“Is that why you trashed my room?” Gary asked.
“You didn’t come home last night. We waited all day before we decided to look for clues to your disappearance,” Evans said reasonably.
“And the gun?” Gary pushed.
“We were worried for our own safety. Morrison thinks maybe a real vampire went to the warehouse. He was afraid maybe the vampire turned you, that’s why you weren’t around during the day. We couldn’t take any chances.”
“Have you ever seen Morrison during the day?” Gary asked suddenly.
There was a shocked silence. “Well, sure, yeah,” Evans stuttered, frowning, trying to remember. Shards of glass seemed to pierce his skull. He rubbed at his pounding temples. “You have, haven’t you, Martin?”
Martin snarled, his face twisted and evil. “Of course. All the time. So have you, Evans. You remember.”
He is lying,
Gregori said softly in Savannah’s head.
He is a servant of the master vampire. He intends to bring Gary somewhere out in the bayou. Can you stop him without bringing the police down on Gary? We must pursue Morrison. He is the one behind the hunt for the proof of the existence of our people. He is using the society in an attempt to destroy our race. We can do no other than stop him.
Gregori laid a hand gently on Gary’s shoulder and was pleased when the mortal didn’t give himself away by jumping.
Go with them. Allow them to lead us to the one who rules them.
It was a little disconcerting to have Gregori’s voice swirling imperiously around in his head, but Gary nodded slowly. “I didn’t think Morrison would have anything to do with those idiots at the warehouse. That’s why I called him. I thought maybe he could control the situation. Sure, let’s go see him. I’ve got some wild tales to tell. Hell, no one’s going to believe what I saw.” With studied, casual grace, Gary reached into the mess of papers on the floor and snagged his laptop. Between the two men, he marched confidently out of his room, down the hall, and out into the night.
What are you going to do?
Savannah was anxious on Gary’s behalf. He had to live in the human world. That meant no suspicion could fall on him if the two men in his company were found dead.
No one will see Gary with the two puppets,
Gregori said softly.
I have been at this for a thousand years, chйrie. This is the world I live in. I know it well. We will probably not be so lucky this night as to trap our prey, but it is worth the try. They plan to kill Gary.
Savannah was as adept as Gregori at reading the thoughts of those around her, and she could feel the malevolence seething just beneath the surface of the two men, particularly the one called Martin. He had been close to the vampire for some time, and the stench of evil was strong in him.
They are hoping for more information. Morrison wants to extract it himself, probably because he trusts no one. And he likes to see things in pain and terror.
The thought came unbidden before he could censor it.
Go home now. Savannah. Don’t send me home yet. You might need me to get Gary out. I won’t wilt at the first sign of danger, I promise.
The two men were leading Gary toward the river. A boat was waiting, and Gary got in without hesitation. The water was choppy, the wind blowing hard. Gregori moved just above Gary to ensure that the dark compulsion of the kill did not overtake either man until they arrived at their destination. The ride seemed to take forever, and Gary was looking so pale, he was almost green. The ride had made him seasick. As he stepped off the boat into a little inlet in the bayou, he staggered.
Gregori steadied him, his arm slipping around his shoulders for a brief moment to reassure him. It was evident Gary was aware there was something wrong with the two men. He felt the mortal take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Gary was going to be all right He trusted Gregori.
Gary noticed immediately that Evans and Martin boxed him in as he walked along the marshy shore. Cypress trees rose out of the water, and a network of roots formed a macabre prison of stakes and weeping limbs. In the darkness they looked sinister. Tendrils of fog began to float toward them off the surface of the water, wisps of white that shrouded the bogs in an eerie iridescence.
There was a peculiar stench that rose off the embankment, a foul odor that permeated the air. Night insects seemed to be in great abundance, stinging bugs that dived and darted. Gary found himself slapping at the annoying things, trying not to hold his nose. The odor was putrefying, disgusting, like decayed meat rotting in the sun. His shoes were sinking into the bog, and he hesitated. Somewhere he had heard a man could sink under the marsh and be lost in the reeds and mud, deep within a sinkhole. Gary coughed and gagged, his body rebelling. Almost at once he could smell a fragrance, a hint of fresh air, a suggestion of wild flowers and forest. He almost believed he could hear the sound of water running over rocks.
Savannah.
He knew it was her touch, aiding him to get through the rotten stench.
The air was suddenly thick, hard to breathe. The wind ceased to blow, and for a moment there was total silence. Even the bugs stopped their incessant noise. The two men escorting Gary stopped, turned their faces toward the bog, and waited. Out in the darkness something moved. Something evil and cunning. A shadow spread over them, engulfed them. Again there was a sudden stillness, as if the shadow had hesitated before moving out into the open. A roar of rage and defiance filled the vacuum of silence with the thunder of a freight train.
Somewhere in the distance, snakes fell with a series of splashes into the water. Alligators slithered in the mud, the sound loud in the silence before they slid into water and disappeared beneath the murky depths. Martin shoved Gary unexpectedly from behind, sending him sprawling into the mud. His knees sank deep, almost to the thigh. Gary swallowed his fear and stood up slowly, facing the two murderous men.
“What is this? I thought I was meeting Morrison.” He spoke calmly. “Morrison decided he didn’t need to talk to you,” Martin said.
Morrison senses your presence,
Gregori said to Savannah.
He is close. I can feel him, but I cannot pinpoint his exact location. This one is powerful; he has learned much in the centuries of his existence. He warned his servants,
she said, afraid for Gary. Already she was positioning her body in front of the mortal.
He gave the order to kill Gary. You chase the vampire. I’ll protect Gary.
Gregori yanked her to the side, reinforcing the silent command with a hard push at her mind. He was taking no chances with her safety.
It is not going to happen, Savannah,
Gregori snarled, his fangs already exploding in his mouth.
The killing rage was on Martin, the darkness spreading like a stain through the night. He pointed the ugly little revolver at Gary’s heart. “Wade out into the river. I’m sure the alligators are hungry tonight.”
Gary shook his head sadly. “I feel sorry for you, Martin. You’re the pawn the king has sacrificed while he escapes. You never even knew that all this time you were hunting the vampire, he was the one directing every move you ever made.”
“I think I’ll kill you slowly, Jansen. I don’t like you,” Martin said.
“Don’t you see how he’s twisted you? You’ve become the very thing you despise. Six months ago, would you have even contemplated killing someone? Morrison’s done that to you,” Gary persisted, trying to save the man’s life.
Martin extended his arm, looking down the sights of the gun. Suddenly his expression changed to shock. The evil mask disappeared completely as he stared in horror at his own hand. The gun was swinging around to point at nun. He fought the thing, tried to drop it, but it stuck in his palm. “Evans! Help me!” Martin screamed, the sound echoing across the waters.
Gary stepped back, trying to tear his mesmerized gaze from the man who only moments earlier had tried to kill him. Martin’s arm was rising slowly toward his own head. “Evans!” He was shr
ieking it.
Evans lunged at Gary, tackled him, shoving him down into the mud and oozing muck. Pushing Gary’s face hard into the mire, Evans tried to suffocate him, scooping filth into the gasping mouth. The sound of the gun was loud in the night, traveling across the bayou and startling wildlife for miles. Evans didn’t look up to see the results, determined to kill Gary Jansen and leave his body to the alligators.
Gary thrashed violently, nearly dislodging him, but Evans hung on grimly, his hands finding and clamping around the exposed throat. A low growl warned him. He turned his head to see two red, fiery eyes staring unblinkingly only inches from his face. Startled, Evans released Gary and sank back onto his heels. At once he could make out the huge head of a wolf. Glossy black fur, sinewy muscles. The muzzle. White fangs. He screamed and threw himself backward toward the river, crawling to put distance between himself and the beast.
Gary was gasping for breath, muck in his eyes and mouth, unable to see anything. He could hear the hideous, repetitious screaming, the unearthly growls that raised the hair on the back of his neck, but he was blind, the black goo sealing his eyelids closed. Something huge brushed past him, something muscular, with fur. It smelled wild and dangerous. There was a tremendous splash in the water. The screaming escalated, then was cut off abruptly in mid-cry.
Savannah’s arm crept around his shoulders, and she was wiping at the mud with a soft cloth, trying to clear his vision while he used his finger to scoop the stuff from his mouth. “That was too close,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. Gregori wouldn’t allow me to help.”
Gary spat more muck from his mouth. “I’m not surprised.” The words were muffled by the goo, but she understood them all the same.
Savannah couldn’t look around her and see the death everywhere. Gregori’s world was bleak and ugly, filled with violence and destruction. She ached for him, ached for the terrible emptiness that would always have to be a part of his life. She knew that his keeping her away from it was more than a matter of her safety. Gregori might say that to her, even to himself, but deep inside, where it counted, in his heart, in his soul, he didn’t want the violence to touch her, to change who she was. It mattered to him that he protect her from such a fate. He was determined that she never would have the death of another on her hands.
Gary managed to pry his eyes open. Savannah was inspecting him anxiously, dabbing at the mud on his face. He glanced over to where Martin had stood and saw the man’s body on the ground, the water from the marsh oozing up around him. The gun was still clutched in his hand, and blood was spreading out from the pool under his head, leeching into the waters of the marsh. Already insects were swarming around the feast. Gary looked away quickly, his stomach lurching. He wasn’t cut out to be Rambo.
“Where’s Gregori?” he asked, biting the words out between clenched teeth.
Savannah wiped more mud from his mouth. “Leave him alone for a few minutes,” she advised softly.
“Where’s Evans?” Gary suddenly pushed her aside to look anxiously this way and that, worried that he couldn’t protect Savannah.
“He’s dead,” she said bluntly. “Gregori killed him to save your life.” She stood up and wiped ineffectually at her mud-spattered jeans. “I hate this place. I wish we’d never come here.”
“Savannah.” Gary moved up beside her. There was a catch in her voice he had never heard before. Savannah, always filled with life and laughter, seemed so sad all of a sudden, so lost. “Are you okay? Gregori’s right. You shouldn’t be here.”
She shook her head, fighting down sudden anger. “What neither of you seems to understand is that I
am
here. Whether I’m here physically or not, I’m with him. I feel what he feels, exactly what he feels. It isn’t protecting me to wrap me in cotton wool and put me on a shelf.” She jerked away from him and walked toward the river.
Gregori materialized behind her, his large, stocky frame dwarfing her smaller one. He bent protectively over her, one hand on her shoulder. Gary watched as she shook it off, not in the least intimidated by his size or power.
“Do not be angry,
mon amour,
I truly sought only to protect you. Had Martin fired the gun, the bullet would have hit you. I could not allow such a thing,” Gregori said gently. He could feel the raging conflict in her. She had never been so close to death and violence until Gregori had chosen to force his claim on her. From their first day together as lifemates, she had known nothing else.
“There was no chance that you would have let him shoot me. Instead, because you locked me up with some ancient command, Gary was almost murdered in front of my eyes.” Savannah’s fists were clenched tightly. She wanted to hit something, and Gregori seemed a solid enough target.
“I will not take chances with your life,
ma petite”
he emphasized, his arms circling her waist from behind. When she would have stepped away from him, he tightened his hold on her. “I will not, Savannah. You should never have been here.”
“You lost your chance at the vampire because of me, didn’t you?” she demanded, tears in her voice, shimmering in her eyes. “He couldn’t sense your presence—you’re able to do something to mask it—but he knew I was there, even though I was invisible.”
It was the truth. He didn’t want it to be, especially with her so confused and upset. Gregori couldn’t bear it when she was unhappy. But there was no way to lie, and he wouldn’t have done so even if he could have. He remained silent, allowing her to read the answer in his mind.
Savannah shook her head and banged it against the heavy muscles of his chest. “I hate this, Gregori. I feel so useless. I feel like I’m endangering you. We are lifemates. I asked you to meet me halfway in my world, and you’ve done it. You’ve done everything I’ve asked of you. What have I done to live in your world with you?”
Gregori bent his dark head to the slim white column of her neck. “You are my world,
ma petite,
my very existence. You are what makes living bearable. You are my light, the very air I breathe.” His mouth brushed her pulse, her earlobe. “You are not meant to walk in death. You never were.”
She swung around, her blue eyes darkening to deep violet. “If you walk in death, Gregori, then that is where you will find me. Right beside you. I belong where you are. I am your
lifemate.
There is no other. I am your lifemate.” She held up a hand, furious at the situation. “There will be no more discussion on this. You can do no other than to see to my happiness, and the only way I will be happy will be to learn to cloak my presence from vampire, humans, and Carpathians alike.”
Savannah stalked away from him, leaving him standing on the water’s edge as she went back to Gary. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“What happens when the bodies are found? The cops are going to come looking for the last person seen alive with them,” Gary said, reluctantly stepping back into the boat. He was still digging muck out of his nose and mouth.
“No one saw you with them,” Gregori answered quietly. “They saw only two men leaving the hotel, two men walking through the Quarter, and two men getting into the boat. That’s why we cannot take the boat back.”
Gary blinked. “How do you propose we get back? Fly?” he asked sarcastically.
“Exactly,” Gregori answered complacently.
Gary shook his head. “This is getting too bizarre for me.”
“Do you wish me to blank out your mind from experiencing this?” Gregori asked politely, his thoughts clearly on Savannah.
“No,” Gary said decisively. He caught up the laptop from the seat of the boat. “But why don’t you take me to another hotel? You and Savannah could use some time alone. And to be honest with you, I wouldn’t mind thinking things over a bit. There’s a lot to take in.”
Gregori found himself liking the mortal even more. He had no idea a human might be so sensitive to another’s feelings. Raven,
Savannah’s mother, had been like that, but she was a special case, a true psychic. His experience with mortals had always been with those hunting him, butchering and murdering his people. He preferred to stay at a distance from mortals. He was not prepared to like Gary Jansen.
Savannah was already dissolving, mist streaming through the tendrils of fog, moving across the water. Gregori caught Gary up and launched himself skyward, streaking after her. Gary squealed, a high-pitched sound suspiciously like that of a piglet. He couldn’t help himself as he clutched at Gregori’s broad shoulders, his fingers clenching the shirt hard. The wind was whistling past his body so fast, he had to squeeze his eyes closed tight, unable to look down.
Wait for me, Savannah,
Gregori ordered, his black-velvet voice edged with iron.
She didn’t even hesitate. She continued moving quickly across the river toward the French Quarter.
Savannah!
He was imperious now, a flat order delivered in his mesmerizing voice.
You will do what I say. No, I won’t.
There was defiance in her voice, a mixture of belligerence and sorrow. He could feel the tears burning in her throat, in her chest. She was running as much from herself as she was from him.
Gregori swore softly in several languages.
Do not make me force you into obedience,
chйrie.
It is not safe for you. Maybe I don’t want to be safe,
she hissed at him, forging ahead into the night.
Maybe I want to do something crazy for a change. I hate this, Gregori. I hate it.
Mon amour,
do not run from what we have together. I know our life has not started out in paradise, that the world we must inhabit is ugly and dangerous, but we do it together. You hunt.
She was crying; he could feel it.
I endanger you.
Gregori sent her waves of comfort but knew it wasn’t enough. The mortal clutching at his shirt stirred. “Um, Gregori?” The wind snatched the words from his mouth and blew them across the water.
Gregori’s reply was more of a growl. His body was above the mist now, a protective blanket. “Say what you have to say.”
Dark Magic (Dark Series - book 4) Page 27