Caressed by Shadows (Rulers of Darkness Book 4) (11 page)

Falcon used an old shirt to wipe the blood from his neck and chest. He glanced ov
er her way and inhaled as if he were going to speak. Instead, he shook his head, gathered some clean clothes and turned towards the bathroom.

Sonya’s throat constricted as tears of yearning and loss blurred her vision. Another perfect moment destroyed by the harshness of reality.

Hold it together. Don’t let the Curse rise now
, she told herself.

The vampire within her screamed for Falcon, it yearned for him, his blood, body, an
d his warmth. With every step the distance between them grew both physically and emotionally. They both knew whatever was going on between them was not a good idea. Yet, she had to know the answer to a question that had been burning her lips for centuries.

“Wait,” she called to him.

He paused with his back facing her.

Her voice wavered as she said, “If we were different…I mean, if things were different, do you think we would…make it?”

The silence that followed her words was crushing. Sonya cursed under her breath. She should never have asked. There was really no point to any “if” question. Nothing could be done to change their circumstances. Neither could abandon their Clan. Yet, she had to know. Once she knew the answer she would…what?  It was not as if her attraction to him would vanish or that the unexplained longing she felt for him would dissolve.

“I know we would.” Falcon slowly turned to face her. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

Her heart slammed in her chest as her fingers began to tremble. She cursed herself for asking such a question. She knew he would tell her the truth and hold nothing back. Would he confess that his attraction for her was purely sexual? That he had no real feelings for her? An admission such as that would only give her curse more ammunition. It already used her longing for the knight against her.

She cringed when he finally exhaled and opened his eyes.

“The truth is, Sonya, I’ve been trying not to love you. I tell myself that you can never be mine, that we can never be together, but it makes no difference. My need for you grows stronger with every passing minute.”

All her stress, worry, and fear vanished. Falcon was trying not to lover her, which meant he did. Happiness could not even begin to define the rapturous feeling that coursed through. The flood of emotion was overwhelming. She wanted to scream, to cry, or to jump up and down on the bed. He loved her. Falcon Kenwrec loved her. After centuries of wondering and wishing that he returned her feelings she finally knew. She knew she sh
ould not delight in his confession but to hell with it all.

“Falcon, I―”

He shook his head. “Please, let me finish.”

Sonya bit her tongue and barely managed to keep herself still. She wanted to run to him. She wanted to wrap her arms about his neck and kis
s him until the sunset.

“When I heard you had been captured by the hunters my world shattered. I became obsessed w
ith finding you. The witches had taken you and I…had to get you back.”

His gaze fell to the floor and Sonya choked on her excitement.

No.

“My love for you has led me to betray my vows to my king.”

No!
She wanted to cover her ears and beg him to stop. She knew what was coming. She knew what he was going to say next. She did not want to hear what he had to say. Why did Fate have to be such a heartless bitch?

“I abandoned my Clan. My purpose is to protect my people and guard my king. Instead I came for you,” shame laced his voice. “I know I would make the same decision in a heartbeat.” He looked back up at her. His eyes gray eyes cold and emotionless. “Which
is why whatever is happening between us must end. I will complete my mission. I will return you to your Clan safely.”

Sonya swallowed the hard lump of
disappointed hope that was choking her and asked, “And?”

Falcon’s jaw clenched.

“Finish, knight. I know you have more to say,” she snapped.

Her
fragile heart could not take much more from him or from the Death Curse, but she needed to hear it all. She was disgusted with herself. There was no hope for them and she had been an idiot to think otherwise. Falcon’s love for her could not possibly change anything.

Determination hardened his stare. “My feelings for you are dangerous and I fully understand why a Black Knight and a Royal should never be together. You cloud my judgment and distract me from my duties.”

Her soul splintered as her heart shattered. “What are you saying, Falcon?”

“Once this is over, you will never see me again.”

Silvie swayed on her feet as she blindly stumbled across the room. The Shaw Priestess mumbled a string of curses as she bumped into an armchair and hissed in pain when she stubbed her toe on the antique chest at the foot of her bed.

She blinked wildly trying in vain to clear her vision. She was really beginning to hate be
ing able to see the future. Why did Falcon have to say such a thing to Sonya? They would never see each other again. With words like that he was digging his and Sonya’s grazes. Literally. That proclamation had changed the course of the future. Which meant she would have to do more damage control. Damn Falcon. He was being an idiot. Silvie knew it was not his love for the Queen that clouded his judgment, but his ridiculous sense of honor.

Silvie tripped over a discarded pair of shoes, her knees buckled and she went tumbling forward. She fell face first onto her bed in a disgruntled huff. She rubbed her eyes and slowly the room came back into focus. Once her eyesight fully returned, she sat up and shook her head.

“You suck, Falcon,” she sighed. “You ruined my perfect design.”

Silvie had spent months devising her plan to get the Black Knight and the Voidukas Queen some alone time and instead of taking advantage of the situation, they were both resisting their emotions. Silvie knew she would never understand why vampires insisted on making everything more complicated.

“It’s not as if I don’t have a million and one other things to do,” she whispered and rolled her eyes.

Coming to her feet, she shrugged out of her red velvet cloak and tossed the heavy material
across the bed. With a simple wave of her hand, the heavy wooden door of her bedchamber opened. Within seconds Gwendolyn stood just inside the threshold.

“Please excuse my interruption, priestess. May I beg an audience with you?” the vampire asked.

Silvie smiled. She enjoyed the way the older vampires spoke. There were so regal and so proper. “You may.”

Gwendolyn advanced further into the room and came to stand beside the chest. “I worry for my Queen.”

“She is in good hands. Sir Kenwrec will bring her home safely.”

“I do not doubt Sir Kenwrec’s abilities to protect my queen from threats.”

“Then what is it you doubt?” Silvie asked.

“Please, do not misunderstand, priestess. I was thrilled to hear that Queen Sonya was rescued.”

“First of all, Gwen, I’d appreciate it if you stopped being so formal. I mean you wiped my nose when I was child. Second, Sir Kenwrec is powerful warrior. Third, Dimitri assured you the pair would return home without a scratch. Dimitri does possess the power of foresight and his visions are never wrong.”

Gwendolyn shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “Yes, I know. King Hadrian and King Dorian have spoken of Sir Kenwrec’s skills as a knight and his loyalty.” She released a heavy sigh. “Yet, there is a part of me that…worries.”

Silvie inwardly groaned. She would need to select her words carefully, like her Uncle, the Shaman, had taught her. Before her training, she had been blunt and brutally honest. Being vague and mysterious was against her nature, but she had no choice. She could not reveal the future to anyone.

“You know as well as I that my queen harbors tender affections toward the Black Knight.”

Silvie could not hold back her laugh. “Tender affections.” She laughed even harder when Gwendolyn frowned.

“What should I have said? That she likes him?”

“Yes.”

Gwendolyn crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Silvie to stop.

“Sorry,” Silvie said once she got control of her giggles. “I know Sonya likes him, but you’ve nothing to worry about. Those two will fight their attraction.”

“Yes, but―”

“Do you not trust the knight?” Silvie asked.

Gwendolyn shook her head. “It isn’t that.”

“Do you not trust your Queen?”

The vampire’s eyes flickered black. “Don’t be ridiculous. I would follow Sonya to Hell if she asked.”

Silvie frowned. “Then it must be me you do not trust.”

Gwendolyn’s arms fell to her sides as she took a step forward.
“Silvie you know that isn’t―”

“I’m at a loss Gwen. Nothing I say or do will absolve your fears. Frankly, I’m surprised. You should have more faith in Sonya.”

“Stop insulting me,” she snapped.

Silvie shook her head and calmly said, “I meant no insult.”

“For two centuries I have watched my dear friend pine for a man she could never have. Sonya’s feelings for the knight run deep. Ever since he came to our shore with King Dorian all those years ago, Sonya has not been the same. And I strongly suspect that Sir Kenwrec has feelings for her as well. I have seen the way he gazes upon her, his eyes filled with longing. It is heartbreaking.” Gwendolyn drew her fingers threw her shoulder length blonde hair. She released a slow sigh. “You know what will happen if,” she paused as she searched for an appropriate phrase, “they hook up.”

Sonya would be banished and Falcon would lose his head. Yes, Sonya knew the consequences of their relationship, but she would not let those tiny side effects impact her plan.

“Most Seconds would pray to every God they know and beg the devil for a situation such as this,” Silvie said. “Do you not want the crown?”

“Not like this. Sonya is my queen but she is also a dear friend,” Gwendolyn explained.

“Everything will be fine.”

Gwendolyn’s eyes narrowed. “May I have your word on that?”

“On my honor as a Shaw Priestess,” Silvie assured her.

“Thank you. I have complete faith in you. I just have a feeling that something is going to happen and the anxiety is difficult to ignore. I suppose I should have reacted like King Dorian and Sire Dimitri when King Hadrian announced that the Black Knight had located and secured my queen. King Dorian and his queen, Victoria, immediately began preparing to return to home.”

“Understandably, they had come for a coronation ceremony and celebration, which would normally take two days at most. Instead, they stayed nearly three weeks.”

“Sire Dimitri and Kerstyn plan on heading back to Las Vegas. Will you be joining them or should I make arrangements for you to travel with my convoy back to Voidukas territory?”

Silvie bit her tongue so hard it made her eyes water. She would love to return to Las Vegas. She had made the city her home over the last few years, until her uncle, the Shaman of the Shaw tribe, called her home to complete her training. Truth be told, she would really like to return because of Gannon.

Silvie suppressed a shiver that tripped along her spine. Gannon was not her type. First, he was a
vampire. Second, he was an outcast vampire. Third, she knew what the future had in store for him and it was not her…or was it? The last time she had seen Gannon was in his penthouse in Las Vegas. Their fingers had touched for the briefest of moments and images of the future flickered before her eyes. She had seen them together. She had felt his fingers gently trace the lines of her face. He had teased her breasts and then his wicked fingers dipped lower. From the corner of her eyes she had seen flames jumping with delight as they devoured a red cloak.

Dread knotted in her stomach. Her desire for Gannon brought about reason number four, a priestess was to remain chaste. Staying as far away from him as possible would guarantee they would never become lovers.

Still a girl could dream.

“Thank you, but no. I will not be returning to my uncle’s home with you. I’ve unfinished business here with the Validus Clan.”

Chapter
Eleven

It was just after sunset when Sonya awoke. Falcon had already loaded the car and was ready to hit the road. They had a few more nights’ worth of travel before they reached their destination, the Scottish countryside. Once there, he would call Hadrian and have a helicopter pick them up. Then his mission would be complete. Sonya would return to rule her clan and he would pray his need for her would fade.

God, why had he offered Sonya his vein? She needed to feed. She needed to heal. And he craved to feel her lips against his skin and her fangs slicing into him; to excite pain. He should have put an end to it when she climbed upon his lap, but his desire for her over powered his good sense.

Which is why you can never see her again
, he told himself.

He now fully understood why centuries ago the clan rulers had decided a relationship between a Black Knight and a royal should be forbidden. Last night, he had been unfit to protect her. All of his senses had been focused on her. Feeding her and giving her pleasure had been his goal instead of protecting her. The wi
tches could discover them at any time, which meant he has to be ready at all times. He could have no distractions. He must remain focused and controlled.

Falcon roughly shifted to the next gear, sending the old BMW charging down the road. The engine whined, the frame rattled and Sonya continued to stare out her window. They had not spoken a word since his declaration which was for the best.

Sonya shifted in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. He kept his eyes on the road and concentrated. He would not look at her or ask what she was thinking even though he yearned to know how she felt and what she thought of his confession.

It doesn’t matter. She will never be yours. Move on.

He rolled his eyes at his thoughts. Move on? He had been trying to move on for two centuries. He had told himself countless times that Sonya did not love him nor could she. He had taken lovers, but the Voidukas queen had ensnared his heart. Only time could heal a wound such as this and he had all of eternity. However, he knew deep down that he would always have feelings for Sonya. She was vibrant, full of life, smart, cunning and ruthlessly beautiful, all the things a woman should be. She had cast a spell over him, enchanting him, drawing him in and toward his destruction. And a part of him did not care. He could have easily taken her last night. Her body had burned beneath him, her gasps echoed in his ears. She would not have stopped him.

His grip tighten on the steering wheel as his body tensed.

He could have ripped her panties from her. He could have spread her soft thighs and pounded into her.

Focus. Control. Don’t think. Don’t feel.

Falcon repeated Hadrian’s words of wisdom. The vampire king had taught him how to harness his vampire with those words. Falcon would never allow the demon to rule him just as he would never allow lust to slay his good judgment. He had to place her from his mind. He had to find some way to snuff out his unnatural attraction toward her. If only there were a spell or a pill that could make him forget her charming smile, her golden eyes, and her fierce warrior pride. All he could do was try to harden his heart toward her.

Don’t try. Do.

“Okay, that’s it,” she exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air. “I can’t take this anymore. I just want to say, I understand why you wish to no longer see me after our little vacation is over. But we do have forty-eight to seventy-two hours left to spend together and I would rather not spend them in silence.”

He inclined his head in agreement. Conversation would make the drive more tolerable. It would also help keep his mind active so t
hat he could not replay every moment of the night before. He did not need to torture himself further.

“What would you like to discuss?” he asked.

“You.”

He inwardly grimaced. “I’m a bore.”

“Hardly,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “For starters, were you ever going to tell me that you are of Shaw decent?”

He commanded his body not to react to the thought of her at his vein, but his cock either did not get the memo or his desire did not care.

“My linage is of no importance.”

“Perhaps not, but it is interesting.” She sat up straight in her seat a
nd crossed her legs. “Your blood was thick with magic, which means at least one of your parents had to have been a Shaw witch.”

“My mother. She was a member of a gypsy Shaw group,” he answered.

“Is that why you can walk in the sunlight? Your blood is powerful. Intoxicating.”

Damn his perfect peripheral vision. He could see Sonya lick her lips. Was
she thinking about the taste of his blood? Had it been the feeding act that had triggered her lust. The two often went hand in hand.

No. He was not curious. He did not care.

“Your mother must have been a very gifted witch.”

He grunted in answer.

“It is common knowledge that a pure Shaw could never be changed into a vampire. Their bodies would reject the vampire’s blood and either become extremely ill or die. Which means, your father must have been human.”

Falcon only nodded. While he had been close to his mother, he had barely known his father.

“So, I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how you can walk in the daylight. Does it have anything to with being of Shaw decent?”

He stiffened. “Not exactly.”

Sonya waited for him to continue and when he did not, she said, “I’m curious, that’s all. You don’t have to tell me. There are literally only two vampires that are old enough and strong enough to walk in the sunlight; Dimitri Arsov, who is an original pureblood, vampire and Dorian Vlakhos, who is also ancient and impressively strong. Grant it you possess impressive strength for one your age, but you cannot measure up to them.”

Falcon was not offended by her words. Sonya spoke the truth. He was strong, but Dimitri and Dorian blew him away on the rector scale.

“Having a Shaw mother has its privileges and disadvantages.”

“I imagine it would.” She paused considering her next question. “Did you know of vampires?”

He released a long exhale. “I did.”

Falcon saw her flinch.

“When you lay dying, you knew the monster that leaned over you, that fed from you, that forced its blood down your throat.”

“I did.”

She shook her head. “I can’t even begin to imagine…No wonder you are so strong. You must have fought for your life until your last breath.”

Falcon’s jaw clenched as he recalled that night. The summer storm had just cleared, the angry clouds parted revealing a star crowded sky. The desert was quiet and peaceful. Death surrounded him on the ravished battlefield. He knew the carnage would draw the vampires and he had prayed his soul would depart before they found him.

He was on the razor’s edge of death when the vampires came. They drained the still warm bodies and debated over which of the remaining soldier were worthy candidates for their army. The Validus Clan was currently warring with the Mylonas and were in search of violent, ruthless warriors to join their ranks. He had been relieved when he was deemed “undesirable.” Then he had heard Hadrian’s strong voice. He argued with his fellow vampires, trying to convince them that Falcon was worth keeping.

“He is a waste of blood, Hadrian,” one said.

“Death has him in its clutches. It would be useless,” another added. “If you feel so strongly, give me your vow now and I will grant you the right to sire fledglings.”

Hadrian snarled
. “You will never have my loyalty, Erik.”

“Those are treasonous words, general,” the vampire named Erik spat.

Falcon had been certain the beasts would fight, but when Hadrian’s eyes flashed red Erik mumbled a curse and walked away. Hadrian stood at Falcon’s side as he drifted in and out of consciousness. After an eternity, Hadrian knelt beside him in the mud.

“You will not meet death this night,” Hadrian whispered. His fingers burned Falcon’s hand as he pried his sword from his death like grip. Hadrian drew the blade of Falcon’s weapon across his wrist. “I look at you and I see…myself. You know our kind. You loathe our kind. Just as I had when I was changed.” Hadrian brushed mud from Falcon’s face, his touch surprisingly gentle. “Fight, witch.” He pressed his bloodied wrist against Falcon’s lips and placed his palm above Falcon’s heart.

Falcon never expected to embrace his new life or to be grateful for all that Hadrian had done for him. He had awoken his first night as a vampire, intent on killing the vile creature that had changed him. He searched the caves the Validus Clan had been using as their desert base. When he found Hadrian, the demon offered Falcon his sword and encouraged him to carry out the death sentence he had set. Hadrian understood Falcon’s drive to kill him. He had freely admitted his sin, “I killed my maker.”

Falcon shook his head, dispelling the memory. “Yes, I was aware of what I would become.”

“Erik Ragner, he was your maker?”

Falcon bit back the truth. No one besides Dimitri and he suspected Dorian knew Hadrian was his maker.

“That’s the rumor,” he said, unable to bring himself to lie to her.

Sonya frowned then shrugged. Falcon was relieved that she did not press the matter. It was imperative that everyone continues to believe Erik was his maker. Hadrian had not been given the right to sire fledglings and yet he had changed Falcon anyway, which meant, Falcon was a blood bastard. A vampire made without the consent of the Clan Chieftain. Blood bastards were to be outcasts not Black Knights. Though, being a bastard was not new to him. He had been conceived, born and raised outside of holy wedlock in the middle ages.

“All I knew what awaited me on the other side of the transformation was power and, at the time, that was all I cared about.”

Falcon nodded and remained silent. He knew Sonya’s tragic story. She had shared it with him centuries ago when they had first met. Shifters had invaded her home. The animals slaughtered her family and had left her to bleed to death. Dorian had found her and had taken her to King Gudmund.

“Now, I miss feeling the warmth of the sun and…”

Sonya pivoted in her seat to gaze out the window.

Falcon wanted to press her to continue, but he would not.

“Anyway,”
she said waving her hand dismissively. “Back to my question and please try not to be vague. How is it you can walk in the daylight?”

“After I was changed, I feared returning home. I was ashamed of what I had become and I knew I could not handle seeing the hate in my mother’s eyes.” He shook his head. “To this day, I will never understand how Hadrian convinced me to go home. I’m thankful he did. My mother…she had known I was going to become a vampire.”

“Was she a seer? Did she have visions?”

“No, her father had told her. He had also given her this.” He reached into the collar of his shirt and removed the necklace he wore. An amulet dangled from the leather strap, the stones catching the city lights.

Sonya caught sight of the necklace in the reflection of the glass and turned around. She reached forward. Her fingers brushed the shinning metal. The power shocked her, sending a strong electric current through her body, making the tiny hairs on her nape stand straight. Her eyes rounded with awe.

“So much power,” she w
hispered, her eyes wide with
admiration
. “This is a shaman relic. Only the chieftain of the Shaw Tribe, their shaman, has access to such items.”

Falcon nodded. “My grandfather was the shaman of the tribe at the time.”

Sonya slowly relaxed back against her seat, her brow furrowed with a frown. “The shaman is continuously reincarnated, but there is no record of him ever reproducing.”

He shrugged. History claimed the Shaman never had children, but that didn’t mean the history record was correct. “Perhaps I’m not a direct descendent of the shaman,” he said as he tucked the necklace away for safekeeping. “The fact remains, the amulet is enchanted and its magic acts as a shield.”

Sonya brushed her hand through her long hair and tugged at her bottom lip. Her eyes lingered on his chest where the amulet hung. Falcon had an overwhelming desire to kiss her. Instead, he returned his attention to the road and made a left. They were passing through Birmingham, a hunter infested city. He hoped they could pass through the city without notice.

He glanced at the rearview mirror. There had been a blue Volkswagen on their tale since they entered the city limits. Were they hunters? It was possible
. Pauline could have tipped off the witches. She could have given them the make, model, color and plate number of the car. Had Nick told her they would be picking up their next car in Birmingham?

It did not matter. If hunters were in fact on their tail then he would need a new plan.

She straightened in her seat, her fingers gently resting on the gun she had strapped to her thigh. “You’ve noticed the car behind us?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve always wanted to be in a car chase.” She rolled down her window, preparing for a shoot out.