Betrayal (Blood Haze: Book Three) A Paranormal Romance (18 page)

“Alright, fine. But why did I see you in my
vision? And for that matter, was it even real? I’ve never had
visions like that, before. It was so real.”

“I cannot answer that. My father is the only
one I have ever known who had visions, aside from a few my
grandfather had, but they were rare. I do now know if it was real,
nor could I anticipate why it was you saw me.”

“I’m really worried, Alexi. I feel this
darkness... no… this
evil
lurking. It’s coming; I can feel
it. And all I saw was
you
.”

Alexi’s head turned to look out the car
window.

“I do not know what it means.”

“I think you do,” I challenged him.

“Do not press the issue further.”

It was then I became certain the darkness
that was coming had something to do with Alexi. I couldn’t be sure
what any of it meant, but I knew it was looming. It could show
itself at any moment, and I wasn’t prepared.

Alexi knew more than he was telling me. Of
that much I was sure. However, it was clear he didn’t want to talk
about it, and I couldn’t think of any way to get him to.

It was a long, quiet ride to Dmitri’s
compound. Alexi’s refusal to talk to me was causing a rift between
us, and I felt powerless to heal the wound. If he would not talk to
me, there was little I could do about it.

At long last, we arrived. Dmitri’s guards
ushered us quickly into Dmitri’s office, and once again I found
myself sitting across the desk from him.

“Thank you for coming,” Dmitri said. “Alexi,
I cannot express how sorry I am for everything that has transpired.
I assure you that I never meant for…”

“Enough!” Alexi demanded, throwing his hand
up to stop Dmitri. “I do not wish to hear your excuses or
apologies. They mean nothing to me.”

“Yes, fair enough,” Dmitri agreed. “Well,
then, let’s get this over with. My mind is open to you. Do as you
must.”

“I can get a clearer reading if I touch you,”
Alexi said.

“Yes, of course,” Dmitri submitted.

Dmitri reached his hand across the desk, and
Alexi leaned forward to take it. Dmitri winced, but I could not
tell if it was because of physical discomfort or the knowledge that
the man whose father and grandfather he was responsible for killing
would be reading his every thought.

Alexi’s head tilted to the left and twisted
backward somewhat, as though he were somehow listening closely to
something that was nearly inaudible. I could tell he was gripping
Dmitri’s hand more tightly, and he placed his other hand over the
top and pulled it closer to him. Dmitri’s face contorted into one
of intense discomfort, but he did not try to pull away. After a few
tension-filled moments, Alexi released Dmitri’s hand, and both of
them slumped back into their chairs in exhaustion.

“I understand,” Alexi acknowledged.

“Then you see why I have done what I have
done, and how deeply I regret everything that has happened,” Dmitri
muttered.

“I do,” Alexi admitted. “But it does not
change things, nor can it bring them back.”

“Believe me, I know. If there was anything I
could do to change what I’ve done, I would, Alexi.”

“I see that, now. And because you meant so
much to my father, I will help you. But you must agree to do things
my way.”

“Of course,” Dmitri said. “Whatever you ask
of me, I will do. Do you know where the talisman is located?”

“I do. But it must stay there, for the
moment.”

“But you just agreed to help me!” Dmitri
argued.

“And I will do so, but, as I said, it must be
done
my
way.”

“I don’t understand, Alexi. How can I control
the wraiths without the talisman?”

“You will understand in time. You have my
word that I will help you. However, as I said, you must accept my
help on my terms. Please, I ask you to trust me.”

Dmitri looked at me, as though he were asking
my opinion.

“You can trust him, Dmitri,” I assured him.
“If he says he’ll do something, he will.”

Looking back toward Alexi, he said, “Then I
will trust you.”

“I will be in touch with you as quickly as I
can,” Alexi to him. “Until then, try to stay out of trouble, and
contact us if your situation changes.”

“I certainly will, Alexi. And thank you.”

Alexi nodded, and he stood to leave. I stood
to follow him.

“Don’t worry, Dmitri. If Alexi says it will
be alright, it
will
be.”

Dmitri smiled faintly in quiet gratitude.

I followed Alexi back to the car, and we
headed home. The drive was silent, and tension hung in the air. I
wanted to talk to Alexi, to ask him what was happening, but I knew
he would refuse to speak of it. For the first time, Alexi was
hiding something from me.

When we arrived back at the compound, Alexi
asked me to accompany him to his office. I followed him there, and
I took a seat in front of his desk. Instead of sitting across from
me, he sat in the chair beside me.

“I need to ask something of you,” Alexi said,
his voice grim.

“Anything,” I whispered.

“Do not say that until you hear what it
is.”

“Alright. Alexi, what is it? You have me
really worried.”

“Do you remember that I spoke of my father’s
vision in which we were married, and you saved my life?”

“Yes, of course I remember.”

“The time has come. You must make a decision,
and it must be soon.”

“What? You mean, I have to marry you
right
now
?”

“You do not have to, nor will I even attempt
to force you. This must be your decision, and yours alone. I cannot
and will not influence it, and you must not let anyone else do
so.”

“Why does it have to be
now
?” I
demanded to know.

“I believe you know why.”

I thought back to the conversation he and I
had about our marriage, and I remembered him saying his father
wanted to make sure we would marry, because I would save his
life.

“But, I can save your life even if we aren’t
married, right?”

“I do not believe that is possible in this
circumstance.”

“Why not? Alexi, I just don’t understand. I
can use my Grace just as easily if we’re not married, right?”

“The bond between married vampires is
stronger than you understand. Using your ability to heal me would
not weaken you as much if we were married. If we do not marry, I
cannot allow you to risk yourself for me.”

“I wouldn’t be risking myself. I’ve saved
both you and Liam, and I’m fine.”

“Remember, you weaken yourself more each time
you use it. I am afraid that next time you use it, you could
die.”

“So you’re saying if we aren’t married, you
wouldn’t even allow me to try?”

“That is precisely what I am saying. I
believe the bond of marriage would allow you to heal me without any
danger to you. If you do not marry me, I will not allow you to
try.”

“Alexi, I don’t know if I’m ready for this. I
have so much to think about, so much to work out in my head.”

“You have as much time as you need. As I
said, I will not force you.”

“When is… I mean… how long until…”

“I cannot be certain, but I believe it will
occur when I assist Dmitri with the wraiths.”

I gasped aloud, unable to contain the intense
emotion that suddenly flooded by body. I felt a lump rising in my
throat, and I could barely speak.

“That soon?” I whispered.

“I am afraid so. It could be within the
week.”

I felt like I might vomit. My knees were weak
and shaky, and I was glad to be sitting down. I thought I might
faint.

“I don’t know what to do. I need time to
think.”

“Of course. I understand.”

“I’m sorry, Alexi. I wish I could just agree
to this, but I…”

Alexi put his hand up to stop me, and he
said, “I understand. And I want you to make this decision based on
your heart, not based on your concern for my life. I do not wish to
force you into a marriage that will make you unhappy.”

“Alexi, you know I can’t do that. If it means
saving your life, I don’t care what…”

“Stop,” he pleaded. “I am serious about this,
Alice. I want you to marry me because you decide you love me, not
because you wish to save my life. I would rather die than doom you
to an unhappy life.”

“Oh, God, please don’t say that,” I begged
him. “I can’t even
think
about you…”

I couldn’t finish the sentence. Just the
thought of something happening to Alexi was enough to send me into
a panic attack. I certainly couldn’t say it out loud.

“I need some time,” I said suddenly, and I
stood up and fled from the room.

I needed some air. Suddenly, the air inside
the house was stifling, and I could hardly breathe. I dashed
through the house and into the back yard. I hadn’t been outdoors
much at the compound, so I didn’t know where I was going. I
wandered aimlessly for a while, and then I ran across a small
wooded area with a bench at the edge. I sat down on the bench with
a huff, and all at once, I burst into tears.

I wasn’t even certain why I was crying. I
thought it was more than likely the stress of everything crashing
in around me at once. It was too much for one soul to bear. I had
just decided I needed time away from relationships, away from the
stress and the pain they caused me, and now Alexi was telling me if
I didn’t marry him, he might die.

He wanted me to marry him purely out of love,
but how could I do that? I hadn’t really had time to clear my head.
Things had been happening so quickly that I had not yet had a
chance to sort out my feelings. Eventually, I was overcome with
exhaustion. I lied down on the bench, and within a few moments, I
had cried myself to sleep.

I found myself walking down a dark corridor.
I knew it must be a dream, because I felt only partially lucid – as
if things weren’t quite real, but they weren’t quite a dream,
either. The walls of the corridor seemed to crush in against me,
but when I reached out to touch them, my fingers went through them
as if they weren’t really there.

Soon, I could see a shadowy figure at the end
of the hallway. At first, all I could see was a dark figure
shrouded by a thick haze, but as I walked closer, I saw those
ghostly white tendrils of hair escaping the darkness of a
cloak.

“Alexi!” I called to him, but he did not
answer.

I increased my pace, and I could feel my
heart begin to race.

“Alexi?” I called again, but I was met only
with silence.

Fearful, I began to run. Something was wrong.
Alexi would never refuse to answer me unless he couldn’t. As I
approached him, I saw another shadowy figure standing beside him.
One hand was behind Alexi, apparently keeping him from escaping.
The other held a long, wooden stake.

“Alexi…” I whispered, barely able to utter a
sound.

I made a lunge toward the figure holding the
stake, but I was too slow. The figure thrust the stake into Alexi’s
heart, and then it vanished.

“Alexi!” I shouted, reaching out to catch him
as he began to collapse.

I felt his weight drop into my arms, and I
lowered him gently to the ground. His blood seeped through his
cloak and stained my clothing.

I grasped the stake, and I yanked with all my
might. I heard a sickening slurp as the stake slipped from his
flesh. I threw it aside. I knew I had only moments to act.

I placed my hands over the wound and
concentrated. Alexi was motionless under my hands, but I could feel
his warm blood gushing from the wound and soaking my hands. I
closed my eyes and prayed,
Please, God. Please let this
work.

I kept concentrating, but nothing happened. I
could not will my Grace to work. I was not overcome by the familiar
pain, nor the haze, nor the trembling. Nothing happened.

“Alexi!” I screamed, realizing he was
slipping away, and I might be unable to save him.

I gritted my teeth and pushed my hands
against the wound, trying with everything in me to push life back
into him. I remembered the feeling of my life force flowing through
my hands and into Alexi and Liam when I had saved their lives
before, and I desperately tried to do it once more. Still, nothing
happened.

I felt hands close over mine, and I opened my
eyes. Alexi was holding my hands gently, and his cloak had slipped
away from his face. He looked up at me with nothing but pure love
in his violet eyes, and a single tear slipped from his eye and
spilled down his temple, disappearing into his white hair.

“It was all for you,” he whispered, and then
he closed his eyes and I felt his life slip away.

“Alexi?” I asked, but he was silent.

I put my hands on his shoulders and shook
him.

“Alexi! Wake up! Please!” I shouted.

Still, he was motionless. He was gone, and I
could feel it. The warmth, the love I had always felt when he was
around was gone, and my world felt cold and empty. It was as if
everything that was good in the world was gone, and nothing else
mattered.

“Alexi!” I shouted, my heart crushing under
the weight of a thousand centuries of pain and anguish.

I sat up with a gasp, feeling the cool night
air wrapping around me and reminding me it was only a dream. My
heart still raced, and the lump in my throat swelled until I
couldn’t draw a breath. I sprang to my feet and raced to the
house.

I burst through the door, and I shouted,
“Alexi! Alexi!”

Alexi and Kai both came running down the
stairs as though they were afraid something was wrong, and I saw
Liam rush from the dining hall.

“What’s wrong?” Alexi asked, concern thick in
his voice.

I rushed into his arms, and I put my head
against his chest. I listened carefully, and I heard his heart
beating strong and fast. He was really alive.