Reclaimed(69)
Author: Diane Alberts

Which, apparently, wasn’t a good thing.

Elijah jumped up and stalked to the other side of the room to pace. Even if she hadn’t known he was worried from his earlier muttering, she would have known by the telltale pacing. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. She smiled, and then grimaced at the pain the small movement caused. Sign number two: running his fingers through his hair. Both he and Isaac did that when they were upset.

Isaac.

Where was he? Had he let her go, knowing they could not be together any longer since Elijah had bitten her? Did he despise her now, knowing she was his enemy?

A hated vampire.

Her heart lurched, though not from the venom coursing through her veins. It was caused by the thought of an eternity of endless days without him by her side. She wished she’d died instead. It would have been a quicker, more merciful death.

Instead she’d be forced to live forever, knowing somewhere out in the world, he lived, too. Every time she looked into Elijah’s eyes, or saw his beautiful face, another part of her would wither away to nothingness. Unless Isaac hunted her down and put her out of her misery.

Was it sick she was excited that she’d at least get to see him one last time?

***

Isaac had been wandering through the forest for hours. Elijah had been extremely cautious in covering up his tracks. He didn’t want to be followed, that much was obvious. He cursed and kicked a boulder. It groaned in protest before rolling across the forest floor. He’d passed this damn spot at least three times.

Had Elijah run in circles throughout the forest, trying to confuse anyone who would attempt to follow him? It certainly wouldn’t surprise him. Elijah was extremely talented when it came to disappearing. He’d known he’d be unable to follow Elijah, and so had tried to concentrate on a newborn vampire’s scent. He would know it anywhere, but yet he failed.

It was infuriating.

By now her heart would be dead…while her body morphed into that of a monster. He growled low in his throat and punched a tree. He needed to get to her before the others did; he needed to be the one to find her. If only he could pick up her damned scent. He’d always been able to track new vampires. They were easy to sense, and even easier to kill. But this one time when it mattered most to him, he couldn’t find her.

He flared his nostrils and lifted his head before he hissed and whirled around. Elijah stood behind him. He threw himself at his brother—the anger swirling inside him taking over his senses. All the hours of worrying, all the hours of agony, came spewing out of him as soon as he laid eyes on his brother’s grim face. Elijah glided backward from the force of his blow, and they collided into a nearby tree. Elijah hissed at him and punched him in the nose. Isaac flew back and landed on the ground, holding his nose as blood gushed out of it.

Jesus Christ, how many times in one night is my nose going to get broken?

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Sorry, but we haven’t got time for games.” Elijah spoke between clenched teeth.

Isaac glared. “Where is she?”

Elijah tensed visibly at his question. “She’s safe. I don’t know whether I should tell you her location or not. Tell me, is she in danger from you?” He arched an eyebrow and awaited a reply.

Isaac snarled at his brother’s question, fighting the fury that washed over him. It was a logical question. In any other situation, he’d have respected his brother’s loyalty to Sabrina’s safety.

But, damn it, he wasn’t supposed to hide her from him.

“She is in danger, but not from me,” he swore. “I need to get her. To hide her.”

“So after everything she told you, after she pleaded with you not to change her, not to risk yourself, you’re going to go to her anyway?”

Isaac growled and leapt to his feet. His nose had already started to heal, and it didn’t throb nearly so badly anymore. “She’s coming with me. Forgive my sarcasm, but she’s hardly in the shape to argue, now is she?”

“She’s still awake.”

Isaac froze and whispered, “What?”

“She’s not dead. She’s not even unconscious. She just lays there, unmoving and silent. She moans every once in a while, or calls your name, but that’s it.”

“Oh my God.”

“What? Did I do something wrong?” Elijah exclaimed when Isaac stood rooted to the spot, as if in a trance. “What does it mean?”

“Oh…my…God. Nothing. It was all for nothing,” he murmured as amazement, shock, and finally…relief coursed over his body. He laughed so hard he could no longer stand.

“What has gotten into you, Isaac? Snap out of it, you ass!” Elijah exclaimed. He stalked to his brother’s side and cocked back his fist, prepared to break his brother’s perfect nose again.

“Don’t even think about it,” Isaac hissed, dead serious as he shoved Elijah using all his strength. “It was all for nothing,” he said, wonder in his voice. “All this time, all this agony, and she’s one of us.”

“What do you…?” Clarity showed in Elijah’s eyes as he paled. “She’s an Enforcer?”

“Yes. Yes, now everything makes sense. Why I couldn’t sense her as a new vampire. Why I couldn’t catch her trail at all. I was hunting the wrong creature.”

“She’s one of you.” Elijah’s eyes were shadowed, and his face pale. Pale, even, for a vampire.

Isaac forced his gaze back to his brother and felt a wave of pity wash over him. He knew without too much jealousy Elijah had hoped this would be his one chance at Sabrina. Had hoped she’d be forced to choose him. That hope had just been destroyed.

He walked to his brother’s side and laid a soothing hand upon his shoulder. He met Elijah’s eyes, so like his own. “She’s one of us. She is, and will always remain, mine. I’m sorry for your loss, and for any pain you might feel. But you have to realize…it’s over. This fight is over. She’s not Amelia. I’m sorry, Elijah. I’m sorry for your loss of Amelia. I know now you loved her more than I ever could have. But Sabrina is different—she is my Amelia. Do you understand?”

Elijah nodded, and a tear ran down his cheek at his brother’s words. He gasped in shock as Isaac drew him into his arms and hugged him. “I’m sorry, Elijah,” he repeated.

“Well, are you ready to go tell her the good news? I’m sure she’ll be thrilled,” Elijah said.