Entwined Realms Volume One(90)

A sob escaped her throat, and Larissa put her face down into her cupped hands. She dug her fingers into the skin of her face and forced herself to calm down. This was not the place to fall apart.

Taneasha stroked her hair. “Right after school, meet me at the gym. I’ll have everything ready, and we’ll get you to safety.”





Chapter Thirty-Two





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Taneasha dragged her through the back gate behind the gym. Larissa didn’t ask where she got the key when only the gym teacher was supposed to have it. Wondering about that was for later, after she avoided Terak and got to Taneasha’s house.

A car idled at the curb, and Taneasha got in without hesitation, her hand wrapped around Larissa’s wrist in a death lock. Larissa was pulled in, the door shut behind her, and the car took off, tires squealing as they peeled away from the curb.

As they rode, Larissa’s mind became a jumble. Images of Terak from last night overlapping with the conversations that little ball showed her, and always present were the eyes of that vampire, glowing red as they bartered her life the same way someone would for a piece of meat.

The car went over a bump hard enough that Larissa was jostled in her seat and her mind came back to the present. She looked out the window, unable to place where they were. “Taneasha, this isn’t the way to your house.”

“I couldn’t take you to my house. Too many questions.” Taneasha looked around as though to assure herself that they weren’t being followed. “Don’t worry, Miss Miller. They’ll take care of the gargoyle.”

Unease trickled through Larissa. “Who are they?”

“My Master’s other students. They were told to look out for the gargoyle.”

“You never mentioned anything about that.”

Taneasha looked out the side window, her attention away from Larissa. “I’m getting you to safety, so don’t worry about anything.”

Maybe it was because she was in the very unfamiliar position of being out of control around a student, but Larissa’s spine began to tingle, waves of warning electrifying her nerve endings and making their presence known. “Let me out at City Hall, Taneasha. There are people there I know can help me.”

“None like my Master, though.”

“Yes, your master is very kind to offer…his?…services, but I want out.”

“We’re already where you need to be.”

At that the car stopped and Taneasha started to open the door. Larissa put her hand over Taneasha’s arm to stop the girl from leaving. “Taneasha, where are we?”

“We’re going to meet my Master.”

“I want to go home.”

Taneasha’s face changed, and the bright, studious, shy girl Larissa knew from class was replaced with this sly creature before her. “But Miss Miller, it took so much to bring you here.”

Taneasha jerked her arm away and left the car.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. How stupid could one woman be? Gods, she never thought Taneasha could betray her, but she should have known better. She should have called her brother.

Larissa drew in a deep breath, using the exhale to center her thoughts. She looked around, but could see nothing in here that could be used as a weapon.

“Come out, Larissa Miller.”

The voice was male, though not as commanding as it wanted to be. She didn’t want to be in the position of having someone or something reach in and pull her out, so Larissa exited the car.

It was the vampire from the sphere, the one who offered Terak power in exchange for her. Taneasha was at his side, a little puppy awaiting praise.

Without taking his eyes from Larissa, the vampire ran his hand over Taneasha’s long braids. “Excellent, Taneasha. You have done well.”

Taneasha preened under his praise, her eyes almost closed and her neck arched back so now the puppy was asking for a scratch under its chin.

“Larissa Miller, I am Garof,” the vampire said. “You have been a very difficult woman to find.”

The driver’s side car door opened, and a young man came out. Probably human, but his size and the gun at his shoulder said disregarding him would be a mistake. Larissa focused on the vampire. “Can’t say I’m sorry about that.”

“No, I don’t suppose you are.”

Breathing helped center her. She had power, meager as it might be at this moment. These things needed her alive for some reason. They had not gone to all this trouble and suffered all those losses to kill her now.

The vampire held up a ring. “I need you to hold out your hand, Miss Miller. I need to try something on you.”

“Don’t think you’re coming anywhere near me with that.”