B005EMAYWS EBOK (20 page)

Pausing, Kathrina recalled something that her mother had told her over and over again when she was growing up.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Her adopted mother had always chastised her for the mischief she’d get into because she just had to know what was going on with everything. Why had that memory jumped out at her at this very moment?

Kathrina slowly stepped back out of the tomb. If whatever the priest had was important enough to hide, she had to assume that it would be protected somehow. She had just made the decision to go inside despite her uneasy feeling when she heard it. It sounded like a cross between a hiss and a growl.

Before she had a chance to turn and run, the creature was on her. She was thrown to the ground with such a tremendous impact that it knocked the breath out of her. There was no time to determine what it was that was attacking her. Survival was her only thought. Instinctively she sank her fangs into its flesh. At first there was no sign that it had even noticed a counter attack. It continued trying to get to her throat with its gnarly brown fangs. Though she was strong, it was an intense struggle to keep it from ripping at the arteries in her neck.

Abruptly the creature stopped and rolled off of her. She scrambled away from it, stopping only when she felt she was a safe distance. When she looked back, she could see it still on the ground. It convulsed violently before becoming still.

Kathrina crept closer, but was ready to flee at the slightest movement from the thing. As she got nearer, she saw what she assumed was a mutant vampire. It was so deformed that it almost appeared to be a gargoyle.

She’d heard of the mutant vampires. They were the result of feeding off of another vampire. Kathrina started to shake. She’d bitten the creature, but had not fed off him. Though her father and Lex believed that herself and her sisters were immune to the changing, she could only hope that her exposure to his blood had not been enough to cause a mutation. She didn’t mind being a vampire, but she did not want to be limited to existing only in the dark, and she definitely didn’t want to turn into such a deformed and grotesque creature.

Kathrina nudged the creature with her foot but it didn’t move. Sighing with relief, she turned back toward the tomb. She wondered how Rovati had kept from being attacked.

Of course it was the flashlight.

Any type of light would blind a mutant, including artificial light. At least that’s what she’d heard.

Kathrina stepped into the tomb. Once inside she paused long enough to let her eyes adjust to the deeper darkness. She could see better at night than most people, but she did not have the eyes of the vampire.

In the middle of the tomb was a smaller crypt. There was no other place that the priest could have hidden the book, and she was sure that’s what it had been. Kathrina stepped over to the tomb and peered down at the heavy white slab covering the grave. The top of the smaller tomb was embellished with roses and a cross.

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

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.

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.

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
.

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.

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 demanded. “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.