Eternal Fire (32 page)

“
I’m guessing it wasn’t pretty,” I said.

“
A feared ruler doesn’t obtain such a title by accident. Maybe you should have rescued Charles and left Victor in Ethano’s dungeon to rot.”

Her statement stung, but just when I opened my mouth to retort, she continued.

“
When I backed out of our engagement and turned to William for comfort, Victor left a trail of devastation in his path. You see, dear Sarah, your Victor is a sore loser.”

I met her gaze. “He’s changed, Della.”

“
Then a toast is in order!” She clanked my glass with her beer. “You must be quite the woman to tame such a wild beast.”

“
Well, you couldn’t, so somebody had to,” I replied.

“
You’re feisty, and Victor likes that in a woman. I can see why he was so attracted to you.” She cocked her head and smiled. “Your facial expression says it all.”

I couldn’t resist engaging her, and I took the bait. “Says what?”

“
You want me to get out of town.”

“
Maybe you should, because—”

“
Because I made mad, passionate love to your husband for hundreds of years?”

The stick-thin bartender ran a hand through her red hair. “Hundreds?”

“
She’s had a few too many,” I murmured, rolling my eyes.

“
Victor’s a very passionate lover, is he not? He used to straddle me, his voice rough with desire, positioning himself over me in the perfect position to kiss me passionately, with the intensity of a thousand suns. I—”

I put up my hand. “I’m in no mood for a trip down Memory Lane, thanks.”

“
I’m not after Victor.” She drank a shot in one gulp and slammed it down, then sucked the lemon. “I broke it off with him 200 years ago, when I met William. Victor and I were over before you were even born.”

“
But you look the same age,” the bartender chimed in.

She flashed the bartender a brilliant white smile. “You know what I love about this place? You have cars instead of horses, electricity instead of candles, and those things that flush.”

“
Toilets?” the bartender asked.

“
Yes! They are fantastic.”

The bartender smiled. “If you say so, lady.”

“
And toilet paper,” she said. “How did I go centuries without that?”

Liz’s voice cut through the air as she roared, “Okay, gals. Next round’s on me!”

The bartender shrugged, pointing to Della. “Sounds great, but this one’s cut off.”

Liz and Della burst into laughter.

Victor returned and placed a peck on my cheek.

“
I need to talk to you,” Della said, “alone.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever you need to say to my husband, you can say it in front of all of us.”

“
I’ve known Victor for ten of your lifetimes,” she hissed. “How long have you known him? A little over a year?”

“
He married me the day he met me,” I snapped. “Can you say that? Not to mention, I’m carrying his child.”

“
Can you tear yourself away from your mate for fifteen minutes, or are you really so insecure?”

I kissed Victor on the lips. “Go ahead. I trust you completely.”

She grinned. “Perhaps you shouldn’t. After all, I have the power to drive a man crazy.” She then met my gaze head on. “I can even make them start wars.”

Victor grabbed her arm. “Enough, Della.”

“
Mmm, Victor. Still so sexy. I remember when you used to grab me like that and throw me up against a wall and—”

“
Della!” he shouted. “I don’t appreciate you tormenting my wife.”

“
I need to talk to you,” she said, “and Charles too.”

“
No, Della.”

“
But it’s very important and concerns our safety. It’s about Ethano.”

Victor turned to face me, and before he got a word out, I said, “Go ahead.”

“
I’ll only be a minute,” Victor said, kissing me on the lips.

I let out a huff as she shot me a victorious smile, then walked outside with our husbands in tow.

“
Don’t be jealous,” Liz said. “They’ve been over for a long time now. Can’t you tell she hates him?”

“
Right, when she isn’t mentioning all of her make-out sessions with him. I guess I am a tiny bit jealous. The woman’s gorgeous, and he loved her for a long time. What’s my one year against her hundreds? And like she said, he even started a war because of her.”

“
But who did he choose to marry, and who is carrying his child?”

“
Me,” I said.

“
You worry too much. Victor loves you. Besides, I’ve known Della since I was a teenager. Trust me, she doesn’t want Victor, and Victor surely doesn’t want her.” She waved the bartender over. “Two lemon shots please. And can you make one with Sprite? This little lady wants to join in, but she’s expecting.”

“
Congratulations!” the redhead said.

I guzzled down my nonalcoholic shot and sucked on the lemon.

“
You’re the best sister ever,” she squealed.

“
No…you are.”

The bartender wiped the counter, and Liz slurred, “I love my sister! Do you know she came through a portal to rescue me? She even married a dangerous, warlord king. She even put on a ring and became—”

I grabbed Liz’s arm and cut her off before she spilled our secrets. “She’s way over her limit. I’m gonna take her home.”

The bartender nodded. “Good idea. Between her and your toilet-loving friend, I think they’ve had enough.”

I looked into her eyes. “And you won’t remember any of it.”

“
You’re compelling her,” Liz squealed, hanging on to a chair. “How cool is that?”

“
Shh!” I said. “Let’s go.”

Liz stumbled out the door and hung on to me. Glancing around, I looked for Victor, Charles, and Della, but I didn’t see them. Waves of anger flooded through me, and I refused to hang around for another minute. We were parked at the far end of the parking lot, and I hoped Liz could walk that far without puking or falling over.

“
You’re pissed,” Liz said as we made our way to our parked car.

“
Damn straight.”

“
Don’t you trust your man?”

“
I do.”

“
Then stop worrying.”

“
Hey, you!” a man’s deep voice called from behind.

I spun around to a tall, lanky man dressed in black. He had brown eyes, bushy eyebrows, and greasy brown hair. I didn’t even flinch when he pointed a gun directly at us. After being shot with an arrow through the heart, I knew he couldn’t kill me with a gun, but I was certain a bullet would sure hurt like hell.

“
Give me all your money,” he demanded.

I snorted. “Seriously?”

“
Dead serious, lady.”

Liz pointed at me. “You don’t even wanna mess with this lady, mister—especially when she’s pissed at her man. She’s bad to the bone. If I wasn’t so drunk, I’d snap you in half like a twig!”

“
You’ve got five seconds,” the gunman said, ignoring my sister’s very real threats.

“
I’m not in the mood for this.” I set Liz down against the brick wall.

“
Go get ‘im, sis!” she said.

I inched toward the burglar. “I’m not someone you should mess with. Now turn around and leave before I do something we’ll both regret.”

“
Just hand over your purse, lady!” He waved the gun. “I swear I’ll kill you if you don’t.”

“
Go for it,” I said. “I’d like to see you try.”

“
Do you need help?” Liz shouted.

“
No, I’ve got this,” I said.

“
Hand over the purse now!”

I met his blue gaze straight on. “No.”

“
You’re dead.” Narrowing his gaze, he fired the gun.

Chapter 21

In slow motion, I could see the bullet flying toward me, and I caught it with one hand, between two fingers. I casually opened my hand and held up the bullet. “Is this what you intended to kill me with?”

He stepped back. “What the…?”

Holding my hand out, I concentrated and the gun, crumbling it into a ball of hot metal.

The man dropped it and came at me with a knife.

The blade bent to the left, making it useless.

“
Is that all you’ve got?” I asked.

“
You’re some kind of freak!” He darted into the darkness.

His insult actually hit me quite hard. In Tastia, I’d been accepted as an Immortal with unique abilities, but in my world, I was considered something entirely different.

Liz’s clapping echoed against the brick walls. “Way to go, sis! My sister, the invincible superhero. You could so slay a dragon. We should go back through the portal and try our luck. There’s a dragon who lurks on Sohino Mountain, and—”

“
C’mon.” I picked her up, and she stumbled forward.

“
Being Immortal isn’t half bad, is it?” she said.

“
Speak for yourself,” I said.

“
Man, all those hormones are making you grumpy.”

“
I never asked to be Immortal. You did.”

“
I know you’ve been through a lot,” she said. “You should go on a reality show.”

I let out a long breath. “How many drinks did you have anyway?”

“
I think you would love a reality show. I mean, you love the spotlight.”

“
What makes you say that?” I asked.

“
You stood in front of all those people and lectured about your paranormal research.”

“
I didn’t do it for attention. I did it to obtain grants so I could fund more expeditions—all to find you.”

She paused, then finally said, “That’s so sweet. You’re the best sister in the world.” Her arms wrapped around me in a tight hug.

“
Sarah, wait!” Victor’s voice called out through the darkness.

I glanced over my shoulder but didn’t see Della and wondered why she’d left.

He caught up to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

“
Where’s Della?”

“
Staying at a nearby inn.”

“
What?” I said. “She told me she needed a place to stay.”

“
I bet she was just yanking your chain,” Liz said, “trying to get a rise out of you.”

“
And she’s your friend?”

“
Not everyone’s perfect,” Liz retorted. “Knowing her, she was just trying to piss you off so Victor would get pissed. She loves to piss off Victor. I think she still harbors a lot of hate for him.” Liz leaned on me, slurring her words. “Trust me, you’ve got nothin’ to worry about.” She then clung to Victor. “Right? Tell my sister how much you love her.”

He met my gaze. “She means more to me than life itself.”

“
And?” Liz asked, motioning him to continue.