Vampire Midnight (Kelly Chan #1)

by Gary Jonas

  As we exited the truck and walked to the long, circling driveway, Ben touched my arm. “Don’t be offended by what you see in there,” he said. “All the humans are volunteers. They offer themselves willingly to those who stalk the night. Their choice of words, not mine.”

  “I’m not easily offended,” I said.

  “All non-vampires must offer themselves to the Master for sex and bloodletting.”

  I grabbed him and shoved him backward. “What?”

  “Oh, I thought you weren’t easily offended.”

  “You’re not funny.”

  “I think I’m hilarious, and we really should get in there before it gets too crowded.”

  Hundreds of tiki torches lined the drive. A line of well-dressed people filed toward the entrance. We took our place in line. Ben was right. The vast majority wore black. A few women wore midnight blue, and a few others wore red. The greeters wore white tuxedos and white bowler hats.

  “I do hope the food selection will include an Asian with AB negative,” the woman ahead of me said. “Grant can afford it.”

  “You’re too finicky,” her companion, a silver-haired man said.

  “I’m just tired of O positive.” When she turned and saw me she smirked. “You’re alive. What type are you?”

  “You’ll never know,” I said.

  She leaned in a bit, sniffed the air and rolled her eyes. “A positive. A commoner.” She dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

  I wanted to cut her head off, but it would be bad form since we hadn’t even entered the house yet.

  “Play nice,” Ben said.

  I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or to her.

  When we finally reached the front, we handed the greeters our invitations. The man scrutinized me, going so far as to pull a monocle from his pocket. He held it up to his eye and looked me over through it.

  “You are alive, and infused with magic,” the greeter said. “Why would William Sinclair invite you?”

  “She’s with me,” Ben said. “I have another invitation for her if the first seems questionable.” He pressed the second invitation into my hand, and held it there for a moment.

  The greeter plucked it from my hand and opened it. “From Victor Pavlenco.” He used the monocle again, and stared into my eyes. “Fascinating.” He returned the monocle to his pocket, handed back the invitation, and waved us through. “You may pass.”

  We entered the house, but another man in white motioned for us to wait again. A shorter line of people waited ahead of us. Each stood for a time before a woman escorted them to an entrance hall where another man announced them to the ballroom beyond.

  “This strikes you as old-fashioned?” Ben asked.

  “Very.”

  “It’s good to know who arrives when. Those who arrive later get a more grand entrance, but those who are early get to hear each name as the guests arrive. Some vampires like to arrive early so they know who’s here. Some like to arrive late so everyone else knows they’re here.”

  “Is Victor here yet?”

  “He likes to arrive late,” Ben said and handed his invitation to the announcer.

  I did the same.

  The announcer, also clad in white, guided Ben forward. The announcer stepped up and spoke in a booming theatrical voice. “We are pleased to welcome Benjamin Drake, companion to Victor Pavlenco.”

  Nobody paid much attention as Ben was announced, but that had also been true for the vampire couple ahead of us. Ben moved into the ballroom.

  The announcer nodded to me and I stepped forward. “We are pleased to welcome Kelly Chan, guest of William Sinclair and Victor Pavlenco.”

  When I stepped into the ballroom, a small group of vampires spun around to stare at me, but most of the people didn’t pay any attention. The room was crowded. I’d never seen so many pale people in black clothes before, and I’d been to a few goth clubs in my time.

  The center of the room was a dance floor. A band played classical music, but I wasn’t well-versed, so I couldn’t identify the composer. Around the walls, small groups of vampires stood talking. Catching up on gossip? Sentries stood in doorways armed with swords. The way their eyes scanned the room, I doubted the swords were ceremonial. I noted which of the guards seemed most aware, and which seemed least aware. Should something happen, it would be best to be closer to the unaware guards as it would be easier to grab a sword from one of them. In the corners, shirtless men and women sat on cushioned bar stools. Each wore a thick golden collar with two tubes jutting from the sides. Vampires stepped up and sipped blood from the tubes. As a volunteer grew woozy, a new man or woman would step in as a replacement.

  I reminded myself that they were, in fact, volunteers.

  Natural selection in action.

  I took special note of the shadows, which were primarily around the edges of the room, with angled lights keeping the center of the dance floor especially bright.

  As Ben led me around the dance floor, he whispered, “Don’t mind the few who are staring at you.”

  “I saw them when I was announced.”

  “They do seem to be keeping tabs on you. Let’s go over here.” He darted in and out and around the various people on the floor, and took me to a section of the ballroom between the corner feeding area and one of the unaware sentries.

  “You’ve done this before,” I said.

  “Not my first vampire ball,” he said.

  Back at the entrance, I noticed a familiar face. The announcer stepped up and said, “Terrence Jones, companion of Vera Gennessee.”

  “TJ,” I said.

  “Oh, your new boyfriend.”

  TJ adjusted his tie. He wore a black suit like most of the men. His eyes met mine across the floor and he gave me a nod and a shrug.

  “Lenora Gennessee, vampire since 1865,” the announcer said.

  A lovely black woman stepped into the room wearing a white dress. She wore bright red lipstick and carried a small hand purse. TJ extended an elbow and she grasped his bicep, allowing him to lead her into the ballroom.

  “I think TJ and I should have a little chat,” I said.

  “I think you should wait,” Ben said.

  “He lied to me. He’s a vampire companion.”

  “Lenora is on the Council,” Ben said. “It makes sense that she’d want someone to check you out.”

  “Why?”

  “Not my place to say.”

  “So you already knew TJ?”

  “No, but I think my odds of getting to know him much better just improved. Lenora and Victor are close.”

  “If they’re so close why don’t you know him?”

  “He must be new. Last time I saw Lenora was in 2001, and her companion at that time was a sweet woman named Diana.”

  TJ met my gaze a few times, but escorted Lenora over to the group of vampires who’d been keeping an eye on me.

  “What’s the story, Ben?”

  “Victor will tell you anything he thinks you should know. Would you like some wine?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’d ask if you want white or red, but they only have red.”

  “Of course they do.”

  “I’ll be right back.” He slipped into the crowd and disappeared.

  TJ worked his way over to me. “I didn’t know you’d be here,” he said.

  “Might have played your cards differently, hmm?”

  “There was some shit I just couldn’t tell you.”

  “Little things like you followed me to Tally’s?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re very good, TJ. I normally spot a tail.”

  “I stuck to the shadows.”

  “How does that work?” I asked.

  “Shadows are all connected. If I step into one here, I can come out from any shadow within my range. Mine’s about a mile. Some companions can go up to seven miles.”

  “And Watchers?”

  “Farther, of course, because they aren’t tied as closely to their mas
ters. And vampires themselves farther still.”

  “But there are limits.”

  “Damn right. Look, I didn’t exactly lie to you.”

  “Even about the Ayahuasca?”

  “That was true. Lenora loves that shit. She can ‘commune with ghosts’ when she’s in an Ayahuasca trance.”

  Ben appeared behind me with a glass of wine.

  “How did you—?” Then I saw a shadow behind me. “You came out though my shadow?”

  He kissed the air by my cheek. “Your shadow and I got to know one another intimately.”

  “It’s just a shadow,” TJ said.

  “He’s trying to get under my skin,” I said.

  “And into your dress,” Ben said.

  “If you try to come out through the shadows on my dress, I’ll tear your head off.”

  “Lovely as those shadows are, my dear, they’re too small.”

  “They look mighty nice to me,” TJ said.

  “Next person to talk about my shadow had better be talking about an actual shadow,” I said.

  “You know you love it,” Ben said and sipped his wine.

  TJ nodded at Ben. “Love the tie.”

  “Thank you. It’s my dash of individuality in a sea of black ties.”

  The announcer stepped forward again and said, “Geoffrey Windsor, companion of William St. Clair.”

  “Original name,” Ben said.

  “I know,” I said.

  Windsor stepped into the ballroom, looked around, and spotted me with Ben and TJ. He made a beeline right for us. He strode across the dance floor. From the way people went around it, I wondered if it was off limits. Nobody was dancing, after all. But Windsor didn’t care.

  When Windsor reached us he nodded toward Ben. “I see you’re communing with vermin.”

  “She is now,” Ben said.

  “I find your manners detestable,” Windsor said. He turned to TJ. “I don’t believe I’ve made your acquaintance.”

  “TJ,” he said.

  “Under?”

  “Lenora.”

  Windsor cocked an eyebrow. “What happened to Diana?”

  TJ shrugged. “Hell if I know.”

  Windsor met my gaze. “I see you received my invitation.”

  “She did,” Ben said, “but your boss had to share the limelight as Victor also extended an invitation.”

  “None of my concern,” Windsor said. “I doubt it will add up to anything. Everyone is preoccupied with the evening’s agenda.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  “The Event,” TJ said and gave me a knowing smile. “It’s the talk of the town so to speak.”

  “You say that as if I’m part of it,” I said.

  Ben and Windsor shot TJ a look.

  “Sorry,” he said holding up his hands. “I’m new.”

  They refused to discuss it further.

  I wanted to push it, but the voice of the announcer sounded above the din. “William St. Clair, vampire since 1247.”

  I spun and watched Sinclair enter the ballroom, survey the crowd, straighten his jacket and move toward the group of senior vampires at the back of the room.

  “He won’t be happy when he finds he got here before Victor,” Windsor said.

  “They’ve had a competition going for centuries,” Ben said.

  “Who’s winning?” TJ asked.

  “At the moment, Victor is ahead,” Ben said.

  “Even vampires act like children having to one-up each other,” I said. “Typical.”

  I turned toward the door as the announcer stepped forward. “And our final guest of the evening has arrived. I now present Charles de Moliere III, vampire since 1066.”

  “That would be Victor’s original name,” Ben said. “Don’t ever use it, though. Aside from introductions at vampire events, he answers only to Victor Pavlenco.”

  I heard the words Ben spoke, but my eyes were locked on to what I would call a real man.

  Victor Pavlenco was a ruggedly handsome man. Strong jaw, piercing eyes, muscular without being a bodybuilder type. He had long, dark, brown hair that would make a rock star jealous, and looked like he could handle anything that came his way without breaking a sweat, and for the first time in many, many years, I went weak in the knees just staring at him.

  I swallowed hard.

  Ben grinned and leaned close. “I’m willing to share him with you,” he said.

  I think I nodded.

  Pavlenco didn’t even look our way. He strode in with confidence and the crowd parted to allow him to pass as he crossed the floor to join the senior vampires.

  I blinked and said, “He really does belong in a paranormal romance novel.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I couldn’t take my eyes off Victor.

  He carried himself with a level of confidence I’d never seen before. I’d never spoken to the man in person, and yet I wanted to have babies with him. I couldn’t have children. The wizards at DGI saw to that when they worked their magic on me. It wouldn’t be useful for an assassin to get pregnant, after all. I’d never regretted that until I saw Victor. I wanted to go to him. No. I needed to go to him.

  I tried to shake it off, but the need grew stronger.

  “Oh, Victor,” I said softly.

  I took a step in his direction, but Ben grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

  I spun around and punched him in the face. He staggered back, fell on his ass. I realized TJ and Windsor were speaking to me, and had been for an indeterminate period.

  “…can’t go to him,” Windsor said. “It violates protocol.”

  “Do you want me to break your nose?” I asked.

  “It will heal, so hit me if you must, but do not cross that floor. If you interrupt the Council, they will kill you, and your friend Amanda will die.”

  “Victor is calling to me.”

  “Nobody is calling you,” TJ said. “I’m new and even I know you don’t interrupt the Council.”

  Ben picked himself up. “Fascinating.”

  “Back off,” I said, and turned to go to Victor.

  Windsor stepped onto the dance floor. “Companions!” he said, and pointed at me.

  The companions all moved toward me. Sixty or seventy people formed a wall between me and Victor.

  “Move or die,” I said.

  Three men reached for me.

  I ducked, sidestepped, and pulled off my high heel shoes. One of the men reached again, and I slammed the spiked heel into his right eye, then yanked sideways and flipped him onto the dance floor.

  A spinning kick sent one of the men backward into the crowd, knocking several people down.

  I waded into the sea of companions. My fists and feet did my talking for me. Punch, kick, shove, throw.

  Someone tried to grab me, and I caught his wrist, yanked down and, as he bent, I rolled over his back to kick two more men backward.

  The commotion drew more companions in my direction. They closed in on me from all sides. I didn’t care. Smash a nose here, elbow a cheekbone there.

  I went through them sending bodies flying in every direction, but there were too many of them. My progress was too slow.

  They kept blocking my path.

  Didn’t they know I needed to get to Victor? I’d never wanted a man more than I wanted him. It was a physical need, and I would not be denied. I wanted to get to him, and take him inside me right there in front of everyone. It didn’t matter. He needed to be with me forever.

  I kicked a man in the balls. He crumpled, and I stepped up on his shoulders. I launched myself over some of the group and landed on top of others. I rolled over them to my feet, kicking a face here or there and running across the throng.

  Hands tried to grab me, but I was too fast.

  I somersaulted over the last of them and landed on a table, knocking over wine glasses and bottles. A cartwheel flip to the floor and I had only fifteen feet to go before I could finally be with him.

  I shoved
a woman with short red hair out of the way. She seemed to recognize me, but I’d never seen her before.

  Then Victor met my gaze for the first time, and a calm, amused grin played across his features.

  I opened my arms, moving to embrace him, but Ben appeared out of my shadow, wrapped his arms around my waist and let himself fall backward.

  He pulled me down and we fell into his shadow dropping into the floor and beyond.

  Everything went black for a moment.

  Then streetlights popped into existence off to the side, and the sound of traffic crashed into my ears. I fell on top of Ben in the corner of a Walmart parking lot.

  “What the hell did you do?” I asked, pushing myself off him. I got to my feet. “I need him!” My head spun and I felt like I might vomit.

  Ben didn’t get up. He simply propped himself on one elbow and gazed at me.

  “Get up,” I said, weaving a bit on my feet.

  A car whipped around me. The driver looked over at us and accelerated away.

  “What’s his problem?” I asked.

  “You’re a sight to behold,” Ben said. “I’ll give you that.”

  I walked over to a nearby car and checked my reflection in the window. Blood spatter covered my face and chest. My dress was torn, my hair was a mess, and my eyes looked wild. I looked at my hands. They were covered in blood. My feet were filthy and bloody too. My shoes were gone.

  The feeling of need subsided and I stared at myself for a time. Ben’s reflection appeared beside me and he pulled the strap of my dress up and let it drop over my shoulder.

  “You might want to pull the top of your dress up a bit in the front as you’re about to have a wardrobe malfunction.”

  I glanced down and saw that my right breast was nearly out of the fabric. I pulled it up to keep from exposing myself.

  “What just happened?” I asked.

  “You livened up a rather dull party,” Ben said.