B00528UTDS EBOK (18 page)

“It may not work right away,” Sarah informed the other girl. “But it does work. I’ve seen my Aunt Jeanie do this hundreds of times for others.”

Nicole peered into the thick darkness of the catacombs, but she couldn’t see a thing. Once again she cursed the human weakness that kept her from seeing in the dark. Taking a deep breath, she switched the flashlight on. With the flashlight, she could see that the stairs continued to descend into the old catacombs below Rome.

“Are you sure this is where the priest said to go?” Dash asked, his voice full of doubt. They had managed to find a priest that had spoken to Alec recently. The man had sent them into the catacombs, where he’d told Alec to go in search of the Book of Anu.

“Nicole … are you even listening to me?” Dash asked again.

“Yes,” Nicole answered in a low voice, as she tried to keep from breathing in too deeply and gagging. The stench of decay that mingled with the musty air in the tunnels was nauseating. Nicole found that it took extensive concentration to keep from vomiting. Suddenly she felt as if the room was spinning and she reached out to steady herself with the wall, but then she remembered the corpses that lined the tunnels of the catacombs.

“Do you need me to hold you up?” Dash asked, amused at her human frailty.

“No … I’m fine,” she told him, though she was anything but fine. Someone was watching them - she could feel their eyes drilling into her head. The evil that radiated from those unseen eyes was so strong that a chill made its way up her spine.

It was waiting for them!

The thought jumped out at her as if someone were screaming it in her ear. In that moment she was tempted to turn back. But if Alec were in the catacombs, he was in as much danger as they were. Taking a deep breath, Nicole moved forward. She’d just find Alec and then they’d get out.

If she could find Alec!
The dark voice of doubt forced its way into her head.

Dash motioned for her to be quiet, but after a few moments he started moving again. “I still think there’s something down here,” he told her in a low voice.

Nicole didn’t respond. She continued to listen intently for any sounds that seemed out of place, but all she could hear were their footsteps echoing through the tunnels. She felt a chill on her arm. That’s the first thing that her mind registered - the touch was so cold. Then she felt pain as the hand clamped down on her arm and pulled her into the darkness.

Nicole screamed, and Dash caught sight of her just as she was being pulled into a passageway. She was being dragged across the rough ground. The rock and dirt dug at her bare flesh, but she did not feel the sting of her wounds, only the terror of the unknown.

Dash was following as quickly as he could, but the creature that had a hold of her was faster.

Though she struggled to pull her arm away from her captor, she knew if she pulled anymore, her limb would come right out of its socket. Again she screamed, hoping someone - anyone would hear her.

* * * *

Sarah was unaccustomed to so many people crammed into one place. Though she’d gone out with friends while at school in Portland, she’d not done so frequently. The Tiger’s Lair was one of the most popular clubs with the students in Reno, at least that was what Summer had told her. With the crowd dancing almost shoulder to shoulder, Sarah thought for sure every student in Reno must be at the club.

Summer had already introduced her to several of her friends, but a moment after she walked away, Sarah couldn’t even recall their names. Her mind was hundreds of miles away, in Sutter Point. The flashing lights of the nightclub couldn’t hold her interest like the memory of Darrien’s lovemaking. Even as she tried to force the memory away so that she could at least try and enjoy her night out, she kept seeing his face, and how his passion could set fire to his cold - mesmerizing eyes.

Sarah kept to the dark corners of the club. From where she was sitting, she could see Summer with a group of people. The men seemed to flock around her, but Summer appeared to be completely unaware of the power she wielded over the opposite sex.

Sipping at her drink, Sarah was content to watch Summer have all the fun. Her friend tried to get her to come with her while she mingled with the crowd, but Sarah just didn’t feel comfortable. She much preferred the dark corner.

“Would you like to dance?”

Sarah’s attention was drawn to the man that stood at the side of her table, a smile pasted across his face. He was the exact opposite of Darrien. He had a deeply tanned complexion and sun bleached blond hair. His blue eyes seemed to dance with mischief. Sarah found this a refreshing change from Darrien’s dismal moods.

Sarah hesitated only a moment before nodding and setting her drink on the table. The man held out his hand to her and she took it. His hand was warm, so much different than Darrien’s cold touch.

Why did she keep comparing this stranger to Darrien?

He led her through the crowd to the dance floor and then pulled her into his arms. “What’s your name?” he asked.

“Sarah,” she said, forcing a smile. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be dancing with such a handsome man, she just wished she could stop thinking of Darrien.

“Well Sarah, I’m Anthony,” he told her as he was leading her into a slow dance.

A moment into the dance, Sarah felt eyes on her. It was that tingling sensation that you get when you know someone is watching you. Sarah’s eyes scanned the room, searching the faces of the crowd to see who it was that had their attention on her.

Finally she spotted him. He stood in the shadows - away from the crowd. His eyes were like blades, and at that very moment, they were slicing her to shreds. She could feel his anger, even from across the club with a swarm of people between them.

Sarah caught her breath. His was the last face that she’d expected to see in the crowd, but there he was. Darrien had found her.

Had it been her spell, or would he have found her anyway?

Sarah now wished that she hadn’t cast her spell the night before. Darrien was moving toward her, but she pretended not to notice as she snuggled closer to the guy she was dancing with. A little jealousy wouldn’t hurt him, particularly after he’d called her by another woman’s name.

Then he was standing next to them, glaring at her dancing companion. “Do you mind if I finish this dance?” he asked Anthony. Though it was a request, it was clear that he would take the man’s place, even if he did have any objections.

Anthony nodded his head and turned to Sarah. “It was nice meeting you. I hope I get the opportunity to see you again.”

Sarah smiled at him. “Yes, it was nice meeting you too.”

Anthony disappeared into the crowd and Darrien wrapped his arms around her waist. “What are you doing?” he asked, his words alive with fury.

“How
did
you find me?” she asked, but without meeting his eyes. She knew it had been her spell that had led Darrien to Reno.

“The lycan that brought you here felt compelled to divulge your location to your father. Donavan Ashe sent me here to take you back to New Orleans. He feels that you would be safer under his care.”

“If he was so worried about my safety, where has he been all these years? Why didn’t he come to get me himself?” Sarah’s bitterness was evident.

“I asked if I could come for you,” Darrien told her. “As for the rest of it … you’ll have to bring up your questions to your father.”

Darrien shook his head. “I have already taken the liberty of collecting your things from her apartment and leaving a note for you.”

Sarah glared at him. “She will think that something happened to me.”

“No … she doesn’t realize that you are being hunted by vampires. Lex only told her that you were having some family problems. That is … unless you’ve told her otherwise, and I don’t believe you have.” Darrien was smiling.

Sarah found his arrogance infuriating. “Why don’t you go chase Caroline’s ghost and leave me be?”

“I am … chasing Caroline’s ghost that is.” Darrien’s eyes turned cold. “Now why don’t we enjoy our dance?” he said, pulling her closer so that his lips were right next to her ear.

Darrien gently caressed her back while his lips went to her neck. He was kissing her and biting at her flesh. Sarah began to shake, her need for him overcoming caution.

“Want to go somewhere?” he asked, even as he was skillfully moving her toward the exit of the Tiger’s Lair.

“Does my father know what we have been doing when we’re alone?” Sarah questioned him, but she didn’t resist when he pulled her out the door and into the night.

Darrien’s dark laughter unnerved her. “If he did … I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Before Sarah could respond, she found herself in his arms and rising above the nightclub. The view of Reno was breathtaking from such heights, but she saw none of it. Darrien’s kiss drew her in, refusing to let her experience anything but his desire - his utter and complete need of her.

Sarah was barely aware when they landed on the top of a tall building. Darrien drew her into the darkness so that they would be hidden from the lights of the city. His teeth were on her skin, piercing at her flesh, as he violently tore away the silk dress she was wearing. Cupping her bare breasts in his hands, he fell to his knees and took one hard nipple into his mouth.

The searing need between her legs erupted into an inferno of pure lust when she felt his fangs scraping against her tender flesh. Her hands strayed to his hair. She delighted in the feel of his silky mane as she ran her fingers through it, pulling him even closer.

“I’m not Caroline,” she breathed. She wanted him so fiercely that she was like a woman possessed, but she needed to hear her name on his lips when he took her.

“I don’t care! I must have you now.” Darrien’s voice trembled with his barely controlled lust - his need to possess her.

Darrien pulled her to her knees and his mouth took hers. He kissed her deeply, sucking and biting at her tongue until she was squirming just to keep from demanding that he fulfill her need with this flesh.

Sarah peeled away his black leather jacket so that she could feel his cool skin and his muscles rippling beneath her hands. Darrien moved until he was positioned behind her. She heard the sharp sound of him lowering the zipper on his pants. She then felt his stiff flesh resting against the back of her thighs.

The sound of her panties being ripped from her body cut through the stillness that surrounded them. Sarah gasped, anticipating the moment that he would fill her with his need, and bring her the released that she craved. She felt him slide between her legs, teasing her moist heat with the promise of fulfilling her utterly. It was the promise of absolute ecstasy when he finally took her.

“Say my name,” she gasped.

“Hmm … Sarah … I want you Sarah,” Darrien’s smooth voice was like an aphrodisiac that sent her over the edge of reason.

Wiggling her hips against him, she tried to force him inside of her, but he continued to tease, letting her feel only the silky head of his erection.

“Once we do this … there’s no taking it back,” he warned, though he continued to tease her until she was sure she would explode from within.

“I want it.” Sarah’s voice cracked. The effort to speak was too much to deal with while her body burned for him with such intensity.

Darrien mounted her before the last word left her mouth, and a small scream escaped her lips as he parted her flesh with his throbbing tool.

At last he was within her and she could finally feel him as intimately as was possible for two separate beings to feel each other. The sensation was akin to being reborn as one.

As he moved within her, he pulled her with him to unimagined heights of pleasure - pleasure that was like nothing that she had ever experienced. Sarah pushed against him hard, trying to feel even more of him. Darrien made love to her with the skill that only an immortal could possess - giving her pain and pleasure within the same instant.

With his hands on her hips, he held her tight against him. Leaning over her, he sank his teeth into her back. Tenderly, he slid his tongue across her skin, licking up the droplets of blood that dripped from her wounds.

Just when she was sure that the fire would sear her flesh, she felt him pulsate within her as he spilled his seed into her body. She started shaking with the force of the pleasure that ripped through her, beginning at the core of her womanhood and spreading to every nerve ending in her body.