Vampire - Deep Midnight Part 50

In the morning, she was gone.

He hunted her through the months that followed. And when he came upon her and Ali again in the aftermath of a cataclysmic battle, he stole her back.

When she cried that time, he wrapped her in a shroud with a stake in her heart, found one of the oldest churches in the ancient town, and paid a somehow knowing priest to see that she was encased in stone, and buried deeply.

Nari would always be a child of her nature. On her own, she did not practice the wanton excesses that would see them all destroyed. But she would always betray him when she saw another pack with which to run.

Ragnor saw Nari once again in later years.

He was dividing his time between England and France in those days, having taken up company with a young French countess who had determined to help her countrymen escape the excess of the machine invented by Dr. Guillotine. The French royalty had certainly shown disdain for the ma.s.ses, but the machine of the revolution rolled into a heinous persecution of so many innocents, it was impossible to stop the flow of cruelty. Ragnor was glad of the challenge of stealing the innocent from the jails, and seeing the consternation of the powerful when their victims disappeared by night.

He had slipped into the Bastille one night to take the keys from the jailors and to take enough blood from the guards to leave them unconscious. He entered a cell to find that his old lover was among the broken and fallen on the floor. He hadn't recognized her at first, but one of the other prisoners-a girl huddled against a wall as far as possible from her- told him that the woman was Countess Arabella-and that she was going to the guillotine for her abuse of her servants.

"Abuse?"

"She was married to the Lord d'Argentin. He was rumored to be a monster of a man, but he was killed when the father of a peasant girl he had taken went mad and sliced him to ribbons with a sickle. That did not stop the countess; she was the wife of royalty and protected by the crown. The law pretended that she did not entertain herself with the deaths of her servants," the girl told him. "I beg of you! Save me. I have been in terror here! The guillotine would be a blessing over having her awaken in this cell and find me!

As yet, she has not harmed me, for she was sorely injured when she was seized. If you must save her, then, good sir, leave me, for I would die happily rather than live with her near."

Ragnor paused there for a very long time. He had heard rumors about the Lord d'Argentin and the Countess Arabella, the n.o.bleman's lady who had caused the disappearance of many young maids and servant boys.

Hundreds of years had pa.s.sed. He still felt something of an old pain.

Still, he turned away. He knew that it would be right for Nari to go to the guillotine.

"Come, we head for England tonight," he told the girl.

He reached for the young girl, and left the cell.

In the days ahead, he waited, certain that he would know, that he would feel something when the time came, when the blade fell, and Nari's existence was at last ended forever.

The feeling never came.

Then, years and years later ...

He awoke. And he knew.

She was back.

CHAPTER 22.

contents - previous

Ragnor asked the questions at the desk when they arrived, explaining that Jordan was Jared Riley's closest living relative.

He didn't, however, come up with her. He said that he and Lucian had to start moving, but that she shouldn't be worried; Sean would be there with her. He fingered the cross she wore around her neck, smiling.

"It doesn't work against you," she murmured.

He smiled. "I'm partial to nice pieces like this."

"Does it mean anything to you?"

"Yes, actually, it does. One of the best friends I ever had was an abbot, and he taught me the safety of a church-and his faith. But keep it on, at all costs. It can help to keep you safe."

"Will it stop someone like Nari?"

"At the least, it would delay her."

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"Yes. Someone like Nari cannot enter a building that is consecrated. If you're ever in trouble in the streets, get into a church. Thankfully, in Venice, remember, there are over two hundred."

She smiled. "I'll remember."

Sean took her hand in support as they went up to Jared's room. He told her he'd be just outside, waiting, if she needed him.

She gave a little cry at the door when she looked in at Jared. He was beyond ashen. IVs pumped blood into him through a needle in his arm. He looked as if he was dead already.

"You're back."

She started, turning to see that Cindy was slumped into a chair at the rear of the room.

She didn't look much better than Jared. She had almost no coloring; her beautiful hair had taken on a l.u.s.terless hue. Her sweater was b.u.t.toned wrong.

"I'm here." She came over to Cindy, wondering if her cousin-in-law was going to throw off her touch when she tried to hug her.

But Cindy's malice hadn't remained. She broke into a flood of tears. "I love him so much!" She looked at Jared with wild eyes. "I thought that ... oh, G.o.d, Jordan! I was ... no, I am ... certain that he was having an affair with that woman. The contessa. But ... I love him."

She gripped Jordan's arm, and her pupils seemed large and distorted.

She was on a tranquilizer, Jordan realized.

"It's that woman. That's why he's dying."

"He's not going to die," Jordan said, wishing that she was certain.

"I've called the police. They're going to come and talk to me. I've hated to leave him . ..

but you're here now. You-if I'm out of the room, and he takes a turn ... you'll come get me."

"Of course."

Jordan gently disentangled herself from Cindy's frantic hold and went to sit by her cousin's side.

He had been dead still. He moved his head then, from side to side. His lips started moving. She leaned low. "Jared, it's going to be all right," she said firmly. Tears rushed to her eyes. "Jared, they're giving you blood. It's going to make you live. It's going to cure you."

She was amazed when he suddenly gripped her wrist. His eyes opened on her. "Jordan!"

He gave her a weak smile. "Forgive me. Cindy .. . never forgive me. Police, no, the police, too late, G.o.d, no ... G.o.d can't forgive me." She smoothed his brow. "Jared, it's going to be all right."

"No ... dying."

"Not anymore. You're not going to die."

Cindy had heard him and had risen. Jordan shifted aside so that she could reach him.

She was crying again. "Jared, don't you dare die, I love you, I forgive you, I'll see that she dies, that evil, evil woman .. ."

Jordan watched as she leaned over Jared, holding him tight. He had stopped speaking.

For a moment, it felt to Jordan as if her own heart stopped. Then she looked at the machines that were monitoring him. His pulse was slow, but steady.

He was still breathing.

There was a soft tap at the door. She looked to it. Roberto Capo was standing there. She gasped with surprise and pleasure, and walked out. He was alive and well. On second thought, not too well. He looked thin and pinched, and before she could hug him, he lifted a hand, warning her away, and sneezed.

She ignored the hand and gave him a hug. "You're all right."

"Non troppo bene!" he said. "Not all right, but hopefully ... soon. I'm so sorry you were worried."

She saw that Sean was there, just as he had said he would be. "Sean, I'd like you to meet-" she began.

But Sean stopped her. "We've introduced ourselves."

"American cop," Roberto said sagely, indicating Sean.

"Yes," she said and smiled.

"We will find out the truth behind the contessa, eh?" Roberto said.

"Yes."

He held both of her hands for a minute, then sighed. "I have come to talk to Cindy. She called ... very upset She doesn't know how, but she thinks the contessa made Signore Jared sick. I have come so that she can talk to me."

"Thank G.o.d it's you, and not Alfredo," Jordan murmured.

Roberto shrugged. "Alfredo is here, too. In the waiting room."

Cindy wasn't up to handling such a skeptic at the moment, Jordan thought. She looked at Sean. "Perhaps you could go introduce yourself to another Italian. And explain ..."

Sean arched a brow to her.

"Explain about some of the murders in America."

"Sure. Except that-"

"Alfredo speaks English perfectly."

Sean nodded with relief. "Sure."

"Thank you!" Jordan whispered. He walked down the hall to the waiting room.

"Roberto, maybe you could talk to Cindy here, away from Alfredo. She's . . . she's on medication, I'm sure. And not making much sense."

"Of course."

Jordan went back into the room. "Cindy, Roberto is here."

Cindy jumped up. "I'm going to tell him. They have to arrest that woman." Cindy went out of the room with Roberto, and Jordan took a seat next to Jared again.

She watched the machines. She looked at his face again, stroked his cheek. Don't die, don't die! I know that you're not evil, and you might have been under the influence of a monster, but in truth, you 're not one yourself, you can't become one yourself!

Was his color just a little bit better?

The door suddenly opened again. It was Roberto. "She's . . . crazy," he said. "She ran out-I will follow."

Jordan looked at Jared, then shook her head. Sean was still here, just down the hall with Alfredo.

She ran out, after Roberto, down the hall, and to the elevators. He watched the numbers, then started for the stairs. Jordan ran after him. They reached the bottom of the stairs after the elevator, despite the speed with which they had descended. "She was so ... wild. I'm afraid .. ."

"That she'll hurt herself ?" Jordan queried. Why in h.e.l.l had Cindy run out of the hospital?

"There .. . there's ... Cindy."

She was hurrying for the docks. Hailing a water taxi.

"Stop!" Roberto shouted.

Too late; Cindy had hopped in.

"We have to follow her!" Jordan said, grabbing his hand. They ran to the docks. Tourists strolled into the line right ahead of them.

"No!" Jordan whispered.