Survive the Dawn (35 page)

Blood poured from
Kasandra’s
mortal wound as Leigh drove it home. However,
Kasandra
smiled and reached up to wrap her hands around Leigh’s, aiding her to push the dagger deeper.

Leigh was stymied; she cocked her head. “Hmm, this scene is oddly reminiscent of someone else,” she whispered and watched
Kasandra
die. It then dawned on her. “Ah, yes. Marcus Windham. Another old fool who was troublesome. Now, elder, die as he did.”

Kasandra
was already dead when Leigh withdrew the
athame
. Her ashes lay at Leigh’s feet. Leigh looked down at the remains. “You could have at least put up a better fight. I expected more from an elderly elder. Now to find Sebastian.” She dusted off her hands and replaced the
athame
back in her cape. “Sebastian?” she called out as she stepped over
Kasandra’s
ashes. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

Chapter 31

Sebastian sat forward and felt the shift throughout her being. This was something she had never experienced in her existence as a vampire. She had felt the surge of power, the transformation in her body when her rage grew. This was different. There was an inner pull, the feeling of knowing something was about to, or in fact, did happen.

Her first thought was of Alex. She needed to get back to England; she was too far away from her if something happened. She prayed to any god who would listen that
Gaylen
was watching over her.

She rose from the chair and felt light-headed for an instant. Then a vision flashed through her mind. It was
Kasandra
, not Alex.

“
Kasandra
,” she said and ran out of the room.

Sebastian stooped and ran her fingers through
Kasandra’s
ashes. Visions slammed through her mind. Leigh was here, she thought. The vision of Leigh with a dagger, of them arguing, of Leigh plunging the dagger into
Kasandra
, as Damien delivered the final blow to Tatiana. Her rage started; she felt it deep within.

As she stood, her muscles expanded and she felt every bone in her body creak as if they were growing. She looked down at her hands and arms—they became more muscular. Energy ripped through her, she could smell the electricity in the air.

“I will send them all to hell,” she yelled out and flew off the balcony and into the pre-dawn hours.

Sebastian flew at the door, sending it flying off its hinges. She looked up to see
Daciana
at the top of the staircase. “What are you doing in
Nicholae’s
house,
Daciana
?” Sebastian called up.

Hearing the growl coming from Sebastian had
Daciana
walking backward up the stairs. “What are you doing here, Sebastian? Are you insane?
Nicholae
and Leigh will—”

Sebastian walked toward the staircase. “She killed
Kasandra
, you fool,” Sebastian said with a snarl.

“No. Why would she kill
Kasandra
?”

“Because she’s insane,” Sebastian yelled. “This will all be over right now.”

Daciana
hesitated; Sebastian heard her thoughts. “Yes, you should be afraid of Leigh. If she’ll kill
Kasandra
, who is an elder, what do you think she would do to you or Marcellus?” Sebastian’s anger grew. “What in the devil were you thinking? Bringing her back from hell?”

“Sebastian.”
Daciana
recovered and descended the stairs to meet her. “Go, please. This is what they want. Don’t be a fool. You have been given Tatiana’s power. Use it wisely.” She stopped and nervously looked around. “Think of what you’re doing. You have to go back to England. You have to help that mortal of yours finish what you started. Go before it’s too late. I beg you.”

Sebastian laughed rudely. “Always looking out for number one, eh,
Daciana
?” However, Sebastian heard the truth in her words. She thought of Alex, of her being there with only
Gaylen
to protect her.

“If Leigh finds out where your mortal is, you must get there first.”

Sebastian felt the rage subside. “You and Marcellus are the only ones left. Don’t be fooled by thinking
Nicholae
would not destroy either of you in the blink of an eye. Tell them. Tell them all. I will destroy them. If they want war, they will have it.”

In the next instance, Sebastian was gone and
Daciana
slumped down onto the stair.

Sebastian took the vial of blood out of the leather pouch and drained its contents. She closed her eyes and felt the serum coursing through her veins. As usual, the rush was palpable. Though she was calm now, she still felt the anger for Leigh and
Nicholae
, for their useless bloodshed and destruction. She threw the empty vial and shattered it against the rubble of Tatiana’s estate. “We are vampires, after all.”

“Ah, Sebastian, darling. You finally get it.”

Sebastian felt the serum racing through her as she turned. “Leigh,” she said. “It’s good to see you again.”

“I doubt that very much.” Leigh walked out from behind the columns of burnt timber. “I love what you did to the place.”

Sebastian stood her ground and noticed Leigh had not changed much at all. Then she looked into her eyes. They were no longer the sensual blue she remembered; they were black as coal. The eyes of hell, Sebastian thought. “What happened with
Kasandra
?”

“She’s dead.” She gave Sebastian a curious look. “Ya know? She went the way of the dodo?” When she saw the angry look, she laughed. “Oh, all right. I’m sorry I compared her with an extinct bird. You’re so touchy. I miss the old Sebastian. Remember Paris?” She pushed the hood away from her head and looked around, not waiting for an answer. “I remember the first time I met Tatiana was in this very spot. She was a magnificent creature.”

“Yes, she was. And
Nicholae
destroyed her and this.” Sebastian waved her arm around.

“Yes, he did. And he will destroy so much more,” Leigh said and grinned. “That’s why I’m here. You sent me far into hell, Sebastian.”

“Not far enough, it seems.”

“Hmm, funny. You don’t seem taken aback at this. Being resurrected isn’t an everyday occurrence. Why are you not surprised? Or have you such power now that nothing fazes you?” She moved to her right, staying a good twenty feet from Sebastian.

Sebastian knew she was being stalked and welcomed this game. “I knew what
Nicholae
had planned. I had two choices when I came back here. Stop you or retrieve Tatiana’s box. I tried to do both, but there is only so much a vampire can do.”

Leigh laughed and nodded. “I hear ya.” She continued walking around Sebastian slowly. “You know why I was brought back, don’t you?”

Sebastian nodded and followed her. “To take
Nicholae
back with you and this time stay there.”

Leigh stopped and Sebastian saw the anger in her dark eyes. “My memory ain’t what it used to be, darling. But little by little, things are coming back to me. I remember much from long, long ago. However, the recent past is somewhat sketchy. Perhaps it was the brutal way in which I was destroyed. It probably scared the memory right out of me.”

“It’s a shame you remembered your way back.”

Leigh laughed. “Oh, how I wish we were on the same side. With your power and my—”

“Insanity?”

“No, darling, that’s not quite what I was thinking. But it doesn’t matter. We are at odds. We’re now truly enemies. And you know what they say? Keep your friends close—”

“And your enemies closer,” Sebastian said. “It’s a good idea to keep your adversaries close.”

“And I plan on
stickin
’ to you like white on rice.”

“What’s to stop me from destroying you right now?”

“Darling, if you wanted to, I’d be dead again already. Besides,” she said, and in the next instance, she was gone.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow as she looked into the dark. “Very good, Leigh,” she said to the air. “A little something you brought back with you?”

Leigh’s laughter filled the silence of the pre-dawn. Sebastian looked to the east over the Carpathian Mountains and grinned. “Come on, Leigh. We’re wasting time. And you’re running out of the night.”

Leigh appeared again, this time on the precipice where Sebastian stood not too long ago. Sebastian, not to be outdone, jumped and landed several feet behind Leigh, who clapped her hands; Sebastian bowed.

“We’re both running out of time,” Leigh said in a superior tone and bared her fangs when Sebastian laughed.

“Sebastian, I’ll destroy you without destroying you,” Leigh said in a warning voice. “Now we both need to get away from the dawn, darling.” She motioned to the east and the faint glimpse of sunrise.

“That’s where you’re wrong, darling.” Sebastian pulled her collar up around her neck. “You’ll try your damnedest to destroy me, Leigh, on whatever level you choose. But here is a big difference. You’ll have to do it in the dark of night. I have found a way to survive the dawn, my pet.”

Leigh glanced nervously behind her as the sun started to rise. “This is not a game of chicken. We’ll both be destroyed and what fun will that be?”

Sebastian said nothing; she whistled happily and looked at her wrist. “Almost dawn.”

Though the sun was not over the mountaintops, Leigh felt her back begin to warm. “I know you long for your humanity, but we’re still vampires, darling. We can’t—”

Sebastian saw the recognition dawn on her. “I see your memory is coming back.”

“The fucking serum,” Leigh said with a snarl as her fangs protruded. She felt the heat of the sun on her back.

“Yes, the fucking serum. You’d best get your memory back. To be done in by the sunlight twice in one existence would be very careless on your part.” Sebastian pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on. “Don’t forget to write.”

Leigh snarled and hissed as she cringed from the sun. “This is not over.”

Screaming all the way, Leigh dove off the precipice and flew out of sight.

“Bat brain,” Sebastian said.

Although Leigh was nowhere in sight, Sebastian knew she would always be there. Instantly, she thought of Alex; Sebastian knew Alex was Leigh’s next target. The thought of it sent a chill through her. She knew she needed Alex with her; it was the only way to ensure her safety.

Now the question: Does Alex feel the same?

Chapter 32

“What is this place,
Gaylen
?” Alex asked as she looked at what looked like the charred remains of a home. It instantly reminded her of Marcus Windham and how he died and how Windham Research burned to the ground at Leigh’s hand. She shivered and pulled the collar of her sweater around her neck.

“This was Tatiana’s home, Alex. Sebastian’s instructions were to bring you here. It was time, she told me.”
Gaylen
gave the night a curious glance. “I sincerely hope Leigh is nowhere to be found.”

“Time for what?” Alex asked as she too looked around.

“Time for you to know everything.”

They whirled around when they heard Sebastian’s voice. She walked out of the shadow of the burnt timbers and stood in the moonlight.

Alex swallowed convulsively and took a step forward, then quelled the urge to run to Sebastian. “You’re safe,” she said, trying to see through the tears that flooded her vision.

“I’m fine, Alex,” Sebastian said. “There’s much we need to discuss but not here.” She tore her gaze away from Alex. “
Gaylen
, as I told you, Leigh is back. I don’t trust the night. Both of you, come with me.”