Immortal Ch. 07

"You have no idea, my dear." He said as he leaned against the wall next to her, glancing down at the man that was sitting in the unmarked police car. "He looks strikingly like the man you once knew. Perhaps that's why you're attracted."

"That IS the man I once knew, Dmitri. It's getting very pathetic that each of you is trying to convince me otherwise." She was beginning to grow angry, a rare feeling for her as she tried her best to ignore the man standing next to her.

"There is no trying. You made a choice and now you're seeing that you'll have to live with it for eternity. You cannot have that man. Alexander wouldn't allow it."

"You deny me at every turn, Dmitri. What more do you want of me?" She felt hot anger pour through her veins as she glanced at him. "I don't think you're capable of keeping me from him if I wished."

"You'd be surprised at what Immortals are capable of, little one."

"From what I've seen they aren't capable of much." She sniffed and glared at him, perturbed at his statements. "Why are you really here, Dmitri?"

"Frankly, to make sure that you don't make a stupid decision, my dear. Take my advice and stay away from him. You don't wish to start a war, which is exactly what would happen."

From the tense way that he held his body, she knew that Dmitri was trying hard to keep himself at bay. She'd felt the same from Lothie. It was the feeling of a man that wanted to throttle her for even daring to think of going against him. "That's like asking me not to breathe."

"I could do that and you'd still never die. Be a good girl and let him go."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, the cold breeze of the night making the curls on her head dance around her face as she made her fateful decision. "You tell Alexander that I can never let him go. I've spent too long living under the rules of others. I want to make my own choice in this matter."

The sound of silence was loud between the two of them as they stared at one another. Elizabeth had made her decision. She knew what side she would choose if war really did find them.

"So be it. Be prepared for the consequences."

Her eyes closed against the frigid tone of his voice, the hairs on her body standing on end as she managed to anger the only friend she had in the Immortal world. When her eyes opened again he was gone, leaving her alone on the rooftop with only her thoughts to comfort her.

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Be prepared for the consequences. Those words still echoed in her ears as she walked down the busy New York street shortly after dusk. She swung the grocery bag in her hand as she hummed a short tune to herself. Anything to take her mind off the conversation she'd had with Dmitri. She was a fool to think that anything good could come from meeting Kerry, but still a part of her had been crazy enough to hope.

Turning down the alley that led her home she wondered how she'd gotten herself into this mess. Perhaps wanting to be a vampire all those years ago had been a mistake. She'd learned from Lothie that if she'd waited she would have stumbled into Richard again in another life, but it would have been a short one once more ending in heartbreaking sadness. She couldn't live with that, she decided as the dark entrance of the bar came into view. She could already hear the thudding of equipment within as the band set up for the night.

"Need some help?"

She whipped around as the sound of a voice startled her. The bag in her hand went crashing to the ground as the detective stepped into her view from the shadows. She cursed to herself silently as she knelt down, scooping up the lemons and limes that she'd fetched for that night's crowd. She stopped as her hand brushed against his, reaching for the same lime that rocked against the pavement.

Her eyes lifted, taking in the sight of him for a long moment before she quickly lowered them once more. She couldn't get attached, not after all the warnings that had been given to her over the previous few days. Nothing good could come out of getting to know him. Still, she couldn't get over the fact that he still looked so damned good.

"I didn't expect to see you here, detective." She said softly with a voice stronger than she felt as she took the fruit that he offered her, stuffing it back in the now tattered bag.

"Call me Kerry, please." He helped her to stand back up, his hands itching to reach forward and tuck the stray hair behind her ear that fell into her face. "I'm off duty. Detective is just so formal."

She lifted her face towards him as he said that, studying him for a brief moment as she rose to her feet. People passed by them as she remained silent, the first of the night's crowd. If it was any indication the place would be packed tonight.

"Thank you, Kerry." She spoke in a hurried whisper, wanting to be away from him before anyone took notice.

"You act like something's wrong. Afraid to be seen with me?"

Elizabeth shook her head, watching as his body language grew more defensive. She wondered for a brief moment if he thought she was being intimidated into something. Part of her wanted to scream yes after the way everyone had been acting lately but she held her tongue. There would time to deal with all of that later.

"You have to stop asking questions," she said softly, her voice laced with a harsh desperation.

"Why?" He asked, his dark eyes narrowing as he disliked the sound of that.

"If you ask the wrong question things will happen to you." She wanted to add so much more to that statement, but Elizabeth feared that she was already overstepping herself.

"Is that a threat, Miss Fourier?" Kerry couldn't help but notice the amount of concern she held in her beautiful eyes. Beautiful eyes? If he truly though that he was getting to close to her and the others involved in the case.

Elizabeth smiled sadly and moved her hand to cup his cheek, shaking her head as she tried to keep the tears that stung her eyes at bay. "No, Kerry, it's not a threat. You have no idea what you're dealing with here."

She wanted so badly to feel his lips against hers once more but she stopped herself from leaning forward, her hand sliding from his face as she forced herself to take a step away. Nothing good can come of this, she reminded herself as he continued to stare at her as if he felt the same connection as well.

Kerry's face burned from where she'd touched him, a soothing warmth settling through his veins that he'd never felt before. It was odd that a woman he'd only met a few days prior could do this to him, but here he was feeling like a teenager lusting after his first love once more.

"Then why don't you tell me what I'm dealing with?" Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans his words sounded more defensive than he had meant it. He didn't take lightly to being threatened, even if it was by a beautifully blonde woman.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the question, the very sound of it being asked pained her. Elizabeth couldn't think of any reason to tell him the truth, none that would keep him living for any length of time. Channeling her inner Lothie, she opened her eyes and look at him with a slight grin. "Now why would I give away all my secrets now, detective?" She could feel herself relax as it worked, the way that Kerry's slow grin seemed to light up the alley.

"I suppose I'll just have to be persistent then. I'm very determined when I see something I want." Kerry's comment had Elizabeth blushing darkly, her smile turning shy as she laughed.

"Let me treat you to a drink." Motioning for him to follow her, Elizabeth opened the door to the sounds of pounding rock music and led him over to the bar. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Lothie's disapproving look from across the interior but she ignored him, placing her sack of groceries in a bin under the bar. She placed a kiss to Gabriella's cheek as the woman gave her a warning look before tending to a group of new customers. Elizabeth didn't miss the look but she wouldn't be deterred. Grabbing a fresh glass she turned towards Kerry with a grin, asking him the first question that came to her mind.

"Is your name really Richard?" Elizabeth asked as she placed the glass under the spout and pulled the lever to fill it.

"My mother, God rest her soul, was the only one who ever called me that. My dad never liked the way it sounded." He shrugged as if he were uncomfortable divulging anything personal about himself. "They divorced when I was three. He was a mean drunk."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Her voice was soft as she heard his pain, pulling the glass from beneath the spout, sliding it across the counter to him as the sounds of the bar began to intensify, signaling the evening crowd would be filtering in soon.

"Don't be sorry. She married a wonderful man after him. I even took his last name when I was in high school to distance myself from my real father." His shrug was nonchalant but he still felt a measure of pain at the way his past had turned out.

She couldn't help but smile then and before she could stop herself she blurted out, "You were a Hudson originally, weren't you?"

The stunned silence that came from the other side of the bar was enough to wipe the smile from her face. She'd tipped her hand and exposed herself to him. He'd know then that something was amiss and Elizabeth held her breath, waiting for the next words that he would say.

Kerry's face pinched in confusion. "How in the world would you know that?" There were very few people in the world that knew his former name.

"Just a lucky guess. You look like a Hudson." She shrugged with a simple tilt of her shoulders, hoping that he wouldn't press further. She'd over stepped herself with her comment and she suddenly felt awkward. Perhaps Lothie had been right, this wasn't the same man that she'd known.

The feeling of unease began to pass as she acted as if nothing unusual had happened. "I'm beginning to think you're a mind reader, Elizabeth. What more do you think you can tell about me?" He was intrigued, wanting to know what more this woman could possibly know about him.

"I know you're from Boston and you're a hopeless charmer, detective."

"The accent gave me away, didn't it? As for being a charmer, I'm sure my ex-wife might tell you different." Rewarded with a heartfelt smile, Kerry was struck with just how in love he was falling with the woman that he'd only just met.

She laughed at him, her hand covering her smile to hide her fangs as she was charmed by this man all over again. She reached out and placed her chilled fingers against his warm skin, shivering at the spark that seemed to jump between them. "I'm very happy to have met you, Kerry." His boyish grin stole her heart and she could feel herself falling all over again into those brown eyes.

"I'm pleased to have met you too, Elizabeth." His hand covering hers, fingers squeezing slightly as she smiled at him again. It didn't matter that they sat in the middle of a crowded bar. It was just the two of them in that moment, a connection that should have been long dead.

Kerry leaned forward across the bar, reaching out to bring her forward. The moment when their lips touched was the moment that she'd been hoping for over all those centuries. He tasted the same, something that she'd never forgotten. It was uniquely him, an unnamed exotic spice that soothed her cravings and her soul. She could feel eyes on them, disapproving gazes from all corners of the room but she was beyond caring. Let them think what they wanted. She had finally found that missing piece of her soul.

Kerry smiled at her when he broke the kiss, his fingers tracing down the contour of a perfect cheek. He couldn't explain the draw he felt when she was near. He'd have a hell of a time explaining to his superiors that he was involved with a woman that had a connection to all those disappearances. He suddenly didn't seem to care though. This woman was his, he was sure of it.

The moment was broken as a dark chill stole up Elizabeth's spine. She tore her eyes from Kerry's as the bar door opened and two figures stepped in. Elizabeth distantly heard the sound of a glass breaking, most likely coming from Gabriella as she dropped the one she'd been filling for a customer and she quickly jerked away from Kerry.

Kerry frowned when he saw the look on Elizabeth's face, one of shock and fear. He glanced over his shoulder, eyeing the man that surveyed the place as if he owned everything within it. He looked cruel, his dark eyes so black that he swore he was looking into the face of pure evil.

"You know him?" He asked as he turned back towards Elizabeth, noting that she didn't seem like she was even breathing.

The dark shadows that stole across the club were enough to silence everyone within, including the band that had been playing so loudly until that point. Elizabeth saw her nightmares come to life as she looked at a man that always seemed to haunt her. He'd never given up his chase, never since he met her that fateful night. She knew one day he'd stop at nothing to possess her and she had the feeling that her time was running out.

"Xander." Was all she could say as her eyes turned towards Kerry and begged him to run. If she couldn't save herself then perhaps she could at least save him.

Glancing back at the man, who was now taking a deep interest in him, Kerry knew that no matter what he couldn't back down. The woman standing across from him, the one with the sweet blonde curls and deep blue eyes, she would be his prize in this battle. Kerry O'Donnell knew then that it would be one hell of a fight.

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Coming soon: Chapter 8. It's going to be one hell of a fight.