Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires: AN INFINITY DIARIES NOVEL (17 page)

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Sarah lay in the recliner, silent, eyes shut against the twilight as it turned the sky as gray as her mood. So this was how it had happened. This was how they were separated.

“Sarah.” Bonnie’s soft voice called from somewhere outside herself, calling her back into the moment, into a reality that carried with it new insights. “Sarah, come back to real time.”

“I am Bonnie. I’m here.” She opened her eyes as a huge sigh escaped her lips. “That was a really hard one, wasn’t it?”

“Do you want to talk about it now?”

She swung her legs over the chair as she rubbed her eyes. Glancing at her watch, she shook her head. “No, not really. We can cover it next time. Besides, DeMarco is meeting me for dinner and I don’t want to keep him waiting.”

“I’m sure he won’t mind if you need a moment to clear your mind.”

“No, really, I’m fine. Just a little shocked. It isn’t what I expected.”

“I suppose not. Well, remember, I’m just a phone call away.”

Sarah pulled her coat over her sweater then hugged Bonnie. “I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll make a gym date. Really hon, I’m okay. Just a little residual tiredness, that’s all.”

Bonnie kissed her cheek as Sarah hurried past her to meet her dinner companion.

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Candlelight sparkled in his dark eyes as DeMarco asked the waiter for the check. He turned to face her. His words were casual but his tone was serious, more serious than she had ever heard from him.

“Sarah,” he reached across the table to take her hands in his. “When we were at the opera it was you who needed to speak and now it is I.”

She tilted her head in question as he continued. “First, I have fallen in love with you. This must come as no surprise. I know our relationship is new, yet I feel I know you so well. You are everything I have ever wanted in a woman. And more. Your beauty, your intelligence, the way you live your life all make you someone to openly adore.”

“DeMarco.”

“No, please let me go on. I made this decision after our evening at the opera when I realized I might lose you before you know my feelings. My desire is to win your affection, to be the only one in
your life. He stopped talking as he turned her hands in his to kiss her palms one at a time. “You told me there is someone else that you care for and I appreciate your honesty, but I am determined to win you. I will court you until you recognize that I am the only one for you. And when you do choose me, my very existence will be centered on making you happy. I can give you all the material desires you might have and more love than you know is possible.” He sat silently, waiting for her response.

“DeMarco, I’m a bit overwhelmed.” She chose her words carefully, slowly. “You’re right, our relationship is very new. We are just getting to know one another and what I have come to know about you is all good. I’m grateful and happy to have you in my life and I’m sincerely honored that you expressed your feelings to me so openly. I must admit I definitely have feelings that are drawing me to you.” She wondered how her voice could be so calm when her heart was racing in her chest.

“I felt I must declare myself because I am traveling once again to Italy. It was important to me that you understand how I feel since I leave soon and will be out of the country for a few weeks.”

“When will you leave?” There was disappointment in her voice.

“In just a few days. However, when I return, it is my hope that we will be spending a great deal more time together.”

“I will miss you. I enjoy every moment we spend together and I’ll look forward to many, many more when you are back in the states.”

He sensed her sadness at his leaving and was silently pleased. She had no idea how determined he was to have her. She had no idea what he was willing to do to make her his alone. She had no idea why. He laid his credit card on the check as he answered, “That is all I ask, Sarah. Just one more moment. Time and again, just one more moment.”

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She lay in her bed, her head throbbing. It had been a day she never wanted to re-live. Suicide. My God, did she really commit suicide? She supposed her next session with Bonnie would reveal the answer to that. And DeMarco? Could she love him? He had been a new ray of sunshine in her hope for a human love. But could she allow herself to fall in love with him? She was drawn to him, excited by him, yet something kept her from running into his arms. Questions. Always questions. She wondered again if she should tell Aris about DeMarco. Her feelings for the Italian doctor were becoming deeper, more demanding. She felt Aris needed to know, but what would that do to her relationship with the vampire?

She knew she cared for Aris. She laughed at herself. Such a shallow word for her feelings for him. She so very much more than cared for Aris, but the price she would have to pay to be with him was enormous. How could she give up her life, her friends, her family. A small voice inside her head kept repeating,
“The only thing you will have to give up is your human life.”
Her human life, her human past. All the people she had ever known and loved. The voice answered,
“No one will ever know. To everyone, all will be the same. Only the Immortals will know what you have become.”
She pulled the pillow over her head to silence the murmur. And then it became a shout.
“What will your life be without him?”

“What will become of my life at all? Without him, there is emptiness. With him there is death. Either way, I am doomed.”

“I’ll think of this in the light of day,”
she chanted over and over to still the voice until at last, she drifted into a troubled and restless sleep.

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Her dream took her once again to Henry’s court in England. It was the day of a royal joust. As one of the Queen’s maidens, she shared the royal box. But she realized she was dressed in a twenty-first century business suit and her hands were tied behind her. She struggled with her bonds to no avail. Queen Katherine laughed at her
as she strived to free herself.

“Quiet, Sarah. Desist from fighting. You will be the prize to the winner no matter what you do.”

Even in the dream she was shocked. She was ‘Sarah’ dressed much as she dressed to go to her office in current times, yet here she stood, in sixteenth century England as a trophy for the games. Her subconscious quieted and allowed the vision to continue.

A loud fanfare sounded and two contenders entered the arena, both dressed in silver armor riding enormous white stallions. One of the mounts stood quietly waiting while the other pulled at the reins, stomping his feet and pawing the air.

They both circled the arena, both stopping before the Queen to ask her blessing and her favor. Her blessing she granted to them. Her favor? It was handed to a maiden who tied it around Sarah’s throat. It was soft and pink and smelled like lavender flowers.

“Show your faces,” demanded the Queen.

Sarah lost her breath as the two knights removed their helmets. Aris and DeMarco revealed themselves. It seemed there was no rest from her confusion. Even in her dreams, it was a contest between the two, the man and the vampire.

Another fanfare and the two riders replaced their helmets and rode to opposite sides of the arena. The Queen stood, dropping the gauntlet and the joust began. The giant mounts pounded toward one another carrying the tremendous weight of the men and their armor. There was a loud crash as one of the riders was dismounted and lay unmoving in the dirt. The victor disappeared from the scene as one can disappear only in a dream.

When the horsemaster came to remove the helmet from the fallen knight, it was neither Aris nor DeMarco. She gasped as she saw Diego, her gypsy lover dead in the dirt.

When she woke in the morning, her pillow was still wet with her tears of frustration and sorrow.

T
he four companions sat in Sarah’s living room. Three Immortals and one human bonded in a way that had made them friends. They had just gathered and settled in for a quiet evening. Richard asked that they meet to share his last communication from the Catacombs.

Aris rested his hand on Sarah’s shoulder as Richard began to speak. “I have good news from Sebastian. De Flores is in Spain. He is being watched by Immortals now. He has joined his coven once again. His whole subterfuge with us in the Catacombs seems to be for no fathomable reason at all. The only evidence we have of his even being in the U.S. are the roses on your pillow, Sarah, and that really isn’t positive.”

“But Richard, no one knows what in the world he wanted of Sarah? Did anyone find the reason he took her name from the Infinity Diaries?” Gabriela was puzzled and it was apparent in the tone of her voice.

“No, the Master Keeper was able to recreate her soul chart to complete the sequence for her, however, no one is any the wiser as to why it was taken in the first place.”

Sarah trembled. Aris reached for the afghan lying over the arm
of the sofa and covered her tenderly.

“It appears he is finished here and she is perfectly safe. The Immortal spies report from Spain that no other coven members are missing. It seems they are now rallying around De Flores as their leader. He is the only one of them to have traveled so far or had such an adventure. They admire his courage and wit to have made such a journey so they have proclaimed him their first King. From what is reported, they are no more developed than they were when Gabriela and I made our escape so many centuries ago. They have had no government and no leader until now.”

It was Gabriela’s turn to shiver. “They were murderers then and are still in spite of government, King and all.” Richard reached to take her hand.

“Butchers.” She interlaced her fingers with those of her mate.

“Richard?” Sarah questioned her friend. “What makes the Spanish vampires so different than those of the Catacombs? Aren’t you all blood drinkers?”

“Yes, Sarah, both covens drink blood and we all are able to live as human or vampire. It is there the similarities end. The Immortals of the Catacombs are refined. We were made by Queen Akira and have her pure venom in our veins. Those of us who make others pass on that purity. We of the Catacombs are intellectuals. The Spanish coven came to being when an ancient, evil enchantress discovered the powers of the Immortals. She searched until she found a young changling who she wooed until he loved her. She convinced him to change her. She came into everlasting life a wicked and cruel witch. She used her Immortal powers to create a species of evil blood drinkers who are without conscience. They kill for the blood lust, not to survive. They find pleasure in the fear and pain of their victims.

“They have never been able to touch us. They are fearful of the Immortals and we most assuredly will never go to Spain.” He
stood as if to shake off the heavy feeling their conversation about the Spanish vampires had left them all experiencing. “Come, my friends, let us walk in the early spring air. It will refresh us and cleanse the vile taste of those monsters from our mouths.”

“Excellent idea.” Aris rose, reaching into the closet to find his jacket and Sarah’s trench coat. As he helped her into it, she finally accepted the grave danger to which she had been exposed and the commitment of the Immortals to protect her. In the world she was discovering, it seemed to her it might not be such a bad idea to be invincible.

“I
can’t believe you guys actually did this.” Colleen held back tears of happiness as her friends led her into the large private room in the back of The Bistro. It was decorated with everything baby. Pink and blue crepe paper hung everywhere and pink and blue balloons were suspended from what appeared to be every inch of the ceiling. The couple was still in the dark about the sex of their unborn child so Bonnie and Sarah made sure both sexes were equally represented.

Tables were set; gifts were piled on a large sofa near the door. Women of every age, shape and size filled the chairs and applauded when she entered. Both the parole board and the police station were duly represented. Not one invitation sent was refused. Colleen and Bob were both loved by their co-workers and they all shared the couple’s joy over this pregnancy.

“You can’t have a baby without a shower.” Sarah kissed her best friend on the cheek as she showed her to the place of honor in the center of the front table. Maggie waited for them to be settled before she stood, tapping loudly on a water glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Good afternoon ladies. Thank you all for coming today to welcome little Bob Junior or Collette into the world. The order of
the day is lunch, massive quantities of blue and pink cake and the opening of the gifts surrounded by the sipping of wine with lots of laughter throughout. And now, bon appetit.”

The waiters brought in the plates as happy chatter filled the room.

A
ris and Sarah sat on her little balcony, silently watching the early spring twilight as it changed from dusk to dark. It still wasn’t quite warm enough to sit outside in shirt sleeves so he wore a jacket and she was wrapped in a blanket. She sipped a warm cup of tea as the stars began to make themselves known in the darkening sky. Her decision to tell Aris about DeMarco plagued her and her heart pounded in her chest.

“
There never will be a good time so now might as well be it,”
she thought.

“Aris?”