The Vampire's Kiss (23 page)

His gaze was locked on her lips. “Bill. Name’s Bill.” His hands slid down to her hips.

This wasn’t what she intended. She’d only wanted to get away from William for a moment, just a moment, so that she could think—

He’d sure love to lay her down, strip the clothes from her hot little body, and—

Savannah gasped and shoved against Bill, sending him stumbling back. She knew the thoughts were his. She could actually feel the waves of his lust pounding against her.

“What the hell?” Bill glared at her and took a step forward, his hands clenched into tight fists.

“Don’t come near me,” she ordered, her eyes flashing.

Bill froze.

She lowered her voice, trying for the pitch she’d used earlier with the bartender. “Leave this bar, take a cab, and go home. And don’t ever come near me again.”

He blinked and then stepped widely around her. He walked straight toward the bar’s entrance.

Savannah watched him like a hawk, anger still pouring through her veins.

“Problem?” William asked softly, appearing at her side.

“Can we leave?” She asked, her voice a whisper. It was too much for her. The people. The noise. The smells. She just wanted to get outside. To get away.

She had to get away.

She didn’t wait for William to answer. She ran for the door.

She shoved the door open and stumbled outside, breathing heavily. The bouncer looked at her, frowning.

Savannah ran. As fast as she could. She didn’t care where she was going. She just knew that she had to get away.

Her feet pounded against the pavement. Buildings and trees passed by her in a sickening blur. Faster. Faster.

The sounds chased her. The smells. The voices.

She wanted to scream. To just make it all stop.

She ran into a park, dashing down an old trail. She pushed bushes and trees out of her way and dodged fallen limbs, stumbling to a halt in front of a small pond. She stood there a moment, gasping for breath.

Then she fell to her knees, staring blankly into the dark water. What had she done? What had she become?

“You haven’t changed,” his voice seemed to whisper to her from the darkness. “You’re the same person that you always were.”

He’d found her. She’d known that he would. Her gaze stayed locked on the water. “No, I’m not.”

He sat down beside her, and she could feel the force of his gaze upon her. She knew he was waiting for her to tell him why she’d run.

The surface of the water looked so calm, so clear. But what secrets lay beneath its surface? She closed her eyes for a moment. “I don’t think I can do this.” Her eyes opened, staring fixedly at the water.

She felt him stiffen beside her. “You
can
do this. I wouldn’t have transformed you if I’d thought you weren’t strong enough.”

But she wasn’t strong. She’d never been strong. Mark had been the strong one.

“Savannah.” His voice was soft, compelling. “Look at me.”

She turned her head slowly toward him.

“You are the strongest person that I’ve ever met. You’ve lived through disease, through tragedy and death, and you’ve kept going.”

She shook her head. He didn’t understand. She’d just done what she’d had to do.

“No.” He was emphatic. “You’re the one who doesn’t understand. You don’t see yourself as the woman you really are. You tracked me down. You found me, when I’d been hiding for centuries.” A small smile flashed briefly. “And you blackmailed me. Knowing that I was a vampire, with enormous power and strength, you actually blackmailed me.”

She flushed. Had she really threatened to go to the press with his story?

His smile faded. “And you faced Geoffrey. Alone, unarmed. You tried to defeat a vampire with a thousand years’ worth of power.” He shook his head. “And you say that you’re not strong?”

He didn’t understand. “I had to fight him. He was going to hurt Mary!” She hadn’t attacked Geoffrey because she was strong. She’d done it to protect her friend.

“You could have died protecting your friend! You were willing to trade your life for hers. Don’t you realize how much courage that took?”

She swallowed. She hadn’t felt courageous at the time. She’d felt terrified.

“But you didn’t let your fear stop you. You faced Geoffrey anyway. And when you fight, even when you’re consumed by fear, that, sweet Savannah, is strength.”

She stilled. She wanted to believe him, but—

“It’s not about believing me. It’s about believing in yourself.”

He was right. She turned back to the pond. She had to believe in herself. To believe in her own strength. She’d cheated death. She’d fought a vampire and survived. And she would have vengeance for her brother.

“How long . . .” She stopped, cleared her throat, and then asked, “How long did it take to you to adjust to being a vampire?”

He laughed. “Ah, Savannah. I’m still adjusting.”

She smiled. She picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. A small ripple appeared on the clear surface. “I didn’t want to read anyone’s thoughts. It seemed too personal. Too much of an invasion.” Her lips compressed. “But then I did it anyway, without meaning to.”

“To the man you were dancing with?” There was a slight edge to his voice.

“Yes. He was imaging t-taking off my clothes and—”

“Bastard.” She could hear the rage in his voice, feel it in the suddenly tense atmosphere.

“When I knew what he wanted, I—” She took a deep breath. “I was furious. And I was so afraid that I would lose control and hurt him.”

“An understandable response.” William said, flexing his fingers into a tight fist. “I think the fellow deserved a bit of pain.”

“I used a compulsion on him,” she whispered, staring at the faint ripples still evident in the water. “I told him to leave and to never come near me again.”

“Hmmm. Seems he got off lightly.”

She clenched her teeth. “I didn’t want to know what he was thinking. I wish that I’d never heard his thoughts. I don’t want to know what anyone is thinking. It’s too much!” She couldn’t stand the idea of being bombarded with images of other people’s thoughts, their fantasies.

His hands touched her shoulders, caressing her lightly. “I can teach you to control it. You can learn to block them out.”

“I thought I knew how to block out the sounds, but when I was in the bar, I lost control. The sounds were too much. The smells too much. Everything was too damn much!” She’d been afraid that she’d shatter from the pressure on her sensitive mind.

He pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair with a gentle hand. “You’ve had a hell of an evening, haven’t you?”

She nodded, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. “Will it get better?” She asked him softly.

He kissed her temple. “Yes. Every day it will get easier. You’ll grow stronger.”

“I don’t want to read people’s minds.” She sounded like a petulant child, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t force her way into the minds of strangers.

“Then I’ll teach you how to block their thoughts. I’ll teach you how to shield your mind.”

She pushed herself back, staring into his eyes. “Thank you, William.”

He frowned. “For what?”

“For helping me.”

He stared into her eyes. His head lowered, and she lifted her face toward him, eager to feel his lips against hers.

Instead, she felt a shiver run the length of her spine. A cold wind seemed to blow straight through her.

Her eyes widened. “William?”

He pulled back, his face hard. “Let’s go, Savannah.
Now.
” He stood, pulling her to her feet.

“But I don’t understand—”

She heard the sound of a soft laugh. A man’s laugh.

William began to run, pulling her behind him.

And then she heard the whisper, floating on the wind.

Savannah
.

She could feel him then, feel the darkness of his presence reaching out to her, calling her.

Geoffrey.

But how? William had said that he’d gone to ground, that he was recovering from his injuries. Had he healed already?

He’s close. Very close.
William’s voice, strong and clear in her mind.

How has he already recovered?
His strength was amazing. And terrifying.

William led her down a dark street, pulling her at a frantic pace.
He hasn’t recovered, not fully.

Then how—

His resting place is near. He can sense us.

She jerked to a stop. “He’s near?” If Geoffrey was close by, and he was weak . . . then they could defeat him. “Why are we running? We have to find him. Now’s our chance! We can—”

William turned to face her, and his hard expression could have been cut from stone. Another shiver slid through her.

“We’re not running from him.”

Then who were they running from?

“Don’t you feel it?” He asked her. “Can’t you feel what’s coming?”

A shudder ran though her. She felt something, but—

She saw a faint tremor run through his body.

Her eyes widened. What was happening?

“The sun’s coming. Dawn is almost upon us. We run from the light, not from Geoffrey.” He lifted his hand, and she saw that it shook. “Our bodies warn us of the approaching light. Listen to your body, and always heed its warning.” He pulled her hand. “Now, come on, we haven’t much time.”

They ran, their hearts pounding and their limbs trembling.

How far away was the apartment? How long before the sun—

William grabbed her, hugging her tightly against his chest, and he took to the sky.

They soared, flying over buildings and rooftops, and in mere minutes, they were on the roof of her apartment.

They ran inside the building just as the sun began to rise.

They hurried into her apartment. With a wave of his hand, William sent the blinds sliding down and secured the curtains. Not a trace of sunlight crept inside her home.

They were safe.

William took her into his arms and pulled her onto the bed.

A strange lethargy was already sweeping over her. Her body felt heavy, almost as if it were weighted down. And her heartbeat was slowing, slowing . . .

“William?” She was afraid. She couldn’t seem to take a deep breath. And her heart, her heart—

“Shhh.” His arms were tight around her. “Don’t fight it. Just relax.”

“I-I’m scared,” she whispered and then her heart stopped beating.

Chapter Fourteen

Today, father asked me if I was afraid to die. I have heard him ask that question to hundreds of men, right before he killed them.

—Entry from the diary of Henry de Montfort,

December 21, 1068

HIS STRENGTH was returning.

Geoffrey stretched slowly, feeling power course through him. He needed to feed. Blood would restore him to full strength.

It was a pity that dear Savannah wasn’t around. He would certainly enjoy draining her white throat dry. Sensing her the previous night had been an unexpected pleasure. He’d felt her strong mind seeking in the night.

And so he’d had to play with her, just a little.

Trust William to spoil his fun. His elder brother always tried to stop his games. But this time, William wasn’t going to stop him. This time, William would be defeated. Destroyed.

He would die, as he should have died centuries ago.

Geoffrey had planned his brother’s death, down to the minutest of details. He had the perfect place in mind for his brother’s murder. Absolutely perfect. It was a place of life, of hope. Of blood and destruction.

He smiled, preparing to rise and feed. It was time that he and his brother went home.

SHE OPENED HER eyes and found William staring down at her, his gaze intense.

She blinked and took a deep breath. Energy hummed through her body. Energy . . . and strength.

She remembered the fear that had swept through her last night. Her hand lifted and she touched her chest. She could feel the movement of her heart. Slow, steady.

“Will it always be like that?” She asked softly.

William nodded. “But you’ll get used to it.”

Would she? Would she really get used to feeling her heart stop beating? Well, it wasn’t as if she really had a choice.

He touched her cheek. “It will get easier, Savannah. Believe me. Soon it will seem to be natural. Just like your human sleep.”

She certainly prayed that he was right. She glanced toward the now raised curtain and blinds. Night had fallen. It was time for her to hunt. To hunt Geoffrey.

She shifted, preparing to rise, but William’s hands locked around her, holding her captive. She frowned. “William? What is it?”

His gaze searched her face. She noticed that his jaw was clenched, his scar standing out starkly against his skin.

“I want us to go back to North Carolina.”

“What? Why?” They were so close to their goal. They knew where Geoffrey was. They’d been so close to his resting place last night. Now was the time to attack, not to run.

“You’re not strong enough to do this, to face him.” His tone was rough. “You need to wait until—”

“Until he kills someone else? Until he slaughters someone else’s brother? Someone else’s wife?” She shook her head. “No, I can’t do it. I can’t wait any longer. He has to be stopped.”

“Then let me do it. Let me stop him. Go back to my home and let me take care of Geoffrey.” His eyes blazed down at her.

“Oh, I get it. I’m supposed to be the little woman who stands back and lets you take care of the big, bad monster, right?” Anger flushed her cheeks and flattened her speech. “I’m supposed to stand back and let you do all the work, right? Right?”

A muscle flexed in his jaw.

“Wrong!” She snapped, struggling against his hold. She couldn’t believe that he would even suggest such a thing. To think that she would just stand back, just sit quietly, while he went after Geoffrey. “You promised me, William! You promised me that I would have my vengeance!”

He pressed her into the bed cushions, controlling her when she struggled for her freedom. “Dammit, Savannah! He’s my brother!”

“And he killed mine!” She bucked against him, kicking and scratching with all of her might.

William froze, his fingers locked around her wrists. Blood trickled from a deep cut on his cheek. His eyes flashed red, then black. “I don’t want him to hurt you,” he said, his voice soft and deep.