Bloodrush (8 page)

He ripped the envelope open and read the brief note.

David,

Last night was wonderful. Truly the most enjoyable evening I’ve spent with another person in many years. I’m afraid we overdid it, though. I should have told you earlier—overindulgence sometimes results in a morning after state much resembling an alcoholic hangover. I have returned to my secret place to sleep, but I have left you with a final test. I have also left a way back for you in the basement of this house. But you must hurry as it will close by nightfall.

Bring the cunt’s head with you.

Love,

Narcisa

David let the envelope and letter flutter from his fingers and drift to the floor. He had some answers now. A kind of blackout likely accounted for the gaps in his memory. He had no reason to doubt Narcisa. “Overindulgence” was a more than accurate description of last night’s dark work.

He made eye contact with Janine and smiled. “I’ll be right back. Just have to check on something.”

He left the room and vaulted down the stairs, then hurried into the kitchen and tore open the door by the pantry that led down to the basement. Ordinarily it was very dark down here and you had to tread carefully down the rickety wooden stairs. But the radiant white light made it easier than usual. He descended the stairs to the bottom and stared at the source of the light for several moments. The light was beautiful. Entrancing. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to go toward it. The light subsumed an entire corner of the basement. It danced and flickered, beckoning to him. He longed to step inside its radiance.

But he couldn’t.

Not yet.

He forced himself to retreat from the basement and hurried back to Janine’s bedroom. She squealed again when she saw him. He went to the bed and sat beside her. He put a hand on her stomach and rubbed at the sticky residue left behind by the duct tape with the ball of his thumb. She tried to twist away from him, but he pressed his hand down flat.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

She threw her head back, stared straight up at the ceiling. Tears began to spill from her eyes, staining the pillow beneath her. His conscience stirred again. This was the woman he loved. Or had loved. He didn’t really want to hurt her.

Did he?

“I’m sorry. I really did love you.”

He climbed fully onto the bed and curled himself around her. She didn’t flinch away from him this time. She was done fighting. Resigned. David sighed and relished the familiar and comfortable feel of her nude body beneath him. He closed his eyes and just concentrated on that for a while. He’d always liked the way their bodies fit together. It always felt right. Like coming home. It was just as nice now as it had ever been. He could almost imagine things
were
as they had been, that he and Janine were still going to have the future together they’d dreamed about.

But that wasn’t possible now.

He opened his eyes and angled his mouth closer to her throat. The sight of her steady pulse beating there made his hunger flare anew.

He was a vampire.

She was human.

There was no way to reconcile the opposing sides of that equation. Nothing to do but drink her blood until—

His brow furrowed as he thought hard.

Wait a minute now.

What if…

He didn’t know if he could do it. There was so much Narcisa hadn’t taught him yet. It could go wrong. But what was the alternative? Suddenly David’s mind was going a million miles an hour as he struggled to grasp all the implications and possibilities.

Impossible.

There was only one answer.

Go for it
.

David snarled and flashed his fangs.

Then he buried them deep in Janine’s throat and drank her blood.

* * *

Nightfall.

The last flickering rays of burnt orange leeched from the horizon. A black 2010 Volkswagen Jetta sped south down the interstate, headed for Florida. David watched the speedometer, careful to keep his speed just north of the 70 mph legal limit. He no longer feared the police, but he was determined to be more cautious from now on. About everything. He wanted to avoid any additional blackout scenarios if at all possible. And he didn’t want to tangle with the cops again just now, so soon after their latest meal at that convenience store.

Janine stretched and groaned in the passenger seat. She leaned toward him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She whispered huskily in his ear, “Hey, sexy.”

He smiled at her. “You’re the sexy one.”

Another groan. Another exquisitely sexual twist of her body as she adjusted her position in the seat again. She was clad all in black now. Black leather pants. Black blouse. Black boots. Black belt with silver studs. Even her hair was black now, courtesy of a cheap dye job the night before. Her idea. She thought the “makeover” suited her change in lifestyle. David had to admit she looked great.

Not just great.

Hot
.

It hadn’t been a sure thing by any means. He could easily have killed her. In the end, he’d just done it by turning his thoughts off and allowing instinct to guide him. It had been sloppy. He had taken almost all her blood, but somehow he stopped himself in time, ripping his wrist open and forcing her to drink the blood from his veins. And it had worked. Somehow it had really fucking worked.

He’d turned her.

And if anything, she’d taken to the whole vampire thing more easily—and with far fewer qualms—than he had. He was happy, content to be with her again. The blood-drinking and killing aside, much of the fundamental aspects of their relationship remained the same. They loved each other deeply. Her sense of humor still delighted him (though it was a little darker now). And they again were making plans to be together forever. The only difference was that now “forever” potentially meant literally just that—an eternity spent in each other’s loving arms.

David smiled.

Who said there was no such thing as happy endings?

The only dark cloud on the horizon was the question of how Narcisa would deal with what he had done. He had no doubt she was furious at his rebellion. Though he tried not to let Janine see it, she knew he was scared. Narcisa was far more powerful than the two of them combined. They couldn’t hope to successfully fight the older vampire if she chose to come after them. David secretly suspected a confrontation was inevitable. The one consolation he had, the one slim sliver of hope, was time. A week had elapsed since he’d turned Janine and there’d been no hint of pursuit.

Maybe she’d decided to let them go.

Perhaps she even secretly admired his display of independence.

Probably not, but it was something to cling to anyway and that was better than nothing. Wasn’t it?

Another glance at Janine.

Another surge of lust at that sexy smile curling her blood-red lips.

Another glance at the rearview mirror.

Another moment spent waiting.

Watching.

Hoping.

Feeling the need to ride the rush again creeping up on him once more.

As the road ahead curled away into endless darkness.