Vampire Trouble

by Sara Humphreys

  When Maya glanced up at the iron light fixtures that dangled from the ceilings between massive stone archways, she couldn’t help but feel like she’d stepped back in time. The intricate network of hallways and rooms that sat beneath The Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park had been there for centuries and made Maya feel small.

  She stole a quick glance at Shane when they rounded a corner, and a smile played at her lips. He towered over her by almost a foot, even with the heels on her boots, making her look small standing next to him. Her gaze skimmed over his tall, muscular form and lingered on his profile. He had a strong, square jaw, a perfectly straight nose, and a generous mouth with firm lips that curved into a lopsided smile. Maya’s eyes flicked to his, and she gasped when she realized he had caught her ogling him.

  “Wait until you see the new setup in the lab,” Shane said with nod of his head. “Xavier recently had some new doors installed with a security camera, so chances are he’s going to make me buzz into the room.”

  “I’ve never been in his lab before.” Maya looked away and kept walking, feeling embarrassed for staring at him so blatantly.

  “Really?” Shane stopped when they reached a set of shiny steel doors and shot Maya a look of surprise. He clasped his hands in front of himself and looked her up and down. “I didn’t realize you haven’t visited the armory or the labs before. Looking at you in that sentry uniform, it’s no wonder I find it hard to believe… It suits you.”

  “That’s what Trixie and Sadie said.” Maya adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder and shrugged. “But wearing it makes me feel like a fraud.”

  “Why?” Shane stepped closer and leveled a serious stare at her. “Why does it make you feel like a fraud, Maya?”

  “Because I’m no warrior or badass ninja like you or Olivia. Okay?” Her voice rose, reflecting her frustration with her own inadequacies. “I’m just some dumb bartender who’s nice to look at. I’m not a fighter.”

  “Well, you are partially correct.”

  “Which part?” Maya asked warily.

  “You are indeed lovely to look at, but contrary to what you think, that’s not the only gift you have to offer. You suffer from the misguided perception that your value lies only in your appearance, and that could not be further from the truth. You are a fighter, Maya, and buried beneath that gorgeous exterior is a strong, powerful warrior waiting to be released. Although, there is one person you beat up every day, and it needs to stop.”

  “Who?” Maya asked with genuine confusion.

  Shane leaned in and whispered, “Yourself.”

  Holding her stare, he stepped back and rang the buzzer along the side of the stainless steel doors. It was unsettling to have someone see her so clearly, perhaps even more clearly than she saw herself, and it was far more unnerving to have him point it out. She clutched the strap of the bag as though her life depended on it and said nothing. Maya faced the door just before it swished open and revealed Xavier’s massive laboratory.

  She let out a sound of pure awe and followed Shane into a cavernous space alive with motion, sounds, and lights. The far wall was stainless steel, much like the front doors, and the ceilings had to be fifteen feet high. All kinds of antique weapons dangled from the ceiling, some of which looked positively ancient. There were swords, daggers, muskets, spears, a scythe, and even a few that looked like torture devices.

  Several lab tables each held different experiments. Beakers and tubes ran this way and that, and the concoctions inside looked like everything from liquid ultraviolet to some kind of witch’s brew. Maya had met Xavier and spoken with him once or twice, but she’d never seen where he worked. The place was out-of-this-world cool and full of moving parts, which made her afraid to touch anything. With her luck, she’d blow the place up.

  “Welcome, my friends,” Xavier shouted from the stool he stood on. Pushing his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose, he pressed a button on the remote control in his hand and the doors swished shut behind them. “I have been expecting you.”

  He flew across the room and landed in front of Shane and Maya with an enormous grin. His shock of white hair stood out in about a thousand directions, and the clothes and lab coat he wore were equally disheveled. Xavier was a dwarf with a huge personality, and he always seemed to fill the room with his boundless energy.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Maya.” Xavier reached up and offered his hand, which Maya promptly shook. He looked her up and down with a nod of approval. “Olivia told me you would be coming by to stock up on weapons, but I didn’t realize you were training to be a sentry.”

  “I’m not, not really,” Maya said nervously as he released her hand.

  “Yes, she is.” Shane leaned down and shook Xavier’s hand, but he didn’t miss the surprised look on Maya’s face. “By the time I’m done with Maya, she’ll be able to tangle with the best of them. Sentry or not.”

  “I may not be able to show you how to fight,” Xavier said with a wink, “but I can give you some outstanding weapons. I have a new gun that’s so easy to use, even a youngling like yourself will feel like a pro in no time.”

  A fluttering noise from above captured Maya’s attention, and she looked up to see where it was coming from. All she could see were the dangling weapons. A few of them wobbled as though something or someone had flown past. Looking toward the ceiling, Xavier chuckled and stuck his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.

  “We have guests,” Xavier called. “You should come out and say hello.”

  The fluttering noise echoed through the room, but Maya still couldn’t pinpoint the location. Xavier was a bit eccentric, and part of her wondered if he was shouting at nothing at all.

  “Come on.” He waved them toward the back of the room. “I have some items set aside for you, Shane, but I thought you’d like to select certain things yourself, like the ammo.”

  “Thank you.” Shane followed Xavier and motioned for Maya to do the same. Hands clasped behind his back, Shane glanced briefly at the ceiling before stopping in front of the back wall. “Has Bella been paying you more visits?”

  “Who’s Bella?” Maya asked, looking warily toward the ceiling.

  “She’s a friend,” Xavier said with a sly smile. “But she’s shy. Probably for the best anyway. She only speaks Romanian. I’ve been working on teaching her English, but so far I can’t get her to say much. Usually she just hangs around and smiles at me while I work.”

  Isabella is a ghost. Shane’s voice slid into Maya’s mind with welcoming familiarity and instantly put her at ease. She’s haunted the halls of The Cloisters for years but recently took a liking to Xavier. I’ve never seen her, but he talks about her all the time. Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s harmless.

  I hope so. Maya eyed the ceiling again. I’ve had all the trouble I can handle.

  “Do you know any Romanian?” Xavier asked while fishing the remote out of the pocket of his white lab coat.

  “Me?” Maya shook her head. “No. English is my first and only language.”

  “You?” He nodded toward Shane.

  “Sadly, I do not, but if you need Spanish, French, German, or Japanese translations, then I would be of some assistance.”

  “Wait a minute.” Maya stopped dead in her tracks. “You speak all those languages?”

  “I have been roaming the planet for four centuries.” Shane frowned. “Actually, it’s rather appalling that I haven’t learned more. Most vampires my age are fluent in many more languages than that.”

  “Yeah.” Maya pursed her lips and nodded. “I was just thinking what a slacker you are.”

  Shane shot her an annoyed look that quickly faded when he saw the teasing look in her eyes. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.”

  Maya smiled and lifted one shoulder but said nothing because he was right. She was relieved that he didn’t appear to hate her after what had hap
pened. Then, her smile faltered as she realized why he was being so forgiving.

  He was her bloodmate, and without her, he would never walk in the sun. Did Shane truly care for her, or was he merely following the bloodmate trail?

  Xavier pushed another button on his remote, and seconds later the back wall slid away to reveal a massive arsenal—but it didn’t stop there. Another wall covered with guns disappeared behind the neighboring panel to reveal a walk-in closet that would make any warrior drool. It was the NYC Presidium’s armory.

  When Maya looked at Shane, the expression on his face was a combination of excitement and simmering aggression. He reminded her of a tiger, pacing back and forth, and waiting for the right moment to strike. Shane stepped into the cavernous armory and immediately started picking up various guns and slipping them into hidden compartments within his jacket. He handled them with absolute confidence, and while Maya watched him, the word “graceful” actually came to mind.

  Shane was most definitely in his element.

  Maya, however, was not, and to say she was intimidated by the space would be an understatement.

  “Don’t be shy.” Xavier waved for her to come in. He flew up and stood on top of a stool at the far side of the room. “I have something here that’s perfect for you.”

  Maya went over to him, although she couldn’t help but notice that Shane was watching her while he packed various items into his bag, which now had more firepower than clothing. When she finally reached Xavier, he was holding a gun out to her with both hands.

  “Here.” He smiled warmly. “Give it a try. It’s not loaded, so you don’t have to worry about any accidents.”

  Maya licked her lips, which suddenly felt dry. She stared at the shiny stainless-steel weapon. Slipping the bag off her shoulder, Maya placed it on the ground before tentatively taking the gun from Xavier.

  She held the weapon in both hands and turned it over, carefully inspecting it. It was lighter than she expected and had a long, thin barrel with what looked like a skinny pole running along the top of it. The handle was smooth, and wrapping her fingers around it, she was surprised at how easily and naturally it fit in her hand.

  “How is it?” Shane’s voice drifted over her left shoulder, making Maya jump a bit. He’d moved in behind her without a sound and stood just inches away. “Is it too heavy or cumbersome feeling?”

  Maya lifted one shoulder and looked at the weapon in her hands. “I have no idea how it’s supposed to feel. I’ve never held a gun before. At least, not since I was turned,” she added quickly. “I couldn’t tell you what the hell I held or didn’t hold when I was human.”

  “Well, I doubt you ever held anything like this.” Xavier pushed his glasses up onto his head and pointed one pudgy finger at the gun. “That gun takes standard silver bullet ammo and liquid silver bullets.”

  “That’s new.” Shane had moved closer, but Maya did her best to focus on what Xavier was saying instead of the way her body was reacting to Shane.

  “And deadly to both vamps and werewolves.” Xavier snagged two ammunition magazines from the shelf behind him and held them up. “The black mags contain the solid silver bullets. As you know, they kill only with a shot to the head or heart. The white mags have the liquid silver bullets. Once they hit the target, liquid silver is injected into the bloodstream. Given the amount, it’s almost always fatal.”

  “You’re a genius, my friend.” Shane reached past Maya and took the ammunition from Xavier. “I’ll hold on to these.”

  “Fine with me.” Maya shuddered. “Just being near this stuff is a little intimidating.”

  “That’s not what’s frightening,” Shane said, zipping up his bag before moving in behind her again.

  “Oh really?” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Then what is?”

  “Like most creatures, you fear what you don’t know.”

  In a blink, Shane reached out and wrapped both arms around her. Pressing his body against hers, he spun her so that she was facing the stainless steel wall and could see their combined reflections. He slid his hands along her arms until his fingers were wrapped around hers, which were curled around the gun.

  “But we can remedy that.” He kissed her cheek, a featherlight brush along her flesh, making her stomach do that flip-flop thing again. Holding her stare in the mirror-like finish of the wall, he adjusted her grip on the gun and gingerly slid her finger onto the trigger with his. His flesh covered hers at every possible spot, and he nestled his head alongside hers then gently adjusted her stance.

  “The trick is to be gentle.” Shane’s voice, quiet but strong, filled the room. His hands remained over hers, merely resting there like a caress, guiding her. “You don’t need to apply much pressure to make it fire.”

  Maya nodded and did her best to concentrate on what Shane was talking about. Having him so close, and feeling the hard planes of his body along hers, was highly distracting. The slow burn of desire crackled and simmered through her blood when Shane’s hips pressed against her. If he kept this up, a lot more than the gun was going to fire.

  “Your stance should be balanced.” He grinned and slid one boot-clad foot between hers, gently but insistently nudging her feet apart. “Shoulder width apart. And never, ever take your eye off the target.”

  He added the tiniest bit of pressure against her finger on the trigger and a bright-red light beam came out of the barrel.

  “Laser sighting,” Shane murmured. The scruff of his unshaven face rasped enticingly along her cheek as he spoke, creating delicious friction. His voice rumbled in his chest and vibrated through her and around her. “All you have to do is point and shoot.”

  “You can’t miss,” Xavier added with a clap of his hands. Maya stiffened in Shane’s embrace, having almost forgotten they weren’t alone in the room. Xavier flew from the stool back out to the main laboratory. “Hold on, you can’t go without some silver throwing weapons.”

  “Throwing weapons?” Maya asked with trepidation.

  “That’s later.” Shane held her stare, his hands trailing up her arms, and she lowered the gun. “We’ll start training in hand-to-hand combat when we arrive in Louisiana.”

  “Hand-to-hand combat?” Maya squeaked. Shane rested his hands on her shoulders while he peered at her intently. “I—I don’t think I can do that.”

  “Yes, you can.” He squeezed her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “But we’ll take it one step at a time. You are capable of more than you know.”

  “There’s something I have to tell you, Shane,” Maya whispered. She looked away, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. “Last night, when we were with the wolves—”

  “We don’t have to discuss it right now,” he interjected. The muscle in his jaw flickered and tension settled in his shoulders. “It’s done.”

  “Yes, we do. Listen, Shane. Something happened to me in that hotel.” She grabbed the pendant for reassurance and squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the bizarre sensation of being drawn to the wolves. “I-It was like my senses got totally out of whack and I couldn’t see straight. It almost felt like I got drugged.”

  Before she could finish, the same fluttering sound from earlier whisked into the armory and she felt Shane’s body tense. Maya’s eyes flicked open and she found herself face-to-face with a young woman who was most definitely a ghost and had to be Isabella.

  Bella looked to be no more than eighteen or twenty, and she had large, dark eyes rimmed with sadness. She floated in midair with long, black hair flowing loosely down her back, and she wore a dark-colored dress with a high neck and long sleeves. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she was entirely transparent.

  “Well, well, well,” Shane murmured. “You must be Bella.”

  The girl’s eyes flicked to Shane briefly and she looked annoyed, as though his greeting was unwelcome. Bella floated closer, the fluttering
sound whispering around her, and Maya leaned back against Shane. The ghost girl flicked her gaze to Maya’s necklace and then back to Maya’s face, studying her closely. She raised one delicate hand, pointed to the pendant at Maya’s throat, and whispered, “Vanator.”

  Maya’s hand instinctively grabbed the pendant and held it to her chest, while the girl continued to float in midair and stare at her.

  “Here we are.” Xavier’s excited voice boomed into the room, and Bella vanished like a candle blown out by the breeze. He stopped a few feet away and smiled. “Was that Bella?”

  “Yes.” Maya handed the gun to Shane and went to Xavier. “What does vanator mean?”

  “She spoke to you? That’s the first time she’s spoken to anyone other than me.” He handed Shane a black leather bag that undoubtedly contained the throwing weapons. Running a hand through his unruly white hair, Xavier turned and walked back into the lab, waving for them to follow. “What was that word again?”

  “Vanator,” Shane said.

  The doors to the armory slid shut behind them, and the smooth stainless-steel wall slid back into place, hiding the stash of weapons.

  “Get Maya suited up with those,” Xavier said, waving absently at the bag. “I’ll look up that word. I bought a Romanian-English dictionary once she started talking to me, but she talks so fast that most of the time it doesn’t help. Usually she just hangs around and watches me work.”

  Shane placed the bag on the counter before pulling on his leather gloves. Maya watched him carefully remove sterling-silver ninja stars and a few daggers from the bag.

  “Stand still and hold your arms out to the side.”

  Maya did as he asked. “Like this?”

  “Yes.” Shane picked up two sterling-silver ninja stars and must have seen the look of concern on her face. He stepped closer. “Do you trust me?”