“Open the goddamn portal now, Sandra!” Melissa shouted.
“Alright—alright!”
Darkness clouded over them. Seconds later, it dispersed. Orbs of lights circled the ceiling. New faces came into view. Shocked faces.
A bearded man draped in a cassock glared down at her. “Ahh, so this is the disturbance in the universe. An Antares priestess has awakened. Splendid.” The sarcasm in his tone didn’t pass her by.
“I tried to wait for the CK medics to arrive,” Melissa said, panic in her voice. “But people started to gather, and the authorities were closing in—”
“Yes-yes, I understand.” He spun around, making the hem of his vestment flare. “Follow me.”
Alexis felt her body leave the ground. She was drawn behind the man who she assumed was a priest. Her body moved like she was carried on a gurney, but there was nothing beneath her.
“Another thing. She was attacked by a Noble.”
“Which explains why she reeks like one,” he tossed over his shoulder, with a golden gleam in his eye. “I’m sure she returned that aggressive greeting in kind.”
“Did she ever,” Melissa muttered.
“Ah yes, the savage nature of a warrior priestess.” A smile resonated in his voice. “I’m getting reports that her awakening took out the power in the entire west sector.”
“Yes, and she destroyed my café in the process.”
“How on earth did a Noble get that close to her without your knowledge.”
“He cloaked his aura. I didn’t know he was one until he revealed himself. I believe he’s a member of the vampire royal…”
Their voices drowned into the background. In the back of her mind, Alexis heard him. Tristan. He called out to her. “Lexi—baby, I’m here. I got you! I know it hurts. It’s just a memory. Don’t let it consume you.” He sounded so clear, like he was right next to her. “Can you feel me? Can you feel me holding you?” Even though he was nowhere in sight, his warm embrace surrounded her.
For a moment, she felt so wonderful. “Tristan…”
“Extract your soul from this memory. You hear me? Pull out, now.”
“I don’t know how to—”
“Look up and reached for the heavens. Think of anyone out of this vision.”
Alexis reached toward the ceiling with both arms, wincing as another bout of pain accosted her. She imagined Tristan’s beautiful face. In an instant, she found herself standing outside of her body.
She watched in utter shock as another version of her sailed behind the priest into a small room. Face covered by surgical masks, nuns followed along. She was delivered onto a bed under circulating lights.
Some strange lady with horns and pointed ears held onto her hand. “Da hell is going on?” Alexis struggled to move her arms. Something had them pinned down. A sharp pulsating sensation in her abdomen jarred out a strangled gasp. “Who are you people?” she screamed. “What’s happening to me?”
“It’s me. Melissa.” She squeezed her hand. “I know I look different, but it’s me, Alexis. I wish I had time to explain everything to you. We can’t take you to a hospital while your power is fluxing.”
My power? What is she talking about?
“Don’t you worry. The padre is gonna deliver your baby safely.”
My WHAT? My baby?
Standing in the doorway, Alexis stared in confusion at the scene playing out before her. She palmed her belly and clutched desperately at it. The extreme throbbing seized her yet again.
She groaned and grimaced.
The version of her laid out on the bed screamed out in agony. It was deafening to her own ears. “Get away! Stop hurting me!” The glowing orbs near the ceiling started spinning faster. The walls quaked. “Oh God, make it stop!”
“Baby, listen to me.” Tristan’s voice slipped into her mind again. “The curse is still strong. Don’t fall into the loop of memory loss. You know the elf at your side. The agony you’re feeling are labor pains. Remember!”
Right! The elf…her name was Melissa. She was my manager at the Kitty-kitty Café. Wait. Was she an elf all this time?!
“I don’t understand, Padre. Why does she sound so disoriented?” Melissa asked. “What’s happening to her?”
“The Noble’s blood. He must have cursed it when she attacked him. It’s eating away at her memories.”
“How do we stop it?”
“We can’t. You should go, m’dear.”
Melissa clutched Alexis’s hand even tighter. “I’m afraid to leave her while she’s like this.”
“She’ll be fine. However, your human waitresses may be in peril. This priestess expelled her spiritual force in your café. That is sure to draw trouble. Return, quickly and fortify the barriers.”
“Si, Padre.” Melissa briefly closed her eyes, shedding tears, and kissed Alexis on her temple. “Please remember me, mami, and don’t let the darkness swallow you whole.” She stepped away and disappeared.
The priest laid a hand on Alexis’s forehead and the other on her stirring belly.
“Get your goddamn hands off me!” she growled, writhing within the unseen binds. “I didn’t do anything, let me go!”
He leaned in and whispered, “Seek calm.”
All of a sudden, her struggles came to an end.
“Although it is early, your baby has decided to bless us with its presence now. We are left with no choice but to deliver. I’m going to render you unconscious to prevent you from leveling this temple in the process.” Lifting his head, he looked right at her as she stood by the door. A smile spread across his bearded face.
Baffled, Alexis shuffled backward. Wait, can he see me here?
“Yes, I can see you, m’dear.”
Holy shit! No way! How?
“I can also see that your memories are returning to you. That’s good. When you see her again and rage consumes you, remember to seek the light, and the darkness will scatter.”
See her? “Who’re you talking about?” she asked without moving her lips.
“Your mother.”
“My mother is dead.”
Smile growing wider, he shook his head. “No. She is far from dead.”
His words sunk into her soul. Her throat tightened. The flutter beneath her chest quicken. “Whadda ya mean? There was a funeral. I was there! She’s dead!”
“You already know what happens next. Now, find your future and cling to it.”
The vision went blurry.
Alexis reached out. “Wait!”
Bits and pieces of the scene around her broke away and drifted into space. She stood there, surrounded by nothingness, but filled with warmth. “Tristan?” Her voice echoed across the void. “Are you still with me?”
“Always,” he replied on a smooth croon.
“What in the hell was that just now? He said my mother was alive.”
A light flashed in the distance. Looked like a star. It drew closer, glowing brighter, and brighter.
Alexis winced and squeezed her eyes shut. Once the brightness faded behind her closed lids, she hesitantly opened them again. An image flickered before her.
“What’s this?”
Tristan stood in her apartment with her limp body cradled in his arms.
Standing across from him, armored from head to toe, was her best friend, Cole. Compressed rage blazed through his narrowed glare as he drew his sword and blocked Tristan’s path.
“Aw hell.”
Chapter Seventeen
Stolen Memories
“What’d you do to her?” As Cole clutched his sword at his side, his arm trembled, making the blade waver.
“A lot I don’t care to share with you,” Tristan responded.
Cole’s jaw clenched, and his glower intensified.
Usually, when a foe presented his blade, Tristan would meet the challenge in kind. But not this time. One thing he knew for certain, this Knight wouldn’t make a move on him while Lexi was in his arms.
“Aren’t you an a
rrogant sonavabitch.” Cole swayed side to side, baring his teeth, seeming anxious to attack. “Just waltz in and out as you please, huh?”
Tristan smirked. “I may make it look easy, but it’s a lot harder than you think.”
“Ah, I see you got jokes,” Cole grumbled behind a low growl.
“Cole…” Alexis whimpered, stirring in Tristan’s arm. “Don’t…please…”
“Alex?” Cole took a step closer, yet kept his distance.
“She can feel you near. She can probably even see you.” Tristan gazed down at her. Her beautiful face strained and relaxed repeatedly. “She’s drifting in and out of a mental void while her memories are being restored.”
“You got her like that?”
“Yes, and no. Either way, it’s best she rests during the transition.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Tristan shrugged. “Frankly, I don’t give a shit what you believe. Just stating facts.”
“Did you feed from her?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
For the longest, neither of them said a word. Cole continued to pin him with a seething glare while Tristan stood there unmoved. There was much on the Knight’s mind, much he wanted to say, but it seemed he couldn’t get past his anger to speak the words.
“She’s not human,” Tristan said, breaking the silence. “Not fully human anyway.”
Cole sucked his teeth as he arched his top lip in a sneer. “Whateva, man. That ain’t no revelation.”
Tristan cocked a brow, somewhat surprised. So he knew? When did he find out, and how long had he kept this secret?
“You don’t spend as much time together as we have and not know something’s up. I know my girl, better than she knows herself. I was just waiting for her to pick up on it before I mentioned it. Not human, yeah. But she ain’t no goddamn vampire, and I can’t help but notice…” A quiver carried his voice. “She has fangs now.” It was astonishing he caught that, being that Lexi barely opened her mouth when she spoke.
“It’s temporary. Her soul’s energy absorbed some of my vampirism, making her flux.” His presence wasn’t making it any better. As long as she was near him, she would periodically drop fangs. “She’ll be back to normal in a couple of hours. Well…not fully normal. But fangless.”
Cole shuffled in place, shaking his head. “Maaann, I should fuckin’ kill you.”
Tristan nodded. “You probably should, but you won’t.” He breezed past Cole and carried Lexi into her bedroom.
Cole followed along behind him. The sound of his blade swaying at his side echoed through the quiet space. It let out the slightest whistle with every move he made.
Unbothered, yet aware, Tristan carefully laid her on the bed. Took everything in him not to cuddle up next to her and catch a few Zs. The morning was here, and the sun was wide awake, which made him dreary. His limbs felt heavy, and it was difficult to keep his eyes open.
Tristan went to exit the room.
Cole stood firm in the doorway, blocking his way out. A frigid hate beamed from his piercing glare. This deep-seated loathing had nothing to do with the creature he was. No. The seed of hatred was planted many years ago out in the battlefield.
“You plan on keeping me here, Officer Davis?” Tristan asked.
“It’s morning. Bet you’re feeling that heat.”
“No doubt.”
“Got a coffin nearby?”
Tristan offered a small smile. “I don’t sleep in a coffin.”
“Still, I think it’s fitting to put you in one.” A hiss laced his tone.
“You can try, but I must warn you, I’m claustrophobic. Cramped spaces freak me out.”
His lips drew tight, and his glare widened. “There you go with those jokes again.”
Lexi lunged up to a sitting position, her eyes still closed. “Surusly?” she slurred. She lifted her arm lazily and flicked her hand at them. “Cole…please…Tristan…don’t…no fightin’! Kick y’all asses…both of y’all. Love ya.” She fell back with a sigh and a snore, surrendering to slumber.
Lexi wanted so desperately for them to get along. Through their mental link, she was screaming at them, cursing them both out. Only Cole didn’t have to suffer through it. I would like to get along with him, possibly be friends with him. But Tristan’s past actions made that impossible.
“The conversation you wanna have can’t be done in her presence.” Tristan slipped by him, brushing his shoulder against his. “Another day, another time, Officer Davis.”
What a smug fuck!
Cole was so pissed, he could hear his own fuming rage. Seeing Alexis with fangs was the last nail in the coffin.
Absorbed his vampirism? Bullshit! That muthafucka tried to turn her.
Still gripping the handle of his blade, Cole followed the vampire.
He not once looked over his shoulder as he moved casually through the suite. Cole was armed to the teeth, blade unsheathed, and this dude was strolling about all nonchalant, as if he wasn’t a threat.
Cole gritted his teeth. Should I make a go at him? He wouldn’t get a chance like this again. This was the time to take him out.
Cole quickened his step. The steel shaft hissed as it sliced through the air.
The second Cole got within striking range, the vampire whirled around, making his hair fan out. A violent breeze rushed into Cole’s body, damn near pushing him off his feet. He rooted his stance and continued the sweep of his blade. His katana met the brutal clash from the vampire’s sword.
“Come now, Officer Davis.” He cocked his head with a smile, flashing his fangs. A spark of amusement glimmered in his unnatural eyes. “You can do better than that.”
Biting back a growl, Cole skipped backward, changed his battle stance, then burst forward. Their two steels met in a speedy triple parry. His hands burned with each clash. He moved in a circular formation as he attacked again and again.
His fang-bearing foe not once changed position or moved from his spot. The sweep of his sword was all defense.
Until it wasn’t.
He advanced with one single step and tapped his sword.
Cole found himself flying backward. He hit the wall with a thud, then dropped to one knee. Da fuck was that?! He’d gave his sword a little love tap, and with it came such an overwhelming force. Whatever it was, it went straight through his armor. His chest burned and his palms stung. He coughed and blood bubbled up his throat, leaving a bitter, metallic tang on his tongue.
“Ay—ayye!” Alexis hollered from the room on a broken drawl. “Y’all betta not…be fightin’!”
The vampire stood there, casually holding his stupid-long sword at his side. “Shall we continue?”
“It was you, wasn’t it?” Cole pushed to his feet and winced. The pain started in his chest and shot down to his side. His legs wobbled. “Two years ago, in that dead zone, you were the one who put the blade to my throat.”
With a swift and graceful movement, the vampire sheathed his sword. “At twilight, meet me at the fountain in Liège and we’ll talk, or battle. Your choice.”
Cole palmed his side, struggling to remain on his feet. “I’m not authorized to enter the inner city.”
“I’ll send an escort to show you how to get in. In the meantime, you should tend to your wounds.” He turned away and tossed up a peace sign. “Addio, Officer Davis.” He sauntered toward the door and disappeared into thin air.
Dammit, that fucka was powerful! That much was painfully obvious.
I’m pretty skilled, but I’m nowhere near the level I need to be to face-off with him.
“A tap.” The stinging on his hand became almost unbearable. He removed his glove and had to swallow a gasp. There was a slice right down the middle of his palm. Blood trickled off the curve of his hand. “A fuckin’ tap.”
Chapter Eighteen
Not Now
“That was stupid.” Sanjay paced back and forth in his suite, replaying his conversation with Bishop
in his mind. “I shouldn’t have said anything—fuck.”
When he saw Bishop on the galley way, his first thought was to leave him be. Out of all the people he should’ve questioned about Alexis’s whereabouts, that freak of a scientist wasn’t one of them. But he was desperate. Alexis was still dodging him, and at the worst possible time. Her tracker indicated that she was at her place all night, but he knew for a fact that wasn’t true.
Where are you, babe?
He penned in her code on his wrist-com and tried to reach her for umpteenth time. “Alexis, you need to call me back. I know you spent the night at Cole’s. You can’t just leave your quarters whenever the hell you want to. Especially while you’re on probation! The Primos will know you left. You can’t fool the system, babe.” He pulled in a deep inhale before speaking again. “Listen, I was at your place last night. I found something. We need to talk. Call me. Please.”
Shaking his head, he let out a groan. His thoughts drifted back to the look on Bishop’s face and the suspiciousness in his eyes. Did he know? Nah, he couldn’t know.
He accused me of doping.
Sure, he’d stole a taste of the improved enhancement pack. Nothing new there. All soldiers doped before heading into the fray.
But did Bishop see something else in my eyes?
“Did I unconsciously narc on myself?” His grumblings rose as he shed his armor. “Should’ve never approached his creepy ass.”
Especially after he’d just committed a double homicide.
Sanjay recounted his every move after he returned from the mission. The fact he was at the sanatorium wasn’t a good look. But if he viewed it from an officer’s standpoint, he had to be there, to finalize digital prints, report missing knights, and sign off on all those who fell in the line of duty. The usual grunt work for the vice-commander. Even with that being the case, he made some minor adjustments to the camera footage.
Still…Alexis. She would know what he had done, or more so figure it out once the news broke about the Chief Commander and his son. She was smart like that. “Don’t hate me, babe,” he muttered on a whimper. “Please…understand my madness. I did it for you.”
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