Sacrifice (17 page)

It was a trick question. She couldn’t tell him yes, yet she refused to encourage him. “I’m tired, Raphael. I almost died and I’m just so tired.” Her voice betrayed her again, revealing her fear.

He reached for her and she shrunk back.

“You’re really frightened of me.”

She bit her tongue.

“I can make you love me.”

“No. Just go.”

He started to rise, then abruptly leaned forward and pushed her back on the bed, kissing her.

She sobbed her frustration as she faded again, her body craving his.

The scissors.

They were under her pillow. Her hand reached behind and slid under, searching.

“I love you, Emmanuella. I’ve waited for you for so long.”

Her hand stilled as his power overcame hers. He was right. She was his. No, a small voice in her head protested. She made one last half-hearted swipe under the pillow, her hand brushing cold metal.

Her fingers curled around the handles before she toppled into the need he generated. His power lapped at her in waves, sending licks of craving throughout her.
Don’t fight him. I’m his.

No.

Concentrate. Make this count
. Fighting the fog of desire was like pushing into strong wind. She focused every bit of concentration on swinging the scissors as she pushed him with her other hand.

He rolled to the side and she held the scissors at his neck, the points poking into his flesh.

His eyes flew wide in alarm.

“Get the fuck away from me, Raphael.”

He scooted away from her on the bed, closer to the door, his mouth twisted in shock as blood trickled down his neck.

She leaned forward to keep the scissors against his pulse point, careful to keep from physically touching him.

“Emma…” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

“I’ll kill you if I have to. Get out.”

He reached the edge of the bed and slid his feet to the floor.

Emma retracted her hand but held out the scissor points toward him.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” He left the room without looking back.

The scissors shook in her hand as the adrenaline rush peaked. She stumbled to the door and locked it even though she knew it wouldn’t keep him out. Collapsing in a heap, she crawled to the bed, still weak from what Raphael had done to her that afternoon. She needed food but was scared to leave the room. Perhaps the next best thing was sleep, but she was terrified to lose consciousness. He could come back, and by the time she realized what he was doing it would be too late. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was two a.m. She’d been out for hours.

He really had almost killed her.

She had to figure out a way to escape. To do that, she needed to be stronger. Which meant she had to practice, but she couldn’t even walk out of the room, let alone walk out to the pasture. To fall asleep meant she’d be at Raphael’s mercy. She was sick to death of being at anyone’s mercy.

When Alex came back the next day, she had to get him to teach her how to mask herself. Raphael was getting crazier and crazier. The next time he might go too far.

She lay on the bed, sliding the scissors under her pillow but keeping her fingers curled around the handle.

***

The shadows danced around the room, no longer hiding their movement, spinning faster and faster until Jake hid under his covers.

Aiden was coming.

He sensed his movement through the house, felt the sickening warm wave as Aiden made his way to Jake’s bedroom.

Jake would pay.

But Mommy was alive and safe for the moment. Will had saved her this time. Raphael was dangerous, even Aiden knew it from comments that slipped out. But now Aiden knew he could talk to Will.

Yet he wasn’t sorry, even if Will was in danger. He felt his mommy through his connection with Will, even if it was only for a few seconds.

The door slammed against the wall as Aiden threw it open and Jake lowered his sheet. There was no hiding from Aiden.

The shadows had stopped, lurking on the walls with curves that looked like hooks. Jake preferred the shadows to Aiden.

Aiden stood in the doorway, his eyes glowing in a golden light. “What have you done?”

Jake sat up, his chin trembling.

“He’s alive.” Aiden’s voice boomed through the room, making the furniture shake.

Had Aiden thought Will was dead? He wished he knew what happened between the time he left the house in Montana with Aiden and he woke up in this room. Dread mixed with fear spiraled around Jake’s chest and squeezed.

“Not only is he alive, but he knows about Emmanuella. How does he know about her?”

Of course he knew about Mommy. What was Aiden talking about? “Raphael was killing Mommy.”

“How did you know this?”

“I heard her. Raphael was killing her and she screamed for Will.”

Aiden’s eyebrows rose and his voice lowered to a whisper. “You heard her? And so did Will?”

Jake nodded, Aiden’s face blurry through his tears.

“This changes everything.”

***

Emma felt better the next morning But at breakfast she convinced Raphael that she was still too weak to practice. Guilt swept over his face and he wouldn’t look her in the eye.

“Emma, I’m sorry.”

If he said that he was sorry one more time, she really would stab him.

He took a drink then lowered the glass as he studied the amber liquid. “I have an errand I need to run. If you feel well enough, I’ll leave you here alone, but I’ll be gone all day and won’t be home until late tonight. Will you be all right by yourself?”

She hoped her relief wasn’t too obvious. She wanted to tell him she’d be safer without him here, but worried if she was too antagonistic he wouldn’t leave. “Yes.”

“I’ll leave my cell phone number in case you need me for anything, but it might take some time to get back to you.” He paused, worry filling his eyes. “Are you certain you’ll be okay? Maybe I should wait until you get better.”

“No,” she said too quickly, then gave him a quick pat on his arm. “No, I’ve already been enough of a burden. You go and I’ll be fine.” But curiosity got the better of her and she glanced at him through her eyelashes. “Where are you going?”

He hesitated. “You don’t need to concern yourself with the matter. Just rest assured that I’m seeking outside help to smooth out your difficulties.”

“Difficulties?” Her breath stuck in her throat, making her words sound squeaky.

His eyes softened. “I know you’re trying. I see your fear and I’ve been too hard on you. I think I might know a source that will tell me what the problem is. I’d take you with me, but I’m worried it might be dangerous, especially in your weakened condition.” He rose, taking his plate to the sink. “But I need to leave soon. I’ve left my cell phone number by the phone here in the kitchen.”

Emma had been excited about the phone when she first saw it days ago, until she realized she didn’t have anyone she could call. Even if she called the police, Raphael would find her and potentially kill people to get her back. She couldn’t risk it.

Now she wondered if there was someone she could call after all.

Chapter Fourteen

The sun had begun to set, a thick haze hanging over the yard. Emma found a small bag and packed several changes of clothes and some food. She went into Raphael’s bedroom and discovered a small stash of cash tucked in a dresser drawer. His room hadn’t been the dark, oppressive décor she’d expected. Instead it was light and airy, with a small portrait on an easel in a corner by the window.

A portrait of her.

No, not her. Raphael’s Emmanuella.

The girl in the portrait was much younger and her eyes sparkled with innocence and youth. Emma doubted her eyes had ever looked like that. Her life had never afforded innocence.

The girl’s hair was pulled up into an elaborately curled hairstyle. She wore a red ruffled dress that was cut low, the skirt full. Emma guessed the painting to be several hundred years old from the clothing and the cracks in the oil paint. How had Raphael gotten it?

If he had a portrait of Emmanuella, he obviously loved her in his own way, which made Emma almost feel guilty about what she was about to do.

Almost.

At eight twenty, she walked down the long circular driveway to the road. She hadn’t seen the front of the house since Raphael had brought her here almost a week ago.

A car with darkened windows parked perpendicular to the driveway as she approached. As it idled, she hesitated. Was this really her only option?

Yes.

She opened the door and slid in the front, tossing her bag over her shoulder into the backseat.

“You’re early. Eager to see me?”

Her eyebrows rose with a smirk. “I could ask you the same.”

Alex grinned as he pulled away from the curb. “Raphael’s going to be very upset with you, Emma.”

“Like I give a flipping rat’s ass.”

He chuckled. “You
have
changed.”

“Why does everyone presume to know me? You don’t know shit about me.”

“You might want to consider at least pretending to be nice. Otherwise I could dump you on the road right here and let you take your chances with Raph.”

She crossed her arms. “You won’t.”

“Be careful making that call, Emma. While it might be true now, the day is coming that you’ll be fair game to the both of us.”

The truth of his words deflated her momentary relief over her escape. Alex was right. At some point, one or both of them would cut their losses and probably try to cut out their competition. Emma hoped that day of reckoning didn’t come until the very end. But she worried about Raphael’s reaction when he discovered she was missing. He was borderline psychotic at best. Would he find her and drag her back or would he kill her now and be done with it? “You have to teach me how to hide myself.”

Alex snorted. “I don’t
have
to teach you how to do anything.”

“If you don’t, Raphael will just track me down and your rescue trip will have been for nothing.”

“I’m masking you, so Raphael can’t find you right now. And when the time is right, I’ll teach you, but only after conditions are met.”

“What conditions?”

He held up a finger and waved it back and forth. “Uh, uh, uh. You’ll find out in due time. First things first, we need to make some ground rules.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “I thought that was my line.”

“Ha, very funny. The first rule is you don’t touch me. Also, we will be in close proximity as little as possible and you will refrain from using your power around me unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“You’re making me feel unloved.”

He shot her a
go to hell
look.

However, his requests made sense. If she was capable of doing to him half of what Raphael did to her, he had made a calculated risk helping her leave Raphael. “So why did you help me?”

“Honestly?” He cast her a sideways glance. “I’m not sure.”

“That doesn’t sound like you at all.”

“To quote someone I know: You don’t know shit about me.”

“I know you raped me six years ago.” That reminder made her question her own sanity for sitting here next to him. At least Raphael had acted in his love-crazed delirium. Alex had been cruel and sadistic.

“Maybe that’s why I’m helping you now.”

Doubtful. Most likely Alex figured that if he helped her, then she’d feel a need to repay him for his kindness later. By joining with him. But the truth was that Alex had a lot riding on her survival and he couldn’t stand by and let Raphael kill her.

“Do you have any idea where Raphael went today?” Alex asked as he pulled onto the highway.

“He said he had to run an errand. Something to smooth out
my difficulties
.”

Alex laughed. “So that’s what he’s calling it. Figures.” He shook his head. “I happen to know where he went, although it was a wasted trip.”

“So where’d he go?”

“To the Vinco Potentia compound in South Dakota to get the book of De Luca’s writings.”

Emma’s head swam. She swallowed her nervousness and concentrated on appearing curious. Did Alex know that she knew about the book or the prophecy? “What?”

“Lorenzo De Luca was the guy who wrote the prophecy that’s sent humans all atwitter for several hundred years.”

“Don’t go getting all judgmental. Only a month ago you were one of those humans destroying other people’s lives because of that prophecy.” Hers included. Gut instinct told her not to let Alex know she had taken the book. Could she pull off the next part with what she knew? “Why was it a wasted trip?”

“Because the book is gone. I was there a few days ago and it was missing.”

“If it just has the prophecy, what’s the big deal?” That’s all Will claimed to find, other than some dates with incidents that had happened or that the Vinco Potentia had averted. But then, she’d been too distraught about Jake when he looked at the book to give him her full attention.

“Because it’s the official record of the rules of the game.”