Chapter Nine
I was in a forest running like before. I had to keep going. If I stopped, I was dead. Fear coursed through me as I slowed. How long had I been running? Just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t stop!
This time, there was no light ahead … just darkness. Deep, hideous laughter radiated through the forest. I tripped over a root, crashing down hard. I tried to scramble up, but I was shoved back down. Quickly surrounded, I had run out of options. I was shaking violently.
“P-p-please. You don’t have to do this!” I cried out.
“We don’t have to. We want to,” someone hissed. More laughter. I circled. Six of them. Six hooded monsters. I knew they were all there: Jo, Aidan, Patrick, their parents, or whatever they were, with their razor teeth, lifeless eyes, bloodless faces. The skin stretched freakishly across their barren skulls. And then, her. Instinctively, I moved toward one of them. I knew it was her; it had to be.
My hand reached out, clutching her hood. I began to peel it back….
I woke up screaming. Anabel and Theo were on either side of me, pinning me back against the bed. Thrashing and screaming, my body contorted and trembled in fear.
“Shh, shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. It’s just us. We’re here. Look at your arm. It’s healed. There’s no need to fear,” Theo soothed.
“It was just a dream. I’m here. Theo’s here. You’re safe. Truly,” Anabel chimed. My breathing eased, and I stopped thrashing.
“Your arm’s healed,” Anabel said. Dread pierced through my heart like an ice pick. I’d been so caught up in my nightmare I’d forgotten my arm. Bringing my hands in front of my face, I inspected both to make sure they looked the same. No damage. I glanced at both faces curiously.
“It was Theo.”
“Thank you, Theo. How did you do that? Wait.” I sat up quickly. “The fire.”
“That was you. I don’t have the power to do that.” Theo sat in a chair next to the bed.
“We’re just figuring out how Gifted you are. We have no idea what all you can do, but I feel this is just the beginning.” Anabel smiled.
“Is it normal to have this type of power? I mean, why does everyone keep saying I’m really powerful? If I am, are you, too? Or am I a freak among freaks?” I sounded calmer than I felt. Inside, the terror was clawing to escape and I did my best to clamp it down. Ash had said sorcerers only had one power, maybe Gifted were different, or he was wrong. But…I hadn’t done anything yet, besides have blue energy that could lock doors, and I had turned on the lights… I trembled.
“We’re all talented in our own rights. Theo’s energy is focused on healing and destroying. It’s quite beautiful, really. His energy can mist into every little crack and crevice of something and, poof, it’s gone. Heath can use his energy to move objects, to physically impose his will, whereas mine is all mental, really.” Raw emotion charged through me. Jealousy. Their power was so precious. The only power I’d truly seen was Thea’s and hers was seductive, all-consuming, deadly. My eyes began to prick with the heaviness of my emotions.
“We’re not freaks,” Theo added dryly. Anabel and Theo exchanged a long look as if determining what to tell me. Guilt crept up, helping me keep the terror at bay awhile longer. I didn’t think they were freaks. Maybe I thought I was, but the gift of healing, of helping people that was wondrous.
“You are normal. You are not a freak,” Anabel said, still staring at Theo. I looked back and forth at them. I choked out a strangled cry, crumbling and failing to keep it together as I began to sob.
“Shh, shh,” Anabel lay down beside me, cradling me while I cried. Theo discreetly disappeared. “Sleep, Lorelei. I promise you will have no dreams while I’m here. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but everything will be okay. You will be okay.” I drifted off, and she was right: it was a dreamless sleep.
Waking disoriented and alone, I clambered out of bed, trying to grasp my surroundings. Across from the bed was a large brick fireplace. The room itself bare. The bed was large, made of sturdy oak, and the floors were wooden with a large oriental rug. A small night table and bureau were the only decorations. A door on the far wall opened into a small on-suite.
Splashing water on my face, I gazed at myself in the mirror. I looked gaunt, my skin sallow, and I felt exhausted, like I could sleep forever. To calm myself, I counted. One. Two. Three. Breathing deeply, I did it again and again.
Fortifying myself, I went out of the bedroom and started down a long hallway, following the voices in the distance. The hallway opened onto a landing and led to a large oak staircase. Holding the banister, I dragged myself down slowly. The staircase led to a grand entrance way. To the left, I could make out the great room, where the voices were coming from, and to the right was what looked like an office. I stood wavering between the heated voices from the great room and the idea of going back to sleep when Anabel appeared. She smiled at me.
“Good, you’re up. Come on; I’m hungry.” She pulled me past the staircase down a narrow hall, passing various rooms until the hallway emptied into a large, bright kitchen filled with stainless steel appliances, a large island, and marble counter tops. The kitchen didn’t match the rest of the house. It looked modern, fresh, while the rest of the house echoed a long-forgotten era. I breathed sharply.
“I know.” Anabel winked at me and sat me on a barstool by the island before she began rummaging through the double wide refrigerator. Pulling food out and making sandwiches, she yawned. “It’s only ten, but it’s been a long day. We need to eat and go back to bed. Heath and Theo will be back in the morning.”
“They left?”
“I didn’t give them a choice.” Anabel grinned. “There’s nothing they could do for you. You’re better protected here than anywhere else, and I’m with you to keep that bitch out of your head. Besides, we can’t all miss work.” Is that why we all work together? I tucked the thought in a mental folder to bring up later as she set a sandwich in front of me and slid onto the barstool next to me. We ate in silence. Feeling safe for the first time, I knew it was because I was here. I decided to not ask the question that was floating in my mind. I’d get answers. I would make sure of it. But for now, I just wanted to enjoy the peace I felt.
“What?” She looked at me with a puzzled smile on her face.
“It’s just … I feel relieved. Relieved to be here. Safe, which sounds crazy, but it’s true.”
“No, no, no,” she said quickly. “You should feel safe here. While you were asleep, I came up with a temporary fix. I put a block on your mind so your sleep will be dreamless. She can’t get to you, awake or asleep.”
“Anabel. What all can you do?”
“Well,” she grinned mischievously, “one of my Gifts is the ability to go into your dreams, kind of like Thea. It’s complicated, but suffice to say, I can enter your dreams. You came to me … remember, I told you that? You showed me what was going on in your mind—your thoughts, your plans. You asked for help. Subconsciously, you knew I could help you. It’s a newer power, honestly. I came into it a few months ago. Theo came to me in a dream, or so I thought, but I had actually entered his dream, his mind. Crazy, right?” She looked at me, blushing.
“Don’t worry. I don’t root around in there. And whatever I see, I keep to myself. I’m sorry. I should tell you…. In order to block her, I went into your mind while you slept. I forced my way in to see her, what she was doing to you. I had to see it in order to find a way to block her.”
“Okay.” I hesitated. “It’s just a lot to take in. I’m not quite sure how to process it all. I’m still really angry, Anabel. I don’t know if, after this is all over … I don’t know if we can be friends or anything.” I paused, letting that sink in. She nodded, blinking rapidly, her expression hurt. I looked away, pretending I didn’t see the tears she was struggling with, and gave her a moment to collect herself. Guilt ate at me, but I reminded myself that I wasn’t the one who had lied. “How did you do it? Blo
ck her, I mean?”
“She uses touch to entice you. Every touch binds you closer, making the real you fade and become more obedient to her. I came up with an herbal remedy and gave it to you. It’s only temporary but effective.” She smiled weakly at me.
“You’re really good at this.”
“Good at…?”
“You’re really good at being Gifted. You always seemed so normal, so put together, yet here you are, rooting around in my dreams, throwing together a drink to keep a psycho from possessing me.”
“Well, I am normal, Lorelei. It’s just that I’ve always had a hard time being close to people who don’t know I’m Gifted. I always thought it was better to keep you at a distance because you didn’t know. But, please understand, I do care about you. Heath is like a brother to me. He’s been your best friend for a long time, and that has always been real.” She reached over, patting my arm in an issue of reassurance. I knew it would be obvious to her that Heath’s betrayal had cut me deeper than anything. While I understood her trying to comfort me about Heath, it only angered me. As if sensing that she pulled away. “We will get you through this.” She smiled tightly and stood, effectively ending our conversation.
Cleaning up after ourselves, we made our way back to the staircase in heavy silence, each consumed by our own thoughts. Patrick walked out of the great room, his eyes appraising us. Anabel started for the staircase, saying, “I’ll be sharing your room. See you soon.” Her slim figure slipped silently up the stairs, leaving me alone with Patrick.
“We should talk,” he said. He held out his hand, and I took it hesitantly.
“Don’t worry. Anabel’s blocked your mind. It’ll keep Thea at bay for a little bit. She can’t get to me through you.” Instead of pulling me into the great room, he took me into the study. Gesturing to a green leather back sofa, he sat beside me, putting his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. A great desk took up the majority of the room, a large, green leather chair looming behind it. Patrick pulled an afghan from the back of the sofa, draping it over us. A pillow propped my head up, and we stayed in silence, eyeing one another. I had to fight the urge to mount him. My breath quickened as those familiar urges rose within my body, awakening the great beast within. I squeezed my thighs together, and Patrick’s eyes darkened, a sly smile crossing his face.
“I want you. Here. Now,” he said, “but we need to talk.” He broke eye contact. Sitting up, breaking physical contact, I tried to increase the space between us.
“What are you? Really,” I spoke softly, slowly. My fingers traced my lips, remembering our kiss.
“First, I just need to say I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I had no idea. I-I—”
Placing my hand over his mouth, I said, “How could you have known about that thing, whatever it or she is? Let’s just be honest with one another. Who are you? What are you? Where are we?”
“Well, for starters, we’re in my family’s home. My name’s Patrick James, and we’re at the James estate,” he smiled mockingly, and I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, sorry. I’ll be serious. We are on the James estate, and my family has resided on this land for generations. I’m not sure how to explain what’s happening to you or what I am. While you were out, there was a discussion about trying to ease you into this world. There’s a lot of guilt from your friends about not preparing you, but you may never have come into your powers. I can’t help but think it’s because of this, Thea and myself, that your Gifts are starting to show.”
“Are you Gifted?” My body began to tremble. I sensed no energy coming from him, Jo, or Aidan. Whatever his answer, I knew I wouldn’t like it.
He laughed for a moment before growing serious. “Oh no. Not even close. I can’t tell you what I am. You have to guess.”
“What? Just tell me. If you’re not Gifted, then what the hell are you?” My voice sounded colder, harsher than I had meant it to.
“It’s against our nature, to tell anyone what we are. This is hard for me. I’ve never had to be open about it before. Look at me; really look at me. Think about every interaction we’ve had. Haven’t you noticed anything strange or different about me? Think, really think. Add it all up.”
Standing, he began to pace angrily. Patrick and Heath had more in common than they could imagine. Both made cryptic remarks and paced when upset. But Patrick was right, and I let the reasoning portion of my mind pull out her checklist and have her day. As I ran down the list quickly, it felt like ice water was being poured over my body. Panic tore through me as I realized the obvious.
Gasping, I ran to the door, but Patrick was already there blocking my path. Stumbling back, tripping over my feet, I started to fall. Before I could hit the floor, Patrick had lifted me up, sitting me on the couch. I cried out and pulled myself up into a ball, shaking uncontrollably.
“Lorelei … Lorelei, please understand. I’m not going to hurt you. I won’t ever touch you again unless you tell me to. I promise. Please look at me. Talk to me. Your friends would never have left you here if they believed you were in danger. This is the safest place for you.”
Ignoring him, I rocked myself back and forth, the silence stretching for what felt like eons until Patrick said, “I’ll get Anabel. They were right. I shouldn’t have said anything. I know it’s all too much.”
“No.” I found my voice. Continuing to cradle myself, I met his gaze. “Vampire,” I whispered softly. He looked like I’d slapped him. He moved to sit behind his desk.
“We don’t appreciate that term. We go by Sang,” he replied, his voice crisp, “but, hey, whatever you prefer.”
“Do you hurt people? Do you kill them?” My mind raced with questions.
“If I want to, I can, but mostly no, and it depends. I also drink from blood banks.” He eyed me coldly.
Inhaling sharply, I asked, “It depends?”
“Listen. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say I’ve never killed before. You’d be a fool to believe me, and it’d be ridiculous for me to say so.” Suddenly in front of me, Patrick brought his face closer, his eyes narrowing. “I will not lie to you about who or what I eat. I will not hurt you or anyone close to you. But I do hunt and eat. And on the rare times that I have to kill, I make sure they deserve it.”
“So, you’re what…? The judge, jury, and executioner, all rolled up into one,” I spouted angrily at his callousness of lives he’d taken. My heart pounded so hard it was ringing in my ears.
“More like the Dexter of vampires.” He said drily.
“So good to know you keep up with all the latest TV shows and can compare yourself to a serial killer. That’s quite refreshing.” I tried stepping away from him, but he held on, pulling me closer.
“I am not human. My moral compass is not the same as it once was. But, over the years, I have learned to discriminate when it comes to killing. I have not killed in many years. It’s not something I want or need to explain. Now, in feeding, I will feed on whomever and then send them on their way with a pleasant memory of something else and in need of some sugar.”
“Have you ever, you know … eaten or, you know, bit me?” Curiosity overriding my anger and commonsense, begging for an answer.
“No. Now let’s change the subject for tonight. We can discuss it again later.” A wave of disappointment hit me. Did I want him to bite me? For some reason the idea was oddly thrilling. I mentally smacked myself, searching for a safer line of questioning.
“What about your family? Are they like you?” Patrick scowled at my questions. I raised my eyebrow in response, in a clear display of defiance. There was no way I was completely dropping the topic. He sighed, annoyed, and moved to sit beside me on the couch.
“Yes and no. Josephine and Aidan are like me, but the other two, Constance and Connor, they’re … different.”
“Different?”
“Well, they’re not like you, and they’re not like me…. It’s complicated.” Patrick said looking slightly uncomfortable at talking to me about his
family.
My body relaxed at his discomfort, my arms folding across my chest, I eased myself deeper into the leather of the couch. It felt good to see him off kilter, even for a moment. I was tired of being the one always unbalanced. Forgetting my earlier fear, I eyed him petulantly. “I’m waiting.”
He smiled, his eyes lighting up. All trace of hesitation gone. “They’re called Guardians. They guard our secret, watching over us. They make us seem … normal. So we fit into society better.”
“But, why would they do that? Are they human then or something else?”
“They’re something else. Guardians were once people. When they died, they were left with unfinished business so, unable to move on, they stayed on this plane in corporeal form. At that point, they’re what we call the Lost. They wandered aimlessly until they ran into one of my kind. Together, they formed a pact. The Sang gets security, while the Guardian is able to assume solid form again forever. In addition, there are several other little kinks. The Other world is filled with vast amounts of creatures, Lorelei.”
“Where are they? No one has mentioned them and I haven’t seen any traces of them around here, not that I’ve seen a lot with my mostly being incapacitated.”
“They’re travelling. They don’t normally stay here. Connor and Constance are usually abroad, doing their own thing, but they come home a couple months out of the year to catch up.” His vagueness about them surprised me because I knew they had to be important to him if they were Guardians, but I let it go.
Nodding slowly, steadying my breathing, I forged on. “So, these kinks?”
“A Guardian can never be hurt. They are immune to death, so to speak. The only way to kill one is to kill the Sang it’s tied to. One cannot survive without the other once bound. The Guardian can never return to ghost form. They just cease to exist, like the Sang.” I stared at the floor, my mind on overload, when Patrick plucked my hand up, holding it between his, lightly caressing it. Calm washed over me, clearing my head enough to focus my train of thought.
“Wait. There are three of you, though, and there are only two of them. So, how does that work?”
“It’s complex, and I can’t explain everything in detail, at least not now. Part of how we survive is by not exposing who we’re tied to. The pact is to protect both sides.”
“But, what do you get out of it? I mean, really, it sounds like they benefit more?”
With that, Patrick smiled sadly, looking away from me. “We get to walk in the sun. Trust me, it’s a fair price to pay. To walk in the sun, you can’t possibly imagine what it’s like to feel the sun on your face after so long….”
“I’m sorry. But—”
“Please, let’s talk about something else.” His smile looked pained, so I changed course.
“And Thea? You know her, don’t you? Why is she doing this? Why does she want you? What is she? Who is she? Please….” My voice quavered. I was still so weak, still unsure that any of this was real. Patrick stood, turning his back to me. I could feel anger breaking through my fear and, with sudden strength, I grabbed his hand.
“What is she?” I demanded.
He kneeled, cradling my hand silently for a moment. “Lorelei,” he whispered softly, kissing my hand gently and pulling me down on the sofa across from him. My body relaxed; my anger slowly abated. He kissed my hand repeatedly, grazing his cheek and lips across my fingers, murmuring my name sweetly. I lay back in my seat, sighing deeply. Damn him and his power over my body.
“Please,” I whispered. He sighed, exasperated.
“I don’t know. At least … not anymore.”
“Meaning?”
He shot up and started pacing the floor. “Based on everything that’s happened, everything you’ve said, I think … I think she’s my Guardian. Or at least was. I don’t know for sure, but….” His voice trailed off.
“What!?” I cried out, clutching the leather couch, hands shaking with violent anger.
“Lor—”
My hand leapt out, cracking him in the face. Grabbing my arms, he pinned me against the couch, his legs on mine. My breathing was ragged, his face distorted with rage. I couldn’t help myself; I squirmed, trying to throw his body off mine. I just wanted to crack him again. And it was all me, not Thea in my head, just me.
“Stop. Lorelei, stop,” he said through gritted teeth.
His body pressed cold and hard against mine, sending my body into overdrive. Screw it. Our faces were so close. I leaned in and kissed him, hard and needy. I stopped squirming. His legs relaxed, and I wrapped mine around his waist. His arms moved down my body to my waist. He swung me up so he was standing, my body still draping his. As I moaned into his mouth, his tongue found mine. We stood embracing for a moment before he carried me over to the desk. Brushing everything off in one fell swoop, he sat me down. Patrick kissed my neck, one hand on my thigh and the other running up and down my side. I grabbed his upper back, digging my nails in. He groaned, murmuring my name over and over as he trailed kisses up and down my neck and collarbone.
“Do you trust me?” His eyes, dark with lust, burned into mine.
“N-n-no,” I stuttered. “Not at all.”
“I have an idea, but you have to trust me.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned mischievously, pulling me to my feet. I felt drunk, intoxicated by this gorgeous creature, my yearning for him more palpable by the second. But I was still pissed. He was a liar, a self-professed murderer, a vampire … but, God, I was a fool. Lust, betrayal, and near death, I just didn’t know how much I cared to fight it.
“Patrick,” I whispered. He leaned in toward me, and I slapped him hard across the face again. “You should have said something earlier about her.”
Grabbing my arm angrily, he led me from the room and down the darkened hallway. A self-satisfied smile lit up my face. That felt damn good. Once in the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. Squeezing my hand, he led me out the backdoor down more steps and onto a walkway. I focused only on my breathing, letting him guide me.
We walked up a narrow path, and I realized we were entering a small cottage. He hesitated as he opened the door. “My retreat.”
It was a one-room cottage. A small kitchen, unused, was at the front, a small island separating it from the living area. A bed and bureau were nestled in the back with a door leading into what I presumed was the bathroom. My breath caught in my throat both by the cottage itself and Patrick inviting me into his private space. It was magnificent. Patrick gazed at me expectantly as I took it all in.
“It’s perfect. Thank you for letting me see it.” I said, and he smiled broadly, clearly pleased that I liked his place. Shelves lined all the walls. I wandered over, browsing his book collection, my lust forgotten. After a beat, he came up behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist and kissing my ear, handing me a glass of wine with his other hand.
“Don’t be angry with me. I can’t be sure. I can only guess.”
“Then only tell me the truth, the whole truth, from now on. I don’t think I can handle any more bullshit.”
“Drink up,” he whispered.
“Why? You don’t need to get me drunk to talk to me, you know.”
“No, but I need you tipsy to listen to my idea.” I couldn’t help but grin. His arm still around my waist, I sipped indulgently. My fingers skimmed the books on his shelves.
“This collection is amazing,” I murmured.
“You like it. I’ve been building up my library for decades.” I stopped and turned to face him, my mind burning with questions.
“How old are you?” I moved to sit on the love seat, downing my glass of wine. He swiftly poured me another glass, his expression blank.
“Does it matter?” His voice was instantly devoid of all emotion.
“It’s the most basic of my questions,” I said softly.
“Okay. I’ll tell you some information about myself, and then I’ll tell you my idea. Tomorrow
when everyone is up and together, I’ll let everyone know who I think Thea is and we can work on a way to get rid of her.”
“And save Nicole and Greta,” I added quickly.
“I don’t know if we can.” Sadness crept into his voice.
“We have to save them. They’re good people.” Even though I didn’t care much for Nicole I knew she wasn’t evil. She was a decent human being, just not to me. “They’ve done nothing wrong. Thea’s a monster, torturing them. They have futures, families, lives….” My voice began to crack, my eyes teeming with tears. He moved to sit beside me, pulling me into his lap, but I moved away, swiping back the hot liquid burning my eyes. I hated being weak. I hated myself. I hated my life. He kept on trying to console me through touch, but I pushed away stubbornly, disgusted with myself.
When I felt composed, I looked at him and found his face a mask.
“I was created in 1840 at the age of 25. Please, before you ask, no more questions tonight. It’s late, and tomorrow will be a big day. Let me tell you my thought.” Stunned, I just nodded. I had no words.
“Vampire blood has healing properties. If you drink it, it will heal the physical damage she’s done. We believe she’s draining your energy, your life force. The very essence of you. But my blood should cut all ties to her. Make your body whole and yours again. However, there could be some drawbacks that you may not like.” I motioned for him to continue as my mind roiled.
“My blood will create a bond between us. A very real, unbreakable bond. Once you drink my blood, I will always be able to find you, to sense you. And you will be drawn to me. The connection, the pull we have now, will only increase. You will be able to sense me and to call to me. Our bond will be that strong.”
“Drawn to you?” I asked slowly.
“Yes. In the sense that, if I’m near, you will always feel the pull to find me, to be physically near me. Now, the pull will lessen with time, but we will always be able to sense each other if we want to or need to. You will always be able to call to me if you need me.”
I closed my eyes, wanting to shut it all out. The wine made it so much easier to turn my brain off, or maybe it was the sheer exhaustion from the day—or the fact that I was potentially dying from an energy-sucking monster. I felt Patrick leave my side, a cold breeze moving over me. As quickly as it came it was gone, a soft blanket covering me as I drifted into a dreamless sleep.