Eternal Flame

by Valerie Twombly

  He nodded. “I am healing slowly. That damn Wendigo nearly gutted me.”

  “Is that what that was? God, I hope I never see one of those again.” She shivered at the mere thought of the vile beast and how easily it had nearly sliced Seth in two.

  “You look well, Cassie.”

  Sure, he was being polite. Her hands moved up to touch her hair, it was a rat’s nest. “Thanks, I feel pretty good. Which brings me to the question of…”

  Seth held up a hand. “Yes, it was human blood we used.”

  A breath escaped. She wouldn’t be sporting fangs anytime soon. But something else nagged at her. Her memories. “Seth, about my memories,” she hesitated, trying to find the right words.

  He looked into her eyes. “Never be ashamed, it was not your fault,” his voice more authoritative, no longer the tight-lipped vampire. “Should you choose to mate with Marcus, your ability to have children will be corrected.” His features softened. “His loss will be our gain. Besides, even if you remained barren, Marcus would love you anyway.”

  “Thank you.” She brushed away a tear.

  “Now, besides coming to see how you were doing, I also wanted to thank you. You saved my life, and I will be forever in your debt.”

  Relieved for the change in subject, she answered, “I think we saved each other. I have never been gladder to be in a vampire’s home than right now.” She picked at the quilt, her nerves frayed. “I’m still worried about Marcus. Do you think we’ve lost him?”

  “Cassie, I promise you I will continue my search for him. I will not stop until I find him.”

  She gave a weak smile. “Thank you, Seth.” She believed he would too. After everything they’d been through, a bond grew between them. She looked at him like the brother she never had. I hope you find him alive.

  “What about Baal?” Her worry for him was as real as the worry she carried for Marcus. The man had surrendered himself in order to save Seth and her.

  “Baal is much stronger than you realize. He has always hoped to be captured. Maybe now he will find his sister.”

  It was hard to swallow this whole nightmare. She’d grown fond of Baal. Hell who was she kidding? After getting to know many of the vampires here, they felt like family to her. Family…she missed Jill and needed her sister right then. Perhaps she could go home for a visit.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Odage tucked his son into bed then slipped into the night like the predator his was. Things were turning out as planned, better actually. The dragons had declared war on the vampires, and Eliza had captured the king's second-in-command. He enjoyed torturing the vampire, hoping soon Marcus would cross over into the darkness. Eliza had been unable to break him, but Odage knew his true mate, the human girl, would be his undoing. As soon as his business was over with Oroumea, he would plan on taking Cassandra Jensen.

  He flashed from his Romanian hideaway and slithered into the New Orleans cemetery. He didn’t look far before the ghoul found him.

  She sidled up beside him, pressing her body into his. “My love.” She rubbed against his leg like a cat in heat. He grabbed her by the wrists and forced her in front of him. First, the answer he sought then he would pleasure himself.

  “Where’s the amulet?”

  “My liege, I have found its location,” she purred. “It is buried somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Trouble is, I’m not sure exactly where.”

  He scowled. “Fuck!” The news did nothing for his temper. Dragons hated the fucking sand. Besides, he’d already pillaged all the treasure from that area centuries ago. How had he missed the amulet? A new plan needed to be hashed out.

  He groaned. “Sweetness, let us find somewhere more private. Shall we?”

  Oroumea sprinkled kisses on his throat. “Yes. I have missed you, my love. Let me show you how much, and then we will work on a plan to find the amulet.”

  “Yes, and while we are at it, I need to kidnap a human.” His lips curled into a wicked grin. “A very special human.”

  * * * *

  Human. The scent of human blood saturated his nostrils. His brain told him to scan the area for prey. Marcus obeyed and snapped his eyes open. His vision adjusted to the dimly lit room instantly and found himself still chained to the wall. Every muscle throbbed, and several bones were broken. He needed blood to speed the healing.

  A shadow moved in the corner. “Who’s there?” His throat felt raw, like he’d drank a gallon of Draino.

  Two women moved into view. He sensed one to be a Kothar demon and the other a human. The demon moved toward him, her raven hair pulled back into a braid that fell to her waist. As with all Kothar, her beauty took his breath away.

  “My name is Lileta, I am sister to Baal.”

  Shit, Marcus had not seen her since she was a small child. Now a grown woman, she had gone missing as a teen, and Baal had been searching for her. “Lileta,” he whispered. “What are you doing here?”

  “I am Odage’s slave.” She pulled the human closer. “I am here to help you. This is Beth, and she is one of Odage’s prisoners. She has agreed to help by feeding you, but we must hurry before we are missed.”

  Beth stepped forward and pushed her wrist to Marcus’s lips. Sweet deity, she smelled of heaven. His tongue flicked out to lick parched lips, and his fangs extended. He brushed his tongue along her vein once, twice then sank his fangs deep. He moaned, sweet nectar of the gods. The first swallow started healing of his smaller wounds and his headache eased. He wouldn’t be able to take enough to heal completely, but this would be a start. He took three more long pulls then closed the wound. He stopped before Beth reached her climax, they didn’t need her screaming her pleasure up and down the halls.

  “Thank you.”

  “I will come back as soon as I can, but I can’t promise when that will be,” Lileta said. “Please tell Baal where to find me when you get free from here.”

  “I will, and we will free you, you and Beth.”

  “There are other humans and slaves too, you must free us all,” she replied, closing the door behind her.

  He smiled for the first time in weeks. He had an ally in this hell hole and now stood a chance of escaping. The smile faded, his head tipped. What is this I feel? Can it be? It was the heartbeat of his mate. Cassie lived. His determination for escape renewed with an intense vigor.

  * * * *

  After Seth left, Cassie made her way to the living room. Gwen sat in an overstuffed chair flipping through Vogue magazine. She was the type of woman who made others green with envy. Chocolate tresses were pulled back into a ponytail that fell to her mid-back. A pair of slim-fitting jeans and a yellow tank top covered her sun-kissed skin. The woman held inner beauty as well, her kindness and generosity were something Cassie had seen in few people.

  “Somehow, I didn’t expect to find you reading Vogue,” Cassie said.

  Gwen tossed the magazine to the table. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. Aidyn asked to see you when you were well enough.”

  Good, she wanted to see him as well. But first things first. “Gwen, I understand you have the ability to see the future? Tell me, is Marcus still alive?”

  Gwen hesitated before answering, which caused her nerves to frazzle. “I can, but I don’t have control over my gift, which really ticks me off. I haven’t seen his death, but then again, I haven’t seen much lately. My heart tells me he is still alive. We will find him, Cassie.” She reached out and gave her a hug. “Are you ready to see the king?”

  “Can we walk, though? I feel the need to stretch my legs.”

  “Of course, it’s a nice walk from here, and it’s pleasant out.” Gwen led the way out the front door. “We’ll walk along the beach.”

  Cassie gasped when she stepped outside. In front of her, waves of aquamarine splashed against a diamond-studded beach. The most surreal sight she had ever laid eyes on.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Gwen scooped up a handful of sand and let it sift through her finger
s.

  “Beyond words. I’ve never seen anything like it. Is it safe to swim in?” She bit her bottom lip, imagining all kinds of weird creatures that might swim in a vampire ocean.

  Gwen let out a chuckle. “Of course. The sea life is no different from your own, really. It’s called the Lejir Sea. It means Blood Sea in our language.”

  Cassie wrinkled her nose. “The name doesn’t make it sound very safe.”

  “No, I guess not.” Gwen gave a sigh. “Marcus wanted to be the one to show you the beauty of his home. I wish he were here in my place.”

  Me too.

  They continued their walk along the beach. Cassie removed her shoes, wanting the sand between her toes. The sensation felt like silk, not like the gritty stuff back home. She hoped Gwen’s feelings were right and Marcus was still alive.

  After walking a few minutes, she noticed a rocky bluff that emerged on her left. Looking up, her gaze caught a large home located on its peak. White, with a clay roof and several levels, reminiscent of the stone homes she had seen in Greece. “Whose house is that?”

  “That would be the king's,” Gwen answered.

  “Duh, I guess that should’ve been obvious by its size. How do we get up there?” She’d been in the home before but had been flashed inside, never seeing the full beauty from the outside.

  Gwen arched a brow. “We take the stairs.”

  They had stopped in front of a set of stairs carved into the rock. She looked up, her mouth gaping. “Holy shit.” She then looked at Gwen. “Come to think of it, why do you have stairs?”

  Gwen gave her a curious look. “We like to walk. We only flash when necessary. Besides, the children don’t have the power to flash until they are older.”

  “You have children?”

  A forlorn expression covered Gwen’s features. “There was a time when children’s laughter could be heard all throughout Vandeldor. Both Vampire and Draki. Today, there are only a few children because of the lack of females.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Somehow, her comment didn’t seem like enough. She shared the emptiness they all felt. “I guess we had better a head up.”

  She lost count of the number of steps after fifty or so. When they finally reached the top, she turned in a circle, taking in the landscape. The view made her head reel. The ocean with its glistening beach to her left and mountains framed by lush green forest behind her. Understanding struck. This was the reason vampires chose to stay here more than in her world. The place held a magical, peaceful feel.

  They crossed over a large patio and entered the house through elegant French doors. On the other side, a large room with polished stone floors and colorful Asian rugs greeted them. Two overstuffed, burnished leather couches sat in front of a massive fireplace, beckoning her to curl up with a good book.

  Her eyes were drawn to the painting over the fireplace. A handsome man who looked much like Aidyn sat in a relaxed posture on a large thrown. The most beautiful woman Cassie had ever laid eyes on sat in his lap. Her golden hair piled gracefully on top of her head. Curls escaped around her porcelain face, and eyes the color of the sea stared back at her. The man’s arms lovingly embraced her.

  “I see you’re admiring my parents.”

  She spun to find Aidyn standing directly behind her. She swore she saw moisture in his eyes. Pain knifed through her at the loss he still experienced. She’d been told he’d lost his mother a few months ago and was now the only living member of his family. The burden he carried weighed heavy on his shoulders. Her sixth sense was a curse; she didn’t want to know things about people. It just happened.

  When he spoke again, his voice commanded attention. “Gwen, I will ask you to leave us.”

  Gwen bowed. “Of course, my lord.”

  Aidyn directed Cassie to take a seat. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No, thank you, I’m fine.” She sank into the couch. Aidyn took a seat across from her, one arm slung over the back of the couch. She still wasn’t used to the power that rolled off him. It was so thick in the room she swore she could reach out and touch it.

  She watched as Aidyn inhaled deeply then tilted his head, his brows knitted together. “Cassie, you are with child.”

  Her chin dropped, her voice momentarily lost. “W-what?”

  He leaned forward. “I didn’t mean to spring it on you like that, but yes, I can sense the babe.”

  “How? I mean I know how, but it’s impossible.” She rubbed her hands over her face and mentally counted backward. It had only been three weeks since the last time they’d been together.

  “Not possible, I mean I can’t get pregnant.”

  “Apparently, you can and have.”

  “What do I do now? I can’t have a half vampire baby in a normal hospital. How do I explain this?” Her eyes grew wide, tears spilling down her face. “Oh god, will the baby be alright? I mean, seeing how I’m human.” She jumped up and began to pace, whirled around. “Are you sure? I mean Gwen said nothing. Wouldn’t she know?”

  He tapped his index finger on his knee, patiently waiting for her tirade to end. “Are you finished? Good. Now, where to start? Gwen would only know this if she had seen the vision, which obviously, she has not. As I said, I can sense the babe. You forget I am the most powerful man here. As for the rest…” He let out a sigh. “I am not sure how the child will grow and survive with a human mother. It has never been done before.” He got up and crossed the room to where Cassie paced and grabbed her by the shoulders. “I will find the answers, I swear. Seth has already begun his search again for Marcus.”

  She threw her arms around Aidyn and sobbed. He held her tight, gently stroking her hair. “Shhh, I understand you’re frightened, and I wish it were Marcus here instead of me. However, I promise I will take care of you. We will all take care of you.”

  She pulled back and looked up at the tall vampire king. No wonder he was chosen to lead his people. “You are also the most arrogant man here,” she snorted then her face turned serious. “Thank you, I know I can trust you.” Her heart told her things would change forever. She would have to leave everything behind and start a new life, with or without Marcus.

  Chapter Twenty

  Cassie sat in a chair, her mind a flurry of thoughts. Aidyn had sent her home, giving her two days to get her life in order before he came back for her. She would quit her job. What else could she do? No one knew how this pregnancy would progress or what strange things might occur.

  She’d taken three at-home pregnancy tests, unable to believe what Aidyn had told her. This wasn’t supposed to happen, and yet a guardian and three tests said it had. She now carried the child of a warrior of god.

  She was alone and terrified. What did it all mean? This miracle was bigger than all of them. She just wasn’t sure how she fit into this picture. Her hand caressed her stomach. “Well, pumpkin, it’s you and me for now. Your mama is a dumb ass and sent daddy away.”

  The front door flung open, and Jill hurried in. “What the hell’s been going on? Did you find him?”

  Jill had wanted to go with her on the search for Marcus, but Cassie insisted she stay behind. It was one thing to put herself in danger, but she would not endanger Jill ever again. Not after almost losing her.

  “No.” It was the only word she managed before she began to sob.

  Jill ran over and hugged her. “Tell me what happened.”

  After several minutes of telling the story about the dream and the wendigo then ending with the dragon attack and almost losing her life, she sighed. “And that’s not all.”

  Jill had slipped into the chair across from her during the story, her face a mask of disbelief. “What the hell else could go wrong?”

  “I’m pregnant.” She caught Jill’s expression. “Yeah, I had that same look.”

  “How the hell did that happen?”

  She snorted. “Do I really need to explain?”

  Jill waved her hands in the air. “No! I know how it happens, but I mean…well,
hell, who knew vampires could have children?”

  Certainly not her. The thought never crossed her mind when she’d slept with Marcus. She was never supposed to conceive. At least, that’s what the doctors told her. “I think this was a shock to everyone, me especially.”

  “You’re getting an abortion, right? I mean you can’t have a vampire baby, not with the father MIA.”

  “Absolutely not! This child is a miracle.” She would die if it meant this child would live.

  She believed everything happened for a reason, and there must be a logical reason behind this whole mess. “Besides, Aidyn has promised to help me. Matter of fact, I need to talk to you about that.”

  Jill clutched her arms to her chest and sucked in a breath. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.”

  “Aidyn is moving me to their home in New York. I can see a doctor there that knows about them. Of course, no one knows for sure how this pregnancy will go, but we’ll take it one day at a time.”

  “I don’t understand. Why doesn’t Aidyn take you to his home?”

  It would be difficult, leaving her sister. However, she saw no other choice. They’d still stay in touch by phone and email, which would be impossible to do from another realm. “They are at war with the dragons. I don’t fully understand it, but somehow Aidyn has kept them protected. However, he fears if they find me, they will try to use me against them.”

  She moved to where Jill sat and put her arm around her. “Gwen is going to stay with me, and you can come visit anytime.” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she hugged her sister tight. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “Dammit, Cassie, I know this is the right thing for you to do, but I’m going to worry myself sick. I’ll come to visit you real soon. When are you leaving?”

  “Tomorrow night. Aidyn will come for me and take me to New York.” She tilted her head in thought for a moment. “Hey, maybe when you want to come and visit, he can just pop you over.”

  Jill put on a big smile. “Oh, that sounds like my kind of ride.”

  Cassie still had a lot to do before Aidyn arrived. He’d told her not to worry about expenses, but the idea of not pulling her weight didn’t bode well. He’d then offered the idea of renting her home from her so they could use it as a base in New Orleans. She would tell the neighbors she was renting it while away. That way she wouldn’t have to worry about her home being empty or the lack of cash. It seemed like the perfect deal.