"Open your eyes.” His voice took on a commanding tone. “Look at me." She fought the order as hard as she could. Yet her head rose, her eyes met his. Tears tracked silently down her cheeks.
Monica stood behind him, her blue eyes full of hate. Behind them both, dawn's warm light danced through the shadows.
"Get the syringe."
Her pulse leaped at his command. Jasper laughed as Monica turned to do his bidding.
"This time we merely put you to sleep. You put up a long but useless battle, pretty one. We all need our rest."
Relief surged. At least the mad dance of nightmares was at an end. He stepped away as Monica knelt beside her. Motes of sunlight played across his flesh, raising red welts that disappeared as quickly as they appeared. She remembered Michael mentioning Jasper's lack of immunity to the sun, and wondered what time it was. Something told her it could be important.
"When we are all rested,” Jasper continued softly, “you will fully become mine." She'd kill herself before she ever let him take her. But meeting his mocking gaze, she knew how futile the thought was. She had no means to fight him, for a start. The drugs they'd been pouring into her body still blocked her psychic gifts. And physically, she doubted if she'd pose a serious threat to even an ant right now.
"I shall enjoy taking your body, as I have enjoyed taking your mind." The teenager jerked, and liquid sprayed across her leg. Nikki tensed, wondering if Monica realized ... the teenager met her gaze, her blue eyes dark with anger and hate. She glanced briefly at the needle, then back at Nikki. She knew it was almost empty. In her own strange way, Monica was offering a chance to escape.
But only because she feared losing the monster she called lover. The teenager rose and threw the empty syringe on the shelf before joining Jasper on the bed. The arm she placed around his waist was possessive. Nikki wondered how much time the teenager had left—not much, if body language was anything to go by. Her gaze met Jasper's. Malice gleamed back at her.
"Has Michael told you his secret yet?"
Nikki closed her eyes. She didn't want to hear anything else from Jasper. But not because she feared more of his lies. No, this time she feared the truth.
"Michael is one of us,” Jasper said softly. “A creature of the night. A taker of blood."
"No.” The denial was torn from her. Yet she knew in her heart he spoke the truth. It explained the darkness she sensed in Michael, explained how alike he and Jasper were. But Michael was not Jasper. Jasper laughed coldly. “Believe what you will, pretty one." She ignored him, ignored the demons whispering doubts into her mind. It was just another game, nothing more. Sleepiness overtook her, and she welcomed its pull. She had to rest if she wanted the strength to escape and discover the truth.
* * * *
Michael leaned wearily against the wall, impatiently watching the sun go down. For the last three days they'd followed every possible lead, yet had found no trace of Nikki or her captor. Everyone, even Monica and the zombies, seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. He touched the cross around his neck. The silver tingled against his skin and would, in time, burn him. He didn't care. It was Nikki's—all that he might ever be able to have of her. He closed his eyes and reached again for the link. Darkness greeted him, a wall he could not traverse. At least she was still alive.