Real Vampires and the Viking

by Gerry Bartlett

  I jumped between her and the door then grabbed her shoulders so I could force her to look into my eyes. “Klara, you will not leave.” Just like Viktor, she was in my power then and unable to move. Now I could put her where I wanted her. By the time we were back next to the bed, Jerry had opened his eyes.

  “What’s this?” He licked his lips. “You bring me another mortal? Breakfast in bed?”

  “Ian says it’s for the best. Can you take her wrist?” I pushed it next to his mouth.

  “Yes. I’m not too weak to drink, Gloriana.” He took her wrist and sank his fangs into her vein. I saw him begin to drink while Klara just stood there, not even able to wince if he’d hurt her. Which he probably had. I counted, making sure Jerry didn’t take too much. Luckily this mortal was bulky enough to give even more blood than Viktor had and I let Jerry enjoy a good long feed.

  “That’s enough.” I tapped Jerry’s shoulder. “Let her go.” I was grateful when he did that without a struggle. I didn’t relish forcing the matter again. It wasn’t something vampire males took lightly or forgot. I watched while Jerry licked the punctures closed. Then I led Klara over to the door. She unloaded fresh towels and sheets then took the soiled ones with her. I persuaded her that Jerry and I would change the sheets ourselves and leave the dirty ones in the hall for her later. Then I wiped her memory of everything except the essentials about delivering linens for a sick man.

  “Thank you, Madame. I hope your husband feels better soon.” Klara pocketed the generous tip I gave her.

  “I’m sure he will. We are on our honeymoon, you know. He has to feel well.” I winked at her. I’d had to let her remember my story about the bleeding to explain all those soiled towels to whoever did the laundry. Boy, did staying in a hotel complicate matters. At least in most places where we travelled, we tried to stay in hotels owned and run by paranormals. I guess there hadn’t been one available in Sweden when Jerry had booked this trip.

  My phone rang as I closed the hall door and I ran to answer it.

  “Gloriana?”

  I checked the caller ID. Unknown caller. “Who is this?” I glanced at Jerry. He did look better and he was staring at me.

  “Gretchen. I bought a burner phone. Did you and Jeremiah make it back to your hotel all right?”

  “Not exactly all right. Jerry was shot.” I blinked back tears. “But he’s getting better. How about you and Gunnar?”

  “We are fine. Hiding out. I’m sorry about Jeremiah. We need to meet. Plan. I have a place but now I’m thinking it might be better if Gunnar and I just disappear from your lives. We have put you in terrible danger.”

  “Wait a minute. You pulled us into this. You can’t just vanish. We need to help you figure out what to do about Fredrick and his weapon.” I signaled to Jerry. “Gretchen, I mean it. Our friends from America are here. We all want to help. To make sure Fredrick can’t hurt you and to stop his weapon from being used against vampires everywhere.” I jumped when I realized Jerry now stood behind me. He took my phone.

  “Gretchen.” Then he started speaking to her in Swedish.

  I hated that I couldn’t understand what he was saying. His frown meant she was arguing with him but then he finally gave me a thumb’s up. Okay, so he’d convinced her to accept our help.

  “Fine, we’ll meet you there later tonight. Midnight. You sure that’s a safe place?” He sat on the side of the bed. Obviously he wasn’t back to full strength yet. “Okay, see you then.” He punched off the phone.

  “You got her to agree?” I sat beside him.

  “It wasn’t easy. She’s feeling guilty. Because I got hit.” Jerry rubbed the bandage over his stomach. “I think that last dose of human blood did the trick. And MacDonald’s surgery. He must have finally gotten rid all of that wood.”

  “God, Jerry. I know it must have been excruciating.” I leaned against him.

  “You could say that.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m glad you weren’t in the room. I shed a few tears between curses. Not manly at all.”

  “I abandoned you.” I slid my arm around his waist. He was still naked. Which was the way I liked him. Not that we were going to do anything about it now.

  “There are times, Gloriana, when a man needs his privacy. I have MacDonald to thank for steering you out of here for that.” He stood on wobbly legs. “Damn but I hate to be indebted to that man.” He headed for the bathroom. “Now I need a shower. I reek of fear, pain and blood. Not a pleasant smell.”

  “It doesn’t bother me. But let me help you.” I rushed to his side and had him lean on me for the few steps it took to get him into the large shower.

  “Wait out here. You’re looking beautiful, clean and ready for our meeting. I’ll just be a few minutes. But if you see me fall, come and scrape me off the floor.” He grinned and slammed the shower door then turned on the water.

  I watched him every minute while he scrubbed his hair and his body. I gasped when he tore away his bandage to clean his wound but I guess it was all right because I didn’t see any blood dripping. I breathed a sigh of relief when he finally turned off the water and hurried to wrap him into a warm towel from the electric towel racks, a Swedish luxury. The floors were heated too.

  “How are you feeling?” I rubbed his back dry, almost afraid to see his front and that wound.

  “Like I’ll live.” He turned so we could both check out his stomach. The incision was fading, a pale red instead of the angry red it had been the night before. Ian must have put in new stitches but they had popped loose and I plucked them out with my fingers.

  “So Ian was right. Mortal blood is more effective. Good to know. I’ll have to get over my aversion to using mortals when we have a crisis like we did tonight.” I kissed Jerry’s chin.

  “I prefer to drink from you, my love, but I want to be at full strength so we can get this honeymoon back on track.” Jerry’s arms went around me. “Do we have time to see if I’m completely healed?” His grin made me laugh.

  “If only.” I leaned against him, thrilled that he was at normal vampire temperature—cool and just right for me to snuggle with. Too bad we didn’t have time to test his strength. I stepped back. “The gang will be here any minute and you can tell them what Gretchen told you. Me too.” I walked to the closet and picked out some pants that had a simple waistband that wouldn’t rub against that wound. No snug jeans tonight.

  “It wasn’t much.” Jerry stepped into the black trousers. “I forgot to ask if Gunnar found his treasure.”

  “You’re kidding.” I tossed Jerry a dark blue cashmere sweater. “Where are they hiding?”

  “She didn’t say, just told me where to meet them. It’s an abandoned warehouse. Not anywhere Fredrick would think to look she hopes. She said she used to visit an artist there but he has since moved to a bigger building.”

  “Abandoned. No heat then. I hope you’re right and that’s not where they’re staying. Sounds horrible.” I sensed company and left him to walk to the bedroom. One whiff and I threw open the hall door. I would know my best friend’s favorite perfume anywhere.

  “Ready for another adventure?” I grinned at Flo and Richard. Ian was right behind them. They all had eyes only for Jerry who strode to the door and let them look him over.

  “It is a miracle!” Flo hugged everyone.

  “No, just the skill of a brilliant doctor.” Ian jerked up Jerry’s sweater and examined his healing wound.

  “I give full credit to the loving care of my nurse.” Jerry pulled me next to him and kissed my cheek.

  “All of the above. Now let’s get to the business of the night.” I was anxious to get this Gunnar and Fredrick thing settled so I could get back to my honeymoon. Almost losing Jerry had my priorities in order. My new husband was number one on my agenda from now on. Everything else? A distant second.

  Chapter Ten

  It took some skillful maneuvering to even get into the car Ian had rented. We might be considered paranoid but we didn’t want to take a cha
nce that Fredrick was having us watched. So Ian drove the car away from the hotel by himself and we all took turns shifting to meet him at a prearranged spot. Of course it was cold and snowing. Beautiful. But I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to the weather here. I was longing for my mild Texas winters. Flo was in her element wearing a chic black fur coat and matching hat. Her suede boots were the latest style in a black and white pony print. I was in serious boot envy though I had new things from the boutique that she exclaimed over.

  “I must go there when this adventure is over, Glory. Your gloves and scarf are so cute.” Flo settled in the back seat between Richard and me. Jerry was riding shotgun in the front while Ian drove.

  “Put the address into the GPS, Campbell, and let’s get this going.” Ian was clearly excited. “I didn’t come all the way to Stockholm just to do my doctor thing on you. I want to see this Viking. Examine him and see what a thousand years on ice did to him.”

  “You may have some trouble getting him to cooperate with that, Ian.” I leaned forward to talk between the seats. “He was a high-placed Viking, powerful before he was turned vampire. I hope he found his treasure. It would be a shame if he had to start over in this time without money to support him.”

  “Glory’s right. Gunnar was a leader. Was in tight with the King of that time. He won’t just let you poke and prod him, MacDonald, like a science experiment. You’ll have to convince him that there’s something in it for him.” Jerry smiled as if he liked the idea of Ian getting some brushback from Gunnar. “But if we save him from Fredrick, he’ll be grateful.”

  “There you go. I know quite a bit about physics. If I can do something with that infernal weapon, we can turn it on this rogue vampire and save the day.” Ian chuckled. “What do you think, Mainwaring?”

  “I want to see it, examine this weapon. You said your chest hurt after you woke up so I think it must do something to the heart. Could be sound waves, electric shock. Any number of things. But Gloriana wasn’t affected. I wonder why.” Richard turned to look at me like I was under a microscope.

  “Beats me. He had to use a drug to put me to sleep.” I grimaced. “Those work on me like they would on any vampire. Puzzle that out.”

  “I’ll leave you scientists to analyze this whole thing. The rest of us were incapacitated for hours with our powers shot even after we woke. It was a nightmare.” Jerry smiled at me over his shoulder. “You know why Gloriana is different. Guess that made her immune to Fredrick’s Eliminator somehow. For once, I’m grateful to Olympus.”

  “Ah, yes. My friend is special.” Flo patted my hand. “She is a demi-goddess. I am glad we are friends, amica. Otherwise you would scare me with your powers. Capiscimi?”

  “Sure. This Olympus connection is no joke.” I squeezed her hand. “And my parents definitely scare me. My grandfather?” He was Zeus. “Well, no one messes with him.” I sighed. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but if we can’t handle this ourselves, I can always call them for a favor.”

  “No!” Flo crossed herself. So did Richard.

  I had to hide a smile. Gods and goddesses versus their Catholic upbringing? I wasn’t taking sides in that contest. I prayed and just hoped someone was listening who was more benevolent than the folks I’d met in Olympus.

  “Gloriana, don’t even think of asking your parents for help. You know asking for a favor from them always ends with payback. If you get your folks down here, then you’ll probably have to go back up there with them afterwards. The way time moves up there, it could be a century before I see you again.” Jerry was serious as hell. “No Olympus. We’ll figure this out ourselves.”

  “Of course. We’ve got the dream team on it. Right, gang?” I was determinedly optimistic. Jerry had been through enough lately. I wasn’t about to put more stress on him now.

  “I’ve done scans of you before, Gloriana, but never noticed anything unusual about your heart. Now you’ve got me curious.” Ian used the GPS to drive into a sketchy part of Stockholm.

  I kept glancing behind us but didn’t see any cars following us from the hotel. Good. So we’d evaded any of Fredrick’s henchmen. I knew he would have had us tailed if he’d realized we were meeting his wife.

  “Fredrick wanted to dissect me,” I said as Ian pulled up in front of a dark three story warehouse that had seen better days. The double doors were chained shut and an old sign had graffiti obliterating what had probably been the artist’s studio logo and posted hours.

  Flo shrieked in horror. “He is il mostro, a monster.”

  “You get no argument from me, pal.” We climbed out of the car and inhaled almost as one. I recognized Gretchen and Gunnar’s scents and nodded. But we were cautious. We walked around the building, deciding to stick together.

  Jerry had pulled out a knife while I saw Ian with a gun. Surprisingly Richard also had one. I didn’t think of him as the violent type but that was probably underestimating him. Just because he’d been a priest centuries ago didn’t mean he hadn’t seen his share of wars and battles. Most vampires learned to defend themselves early on or ended up staked.

  “Did you hear that?” Flo stopped us with her hand in the air. “Someone with high heels is walking inside. Go around the back. There must be a door open there.”

  Trust Flo to recognize high heels on concrete. But now that she mentioned it, I heard it too. We crept around the corner and spotted a metal door that was unlocked. It opened without a sound. Someone had been busy oiling the hinges. Inside, our eyes adjusted to the lack of light and I could see there were stacks of canvas, crates and tables against one wall. When a man jumped out from behind an easel, Flo screamed.

  “Who are you?” Gunnar wrapped his arm around Flo’s throat.

  “Let her go, Viking.” Richard moved so quickly he was a blur and he pushed his gun against Gunnar’s temple. “I would be happy to see your brains splattered on this concrete if you harm even a hair on her head.”

  “I could snap her neck before your finger could move on the trigger, vampire.” Gunnar didn’t sound worried. “Is she your woman?”

  Richard’s growl made the hairs on my arm stand on end. “You’d better believe it.”

  “Gunnar, she’s my friend. It’s Glory and Jeremiah. We’re here to help you. Please let her go.” I didn’t dare move for fear someone would do something stupid.

  “Gunnar, that’s Florence you’re holding. Her man Richard is a respected warrior. You know you would threaten to do the same if a man held Gretchen like that. Let her go.” Jerry was bold enough to stride up to Gunnar.

  “Jeremiah, Glory.” Gunnar still held Flo. “Tell him to remove the gun from my head first.”

  “Like hell.” Richard cocked the pistol.

  “See reason, Richard.” Jerry held out his hand. “Gunnar didn’t know you or Florence. He’s a hunted man. Can you blame him for reacting like he did?”

  “I blame him for touching my wife.” Richard looked like he really wanted to shoot Gunnar. A nerve twitched in his forehead.

  “Ricardo, I am fine. Put down the gun, caro.” Flo lifted her foot. “Viking, I will put my heel through your foot if you don’t release me at once.”

  “Fine.” Gunnar let go and stepped back just as Richard pulled up the barrel of the gun. “Gretchen, come out now. We have friends, it seems.”

  “Yes. Are you all going to be nice now?” Gretchen rushed out of the darkness and took Gunnar’s arm. “I’m sorry. You can understand, I hope, that Gunnar is a little tense. We have been running for a while and had to spend our death sleep in a very precarious place.”

  “It was not safe for you.” Gunnar glared around the room. “We had to cover ourselves with heavy, dirty rugs in a place Gretchen’s family owns.”

  “A storage facility. It was the best I could do.” Gretchen sighed. “Fredrick would never think to look there.”

  Gunnar had his arm around her waist. “Even so we went to bed at sunrise not knowing if that would be our last sleep and Fredrick’s shifters
would find us during the day.”

  “How horrible for you.” I ran to Gretchen and gave her a hug. I’d spent some time myself in bad places and scary circumstances. I knew what it was like to have to bury myself in disgusting things and not know if I’d wake again. “We have to finish this tonight.”

  “I pray so.” Gretchen returned my hug then looked over at Jerry. “Jeremiah. I’m glad to see that you recovered from your gunshot. I know about the wooden bullets. You could have been killed.”

  “I had a rough time but I’m all right now.” Jerry gestured at Ian. “This is Ian MacDonald. He’s an excellent doctor. I hate to say it but he saved me.”

  “A MacDonald helping a Campbell?” Gretchen’s eyes were wide. “Thank you. This is a night for surprises.”

  “MacDonald? The name is known to me.” Gunnar stared at Ian, barely acknowledging Flo and Richard as I made the introductions. Richard didn’t say a word, obviously still fuming.

  “Because you raided the Highlands, no doubt.” Ian kept his eyes on Gunnar.

  “I was sent by my king. It was not a raid. But a peace mission.” Gunnar looked Ian up and down. “What do you care? It was over a thousand years ago. I’m sure you are an old vampire, but not as old as that.”

  “Perhaps you left something behind. Which king did you serve?” Ian had stepped closer and pulled his gun from behind his back.

  “Ian! What are you doing?” I looked from Ian to Gunnar. I couldn’t help noticing--

  “Hush, Glory. I have my reasons. Tell me, Viking, did you know a lass or two when you made peace in the Highlands?” Ian didn’t point the gun at Gunnar but I could see his hand tightening on the grip.

  “We don’t have time for this, MacDonald.” Jerry pushed a shoulder between them. “History can wait. We need to plan, move. Do something about Fredrick and his weapon.”

  “Wait. I have a burning question.” I couldn’t hold it in a moment longer and we did need the subject change. “Did Gunnar get his treasure or not?”