Lucas (Immortal Blood) (16 page)

I flinched. “I was at the club,” I sai
d quietly. “But you probably know that, as I’m sure you have eyes and ears everywhere.”

He grinned approvingly.

I continued. “And I was with Lucas.”

“Ah, Lucas.” He shook his head slowly and something unreadable flickered in his eyes. “What a fine young man he is.”

I felt cold sweat starting to run down my spine. My eyes were glued on Jason and traced every move he made, mesmerized.

Slowly, he rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt and I yelped. He had a tattoo on his left arm. And not just any tattoo. It was an exact match of the one I had seen on Lucas. I didn’t need to be a brain surgeon to know what that meant. I knew by now that only a handful of vampires were allowed to have tattoos like that. So I shouldn’t be surprised to see the mark of a master killer on His Evilness’s arm.

He drummed his fingers on the chair. My eyes darted to Dane but I couldn’t read anything from his face. Obviously, Lucas had been much more to Jason than just a normal vampire buddy. Duh, I mocked myself. What did you expect, you idiot! Jason was Lucas’s creator and vampires didn’t exactly run free to make new vampires. They only got to change one, and for some reason Jason had chosen Lucas.

“Yes.” I nodded both to myself and to Jason. “He was fun.”

“And where is he now?” Jason’s eyes drilled into mine.

I blinked and paled even more, if that were possible. “I have absolutely no idea,” I said, staring right into his eyes.

“Is that so?” He moved so fast that no one could do a thing and grabbed Kate’s throat. “That’s not what I heard.” He pressed his fingers into her flesh and a slight stream of blood trickled down her neck. Kate winced.

“Yes,” I said, keeping my eyes strictly away from Kate.

Jason pressed a bit harder and Kate’s head swayed dangerously. Her hands flew to his hands and she tried to struggle free.

“Last chance.” His voice was ice cold.

I glanced at Kate and then Dane. Dane shook his head imperceptibly, but as Jason pressed still harder, making Kate scream, I closed my eyes and whispered, “He’s dead.”

“And you know this because?” Jason’s grip on Kate didn’t ease.

“I killed him,” I sighed, and Dane exhaled, defeated.

Jason dropped Kate and wiped his hands on his jeans seemingly indifferently. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he mocked and stepped closer to Dane. “I knew she’d blow it eventually. You know what this means?”

Dane nodded and closed his eyes for a moment.

“What does this mean?” I whispered, horrified. But I already knew the answer. I just needed to hear it.

Jason turned to me. “Well, dear, have you ever heard the expression ‘an eye for an eye’?”

I backed away, stumbling. My eyes were huge and my lips quivered slightly. I had never been so scared in my life.

“And I’m sure you’re familiar with vampire law by now.” He grinned, revealing his canines. “You took what was mine and now it’s only fair I take something of yours.” He turned his back on me and went to Dane. Dane knelt before him and bent his head. Jason put his hand on his neck and glanced around. “I need a long strong stick and a lighter.” No one moved. He shrugged. “Or I can just break his neck and shove him into the fireplace.” His eyes gleamed dangerously.

“No!” I yelled, terrified. “Take me instead.”

“And why would I settle for you when I can have him?”

“Because I’ll do anything you ask and serve you as long as you want.”

Dane turned fiercely and tried to get up, but Jason pushed him down again. “So you’d be my slave?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“And you’d do exactly as I say?”

I nodded shakily.

Jason looked as if he were considering my offer, but before he answered, a cruel grin twitched on his lips. “I think I could live with that.”

I sighed, relieved
, and rushed to Dane.

“No, Sam,” he murmured in my ear. “You can’t do that.”

“I already did,” I said quietly.

“Master, please,” Dane pleaded, “she wasn’t serious. I could be more useful to you and you know it.”

“I doubt that,” Jason said scornfully.

“No.” Dane shook his head and got up. “There must be a law to stop this.” His eyes darted to the oldest vampires standing nearby, but they all lowered their heads, shaking them quietly.

“You can’t do that!” Dane shouted. He looked beaten, while Jason mainly looked bored.

I touched Dane’s hand softly. “I’m sorry.”

He looked into my eyes and I flinched. There was unbearable desperation in him and I knew he would’ve done anything to get me out of this. Unfortunately, anything was not enough. I had made a promise to Jason and I doubted he would just let me go. Not when his words from the last time we met still haunted me. After all, he had said that I had given him a reason to live another thousand years. He had also said I was magnificent and that he’d be seeing me soon. I glanced at him. Why did I feel he had fooled us all? He gave me his killer smile and I winced.

Dane touched my cheek gently and I almost jumped. I had totally forgotten him and the bizarre situation we were in.

“I will get you out of there. I promise. No matter what happens, I will get you out,” he said, guilt radiating from him.

I nodded. I didn’t believe Dane could help me, as I doubted I’d ever see him again after stepping out of the door, but I couldn’t let him see it. So I put on a brave face and smiled.

He pressed his head on mine. “I love you,” he whispered.

I laughed miserably. “And now you say it. Your timing sucks, you know.”

“I know.” He squeezed me tightly.

Jason walked to the door and turned, snorting. “Are you coming?”

I pulled myself free from Dane and nodded.

Dane couldn’t move. He couldn’t look when I walked to the door and gave my hand to Jason. He vaguely noticed the others saying goodbye to me, but he had lost his tongue. He had lost me and now he would have to find a way to get me back. But what would I become after being with Jason? As far as he knew no one had ever returned from his servitude. Not alive at least.

I glanced at Dane one more time before Jason put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

“From now on, I own you,” he said coarsely.

I trembled but didn’t try to move away. I couldn’t, as I felt nothing. I was numb and that’s the way I should stay if I ever intended to survive in his hands.

“Look at me,” Jason demanded and I met his eyes. He put a finger under my chin. “Say it, and mean what you say.”

I felt my lips move, and I even saw the satisfied grin on his lips, but I had no idea if he bought my words or not. “You own me.”

“Sire.” Jason’s lips twitched.

“You own me, sire,” I said mechanically, and when he pulled me close again I barely noticed his hand sliding onto my lower back and staying there.

Jason helped me to get in a black limousine. From the corner of my eye I thought I had seen Meriel standing in the shadows of the park, but when I looked again I saw nothing. I considered ways to kill myself but dropped the issue quickly. I couldn’t do anything to avoid my damned destiny. If I even lifted a finger against Jason, my loved ones would have to pay, and I couldn’t go there. Glancing suspiciously at him, I crawled as far from him as I could. He settled a mock glare on me before starting to fiddle with his cellphone.

I looked out of the window, and as Jason made no attempt to get closer to me, I let myself fall into my thoughts. I was scared and I had no illusion that Jason would let me go anytime soon, if ever. So I should start accepting the fact I was stuck with him from then on. I didn’t actually hate him. I didn’t like him either. And yes, he scared the crap out of me and I should be really careful not to piss him off. He had a bad temper and I never seemed to know where the line was and when to stop before it was too late. But obviously, if he’d wanted to hurt me he’d have done it already. So what was it that he wanted with me? Gross images started to fill my mind and I almost gagged. I eyed him warily but he kept his eyes on the cell and didn’t seem bothered under my gaze.

I cleared my throat. “So, what should I call you? Jason? Séasan? Sean?” Your Evilness, I added in my mind.

Jason lifted his eyes and looked at me in amusement. “You can call me sire.”

“Seriously?” The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it.

He nodded. “I am your master now, aren’t I?” His eyes twin
kled and I wasn’t sure if he were joking or not, so I settled on nodding slowly. He looked pleased and started to play with the cell again.

“What are you doing?” I asked, curious, and quickly added, “sire,” when I saw his lips twist disapprovingly.

“Organizing,” he shrugged. “There are certain changes that need to be made before we can go home.”

“Like what?” I snapped suspiciously. “Sire.”

“You don’t want to know.” He licked his lips and I saw a glimpse of his fangs. He smiled. “But you could start changing your attitude. Some of my followers might not appreciate the sassy tone when you speak to me.”

I stared at him and he stared back. He was serious, I thought, and I was scared to ask what these followers would do to me if I didn’t show respect to their master.

He narrowed his eyes and moved closer. I held my breath. He was so close. Too close and there was nowhere to run. My back was pressing against the door and I felt the cold window touching my neck. I closed my eyes and dug my nails into my palms. I will not cry; no matter what happens, I will not cry, I repeated silently. He touched my lips. I trembled.

“My beautiful Samantha,” he sighed and let his hand rest on my cheek. “You have nothing to worry about.”

I opened my eyes and was sure he could see all my emotions in them. His face was so close I could feel his breath on my skin. He’s gonna kiss me, I thought in horror and blinked. But Jason moved a bit and his lips touched my cheek lightly.

“No one’s going to hurt you, love,” he whispered.

“Not even you?” I whispered back and couldn’t stop the tears. It had been an awful day and I wasn’t sure I could take any more.

Jason didn’t answer. Instead, he wiped my tears away gently.

“Jason,” I breathed, “what will happen to me?”

He didn’t bother to ask me to say ‘sire’ this time. He moved a little further away and met my eyes. “I don’t know.”

I swallowed. If he didn’t know then who would? “Am I going to die?”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but not because of me. Look, you did kill Lucas and I had trained him for over twenty years. Yes, I know it’s not much compared to the time I’ve lived, but I chose him to be my protégé and I had plans for his future.”

“And now?”

“And now I have you.” He grinned and moved back to his corner.

“Will I become your protégée?” I asked shakily.

He shrugged. “Would you want that?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I’m not even sure what that means.”

He gave me a weird look and before he spoke I was sure he wasn’t going to give me the whole truth. Could I do whatever he wanted? Did I have a choice? And what if he asked me to be his lover? He was way older than me. Ok
ay, he looked about twenty-fiveish, but still. No matter what he might think of me, I was not easy. Yes, I had slipped with Lucas, but that didn’t mean I was free game.

“My protégée is my shadow.” His eyes darkened. “My right hand, who will do whatever I say without asking questions.”

“Okay,” I said unsurely. “Would I have to kill?”

He nodded slowly.

“And feed?” My voice was barely a whisper.

He nodded again.

“And be with you?” I swallowed. “As if we were together-together?”

“Only if you want.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then I’ll think of something else for you.” He looked displeased at the thought I would decline him. “But I strongly advise you to take my offer.”

I looked deep into his dark eyes. Could I say yes? And if I said yes would it break me and turn me completely into something else? Something that would be too repulsive for Dane? But what choice did I have? Jason was offering me a place next to him and I was sure the other option wouldn’t be that generous.

“Can I think about this?” I asked finally.

He laughed and glanced at his watch. “You have twenty-two minutes and after that we’re not alone.”

“What!” I cried. “But that’s not enough!”

“Let’s make it five then.” All the gentleness I had seen in him had disappeared and the predator was lifting its head again. He leaned closer. “What’s it going to be, love? Will you walk next to me or behind me?”

“Next to you,” I blurted out quickly.

He took my hand and kissed it lightly. “That’s what I thought.” He knocked on the hatch and ordered the driver to speed up.

My hand was still in his and he wrapped his fingers around mine. My mind screamed, but there was nowhere to run, so I forced myself to sit still.