PS01 - Tall, Dark & Lonely (37 page)

wounds were visible against tanned skin.

“Wasn’t that holy water, Eric?”

“Yeah,” Eric’s voice was shallow.

“Then why isn’t he screaming and bursting into flames?”

“Because he’s a Sentinel! I keep trying to tell you. Look at the tattoo! He’s marked. He’s a Pyte!”

“A Pyte? No fucking way.” Eric stepped closer and looked over the tattoo. He ran a finger over the intricate design. “I’ll be

damned. He’s one of ours. I haven’t seen this mark in fifty years.” Madison’s brows shot up. The man didn’t look older than

twenty-five at most. “I can’t believe we have a Pyte. I thought that was make-believe shit. John, look at that.” He pointed to the

symbol in the middle of the tattoo.

“Please, help him.” Madison took Ephraim’s hand and hugged it. She was so tired so utterly tired. “Please.” She leaned over

Ephraim’s unconscious body and began sobbing. “Please, just help him.”

Chapter 24

He woke up gasping for air. Someone was going to shoot her. Someone was going to take away his Madison. He’d waited too

long. All those months of waiting until she was ready for nothing. She was going to die.

“Madison?”

His eyes quickly adjusted to his surroundings. He was in her room and in her bed. His hand shot out to her side of the bed to

find it empty. He scrambled out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. Before he even opened the door he knew that she wasn’t

there. Ephraim ran through the bathroom into his room and sighed with relief.

Madison was curled up on the overstuffed couch that took the place of his bed, sleeping. The coffee table in front of her was

pulled forward and covered with stacks of papers she’d been grading. He moved into the room and noticed her desk was

completely covered as well. That was no surprise. She was notoriously untidy when it came to her desk which was why when

they decided to turn his room into an office for both of them he insisted on separate desks.

Ephraim walked quietly over to his desk and turned the large chair around to watch her. Right now she looked so defenseless

and weak. His heart broke just to look at her and think about how close she’d come to death.

It had been a mistake to keep her in his life before he had Caroline handled. Europe had been a mistake as well. The Sentinels

could have waited, there hadn't been any rush. Chris was safe and sound and he would have stayed that way if Ephraim’s

presence hadn't attracted a fucking Master and her slaves. He dropped his head into his hands. Why didn’t he just go kill the

bitch when she made her move back in January?

He’d been an idiot. He let his heart and cock lead him around and now he had a sixteen year old boy on a Master’s wish list. It

was going to be a race against time now. He had to get Chris completely trained before it was too late. For the last few months

he’d taken it slow, trying not to tip Chris off to his plans, but now he had to fucking scramble to get his kid in full fighting mode

before they tried to snatch him again and they most certainly would try.

Caroline was a collector. She liked to have unique vampires and people under her control. He should know, he filled a very

sought after slot in her collection for a few months over a hundred years ago. An untrained, unmated male Sentinel would be

the key to her collection. Once she broke his spirit and his mind that is. Then he would be molded into one of her personal

guards or an assassin. He would be perfect for either. Chris’ protection would be training. That was the only thing he could do

for him. Madison was a different story all together.

He looked up at her. She mumbled something in her sleep and turned over onto her back. Her hand came to rest on her stomach

over her womb where their baby grew. Her life was over as she knew it that is if she survived the birth which wasn’t possible.

All his research years ago turned up frightening accounts. Impregnating a human woman was a very rare feat for a vampire. It

happened maybe two or three times every century. Out of those few times it was very rare for a Pyte to be born, a child born of

both worlds with unlimited potential. Most of the babies were either stillborn, killing the mother along with it or a natural

vampire was born.

A natural vampire was no different from a regular vampire except it was born not made. The mother would also die from the

birth. Only the reason of her death was different. She would die from blood loss when her unborn child would rip through the

undisturbed womb and attack her heart, the source of the blood.

He already knew what Madison carried, a Pyte, their son. He made damn sure of that the morning he realized that she was

pregnant. If he had sensed a natural vampire he would have dragged her to an emergency room and held a gun to the head of any

doctor who refused to take it out of her before it was too late.

It was too late to do anything now even if Madison decided to terminate the pregnancy. He could smell the change from here.

The womb in a matter of speaking had shut down. The baby’s DNA triggered something in her body and there wasn’t a weapon

on earth that would be able to penetrate that womb. Their child was protected from
outside
interference. Its mother was a

different story.

This should have been done months ago. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about her day and night. It was frightening to think of

all the little ways a human could come to harm. He’d never given it much thought before, because frankly he couldn’t have

given a damn.

Humans were disposable and easily replaceable in his eyes. They all died at some point or another. It was inevitable. He’d sat

back and watched countless generations be wiped out only to be replaced by new ones. There was nothing he could do so he

never bothered on an individual level. The only time he stepped in to help was for a monumental injustice.

The American Civil War had him traveling as a ship’s cook to Boston back in 63’. After the war he stayed in Boston and took

his first policing job. When he couldn’t stay any longer he returned home to take up a position with Scotland Yard where he

stayed until that one little mishap in November of ’88.

He fucked up big time. He was supposed to make the arrest not drain him, but what else was he supposed to do the bastard

when he was covered in blood? A mistake, it had been a huge mistake to go on duty without eating first.

They stationed him in Whitechapel to keep an eye on the girls. He meant to get a bite to eat before his shift, but thanks that

notorious little shit all the working women were hesitant to go off into the dark with a man. So, when the little shit he was

looking for literally stumbled into him what was he supposed to do? He drained him and tossed his body into a pauper’s grave.

After that he was too disgusted with his lack of restraint and gave up his human façade.

From there he hid out in vampire covenants, trying to figure out the meaning of his life. He was searching for something or

someone. If he had only known the person he was looking for wouldn't be born for another century he would have done a lot of

things differently.

He went from war to war, touring the world, looking for the one thing missing in his life. After the second war he found himself

traveling back to the states where he’d been ever since, taking up rooms in boardinghouses all over the country. It wasn’t much

of a life he was now realizing. Things could be so different for him now and he knew the reason.

Madison.

She could be with him from now on along with the children. They could enjoy life and travel the world. They could make a

real difference in this world along with the Sentinels. He could be happy. They could be happy. He’d been so stupid to wait

this long.

Now it wasn’t just his happiness at stake, but Madison’s life was very much on the line. She was in so much danger and not

just from the birth. Caroline was a vindictive bitch as well as a collector. She hadn’t taken rejection well all those years ago

and his obvious affection for Madison just threw more gas onto the fire. She would not stop now until she had Madison and his

son under her thumb.

He couldn’t allow that. Madison was everything good in this world. She deserved a long happy life. She wasn’t going to pay

for his mistakes or suffer alone for their love. He had to fix this now.

She might hate him after this and he couldn't blame her. There was a very good possibility that she would never talk to him

again. It would hurt like hell, but at least she would be safe. She would be alive and well. That’s all that mattered. She could

go on with her life and find another man, live her life and do whatever she wanted. It would hurt every second of every day, but

he would find peace in her happiness.

He loved her too much not do this. One day she would understand. She would understand that he did this not only for her, but

for their child as well. Their son would need her and he couldn’t think of a better mother than Madison. There was no choice,

he decided as he brought his wrist to his mouth and sunk his fangs in.

*******

healed. Not a bad way to wake up, she thought. He pulled his head back and looked into her eyes. He looked so serious, too

serious.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked, moving into a sitting position.

“Do you know how much I love you?” he asked softly.

“Yes.” She ran her fingers along his jaw. “I love you, too,” she finally said the words. Instead of the reaction she expected, him

taking her into his arms and making love to her until morning, he nodded stiffly.

“You do know that I would never do anything to willingly hurt you or put you in danger, don’t you?”

He felt guilty over her abduction. She should have known he would. “Ephraim, it’s okay. We’re fine.” She took his hand and

pressed it to her abdomen. “We’re all fine.”

His hand gently caressed her still flat stomach while he spoke. “Madison, I have to do something for you. I need you to

understand that I’ve been planning on doing this for a long time now. I should have done it long before this happened. If I had

you would have been fine. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

She didn’t. “No, what’s this all about, Ephraim?”

“You may hate me after this and I want you to know that’s okay I just need you and our son to be okay. Just understand that

please,” he choked on the words.

“Son?” Her eyes watered as she gave him the sweetest smile. She leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his face away.

“Please, Madison, don’t make this harder for me than it has to be. I’ll already be in hell after I do it.”

Things he was saying started to click. “You’re leaving me, aren’t you? You think if you stay she’ll be after me so you’re going

to leave?”

“No, baby, I would never leave you. Besides, leaving you would only clear the way for her. Caroline is coming back for you

there’s no doubt in my mind. She’s more determined than ever now.”

She laid her hand over his. “So, we’ll sit down and figure something out. We’ll figure it out together.”

His eyes met hers. His brilliant baby blue eyes darkened into the fiery red she’d come accustomed to during their love making.

“I’ve already figured it out. I should have done it months ago.” He kissed her nose. “Remember I love you, Madison. I love you

enough to risk losing you.”

“Ephraim-“

“Shhh, all that matters is you and the baby will be safe.” She didn’t notice when his left hand gripped her left arm or even when

his forearm pressed across her chest. She did notice when he pushed her against the back of the couch and she couldn’t move

her arms or upper body. He had her pinned.

“Ephraim, what are you doing?” she demanded.

His expression was pained. “I’m so sorry, baby. I never planned on doing it this way, but now there’s no choice. I am so

sorry.”

Something very wrong was happening. She tried to move, he gave her no quarter. It wasn’t until he raised his right hand that

had been hanging by his side up to this point that she realized that something very bad was about to happen. Blood was

streaming down his arm from a bite.

“I’m sorry,” he said again as he brought his arm towards her mouth.

“No! Ephraim, please no!” she screamed. The arm kept coming. “Baby, please, your blood kills people! Please stop! Ephraim,

no!”

“You’ll be fine I swear,” he murmured. She started kicking him and pushing at him with her feet, but he was like a boulder, he

didn’t give under her assault.

She opened her mouth to scream one last time when he took advantage and placed his wrist against her mouth. She fought to

close her mouth but his wrist was firmly in place.

Sweet salty liquid poured into her mouth. She closed her eyes and forced herself not to swallow. Her nose wasn’t covered so

she could breathe easily. The blood would collect in her mouth and when he pulled away she would spit the blood out and

deck him. All she had to do was allow the blood to pool in her mouth and she would be fine, she told herself.

She tried to scream when she felt his fangs slice through her neck, causing the blood to pour down her throat until she was