by J. P. Bowie
“I’m not afraid,” I said. “Not anymore. I believe you when you say you’re no threat to me, and I know Joseph would never hurt me. God knows, he’s had enough chances when we were alone together, and all I ever felt from him was love and tenderness.” As I spoke, I couldn’t help but think of the nights of passion and mind blowing sex we’d enjoyed, and I saw Marcus smile as he gazed at me. Was he reading my mind?
“You know what I’m thinking, don’t you? I got that feeling from Jean-Claude, too.”
“My apologies. Sometimes I tend to forget some thoughts should remain private.”
“Oh…” I felt myself blush. “So, I’m right in thinking Jean-Claude is also a vampire?
And Andorra and Tony and Roger—and what about Ron?”
“Ron and Tony are not vampires—not yet. That is their decision alone to make. Yes, Jean-Claude and Andorra are like Joseph and myself. Roger was changed only a few months ago. We almost lost him in the transition. It was a very close call.”
“But he’ll be all right, won’t he?” I asked.
Marcus gave me one of his beautiful smiles. “Your concern is most touching, Micah. If by ‘all right’, you mean will he become a fully-fledged vampire one day, then the answer is yes. Right now, he has trouble remembering just what he has become. He was always a trifle hyper as a mortal. Now if he forgets to control himself, those emotions and actions are increased a hundred times. It is something he has yet to come to terms with.”
“Like the other night when he got so drunk, so quickly?”
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“Exactly. The vampire blood in him is very powerful, and can react to stimuli in rather extraordinary ways.”
“And you knew he was having trouble.”
“Yes. We are very closely attuned to one another.”
“How wonderful,” I murmured, thinking how great it would be if Joseph and I could share that same affinity.
“You will, one day,” Marcus said, making me blink. “But now, Micah, I’m afraid I must make you forget what you have learned. The time is not yet right for you to know so much about what I must do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I must go to where Joseph is held prisoner and find a way to release him.”
“You’re going alone?”
“No, I will have some help.”
“Then, take me too.”
“Micah…” He looked at me sadly. “I knew you were about to make this rash offer, and my answer must be no. Those who hold Joseph will use every imaginable force to stop us. I would not be able to protect you.”
“The ones holding him,” I asked. “Are they vampires?”
“No, they are masters of the Dark Arts…wizards.”
“Wizards? They don’t sound very dangerous,” I said, laughing a bit. “You mean like a bunch of old guys with pointy hats and wands?”
Marcus sighed. “No, not like that at all. These beings are evil incarnate—vile, disgusting creatures, responsible for many of the disasters that befall this world. Their magic is very powerful. I thought Joseph and I had put paid to them years ago, but it seems we failed.
Joseph has a history with them and hates them above all else.”
“What kind of history?”
“That would be better coming from him.” Marcus took my hand gently in his. “When all this is settled, and he returns to you, you will remember this conversation with me—when the time is right. It will lessen the shock of what he has to tell you. Until then, however, I must make you forget I was ever here.”
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“Oh no, please don’t do that,” I pleaded. I clutched at his shirtfront, twisting the material in my desperation for him to change his mind. “I want to help Joseph. Please let me come with you.”
“You are a wonderful person,” he whispered, placing his free hand on my forehead.
“Joseph has chosen well.”
Heat rose from both his hands, and he uttered words in some strange language. I
became incredibly tired. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was alone in my apartment, aware only of the fact that I’d fallen asleep on the couch, the TV still on. I sat up feeling groggy, my head throbbing from a bitch of a headache. I realised my right hand was clenched into a fist so tight, it almost hurt. I looked down at what I held—a shirt button.
Where the heck had that come from? I looked around the room, frowning as I spotted the overturned magazine rack. When had that happened?
Something didn’t feel right. Someone had been here, I was sure of it.
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Chapter Nine
As my mind slowly cleared, and my headache abated, I remembered I’d been talking to Ron. Had he hung up on me? I couldn’t remember how our conversation had ended. Wait, he’d put Marcus on the line—but why? Why had Marcus wanted to talk to me? It had to have been something to do with Joseph. Had they heard some news? Why couldn’t I
remember?
I dialled Ron’s cell. “Ron,” I practically yelled, when he picked up. “It’s Micah. Was I just talking with Marcus?”
“Uh…not that I recall.”
“Oh…well then. Did I call you earlier?”
“Um…not tonight…”
“Oh my God, Ron,” I bleated. “I think I’m going crazy. Not knowing what happened to Joseph is driving me mad with worry. And I have the strangest feeling that someone was here in my apartment—but I can’t remember anything.”
“Micah, listen to me.” Ron had lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “Don’t get yourself involved in any of this. Marcus is going to find Joseph, but there are things you can’t know about—not yet, anyway.”
“Marcus knows where Joseph is? Let me talk to him.”
“He’s not here right now.”
“Where’d he go? When will he be back?”
“He and Jean-Claude went to Paris. I don’t know when they’ll be back. Just stay cool, Micah.”
“What is going on? You know more than you’re telling me. I can feel it. There’s
something not right about all this.”
“I can’t tell you anything else.”
“You mean you won’t tell me anything else,” I said bitterly. “I thought we were friends.
Is Roger there?”
“No, no one’s here. And we are friends. One day, you’ll understand.”
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The line went dead. “Fuck this!” I yelled, throwing the phone across the room. “Oh no,”
I moaned. “I need you.” I ran to pick it up and breathed a sigh of relief to hear it still had a dial tone. Okay, what now?
Marcus and Jean-Claude had gone to Paris to look for Joseph. They must have had
some kind of tip as to his whereabouts. Jeez, but I wished I’d had that same tip. I could fly to Paris and look for him myself. Not exactly the way I had envisioned Joseph and I in Paris together, but if it meant finding him and being with him, it would be worth it.
I glanced down at the shirt button I’d laid on the end table by the couch. Whose button was this? I wondered. I knew it wasn’t one of mine. How had it ended up in my hand? I picked it up and looked at it closely. There were one or two threads hanging from it—it had been torn from someone’s shirt. It had been in my hand. I had torn it off? But from whose shirt and when? That same nagging suspicion that someone had been here in my apartment pricked at my mind. Someone I’d struggled with, tearing off a button, knocking over the magazine rack? Man, but this made no sense.
Wait, someone had knocked at my door. I’d thought it was Rhonda, but it had been—
Dammit, but I just couldn’t remember. I looked at my watch—almost seven. I sighed.
Time to get ready for work. It was still dark outside. I wondered if Roger was an ear
ly riser.
Maybe he’d tell me more than Ron would. Oh, what the hell, I thought, dialling his cell number. He had said I could call him anytime.
“Hello?” He sounded sleepy.
“Sorry, Roger. It’s Micah. Did I wake you?”
“No, I was just going to bed actually.”
“You were?”
“Yeah…oh…uh…yeah. I’ve been up all night…uh…Marcus went to Paris with Jean-Claude.”
“Right. Ron told me. I guess you took them to the airport?”
“Uh…yeah…the airport. I did that.”
“You sound funny.”
“I do? Uh…just tired, I guess.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “How are you doing?”
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“Worried about Joseph…and I think someone was in my apartment earlier, but my
mind’s a blank on the whole thing. So weird.”
“Micah…” Roger’s voice was gentle. “Everything’s going to be all right. Marcus knows where Joseph is.”
“He does?” I felt my heart surge with relief. “Oh, that’s so great! Where is he? How did Marcus manage to find out?”
“Uh…Joseph called. He’d been in an accident. But he’s all right so don’t worry. They’ll all be back tomorrow, I’m sure.”
“That’s the greatest news I’ve had in days,” I said, happily. “Let me know what time they’re getting in. I want to be at the airport to meet Joseph.”
“Yeah…you bet. I’ll call you when I know what flight they’re on.” He yawned in my ear. “Gotta go to bed. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Sure. I’ll be at the bookstore.”
“Okay. Don’t work too hard. Bye.”
“Bye…and thanks for the good news.”
I put down the phone, a big smile on my face. Yeah… Joseph was coming home, and I could hardly wait!
Joseph
My mind was being battered and assailed it seemed from all directions. The wizards had decreased the power of the barrier built to prevent Marcus from discovering where they held me. I could feel his mind probing mine, while I fought with every vestige of power in me to block his mental connection. He must not discover where I was, for then he would attempt a rescue and fall into the trap that awaited him.
Angelo, along with Gragon, the wizard whose bones I had threatened to grind into the dust, stood before me, their eyes blazing with hatred. They knew what I was doing, and they had burst into my cell, ready to render me incapable of further impeding their plans.
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“Joseph,” Angelo hissed at me. “You are merely wasting everyone’s time. The end is inevitable. Cease your interference, before we are forced to kill you.”
“Kill me then,” I answered through gritted teeth. The strain of having to use so much of my power to block Marcus’ mind probe intensified as I had to divert some of my power in order to speak with them. “Kill me and your trap dies with me.”
Grunting an angry curse, Gragon pushed Angelo aside and stood over me. His vile
odour made me want to retch. “You will cooperate with us, Vampire, or you will die. Think not that your death will stop Marcus Verano from breaching the barrier. He will want to avenge you, and in doing so, will seal his fate.” He turned to Angelo. “Kill him…now.”
“Wait.” Angelo gave me a wicked smile. “His death must be in sacrifice. Not here, unseen by all. He and Marcus must die together, before all the Wizard Brotherhood. Only then is our vengeance complete. Joseph has one weakness we have not as yet used.”
“The mortal?” Gragon shrugged. “To bring him here will take time.”
“We have time. All the time we ever could need.” Angelo knelt by my side, his fingers caressing my face. His touch made me want to tear open his throat. He chuckled as he read my thoughts. “Ah, dear Joseph…you should thank me. You are about to be reunited with the young mortal whom you love. Will that not make you the happiest vampire in all the world?” His laughter mocked me. “At least for an hour or two…”
“You will not do this,” I seethed, my mouth filled with the bile his touch had evoked in me.
“How can you prevent it?” He rose quickly and strode from the cell, leaving Gragon and I alone.
“A pity for the pretty mortal,” he said, sneering down at me. “You could have
prevented this, were it not for your arrogance.”
“Wait,” I pleaded. “I’ll do anything…”
“Too late, too late,” he sing-songed at me. “Ah…it will be a wondrous sacrifice.”
“Marcus. ” I sent out the message. The barrier has been weakened, but do not come here. It is a trap. They have allied themselves with the Dark Forces…and Marcus…they are bringing Micah here.
Please help him.
Now, all I could do was wait—and pray.
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Micah
Six-thirty and I had stayed behind after the store closed to do some inventory checks.
Jesse and Alice had left after muttering excuses as to why they couldn’t stay. Jeez, but I had to get some decent help in here one day.
Still, I was in a good mood—a great mood—knowing that Joseph was coming home.
Well, not home exactly, but maybe I could persuade him this is where he should live—with me.
Someone rattled the door handle, and I peered out from my office. Oh, fer cryin’ out loud…Robert. Wasn’t he ever going to give up? I suppose I should have been flattered, but what I felt was annoyance. I would have thought that after his confrontation with Rhonda he would steer clear of me forever.
I opened the door. “What now, Robert?”
I bounced back as he pushed me in the chest, almost knocking me over. “You didn’t think I was going to leave it like that, did you?” he barked at me, his face hard and spiteful.
“What? You’re going to beat me up?” I glared back at him. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“Yeah…well, there’s no Rhonda here to protect you this time, you little shit,” he said, closing the door behind him.
“Robert, what the fuck do you think you’re doing? Get out of here now—”
“Fuck you!” he screeched, knocking a display of Agatha Christie books over on its side.
“You humiliated me the other day. I came to you, ready to come back to you, and—”
“But I don’t want you back,” I yelled at him. “Don’t you get it? I don’t love you anymore. I love Joseph. That’s just the way it is.”
Whatever else Robert was going to say, he bit off as the door open behind him. I gasped as the most-amazing looking young man entered the store.
“I…I’m sorry. We’re closed,” I said.
“Yeah, get the fuck outta here,” Robert snarled.
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“Be quiet,” the young man said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. His eyes—eyes that burned with an intensity I had never seen on anyone human being before—were fixed on mine. I found I couldn’t move.
“Hey,” Robert yelled, red in the face. “Are you deaf? The store is closed.”
The man wheeled on Robert, and a sound that made my flesh crawl escaped his lips.
Robert staggered back as if he’d been struck. His face contorted into a mask of pain, then he slumped to the ground and lay still.
“What have you done?” I tried to reach Robert, but found I still couldn’t move. “Who the hell are you?”
“My name is Angelo, Micah.” His smile was pure evil. “I have come to take you to your lover Joseph.”
“Joseph?” Sudden realisation flooded through me. “You’re the one who’s been holding him hostage, aren’t you? Well, Marcus is bringing him home right now.”
“I’m afraid not.” He moved closer to me. If it wasn’t for the fact that his sm
ile revealed nasty sharp fangs instead of wholesome teeth, he would have been hot. I shuddered as he touched my face. His fingernails were black, long and pointy. Ugh. He brought his face to mine, and for a ghastly moment, I thought he was going to kiss me.
His breath stank.
The door burst open, and Roger and Ron ran into the store.
“Damn,” Roger yelled, staring at Angelo and me. “We’re too late!”
“Let him go, you freak,” Ron shouted, running at us. To my horrified amazement, he was sent flying through the air, and he landed in a crumpled heap in a far corner of the store.
“Shit,” Roger muttered. “This isn’t going well.” He stared at Angelo, as if considering his next move.
Angelo snickered, curling the hairs on the back of my neck. “So, what have we here?”
His hand slipped around my throat as he stared at Roger. “A young immortal, eh?”
What was he talking about? Who was he talking about? I gaped as Roger’s top lip
curled back revealing two long, pointed fangs. An unearthly snarl from deep inside him made my blood run cold.
This can’t be happening, my mind screeched as Roger launched himself at Angelo, forcing him to release the grip he had on my throat. I stood, gasping and rubbing my neck as the two DUET IN BLOOD
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of them crashed to the ground, rolling all over the place like two demented dervishes, throwing punches and snarling at one another. In my wildest nightmares, I could never have imagined anything quite as horrific as this.
Ron groaned, and finding I could now move, I ran to him. “Ron, it’s got Roger, and Roger is—” Ron bounded away from me at a surprising speed. He picked up one of our onyx bookends from a display and brought it crashing down on Angelo’s head. Holy crap. I couldn’t believe any of this was happening. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Robert sitting up.