Chapter Seven
Darrien
The constant dripping of water did little to improve my mood. The water was annoying, but it wasn’t the only thing keeping me from sleep.
My accommodations were not luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, but the sea cave kept me out of the sun and the natural pools of water were ideal for bathing. I could hunt at night and easily return to the cave before sunrise. Best of all, it was close to Sarah.
Now something was different. There had been a change in the vibes I was picking up from her thoughts. Throughout the day, I’d felt her despair - her pain, but now I felt a buzz of excitement coming from her. If not for the sun still in the western horizon, I would have already left my dark haven. I had to know that she was okay, but that wasn’t possible. I was a prisoner of the night. Only in the dark could I move about, only then could I offer her the protection she needed.
Closing my eyes, I retreated into my own head. The shame that was working its way into my brain was as tormenting as knowing what I’d done to her when she was Caroline. Last time I’d let her die and this time, I’d taken her soul from the light.
How had it happened?
I’d been so careful to keep from infecting her, but still she’d been engulfed by the hunger.
I trembled at the memory of her soft skin and the moist heat of her womanhood. How I’d wanted to take her and sate my hunger with her willing body, quench my thirst with her warm blood. In that moment, I’d wanted Sarah more than I’d ever wanted anything, but my need to protect her overcame my need to possess her.
I’d mistakenly called her by her former name. Why did I call her Caroline when I knew she didn’t believe? Even now, I could feel her pain and knew how I’d gashed at her heart when I’d uttered Caroline’s name.
The urge to go to her was unbelievable, but I kept reminding myself that even if I could leave the cave, I couldn’t approach her again. If I was mistaken and she hadn’t yet turned, then being near her was too risky.
Chapter Eight
Sarah
Closing my eyes, I let the spray of hot water wash away my tension and the grime that had accumulated on my body while I’d been in the basement. My mind drifted to the wolf. He wanted to take me away from Sutter Point.
Though my sixth sense was telling me that I could trust him, I couldn’t help but feel that I was moving toward disaster.
“Go now.” The voice came out of nowhere and seemed distant and muffled.
At first, I wasn’t sure I’d heard anything at all, or even what the person was saying, but then I heard the voice again.
“Go now!”
This time, the words were unmistakable. It was a girl’s voice.
I quickly rinsed the rest of the soap from my body and turned off the water, hoping I’d hear more. After grabbing the oversized towel, I dried off and stepped over to the fogged mirror and wiped the moisture from the glass.
When I looked into the mirror, my heart instantly jumped into my throat.
Gasping, I swung around to see if the image in the mirror was actually standing behind me, but the room was empty. When I turned back to face the mirror, Gina was still there, staring at me with those dark, angry eyes.
I started to shake. All of the terror of that horrible night came back, and with it, the guilt for not finding a way to stop what I’d known would happen. I may not have known the specifics, but I’d known something would happen.
“I’m so sorry,” I cried.
Gina shook her head. “Go now.”
Although I couldn’t pick up the sound of Gina’s voice, I read her lips. It was as if the harder I tried to hear her, the less sensitive I was to Gina’s presence.
And then Gina was gone.
Still shaking, I went to my room to dress. So many people were telling me to leave; it would be foolish to ignore the warnings any longer. Last night, I was attacked by one of Omar’s vampires, but Darrien had shown up in time to intervene. The next time he may not be there to save me.
Grabbing a handful of hair, I started weaving it into a single braid. It was not the most stylish way to do my hair, but sufficient for travel, which is what I suspected I’d be doing soon.
What about Darrien?
When I told him to leave me alone, I’d been furious, but now the thought of never seeing him again was too painful.
Already I felt my heart growing heavy at the thought of leaving Sutter Point without saying goodbye. I had no idea where Darrien stayed during the day or even how I could get a message to him to let him know I was leaving.
As I stood in front of the mirror, the young woman that stared back at me appeared so normal - so middle of the road American. Why is it that I felt so weird, like I was some sideshow freak?
A male voice from behind caught my attention. “You are missing him?”
There was no one reflected in the mirror, but when I turned, I saw Zaltar on my bed. I quickly turned back to the mirror, but his reflection wasn’t there.
There was deep laughter. “You will not see me in the mirror. I have no human soul. My life energy is on a higher vibration than what exists in this dimension.”
“Why are you here? I didn’t call you.”
“I am here to help my lady with her pain.” As the words came from his mouth, Zaltar changed, becoming Darrien.
“Come, let me relieve your suffering,” he said, patting the area of the bed next to him.
I reddened. Zaltar wanted to make love to me while he imitated Darrien. He wanted this because that’s what he believed I wanted. I was ready to reprimand him for showing up without being called, but then I remembered that he’d helped to save my life the night before by doing exactly that.
Instead, I shook my head. “Thanks for the offer, but I really need it to be Darrien.”
As she said those words she realized that it was true. No one could make me feel the way he did. It had to be him.
“Sarah!” Jeanie called from the bottom of the stairs. “Dinner is ready.”
Leaving the room, I hurried to the kitchen. Our guest was already seated at the table and Jeanie was serving roast beef and gravy, along with mashed potatoes and carrots. Aunt Jeanie never failed to amaze me. No matter what was going on, she could still whip up a great meal.
The whole time I’d been upstairs, I’d dreaded the idea of discussing my situation with the stranger. However, as soon as I was resigned to the situation, I started to feel a certain amount of excitement at the prospect of setting off on a new adventure.
It would be a new chapter in my life. When I left Sutter Point this time, I was sure I would be entering a different phase of my life.
I had better manners than to bring up the subject while we were eating, but I was dying by the time the meal was over.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
Lex smiled, apparently pleased with my eagerness to talk. “Your aunt tells me that you’ve been attending college,” he said, avoiding a direct answer.
I nodded. “I’ve been going to the university in Portland, but came home for the summer.”
“Well, would you mind maybe taking a few summer classes?” he asked.
“I guess not.” I shrugged. “Is that the plan, to send me back to Portland?”
Lex shook his head. “That would never work. If they’ve tracked you here, they likely know that you have been going to school in Portland.”
“Then what?”
“There is a girl I know who’s going to school in another part of the country. She is the daughter of a wolf, but she doesn’t possess the ability to change. I’ve spoken with her and she thinks it would be a great idea for you come and stay with her.”
“How would I be safe there, especially if this girl can’t change, as you say? She’ll be no different than me. ” I was doubtful that Lex’s solution was any solution at all. I would probably be safer if I stayed with Darrien.
“Because no one can know where you are, not your aunt, your friends
, no one. Omar will not have any idea where to find you,” Lex reasoned. “Furthermore, from what I gather from your aunt, the two of you have quite a lot in common.”
“What do you mean my aunt can’t know where I’m going?” I didn’t like this idea at all. If this man turned out to be an enemy, I would be at his mercy.
“The vampire can probe the minds of some people,” Lex explained. “They will try to discover where you’ve gone by doing this with the people closest to you.”
“Well, I don’t like the idea of leaving my aunt alone here, especially if there is any chance she may become the target of these vampires,” I told him, stubbornly folding my arms.
Jeanie smiled and a spark of good humor danced in her eyes. “Oh Sarah, sweetheart, your old auntie is quite capable of taking care of herself. It’s you we must worry about.”
Truthfully, I wasn’t so sure Jeanie could hold her own against these vampires. They were so much more powerful than what I’d ever imagined. “For how long?” I wanted to know.
“I hope it won’t be long.” Lex stood from the table and looked over at Jeanie. “This was the best meal I’ve eaten in years. Thank you so much, Miss Fabre.”
Jeanie was beaming. I had the distinct impression my aunt had more than a passing interest in the wolf.
When can you be ready to travel?” Lex turned his attention to me. “I want to be gone before the sun goes down.”
“What about you?” I asked Jeanie.
“I will stay with a friend for a few days. By then, they will have realized you are no longer in the area.”
“Well, it sounds like the two of you have already worked out all of the details. You promised to tell me why I crave blood.” I frowned.
“We have a long drive ahead of us. There will be plenty of time to talk. I know this may seem extreme to you right now, but you’ll be much safer,” Lex assured me.
I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever be safe again.
Chapter Nine
Nicole
We were surrounded by the normal sounds night, and though I should have found comfort in the tranquility of their presence, the hooting of owls and the chirping of crickets made me feel a little edgy.
I imagined that we were standing in the same derelict cemetery where Alec had stood only days before and just like us, he’d stared up at the ancient castle.
“That’s a long climb,” I said, looking over at Dash.
Dash shrugged. “Don’t be silly. We’ll just sail right up there.”
“I thought you couldn’t fly?”
“Well, I wouldn’t consider myself a pro or anything, but I do have one hell of a jump,” he said, running a hand across the skin on his head as if feeling for hair that wasn’t there.
“Okay, if you say so.” I smiled, just happy that he was finally talking.
Dash had been unusually quiet during the trip. I’d taken it for disappointment that Sophia had decided not to join us, but now I wondered. It just hadn’t seemed as if were very close with the female vampire, and it wasn’t like Dash to be so quiet.
“What’s bothering you?” I asked. I wanted to know that he was okay before we went any further.
“What makes you think there’s something wrong?” Dash frowned.
“I know you Dash, and I can tell when something’s wrong.”
Giving me a lopsided grin, Dash pulled something from his pocket and handed it to me. It was a folded piece of paper.
I unfolded the paper, but couldn’t really make out what was on it. “What is it?” I asked.
Dash handed me a tiny flashlight that he’d pulled out of his other pocket. “Brought this just for you.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking the flashlight.
When I switched the light on and directed the beam to the paper, I saw a picture of a beach, probably somewhere in the Caribbean. “This is a nice picture.”
Dash stared up at the castle. “Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine that I am sleeping on that beach. Feeling the warmth of the sun.”
“That would be nice,” I said, handing back the picture.
“I will never go to a place like that, will I? At least not in the daylight.” Dash turned his attention back to me.
I placed a hand gently on his arm. “If there is a way for you to live in the light, we’ll find it,” I promised.
As I studied the Castle Arges, a feeling of foreboding tugged at my senses.
“Well let’s go,” he said. Wrapping his arms around my waist, Dash bent his knees and jumped. We did sail through the air but came down hard.
“Sorry,” Dash muttered. “I’m not used to such a high jump.”
“It’s okay,” I told him. Getting to my feet, I brushed the dirt from my clothes.
We were in an overgrown garden at the front of the castle. It looked as if no one had bothered to care for the garden and lawns of the castle for years.
“Appears as if they need a gardener,” Dash said, poking me in the ribs.
“Ouch!” I glared at him.
“Sorry,’ he smiled. “Just knew that’s what you were thinking.”
“Really?”
Dash nodded and started walking around the exterior of the castle.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Well, I’m looking for a way in. What do you think?” He threw me a sour look.
Clearing my throat, I said, “I thought we’d just knock on the door.”
He stared at me as if I was a creature from another planet. “You can’t be serious?”
“Well, yeah, actually. It just seems the right way to do it. After all, we really don’t want to put this guy in a bad mood right from the beginning,” I told him as I started for the gatehouse and the entrance to the outer courtyard of the castle.
“What do you think, that he’s going to ask you in for a spot of tea?” Dash asked as he started after me.
“Maybe.” I threw him a smile.
Dash shook his head. “You are nuttier than a fruitcake.”
Ignoring the comment, I continued to make my way through the weeds to the gatehouse. The tall wrought iron gate that led to the outer courtyard was not shut and locked like I thought it would be. But then again, it wasn’t as if anyone local would dare to trespass at Castle Arges.
Once inside the courtyard, I could see the main entrance to the castle. On each side of the large double doors were stone - carved gargoyles. The grotesque creatures added to the macabre atmosphere of the castle.
Though they had probably stood in the same place for hundreds of years, I thought they were an appropriate addition to the residence of a vampire like Luciano. He wasn’t just one of the ancients, but a vampire that was far more powerful than the mythical Dracula. Luciano could have been Dracula, if such a character had ever really existed. Although I didn’t know a lot about him, I did know he was both feared and respected by other vampires.
There was a brass knocker on each of the old wooden doors. Without hesitating, I clasped the cold metal in my hand and pounded on the door several times. Dash stood behind me. Although I could sense that he was ready to flee, to his credit he stood his ground, knowing that I might need his help.
After several moments there was still answer so I knocked again. Before I could pull my hand away from the knocker, the door swung open. The small woman couldn’t have been more than five feet tall. She was old. I guessed the woman to be at least in her seventies. She wore a black maid’s dress and a white cap on her head. It wasn’t a uniform you would expect to see on a house servant in the twenty-first century. At least I’d never seen any house staff wearing anything like it.
The old lady stared at us like she wasn’t quite sure we were real.
“We’ve come to see Luciano. Is he in?” I asked.
The woman continued to stare silently.
“Madam?” I prodded.
“You must be mad to come here when you are not one of them.” She spoke in heavily accented English. As the woman spoke she st
ared directly at Dash. It was obvious she could tell which of us was a vampire.
I couldn’t help but wonder why a human would be in the employ of a vampire like Luciano. From what I understood, he avoided contact with people as much as possible.
Offering a smile, I hoped to disarm her a little. “It is very important that I speak with him.”
Nodding, the old lady stepped aside so we could enter. She motioned to a door at the left of the entry hall. “Wait in there and I’ll tell him you are here. Who shall I say you are?”
“My name is Nicole Ashe.” I paused when I saw Dash shaking his head. For some reason, he didn’t want me to reveal my name. Ignoring him, I continued. “I’m Donovan Ashe’s daughter.”
When the woman left the room, Dash turned on me. “Are you crazy? Have you forgotten that a born vampire is forbidden?”
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t forgotten. But if we are to expect any cooperation, I have a feeling we are going to have to be upfront with this vampire. Besides, chances are he would be able to sense what I was anyway.”
“The young lady would be correct.” The deep - soothing voice seemed to come out of nowhere.
Looking around for the source of the voice, I didn’t see anyone, but then he moved. There was a figure standing at the large window overlooking the dark courtyard. Dash was standing near me, his mouth hanging open. Considering Dash was a vampire, I had to assume that this was extraordinary, even for an Immortal. Luciano had moved so quickly that we hadn’t been aware he’d entered the room. I was positive the room was empty when we came in.
When he turned around to face us, I had to catch my breath. He was too perfect to be real. If my heart hadn’t already belonged to another, I could see how it would be too easy to fall under Luciano’s spell.
The vampire’s black hair was long and silky, falling to his waist. His eyes were almost completely black, but with the glowing light of the immortal. He had features that were soft, but masculine at the same time.
Dark Temptation (Immortal Legacy Book 4) Page 3