Page 200 of Eternal Craving

Another yank and I had the sword out. I sprang to my feet and flew past Archer, close enough to touch him.

Archer’s voice came from somewhere behind me. “Find him. Quickly!”

I collapsed behind one of the larger oak trees, willing the pain to recede, and the wound to heal while ascertaining how much blood I’d lost. Lifting my shirt, I was relieved to see my wound closing.

The faint whiff of vampires carried in the night air, emanating from the last carriage parked about twenty feet away. Flying through the woods, making a wide sweep so as not to bump into any of Archer’s men, I stalked the two men guarding the carriage.

I froze, momentarily startled.

Rachel was incarcerated with two other vampires. Briefly, I moved away from them. I snapped the neck of the first guard and threw the other high into the air. He lay still where helanded. Rachel sobbed pitifully when she saw me. The other two prisoners appeared so weak that I feared they wouldn’t survive much longer. One of them, a child, sucked on the back of his hand with a lost look in his eyes.

Rachel’s fear was palpable. She was too young a vampire to have used the mind gift with any success – unable to beckon for help. After ripping off her gag, I untied her and lifted her out of the carriage, feeling her trembling in my arms.

When I turned around, I saw we had been surrounded by Archer’s men. Rachel burrowed her face into my chest. I clutched her to me.

“It’s over,” Archer said.

“It’s over when I say it is.” Remembering the verbal sparring we’d done before, the remarkable connection, the mutual respect shared for our differences as well as our similarities, I felt regret.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Marcus standing near the overturned carriage. He’d followed me here.

Archer reached into his left coat pocket and withdrew the chess piece I’d given him, throwing the carved rook at my feet. “Was this not meant to represent that your best is yet to come?”

“That’s one meaning, yes.” My gaze narrowed in on the right side of his jacket.

Archer frowned as his hand disappeared into his right pocket, and he pulled out another black rook. I’d slipped it in there, moving with preternatural speed just seconds before finding Rachel.

“That one means you’ve left your king exposed,” I said.

Archer’s face reddened.

His men fell, attacked so fast that to the human eye, Marcus’ assault went unseen.

After securing Rachel deep within the woods, I returned to Marcus’ side, and together we finished off Archer’s men.

The breeze had died, the forest now quiet.

Archer appeared bewildered and I approached him.

I picked up the black rook. “Now tell me it’s over.”

Archer, staring blankly at nothing, gave a slight nod, and then slumped to his knees.

Chapter Sixty-One

I glanced down at the two tickets representing the best seats in the theatre.

The Royal Playhouse, situated on the south bank of the River Thames, had attracted the city’s most accomplished playwrights. Over the last eight years, Jacob and I enjoyed so many evenings here watching the stellar performances. Tonight, I’d arranged to meet with him, but he was running late, which was uncharacteristic.

I suddenly had the sense I was being watched.

Although I didn’t make eye contact with the man in his twenties who stared at me from across the street, I did take in his well-educated demeanor. I strolled away from the theatre and turned down an alley, and then ascended to the roof, waiting for him to pass beneath me.

I landed behind him, and he spun around, his face full of fear, and backed up against the wall.

I pressed him against the cold brick. “Archer sent a boy to do a man’s work.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mumbled.