The Last Keeper (35 page)

He was beautiful.

Sleek, powerful, and so like a leopard that I could barely tell the difference. His pupils were human, and there was something off about him. The back legs were slightly longer than they should’ve been. His mouth, as well, was wrong somehow.
 

“Mum, he won’t hurt me,” Lizzy said when Jayne prevented her from moving forward.
 

I was tempted to pet him, as well, so I couldn’t blame Lizzy for wanting a closer peek at her partner. That was going to take some getting used to. It always did. She was growing up.
 

Lizzy looked over almost every inch of Martin before he raced off into the trees once more. It would take him less than an hour to reach his home; all the Weres were fast.
 

Lizzy had a dreamy smile on her face when she skipped back inside.
 

There wasn’t a smile on Jayne’s face.
 

“Is she very mad?” Ray whispered.
 

   
Jayne had pegged us both with a level stare before heading into the house. She wanted to talk and there was no getting out of it.
 

She could have been angry with either of us, though my guess was her anger would be directed solely at me.

At least I hoped it would. There was no telling how I’d react if she started throwing accusations at Ray. I wouldn’t lose him. Not again. And certainly not over something as trivial as him feeding from me.

 
I followed Jayne into the kitchen, where she started putting the last of the dinner plates away. Lizzy had retired to her room to work on her homework. There was nothing standing between me and the verbal lashing of a lifetime. Except perhaps Ray, who was behind me.
 

“Before you say
anything,
” I said, deciding to confront her first, “I stand by my decisions.”

“What if he’d drained you dry? Did you think of that?” she demanded, almost smashing the last plate she put away.
 

“He wouldn’t have,” I said, defending what had happened.

“You don’t know that.”

“You’re right. I don’t know that. I do, however, know it wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference. Regardless, it was
my
decision.” When Jayne got hold of something, it was hard to make her let go. Chances were we could argue for days about what she’d seen, and she still wouldn’t be happy about it.
 

“Your decision or not, we need you, Serenity. Do you know for sure whether you can come back from being drained?” I was pretty sure, but she had a point. Unfortunately. I couldn’t recall any vampire getting so close as to try.

“What would you have me do? Let him starve? Leave your
daughter
vulnerable to a thirsty vampire? Leave
you
vulnerable? Helen? I couldn’t do that. The same as I couldn’t bear to let him feed from humans, not when I can give Ray everything he needs.” She could argue her points all she liked. It would get her nowhere.

“Serenity,” she sighed, “what am I going to do with you?”

“Nothing, Jayne. It was my choice, and I’ll do it again.”
 

“Is there anything I can say to change your mind?” She looked so concerned I almost caved.
 

Almost, because I knew Jayne far too well, and certainly well enough to know when she was faking.
 

“Ray, would you give us a minute, please?”
 

My eyes never left Jayne as I listened to his fading footsteps. What I was going to say to Jayne wasn’t for his ears.

She knew not to say anything until I did. I could hear when Ray got to my room, where he was out of hearing range for us. If he listened hard enough, he would’ve been able to make out faint words, but he wouldn’t.
 

“Don’t make me pull rank with you, Jayne,” I snapped, my voice low and hard. “
I
decided to let him feed from me, and
I
will be responsible for any of the consequences.”

“Just because it was your decision, doesn’t mean I have to like it!” she whisper-yelled.
 

“I’m not asking you to like it. I’m asking you to respect my decisions.”
 

“I’m not going to sway you on this, am I?”
 

“No.” My mind was already made up. “Feeding is an intimate thing, Jayne. I couldn’t let him feed from some poor human.” I couldn’t blame him for keeping himself alive, but I couldn’t stand by and let him continue to feed that way.
 

Besides, I’d rather liked it.
 

“I understand, Aunt Sere, I really do, but . . .” She sighed deeply.
 

“Please, let me deal with this myself?” I wasn’t above begging her if I had to. It was better than pulling the age card.

“If he hurts you . . . ” she warned, complete with wagging finger.

“
He won’t.
”

She was only trying to protect me, even though I didn’t need it. It was a habit of hers, as it was with Helen. It was their mothering instincts. Despite the fact I’d lived for much longer than either of them, there always came a time when they treated me as they had their own children. Once they hit that stage in their lives, it never ended.
 

Fortunately, there were a few years left before Lizzy took up that role.
 

Jayne and I were on better terms when I retreated from the kitchen. She wasn’t going to be happy for a while, but she’d get used to the idea.
 

“Is it safe?” Ray asked, smiling a touch.

“She’s upset, but she’ll come around.”
 

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I recover quickly.”

“Exceptionally so, save for that.” He touched the bite mark gently.

“They’ll be gone by morning.”

We spent the rest of our evening discussing the merits of him feeding only from me. It took some gentle persuasion on my part, but eventually he started to listen to reason. Ray admitted he thought I’d see him for what he was and wouldn’t want him anymore.
 

Of all the things for him to think.

“I wanted to ask you something,” I whispered.

“You can ask me anything.”

“How much do you remember of our last night together?” I needed to know.

“It’s my fondest memory of us,” he said, matching my quiet tone. “I remember everything. The tiny noises that escaped you. How your body felt under mine. How you blushed when you got nervous. How it felt to hold you in my arms afterwards. What it was like waking up to you, feeling every inch of you against me.”

And now for the question I really wanted to ask. “Do you still want me like that?”

“More than ever, but not until you’re ready,” he vowed. “Things have changed since then, and I can’t begin to understand what things must be like for you now. I’ll always want you, in every way, but I’ll wait.”

“What you are isn’t a factor. You are still you; I see that every day. I want you, Ray, all of you.”

Neither of us hesitated once I’d finished speaking. He snaked his arms around my waist, pulling me closer as his lips descended. As we deepened the kiss, his hands left me for a moment and began undoing the buttons on my blouse.
 

Everything was so similar to the first time we’d been together—a blur of passion and need. It wasn’t long before he gathered me in his arms and laid me out on the bed, naked in front of him. After he shed the rest of his clothes, I couldn’t help but stare at him. He was as beautiful as I’d remembered, and more. So many things were the same, yet so much had changed. The scars, which had once been so stark, were now little more than a silvery design on his pale skin. He moved easily now, not struggling in the slightest. He lay next to me, running his hands over my body.
 

With each caress I let out a small moan. It had been far too long. The gentle feel of his fingers caressing my skin was so much better than I remembered. I struggled to open my eyes as he gently explored me, and found him watching me intently. His eyes were alive as they took me in, swimming as only a vampire’s could. As he entered me, I marvelled at how good he felt. How different the cool of his skin was, but how amazing it was to be with him like this again. When he began to move within me, with so much more power, my breathing quickened, and my eyelids fell shut again.

I gripped his shoulders as his thrusts became harder, more urgent, feeling delight in the way his chest pressed against me, his arms holding me tight. I wrapped my legs around his hips, pulling him closer. I felt the familiar tingle of my approaching pleasure as he trailed kisses up my jaw, his breathing matching mine. Our cries mingled, growing louder as he thrust harder into me, nearing his own release. With a final push, my orgasm ripped through me, shattering the world around me and hurling me deep into a sensation I’d never hoped to feel again. Hearing my name fall from Ray’s lips in the most reverent of tones was enough to keep me smiling for weeks.
 

“I missed you so much,” I whispered when we were both able to breathe.

“You’ll never have to miss me again,” he promised.

His voice was the last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep in his arms.
 

For a fraction of a second after I opened my eyes, I thought I was awake. But the room was too dark, and everything was wrong somehow, almost blurry but not quite.
 

I felt my body moving, but had no control over it as I walked along horribly familiar stone tunnels. Devoid of light, lifeless, and eerily quiet.
 

I was in one of the catacombs, though I couldn’t say for certain which city I was in. It felt as if I was in Europe. The earth beneath my feet was damp, and the catacombs elsewhere in the world rarely were.
 

They’d been built when the first Seat was established. The rulers wanted somewhere safe to travel to when they needed it. Each one was well concealed, deep within the earth of various cities. I knew where each of them was; I’d been there when some of them were built.
 

I couldn’t exactly place it, but it was one I’d been inside of. Possibly Russia, but London was more likely. Finland was the other possibility. There were some things I never forgot. Being frog marched into the catacombs to face The Seats was one of them.

As with all of The Seats, they had a permanent base of operations. Though they moved as often as needed, they always returned to their home when they were finished.
 

But this dream wasn’t the past; of that much I was certain.
 

I heard the light, squelching footsteps of at least half a dozen vampires, but it was too dark to see to whom they belonged. Soon the stone walls opened into an underground chamber. The high ceiling was littered with skulls, casting long shadows that looked like demented pumpkins on Halloween. Each belonged to a vampire, someone who’d been on the wrong side of The Seats in such a way that their death was a warning to others. The fear I felt didn’t come from the skulls, nor did it come from the half dozen faces staring in my direction. My fear came from hearing a whimper on the other side of the room.
 

I tried to call Lizzy’s name, but my voice wouldn’t work.
 

What was she doing here?
 

Frantically I glanced around, trying to get someone’s attention. Everything came into sharp focus as I saw who was standing next to me.
 

Ray was by my side, a look of death etched into his features. Beyond him I could see Al and Leola, concern on his face and a sneer on hers.
 

I couldn’t get their attention. My body wouldn’t move. I was helpless.
 

It’s just a dream.
 

Knowing it was a dream didn’t prevent me from lurching forward, trying to reach for Lizzy.
 

There was a buzz of voices as I tried and tried again to understand what they were saying. They were so loud, yet I couldn’t make out a single word. The only noise I could identify was Lizzy crying in the corner, tears streaming down her cheeks. Fear shone on her face as I continued to fight. There was nothing binding me, but I couldn’t move.

My eyes were on Lizzy as she and I struggled uselessly, her against her binds, me against the dream. Kiros appeared behind her and dragged her from the floor. The chains bit into her wrists. I cried out when he bared his fangs, tearing into her throat.

As I was praying to wake up, I felt my own throat being sliced into. Lizzy’s pain mirrored my own.

It felt so
real.
The slash of agony as the fangs pierced my skin. The deep, powerful pulls as whoever it was drank as fast as possible. It was painful, forceful.
 

Somehow I knew whoever it was meant to kill me.
 

I sat bolt upright in my bed, panting for breath, clutching my neck. Ray was frantically trying to get my attention, but all I heard were Lizzy’s screams of pain ringing in my ears, loud and shrill.