She watched him pace, part guilty, part terrified.
“There has to be a way to do this without putting you in so much danger. I can’t let you offer yourself up on a platter like this, Stacy.” Fear was evident in his tone. “I was wrong. It’s suicidal.”
“I don’t seem to have much a choice, now do I?” She wasn’t happy about the situation either. She was counting on him being able to capture a wayward vampire and then kill a rogue. Talk about a worst nightmare. Neither would be easy.
“Yes, you do,” he said. “Stay here. Don’t go back to your house. I have the best security system money can buy. Give me time. Capturing wayward vamps is one thing, but you’ve never seen the aftermath I’ve seen. Let me see if I can corner this thing on my own first.”
“I’d love to be able to do that, but you don’t really have any more time, Chaz. If I stay here, I can’t work in my lab. Besides, if I do stay here, it’ll only follow. You said that yourself.”
“I can’t let you die,” he whispered.
“Die? I have no intention of dying. You’ll do what has to be done. I know you will.”
“Easier said than done. You know what Mick is now.”
“Yes, I do,” she answered with a shudder. “Don’t forget, I’ve seen the son of a bitch in action. But I also know you’ll be able to stop it before it gets to me. I believe in you.”
Turning white seemed hard for a vampire to do. Chaz paled, his throat working, and his chest moving like an out of control engine.
“I trust you,” Stacy said.
God, if the situation had been any less grave, she’d have started laughing at the look of utter disbelief on his face. He walked up to her until they were almost touching. Good lord, he was beautiful. Trust filled her gaze. She memorized the strength in his face and tucked it deep inside.
He feathered his fingertips down her cheek. Her eyes closed, and she leaned her head into his palm. Her entire being centered on his touch.
She’d never wanted to melt inside anyone before.
When her eyes opened again, Stacy smiled. He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m standing on my farm in the middle of my garden surrounded by color, surrounded by life. I’m walking through the city to go watch a play. I’m gazing at the pieces in a museum where I’m telling you the truth about those artifacts in their cases. And I know what this is. It’s a dream. Because a dream can only last so long before reality intrudes. You’ve decided to place your life in my hands. And the truth is, I’ve never been frightened in my immortal life, until now. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
He wrapped her in his arms and crushed her to his chest, bending to rest his cheek against her hair. She didn’t need to hear his thoughts to know he wanted to make love to her, but now was not the time. He let go slowly and stared down into her eyes. “Stacy, I—”
She shook her head. She lifted her chin, and that was all the invitation he needed. He bent down and kissed her lips. Her mouth parted, opening to him. He fenced with her tongue but only to taste.
She tightened her arms around his back as he kneaded her shoulder blades. There was only one connection between them, and that was caring. Well, caring and trust.
Stacy didn’t want to let go, but she had to.
“You’ve become a light in a very dark existence, Stacy. I don’t want to lose that.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “You made the suggestion out of desperation, and I’m grateful. But I can’t, no I won’t, put you at risk.”
“You don’t have a choice,” she insisted again.
“Stacy, listen to me, please. There’s strength, then there’s stupidity.” He pulled her close one last time. “There’s a necessity. I won’t put you in danger. I won’t let you be a hero.”
He nuzzled her ear, her neck, her forehead, and down her cheek. She didn’t reply, she simply wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head ever so slowly back down on his chest.
“Oh, Stacy.”
She didn’t want to let go. She wanted to drown in the moment and never come up for air. Never before, not ever, had she shared a moment like this.
She lifted her head and gazed up at him, profoundly unshakable in her belief. She knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“It’ll be all right, Chaz.”
He nodded. “God, I hope so.”
Every time the door to the bar opened, Stacy jumped. She couldn’t help it. She sensed Chaz nearby but had thought he’d stay with her. Instead, he’d insisted on being able to move freely. So, he’d faded into the shadows, leaving her alone. Being the cheese in a trap sucked.
Two young men came in very quiet and unassuming, not at all like guys looking to enjoy a beer and a game on the television.
Neither one spoke; they took out their wallets to prove they were legal and ordered a couple of bottles, moving to one of the free tables. They didn’t really talk to each other, they barely touched their drinks, and they certainly weren’t watching the game.
Were these the two young vampires Chaz had mentioned before?
The minutes dragged by like hours. Being that they were strangers, Pat wiped down the bar for the tenth time. His son Mike brought up a third set of glasses that were then slid into wooden racks above his head. Bottles were dusted. Peanuts poured. Stacy thought for sure she’d go mad with waiting.
Then, the two young men stood, their expressions never changing. Stacy’s heart started to hammer in her chest as they approached her table. Neither one sat down. They seemed to realize standing and staring down at her would be intimidating as hell.
Stacy hated to admit it was working. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah,” the first one answered. With the hood of his sweatshirt thrown back, she noted his straight brown hair could use a wash, and there was a peculiar smell coming from him. It took her a moment to place the scent—kind of like the first time you walked into the morgue—a bit antiseptic but also old and dead. “You don’t have any company. You look a little lonely. Ain’t that right, Nick?”
“Sure is, Donnie.”
Nick let her see just a hint of incisor before he covered his smile. He’d opted for the bald look, which seemed all the rage now. And though he didn’t smell quite as bad as the one he called Donnie, there was an intensity inside that made her realize he was probably older and far more dangerous.
“You both left your drinks on your table. Why don’t you go get them and bring them over here?”
And while you do, I’ll bolt for the door.
They didn’t listen to her suggestion. Indeed, they inched closer to her. “That’s not the kind of drink we were talkin’ about, lovie,” Nick answered, his fingers trailing down her hair.
Stacy tried to hide a shudder. Her arm tightened involuntarily against her holster, reminding her she had her gun with her despite what Chaz told her.
“Yeah,” Donnie chimed in. “We had something a bit—warmer—in mind.”
Nick seemed to think that was funny. He laughed, seeming not to care if she knew what he was or not. That frightened her even more. Chaz. Hunter. They both stressed the merits of anonymity, to the nth degree.
“I think you’d both better leave right now. I’m a police officer, and I don’t think you want any trouble with a cop.”
Nick laughed even harder. “Let me go find a pair of boots to shake in, pulleesse.”
“Go on, Nick. Get over yourself already,” Donnie chided his friend. “The lady doesn’t seem to want our attention. Now, what do we normally do when that happens?”
Nick tapped a long index finger against his chin as if deep in thought. “Coax her over to our way of thinking.”
“Coax? Now that’s a new one. But I like your thought process, my friend.”
Nick pulled out a chair and sat down, so his knees nearly touched hers. His gaze turned to ice then got colder. But they’d underestimated her strength and her stamina. She’d be damned if she’d show them one ounce of fear. If Nick wanted a staring m
atch, well then, he was going to get one.
Not sure how much time went by, Stacy started when Pat called out. “Hey, Stacy, you having trouble with these young—gentlemen?”
She dared not get Pat involved. “Nothing I can’t handle, Pat.”
And since Pat knew what she was, he backed off. For the moment. “All right, guys. Fun’s over,” she told them, swiveling around to play with the bottle of beer she hadn’t touched yet. “Go back to your drinks. I’m not interested in company tonight.”
“But we are,” Nick answered, his face turning deadly serious.
Where the hell was Chaz?
“Look. I don’t want any trouble. Pat is a good guy. He has a decent place. Tearing up the furniture isn’t nice.”
Donnie roared. “She wants to fight us, Nick. Can you believe that? She wants to fight us.”
Nick laughed harder and louder. Stacy glanced up and saw Pat’s fist curl around his dishrag. Then she saw Mike start to reach under the bar for his baseball bat. She didn’t have any more time to soothe the situation.
“Damn, Donnie. Now that’s a new one on me. Ain’t never fought with my supper before.”
Stacy knew she had one shot at getting out of this in one piece. To take it out into the parking lot where Chaz was waiting—somewhere. She hoped.
She swiveled off her seat and rose. Turning her back on them, she headed for the door as fast as she could without running. For a moment, she didn’t feel them follow. Probably surprised the hell out of them. Then they were next to her, surrounding her.
Nick reached out to grab her arm. She tried to break his grip but couldn’t. They seemed to agree with her decision to leave the bar. For that, she was grateful.
Once they got outside, however, their veneer of civility fled. They threw her up against the wall, letting go of any restraint they’d shown in the bar. Her head hit the concrete, stunning her for a moment.
Pat came running out of the bar brandishing a sawed-off wood handle. Mike raised his baseball bat, following right on his heels.
“No. Go back inside,”
Donnie charged and plucked the wood out of Pat’s hand. He backhanded Pat, knocking the bar owner unconscious. Mike took a swing but missed. Donnie spun him around and landed a right hook. Mike went down in a heap too. But it looked like they were both still alive. Thank God. Stacy pulled the piece out of her holster and flipped the safety.
“Back off. Now.”
They circled her, their grins showing their enjoyment. “This is fun, Donnie.”
“Yeah, Nick. She’s a feisty one.”
“Gonna taste real sweet. I can hear her heart going a mile a minute.”
“Yeah. Then those two over there are gonna be dessert.”
A white-hot shard of fear sliced through her, but Stacy kept her focus on both of them. Chaz! Where the hell are you?
The next thing she knew, Donnie yanked the gun out of her grip and threw it into the middle of the parking lot.
Then each of them grabbed an arm, pinning her against the wall. Donnie pressed his body up against hers as his tongue snaked out to rasp against her skin. “Tastes real nice, Nick.”
Nick grinned. “One at a time or together?”
“I get her neck.”
“Damn, I wanted her neck.”
“You got the neck the last time.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
Stacy had heard enough. She brought her knee up between Donnie’s legs, and he grunted in pain. And that amazed Stacy. Then she remembered Chaz telling her about vampire lessons. She broke his grip and twisted away from Nick, who took one look at Donnie, and any amusement he felt at his compatriot’s incapacitation fled. His face tightened into a hard knot of hate.
“You’re mine now, little girlie.”
Stacy bolted for her car. Nick moved so fast he seemed to disappear and reappear in front of her, forcing her to skid to a halt. She turned and tried to run back into the bar. Nick moved the same way, kind of like flashing, to stop in front of her again.
Stacy tried to zig-zag a path to freedom. An ugly laugh greeted her attempts. Then Nick grabbed her arm again, twisting it until she thought her shoulder socket would explode.
White stars danced in front of her eyes, but he’d left her feet free. She stomped down with her shoe heel onto his foot with all her might. Nick cried out in pain as he let go of her. And her resistance only made him angrier.
She started to run, but he stopped in front of her, and this time she couldn’t halt her momentum. With pure pleasure written all over Nick’s features, he lashed out and backhanded her across her cheek. Stunned, Stacy didn’t even have time to feel pain as Nick yanked her head up by her hair. He pulled until she thought a clump would come out in his fist. Then she realized his intent. He had her bent over backward, and her neck open to a pair of very sharp incisors.
“You’re gonna taste right nice, and then I’m gonna let Donnie have the rest. And when we’re finished, I’m gonna fuck you until you beg to die.”
Stacy had thought the rogue would be her demise, not some young punk vampire. “Do your worst. You’ll get yours in the end.”
Nick roared. “Really? I think you got that wrong, little girlie. I’m gonna get mine right now.”
Suddenly, Nick let her go and spun around.
“I don’t think so,” came a soft-spoken reply.
Chapter Eleven
Chaz
Chaz held the other young vampire off the ground by the scruff of his neck, who hung like a limp rag doll, since he’d knocked him out cold. “Let her go. Now.”
“But she—” Nick protested.
His guts swirled with fear for Stacy. One wrong move and this vampire could throw her hard enough to break her in two, bend her into a pretzel if he wanted, or drain her three-quarters dry before Chaz could stop him. He willed his body to relax, slowed his heartbeat so the young vampire would believe he was in complete control.
Yeah, right.
Thank God he’d decided some extra help would be a good idea. Besides, Sam needed to see firsthand what was going on around here.
“I’m not going to tell you again. Let her go now. If you do, I’ll play nice and give you back your friend in one piece.”
“Don’t care about him.”
Chaz wasn’t surprised. “All right. Let her go and you get to live. How’s that?”
The young vampire licked his lips.
“I don’t have all night.” Chaz growled, seeing the bruise begin to well on Stacy’s cheek. A sear of pure anger surged through him. He shook the vampire in his hand like a rag doll. Suddenly, two more young vampires emerged from the shadows. What the hell?
Chaz threw the vampire in his grasp up against the wall as hard as he could to make sure at least this one wouldn’t get back up for a while. That left his hands free. His next thought was to get Stacy out of this mess.
But even as he assessed the situation, Chaz realized there was more going on here than even he understood. Vampires didn’t make war on The Paladin. Ever. They were their only protection against rogues.
“Look. You’re all young. I get that and maybe you didn’t have someone teach you the rules. The first rule—you don’t mess around with the police. Got that?”
No one answered.
“And I’ll even go so far as to say that maybe you didn’t know who I am. Because if you did, that would be against the law, so to speak.”
While Chaz spoke, he continued to figure out options. If he went after the one holding Stacy, the other two would try to grab him from behind. He’d have to be quick.
“You’re going to take your medicine like a good child, and I won’t kill you,” he told the one holding Stacy. “All right. Any of you. But Hunter’s gonna have to hear about this. There are rules you don’t break. I’m one of them.”
“No rules anymore, grandpa,” the one that stood next to Stacy cried out.
“You sure about that? There’s a r
ogue loose. And he knows this place. I don’t think you want to be anywhere within ten miles of here.”
“Rogues don’t scare me,” the young vampire insisted. Chaz twisted his head to see the others nod in agreement.
“They should.” But even as Chaz said the words, he realized the young vamp wasn’t lying. He wasn’t frightened of him or of a rogue. None of them were, and that terrified Chaz.
Chaz decided surprise was his best plan and ran full speed, stopping right next to the vampire holding Stacy. The next thing he knew, he was surrounded by all three. He drop-kicked vampire number one and grabbed Stacy’s arm, yanking her away from him.
“Run.”
Stacy scrambled to get away. The other two hesitated, not sure if they wanted to go after her or him. This created enough space for him to escape. He hit the afterburners and ran over to the fire escape so he could climb up onto the roof of the bar.
“You’re gonna have to try harder than that, gentlemen,” he called, staring down at them.
One vamp followed and dismissed the ladder in favor of jumping up after him. Chaz swung his leg out and tripped him as he landed, causing the man to fall off the roof. “Ouch.”
The other two started to spread wide, knowing Chaz couldn’t keep track of both without turning his head because of his vantage point. They’d use that split second to gang up on him—bad idea.
Chaz ran across the roof to the back of the building. He jumped down and rolled, refusing to acknowledge any pain. He came to his feet and ducked behind a dumpster looking for a weapon. He found a pretty large rock off to the side and picked it up. Then he rose from behind the dumpster, keeping his hand shielded by the metal.
One of his attackers tried to come at him using the lid of the dumpster. Just as the vamp flipped the lid over to bring the metal—full-force—down on his head, Chaz sidestepped, twisted and smashed the rock down on his back.
“Double ouch.”
The other two weren’t so stupid, and Chaz remembered the dinosaur movie and how Raptors hunted. Two would draw their prey out into the open while the third— a gunshot exploded in the night. Stacy had followed the fourth vampire who’d circled from behind. God bless the woman and her courage, but that also put her into terrible danger. A wounded vampire wouldn’t stop to talk. Or listen to reason.
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