Two Halves Series (32 page)

My skin crawled at the word “kill.” Before I accepted my other half, that was the side of vampire’s nature I feared most.

“We stood at the edge of the forest, hearing the thump of two young, strong hearts. The warm blood flowing through their veins sounded like a stream of fresh water that would quench our week-long thirst.”

I’d felt the kind of thirst he spoke of—but never for humans. It made my stomach grumble again, and I wondered how long it had been since Ekim fed.

“Before we could strike, a rainbow of colourful lights flowed toward us. The impact of the stream sent us flying back into the bushes.” He laughed. “When we stood up, all we could smell was . . . serenity.”

Castall’s spell,
I remembered.

“The women came to our aid thinking we were hurt. Our thirst wasn’t gone, but . . . we couldn’t. Their beauty overpowered our hunger, and the scent of their skin woke up urges we’d long forgotten. We wanted to protect them, to know them, to be with them in every way possible—we’d instantly fallen in love with the two humans.” He paused. “The change was more than falling in love; we had transformed. Our perception of this world cleared. We were no longer the monsters people thought us to be.” I heard his smile that the memory conjured in his voice.

“You became more mortal than many humans I’d met,” I said. My father’s passion and devotion for his new life wrapped around me like a hand-woven blanket.

“The four of us lived undercover but at peace with humans—we became vampires with human virtues. We had another chance at the life we’d lost so long ago.”

I heard a thump and imagined him straighten his curled legs onto the floor as he probably recalled the life he’d lost. My father’s sacrifice and devotion to protect me had cost him his life.

“You’re a good vampire,” I said quietly.

“Yes, you could say that, but I wasn’t always that way. I hurt and killed many people. I could see how it frightened you when you found out about me being a vampire.” His voice fell to a shameful whisper. Ekim’s pain for what he had done would never go away. He would forever be filled with guilt over what he had done before the spell, haunted by unforgiving memories. I knew that pain too well.

Could I change the way he feels about himself? Will he ever forgive himself?

“I understand now.” I spoke like a mother to a child whose wrong doing was justified.

The cells quieted, and I felt warmed by my father’s story and the chance I had to relive my parents’ lives through him.

After a while, Ekim resumed his story. “We stayed at a cabin in the Amazon, trying to remain off Aseret’s radar, working on the serums. We learned how to survive on animal blood, how to contain the burning in our throats. Our wives helped us realize there was nothing wrong with being immortal. Differences are unique, essential for the world to function. If everyone were the same, there would be no inventions, no art, and no music. Life would not evolve, societies would not progress.”

“I blamed you for making me different when all you wanted to do was protect me, for our family to survive.” I lowered my head.

“You didn’t know the truth, and I’m sorry for that,” he answered modestly. I wanted to say it wasn’t his fault, but he continued, “The war in the underworld continued. Saraphine, your mother and Willow, William’s mother wanted families. So did Atram and I, but conception was impossible for vampires. We worked on the serums, but our dead cells were incompatible with human ones until we found the blue orchid.” My father must have stood up as I’d heard him shuffle his feet from one end of the cell to the other.

“Its potency gave life to the dead cells,” I realized. Human and vampire cells compromised, and two became one.

“You’ve done your homework.” I pictured him grin. “We thought the serums controlled our appetite, not the spells, until Castall, a good warlock chosen to bring a prophecy to fruition, came to see us to explain we would help to restore the balance and bring peace to the underworld. He told us we had a mission to help save the human beings and the vampires from the demons. We felt obligated to help. If it hadn’t been for him and the keepers, we’d never get a chance at love.” I heard him swallow.

I swelled with pride. My father was braver than I could have imagined, even for a vampire.

“If you met in 1856, how did our mothers live so long?” I asked.

“The spell altered more than me and Atram; it slowed Saraphine’s and Willow’s aging process as well. That’s why you seem so young as well, don’t you.”

“Yes,” I whispered, mesmerised by my father’s story and his hoarse voice. William and I are a part of this prophecy?” I asked to confirm what I knew and felt inside.

“Yes.”

The scrambled words suddenly shifted on the sheer green force field.

“Why doesn’t Aseret just kill us?” I asked.

“I’m not sure.”

I sighed. “Everything is so complicated.”

“It will all work out.” I pictured him smiling. “You’re more important than you think.”

“I wish I had you in my life. All my life,” I admitted.

“I’m sorry you didn’t. I wanted to come back to raise you so you wouldn’t have doubts. I wanted your life to be easier.” His voice sounded so sorrowful. I envisioned him hunched on the cold floor, hugging his knees tightly, grieving for the years he’d been without his family. “When you were still an infant would have been a perfect time to come back” He sighed. “I went to a warlock stronghold I thought was still under Castall’s control to ensure I wouldn’t interfere with the prophecy. I wanted to ask if it was safe for me to come home, but Aseret turned out to be my welcoming party. The seekers captured me.”

I covered my mouth with my hand at the thought of the seeker’s scorching palms on my father’s shoulders.

“I’m surprised your watchers couldn’t keep you safe, as they promised,” Ekim said, his voice carrying an undercurrent of disapproval.

“Mira and Xander?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“It’s not their fault. We fled too quickly. I didn’t even know we were leaving Pinedale until we were doing so.”

“Still, it was their job. How did the seekers find you?”

“I reduced my serum so my heartbeat gave me away. William came just in time. We thought we had escaped, but I accidentally left a photo of the cabin at work. That’s how they found out where we’d gone—and here I am.”

The disc in his neck cracked again when his head came up. “Seekers found the cabin? After you escaped?” He sounded anxious.

“Yes.” I lowered my head.

“Why didn’t you run again?”

“We didn’t want to hide. We’d made preparations to follow them to the underworld to find you, and William’s parents.”

“You knew they were coming?”

My gaze instinctively roved around my cell. I dropped my voice. “I have visions. They seem to come and go when I’m either relaxed or frightened. We thought we could outsmart them.”

I explained William’s and my gifts and what it meant for us, as well as our connection. Ekim didn’t speak, but I could feel his smile in the newfound energy radiating from his cell.

“You’re in love?” he asked.

I jerked back, then exhaled. If I had enough blood in my body, I would have blushed. “Yes . . . but we can’t be together.”

“Have faith that it will work out,” he assured me. “Things happen for a reason. Perhaps it will make you stronger. Maybe it’s for the best—for now.”

“For now,” I repeated. It was easy to speak about William to my father—a father I’d just met, but who had so much wisdom and understanding.
How could I have judged him so poorly, before I even knew him?

“That’s how I know William will find me,” I continued. “When he does, he’ll get us out and we’ll find his parents.”

“That may not be easy,” he warned. “William’s parents are in the other two cells. The spell keeping them locked sealed our communication. Aseret must be slipping. He didn’t cast the same spell for your cell. I believe his energy has weakened with you here.” He paused and added thoughtfully, “Or maybe he
wants
us to think he’s slipping.”

“I had another vision.” I explained my latest one to him.

“Castall . . . He’ll face off against Aseret.” My father’s voice vibrated. “Things are going to get a lot more dangerous than I thought,” my father finished in a grim tone.

“Why’s that?”

“Castall has been trying to bring Aseret down for over a hundred years. Both are strong. Those beams you saw were raw energy; if anyone crosses them, they’ll disintegrate. If the two streams remain connected too long, Castall and Aseret will be overpowered. Everyone close by will die.” His voice quavered, and he drew a breath to calm it. “Whoever gives up first will die. If neither gives up, they’ll both die.”

“I will not let my family die!” I growled, feeling the contours of my face tighten to a vampire’s. When my fangs ejected, I was ready and my lip did not bleed.

“I know you won’t. You’re as strong as your mother and so Aseret fears you.”

At that moment, I wished I knew what our prophecy had in store for us. I rested my head against the stone wall again, feeling oddly comfortable. Like I belonged here, like it was my calling to be here, with William at my side.

Where is he?

Chapter 17

Night crept in. A grey cloud of smoke continued to drift from the cabin. William sat on the remains of the front porch steps. The crackling of the smouldering fire had died down, leaving ash, charred wood, and a blackened beam outline of the scorched cabin. The first wave of the tropical storm had passed.

The sound of footsteps approaching instantly alerted him.

William had hoped the siblings would find him and Sarah after they’d returned from the underworld—together. That was not to be the case.

“I was wondering when you’d get here,” he called toward the forest in a low voice.

“Where’s Sarah?” Xander snapped, stopping inches from William’s face.

“They got her,” he whispered, his voice heavy as failure tore through his body in ripples.

“You said you would protect her! That you’d let us know if there was danger!” Mira visibly struggled to be rational. Her anger surfaced, and muscles tensed, stiffening all joints.

“I did. I thought we’d be safe. We took precautions. Didn’t you get my messages?” He quickly recapped the events of the past few weeks, and that he and Sarah wanted to save his captured parents.

“We left as soon as we discovered you were gone. The seekers were right behind you until the airport and then lost your trail. We had to rely on Harlow to find you,” she explained.

The falcon overhead shrieked as if it understood that he was part of the conversation.

Mira wanted to seem calm, but had no control. Small spots sprinkled her face, and her skin took on a green colour. This would have normally amused William, but when Sarah was in danger, it sickened him. William let his shoulders droop, leaned forward, and ran his hands through his hair, wanting to pull it out in frustration. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to have Sarah back.

“Safe?” Xander pointed his finger at William. “You were planning to take Sarah to the underworld to rescue your parents. Couldn’t you have left this place? You knew they were coming!”

“She’d learned. She was stronger than Ekim and Atram combined.” Saying his father’s name meant more to William than simply calling him
father
.

The siblings fell quiet. The odd crackle of burnt wood echoed in the clearing. Each time William thought about Sarah’s kidnapping it hurt more, and he ached with loss. He’d underestimated the seekers’ cunning.

“It’s all my fault.” William dropped to his knees on the soft dirt and ash forest floor. He could hardly keep himself from breaking into uncontrollable moans again, but he needed to appear strong. The siblings were not cowards. “How could I have allowed it to happen?” he groaned.

“Hell, it is your fault!” Xander growled ,looming uncomfortably close to him. Hands on his hips, he straightened and sniffed the air. “How many were there?”

“Three.”

“They’re covering their tracks with something. Their stench is diluted.”

“Ekim will not be happy with us,” Mira said to her brother, swinging her arms up in defeat. “For twenty years, we’ve kept her safe—twenty years! You’ve known Sarah for a few weeks, and you act like you know what’s best for her. I should have never left the store that day! I should have known you’d screw it up the minute you came to Pinedale.”

William’s lip quivered as he held back a growl.

“Ekim will be furious.” Xander spoke with authority and purpose. He was the quieter of the two, but very intimidating. “Couldn’t you have asked us to come with you?” He finally stepped back, scouring the forest with his gaze.

“There was no time. How do you think Sarah would feel after finding out that the two people she trusted were someone else?” William said.

Xander gaped at him. “You’re underestimating Sarah’s intelligence,” he hissed through clenched teeth, turning a shade of green like his sister.

“Don’t taunt me! I did what I had to protect her. Who knows what would have happened if I didn’t get her in time.”

“Boys, control your testosterone!” Mira snarled, shifting her stance and squaring her shoulders, reminding William of a grizzly preparing to rear. She glowered at him. “For your information, Sarah was ready to confide in me.”

“After twenty¬ years—wow, you’re good!” William sneered, distress overtaking his usual politeness.

“Watch your mouth!” Xander’s said through his tightened jaw.

“Stop hissing and step away!” William growled back, showing his fangs.

Magic rippled through Xander’s muscles.

He’d be fun to fight, but it wouldn’t be an easy fight.
William cocked his head to the side.

Xander mimicked the movement.

“Okay, stop it, you guys! There’s no time for that now. Let’s find Ekim. He’ll know what to do,” Mira ordered, sounding calmer. Her composure soothed her brother, whose muscles softened.

“Ekim is gone,” William explained. “That’s why we wanted to go to the underworld.”