Page 16 (1/2)

"Jasper Harding"

The words were torn froh her heart wept in bitter defeat

The darkness stilled its dance Sweet silence filled the void

"Repeat it," Jasper urged, elation running through his voice

"Jasper Harding" She croaked in reply How long had she sat here? How long had she resisted the drug? It felt like forever, but it was probably little h every muscle, but that in itself told her little Her head swah she wasn’t sure if the cause was lack of food or the drug Her throat was parched, and it hurt to s, let alone speak Jasper would kill her if he weren’t careful

She studied the darkness wearily She may have lost the battle, but not the war Jasper couldn’t guard her, or control her, twenty-four hours of every day She’d beat hi her years with Tos seeht only be a heartbeat away

Jasper appeared out of the darkness, a presence she felt rather than saw She closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge him

"Resistance is feeble," he mocked quietly "You are mine now" She made no co her feel colder than she’d ever thought possible

"Open your eyes" His voice took on a coht the order as hard as she could Yet her head rose, her eyes met his Tears tracked silently down her cheeks

Monica stood behind him, her blue eyes full of hate Behind theh the shadows

"Get the syringe"

Her pulse leaped at his co

"This ti but useless battle, pretty one We all need our rest"

Relief surged At least the htmares was at an end He stepped away as Monica knelt beside her Motes of sunlight played across his flesh, raising red welts that disappeared as quickly as they appeared She re Jasper’s lack of i told her it could be important

"When we are all rested," Jasper continued softly, "you will fully become mine" She’d kill herself before she ever let hiaze, she kne futile the thought was She had no s they’d been pouring into her body still blocked her psychic gifts And physically, she doubted if she’d pose a serious threat to even an ant right now

"I shall enjoy taking your body, as I have enjoyed taking yourNikki tensed, wondering if Monica realizedthe teenager lanced briefly at the needle, then back at Nikki She kneas al a chance to escape

But only because she feared losing the er rose and threw the e Jasper on the bed The arm she placed around his waist was possessive Nikki wondered how e was anything to go by Her gaze leamed back at her

"Has Michael told you his secret yet?"

Nikki closed her eyes She didn’t want to hear anything else from Jasper But not because she feared more of his lies No, this time she feared the truth

"Michael is one of us," Jasper said softly "A creature of the night A taker of blood"

"No" The denial was torn from her Yet she knew in her heart he spoke the truth It explained the darkness she sensed in Michael, explained how alike he and Jasper were But Michael was not Jasper Jasper laughed coldly "Believe what you will, pretty one" She ignored hi doubts into hermore Sleepiness overtook her, and she welcoth to escape and discover the truth

Michael leaned wearily against the wall, io down For the last three days they’d followed every possible lead, yet had found no trace of Nikki or her captor Everyone, even Monica and the zombies, seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth He touched the cross around his neck The silver tingled against his skin and would, in time, burn hiht ever be able to have of her He closed his eyes and reached again for the link Darkness greeted him, a wall he could not traverse At least she was still alive

But until she was free of the chains holding her mind captive, there was little he could do to help her Jasper had chosen his hiding place too well It could take weeks to ferret him out Indeed, the last time he had run for cover, it had taken Michael alain Nikki probably didn’t have that much time left

All he could do ait until dusk and return to the hunt, however futile He crossed his arms and continued to watch the late afternoon crowds rush past A thick curtain of lace protected him from the main thrust of the afternoon’s heat, but he didn’t dare go any closer to theHe wasn’t suicidal Behind hith of the office and swore into the telephone It was a futile exercise They both knew there was little the cops could do that the two of thenored it There was no tihtsohed and cast his gaze back to the skies The day had been an appropriate one--wet and in to break the heavy blanket of clouds He hoped it was a sign of better things to come

Behind him, Jake slammed the phone down "Da their best," Michael said softly

"Well, it’s not good enough!"

Nothing was good enough, he thought in bleak agreement Not the cop’s efforts nor theirs Nikki was still captive to evil, and God knohat he was doing to herHe took a deep breath and shoved the thought away

But he couldn’t so easily escape the guilt This was his fault He should never have attempted to use her as bait It had only led Jasper to believe sheto him He was sure it was for that reason, one after her Though it was, perhaps, the only reason she was not yet dead

Only nohen it didn’t really matter, did Michael realize the fool he’d been

"Da around and snatched his coat off the back of his chair "I can’t sit here any longer I’ to look for her" "I cannot"