The Scent Of Vampires (Book 1)

Chapter 38: To Fight Another Day

Zephora felt a strange tingling sensation throughout her body, as the effects of Jale's spell began to fade. But at least the world had stopped spinning. She was sitting on the floor in what must have been the largest linen closet she had ever seen.

"Why are we hiding in a closet?" Zephora complained to Jale, who was leaning against the door listening to what was going on on the other side.

He turned at her comment and only a slight turn of his lips showed he felt any humor at the situation. "You are in no condition to be fighting vampires and I'm afraid if you go out there, that's exactly what you'll be doing."

"I'm feeling much better. Look." Zephora said and then proceeded to pull herself to her feet.

"Congratulations! You can stand." Jale said with a chuckle as she stumbled and reached out to catch herself.

She sighed and leaned against a shelf. "So what did you do to get stuck in a closet with me?" She asked.

Jale looked around at the room and then at her. "Call it my chance to redeem myself after failing to keep an eye on you before. We'll give you a few more minutes to level out, then I'm getting you out of here just like Rafael wanted."

Zephora thought of Rafi and despite her confusion and mixed emotions regarding the vampire, she couldn't but help feel a small amount of concern. Only moments ago he had left her with Jale. His only words in parting were more of a threat. "If anything happens to her..."

"I know, I know, I'll wish I was never born." Jale said waving off his threat. Rafi and Jale had shared an intense look and then Rafi's gaze had settled on her. She couldn't decipher what the look meant. In her spell-induced state she wasn't really clear on what was happening around her.

Focusing on the present and trying not to think about what was happening to Rafi, Zephora took several deep breaths in and out. Before long she could tell the effects of the spell were subsiding and she felt her strength return.

"So what now? How do you plan on sneaking me out of here? What about Rafi?" Zephora fired off several questions in a row.

"Someone must be feeling better." He mused. Then gave her a knowing look. "Don't you fret about that ornery old vampire, he knows what he's doing, he'll be alright."

"I'm not fretting about him." Zephora insisted defensively. "He has done nothing but cause me more problems than I can count. He bit me for crying out loud!"

"My dear. The mere fact that, that was all that he did, that he had enough self control not to indulge himself further, speaks volumes." Jale informed her.

"It doesn't make him any better than Micklaus if he would take orders from a monster like him." Zephora insisted, trying to wrap her mind around who Rafi really was.

"It's best not try to figure him out by comparing him to anyone you have ever met. He has done terrible things, but he is not all bad either. He has a personal code that he lives by that has come through years of pain and personal anguish. He is constantly battling the darkness in himself— trying to control that part of himself." Jale had stepped closer to Zephora and placed his hand on her shoulder tentatively.

Zephora said softly, "Everyone is capable of terrible acts if they let themselves. I guess that's what scares me the most. I have no idea who he really is."

"Come on. Let's focus on getting you somewhere safe. You can worry about the confusing enigma Rafael is later." Jale encouraged her.

She said nothing, but nodded. Jale was right.

Jale was next to the door again, listening. He then turned to her and gave her a nod. "It's now or never. Do as I say and stay close to me. If we run into trouble, you keep going no matter what happens..." Zephora began to protest. "I mean it." Jale insisted. "No matter what happens to me, you do what ever you have to escape.