His humanity called out to me like some siren, high and sweet, promising an experience unlike anything I’d known before. I crossed the room in five quick steps and wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled his face down to mine, feeling the strength of the bands of muscles in his neck. His mouth was slightly open and there was light stubble on his cheeks, chin and over his mouth from not shaving for a few days. I adored the way his full lower lip trembled with excitement when I slid my hand through the open front of his jacket and down his stomach towards his groin.
With a low chuckle, he disengaged my arms from around his neck and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “You’d better cool off just a bit, my love. What did Michael have to say?”
I groaned and shook my head. “Do we have to talk about this right now?”
“Yes.” His face was entirely serious, but I was sure his pulse was still racing from our very intimate embrace. “I don’t want you flinging yourself at me to try to erase the conversation you just had.”
“Oh.” He was right, of course. That was exactly what I’d been trying to do.
“Sit. Drink your wine. Tell me.”
Ignoring his order to sit, I picked up my wine glass and took a deep swallow. The blackberry wine slid smoothly over my tongue and down my throat, warming me from the inside out. It was a far cry from the quick inebriation I could achieve with a Hurricane from Joe’s, but it gave me the courage to speak my mind without falling down in the process.
“Alex is with Isaiah. It’s worrying Michael because he knows how powerful Alex has become. And Michael is coming back.”
He nodded. “I thought he might.”
“Katie is safe, but Michael wouldn’t tell me if she actually killed that woman we found.”
“How do you feel about her coming back here if she’s one of the vampires responsible for that?”
The doorbell rang. Sadie sprang up from her spot by the fire and went to the front door, her nails clicking against the hardwood. I followed her and drew back the sheer curtain panel to see who was on the porch.
It was Karen Morrell, Chief Deputy of the Brown County Sherriff’s department. Karen had been at her post for almost twelve years and had been raised right in Nashville. Although she was pushing forty-five years old, she was in excellent physical shape and definitely knew how to use the standard issue pistol that the rest of the department staff utilized. At the moment, she was accompanied by an unremarkable young deputy that I didn’t recognize.
As I pulled open the door, my heart began to race. I had a pretty good idea they weren’t here to collect donations.
“Hi, Sarah. Mind if we come in for a few minutes?”
I nodded quickly and moved aside to let them in. Denying them access to the house probably would have raised a huge red flag. That was the last thing I needed. They both came inside, looking grateful to be out of the cold wind and surveyed the front hall with caution.
Crossing my arms, I addressed Karen. “What can I do for you?”
We had only talked a few times in the past. One of those conversations had taken place after I’d hit Trevor Kincaid in the face. That’s what he got for cheating on his girlfriend. He was a complete jerk. At the time, Karen had understood about the drama. She took down my statement but hadn’t followed through with an official report. I had the feeling that she might have been giving me a break because she liked my spunk.
She gave me a quick smile. “Just a couple of quick questions.”
I shifted uncomfortably and saw Jackson out of the corner of my eye watching the three of us from the parlor doorway. “Okay.”
Karen pulled out a small notepad from her thick brown jacket and nodded towards Jackson. “How’s it going? I’m Deputy Morrell from the Brown County Sheriff’s office.”
“Jackson Bennett,” he replied stiffly.
“Sarah, Trevor’s father came into my office a couple days ago.” Her eyebrows rose as she spoke, “Sounds like Trevor got into an altercation with a friend of yours.”
I nodded. “Outside of the bar. My friend Alex showed up shortly after Trevor assaulted me.”
“Trevor attacked you?”
Sighing, I tried to think of a believable scenario that Karen wouldn’t freak out about. Explaining that Alex had super human powers and had broken Trevor’s arm without breaking a sweat was likely to bring up a lot more questions that I couldn’t answer without divulging the fact that I had vampires on my property.
“We had both been drinking. I said some things that really pissed him off. When I went outside, he followed me and we got into an argument.”
The deputy with her, a short heavily-muscled guy with a balding head and eager brown eyes rolled his eyes and laughed. “Wouldn’t be the first time that Trevor pulled that kind of shit outside of a bar.”
“Cool it, Craig.” Karen glared at him pointedly before turning back to me.
“So I take it that your friend defended you?” she asked.
“Yes. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, so I didn’t file a report. And Alex left town a few days after it happened.”
“Any idea where I might find him?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know where he is. We don’t keep in touch anymore.”
“Mr. Kincaid wants me to pursue this, Sarah. Trevor’s arm is going to require a few more surgeries to get it back to normal.” Her serious brown eyes held a spark of suspicion. “It would really help if you could give me more information about this Alex guy.”
“If I hear anything from him, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks. One other thing…”
She pulled a folded white sheet of paper out of the inside pocket of her uniform jacket and unfolded it. It was a picture of an attractive young woman with dark curly hair and bright pink lipstick. Under the image were the words:
CAITLYNN PARKER: MISSING
The woman’s face was familiar. The first and last time I’d seen her was when she had been lying on the floor of my barn with no pulse. I forced myself to remain calm. The slightest sign from me at that point could have started us all down a path we’d rather not travel.
Just when I detected a tremor of fear beginning to shimmy up my spine, Jackson stepped forward casually and took the sheet from Karen. “She looks a little bit like my Aunt Dorothy from California.”
“You two haven’t seen this woman around, have you?”
We both shook our heads at the same moment. Karen eyed us doubtfully and refolded the piece of paper. “Her fiancé said that she disappeared last week. He claims she went hiking a few miles from here. You’re positive you haven’t seen her?”
“No. I’ll give you a call if we do,” I replied neutrally.
“Thanks.”
Jackson and I watched as they got back into their SUV and turned around in the driveway. I clenched my teeth together and wondered what the hell Katie was up to and what she might have to say for herself when she returned. I wasn’t at all sure what I might do if she admitted to killing Caitlynn Parker.
Imagining my little sister as a murderer was like looking at the world through a different set of eyes. Everything would be vastly transformed and too much had changed for me already. I couldn’t lose her too. It would rip a huge whole in my world and leave me defenseless. Saving her and protecting her had been my one priority since discovering the vampires. If she had truly turned and become something wild, bloodthirsty and unstoppable, would it ultimately be my fault? What would I have left? What was left to fight for?
Then I felt the warmth of familiar fingers on my arm and turned to look into the eyes of the man who might one day become the sum of all my hopes. When he brushed a reassuring finger over my cheek, I realized that there were a few things left for me. There was Jackson. And there was my inheritance. Not the ridiculously complicated role I’d taken on as the Warden, but my home. My land.
Come hell or high water, I would keep what was mine.
CHAPTER 15 – Michael
“Absol
utely not.”
I had expected such a reaction from Victoria. I had planned for it.
We were flying into Indianapolis International Airport via a private charter jet with another hour left in flight. Jones and Katie were sitting across from us in matching butter-colored leather seats, watching our faces avidly as we argued.
“It’s time, Vic. I can’t keep putting Sarah in danger.”
“But Isaiah wants you dead, Michael. And it’s highly possible that he will not only torture you beforehand, but also take your blood.” Never before had I seen Victoria so close to tears.
I patted her hand absently. “I have every avenue covered.”
“Have you considered for a moment what Sarah will think of this surrender?” Katie asked boldly. She leaned forward and fixed her dark eyes on me. “She’ll be worried about you constantly. She’s been through enough already, don’t you think?”
Swallowing my doubts, I nodded at her. “That’s why I’m counting on you to help her through it.”
“And there will be the Indian,” Jones said dryly.
Victoria’s eyes flashed furiously at her companion. “Aiden, shut up.”
“Jackson. I still don’t get that whole thing.” Katie settled back in her seat and tapped her glossy pink nails against the lacquered arm rest.
“I think he will end up being your sister’s salvation. He’s a good man.” That was a hard thing for me to admit out loud, but I knew it to be true. “He has the ability to let vampires in and out of the containment zone and he’s trustworthy.”
Looking over at Katie, I was reminded that there was at least one among us that I didn’t completely trust when it came to having that power. It was unfortunate that Amanda had chosen to take three human lives when she rose from the caves. What had ensured her ultimate destruction was the way she’d enticed Katie into becoming her accomplice. To take an unwilling new vampire and lure them into killing innocents was one of the most disgusting tricks a seasoned vampire could pull. Killing was never necessary for the undead. There were less messy options for us that did not require extensive clean up and involved very little guilt afterwards.
I could only hope that Katie would be able to stick to bagged blood after her little adventure with my ex-lover. Victoria wouldn’t tell me anything about what was in Katie’s head. She was still furious at me for not telling her that I knew Amanda’s whereabouts. I suppose I should have counted myself lucky that Jones himself hadn’t just completely given up and left after Katie explained who she’d been traveling with. He had yet to confront me personally about the Amanda issue, but I felt sure it was coming.
“And Amanda?” Victoria asked lowly, leaning towards me. I chuckled inwardly at her uncanny sense of timing.
“Amanda will go her own way until she gets in trouble with the Council. She’s not our concern right now.”
The captain rolled his eyes at Katie. “You’re a lucky one, Kate. She could have done much worse to you than she did.”
She turned away from him. “Luck had nothing to do with it. Michael interrupted her before she could do much more than scratch me.”
“In any case,” Victoria stated tightly, “there is no guarantee that Sarah will truly be safe. Can we really trust Isaiah to keep his word on this?”
“Isaiah is inherently selfish.” I replied, “The Council wants the warden line to continue. They need it in order to have some measure of control over rogues. But what Isaiah really wants is my blood.”
“So he can have his paid scientists create a synthetic match. If that happens, Michael, it would change everything.” Victoria’s mouth was curved in a grim frown and her words were thick with emotion, “His power could go completely unchecked.”
My internal shields flew up in the face of her protest. If she were to discover the contingency plans in my head, it would put her and Jones in far too great a danger. There were factors that needed to remain undiscovered by my friends in order for me to go through with the strategy that would save Sarah and possibly protect any children she might have.
“As I’ve said, I have considered this a great deal. I have everything in place. The only questionable factor is Alex.”
Katie grumbled under breath and stared out into the darkness, choosing to say nothing intelligible.
Victoria shook her head. “I’ve seen his thoughts, Michael. There’s no way he would side with Isaiah.”
“I hope you’re right. Because if he does, it will all be for nothing.”
The four of us became immersed in our own thoughts. Victoria worried about me. Jones wondered about Alex. Katie was in a world all her own. As for me, my mind was fixated on Sarah and hoping fervently that every possible obstacle was taken care of. If not, there was a good possibility we might all end up dead.
CHAPTER 16 – Jackson
On the fifth night I slept in the blue guestroom at the Inn, I had another dream about my grandfather. He was sitting on the front step of the sunflower-yellow house he shared with my grandmother for forty years. He had a pipe in his mouth. The smoke rolling away from him formed symbols in the warm air around us. I didn’t recognize any of them.
I tried to move forward to sit next to him, but my feet wouldn’t move. Every time I lifted one foot off the ground, some strange force pulled it back. After struggling silently for a few seconds, I looked back towards the porch.
“You are well, my grandson?”
“Yes.” I answered slowly, feeling like my mouth wasn’t cooperating either.
He nodded thoughtfully and puffed on the pipe. Again, I saw the symbols slide away from him like errant thoughts on the wind. “You will go to a dark place. Do not fear the beasts within. The spirits have sealed it, just as they have done with other such places.”
Then his warm eyes settled on me firmly. “You have met a special woman.”
I nodded. “Sarah.”
“Do not fear the beasts within.” He repeated in a whisper.
Within the first days of being at the Inn, I’d made a habit of getting things started for breakfast before Sarah or Nelly came down. I’d been an early riser for as long as I could remember. Working on the ranch had ingrained it into me, I guess. My eyes usually popped open a few hours before sunrise without the need of an alarm clock.
But I had another reason for pitching in before anyone else was up. The happy surprise on Sarah’s sleepy face was a gift to me every time I did it. She was irresistible in that state, with her cloud of gleaming hair tousled from sleep, her eyes still dreamy and a soft blue terry robe belted around her curvaceous figure. The first day she’d come down like that, she’d apologized and told me that if there were paying guests staying there, she would have been showered and dressed appropriately. Instead of replying verbally, I’d only smiled at her.
We were expecting the vampires to return that evening. I suspected that Sarah had stayed awake long after her usual bedtime the night before. I’d heard her pacing. Getting up once, I went to her door. But I was afraid what it might lead to. She was as passionate in the midst of anxiety as she was in love. The last thing I wanted was for her to use me to try to extinguish some flame she still had burning for Michael. I had turned away from her door without knocking.
I wasn’t going to let it happen like that. If she came to me, it had to be about us. Not him.
The phone rang. I looked at it hesitantly and glanced towards the entryway where Sarah would be coming through in a few minutes. If she was still asleep, I didn’t want the extension in her room to wake her. It was still only seven a.m. I picked up the phone.
“Woodhaven Inn.”
“Who is speaking?” It was an unfamiliar older female with a crisp tone.
“This is Jackson Bennett. Can I help you with something? The Inn is closed for renovations right now, but we’ll be opening up reservations again in January.” It sounded natural coming out of my mouth, though I’d hadn’t yet had any experience in handling any of the Inn’s guests.
“No. I’m
actually trying to reach Sarah, Mr. Bennett. Is she available?” Her voice had softened.
“May I ask who is calling?”
“Just let her know it’s Teddy.”
The name clicked immediately in my head. “Teddy? Sarah has told me about you. Can I give her a message? She’s not up yet.”
She hesitated briefly before speaking again. “I would like you to be included in the conversation, Mr. Bennett. What I need to speak to Sarah about involves you as well. Would it be possible for the two of you to meet me?”
“I can check with Sarah when she gets up.”
“That’s fine. Just have her call me.”
“May I ask a question?” I wasn’t sure if she would think I was rude for butting in on Council business, but it seemed that she may be receptive. She had obviously heard of me. According to what Michael had told Sarah, Teddy had been introduced to me. Unfortunately, I was under the influence of Isaiah at the time and those memories were still very hazy.
“Yes. What is it?”
I took a short breath. “Is the Council aware that Sarah’s sister is now a vampire?”
She hesitated only a little before answering. “We learned of it only yesterday. But yes, we were informed.”
“By who?”
She cleared her throat quietly. “There are a great many things of which you are not aware, Mr. Bennett. I may be able to answer some of your questions at a later time. But not now. Please tell Sarah to call me. It’s urgent that we meet.”
“Okay. I’ll let her know.”
She hung up. I moved slowly to replace the receiver on its cradle and retrieved my coffee cup. It was reasonable for her to keep some secrets, I supposed. I wasn’t at all sure how old Teddy was and that definitely wasn’t a question I was about to bring up in front of her. But it seemed to me that she might prove herself to be a very wise and powerful friend to have on our side.
The Vampire's Redemption, A Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #3) Page 7