B00528UTDS EBOK (6 page)

“I can tell you that she is descended from a line of very powerful witches … the Fabre witches. You may have heard of them. They are legend in New Orleans. Some say that Marie Laveau was the illegitimate daughter of one of the Fabre men.”

Nicole was ready to tell him that she did not believe in witches, but then she knew just how ridiculous that would sound. Her lover was a vampire, and here she was talking to a lycan.

“That’s true, but it is true for Omar as well. She could be in grave danger.” Lex gazed at the tomb. “You would not want to lose another sibling.”

“Why doesn’t my father know more?”

Lex gave her a cynical smile. “Your father does know more than what he is telling you. To help you out too much would be going against his own species. Have you thought of that?”

“Yes, but we are his children?”

Lex nodded. “I suspect that is the reason he wants you to find your sisters. He wants his children protected, but he cannot be the one to go against the vampires.”

Sensing her curiosity, Lex volunteered the information. “I was the leader of an extremely powerful warrior society, but I let my hate and bigotry consume the person that I was. It almost cost me my daughter.”

“This is your history … not mine. It isn’t my place to tell you about matters that the elders of your race don’t wish you to know.”

“But you admit that knowledge of this place would help bring down Omar’s plan of domination.”

“Yes, if the vampires knew of this place, it would take away a lot of Omar’s power. But this place doesn’t have much to do with what the vampire is, or the truth of their origins. This knowledge is really very sensitive, and could be dangerous for the immortals, as well as humans. The ancients must release this information carefully. I suspect this is why your father has not told you more.”

“Can I go to this Place of Light, or am I also forbidden?”

“Humans are generally forbidden, with only a few exceptions. There is only one vampire there. It is this vampire that educated us on the immortal.”

Lex smiled. “I see that someone has been giving away the secrets of
Outerlands
.” He stood and held out a hand to help her to her feet. “Yes there is a way, if you can get into
Outerlands
. But there is much work to be done before this would ever be a possibility.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The wolves and the immortals have been enemies for a very long time. There must be some kind of harmony between them before the vampire would be permitted entrance into that dimension of reality. The wolves are the protectors of the earth … the vampires have no regard for life.”

“They are hunters the same as the wolves.” Nicole felt compelled to defend her father’s species.

“This is true. The wolves do hunt, but they hunt to feed and not just to kill. The immortals have evolved into a species that feeds off of the darkness and the fear in men’s souls, and not just their blood. Blood is easy to come by without having to slaughter. Ask your friend Dash. He received a gift from the
Outerlands
… a recipe.”

Sarah dried the last plate and placed it in the cupboard on top of a large stack of identical plates. She had volunteered to cleanup after dinner. Jeanie was having one of her bad days, as she called them. Her feet were swollen to twice their usual size, and it was difficult for her to stand on them for too long.

Sarah feared that it was a sign of heart disease, but Jeanie would not go to the town doctor. She insisted that it was nothing that a strong spell and some good old fashion rest, wouldn’t fix.

Aunt Jeanie hadn’t been nearly as upset as Sarah had thought she’d be, when Taylor brought her home, and spilled the beans about Darrien. Jeanie had given Sarah a look of disapproval, and then told them that she would prefer to discuss the situation after the summer solstice.

Sarah was almost looking forward to the Midsummer’s Eve celebration, just so she could find out some of the secrets she was sure Jeanie was keeping from her. Just as Sarah finished cleaning the sink and hanging the dishtowel, she heard the doorbell.

“I’ll get it,” Jeanie called from the parlor where she had been reading one of the latest novels from her favorite author.

A moment later Jeanie walked into the kitchen, her face as pale as death. “He’s here,” she whispered.

It had to be Darrien
.

Aunt Sarah went to a cabinet and quickly rummaged through it. Finally she pulled out a long chain with a blue crystal. “Wear this,” she said, handing the necklace to Sarah. “That way I can feel it if you are in trouble.”

Sarah placed the silver chain around her neck so that Jeanie wouldn’t fret so much about her being with Darrien. Jeanie had an identical crystal around her neck. Sarah knew that these crystals would make the psychic connection between them stronger.

The two of them took the path down the hillside to the beach. When they reached the bottom, Darrien took her hand in his and pulled her to the sand. Beneath the bright moonlight, he appeared ethereal - even magical. Looking at him at that moment, Sarah wondered if she was dreaming. Never had she been in the presence of a man so perfect - so male.

It had to be the vampire’s spell.

“Why would he bother with me? I’m just a human. A witch that does not even practice the craft.” Sarah could not understand why all of this was happening to her. She was nobody really.

“You are his niece, and one of three sisters that will bring an end to the rule of the ancients. At least this is what Omar believes,” he explained.

Sarah shook her head. “You must be mistaken. I have no sisters.”

Darrien smiled patiently. “But you do Sarah.”

“My father died when I was a baby. That’s what my mother told me.” Sarah looked away. She had never known her father, and truthfully hadn’t thought a lot about the man that had sired her. He’d never been a part of her life, and he just didn’t seem real to her.

Sarah’s face reddened and she was glad for the cover of darkness. The urge to consume his blood had stripped her of all capacity to reason. Even now, the very thought of tasting him - of taking his blood into her mouth, left her feeling dizzy with hunger. The hunger was so erotic that it obscured her ability to think.

Darrien shook his head. “No, that is a legend exclusive to the Fabre witches. They are known as the daughters of darkness that descended from Satan himself. But I believe this to be just legend. They are powerful witches, and power breeds jealousy, which of course leads to rumors.”

“But you didn’t kill me … why?”

Darrien gazed at her for a long time, his eyes working their magic on her senses, until Sarah felt as if he was all that existed for her. Without answering her, he leaned over and kissed her lips softly.

Sarah lost herself in the pure sensation of his lips on hers, and the way it felt to have his tongue exploring her mouth. Touching his hair, she relished the feeling of the silky strands between her fingers. She just could not get enough of him, of the way he touched her, the way it made her feel to look into his eyes. She found it strangely erotic to know that to be close to him, was to be close to death. The danger only made her crave his touch all the more.

Darrien pulled away so that she could breathe. His hand came up to caress her cheek. “I cannot kill you Sarah. It is because of me that you died once. I will not be responsible for it again.”

“That is because you lived before. I didn’t realize who you were until I kissed you the first time,” he confessed. “Even then, I thought it was too good to be true. I could not believe that you had really come back to me.”

Without saying anything, Darrien kissed her. Sarah tried to resist - tried to force herself to remember that it was the ghost of another woman that he wanted. When he looked at her, it was someone else that he was seeing.

It was no use. As soon as he pulled her close and his mouth was on hers, all that she could think about was being in his arms. She wanted more. Sarah wanted his hands touching her everywhere, to feel his teeth in her flesh, as her warm blood flowed from her body.

His lips moved to her throat, she could feel his teeth on her skin, and the sensation was driving her insane. His hands slipped beneath her blouse and he freed her breasts from the confines of her bra. The coolness of his touch against her warm breasts was tantalizing. Sarah gasped, as he gently squeezed and pulled at her budding nipples.

“Feed on me,” she breathed.

Darrien froze. “You do not want that Sarah,” he whispered.

“Oh … I
do
want that,” she moaned.

“You are a born vampire Sarah. You could be easily infected, and then you would be like me,” he told her.

Sarah tried to get her breathing under control. Her need for him was so intense that she felt compelled to consume him. She wanted to feel him within her, feeding her need with his desire. She wanted to taste him, as he was taking her to that ultimate paradise. The thought made her tremble.

Sarah forced herself to remember that what she was feeling was really the vampire’s spell.

Swallowing hard, Sarah pulled away from him. “I don’t know what to think of all of this.”

“Search inside of yourself Sarah, and you will find that what I am telling you is true. You are Caroline.” He tried to pull her close, but she resisted.