Survive the Dawn (16 page)

Sebastian smirked and walked up to her. “No, no mortals anymore, Kendra.”

She stood in front of her and reached in, running the back of her hand against Kendra’s heaving breast. Kendra let out a low guttural moan and arched into Sebastian’s caress.

With lightning quickness, Sebastian easily had the satin blouse opened and the white chemise pulled down, exposing Kendra’s beautiful dark skin and firm breasts. She reached in and cupped her breasts, gently squeezing and kneading until her nipples were erect and hard. Only then did Sebastian lower her head to feast.

Kendra hissed and pulled her head close to her breast. Sebastian roughly kneaded and pinched, her tongue hungrily lapping across the hard peaks. With a low growl, she ripped the chemise away from Kendra’s body, and in one quick move, she stripped the clothes away.

“Yes,” Kendra cried out, her fangs protruding, her green eyes illuminating in the dark night. “Take me now, Sebastian.”

“When I am ready.” Sebastian pulled her into her arms, kissing her deeply, her tongue snaking past her sharp teeth and into her mouth. Her hands possessively roamed over Kendra’s smooth skin.

Kendra reached in to unbutton Sebastian’s black silk shirt. Sebastian easily pushed her hands away. Kendra submissively stood while Sebastian’s gaze raked over her body. She kissed her again, her lips traveling down her chin to her neck to her shoulder. Her fangs protruded as she licked her lips.

In a flash, Kendra was on her back in the hay. With one hand, Sebastian held Kendra’s hands over her head. With the other, she slipped to her breast and toyed with her hard nipple until Kendra arched her back. “Sebastian!”

Sebastian said nothing as her fingers slid down her body, past her breasts to her hips. She pressed her body against Kendra’s and kissed her once more, feeling Kendra’s body tremble. Her hand easily slipped between her legs, her fingers gathering Kendra’s wetness. She let out another growl and bared her fangs. “Mine,” she whispered.

“Yes, damn you,” Kendra growled and turned her neck to offer herself to Sebastian, only Sebastian.

She let out a deep groan when Sebastian sank her fangs deep into her shoulder. Kendra cried out, her body shook as Sebastian fed. She then entered Kendra, and once again, Kendra cried out and ground her hips around Sebastian’s fingers; Sebastian thrust deeper, harder and felt Kendra’s orgasm start.

Sebastian was brought back to the present when she heard Kendra’s soft laugh.

Kendra’s eyes grew wide. “Reading my mind, Sebastian?”

Sebastian felt her hunger welling up deep inside. As her fangs grew, she fought the urge from along ago.

She did not answer Kendra, who now stood in front of her. “We can have it again. I can see in your eyes you remember.”

“I remember. It was long ago,” Sebastian said in a low voice. “Much has happened since.”

Kendra narrowed her eyes and searched Sebastian’s face. “Yes, much.” She sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Will you sire her?” When Sebastian said nothing, she continued. “Is it Anastasia all over again?”

“That too was long ago, and no,” Sebastian said evenly. “It’s not.”

Kendra let out a deep sigh and stood toe to toe with her. “I don’t envy your position. In love with another mortal, one who is truly your savior now and you must decide. If you turn her, will she be as Anastasia and despise you as she did? Or will your mortal love you for eternity?”

Sebastian scowled deeply as she watched Kendra but said nothing.

Kendra reached up and touched Sebastian’s cheek. Her hand trailed down to her neck, then lightly traced her ear. Her caress grew stronger as she slipped her hand behind Sebastian’s neck and pulled her close.

Sebastian looked into Kendra’s eyes. She saw the desire, the primal want and pinned both hands above her head as she backed her against the wall of the catacomb. She heard Kendra’s gasp of surprise and need, then Kendra flashed a wide seductive smile as Sebastian’s body pressed against hers.

“Do not toy with me, Kendra,” Sebastian said in a low voice.

“You used to like it when I toyed with you,” Kendra said. “You must decide. The mortal has made you weak. Your strength was, and is, from Tatiana.”

Sebastian let her go and stepped back but said nothing. Kendra turned and walked away, then looked back. “We are vampires, after all. We take from them, we feed from them. We can live among them, but we cannot be human.”

Sebastian watched her as she walked down the damp corridor and out of sight. She looked down at the ring on her finger. We are vampires, after all, she thought.

Alex looked up from her work and noticed
Gaylen
toying with the Bunsen burner. He was grinning evilly as he held the test tube over the low flame.

She walked up to him and turned off the gas. “You’re like a child.”

Gaylen
laughed and set the test tube down; Alex shook her head. It was then she noticed a notebook lying on the counter. Against her better judgment, she picked it up and leafed through it, completely curious.

She scanned the handwritten pages, noticing the chemical equations and the notes scribbled on the side margins. Then she saw the words: stronger, faster. She leafed through more pages when
Gaylen
cleared his throat.

For some reason, Alex took this as her cue and set the notebook down. “Stop playing,
Gaylen
,” she scolded. She picked up the test tube and emptied it into the sink.

Kendra walked into the lab. “How are you getting along?”

Alex glanced at
Gaylen
, who gave her a look that Alex was sure she was supposed to know, but had no idea what he was thinking. It was at times like this she wished she had Sebastian’s powers.

“It’s going well, but I’m just getting started,” Alex said and walked back to her station.

Kendra stood next to her. “May I?”

“Of course.”

Kendra looked through the microscope, then backed away. “Amazing. It truly is in your blood. It’s quite extraordinary, really.”

“Yes, it is.” Alex looked beyond Kendra to see Sebastian as she walked into the lab. She was scowling, as usual. Alex absently looked from Kendra to Sebastian.

For a moment, Sebastian locked eyes with Alex. Alex saw so many emotions in those sexy hazel eyes—from lust to love to sadness.

She noticed Sebastian kept her distance while Kendra continued to peer through the microscope. “Sebastian, why don’t you and
Gaylen
go off and play while Alex and I work?”

“Tell me about the Irishman you contacted,” Sebastian said and leaned against the counter.

Kendra cocked her head and glared at
Gaylen
, who shrugged. “
Gaylen
, you’ve been talking out of school.”

“I had no idea it was a secret, darling,”
Gaylen
said in bored fashion. He picked up a clipboard, which Alex took back and patted his hand.

“It’s no secret. His name is Timothy Kerrigan. He’s a respected historian and knows a great deal of our kind and many others from what he said. He gave me a spell of sorts to keep unwanted, shall we say, visitors, from my laboratory. It’s worked so far, but apparently, it doesn’t work on you.” She was looking at Sebastian.

Alex heard the tone of admiration in Kendra’s voice and quelled the urged to belt her with the clipboard. She continued with her work.

“Where does he live?” Sebastian asked, still standing well away from the rest of them.

“The west of Ireland. Some obscure hovel, I believe, in the middle of nowhere. He’s either there or some monastery.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “He’s a priest?”

Kendra laughed. “No, darling. He’s far from a priest. He visits a gaggle of nuns from time to time. I’m not sure why. The Irish are a strange breed, not unlike us. At least Mr. Kerrigan.”

“I want to meet with this fellow.”

Kendra didn’t attempt to hide her surprise. “Really? Now why would you want to go across the Irish Sea? Are you in need of a spell?”

“No, I’m in need of information.”

“Information on what?”

“My, Kendra, you are full of questions,”
Gaylen
said with a grin.

“My only thought, dear
Gaylen
, is to help Sebastian,” Kendra said.

Alex coughed as she studied her work.

“I appreciate your assistance, Kendra—”

“I can tell you where he lives,” Kendra said.

Sebastian grinned and walked across the room. “You already have.”

Alex looked up and took off her glasses when Sebastian stood next to her. “Reading minds again, sweetie?”

Behind her, Alex saw Kendra quietly seething. Sebastian pulled Alex into her arms, which surprised Alex. She didn’t expect this gesture from Sebastian, especially in front of anyone. What are you doing? she thought when she saw the lustful look in Sebastian’s eyes.

“
Gaylen
?” Sebastian said, never taking her eyes off Alex. “You will see to it that Alex is not disturbed by anyone while I’m gone.”

“Are you asking me or telling me?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Of course I will.”

“Wait a minute.” Alex tried to get some distance between her and Sebastian. She didn’t like the sound of this. “I’m not going with you?”

Sebastian held her tight and shook her head. “No, love. You have work to do, so do I.
Gaylen
will take care of you.” She then looked at
Gaylen
, who nodded.

Sebastian looked down at Alex. “You’ll be safe here. Stay with
Gaylen
until I return.”

“I can take care of myself, Sebastian.”

“You will stay with Gay.”

Gaylen
smiled. “We’ll have a sleepover, Alex, and make popcorn and watch Judy Garland movies and—”

Sebastian looked at
Gaylen
, who laughed and held up his hand. “I promise.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”
Gaylen
rolled his eyes.

Alex reluctantly conceded. “Fine. I’ll stay with
Gaylen
.”

“Thank you,” Sebastian said.

Sebastian then kissed Alex. It was not a sweet goodbye kiss. Alex felt a great deal of possession behind this kiss. When she pulled back, she saw that look in Sebastian’s eyes.

“Well.”
Gaylen
cleared his throat.

Kendra spoke for the first time, “I’m sure you’ll find Timothy Kerrigan and get your information. I, too, will work with Alex and see that nothing happens to her, Sebastian.”

Sebastian nodded and took Alex by the hand, leading her out of the lab. As they walked down the corridor, Alex stopped.

“Why the sudden urgency to leave? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I need to do this quickly. Time is of the essence and I need to find Nina. Perhaps this Kerrigan fellow can help. Mr. Scanlon seemed to think so and I—”

“And what?”

“I have a feeling, I can’t explain. I think this fellow will be a wealth of information.”

Chapter 14

Sebastian stood outside St.
Brigid’s
Monastery in Ireland and shook her head. Hallowed ground, Sebastian thought miserably, so many rules to being a vampire. She had read Kendra’s mind and contacted Mr. Scanlon again, so she knew exactly where to find the historian Timothy Kerrigan. She had hoped to meet him someplace other than a blessed church.