Craving-First Thirst

by Claudy Conn

  So, if I stayed elsewhere, Allora might be just the sort to burn me out.

  I had to work on my skills.

  Auntie Elle had taught me a spell to use if a vampire was stupid enough to try and attack. Pain is a deterrent, and most witches can induce pain in other supernaturals.

  I got good at it and can do it with a thought.

  But I needed more.

  MacLeod was waiting patiently for me to think things out.

  So I told him, “Okay, so we know that whatever vampire was lurking in the woods here at MacLeod might be a spy for Allora. Then again, could be a vampire who had obviously just fed and was hiding. So let’s assume the worst and we have this bitch vampire capable and desirous of keeping you in there and therefore doing away with me. My grandmother would want me to free you, and I want to get justice for her horrible murder, so, I’m in.”

  He growled. “No, lass, yer grandmother wouldna want ye in danger…”

  “No, she probably wouldn’t, so going to use some precautions,” I answered. “Like you said. If that vampire was her spy, then bingo-bango, Allora will come for me no matter where I am. I’d rather get it over with here and be done with her.”

  “But, lass, I allowed Jeremy to bring ye here because I dinnae realize ye were an innocent…totally untrained in the skills ye need to defeat Allora when she cooms,” he answered sharply.

  “Ah, well, our warlock, Jeremy, can help me in that regard. He is an immortal…so his magic is pretty special, and I’m sure he can help me dig for mine. Besides,” I shrugged, “I might free you before she gets here and then you can take her down.” I smiled in his general direction, although I couldn’t see him.

  “But, lass…”

  “I’m staying and if she comes, I’ll deal with her. I have a couple of deterrents for vampires.”

  “Garlic doesnae work,” he said gravely.

  I laughed. “I know, but Holy Water does. I have a vial of Holy Water on a chain necklace that I will wear from now on. I’m not reckless, you know. Also, I know of a potion or two that I can use as a shield she won’t be able to immediately get past.” I put up my hands. “I’m staying and I’m helping. She murdered my grandmother and if my grandmother was anything like my mother, she would never let you suffer because of something she did.”

  “Nae!” he shouted, dipping into a deeply sexy Scottish accent. “Allora is devious and powerful. She will kill ye in a horrible way. Do ye ken, lass? I dinnae mean to be so harsh, but ye need to know. I cannae have yer life on m’hands. I need yer help, aye, but I think we can achieve that if ye would but stay to the light and spend yer nights safely tucked in where she cannae enter.”

  “Not happening. I don’t run and hide. You can’t hide forever. Sure, I could stay safely in the light a week, two…a month—then what? No, this needs to be handled head-on. I mean to do that,” I told him. “You don’t know me, My Lord. When I take something on, I see it through.”

  He sighed. “What ye need now is yer sleep so ye can think clearly. I can see ye are travel weary…go in, take yer shower, and be at rest. We’ll talk more on the morrow.”

  “Where will you be when I am in the shower and changing?” I asked.

  “I wouldna spy on ye, lass, when ye need yer privacy. No, lass, I wouldna do that. I’ll walk away, though I mean to return and see that ye are safe. I’ll keep watch for ye so I can at least alert ye.”

  “Okay, that sounds fair. Good-night, My Lord.”

  “Och, lass, but I wish I was on yer side of the shield,” he said in a voice that dripped with sex.

  I felt my body, my entire body blush.

  I hurried off to the bathroom and closed the door, leaned my back against it and sent witchy feelers out, making sure I was alone.

  * * * * *

  As it turned out, sleep had not come easy.

  Nightmares plagued my active brain. Demons and fangs, blood dripping from their ugly mouths as they bent over my neck.

  I felt myself flaying my hands and then a voice whispered in my ear over and over, and called my name—his voice!

  I awoke with a start to find my bangs matted against my forehead where beads of sweat had collected. I sank back down. I hadn’t drawn my drapes and I could see the stars in a blue-black sky outside.

  “I’m sorry, lass, I woke ye as ye seemed to be having a distressful dream.” His voice so close, so sexy.

  I pulled the covers up to my neck as I had apparently been too warm and thrown off my T-shirt when I was tossing and turning. “Uhmmm, I thought we had rules about privacy. Still in bed here.”

  “I have been doing a tour of the house and grounds and heard ye cry out,” he said.

  I knew vamps didn’t need much sleep and he seemed sincerely concerned. So I didn’t read him the riot act and said instead, “Thank you. I was having a horrible dream.” I glanced at the clock. It was five in the morning and I groaned.

  He chuckled. “Can ye go back to sleep, lass?”

  “No, no point in trying. Didn’t get much…too many things to think about, you know?”

  “I do,” he answered. “I know all too well. What have ye planned then for yer morning?”

  “Shower, then I’ll head downstairs, get some hot black coffee, and call Jeremy. I mean to get him over here pronto.”

  “Why? Do ye mean to berate him then?” He chuckled softly and hot damn, his voice traveled through me.

  “He deserves it, but no, I don’t see the point in that. I have a plan.”

  “Do ye?”

  “I do, and it is helpful that he is an immortal.”

  “Is it?” he said.

  I stared at the divider, wishing I could see past it and talk face to face with him. “Well, yeah. As an immortal, he knows things that Auntie Elle didn’t and I’m going to ask him to help me develop my powers.”

  “Right ye are. Pick his brain and learn as much as ye can, but the one thing he cannae teach ye is the spell yer grandmother used to put me here,” he said gravely.

  “Not necessarily so. Only my grandmother or someone of her bloodline can free you, but the spell is probably known to an immortal warlock, don’t you think? Even if he tried to free you in the past with various spells, it wouldn’t work, not because it wasn’t the right enchantment, but because he wasn’t the right bloodline.”

  “Aye, I think ye are onto something. Smart lass,” he said. “Beauty and brains, a catch for any man. Why aren’t ye taken?”

  “No one,” I wiggled my brows, “has done more than catch my eye.”

  “And ye want someone to catch…what then?”

  “My heart. Simple. Not saying I haven’t come close. I did once…but he proved himself all for himself.” I shrugged as I recalled the one man I had ever slept with. My Naomi had warned me about him. She said he was a player. She said he was shallow. She said she absolutely despised him, but did I listen? No. I was infatuated. That was when I was a junior in college. After that…after him, I never let anyone else get close.

  “Ah, did he break yer heart then?”

  “No, but he bruised it and my pride. Didn’t like the feeling. More careful after that,” I answered. “What about you? Was Sarah your first love?”

  “She was m’first serious love. Before her…I dinnae think I was meant to be with anyone. I dinnae think I deserved to be with anyone decent. I’m a vampire…ye see…” his voice trailed off.

  “Sarah saw past that and didn’t care,” I said, curious about the man that went with the sexy voice.

  “Aye, she saw past it, and I let her down…”

  “No, you didn’t.” I put my hands up and waved in the direction of his voice. “Now, off you go so I can get up and shower.”

  “Do ye always sleep in the nude, lass?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “How do you know I’m nude?”

  “I was here when ye threw off yer top…” he answered, and I swear I could feel his grin.

  Even though I couldn’t see him, I gave him the evil eye and
said, “Go on…get.”

  He laughed and said, “As m’lady wishes.”

  ~ Eight ~

  SHOWERED AND DRESSED IN my usual uniform of jeans and tank top—this one a pale shade of blue. I picked up my denim jacket and headed for the kitchen, made coffee and consumed almost three cups, with the oversized scones lathered in butter and jam, and silently thanked Mrs. Tunny for her baking skills.

  I took my last bite, wondering what the frigging hell I was doing playing with dangerous ancient vampires.

  My thoughts bumped into one another and I made a decision to dive into my Shama. Davis and Mrs. Tunny weren’t due for another hour, so I closed my eyes and traveled. A whole lot of white doors appeared in my mind’s landscape. Which one would give me the answers I so wanted and needed?

  I heard a flute behind one of the bright white doors and opened it wide and went inside. The music was mesmerizing and began to form words. What do you need, Bobbie Skye? the melody asked in a gentle whisper.

  To help a vampire trapped by my grandmother. He is in another realm. He wants to come home and she would want me to help him.

  Ah, you need training to enact that spell. Without training, the spell could go horribly wrong. Come back when you are stronger.

  That was all I was getting as I felt myself shoved out of the white chamber and standing before its locked white door.

  I went to another door and tried to open it, but no matter what I did, it wouldn’t open. I started frantically going from one door to the next. None would open for me.

  So I did what I do when I am desperate. I fisted my hands and screamed with frustration, Oh, come on! I need help. My Shama is supposed to help me.

  You need training, the voice in my head, my voice, answered. So, my Shama wasn’t about to allow me to use what I couldn’t handle.

  Apparently, that was the only answer I was going to get for now.

  Okay, at least I was on the right track. Instinct and a good dose of common sense told me Warlock Jeremy Ascot was about to play an important role in my future.

  I downed the last of my third cup of coffee and as the sun was now coming up, I headed outdoors. I needed air and some exercise.

  I had called Aunt Elle during my limo ride to the castle. She would be expecting a call from me soon to say I was settled in. Should I tell her how settled? Oh no, she would be on the next plane and in danger here. Aunt Elle was human, and I wasn’t exposing her to an ancient vampire. Hell no! This was something she couldn’t help me with, so I would have to put on a happy face and a merry voice.

  I was all grown-up and capable of making my own decisions, whether they turned out to be good or bad ones. I was ready. Everything that makes me who I am said I had to help Devin MacLeod escape his curse—a curse I absolutely knew my grandmother would not want him to suffer. She had no choice, but I do. The how was the only question I had.

  It was a really cool morning and I dug my hands into the pockets of my denim jacket as I walked, not really looking around as I tried to sort through all my thoughts.

  I wondered where Devin MacLeod was. Could he see this far outside? How did that invisible wall thing work? Did the wall travel with him?

  It was daylight, so no danger from vicious vampires looking for a meal. In general, I had never been worried about vampires. Now and then, coming home at night, I would be watchful, but I knew I had the skills to deter the ordinary vampire.

  I thought of Devin again. Odd, as I couldn’t yet put a face to his voice…

  And then I thought of Jeremy. He needed to get his ass over here pronto and he had some explaining to do. How odd to think of Jeremy—a warlock, as a vampire’s brother-in-law. Could things get any stranger?

  I was about to find out as the cool morning breeze brought the scent of something gross, really gross to my nostrils. It was like stepping into garbage left outside for a week.

  I stopped and looked around. I was out in the open. I purposely had stayed away from the woods. What the holy hell was that awful smell?

  “Time to play, witch!” a hoarse voice exploded out of nowhere.

  I stared.

  A Red Demon, covered in scales, with eyes that burned gold, was grinning at me and flexing his disgusting muscles. He was about twenty feet away from me.

  Behind the ugly and I might add naked, disgustingly naked demon was an open portal swirling and spluttering. My witchy senses told me this portal was rudimentary and wouldn’t last long. This portal would close. The demon was here for a job and one he had to accomplish quickly.

  That job? Evidently he meant to kill me…which he was coming close to with his scent.

  In general, I don’t like demons. They are a nuisance and without any moral compass. You can’t reason with them.

  My aunt had always taught me never to take the time to reason with a demon bent on attacking. This particular one was really gross, all brimstone and drool. Eweee.

  My mom and Aunt Elle had taught me how to handle a demon when I was only seven years old. They don’t stand a chance against a witch’s magic. Most of them don’t seem to understand that, and demon attacks seem to occur on a regular basis.

  I whipped my hand towards the earth and brought up all the water I could muster beneath the demon’s grotesque feet. It was considerable. I held the water just beneath the surface, and thinking he was about to get lucky, he played with his super gross cock.

  Oh, this thing had to go.

  Water worked on many demons. I held the water at bay, but now I gave him a smile and brought it out of the earth with a force that sent him flying backwards and into his spluttering portal.

  He screeched all the while. I smiled.

  Closing the portal was easy.

  I used a simple spell to lock it on this side. He had not come from the Demon Realm. He had come from somewhere not far off. Even my basic witchy training had taught me to recognize the different classes of portals.

  So, where had he come from and who had sent him? Allora. No other would be interested in taking me out. Did she know that I was a MacForly descendent? Or did she just want me out of the way?

  Unsettled, even though I had won this first round, I ran, not walked, back to the castle. Just outside the front door I stopped and caught my breath.

  With more haste than my usual hasty self, I made my way into the Keep and pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket and called Jeremy.

  “Bobbie…” he said pleasantly.

  “Don’t Bobbie me. You need to get over here, now, right now. It is one thing to bring me here because you need help, but quite another to let me go this alone. Vampires and demons? Come on. We need to do something and soon.” I was angry.

  “I’ll be right over,” he said.

  * * * * *

  I paced like a lunatic in the library while waiting for Jeremy.

  He rushed in and said, “What has happened?”

  “What has happened?” I was naturally incredulous. “You dare to ask me that? How could you bring me here and then not tell me the truth?” I accused, and couldn’t stop my wagging finger. “Yesterday, I was being watched by a vampire…in the woods just before dusk. This morning, a demon, a Red Demon, I am sure you know the type, came out of a portal in broad daylight…a naked demon…gross, and I had to deal with it, so you don’t get to ask the questions! I do.”

  He sank into a nearby chair and buried his head in his hands before he said, “Heaven forgive me. You were attacked?”

  “Not yesterday, but just a while ago…you could say that.” I sat across from him. “And no sense pretending any longer about anything. I have spoken with Devin and know the gist of the story.”

  “You…you spoke with Devin?” He seemed more astonished about this than the fact that an aggressive demon had paid me a visit. “That is…impossible. I shielded him against supernatural detection.”

  “Well, apparently not against my supernatural detection, but I can’t see him,” I said. “However, never mind that. I want answers…I thoug
ht it was Allora we had to worry about. What’s with the demon and if there was a vampire lurking about, does that mean she will be arriving next?” I looked up from my chair and even though I couldn’t see him, I looked for him. I couldn’t see if he was there, and he wasn’t participating in the discussion so I asked, “Devin…you here yet?”

  No answer.

  Annoying. Where was he?

  “Wait…I…how…?” Jeremy tried to speak.

  “As I said, I am asking the questions,” I reiterated. “Will the vampire in the woods yesterday report to Allora? I have to figure on the safe side that he will. And what has a demon to do with anything? Does she use demons to do her dirty work?” I demanded.

  He shook his head. “This is unexpected. I have never known Allora to consort with demons. She despises all supernaturals other than vampires. However, she may have called on one in exchange for a boon she might allow him. As to the vampire…I don’t think the one you saw in the woods reports directly to her. I have seen him in the village in the evenings and I know he is staying at Allora’s place, Brently Manor, but only because she houses vampires there from time to time. However, I am concerned about the Red Demon. They don’t do favors unless they get one in return. Who is he working for if not Allora?”

  “Well, I’ll tell you this. I think if the vamp I encountered yesterday is staying in her place, he must have her cell phone number and given her a call to let her know a woman was installed at MacLeod. She may not know my bloodline and still want me gone,” I offered to myself as well as to Jeremy. I waved this all off. “But that is beside the point. I should have been told about all of this as soon as I arrived.” I put up my hand and stalled his retort. “Let’s cut to the chase, Jeremy. You are an immortal warlock. You brought me here to help rescue Devin, who is trapped in another realm, and I am willing to try and free him, but I need to know everything I might encounter here at MacLeod!” I gave him a look I meant to be withering and added, “And just so we know, I don’t like demons, spiders, or snakes.”