Final Choices

by Lydia Parks

  “Now, now,” he said, smiling again. “I’m afraid I can’t let you leave. You have a job to do.”

  He pushed her down until she sat against the wall, and he taped her feet together. Then he stood before her. “Now we wait. I suggest you not try to leave. I’ll be just on the other side of the door. I really don’t want to shoot you, Terra, but I will. He has to be stopped.”

  She tried to speak, to tell him that he was wrong, but nothing came out except senseless noise.

  He turned and walked out, leaving the flashlight on the floor by the door, pointed toward the ceiling.

  Terra glanced around, trying to decide what to do. She couldn’t make a run for it, and she had no way to warn Nathan. Maybe he wouldn’t find her. Unfortunately, he seemed to be able to find her whenever he wanted to, and he was probably looking for her now, since she hadn’t called as she’d promised to.

  When she dropped her head back to the wall, she realized this was no ordinary room. The wall she leaned up against was steel, and, judging by the fact that the only echo she heard was in her skull, must be thick. Thick enough to hold a vampire? What the hell did Austin have in mind?

  She didn’t hear him approach. When Nathan stepped into the room, every muscle in her body jumped. She shook her head at him, hoping he’d understand, but instead he rushed across the room and knelt in front of her.

  “Terra? What—“

  Nathan suddenly fell forward, spinning around as he did, and landed sitting on the floor beside her.

  Terra watched in horror as blood ran down the smoking piece of wood suddenly protruding from his chest and dripped from a metal tip. She followed his gaze across the room to where Austin stood in the doorway, his pistol in one hand and an empty crossbow in the other.

  Nathan scrambled to his feet, then froze.

  “You’ll never make it in time.” Austin pointed the .357 at Terra as he spoke. He nodded toward the large, smoking wooden bolt and grinned. “I bet that hurts. You know, it’s covered with garlic juice.”

  Still on his feet, but reaching back to the wall, Nathan grabbed the piece of wood and pulled it the rest of the way through his chest, yelling through clenched teeth as he did. As the shaft came through, he dropped it to the floor and fell to his knees, doubled over.

  “You must be old,” Austin said. “That would have killed most vampires. But I knew you’d survive it. I’ve been watching you for awhile. You really are impressive, you know.”

  A growl vibrated through the room, then Nathan slowly turned his head. “Why are you doing this?”

  With the weapon still pointed at Terra, Austin squatted. “Think back to 1977. Do you remember?”

  Terra watched, unable to do anything. Neither Austin nor Nathan moved for a full two minutes, then Austin nodded and rose. “Yeah, I figured you’d remember if you tried hard enough. I’ve learned a few lessons since then, and had a long time to think about this. The only way you’ll be destroyed is if you allow it, and my guess is that Terra, here, is my only chance.”

  He glanced around the room. “And if that doesn’t work, I’m betting this room will hold you until you starve to death. But I suppose death isn’t exactly the right term for someone who’s already dead.” Austin backed through the doorway. “I’ll be back in a few years to either scatter your ashes or cut out your heart, you murdering bastard.”

  Austin slammed the steel door shut, and Terra heard a series of locks snap into place. She looked up at Nathan’s back where a gaping hole dripped blood to the floor.

  Nathan turned and knelt beside Terra, his hands trembling as he untied her. Then he staggered across the room, fell to the floor, and curled in a ball facing her. Terra tore the tape from her legs and mouth, and was about to rush to his side, when his eyes snapped open and he stared at her.

  His eyes glowed blood red.

  * * * *

  Nathan sat, huddled in the corner, as far away from Terra as possible. Pain racked his body and he shook in response.

  Terra started across the room toward him. “Nathan—“

  “No!”

  She stopped, frowning at him, her eyes suddenly wide.

  He worked to control his voice. “Please, Terra, stay away from me.”

  But even from this distance, her heartbeat thundered in his ears.

  She returned to her place, leaning against the far wall. “How do we get out of here?”

  He closed his eyes and tried to think. It wasn’t easy. The beast strained and jumped at the end of its tether, snarling with delight. “I…don’t know.”

  “Can’t you break the door down?”

  He shook his head slowly. “Not now. Not…like this.”

  She looked around in the dimming light. “Why did he do this?”

  Nathan moved to relieve some of the pressure on his wound, biting back a scream at the searing pain. “To get even with me. He’s…a Hunter.”

  “Austin Williams is some kind of vampire hunter?”

  “His name is Eric Straley.”

  Nathan closed his eyes and recalled the night he bit into Eric’s neck.

  The healing nectar flowed into his system—the blood of a strong, young man, full of hatred for the monster that he thought would kill his mother. The beast delighted in the emotions and snarled. Eric struggled, then went limp in Nathan’s arms, his young heartbeat failing. Heat flooded Nathan’s body as he drew on the last of the flow.

  “Leave him alone!”

  Again a stake was driven into his back, but this time with less strength; it went just deep enough to be annoying.

  The beast swung around, dropping the dying boy to the floor, and found Alexandra searching for another weapon. He jerked the stake from the second wound in his back as the first began to close, and he reached for her. Smiling, he sank his fangs into her jugular and drank…

  Nathan opened his eyes. “I thought I’d killed him in 1977, but it appears he was rescued.”

  “That gives him some kind of special powers?”

  “Apparently. I didn’t sense his presence. He’s not your average human. I’ve heard rumors about those brought back from the brink—part human, part vampire.”

  Terra frowned. “Wait, you say you nearly killed him in 1977?”

  “Yes. He was seventeen.”

  “That makes him…way over thirty.”

  “Yes.” Nathan closed his hands into fists to stop the tremors. Take her, the beast whispered.

  “Nathan.”

  He looked across the room.

  “If you were…normal, I mean like, not injured, could you get out of here?”

  Nathan glanced at the door. It was heavy, but probably not impenetrable. “Perhaps.”

  Terra straightened. “Then all you have to do is drink from me. You’ve done it before.”

  “No!” He tensed at the wave of excruciating pain, then relaxed a bit as it passed. “No, Terra, I can’t. I wouldn’t be able to stop. Do you understand? I’d take your life.”

  “But—“

  “No.” He dropped his gaze to the stake that lay in the middle of the room, covered with his blood. “And I won’t have control much longer. Your only chance is to finish what he started.”

  She, too, looked at the stake. “What good would that do? I sure as hell can’t break out of here.”

  “Perhaps he’ll come back for you.”

  She turned her gaze to the door and sighed. “I don’t think so.” Then she looked at Nathan again. “Why did you try to kill him?”

  “He drove a stake through my chest.”

  “Why?”

  “He thought I planned to hurt his mother.”

  “Did you?”

  Nathan shook his head and winced at the pain the movement caused. “I would not have hurt her, had it not been for her son.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When he staked me, the vampire took over. I can not stop it, Terra, once it’s unleashed. His mother tried to rescue him, and the beast turned on her. It…I too
k her life.” His fangs lengthened at the memory, and he glared at Terra. “I will take yours if you don’t put that stake through my heart. There isn’t much time.”

  She walked slowly toward him. “Nathan, you’ve told me before that you can make someone a vampire by drinking their blood and then offering them yours. Is that true?”

  Her thundering heartbeat raged in his head as she neared, and he flattened himself to the wall. “Terra, stop.”

  “Nathan, you know how I feel about you. If you made me a vampire, we’d always be together, wouldn’t we? And we could get out of here.”

  Now, drink from her. See how she offers herself to you. “Terra, please.”

  She knelt beside him, the scent of her blood calling like a siren, promising relief and pleasure like no other.

  Terra unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse and pulled it aside to bare her neck to him. “Make me like you, Nathan.”

  Fear and terror fell from him as the beast drew him up from the floor. He knelt in front of her, listening, wanting, anxious to take her.

  But a part of him hung on, wrestling with the beast, trying to pull it back.

  “Give yourself to me,” he heard his voice say as he reached out and slid his hand behind her neck. “Completely.”

  The sweet scent of her skin swirled around in his head as he lowered his mouth to her shoulder and tasted her. He kissed her gently, working his way up to her neck, stopping to feel the vein beneath his lips rise and fall.

  There was no choice, now. The vampire moved and Nathan only followed, trying with all his might to keep the beast from hurting her. His sweet Terra, the woman he came closest to loving, knelt before him ready to offer her life, and he would take it because he couldn’t refuse the beast.

  Slowly, carefully, he pushed his fangs into her neck.

  As her heavenly nectar filled his mouth, she cried out, then clung to his shirt, groaning in ecstasy as he drank from her. He moved into her thoughts and brought joy, desire, peace, taking from her sweet emotions of love and need, and fulfilled desire. He saw her life unfold, knew her dreams and secrets, saw himself as she saw him. For a moment, he could love as she did, and he loved her. His beautiful, sweet Terra. He loved her as if his heart were human.

  Her thundering heartbeat slowed and grew quieter as he continued to drink. Her heat flooded his body and he held her to him, wishing to give back what she gave him, wishing for her to have life.

  Nathan withdrew his fangs from her neck and pressed his face into her soft hair, inhaling her scent. She was limp in his arms, growing quickly cold as her heart slowed and then stopped.

  He raised his wrist to his mouth and stared down at her. Could he really do this?

  She wanted eternity; he knew that. And she loved him like no other ever had. But she didn’t understand the darkness, the solitude, the damnation and thirst. The things they both valued—her love of him and of life—would be gone forever as soon as she woke. She would be as cold and heartless as he was.

  Just as Iris had been.

  Nathan eased Terra to the ground, jumped to his feet, and charged the steel door. A bone in his shoulder cracked, but he charged again. On the second try, the door gave way and fell forward to the ground with a crash. Ignoring the fading pain from the closing hole in his chest, he returned to Terra and scooped her into his arms, then took off at top speed. He had only one choice.

  If he failed, neither of them would exist by tomorrow’s sunset.

  * * * *

  The pain in her head made her groan as she opened her eyes.

  Terra stared up at whiteness, wondering where she was. Why had she been asleep? What time was it? Was she supposed to be at work?

  She had every intention of jumping up, but nothing worked. Her entire body ignored the mental command.

  Was she paralyzed? Had she been shot?

  Wait, the last thing she remembered was being trapped in the warehouse with Nathan.

  No, that wasn’t the last thing she remembered. She’d asked him to make her a vampire. Had he done it? Was she a vampire? If so, why did her head hurt so much? And what the hell was that annoying beep?

  Clenching her jaw at the effort, Terra turned her head and looked around. She was in a hospital room. And with all the wires and tubes coming out of her, she must be in bad shape. At least she was still among the living, judging by the steady noise of the heart monitor.

  A strange tingle spun around in her gut, feeling like a firefly buzzing inside her. Somehow, she knew what the feeling meant. “Nathan?” she croaked.

  He stepped from the shadows and sat beside her bed, holding her hand in both of his. “Sweet Terra, I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you back.”

  “Thirsty.”

  He poured her a glass of water, carefully raised her head, and helped her drink from the plastic straw. Cold liquid felt wonderful on her raw throat.

  She lay back and watched as he settled back into the seat and studied her intently.

  “I’m still human.”

  “Yes, my pet.” He smiled and tenderly brushed the hair from her forehead. “Your heart still beats, as strong and pure as ever.”

  “Why didn’t you do it?”

  “Make you what I am?”

  She nodded.

  He leaned closer and stroked her cheek with the back of his cool fingers. “Don’t you see, my sweet? You were ready to give your life for me, to sacrifice because you love me. You have a great capacity for love. If I gave you the gift of eternity, you would lose that ability. You would no longer love anyone. I wouldn’t be able to continue my existence knowing I’d been the cause of such a terrible loss.”

  “But you were willing to sacrifice yourself for me.”

  He laughed quietly. “Yes, my dear, but for much more selfish reasons. I could not bear the memory of draining you throughout eternity.”

  “So you’re telling me you don’t love me?”

  He straightened, but continued to hold her hand. “Terra, I’ve explained to you before that I can not feel love as you know it. It’s a purely human emotion.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “If you say so.”

  He sat very still, making no noise, but the tingle continued. It wasn’t unpleasant exactly, just strange. Drowsiness covered her like a warm blanket and she squeezed Nathan’s fingers.

  “Nathan?”

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t leave.”

  “I won’t, my dear. Rest.”

  She nodded as she drifted off.

  * * * *

  Nathan stood very still, willing himself to be part of the large oak. He hadn’t moved for over an hour; a dozen people had passed without noticing him. This was his second night of vigilance, but it didn’t matter. Time was the one thing he had plenty of.

  He’d waited to leave Atlanta until he was certain Terra was out of danger. She’d left the hospital three days earlier, and would be allowed to recuperate at home for another week at least. Her superior on the police force had visited her in the hospital to apologize for placing an imposter in her path and putting her in danger. Nathan had bristled in the shadows at the thought of punishing the officer for endangering his sweet Terra, but she’d been forgiving, as was her nature.

  Dear, sweet Terra.

  Nathan had come close to making her his mate for eternity—closer than he cared to consider. Twice it had appeared that she would not pull through, but both times modern medicine, coupled with her will to survive, had prevailed. He knew now, more than ever, that he would not be able to let her go. When the time came, he would either make her his bride, or walk out to greet the sunrise.

  A boy strolled by, led by an oversized dog on a leash. The dog stopped for a moment to sniff the air and stare in Nathan’s direction. Nathan pushed primal thoughts in the direction of the dog’s eyes—food…waiting…run—and the beast took off, dragging the stumbling boy along behind him.

  The air was wetter than in Atlanta—hot and humid, and filled wit
h songs of insects. A breeze blowing off the river carried the heavy scents of fish and oil tankers. When it stopped he smelled frying foods, stale beer, and human sweat, mixed with domestic flowers. New Orleans had changed very little in the past century.

  When he caught sight of his quarry, Nathan concentrated on hiding himself completely. He created no vibration in the air, no sign of life at all. It seemed to work, until his prey stood less than five feet away.

  The man suddenly stopped mid-step and spun around, searching the darkness. Nathan let him look for a moment, enjoying a bit of sport, then moved quickly to his side. As the man turned toward the street, Nathan slipped his arm around the victim’s neck and lifted him from the ground.

  “Dear Eric,” he said softly, listening to the way Eric’s heartbeat responded by racing. “You have done a terrible thing.”

  “You killed my mother,” the man growled. “You bastard.”

  “And for that I would expect no less than you gave. Believe it or not, I carry a heavy guilt about your mother’s death, and I always will. I would not have harmed her.”

  “Liar.” Eric struggled, but was unable to loosen the grip on his neck, so he clung to Nathan’s arm. “You’re a monster. You kill people without remorse. You must be stopped.”

  Nathan sighed, knowing it would do no good to argue. “I have no wish to harm you, but I can not allow you to continue. You placed someone very precious to me in jeopardy. You were willing to sacrifice her, even after she’d given herself to you in the most trusting and intimate manner. I believe you are as much of a monster as I.”

  “Fuck you, you son of a bitch! I’ll drive a stake through your heart.”

  Nathan closed his eyes and allowed the beast to step forward. Eric’s heartbeat thundered in his head, causing the beast to growl.

  “No, dear boy, you will not.”

  Pulling Eric’s head to the side, Nathan smiled at the exposed flesh as he ran his tongue up the side of one fang.

  * * * *