“Take her,” Fane roars as he shoves Roseline’s limp body into Nicolae’s arms. He doesn’t take the time to pray that he has made the right decision in trusting the boy as he leaps from the platform. Soaring high into the air, Fane arches his back and lands just out of reach of Vladimir’s sword.
“Fane,” he snarls. “I believe you took something tonight that belongs to me.”
With his hand curled tightly around the hilt of his sword, Fane’s lips peel back into a triumphant grin. “I think you’re mistaken. I took Roseline many years ago.”
Vladimir’s eyes darken and a jolt of dread washes down Fane’s spine. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say. “How dare you touch what’s mine!”
The clash of swords shakes Nicolae out of his paralysis. It is hard to tear his gaze away from the man Sorin has called Dracula ever since he was a young schoolboy. This man brutalized his parents. Nicolae’s blood begins to boil.
“Watch out!” Sadie screams.
Nicolae ducks as his years of training kick in. He whirls out of the way of the oncoming sword. It whistles past as it grazes his ear. A tuft of hair slices away from his head, evidence of how close he came to losing his life.
“Behind you!” William shouts
Without thinking, Nicolae lunges to the side. He lets Roseline slip from his arms as he cartwheels away. Lucien growls in frustration as Nicolae flips over his head, snatching the crossbow as he goes. As soon as his feet touch the ground, Nicolae ducks behind a pillar.
He tries to squelch out his desperation as he fights to remember everything Sorin taught him—speed, agility, cunning. Nicolae knows he is no match for Lucien but he has to try to avenge his parents’ death. Hopefully, Fane won’t kill Vladimir before he gets a chance at him as well.
Sadie burrows into William’s embrace as she watches Nicolae’s dance with death. She has never seen anything so mesmerizing before. Lucien’s eyes are the purest evil she has ever seen. If Satan became flesh and blood, his name would be Lucien Enescue. And to think he is Gabriel’s father!
“Nicolae, the keys!” she cries as she reaches her hand through the bars.
Three arrows streak through the air toward Lucien, each aimed perfectly to force him behind a pillar. Nicolae tucks his crossbow close and dives for the key ring that was knocked loose from his belt during the fighting.
Kicking off the wall, Nicolae spins and chucks the keys toward Sadie. He barely has a chance to appreciate William’s skillful catch when a sword flashes in front of him, slicing through his shirt to leave a shallow line from sternum to waist.
He grimaces as he pushes the pain aside and aims an arrow for Lucien’s heart. With a grunt, Lucien spins away but comes face to face with Sorin. For all the old man’s bluster, he doesn’t hesitate as he engages Lucien.
Sounds of the battle ring out around the room. The clanging of steel is nearly deafening. Fane fights to keep up with Vladimir’s flashing sword while Sorin finds himself backed into a corner. The instant he is free from attack, Nicolae leaps onto the platform and grabs a dagger from his boot, slicing through the bindings that hold Gabriel to the table.
Sadie slides to a stop at his side. Her jeans quickly soak up Gabriel’s blood from the floor. “Help me get him into the cell.”
Gabriel’s pained cry is weak as they drag him across the room. Fane catches a glimpse of their progress but instantly regrets his lack of concentration. Vladimir crows with pleasure as his sword plants itself firmly in Fane’s side. Fane staggers backward, clutching his wound.
William rushes out of the cell. He stoops to cradle Rose in his arms. He tries not to think about the feel of her raw flesh against his skin as he rushes back into their safe haven. Sadie and Nicolae pass by him and lay a nearly unconscious Gabriel on the ground beside her.
“Take care of them,” Nicolae shouts as he races back to the cell door.
“No!” Sadie lunges for him but comes up short as he slams the door in her face. Her fingers cling to his shirt. Blood stains her hands. She peels back his shirt to reveal his wound. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.” Keeping the pain from his voice isn’t easy but he refuses to let her know how much it hurts.
“Let me help you,” Sadie pleads. “I’ll claw their eyes out.”
Nicolae smiles sadly. “I know you would, but Roseline needs you.”
Sadie’s lower lip began to tremble. “But we need you. I…I need you,” she whimpers as tears well up.
“Did you just say—” Nicolae’s eyes widen in surprise as he grasps her hand. “We will talk about this later.”
He squeezes her hand before rushing off to join the fray. Sorin yelps as Lucien’s blade slices through his arm. His sword clatters to the stone floor. A wicked grin stretches along Lucien’s lips as he kicks the weapon out of reach.
Nicolae frantically searches for another sword and spies a glint of steel poking out of the shadows. “Yes!” He dives to the side of the room and clasps the sword in hand. It is weighty, much heavier than the swords he uses in practice. Upon closer inspection, Nicolae realizes this is the blood-tipped sword from Sorin’s wall. He must have gone back for it. That’s why he left Nicolae to leave the blood trail.
He doesn’t take the time to ponder why the sword made its way to the dungeon when he tosses it to his uncle. “Sorin, catch!”
His uncle’s fingers latch onto the familiar weapon. He bellows as he leaps at his enemy. Lucien twists and twirls, ducking and dodging as he fights Sorin blade and Nicolae’s crossbow.
Fane grits his teeth as he pushes Vladimir past Nicolae. The fighting is intense as he struggles to remain focused. The pain in his side is agonizing, his strength weakening as blood seeps from his wound. He has no chance of winning this fight. Vladimir is too skilled, too quick, and he knows it.
“I should kill you slowly,” Vladimir snarls, lunging once more. Fane parries and whirls just out of reach. “I will settle for having your head mounted on my bedroom wall so you can watch as I reclaim your precious Roseline over and over again.”
Fane waits for Vladimir’s advance before he grasps a chain overhead and swings through the air. His legs lock and braced for impact. Vladimir realizes Fane’s intentions too late to stop his forward momentum as his sword slices the air just under Fane.
Vladimir grunts as Fane’s feet slams into his chest, toppling him end over end.
“Fane!” Sadie shrieks. He spins around and launches himself toward the cell. He nearly faints with relief when he sees Roseline safely locked away, but his joy is short-lived. “I think Gabriel is dead.”
Vladimir roars like a rampaging lion as he shoots across the room, sword lowered and aimed directly at the betrayer’s heart. Fane spins out of the way with a second to spare. His ears train on the cell, desperate to hear four heartbeats. Two of them race madly, pumping blood with dizzying intensity. One is slow but definitely there. The fourth is horrifyingly weak.
“He’s alive…but only just,” Fane grunts, knocking Vladimir’s sword to the side then instantly whirls around to parry his next blow. “You have to wake Roseline up. She has to drink directly from his artery.”
Sadie meets William’s terrified gaze. They look down at their friends; both appear lifeless on the cold stone floor. “Help me!” Sadie screeches, yanking William down next to her.
“How do we wake her up?” William asks. How is he supposed to know how to save a vampire, an immortal, or whatever the heck she is?
“I don’t know.” Her desperation is beginning to melt into sheer panic. “Slap her.” William hesitates, horrified at the idea of hitting any girl, let alone a dying one. “Oh, move over, you big lug.”
Sadie pulls her arm back and brings it down with more force than she knew she possessed. Her hand smacks against Roseline’s head, tossing it forcefully to the side.
“Easy, Sadie,” William hisses. “I think her neck is already
broken.”
Rose groans but doesn’t wake. “Should I do it again?” Sadie asks hesitantly. She doesn’t want to hit Rose but she will if that’s what it takes to save her life.
Without waiting for William’s response, Sadie slaps her again. This time, Rose’s eyes flutter open.
“Oh, thank god,” Sadie exclaims, shaking her shoulders. “Rose, you need to eat.”
Her mending arm feebly tries to push Sadie away, but she is too weak to fight. William grabs Gabriel and whispers a prayer of thanks that he is unconscious for what comes next. He places Gabriel’s arm over Rose’s mouth and waits.
The scent of fresh blood hits her hard. She sniffs the air as saliva pools in her mouth. Her lips close around the wound, sucking deeply. A contented sigh escapes her lips as blood slowly trickles into her mouth.
“Is it working?” Fane shouts, narrowly missing another precision lunge. He throws himself horizontally down the length of the solid oak slab. The maneuver gives him a couple seconds to breathe before Vladimir is on top of him again.
“She’s drinking…I think,” William calls.
Vladimir casts a murderous glare at William. He shrinks back. “Sadie, are you sure these bars will hold?”
She looks up to find Vladimir’s gaze on her. She stares evil in the eye and shudders. “I don’t know. That looks like one really ticked-off dude.”
“Hurry,” Fane shouts, launching himself at Vladimir.
Sadie bounces up and down next to Rose, finding it freakishly odd that she is cheering on her friend. She’s going to need years of therapy over this one.
Roseline grunts in disgust, weakly tossing Gabriel’s arm away. A trickle of blood seeps from her mouth as she cries out in pain. Her body shakes as a spasm hit her. Bones splinter, cracking loudly in the small space. William doubles over, losing every ounce of the pretzels he devoured earlier on the plane.
Sadie holds her friend as Rose shrieks in agony. “Fane, something is wrong!”
“Gabriel’s barely breathing.” William wipes his mouth. He moves forward and cradles Gabriel’s limp form under his arm. William tears the bottom of his shirt and uses it to stanch the blood flow from Gabriel’s arm, noticing for the first time the tattoo running along his arm, but it’s a bit too late for first aid. “I think he’s almost dead.”
Fane grunts as he hurls a torch at Vladimir. The ashes light Vladimir’s cloak on fire. He dances about, beating his clothes as Fane pauses to survey the room. Sorin’s arm is shattered and Nicolae’s thigh and chest sport nasty gashes. This is not going well. Vladimir and Lucien are outmaneuvering them.
And then…everything stops. Fane whirls around, sniffing the air. Vladimir and Lucien lower their swords, their eyes light with bloodlust.
“No!” Fane cries as the two brothers rush the cage. Their battle with Fane and Sorin is long forgotten as the scent of newly spilled blood drives them into a frenzy. With fresh wounds lining their bodies, the brothers are desperate to rejuvenate their strength.
Sadie grimaces as she drops the dagger she grabbed from the platform. It clatters to the floor, splattering blood on her leg. Sound echoes in her ear and fresh blood pours from her neck, staining her shirt. She is barely aware of the guttural screams nearby or William’s desperate cries.
Rose appears before her with pained eyes filled with need. Sadie rolls her neck to the side and waits. Her breath hitches as Rose’s lips surround the wound. She expects pain but instead feels an odd tugging sensation. Then the floodgates open and Sadie sags. Her energy drains quickly.
“Let her go,” William cries, dropping Gabriel to the floor as he tries desperately to pull his sister away from Rose, but it was too late. The bloodlust has taken over.
Rose hisses at William, her aqua eyes blazing with fierce possessiveness. “William, back away, now!” Fane shouts, racing across the room. “Don’t try to stop her while she’s feeding. She’ll kill you.”
William backs away in horror. Pain flares on his neck and he whips around. Lucien grins as he pulls back a bloody fingernail. He sniffs William’s blood, closing his eyes as he the aromatic scent curls in his nose. Lucien’s head lolls to the side as he licks Vladimir’s finger, savoring the taste.
Using his hand to staunch the blood, William backs away and trips over Gabriel. His gaze locks onto Lucien, horrified as he watches Vladimir fight his brother for a taste of William’s blood. “Oh, that’s just wrong,” he groans, feeling his stomach flip flop again.
William spies a glint of silver just before the bloodlust in Lucien’s eyes is replaced by disbelief as a thin red line appears on his neck. A tiny trail of blood slips from the line, dropping onto his bright white shirt. Glazed eyes stare at William as Lucien’s legs give out on him. His body slumps to the ground. Vladimir’s piercing screams rise in intensity as his brother’s head separates from his body and rolls across the grimy floor. It halts at the base of the platform in the remnants of Gabriel’s blood.
Sorin stands a foot beyond, grinning triumphantly at his fallen foe. “That’s for my sister,” he shouts, spitting into Lucien’s lifeless face. Blood seeps freely from the horrid neck wound. A thick pool of crimson blood stains the stone, seeping into the ancient cracks, mixing with Gabriel’s shed lifeblood.
“You’re a dead man,” Vladimir rages as he attacks Sorin with lightning quick reflexes. Sorin barely has time to think before Vladimir chops down at him from overhead. Sorin fumbles backward, sure this will be his last moment on Earth, but Nicolae snatches up Lucien’s fallen sword and parries the blow.
Fane watches in amazement as the humans fight against Vladimir. Lucien is gone, leaving only one vengeful immortal left, but rage makes him twice as lethal. “Let me in,” Fane cries to William as he arrives at the cell door in one bound.
William looks at him with distrust. “How do I know you won’t bite me?” he asks, cradling his wounded neck in his hand. Fane has to admit William does smell good, but his concern for Roseline overrules his discomfort.
“If you don’t let me in your sister will die.”
Sadie’s face is ashen and her eyes have rolled back into her head. Roseline clings to her neck, desperate to take the blood she needs to live. Survival has tossed sanity out the window.
“Please. I can save both of them,” Fane pleads. He glances over his shoulder to make sure Vladimir is still busy. Sorin and Nicolae have skillfully backed him into the far corner, but Fane has no doubt Vladimir will rebound. He always does.
William stumbles forward and shoves the key through the bars. Fane quickly inserts the skeleton key and yanks open the door. He throws himself at Roseline’s feet. “Roseline, listen to me. You have to stop now. You are killing your friend.”
Roseline growls at Fane, unwilling to let go. William paces behind him, terrified of losing his sister. Fane tries again. “Roseline, my love…I don’t want to hurt you.”
She yanks Sadie around, nearly pulling the girl’s hips out of socket as she fights to keep her prey from Fane. Roseline is not going to share.
“Hand me that torch,” Fane orders, holding out his hand.
William finds a metal sconce on the wall and yanks the torch free. He tosses it into Fane’s waiting hands.
“I’m really sorry,” Fane whispers as he brings the torch down over Roseline’s head. She retracts her teeth from Sadie’s neck as she turns to fight.
Fane catches her attack in his midsection and rolls with her. Roseline rises up and claws at Fane’s face and bare arms. Her eyes are blackened with thirst. “Roseline…it’s me.”
She snarls at him, gnashing her teeth as she goes for his throat. Fane knocks her aside, holding out his hands to keep her at bay. A shrill scream jerks their attention off each other.
“Uncle,” Nicolae cries, rushing to Sorin’s side.
Vladimir shouts in triumph as Sorin falls to the ground. Lifeless eyes stare at the ceil
ing above. A sword lies buried in his side, nearly cleaving him in half. Nicolae howls in agony.
“One down,” Vladimir taunts.
Rising to his feet, Nicolae grasps the sword firmly in his hands. His attack is swift and brutal, forcing Vladimir to retreat in search of another weapon. He dives for Sorin’s fallen weapon and leaps to his feet to prepare for Nicolae’s attack.
“Fane?” Roseline whispers, blinking rapidly as she glances around her. “Where am I?”
He takes her in his arms, cradling her as she weeps. Most of her wounds have sealed over; internal tears have begun to knit back together, but there are some wounds that blood cannot fix.
“Shh. It’s okay, I’m here,” he soothes. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Roseline sinks into his embrace and lets the world fall away, even if only for a moment.
Forty-Five