I should have looked right away. Should have reacted to the heavy stone filling my chest and the terrible suspicion of what I might see. But I had a deep dread to look. I love my life as it is with Henna and I didn't want anything to overturn it. Disaster rested in my pocket or maybe not, but the stone rocked and I was certain I was right. Enough stalling. I deliberately burned my mouth with a couple of deep swallows then spread the photos before me.
There were quite a few and none very recent. Several were of teenaged Henna and the woman I’d seen in the framed picture on Henna’s dresser. Her mother, I presumed. There was a photo of a golden retriever and one of a nice house with the same dog.
It was the oldest photos I needed to see most and I examined each of them thoroughly. Henna as a young child in a kid's bathing suit at the beach. Cute little Henna in a princess costume. Henna and a slender woman, who knelt at her side hugging her. The same woman cooking at an barbeque grill. Baby Henna on Santa’s lap. That same laughing woman sitting on Santa’s lap. Both standing in front of a Christmas tree. Fun family photos of very young Henna and an attractive, happy woman with bushy, red hair.
My teeth gnashed, the stone rolled and crushed my gut.
Could be she was a family friend. Could be an aunt. But the woman smiled with Henna’s smile and Henna told me she was adopted, her youngest years lost to memory. How does it happen then, that Russell carried around a studio photo of this same red haired woman?
I never feel cold, but I was chilled to the core now.
I didn’t know how it could be, but the evidence smacked too hard for me to ignore it. Uncle? Brother? Step up, Brecken. No, he had to be her father.
Any other explanation stretched too far for me to consider. Russell cared enough about the woman to keep her picture when he packed so very little. And cared about so very little. I was positive that she was no longer alive. Yet, he was still bonded to her. Abruptly I searched and felt no presence of him in my territory. Wise vampire.
I stared again at the photos, stupidly fingering them, looking for any other clues. The woman laughed with Henna, hugged Henna, loved Henna. Inside I revolted, wanting to deny, wanting to reject what I knew for a certainty. Russell had come to Claremont for Henna.
I’ve destroyed others of my kind before and the urge for killing beat at my brain when I pictured Russell at the Tavern door, looking at Henna. Fury swelled over me in a vast wave, burying all vestige of human, flinging my other self to the fore.
Russell must have made her drink blood. Russell wanted her. That’s why he came here and he might come again. He could show up with a batch of friends. Not by day though, so I had plenty of time to plan and Henna must never know.
Extreme measures slammed in my head. Things I vowed not to do, but would absolutely do. The stone dropped away, replaced by deep resolve. No way in hell would I let him have her.
Russell comes back - Russell dies.
Chapter 58
Everything was out of synch, me going through the pictures again, phoning Henna, her busy but overjoyed that I called. There was trust in her voice - which I liked – but also residual horror. But she was strong, doing okay. And all the while I was debating whether to enlist Conor. It meant telling him too much, but he already guessed a lot, so I could live with that. He might as well learn the rest about me. And her.
I called Louie and arranged to meet in Canyon Lake. Next, because I couldn't help it, I trotted by her building just to feel her nearness. Russell was a nighttime vamp, so she would be safe while I was gone.
There were about five hours until dark and I needed to talk with Conor before I made the trip to Louie. All of that and back before Henna left for the Tavern. Adequate time for everything, including a snack at Louie's. I forced myself to cool action and went to Conor.
He opened the motel room door before I even got parked. Natural survival instincts, I thought. He displayed correct deference to me. Good that he’s learning fast how to live his new life. Today would be intense, but he finally fed last night and should handle okay.
I started out casual. “Wild animals still alive and running?”
“Yep.” He shoved the door wider, inviting me in. Courteous, respectful. I have only accolades for Conor.
Then casual went out the window. “This isn’t exactly a social visit.”
He clicked the remote, his T.V. program already forgotten. This guy could be counted on. I mattered - more than just a new acquaintance. Good. He mattered to me, too. I believed Conor would be around for quite a while and I welcomed his clean virtue into my harsh world. But a darker Conor was in there and sooner or later would make his move. I intended to spark it today.
“Are you here because of that guy at the Tavern last night? Or because I was hungry? I went hunting as soon as I got off.”
Conor rambled on for a moment more, obviously nervous at my sudden visit. His safe animals flashed through my mind and I felt a vague flush at my own meal to come. Yvonne would be safe, too, but I was using mortals for food and natural or not, Conor’s hunting seemed to highlight my own choices. Today I would confess. Not that I was evil or wrong, but his feeding choice was, for a short time, my own and I considered it a valued choice.
I sat on the floor and told Conor everything. The stalking, Henna’s cut lip and the vampire blood, Russell, my fall off the wagon and the reasons I continued to feed from people. I left out the details, but gave the essence. I avoided all mention of dripping Silver into her every chance I got. My decision and mine to deal with.
“I’ll stop with the humans someday,” I concluded. “Just not yet.”
Conor was frowning, weighted with the enormity of all I’d told him. “Someone made Henna drink from them?”
“Russell, I assume.”
He slid off the chair and joined me on the floor. “I couldn't believe it when I felt him before he looked in last night. Another vampire? I still feel like I’m living every day in a science fiction movie.”
I disagreed, but he was kind of right, in conventional wisdom. And we've already been over all of that.
“So you drink human blood but you don’t hurt them,” he said. “You don’t kill. Do you?” He glanced at me sharply.
“No killing. No harm. But I have killed, Conor. I know who I am and I accept why I’m feeding off people again. As I said, it’s all about Henna.” Talking had helped control my savage impulses. They would wait until needed.
“Brecken, you can’t blame her. She doesn’t even know about you.”
I gave him a wry smile, accepting the reprimand. “True. The responsibility is mine. More important is the vampire who is looking for Henna.”
He broke in. “I want to help.”
“I hoped you'd say that.”
“Sure. That’s why you told me all this.”
I nodded. “Russell isn’t an old vamp but he's still dangerous. He might not run from us or he could come with friends. Vamps or others under his control.”
“Control?”
“Yeah. Mental control. Easy to do. You haven’t tried it yet?” He looked embarrassed and I laughed. “Ahh. Fun, isn’t it.”
“Well, I didn’t call it fun, but yeah. It was. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing but I’m low on money so I did something to the motel owner. He let’s me stay here without entering me into the computer.” He had a meek look on his face. “I'll pay as soon as I can.” His voice dropped. “I did something to my folks, too. They were so freaked and I wanted to help them.”
“Kindness,” I said. “From Russell it will be utilitarian. He uses them for his own ends.”
“But you use people for your own ends.” I looked at him and he flushed. “Do you control them when you bite?”
“Yes, of course.”
“That’s okay, then. I get it. But I don’t like it, about the people. I don't want anyone biting my sister, even though I did.” He wouldn’t look at me, but I heard the warning and felt mildly disconcerted. Everybody is somebody’s sister or f
ather, or loved one.
”You need to meet Crystal. So you know who she is….”
“Stop. I’ve already seen her at the Tavern. I’d like to meet her, but I won’t ever touch her. That’s a promise.” I almost gagged, listening to myself. Promising a friend not to feed off their twin? It made me feel like a pervert.
His shoulders straightened and he let out a long breath. I should have realized his sister was on his mind and reassured him right off. Conor seemed entirely alone, but he wasn’t. Time to introduce him to Louie, a vamp who treated his food source like gold.
“Okay, you know the truth. Still want to be my friend?”
“Yeah, I do.”
I gave a short smile. “Most of us are pretty evil, Conor. I’d like you meet one of the good ones.”
The thought pulled at him and alarmed him at the same time. I let him mull it over. He would come with me or not. “Okay,” he finally said. “When?”
“Now. Can you do any daylight at all?”
“Only in the shade. Your car is good. I'll cover with a blanket until I get inside.”
I whipped out my phone and called Louie to tell him I was leaving for Canyon Lake. Of course, I mentioned Conor - and in French, the snack.
Chapter 59
The drive down the #15 freeway was, thank God, a blissful respite from Russell and my upset that Henna had felt another vampire, while not understanding what she sensed. No questions in her eyes as she looked from the door to me and then to Conor. She wasn't blocked at that moment so I knew she realized he was there, but she can act and Silver has upped that ability. Plus other abilities, I believed, such as healing power to dissolve the vampire blood she'd been given.
Conor spent the hour telling me about his life and friends he's left behind. He was nostalgic but then got excited about the length of his future and a potential girlfriend down the road. His unbridled exuberance was good to hear and I let him chatter on, knowing what awaited him. Mountain peaks loom over deep ridges and valleys and as he had more or less crashed before, he would crash again. It was inevitable, for us as well as humans. A test and crash awaited him in lovely Canyon Lake, so I focused on enjoying Conor's high while it lasted.
I rolled my eyes when he complained that he's lost sports. He went to a local park one evening to shoot hoops and found it wasn’t much fun when you easily make a basket every time, from any angle and any distance. There were no sports of that kind before I was turned, so I lost nothing. But I had to admit that, for him, he’d found a downside to his vampire nature.
For me? No downside.
Louie greeted me with a hug and air kisses, babbling in quick French that Yvonne was under and he could take Conor somewhere, although he knew what I had planned. The test was on and I wanted Conor close.
“Conor,” Louie said, formally. “A pleasure to meet you.”
“Yes, sir.” He held out his hand. “I’m not sure about the hugs and kisses you guys did, but in South Dakota a hand shake works real fine.”
Louie threw back his head, roaring with laughter. “Where did you find this big Norman Rockwell kid? I like him.”
Conor moved around the living room, looking at the art and the elegant furnishings. “Nice house,” he said. His eyes lingered on the blue jacket Yvonne had left on the couch then strayed to the covered deck outside the kitchen. “Pretty sweet, living in a place like this. I saw the lake when we drove over the causeway. Lots of boats and some guy fishing.” He looked at Louie. “There’s not many lakes around here, right?”
“Not many lakes in California. This one's small, but adequate. And nicely private.”
“Conor,” I said, when he had stopped ogling the room, “You can sit and talk with Louie, or he’ll take you outside. But I’m hungry. Right now.”
I noticed him tense up at my words. “I knew someone was here,” he said. “Your girl friend, Louie?”
“My lady friend, yes. She’s napping.”
Conor fidgeted. “May I see her? Please?“
“What for?” Louie wouldn't share her with anyone except me, but he also knew about the test, so I gave him a sharp look.
Conor saw the look. “I just want to see her, that's all.”
“Conor, listen,” I said. “It’s crucial to understand the boundaries of what years ago was termed 'vampire etiquette' and today is called 'the rules'. You've just made a serious faux pas. A big mistake.”
He turned to Louie and was polite. “Sorry. I don’t drink from people, but Brecken said you both do.” He raised his eyebrows, glanced sideways at me. “Is it rude to watch, though?”
Watch? That took me aback. Being who he is, a check that she was healthy and not abused - yeah. But I didn’t expect he’d want to watch. I snickered inside. It would be an eye opener and the perfect way to prod at him. “Okay by me, Conor. If you can handle it.”
“I think I can. Am I wrong?”
“Probably. Hard for a neophyte to hold back.”
Knowing my rationale, Louie went along. “If Brecken doesn’t care, I'll allow it.”
I headed along the hall to the master wing. Yvonne was curled up under a throw, deeply enthralled. Louie was monitoring Conor, so I wasted no time. Crouching on the floor beside the bed, I pulled her arm free, turning it to reveal the thin skin of her wrist and forearm. The soft pulse under my hand shot a thrill to my loins. Gently, I sank my fangs and drank. The warm blood flowed easily and my body responded. Yvonne moved slightly, a sigh escaping her lips as Louie sent pleasure into her sleep. A gift to her, a double gift to me. I tasted the lotion she had lathered into her skin, felt the tang mix lightly with the headier flavor of aroused female.
For all of us, feeding is sexual, but with most humans I keep sensations at a business level. Eat and run, so to speak. Because she was Louie's, I took in her delicious smell and basked in the feel of my lips on her warm flesh, but kept other reactions in check.
Five slow swallows and my hips swayed against the bed, lost for a moment in the rush. Unembarrassed by my male arousal, I glanced casually at Louie and Conor. I knew Conor saw the turn on, the pull back and control. Knew he could smell the heady woman scent and her blood. I registered his staggered breathing, glanced and saw his tongue licking at his lips.
A deep breath and I pulled away then reinserted fangs for a last taste and the healing saliva. A final swish of my tongue across her flesh, both savoring and cleaning.
From the corner of my eye I saw Louie gripping Conor’s arm.
Conor was shaking, his eyes fixed on the rapidly fading punctures on Yvonne’s arm. I saw his muscles tighten, his body leaning towards the bed and the woman resting on it. He blinked and there was distinct movement behind his upper lip. The air around him seemed to darken as his eyes turned feral. All American Conor had gone vamp. And the vamp was thirsting.
Louie’s eyes narrowed, fury boiling into his own dark air. Spitting out a snarl, he stepped towards the door and brutally threw Conor halfway down the hall. He landed hard, but bounced up into an aggressive crouch. His face was wild, confused, eyes flicking back and forth between us, then to the bedroom, to Louie again. To the enclosing walls of the hallway. Back to the bedroom. His lips drew back and fangs glistened.
We waited for him, ready, but the attack didn’t come. Carefully, defensively, Conor edged backwards into the living room. Louie paced after and so did I.
Conor was squatting near the fireplace, head buried behind his arms. Louie began to swear in very creative, old German street slang. But he didn’t attack Conor. We both knew it had been a dangerous test for a newbie vamp, but better that he understand the true power of human blood than walk around blithely believing he was above it all.
Easy to claim you can resist when you’ve never been put to a real test. I didn’t count his sister. Conor loved her and he had bitten her twice anyway. Love, a powerful deterrent, doesn’t mean squat when thirst grips and the dark side takes over. Good intentions are admirable, but a readily available human, blood scent in the
air and bottomless hunger - those add up to a whole different ball game. He’s avoided that game so he didn’t truly understand the struggle. Until now.
Minutes passed with no movement except Conor’s ragged breathing. Louie whispered and I smiled dryly. He just made me a $100.00 bet that Conor would look him in the face and abjectly apologize. I took the bet, certain that I’d lose. A few minutes later, I did.
Shortly after, a wiser newbie sat at the kitchen table and listened while I told Louie about Russell and the photo. I talked fast and made it concise.
As was typical, Louie supported my every act. He understood about Russell but wasn't so sure about the father part. “N’est pas possible, tu sais. There must be some other explanation. Perhaps he took the mother and kept her. Then killed her, but kept the photo.”
“No. At the house I asked him the date he was changed and it's a bit less than nine months before Henna was born. She looks like her mother, but I can see Russell in her, too. Now that I know to look, damn it.”
“During the change then? He would’ve been hurting bad, but if he loved his wife that much and if she was persuasive …?”
Three vampires sat in silence, contemplating sex while in the vividly remembered, sick agony of change.
I finally stirred. “Russell must have loved her mother enormously to have managed that.”
Louie shook his head. “No, it must have happened right before he was turned. He might not know she's his daughter.”
“Then why go after her?” I said.
Long silence, Conor squirming, Louie and I scouring for answers. After a while Louie sighed. “I can’t go to Claremont right now.”
Conor didn’t get it and his comment was snide. “Why not? Brecken needs you there.”
“Henna realizes there’s something different about you and me,” I explained. “She also knows there’s something about Russell, from when he stalked her. She’d spot Louie's presence right off. That’s just too many vampires to explain away, and she'd look for that explanation.”
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