Her Warrior for Eternity (11 page)

“Release me, immediately.”

“I can’t do that until you calm down.”

“I won’t calm down unless I run. What do you think I came here for?”

“But why come alone?” That she didn’t want him around made his chest tighten.

“Because I can’t think when you’re near,” she ground from between her teeth.

Her admission alleviated the worst of his anger, but didn’t remove the cause for his worry. “But you know it’s dangerous here.”

“No it isn’t. You said yourself that renegades only appear in the City. As you can see, we’re not in the City.”

“There are other threats than renegades. Some of them are human, even.”

“What, here? At this hour?” The sweep of her hand contained the entire high-end neighbourhood. People who could afford to live here could pay for top range security too, which kept the lowlifes away.

“Anywhere, anytime.”

She huffed in answer. “Just release me. I need to run.”

“Fine. But I’ll run with you.”

“Fine. Just keep out of my sight. I need to think.”

“About becoming a vampire?”

“Oh, that’s not an issue. I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t want to become one. I couldn’t live without the sun.”

“It’s not so bad. You’d get used to it. And look at the bright side, you’d have me for the rest of your long life.” He smiled, but she only gave him a slow look.

“I wouldn’t trust you to stick around for my human lifetime. You’re not exactly the type.”

It stunned him that she would believe it, but it was only natural. “I’ve changed.” It was true, even if it was the
hunger
that had made it happen.

No,
she
had made it happen, long before the
hunger
showed up. His heart ached to think he couldn’t have her for the centuries ahead, because she didn’t want to become a vampire.

We could change her mind
.

Absolutely not. That’s not done
. He would simply have to make her change her mind about it – about him. Because he wasn’t going anywhere.

Sighing, he released her and she took off again on that easy pace that would allow her to run forever. He gave her a couple of steps’ lead before following. If she wanted to think without distractions, he would provide her that.

She ran for a long time. He would be in the shape of his life in no time merely by staying with her. They went around the park twice before she was ready to head to the cars. She didn’t talk to him again, so he could only guess what was going on in her mind.

He tried to will her with his entire body to choose her second nature. He couldn’t lose her. More than once he almost spoke, wanting to tell her what it was like to be a vampire, but held his tongue after all. She had said she wanted to think in peace.

They exited the path through a small gate in the hedge that bordered the entire park. Jeremy kept his vampire sense open for the enemy, only slightly distracted by Cora’s bottom that swayed in front of him as she ran. The streetlamps were switched off already, but the sun wasn’t properly up yet so the street was cast in the grey morning light. For him, that didn’t make any difference, but she might have trouble seeing where she was going.

She stopped abruptly and he almost ran into her. Instantly on alert, he looked around to locate the source of her alarm. Across the street, a young human man was breaking into her car.

Jeremy shook his head at the idiot. Surely the boy understood that a car that expensive was not only fully alarmed but equipped with a tracking device too. And even if he somehow got into the car, Jeremy would have no trouble removing him again.

But Cora didn’t come to think of that. “Hey!” And she charged at the thief. Jeremy froze for a fraction of a second in surprise. Then he followed her.

He had superhuman speed and reflexes, but he was concentrating on her when he should have paid attention to the car thief. He saw too late that the bloke was aiming a gun at Cora.

Straining his body to a maximum, he leaped towards her just as the shot rang out. All the morning birds burst into flight in a huge flock, darkening the sky. He collapsed in the middle of the road, Cora in his arms, protected by his body. For a few heartbeats he lay there, stunned from the impact with the ground. Then he realised her heart wasn’t beating. She was listless and she smelt of blood.

The world as he knew it ended.

Chapter Twelve

The car thief was dead before he could put the gun away. In his fury, Jeremy would have drained him too, as it was only right that the blood of his enemy sustain him. But Cora needed his attention.

She wasn’t breathing. Her heart wasn’t beating. There was a hole in her stomach, drenched in blood. His hands shaking, he lifted her gently in his arms and carried her to his borrowed car, where he lay her down on the ground.

He gathered all the Might energy he was able, pushing himself to his limits to hold it, and summoned every bit of magic in his disposal. He wasn’t able to heal with magic, but he created a seal on the wound to stop it bleeding. Then he set out to make her heart beat again. He knew basic human CPR, but magic was faster. He had jolted hearts into operating before. All that was needed was an electric shock, and magic would provide that.

It took three tries and almost all his energy to make her heart beat again, but she wasn’t in the clear yet. The pulse was weak and her breathing was shallow. He had to get her to a healer, and fast. Lifting her up, he put her in the front seat of the car, adjusting her as best he could. She would have been more comfortable on the back seat, but he couldn’t feed Might energy into her if she was at the back. Humans couldn’t benefit from Might, but he hoped that her vampire gene would make her more receptive to it.

It was the only chance she had.

In a hurry though he was, he took a moment to haul the body of the assailant into the boot. It wouldn’t do to leave him where anyone could find him. He would have cleared the blood off the street too, but he couldn’t spare the energy or time for it. Then he got behind the wheel and drove.

There were hospitals nearby, one right by the park, but he didn’t trust any of them. He had seen enough death to know that human doctors couldn’t do anything for her. He needed someone better, someone who was able to heal with magic.

He needed Alexander Hamilton, Lord Foley. But he was in Epsom, a good twenty minute drive on the motorway, and it would take at least another twenty minutes driving through London before he was on it.

As the ill luck would have it, he didn’t have a mobile and the borrowed car didn’t have one either. He needed to warn Alexander, to make him prepare for the healing. The damage to Cora was massive, and even the strongest of vampires would need extra energy for it.

Out of options, he tried to reach Jas mentally, but couldn’t find the familiar mind. Frantic now, he searched for any mind close enough that would be receptive for his call.

What?

Gabriel. Jeremy could have wept.
I need you to contact your father. Cora’s been shot and I want him to heal her
.

Can’t you take her to a hospital?

No
.

Gabe didn’t ask more questions but just disappeared from his mind. If things went Jeremy’s way, it was to contact Alexander.

The one-way streets and traffic lights stood no chance as Jeremy broke all rules, regulations, and speed limits to reach the motorway. Once there, the commuters were travelling towards London, so, the road almost empty before him, he pushed the car to its limit.

The roads and country lanes off the motorway towards Ewell were bendy and narrow and ill-suited for his speed, but he didn’t care. He had superhuman vision and reaction speed, and the car responded nicely to him. In no time at all, though all too slowly for his liking, he reached the main gate of the manor.

It took forever for the warrior manning it to identify him and longer still for the electronic gate to open. The gap was barely wide enough when he drove through, scraping the paint off the sides of the car as he did so. Once he was through, the three mile drive to the house took only moments to cover.

He drove straight to the east wing where their infirmary was. He had barely got out of the car when the door opened and Jas exited the building, ready to help him. Jeremy wouldn’t let his brother touch Cora, but carried her in and onto an operating table himself.

To his utter relief, Alexander was already standing by the table, formidable as always, though wearing only a pair of jeans as if he had been woken up.

“Please, heal her.”

Alexander frowned. No one asked him to do anything, even politely. He was a force of his own, the king among their kind. Jeremy’s bones froze for the fear that Alexander would refuse, but his leader turned to Cora. He ran his hands along her body, over the wound and her heart. She was still alive, sustained by Jeremy’s constant feeding of Might into her during their drive, but even he could tell that she was hanging by a thread.

As they watched, she stopped breathing. And then she died.

Jeremy wasn’t aware he had been about to jump on her, to force her to live again, to do anything, until his momentum was halted by strong hands that grabbed him from behind. He fought the hands, unwilling to stay put as his mate died, but there were too many of them. He collapsed on the floor, his heart breaking.

He bellowed in agony and the sound shook the room.

“She needs to be
fulfilled
if she’s to live again.”

He heard Alexander’s impassive voice from far away and focused on it. “Do it.”

“Does she consent?”

“Yes. No.” He thought a moment. “I don’t know. I only told her about the possibility mere moments ago. She wasn’t happy about the idea.” But he would be devastated without her. “Just do it. I’ll take her wrath.”

“And will you also take the guarding of her?” New vampires needed constant supervision for the first couple of months, some even for years. Usually it was the vampire’s family, but he was the only family she had who would be capable of it.

“Absolutely.”

“Very well.” With Alexander’s assent, the fight left Jeremy. The hands let go of him. He recognised his brother, and Sebastian and Marcus Hamilton, Alexander’s youngest son and great-great-grandson respectively. It had taken three warriors to hold him down.

Jasper offered his hand and helped Jeremy up. His legs held, but only just, his energy all but spent in keeping Cora alive. “Thanks. There’s a body in the boot of the car.” Jas didn’t ask questions, but just headed out to take care of the matter.

“Clear the room.” Alexander’s order was absolute, but Jeremy wasn’t about to obey.

“I’ll stay.”

“Yes. You seem to have already begun the process yourself anyway, by feeding off her. You will be needed.”

Jeremy hadn’t known feeding could trigger the
promise
, but there was no time for questions. He took a place next to Alexander, and then magic filled the room.

She woke up with an urge to kill. She didn’t question it, she just shot up and out of the bed and went for a prowl. Scents of prey filled her nose and she flared her nostrils. Her mouth watered.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

She swerved towards the voice. Male, healthy – amused. She would kill him.

She growled and attacked. But he wasn’t there anymore.

“You’ll have to be faster than that to get me.”

The mocking angered her and she growled again. He laughed. “Good girl. Now, get back to bed and I’ll give you some food.”

Her stomach rumbled, but she wouldn’t obey. She sat where she was, on a wooden floor covered with an oriental rug. It felt scratchy against her bare bottom.

“You want to do this the hard way? Fine.” He came to her, picked her up and tossed her on the bed. She screamed and hissed, but he only laughed. “Feisty little thing you turned out to be.”

She was about to get up again, but a tray on the nightstand caught her attention. Delicious scents wafted from it. She lunged at it, but he was there again, standing between her and the food. “Not yet, not until you’re properly under the covers again.”

She screamed in frustration and anger, but he wouldn’t give in.
Play along. We’ll kill him when he’s not watching
.

She had never before heard the voice that spoke in her head, but she saw no reason not to agree with it. So she climbed under the duvet, leaned against the headboard, and assumed a docile look. He smiled, amused.

“Good enough. Here.” He lifted the tray onto her lap.

She tore into the food. She was ravenous. He watched her eat, not saying a word. She glanced at him from time to time, worried that he would try to take a share of her food, but he let her eat in peace.

He’s trying to lull you into a false sense of security
.

She agreed with the voice again. Best to eat fast so he couldn’t intervene.

When she was done, her stomach ached. She was exhausted. She couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She logged off.

* * *

The room was dark when Corynn woke up again, and she wasn’t alone in the bed. Her first instinct was to bounce onto the man lying next to her and tear his throat open. Then she recognised his scent. She hadn’t been fast enough the previous time.

We need to creep up on him
.

Her mind was lucid enough and the voice startled her.
Who are you?

I’m you, and not you
.

That didn’t make any sense. Was she having a schizophrenic episode?

You’re not crazy.

Says the voice in my head
.

The man stirred, cutting the conversation – or monologue. She wasn’t ready to rule on that yet. If she wanted to kill him, she would have to act fast, before he was fully awake. But not so fast he would stir.

Slowly, she glided to him under the duvet. His body felt hot against hers – naked, like hers – yet the energy surrounding him was cool. It fascinated her, distracted her, but only briefly. Her attention was claimed by an alluring scent. Following her nose, she rose above him and silently glided over him to straddle him. She had his body pinned down with hers now.