Love is Darkness (A Valerie Dearborn Novel) (4 page)

Lucas.

King of them all.
It would be worse
—
 
much
worse, to die by his hand.
Because I wouldn’t fight him.
His strength and emptiness, the lack of pity and kindness made promises deep inside of her. Those cerulean eyes still held her tight, and she heard herself sob, hoping it was someone else.

He compelled her with his voice. “Stay there Valerie Dearborn. Stay there and be calm.”

Val blinked and tried to move, but couldn't, his words locking her limbs into place. She felt an artificial calmness come over her, her back shifting so that she could settle against the tree more comfortably and wait.

Trees surrounded them from all sides, casting long inky shadows that would, at another time, have been scary. But there was no point in being scared of what might be lurking in the shadows when the biggest bad, of all big
bads
, was gazing at her intently.

The calmness he told her to feel weighed on her oppressively, snaked into her thoughts, like sleep trying to claim her. She knew that if she relaxed at all it would overcome her, and she wouldn't fight but give in to it utterly. Tears coursed down her cheeks as the vampires both watched her impassively, waiting for her to succumb to Lucas' commands.

The shorter vampire crossed his arms, head tilting to the side lightly, “That's interesting, isn’t it?
Quite resistant to your compulsion.
Think you're losing your touch?”

Lucas seemed to
ignored
him, his eyes fixed on Valerie. She could see him looking at her face: her mouth, hair, chin, forehead, back to her lips and settling on her eyes.

Val looked away. She took a deep breath and watched her hand, tried to make a fist, wanting her own body to obey her will. She tried to stay afraid and belong to herself despite his compulsion.

But it’s so hard.

 
His golden hair was shining, even in the dark, and Valerie watched it with deep fascination. She lifted a hand and hit the ground hard, the pain breaking up his insidious words. His power receded and she thought she was almost free of him, but then her gaze met his, and his power coursed over her again, like a big wave knocking over a toddler wading in the shallows.

“Calm and Still Valerie.”
His gaze hit her and she was under the waves, the fight over.

Val stopped struggling, the desire to flee, even survive, swallowed by him.
I’ll wait for him.
Wait just a minute, until she recovered from the scare she'd had. That was a reasonable thing to do, wasn't it? She could leave later, after...
something
.

The vampires turned away from her, resuming their conversation. “The reason for her protection is none of your concern,” Lucas said. The words were cold and flat.

Why are my hands shaking?

 
I’m scared.

Why?

The vampire looked shocked and surprised at Lucas’ words, his features reminding her of a pale pug. “My lord, please, let's
be
reasonable. I came here to check on my new child, Oliver. He's having some trouble blending in, gone all homicidal.
Very disappointing to be sure.
This girl, Valerie you say, is with some Hunters. I have to defend myself.” He spread his arms out in a ‘isn’t it obvious’ sort of gesture.

Then he looked even more confused. “The girl even
staked
me! Look at that!” He lifted his shirt, a gray t-shirt that said, “The
Pogues
” on it and which now sported a bloody tear. His skin was parted nastily, the blood viscous and black. Not human.
 

“Did she?” Lucas said, almost sounding proud.

Valerie looked at the vampire’s torn flesh, shaking harder.
I did that.
The calmness was fracturing, tendrils of fear seeping through her mind like ivy. Once the fear consumed her, she’d run.
 

Lucas turned to look at her, a small frown on his face, as though both disappointed and surprised by her.

“She drew my blood, tried to kill me. Not sure why you have your panties in a twist to be frank.” He paused and looked at the golden vampire again. “Err...my lord.”

“She is forbidden. The punishment is death.” Lucas said
,
his gaze still fixed on Valerie.

The Irish vampire's eyes were wide in surprise and outrage, “She's not worth all
that
! What do you care about a Hunter’s daughter? Tell me what to do to make it right and I'll be on my way. Even take Oliver with me.” He tried to make his voice sound reasonable, but fear pitched it higher and the words ran together.

“Oliver will be dead soon.”

The man frowned and spoke angrily, “You will let the Hunters take my child? Be damned to you then!” He swung forward in a smooth arc, his fist flying towards Lucas' jaw, but Lucas moved, grabbing the hand in mid-air, inches from his face, holding back the vampire with ease.
A terrible smile on his lips.

“You seek to attack
me
?” There was a hint of incredulity to Lucas’ words. “Perhaps Marion is correct and I should make more displays of my power.” Lucas squeezed the man’s hand hard and blood began to drip from his closed fist.

The vampire cried out in pain, kicking hard, wanting to break free of Lucas’ grasp. Lucas blocked the kick, squeezing harder and the vampire dropped to his knees in pain.
 
Lucas let go and the man swayed for a moment, gripping his crushed hand protectively. Lucas punched him.
But harder than it sounds.
His fist making such solid contact that the vampire’s face was instantly altered, bones shattered, half of his skull slightly depressed.

Valerie scuttled away from the tree, Lucas’ compulsion suddenly falling away like unlocked chains. She stumbled to her feet but he was there in front of her, hand on her chin, wanting her to look at him, trying to take her will away.

She could feel his power directed at her
—
 
marching
over her skin, waiting for her to open her eyes so she’d be his. Val kicked blindly, making contact with some unknown part of him, hearing a slight oomph in response. And then she was free. He wasn’t touching her. She opened her eyes, running forward—and he was in front of her.

This time the wave of power hurt, like a wave of acid taking her under instead of sea water. Her body halted, mid-motion and she waited. The pain vanished, like he’d whipped it away from her, but still she couldn’t run away.

Val breathed in and out, then a little faster, making her lungs do what she wanted instead of what he wanted. He wanted her calm, she worked to be wild.

She made her hands open wide, got her toes to curl. She turned, faced the two vampires, unable to leave but terrified of what was going on behind her. When her death came she wanted to see it. Figured the only way she’d get near a man that hot was if he was going to kill her.

Her vision cleared, and she saw that things had changed. While Lucas had been distracted, Mr. Irish had stabbed Lucas. The stake was embedded near his stomach.

Lucas pulled out the stake like removing lint from a sweater—casually, dismissively, as though it made not the slightest impact that he’d been stabbed. Then he tossed it aside
andit
landed at her feet.

She wanted to reach for it, but her body wouldn't move. What did it mean that he threw that to her?

His control broke again, and Valerie grabbed the stake, gripping it tightly in her right hand. When she looked up, the fight was finished. Mr. Irish was pinned to a tree, Lucas’ arms keeping the other still, as he struggled pathetically, only his head thrashing from side to side.

“Goddamn you, Lucas!” her attacker shouted angrily.

“No more talking,” Lucas said. Power laced his words and her ears rang from the vibration. The Irish man’s eyes widened but he didn’t
speak,
body tense with rage.

“Come to me, Valerie. Come and kill your attacker.” His voice was deep and caressing, rubbing over her skin like velvet, burrowing inside of her, the feeling intimate and alien at the same time.

She stopped herself from looking up, not wanting to meet his eyes again. She felt the need to go towards Lucas and do what he bid, but her heart thundered in protest.
He’s dangerous.
A killer.
Going to him is stupid.
 

She walked forward.

Wait.

Valerie stopped and imagined her feet rooted into the ground like a tree trunk, refusing to move.

“Look to me,” Lucas commanded her gently.

Val made a frustrated sound of betrayal as her body acted without her consent, meeting his flat stare. His blue eyes were pale, shining brightly, almost oddly in the dark. She knew it when their eyes locked, felt it in a real and visceral way. One that was too intimate and personal.

“I release you to yourself.”

Valerie's whole body trembled and she felt fear spreading through her, all traces of calmness and restraint gone, like heavy wet clothing removed from her body.

“Kill him, Valerie. He attacked you.”

Huh. That’s a twist.
She shook her head and dropped the stake, hands nerveless in fear. “No. I don't want to.”

“Worse will come for you.
You must learn to protect yourself. I cannot be here at all times. Do it now and with my protection. No harm shall come to you by my hand.”

Her heart leaped. “Why?”

“Your fear is crippling.”

No shit.

 
“Do you want me to compel you? Take your fear from you?” The words were gentle, without judgment for her cowardice but her eyes welled with tears.

“There is no shame in not wanting to be as strong as others expect you to be.” His tone matched the dark night around them.

She couldn't speak, panic overwhelming her again. Val took a step backwards and heard Jack's voice calling for her in the distance.

“Valerie, look to me,” he said quietly, urging her to trust him. The words were stilted and she realized he had an accent.
Nothing easily identifiable, more like he'd spoken dozens of languages over the centuries, acquiring a small accent from each of them.
It was lyrical, beautiful even.

And totally irrelevant.

“Why?” The question was insufficient for what she wanted to know. Why would he protect her? Why choose her over a vampire he knew? Why did he care whether she killed a vampire or not? Why did he care whether she lived or died?

“Violence has touched you. Taken from you and you need to know your own strength in return.”