B005EMAYWS EBOK Read online

  Everyone in the room stared wide-eyed in Gray Eagle’s direction. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Finally it was Lex that volunteered to give the leader of the Sungmanitu the bad news.

  “She was taken by a vampire. We are in the process of trying to find her now.”

  Justin’s eyes went from the color of dark chocolate to fiery yellow. A low growl emanated from his chest, forcing its way up through his throat. He threw back his head and roared. The bones in his face were twisting - morphing into something unrecognizable as human.

  Anton stepped forward. “It was the Gatekeeper’s wish that you not be told of her fate yet. There is still a chance that we can save her.”

  The wolf retreated momentarily. “Take me to Donavan,” Gray Eagle demanded in a deep - dangerous voice. There was murder in his eyes, but he seemed to sense the importance of maintaining control.

  * * *

  Summer’s eyes fluttered open. She was forced to bring a hand up to shield her eyes against the early morning sun. It had been so long since she’d seen the sun, its radiance was almost blinding. She felt strange, as if she wasn’t alone.

  Had it been the sun that woke her, or something else?

  The floor next to her bed creaked. Summer turned in that direction to see someone standing next to her bed - watching her. She was a pale and sallow looking girl with stringy brown hair and sunken eyes. The bite marks on the side of her neck had angry purple bruising around them. This girl was a feeder. Summer wondered if the girl was aware that she would soon die.

  “What time is it?” Summer asked, hoping that her visitor was coherent enough to give her at least some information.

  “It is late afternoon. You’ve slept a long time.”

  “What’s your name?” Summer sat up and prepared to leave her bed.

  “Candy,” she answered, her smile was weak and haunting. “I’ve come to help you prepare for the ceremony.”

  “What ceremony?” Now Summer was worried. Marius had talked of some rite, but she wasn’t sure what it was.

  “The Rite of Eternity,” Candy told her. “You are fortunate. So few of us are ever given that honor.”

  “Honor?” Summer grimaced. “Have they convinced you that’s what it is?”

  “Of course. You will be given to your master for eternity, bestowed with the gift of immortality.”

  “That might be okay … if I wanted to be with him forever,” Summer told her. “That’s not what I want.”

  Candy turned away. “Some don’t, but they eventually come around.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Less than a year. I’m one of Omar’s girls.” Candy seemed proud to be of service to such a powerful vampire.

  Summer had heard of Omar. He was the vampire that had been trying to kill her friend, Sarah. If she was among Omar’s vamps, Summer knew that she was in serious trouble. Even if Anton could find her, she didn’t know how much of a chance he would stand against these vampires, especially if he came alone. That would be just like Anton. He liked working alone. She could only hope that he knew better than to do so this time.

  Summer was sure Anton was looking for her, though she had no idea how he’d be able to track her to Louisiana.

  Reaching up to grasp Candy’s frail arm, she told the girl, “You know that you will die soon from loss of blood. You already look very weak.”

  Candy pulled her arm from Summer and looked away, but not before she saw the sadness in the girl’s eyes. “It doesn’t matter. My life was over before Omar took me.”

  It was then that Summer noticed the tracks on the girl’s arm. She was a junkie - someone that wouldn’t be missed. Vampires targeted these types of people. They were easy to conquer and there was no one to notice when they didn’t show up for dinner one night. They could disappear from the face of the earth and no one would even think to look for them.

  Summer was saddened by the thought. She had no idea what life would have been like if she hadn’t had her family to give her love and support. She felt shame when she realized that only days before she’d thought of turning away from her family. Her father would have listened to her and considered her objections to this marriage. He’d always listened to her before.

  “Why don’t we help each other?” Summer suggested. “You could help me get out of here and come with me. We could escape together and I can help you make your life matter again.”

  Candy shook her head. “Life is actually bearable here. They give me just enough smack to fix me up and I don’t have to look for a bed at night.”

  Summer’s heart was sitting in the pit of her stomach. Convincing a junkie to run away from their supplier would be nearly impossible. She was on her own.

  Candy reached over and picked up a dress that had been flung over the chair. “This is what you are to wear,” she told Summer.

  The gown was beautiful. It was made of red silk and black lace, but was old fashioned - out of style by at least a hundred years.

  Candy pointed to the adjoining bathroom. “You can bathe and then I’ll help you dress.”

  “How long do I have?” Summer asked.

  “They want me to bring you downstairs after sunset. A couple of hours maybe.”

  Summer hoped she could come up with a plan to escape in that amount of time, but she was doubtful.

  * * *

  The vampire and the wolf scrutinized each other with open curiosity and distrust. Donavan didn’t hate the wolves, but he did not make the mistake of underestimating them like so many of the immortals did.

  The scene in the elegant drawing room of the Garden District home might have appeared to be a simple informal gathering, at least to the average person. If you were one of the few people that were aware of the creatures that lurked undercover of darkness in the cities and towns around the world, the picture would seem very bizarre. Whenever vampires and wolves came together, the result was usually destruction. But for the first time in thousands of years, the wolves and vampires had joined in a fragile partnership.

  “I regret that your daughter got involved in this business.” Donavan told Gray Eagle. “But it would seem that it was one of your own that is the cause.” Donavan turned his hard eyes on Anton.

  “The girl took her own life. I did not feed her the poison that killed her.” Anton glared at the vampire.

  “This is of a personal nature. I don’t see how I can be of any assistance,” Donavan told them.

  Looking every inch the predator that he was, Gray Eagle’s features had become rigid with fury. “If anything happens to my daughter … there will no longer be peace. We will drive you into extinction.”

  Donavan’s smile was cool and unyielding. “My brother is already determined for the peace to end. He thinks that our creators will return soon and he wants to prove his worth to them. This situation with your daughter has only catapulted the situation.”

  Justin Gray Eagle turned his attention to Anton. “Can you take me to this nest of vampires?”

  “I don’t know the exact location. I only saw that it was a large house, here in Louisiana somewhere. It looked like an old plantation.”

  “I have been able to track them to Lafayette, but I don’t know where they are beyond that,” Ethan informed them.

  Nicole had remained on the sidelines, watching the scene unfold, but now she stepped in. “I can show you the old houses in that area and you can pick out the one you saw.”

  Donavan shook his head. “It would be foolish for you girls to get involved in this. Let the wolves handle this on their own.”

  “I was told by the Gatekeeper that Summer plays a major role in the destiny of the immortal sisters,” Anton growled. “If you let them kill her, you will bring harm to your own daughters.”

  “He tells the truth,” Lex interrupted. “Kathrina! Come and introduce yourself to your father.”

  Lex had thought it best that Kathrina wait to confront her father until it was necessary. The fewer peop
le that knew the sisters had finally come together, the better. Now she stepped from the hall into the drawing room.

  It wasn’t easy to take such an old vampire by surprise, but Donavan’s shock was evident.

  “Regardless of what their final destiny is, these girls were born to be slayers. It is time that their training begin,” Lex told him.

  Donavan looked upon his youngest daughter with pride, as well as fear. She was the strongest of the three - the child that would bring it all together.

  Nodding to him, Kathrina uttered only a single word. “Father.” Her face was an emotionless mask, revealing nothing of what she might be thinking. Her eyes held no questions for him.

  Donavan reached out with his mind to probe her thoughts, but he hit a brick wall. Never had his power failed to provide him insight on the thoughts of another, with the exception of the ancients, but Kathrina was different.

  “You are a beautiful child,” he told her with a guarded smile.

  Kathrina didn’t respond. She obviously was not interested in the formalities of the father and daughter meeting.

  The slightest of smiles touched her lips. “If you will not help save my cousin, then I will do this on my own.”

  Donavan turned away from the group that stood before him. His eyes rested on the royal crest that hung above the fireplace. It was his heritage, and it was his daughters’ heritage. They descended from the royal blood of the original vampires. This was both an honor and a curse.

  He believed that the return of the creators would be far different than what Omar believed. They would cleanse this world of the progeny that they left behind. Producing an entire race of vampires had never been the intended result when they left the guardians behind. His daughters were far more important than what anyone realized.

  Finally Donavan broke his silence. “Your best chance of saving her will be during the day. Obviously this is not something that a vampire can help you with.

  “Father, if you refuse to help, we will go with them to find her,” Nicole announced.

  Donavan turned his hard eyes on his oldest daughter. “It would be suicide. Wait until you are ready.”

  “We are ready,” Kathrina spoke up.

  “I will go with you to this place,” Donavan told them. “But to attack a vampire in darkness is folly.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” Gray Eagle spoke through clenched teeth. “I might find it pleasurable to confront this brother of yours.”

  Donavan shrugged his shoulders. “We will leave for Lafayette when the sun sets tomorrow night.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  From the second story window, Summer watched the sky turn to shades of red and orange as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizen. Beneath the canopy of trees, the swamp lay in thick shadow - its dangers would be well hidden by the coming darkness.

  From downstairs she could hear commotion. The feeders were preparing the nest for when their masters left their coffins. If she was to have any chance of escape, she didn’t have long to do it. Once the vampires were awake, her fate would already be decided. A trek through the dark swamp would be incredibly dangerous, but that risk paled in comparison to what would await when Marius sent for her.

  Candy had dressed her and left the room. Under different circumstances Summer might have felt beautiful. Her long golden brown hair was like a silk waterfall, and the gown showed off her curves like nothing she’d ever worn before. Yes, the gothic fashion suited her well, but the effort was wasted. She had no desire to look beautiful for Marius.

  Out of pure desperation, Summer tried the door. Though she was sure it would be locked, at least the action of trying the door handle was better than just sitting there and waiting for them to pollute her blood with the poison of the vampire.

  She was surprised when the handle turned easily. Candy had forgotten to lock it when she’d left - at least that’s what appeared to have happened. Summer suspected the girl might have left it open on purpose, to give her at least some chance at escape.

  Opening the door just a crack, Summer peered out into the long hallway. It was empty as far as she could see. The hall was dim. Someone could easily be lurking in the shadows beyond the reach of the light. Holding her breath, Summer watched through the cracked door for several minutes, but nothing moved.

  Slowly she opened the door and slipped out into the hall. There was no chance that she’d be able to get out the front door, she had to find another exit. The gallery and main staircase would be too risky, but Summer knew that old houses would often have a back stairway that the servants used.

  Heading in the opposite direction from the front of the house, Summer silently made her way down the large hall, staying close to the walls. At the end of the hall she came across two narrow staircases. One went up toward the attic, the other down.

  Summer stepped down to the first stair cautiously, wincing when she heard it creak. With no light in the stairwell to help her see, she was forced to hold onto the handrail for guidance. The stairs spiraled to the bottom floor, coming out in an area near the kitchen. A nest of vampires wouldn’t have much need of a kitchen, which explained why it too was dark and abandoned.

  Summer was sure that she would find an exit at the back of the house, possibly even in the kitchen. Entering the kitchen, she felt fear gnawing at her nerves. There was no exit from the kitchen, but when she stepped into a large pantry, she found a door that led outside.

  Wasting no time, she opened the door and stepped into the twilight, taking care to close it behind her. There was no sense of alerting them to her escape before they found her gone from her room.

  Summer sprinted across the large expanse of lawn at the back of the house. Near the swamp were four small buildings in different stages of decay, probably left over from the days when slaves worked the fields of Louisiana’s plantations. At the last minute Summer decided to hide in one of the cabins. She needed a moment to think and to get her bearings.

  Stepping through the opening where a door once stood, she found herself in complete obscurity. It was too dark to see what might be sharing the space with her, though she didn’t have a lot of choice. It was either hideout in the cabin, or risk getting caught before she even had an idea of where she would go to escape her captors. She could only hope that there were not snakes nesting inside in there with her.

  Leaning against the interior wall, Summer closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel a small amount of relief. She was by no means safe yet, but at least she was out of the house.

  Before she had the opportunity to contemplate her next move, she heard the back door to the house open and slam shut. Summer carefully peeked around the corner of the doorframe. He was already searching for her. Marius stood in the yard, staring out into the darkness. The vampire would definitely pick up her scent in a matter of seconds.

  Summer felt along the floor to see if she could find some type of weapon. She knew she probably wouldn’t stand a chance, but she had to at least try to fight him off. The alternative was too horrifying to think about. Finally she was able to find what felt like a two by four. She quickly picked it up and hid on the side of the doorway.

  An instant later, Marius was walking toward the cabins. He had already tracked her scent. With no back door to flee through, she had no choice but to try and take him by surprise. Hiding in the dark would do her little good - Marius would see her.

  Lifting the wood above her head, she was ready to bring it down on him as soon as he came through the doorway.

  Marius was standing just outside. “Summer … it will do you no good to run. There is no place for you to go but into the swamps, and you won’t survive an hour in that swamp alone.”

  Knowing he would hear even the littlest noise, Summer held her breath and stood perfectly still. Her patience paid off when he stepped inside. Summer swung the wood down on his head, stunning Marius just enough to get by him and out the doorway.

  Summer ran as if she was being chased by all the
demons of hell, but she just wasn’t fast enough. Marius swooped down from the night sky, knocking her into the grass. He stood over her, his face grotesque in his fury. His eyes were like pools of fire. He was a vampire that hungered for her life essence, but also her heart.

  Summer screamed when she saw his sharp fangs going for her throat. She tried to push him away, but he was giving her no leeway this time. She felt his teeth sinking into the artery in her neck, but it was not as painful as she had imagined it would be. The pain of his fangs piercing her skin was gone quickly, but there was a feeling of intense pressure in her neck as he drew the blood from her body.

  Slowly she felt the warmth of the night fade away. She was cold. The chill of the grave crawled over her body - luring her into that comforting darkness that is death. Though she was gasping for air, she just could not get her lungs to work. Her body was dying, and at any moment, her heart would cease to beat.

  Marius pulled away. She could see him leaning over her, but her vision was too blurred to make out details.

  “You should not have done it this way Summer,” he was telling her. “I love you … I wanted it to be right for us.”

  He was doing this because he loved her. At least he thought he was in love with her.

  Her last thought was of Anton and the wonderful love they had shared in their short time together. She had been so sure that she would spend her life in his arms, growing old with him and loving every minute of it. Instead her fate was the grave or the vampire’s kiss.

  “Don’t … turn me.” Summer’s words were barely audible. “Let me … die.”

  * * *

  Marius kneeled over Summer’s lifeless body. As his fury left him, the pain in his soul exploded - spreading anguish to every part of his existence. He had tried to convince himself that he’d taken her to avenge his woman’s death - he wanted her wolf lover to feel the pain that he had. Now he recognized his true motive had been love. He had let himself fall in love with his captive. His fear of losing her had sent him into a rage and now he had taken her life.

  With her last words she had asked that he let her die, but he could not do that. He brought his wrist up to his fangs. He would pierce his vein and feed her the elixir of immortality. They would be together forever.