The Vampire's Kiss

by Cynthia Eden

  “But how did he find out about me?” Savannah repeated her question, her tone fierce.

  “He did some research, and he hired me.” Jack shrugged. “Your name was mentioned in a few of the newspaper clippings that I found. Once I knew your name, it wasn’t hard to track you.”

  “How do you know that I am going after the killer?” How could a stranger have known her plans? She’d only confided her intentions to her closest friends.

  He blinked, as if surprised by her question. “I knew that you were going after him because you came here.”

  “What?”

  “You came to Tyler. You came to the killer’s town. That’s how I knew what you were planning.”

  She stared blankly at him.

  “Didn’t you know?” he asked softly. Then he swore at the expression on her face. “Hell, you had no idea! You were just stumbling around in the dark.”

  What was he talking about? The killer wasn’t in Tyler. She would know. She would feel him. “You’re wrong. You—”

  “You’ve been to his house, lady,” he snapped. “You’ve been to the bastard’s house!”

  She shook her head. He was wrong. It wasn’t—

  “William Dark. He murdered your brother. He’s the killer!”

  Chapter Five

  The evil lives, even in my dreams.

  —Entry from the diary of Henry de Montfort,

  November 15, 1068

  “YOU’RE WRONG,” Savannah said instantly. “William’s not the killer.”

  “Yes, he is.” Jack was adamant. “I’m sorry, but he’s the one who murdered your brother.” His gaze was filled with quiet pity.

  Savannah clenched her jaw. “I know William. He wouldn’t—”

  “He was in Washington at the time of your brother’s murder.” Jack’s words stunned her into silence. “Did you know that, Ms. Daniels?”

  No, she hadn’t known. But she’d be damned if she’d admit that fact to this stranger. “It’s a free country. A man can travel wherever he wants.”

  “True. But William Dark was also in Panama City when my client’s brother was killed. And he was in Atlanta when a young prostitute was rushed to the hospital. She was suffering from severe blood loss.” He shook his head. “The EMTs thought she’d die before they could get her to the emergency room. But she made it. Barely. And she was able to give a description of her attacker to the police.”

  Savannah’s heart thudded dully. “What . . . what did she say the man looked like?”

  Jack never took his eyes off her as he recited the description. “A male, approximately six foot two, one hundred and ninety pounds. He was in his late twenties. He had long black hair that he kept pulled back at the nape of his neck. Sound familiar?”

  Savannah refused to answer him.

  Jack continued, “She couldn’t remember exactly what happened to her during the attack. The last thing she saw was the man. He grabbed her, and then everything went black.”

  Savannah swallowed. “You think that man was William?”

  “No.” Jack shook his head once. “I know it was him. He fits the description perfectly. And he was in each city at the time of the attacks. He’s the one that the police are after. I know it’s him!”

  “You don’t know anything,” Savannah whispered, glancing down at the gun she still clutched in her right hand. “Now, I want you to leave.”

  “Lady, are you listening to me? He’s a killer!” He took a step toward her.

  Her head snapped up. “No,” she said clearly. “He’s not.” Savannah unlocked the door and stepped to the side. “Like I said, it’s time for you to leave.”

  Jack didn’t move. He stared at her, eyes blazing. “You’re putting yourself in danger. Don’t you understand what he’s capable of?”

  “I understand him very well.” And she did. She knew William. She knew what he was really like. “You’re wrong about him. He’s not the one you’re after.” She believed that, with every bit of her heart. She believed in William’s innocence.

  Jack walked toward the door. He paused, staring down at her. “For your sake, I pray you’re right.” He pulled a worn business card from his wallet. “But if you’re wrong, call me. It doesn’t matter what time it is. Call me, and I’ll come to you.”

  Savannah took the card. A faint frown marred her forehead. “You’re planning to stay in town?”

  “I’ll be around,” he said vaguely. “Remember, just call me. Don’t let him hurt you. Don’t let William do to you what he did to the others.”

  “William didn’t do anything to the others.” Her voice was firm. “You’re wrong about him.”

  “We’ll see.” His gaze roamed over her face. “We’ll see.” He walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Savannah locked her door and hurried to the bedside phone. She wanted to find out more information about that detective.

  She punched in the number and waited impatiently for the call to be answered. One ring. Two. Thr—

  “Hello?” A crisp feminine voice answered.

  Savannah smiled at the sound of her friend Mary’s voice. “Hey, Mary. It’s me.”

  “Savannah? Savannah!” Her shriek was loud and clear. “I’ve been worried sick about you, woman! Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

  Savannah winced at the reprimand. “I’m sorry. Things have just been moving really fast here. I meant to call you the moment I got into town.” Had that really been just two days ago? She took a deep breath. “Mary, I met him.”

  “Him? You mean William? You met William?” Mary sounded both incredibly thrilled and incredibly frightened.

  Savannah sat on the edge of the bed and stretched her legs out in front of her. She was still wearing her outfit from the night before. And her high-heels were killing her. She toed them off and let her feet sink into the worn carpet. “Yeah, I met William.”

  “And?”

  Savannah closed her eyes. “He’s everything that I thought he’d be.” And he was.

  “Savannah . . .” Mary definitely sounded worried now. “I know you think you know this guy, that you understand him because of that book you read—”

  Savannah frowned. “It was a diary, Mary. A diary that you gave to me.”

  “Yeah, well, when I gave it to you, I had no idea it would lead to this!”

  Savannah had known. From the moment that her hands had touched that diary, she’d known it would lead her to William.

  “Is he really a . . . um . . .” Mary’s words stumbled to a halt. Savannah was certain that a dull flush was staining Mary’s cheeks at that moment.

  “A vampire?” Savannah queried softly.

  “Yes . . .”

  “What do you think?”

  Mary didn’t answer.

  A door slammed in the background and laughter drifted softly across the line. Mary swore. “Damn. My roommate is back. I’d better go.”

  “Wait! I need a favor.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  Savanna’s lips twisted. That was Mary. Always willing to help. “I need you to check someone out for me. Can you do one of those Internet searches again?”

  “Sure. Who do you need me to research?” Mary was a true hacker. She’d graduated from college with a degree in information technology at the age of nineteen. Give the woman a computer, and there was nothing that she couldn’t do with it. She’d found William for Savannah. She could easily find out information on Jack Donovan.

  “His name’s Jack Donovan. He said he was a private detective.”

  Silence hummed on the line. “You don’t believe him?” Mary finally asked, her voice soft. She was obviously afraid that her roommate might overhear her words.

  “I don’t know. I want yo
u to find out for me. Find out everything that you can.”

  “Sure. Is there a number where I can reach you?”

  “I’m staying at the Traveler’s Inn, room 718. I’ll be here until nightfall.” Then she would have to go back to William.

  “Okay. It might take me some time to track this guy, but I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

  “Thanks, Mary. Thanks for all of your help.”

  “Anytime, Vannie,” Mary said using Savannah’s old nickname. “Anytime. You just be careful, okay?”

  “I’m always careful.” And she was, usually.

  “Don’t forget your meds.”

  As if she could. “I’ll remember.” Mary always reminded Savannah to take her meds. No matter where they were, or what they were doing, Mary always reminded her.

  It was good to have a friend like Mary. Someone she could rely on, someone she would trust with her secrets.

  “I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Bye, Vannie.”

  As she replaced the receiver, Savannah’s stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since the day before. And then she’d only had time for a quick bite.

  She glanced at the bedside clock. It was just a little past noon. She would have plenty of time to grab lunch, pack, and return to William’s by nightfall.

  She stood and stretched her tired muscles. Maybe she would even be able to fit a small nap into her schedule. She couldn’t afford to let her strength wane, not while she was finally so close to her goal.

  She glanced down at her clothes. First things first. While her outfit may have been appropriate for a place like Jake’s, she would definitely stand out if she tried to walk in the diner wearing these clothes.

  Savannah headed resolutely toward the shower. She’d clean up, and then she’d eat. And, maybe, while she was at the diner, she could get one of the locals to tell her a bit more about William. Maybe.

  WILLIAM’S BODY lay perfectly still. His chest did not rise. His heart did not beat.

  His mind, shadowed by the cobwebs of his deep sleep, flickered faintly. Unease moved though him.

  Something was coming. Someone. He could feel it.

  He could feel the evil. So close. Too close.

  “HI, HONEY!” A tall, matronly woman with steel gray hair appeared at Savannah’s table. “What can I get for you?” Her pencil was poised above a small, white pad.

  “Ah . . .” Savannah floundered. The woman’s quick appearance had startled her. “Do you have any specials?”

  The waitress, whose nametag identified as Pat, smiled. “Hon, we always have specials.” She jerked her head toward the kitchen. “Today’s lunch special is the tuna sandwich combo. You’ll get the sandwich, the fries and some coleslaw, all for five dollars.”

  Savannah snagged a menu from the center of the table. She had never been fond of tuna fish. She scanned down the list of sandwiches. “I think I’ll just take the club combo, with a Sprite, please.”

  Pat scribbled quickly. “Sure thing, hon. Anything else I can get for you?”

  Savannah smiled vaguely. “Not right now, but thanks.”

  “Be right back with your order.” With a swish of her hips, Pat turned and vanished through the swinging kitchen doors.

  There were only a handful of other customers in the diner. Two truckers sat at the counter, and a man in a deputy’s uniform was drinking coffee in the back corner.

  Savannah sighed. Everything about the place just seemed so incredibly normal to her. The soft country music playing on the jukebox. The old-fashioned checkered table cloths that decorated the tables. Everything was so amazingly normal.

  Who would have ever guessed that a place like this would be home to a vampire?

  “You aren’t from around here, are you?”

  Savannah’s head jerked up, and she found herself staring into the deputy’s warm brown gaze.

  “Ah, no. No, I’m not.” What did he want?

  “I didn’t think so.” He continued to stare down at her. “I’m one of the deputies here in Tyler. My name’s John. John Sykes.”

  Savannah offered her hand. “Savannah Daniels.”

  His grip was firm, but not overwhelming. “And what brings you to our town, Ms. Daniels?”

  “I’m visiting a friend,” she replied immediately, sensing her chance to push for more information about William. “Perhaps you know him.”

  “I know everybody in this town. In a place the size of Tyler, it’s real easy to get to know your neighbors.”

  “I’m sure it is,” she murmured with a polite smile.

  “What’s your friend’s name?”

  It was the opportunity that she’d been waiting for. “His name’s William Dark. He lives up on the mountain.”

  The deputy’s eyes widened. He let out a low whistle. “You’re in town to see William Dark? Are you sure about that?” He sounded like he questioned her sanity.

  Savannah stiffened. “I think I know who I’m visiting,” she said, her tone dripping with ice.

  John flushed. “It’s just that, well, Mr. Dark isn’t exactly the type to have visitors, you know?”

  That wasn’t surprising. “Surely he’s had other friends come to town.”

  John shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

  “What, exactly, do you know about him?” Savannah held her breath, waiting anxiously for his response.

  “Very little.” John shrugged. “I heard that his grandfather bought the property on the mountain back in the twenties. And I remember seeing William’s dad in town some, back when I was a kid. Course, his dad wasn’t much for talking either. And I think he must have used the property here as kind of a retreat.” His gaze clouded as he struggled to remember. “Yeah, he came here in the summers. Every summer, until I was about eight or nine.”

  “When did William move to town?” Savannah asked quietly. She found it fascinating that William would pretend to be his own father, his own grandfather. He had created a thin veil of deception to fool the townsfolk so that he could keep his mountain hideaway.

  “He moved here about six or seven years ago. I heard that he inherited the property when his old man died.”

  Six or seven years. Where had he been before that? What had he been doing? Had he truly been alone for all of those years? All of those centuries? The idea was jarring, chilling. No wonder he wanted a companion.

  John frowned at Savannah, sudden suspicion sweeping across his features. “But you should know all this, shouldn’t you? Since you’re here to visit him . . .”

  “We’re . . . newly acquainted.” Yeah, they’d only met two days ago. That definitely qualified as newly acquainted. “There’s still a lot we don’t know about each other.” And that was the problem.

  “Hmmm.” John didn’t look convinced. “Where did you say you were from, ma’am?”

  “I didn’t. But I’m from Washington. Seattle, Washington.”

  “You sure did come a long way to visit your friend.”

  “Yes, I did.” She wasn’t going to give the deputy any more information.

  “Here you go, hon!” Pat appeared, carrying a large plate in one hand and a drink in the other. “One club combo, just like you ordered.”

  “Thanks.”

  Pat smiled at the deputy. “Want another coffee?”

  He shook his head. “Nah. I got to be getting back on duty.” He glanced back at Savannah. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Daniels. I’m sure that I’ll see you again.”

  As he walked away, Savannah wondered why, despite his friendly smile, the words had sounded almost . . . threatening.

  BY THE TIME Savannah returned to her hotel room, it took all of the meager energy she had to unlock her door.

  The sudden wave of exh
austion had come upon her as she finished her meal. She’d been forced to push her half-eaten sandwich away and hurry from the diner.

  It was another side effect of her medicine. Severe drowsiness. In her case, severe was definitely the word of choice.

  Of course, the fact that she’d had no rest the night before only aggravated her condition.

  She fumbled with the lock, barely fitting the key inside. All of her muscles felt heavy. Her eyelids kept lowering, her chin sliding down. She took a series of deep, quick breaths, trying to force her body to stay awake.

  The key turned in the lock and Savannah stumbled inside her room. She leaned against the cool wood of the door, giving her body a moment to rest. With hands that trembled, she turned the lock on the door handle.

  The bed looked so far away. She was so tired. Tired of the exhaustion that plagued her body. Tired of the pain. When would it all end?

  She took a step forward. Her leg seemed to buckle. She staggered, struggling for balance. One more step. Two more. She could feel the base of the bed against her knees, and she fell on the bed, her body bouncing lightly. The old springs squeaked in protest.

  She stopped fighting the exhaustion and closed her eyes. She would rest, just for an hour or two. The rest would give her enough strength to make it through the rest of the day.

  She just needed to sleep for a little while . . .

  WILLIAM’S BODY twitched.

  Evil. The word screamed through his mind, but not a sound passed from his lips.

  He could feel the presence. Feel its darkness.

  So close.

  SHE WAS AT THE cabin. She could see the sparkling wood. She could smell the crisp scent of a winter fire.

  Everything was just as she remembered. The table that her father had made the summer of her sixteenth birthday sat in the corner. Her mother’s painting hung over the mantel.

  A cheerful fire burned, the flames dancing.

  She walked toward the fire, wanting to feel its warmth. Needing so desperately to banish the cold that was sweeping through her.