Dark Rapture (32 page)

Part Three

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sebastian bolted forward in his chair. The bedroom was silent save for the gentle rustle of the curtains. The rose had fallen to his lap and he clutched it between his fingers, thumbing the blunted thorn. A molten heat rushed through his veins and he smiled in the darkness.

The feeling was back. Yes! He could feel her again.

He ran down the stairs and out to his car. As he sped to the mansion, he laughed heartily to himself and pounded the seat beside him. “I love you, Scarlet!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “You’ve come back to me!”

***

Dozing on the couch, Gary sniffed and rolled over, attempting to secure a more comfortable position. Half asleep, he groaned at the ache in his back the unevenly stuffed couch had caused.

A loud slam shattered the sleep from his mind. Where had it come from? He listened and heard it again—the front door. Scrambling off the couch, he navigated the darkness, but before he got to the kitchen, he slammed into Sebastian, and the force of the collision tumbled him onto the floor.

“She’s back!” Sebastian reached down and pulled Gary to his feet even as he bounded toward the vault.

Gary ran close behind him. “She is? Can you feel her? Is she here?”

“She did it, Gary. Scarlet chose to come back to me, I know it. She’s here.”

He turned and started into the blunt darkness of the vault, taking the steps two at a time. Gary followed close behind. Once close to the inner room, there was no light at all. The heavy blackness was not just blinding, but deafening. But that did not dissuade Sebastian from eagerly jumping into the darkness in search of Scarlet.

“We’re going to need some light,” Gary said.

“Then go get a flashlight.” Sebastian said. “I’m not leaving.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Sebastian closed his eyes and breathed deeply. She was in the crypt. He knew that she was. Her pulse beat under his skin now and he could smell her delicious aroma, feel the intense vibrations that shuddered between them. Her body was calling for its master.

“Scarlet,” he called out softly and moved slowly forward, dragging his feet along the floor to guide his way. He was blind but his distinct sense of smell brought him to the center of the room. The tip of his boot pushed into something and he immediately went down on his knees, his hands falling into the plush softness of her hair.

His hands moved down her hair until he could feel her face. Her cheeks were smooth and cool, and as he gently touched her lips he could feel that her breath was weak. His hands slid down over the slippery satin that he knew from memory to be white and felt the slow pounding of her heart beneath the warmth of her breast.

Gently, he pulled her up and onto his lap, cradling her in his arms.

“Scarlet, it’s me.”

“Sebastian?” Her voice was only a whisper, but it brought him to tears.

“Yes, Scarlet it’s me. You’ve come back to me.”

He rocked her back and forth in the darkness. She struggled to stay conscious but her hands clutched at his shirt and she pulled him down so his face was close to her mouth.

“Don’t speak, Scarlet. Gary is bringing a light so we can see to get you out of here. Just rest now. Everything is going to be okay. I’m never going to let you go.”

She relaxed and released his shirt.

He slipped his arms under her body and rose to his feet. He stood in the blackness cradling her to his chest.

“Sebastian?”

“Be quiet, lover. I’m here,” he said.

“Good” she whispered. “No more French. I love you.”

Her words filled the emptiness he’d carried with him for over two hundred years. They echoed through his body and appeased his soul. Scarlet Rose was his now, and at that moment he took a silent vow. He swore to himself that he would always love and cherish her.

He kissed her face until he found the cool softness of her lips. “I love you, too, Scarlet.

***

Just a few more feet . . . yes . . . and then . . . finally! The car crept into the garage and Vince wrenched the keys from the ignition. His head hit the back of the seat. Sweat tunneled down his forehead and ran through his matted hair. The journey home had been a trip through hell.

The pain was incessant now, and he was no longer able to squelch it by clutching his stomach, or by breathing deeply and holding the air in as long as he could. It traveled his body, from the arched bones of his toes trapped within his tight boots, to the hollows of his pelvis, where it whirled and spat at his insides. It drove a hot spike through his stomach and dried his throat so he was unable to pull the saliva to his mouth, and his bottom lip was swollen and bruised from his attempts to bring liquid to his throat. And the headache was fierce.

Vince felt unbalanced, sure that he would not be able to stand once he stepped outside the car. A jerk on the door handle and it opened. Scan the surroundings through tear-filled eyes. The door to the mansion was only five feet away. Two steps up and then the comforts of home.

His breathing was rapid and shallow as he leaned forward and reached for the edge of the car door. Misjudging the distance by a few inches, his body tumbled to the floor, hitting the cement hip-first. He rolled over, clutching his hipbone, and let out an animal yell, sure that he would wake the dead. But the release of his voice made the pain a trifle bearable, so he began to moan and curse as he pulled himself to his knees and crawled toward the steps.

His hand slid in a grease spot and he fell again in a twist of pain. The steps were so close, just a hand’s distance away. Could he make it?

***

“Did you hear something?” Gary stood and looked to the kitchen.

Scarlet lay on the couch, Sebastian sitting beside her.

“Like what, Gary?” She still felt sleepy and it didn’t matter whether or not he answered as unconsciousness teased.

“I don’t know, sounded like a dog or something.” He scratched his head and dismissed it as the wind or a neighborhood pet. “Now that Scarlet’s back, I think we could close this door.” He pushed the heavy iron door shut. “That’s better.”

“Can we put her up in Vince’s room, Gary?” Sebastian ran his fingers over Scarlet’s mouth and smoothed her hair from her face. “I think she should rest now, she’s been through so much.”

“That’s a good idea, you carry her up—” Gary pricked his ears and held his hand to his lips to signal silence. “I know I heard something.”

“You’re just spooked. Though I’m not surprised after everything that’s occurred.”

“No.” Gary walked to the kitchen and stood under the archway. “There it is again. It’s coming from the garage.” He dashed to the garage door.

Sebastian slipped his arms under Scarlet and carried her upstairs.
The face of an angel.
He would never let anything happen to her again. Suddenly, he heard Gary yell. He set Scarlet down and rushed to the opened garage door.

Gary knelt over Vince, who lay in a fetal position on the garage floor before the last step.

“What’s wrong with him?” Sebastian stepped down to the floor and laid a hand on Vince’s grease-streaked forehead. The sweat was hot and thick but there was no mistaking what he felt.
Familiar vibrations.

“He’s trying to say something.” Gary bent over Vince. “We need to get you to a doctor, Vince, I’m not fooling around with these stupid headaches anymore.”

Sebastian pulled back and stared dumbfounded at Vince now. Why hadn’t he noticed before? The man was a vampire. Possibly the sort that has one mortal parent and one vampire. In-borns, they were called. The purest and strongest of the vampire race, far more powerful than the created vampire he was. It was likely that Vince had yet to taste vampire blood because, until he did, the vampire nature would not surface, only simmer inside of him.

He was sure that Vince had no idea. And that would certainly explain all the suffering he’d been through. There was no doubt in Sebastian’s mind that he had just touched a vampire.

Shuddering against Gary’s chest, Vince attempted to reach into his pocket, but his head shot forward convulsively. “My . . . pocket,” he managed.

Gary reached in and produced a scrap of mangled paper from Vince s pocket.

“What is it?” Sebastian inquired, maintaining his distance.

“Looks like a phone number," Gary said. "What do you want me to do, Vince? Should I call this number? Who is this for?”

“Just call . . . tell him I need him.”

“But—”

“Go!” Vince raged as he pushed up onto his hands.

“Fine, I’ll go call. Watch him, Sebastian, I’m going to call an ambulance, too.”

“Check on Scarlet when you’re in there. Be sure she’s okay.”

Sebastian crouched a foot away from Vince and watched as he writhed on the floor. If he was an in-born vampire, then Sebastian knew he could help him. But would he want help?

“Stay away." Vince managed to skitter away until his back hit the side of his car. He seemed to be gaining control, and pulled his knees to his chest. From under his sweat-soaked hair, his watery blue eyes stared at Sebastian, like those of an animal trapped by a predator.

Not wanting to upset him more than he already was, Sebastian held his hands before him placatingly. “I won’t touch you, Vince, but I think I know how to help.”

“No!”

Not sure what Vince’s anger would push him to do, Sebastian knew there was only one way to stop the pain. But that would mean changing Vince’s life forever. On the other hand he wasn’t sure what would happen if he
didn’t
intervene and help him. Death, perhaps.

“Don’t come near me, you bastard,” Vince hissed. “Francesco is the only one who can help.”

“What? Francesco?” Sebastian slammed his fists to his sides and ground his teeth together. Now he knew. Francesco was somehow behind this.

Strange though. He had felt sure Scarlet would be Francesco’s target.

“No, Vince, Francesco can’t help. He is evil—”

“You are the evil one, Sebastian. Look at what you did to Scarlet! He’ll be here soon. Gary is calling him right now.”

“No!” Leaving Vince glowering against the car, Sebastian raced to the kitchen and grabbed Gary's cell phone out of his hand.

“You didn’t call the number, did you?” Sebastian grabbed him by his shirt collar. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“Let go of me!” Gary pushed him off and straightened his shirt. “Give my phone. What’s your problem now?”

“What did he say? Did he say who it was?”

“There was nobody there,” Gary snatched his phone.

Sebastian grabbed the phone from Gary. “Don’t try again!”

Gary crossed his arms over his chest and threw a deadly look his way. “I’m going to call the ambulance, if you don’t mind. My friend is lying out there probably inches from death. Is it all right if I try to get him some help?”

Knowing that his denial would only spark angry questions, Sebastian nodded and handed him the phone. But it wouldn’t help to call the hospital. In fact, it might make things worse for Vince. What would they find when they began probing and testing his body and blood?

He listened as Gary described Vince’s condition to the person on the other end of line. High fever. Shaking, sweating. Intense pain. Has had a lot of headaches in the past.

Sebastian knew the only two words that could describe what Vince was going through.

Blood hunger.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Blinding lights flashed in Vince’s face, then narrowed to two orbs of light. He could see the silhouette step out of the car and rush to him. The steady hum of the running motor ground at his sanity.

A voice spoke near his ear. “It’s all right, Vincent. You’ll be taken care of now.”

Gently, he was lifted and carried to the car. Once inside, he felt Francesco’s fingers push against his forehead until his head rested in the man’s lap and he was looking up into his pale blue eyes.

“We’ll be home soon, Vincent.”

“You can help me?”

His savior nodded. “Yes.”

Vince closed his eyes and started to drift, sure that he was safe now. A sort of peace took over and the pain grew lesser. He liked the sensation of Francesco’s hand against his cheek, pushing the sweaty strands of hair from his eyes and mouth. With another wave of the unmerciful pain, he tucked his knees to his chest and buried his face in Francesco’s lap.

***

“Wait a second.” Gary peeked around the corner, saw Sebastian standing over Scarlet, then bounded back to the garage door. “Where is he? Did you move him, Sebastian?”

“Huh?” Pulled from his thoughts, Sebastian stepped to the door and looked out into the garage. The smell of oil mixed with fresh rain wafted through the open door. “He’s gone.”

“But his car is still here. Man, we’ve got to find him.”

They looked under and inside Vince’s car, checking every hiding spot, and then stood at the garage door, catching the rain on their feet.

“I can’t believe that he’d wander off," Gary said, "especially when he was in so much pain. Where do you think he’s gone?”

Sebastian could only shake his head. If Francesco was behind this, there was no telling what had happened. Had the vampire slipped in and abducted Vince in the little time that he had been in the house with Gary? Unlikely.

“He couldn’t have gone far, not in this rain. And in his condition.”

“Yeah, well, we’d better find him soon.” The sky took its cue by answering with a rumble of thunder and a downpour of heavy rain. “Looks like it’s getting bad. Shit, why the hell did he wander off?” Gary stepped out into the rain, pulling his shirt collar tight about his neck, and turned back to Sebastian. “Maybe you should keep an eye on Scarlet. I can check the yard and the streets by myself. You’re right, wherever he is, he couldn’t have gone far in this downpour.”

“I’ll let Scarlet know what’s going on, then I’ll come help,” Sebastian said. “I have pretty good night vision. I might be able to spot him before you.”

Nodding that he understood more than he wanted to, Gary started down the driveway and Sebastian rushed back to the grand room where Scarlet lay.

He slowed as he neared the couch, taking in his sleeping beauty. He recalled everything as he knelt beside her and trailed his fingers across her tightly-cinched stomach, then up the seams of the bodice to the red stain between her breasts.

“It really did happen that way,” he said as he realized the thorn had pierced her skin before she had used it on him, ripping a red gash across her neck, providing the fountain of eternity from which she had forced him to drink. Tracing a finger up to her neck he could make out the rapidly fading wound where the thorn had slashed her skin.

Bending over her, he kissed the hand that rested on her stomach, christening each finger one by one. “I still want you to marry me.”

The flashlight on the table shone on her and he leaned back to switch it off. There was enough light from the intermittent flashes of lightning so Scarlet would know where she was should she wake. He didn’t want to wake her now and bother her with Vince’s situation.

And what to do about Vince? The things he had read in the diary were coming full circle. Alexander Lyons, the murderer of Marie Elisabeth Debonet, had revealed his vampirism in the yellowed pages of the diaries. Most of the men on Vince’s father’s side had been vampires. And now, after laying his hands on Vince, Sebastian was sure he was also vampire.

Sebastian stalked out to the garage in search of Gary. He knew he was going to have to tell him his suspicions. That Vince had been kidnapped by Francesco. And they were both vampires. Gary was going to love hearing that one.

But what was Francesco doing? Why would he use Vince for his revenge? He obviously had no idea of the way things had been lately, that Vince was less than friendly with him now that he’d hooked up with Scarlet.

Or maybe he did?

The trees whipped madly in the strong winds and he watched as the fierce weather ripped a dead limb from the oak in the front yard and chucked it to the ground. It stretched at least ten feet from tip to broken end and its smaller branches braced the main branch two feet above the slippery grass.

“Oh shit!” Gary appeared, dodging the falling limb just in time.

Running to the center of the yard, Sebastian turned Gary away from the branch and yelled over the raucous wind. “Did you find him?”

“Did I find him? Oh, yeah, sure, he’s right behind me.” Gary stuck a finger over his shoulder and pointed to the tree limb.

Damned attitude.
But Sebastian remained calm. He was going to have to keep his wits about him.

The two men stood in the center of the yard staring at each other. Finally Gary backed down and walked to the discarded branch behind him, slipping in the slick grass as he did. He broke some twigs from the massive limb and tossed them through the storm.

“Gary, I think there’s something I should tell you.” Sebastian stood beside him and watched as the man continued to tear the smaller branches from the broken tree arm, cracking them across his knee, and then whipping them to the ground.

“What the hell is it now?” Gary snapped, not turning to look at Sebastian. “Or do I want to know?”

Sebastian could see the tension flexing the muscles on the back of Gary’s neck where his hair had parted from the rain. “I think I know why Vince has been having headaches over the years and why he freaked out tonight.”

“Yeah?” Gary turned around and pointed a jagged stick at Sebastian’s chest. “And who made you the medical expert all of a sudden? I know one thing about you, DelaCourte, and that is that you’re a fucking vampire! And you made my sister into—”

“Gary.” Sebastian pushed the menacing stick out of his face, not willing to start the same argument again. “Vince is a vampire, too. I’ve been reading the diaries. And after seeing Vince tonight, my suspicions have been confirmed.”

Gary looked as though he was going to cough up a hairball. He shook his head, waving the stick in the air before the two of them. “Oh, no way, man, don’t you say that.”

“Gary, it’s the truth. I touched Vince when he was lying on the garage floor.” Sebastian dodged the slashing stick and stepped back with his hands raised in defense. “Listen to me, Gary! I felt the same thing I feel when I touch Scarlet. I told you about this before. Vampires can tell their own kind by touch. It's called the shimmer. I know Vince is a vampire!”

“Then how come he never said anything to me? Huh?” Gary wavered closer, brandishing his weapon. “How come he never tried to suck my blood?”

“Vince doesn’t know he’s a vampire—at least not yet. There are different kinds of vampires, some more pure than others.”

Gary’s expression didn’t change as he stood ready to charge with his stick.

“I’m sure that Vince is an in-born. His father was a vampire, and as soon as he tastes the blood of another he’ll become a full-fledged vampire himself. Gary, I read the diaries, the entire male side of Vince’s family were vampires.”

“Where the hell is he?”

“I don’t know—”

The stick slashed through the air in front of Sebastian but he was able to pull it from Gary’s hand.

“You
do
know, don’t you? You know where he is.”

“I have an idea.”

Gary lunged forward only stopping when the tip of the stick pressed into his chest. He eyed Sebastian’s dripping face, daring him to make a move.

“He mentioned a name when you were in the house.” Sebastian tossed the stick to the ground. “Another vampire.”

“Another vampire? What the hell is Vince doing with a vampire? He doesn’t know any vampires!”

Slowly the two moved across the yard as Gary paced toward Sebastian. Not wanting to rile him more than he already had Sebastian tried to remain calm as he cautiously measured his steps and tried to keep from slipping across the slick ground.

“His name is Francesco Volierre, and I know him. He’s come to town seeking revenge on me and I think he’s got Vince now.”

“He’s after you, but he’s got Vince?” The branches snapped under Gary’s shoes as he backed Sebastian toward the front steps of the house. “I don’t understand,” he said and flicked his head to the side to clear the rain from his eyes.

“I thought he’d go after Scarlet.” Sebastian stumbled over the first step but Gary caught him by the collar and pulled him upright.

“This vampire is supposed to be after Scarlet, and you knew about it? I can’t believe you, DelaCourte. Look at all the trouble you’ve brought into my sister’s life since you’ve hooked up with her, and now you’re dragging Vince into it too.”

“I had no idea Francesco would go after Vince. I don’t know how this happened.”

“So suffice, you expected Scarlet to fall into this bastard vampire’s hands, yes?”

“No, Gary, you don’t understand—”

The wind was pushed from Sebastian’s lungs and he fell to the wet grass after Gary’s fist plunged into his chest. Before he could right himself the man straddled him, pounding his head with his fists. Sebastian flipped Gary to his back. He was reluctant to fight back, remembering his promise to Scarlet that he would not hurt anyone she loved but he could at least defend himself.

The two of them rolled across the soaked lawn. Gary’s shouted obscenities vied with the storm to be heard and he occasionally landed a punch on Sebastian’s face, as they both struggled to get to their feet. The rain hindered Sebastian's attempts at harnessing the angry man’s arms.

“Gary, you’ve got to listen to me, fighting won’t help.”

“Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that.” Another crushing blow hit Sebastian’s jaw but he shook it off.

“You’re no match against me, Gary.”

He swung and hit his target, sending him to the ground. Whispering a silent apology to Scarlet, Sebastian crawled over to where her brother lay. But to his surprise Gary pushed up, butting him in the chest with his head and sent him stumbling backward.

At that moment the sound of oak creaking against rusted hinges made Sebastian look up and twist his head toward the door. Scarlet stood in the doorway, a vision in eighteenth-century finery, but her face twisted in shock.

“Gary, no!”

Sebastian turned just in time to see the tree branch plummeting toward him. He felt the pressure of its razor-sharp point rip his shirt open and enter his chest.