Sam couldn’t wait. He thought back to his time with her, after horseback riding, and how amazing it had been.
They ascended another flight of marble steps, and a servant opened a set of double doors for them, and then, as they entered, closed it behind them.
They barely got a few feet, when she turned and began tearing off his clothes.
She covered his face and neck in kisses, and he reciprocated, caught up in her whirlwind of passion.
“Sam,” she whispered in his ear, as she pulled off his shirt. “Will you do something for me?”
Sam could hardly think straight.
“Yes,” he said, kissing her neck.
“Anything?” she asked.
He nodded, as he kissed her.
“I want to be with you forever,” she said, kissing his neck.
“So do I,” Sam said, and he meant it. He’d never been so obsessed with a girl. He couldn’t help thinking back to his time with Samantha. That had been intense, too. But nothing like this. She was the whole package for him. In fact, if he were given the choice to marry her on the spot, to spend his whole life with her, he would do it.
“I know how we can spend forever together,” she said.
“How?” he asked her, between kisses.
She pulled her head back, took his face in her hands, and stared at him. Her aqua eyes transfixed his.
“You can turn me,” she said.
Sam was shocked at her request. Immediately, he sensed that would be forbidden. That if he did it, he would be an outcast. That they would both be on their own. He remembered the one rule he had been given when first introduced to this place – and he certainly didn’t want to break it.
On the other hand, it seemed so natural, like the perfect way for them to be together, forever. And it was what she wanted – and she was the one asking for it.
“I…” Sam began, not knowing what to say. “I’m not sure if it’s… allowed.”
Kendra suddenly pulled back and frowned, a storm of emotion crossing her face.
“Of course it’s allowed!” she snapped. “The only people who say it’s not are just jealous – jealous they don’t have a human they love that they can turn.”
Sam had never thought of it that way. Maybe she was right. Maybe he had just been misled.
“I…” he began, then stopped, still not knowing what to say.
She suddenly looked down, and her eyes welled with tears. She looked so sad, Sam could hardly stand it.
She slowly nodded.
“Now I see,” she said. “You don’t really love me, as I love you.”
Sam felt his heart breaking. He never wanted to hurt her.
He took her by the shoulders, and pulled up her close and looked into her eyes.
“Kendra, don’t say that,” he said. “I do love you. I really do.”
Even as he said it, he knew the words to be true. It felt surreal to him, that he would feel that strongly about her so quickly, but he did.
Her eyes suddenly filled with hope again.
“But you don’t want to be with me forever?” she asked.
“I do,” Sam said. And as he said it, he realized it was true.
“So what’s wrong then?” she asked. “Is it that you are afraid? Afraid of what others will say? Afraid that they will punish you?”
Sam scowled. “I’m not afraid of anyone. And I don’t have to answer to anyone.”
She smiled back, looking victorious.
“That’s what I thought about you. That’s the man that I thought you were.”
The more she spoke, the more Sam felt that she was right. After all, why should he have to answer to anyone?
“Then show them,” she said. “Prove it. Prove it to me. Turn me. Make me yours forever.”
She came in and kissed him hard on his mouth, and as she did, he could no longer resist the primal instinct overwhelming him.
He suddenly leaned back, and with a primal snarl, his front teeth extended, longer than he ever imagined they could.
And he plunged forward and sunk his teeth deep into her neck.
She cried out with a gasp of pain – but it was too late now. His teeth were deep in her neck, and as she leaned back, he held her head with one hand, and with the other plunged deeper, unable to stop himself, as he felt her life force fill his veins.
He drank and drank and drank, as if there were no tomorrow.
Chapter Thirty Two
Polly lay in bed, besides Sergei, both of them naked, beneath the sheets. She rested her cheek on his shoulder, and looked up at him, studying his face. He lay there, eyes open, staring at the ceiling, expressionless.
His features were so perfect, so chiseled. She wondered how she had gotten so lucky.
She thought back to what a wonderful experience it had been, sleeping with him. Now, more than ever, she knew that they were meant to be together forever. She would do anything for him at this moment.
She reached up, and ran her hand along his chest. Finally, he turned to her.
“Tell me about your friend,” he finally said.
Polly was confused.
“The one that stormed out after my concert.”
Caitlin. Polly was annoyed. Why did he have to bring her up now? Why did she have to ruin a moment like this?
“That was nobody,” Polly said. “I’m sorry she ran out.”
“What’s her name?” he pressed.
“Caitlin,” Polly said.
Polly saw what looked like recognition in Sergei’s eyes. It made her think, made her wonder about everything Caitlin had said. About how she had known Sergei before. Had any of it been true? No, of course, that was ridiculous. But why was he asking about her now?
“And where was she going, in such a rush?” he asked.
Polly shrugged. “I don’t know. Who cares about her?”
Sergei suddenly turned to her, with complete intensity.
“I do,” he said harshly, “or else I wouldn’t be asking.”
Polly was taken aback. She didn’t know what she had done to offend him. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Then answer my questions,” he pressed.
“What do you want to know?” Polly asked.
“Where exactly was your friend going?”
Polly shrugged again, thinking.
“I have no idea. She probably went looking for her father, I guess. She always is.”
“Did she mention any place specific?”
Polly racked her brain. She suddenly remembered something.
“Well, she did mention something about a dream. About her brother. About some kind of key in a church.”
Sergei’s eyes opened wide. Polly was surprised at how interested he was. He suddenly sat up, and grabbed her shoulders fiercely.
“What church?”
Polly was scared by his intensity. She didn’t understand what was going on.
“I don’t understand. Why does it matter? Why’s it so important?”
He shook her, roughly. “Tell me!”
“It was the Notre Dame,” Polly said, suddenly scared. “She said something about the Notre Dame.”
Sergei suddenly threw her across the bed, and she landed hard on the floor.
He then threw off the covers, dressed, and hurried across the room.
Polly burst into tears.
“What’s wrong with you?” she cried. “Why are you being so mean? Where are you going?”
Polly couldn’t understand what was happening. Just a minute ago, her world had been perfect.
Sergei stopped before the door, turned, and smiled at her for the first time. But it wasn’t a smile of love. It was an evil, crooked smile.
“Stupid girl,” he said. “I’ve gotten all I need from you. You are as useless to me now as you were the first moment I met you. And now your friend will pay the price.”
And with that, Sergei stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Polly sat up, put her head in her hands, and cried and cried and cried.
All she could think, as tears poured down her face, was how stupid she had been. How mad at herself she was for believing in Sergei. How, all along, her friend, her only best friend in the world, Caitlin, had been right.