A Vampire's Rise (30 page)

He licked his lips.

“I’m serious,” I said.

With shocking speed, he flung himself at me and I felt the sharp sting of his fangs in my neck and his full weight on me. He let out a muffled groan, gulping loudly.

* * * *

Delacroix loomed over me.

My tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth and I tried to hold my head up, looking for Benjamin. Delacroix held his wrist over me. He’d made a small incision there and blood promised to drip. My tongue gratefully received the red droplets. They stung my taste buds. I wanted more, needed more.

“What do you want?” I rasped.

The wrist straps were painfully tight, and I felt a surge of panic when I saw two men holding Lilly. She looked terrified. My sobs escaped through my clenched jaw. Delacroix waved the saw in my face and then rested the blades against my right wrist, sending blinding pain into my hand and back up my arm, as the blades ran along. The warmth and stickiness of spurting blood caused my head to spin.

Lilly’s screams were deafening.

“Shut your eyes, Lilly,” I yelled as the saw gnawed back and forth.

Delacroix stopped and ran his fingertips over the bloody blades. Lilly was close to fainting. Her eyelids flickered.

The pain receded. “Let her go.”

Delacroix studied the blades.

My left arm broke free but was quickly restrained. They shoved Lilly forward, leaned so close that her neck came within reach, her scent a mixture of fear and sweat. The blade came down upon my right wrist again and pressed into my flesh.

Delacroix pointed at Lilly.

“This is not who I am.” Terror washed over me. “This is barbaric.” I turned my head away.

Agony, the serrated edge sawed and scraped through muscle. I screamed again and again, sucking in air as the blades reached the bone and continued on through.

Morality dissipated.

Numbness now where my hand had been, and a phantom pain reached my fingertips. I dared not look. The blade rested against my left wrist now. A cruel tease as it sliced. I sprang forward and buried my fangs into Lilly’s neck. “Forgive me . . . forgive me . . .”

She didn’t even flinch, too terrified to move, as I absorbed her fears, unfolding memories stolen by the unworthy. This perfect child with her dimpled cheeks and button nose, her trust betrayed. I shared her thoughts as they faded.

My lips trembled as I felt her go. “Don’t forgive me.”

They carried her body out.

“No . . . no . . . no!” I sobbed.

Grasping onto thoughts of her, I buried them deep within, refusing to let her fade. I clutched at the remnants of her memory. Something inside snapped, a realization of the monstrosity of what I was. My excuses had no foundation and denial was impossible. Thrashing, unable to suppress my rage, I felt the right strap give.

Groping hands held me down and, with a shove, Delacroix pressed my severed hand back against my blood soaked stump. I surrendered to the vertigo caused by the excruciating sensation of nerve endings realigning.

* * * *

“Lilly, is she all right?” Marcus’ lips quivered.

This time, they’d not chained me. The prison walls closed in. Relieved that my hands were still attached, I opened and closed my fingers instinctively. No evidence of what Delacroix had done to me, I massaged my wrists anyway.

“We heard screaming.” Marcus shook.

Leaning with my back against the cold stone, I wrapped my arms around my legs.

“What did he do?” Marcus’ gaze fixed on my shirt. “Where’s Lilly?”

I looked down, ashamed.

“Whose blood is that?” he said.

I glanced at my soaked shirt, and then up at Ted. His shallow breaths signaled that he neared death.

“Can you help him?” Marcus asked.

“Let him die.”

“What?”

“At least one of us will be at peace.”

Marcus slumped against the wall.

“I want to find my son, find Sunaria, and go back to Spain,” I murmured.

“You’re our only hope of getting out of here.”

I sobbed.

“Whatever happened in there,” Marcus said, “it wasn’t your fault. He’s a monster.”

“I’m the monster.” My vision blurred with tears.

“No, Delacroix’s a sadist. You, me, we’re the victims here.”

“I’ll never forgive myself,” I whispered.

“God will forgive you. He forgives those—”

“Don’t spout religion at me,” I snapped.

“I’m just trying to help.”

“You’re not.”

“It’s always comforted me.”

“What? Like after you steal, you ask for forgiveness? How convenient.”

“Don’t you dare judge me. You don’t know me.”

Ted moaned.

“I just need quiet to think.” I rubbed my wrists.

“Taxes forced us into the city.” Marcus’ nostrils flared. “But they hire children. It’s cheaper. We work for virtually nothing, twelve hours a day, seven days a week, and all we get is scraps. So yes, when we heard this place was empty, we foraged. We trespassed.” He held up his wrist and the chain dangled. “But I think I’ve served my time. Don’t you?”

Ted coughed.

“Sunaria, that’s the name of your friend?” Marcus asked.

I nodded.

“Well, she needs you.”

“It’s my fault she’s in danger.”

“Delacroix’s the one to blame. Shit! Coming here was my idea,” he said.

I climbed to my feet.

“When we get out of here,” Marcus gestured his belief that we would, “I’m going to show you the London that I know. The street acts, poets, and playwrights, and the artists. Have you ever been to Covent Garden?”

I checked the door and found it locked. “No, I’ve been a little busy lately.”

“Venetian’s best painters have traveled to London and—”

“Sounds lovely!” It was impossible to suppress the sarcasm in my tone.

“I’m going to help you find your friend,” Marcus vowed. “And then all three of us can visit artist’s row.”

A bang rattled on the other side of the door.

We shared a glance and I stepped back, ready to fight.

Benjamin entered.

I looked at Marcus. “Do you know him?”

Marcus shook his head.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Benjamin blinked several times. “He told me he’d kill me if I didn’t do it.”

“What did he do?” Marcus asked.

“Where’s Delacroix?” I asked.

“He’s gone out,” Benjamin said.

“And he lets you just roam around?” I considered his shifty eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

“Have you seen Lilly?” Marcus asked.

Benjamin gave me a sorry look. “Perhaps you should, um . . .”

I hated Benjamin for suggesting it. I turned to Marcus. “I’ll carry you.”

“There’s no time.” Benjamin’s expression hardened.

I hesitated. “I’m not leaving without him.”

“Delacroix has Sunaria.” Benjamin scratched his chin and looked away.

I stepped closer, wanting to believe him.

“I saw her.” He nodded and glanced my way.

“Where?”

“Upstairs, in one of the bedrooms,” Benjamin said. “I couldn’t leave without telling you.”

“How do you know it was her?” I asked.

“Kind of glimpsed her when I,” Benjamin glanced at Marcus and then back at me, “you know.”

“Is she guarded?” Marcus asked.

“No.” Benjamin pulled at my shirt sleeve. “We don’t have much time.”

I knelt at Marcus’ side. “I’ll get Sunaria and then I’ll come back for you,” I whispered. “Your sister’s at the River Thames Inn.”

Marcus nodded. “If you see Delacroix, kill the bastard.”

* * * *

I followed Benjamin up the steps and through the house, vigilant for any sign of a wayward vampire, and wary that this seemed too easy. We reached the landing and Benjamin pointed to an oak door, a few rooms down.

“In there?” I asked.

Benjamin nodded.

I didn’t sense her as I approached.

“She’s unconscious,” Benjamin said, as though reading my mind, but closing his.

“Now get out of here.” I turned the handle.

Benjamin strolled away, back down the corridor.

The room was pitch black. I sized up the shadows. In a corner chair sat Delacroix.

The panic hit me like a fist. “What is this?”

Delacroix’s grin caused a chill. Benjamin sauntered in and sat on the floor next to Delacroix.

“So how old are you really?” I asked Benjamin.

“Fifty.”

I scowled at him. “You snide little shit.”

Benjamin shrugged. “Got a lot of stuff from that little drink I had.”

My knuckles were white. “Sunaria was never here, was she?”

My filthy jacket lay on the end of the bed. Delacroix picked it up and offered it to me.

“I’m free to go?” I studied them, listening to my gut feeling that screamed danger. “Just like that?”

Delacroix wrapped my jacket around my shoulders and patted my back.

I tried not to cringe. “What about the others?”

He strolled over to the bed and lay upon it, placing his hands behind his head.

Benjamin folded his arms. “He wants you to go back and finish off your cell mates.”

“Yeah, right.” I headed for the door.

Delacroix’s gaze fell on my jacket pocket and I reached in and pulled out a silver locket, immediately recognizing it as the one I’d given to Jacob. My legs felt weak.

Delacroix snapped his fingers and Benjamin jumped up like a well-trained dog and dropped to his knees beside Delacroix, who patted his head and scrunched his hair. Benjamin’s eyelids flickered in pleasure.

“Do you want to see your son again?” Benjamin asked.

I glared at Delacroix. “Why doesn’t the count ask me this himself?”

“The offer is about to be rescinded,” the count mumbled.

* * * *

I entered the cell.

“Did you find her?” Marcus asked.

Kneeling beside Ted, I tilted his head and bit into his neck and he trembled beneath me. Lost in the drink, I followed the pathway of another life. Marcus screamed but his cries sounded distant, as flashes of images flooded my senses. Ted’s breathing quickened and then became shallow.

And then ceased, proceeded by the slowing, and then stilling of his heart.

Marcus hacked through his wrist with a splinter of stone. Blood spurted. His spectacles tumbled off as he collapsed and I reached for his bleeding wrist and suckled, glimpsing his wavering thoughts.

I forgive you, he conveyed. Now find your son.

Jolted out of my trance, I slowed. With my fangs buried into my wrist, I drew blood and shoved my arm against his lips. Marcus gasped for air, unable to resist the supernatural snare. His hips pumped the air as he rode out the bliss, the perfect pleasure betraying him.

Marcus lay dead in my arms.

I jumped when he shuddered, his mouth wide in a silent scream.

Reborn.

Realizing what I’d done, I pushed him off me. Marcus reached for the stone again and I kicked it out of his reach. His hair was now a striking titian and his green eyes were piercing. He pulled up his trouser leg to see his injury healed, the bruises gone.

He flew at me. “What is this?”

I shoved him back.

Marcus slammed against the wall. “There is no Sunaria, is there?”

“What?”

“You work for him?”

“No.”

“What have you done?” Marcus found his spectacles and with fumbling fingers, he picked them up and put them on.

I gasped. “He has my son.”

Marcus fiddled with his glasses.

“If Delacroix finds out that you’re alive,” I leaned forward on my knees, “my son is dead.”

* * * *

Delacroix met me halfway down the corridor.

I tried to control my rage. “It’s done.”

Benjamin loomed nearby. He glanced at the cell door.

“Now tell me where my son is.” I said.

Delacroix held a wide grin.

“You have no intention of freeing me, do you?” I glanced at the prison. “They died for nothing.” Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Benjamin’s smug smile. “At least show me that loyalty is rewarded.” I tilted my head, casually.

Benjamin’s grin fell.

Delacroix’s eyes flickered, and with that small gesture of permission, I strolled over to Benjamin and peeled back his shirt collar. Benjamin reflected excitement intermingled with frightful anticipation. He whimpered when I bit and, despite his struggle, I had him.

Swallowing both Benjamin’s blood and his memories, I traced through his dark domain, the hidden images, suppressed by him, deep within. I stormed further on.