Fateful 2-Fractured (35 page)

After being silent, as he likely made battle
plans in his head, he finally admitted, “Truth is, part of that
success was pure luck.” He straightened his spine, sitting more
upright now.

“Bloody hell,” Max growled.

“We may not need to be completely dismayed,”
Richard continued. “The nature of this situation is completely
different. I fought with mortal men before ... there were hills ...
they were fooled into thinking they fought more men than they
actually did. Life isn’t fragile for us now as it was then. We have
different strengths, different skills, even different ways of
fighting.” His gaze returned to the computer. “We didn’t have
satellite either. I can plot a course this way.” He drew his finger
from the bottom left corner to the spot mentioned as being where
Benjamin presumably dwelled. “If we can get Benjamin to help us,
we’ll have an advantage then.”

“I thought he lived in Moldova.” At least
that’s what Ethan had said when he was planning to visit Benjamin
last time. The map Richard was tapping at said it was Russia.

“He did, but we believe he’s moved to Russia
where there’s more unpopulated land.”

How could a vampire live
in such a secluded location?
Danielle wondered, only
realizing when they turned to look at her that she’d actually said
that aloud.

Returning his fingers to the keyboard, Beon
pressed a button or two and zoomed out from where they were looking
previously. Pointing at the screen, he said, “These are cities,”
Beon touched the monitor at four different locations on the map,
“Very old cities. Stories of vampire legend have been told here for
centuries, probably even originating from these Slavic countries.
That’s why we think this is where he lives.”

“Could he hunt animals like all of you?” She
was hoping....

“It’s doubtful. Those woods are known to be
quite full of thriving wildlife. There have been no signs of it
ever diminishing over the years.”

“But—”

Seeming to know her next question, Seth
said, “He does have to travel rather far for a meal. It’s quite
possibly a few hundred miles from any of those cities to his
possible location, but for him, for any vampire really, it would be
an easy task to stay hidden for as long as he liked. He’d need only
space out his time between feedings and shift from one city to the
next. And with fear of vampires being so high, the people would
never venture into those woods to find out for certain, hence, he
could maintain his lifestyle forever if he so wished.”

Danielle stared at the map a moment longer,
imagining. Imagining Benjamin running through those woods to any
village he chose, at night, seeking anyone fool enough to be out
after dark. She could picture it not really taking him very long,
despite the distance, already knowing how fast he could travel.
What did he do with the bodies? Did he drag that back with him? Did
he bury the poor souls who lost their lives to become a vampire’s
meal? All questions she would likely never get an answer to, so she
shifted her attention away from that.

As the men continued to discuss battle
plans, Ethan joined them and Danielle’s gaze wandered to everyone
else in the room. Several other vampires, guards, warriors, or
whatever they were, milled around behind Beon and the others. They
were listening, but not adding comment. She figured they felt they
didn’t need to as a few of them nodded when they heard something
they apparently agreed with. They seemed very eager to fight, like
well trained soldiers secretly wishing to put to use the skills
they’d learned even though they may not truly like the idea of war.
Her attention returned to Ethan and the others, they’d stopped
talking.

She was slightly startled to see them all
looking at her. “It’s time to leave,” Seth announced.

“Now? I mean we just landed.”

I’m sorry
,
Ethan lipped.

“We haven’t got time to waste. We have a
long way to go and the opposition could show up here if we don’t
get moving now,” Beon said.

Of course his words made sense even though
she didn’t like it, and Danielle nodded but asked, “Could I see
Sophia? Say hello, say goodbye?” She might have been stalling,
slightly. This was war they were planning for and the thought of it
was sort of freaking her out. She didn’t know what to expect.
Certainly she was trained to defend herself, but that’s what it
was—defense. This was much more offensive. This is what these men
were prepared for, not her.

“Sophia and Nadia have been hidden away for
their safety.”

Her chin came up, her gaze shot to Beon’s.
Why? Sophia was still a vampire, so if she was in danger was
Danielle also?

“We need you there for this one, darling.”
Ethan was at her side now, offering comfort as his hand touched the
small of her back. The heat of his touch radiated through her
clothes to the skin beneath. It was comforting and she couldn’t
help but be grateful to him for how well he knew and understood
her.

“What can I do?”

A gentle finger caught under her chin,
tipping her face up a bit more. “We believe you’re the only one who
can sway her, persuade her to help us.”

He was talking about Lilith. “But I thought
we were going to see Benjamin?”

Ethan smiled, the corners of his eyes
crinkling up as his cheeks lifted, he kissed her and said, “We are,
but only so we can find Lilith.”

Panic and fear of the unknown swelled
up inside her like nausea. Swallowing, Danielle forced herself to
ignore it. If Ethan was still the overprotective man he had been in
the past then he wouldn’t let anything happen to her now. Locking
their gazes, Ethan pled with his eyes. She understood the words,
though unspoken verbally.
Trust me. Have
faith in me.

* * * * *

After a seven hour plane ride, they landed
in Moscow, Russia. It was daytime. They’d planned it that way so
they could make eye contact with immigration officers without
causing a scene.

Having only seen Moscow on television, she’d
thought perhaps most of the buildings would have towers topped with
what looked like huge upside down tops. Pointy and colorful. But it
wasn’t all like Red Square. There were more ornately styled
buildings and sculptures than usual, but most of it looked just
like any other big city with many tall buildings. The truth was she
didn’t really get to see much before they were moving again.

They rented cars until nightfall, abandoned
the vehicles at the outskirts of the city and then went on foot,
leaving civilization behind.

At the edge of the forest the others
filtered off to feed on a herd of poor deer that happened to be in
the area. Ethan had gone to speak with Beon just before they also
left her line of vision. Danielle expelled a shuddering breath,
worried she might now be asked to kill an animal when she’d never
bitten anything or anyone other than Ethan so far. While playing
nervously with her pocket zipper, Danielle began searching for him
when he was suddenly there, carefully taking her arm and drawing
her behind a large tree. “What—?”

“Why the troubled face?”

Relief swamped her emotions and she smiled
up at him as he gently cupped her face. “I—well, everyone was—”

“And you thought I’d abandon you? Leave you
to fend for yourself?” A hint of irritation and hurt flashed
amongst shards of sapphire in his gaze. Frowning, he said, “What
from our time together makes you doubt—?”

“I’m sorry,” she said before he could say
any more because the fingers she’d placed against his mouth
wouldn’t stop his words if he meant to keep going. It’s true, she
thought looking away, she shouldn’t have doubted him. She just felt
so out of her element, in a country she’d never been to, trying to
complete a potentially dangerous task she never thought ... never
even imagined.... On top of all of that, she was still new to this,
new to being a vampire. Deep down she knew she hadn’t fully
adjusted yet and doubted she ever really would.

Ethan kissed those fingers, drawing her eyes
back to his just before his hand closed around her wrist and drew
it to his shoulder. His lashes lowered and his head tipped down and
closer as his lips lifted at the corners. He kissed her as the
fingers of his other hand tunneled into her hair, curving around
the back of her skull. Releasing her wrist, that hand landed on the
small of her back, holding her in place. With his mouth moving over
hers, she was lost in the moment. The muscle-packed length of his
body pressed her more firmly against the bumpy bark behind her.
Instinctively her fingers curled into the fabric of his coat and
her free hand slid underneath everything to his skin, to his ribs,
sliding around to his muscular back. Danielle felt the shudder that
moved through his body.

Against her mouth he chuckled,
unintentionally giving her a dose of his magical breath though it
didn’t knock her out any longer. “Seems I’m a bit ticklish there,”
he said.

Pulling away, Ethan dropped his forehead
against hers and matched their gazes. For another moment she was
lost in a sea of blue—the current there pulling her to his very
soul. This was home, she mused, as she felt a smile of contentment
overtake her mouth, completely forgetting her previous worries.

Turning his face away, Ethan said, “There
now, take what you need.”

With her vision now filled with his throat,
Danielle’s fingers left his shoulder and rose to his exposed flesh.
The tips moved along the pulse-less vein just visible beneath. The
sight alone caused her fangs to slide out, bumping against the
inside of her bottom lip. She moved her fingers out of the way. Her
lips parted and her tongue reached for him.

Again, Ethan shuddered beneath her hands as
her fangs sank into him finding the blood they sought. Just as his
soul had filled her sight a moment ago, his energy, his essence
rushed into her. Unwilling to truly admit it, Danielle shoved back
the idea that she might actually miss this if or when they were
able to turn back into mortals.

Snuggling closer to Ethan, her spine lifted
from the tree as she consumed Ethan in a way she’d never thought
possible ... until his fingers tightened in her hair and he forced
her loose. “Ravenous little thing, aren’t you?” he muttered while
stroking his fingers down her back, returning upward to next run
his palm over her hair.

“I’m sorry,” she said, shuddering at the
feeling of her fangs retracting after leaving his flesh. Her tongue
went out to catch a drop of blood that dripped onto her lip and she
frowned at how good it tasted. Heavy guilt shattered any comfort
she’d just received and settled into her stomach and heart like a
lump of poisonous fruit. She shouldn’t be enjoying this, savoring
this ... it was so wrong to make Ethan, her love, suffer—

His gaze was on her mouth as she gathered
another spot of blood she’d missed. The smile fell from his
expression when his eyes lifted. “Don’t you dare regret that,”
Ethan said, his tone stern while he pushed away a telling tear on
her cheek. “I like it too much.”

“You do?” No way! She’d felt his body quake.
Hadn’t that been in repulsion?

“I’ll not deny it’s sort of sexy in a
way.”

“You’re lying.”

“I swear I’m not, Danielle.” Again his mouth
touched hers. “You’ll never feed from another. Promise me...”

“How could I ever—but what about you?” She
presented her neck. “Feed from me, it’s only fair.”

“No, you need your strength.”

“But!”

He stepped back, releasing her almost as
though she’d stung him. With her words? “We cannot afford to have
you weakened like that.” His British accent had thickened along
with his old-fashioned cadence.

Dropping back against the tree for support
she likely needed more emotionally than physically, she asked,
“Why? What are you expecting? Will Benjamin fight us?”

Ethan’s gaze shifted and she knew he was
watching as the others fed on animals. With his eyes meeting hers
again, he said, “No. I don’t think Benjamin will give us much
trouble.”

“But he might not like this cure
either.”

“As the first vampire, he would have a
better understanding of this curse than most, and therefore know
that it would have to be his choice to break it. I doubt he’ll care
if it’s something we want.”

“How can you know that?”

“Beon met a vampire who knew him, or rather,
the man he accidentally turned. This man didn’t exactly regret how
things turned out. He said Benjamin was hurt by Lilith’s actions,
but has actually enjoyed what he is now too, taking comfort in
knowing that his happiness gives him an unexpected victory over
Lilith.”

“But I thought he was considered
dangerous.”

“I’m certain he is,” Ethan said, returning
to stand just inches in front of her.

Silenced by kisses that first landed on her
mouth before moving to her forehead, she frowned, knowing it
probably looked more like a pout. Ethan again stepped back with a
low laugh.

“It’s my turn to feed, darling, and it will
not be on that lovely neck of yours.” Without another word, he
turned and dashed off to the right, the darkness swallowing up his
shape as he moved further away, but she still heard his whispered,
“Wait for me...”

* * * * *

Thicker woods closed in around them as her
boots landed on the soft cushion of earth strewn with pine needles
and leaves. Running through this forest as they were, she still
noticed there were no signs of civilization here, and Danielle
doubted even campers would venture out this far. Partly because
they never passed any abandoned campsites as they had before. But
also ... partly because she sensed something ... different, though
she couldn’t explain what that was.