by Susan Hayes
She dialed the number from memory, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face when there was no answer. “Hey, Travis, it’s Kyra. I’m still feeling like hell, and I think it’s time to take your advice. I’m going to take a few days off, maybe the whole week. I’m going to head out of town, so don’t worry if you don’t hear from me. Take care of the place, please, and don’t let the inmates run the asylum! Gotta run, Trav, take care of yourself, too. Bye.”
She hung up and handed the phone back to him. “All taken care of.”
Gareth put the phone away as he mulled over what he’d just witnessed. He’d always thought of himself as a loner, but not even he could have walked away from everyone and everything he’d known with nothing more than a single phone call. It made him ache for her, realizing just how lonely her life was. He wanted to change that.
She turned her head, and he saw lines of tension appear around her mouth as she asked him the question he’d been waiting for. “Do you think he’s safe? Or should I have warned him, warned them all?”
Gareth shook his head. “They’ll be safe once you’re gone. Vlad wants you, not them. If you leave, he’ll be compelled to follow. The best thing you can do for yourself and those you care about is put distance between you and them.”
“Says the guy who is refusing to leave my side,” she quipped.
“I’m your protector. I’m supposed to stay by your side. Guarding you day and night, keeping every inch of you safe and fang-free.” He cracked a smile. “If I’m lucky, maybe part of the time I’ll get to guard you naked.”
“It’s possible you’re attractive enough that you could find yourself a woman you didn’t need to risk your neck for several times a day. Ever considered just dating instead of going the damsel in distress dating route?”
“Damsel in distress?” Gareth snorted in amusement. “You? Sweetheart, I saw what you did to the guy holding on to you this morning. You broke his nose, and I bet he’ll be walking with a limp for at least a month. The only ones in distress this morning were the guys who came after you. And just for the record, I have never so much as taken a second look at any woman I’ve saved from a vamp. You’ve ruined my track record.”
“Really?” He saw the pride in her expression as she looked at him, her posture straightening and the spark coming back to her eyes. “I saw what you did, too, throwing that guy into the wall.” She shook her head in obvious amazement. “I didn’t see what you did to the guy with the hypodermic, but I assume he’s not signing up for dance lessons anytime soon, either.”
“He took a little nap after I managed to take that needle away from him and slam it into his thigh.” Gareth gestured sharply. “He was in my way.”
Sensing it was time to drive a point home, he leaned in until he could smell her, the cinnamon spice of musk that was uniquely hers. “You are a very capable woman, and if there was anyone other than Vlad coming after you, I have no doubt you’d be able to do just fine without me. But since Vlad’s not just a run-of-the-mill sort of threat, I think you should be allowed to call in a ringer and not lose face. I’ve seen grown men turn into mewling babies when faced with what you’re dealing with.”
“The only time I turn into a baby is when the espresso runs out, and it’s not pretty.” Kyra leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth, a tender touch that made him wish they were alone again. “Thank you for understanding.”
As they sat and waited, Kyra had time to catch her breath and reflect on what was happening to her. I’m homeless again. She examined the idea and decided it wasn’t what was tying her stomach in knots and making her chest ache. I’ve lost my friends. Maybe for good. There it was. That thought made the ache deepen, and she recognized it now for what it was. Loss. It was bad enough she was barely hanging on to her life and her sanity. The nightmare she was running from meant she had to give up the few friends she’d made and a job she was damned good at. It hurt that she had to give up her life with nothing more than a phone call. Vlad had taken it away from her. If I make it out of this, I’m going back, she told herself. She’d go back, even if it were for nothing more than a proper good-bye.
And if I don’t make it? The thought sent a chill through her. Dead or worse than dead, either way, they’d need to know. They deserved to know something. She’d have to find a way.
The door chime sang out and both of them looked up for the hundredth time since taking their seats, two sets of eyes watching the door for threats. A grizzled bear of a man ambled in, and she felt Gareth tense beside her.
“No,” Gareth muttered in shock and recognition. “Holy shit, it is him! It’s okay, Kyra, I think our ride is here.”
Gareth left her sitting in the booth and strode across the worn diner floor, his arms already outstretched in greeting. “Dale!” He lifted the much older man into a bear hug despite his massive size. “Good to see you, man!”
“Put me down before you break my damned ribs, boy. You still don’t know your own strength. Like a goddamned hippo in a teacup factory, always one tail twitch away from catastrophe.”
Gareth set him down and led him back to their booth where a wide-eyed Kyra was watching their interaction with interest. “Kyra, this is Dale. Dale, this is Kyra. She’s got the attention of someone you might remember, and she needs to get out of town.”
Dale managed to wedge his massive frame into the small booth and reached for Kyra’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Kyra. Emily says you’re a kick-ass sort of lady, and I’m to take good care of you.”
“Nice to meet you, Dale.” Kyra nodded in greeting.
Dale winked at her. “She told me to get my ass down here quick as a rabbit and don’t give her no crap about being retired.” Dale looked at Gareth. “I’d guess she’s spending too much time with your dear momma, the pushiest woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.” He leaned forward. “Now, much as I would like to pretend this was a social call, we all know that time’s ticking on and we’ve got a good distance to travel before sunset.”
Gareth nodded. “No details, not here. We’ll follow you out.”
Kyra began to protest, but then her shoulders drooped and her head bowed slightly. “If I don’t know where we’re going, I can’t give him that info the next time he comes to mess with my head, right?”
“Smart lady.” Dale gave her an approving nod as he lumbered to his feet. “We’ll take care of you, don’t you worry. I was doing this before this overgrown pup was a twinkle in his daddy’s eye. Between us you got nothing to worry about.”
Gareth heard her snicker and slapped his former mentor on the shoulder. “Dale, do me a favor and don’t give her any more nicknames to work with. She’s already taken to calling Vlad fang face. God knows what she’ll come up with if given any encouragement.”
“Fang face?” Dale’s deep baritone laughter filled the diner and had patrons turning to gawk at him. “Oh yes, your momma’s going to just love this one.” He guffawed and took Kyra by the hand, leading her outside and leaving Gareth to drop a few bills on the table, gather up his suitcase, and follow behind. When he stepped outside, he stopped dead in his tracks and groaned. “Tell me that abomination is not our ride.”
“And just what’s the matter with Gertie?” Dale gestured to his ancient truck and camper rig with pride. “Every comfort of home on wheels, boy! You get your lady settled in the back and I’ll apologize to Gertie for you. She don’t start too well when she’s been recently disparaged.”
Gareth could see that Kyra was fighting a fit of the giggles, and by the time they got around the back of the truck and out of sight of Dale, both of them burst out laughing
“Where did your sister find him?” she asked while straining to reach the camper door, which was set too high for her to reach without resorting to tiptoes.
Unable to resist, Gareth planted his hands on Kyra’s sweetly rounded ass and boosted her up so she could reach the door. “I didn’t even know where he went when he retired. We’re not encouraged to track
down the ones who leave. If we don’t know where they are, no one can use us to find them. Dale was one of the finest hunters we had and a good friend. I’ve really missed him. He and Mom taught me to hunt, and he taught my dad, too.”
Kyra just yanked open the door and stepped inside, her low squawk of surprise nearly sending Gareth into another bout of laughter. When she poked her head back outside, her expression was priceless. “Dale cannot possibly be married. Only a bachelor could live like this.”
“It’s not his home, Kyra, just his camp—oh.” Gareth broke off as he glanced inside and got an eyeful of original harvest-gold and avocado-green upholstery. “Yikes.”
“Uh-huh.” She waved a hand at the tattered and faded curtains and threadbare cushions. “And what’s with the doodles?”
“Doodles?” Gareth’s eyes adjusted to the dim interior and he finally spotted the elaborate glyphs and wards that graced every wall. “Those aren’t doodles, sweetheart, those are wards. Same as the ones that protected the hotel room, only a lot bigger.”
She perched herself on the edge of the dinette area, hands clasped in her lap. “So this is safe? Really?”
“Really.” He lifted his case into the camper. “And if you have any doubts, just help yourself to anything in there that makes you feel better. Dale’s one of the best, Kyra. I’m glad he’s the one Emily sent. He and I need to talk for a bit, but I’ll come back here soon and keep you company.” He gave her his wickedest grin. “I can think of a few things to do to pass the time while Dale drives.”
“If you think you’re getting lucky in this mobile man-cave, you’re deluded,” she shot back and pulled the case toward her. “But as I’m sure Dale would say, we’re burning daylight. I’ll see you when you two boys have done bonding.” She waved at him. “Bye-bye, your toy box and I need some private time.”
Gareth closed the camper door as Dale chortled somewhere behind him. “That one’s a born hunter. She’s going to keep you on your toes, boy.” A heavy hand slapped down on his shoulder. “Let’s get this party rolling. You can tell me what your sis didn’t, and then you’ll need to go reclaim your weapons from your girlfriend.” He lowered his voice. “And she’s not to know where we’re going, boy. Not a clue. You’ll need to take care of that before we get to the ferry.”
Gareth nodded. “How long?” He didn’t even bother arguing with Dale calling Kyra his girlfriend. As far as he was concerned, she was, and he had no intentions of keeping that a secret.
“An hour or so, depending on traffic. Time enough for you to talk to me and still have time to try and sweet-talk that bundle of sass into giving you back some of your toys.” Dale smirked and shook his head. “I thought I taught you better ’n this, boy. Women are trouble, redheads doubly so!”
Gareth climbed up into the cab of the truck and waited while Dale got in and pulled out into the madness of downtown traffic, pushing his way between the cars as though he owned the road.
“I didn’t get a choice this time.”
“Nonsense, boy, we all got a choice—not unless that funky vampire chemistry kicked in and you ’n she…” He trailed off and shot Gareth a knowing look. “Oh hell’s bells, boy. Is that what happened? Your great-granddaddy vamp and you are both after the same woman?” Dale’s breath whistled over his teeth.
“Don’t call him that!” Gareth snarled. “He’s not family, and I’m nothing like him!”
“Bullshit,” Dale growled right back at him. “He may not be family in the normal sense, boy, but you’ve got his blood running through those veins of yours. Dhampir are what they are, and it never did any of you any good to pretend otherwise. You’re Mother Nature’s solution to the vampire problem, born and bred. Whatever she don’t like, she tries to put right, and you’re here because that abomination ain’t on a list of her favorite things.” He reached out and lightly cuffed Gareth upside the head. “And don’t you try to go telling me you’re nothing like him. Seems you must be just a little bit, or you and he wouldn’t both have your crosshairs set on the hellcat in the back there. Does she know?”
“She knows the gist of it.” Gareth nodded, still mulling over the rest of what Dale had said.
“Gist? What do you mean ‘gist’? Does she know what you are? And does she know who he is? All of it? Now’s no time to be keeping secrets from her. She seems the type to take that badly when she does figure it out.” He snorted. “Real badly, especially if she don’t give you back your toy box first.”
“She knows what I am. Hell, she was there when I had to face off against him in a hotel hallway. She heard him call me a half-breed and identify my family by name. After that, she had a few questions.”
“She needs to know it all. If you don’t tell her, that son of a bitch will. Which of you would you rather have tell her?”
Gareth winced. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours. Things have been moving a little fast. I’ll tell her tonight, once we get her safe and sound.” His voice lowered. “The murders the last few nights have all been him. And last night he broke into her dreams through two layers of warding, Dale. Dragged her into a nightmare and showed her what he’d done to gain enough power to do it. I checked the news this morning. He slaughtered seven people and there’s another one missing. Every person who worked or was staying at the motel the cops had her stashed at is dead. All but one, a redheaded woman.” He gave Dale a meaningful look. “Kyra said she saw a red-haired woman bleeding to death in her dreams.”
“Ah hell, he took her?” Dale cursed. “Does Kyra know?”
“Not yet. I was going to tell her once we were on the road, but then we got attacked, and I figured she had enough to deal with. Last night was the first time Kyra has slept in days. She’s running on fumes and pure stubbornness.” Gareth heard the pride in his voice when he talked about her. “She’s amazing, Dale. When this is all over, I’m going to ask her to stay with me.”
“If she’s got you twisted into a pretzel after less than a day, boy, I’d advise you not to wait until this is all over. Good things don’t come along all that often. When you find one, you hang on tight.” Gareth heard Dale’s voice tighten, the pain of old wounds appearing behind his words. “You never know how long you get them for, you got to make it count.”
“I don’t want her to choose me because the alternative is an unliving hell. I want her to want this, to want me. She needs to be able to make this call on her own. I already told her she has a choice in all this, that she can leave when this is finally over.”
Dale nearly took out the back end of a subcompact car as he forced his way into the right-hand lane, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. “She leaves you, boy, you know what’ll happen. That hunter drive of yours will go into high gear and you’ll never be able to sit still again. You already got the itch worse than any I ever heard of.”
“She’s my duty.” Gareth’s words were clipped. “I made her a promise to protect her, Dale. That includes protecting her from this screwed-up life we live, if that’s what she wants.”
“Stubborn as a goddamned mule with a migraine, the lot of you,” Dale grumbled. “I recall having this same damn conversation with your mother a long time ago. You’re making the same mistake she did.”
“And what’s that?”
“You keep thinking you’re the only one in this who gets a say.” Dale jerked his head to indicate Kyra in the back of the truck. “She’s got a vote, too, boy, and you may want to find out what she’s thinking before you go making up your mind for both of you.” The truck slowed, and they turned into a moderately busy parking lot. When they came to a stop, Dale just pointed to the door. “Time for you to hop in the back. Keep the curtains closed and make sure she has no idea where we’re headed. If I were you, I’d spend the time talking things over, but given your stubborn streak I’m sure that’s not what you’re going to do.”
Gareth hopped out of the cab of the truck. “I don’t plan on talking much at all,” he told Dale just as the door slammed
shut. Dale’s laughter followed him all the way to the back of the camper.
13
Gareth’s wide shoulders filled the camper doorway as he pulled himself into the cramped space. Damn, even his silhouette is hot. “So, care to share why Dale was laughing at you?”
“Because he knows he’s one of the few people in the world who can do it without getting his ass kicked,” Gareth replied, irritation clear in his tone.
“That’s not really an answer.” Kyra sat up and nearly bumped her head on the low ceiling of the camper bed she had curled into. “You better get up here before we start moving again. This thing rocks and rolls like a ship on a stormy sea the way Dale drives.” The truck lurched forward at that moment, and Kyra bit back a laugh as Gareth stumbled back half a step and nearly cracked his head on a row of cupboards over the kitchen area. “See?”
She could hear Gareth grumble under his breath as he moved his large frame through the cramped space, finally climbing up beside her. Dale took a corner too fast just as he made it to the top, throwing Gareth off balance. Kyra found herself pinned beneath him on the bed, the solid mass of his body pressing into hers, inspiring sparks of desire from her toes to her ears. “Hi there.” She laughed and squirmed beneath him.
“Hi.” His breath was warm as it fanned over her cheek. “Keep squirming, and we’re going to have a problem we don’t have time to resolve properly.” His lips brushed against hers and she heard him groan in protest as another movement of the truck drove their bodies together. Heat flared, and she felt moisture gather between her thighs as her body responded to his.
“How much time do we have?” she asked, surprised at the low quiver she could hear in her own voice.
“Not long enough for all the things I want to do with you.” He paused, his tone going drier. “Not that I think we could, given the lack of room up here. I have no idea how Dale even fits up here at all.”