A Whisper of Eternity - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,101
to go now, and we will take your little mortal with us, to make sure you don't follow."
" Petrina, wait..."
"You took Zarabeth and Turk from me," Petrina said. "Now it is my turn to take something from you."
"If you kill her, I will hunt you down. There will be no place where you can hide, no place where I will not find you."
Something that might have been fear flickered in Petrina's eyes and was quickly gone. "I will make you a deal then," she said, her hand tightening onTracy 's throat. "I will not kill her, and you will leave Sea Cliff to me."
"You will not turn her?"
"No."
Dominic stared at Petrina for a long moment, as though weighing her words, and then sighed in resignation."Very well. Leave her and go."
Petrinashook her head. "I do not trust you. We will take her with us, and leave her where you can find her."
Dominic's gaze rested onTracy 's face. "Do not be afraid, my best beloved one. I will find you." He looked at Petrina again. "Do not betray me."
"I have your word that you will not follow us?"
He nodded.
"And your word that you will wait until tomorrow to find her, that you will not use the bond between you before that time?"
He nodded again. "Have I your word that you will not kill her and you will not turn her?"
"Yes, my word."
Dominic grunted softly, wondering what Petrina's word was worth.
"Franco, Laslo , come."
The two vampires went to stand beside Petrina . The skin on their faces was red and scorched. In some places, it hung in lacy tatters, like bloody cobwebs.
Dominic looked atTracy again. "I will find you, querida . I will always find you."
Eyes wide with fear, she nodded.
And then Petrina took her away.
Dominic stood in the middle of the room, his mental anguish far greater than the pain of his wounds, which continued to bleed profusely.
He had gambled everything he loved, everything he held dear, on Petrina's promise. His only hope was that she wanted Sea Cliff bad enough to keep her word. If she betrayed him, he would not rest until he had cut her heart from her body and flung it into the sea.
Suddenly overcome with the loss of blood, he left The Catacombs. He lacked the energy to will himself home. Instead, he slid behind the wheel of one of the cars parked outside, started the engine with a thought, and drove to Nightingale House.
Leaving the car in the driveway, he went up the porch stairs. He stood on the verandah for several minutes looking out over the ocean. The water was like a great black mirror reflecting the light of the moon. He looked skyward, his gaze tracing the outline of the Big Dipper, following the path of the Milky Way. He would miss this place but it was a small price to pay forTracy 's life. Perhaps they would go back to his house inMaine . She had been happy there. As for himself, he could be happy anywhere,so long as she was there beside him.
Tracy. He clenched his hands at his sides. He could find her with a thought but he had promised not to do so. Was he being a fool to wait, a fool to trust Petrina ? He knew without doubt that if he broke his word, she would killTracy without a qualm. And yet his apprehension grew with every passing moment.
Opening the front door, he stepped inside.
And knew immediately that Petrina had been there.
"Tracy!"
Calling her name, he followed Petrina's scent up the stairs, down the hall toTracy 's bedroom.
He came to an abrupt halt when he opened the door, his gaze taking it all in in a single glance. Franco and Laslo stood on either side of the bed. Petrina knelt on the mattress. Her head jerked around as he opened the door. There was a smear of blood on her lips.
Tracy's blood.She was lying on the bed, her eyes closed,her face as pale as death itself.
Rage rose up within him as he met Petrina's gaze.
Defiantly, she returned his stare.
"You gave me your word," Dominic said coldly.
"You gave me your word you would not follow me."
"I did not follow you. This is where I live." His eyes narrowed."And where you will die."
He was moving as he spoke, his hands reaching for Petrina . But she was moving, too, and when he reached the foot of the bed, she disappeared in a swirling black mist.