Marcello nodded again without turning. He felt Alice flitting behind him as he sped with blurring speed through the stone pa.s.sageways. One thought swam in his head, pushing him onward. He must not fail Tatiana.
A month pa.s.sed since leaving the lycan den, as Leandro took Tatiana with him to Austria and finally to Italy. He forced her to sleep with him in various coffins along the way, though he did not move to touch her in all the times they lay together. She felt a coldness within him that wouldn"t be suppressed now that she"d seen inside his dark heart. His face no longer held the charm it had before.
Leandro wasn"t discreet with his human meals in front of her, as Marcello had been. He did not try to hide his feeding from her, often taking her with him while he drank from some young woman"s neck. His victims would moan and pant, clinging to him in pa.s.sion, begging him with their hands until they could no longer lift them from their sides. Tatiana knew he got some sort of perverse pleasure making her watch. He"d leave the women, near death, but with a chance still in their bodies.
Once, when she dared to ask him why he bothered, he merely smiled and answered enigmatically with a pitiless look in his eyes, "If they are strong and deserving of life,bella donna , they will live. If they are too weak for this world, then they will move on."
On those rare nights, when there was no meal readily available to him--which always had to be a young woman of a certain prettiness and age--Leandro would feed from Tatiana. Her blood was still strong from the lycan"s gift and the vampire did not need to feed on her as deeply as he did the others.
During those moments, he tried to mesmerize the pain of his bite from her, but Tatiana always held him out. His sharp teeth stung, piercing into her flesh. For some reason, her refusal to let him dull the pain caused the vampire to pull back quickly.
He"d grumble darkly about her stubborn pride, her foolish ways, appearing almost sorrowful and hurt that she refused what little comfort he did offer. However, Tatiana had seen the darkness in him and wasn"t fooled by this sentiment.
She had to admit she felt calmer now that the visions slowed and her body balanced. Domin"s connection to her calmed her and she could feel him lingering just on the edge of her consciousness. Not that he listened or intruded into her thoughts, it was just like a part of her, there and waiting. When she slept, the dreams lessened and when they started, she had more control over them.
There were times, though rare, when she was left alone. Only then did she feel safe thinking of Marcello. Her heart ached for him. Her body missed his. She longed for him, to feel him, kiss him, make love to him in endless ways--rough, sweet, bitter, tormented, pa.s.sionate. It wouldn"t matter so long as she could feel him inside her, next to her. Whenever she thought of Marcello with Leandro near, the vampire would sense it and grow irate--though never directly mentioning her thoughts as the cause.
Tatiana"s mind still called to Marcello, refusing to give up hope. But, as time wore and he did not come, she could only a.s.sume that he did not search for her at all.
Chapter Sixteen.
Spoleti Castle, Province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy, Fall 1898
A long paved drive led up the side of a small mountain, nestled in the valley of the larger surrounding range. Leandro"s carriage rode easily over the road, hardly jostling as the horses pulled it over the smooth stone. The clopping of hooves echoed over the silent distance, a lonely sound in the dark night.
Tatiana leaned out the window and gasped when she saw the structure looming brilliantly in the light of the full moon. The chilled wind whipped her face, almost stinging with cold. She didn"t care as she breathed deeply of the fresh night air.
Built in the medieval period, Spoleti Castle had seen few modern renovations to its structure, except a few conveniences and repairs. It was maintained with the greatest of care and indeed made for an imposing fortress, an inescapable prison.
Small, stone buildings lined the paved road, surrounded by forest on one side and a long valley on the other. Tatiana thought to see an orchard hidden in the shadows, but couldn"t be sure. As they came closer to the castle, she detected the distinct lines of a vineyard. People looked to be outside picking grapes.
"Why do they pick at night?" she wondered aloud, staying within the shadows of the carriage as the workers turned to watch them pa.s.s. She saw a few marked their chests with a sign of a cross, their lips mumbling a silent prayer, but most just held completely still as they waited for the carriage to roll by.
"The sun can dry the grapes out, makes them small. Night is the best time to pick them," Leandro answered wistfully. He looked over the vineyard, seeming almost at peace. His long pale fingers curled over the blue velvet curtain, stroking it absently in a gentle caress.
Tatiana shivered, unconsciously moving further away from him. She wouldn"t be fooled into thinking him anything but a monster. But, as she saw his ashen features soften, almost sad with longing, she began to doubt the demon in him. "Whose land is this? Another friend?"
"It is my home," Leandro said. "Marcello received the t.i.tle, I received the land. It is an agreement between us. He has no use for it. He refuses to come home to Italy."
Tatiana swallowed. Leandro"s eyes turned to her, full of meaning, as if to say,he will not come here for you, bella donna, don"t even wish for it.
Tatiana opened her mouth to speak, but Leandro turned back to the window and motioned his hand slightly for her to look.
She again leaned over, gazing out into the night. A large arch loomed over the roadway, constructed into a wall and vining with lush, green plant life. An iron gate was pulled high overhead to let the carriage pa.s.s under it.
Inside was a large courtyard with magnificent gardens, paved cobblestone paths, wondrous sculptures. The blue moonlight danced over little fountain pools of water, rippling softly. The light molded over the hard stone until it looked soft and alive. It was a fairy tale world. She dared a glance at Leandro, wondering how a demon could maintain such beauty. She wondered why he"d even care.
"You may have insight, witch," Leandro said, not looking at her. "But some things you are too young and too mortal to understand."
Tatiana felt a feeling akin to grief wash over her. The carriage stopped and, before she could question him further, the door was opened. A gloved hand reached inside and Tatiana took it, letting the elderly servant help her down. He didn"t pay her much attention, not even looking over her drab woolen dress and unkempt hair that made her look more like a peasant than a lady.
Tatiana stretched her arms, instantly detecting the servant to be human. His eyes were clear and brown and he seemed unaffected by the sight of his master, the vampire, stepping down the carriage steps. The servant bowed low to Leandro.
"Ettore, this is Miss Sinclair," Leandro said. He motioned to Tatiana before murmuring to the man in their native tongue.
Ettore dutifully bowed to her and motioned his hand to the driver. The carriage sped off to the nearby stables.
"He"s human," Tatiana said when Ettore turned and walked up the narrow row of steps to the house. She thought of Cesare and his milky white gaze. "You don"t have to make him a servitor?"
"Don"t think that because he is human he"ll help you," Leandro said. He brushed his hand absently over his black jacket.
Tatiana shivered. There were times when he looked so much like his brother she wanted to weep. Leandro tended to pull his brown hair back from his face in a queue and his gestures had subtle differences in them. When she was near him, she didn"t feel him as she did Marcello. She didn"t want him as she did Marcello. She didn"t ache for him as she did Marcello.
"Don"t pine for my brother,bella donna ," Leandro said bitterly. "He can"t feel for you. Believe me, I know. You were merely a woman to warm his bed and a hot place to stick his manhood. The rest was only an illusion he made you believe because he could."
It wasn"t the first time he"d said such things to her. Tatiana tried to ignore him, but the seeds of doubt were beginning to wear on her. What if Leandro was right? What if Marcello could never feel for her? It wasn"t like he"d claimed to love her.
"I had a vision of you, Leandro," Tatiana answered, her voice light. Her eyes narrowed leisurely on him. "You were bursting into a ball of flames in the sunlight and you were screaming in such agonizing pain."
Leandro"s lips curled into a pleasant smile. "A vision or wishful thinking,bella donna ?"
Tatiana stretched her arms, yawning as she looked around. She didn"t bother to answer him and she knew he wasn"t concerned with what she had said. The grey-white stones of the castle home were beautiful, built high from the ground. The large square-shaped keep was encircled by the long stone wall, which lapped around not only the house, but the garden and outbuildings. What looked to be an old chapel was nearby, a bell tower set high above it. A watch tower reached even higher on the opposite side of the immense yard.
"It"s beautiful," Tatiana whispered in awe.
Leandro paused, frowning slightly at the pleasure in her voice. He took her arm with a growl and roughly led her forward, up the stairs to the front door. His fingers were cold against her arm, even through the wool of her simple dress. The door opened by the mere motion of the vampire"s hand and he dragged her into the gorgeous marble lined hall.
Leandro paused and she saw his eyes roam around his home, taking it all in as if it were the first time he looked at it. She felt a contentment enter him, which he quickly hid from her.
"The household had no warning that I would bring a guest so there is no chamber ready," Leandro stated with an emotionless mask over his features. "You will sleep in my chamber tonight."
Tatiana stiffened, causing him to laugh.
"Bella donna," he scolded. His hands threaded behind his back and he looked ever so much the handsome gentleman. "Have you not slept by my side for nearly a month? Are you afraid your will against me is weakening? I know how pa.s.sionate witches are, especially those with such gifts as yours. You are a natural creature. Your body feeds off that which is around you. But, s.e.x and pa.s.sion is the quickest way for you to churn your powers. It"s been a few months for you, eh? Is your power growing dim with nothing to feed it? I felt you trying to glean off me,bella donna , but I am dead and my body can only offer you energy in two ways--directly through my blood, or through the milking of my male s.e.x."
Leandro stepped up to her and lifted the back of his hand to her cheek. It was a rare gesture of tenderness and it scared her.
He stroked her lightly, his smile devilishly charming in his handsome face. Her body was treacherous with physical ache, but it longed for Marcello, not him. His cool fingers crept into her skin. His dark gaze lowered to her parted lips and he leaned closer.
Leandro"s cool mouth came to her cheek, brushing along her warm skin, as he whispered, "Would you like me to ease that ache in you,bella donna ? I promise I can bring you as well as my brother. I will even let you scream out his name, if that is your desire."
"You"re sick," she whispered, not daring to jerk away from him.
Leandro threw back his head and laughed. His lips parted at the sound and his fangs glistened in the orange glow of the torch and candlelight of the hall. He turned to her, gripping her on the arms and lifting her up before him. Their bodies rose to hover several feet above the ground and he held them there easily.
"How long did you resist my brother before you spread your legs for him?" Leandro asked in a low, bitter tone. His eyes again moved to take in her face, caressing her with his heated gaze. "How long will you make me wait until you do the same, witch?"
"You ... I thought we...?" she whispered, thinking of that dreadful night Marcello had discovered her in Leandro"s arms.
"If I f.u.c.ked you,bella donna , you would remember it." Leandro"s lips snarled, almost cruelly. "You would still feel it the next morning in your battered thighs."
Tatiana gasped. She tried to wiggle out of his arms. He gripped tighter, bruising her. He was being deliberately cruel. He tried to scare her, perhaps tried a little too hard. A true monster wouldn"t threaten, he would take. Or was he just playing with her?
Enjoying his threats, before he finally had his way with her?