Leesa was so happy. She loved the total normality of this whole family experience—and they hadn’t even gotten to the cinnamon rolls yet!
15. A THRONE FOR A PRINCESS
The next week passed pretty uneventfully. Midterms were still far off in the future, so Leesa easily juggled her studying and homework with her magical practice. She did some of both every evening, usually with Dominic on hand for the magic part. By Thursday, she had pretty much mastered the trigger technique for the breathing. She no longer needed to spend time counting her inhales and exhales. As Dominic had promised, she could take one deep breath and concentrate on her trigger word—“breathe”—and she immediately entered the hyper relaxed state. She still hadn’t had one of her magical dreams to practice on, however. She wondered just what a girl needed to do in order to have a scary, zombie-filled dream.
As a reward for last night’s success, she and Dominic were now driving out to see Rave. Leesa loved the convenience of having a car so readily available and wished she could afford one of her own. Even though she wouldn’t be allowed to keep it on campus, she was pretty sure she could park it at her mom’s. She wondered if Dominic would lend her some of his treasure. Just kidding, she told herself, in case the wizard really could read her mind.
She pulled the Blazer into the same spot she had parked it in the week before. The volkaanes had repaired the break Rave had melted in the tall bank of snow that blocked their road and filled in the first couple hundred feet of the melted pathway as well. Leesa grinned, thinking about the trouble they must have gone through to do it. Dealing with snow without melting it was probably not an easy thing for a volkaane, but she guessed an open pathway into their settlement was much more of a “welcome sign” than the reclusive volkaanes were comfortable with.
Since the snow was less than a foot deep now, she saw no need to shout for Rave, even though she would have very much enjoyed another ride in his arms. Instead, she and Dominic climbed over the snow bank and picked their way through the snow until they reached the section of the path that had not been filled in. From there it was an easy walk to Balin’s cabin. A thin ribbon of white smoke curled lazily up from the chimney into the blue sky, telling Leesa the old volkaane was probably home. Whether Rave was there she couldn’t know, but if he wasn’t, Balin could probably tell her where to find him.
Rave opened the door when they were half way up to the cabin, solving that problem. Leesa did not know whether he sensed her presence or Dominic’s first, and she didn’t really care. She was just happy to see him standing there smiling at her.
“What a nice surprise,” Rave said as he stepped outside the doorway and embraced Leesa in a warm hug.
Leesa had been about to tease him by saying something about coming here for some of Balin’s stew rather than to see him, but wrapped up in his strong arms, she lost all thought of teasing him. All she could think of was how wonderful it felt to be held by him.
Dominic greeted Rave with a soft squeeze on the shoulder as he edged past them and stepped into the cabin. By the time Leesa and Rave finally let go of each other and went inside, Dominic was seated at the table and Balin was pouring two mugs of mead. The familiar pot of stew was hanging in the fireplace and Leesa inhaled deeply of its delicious aroma.
“Why don’t you two youngsters go find something fun to do and let us older folks drink and reminisce about the last six hundred years or so for a bit,” Balin said with a smile.
Leesa looked at Rave, who nodded.
“As long as I can have some of your stew when we get back,” Leesa said.
“Of course,” Balin replied as he handed Dominic a mug of mead and sat down across from him.
Leesa and Rave stepped outside, closing the door behind them.
“I love you, too,” Rave said.
Leesa smiled. She would never tire of hearing him say that. For a moment, the “too” on the end of his declaration puzzled her, until she remembered the message she had sent through Max last week.
“Are you sure that message was from me, and not just from Max?” she teased. “He seems to love you, you know.”
Rave laughed. “I know. But the tone is always much hotter when it comes from you.” He kissed the top of her head. “So, is there anything special you want to do today?”
Leesa linked her arms around his elbow. “Just being with you is enough for me,” she said. “What about you? Is there something you want to do?
Rave nodded. “As a matter of fact, there is.”
He swept Leesa up into his arms and started down the path, turning deeper into the Maston settlement when he reached the road. A melted pathway stretched ahead of them. Leesa could have walked beside him, but this was so much more fun, and quicker, too.
He carried her past the now barren apple orchard on the far side of the road and several cabins and small houses on the nearer side. When he turned off the pathway into the trees, Leesa was pretty sure she knew where they were headed. She smiled, because it was a place she really liked.
The ground began to rise in front of them and pretty soon Rave was carrying her up the side of a tall ridge. The snow was deeper here in the trees, especially in shaded places shielded from the sun by the uneven terrain, but none of it slowed Rave’s pace. Leesa was amazed how easily he carried her up the steep, snow-covered slope—well, snow-covered until it met his volkaane heat, that was. She could feel the increased warmth from his chest and arms as turned up his heat. Even the wet ground beneath the melted snow proved no obstacle—Rave didn’t seem to miss a single step.
Less than fifteen minutes after leaving Balin’s cabin, they reached Rave’s favorite spot high above the Moodus River—the same place Leesa had dreamed about just last week. She wondered if perhaps that dream had been a bit magical after all and made a mental note to talk to Dominic about it later.
Rave set her gently down onto her feet, then used his arm to melt the snow off a waist high rock shelf, increasing his heat until the stone was completely dry.
“A throne for my princess,” he said gallantly, sweeping his arm in invitation across the natural bench.
Leesa smiled and sat down. The warmth from the heated rock seeped immediately though her pants. Rave sat down beside her and took her hand.
The place was even more beautiful and more peaceful than she remembered, or that she had dreamed. To their right, melted snow flooded a small stream, sending water cascading down over the uneven rocks until it reached the slow-moving river far below. From where they sat, she could follow the river almost a quarter of a mile downstream before it curved out of sight. The gray, leafless trees and white snow produced a scene of stark beauty. Only the relaxing sound of the gurgling stream as it tumbled down the rocky slope broke the stillness.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Leesa said. “And so peaceful. You must come up her a lot.”
A slight frown creased Rave’s handsome features. “I used to, but I haven’t been back here since we were here together.”
Leesa looked at him in surprise. “Really? Why not?”
“I don’t like the memory it holds.”
Leesa mentally kicked herself. She should have figured that out. This was the place where she had told Rave about the bargain she’d made with Stefan to save her brother. She had even asked him to hunt her down and kill her afterward, so she wouldn’t have to spend eternity as a vampire. Of course he wouldn’t like the memories this place held.
Rave wrapped his arm around Leesa’s back.
“That’s why I brought you here today,” he explained. “So we could make a new memory to replace that old one.”
Leesa smiled. She liked the sound of that. She snuggled against him.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked.
“Don’t get too carried away,” Rave said, grinning. “It’s not kissing, if that’s what you’re hoping.”
Drat, she thought. He had known exactly what she was thinking. Why did everyone seem to be able to read her mind lately
? She was becoming way too predictable.
“Oh? What then?” She tried not to sound too disappointed.
“Well, just being here with you is a good start,” Rave said.
He eased his arm from around her back. Closing his eyes, he took several slow, deep breaths.
“I’ve got something I want to show you,” he said when he opened his eyes.
Leesa watched as he scooped a handful of snow from the slope beside him and carefully molded it into a snowball.
“Watch,” he said, holding the snowball out in front of him.
Leesa wondered what he was going to do. She remembered the day he had skipped a stone clear across a wide lake. There was no telling how far he might be able to throw the snowball from way up here. She waited…and waited. Rave simply held the snow-ball out in front of him.
“Well?” she asked finally. “Are you going to throw that thing or what?”
Rave grinned. “Why would I throw it?”
“Because that’s what you do with snowballs—you throw them.” Suddenly, it hit her, what Rave was trying to show her. “It’s not melting!”
She recalled the feel of Rave’s hands, so warm he’d worn gloves the first time he held her hand so she wouldn’t feel the heat and know there was something different about him.
“It’s not melting,” she repeated.
“No, it’s not,” Rave said, smiling and tossing the snowball a foot or so up into the air and catching it. “Not any faster than normal, anyhow. I’m getting better at lowering my fire.”
“You’re not turning it off, are you?” she asked anxiously, remembering how Balin had said that if Rave turned his fire off he might never be able to switch it back on.
“No, not even close. I just wanted to show you that I’ve been making good use of our separation.”
“Do you have enough control for a short kiss?” Leesa asked hopefully.
Rave smiled. “Maybe. But I’d rather not risk it, not without someone to stop us, just in case.” He saw the look of disappointment on Leesa’s face. “I promise once we get back to Balin’s, that’s the first thing we’ll do.”
Leesa was happy and frustrated at the same time. She felt like a kid in front of a locked candy store, knowing they were going to let her in eventually, but wanting to go in and start eating treats right now.
“I understand.” She grinned. “You know what? All of a sudden I’m really hungry. I sure could go for some of Balin’s stew right about now.”
Rave laughed and scooped her up in his arms. “As you wish,” he said.
Leesa got her kiss, plus a bowl of delicious stew, and then one more kiss right before she and Dominic left. All in all, it had been a pretty darn good afternoon, she thought as they drove home. Later, the memory of Rave’s kiss was the last thing she thought about before falling asleep, and she was rewarded with a dream about Rave so wonderful it made her blush to think about it.
16. TROUBLING NEWS
Saturday morning, Leesa and Cali were sitting on Cali’s bed chatting when Caitlin rushed into the room, red-faced and breathing heavily. Her blonde-tipped hair looked like she had started using her curler but had stopped half-way through. One side looked full and fluffy, the other hung close to her head. She was wearing black sweatpants and sandals, with a yellow and white striped pullover shirt that was twisted in the front, as if she’d thrown it on just before leaving her room and hadn’t bothered to take the time to straighten it. Her face was bare of any makeup, which was rare for Caitlin.
“Did you guys hear about the serial killers?” she asked excitedly.
Leesa looked up worriedly. She hadn’t heard anything about any killings.
“Calm down, girl,” Cali said to Caitlin. “You look like you’re about to explode.” She patted the mattress beside her. “Have a seat.”
Caitlin sat down on the edge of the bed. Her fingers drummed on her thick thighs with nervous energy.
“Now, what’s all this about serial killers?” Cali asked.
“They’re right here in central Connecticut,” Caitlin said. “I just heard it on The Morning Show.”
Leesa leaned forward so she could see Caitlin around Cali. Whenever she heard about unexplained killings her thoughts immediately turned to the supernatural. First it had been vampires, but since her last few dreams, she had now added zombies to the mix. She hoped this latest report would be easily explained by human causes, but she knew how often vampires hid their killing behind the guise of human depravity. She doubted zombies would ever be so careful, though.
“What did the TV show say?” she asked.
“There’ve been three sets of killings in less than two weeks,” Caitlin said. “Plus one couple who disappeared without a trace. They think that last couple is probably dead, too.”
“Why do they think they’re related?” Leesa asked. “Do the police have any leads?”
Caitlin was too amped up to stay seated. She got up and paced to the middle of the room, then turned around to face her friends.
“The victims have all been couples with their throats slashed. Plus, lots of their blood was missing. The cops think there are two killers and that they’re collecting the blood for some reason, maybe a satanic ritual.”
Leesa and Cali looked at each other. Missing blood sent their minds careening in the same direction—vampires! This was not good. Not good at all. Leesa’s fingers started dancing in her hair, which she had gathered over the front of her right shoulder.
Caitlin was completely in the dark about the vampires in their midst, but she was just as concerned by the thought of psychotic human killers.
“They found the third couple buried in a snow bank alongside their home yesterday,” she continued. “Up in West Hartford. They’d been dead at least ten days. The front door of their house was smashed in, but then set back in place so no one noticed anything until yesterday.”
Smashed in with vampire strength, it sounded like to Leesa.
“Where did the others happen?” she asked.
“One over in Newington, two in New Britain.”
“Wow, that’s pretty close,” Cali said.
“I know, right?” Caitlin sat back down on the bed.
Leesa’s anxiety mounted. Both towns were within twenty miles of Middletown, though in the opposite direction from where Rave had told her the hidden vampire caverns were located. She wondered if that Destiratu thing had grown so strong the vampires were beginning to feed recklessly. Perhaps they were hunting over here to avoid drawing attention to their lair on the other side of the river.
She forced her fingers from her hair and clasped her hands together on her lap. It felt weird to think it, but she sincerely hoped there were a pair of crazed serial killers running around—human serial killers. The alternative was too frightening to contemplate, but that was exactly what she was doing. She was going to need to talk to Rave about this as soon as she got the chance.
Across the river, others were even more concerned than Leesa, but for different reasons….
17. A SUMMONING
The summons from Lord Ricard was both brief and powerful. Stefan could still feel the psychic message echoing in his head. Come. Now.
All vampires can sense the presence of other vampires when they are close, but not all are capable of sending thought messages—that talent took many, many years to even begin to master. Ricard had been vampire for a thousand years and was powerful besides. That he was the vampire who had turned Stefan four hundred years ago only added to the strength of their psychic connection.
Stefan wasted no time obeying the summons. He glided through the dark labyrinth of caverns that made up the vampire lair to Ricard’s chamber. The massive series of caves beneath the hills on the eastern shore of the Connecticut River had been carved by an ancient underground river that had long since vanished. Ricard and a dozen of his followers had discovered the hidden caverns almost two hundred years before and had made it their home, shaping the various chambers wit
h vampire strength and patience to suit their needs. Over the years, they had taken in a number of wandering vampires, until they now counted nearly three score in the coven.
Stefan padded silently into Ricard’s outer chamber—the largest cavern in the whole place, save for the immense council audience chamber. The vampire lord waited in the middle of the room, standing motionless, his arms folded across his broad chest.
Ricard was an imposing figure—tall and muscular, with long silver hair gathered by a thick leather band into a ponytail that reached down to his waist. His features were sharp and aristocratic. He wore a black silk robe cinched around his waist by a wide gold belt carved in the shape of a serpent. A similar, much smaller gold band encircled his head.
Stefan ran his fingers through his own black, shoulder-length hair. He bowed his head respectfully.
“You sent for me, my lord?”
Richard motioned to an ornate wooden bench against the far wall of the cavern. The bench’s legs and back were carved with intricate designs favored among the nobility in seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe. Wooden furniture was not all that common inside the vampire lair—most of the chambers simply made do with plain, unadorned seats and benches carved directly from the stone walls—but Ricard had brought a few pieces along with him when he left Europe. Before embarking to America, the vampire lord had been a fixture in the court of several kings, and he enjoyed having a few reminders of that time around him.
“Sit, Stefan.” Ricard’s voice was deep and melodious.
Stefan did as he was bid. The wood bench was smooth and comfortable.
Richard stepped closer, remaining on his feet.
“Someone has been feeding in our territory,” he said.
“Yes, my lord. I have sensed it also.”
When vampires fed, others of their kind could sense the feeding across great distances, especially vampires as powerful as Ricard and Stefan.
“There are two of them, I think, traveling together,” Ricard said. “They have fed four times in the last fortnight.”
Helpless (Blue Fire Saga) Page 10