“Yes. I can.”
“Have you ever?”
“No.”
“Oh,” she said. “I think Lauryl has.”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“After she came to see me, I had this really vivid nightmare. I don’t usually have nightmares, and it seemed like too much of a coincidence.” She bit her lip. “You don’t drink baby blood do you?”
Eamon frowned. “I don’t drink any person’s blood under the age of eighteen. It’s an unspoken law not to take the blood of, or turn anyone who is a minor. And yes, that does sound like something Lauryl would do.”
“You loved her once.”
“In retrospect, I don’t think I loved her. She was more of a challenge or infatuation.”
Amelie hesitated a moment. “Am I an infatuation?
“No.”
“How old are you? Really?”
He looked down and then into her eyes. “I was turned in July of 972.”
“Oh,” she whispered. She took a long look at his face. The things he had seen. All of the history he had experienced. His face revealed none of it. He was like any other man.
“I’m the oldest vampire in the world.”
“That’s amazing!”
“Yes, I suppose it is.” He caressed her cheek.
Her expression brightened suddenly and she shot out of bed to her dresser. She pulled the black velvet ring box out and showed it to him. “You left this.”
He took the little box from her and set it on the bed. “Did you open it?”
She shook her head. “No, I wanted to wait for you.”
Eamon sat up. He picked her left hand up and kissed each of her fingers gently. “Amelie de la Puente, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. I want you to be my wife and companion.” He flipped open the box, plucked out the ring, and slipped it on her finger.
“Yes Eamon, I’ll stay with you and love you for as long as you want me.”
“I’ll love you forever,” He looked from the ring to her eyes.
“Then I want you to make me what you are.”
“You’re certain?”
“Over the past month I tried to imagine life without you and I couldn’t. I don’t have any family or anything to hold me back. When I was in Gainesville, I just knew. I knew I wanted to be with you. I want—” Her words were silenced by his bite. At first it stung, like a needle prick. Then the pain dissolved. She only felt his mouth on her neck and the gentle and rhythmic sucking.
Eamon stopped feeding and licked the blood from her neck. The punctures’ oozing slowed and closed quickly. He kissed the bite and hugged her.
“Is that it?” She fingered the bite with curiosity.
A soft chuckle came from him. “Yes, that’s what it is in its plainest form, without the aid of glamouring or sex.”
“When do I become a vampire?”
“Not until I take all of your blood and give you mine.”
“How long do I have to wait before we can do it?”
“There’s no waiting period. Whenever you choose, we’ll do it.”
“Now?”
“Why now? What’s the hurry?”
“I want to be with you. Anything I have to do, I want to hurry up and do it so we can be together.”
“I want that as well, but I haven’t made any arrangements.” His phone continued to buzz in his pants on the floor. “I want this to be special.”
Amelie watched his pants shake. “It will be special. I know it.”
“I do want you to know I’m in the middle of some vampire political intrigue right now with Marta so we might not be as alone as I would prefer,” he said as his pants vibrated again. “Damn,” He reached for the phone and saw he had two missed calls from Lauryl and text messages that read CALL ME BACK NOW!!! 911 and THIS IS A FUCKING EMERGENCY!!!!
“Is everything okay?” Amelie asked.
“Lauryl. I need to call her, darling. Something seems to be wrong.” Eamon dialed Lauryl number and frown when she answered. “What is it, Lauryl? Your timing is legendary.”
“Eamon, I’m fucking freaking out! There’s a crazy guy with a bunch of people here in the club!”
“What? Calm down, please. What has happened?”
“Sasha said that this guy said that he knew that we were real and that he was going to kill us like he killed Irina!”
“He’s there now?” Eamon snatched up his pants and pulled them on.
“Yes, he’s downstairs. Trevor and the other security guys are watching him and his group.”
“Get all of the vampires together in your office. I’ll be right there.”
He ended the call and dialed Marta’s number. He pulled his shirt on and stepped into his shoes. Amelie, stared at him, her eyes were wide as she listened to his conversation. “Marta, stop what you’re doing and meet me at Bathory immediately. Don’t question me, just do it.” He shoved his phone in his pants pocket.
Eamon looked at Amelie and then stopped. “Darling, there seems to be a problem at Bathory. Apparently a human has shown up and is threatening to expose us and kill us. He’s already killed a vampire of my line. I have to go and see what’s happening.”
Amelie shook her head. “I don’t want you to go! What if something happens to you?” She reached out for his arm and he put his hand on hers.
“Nothing will happen. I’m going to see what the problem is. Besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve come up against someone like this lunatic.” He squeezed her hand.
Her grip on him tightened. “If you’re going to go, then I want you to turn me now!”
“Darling, you’re worrying for nothing.” He stroked her hand. “Like I said, I’ve dealt with people like this before. I’m still here. They’re not.”
Amelie let go of his arm and sat back. Her expression turned from frightened to solemn. “I can’t lose another person in my life.”
Eamon looked into her dark eyes, feeling her wild apprehension. He concentrated on her fears, minimizing them until they were gone. “I’ll be back. I promise.”
“But…”
“I promise,” he said. He kissed her tenderly.
Amelie nodded. “I guess.”
When she smiled, he kissed her again and left.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
I Would Like You to Stop Speaking Until I Specifically Speak to You
Within ten minutes, Eamon pulled his Boxster into the vacant lot behind Bathory next to Marta’s Mercedes and looked for her. She walked out of a shadow and knocked on his window. Eamon jumped out of his car and tossed his phone back inside.
Marta smiled. “This must be serious for you to let go of that.”
“This is deadly serious, Marta. The bastard who killed Irina is inside threatening to expose and kill every vampire he knows of.”
She took a step backwards and her gray eyes darkened. Her jaw line tensed before her fangs popped in. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second before speaking. “That would certainly explain the fear I sense around the building.”
He reached out to Lauryl. She was safe but frightened. They heard the footsteps of a human approaching the door. A moment later, it slid open. Dita peered out. The glassy-eyed expression on the girl’s face revealed she was in a state of shock.
“Dita, take us to Lauryl.” He brushed past her with Marta behind him. When Dita didn’t move fast enough, Eamon pulled her back in by the arm. “Dita, darling, now.” He gave her a push and she nodded.
As Dita started to walk down the hallway, she appeared to recover her scattered and panicked wits. Her quick, shallow breaths caused her to become light headed. As her knees buckled, she reached out to the wall to support herself. Eamon caught her by the arm and helped her back up.
“Thanks.” Her breathing became steadier when she made eye contact with him. Dita continued down the hall. She stopped at a keypad and entered the code. The door locks clicked. She looked back at Eamon and Marta. “We still ha
ve another door to go.”
The security in the club impressed Eamon. The building itself was a maze. With all of the keypad-controlled locks, it would be difficult for someone to get into an area they shouldn’t be in. As he followed Dita, the overpowering scent of blood captured his attention. Somewhere in this darkened hallway a large amount of blood had been spilled. Marta put her hand on his hip and moved up closer to him.
I know, he told her silently. There’s a dead human in this hall.
A young woman lay crumpled on the floor. The acrid scent of gunpowder under the blood hit his nose. No warmth rose from her body and the blood that had pooled around her was now a sticky, coagulated mess. He turned to Dita.
“Dita what happened? Does she work here?”
“Uh huh.” She nodded. “It’s been a bad night.”
“To say the least,” Eamon said.
They stopped in front of another door and Dita entered the security code. At first, it wouldn’t open and she squeaked. Dita shook her hands and closed her eyes, trying to think of the code. Eamon put his hand on hers and guided it up to the keypad.
Try again, he told her silently.
The door clicked and opened. “Lauryl, they’re here.” Dita pointed at Eamon and Marta.
Eamon looked at Lauryl, who sat next to Anthony holding his hand. He ignored the presence of Wilson and continued to scan the room. Sasha stood in a corner along with a leather-clad dancer. “Now, what has happened?” They all started to talk at once and Eamon held up his hand, silencing them. “Sasha, what’s happened?”
“It’s my club!” Lauryl said.
“And you’re the youngest vampire here!” Eamon flashed Lauryl an icy stare.
“This guy came in around 12:30 with a small group, which isn’t uncommon. They milled around and asked to speak to Lauryl. They asked for her as Lauryl, not Lilith. Mina told them she wasn’t available and turned to walk off. That’s when the guy who I guess is the leader grabbed her. He told her that he knew who the real vampires in the club were, and that he was going to kill them. She signaled for security to grab him, and then one of the nuts in his group shot her in the stomach.”
“Shot her? Didn’t that panic the club patrons?” Marta asked.
“No, they were in a side hall and the guy who shot her had a silencer, or whatever you call them, on his gun. Mina got on the handset and was talking to me when she fell out in the hall. I ran up here to Lauryl and Anthony, and I guess that’s when she called you.” Sasha’s chest heaved and her hands shook. “Poor Mina. She almost made it to Lauryl’s door.” Her voice dropped. “She was dead when I came past her.”
“Thank you, Sasha,” he said. “Where are the security personnel?”
“Downstairs keeping an eye on the guy and his mob.” Lauryl fidgeted with her nails.
“Is Trevor the head of security?” Eamon asked Sasha.
“Yes.”
“Get him up here and let’s have a look at this person and his associates.” Eamon looked at Lauryl. “I assume that you can watch the security cameras from your office,” he said.
Lauryl nodded and typed on the laptop on her desk. When she couldn’t get it to open the program, Anthony helped her. Eamon rolled his eyes at the two of them and waited for them to log into the camera system.
“Just a second, Eamon, it’s coming,” Anthony said.
The system came online and twelve different views emerged. Eamon and Marta crowded around the screen. Sasha reluctantly pushed between them. She checked each of the views and stopped.
“That’s the guy.” Sasha pointed her finger at the screen.
“Bring it to full screen, please,” Eamon said.
The image expanded and they all leaned in further. An unassuming man in his forties wearing a dark trench coat and a fedora glanced around nervously. Another man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt walked up to him, and they started to talk. After a few seconds, they both looked up at the camera. Fear passed over their features and they walked out of camera range.
“Does anyone recognize him?” Marta asked.
“Or has he been in before?” Eamon asked.
Before anyone could answer, the door opened and Trevor entered. “He’s walking around mumbling something about killing you like he did Irina. It’s like that’s become a mantra for him,” Trevor said. “I’m talking to you and you.” He pointed at Lauryl and Eamon.
Lauryl continued to fidget. She looked at Eamon. “He must be pissed at you.”
He turned toward her, blasting her with a frown that caused her shrink back. “Trevor, has this person ever been in here before?”
“Inside the club? Nah. He’s paced around outside a lot, though. I’ve got a butt load of pictures of him. I’ve taken at least one every time he’s been around.”
“Which of them shot the girl?” Eamon continued.
Trevor spun the laptop around. “This guy. In view seven.”
Eamon turned the computer back around. The man was unremarkable. He appeared more like a bored suburban husband instead of someone who had just shot and killed a girl. Eamon took in a breath and let it out. “Ladies and gentlemen, it would appear that a small group of hunters has marked Lauryl and me. Because you’re connected to this club, you’re in danger as well.”
“I could easily fuck this guy up,” Trevor said. It wasn’t a boast or macho posturing; it was a fact. Trevor stood six and a half feet tall and was rock solid. He knew no fear. Not even of the vampires he met, including Marta and Eamon.
“Without a doubt, Trevor, however you could get killed. Your skills are far too valuable to be lost like that. No, this is a problem for those who can’t be killed by shooting.” Eamon walked over to the sofa and sat down. “And this is personal. This person killed a vampire of my line, a former companion.”
“He killed my maker,” Marta said.
Eamon watched Marta. Her fierceness was still under the control of her polished demeanor. However, he suspected she’d consume the hunter and then tear his bloodless body apart if given the chance. “Before we do anything, we have to formulate a plan.”
Marta sat next to him and crossed her arms over her chest. “I am all ears.”
Eamon checked his watch and saw that it was now 01:48. “I assume you close at two.”
“Yeah,” Lauryl said.
Eamon faced Trevor. “Tell your associates to start thinning the crowd. Turn the lights on, but don’t let the leader or any of his compatriots leave.”
“The customers are going to bitch,” Lauryl said.
“They won’t when I tell them,” Trevor said. He walked out of Lauryl’s office without another word to.
“I know he’s hoping for someone to complain,” Sasha said.
“He enjoys his job, especially the enforcer aspect of it.” Eamon said. He noticed the leather-clad girl standing next to Sasha. He hadn’t seen her before. She was dressed like one of the dancers in the glass boxes along the dance floor. “Who are you?” he asked with polite curiosity.
The girl’s eyes darted around and she pointed to herself. “Me?”
He smiled. “Yes. What is your name? And please don’t give me the name you go by here. Tell me your given name.”
She looked at Sasha and then at Lauryl and Anthony. “Carissa Rosado.”
“Carissa. That’s beautiful. I’m sure it’s better than….” he trailed off.
“Luna,” she finished.
Eamon nodded. “Yes, much better. I’m Eamon Rutherford. This is my friend Marta Jimenez-de Castillo.”
Carissa bobbed in a short curtsey. “Mucho gusto.”
“Me encanta,” Marta said.
“Lauryl, you have beautiful employees,” Eamon said.
Lauryl rolled her eyes. “Can you turn your pussy radar down for a sec and think about the nut that’s downstairs?”
“My pussy radar?” he asked. “Anthony, haven’t you been able to curb her use of foul language?”
“She’s got her own personality, Eamon,” An
thony said, rubbing her shoulders.
“Yes, she does.” Eamon ignored the urge to start in on Lauryl. He instead rested his hand on Marta’s thigh. “It’s been quite some time since a human threatened me.”
“This is the first time since coming to Tampa. I thought I left all that behind when I left Europe.”
“You two are nuts!” Lauryl pulled away from Anthony. “You’re sitting there talking like this is some kind of trip down memory fucking lane!”
“I understand that you’re frightened but there’s no reason to behave like that, Lauryl,” Eamon said. “In fact, the more out of control you get, the easier it is for you to get hurt.” She opened her mouth to respond but the expression on his face quieted her down. “I am thinking, contrary to your incorrect assessment.”
“You two are like fire and ice,” Marta said. She smiled at Lauryl and crossed her legs.
“Yeah, guess which one is which,” Lauryl mumbled.
“I would like you to stop talking until I specifically speak to you,” Eamon said curtly.
Lauryl pulled away from Anthony again. “You aren’t my father.”
“No, I’m not. I’m your maker and the Primigenio of this line, which is far more important,” he bit out. All eyes in the room turned to Eamon. “Something you’ve never shown the slightest respect for. Even now you’re doing your best to show all the insolence you can to me.”
“Eamon,” Sasha interrupted. “She’s young and stupid.” Sasha looked at Lauryl, who stared dumbstruck at her. “I just have to say this. You’re an idiot. Your maker is one any vampire would adore and worship. Maybe in time you’ll see that, but I doubt it. I know you’re a young vampire but you won’t last long if you keep this up.” She turned to Anthony. “And you, Jesus Christ, you’re complacent. You let her do anything, act any way she chooses because you’re so into her. Yeah, she’s your maker but you’re clearly more dominant” Sasha threw her hands up and shook her head. “Mein Gott, sind Sie Dumm. Ein was fur Abfall! Beide von Ihnen.”
Eamon and Marta hid smiles at Sasha’s statement. Lauryl, on the other hand, wasn’t pleased.
“I don’t know what you just said but they’re smiling so I’m sure it’s some kind of insult,” Lauryl snapped.
Life in Moonlight: The Primigenio Tales: Book 1 Page 28