Dark Rapture (36 page)

As he leaned over her, the blood rushed to Vince’s head and then traveled his body in a furious burst of strength. The heady feeling was beginning to fade, while at the same time he felt his muscles tightening.

“Oh, yes.” He sat up, stretching his legs under the table and his arms into the smoky air beside him. “Francesco was right. This is what I was meant to be. I am a vampire.”

***

'Death Chill' slithered across the airwaves, a top forty hit that had put Fury on the charts. It was a dark and foreboding tune, yet it maintained a head-banging beat and catchy chorus that the kids went wild for. Sebastian twisted up the volume as the Corvette turned onto gravel.

“I was an inspiration for that song,” he said with a silly smile and a glance her way.

“Really?” Scarlet said. “Could have fooled me.” She laughed and made a conscious effort to listen to the lyrics. The chorus spoke of vampire lovers draining you dry and ghosts slipping in and out of your rotting bones. “So, do you work with Fury a lot?”

The song ended and Sebastian turned the music down so they could talk. “I have, though I’m looking for something different now. Something more fluid and musical, not so death-inspired.”

“Like Wild Child?”

“Do you think your brother would consider allowing me to work with them now? After all that has happened?”

“I don’t know. Probably not.”

Not after everything he'd gotten her involved in lately, she thought. Since she’d met Sebastian she had become immortal, killed a teenager, traveled back through time, and now, to top it all off, she had a vengeful vampire after her. Francesco had been so different then . . .

“You were the one who transformed Francesco, weren’t you?” She knew he was. Who else would have?

Sebastian threw her a startled look.

“Why?” she asked. “Was it before or after Serena?”

“We were both vampires when Francesco fell in love with Serena, we had been for about twelve years by then.” Sebastian sighed. “After you left, or shall I say
Elisabeth
left, I was alone and confused. Unlike you, I had no one to tell me how things should be. So, thinking myself a monster and finding my mind swept into this vicious swirl of confusion and misunderstanding, I left my family immediately, without a word to my mother.”

Sebastian looked at Scarlet and she saw the sadness in his expression. Angelique had been everything to him.

He cleared his throat and continued. “I quickly learned that to survive I had to drink blood. I was smart enough to keep away from Paris, hunting only the countryside for lone travelers. Francesco found me about a month later roaming about a heather field, dirty and near desperation. He took me home and eventually I explained everything. Surprisingly, he agreed to take me in and to keep my condition a secret.

“It was less than a year before he started asking for my
gift,
as he called it. I myself referred to it as a curse. Francesco thought it a wonder to live forever and never age. And I, well, I couldn’t bear to face the future alone. I wanted a companion who would always be with me. So I did it.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Yes and no. I don’t regret creating him. I would have gone mad if I'd had no one else of my kind around. And it was what Francesco wanted. But he changed. And I do regret the loss of our friendship.”

He reached for her hand and pulled it to his mouth and kissed it, sending shivers up her arm. “We’re here,
ma cherie."

Scarlet turned to look in horror at where they were.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The engine purred to a halt and fingers of white fog tickled the hood of the car. The gargoyle-guarded iron gate swung in the wind, making a metallic screeching noise that only a graveyard could produce. Beyond that, the mausoleum rose from the mist, a foreboding castle protected by its tombstone sentries.

“It’s just for a short time, Scarlet. After you’ve fallen asleep you’ll lose track of time. And when I come back to you, you’ll wake thinking you’ve only been out for a few minutes.”

Sebastian’s calmness made her blood boil. He actually expected her to climb inside a stone sarcophagus and wait until he returned. She shook her head. “No. I’m not setting foot out of this car. No way! I thought you loved me, Sebastian.”

“I do,
cherie.
But—”

“If you really loved me then you wouldn’t ask me to do this.” She shivered already, even though the mist could not penetrate the car. “I just can’t.”

Without replying, he stepped out of the car. She listened as he walked around, his boots crunching in the gravel, and fumbled with his keys. The trunk opened and shut and he walked around to her door and opened it, the mist pushing past his legs to creep into her sanctuary.

He knelt before her, resting his chin on her leg. “I love you with all my soul, Scarlet. And that is exactly why I beg you to do this for me. You mustn’t be afraid. You'll be safe. I know Francesco will never find you here. Please,
cherie
don’t make this any harder than it has to be. I know you’re scared.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m scared too. Scared that he’ll find you and harm you.”

Sebastian buried his face in her lap. She stroked his hair, sensing his pain, and his love. He was doing this for her, and she should be more grateful. “I don’t know, I do trust you, but—”

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep. I promise. And I’ll hurry back to you as soon as I’m able.”

The idea of not waking was creepy. How would her body know to remain asleep? Though she remembered Sebastian had lain in the same coffin during his journey to America. If he had done it and risen safely, then possibly she would be all right. Just for a few days. That was all it would take, wasn’t it?

“You promise you won’t forget about me in there?”

Sebastian’s mouth dropped. “How can you even think that, knowing how I feel about you? I’ll be counting the seconds until I can come back for you.”

Though she still felt it wasn’t a good idea, the care Sebastian was taking to reassure her was working. Scarlet sighed and turned her feet out to the ground. “What’s that?”

He held up the blanket that he’d tucked between his legs. “I thought it would make you more comfortable.”

Letting a miserable moan escape, Scarlet clutched the thin plaid blanket to her chest and closed the door behind her. Though Sebastian's heart was in the right place, she couldn't embrace the idea without some reluctance. “I suppose we should get this over with then.”

Nothing had changed inside the stone structure. The dust on the floor still showed traces of their footsteps and no others. Good. She didn’t want this place to become a hot spot for curious visitors.

Sebastian slid the thick stone coffin cover to one end. With a hollow groan the inner blackness was revealed and a cloud of ancient dust rose in the dim night air. He reached for the blanket, which she reluctantly released and laid it in the bottom of the stone box, neatly pulling it to each corner.

“You’ll be warm enough without that to cover you, I just thought it would be a little cleaner.”

“You always plan ahead don’t you, Sebastian?”
Always.

“Shall I help you?”

His offer pushed her relief to the back wall and fear surfaced again. He certainly seemed to be in a hurry. “Just hold me first, please.”

Nuzzling her face against his neck, Scarlet held tight to her lover. She didn’t want him to see her tears, or think that she didn’t want to comply with his wishes. The last thing she wanted was to fall into Francesco’s hands.

If only there was another way.

“I won’t say good-bye.” His whisper heated her skin and warmed her soul. “Only
au revoir."

Scarlet turned and with his help, climbed into the ominous stone box. Clutching the sides, nearly three inches thick. The cover had to weigh a ton, and once it was pulled over her it would kill the light and the air.

“How will I breathe?”

“Lie back.” He pushed gently and she fought to remain sitting. “Don’t worry, once asleep your body will literally shut down. Your breathing will slow and you will need very little oxygen to survive. Besides, this stone is porous.”

“Porous? It’s as wide as my fist. There’s no way—”

But she was silenced by a kiss forced to her chattering lips. She could feel the tension pull Sebastian’s mouth tight and she fought back the tears as he smoothed his hands over her hair. He hugged her tightly as if trying to force courage into her with his actions. “Trust me, I wouldn’t let you do this if I wasn’t sure that you’d survive. This used to be my coffin, remember?”

“You won’t leave until I’m asleep?”

“I promise.”

“But how will you know? What if you leave before I fall asleep?”

“Scarlet.” His tone was becoming harder.

“All right, I’ll stop.”

“I’m sorry, lover, I don’t want to be cruel or abrupt but . . .”

“I know, Vince is out there somewhere and you’ve got to find him. I’ll be quiet now. I promise.”

“Kiss me again.”

She did and then Sebastian lowered her head until it rested against the hard stone. The blanket did little to cushion her bed but she did not complain. As he pulled the lid over her he spoke quietly.

“Try not to think of me standing out here or you’ll never relax. Just clear your head and sleep will come quickly. Okay,
cherie?”

As the last bit of light was blocked from her view, Scarlet called out as quickly as her heart was beating, “Don’t forget me, Sebastian.”

The edge of the lid slammed over the coffin box and Sebastian laid his arms over the raised vines and roses and listened quietly. She would be all right. And he would return as soon as possible.

His fingers pressed to the cold stone and he could feel the beating of her heart. Rampant and wild. She was so scared.

“Sleep in peace, my dark angel. I’m here.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Two days had passed since Scarlet’s voice had graced the dreary walls of the mansion, and Sebastian wasn’t talking. At least, he had nothing better to offer than a ‘trust me’ and a shrug when Gary pressed him for answers. All he would say was that he was hot on Vince’s trail and he felt sure that soon they would discover Francesco’s hideout.

Trying to keep himself busy, Gary had spent most of the afternoon and early evening stripping the flocked blue and gold wallpaper from the room off the grand room. Vince was the one who thought the room would make a great recording studio. Nothing too fancy, just the basic equipment for a while, until they started earning more.

Gary wondered now if Wild Child would ever play again. Vince was a vampire. Would he still want to sing with them? Had he lost his best friend?

He tore another scrap of paper from the wall and tossed it to the pile on the floor. Should have gotten a steamer, he thought, as he surveyed the rest of the room. He’d only done two walls because the paper was coming off in small strips. But it was keeping him busy.

“Should get the radio,” he said. But as he turned, his feet left the floor and he was pushed up against the wall.

The hand around his neck pressed firmly, closing his throat until his face turned red. His gum was lodged beneath the grasp and it was pushing hard into his larynx. Too scared to fight or even kick out, Gary awaited his fate.

A tall man with wavy black hair stood before him, examining Gary’s face, the left eye still half-closed and green from Sebastian’s fist.

“Leggoofmme,” Gary squeaked.

“Certainly.” The man released him, stepping back as Gary’s body slid down the wall to land in a pile of wallpaper scraps.

The man pulled an orphan strip from the wall and tossed it to the floor then offered his hand. “Forgive me, I suppose it would have been polite to shake first, but I didn’t think it mattered. Besides, I’m not here for a friendly chat.”

Gary stared at the hand that was awaiting his. Who was this guy?

“Listen, man, I’m going to call the cops if you don’t get out of here right now. I’ve had enough weirdos running around here lately.”

“You wouldn’t be speaking of Vincent Lyons, would you?”

Gary met the stranger’s eyes.

“Seems you have a lot of friends like him, Mr. Rose.” The man pushed his hands into his pockets and eyed Gary up and down. His cool blue eyes sparkled with glee.

“How do you know my name? And just what did you mean by that?” He was beginning to feel the urge to smash this guy right between the eyes.

“Vincent told me about you. And I simply mean that your friends have one thing in common.” He looked around the room, then drew his eyes back to Gary, and whispered, “Vampirism.”

“How do you know about Vince? Who are—Oh no, not you.” It hit him like a hammer on a nail. Francesco!

Gary backed away. There was nothing he could do except curse himself for letting Scarlet get involved with Sebastian and all his vampire weirdness.

“What’s the matter, Gary, afraid?” Francesco hadn’t moved, only watching as his prey tried to become one with the wall behind him. “You needn’t be. I haven’t come to harm you, only to leave a message for Monsieur DelaCourte.”

“Wh . . . what is it?” Gary tried to remain upright, though he felt his legs weaken at the knees.

“I’ll make a trade with him.” Francesco spoke slowly, eyeing the circumference of the room as he did. “Vincent Lyons for his precious Scarlet.”

Gary couldn’t believe what he was hearing. A surge of anger pushed him from the wall and halfway across the floor until he was within touching distance of Francesco. “No way, man, that’s my sister. You’re not going to touch her! And you let Vince go!”

“Temper, temper, Gary.” Francesco waved a finger at him. “Mustn’t get upset. Now, we can’t have everything the way we would like it, can we? It’s either Vincent or Scarlet. But then again, it’s not your choice. Sebastian is the one who must make the decision.”

“Oh man, I’d like to—” Gary slammed a fist into his palm.

“I’m sure you would, but I wouldn’t try it if I were you.” Francesco gnashed a fanged smile, pushing Gary against the wall. With an evil chuckle he turned and walked away. “That is all that I’ve come to say. I'd appreciate it if you would relay my message to Monsieur DelaCourte.”

As his last words hung in the air, he disappeared.

Gary ran out into the grand room and from there to the hallway, but saw no sign of him. He raced to the front door and stuck his head into the night air. Everything was calm, the palm trees rustling in a gentle breeze. The man had literally disappeared.

He sank down against the doorframe and breathed the cool air in an attempt to clear his head and held his hand out before him, wondering how long it would be before the shaking stopped.

“I wish I knew where you were, Scarlet. I don’t like this one bit. There are creatures of the night everywhere!”

***

“Catching a breath of fresh air?”

“Oh shit!”

Gary lost his balance and fell onto the front step, catching himself. He had fallen asleep sitting on the threshold, exhausted after his run-in with Francesco. He quickly stood when he saw who had spoken.

“Oh great! Another one! Well, welcome to Hotel Translyvania, Grand Central Station for the vampires of America.”

Sebastian.

“You wanna bite me, too?” Gary pushed the hair from his neck and leaned forward. “Go for it, I’ve got no more energy left for fighting vampires.”

Eyeing him suspiciously, Sebastian stepped inside and held the door for him to follow. “Gary, what are you talking about? Have you finally flipped?”

Jumping inside, Gary followed him to the kitchen. “Yeah, I think so, but what did you expect?”

“What’s going on? I’m not following you.”

“Well, let’s see, Dracula stopped by earlier for a chat. And he wanted to snack on me.”

“What?”

“Francesco, he wanted me to give you a message.”

“Francesco was here?”

“That’s what I said. What’s wrong, Sebastian, hearing going? Shit, you know it seems like everyone I know lately is a vampire. I think it’s finally happened. I’m going mad.” He dropped down into a chair at the kitchen table and let his forehead hit the polished wood with a dull thud.

“What did Francesco have to say?”

Gary started to laugh. He wasn’t sure why, but it seemed the thing to do as his grasp on reality started to slip. “He wants to trade Vince for Scarlet. Can you believe that? I told him he was crazy.”

As his laughter subsided Gary waited for a clever response from Sebastian, but got none. “So what do you think? What’s the plan this time? Or do I have to
trust you
again?”

“Gary, I’m not going to trade your sister, you know that.”

“But what about Vince? Does that mean you’re going to give up on him? Because if you are then I’ve got to get started. I’m not going to leave my friend to suffer in the clutches of that bastard vampire.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find Vince soon.”

“Then let’s go right now. Let’s check the bars again for Vince, ’cause just sitting around is driving me nuts.”

“Fine, we can start early tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow?”

“It’s nearly dawn, Vince won’t be out now. If I’m right, I’m sure that Francesco still follows the ways of the old. Which means that the two of them will be sleeping until dusk. And as much as I know you want to take care of this quickly and safely, I can’t do it that way.”

“You can’t do it what way?” Gary snapped back.

“I can’t go after Francesco during the day when he is not awake and alert. It wouldn’t be right. The man deserves a fair fight.”

“A fair fight? I can’t believe this!”

“Gary, this is between me and Francesco. I know you don’t understand but there’s nothing else I can say or do right now. Not until nightfall.”

Gary watched the vampire’s exit. As much as he hated to admit it, Sebastian was right. There was nothing they could do until darkness fell. And Scarlet would have to wait another day before she returned to him. “Is Scarlet going to be all right?”

“She is completely safe,” Sebastian reassured him and closed the door behind him.

Gary headed upstairs to his room wishing that he had a garlic necklace and a big jug of holy water.

Just in case.