A Gift of the Darkest Magic (4 page)

archangel gave a bark of laughter and his eyes softened a moment as he looked at her. He pulled his attention away from Clarissa and glared menacingly at Tiffany.

“No one will find your body. You’ll die, but not in the bliss, they’ll unleash what they

truly are and you’ll feel the true nature of what it means to be vampire,” he decreed.

“Nooo,” Tiffany wailed. The guard had to hold her to keep her from falling to the ground

as her legs gave out from under her. Caren began to cry quietly. Clarissa felt her own fiery

temper erupt. Her eyes might not turn scary red, but she felt the heat of her anger burning.

“You’ll let us go! We only came here because we’re desperate. As long as you’re not

killing people and the
donors
are willing, I don’t care what you people do here. My husband is dying. I was desperate to save him. Tiffany isn’t at fault, we coerced her. She needs the money she makes here, and she’s not going around telling everyone in town. This was an extraordinary circumstance. None of us will say a word. Wipe our memories or something like in the movies

and send us home. Oh, and she saw a client tonight, you owe her for him before you send us

away.”

For a moment, Lord Drago stared at her in silence. Then a truly amused laugh bubbled up

and he roared with amusement. Clarissa glared at him. He caught her eyes and she felt him trying to regain the strange eye contact from earlier, but she fought it.

“Amazing and amusing,” he breathed. “This man who is dying, you love him?”

“Of course, he’s my husband.”

“No, I’m asking if you love him, not how he owns you.” He leaned forward, studying her

intensely.

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“No one owns me. Yes, I love him very much. He’s a good man, so good we’d all risk

our lives to come here and try to save him. He’s my life. I’ll die without him.” Clarissa’s voice cracked as she sucked in a breath, managing not to sob.

The vampire gave her a hard look. “Everyone is owned by something. Your love owns

you, that one is owned by her need for money.” He pointed at Tiffany. “This one is owned by a need to return a life debt.” He pointed at Caren. “Everyone is owned, but not everyone is willing to die for that which owns them. I can see beyond words to truths, and I’m surprised you speak the truth. Very refreshing. I don’t see many mortals who still understand loyalty in this self-serving democratic world of yours. If I promised you blood, but ordered you to return to face your death, would you take it?”

Clarissa flinched. He was offering her Matt’s life in exchange for hers.
Can saving him

really be so simple?
She wanted to live, but without Matt, there wasn’t any point. He’d be there for the girls, she could accept death if she was sure he’d be all right.

“If I see for myself that he’s recovered and it’s not some sort of a trick, yes I’d give my

life to save his.”

The vampire frowned at her for a moment. “What if I told you your death would be

painful, brutal, and not quick, would you trade your life for my blood then? My blood is the

strongest here.”

She detected the smallest trace of pride in his tone. “Yes, if I see Matt recovers and hear

the doctor tell me his cancer is in remission, I’d give you my life, willingly. I want to live, but without him my life is empty.”

The vampire grunted. “Such love, it breaks my heart.”

She didn’t like his sarcastic tone.

“I’ve lived longer than you’d believe and I’ve not seen this kind of love in centuries.

Your man must be truly amazing to inspire you to trade your existence for his.”

“He’s worth it,” she told him with a clenched jaw. Clarissa was getting sick of the

vampire toying with her. She wanted the cure, desperately.

“Do you believe in fate, in rebirth?” The vampire’s voice was casual, but his eyes held

hers with desperation.

“No.”

“A shame. Therefore, this will be the end for you. He lives and you’ll just…stop.”

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“I guess. Please, promise me that my sister and friend can walk out of here alive and that

you’ll give us the cure for Matt’s cancer. I’ll let you take me, eat me, do whatever to me, just give us the cure first.”

The vampire lord laughed. Glaring, Clarissa refused to break eye contact. She was

standing with death, showing weakness was futile now. Without warning, he was standing before her. She hadn’t seen him move. He tipped her face up and she saw the red flare in his eyes.

Softly, he trailed a fingertip down her check. “Would you risk your loyalty to this man you’d risk your life for?”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s one thing to proclaim untested love, but do you believe your heart could remain true,

even against magic?”

“Yes. I believe that no matter what, I love my husband.”

The vampire chuckled, and he gently ran the pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “So

pretty,” he breathed. “And so foolish. You’ve amused me. That’s rare. I don’t enjoy

much…variety in my day. I’ll clear the memories, wipe them as you say, for your sister and

friend, but not you, sweet Clarissa. Take them away.” He waved his hand toward the door and

the guards grabbed Caren and Tiffany by the arms.

They screamed for her and she turned, watching them being dragged from the room with

expressions of horror on their faces. The heavy door closed and she whirled around, alone with the vampire. He still stood in front of her. Then he was in his chair. She took a few steps in his direction and then stopped, uncertain of the new game he played.

“This is no game,” he barked.

Great, a mind reader. Super. That explains how he knew my name.

He chuckled and she glared at him. The look only turned his chuckle into a laugh. “I’ve

enjoyed this time and that is what has spared your friends’ lives. They’ll remember none of this, but you, sweet Clarissa, you must decide how much you are willing to give up to save your

man.”

“Anything.” She breathed deeply.

He smiled, but on his face, the look was menacing, not happy. He leaned forward in his

chair. “A gift of my choosing in exchange for the dark gift of my blood, that’s how the magic works.”

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“I thought it worked by me giving you some of my blood and you giving me yours.”

He smiled. This time his eyes softened and some of the cruelty left his expression.

“You’re asking me to cure an incurable disease. I have all the human blood I could possibly want to drink. I want something more valuable. You’ve shown courage, and you’ve shown loyalty. I’ll even give you my blood early, a token of trust. You’ll see the beginning of the magic, but the full power will not be unleashed until you’ve given me your gift. Is your love strong enough to

accept this challenge?” He stared at her with amusement and curiosity.

“If you promise you aren’t lying, I accept your terms. I’ll take your blood to the hospital,

and if he improves, I’ll return to give you any gift you want, even my life.” She spat the last words as if they left a bad taste in her mouth.

The vampire frowned at her. “I’ll send my car to take you to the hospital. When you’ve

seen I’ve spoken the truth, return. You’ll arrive at my chamber below the club. I’ve never

allowed a mortal there before. You remind me of someone I cherished long ago, before I

evolved. This gift will involve your time. You will not be allowed to leave for a full day and a night.”

The way he said ‘evolved’ made it clear he was referring to his change to vampire. She

wondered if that was why he’d said something about reincarnation. She’d assumed he was trying to find out if her spiritual belief somehow diminished her sacrifice, but now she wondered if the motive had been very different.

“I’ve never been reincarnated. You might be the mind reader, but I have ears. I have a job

and kids. I can’t just drop my life for twenty-four hours.”

“Yes, you can, if you want this to work.”

“Okay, give me the blood.” She held out her hand.

He looked at it, his eyes widening. “I must draw some from my veins, but first we must

make a vow, it seals the magic. Come closer.”

Cautiously, Clarissa approached him.

“Hold out your hand,” he commanded.

“Why?” Suspicion hung almost like a physical entity between them. Clarissa glared at

him.

He gave her a level look. She could see his amusement fading. “I demand a vow between

us. Give me your hand. We seal our bargains with blood. Fear not, it will not cause you any

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lasting harm, but the magic will bind because of the small sacrifice you make now. Come to me.”

The way he said ‘come to me’ caused her a little shiver. There was something so

seductive in his voice, she couldn’t help her reaction.

“I’ll do this, anything, to save my husband, but I don’t think I’d make a very good

vampire. I’d do it for Matt, but if there’s any other way—please.”

Looking into her eyes for a moment he paused, then nodded. “Give me your hand,

Clarissa.”

She held out her hand. He took it carefully and turned it so her palm faced the ceiling. He

ran his fingertips gently over the exposed flesh and she stiffened. She looked into his unreadable expression. His face was a mask of something akin to pain.

“I would not offer another human what I offer you. I will give you my very powerful,

ancient blood to heal the one you love. You must give me the solemn promise that whatever I

ask of you, you’ll willingly consent. You’ll leave here with my blood. When you’re satisfied he’s improving, you’ll return here immediately. Your thoughts must be honest. I’ll know them. I take a drop of your blood before I give you mine. When your gift is freely given, the magic will

restore your husband’s health. Do you consent?”

“I wish you’d just tell me what you want from me.”

“Do you consent?”

She nodded.

“Not good enough, Clarissa. Do you consent?”

“I consent.”

He raised her fingers to his mouth and kissed them tenderly. Suddenly she felt a stabbing

pain on her index finger.

“Ouch!”

He drew the fingertip into his mouth and suckled. When he released her hand, she wiped

her fingers on her pants immediately. Lord Drago sat back. He pulled something out of the

drawer in the table next to his grand chair. She watched as he quickly drew a vial of blood and returned the syringe to the case and replaced it in the drawer.

“This is my gift of dark magic. When you return, I expect you ready and willing to give

your gift to me.” He smiled without joy. “What I ask of you is more precious than blood, I ask for emotion. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything.”

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Clarissa stood awkwardly holding the syringe. “How do I use your blood correctly?”

He sighed, as if she should’ve known the answer to the question without asking. “You

must have him ingest it, all of it. This will take a great deal of power, and the magic of our bond will only be as strong as your willingness to sacrifice allows. Go.” He pressed a button on the intercom next to his throne. “Take the human to the hospital. Call me when she is ready to

return. Give her as much time as she needs, but return before dawn, and take the sedan, not the limo.” He flipped off the intercom and turned his attention on her. “Unless you’d prefer the

limo?”

“Oh no, I’d rather not draw attention to myself.”

“I’d suspected as much. Contrary to popular myth, I do not have to sleep all day, but I

cannot go out in the daylight. Direct sunlight will kill me, just as dramatically as in the best Hollywood monster movie. I always enter my sanctuary at dawn, and I’d like to have your

company.”

Clarissa nodded. Whatever the price was for Matt’s life she’d pay it.

“There’s a world of difference between a gift given freely and something taken by force,

remember this magic works because of the exchange of gifts, not because I’m stronger than you.

The result is up to you, Clarissa. Do not resent this bargain. You have made it of your own free will.”

She nodded and the door opened. A human dressed in a chauffeur uniform walked in.

“Excellent. Take Mrs. Blair to the hospital. See that you personally bring her to my

private domain before dawn. Thank you, Franz,” Lord Drago said politely.

The man nodded stiffly. He held the door for Clarissa as she walked out, still dazed. They

walked out of the club using a side door. The black sedan with tinted windows wasn’t any less conspicuous than a limo in Clarissa’s opinion, but she slid into the back seat after Franz opened her door. He got in and turned on the engine. She sat quietly for a moment, and then curiosity got the better of her.

“Why do you work here?” She knew it was a rude question, but the challenge of holding

onto what was left of her sanity didn’t leave room for polite.

“Everyone must work.” The driver spoke in heavily accented English. “This role has

been passed from father to son for generations in my family. Lord Drago has been very good to us.”

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“So you drive him around, that’s all you do?” She couldn’t help being suspicious. She

hoped the young man didn’t drive around kidnapping co-eds for the vampire.

“What I do for him is a matter between His Lordship and myself. His privacy is also part

of my work. That is why I do not ask why he sends you to the hospital and requests your prompt return.”

“Okay, point taken. Sorry.” She sat back, remaining silent. Franz wasn’t any of her