Page 90 of Shadows of Eternity

He heard Frumusanu’s footsteps on the stairs a few moments later.

“What’s going on?” the hunter asked when he entered the room.

As quickly as possible, Rohan brought him up-to-date. “If Josiah comes here, I might need some back-up, although heshouldn’t be able to enter the house uninvited, but, with him, you never know.”

Frumusanu nodded. He was armed with a pair of pistols loaded with silver, a dagger with a wicked silver blade, and a wooden stake sharpened to a fine point.

The hunter had come prepared, Rohan mused. Between the two of them, they should be able to destroy Josiah. He hoped.

“Go back downstairs and keep watch,” Rohan directed. “Don’t let the Winchesters go outside for any reason. Tie ‘em up if you have to. Just keep them inside. And don’t let them answer the door. All Josiah needs is an invitation. I’ll be up here, with Leia. Holler if you need me. Questions?”

Frumusanu shook his head. “I just hope to hell you know what you’re doing.”

“Yeah,” Rohan said, lightly stroking Leia’s cheek. “So do I.” He didn’t know what the hell Josiah had done to her, but he’d never seen anyone react to a vampire’s bite like this. Her heartbeat was irregular and faint, her face pale. Sitting on the bed beside her, he spoke to her mind. Leia?

Rohan? Where am I? Why is it so dark?

You’re unconscious, love. Josiah bit you. Do you remember that?

Yes. It was awful. He told me to choose between life and death, but he refused to kill me when I chose death. He said he was going to turn me … that he could make me love him. Did he change his mind? Am I dead? Is that why it’s so dark, why I don’t feel anything?

Rohan swore under his breath. Taking her hand in his, he said,I don’t know what he did to you, love, but I’m afraid it’s fatal. If you don’t wake up soon, I’m going to offer you the same life or death choice he gave you.

She was quiet for a long moment, and then, in a panicky voice, she said, It’s getting darker. Rohan! I’m so afraid …

Pain speared through him as her voice trailed off and he felt her slipping away. Dammit, he had to act fast or he was going to lose her.

Life or death, love? I can give you a life like mine, if you want it. It’s not so bad once you accept it. Leia? Leia!She was too far gone to answer, leaving him only moments to decide.

A thought closed and locked the bedroom door. Whispering, “Forgive me, love,” he cradled her in his arms and made the decision that would leave her forever in the shadows of eternity.

Rohan looked up when someone pounded on the door. It was Winchester, demanding to see his daughter. Reluctantly, Rohan tucked Leia under the covers . A thought unlocked the door.

Winchester burst into the room, his face an angry mask. “That man downstairs refuses to let me out of the house.”

“You should thank him.”

“I’m not going to listen to any more of this vampire crap. I want you to … ” Winchester broke off in mid-sentence as he approached the bed. “She looks better,” he said, looking confused.

Rohan nodded. “Yes.”

“How? Why?”

“Maybe you should sit down.”

Frowning, Winchester stared at him, his eyes dark with suspicion. “Why?”

“Leia was dying.”

Winchester shook his head. “I don’t believe you. She looks fine.”

“I don’t give a damn what you believe. She was dying and I did the only thing I could do to save her.”

“And what was that?” Winchester asked warily.

Rohan thought briefly of fabricating a lie, but her family had to know sooner or later and now was as good a time as any. “I made her what I am.”

Winchester stared at him, fists tightly clenched, his face mottled with rage. “What on God’s green earth gave you the right to decide my daughter’s fate? We should have taken her to the hospital if she was that bad off.”

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