Sofia snuggled against him, feeling closer to him than she ever had before. It was because of the blood, she thought, as his tongue dueled with hers. It had formed some kind of bond between them, like an invisible wire connecting her mind to his. Not only that, but she felt stronger, too, as if nothing could hurt her.
Sighing, she looked up at him. No words were necessary. Whatever happened in the future, she was his.
And he was hers.
* * *
On the outskirts of the Palmer Fun Zone, Saintcrow dissolved into mist. There were disadvantages to being in an incorporeal state—all his preternatural senses were muted. But there were advantages, too. No one—not Browning or the witch—would know he was there.
The place was surrounded by a twelve-foot fence topped with razor wire to discourage vandals.
He drifted like smoke over the barrier, then floated through the premises. He thought it odd that the former owners hadn’t liquidated the attractions. The Ferris wheel stood silhouetted against the sky, looking dejected somehow, as did the horses on the merry-go-round. There were a number of other rides—the tilt-a-whirl, the giant slide, a number of kiddie attractions.
The fun house and the house of mirrors were still intact, as were a number of empty game and food booths.
When he was certain he was alone, Saintcrow materialized near a hot dog stand. Lifting his head, he opened his preternatural senses. There was no trace of Kadie, but Browning’s scent was stronger than it had been before. If the witch had been here since his last visit, she had managed to mask her presence. Where was she now?
He followed Browning’s scent to the house of mirrors. The man had recently been in and out several times.
Dissolving into mist again, Saintcrow went inside, winding in and out, until he came to the middle of the maze. A pair of silver-coated handcuffs dangled from a long chain attached to a beam in the ceiling. They had not been there earlier. No doubt Kadie’s captors intended to bring her here and attack him when he came to her rescue.
As if he had any other choice.
* * *
Sofia stood at the window of Saintcrow’s living room, watching the sun go down. Ethan and Saintcrow sat at opposite ends of the sofa, each apparently lost in his own thoughts. Her nerves tightened with every passing minute. She told herself there was nothing to be afraid of. She would be safe down in Saintcrow’s lair while the men went after Kadie.
She wasn’t afraid of being alone in the lair. She was afraid that whatever wards and protections Saintcrow had placed on the town and around his house wouldn’t be powerful enough to keep the witch out. She told herself there was nothing to worry about. Saintcrow and Ethan would destroy Browning and the witch and her life would return to normal. Or at least as normal as it could be for a girl dating a vampire.
She turned away from the window when Ethan slapped his hands on his knees.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked.
“I’ll go in after Kadie,” Saintcrow said. “If I run into trouble, you’re my backup. Whatever happens, get Kadie to safety.”
“So your plan is just to play it by ear?”
“Pretty much.” Saintcrow shrugged. “Two of them. Two of us.”
“Have you ever gone up against a witch before?”
“No.”
“Do you have any idea what she’s capable of, or which of you might be stronger?”
“No way to tell.”
“Well, shit,” Ethan muttered. “What could possibly go wrong?” He shook his head. “You know once they have you, they aren’t going to let Kadie go.”
“What do you want me to do?” Saintcrow snapped. “Just leave her there?”
Ethan rose to pace the floor in front of the hearth. “Of course not, but . . .”
Saintcrow’s eyes narrowed ominously. “You changing your mind?”
“No. I just wanted to know what we’re up against. I’d still like to know.”
Saintcrow clapped him on the shoulder. “They can kill us, but they can’t eat us.”
“Yeah? Are you sure about that?”
“Right now, I’m not sure about anything, except that they’ve got my woman. If they take me, I’m counting on you to get Kadie safely away. Come on, it’s time to go.”
* * *
Kadie blinked at the woman bending over her. She would have recoiled, would have cried out in revulsion, if she had been able to move or speak. What had they done to her? And who was this angry woman with lank brown hair and eyes as yellow as a cat’s? She looked like a creature out of a low-budget horror movie. But power radiated from her like heat from a forge. It wasn’t the kind of preternatural power Rylan possessed, but it was hellishly strong and scary. The word witch rose in the back of her mind.
“It will all be over in a little while,” the woman said, her voice like the echo of rocks falling into a well. “The vampire will die. I have not yet decided what to do with you.” She raked a blood-red nail down Kadie’s cheek. “Browning would like to have you for his own private stock when he takes over that dreary town.” The witch woman circled her, then ran her fingers through Kadie’s hair. “You’re a pretty little thing. Men would probably be willing to pay a high price for an hour or two of your company, if you get my meaning.” She nodded. “I’m always looking for a fresh face.”
A silent scream rose in Kadie’s throat. She took the witch’s meaning all too well. Her stomach knotted with fear as the witch waved her hand.
And then she knew nothing at all.
When awareness returned, Kadie found herself hanging by her wrists in the middle of a maze of mirrors. Stark naked. Her distorted reflection stared back at her from every direction. A thin ribbon of bright red blood trickled down her neck.
She glanced around, surprised to find herself alone. And even more surprised to discover she could move again. Rylan. She whispered his name in her mind. Don’t come after me. They’re waiting for you.
* * *
A mile from the fun zone, Saintcrow’s head went up. “Kadie!”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ethan darted a confused glance at Saintcrow. “What the hell? I just heard Kadie’s voice in my mind. How the hell is that even possible?”
Saintcrow shrugged. “For the record, you heard it in my mind. Until tonight, I was blocking you. But for now, the three of us need to be aware of each other.”
Ethan frowned. The last thing he wanted was to be able to read Saintcrow’s mind. Or have his sire prowling around in his. Damn! There was no point in worrying about it now. Like the man said, at this moment, it was probably a good thing.
Ethan shifted restlessly from one foot to the other. He and Saintcrow had hunted earlier, taking as much as they dared from their prey. Now, it was almost midnight, and they were a mile from the fun zone. They had left Sofia in Saintcrow’s lair with the door bolted and a dozen candles burning. The master vampire had assured Ethan that she would be safe, but he couldn’t help worrying about her.
Were any of them really safe? He didn’t know about Saintcrow, but if the witch was here, he couldn’t detect her presence. Ethan had no idea what witches were capable of, but one thing he did know—this one was evil to the core. The taint of black magic hung heavy in the air. Browning’s scent lingered, but he knew the vampire was gone.
Ethan glanced at Saintcrow, who stood unmoving beside him. “What now?”
“You stay here. I’m going after Kadie. If I get into trouble, you’ll know it.”
“Great.”
“Buck up, kid. Browning won’t be a problem. You’ll be able to take him with no trouble at all. The vampire who turned him was weak. If the witch takes me down, you do whatever you have to do to get Kadie out of here. Take her back to my place. I salted the grounds around the house. If you’re worried, hole up in my lair with Sofia. Between the salt and my wards, the witch shouldn’t be able to get in. And whatever you do, don’t look into her eyes. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
Saintc
row flashed Ethan a wry grin, then vanished from his sight.
* * *
Dissolving into mist, Saintcrow went over the fence. He hovered there for several moments, then materialized on the roof of the house of mirrors. Kadie was in there. She was alone, though the scents of the witch and Browning lingered in the air.
From his vantage point, he scanned the surrounding area, but there was no sign of witch or vampire. Kadie?
Rylan, go away. Hurry!
No chance, darlin’. Just sit tight.
Dissolving into mist again, he drifted into the house of mirrors through a crack in one of the windows. The silence in the building was thick, ominous. He moved stealthily forward, going deeper into the maze as he followed Kadie’s scent. And suddenly her image was all around him.
Yet none of them were her.
Swearing softly, he swiftly made his way through another maze. And she was there, alive. Naked. Shivering.
Run! Her voice screamed in his mind.
And then she was gone, pulled up through a hole in the roof, while all around him the mirrors exploded. Jagged pieces of glass sliced into him from every angle. Before he could transport himself outside, the sprinklers came on, only it wasn’t water that gushed from the faucets in the ceiling but liquid silver. It burned deep into the cuts, draining his strength, bringing him to his knees.
And then the witch was there, a maniacal gleam in her eyes as she stood over him.
Ethan! Get Kadie!
Gathering his strength, Saintcrow stared up at her, though he was careful not to look into her eyes. “Now what?”
“You die.”
“Where’s Kadie?”
“Browning fancies her.” The witch licked her lips. “But I have other plans for your pretty little mate.”
Stalling for time, Saintcrow said, “You were supposed to release Kadie when you had me.”
The witch’s cackle filled the air. “I changed my mind. Women are allowed to do that.”
* * *
Saintcrow’s command rang out in Ethan’s mind. From his position behind the house of mirrors, he watched through narrowed eyes as Browning pulled Kadie through a hole in the roof, then slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and dropped, light as a cat, to the ground, only to trip and fall when Kadie began to thrash about as best she could with her hands bound. She managed to roll out of the vampire’s grasp, then struggled in vain to get out of his reach.
With a burst of supernatural power, Ethan sprang at Browning. The other vampire darted sideways. He grabbed Kadie’s ankle, but before he could transport them away from the fun zone, Ethan grabbed a handful of Browning’s hair and jerked him off his feet.
Browning let out a roar of outrage as Kadie again slipped from his grasp. Lips peeled back to reveal his fangs, he lunged at Ethan.
Ethan set his feet wide as he waited for the vampire’s attack, but it didn’t come. With a snarl, Browning dissolved into a thick black mist and drifted away.
Muttering, “Coward,” Ethan watched the mist fade into the distance, then, muscles still taut from the heat of battle, he went to help Kadie to her feet.
Slipping off his shirt, he draped it around her hunched shoulders. He kept his gaze carefully averted while he untied her wrists. “Come on,” he said, tossing the rope aside. “I’m taking you home.”
“No!” She shook her head defiantly. “I’m not leaving without Rylan!”
Ethan swore under his breath. “All right, but if he loses the fight, we’re out of here. Got it?”
She nodded, looking suddenly shy as she shoved her arms into the sleeves of his shirt. “He’s badly hurt,” she whispered, her voice laced with anguish. “Maybe dying.”
* * *
Saintcrow let his head droop, as though the pain lancing through him with every breath was overpowering, which it was. But he could stand it. He could endure anything to ensure Kadie’s safety. Ethan should have her by now. The thought no sooner crossed his mind than he heard the boy’s voice.
I’ve got her, but Browning got away.
Saintcrow smiled inwardly. Kadie was safe. That was all that mattered. He would deal with Browning later.
The witch began singing, an odd singsong chant that raised the hairs on Saintcrow’s arms and along the back of his neck.
“You killed Mahlon, didn’t you?” She screamed the words at him.
“What’s it to you?” He groaned under his breath as the power of whatever spell she had invoked washed over him. Kadie was safe. He found the link that bound them together, pictured her in his mind, as he drew on that love, letting it strengthen him. He would not let the witch defeat him. Kadie loved him. She would be in danger as long as the witch lived. Anger churned in his gut and he called on that, too, felt it fire the ancient power that had sustained him for centuries.
Grabbing a handful of his hair, the witch jerked his head up. “He was my brother! My little brother! And you killed him!”
“Damn right. I ripped his beating heart right out of his chest,” Saintcrow snarled. “Just like this!” He lunged up and forward, his right hand plunging into her breast, his fingers curling around her heart. It burned his skin like acid as he ripped the bloody organ from her body and hurled it across the room, where it hit a wall and burst into flame.
Bracing one hand against a wall support, he watched the witch’s lifeless body spiral to the floor. Blood pooled around her. It scorched the wood beneath her, then, igniting the hem of her dress, the fire consumed her and went out.
Feeling as though his whole body had been sliced and diced, Saintcrow took several deep breaths before he staggered out of the house of mirrors, then dropped to his knees.
“Rylan!” Kadie ran to him, Ethan’s shirttail flapping against her legs. Tears welled in her eyes as she knelt on the ground and threw her arms around Saintcrow’s shoulders.
He groaned at her touch.
Noticing the blood splattered on his face and arms for the first time, Kadie took a step back. “Oh, Rylan!” she exclaimed. “What did she do to you?”
“Nothing that won’t heal.” With an effort of will, he gained his feet. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
* * *
Ethan had let Sofia know they were on their way home, so she was waiting for them in the living room when they appeared. She gasped when she saw Saintcrow. He looked like he’d been through a meat grinder. His clothing was shredded and drenched with blood from the numerous cuts and gashes on his arms, legs, face, and chest. “What happened?”
With a shake of his head, Saintcrow dropped down on the sofa and closed his eyes. Drops of dark crimson leaked from the wounds onto the cushions.
Sofia tugged on Ethan’s hand. “Tell me.”
She shifted from one foot to the other as Ethan explained what had happened, all the while trying not to stare at Saintcrow, who looked like death warmed over.
“He needs blood to heal,” Kadie said, her gaze darting to Sofia. “Human blood.”
Sofia grimaced. “And I’m the only game in town, right?”
Kadie nodded. “The witch used her magic to douse him in silver. It’s slowing the healing process. Please, Sofia, he’s in pain.”
Sofia looked at Ethan, her expression filled with doubt.
“It’ll be all right,” Ethan said. “I won’t let him take too much. Trust me.”
Overcome with a sense of doom, Sofia forced herself to walk to the couch, sit on the edge of the cushion beside Saintcrow. He looked awful, his cheeks sunken, his eyes like dark pools of agony. How much blood would he need? What if Ethan couldn’t stop him from taking too much?
In spite of the pain he was feeling, Saintcrow managed a lopsided grin as he read her tumultuous thoughts. “Neck or wrist?”
“What?”
“Where do you want me to bite you?”
“Oh!” Sofia thrust out her arm, unnerved by the thought of Saintcrow nibbling at her throat. She closed her eyes when he took hold of her hand. Her heart thund
ered in her ears when he bit her. But there was no pain. Gradually, she relaxed.
When she opened her eyes, Ethan stood beside her, a glass of wine in his hand. “You should drink this.” He handed her the glass, then stood there to make sure she downed all of it.
Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Sofia glanced at Saintcrow. His eyes were closed again, but she had to admit he looked a hundred percent better than he had only moments ago.
Kadie squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”
Sofia nodded as she set her goblet on the table. She experienced a sense of relief when Kadie and Saintcrow went down to his lair.
Sitting beside Sofia, Ethan stretched his legs out in front of him. “Well, it’s been a hell of a night.”
She couldn’t argue with that, she thought, snuggling against him. “I didn’t think anything, or anyone, could beat him.”
“She didn’t beat him.”
“How can you say that? I mean, didn’t you see how he looked?”
“How can you think he lost when she’s dead? Sure, he’s a little beat up, but he’s still breathing.”
* * *
Kadie undressed Saintcrow, led him into the shower and washed him from head to foot, muttering under her breath all the while.
He stood with one hand braced against the wall, his eyes closed, enjoying the touch of her hands on his skin, amused by her nattering about stupid males who had to prove their manhood. When he’d heard enough, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she was breathless.
“Did you think I was just going to leave you there, at her mercy?” he asked, running his tongue along the side of her neck.
“She could have killed you.”
He snorted. “She wasn’t half as tough as I thought she’d be.” His hands slid up and down her sides. “Are we going to stand here and argue all night?”
“You don’t look like you’re capable of anything else,” Kadie said, stifling a grin.
“Really? I guess I’ll have to prove otherwise.” And with that goal in mind, he carried her to bed, both of them heedless of the trail of soapy water they left along the way.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Twilight Desires Page 17