Here Comes the Vampire (Dead End Dating)

by Kimberly Raye

  Wood cracked and splintered and suddenly I had my own stake. And mine was much bigger than Riley’s.

  I thought of waiting for Mona, but I really didn’t want her caught in the middle of this. I had to get out of here. Now.

  I reached for the door handle. I turned the knob slowly, slowly, there. The door gave and inched open a fraction. I stared through the crack at the men seated around a table in the center of the room. My gaze swept the faces and an odd sense of familiarity struck.

  My attention fixed on the Paul Bunyon look-a-like I’d seen on the DVD footage. He’d been the one to pull the ax in the casino on the very man now sitting across from him.

  A born vampire.

  Fear bolted through me and I tamped it down. I pushed the door open a few more inches until I could slip out and head for the door just a few feet away. I was two steps shy when I heard the voice.

  “Nice of you to join the party,” the words slid into my ears a split-second before I felt the sharp point of a stake press between my shoulder blades.

  “There wasn’t anything incriminating on the DVD,” I blurted. “I mean, you’re on it and so is the werewolf, but there’s no actual blood. You can’t really see anything, let alone a murder.”

  “Is that what you think this is about?”

  No, but I wasn’t going to tell Riley that. He didn’t know that I’d figured out some connection between Jimmy and the chief magistrate of the born vamp council.

  “You think I’m worried because you saw me off that werewolf in the hallway?” He laughed then, a cold, chilling sound that sent a shiver from my head clear to my toes. “This isn’t about murder, sweetheart. It’s much bigger than that. See those two men?” He pointed to the guys seated at the table. “That’s Jimmy Montana. And that guy...” He pointed to the well-dressed vampire, “is Reginald Terribone.”

  The minute the name struck, the pieces started to fall into place. “The president of the Born Vampire Council.” The president who worked side-by-side with the chief magistrate whose daughter was missing.

  “Exactly.” He yanked me backwards, pulling me toward the storage closet. Meanwhile, not a head turned away from the card game going on at the table. As if having a born vamp chained in the closet was nothing new.

  “Why is the president of the born vampire council sitting with a well-known werewolf mob boss?” I asked as Riley shoved me back inside the closet.

  “Now that’s exactly what every voter in the free world is going to want to know when things start to get ugly. See, there’s a war coming between the vamps and the werewolves. An ugly war that’s going to take out a lot of both, particularly those higher-up vampire council members and the big wigs in the werewolf community. The ones who’ve kept a strict division between the races. See, there’s no reason we can’t all work together for a common good.”

  “Peace and harmony for all?”

  “Money,” he growled. “There are too many governing powers controlling everything everyone else does. The vamps can’t open up businesses without the council’s blessing and the weres can’t piss their pants without their own council sniffing up their ass. There’s too mhermps can’uch regulation and not enough free will. We’re going to fix that.”

  “You’re behind the kidnapping,” I blurted, remembering what Ty had said about there being someone on the inside. Someone who’d helped the kidnapper.

  He shrugged. “The werewolves didn’t kidnap her. They didn’t have to. Terribone,” he motioned to the born vampire sitting at the table, “handed her over. He’s Charlemagne’s right hand. Not that the old man knows there’s a traitor on his staff. No, he thinks the werewolves just pulled off a clever abduction. He’s pissed and he’ll stay pissed. It’s just a matter of time before he launches an all-out war to get Rose back, but she’ll be dead by then.”

  “And there won’t be anyone to tell the truth.”

  “Exactly. I’ll destroy the DVDs which tie Montana and Terribone together, and then I’ll destroy you.” His lips fluttered across my ear. “No more loose ends.”

  Before I could move, he slammed the door shut and came after me with the stake.

  This was it. I was going to die. Really die.

  No telling my mother that I really did love her even though she made my life a living hell.

  No seeing my father bear trap Viola.

  No playing auntie to Nina and Rob’s new baby. No babysitting for Mandy and Jack.

  No Evie. No Killer.

  No Ty.

  No telling him how much I loved him and how sorry I was. No begging him for a second chance.

  I’d kept my mouth shut because I’d wanted to know that he loved me anyway. For better or worse.

  But that wasn’t fair because I’d never given him a reason to love me like that. I hadn’t been one hundred percent honest and now he would never know the truth. That I should have been honest. That I regretted it.

  Like hell.

  I gathered my determination and jerked to the side just as he lunged again. Before he could turn, I kicked him in the ass and send him sprawling forward toward the wall.

  Sheetrock flew as he hit. I moved fast then, flying across the room and landing another vicious kick to his backside before he could get back up.

  He flew at me and I met him halfway. He chomped down on my arm and I twisted at his head, fighting him off as the blood spurted and sprayed my bare feet. Pain hit me hard and fast, but it was nothing compared to the anger. I was so pissed.

  I wasn’t going out like this. Not with Ty hating me and the entire world thinking I was committed to Remy, of all vampires.

  A red haze washed over me, my fangs extended. My own hiss echoed through my head as I twisted him loose and shoved him backward. I lunged for his throat. My hands locked and tightened and I slammed him back against the wall. I snatched up the forgotten stake and then, just like that, I plunged it deep into Riley’s heart.

  He went stiff; his mouth opened and white foam dribbled out, and then he turned to dust. Flesh. Bones. And poof, he was gone.

  I angsted all of a nanosecond—hey, this guy had tried to stake me—and then stumbled backward, my entire body shaking. I drew several deep, calming breaths that did little to help the situation. Still, I had to try something because I had a room full of werewolves and a traitorous born vampire just on the other side of that door. And it was only a matter of time before they came to see what all the noise had been about.

  “Stay put.” It was Mona again, but in ghost form this time. She stood in the corner, a look of pure satisfaction on her face. “Help is on the way.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Her look faded into uncertainty. “I found your mother’s phone number in the computer and I sort called her while I was out getting blood.”

  “What happen“ook fadeded to Frankie’s body?”

  “He got a call from the casino downstairs. I couldn’t not respond or that would have stirred suspicion. I let him handle that while I came back here to look out for you. I was worried that Riley might kill you before I made it back.” Her eyes darkened. “I don’t want you stuck here forever like me.”

  “Thanks, Mona, but I don’t know if the after afterlife is the same for vamps. I don’t think we linger in ghost form.”

  “Better safe than sorry.” She eyed the spot that had once been Riley. “It was nice to see that overbearing sonofabitch get his ass kicked. At least one of us had the balls.” Her gaze locked with mine. “You have to stand up for yourself. Don’t ever forget that.” And then she started to shimmer and fade.

  The minute she vanished, a commotion sounded in the next room. Doors slammed. Shouts echoed. And then the door flew open and the cavalry rushed in and surrounded me.

  At least they said they were the cavalry, but I didn’t know any of the faces. There was no Ty coming to my rescue, checking to see if I was safe.

  “Miss Marchette?” I nodded and one of the born vampires held out a hand. “I’m Lloyd Marshall.
I head security for the born vampire council. You’re one lucky lady.” He eyed the mess on the floor at my feet. “That was one of our prime suspects wanted in connection with several murders.”

  “And a kidnapping,” I murmured. He arched an eyebrow and went on to tell him all about Terribone and Jimmy Montana and the all-out war the two men had been plotting. “I don’t know where Roes is at, but I know she’s still alive. They haven’t killed her.” My gaze locked with Marshall’s. “Yet.”

  He nodded. “We’ll find her, don’t you worry. In the meantime, we’ll get you to a comfortable room where you can relax and wait for your family.”

  Oh, joy.

  “Your folks are t

  he ones who tipped us off. Said they got an anonymous call saying you’d been kidnapped. They told us who and where, and here we are. Oh, and by the way,” he beamed, “Congratulations on your recent commitment. We have the occasional run-in with Mr. Tremaine—he handles security for some of the big wigs here in town. He’s a great catch.”

  “Yeah, he is.” But I was about to throw him back anyway because I didn’t love him and he didn’t love me, and well, Mona was right. It was time to start standing up for myself.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “We’re all wrong for each other,” I told Remy the next day after I’d given about a zillion statements to everyone from the local Vegas police (the supernatural division, of course) to the Born Vampire Council and the Association of Werewolves Devoted to Peaceful and Harmonious Living.

  No, really.

  I sat behind my desk at Dead End Dating, a Red Bull in front of me. Remy sat in the chair opposite me.

  He’d been out on chief of police business when my folks had found out my whereabouts and he hadn’t gone to Vegas after me.

  That, and I had a feeling he’d been happy to stay away from the crazy Vampzilla I’d morphed into. He’d let my folks bring me home and then he’d sent me a text asking how I was. I’d texted him back that I needed to meet with him.

  This was it. The moment of truth.

  “I don’t love you and you don’t love me,” I went on, “and I don’t care how many times you say that doesn’t matter, it does matter to me.” I stared him in the eye. “You don’t really want to be committed to a vampire who’s desperately in love with another vampire, do you?”

  He shrugge“oohe d. “There are worse things.”

  “What about an overly emotional vampire with a temperamental cat, enough debt to make the national deficit look like chump change, and a big poofy dress that’s sure to embarrass the both of us if we go through with this reception?” Which my mother had promptly rescheduled for the following week since I’d gone missing on the eve of the big event.

  Most parents would have called it off in lieu of a kidnapping, but this my ma. She’d been waiting for this moment much too long to be swayed so easily. So we were on for next Saturday.

  Unless I did something right now.

  “My mother will kill me if I back out,” Remy said. “She’s already plotting baby names.”

  “My mother, too. Jacqueline is up first.”

  “Says you. My mother wants us to name the kid after her.”

  “I like you, Remy,” I said after a long moment. “I really do, but this is all wrong. You know that. I’m all wrong for you.”

  I braced myself for his reaction. Crying. Wailing. I even had tissues handy, and a few valium in case he was too broken up to face the world.

  What I didn’t expect was the look of relief that crossed his face.

  “The last few days have been the most miserable of my entire afterlife,” he admitted.

  I smiled. And then I frowned. “I wasn’t that bad.”

  “No, you were worse.”

  “So what are you trying to say?”

  “That you’re crazy and I’m more than ready to hop off the train.” He pushed to his feet. “I’ve already called the head of the Council and told him the commitment was never consummated.”

  “But...”

  “But what?”

  Yeah, but what? This was it. What I’d been waiting for. The answer to my problems. Remy said no sex. I said no sex. I could tell Ty that there’d been no sex. No one would know otherwise.

  Except me.

  Maybe.

  Because while Riley had taken the tapes from my room back at my parents’ estate, he hadn’t snagged the last six DVDs I’d stashed in my closet, under the shoes I’d been hiding from Killer. No, Riley had snagged the tapes I’d already watched.

  I still had six to go. The final countdown.

  “You seriously agreed to an annulment?”

  Remy nodded. “It never happened.”

  I was just about to argue when the door busted open and Ash appeared.

  “What’s with the two blondes? And the brunette? And I don’t even know what you call that last one who showed up at my place last night? Her hair was purple.”

  “It’s called magenta, and I thought it might be nice to mix things up.”

  “I gave you a list of specifics.” He gave me an accusing stare. “And a big fat retainer.”

  “About that...” I summoned my courage and pulled the money from my bottom drawer. “I appreciate you putting your faith in me,” I set the bills on the desk, “But I just can’t do it. I can’t send some poor girl to her death.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The list.” I shook my head. “I’m afraid I can’t be an accomplice to any sort of black magic ritual. If you kill someone, it’s on you, not me.”

  “I’m not going to kill her, Lil.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t quite believe what I’d said. “I’m going to marry her.”

  “What?”

  “It’s time for a changing of the guard Down Under. I’m first in line as CEO, but not unless I’m married and can guarantee a legitimate heir. Since Mo and Zee would rather beat their heads against a wall than tie the knot—“

  “I hear ya,” Remy muttered and I glared.

  “Since those guys are out of the running, the next one in line would be my first cousin Jacob. He’s a bad guy and while I’m no saint, trust me when I say that mankind is much better off with me calling the shots.”

  “Why a human?”

  “Because I have to guarantee that my genes are dominant. Another supe would muddy the waters.” He shrugged. “I suppose I could go for a female demon, but they tend to be much too pushy and domineering.”

  “I hear that, too,” Remy added.

  “And to procreate, she obviously has to be female,” I said more for myself as I mentally went over his must-have list. He nodded and I arched an eyebrow. “Why a virgin?”

  “Because it’s the only way to be certain it’s mine and, therefore, a legitimate heir.”

  “And the red hair?”

  “What can I say?” He shrugged. “I have a thing for redheads.”

  “So all this time, you just wanted a wife, not a human sacrifice.” He nodded and guilt swamped me. “I’m so sorry. I guess I really screwed this up for you.”

  “You didn’t know,” his gaze caught and held mine, “but now that you do, I expect you to hook me up with a suitable candidate.”

  “You’re still interested in a wife?”

  “We’ll have to wait for next month’s full moon, but yes. Human. Female. Virgin. Red hair. And no Hooters girls.”

  “Got it.” I grinned. “You won’t be sorry.”

  “I know.” He slid the money toward me, but I slid it right back.

  “This one’s on the house. No fee.” I grinned. “Although a sizeable gratuity is totally acceptable.”

  What? I might be feeling charitable because things were finally going my way—Remy had called off the commitment and I’d survived a near stake to the heart—but I still had bills to pay.

  “I hate to interrupt you,” Evie’s voice floated over the intercom, “But your next appointment is here.”

  “Show him into Room A and I’ll b
e right there.” I tamped down on the nerves and gathered my courage. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me.” I pushed to my feet and headed for the outer office.

  “He didn’t like Room A.” Evie sat behind her desk looking as healthy as ever thanks to Tamiflu, chicken soup and a full week of paid sick leave. That, and I’d brought her an assistant back from Vegas.

  I smiled at Frankie who stood near the file cabinet. His blue eyes twinkled.

  What? I couldn’t leave Mona in that hell hole after she’d saved me. Even if she had called my folks. So we’d come up with a plan for her to hop into Frankie’s body. He’d been so depressed over losing Raoul that he’d been planning on offing himself with a Sig on the anniversary of their first date. Instead, I’d glamored him into submission, Mona had hopped in and bam, we’d walked out of the Mayan, away from Dewey forever.

  She was here now, heading up the filing while Evie managed the rest of the office. A busy office since I’d been out of operation for the most part and we were backed up with matches. With the exception of Mr. Fairweather and Erica Godfrey. Mr. Fairweather was now the happy owner of a Siamese cat and Mrs. Janske was giving him cat advice and bringing him donuts, meanwhile, Erica had met the workaholic of her dreams and was about to impress her partners into a new promotion. All was right at Dead End Dating.

  Almost everything.

  Evie motioned to the front door. “He’s waiting for you outside.”

  “Did he look mad?”

  “He looked hot. As usual.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Good luck.”

  But I didn’t need luck. I had the truth on my side. Remy had agreed to the annulment. As in, nothing had happened. Nada. Zilch.. Ns. “Go

  The thought stalled as my gaze snagged on the tall, dark and delicious cowboy leaning against the black Harley parked at the curb. He wore the usual black leather vest, no shirt, and black pants. His dark, shoulder-length hair flowed down around his broad shoulders and he looked as yummy as ever.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself.” His deep voice echoed in my head and awareness zipped up my spine, and suddenly he was there, standing right in front of me, so tall and powerful that my heart gave a little jerk.