How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire(63)

He crossed himself, then reached for the holy water. He paused, his hand hovering over the font.

The water swirled, then began to boil. Steam drifted upward, heating his skin.

He snatched his hand away. He needed it in good shape for the swordfight. As the water ceased to boil, his heart sank into despair. Surely he had received the answer to his question. His soul was doomed.

The door banged shut behind him. Roman whipped around, then relaxed when he saw who had entered.

Connor, Gregori, and Laszlo gave him sheepish looks.

"I thought I made myself clear. I was not to be followed."

Connor shrugged. "We knew we could follow ye here. Ye wouldna be fighting a duel in a kirk, now would ye?"

"Besides," Gregori added. "We were coming here, anyway. We wanted to pray for you."

"Yes." Laszlo crossed himself. "We've come to pray."

Roman snorted. "Pray all you like, for all the good it will do." He strode down the aisle to the confessional booths. He entered a booth and took a seat.

A small door slid open. On the other side of the screen, Roman could barely make out the shape of the priest in the dark. He seemed old and hunched over.

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." Roman turned away and mumbled the first half of the next sentence. "It's been five hundred and fourteen years since my last confession."

"What was that?" an old voice rasped. The priest cleared his throat. "Fourteen years?"

"It's been a long time. I have broken my vows before God. I've committed many sins. And tonight, I may cease to exist."

"Are you ill, my son?"

"No. Tonight, I will risk my life to save my people." Roman rested his head on the wooden wall.

"But I'm not sure good can triumph over evil, or that I am even good. God has abandoned me, so surely I am also evil."

"Why do you believe God has abandoned you?"

"Once, long ago, I believed I could save a village, but I succumbed to the sin of pride and fell into darkness. I have been there ever since."

The priest cleared his throat once again and shifted in his chair. Roman figured his story sounded too strange. He'd wasted his time coming here. What had he hoped to find?

"Let me see if I understand," the priest said. "The first time you tried to save people, you were certain of victory?"

"Yes. In my pride, I knew I could not fail."

"Then, in your mind, you were risking nothing. Are you certain of victory tonight?"

Roman stared into the darkness of the booth. "No, I am not."

"Then why are you risking your life?"

Tears filled his eyes. "I cannot bear for them to risk their own. I …  love them."

The priest took a deep breath. "Then you have your answer. You do this not out of pride, but out of love. And since love comes from the Father, He has not abandoned you."

Roman scoffed. "You do not understand the magnitude of my sins."

"Perhaps you do not understand the magnitude of God's forgiveness."

A tear rolled down Roman's face. "I wish I could believe you, Father. But I have done such evil. I fear it is too late for me."

The priest leaned close to the screen. "My son, for the truly repentant, it is never too late. I will pray for you tonight."

                       
       
           



       CHAPTER 27

It was after midnight when Austin's cell phone buzzed. By his respectful tone and the way he kept glancing at her, Shanna suspected he was talking to her father. She'd been worried all evening about the possibility of a vampire war. Her attempts to contact Roman mentally had failed.

"I understand, sir." Austin handed his phone to Shanna. "Your father wants to talk to you." She lifted the phone to her ear. "Dad?"

"Shanna, I thought I'd let you know what was going on. We have a tap on Petrovsky's phone, so we heard him talking to Draganesti."

"What's happening? Are they going to war?"

"Well, it appears Draganesti was ready for one. He claims to have two hundred warriors. Petrovsky's been on the phone all evening, ordering his followers to show up. We think he has about fifty at the most."

Shanna exhaled with relief. "Roman has him outnumbered."

"Well, not exactly. You see, Draganesti made a deal with Petrovksy. They're meeting in Central Park. Instead of a war, the two of them are supposed to duel to the death."

Shanna's knees buckled and she collapsed on the bed. "What?"

"Yeah, they're supposed to meet alone on the East Green at two in the morning. Silver swords and only one left standing."

Shanna struggled for air. Roman was fighting to the death? "This-this can't be true. We have to stop this."

"Don't think we can, sweetheart. But I'm a bit concerned about your friend. You see, we heard Petrovsky order his men to show up this evening. As far as we know, Draganesti will be coming alone. But Petrovsky, he's bringing his whole army."

Shanna gasped. "Oh my God."

"When we listened in, we could tell Draganesti's people don't know where the duel's taking place. So there's no way they can help him. Kinda sad. Looks like a slaughter to me."

Shanna thought back over the conversation. Two a.m., East Green, Central Park. She had to let the Highlanders know.

"Gotta go, sweetheart. Just wanted to give you an update. Bye."

"Bye." Shanna gripped the phone tightly and glanced at Austin and Alyssa. "I have to make a call."

Alyssa stood. "We can't allow that, Shanna."

Austin lounged on the second bed. "What's the harm in it? Even prisoners are allowed one call."

Alyssa pivoted toward Austin. "Are you crazy?"

"No." Austin gave her a pointed look.

Shanna quickly punched in the number to Roman's house. She knew this was too strange. Too convenient. First her dad told her the information, and now Austin was letting her use his phone.

But it made no difference. She still had to save Roman.

"Hello?"

"Connor, is that you?"

"Aye. Shanna? We've been worried about you."

"Can you, uh, do that phone thing?"

"Teleport? Aye. Where are you?"

"A hotel room. Hurry. I'll keep talking." Shanna glanced at Austin and Alyssa. "There are two other people here, but I don't think it should be a-"

Connor materialized beside her.

"Holy shit!" Austin scrambled out of bed.

Alyssa's mouth dropped open.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Connor took the phone from Shanna. "Ian, are ye there?"

"He-he's wearing a kilt," Alyssa whispered.

"Aye, that I am." Connor's gaze drifted over the female CIA agent. "And ye're a bonnie lass." Alyssa sputtered.

"How the hell did you do that?" Austin asked.

"Och, about the same way I do this." Connor wrapped an arm around Shanna. She grabbed him just as everything went black.

When the darkness faded away, she found herself in the foyer at Roman's house. The first floor was jammed with Highlanders, all armed to the teeth. An air of frustration hung over them as they paced about.

Angus MacKay strode toward her. "Connor, why have ye brought her here?"

Before Connor could answer, Shanna broke in. "I have news. Roman and Petrovsky are fighting a duel tonight."

"That is no' news, lass." Connor regarded her sadly.

"But Petrovsky is bringing an army! You have to help Roman."

"Bugger," Angus muttered. "I knew that bastard wouldna keep his word."

"How do ye know this, Shanna?" Connor asked.

"My father bugged Petrovsky's house. He heard their plans and told me. I had to warn you. Roman is meeting Petrovsky on the East Green in Central Park at two a.m."

The Scotsmen exchanged desperate glances.

Angus shook his head. " Tis no use, lass. We promised we wouldna follow him."

"I'm not leaving him alone!" Shanna reached for Connor's sword. "I made no promise, so I'm going."

"Wait," Connor shouted. "If Shanna goes, we can follow her. We never promised we wouldna do that."

"Aye." Angus grinned. "And the lass will need our protection. Roman would want us to follow her."

"Great." Shanna faced the Highlanders and lifted her sword in the air. "Follow me!"

The small kernel of hope Roman had garnered from his confession quickly withered away when he arrived at the East Green. Petrovsky had broken his agreement. He was not alone.

His coven spread out in a semicircle. Roman estimated fifty vampires, mostly male. About two dozen carried torches.

Petrovsky stepped forward. "It will be a pleasure killing you."

Roman gripped the hilt of his sword. "I see you were too afraid to come alone. You even brought a few women with you to wipe your nose."

"I'm not afraid. I gave my word I wouldn't harm any of your people, but I never promised that my followers wouldn't attack you if I'm killed. So you see, Draganesti, one way or another, tonight you will die."

Roman swallowed hard. He'd already figured as much. The prayers of one priest and three friends were not enough. God had abandoned him long ago.

"Are you ready?" Petrovsky drew his sword.