My Lord Immortality

by Alexandra Ivy

  The chill in the room abruptly deepened and to Amelia’s shock, the solid form of the vampire began to blur and fade. An ominous fog began to swirl and Amelia was forced to choke back a scream as she realized that the vampire was shifting himself into that strange mist.

  It was a bizarre, horrifying spectacle.

  “No,” she breathed.

  An eerily hollow laugh echoed through the cottage. “You are a pathetic animal who only lives because you possess my Medallion. You cannot harm me, Miss Hadwell.”

  Grasping the last, frayed edges of her courage, Amelia lifted the dagger and firmly turned it about until the sharp point was painfully pressed to the frantic beat of her heart.

  “I have no intention of harming you, Mr. Ramone. I intend to use the dagger upon myself.”

  Sebastian was aware he was being followed from the moment he entered the thick copse of woods. With fluid motions he slid behind a large tree and allowed the two shuffling men to walk past him.

  He did not so much as blink before he was launching himself toward the two and knocking them to the ground. They remained inhumanly silent as he connected a blow to one in the chin and then leaped to his feet to kick the other in the side. Bones crunched beneath his attack but neither hesitated as they awkwardly pushed themselves upright and lunged toward him.

  He grimaced at the realization that the men had been caught within Drake’s Compulsion. He could already smell the stench of their decay. Nothing short of death would stop them now.

  Easily avoiding their outstretched hands, he caught the nearest man about the neck. Holding him before him, he crushed his throat with a sense of regret. The second he dealt with just as easily, allowing the heavy body to drop to the soft ground.

  Damn Drake, he silently cursed. The men would have died of starvation within days, or by the hand of the treacherous vampire, but he resented the fact that he had been forced to harm another.

  With a shake of his head, he turned from the motionless bodies and sternly turned his thoughts back to the reason he had entered the woods in the first place.

  Amelia.

  Not far ahead he could sense her presence. She was still alive, but he was vividly aware of the horrible terror that clutched at her heart. Just as he could sense the reckless fury that filled Drake.

  He had to reach her before she did something desperate.

  He had barely taken more than a step, however, when there was a loud crashing in the trees ahead of him. Within moments, William came plunging through the overgrowth, his expression wild-eyed and his hair standing on end.

  With a low growl of impatience, Sebastian waited for the boy to stumble to a halt before him.

  “William.”

  “Milly,” William panted as he reached out to grasp Sebastian’s arm. “Bad man.”

  “Yes, I know, William.”

  “Milly, Milly,” he repeated, shaking in his frustration at not being able to speak of the danger to his beloved sister.

  Reining in his the impatience, Sebastian placed his arm about the boy’s trembling shoulders. Amelia would expect him to care for her brother with the same tender concern that she would offer. It was now his duty to ensure that the boy was kept safe and secure.

  “Amelia will be fine, William. But I must go to her.” He firmly lifted William’s face to meet his own gaze. “There is a carriage just beyond the trees. I want you to go to it and remain inside. Can you do that?”

  He gave a slow nod. “Yes.”

  “Good lad.”

  Careful to escort the unnerved young man well away from the bodies lying on the ground, Sebastian pointed William toward the carriage he had left beside the narrow lane. Once he was assured his charge was safely headed in the proper direction, he sharply turned to make his way back through the trees. With the henchmen disposed of, the young man should be quite out of harm’s way.

  Nearly seething with impatience, he ran through the shadows, his need to reach Amelia so overwhelming that he barely noted the familiar tingles that rushed over his skin. He did not desire to be delayed yet again. Not when he could sense Amelia’s dread shuddering through his body.

  Unfortunately, Nefri was not a vampire to be ignored, no matter what the urgency. Stepping directly in his path, she held up a slender hand that brought him to a sharp halt.

  “Sebastian,” she murmured.

  Unable to do otherwise, Sebastian glared at the slim figure still attired in her ridiculous rag skirt and full-cut blouse. She appeared more a poor Gypsy than a powerful vampire. No Gypsy, however, could possibly have placed such a forbidding weave about his body. One that ensured he could not bolt past as he longed to do.

  “Nefri, I must go. Drake holds Amelia captive.”

  Her gentle smile was edged with sadness. “Yes, I know. Although I do not believe she is precisely being held against her will.”

  “She went with him willingly,” he grudgingly conceded. “To save her brother.”

  “Ah.” Nefri tilted her head to one side, her eyes glittering in the darkness. “Will she give him the Medallion?”

  He flinched, the fierce pain he had been attempting to keep at bay slicing through his heart. He had suspected what she intended from the moment he had watched Amelia leave the room. Even without being able to read her thoughts, her dark sadness had been etched deep within her heart. But he had not allowed himself to ponder the horrible realization. Now, more than ever, he needed his wits clear and unclouded.

  “No.” He swallowed through the thickness in his throat. “Now that William has been rescued, she will sacrifice herself to keep the Medallion from Drake’s hands.”

  Nefri did not appear shocked. Instead she nodded slowly. “Yes. She is a woman accustomed to giving of herself for others.”

  Sebastian struggled against the unseen powers. Amelia had given enough. He would allow no more.

  “I must go to her,” he gritted.

  “But, you said yourself that she will protect the Medallion.”

  “No.” His hands clenched at his side, his blood rushing with furious passion. “I will not tolerate any harm coming to Amelia. Not even for the Veil.”

  Nefri moved through the shadows, her expression one of intrigue rather than anger.

  “What are you saying, Sebastian? Surely the life of a mere mortal is not worth the risk of losing the Medallion?”

  Not worth the risk? Until he had encountered Amelia he would have gladly agreed with such a callous notion. How could any one soul become more important than the benefit of all? It was simply not logical.

  Now he realized that he would sacrifice everything to make sure she was saved from the brutal Drake.

  Everything.

  “She is not a mere mortal,” he informed the ancient vampire in harsh tones. “She possesses more courage and devotion than most vampires, who claim to be so superior. If anyone is to be sacrificed it will be me.”

  There was a long silence before Nefri astonishingly bowed toward him in obvious respect.

  “Go to her then, Sebastian. And be on your guard.”

  He did not even bother to respond as he felt the barrier abruptly vanish. With sinuous speed he was moving through the trees, inwardly willing Amelia to hold on just a few more moments. He would reach her, he muttered over and over. He would not fail.

  Branches tugged at his coat, a handful even scraping against his face as he ducked and dodged through the last fringe of trees. He felt none of them. His attention had narrowed upon the crumbling cottage that at long last came into view.

  Slowing to a more cautious pace, he advanced over the overgrown garden, clearly able to hear Drake’s rasping voice through the open door.

  “Do not be a fool. Simply give me the Medallion and you will be free to join your brother.”

  “I do not believe you,” Amelia responded, an unmistakable quaver in her voice.

  “Your brother is still not safe. Even now my servants hold him captive.”

  “No,” Amelia denied. “H
e is with Sebastian. I have felt them together.”

  Drake’s growl of wrath made the hair on Sebastian’s nape rise in warning. The vampire was swiftly being consumed by the bloodlust that pulsed through his body. Soon even his need for the Medallion would be overwhelmed. He would halt at nothing to destroy the young woman who had stood in his path.

  “Give it to me,” Drake snarled, even as Sebastian gathered himself and charged through the door with a blinding burst of speed.

  There was a startled scream from Amelia at his abrupt entrance, but Sebastian could not risk glancing in her direction. Instead he grimly turned toward the silvery mist that hovered in the center of the room.

  “Drake.”

  There was a hiss of fury as the vampire shimmered and at last resumed his mortal form. Stepping forward, he regarded Sebastian with a lethal anger.

  “Ah, so the logical, ever-intellectual Sebastian has risked all to save his lover,” he taunted.

  Sebastian regarded him steadily. The fear that had besieged him that he would not arrive in time was now hardening into a bleak, relentless determination.

  “It is over, Drake,” he warned.

  The thin lips curled into a sneer. “No, you have just allowed me the opportunity to retrieve William. Soon Miss Hadwell will regret her resistance.”

  So that was why he had not struck out the moment he had entered, Sebastian wryly acknowledged. He still thought to coerce the Medallion from Amelia.

  “I fear that William is currently in the care of Nefri.”

  The pale eyes widened in horror. “No.”

  “You are welcome to see for yourself,” he retorted, taking a step forward.

  “Damn you,” Drake cursed hoarsely, an odd fear suddenly twisting his countenance. “The Medallion is mine.”

  In spite of his burning desire for revenge, Sebastian discovered himself regretting the madness that had seized his brother. His brows drew together as he held out a slender hand.

  “It is not too late, Drake. Return to the Veil and all will be forgiven.”

  The vampire briefly regarded the hand, almost as if longing to reach out and join with Sebastian. Then, just when Sebastian allowed himself a measure of hope, he sharply stepped backward with a snarl.

  “Forgiven? I will be destroyed if I fail.”

  Sebastian tensed, recalling the mysterious shadow that had attacked him in the abandoned stables. He still had no notion of who the powerful vampire had been. Or how he had been connected to Drake. But he suspected that Drake deeply feared the attacker.

  “Destroyed by whom?” he demanded.

  Drake clenched his hands, a reckless glitter in his eyes. “Nefri cannot guard William forever,” he said thickly. “I will return and when I do, you will both pay.”

  Alerted by his warning, Sebastian rushed forward, but as quickly as he moved, Drake was quicker. Shifting his form to a large, black dog, he was bounding past Sebastian and through the door.

  Sebastian muttered a curse. He knew he could not allow Drake to escape. The vampire was dangerously desperate and willing to commit any atrocity to achieve his goals. Bloody hell.

  Turning toward Amelia, he regarded her with a searching gaze. She was understandably pale with a tense, fragile air about her. The soft curls had tumbled about her shoulders and there were lingering shadows in her dark eyes. His attention, however, was caught and held by the unmistakable drop of blood that glistened against the white skin of her bosom. Directly over her heart.

  Blessed Nefri. He had come so close to losing her. Too close. He had to bring an end to Drake, one way or another. He could not take such a ghastly risk ever again.

  Moving forward, he briefly gathered her into his arms, squeezing her tightly. With gratifying readiness, she melted into him, her head burying in his shoulder as she allowed the tears that she had been bravely holding in check to be released in choking sobs.

  For an endless moment he merely held her close. He needed to have her near. To assure himself that she was well despite the horror that she had endured. More than anything, he desired to enfold her in his own strength.

  Slowly she struggled to regain command of herself. As she did so, she also became aware of the burning necessity coiled deep within him. It was impossible to hide from the maiden who had become so much a part of him.

  Leaning back, she regarded him with a worried gaze. “Sebastian?”

  He gently cupped her damp cheek, knowing that the stubborn minx was bound to try and prevent his determined pursuit of Drake.

  “Amelia, you must give me the dagger.”

  Her face whitened. “Why?”

  “We both know this must end tonight,” he said softly. “You and William will be in danger until Drake has been stopped.”

  She moaned as she stepped back, clutching the dagger in a white-knuckled grip.

  “I do not wish you to risk your life, Sebastian. There must be another way.”

  Sebastian choked back an incredulous chuckle. The woman had willingly allowed herself to be abducted by a crazed vampire and hauled to this remote cottage. She had then proceeded to place a dagger to her heart with every intention of ending her life. And she dared stare at him with that wounded expression and speak of risk.

  “Bloody hell, Amelia, you are the last person to lecture me about risk.”

  She refused to reveal even a hint of remorse for the terror she had put him through. Instead she continued to regard him with that steady, anxious gaze.

  “I could not bear to lose you, Sebastian. Anything but that.”

  A fierce tenderness filled his heart at her simple honesty. Once again, he reached out to press her close to his body, breathing deeply of her sweet scent.

  “You will not lose me, Amelia. I intend to devote an eternity to loving you.”

  She tilted back her head to offer him a tearful smile. “Only an eternity?”

  “Oh, my love.” He pressed his lips to her tumbled curls. He would have given anything to remain holding her in his arms for the rest of his days. Unfortunately, his ability to sense Drake was becoming ever fainter. He had to act swiftly or he might lose him. He pressed a last, lingering kiss to her brow. “Later, my sweet. For now I need you to come with me.”

  Allowing herself to be held next to his side, Amelia glanced upward as he escorted her firmly toward the door.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Nefri is just beyond the trees, with William. I want you to remain with her until I return.”

  They had left the cottage and started across the overgrown garden when Amelia came to an abrupt halt.

  “Wait.”

  Sebastian glanced down in suppressed impatience. He wanted his confrontation with Drake over and done with. Only then could he concentrate on his future with this woman he loved with his entire being.

  “What is it, Amelia?”

  “I do not want you to leave until we have fully become one.”

  He frowned, wondering if her recent fright had somehow softened her wits. Surely she could not be asking . . .

  “What do you mean?”

  “You said that we were not yet fully bound. I want to complete the binding.”

  He was shaking his head in denial before she ever finished speaking. “No, Amelia, you do not know what you ask. It is not a simple ceremony with pretty words as mortals use to join themselves together. The Immortal Kiss means that we are truly bound. Our thoughts, our hearts, our souls. There is no going back. No end. It is irrevocable.”

  That stubborn expression that he was already learning to rue settled upon her tear-streaked countenance.

  “My love is already irrevocable,” she said in fierce tones. “All I ask is that we complete our joining.”

  Sebastian shivered, his heart wrenching with the need to concede to her request. Blessed Nefri. There was nothing he desired more than to make this woman his eternal mate. To have her so much a part of him that it would be impossible to determine where one began and the other ended.
But the price was much higher than Amelia could ever suspect.

  “Amelia, I fully intend to make you my bride,” he said softly, his hand reaching to stroke her cheek. “But not until I have finished with Drake. Until then, it is too dangerous.”

  Her brows furrowed at his words. “What do you mean, dangerous?”

  He grimaced, not wishing to add to her fear, but knowing that he had to be honest.

  “The Immortal Kiss would mean that you would be bound to me regardless of what happens this evening. If Drake were to injure me, you would feel my injuries as if they were your own. And if I were to die . . . you would spend an eternity blackened by a grief that would never lessen, never heal.”

  She bit her lip at his brutal explanation, but her expression never wavered. Lifting her hand, she pressed it to his heart.

  “Such a fate awaits me regardless, Sebastian. If you leave me, my heart will mourn your loss for as long as I draw breath.” An unashamed need glowed in her lovely eyes. “Please, Sebastian. Make us one.”

  Not even a logical, always sensible, scholar could possibly remain immune to the soft plea in her voice, he acknowledged ruefully. And a vampire consumed by love did not have a prayer of denying her request.

  There was a brief, futile struggle as his common sense attempted to remind him of all the reasons he should not allow himself to weaken. Then he heaved a small sigh.

  He could not battle her desire as well as his own. Not when he was still weakened by the acute fear he’d felt when he’d been so close to losing her.

  “Amelia, there is no going back,” he felt compelled to warn again.

  She smiled with a sweetness that reached his very soul. “That is precisely what I desire.”

  With a low groan, Sebastian at last loosened the restraints upon his most primal instincts. This was his true mate. The woman who would complete him.

  His fangs lengthened in the shadowy moonlight, but Amelia showed no fear. Instead she regarded him with an unwavering trust that did not falter even when he lowered his head toward her. In the silence he could hear the rapid rasp of his own breath and he was forced to pause a moment to gather his nerves. He had to be absolutely in control to avoid causing her any pain.