Grave New Day

by Lina Gardiner

  Another realization struck her hard. “We have to hurry. They’re in the tunnels below the church. There’s not much time,” she said. She knew that detail through her brief contact with Zeke’s mind.

  Britt nodded as if he’d gotten the same message. They made for the parking lot.

  Before they got into the car, Jess scanned the rooftops for vampires. James should have come for Terry. If he wasn’t here, she could only assume he was with the vampires who were preparing for the blood sacrifice. And at the top of the chain would be the royalty of all vampires. She shuddered against terrifying images that had been shown to them by Zeke in that nanosecond of time. Was it Zeke who urged them to reach the ritual on time, or the very blood that surged in her veins that called her to them?

  Still, her body felt strange, and her limbs were heavier than she remembered. Her skin also felt odd, like it didn’t belong to her any more, and her lungs felt heavy and seemed to be moving on their own. Oh God! She was breathing!

  Britt pulled up in front of the church and jammed the gearshift into park.

  “Britt, touch me,” she said, reaching an arm out to him before he turned the key in the ignition.

  He looked surprised by her request, probably because of the timing, but still cupped one hand behind her neck and gently pulled her to him. His lips touched hers and she excelled in the sensations he evoked. Heat against heat. Flame against flame.

  The kiss lasted longer than it should, but it was heavenly.

  When Britt finally leaned back his eyebrows arched. “Why is your skin so warm to the touch?”

  “There’s only one explanation,” she said, swallowing hard. “I’m no longer a vampire. I’m alive again.”

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  Chapter Twenty

  Britt gaped at Jess. “Alive?” Dare he hope? Did that mean they could share normal lives at last? If they made it through this fight, of course.

  Then he saw the tears magnifying her eyes and threatening to spill. She’d been a vampire for so long that this had to be as confusing to her as a blind person suddenly being able to see.

  “What’s wrong, Jess?”

  She shook her head. “How can this help us fight against the vampires? I’m weak. I no longer have my vampiric abilities and strength.”

  Damn, he hadn’t thought of that. “I don’t know,” he said. “But it must be important to the plan. There must be a reason.” He fell into silence for a moment, then asked, “Do you think what happened to us in the lab is real? That Zeke is some kind of ghost or something that is here to help us fight these vampires?”

  “Yes,” she said simply.

  “How can you believe so easily?”

  “Most people don’t believe in vampires either, so why not believe Hunapu to the Mayans was able to outsmart the Lords of Death? And whether you believe it or not, you were dead. Yet here you sit, better than before, thanks to Zeke.”

  He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “But why choose us for this battle?”

  “I think I know. Technically, we both died. In our connection of minds I learned that the twins had to die and be reborn as good souls. While I’ve never considered my soul to be good, I must still fit the parameters.” She sighed and rubbed one hand along her forearm, startled to feel its warmth. “And apparently I’m to fight them as a human while you fight with skills unlike any I’ve experienced.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Unless that’s the only way you can fight the vampires without killing me! I had to be human, too.”

  He looked uncomfortable. “You’re partially right.”

  “What do you mean?” She turned to him.

  “I picked up on some things during our melding, too. To put it bluntly, you’re the bait.”

  She laughed. It was music to his ears, but the timing was all wrong. “Jess, I won’t let anything happen to you. You know that.”

  While he watched her, she moistened her lips and he contemplated what it meant for her. Could she do it in this weaker physical state? As a human, in an easily damaged body?

  “I guess I should have seen this coming. No matter how you look at it, we don’t have a choice. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to stop these monsters, and I know you will too.”

  “Maybe Zeke made a mistake turning you into the bait because I won’t let anything hurt you.”

  Britt’s shoulders tightened and she grasped his wrist and held him there with nothing but her soft touch. She drew in a deep, calming breath and said, “You will do what you have to do. First and foremost you’re a Lieutenant for the New York City Police. Your job is to protect its citizens. I’m not going to order you to do it, even though I could. You’ll do the right thing if it comes down to it.” She let go of his arm. “That’s why Zeke chose you.” She paused. “That’s why I chose you.”

  Britt’s heart plummeted. Jess had always been able to give the battle talk to rev up her troops and she’d just done it again, for him. He respected the hell out her for that, even if he feared for her life.

  He could sink into oblivion in those blue eyes. Ease away his cares by wrapping his fingers in her silky hair, caressing her soft skin.

  But the way she looked at him right now made him uncomfortable. No one should have that much faith in another person. Especially in him. What if he failed her? If he wasn’t strong enough …

  He couldn’t let himself finish the thought. He would be strong enough—he had to be. “Well, I’m not ready to roll over and let you die.” He pulled her tight to his chest until he could feel her heart pounding against his. “And don’t you dare give up too damned easily. You fight with every breath inside you, human or not.” His mouth captured hers fast and hard before they got out of the SUV.

  “If you want me to fight with every breath, you’d better leave me some to use.” She touched his bottom lip. Let her forefinger slide slowly across it. Drove him half-freaking nuts with the sensuality in that one motion.

  “And don’t worry, I don’t intend to throw myself onto a grenade. I intend to fight with everything I’ve got, even if I have no breath left.”

  He ran two fingers along her jaw. So soft and beautiful. So determined. “You ready?” he asked.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  She climbed out of the SUV and marched toward the church. She led him to the Rectory, and Britt went straight to Regent’s desk and pressed the button underneath it. Regent’s weapons cabinet opened, and Jess grabbed as many guns loaded with blessed silver bullets as she could hold.

  “Load up, Britt. We don’t have time to waste.”

  “We have no idea how many vampires we’ll be up against. We’ll be going in blind.”

  “Too bad we can’t ask for help. But since Zeke told us that this is something we’ve been uniquely created to do, I guess we have to succeed or fail on our own.”

  “Wish you weren’t right about that, but I know you are.” He saw the burden of their task reflected in her eyes.

  Britt strapped on a few semiautomatics and grabbed a handful of hawthorn stakes, as well as a few silver ones, and shoved them into the specially created belt he’d found hanging inside the cabinet doors. He glanced back at Jess, who was mounting weapons on her voluptuous body in as many places as she could. Gorgeous as always in her leathers, her long dark hair glistened with new life, her skin freshly pink and inviting. If the world wasn’t hanging in the balance, he knew exactly where he’d be right now and what he’d be doing. Making love to her all night long.

  He followed her out of the rectory and back to the basement. His muscles screamed with tension. His jaw ached from clenching, and his adrenaline ran full tilt by the time they returned to the entrance to the cavern. It didn’t take long to find the second door made of heavy steel. Until recently it had been sealed shut. Ragged welding marks proved it had been recently opened.

  This lower level appeared bigger than the church above. It probably extended under the Rectory as well.

  “Where is
the paste?” he asked.

  “I thought the jar would be safer on holy ground so I buried it under the dirt floor in the old Church’s labyrinth. Figured no one would look there.” She made an irritated noise. “Guess I was wrong.”

  “These vampires had powerful reasons to want it. More powerful than anyone realized.” They walked through the damp, dark room.

  “Thank heaven Regent isn’t here.” Jess said.

  Britt’s eyebrow cocked. “I wonder if Zeke had something to do with that? Got him safely out of the way. How often do priests get called to Rome?”

  “Hmmm,” she said. “Maybe he did. I have the feeling Zeke is something more than Hunapu to the Mayans.”

  “I think you’re right. Do you suppose we picked that up while he connected with us for our melding?” Britt asked, his voice thoughtful.

  “Maybe.”

  She stopped ahead of him. “I buried the jar in there.” She pointed at a narrow door to the right. They didn’t have to enter. They could see the disturbed soil, the hole in the room’s dirt floor.

  Jess drew in a deep breath. The air down here felt stagnant—still and moldy. For an instant she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs had only recently begun working, and they definitely weren’t accustomed to stale air. Then she stared into space as a low whispering filled her head. In her mind’s eye she saw symbols and rites. Visions of mass murders, horrors she didn’t want to see.

  “Jess? What going on?” Britt began snapping his fingers in front of her eyes, and she blinked and came back.

  “I know why this is our job to do. Why we have to beat the vampires virtually on our own. It has to be accomplished by people who have something at stake,” Jess said. “Zeke and his brother were only able to show themselves to us in order to initiate us into the role as Hunapu. They weren’t supposed to interfere.”

  Britt pressed fingers to his temple and said, “Yes, you’re right. They left us with the information we need. And the skills.”

  She groaned. “I’ve explored these caverns for years. I’m surprised they could be somewhere below that I don’t recognize. How will we find them?”

  Britt squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. His breathing increased and his hands shook. “There’s a tunnel from here that leads deeper into the ground to a cave system. They’re already there—waiting for us. They know we’re coming.”

  “How do they know?” she asked when he opened his eyes.

  His eyes shuttered and she could tell he was far away right now. “They’re using the paste. Besides giving them the ability to control people, it gives them foresight. They can sense our nearness.”

  Jess felt as if something had just slammed into her solar plexus. “How do we fight them if they know every move we’re going to make? This is a war we can’t win.”

  “Don’t forget they’ve been beaten before.”

  “Yeah, but at what cost?” Being a defeatist wasn’t her style, but she couldn’t see how they could possibly win. Hands planted on her hips, she told herself to buck the hell up. She hadn’t been a quitter as a vampire, and she sure as hell wouldn’t be a quitter now.”

  Britt pointed. “There’s a stone door at the back of the basement. It’s hidden behind old, moldy building material. No one even remembers it’s there.”

  “And it leads to the cave where they’re waiting for us? This is where I become the bait, I guess.”

  “They would have expected us, anyway. Your reputation precedes you, always.” He grinned at her.

  Sure, her reputation as a kick-ass vampire. Hell! She had to get over herself. Forget that she no longer had vampiric strength. She was personally strong, and not having to fight her inner demons all the time gave her more time for resolve and intuition. Right?

  His vision had been correct. They found the old boards piled against a wall. He grabbed the lumber and began tossing it aside. When he’d cleared the door, she moved in to shove it open.

  “Wait! You’re not a vampire any more,” he said. “Kicking down a door can hurt.”

  “Oh yeah, I forgot.” She pondered the door. “I’ll have to change the way I think, and my first thought as a human again is to try this …”

  Before she attempted to open the door herself, Britt reached out and turned the doorknob. The door opened. “I knew you could adjust as quickly as you needed to, Jess. You have the same abilities now that you’ve always had—your intellect, and your inner strength.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I haven’t been human in a long time. This is going to be more difficult than you can imagine.”

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  Chapter Twenty-One

  “You have the sense we’re not going to make it, don’t you?” Britt said.

  She pursed her lips and then smiled into his eyes. “Whatever happens, my love for you will never die.”

  He figured whatever she was thinking had to be pretty serious because only moments before she’d been hell bent on kicking vampire ass. She’d never stop and say a final farewell if she didn’t think this mission was futile.

  “Hell, Jess, I get the feeling you don’t think this is going to go so well, but I’ve got news for you. I intend to win because now that I’m back I want to spend every minute I can with you. I’m not going to let some freaking vampires take that away from me.”

  It wasn’t easy with all the weaponry mounted on their bodies, but they managed to touch lips. Her lips felt unfamiliar and warm, but his mind and his heart filled with her love. It spilled from her to him through that wonderful connection they shared.

  “Bet you didn’t mean to tell me that, did you?”

  She flushed brightly. “Tough vampires don’t proclaim their love like some silly human girl.”

  She leaned back onto her heels again and he cupped her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “But you’re always that silly human girl inside, Jess. You’ve never lost her.”

  “Whatever you think.” She grimaced. “I honestly don’t know how you can pretend that’s true when you’ve been in my mind. You’ve seen what I want to do to people every day of life. You felt my dark urges and needs.”

  “You have nothing to hide from me. I love you. More so now that I know what you’ve been able to overcome.”

  A tear slid down her face. “How can you? You’ve seen what I really am.”

  “I have the feeling those parts of you will be integral in helping us fight the worst enemies we’ve ever seen.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Hey, I can’t believe you already talking like we’ve been defeated. Why do you think we can’t do this? We’ve fought side by side before.”

  “And you lost the last time,” she said in a voice that had become barely audible.

  “Ah, so that’s it. You’re afraid I’m going to die again. Well, my dearest, that is a definite possibility. And like you, I will willingly give my life to stop these bastards. Besides, we’ve both given our lives before and survived. How many lives do we expect to be given? Maybe everything we’ve been through has been leading up to tonight?”

  Her shoulders lifted slightly and he could see the familiar fighting spirit rebuilding inside her. Good thing he’d learned from her. His pep talk was working, though hopefully they would actually make it through this battle

  They entered the unlit cavern with only one small flashlight, and it provided nothing more than a pinpoint of light in the unrelenting darkness.

  Jess experienced what it was like to be human again. Until now she’d had no idea how intrinsic being a vampire had become to her. Not to mention the closer they got to the vampires, the more her insides began to quake. Like she could sense the danger, the thrill. Vampire or not.

  Everything inside her screamed that she should turn around and run away from here as fast as she could, but deep inside she knew Britt had been right. They’d been conjoined as team members who were strong enough to fight the most oppressive, inv
asive race of vampires known to man. Vampires who could lure, fascinate and hypnotize huge masses of people with the Mayan ritual and paste. People who would voluntarily line up to become their blood sacrifices. And from what she’d seen during her initiation, the vampires also gave blood at each sacrifice. The only reason they’d do that would be to create a larger army. More vampires to rule the world. Then they’d proceed to treat the world’s population like a herd of cattle. And if she ran now she’d probably end up being a part of that herd.

  “Ready?” Britt whispered when they neared the narrow entrance to the cave in the lowest subterranean area in the labyrinth.

  “Damn straight,” she whispered back while shifting an assault rifle so it hung more comfortably. “Let’s rock and roll.”

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  Chapter Twenty-Two

  They travelled down the narrow tunnel more slowly than Jess cared to think about. And they had to do it because she couldn’t move at the speeds she’d grown accustomed to. Her fingernails jabbed into the palms of her hands, and she bit back the gasp of pain that she felt. Worse, she didn’t need any reminders of how unprepared she was for this fight. As a vampire, she would have gone into that cavern full of kick-ass bravado, but as a human she had no idea what to expect from herself.

  Ancient bricks lined the walls for a short distance, then turned into roughly hewn stone. Deeper under the ground than she’d ever been before, a chill ramped up her arms.

  “Are you cold?” Britt asked, reminding her that he shared her inner thoughts whenever he wished. All of her insecurities had been broadcasting to him. Great.

  She probably should be able to pick up thoughts from him too, but he’d somehow turned off his worries and had focused solely on what they were up against. Something she should try to do, too.

  “I’ve been icy cold for fifty years without any discomfort, but one little chill now and I’m shivering,” she replied as they moved down the tunnel. It got narrower and darker, and she stumbled slightly on the uneven ground. Damn, it was strange not to be able to see in the dark