Stake and Dust (Stake and Dust series, Book I)

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  "We had a lovely night," the two said in unison.

  "Now go home," he told them.

  The two turned away and headed for the front door. He turned toward Cassandra who had finished off Gunthorn. He was only a pile of ash now. Good riddance, you limey bastard.

  "Are you going to glamour me, too?" Cassandra scoffed, but her eyes, her beautiful, pain stricken eyes, glistened with tears. She was angry and hurt and he couldn't blame her. He hadn't meant to deceive her, but not revealing who he truly was, had been the worse kind of betrayal.

  "Please, let me explain." He took a step toward her, but she sidestepped with her sword pointed toward him. He stilled his actions. "It's me, Cassandra. It's still me."

  She shook her head. "I don't know who you are." She kept backing away. Every step taking her farther away from him, from what they shared, but he was powerless to stop her. "Don't follow me," she warned. "Don't ever come near me again. If you do, I'll kill you." She whirled away and was out the back door.

  She left him alive, but her parting words were like dagger blows to the heart, leaving him dead inside.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  "What did you expect?" Bram asked as he handed Tremayne a glass filled with wine and blood.

  As soon as Cassandra had left he rang Bram and Sheerin to meet him at Eternal Bliss. "I expected her to listen to what I had to say. I told her I loved her. I meant it. I know she meant it when she told me she loved me, too."

  "Before or after you revealed you were a vampire?" Sheerin asked.

  He pursed his lips. "Before eejit."

  Sheerin lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I'm not the one lying about who I am and proclaiming love to a sworn enemy."

  Tremayne leaned against the back counter and breathed deep. "As much as I'd like to wipe that smug look off your face, Sheerin, you're right. I'm the bloody fool."

  "She did leave you standing," Sheerin offered. "I'm baffled as to why?"

  "She might come back to finish the job later," Bram said.

  Tremayne shook his head. "She won't."

  Bram and Sheerin exchanged looks that clearly stated they thought he'd gone mental. Maybe he had, but he knew Cassandra had feelings for him. Her touch, the way she kissed him, and the way her green eyes lit up when she talked to him… No, those emotions couldn't have been an act, but she'd let him in because she believed he was a hunter, like her. He'd deceived her into believing he was, but only in name, only in profession. He'd been himself. He'd given himself in the relationship. Only she didn't know it. She'd believed all of it had been a lie.

  "Do you want me to follow her?" Bram asked.

  "What?" He glanced at Bram. "No. Let her be. I'd say she's gone already anyway." His voice choked and he cleared his throat. "It's approaching daylight. We best be off."

  "You should stay with Adryanna and me tonight," Bram offered. Plenty of room and Adryanna would love to see you. You've haven't been by the house in a long time."

  As much as he wanted to believe Cassandra would not come after him, he should play it safe for at least a few nights. "Just for tonight," he said, not wanting to impose. "I'll text my housekeeper to look in on Shakespeare."

  Tremayne knew first hand how a woman scorned could be dangerous. Lorelei had been proof enough and they had never been in love. He'd fallen for Cassandra, and he was pretty sure when she told him she loved him, she meant it. Didn't mean she wouldn't change her mind and end his miserable life.

  "We'll wait for you out front while you close up," Sheerin said and glanced at Bram with meaning. Bram frowned, but rose from his seat to follow Sheerin outside.

  "What was that about?" Bram asked as soon as they exited Eternal Bliss.

  "Take Tremayne home," Sheerin said. "I'll go by the hunter's hotel room, just to see what she's up to."

  "Do you think that is wise?" Bram asked. "She'll be looking for trouble and I don't want her to take out her aggressions on you."

  "Do you believe we shouldn't find out what she's about?" he countered. "Just because Tremayne fell hard for the hunter, doesn't mean she felt the same toward him. She may have let him go for now because her way of thinking has been rattled. Mark my words, she'll rethink her time with Tremayne, and when she does, she may be pissed off enough to retaliate. Also keep in mind, Tremayne dumped Mr. Green's body. Don't you think she'll want to know what happened to the real hunter?"

  "I agree we should be cautious because she's been hurt by Tremayne's lies, but as much as I'd like to refute this claim, I've seen the hunter with our cousin. She was smitten."

  "Hmm…" Sheerin tapped his chin. "Perhaps you are right. I've seen them together also. Perhaps not all is lost. Maybe we can arrange a meeting on neutral ground so they can hash things out."

  "I doubt Cassandra Hayes will agree to such a thing," Bram said with a tired sigh. "We're her enemy or so she's been raised to believe. And one of our kind has tricked her even if it wasn't intentionally."

  "Oh aye, nothing we can do about that, but she hasn't decided what she feels about Tremayne. I believe it's why she didn't dust him. Let's force her hand and make her see the truth behind the façade."

  "Are you suggesting we become matchmakers?" Bram said with a raised brow, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.

  "It worked for you, didn't it?"

  Bram chuckled. "You did not have a hand in finding me a mate."

  "No? Who came up with the idea to save your mate so she didn't succumb to the blood loss after your blooding ritual? Who devised a plan for you and Adryanna to be ushered out of Graystone upon her awakening, so you would have a future? A future, I might add that you are still enjoying."

  Bram grunted but didn't refute any of what Sheerin had claimed as the truth. "Pray tell," Bram said, "what is your grand plan, oh mighty matchmaker?"

  "Mistletoes, stakes and Yuletide cheer," Sheerin said with a gleam in his eye.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Cassandra stared at the photo on her phone that Derek had sent her. It was a photo of Mr. Green, courtesy of his sister. Only the smiling man staring back at her wasn't the Mr. Green she'd fallen in loved with.

  "Are you there, Cassandra?" Derek's voice repeated for the third time.

  "I'm here," she finally answered.

  "Tremayne or whoever he's claimed to be is not Gerard Green who you were supposed to team up with."

  A pit of anguish opened up in her stomach to be quickly replaced with anger. Tremayne had played her as a fool. Only she couldn’t wrap her mind around why he'd done it.

  The way he looked at her, every touch…it all seemed so real.

  "Who is he really?" she asked. "Do we know?"

  "You're not going to like this," Derek said.

  "I already don't. Who is he?"

  "Axel did a little digging…"

  She knew her eldest brother had connections with Otherworldly beings, but she hadn't expected him to find out Tremayne's true identity so quickly. She wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't, but apparently Tremayne hadn't lied about everything. It made finding out his true identity that much easier, and made her feel stupider than she already felt. She'd been duped big time.

  "He's a Graystone," Derek said, a vampire from the Oiche Sith clan. He's older than dirt, Cass. If he's that old, he's dangerous too."

  "Aren't they all?" she murmured. Tremayne was a bloodsucker, a damn vampire and she'd missed the signs. No, that wasn't entirely true. Her first impression had been spot on. She suspected he was a preternatural being. Other preternatural beings had greeted him as if he were one of their own, but she ignored all of it and for what? All because Tremayne was a good kisser. Yeah, that would look great on her resume.

  He was a lying, cheating, bloodsucker that would sooner kill her than befriend her. But he hadn't had he? No, he saved me from the Lamia. He treated me with kindness as if he truly loved me.

  They worked side by side, and not once did she fear him. She didn't fear him now. Even presented with the truth, she still care
d about him. He couldn't be a vampire. He just couldn't be.

  He has vampire friends, her nasty little conscience voiced in her head. He told you he did.

  But he's never tried to bite me, she continued to argue with herself. The closest he'd ever gotten to sinking his teeth into her flesh was the small nibbles on her earlobe that made her shiver and in a good way…a very good way.

  "Cassandra, you need to back away from this guy," her brother said, interrupting her erotic thoughts. "God knows what he's after, but it can't be good."

  She cleared her throat. "I need to find out. We don't even know what happened to Mr. Green. Maybe he killed him."

  "Right now, it doesn't matter. Pack up your belongings and come home. Clear your head then if you want, I'll go back with you. We'll take down the vamp together."

  Derek meant well, but she couldn't go home. "Tremayne was the vampire we were looking for all along. He's well established, has a business… It had never been Gunthorn. Gunthorn had only been a bonus."

  "Stop jumping to conclusions," her brother argued.

  She chuckled but there was no warmth to her laughter. "I have to know, Derek. I have to know why he pretended to be a hunter." And why he went out of his way to seduce her, but she kept that tidbit to herself.

  "I don't think it's a good idea," Derek still argued the point.

  "I changed hotels, used my alias' credit cards, and kept a low profile. Besides, he has never hurt me. Never. And he's had plenty of opportunities.

  Another thought plagued her and she shared it with her brother, wanting to know what he made of it. "When we made our plans to take down Gunthorn, Tremayne had to know he would expose himself when he saved his employees. He had to know I'd see he was a vampire, but he didn’t hesitate. He didn't try to glamour me afterward either."

  Derek paused. "Sounds like you're defending him."

  She pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt a headache starting to take root. "I'm just stating the facts. Regardless of the good he's done, we need to know if he's responsible for killing Mr. Green. If anything, we owe the Greens the truth."

  Her brother fell silent again and she knew she'd made her point. Now all she had to do is drive it home. "Trust me, Derek, I can handle this."

  "I never said you couldn't. I'm just worried your feelings for this vampire will interfere with what you might have to do."

  "Don't you worry. If I find out Tremayne has killed Gerard Green, he's toast. My feelings be damned."

  "Cassandra–"

  "I gotta go. Stay safe." She ended the call and of course he rang her back, but she turned the phone off on his second attempt to reach her. She was doing this. Tears burned her eyes, but she angrily swiped them away. She had to stay focused and do her job. She picked up her keys and left her hotel room.

  She knew Tremayne's routine. He would be working at the pub tonight. She'd have plenty of time to do a little recon without him being the wiser.

  She could come straight out and ask him why he played her by pretending to be interested in her, but then how could she believe him? She'd find out the truth on her own.

  Arriving at his place, she parked the car off the road, where the trees would hide her vehicle. No sense in taking a chance Tremayne might stop home before she was finished. She grabbed her gear and jogged to the front of the house and fished out her tools to pick the lock. Shakespeare would be inside, but the dog wouldn't cause her any problems. Besides she had a few treats with her to keep him occupied. The lock made a clicking sound as it gave way and the door opened.

  Tremayne had an alarm system, but she'd been careful to watch what he punched in. It was habit, not because she thought she'd ever need the combination of numbers, but thank goodness she'd paid attention.

  He really didn't need an alarm if he were a Graystone, an ancient original... No, she wouldn't say it. It would mean their time together had been a lie. One big fat lie.

  Shakespeare padded into the foyer to greet her. "Good boy," she said and tossed him a treat, which the big hound dog gobbled up in a second. He really was a great dog. Tremayne claimed he'd rescued Shakespeare from the pound. Would a vampire really rescue a dog from a pound? And if said vampire did, wouldn't that mean he was a decent vampire?

  She rolled her eyes. No, this vamp played with her feelings. He kissed her, made love to her, while all the time lying to her.

  Maybe animals were a great pastime for him, too. Though she couldn't think of an angle he'd have with owning a pet. She patted Shakespeare's head. The dog didn't seem scared of Tremayne and dogs were usually good at picking up on a bad seed, but she dismissed this as evidence. Shakespeare's experience with a good home had been slab floors and gated enclosures. Of course he'd be pleased with a seafront yard and warm down pillows for a bed.

  She headed toward the study. Seemed like a good place to start. Shakespeare padded after her. There had to be something in his house to tell her why he would pretend to be a hunter. There had to be an angle.

  Tremayne was a Graystone. She kissed him, but never felt his fangs. She slept with him and he didn't feed off her. He could walk in the sun… How did he manage that feat? Vamps didn't take strolls while the sun sat pretty in the sky. Was he old enough to stay out in the sun for short periods of time? She'd heard it was possible for the older vamps. "Just how old are you really, Tremayne, you lying sack of fangs?"

  She rummaged threw the drawers in his desk, but didn't find anything incriminating. Pencils, notepad, paperclips…all so normal.

  Her hand slid underneath the desk and felt something. She skimmed her hand back and found a button of some sort. She pushed it and a second later hoped it wasn't a silent alarm. It proved much better. The steel blinds slid down over the windows. "To keep out the sun," she murmured. So maybe he wasn't all that immune to the sun's rays.

  She closed her eyes, wishing she'd never met Tremayne. He was a vampire. She could argue the steel blinds didn't mean squat for proof, but come on, who installed steel blinds? "Tremayne Graystone. You're Tremayne Graystone," she repeated out loud as if this would convince her of the truth and make her stop believing there was another explanation to this nightmare.

  So where was the real Mr. Green? Did Tremayne kill him for the sole purpose to take on his identity? "But why would he do that?" The mission was long over. When they caught the Lamia, he could of played it cool, and she would have gone home and not looked back, but he hadn't. He encouraged her to stay.

  She sat down at the desk and went over everything from the beginning. The first information she'd received had said the vampire owned a business. He could blend in with the humans. "Tremayne owned Eternal Bliss."

  She knew for a fact Tremayne hadn't killed those men and women. Those trophies they found hidden behind a compartment were Gunthorn's demented souvenir collection. She saw the way Gunthorn had caressed the items. There was no way Tremayne had been involved. Of this she was certain. Still, it didn't change the fact: Tremayne sported fangs and he had a plan for all he put her through. She just didn't know what it was.

  "I'm so stupid, Shakespeare." She glanced at the dog, sitting on his haunches beside her.

  He whined and tilted his head to the side as if he were trying to understand her words.

  "Your master is a friggin' vamp," she told the dog.

  Shakespeare wagged his tail as if he were happy with the fact.

  Her brothers expected her to take care of the problem, which meant she should take down Tremayne Graystone. He deserved no less, she told herself, but then the time they spent together clouded her judgment. Walks on the beach, their talks, his damn kisses that made her long for more…

  "His lies," she reminded herself.

  Shakespeare let out a bark and bolted out of the room. In the next minute, she heard the front door open and close. Tremayne was home?

  "Crapoloa!" She pushed the button and the steel covers over the window re-opened. She grabbed her backpack filled with all her gear and the handheld crossbow she'd brou
ght with her and headed for the side door. She'd much rather meet her enemy in the open and not in his lair. He would sense she'd been in his house and come after her. His mistake because she'd be ready. She had her hand on the handle of the French doors, but the light's flipped on and she whirled around.

  Tremayne frowned in confusion then his eyes lit up as if he were glad to see her. "Cassandra?" Did she hear hope in his voice, but then his gaze shifted to her hand, and again his expression changed. Did she note a look of regret now? But if so, did he regret lying to her or for being caught.

  "You know who I really am," he stated the fact and met her eyes.

  "I know," she answered.

  "Allow me to explain myself," he said.

  She chuckled without mirth. "Where oh where should you begin?"

  He took a step toward her and she raised the crossbow. "Take one more step and I'll shoot."

  He didn't move. Shakespeare whined as he looked to her then to his master.

  "Where's the real Mr. Green?" she asked. He wanted to explain. He could start with explaining what happened to the real hunter.

  "At the bottom of the ocean."

  Okay, she hadn't expected him to come right out and say he killed the man.

  "I didn't kill him," he said as if he read her mind. "He was dead when I found him planted on my doorstep at the pub. I'm assuming you were supposed to find him there. His throat was slashed, blood drained, but if I were to guess, it was Lorelei who killed him, not Gunthorn, not a vampire," he stressed the last.

  She wanted to believe him, but how could she trust him when all they had were lies. "Why didn't Lorelei like you?" Gunthorn had said as much. At the time, she brushed it off as Gunthorn trying to mess with their minds. Who knew the psychopath vampire had been the only one telling the truth. Then there was Lorelei. Her every word to Tremayne held a note a familiarity.

  "In Lorelei's way of thinking," he said, "I did her wrong."