by Dahlia Rose
"No time to talk. Shoot who you can. If it comes to hand-to-hand combat, you have the advantage over them,” Sola explained.
"I do know how to fight."
"Good. Use it and this.” She handed him a long knife to go along with the gun.
Sola got out and didn't turn to see if Gideon followed. The men rushed at her and she fought. If she lost, she would die. It was that simple, and Sola did not intend to lose. She preferred to fight hand-to-hand instead of using guns. Her first attacker went down easily. With Sola's speed she was behind him in an instant, snapping his neck. Shots rang out as Gideon fired at their assailants. He walked toward them with confidence that went past him being immortal. It was just his way of moving. While he walked, he shot and they fell before they could even touch him. She saw when the bullets hit their mark. Out of fifteen men, only six were left. She killed three and Gideon shot the others, wounding them instead of killing.
Gideon shouted a warning. Sola reacted, but not fast enough. Intense pain rammed into her back. It missed her heart but shattered a few of her ribs. Her cry of pain echoed in the darkness. She fell to her knees as agony filled her entire being.
She barely heard Gideon's growl of anger as he flashed past her. He grabbed Creve and threw him, sending him flying through the air and crashing against a tree. Sola felt Gideon's arms around her. She struggled to stand. Blood poured from her wound, around the stake that was still inside her.
"Sola. Ah, fuck!” Gideon's voice was filled with worry and anger.
"You have to pull it out, Gideon.” She gritted her teeth and she could feel herself weakening. “Now!"
He nodded in response and wrapped his fingers around the stake, wrenching it from her back. Her scream of pain filled the air. He lifted her in his arms and placed her in the car Creve had driven. He pressed his coat against her back, trying to stop the flow of blood. It was seeping through quickly, and she was getting weaker.
"Take the next exit ... The house ... is the only one on Carter's Road. Get me to Jarrod and my sisters...” Sola blacked out and went unconscious.
It was Gideon's turn to drive like a madman. Even if the police had tried to pull him over, he would not have stopped. Sola needed her family, and the fires of hell would not have stopped him.
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Chapter Five
The rest of the night went by in a blur for Gideon. He drove like a demon to get her to her family. Sola was still unconscious when he pulled up to the big metal gates. He didn't wait for someone to come see who was there. He lifted her out of the car and threw her limp body over his shoulders with his new vampire abilities. He jumped the brick walls surrounding the house. Sola had mentioned that cameras monitored the gates and the walls, so by the time he reached the front door, a tall man and two women were waiting for him.
"What happened?” one of the sisters asked. She had the same face as Sola but different hair, not that it mattered. He would be able to tell Sola from her sisters even if they had been identical in every way.
He told them about the ambush. The older man he knew to be Jarrod from Sola's description tried to take Sola from him. Without a word, Gideon refused. Jarrod raised an eyebrow in surprise but said nothing. He inspected Sola's wound while Gideon continued to hold her tight.
"Take her upstairs.” Jarrod pointed the way and Gideon laid Sola on a wide bed.
She didn't wake. The stake had come dangerously close to her heart. It was only when her sisters stripped her and examined her wound that Gideon realized how badly she was injured. The hole gaped open, torn around the edges. The stake was rough and pieces of wood had lodged in the wound. He saw one of her ribs had broken through the flesh of her chest. He guessed a lot more were shattered on the inside. A human would have been killed instantly from the damage, but she was immortal. Gideon still feared the worst. She remained pale, her lips blue from loss of blood. If he didn't know better he would have sworn she was dead.
Willa and Luna stood back when Jarrod arrived, carrying packets of fresh blood. Gideon watched as Jarrod inserted a needle into her arm. In only a few minutes, the first packet of blood was empty and Jarrod attached a new packet to the IV. Gideon looked on as her wound began to heal from the inside out. Bone mended and flesh knitted itself before his eyes. He didn't think he had ever seen anything so miraculous.
"I'm Luna and that's Willa. We're her sisters."
Gideon looked over to the timeless beauty who spoke. “I'm Gideon. Will she be okay?"
"She will be fine, but she'll need to feed when she wakes up,” Willa said.
"Knowing her appetite, she'll need at least two,” Luna commented with humor in her voice.
"I'll go find her someone,” Gideon said, getting up.
Jarrod's hand rested on his shoulder. “No, I'll have someone brought to her. You need to stay until she awakens.” With that he walked out of the room and left Gideon alone with Sola's sisters.
Gideon suddenly felt uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gaze. “So, who is this Creve anyway?"
Willa spoke up. “He's been hunting us since we were children. He thinks we'll bring damnation to the earth if we find the amulet."
"The bastard mixes vampire hunting with religious fanaticism, and every one of his idiots thinks he's a prophet,” Luna added. The disgust in her voice was evident. Gideon could pick up on their personalities and what they were probably like as children. Sola was the leader, the strong one who watched out for her sisters. Luna was the willful one who oozed sexuality, but he could see the cunning there as well. Willa was the quietest of the three, very soulful. They must have been a handful to raise, especially with them knowing of their immortality. What must that have been like for them, knowing their fate was to be hunted for something that was made before they were born?
"It was difficult at first, but centuries of life have a way of dulling the severity of it,” Willa said.
Gideon glanced over at her in surprise. “How did you know what I was thinking?"
"I don't know. It started right after we left the house with the parchment,” Willa explained. “Have you had anything happen to you, Luna?"
Luna sat down next to her sister and grinned. “No, not yet, but I am hoping it's something with a little more zing than what you and Sola have been getting."
"Aren't you worried she hasn't woken up yet?” Gideon asked, looking down at Sola's still, pale face. Her lips had lost their blue hue. They were pink and rosy once again, but she still didn't open her eyes.
"Her body has to heal itself. She'll sleep for a while,” Willa explained softly.
"How do you know she's asleep? You don't breathe or have a heartbeat,” Gideon pointed out.
"Neither do you anymore,” Luna reminded him. “We're going to go find our own dinners. Since we'll be here for a while, I thirst for something other than conversation. Coming, Willa? Want us to bring you back someone, Gideon?"
"I'll drink when she wakes up and can feed,” he said firmly. He wasn't going to leave her side, not now.
"Aren't you noble. We share blood now, Gideon. You are part of us, so before we forget, welcome to the family. It could be a gift or a curse, you'll decide in time.” Luna walked out the door.
Willa nodded and smiled in his direction, and she followed her sister out of the room. Luna's words rang in his ears. A gift or a curse. He didn't know, but now he was a part of it. He lay next to Sola and closed his eyes, lacing his fingers with hers. He fell into a dreamless sleep, waiting for Sola to open her eyes.
* * * *
With a gasp, Sola opened her eyes and bolted upright. She felt for the torn flesh she knew was there, but it was gone, healed and back to normal. There wasn't even a bruise or scar to mark where Creve had impaled her with a stake. She had thought she was dead for sure. The last thing she would have seen was Gideon's look of horror when he picked her up off the wet grass in the ditch where they had fought.
God, the dreams were worse than she had even imagi
ned. She would have gladly opened her eyes and born every pain of her body healing rather than suffer in the dreams she had while she was unconscious. They were dark and filled with decay and rotting flesh. She walked streets piled high with human corpses. What was left of their blood drained into the sewer grates. She walked in daylight, and she passed her sisters’ bodies. Willa's throat was ripped to shreds and her eyes had the blank stare of death. Luna was lying face down. Things that were not human and no longer vampire feasted on her body. The sounds of flesh tearing from her bones echoed in Sola's ears. The darkness was worst of all. It was evil incarnate, with an insatiable love of the death surrounding it. Sola felt its presence encompassing her like the cloud of hot ash escaping from an erupting volcano. It filled her lungs and clogged her throat. It was Carthos’ hell on earth, the one that would come if they failed to find the amulet and destroy it. She could feel him as a breeze on her face when the devil flapped his wings. She smelled him as the sulfur pits of hell itself.
When she moved, she felt someone move next to her, and then Gideon's arms wrapped around her. His strength was almost her undoing. She felt safe and warm in his arms. All she wanted to do was lean her head back against his chest and close her eyes. Sola resisted the temptation. She could not be weak, not now, not ever.
"I'm fine,” she snapped, pulling out of his grasp. “How long have I been out? Where are my sisters?"
"They're downstairs, I assume. And you've been unconscious for more than two days. The sun has set twice since the attack."
Sola heard the twinge of hurt in his voice when she pulled away from him. She felt sorry but pushed that emotion aside. They had to do a job together; that was it. She swung her legs off the bed and walked over to a large closet.
"Where are you going?” Gideon asked. “You're injured! You should be in bed."
"One of the benefits of being immortal, honey.” She held up her shirt and showed him her once again flawless skin. “We heal very well."
"What's the matter with you? Why are you acting so bitchy?"
"Why are you acting like a pussy? I'm a vampire. I've been taking care of myself for centuries. I don't need you to be all sappy around me."
He was up in a flash. And before Sola could move, he had her pressed against the closet door, his hands around her throat and a snarl on his lips. “Never call me a pussy or a sap. You want to be a bitch, fine, but you won't ever treat me like I'm your lap dog.
"By the way, while you were out, I figured out your little clue. I'll be downstairs with your sisters when you're ready to hear it. I'll tell them you're awake and to have someone sent up to you for a meal.” He let go of her throat and walked to the doorway. Before striding through it, he gave her a hard, cold stare. “You seem to forget, you need me for this little excursion. I sure as hell didn't go looking for you."
She let her hands travel to her neck where his fingers had been only seconds before. His aggression excited her just as much as his final words stung. It is better this way, she tried to convince herself. If she formed any emotional attachment to him, it would hurt when he died. He was going to die. Her vision had shown it to her. She wasn't going to mourn anyone. Never again would she let her unbeating heart break.
* * * *
Sola was dressed and ready when a knock sounded on the door. One of Jarrod's menservants brought in a young man. With a nod, he left her alone with her meal, who stood staring into nothingness. He was already in a trance, and the thought of not being able to fill his blood with the taste of pleasure was disappointing to Sola, but she had no time to play with her food. She stood in front of him and bit into his neck, drinking deeply of the warm, thick blood that flowed from his jugular. He didn't even struggle, and soon he went to his knees, weak from her draining him. She left him crumpled on the floor and walked downstairs. One of Jarrod's men would have taken the body away by the time she went back upstairs for her things. She had to admit she was excited to hear what Gideon had come up with about the clue on the parchment. But when she got downstairs, Sola had her mask firmly in place. Her look of nonchalant uncaring belied the flutter in her stomach.
"You look well,” Jarrod said and pressed his cold cheek against hers.
"I feel like a million bucks."
"You sure didn't look it the other night when Gideon brought you in,” Luna commented as she sprawled across one of the chairs in the room.
"Yeah, well, I was injured. What's your excuse?” Sola retorted.
"Don't you two start!” Willa smiled. “I'm glad to see you up and about, Sola. God knows a twosome would have been a burden with only me and Luna in it."
"Hey, what is it? Bash the middle child night?” Luna asked.
Sola grinned. She always loved the teasing banter with her siblings. She looked around for Gideon, but he was nowhere in the room. “Where is my new partner?"
"He went out to hunt on his own. I think he said he saw a particularly good-looking blonde in town when we finally got him to feed,” Luna explained.
"Oh, okay. Well, he seems to have forgotten we have a pressing problem here. And he goes off whoring.” The thought of Gideon watching over her made her tingle. The thought of him eyeing some woman and hunting without her made her want to find the bitch and rip her throat out.
"Well, I'm done whoring now, so you can keep that forked tongue in your head.” Gideon walked in.
He looked sexy as hell dressed in all black, from the turtleneck to the black jeans to the long coat that hung to his ankles. His cold attitude toward her made Sola feel something she had never felt before—a mix of anger and sass ready to spill from her lips.
"How was the blonde?” Luna teased. “Did you bring her back for me?"
"Delectable, wanted seconds but I was hungry, so I didn't leave any. Sorry, babe.” Gideon grinned.
"If you two are finished with this crap, would you care to tell us all what the answer to the clue is?” Sola's irritation came through in her voice, and Luna's raised eyebrows did nothing to help calm her anger.
"Well, since you're so eager to know, the Northern Lights.” Gideon appeared smug as he faced her. “Pack your long johns and warm undies, baby. We're off to Alaska."
Luna's loud laughter filled the room, and Gideon smiled, his eyes still locked with Sola's. There was something different about him. Sola could see the coldness in his gaze. She'd done that to him. She'd hurt him. He had spent every moment with her as she healed, and she'd pushed him away. Now she had to deal with the consequences.
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Chapter Six
Planning the trip was relatively easy. Living for three hundred years had its perks, one of which was the small, private jet the sisters had joined together and bought, which would fly them to Alaska. They rented a chalet in the mountains right outside Anchorage. Luna and Willa would stay in Albany until Sola returned or until they heard that she failed. The danger level was higher now, and being alone was no longer an option for any of them.
They came to the agreement that the amulet was most likely in the caves around Pioneer Peak. The lights were most visible there, and Eagle River ran next to it. Sola remembered her vision of the river banks and the red snow with Gideon turning to dust in her arms.
They packed in silence. She always kept clothes at the house, but everything for Gideon had to be ordered and delivered.
Sola sent him a sidelong glance. He put clothes in a black duffel quickly and neatly. On top of the clothes, he put two big silver guns and an ammo bag. As if feeling her gaze on him, he looked over at her, his eyes distant and guarded.
"Something wrong?” His voice was flat and emotionless.
"No, nothing,” she replied. She threw two swords on top of her clothes and zipped her bag. “I'm ready to go."
He walked out in front of her, not saying anything else. She heard the hollow thud of his feet echoing on the stairs as he descended. Each step echoed in a heart she thought she had long hardened against emotion. She was obviously w
rong. She walked out of the room, closing the door with a soft click, and went downstairs as well, putting up the wall of strength that she had built so well. Too well, it seems, she mused. Downstairs her sisters and Jarrod stood waiting to say goodbye.
"If you need us, call and we'll come running,” Luna said, giving her sister a hug. Sola hugged back and held on just a little tighter. Luna's eyes widened in surprise, but she said nothing.
"Be safe, Sola,” Willa said. She turned to Gideon. “You take care of her."
Sola noticed he nodded. That was all she got now, just a nod? You wanted it this way, girl. Now you got it. “Watch your backs and fight hard if anyone tries anything. Stay close to home."
"Yes, Mom.” Luna grinned. “We know. Stay here until you return."
"Or if I don't,” Sola said grimly.
"You will come home, Sola,” Willa murmured.
She only nodded, and the group walked together to the door. They stood watching as Sola and Gideon got into the car. The last thing she saw as they pulled away was Jarrod's hand raised in farewell before the doors of the mansion closed.
* * * *
Winding tunnels with only torches to light the way were where they crawled and fed. The catacombs housed hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, since more and more were being brought into the fold every day. Deep under the earth, the screams of those being feasted on bounced off the walls, unheard by those who walked above. The main tunnel led to a heavy, plain wooden door.
Behind the door was the chamber of the one they called most malevolent, the defiler of life, the undead king, the one who would bring hell to earth and let vampires roam the cities. His manservant knocked on the door with a trembling hand.
"Sire, you called for me?” He bowed low, not daring to even look up until he was told to do so.
"She has left Albany to go to find the first piece of the amulet. She goes to Alaska. Send some of the others to find her. No, wait. Send the ones just created. This will be a good test to see where their loyalties lie. If the bloodlust has taken over, they will do my bidding. Have them follow her and when she has it, kill her and her companion. Bring the amulet to me."