Torment (Craving 2)

He sighed and went into his closet and returned with one of the notebooks. “This should keep him happy for a time.”

“Good…now you can take me to the wall,” I said softly as I tucked the notebook under my arm.

“I’d rather take ye somewhere I could be at yer side. I want ye staying safely here with me, but since go ye must, of course I’ll walk ye as far as I am able. Always.”

I laughed at the serious look that took over his face. “Come on.”

He pulled up his zipper and gave me a comical look. “Aye then.” He took my hand and closed his eyes as he put my fingers to his lips and when he opened his eyes, he said, “I know, m’love, that I took yer time, more than ye wanted to give. So then, I’ll

make up for it now. Do ye want to walk…or travel vampire speed?”

“Vampire speed, My Lord,” I said softly, and kissed his knuckles.

Devin picked me up and we traveled speedily to the barrier between our worlds. When he set me down, he kissed my nose.

“Do I need to tell ye that ye must be careful…for me. I cannae live without ye. I dinnae want to. Do ye understand, lass…do ye really ken what it would mean if I lost ye?”

I hugged him tightly. “That is not going to happen.” I sighed and pulled away, and said the word that would open the portal. The silver sliver cut through the atmosphere lengthwise and widened just enough for me to go through.

Devin pulled me back for one more kiss and oh, my knees buckle for his kisses! It took a great deal of willpower to leave, but I turned and stepped through, landing in my bedroom.

Pound…pound…pound! Someone was banging at my door!

Jeremy anxiously called, “Wake up…Bobbie…wake up!”

I put the notebook down on my bed, rushed over and flung the door open wide, noting with a quick glance at my nightstand clock that it was nearly two in the morning!

Jeremy stepped inside and grabbed my hand. He didn’t question the fact that I was awake and dressed, but just told me, “Come on…come see what I have found!”

“Jeremy…do you know what time it is? Have you been up all night?”

“Yes, and yes,” he said, and laughed. “And, little American, it has paid off!”

“Jeremy!” Devin called after us. “Let go of not yer little American, but m’little American’s hand. Now.”

Jeremy looked at him and laughed. “Right, yes, but, Devin…wait ‘til you see what I have discovered!”

~ Fourteen ~

I STOOD BESIDE JEREMY, WHO sat at the round table in the library. I didn’t say a word as he carefully turned the pages of an archaic manuscript lying flat and wide open. Its pages were yellowed and its brown leather casing was worn with time, and I could see he was excited.

The dust from the manuscript made me sneeze.

“Careful!” he said.

“You mean, bless you, don’t you?” I corrected him with an arched look.

He laughed. “Yes, now quiet…let me find it again…ah, here it is!”

I looked down at the words in ancient Gaelic and allowed my Shama to translate for me.

Immortals are all magical. It is the nature of the beast. Each has a power or powers peculiar to themselves. Some may open great portals, others are healers…many can do both.

Portals are wondrous things and at one time were used to create prisons for the worst of their kind. A portal may be opened by an immortal for this purpose and then easily locked.

To release the prisoner, one must be able to open the portal and cross over, where they must then reverse the process.

I stared at Jeremy. “Reverse the process? How? What does that mean?”