Darkness In The Flames (81 page)

Marcus knew from listening to the Chesswell stories that this stream could become a raging torrent within moments, so he eyed it respectfully and followed Adrian’s lead as best he could. Right about now he could have used some of that superior vampiric vision.

“There—up ahead—” Katherine bit off her words as she lifted a hand and pointed to a dark opening in the now-gray chalk wall beside them.

Marcus squinted then saw what Katherine had seen—a tiny flicker of light.

“I see it.” Nick muttered as he quickened his pace.

“Easy, Nick.” Sidney cautioned. “Nothing to be gained by rushing. She knows we’re here, knows we’re coming. Take your time, step carefully and conserve your strength.”

Marcus swallowed as he sensed the words Sidney had left unspoken.

You
’
ll need it
.

Rowan shared Nick’s sense of urgency. He wanted to be there, to see
her
. To look into her black eyes and find—
something
—something that would make this night easier. Some remorse, perhaps. Some love…he had no idea. Just a lot of wild thoughts rampaging through his brain.

They drew nearer the cave and Rowan could clearly make out the tiny twinkle of a lantern or a candle in its depths. She was in there, no doubt about it. And the lantern could only be for them—she would not need it.

Come to think of it, neither did they. Perhaps it was for Sir Sidney’s benefit. He neared the older man. “She may have lit that light for you, Sidney. We don’t require such things. But she knows that you would. As would Marcus…”

Sidney stopped for a moment and caught his breath, leaning heavily on his cane. “’Tis possible, yes. She must know I would not let any of you do this without me. I cannot decide if it’s a nice thought on her part or an attempt to make sure I see her destroy you all.” A wry laugh huffed from his throat. “Either way, I’m not complaining about the light. It will help
me
at least.”

Slowly they gathered, staring at the entrance. Rowan glanced around him, realizing how nature had obligingly created an entrancing spot with a view of the sea that would be delightful under other circumstances.

The lip of the cave was a tall step beneath which was a small grassy area on which they now stood. The cave itself was wide and deep—how far back it might go, Rowan had no idea.

Were they to enter and seek her out?

Apparently not, for as they stood together Thérèse appeared. Silhouetted against the glow, she was nothing short of magnificent.

Clad in a simple white shift, her body shone through the flimsy stuff, obscured only by the tumble of fiery red hair that fell in waves to her waist. Rich flames flickered through the curls as distant lightning crackled through the onrushing storm.

“Well, well. How lovely.” She purred the words, clearly audible over the sounds of the surf and the wind.

Rowan stared at her. She was—unbelievably beautiful. A goddess perhaps, albeit one from the depths of hell.

Casually she lifted a hand and her clothing fell to her feet, revealing the perfection of her body. “Have you come to play?”

Nick and Adrian stepped forward, protectively shielding the women. “No.” Adrian’s word was harsh.

“You jest, my sweet. After all the fun we’ve had in the past?” Thérèse’s hand strayed to one breast, thoughtfully stroking the curve. She smiled. “You were a very good lover, you know.”

Her black eyes drifted past them to rest on Katherine and Verity. “And I see you’ve brought your bitches with you. What a
good
idea.”

The women stepped forward to their men.

“No more playing, Thérèse.” Katherine spoke firmly. “We’ve had enough of your games. ‘Tis done.”

Thérèse laughed then, a sound that surprised Rowan with its lighthearted note. “Oh you silly girl. And you with that red hair too. Haven’t we had fun together?” Her black eyes gleamed in a quick flash from the skies. “I remember tasting you, I think. Or was it you that tasted me?” She shrugged. “No matter. It was fun. We must do it again.”

“I don’t think so.” Adrian stood firm. “It’s over.”

Her face hardened. “It’s not over until I say it’s over.” She stepped forward a little, staring at them all in turn. “You are mine. All of you. I made you and you will obey me for as long as I wish.”

Nobody moved for a moment until Rowan pushed his way past them to stand before his love.

“Thérèse—enough now. You know this must end.”

She laughed in his face, stroking herself lasciviously, fondling her nipples to ripe buds and parting her thighs. “End? How can it end when I still yearn, Rowan, my sweet? Yearn for your cock—for their cocks too perhaps. I know…” She rose up onto her tiptoes and slipped a hand between her thighs. “All of us, Rowan. All of us fucking together. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Rowan swallowed as the tips of her fangs protruded slightly over her lips. This was no weakened creature facing her death. This was
Thérèse
—as vibrant and as hungry as he could ever remember her.

“See, my darling?” She held up her hand, glistening with her own moisture. “Just the thought of us all here, naked to the sea and the storm, fucking and coming and fucking again—it makes me so excited—” She broke off with a theatrical little shiver and smiled at Rowan. “How good it will be, my love. My sweet Rowan.”

Her fangs were fully extended, a dangerous situation that Rowan knew bode no good for any of them. They had to stay out of reach at all costs.

“Distract her, lad.”

The rough whisper from Sir Sidney blew past him on a gust of wind.

It had begun.

Marcus bit his lip as the overwhelming glory that was Thérèse shone down on them, an otherworldly sight that inspired awe and desire. Her body was perfect, a thing of splendor that aroused his cock even as it chilled his soul.

Her words chilled him further. She wasn’t here to die—she was here to play. And perhaps to kill.

Rowan had moved closer and was talking to her, their discourse mostly lost to him on the increased sound of the storm. The others could probably hear, but he and Sidney could only watch.

Adrian and Nick split up, slowly parting, one to either side of the entrance to the cave. Thérèse ignored them as she spoke to Rowan, her gestures revealing her needs quite clearly.

Marcus ignored his arousal, hoping and praying that his friend could do the same. It was Rowan’s job to distract her, garner her attention fully enough for the other two men to grab hold of her wrists and—well, and do whatever two vampires needed to do in order to restrain a third powerful vampire while they killed her.

Marcus sighed.

It wasn’t a very good plan, all things considered. But it was all they had.

The sword weighed heavy in his right hand as he watched Rowan close the distance between himself and Thérèse, stepping up onto the lip of the cave in front of her.

Good for you
. For a precious few seconds he’d distracted her—enough for Nick and Adrian to reach the sides of the cave. Marcus, Sir Sidney, Katherine and Verity still stood together in front of it—and Thérèse.

Rowan was still speaking, then touching, stroking her, playing with her breasts, making her smile with pleasure.

Watch her fangs
,
Rowan
,
my dear friend
.
Watch those fangs
…

Heart in his throat, Marcus sent a silent prayer across the tiny space between himself and Rowan.

Katherine and Verity began to move, slowly and silently, nearing the step up to the cave, coming ever closer to Rowan and Thérèse as they touched each other. Marcus and Sir Sidney followed, doing their best to keep their footsteps as quiet as possible.

“Ahh, Rowan. You are my best fuck of all. Such a wonderful cock, so long, so hard—you fill me like no other.”

Thérèse was fully aroused now, her breasts full and swollen, nipples puckered tightly at their tips. Moisture gleamed on her white thighs, tiny diamonds reflecting the lightning flashes and dappling the fiery hair of her mound. The storm illuminated her sensual perfection.

And her silvery sharp fangs.

She must not feed again, realized Marcus. Whatever strength she possessed must not be augmented by another feeding. It would be the end of all of them.

He slipped to the very brink of the cave, standing close enough to Rowan to touch him. If she showed any signs of taking Rowan’s blood, Marcus would pull him away. He’d fall down the step from the cave, but a broken bone or two wouldn’t matter next to what they all stood to lose.

Rowan’s caresses continued and when he thrust his hand to her pussy and found her slick darkness, she cried out. “Ahhh, yes, my darling. Just like that, fuck me there with your fingers…”

Oblivious to the others, Thérèse was doing what she always did—taking what
she
desired at that moment. Had she forgotten them? Or were they all so insignificant beside her pursuit of pleasure that they simply did not matter?

Marcus didn’t know. What he
did
know was that Adrian and Nick were now in the cave with Thérèse and Rowan, standing quietly to either side of her—waiting—

For
that
moment—the moment when Thérèse flung her arms wide as she rode Rowan’s fingers to her climax.

They grabbed her wrists, Adrian pulling hard on one side, Nick on the other.

Thérèse howled her orgasm then shook violently as she discovered her captors.

“
Move
, Rowan. Step away—
now
.” Marcus found the scream had come from his own throat as he watched Thérèse’s fangs lash perilously near Rowan’s face as she struggled.

“
How dare you
?” She hissed the words as she tugged and pulled and finally fell onto the stone floor, still unable to free herself.

Rowan staggered backward and tumbled from the cave, nearly impaling himself on Saint Chesswell’s sword that Marcus held at the ready. “Jesus God, man. Be careful.”

Rowan never heard him. His eyes were misted with the tears that fell down his cheeks and his cock a hard bulge beneath his black breeches. A sob tore from his throat.

“
Thérèse
…” He stumbled to his feet and watched as Nick and Adrian fought to hold her still.

“Quickly…the sword…” Adrian spat out the command even as his body moved, weak against one so strong.

“It’s our turn.” Katherine and Verity took the sword from Marcus and hurried up into the cave.

“Kat…” Adrian swore luridly. “Nick—can you—”

“No,
fuck it
. She’s too strong…”

“Hold her still, God damn it…” Verity shrieked over the wind as she and Katherine both gripped the sword and fought for control of the heavy weapon.

But even if they had managed to control it, they could not control Thérèse. She writhed madly, kicking and lashing her fangs around her in a savage search for a victim. Adrian and Nick were clinging to her wrists with every iota of strength they had—and yet it still was not enough.

“She’s fighting us, Father. Her strength
and
her powers—” Adrian screamed past the thunder.

The storm was breaking, every bit as powerful in its own right as the demon they were battling. Katherine and Verity held the sword aloft, a strange glow beginning to encompass the viciously sharp blade. But they could not keep it still, keep it balanced over the struggling body of Thérèse.

She hissed and howled and screamed curses in languages none could understand. The fact that both Nick and Adrian together were having difficulty holding her still was astounding.

Marcus knew at that moment what he must do.

He leaped into the cave and flung himself on top of Thérèse, letting the full weight of his body pin her down.

“Nooo…” The shout came from Rowan.

“She cannot bite me, Rowan…” Marcus yelled the words back, seeing his friend for a brief instant as lightning flashed once more.

“Do it…
the sword
…” He pressed harder, oblivious to the white skin, the red hair now clinging to his coat or the perfect face too near his. He was only aware of the snarling lips and the razor-sharp fangs.

He’d lied. She could bite him, but not feed from him. And he knew something else too. They’d have to pierce his body all the way through to get to hers.

So be it.

Rowan shouted something incomprehensible as he saw his friend and lover put his body on Thérèse. He immediately knew why, understood the situation, but as Kat and Verity raised the sword once more, Rowan’s heart shattered into a million tiny pieces of glass that knifed through his breast and brought a scream of horror to his throat.

The thunder roared around them all, Sir Sidney pale and soaked, the tableau within the cave frozen for all time in Rowan’s frantic brain.

Still Thérèse fought, this time concentrating on the sword. Marcus’ weight was holding her down and his head moving to avoid her deadly kiss. But still the women could not control the sword.

It wavered and shuddered, glowing with a greenish light, refusing to stay put in the one place it needed to be—over Thérèse and Marcus.

“Rowan…” The hoarse old voice yelled roughly in his ear. “Help them. They cannot do it alone.” Sidney’s face was a mixture of horror and pain. “I know what I’m asking—but you
must
. There is no one else.
I
cannot—”

Rowan shuddered but moved forward, knowing in his soul that Sidney spoke naught but the truth. As if in a dream he stepped through the rain, fiercely pounding on his head.

He climbed into the cave and moved between Katherine and Verity, straddling Thérèse and Marcus where they lay and putting both hands over the women’s fingers on the sword.

Time seemed to slow down—to almost stop as he felt Thérèse’s mind fight him for control. He ached, his heart screamed out in pain as he stared down at Marcus’ dark back where it lay over Thérèse’s white flesh.

He loved them both—so much. And yet now their destinies lay in his hands.

“Rowan—for God’s sake—” Nick screamed at him, clinging to Thérèse’s wrist with all his strength.