Sara Curran-Ross's Blog, page 6
May 27, 2011
Sleeping Love (Work In Progress)
Hi Everyone,
Here is Chapter Four Part II and Chapter Five of my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. I hope you enjoy them.
Have a great weekend!
Sara
Chapter Four (Part II)
Sabrina closed the bathroom door in Raoul's room and tightened the belt on her silk dressing gown. She eyed him with suspicion when he handed her a glass of champagne. She'd done all she could to avoid sleeping in the same room but Raoul was a formidable strong personality and there had been no room for negotiation.
'I told you there is no escape. You are spending the night with me as my wife.' The way he said it made her feel as though she had been neglecting her duty.
Champagne was the last thing she wanted. Her mind and body were drained and tired. She was already giddy from the whole experience but she would do anything to placate him. Maybe once she'd had a drink she could just slip under the covers and throw him a pillow for the sofa.
'To our reunion,' he said with a smile tapping his glass against hers. Sabrina nodded cautiously and took a sip.
'You look tired,' he said gently. 'I think you should get into bed.' He took her glass away and put it on top of the elaborate alabaster fireplace that was the centre piece of the large room. He guided her towards the huge four poster and lifted the covers, gesturing for her to get in.
Sabrina stared at the bed with a mixture of anxiety and longing. She was desperate to go to sleep. Maybe she would wake up the morning and find herself back in her own bed in London having woken from a strange dream.
She fumbled at the tie on her dressing gown hoping to get into bed quick but Raoul stood in front of her taking over just the way he had done with her coat. Before she could protest he had removed her dressing gown and tossed it onto a chair. Sabrina took her cue and slipped into bed pulling the covers up around her feeling safe that she could hide her body from view. She quickly reached for a pillow alarmed when he started removing his suit jacket.
'Here, you will be needing this,' she said handing it to him.
He took it with a grin.
'You are safe for tonight.'
Sabrina ignored him and reached over to turn the lamp off at the side of the bed. She lay down quickly, tightly pulling the covers under her chin over her silk camisole and pyjama trousers. She murmured goodnight. Sabrina heard Raoul give a chuckle and felt the bed move when he stood up. She closed her eyes tight hoping he wouldn't change his mind and get in bed beside her.
Raoul moved about the room taking a blanket out of the wardrobe and then poured himself another glass of champagne. Try as she might Sabrina could not allow herself to sleep. A hundred fleeting memories entered her mind only to vanish in a breath before she could work out what they were. She was restless, moving her body about in the bed vainly attempting to enter the sanctuary of sleep.
A moment later Raoul's breath caressed her face and she inhaled his intoxicating scent of pine and cedarwood. She pretended to be asleep. His lips brushed her forehead. From the way he talked to her she knew he believed her to be asleep.
'Shhh, Sabrina. You are safe. There is nothing to fear. You are home now,' he whispered gently, slipping his fingers through her hair. 'I love you, Sabrina. I always have. There has never been anybody else. No matter what you thought. You should never have doubted me before you left. Je t'aime, Sabrina.'
His lips brushed her forehead once more and then Sabrina heard him settle down on the sofa. She couldn't help wondering why she would have doubted his love in the past. There was more than met the eye to Raoul's picture of domestic bliss he painted before her disappearance. Something had been going on before her disappearance and whatever it was would give her the answers about how she ended up beaten and raped in that hospital. It was time to put her history research to good use in her own life.
Chapter Five
Sabrina woke late the next morning. It hadn't been a dream. She was still in Raoul's bed but he was nowhere to be seen. Relieved she decided to get up. She felt the chill in the room immediately. Reaching for her dressing gown she remembered what Raoul had said about draughts in the chateau the night before. Sabrina parted the silver grey drapes and stole a look out of one of the three large arched windows that opened out over the side of the room.
A heavy winter's frost covered the ground giving the deceitful appearance that snow had fallen the night before. The room was positioned at the back of the large chateau and overlooked the formal gardens and wide lake in the distance. A light cold mist hung in the air. The sun tried in vain to penetrate the covering here and there lending a breathtaking fairytale quality to the idyllic scene.
Sabrina picked up a photograph on a table next to a vase of fresh Casablanca lilies. They were her favourite flowers. She smiled considering that Raoul may have had them put in the room for her. The photograph showed her on a sitting on a horse next to Raoul on his. They were both leaning over towards each other engaged in a kiss. It was impossible to mistake the love between the two figures. Sabrina touched the figures in the picture and stroked her fingers over Raoul's face. How could she forget her own husband?
'Madame Valoire, are you all right?'
It was Francine bringing a breakfast tray into the room. Sabrina changed her frown into a gentle smile and nodded, thanking the woman for her concern. She put down the photograph and walked over to inspect the contents of the tray as Francine put it down on the table in front of the sofa. The woman moved away and busied herself lighting the open fire. Sabrina came to stand next to her.
'Francine, please call me Sabrina. I hate Madame Valoire. It makes me sound ancient. Francine is this all true or am I dreaming?' she said with humourous wonder taking in her rich exuberant surroundings.
Francine stood up and gave a small sarcastic laugh. Sabrina prickled.
'No, Madame Valoire you are not dreaming. Monsieur Valoire has really missed you. He never gave up looking for you. He has suffered too much. I only hope that you see fit to remember the wonderful life he has given you. You owe him that much,' she said with a stiff measure of haughty disapproval. 'And if you please, I prefer to use your correct title, Madame Valoire.'
Sabrina raised an eyebrow. It seemed Raoul wasn't the only one who bore some resentment and anger at her disappearance. She nodded still shocked by the older woman's forthright speech. yet she considered it might work to her advantage. Perhaps, Francine would also be forthright in giving her some information regarding the day of her disappearance.
'Francine, what happened on the day of my disappearance? Did Raoul and I argue over something? I remember arguing with someone at party. I think it was here. It's so faint and vague. Do you know what happened?' Sabrina asked seizing her opportunity for information not coloured by Raoul's influence.
Francine's face turned ashen. Sabrina watched her turn to the door to make sure no one was standing there. She opened her mouth to speak but then quickly closed her lips together tight, obviously thinking better of what she was about to say. Eventually she spoke.
'It's not my place. If there is nothing else, Madame, I will leave you now.'
Sabrina caught her arm.
'No. Please, Francine. Help me remember. If not for my sake then for Raoul's,' she pleaded.
Francine looked down at Sabrina with impatience and gave a small sigh. She opened her mouth to speak but a male voice cut her short.
'Francine, Sabrina will remember in her own time. We must be careful with her memory until she has been examined by my doctor,' Raoul told her firmly as he stood in the doorway.
He had been riding. He wore a heavy knit cream jumper over the broad frame of his shoulders underneath a black wool jacket. Sabrina watched him throw his riding hat on a chair and stride into the room in his jodhpurs and boots. Cedarwood, pine and a generous helping of delicious male scent wrapped around her senses. Francine smiled nervously at Sabrina.
'Of course,' she said with a brisk nod and took her leave.
Sabrina clamped her teeth together in frustration. Francine obviously knew something Raoul didn't want her to know by the dark look he gave the woman when she left the room. Sabrina would have to wait for another opportunity to question the woman alone.
Raoul was pouring coffee for them both when she looked back at him.
'Sabrina, come and sit down. You hardly ate a thing last night. You need to eat.'
He was speaking softly, as though she was a child. It infuriated her.
'No,' she snapped. 'I can't eat anything. I need to clear my head. Since last night I can't think straight. My life feels as though it is out of control.' I need to leave and get some space so I can think.'
She turned back to the bed deciding to get dressed when she suddenly felt Raoul's arms around her waist from behind tugging her possessively towards him. She felt him press his head against hers before brushing his lips across her neck.
'No. I won't let you leave. I have already won this argument,' his words were a whisper against her skin. 'Besides . . .' he paused to kiss her neck again. Sabrina closed her eyes finding herself melt with his warm closeness despite all efforts not to let him placate her with his seductive powers. 'I don't want you to be on your own. We need to work out happened. We have to make sure you are safe.'
Sabrina turned quickly in his arms to face him alarmed by the level of anxiety in his voice. He really didn't want her being own and he wasn't just being overprotective.
'What do you mean? What aren't you telling me? What do you mean we must make sure I am safe?' she challenged forcefully. She was in no mood for him being evasive.
He took her back into his arms and told her to hush. There was nothing to worry about. He was just concerned about her health. Sabrina flinched away from him demanding to know what he kept from her.
Raoul dropped his hands from her waist and sat down on the bed. He leaned back on his elbows studying her closely with his dark fathomless eyes. He muttered some words in French under his breath that she could not decipher and then shook his head.
'I shouldn't be telling you this. The consultant told me to be careful with you. No shocks . . .'
'Raoul, please. I have every right to know.'
'You were kidnapped right from this house where I thought I kept you safe,' anger rumbled under his tone. 'You were working as a lawyer in your English firm's Paris office . . .'
'Me, a lawyer?' she said with a disbelieving laugh.
'Yes you were. You were a damn good business lawyer. Anyway, you started getting phone calls, heavy breathing . . . someone listening but not speaking on the other end of the phone. A man started following you to your car. You never saw who it was. he always managed to escape you when you tried to confront him. He followed you in his car back to our apartment. We used to stay in Paris during the week. Then there was the anonymous presents you used to receive. You were terrified but you didn't tell me anything. Stupidly, you thought you could deal with the problem all on your own.' Raoul tapped his finger to his head in frustration. 'Once you get an idea in your head you will not be moved. You are a stubborn woman, Sabrina.'
Sabrina straightened slightly annoyed by his comment but then he did have a point. It did sound exactly how she would have dealt with it. She wouldn't have ran to the nearest man like a helpless woman for help, husband or not. Raoul was bitter at her decision not to allow him to protect her and maybe on reflection, she should have at least told him what was going on.
He continued. 'I only found out what was going on when Francine confided in me that she had found you crying after receiving a phone call at the chateau one weekend. I was so angry with you Sabrina. I still am. Why
did you not tell me?' he asked raising his voice.
'I don't know. I'm sorry but I don't remember any of this.'
'I informed the police. I picked you up every night and made sure you were never alone much to your feminist disgust. I heightened security at the chateau and apartment. Yet still you were taken from me, from our home here, on the night of the ball I arranged for your twenty eighth birthday.'
For no reason she could understand Sabrina looked down at her hands and to her surprise found them shaking. A cold fear swept the length of her spine making her shiver. Flashes of bright colourful dresses accompanied by laughter and broken conversations forced their way into her mind's eye. It felt so vivid and real as she stepped back into a vision of time past. She was anxious and expecting to see someone at the party, someone who frightened her on a scale she had never encountered before. Sabrina closed her eyes holding her breath in anticipation of seeing the frightening identity of her attacker.
Here is Chapter Four Part II and Chapter Five of my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. I hope you enjoy them.
Have a great weekend!
Sara
Chapter Four (Part II)
Sabrina closed the bathroom door in Raoul's room and tightened the belt on her silk dressing gown. She eyed him with suspicion when he handed her a glass of champagne. She'd done all she could to avoid sleeping in the same room but Raoul was a formidable strong personality and there had been no room for negotiation.
'I told you there is no escape. You are spending the night with me as my wife.' The way he said it made her feel as though she had been neglecting her duty.
Champagne was the last thing she wanted. Her mind and body were drained and tired. She was already giddy from the whole experience but she would do anything to placate him. Maybe once she'd had a drink she could just slip under the covers and throw him a pillow for the sofa.
'To our reunion,' he said with a smile tapping his glass against hers. Sabrina nodded cautiously and took a sip.
'You look tired,' he said gently. 'I think you should get into bed.' He took her glass away and put it on top of the elaborate alabaster fireplace that was the centre piece of the large room. He guided her towards the huge four poster and lifted the covers, gesturing for her to get in.
Sabrina stared at the bed with a mixture of anxiety and longing. She was desperate to go to sleep. Maybe she would wake up the morning and find herself back in her own bed in London having woken from a strange dream.
She fumbled at the tie on her dressing gown hoping to get into bed quick but Raoul stood in front of her taking over just the way he had done with her coat. Before she could protest he had removed her dressing gown and tossed it onto a chair. Sabrina took her cue and slipped into bed pulling the covers up around her feeling safe that she could hide her body from view. She quickly reached for a pillow alarmed when he started removing his suit jacket.
'Here, you will be needing this,' she said handing it to him.
He took it with a grin.
'You are safe for tonight.'
Sabrina ignored him and reached over to turn the lamp off at the side of the bed. She lay down quickly, tightly pulling the covers under her chin over her silk camisole and pyjama trousers. She murmured goodnight. Sabrina heard Raoul give a chuckle and felt the bed move when he stood up. She closed her eyes tight hoping he wouldn't change his mind and get in bed beside her.
Raoul moved about the room taking a blanket out of the wardrobe and then poured himself another glass of champagne. Try as she might Sabrina could not allow herself to sleep. A hundred fleeting memories entered her mind only to vanish in a breath before she could work out what they were. She was restless, moving her body about in the bed vainly attempting to enter the sanctuary of sleep.
A moment later Raoul's breath caressed her face and she inhaled his intoxicating scent of pine and cedarwood. She pretended to be asleep. His lips brushed her forehead. From the way he talked to her she knew he believed her to be asleep.
'Shhh, Sabrina. You are safe. There is nothing to fear. You are home now,' he whispered gently, slipping his fingers through her hair. 'I love you, Sabrina. I always have. There has never been anybody else. No matter what you thought. You should never have doubted me before you left. Je t'aime, Sabrina.'
His lips brushed her forehead once more and then Sabrina heard him settle down on the sofa. She couldn't help wondering why she would have doubted his love in the past. There was more than met the eye to Raoul's picture of domestic bliss he painted before her disappearance. Something had been going on before her disappearance and whatever it was would give her the answers about how she ended up beaten and raped in that hospital. It was time to put her history research to good use in her own life.
Chapter Five
Sabrina woke late the next morning. It hadn't been a dream. She was still in Raoul's bed but he was nowhere to be seen. Relieved she decided to get up. She felt the chill in the room immediately. Reaching for her dressing gown she remembered what Raoul had said about draughts in the chateau the night before. Sabrina parted the silver grey drapes and stole a look out of one of the three large arched windows that opened out over the side of the room.
A heavy winter's frost covered the ground giving the deceitful appearance that snow had fallen the night before. The room was positioned at the back of the large chateau and overlooked the formal gardens and wide lake in the distance. A light cold mist hung in the air. The sun tried in vain to penetrate the covering here and there lending a breathtaking fairytale quality to the idyllic scene.
Sabrina picked up a photograph on a table next to a vase of fresh Casablanca lilies. They were her favourite flowers. She smiled considering that Raoul may have had them put in the room for her. The photograph showed her on a sitting on a horse next to Raoul on his. They were both leaning over towards each other engaged in a kiss. It was impossible to mistake the love between the two figures. Sabrina touched the figures in the picture and stroked her fingers over Raoul's face. How could she forget her own husband?
'Madame Valoire, are you all right?'
It was Francine bringing a breakfast tray into the room. Sabrina changed her frown into a gentle smile and nodded, thanking the woman for her concern. She put down the photograph and walked over to inspect the contents of the tray as Francine put it down on the table in front of the sofa. The woman moved away and busied herself lighting the open fire. Sabrina came to stand next to her.
'Francine, please call me Sabrina. I hate Madame Valoire. It makes me sound ancient. Francine is this all true or am I dreaming?' she said with humourous wonder taking in her rich exuberant surroundings.
Francine stood up and gave a small sarcastic laugh. Sabrina prickled.
'No, Madame Valoire you are not dreaming. Monsieur Valoire has really missed you. He never gave up looking for you. He has suffered too much. I only hope that you see fit to remember the wonderful life he has given you. You owe him that much,' she said with a stiff measure of haughty disapproval. 'And if you please, I prefer to use your correct title, Madame Valoire.'
Sabrina raised an eyebrow. It seemed Raoul wasn't the only one who bore some resentment and anger at her disappearance. She nodded still shocked by the older woman's forthright speech. yet she considered it might work to her advantage. Perhaps, Francine would also be forthright in giving her some information regarding the day of her disappearance.
'Francine, what happened on the day of my disappearance? Did Raoul and I argue over something? I remember arguing with someone at party. I think it was here. It's so faint and vague. Do you know what happened?' Sabrina asked seizing her opportunity for information not coloured by Raoul's influence.
Francine's face turned ashen. Sabrina watched her turn to the door to make sure no one was standing there. She opened her mouth to speak but then quickly closed her lips together tight, obviously thinking better of what she was about to say. Eventually she spoke.
'It's not my place. If there is nothing else, Madame, I will leave you now.'
Sabrina caught her arm.
'No. Please, Francine. Help me remember. If not for my sake then for Raoul's,' she pleaded.
Francine looked down at Sabrina with impatience and gave a small sigh. She opened her mouth to speak but a male voice cut her short.
'Francine, Sabrina will remember in her own time. We must be careful with her memory until she has been examined by my doctor,' Raoul told her firmly as he stood in the doorway.
He had been riding. He wore a heavy knit cream jumper over the broad frame of his shoulders underneath a black wool jacket. Sabrina watched him throw his riding hat on a chair and stride into the room in his jodhpurs and boots. Cedarwood, pine and a generous helping of delicious male scent wrapped around her senses. Francine smiled nervously at Sabrina.
'Of course,' she said with a brisk nod and took her leave.
Sabrina clamped her teeth together in frustration. Francine obviously knew something Raoul didn't want her to know by the dark look he gave the woman when she left the room. Sabrina would have to wait for another opportunity to question the woman alone.
Raoul was pouring coffee for them both when she looked back at him.
'Sabrina, come and sit down. You hardly ate a thing last night. You need to eat.'
He was speaking softly, as though she was a child. It infuriated her.
'No,' she snapped. 'I can't eat anything. I need to clear my head. Since last night I can't think straight. My life feels as though it is out of control.' I need to leave and get some space so I can think.'
She turned back to the bed deciding to get dressed when she suddenly felt Raoul's arms around her waist from behind tugging her possessively towards him. She felt him press his head against hers before brushing his lips across her neck.
'No. I won't let you leave. I have already won this argument,' his words were a whisper against her skin. 'Besides . . .' he paused to kiss her neck again. Sabrina closed her eyes finding herself melt with his warm closeness despite all efforts not to let him placate her with his seductive powers. 'I don't want you to be on your own. We need to work out happened. We have to make sure you are safe.'
Sabrina turned quickly in his arms to face him alarmed by the level of anxiety in his voice. He really didn't want her being own and he wasn't just being overprotective.
'What do you mean? What aren't you telling me? What do you mean we must make sure I am safe?' she challenged forcefully. She was in no mood for him being evasive.
He took her back into his arms and told her to hush. There was nothing to worry about. He was just concerned about her health. Sabrina flinched away from him demanding to know what he kept from her.
Raoul dropped his hands from her waist and sat down on the bed. He leaned back on his elbows studying her closely with his dark fathomless eyes. He muttered some words in French under his breath that she could not decipher and then shook his head.
'I shouldn't be telling you this. The consultant told me to be careful with you. No shocks . . .'
'Raoul, please. I have every right to know.'
'You were kidnapped right from this house where I thought I kept you safe,' anger rumbled under his tone. 'You were working as a lawyer in your English firm's Paris office . . .'
'Me, a lawyer?' she said with a disbelieving laugh.
'Yes you were. You were a damn good business lawyer. Anyway, you started getting phone calls, heavy breathing . . . someone listening but not speaking on the other end of the phone. A man started following you to your car. You never saw who it was. he always managed to escape you when you tried to confront him. He followed you in his car back to our apartment. We used to stay in Paris during the week. Then there was the anonymous presents you used to receive. You were terrified but you didn't tell me anything. Stupidly, you thought you could deal with the problem all on your own.' Raoul tapped his finger to his head in frustration. 'Once you get an idea in your head you will not be moved. You are a stubborn woman, Sabrina.'
Sabrina straightened slightly annoyed by his comment but then he did have a point. It did sound exactly how she would have dealt with it. She wouldn't have ran to the nearest man like a helpless woman for help, husband or not. Raoul was bitter at her decision not to allow him to protect her and maybe on reflection, she should have at least told him what was going on.
He continued. 'I only found out what was going on when Francine confided in me that she had found you crying after receiving a phone call at the chateau one weekend. I was so angry with you Sabrina. I still am. Why
did you not tell me?' he asked raising his voice.
'I don't know. I'm sorry but I don't remember any of this.'
'I informed the police. I picked you up every night and made sure you were never alone much to your feminist disgust. I heightened security at the chateau and apartment. Yet still you were taken from me, from our home here, on the night of the ball I arranged for your twenty eighth birthday.'
For no reason she could understand Sabrina looked down at her hands and to her surprise found them shaking. A cold fear swept the length of her spine making her shiver. Flashes of bright colourful dresses accompanied by laughter and broken conversations forced their way into her mind's eye. It felt so vivid and real as she stepped back into a vision of time past. She was anxious and expecting to see someone at the party, someone who frightened her on a scale she had never encountered before. Sabrina closed her eyes holding her breath in anticipation of seeing the frightening identity of her attacker.
May 25, 2011
Sleeping Love (Work In Progress)
Hi Everyone,
Here is the next chapter of my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. Hope you enjoy it.
Btw, Knight of Swords is now available on Kindle at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk. If you are interested in buying a copy please follow the purchasing links at the side of the page and on the Published page.
Thanks.
Sara
Chapter Four (Part I)
Anger rose inside Sabrina to fever pitch. She cherished her independence with a passion and not Raoul or anybody else was going to take it away from her. She didn't take kindly to threats nowould she allow herself to be frightened of them no matter who was dishing them out. She slammed the door shut with force and turned to confront him.
He was shaking his gorgeous head and tutting at her with cruel amusement. Sabrina felt her eyes narrow.
'Temper, temper, darling. You always were explosive. A firecracker, I used to call you. I see that you have lost none of your spark.'
His lips curled in a mischievous seductive smile and that damned playful look glinted in his eyes. Her greatest wish that moment was to wipe the smile from his face and it was with a huge effort she kept her hand by her side. Though she did wonder how long she would be able to restrain herself if he kept on provoking her. He seemed to be taking great pleasure in riling her anger. Perhaps it was some sort of revenge for making him feel as if she had deserted him.
'I don't know what kind of woman I was when I lived with you but here and now I do not take orders from anyone, especially from men.' Sabrina's attempt to keep her voice level and calm disintegrated towards the end of her sentence.
To her fury triumph reigned in his eyes. Bastard. He was enjoying his control over her. She swallowed a breath and forced herself to continue maintaining as much dignity as she could, refusing to give him anymore satisfaction.
'I am leaving. If you do anything to stop me I will call the police and have you arrested for false imprisonment. I am sure the they would be interested in what I have to say especially when they obviously believe you are capable of murder,' she snapped loudly, suddenly feeling confident the upper hand was now hers.
A frown creased Raoul's forehead but he appeared undeterred or affected by her words. Sabrina watched him reach into his suit pocket and bring out a mobile. Sabrina recognised it at once. It was hers. He must have taken it from her room when she wasn't looking. He'd planned this reunion well. He shook it at her.
'And how are you going to call them without this?' he asked.
Sabrina's eyes quickly diverted to the land line on his desk.
'I'm afraid that won't help you. I've had all the land lines cut. Like it or not darling wife you are here to stay,' there was no mistaking the bitterness and hurt that she wanted to leave again in his voice. He dropped the mobile to the floor and stepped on it crushing the small metal box. 'There is no escape, Sabrina. Until you get your memory back I am in control . . .'
Sabrina didn't let him finish his sentence. Her temper finally got the better of her. She brought her hand crashing against the side of his face in a heavy slap. Raoul's reaction was swift. He caught hold of her arms and pushed her backwards against the wall. She vainly attempted to raise her hand and slap him again, afraid for her life and the sudden violent darkness in his eyes. He caught both of her hands and held them against the wall at the sides of her head trapping her there. Terrified of what he was about to do, Sabrina caught her breath. What followed spun her head and her thoughts out of control. Far from using violence against her Raoul bent his head and captured her lips in a deep possessive kiss. But what disturbed her the most was her own reaction.
Far from being repulsed or angered by his liberty, Sabrina found herself responding as though it was a pleasure she had been denied for far too long. Slowly her resistance melted and she found herself in Raoul's arms lost in another time.
Raoul rested his head against her forehead. His thumb traced the delicate curve of her cheek as a still quietness surrounded the room. Sabrina could find no words. What could she say? Her thoughts were confused. She was full of anger, resentment, defence yet even after all he had said a part of her responded to Raoul with trust and need. She prayed it was not misplaced. His soothing caress was slowing her frantic heartbeat and out of the blue she felt very tired and weary. Sabrina looked directly into his eyes searching for his intentions. He gave a small laugh.
'I'm sorry Sabrina. I don't mean to make you fearful but I can't let you go. It's been too long. All this time. . . Don't leave me. Stay of your own will not because I force you to. Remember what we had together,' he almost whispered the words. 'Just now. . . it was as if you remembered. Please . . . come back to me,' it was a plea for release from torment.
Unexpectedly Sabrina felt tears gather in her eyes and spill out on to her cheeks.
'There's so much I don't know. I had to restart my life from scratch. The doctors told me I might never find out about my past. It's been ten years now. I only get small flashes of memory. Maybe it isn't going to happen. What if I can't remember ?' she asked feeling the sudden weight of panic and guilt as she swept her eyes over all of the photographs of herself with Raoul. She felt it was now her responsibility to remember and ease Raoul's pain.
Raoul gently wiped her tears away with his fingers and cupped her face.
'Shhh. Listen to me, Sabrina. You will remember. I'll get you all the medical help you need,' he paused and smiled. 'But if by some unbelievable chance you don't, I will just make you fall in love with me all over again.'
A knock at the door and the sound of the housekeeper's voice interrupted their conversation. Raoul caught Sabrina's hand in his and opened the door.
'Francine, Madame Valoire has come home,' he told the woman with pride.
He brought Sabrina's hand to his lips and gently kissed it. That's when she saw the wedding ring on his finger. It hadn't been there when she arrived.
The woman clapped her hands together excitedly and looked at Raoul with relief. She briefly touched his arm and smiled.
'I have done as you asked and moved all of Madame Valoire's clothes into your room again,' she informed him.
Sabrina frowned.
'Good. Now Madame Valoire is very tired and needs to rest but not before a small celebration for her homecoming. Please bring up a bottle of champagne to our room.'
The woman left quickly to get the champagne ready.
'You don't give up, do you?' Sabrina said crossly. 'I am not sleeping with you. I don't even know you.'
Raoul gave a sigh and then a small sarcastic laugh. He waged a finger at her.
'I could strongly argue that point. But relax I will take the sofa.'
Sabrina felt her shoulders relax but then tense once more when he added.
'At least for tonight so you can rest. Tomorrow I want you back in my bed and in my arms where you belong. No arguments,' he told her firmly with that arrogant smile that said he always got what he wanted.
She had until tomorrow night to make her escape. Still it was nice to be so wanted by a man like Raoul. Sharing his bed would be no bad thing, more than desirable. But she wasn't about to let him have his way so easily and dictate to her. If he wanted her back in his bed he would have to prove he was worthy of her trust and her love. Nothing less. She was in for one hell of a fight.
Here is the next chapter of my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. Hope you enjoy it.
Btw, Knight of Swords is now available on Kindle at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk. If you are interested in buying a copy please follow the purchasing links at the side of the page and on the Published page.
Thanks.
Sara
Chapter Four (Part I)
Anger rose inside Sabrina to fever pitch. She cherished her independence with a passion and not Raoul or anybody else was going to take it away from her. She didn't take kindly to threats nowould she allow herself to be frightened of them no matter who was dishing them out. She slammed the door shut with force and turned to confront him.
He was shaking his gorgeous head and tutting at her with cruel amusement. Sabrina felt her eyes narrow.
'Temper, temper, darling. You always were explosive. A firecracker, I used to call you. I see that you have lost none of your spark.'
His lips curled in a mischievous seductive smile and that damned playful look glinted in his eyes. Her greatest wish that moment was to wipe the smile from his face and it was with a huge effort she kept her hand by her side. Though she did wonder how long she would be able to restrain herself if he kept on provoking her. He seemed to be taking great pleasure in riling her anger. Perhaps it was some sort of revenge for making him feel as if she had deserted him.
'I don't know what kind of woman I was when I lived with you but here and now I do not take orders from anyone, especially from men.' Sabrina's attempt to keep her voice level and calm disintegrated towards the end of her sentence.
To her fury triumph reigned in his eyes. Bastard. He was enjoying his control over her. She swallowed a breath and forced herself to continue maintaining as much dignity as she could, refusing to give him anymore satisfaction.
'I am leaving. If you do anything to stop me I will call the police and have you arrested for false imprisonment. I am sure the they would be interested in what I have to say especially when they obviously believe you are capable of murder,' she snapped loudly, suddenly feeling confident the upper hand was now hers.
A frown creased Raoul's forehead but he appeared undeterred or affected by her words. Sabrina watched him reach into his suit pocket and bring out a mobile. Sabrina recognised it at once. It was hers. He must have taken it from her room when she wasn't looking. He'd planned this reunion well. He shook it at her.
'And how are you going to call them without this?' he asked.
Sabrina's eyes quickly diverted to the land line on his desk.
'I'm afraid that won't help you. I've had all the land lines cut. Like it or not darling wife you are here to stay,' there was no mistaking the bitterness and hurt that she wanted to leave again in his voice. He dropped the mobile to the floor and stepped on it crushing the small metal box. 'There is no escape, Sabrina. Until you get your memory back I am in control . . .'
Sabrina didn't let him finish his sentence. Her temper finally got the better of her. She brought her hand crashing against the side of his face in a heavy slap. Raoul's reaction was swift. He caught hold of her arms and pushed her backwards against the wall. She vainly attempted to raise her hand and slap him again, afraid for her life and the sudden violent darkness in his eyes. He caught both of her hands and held them against the wall at the sides of her head trapping her there. Terrified of what he was about to do, Sabrina caught her breath. What followed spun her head and her thoughts out of control. Far from using violence against her Raoul bent his head and captured her lips in a deep possessive kiss. But what disturbed her the most was her own reaction.
Far from being repulsed or angered by his liberty, Sabrina found herself responding as though it was a pleasure she had been denied for far too long. Slowly her resistance melted and she found herself in Raoul's arms lost in another time.
Raoul rested his head against her forehead. His thumb traced the delicate curve of her cheek as a still quietness surrounded the room. Sabrina could find no words. What could she say? Her thoughts were confused. She was full of anger, resentment, defence yet even after all he had said a part of her responded to Raoul with trust and need. She prayed it was not misplaced. His soothing caress was slowing her frantic heartbeat and out of the blue she felt very tired and weary. Sabrina looked directly into his eyes searching for his intentions. He gave a small laugh.
'I'm sorry Sabrina. I don't mean to make you fearful but I can't let you go. It's been too long. All this time. . . Don't leave me. Stay of your own will not because I force you to. Remember what we had together,' he almost whispered the words. 'Just now. . . it was as if you remembered. Please . . . come back to me,' it was a plea for release from torment.
Unexpectedly Sabrina felt tears gather in her eyes and spill out on to her cheeks.
'There's so much I don't know. I had to restart my life from scratch. The doctors told me I might never find out about my past. It's been ten years now. I only get small flashes of memory. Maybe it isn't going to happen. What if I can't remember ?' she asked feeling the sudden weight of panic and guilt as she swept her eyes over all of the photographs of herself with Raoul. She felt it was now her responsibility to remember and ease Raoul's pain.
Raoul gently wiped her tears away with his fingers and cupped her face.
'Shhh. Listen to me, Sabrina. You will remember. I'll get you all the medical help you need,' he paused and smiled. 'But if by some unbelievable chance you don't, I will just make you fall in love with me all over again.'
A knock at the door and the sound of the housekeeper's voice interrupted their conversation. Raoul caught Sabrina's hand in his and opened the door.
'Francine, Madame Valoire has come home,' he told the woman with pride.
He brought Sabrina's hand to his lips and gently kissed it. That's when she saw the wedding ring on his finger. It hadn't been there when she arrived.
The woman clapped her hands together excitedly and looked at Raoul with relief. She briefly touched his arm and smiled.
'I have done as you asked and moved all of Madame Valoire's clothes into your room again,' she informed him.
Sabrina frowned.
'Good. Now Madame Valoire is very tired and needs to rest but not before a small celebration for her homecoming. Please bring up a bottle of champagne to our room.'
The woman left quickly to get the champagne ready.
'You don't give up, do you?' Sabrina said crossly. 'I am not sleeping with you. I don't even know you.'
Raoul gave a sigh and then a small sarcastic laugh. He waged a finger at her.
'I could strongly argue that point. But relax I will take the sofa.'
Sabrina felt her shoulders relax but then tense once more when he added.
'At least for tonight so you can rest. Tomorrow I want you back in my bed and in my arms where you belong. No arguments,' he told her firmly with that arrogant smile that said he always got what he wanted.
She had until tomorrow night to make her escape. Still it was nice to be so wanted by a man like Raoul. Sharing his bed would be no bad thing, more than desirable. But she wasn't about to let him have his way so easily and dictate to her. If he wanted her back in his bed he would have to prove he was worthy of her trust and her love. Nothing less. She was in for one hell of a fight.
May 19, 2011
Sleeping Love (Work In Progress)
Hi Everyone,
I decided to write another chapter for my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. If you want to read the first two chapters, check out the archive section and you will find them there.
Hope you enjoy it.
Happy Reading!
Sara
Chapter Three
Sabrina glared at Raoul and moved to stand up from her chair in a temper. She pushed her way past him, ignoring his demand for her to remain seated in case she fell to the floor again. She shook her head and looked up at the painting.
'I don't believe this . . . It's unreal. I don't remember getting married. I don't remember anything about our life together never mind my marriage vows,' she told him angrily.
Raoul frowned and stood up. Afraid of what he might do, Sabrina took two steps back but Raoul headed for the top drawer of his desk. Sabrina glanced back at the door wondering whether she should make a sudden break for freedom. She needed space, time to think. Her mind made up, she straightened and headed from the door deciding to leave and collect her thoughts. There was nothing he could do to keep her here. A doctor couldn't just write her off as insane and have her committed. There were laws. She needed to think, to escape. Her whole world felt as though it was a whirl.
Nothing appeared safe or trustworthy. It made her afraid. Leaving would give her some control back until she could decide what to do. Surely, Raoul would understand that. Frantically, she headed for the door and reached out for the handle with a shaking hand when she stopped dead, hearing the cracking whip of Raoul's reprimand across the air.
'Sabrina. Where are you going?'
Sabrina turned sharply tilting her chin defiantly at him.
'You can't stop me leaving,' she threatened. 'I will call the police.'
He gave a laugh and began walking towards her.
'It will do you no good,' he told her softly. 'They know that you are home and that your memory loss may have made you unstable. They are more than likely to advise hospital care if I can't keep you under control than help you leave.'
He unfolded the piece of paper he held in his hand and offered it to her. 'Your signature on our wedding certificate will prove that this is not some elaborate hoax. You belong to me, Sabrina and I am not letting you walk out of that door again.'
She glanced at the certificate and the signature that he pointed to. It was definitely her writing. Blind panic filled her mind. She didn't know what to do. What if Raoul had been the man who had beaten her so badly she'd lost her memory? What if he really was the man who had put her in the hospital ten years ago? Perhaps she had tried to leave him then and he'd become violent. too many questions. She had to get out.
'Do what the hell you want but I am still leaving and there is nothing you can do,' she shouted wasting, no more time in turning the door handle.
But to her dismay she was not to get very far. Raoul leaned over and raised his hand above her head slamming the door shut hard. Sabrina gave a yelp of fear and turned around to face him, finding her back pressed against the door with no means of escape. Raoul's dark eyes looked down at her threateningly. He closed the distance between them, sweeping his arm around her waist when she made a gesture to duck out from under the cage of his arm. He pushed her back against the door once more and restrained her there.
'I am going to keep you here even if I have to tie you down. I want to know why you walked out on my life. We were in love. I have spent years wondering what happened. I never once thought you were dead. Did you leave me for another man? Your absence has tormented me.' Raoul's tone grew more intense with anger leaving Sabrina trembling. 'The police believed you were murdered and I was their main suspect. They even dragged the lake in the grounds looking for your body. The only thing that stopped them from charging me with your murder was the lack of a body. I want answers and you are going to give them to me, darling wife. So yes you will stay and yes I will make you a prisoner if I have to.'
Sabrina would have retorted but both fear and confusion about her disappearance from the Chateau caused a flurry of broken images to twist inside her mind. She could see herself standing talking to someone. Music played in the background and there were people dancing in masks. It looked as though she was attending a ball. She was unhappy with someone and kept saying, 'I know what you are doing and I won't let you get away with it. You won't stop me.' Her emotions at the time were fearful but she was determined . The image played over and over in her mind.
'Sabrina,' Raoul sternly called her name but his voice sounded vague, distant, beyond the memory taking prominence in her mind. 'Sabrina,' Raoul's voice was more gentle this time but it was the touch of his fingers on her cheek that roused her and brought her attention back into focus.
'Sabrina, what is wrong? You seemed to disappear. You were vacant for a moment I . . .'
'I remembered something . . . I think I did anyway,' her voice sounded drowsy with disbelief and confusion.
Raoul's mouth lifted into a cautious smile as he studied her closely.
'That's good. It's a start. You look pale. You were out of it. Now you must see how I can't allow you to leave. It is unsafe for you to be alone,' he whispered continuing his light caress of her cheek.
'I just want to be alone so I can think. I know you are upset and angry but this is very frightening for me. I woke up beaten in a hospital and . . .' she paused feeling the tears gather in her eyes.
'And raped,' Raoul slowly finished for her. The pain in his eyes tightened. 'I know about your injuries, Sabrina.'
Sabrina turned away angrily rubbing at the tears suddenly running down her face. She didn't like showing weakness to anyone.
'You must be afraid to trust anyone, especially me,' Raoul continued gently. 'But I have to make you. You need help and I want you back. I will do whatever it takes to make you remember. I want to know who did this to you and I want them to pay,' he was restraining the angry frustration in his voice but Sabrina couldn't help pity the man when he found him.
'Please you have to let me go. I want to think about this. . . How do I know you weren't involved?' she blurted out afraid that she might actually be imprisoned with her real attacker. 'How do I know it wasn't you?' She felt the remorse the moment she spoke the words.
Raoul's eyes fired with angry disappointment. He was clearly hurt and somewhere inside she felt as though she had betrayed him by even considering the idea. He caught her chin and lifted it up towards him making her strain. He held her gaze to painful attention.
'Make no mistake,' he told her darkly. 'I did not beat or rape you. I did not try to murder you either. I would never hurt you. I love you and I want you back. If you remembered me you would never think that I was capable of such violence. Don't ever doubt or question me on this again. I won't tolerate it. Do you understand, Sabrina?'
'You just expect me to trust you? I know nothing about . . .'
'Yes, I do,' he interrupted with impatience. 'You have no choice. I am not giving you one.'
He slowly lowered her chin and moved away. He picked up the wedding certificate he had dropped onto a side table and took it back to the drawer.
He gestured towards all of the photographs littering the room.
'Did I look like I wanted to murder you? Can't you see how happy we were?' He sounded frustrated, almost despairing.
'I'm sorry. I can't remember. If there was any way I could, I would,' Sabrina heard herself shout.
Raoul leaned against his desk with folded arms, watching her intently.
'We will find a way,' he said calmly. There was no room for defeat in his tone. 'I have a doctor who specialises in treating amnesia coming to the chateau tomorrow to examine you.'
'What? You can't just take over my life. I have my own doctor . . .'
'I am your husband and I have every right to interfere in your life and take over when you are in ill health. Besides I only deal with the best in the medical profession.'
Sabrina lost her temper.
'You are infuriating. I am leaving in the morning. I am going to my room.'
Sabrina opened the door. Raoul had done nothing to stop her leaving the room, remaining in his relaxed position leaning against his desk.
'Sabrina, if you leave this house tomorrow, I will find you and have you committed to a hospital until your memory returns,' he informed her casually. She turned quickly ready to launch a full on verbal attack but he held up his hand to silence her protest and carried on. 'And believe me it will be useless to fight me on this. I have enough power and influence with the police and the medical profession in Paris to make it happen so fast your head will spin. Don't force me to act. I really don't want you confined in a private psychiatric hospital.'
Sabrina gave a small growl of contempt.
'I won't let you get away with this. I don't lie down and play dead easily.'
'I know. That's why I am coming down hard on you. You have be warned,' he said quietly, narrowing his dark eyes leaving her in doubt he had every intention of carrying out his threat if she pushed him to it. He was that afraid of losing her again. A secret part of her loved him for his passion and desire to breach boundaries to keep her with him but the stronger more sensible, sane part of her detested him for it. He would not win this war. When she remembered, if she could remember it would be on her terms and in her way, not his.
Sabrina turned to walk out of the door frustrated and angry that he had suddenly taken control of her life. This wasn't how she'd fantasised about meeting her long lost loved ones. She hadn't anticipated it being so adversarial.
'Oh and one more thing,' he said standing to his full height to walk towards her. 'You will be sleeping in our room with me tonight. I want my wife back in my bed.'
I decided to write another chapter for my romantic suspense novel, Sleeping Love. If you want to read the first two chapters, check out the archive section and you will find them there.
Hope you enjoy it.
Happy Reading!
Sara
Chapter Three
Sabrina glared at Raoul and moved to stand up from her chair in a temper. She pushed her way past him, ignoring his demand for her to remain seated in case she fell to the floor again. She shook her head and looked up at the painting.
'I don't believe this . . . It's unreal. I don't remember getting married. I don't remember anything about our life together never mind my marriage vows,' she told him angrily.
Raoul frowned and stood up. Afraid of what he might do, Sabrina took two steps back but Raoul headed for the top drawer of his desk. Sabrina glanced back at the door wondering whether she should make a sudden break for freedom. She needed space, time to think. Her mind made up, she straightened and headed from the door deciding to leave and collect her thoughts. There was nothing he could do to keep her here. A doctor couldn't just write her off as insane and have her committed. There were laws. She needed to think, to escape. Her whole world felt as though it was a whirl.
Nothing appeared safe or trustworthy. It made her afraid. Leaving would give her some control back until she could decide what to do. Surely, Raoul would understand that. Frantically, she headed for the door and reached out for the handle with a shaking hand when she stopped dead, hearing the cracking whip of Raoul's reprimand across the air.
'Sabrina. Where are you going?'
Sabrina turned sharply tilting her chin defiantly at him.
'You can't stop me leaving,' she threatened. 'I will call the police.'
He gave a laugh and began walking towards her.
'It will do you no good,' he told her softly. 'They know that you are home and that your memory loss may have made you unstable. They are more than likely to advise hospital care if I can't keep you under control than help you leave.'
He unfolded the piece of paper he held in his hand and offered it to her. 'Your signature on our wedding certificate will prove that this is not some elaborate hoax. You belong to me, Sabrina and I am not letting you walk out of that door again.'
She glanced at the certificate and the signature that he pointed to. It was definitely her writing. Blind panic filled her mind. She didn't know what to do. What if Raoul had been the man who had beaten her so badly she'd lost her memory? What if he really was the man who had put her in the hospital ten years ago? Perhaps she had tried to leave him then and he'd become violent. too many questions. She had to get out.
'Do what the hell you want but I am still leaving and there is nothing you can do,' she shouted wasting, no more time in turning the door handle.
But to her dismay she was not to get very far. Raoul leaned over and raised his hand above her head slamming the door shut hard. Sabrina gave a yelp of fear and turned around to face him, finding her back pressed against the door with no means of escape. Raoul's dark eyes looked down at her threateningly. He closed the distance between them, sweeping his arm around her waist when she made a gesture to duck out from under the cage of his arm. He pushed her back against the door once more and restrained her there.
'I am going to keep you here even if I have to tie you down. I want to know why you walked out on my life. We were in love. I have spent years wondering what happened. I never once thought you were dead. Did you leave me for another man? Your absence has tormented me.' Raoul's tone grew more intense with anger leaving Sabrina trembling. 'The police believed you were murdered and I was their main suspect. They even dragged the lake in the grounds looking for your body. The only thing that stopped them from charging me with your murder was the lack of a body. I want answers and you are going to give them to me, darling wife. So yes you will stay and yes I will make you a prisoner if I have to.'
Sabrina would have retorted but both fear and confusion about her disappearance from the Chateau caused a flurry of broken images to twist inside her mind. She could see herself standing talking to someone. Music played in the background and there were people dancing in masks. It looked as though she was attending a ball. She was unhappy with someone and kept saying, 'I know what you are doing and I won't let you get away with it. You won't stop me.' Her emotions at the time were fearful but she was determined . The image played over and over in her mind.
'Sabrina,' Raoul sternly called her name but his voice sounded vague, distant, beyond the memory taking prominence in her mind. 'Sabrina,' Raoul's voice was more gentle this time but it was the touch of his fingers on her cheek that roused her and brought her attention back into focus.
'Sabrina, what is wrong? You seemed to disappear. You were vacant for a moment I . . .'
'I remembered something . . . I think I did anyway,' her voice sounded drowsy with disbelief and confusion.
Raoul's mouth lifted into a cautious smile as he studied her closely.
'That's good. It's a start. You look pale. You were out of it. Now you must see how I can't allow you to leave. It is unsafe for you to be alone,' he whispered continuing his light caress of her cheek.
'I just want to be alone so I can think. I know you are upset and angry but this is very frightening for me. I woke up beaten in a hospital and . . .' she paused feeling the tears gather in her eyes.
'And raped,' Raoul slowly finished for her. The pain in his eyes tightened. 'I know about your injuries, Sabrina.'
Sabrina turned away angrily rubbing at the tears suddenly running down her face. She didn't like showing weakness to anyone.
'You must be afraid to trust anyone, especially me,' Raoul continued gently. 'But I have to make you. You need help and I want you back. I will do whatever it takes to make you remember. I want to know who did this to you and I want them to pay,' he was restraining the angry frustration in his voice but Sabrina couldn't help pity the man when he found him.
'Please you have to let me go. I want to think about this. . . How do I know you weren't involved?' she blurted out afraid that she might actually be imprisoned with her real attacker. 'How do I know it wasn't you?' She felt the remorse the moment she spoke the words.
Raoul's eyes fired with angry disappointment. He was clearly hurt and somewhere inside she felt as though she had betrayed him by even considering the idea. He caught her chin and lifted it up towards him making her strain. He held her gaze to painful attention.
'Make no mistake,' he told her darkly. 'I did not beat or rape you. I did not try to murder you either. I would never hurt you. I love you and I want you back. If you remembered me you would never think that I was capable of such violence. Don't ever doubt or question me on this again. I won't tolerate it. Do you understand, Sabrina?'
'You just expect me to trust you? I know nothing about . . .'
'Yes, I do,' he interrupted with impatience. 'You have no choice. I am not giving you one.'
He slowly lowered her chin and moved away. He picked up the wedding certificate he had dropped onto a side table and took it back to the drawer.
He gestured towards all of the photographs littering the room.
'Did I look like I wanted to murder you? Can't you see how happy we were?' He sounded frustrated, almost despairing.
'I'm sorry. I can't remember. If there was any way I could, I would,' Sabrina heard herself shout.
Raoul leaned against his desk with folded arms, watching her intently.
'We will find a way,' he said calmly. There was no room for defeat in his tone. 'I have a doctor who specialises in treating amnesia coming to the chateau tomorrow to examine you.'
'What? You can't just take over my life. I have my own doctor . . .'
'I am your husband and I have every right to interfere in your life and take over when you are in ill health. Besides I only deal with the best in the medical profession.'
Sabrina lost her temper.
'You are infuriating. I am leaving in the morning. I am going to my room.'
Sabrina opened the door. Raoul had done nothing to stop her leaving the room, remaining in his relaxed position leaning against his desk.
'Sabrina, if you leave this house tomorrow, I will find you and have you committed to a hospital until your memory returns,' he informed her casually. She turned quickly ready to launch a full on verbal attack but he held up his hand to silence her protest and carried on. 'And believe me it will be useless to fight me on this. I have enough power and influence with the police and the medical profession in Paris to make it happen so fast your head will spin. Don't force me to act. I really don't want you confined in a private psychiatric hospital.'
Sabrina gave a small growl of contempt.
'I won't let you get away with this. I don't lie down and play dead easily.'
'I know. That's why I am coming down hard on you. You have be warned,' he said quietly, narrowing his dark eyes leaving her in doubt he had every intention of carrying out his threat if she pushed him to it. He was that afraid of losing her again. A secret part of her loved him for his passion and desire to breach boundaries to keep her with him but the stronger more sensible, sane part of her detested him for it. He would not win this war. When she remembered, if she could remember it would be on her terms and in her way, not his.
Sabrina turned to walk out of the door frustrated and angry that he had suddenly taken control of her life. This wasn't how she'd fantasised about meeting her long lost loved ones. She hadn't anticipated it being so adversarial.
'Oh and one more thing,' he said standing to his full height to walk towards her. 'You will be sleeping in our room with me tonight. I want my wife back in my bed.'
May 16, 2011
New work in Progress, The Hanged Man
Hi Everyone,
Here is the first chapter and teaser of the third instalment of The Swords Series called The Hanged Man featuring Nathan and Juliet. Hope you enjoy reading it!
Sara
The Hanged Man
Chapter One
The Adeline, Bay of Biscay, March, 1893
JULIET
The devil himself pursued my tormented soul across the ship. It seemed there was no refuge from him. He would take me from my rightful mate and have me for his own. Not even death itself would free me from the chains he sought to place around my neck to hold me to his side. But he would not take me without a fight. I would not become his as easily as he wished. I had too much to lose. I belonged to my Knight of Swords. No one would be allowed to break the bond between Nathan and I. Not even if I was damned in hell for an eternity.
''Oh Juliet, my love,' he called for me in a light hearted amused tone as I ran with Marcus's holding the hands of his two children for the stern of the ship. 'How much longer are we going to play this game? Remember if you give yourself to me willingly I won't kill any more of these boring churlish humans you care so much about.'
I faltered, slowing my pace, thinking of the unfortunate humans who had met their death at dinner, only an hour before. They all died because of my stubborn belief that I could somehow outwit the devil's power. I glanced backwards wondering if I should go to him and face my would be conqueror alone to preserve the safety of the rest of the souls on the ship. I let go of the little boy and girl to address Marcus and Richard who came to an abrupt halt beside me.
'I should go to him. Perhaps, I can . . .'
Marcus frowned and shook his head.
'As Lycan leader I made your Knight of Swords a promise when you took refuge with us that I would keep you safe. I will not go back on my word and cross swords with the most powerful Taleian hybrid vampire in your race. I would cause a war between our people. You can do nothing to save the humans,' he told me with impatience glancing back along the corridor to make sure we were not followed. 'They were doomed the moment Galen and his Shadow army stepped on board this ship. This is a man who defeated Satan and took his throne in hell. Even you with your mighty power as Queen of Talus can do nothing. We must get away and hide like the others until we can get off this ship. Now let us waste no more time.'
I became angry.
'I will not hide while others die. I must help them . . . Your children, Marcus, I will not allow any harm to come to them . . .'
I began to move back up the corridor away from them with purpose ready to face my fate alone but Richard caught hold of my arm and swung me back around to face him.
'You aren't going anywhere,' he told me firmly. 'Now let's get moving before Galen comes around the corner and attempts to take you from us.'
But I was to struggle. The weight of all those deaths preyed upon my conscience more strongly than reason and I would not be stopped.
'Let me go. I will not be told what to do . . .'
Richard's dark gold eyes burned with heated determination as he pushed me forcefully back against the wall of the corridor and held me there with a strong grip on my arms. Marcus's little girl began to cry and clutch at her father's leg. Marcus stooped to rub her back and pull his son towards him. To my surprise he did nothing to stop Richard and his temper but watched with stern approval.
'I am not letting you go to him there is no knowing what he will do to you. We . . . I won't take that chance with your life,' he blurted out in his thick Scottish accent, his own eyes widening with surprise at his words.
I stared at him. He vainly tried to avoid my gaze clearly afraid of what I would read in his eyes. Richard had never shown me any care. In fact I would go so far as to say he detested my presence amongst the lycans. He did all he could to make me feel uncomfortable when Marcus's was engaged elsewhere. His rude intolerable behaviour had become worse since the night Nathan accused him of being attracted to me in London. He had so distastefully and vehemently denied it. I confess I had done my best to avoid him. Yet now he admitted to caring for my safety. He was not the only one to feel surprise. But the feeling was not shared by Marcus. There was a knowing in his eyes and fear for his second in command but he said nothing.
I looked into Richard's eyes desperately wishing he would allow me to read his mind. I would not dare attempt it without consent out of respect and because as a race the lycans strongly defended their privacy. Still I wanted to know why he suddenly felt that way. Perhaps, Nathan was right and he had all along. I wanted to know more but I did not have the time to ponder on the matter. I made to move again but once more he was to push me back hard against the wall.
'Do I have to remind you that you and your power are the only thing keeping this sinking steamship afloat and keeping the water out of the hole he has ripped through the hull,' he informed me in a deep angry tone holding my gaze to stern attention as he pinned me against the wall. 'If you go to him, he will be able to find a way to stop you then all of the humans will die anyway. You owe it to them to stay free.'
'I don't know how long I will be able to hold it upright on the water. The effort is draining energy from me. If I go to him and give him what he wants . . .' I protested trying to wriggle free from his tight unrelenting grasp.
Richard's hold tightened making me cry out. 'Do not push me any further with this nonsense, Juliet. My temper will not take it,' he told me in a dark, deep menacing voice forcing my wayward tongue to silence. 'Concentrate on keeping the ship afloat and drifting towards land as you have been doing. He has not been able to stop you doing that for some reason. Let Marcus and I worry about Galen and his army.'
I moved once more with frustration, conflicted in my plight, my own temper threatening to erupt. My resolve was sound to my mind. I would see no more die.
'Leave me Lycan or I will make you more aware of my power,' I shouted with my own menace.
But Richard would not be deterred.
'Do your worst Queen of Talus. I am not afraid. It will do no good. I will not let you sacrifice your life,' he leaned close to me his dark golden eyes firing with an orange red glow. He was so close and the way he studied my mouth, I thought for a strange moment that he might kiss me. I intensified my struggles and considered using my power against the lycan. But I refused to resort to violence even though I sensed the lycan would confusingly relish the experience. Triumphant that I had backed down, Richard seized his chance to make me capitulate.
'There is only one way to deal with such obstinacy and stubbornness in a woman, human or otherwise,' he informed me, quickly bending his form and winding an arm around my legs to lift me up into the air and swiftly over his shoulder. I gave an indignant cry but he was to pay it no heed. I heard him tell Marcus and the children to run and suddenly we were moving down the corridor.
We ran past some humans hurrying the other way. Galen was near for the humans fell to the ground with a cry, dead before they hit the carpeted floor. I let out a sob, screaming for Richard to put me down, beating my fists at his back as I watched their helpless forms fall like marionettes in a heap just as I had witnessed at dinner. He ignored me and picked up speed but we were to be thwarted. For at the end of the corridor Galen's handsome tall form emerged with a wide grin. Richard and Marcus stopped dead.
'I think you have something of mine, gentlemen. Now be good chaps and hand her over or bear the torrid consequences,' I heard him say in an eloquent English voice. 'Remember, you have seen what I can do.'
Richard's grip on my form intensified and I knew he would not give me up without a fight, perhaps to the death. I could not let him do it. I begged him to let me go but he resolutely refused.
'You know, it isn't just the humans who can be affected by my power so can the lycans and the vampires of this sorry little world,' Galen said amused.
I heard Richard give a growl of pain. Marcus followed suit and the children began to cry. suddenly Richard was down on his knees, still carrying me over his shoulder. His free hand rubbed at the intense pain in his head. I tried to move but he held on to me with shaking hands. I pleaded with Galen to let them go. Richard tried to lunge for me as the devil beckoned with his hand and a beguiling smile for me to come to him like a child. I looked upon my lycan companions including the helpless children, all in severe pain with horror. I made my choice without further hesitation. I went to the devil in the hopes of finding a way to stop him. I did not know what I was to endure before I found a way but I prayed God would give me strength to endure it. We were defeated. As I walked to Galen with his short swept back brown hair and his red golden eyes framed in a young handsome face, I did the only thing I could do in my present state. I opened my mind to Nathan and pleaded for his help on behalf of my friends, for the humans. I did not ask for myself. He believed I had betrayed him. I believed he would not find me worthy of saving.
With trembling fingers, I nervously caught hold of Galen's hand he held out to me. He pulled me to him sharply, with a laugh. He caught my shaking reluctant form in his arms and held my chin forcing my head up so he could bestow a kiss upon me. But his kiss was not a gentle one. He bit my lips with passion causing blood to drip untidily from my injured mouth. He continued his torturous assault. I screamed Nathan's name in my mind so loud and verbally against the devil's lips that I fancied I heard it reverberate off the ship and across the water. I prayed my Knight of Swords would forgive me and come to my aid for I feared I could not keep the humans alive on the boat much longer.
Here is the first chapter and teaser of the third instalment of The Swords Series called The Hanged Man featuring Nathan and Juliet. Hope you enjoy reading it!
Sara
The Hanged Man
Chapter One
The Adeline, Bay of Biscay, March, 1893
JULIET
The devil himself pursued my tormented soul across the ship. It seemed there was no refuge from him. He would take me from my rightful mate and have me for his own. Not even death itself would free me from the chains he sought to place around my neck to hold me to his side. But he would not take me without a fight. I would not become his as easily as he wished. I had too much to lose. I belonged to my Knight of Swords. No one would be allowed to break the bond between Nathan and I. Not even if I was damned in hell for an eternity.
''Oh Juliet, my love,' he called for me in a light hearted amused tone as I ran with Marcus's holding the hands of his two children for the stern of the ship. 'How much longer are we going to play this game? Remember if you give yourself to me willingly I won't kill any more of these boring churlish humans you care so much about.'
I faltered, slowing my pace, thinking of the unfortunate humans who had met their death at dinner, only an hour before. They all died because of my stubborn belief that I could somehow outwit the devil's power. I glanced backwards wondering if I should go to him and face my would be conqueror alone to preserve the safety of the rest of the souls on the ship. I let go of the little boy and girl to address Marcus and Richard who came to an abrupt halt beside me.
'I should go to him. Perhaps, I can . . .'
Marcus frowned and shook his head.
'As Lycan leader I made your Knight of Swords a promise when you took refuge with us that I would keep you safe. I will not go back on my word and cross swords with the most powerful Taleian hybrid vampire in your race. I would cause a war between our people. You can do nothing to save the humans,' he told me with impatience glancing back along the corridor to make sure we were not followed. 'They were doomed the moment Galen and his Shadow army stepped on board this ship. This is a man who defeated Satan and took his throne in hell. Even you with your mighty power as Queen of Talus can do nothing. We must get away and hide like the others until we can get off this ship. Now let us waste no more time.'
I became angry.
'I will not hide while others die. I must help them . . . Your children, Marcus, I will not allow any harm to come to them . . .'
I began to move back up the corridor away from them with purpose ready to face my fate alone but Richard caught hold of my arm and swung me back around to face him.
'You aren't going anywhere,' he told me firmly. 'Now let's get moving before Galen comes around the corner and attempts to take you from us.'
But I was to struggle. The weight of all those deaths preyed upon my conscience more strongly than reason and I would not be stopped.
'Let me go. I will not be told what to do . . .'
Richard's dark gold eyes burned with heated determination as he pushed me forcefully back against the wall of the corridor and held me there with a strong grip on my arms. Marcus's little girl began to cry and clutch at her father's leg. Marcus stooped to rub her back and pull his son towards him. To my surprise he did nothing to stop Richard and his temper but watched with stern approval.
'I am not letting you go to him there is no knowing what he will do to you. We . . . I won't take that chance with your life,' he blurted out in his thick Scottish accent, his own eyes widening with surprise at his words.
I stared at him. He vainly tried to avoid my gaze clearly afraid of what I would read in his eyes. Richard had never shown me any care. In fact I would go so far as to say he detested my presence amongst the lycans. He did all he could to make me feel uncomfortable when Marcus's was engaged elsewhere. His rude intolerable behaviour had become worse since the night Nathan accused him of being attracted to me in London. He had so distastefully and vehemently denied it. I confess I had done my best to avoid him. Yet now he admitted to caring for my safety. He was not the only one to feel surprise. But the feeling was not shared by Marcus. There was a knowing in his eyes and fear for his second in command but he said nothing.
I looked into Richard's eyes desperately wishing he would allow me to read his mind. I would not dare attempt it without consent out of respect and because as a race the lycans strongly defended their privacy. Still I wanted to know why he suddenly felt that way. Perhaps, Nathan was right and he had all along. I wanted to know more but I did not have the time to ponder on the matter. I made to move again but once more he was to push me back hard against the wall.
'Do I have to remind you that you and your power are the only thing keeping this sinking steamship afloat and keeping the water out of the hole he has ripped through the hull,' he informed me in a deep angry tone holding my gaze to stern attention as he pinned me against the wall. 'If you go to him, he will be able to find a way to stop you then all of the humans will die anyway. You owe it to them to stay free.'
'I don't know how long I will be able to hold it upright on the water. The effort is draining energy from me. If I go to him and give him what he wants . . .' I protested trying to wriggle free from his tight unrelenting grasp.
Richard's hold tightened making me cry out. 'Do not push me any further with this nonsense, Juliet. My temper will not take it,' he told me in a dark, deep menacing voice forcing my wayward tongue to silence. 'Concentrate on keeping the ship afloat and drifting towards land as you have been doing. He has not been able to stop you doing that for some reason. Let Marcus and I worry about Galen and his army.'
I moved once more with frustration, conflicted in my plight, my own temper threatening to erupt. My resolve was sound to my mind. I would see no more die.
'Leave me Lycan or I will make you more aware of my power,' I shouted with my own menace.
But Richard would not be deterred.
'Do your worst Queen of Talus. I am not afraid. It will do no good. I will not let you sacrifice your life,' he leaned close to me his dark golden eyes firing with an orange red glow. He was so close and the way he studied my mouth, I thought for a strange moment that he might kiss me. I intensified my struggles and considered using my power against the lycan. But I refused to resort to violence even though I sensed the lycan would confusingly relish the experience. Triumphant that I had backed down, Richard seized his chance to make me capitulate.
'There is only one way to deal with such obstinacy and stubbornness in a woman, human or otherwise,' he informed me, quickly bending his form and winding an arm around my legs to lift me up into the air and swiftly over his shoulder. I gave an indignant cry but he was to pay it no heed. I heard him tell Marcus and the children to run and suddenly we were moving down the corridor.
We ran past some humans hurrying the other way. Galen was near for the humans fell to the ground with a cry, dead before they hit the carpeted floor. I let out a sob, screaming for Richard to put me down, beating my fists at his back as I watched their helpless forms fall like marionettes in a heap just as I had witnessed at dinner. He ignored me and picked up speed but we were to be thwarted. For at the end of the corridor Galen's handsome tall form emerged with a wide grin. Richard and Marcus stopped dead.
'I think you have something of mine, gentlemen. Now be good chaps and hand her over or bear the torrid consequences,' I heard him say in an eloquent English voice. 'Remember, you have seen what I can do.'
Richard's grip on my form intensified and I knew he would not give me up without a fight, perhaps to the death. I could not let him do it. I begged him to let me go but he resolutely refused.
'You know, it isn't just the humans who can be affected by my power so can the lycans and the vampires of this sorry little world,' Galen said amused.
I heard Richard give a growl of pain. Marcus followed suit and the children began to cry. suddenly Richard was down on his knees, still carrying me over his shoulder. His free hand rubbed at the intense pain in his head. I tried to move but he held on to me with shaking hands. I pleaded with Galen to let them go. Richard tried to lunge for me as the devil beckoned with his hand and a beguiling smile for me to come to him like a child. I looked upon my lycan companions including the helpless children, all in severe pain with horror. I made my choice without further hesitation. I went to the devil in the hopes of finding a way to stop him. I did not know what I was to endure before I found a way but I prayed God would give me strength to endure it. We were defeated. As I walked to Galen with his short swept back brown hair and his red golden eyes framed in a young handsome face, I did the only thing I could do in my present state. I opened my mind to Nathan and pleaded for his help on behalf of my friends, for the humans. I did not ask for myself. He believed I had betrayed him. I believed he would not find me worthy of saving.
With trembling fingers, I nervously caught hold of Galen's hand he held out to me. He pulled me to him sharply, with a laugh. He caught my shaking reluctant form in his arms and held my chin forcing my head up so he could bestow a kiss upon me. But his kiss was not a gentle one. He bit my lips with passion causing blood to drip untidily from my injured mouth. He continued his torturous assault. I screamed Nathan's name in my mind so loud and verbally against the devil's lips that I fancied I heard it reverberate off the ship and across the water. I prayed my Knight of Swords would forgive me and come to my aid for I feared I could not keep the humans alive on the boat much longer.
May 13, 2011
My Day Out With Nathan Valancourt From Knight Of Swords & Other News
Hi Everyone,
Just to let you know details of some of the guest posts I have been doing for other blogs. Today I am at under Under The Covers Book blog. I have posted an account of what my day would be like if I spent it with the victorian vampire hero of Knight of Swords, Nathan Valancourt. Boy, did I have a lot of fun writing that! Lol. Check it out at http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com.
If you look on my published work page on the blog, you will find some links to reviews of Knight of Swords & The Organ Grinder. There are also links to my fictious interviews of Dominic Kane from The Organ Grinder & Nathan Valancourt from Knight of Swords.
I am doing a bit of a tour of book blogs at the moment doing giveaways and interviews. I will be at http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com for an interview tomorrow and at http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com on Sunday for one. I hope you will join me.
Finally, if you are interested in a modern humourous spin off to the Knight of Swords world, check out my work in progress page and The Vampire Lover's Diary. I will be posting another instalment soon.
Have a great weekend.
Sara
Just to let you know details of some of the guest posts I have been doing for other blogs. Today I am at under Under The Covers Book blog. I have posted an account of what my day would be like if I spent it with the victorian vampire hero of Knight of Swords, Nathan Valancourt. Boy, did I have a lot of fun writing that! Lol. Check it out at http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com.
If you look on my published work page on the blog, you will find some links to reviews of Knight of Swords & The Organ Grinder. There are also links to my fictious interviews of Dominic Kane from The Organ Grinder & Nathan Valancourt from Knight of Swords.
I am doing a bit of a tour of book blogs at the moment doing giveaways and interviews. I will be at http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com for an interview tomorrow and at http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com on Sunday for one. I hope you will join me.
Finally, if you are interested in a modern humourous spin off to the Knight of Swords world, check out my work in progress page and The Vampire Lover's Diary. I will be posting another instalment soon.
Have a great weekend.
Sara
May 7, 2011
Knight of Coins (Work In Progress)
Hi Everyone,
Here are the first two chapters of Knight of Coins. The first two people to comment and let me know what they think of the chapters win a free e-book copy of Knight of Swords.
Hope you enjoy them!
Sara
Chapter One
It was late morning, Halloween when I decided to kidnap Sabrina Collins. I had never kidnapped a woman before and I did not intend to make a habit of it and I confess the task made me more than apprehensive. But there was no other option. I had been patient long enough. Sabrina Collins would not come to me of her own free will and accept her destiny by my side so I had no choice but to take matters in hand and force her surrender. The wind was picking up into a bluster in the dull grey sky as I followed her into the wood. It swirled colours of red and gold as it lifted the fallen autumn leaves from the floor and moved them in a vortex around me. Thankfully, she did not detect my presence as I watched her attractive mop of short blond curls bob in between the trees a small distance away.
I couldn't help but frown on her with disapproval at the careless way she took liberties with her safety when the change was now upon her. Turning from human to hybrid Taleian vampire was fraught with danger. It brought death to the human body in the first stage and then forced the agonising birth of the hybrid on awakening. If blood was not administered before and during the transition she would die a second painful death. As her fated Taleian mate I could not endure losing her. I had waited more than a century for her birth. She could not deny her identity as the child of a human and vampire union or dismiss my warnings any longer.
I brushed her consciousness with my mind rejoicing at how easy it felt to make telepathic contact with her through our natural Taleian bond. I winced when I felt the strength of the headache that pounded in her temples and the building of the fever that accompanied the start of her metamorphosis. Yet still she walked in the middle of the lonely woods unaccompanied on her way home from lecturing at the university. She was a stubborn woman just like the rest in the royal line and the Queen herself. She would learn in time that I would not tolerate it in matters of her protection.
I was about to make my move when I suddenly sensed the presence of two other Taleian's in the wood close by, stalking Sabrina like prey. I whirled around seeking them out. Slavers! The sound of a mobile echoed noisily around the small but crowded wood snapping my attention back to Sabrina. I shook my head cursing under my breath as she answered her phone granting the slavers the perfect distraction to make their ambush easy. One of them stood aiming a gun at her back as she slowed her brisk walk to concentrate on her phone call.
Their plan was a simple one. Shoot her down to bring on her quick death and the change faster so that by the time tomorrow morning came she would be fully transformed and hidden in a slave camp. Her body would then be rich in the healing properties bestowed upon the females in the hybrid race and they would callously rip the organs from her body to give to humans for a profit. For if an ill human could find no cure for his disease he could consume the flesh of a Taleian hybrid woman and keep himself in remission, if not cured. It made the price upon a female hybrid's head worth fighting over. And as her body healed the process would be repeated over and over again for an eternity.
Anger and determination that they would not possess my innocent mate fuelled my quick movement and I was in perfect time to knock her to the ground with the simple push of my hand and take the bullet square in my chest. I stood guard in front of my charge widening my mouth to bare the sharpness of my incisors and hiss my warning that I would kill any who attempted to take my her from me.
I glanced down at the bullet wound in my chest without a care, only glad that Sabrina was safe behind me now although a quick look told me I had pushed her so hard she had passed out cold. I had to hurry. The two Taleian slavers came out of the trees to face me at speed but I was ready landing a heavy punishing kick to the stomach of the first to reach me. He flew backwards to land between two trees on his back as I raised the back of my arm and knocked it into the face of the other.
I unsheathed the sword at my side and twisted it with natural ease in my hand as the first came to tackle me once more. I swung neatly to one side and sliced the ancient blade cleanly through his neck to sever his head in one satisfying moment.
I felt exhilarated as I moved to face the second man. There had not been many opportunities to test my strength and bravery as a Taleian knight for a long time. My energy and that of the other royal knights had been spent more in concealing our identity amongst the humans than in respecting our true nature in recent times. I moved to strike my sword at my enemy but he was giving up the fight and retreating like the coward he was. I lowered my weapon sensing no other apparent danger in the wood and dropped to my knees to tend to Sabrina.
Calling her name I gently turned her over and swept my fingers over her face. She was a beautiful woman. Small, curvaceous and coupled with a tempestuous temperament that would prove an inviting challenge in our relationship, she was all I could have asked for. I probed my fingers across the large purple bruise gathering on her feverish forehead. She was going to be unconscious for a while longer. At least it would make the execution of my crime of kidnap now an easy one. I slipped my arm under her legs and lifted her up into my arms to carry her to the car.
Sabrina didn't wake up until she was lying on the sofa in my study. I could have put her to bed but I was reluctant to leave her alone. I wanted her where I could keep my eye on her. The fever was getting worse and soon it would be time to give my charge her first taste of blood. I stood up from my desk and approached her stirring form watching her long black lashes flutter open only to briefly close and open again. This time her eyes widened and there was panic in them as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. I felt her fear sting sharp and hot in my mind as she sat up with a start.
She winced and her hand flew to her head. I knelt down in front of her and took hold of her shoulders gently guiding her back down onto the pillow I had placed under her head.
'What am I doing here? Oh no it's you. I thought I told you last night at the party to leave me alone. Did you bring me here? What have you done? Kidnapped me? I don't believe this.' She closed her eyes with impatience.
I gave a laugh.
'Don't you ever shut up? I did what I had to. You wouldn't listen to me. I had no choice but to act. Besides you should be grateful, I took a bullet for you today,' I joked.
I stood up and undid the button on my suit jacket and with playful eyes I opened it so she could see the blood stain on my white shirt. Her mouth opened in shock and I knelt down to tilt her chin upwards to close it with great amusement.
'So, now will you believe everything that I have told you about your heritage and the dangers you face?'Sabrina was suitably silent but it was not to last.
'I have to get out of here. You are mad if you think for one moment I am going to believe that I am a vampire in waiting. I am a scientist. I don't believe in things like that.'
I stood with a sigh and walked to the front of my desk, picking up the glass of cognac I had poured myself earlier and leant against it watching her throw off the blanket I had put around her. I took a sip of the fiery golden brown liquid and then looked up at her again as she continued her annoying rant.
'Wait until the media gets a hold of this,' she challenged using her hands and wide gleeful eyes for emphasis. 'I can just see what they'll print in the newspapers,' she said with venom. 'Hot rich playboy, Victor James, kidnaps lone woman in wood and tries to convince her he is a vampire when she rejected him. I mean, really. All this because I didn't fall at your feet like every other woman when you asked her out. I mean how many women do you want? You came to the party with two of them on your arm last night as it was.'
'So you think I'm hot?' I mocked.
'I get it. You don't take rejection very well. Tough. Don't you think your stunt has gone far enough?'
'You never stop do you?' I said sarcastically. She was beginning to push my patience with her constant denial.
I was in her mind, I knew all of her thoughts. She desired me as much as I desired her whether either of us liked it or not. The bond between us was growing strong since I'd found her but she continued to fight it afraid of its strength. Others would come to challenge my right to her and do all in their power to break our link to take her for their own as per Taleian law. Some of them would ignore the challenge and simply rape her and make her their own and I would never be able to retrieve her. For once the mating ritual had taken place she would be lost. If I did not succeed in my quest to protect her from their violence she would be taken from me. She swung her legs down on the floor and stood up, gripping the end of the sofa to steady her swaying form. It was an effort not to go to her but I stayed casually leaning against the desk watching her intently. It seemed to frighten her and unfortunately that was what I needed to do to force her to accept the truth. But still she persisted as though trying to test the boundaries that I had set upon her freedom.
'I am out of here before you go too far and do something you will regret, Mr James,' she told me fiercely and began to move. I took another sip of cognac and let her get as far as the door.
'You are not going anywhere,' I told her with a dark menace to my tone. She stopped her movement and turned to look at me with fearful eyes . Good I was beginning to get through. Whatever it took to make her surrender to her new existence and to myself I would do it and damn the human part of my conscience.
'I have to leave, Victor, this is ridiculous . . .'
'Doctor Collins, I said you are not going anywhere. Now sit down and rest before I make you.'My tone was deeper, more threatening this time and I meant that I would carry out my threat. I was fast discovering that the way to master Sabrina's temper was with a firm hand.
Fearful she made a sudden break for the door. I flicked my eyes ever so slightly towards it as she took hold of the handle and prised it from her fingers with my mental strength. I slammed it closed and locked it.
'Sit down, Sabrina,' I commanded making her jump as she stared at the door.
'How did you do that?
Her anxiety was at full tilt raising her blood pressure and pumping adrenaline around her body attoo fast a rate for her sickening body. I grew concerned.
'I closed it with my mind.'
'No, ordinary people can't do that.'
'I can and so can you. I know from your mind you have been able to move objects before and you've kept it secret. We are not ordinary people,' I told her calmly. 'I said sit down.'
Sabrina put her hand to her head and staggered. I put down my drink and began to move towards her.
'Ok, ok, I will sit down before I fall down,' she told me putting her hand out.
I kept my distance as she struggled to sit back down.
'I will sit for a while and then I am leaving. You can't just keep me here. I've got flu or something.'
'Why do you continue to deny what you are?' I demanded with frustration.
'Because it can't be real. It just can't . . . I can't be something like that it's impossible and neither was my father one. My mother wouldn't have married a monster . . . What is that?'
I followed the direction of Sabrina's pointed finger to my sword as it lay propped against the wall. I walked towards it and picked it up, running my fingers along the blade as I held it lengthways and pressed the top of my index finger at its tip. Sabrina was both transfixed and unnerved by the weapon. I moved towards her and she pressed herself back in the sofa as I sat down next to her and brought the blade to her soft vulnerable throat, forcing her to strain upwards.
She spluttered her breath with fear. I felt no remorse. She need to be controlled or she would die. I lowered my voice darkly.
'This is what I am going to use to protect you from the slavers and the challengers who are going to come knocking on my door to take you from me the moment you are reborn as a hybrid. The slavers want your flesh and the challengers want to take you as their mate. As a female Taleian hybrid you should consider yourself an endangered species. Too many of you have been taken from us by the slavers and I am not about to let either of them have you because you are mine. But if you do not obey me I may decide to use it upon you instead. Do I make myself clear?'
She nodded furiously when I pressed the blade just a little closer. Satisfied at her capitulation I leaned over and brushed her lips with a kiss yearning for the time when there would be more to our intimate contact. I lifted the back of my hand to test the progress of the fever on her brow. It was nearly time for her death.
'Now, I think it is time you took your first taste of blood, Sabrina.'
Chapter Two I still held the blade of my sword to Sabrina's tender throat feeling rebellion rise strongly in her mind at the mention of blood and being forced to consume it. I pressed her back in her seat once more when her body jumped to move. A smile twitched at my lips as I remembered my own reaction the first time I was made to take blood. It took more than a sword to my throat to hold me down. It took two Royal knights to keep me still as one of them force fed me. Sabrina would struggle, we all did when the time to change came upon us unannounced and I would have no option but to be firm and harsh in my treatment of her until she accepted the life giving essence that would mark her transition. 'There is no way you are going to make me take blood,' the tremble in Sabrina's voice threaten to overwhelm her. 'I won't let you,' she told me with conviction. 'I can't . . .'
A cry of pain echoed loudly from her pursed lips and she raised her hand to head in agony and then I felt it, felt her in my mind for the first time. I lowered my sword to the floor as she raised her other hand and held her head, rocking back and forth with the pain. Her consciousness swept on into my mind searching for anything and everything amongst my thoughts. I was ecstatic. Her resistance had been broken down by the bond itself.
'Don't do that. Don't wander into my mind uninvited,' she shouted at me.
I gave a small laugh as I took hold of her arms and prised them away.
'Look at me, Sabrina. I am not in your mind at this moment, you are in mine.'
'What?' Tears sprung into her eyes and her body began to shiver. 'What's happening to me? I need to go to hospital,' she was almost talking to herself unaware of my presence. 'I'm afraid.'
I punctuated my tone with firmness and strength when I spoke, hoping my confidence would give her belief that I spoke the truth and that I would carry her through the cruel process.
'Concentrate through the pain. Try to keep your link with my mind. Let me shoulder some of the pain for you. Sabrina, don't be afraid. I am here for you and I won't ever leave you. I promise I will make sure you are safe.'
'No. This isn't happening. I don't want to be in your mind. I just feel more pain.'
My voice lowered as I made every effort to gentle her and coax her acceptance and trust now I felt her disbelief weakening at long last. I cupped the side of her face and gently lifted it to me commanding her attention. She looked at me with childlike wide frightened eyes filled with the heavy weight of pain and confusion.
'That is because you have been resisting our mental bond and it has caused me discomfort when you refused to allow me access to your mind. I had to fight it to get inside you. You are a strong woman, Sabrina,' I smiled.
'To be apart from your mind, your thoughts causes us both physical pain. You must allow the bond to follow freely or you will spend an eternity locked in pain and sentence me to the same punishment. Stop resisting and accept your fate. I have little choice in our joining just like you but I want this Sabrina more than anything and I won't ever let you go, darling. I've waited too long for you to come to me. There is no escape.'
She stared at me but did not speak. I heard her teeth chatter as her body temperature began to rise higher and her human body fought to cool itself. Another cry of pain. She opened her mouth and yanked one of her arms free from my hold to press her fingers against the top of her jaw. I waited for her to find the irrefutable truth of her new emerging existence as she probed her finger between those pretty pink quivering lips of hers. Her eyes widened with shock and she was suddenly raising her aching body and stumbling to the mirror over the fireplace at the side of the sofa.
I stood just behind her and put my hands in my pockets patiently watching, waiting. With shaking fingers she lifted her top lip and viewed the new pointed incisors viciously splitting open her gums and pushing aside her other teeth to settle their position just like a newborn teething. Her eyes filled with hurtful resignation and a fresh batch of tears she did her best not to shed gathered in her eyes as she stared back at my reflection in the mirror. I felt her sense of helplessness crush her as she looked at me with terror.
My heart leapt. I wanted to hold her, comfort her in my arms and reassure her frantic mind that all would be well, that I would be there for her day and night. She would not have to face this new existence alone but she needed a moment to accept her new reality. I stood still and viewed her with sternness still sensing a frisson of denial echo in her mind. Finally after a couple of silent minutes as she studied her teeth once more her eyes began to roll backwards and her face drained of colour. She clutched at her stomach and started to fall to the ground. I heard myself gasp but my movement was quicker than lightening and in perfect time. My arm was under her falling body and sweeping her up into my arms before she fainted to the floor.
I raced out into the large hall and carried her up the long staircase to my bedroom at speed. I had to hurry and make sure she fed before death claimed her. She was moving her head from side to side in a frenzied delirium when I laid her upon the bed. I knelt on the bed beside her and stripped off my jacket, tossing it to the floor and undid the cufflink on my shirt to roll its sleeve up my arm away from my wrist. I lifted my arm under her shoulders and pulled her to me and up to sitting. I kept my arm across the top of her body holding down her arms to prevent her fighting me and bit into my wrist.
She was squealing and sobbing with resistance when I brought my bloody wrist to her lips and pressed it against them. She closed them tight just as I and countless others had done in our own change. I fought to keep my patience. I was frightened for her life but also afraid of hurting her with the force I could exert upon her to make her feed. But it was becoming inevitable that I would need to be cruel to be kind.
'Open your mouth, Sabrina, or I will have to hurt you to make you,' I thundered at her.
Still she fought me with her dying breath. Damn it, the woman was stubborn beyond all realms of sensibility. I wasn't losing her whether she liked it or not.
'Just let me die. I don't want to be one of them,' she panted. 'Please, I just want to die.'
'No, no way. You don't get out of life so easily. I won't let you have that choice. It isn't yours to make alone now. We are Taleian mates. I get a say in your life and you are going to have to realise that and no you are not allowed to die. I forbid it.'
'Arrogant, son of . . .' I heard her begin to say in her breathless voice. It was all I needed. I moved my arm up around her throat to hold her in position and pressed my wrist against her open mouth before she could finish her sentence.
'Ladies shouldn't swear, Sabrina,' I said with gentle humour as she violently struggled, gulped and gurgled as the blood hit the back of her throat. 'It is very unbecoming.'
It took several minutes before her legs stopped thrashing around on the bed and her hands stopped clawing at my arm that imprisoned her against me before she began to suckle the blood with eagerness. Taking the blood would ease some of the transition pain as the body moved out of its denial and into acceptance of its physical transformation. Now she drank the blood contentedly. It was just like feeding a baby. But then that was what this whole process was, a birth.
After a while I decided she had taken sufficient to ease the danger and I removed my wrist, allowing my bite to heal. I fluffed up the pillows on the bed and sat back against them stretching out my long legs and turned on my side to hold Sabrina against me in my arms. She looked up at me, quiet and peaceful even though fear of what was to happen reigned uppermost in her thoughts. I was happy and relieved beyond measure when she pressed her body and face against me for nurture and protection. I held her tighter loving the feel of soft feminine face against my chest.
I felt her brow. It was soaking. It wouldn't be long now. I kissed the top of her forehead and felt the dampness coat my lips and sat in silence waiting for her human death.
'I can't hear your heart,' she whispered. 'This is real, isn't it? I am going to die.'
I cupped her face and stroked my thumb along her paling cheek wiping at a single tear that escaped her eye.
'Yes but you will awaken again.'
'I'm afraid.'
'Shhh, it will just feel as though you are slipping into a deep sleep,' I soothed softly feeling the familiar fear I had experienced at my own human death in 1890 in London when I was just 24 years old.Sabrina was making the change in her early thirties. It came when the body was ready, no matter the age. Besides there were advantages to being a Taleian hybrid vampire, you never aged past twenty-five in appearance even whilst still a human. It was one of the only benefits of the Druid's curse that was settled upon my ancestors and turned us into vampires when our ancestors were driven from our lands in ancient Briton.
Sabrina's body felt cold and clammy and a ghostly whiteness was colouring her complexion. There was no fight left in her. She was calm, serene and resigned to her fate and my control. I had witnessed only one death and rebirth before. There was always sadness at the death of the human body and I felt it its heaviness engulf my mind. An obsessive fear would follow as the lost one lay in the sleep of death for hours, and the Taleian hybrids waited and prayed that they would awaken. Sometimes the hybrid didn't. A weakness in their body may have prevented their full change or sometimes they simply died and we never knew the reason.
I looked down at Sabrina as though she were a babe in my arms and willed her to make the change with safety.
'Close your eyes, Sabrina,' I whispered softly. 'Go to sleep, darling. I will be here. I promise you will be safe. I will protect you.'
'I saw you in my dreams before I met you,' she confessed.
'Yes, it was the same for me but they were more than dreams, they were visions. They told me where to find you.'
She squirmed and I felt her fear heighten.
'There were others, three men. Night after night they plagued my dreams. One of them frightened me.'She had to be talking about Taleian male challengers to our mating bond. I would need to be on my guard. I had sensed at least two of them desperately trying to establish a bond with her mind over my own since I first found her. But her stubborn resistance to have any of us in there had served and protected her well. Yet she talked of another I had not seen. All of the challengers would sense her change and would be planning her capture. I would not let them take her from me to make their own.
'No matter, Sabrina. They will not be allowed to harm you. We will talk of this when you awaken. Now sleep little one.'
Sabrina's beautiful facial features contorted with another wave of intense pain and she took her final breath. Her body fell limp in my arms and her life slipped away. I trembled all over and held her to me with crushing strength feeling the sharp quick loss of our mental connection and the sudden ache in my temples that accompanied it. I sat for a few moments simply holding her, stroking her face, too fearful to let go of her. But I knew I had to move, to prepare for her anticipated awakening and the attacks from the slavers and the challengers that would now undoubtedly ensue.
I laid her down and removed her boots and clothing from her cold body. I pulled a shirt from the wardrobe, the best I could find and dressed her in it before slipping her under the black silk sheets that covered my bed.I stood at the foot of the bed unable to tear my eyes from her sleeping form wondering when she would wake. I was impatient even though I knew fine well it would take hours. I picked my jacket up from the floor and took my mobile phone out of the breast pocket and hit the speed dial for my friend Dylan Lysander, another knight who served with me as I stood over Sabrina's dead body.
'Victor, how is the delivery coming?' he asked me with humour. 'Is she still resisting?'
'Sabrina has just died and I am waiting for her awakening.'
Dylan's tone turned serious.
'Good. Then you will be needing your human blood donor?'
'Yes. The slavers have already attempted to take her from me.'
'Do you need help? You know we are here for you. The Queen is concerned and determined to visit you the moment she is told of Sabrina's awakening despite the obvious danger.'
'Stubborn as ever, then?'
'Oh yes.'
'Sabrina is no better. It's definitely a trait that runs in the royal family, especially in the women. I've never seen such obstinacy in anyone but them,' I groaned.
'Sounds as though Sabrina is going to be a handful when she wakes. I will bring the donor and check in on you. The waiting is the worst part of the process. I won't be long. Hang on in there.'
I hung up and decided to take a shower and change. The hot water was inviting as it pounded against my skin. I lifted my face to the water and ran my fingers through my short hair flattening it against my scalp. I dressed in a black cashmere sweater and some trousers to match and dried my hair. Gone were the days when I had a valet dress me, although sometimes I missed it when I couldn't decide what to wear. I came out of the bathroom noticing how still the large house appeared.I know I had given the staff the week off to prepare for Sabrina's birth into a hybrid and there was no one else there but it seemed too quiet. I listened to the crows squawking in the trees outside in the grounds and the eerie calls of the peacocks that wandered there. Yes, everything was normal but I couldn't help shake the feeling and a Taleian never ignored his feelings however strange or improbable they were for they were always right.I looked out of the large Georgian windows at the side of the bed. It was just past lunchtime and at first I saw nothing but the dull greyness of the day. Then the blur of a black shadow passed in front of my eyes across the other side of the window. I froze as a second shadow passed by. I turned quickly to the wall next to the window outside to confirm my suspicions. A black mass engulfed it. It slowly transformed into a physical black and green human form confirming my worst fear that the slavers had sent Hunter demons to capture Sabrina.It stared at me and hissed with its venomous tongue. There was always another one. They never hunted alone. I swung around to the large fireplace behind me as I heard a whistling sound and a black mass seeped out of the fireplace into the room in front of the bed. I would have reached for my sword but then I remembered it was lying in the study downstairs. I would just have to fight without it. They would not have her even if it cost my life.
Here are the first two chapters of Knight of Coins. The first two people to comment and let me know what they think of the chapters win a free e-book copy of Knight of Swords.
Hope you enjoy them!
Sara
Chapter One
It was late morning, Halloween when I decided to kidnap Sabrina Collins. I had never kidnapped a woman before and I did not intend to make a habit of it and I confess the task made me more than apprehensive. But there was no other option. I had been patient long enough. Sabrina Collins would not come to me of her own free will and accept her destiny by my side so I had no choice but to take matters in hand and force her surrender. The wind was picking up into a bluster in the dull grey sky as I followed her into the wood. It swirled colours of red and gold as it lifted the fallen autumn leaves from the floor and moved them in a vortex around me. Thankfully, she did not detect my presence as I watched her attractive mop of short blond curls bob in between the trees a small distance away.
I couldn't help but frown on her with disapproval at the careless way she took liberties with her safety when the change was now upon her. Turning from human to hybrid Taleian vampire was fraught with danger. It brought death to the human body in the first stage and then forced the agonising birth of the hybrid on awakening. If blood was not administered before and during the transition she would die a second painful death. As her fated Taleian mate I could not endure losing her. I had waited more than a century for her birth. She could not deny her identity as the child of a human and vampire union or dismiss my warnings any longer.
I brushed her consciousness with my mind rejoicing at how easy it felt to make telepathic contact with her through our natural Taleian bond. I winced when I felt the strength of the headache that pounded in her temples and the building of the fever that accompanied the start of her metamorphosis. Yet still she walked in the middle of the lonely woods unaccompanied on her way home from lecturing at the university. She was a stubborn woman just like the rest in the royal line and the Queen herself. She would learn in time that I would not tolerate it in matters of her protection.
I was about to make my move when I suddenly sensed the presence of two other Taleian's in the wood close by, stalking Sabrina like prey. I whirled around seeking them out. Slavers! The sound of a mobile echoed noisily around the small but crowded wood snapping my attention back to Sabrina. I shook my head cursing under my breath as she answered her phone granting the slavers the perfect distraction to make their ambush easy. One of them stood aiming a gun at her back as she slowed her brisk walk to concentrate on her phone call.
Their plan was a simple one. Shoot her down to bring on her quick death and the change faster so that by the time tomorrow morning came she would be fully transformed and hidden in a slave camp. Her body would then be rich in the healing properties bestowed upon the females in the hybrid race and they would callously rip the organs from her body to give to humans for a profit. For if an ill human could find no cure for his disease he could consume the flesh of a Taleian hybrid woman and keep himself in remission, if not cured. It made the price upon a female hybrid's head worth fighting over. And as her body healed the process would be repeated over and over again for an eternity.
Anger and determination that they would not possess my innocent mate fuelled my quick movement and I was in perfect time to knock her to the ground with the simple push of my hand and take the bullet square in my chest. I stood guard in front of my charge widening my mouth to bare the sharpness of my incisors and hiss my warning that I would kill any who attempted to take my her from me.
I glanced down at the bullet wound in my chest without a care, only glad that Sabrina was safe behind me now although a quick look told me I had pushed her so hard she had passed out cold. I had to hurry. The two Taleian slavers came out of the trees to face me at speed but I was ready landing a heavy punishing kick to the stomach of the first to reach me. He flew backwards to land between two trees on his back as I raised the back of my arm and knocked it into the face of the other.
I unsheathed the sword at my side and twisted it with natural ease in my hand as the first came to tackle me once more. I swung neatly to one side and sliced the ancient blade cleanly through his neck to sever his head in one satisfying moment.
I felt exhilarated as I moved to face the second man. There had not been many opportunities to test my strength and bravery as a Taleian knight for a long time. My energy and that of the other royal knights had been spent more in concealing our identity amongst the humans than in respecting our true nature in recent times. I moved to strike my sword at my enemy but he was giving up the fight and retreating like the coward he was. I lowered my weapon sensing no other apparent danger in the wood and dropped to my knees to tend to Sabrina.
Calling her name I gently turned her over and swept my fingers over her face. She was a beautiful woman. Small, curvaceous and coupled with a tempestuous temperament that would prove an inviting challenge in our relationship, she was all I could have asked for. I probed my fingers across the large purple bruise gathering on her feverish forehead. She was going to be unconscious for a while longer. At least it would make the execution of my crime of kidnap now an easy one. I slipped my arm under her legs and lifted her up into my arms to carry her to the car.
Sabrina didn't wake up until she was lying on the sofa in my study. I could have put her to bed but I was reluctant to leave her alone. I wanted her where I could keep my eye on her. The fever was getting worse and soon it would be time to give my charge her first taste of blood. I stood up from my desk and approached her stirring form watching her long black lashes flutter open only to briefly close and open again. This time her eyes widened and there was panic in them as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. I felt her fear sting sharp and hot in my mind as she sat up with a start.
She winced and her hand flew to her head. I knelt down in front of her and took hold of her shoulders gently guiding her back down onto the pillow I had placed under her head.
'What am I doing here? Oh no it's you. I thought I told you last night at the party to leave me alone. Did you bring me here? What have you done? Kidnapped me? I don't believe this.' She closed her eyes with impatience.
I gave a laugh.
'Don't you ever shut up? I did what I had to. You wouldn't listen to me. I had no choice but to act. Besides you should be grateful, I took a bullet for you today,' I joked.
I stood up and undid the button on my suit jacket and with playful eyes I opened it so she could see the blood stain on my white shirt. Her mouth opened in shock and I knelt down to tilt her chin upwards to close it with great amusement.
'So, now will you believe everything that I have told you about your heritage and the dangers you face?'Sabrina was suitably silent but it was not to last.
'I have to get out of here. You are mad if you think for one moment I am going to believe that I am a vampire in waiting. I am a scientist. I don't believe in things like that.'
I stood with a sigh and walked to the front of my desk, picking up the glass of cognac I had poured myself earlier and leant against it watching her throw off the blanket I had put around her. I took a sip of the fiery golden brown liquid and then looked up at her again as she continued her annoying rant.
'Wait until the media gets a hold of this,' she challenged using her hands and wide gleeful eyes for emphasis. 'I can just see what they'll print in the newspapers,' she said with venom. 'Hot rich playboy, Victor James, kidnaps lone woman in wood and tries to convince her he is a vampire when she rejected him. I mean, really. All this because I didn't fall at your feet like every other woman when you asked her out. I mean how many women do you want? You came to the party with two of them on your arm last night as it was.'
'So you think I'm hot?' I mocked.
'I get it. You don't take rejection very well. Tough. Don't you think your stunt has gone far enough?'
'You never stop do you?' I said sarcastically. She was beginning to push my patience with her constant denial.
I was in her mind, I knew all of her thoughts. She desired me as much as I desired her whether either of us liked it or not. The bond between us was growing strong since I'd found her but she continued to fight it afraid of its strength. Others would come to challenge my right to her and do all in their power to break our link to take her for their own as per Taleian law. Some of them would ignore the challenge and simply rape her and make her their own and I would never be able to retrieve her. For once the mating ritual had taken place she would be lost. If I did not succeed in my quest to protect her from their violence she would be taken from me. She swung her legs down on the floor and stood up, gripping the end of the sofa to steady her swaying form. It was an effort not to go to her but I stayed casually leaning against the desk watching her intently. It seemed to frighten her and unfortunately that was what I needed to do to force her to accept the truth. But still she persisted as though trying to test the boundaries that I had set upon her freedom.
'I am out of here before you go too far and do something you will regret, Mr James,' she told me fiercely and began to move. I took another sip of cognac and let her get as far as the door.
'You are not going anywhere,' I told her with a dark menace to my tone. She stopped her movement and turned to look at me with fearful eyes . Good I was beginning to get through. Whatever it took to make her surrender to her new existence and to myself I would do it and damn the human part of my conscience.
'I have to leave, Victor, this is ridiculous . . .'
'Doctor Collins, I said you are not going anywhere. Now sit down and rest before I make you.'My tone was deeper, more threatening this time and I meant that I would carry out my threat. I was fast discovering that the way to master Sabrina's temper was with a firm hand.
Fearful she made a sudden break for the door. I flicked my eyes ever so slightly towards it as she took hold of the handle and prised it from her fingers with my mental strength. I slammed it closed and locked it.
'Sit down, Sabrina,' I commanded making her jump as she stared at the door.
'How did you do that?
Her anxiety was at full tilt raising her blood pressure and pumping adrenaline around her body attoo fast a rate for her sickening body. I grew concerned.
'I closed it with my mind.'
'No, ordinary people can't do that.'
'I can and so can you. I know from your mind you have been able to move objects before and you've kept it secret. We are not ordinary people,' I told her calmly. 'I said sit down.'
Sabrina put her hand to her head and staggered. I put down my drink and began to move towards her.
'Ok, ok, I will sit down before I fall down,' she told me putting her hand out.
I kept my distance as she struggled to sit back down.
'I will sit for a while and then I am leaving. You can't just keep me here. I've got flu or something.'
'Why do you continue to deny what you are?' I demanded with frustration.
'Because it can't be real. It just can't . . . I can't be something like that it's impossible and neither was my father one. My mother wouldn't have married a monster . . . What is that?'
I followed the direction of Sabrina's pointed finger to my sword as it lay propped against the wall. I walked towards it and picked it up, running my fingers along the blade as I held it lengthways and pressed the top of my index finger at its tip. Sabrina was both transfixed and unnerved by the weapon. I moved towards her and she pressed herself back in the sofa as I sat down next to her and brought the blade to her soft vulnerable throat, forcing her to strain upwards.
She spluttered her breath with fear. I felt no remorse. She need to be controlled or she would die. I lowered my voice darkly.
'This is what I am going to use to protect you from the slavers and the challengers who are going to come knocking on my door to take you from me the moment you are reborn as a hybrid. The slavers want your flesh and the challengers want to take you as their mate. As a female Taleian hybrid you should consider yourself an endangered species. Too many of you have been taken from us by the slavers and I am not about to let either of them have you because you are mine. But if you do not obey me I may decide to use it upon you instead. Do I make myself clear?'
She nodded furiously when I pressed the blade just a little closer. Satisfied at her capitulation I leaned over and brushed her lips with a kiss yearning for the time when there would be more to our intimate contact. I lifted the back of my hand to test the progress of the fever on her brow. It was nearly time for her death.
'Now, I think it is time you took your first taste of blood, Sabrina.'
Chapter Two I still held the blade of my sword to Sabrina's tender throat feeling rebellion rise strongly in her mind at the mention of blood and being forced to consume it. I pressed her back in her seat once more when her body jumped to move. A smile twitched at my lips as I remembered my own reaction the first time I was made to take blood. It took more than a sword to my throat to hold me down. It took two Royal knights to keep me still as one of them force fed me. Sabrina would struggle, we all did when the time to change came upon us unannounced and I would have no option but to be firm and harsh in my treatment of her until she accepted the life giving essence that would mark her transition. 'There is no way you are going to make me take blood,' the tremble in Sabrina's voice threaten to overwhelm her. 'I won't let you,' she told me with conviction. 'I can't . . .'
A cry of pain echoed loudly from her pursed lips and she raised her hand to head in agony and then I felt it, felt her in my mind for the first time. I lowered my sword to the floor as she raised her other hand and held her head, rocking back and forth with the pain. Her consciousness swept on into my mind searching for anything and everything amongst my thoughts. I was ecstatic. Her resistance had been broken down by the bond itself.
'Don't do that. Don't wander into my mind uninvited,' she shouted at me.
I gave a small laugh as I took hold of her arms and prised them away.
'Look at me, Sabrina. I am not in your mind at this moment, you are in mine.'
'What?' Tears sprung into her eyes and her body began to shiver. 'What's happening to me? I need to go to hospital,' she was almost talking to herself unaware of my presence. 'I'm afraid.'
I punctuated my tone with firmness and strength when I spoke, hoping my confidence would give her belief that I spoke the truth and that I would carry her through the cruel process.
'Concentrate through the pain. Try to keep your link with my mind. Let me shoulder some of the pain for you. Sabrina, don't be afraid. I am here for you and I won't ever leave you. I promise I will make sure you are safe.'
'No. This isn't happening. I don't want to be in your mind. I just feel more pain.'
My voice lowered as I made every effort to gentle her and coax her acceptance and trust now I felt her disbelief weakening at long last. I cupped the side of her face and gently lifted it to me commanding her attention. She looked at me with childlike wide frightened eyes filled with the heavy weight of pain and confusion.
'That is because you have been resisting our mental bond and it has caused me discomfort when you refused to allow me access to your mind. I had to fight it to get inside you. You are a strong woman, Sabrina,' I smiled.
'To be apart from your mind, your thoughts causes us both physical pain. You must allow the bond to follow freely or you will spend an eternity locked in pain and sentence me to the same punishment. Stop resisting and accept your fate. I have little choice in our joining just like you but I want this Sabrina more than anything and I won't ever let you go, darling. I've waited too long for you to come to me. There is no escape.'
She stared at me but did not speak. I heard her teeth chatter as her body temperature began to rise higher and her human body fought to cool itself. Another cry of pain. She opened her mouth and yanked one of her arms free from my hold to press her fingers against the top of her jaw. I waited for her to find the irrefutable truth of her new emerging existence as she probed her finger between those pretty pink quivering lips of hers. Her eyes widened with shock and she was suddenly raising her aching body and stumbling to the mirror over the fireplace at the side of the sofa.
I stood just behind her and put my hands in my pockets patiently watching, waiting. With shaking fingers she lifted her top lip and viewed the new pointed incisors viciously splitting open her gums and pushing aside her other teeth to settle their position just like a newborn teething. Her eyes filled with hurtful resignation and a fresh batch of tears she did her best not to shed gathered in her eyes as she stared back at my reflection in the mirror. I felt her sense of helplessness crush her as she looked at me with terror.
My heart leapt. I wanted to hold her, comfort her in my arms and reassure her frantic mind that all would be well, that I would be there for her day and night. She would not have to face this new existence alone but she needed a moment to accept her new reality. I stood still and viewed her with sternness still sensing a frisson of denial echo in her mind. Finally after a couple of silent minutes as she studied her teeth once more her eyes began to roll backwards and her face drained of colour. She clutched at her stomach and started to fall to the ground. I heard myself gasp but my movement was quicker than lightening and in perfect time. My arm was under her falling body and sweeping her up into my arms before she fainted to the floor.
I raced out into the large hall and carried her up the long staircase to my bedroom at speed. I had to hurry and make sure she fed before death claimed her. She was moving her head from side to side in a frenzied delirium when I laid her upon the bed. I knelt on the bed beside her and stripped off my jacket, tossing it to the floor and undid the cufflink on my shirt to roll its sleeve up my arm away from my wrist. I lifted my arm under her shoulders and pulled her to me and up to sitting. I kept my arm across the top of her body holding down her arms to prevent her fighting me and bit into my wrist.
She was squealing and sobbing with resistance when I brought my bloody wrist to her lips and pressed it against them. She closed them tight just as I and countless others had done in our own change. I fought to keep my patience. I was frightened for her life but also afraid of hurting her with the force I could exert upon her to make her feed. But it was becoming inevitable that I would need to be cruel to be kind.
'Open your mouth, Sabrina, or I will have to hurt you to make you,' I thundered at her.
Still she fought me with her dying breath. Damn it, the woman was stubborn beyond all realms of sensibility. I wasn't losing her whether she liked it or not.
'Just let me die. I don't want to be one of them,' she panted. 'Please, I just want to die.'
'No, no way. You don't get out of life so easily. I won't let you have that choice. It isn't yours to make alone now. We are Taleian mates. I get a say in your life and you are going to have to realise that and no you are not allowed to die. I forbid it.'
'Arrogant, son of . . .' I heard her begin to say in her breathless voice. It was all I needed. I moved my arm up around her throat to hold her in position and pressed my wrist against her open mouth before she could finish her sentence.
'Ladies shouldn't swear, Sabrina,' I said with gentle humour as she violently struggled, gulped and gurgled as the blood hit the back of her throat. 'It is very unbecoming.'
It took several minutes before her legs stopped thrashing around on the bed and her hands stopped clawing at my arm that imprisoned her against me before she began to suckle the blood with eagerness. Taking the blood would ease some of the transition pain as the body moved out of its denial and into acceptance of its physical transformation. Now she drank the blood contentedly. It was just like feeding a baby. But then that was what this whole process was, a birth.
After a while I decided she had taken sufficient to ease the danger and I removed my wrist, allowing my bite to heal. I fluffed up the pillows on the bed and sat back against them stretching out my long legs and turned on my side to hold Sabrina against me in my arms. She looked up at me, quiet and peaceful even though fear of what was to happen reigned uppermost in her thoughts. I was happy and relieved beyond measure when she pressed her body and face against me for nurture and protection. I held her tighter loving the feel of soft feminine face against my chest.
I felt her brow. It was soaking. It wouldn't be long now. I kissed the top of her forehead and felt the dampness coat my lips and sat in silence waiting for her human death.
'I can't hear your heart,' she whispered. 'This is real, isn't it? I am going to die.'
I cupped her face and stroked my thumb along her paling cheek wiping at a single tear that escaped her eye.
'Yes but you will awaken again.'
'I'm afraid.'
'Shhh, it will just feel as though you are slipping into a deep sleep,' I soothed softly feeling the familiar fear I had experienced at my own human death in 1890 in London when I was just 24 years old.Sabrina was making the change in her early thirties. It came when the body was ready, no matter the age. Besides there were advantages to being a Taleian hybrid vampire, you never aged past twenty-five in appearance even whilst still a human. It was one of the only benefits of the Druid's curse that was settled upon my ancestors and turned us into vampires when our ancestors were driven from our lands in ancient Briton.
Sabrina's body felt cold and clammy and a ghostly whiteness was colouring her complexion. There was no fight left in her. She was calm, serene and resigned to her fate and my control. I had witnessed only one death and rebirth before. There was always sadness at the death of the human body and I felt it its heaviness engulf my mind. An obsessive fear would follow as the lost one lay in the sleep of death for hours, and the Taleian hybrids waited and prayed that they would awaken. Sometimes the hybrid didn't. A weakness in their body may have prevented their full change or sometimes they simply died and we never knew the reason.
I looked down at Sabrina as though she were a babe in my arms and willed her to make the change with safety.
'Close your eyes, Sabrina,' I whispered softly. 'Go to sleep, darling. I will be here. I promise you will be safe. I will protect you.'
'I saw you in my dreams before I met you,' she confessed.
'Yes, it was the same for me but they were more than dreams, they were visions. They told me where to find you.'
She squirmed and I felt her fear heighten.
'There were others, three men. Night after night they plagued my dreams. One of them frightened me.'She had to be talking about Taleian male challengers to our mating bond. I would need to be on my guard. I had sensed at least two of them desperately trying to establish a bond with her mind over my own since I first found her. But her stubborn resistance to have any of us in there had served and protected her well. Yet she talked of another I had not seen. All of the challengers would sense her change and would be planning her capture. I would not let them take her from me to make their own.
'No matter, Sabrina. They will not be allowed to harm you. We will talk of this when you awaken. Now sleep little one.'
Sabrina's beautiful facial features contorted with another wave of intense pain and she took her final breath. Her body fell limp in my arms and her life slipped away. I trembled all over and held her to me with crushing strength feeling the sharp quick loss of our mental connection and the sudden ache in my temples that accompanied it. I sat for a few moments simply holding her, stroking her face, too fearful to let go of her. But I knew I had to move, to prepare for her anticipated awakening and the attacks from the slavers and the challengers that would now undoubtedly ensue.
I laid her down and removed her boots and clothing from her cold body. I pulled a shirt from the wardrobe, the best I could find and dressed her in it before slipping her under the black silk sheets that covered my bed.I stood at the foot of the bed unable to tear my eyes from her sleeping form wondering when she would wake. I was impatient even though I knew fine well it would take hours. I picked my jacket up from the floor and took my mobile phone out of the breast pocket and hit the speed dial for my friend Dylan Lysander, another knight who served with me as I stood over Sabrina's dead body.
'Victor, how is the delivery coming?' he asked me with humour. 'Is she still resisting?'
'Sabrina has just died and I am waiting for her awakening.'
Dylan's tone turned serious.
'Good. Then you will be needing your human blood donor?'
'Yes. The slavers have already attempted to take her from me.'
'Do you need help? You know we are here for you. The Queen is concerned and determined to visit you the moment she is told of Sabrina's awakening despite the obvious danger.'
'Stubborn as ever, then?'
'Oh yes.'
'Sabrina is no better. It's definitely a trait that runs in the royal family, especially in the women. I've never seen such obstinacy in anyone but them,' I groaned.
'Sounds as though Sabrina is going to be a handful when she wakes. I will bring the donor and check in on you. The waiting is the worst part of the process. I won't be long. Hang on in there.'
I hung up and decided to take a shower and change. The hot water was inviting as it pounded against my skin. I lifted my face to the water and ran my fingers through my short hair flattening it against my scalp. I dressed in a black cashmere sweater and some trousers to match and dried my hair. Gone were the days when I had a valet dress me, although sometimes I missed it when I couldn't decide what to wear. I came out of the bathroom noticing how still the large house appeared.I know I had given the staff the week off to prepare for Sabrina's birth into a hybrid and there was no one else there but it seemed too quiet. I listened to the crows squawking in the trees outside in the grounds and the eerie calls of the peacocks that wandered there. Yes, everything was normal but I couldn't help shake the feeling and a Taleian never ignored his feelings however strange or improbable they were for they were always right.I looked out of the large Georgian windows at the side of the bed. It was just past lunchtime and at first I saw nothing but the dull greyness of the day. Then the blur of a black shadow passed in front of my eyes across the other side of the window. I froze as a second shadow passed by. I turned quickly to the wall next to the window outside to confirm my suspicions. A black mass engulfed it. It slowly transformed into a physical black and green human form confirming my worst fear that the slavers had sent Hunter demons to capture Sabrina.It stared at me and hissed with its venomous tongue. There was always another one. They never hunted alone. I swung around to the large fireplace behind me as I heard a whistling sound and a black mass seeped out of the fireplace into the room in front of the bed. I would have reached for my sword but then I remembered it was lying in the study downstairs. I would just have to fight without it. They would not have her even if it cost my life.
New Stuff!
Hi Everyone,
I am in the process of revamping my blog and archiving some of my work. If you check back in the next couple of days you will see the results.
After much deliberation I have decided to concentrate on my paranormal romances, Knight of Coins and The Vampire Lover's Diary for the present moment. These books are modern urban spin offs to the Victorian Sword Series and I really hope you will follow their creation on my blog.
To get the ball rolling I am reposting the first two chapters of Knight of Coins. The first two people to leave me a comment and let me know what they think will recieve a free e-book copy of Knight Of Swords. The chapters will follow in the next post.
Just to end with a quick reminder that I did a guest post at http://lostforwords-corrine.blogspot.com on the spooky tarot inspiration behind Knight of Swords. If you want to learn more about Knight of Swords's enigmatic hero, Nathan Valancourt, check out the character interview I did at http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpre... where KOS also received a wonderful five star review!!!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. See you next week.
Sara
I am in the process of revamping my blog and archiving some of my work. If you check back in the next couple of days you will see the results.
After much deliberation I have decided to concentrate on my paranormal romances, Knight of Coins and The Vampire Lover's Diary for the present moment. These books are modern urban spin offs to the Victorian Sword Series and I really hope you will follow their creation on my blog.
To get the ball rolling I am reposting the first two chapters of Knight of Coins. The first two people to leave me a comment and let me know what they think will recieve a free e-book copy of Knight Of Swords. The chapters will follow in the next post.
Just to end with a quick reminder that I did a guest post at http://lostforwords-corrine.blogspot.com on the spooky tarot inspiration behind Knight of Swords. If you want to learn more about Knight of Swords's enigmatic hero, Nathan Valancourt, check out the character interview I did at http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpre... where KOS also received a wonderful five star review!!!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. See you next week.
Sara
May 4, 2011
Knight Of Swords Excerpt
While I am writing the next chapter for The Art Of Retaliation check out my excerpt for Knight of Swords available at http://www.hellfirepublishing.com. Please note that the KOS giveaway contest in my previous post will continue until sunday 15th May so get swotting on the tarot! I only need a couple of lines. If you want to check out the leading man in KOS, http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wor... is hosting his character interview. Let me know what you think of him, girls! ;)
Enjoy your day!
Sara
Knight of Swords Excerpt
Our horses thundered along in the blue and grey tinged haze that haunted the beach's flat white surface as night began to close in. As we neared the middle of the beach we emerged from the veil of mist like dark ethereal phantoms. I felt sand spray against my face as my horse kicked up the fine grains between its hooves. My exhilaration was at its height. I felt sure of glory. The tide was out a fair distance away and did not prove a hindrance. Up ahead I saw a hearse descend a wooden ramp that led on to the beach from a small gulley between the dunes. The coachman wore funeral garb and served as a frightening spectacle, cracking his whip high with brutal force at the sleek black horses that led the carriage as it raced along the beach towards the caves. It was being driven at a dangerous pace, nearly tipping to one side. There was a coffin inside. Juliet. I prayed it was her but my sensitive hearing picked up a frantic heartbeat. I reached out to the mind of the individual trapped in the coffin. It was a terrified young woman. She was bound, gagged and semi-naked. She was to be part of the ritual, offered as a human sacrifice to the gods for the joining of Sebastian and Juliet. Disappointment threatened to crush me.
No doubt the young woman was meant as a distraction to slow me down while Sebastian took Juliet to the hidden maze of caves Gabriel had described in the cliffs at the end of the beach. I did not know which cave he was to take Juliet to and I feared that by the time I found her the ritual would be complete. But I would not let another woman be murdered by Sebastian. I would not forgive myself if this young woman died and neither would Juliet if I did not try to help. I had to move fast.
May 1, 2011
Knight Of Swords Giveaway Contest & Winners Of The Organ Grinder
Hi Everyone,
Just to let you know that I am holding a contest to do a couple of giveaways of Knight Of Swords. The book is based on the tarot card, The Knight Of Swords. To enter the contest please give me a description and meaning for the Knight Of Swords in the tarot. The two best ones will receive a free e-book copy of Knight Of Swords. Good luck!
I have added the book to Goodreads and would love some reviews from anyone on there, if you read it. thanks.
In the meantime, the winners for The Organ Grinder are Greenduckie13 and Renee Rearden. Congratulations! Please contact me at sara@saracurranross.com with your e-mail addresses so I can forward a copy to you.
Enjoy your weekend!
Sara
April 30, 2011
Knight Of Swords Released Today!
Today is the day! Knight Of Swords is released by Hellfire Publishing in the US at noon (6pm UK GMT) as an e-book for most devices. If you are interested in buying a copy here is the purchase link, http://www.hellfirepublishing.com/kni.... If any of you book bloggers out there are interested in doing a review, interview or anything else, please contact me at sara.curran-ross@gmail.com.
Please note that on the 3rd May I will be doing a character interview for my hero in Knight Of Swords, Nathan Valancourt at http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wor.... I will be also doing a guest post at http://lostforwords-corrine.blogspot.com on friday the 6th May on the inspiration behind writing Knight Of Swords.
So much has been going on that I haven't been able to do any writing and it's driving me nuts. I need my daily fix of writing and mugs of tea to function properly as a human being! So when my daughter returns to school after Easter hols next week I will be writing like there is no tomorrow! I have to continue work on the third in The Sword Series, The Hanged Man & The Art Of Retaliation. So I hope you will come back next week and read the fruits of my labour.
I will be releasing the names of the two winners of a e-book copy of The Organ Grinder in the next few days.
Have a great weekend.
Happy Reading.
Sara X
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