Wanderlust (30 page)

Chapter 37 - On Top of the World

Balthazar led me through a series of dark hallways in what seemed like an endless circle, until we reached a narrow stairwell. We climb upward for what felt like miles before we pushed through a wooden plank in the roof, exposing a brilliant ray of sunshine. Blinded by the light, I buried my face in the crook of my elbow to shield my eyes from the piercing rays. It took every ounce of my strength not to cry out from the pain of it.

Taking in my surroundings, the most I could determine was that I was atop some sort of stone tower overlooking abandoned farmland that was overgrown with weeds. Recalling all of the places I had been over the past few weeks, I could honestly say that there was nothing distinctive about the scenery. Rolling hills. A random creek. Pretty standard European landscape.

That’s when I noticed the hand and ankle shackles. Balthazar forced me into position against the post--my hands and legs stretched at awkward angles as he fastened me in place.

“I figure if I leave you here in plain sight long enough, he’ll come for you eventually,” Balthazar explained. “Finally, I’ll be able to put an end to all of this--I’m so sick of babysitting his mistakes. Mistakes like Chip and Frost…and Chaseyn.”

I stood there stoic, staring directly into Balthazar’s chocolate brown eyes. There was no time for self-pity or despair. This was not the end, and I wanted Balthazar to know that I didn’t plan to roll over for him, or anybody else.

“I
refuse
to die this way,” I screamed, spitting at his feet is disgust. “This is
not
the end for me.”

“Good to see you still have some spunk in you. Alexei likes that sort of thing,” he laughed, but I stood my ground.

“We’ll see who’s laughing when you’re the one with a stake in his chest,” I hissed. “We both know it doesn’t end this way. Not today.”

“We’ll see,” Balthazar said and turned on his heel to leave. “I win either way.”

“Meaning?”

“If Alexei gets here first, I can take him down and keep you alive long enough to bring Chaseyn to me as well. Just like his dear old dad, I can’t wait to put an end to him. He was a real pain back in the day. And, then, for the icing on the cake, I get to do whatever I want with you,” Balthazar said, looking back over his shoulder at me from a few paces away. “If Chaseyn gets here first, though, that changes everything. I’ve always wondered what would happen if he could get his half-human hands on his cold, dead father. What a showdown that would be.”

Before I could say another word, Balthazar disappeared out of sight--his steps so light I couldn’t hear a peep as he made his way down the steep stairwell.

Chapter 38 - Delirium

It’s funny the things your mind thinks about when your stranded at the top of a medieval turret overlooking an undisclosed landscape. For starters, the mid-day sun was taking its toll, and I longed for a cold glass of iced tea. Not just any iced tea, but the kind my mom made when I was a kid.

Before my dad died, one of our favorite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon was picnicking along the banks of Evergreen Lake. My mom would make tuna bunwiches--I refused to eat bread--and the best iced tea in the whole world. I remembered how she would add extra sugar after she was done brewing the tea bags because I liked everything so sickeningly sweet. And, dad would lay on the gingham blanket and laugh while mom and I made daisy chains to wear on our heads.

My head. My head hurt so bad it felt like my brain was going to burst through my skull. I longed to shield my face from the sunlight, but the pulsing rays caused my eyes to throb inside their sockets. If only I could shift my feet or relax my arms, I would feel so much better. But, this was my lot. This was how I was left to suffer. I tried to turn my attention to more happy thoughts to keep my mind off the pain.

I thought about Gemma. Gemma the gerbil. I loved that little rodent, and I insisted on taking her everywhere I went everyday for the nine days she was in my life. I only let her out of my sight that one time. For five minutes. And, when I came back, she was gone. I ran crying to my mom, who was standing only a few feet away, staring down the barrel of the vacuum hose with a bewildered look on her face. I was seven years old when I mourned Gemma’s loss. For months, I searched for that cuddly critter. It was five years before I finally pieced that puzzle together. Five years. I was furious with my mother for not coming clean earlier. Now, as I stare down the barrel of my own vacuum hose, metaphorically speaking, it seemed the funniest thing in the world. In fact, laughter consumed me. Delirium was a beautiful thing at a time like this.

And, that’s how he found me. Tears rolling down my face. Tears of laughter. At first, I was speechless at the sight of him. But once I had a chance to absorb the fact that he was finally here, my breath caught in my throat. He was even more stunning than I had remembered. His raven waves glistened in the sunlight, and his fair skin looked like the finest porcelain.

If he hadn’t been my worst nightmare, I might have been taken in by his beauty.

Chapter 39 - Alexei

“So, we meet again my love,” he had moved to stand behind me, just out of sight. His breath was cool on my neck as he said the words, sending chills rippling through my body.

“Don’t call me that,” I demanded.

“What should I call you then?” he asked, his tone serious and flat. “Cordelia seems so impersonal, and that nickname of yours--Lia--is far too contemporary for my tastes. Perhaps, I shall call you wife. That is what you will be sooner than you know.”

Alexei stood before me in all his centuries’-old glory. It was starling how much Chaseyn looked like him--so much so that it was almost impossible for me to see Alexei as the monster he truly was. The next few minutes passed in silence while Alexei scanned every inch of my. The look of seduction in his eyes gave me chills, and I wished more than anything that I could collapse into myself, shielding my body from his view.

That’s when I realized I could--I was no longer strapped to the wooden beam. Alexei must have loosened the knots holding me in place, his fingers were so swift and gentle that I hadn’t even noticed. Flexing my fingers and kicking at the ground in front of me, I stretched out the many kinks I had earned standing in the same position for so many hours.

“You’re dazzling,” he said, stepping nearer to me. “I didn’t think it possible, but you are even more beautiful than Lorelei.”

Lorelei. My great great great grandmother. Alexei’s one true love, whose rejection he has sought to avenge for more than a century.

“You can’t replace her with me just because I happen to have the same red hair,” I shouted at him.

“You have no idea how many times I have dreamed of this moment--of exactly how I would turn you,” he said, taking another step closer to me.

He was so close I had to close my eyes to keep them from crossing when I looked at his face. Our noses were a hair away from touching. Before I knew what had happened, he had locked his arms around my waist and pulled me tight to him, his lips brushing against my throat.

“Unh,” I moaned in pain as he pulled away.

His canines were so razor sharp that I hadn’t felt them pierce my skin--I only felt them on the way back out. His grip was less firm now, as he inspected the marks he had left behind. I raised my hand to the place his teeth had sunk into my skin, but he pushed it away before I could touch the spot. Instead, he leaned in again and used his tongue to lap up any rogue droplets of blood, using the healing powers of his vampire saliva to soothe and seal the wound.

“How did that feel, my darling? I only hope it was as blissful for you as it was for me,” he whispered, stretching his arms over his head as though he was warming up for another round. “I wanted to get the first bite out of the way so that we didn’t have the suspense of it looming over us all night.”

The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was an impressive array of amber, scarlet, and coral. On any other day, I could have stared in awe at its magnificence from my perch atop the stone tower, but given the circumstances, it seemed the universe was sending me a message. I would forever remember the serenity and beauty of my last moments as a human thanks to the gloriousness of this moment.

Still stunned by the situation, and the fact that my life was about to end, I stood staring at the scene before me. I was so engrossed by it that Alexei was replacing my arm at my side when I noticed that he had sunk his teeth into me for a second time.

“Aren’t there rules about this?” I asked, looking at the two puncture marks that were already barely visible on my wrist. “Don’t you have to wait a certain amount of time between each bite?”

“My dearest, the only ‘rule’ is that a single vampire must sink his, or her, teeth into the chosen human three times. I can take however much--or however little--time I desire to enact the process,” Alexei explained.

Two down, one to go. I wished he would get it over with. Knowing there was no hope of rescue, I wanted to spend as little time as possible in limbo. All I could ask for now was a swift and painless death. My only hope was that the love of my life was at least half-vampire, and I hoped he could accept me in my undead state--that once we found each other again, whenever that might be--that we could forge a future together. One that would last all eternity. At least I had that to look forward to.

Outrage flashed in Alexei’s eyes, and he paced the rooftop turret at a frenetic pace. I dashed to a corner and cowered in fear, knowing there was no way to shield myself from his wrath, but uncertain what else I could do.

“Oh no you don’t,” he said grabbing me by my arm and pulling me roughly to my feet. Alexei dragged me to the stairwell and forced me down to the main floor. “You are
not
going to ruin this night for me.”

Chapter 40 - A Night to Remember

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, it became evident how Alexei had entered the tower. The solid oak door on the west side of the stone building had been torn from its hinges, the deadbolt lay broken in two on the dirt floor. Just beyond the door, a big black sedan was waiting with its engine revving.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

The last thing I wanted to do was leave this place. In the very least, Balthazar knew how to find me here, and I hoped that, regardless of whether he decided to turn me or dispose of me, he would at least turn whatever remained of me over to my loved ones--Chaseyn in particular. Where was Balthazar, I wondered? And, why hadn’t he come for Alexei yet?

Alexei shoved me into the back of the car and signaled for the driver to pull away. Just as the vehicle lurched forward, Alexei told me to close my eyes. A split second later, I felt a scratchy fabric slide over my head and down my face.

“That’s ridiculous,” he replied, feigning disgust at the mere suggestion. “I’m a vampire--and not just any vampire, but one born of very powerful, noble blood. You could never get away from me.”

We had driven only a short time when I felt the wheels slowing to a stop. I had been counting the seconds again--1,320--as well as keeping track of how many times the car shifted left or right. I knew any chance at escape was highly unlikely, but I wanted to be prepared just in case.

Alexei’s body felt like cold stone pressed against me--Chaseyn maintained some of the plushness and warmth of his human half--and I was relieved when I felt the car come to a stop and Alexei slide across the leather seat to open the door. He came around to my side of the car and ushered me outdoors. I tugged at the cloth still tight over my head, but Alexei pushed my hands away.