“Lord Luciano,” I said with a nod of my head.
“And you would be the daughter of my old friend, Donovan?” Luciano stepped away from the window and closer to us.
Again, I nodded. “I’ve come to locate a friend who traveled here.”
“Would that happen to be Alec Norwood?” Luciano gave me a dark smile.
“Yes, that’s him. Has he been here?” I asked, my composure cracking slightly.
“He was here. In fact, he invaded my home without the benefit of an invitation.” Luciano’s eyes sparked with anger.
“Is he still here?” I asked, holding my breath. Although I was happy to finally get some information about Alec’s whereabouts, I was terrified of what might have happened to him for angering Luciano.
Luciano eyed me with open curiosity. “Interesting that a human would worry so much about a vampire’s fate, but then again, Miss Ashe, you are not a mere mortal, are you?”
Dash cleared his throat. “Lord Luciano, Miss Ashe is Donovan’s daughter, so you know what that makes her. We beg that Your Grace not punish her for the sins of her father.”
Luciano smiled. “What an absurd assumption. In a way, Miss Ashe is no different than me. She was born to be what she is.”
Though Luciano seemed reasonable enough, I was guarded. “And Alec? What happened to him?”
“Oh yes, Alec, your, lover.” Luciano looked into my eyes, reading me as if I were an open book.
Now I knew he was no ordinary vampire. He could read me far too easily. Probing my thoughts was as effortless for this Immortal as pulling files from a cabinet.
Luciano continued. “He came here to search for the Book of Anu. I simply told him it was not here, and where he might find it.”
“Where is that?” I wanted to know.
“The Holy City, of course. Where else would the humans hide such a hideous reminder of the Immortal?”
Now was confused and apparently it showed.
“Rome, Vatican City,” Dash explained.
A tired sigh escaped from between my lips. It would seem that our journey was just beginning. Fear gnawed at my stomach. Somehow, I knew Alec was in danger, even if it had nothing to do with Luciano.
Chapter Ten
Darrien
The house stood silent and dark. For a long time, I continued to gaze at Sarah’s home, not quite believing she could really be gone.
But she was gone!
I could no longer feel her presence. It was not like she’d just gone into town or was out on some errand. She was truly gone. If she’d been anywhere near, I would have been able to feel her.
She’d left without so much as a word!
But wasn’t that what I’d wanted her to do? I told her many times that she wasn’t safe in Sutter Point and that she should leave. She’d finally taken my advice, but I’d thought or hoped that she would at least say goodbye.
Sarah was gone and the Fabre house was empty, but still something wasn’t right. Slowly, I moved closer to the house. As I approached the front door, I felt sorrow seep into my heart. The door stood open, hanging from one hinge. The wooden frame around the door was splintered. Pieces of it lay scattered across the porch.
They’d come for her, but how? I’d come as soon as the sun was down. How could they have enough time to get to her before me?
There was always the possibility that some of Omar vamps had been hiding someplace close, waiting for night.
Stepping through the doorway, I peered into the house. It was trashed. Pictures had been pulled from the walls and the curtains hung in shreds around the windows. Even the furniture had been turned over.
Omar’s followers weren’t the most sophisticated of hunters. They tended to leave destruction in their wake. This was how I knew the intruders were Omar’s vamps
Closing my eyes, for the first time in hundreds of years, I prayed to a God I wasn’t even sure existed.
Why hadn’t I come sooner?
I should have endured the sun and come for her as soon as I felt something wasn’t right.
At least there was no blood. Sarah wouldn’t have gone down without a fight, so if there wasn’t any blood, I had to assume she’d escaped, but the aunt was gone also.
How would I find her now?
And find her was something I had to do. She was my life, the only source of light for my soul. Without her, the last spark of humanity that burned in my heart would soon succumb to the darkness. I had to know she was safe.
Chapter Eleven
Sarah
I opened my eyes just as the lights of Reno came into view. The last thing I remembered before dozing off was leaving Sacramento and heading toward Donner Pass. I must have slept right through Lake Tahoe.
Having little opportunity to travel while growing up, this trip had been kind of exciting. At least it was exciting as long as I could forget why I was making the trip, and as long as I didn’t think about Darrien. He would never know what happened to me. That thought brought on an ache in my chest and a feeling of emptiness.
“I hear the University of Nevada-Reno is a fine school,” Lex commented when he saw that I was staring out the window, checking out the campus as we drove by it.
“At least I’ll be able to keep busy.” I shrugged.
We continued to drive with no more conversation. Both of us were content with the silence. At the beginning of the trip, there had been a lot of conversation. There was a great deal that I wanted to know, but now I preferred to retreat into my own head.
I now understood that my craving for blood was something that was just bred into me, like a lion would naturally crave meat, I would crave blood. It would never go away.
As soon as smelled Darrien’s blood that hunger was awakened. Now it would be with me the rest of my life. It was just one of the consequences of being a born vampire. Not all born vampires had the craving, but I did. Something else that I’d found out from Lex was that I was probably immune to the poison of the vampire. He believed it had something to do with my ancestry and magic.
Even if I were bitten and fed on the blood of a vampire, I most likely wouldn’t turn.
According to Lex, this was a strength that I should appreciate. It would be especially useful if Omar were to ever get the idea to turn me, as he’d apparently tried to do to my older sister.
I was extremely curious about these sisters but Lex refused to tell me their names, at least not yet. He was afraid that I might try to find them on my own. He figured that if I did set out to find them, I’d be putting us all in danger.
Finally, Lex turned off of the highway and into an apartment complex not far from the campus.
“So who will I be staying with exactly, and does she know what I am?” I was getting a little apprehensive about staying with someone I didn’t know.
“Well, you could say she’s the daughter of an old family friend. My daughter is married to her father’s cousin. There are some things about her and where she comes from that she’s been instructed not to reveal. In fact, she can’t talk about this. It’s against the laws of her people. She doesn’t know a lot about you, except that you are in danger. I did tell her about your gift.” Lex forced a smile.
I was no longer sure I’d made the right decision. Lex still seemed a little apprehensive, and this made me nervous. I wanted to hit him with a storm of questions, but instead, I asked, “What’s her name?”
“Summer Gray Eagle. Like I said, the two of you will have a lot in common.”
I couldn’t quite understand what we would have in common. Summer Gray Eagle was the daughter of a wolf, while I was the daughter of a vampire.
I guess we were both freaks of nature, so that was something we had in common.
When we parked, Lex got out of the car and popped the trunk open so I could grab my luggage. With both of us carrying bags, I followed him up a staircase to the top floor of one of the buildings. Lex tapped on the door.
I held my breath, waiting for the door to op
en. I wasn’t sure what I expected to see, maybe a girl with hair all over her and big teeth. When the door swung open, I was actually surprised to see a striking young woman standing in the doorway.
“Hello,” she said. “Come in.”
I was actually in awe of the girl’s stunning beauty. She had a tan complexion that appeared to be completely natural. I would have killed to have the girl’s long, golden-brown hair, and she had the most exotic golden eyes I’d ever seen. They were like the eyes of a cat.
“This is Sarah,” Lex told her.
“Hi,” she said with a smile, holding out her hand to me. “I’m Summer.”
Feeling a little unsure of myself, I forced a smile.
“I’ll show Sarah to her room and then make us some refreshments,” Summer told Lex.
Lex shook his head. “That’s not necessary. I must be on my way and the two of you will probably want to get to know each other.”
“Are you sure?” Summer obviously didn’t like the idea of sending her guest away without refreshments.
“Yes,” Lex smiled. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Too soon Lex was gone and I was left alone with Summer.
Summer picked up a couple bags and motioned for me to follow her.
“I hope you like your room,” she said. “It’s the room my roommate uses, but Penny’s gone home for a few months.”
“Oh, will she mind if I’m using her room?” I asked.
Summer shook her head. “No, she won’t be back for awhile anyway.”
“I really appreciate this. I don’t know how to thank you.” I set my bags down in the small room. The comforter on the twin bed was decorated with a spray of brightly colored flowers. Against the opposite wall, there was a small dresser and a little mirror. It wasn’t a luxury hotel, but it was nice.
“I’ll let you get settled in and then we can have a cup of coffee if you’d like.” Summer offered.
“Yes, that would be nice.”
Summer left the room, shutting the door behind her. I decided I liked the girl. I didn’t pick up any negative vibes from her at all. In fact, I was getting the impression that Summer was glad for the company.
Chapter Twelve
Alec
It wasn’t too difficult to find a way into the ancient church that was also the entryway to the Catacombs of St. Domitilla. It was one of the largest of Rome’s catacombs, consisting of miles of tunnels and four layers. The Catacombs of St. Domitilla were also among the oldest. If the Church was keeping the Book of Anu, it made sense that they might hide it in such a place.
The staircase leading to the tombs started out okay but soon changed, running into the original staircase. I assumed the book would be hidden among the Christian burials, maybe even one that had been ordained a saint.
I hadn’t gone too far when I sensed someone behind me. Stopping, I spun around to see who had followed me into the catacombs. Before I could react, I was slammed in the head with a blunt object and sent flying down the stairs.
The blow stunned me, but not to the point that I couldn’t act. Anger flooded every cell in my body as I jumped to my feet. Drawing back my lips I bared my fangs. The dark figure flew toward me, but I easily maneuvered out of the way. Again, my attacker swung at me with what appeared to be a large stick, but this time, I was able to avoid being hit.
Now my pursuer pulled out a gun, but instead of feeling the separation of flesh like I expected to feel when I heard the blast, the gun was silent. All I felt was a sharp prick in my leg. I had barely enough time to realize that I’d been tranquilized before blacking out.
Chapter Thirteen
Sarah
Leaving my room, I made my way into the living room to join my new roommate. When I entered the living room, my eyes caught movement in a dark corner. There were two lamps to illuminate the room, but the lighting was dim, leaving the corners of the room in shadow. Gina was staring at me from the darkness.
I knew I shouldn’t fear my friend, but the grotesque image had me trembling.
“Go away now,” I whispered, hoping I could urge Gina to go into the light. Why was she still hanging around? I left Sutter Point like she wanted.
“Is that you, Sarah?” Summer called from the kitchen.
“Yes,” I spoke up.
“The coffee is ready,” she said.
Turning my back on the horrifying image, I stepped into the kitchen. On the table were two cups of coffee and sweet rolls.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d had time to eat on your trip. I thought you might be hungry.”
“Thanks.” I smiled.
“So, that girl in the living room … do you know why she’s here?” Summer asked casually.
My mouth fell open. “You can see her?”
Summer nodded. I can see the dead. A gift I inherited from my mother, though she is a lot better at it than I am.”
“So that’s why Lex said we would have a lot in common?” I was finally seeing the pieces starting to fit together.
“Yes, he told me that you could do this. He also thought you might need some help in coping with your gift.”
“My aunt can be such a busybody sometimes,” I said, shaking my head.
Summer laughed. “I know the feeling. I have a few relatives like that myself.”
“She’s my friend or used to be. Her name was Gina.” I frowned. “I don’t know why she’s here. Gina was warning me to leave back when I was in Sutter Point, but she’s still around, so I don’t know.”
“Well, have you asked her why she’s here?” Summer placed a large cinnamon roll on my plate.
“No.” I shook my head. “I guess she kind of scares me.”
“Why don’t we go find out what she wants then?” Summer suggested.
“Okay, I guess it couldn’t hurt.” Smiling, I got up and follow Summer into the living room.
Gina was still in the same place that she’d been a few moments before. “They like corners for some reason,” Summer informed me.
“How much do you know about ghosts?” I asked, though I should have been an expert after growing up with them, I had to admit that I didn’t know that much about otherworldly specters. I’d tried to avoid encounters with them as much as possible.
“I work with the local police to help solve missing person cases and homicides, so I know a little,” Summer admitted.
“That must be a frightening job? Facing death all of the time,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
“I only do it part time. I’m still in school,” Summer told me.
Gina was still hovering in the corner, but I couldn’t tell if she was even aware of our presence.
“What’s her name again?” Summer asked.
“Gina.”
Summer moved slowly toward the corner where Gina hovered. “Gina, do you need something?” Her voice was gentle and even.
At first, there was no response, but then Gina turned her eyes toward me. “I’m waiting for Sarah. She has to listen to me.”
I could actually feel the blood draining from my face.
“What do you mean?” Summer’s voice trembled just a little as she tried to get the spirit to reveal more.
“Death is near you, Sarah,” Gina’s hollow voice drifted through the room and then she disappeared.
Now I was shaking. I’d just been warned of impending death. I felt Summer’s hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t take too much notice of that,” she tried to calm my fears.
“What do you mean? She practically told me that I’m going to die soon.”
Summer shook her head. “Sometimes they get confused or they talk in riddles.” In spite of her words, Summer looked worried.
“Let’s go have our coffee now. I think she’s gone for the moment.”
Nodding, I followed her back to the kitchen.
“Maybe you can tell me what happened to her,” Summer suggested.
I wanted a friend. No, I needed a friend to talk with, but I still wasn’t sur
e how much I could trust Summer.
If only I could tell someone about my dreams, about my need to see Darrien again, a vampire that had been ready to kill me.
That would sound really stupid, so I didn’t say anything.
Chapter Fourteen
Darrien
As soon as I boarded the 747 for New Orleans, I saw that my assigned seat was right next to Jeanie Fabre’s seat.
Getting the info from the ticket rep had been easy with a little vampire compulsion.
It had taken some effort to find Sarah’s aunt, but I’d finally located her in a small cottage in the woods.
Sensing the intense suspicion of the witches she was with, I didn’t approach her right away. The last thing I needed right now was to do battle with some overzealous witches. My time would be better spent searching for Sarah.
Instead, I’d watched Jeanie, waiting for the perfect time to talk with her. But the witch hadn’t been left alone for even a moment. Then I followed her to the airport in Portland where she bought a ticket to New Orleans.
Although we wouldn’t be alone, at least she seemed to be the only witch onboard.
When I took the seat next to her, the witch turned her hard green eyes on me. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking for Sarah. Where is she?”
Jeanie shrugged her shoulders. “She’s gone underground and I was not informed of where she would be.”
“Why are you going to New Orleans then?” The corners of my mouth lifted into a smile.
“Personal business,” Jeanie glared.
“I see,” I muttered, reaching out to pull a magazine from the pouch attached to the chair in front of me. I began flipping through the pages, but without paying any attention to what I was looking at.
“You do realize that she is in danger and very likely unprotected at this moment.” I continued.
“She has plenty of protection,” Jeanie told me, a dismissive tone to her voice.
“I doubt it.”
Jeanie leaned closer so that she could whisper. “A wolf took her away.”
Dark Temptation (Immortal Legacy Book 4) Page 4