SCROLLS OF THE DEAD-3 Complete Vampire Novels-A Trilogy (96 page)

“What if I never die?”

I have been mulling over becoming a vampire. The life doesn’t look so bad to me when it offers immortality.

“Everything dies,” the monster said, as if reading my mind about immortality. “Even you. It won’t matter how long I wait.”

I banished the being with my inattention. The more it talked of doom, the more I shut my ears to it until the thing went away. I, who have wrestled angels and demons, can’t be intimidated by a roly-poly fat guy slobbering to suck my soul away.

Lately I have been plagued by nightmare. If I could be made afraid, the nightmares come closest to causing me a thrill of fear. In the nightmares, which reoccur each night, taking up where the last left off, I wander a world changed beyond recognition. Civilization has collapsed. In its place is chaos. Cities are in ruins, whole populations are on the move with only what they can carry on their backs, and the dead are everywhere.

We are in bad shape in the world today, with drought and poverty and terrorism and disease, but nothing like the destruction shown to me in the nightmares.

If that is the future being shown me, it might be better to test my fate with the monster in death, than to live and suffer with the living. Even a vampire would lead a poor existence in such a devastated world as that.

If only I could ascertain what manner of man I am and what I am meant to do. Without fear or conscience I recognize I am a freak, but why was I born and what is my mission? This sojourn with Upton and his Predator army is only that—a sojourn. An adventure. If I live through it, can it mean the vampire life is my destiny? I don’t think that is true. I think I will move on to some other adventure. And keep wandering until it’s clear to me what I’m supposed to do.

Upton says he has something for me to do. I’m ready for anything, I told him. Use me as your instrument, I said. He knows that I’m willing.

So I have some deed to commit soon, though I haven’t been enlightened about what it might be. What can I possibly perform for Upton that he or his followers can’t do themselves?

It’s a tasty mystery. Upton knows me well enough to keep information from me to heighten my anticipation. He is truly a great leader. Except for his need to rush in angry confrontation, I think he might be undefeatable.

Now the night deepens and the wild things have grown quiet as they prowl about the house. Upton won’t be back for hours. I’ll make my bed on the floor and hope the nightmare won’t return so I can sleep without frequent awakenings.

I am in the United States, a place I have never visited, brought here in a whirlwind that scrambled my mind, and I await the next step. It should be interesting, if nothing else.

Chapter 13

The anniversary party Ross had planned for Malachi and Danielle would not be put off. Malachi asked Mentor if it was wise to gather so many together in one place with Upton nearby. Ross insists on it, Mentor replied. He wasn’t going to let his plans be ruined because of Upton.

Malachi’s parents, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles and cousins were all coming from various Texas towns to Ross’s ranch for the weekend occasion. The morning of the party, Malachi rose bone tired from his bed, feeling as if he hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours all night.Danielle looked radiant. She was already dressed in a long chiffon dress of a violet print over a silky under-slip. Pretty sandals were on her feet and she’d even placed a spray of flowers in her hair she’d swept into a French bun at the back of her head.

“You’re beautiful,” he breathed, clasping her in his arms and kissing her cheek. Oh God, she was like an angel.

Eli clamored to be picked up. Malachi lifted him between them and together they hugged him. “We’re going to a party, Daddy!”

Malachi laughed. “Yes, we are, Scout. Isn’t your mommy pretty?”

Eli turned to his mother and wrapped his chubby arms around her neck. “She’s bea-u-ti-ful.”

“Oh, you’re such a sweet boy,” Danielle cooed, kissing him all over the face.

Malachi showered, feeling better afterward, and dressed. He had a box of candy and a pair of diamond earrings for Danielle’s anniversary presents. He had already secreted them in the trunk of the car to take along to Ross’s party so he could surprise Danielle later.

As they climbed into the car, he saw across the pasture his mother helping his father into the truck. She’d already put the wheelchair in the truck bed and now waved at Malachi to let him know they’d follow.

It was a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Malachi belted Eli into his car seat. He had a sudden premonition that shook him to the core. He looked at his son and felt a disaster looming just over the child’s head, like a thundercloud about to burst with lightning hotter than the sun’s surface.

“Malachi?” Danielle, noticing his hesitancy, twisted in the front seat, and stared at him.

“I…it’s nothing. I felt dizzy for a minute, that’s all.”

“You’re sure you’re all right?”

He reassured her he was, but in his heart he knew something bad was on the way. Something terrible. He felt helpless to avoid it.

Chapter 14

So far Sereny had kept Jeremy at her side and out of danger. It was just a reprieve, she knew, because eventually he’d roam again and she would follow him to take him away.

Today he helped her prepare the house for the party. Together they draped silver and red crepe paper streamers and little folding red paper hearts from the balconies and ceiling. They covered a long table with silver lame’ and sprinkled glittery red hearts and stars over the top of it. There was a punch bowl filled with rounded scoops of strawberry ice cream floating in icy Sprite for the humans who were attending the party. In an ice bucket lay a chilled bottle of vastly overrated and overpriced French champagne for the anniversary couple’s toast.

Sereny carefully arranged two silver goblets on the table for Malachi and Danielle. They had been married five years. It was so sweet. Sereny wondered if she felt about Ross the way Danielle felt about Malachi. Ah, but how could she? She loved many people, and simply, at the moment, loved Ross more.

Ross had never hosted a party before. Sereny might have thought it would be out of character for him, but he surprised her. She had never seen him grin so much. He flitted around getting in the way, fussing with the decorations and flower arrangements. “Let me do it,” Sereny insisted, taking a bowl of white chrysanthemums and red roses from his hands. She brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled deeply. “These smell exquisite.” The roses were fragrant and the mums gave off a spicy green scent. She smiled at him in a teasing way.

“I’ll go check the pool.” He nervously adjusted the belt holding up his black silk slacks.

Sereny didn’t expect anyone would swim, so they’d floated candles and roses in the pool and aimed spotlights on it for when dark fell. It would look like an Olympic float in a football parade.

Within an hour most of their guests where there. Malachi and his family, Dell and Ryan, Mentor, Dolan, Bette, and Ross’s employee vampires from the blood banks he controlled. There were people milling all over the house and spilling outside to the pool area and patio. Sereny rushed from here to there, stacking the anniversary gifts on a table, refreshing the punch bowl, taking used glasses to the kitchen. Jeremy followed her every step and even helped carry things when she asked.

“I’m your little pack mule,” he said. When she turned to him, wondering if he were being sassy, she saw his bright smile.

“Hee haw,” she said, swatting him on the back and pushing him along with a load of silver in both his hands.

“Uh…Sereny?”

She had gone on before him, rushing impetuously to check on the serving trays in the kitchen. She turned again, exasperated, her long blue satin skirt swishing about her legs. “What is it?”

“Who’s that?”

Sereny peered down the hallway thinking maybe Jeremy was more trouble than help to her. He was just always so inquisitive. A figure passed through the hall darkness toward them. She didn’t know the man either. He was dark, with midnight black hair, and a beautiful suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and his height. She pushed Jeremy toward the kitchen. “Go check the trays in the kitchen.”

She strode to the stranger and said, “I’m sorry, we haven’t met. I’m Sereny. Are you one of Malachi’s relatives?” He was not vampire. He was not Hispanic, therefore probably not related to Danielle. He could be one of Malachi’s human relatives who had never come down with mutated porphyria. There was rumor Dell had a brother, turned vampire at a young age, though older than Jeremy, who had exiled himself to the South American continent. Although this man was too old to be her brother, he could be another self-exiled relative.

The man extended a hand with long fingers and said, “Hi, I’m Jacques. I am visiting from my home in France, and Malachi’s mother is my cousin.”

Sereny smiled. “Well, that’s lovely. I hope you’re making yourself at home. Would you like a glass of punch? Or maybe you’d prefer something stronger?” Ross kept a bar secreted away just in case he had mortal visitors who required liquor.

She took him to the living room and poured him a drink. He had asked for whiskey and ice, no water, please. His voice was mellifluous, the accent a sweet pleasure to the ear. He took the crystal highball glass, raising it slightly toward her in thanks. By the time he had the glass to his lips, her mind spat out an alarm signal. She’d spied something secretive hiding behind his gaze, down in the depths of the terribly dark eyes.

“I didn’t know Dell had a cousin in France.” It was a statement, but in her mind it was a question.

“Ah. There are a few of us there, and some in Italy too. Are you originally from Italy? Your accent…”

The memory of Italy flooded over her and she damped down the alarm. Italy, her homeland with the golden light on the olive orchards, the roughened hills stacked against an azure sky. For the next few minutes she spoke with Jacques about Europe and the changes taking place there. They discussed Italy with familiarity of the landmarks until Sereny began to feel homesick.

It was some time before Sereny, charmed now and spellbound, could break away to attend to her duties as hostess. “I’ll be back,” she said. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”

~*~

Malachi found he was enjoying himself immensely. Though he hadn’t slept well and he’d had some bad feelings just before leaving home, he discovered his spirits rose once at Ross’s house. Sereny had outdone herself. The whole house looked celebratory in every sense. Candles, silver, decorations that swooped and dripped and twinkled. Danielle looked up at him, her eyes smiling with joy. It was so nice to be with people they liked for their anniversary. It seemed it had been five years of tremendous change and adjustment, just as every newly married couple experiences. The birth of Eli. The making of a home. Getting to know one another’s moods and needs. But now Malachi knew they would slide into years of deep love and understanding, so the five-year mark was really like a portal into a blissful future.

“It’s so beautiful,” Danielle said, fingering a napkin with silver bells embossed on it.

“It’s really nice,” Malachi said. “Sereny’s done a great job.”

On the patio he and Danielle split up, talking to groups of people who all congratulated them and gave them warm hugs and handshakes. Malachi found a cushioned chair in the shade near the pool and sat talking with relatives and friends as they drifted past or came over to sit with him. He was handed a glass of champagne and sipped at it, relishing the cool bubbly bite of it on his tongue.

“You look like a happily married man today,” Malachi’s mother said as she slipped into a chair near him.

Malachi raised his eyebrows. “Don’t I look that way every day?”

She smiled. “You know, I haven’t noticed. But today you both look radiant. Lavender is Danielle’s color. She looks like a fairy princess, with her dark hair and eyes, and all that light color floating around her.”

Malachi thought so too. He was proud of his wife, and, he realized, desperately in love with her. He should tell her more often. And today he would. He’d tell her every time they came together at the party. He’s whisper into her ear, “I love you.” He’d say it a dozen times and watch her eyes dance and her lips curve into a smile. Tonight when they got home and were alone, he’d show her how much he loved her. Five years or fifty, he didn’t think he’d feel any different.

When it got too warm in the shade, Malachi found his father and began wheeling him around the pool so he could speak with some of the guests. Well, not speak, but his eyes said everything and people were very kind to him.

Once Malachi saw Danielle going into the house, her lavender dress floating like a cloud behind her. He almost followed, so he could whisper in her ear about his love, but two of his distant cousins who had come from Waxahatchie, Texas, waylaid him before he got to the open French doors leading inside.

“Eli’s a pistol,” Brett said, a tall, slim boy who looked almost skinny in tight-fitting jeans and cowboy boots.

“Where is Eli?” Malachi asked, glancing around.

“Over there.”

Malachi followed his cousin’s pointing finger and saw his son playing with a beach ball balloon, throwing it into a group of children.

Malachi laughed. “He was really looking forward to this party. Living out on the ranch he doesn’t have any playmates.”

“Then it’s time for a brother or sister, hey?” Brett asked.

Malachi had thought the same thing. He just hadn’t brought it up to Danielle yet. “Maybe,” he said.

The cousins drew him into a group where Mentor was regaling a group with historical facts that couldn’t be found in any history book. Malachi lounged back against the brick of the house, glad he was in shade, and listened to fascinating tales of London during the eighteenth century.

His stomach rumbled once and someone came by with a tray of tiny vegetables. Before the food got away, Malachi had a paper plate full of carrots, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli sprouts, and baby tomatoes.