Longing for You, стр. 20
“Josie? Hi, aren’t they looking after you in the basement?” Katieknew this was a dangerous situation. A dangerous situation of her own making,she heard Alexis say in her head.
She had to keep Josie talking and hope either someone came down tothe kitchen or she found her chance to run.
“They were, are, but I had to see you, Katie. Last night isengraved on my mind, and I wanted to thank you for looking after me and givingme your blood.”
Katie could see Josie’s eyes fix on her jugular vein. Her heartbeat furiously. This was bad. How are you getting out of this one?
“I’m happy to help. The Debrek clan is happy to help,” Katie said.
Josie reached for her cheek and caressed it. “I need your helpagain, Katie. I’m so hungry, and I can’t get your blood from my mind.”
“But it’s not a good idea. Didn’t Byron and Alexis explain that toyou?”
Josie slid her hand from Katie’s cheek into her hair and graspedit tightly. “I know what I need, Katie, and it’s in you.”
“You have to have consent to take blood in the Debrek clan. Thatwas explained to you, and I do not consent, Josie.”
“I don’t care about your stupid rules. I take what I need.”Josie’s teeth erupted, and Katie knew she was trapped. She pushed her handbehind her and felt her mug of tea. Maybe she had one chance to get away.
Katie grasped the handle of the mug, and just as Josie was aboutto strike, Katie threw the mug and its contents over her attacker. Josiesquealed in pain and covered her face with her hands as the boiling liquidscalded her skin. Katie ran as fast as she could up the kitchen stairs and intothe entrance hall.
She had to get upstairs to get help. Katie didn’t look back but ranup the grand staircase and made it to the landing. She looked down and sawJosie below in the hallway.
“Come back. You’re mine!”
Katie had to get to one of the bedrooms. Suddenly Josie jumpedfrom below and landed right in front of her.
“You didn’t think you could outrun a vampire, did you?”
Katie didn’t have time to think. What happened next was a blur,until she felt Josie’s fangs bite deep into her neck, and her strength ebbedaway.
* * *
Alexis was sitting at her writing desk making up this week’s securityrosters. The Debrek clan had gone computerized many, many years ago and hadmoved into using apps on phones and tablets for the running of the bankingbusiness and clan.
Byron took to these changes like a duck to water, but Alexis wasan old-fashioned person at heart. Nothing felt better than using a scratchyfountain pen and paper. She looked up at the painted picture of her mother thatshe kept on her desk.
“If only you could see me now, Mama.”
She often wondered if her mother would be understanding of hercircumstances or if she would simply see her as a bloodthirsty vampire.
Not that she had a great deal of choice after Victorija had foundher on the battlefield dying from her wounds. It should have been her fate todie with honour, fighting for King and country, but that was snatched away fromher when Victorija fed her own blood to her.
Alexis put her pen in its holder and rubbed her face. She chose tobelieve that her mother would love her no matter what. She always had before,even when she found out about her interest in women rather than men, at a timewhen that was unthinkable.
Alexis was startled by a strange feeling passing over her body.The kind of feeling when it seemed like someone had walked over your grave.Then goosebumps erupted on her arms and legs.
She listened quietly for any sounds and then heard a woman screamfrom the other side of the house. Then a realization hit her in the chest. Itwas Katie. Alexis ran for her at full speed.
The staff rooms were on other side of the house from thestaircase, and so she couldn’t be there instantly with her vampire super speed,but she was soon approaching the main staircase.
What she saw there made her feel like she was having her gutswrenched out. Katie was lying on the floor with Josie feeding on her neck.“No!”
Alexis pulled Josie off her, and without any thought, snapped herneck and threw her off the staircase. Josie landed on the marble floor below.
She fell to her knees and cradled Katie, looking for signs thatshe was okay, but her lips were turning blue. “No, no! Don’t leave me, Katie,”Alexis roared.
Suddenly Byron was by her side. “What happened?”
“Josie was feeding on her.” Alexis couldn’t stop the tears fromrolling down her face.
Byron felt for a pulse on her neck and Amelia arrived by her side.
“Katie? Is she okay?” Amelia asked.
“There’s barely a pulse,” Byron said.
Alexis pulled up her sleeve and bit into her own wrist. The onlyway Alexis could see to save her was to turn Katie into a vampire. She was justabout to drip her blood into Katie’s mouth when Byron caught her wrist to stopher.
“No, Alexis, she hasn’t consented,” Byron said.
Alexis wasn’t thinking about anything apart from Katie’swell-being and the rage and panic inside her.
Amelia gasped and said, “I…I think I can see her spirit leavingher body.”
Alexis growled, “I don’t care. I’m not losing someone else I loveto a vampire. Let me go.”
Byron let her go, and Alexis brought her wrist close to Katie’slips. “I’m only doing this because I love you. if you hate me for it, I’ll justhave to live with that.”
“Don’t be like Victorija, Alexis. Remember what she took from you,and don’t take Katie’s humanity.”
Alexis looked up at Byron through tear-filled eyes. “I have to.”
“Stop.” Bhal came barrelling towards them. “Let me, Duca.” Shekneeled down next to Katie and poured some liquid from her whisky flask. Itlooked like plain water when it pooled in her hand.
Bhal looked up at Alexis and said, “Trust me, Alexis.”
Alexis