Rajmund

by D. B. Reynolds

  "Yes,” Blackwood said, suddenly becoming aware of the potential embarrassment. “Of course. This way."

  He led them down a hall and into a split-level library. Danny and Cervantes shut the double doors and stood blocking the exit, while Raj crossed to stand in front of the big desk Blackwood had interposed between them, as if it would do him any good. The HR founder had rediscovered his testicles on the journey to the library and was now puffed full of righteous anger. “I'd like to know the meaning of this, Gregor. The mayor and the police commissioner are among the guests here tonight, so don't think you can—"

  "Silence,” Raj said quietly. Blackwood's voice stopped mid-sentence, his face reddening with effort as he struggled against Raj's command. The full import of what was happening seemed to hit him finally, and he sank into the leather desk chair, sweat popping out on his suddenly pale face.

  "I was going to do this the nice way, Blackwood,” Raj said. “But seeing you here at this big party in your fancy tuxedo while Sarah Stratton is hiding out and wondering where she'll run to next . . . I find myself in the mood to inflict some pain. So . . . tag, Blackwood. You're it."

  Raj eyed the puddle of quivering humanity dispassionately and hoped the stains on the rug would come out. It was a very nice rug, Afghani, he thought and probably expensive. Blackwood twitched, moaning when Raj toed him experimentally with one boot. The trip out here hadn't been a total waste. He'd taken some personal pleasure in causing the HR founder pain, especially after what he'd found in the man's narcissistic mind. He wasn't the one behind the kidnappings and didn't know anymore about it than what the newspapers could tell him. The entire affair had meant nothing more to him than a chance to curry favor with William Cowens. Finding Sarah mixed up in it had been pure chance, like finding a diamond lying on the street. Mostly, he disliked her and was glad for her troubles after the way she'd treated him at their lunch meeting. This last had enraged Raj so much he'd almost killed the man. But he hadn't wanted anyone to see a connection between Sarah's uncovering and Blackwood's sudden death.

  He kicked the human again, harder this time. Blackwood's eyes opened and he scuttled across the floor, coming to rest against the back of the desk where he jiggled into a sitting position, his eyes watching Raj fearfully.

  "You're leaving town tomorrow, Blackwood. And you won't be back. Not Buffalo, not New York. I don't want you setting foot in this part of the country ever again, you understand?"

  Blackwood nodded rapidly.

  "You'll forget Susan Siemanski ever existed. Sarah Stratton is someone you've never heard of. You or any of your people contact her or come anywhere near her ever again and I'll know about it. You believe me, don't you, Edward?"

  Another spasmodic nod.

  "Good. Then we're done here. Just one more thing.” He rested his gaze on Blackwood and blinked lazily. Blackwood's mouth opened and he tried to scream, but nothing came out.

  Cervantes closed the doors behind them as they left the library, walking unhurriedly down the hall, their booted feet silent on the thick carpet. Raj snagged one of the waiters as they passed the kitchen, grabbing the man's arm and catching his gaze. “I think Mr. Blackwood might be having a heart attack,” he said, and then wiped the man's memory of himself and his people and walked out the door.

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  Chapter Thirty-six

  She was in a car, the rough fabric of the seat abrading her naked skin like steel wool. She groaned and tried to roll over, but she couldn't. She was weak, too weak. Something was wrong. There were voices, men talking, arguing briefly, and then the car swerved suddenly, crushing her against something metal. Her eyes cracked open to darkness and she realized she was not in a car, but in the trunk. Salty tears rolled down her cheeks, burning like acid.

  The car stopped and the trunk lid opened, blinding her with the dim light. Someone was there, a big man reaching for her, picking her up like she weighed nothing. He walked a few steps, lifted his arms and . . . she was flying through the air, her scream of terror nothing more than a pitiful whine. Rocks bit into her flesh as she hit the ground and rolled down a hill, stiff weeds and brush tearing and scraping.

  She lay still, unable to move, listening as the trunk lid slammed, as car doors closed and the engine faded into the distance. Shivering in the cold, nearly gagging with the stench of wherever they'd left her, she forced her eyes open and stared up at a moon that was little more than a curving slice of white in a clear sky. It was beautiful. Despite the overwhelming smell of rot, despite the freezing air biting into her bare skin, she smiled. And somewhere in her brain, a small voice told her what she already knew. She was dying. She quieted the voice, just turned it off. She gazed at the sickle moon, and at the brightly lit buildings much too far away to do her any good and then closed her eyes.

  Sarah sat up in with a cry, reaching automatically for the switch next to her bed. She fell to the floor with a hard thump, yelping at the feel of cold linoleum where there should have been a warm rug. Her heart hammered as it all came back to her in a rush. The crowds of reporters, the warehouse . . . Regina!

  She crawled on all fours, finally locating the table next to the bed where she'd left her watch. She checked the time on its illuminated dial. Nine o'clock, but was it morning or night? She scrambled to her feet and opened the door. A wave of sound, truck engines and shouted voices, greeted her. She stumbled outside and down the stairs, almost falling against Danny, the lady killer who'd been Raj's bartender at the club that night in Manhattan a hundred years ago.

  "Whoa, beautiful,” Danny said playfully, standing her upright. “You okay?"

  "She's alive,” Sarah croaked. The voices died and she was aware for the first time that she'd interrupted a meeting of some sort. Raj was standing there, and so was Em and a bunch of other vampires and humans. And they were all staring at her. She found Raj's face in the crowd. “She's alive. Regina Aiello. We have to find her."

  The expression on his handsome face remained dark and cold.

  "Please,” she begged him, tears of fear and frustration shielding her from the ice in his gaze. “You can hate me if you want, but please find her. Please, Raj. They never listened to me before, and they all died. But we can save Regina. Please. Please." She sat down on the stairs, sobbing, her heart breaking. This couldn't be happening again. Not again. Damnit! She wouldn't let it happen again!

  Angrily rubbing away her useless tears, she grabbed the railing and stood. Raj was still staring at her. She thought there was a glimmer of compassion in his gaze, but she couldn't trust it. Not when Regina's life was at stake.

  "I know where she is,” she told him, her voice growing stronger with every word. “And if you won't help me, I'll find her myself.” A small sob escaped her lips with the last word, and she swallowed hard.

  "Get dressed,” he told her sharply. “Danny, you and Cervantes come with me,” he ordered, his eyes never leaving Sarah. “Em, send the teams out, but stay in touch."

  Sarah was still zipping her jacket when the industrial-sized door rolled up and they sped into the night. Danny was driving, so she told him what they were looking for. All she had to go on was what she'd seen through Regina's eyes, but she'd recognized those buildings in the distance.

  "Which way, beautiful?” Danny asked, stopping at the first big intersection they came to.

  Sarah sat on the front bench seat of a huge SUV, with Danny on one side and Raj on the other, his arm slung over the seat behind her. He shot Danny a scowl at the endearment and let his big hand drop to her shoulder, pulling her slightly away from the other vampire. She cleared her throat, determined not to be cowed. They couldn't do this without her. “We're going to the university campus. You know where that is?"

  "Sure thing,” Danny said, winking at her. “It's a big place, though. Anywhere special?"

  "South of the medical center, but we're not stopping. I just need to position myself relative to the main buildings and we'll go outward from there."


  "What?” Raj snapped.

  "I know what Regina knows,” Sarah said calmly. “She's on a hillside of some sort south of the campus. The distance is difficult to judge, but it smells like a dump or a landfill."

  Raj swore beneath his breath, but nodded at Danny who grinned and turned right, gunning the truck well above the speed limit.

  Sarah's heart lifted when they reached the campus. She'd been pretty sure she was right about the buildings, but seeing it brought tears of relief to her eyes. Buffalo was a very flat place, and she'd questioned the idea of anything like a hill in the vicinity. “That's it,” she whispered. “That's exactly it.” She gulped down her tears. “Okay, can you drive that way, Danny?” she pointed in a generally southward direction. “I'm not sure exactly . . ."

  "I've got it, darlin',” he said with a charming grin. “I'll find your girl for you."

  Raj growled softly over her head and Danny sobered immediately, becoming all business. She heard a snort of laughter from the backseat where Cervantes sat. He'd been silent until this point and she'd almost forgotten he was there.

  Sarah fidgeted nervously as they drove further away from campus. She kept glancing back over her shoulder, trying to align their position with what she could see of the buildings. Cervantes was watching her every time she turned, his eyes gleaming a pale yellow in the low light. That would have startled her once upon a time, but the last couple of weeks had made her pretty much immune to the oddities of vampires.

  Someday in the future, when all of this was over and her life was back to something close to normal, she'd do a little research. There were a lot of things her friend Cyn hadn't told her about vampires, like the fact that their eyes glowed in the dark or when they were angry, or about how perpetually aggressive they were, constantly testing dominance against one another. But maybe it was just the ones who hung around the really powerful vampires, like Raphael or Raj. There had to be hundreds, probably thousands of them, who lived quiet, uneventful lives.

  "Sarah."

  She jumped at the sound of Raj's voice. The truck had stopped. Danny's hands were clenched on the steering wheel, and she could feel the tension fairly zinging off Raj's body next to her. And there was something else. She drew a breath and nearly choked. The smell was disgusting. “Oh my God,” she gasped. She began pushing at Raj, desperate to get out of the truck. “Get out,” she demanded. “Let me out!"

  "Sarah . . .” He started to say something else, but then he shrugged and opened the door, sliding out of the way, catching her when she would have fallen from the high seat. The ground underneath her feet was squishy with moisture, the dirt and debris broken down by the constant freeze and thaw cycle of this time of year. She spun around until she could see the buildings in the distance, and then took off.

  "Wait!” Raj called after her, but she ignored him, trading glances between the uneven ground that she could barely see beneath her feet and the campus lights far away. “Sarah.” His heavy hand grabbed her from behind, scooping her up and holding her when she tried to break way. “Stop it,” he ordered. “We'll find her,” he said in a softer voice, next to her ear. “Look."

  Danny and Cervantes were standing nearby, eyes glowing in the pitch black night as their heads swiveled slowly from side to side, seeming oblivious to their surroundings and yet keenly aware of everything at the same time. Raj's arms around her loosened, but he didn't let go of her, preventing her from interfering in whatever it was his minions were doing. Almost as one, the two vampires stared at the same spot, down the hill from where they were standing.

  "My lord,” Danny said, but Cervantes was already moving faster than Sarah could follow. One moment he was five feet away from her and the next, he was so far downhill she wouldn't have been able to see him, if not for the pale glow of his eyes. Danny moved closer to Raj, as if whatever they'd found made him uneasy, bringing out the ingrained vampire need to protect his master that Cyn had talked about.

  "Cervantes?” Raj called.

  Cervantes was a big man, not huge like Raj or even Danny, but big nonetheless. He appeared out of the stinking darkness like a golem from a fairy tale, eyes glowing that pale yellow, his head a square block over broad shoulders, and carrying the limp form of a young woman in his arms.

  Sarah cried out and would have gone to them, but Raj stopped her again. “Let go,” she demanded, pushing at him.

  "Take her to the truck,” Raj ordered. “Danny, open the back and get that blanket from inside."

  "She's alive?” Sarah asked, stunned. She hadn't really believed Regina could be saved. Not after everyone else had died.

  "Barely,” Raj said in a tight voice. He held onto her, almost dragging her around to the back of the SUV, waiting while Danny spread out a blanket and Cervantes laid the small form across the back of the cargo space.

  Raj met Danny's eyes and then transferred his gaze to Sarah in a clear signal to the other vampire. Before Sarah could object the other vampire had taken hold of her, while Raj stepped up to the truck and the injured young woman's side.

  "What's going on?” Sarah asked in confusion. She couldn't see what Raj was doing, with Cervantes standing next to him and Danny holding her in place. Then it suddenly occurred to her that they didn't want her to see what he was doing.

  "Oh, sweetheart,” she heard Raj murmur softly. “She's been drained nearly dry and not gently,” he said more loudly. He whipped off his jacket and shoved his sweater sleeve up to his elbow. Sarah saw him raise his arm to his mouth and bend over the dying young woman.

  "Wait. What're you doing?” she demanded.

  Raj's sharp glance was a slash of brilliant, icy blue over his shoulder before he turned back to Regina. “He's saving her fucking life,” Danny hissed next to her ear. “Now, shut up."

  Sarah gasped in surprise that the genial Danny would talk to her that way, followed quickly by intense embarrassment that she probably deserved it. Once again, she'd assumed the worst of Raj, and this time it could have cost Regina her life. “I'm sorry,” she muttered.

  Raj ignored her, but Danny's grip eased slightly. Sarah shivered in the cold air, trying to imagine how much worse it must have been for Regina, lying naked and dying in a pile of garbage. Thrown away because she was of no more use to them.

  "Put her in the car, Danny.” Raj's voice drifted over to them, and it took Sarah a minute to realize he meant her, not Regina. She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it with a snap, letting Danny lead her around to the passenger compartment where he lifted her onto the seat and closed the door. Walking swiftly to the other side, he settled in the driver's seat and started the engine, turning the heater on. Sarah drew her knees up to her chest, hugging the warmth to herself, and waited.

  She heard rather than saw Raj stand up. “Careful,” he said.

  Sarah twisted around and saw Cervantes wrapping Regina in the blanket before he picked her up, cradled against his chest, then came around to slide onto the back seat while still holding her in his arms.

  "Let's go,” Raj said in a tight, angry voice, as Sarah scooted over, making room for him in the front. He spat out an address and Danny took off.

  She waited until they were back on the main highway before daring to ask quietly, “Are we taking her to a hospital?"

  Raj glanced at her and away. “Home. We're taking her home."

  Sarah blinked, swallowing her first instinct which was to demand to know why. Instead, she sat and thought for a moment, and then she understood. Raj had probably already done more for Regina by giving her his blood than a hospital full of doctors and medicine could do, and if they took her to a hospital, there would be questions. Questions neither she nor Raj wanted to answer.

  "Does someone live with her?” she asked in a small voice.

  "Her mother."

  Sarah nodded, remaining silent until they pulled up in front of a two-story duplex very much like the one she shared with Mrs. M. The only difference was the neighborhood.

  "Can
I . . .” Her soft question faded away as Raj turned to study her. His face was blank, but his eyes still had that icy sheen to them. “Um,” she swallowed nervously. “I don't mean . . . that is, your eyes."

  Raj's expression changed in an instant, becoming more animated, more human. A quick blink and his eyes returned to their pale but perfectly normal color. “Cervantes,” he said, opening the truck door. “You'll carry the girl. Danny, wait here. Come on, Sarah."

  It was more of a command than a request, but since it was what she wanted anyway, Sarah didn't argue. As they walked up the narrow, concrete walkway to the dark house, Raj leaned close enough to say, “It's your turn, sweetheart. Use those all-American girl-next-door looks of yours and convince Mom we're the good guys. I don't want the cops coming down on our heads over this."

  Sarah's heart began to pound. She glanced down at what she was wearing—jeans, Nikes and a t-shirt under a light-colored fleece jacket. She looked more like one of her students than a professor, but maybe she could make that work for her. She pulled the scrunchy out of her hair, finger combing it down and over her shoulders, knowing it softened the angles of her face and made her look younger. Raj stepped up to the door and stood to one side, looking at her for a go-ahead before ringing the doorbell.

  It took a few minutes, and he had to ring the bell more than once. It was, after all, nearly midnight. But eventually Sarah heard the slap of mule slippers just like her landlady wore and then the porch light came on. The woman who answered the door could have been Mrs. M., give or take fifteen years, and just like that, Sarah knew how to convince her.

  "Mrs. Aiello?"

  The woman blinked, taking in the unlikely trio standing on her porch.

  "Yes?"

  "Mrs. Aiello, my name is—” Sarah stumbled over the unfamiliar syllables. “Susan Siemanski. I've been working with the police.” She saw the woman's eyes widen, saw her gaze fix on the bundle held so carefully in Cervantes's arms.

  "Is that . . .” Mrs. Aiello's trembling fingers covered her lips, afraid to say it out loud.