"Tino," she whispered. "How did you get here?"
"I don't know," he wailed and covered his face. "Mommy's going to be mad at me."
"Honey, no." Toni pulled him out from under the table and held him in her arms. "They're just scared. We need to tell them you're all right."
"No!" Tino clutched her shoulders. "Mommy told me not to leave the nursery. She'll be mad at me."
"She only sounds upset 'cause she's so scared. Believe me, she'll be thrilled to know you're all right."
He sniffled. "They won't be mad?"
"No, honey. They love you so much." Toni stood, still holding the little boy, then strode into the hallway. "He's here! Tino's fine!"
The Vamps must have heard her first, for Dougal and Phineas zoomed toward her. Connor, Ian, and Roman zipped toward them a few seconds later.
"Daddy!" Tino reached for Roman, who grabbed him and held him tight.
The other Vamps returned with Howard Barr and Father Andrew trailing behind. There were shouts of delight and slaps on the back.
"You found him?" Roman asked Toni. "I can't thank you enough."
"Way to go, Toni!" Phineas gave her a high five.
"Well done." Connor nodded at her.
She felt her face heat up. Was he going to fire her now? She glanced at Ian. Passion flared in his eyes, then he turned away.
"Constantine!" Shanna ran toward them, followed by a gasping Radinka.
Roman zoomed to them quickly, and Shanna flung herself at her husband, sandwiching their little boy between them.
"Thank God." Shanna hugged him tight.
"I was so scared." Radinka's eyes filled with tears. "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you." She touched the boy's cheek.
They all walked back to where the crowd was gathered.
"Who found him?" Shanna asked. "Where was he?"
"Toni," several Vamps answered at once as they smiled at her.
Her heart expanded with a warm feeling. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged to a whole family.
"Oh, thank you." Shanna hugged her.
"He was afraid you'd be mad at him," Toni whispered. "I found him hiding under the table." She motioned with her head toward the fellowship hall.
"Oh my goodness." Shanna turned toward her son. "How did you get in there without anyone seeing you?"
"I don't know. Can I have a cookie?"
"Tino," Roman spoke quietly. "You've been told not to leave the nursery alone."
"I didn't mean to." Constantine wiped his nose. "I was just thinking about you and Mommy and how much I wanted to be with you. Then it was so dark, and I couldn't see anything. Then I was there behind the table, and I fell down 'cause I was dizzy. And then I heard everybody shouting, and I thought you were mad at me."
"Oh my God." Shanna pressed a hand to her mouth.
"Everything went black?" Roman asked his son. "You were in the nursery, then suddenly you were here?"
When Constantine nodded, everyone exchanged shocked looks.
"Tino, you teleported." Roman looked at everyone and grinned. "My son can teleport!"
The Vamps cheered. Toni's mouth fell open.
Shanna gasped for air, her face very pale. "Oh God, this is terrible."
"Are you mad at me, Mommy?" Constantine asked.
"No, no." She hugged him, then gave her husband a pointed look. "Can you teach him to control this?"
"Yes," Roman assured her. "It'll be all right."
"Come." Radinka escorted Shanna into the fellowship hall. "I think you'd better sit down."
Shanna winced. "A toddler who can vanish at will?"
Everyone filed into the fellowship hall, and Roman set his son next to Shanna. He returned a few seconds later with plates of food for both of them. Constantine happily munched on cookies.
Radinka looked around. "Where's Gregori?"
"I haven't seen him," Toni replied.
Radinka huffed. "That rascal. He told me he would come to church." She marched to the mortal table to fill a plate with food.
Toni edged toward Ian. "Am I still employed?"
He glanced toward Connor, who was busy congratulating Roman. "Aye, for now. The final decision will be made in a week."
Toni exhaled with relief. A week would be enough time for them to rescue Sabrina. Then it would be okay if she lost her job. But she still dreaded having her memory wiped. Carlos could fill her in on the facts, but he couldn't tell her how she had felt while she'd lived with the Vamps. She would forget how wonderful it had felt to be a part of their family. And she would forget all about Ian.
"If I lose this job, I can live with that. But I don't want to lose my memory."
Ian frowned at his shoes. "I'll do what I can for you. But it would be better for us not to be alone."
Toni swallowed hard. He was backing off. Was he doing it to save her job? Or had the kiss not meant that much to him? She could have sworn there'd been a ton of passion. "I still need to talk to you."
He glanced at Connor. "This is not a good time. I–I promised Vanda I would go to the club tonight."
She gritted her teeth. "Still looking for the perfect lady Vamp to share eternity with?"
He swore under his breath. "I have never lied to you, Toni. I said from the beginning that I wanted a Vamp."
"Right. 'Cause they're so superior."
"Better suited," he corrected her.
"Fine. But I still need your help with something really important. When you find some time in your busy dating schedule, let me know." She marched from the room before she succumbed to an urge to slap his handsome face.
CHAPTER 16
Jedrek Janow hid behind a large maple tree, on the grounds at Romatech. He'd instructed Yuri to park a mile away from the entrance gate. Then they'd teleported onto the grounds and zipped through the woods to the main building.
"The parking lot looks completely covered with surveillance cameras," Yuri whispered. He crouched next to Nadia behind a snow-capped bush. "And the guards sweep through these woods every fifteen minutes. We can't stay long."
"We don't need to." Jedrek eyed the number of cars in the parking lot. There were more Vamps here than he'd expected. "Are they workaholics or holding an orgy?"
"They have a mortal priest who performs Mass for them on Sunday night," Yuri said.
"And you forgot to mention that to me?" Jedrek ground out between clenched teeth.
"We thought they stopped," Yuri protested. "They did stop for a while. We blew up their chapel last August."
So the sweet little bottle-sucking morons had started going to church again. They made him want to puke. "I hope they're praying for salvation. They'll need it." He glanced at Yuri's long duffel bag. "Get the RPG ready."
"Yes, Master." Yuri unzipped the bag and carefully removed the shoulder-launched rocket weapon. He loaded a grenade.
"I heard the Vamps have a party after Mass," Nadia whispered. "They give out free Chocolood."
"And how would you know that?" Jedrek asked softly.
She eyed him warily. "I never went. It was some of the other girls in the coven. They were curious."
"Stupid cows," Jedrek grumbled. "Tell me, Nadia, have you ever watched a vampire burn to death?"
She shook her head.
"Answer me."
"No, Master. I have not."
"You're in for a special treat. You will show your gratitude to me later tonight."
She hugged her knees to her chest. "Yes, Master."
He smiled. She was bending to his will now.
Yuri lifted the rocket-propelled grenade to his shoulder. "Ready."
"Good. We'll wait for them to return to their cars, then blow a few of them up," Jedrek said. "And when the survivors are running about like frightened little mice, we'll locate MacPhie or Draganesti and get the information we need." His attention snapped back to Romatech when the front door burst open.
A lone figure ran out.
"Jackpo
t," Jedrek whispered. It was Roman Draganesti. He was running around the parking lot, looking frantically for something. "The fool is unarmed. Take him."
Yuri set the RPG down and pulled a long silver chain from his duffel bag. He wrapped the ends around his heavily gloved hands.
Just then, two sword-wielding Highlanders zoomed out the front door, headed straight for Draganesti.
Yuri hesitated.
"Is there a problem?" Jedrek asked dryly. He recognized the Scotsmen as Connor Buchanan and Ian MacPhie.
"That's Buchanan," Yuri said. "He's the one who killed Sashenka."
"Then you should be eager to avenge him."
Yuri slowly drew his sword. "I'll be outnumbered."
Jedrek rolled his eyes. He was surrounded by cowards. He unsheathed his own sword. "Keep Buchanan busy. I'll grab MacPhie and teleport away with him."
Just then, Draganesti halted and cocked his head toward Romatech. He raced back inside, followed by the two Scotsmen. The door banged shut.
"You fool," Jedrek hissed at Yuri. "Your cowardice ruined our chance."
Yuri hung his head.
Nadia shivered. "It's cold. Can we go home now?"
"I still don't know what caused Ian MacPhie to age," Jedrek grumbled.
"Why do we need to know?" Nadia asked. "Nobody wants to age."
Jedrek wrapped a hand around her neck and squeezed. "You dare to question me?"
"I was wrong. Forgive me, Master."
Jedrek released her. His real concern was how Draganesti had managed to invade their Brooklyn headquarters during the day. He just had a sneaking suspicion that MacPhie's sudden aging was somehow connected. He wanted answers. Tonight.
After a few minutes, a lone car pulled into the parking lot. A young man emerged from the black Lexus. Jedrek recognized him from the photos he'd studied. This was Gregori Holstein, vice president at Romatech and good friend to Roman Draganesti.
"He'll know their secrets." Jedrek turned to Nadia. "Talk to him. Distract him, so Yuri can take him."
"Yes, Master." She edged toward the parking lot.
Gregori removed a stuffed black garbage bag from the trunk of his car. He was singing to himself, repeating two words. Staying alive, staying alive. How fitting.
"Teleport him here," Jedrek ordered. "I want some time with him."
"Yes, Master." Yuri crept toward the parking lot, keeping low.
"Excuse me." Nadia approached Gregori.
He turned toward her. "Miss, what are you doing here?"
"Is this where they have the party with free food?"
"Yes." Gregori looked at her closely. "Are you all right, miss?"
"I'm so…very hungry." Nadia stumbled to the side.
Gregori dropped his garbage sack and caught her. Yuri zoomed up behind him to grab him, and a second later, they both materialized next to Jedrek.
"What the—" Gregori grimaced as Jedrek looped the silver chain around his bare neck. Gregori's skin sizzled where the silver burned it.
"The silver will keep you from teleporting away." Jedrek passed the ends of the chain to Yuri. "I have a few questions."
"Go to hell," Gregori growled.
"He sent out a telepathic message," Nadia warned him as she joined them in the woods.
"I heard it." Jedrek grabbed Gregori's head and plunged into a swift and ruthless psychic assault. It was a trick he'd learned over the centuries. He'd accidentally destroyed a few brains before he'd perfected his technique.
Gregori stiffened, trying to resist the invasion, but he was a young vampire, easy prey for Jedrek. He swept through Gregori's memories like flipping through a scrapbook, until he found the one he wanted.
A short Vamp in a white lab coat was talking to Draganesti. "The results are clear, sir. For every day you take the Stay-Awake drug, you will age a year. I recommend you stop using it immediately."
"That's why he turned gray?" Gregori asked.
"Silver," a blonde woman corrected him. "Roman, I agree with Laszlo. I don't want you to take the drug anymore."
"But you need help during the day with the baby," Roman protested.
"Master," Yuri hissed. "They're coming!"
Jedrek noted the guards pouring into the parking lot. He released Gregori, and the Vamp slumped forward, held up by the silver chain around his neck. "Shove him back to the parking lot."
Yuri yanked the chain free and pushed Gregori toward the parking lot. The injured Vamp stumbled toward the parked cars just as the guards zoomed toward him.
Jedrek grabbed the RPG and rested it on his shoulder. He selected the car closest to Gregori and the Vamp guards. He smiled as he pulled the trigger.
Toni was sitting in the security office with Howard Barr, silently ruminating over Ian's pigheaded behavior, when Howard jumped to his feet.
"Shit!" He punched the alarm, then ran to the stash of weapons. He stuffed a pistol in his belt.
"What?" Toni scanned the monitors, but couldn't see well without her contacts.
"Someone kidnapped Gregori from the parking lot!" Howard charged out the door with swords and pistols.
"Oh my gosh." Toni threw on her jacket and stuffed a Taser and some wooden stakes in her pockets. Her heart raced. It was time to face her demons. She sprinted down the hall.
The Vamps, naturally faster, had already grabbed weapons from Howard and zoomed outside. Shanna was in the foyer, trying to hold a wriggling Constantine and comfort Radinka at the same time.
"I don't care what they said, I have to go out there!" Radinka rushed to the front door.
Toni beat her there. "Stay behind me." She flung open the door and dashed outside.
Boom! An explosion ripped through a car. Pieces of metal and glass shot outward while flames and smoke burst upward into the night sky.
Toni halted in shock. Behind her, Radinka screamed. Constantine started crying.
Toni walked forward slowly. An odd, echoing noise buzzed in her ears, making the screams and shouts seem far away, and though she knew she should move faster, her body wasn't cooperating. A car was on fire, but with all the parked cars nearby, more explosions could happen any second. Heat from the fire lapped at her face. Smoke cleared, and she saw bodies lying on the pavement.
Something snapped inside her, and suddenly she could run. "Ian!" She charged forward, her boots crunching on shattered glass. Where was he?
"Gregori!" Radinka ran to her son and collapsed beside him. He lifted a bloody hand to her face.
Toni gasped, then coughed as smoke invaded her lungs. Her eyes stung as she desperately searched for a red and green plaid kilt. "Ian!"
He rose to his knees on the glass-strewn pavement, then slowly stood. Blood trickled down his legs.
"Ian!" She ran to him and cried out when he straightened. His face was torn and bleeding.
She clutched his shoulders. "Oh, Ian. Your beautiful face." Tiny shards of glass were embedded in his skin.
"Careful, ye'll cut yerself," he whispered. "Go back. It's no' safe here."
"I don't care." She plucked a shard of glass from his sweater.
"I'm sorry I was rude to you," he said. "I really doona want to date anyone else."
"That's good." Tears filled her eyes. "I'm afraid I'm becoming very…selfish where you're concerned."
His smile looked a bit gruesome with all the blood on his face. "Can ye help the wounded get back inside?"
She looked around and saw that most of the Vamps had risen to their feet and were grabbing their weapons.
Wincing, Ian leaned over to retrieve his sword. "I need to check the grounds. They could still be here."
"You're not in any shape to fight."
"They're only flesh wounds." He flexed his bloody hand around the hilt of his sword. "Dougal, Phineas, come with me!"
The three bloodied warriors dashed toward the woods.
Connor lifted Gregori in his arms and strode back to Romatech, Radinka jogging alongside them. Roman helped Howard Barr to his feet.
Shanna ran to Roman, still holding Constantine in her arms. Other than a few scrapes, Roman looked fine.
"Hurry back inside," Roman warned them. "There could be more explosions."
In the distance, sirens wailed.
Toni wondered how they would explain this to the police. She glanced around the parking lot. It wouldn't do to have swords or wooden stakes lying about. She spotted a black garbage bag on the ground next to a black Lexus.
She peeked inside. Video games? Had Gregori brought these to work? They were all brand-new and unopened.
"I'll take that." Dougal grabbed the bag and zoomed to the front door.
"But—" Toni jumped when Ian suddenly appeared beside her. "What's the deal with the sack of toys?"
"A secret Santa thing." Ian ushered her toward the front door. "The woods are clear, but we could tell where they'd been hiding."
"Yeah, man." Phineas dashed up to them. "The freakin' cowards teleported away."
Toni winced at the blood on Phineas's face. "You two need some medical attention."
"Roman and Laszlo can patch us up," Ian said.
They entered the foyer and found everyone headed to a waiting room. Toni glanced down the hall and spotted Dougal with the garbage sack of video games. He was opening the locked door across from the nursery.
"Come." Ian ushered her into the waiting room.
Father Andrew was praying with Radinka. Others were sitting silently as if the full force of shock had finally overcome them.
Connor was pacing back and forth, with Constantine following him, mimicking Connor's gait. When the little boy spotted Toni, he ran up to her with his arms raised. She picked him up and gave him a hug.
"Roman and Shanna are in the operating room with Gregori," Connor explained. "He was hit the worst."
"Will he be all right?" Toni realized Constantine had closed his eyes and was falling asleep on her shoulder.
"He has some major cuts and burns," Connor said, "but if he makes it till sunrise, he'll be able to heal during his death-sleep."
The operating room door opened, and Roman and Shanna stepped out.
"Gregori will be fine," Roman announced, and everyone sighed with relief.
Radinka rushed forward. "Can I see him?"
All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire las-5 Page 19