“Take good care of her,” Boniface said, then he and Victor returned to the house.
She couldn’t believe they’d leave her to live like this. What the hell was the matter with them? They’d promised they’d kill her if she were ever infected. They’d promised!
“We have a long drive ahead of us.” Robert climbed into the car and wrapped his arm around Crystal, encouraging her to rest her head in his lap. “A long ride.”
She tried to reach for Robert’s sword, but he stilled her hands. Then the darkness of the car turned light. She could see his concerned face as clearly as if a light switch had just been turned on. His dark eyes studied her, his brows knit together with concern. But then the image of him blurred. She felt as though she fell headlong into a cavernous tunnel, down into the bottomless pit, darker than the deepest ocean trench, and finally into nothingness.
* * *
When Crystal woke in a large floral-covered bed, muffled voices sounded somewhere nearby. The room was warm and scented with the subtle fragrance of lavender. She took a deep breath of the heavenly scent, then climbed out of bed, feeling much refreshed. A South American tune played in the background. The sensuous lilting flutes and drums intrigued her. But when she tried to cross the floor she stumbled, her legs weaker than she realized. She approached a mirror resting above a dresser, and stared at her appearance.
Her blonde hair was disheveled and her makeup gone. But her eyes were still a vivid blue and her skin still had color. Her gaze rested on the bite mark on her neck, two puncture wounds, slightly raised, and discolored. She touched the neckline of the white silky nightgown someone had dressed her in.
A feminine gasp sounded behind her and Crystal turned too fast. She grew dizzy and grabbed the chest of drawers.
The woman’s dark eyes widened. She was dark-haired like Robert, but streaks of gray made her appear older. Maybe an aunt? She opened her mouth to speak, but then thinking better of it, she spun around and exited the bedroom.
Before Crystal reached the bed, Robert and his brothers barged into the room. She covered herself modestly. He picked her up and laid her back on the mattress. “You’re supposed to rest, honey. How are you feeling?”
“A little wobbly.”
“That’s to be expected. You...lost a bit of blood.”
“Where am I?”
He pulled the covers to her chin, and sat next to her on the bed. “At my Uncle Walter’s home in Oklahoma City. We’ve let your brothers know that you’re safe here.”
She groaned. “Why didn’t you do what you were supposed to do to me?”
“You haven’t been turned, Crystal. We’ve found that out now.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “How do you know? I mean, I’m not angry enough at you. What if you make me really mad and here come those wicked canines of mine?”
Mark chuckled.
She scowled at him, then faced Robert. “Or what if we’re getting it on hot and heavy and they extend then?”
She glanced at his brothers to see them grinning back at her. Wanting desperately to feel secure with Robert’s family, she fought the hope that crept into her system.
“You’re not changed, Crystal. Sorry. If you want to bite me, go right ahead. I can take it. But for now, Aunt Mildred is fetching your breakfast.”
“They can’t want me here.”
“There’s a split in the family over it. But since Uncle Walter’s the head of the family, he said you’re staying. And that’s that. He says any huntress that can avenge his niece’s death is worth having in the family.”
“I want to get dressed.”
“You’re staying in bed.”
She folded her arms. “Don’t think you can boss me around just because Nicolai got the best of me.”
He grinned. “He didn’t get the best of you, believe me.”
Tom tapped Mark on the shoulder. “Time for you to leave. Conversation’s getting a little too hot for your ears.”
Mark stood his ground. “I’m not leaving until the rest of you do this time. And quit treating me like I’m underage. I’m twenty-two for...” He paused as their aunt returned with a tray of fruit, eggs, toast and bacon.
This would be the ultimate test. If she couldn’t stomach the food, she was one of the vampires. The smell of bacon and delicate scent of sweet apples, cantaloupe and honeydew melon drifted to her. Her stomach grumbled. So far so good.
Everyone watched her as if they wanted to make sure she was all right too. “Thank you for the breakfast.”
“Call me Aunt Mildred, dear. And actually it’s well past dinnertime, but I figured this was the quickest meal I could prepare.”
“Thank you.” Crystal buttered a piece of toast, then slathered on a coating of blackberry jam. She looked up at her audience. “Has everyone eaten already?”
Robert said, “Two hours ago.”
“You all don’t need to be in here watching me like this.” She lifted the toast to her lips.
She bit into it and smiled. “Hmmm, homemade blackberry jam, sweet and tangy.”
Robert patted her free hand. “Yeah, Aunt Mildred makes us pick blackberries after they’re ripe in the field.”
Crystal smiled. “To keep you boys out of trouble.” She took another bite of her toast. “This is very good.”
Robert looked back at his family. “Maybe she can come downstairs and visit with us later.”
Tom nodded. “We’ll see you in a bit.”
Robert’s brothers and their aunt left.
“I’m still being tested, aren’t I?” Crystal asked as she sipped from a glass of orange juice.
Robert shook his head. “No.”
“If I couldn’t handle the food, you’d have known I was turned.”
“This is true, but really, you’re fine, Crystal.”
She took a deep breath, then poked her fork into the bacon. “You’ve done a blood test on me.”
“Nope.”
“How can you be so sure then?”
“It’s been two days since we brought you here, and twice you walked in your sleep. Mark found you sitting on the porch in the noonday sun the first time.”
She touched the lace trim on her nightgown. “Dressed like this?”
He smiled. “Mark closed his eyes and brought you back to your room.”
She groaned. “Yeah, right. And the tooth fairy visits too. What of the other time?”
“Samuel found you in the same place the next day, around the same time. Tom said it was his turn next.”
“Jeez, Robert. Why didn’t you just tie me to the bed?”
“I did that once, remember? And you hurt yourself.”
She ran her hand over his. “Are you sure it’s really all right for me to stay here with your family?”
He leaned over and kissed her lips. When he pulled away, she followed his mouth and kissed him again. He chuckled. He took the tray off her lap and set in on the bedside table. “You ate pretty well. Did you want anything else?”
She tugged at his shirt.
He grinned. “Our resident doctor in the family said you had to rest. Nicolai’s bite took a lot out of you.”
“Are you afraid to make love to me, Robert?” She crossed her arms and pouted her lips.
He laughed. “Yes. Until you’re better.”
She examined his clothes. “Is that a hint of garlic in your pocket?”
He nodded.
She studied his black turtleneck and jeans. “Are you taking care of business?” He didn’t say anything and she glanced out the window at the setting sun.
She pulled her covers aside and his gaze shifted to her bare legs. “What is there for me to wear? I’m going with you.”
He covered her back up. “Oh, no you don’t. You’ve only now awakened. And women in my family don’t hunt, remember?”
“I’ll sit in the car. I can’t stay here, Robert. You know what I said, I’m not good at sitting still.” She yanked her covers aside and before he could
stop her, she climbed out of bed.
“This is not a good idea, Crystal. My uncle and half the family say you will stay and...” But he didn’t finish his words.
She pinned him with a glare. “And what, Robert?”
He looked at the floor. “You can’t go, Crystal, and that’s that.” His face darkened, and he motioned to the bed again. “Stay. I can’t chance losing you.”
She bounced into the bed in a huff. Hadn’t he learned anything about her? He could order her about all he wanted, but she had a mind of her own. He pulled the comforter back over her, then kissed her cheek. “I’ll come by to check on you later.”
Neither a vampire nor a hunter would ever control her.
When the sun disappeared from the sky, Crystal sifted through one of the drawers in a mahogany chest and found a black shirt with a low-scoop neckline. She yanked off her nightgown and pulled the shirt over her head. In the closet she found her jeans, freshly washed, and her western boots. After dressing, she pulled her hair back in a pearl hair band.
She returned to the drawers and searched for weapons. In the top one, she found her wrist knives. But no sign of the cane anywhere.
She peered outside. Tom’s SUV and Robert’s convertible sat in the circular drive of the two-story house.
After stepping out of the room, she was glad to see no one about. Then she heard voices in a room downstairs. She slipped down the stairs like a cat burglar on the prowl. When she reached the room, she leaned against the wall and listened.
“When are you going to make us proud, Robert?” Aunt Mildred asked.
“She already carries our child.”
Crystal’s mind whirled in surprise.
“What about the hunting?” a deep male voice asked.
“I’m afraid I need to discuss this rationally with her further. She’s just arrived and needs to feel part of the family first.”
“You have explained to her that as a huntress she’s not permitted to hunt?”
“Yes, Uncle Walter.”
“And?”
“She’s a huntress from a family where the huntresses hunt. But I can convince her to stay home.”
Crystal raised her brows. Really.
“And tonight you’re going...?”
“First Street,” Tom said. “Yorovitch’s cousin Malovan has been terrorizing the community down there. He’s taken underage girls and turned them, which is unheard of for vampires.”
“All right. Stick together and we’ll see you when you get back,” Uncle Walter said.
“Did you give Crystal enough of the sedative?” Tom asked.
Aunt Mildred replied, “If she ate all of her eggs.”
Robert cleared his throat. “I didn’t pay attention. She ate all of the toast and bacon.”
“I put some in her orange juice too.”
Damn. Crystal rubbed her forehead. She’d kill Robert. How could he have his family drug her to...to, well, to keep her under control? A part of her realized he wanted to keep her safe, but...
She hurried outside to the SUV. If she slipped into the last seat, no one would even know she was there.
She lay still for what seemed like hours before she heard the men’s voices as they walked to the vehicles. The front two doors of the SUV opened, the overhead light came on, then the doors shut. The light shut off, and the men clicked their seatbelts closed.
Samuel coughed. “You know, Robert thinks he’s got the situation under control with Crystal, but I believe he’s got another thing coming.”
Damn right. She folded her arms and scowled.
“Yeah,” Tom said. “I wish I had his kind of trouble though.”
Samuel laughed.
* * *
When Crystal woke, the affects of the sedative still hadn’t fully worn off. Her thoughts fuzzed a bit when she stared out the vehicle’s window. The SUV had parked in front of a two-story, white colonial. Robert’s convertible sat behind the SUV. No one was anywhere in sight. Ten more vehicles were parked curbside. Big party. Robert and her brothers would need her help for certain.
She stepped out of the car and sauntered toward the house. She didn’t feel as energetic as she usually did. Her feet seemed to take baby steps instead of her normally quick-paced stride. And sometimes the house tilted on its side. Though there were no outside lights the whole yard looked like it was washed in sunlight.
She kept thinking there was something else she needed to do. But she wasn’t sure what. All she knew was she had to help Robert and his family. She owed it to them for taking her in. Still, her mind fogged a bit.
As she approached the door, it opened for her. Who was she after this time? She wasn’t certain.
Several men and women stared at her as she stepped into the living area. All were dressed in black, and several sipped glasses of blood red wine. Where were Robert and his brothers?
A woman with long straight black hair tied severely behind her back caught Crystal’s attention. She wore a black floor length satin gown and stepped up to Crystal, then tilted her head to the side. “You were invited by...?”
Crystal took a deep breath trying to recall the name Tom had mentioned. “Malovan?”
A man joined her and smiled. “Do I know you?” His dark eyes shifted to her neck and the bite mark located there. “Seems you had a bit of a time with someone.” He touched the bruise lightly. “We never take a host before they’re ready. You struggled against the vampire, or you wouldn’t have bruised like this.”
“Nicolai.” She folded her arms. “I told him no.”
The man’s lips turned up slightly. “Nicolai? You don’t mean my cousin, Nicolai?”
Voices came to her as if on the wind, only there wasn’t any breeze stirring in the house.
Who is she? a woman asked, only no woman’s lips moved.
Crystal rubbed her temple. Now she was hearing things.
A male voice responded in her head, I’m not certain, but if Nicolai wanted her, and he couldn’t make her bend to his will, she intrigues me.
A woman said, Come to me, friend, and let me touch you.
Was the female vampire talking to Crystal? She ignored her and considered the room full of hosts and vampires.
I cannot control her mind or read her thoughts. Can you, Malovan?
He stepped in front of Crystal, and looked into her eyes with the intensity of a vampire who tested her willpower. You will be mine.
She smiled. Right.
His gaze didn’t shift from Crystal as he attempted to figure her out. She’s different. I don’t understand her. But if Nicolai wanted her and she’s escaped him, she won’t escape me. He rubbed his smooth chin. I don’t want the word to get out she’s here though. He’d come for her. He doesn’t like to lose. Then he smiled. But I won’t lose her.
Several agreed in their telepathic way.
Crystal shook her head. Vampires were so arrogant. She spied a young girl of about fifteen. Immediately, she wanted to rescue the girl. But had she been turned already?
Crystal skirted around Malovan and crossed the floor to the girl. The young girl shifted her attention from a male vampire and eyed Crystal with disinterest.
“Have you been turned?” Crystal asked.
The girl’s mouth dropped open. She turned to Malovan. Who is she?
Crystal swallowed hard. The girl was a vampire.
Perhaps she has not had enough exposure to us. She cannot read our thoughts, nor can... Malovan paused in his thoughts mid-sentence. He swooped across the floor and faced Crystal. Why can’t I control her? I can control any human’s mind. “Where are you from?”
“From the land of the free and the land of the brave. No,” she corrected herself, “the home of the brave.”
She released her wrist blades and struck Malovan with the right one. He immediately collapsed without uttering a sound as the blade penetrated his heart. The male standing with the teen lunged at Crystal.
She is a huntress! The rally went through the
minds of the vampires in a chant.
She smiled. Yes, I am. She managed to jab her knife into the male vampire’s heart, killing him instantly.
“Kill the huntress!” one of the vampires shouted.
Suddenly Robert and his brothers ran down the stairs from the second floor, their swords already dripping with blood.
Utter confusion seemed to reign as hosts fled the house and the hunters targeted the vampires. When all the bloodsuckers were dead, Robert seized Crystal’s arm and hurried her outside to the convertible while his brothers followed behind.
Tom chuckled. “And when are you going to make her listen to reason, Robert?” He veered off toward his SUV.
Crystal smiled, then stumbled, the sedative still undoubtedly affecting her. “After he makes love to me.”
Robert shook his head, a half smile curving his lips. “If you can hunt, you’re ready for more pleasurable business.” He lifted her off her feet and ran for the car while Mark opened the door for him.
She breathed in Robert’s male scent and nuzzled her face against his chest. “But I don’t have a fur bikini to wear.”
He chuckled. “Less is even better.”
Glancing back at the vampire’s lair, she realized Nicolai had changed her after all. He had given her the vampire’s ability to read their thoughts. She studied the landscape that should have been cloaked in darkness but was washed in a warm light instead. She smiled. She could see in the dark as well as they could now.
And most of all, Nicolai had aroused in her the need to end the vampires’ stranglehold over the humans. Her lips turned up. With Robert’s seed and her special genes...she’d make a superior hunter race.
The End
Terry Spear - Vampire Page 25