I don’t dare move in case I interrupt her. I don’t even look at her in my fear that I’ll stop her from talking.
“But once the sun went down, those hardworking men changed. The saloons filled up as they spent all their gold on alcohol and gambling.”
She pointed to the left. “The saloon stood there. Next to it was the dance hall with amazing music. Florence wasn’t just about gold. It was about knowing what you wanted in your life and getting it any way you could. The people didn’t waste their lives doing a job they hated. These people knew what they wanted, and they took it.”
That’s what I want to do. I want to take what I want and live my life free from what I hate.
A laugh breaks out beside me. I jump at the sudden intrusion and see Rob standing close to me. Dressed in a blue t-shirt and jeans, he leans on a tree like he’s just hanging out with friends, but the laugh mocks Catherine with its bitterness.
“Is that how you remember it, Catherine?” He glares at her. “A happy bustle of people working hard at their own claims until they gathered to celebrate their new wealth?”
You were in Florence with Rob?
Rob doesn’t wait for Catherine to answer. He glances at Megan and then turns to me. “Why’d you bring her here? Don’t you know what you’ve done?”
“He didn’t bring me,” Megan retorts. “I chose to come.”
“Bad choice.” He smiles sadly at her. His response quiets her.
Catherine takes no notice of their conversation and returns to Rob’s original question. “Of course that’s how I remember Florence because that’s how it was, Rob,” she snaps.
I stare at her, surprised to hear her voice filled with hate and venom. For a split second, the shy girl is gone. But she glances at me and gives me a her sweet smile.
“I’m sorry. Rob sometimes makes me so upset with his lies that I can’t help how I react.” A sorrowful look fills her big brown eyes.
I want to punch Rob.
Rob barks out another laugh. “You’ve suffered brain damage then, my dear. Let me tell you how it was. Take the same scene Catherine showed you, but the miners were hustling around because they knew every second they left their site alone, they ran a risk of losing it to claim jumpers waiting for honest, land-owning men to leave so they could occupy it. When the owner returned, they’d gun him down.”
Catherine shifts. “Yes, that happened, but not here.”
Rob points his finger at her. “You know it happened to my dad, and you know it was your dad who did it!”
Catherine huffs and turns away from him.
Rob ignores her. “Just leaving was a danger! They had to get out of Florence with their hard-earned money before Cherokee Bob heard they were leaving.”
Catherine starts to protest, but Rob keeps talking over her. “When Cherokee Bob and his gang found out someone was leaving, they’d ride through the woods to ambush the wagons. If they had enough gold and he was happy, the poor miners escaped with their lives.”
“Rob’s lying, Nic.” Catherine puts her hand on my arm. “My dad was a business man, good and kind. And he died to protect my honor.”
I don’t know what makes me happier, the sound of my name on her lips or the feel of her hand on my arm.
Catherine’s eyes fill up with tears. I take her hand and face Rob, shielding her from his mockery.
“Oh, brother.” Megan rolls her eyes.
Rob continues, ignoring the interruption. “As for the lovely nights she described, did she mention the whorehouses next to the saloon? How Cherokee Bob owned the saloon and charged exorbitant prices? That every night the dance hall with the fine balls ended with more murders and killings than the saloons! And Cherokee Bob shot almost everyone!”
Catherine leans closer to me. “Those were duels, Rob. He did it for me.” Her voice cracks.
I glare at Rob. “Why are you saying such horrible things?”
“Because they are the truth,” Rob answers me strongly. “Lies can make anything sound good. But, when you lift the cover off the deceit, you see the ugly and horrible facts. If you’re not careful, you can be trapped with all sorts of horror.”
I almost believe him because of his passion. Rob rubs his hand over his face. Then he digs in his pocket.
“Here. Take this.” He throws a rock at me.
I catch it with my free hand and examine it. When the sunlight hits it, the entire rock shines and glitters.
Gold!
I gasp as I turn it in the light. Yellow veins cover the rock.
How much is this? Enough to buy a car? Pay for college?
“Pretty, huh?” Rob leans against the tree. His sandy hair looks darker in the shade. “Nothing better than a chunk of gold.”
“How much is it worth?” I ask, still looking at it.
“You wouldn’t get anything,” he drawls. “Well, you’d get a good laugh out of the person you’re selling it to.”
I lower the rock and give Rob my full attention. “What are you talking about?”
“That’s not gold.” He points at my rock. “That’s pyrite, more commonly called Fool’s Gold because people saw it and thought they had struck it rich.”
My heart drops. I let go of Catherine’s hand to examine the rock closer.
But it looks exactly like gold. Is he lying?
“That rock in your hand is what Florence was like. Everyone thought it would be paradise with gold lining the streets, and everyone would waltz away filthy rich.” Rob’s eyes fill with painful memories. “They got trapped in the lie, and there was no escape. Not even death for some. Just because something glitters doesn’t mean it’s gold. Florence glittered, but it was a trap.”
If I became a vampire, would I be stuck in a trap I could never escape from?
No one says anything. I can’t stop looking at the rock, although I want to throw it away in disgust. I can’t help thinking that maybe he’s wrong.
Catherine takes my hand again. This time it feels like she’s clawing at me. I don’t protest, but it doesn’t feel as great as before.
“Nic, I want to show you where I live.” She pulls a little on my arm.
Rob doesn’t say anything. He watches with one eyebrow raised while I slip the rock into my pocket.
“Your dad was murdered?” I ask Rob. I have to know. There aren’t many people who understand the ache I feel every day.
He nods slowly.
“Did you see it?” I press.
He nods again. His eyes fill with pain. “I was coming back to our claim after getting supplies from Florence around dark.” He shakes his head. “It was also the first time I saw a vampire.”
Megan gasps. I start to ask him more about that night, but Catherine pulls on my arm again.
“Please, Nic,” Catherine pleads. “I promised I’d be home soon. Come with me. Don’t leave yet.”
I can’t argue. She keeps my hand in hers and leads me through the trees. I hear Rob coming behind us, but I don’t look back.
“Why did you come here?” I hear Rob ask Megan. It makes me slightly uncomfortable that they are talking, but I don’t know why.
“I don’t know,” she replies like she isn’t sure.
His voice sounds tense. “I need you to go back to the truck. I can keep you safe if you do that, but I don’t know if that is possible if you continue.”
“What are you?” She doesn’t turn back.
Rob sighs. I can picture him shaking his head. “You don’t want the answer to that question.”
“You were talking like you were in Florence,” she presses.
“Please, go back to the truck. I don’t want to see you killed. It’s not good to be around me or be here.” Rob’s voice is urgent. “The less you know, the better.”
“If Nic can, I can.” Megan continues to follow me.
We make a weird group. While Catherine and I are happy to be together, Rob and Megan stomp behind us, disapproving of what we are doing.
We come to a rusty, old gate blockin
g the road. Two posts stand on each side of road with a bar blocking the road. A thick chain secures the bar to the post. A decrepit sign orders no trespassing with letters so badly weathered they’re hard to read.
The darkness in me starts to churn and throb as we approach the gate.
I shouldn’t be here. Neither should you, Megan. We need to go back, get in Ryan’s truck, and leave.
“I don’t think...” I pull back on Catherine’s hand.
“Scared?” she says with a frown.
I hesitate. She drops my hand.
“I thought you liked me.” She pouts. Her brown eyes fill with tears as her bottom lip sticks out. She slips under the gate and stands on the other side. “I guess I was wrong.”
I leap over the gate with a move that would make any movie star proud. She beams as I land next to her.
“That’s better.” She grins.
“Oh brother,” Rob echoes Megan’s earlier words and huffs as he stalks past us.
We follow Rob up a steep hill. Megan trails after us. I try to ignore the darkness in me, determined to keep it down, but it gets stronger with each step.
At the top of the hill, I stop, stunned. Below us in a meadow is a huge house hollowed out of the side of the cliff. But it’s the mine on the right of the meadow that I can’t take my eyes off. Despite the rustic appearance, it looks fully functional. The gold is supposed to be dried up in Florence. Or is that just another lie? Because someone is still mining, and from the looks of it, doing very well.
Catherine takes my hand and leads me to the front door of the house.
Chapter Forty
Caged Lion
Catherine laughs at my obvious shock. “You didn’t think we hang out here for the fun of it, did you? Come on. I have much better things to show you.”
She doesn’t take my hand again as she makes her way down the hill to the house, but I follow.
I should stay away. Turn around and leave.
But then Catherine looks over her shoulder and gives me a smile that’s just for me.
Rob walks beside me and catches the exchange between me and Catherine. “She glitters, but is she gold?”
I glare at him and allow my anger to escape a little. “Why are you trying to ruin everything?”
“I’m not trying to ruin anything!” His voice raises, and a fierce look hardens his amber eyes. It chills me as I remember what he is and what he can do. He notes my reaction and takes a deep breath. “I’m trying to get you to see it how it is. It’s not like you think.”
“How do you know what I think?” I snap.
He doesn’t respond. He turns to Megan behind him. “It’s too late to turn back now because they’ve already seen you. Stay close to me, and I’ll do everything I can to get you out of here.”
She nods. I glare at her, but I’m not sure why it bothers me that Rob is protective toward her.
Why should I be bothered about what happens to someone who irritates me so much?
But I am worried about her. I hope I haven’t gotten Megan into something horrible. She’s irritating, but she doesn’t deserve to be part of anything awful.
As we approach the house, I can hear clanking of metal from the mine that tells me someone is working in there.
“Who works the mine?” I ask Rob.
“That’s none of your concern,” he responds.
I peer into the mine. A tall man with pale, white skin comes out of the tunnel. He doesn’t glance our way. A large canvas bag hangs over his shoulder. He makes his way over to a huge pit behind the mine and throws the bag with a force into the pit.
I watch the bag hurtle through the air. Something about the way it moves through the air looks wrong. It doesn’t look like normal trash. It’s too long and narrow. I catch a flash of white as the bag flops open.
A body?
The man saunters back into the mine. I turn to Rob, who determinedly ignores my glance.
“Don’t look too closely, Nic,” he mutters. “That’s a trick I learned long ago.”
“I don’t think we should’ve come here,” Megan says.
“That’s what I said a few minutes ago, but you didn’t listen,” Rob gently scolds Megan with a sad smile.
Why is he being nice to her but so harsh with me?
No one talks until we are at the house.
“This is going to be fun,” Rob says sarcastically to no one in particular.
Catherine gives Rob a dirty look as she opens the front door. I follow her, and Rob comes last.
We enter a massive, open room with a large circular stairway that leads to an upper level. To my right, there’s a formal living room with a stone fireplace. Windows that stretch to the high ceiling show the small meadow and the mine. Catherine takes us through the living room and knocks on a door on the other side.
“Come in,” a deep voice calls.
The voice sends chills down my spine. Catherine gives me a look that I can’t read which makes me feel even more uncomfortable.
I can always read expressions. Why can’t I read yours?
“Here we go,” Rob says without any emotion.
Megan tugs on my arm, and instead of feeling annoyed, I am glad. I don’t want to go into that room. This was a really bad decision. Megan is giving me a way to turn around and leave this place.
“I don’t think...” I start to say.
Catherine grabs my hand and swings open the door. She pulls me into the room. The darkness inside of me claws to get out. It thuds and pounds with a fury I’ve never known. I feel like it’s a lion, furious at being caged, seeing a chance for freedom, and fighting for a way of escape. I fight to breathe and regain control, but I’m losing the battle.
“Father,” Catherine says with triumph in her voice. “I did it. I got him here!”
What are you talking about?
Megan stands beside me. I wish with every fiber of my being that she wasn’t here. I move so I’m standing in front of her.
Can I protect her from me?
That question frightens me more. Fear grows in me that I may be the one to hurt her. The darkness inside is almost uncontrollable.
What if it gets loose and I do something I can never ever take back? What if I’m the one she should be afraid of?
I can’t answer the questions because I see a man standing in front of the desk. Something about the way he’s standing reminds me of Dad. They both radiate rare hate and willingness to grab what they want.
And from the way the man is leering at me, I know he wants me.
* * *
Eli drew his sword when Nic passed the demon sentries at the gate. They hissed in fury but remained where they were. The angel was crossing into enemy territory, but for now, it seemed like they weren’t going to be attacked.
Why didn’t I have Mal or Chasdiel stay with me? I got too overconfident, certain that Nic would stay close to home. Creator, please send reinforcements. I fear I might not be able to protect these two precious lives before the hordes descend on us.
The two humans followed Catherine into the house. Eli paused and scanned the sky. It wouldn’t be long until the report arrived to Blaise, and the demon warrior brought his soldiers to take the boy.
Eli gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and entered the house. He stood between Nic and the vampires, ready to strike.
The battle would start any time now.
Chapter Forty-One
Master Overlord
Blaise delayed as long as he could before returning to Goddard’s castle and imparting the news of the failed attempt to overtake the boy. He knew Goddard wasn’t going to be pleased with the news, especially with the angel attack, but he had to inform his Master of the events that had taken place.
If he was lucky, no one had informed Goddard that Blaise tried to force the boy into swearing allegiance to him and not Goddard.
Blaise flew over the steep mountains. Fear from the enemy’s attack had quickly subsided, and the rage replaced it remain
ed still. If it hadn’t been for that measly little Forgiven boy that Nic was with, his work would have been done.
But the boy’s friend had cried out a prayer, and that angel had come to their rescue. Blaise shuddered. He could still feel the heat from the sword’s radiance and remembered the sharp edge that threatened to rip through him.
He ignored the sentries and dropped through the tunnel to Goddard’s castle. Passing through the iron-barred gates, he burst into flight to land on the balcony of his Master’s chambers.
Goddard was in a temper, pacing back and forth, his long black robes billowing behind him as he stomped out his anger. Blaise bowed and waited for the blows to begin.
Goddard never stopped pacing. “An enemy attacked you?” he snapped.
“Yes, Master,” Blaise answered. He decided he would wait for Goddard to ask for more information.
“Tell me.” The cold words snapped through the air like a whip.
“I was about to grab the boy when his friend, one of the Forgiven,” Blaise spat out the word, “prayed for help. An angel stopped me with an attack of such force I fled before I could be overcome.”
“I wondered when they’d show their pitiful faces.” Goddard stopped pacing. “This mission to get the boy has been going on too long. Why is it so difficult to seize him?”
“He has a guard, Master. That angel watches him without ceasing.” Blaise saw a way to shift the blame. “But it’s the vampires’ fault. They have become more difficult to handle. Their actions are alerting the humans that they are not safe. This makes our work much more difficult.”
“Yes.” Goddard considered Blaise’s words. “That was kind of me to give them a way to satisfy their blood thirst. And now, they despise me, forgetting who gave them the blood in the first place.”
“Maybe it’s time to remind them who their master is.” Blaise wanted to get off his knees, but he didn’t dare. Not yet. “You are the lord of this region. They would do well to fear your power and strength.”
Goddard was eating his words up, so Blaise continued. “You will reap the rewards of this boy, our future invincible warrior, and will become the wealthiest and most powerful overlord of all the provinces, maybe even the nation.”
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