by J. C. Wilder
You okay now?
She gave a faint chuckle. “Yes. Thank you, Max.”
You’re welcome. Do me a favor? Tell Daddy I love him.
“I…” The cat startled her by grabbing her by the back of the jacket and tugging her along the ledge.
“Wait a minute.” She turned and struggled to her knees. “Max?”
Silence.
The cat tugged again, this time forcing her to move. Slowly, they worked their way back along the ledge to the mouth of the cave. In spots, Erihn was forced to crawl along on her belly, the cat in front of her leading the way. He licked her cheek from time to time to encourage her to keep moving.
When they rounded a bend, the faint golden lantern light was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The ledge faded into nothing, and the cat leapt effortlessly to the scant remains of the floor. Cautiously, she slid off the ledge and down to the muddy floor before collapsing, panting for breath, shivers racking her body.
Just outside the mouth of the cave, Ivan lay in a bloody lifeless heap, his sightless gaze up toward the heavens. She averted her gaze and looked instead at her arm. Jennifer’s jacket was shredded and, through the slashes in the sleeve, several long scratches and deep puncture wounds marked her skin. Her arm was already coated with blood and more oozed from the lacerations.
She closed her eyes for a second to get her bearings. The cat licked her cheek, jolting her into awareness. He grabbed the mangled sleeve of her jacket and gave it a gentle tug.
“Let me guess,” she slurred, her throat raw. “It’s time to go.”
Erihn struggled to her feet and staggered to the mouth of the cave. The rain still came down in sheets and there was no sign of the albino. Unable to stop herself, she glanced down at Ivan. His glazed eyes stared back at her accusing, damning. She shuddered then allowed the cat to lead her into the rain.
She had no idea where the house was or how far they were from it. All she knew was she was exhausted, freezing, and the temperature was dropping rapidly, mixing sleet with the rain.
They entered the woods and steadily moved deeper and deeper into the thicket. She was lagging badly, but there wasn’t anything the cat could do for her. He led the way, ever spiraling down the mountain, moving ahead to find a path, then returning to nudge her along.
It was an excruciating journey. They wound their way down the rugged mountainside. Once during the climb, the sodden land had given out beneath her shoes and she’d slid quite a distance on her backside. Well, while it hadn’t been comfortable at least she hadn’t walked all of it.
It felt like an eternity before they reached the house. The cat led her to the basement door, and she was sobbing by the time they tumbled through it. She glanced toward the bed, but it was too far away, and she collapsed in a heap on the carpeting. Her eyes closed and she slipped into a light doze. She was awakened when Fayne scooped her off the floor.
“Erihn.” He cradled her against his chest. “We have to get you warmed up.”
She shivered and tried to open her eyes and keep them open, but was unable to focus on him. “F-F-Fayne?”
He chuckled. “Yes, love. It’s me.”
Her teeth chattered violently as he set her on the commode and efficiently undressed her. He picked her up and eased her into the filling tub, and she tensed as the warm water touched her chilled flesh, breath hissing through her teeth. Her arm throbbed and she sagged against the side. She forced her eyes open and found Fayne staring at her arm, his expression disturbed.
“I seem to keep hurting myself.” She was startled to hear her words slurred.
His gaze met hers, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen him look so haunted. “You didn’t do this,” he whispered. “I hurt you this time.”
She frowned. What he was saying didn’t make sense. “You weren’t there,” she mumbled. She scrunched her face, trying to remember what exactly had happened, but she couldn’t get a grip on it. She must’ve hit her head.
“Erihn.” Fayne picked up her uninjured hand, jerking her attention back to him. “I swear to you, no one will ever hurt you again.”
“What are you talking about?” She was so exhausted all she wanted to do was lie down for a while.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
She closed her eyes as he washed the grime from her body, but she was too lethargic to assist him. He rinsed the muck from her hair, and she sighed under his delicious ministrations. When he was done, he picked her up, and she couldn’t resist snuggling against his chest.
He set her on the commode again and patted her dry from top to bottom before dressing her. He helped her into a pair of purple sweatpants and an oversized white sweater. After pulling some heavy socks on her feet, he turned his attention to her wounds.
“We seem to be making a habit of this.” She watched as he wound gauze around her arm. Erihn only wished she had the energy to properly show him how much she appreciated his attentions.
Fayne nodded, his expression sober. “You’re lucky I have lots of bandages around here for Max. He’s always banging himself up.”
Erihn frowned. Max. There was something about his son, but she couldn’t remember… She was supposed to tell Fayne something. She yawned as he taped the bandages in place.
“To bed with you.” He picked her up again and carried her into the bedroom.
She sighed in delight as he tucked her into his massive bed. The linens were silk, and they smelled of him. She snuggled into the warmth of the comforter, and she barely felt the kiss on her temple before drifting to sleep.
Chapter Eleven
She was in the basement again.
Erihn stood on the steps in the earthen basement that had almost become her tomb. The basement was brightly lit, allowing her to see every inch of the dank space. Her miserable damp pallet, the slop jar and the moisture that ran down the walls combined for a macabre prison. Chapman lay in a heap at the bottom of the steps. His limbs were shackled with great chains anchoring him to the floor, his gaze piteous as he stared up at her.
She felt no anger.
No resentment.
No fear.
She felt…free.
She turned away from the pathetic man and continued her journey upward. The scarred oaken door—once nailed shut and coated with her blood from clawing at it— stood open and a beam of golden light spilled through it. Erihn took a deep breath and stepped into the light.
And walked directly into a nightmare.
She blinked.
She stood in the archway that opened into Jennifer’s living room. The first person she saw was Fayne. He stood to her right, dressed only in jeans, his hair damp and curling on his shoulders. His fists were clenched, knuckles white. Rage fairly vibrated from his tense posture.
She looked across the room to see what he was looking at. Her breath caught in her throat.
A tall, heavily built, dark-haired man stood before the fireplace, staring into the flames. Beside him sat the albino in a straight-backed chair and on his lap, a child. It could only be Max.
The child’s expression was hollow, empty, as if his soul had left and only the shell of his body remained. The albino smiled and gave her a cordial nod. His hand, clamped on Max’s shoulder, tightened, and she watched in horror as the boy jerked beneath the pressure.
“I’m so glad you joined us, my dear. I was about to send our friend Fayne downstairs after you.”
Her heartbeat accelerated as the child’s childish tones rang out. It was the voice from the cave, only a bit higher. She looked from the albino to Fayne, whose expression was stony, eyes hooded. A muscle ticced in his jaw.
She licked her lips. “What’s going on?” Her voice was husky and her throat ached from her exertions in the cave.
“Erihn.” Fayne’s voice was low. “Come to me.”
She glanced nervously at the albino, who only smiled and flashed his teeth. His pronounced canines gleamed. Keeping a wary eye on him, she skimmed the steps and
edged toward Fayne. Saying nothing, she reached his side then turned to face the albino. She calmed when Fayne’s fingers wrapped around hers.
Max jerked. “How touching,” he said.
Erihn recoiled. “How is he doing that?”
“Max is telepathic. Edward is a mute as well as a freak. He speaks through Max,” Fayne said.
She blanched. “It doesn’t appear Max enjoys it.”
“Would you want to dwell in the mind of a madman?” Fayne snarled, his gaze never leaving the albino.
“I did.” She spoke softly, and his fingers tightened around hers.
“Sticks and stones, Fayne. It’s probably best you don’t annoy me as I hold what you desire most,” the child piped. “Regardless of what Max enjoys, here by my side he’ll stay. Unless you produce the diary, Erihn.”
It was back to the diary again. What was so important about the diary that people would kill for it? It was a piece of fiction…or was it? It certainly appeared vampires were real enough. Either that or this man needed the name of a good orthodontist for that overbite of his.
“Where’s the diary, Erihn?”
Erihn glanced at Fayne’s profile to see he was still staring intently at the albino. Something was going on she didn’t understand.
“In my car,” she rasped.
“Would you please be so kind as to retrieve it?” Max’s voice was flat.
She glanced at Fayne and he nodded imperceptibly. She released his hand and gave the albino a wide berth as she scampered up the steps. She ran down the hall to the front door. Her heart thudding, she stuffed her feet into a pair of hiking boots.
What should she do? She grabbed a jacket from the peg and escaped into the night. Sleet stung her skin as she ran to her car and threw open the door. She needed a gun. Did Mac have any guns? She fumbled around, looking for her bag. Would she even know how to load one if she did have one?
No.
“Damn,” she hissed, dragging her purse out from behind the driver’s seat.
Could Fayne take him? The albino didn’t look all that strong, but the dark-haired man did. Who was he and where did he enter into the mix? Maybe Fayne could hold him down and she could bash the other one on the head.
Her breath whistled through her clenched teeth as her fingers found the old box. She pulled it out of the bag and stuffed it under her coat.
The sleet was tapering off as she ran back to the house, her feet sliding on the ice-covered ground. The candles burning all over the downstairs acted as a beacon through the open door. Erihn skidded on the tiles as she slammed it closed. She shed the coat and boots and tiptoed into the kitchen. Looking around, she spied the butcher’s block filled with knives. She reached for one.
“Don’t bother,” Max’s voice piped. “Knives will have no effect on me.”
Erihn glanced and saw that they could see her through the archway. She scowled, and Fayne gave her a small smile. Squaring her shoulders, she marched into the living room.
“Is that the book?” Edward asked through Max.
“Yes.”
“Give it to Miles here.” The albino indicated the dark-haired man.
She moved toward the man as he turned from the fireplace to accept the box, his dark gaze not meeting hers. A tingle rippled up her arm when he grasped the opposite end of the case. Erihn released her hold then jerked her hand away to break the connection.
A crash of thunder made her jump. Brilliant lightning drew her attention and something light-colored on the deck caught her eye. In a second flash of lightning, she saw the tiny blonde woman, motionless, her head severed from her body.
“Lovely, wasn’t she?” Max said.
Erihn gulped. “Why did you kill her?” She looked at the box, now secure in Miles’ hands, and wondered if she’d just given away the key to keeping them all alive.
“She was of no use to me.”
“And what about us?” she asked, boldly looking the albino in the eye. “Exactly what use are we?”
The albino smiled, his fangs flashed. “Well, the child has his uses, of course. And you, my dear, are lovely, scar and all. I do have a great appreciation for beauty, especially for that which is not as it seems.”
Erihn frowned. What in the devil was he? From outward appearances, he was a textbook vampire, complete with fangs, pasty skin and black cloak. Was he what he appeared to be?
“Fayne is another matter altogether,” Max said.
“Why is that?” She narrowed her eyes.
“He is of no use whatsoever. In reality, he’s a hindrance.”
“Why?”
The albino’s expression was curious. “You don’t know, do you?”
“She doesn’t know anything,” Fayne growled.
Edward threw back his head as if to laugh, only the sound came from the child’s mouth instead. Chills ran down her back as the vampire shook his head. “You’re kidding me! She wrote about your race and doesn’t know what a monster you are?”
Erihn glanced nervously at Fayne, then back to the albino.
“No,” said Fayne.
“Your lover’s made of fool of you, my dear. How does it feel to have been seduced by a were-cat? The so-called mythical creature of your novel?”
That’s it, they were all mad. How did he know what had happened between them? She shook her head, a feeling of panic blossoming in her chest. “Were-cat’s do not exist,” she stated. “I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but they’re a figment of someone’s imagination.”
The albino nodded in Fayne’s direction. “Fayne, would you please show the lady we’re not all crazed?”
Fayne growled, a feral sound that made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. His eyes glowed with a flickering golden light. Her breath caught.
“No,” he snapped.
Edward shifted his hand and clenched it around the boy’s neck. Max shrieked as the fingers tightened. “I could break him in half so easily,” Max crooned.
A peculiar power began to fill the room, soft as a breeze chilling her flesh, the momentary sensation of icy needles prickling her skin left her gasping. The urge to scream began to build. Erihn clenched a hand over her heart as an amazing amber fire flickered before her eyes. Was she going to faint?
“Stop,” Fayne snarled.
Erihn trembled as the strange energy faded, leaving her feeling edgy, restless. Fayne reached for her, and she took a step toward him. His fingertips brushed hers.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
He backed away. Closing his eyes, he stood still and silent. Then, right before her eyes, he evaporated. His form faded, became transparent as the shadow of a cat began to take shape. One moment he was there, the next he was gone, and a cat stood in his place.
It was the cougar.
Erihn stared into the golden eyes, transfixed. It was the animal Fayne claimed was his, the very same animal that had saved her life in the cave. He really was a were-cat.
“What do you think, my dear?”
Erihn swung her gaze from the cat to the albino.
She said the first thing that came to mind. “Astounding.”
The albino smiled. “Indeed, it is. Were-cats are very rare, and your lover would fetch quite a price on the underground market. Their legendary powers are in demand, especially since they’re almost impossible to catch and even harder to keep. You see, they don’t do well in captivity. They’re rarely worth the trouble as they cannot be tamed.”
The albino turned and looked at Miles. After a moment of silence, Miles nodded and left the room, the box containing the diary tucked under his arm. Erihn heard the front door open, then close.
“What are you?” she blurted.
He smiled. “You haven’t figured that out yet? And I thought you were a bright girl. Why, I’m a vampire, my dear.”
Erihn recoiled in horror and he laughed.
“You’re joking,” she hissed. Her knees wobbled, and she grabbed the back of a chair for support.
/>
“Hardly. You didn’t believe Fayne either? That’s too bad.” He shook his head. “Trust is such a precious commodity.”
“What happens now?”
“Miles is taking the book to safety, and I’ll deal with your lover.”
Erihn’s eyes narrowed. “Deal with him how?”
“Kill him, of course.”
Erihn fought the urge to snarl. Her hands trembled with the effort it cost to contain her rage. She needed to think clearly and get Max away from him. “And Max. Will you leave him here with me?”
“My word, no. You are a little Pollyanna, aren’t you? The child goes with me and you’ll remain to bury the dead.” He paused. “Unless I decide to make you one of them. The dead, that is. Or maybe the undead? Now there’s a thought. You’d make a lovely vampire, a timeless gift for a timeless beauty.”
Erihn glanced at Fayne only to see that his eyes were locked on something outside the window, something cloaked in the darkness. “Are you so sure you can kill him?” Mentally, she scrambled for a way out of this mess, coming up with nothing that would help them.
“My darling, a were-cat cannot compete with a vampire.”
Fayne turned and looked at her. She saw love shining in the golden depths of his eyes. Love and confidence. Could he take a vampire? She jumped as she felt his black-tipped tail curl around her ankle in an intimate stroke.
“You might want to clue him in on that, as I don’t think he agrees with you,” Erihn said with bravado.
“It won’t be the first time Fayne has been wrong,” the vampire smirked.
“Give me the child.”
“I’ll have both the book and the child, regardless.”
“That remains to be seen,” she shot back. “If you two are going to fight, then the child’s in peril, is he not?”
The albino watched her, his eyes measuring her worthiness. She refused to flinch under his regard. It was imperative she get her hands on Max and remove him from danger. Maybe she could keep him safe by hiding him in the crawl space under the steps. Could she hide the child from a vampire? If not, all was lost.
The vampire nodded then released the child. Max staggered to his feet and moved woodenly, wavering on his thin legs. Erihn reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into her arms. He leaned against her, tremors racking his slim frame.