alongside her. Whirling around, she sped toward the cemetery, yelling out to her
husband in her mind as she ran. Stefan and Zane were quite a distance away, but Laurel
Rose couldn't wait for them. Sophia was in immediate danger. She could feel the other
woman's fear. She could also feel the fact that Sophia was weakening.
Pushing herself even harder, Laurel Rose entered the cemetery. She knew exactly
where to find them.
The air in the chamber thickened. The lantern flickered, almost extinguishing before
flaring upward. Her captor whirled away from her as the wall began to vibrate. Sophia
could swear she could see the wall pulsing. The door to the mausoleum was slammed
back against the wall before bouncing shut.
"Dalakis, is that you?" Excitement tinged his voice as he turned back to her,
grabbing her by the neck and placing the knife against it.
"Yes, but perhaps not the one you were waiting for." Laurel Rose stepped into the
light. She stared at the man holding Sophia by the neck, studying him. "Your name is
Spencer, but you've had many others."
He tilted his head toward her, conceding her the point. "You are very skilled, my
dear. Even more so than Jeremiah Stoner ever imagined. I have had many names over
the past one hundred years."
"You're also like us, yet not like us."
"You are indeed very astute. As I explained to Ms. Daring, I was already a babe in
my mother's stomach when she was converted. As a result, I have a few special abilities
that the rest of you don't have."
"I imagine that there are some...deficiencies as well."
"Touché, my dear."
As she listened to the conversation with half an ear, Sophia wondered what Laurel
Rose was doing here on her own. Where the heck was Stefan? And, more importantly,
where was Zane? She kept still, not wanting to bring Spencer's attention back to her.
Laurel Rose was doing her best to keep him occupied. Maybe too good a job.
Dropping his hand from her neck, he took a step toward Laurel Rose. "I imagine
that your blood would be absolutely delectable."
"Stoner thought so too."
Sophia watched as Spencer moved closer. "Run, Laurel Rose," she yelled. She
didn't want the other woman to face this madman on her own.
But Laurel Rose didn't run. Instead she braced herself for his attack. Spencer smiled
as he released the knife from his hand in a blur of motion. Laurel Rose dodged at the
very last second, but she still wasn't quick enough. The blade lodged in her shoulder
and the impact sent her reeling against the wall. She yanked out the bloody knife and
lunged at Spencer with it. He struck her arm, sending her weapon clattering to the floor.
"Stop it!" Sophia screamed at Spencer as she tugged at the metal cuffs holding her
captive. Blood coated her wrists, making them slippery. She yanked harder as Spencer
flew at Laurel Rose, grabbing her by the shoulders.
Laurel Rose fought back, catching him in the face with a sharp right hook. He
howled but didn't let go of her. Instead, his fingers dug into her shoulders so hard he
drew blood.
Sophia ignored the pain encompassing her entire body. She had to help Laurel
Rose. She had to get free. Sucking in a deep breath, she gave one mighty yank. One of
her hands slipped free of the metal cuffs. She'd left blood and flesh behind, but at least
one of her hands was free. Grabbing the short iron chain that held the manacle to the
stone wall, she pulled with both hands. The ancient stone began to crumble. She could
hear the grunts and sounds of fighting behind her, but didn't pause to look. She needed
to be free!
Digging deep within her, she found the strength to pull again. This time she gave a
mighty yell as she yanked the chain. The chain held, but the moorings broke away from
the wall of the old mausoleum. Sophia fell backward and hit the hard floor with a bang.
Her vision blurred but she ignored it as she dragged herself to her feet. Spencer was
bending closer to Laurel Rose's neck, his fangs bared. Sophia didn't hesitate. Taking a
running leap, she jumped on his back, wrapped her arm around his neck and hauled it
back with all her might.
pulled her off his back, swatting her aside as if she was nothing more than a pesky gnat.
Sophia landed on the hard stone floor with a thump that knocked the wind out of her.
As she lay there, Spencer turned back to Laurel Rose. The other woman was dirty, her
clothing torn and bloody, her breath coming in hard gasps.
The door of the crypt slammed inward. Sophia covered her head as debris fell
around her. Stefan leapt through the door and positioned himself in front of Laurel
Rose.
Spencer grabbed a knife from on top of the coffin and yanked Sophia into his arms,
holding the knife to her throat. It happened so fast, she hadn't seen it coming, hadn't
been able to stop it.
Sophia blinked, and as she did, Zane seemed to materialize in front of them. Sophia
had never seen a more welcome sight in her life. His eyes devoured her in one quick
sweep and then he was focused totally on the man holding her captive.
Sophia sensed Spencer's growing anticipation as he shoved the blade tighter to her
throat, but it was now tinged with fear. Blood trickled as the sharp blade pricked her
skin. Sophia was afraid to move.
"This is wonderful." She almost felt sorry for him. Almost. He had no idea what he
was up against. He might be a vampire, but he was no match for both Zane and Stefan.
"If you want her to live, you'll chain yourself to the wall." Sophia hadn't noticed
that there was more than one set of chains hammered into the stone.
"Why would I do that, Spencer?" Zane cocked his head and stared at the man. "It is
Spencer, isn't it?"
He nodded.
"He's just as crazy as Jeremiah Stoner was. More so, really. He's a vampire as well,
a hybrid one with special powers. He thinks that makes him better than everyone else."
This from Laurel Rose, who took a step forward. "He likes to prey on the weak. It
makes him feel strong. But in reality, he's the weak one," she taunted.
"You're the one Stoner wanted though, aren't you? Laurel Rose." The knife pressed
deeper against Sophia's throat and she could feel the warm dribble of blood down her
neck. "I want your blood. The taste. The power. And I will have it." He licked his lips.
"Enough." The word was barely a whisper, but it echoed like a yell. Zane stared at
Spencer, his green eyes blazing. As she watched they turned to red, like flames leaping
to life within him. His fangs lengthened. "I will tell you the same thing that Stefan told
Stoner. There is power in the blood, but you have no idea just how much."
As if by some giant unseen hand, Spencer was ripped away from Sophia and
thrown against the wall. Both she and the blade fell to the floor. He jerked but didn't
fall, held upright by Zane's force of will. The hair on the back of Sophia's neck rose as
she witnessed Zane's power in action. It was incredible and terrifying at the same time.
If he ever chose to use his abilities for evil rather than good, no one would be safe.
"Blood will be spilled." Zane walked slowly forward
, his eyes never leaving the
man. "But it will be yours."
"Perhaps." Spencer broke away from Zane's mental hold and threw a mental blast
of his own at Zane. As Sophia watched, Zane flew to one side, hitting the wall so hard
that some of the stone crumbled and fell to the floor.
With a mighty roar, Spencer flew at Zane, who met him partway. The two of them
collided with deadly force. They grappled, teeth bared, eyes flashing red. Stefan was off
to one side with Laurel Rose, attending to his wife's wounds. Sophia knew it was up to
her to help Zane.
Although there wasn't one spot on her body that didn't ache, she dragged herself
up, doing her best to avoid the two men as they battled. She cringed as the coffin was
knocked off its pedestal and crashed to the floor. Sophia took a second to be grateful
that the lid had stayed shut. She looked around for something she could use to help.
Anything.
A flash on the ground caught her attention. Spencer's knife. Grabbing it, she held it
in her hand, but the handle was quickly soaked in the blood that covered her palms.
Sweat dripped into her eyes and she swiped it with the back of her hand.
Zane's hands were locked around the other man's throat, choking him. Sophia
wasn't sure that would do much good. She remembered what Zane had told her.
Sunlight, beheading and a stake in the heart. She didn't have a stake, but she did have a
knife. Waiting, she watched for her opportunity and when Spencer's back was to her,
she leapt forward and jammed her knife in his back. She hoped the blade was long
enough to reach his heart.
Spencer jerked back, his eyes widening with fear as he whirled to face her. Then he
jerked again. Sophia could see that Zane had pulled the knife from Spencer's back and
now had it in his hand. Without hesitation, he plunged the blade directly into Spencer's
chest, using his preternatural strength to drive it deep into his heart. Spit flew from
Spencer's lips as he struggled to remove the knife, but Zane held on tight.
"It's time to pay for your crimes." Zane pushed harder. Blood spurted everywhere,
soaking the ground around them. Sophia couldn't move as she watched Spencer drop
to the floor. She didn't know how long it took until his limbs stopped flailing. Finally he
was still. It was done.
"Not quite done," she whispered, knowing she still had a part to play in all of this.
Zane whirled to face her, his eyes blazing, teeth bared, but Sophia wasn't afraid. His
chest rose and fell with anger as his eyes fell on her throbbing neck. "He hurt you."
He said it as if that justified his actions and, she supposed, in his mind it did. But
even though Spencer was dead, her job here wasn't done. "I promised Janice Barton
that I'd get her justice. I owe her and Ariel Woodland and their families."
Zane glared at her and then back at Spencer, who was still lying on the floor as
blood seeped out of him. Ignoring the man, Zane stalked toward her and she shivered
as his anger struck her full force. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. As angry as
he was, his hands were gentle as they pulled her toward him. His strong arms came
around her, lifting her carefully.
Reaching out, she touched the hard planes of his face. "I have to call the police and
let them know about Spencer. I need to do this."
Red tinged his eyes and she could sense the maelstrom of emotion swirling within
him as he fought it back. "I don't like this."
"I know." She rubbed his chest, trying to calm him. She sensed Stefan and Laurel
Rose hovering quietly in the background. "You all have to leave."
Zane's arms tightened around her. "No."
"Yes," she whispered. "You can't be found here when the police arrive. There are
too many questions that you can't afford to have asked. Plus there's the whole deal
about being taken in for questioning. How would we even explain your presence here?
Besides, there are more members in this sick cult and they need to be stopped once and
for all." Sophia willed Zane to understand.
Laurel Rose tucked a lock of hair over her shoulder, winced and sighed. "I only
wish I'd thought of that when Stoner had me."
"My love. You were too near death to think about anything. And I was much too
angry." Stefan wrapped his arms tenderly around his wife and pulled her against him.
Laurel Rose's clothing was torn and her face was dirty, but already she was beginning
to heal.
Sophia blinked back tears. There was so much love between them it was almost
painful to watch. She owed Laurel Rose her life. If not for the other woman, she'd
probably have been dead before Zane arrived. "Okay. We need to get this done."
"I'm not leaving you." His voice was cool, his green eyes even colder. She knew
that he wasn't happy with her and he was about to get even angrier.
"You have to go now."
He shook his head. "I will wait until the police arrive and then I will go." She
started to protest, but he overrode her concerns. "They will not see me."
Sophia nodded and glanced toward Stefan and his wife. Laurel Rose offered her a
smile of encouragement. "We'll leave you two now, but we will see you again soon."
Stefan gave her a formal bow and then they were gone, leaving just her and Zane with
Spencer.
"You have to stay away until this is over. All of you do."
"That is unacceptable." There was no mistaking Zane's rage. The room went icy
cold and her shivering increased.
"You don't have a choice," she managed to get out in between the chattering of her
teeth. "You have to promise me that you'll keep the others away too. It's better that
way. Safer for everyone."
Zane swore and let go of her long enough to strip off his coat and wrap it around
her. Then she was back in his arms. The warmth from his coat immediately made her
feel better, but she didn't know if she'd ever truly feel warm again. "It is you who
doesn't have a choice. This is not negotiable."
Sophia knew this was going to hurt Zane, but she didn't have a choice. She had to
protect him, no matter the cost to herself. "I don't want you here."
His arms were still around her, but she could sense his withdrawal. It was what she
wanted, but still it hurt her in ways that her physical pain never could. "I will still
watch out for you."
The man could teach stubborn to a mule. "I don't want you watching out for me. I
got along just fine before you came along." God, she wanted this over with before she
broke down and started bawling like a baby. "Look, the investigation will take weeks
even with Spencer dead. I'll be interviewed and examined, my life put under a
microscope until the justice system is satisfied I've told them everything I know. I don't
need you around for that. It would only put all of you in danger and make things
harder."
"Well, I wouldn't want to make things harder for you." He lowered her legs to the
ground. She wanted to crawl back into his arms, wrap her legs around him and never
let him go.
"Maybe when things settle down..." She didn't quite know how to ask him to come
back to her when this was over.
"No. You're right. It's better this way. A quick break rather than a long drawn-out
affair."
Even though she'd been expecting it, his words beat at her. She glanced down at her
chest, surprised that her heart wasn't bleeding. She only wanted to protect him, not
drive him away. But if that's what it took, so be it. Although it was the hardest thing
she'd ever done, she slipped his jacket from her shoulders and held it out to him. She
didn't want any evidence here that might lead to more questions.
"What about DNA?" she blurted.
Zane shrugged. "Ours is slightly different from humans. If there is any found, they
will think it is a mistake. In any case, I have to remove the body from the morgue later
tonight for permanent disposal, preferably before they even begin the autopsy, and
destroy any damning evidence. He is at least part vampire and we cannot allow
ourselves to be exposure in such a way." His voice was cold and flat as he continued.
"I'll make it appear as if members of the cult he belonged to are responsible. Don't
worry. I'll take care of it."
Of course he would. She didn't even know why she was concerned. She shivered
without the warmth of his jacket around her.
Zane cocked his ear. "The police are coming. Stefan must have made an anonymous
call." He released her so suddenly that she staggered before straightening her legs and
willing them to hold. "So brave. So independent." He took the jacket from her
outstretched hands and then reached out and touched her cheek. "Goodbye, Sophia
Daring." Then he was gone, leaving the door wide open behind him.
She cried out, falling to her knees, her hand reaching out to him. Focusing on the
task at hand, she grasped the handle of the door, so her fingerprints would be on it.
None of the family had touched the door to open it, so that wasn't a concern.
But she still had one more thing to do. Crawling across the floor, she made herself
touch the knife handle buried in Spencer's chest, wrapping her fingers tight around the
hilt. If they could get any prints off this weapon with all the blood coating it, she
wanted them to be hers and hers alone. No matter what Zane believed, the cops would
need some forensic evidence or they'd be suspicious. She was sure Zane would weed
out the dangerous data and leave them something they wouldn't question. By the time
she released the hilt of the knife, she was shaking so hard, she couldn't stand, so she