Part 12 (1/2)

”It was you, wasn't it?”

”I'm not sure what you mean.”

”Yes, you are. I'm certain I saw you ... no, I think I saw you. Or I heard you. I was terrified and I knew I was about to be mugged or murdered and you ... you stopped him. The shadow, the fear, the footsteps. He never got me. You told me to run. And I did. G.o.d, I ran so fast! I reached my car, climbed in, and gunned the motor. I was out of there so fast. ...” She stared at him. ”I would have been killed if it hadn't been for you, right?”

”You were followed,” he told her simply.

”You saved my life.”

He shrugged his shoulders impatiently. ”You shouldn't leave this place late at night alone.”

”I won't again. Ever. I swear it.”

”Good.”

”G.o.d, you're wonderful.”

He rose impatiently. ”No, Cathy, I'm not wonderful. But you need to listen to me right now. You've got to be careful. Really careful. It's that simple. Get off in the daylight. Be careful at night; stick with large groups.” He started to walk away; then he turned back to her, shaking a finger beneath her nose. ”And don't go inviting any strangers in, you hear me?”

She nodded, somewhat taken aback by his ferocity.

He started out to the street, anxious to be away. The sunlight was very bright. Too bright. He doubled over suddenly, caught in the vicious grip of a gnawing agony. Home. He needed to get home.

Quickly. Now. He needed rest today. His customary strength was more than admirable, but the sun was bright this October.

You should see the other guy! he had said earlier.

And that had been true enough.

He had known they were there; they had wreaked carnage in New York and come here. Quickly. Last time, he had ripped them both to shreds. ...

But they had healed.

This time he hadn't seen Sophia. She was keeping her distance, ready to sacrifice that fool, Darian. And he had stopped Darian, torn into him again. ...

But...

Darian had escaped. Lucian had kept him from Cathy, but he had escaped Lucian's hold.

And, this morning Lucian could still almost hear the taunting voice of his adversary.

Just who do you think you are? Just what do you think you are? To the others, are you any less fetid, horrible, repulsive?

I think I'm the king, the ruler; that's what I know.

You have to hold on to power.

And I will, my friend.

You grow weak, and I grow strong. And she, she grows stronger still.

You are a fool. You will never be stronger than I! I will never allow it.

And to himself he added, Because my hatred is greatest, my bitterness the deepest. I will hold my power with my will, and it is not weakness that governs me, or a conscience, but sense and logic and the will to survive.

We are what we are, Darian taunted. Hunters. Wolves. And wolves will hunt sheep.

Not when meat is provided. And not when hunting the sheep will bring upon us a hundredfold the vengeance of the sheep farmers.

Farmers, bah!

Farmers. You've seen through time. We will all fight to survive.

The farmers just as fiercely as we do.

You are growing foolish and sentimental and weak. We bided time.

We healed. We grew strong. And in the end, we will best you, and I will be king. She made you, and she will unmake you as well What she created, she can destroy.

Never. . . never. . . you think you know hatred, you think you know anger? You have no idea what hatred is, fury, loss. . . .

Because you think you have found her again, you think you have a soul. You see Igrainia in that woman. But what would she see in you ?

You are a creature of the night. Foul. Loathsome. You are heinous.

You have sinned as few others, raged, killed . . . you are darkness, you are death, you are the very flames of h.e.l.l...

His head was nearly bursting. The sunlight was staggering. He gritted his teeth and straightened, his shoulders squared beneath the sunlight. He seldom needed help. He kept no one close. He had spent a great deal of time taking the gravest care, trusting no one.

The talisman!

It was all he could think.

She must have the talisman again.

d.a.m.n, but the sun is bright! He needed his home here, rest, a place of darkness....

No, he needed more than home. He needed help. And though he had sworn to stay away, he had an old friend in the city. A very old friend ...

He walked with the crowd.

And then he was shadow.

By the bright light of day, Jade was convinced that she needed a psychiatrist. She tried to a.n.a.lyze herself, and could only come up with the fact that she must be frustrated, afraid since Scotland.

Not wanting to dwell on her thoughts, she decided on a trip down to the police station. Gavin, a friend of Rick's, worked in Homicide, and was a really nice guy. If he knew something, he would surely share it with her.

When she was just about ready to leave, Renate appeared at her door.