A Destined Death (32 page)

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Tarkson. I’m Abbot Randall,” he said, sounding less French than the monk. He held our handshake for a moment as if he were checking to make sure it was warm. “Coty was lucky to have gotten a letter to you right before his foster parents died. He tells us that a friend helped him. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to locate this friend, but I can assure you, we’ve taken good care of him in your absence.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “I’m very anxious to meet him.”

“Of course, but there are a couple of matters I’d like to address with you first.” He took a seat behind the desk and motioned for me to sit across from him. “Forgive my abruptness but I noticed that you weren’t married, and I wonder if you’ve considered the consequences of taking on a child in your position. There are financial responsibilities and having a child around can be––”

I held my hand up and leaned forward in my chair. “I’m sorry for interrupting, sir, but I am engaged and will be married soon. Also, finances aren’t a problem. As a matter of fact, I plan to make a donation to the monastery before I leave to show my gratitude for everything that you’ve done for Coty.”

The abbot brightened momentarily, and I thought Candy’s suggestion of a donation would be enough to sway him. Then his face darkened, and my pulse ticked with fear.

“Very well, and thank you in advance. We at the monastery work very hard to provide a much needed service to our community even though our means are often limited.” He reclined in his chair and then delicately patted the edges of his little hat with both of his hands. “The other matter I wanted to discuss with you is…well, more sensitive, to put it lightly.” Leaning forward, he propped his elbows on the desk and touched his folded hands to his lips. For moments, he appeared to be staring into some unseen abyss. Finally, he began, “Whether we want to believe it or not, there are supernatural forces at work in this world, and I’m afraid Coty’s gotten mixed up with them. He is being held in this particular monastery for protection from those who may want to hurt him.”

“I understand about the supernatural.” I fought the urge to bite my bottom lip. “And I can understand that you doubt my ability to keep him safe.”

The abbot let his hands fall forward onto the desk. “How do you know of these things?” he asked suspiciously.

I shrugged. “It’s a small world, Mr. Randall.”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is, and I’m grateful I don’t need to explain. We don’t like to speak of them here.” He took a small breath as relief washed over his face. “However, knowing this, you can understand my concern for the boy’s safety.”

I looked down, unsure of what to say. Instead of saying anything, I pulled the necklace out from under my shirt and let it rest on top in his view. When he gasped, I knew he knew what it was. “I can assure you, sir, that I will protect Coty with my life.”

The abbot nodded and smiled happily. “Then you have our blessing. Go in peace, Elizabeth Tarkson, and may God watch over you, your friend, and Coty for the remainder of your trip.”

With a quick, polite nod, I rose and exited the abbot’s office. Once I closed the door, I collapsed on the bench beside Candy. The confident display I’d portrayed in the room dissolved into nervous breaths of anxiety. Doubt and fear filled me, and I prayed I wouldn’t fail Coty before we made it out of the monastery which now felt like a prison.  

“Calm down,” Candy urged in a whisper.

She gave me a hug to hide my face from the monk coming down the hall toward us. When I heard him shuffle into the office and close the door behind him, I took a strengthening breath.
My judgment is over,
I told myself. My heart lightened when the monk returned wearing a smile.

“Abbot Randall suggested you wait in the chapel while the paperwork is being processed and verified. He said a few prayers won’t hurt your safe journey home.” With a gesture of his hand, he led us to a chapel filled with lit candles.

The altar in the front of the room held a beautiful six-foot carving of Jesus and Mary. At the base, dozens of candles flashed shadows across the bodies making them appear to move. We took a seat on one of the plank benches that lined the worship area, and I did pray for a safe journey until we made it home.

The long wait was insufferable. All the while, the fear of being found out crept under my skin. I had to fight it away to keep up my confident demeanor as my mind worked through the dozen of scenarios of how we would escape if our plan fell through.

After several hours, the monk reappeared and led us into an empty office. He smiled at me intently for five minutes without speaking.

“What?” I finally whispered impatiently.

His eyebrows rose abruptly. “Excusez-moi, Miss Tarkson. I understood you were making a donation.”

“Yes!” I sputtered. “Does that mean the paperwork is done?”

“Yes. Coty will be joining you within the hour. He is packing as we speak.”

I spilled
thank you
’s all over him and eagerly made the promised donation.

We waited by the front door which was much closer to where I wanted to be. When they brought Coty out, he ran straight into my arms like he’d known me his whole life. “Hi, Elizabeth, I’m Coty.”

After the hug, I couldn’t take my eyes off him for several moments. His shiny, brown hair hung straight around his face in a bowl cut. Short, even for ten, his little body seemed thin and delicate. He had large, dark brown eyes. I’d never thought about having children before, but at that moment, I wished I had one just like him. “It’s nice to meet you, Coty.”

“Can we go now?”

“Yes.”

Anxious to escape, I expected relief when I opened the door, but instead, the setting sun sparked fear inside me.  I hadn’t imagined that we’d waited for so long. A deadly silence put me on the alert, making the hair on my arms stand up.

“What’s wrong?”

I can’t talk now.

One by one, the machines around the yard activated, and their hydraulic engines pushed cannons with slotted holes out the tops. The old metal squealed in protest before each clicked into place.

“You must hurry,” the monk called behind us. “Our protection system can not always distinguish humans from the enemy.”

I didn’t waste any time ushering Candy and Coty into the car.

“What was that all about?”
Draven’s voice sounded faint and worn.

Whatever the vampires had stabbed him with prevented him from regenerating. I heard him getting weaker each time we talked, and those conversations were becoming less frequent.

Nothing.

“Elizabeth, you know I can sense it when you are upset, and I’m nervous enough with you being in France. Please, tell me what’s happening.”

Like you told me that you were there when Armando revealed himself?

His silence was followed by an instant regret that stabbed into my chest like a dull knife.

I didn’t mean it, Draven. I understand why you didn’t tell me. I just need you to trust me. I have to concentrate if I’m going to keep everyone alive. I can’t allow myself to screw up here, and honestly, I’m scared to death. Lissa told me I could be responsible for everyone’s death. Yours, Armando’s, Coty’s, Tina’s, and Candy’s.

“What?”
he erupted.

She told me. She could see the future, you must have known that. She knew she was going to die so she sent me a message.

Silence.

I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want to hurt you but you have to believe that she…that I, did it for you. She saw a way to save you in this lifetime, and she knew her death was meant to be, otherwise she wouldn’t have seen us together. This is our last chance, and we won’t let you die.

“She…she let herself die?”
he asked, his voice distant and unsettling.

That’s not exactly what I said but please forgive her, Draven. Forgive me. It only makes what I have to do that much more important. Her final wish was for me to save you, and I mean to do it.

He didn’t respond and I didn’t blame him. I hadn’t planned to tell him at all, and I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to bring it up during a head conversation in France. Now was not the time for confessions. With a long sigh, I slouched in the seat.

“Krista?”
Draven’s sharp, cold voice made me jump with a start.

What?

“What about Krista? Did she…?”

No
, I insisted. I suddenly realized that he hadn’t been there to see what really happened.
It wasn’t her fault. The voice told her that you weren’t coming back. She went to look for you. She was afraid.

Again, the silence rang through my ears, creating a loneliness that I couldn’t bear. I knew he would need time to accept Lissa’s deceit, but it didn’t stop me from sobbing quietly.

“He’ll be okay,” Candy said as she put an arm around my shoulder.

The touch startled me. I stared at Candy blankly before my awareness kicked in. “Crap! What am I doing?” Looking around in the darkness, I wiped away the tears. We were parked in front of the motel, and Coty was about to open the car door. 

“Take my hand,” I said calmly. I wanted to kick my own ass for losing my focus in France. I could have killed everyone!

Once inside the motel room, Coty let go of my hand and ran to Tina who began crying when she leaned down to hug him. “Hi, I’m Tina.”

“I know.” Coty climbed into her lap and wrapped his little arms around her neck.

I piled towels over the vents to keep the human scents from seeping out onto the dark, dangerous streets. I no longer wanted to look out at the city at night. As far as I was concerned, they could have called it the City of Evil Vampires and been accurate.

“So do we try to get them to the jet now or do we wait until sunrise?”

“We have to wait,” Candy said, closing her phone. “Charles isn’t answering.”

“What?” I shrieked. Lissa had warned me that people might die. Charles hadn’t been on her list but the thought offered little relief. Our plan seemed to be crumpling at every turn. First, the monks kept us until sunset, then I hurt Draven so badly that he wouldn’t speak to me, and now Charles was missing! “Should I call Ben?”

“It wouldn’t hurt, Milady.”

I raked my fingers through my hair and paced nervously as I made the call.

“Yeah,” Ben finally answered in a whisper.

“We got Coty but now Charles isn’t answering. He may be hurt. Do you think you could check on him?”

“Are you sure? I thought you wanted me close by.”

“Yes… Why are you whispering?”

He exhaled a chuckle into the phone. “I don’t normally take calls when I’m hunting, sugar.”

“Oh, right…okay. Call me when you can.”

“You got it, darling.”

Candy packed the dry bullets into clips and loaded three pistols. She also added accessories to them before placing them back into the bag. “Night vision scopes and silencers,” she explained when she saw me staring. “We don’t want to draw attention here, and we need every advantage we can get.”

“Good thinking,” I said, relieved by her confidence. I knew Candy would be the one who protected everyone and saved us. Her forethought alone set her far above me for the role.

Tina sat on the bed stroking Coty’s hair. She held him protectively as if she’d always been his mother. He seemed just as attached, gripping her shoulders like she would disappear. It was a beautiful sight, my first real glimpse at what Armando had seen in Tina. He saw a protective maternal side to her that I’d never guessed she possessed. 

Unfortunately, Coty wasn’t safe yet, and he was my main priority until we got him safely to the jet. A bad feeling in my bones told me someone would have to die before we left Paris but I wasn’t about to let it be Coty.

Tina looked up at me sadly. “Now we need Armando.”

“And Draven,” Candy scoffed.

“Relax, both of you. We need to stay rational and focused. I think Draven and I have this all worked out. Ben will find Charles tonight, and as soon as you and Coty get on the jet in the morning, Candy and I will find Draven. We’ll prove to Damion that I’m not dead, invite him to the wedding, and everything will be fine.”

I sounded confident when I said the words, but inside my nerves shook. Draven wasn’t speaking to me, and if he didn’t forgive me soon, there would be no wedding. His fate would be sealed.

“Dad thinks so too,” Coty said.

Tina eyed at him curiously. “When did he tell you that?”

“About an hour ago.”

“You talked to him?”

Coty shrugged. “Sort of.”

“I want telepathy,” Tina groaned.

Coty gave her a hug and smiled playfully. “You get to be my mom.”

With that, Tina glowed, and more tears ran down her cheeks.

“We’ll discuss this again in the morning,” Candy said, “but we need sleep if we’re going to be sharp. Like I said, we need every advantage.”

“I’m going to soak and wait for Ben to call.” I slipped into the bathroom, hoping a hot bath would relieve my tension enough to sleep. Being on the alert all day had exhausted my mind, but as I lay there, all I could think about was how badly I’d hurt Draven.