal people, they assault fire elementals because they’re drawn to their heat.” She gasped as realisation dawned on her. “Have I drawn them here? Are they after me?”

  “My Lady, why they’re here isn’t important right now,” he rushed, his eyes scanning their surroundings frantically as if the demons could appear at any moment. “We have to get you to safety.”

  “And what about every one else?”

  “Lady Sara, your life is my priority at the moment. When Lord Lucian returns our lives will be forfeit if something happens to you. He puts you first above all else, you have to know that.”

  “I can’t run and hide if it means others will be hurt especially as they’re probably here because of me. Are there any demons inside the estate George?”

  “Not yet my Lady, the guards are holding them back but for how long I can’t be sure. We’re ill equipped to deal with a situation like this. There aren’t many human warriors here, the vampires are asleep and can’t help us with the sun so high in the sky.”

  “Don’t worry George, we’ll get through this.” Her voice was calm and steady as she hurried to grab Lucian's sword, strapping the large blade over her shoulder so she could better carry it. “Have everyone fall back to the estate and we’ll hold them off from here.”

  “Lady Sara,” he groaned, unhappy with how the situation had unravelled.

  “We don’t have time for this George. Have everyone fall back please. I’ll form a ring of fire around the estate and keep the demons out. If they don’t leave then the vampires can deal with them once they rise tonight. Hurry George.”

  He hesitated for a split second before bowing and racing to fulfil Sara’s command. Sara took a moment to curse Lucian's continued absence before running out of the room after him. The halls were in disarray, sobs and screams filling her ears as she passed the bodies desperate to reach the sanctuary walls offered. Ignoring the suffering that was going on all around her, Sara continued running towards the exit pleased to see warriors making their way inside, clearly George had spread the word. When she reached the doors of the estate, she saw exactly what it was that had George so worried. Hordes of demons were on their doorstep, the scene reminding her of when Seraphina had first surfaced. The spirit was thankfully still quiet though how long that would last Sara wasn’t sure.

  Shaking off her memories of the past, Sara moved towards the guards at the door, glad to see George standing beside them. “Is everyone inside?” she asked, letting the fire build within her in preparation for her task.

  “I think so my Lady but we can’t afford to hold off any longer. With no men out there the demons will be inside in seconds.”

  “I understand,” she said before walking out into the sun.

  The heat from the sun’s rays warmed her and she smiled before she let her power loose. Fire poured from her skin in waves, racing outwards and burning any unsuspecting demons in its path as the flames raced to circle the perimeter of the estate. Sara closed her eyes, letting the fire burn hotter and blaze bright enough that the demons couldn’t simply destroy her work by sucking the heat out of the fire. Any who now tried would be burnt to a crisp. Within seconds the perimeter was secure, the wall of fire rising upwards to create a protective dome around the entire estate. Her head began to swim as fatigue set in. She’d been working on Lucian's armour everyday for the last 4 days and had crafted swords every night. Her strength was finally beginning to wane in the face of this latest task.

  She sighed, “This will have to do. Demons are stupid, they’ll keep trying to break through and keep getting killed in the process. By the time the vampires wake, most of them will probably be dead.”

  Their protection was almost complete when the frantic calling of her name grabbed Sara’s attention. She turned to the door, her eyes widening when she saw Laura desperately fighting against the guards. Thick arms were wrapped around her but she fought wildly, uncaring of the bruises that were likely forming on her skin.

  “Lady Sara,” she screamed, tears running down her cheeks. “Please Lady Sara, you have to stop! Matthew,” she choked. “Matthew is still out there!”

  Horrified, Sara turned her eyes back to the flames that surrounded them. She could barely see anything through the colourful flames. There was no time to try and change the properties of the flames to allow the boy in and if he was truly out there the demons would kill him with no remorse.

  Her heart thundering, she unsheathed Lucian's sword and raced to the wall of flame turning back to reassure Laura. “I’ll find him. Don’t worry and for heavens sake, don’t try to follow me.”

  As soon as the words left her lips, Sara ran through the flames and onto the battlefield. Demons began to surround her instantly, drawn irresistibly to her heat and their doom. Her sword swung out in gracefully circles, felling all that came between her and her goal. Her vision was one of heat and she could see Matthew’s much cooler body easily. The boy was trapped, demons beginning to circle him, fighting amongst each other for the right to kill him. If she continued defending herself against the demons attacking her he would be killed. Sara sheathed the blade and ran, dodging the sharp claws of the demons and finding a path through the throng. When she reached Matthew, she pulled his body close to her own, wrapping her arms around him as she pulled them to the ground and prepared herself for her final attack.

  “Matthew,” she whispered reassuringly. “Don’t be scared. Close your eyes and when you open them again, this will all be over.”

  “Lady Sara,” he croaked, clearly terrified.

  The demons were closing in, drawn to her heat and the prospect of tearing Matthew’s fragile body to pieces. “Close your eyes Matthew,” she repeated sternly. They were running out of time.

  “Yes Lady Sara.” He closed his eyes tightly, clutching Sara arms tightly for support.

  She wrapped his small body within the shelter of Lucian's thick coat to protect his young eyes from the damage that she was about to create, the death she was preparing to unleash on those that threatened them. Seraphina, she called, summoning the strength of the spirit’s flames. Don’t hurt Matthew, he’s innocent but the demons are all yours. Feast. The spirit rose easily at the mention of a feast, fire spiralling outwards from Sara’s body to grab a hold of any demon that was nearby. The swirling column of fire raced along the ground, scorching the earth and drawing the demons away from them before it engulfed the horde that had gathered before it in an inferno so hot that their bodies were burnt to ash.

  The demons defeated, Sara pulled herself to her feet, taking Matthew by the hand and leading him towards the estate. His eyes widened in shock at the wall of fire that greeted them, instinctively shrinking away from the heat.

  “It’s okay Matthew,” Sara began trying to calm him. She felt weak as it was, and with the demons destroyed there was no need to maintain the fiery dome. Releasing his hand, she stepped away from him slightly, holding her hands out to the fire. Heat suffused her, strengthening her tired limbs with the power of her flame. As the fire died down, she could hear the voices of those she’d protected and her heart began to pound even harder as she listened to them speak.

  “Who do you think they came for? Lady Sara or Lord Lucian?”

  “Lord Lucian. They kno
w that he’s vulnerable after that last attack, William probably sent them to kill him while he’s weakened.”

  Lucian’s here! Her heart soared with joy before her eyes narrowed in anger as their words settled in. But he’s hurt and they’ve been keeping him from me!

  The fire now safely within her body again, Sara strode towards the guards, her hair aflame. “Where is Lucian?” she demanded.

  “Lady Sara,” the guard gasped in shock, stumbling over his words. “I don’t know. No one knows where exactly Lord Lucian is, he’s hunting William.”

  The heat from her hair increased making the air crackle as it heated so quickly small explosions were created around her. “Don’t lie to me,” she hissed. “I heard you. I know that he’s here and I demand you take me to him.”

  “Lady Sara, don’t ask me to do this. Lord Lucian said he didn’t want to see you.”

  “It isn’t as though I’m going to hurt him, I just want to see him. But I must remind you that he’s not here, I am and you’re about a hair’s breath away from being charred to a crisp. Now take me to him.”

  “Of course my Lady.” He bowed his head in submission. Though he was clearly unwilling, he had no choice but to follow her command and began leading her through the crowded halls and down flights of stairs she hadn’t even known had existed.

  A sliver of apprehension raced down Sara’s spine as they continued their journey down what felt like a never-ending flight of stairs. She and the reluctant guard had been walking for minutes, the warmth and protection of the sun’s rays fast fading into memory. Their path was lit sparingly by a few meagre candles, the constant flickering of their small orange flames woefully insufficient to beat back the darkness that surrounded them. Despite the gloom that shrouded their eyes, Sara was barely aware of their surroundings. She mechanically placed one foot in front of the other, her mind racing with ideas of why Lucian had felt the need to hide from her. There was no doubt in her mind that he trusted her, which only made the secrecy surrounding his disappearance all the more confusing. She stumbled, her feet reaching for a stair that wasn’t there, which forced her to look up.