I set her down, away from the angry wet ants.
“Man, that hurts.” She rubs her ankle. “It’s like my skin is on fire.”
“Come on, we need to go. Perhaps we can stop at a convenience store up ahead and find some ice.” Either way, the violent weather is about to hit us, and it will not be safe for driving.
I take her warm little hand, and we head back to the car. Miriam freezes and jerks free from my grip.
“Michael? Where is the caca azul?” Her eyes lock on the road, and I turn my head.
“I-I—” My mouth flaps for a moment while my mind tries to understand how our vehicle has disappeared.
“Please don’t tell me you left the key inside.”
I glance north and then south, down the length of the road. “But we were only… I just looked away for a… Hell, I can’t believe this.” I lean my head back and look up at the sky. The sun is fading as the particulate matter increases. “All right. We will simply flag down the next car.”
“I don’t know, Michael. Hitchhiking isn’t safe.”
“For them or for us? Because I am a vampire, so I am fairly sure I am the one their mothers warned them about.”
“Good point.”
“Ah. Here comes someone now.” It is a large white van driving like a bat out of hell.
I raise my arm, attempting to flag it down, but they pass right on by. “Well, that didn’t go so—”
The van screeches to a halt, smoke spewing from the friction on the asphalt.
I notice the heads of several tall men through the back windows. Uh-oh. “Run, Miriam.”
“Huh?”
“Run! Those men are not stopping to give us a ride. They are soldiers. Vampire soldiers.” I count five, which I can easily take out, except one goes straight after Miriam, and four rush at me.
Dammit. Dammit! The first one—a tall man with short dark hair, wearing camo pants and a black T-shirt like the rest—is done for with a snap of the neck. He didn’t even see it coming. I am faster, stronger, and did I mention that I earned the name “the Executioner” for a damned good reason?
The second man comes at me, and we’re trapped in a cloud of dust. No, not the haboob. His friend’s remains. Of course, I am used to fighting in such conditions, so the second man is down and blowing with the wind before men three and four even know what’s happened.
I am ready to run after Miriam as soon as I execute these two clowns, but a scream shuts me down.
Miriam. I glance over my shoulder. One man has her by the throat and lifted into the air, her feet kicking wildly.
“If you harm her,” I warn, “you will have nothing left to bargain with, and I will not be offering a pleasant dusting for any of you.”
The man stares me down with his dark eyes while Miriam claws at his hands, gasping for air.
“Put. Her. Down,” I growl.
“Get in the van, and we will think about letting her live.”
Just then the dust storm hits us. Sand whips through our hair and clothes.
“Okay.” I raise my hands, squinting. “Just put her down, and I will come quietly.”
The man sets her on the dirt but doesn’t release his grip. “One false move, and I’ll crush her windpipe.”
I nod, keeping my hands up.
The man starts walking Miriam toward the van while the other two stay behind me and offer assistance with a little shove.
“Move it, your majesty,” one says with a snicker.
“You know, it’s too late,” I say. “We’ve already alerted all five hundred and eighty-two societies. Those who are not with you will be gathering quickly to end you.”
“No. They won’t,” the guy responds. “Because you’re going to tell everyone to stand down.”
“What makes you think I would do that?” I ask.
“Because we’ll kill your librarian if you don’t.”
Like I said before, Miriam is my biggest weakness. This is exactly what I feared.
“Jesus!” one man yells from behind me, and I hear a screech.
I turn just in time to see my little car plowing into the two men behind me. I jump out of the way. Both men evaporate into a cloud of gray dust that mixes with the brown haze circulating about us.
I don’t know what is happening or who is behind the wheel, but this is my chance.
I rush to Miriam, taking advantage of my speed, and shove my hand straight through her captor’s chest. I yank out his heart and he turns to dust, leaving Miriam standing there covered head to toe in light gray powder.
“Vanderhorsthssth!”
Miriam and I both turn our heads to see Mr. Nice hopping from my car.
“Oh hell.” I put myself between her and him. “What are you doing here?”
“I have been following you. So have they.” He leans sideways to peer around me. “Are you all right, my sweet, sweet love-dumpling?”
“You stole our car?” I ask.
“Yesss…how else was I to lure them away? On foot?”
“So, you’ve been running behind us the entire time?”
“Of course, silly. Then I saw zi empty car, and instead of warning you, I decided to hop in and lure them away for a Nice ambush up ahead. But they did not come, and that is because you mucked it up. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that hitchhiking is unsafe, Vanderhorsthssst? Bad vampire!”
“Thank you. I guess?” I’m unsure what he intends to do now.
“Well, there are more coming, so choo best be on your ways now,” Nice says. “I will hold them off while you make your escape.”
It amazes me how his accent is so unpredictable. He’s like grammatical roulette. You just never know what you are going to get.
“How many more?” I ask.
“Twelve or so. I will play zi pattycake with their arms for a little while. You may go now.”
The image of Nice tearing off their limbs and beating these men to death pops into my head. I almost want to stay and watch simply because his torture skills are legendary.
“Off with you!” He looks straight at Miriam. “And do not forget, my little book-dove, what the Nice has done for you today. All for your sweet, sweet love.”
“You want my first edition of Pride and Prejudice, don’t you?”
Nice went to her house once and flipped out when he saw her collection, that book in particular. “A token of your love for me, my little paper worshiper.”
“It’s yours,” she says. “But as a token of gratitude and nothing more.”
Nice shrugs. “Hold all judgment until you have seen my book collection. You will change your tune.” He chuckles sadistically.
“Let’s go.” I grab Miriam’s hand and lead her to the car. We get in and zoom away just as the rain starts to come down in buckets. It is far too dangerous to drive, but I must.
“Wow. When it rains, it pours,” Miriam mutters.
“Let us hope this is the last storm for the day.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After a brief pause at a rest stop, where Miriam throws up and then grills me about vampire-human procreation, we are back on the road.
“So you’re sure I’m not pregnant, right?”
This is such a bizarre conversation to be having at the moment. I have been betrayed by everyone I ever trusted, sent on a wild-goose chase to Blackpool, cornered by soldiers, and then saved by Mr. Nice, who was running on foot behind us for over sixty miles. Now we are talking about pregnancy?
“I am certain you are not. You are reacting to extreme stress. It is perfectly normal. Also, we only had sex a day ago. No one gets pregnant that fast.”
“Bella did,” Miriam mutters and then sips on her bottled water, which I procured from the rest-stop vending machine.
“Come again?” I say.
“Never mind.” Miriam looks out the window. Her face is pale and her heartbeat still elevated.
“You must breathe. Try to calm yourself so the adrenaline can leave your body.”
“How can I? The world as we know it is about to end—I mean, once people find out about you, they’re going to go apeshit. I’m literally witnessing the end of an era where humans think they are at the top of the food chain. Worst of all, I had to leave my books—now more important than ever because they are a record of life before all this—and you can’t even look at me.”
“Not true. I am looking at you now.” I flash a glance her way. “All right, I am looking at the road because it is getting quite curvy since we have reached the mountains, but I have looked at you plenty.”
“I’m not stupid, Michael. And you promised to be honest with me.”
“What, pray tell, woman, do you think I’m hiding?”
“Ever since I told you about my grandpa Kipper and my parents being Keepers, you haven’t looked at me the same. By the way, everything I told you was a test. It was true, but I said it so I could see how you’d react—how certain you are about us.”
I nod, understanding her position. “And I failed.”
“Yes.”
I whoosh out a breath. “I admit that I fear—or feared—there were forces beyond my control inducing my emotions.”
“Why?” she snaps. “Because it would be so damned impossible for the great Michael Vanderhorst to want a simple little librarian who constantly trips on her shoelaces?”
“No. Not at all. I find your lack of coordination quite charming. My doubt comes from the fact it is impossible that such a magnificent, shockingly beautiful and intelligent woman would want a man like me. I am over four centuries old. My baggage is only outnumbered by my number of kills.”
“Michael.” She lays her hand on my thigh. “I think you are unlike any man I’ve ever met. Human or otherwise. You’re loyal and compassionate, and if that’s the result of you killing thousands of bloodthirsty, murdering vampires or horrible people who do nothing but hurt others, then you’ll hear zero complaints from me. My only question for you, Michael Vanderhorst, is whether you’re protecting me out of a sense of obligation or because you really love me.”
Such a loaded question, but I am no different than her in this moment. I need answers. I think about everything we’ve been through since we met a little over a month ago. There was this initial attraction that dumbfounded me, followed by the need to protect her at all costs. I could only think of being near her, even if she was in mourning, still in love with her boyfriend and completely unable to reciprocate my affection. In short, what I felt and still feel is unconditional.
I even stayed in Phoenix, forgoing all creature comforts, simply to work for minimum wage as her part-time assistant. Eeesh…that studio. Roaches, grime, and other unidentifiable substances caked in every corner. I could have gone home after the case surrounding Clive’s death had been closed—even if false. Then, after being appointed the leader of the Arizona Society of Sunshine Disappointment, as well as the Cincinnati Historical Society of Original Family Members, I could have ditched the gig with Miriam and changed my cover story to allow for a more lavish lifestyle, yet I did not. I wanted to continue working for her, staying by her side even when I lost hope that she could desire anything from me besides my excellent book reshelving skills. All along I was in it for her company.
I clear my throat, knowing Miriam is waiting for an answer: Do I truly love her, or is my attraction a side effect of some supernatural force at work, the result of her having ingested a drop of Clive’s blood as described in those Keeper books? Perhaps. But would that explain what I feel in my heart or how she’s woken up my soul from a long deep slumber?
I pull off in a turnout so she can look into my eyes when I say this. “Miriam, none of what you’ve told me explains how—after four hundred years of existence, when I have never loved anyone or anything—I have these feelings for you.” I blink. “And your first editions. So while I cannot tell you with one hundred percent certainty what drew me into your library that morning, I can tell you that I trust what is in my heart. I feel nothing but love for you.”
Miriam looks at me for a long awkward moment. “I’m not giving you a raise, if that’s what you’re after.”
“I’ll take sex and some occasional naked spooning as payment.”
“Deal.” She slides her warm, soft hand to the nape of my neck and pulls me in for a kiss that starts off as simple but quickly evolves into something more. Groping, panting, and lapping.
I want to take her right here, right now, but it is daylight, and we need to get out of sight.
I pull away. “We must go. But I assure you I will not be using my hands to steer the remainder of the way.”
She glances at my manhood and the prominent tent in my jeans. “I can’t believe how talented you are with that thing.”
I nod. “Let us finish the journey, and I promise to bang you and fang you to your heart’s content.” Her words, not mine.
“Just as long as you remember that this is supposed to be a PG13 mystery,” she says.
“I had intended it to be family friendly, so the upgrade is a relief, because my thoughts for you are very R-rated.”
“Thank God. Because mine are XX. Maybe even XXX.”
“Are you saying that your feelings are purely carnal?” I ask.
“Do you think I would break every rule in the book if that were true? Keepers do not expose themselves to vampires. And forget about sleeping with one.” She blinks and adds, “Who looks to be ten years younger, therefore making her a giant perv only after arm candy.”
“I am having trouble deciphering your remarks,” I say. “Are you happy? Do you trust that I love you and will do everything within my power to keep you safe?”
“Without a doubt.”
“That is all I need to know, then.” Our mouths collide, and I go into a frenzied state of male need. The need to lick her from head to toe. The need to kiss her until my heart stops. The need to be inside her and make her climax until she can take no more.
I pull out onto the freeway, hitting the accelerator.
“Someone’s in a hurry,” she says.
“I’ve waited my entire life for you, and I am all out of patience.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Miriam and I travel down a long dirt road before finally arriving to the small A-frame cabin about ten miles north of Flagstaff. The pine-scented morning air is cool and crisp—lovely—but the property is not fenced in, and the dense forest around us is strategically undesirable. The trees could provide cover for anyone wishing to attack.
Not that they will find us. Nevertheless, we cannot stay here long. A day or two at the most. Then we must make our way east like everyone else.
Miriam finds her key under a rock and then pops open the door. The musty smell of dust pours outside onto the wooden porch, which is covered in dirt, pinecones, and leaves.
“When’s the last time you were here?” I ask while she deactivates the alarm.
“A few years. Really, not since my parents died.”
“Did you come here often with them?” I wonder.
“When I was little. Like I said, my mother used this cabin the most—her little getaway. I would come every once in a while for snowboarding.”
“You snowboard?”
She shrugs, closes the door, and then goes to the fuse box in the corner. “Yes, Michael. Me and my two left feet are actually pretty good.”
Interesting.
“Do you ski or do any sports?” she asks.
“My outdoor activities are generally limited to digging holes to hide bodies.”
She hits a couple of switches, and I hear the open refrigerator kick on. “If they had an Olympic sport of body disposal, you would win.”
“I would, wouldn’t I?” I realize we are both just making small talk. What’s really on our minds is something else.
“Do you want to take a bath or have a shower? Are you hungry?” She walks over to the small kitchenette in the corner. It’s basic with white appliances. The flooring is made of pine planks, but the stair
s, leading up to what I assume are several bedrooms, are carpeted.
“Are you proposing to feed me?” I ask. “Because I already told you, I do not think it is safe. You are much too delicious.”
She reaches for a drawer under the counter and produces a menu. “Chinese takeout. We can ask them to make it extra spicy.”
I really could go for some fiery eggplant, but… “We’d better stay put. Besides, I am still digesting a serial killer from a few days ago. Are you hungry?” I ask.
She bobs her head. “I could go for a snack.” She eyes the length of my body.
I’m suddenly too aroused to continue with our awkward little chat.
I pull off my shirt and kick off my shoes. I then get to unbuttoning my pants. She watches intently as I shed my clothes right there in the living room.
“You are an impressive sight.” Her heartbeat accelerates, and the scent of her flushed skin fills the room.
“I boxed and played a lot of rugby in my youth. I was lucky enough to be turned while I was in excellent shape, though I might have appreciated looking just a bit older.”
She smiles. “You must get tired of being carded.”
I tilt my head. “I am standing naked in your living room. Would you like to continue the small talk or be taken upstairs for a solid pounding?”
She blinks. “First door on the left.”
I flash a devilish smile before swooping in, throwing her over my shoulder, and taking her upstairs. The bed has linens, but I’m sure they are dusty, so I peel back the blanket and toss it to the floor.
I set her down on her back and lay myself over her. When our mouths meet, the taste of her on my tongue instantly sets me off. I kiss her hard, trying to avoid any accidents with my fangs even if I want a nibble. She is far too tempting.
I pull off her tattered white shirt and savor the feel of her warm skin against me. This woman heats me up, inside and out.
I work off her pants and get her completely naked, never leaving her mouth and those wild kisses for more than a moment.
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