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She waved an elegant hand. “Same thing. When will you learn they are not worth it?" Never, if it meant joining the likes of Jasper. And maybe even Elizabeth. “Why are you doing all this?
You certainly don't need the money."
"It was just a game at first.” She hesitated, shrugging. “Now I have little real choice in the matter." He frowned, not understanding why. Elizabeth was nearly eight hundred years old. There weren't many vampires left alive who had the strength of mind to overpower hers. And the brief glimpses he'd had of Cordell certainly hadn't led him to believe he could. So why did she have no choice? Why couldn't she leave, as she seemed to want to do?
Then he remembered the heat in her touch. “Cordell put an imp in you."
"You always were quick.” Amusement glimmered in her eyes. “Yes, one of the energy creatures now shares my body, and through his control over it, Cordell governs most of my actions." Most, but not all. Maybe because of her age, she'd retained a degree of control over the imp that Rachel and the other vampires had not.
"It will kill you, you know."
"It cannot. It merely resides within me, controlling me when I'm within Cordell's boundaries." If her actions now—or lack of them—were anything to go by, then she was currently well outside those boundaries.
"The imp killed the young vampire who was supposed to meet us at the airport, Elizabeth. His body could no longer contain the imp's heat, and he literally melted. Ginger has already told us her form will not long contain her. What makes you think your fate will be any different?" A frown flickered across her face. “You lie."
"You would taste it if I did."
"Yes.” She hesitated, then shrugged and glanced at Nikki. “Is this your thrall? Does she taste as pretty as she looks?"
"Keep away from her, or I promise you, I'll tear your cold heart out of your chest.” He kept his voice flat, devoid of any emotion. But anger rose in him, as well as fear. Elizabeth was a bigger danger to Nikki than she had ever been to him.
She raised her eyebrows again. “Touchy. One might be inclined to think you cared for her." He shrugged. “She suits my current needs, and I have no wish to make another." A red cloud of annoyance flashed through the link. Nikki was awake. And listening.
"I'm sure she does,” Elizabeth murmured. “She looks ... athletic. Boringly so." The annoyance became a cloud of indignant anger, and he had to bite down on his amusement. Boring was one word he would never use to describe his and Nikki's lovemaking—what little there had been of it so far.
"However,” Elizabeth continued, pushing away from the door frame,"I did not come here to discuss your thrall. Your presence has presented me with something of a quandary." Tension knotted his gut. He watched her carefully, knowing from the past that she would give no warning if she chose to attack. “You cannot take the teenager."
"Don't be tedious, Michael. I must. What I don't want to do right now is have to kill you."
"Presuming you could."
Her smile was that of a mother indulging a child. “What is the point of protecting him? Without me, he is nothing. An empty shell."
"I don't mean to protect him, Elizabeth."
"Ah. Well. I can't let you kill him. Not yet."
Her canines were beginning to show. She was anticipating the fight, even if she wasn't yet ready to actually fight him. “Then we are, as you say, at an impasse."
"Not really,” Nikki muttered and flung out her hand. Energy seared through his mind and across his skin. Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise, and she jerked backwards, tumbling down into the well. After several seconds there was a splash, then silence again.
"That witch deserved a good dunking. Boring indeed!" He grinned, even though he knew the sudden swim would only make Elizabeth angrier—make her more inclined to go after Nikki.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “I take it you've recovered from the trip through Matthew's memories?"
The amusement fled from her face. “Yes.” She shuddered. “It was awful, though. God, I felt her suck his thoughts dry. It felt like she was sucking mine..."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, comforting her even though he knew they had to get going. Elizabeth wouldn't hesitate to attack a second time—not if she found them still in this room.
"We only have one choice, Nikki. We can't leave him like this. They'll only continue to use him, and when they've finished, they'll kill him anyway."
"I know.” She hesitated, then pulled out of his arms. “Make it quick." Hands clenched and back rigid, she walked to the door, her back to the room. He turned to the teenager and gently closed the kid's unseeing eyes.
I hope you find peace in death, Matthew.
The words echoed through the emptiness that was the teenager's mind. Anger tore through him. Elizabeth had no right to do this. Not to a mere boy like Matthew. Not to anyone. He wrapped an arm around the teenager's neck, grabbed his head with the other, and twisted sharply, just the once. Human life was all too fragile, so easily taken. He laid Matthew gently on the bed and joined Nikki by the door.
She glanced up at him. There were tears in her eyes and her thoughts. “How could you love someone capable of doing something like that?"
