Reclaimed (33 page)

Elijah jumped up and stalked to the other side of the room to pace. Even if she hadn’t known he was worried from his earlier muttering, she would have known by the telltale pacing. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. She smiled, and then grimaced at the pain the small movement caused. Sign number two: running his fingers through his hair. Both he and Isaac did that when they were upset.

Isaac
.

Where was he? Had he let her go, knowing they could not be together any longer since Elijah had bitten her? Did he despise her now, knowing she was his enemy?

A hated vampire
.

Her heart lurched, though not from the venom coursing through her veins. It was caused by the thought of an eternity of endless days without him by her side. She wished she’d died instead. It would have been a quicker, more merciful death.

Instead she’d be forced to live forever, knowing somewhere out in the world, he lived, too. Every time she looked into Elijah’s eyes, or saw his beautiful face, another part of her would wither away to nothingness. Unless Isaac hunted her down and put her out of her misery.

Was it sick she was excited that she’d at least get to see him
one
last time?

***

Isaac had been wandering through the forest for hours. Elijah had been extremely cautious in covering up his tracks. He didn’t want to be followed, that much was obvious. He cursed and kicked a boulder. It groaned in protest before rolling across the forest floor. He’d passed this damn spot at least three times.

Had Elijah run in circles throughout the forest, trying to confuse anyone who would attempt to follow him? It certainly wouldn’t surprise him. Elijah was extremely talented when it came to disappearing. He’d known he’d be unable to follow Elijah, and so had tried to concentrate on a newborn vampire’s scent. He would know it anywhere, but yet he failed.

It was infuriating.

By now her heart would be dead…while her body morphed into that of a monster. He growled low in his throat and punched a tree. He needed to get to her before the others did; he needed to be the one to find her. If only he could pick up her damned scent. He’d always been able to track new vampires. They were easy to sense, and even easier to kill. But this one time when it mattered most to him, he couldn’t find her.

He flared his nostrils and lifted his head before he hissed and whirled around. Elijah stood behind him. He threw himself at his brother—the anger swirling inside him taking over his senses. All the hours of worrying, all the hours of agony, came spewing out of him as soon as he laid eyes on his brother’s grim face. Elijah glided backward from the force of his blow, and they collided into a nearby tree. Elijah hissed at him and punched him in the nose. Isaac flew back and landed on the ground, holding his nose as blood gushed out of it.

Jesus Christ, how many times in one night is my nose going to get broken?

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Sorry, but we haven’t got time for games.” Elijah spoke between clenched teeth.

Isaac glared. “Where is she?”

Elijah tensed visibly at his question. “She’s safe. I don’t know whether I should tell you her location or not. Tell me, is she in danger from you?” He arched an eyebrow and awaited a reply.

Isaac snarled at his brother’s question, fighting the fury that washed over him. It was a logical question. In any other situation, he’d have respected his brother’s loyalty to Sabrina’s safety.

But, damn it, he wasn’t supposed to hide her from
him
.

“She is in danger, but not from me,” he swore. “I need to get her. To hide her.”

“So after everything she told you, after she pleaded with you not to change her, not to risk yourself, you’re going to go to her anyway?”

Isaac growled and leapt to his feet. His nose had already started to heal, and it didn’t throb nearly so badly anymore. “She’s coming with me. Forgive my sarcasm, but she’s hardly in the shape to argue, now is she?”

“She’s still awake.”

Isaac froze and whispered, “What?”

“She’s not dead. She’s not even unconscious. She just lays there, unmoving and silent. She moans every once in a while, or calls your name, but that’s it.”

“
Oh my God
.”

“What? Did I do something wrong?” Elijah exclaimed when Isaac stood rooted to the spot, as if in a trance. “
What does it mean?
”

“Oh…my…God. Nothing. It was all for nothing,” he murmured as amazement, shock, and finally…relief coursed over his body. He laughed so hard he could no longer stand.

“What has gotten into you, Isaac? Snap out of it, you ass!” Elijah exclaimed. He stalked to his brother’s side and cocked back his fist, prepared to break his brother’s perfect nose again.

“Don’t even think about it,” Isaac hissed, dead serious as he shoved Elijah using all his strength. “It was all for nothing,” he said, wonder in his voice. “All this time, all this agony, and she’s one of
us
.”

“What do you…?” Clarity showed in Elijah’s eyes as he paled. “She’s an Enforcer?”

“Yes. Yes, now everything makes sense. Why I couldn’t sense her as a new vampire. Why I couldn’t catch her trail at all. I was hunting the wrong creature.”

“She’s one of you.” Elijah’s eyes were shadowed, and his face pale. Pale, even, for a vampire.

Isaac forced his gaze back to his brother and felt a wave of pity wash over him. He knew without
too
much jealousy Elijah had hoped this would be his one chance at Sabrina. Had hoped she’d be forced to choose him. That hope had just been destroyed.

He walked to his brother’s side and laid a soothing hand upon his shoulder. He met Elijah’s eyes, so like his own. “She’s one of us. She is, and will always remain, mine. I’m sorry for your loss, and for any pain you might feel. But you have to realize…it’s over. This fight is over. She’s not Amelia. I’m sorry, Elijah. I’m sorry for your loss of Amelia. I know now you loved her more than I ever could have. But Sabrina is different—she is
my
Amelia. Do you understand?”

Elijah nodded, and a tear ran down his cheek at his brother’s words. He gasped in shock as Isaac drew him into his arms and hugged him. “I’m sorry, Elijah,” he repeated.

“Well, are you ready to go tell her the good news? I’m sure she’ll be thrilled,” Elijah said.

“Yes, absolutely yes,” Isaac chirped. His smile, he was sure, reached straight down to his soul. He couldn’t help it. He was the luckiest man on Earth.

“Follow me.” Elijah led the way silently, and his shoulders dropped in resignation.

For once, Isaac didn’t argue.

***

Sabrina lay awake, thoughts of Isaac running through her head. She couldn’t get him off her mind. Even as pain wracked through her body, she thought only of him.

Where was he? What was he thinking? Feeling?

In the thirty minutes since Elijah had left, she’d discovered she could move her hands. She wasn’t certain what this meant, since she was supposed to die, and heal afterwards.

She strained her ears when she heard footsteps approach the hut, and calculated the direction from which they approached. From the east, and there were two sets of them, so it couldn’t be Elijah. And, unfortunately, no mere mortal ran so fast. Her heart quickened, and she tensed upon the bed. She couldn’t even jump up to defend herself. She tightened her fists, her only line of defense against intruders.

The door swung inward, and her eyes focused upon the occupants who moved into the small room. She sighed in relief as her eyes focused first on Elijah, and quickly skimmed to the shadow standing behind him. She gasped and whispered, “Isaac.”

Isaac rushed to her side, rudely pushing past Elijah in the process. Elijah glared at Isaac’s back and left the hut. The door closed behind him as he left; she knew he had no desire to watch this reunion. Isaac knelt at her hips and cupped her face inside his hands. He kissed her, and happiness exuded from his eyes.

“Sabrina, what are you doing to me, lass?”

Sabrina forced a wan smile to her face and responded, “I’m sorry, Isaac. I never wished for us to be enemies. I—” She was prepared to tell him to leave, to save himself, but was cut off by his finger pressing against her mouth.

He grabbed her hand in his and stared into her eyes warmly. “I love you, Sabrina. We would never be, and could never be, enemies. I know now what love
really
is. I thought I had loved before, but I was wrong. You are my first, and, only love. You’d never be my enemy,” he vowed.

“I love you, too, Isaac.” She squeezed his hand, and he looked down in surprise at her hand, beaming at her.

“I’m going to get you out of here, to somewhere safe,” he said. “There is much to do.”

“I can’t let you do that, Isaac. You spoke earlier of love. Of being ready to do anything for the love of your life. Well, I feel the same. I will give you up, for your safety. I don’t do it lightly, but I must insist. I won’t leave with you. Not because I don’t love you, but because I love you too much.” She was amazed she had managed to finish her speech without crying.

“Oh, Sabrina, I love when you’re all fired up. Truly, I do. But in this case, you’re getting all worked up for nothing.”

“Excuse me, I don’t think so—” she argued. If he thought he could just carry her out of here and ignore her wishes, he’d soon see how wrong he was. Even if she
could
only move her hands. She could do a lot with hands. Punch, scrape, and gouge out eyes….

“Yes, you are. You see, you’re one of us.” Sitting by her side, he allowed her to absorb his meaning. When she gaped at him, her mouth ajar, he nodded at her unasked question. “Yes, you’re among the chosen…the elite….”

“The Enforcers,” she whispered in awe. “Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me. God couldn’t be so kind.”

“No, I wouldn’t kid about this, my love. You’re one of my kind—you belong with me, in every way now,” he assured her, squeezing her hand. She returned his squeeze, all the happiness bubbling inside her. He winced as she gripped him, laughing as he protested, “Ouch, watch it there….”

“Oh, sorry,” she murmured. She looked at their joined hands in surprise.
She
had hurt
him
?

He kissed her nose and stared into her eyes before declaring, “I would’ve run away with you, regardless of your species.”

“I would have told me no, regardless of your desires,” she quipped.

They stared at each other, neither backing down in their stance. Finally, they both broke out in laughter.

“What about Elijah?” she questioned.

“What about him?” He raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

“Will he still be our enemy? Do I have to
kill
him?”

“He’s our enemy, yes. But we can avoid each other. I’ve been doing it for over one hundred years.”

“But, we can’t. He’s family.”

“Look, we can worry about this another time. Really, Sabrina, you’re killing my ego here,” he teased. “I just told you that you can live with me forever, and you worry about Elijah?”

She blushed. “I’m sorry. I know you still love him. I hate to see you upset.”

“We have an eternity to figure out my feelings. All you need to know now is I love you.” He beamed at her, love shining in his eyes.

“And I love you, Isaac. Forever,” she vowed, amazed to know she had forever to spend by his side, loving him. Suddenly, forever took on a new meaning, and she smiled as he kissed her nose once more.

“Forever,” he promised.

On the other hand, perhaps forever was not long enough….

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Diane Alberts lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her husband, four kids, and two birds. She lives in the mountains—but wishes it were the beach. She has been writing since she was in elementary school, but only recently fulfilled her dreams by writing her first full length novel. Enjoys dyeing yarn and knitting in her “spare” time
.

Visit Diane online at:

www.dianealberts.com

Kill Me Tomorrow

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Jasmine Baruch is a jinn—a supernatural being who fights demons with fire. While that's difficult enough, she's got bigger problems. She’s a virgin, and in the jinn culture, that is sheer blasphemy. Jinn are supposed to be passionate, promiscuous creatures—everything she isn't. Due to marry the next day, she takes matters into her own hands by using 1Night Stand. But, like the rest of her life, nothing is easy. The man chosen for her, though incredibly gorgeous, is a demi-sanguine; a half-human, half-demon—her enemy.

Gavin Werbato is looking for an easy night of sex. Nothing more, nothing less. Instead, he gets a gorgeous jinn convinced it is her duty to kill him. He can certainly think of better things to do with her soft hands than murder. He need only convince her of that…

Can the fire sparked when these beings collide be controlled, or will it consume their world as they know it?