Dark Destiny (46 page)

Destiny forced calm into her mind. Where was the echo of his call, his scent? She scanned the skies for a blankness in an attempt to pinpoint his exact position. Frustrated by his skill, by his ability to hide, she went first to MaryAnn's house. The door to Mary Ann's home was open and Destiny could see her walking along the sidewalk dressed in her robe. As she passed the rectory, Father Mulligan emerged, dressed in sweats, without his glasses perched on his nose.

Destiny swooped down on them, taking her human shape as she hit the sidewalk running. She caught each of them by an arm and dragged them to the church. It took strength when they both tried vainly to reach the golden voice calling to them. As she unlocked the doors, Mary Ann escaped and had to be retrieved. Destiny thrust them both firmly into the safety of the church.

At once the sound of the vampire's melodic tones changed to a growling, spitting evil. Father Mulligan blinked and looked around him, astonished to find himself in the church. "I was having a dream."

Mary Ann sat in the nearest pew and glared at Destiny. "Not again. I'm in my bathrobe, for heaven's sake."

"Stay here. Don't you dare leave this church," Destiny ordered. She didn't stop to explain, closing the double doors behind her.

Destiny ran down the block to turn on the street where The Tavern was located. The priest and Mary Ann had both been heading in that direction. To her horror, she saw Tim and Martin shuffling down the back fire escape toward the street. She hurried toward them, racing up the street in the direction of the home of Inez and Velda. They weren't out yet, but she was certain they would be on the street momentarily.

Tim dropped from the ladder to the sidewalk, nearly in front of her. Without looking at her, or looking back at Martin, he began to walk down the block. Martin dropped to the sidewalk and hurried after his departing friend.

Spinning black clouds gathered swiftly overhead. Veins of lightning arced from cloud to cloud. Warily, Destiny glanced toward the sky. The wind rushed along the street, knocking Tim and Martin to the ground, releasing them from their enthrallment. The full force hit Destiny like a punch, lifting her off her feet, sending her flying backward to land a distance from the two human men.

Pay attention to the battle. You cannot help them if you are dead
! Nicolae's voice was calm, but she knew him all too well now. He was on the move and he was angry. The storm generating over her head held a particular controlled fury she recognized.

Destiny rolled, dissolved to vapor, felt the brush of claws against her wounded shoulder. Droplets of red scattered across the ground, giving away her position in the gathering fog. She shifted course on the run, drawing the vampire away from the humans, taking several leaps to add distance before landing in a crouch, preparing herself for the attack she knew was coming.

The vampire rose up in front of her, a hideous sight with jagged teeth and flaming eyes. His breath was putrid, reeking of rot and decay. She had only time for one heartbeat of recognition. This was not Pater. Once again the wily ancient had sent in a lesser vampire to occupy her while he wreaked his vengeance.

She heard Tim scream in fear, as if at a distance, the thick fog muffling the sound. Martin was eerily silent. She had no time to get to them. She felt the impact as the vampire struck, tearing through muscle and tissue. She was staring straight into those blood-red eyes. Her fist had driven deep. They stared at one another. She watched his face contort, felt the power moving through her, and knew Nicolae was using her to destroy her enemy. The vampire began to gasp for air. The claw tearing through her body weakened, fell away from her.

Destiny staggered, forced strength into her arm where it was buried deep in the chest of the vampire. She dragged the heart from the body and managed to toss it a distance from her. Stumbling, she pushed her rubbery legs into action, searching for the two men.

A hand came out of the fog, gripped the front of her shirt and carelessly threw her through the air. She didn't see the vampire, only his hand coming out of the vapor with blurring speed. She hit the wall of Velda and Inez's house, slid down to the sidewalk, the air slamming out of her lungs. He was alarmingly strong.

Now would be a good time for you to rescue me
. Destiny couldn't get her legs under her. She could only remain slumped against the wall.

He came out of the fog. Pater. His face was a mask of hatred. Of cold rage.

Focus on him
. Nicolae was even closer than before.

Destiny couldn't keep her gaze steady on the vampire. His image continually blurred, so that it was impossible for Nicolae to lock onto him through her.

Move, Destiny. Get away from him
. There was an edge to Nicolae's voice.

She couldn't move. She could only watch the creature grow in power and stature as he advanced on her. His body was fuzzy, replicating itself over and over as he loomed over her. He was hissing his hatred, a cross between the growl of a predator and the cold, reptilian hiss of a snake. Destiny felt the force of his hatred hit her hard before he reached her.

"You ruined everything, and in the end you will die as you should have long ago when you betrayed your blood," he snarled as he reached for her. One hand was extended, going for her throat, the nails long and razor-sharp.

Destiny simply watched the claw as it stretched out abnormally and waited for him to crush her. Before Pater reached her, a body inserted itself between the vampire and his prey. The woman was small with pink-tipped hair and matching tennis shoes. She looked frail but she stood her ground resolutely. "You will not touch her."

Destiny's heart nearly stopped. She couldn't watch this courageous woman, well into her seventies, die to give her a few more precious minutes of life. "Velda," she whispered softly in protest.

Velda faced the vampire unflinchingly. "You will not touch her," she said again. She managed to look and sound dignified and regal, even authoritative, dressed in baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt with glittery hearts strewn across it, matching her neon pink tennis shoes.

Destiny blinked back tears of admiration and struggled to get to her feet, desperate to save Velda from her courageous folly.

To Destiny's astonishment, Pater froze, clearly shocked, stiffening, every muscle tense. His face paled visibly, and for one moment, emotion stirred on the frightful mask of his face. Something crept into his expression—guilt, regret, sorrow. Destiny couldn't identify it.

Wind rushed through the street. Lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder crashed overhead, booming so loud it shook the houses. The lightning illuminated the face of the vampire, once handsome and sensual, now ravaged by evil. A gaunt parody of a man with blood-stained teeth and a withered, blackened heart. His expression changed from one of fleeting sorrow to cunning craftiness.

Pater let out his breath in a long, slow hiss of fury. "Do not try to trick me, old woman. Leave this place or I will kill you."

"This place is my home and you no longer belong here. Go and leave this girl." Velda sounded very firm and continued to look unflinchingly into his flaming gaze. His hypnotic voice clearly didn't work on her. The compulsion buried in his command failed to get results.

Pater stepped close to the old woman and bent his head toward her neck, his incisors prominently displayed. Instead of recoiling as expected, Velda moved to meet the tall, thin vampire as if to embrace him. She laid one withered hand on his chest, so that he paused, his mouth against her skin. "I waited for you. There was no other in my life. There could be no other. I will grieve for you and hope that God has mercy on your soul." She whipped up her other hand, concealed in the folds of her too large sweat pants, and attempted to drive the stake she held through Pater's chest.

He threw back his head and howled, his hand clamping around Velda's fragile wrist like a vise. Destiny used every ounce of remaining strength, drew on Nicolae for aid and leapt to her feet, shoving Velda's arm hard, driving the stake deep into Pater's heart. Destiny dragged the other woman backward, away from the flailing vampire. Pater screamed curses, spewing vile threats at the two women.

Velda's small body was shaking. She pressed her hand to her mouth, took a step toward the vampire, her hand out, obviously wanting to comfort him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. You gave me no other choice."

"The only way to aid him is by giving him death," Destiny said, trying to comfort Velda even as she protectively thrust the older woman behind her.

Pater whirled away from them, only to find Gregori standing behind him. He turned back to the women to find Nicolae blocking his way. Vikirnoff was to his right.

Destiny slipped her arm around Velda. "We have to go, right now." She staggered as she tried to urge Velda back into the comparative safety of her home. "You don't want to see this."

Velda steadied Destiny, turned for one last look. Pater's gaze locked with hers. Velda's lips trembled. Destiny tugged at her, regaining the older woman's attention. "Please, Velda, let them do their job."

Velda burst into tears, a low cry of pain as she firmly closed the door, blocking out the wind and fog and death. "I felt him close by. He was meant for me. He was, Destiny. All these years I've been alone, waiting for him to come. And he is evil."

Destiny sank into a chair, her legs no longer able to hold herself up. "I'm sorry, Velda, so sorry. He wasn't always evil. There was a time in his life when he was a great man. I'm certain of it."

Velda hung her head. "Why didn't he find me?"

"I don't know. I have no answer for you."

"I could see the evil in him, as if he had rotted from the inside out. He embraced evil. Rejoiced in it. I looked for his heart and it was black. I looked for his soul and it was gone." Velda pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. "All these years alone, and it was for him. One moment I saw it in his eyes, an awareness of what could have been, and he rejected it. I saw him reject it."

"I'm so sorry, Velda." Destiny didn't know how to comfort her. "But thank you for having the courage to save my life."

"I would have saved him had he let me." Velda covered her face with her hands and sobbed as if her heart were broken.

"It was too late," Destiny said softly. "He gave in a long time ago."

Inez came out of the bedroom, frowning as she pulled at the cotton balls stuffed in her ears. "Whatever is going on? Velda. Dearest sister. You cannot cry like this. You'll make yourself ill." She slipped her arm around Velda's shoulders and turned her attention to Destiny. "You need an ambulance. You're soaked in blood."

Nicolae came through the door without knocking. Destiny's hungry gaze went to his face. Nicolae. Her sanity. Her white knight. Sorrow for Velda rose up to overwhelm her.
We cannot leave her this way
.

I will help her. Your strength is gone, and you're severely injured.

She looked down at the blood soaking her shirt. Revulsion made her shudder. She was rotting from the inside out, just as Velda had said Pater had done.

No, you are nothing like Pater. You have fought every inch of the way for your honor and your integrity and for the welfare of others. Blood does not make up who you are, Destiny.

I can't bear to have vampire blood running through my veins
. Destiny ducked her head, ashamed for thinking of her own discomfort as she heard Velda's soft weeping and the murmur of Inez trying to console her. Velda had lost everything, and Destiny still had Nicolae. Would always have him.
Please help her, Nicolae
.

Nicolae waved his hand toward the older woman, respect and admiration in his expression. "I thank you for saving my lifemate at such a cost to yourself. I give you the only gift I have, distance from the one who would have belonged to you." He bowed low, a courtly salute of honor. His spell wouldn't take away the terrible sorrow—Velda would grieve for her lifemate—but he dimmed the emotion enough to make it more bearable.

He gathered Destiny into his arms.
It is over. Even wounded, he was a powerful enemy. Seeing Velda face to face shook him. I hope there will be a semblance of peace for Velda with what I have wrought.

"Put her to bed, Inez," Nicolae said aloud. "Velda, you will sleep and heal."

Nicolae carried Destiny out into the cool of the night. The breeze had taken the stench of the vampire and carried it out to sea. The air was clean and fresh with promise. Nicolae soared through the darkened sky, taking her back to the cave. Anger smoldered deep in the pit of his belly, mixed with fear and relief. "You took a terrible risk, Destiny." He buried his face in her hair.

"Was Gregori able to heal you completely? Is he certain?"

"He did, at great cost to his strength. He is anxious to get started on healing you."

She brushed her hand over his face, lingering along the seam of his lips, pressed tightly together in a frown. "He doesn't think he will be able to heal me, does he?" Her voice wobbled alarmingly.

"He will heal you. It will take time. Maybe more than one session, but he will do it." Nicolae tenderly stroked the hair from her face with gentle fingers as he settled into the darkened cavern. He waved his hand to light the waiting candles.

"Poor Velda. She recognized Pater as her true lifemate. What a terrible tragedy. A waste for them both. And for a moment, he recognized her. I saw it in his eyes. He felt something. With her speaking to him, looking at him, he felt something."

His fingers wiped the tears from her face. "She showed tremendous courage. He would have killed you." He brought her hands to the warmth of his mouth, kissing her knuckles lovingly. "When a Carpathian male turns, the tragedy of it is that there might be a woman waiting somewhere, or in some other time. Pater should have held on to his honor. Velda is an extraordinary woman. In the end, she did her best to free him."

"He would have killed her," Destiny said sadly.

"He would have had no choice. The undead cannot see themselves: their reflection in a mirror provides too much of the truth; the eyes of a lifemate reveal an unbearable reality."