Betrayal (Blood Haze: Book Three) A Paranormal Romance (17 page)

“I have made mistakes,” Dmitri snapped. “I
didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“What you’ve done got Barnabas killed! And
his father, too!” I shouted.

“Alice,” Father Jacobs said gently, reminded
me to stay calm.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Dmitri
snarled. “Barnabas was the best friend I ever had! I never expected
things would get out of control so badly.”

I softened a little when he said that,
because I remembered the feelings of darkness I’d had, and how I
got out of control when I fed on Blake. Dark magic certainly had a
way of taking control of you and making you do things you would
never anticipate doing.

“So what do you want from us?” I asked
seriously.

“I need that talisman,” Dmitri said. “It gets
harder every day to control the wraiths. If I don’t get that
talisman, they
will
kill me.”

“Why should I care if the wraiths turn on
you?” I muttered, crossing my arms defiantly in front of me.

“I don’t expect you to,” Dmitri returned.
“But I will do whatever it takes to stay alive. I’m sure you
understand this.”

“Is that a threat?” I asked.

“I don’t wish to threaten you, but take it
any way you like. I can’t just lie down and let the wraiths take my
life.”

I sat in thoughtful silence for a moment.
After all Dmitri had done, part of me just wanted to let the
wraiths do what they wanted with him. However, my own conscience
got the best of me. I hated seeing anyone suffer, and clearly
Dmitri already felt compunction over what he’d done to
Barnabas.

“I have an idea,” Father Jacobs
interjected.

“Alright, what it is?” I asked.

“If we manage to find this talisman, and we
help you with your wraith problem, would you agree to come with me
to a church in Rome where we might be able to help you?” Father
Jacobs asked Dmitri.

“Help me? What do you mean?” Dmitri asked,
his head tilted sideways in curiosity.

“You’ve seen what dabbling in the dark arts
can do,” Father Jacobs said. “We may be able to help push the
darkness out of you.”

“What… you’re asking me to give it all up?”
Dmitri gasped.

“That is precisely what I am asking,” Father
Jacobs replied.

“I don’t believe I can do that, Father,”
Dmitri admitted grimly.

“Anything is possible,” Father Jacobs told
him. “I believe we can help you.”

“I…” Dmitri started to argue.

“Dmitri,” I interrupted. “Don’t let Barnabas’
death be for nothing.”

Dmitri closed his mouth and leaned back in
his chair. It looked as though the wind had been knocked out of
him, and he stared pensively at his desk.

“Do you know where the talisman is?” Dmitri
finally asked.

“No, but Alexi believes he and Liam may be
able to locate it,” I said. “Give us a chance.”

“Why would you do this?” Dmitri asked. “Why
should I trust you to help me?”

“I can’t answer that,” I told him. “But for
what it’s worth, you have my word that we will do everything we can
to help you.”

“But why?” he asked again. “After all I’ve
done. I don’t even deserve it.”

“No, you probably don’t,” I admitted. “But
it’s the right thing to do.”

“If we bring you the talisman and help you
regain control of the wraiths, do we have your word you will come
to Rome with me?” Father Jacobs asked Dmitri.

“Yes, you have my word,” Dmitri answered.

“And you know we must destroy the talisman
afterward,” Father Jacobs said.

Dmitri only nodded solemnly.

“We will be in contact with you if we are
able to locate the talisman,” Father Jacobs told Dmitri. “Do we
have your word that you won’t make any aggressive moves?”

“Yes, Father,” Dmitri agreed.

We both shook his hand to seal the agreement.
Dmitri seemed sincere, but I couldn’t help but worry that something
dark still loomed beyond his air of sincerity.

When we got back to the compound, Alexi was
waiting by the door. He threw it open before we even reached the
front steps. I was so relieved to see him standing there, that I
threw myself into his arms, managing to surprise both him and
myself.

“What happened?” Alexi asked, a note of
desperation lacing his voice.

“You won’t believe me when I tell you,” I
told him.

He quickly ushered me into the safety of the
house, with Father Jacobs trailing behind us. Kai and Liam both
looked immensely relieved to see me, and they followed us into the
dining hall, and we all took seats at once of the long tables.

“Dmitri needs our help,” I said, once
everyone was seated.

“Help? Why would he expect help from us after
all he’s done?” Kai asked.

“Apparently, everything he’s done has been
because the wraiths are turning on him,” I explained. “I guess he
was scared, and he didn’t know what else to do. He claims if he has
the talisman, he can get the wraiths back under control.”

“He’s also promised to come to Rome with me
so we can get him some help,” Father Jacobs interjected.

“But if we give him the talisman, he will
become ten times more powerful than he is now,” Alexi reminded us.
“If he is lying, we could empower him to destroy us all.”

“That’s true,” I said. “But I get the feeling
he’s sincere.”

“Dmitri does not strike me as the type to be
afraid of wraiths,” Alexi commented. “It is difficult to believe he
is asking for help like this.”

“I know, but he genuinely seems sorry for
everything that’s happened. I don’t know what other choice we have
but to believe him and try to help,” I said.

“I think you’re being naïve,” Liam
mumbled.

“Excuse me?” I asked him to clarify.

“After all Dmitri has done – he killed our
father and our grandfather, and kidnapped you – you believe him so
easily. You are naïve.”

“Okay, maybe you’re right,” I admitted. “But
what if you’re not? Do we want a bunch of wraiths running amok and
wreaking havoc here in Savannah?”

“Perhaps if we just let them do their thing,
we won’t have to worry about Dmitri, anymore,” Liam said.

“So you’re proposing we just let him die?” I
asked.

“That is exactly what I’m proposing,” Liam
said.

At that point, I could do little but stare at
him with my mouth agape. Liam had never been so heartless, and I
was honestly shocked.

“Look,” I growled. “I understand you have
plenty of reasons to feel this way about Dmitri. He’s done horrible
things. But he and your father were very good friends long ago.
He’s been consumed by darkness, and I know from personal experience
how that feels. I have you all to save me from myself, but he has
no one. Don’t you think your father would want us to save him if we
could?”

“I hardly think you dabbling in dark magic
for a few hours and nearly killing one volunteer qualifies you to
speak from personal experience,” Liam snarled.

“Are you serious right now?” I shouted. “Who
do you think you are?”

“Someone who loves you and doesn’t want to
see you being stupid!” Liam yelled back at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. I couldn’t believe
he was behaving in such a way. He’d always been so lighthearted and
fun to be around.

“I’m not doing this with you right now,” I
told him. “If you want to turn this into a personal issue, fine.
But I’m not dealing with this now.”

“Fine!” Liam shouted, shoving himself away
from the table.

He stood up and stormed out of the room,
kicking a chair across the room and growling menacingly on his way.
The room was eerily silent for a few moments. Alexi cleared his
throat.

“We must decide what to do. Shall we accept
Dmitri at his word?” Alexi asked.

“I don’t believe we have any other choice,” I
responded honestly. “Unless you think you could read his mind to
find out his true intentions?”

“I suppose that is possible if he would allow
me to try,” Alexi admitted.

“We could call him and find out if he’d be
willing to meet with you,” I suggested.

“If he is unwilling to meet, then I would
assume he is not being forthcoming with the truth,” Alexi said. “If
he is willing, then perhaps there is a possibility we could trust
him.”

“Who should call him?” I asked.

“I would suggest Alice,” Father Jacobs said.
“He seemed to trust her.”

“Are you comfortable calling him, Alice?”
Alexi asked me.

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

It only took a few moments on the phone.
Dmitri was very agreeable, and he claimed he had no problem meeting
with Alexi. I was somewhat apprehensive, but I still had the
feeling we could trust Dmitri. After all, he hadn’t hurt me when I
was captive, nor had he harmed Father Jacobs or me when we visited
him on his own turf.

“He says he has no problem meeting with you,
Alexi,” I said. “He seems sincere enough.”

“If you believe he is being truthful, I trust
your judgment,” Alexi told me.

“I honestly do, Alexi. He said we could come
over any time.”

“Then let us not waste a moment. We shall go
at once.”

Kai was unhappy behind left behind, but I
pointed out there was nothing he could do there, anyway. I hadn’t
seen Liam since he stormed off, and I thought that might be for the
best. I hated that things with Liam had become so complicated, but
I didn’t need any more emotional issues in my life at the time.

Even Father Jacobs decided to stay behind
this time. He said he wanted to discuss a few things with Kai and
Liam. He was being very secretive, but I trusted him, so I let it
go.

On the way to Dmitri’s compound, Alexi’s leg
bounced anxiously. I could tell he was very nervous, so I put my
hand gently on his knee.

“It’s going to be fine, Alexi,” I said.

“Every time you are in harm’s way, I feel
intense anxiety,” he admitted. “That will never change.”

I turned to look out the window, watching the
scenery zooming by, but I left my hand on his knee. In many ways, I
needed the comfort of his touch as much as he needed mine. I truly
believed Dmitri meant no harm, but somehow, I had a feeling
something evil was on the horizon.

“Alexi?” I asked, my attention still
transfixed on the blurred scene outside the window.

“Yes, Alice?”

“I feel something.”

I could feel him tense beside me.

“What do you mean?” he asked, anxiety lacing
his voice.

“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like I
feel this… evil… looming out there somewhere. Something is
coming.”

“We should turn around, immediately,” Alexi
said quickly. “Driver…”

“No!” I stopped him. “It has nothing to do
with Dmitri. At least, not directly. I just get this feeling that
something very bad is coming.”

“Concentrate, Alice,” Alexi urged. “What do
you feel?”

“It’s like… this darkness. It’s not the same
thing I feel when the darkness takes over me, like when I nearly
killed Blake. It feels like it’s external, and it’s getting
closer.”

“Close your eyes,” he directed me. “Do you
see anything?”

I closed my eyes, and I tried to concentrate
directly on the feeling. At first, I saw only darkness. Then, a
smoky gray haze began to shift, like a thick morning fog just at
the break of day. Within the haze, a shape began to take form far
in the distance. It drew closer and closer, walking toward me in
slow motion. I couldn’t make out any features, but I could clearly
see a dark cloak billowing around the figure, and then I saw,
fluttering innocently in the breeze, a long, flowing tuft of pure
white hair which escaped the cloak’s hood. I gasped aloud, and my
concentration was broken.

“Alice! What did you see?” Alexi implored me
to tell him.

“You,” I whispered.

Alexi grew stony and silent.

“Alexi?”

“I do not understand,” he said, but something
told me he had at least a faint idea of what might be
happening.

“Alexi, don’t lie to me. You promised me you
never would, and don’t you
dare
do it to me, now.”

“You are right, my love. I am sorry. I want
to protect you, but I know I cannot. There is something I must tell
you.”

“You can tell me anything. Just be honest
with me.
Please
.”

“I know where the talisman is hidden,” he
admitted.

“What? How long have you known?”

“I am sorry I have been lying to you. I do
hope you will forgive me. But you must understand I only lied to
protect you.”

“Alexi, what are you talking about? Just tell
me!”

“The talisman is inside me,” he finally
admitted, hanging his head in shame.

A few tendrils of his ghostly white hair
escaped his cloak and flowed down his chest, and he almost seemed
to be attempting to hide behind them.

“Inside you… what do you mean?”

“My father swore me to secrecy,” he
explained. “The only place he knew to hide it where Dmitri would
never think to look was inside me. It was done with a ritual of
dark magic. The talisman was fused inside me, and the only way I
know of to get it out is through another ritual.”

“Your father did that to you?” I gasped.

“There was no other way.”

“But, Alexi… you must have been only…”

“A child, yes,” he stopped me. “But I
understood it must be done. My father saw in a vision what would
happen if it did not, and I could not allow that to happen.”

“What did he see?”

“Please, do not ask me to speak of it. Simply
thinking of it is far too painful to bear.”

“It had something to do with me, didn’t
it?”

He only nodded.

“Don’t you think I deserve to know if it has
to do with me?”

“What does it matter, Alice? It will not come
to pass. I have already made sure of that. You do not need to
know.”