Till the Break of Dawn (22 page)

“I know.” I had figured out as much from his conversation with Nybras.

“I would give anything to take back doing this in front of you. But that doesn’t mean I’m sorry for what I did. I’m only sorry you had to witness it.”

I washed the blood from his shoulders and watched as the swirl of crimson went down the drain. “If someone had hurt me the same way, I doubt I would have waited until now to get revenge.”

Marcus’ sigh was heavy and when he spoke the emotion in his voice made my chest hurt.

“There is no revenge. I’ll never have children, never see another sunset. Hell, I’ll never have another tan unless I spray it on. He stole my life.”

“Yes. But now you have the chance to have a new life. With me.”

Pink tears streamed down his face as Marcus looked up at me. “You still want to be with me?”

“Always.”

The way he positioned the chair had kept me from getting wet, though my shoes were a bit damp. It wasn’t long before Marcus was dressed and ready to go.

“If we leave now, we’ve got just enough time to get back to Happy before sunrise,” David said, slapping his cell phone shut.

Marcus smiled. “You know me too well.”

“I don’t want to spend the night here either,” David said. “After what happened tonight, the media will be crawling by the time we get back to the hotel.”

“Nybras is good at handling the press. Let him deal with it.”

“What about our bags?” I asked.

“I’ve got someone meeting us at the airport,” David said. “They’re bringing everything.”

Within the hour we were back on their private jet and I was reaching for my second gin and tonic with hands that still shook. Even though I understood Marcus’ actions I was still upset at seeing someone’s head ripped off. No matter how many violent movies you watch, seeing the real thing just isn’t the same. Knowing that the guy deserved it didn’t make it any easier to remember.

We made it home just in time to be sure the curtains were drawn before crawling into bed. I relaxed back against Marcus’ body, feeling comfort in the way he curled around me. I knew that I was safe in his arms. I stroked the fine hairs on the arm wrapped around my waist as I recalled something he said to me by the lake, “I may be a monster, but I’m
your
monster.” In that case, God help anyone who ever came between us.

*****

Marcus was brushing the hair back from my face and by the feel of the sheets against my skin I was still naked. I rose slowly and he smiled. He looked so sexy sitting beside me, still only half dressed. I loved the way he got this little wrinkle of skin across his stomach when he slouched. No matter how ripped your abs are, everyone gets a wrinkle if they bend forward enough. I just happened to think it was cute and couldn’t resist pinching it.

He laughed softly. “I’ve got to go.”

His words startled me. “Why? What time is it?”

“Dusk. And I’ll only be gone a little while.”

“I slept the whole day? Are you kidding?” I got up and walked to the window just to be sure. Yep, it was definitely getting dark. “I feel like a bum. I’ve never slept a whole day before.”

“David explained the situation to Jamie and got her to open up tonight. So, you don’t have to worry about work. Relax. You’ve had a rough week.”

He got up and walked out onto the balcony. I followed him, wrapped in the red bed sheet.

“You still haven’t said where you’re going or why.”

“Nybras called, just before you woke up. He said that in order to keep the other vampires from rioting over contracts then our agreement about you needed to be in writing. Much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I’m on my way to Orlando to sign the new agreement. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

I just remembered something he’d said to Darrell when they first met. “You can fly, can’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you going to put on a shirt?”

Marcus stretched his arms wide and I stared as bat-like wings extended from his back. He took on that pale statue-like appearance again and I knew that I was looking at his true form for the first time.

“A shirt won’t be necessary,” he said, smiling around his lengthened fangs.

“Holy shit! You’ve got wings?”

He shrugged and his wings moved up and down with the gesture. I forgot all about my sheet and let it fall as I moved to touch them.

“What did you expect? You knew I could fly.”

“I thought you could levitate or something. Is this what you did at the lake that night when you disappeared so fast?”

“Yes. I just did it so quickly you couldn’t see.”

“And why are you letting me see now?”

“Because, I want you to know what you’re getting yourself into. You’re the only one besides Nybras who has ever seen my wings.”

“You mean, even David?”

Marcus smiled and bent down to kiss my forehead. “I’ve got to go, or I’ll never get back at a decent time.”

One flap of his wings and Marcus was gone. I remembered him saying that he could make the flight to Orlando in two hours. Two hours there and two hours back. I decided to use the time to get caught up on my laundry and some other cleaning I had been putting off.

By the time I was finished the shorts and t-shirt I’d put on were a little dusty and I was covered with sweat. But, my floors were mopped, my bathrooms were clean, dishes were put away, and my laundry was almost finished. I was just about to go take a shower when the phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Dawn, get out of the house.”

The sweat on my body felt like it turned to ice. “Terry, is that you?”

“Please. Get out. RUN!”

“Terry?!”

I couldn’t tell if the line was dead or not, but there was no response on the other end. I didn’t know what to think. I had never known Terry to overreact to something before. If he said I needed to get out of my house, then I was getting the hell out.

I snatched my keys off the table and opened the door. My brain hadn’t even registered the fact that someone was standing in front of me before I got hit in the face. I had never been punched before, but let me tell you it sucks. If I had to guess, I’d say my cheekbone was broken. I fell to the floor and kicked the open door, slamming my attacker in the face.

“Motherfucker! Get the fuck out!”

Whoever he was, he was wearing a black ski mask so I couldn’t tell how much damage I had done. I kicked the door once more before getting to my feet and running to the back door. Screw looking for a weapon. This guy was bigger than me and probably a lot stronger. I just wanted to get to my car and get the hell away from him.

My head was spinning from the hit to the face, but that didn’t stop me from running full out for my car. I still had my keys and my heart raced with the thought of finding safety before my attacker found me.

A sharp pain in my back brought me up short and I fell to the ground, scraping my knees on the gravel driveway.

My attacker came staggering around the side of the house, holding on to his face.

“Cunt. You broke my nose.”

I was trying to pull the knife out of my back when he spoke and I froze. “Jesse?! What the hell?!”

He pulled off the mask and my worst fears were confirmed with a tumble of dusty blond hair. Blood gushed from his nose. It was definitely broken. Considering he’d just knifed me in the back, I was glad.

“There’s got to be some kind of mistake. You’re a bounty hunter.” I paused, trying to catch my breath. My back hurt so bad I could barely breathe. “I’m not wanted for anything. Why would you do this?”

He propped against the side of the house, trying to stop his nose from bleeding. “Not wanted for anything that you know of,” he corrected.

Confusion mingled with my pain, making the whole world seem out of focus. I wrapped my right hand around the hilt and snatched the knife out of my back with a yell.

“Goddamn you!”

“It’s nice to see you again too,” he said. “For what it’s worth, this was not my idea.”

“Considering that I’m most likely bleeding to death I really don’t give a shit.”

“Well, you might want to reconsider that.”

“Fine. Who hired you? Is this about Marcus?”

Jesse smiled as he pressed the mask underneath his bloody nose. “See, I knew you weren’t stupid. This is
all
about Marcus,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “It was never about you. The only reason I even knew your name is because you used to date him. But I liked you, I really did. If you hadn’t gotten involved with him again, none of this would have happened.”

I was horrified and even through my pain I was beginning to understand.

“Did you kill Mandy?”

“I think you know the answer to that.” Until that moment I had forgotten that he also knew she was pregnant. How could he?

“She was pregnant!”

“She got in the way. When my employer heard about her upcoming marriage I was given the order.”

“But—”

“She was about to bring an abomination into this world!” His eyes bulged with rage and for a moment he reminded me of someone. The pieces were starting to fit together more and more.

“Oh, my God. You’re related to him, aren’t you? Reverend Hammond, that crazy preacher on TV?”

“I am employed by the Followers of the Light. He is their leader. He also happens to be my father.”

He might as well have stabbed me again for all the effect his words had. “I trusted you. How could you?”

“How could
you
?! You’ve betrayed your own race, lying with that monster!”

“He’s a monster? Have you looked at yourself lately?”

Jesse reached for something in his back pocket and I tried to get to my feet. “Did you kill Terry too?”

“If not then I’ll go back and finish the job later. He stopped by to meet his new neighbor and found me sharpening this.” He held up a black spandex glove. It was tipped with metal claws that shined in the moonlight.

“You killed his neighbor too?”

“That fang bait bitch was nothing but an embarrassment, bringing home vamps all hours of the night. I couldn’t get a decent night’s sleep.”

“You disgust me.”

Before I knew it he had me by the throat. The glove was on his other hand and as I looked down at it I felt sick.

“He’s already bound you to him, hasn’t he?”

“What?”

“That’s right, I know about that. If I kill you, there’s a good chance Marcus could die too. If not, he should be weak enough for me to finish him off.”

That was it. Hurting me was bad enough, but with his threat to kill Marcus I had no trouble driving the knife into his ribs. I shoved as hard as I could and when Jesse slumped forward I ran around the other side of the house. Since he was right beside the car I seriously doubted I could get in and drive away without him stopping me. My only chance now was to kill him before he killed me.

I made it inside and was looking for a bigger knife when Jesse came crashing through the front door. I turned and stabbed him in the side at the same time he stabbed me in the chest. I fell to the floor and watched in mute horror as he pulled back his gloved hand to strike.

“Dawn!”

“Marcus!”

My eyes closed. I heard a crash as Marcus tore through the house like a hurricane. My eyes fluttered open again and I could see Jesse through the kitchen, sprawled on the living room floor.

Marcus knelt beside me, embracing me with his arms and his wings. It took me a second to realize he was crying.

“I’m alive,” I said, my voice weak. “Guess you got here just in time. Go head, bind me to you.”

I knew that I was dying, but I was completely unprepared for his response. “It’s too late for that now. You’ve lost too much blood.”

“You mean I’m going to die?”

“Your only chance now is to let me turn you. Turn your face from the light forever and come into the eternal night with me.”

His words seemed to cause Marcus a great deal of pain. I knew he didn’t want me to share his curse, not if he could help it. But I also knew he didn’t want me to die. That made two of us.

“Do it.”

“Are you certain? I would never force this life on you …” His words trailed off as he wept. “But I don’t want to lose you.”

“Then take me now. Make me yours.”

Marcus ran a hand over his heart and a trickle of blood poured down his skin. He pressed me to the wound and I found I was so weak I could barely make my lips move. “Drink.” I lapped at the wound, taking all I could. Before I knew it my strength felt renewed though not completely and I sat up, drinking hungrily of his blood. At the same time I did this, Marcus brought my wrist to his mouth and I moaned as his fangs pierced my skin.

“I must take a little of your blood too,” he explained. “Blood of my blood.”

With his words a thrill ran through me. I knew it was magic. I was becoming a part of him and even under the circumstances I don’t think I’d ever been more excited.

Marcus pulled me back from his chest with a gasp and as he brought his lips to mine he whispered, “Flesh of my flesh.”

And so it was sealed with a kiss. My back arched and white-hot pain shot through me. He laid me gently to the floor. “It will only hurt for a few minutes. Your injuries are healing. I’m sorry, Dawn.”

“Don’t be.” I gasped again, arching from the pain in my back. “Is he dead?” I nodded toward Jesse.

“No. I can hear his heartbeat.”

“Don’t kill him.”

“What?!”

I put a hand on his arm for support as I pulled myself up. “Give him to David.”

“Why thank you, Dawn.”

We both turned to see the werewolf in the doorway. He looked at Jesse and licked his lips. “Sorry I’m late.”

“How did you know to be here?” I doubled over, grabbing my chest as the wound there began to close.

“I stopped by to check on Terry. He’s fine,” he added before I could ask. “Although, he’ll be growing some more hair in a few days.”

“I thought you couldn’t turn him?”

“I didn’t. Earl was with me. In a way this asshole here did him a favor.” He kicked Jesse, who remained on the floor, groaning in misery. “He shot Terry in the knee, only he got the leg that was already injured. In a few days, it should grow back just fine.”