Her stomach twisted. While she'd often wished to be normal, to be free of the gifts that had somehow always set her apart, she'd known deep down that she relied on them too much to ever let them go. And her brief time with Jasper had proven just how useless she was without them.
Michael wrapped his fingers around hers. 'You're not alone, Nikki.'
She closed her eyes, fighting the warmth that sprang through her body. It wasn't right to want someone as much as she wanted Michael. Wasn't right to need his touch, the comfort of his arms to chase the demons away.
'I'll always be alone,' she said, and stepped away from him. It couldn't be any other way. Not when her love was a curse of death. Michael might be a vampire, but that didn't make him invincible. Monica had proven that vampires could die as fast as any human. 'Let's go.'
He made no comment and turned away. She followed him into the darkness, her shaking hands making the flashlight's beam dance erratically.
The steady drip of water was all she could hear above the sound of her footsteps. Michael made no noise, as silent as a ghost. The chill in the air crept past the layers of her clothing and touched her skin with icy fingers.
She shivered and inched closer to Michael's broad back. Her psychic senses might be useless at this point, but she could still feel Jasper's evil all around her. Even the air they breathed seemed tainted by it.
She swept the flashlight's beam across walls slick with slime. Rivulets of water ran down the slope past their feet, but to where? She remembered how damp Jake's clothes had been and guessed somewhere along the line they'd hit water. Hopefully it wouldn't be too deep. She was not a swimmer.
Michael stopped abruptly, and she plowed into his back. 'Give a girl some warning next time,' she muttered, rubbing her nose as she stepped around him.
The path led into a wide, still lake. She groaned. The path didn't seem to resurface anywhere near, if at all.
'How well do you swim?' Michael knelt and dipped his fingers in the water.
'Like a rock.' She shined the flashlight down onto the water. There was no telling how deep it was. It was too dark to see the bottom.
Michael sniffed the water on his fingers, then carefully tasted it. 'Putrid,' he muttered, and spat the taste away. 'Whatever you do, don't swallow it.'
'I don't even want to go in it, let alone drink it.' She backed away from the edge. The more she stared at the water, the more certain she became that it was a trap. She had to get out of this tunnel and
And if she did, Jake would die.
Michael touched her hand. This time she didn't pull away.
'Keep close and hang on to my hand, no matter what happens.'
His concern ran down the link, a fire that warmed her soul. She squeezed his hand lightly. 'I intend to, believe me. Whether I'm allowed to is another matter entirely.'
He brushed his fingertips along her cheek. 'Just hold on to me. They can't drown me, but you're vulnerable.'
As if she needed reminding. He tugged her forward. Black waves rippled across the lake's surface and raced away into the darkness. The water crept up her leg, then past her hips, and every step forward became more difficult. She kept her arm raised well above the lake, allowing the flashlight's beam to wash across the darkness. But she kept an eye on the water—just in case something jumped out and tried to grab the light. What she didn't need right now was utter darkness.
The link flared to life, and Michael touched her thoughts. Warmth wrapped around her, a cocoon of comfort and strength. A girl could get used to this, she thought, and alarm stabbed through her heart.
Because she was getting used to it, and it would only make his leaving all that much harder to bear.
They plowed on through the icy water, but each step felt as if they were forcing their way through molasses.
Michael squeezed her hand gently. 'Halfway there. Don't worry, we'll make it.'
'You mean there is an end to this lake?' If there was, the flashlight couldn't pick it out.
'Yes. And the path's beginning to slope upwards again.'
They'd been following a path? She stepped on something slimy and slipped sideways, yelping in fright.
The flashlight dipped under the water and darkness closed in, thick and heavy. Oh no…
Michael yanked her upright, almost pulling her arm out of its socket.
'Great,' she muttered, hoping she didn't sound as scared as she felt. 'Now I'm completely wet.'
Amusement and concern ran down the link. 'Are you okay?'
She gave the flashlight a shake. Droplets of water sprayed across her face, lightly burning. The bright beam flickered then stayed on. 'Now I am.'
'Good. Don't slip again. You'll give me heart failure.'
She glanced up sharply. The seriousness behind his light remark shook her. It sounded like he cared—really cared. He'd told her vampires didn't have feelings—that they couldn't love. Was that a lie?
Every now and then he said or did something that made her think it was.
'Ready to move?'
She touched the fob watch. Its beat was shallow. 'Let's go,' she said.
Besides, moving was definitely better than standing. Moving made them harder targets. Shivering, she shined the light across the water. Tiny waves continued to roll away from them, fanning out across the darkness. In the distance water dipped steadily, but the lake seemed to swallow all other noise.
But someone was out there, watching them. She licked her lips. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the urge to run. 'Michael—' 'I know.' His voice was terse. 'Just keep moving. There's nothing we can do here, anyway.'
The water level began to drop, inching down from their chests to their hips. But it still held the consistency of glue, making every step difficult.
Something pushed at her wet jeans. Biting her lip, she battled the desire to run. The soupy water made any sort of quickness impossible, anyway. She'd only fall… and that was probably what Jasper had in mind.
But she wished she knew what was touching her ankle.
Again it trailed past, more solidly this time.
'He's playing games.'
Though Michael's voice was calm, anger burned along the link. 'Then you don't think we'll be attacked?'
'Not here. Not yet.'
She wished she could share his certainty. The dark water receded further, and walking became easier.
She swept the flashlight's beam across the darkness ahead, noting the tunnel was beginning to close in around them. The roof was only inches above their heads.
'Hope we don't have to crawl,' she muttered. The thought of getting down on her hands and knees to wade made her stomach churn.
'I can't imagine Jasper doing it, so I doubt we will.'
'You really do know him well, don't you?'
'It pays to. As I've said, he's eluded our circle for years.'
'And was your circle after him before or after he killed your brother?'
'Before.'
But it became personal when Jasper killed Patrick. 'Does the circle attempt to kill every vampire who has a thirst for human blood?'
He shrugged, a movement she caught in the edge of the light. 'Not all. There are some who can restrain the urge to kill and live long lives.'
Some, but not many, she deduced from his tone. She wondered how he'd managed it, how long it had taken him to curb the lust all too evident in Jasper.
'Jasper is a killer,' Michael continued grimly. 'Always was. Even before the change, he feasted on the suffering of his victims.'
And now he feasted on Jake. Her stomach turned. She swallowed and forced a little lightness into her voice.
