chapter Nine
I tried to move to where Luanne was standing but I was quickly overpowered. I struggled against the platinum bonds but there was no point. It was almost as effective as kryptonite on Superman in those classic shows. I watched, powerless, as she was surrounded by Lord Morrison's men, even though I noticed none of them was touching her.
“Katrina darling, it's been too long.”
Katrina stood up slowly and patted down one of her trademark caftans. She walked to where he was standing, barely reaching his chest in height, and lifting her up her chin, smiled at Morrison. At that moment, I felt my respect for her move up several notches.
“Morris love, it's been ages,” she purred.
He laughed then and I could see why someone like Katrina had fallen for him. He was still handsome and was oozing charm.
“And you'd love it to be several ages more, wouldn't you?” he said with a smile.
Katrina just shrugged. “If we were meeting under different circumstances, we might have stopped for a chat. But you've invaded my home and you have both my granddaughter and my guest surrounded. What is the meaning of this, Morrison?”
“I don't mean you any harm, Katy. Just hand over the girl and we'll be out of your hair.” He lifted a hand to brush her hair from her face and she stepped back.
“You know I'm not going to do that. You would have to kill me first.”
His eyes narrowed. “I'm really quite fond of you, Katy. But don't think I won't kill you if I have to. I want that stone and nothing's going to stand in my way.”
“If you want it so badly, I can hand it over to you.”
We all turned when we heard Luanne's voice. She had moved a few steps closer to where her grandparents were standing.
“Hmm, I can see your grandmother has been training you well. I want you as well as the stone. After all, don't you think it's time I got to know my granddaughter?”
Luanne snorted and I pushed down a chuckle. “As if! You never bothered, so I'm pretty much sure it's not a relationship with me you're after. I'm just curious though, what happened this evening? What sent you scurrying away with your tail between your legs?”
I held my breath and it seemed almost everyone else in the room did the same. I was also curious, but Luanne was treading on thin ground. Morrison was a very dangerous man. I saw the fury light up his eyes, but being the consummate warrior that he was, he controlled his reaction.
“That is no concern of yours,” he said shortly.
“You were scared off, weren't you?” she taunted, moving closer. “So even if I go with you, what makes you believe you can get me to do what you want?”
“Ah, I did underestimate you didn't I?” Morrison's eyes glittered with pure evil. “I don't have the need to make you do anything. All I need is your essence, girl.”
There was shocked silence. “What do you want to do with her essence?” Katrina cried in horror.
Lord Morrision looked really pleased with himself. “I'm sure you've heard of artificial intelligence? I've developed a robot that has everything needed to be a keeper. Once we transfer her essence to the robot, we'll have no further use for her.”
“If you take her essence you'll kill her, you bastard!” I yelled struggling against the bonds in vain.
He turned speculative eyes to me. “Hmm, it appears the Protector has feelings for the Keeper. Didn't I teach you better than that, Farley?” He studied me for a moment. “How is your father, boy? Heard from him lately? No? Shame.”
I grit my teeth and forced myself to remain silent. Morrison had discovered me and he had been my trainer and mentor when I'd joined the protectors. He knew me maybe better than anyone else did and there was no one I hated more on earth.
He turned away from me, bored. “All right! Enough of the chit chat. We need to be on our way. Come, girl!”
He stretched his hand out and drew Luanne to him. One minute she was standing several steps from him in the middle of the living room, and the next she was standing right beside him. He grabbed her hand and began to move.
“No! You can't take her, you coward!” Katrina launched at him.
He lifted his free hand and blasted a ball of fire at her. She flung both hands out and a produced a shield of ice. Katrina was immediately attacked from all angles and as she battled her assailants, I struggled against my bonds, feeling totally helpless as Morrison dragged Luanne with him.
“Dylan, help me!”
I could hear her screaming and tears of rage filled my eyes. Where was the backup I'd requested? Why were they taking so long. The battle between Katrina and the other vampires raged on and while she was definitely a match for them, I could tell she was tiring.
I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. I wasn't sure if this was going to work, first of all my powers had been greatly reduced, but secondly, she was so tightly closed up. Still I knew I had to try. I focused my thoughts on Luanne and reached out.
Fight, Luanne. You're strong enough and you can do this! Fight!
I got nothing and began to panic. I could see Morrison heading toward the living room door and Luanne was struggling with him.
Fight! Dammit Luanne, I said bloody fight him!
Suddenly she stopped fighting and went limp. With my heart in my mouth, I saw Morrison stumble, then he bent to try and pick her up. I have no idea what happened then. One minute he was bending down to pick Luanne up, and then suddenly a huge ball of flame engulfed her. He shouted and jumped back, but she was like a spinning ball of fury. She went after him and wrapped her fiery arms around him then shot up through the roof, into the air.
It all happened so fast that I was still wondering whether I'd hallucinated what had just happened. Before I could get my breath the room filled with protector agents and the other vampires were quickly overpowered. The platinum bonds holding me were broken and I shot up, after Luanne and Morrison.
As I hovered in the night air, I was instinctively drawn to a solitary figure. Hovering a good distance away, dressed in black, with a river of golden hair flowing almost to the waist, the solitary figure stayed motionless, alone in the night. Even without checking, I knew it was Luanne. I moved beside her and though she must have known I was standing there, she didn't turn to look at me.
“What happened to Morrison?”
“He's gone.”
“That's good, but we need to get you out of here before he returns.”
She made no move. I tried to get into her mind, but as usual, it was air tight. “Luanne?” I understood that she must have been suffering from shock but every moment we wasted was crucial.
“He's gone, Dylan. Gone as in dead. Turned-into-ashes dead.”
She turned to look at me then and I could see she'd been crying. There were still tears in her eyes. I wanted to know what had happened, who had finished off Lord Morrison. I had a thousand and one questions, but I drew her close to me instead and enfolded her in a hug. We stayed there in silence and it felt so right. Even though I was the one offering comfort, I felt like the loneliness which had been my companion for as long as I could remember was being slowly drained out of me.
“I killed my grandfather, Dylan,” she said in a small voice.
“Shh...don't talk like that.” I ran a hand over her hair, trying to soothe her. “Lord Morrison would have killed you, you know that don't you? You didn't have a choice.”
“But he was my grandfather. That's the only other family I have, except for Katrina.”
I knew how she felt. Mortal or vampire, your first intentional killing is always traumatic and for this young woman, it was probably more heartbreaking. Still, I needed to make her understand.
“He would have killed Katrina, Lu,” I said as gently as I could. “You did what you had to.”
She didn't say anything for some time then she nodded, her head bobbing against my jacket. Finally she drew back and just like that, I felt the emptiness and loneliness flood back inside me.
I looked at her searchingly and she finally met my gaze, hers was like the sky on a rainy day. She smiled tremulously and I felt something give way in the region where my heart was supposed to be.
“Thanks, Dylan. You've been great,” she said shyly.
I stared at her and then closed my eyes briefly, before opening them again. I knew I shouldn't do what I was about to do, but for the life of me, I could not help myself. Very slowly, giving her the opportunity to escape and hoping fervently that she would take it, I cupped her cheek with one hand and leaned down to do what I'd wanted to do from the first moment I'd seen her in her grandmother's kitchen. As my lips touched hers, she sighed softly and closed her eyes. I couldn't have stopped then even if I'd wanted to stop. And I didn't. I suddenly felt like kissing her was as essential to me as my essence and even though I didn't understand it, I was far too preoccupied to question it.
***
My heart was beating rapidly as his mouth came closer. I knew he was going to kiss me and I wanted him to with everything in me. I sighed softly and closed my eyes just as his lips touched mine. The kiss was sweet and gentle, but I felt his passion simmering beneath the surface. Passion for me, Luanne Kylor. It was a heady feeling and I allowed myself get lost in it.
He pulled away gently and I finally opened my eyes. I gazed into his eyes and the expression in them made me catch my breath.
“We need to get back to the house,” he said softly.
I nodded and the warm feeling returned when he took my hand. This time there was no teleporting and we took our time moving through the night skies toward my grandmother's home. Reliving my first kiss, I knew that as horrible as my life had been, it was finally going to get better.
TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK TWO: The Stone Keeper - Book 2