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Wrapped within the embrace of Serenity’s arms, surrounded by her scent, the taste of her on his tongue, Sebastian at first missed the unmistakable aroma of spilled blood in the air. Beneath the aromatic fragrance seeped something else. Something rotten.
They lay curled together on a bed of soft towels on the bathroom floor, bundled after their lovemaking. Sebastian lifted his face from the warm crook of Serenity’s neck, his body stiff with tension.
“What’s wrong?” Serenity hissed, her own body stance instantly matching his.
Despite their involvement in each other, neither had forgotten the danger threatening them.
“Wait here,” he said, jumping to his feet and throwing his clothes back on. “Something’s happened outside.”
“Oh God, it’s him, isn’t it?”
Sebastian nodded, “Lock these doors after me. Stay in the bedroom with Elizabeth. Don’t come out until I come back.” Serenity opened her mouth to speak, her face a mask of concern, but Sebastian cut her off. “Don’t worry. I will come back.”
Serenity stood on tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. “Be careful.”
Sebastian returned the kiss, pressing her hard against him before forcing himself to release her. He gave her a tight smile and whisked from the room.
Using his speed, he raced down the stairs. He burst through the front door but forced himself to stop to lock the door behind him, hoping to give Serenity and Elizabeth that small-added protection. His feet barely made a sound on the gravel as he flew across the driveway and vaulted over the high stone wall.
Sebastian landed on his feet on the sidewalk, silent and alert.
Before him, two cop cars were parked at the curb. One of the vehicle doors stood open, spilling the stench of blood from the vehicle’s innards. The power of the smell hit Sebastian like a tidal wave, almost bringing him to his knees. His jaw morphed and protruded, his fangs elongated, protruding from his upper lip. Sebastian couldn’t see himself but he knew his eyes would be burning yellow in the darkness.
Forcing down his natural instincts, he approached the car emitting the worst of the stench.
The inside of the car was a slaughterhouse. Two cops still sat in their seats, obviously apprehended so fast they’d not even had the chance to pull their weapons or climb from the car. Across their laps, another man, wearing plain clothes but with a holster around his waist, lay with his throat torn out. Blood smeared the man’s face, his eyes wide open, his mouth contorted in a scream of horror. More blood soaked into the fabric of the seats and had spilled in the foot well. If Sebastian had stepped into an abattoir, he’d have seen less blood.
Sebastian guessed the third man had arrived in the second vehicle. He must have been checking on the other two men when Jackson attacked.
Yet, something wasn’t right.
Sebastian stepped back, trying to take in the scene with new eyes. The plain-clothed police officer’s gun was discarded on the curb and the scent of Jackson’s rotten blood lingered beneath that of the cops.
How had this other officer managed to pull his weapon before Jackson killed him?
If Jackson had wanted the man dead immediately, he would have slain him. The plain clothed policeman had been kept alive for a reason—at least long enough to get his weapon pulled and a shot fired.
Who was this man? Sebastian wondered. What had Jackson wanted from him?
Sebastian growled and slammed the palms of his hands against the car roof, the metallic clang ricocheting in the still night.
This would only bring trouble. Three dead policemen outside his front door weren’t going to be a good thing.
Again, the stench of Jackson’s blood, combined with the acrid tang of gun powder, wafted over him. The monster had been hurt again; the officer’s shot must have made contact. His injury had its benefits. Jackson would need to recuperate, buying them some time.
Whatever happened now, he needed to get Serenity and Elizabeth away from the house. The dead officers would quickly be tracked down and the police would pull Serenity in for yet more questions. The fact the monster had managed to murder armed men, yet left Serenity unharmed, would raise their suspicions. They’d think Serenity to be involved, that she was protecting Jackson or had something to do with the men’s deaths.
Not wasting any more time, Sebastian turned from the crime scene. From a crouch, he sprung at the tall wall surrounding his property, alighting briefly on the top before jumping to the ground. He raced back to the room Serenity and Elizabeth were locked in.
“It’s me,” he called through the thick wood. “Open up.”
Movement came from the other side and Serenity’s face appeared in the gap, peering out.
“He’s not here,” he said. “One of the police officers shot him again and he’s run off. But we’ve got three dead cops outside and can’t stay here. The rest of the force will be here any minute.”
She opened the door fully and threw a glance back at their daughter, still asleep on the bed.
“What are we going to do?” she asked. “Where are we going to go?”
He chewed on his lower lip, “I’m not sure yet, but we need to get away from here. Away from Los Angeles.”
“I’m not going to run,” she said. “I can’t keep running. Not from him.”
“That’s a crazy thing to say,” he said. “What about Elizabeth? You’re putting her safety at risk.”
“Seems to me Elizabeth is Jackson’s one weakness.”
Sebastian frowned. “What do you mean?”
“When she came down the stairs and Jackson was all over me, he grabbed his head and started yelling ‘what is it?’ And then he backed right out of here.”
“Then we need to go somewhere where we’re on an equal footing. If I can’t kill him before the sun comes up, both of you will be in danger again. I can’t spend another whole day asleep when you could both be murdered,” said Sebastian, after he stored the nugget of information.
“What can we do?”
His thoughts went back to the caves and tunnels where he’d lived in Turkey—to the absolute darkness and impenetrable sunshine. If he could get Jackson to Goreme, Jackson wouldn’t stand a chance. The only thing the monster held over him was his ability to walk in the light. In that domain, Jackson would have nothing.
In reality, he couldn’t just put them all on a plane and head to Turkey. His mind whirred. Surely there must be somewhere close he could take them? Somewhere he could hide Serenity and Elizabeth and be able to take on Jackson on a level footing?
An idea, a possibility came to mind. The Angeles Forest used to be mined for gold, though the mines were long since abandoned. The dangerous ones had been sealed up by the Forestry department, but the ones considered safe were often roamed by hikers. They would be safe enough for Serenity and Elizabeth to hide in, but deep enough to prevent the appearance of the sun affecting him, forcing him to withdraw and leave them vulnerable.
Come the day, the place would attract hikers, but Sebastian hoped this thing wouldn’t take that long. Jackson was strong, fast and increasingly smart, but Sebastian had two hundred years on him and, with the sun taken out of the equation, he was sure it wouldn’t take long to outsmart and outfight the hideous Jackson.
But the plan meant taking them both to somewhere potentially dangerous for them, and not just because of Jackson’s proximity. He didn’t know if they would be forced to go deeper than where the normal tourists roamed.
He wished he could get Jackson down to the mines without taking Serenity and Elizabeth with him. But Jackson wanted Serenity.
If Serenity wasn’t with him, Jackson wouldn’t be there either.
This felt like he was using her as bait.
Maybe he could convince Serenity to leave Elizabeth somewhere—with her friends? But if Elizabeth was the thing protecting Serenity—the thing that had stopped Jackson from slaughtering her—he didn’t want to risk them being separated.
“I need to take you both where the sunlight isn’t going to affect me. When the sun rises, you need to be somewhere safe, somewhere I can protect you. We need to even the tables.”
She was naturally cautious. “Where?”
“In the abandoned mines in the Angeles Forest.”
Her face blanched.
“A few of them are opened to hikers now. They’re safe.”
She looked up at him, her dark eyes large and fathomless.
“I trust you,” she said. “Whatever you think we need to do to stop Jackson once and for all, I am behind you.”
Her trust hurt him in some deep, inexplicable way. Her life, and that of their daughter, was in his hands.
“Serenity...” he started to say, suddenly unsure of himself, but a shake of her head stopped him.
“I can’t explain how having you back in my life has made me feel,” she said. “It’s as though something has been missing this whole time. Now you’re here, I’m better. I’m calmer; I’m stronger. My heart isn’t searching anymore.”
He bent his head, her words resonating with his own emotions.
“You are strong,” he said, quietly. “Look at everything you’ve done, everything you’ve coped with your whole life. You’re stronger than I’ll ever be.”
Tears filled her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
“So what now?” she asked. “When do we leave?”
“Now,” he said. “It needs to be tonight. I can’t risk leaving you both alone for another day.”
These weren’t romantic words. He was being practical. The thought of spending another whole day expecting Jackson to show up while he slept on, helpless, was terrifying.
“So you need Jackson to come for us once we’re in the tunnels?” she said. “You need us as bait to draw him to you?” Sebastian nodded, unable to vocalize the brutality of his plan. “How will he know where to find us?”
“He needs to follow our trail.”
“Jeez, when I said about us being used as bait, I didn’t think I’d end up feeling like a piece of dragged meat.”
He cast his eyes down, “I don’t know any other way.”
“So you’re going to have to wave me under his nose and then run?”
“I’m a fast runner.”
“Yeah, I know, but carrying both me and Elizabeth? Are you sure you’re still going to be faster than Jackson?”
“I’m hundreds of years older than he is,” he growled. “I’ll be faster.”
“You’d better be,” she warned.
“My love for you is stronger than his hatred—that’s enough to make me faster.”
“His hatred brought him back from the dead.”
They locked eyes, frozen in the moment, of the dangers of their situation.
“I don’t know any other way, Serenity,” Sebastian said eventually. “He slaughtered three armed police officers out there. He’s going to come for you eventually.”
As though the mention of the men outside conjured their colleagues, the wail of sirens filtered through the thick walls of the house, Sebastian’s sensitive ears picking up on them first.
“The police are on their way,” he told her. “We need to get out of here fast. They know those officers were supposed to be protecting you. If they find you here unharmed, they’re going to have plenty of questions.”
At the mention of the police, Serenity’s mind went to James Bently, of the danger she’d put him and his family in. She’d not heard from him since leaving her apartment and she hoped both he and his family remained safe. Amy and Noah were at least far away with Amy’s mother but James had insisted on staying in the city.
As the siren’s grew loud—and close—enough for her to hear, she wondered if James would be among the officers sent to investigate.
A longing to say goodbye to her old friend clutched her heart. If something should happen, she hated that James would never know what became of her. Of course Sebastian would take care of Elizabeth now, but should something happen to all of them she didn’t want James to think he could have done more.
“I know we need to go,” she said. “But can we just hide a couple of streets down for the moment and see if my friend, James is among the officers?”
“Why?”
“James might be able to help.”
His jaw tightened. “It’s my job to make sure you’re safe.”
“This isn’t about you. James has been there for me over the past four years and I won’t just give up on his friendship because you’re back in my life. I love you but I’ve loved James as well, as a friend. If something should happen to us, I want him to have some idea about where to look for a body.”
Sebastian’s whole body went rigid at the word, “Don’t talk like that!”
“Be practical, Sebastian. Anything could happen. A roof might cave in and trap us. I might break my leg and be unable to get out.”
“I’d carry you out,” he growled.
“And if something happened to you? What then? There’s nothing wrong with having backup, Sebastian. It’s not a failure to ask for help. I don’t want James anywhere near Jackson but the future is unpredictable for us right now.”
“Okay,” he said, relenting. “But we need to move now or it’s going to be too late.”
Miraculously, Elizabeth had slept through the whole conversation. Now they needed to rouse her so she wouldn’t wake later, not know what was happening or where she was, and be terrified.
Together, they crouched at her bedside and Serenity gently shook her shoulder. Elizabeth raised her head and blinked a couple of times.
“We need to go now, honey,” Serenity said. “We’re going on an adventure.”
Elizabeth pulled herself to sitting and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. “What kind of adventure?”
“One out in the forest. Sebastian is going to take us.”
“Yeah?”
Sebastian nodded. “That’s right. I’m going to carry you there and it will be like you’re flying.”
The little girl’s eyes widened, all sleepiness falling away. “Real flying? Like fairies?”
“Pretty much,” said Serenity.
“We’re going to move really fast now,” he told her. “So hold on tight, okay?”
He swept them both up in his arms; Serenity in one arm, Elizabeth in the other, her arms loosely wrapped around his broad neck.
“We’re not going straight there, though,” Serenity said to Sebastian. “We need to see if James is with the other officers first.”
“Fine, but only for a minute. We don’t have time to waste.”
With Serenity and Elizabeth clutched to his body, cradled around each other, Sebastian ran. Serenity gasped in surprise and Elizabeth let out a little squeal of excitement.
She’d forgotten how it felt to move this way, with such speed, her hair whipping from her face, her skin pulled back as though experiencing g-force. Within moments, they’d burst from the house and Sebastian leaped over the tall walls. The motion snatched the breath from her lungs as they passed the car containing the murdered men. Serenity only caught a glimpse of swirling blue lights, the shapes of figures stood in the street and more vehicles creating a roadblock.
Sebastian stopped several blocks away and set them down. Serenity’s feet touched the ground and she swayed slightly, motion sickness caused her head to swim. She glanced down at her daughter but Elizabeth grinned back up.
“That was fun!” the girl laughed.
Serenity smiled and ruffled her dark hair. Turning her attention back to Sebastian she asked, “Did you see him?”
He nodded, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he was there.”
Serenity raised her eyebrows and he sighed.
“Wait here,” he told them and disappeared before their eyes.
Within seconds, Sebastian reappeared and deposited a man, kicking and yelling back on the street.
“Uncle James!” Elizabeth cried in delight.
The little girl’s voice snatched the man out of the confused fear created by Sebastian’s movement.
“Jesus, Serenity,” said James, his eyes widening at the sight of her. “What the hell’s going on? This jerk grabbed me off the street and moved like... like... I don’t know what. I can’t even describe it. I thought your ex-husband had me.”
“I’m so sorry, James. I didn’t mean to frighten you but I needed to talk to you and this was the only way.”
“I only just heard you were the one being staked out at this house. I was already planning on coming to see you before we got the call about Detective Gingham and the other two officers.”
Serenity gasped. “Detective Gingham was one of the men killed?”
“Yes, I assumed you knew.”
“No, why would I?”
Sebastian turned to Serenity, “So you knew one of the men?”
“Yes, the detective. He’d called me in a couple of times for questioning now. The last time, he picked me and Elizabeth up down the street from your house.”
“So he knows about you,” Sebastian said. “He knows about Elizabeth.”
Alarm jarred through her. “Yes, why are you saying all this?”
“Jackson let the man live for a short period of time, unlike the other two police-officers, who he murdered immediately. I think Jackson was trying to get information out of him. I’ve got a feeling it was to do with Elizabeth.”
“Shit.”
James turned to Sebastian, taking the man in properly for the first time. “So this is the one you’ve been telling me about,” he said, not addressing Sebastian. “Elizabeth’s father.”
“It’s a good thing I’ve already told her,” Serenity snapped.
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I’ve just never met a...”
“Vampire,” Sebastian finished for him, and grinned wickedly, flashing a glimpse of the fangs normally hidden further back in his jaw.
James didn’t rear back, but held both his position and eye contact.
“Listen,” Serenity said, placing a hand on James’ forearm, pulling his attention back. “We don’t have time for small talk. We’re going to go and hide at a mine in Angeles Forest.” She looked at Sebastian for the name.
“Dawn Mine,” said Sebastian. “Two miles up Millard Canyon in Altadena.”
James nodded, “I know it.”
“Sebastian will take care of Jackson while we hide.”
He shook his head. “The police should be there.”
“Don’t start. You’ve seen what he did to your men. I’m only telling you this so you know what’s happening. If you don’t hear from me within twenty-four hours then you can come looking. Agreed?”
“I don’t like this, Serenity.”
“Please, trust me.” She stepped forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, his stubble grazing her lips. “And thank you for everything, James. You’ve been a better friend to me than I ever deserved.”
He stared at her. “Why do I feel like you’re saying goodbye?”