Her skin crawled as she crept toward the wall, her hand reaching for furniture to avoid tripping. Her fingers touched a chest of drawers.
Suddenly he propelled a chair into her path and she cried out. Goose bumps rose on her arms. After the wood banged against her shins, she bit her lip as the pain radiated through her legs.
In the same instant, she swung the sword in his direction. Fighting him without sight would never work. She’d lose for certain. But she had to finish him now. Again she moved to where she thought one of the curtained windows might be.
Again, he attempted to foil her as he shoved a desk into her path this time.
She slashed her sword in the air over the top of the desk, but he remained out of reach. Her temperature elevated. She had to get to the window, or lose the game.
She skirted the desk and ran into the poster bed. Not a good sign. Climbing through the bed would put her at great risk.
With no other choice, she dove into the curtained bed.
A woman screamed out. A vampire? Crystal couldn’t be certain. She scurried over the woman’s body, then jerked at the curtains on the other side, panic rising in her blood.
As soon as her combat boots hit the floor, a hand grabbed her wrist. She gasped, then swung her sword at him. The blade sliced through the air like a knife cutting through melted butter, but then it struck something hard. He cried out and released her. If she didn’t cut off his head or thrust her blade into his heart, the injury she’d just given him would heal.
She bolted for the wall. Soft velvet drapes touched her cheek. Gladness overwhelmed her. She yanked the fabric with all her might.
Sunlight streamed into the room and the vampire cried out. His hands covered his face, but he couldn’t stop the affects of the sunlight on his body. Instantly, he disintegrated into a pile of ashes.
Crystal pulled the curtains down from the bed frame. The naked woman in the bed screamed, grabbed a sheet and ran from the room. A human host.
After yanking the remaining curtains from the windows, Crystal stepped into the hall again. Two hosts waited for her. She shoved the sword into the cane and swung it hard at the first host. The sound of a crack meant she’d broken his arm as he’d raised it to defend himself.
He hurried back down the stairs. The other male host pulled out a knife. Another with a knife. Had they realized if they didn’t get her, Nicolai would take care of them? But if they injured her, wouldn’t that earn them Nicolai’s wrath?
The host thrust his knife at her. She knocked it from his hand with a quick slice of the cane. Without hesitation, she connected the carved oak weapon with his head. He fell to the floor, unconscious.
Crystal explored the remaining rooms, decloaking the windows and beds, then returned to the hallway. The hall was clear. But when she looked down into the living room, five male hosts still waited for her.
She was used to them fleeing from the path of a being with superior strength. Was their reluctance to leave due to being terrified of Nicolai? Had they heard what he had done to the others who failed to capture her for him before?
Most likely. The word would have been spread to ensure their loyalty.
She readied her cane. “Let me leave here and I won’t harm you.”
“Can’t,” one of the men said. “If we keep you here for Nicolai, he’ll reward us. If we fail, we die.”
Just as she suspected. She strode forward. Time to get this over with. Next house she’d crash would be Nicolai’s.
Chapter 9
Robert attempted to roll over, but he couldn’t move his hands apart. He stirred slightly, not fully conscious, his mind conjuring up visions of being captured and bound by a voluptuous blonde warrior. A smile spread across his face. A warrior who looked like Crystal, her shimmering blue eyes studying him with amusement, her pink lips turned up to see him finally awake.
The skimpy piece of fur that covered her breasts left little to the imagination. Rounded, white mounds of flesh teased him. What color were the nubs protruding against the rabbit fur? His gaze dropped lower to see the scrap of fur that formed a triangle like an itsy bitsy bikini bottom that showed off a pair of tantalizing long legs and a bare midriff that begged to be kissed.
But the mouth-watering vision dissolved as the too real rope prevented him from reaching out to touch her. Instantly, his eyes popped open. Not only were his wrists tied, Crystal had vanished. He growled as he struggled to get free. How in the hell had she tied him up without waking him?
All the late night business chasing her from one place to another, trying to sleep on the couch, too short for his six-feet height--until he’d had the urge to check on her and found Nicolai drooling over her at the window...all of these things had made him sleep like the dead.
He couldn’t curb the anger rising in his blood. His adrenaline switched on to high as he yanked and twisted his arms trying to free himself of the braided hemp. The rope burned his skin with the struggle. Nothing mattered except getting to Crystal and ensuring she didn’t get herself hurt. What the hell was she thinking? She’d go after Nicolai. Was that what she was doing? Damn. She’d get herself killed, or worse, turned.
For several more minutes he struggled with the rope, sweat beading on his temple. And then the hemp loosened and he calmed his breathing while he peeled the rope from his wrists.
He dashed through the house, hoping to catch her if she hadn’t managed to leave already. But except for the hum of the refrigerator, the place was graveyard quiet. He charged across the living room and stared out the window. If she’d parked curbside, he saw no sign of her car.
Damn. He stormed back to his bedroom and yanked a t-shirt from his drawer. Within minutes, he was dressed in denims and a blue t-shirt. He jerked his fatigue pants off a chair and jammed his hand into the pocket. He pulled out his wallet, then fished around for his keys. No keys.
His head pounded with frustration. Where in the hell had he left his keys?
He hurried back through the house, the office, kitchen, living room, dining room, back to his master bedroom. For a moment, he stared at his trousers trying to recall what he’d done with his keys when he returned home.
Crystal. No way would she have taken his keys.
He ran down the hall to the garage. Jerking the door open, he dropped his mouth open, too surprised for words.
She’d taken his convertible!
He slammed the door shut and crossed the floor to the phone in the living room. With the portable phone in hand, he called the police. He stalked back to his bedroom and grabbed a pair of socks out of a drawer, then pulled a pair of western boots out of the closet.
“Yes, I’m Captain Robert Parker, stationed at Fort Hood. I want to report that Captain Crystal Anderson, fellow Army officer, stole my white convertible.”
* * *
Crystal readied the cane for the hosts who blocked her escape from Dimitri’s house. Two of the hosts attacked her first. The taller of the two grabbed her left arm, the other stockier host never made it. She quickly cut him down with the cane, then struck the other. The remaining three summoned up the courage and tackled her. She managed to hit the skinniest of them, but another struck her in the cheek with his fist. Like the vampires, hunters healed more quickly, but she figured the soreness wouldn’t go away until the next morning.
And right now, he’d made her angrier than angry.
She struck his head with her cane, then engaged the last. Once he collapsed, she turned to face the women. Both remained against a wall near the kitchen. Neither approached.
Crystal looked outside. Her skin prickled. The convertible sat closer to the ground now. Its tires had been slashed.
As soon as she stepped outside, a police car pulled up behind the vehicle. Robert must have gotten free from his bindings and called the police to let them know his car was stolen. And given the area where he suspected she might return. He’d have her arrested, then what? Drop the charges? And bring her home? Was that his plan? She was ce
rtain that he’d be angry, but that his actions were only an attempt to keep her from getting hurt. But then what? He’d leave, and she’d be left behind. She didn’t need his help. She’d take care of the problem of Nicolai on her own. A lone huntress...that’s the way it had to be.
Determined to carry out her goal to visit Nicolai’s house next, she entered Dimitri’s house again. “Who drove the blue pickup here?” she asked the women.
The women shook their heads. Even if they knew, they couldn’t help her or they would have to face Nicolai’s fury.
Crystal began searching through the men’s pockets. When she reached the fourth one, the key chain indicated he owned a Ford pickup. Hoping she had it right, she exited the house.
Three other vehicles were parked between the convertible and pickup. She veered off across the lawn hoping the police officers wouldn’t catch sight of her.
When she grasped the door handle to the pickup, a police officer called out to her. “Miss, I need to have a word with you.”
If Robert told them she had stolen his car, they’d see her nametag and it’d all be over.
She let go of the door handle, and waited for the police officer to join her. Immediately his gaze dropped to her nametag. “Captain Anderson?”
“Yes, officer.”
“Captain Robert Parker called us to tell us his car was stolen. He said you took it.”
“He told me I could drive it, but he must have forgotten. My own was stolen sometime last night. When I came here, someone slashed the tires.”
“See who did it?”
She shook her head.
He studied her cheek. Considering the way it throbbed, it was most likely red and swollen.
“Someone hit you?”
“Yes. The person who slashed the tires. He hit me and knocked me out. I was going to return to Robert’s house after I visited a friend. But my friend wasn’t at home.”
“I’ll tell you what, Captain. You come with us and we’ll give you a ride to the station. You can clear this up with him and we’ll take your statement about your stolen car.”
* * *
Robert grabbed up the phone after the first ring. “Yes, officer?”
“This is Sergeant Brown with the Killeen Police Department. We’ve found your car, sir. We’ve also taken Crystal Anderson, the driver of the vehicle, into custody. She stated you loaned her your car after hers was stolen. Your car tires were slashed and she was roughed up a bit, but she’s fine.”
Relief flooded Robert’s system to hear she remained alive and well. Then he frowned. So that’s the reason she had taken his car and not her own. The hosts had stolen her vehicle. He was relieved in part. He’d thought she’d stolen it to keep him from leaving his house to follow her. But he was still angry. He hadn’t wanted her hurt.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“We’ll just keep her here until we get this cleared up then.”
Robert hung up the phone. He’d make her wait for him at the police station. He had no intention of releasing her any earlier than he had to. Let her sweat it out a bit.
How could she tie him up and go after the vampires on her own? He shook his head. And steal his car to boot?
If he hadn’t sent the police to look for her in that general vicinity, she’d have been at the mercy of human hosts again.
He paced across the living room. Then he headed for the garage. He’d made her wait long enough. He stared at the empty garage. No car.
He shook his head and called Captain Bill. Wouldn’t his coworker love to hear that the blonde Robert wasn’t going to date had stolen his car? He didn’t have a choice. Bill was the only one he’d gotten remotely friendly with.
“Wait out here, will you, Bill?” Robert asked as they reached the police station.
“Sure, Robert.” The redhead smiled, all-knowing like.
Yeah, the woman had already gotten under Robert’s skin. Leaving her to face Nicolai and Dimitri on her own nagged at him. He realized then, he couldn’t do it. Somehow after he killed Yorovitch, he had to get Crystal to return with him to Oklahoma. His family would keep her safe.
Robert headed into the police station. Inside, a police officer directed him to an office.
How in the hell could he convince her to leave with him? He didn’t want her to seek Nicolai and his blood bonds any longer. She either had to kill Nicolai and his family, or join them, or leave the area with Robert. He was determined she’d do the latter.
He smiled when he saw Crystal sitting at a desk. She folded her arms and frowned at him.
The police officer took his statement, then released Crystal. Robert took her arm and led her outside before he spoke. “I want to know what the hell you thought you were doing, Crystal.” He couldn’t curb the anger that laced his words. He marched her to Bill’s car.
“I was getting rid of the man you had a vendetta for. Now you can return to Oklahoma and be safe.”
The petite huntress had destroyed the vampire he’d intended to kill? He stared at her, dumbfounded.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I left a note.”
“I didn’t see it.”
His emotions broiled in turmoil. He’d never wanted her to expose herself to danger for his sake. Then his blood heated. It was his job to kill the murderer of his sister. No one else’s...well, unless one of his other family members took on the task. He couched the hostilities rising in his system. She’d only done it to keep him safe. Still, she had no business doing so. Yorovitch should’ve been his.
He couldn’t settle the disquiet churning in his system. And worse, he couldn’t squash the concern for her rash behavior. Going after vampires without other hunters to back her up was suicide.
“One of my coworkers brought me here. Once I get new tires for my car…” He shook his head, then opened the door for her. He waited while she climbed into the backseat of the Ford Taurus.
“Bill, you’ve met Crystal Anderson.”
“Yeah, sure, at the office.” He smiled way too broadly.
“I need to get new tires for my car. Can you help me out?”
“Yeah, what are friends for?”
After the convertible rested on new tires, Bill left with a parting comment. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” He winked then drove off.
Robert climbed behind the driver’s wheel as Crystal leaned back in the passenger’s seat. “No more expeditions, Crystal. And next time you want to tie me up, it’s fine, but only to ravish my body.”
She smiled and wiggled her brows. “Now that’s an interesting notion.”
He shook his head again, not being able to control the feeling of alarm she triggered in him. Then noticing her cheek was red and swollen, he examined the injury, gingerly. “You shouldn’t have attempted to kill him on your own.” He kissed her forehead, bringing a slight smile to her lips. He longed to kiss her lips, explore her deep inside, but he quickly nixed that thought. No involvement. They’d both live longer that way.
He took a deep breath. The image of his sister dying at the hand of a vampire still burned in his mind. He couldn’t stand the thought of the same thing happening to Crystal on his watch.
At first, he headed for his home, then he made a detour to her place. “Almost forgot we needed to get some of your things for while we stay at my place.”
When they drove into her complex’s parking area, she immediately looked up at the windows.
The worry wrinkling her brow and her parted lips told him something bothered her. He glanced at the windows. The blinds seemed to be misshapen.
“He’s been here again.” She gripped the seat with her fingernails. Tears filled her eyes.
“I ought to check this out alone.”
She shook her head. “It’s my place. He won’t keep me out.”
“We might have company.”
She grabbed his cane. “I’m packing.”
Dread knotted his stomach. The last time he’d accompanied a huntress was th
e time he went on a hunt with his sister. It was the last time he saw her alive. He hadn’t realized how much the thought of being with a huntress in the midst of danger could affect him.
The determination in Crystal’s face made him realize he couldn’t discourage her. But he would go first.
“All right.” He patted her hand. “Let’s go.”
He grabbed his sheathed sword from the backseat of the car. They met around the front of the vehicle and he escorted her onto the stairs. When they reached the landing on the second floor, he held his hand out for her apartment key. She handed it to him, and he turned the key in the lock.
Blocking her path, he entered first. Every piece of furniture had been slashed and turned over. All her paintings had been ripped to shreds. Her dishes and glasses littered the floor with sharp shards.
“We’ll have to call the police or you’ll never get your deposit back, Crystal.”
She sniffled. “The police are going to wonder about me.”
After pulling her against his body, he gave her a warm embrace. He still kept an eye on the hallway leading to her bedroom. A human host might lie in wait for her.
“The police will figure there’s some madman after you, who’s stolen your car, wrecked your apartment, and accosted you. You’re not to blame.”
She snorted. “Nicolai’s like a spoiled child who can’t have what he wants, so he has a temper tantrum.”
They explored the rest of her rooms, finding the same kind of madcap destruction. But for whatever reason, he’d not touched her clothes.
Using garbage bags, she and Robert filled them with all the clothes and personal items she would need for the next several weeks. Then she called the police and asked for the same officer who’d picked her up at Dimitri’s house.
Robert loaded her clothes into his car while she waited in her apartment. Not long after, the police arrived. Again, Crystal gave them a statement, then while the police dusted for prints and searched for other clues as to the culprit, Robert drove her back to his house.
Terry Spear - Vampire Page 13