To Curse the Darkness (18 page)

Julie sighed. What Damian was asking for—a little reassurance that she knew what she was doing, some small bit of proof that she would come through this all right—was not unreasonable. Too bad she didn't know enough about what Christian had planned to give an answer. She glanced at Christian. “Why don't you explain it?”

“Very well,” Christian agreed. But his nervous manner, the way he paused to lick his lips, the worried glance he cast at Conrad before beginning, did not inspire her with a lot of confidence. “As I'm sure you're all aware, Julie's blood appears to contain unusual antibodies, as well as a large amount of what I now believe are embryonic stem cells—probably a result of the fact that she was turned so young. Of course, I didn't realize that last part until quite recently, but over the last few months, as I've experimented with it, I…” He trailed off, glancing at her for reassurance and blanching just a little as his remarks were met by a chorus of angry snarls.

Julie rolled her eyes, touched and amused by her champions and their macho posturing, until Georgia's distressed whimper reached her ears. Endearing though she found their support, this was probably not the best time for it. “It's okay, Christian,” she said, smiling in what she hoped was an encouraging manner. “Keep going.”

“Yes. Well. As I started to say, when a sample of her blood was combined with a sample from Georgia, in the right way and under the proper circumstances, it cleaned and…and effectively repaired Georgia's blood. All traces of the disease vanished, along with any of the abnormalities that had been present because of it. It did the same with mine too, incidentally. Not that it pertains to this discussion, of course. But, going forward, I hope that might be something we could discuss…”

“That's all very well in theory,” Damian pointed out, “but you still haven't explained what you intend to do. How can we be certain Julie will be safe? What proof do you have she won't be harmed?”

“I'm sure she'll be safe,” Christian answered. “I mean, obviously this has never been attempted before, so I can't know for certain, but I've seen nothing that would indicate she's at all vulnerable to the plague. If she were, I'm convinced she would have contracted it months ago. I just checked her blood again tonight—you can see it for yourself, if you wish. It's as healthy as ever. As for what I intend to do…” He paused, his gaze resting on Georgia, his expression bleak and worried. “My initial plan was to create an antidote using only a small amount of Julie's blood. But as you can all see, Georgia's condition has deteriorated to the point that I'm afraid there's no longer any time for that. She will need to feed soon, and it appears my blood is no longer capable of sustaining her. I believe Julie's might be, however, and it would have the added advantage of being able to heal.” He turned to Julie and gazed at her appealingly. “It's not terribly onerous. All you need do is let her feed from you. Please.”

The room erupted into noise, everyone trying to speak at once.

“Feed from her? No. That's crazy.”

“I forbid it.”

“Do you forget that she's
Invitus
?”

“It's madness. She'll be killed!”

“Or, at the very least she'll be hurt!”

“There has to be another way.”

“Everyone—quiet!” Julie had to shout to be heard. “I already said I'd do it.”

Armand's hand tightened on hers. “
Chérie
, are you sure about this?”

Julie nodded. “It's the right thing to do.”

He hesitated, but only for a moment. “Very well. But if at any point you decide it's too much, or you change your mind, just say the word and I'll stop it at once.”

She shot him a grateful glance as she squeezed his hand. Then she turned to study the others. Christian looked relieved…but not completely convinced; she didn't blame him. They were far from out of the woods at this point. Conrad and Damian wore identically pained expressions. She smiled reassuringly at them. “It'll be okay.”

“You don't know that,” Damian said, his voice cracking a little. “Even Christian admits there's no proof. And there are other dangers you'll be facing as well, besides the plague. She could lose control. You could be hurt.”

“C'mon, D,” she said teasingly. “How am I going to get hurt? With all of you here to watch out for me? There's not a chance of that happening.”

“There's
always
a chance,” he snapped. “She's
Invitus
. Do not make the same mistake I made—that of underestimating any one of them, or the danger they represent. The fact that she appears so weak and helpless means nothing. That's exactly when you should be at your most vigilant, for it only makes her
more
dangerous. We have no idea how she might react to your attempts to help her. It wouldn't take but a moment for things to go wrong. And her venom—” He broke off, shrugging helplessly. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears as he repeated, “You could be hurt,
niña
. In fact, I think it very likely that you
will
be hurt.”

Julie found herself once again on the verge of tears as well. She nodded, smiling shakily. “I know that. And I
am
a little worried about the pain; I won't lie about that. But there are
worse
things in life. Aren't there?” After all, Damian had survived being bitten by an
Invitus—
so had Christian and Nighthawk. If they could do it, so could she.

“Maybe there's a way to mitigate the danger?” Armand said. “As I understand it, the less contact the better. Isn't that so?”

Damian nodded grudgingly. “I suppose.”

“And I don't imagine Georgia needs to feed directly from Julie's veins. What if there's another way for her to receive nourishment?”

“Such as?”

Armand shrugged. “I don't know exactly. Anything that would eliminate the need for direct contact between them. Perhaps a transfusion of some sort.”

Julie nodded. “I thought of that too. But, apparently we can't.”

Christian shook his head. “It would be too much for Georgia in this state. Undiluted, Julie's blood would be too intense. It would likely kill her.”

“A cup then,” Armand suggested. “Or something similar—anything in which to collect Julie's blood. Georgia could drink from that and then there'd be no chance of Julie suffering from either infection or injury.”

“Would that work?” Julie asked Christian.

“It might,” he answered cautiously. “We could always try it and see.”

“I don't know why it wouldn't work,” Damian said. “It sounds like an excellent idea.”

“No!” Conrad said, snarling so savagely that everyone turned to stare at him in surprise. “No cups. I will not hear of it! She will not be bled like…like…” Conrad's voice faded away as he searched for a simile. Still stunned into silence, they all waited for him to continue. Finally he shook his head impatiently. “No. I will not allow it.”

“But why,
querido
? What is your objection? It makes good sense, I think,” Damian pointed out cautiously. “Does it not?”

Julie sighed inwardly. After two days of pushing Conrad for answers, of listening to him talk of days past, of dredging up memories he'd tried hard to put behind him, she could make a pretty good guess as to what the trouble was. Unless she was mistaken, the mention of cups had triggered a memory of his sire.

It was one of Lavinia's particular affectations, or so Conrad had confided. His sire had refused to actually touch those humans she fed upon, considering such contact to be beneath her. Instead, she insisted all her meals be presented to her in one of several golden chalices reserved solely for this purpose.

She would order her unlucky victims to be chained to a wall within her chamber and bled slowly for her enjoyment while she reclined on her gilded chaise with its deep silk cushions, savoring their essence, taking pleasure in their pain and forcing them to watch, to bear witness to the sight of their lives ebbing away, drop by precious drop…

“It's not the same,” Julie whispered. “It's my own choice. No one's forcing me.”

Conrad nodded unhappily. He passed a hand across his eyes. “Yes, of course. You're quite right. I don't know what I was thinking. I withdraw my objection.”

“Okay, great,” Julie said quickly, wanting to get things underway before Conrad had another meltdown, or before anyone else decided to argue. No pain—just thinking about it left her giddy with relief. She was so grateful to Armand for having thought of it that she could have kissed him. The fact that it would also provide more protection from the plague as well—that was an added bonus. Come to think of it, Armand probably deserved more than one kiss.

But that would have to wait until later. She wasn't quite ready to take him back. They still hadn't talked, for one thing. And for another, she continued to be more than a little wigged out about his relationship with her mother. So, yeah, the kissing would definitely have to wait. But once this was over, she hoped they'd be able to find a way to do that and a whole lot more. “So let's get started already. Anyone have a cup handy?”

Chapter Fourteen

In the end, it turned out they could not use a cup after all. As Christian had reminded Julie earlier, vampire physiology was very different from that of humans—a factor she hadn't fully appreciated until now. It was next to impossible to keep her blood flowing long enough to fill a thimble, never mind a cup.

The atmosphere quickly grew tense. Conrad began to pace the floor, quietly growling to himself, while an increasingly frustrated Damian tried to assist Christian in coming up with new ideas.

“I don't understand,” Julie complained as another attempt failed. “Why isn't it working? And don't tell me it's because I'm Vampire, because there has to be more to it than that.”

“I don't know,” Christian answered with a hint of desperation. “It's not a problem I've come across before.”

“Well, how come?” She'd always considered her body's ability to heal quickly an advantage. It had never occurred to her that it could have a downside, but she was getting damned tired of being poked with needles and sliced with scalpels—and all for nothing. At the rate they were going, Georgia would expire long before they could collect even a mouthful.

“I mean, Georgia's fed from
you
, hasn't she? How in the world did you keep her alive all these years if it's always like this?” For that matter, how had Damian managed to save Conrad? How did anyone get turned in the first place if vampires couldn't bleed for any length of time?

And how was it possible that no one had known this would happen? Maybe it
was
just her—not that she was Vampire, but that she was a different kind of vampire. Maybe being “special” had a downside after all.

Christian shrugged helplessly. “It's
not
always like this. I've never had any trouble drawing blood before—either from myself, or from Georgia, or…or from any of us. Although, admittedly, I've never tried drawing so much of it at one time. Usually I haven't needed more than a single syringe. Perhaps it
is
always like this and I never realized it. But, as for feeding—”

“Venom,” Conrad said suddenly, stopping in his tracks. “That's what's missing. When we feed from one another, a certain amount of venom is released into…into our loved ones' bloodstreams. It isn't much, of course, but clearly it's enough. That's what keeps the blood flowing. That's the difference. It must be that.”

“No,” Damian gasped, his face white. “What are you saying? That can't be the answer.”

Conrad shot him an apologetic gaze. “I'm sorry, my dear. I don't like it any better than you do, but think about it. It does make sense.”

“Yes, of course it does!” Christian said excitedly. “Our venom contains anticoagulants. It all makes perfect sense now. Why didn't I think of that before?” He turned to Julie. “I'm sorry. I know you were hoping to avoid it, but I fear there's no other way. You're just going to have to let her feed from you directly.”

“No,” Damian repeated, glaring at both Christian and Conrad. “Unacceptable. Do either of you have the slightest idea what you're suggesting?” He gestured at Georgia. “Just look at her. Look at the state she's in. Have you any idea how caustic her venom must be right now? I tell you, there has to be another way.”

Julie clutched at Armand's arm. “Quick,” she said as she indicated her neck. “Bite me.”

“What?” He stared at her in alarm.

“You heard me. Bite me. Now.”

“Are you certain that's what you want?”

No, of course it wasn't what she wanted. It was pretty much the
last
thing she wanted at the moment, but she nodded just the same. “You heard him. It's the only way.”

“
Chica
!”

Julie turned to Damian. “Well, it is. And I don't know what else you want me to do. There's no time to argue, and if there's another option, I don't know what it might be. Besides, it's got to be better if someone else gets things started. I assume Georgia can take over after that, right? It'll be fine.”

“And that attitude is precisely why I'm worried! You think just because someone else opens your vein, that's going to spare you? Well, it won't. Yes, the first bite is generally the most painful, but it doesn't stop there. The whole ordeal will likely to be agonizing. I know what I'm talking about.”

“I know you do.” Julie's stomach heaved. “And I do believe you. But if someone has a better idea, I haven't heard it.” She glanced around the room hopefully. “Well? Anyone?” This was one time when she'd be delighted to be proved wrong, but no one spoke. “Exactly what I thought.” She turned once again to Armand. “Just do it, okay? Please?”

Armand's lips firmed. Reluctantly, he drew her toward him. As he did, he shot an apologetic glance over her shoulder. Julie could not be sure at whom that glance was directed. Conrad, she supposed. Although it could just as easily be Damian, or even both of them together.

Julie's skin tingled under Armand's touch. As he slid his fingers into her hair, it occurred to her that she really didn't know what to expect. She'd never been turned, never been fed from, never done anything remotely like this before.

Sure, there'd been a nip here and there, teasing nibbles meant to arouse—but those were entirely different. Her breath hitched when Armand tightened his grip and tugged at her hair, but she gave in to the pressure willingly, canting her head to the side and closing her eyes to shut out everything else. Maybe it would be easier if she could pretend there was no one else here, that it was just the two of them and that this was nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe she could even pretend that this was a date of sorts, or a prelude to sex, like some kind of weird vampire foreplay.

After all, they'd been heading that way for months, would probably have gotten there already if she hadn't allowed herself to get distracted—mostly by Brennan. But even then, even when she'd wanted nothing more than to play house with Brennan for as long as he'd let her, there had been this certainty lurking at the back of her mind. She'd always believed that she and Armand would somehow find a way around the myriad of obstacles fate had laid in their path.

That was why his complaints the other night, about needing space and time to think things out, had hurt so badly—not to mention the suggestion that she'd have been better off dead. It had hurt to think that maybe she was the only one who felt this way. The only one who hoped and believed this thing between them was inevitable. Perhaps, to him, she was just the latest in a long, long line of distractions.

One date, that's all they'd managed up until now. And if things went wrong tonight—if Georgia lost control, if Julie's luck gave out and she ended up scarred like Damian, or maimed like Marc—who knew if they'd ever have another one? Of course, that was not the worst that could happen either. If things went really wrong, if the worst of Conrad's fears were realized, she could die and never have the chance to do a whole slew of things. Under those circumstances, it seemed a little trivial to worry about dating, and yet…

Armand's tongue glided over her neck and Julie found herself distracted, absently cataloging the various sensations, following dreamily along as he prepared her for his bite. It was a process she'd been familiar with since childhood, yet it seemed absolutely foreign when experienced from the other side. Numbing the area, mapping her skin, seeking the veins that lay beneath the surface, searching for just the right spot…

Finally, Armand's tongue stilled. Julie held her breath as he laid a gentle kiss against her neck. Then he unsheathed his fangs and bit down swiftly, releasing a flood of venom that rolled through Julie's veins like a rush of liquid fire, lighting her up everywhere inside.

It was a revelation, and it left Julie stunned. She squeezed her eyes tighter, wishing they really were alone, that this wasn't all happening in front of an audience. She hadn't known it would be like this. She couldn't help but wonder if everyone present could sense her arousal.

No wonder we have such an eager, accommodating staff,
she thought
as she gasped in surprise, clutching at Armand's arms for support when her legs threatened to give way.
No wonder people are willing to work for us in exchange for this. No wonder Brennan found it so hard to say no to anyone during his time here. I'd find it hard to say no to this too.

But there was a big difference between her and Brennan—beyond gender and species, of course. A factor she'd never even considered but which, now that she thought about it, separated her from most others of her kind as well. Because unlike practically everyone else she knew, she couldn't imagine doing this with more than one person.

She'd been luckier than she'd known that Armand was here tonight, or that she happened to ask for his help rather than one of the others. She'd picked him because it seemed like that would be the least awkward solution—not to mention the one that would likely involve the least amount of arguing. Now she knew she wouldn't have wanted it to be anyone else. She never wanted there to be anyone else. And she absolutely wanted him to feel the same way about her.

She was practically swooning by the time Armand scooped her up in his arms. “You're certain about this?”

She nodded yes. She'd never been more certain of anything in her life. It was only when he started to carry her across the room that she realized he had not been responding to her unspoken thoughts. He'd been asking whether she still wanted to go through with this attempt at saving Georgia's life.

A thin blade of fear sliced through the pleasant haze of Julie's thoughts. She
had
to go through with it; it was too important not to. But that didn't mean she wasn't afraid.

Armand set her gently on the bed beside Georgia. As she started to roll away from him, his hands clenched on her, as though to stop her, to snatch her back into his arms and carry her away from harm. And, for just an instant, Julie might have let him. Remembering how she'd almost died at Georgia's hands the other night put Julie on the edge of panic. Despite what she'd claimed earlier, she knew Damian had been right. It would only take a moment for things to go dreadfully wrong. But, thankfully, Georgia didn't even appear to have noticed her. She seemed barely conscious.

Julie glanced back at Armand, smiling as reassuringly as she could. “It's okay.”

“Are you certain?”

She nodded. “Just…stay with me?”

“Of course.” The bed dipped a little as he lowered himself onto it. His warm, comforting presence soothed away the last of her fears.

Julie took a deep breath and scooted closer to Georgia. She slid an arm under the older woman's body and then shifted her so that her head was resting on Julie's shoulder, her lips only inches from the puncture marks left by Armand's teeth. A shudder ran through Georgia's frame. Her lips moved and faint sucking noises issued from her throat. But though she clutched at Julie, her hands were too weak to grasp. Julie gazed at her in alarm. Were they already too late? Was she too far gone? Were they really out of options?

A feeling of despair hung heavy in the room. From somewhere behind her, Julie could hear Damian quietly cursing. She gritted her teeth. She could think of only one thing left to try. It was probably stupid, definitely scary and potentially deadly, but she hadn't come this far only to back down now. She lifted one of Georgia's hands, brought it to her lips and bit down hard, giving her a hefty dose of venom, willing a response.

She got one. Georgia sprang to life, jerking and hissing as she pulled her hand free. Then she lunged for Julie's neck. The air was filled with cries of anger and dismay, everyone shouting at once. Damian in particular sounded like he was being gutted with one of his own fencing foils. Christian rushed to Georgia's side, begging her to stop, while Armand threw himself atop Julie in an attempt to shield her with his body as he struggled to push Georgia away.

The cold burn of venom from Georgia's bite flashed through Julie's veins. She could feel her neck being savaged, but pain and shock immobilized her. The press of people all around her left her feeling pummeled. Somewhere in the distance she could hear Armand calling her name, begging her to answer, to say if she was all right, but she couldn't find the right words.

Not yet, she thought desperately; don't stop her yet; she's almost there. She could feel Georgia gaining strength. If they stopped now, it would be too soon. And Julie would never find the courage to do this again. She need only hang on just a little bit longer…

The grumbling, growling sound of severe vampire disapproval reverberated through the room, drowning out everything around it. “Georgia,” Conrad snarled quietly in warning. He didn't raise his voice; he didn't have to. Georgia responded immediately—
everyone
responded immediately, falling silent and still. Even Julie felt as though her blood had slowed in response to her sire's voice, that her heart had settled down to listen.

Georgia keened softly. Her body shivered with need, and Julie could feel the wild hunger that still coursed through her veins. Somehow, Georgia managed to fight back the madness that had claimed her. She tempered her bite and then began to suck in earnest.

Julie's heartbeat returned to normal. She breathed out a sigh of relief as the pain faded first into something more manageable and then into something entirely negligible. She felt her torn flesh beginning to knit itself back together. Eventually, the sting of Georgia's venom became nothing more than a buzzing, electric sensation that vibrated through every cell in Julie's body, awakening memories she never knew she had. As the room quieted and dimmed around her, Julie found herself drifting into the past.

She saw herself arriving at this house for the first time, her gaze eagerly taking in all the sights.