Dark Enchantment: A Vampire Romance (Immortal Legacy Book 3) Read online

  Immortal Legacy 3

  Dark Enchantment

  Lorraine Kennedy

  Copyright 2016 Lorraine Kennedy

  All Rights Reserved

  Lavine Press 2016

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Author

  Chapter One

  Nicole

  Mornings were the worst. That’s when I would have to force my eyes open and face a bleak world without Alec in it. Nothing held the same joy for me now. The sunshine seemed harsher and the nights darker.

  There was beauty in the changing seasons, but I didn’t see it. I was incapable of seeing anything but my own misery. I walked around in a daze, going through the motions of life without actually living it.

  It was like losing Jay all over again.

  The world kept turning and life went on, but I was stuck in a void where there was no emotion, no light, and no way out.

  I’d gone to the Dark Wind a couple times, hoping that by some chance I’d see him there. The other Necro members were still playing at the club from time to time, but not Alec.

  One night, the drummer walked by my table and I got up the nerve to ask him if he knew where Alec Norwood was, but he’d simply shaken his head. Not even his own band knew where Alec had gone.

  Eventually, life returned to normal, though now I rarely smiled. I still had an apartment to pay for, which meant that I still had to go to work. Ethan was a sweetheart. He knew I was having a hard time, but didn’t push for details. He was the kind of guy who figured when you were ready to talk, you would.

  After what I’d witnessed in that back room at the Cell, it had taken me some time to get used to being around Ethan again, without being skittish. My fears were baseless. Ethan was the same person he’d always been.

  I still liked my job, although it didn’t seem to interest me as much as it once did. But everything was like that. I couldn’t even bring myself to watch my favorite TV shows these days, and when I did I couldn’t focus.

  My father did return to New Orleans as he’d promised. Donovan was always close at hand now - watching over me. This should have made me feel safe and cared for, but it only reminded me of the person I really wanted to feel safe with.

  As bad as the days were, they were nothing compared to the nights. There were nights when the emptiness was so profound, I considered seeking out a vampire to end my pain. If I turned, I could find Alec and there would no longer be any reason for us to be apart.

  I couldn’t even count how many nights I’d sat at the window bench, staring into the night, always hoping beyond reason he would come back or perhaps I would catch a glimpse of him watching me from the street. But I never did.

  He was really gone.

  Curling up on the sofa, I tried to concentrate on the vampire show, but as they played out their romance drama, it all seemed so hollow to me. Giving up, I turned the TV off and took my place near the window overlooking Treme Street.

  It was getting late. The Voodoo shop downstairs had already closed for the night, as had most of the businesses. That meant there were very few people milling about.

  It also meant there was less to occupy my thoughts. I would have already gone to bed if I’d thought I would actually fall asleep.

  A cup of hot chocolate was exactly what I needed to help me sleep.

  I was almost to the kitchen when I heard a bunch of racket coming from just outside the living room window.

  Spinning on my heels, I grabbed the first thing that was handy, which happened to be a statue of a street musician holding a saxophone. It was heavy and would do the job. Raising the statue over my head, I was ready to hit whoever was outside my window, but when the window slid open, it was Dash’s head that came through.

  Releasing the air I’d been holding in my lungs, I lowered my makeshift weapon. “Dash! What are you doing?”

  Frowning, Dash brought his brows together. “Visiting! What does it look like?”

  “So you come to my window?” I asked, putting the statue back in its location on the little cherry wood end table.

  “You’re a bit jumpy don’t you think? I believe you were actually prepared to hit me in the head with that piece of art!” he grumbled.

  Now I was perturbed. Placing a hand on my hips, I asked, “What do you expect? It isn’t every day I get visitors at my window, which by the way happens to be on the second floor. Why can’t you use the door like a normal person?”

  “Me, normal? Now you are losing touch with reality. Remember, I am the vampire, Dash,” he added, putting just a hint of menace in his voice.

  “Oh jeez!” I rolled my eyes.

  Plopping onto my sofa, he propped his black boots on my coffee table. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Well yeah! I don’t even put my feet up on the coffee table.” I reached out to push his boots off the table.

  “So, the real reason I came by was to ask about this Wyoming trip. Are we still going?”

  Instantly, I felt as if someone stabbed me in the heart.

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Alec is gone now and it was his idea.”

  With a wave of his hand, Dash brushed away my words. “Girl, you need to forget about him. He’s a player, like all vampires.”

  “I don’t believe that.” I shook my head. “And forgetting about him is easier said than done.”

  Jumping to his feet, Dash draped an arm around my shoulder. “The next time I see Alec Norwood, I’m going to kick his ass for doing this to you.”

  “It’s not really his fault. He just did what he thought was best, at my father’s insistence.”

  A grimace twisted at Dash’s features. “That’s no excuse. I have a good mind to find out where he’s hiding out and remind him of our intended trip.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled. “But if he doesn’t want to be found, I don’t intend to bother him.”

  “He’s just another guy, Nicole. Don’t let the fact that he’s hundreds of years old intimidate you. One thing I can tell you, the basics don’t change. Men are men, no matter what century they’re from or what’s in their diet,” he explained.

  There was no a doubt in my mind that Dash was right about that, but deep down I knew that Alec cared and that’s why he left.

  Dash left through the door instead of the window. I had no intention of letting him climb down the fire escape and take the chance he’d be seen by Mrs. Potts. How he’d managed to get up the fire escape without my nosey neighbor seeing him was beyond me.

  Like Ethan, Dash hadn’t been a vampire long enough to perfect the art of levitation, though I’d discovered that they could both jump pretty damn high, though I had my doubts Dash actually managed to jump to my second story window.

  After a hot shower and so
me chocolate, I collapsed into my bed, but sleep eluded me. No matter how exhausted I was, I still felt a certain amount of anxiety when it came time to sleep. Inevitably, Alec would visit me in my dreams and we would make love. It was so real that when my eyes opened, I was surprised to see that I was still alone and then the tears would come.

  How could a dream be so real?

  There were times that I had to wonder if he’d found a way into my head and was making love to me with his mind. The thought was erotic, but I suspected it was probably just wishful thinking.

  Chapter Two

  Nicole

  Although I had my eyes on the computer screen, I wasn’t actually absorbing anything I was seeing. All I could think about was how real last night had seemed. The lingering memory of his gentle caress was almost too much to handle, even if it hadn’t been real.

  “Nicole! Are you still here?” Ethan’s voice intruded on the moment, shattering the memory of last night’s dream.

  Looking over to where he was sitting at his desk, I nodded. “Sorry. I wasn’t ignoring you. I just got lost there for a minute.”

  “You’ve been staring at that same report for the last hour. Is something wrong?”

  Sighing, I shook my head. “I guess I’m a little tired. That’s all.”

  “Why don’t you go home and get some rest?” he suggested. “You don’t have to stay all night. You’ve already been here most of the day.”

  “I’ll be okay,” I told him, turning my attention back to my computer. “I have to finish running this background check you asked for before I leave for the night.”

  Ethan got up from his desk and went to the little kitchenette to refill his coffee cup. After taking a couple swallows, he cleared his throat to get my attention.

  Not that he really had to do that. Concentrating on work was out of the question.

  Looking up, I asked, “Was there something else?”

  “Well, I wasn’t going to bring this up yet, until I asked your father about it, but maybe you’ll feel better if I do.”

  Now I was curious.

  “I’ve received some information that one of your sisters may be on the West Coast somewhere. I mean, this girl is a pretty good fit and someone I think we should check out.”

  “Really? You’re right. We should check it out.” I wanted to be more enthusiastic, but it was difficult to reach outside the gloom that had become so much a part of my life.

  “Are you kidding?” Ethan shook his head. “This is fantastic news. I would think you’d be more excited, considering what this means for the Light Seekers, and like it or not, you’re one of us now. Not only could this girl bring us closer to uncovering the secrets, but hey … she might be your sister.”

  “I know, and I am excited.” I forced a smile. “You’re right. This is great news.”

  And I was excited. Although I missed Alec so much that it hurt, finding one of my sisters would take me that much closer to fulfilling the prophecy and my elusive destiny.

  Ethan walked over and gave me a soft slap on the back as if I were one of his buddies. I guess I was one of his buddies, though I didn’t hang out at the library with him. That’s what Ethan liked to do for recreation.

  “I wish you would have listened to me, Nicole. Didn’t I tell you not to look into his eyes?”

  I opened my mouth to say something - to make some kind of excuse, but all that came out was a sob. That’s when the tears started.

  Kneeling next to my chair, Ethan took my hand in his. “It will be okay.

  “It will never be okay again. I love him and living without him totally sucks.”

  “He only did what he thought was best for you,” Ethan reminded me.

  “It wasn’t though!” I shook my head.

  Standing up, Ethan folded his arms and slipped into silent mode. After a few minutes, he put his arm around me. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this but Dash did some snooping around and dug up some info. It seems that Necro is scheduled to perform an outdoor concert in Texas, this weekend,” he added.

  I was practically holding my breath as I waited for Ethan to continue. He wouldn’t be telling me this if it didn’t have something to do with Alec.

  “And?” I urged when he didn’t say more.

  “Well, there’s talk that Alec will be performing with them. But like I said, these are just rumors.”

  I jumped up so fast that I knocked my chair over.

  “Sorry,” I said, reaching behind me to right the chair before turning back to Ethan. “Can I take a few days off?”

  Ethan smiled. “Sure, but be careful, Nicole. Don’t forget what those people really are. If Alec isn’t there, don’t hang around.”

  “I won’t,” I promised, barely able to contain my excitement.

  Suddenly my enthusiasm vanished.

  What if he doesn’t want to see me?

  “Is something wrong?” Ethan asked.

  “Well, I was just thinking. Alec was the one who broke it off. What if he doesn’t want to see me?”

  Cocking his head to one side, he said, “In that case, maybe you’ll just have to convince him how wrong he is.”

  Ethan was right. Maybe Alec would turn away from me again, but if he did, then I’d fallen in love with someone who didn’t exist in the first place.

  “There’s something else I should tell you.” He stopped me just as I reached the door. “This girl that we think might be your sister; well there’s talk that she has some trouble brewing around her. It would be a good idea to check this out as soon as possible.”

  Although he hadn’t meant to, Ethan’s words cast a shadow over my little burst of optimism. “I’ll look into it as soon as I get back from Texas,” I told him. “But don’t wait for me. You and Dash should find out what you can.”

  Ethan nodded, but there were worry lines on his face.

  Chapter Three

  Nicole

  The large field outside Dallas was now an ocean of people. There were people in every direction. The event was some annual rock festival that lasted all day. Several bands were scheduled to perform and according to the program guide, Necro should be coming on soon.

  It was no surprise they were scheduled so that their show wouldn’t start until after sundown, but the wait was agonizing. Every few minutes, I glanced at the western horizon, and each time the sun had descended just a little more.

  There were so many people, I felt like I was in a sardine can. To get near the stage, I practically had to plow my way through the crowd. Once I did finally make it to the stage, keeping my spot wasn’t easy. People kept trying to push me out of the way but I wasn’t moving.

  As the last rays of sun faded, the stage exploded in a spray of fire. Simultaneously, the guitars came alive, sending out waves of haunting chords. The red spotlights cast an eerie red glow onto the fog billowing from the stage.

  When the smoke cleared, I saw him. The wind was blowing through his hair and his eyes were alive with hunger. Suddenly, Alec’s voice rang out above the roar of the crowd.

  His words of love and desire pierced right through to my soul.

  And then his eyes were on me. Once again I was falling under his spell. This time, I didn’t fight it but welcomed it.

  In that moment, I saw no one else; not the rest of the band, not the people around me. I saw only Alec and his exotic, hypnotic eyes. His vampire eyes!

  To be so close to him after all of this time, but not feel his arms around me was a torture beyond anything that I could have imagined. Throughout the show, his eyes rarely left me.

  My heart called out to him to end my suffering.

  Too soon the music faded and Alec disappeared, taking my heart with him.

  I was too devastated to move. All I could do was stare at the empty stage.

  The lump in my throat was literally cutting off my breath. To be so close to him, and then have him disappear without a word was like having a knife shoved into my heart. I’d never realized before that ins
tant that heartbreak could actually cause physical pain.

  He’d acknowledged me with his eyes, but no more than that.

  Turning away from the stage, I pushed through the crowd. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion. All I wanted was to get away from the people and find solitude so that I could grieve in peace.

  Finally, I was out of the crowd and walking through a sea of parked cars. Tears blurred my vision as I wandered around, trying to remember where I’d parked. All the cars looked so similar in the dark.

  Finally, I saw my car and started running in that direction.

  I had to get away!

  Maybe if I ran fast enough, I could outrun the pain.

  Brushing away my tears, I tried to insert the key in the door’s lock. That’s when a hand reached out to cover mine, taking the keys from me. When I twisted around, Alec was standing beside me.

  Without thinking, I threw my arms around him, welcoming the feeling of his arms encircling my waist.

  “Don’t cry, sweet. There have been too many tears in your life,” he said before kissing away the tears that were streaming down my cheeks.

  Pulling away, I stared up at him. “You should have never left.”

  “I left only because I love you,” he whispered. Alec’s mouth came down on mine and he kissed me with all the passion and yearning I could ever hope for.

  I clung to him, afraid that if I let go he’d disappear and I’d wake up to find that it had been nothing but a dream.

  When the kiss ended, he gazed at me with such adoration that I could feel my heart bursting with love for this man - this vampire.

  “I will never leave you again,” he promised.

  “What about my father?” I asked, still a little breathless.

  Alec held me close, his lips close to my ear. “He will have to kill me to keep me away from you. I was going to sleep through your lifetime so that I would not be tempted to return, but I couldn’t do it.”

  The thought of never seeing him again was the most terrifying thing I’d faced so far.