by Judith Post
Enoch nodded, his thoughts exactly. "Wait till you see the basement."
Voronika and Claudia had no desire to accompany them, so Bart and Enoch inspected it on their own.
When Bart stepped into the high, dry room with cement walls and floors, he slapped Enoch on the back. "Perfect." The small windows near the ceiling had been replaced with glass blocks that let in some light, but it was filtered. No one could see in, and no one could see out. For added measure, Enoch had hung heavy curtains to darken the room more. The front of the basement was a large, open space that had been finished with indoor/outdoor carpeting and paneling. A second kitchen lined one wall with the old refrigerator and a microwave, a chest freezer, and wine racks. Everything was stocked. The back of the basement was a work space with a furnace and hot water heater. Enoch had hung especially heavy drapes at the small block windows there, so the vampires could make it dark and dreary for sleeping.
"You've thought of everything," Bart said. No one could break through the thick, glass blocks, and the door at the top of the steps was protected by a metal grid. "The only way anyone could hurt us is by setting the place on fire."
Enoch pointed to smoke detectors and a sprinkler system. "I thought of that too. They're installed in each room. The turn-off valve's inside."
Bart grinned. "My friend, you'd have made a great general."
"Thanks, but no thanks." They made their way back to the upstairs kitchen where the women waited for them. "I have a surprise." Enoch opened the refrigerator and took out plates lined with steak tartare. He set bottles of smooth, red wine on the kitchen island. "To victory," he said, raising his glass in a toast.
Bart nodded. "To battle. I've sent for every vampire on your lists. They should be here soon." The four of them snacked while they settled in their new surroundings.
A loud thud brought them to a halt. It came from the front yard. They ran to the living room and looked out its windows. A female vampire in a long, flowing skirt lay on the lawn.
"It's Eva!" Claudia rushed to the door.
Enoch threw out an arm to stop her.
Claudia whirled on him, eyes bloodred, fangs out. "She's a friend. Let me pass."
"If a hunter's out there, he can't hurt me. He can stake you. Stay put." Enoch hurried out the door toward the vampire, lying in a heap on the grass. She hadn't turned to dust. The hunter must have only wounded her. Maybe an arm or a shoulder. He looked for an injury, but saw none. When he knelt beside her, Eva gave a low groan and shook her head. She opened her eyes, half-dazed, and looked up at him.
“Mmmm, am I in heaven?”
"I'm an angel, but I'm stuck down here to fight alongside you." Enoch frowned. "Are you all right?"
She pulled back, more alert. "Who are you?"
"Enoch Smith, Bart and Claudia's friend." They'd met once, but Eva had been busy in the middle of a battlefield. He looked around the yard, scanned the tree line, but didn't see anyone. He looked for a weapon, but no stake had passed through her and no bullet was visible on the ground.
She propped herself up on her elbows. "You're our host."
"You could say that."
She shook her head and tried to stand. When she wobbled, Enoch put a hand under her arm to steady her. "Are you okay?"
She dusted off her flowered skirt and bright, long-sleeved tee—not typical vampire attire. "I'm fine. It happens all the time. "
"It does? Were you shot? Hit?" He didn't see a wound of any type. Vampires heal, but not this fast.
She nodded toward the huge oak in the front yard. "I saw a deer and turned to look at it, and the next thing I knew, I hit the tree."
Enoch stared. "You ran into it?"
"I get distracted sometimes."
Oh, boy. Enoch couldn't picture Eva as one of Bart's top generals. She was plain and small with wild, wavy, black hair, dark eyes, and a distinctive nose. She had a swarthy complexion like Bart's. "Were you a Roman?" he asked, as he led her into the house.
She tripped on the top step and swore. "A gypsy fortune teller. A customer bit me while I stared into my crystal ball."
"And he converted you?" Enoch held the door for her and hoped she wouldn't trip on the threshold.
She looked inside and smiled when she saw the others. She rushed toward them, but answered Enoch on her way. "He thought I'd come in handy. I'd be able to see his future and keep him safe."
"And did you?"
She took the glass of wine that Bart offered. "I saw his future. I even warned him not to fly in the girl's bedroom window, but you know men. They see a naked virgin, and their brains don't work." She took a sip of the cabernet.
"What happened?"
"It was a trap. Her father staked him." She went to Claudia's side, finished with their conversation. She leaned into Claudia's hug, tipping her glass so that she dripped wine on the top she wore. "It's been too long."
Enoch looked at Bart and shook his head.
Bart grinned. "Don't let her clumsiness fool you. She's lethal."
A few hours later, more vampires started to arrive. A male with thick, wooly, black hair and vivid blue eyes clutched a Torah to his chest. His beard reached the middle of his chest. When Enoch gave him an odd look, he said, “I’m Elijah. I was a scholar when I was bitten. I played with the idea of becoming a rabbi. Didn't see any reason to abandon my interests just because I'm undead." He looked at the steak on the others' plates. "Do you have any hummus?"
A vegetarian vampire. Who knew?
"We can make some," Voronika said, leading him into the kitchen. Enoch tried to recall what he'd bought at the grocery and was relieved when he remembered that chickpeas and tahini were in the cupboards and a new food processor gleamed on the counter. But Voronika? With a food processor? Then he realized that she must feel like the odd man out at this gathering. Everyone else knew each other.
Next, Nula arrived. The female vampire had flaming red hair and bright, green eyes. As usual, she wore an outfit that reminded Enoch of Xena the warrior princess, and she looked just as good in it. She carried a wooden, shepherd's crook that was pointed at the end. Enoch had seen her use it—deadly. Standing in the doorway, she looked Enoch up and down. "You still look good enough to eat. Are you going to invite me in, or would you rather come to me?"
He grinned. "You're always welcome, and you know it."
Bart ushered her into the house. "Glad you could make it."
He looked at Enoch. "She's told you that she was a witch before she was bitten, hasn't she?"
"A Druid," she corrected him. "And Enoch didn't care." She looked past them through the arch to the kitchen. "Eva and Claudia are here!" She forgot Enoch and Bart and ran to them, already talking at full speed.
Enoch's gaze went to Voronika. She wasn't part of the bevy of girlfriends. Running from Vlad century after century had cost her any connection with others.
The last vampire to arrive flew in a little before dawn. Well over six feet tall with sculpted muscles, he had thick brown hair and the kind of face that was plastered on GQ magazines.
"Enoch, this is Amado," Bart said.
Enoch frowned. He'd worked with him before in Brazil, but he hadn't been a general then. He held out a hand to welcome him, but Amado was too busy dusting off his skintight, black trousers and loose, black shirt—a modern day Zorro. When Amado looked up and saw Voronika, his dark eyes sparkled with interest.
"Careful, she's taken," Bart warned. "She's with our host. Amado, Enoch—he's gone to great lengths to help us."
Amado turned to Enoch, and Enoch got the distinct impression he was sizing him up. The vampire gave a careless shrug. "I appreciate your hospitality too much to infringe on it. Besides, I don't chase women. They pursue me. But she's yours?""No, Voronika's her own woman." Enoch was surprised by the sound of his voice, more of a growl than a response.
Amado gave a knowing smile. "Aren't they all?" He strode across the room to introduce himself.
Bart glanced at Enoch. "Careful, friend.
Your face looks like a thunder cloud."
"I don't like him."
Bart shook his head. "He fancies himself a lady's man. He set his sites on Claudia once."
"What happened?" Enoch watched Voronika's cheeks flush at Amado's attention. He led her to join Nula and Eva, making sure she was included in the conversation.
"You know Claudia. She lost patience and threatened bodily harm if he didn't leave her alone."
"Voronika's bored," Enoch said. "It worries me."
Bart frowned and glanced at her, as she listened to one of Nula's stories. "She hasn't found anything that interests her?"
"No."
"I'd worry too." Bart shook his head. Then he called out, "My friends, we all have our work cut out for us, but it's almost daylight. Time to nest. We'll talk more tomorrow night."
Enoch led his guests upstairs. When Voronika turned to leave with him, Amado whispered, "Rest well, fair lady."
Enoch scowled. Every vampire could hear a whisper. So could he, but Amado might not be aware of that.
Eva sighed. She went to join Nula. She wrapped an arm around the red-haired warrior's waist. "Where are you sleeping?"
"In the spare room. There are two beds." Nula nodded toward Amado. "He interests you?"
Eva gnawed on her bottom lip. "Just once, it would be nice to have a man look at me that way."
"You've had better lovers."
"Maybe, but only because we worked together and were stranded in some odd location, cut off from everyone else."
"You don't give yourself enough credit." Nula tugged on Eva's sleeve. "Come on. Let's sleep."
Enoch looped his arm through Voronika's. "Can I tuck you in?"
She raised an eyebrow. "That's all you can do. Vampires' hearing is too acute. If I even sigh with pleasure, they'd all hear."
He grinned and led her to their room. He lay with her until she fell asleep, then he made his way back downstairs. He slipped outside into the night and walked the perimeter of his property, thinking about the best strategy for the battles he knew were near.
Chapter 13
A blue jay was calling outside her window. The damned bird wouldn't shut up. Voronika rolled over and put a pillow over her head. She could still hear it. There was no sound of traffic. No voices. She turned over to stare at the ceiling. The quiet of the countryside was deafening. So was the bird. Grumbling, she pushed herself to her feet. City life was better. The constant sound of tires on cement created a white noise that lulled to her sleep. This damned solitude sucked.
Voronika glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Late afternoon. But the room was gloomy, shrouded in gray. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Maybe that was what the bird was fussing about. It was about to get wet. Why in the hell didn't it go in the woods and hide in a tree? Either that, or get hit by lightening and finally shut up.
She slightly opened the shutters on the window and looked outside. Her bedroom faced the top of the portico, the side yard and garage. It was a wonderful, gray day—no sun anywhere. She looked down and saw Enoch busy at work on the garage. He was dressed for country living in jeans and a T-shirt. Mmm, there was something about jeans that made Voronika think of cowboys, rodeos, and hot sex.
When a clap of thunder boomed overhead, Enoch stopped what he was doing and ran for the house. He made it to the extended roof before the rain came. She couldn't see him now, but she pictured him standing there, slightly damp, his T-shirt hugging his firm muscles. A fork of lightening split the sky, and heavy drops bounced off the driveway. Rain flattened the daylilies beside the back patio and gushed from the downspouts. It didn't seem to bother a flock of geese that flew overhead, honking at each other. Voronika glanced at the tree near her room. The blue jay was gone. Smart bird.
Voronika latched the shutters, then rummaged through the chest of drawers for one of Enoch's T-shirts. She pulled it over her head and wrapped a thin blanket around her waist like a sarong. It was dark enough for her to be out and about. And Enoch was waiting downstairs. She tiptoed down the steps, found him in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, and came up behind him to wrap her arms around his neck. "Good morning."
He turned to her, his eyes lit with a smile. "What are you doing awake?"
"It's dark. We're alone." She rubbed her body against his. Damn, the man felt good. He smelled good, too—like fresh air and June showers. "I love having sex while it storms. The thunder's perfect background music."
"For a crescendo?" He slid his hands under her T-shirt, cupped her breasts, and he ran his thumbs over her nipples.
Someone cleared his throat, and they both froze.
"Looks like the day's off to a good start." Amado stepped into the kitchen.
Voronika grimaced. Every inch of her skin was on fire. Her nerves were stretched tight. "Do you mind? I'm busy."
But Enoch pulled away. "Did the thunder wake you?" he asked Amado.
Voronika hissed. Amado wasn't going anywhere, and she felt the coil deep inside her begin to unravel. Damn. The moment was gone. She threw Amado a dark look, but he just shrugged his indifference.
"I heard Silver Swift on the stairs and thought I'd follow her down." Amado raised a dark eyebrow, looking from one of them to the other. "She's a vampire, right? But you're not."
"That's right." Amado was being transparent and juvenile. She went to the coffee pot and poured two cups. She handed a fresh cup to Enoch and kept one for herself, purposely not offering one to Amado. He was too stupid to realize he'd been insulted.
He shook his head, intent on his own thoughts. "Our kind doesn't play well with others. Does he know that?"
"I'm worth the risk." She'd made it clear last night, once she realized he wasn't just being friendly, that she was taken. Amado was trying a new approach, warning off Enoch. Like that would work. She turned to her angel. "What were you doing out there?"
"Placing hoses where they'll be easy to use if I need them, in case someone gets the bright idea of trying to set the house or buildings on fire."
She rubbed a finger over his jawline. That was the difference between the two men. Amado thought with his crotch, and Enoch thought about others. "That's the way you spent your morning?"
"I had a few things I wanted to get done before the rain came."
She smiled. "And the shed?"
"It's safe, made out of cement blocks, and I had a skylight installed if generals need a quick escape."
She leaned into him, impressed. "You always worry about us."
Bart and Claudia came into the kitchen, followed by the three other vampires. Nula's flaming hair was mussed from sleep and she smoothed it down as she went to the refrigerator. She took out a bottle of tomato juice, tipped it back, and downed the whole thing. Eva went to stand close to Amado. He didn't notice.
Everyone settled around the kitchen island.
"What now?" Nula asked. "How do we bring the hunters to us? How do we finish this thing?"
Voronika had been wondering about that herself.
"It's not that simple." Bart looked out the window at the gray day. "We don't know who our enemy is, let alone how to find him."
Headlights flashed across the glass as a car pulled into the driveway.
Voronika glanced at Enoch and frowned. "It's Danny."
"He drives a car?" Elijah asked.
"He's a human." Worry niggled inside her. Danny wouldn't come here unless he had a problem.
Amado hissed. Fangs sprang past his lips. Nula reached for her shepherd's crook, propped by the door.
Bart shook his head. "Relax. He's a friend."
"A familiar?" Eva shoved her unruly hair behind her ears.
"A friend," Claudia repeated. "We've worked together before."
Danny parked under the portico and came to the kitchen door. When Enoch opened it to invite him in, his brows rose in surprise at the small gathering of vampires. "Hmm, how's it going?"
"You're not afraid of us?" Amado's surprise amused Voronika.
"I'm with
him. He can take you." Danny turned toward Enoch. "I need a favor."
"I'm sort of in the middle of something."
"I know. That's why I came."
Danny was one of Voronika's favorite people. She locked eyes with Enoch. "Tell us. We'll help."
"Hang in there. This gets kinda long and convoluted, but I think it'll be good for all of us."
Bart frowned. "Us too?"
"Here's hoping." Danny turned his attention back to Enoch. "You've never met Tony, but you know he's a good guy. And I told you about his daughter, Kandice, right?"
Enoch nodded. "Your supervisor and his daughter, the girl who dropped out of college to become a bartender."
"Well, she was supposed to have supper with Tony a few nights ago, you know, a father-daughter date. For all the grief she's given him, they still get along, and she likes staying in touch. Only she didn't show up."
"Is she all right?" Voronika's stomach knotted. Women were vulnerable. Young women, more vulnerable.
Nula leaned forward, too. “Did anything happen to her?”
"No, and Tony wants to keep it that way. He called his ex, Emma. Seems Kandice met some new guy who came into the club."
"Club?" Voronika frowned.
"A nightclub with music and drinks. Since they've met, Kandice doesn't go home most nights. Emma tried to call her, but she doesn't pick up. She finally went to the nightclub where Kandice was working."
Nula shook her long, red hair. “We can't drain the new boyfriend. It's against our rules.”
"I know." Danny continued his story. "Emma doesn't like the looks of him, and the more Kandice talked about him, the worse he sounded, so Emma called Tony and asked him to look into it." He hesitated. "It's probably not the right thing to do, but we're cops, you know. Tony ran a background check on the guy, and he has a long list of minor offenses, and then all of a sudden, nothing."
Voronika frowned, trying to understand. "That sounds like a good thing."
Danny shook his head. "It's supposed to mean that he turned clean, but his job description's listed as a sales rep for a company that doesn't exist. At least, it's only legit on paper."