Lucas (Immortal Blood) (12 page)

Sam exhaled sharply and lifted her hand. “Stop, please.”

“Are you sure?” I played with the branch.

She nodded and I let my hand drop without releasing my grip on the branch. “Talk.”

“Right.” Sam paled and hid her hands in the pockets of her
hoodie.

I shook my head. “Ah-ah. I want to see your hands.”

She took them from her pockets and slowly placed them by her sides.

“Better.” I grinned. “Now, correct me if I’m wrong. Dane is your creator and you’re Kate’s creator.”

She nodded, confused.

“So Dane is responsible for what you do and you’re responsible for Kate’s doings.”

“Well, yeah, but―”

I grabbed Kate’s hair and tugged. “So, if Kate did something wrong it’d be all on you and so on.”

She didn’t move.

“Sam,” I said gently. “I know Dane killed my brother.”

She didn’t even blink. I waited for her to nod but she didn’t and I cursed quietly. “Sam, did or did not Dane kill my brother?”

She puckered her lips but otherwise stayed still. Anger started to build inside me and I wondered if I should just kill them both and go after Dane to finish my game, but before I could move, Kate grabbed my wrist and turned her begging eyes on me. I clenched my teeth. She looked so much like my brother that it hurt.

“Please,” she whispered.

I turned her head away roughly. How was I supposed to hurt her when my brother looked accusingly at me through her eyes? “Sam?”

She started to nod but suddenly decided otherwise and stopped. She had seen the way I’d looked at Kate and was obviously having serious doubts about me hurting her. I didn’t.

I was going to get my revenge today, one way or another, so without a second thought I shoved the branch into Kate’s back much harder than before, making her scream insanely and immobilizing her almost completely.

“Stop,” Sam begged and took a step closer.

“Ready to talk yet?”

“I … I…”she stammered.

I picked up another branch and shoved it into Kate’s ribs. Blood gushed from her mouth and she gagged. I took a lighter from my pocket and flicked it on.

“No!” Sam shouted and rushed forward.

I kicked her easily away.

“Please, please, please let her go,” she cried, coming towards me again.

“Did Dane kill my brother?” I thundered.

“Yes. Yes, he did. Now, will you please let her go?” she asked, defeated.

“An eye for an eye.” I lifted my brow questioningly and Sam nodded.

“Good,” I said dryly and turned the lighter off.

I pulled the branches out of Kate’s body and kicked her softly aside. “It’s your lucky day, sweetie. Sam has just offered to take your place.”

Kate sighed, terrified, but was too weak to defy me. I pointed at Sam and beckoned her to me. She walked to me like a zombie.

“Oh, don’t worry about Kate.” I placed my hand on Sam’s neck. “She’ll heal.”

Sam glanced at Kate and her eyes widened. Kate was already trying to stand up.

“Kate, love?” I pressed a branch directly over Sam’s heart. “Would you mind crawling back home and telling Dane I have something that belongs to him?”

Kate locked her eyes on Sam’s. Sam nodded and Kate looked at me. She gave me a slight nod and I smiled.

“And don’t forget to drink a lot of blood. That will help. I promise.”

She hissed at me and, after glancing at Sam once more, disappeared into the trees.

“Now, what shall we do while we’re waiting?” I moved the branch over Sam’s breast and she looked disgusted. “Nah. I like you better when you’re begging for my touch.” I pushed her to the ground and knelt next to her, caressing her chin and staring into her flaming eyes. “Darling, why don’t you lay down and I’ll prepare the scene for our guest.”

She moved slowly and let herself slide onto her back on the ground. I opened her hoodie and ripped her shirt, revealing a bit of her bra.

“You
’ve got to be kidding me,” she mumbled but didn’t resist when I unzipped her jeans and pulled them a little lower.

“Do you see me laughing?”

She murdered me with her eyes and I grinned. I gave her one more look before I stood up. She looked perfect, and if the sight of her didn’t get Dane mad with rage, I didn’t know what would.

Time seemed to be ticking by slower than ever. It was already getting dark and there was no sign of Dane. I wondered if Kate had even managed to get out of the cemetery. Surely the cavalry would have arrived by now. I actually regretted smashing her cell to pieces. I knew I should calm myself, ’cause there would be nothing easy about taking down Dane and the others. And there would be others for sure, as I didn’t think for a minute that Dane would be so stupid as to come alone.

So as Kate and Sam were the only
newbies, at least as far as I knew, there might be God-knows-how-old vampires lurking in the shadows of that old house. Yet I wasn’t easy either. My creator had trained me to be a killer, and that I surely was. I had killed innumerable times. Vampires, humans, whatever creatures I had been ordered to kill. No questions, no regret. However, I had always been very strict about not killing the innocent, but if I were being honest, I had to admit that sometimes there had been unnecessary casualties. Collateral damage. And yes, I did think about them sometimes, even if I wanted nothing more than to bury the memory of them somewhere deep and forget them for good.

I gathered myself and glanced at Sam. She was lying very still but I didn’t think for a second she had given up. Not with her temper.

“You’re very quiet,” I stated and sat on the corner of an old gravestone.

She ignored me.

“Want to know what will happen when Dane arrives?”

She didn’t answer but couldn’t help the corner of her eye twitching slightly. That was enough answer for me.

“I will kill him and then I’ll let you go.”

“Not if he kills you first,” she whispered rebelliously. “Or if I do.”

I laughed, lit a small branch, and put it close to her face. She rolled aside and I didn’t stop her. But when she tried to sit up I kicked her lightly down again. “Did I say you could get up?”

She hissed but stayed down.

I lit another branch and stuck it into the ground next to her head. “Try that again and I’ll start with you.”

She didn’t look the least bit afraid and I was kind of proud of her. I had known many vampires tougher than her who would’ve given up already, as most of them knew when they saw me that their end was coming. But Sam … she was different. She didn’t care about my tattoo or my reputation. She didn’t care that I could kill a vampire in a blink and never think about it later. Also, I was one hundred per cent sure that someone had told her about me and exactly what my tattoo meant, but she hadn’t said a word about it to me nor had she shown any fear of me.

I listened to my surroundings and heard nothing alarming. However, I was too well trained to trust the silence. I knew better than most that it wasn’t noise people should be afraid of but a lack of it.

“He’s not coming,” Sam said quietly.

I glanced at her. “Oh yes he is.”

She shook her head and smiled. “You don’t know him like I do, and I’m telling you he’s not coming.”

She licked her lips and my eyes followed the movement involuntarily. I bent down and put my finger on her mouth.

Her tongue stopped in the middle of her lip. “Seriously?” she mocked me but didn’t do anything to stop me.

She’s not yours to take, my inner voice warned me, and I could easily picture my creator’s rage if he ever found out I’d laid a hand on her. But there was something so fascinating about her that it tempted me and made me defy my better instincts.

Her eyes were huge as she met my gaze. She swallowed. “Please.”

I wasn’t sure if she was asking me to stop or continue, so I let my finger slide carefully across her lips and onto her neck. She didn’t move. Just stared at me with wide eyes. I found the strap of her bra and put my finger under it. She inhaled sharply.

“You know, there are other ways to spend the time while we wait,” I whispered and slowly moved the strap. My other hand found her thigh and started to crawl higher. She still didn’t move and I assumed that meant yes. I put my hand on her stomach and let my fingers lay on the zipper of her jeans. Then, slowly, my hand found the black lace of her thong. Her back arched and she raised her arms, allowing me free access to her body.

I lowered my head and pressed my lips on her stomach. She moved restlessly and I couldn’t resist. I revealed my canines, letting them touch her skin lightly.

She kicked me in the chest with her knee, hard. I lifted my head, growling. She kicked me again. This time her aim was much better and her knee hit me way lower. I was off her in a blink, rubbing my lower belly and groin. She grinned at me shamelessly and I hated myself for the reaction she aroused in me.

I grinned back. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

She laughed. “Why? Because you’re so irresistible that I should be all jelly before you?”

“No.” I gave her my killer smile. “But because now there’s nothing you can do to save your friends.”

She crawled into a more upright position and this time I didn’t stop her. “Really?” Her lips were moving but all I could see were her burning eyes.

I nodded.

“’Cause I believe you had no intention of saving them in the first place. I believe you think that whoever comes to my rescue won’t leave this place alive. But it doesn’t have to be like that.” She looked at me with a wicked grin on her lips and I could see an open invitation in her eyes.

Yes, I knew it was stupid to believe she was doing anything other than trying to lure me close enough for her to fight me again, but I couldn’t help myself. I took a step closer, but not before I took a sharp branch in my hand. “Samantha.” My voice was like the smoothest velvet.

“Lucas.” Her eyes stayed on me.

I felt something unexpected inside me but forced it aside. I didn’t believe for one second she had given in but I wanted to see what she had in mind. She fixed her clothes and managed to make that small movement look inviting and alluring. I stared at her fingers, mesmerized.

“Want to make a trade?” she asked hoarsely.

“You have nothing to trade with.” I swallowed and hated myself. I should stop this right now but I couldn’t resist the temptation to play with her.

“Me in exchange for my friends.”

I laughed scornfully and took a step back. “As if.”

“I know you want me.”

My grip tightened on the branch. I wanted to ignore her. To say she was wrong. But instead I stayed quiet.

She smiled.
“We could leave. You know, go somewhere and just be together. Lucas, you and me, we’re the same. Different from the others. Survivors. I know we could be happy together.”

I took a step closer.

“Please,” she pleaded. “You can stop this.”

“And you would go with me?” Coldness was creeping into my voice but I tried to push it away. How stupid did she think I was? There was nothing she could offer me that would’ve gotten me to forget my revenge. Except Dane’s head on a plate. But I had to admit it was bold of her to even try.
             

“Yes.” Her voice trembled.

“Without kicking or fighting?”

“Yes.”

“Very well.” I leaped so close to her that our faces almost touched. She touched my cheek hesitantly and I was sure she’d try to scratch my eyes out. I didn’t move. She breathed and closed her eyes. Before I could react she pressed her lips to mine.

Her lips felt warm and my lips parted involuntarily. Our kiss deepened and I didn’t even notice the branch dropping from my hand. Her fingers caressed my back and I sank my hands into her hair.

“Lucas,” she purred and I was having difficulty keeping my head clear.

Remember what they did to your brother, I reminded myself, but the image of him was quickly fading and being replaced by the image of Sam’s smiling face and her bewitching green eyes. She moved her lips over my neck and placed soft kisses on it, and the warmth inside of me started to spread. Focus, my brain was screaming, but it had been so long since I’d felt like this that every cell in me fought against reason. A pigeon flew by us, missing our entangled bodies by an inch. I lifted my head but Sam’s fingers were there in a second, pulling me back to her. However, the moment was already broken and my head was rapidly clearing of insane thoughts and needs, replaced by my one and only goal.

“What about Dane?” I pushed myself away and waited for her to meet my eyes.

“What about him?” she asked, confused.

“You love him, don’t you?”

Sam chewed her lower lip and couldn’t help but blink. I saw a crack in the mask she had put on and pushed her a little more. “If you run away with me, as you so generously offered, where would it leave him?”