In Darkness We Must Abide (The Fallen King, Episode 8) (2 page)

Was it Armando? Or was it HIM? The nightmare man who haunted her and was coming to destroy all she held dear.

“Armando?” she whispered.

The wild thumping of her heart battled with the beating of the drum in the song pouring through her car speakers.

***

Armando sensed the other vampire was closer to the kill. To overcome Nelly he had expended much of his blood power. He cursed his long absence from human blood. Though he had made certain to gorge himself earlier, his body was still recovering from the long years of abstinence. Animal blood had infused him with enough power to live, but not to be at full strength. Robert, Nelly
’s companion, was younger, and most likely at full power.

Swooping low over the trees, Armando saw Vanora
’s car parked on the side of the road. Before it stood Robert. He was toying with her, scaring her. Like Nelly, Robert liked to play with his food. Obviously, the vampire didn’t realize Nelly had failed in killing Armando.

“
Armando?” Vanora’s voice called out from within the car.

The night wind carried it to him as he fumbled with his pocket.

“Armando?” she said louder.

He found her number and pushed the glowing digits.

She answered in a trembling voice. “Armando?”

“
Drive,” he ordered. “Don’t stop again. Just drive.”

“
Is that you in front of my car?”

Robert
’s white face looked upward.

Armando knew he had been heard and spotted.

“No. Now drive!”

Thrusting the phone into his pocket and dragging the dagger from its sheath, Armando surged forward. Robert darted toward the car, but Armando met him, tackling him. Dirt, rocks, and dry grass bloomed into a thick cloud that enshrouded the two vampires and pelted the windshield. The tires spun as Vanora accelerated and jerked the car back onto the road. Robert shoved off the ground with his elbows and feet, propelling both men through the air and past the car. In mid-air Robert managed to break free, smacked his hand into Armando
’s chest, and sent him careening onto the road. Sprawling on the cold asphalt, Armando rolled to his feet.

“
The woman you love is dead,” Armando hissed through gritted teeth. He knew the power of the words he spoke. Armando knew what they would do if someone spoke the same words to him.

“
No!” Robert shouted from where he hovered in the air. “Nelly!”

“
I killed her!” Armando continued, the silver blade in his hand.

The vampire
’s pale face had dark rivulets running down it when he landed beside Armando. “You fuckin’ bastard.”

“
You didn’t have to carry out Althea’s vengeance.”

Red eyes glowing in the darkness, Robert hissed, his long teeth glinting.

“You could have gone off with Nelly and hidden from Aeron’s wrath.”

“
There is no hiding from his wrath! You know this!” Robert slumped to his knees. “There is no life for us with Aeron in power.” The fight had gone out of the vampire. There was nothing left for the man and they both knew it. Vengeance wasn’t Robert’s style. It was Nelly’s. And she was gone.

“
Leave now and I’ll spare you.”

“
Just make it bloody fast,” Robert grunted. “Make it fast so I can be with her.”

Armando nodded, then struck.

In the aftermath, he abandoned the body turning to ash, took to the air, and called the woman he loved.

“
Armando?”

Her voice brought unexpected tears to his eyes.
“I won’t let them hurt you. Keep driving.”

No one would hurt her. No one in the world. It was a sacred vow. The car was not far ahead and he landed near the side of the road. He wanted to see her face. He needed to see she was safe.

As her car sped past him, he caught sight of her lovely face framed with her white hair.

“
You’re not alone,” he said. “I’m here.”

“
Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

“
I won’t,” he promised, and followed.

* * *

Alert to the possibility of other vampires still in pursuit of Vanora, Armando kept within a few feet of her car at all times. Quick scans of the night revealed a calm, sleeping world. Trees swayed in the frigid winter air as nocturnal animals scampered through the dry grass lining pastures.  It would be another hour or so before Vanora reached the Houston city limits. He had exhausted much of his blood power fighting Nelly, much to his disgust. In the past, he could have fought hundreds of supernaturals without waning. He cursed his years away from human blood and wondered how long it would take for him to fully recover.

Loud music poured out of the small car below him. Shifting about in the air, he could see Vanora tapping her fingers on the steering wheel and occasionally sipping the coffee she had purchased at a gas station. He was gazing at her when he saw her eyes fluttering close and the car slipped off the road onto the shoulder. Instantly, Armando dropped downward. The car skidded to a stop a few feet from a large pecan tree.

Both angry, frightened, and worried, Armando grabbed the car door handle and jerked it open.

Vanora cried out in fright, twisting about in the seat.

“It’s just me,” Armando said guiltily. He hadn’t meant to frighten her, and had acted on impulse. The frightened expression in her lavender eyes instantly made him regret his hastiness.

“
The door was locked,” she stuttered.

“
I’ll pay to have it repaired,” he answered simply. “You frightened me.” He tried very hard not to sound peeved.

“
Yeah, well…” She yawned, covering her mouth quickly with one hand.

Reaching into the car, Armando shoved the gearshift into park.
“I’ll drive.”

Yawning, Vanora nodded and slid from the car. She was a little shaky on her feet and he placed an arm about her shoulders. Though she tensed, Vanora did not pull away. With a slight smile upon his lips, he guided her to the passenger side. Tilting her head, she regarded his face thoughtfully.

“You’re not telling me everything, are you?” It was an accusation he couldn’t truly deny.

“
No, but do I ever?” He gave her his most charming smile. Delight filled him when she blushed. He was completely smitten with her and though he had tried very hard to not begrudge her the right to build a life away from the darkness of the vampire world, he had missed her. The look on her face sent the thrill of foolish hope through him before his pragmatic mind swept it away. Whatever embers of their love remained between them, he knew Vanora would ignore. She was involved with someone else, after all.

Once she was settled into the passenger seat, he buckled her in despite his internal vow not to infringe upon her. The heat of her body radiated out into the cold air, warming him. She smelled delicious. He had drawn too close to her, for she turned her face away.

“Are we still being followed?” she asked.

“
Not anymore. I took care of them.” He withdrew from her warmth and stood beside the car.

“
Who are
they
?”

“
We’ll talk about it later.” Armando shut the door and hurried around to the driver’s seat. Once settled in, he pulled the car back onto the highway.

Exhausted, Vanora tilted her head against the headrest, staring at him through her white lashes.
“Why not now?”

“
You need to sleep.” Exhaustion bruised her eyes. Besides, conversation was his enemy. She wanted to discuss what was happening and he was limited by the power of Aeron’s edict.

“
I don’t want to sleep.” Fear lined her words.

With concern, Armando traced his fingers over her cheek and chin.
“Sleep, Vanora. I’m here. I’ll take care of you.”

“
But I don’t trust you,” she muttered, turning her face away from him.

The words stung, but they weren
’t unexpected. She was powerful, even if her full potential was yet to be realized. Armando knew she could sense his deception, but there was no way to assuage her fears. “Perhaps not in all things, but in this you
must
trust me.”

“
Because of Roman…”

“
Yes.”

“
Because he might die.”

“
Yes.”

Vanora swept her fingers along her heavily-lidded eyes. Her voice was thick with drowsiness. He wished he could make her sleep, but she would sense what he was doing and resist. Instead, he offered her comfort, taking her warm hand in his own.

“Sleep, Vanora,” he said.

To his surprise, she didn
’t argue, but closed her lavender eyes and faded away into the world of dreams.

It was a relief when she fell into a deep slumber. There was so much he wanted to tell her, yet couldn
’t. Frustration ate at him. Vanora was not the type of person to meekly fall in step. She would demand answers that he could not give her even though he desperately wanted to. It was difficult to even know if what he was doing was right anymore. He wanted the Socolis away from Houston and safe before Aeron arrived, yet was that even possible?

Vanora awoke with a start, gasping.

“Are you okay?” Armando asked worriedly.

Rapidly blinking her eyes, she dragged her purse onto her lap and pulled out her glasses.

“Vanora?” Armando

“
I’m okay,” she answered, adjusting her glasses on her face.

“
You’re wearing your glasses.” He suspected she had lost her vision yet again. He knew that her power could blind her, but what did it mean now? Had she experienced some sort of prophetic dream?

“
I have nightmares, and sometimes afterward my vision is...off.” She shoved her trembling fingers into her white hair to massage her scalp. It was obvious she was in some discomfort.

Armando boldly slipped his hand beneath her thick white hair to rub her neck. Her skin was flushed and warm beneath the coolness of his fingers. The tension in her muscles spoke of nightmares.  Slowly, the rigidity of her posture dissipated under his touch.

“Did you just have another nightmare?” For a moment he feared she was dreaming of Aeron. But wouldn’t she say something? Perhaps not. Time and the distance they had placed between them had taken its toll. The night she had left Houston he had never dreamed that even his slightest touch might be an intrusion upon her. After they had made love, he’d honestly thought she would be his to hold and caress. Now each time he touched her, he feared she’d recoil. With dread, he realized if she was dreaming of Aeron, she would not tell him.

Vanora gave him a slight nod, acknowledging the truth.

“About what?” His voice sounded stringent and he hated that fact.

“
Darkness consuming me.” Sliding her gaze toward him, he could see the fear in her lavender eyes.

“
I won’t let that happen.” It was a vow. A sacred vow.

When she pulled away from him and pressed herself against the door, the pain of her rejection drew a desperate sound from his throat. Anger flashed through him. Not at her, but his nature, his curse, his role in Aeron
’s plans, and his helplessness.

“
Armando, what aren’t you telling me?”

Concentrating on the road, Armando floundered in his thoughts to form an answer. What could he say without infringing on Aeron
’s edict? He considered changing the subject of their possible impending deaths to how much he loved her, would do anything to save her, and how she must trust him. Yet, he knew she would be angry with him if he tried to speak of anything other than the threat against her family.

“
Well?” Her voice was demanding and annoyed.

“
Tell me about your other dreams.” Armando inwardly winced, awaiting her wrath.

“
They’re not important.”

The defensiveness in her voice frightened him.
“You’re keeping something from me.” What if she was dreaming of Aeron? What if she knew more than she was sharing with him? He dared to look at her though his eyes felt like fire.

Vanora graced him with a cocky smile. 
“Then I guess we’re even.”

“
This isn’t a game, Vanora. This world is very dangerous.” Now he was angry with her, but how was that fair? They were both keeping secrets, yet their lives depended on them trusting one another.

“
I know that! Why do you think I ran away? I know what you really are. What my brother and sister really are. Remember, I saw it!”

Vanora still feared him. He could sense it to the core of his being. That night haunted him. It had been both glorious and terrible. With frustration, he slammed his hand against the steering wheel. If only he had taken her away that night and never allowed her to see what was in the ballroom.