A Whisper of Eternity - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,78
ago to bring him to his knees and though she seemed friendly enough now, he wondered if he dared trust her, or if she was just toying with him, hoping to catch him off guard.
"We can end this amicably enough," she remarked. "You have only to send Petrina and her cohorts away."
"Then you have not come here to help her seize my territory?"
Kitanalaughed softly. "Is that what you thought?"
"It crossed my mind."
"Foolish creature.I came here to make sure you did not destroy each other. So, mon ami , will banishing her from this place be punishment enough?"
Though it wasn't what he wanted, it was a decision he could live with. And the sooner it was over, the sooner he could return toTracy .
He nodded his assent.
"You have chosen wisely," Kitana said. "I will summon Petrina ."
All eyes were on the door when Petrina and Zarabeth entered the room.
Dominic slid out of the booth, his cloak flowing behind him. "You have broken my law," he said.
"Because you are favored of my Maker, I have decided to be lenient with you. From this night forward, you are no longer welcome in this place." He looked at Zarabeth . "Do you stand with her?"
Zarabethnodded.
"So be it," Dominic declared.
Petrinaglanced at Kitana , who was standing beside the booth Dominic had vacated. "You are going to let him do this?"
Kitananodded. "It is my wish that you do as he says."
Petrinalooked back at Dominic, defiance blazing in her eyes. Three of the vampires sitting at the bar rose and went to stand behind her.
"Franco. Laslo. Turk." Dominic's gaze settled on each one as he spoke their names. "Do not let me find you in my territory again. Be gone now, all of you."
Zarabethand the three male vampires vanished in a swirl of thick black smoke, leaving Petrina standing alone in the center of the room.
She lifted her arm and with a steady hand, pointed a finger at Dominic. "You will regret this night," she hissed, and then she, too, was gone.
At her going, the tension bled out of the room and the remaining vampires resumed what they had been doing before Dominic arrived.
Kitanaapproached Dominic, smiling faintly. "Peace has been restored." She placed her hand on his arm. "It was good to see you again."
"And you."
"Are you happy with your little mortal?"
The question sent a chill down his spine. Kitana was a female and like all females, could be given to jealousy."Very happy."
"Will you bring her across?"
"That decision is hers, not mine."
Standing on tiptoe, Kitana kissed him, first on one cheek, then the other. "I hope we will meet again soon."
"I would like that."
With a smile and a wave of her hand, she dissolved into a sparkling red mist and was gone.
Dominic blew out a deep breath, relieved that the matter had been settled without violence or destruction.
It was still early. If he hurried, he could spend a few hours withTracy before sunrise.
Chapter 24
Upon leaving The Catacombs, Dominic stood outside for a moment. Though he had seen nothing but the night for centuries, he still found enjoyment in the dark. He glanced up at the vast blue sky, his gaze tracking the path of the Milky Way. Mortals saw so little with their limited vision. With his vampire sight, he saw the heavens in all their glory. It was a miraculous display, a manifestation of such boundless power that it made his own abilitiesseem infantile in comparison.
Lost in thought, he walked away from The Catacombs and into the night. He had toldTracy he believed his soul was lost, but was it? Would a Being who could create worlds without number and all the forces of life and nature condemn him for what he was? Could he yet find forgiveness?
Shaking such serious matters from his mind, he hurried his footsteps as he turned his thoughts towardTracy .
Perhaps if he had not been thinking of her, he might have sensed their presence before it was too late.
They sprang at him from the mouth of an alley. Silently and without warning, the five of them drove him backward, pinning him to the ground as they savaged him with their fangs. Driven by hatred, filled with the blood of those they had preyed upon earlier, they were at their most powerful. He felt Petrina's fangs dig deep into his throat.Franco and Turk, each holding an arm, slashed at the veins in his wrists. He felt the blood flow from his body as he fought to throw them off.