Chapter Seven

She was able to see him slightly better now. More so than had been possible the other nights. Perhaps he was allowing her to. The chiseled jaw and well defined facial features she already knew, but this time she was able to pick up details of what the shadows had been hiding from her. His hair was a strawberry blond, not true blond like Nick’s and it was slightly course and wavy with several locks curling over his forehead. He had a kind face, wise beyond its years and pale blue eyes that seemed to hold her in place. He might have been a few years older than her, but it was hard to tell for certain. The sense of peace she felt around him was overwhelming her senses like a tidal wave. More effectively than ever before. She knew the stranger had led her away from Nick for a reason. He had plans for her and he would need more time than what he was able to have prior to this. Even with the calm filling her mind telling her everything was going to be all right, Sarah realized deep down she was very much in jeopardy.

She struggled with every bit of willpower to form words. To project them, but they barely came out in a whisper. The stranger seemed disappointed she was fighting it so much and he reached out to stroke the back of his hand along her cheek. For as soothing as his presence was, his touch was even more compelling and her eyes closed surrendering to the caress. She felt his thumb begin to tease her mouth, barely moving back and forth over her lips learning intimately the exact shape and softness of them. The subtle friction was so addictive, it instantly quieted her.

He leaned forward to place a kiss at the base of her throat. Her pulse throbbed wildly beneath his lips and it matched the urgency of the heartbeat she could sense in his chest. His mouth was wicked upon her and her head pressed back into the pillow to allow him easier access. Of their own accord, her hands moved over his shoulders and softly wove into his hair urging him closer. His touch wandered over her body sensually, driving her crazy with its appreciation of every inch of her and an audible sigh of contentment passed by her lips. She didn’t think she had ever found anyone who made her feel so cherished and loved. His every action, his every thought only seemed to be for her.

His lips traveled the outline of her throat until he reached her mouth and rediscovered it. He tempted slightly, his lips moving against hers all sweetness and light then gently deepening the affection and she allowed it. He appeared to enjoy seducing her almost as much as she enjoyed being seduced. His attention moved from her mouth along her jaw line and he planted tiny kisses from it to her ear and gradually to her nape. When she felt his breath linger there hotly, Sarah knew for certain the motive behind the enticement and her mind screamed out in panic. It seemed to catch the stranger off guard and he pulled away instinctively, temporarily losing control of his will over her and the situation. She had finally found a weakness.

With all her mental strength, Sarah pushed Nick’s image to the forefront. She was calling out to him in the only way she possibly could and prayed he’d hear. The vampire realized what she was doing and the facade seemed to be crumbling away swiftly. More and more she was being released from the dreamlike trance he had created for her and was returning to reality. She wasn’t sure it could be seen as an improvement.

She became aware of Nick calling her name somewhere very close by and a heavy rapping at the door that was growing more insistent every minute. He must have locked it. The thought hadn’t occurred to her of what the stranger might do when faced with being trapped and Sarah didn’t think she liked the images rising to mind.

Please Nick, please get in here! she pleaded in her thoughts. The stranger’s sudden concern for himself was mirrored in his face as he realized she had completely broken free of his spell and time was growing very short. His body came down upon hers as he instantly went for her neck. There was no tenderness any longer as his teeth sank in and she screamed out for all she was worth as she fought to lever him away. The next moments were a blur. He was forced to let go his grip as his weight was suddenly lifted from atop her as if by some great unseen force from above. She watched in wide eyed awe as the stranger’s body appeared to hover in mid air for a moment then with amazing ease, was propelled across the room and impacted solidly with the opposite wall. Sarah was tugged into someone’s arms she could only assume were Nick’s and he held her against him briefly. When he pulled away, his look immediately focused on her neck and she knew from the dark resolve growing in his eyes it was bad.

"Brian! What did you do?!" he demanded, glancing over his shoulder at her attacker. There was no response and Nick stood up to his full height and swung around, obviously intent on dragging one out of him. He approached the other vampire while he was still recovering from the force with which he’d collided with the wall and got in his face with the question this time. "What the hell did you do to her?!!! Did you bring her across?!"

Brian shook his head vehemently. "No Nick...I..."

The aggressor never let him finish and simply twisted the front of the smaller vampire’s shirt up in his fist, backing him against the wall. "You better not have. You may be a friend, but I’ll kill you if I find out you did. How many times was it?" Nick pressed on relentlessly. Brian at first refused to say. Nick lifted him up slightly so his feet were barely touching the ground and he was just beginning to cut off his air.

"Twice," Brian sputtered, desperate for breath. "I bit her just twice."

"That was enough," Nick snarled, his tone proving the control he had over his anger at the moment was tenuous at best. He paused a long, tense moment staring at his friend before finally letting him go. He appeared to realize the damage had already been done. There wasn’t much he could do about it now and he calmed himself slightly. "Why? Why did you do it, Bri?" he implored softly.

The vampire didn’t or couldn’t give an answer. He was incapable of so much as looking either of them in the face at the moment. He was far too ashamed and it seemed to pain him too much. Nick should have been pounding a reaction out of him right then. They all expected it, but he didn’t look to have the heart to. Besides, he already suspected the reason for it. He knew Brian hadn’t acted with a clear head, but it still didn’t excuse it. Nick abruptly shoved the smaller vampire away as if he loathed sharing the same air with him. He may still have his friendship, but he’d never have his forgiveness. His actions had created a problem for Nick that he dreaded facing.

"Add your two to my once and she’s just a step away from crossing over," he thought out loud suddenly looking back at Sarah with concern etched in every feature. She still sat in shock, her hand lightly covering the wound at her neck that burned like mad. She was beginning to tremble with the toll it had taken on her body and mind and Nick debated it, then left Brian to go to her. She needed him more at the moment than he needed to avenge what his friend had done. Sarah simply clung to him when he returned. He stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth soothingly trying to ease the hurt the only way he knew how. She wasn’t going to get over this very soon. Nick turned to look over his shoulder at Brian accusingly. His stare was as cold as ice and would have leveled the other vampire where he stood if it was possible.

"Get out," he ground out in a voice filled with nothing but contempt. "Get out now before I change my mind and do what I should do to you."

Brian hesitated at the door, feeling the need to explain himself. "Nick, I didn’t mean to hurt her. I really didn’t. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I just...I guess I just needed someone to be mine again."

Sarah couldn’t help herself from turning away from Nick to look at Brian upon hearing those words. He really hadn’t meant any harm to her. She knew that. He’d told her that every time he’d been with her. But she had no idea he was bringing her so close to the ultimate harm. That he was taking blood from her each time and if it had been once more, he would have brought her across into a life she had no desire for.

Once he left, she yearned to talk about it. Nick urged her to rest instead, but Sarah felt she had to. "I feel bad for him, Nick. Who is he?"

"He’s the one who saw us together yesterday. The one I swore I could trust. We’ve been friends since I first got here. I would have never expected this of Brian. Never."

"There’s something about him. I felt like...this is going to sound crazy, but I felt like he was seeing someone else when he looked at me a minute ago."

"He probably was," Nick confirmed. "You look a little like Leah. She was his mate. He brought her across at least thirty or forty years ago. They were as close as I’ve ever seen two vampires, two anythings be. That is until the battle. Somehow they got separated. She was staked right before his eyes and Brian couldn’t do a thing about it. He’s been inconsolable ever since." Nick paused to look at Sarah softly stroking his fingers over her cheek. "I had told him about you. About what you did for me that day. He mentioned that he liked the fact you seemed to be a slayer with a conscience. That he thought it was admirable. Considering what you are and what had happened with Leah, it surprised me he felt that way. I never thought it went deeper than that. I guess I was blind not to see that with the resemblance and all, he might wish to take you for himself."

"He’s very powerful, isn’t he?" she observed.

"He’s nearly as old as Alex is. He’s had time to learn."

"I never knew that a vampire could infiltrate your dreams like that. Or create them. That he could take over your mind so thoroughly that you don’t even believe what is happening is real."

"That’s why I wasn’t picking up anything when he came to you those times before. You believed it was a dream. You weren’t alarmed by it. But this time I knew. Even though I understand why he did it, I can’t excuse him for it. I’ll speak to Alex about what happened. There won’t be a next time."

"Don’t involve him in this, Nick. Please. I’d rather just let it go."

"We may not be able to hide it from him. He’s aware of everything that goes on in this house."

"I don’t want anymore vampires knowing how close I am to being brought across than what is necessary. I’m only one away now. The vampire who gives me that bite completes the process, don’t they?"

Nick nodded unable to look at her for a while. She knew it worried him. "We’re going to have to be so careful. I don’t want you being here alone anymore. Or anywhere alone anymore, got it?" Sarah could only nod distractedly still being disturbed by the images of Brian attacking her in her mind. My God, what if she hadn’t fought it? What if she hadn’t woken up? What if Nick hadn’t been able to break down the door in time? Nick wrapped his arms about her more securely and let his chin rest atop her head knowing she was more afraid now than ever. "From now on, you’re staying with me."

"Who’s staying with who?" they both heard coming from the direction of the door. The voice had a certain sarcastic lilt to it, giving away its owner. It was Alex, and Sarah and Nick broke apart instinctively. Nick immediately stood up upon seeing the vampire leader. Protectively or in some attempt at showing respect, she wasn’t sure.

"I was telling Sarah that it would be safer for her to stay with me," he explained.

"Really?" Alex seemed intrigued. He came over to stand by the bedside and observe her then lowered himself to the edge of the mattress to get a closer look. His hand reached out, tilting her chin sideways so he could see a little better the bite Sarah was valiantly trying to hide from him. Her skin crawled when he touched her. "Well, what do we have here? Oh, very messy. Have a little accident, did we? Now Nick, you’re not getting the munchies again are you? I thought we talked about this." The dark, patronizing humor was there again and Sarah flinched away from him. She hated this man. There was no way she could deny it.

Nick appeared to realize there was little left to hide at this point and filled in the silence. "She was just attacked by one of the others in her sleep. I thought it best if she not be left alone."

"Yes, I suppose it is best not to take anymore chances where this is concerned," Alex considered letting his gaze rove over her. "She can stay with me. I have plenty of room upstairs, a king size bed, all the creature comforts. And what better safeguard than to be lying side by side with the master of vampires himself. I can guarantee no one would lay a hand on her. Well, aside from me, that is," he admitted complacently, his leer making her shudder.

Nick jumped in unhesitating. "Thanks for the offer, but I’m the one responsible for her. I can handle things just fine, Alex," he stressed as Sarah’s eyes pleaded with his to get her out of this. She’d take her chances and run away before she would ever agree to sharing Alex’s bed with him.

"Perhaps it’s just me, but it looks like you’re doing a lousy job so far," he pointed out.

"I won’t let it happen again," Nick vowed. "I’ll be with her every minute from now on."

"And if you’re with her every moment, who will be there to protect her from you, Nicky boy?" the leader observed laughing.

Nick seemed to be losing his patience more and more. Sarah could sense it from him. "It isn’t me she needs to worry about. There’s an entire household of hungry vamps to choose from. They aren’t exactly known for their self control."

"Oh right…right," Alex concurred calmly. "And yours is legendary, isn’t it?" He sunk in the deadly barb, his gaze leveling with Nick’s knowingly looking to hurt him in a way he’d feel it most.

"This never should have happened, Alex," he fumed. "This is supposed to be a safe haven for us. We shouldn’t be turning on each other."

"Ha! Vampires have been doing exactly that for ages! But please, don’t let this one incident taint your pure-as-the-driven-snow image of us," Alex condescended, sneering. "Your innocense never fails to entertain me, Nickolas. You’re forgetting that Sarah is not fully one of us yet. She’s still mortal. She’s our food. Living under our roof. For some vampires, that's just too much of a temptation to pass up. Worst than that--she’s a slayer. They have as much reason to fear her as hate her. The sooner you bring her across, the easier it will be on all of us. What is this one?" he asked motioning towards her neck.

"The second," Nick lied. "I’ve only taken blood from her once."

Alex stood up before them with finality. "Well, you had better get on with it, Nicholas. There is going to be nothing but trouble for the two of you until you do. And you know how much I despise discord under my roof," he warned. The humorous lilt was gone. He was deathly serious and Nick took it as such. They both breathed an extended sigh of relief when he was gone.

"That was too close."

"Far too close," Nick agreed.

"For a minute there, I almost thought…" Sarah allowed the rest of the sentence to form in her head.

"Yeah, me too."

"I wouldn’t have gone with him, Nick. He’d have to kill me first."

"Shhh," he cautioned, pressing his finger lightly against her lips. "We don’t want to give him any ideas."

Her look captured his and she went on carefully. "Why does Alex treat you that way? He’s constantly making little digs. Does he do that to the others?"

"He has been a little more malicious than usual. He realizes my allegiance is being put to the test lately. That he can’t trust me as much as he once did and he doesn’t like that. I think it’s the real reason he wants you brought across. He knows once you’re one of us, you’ll have no other choice but to feel obligated to him. Your need for the blood and all the other things only he can provide will force your loyalty."

"And where does he feel my loyalty falls now? With the slayers?" she filled in knowingly.

"No," he paused a breath. "With me. And that’s a problem for him."

Sarah suddenly winced. Now that the danger had passed, she felt the sting of the wound in her neck all the more vividly. "God, that hurts," she commented. "You weren’t kidding. Got any bandages lying around?"

"I think so," Nick smiled slightly. "Let me go check the kitchen." He was back in seconds. He was really serious about not leaving her alone. He handed them to her then backed away.

"Think you could lend me a hand or two," she grinned, focusing her attention on unrolling the bandages. There was no response and Sarah looked to him, abruptly sensing the wish to retreat emanating from him strongly.

"Nick? What’s wrong?" She noticed his gaze was fixed upon the tiny rivulets of deep red running over the top of her hand and she realized instantly.

"I’m sorry, you’ll have to do it yourself. It’s been hours since I’ve been able to feed. I can’t be here," he explained quickly moving out the door.

"Wait!" Sarah rushed after him but he’d already disappeared into his room or down the hall into the vastness of the rest of the house. She was so stupid. Sometimes she just forgot. Just forgot that Nick wasn’t human like she was. And that sometimes, the temptation could be too much even for him. The scent of her blood alone must have been driving him crazy through that entire scene, yet he’d suppressed his own cravings to save her life and comfort her in its aftermath. Sarah didn’t know about him now. If whether she should believe he was as dangerous as Tessa and Alex kept warning her he was. Even Nick himself had mentioned he had lived wilder days. What did he mean by that? she wondered. She didn’t like the images filling her mind. She liked even less the one that now stood before her in reality. Alex.

"You were in my room today," he whispered. It wasn’t warning, it wasn’t without its seriousness. The statement was just flat. As if he were awaiting a reaction. Sarah gave none. She simply did her best to mentally block him from her mind. It wasn’t easy. "And I know what you took from it," he added. That did get her reaction and she sidestepped him and made it back to her room, shutting the door just as he reached it. Alex simply lifted it from the one hinge that remained holding it upright and replaced it behind him once inside.

"I’ll have to get that fixed," he aired his irritation aloud to no one in particular. "You’re costing me more and more every day. And not just financially," he stated, turning his attention to her.

"Sorry," Sarah apologized feebly.

He turned very serious again. "Let me leave absolutely no doubt in your mind that I will be watching you even more closely than before. I will know your every move. Every person you speak to. And if you so much as breathe a word of what you know about Angela and me to anyone, I will rip your tongue out of your body myself." Sarah seemed unimpressed by the threat having heard them all before. Alex picked up on it easily. "I see. You’re not afraid for yourself. Perhaps you’ve forgotten it’s not just yourself you need to think about now. Everyone has their weakness. It would be unfortunate if something were to happen to dear Nickolas. You wouldn’t believe the damage that a vampire would sustain should he, lets say, find himself locked outside the house while the sun is at its peak. Burning flesh, scars that last an eternity, immeasurable pain--not a pretty sight at all."

She couldn’t believe he was saying this. "You would do that to him?" she exclaimed. "You’re like a father to him!"

"A father with many children. And I can make more anytime I wish."

"Obviously what I’ve been told about you is true. You are sadistic," she seethed.

"Thank you," the leader grinned, taking pride in the acknowledgement. "Did I make myself clear?" Sarah nodded without hesitance and he turned to leave. Her curiosity was killing her. She was taking a huge risk being alone with him, but she had to know.

"Why Alex? Why of all the women in the world did it have to be her?"

The words stopped the vampire in his tracks and he turned back to her. "I loved Angela. Why does that seem so strange to you? You’re growing to love Nick, regardless of what he is." The mere idea that she felt so strongly for him took Sarah back a bit. Much less to have it told her by the person who should least know of it.

"I don’t love him," she denied adamant.

"Of course you do. You wouldn’t still be here if you didn’t. You love him and he loves you. It’s apparent to everyone but yourselves."

"But this is different. You and Angela were sworn enemies for decades."

"And Nick and you aren’t?" his brow rose dubiously. "Can you honestly tell me that just a week ago if you’d have met up with him that you wouldn’t have staked him without hesitance. That you wouldn’t have been disgusted by the mere idea of being around him, much less sharing his bed."

"How did you...?"

"Everyone knows you spent part of the night in his room. There aren’t many secrets that don’t get out. But this one concerning Angela and I had better not. We had more in common than we wanted to admit. You should understand this. Large groups of people were depending on us. They looked to us for leadership and advice and guidance. We shared the same responsibilities and pressures and desires that this position brings with it. I knew she would die in the final struggle. It was foretold to me. I asked her to join me promising safety for her and all her slayers if we called a truce. For almost a full year we kept to our pact. No slayer would hunt a vampire and in turn, no vampire would kill a slayer. We each would go about our business and for awhile it worked well."

"I remember those times. We spent days and nights training because that was all there was to do. Vampires were keeping very low profiles. Murder rates were down. The body count was down. But then suddenly, it was worst than ever. What happened?"

"A very stupid vampire fucked it all up," Alex ground out, his anger at the incident barely being held in check. "He killed Angela’s youngest sister. It was an accident. He didn’t know who she was. But it started the conflict all over again. Angela and I had fought the night before. I know it may be hard for you to accept, but Angela wasn’t exactly an angel."

"You bastard! How could you?!" she hissed, her hand coming up to slap the words from his mouth unthinking. Alex caught it in his easily before it ever made contact. His grip about her wrist was immobilizing and Sarah winced as he increased the pressure then gradually let her go when she gave him her submission.

"What’s the matter? Don’t like finding out that your flawless leader wasn’t as perfect as she led you to believe? Well, she wasn’t Sarah. No one is, either human or vampire. I’m not desecrating her memory. I’m telling the truth. I suspected her of cheating on me and I confronted her about it that night. She admitted to it instantly knowing she really couldn’t keep a secret like that from me. She saw my rage come forth and when her sister was taken, she automatically assumed I was the one who had done it or that I’d sent one of the others to carry out the task for me to spite her betraying me. I wouldn’t have and I tried to explain this to her but she wouldn’t believe me. She almost destroyed me the following night. I’d never come so close before. I couldn’t take the chance again. I knew she’d be sending out her slayers gunning for me so I called off the truce and once more, the battle was begun."

Sarah could barely accept what she was hearing. If it weren’t for the photos, she’d have suspected Alex was playing mind games with her. But she knew it to be true. She could see no motivation for his lying to her about it at this point.

Her eyes suddenly felt heavy. Her mind flooded with images barraging it and her head ached. She wasn’t sure if it was hearing the information or the deep wound penetrating her neck that was making her feel so weak.

Alex sensed it and he took her arm into his hand, more restrictive then supportive and sat her down on the bed. "Don’t disappoint me, Sarah," he warned staring into her eyes deeply, his glare as jagged as shards of glass. "I won’t put up with it." His eyes seemed to stab into her soul. Almost as profoundly as his fingers had plunged themselves into the flesh of her arm. He was proving to her that he could hurt her without even trying. Using her feelings for Nick and Nick’s for her against them if necessary. She already knew as much. When Sarah looked up again, Alex had vanished and she collapsed unto the bed willing to let herself go