by Carly Fall
Although she wore black, she could see the stains on her dress. A rusty brown color lay under her fingernails, and a shiver traveled down her spine. She needed to get clean.
She quickly stripped naked and walked into the kitchen, shoving all her clothing into the garbage. After returning to the bathroom, she turned the knobs and waited for the water to heat. She stepped into the spray and grabbed the bar of soap and washcloth, then began to scrub herself down.
Never in a million years would she have considered Pedro to be capable of running a drug ring. Every time she had met him, he’d seemed so sincere, so honest and humble, but, apparently, he had some mad acting skills. He’d had her fooled, as well as her father, who had always spoken well of him. Was he also in charge of the other states, or did his territory consist of only Seattle?
Shampooing her hair, she massaged the suds in an extra-long time, wanting to be certain that she’d step out of the shower without any traces of the night’s happenings on her. Now that she was alone, she began to tremble as she remembered that poor woman writhing on the floor, completely out of her mind. Yes, Sami had seen video of it, but it had been far scarier to witness it in person. If she had any say in it, no one would ever have to see their friends, loved ones, or even a complete stranger in that state again.
But, how did they get to Pedro? They had no idea where he lived, if he even resided in Washington.
However, she knew who would be able to find out.
After examining her nails to make sure they were clean, she turned off the water, grabbed two towels, and stepped from the shower. She wrapped her hair up, then placed one around her torso and walked into the kitchen and picked up her phone.
She didn’t expect to get ahold of the woman since it was the early morning hours in New Orleans. However, she could leave a message.
“Hot chick in a white hat speaking.”
She had no idea what that meant, but she also recognized Harper’s high-pitched voice, so she knew she had dialed correctly. Whatever happened to ‘hello?’
“Harper, this is Sami.”
“Well, hello there, pretty vampire lady,” Harper said in a heavy Count Dracula accent. “Have you called to suck my blood?”
Sami rolled her eyes as Harper laughed.
“I thought I’d be leaving you a message at this time of night,” Sami said.
“Nope. Just had a 12-Hour Energy Drink and an Espresso. What’s up? How’s my main man, Connor?”
She gritted her teeth. Connor was her ‘main man,’ and until he said otherwise, she’d staked her claim on him.
“He’s fine,” she murmured, hearing the tension in her own voice. How she hated the jealousy that roiled through her, even though Connor was here with her, and not back in New Orleans with Harper. She hoped Connor hadn’t told her about Sami misunderstanding their friendship. That would just be embarrassing.
“Tell him the Master of the Universe says hi.”
Quite an ego.
“I will, but I was wondering if you could look up some information for me.”
“That’s what these beautiful hands and amazing brain serve to do.”
“I need to know where Pedro Chavez lives.”
‘Oh, you mean the Mark Consuelos lookalike? I swear, if he wasn’t a bad guy, I’d go out and drag him back into my lair, and no one would ever see him again. Except, he’s a bad guy, and I hate bad people.”
Well, they had that in common. Sami remained silent as she heard the sound of a keyboard tapping on the other end.
“I wonder if anyone would miss Mark Consuelos?” Harper murmured. “Maybe I should venture out and drag him back into my hidey-hole.”
Was she talking to herself, or to Sami?
Either way, she didn’t bother to answer.
“Well, chocolate-covered shitballs on a stick.”
That didn’t sound good, despite the chocolate reference. “What is it?”
“I can’t find anything about the asshole after Los Angeles. I know he’s in Seattle because you’re telling me he is, but it’s like he just vanished into a puff of smoke, or was kidnapped by an alien laser beam. Although, I would like to think that the aliens, who I am assuming have a higher intelligence than us mere mortals, were responsible, I’m sure they wouldn’t want this guy. Maybe they just annihilated him.”
Sami furrowed her brow as she paced the living room. “Did Connor ever ask you to look into who owns Train and Hot Sauce?”
“What are those? They sound like porn, Ms. Vampy Vamp. Not that I’ve actually watched the vile stuff. Ne-ver. However, I doubt you and Connor are there watching porn flicks, so please give me some more details so I can dismiss the images from my head.”
She laughed at Harper this time, because she was right. The names, especially when put together, did sound like pornographic flicks.
“Sorry. Those are names of a couple of nightclubs in town.”
“Gotcha. As you can tell, I don’t get out much.”
Sami waited in silence a few moments, then heard the front door open. She walked to the middle of the living room, and relief swept through her as Connor came into view.
“This is going to take some time,” Harper murmured. “The original LLC that owns it is called Human, but when I look at their financials, there’s nothing there, which has my bullshit meter going off louder than a pasture full of flatulent cows. I need to dig further as I’m sure it’s a shell company.”
Connor came into the room, the sight of him taking her breath away. His intense gaze locked on her, his stare traveling all over her half-naked body. He pulled off his coat and threw it over the couch as he continued his approach, setting his phone down on the counter before he reached her.
“Okay. Call me back.”
She hit the end button just as Connor wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush to him. She circled her arms around his neck as his lips met hers.
The slow, passionate kiss curled her toes, and she hadn’t realized how stressed she’d been about him taking Violet to the airport. It all seemed to melt away as his tongue found hers. A second later, he pulled the towel from her body, and then gently untwined the one from her hair.
“How did everything go?” she asked as he began pushing her toward her bedroom.
He grinned at her, then licked his lips. “She’s on a plane. She’s got bus money.”
“So, we’re okay?” she asked, still worried that Violet could somehow come back to bite them in the proverbial backside.
“Sami, I’ve got you in my arms. Right now, there’s nothing that can touch us, baby. Let’s just make this about us, about you and me.”
She sighed as he kissed her again. Yes, it was time to put everything aside and just be with him.
“We’ll worry about Pedro later,” he said as he unbuttoned his shirt. “Right now, all I want is you.”
She ran her hands over his bare chest, and he quivered under her touch. She loved the visceral reaction she elicited from him.
“Oh, guess what?” Connor asked, kicking off his boots.
She sat down on the bed and admired his physique, while he slid the jeans down his legs.
He walked over to her and slowly pushed her to the mattress, then settled his weight on top of her. “I saw a buddy of mine from the marines at the airport after I dropped off Violet.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. He was in Alaska, of all places. He’ll be here for about a month, and then he ships off to South Korea.”
She ran her hands up his bare back, and once again was rewarded with a shiver from him.
“God, you feel so good under me,” he whispered against her lips.
“Are you going to see him again?” she asked.
He nodded. “As soon as this shit with Pedro is over.”
“Well, let’s end it right now,” a deep voice said from the door.
Sami’s eyes widened as Connor stilled.
They stared at each other for a moment, his surpr
ise evident in his stare. Slowly, he rolled off of her and got to his feet. Sami tried to cover herself as she met Pedro’s gaze, wrapping an arm around her breasts and placing a hand over her sex.
He stood in the doorway leaning against the jamb, his arms crossed over his chest. He didn’t look away from her, and heat flamed in her cheeks as anger swelled in her chest. How had he gotten into their apartment? How had he known where to find them?
“You know, Sami, I always thought you were pretty, but now to see the full package … damn. I just hope I can contain myself.” He grabbed his crotch and squeezed. “But I doubt I’ll be able to.”
Connor picked up his jeans and stepped in front of her, blocking Pedro’s view. She pulled the comforter up to her chest, fear now overtaking the anger. He’d just threatened to rape her. She’d die before that happened.
Connor quickly slid on his jeans, then moved over to the dresser where she’d tossed her robe. He handed it to her, then moved in front of her again, and she pulled it over her shoulders with trembling hands.
“I was going to wait until you two had finished fucking, then I was going to come in and kill you, but frankly, I got tired of waiting. That coat closet up by the front door is a little claustrophobic. You know, Connor, sometimes, a quick fuck is a lot more fun than all that lovey-dovey stuff. And Sami, just something to remember in case you make it though the night, which I’m thinking you won’t. Never, ever leave the front door open, you stupid little half-breed.”
She double-knotted the robe at her waist and got to her feet. Oh, God. She’d meant to leave it open for Connor, and she’d had no idea Pedro had followed her home. She hadn’t seen him anywhere near the club, but apparently, he’d been there and had trailed her back to the apartment. He must have slipped in while she showered.
Bile rose in her throat. She was responsible for this.
“Yeah, I saw you in the shower, but the glass kind of warped everything, so I didn’t get a real, clear look. You’re a lucky man to be tapping that, Connor, but that shit will end tonight.”
Connor’s fists clenched at his sides, and it seemed as if every muscle in his body had tensed. He remained silent, and she stepped out from behind him, but stayed shoulder to shoulder with him.
Pedro came into the room, his arms crossed at his chest. “So, let’s get down to business. Everything was humming along just fine, but then when you were kind enough to say hello to me at Train, Sami, you set off my trouble detector. Why would I run into a dead cop’s daughter here in Seattle?
“I tried to think it through logically. After all, you did say you were here with a friend, but that didn’t make much sense to me as you were meddling in my blood business back in Los Angeles.”
Surprise railed through her. Pedro had been responsible for the missing humans in Los Angles?
“Now, that part of my business was blown sky-fucking high. I knew it wasn’t you who did it, Sami, because you’re just too stupid. My guess is it was Brawn Boy over here. Have some military training, Connor? Maybe in explosives?”
Connor remained quiet.
“You come into town and think you’re going to take down my other operation?” Pedro continued. “Who in the fuck do you two think you are?”
He stopped about four feet from Connor. “This is my city. I built my organization from scratch.”
“You’re killing people, Pedro,” Sami said, surprised by how strong her voice sounded. “It goes against everything the Vampire Nation stands for. We aren’t supposed to hurt humans.”
Pedro stared at her a moment and then began to chuckle, which eventually turned into a full-blown laugh. The maniacal sound came from deep in his soul, and it sent a shiver down her spine. His eyes glinted as he looked at her, and she realized they didn’t deal with someone who had his sanity in place.
When he calmed down, his intense stare terrified her and she wanted to bolt from the room. However, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him think he had scared her.
“I’ve killed a lot of people, Sami,” he snarled, then flashed his fangs. “A few more don’t mean shit to me. For instance, I guess you could say I was the one responsible for your dad’s death.”
She gasped as if he’d hit her in the stomach, and the pain that railed through her felt as if he had. She brought her hand to her mouth and fought back the tears.
“Yes, I was there that night. I watched from afar so he couldn’t see me, but I saw the way those addicted vampires tore at your father, smearing his blood all over themselves. I heard his cries of pain, and him begging for them to stop. I heard it all, Sami. I saw it all. In fact, I was the one who put the whole plan in action.”
The sobs wracked her body, and it seemed as if her legs would give out on her at any moment. However, she could also see that Pedro was enjoying this a lot. He fed off her reaction, loved the pain and anguish he caused her with each word. She wouldn’t fall to her knees before him. It would only give him more satisfaction.
Here she’d thought Connor had taken care of the men who’d killed her father, and he had. He obviously hadn’t known that they were only following Pedro’s orders. It seemed that the man who had worked for her father was the head of the snake.
He stepped closer to Connor, who moved her back behind him. “And just like your father, you’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
As Pedro grinned, he flashed his fangs again.
“I even had a little bit of your daddy’s blood,” he whispered, looking at her over Connor’s shoulder. “I can say, it tasted like shit scraped off the sidewalk, Sami, and it fit the man he was—an inferior being who doesn’t deserve to suck the same air as a vampire. Just like you, little girl.”
Connor pushed him back, and Pedro glared at him.
“I’m going to kill your boyfriend, Sami, and then I’m going to fuck you until you die. You better get ready for a long night.”
She screamed as Pedro launched himself at Connor. Just before their bodies met, Connor shoved her to the side, sending her into the dresser. Her hip connected with the wood, and she yelped as pain radiated down her leg and through her lower back.
When she turned, Pedro had Connor pinned to the bed, his hands gripping his throat. Connor struggled to get away from him and wrapped his fingers around Pedro’s windpipe.
Yes, Connor was strong, but he was no match for a vampire of Pedro’s purity. He’d be dead within minutes.
In a full state of panic, she glanced around the room for something to hit Pedro. Running over to the bed stand, she pulled the lamp cord from the wall and lifted the blue and white porcelain over her head, then smashed it down on Pedro’s shoulders. It broke into dozens of pieces, and she hoped Connor hadn’t caught any of it in his eyes or worse, lodged in some major artery.
Pedro stilled for a moment, the slowly stood and turned to her. She stared at the crazed eyes of a madman, her breath heaving in and out of her lungs. Connor began to cough, but she could see him rolling off the other side of the bed.
As Pedro stepped toward her, she moved away from him, now truly scared. He looked at her as if her were a predator about to pounce on its prey. She put more space between them as Connor finally got to his feet, gasping for air.
Her attacker’s eyes dilated, and he hissed at her while baring his fangs, reminding her of a feral beast. Connor still didn’t seem to have his wits about him, and her heart sank. She was about to die. The sensation traveled throughout every muscle and fiber in her being. A very small part of her found happiness in this thought, simply because she would be reunited with her parents. However, most of her mind screamed to save herself. She’d just found Connor again, and what they had was good—no, for her, it was perfect, and she would fight to keep it.
Connor staggered to the other bed stand and grabbed that lamp. For a brief second, she met his gaze. His eyes mirrored Pedro’s, insanity radiating from them. His throat had reddened where Pedro had squeezed, but his facial features remained a mask
of calm.
Pedro moved closer to her, and she once again backed away. Connor took the lamp by the neck and pulled it back as if he were about to swing a baseball bat. As he moved behind Pedro, his face contorted into rage, his lips peeling back from his teeth. If he’d been a vampire, his fangs would have shown.
He swung just as Pedro lunged at her, the crack of porcelain against flesh twice as loud as when she’d hit him.
“Knife!” Connor yelled as Pedro’s eyes widened and he stumbled to the left against the dresser, but he didn’t fall.
He turned to Connor, who now gripped the lamp with a jagged edge base. He held it out in front of him, using it like a blade.
Where was the knife?
Pedro danced around Connor, his arms outstretched to his sides. He now hissed and growled like a trapped wolf as Connor moved with him, trying to bury the serrated edges of the lamp into his chest.
Sami realized he was just playing with Connor, like a cat with an almost dead mouse. If he had truly wanted to, Pedro could have taken the lamp to the chest, then healed himself by drinking Connor’s blood. Instead, he danced around, teasing his prey.
She panicked as she tried to recall where she’d last seen the blade, then remembered Connor had used it at Train, and she’d given it back to him. It had to be in his jacket.
Turning, she ran into the living room, recalling that Connor had thrown the garment over a chair. With trembling hands, she picked it up and felt for the knife, making sure she didn’t squeeze too hard and cut open her palms.
She found it in the inside pocket and pulled it out. Although she recalled it being heavy before, it now felt as if it belonged in her palm. The hilt seemed to mold to her fingers, and as she looked down, she noticed that her Ko, the small cross on her wrist, shone bright red. If the consequences weren’t so dire, she would have been surprised, and probably stared at it for a beat more. However, she needed to get the knife to Connor so he could end Pedro.
When she returned to the bedroom, the scene was just as she’d left it. She had no idea how to get the knife to Connor. Did she throw it at him? That could end very badly for him. She stood at the doorway, trying to catch his gaze to get some type of direction on what she should do.