No. After taking so much blood, he knew Demetri wouldn’t be able to protect himself. He brought him here to look out for him until he recovers.
This is terrible, Zack.
It could get worse.
What do you mean?
He wants to die. He plans to use you or Brianna to force us to kill him.
Demetri moved as if to sit. Caspian looked down at him. Then, a deep growl escaping his throat, he grabbed his shoulders and sat him up roughly. “I know it’s you, brother. I know she’s not real.”
“Who?” Demetri asked.
It looks worse than it is. He’s not really hurting him. He knows you care about Demetri. He’s trying to get you to move closer.
Who is he talking about? Does he think we are not real?
I don’t know.
Caspian’s gaze moved to Emily. “Go ahead.” He took a few steps away from Demetri and folded his arms behind his back. “I won’t stop you. I know how much my brother means to you. Come here and help him.”
“No thanks.” Emily flashed a fake smile. “I’m good right here where I’m at.” Damn. He’s fucking creepy as hell, Zack.
He looked at Zack. “You’ve done a wonderful job training your woman to obey your orders.”
I really, really fucking hate him, Zack.
Would it offend you if I thanked him for the compliment?
Do it and you’ll find out.
Caspian glared down at Demetri. “You had no right to release me. You should’ve left me.”
“You are my brother.”
Nikolas and Brianna approached Caspian from behind. Caspian spun around. He stared at them for several seconds. “Sara.”
“No.” Brianna shook her head. “My name is Brianna. Sara is my sister.”
Rather than respond to Brianna, Caspian turned his attention to Zack. “You believe you control it, but you don’t. I see it in you. The darkness. The madness. The hunger for blood. I feel it in you. You’ll lose control.” He shifted his gaze to Emily. “She’ll pay for it. Look at her. You’ve already failed her. You’ve ruined her.”
“Leave her alone.” Demetri said.
He looked at Demetri. “You should’ve let her die. You should’ve had mercy on her. It would’ve been kinder than the end that awaits her.”
“What are you talking about?” Emily asked.
Demetri held his hand up. “Don’t listen to what he’s saying, Emily. We’re twins. We have a strong bond. He’s getting information from my mind and twisting it in hopes of getting one of us to kill him.”
Caspian turned and looked at Brianna. “You look so much like your sister.”
Brianna nodded. “We’re twins.”
He looked at Nikolas. “You need to take her far away from here.” Rather than wait for Nikolas to respond, he knelt next to Demetri. “Sara has suffered a thousand deaths for you. She’ll endure a thousand more for you. She lives for you. She lives to give you a reason to hope.”
“What do you mean?”
“She believes you only need time to move on, to find another woman. She believes you’ll find happiness with another woman.”
“Erebus could have your mate, Caspian.” Demetri stated. “You must survive. You can’t leave her to suffer alone.”
****
Seeing Brianna had forced Caspian to face long forgotten memories of Sara. Tragic memories that ignited a desire to survive, a desire to destroy Erebus in his soul. He didn’t want to consider the possibility of Erebus having his mate. He would’ve been able to dismiss the idea if the woman who smelled of lavender and vanilla hadn’t come to him in his crypt. Was it possible? Could she be his mate? He searched Demetri’s mind and didn’t find any evidence of him using a fictional woman to get him to remove the supernatural barrier from the crypt. “It’s unlikely I have a mate.”
“It’s not a possibility, Caspian. It’s a fact.” Demetri said.
Caspian merged with Demetri and shared the memory of the woman who’d come to him in the crypt. Was it you?
No.
Sara is not far from here. I know you think Brianna’s connection with her will help you find her. It will. But you cannot use it. Their connection makes Brianna vulnerable. You need to have Nikolas take her far away from here. It wouldn’t do to recover one and lose the other.
I understand. I will talk to Nikolas.
Convince him to leave with her.
I will.
“I have decided to survive for a while longer.”
Demetri nodded. “That is good. You’ve been away for a very long time. Many things have changed. Joseph Payne is on the west coast. He’s waiting for you. He’ll get you caught up.”
“I plan to stay here with you.”
“You can’t. We can’t let Erebus know you’ve escaped.”
“Why?”
“He’ll realize I’ve escaped.”
“You’ve been imprisoned?”
“In a way.” Demetri opened his mind to Caspian to share his experiences with Mary Tate. “I have a skinwalker taking my place right now. If Erebus realizes you’re no longer in the crypt he’ll become suspicious and take a closer look at the skinwalker .”
****
A few hours later, Zack and Emily escorted Caspian to Joseph’s hotel. Zack feared the idea of bringing Caspian to a populated city. While outwardly Caspian appeared healthy and strong, Zack felt his internal struggle. Just before entering the building, Zack reached for Joseph. We are bringing Caspian up to you.
I know.
Do you feel it?
He’s not doing well.
He’s struggling to hold it together.
It can’t be easy for him to be around so many humans.
Demetri told him you have things for him.
We need to catch him up on the times.
And keep our eyes on him.
Has he told you he’s having trouble?
No. He claims he’s fine, but it’s pretty damn obvious he’s struggling. He’s sweating blood.
Normally, I never assume things. Caspian said. I trust facts. But I am assuming, since you’re both talking shit about me, I am not supposed to hear you. You can both relax. I do not plan to kill anyone this hour.
I apologize. It’s good you’re here, Caspian. Joseph said.
“I apologize as well. We’re just worried about you,” Zack said.
“You ought to worry about yourselves if you can’t keep a private conversation from being over heard.”
“What did I miss?” Emily asked.
Zack shook his head and released his breath with a groan. “Nothing.”
She frowned. “Nothing my ass.”
****
Considering their inability to share a private conversation, Caspian was impressed by Joseph’s safeguards surrounding the building. He reached for Demetri. They all use open communication.
I know. It’s laziness. Many things have been lost over the centuries.
He wasn’t really mad.
Zack pushed a button and doors opened. He froze. His heart accelerated. The box made of mirrors.
“What is this?” he asked.
“It’s an elevator,” Emily said.
“It moves from the bottom to the top of the building,” Zack explained.
Caspian stepped inside. “I’ve seen this before.”
“When?”
He didn’t answer. He hadn’t stated it for them. He felt it moving, taking them up. A few seconds later, the doors opened. Hand in hand, Zack and Emily stepped out and turned to face him.
Emily motioned for him. “You had better hurry before the door closes on you.”
He stepped out and turned to look at it. “What did you call it?”
“An elevator,” Zack said.
“Are you okay?” Emily asked.
He glanced at her. “I am fine.”
Joseph stepped out into the hall. “It’s good to see you. Come on in.”
“Hold on.” Caspian turned away to look at the e
levator. “I’ll come back later. I need to go for a walk.”
“We can go with you,” Zack stated.
Caspian looked at him. “Why?”
“You need to be careful and…”
“You need to mind your own damn business,” Caspian cut him off. “I will not be held captive again.”
“No one intends to make any attempt to prevent you from coming and going as you please.” Joseph said. “We just need to sort a few things out and get you caught up.”
“It cannot wait for me to take a walk?”
Joseph shrugged. “It can wait.”
“I’ll see you soon.” Caspian walked toward the elevator.
****
“Are you seriously letting him go for a walk?” Emily asked.
Joseph shrugged. “He’ll be fine.”
Emily frowned. “Did either of you see his fucking eyes?”
Zack nodded. “We noticed.”
“If that’s true, you know damn well he’s in hunt mode right now,” Emily stated.
“He won’t kill anyone,” Joseph said.
“We promised Demetri we would watch over him. We can’t just let him wander off on his own.” Emily said.
Zack placed his hand on her shoulder. “We can watch over him without pissing him off by treating him like a prisoner.”
“I can keep an eye on him from my security monitors.”
“If he leaves the hotel?”
“He won’t.” Joseph shook his head. “He knows he needs to get caught up and keep a low profile to prevent Erebus from discovering he’s free.”
17
Caspian studied his reflection in the elevator door for a few seconds. He pushed the button Zack had used to open the door. When the door opened, he found himself face to face with several humans. Too many humans. Too many hearts beating. He needed to get away. He couldn’t control the dark hunger growing in him.
As he backed away from the elevator, his vision blurred with a red tint. He started to walk down the hallway. He didn’t dare get into an enclosed box with so many people. He saw a door leading to a stairwell. He opened it. He planned to get to the roof and take his dragon form. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he needed to find a place without humans. He needed complete isolation.
He felt Demetri touch his mind. Give it time, brother. You’ll learn.
Rather than respond, Caspian cut Demetri off. Just then, a sweet scent filled his lungs. The same mixture of light lavender and vanilla as before in his crypt. He wasn’t alone in the stairwell. A woman was close. Too close. His incisors lengthened as he listened to her heart beat. He no sooner realized it was beating too fast, when he heard a second heartbeat. It was faster. It was muffled. “She’s pregnant,” he whispered beneath his breath.
He went completely still. He needed to get away from her. He needed to save her. He needed to save himself. He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. When he lowered his hand, he wasn’t surprised to see blood smeared over it.
He started to move up the stairs again. He felt drawn to the woman. His heart thundered in his chest. He needed to stop, but he kept walking. Each step brought him closer to complete damnation. He knew he would kill the woman and her unborn child, but he couldn’t stop. His hunger for blood refused to be denied. It was a terrible pain, an intolerable fiery pain burning deep in his gut.
Demetri!
He felt Demetri merge with him. You are not going to hurt a defenseless human female.
He imagined her hot, sweet blood flowing into his mouth and down his throat, filling him, restoring his strength. He froze the instant he spotted her sitting on a step, leaning against the walls with her head bowed.
It was her. The woman who’d come to him in his crypt. It can’t be.
Your mate.
You see her?
The tables have turned, Caspian. You must fight and defeat the darkness in you. You must survive for her.
Did you know?
No.
His heart skipped a beat, and then it raced. I thought it was you. I thought she was a trick to get me to remove the walls.
Nikolas and I spent several days pushing through your spells. You didn’t release them.
You need to stop me. I am begging you to kill me before I kill her.
No. It’s impossible. You know it’s impossible. You will not hurt her.
I need to know you will intervene if I fail.
I will stop you, Caspian. I swear I will stop you.
“This can’t be all there is,” she whispered.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She lifted her head. When her gaze met his, his terrible unending pain, his ravenous dark hunger for blood vanished. He felt peace. He felt hope. He felt strengthened and empowered. He felt his dragon surface to meet her. He hadn’t felt his dragon in many years. Too many to count. In awe, he stared at her for a few seconds, realizing ten thousand years of power, of strength had been instantly and miraculously restored to him by her existence.
I am fine, brother.
I know.
****
Startled, Anne Lockhart stared at the man. She hadn’t heard anyone come up the steps. “I am sorry.” After returning from a doctor’s appointment and learning that she was just beginning her sixth month of pregnancy, she’d sat down on the step to rest for a few minutes.
“Don’t apologize for sitting. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She scooted over to allow him to continue his way up the stairs. She placed her hand over her belly. “My feet are just a little sore.”
Rather than step around her as she expected, he knelt on the step below her. “Are you injured?”
“No.” She shook her head, wondering why he looked familiar. “I was just resting for a minute.”
His eyes followed her hand to her belly. “You’re expecting.” He lifted his hand as if to touch her belly. “May I?”
She looked at him for a few seconds. He looked familiar, but she was sure she’d never met him. His request to touch her belly was the last thing she would’ve expected from him. She nodded.
When he placed his palm on her belly, he kept his gaze on hers. He smiled at her. A smile that reached his eyes. “This is the greatest miracle.”
“It scares me.” She laughed nervously.
His eyes narrowed as he seemed to study her face. “Why?”
“What if I fail him?”
“You will not fail him.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I would tell you to stop entraining such dark thoughts, but it’s natural to fear failing the ones we cherish above all, is it not?”
“Yes.” She smiled. He got it. A complete stranger understood her. “Love is terrifying.”
“It’s powerful.”
“And it’s blinding.”
“You believe you’ve loved someone who didn’t love you.”
“I did.”
“He wounded you?”
“No. Not really. It wasn’t real love.” She shook her head. “I wounded myself. I fooled myself.”
He took her hand and placed her palm on her belly and then he placed his hand over hers. “This is love.” His gaze remained on hers. “Pure love.”
She thought his response odd until she realized he likely had a child on the way. It would explain his fascination with her pregnancy, with her baby. She started to stand up, but she stopped when her sore muscles cramped.
“Your feet are more than a bit sore.”
“It’s really nothing. Just a little swelling.”
“Your blood pressure is slightly elevated. You need to take it easy. Do you get enough rest?”
“How do know my blood pressure is high?” She just found out from her doctor.
He looked guilty. As if she’d caught him doing something. “Just a guess. Is it not the reason for swollen feet during pregnancy?”
Maybe his appearance of guilt was her imagination. “It’s a common reason.” Or not. Something was off. There was more to him than wha
t he was presenting.
“Where were you heading?”
“My room.”
“I’ll take you.” He scooped her up in his arms.
She panicked. “You can’t possibly carry me up four flights of stairs.”
“Why?”
“I weigh a ton and a half.”
He laughed softly. “You carry the baby and let me carry you.”
“Put Anne down, Caspian.”
“Mr. Payne, I was…he offered to take me to my room.”
“I am taking Anne to her room,” Caspian said.
“Put her down right now, Caspian.” Another male voice from behind.
Anne felt something powerful, something dark and dangerous in Caspian. It was an unstoppable force swelling in him.
“I will not.” His voice resembled a growl.
“She is under my protection,” Joseph said.
She started to panic at the realization of Joseph considering Caspian a threat to her.
“You know Anne is with child. Stop scaring her. It is not good for her or our unborn child.” His voice had a calming note to it until she realized he’d referred to her baby as their baby.
“You’re sure?” Joseph asked.
“I am.” Caspian replied.
Joseph looked at Anne. “I misunderstood Caspian’s intentions. I apologize for jumping to conclusions and scaring you.”
“There’s no need to apologize.” She looked up at Caspian, willing him to let her down. “It’s okay. I can walk.”
He smiled. “There’s no need for you to walk.” He started to walk up the stairs. If her weight was difficult to bare, he didn’t reveal it. He moved at a steady pace, never once breathing harder. He turned and used his back to open the stairwell door when they arrived at her floor.
“Caspian, why did he…”
Silencing her, he stopped and looked down at her for a few seconds that felt like an eternity.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You said my name.”
“I’m sorry, I…”
“Sorry?” He frowned, shaking his head. “Don’t be sorry.” He started to walk again. “I want to hear you say it often.” She started to feel uncomfortable. Something was seriously off with him. “You were going to ask a question.”
“Why did Mr. Payne ask if you were sure?”
“I suppose he wanted to make sure I knew you’re perfectly safe with me.”
Savage Breath of Darkness Page 12