Kitabı oku: «Desired», sayfa 3

Chapter Five

Sam was having a hard time keeping up with Polly as she walked. She talked so fast, and never seemed to stop, racing from one thought to the next. He was still discombobulated from the time travel, from this new place – he needed to process it all.

But they had been walking for nearly half an hour, he tripping over twigs as he followed her through the forest at her brisk pace, and she hadn’t stopped talking. He’d barely been able to get a word in. She went on and on about “the palace” and “the court” and about her coven members and an upcoming concert, and a man named Aiden. He had no idea what she was talking about, or why she’d been looking for him – or even where she was taking him. He was determined to get some answers.

“… of course, it’s not exactly a dance,” Polly was saying, “but still, it’s going to be an amazing event – but I’m not quite sure what I’ll wear. There are so many options, not enough for a formal event like this – ”

“Please!” Sam said finally, as she bounced along merrily through the forest, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have questions for you. Please. I need answers.”

She finally stopped talking, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at him with something like wonder, as if she were totally oblivious to the fact that she’d been talking all the while.

“All you need to do is ask!” she said happily. And then, before he could respond, she added, impatiently, “Well? What is it?”

“You said you were sent to get me,” Sam said. “By who?”

“That’s an easy one,” she said, “Aiden.”

“Who’s that?” Sam asked.

She snickered, “My, you have a lot to learn, don’t you? He’s only been the mentor of our coven for thousands of years. I’m not sure why he’s taken an interest in you, or why he’d send me on such a beautiful day tramping all the way through the forest to get you. The way I see it, you could have found your own way, eventually. Not to mention, I had a thousand things to do today, including looking at this new dress and – ”

“Please,” Sam said, trying to hold onto his thought before he lost again. “I really appreciate your coming to get me and all, and I don’t want to be disrespectful,” he said, “but wherever it is that we’re going, I really don’t have time. You see, I came back here, in this place and time, for a reason. I need to help my sister. I need to find her – and I don’t have time for any side trips.”

“Well, I would hardly call this a side trip,” Polly said. “Aiden is only the most sought after man in all the court. If he’s taken an interest in you, it’s nothing to throw away,” she said. “And whoever it is that you’re looking to find, if anyone can point the way, it will be him.”

“Then where is it that we’re going, exactly? And how much further is it?”

She took several more steps through the forest, and he hurried to catch up, wondering if she’d ever respond, ever give him a straight answer – when, at that moment, the forest suddenly opened up.

She stopped, and he stopped beside her, awestruck.

Before them lay an immense open field, leading, in the distance, to immaculate, formal gardens, the grass cut into elaborate shapes of every size. It was beautiful, like a living work of art.

Even more breathtaking was what lay just beyond the gardens. It was a palace, grander than any structure Sam had seen in his life. The entire building was made of marble, and it stretched as far as he could see in every direction. It was a classical, formal design, with dozens of oversized windows, and a wide, marble staircase leading up to its entrance. He knew that he had seen pictures of this structure somewhere, but he couldn’t remember what it was.

“Versailles,” Polly said, providing the answer, as if reading his mind.

He looked at her, and she smiled back.

“It’s where we live. You are in France. In 1789. And I’m sure that Aiden will let you join us, assuming that Marie allows it.”

Sam looked at her, puzzled.

“Marie?” he asked.

She smiled wider, shaking her head. She turned and skipped across the field, towards the palace. As she did, she called out over her shoulder.

“Why, Marie Antoinette, of course!”

* * *

Sam walked at Polly’s side, up the endless marble staircase, heading towards the front doors of the palace. As he went, he took in all the sights around him. The magnitude and proportions of this place were astounding. All around him, strolling the grounds, were people he presumed to be royalty, dressed in some of the finest clothing he’d ever seen. He couldn’t get over this place. If someone had told him he were dreaming, he would believe them. He had never been in the presence of royalty before.

Polly hadn’t stopped talking, and he forced himself to focus on her words. He liked being around her, and enjoyed her company, even if paying attention to her was really hard. He thought she was pretty, too. But there was something about her that made him unsure whether he was really attracted to her, or whether he just liked her as a friend. With his past girlfriends, it had been lust at first sight. With Polly, it was more like a camaraderie.

“You see, the royal family lives here,” Polly said, “but we live here, too. They want us here. After all, we’re the best protection they have. We live together in what you might call a friendly harmony. It serves us both. With this huge forest, we have unlimited hunting, a great place to live, and great company. And in turn, we help protect the royal family. Not to mention that a few of them are our kind, anyway.”

Sam looked at her, surprised.

“Marie Antoinette?” he asked.

Polly nodded slightly, as if trying to keep it a secret, but unable to.

“But don’t tell anybody,” she said. “There are a few others, too. But most of the Royals are human. They want to be among us. But there are strict rules here, and it’s not allowed. It’s us and them, and we’re not allowed to cross that line. There are certain members of the royal family we don’t want to have too much power. And Marie insists on it, too.

“Anyway, this is just the most fabulous place. I can’t imagine it ever coming to an end. There’s party after party, endless dances, balls, concerts… There’s going to be the most fabulous one this week. An opera, actually. I already have my outfit picked out.”

As they approached the doors, several servants scurried to open them. The golden doors were massive, and Sam looked at them, awestruck, as he walked through.

Polly marched right down a huge, marble corridor, as if she owned the place, and Sam hurried to keep up. As they walked, Sam looked all around, amazed by the opulence. They walked down endless corridors made of marble, with enormous crystal chandeliers hanging low, reflecting the light off of dozens of gilded mirrors. The sun poured in and reflected the light in every direction.

They went through door after door, and finally entered a huge parlor, made of marble, with columns all around it. Several guards stood at attention as Polly entered.

Polly just giggled, apparently immune to them. “We also get to train here,” she said. “Their facilities are the best. Aiden has us on a hard schedule. I’m surprised that he let me break to come get you. You must be pretty important.”

“So where is he?” Sam asked. “When will I get to meet him?”

“My, you are impatient, aren’t you? He’s a very busy man. He might not choose to meet you for some time. Or he might summon you right away. Don’t worry, you’ll know when he wants to see you. Give it time. In the meantime, I’ve been asked to show you to your room.”

“My room?” Sam asked, surprised. “Wait a second. I didn’t say I could stay here. Like I said, I really need to find my sister,” Sam began to protest – but at that moment, a huge set of double doors opened before them.

An entourage of royals suddenly entered, surrounding a woman in the middle, who they carried on a royal throne.

They set her down, and as they did, Polly bent low, gesturing for Sam to do the same. He did.

A woman who could have only been Marie Antoinette, slowly got down, took several steps towards them, and stopped right before Sam, gesturing for him to rise. He did.

She looked Sam up and down, as if he were an object of interest.

“So, you’re the new boy,” she said, expressionless. Her green eyes burned with an intensity he’d never seen, and he could, indeed, sense that she was one of theirs.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she nodded. “Interesting.”

With that, she walked right past them, and her entourage quickly followed.

But one person lingered behind, clearly one of the royals. She looked to be about 17, and was dressed in a royal blue, velvet gown, from head to toe. She had the fairest skin that Sam had ever seen, set against long, curly blonde hair, and piercing aqua eyes. She fixed them right on Sam, locking them onto his.

He felt helpless in her gaze, unable to look anywhere else.

She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

After several seconds, she took a step forward, and stared even closer into his eyes. She reached out her hand, palm down, clearly expecting him to kiss it. She moved slowly, proudly.

Sam took her hand, and was electrified at the touch of her skin. He pulled her fingertips close, and kissed them.

“Polly?” the girl said. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

It wasn’t a question. It was a command.

Polly cleared her throat, reluctantly.

“Kendra, Sam,” she said. “Sam, Kendra.”

Kendra, Sam thought, staring into her eyes, taken aback by how aggressively she stared back at him, as if he were already her property.

“Sam,” she echoed, smiling. “A bit simple. But I like it.”

Chapter Six

Kyle smashed through the stone sarcophagus with a single punch. It smashed into a million bits, and he walked right out of the standing coffin, on his feet, and ready for action.

He wheeled and looked about, ready to fight anyone who approached. In fact, he was hoping that someone approached him for a fight. This time travel had been particularly annoying, and he was ready to let his rage out on someone.

But as he looked around, to his disappointment, he saw that the chamber was empty. It was just him.

Slowly, his rage began to cool. At least he’d landed in the right place, and he could already sense, the right time. He knew that he was more of a veteran of time travel than Caitlin, and he could place himself more specifically. He looked around, and to his satisfaction, saw that he landed exactly where he’d wanted to be: Les Invalides.

Les Invalides was a place he’d always loved, one that had been important to the more evil of his kind. A mausoleum, deep underground, it was made of marble, beautifully adorned, sarcophagi lining its walls. The building had a cylindrical shape, with a soaring, hundred foot ceiling, culminating in a dome. It was a somber place, the perfect resting place for all of France’s elite soldiers. It was also the place, Kyle knew, that Napoleon would one day be buried.

But not yet. It was only 1789, and Napoleon, that little bastard, was still alive. One of Kyle’s favorites of his own kind. He would be about 20 years old now, Kyle realized, still starting his career. He wouldn’t be buried in this place for some time to come. Of course, being of his race, Napoleon’s burial was just a ruse, just a way to let the human masses think he was one of theirs.

Kyle smiled at the thought of it. Here he was, in Napoleon’s final resting place, before Napoleon had even “died.” He would look forward to seeing him again, to reminiscing about old times. He was, after all, one of few people of his kind that Kyle semi-respected. But he was also an arrogant little bastard. Kyle would have to slap him into shape.

Kyle walked slowly across the marble floor, footsteps echoing, and checked himself. He had seen better days. He had lost one eye from that horrible little child, Caleb’s son, and his face was still disfigured from what Rexius had done to him back in New York. If that weren’t enough, he now had a large wound in his cheek from the spear that Sam had hurled at him in the Colosseum. He was a wreck, he knew.

But he also kind of liked it. He was a survivor. He was alive, and no one had been able to stop him. And he was madder than ever. Not only was he determined to stop Caitlin and Caleb from finding the Shield, but now he was determined to make them both pay. To make them suffer, just as he had suffered. Sam was on his list now, too. All three of them – he would stop at nothing until he tortured each of them slowly.

With a few leaps, Kyle bounded up the marble staircase, and into the upper level of the tomb. He circled around, walking down to the end of the chapel, beneath the huge dome, and reached behind the altar. He felt its limestone wall, searching.

Finally, he found what he was looking for. He pushed a hidden latch, and a secret compartment opened. He reached in, and pulled out a long, silver sword, its hilt encrusted with jewels. He held it up to the light, and studied it with satisfaction. Just as he remembered it.

He slung it over his back, turned, and headed down the corridor, reaching the front door. He leaned back, and with one huge kick, the large oak door when flying off its hinges, the crash of it echoing throughout the empty building. Kyle felt satisfied that he had his full strength back already.

Kyle saw that it was still night, and he relaxed. If he wanted to, he could fly through the night, head right for his target – but he wanted to savor his time. Paris in 1789 was a special place. It was still, he remembered, rife with prostitutes, alcoholics, gamblers, criminals. Despite the nice veneer and architecture, there lived an underbelly that was long and wide. He loved it. The town was his for the taking.

Kyle lifted his chin, listening, sensing, closing his eyes. He could sense Caitlin’s presence strongly in this city. And Caleb’s. Sam, he wasn’t so sure about, but he knew that at least the two of them were here. That was good. Now all he had to do was find them. He would come upon them by surprise, and, he imagined, kill them both quite easily. Paris was a much simpler place. There was no grand vampire Council, like in Rome, that he had to answer to. Even better, there was a strong evil coven here, led by Napoleon. And Napoleon owed him.

Kyle decided that his first order of business would be to track down the little runt and make him reciprocate. He would enlist all of Napoleon’s men to do whatever they could to track down Caitlin and Caleb. He knew Napoleon’s men could be useful if he should run into resistance. He would leave nothing to chance this time.

But he still had time. He could feed first, and get both his feet planted firmly on the ground. Plus, his plan here was already set in motion. Before he’d left Rome, he’d tracked down his old sidekick, Sergei, and had sent him back here ahead of him. If all had gone as planned, Sergei was here already, and hard at work executing their mission, infiltrating Aiden’s coven. Kyle smiled wide. There was nothing he loved more than a traitor, than a little weasel like Sergei. He had become a most useful plaything.

Kyle bounded down the steps like a schoolboy, filled with joy, ready to plunge right into the city, to take whatever he wanted.

As Kyle headed down the street, a street artist approached him, holding out a canvas and brush, gesturing for Kyle to allow him to paint his picture. If there was anything Kyle hated, it was someone wanting to draw his picture. He was in such a good mood, though, he decided to let the man live.

But when the man pressed his case, following Kyle aggressively, thrusting his canvas towards him, he pushed it too far. Kyle reached over, grabbed his brush, and jabbed it right between the man’s eyes. A second later, the man dropped dead.

Kyle took the canvas and tore it up over his corpse.

Kyle continued on, quite happy with himself. This was already turning out to be a great night.

As he turned down a cobblestone alley, heading into the district he remembered, everything began to feel familiar again. Several prostitutes lined the streets, beckoning him. At the same time, two large men stumbled out of a bar, clearly drunk, and bumped hard into Kyle, not looking where they were going.

“Hey, you jerk!” one of them yelled at him.

The other turned to Kyle. “Hey, one-eye!” he yelled. “Watch where you’re going!”

The big man reached out to give Kyle a hard shove to the chest.

But his eyes opened wide in surprise when his shove didn’t work. Kyle hadn’t been budged at all; it had been like pushing a stone wall.

Kyle shook his head slowly, amazed at the stupidity of these men. Before they could react, he reached back over his shoulder, extracted his sword with a cling, and in one motion, swung it, chopping off both their heads in a fraction of a second.

He watched with satisfaction as their heads rolled, and both of their bodies began to slump to the ground. He put back his sword, and reached out and pulled a headless corpse to him. He sunk his long fangs right into the open neck, and drank hardily as the blood squirted.

Kyle could hear the screaming of the prostitutes erupt all around him, as they saw what had happened. This was followed by the sound of doors slamming, window shutters closing.

The whole town was already scared of him, he realized.

Good, he thought. This was the sort of welcome he loved.

Chapter Seven

Caitlin and Caleb flew away from Paris, over the French countryside in the early morning, she holding tightly onto his back as he cut through the air. She felt stronger now, and felt that if she wanted to fly, she could. But she didn’t want to let go of him. She loved the feel of his body. She just wanted to hold him, to feel what it was like to be together again. She knew it was crazy, but after being apart for so long, she had a fear that if she let him go, he might fly away forever.

Beneath them, the landscape was ever-changing. Pretty quickly the city fell away and the landscape shifted to dense woods and rolling hills. Closer to the city, there were occasional houses, farms. But the further they got, the more the land opened. They passed field after field, rolling meadows, an occasional farm, sheep grazing. Smoke rose from chimneys, and she guessed that people were cooking. Clotheslines spread out over lawns, and sheets hung from them. It was an idyllic scene, and the July temperature had dropped just enough so that the cooler air, especially up this high, was refreshing.

After hours of flying, they rounded a bend, and the new view took Caitlin’s breath away: there, on the horizon, sat a shimmering sea, vibrant blue, its waves smashing into an endless, pristine shoreline. As they got closer, the elevation rose, and rolling hills went right up to the shoreline.

Nestled in the rolling hills, amidst the tall grass, she saw a single building set against the horizon. It was a glorious, medieval castle, designed of an antique limestone, covered in ornate sculptures and gargoyles. It was nestled high on a hill, overlooking the sea, and surrounded by fields of wildflowers as far as the eye could see. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and Caitlin felt as if she were in a postcard.

Caitlin’s heart beat with excitement, as she wondered, as she hoped to dream, that this could be Caleb’s place. Somehow, she felt that it was.

“Yes,” he called out, over the wind, reading her mind, as always. “This is it.”

Caitlin’s heart pounded with delight. She was so excited, and felt so strong, she was ready to fly by herself.

She suddenly jumped off of Caleb’s back, and went flying through the air. For a moment, she was terrified, wondering if her wings would sprout. A moment later, they did, supporting her in the air.

As the air ran through them, she loved the feeling. It felt great to have them again, to be independent. She rose and dove, swooping up, close to Caleb, who smiled back. They dove down together, then up, swerving in and out of each other’s flight paths, the tips of their wings sometimes touching.

As one, they dove down, closer to the castle. It looked ancient; it felt worn in, but not in a bad way. For Caitlin, it already felt like home.

As she took it all in, looked at the landscape, the rolling hills, the distant ocean, for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt a sense of peace. She felt, finally, like she was home. She saw her life together with Caleb here, living together, even starting a family together again, if that was possible. She would be happy to live out her days here with him – and finally, at long last, she didn’t see anything that stood in their way.

* * *

Caitlin and Caleb landed together in front of his castle, and he took her hand and led her to the front door. The oak door was covered in a thick layer of dust and sea salt, and clearly hadn’t been opened in years. He tried the knob. It was locked.

“It’s been hundreds of years,” he said. “I’m pleasantly surprised to find that it’s still here, that it hasn’t been vandalized – that it’s even still locked. There used to be a key…”

He reached up, way above the door frame, and felt the crevice behind the stone arch. He ran his fingers up and down it, and finally stopped, extracting a long, silver skeleton key.

He slipped into the lock, and it fit perfectly. He turned it with a click.

He turned and smiled at her, stepping aside. “You do the honors,” he said.

Caitlin pushed the heavy, medieval door, and it opened slowly, creaking, encrusted salt falling off in clumps as it did.

They walked in together. The entry room was dim, and covered in cobwebs. The air was still and dank, and it felt like it hadn’t been entered in centuries. She looked up at the high, arched stone walls, the stone floors. There were layers of dust on everything, including the glass windows, which blocked a lot of the light, making it seem darker than it was.

“This way,” Caleb said.

He took her hand and led her down a narrow corridor, and it opened up into a grand hall, with high, arched windows on both sides. It was much lighter in here, even with the dust. There was some furniture left over in here, too: a long, medieval oak table, surrounded by ornate, wooded chairs. At its center sat a huge, marble mantel, one of the largest fireplaces Caitlin had ever seen. It was incredible. Caitlin felt as if she had walked right back into the Cloisters.

“I had it built in the 12th century,” he said, looking around himself. “Back then, this was the style.”

“You lived here?” Caitlin asked.

He nodded.

“For how long?”

He thought. “Not more than a century,” he said. “Maybe two.”

Caitlin marveled, once again, at the huge increments of time in the vampire world.

Suddenly, though, she got worried, as she thought of something else: had he lived here with another woman?

She was afraid to ask.

He suddenly turned and looked at her.

“No, I did not,” he said. “I lived here alone. I assure you. You’re the first woman I’ve ever taken here.”

Caitlin felt relieved, though embarrassed at his reading her mind.

“Come on,” he said. “This way.”

He led her up a spiral stone staircase, and it twisted and turned, and let them out on the second floor. This floor was much brighter, with large, arched windows facing every direction, sunlight pouring in, reflecting the distant sea. The rooms were smaller here, more intimate. There were more marble fireplaces, and as Caitlin wandered from room to room, she saw a huge four-poster bed dominating one of them. Chaise lounges and overstuffed velvet chairs, were spread throughout the other rooms. There were no rugs, just a bare stone floor. It was very stark. But beautiful.

He led her across the room, to a set of huge, glass doors. They’d been covered in so much dust, she hadn’t even known they were there. He stepped up and tugged hard at the locks and knobs, and finally, with a bang and a cloud of dust, they opened.

He stepped outside, and Caitlin followed.

They stepped out onto a huge, stone terrace, framed by an ornate limestone, column railing. They walked together up to the edge, and looked out.

From here, they had a commanding view of the entire countryside, of the ocean. Caitlin could hear the crashing of the waves, and smell the sea heavy in the air on the rolling breezes. She felt like she were in heaven.

If Caitlin had ever imagined a dream house, this would definitely be it. It was dusty, and it needed a woman’s touch, but Caitlin knew that they could fix it up, could get it to the state that it once was. She felt that this was truly a place they could call home together.

“I was thinking about what you said,” he said, “the entire flight here. About our building a life together. I would like that very much.”

He put an arm around her.

“I would like for you to live here with me. For us to start our life over again. Right here. It’s quiet here, and safe, and protected. No one knows about this place. No one will ever find us here. I see no reason why we can’t live out our lives safely, as regular people,” he said. “Of course, it will need a lot of work to fix it up. But I’m game, if you are.”

He turned and smiled at her.

She smiled back. She had never been more game in her life.

More than that, she felt deeply touched that he’d invited her to live with him. Nothing had ever meant more to her. The truth was, she would have lived with them anywhere, even if it was just a hut in the woods.

“I’d love to,” she answered. “I just want to be with you.”

Her heart pounded as they came together in a kiss, the sound of the waves in the background, the ocean breezes rolling over them.

Finally, everything was perfect in her world again.

* * *

Caitlin had never been so happy as she ambled through the house, going room to room, carrying a washcloth. Caleb had left, had gone out hunting, excited to bring them both home dinner. She was thrilled, because it gave her some time alone to walk through the house, to take it all in, by herself, and to look at it, with a woman’s eye, for how she could fix it up and make it a home for them both.

She walked through the rooms, opening windows, letting in the ocean air. She’d found a pail and rag and had gone down to the stream she’d seen running through the backyard, and had returned with an overflowing pail full of water. She’d run the rag through the stream until it was as clean as could be. She’d found a large crate to stand on, and as she opened each of the huge, medieval windows, she stood up on the crate, and wiped each pane. There were a few windows which were simply too high for her to reach, and for these, she activated her wings, fluttering high in the air, and hovering before the windows as she cleaned them.

She was shocked at the immediate difference it made. The room transformed from being dark to being completely flooded with light. There must’ve been hundreds of years of caked dirt and salt on both sides of the pane. Indeed, just opening each window was a feat in itself, taking all her might to yank them free of rust and debris.

Caitlin looked carefully and was in awe at the craftsmanship of each window. Each window pane was several inches thick, and had the most beautiful design. Some of the glass was stained, some was clear, and some had the slightest tint of color. As she wiped each one down, she could almost feel the house’s gratitude, as it slowly, inch by inch, came back to life.

Caitlin finally finished and surveyed it again. She was shocked. What had before been a dark, uninviting room, was now an incredible, sun-filled room, with a view of the ocean.

Caitlin turned to the floors next, getting down on her hands and knees and scrubbing them foot by foot. She watched with satisfaction as inches of dirt came off, and the beautiful, huge stones began to shine through.

After that, she turned to the enormous marble mantelpiece, wiping off years of dust. Then she turned to the huge, ornate mirror above it, wiping it down until it shone. She was bummed that she could still not see her reflection – but she knew there was little she could do about that.

She turned to the chandelier next, wiping each and every one of its crystal laden candle holders. After that, she set her sights on the four-poster bed. She wiped down each of its posts, and then its frame, slowly bringing back to life the ancient wood. She grabbed the aging blankets and went to the terrace and shook them hard, clouds of dust flying everywhere.

Caitlin returned to the room, her would-be bedroom, and surveyed it: it was now magnificent. It shone as brightly as any room in any castle. It was still medieval, but at least now it was fresh and inviting. Her heart soared at the idea of living here.

She looked down and realized that the water in the bucket had turned completely black, and bounded down the steps and out the door, eager to refill it in the stream.

Caitlin smiled as she thought of what Caleb’s reaction would be when he came back. He would be so surprised, she thought. She would clean out the dining room next. She’d try to create an intimate environment in which they could have their first meal together in a new home – the first, she hoped, of many.

As Caitlin arrived at the waterbank, sinking to her knees in the soft grass, emptying and filling the bucket, she suddenly felt her senses on high alert. She heard a rustling noise, close by, and sensed an animal approaching her.

She quickly spun, and was surprised at what she saw.

Approaching her slowly, just feet away, was a wolf pup. Its fur was all white, except for a single streak of gray running down its forehead and back. What struck Caitlin most was its eyes: they stared back at Caitlin as if it knew her. What’s more: they were the same eyes as Rose.

Caleb felt her heart pounding. She felt as if Rose had come back from the dead, had been reincarnated in some other animal. That expression, that face. The fur color was different, but otherwise, this could have been Rose reborn.

The wolf pup, too, seemed startled to see Caitlin. It stopped, staring at her, then slowly, cautiously, took a few tentative steps towards her. Caitlin scanned the woods, looking to see if other pups were around, or its mother. She didn’t want to end up in a fight.