Summit at Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 3)

by Primo, Jaz

  “For now,” he quietly acquiesced. In his mind, he wasn’t giving in so much as diplomatically conceding to a respite.

  It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was the best she could hope for at the moment.

  “Trouble with a capital ‘T,’“ she mildly chastised. “Come here, Mr. Trouble,” she added, gently slipping her arm around his waist and guiding him towards the bedroom.

  Despite his achy and sore condition, he managed to slip from his clothes, and they lovingly shared each other’s bodies for the first time since their arrival in Slovenia. Their shared passion was tender, and each thoroughly enjoyed the companionship of the other. Then time stood still, at least for a few hours.

  * * * *

  The next day, Caleb felt the cold stares of some of the other guests while making his way to the restaurant for breakfast. Fortunately, he was too sore and tired to care. Local investigators appointed by the mayor and police commissioner arrived after breakfast to interview both him and Dori. Much to their surprise, Alton attended Dori’s interview, while Katrina was present for his.

  To Dori’s and Caleb’s surprise, both Katrina and Alton encouraged them to be forthcoming with any information, save for their suspicions involving Baldar Dubravko. As for the storage building incident, both firmly held to the suggestion that the building had been broken into prior to their arrival, and they were merely curious. It was their position that they intended to notify someone, but the lieutenant and his officer showed up to engage them hostilely without provocation before they could explain, which was partly true, at least.

  The only downside to the interview was the way that Katrina’s intense stare penetrated into Caleb’s eyes when she sensed the subtle change in his story involving the storage building’s breach. However, she said nothing either during or after the interview.

  In truth, he had already disclosed the entire story to Katrina beforehand, so it wasn’t as if he were hiding anything from her. Still, it was unnerving to realize that he was being closely evaluated by her. Despite that, the investigators gave no indication of perceived doubt or suspicion, so he felt comfortable with his responses in the end.

  Alton later informed Caleb, Dori, and Katrina that the investigators weren’t getting a great deal of cooperation from the surviving officer who had attacked Dori, though Alton didn’t mention where he had acquired that inside information. He suggested that the incident could erupt in unpopular media coverage, possibly generating an international buzz, which wasn’t in Slovenia’s best interests. He conveyed his suspicions that the case would be handled internally in the department, though Caleb was inwardly surprised that the story hadn’t leaked out to at least a local news source yet.

  The focus quickly fell upon the conference again, and both Katrina and Alton returned their attentions to vampire politics and subsequent debates. However, Dori and Caleb’s attentions weren’t so easily diverted, and the two met in Alton’s suite to discuss matters further.

  “Time to refocus on our objective,” Dori said. “Dubravko’s worth watching.”

  “We’re stuck here for a while, you know,” Caleb lamented. “All he has to do is leave the site, and we’re in the dark.”

  He stretched his body’s lean muscles, experiencing a series of aches and pains for his effort. While Katrina’s blood had significantly healed his wounds, a great deal of recuperation still remained.

  “Dubravko stays in the hotel for the most part, you know,” she observed. “Besides, we still have to follow up on the storage building connection. There has to be something of interest in or around the area.”

  “And just how do we do that?” he asked.

  “There’s more to the process of investigation than skulking around the forest, Caleb.”

  “Who are you? Nancy Drew?”

  It wasn’t the first time he wondered about the woman’s background, about which she had been cagey at best.

  “Quaint reference, but no,” she replied. “I have some additional venues of investigation that I’ll follow up with. In the meantime, why don’t you keep an eye on Dubravko’s activities on-site?”

  He stared at her in bland fashion. “Have you ever tried to sneak up on a vampire?”

  She shook her head slightly and rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Caleb. And to think I once said you were quick-witted. Loiter in the lobby until he leaves the conference sessions, and discreetly observe him from a distance. It’s not like you’re not expected to be relegated to the conference property. Everyone knows you’re grounded.”

  “Bad analogy, Dori,” he said with a withering expression.

  “Sorry,” she quickly apologized. “Listen, just maintain a low profile and observe. There’s no crime there, and it may reveal something tangible to follow up on.”

  “Well,” he conceded, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to camp out in the lobby for a time. Perhaps catch up on my reading?”

  “Good idea,” Dori agreed.

  However, he was suspicious over the ease with which she had directed him. Somehow he had the impression that she had the more interesting angle to delve into, while he was relegated to nothing short of a child’s errand.

  “I’ll let you know when I uncover anything,” she offered. “You do the same.”

  Caleb spent the next two days sitting in the lobby reading novels, magazines, or idly passing time on his notebook computer. When not enjoying one of the comfortable chairs or couches, he would perch on a stool at one of the bistro tables placed just outside the lobby restaurant. Fortunately, the bar staff would serve food and drinks there, even outside of the dining room’s normal operating hours. And it was fairly scenic because he could appreciate the view of the grounds through the large floor-to-ceiling sections of coated glass that framed the perimeter of the lobby.

  On the afternoon of the first day, Ethan, Aiden, and Maddy each briefly stopped by to visit and ask how he was feeling. However, most people gave Caleb a large berth, often completely ignoring him. That evening, Dubravko exited the conference and went directly to the security office carrying his telltale leather briefcase. Soon afterwards, Katrina and Alton appeared and accompanied him and Dori to dinner, idly watching them eat while chatting.

  The next day, Caleb woke early enough to escort Katrina to the lobby, where he lingered long enough to notice Dubravko exit the elevator with Major Pietari before heading down the hallway leading to the conference room. By late afternoon, the conference let out early as Caleb dozed on the couch with a novel laid across this lap. He jolted awake in time to see Dubravko and Dominic Ambrogio enter the elevator and proceed to the upper floors.

  Thinking he had gleaned nothing of value, he started to take a walk outside, but then halted upon realizing that he had missed something. For some reason, Dubravko hadn’t been carrying his briefcase. He walked back into the lobby just in time to see Major Pietari carrying Dubravko’s distinctive briefcase into the elevator. He watched as the car descended to lower level one, the basement area.

  Why is Dubravko the only vampire carrying around a briefcase? Perhaps he hauls around a lot of cash with him wherever he goes?

  “Whatcha up to, kiddo?” Paige asked seemingly out of nowhere.

  Caleb lurched with surprise, and his head whipped around. “Geez, Paige!”

  Her eyes immediately narrowed. “So, like I asked, whatcha doin’?”

  You’re up to something, my little friend.

  “Oh, just hanging around,” he evasively replied while glancing outside. “Not like I’m going anywhere interesting, you know.”

  “Hmmm. Yeah, so I’ve noticed. In fact, I’ve been observing you for the past two days, in between the major’s endless errands, of course. Anyway, it seems like you’ve spent a good deal of your time just sitting around.”

  “Just healing,” he replied. “Doctor’s orders, after all.”

  “Uh-huh. Let’s chat,” she suggested while wrapping one of her petite arms around his waist and leading him across the lobby in the di
rection of a small, unused conference room on the other side of the building.

  “You look good in a blazer, by the way.”

  “Whatever,” she chimed, refusing to be distracted.

  She ushered him into the small conference room and shut the door behind them.

  “Okay, spill,” she insisted as her bright blue eyes penetrated into his.

  “Spill what?” he innocently asked, even as his heartbeat increased slightly.

  “What you’re doing hanging around the lobby. You’re waiting for something, or watching someone.”

  “Aw, come on,” he irritably countered. “I’m not bothering anybody.”

  “Stop spying on Dubravko,” she flatly stated. “You’re just going to piss him off, and that’ll make things harder on Alton and Katrina.”

  He silently stared back at her.

  How the hell did she know?

  “Look, behind all this cute, playful exterior is a competent vampire,” she chastised. “I’m actually good at what I do, kiddo.”

  He folded his arms before him, shaking his head slightly.

  “I’ve never implied otherwise,” he countered. “But if you’re that good, then tell me what the major’s doing with Dubravko’s pet briefcase.”

  She blankly stared at him for a moment as she considered his request.

  Briefcase? she wondered.

  “Um, I dunno...let’s think about that. Oh yeah, the major is in charge of security. So, it’s likely containing valuables and needs to be secured. Hell, for all I know, the paranoid weasel probably keeps his secret ‘usurp-the-conference-plan’ in it or something.”

  The Croatian jerk’s a pain in the ass, that’s for sure.

  “Somebody sounds kind of angsty. Maybe you need to cut down on the caffeine a little,” he quipped with a playful shake of his finger.

  Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Don’t push my buttons, punching bag boy.”

  He returned a bland, less-than-amused expression.

  “Okay, so the major is securing the briefcase. Securing it where, exactly?” he asked.

  She frowned at him. “Who’s asking the questions here, tiger?”

  He threw up his arms with exasperation and stormed across the small room towards the door.

  “Well, crap! I can’t even –”

  She darted out with her hands to grasp him by the shoulders and steady him in one place.

  “Okay, okay, just chill. I’ll play, if you’ll just take a deep breath.”

  He focused upon her with a flat, unimpressed stare.

  “Probably the vault,” she said. “Before the conference, they installed a really secure, bank-sized vault on the basement level. Then they walled off that section of the basement so that the primary controlled access is through the lobby elevator. But you still need a code for the car before it even stops there. There’s a fire escape, but it’s only a one-way exit in the stairwell. Kind of overkill in my opinion, but then, nobody asked me.”

  He pondered that for a moment.

  “Can we get into the vault?”

  “Dammit, Caleb!” she snapped with a bright flash of her blue eyes.

  She took a deep breath and deliberately calmed herself before planting her hands firmly atop her hips.

  “Kiddo, you’re killin’ me here. No, nobody but the major and the hotel manager can get in the vault. And no, I’m not asking for access, or for a tour for you.”

  His shoulders slumped.

  I sure hope Dori’s having better luck than I, he lamented. Of course, the Frenchwoman hadn’t said much to him the past day or so.

  “Can’t you just play nicely for once?” she wearily implored. “I’m going crazy trying to keep up with things around here as it is. Hell, I haven’t even had time to do more than drink a cup of warm blood now and again, much less get any rest.”

  “Look, please just check out what the major’s doing in the vault –” he urged before being cut off by Paige’s holding up her hand for silence.

  She cocked her head to one side and moved so quickly that the air whirled around him. The door to the room swished open, and she stood outside pivoting her head so fast that she seemed to view all directions at once.

  She froze, cocked her head to one side again, and listened. Finally, she shrugged while reentering the room and closed the door behind her.

  “Did you hear somebody?”

  “See? Now you’re making me paranoid,” she chastised.

  “I’m sorry.” The last thing he wanted to do was make her angry with him.

  I’m already pressing my luck with Katrina.

  Her aggravation seemed to dissipate in mere seconds as she stared into his gentle eyes.

  It’s so damned hard to stay angry at him.

  Her graceful, pale hand reached up to caress the side of his face, and she appreciated the rough, masculine stubble forming on his cheek. She lightly patted him, and then playfully pinched his cheek with her fingertips.

  “Twerp,” she muttered. “Try to stay outta trouble, will ya?”

  He reached up to caress her hand. “I’ll try, just for you,” he promised.

  His warm touch sent a small tingling wave through her, as a lover’s touch might. She snatched her hand back, as if lingering there might burn it.

  “Good boy,” she said. “Now get outta here. I’ve got real work to do.”

  He walked past her as she held the door open for him. However, as soon as he departed, she contemplated the fleeting sensations that he had just sparked in her.

  Then she forced her thoughts to other matters, specifically how urgently Caleb had pleaded his concerns about the major and Dubravko. She shrugged and made a mental note to try and pay more attention to them.

  “Yeah, in all my plentiful spare time.”

  * * * *

  Once the active session ended, Katrina and Alton met at length with Talise Penbroke for a private meeting in the conference room after the other attendees had departed. Alton hoped that Talise’s expertise in contract law could be leveraged for mediation of some agenda topic disputes. Katrina suggested that an arbitrative role instigated by Talise might help appeal to the negative, extremist elements in the room. While dubious, at least Talise seemed sincere and promised to try.

  By the time Katrina returned to the suite, it was late evening. She found Caleb lounging on the couch watching a movie on television. He sat up and grinned at her over the back of the couch as she entered, which quickly warmed her heart. For the first time in a few days, and despite his still-evident physical injuries, her mate appeared more relaxed and settled. It brought a wan smile to her lips as she crossed the distance between them to kiss him.

  “You’re late tonight,” he casually observed. “How did everything go today?”

  She shrugged. “Pretty much the same as the day before. I’m just glad that nobody has walked out. That must say something about our efforts, I suppose.”

  He took her by the hand and led her to the front of the couch, pulling her down to sit next to him. Turning her away from him slightly, he massaged her shoulders and neck with his strong fingers.

  The sensations were both soothing and welcome and evoked small moans of pleasure from her. She concluded that it was the perfect physical greeting after such a long, trying day. Moreover, she resolved to get some real sleep that night for a few hours.

  “You’re precisely what I need,” she complimented as his fingers continued their ministrations against her taut muscles.

  He’s definitely in a better mood.

  He kissed her neck in response to her compliment and murmured, “I love you.”

  Best of all, he kept massaging. It was the first night since their arrival that things felt more like they were supposed to between them.

  She only hoped that it would last.

  * * * *

  Chapter 7: Hidden Places

  By midmorning the following day, misery seemed to prevail throughout the conference. Once again, Katrina was stuck in a r
oom full of vampires who were either disgruntled with the agenda or frustrated that their peers bickered over minor details. She glanced sidelong at Alton, noticing the stately vampire’s jaw was firmly set as yet another disagreement between two participants threatened to turn personal. It took everything she had to curtail the weary sigh building inside her.

  Meanwhile, Caleb sat alone in the lobby, upset that his trip to Europe was neither memorable nor enjoyable, even as his fellow visiting humans seemed to be blissfully engaged in what he coined “tourist mode.” His body still felt quite sore and achy, though the affects of Katrina’s blood had done him justice, and he felt much better than the day before. His mood wasn’t helped any by an email he had read in his college mailbox from the President, Dr. Patrick Beaumont, regarding the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

  Dr. Beaumont suggested that by the first of July there was a real threat of employee furloughs and layoffs for the upcoming fall semester. The email mentioned that final budget information was forthcoming later that week. Caleb hoped it didn’t come to layoffs. He was one of the newest faculty hired at the College and might find his position on the cutting block.

  By midafternoon, Dori stopped by to inform Caleb that she was collecting additional information, which she hoped would be helpful to their investigations. However, she was still very hedgy about the nature of her sources. It wasn’t long before he grew frustrated sitting in the lobby trying to distract his dark thoughts by thumbing through a biography on James Madison, waiting fruitlessly for something noteworthy to occur. He popped up off the couch and proceeded outside for a walk, hoping the scenic surroundings and fresh air would improve his disposition.

  * * * *

  Paige sat in the security office feeling bored while taking a shift at the video surveillance monitoring station. Upon spying the lobby camera view of Caleb going outside from his perch, she smirked.

  That’s right, kiddo. Get outside into the sunshine for a while. Being a spy isn’t so glamorous, is it?

  Part of her hoped that he would give up his unhealthy fixation with Baldar Dubravko. As she lamented her own situation, her favorite vampire physician walked in the door to the office with an inviting smile and bearing two large Styrofoam cups.