Death of Night

by Krissy Reynolds

  I stood there, surprised, grateful, and even more in love with him. "Thank you, Callum," I whispered.

  His eyes opened with a touch of surprise in them. I gave him a small smile. He returned it, and it warmed me to the heart.

  "Go," he said softly. "Take care of Will."

  My smile faded. My head was telling me to move, go back to the living room, and make sure Will was alright. Another part of me wanted to throw myself into Callum's arms, to be protected, to feel safe. Torn, I remained where I was.

  "We're going." Damien's voice came from behind me.

  Startled, I jumped. I then moved out of the way to let him, Rhiannon, Camille, and Thanes pass. Dario stayed hovering outside of the living room entrance.

  "If you try anything, Mr. Knightley, Dario will hurt her," Damien reminded Callum. Callum just gave him cool, blank eyes. Damien lips curved into an impish smile. "I'm sure he would be quite happy to…prolong the process."

  "I'd advise you to stop making threats, Damien," Callum replied coolly.

  Damien brushed a hand over his long, thick hair. The gesture struck me as nervous. "Or what?" he snapped.

  "Or I'll stop playing nice and kill you the moment you step out of this apartment."

  Silence settled in among us. I fought the urge to smile at the look on Damien's face. His nostrils flared, anger and humiliation etched into his face.

  "Why don't you just stop playing nice and give me an excuse to kill you?" Damien retorted.

  "I'm not in the mood to fight, Damien, that's why," he replied. His English accent was growing more noticeable. "Now, are we leaving, or are we just going to stand here?"

  After a moment's hesitation and an obvious internal debate, Damien strode out of the apartment, head held high and shoulders tight. His group of vampires followed him. Thanes patted my cheek as he walked by. I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just grinned.

  Once all of them were outside, I put a hand on the door, about to close it. Both Damien and Callum turned to face me.

  "I'll see you soon, Dahlia," Damien said. I didn't like the way he said my name. It was too intimate, hinting at promises of things I wanted nothing to do with.

  "I'm looking forward to it," I said without a smile.

  He smiled and turned away. I looked up at Callum, whose gaze immediately latched on to mine. The pure green of his eyes had darkened with the excitement. The colour was just as striking, though. One ringlet fell across his forehead, glimmering softly in the hallway's florescent lights. He was just standing there, but he somehow managed to emit a sense of danger, an overwhelming presence. With one hand on the door, I paused, breath catching in my throat. It amazed me that even here and now, in the midst of all this danger, he had the power to knock me breathless.

  Callum blinked slowly and the corner of his mouth twitched. I think he knew the effect he had on me.

  Echoing the words of Damien, he said softly, "I'll see you soon, Dahlia."

  I nodded. Damien took Callum's upper arm and began to lead him down the stairs. The other vampires trailed after them like ducklings following their mother. Callum looked over his shoulder, past the figures of Rhiannon, Camille, and Thanes, and straight at me. We stared at each other until he disappeared down the stairs and vanished from sight.

  * * *

  I closed the door and leaned my forehead against it. The night was young, but I was already tired, overwhelmed, and scared. Scared about Will, frightened about Damien, overwhelmed by Callum. But I had a lot of things ahead of me tonight, so I needed to think practically. First things first, take care of Will. Then I could focus on the bloodthirsty vampires who wanted to hurt me. Who said I couldn't prioritize?

  "You seem troubled, human," a masculine voice said from behind me.

  I whipped around with a hand automatically going for my gun holster. It was empty. I had a moment of panic. Recognizing the face, I relaxed. Dario. It was Dario. I had forgotten he was still here.

  Gathering myself, I walked back down the hallway, and entered the living room. Dario came in as well, watching me with pale eyes. I picked the Firestar off the ground, tucking it into the holster at my waist. Foolishly, I felt safer. I crouched by Will, my fingers sweeping the hair away from his bruised face.

  Glancing up at Dario, I said, "Get the phone."

  Cocking a thin eyebrow, he said, "Excuse me?"

  "Find the phone and give it to me."

  "I'm not your servant, human," he replied heatedly.

  I stood up. "If you're going to stay here and annoy me, you might as well be useful."

  He blinked at me and had the nerve to look amused. "I…annoy you?" he questioned lightly.

  My eyes swept around the room, searching for Will's telephone. Not seeing it, I walked around the room, looking on the tabletops and the dark crevices of the couch. I still didn't find it. "Check the kitchen for the phone." I demanded.

  "I have already told you, I'm not—" he cut off it mid-sentence. He turned his head in one sharp movement, becoming completely still. He stayed like that for what seemed to be a full minute or so, then looked straight at me. "Why do I smell a vampire?" he asked suspiciously.

  Raising my eyebrows and giving him a condescending look, I said, "You sure you're not just getting a whiff of yourself?"

  A growl escaped from him, eyes flashing dangerously. I put my hands up in surrender, and said, "Sorry. Just trying to be helpful."

  "Two," Dario murmured. "There are two." He turned and disappeared out of the living room in the flash of a moment. Staring blankly at the spot where he had just been, I wondered who the two vampires could be.

  A groan sounded from beside me. I gasped before realizing it was Will. He was shifting, hunching further into himself, making painful sounds. Quickly kneeling next to him, momentarily forgetting Dario and his keen sense of smell, I peered intently at his face. His eyes remained closed, face still slack and unexpressive. When my fingers touched his battered cheek, I noticed that his skin was feverish. Tears were welling up in my eyes again. I needed to find the phone. Now.

  Voices sounded from the front of the apartment. They were blurred and incomprehensible because of the distance and the speed of the words. There was a sudden crash, and then a male voice yelled, "Dahlia, are you here?"

  Before I could answer, Liam came into the room. He stopped when he saw me kneeling by Will's huddled form. With a sweep of those naturally dark eyes, he took in everything from the bruises on Will's face to tears in my eyes. I blinked rapidly, trying to push them back.

  "How'd you get in here?" I asked with a small frown.

  He gave a forced smile. "I have my ways, Dahlia. How many times do I have to tell you?"

  "Oh," I said.

  Dario burst through the doorway, tumbling into the room without much grace. His thin, colourless hair looked disheveled and his shirt was hanging oddly on his slight frame. "Get out," he spat at Liam.

  Liam turned. His hands balled into fists, hanging at his sides, but prepared to fight. He growled something incomprehensible, and I wasn't sure if he was speaking to Dario or just growling. Either way, Dario seemed to get the message. He glared at Liam, and said, "Since when do you care about a human, Liam? You used to believe in the old ways."

  "Oh, Dahlia isn't just any human," Liam responded. His hands relaxed. He looked at me and grinned. "She's special."

  Just as I was about to say something in return, Will groaned again. I looked down at him, gently lifted his head, and placed it on my lap. Brushing his thick, blood-matted hair back off his face, I glanced up at Liam. "Can you find the phone and call an ambulance?" I asked, my voice a tad high.

  He didn't say anything and set off. I was grateful for that. Dario just folded his arms across his chest and gazed across the room at me.

  I turned my attention back to Will. "Will?" I murmured. "Will, wake up."

  Liam came back into the living room a couple of minutes later, holding the phone in one hand. "They're on their way," he said. He set the phone dow
n on a little table, then walked over to me, crouching beside me to examine Will. "He's alive."

  "I know," I said.

  "He's breathing."

  "I know."

  He turned his gaze to me. "But his heart is beating too slowly."

  "I know!" I snapped unintentionally. I squeezed my eyes shut. "I'm sorry. Dammit. It's just—"

  "Don't apologize," Liam interrupted.

  I swallowed and nodded. Opening my eyes, I saw that Liam had stood and was holding his hand out to me. I peered up at him with a questioning look. "What?" I asked.

  He sighed, and replied, "I'm trying to be supportive."

  That made me smile. Carefully setting Will's head on the soft white carpet, with a touch to his cheek, I took Liam's hand and got up. I took a blanket from the couch, one that looked almost Mexican with fresh, bright colours, and draped it over Will. It looked out of place. I stared down at Will's unconscious body, my arms wrapped around myself, and said, "I can't believe I let this happen to him."

  "It's not your fault, sunshine," Liam said from behind me.

  I whispered, "Yes, it is."

  "Look at me," he said sternly. I hesitated, and he repeated, "Look at me, Dahlia."

  I turned around, dropping my hands back to my sides. Liam grabbed my shoulders and dropped his head to look into my eyes. His hands felt cold even through the leather jacket. "The human is going to be okay," he tried to reassure me.

  I swallowed. "I hope so."

  Liam made an exasperated sound and suddenly pulled me toward him. His arms wrapped around me, and he held me tight. Once I realized what was happening, I put my hands on his cool chest and tried to push away. He didn't let up, just holding me in place. I gave up and slumped against him. My cheek pressed against the soft silk of his shirt and my fingers bunched around the fabric.

  One hand came up to stroke my hair. I closed my eyes again, this time in an effort to relax.

  "Just so you know," Liam breathed next to my ear, "I don't do this often."

  I pushed my hands against his chest and drew back enough to see his face. "Don't do what often?"

  "Comfort people."

  I stared at him for a moment, then shook my head and smiled. "I'd never have known," I said lightly.

  He released me. "Don't tell anyone I was this nice to you," he ordered.

  I raised my head, noticing that tonight he looked less like a vampiric Elvis Presley and more like a normal person. He hadn't slicked back his hair this evening, leaving it to fall naturally around his face. It looked better this way. "Do you want me to tell them you were a rude, obnoxious ass instead?" I asked doubtfully.

  "Yes," was his reply.

  "Okay, if that's what you want," I said slowly.

  "It is."

  I frowned up at him. "You're weird, even for a vampire."

  He smiled down at me, and said, "Thanks, sunshine."

  "Our little flower here seems to be melting the hearts of several men," Dario drawled from the other side of the room. One hand flicked dismissively at Will. "The human I understand, but I'd never thought that you or Mr. Knightley were capable of such feelings, Liam."

  "I think Liam thinks of me more as an interesting piece of food rather than a potential girlfriend," I said.

  Liam chuckled. "I'm rather curious myself to know how she got Mr. Knightley's heart," he mused.

  Furrowing my brow, I asked, "What do you mean?"

  "In all the years that I've known him, I've never seen him care about a single person, human or not, the way he cares about you," he answered.

  I scoffed.

  "You don't understand, sunshine. He was cold, not heartless, but cold. His life was his job as a master." His face was solemn as he reminisced. "God, seeing a real smile on his face was rare."

  "That doesn't seem like him," I said.

  "He is not the man he used to be. He's changed." Liam gave me a long, hard look. "And I think that's because of you."

  A full-throated laugh came from Dario. "The predator fell in love with his food. That never ends well." He smiled coldly at me. "What a pity."

  Ignoring him, I sat cross-legged on the floor beside Will, being careful not to sit in any blood. Liam folded himself into the couch, propping both feet on the low coffee table. I narrowed my eyes, and he took them off, placing them on the floor. I saw that he was wearing black leather pants again.

  "What's with the leather pants?" I asked.

  "What's wrong with them?"

  I shrugged, and answered, "Just a little…inappropriate for the occasion."

  He smiled, a glimmer of fangs making it menacing. He glanced at Dario, the smile growing wider. "I fight best in leather."

  Dario and I both raised our eyebrows, but for different reasons. He took it as a threat, a sort of challenge. With Liam looking at him like that and the tone of his voice, I didn't blame him. Me, I was just trying to keep myself from laughing.

  A thought hit me out of the blue. I blinked, turned to Dario, and asked, "You said you smelled two vampires."

  He brushed something off his shirt, and sullenly said, "Yes."

  Liam was more helpful. "Ophelia's waiting outside."

  "Ah," I said. Even though Ophelia struck me as a little odd, I was relieved that there was another vampire to rely on.

  "We were right across the street when we saw Mr. Knightley come out with Damien. We put two and two together, and, well," he grinned and licked his lips, "here we are."

  The room fell silent, not awkward, but there was a definite tension in the air. I laid a hand on Will's shoulder, smoothing my thumb back and forth across a rip in his shirt. I turned my head and stared out of the set of French doors that were identical to mine. Outside the glass, night had fallen, dark and heavy and looming. Black clouds hid the stars and moon from the city of San Francisco. The effect was sinister and quite appropriate for the current situation.

  Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder as the seconds ticked by. I had no doubt that they were heading for our building. Dario moved, and I jerked my head to look at him.

  He flicked his hand at me, one of those 'come on' gestures. "Let's go," he said.

  "What?" I said, staring up at him from the floor.

  "We're leaving before the police get here."

  Looking down at Will, I said, "No, we're not."

  He made the gesture again. "Come on. Human law enforcement doesn't work well with me."

  "I bet it doesn't," I muttered.

  "Shut up, human," he warned. "Don't push me. I'm hungry, and pissing me off makes me hungrier."

  I frowned. "That doesn't even make sense," I said. I tilted my head to the side, and added, "When you're trying to threaten someone, it should make sense. Just a little advice."

  Dario made an angry sound, strode over to me, and grabbed my arm. He yanked it upwards, bringing me with it. The tips of my shoes barely brushed the carpet. "We're going," he said.

  Setting me down but not releasing my arm, he pulled me through the apartment, stopping at the front door. I saw Ophelia standing next to the stairway, hands clasped daintily in front of her. Just like in Callum's mansion, she donned a fancy dress that made me feel immensely underdressed. The dress was an electric blue, crafted in a smooth, shiny material that was a mix between silk and satin.

  When she laid eyes on me, she smiled. "Hello, my Dahlia. How do you fare this evening?" she said in her soft, pleasant voice.

  I stared into her rich hazel eyes for a moment, trying to judge if she was joking. She wasn't. "Just peachy," I answered.

  "Sunshine's night hasn't been so fun, Ophelia," Liam said from behind Dario and I. He stepped into the hallway and took a place next to Ophelia.

  Those rosebud lips curved into a dark smile. "Well, we'll see if we can change that," she said, eyes flicking to Dario for half a second.

  Dario ignored her, and said, "I'm leaving the door open. Those human doctors will know where to go."

  He started down the stairs, dragging me with
him. I glanced behind me. Liam was following, eyes on the back of Dario's head. His fangs were visible. Ophelia was sauntering down the stairs in a chatoyant sea of silk and satin, dress swaying from side to side with each step. Her high heeled shoes clacked on the marble, the sounds echoing up and down the stairwell noisily. Personally, I didn't think high heels were the best shoes to fight in, but then again, Ophelia had had a couple of centuries of experience. I was suddenly thankful that I had worn sneakers. At least something had gone right today.

  Dario let go of my arm and shoved me through the front door. I stumbled, nearly falling on the edge of the stairs leading to the door. A hand braced me before I fell. I looked up into Liam's dark eyes. He stared at my face for a moment, then blinked and slid his gaze to Dario, whose back was facing us. Liam looked back at me pointedly, raising his eyebrows slightly. He was trying to tell me something, but I wasn't catching it.

  "What?" I mouthed.

  He bent and put his mouth close to my ear. "Stay back," he breathed.

  He drew away, and I nodded. We went down the steps together, Ophelia trailing behind us. Dario turned around so he could see us, then put his hand on the small of my back and pushed me down the path. There was a car waiting in front of the building, colourless in the night, reflecting the light coming from the surrounding apartment buildings and lampposts. Dario walked around me and opened the back door of the car.

  "Get in," he said.

  Behind him, Liam gave the slightest of nods. I didn't like Liam, or, hell, trust him, but I slid into the car anyways. I had a feeling Liam and Ophelia had something up their sleeves that I didn't want to get involved in.

  Dario made a move to close the door behind me, but I put a hand on the window. "What about them?" I tilted my head towards where Liam and Ophelia were standing.

  He laughed incredulously, the sound filling the night air. "They're not coming with us."

  A flash caught my eye to the right. I surreptitiously snuck a look. Liam was drawing a silver blade from the inside of his boot.

  "Uh," I said distractedly, drawing my eyes away from Liam, "Why not?"