She’d just signed her bloody death warrant.
Chapter Nineteen
Elijah awaited Louisa by the cliff’s edge. They had one chance, and one chance only, to get her.
He inexplicably felt guilty for using her desire for him against her in such a way. He hated her more than anyone had ever hated anyone, or anything. But she had created him, and in doing so, she’d connected them for all eternity. He’d always feel an odd sense of loyalty toward her, as well as a grudging affection. And it killed him.
He needed to end this twisted cat–and-mouse game they’d been playing for over one hundred years. He’d finally be free of her power. About damn time, too.
He whirled in shock, his nostrils flaring when he smelled Isaac. “What are you doing here?” he hissed. “Louisa will see you, and know it’s a trap. Get out of here.” When he saw the pain and worry echoing in Isaac’s eyes, he questioned, “What is it? What happened?”
“Sabrina’s gone. She’s left me. She’s obviously trying to keep me safe, and she thinks it’s the only way to save me. And in doing so, she’s now—”
“Easy to get to. Son of a bitch.”
“I’m going to find her. I can only hope she’s still in the area, maybe in a hotel. So our plan tonight’s off. Louisa will live to see another day. Unless, God help us, we’re too late.”
“I’ll help you search,” Elijah whispered. Images of Sabrina being broken like Amelia ran through his head in a disturbing montage.
Isaac hesitated before nodding briskly. “You can check the airlines, see if she booked a flight. I’m off to search hotels.”
They both headed off in separate directions, but Isaac froze. Had a shadow rushed past him? No, it must have been Elijah. He ran toward the city and tried to block the images of what could be happening to Sabrina even now.
***
Sabrina glowered out the window in her hotel room as she watched the ocean’s turbulent swirl. A horrible storm had hit England and unleashed a tornado, of all things, upon the innocent citizens. She winced as she thought of it, grateful no one had been hurt. Isaac obviously discovered her absence, and his anger swept over the country. No, anger would be putting it mildly.
He felt fury, devastation, betrayal.
It hurt to even think of him.
The tears welled up in her eyes again, and she wanted to scream out of sheer frustration. How could she have any tears left? Sabrina had done nothing but cry since she’d left him. She’d even needed to pull the car over to the side of the road after leaving her house. She couldn’t see well enough to drive through the steady gushing of tears. She’d broken into tears in front of the receptionist as she had checked into her hotel, and had sobbed into the phone as she had booked a flight out of England for tomorrow morning.
She was a wreck. A weeping, snotty, red-eyed wreck.
Ugh.
She walked away from the window and curled up on the bed in a fetal position. It hurt too much to sit anymore. The ache in her heart overpowered her every sense. It throbbed constantly and gave her no rest. She didn’t know how she’d get through the trip home tomorrow—let alone live the rest of her life—without him. The tears rolled down her cheeks and she closed her eyes.
Please God, let me sleep.
***
Elijah finally discovered some useful news. Sabrina had booked a flight the next morning at ten. He’d needed to use vast amounts of charm upon a numberless amount of hapless booking agents, but it had paid off. But now that he had news to share, he realized he and Isaac hadn’t set a meeting point at which to rendezvous. So, while his search had indeed borne fruit, it would be useless unless he could locate his brother.
He stood outside Heathrow, trying to pick up Isaac’s scent. He found him easily and ran almost full-speed toward him. He paused when he saw a family staring at him. The pretty mother had wide eyes, as if she sensed something was wrong, and the husband glared at him, probably because his wife stared at him. The little girl clutched her mother’s fingers and smiled at him cheerfully, and he felt a responding grin come to his moth. He’d always wanted children, children who had curly brown hair and bright green eyes….
Another impossible dream.
He forced himself to walk calmly away from the crowds of people surrounding him and stopped in his tracks. He flared his nostrils at the familiar stench. Louisa definitely hid close by.
Did she somehow know Sabrina had run? Did she know she was unprotected?
Blast it all to Hell.
He hesitated as he agonized over which direction to take. If he went after Louisa, he could try to stop her and lose. If he went after Isaac, they could save Sabrina and later band together and defeat Louisa.
His decision made, he headed in Isaac’s direction.
***
Isaac already tried three hotels and stood inside the fourth of the evening. He had four people in front of him in line, waiting impatiently, when Elijah found him.
“Louisa’s here.”
He blanched and gripped Elijah’s arm. “In this hotel, you mean?”
Elijah shook his head, and reiterated, “No, but she’s in the city. I don’t know why, but I’m scared she’s doing the same thing we are.”
“Shit.”
“We have to find her first, Isaac.”
“I’m trying, Elijah. I’m hardly twiddling my thumbs here. Did you discover anything?”
“She has a flight at ten in the morning.”
“Can you smell her? I know my senses are stronger than a human’s, but they are nothing compared to yours,” he whispered so quiet it would be inaudible to the human ear. It killed him to ask Elijah to search for her, but he needed to brush jealousy aside tonight. Saving Sabrina won out over his petty feelings, and his sense of smell got ruined by the crush of people in the city. He hated cities.
“I can smell her, but it’s hard to tell if she’s here. I think she’s very close by, however.”
“You found me…can’t you find her the same way?” Isaac asked somewhat impatiently. He gave an irritated sigh and stepped forward another place in line.
“It’s not the same. I’ve tracked your scent for over a hundred years. Sabrina’s, I’ve only known a few days,” Elijah snapped.
This statement came out a bit too loudly, and earned them both an odd look from the couple in front of them. Isaac gritted his teeth and glared at them, until they turned around and whispered fervently to each other. They took a step farther away from them, and he grunted in satisfaction.