by Terry Spear
The host thrust his knife at her. She knocked it from his hand with a quick slice of the cane. Without hesitation, she connected the carved oak weapon with his head. He fell to the floor, unconscious.
Crystal explored the remaining rooms, decloaking the windows and beds, then returned to the hallway. The hall was clear. When she looked down into the living room, five male hosts still waited for her.
She was used to them fleeing from the path of a being with superior strength. Was their reluctance to leave due to being terrified of Nicolai? Had they heard what he had done to the others who failed to capture her for him before?
Most likely. The word would have spread to ensure their loyalty.
She readied her cane. “Let me leave here, and I won’t harm you.”
“We can’t,” one of the men said. “If we keep you here for Nicolai, he’ll reward us. If we fail, we die.”
Just as she suspected. She strode forward. Time to get this over with. Next house she’d crash would be Nicolai’s.
26
Robert attempted to roll over, but he couldn’t move his hands apart. He stirred slightly, not fully conscious, his mind conjuring up visions of being captured and bound by a voluptuous blonde warrior. A smile spread across his face. A warrior who looked like Crystal, her shimmering blue eyes studying him with amusement, her pink lips turned up to see him finally awake.
The skimpy piece of fur that covered her breasts left little to the imagination. Rounded, white mounds of flesh teased him. What color were the nubs protruding against the rabbit fur? His gaze dropped lower to see the scrap of fur that formed a triangle like an itsy bitsy bikini bottom that showed off a pair of tantalizing long legs and a bare midriff that begged to be kissed.
The mouth-watering vision dissolved as the too real rope prevented him from reaching out to touch her. Instantly, his eyes popped open. Not only were his wrists tied, Crystal was gone. He growled as he struggled to get free. How in the hell had she tied him up without waking him?
All the late night business chasing her from one place to another, trying to sleep on the couch, too short for his six-foot height—until he’d had the urge to check on her and found Nicolai drooling over her at the window…all of these things had worn him out and made him sleep like the dead.
He couldn’t curb the anger rising in his blood. His adrenaline switched on to high as he yanked and twisted his arms, trying to free himself of the braided hemp. The rope burned his skin with the struggle. Nothing mattered, but getting to Crystal and ensuring she didn’t get herself hurt. What the hell was she thinking? She’d go after Nicolai. Was that what she was doing? Damn. She’d get herself killed, or worse, turned.
For several more minutes, he struggled with the rope, sweat beading on his temple. The hemp loosened, and he calmed his breathing while he peeled the rope from his wrists.
He dashed through the house, hoping to catch her if she hadn’t managed to leave. Except for the hum of the refrigerator, the place was graveyard quiet. He charged across the living room and stared out the window. If she’d parked curbside, he saw no sign of her car.
Damn. He stormed back to his bedroom and yanked a T-shirt from his drawer. Within minutes, he was dressed in denims and a blue T-shirt. He jerked his fatigue pants off a chair, and jammed his hand into the pocket. He pulled out his wallet, then fished around for his keys. No keys.
His head pounded with frustration. Where in the hell had he left his car keys?
He hurried back through the house, the office, kitchen, living room, dining room, back to his master bedroom. For a moment, he stared at his trousers, trying to recall what he’d done with his keys when he returned home.
Crystal. No way would she have taken his keys.
He ran down the hall to the garage. Jerking the door open, he dropped his mouth open, too surprised for words.
She’d taken his convertible!
He slammed the door shut and crossed the floor to the phone in the living room. With the portable phone in hand, he called the police. He stalked back to his bedroom and grabbed a pair of socks out of a drawer, then pulled a pair of western boots out of the closet.
“Yes, I’m Cpt. Robert Parker, stationed at Fort Hood, and I want to report that Cpt. Crystal Anderson, fellow Army officer in the 1st Cav Division, stole my white convertible.”
Crystal readied the cane for the hosts who blocked her escape from Dimitri’s house. Two of the hosts attacked her first. The taller of the two grabbed her left arm, the other stockier host never made it. She quickly cut him down with the cane, then struck the other. The remaining three summed up the courage and tackled her. She managed to hit the skinniest of them, but another struck her in the cheek with his fist. Like the vampires, hunters healed more quickly, but she figured the soreness wouldn’t go away until the morning.
Right now, he’d made her angrier than hell.
She struck his head with her cane, then engaged the last. Once he collapsed, she turned to face the women. Both remained against a wall near the kitchen. Neither approached.
Crystal looked outside. Her skin prickled. The convertible sat closer to the ground now. Its tires had been slashed.
As soon as she walked outside, a police car pulled up behind the vehicle. Robert must have gotten free from his bindings and called the police to let them know his car was stolen and given the area where he suspected she might return. He’d have her arrested, then what? Drop the charges? And bring her home? Was that his plan?
At least she hoped that was the plan. She could just see having to speak to her commander about stealing another officer’s car.
She was certain that Robert would be angry, but that his actions were only an attempt to keep her from getting hurt. But then what? He’d leave, and she’d be left behind. She didn’t need his help. She’d take care of the problem of Nicolai on her own. A lone huntress…that’s the way it had to be.
Determined to carry out her goal to visit Nicolai’s house next and before the cops saw her, she entered Dimitri’s house again. “Who drove the blue pickup here?” she asked the women.
The women shook their heads. Even if they knew, they couldn’t help her or they would have to face Nicolai’s fury.
Crystal began searching through the men’s pockets. When she reached the fourth one, the key chain indicated he owned a Ford pickup. Hoping she had it right, she exited the house.
Three other vehicles were parked between the convertible and pickup. She veered off across the lawn hoping the police officers wouldn’t catch sight of her.
When she grasped the door handle to the pickup, a police officer called out to her. “Miss, I need to have a word with you.”
If Robert told them she had stolen his car, they’d see her nametag on her uniform, and it’d all be over.
She let go of the door handle and waited for the police officer to join her. Immediately his gaze dropped to her nametag. “Cpt. Anderson?”
“Yes, officer.”
“Cpt. Robert Parker called us to tell us his car was stolen. He said you took it.”
“He told me I could drive it. My own was stolen sometime last night. When I came here, someone slashed the tires.”
“Did you see who did it?”
She shook her head.
He studied her cheek. Considering the way it throbbed, it was most likely red and swollen.
“Did someone hit you?”
“Yes. The person who slashed the tires. He hit me and knocked me out. I was going to return to Robert’s house after I visited a friend. But my friend wasn’t at home.”
“I’ll tell you what, Captain. You come with us, and we’ll give you a ride to the station. You can clear this up with him, and we’ll take your statement about your stolen car.”
27
Robert grabbed up the phone after the first ring. “Yes, officer?”
“This is Sergeant Brown with the Killeen Police Department. We’ve found your car, sir. We’ve also taken Crystal Anderson, the driver
of the vehicle, into custody. She stated you loaned her your car after hers was stolen. Your car tires were slashed, and she was roughed up a bit, but she’s fine.”
Relief flooded Robert’s system to hear she remained alive and well. Then he frowned. So that’s the reason she had taken his car and not her own. The hosts had stolen her vehicle. He was relieved in part. He’d thought she’d stolen his car to keep him from leaving his house to follow her. But he was still angry. He hadn’t wanted her hurt.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“We’ll just keep her here until we get this cleared up then.”
Robert hung up the phone. He’d make her wait for him at the police station. He had no intention of releasing her any earlier than he had to. Let her sweat it out a bit.
How could she tie him up and go after the vampires on her own? He shook his head. And steal his car to boot?
If he hadn’t sent the police to look for her in that general vicinity, she’d have been at the mercy of human hosts again.
He paced across the living room. Then he headed for the garage where he’d parked the rental car. He’d made her wait long enough.
When Robert arrived at the police station, he was so tense he felt he could snap. The woman had already gotten under his skin. Leaving her to face Nicolai and Dimitri on her own nagged at him. He realized then, he couldn’t do it. Somehow after he killed Yorovitch, he had to get Crystal to return with him to Oklahoma. His family would keep her safe.
How could he convince her to leave with him? He didn’t want her to seek Nicolai and his blood bonds any longer. She either had to kill Nicolai and his family, or join them, or leave the area with Robert. He was determined she’d do the latter.
He jumped out of the vehicle, locked it, then entered the redbrick building. Inside, a police officer directed Robert to an office.
He smiled when he saw Crystal sitting at a desk. She folded her arms and frowned at him.
The police officer took his statement, then released Crystal. Robert took her arm and led her outside before he spoke. “I want to know what the hell you thought you were doing, Crystal.” He couldn’t curb the anger that laced his words. He marched her to the rental vehicle.
“I was getting rid of the man you had a vendetta for. Now you can return to Oklahoma and be safe.”
Shock lanced through him. The petite huntress had destroyed the vampire he’d intended to kill? He stared at her, dumbfounded. She’d gone after Yorovitch so that he wouldn’t have to? As difficult as it was for her to kill vampires?
His emotions broiled in turmoil. He’d never wanted her to expose herself to danger, for his sake. Then he grew angrier. It was his job to kill the murderer of his sister. No one else’s…well, unless one of his other family members took on the task.
He couldn’t settle the disquiet churning in his system, couldn’t quash the concern for the rash behavior she’d exhibited. Going after vampires without other hunters to back her up was suicide. He shook his head, then opened the door for her. He waited while she climbed into the seat. “I want to know why, Crystal. No more expeditions. And next time you want to tie me up, it’s fine, but only to ravish my body.”
She smiled and waggled her brows. “Now that’s an interesting notion.”
He shook his head again, not being able to control the feeling of alarm she triggered in him. Then noticing her cheek was red and swollen, he gingerly examined the injury. “You shouldn’t have attempted to kill him on your own.” He kissed her forehead, bringing a slight smile to her lips. He longed to kiss her mouth, explore her deep inside, but he quickly nixed that thought. No involvement. They’d both live longer that way.
He took a deep breath. The image of his sister dying at the hand of a vampire still burned in his mind. He couldn’t stand the thought of the same thing happening to Crystal on his watch.
After closing her door, he strode to the driver’s side.
At first, he drove toward his home, then he made a detour to her place. “Almost forgot we needed to get some of your things for while we stay at my place.”
When they drove into her complex’s parking area, she immediately looked up at the windows.
The worry wrinkling her brow and her parted lips told him something bothered her. He glanced at the windows. The blinds seemed to be misshapen.
“He’s been here again.” She gripped the seat with her fingernails. Tears filled her eyes.
“Maybe I ought to check out your place alone.”
She shook her head. “It’s my place. He won’t keep me out.”
“We might have company.”
She grabbed his cane. “I’m packing.”
Hell. The last time he’d accompanied a huntress was the time he went on a hunt with his sister. It was the last time he saw her alive. He hadn’t realized how much the thought of being with a huntress in the midst of danger could affect him.
The determination in Crystal’s face made him realize he couldn’t discourage her. But he would go first.
“All right.” He patted her hand. “Let’s go.”
He grabbed his sheathed sword from the backseat of the car. They met around the front of the vehicle, and he escorted her onto the stairs. When they reached the landing on the second floor, he held his hand out for her apartment key. She handed it to him, and he stuck the key in the lock, then twisted.
Blocking her path, he entered first. Every piece of furniture had been slashed and turned over. All her paintings had been ripped to shreds. Her dishes and glasses littered the floor with sharp shards.
“We’ll have to call the police or you’ll never get your deposit back, Crystal.”
“The police are going to wonder about me.”
“The police will figure there’s some madman after you, who’s stolen your car, wrecked your apartment, and accosted you. You’re not to blame.”
She snorted. “Nicolai is like a spoiled child who can’t have what he wants, so he has a temper tantrum.”
They explored the rest of her rooms, finding the same kind of madcap destruction. For whatever reason, he hadn’t touched her clothes.
After retrieving garbage bags, she and Robert filled them with all her clothes and personal items she would need for the next several weeks. Then she called the police and asked for the same officer who’d picked her up at Dimitri’s house.
Robert loaded her clothes into the rental vehicle while she waited in her apartment. Not long after, the police arrived. Again, Crystal gave them a statement, then while the police dusted for prints and searched for other clues as to who the culprit might be, Robert drove her back to his house.
They took extra precautions ensuring no one got into the garage as she had done, before they exited the vehicle. Then they carried her things into the house.
“There’s plenty of room in my closet. Make yourself at home.”
“But you’re leaving now. I mean, Yorovitch is dead. There’s no reason for you to stay.”
“You can’t fight them all alone, Crystal. Hunter families fight together, just like vampire families do. You’ll never survive for long.” He had every intention of convincing her to move to Oklahoma with him. Except it might take a few days to do the deed.
He helped move her clothes into the bedroom. He dumped her clothes on the bed, spied a silky lilac nightgown and looked up to see her blushing furiously, and thoughts of seduction instantly came to mind.
She slipped the nightgown behind her back, out of his view. “Do you have a spare drawer for me?”
“You can leave that one out to wear tonight, or sooner.”
“No involvement, remember?”
“There’s involvement, and then there’s involvement.” He raised his brows, reached behind her, and pulled the nightgown from her fingertips. Sliding the silky material against his nose, he took in a deep breath. “It has your delectable, subtle floral scent.”
She pulled it free from his grasp. “Yes, well you’re leaving, remember? I kill
ed Yorovitch so you could get out of here. Nicolai won’t care anything about you if you’re gone.”
“You shouldn’t have done it without me, Crystal. You know how bad that’ll look when I return home and have to tell my family a lone huntress took down the vampire I’ve been trailing for a month.”
“You could lie.”
“I don’t lie about my conquests.” He pulled the nightgown from her hands and tossed it to the bed. Grabbing her wrists, he turned her palms up and kissed them.
His mouth was warm and his gentle caress sent a tingling sensation through every nerve ending. She should have pulled her hands away, but her traitorous body leaned in toward him. The subtle smile in his eyes and lips told her he noticed.
“You won’t consider coming home with me?” he asked, his voice a bit rough around the edges, deeper, huskier.
28
“Your family won’t want me any more than mine does. And I’d be worried Nicolai would come after me there,” Crystal said to Robert, shocked he’d even consider taking her home with him.
“Since you’ve killed the vampire who murdered my sister, my family would defend you,” he insisted.
“I’d put them at risk.”
She pulled her hands free from Robert.
Not to be thwarted, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re not getting away from me that easily. I can’t believe you tied me up.”
His body felt indecently warm, hard, and already aroused, pressed gently against hers. And she wanted him. But she couldn’t do this. Instead, she tried for playful teasing.
Her lips rose in a smile as she kept her hands between them as a barrier of sorts. “Tit for tat.”
“Hmm, you like to get even.”
“Something like that.”
Drawing her under his spell, his blue eyes were like mirrors into the soul. “Sooo, if I ravish you, then you have to…”