Britt felt as if the breath had been sucked from his lungs. He was on a rollercoaster ride that might end up in deepest hell. What could he do?
Brother Dominic’s expression looked sympathetic. Then he gave Britt a curt nod and walked away.
Damn it. Dom had gotten away without telling him anything about the Vatican. How were they involved? Britt had screwed that bit up, royally.
His gut churned. He had two choices. He could flail in a pit of self-doubt, or he could prove to himself and to the Grigoroi hunters that he was a good man. No matter what his solar plexus had in store for him, he’d fight the darkness with every ounce of strength he had.
Hell, Jess did that every day.
He’d tell Jess what he’d learned tonight. She needed to know the dark and dirty truth about him. She deserved that much.
He looked at the sky. It would soon be dawn. He yawned. He’d stay at Jess’s place until dusk, then tell her everything.
Three blocks down the street, his gut sense tweaked and the hair stood up on the back of his neck. He slowed his pace and listened. Even though he heard nothing, his newly honed senses told him he wasn’t alone and his companion wasn’t an alley cat, this time.
He felt danger as palpably as he would a thorn in his ass. There was something creeping up on him. He reached down to extricate his specially made stake from its holster.
In the next second, a manhole cover in the center of the street creaked like a rusty bolt, then flew up into the air and sailed across four lanes. It rammed into the soil of a nearby park and dug up a muddy trench of lawn before burrowing deep into the ground.
A nasty-looking vampire crawled out from the hole. His body looked overly pumped for a dead man. Vampires were usually lean and mean, but this guy looked like one tough opponent. Right now, he was wishing he had Jess as a backup, or at the very least, some of his team.
His solar plexus revved to life and prepared for battle, as if it was an extension of his body.
The vampire beckoned with one hand. “Come on, slayer. Show me whatcha got.”
Britt’s eyebrows shot up. His hand itched to grab the stake nestled in the holster under his right arm. It bothered him that this vampire arrived so soon after he’d left the monk. Had he been sent by the monastery? Or had he put the monk in danger? Crap!
REGENT SPENT another long night in prayer. Night after night, he’d done the same thing for the vicious beast in the basement. He’d said the prayers, administered the rites, prepared the holy water … nothing helped.
The monstrous beast grew hungrier every day. Worse, he’d been increasing in size. He was nearly seven feet tall now. Vasilli was a brave man to enter the chamber that restrained him. It might be as strong as a bank vault, but Regent worried that, at the rate the vampire was growing, it might not hold out much longer.
Each night, Vasilli would bring the holy water downstairs as well as bags and bags of blood to the monster growing darker and more deeply entrenched in his vicious, evil selfishness.
Who was he? Who had he been before he’d become a vampire? He had to be important for the Vatican to take these steps to save him.
Regent looked out the window. It was dark outside. And, prayers or not, it was getting darker and darker inside, too.
It was as if the vampire downstairs was sucking all the light and hope out of the rectory. He could see it in the soldiers. Even though he watched them cross themselves and pray, he could see that they were losing confidence. It was as if a black hole was centered in the basement, sucking away all the good feelings that came with their faith.
Vasilli entered Regent’s office from the basement door. He looked like he’d been tossed around a bit more than usual. His special gown for prayer was askew, and both arms were covered in abrasions. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he’d been choked until blood vessels had broken.
“How much more of this can you take, Vasilli?” Regent asked.
The cardinal exhaled. “I don’t know, Father. I honestly don’t know.”
The bottom dropped out of Regent’s stomach. Vasilli had always been positive. He’d never spoken of failure. But even he had to admit things were looking bad for the vampire in the basement.
“Who is he?”
“Stop asking me. It’s best you do not know.” Vasilli dropped onto the couch, then leaned forward to make eye contact with one of the soldiers on guard at the office door. “Espresso, per favore,” he said.
The guard nodded and looked to see if Regent wanted some as well. Regent shook his head.
“Vasilli. Maybe you should take him back to Rome. Surely you have something that might help him?”
Vasilli licked his lips. “We can help the pure of heart—sometimes. But we have nothing that can stop the ravages of the vampire. Only you can do that, Father. You have become very famous in Rome. Many are talking about you.”
Regent shook his head. “But they shouldn’t. I only managed to partially save my sister, whom I love. And the baby …” He couldn’t divulge Britt’s confidence. “The baby was so newly bitten and so pure, I have to believe that was why she beat the vampire inside her.”
It wasn’t a lie. He didn’t say he saved her.
The guard returned and knocked lightly before offering the tiny cup to Vasilli, who drank it all in one gulp and handed it back. “Leave us,” he said to the soldier. “Shut the door on your way out, please.”
The guard nodded and did so.
Vasilli brushed at his wild gray hair, only managing to make it look worse. When he’d gone downstairs, it had been impeccably combed. Now, he looked like he’d stuck his finger into a light socket.
Regent said a silent prayer for this man of faith. Vasilli’s strength was much more than his own, he feared.
There was another slight knock on the door. Vasilli’s eyebrows shot up and Regent raised a hand to calm him. “It’ll be Sampson. He’s due here tonight.”
“Let him in,” Vasilli said. A guard opened the door and Sampson entered.
Regent had never been so pleased to see Sampson’s bald head and friendly face. He hoped to heaven his friend had good news.
“Have a seat,” Regent said. Sampson sat in the wingback near Regent’s desk. Now both men faced Vasilli on the sofa.
“Have you learned anything, Dr. Case?” Vasilli asked in his heavily accented voice, now even harder to understand because of his extreme fatigue.
Regent wondered if Sampson understood him at first, but finally, he replied. “I’ve done the blood work. I don’t have good news, I’m afraid. This vampire isn’t like the others. It’s almost as if he’s a new breed, or a hybrid of the rest. His VNA is significantly different than that of any vampire I’ve ever tested.” He frowned. “And I’ve tested hundreds, Signore Vasilli,” he said.
“But what does that mean?” Vasilli asked, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.
Sampson chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m still in the beginning stages of further tests, of course. I have a question, though. Is this vampire growing larger?”
Regent’s gaze went to Vasilli, not sure how much the man would share with Sampson. Silence filled the room.
“Never mind, I have my answer,” Sampson said heavily. “I expected that since the blood seems to be growing in the samples. This creature will grow beyond all of your abilities to stop it if we don’t find a solution soon.”
“Holy mother of God,” Vasilli breathed.
Sampson turned to Regent. “Have you considered contacting Jess?”
Vasilli sputtered. “How can another vampire help us? She might have a partial soul, but is she not still of the same VNA as the rest of the vampires you speak of?”
“Yes, she has the same VNA,” Sampson said. “But she also has amazing abilities to overcome her darker side. She might be able to think of a solution …”
Sampson flicked a loaded glance at Regent. Regent didn’t need to be a mind reader to understand the unspoken message. Sampson th
ought Britt might be able to take the big vampire out—completely. Burst his molecules and let him drift away before he became a problem they couldn’t control.
He had a point. Regent nodded his understanding, and noticed that Vasilli had narrowed his gaze on the two of them. He was well aware that a silent message was being shared, but he held his tongue.
Regent pressed two fingers against his temple. If this vampire was going to grow beyond their control, could he also grow beyond Britt’s ability to wipe him off the face of the earth? Maybe they were sitting on a time bomb. And soon, it would be too late for everyone.
“No. I’m not supposed to bring others in on this,” Vasilli said, obviously unsure right now. Then he turned on them. “You two know something you’re not telling me. What is it?”
Regent and Sampson shared a serious glance. Regent weighed his words before he spoke. “Jess has a friend,” he said. “He might be able to help us.”
“Who?” Vasilli sat straight in his chair while a deep crease formed between his brows.
Regent watched Sampson shrug. “This is on you, Father. I’m out.” He held his hands in the air.
Regent sighed. “Before I say anything else, Vasilli, I need to ask my sister. Only she can get permission from her friend to tell you more. And if he doesn’t agree, I won’t ask him again.”
“How long have you been keeping this secret?” Vasilli asked harshly, suddenly more suspicious than curious. “Is this friend a vampire, too, Father?”
“No, he’s not a vampire, and he has nothing to do with any of this. So I haven’t kept anything from you.” Regent swallowed. God would forgive him for that small white lie, he hoped.
“Well, what can he do to help us, then?”
Regent lowered his chin and stared at his desk. “Maybe … nothing. But until I talk to my sister and her friend, I cannot say another word about him.”
Vasilli planted his arms on the cushions of the chair and narrowed his gaze on Regent. He suddenly looked dangerous. Who was Regent kidding? This guy didn’t get his high-powered job by being a pushover. He was probably very dangerous.
Oh Lord, he hoped he hadn’t just put Britt in danger.
Sampson shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Vasilli turned hawk-keen eyes on him next. “And do you know this person too, Dr. Case?”
Sampson’s expression pinched and he looked at his watch. “I’m not here to chat,” he said. “I’ve got blood samples to pick up. Time is still of the essence, I take it?”
Vasilli glared at him. Through him. Sampson didn’t budge. He’d survived working for Jess, after all. The man could probably take any kind of stare-down. Regent thought Vasilli would argue with Sampson, but he simply stood, took a deep breath, and went, once again, toward the basement door.
Chapter Fifteen
JESS WASN’T READY to tell Britt she’d found him with the aid of a tracking device she’d hidden inside the collar of his jacket. But since she had to see Sampson first, the tracking gear had been necessary if she hoped to find him again tonight.
Maybe she shouldn’t have followed him. She certainly hadn’t expected to learn what he’d become—or maybe, had always been. Fisk had been telling the truth. A Grigoroi, of all things. Her heart constricted. He was an angel—she was the devil. Oh God, how could this be?
She’d remained far enough away that neither Britt nor the monk would sense her, until the behemoth vampire had burst out from the bowels of the city. Before the big brute could attack Britt, she landed on the sidewalk.
Britt didn’t flinch. “Good to see you, babe,” he said, without taking his attention off the vampire staring him down.
“I’m sorry. I should have warned you that I was close by,” she said, standing next to him now.
“It’s okay. I knew you were there,” he said.
She stopped. “How?”
“I guess you know as much as I do, now. Maybe it’s always been my fate to become entangled with vampires. It’s what I’ve been put here to do. And these days, when you’re within two blocks of me, I can sense you, my love.”
“I didn’t hear the monk say anything like that,” she said.
His expression turned blank. She’d hurt him. Her desiccated heart shriveled a little bit more. She was such a bitch.
“He also said there’d never been a relationship between a Grigoroi and a vampire. Maybe we’ll surprise all of them. Because I have a deep feeling that you and I were always meant to team up.”
“I certainly hope that’s true, because it’s the best thing I’ve heard since you died,” she said.
The vampire on the road lurched at them suddenly. The bastard moved faster than she’d expected. She quickly stalled Britt’s ability to take the beast out by putting herself between the two of them.
“Jess, I can take care of this if you move out of the way,” he shouted.
She’d deliberately eliminated his ability to eradicate their attacker with that blue light of his. “Nah. We can handle this in the usual way,” she grunted.
No doubt, he heard the excitement in her voice. She needed to fight, needed the thrill of battle. Maybe he did too.
“Double my pleasure,” the vampire growled, his tongue sliding across his cracked lips in a lascivious, disgusting way. His long fangs extended when he smiled. “I’ve always wanted to taste you, Vandermire. I’ve heard so much about you.” His biceps flexed.
Jess thrilled at the way Britt gaped at him as if he couldn’t believe this massive vampire had just come onto her? The bastard really did have a death wish.
“Touch her with one itty bitty fang and you die,” Britt threatened. “Move out of the way, doll. I’m going to turn this bastard into blistering mincemeat.”
Even though Jess ignored Britt’s warning, and didn’t need his protection, she loved that he was obviously jealous. “Where are you from?” she asked the vamp, moving slightly sideways when he lurched for her.
Britt had a chance to zap him at that point, but didn’t. She silently thanked him for following her lead, she didn’t want the vampire dead yet—she was still digging for information.
She’d noticed something odd about this vampire right away. He wasn’t slavering for blood or battle. It was like they were fencing.
“You’re obviously not one of the wharf rats we regularly deal with,” she said.
His black eyes gleamed and he looked her up and down. Yeah, he was a big feeling brute. He was a Lothario wannabe. Maybe this guy had seen too many vampire movies and thought they were all seducers of women? Hah!
“Jess, enough of this. Let’s get this over with. It’ll be dawn in a few minutes. You won’t make it back on time,” Britt said.
The big vampire’s expression suddenly changed. He glanced over his shoulder and spotted purple light infusing the sky behind him. The sun would come next, and he’d fry on the spot.
Without warning, the big vamp blew Jess a kiss, then dropped back into the manhole.
She raced across to the opening in the road and stared down into the tunnel.
He was gone.
“Jess, I know you want to rip that idiot apart, but we don’t have time. We have to go,” Britt urged, touching her fingers. When was the last time he’d actually touched her of his own free will?
“Okay, let’s go,” she said.
They hurried along the rooftops, where they could travel quickly without being seen. Unfortunately, they were more vulnerable to sunlight up there. It didn’t escape her that he kept up with her and barely got her inside the rooftop door to her condo when dawn broke. He slammed the door shut and cursed violently at their close call.
Jess’s cell phone rang. She sighed and extricated it from her pocket. “Vandermire here,” she said.
She monitored Britt by glancing over her shoulder occasionally, while she spoke. “Yes, it’s me,” she said. “Who’d you expect to answer my phone?”
“Who is it?” he asked.
She cupped her hand over the phon
e. “It’s Regent.” She held up a finger for him to wait a minute while she listened to her brother.
“Yes, I understand,” she said finally and hung up. She wetted her lips several times.
“What is it?”
“Regent needs our help,” she said. “He wants you to help with that voracious vampire he has at the rectory.”
“Me?” Britt frowned. Clapping a hand at the back of his neck, he rubbed it. “Why me?”
“They might need you to take the beast out. Permanently,” she said. “He’s growing hungrier as we speak, and they don’t know how long he can be controlled. He’s getting stronger, too. Regent’s afraid my room might not hold him much longer.”
“How is that possible?” Britt asked. “That room has six inch thick walls and steel vault doors.”
“Yeah. But you know Regent—he’s not prone to overreaction. The thing is, he doesn’t want you to expose yourself to the Vatican unless you’re very sure it’s the right thing to do. I can tell he doesn’t completely trust them.”
Britt took his time before he answered. She’d expect nothing less. “Can’t say as I blame him. They’ve played God with his physiology. Maybe he’s afraid they’ll do the same to you,” Britt said.
“Or to you,” Jess said. “He doesn’t want your answer right away. He wants you to be very sure you want to do this. He believes it will take all of your strength to control this beast.”
“I took out a whole cavern of vamps, but Regent still thinks I might not be able to control one single vampire?”
“Regent is going to send us a video clip he managed to swipe when Vasilli wasn’t looking. It’ll be on my computer.” Jess opened the laptop and turned it on. She clicked on her brother’s email and it popped open. A video clip showed in the bottom left corner. She opened it and waited for it to download.
The screen looked black at first, then they realized it had been black because the beast had been standing in front of the camera. Now that he’d moved out of the way, they could see that he had to be at least eight feet tall. His teeth were unlike anything Jess had seen before and his eyes were blood red. Empty blood bags lay everywhere and he was still keening, the way vampires did, when they were desperate for more blood.
Grave Expectations - Jess Vandermire 4 Page 16