“Why would I want the likes of you?”
“It’s my alluring personality. It even lured you,” she taunted him.
“I only used you to...”
She waited.
His gaze shifted to her neck, but her hair sufficiently covered it. He released her wrist. “Get out of here.”
“You can tell Nicolai for me, I won’t ever be his.”
She clutched the doorknob and twisted.
“You’re already his.”
She pulled the door open. No sense in trying to convince a vampire of anything. No matter what she said, they didn’t listen. Her blood boiled with irritation. She attempted to slam the door on her way out. He jerked it free from her. In response, she sped down the hall, frustration dripping from every pore.
* * *
Crystal tucked her loose hair back into her bun as she headed for the stairs. Robert couldn’t believe the overwhelming feelings he had for her. His whole body reacted to hers when they touched, just as if she’d been a vampire. The same strong electric current...only this time there was something more. An incredible longing too. Then her mouth-watering fragrance, the same flowery sweet scent he’d caught a whiff of in his car, begged him to breathe in every bit of her.
A few of her honey blonde curls still dripped over her shoulders. When he’d found her in his vehicle last night, he’d wanted to run his fingers through the silky strands. Her blue eyes had darkened with desire when they’d touched. She wanted him too...as her next meal.
Captain Bill Minkle chuckled. Robert turned to see redheaded Bill watching him, his arms folded across his chest. “Boy, I’d like your job. First the pretty second lieutenant, then the captain. What do you do that draws them to you?”
“Lieutenant Eisley was here on business.”
Bill’s mouth edged up in a smile. “And the other?”
“She had the wrong office.”
Bill laughed out loud. “If that’s the way you want to play the game. I couldn’t make any headway with her at all. She wanted only you.”
“She’s dangerous. Stay away from her.”
Bill raised his brows, his lips still smiling. “Yeah, well she’s the one whose hair was all mussed up. Looks like maybe you were a bit rough on her.”
Robert crossed his office, then looked out the window. Crystal stood next to her car, still fiddling with her hair, trying to get all the loose strands off her collar before she got in trouble for it.
“So, when’s your next date?” Bill’s boots clomped on the floor as he joined him to get a peek at her too.
“Let’s just say she has a killer of a boyfriend. No one touches her who doesn’t get hurt...killed, rather.”
Bill grinned at him. “Then he’d better not learn she was here, because from the looks of it, a hell of a lot of touching was going on.” He glanced over at the bookshelf where several regulations laid on the floor in disarray. “Or something.”
“Later, Bill.” Robert grabbed his hat off his coat rack. Every chance he had, he’d follow Nicolai’s consort, despite her words of warning. If she could lead him to Yorovitch, he’d kill the vampire who murdered his sister. It couldn’t be an act of revenge, he kept telling himself, rather a way to ensure another lovely woman like his sister wouldn’t fall prey to the vampire’s ruthless touch. Humans everywhere would rest easier with the vampire dead. And he felt Crystal, as easily as she entered vampires homes, was his means of finding the targeted vampire.
* * *
Crystal couldn’t shake the feelings Parker’s hands touching her skin stirred in her. When he’d grabbed her in the car, the action happened so quickly, she hadn’t a chance to sense the connection. The tingling sensation he aroused in her this time triggered a treacherous desire deep within. How could she long to feel more of his vibrant touch?
She shook her head, not believing daytime vampires really existed. The other vampire hunters probably had learned of them and the ones who were born that way, sometime during the four years she’d been cut loose from the family. She was no longer privy to such important news. The notion further soured her against her family. How would it have hurt them to have given her the word?
As she drove across post to her office, she thought of Parker’s strength. He was strong like her brothers. He must have been around for a very long time too. As with the other vampires, she didn’t want to kill him, but he pushed her to the edge.
Though her blood boiled when he left her in the road for Nicolai to pick up, he’d called the police to help her. He definitely was a contradiction of terms. Of course the same was true of her. A vampire hunter who hated to kill. She sighed.
After checking in at her office, she drove straight to the Mexican restaurant for lunch. Time to find out how mad Nicolai was with her and what would happen now. Knowing would help her to keep one step ahead of the game. Maybe Lila would slip up and reveal something to Crystal that would aid her against Nicolai.
Crystal parked her car, then entered the building. Lila waited on a long line of customers. The blonde roots of her hair seemed to contrast even more harshly with the black dye that coated the rest of the straight silky strands today.
Crystal shook her head. She could never fathom why the hosts thought they’d be more accepted by the vampires if they dyed their hair black. Lila’s hair was pulled back in a ponytail, just like the vampires. One of these days, she’d be one too. Crystal stepped into her line and after a several minutes made it to the long tile counter.
Lila raised her brows. “I’ve never seen Nicolai so mad before. I mean, his brother had angered him. But last night. Whew! Steam was coming out of Nicolai’s ears.” She fixed a basket of meat filled tacos for Crystal, never asking if it was what she preferred. “It’s on me.” She handed her a glass. “Join you in a minute.”
Crystal took the basket of food this time, then found a booth to sit at.
Lila soon sat opposite her. “Listen, uhm, what do I call you? I’d call you mistress if you were Nicolai’s, but he hasn’t quite joined with you yet.”
“Crystal is fine.”
Lila ran a paper napkin between her fingers. “I’m not sure I can be that informal with you.”
“You call Nicolai by his name.”
“Yes, to outsiders. Otherwise you wouldn’t know whom I was talking about. To me, he’s my master.”
Crystal wrinkled her nose. “No one is your master, Lila.”
“They’re my family. I enjoy being with them. What’s wrong with that? Besides, you have no family. And when you’re Nicolai’s, you’ll be the mistress of the house. Just like being queen. I’d love to be queen.” Lila’s voice oozed with admiration.
Of the dead...the bloodsuckers. The notion disgusted Crystal as the bile rose in her throat. She tried to think of something more pleasant. No longer hungry, she poked at the taco in its red plastic basket with disinterest. “So what happened last night?”
Lila looked at her, then down at the table. “Well, you got away. Nicolai was pretty mad about that. Several of the hosts who failed to stop you from fleeing...well, it was pretty bad. Kostya took me away. Didn’t want me to see it.”
“So you don’t know what happened?”
Her gaze met Crystal’s. “Sure I do. Several of the vampires went on a blood fest. Now they’ll have to find new willing friends.”
“Friends?”
“You know, like me.”
Human hosts. Crystal sipped her soda, trying to squelch the nausea rising in her stomach. “The vampires killed them?”
“They deserved to die. They let you get away.”
“They didn’t deserve to die.” Crystal took a deep breath trying to calm the upset. She couldn’t give in to Nicolai, but she was only making things worse. “So what else happened?”
“I’m only telling you this so you’ll come back and stay with Nicolai. He says you’ll be his once you understand us better.”
“All right. So what else?”
Lila glanced aroun
d the room, then looked back at the table. “Nicolai killed one of the female vampires last night. She spoke against you. He...” Lila gulped.
Crystal reached out and patted her hand. “It’s okay, Lila. You don’t have to tell me.”
“Oh no. I want to. I want you to know how much he cares for you. She said the friends shouldn’t have died, but you should have instead. Nicolai had killed two of her favorite friends, and it angered her. Even so, she shouldn’t have spoken against you. His brother is the only one who can say anything against you and get away with it. Anyone else risks Nicolai’s wrath.”
Crystal hadn’t wanted any of the killings. But she hadn’t a clue how to stop it. She felt impotent, useless. How she wanted to have the ability to stop all the mindless killing, but knew there wasn’t anything she could do.
“Anything else?”
Lila smiled. “No. Oh yeah, he gave me a note to give you. He’s glad you and I’ve become friends. He said if I helped change your mind about us, he’d show me his gratitude.” She pulled the note out of her pocket, and handed it to Crystal.
His gratitude. Crystal hmpfd. He’d feed on Lila too like Kostya did? Her thoughts shifted. No mention of the dead blond and redheaded vampires was made. Why not? Maybe he didn’t realize Crystal had killed them.
“Anything else, Lila?”
“I hoped you and Nicolai could join around the same time Kostya and I do.”
“Kostya is preparing you so he can join with you by blood bonding. Nicolai can’t do this with me. I don’t understand how he thinks he can. It won’t work. Our blood isn’t compatible. If we tried to join, it would kill us both.”
Lila shrugged. “Nicolai knows everything. If he thinks it will work, it will.” Lila looked down at the table.
She seemed nervous. Was Lila worried if she didn’t convince Crystal to join Nicolai, he’d kill Lila?
Crystal reached for her hand, and held it. “Nicolai hasn’t threatened you, has he? I mean if you don’t succeed in convincing me to go to him--”
Lila shuddered. “Oh, no. Nicolai rarely spoke to me before you and I became friends. Now he’s very nice to me.”
“Something else is the matter then.”
“Kostya’s worried your killing vampires is going to cause a revolt. A lot of the vampires are too weak to fight either Dimitri or Nicolai. But if they ganged up on them separately, they might be able to kill them.”
“Then maybe Kostya could be in charge.”
Lila’s blue eyes grew big. “Oh, no. He’s not like the others. Nicolai and Dimitri have always liked him, but a lot of the others are fearful of him because he’s not the same.”
“Because he was born a vampire?”
She nodded.
Crystal leaned back in her seat, not sure what to think of the new development. If the other vampires killed Nicolai, Dimitri and Kostya maybe that would end the problems she was having with the local vampire family. It could be a good thing, possibly. “So you’re worried Kostya might be killed by the other vampires too?”
“Yes.”
Crystal checked her watch. Time to head back to the office. This time, she’d return to the hotel before dark as her boss wasn’t there to delay her. “I’ve got to get back to work, Lila.”
“You’ll see Nicolai tonight, won’t you? He wants to see you so badly.”
“I have to sleep.”
“Oh, I know. It’s hard for me too. I never get enough sleep it seems. But it’s worth it.”
“Not for me. I need my sleep.” Crystal rose from the table and noticed the white convertible parked in the lot. Robert Parker wouldn’t heed her warning. She’d show him she meant business. This time, though, she made no mention of the car to Lila. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tonight, you mean. Nicolai won’t be dissuaded.”
“We’ll see.” Crystal rushed out of the restaurant. Just as quickly, Robert drove out of the parking lot. He’d stalked her for the last time. After work, she’d follow him. Maybe she’d even get lucky and find his home. Then, somehow, she’d search it for clues.
By 6:30, the light would begin to fade from the sky. Crystal left her work at 4:30, and parked down the street from Robert’s office. The tail end of his convertible remained in sight. Hopefully, he’d leave before it got dark, or Nicolai would come for her again. She had every intention of returning to her hotel before he could grab her this time.
At 5:30, Robert headed for his car. Crystal straightened her back. If she could only follow him without him catching her at the game.
His backup lights came on. She turned on her ignition.
She stayed several cars behind him, her stomach clenching with concern that he’d see her. They continued off-post. Heavy traffic kept several cars between them. When he turned right at a light, she did too. His speed remained unchanged. Two to three cars drove between them at any one time.
For twenty minutes, she followed him until he finally pulled into a housing development. Small brick and siding homes lined the roads. Landscaped with graceful oaks and tall shrubs, it was a well-established older neighborhood.
She slowed to nearly a crawl. Only one car separated them now. She had to distance herself further from him. Then his cherry brake lights came on. He turned right into a drive.
A peach brick home with black shutters and a two-car garage stood before her. Three live oaks stretched their massive branches over the green lawn. Red-tipped evergreen shrubs stood ten feet tall, providing a living fence between both his neighbors and him.
Good. They wouldn’t see her sneaking into his place. No way could she wait to check him out either. The longer she delayed, the more trouble she figured he’d be. And yet there seemed to be something else driving her to see him, to find out all she could about him. Maybe the notion he was a daylight vampire that could spell doom for her people nagged at her. She had to find out for sure if that’s what he was.
She parked her car two houses down, got out and ran for the garage. The door remained up. Had he seen her after all?
Drawing close, she found only his car parked inside, but no sign of him. A red tool chest, extra fridge, and packing boxes filled one wall. Had he just moved in?
She slipped into the garage. Against the other wall were two doors. One appeared to be the type for a utility closet. The other door had a curtained glass window and led into the house.
She reached for the latter, but the doorknob twisted in her hand. With her heart thundering in her chest, she dashed for the utility room. She yanked the door open. A laundry room complete with washer, dryer, table, sink and water heater. She hurried inside and closed the door behind her. The garage door ground closed.
Then the door leading to the house clicked shut. She closed her eyes, trying to settle her overwrought nerves.
Now what?
Somehow she had to sneak into the house without getting caught. Then she had to search for information about him. If all went well, she’d return to her hotel before dark.
She glanced at her watch. The time slipped away faster than she could afford.
She peeked out of the laundry room. No sign of him. She closed the door behind her and headed for the fridge. After pulling the door open, she shook her head. No food...just a couple of bottles of wine...for his victims.
The doorknob to the house twisted. With lightening actions, she darted for the other side of his car and crouched down. If he were taking another ride, he’d find her for certain.
His boots tromped into the laundry room. Now was her chance to get into the house.
She bolted for the open door and dashed into the kitchen. After crossing the white tile floor, she pulled a black fridge door open. A few condiments. More wine. A brick of cheese and a carton of milk.
A rush of water flowed beyond the wall. He’d started his laundry. She hurried out of the kitchen, through a dining room. Furnished in a black laminated china cabinet and matching dining table and chairs, his house reminded her of the other vampires’.
She strode through the living room, black velvet couches, brass legged coffee table, more bookshelves filled the room. Ancient swords decorated the walls.
The kitchen door to the garage slammed shut. Her heart nearly stopped. She poked her head into one room. An office. She’d search through it later. For now, she had to hide until Robert Parker settled down somewhere. Preferably the living room...then she could explore his other rooms.
She checked out the next room. Boxes stacked against the wall three deep. No place to hide here. The next room was a bathroom, then a bedroom. No canopied bed here. But then again, he could live during the day so he didn’t need to hide from the sun’s rays.
Covered in a black velvet comforter, the queen-sized bed sat against one wall. On either side, matching dark cherry end tables rested. She’d check the drawers of those, and the dresser opposite the bed as soon as she could.
Footsteps padded down the carpeted hall toward the master bathroom. She dropped to the floor and peeked under the bed-skirt. In her apartment, plastic boxes stored stuff underneath her bed. Nothing but dust bunnies collected under his. She slid underneath the bed.
His boots tromped into the room then stood next to where she hid. When he sat down on the bed, the mattress sagged. She took a deep breath as the springs sank toward her. And then the dust made her nose itch. She stifled a sneeze.
He unlaced his boots then pulled them off. He was changing out of his uniform.
His socks came off next. Then he stood and the mattress rose, giving her more breathing space. The dust tickled her nose again. She closed her eyes and held her nose. If she sneezed, it’d be all over. She curbed the terror she experienced as she attempted to keep from sneezing. If he discovered her there, then what? She couldn’t think about it.
Returning to the hotel tonight wasn’t an option now, either way. By the time he changed his clothes and left the bedroom, she’d barely have time to search before it was dark.
She could only see his feet and ankles, but when satin black boxers dropped to the floor she raised her brows. He was showering first? Hell...he was naked? She tilted her head a little trying to peek further. But damn, the bed ruffle hid him from her view, all except his big feet. The only way she could get a really good eyeful was to poke her head out from under the bead. She nearly laughed to herself. She’d never thought of herself as a voyeur.
Terry Spear - Vampire Page 8