The long blade gleamed in the faint moonlight. Looking at William, with the broad sword clutched in his hands, Savannah could easily imagine him as he once had been. A warrior. Strong. Deadly.
«Why would he leave your father's sword here?»
«He was sending me a message.»
«What kind of message?»
His fingers clenched around the sword. “The last time I saw this sword, I was on my father's land and my brother was using it to try to kill me.” He took a deep breath.
Savannah waited silently, wondering what was next.
«He used this weapon to kill my father. He almost killed me with it. He wouldn't just leave it behind for no reason. He values it too much.” His gaze swept over the dark cemetery once again. His shoulders seem to drop.
«What is it?»
«Geoffrey's gone. Gone from the cemetery. Gone from Seattle.»
«What?” Impossible. He couldn't have gotten away from them!
William gazed down at the weapon in his hand. “Geoffrey returned home. He went back to my father's land. Back to the place where this nightmare began. And he wants me to follow him.»
«How do you know that?” She asked, stunned.
He pointed to the headstone. “The sword was placed on this particular slab for a reason. Read the inscription, Savannah.»
She glanced down. Time had erased the dead man's name, but she could still see the faint words etched in the middle of the headstone. Death takes us back to the beginning.
«The beginning,” she whispered as understanding dawned. The beginning of William's life as a vampire had been in a blood-soaked European castle. She lifted her chin and met his stare. “Let's go.»
* * * *
They arrived in France three days later. They'd had to charter a private plane. William could have flown on his own, using his powers, but Savannah wasn't strong enough for such a journey.
They'd gotten the plane and made arrangements for all of the back windows to be blackened out. The owner of the plane had agreed to their request with only a raised brow. He'd told them that after flying numerous celebrities, he was used to people's “oddities.»
The plane touched down in the airport an hour after sunset. Savannah and William thanked the pilot, and then after giving him a small compulsion, they disappeared, knowing the pilot had completely forgotten about the man and woman that he'd just taken across the Atlantic.
* * * *
William cradled Savannah carefully against, him, feeling her heart pound as they flew across the countryside. He cloaked their presence, so if anyone happened to glance into the air, they would not be seen.
He wished that he could stop, find her a room in a quiet village, and face Geoffrey on his own. He was terrified that something would happen to her.
«I'm going to be fine,” she murmured softly, her voice music to his hungry ears. “Stop worrying about me.»
Let me take you to safety. I can face him alone.
«No. We'll face him together.»
But would they survive together?
He kissed her temple, inhaling her sweet scent. And, for the first time since Henry's death, he prayed. He prayed for God to protect Savannah.
The miles flew past, the countryside little more than a green blur beneath him. Then he saw the river. The winding, black river. And he knew that he was home.
He could see his father's land, could see the crumbling remains of the old keep. The ancient stone wall. The empty moat. But there was no sign of Geoffrey.
He drifted to the ground, placing Savannah gently on her feet.
He walked toward the stone steps leading to the old entrance to his father's keep. “This was where I found my father.»
He could still see the red stain on the top step. His father's blood. His hands clenched, and he walked up the steps. For just a second, he thought he heard his father's voice.
«William?»
He blinked, glancing back at Savannah. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her face was tight with concern.
Concern for him.
He walked back down the steps. Turning his back on the old stone, on the past.
«Link with me,” he whispered.
And she did.
Her warmth flooded through him. Her goodness, her strength.
In that brief moment, he forgot his past. He forgot Geoffrey. His only thought was her.
Savannah.
He pulled her into his arms, his lips touching hers. She met him eagerly, her passion a perfect match for his.
Their bodies pressed together. Their hearts pounded.
He lifted his head slowly. “Savannah, I—»
A cold wind swept across the land, chilling him. And he heard the mocking sound of his brother's laughter.
He spun around, pushing Savannah behind him. He scanned, drawing on both his own power and Savannah's new strength. He could feel his brother, feel the taint of his presence.
Geoffrey was close. Too close.
If you want me so badly, brother, then come and find me.
Geoffrey's taunt whispered through his mind. Behind him, he felt Savannah shiver. Connected to him as she was, she'd heard Geoffrey's voice, felt his evil.
Abruptly, William severed the link with Savannah.
«William? What—»
«We can't be linked, not now. If something happens—” He ran his hand over his face. If something happened to him, and they were linked at the time, then Savannah would experience his death, just as she'd been forced to share Mark's last moments. He wouldn't put her through that agony again.
«We can't afford the link now,” he told her, carefully shielding his thoughts. “It will drain our powers too quickly.»
He could feel her confusion and fear. But he knew she struggled to contain herself, to be strong.
In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her. Just hold her. But his brother was waiting. And death would come for either him or Geoffrey this night.
«Where is he?” Savannah whispered.
William's gaze scanned the rough terrain. Where would his brother hide? Where—
A wolf howled.
William froze. There'd never been a wolf on his father's land. Never.
The howl sounded again. Louder.
The wolf was close, and William could feel the beast's overwhelming hunger … and its dark rage.
«That's him, isn't it?” Savannah stepped forward, standing by William's side. “It's Geoffrey.»
William nodded. His brother was using his power to shapeshift.
She took a deep breath. “Are you sure that you can do this?»
He glanced down at her gleaming eyes and pale face. “Geoffrey has to be stopped.” He couldn't let his brother hurt anyone else.