Calling for a Miracle [The Order of Vampyres 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (57 page)

“It is terrible,” she whispered and he agreed.

“I do not know if Father will ever return. By now I imagine the deed has been done. However, his mate, she did not wish for eternal life. She made a bargain with him. His life for hers.”

“I do not understand.”

“He was already turning
feeish,
sister. There was not much time left before his mind was completely gone. He had fought to stay faithful to Mother with everything he had and would have continued fighting with his last breath if Mother had not promised him she would follow him to the grave. He had no choice. But when he approached his mate, she told him she would save his life only if he ended hers.”

Her hand went to her throat. “He is going to kill her?”

“That is what they agreed upon. Now, I may not ever have the blessing of loving my mate the way one should, but I do know that I would die before I allowed harm to come to Annalise. She is the closest to love that I will get in this lifetime and is the only comparison I have. I simply would not be able to harm her any more than the bishop could harm you. It is in our genetic makeup to protect our true mates with every power we have. So I do not know if he will ever be able to leave her once the deed is done. I certainly doubt his ability to murder her.”

“Oh, Cain, how has this happened? What cruel game has God been playing with our family?”

He brushed the back of his finger down her cheek and smiled sadly. “Do not be sad, sister. While some of us have paid dearly for a curse disguised as a blessing, you and Adam have unearthed the joy of a true miracle. God is all-knowing. I have no doubt He has a plan for us. It is those He places the heaviest burden upon that He holds the greatest faith in. I am coming to terms with my anger. It is time I did something with my life. I know that I am not meant to be called to a mate, but perhaps He is calling
me to a different destiny. I am no longer a boy. It is time I became an honorable male and realized I am intended for greater things.”

His sister looked at him with sad pride. “I feel as if I do not know this male before me. You are honorable, Cain. You have always been honorable to me. You never turned your back on me and have always protected me when I was too weak to protect myself.”

“And now you have your bishop for that.”

“Where will you go?”

He sighed. “Larissa, there have been some troubles in the woods nearby. I do not wish to upset you.”

“Please tell me. Do not shelter me simply because I am a female.”

“All right, sister. Women have been dying. English women. There have been over a dozen. They are being murdered by something evil lurking in the woods.”

She gasped. “What is doing this?”

“Our uncle.”

“What?”

“Grandfather’s brother, Uncle Isaiah.”

“How? He has been gone since before I was born. He could not have survived all this time—”

“He has and he has been brutalizing women. He is creating transitions that are not his mate. They are deranged and serve his demands without question or morality. He must be destroyed and I am going to do it.”

She grabbed his arm. “You cannot!”

“I can and I will. This is what I can offer. I will never be a father nor will I ever have a mate to love as my own. I am not without honor, Larissa. He endangers our own by risking exposure and someone must protect The Order. I refuse to watch mated males go out and risk their own lives when I am capable of doing this thing myself.”

“But what if you are wounded?”

“I will heal.”

“What if you die?”

“Then so be it, but I promise you this, I will not leave this world without taking some evil away with me.”

She began to shake her head as if she simply could not accept what he was saying.

“Now I have something to ask of you, dear sister.”

“Anything.”

Cain smiled. Larissa was always someone he could depend on. “The two charges I spoke of. They are the grandchildren to Father’s mate. They are mortal. Our uncle murdered their mother and they have no one else. I have given Father and his mate my word that I would protect them until they no longer required my protection.”

“They are children?”

“Yes, Cybil is ten and has not spoken a word since her mother was killed. Dane is sixteen and has a lot to learn about being a man. I believe he will get there sooner than he expects, however. There is something unique about him that I have not figured out yet. Something…intuitive. They are good children and I want them treated as if they were our own.”

“Where are they now?”

“I have set them up with Grandfather and Nana Faith. They will stay there until I or Father return.” He hesitated for a moment. “Larissa, if I do not return—“

“Do not say such things, Cain.”

“I must. If I do not return, I need your word that you will let no harm come to these children, especially little Cybil.”

She tilted her head and looked at him peculiarly for a moment. “You love her.”

“She is very special. I do not know why, but I feel as though I must protect her. Will you give me your word to look after them in my stead? Be kind to them and help them learn their way around the farm?”

“Of course.”

“You are a prize, Larissa. I hope that your mate sees what your husband could not.”

She smiled shyly. “He loves me.”

“As any good man should. Do you love him?”

“I do. We are to be married this evening.”

“Then I am truly happy for you.” He looked toward the front and took notice of where the sun was positioned in the white sky. “I must go, Larissa. I wish you many blessings.”

“I wish you many blessings as well,” she said, grasping his hands in her own. Leaning up on her toes, Larissa placed a kiss on his cheek. “God speed, Cain. Do not be too reckless chasing destiny. My children will need more than a bedtime story of their uncle’s adventures to understand what a remarkable male he was. I expect you to be around to show them and teach them all your wily ways.”

“I am quite cunning,” he teased. She laughed and Cain noticed the bishop watching them from the foyer. “If you need me you need only to tell Anna and she will find me. I love you, sister.”

“I love you, too, Cain.”

Bishop King came to them and protectively placed an arm about Larissa’s shoulders. She was upset, but fighting to remain stoic. The bishop whispered something in her ear and kissed her temple affectionately. Perhaps he would be good for his sister, Cain thought. With a final good-bye, he turned to leave. He had only a few hours to gather some things and be on his way.

* * * *

Larissa watched Cain go and turned with a thoughtful smile. When she noticed Eleazar watching her closely, she stilled.

“It amazes me, that after the way we spent our morning, I can still make you blush.” She turned and noticed David standing by the door, trying hard to pretend he couldn’t hear them. “David, go home,” the bishop said and David left without a look back. “Come here.”

Slowly, Larissa turned to him. He placed his hands gently on her throat and leaned down to kiss her. He then proceeded to remove her bonnet. “Eleazar, it’s the middle of the day. Anyone could walk in.”

He looked to the double doors and suddenly the storm door of the foyer slammed closed and the sound of the bolt locking tight echoed through the quiet house. “No one will disturb us.”

She tried hard to hide a smile, but failed. He turned her around and began unraveling her hair. He tsked when he removed a pin. “How on earth you females walk around all day with pins in your head is beyond me. Do you not prick yourself?”

She giggled. “Sometimes. It takes practice to place them just right.”

“The English have to have a better invention than this.”

One braid came undone and tumbled over her shoulder. Larissa sighed at the release of tension. “Since when are we permitted to use English technologies?”

“Since the female I love is walking around with sharp objects in her head.” The other braid came down and he sighed. “Your hair is perhaps going to be the bane of my humility. It is one form of vanity I cannot help but take pride in. Beautiful. Turn around.”

She turned to face him and he looked at her with such need she thought his gaze would smolder right through her. He needed to shave. The dark shadow covering his strong jaw was quite uncharacteristic of him.

“Take off your gown,” he commanded in a gravelly voice and her eyes went wide.

“It is the middle of the day. We are in your foyer,” she whispered.

He gave her a wicked smile. “I had better warn you now. I waited many, many years for you. Now that I have you, I do not think I will ever stop wanting you. Morning, noon, or night, if the desire strikes I intend to have you. And as far as where we stand, well, I plan to take you on every free inch of this house, every uncluttered surface, and perhaps even some cluttered places. Now, have I made myself clear? Because the idea of tearing your gown away until nothing but my flesh is covering yours seems quite enticing as well.”

She was already breathing fast and her mouth had gone very, very dry. No one had ever spoken to her like that, said such wicked words. If anyone else had suggested such things to her she would be appalled and a bit afraid, but with Eleazar she was simply aroused. Uncontrollably, undeniably aroused. She felt as though a trapped bird beat its small wings wildly in her belly and felt her fangs extend. Moisture seeped past her folds and down her thighs. She smiled at him and he began to purr.

“
Ferleicht
we should pray about your arrogance. I am much younger than you, Bishop, and quite quick.” Her own voice had gone raspy and her accent grew thick. “If you wish to get me
nochich,
naked, you will have to catch me first.”

His head tilted down as his eyes turned feral and the side of his mouth kicked up. In a very low whisper, he leaned close and said, “Run.”

She did. Her feet carried her swiftly through the house that was still quite unfamiliar to her. At first she didn’t hear him behind her. She moved through one long hall and wondered if she should have kept to the living quarters of the large home. She decided it was too late to turn back when she heard him coming after her. Larissa passed many doors. She paused outside of Eleazar’s office and looked back. She heard nothing. Had he stopped chasing her?

She panted and looked toward the council hall then to the door of the holding block. She looked once more toward the way she had come, but did not hear Eleazar. Deciding she should move before he caught up with her, she quietly ducked into his office and shut the door until only a thin crack was left to peek through.

“Looking for me?”