The further they got from the cabin, the more anxiety she felt building in her. She knew panic wasn’t going to help her. She forced herself to take a deep breath; trying to keep calm.
She let her thoughts drift to Seff. She had managed to save him and was relieved to know he’d be safe. Guilt washed over her as she thought about how she’d left without telling anyone where she was going. Seff would have to tell them, and she wondered briefly if he had made it back to tell Quinn where she was yet but stopped the thought quickly. She needed to stay calm and she didn’t know what had happened to the pack members that had run south. That was a surefire way to get her anxiety going again.
A cell phone next to the driver rang, startling her.
“Yeah?” he grumbled out, his voice was deep and menacing.
A few moments passed and the man chuckled lowly.
“Sure it was. The stupid shifters didn’t know what hit them. How the mighty have fallen.” He had an unusual accent that Jaisey couldn’t place.
Jaisey could feel her anger rising. They’d tried to kill her friends and family. She wanted to hit the man or pull the steering wheel into the embankment or into the trees. She might get hurt, but with any luck, she’d hurt him too.
That’s my girl. Don’t give up, baby… I’m coming.
Jaisey gasped. Quinn’s voice cut through her thoughts, clear as a bell. He was all right. Relief flooded through her. The driver looked at her sharply through narrowed eyes. She quickly masked her shock at hearing Quinn. Again… voices in her head? She was losing it, but at least this voice gave her some measure of comfort.
Quinn? Can you hear me? She thought back at him.
“We’ll be there shortly,” the man said curtly and snapped the phone shut. He glanced over at her again. So much for trying anything; he was watching her like a hawk now.
Quinn hadn’t responded to her question, so she assumed he was unable to hear her words.
Jaisey… I love you!
His voice was so clear she could imagine him standing right next to her. Her breath caught in her chest.
I love you too, she thought at him, wishing he could hear her reply.
She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy on returning the thoughts of love. With everything she had, she loved him and knew he would find her. Her heart began to beat faster; needing to see him again.
Stay calm sweetheart, I’m coming. I can feel you. We are coming for you. I have our fathers, Caleb, and Ulric with me.
She almost laughed out loud. Ulric was coming. The man hated everyone, why would he bother? She could feel Quinn’s laughter wash over her. The sound made her smile.
I know… Ulric. He insisted on coming along. Your guess is as good as mine.
The truck slowed and lurched suddenly and Jaisey looked around in confusion. The driver had turned off the pavement onto a dirt road leading off to the northeast. She’d been sure they were driving her out of the mountains. Where were they taking her?
Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought you’d behave a little better Jaisey. We can’t have that shifter following you.
The velvet voice was back, and a bitter edge formed the words.
There will be no more of that.
She felt an odd wrenching sensation and knew he’d closed her link with Quinn somehow. She listened for Quinn anyway, but his voice didn’t come back. The voice had blocked Quinn from her. She tried to stop the panic, fearing Quinn wouldn’t be able to find her without that link. What would she do if he couldn’t? She took a deep breath and tried to calm down again, looking for something to focus on.
The road, if it could even be called that, had become rutted and each bump jarred her painfully, even though the driver had slowed considerably.
She tried to watch where they were going, but the only thing visible in the truck’s headlights was the twisting dirt path. There was a half-moon above them, but clouds had dotted the sky and were continually blocking the light, so not much was illuminated.
The drive felt reminiscent of the road down to Quinn’s village; it was narrow and curvy and lined with trees on either side. After a while, they started an upward climb, slowing the truck even more.
Exhaustion was beginning to settle over her. She didn’t know how long they traveled up the road, but by the time they stopped, she was nearly falling asleep. With how long they’d driven, she knew she was hopelessly lost and deeper in the mountains than she’d ever been.
The driver got out and rounded the front of the truck heading for her. Belatedly, she thought she should have tried to make a run for it when he’d stopped the truck. Her mind wasn’t working quickly enough with the fatigue that threatened to overcome her. She refocused and tried to shake herself into a more wakeful state. If another opportunity presented itself, she would take it without hesitation.
The rough hand grabbed her arm and dragged her from the truck. She let out a tiny squeak at the painful grip, knowing that he was bruising her arm. The man’s head snapped up as if he’d heard something. He looked down at the grip he had on her and quickly let go as if she’d burned him.
“Let’s go,” he commanded.
The other men had piled out of the truck. In all, there were six of them, including the driver. No chance of outrunning them all, she thought glumly. Well, she would still try if she found a good opportunity. Even with the occasional bursts of moonlight, she couldn’t see anything but the forest.
They began marching her through the trees and brush on an overgrown trail that was heading uphill. They walked and walked, and if she’d had any hope of escape, it disappeared when the trail leveled and opened up. The mountain’s edge ran alongside them to the left, and to the right was a sheer drop off.
The path led them through a narrow passage and opened up into a huge canyon. It was massive, surrounded on all sides by mountain walls.
Her eyes rounded when she saw the stone structure about halfway up the side of the northern wall. It appeared to be an amazing feat in engineering, to say the least. There was a castle built right into the side of the mountain.
She caught a laugh in her throat; there were turrets, but no drawbridge or moat. Still, it had a completely medieval look about it. The perfect setting for a horror movie with a hazy, cloud-covered moon above.
The men marched her up a steep, narrow trail that led to the large wooden doors. They passed two men that seemed to be standing guard. By the time they reached the top, she was out of breath. The door opened and a dark-haired woman pulled her from the men and without letting her go, led her down a long hallway to a set of stairs.
Jaisey had no time to look around as the woman rushed her forward without a word. They climbed the stairs and then headed down yet another hallway that made several turns. By the time the woman reached her destination, Jaisey was completely turned around. The woman stopped and opened the door but held onto Jaisey to give her instructions.
“You will bathe and eat. There’s a bath drawn, and there are foods to nourish you. You’ll have time for some rest, and I’ll return to get you when it’s time to meet the masters,” the woman said coldly. She was easy enough to understand but had the same unusual accent as the man that had been driving.
Jaisey was shoved roughly into the room. The door closed behind her and then a loud click echoed through the room. The woman had locked her inside.
An overwhelming sense of panic hit her. This was the home of the Shroud. She rested her head on the closed door, trying to process what was happening.
Her thoughts ground to a halt when the realization hit her. The woman had said, masters. As in more than one. Perfect, a house full of vampires. She couldn’t help but think of them as anything else. Bloodsucking vampires and they were a very real threat to her. The images that came to mind unbidden had them in capes, with blood dripping from sharpened fangs. She tried to shake off the images. Picturing the vampires from horror movies wasn’t going to help her get through this.
No, she needed to remain calm. With
any luck, a way out of this whole mess would come to her.
Sure, keep my calm. She laughed and turned to face her prison, and her laughter broke off abruptly.
The room before her was… amazing. It wasn’t anything like the cold hallways or exterior.
There was a huge four-poster bed with a maroon coverlet, ornate cherry wood furniture scattered throughout, and across the room from the bed was an opulent stone fireplace. In front of the fireplace, a loveseat and overstuffed chair sat on a beautiful maroon and gold trimmed rug. Next to the fireplace, a door led off to what must be the bathroom. On the wall opposite where she stood, a set of French doors were opened, and she could see a small balcony beyond. The walls were covered in beautiful paintings and tapestries that matched the cover on the bed and the rug near the fireplace.
It was like something out of a gothic romance novel. She hurried to the balcony to see if there was a way of escape, but her hopes were immediately dashed. The balcony jutted out from the side of the sheer rock face of the castle. It was a straight drop down to the bottom of the canyon. Seeing no hope of escape from her room, she returned to the interior.
A small table next to the loveseat held a tray of finger sandwiches, cheeses, crackers, and bits of fruit. It was tempting. She was starving and didn’t think they planned on poisoning her; at least, not with poison that would kill her, more like the kind of poison that would make her a monster too. She shivered at the thought. Her stomach lurched at the images that filled her head from horror movies once again, and her appetite was suddenly gone. She really needed to get a grip on her imagination.
She headed to what she assumed was the bathroom. The room was every bit as extravagant as the bedroom; from the enormous marble tiled tub to the full-length gilded mirror. A simple, but beautiful, emerald-colored dress was hanging from a hook near the dressing area. It reminded her of the dresses she’d seen at a renaissance festival she’d been to the previous summer – again with the whole gothic feel.
A large plush towel and robe sat on a stool next to the filled tub. She could feel the steam from the tub rising as she stepped closer. Indecision filled her, along with a heavy dose of irritation.
She wasn’t sure how far to take things. She was having trouble processing whether she should or shouldn’t follow the instructions the woman had given her. If she did, she might be seen as weak or willing to do whatever she was told. However, it might not be a bad idea to keep her hosts in a good mood. Ignoring the instructions might anger them and bring a more abrupt end to her chances of getting out of this in one piece.
In the end, she decided that she was tired and sweaty from the hike to the castle and the bath simply looked too tempting. She stripped and soaked.
Jaisey tried to relax and think back over the events of the evening. She skipped over the avowal ceremony, knowing that would only bring pain. Instead, she thought about the attack on the village and how she’d started seeing gold and red streaks, figuring she must have been close to shifting. If only she had. Then she wouldn’t be in this situation now.
She soaked until she realized the water was growing tepid, not to mention she was starting to nod off. The fatigue was catching up again, she needed to sleep.
Actually, what she really wanted was to be out of this place, out of this predicament, and back safe with Quinn. But clearly, she was on her own here, at least for a while.
She dried and pulled the robe on with a glance over at the dress. She had a feeling that it had been picked out for her meeting with the bloodsuckers. Irritation ran through her again. She didn’t want to do anything to please them, and yet, logic said she needed to keep them happy to buy time to figure out how to get out of this whole mess.
She gave in to her hunger when she left the bathroom and nibbled on a few of the things the tray had to offer. There was a cup with tea as well, which was cold. She took a hesitant sip, still distrustful of her hosts. She couldn’t place the type of tea, but it was definitely some form of herbal concoction. A few sips were enough to make her think of sleep.
She was still irritated as she headed to the large bed to curl up. She could see the sky starting to lighten through the French doors. She closed her eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep. In the back of her mind, she searched for Quinn, hoping she would find him, but the darkness claimed her before she could search very far.
* * *
A shuffling noise pulled Jaisey from her dreamless sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, feeling completely disoriented.
Oh, right. Dracula’s castle, she thought wryly.
The woman was back and stoking a fire in the fireplace. The French doors had been closed and there was an oil lamp burning next to the bed, casting eerie shadows on the wall.
She could tell it was dark beyond the French doors. Her head felt muddled and she assumed there had actually been something in the food to make her sleep. The woman stood and turned to face Jaisey.
“Good, you’re awake. The masters will be waiting. Change, and I’ll lead you to them.”
Again, with the instructions. And she had definitely said master’s – plural. Great. Like one vampire wasn’t going to be enough to deal with. A near hysterical feeling was starting to descend on her and she had to fight it off. The limits of what she could accept and handle were being seriously tested and she knew it was only going to get worse.
With a resigned sigh, she headed to the bathroom. It was clear she was to wear the dress, so she pulled it on and turned to the gilded mirror. The dress fit perfectly, and she would have admired it, had it not been a gift from some bloodsucking killers. She laughed, the hysteria bubbling closer to the surface. If she could keep the sarcasm going, her mind might actually make it through this in one piece.
The woman stepped into the room behind Jaisey and pushed her toward the stool.
“Sit,” she commanded.
Jaisey had to fight the urge to resist.
The woman handed her a pair of simple slipper shoes and began brushing Jaisey’s locks, winding her hair up in twists. Moments later, she stepped back and nodded approval. Jaisey glanced over at the mirror again and gasped at her reflection. With her hair swept up in twisted masses, she looked much like she had the previous night for her avowal ceremony. Had it really only been the night before? Her heart skipped a beat and an image of Quinn flooded her mind.
The woman grunted to catch her attention and then led the way out of the room. Jaisey followed obediently, but this time she walked a little slower, trying to take in her surroundings.
The hallways were cold and empty feeling, though the walls held portraits and paintings. There were oil-burning lamps set in little recesses up and down the corridors. Apparently, the place didn’t come with electricity. There were no carpets or rugs in the hallways, adding to the empty, cold feeling.
They worked their way down a sweeping staircase, and Jaisey realized it wasn’t the one she’d come up before.
Great.
She realized she had no chance of finding her way out of the place on her own. Her mental map of the castle was completely confused, and she couldn’t even tell what direction she was headed.
At the base of the stairs, they turned into a room that must have been meant as a ballroom. The room was huge and open, though empty of anything other than an ornate chandelier that hung from the center of the ceiling. Under different circumstances, she might have enjoyed exploring the castle and appreciating the architecture.
After crossing the huge area, she was ushered into a smaller, cozier room. This one held a large wooden table surrounded by ornate high-backed chairs – a formal dining room.
The woman gave a curt nod and backed out, closing the door behind her. Another door across the room caught Jaisey’s eye. A potential means of escape. She started to make her way toward it cautiously, making as little noise as possible.
A fireplace halfway down the room had a fire burning low within, and she stopped beside it when a man opened the door she’d been headed
for. He was carrying a tray with several glasses. He completely ignored her and placed them at the table’s three place settings.
Her mind was reeling. Were they going to wine and dine her before making a meal out of her? This was all too much. Her fear began to take over once again and she knew she had to get out. When the man left the room from the way he’d come, she whirled around to make a break for the door she’d entered through. With any luck, the woman wouldn’t be hanging out waiting for her.
She pulled the heavy wooden door open and stopped in her tracks. Two men were crossing the ballroom, headed her way. A feeling of malice settled over her. She could feel the air around her pressing in.
The one closest to her smiled charmingly, trying to make her feel at ease no doubt. He had blonde hair and blue eyes that were breathtaking. The other had dark hair and even darker eyes, nearly black.
They kept walking forward toward her, so she backed up until she hit the table behind her, the oppressive sensation stealing the air from around her.
“Good evening, Jaisey. Welcome to Castlerock Keep,” the closer one said. It was the voice – velvet and smooth. She hadn’t imagined it, and these were the vampires; the Shroud.
It took her several tries to finally take a breath. Her head was swimming. An odd humming began sounding in her ears loudly, and her eyes threatened to blur. She fought against the sound and blinked her eyes to clear them. The sound abated, and a new sensation quickly flooded her senses. Terror. The men didn’t look all that evil. But she could definitely feel it in them.
Immediately the thought came to her that evil should not be allowed to be beautiful, even if only on the surface. She would have felt safer in a deserted alley in the worst part of any major city than she did standing in the room with these two men. And they were staring at her, waiting for her reply.
“Hello,” she said. Her voice was raspy and shaking.
Shift (Castlerock Shifters Book 1) Page 27