DeLeina, Maya - Veil of Seduction [Ambrose Heights Vampires 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (61 page)

Dampness was everywhere.

Anya’s nose crinkled, repelled by the unpleasant conditions. “Steffan, it reeks down here! It smells like rotten eggs. How could she live here?”

“I have no idea. But I think that’s sulfur we smell,” Steffan said as he maneuvered his way around a jagged rock formation that jutted from the earthen floor. “Is your eyesight adjusting to the darkness?”

“Yes. It feels like someone is standing behind me with a flashlight, lighting the exact path I want to go on. It’s an odd feeling.”

“You’ll get used to it. By the way, what did you bring in that bag of yours?”

Anya smiled sheepishly. “Umm, two flashlights. I forgot. Human instinct still in me I guess.” Anya shrugged. “When Griffin was talking, I just started packing stuff in a bag. I also packed Defender and a blanket, just in case.” Anya spoke her last words in a very seductive manner.

Steffan smiled at the thought. “Good thinking, my love. Looks like we’re coming to a very narrow passage here. You all right with small spaces?”

“I’m all right. But, let’s not linger. I don’t care for the feeling too much.”

The tunnel narrowed just as Steffan predicted, forcing them to walk sideways. Anya took off her backpack and held it in her hand. The dampness soaked their backs as they traced the outline of the mineral walls. They moved swiftly, making their way through the crevice of the passageway.

“Do you hear that?” Steffan whispered.

Anya remained still and held her breath to listen.

The harsh echo of the water dripping from the ceiling and pooling on the ground softened and was replaced with a soothing, rhythmic sound of something delicately slicing through a body of water.

“I hear it!” Anya said.

“Let’s go. I can see some light up through the opening,” Steffan replied. He inched his way through the fissure.

Anya followed closely behind.

Steffan edged his way to the light, breaking through the gap that opened to a breathtaking expanse. He stood still at the top of the naturally formed stairway, looking down at the water below.

Anya made her way through the crack and was awestruck. “Oh my god. This is beautiful.”

The water was a brilliant turquoise, varying to an emerald green at its depths. The colors bounced off of the shimmering crystals that suspended like long chandeliers from the ceiling. Waterfalls that seemed to be frozen in time draped the wall. Cluster of icicle formations suspended from the uneven, rocky ceiling above them. A row boat with two oars sat undisturbed in the still, glassy water, tethered to a rock that jutted out of the water like a long spear.

Steffan and Anya walked hand in hand down the rocky pathway, taking in the splendor of the subterranean jewel.

“I guess we’ll have to take the boat to keep going. There doesn’t seem to be any other way on foot,” Steffan said as he examined their surroundings.

“But I thought I heard an oar in the water. Where was that coming from?” Anya said as she bent down, trying to look into the recesses of the tunnel waterway.

“Maybe it was her traveling down this system. Let’s see where this goes and maybe we’ll catch up to her.”

Steffan entered the water, submerging himself up to his knees. He leaned in Anya’s direction, picked her up, and lifted her into the boat. He lifted himself into the boat and released the rope.

Steffan navigated the boat through a series of tunnel passageways at a steady pace. Some of them were long and narrow and others were short with low clearances. The clear crystals that suspended above shifted in shades of green, blue, purple, and amber. The water below glowed as if an underwater lighting system had been turned on.

Anya looked at Steffan as he maneuvered the oars of the boat. He was already looking at her with a deep-seated craving.

“Anya, I need to be with you. My body aches for you,” Steffan said as he slowed his rowing motion.

“Me, too. It’s all I can think about. This mate claim, it’s so strong. Why is it like that?”

Steffan shrugged. “By nature, we are carnal, very primal creatures designed to act on instinct alone to satisfy our basic needs for blood and sex. We’ve tried to redesign our makeup in order to achieve some hint of humanity, but in mate claims, instinct has too much dominance to be ignored.”

“But, we need to find the Oracle, see if she can help us. We only have two days.”

“That’s exactly it. We only have two days left with each other. I need to be with you now. It’s overriding everything else right at this moment. She is here. We’ll find her. Please, Anya, listen to what our bodies are telling us.”

Steffan signaled with his chin while his muscular arms directed the boat. “Look, there’s a clearing right there. I’m going to stop.”

* * * *

Steffan looked deep into Anya’s eyes as he laid her down on the blanket. He cupped her face, his trailing fingers tracing her lips. He slowly unbuttoned her shirt as tears welled in his eyes.

Anya’s tears followed, trickling down the side of her face.

Steffan exposed her breasts and lowered his head to gently kiss her. He savored the taste of her flesh, the texture of her nipple in his mouth. He shook as his heartache deepened. He lifted himself to hover above Anya.

The sight of her tearful expression set his emotions to spill out in an intense anguish.

“I know. Anya. I know.”

“They can’t take you from me, Steffan. I will end my life if it comes to that. Everyone I have ever loved, I had to live through their death. I won’t do it with you. I can’t.”

“I was afraid you were going to say this. Anya, I don’t know what’s after this place for us. I don’t know where death leads. I know you don’t believe in heaven and hell, god or devil, but for me, I believe. I’ve tricked death once. I don’t know what that means for me wherever I travel to. I’m scared. I can’t have you face that, too.”

“I’ll go with you, at the same time. We’ll be together.”

“I want to be selfish and say yes, come with me. But, Anya, I have to go alone. I made you into what you are now to be with me and look at where it got you. I can’t do any more harm to you. You have to stay and find happiness and peace. You deserve it. Do this for yourself.”

“Don’t talk right now, just make love to me.”

Steffan kneeled on the ground between Anya’s legs and removed her khakis and underwear. He stood up and removed his shirt and khakis, bearing his entire body to Anya. He came down slowly and covered her body.

Anya opened her legs wide to accept all of him.

“Anya, thank you for letting me love you. However brief this was for us, you will always be a part of my heart, no matter where I go from here.” Steffan positioned himself and slowly entered Anya, leaning his forehead against hers. He stretched her arms above her head and laced his fingers in hers. He pumped deep into Anya, his tears escalating in the moment.

“I wish I could have your babies,” Anya said tearfully.

Steffan melted at the thought and closed his eyes tightly.

He captured her mouth in his and seized all of her, everything she had to give.

The moment between the lovers was surreal. Every touch, breath, whisper, and emotion transcended the act itself. They savored and cherished each detail of their exchange, desperately clinging to the present that would linger in their memories long after their separation with Steffan’s death.

Their naked bodies lay pressed against each other, the serenity of their lovemaking radiating around them. A slight movement near the water caught Steffan’s eye and sent him into a quick panic.

“Oracle!” Steffan sat up and reached for their clothing to shield their bodies.

The Oracle stood tall, balancing in the row boat.

She was cloaked in a heavy, white robe that was stained and ragged. The wide hood relaxed on her head, framing her misshapen features. She was bald, her face elongated, distinctly absent of any eyebrows or eyelashes. Her clouded-white pupils darted the length of her eye, barely visible against the brilliant white of her eyes. She lifted her feeble hand to feed the pure-white owl that sat on her shoulder

“Uoy dnuof em!” spoke the Oracle.

“Excuse me?” Steffan said, trying to make out the language being spoken.

“Eht emit si ereh.”

“I–I can’t understand what you’re saying. I don’t know what language you’re speaking,” Steffan replied.

“Tel em ees ouy,” she said as she floated from the boat and drifted to where Steffan and Anya stood. Steffan turned his back to her as he hurried to put on his pants. Anya grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her body.

“Tsuj sa I derebmemer.” The Oracle smiled as she stood in front of Steffan.

“I don’t know what you’re saying!” Steffan said in a frustrated tone, shaking his head.

“Wait!” Anya said as she clung to the blanket. “She’s talking backward! Anise would always do that to drive me nuts when we were kids! We would be in the car and she would read off road signs backward, like
deeps timil
or
pots
.”

“Deeps Timil? Pots? What?”

“Speed limit. Stop. She’s talking backward, Steffan!”

The Oracle turned her head abruptly in Anya’s direction and smiled. “Yrev evitpecrep, ym raed.” She moved in front of Anya and lifted her frail hands out.

“Anya?” Steffan said, uneasy because of the closeness. He didn’t know what to expect.

It’s all right, Steffan, I think she is trying to tell me something.
Anya consoled Steffan in his mind.

* * * *

The Oracle’s hand shook in front of Anya. Her ghostly eyes rolled feverishly in her head. Her hands were ice cold as she cupped Anya’s face.

Anya felt a sharp, chilling sting, and she moaned in pain.

Steffan moved to pull the Oracle’s hand from Anya. “Stop! You’re hurting her!”

Her hands and arms didn’t budge. They were like statues, frozen to Anya.

Random images flickered in Anya’s mind, reflections that transferred from the Oracle that pieced together a series of events. Subtle details, the quality of the recall seemed to point to incidents that happened many years ago.

Anya felt Steffan enter her mind and his body went still. They gasped at the imagery, not quite placing those involved. All of a sudden, the images stopped, and a clear voice resonated in their psyche.

You are the one with the power. I have waited years for us to find each other.

The power to do what?
Anya asked inwardly
.

Undo what has been has done to my body.

How?

Anya, that night when you turned my hair blonde, that was biokinesis! The kinetic energy you acquired allows you to move inanimate objects, inhibit movement in living tissue, and I believe it allows you to control genes inside the body. I think that is what she wants
. Steffan joined the inward conversation.

Your bond is stronger than I expected,
the voice responded.

You could hear Steffan?
Anya asked.

Yes.