Nightwalker

by Rhonda L. Print

  “I’ll bet she did. How about those beers, Tony?”

  “On me.” He grabbed a couple of mugs. I started to protest. “It’s the least I can do after giving your new boyfriend a hard time.” He held his hand out to Ian. “No hard feelings?”

  Ian shook his hand. “How could I fault you for protecting the woman I care deeply about when I would have done the same thing in your place.”

  Luigi turned to the now silent bar and loudly spoke, “Go back to your drinks, people. I’m sure we’ve given you enough conversation to round out your evening. Torna al tuo business.” He waved his towel at them. “Go back to your business.”

  Tony returned moments later with two tall beers and a bowl of pretzels.

  I drained my glass in one long swallow and closed my eyes. Tony refilled my glass without asking; then walked to the other end of the bar to fill another order.

  “So, is that what I am? Your boyfriend?” Ian looked both smug and amused as he brought his glass to his lips and took a drink.

  I took another long drink as I watched him over the rim of my glass. I couldn’t deny that I was attracted to him, but I’d just come off one relationship that had ended very badly and I wasn’t ready to go into another just yet. “Tonight I could just use a shoulder to cry on.”

  He held both arms wide. “Take your pick.”

  “I had to revisit my past and while I’d rather not go into the details, someone I once confided in died today.” I fought back tears. “One minute he was sitting in the ragged chair he’d had as long as I can remember and the next … he was lying on the floor, dead.”

  He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “I am sorry. What can I do?”

  I heard a throat clear loudly. “Excuse me, Leah, but a table just opened up if you’d like it.” I looked up to see Tony motioning toward the now empty table in a quiet corner of the restaurant.

  “Yeah, thanks, Tony. Could I have another beer, too?”

  “I’ll bring it to the table.”

  We walked to the table as Sophia put a fresh tablecloth and two fresh beers on it. “Bambino,” she muttered with a sad look in her eyes as she lit the candle. “Joaquín no deserve you the bastardo infedele!” She kissed me on the cheek then walked away.

  Ian held out my chair for me then took the seat across from mine.

  “I don’t know what she said but it didn’t sound good.” I set the napkin in my lap.

  “She called him a ‘cheating bastard’.” He chuckled.

  “You speak Italian?”

  “Among other languages, yes,” he replied. “Your friend from your past, you were close?”

  I laughed and nearly choked on my beer. “Hell, I don’t think anyone was close to Sebastian. He was the first person who saw me for who I was and understood my curse.”

  “So you think you are cursed?” His tone was blank.

  “Wilson and Alli call it a gift. Anyway, Sebastian was cursed, gifted, whatever the hell you want to call it. He knew what it was like to go through life as a freak and didn’t judge me for it.”

  Ian took my hands in his across the table. “You are not a freak, my love. You are a vibrant, beautiful woman with gifts.”

  “Well, those gifts didn’t do Sebastian any damn good.” I emptied my glass and started on Ian’s. “He lived and died in a shack too nasty to be condemned and drank himself blind drunk every day just to control his so-called gifts.”

  “And you fear that you share his destiny?”

  That hit a little too close to what I was thinking. Fresh tears threatened to spill from my eyes. “Yeah,” I whispered as they streamed down my cheeks.

  “I can help you.” Ian wiped my tears away with his fingertips. “I can teach you to control your gifts, but first we must discover what they are. Are you willing to do that?”

  “I don’t know anymore. I just want to be … normal.”

  “You could never be normal, my love. You are extraordinary.”

  “I’m different, I’ll give you that.” I grinned.

  “See?” He cocked his head to the side. “You are smiling already.” He leaned his face within a whisper of mine. “I have never met another like you. Never felt this attracted to anyone before. You bewitch me.”

  “Why? What the hell is it about me that you find so damn irresistible?”

  “You make me feel.”

  “Make you feel what?” I spoke the words against his lips.

  “I thought I’d lost my emotions when I lost my human life. I felt nothing after I turned. Not happiness, sorrows, worries or love. Nothing. Until you. You make me feel again.” He pressed his lips to mine and I forgot where I was, what I was, who I was. There was nothing but Ian. His lips upon mine, his scent surrounding me in warm comfort and his taste in my mouth.

  “Whoa, get a room, Leah!” Rosa stood beside the table. “Mama told me to bring these to you.” She set two beers on the table. “Damn, I heard her tell Papa your new boyfriend was a dish, but she didn’t cover the half of it. Where do you find a man like him?” She fanned herself with the now empty tray in her hands.

  “Don’t mind her, Ian, Rosa is incurably shy.” I cast a sideways look at her. “Rosa, this is Ian. Ian, this is Rosa. She is Luigi and Sophia’s daughter.”

  He brought her hand to his lips and laid a chaste kiss on it. “You are as charming as your mother. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine,” she crooned. “Can I get you anything else, food, drink, the key to my apartment?”

  He laughed, not a hint of fang showing. Hmm.

  “I have all I need here.” He smiled at me.

  “Oh yeah, Leah can be a handful. You two have fun now.” She raised her eyebrows at me, turned and bounded back toward the kitchen.

  “Well this is working out well. Her brother threatens to beat you, her parents curse in Italian, she hits on you and I’m crying on your shoulder. This has to be up there with the world’s worst dates.”

  “They are just looking out for you. You have good friends, treasure them.”

  “They’re more than just friends, they are my family.”

  “When do I get to meet the rest of your family?”

  “Well,” I shifted in my seat, “you already know Wilson. He and his wife Alli took me in when I was a teenager. He is the reason I went into law enforcement. I’d hoped to use my abilities for a better purpose. I had no idea what I was getting into.”

  “Your biological family?” He angled his head in question.

  I shook my head. “Never knew my father and my mother abandoned me.” I shrugged. “I guess she just couldn’t handle what I am.”

  He cupped my face in his hand and gently skimmed his thumb along my cheek. “I am sorry.”

  “Don’t be. God only knows what I would have become if not for Wilson and Alli. My best friend and for all purposes my sister, Jessica, and her son, my godson Oscar, about round it out for me.” I stifled a yawn.

  “I should get you home to rest.” Ian kissed me lightly.

  “Yeah, I could use some sleep.”

  * * * *

  Ian pulled the car in front of my house. I undid my seatbelt as he rounded the hood to open the door for me. Before I could take a step toward the house he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me mindless. He set me on my feet and kept a steadying arm around my waist.

  “What was that for?” I asked, still a little breathless.

  “You never cease to amaze me,” Ian replied.

  We walked to the door, arm in arm. I fumbled my keys out of my pocket. Ian took them and opened the door. I walked in as he paused behind me. I turned. “Don’t tell me you need an invitation to come in?”

  “There are many myths regarding my race.” He paused. “That however, is not one of them.”

  I pursed my lips in thought. That was an interesting bit of information that I’d store away for future use.

  “So if I invite you in, do you have free reign to come and go as you please or
do you need an invite each time?”

  “I only need to be invited in once and the rule only applies to private residences.” He shrugged.

  I hesitated, enjoying his discomfort while I debated on whether or not to give him permission.

  “Ian Nightwalker, would you like to come in?” I swept my arms out wide in an exaggerated gesture of invitation.

  He smiled and crossed into the house. “I will not abuse the privilege, my love.”

  “Yeah, right.” I tossed a pillow to the floor and took a seat on the couch.

  “So, you were a policewoman?” he asked once we’d sat on the sofa.

  “Detective, once upon a time, yes.”

  “You didn’t find law enforcement to your liking?”

  “I didn’t find the restrictions to my liking. The regulations designed to make the politicians happy were so restricting that they impeded my ability to do my job.”

  “Not a team player, huh?”

  “I just believe the criminals give up their rights voluntarily the minute they cross the line. I’m tired of hearing about their rights when they stole the rights of others. And to answer your question, playing nice with others has never been my strong suit.”

  “You’re a tough woman, my love.”

  “It’s a tough world, Ian.”

  He brushed his hand along the side of my face. “You look tired.”

  “Yeah, I could sleep.” I stifled another yawn. Why is it that the moment you realize you’re tired you start to yawn?

  “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “I’m babysitting my godson tomorrow. Jess has a corporate dinner. I don’t know how long I’ll be. Would you like to meet me there? Oscar goes to sleep pretty early, it will give us some more time to talk.”

  He grinned. “Are you asking me to meet your godson?”

  “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  “You trust me to be with your family?”

  I gave myself a moment to think about that. “Yes, I do.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “I’ll give you her address.”

  “I’ll be there at six.” He closed the distance between us.

  I reached up on my toes and kissed him. “Thanks for not running away screaming tonight.”

  “Isn’t it you who should run screaming from me?”

  “Yeah, well … when you get scary, I’ll let you know.”

  He kissed me again at the door before I locked up.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I stood in the center of a great canyon. Symbols, drawings, runes, all mixed together with the faces of the murdered women. They encircled me, moving faster and faster until I spun with them. A dark flowing mass, almost like the mist of a demon, descended upon us as a shrill, female laugh permeated the air. All at once, everything froze. The laugh grew louder and I realized that the canyon was filled with blood, a lake of crimson. I tried to turn and run away. My mind willed my body to move. My body didn’t respond and stood helplessly in the shadow of the black flowing mass moving closer … closer. A shadow of myself stepped out of my own body. There were two of me, one, still frozen, unable to run; the other stood in front of me, and it was like looking in a mirror except the face I was staring at was shadowy, ghostly, as it let out a long raucous laugh like fingernails sliding along a chalkboard. The shadow pushed me over the cliff and I tumbled face first down the canyon to the crimson lake below. The last face I saw as I toppled over the cliff was Zarendia’s. I awoke screaming, sweat dripping down my face as I reached under my pillow and wrapped my fingers around my gun. I took a deep breath to steady myself as I scanned the room.

  A dream, it was just another damn nightmare. I dropped back onto my pillow holding the gun securely in my hands. The cold steel helped anchor me, bring my thoughts to the present. I laughed at myself as I lay there sweating, my heart thudding in my ears. “It was just a fucking dream, Leah. Get a grip.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Nightmares faded from my mind the moment Jess placed Oscar in my arms. His blond curls bounced as he wrapped his tiny hands around my neck. His voice was soft and melodic as he spoke with a mixture of “real words” and babytalk. The few teeth he had growing sporadically in his mouth glimmered when he flashed me that wonderful smile that managed to melt my heart each time he graced me with it. Once I assured Jess that we would be fine, confirmed that I knew his bedtime and promised, with my fingers crossed of course, not to give him more than two cookies, Jess left. I spent a glorious afternoon chasing his unsteady toddle around the house and trying to get to whatever caught his attention a second before he got into trouble with it. Except for the picture frame that came crashing down when Oscar managed to pull the cloth from under it before I could reach him. Oops, my bad.

  Ian arrived as I held Oscar on one hip and swept the remnants of the broken frame. I unlocked the door while Oscar happily played with my hair.

  Ian laughed but stood just outside the door. “You look like you have your hands full.”

  “You’re right, give me a hand here, will ya?”

  Ian arched both eyebrows at me in expectation.

  “What?” I stepped back so he could enter.

  “Vampire,” he said simply.

  Oh yea, duh. “Come in, please.”

  Ian smiled and stepped through the doorway.

  I thrust Oscar into Ian’s surprised arms then turned to finish sweeping up the broken glass. I heard the door behind me closing softly; then the lock sliding into place. Oscar’s squeals of laughter greeted me as I returned to the room to find Ian holding him high above his head making silly faces at him while Oscar drooled and giggled. Ian brought Oscar back down and cradled him to his shoulder, bouncing in place. A full fang-showing smile split Ian’s face. “I have not held a babe in longer than I care to think. He is delightful.”

  “Yes, he is, isn’t he?”

  Ian, Oscar and I spent the rest of the evening together. We sang, played and Ian told stories in voices I would never use with an adult in earshot. A half a dozen cookies filled Oscar’s tummy as I changed him into his fuzzy blue pajamas with the feet built in. Ian stood behind me, handing me wipes and a fresh diaper as I needed them. He cradled Oscar in his arms while he fed him a bottle of warm milk. Oscar’s tiny cherub face nestled in the strength of Ian’s corded arms filled me with a longing I’d never had before and couldn’t afford to have now. By eight we had snuggled up on the sofa in the front room with Oscar’s favorite fuzzy blanket as I hummed him to sleep. His face grew pudgy and slack as his eyelids drooped into the peaceful sleep only babies can get. Sleep without worry or regrets. I lay him down in his crib and gently closed the door behind me. Ian encircled me in his arms. His lips found mine and kissed me with an intensity that took away my thoughts.

  “Wow, what was that for?” I was still a little breathless.

  “Is this the kind of life you see in your future?” His eyes were dark with intensity.

  I turned away. “No, Ian, this kind of life is not in my future.”

  “You are so wonderful with him.”

  “I can’t have children.” I turned to face him. “I was shot, there was damage…” My voice cracked.

  Ian pulled me into his arms. “I am sorry, my love. I did not mean to bring up something so painful to you.”

  I took a deep breath. “I made my peace long ago. Some things are just not meant to be.”

  The lock on the door clicked and Ian placed himself protectively in front of me; I had my hand on the butt of my weapon.

  Jess came in, her arms juggling her purse, keys and foil shaped into a swan that I’m sure held her remaining dinner. She looked up, startled; then smiled broadly. “I didn’t know you had company.” She looked from me to Ian as she emptied her arms onto the table.

  “Jess, this is Ian. Ian, meet Oscar’s very energetic mom, Jess.”

  He shook her outstretched hand. “It’s lovely to meet you. You have my deepest admiration, your son is lovely.”

  “He’s
a handful, all right.” She laughed.

  “Did you have fun?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “I’d rather have been at home.”

  “Everything okay?” Something in her voice sounded off.

  She waved her hand in dismissal. “Yeah fine, just politics. I’m sure you two have other things to do with your evening,” she ushered us toward the door, “so I won’t keep you any longer.” She wiggled her eyebrows and winked. “Thanks for keeping an eye on Oscar. Call me tomorrow, Leah.” She all but shoved us out the front door. I was left staring dumbfoundedly at the closed door.

  “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” I mumbled.

  “She is happy to see you with me.” Ian smiled smugly. “She didn’t want you to waste the rest of the evening with her.”

  “You read her mind?” I asked knowing the answer.

  Ian shrugged eloquently.

  I followed Ian to the casino in my truck. It was still early so we decided to have a few drinks. The nightclub was charged with energy as the music vibrated through the room. The dance floor was packed as people swayed to the rhythm of the music. Every table was full, mostly with singles. A table full of women, dressed to kill, half drunk and tossing pheromones in the direction of every man in the place roared in laughter while men drenched in aftershave and looking to get lucky eyed the women like predators stalking their prey. Anyone who thinks humans don’t hunt in packs has never been in a singles bar. Ian held my hand and pulled me through the crowd. Mouse and Bear appeared as if summoned to flank our sides. The crowd opened up for us and we walked with amazing ease to the bar. Patrons stood ass to ass at the bar laughing, talking and holding various drinks. A great crowd on any night.

  Ian pulled me behind the bar with him and offered me a stool. He then stepped to the stage and motioned to the DJ who nodded at him. He returned to me, took my hand and led me back into the crowd. I stopped flat when I realized that he was taking me to the dance floor. He stepped back to me with a devilish grin then guided me to the floor with his hand at the small of my back. Once on the dance floor he faced me, placed both his hands along my hips and started to sway to the music. “You have two choices, my love. Either dance with me on your feet or I can place you on mine.”