Whisper to Me (Borne Vampires Book 1)

by Petzler, W. M.

  “God, I hope he is because I’ve met Jarrod and he is one helluva powerful vampire! We need all the allies we can get. Tell your uncle I’ll pick you up after the book signing. I love you, sweetie, but I’ve got to sleep. Love you!”

  “Love you, too, Mom.”

  Mariah tossed the cell phone on the night table and crawled under the comforter, closing her eyes.

  ✝✝✝

  The soft knock on the door jerked her wide awake. “No way! I just fell asleep.” Clock read four o’clock. Another knock. “I’m awake.”

  Rona poked her head in the room. “You want me to fix you a sandwich?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll purchase something later.”

  Bleary-eyed, she stumbled to the bathroom, striping her clothes off. She turned the shower on and stepped into the hot water, sighing as it cascaded down her cool skin. Revived, she washed her hair and body. Once she had rinsed, she turned off the water and dried. Checking out the medallion, the runes were only a faint outline left. One more blood exchange should see them gone, and she would be a full vampire.

  Grateful her friends had brought in her duffle bag for her, she pulled out the leather pants, black silk shirt, black bra and underwear, and dressed. She blow dried her hair and pulled the sides back, fastening silver clips here and there. Applying make-up, hiding the shadows under her eyes, she realized her eyes had stayed the same color — amethyst like her father’s.

  Her father.

  Back in her bedroom, she sat on the bed and pulled on her boots, slipping a dagger in the left one. Shrugging on the black leather coat, she took her gun and tucked it in her waistband, at her back. Sometime soon, she needed to buy a holster for it.

  “God, did I really just think that? Am I to lead a life on the run, hiding and killing, to protect myself and my kid?” She sat down on the bed, hands braced on her knees. “Rathe was right. We can’t live like this. We have to stop Jarrod. It’s the only way to get our life back!”

  Needing to her daughter’s voice, she called Kai. “Sweetie, you okay?”

  “Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. Why? Has something happened?”

  “No.” Rubbing her forehead, she told her, “I-I’m coming to get you.”

  “Aww, Mom, you know I really don’t like crowds. It’s just hard on me.”

  “I understand, baby. I really do. I’m gonna have a tough time, too, keeping their thoughts out of my head. Okay, afterward the signing, I’ll get you.”

  “I have everything packed and ready. Hugs!”

  “Hugs back.”

  Hanging up, Mariah went downstairs. Rona and David were slipping on their jackets, but stopped when they saw her. “Ready?” she asked, amused as her friends stared at her, their mouths open.

  Rona nodded. “You want David to drive?”

  “No, I’m fine to drive.” Salish and Bear jumped around her. “Stay and guard. I will return soon.” Leaving them in the house, she locked the door when Rona and David were outside.

  Turning around, she nearly screamed when she looked into the sun. Shielding her eyes, she hurried past Rona, clicking the car alarm off and unlocked the SUV’s doors.

  Inside the safety of the car, she managed to put on her black sunglasses. Flinching when Rona opened the passenger door, she leaned away from the sunlight pouring in.

  “Mariah, you okay?”

  “Yeah, but I need to tell you something … to explain the changes I’m going through.”

  “Changes?” Rona got in, shutting the door, cutting off the sunlight. David climbed in the backseat.

  “Rona, do you remember the night my parents died?”

  “Yeah, I remember the woman who brought you to us. She was dressed like a gypsy, had weird green eyes.”

  “Well, her name was Relle Besnik and she was a Gypsy witch. She gave me this medallion that has runes on it, a protection spell to hide from my uncle and … and to keep me human.”

  “Human?”

  “My real father was Aidan Draco. He was a Borne vampire. He fell in love with my mother, Maria, a human. He was killed before I was born. She was murdered after she gave birth to me.”

  David leaned forward. “Are you saying you’re a vampire?”

  “Actually, I am a dhampir. A half-breed. But I’m changing, because I exchanged blood with a Borne vampire, and the spell has weakened. Once the last of the runes are destroyed, I will become vampire fully.” She glanced at Rona, worried at her reaction.

  “I knew you were special, but a vampire?” Rona straightened in her seat. “Oh crap! What great-grandma Beti said about our clan serving a vampire has to be true, too, then!”

  “Excuse me, but did you just say your great-grandmother told you your family served a vampire?”

  She rubbed her temple. “Let’s see, it was World War II. They were living in Germany. Grandma Beti said the Master protected them from the Nazis, wouldn’t let them be put to death. After the war, she and great-grandpa, Nickolas, moved to the United States, wanting a fresh start.”

  “Wow! Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

  Rona turned red. “She died a couple of months before you and your parents moved to Coeur d’Alene. It didn’t mean anything … until now.”

  “What else did she say?”

  “She-she was always saying the Master watched over us-kinda thing. We had a blood bond with him. My grandfather didn’t believe in the Old ways. Heck, he broke tradition when he married a gadji, a non-gypsy woman. So it went with my dad, when he married Mom.” Rona shrugged. “Sheesh, I thought Grandma Beti was talking about a nobleman, not a freakin vampire!”

  He had kept his word to her mother, and he used his people to help watch over her.

  “Oh, God!” She felt faint.

  “What?”

  “Sergio!”

  “What about the prick?”

  “The night he hit me, I’d blacked out. I always wondered why he didn’t kill me when he had the chance.”

  “You think the vampire killed Sergio and made it look like an accident?”

  “It makes sense. Sergio never made empty threats, and I was still alive and so was my baby.”

  “If he did kill the son-of-a-bitch, then he’s a hero in my opinion. I’ll count him a friend.”

  Smiling, she agreed. “Me, too.”

  Entering the city of Coeur d’Alene, she kept on Highway 95, taking it to the Lake City Mall, where the bookstore hosting the book signing was at. Finding a parking spot was a challenge. She needed on close to the entrance, so she could duck in without catching fire again. One finally came available. Making her move, a smaller car tried to duck in and take it. Swearing under her breath, Mariah focused her ‘will' on the driver, whispering in his mind to find another parking spot. A look of fright crossed the young man's face. He quickly drove away. Happy, she parked. Rona and David exchanged a bemused frown.

  “Wow, that was kinda strange,” Rona commented, eyeing her suspiciously.

  “What was?”

  “How that kid nearly left tracks getting away. So, did you have something to do with that? Some kind of vampire mind trick?”

  “Have no idea what you’re talking,” she said, struggling not to grin. Rona shook her head, obviously not believing her.

  “David,” she asked, “are you okay with what I told you and Rona?”

  He surprised her when he grinned. “Hell, yeah. Since I met Rona and you, life has not been boring and,” David took his wife’s hand in his and kissed it, “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “I sure hope you have the same attitude when all hell breaks loose!”

  “Me, too,” Rona squeaked, holding his hand tight.

  Eyeing the sun nervously, she tried to smile at Rona. “Okay, I gotta run for it. Don’t want to freak people out if I burst into flames.”

  David offered, “Mariah, let us get out first and you walk between us? We can provide cover for you.”

  “Oh, that’d be great.”

  When they were beside her
door, she eased out and stayed between them as they hurried to the mall. Inside, she sighed in relief. Rona pointed at a petite woman with short blonde hair, standing outside the bookstore.

  “That’s Ruby. She owns the Book Nook. Wait here. I’ll talk to her.”

  She waited with David while Rona and the bookstore owner chatted. David rolled his eyes as they waited to be introduced. When they were, Ruby shook her hand enthusiastically.

  “I can't believe our good fortune to have such a famous romance writer in my little store!” Ruby led her inside, where roughly thirty women were waiting, books in hand.

  Sitting in the chair provided her, Mariah smiled and took the first book handed to her and began chatting with the excited reader. When Rona slid a tall latte in front of her, her friend hesitated.

  She said to her mentally, “Don’t worry, I can still drink coffee.”

  Rona stiffened. “How did—”

  Winking at her, she drank some. “Thanks, I definitely needed this.”

  Three hours went past, and she had to stretch, to relieve the ache in her neck and lower back. That’s when she noticed them as they curiously looked inside the bookstore. Cursing her luck, she hoped the people in line hid her from their view.

  “What's wrong?” Rona asked. Mariah nodded her chin toward the front of the store. Her eyes widened. “Is that Candy and Sherry?”

  “Yep.” She signed another copy of her book. “Are they still there?”

  “No, they're moving on. I didn't know they moved back to Coeur d'Alene. Damn, that could present a problem.”

  “Jeremy’s girlfriend and daughter are the least of my problems.”

  Jeremy Waters. She hadn’t thought of him once since she’d met Rathe Romulas. How the heck had she pined for her former fiancé when he’d been so obviously a weak and self-centered asshole?

  As her old life walked away, although her world had been torn asunder recently, her body changing into something not human, life in danger from the Damned, she could not regret a single moment. Rathe brought her to life, given her the courage to face her fears — the monster in her nightmares, and showed her real passion and adventure.

  And he was coming for her.

  Ruby sat down beside them. “Are you tired? We could call a break, if you’d like?”

  “Are you running low on my books?” Ruby nodded happily. “Tell you what, when the last of my books sells, we'll quit for the night. Sound fair?”

  “Sounds like an excellent plan.”

  Ruddy kept her part of the bargain when an hour later the last book sold. She held her hands out and thanked everyone for coming. Mariah hugged Ruby, thanking her for inviting her to her lovely store, and the people gathered for a wonderful time. While Rona spoke with Ruby, she left, shaking hands on her way out.

  Forty minutes past eight.

  Where was Rathe?

  David had disappeared an hour ago, wanting to take the SUV for a test drive. Cruising, she suspected. Hopefully, he’d return soon so she could leave and get Kai. Roasting coffee beans wafted toward her, making her mouth water at the delicious aroma. Amazed she craved coffee and not food; she didn’t question the oddity and went to the coffee stand. Waiting in line, she noticed Sherry and Candy, who were whispering and pointing in her direction.

  She whispered, “Please, please, please, stay away. Leave me alone.”

  No such luck.

  “Mariah, is it really you?” she heard Sherry, her ex-fiancé’s daughter, ask from behind her.

  Dammit, I should have influenced them to not see me!

  She pasted a forced smile as she turned around. “Sherry, it's been a long time. How have you and your husband been?” Why did she ask that?

  “Surviving. Do you remember Candy?” Really? Sherry asked her that? How could she forget her? Candy was only screwing Jeremy when he’d proposed to her!

  “Candy, you look well,” she was able to say, noting with satisfaction the woman had gained a lot of weight since she last saw her.

  “I see you’re still selling those smut books. I’ll never understand why women read such trash. But hey, at least you’re cashing in on the money train.”

  The coffee vender coughed softly, gaining her attention. “I'll have a double shot, twenty ounce latte, Irish cream and Hazelnut. What would you, ladies, like?” She pulled a fifty dollar bill out of her inner coat pocket, feeling the metal of the gun against her back, warmed by her skin.

  Sherry's eyes went wide. “Actually, we could eat. If you're buying, of course.”

  Mariah gave the money to the vender and received her change, handing it to Sherry. “Dinner is on me.” She waved at Rona, who looked like she was about to spit nails. Fortunately, David had returned and had put his arm around Rona’s shoulders, calming her down.

  Just when she thought the evening couldn’t get weirder, she saw Jeremy and his son-in-law make their way toward Sherry and Candy. Jeremy saw her. Unable to escape the little reunion taking place, she took her coffee and pulled out a chair at the nearest empty table and sat in it.

  “Mariah? It's been forever since…. Are you staying busy?” Sitting across from her, he appeared nervous, glancing often at Candy, who sat next to him. The dirty looks the woman shot him was getting pretty ugly.

  “Yes. Very busy.”

  Sherry told her father, “Mariah was signing books at the Book Nook.”

  David and Rona came to her rescue, sort of. Her friend was giving Jeremy her version of a death glare. Mariah wanted to laugh, but the tingling down her spine had her straightening in her chair. Searching for the cause, she saw nothing out of the ordinary around her.

  Candy's obnoxious voice brought her back to the conversation. “Mariah? Hello? We’re planning to go to out for drinks. Want to tag along?” Candy smiled tightly, daring her to say yes.

  To her astonishment, Rona answered, “We'd love to. Right, Mariah?”

  Aghast Rona would accept such an invitation, she made to decline when Rathe spoke to her, “Go with them. I want to meet this stupid male who chose another woman over you.”

  “I need to pick up my daughter.”

  “I’m here, in Coeur d’ Alene. I’ll get her and bring her to your house. She will be safe with my family, while you and I converse with these people.”

  “Now why would I allow you near Jeremy? You’re not exactly pleasant around people you dislike.”

  “Accept their invitation,” Rathe's command was like velvet over steel.

  She trembled when pleasure rippled through her, desire pooling in her lower regions. Soft, deep laughter echoed in her mind as his touch sent waves of swirling heat all the way through her body. A warm flush heated her cheeks when Rathe shared images of what he planned to do to her when they were alone.

  “Mariah,” Rona looked worried, “are you fine about going out? You’ve had a long trip. We could go some other time.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she said with a grin.

  Candy's smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Great. By the way, have you heard the news? Jeremy and I were married a year ago. Have you met anyone special?”

  “My work schedule keeps me pretty busy.”

  “That's sad,” Sherry said, holding her husband’s hand. “You really should start dating again.”

  Jeremy leaned forward. “You should be with someone. You deserve to find a man worthy of you.”

  “It's getting late,” Candy said as she stood. “We should get to The Inferno before it gets too crowded.”

  “The Inferno?” Rona exclaimed. “We're going to a nightclub called The Inferno?”

  She chuckled at her friend's anxiety, having a pretty good idea it was Rathe who had influenced her to accept the invitation to the club. “Don't worry. You have me to protect you.” She smiled at David. “Why don’t you drive?”

  “Once we have the house paid off, I'm buying one of these babies,” he said as they walked toward the exit.

  Jeremy frowned, “Buy what?”
/>
  David grinned and pointed at the black SUV. “That baby.”

  “Mariah, you own that?”

  “Trying it out. I gotta admit, I like it, too.” She grinned at Jeremy before climbing in the backseat. Closing the door, she sent a text to her daughter, letting her know Rathe was coming to collect her.

  When David backed the SUV out of the parking space and followed the older car Jeremy and his family was in, Rona said nervously, “Well, this should be interesting.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Driving downtown, they went past the trendy shops and turned down a side street. What used to be an old warehouse was now a nightclub. David parked alongside Jeremy's smaller car. Loud music poured out the old building. They sat, watching through the windshield as people formed a long line down the street to enter what looked like the gates of Hell.

  “Rona, you’ve never heard of The Inferno before?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go inside the club now.

  “Nope. We were here a month ago, helping Mom and Dad move to Florida, and that,” she waved a hand up and down at the club, “wasn’t here.”

  “I’ll ask Joe later if he knows anything it.”

  “Sure, like my brother and his uptight wife know anything about nightclubs.”

  “Okay, the plan is we’ll stay for an hour, have a few drinks, make up an excuse, and leave.”

  “Sounds like a plan to us.”

  David nodded his agreement.

  Standing beside the car, the ground actually shook from the bass of the song being played. Jeremy stopped beside her, his hand brushed hers. Mariah arched her eyebrow at him, warning him to stand back. Before he could move, Candy shoved her way between them, dragging Jeremy with her. Sherry and Randy followed them, looking nervous.

  Already the line to get inside the club was down the block and around the corner. Not wanting to stand out in the cold, Mariah caught the gaze of the enormous bouncer and locked onto his mind. “Allow us in.” As if in a trance, he motioned them to him.

  Mariah cut through the protesting crowd, Rona and David staying close to her. Jeremy and his family were behind them. Handing the bouncer a hundred dollar bill, she took a deep breath and entered The Inferno.