B005EMAYWS EBOK Read online

  With a start she realized that the name on the inscription was her own.

  My Beloved Kathrina

  There was no middle or last name, just the name Kathrina. The name was anything but common. The grave had to belong to her mother.

  How could she intrude on her own mother’s resting place?

  Pushing the slab to the side, Kathrina was faced with another surprise. The person inside was wearing a nun’s habit. The body was decayed, but the habit was still recognizable. Resting on the body was a large book. The same one that Rovati had tried to hide.

  She grabbed the book and placed it on the floor next to her feet. Kathrina then pulled the slab back over the nun’s grave.

  Yes, it would soon be time to put some questions to Donavan Ashe.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The evening air was warm, but still Summer could not shake the cold from her body. Like the night, the chill of the grave would always be with her. Not being able to get warm was just another curse of the immortal.

  She was wearing only a sundress, and it left her feeling colder than usual. With no clothes of her own, she’d been forced to borrow items from Nicole and Sarah. Being taller than both of them, most of their clothes did not fit her well.

  Summer threw the few items that she had into a small duffle bag. Taking one last look around the room, she felt sadness creep over her. It was true that she’d lived through so much misery while secluded in the little bedroom, but it had also been her haven. Here in Donavan’s house, no one could touch her, but now she would be on her own.

  After saying her goodbyes, Summer found Anton waiting for her at the front of the house. He was leaning against a late model green sedan. It wasn’t the same vehicle that he’d been driving in Reno, but that wasn’t all that unusual. He didn’t spend that much time away from Outerlands so there wasn’t a lot of reason for him to have a car for regular use.

  Summer paused before descending the porch stairs. Even after everything that had happened, just seeing him made her feel as if she had butterflies in her stomach. Everything about him screamed alpha male. She longed to feel his long blond hair between her fingers again, or to see those sensuous gray eyes smolder with passion.

  With his large arms folded in front of his broad chest, he appeared closed off and unapproachable. Again she felt that pain squeezing at her heart. It was plain to see that he was keeping a physical and emotional distance between them. It was a rift that she may not be able to mend, even if she wanted to.

  Bracing herself for whatever would come next, Summer continued to the car. When Anton saw her approaching, he opened the door for her so that she could get in. As soon as she was in the car, he closed her door and walked around to get behind the wheel. Without a word to her, he started the engine and pulled out onto the street.

  The silence between them was deafening. In all the years that she’d known Anton, never had she been so at a loss for what to say to him. After everything that they’d shared together, making small talk didn’t seem appropriate. How could she talk with him about something as mundane as the weather, when there was so much left unsaid between them?

  Instead of trying to engage him in conversation that would only make them both feel uncomfortable, Summer watched the city pass by from the car window. Anton made no effort to talk with her so it was evident that he too preferred the silence.

  They drove for hours before he finally pulled off at an isolated rest stop in Texas. By now Summer’s hunger was making her shake uncontrollably. Though she’d fed before leaving New Orleans, she needed more.

  Getting out of the car, Anton went to the trunk and opened it. A short time later her returned with a bag of Dash’s recipe. He inserted a clear plastic tube into the valve in the IV bag and handed it to her before turned and disappearing into the night.

  Inserting the tube in her mouth, she drew the cold blood mixture down her throat. The taste was terrible, and would have been much more palatable if it had been warmed. When she was done feeding, she felt a hundred times better. She could think straight. When in the throes of the hunger, it became her only thought - her only purpose.

  Anton had left her alone so that he would not have to watch her feed. This knowledge did little to dispel the notion that he now found everything about her distasteful. The self-hate that she felt was bad enough, but she could not deal with it from someone that she loved as much as she loved Anton. Knowing how he was feeling made it impossible to even look at him when he returned to the car.

  Summer heard him get in and start the engine, but she didn’t turn to face him. Even after hours of driving there had not been two words between them. It was just as well. She couldn’t think of anything to say that would erase the horrors that Marius had brought into their lives.

  * * *

  It was their second night on the road and still the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. He had been cordial to her, but in a cool and impersonal way. When they’d stopped to sleep, he’d covered all of the windows of the motel room with blankets and gave her several to wrap up in. The blankets were extra protection to ensure that any light that might enter the room would not touch her skin.

  Unlike the last time that they’d traveled together, Anton did not share her room, but instead opted for getting his own room. There was no reason to sleep in the same room with her, and every reason not to. Although she was no longer in any imminent danger, she could be a threat to him.

  After reaching New Mexico, Anton turned north toward Colorado. When the sagebrush gave way to pines and aspens, Summer knew that she was getting closer to home. They had finally made it to the Rocky Mountains. That meant only one more night of travel before they arrived at the Wind River Mountains, the home of the Sungmanitu.

  With each passing moment, Summer felt the love that they’d shared slip further and further away. Finally she could take no more.

  “Anton. Why don’t you talk to me? I am the same person that I was before.”

  “Are you?” he asked, without taking his eyes from the road.

  “I didn’t choose this you know.” Summer’s voice was tight, her anger simmering just below the surface.

  “I know.” Anton glanced at her.

  “Then why do you hate me?”

  “Hate you?” He seemed startled by her question. “I don’t hate you. I am only giving you what you asked for.”

  Summer opened her mouth to respond, but there was nothing she could say. She had asked her father to tell him that it was over and that he should go away. It was true - he was only giving her what she’d asked for.

  What had she expected?

  She had expected compassion, understanding, maybe even friendship. That is what she’d expected, but what she’d wanted was something else. She wanted him to fight for her love - prove to her that what they had would endure anything, even what she had become. It was apparent to her that she’d wanted too much. After all, he’d made it clear from the beginning that what they had was just sex. His sorrow had been brief, attesting to the lack of depth to his feelings.

  Anton looked over at her. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something, but there wasn’t anything else to say.

  “Just as I thought,” he said, anger adding a rough edge to his voice. “You have taken that vampire for a lover, and now he is the one that you wait for.”

  Summer’s jaw dropped. She was so shocked by his accusation that she could not find any words to defend herself. He believed that she’d allowed Marius to become her lover. Though that is exactly what Marius had wanted from her, she’d never even gave it serious thought.

  “Is that what you think of me? You believe that I would hop from your bed to his, without missing a step?” Summer’s voice shook with fury.

  Anton shrugged. “You have shown that your heart is with the immortal. It is best that you spend your time toying with him … I don’t have the patience to play your games.”

  “Let me out of this car,” Summer dem
anded. “I’ll find my own way home.”

  Anton made no effort to slow the car. “I’ve been asked to bring you home. After that, I promise that you’ll never have to suffer my company again.”

  Summer trembled as her heart fragmented into millions of pieces. She was fighting to hold back the tears. She’d prefer death to letting him see how bad he’d hurt her. Even if she’d had anything to say to him, she would have choked on the sobs that she struggled to control.

  She waited patiently. Sooner or later he would slow the car. He would have to in order to maneuver around the curves in the steep mountain road. Summer placed her hand on the door handle, ready for the next time he slowed for one of those curves. She didn’t have to wait long before she saw a sharp curve up ahead. Wrapping her hand tightly around the handle, she waited for just the right moment.

  Anton’s hand few toward her and his fingers clasped painfully around her arm. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned.

  Summer’s fury erupted and she suddenly became aware of the blood rushing through his body. It called to her hunger. The beating of his heart was like a drum echoing in her ears. She hissed at him and her eyes began to glow as her lust for blood ate at her reasoning. Pain ripped at her hands as the claws of the jaguar sprouted from her fingertips. A roar tore from her throat and she yanked her arm from his grip.

  Startled, Anton hit the brakes and the car swerved to a stop. His body was quaking, his own instinct for survival swelling within him.

  Summer struggled with her bloodlust, finding the control she needed to think. She had to escape the wolf’s wrath and her hunger. Practically ripping the handle from the door, she pushed it open and disappeared into the dense pines. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, but no matter how fast she ran, she could not elude the despair that had descended on her soul. Even with someone that she loved, she had been unable to control her lust for blood. The monster that she’d seen reflected in his eyes was the truth of what she was.

  Finally Summer felt that she was far enough away to slow her pace. Though the moon was full, its silver light barely penetrated the thick cover of trees that obscured her view of the sky. Now that she was no longer face to face with Anton, she began to realize the folly of her actions. She would have to find shelter before sunrise, and she hadn’t the slightest idea where she was, or even where the nearest town was. She had no food with her so she would be forced to hunt, and to kill.

  Suddenly she was gripped with an overwhelming feeling of defeat. She felt as if she didn’t have the strength to take another step and slid to the ground near an old pine tree. Resting her back against the large trunk, she closed her eyes. If only she could wish it all away - go back to who she’d been before Marius had taken her.

  Through the haze of her sadness, she sensed that a predator was near, even before she caught his scent. Her eyes flew open in alarm and she saw the wolf. With a grace that only an animal could possess, he slowly moved toward her. She could feel his wild - untamed nature, but instead of the fear that she should have felt, she was drawn to him. She found herself enchanted by the wolf’s radiant yellow eyes, and the way his gray and silver pelt moved over his hard - lean body.

  Summer’s eyes locked with his and in that brief instant, the power of the vampire and the wolf clashed. The wolf was not intimidated by the vision of death that emanated from her eyes, he kept moving toward her.

  It dawned on her that at any moment the wolf could leap on her and tear her throat out. The animal was large enough that he could easily sever her head. Anton would know how to kill a vampire. He would be aware of the fact that tearing the throat out and severing the head was one of the few ways that an immortal could be killed.

  Summer got on her knees, trying not to make any sudden movement that would provoke the wolf into an attack. She could only hope that enough of Anton was still in the wolf that he would not lunge at her and rip the flesh from her bones.

  The wolf had stopped, but his eyes never waved from her face. Summer cautiously got to her feet and stood up. The dread that she was feeling went beyond fear for herself. If he attacked, could she bring herself to destroy him in order to save her own life? Summer knew that she could not knowingly kill him.

  Her only option was to try and outrun him. Just as she made the decision to flee, the wolf leaped at her. Summer was knocked to the ground, her head missing the tree by mere inches. She braced herself for the pain of his teeth slashing at her throat, but instead she felt a warm tongue on her cheek.

  The wolf licked at her face, and then pinned her down by putting all of its body weight on her. He was heavy, but not too heavy for her newfound strength as a vampire. With a little effort, she could have thrown the wolf off of her, but she remained still. It did not appear as if he would attack, but was simply preventing her escape.

  Summer closed her eyes and willed herself to be calm. The changing was not something that she was unfamiliar with, but before she hadn’t been a natural enemy of the wolf like she was now. She felt the weight on her shifting, and the wolf growled.

  When she opened her eyes she saw that the beast within him had withdrawn, but his eyes were still those of the wolf. He stared down at her, the hunger in those eyes so different than the bloodlust that possessed the vampire. His gaze was full of turmoil and passion.

  Summer was unable to resist the urge to touch him and she reached around to caress his back, enjoying the feel of his firm muscles against her hand. Her hand then moved to his hair. She had missed the warmth of his body and how his hair felt when she ran her fingers through it as they made love. She let herself get lost in the feeling of his naked skin against her, separated by only the thin material of her dress.

  With no warning, his mouth came down on hers. Even during the most intense moments of making love, his kiss had not held so much hunger. She could feel the heat of his stiffening flesh against her bare leg and the sensation made her trembled with need. Her hand slid down his back to his hips and she pulled him closer, squeezing his body against hers.

  Anton’s lips strayed to her neck and the feeling of his teeth scraping against her neck added to the desire that burned within her. To be so close to him - to know that he hungered for her - was as tantalizing as the delights that his touch promised.

  “Take me,” she whispered.

  “And your vampire?” he whispered, his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his heat.

  Summer just shook her head. She did not want to tarnish the moment with unpleasant memories. Instead, she reached down to wrap her hand around his thick arousal, squeezing and stroking him at the same time.

  A deep growl radiated from his throat and he lifted off of her long enough to flip her over onto her stomach. His large hands were on her waist, pulling her hips up to him. Moving her panties out of his way, he mounted her with a single thrust of his hips. His animal instincts took over and he savagely plunged into her swollen - wet core.

  Summer’s body erupted in a fiery inferno of passion. She was literally crazed with need and would have killed to reach that peak of utter and complete ecstasy that she knew he could give her. At the same instant that she felt him explode within her, she was swept away by her own blissful release.

  Anton held her hips tightly. They were still joined when he leaned over to rest his upper body on her. She felt his long hair cascade over her back and was instantly aroused by the sensation. Summer was in awe at how easily he could stir her passions.

  Taking a deep breath, Anton pulled away from her and gathered her into his arms. He brought one hand up to gently caress her face. “You’re so beautiful. I can understand how he could desire you so.”

  Summer shook her head, a denial on her lips. Before she could utter a word, he silenced her with a deep kiss. When the kiss ended he told her, “I don’t want to know. Tonight you are mine.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Getting on her hands and knees, Kathrina retrieved the book that she’d hidden beneath her bed.
Instead of turning on the lamp, she grabbed the small flashlight that she kept in the drawer of her nightstand. The cover was made of very old leather that was worn and scuffed in several places. There was no writing on the front of the book, just a weird symbol of two entwined snakes. The symbol was strangely familiar, like she’d seen it somewhere before, but just couldn’t place where.

  Opening the book, she wasn’t too surprised to see that the pages were made of antique parchment and the script was handwritten. It appeared to be someone’s journal, but there were no dates to the entries. Unfortunately the words were in a different language, possibly ancient Greek.

  With a deep sigh, Kathrina was ready to close the book when she noticed several loose pieces of paper tucked in-between two pages. The paper looked much newer than the parchment in the book. She pulled the pages out and examined them. They appeared to be a translation of the text to English.

  Kathrina began reading the entry on the first page.

  I have been cast aside and left behind because I dared to oppose their plans for this primitive species. What they have created was not the slave race they intended, but monsters. I can only wonder what will become of these altered beings in the generations to come. They have even mated with the primitives, creating born vampires, all of which were left behind as I was.

  Kathrina jumped at the sound of a scuffling noise outside her bedroom door. As quietly as she could, she slid the book beneath the bed. Whoever was outside her door continued down the hall. It was too risky to read the manuscript while her father still roamed the house.

  She had no doubt that the ancient manuscript was the Book of Anu, and that it contained information that they were forbidden to know. When her father slept she would continue reading. With the insight that she might get from the book, just maybe they would have a fighting chance of overcoming their enemies.