29

Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.

—Mahatma Gandhi

 

Luke sensed Lorenzo’s men before he saw them standing at a vacant cross street ahead. Several more would follow them. He slowed to a walk. “Listen to me,” he whispered in Savannah’s ear. She nodded, eyes wide. The fright he saw in their emerald depths turned his insides. “There is much I still need to tell you but we are short on time. I am going to give you my blood to drink. You understand, right? There is no other way. These or other vampires will find you. They will use you.”

“I know.”

He set her down, unbuttoned the cuff of the sleeve covering his good arm and rolled it up. Bringing the underside of his wrist to his mouth, he met her gaze and bit down. Blood, sweet and tangy, oozed from a vein. “Here.” He lifted his arm to her mouth.

She gripped his hand and forearm, swallowing as she stared at the broken skin. “I put my mouth there and drink?”

“Yes.” He held back his wrist a bit as she tried to pull it close.

“What is it?” Savannah asked.

“I want you to know I am sorry, for everything,” he said. “And I love you.”

She tightened her hands around his arm, tears pooling in her eyes.

“You need not say anything. I wanted you to understand.” He went quiet as a knot formed in his throat. He was not sure he knew the words to convince her any further.

She pulled his wrist close and rested her lips around the edges of his puncture points. Her eyelids drooped as she drank, a sight more erotic than any he had ever known. A ripple of heat speared through him.

“Enough.” His voice came out gruff, hungry. He did not want her to stop. She pulled away and a blush stole up her neck. Her full lips dripped red.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” One of Lorenzo’s halflings approached, leading five vampires. The dark waves of his hair skimmed his shoulders and his pale blue gaze glowed beneath the dim street lamps. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Luke laughed and pulled Savannah against him. “What would you classify as stupid?”

“You’re outnumbered. Let her come with us and we’ll let you live.” The halfling turned, looked at his companions then grinned at him. “At least for a little longer.”

“And if I refuse?” With a hand, he smoothed over Savannah’s back then around her shoulder, lifting her hair away from her neck.

“We’ll kill you and take her anyway. So what’s it going to be?”

“What are you doing, Luke?” Savannah trembled beneath his touch and he hated the fact they frightened her.

The vampires and halfling surrounded them, their thirst for death suffocating. Luke gripped Savannah’s neck and forced her to face him. “Fight, Savannah. Never give up on your dreams.”

She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stop its quivering. “Where are you going?”

“So brave. Even now, my pet.” He caressed her cheek.

“Touching.” The wavy-haired halfling closed in, his muscles contracting as he readied himself to pounce. “But it’s got to come to an end.”

Luke stood ready for him as he dove toward them. Tucking Savannah into his side, he spun and caught the halfling by his neck, propelling him with his own momentum into a store front. The male crashed into a metal grill, denting it and cracking the glass behind it. Two vampires attacked and he evaded their punches, buying several feet of distance.

Savannah’s heartbeat galloped, her blood swished. Bending his head, he found her jugular with his mouth and let his fangs sink in. She gasped and stiffened within his arms then slowly relaxed. And for one infinitely small moment, she tasted sweet. Pure. Amazing. But soon the burning began.

The others froze in their tracks, watching and waiting, curiosity etched into their faces. Luke drank until the slicing pain radiating from the center of his chest made him dizzy. When he pulled away, his knees crumbled and he hit the cobblestone. Even the cool night air did not provide relief from the searing heat engulfing him. Reaching forward, he collapsed onto his front, and rolled to his back.

“Luke, oh my God. Luke.” Savannah’s face filled his vision as she kneeled beside him, hands roving over his face and body. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He wanted to tell her not to cry, but could not speak. Blood soaked her hands, and he feared she had somehow been hurt, but as red crept across his vision, he realized he bled.

“You stupid vampire.” She shook her head and bent to kiss him. Blood from his mouth stained her lips. “Why?”

With all his strength, he lifted a hand and caressed her jaw. He did not have strength enough to push thoughts into her mind. He could only hope she saw the answer in his eyes, understood he loved her with his entire heart and whatever piece of his damned soul he still retained.

Dropping his hand, he laid his head back. Her change would start soon and with it, hate would come. Pain numbed him, bringing a glorious cold. He felt light and almost human. His eyelids grew heavy. It would soon be over.

“Luke.”

His name caught his attention and he searched out the voice. Broderick bent over him. “You fucking idiot.”

Forever with the insults. Luke coughed an answer but Broderick shook his head and said, “I understand. I’ll take care of her.”

Relief settled in his chest and he let go.

* * * *

“No.” Savannah lay on the cold, wet cobblestones, unable to believe she watched the man she loved disappear into thin air. How cruel, destiny didn’t even leave her a body to mourn.

“It’s okay.” Broderick’s hands gripped her shoulders and she shook them off.

“No, it’s not.” Deep anguish bubbled up within her, rocking her body. Sobs came in a gush, painful in their intensity. “I loved him.” And in the chaos of the moment she hadn’t even remembered to tell him.

“I know. I did too. He was like a brother to me.”

She turned and met Broderick’s gaze. In the gray blue depths of his eyes she could see he meant it.

“I promised him I would take care of you,” he said. “You will go through the change soon and it’s going to be painful.”

“No, she won’t,” Rafe said.

Savannah pushed herself into a sitting position. The Ancient stood beside them. Anger burned through her chest. “You. What are you doing here?” She rose to her feet and pushed at his chest. “This is your fault.”

“No, Savannah.” Broderick shook his head, still squatting over the area where Luke had disintegrated. “If it weren’t for him and Drago, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have had the chance to say goodbye.”

“No, she’s right,” Rafe said. “I didn’t know Luke’s intentions, otherwise I would have warned him. The Blessed don’t change. They can’t.” He turned to face Lorenzo’s men. “Your leader is dead. Leave, unless you want to join him.” As if to further prove his point, he whipped out his arm and all six hit the wall. They scrambled to their feet and ran.

“Wait a minute.” Broderick stood. “What do you mean, they can’t change?”

“Who doesn’t change?” Her head pounded and none of what they said made sense.

“They’re pure and sacred. For those reasons, their blood harms us.” Rafe bent down beside her. “I am sorry for your loss.”

She turned away from him. “What is he talking about, Broderick?”

Broderick placed a hand on her shoulder. “I should have forced Luke to tell you.”

“Tell me what? What does Rafe mean, when he says I can’t change?” she asked him but turned to Rafe for an answer.

“Three hundred and thirty-three seconds.” Rafe leaned against a wall, arms crossed. “Your body ceased to live at one point in your life for this length of time. Enough time for you to reach heaven and return.”

“Your accident changed your blood. Made you a sacred being capable of destroying our race,” Broderick said. “That’s why Lorenzo wanted you.”

Savannah blinked. “My blood.” She recalled the morning her blood burned Luke’s arm. Heat seared her, deep in her chest. “You both knew this entire time? And Luke? He did this on purpose.” Why hadn’t they said anything? Why had Rafe let this happen?

“He thought this the only way,” replied Broderick. “He didn’t know you wouldn’t change. He wanted to tell you but worried about your reaction.”

She looked down, unable to think of a reply

“I must go,” Rafe said as he bent close. “I don’t expect or care for your forgiveness and trust, but I will tell you I didn’t want Luke’s death. He saved my life at the auction and his spirit has given me a renewed sense of purpose. I know what he meant to you. I am sorry this happened.” He walked over to Broderick. “Drago does not concern himself with her, for now. Best to keep it that way for as long as we can. Take her back to Boston. I will ensure her safety. No one will make an attempt on her life. It’s the least I can do.”

Broderick nodded and Rafe left.

Savannah stared at his retreating back. He and another Ancient had saved Broderick from Lorenzo. She was grateful but the hurt from her loss overshadowed everything. What would become of her now?

“In time you may forgive him...you may forgive us.” Broderick lifted an arm and she looked down at her hands. They were still covered in blood. “It’s okay,” he said.

She wiped her palms on the slinky material of her dress then hooked her arm through his, letting him support her. “I want to leave as soon as possible. I don’t want anything to do with vampires or the Blessed or any of this.”

“I understand. There are a few affairs of Luke’s I need to take care of. Can you handle going back to his place?”

She nodded. She wasn’t sure she could handle anything at this point but she needed to shower and the more efficiently she let Broderick work, the faster she’d leave Rome.

At Luke’s apartment, she sat on his living room couch as Broderick combed through a box of Luke’s belongings.

“Luke would have wanted you to take this money. It was part of your contract.”

Savannah shook her head at the check Broderick held. “A contract I never completed. I don’t want any of his money.” She rubbed her arms, unable to chase away the cold. She’d sat under the hot rush of water for nearly an hour and yet the chill still seeped deep into her bones. “I want to go home.” And bury herself beneath a pile of blankets.

Broderick approached and touched her chin, lifted her gaze to his. She didn’t want to face him. Didn’t want to see the sadness that lingered there. “Look at me, Savannah.”

She did as he asked. The knot in her throat threatened to come undone and her stomach flexed. She needed to hold herself together.

“Luke did what he did because you gave him life. He lived through your dreams and hopes.” He lifted the check. “Without this, you might as well throw those dreams away.”

Savannah began to turn away then paused. What a fool she’d been. He had known what would happen. She remembered Luke’s words, his request she fight for her dreams. Damn him. With a sigh she took the check, slipped it into the purse slung across her chest.

The side of Broderick’s mouth lifted in some semblance of a smile. “Good. I know it is difficult now but with time you will learn to dream again.”

She nodded but only because she didn’t have strength to argue.

Broderick drove her to the airport. He didn’t say anything further because there wasn’t anything left to say—at least that’s what she told herself. They parted ways at security and she couldn’t help but feel a load lifted from her shoulders. He was her last connection to the past couple weeks, to Luke.

As she sat in the plane and gazed at her faded reflection in the window, she smoothed the shadows beneath her eyes with a finger. Her face appeared drawn and much older than her twenty-nine years. Flight attendants droned on about life vests and emergency exits but she hardly heard them, nor did she care to. She wished the plane would fall out of the sky or skid off the runway, and those thoughts made her feel guilty. Those around her deserved better than the suicidal ponderings of a wannabe chef. If only a black hole would open up beneath her and suck her in.

“Excuse me, miss. Can I get you a drink?” A bright-eyed blonde smiled at her, showing a row of straight, perfectly white teeth.

Savannah wondered what the woman would say if she asked for blood. She resisted the urge. “I’m fine. Thank you.” Without giving the flight attendant a chance to ask anything else, she turned toward the window and let exhaustion have its way.