With my legs drawn up to my chest, I huddled in the corner of the dank cellar. No light could reach me in the earthen basement. When I’d reached the house just before dawn, I’d gone straight for the basement. It was the only safe place to hide from the light.
I could hear Jeanie in the kitchen, the floor creaking as she moved around, probably preparing breakfast. My aunt wouldn’t notice I was gone until she went upstairs to see what was keeping me from breakfast. Jeanie would be frantic.
The last thing that I wanted to do was worry my aunt anymore than I already had.
“Aunt Jeanie,” I called out, weakly.
There was no way my aunt heard me from the kitchen. The house was too solid, the floors too thick.
“Aunt Jeanie!” I called again, this time, louder.
The sound of Jeanie’s footsteps stopped.
“I’m down here!” I screamed with as much strength as I could muster.
Though it was only a short time, it seemed like an eternity before the basement door opened and a sliver of light penetrated the darkness. I scrambled away from the light, terrified that it would burn me if I came into contact with it.
“Sarah, are you down here?” Jeanie asked, the uncertainty in her voice making it sound feeble.
“I’m here. Shut the door!”
Jeanie switched on the light that hung from a fixture above the stairs. Stepping onto the top stair, she pulled the door shut behind her.
“Sarah, what are you doing down here in the dark?”
“I have to talk to you,” I said, my voice shaking.
Jeanie started down the stairs, her hand grasping the rail. When she was halfway down the staircase, she saw me huddled in the corner. I knew I was a sight with my feet bare, and my nightgown torn and dirty.
“Oh my! What’s happened to you?” Jeanie hurried down the stairs.
“I’ve turned,” I told her softly.
“What do you mean, you’ve turned?” Jeanie’s brows came together.
“I’m turning, becoming a vampire,” I told her, squeezing my eyes closed so that I wouldn’t have to see the disappointment on my aunt’s face.
“He bit you again, didn’t he? Where did he bite you?” Jeanie was examining my throat.
“Not there,” I said, shaking my head.
“Where then?” Jeanie wanted to know.
I didn’t answer. No way did I want to tell my aunt about what had happened between Darrien and me. Jeanie picked up on my reluctance and guessed why I was unwilling to show her where I’d been bitten.
Clicking her tongue, Jeanie shook her head in annoyance. “You didn’t listen to a word I said about being careful.”
“I’m sorry,” I sobbed. “When I’m with him it’s like nothing else matters.”
“It’s the vampire’s spell,” Jeanie told me, sternly. “This is why I told you that it was dangerous for you to be with him too much.”
“But I didn’t feed on him! This shouldn’t have happened,” I insisted.
“Maybe it hasn’t happened. Maybe it’s all in your head,” Jeanie suggested, a look of hope in her eyes.
“I’ve hungered for his blood. It’s like it takes control of me and I don’t know what I am doing. But he stopped me before I could feed on him.”
“That could be an instinct born into you.”
“He told me that it’s happening slowly and that I should stay out of the light.”
“Well at least he thought that much about it,” Jeanie said, sarcasm dripping from her words.
“What am I going to do?”
“There isn’t much you can do, if indeed you have been turned, but I have my doubts.”
The uncertainty in Jeanie’s eyes was like a ray of hope. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being condemned to a dark cellar for the rest of my life. “How can we know?”
“Come upstairs into the light. That is the best test I can think of.”
I shook my head violently. “No! He told me that the sunlight could kill a vampire.”
“It’s true that too much sunlight can kill a vampire, but if there is only a little exposure, it could make you ill, but probably won’t kill you.”
“No. We need to find some other way.” I was adamant.
“Very well.” Jeanie stood up. “I’ll bring you some food and water, and you can stay down here until I can figure something out.”
Chapter Four
Jeanie
Clearing my throat, I tried to get the man’s attention. I’d put on my hooded cloak and left the house so I could seek out help for Sarah, but then I’d noticed that there was a man across the road, staring. When I approached him, he seemed to be completely unaware of my presence.
Now the man was looking at me as if I’d just woke him from a deep sleep.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked.
Now his eyes were sharp and alert. “I’m looking for the Fabre family.”
“For what reason?” My eyes narrowed.
“It’s a sensitive matter that I must discuss with the family. Do you know them?”
“Maybe,” I was cautious.
“A young girl of the family is in extreme danger. I must speak with her.” It was obvious he was getting impatient.
“Well, you’re a day late and a dollar short.” I snapped, irritated by the constant intrusion of these otherworldly creatures in the affairs of the Fabre family. I was fully aware that he wasn’t human. If he were, he probably wouldn’t know about Sarah being in danger.
He smelled like a wolf.
Last I’d heard, the wolves had gone extinct. That’s what I got for listening to gossip because it was obviously baloney. Now that I was paying attention, it was obvious in the man’s eyes. They were dark eyes, but he couldn’t hide the yellow sheen that marked him as a wolf.
What did a wolf want with Sarah?
Chapter Five
Sarah
My heart was racing so fast it threatened to burst in my chest. I slammed against the cottage door, practically ripping it from its hinges to get inside. It was still dark within the confines of the cottage walls. I hadn’t yet drawn back the curtains to let in the morning sun. My eyes scanned the interior until they came to rest on the cradle where my baby daughter was screaming.
At first, I couldn’t see anything but the small form of the baby lying on her back, her arms swinging in the air as she screamed. When my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I saw the darkness, a black murky form that was denser that the natural darkness. The shadow stood near the cradle, staring down at the frantic child.
“What are you? What do you want?” I demanded.
That’s when the shadow moved and I saw its red glowing eyes. Yelping, I backed away from the dark presence.
“I have come to offer you a reprieve.” The rasping - hollow voice was the voice of darkness in its purest form. It was a voice that could not be heard with the ears, but only within the mind. “I will spare you your fate, in exchange for the child.”
I prayed for the strength to face down this being, this bringer of death. “Why would you have an interest in this baby?” I asked, refusing to show fear.
The silence that followed was like that of the grave. The shadow hovered over the cradle, but its orbs of red light were fixed on me.
I shook my head. “If you have come for me, then take me, but leave my child be.”
Its hollow laughter filled my head. “When you embrace death, you seek me out. You have made your choice. If you seek Immortality, you will be trading the child’s life for your own.”
I blinked and the shadow was gone. As quickly as the presence left, the child became quiet, falling into a deep slumber. I ran to the baby and reached out to feel the child’s chest. Relief flooded over me when I saw that the baby was still breathing.
Swallowing hard, I tried to make sense of it. Had I just come face to face with the Angel of Death or was it some demon sent to bring death and misfortune to my family? Whatever it was, it wanted
my child?
The terror brought me awake. My dream of Caroline had been so vivid; I recalled every feeling, every word.
It was the curse of the Fabre witches to remain alone throughout life. If they tried to defy the curse, they risked the lives of their children. Most women in my family never married. If they did, the marriage rarely lasted.
They always feared for their children and like most mothers, they would ultimately choose their children over their own hearts.
No one knew the origins of the curse, but at least now I knew that it must have come before Caroline’s time. It was the curse that had brought about Caroline’s demise, not Darrien.
My thoughts returned to the present when I heard a noise at the top of the stairs. I held my breath and listened.
The door handle rattled and then turned.
Scrambling to the other side of the basement, I tried to avoid the dim light that made its way into the basement through the open door. My senses picked up danger, even before I saw the figure on the stairs. It was a man, but at the same time, he wasn’t a man. The instinct born into me, screamed at me to run. That instinct told me that this was a monster, someone that I should fear. But Jeanie stood behind him, and she didn’t seem the least bit worried.
Following him with my eyes, I watched as he made his way down the stairs. Silently I waited for him to reveal who he was, waited for the death I sensed was imminent.
The man stood at the foot of the stairs, staring at me. Not with hatred and hunger as I expected. What I saw in his eyes was understanding and compassion.
“My name is Lex.”
I didn’t respond but continued to watch him, wary of any sudden movements.
“I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve come to help you.”
“And how do you think you can do that?” I finally broke my silence.
“I know that you can sense I’m different, but you don’t know why. Am I correct so far?” he asked.
I nodded.
Jeanie stood behind the man, saying nothing.
“I am of the wolf people,” he told me. “Have you ever heard of shifters, werewolves?”
Again I nodded. This was another mythical creature that I thought wasn’t real. Just like I’d thought vampires were no more than myth.
“That is what I am. I don’t have time to explain everything right now, but that is what I am.” Lex held out a hand to me.
Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his and let him pull me to my feet. When my skin made contact with his, I saw into his head and into his heart. He was grieving, and maybe he hadn’t always been a good man.
“You killed your daughter’s lover,” I accused. “And now you seek forgiveness by saving me.”
A mixture of shock and sorrow clouded the man’s features. “You are a very talented young woman, but you don’t know the whole story.” He frowned. “It makes no difference. With the power of both the Immortal and the witch, I can see how you would be an asset.”
“To this battle between the sisters and the vampires’?” I asked, turning away from him. I didn’t think I was strong enough to do battle with the evil that wanted to kill me.
“I can see someone has been talking to you,” he said.
“If you thought you were going to save me, you are too late,” I stated.
“You have taken a vampire for a lover and now you believe he’s turned you.” he said, cocking his head to one side.
Looking over at Jeanie, I realized that my aunt had already confessed my secrets to this stranger.
“What do you want?” I asked him.
“To keep you safe until you can unite with your sisters.”
Laughter bubbled up from my throat. “As I said, you are too late. I’ve already been brought into darkness.”
“And you are sure of this?” he asked, arching one brow.
“Yes! I hunger for blood.”
“That could be because you are a born vampire. This doesn’t necessarily make you a full-fledged bloodsucker.”
“And how would you know?” I asked, sarcastically. I wasn’t sure if I was angry for the intrusion or if I was beginning to accept my fate and didn’t appreciate the wolf’s efforts to save me from the inevitable. At least if I’d turned, I could go to Darrien and he would have no reason to turn me away. Of course, this would do nothing to cure him of his infatuation with Caroline.
Lex held out his hand. “Come with me into the light. If my suspicions are correct, you will be fine.”
I shook my head. Why should I trust this stranger, this wolf? He was a natural born enemy of the vampire.
“I believe that you were born with a natural resistance to the poison of the vampire,” Lex voiced his thoughts. “If this is true, it makes you an even more valuable asset to the cause.”
“What does it matter? They will only find another way to be rid of me?” I looked away.
“I can take you someplace where you will have some protection from Omar’s followers,” he told me. “I can take you to your sisters when the time is right, but first you must take my hand.”
Still, I hesitated.
“It won’t hurt to try it,” Jeanie spoke up.
Sighing, I finally allowed him to lead me into the light that was streaming into the basement through the open door. I braced for the blistering heat and the scorching of my flesh, but nothing happened.
“Now, let’s go upstairs,” he urged.
I followed him up the stairs and into the kitchen. Again, I felt nothing. I was no different than I’d been the day before.
“Why would I crave blood?” I asked.
“I will explain everything, but you may want to clean up and dress first,” he advised.
Chapter Six
Alec
From St. Peter’s Square, the view of the Vatican was ethereal, almost eerie in a way. I stood next to a large fountain and surveyed my surroundings. Water gushed from the top of the fountain, spilling over the sides of the marble. Illuminated by pale yellow light, the water resembled liquid gold.
At this late hour, few visitors remained in St. Peter’s Square, which was a good thing. I scanned the faces of the people that were still milling about, wondering which of them might be my contact.
Father Rovati had reluctantly promised to meet me in the square, but that was only because the good father had no idea that he was meeting with a vampire - one of the foulest creatures to ever roam the earth, at least according to the church.
The priest approached me from behind, but I wasn’t taken by surprise. My keen sense of hearing had detected the man’s footsteps from quite a distance away.
“Mr. Norwood?” he asked, his voice firm and confident.
When I turned around to face the priest. I knew I was a sight with my long hair blowing in the soft night breeze and the way the light reflected off my vampire eyes. The average person wouldn’t have known that I was different, but the good father was not the average person. No, this priest was the advisor to His Holiness, the Pope, in all things paranormal.
The priest stood at least a good foot shorter than me. The black coat he was wearing seemed almost too warm for the season. The priest’s short-cropped silver hair and the deep crows feet around his eyes told me that Father Rovati was well beyond his prime, but the man’s dark eyes were sharp and he knew what I was.
“How dare you come to this holy place?” Fury oozed from the man’s words.
“I come seeking your help,” I said, offering a smile.
“What help could I possibly be to a creature of evil?” Father Rovati’s eyes followed my every move, but he didn’t back away nor did he show any sign that he was ready to flee.
“Is it not your job, your mission in life to be a savior of souls?” I asked.
“I fear your soul was lost long ago,” the priest said.
“Among those in Vatican City, I am told that you are the most knowledgeable about the paranormal, and creatures such as myself.”
Father Rovati said nothing,
but continued to glare at me.
“The Book of Anu, what do you know about it?” I asked.
“What interest would it be to you? It cannot change what you have become.”
“I seek to end my curse, to live in the light,” I confessed.
“As admirable as that goal is, it is also unrealistic.” The priest’s voice seemed to lose its sharp edge.
“I just want to find out what you know about it and where it can be found.”
Father Rovati took a deep breath. “If it still exists, it is buried in the catacombs beneath Rome.”
“But it did exist?” I felt my excitement grow.
The priest nodded. “It did, yes.”
“What’s in the book?” I asked.
“Blasphemy! That’s what is in the book. It will not help you achieve your goal.”
“It reveals the truth of the vampire. I know that much. Tell me, what is in the book about my kind?” I pressed.
Father Rovati shook his head. “That you’re not human. That the vampire is an abomination.”
I kept my features impassive. “I already know that much.”
“Then you know all there is to know.” With that, the priest turned to walk away.
I would have stopped him but I wouldn’t get any more information. Once again, I was on my own, but this time, at least I had some idea of where to look.
Leaving St. Peter’s Square, I headed toward the underground cities of the dead. Now I would search in the catacombs.
My thoughts strayed to Nicole and I pulled my phone from my pocket. I hadn’t phoned her since leaving New Orleans, and at that moment, every fiber of my being longed to hear her voice.
My purpose for leaving had been to search for the Book of Anu, but also to give her some space. I wanted Nicole to have time to decide if loving an Immortal was something she really wanted.
After hesitating, I put the phone back in my pocket. I would call her soon but now was not the right time.
Losing myself in thought dulled my senses, so I didn’t notice the shadowy figure that followed me from the square or how the figure was gaining on me.
Dark Temptation (Immortal Legacy Book 4) Page 2