Heart of the Vampire (Vanderlind Castle)

by Gayla Twist

  A sharp blow to the head sent me crashing to the ground. It was the big man, blood streaming down his cheek. I couldn’t understand most of what he said beyond the word, “Bitch!” As if I was at fault for trying to save my own life.

  He had me by the hair and started dragging me to the edge of the parking structure. I kicked and clawed at him, but it wasn’t any good. The goon was too angry at that point to feel any pain. He grabbed me and lifted me over his head, wanting to hurl me off of the garage. “This is for Count Adami,” he told me. Wrenching my body around, I grabbed him by the hair and held on for dear life. If I was going over, he was going with me.

  The big man’s friend joined him, slapping me in the face to try to get me to release my grip. I still hung on. I had known when I left Tiburon that there was a good chance I was going to die in Budapest, but I had thought it would involve a group of vampires in a feeding frenzy, not being flung off a parking garage by some mobbed-up thug.

  Out of nowhere, I heard Jessie’s voice. “Aurora, let go,” he commanded.

  “Are you crazy?” I shouted back.

  “Just trust me and let go.”

  Trusting Jessie was something I knew how to do. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and unlocked my fingers. I felt the big man hurtling me into the night. I didn’t mean to scream, but I couldn’t help it.

  “Oof!” I said, all the air escaping my lungs as Jessie snatched me out of the sky. He was a vampire, after all; he knew how to fly.

  “I’ve got you,” he said, cradling me in his arms. I let out another scream and buried my face in his chest.

  Instead of flying me the hell away from there, he returned to the roof and set me down gently a good distance from the men. “What are you doing?” I asked, still wobbly on my feet from the injection and the terror.

  “Don’t worry,” he said in a calm voice with rage seething just underneath. His eyes looked wild, like he was a panther about to tear apart its prey. “I’ll be right back. There’s just something I need to take care of first.”

  “Jessie, don’t,” I said, pulling at his coat, but he wasn’t listening.

  “Run!” I shouted at the two Mob guys. “You’ve got to run!” Sure, they’d been paid to kill me, but the look in Jessie’s eyes had me almost as terrified as being in the trunk.

  Three more figures appeared out of the sky causing both Mob guys to panic. The younger one exclaimed something, looking surprised and terrified. Jessie laughed, looking more like Satan than a saint, and then snarled something at him in return. It was pretty dark, but I could just make out the other three vampires. It was Vilma, the Duke, and another man, possibly the one that told Jessie about the dancing. They did not appear happy.

  There was a brief conversation in Hungarian between vampires, and then suddenly Jessie was at my side. “Are you ready to go?” he asked, trying to appear calm.

  “Jessie, you can’t,” I said, feeling tears filling my eyes. “They’re just...” I stammered. “Please don’t let anybody hurt them.”

  Gathering me in his arms, he whispered, “Don’t worry, my darling girl. They’ll live.”

  And then we were flying over the rooftops of Budapest, Jessie’s arms around me, the wind whistling through the bedraggled mess that was my hair. “My hat,” I yelped, suddenly realizing it was gone. “Oh, crud,” I said with a slight whimper. The little boat was so charming, and now it was gone.

  “I’ll order you a new one,” Jessie assured me.

  “No, that’s okay,” I told him. “I couldn’t keep it anyway, it’s just... It was pretty.”

  We arrived at the Csorbo villa. Rather than landing us in the courtyard, like I was expecting, he set me down outside the main gate. “Aren’t we going in?” I asked.

  “Sure,” he assured me, “but it’s rude to just fly into someone’s home. This way is more polite.”

  A few moments later a guard opened the gate, letting us in. The night air was very chilly, and I shivered a little. “Oh,” I exclaimed. “I don’t have Madame Csorbo’s cloak.”

  Jessie laughed, his eyes looking merry rather than like the storm of anger that they had been on the roof. “It’s fine,” he told me. “I’m sure it’ll get back to her. She was very worried when you disappeared from the ball.” More servants ushered us into the house.

  “What did that man say?” I asked.

  “What man?” Jessie wanted to know.

  “The younger one. On the roof of the garage. When your friends appeared. He said something. And then you laughed at him. What was it?”

  “He said ‘Impossible,’ but I guess he was wrong,” Jessie chuckled.

  “Why were they after me?” I asked. We were inside the villa, and Jessie was leading me toward my room. “How does the Mob even know I’m here?”

  “A friend of Viktor’s must have hired them to kill you before you were under the Bishops’ rule,” he said.

  “But why?” The Bishops more than likely wanted to see me dead anyway; it seemed like a waste of money.

  “In case the ruling’s in your favor. If they kill you now, they haven’t done anything wrong in the eyes of the law. But if the Bishops show us leniency, then killing you would be a crime.”

  “But that’s cheating,” I exclaimed as he opened the door to my room.

  Jessie smiled and then kissed me on the forehead. “They’re vampires,” he said. “They’re not necessarily worried about playing fair. Why do you think we had to form a government in the first place?”

  Margaret came rushing. “Mademoiselle,” she exclaimed. “Your beautiful gown! Are you hurt?”

  I looked down. My beautiful sea of blue was torn and stained. “I’m all right,” I told her. “But it really is a shame about the dress.”

  Gloria appeared in the doorway looking severe, and Jessie joined her for a conversation in the hall.

  “We’ll get you cleaned up in no time,” Margaret assured me. “And I’ll do my best with your gown.”

  Forty minutes later I was clean and makeup free with my hair detangled. Margaret had me wrapped in a cozy lavender robe, and the fireplace in my room had a roaring fire. I was curled up on a loveseat feeling toasty when Jessie came striding in. He still had on the pants and boots to his costume but was no longer wearing the jacket or vest. The very lightweight linen shirt he had on was open at the collar, and the fabric was slightly transparent—much to my delight.

  Jessie sat down beside me, reached over, and squeezed my hand. “Besides the whole kidnapping thing, how did you enjoy the ball?”

  “I loved it,” I said, shifting so I could be a little closer to him. “It must be wonderful to be able to go to a ball any time you want.”

  “Mmmm...” Jessie said noncommittally. Eventually he added, “It was wonderful to be there with you.”

  “So it’s not wonderful when I’m not around?” I asked, a little confused. The ball really had been spectacular.

  Sighing, Jessie said, “Have you ever known anyone who’s worked in a chocolate factory?”

  “Sure,” I told him, not really knowing where he was going with the conversation. “My Aunt Sue worked at a chocolate shop that made their own chocolates when she was in high school.” When I was really little, she used to tell me about it. I would fantasize about working there when I grew up.

  “Does she still eat chocolate?” he wanted to know.

  “No.” That’s one thing I always found strange about Sue. She would not eat chocolate no matter what the occasion. Not even a little bite.

  “And why doesn’t she like it anymore?” he pressed. I felt like I was in some type of remedial class and he was trying to coax an answer out of me.

  “Because she got sick of it,” I said. “She had access to it all the time and... Oh, I get you.”

  Jessie nodded. “Something that was a treat became commonplace and then became boring to the point of distasteful.”

  “And that’s how you feel about going to a ball? It’s become distasteful?” I wanted t
o know, feeling just a little bit hurt and embarrassed. I had been having such a good time and to know that Jessie was thoroughly bored...

  “Distasteful probably isn’t the right word,” he said. “They’ve just become oddly tiresome.”

  “I’m sorry you were bored,” I told him, turning my head slightly away. I was definitely feeling hurt. He was definitely talented at faking a good time.

  “You see, that’s the thing.” He gathered me closer in his arms even though I was trying to pull away. “Being there with you made everything new again. I got to see the ball through your eyes. That made it fresh. That’s why it was so fun. I haven’t enjoyed myself that much, anywhere, in decades.”

  “Oh.” I relented, feeling less like a fool. “Okay, good. I’m glad you had fun.” I stopped struggling to put some space between us.

  “Being with you makes everything more fun,” he said, leaning in and giving me a soft kiss.

  I wasn’t expecting the kiss but gladly returned it. His lips were firm and his mouth cool. The kiss deepened.

  We’d never actually kissed normally before, sitting on a couch or in a car or anything like a regular couple. Our kisses were usually fraught with emotion or peril, with me stumbling out of my bedroom window and flinging myself into his arms. We’d never had the opportunity to kiss leisurely and simply enjoy pressing our lips against each other’s.

  I quickly remembered that I was wearing nothing but a robe, which was barely held closed by a narrow belt, and a pair of cotton panties. My thighs instantly felt tingly and warm; there was a throbbing heat building low in my belly. Jessie’s shirt pulled easily open, and I let my hands rove over his sculpted chest. He closed his eyes and released a small groan of pleasure. “Aurora,” he gasped.

  That’s what I wanted. That’s what I needed. For him to know that it was me he was with; it was me in his arms. Not Colette or any other girl. “Oh, Jessie,” I whispered, my robe slipping open another inch. I had no experiences with boys beyond kissing and a bit of light groping in the back of Fred’s car, but with Jessie it was different. I knew I was ready. I wanted him to consume me. Not as a vampire but as a lover. I wanted Jessie to be my first, my last, my only lover.

  “Jessie,” I said again, on the verge of panting. “Oh, please,” I groaned as his cool hand slipped inside my robe and found my breast, his thumb rubbing over my erect nipple. “I want you... to be with you,” I told him. “I want us to be together.”

  “Oh, Aurora,” Jessie said, his canine teeth extending into fangs. “I want you so badly, my darling.” He kissed my mouth, my throat, his hands slowly undoing the tie of my robe. “I want...” And then he froze.

  It took me a moment to realize he wasn’t moving anymore. At that point I was on my knees, kind of half straddling him on the couch. I opened my eyes to look down at him, so beautiful, so perfect. “Don’t stop,” I insisted. “I don’t want you to stop.”

  “No,” Jessie said, his voice ragged and low. “I...” he stammered. “I don’t want to stop,” he admitted. “But if we keep going, I don’t think I can stop.” He put his hand to his mouth, covering his fangs, forming a physical barrier between them and my flesh. “And I don’t want that. Not with you.”

  “But, Jessie,” I told him, “if it means we can be together, then I don’t mind losing a little blood.”

  “No,” Jessie said, this time quite firmly. He disentangled himself from me and got to his feet. “I will not start down that road. Not with anyone, but especially not with you.”

  Standing there in front of me, he looked so wistful and yet tormented, that I knew I couldn’t push him. “I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just... I have so many feelings for you and what we were doing felt so right.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” he said, caressing my cheek. “Just knowing you, being able to reach out and touch your hair if I want, is so amazing to me. I’ve waited so long for you that I feel that if we rush things, you’ll just evaporate like smoke through my fingers.”

  I felt a glimmer of hope. “So, you’re saying that someday we might...” I gestured vaguely with my hand toward the couch.

  He smiled, his gray eyes sparkling. “Maybe. If we’re properly married first.” He reached up to touch the point of one of his receding fangs. “And I have the time to practice extreme self control.”

  He wanted me. It felt so good to know that Jessie wanted me. That would have to be enough for the moment. And he was right. There was no reason to let my hormones go to my head. I was only seventeen. I could wait. Especially for a boy like Jessie.

  “It’s late,” Jessie said, closing his shirt and smoothing his hair. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. I should let you get some sleep.”

  Was he kidding? How was I supposed to sleep after all that kissing? “Okay,” was all I could manage, even though my thighs were still tingling.

  “Our audience with the Bishops is first thing tomorrow night, so try to get as much sleep as you can. The proceedings might take a while.”

  I nodded, already missing him, and he hadn’t even left the room.

  “Good night, darling,” he said, darting forward and planting a small kiss on my lips before disappearing out the door.

  Chapter 27

  The dream started like an old movie that I’d seen so many times every detail was familiar. I was wearing my green dress with the white flowers, my best pair of shoes, and I had a small suitcase tucked under my arm. Even as I was asleep, I knew I was dreaming, knew I was watching a scene from someone else’s life.

  The dream shifted quickly, and the terror was upon me. I was in the woods, running for my life. I needed to find Jessie. I needed to get the hell out of the woods. My ankle caught in the tree root, and I went down hard, the ground jarring my bones. The beast was nearby. I could hear it sniffing the air, the twigs snapping beneath its feet. I tried not to move or even breathe. Eventually, I thought I heard it moving off to a different part of the woods. Still I was too afraid to run. After a long time of not hearing anything alarming, I cautiously lifted my head and looked around.

  Jessie was there intently searching for me. I called out his name, and he swiftly turned in my direction. It was only after it was too late that I realized it wasn’t Jessie. I had just signaled the beast.

  The creature came lunging toward me, eager for a midnight feast. I was unable to move, unable to scream. I just sat there doing nothing to defend myself. The beast was only a few yards away.

  The earth suddenly fell away from beneath my feet. Jessie was there, holding me in his arms. We were flying, soaring through the air with the stars and the night all around us. I gave Jessie an incredulous look. He was laughing, the wind tousling his hair. “Impossible,” I told him.

  And that was when I woke up.

  It was daytime. That was the only thing I knew for sure. My mouth was dry, and I was insanely thirsty. I rolled out of bed and started staggering around, eventually heading in the direction of the bathroom.

  Splashing water on my face and gulping from the tap helped. I felt a bit more coherent. I wondered how long I had been asleep. Slouching back into the bedroom, I encountered Margaret with breakfast on a tray. “You’re up,” she said, giving me a cheery smile. She couldn't have gotten much more sleep than I did, but then again, she hadn’t been drugged the night before and thrown off a parking garage. And she didn’t have jet lag.

  “What time is it?” I asked, eager for coffee although I don't normally drink the stuff.

  “Almost one o’clock,” was the reply.

  A lot of my friends in Tiburon easily slept past one o’clock on a weekend, but I usually had to get up early for work at Cup of Joes, so I rarely had that luxury.

  “Gloria has been waiting for you to get up so she can talk to you,” Margaret said. “Shall I send her in, or would you rather wait until you’re dressed.”

  “She can come in now, if she wants,” I said, opening the door to the sitting room and gesturing with my head for Margaret to follow. “I don�
�t mind if she doesn’t mind.”

  I had expected Margaret to open the folding shutters to the windows so the sun could come in, but she didn’t even look in their direction. Maybe it wasn’t her job. I figured I could do it myself once I was done talking to Gloria. “I’ll be back to dress you,” Margaret said once she’d placed everything on a table and was on her way out the door.

  “That’s okay. I don’t need help getting dressed,” I called after her.

  She looked at me over her shoulder, both eyebrows raised. “Not even for the tribunal?”

  “Okay, yeah.” I had been desperately ignoring the fact that I had to face a jury of angry vampires. “You’d better come back.”

  She shot me a crooked smile and exited the room. A few moments later, Gloria came in. “Good morning,” I greeted her.

  “Good afternoon,” she corrected me. “I trust that you slept well?”

  I nodded. “Coffee?” I offered. I’d noticed that there were two cups. Gloria looked interested but then hesitated. “Oh, come on,” I said to her. “It’s not like any of the family is around. It would be rude not to have some after I’ve offered. And there’s a full pot.”

  Gloria relented, and I filled a cup for her. Once we were seated and happily sipping, she said, “I’m sorry, but after the activities of last night, I don’t believe it would be safe for you to go sightseeing this afternoon.”

  “Oh, okay.” I hadn’t really considered that I would be able to wedge in some sightseeing, so it wasn’t much of a disappointment. “Who was it, by the way? Who hired those Mob guys to kill me?”

  “A vampire who wanted revenge for Viktor Adami.”

  Answers like that irritated me. Obviously it was someone who wanted revenge for Viktor. I figured that part out when the thug said, “This is for Count Adami,” before trying to fling me off a building.

  “Come on, Gloria. What are you, a guy or something?” I snapped. When she gave me a questioning look, I added, “Don’t treat me like I’m simple by giving me some super obvious answer. That’s a guy move, and it’s annoying.”