Page 151 of Eternal Craving

“Not until you’ve dealt with him…”

The monster inside me stirred. Soon, I would know just how much of the dark underworld ran through my veins.

Clutching Sunaria’s red dress, I made my way through the shadows, and opened up the secret passageway, making it ready.

I flew back into the heart of the cathedral, up and into the nave. A row of candles resting on their brass holder burned brightly. I kicked them over and flames spilled out along the central aisle.

I rose into the cathedral’s tower. It was smaller on the inside than it had looked from the outside. Marcus had gone through with it. He’d coaxed one of Delacroix’s raven-haired vampires out of Blackfriars, and, once seduced, he’d tied her upin here. She looked familiar. I’d caught her making love back at Blackfriars. Her lover had gestured for me to join them.

I pushed her dark locks out of her face and dressed her in Sunaria’s red gown, which fit her adequately. I tried to ignore her crazed stare. Marcus had drunk from her, leaving her weak, but she still had some fight left in her. From a distance, it would be hard to discern that she wasn’t Sunaria. By the time the flames reached the tower and burned through her rope bindings, it would be too late. Ablaze, our maiden would fling herself out of the window.

I kissed her forehead.

It was finished, hell had passed through me, and I craved its approval with the hunger only a monster could understand. My cold, dead heart had finally done its worst.

Chapter Forty-Seven

With a restless spirit, I lingered outside the jewelry store where Sunaria had found Jacob’s locket.

A distant memory of who I’d once been barely remained. Fragments of my younger life drifted in and out, but I could not hold on to them. Ancient blood refined my features, dissipating previous character traits. The promise I’d shown could never have foreshadowed such a transformation. Had I known that the elders possessed such preternatural power, I dare say I’d have pursued it sooner. Nevertheless, fate delivered.

Sunaria reassured me that this feeling was merely transitional, that my past would again catch up with me and I’d remember everything with even more clarity than before.

I hoped she was wrong.

No longer seeing any sign of the Creda, I hoped it meant we’d shaken them off. The decimation of the Stone Lords, with the only apparent survivors, Lord Archer and a handful of his men, lessened the fear of their return. The year 1497 was about to come to an end. A new year would be better than the last.

And Jacob would be another year older.

Using all my will to stroll with a somewhat natural gait, I entered the store. I removed Jacob’s locket from my pocket and showed it to the man behind the counter, after first making small talk so as not to arouse suspicion.

The owner couldn’t remember where he’d acquired the piece. I did what I could, even going as far as sucking out his last drop of blood to nudge his memory.

I left with no answers.

I flew off into the night searching for the others. I found Sunaria with Marcus, standing outside the gates of Blackfriars Manor. Gothic towers loomed before us, a terrible reminder of all that had transpired.

Inside, I entered the grand house one final time – but didn’t stay long.

The blaze that raged through the building would leave no evidence. “I thought you’d be long gone by now,” I said at last to Marcus.

“And miss this? Never. Where did you start the fire?”

“I went back to the painting of Delacroix in Venice,” I replied, “and started with that.”

He peered through the brass railings. “Locals will think it’s the great fire of London all over again, what with the cathedral and now this.”

“It’ll burn itself out,” I said. “As long as the properties don’t encroach on the buildings around them, the fire won’t spread.”

The inferno lit up the London skyline.

“Nothing wipes out the past like fire.” I gave a long sigh.

“When will you go back to Spain?” Marcus asked.

“When I’m ready. What are your plans?”

“I’m not sure. Still trying to...” Marcus bowed his head. “How do we justify the things that we do?”