Combust: a vampire and firefighter paranormal romance (Underground Encounters Book 7)

by Lisa Carlisle

  Ooh, I loved it when he took charge. To be with him in his lab while the music pounded and people got their freak on upstairs was hot.

  I sauntered toward the stairwell, anticipating the sweet distraction in his private hideaway.

  Nike

  When I woke late Tuesday morning, my eyes popped open. This was the day. Michel had arranged for me to go out with Danton, the gargoyle shifter. While I bid farewell to the sun, Danton would make sure I didn’t careen out of control and go on the hunt for human blood instead.

  “Stay back,” I told Michel. “I’m going to peek outside.”

  I pulled back the heavy-draped curtain that blocked out all light and peered out of a crack. Michel remained in the other room, far from danger while I scanned the world outside. The sunlight on the leaves of an oak tree and the strange patterns of light and shadows it cast as it filtered through the foliage struck me as spectacular. Funny how something I’d always taken for granted would be something I’d miss for the rest of my existence. I’d been with Michel long enough to sense how conflicted he felt about sunlight. He missed something he hadn’t witnessed in centuries, yet cringed from its destructive power.

  The sun’s rays would no longer bask my skin in a warm glow, kissing it with a simmering heat. It would end me—most likely with excruciating pain. Would it pierce my skin like a vampire’s fangs, incinerating my body with destructive heat? Or would it burn me from the inside like my inner organs had been torched, the flames rising until I combusted? Either was possible, I imagine, if I exposed myself to the fiery star that would end my existence.

  Hmm. If I made an enemy, they could set up a fry session. With all the nuts out there who’d consider vampires an abomination, it was a dark thought.

  That was unfortunately another one of the things I’d contemplated, along with the others that churned in my head like tumbleweeds. With so much hate in the world—with people taking sides over politics and policies—it was easy to picture them taking a hard stance against something they considered unnatural. It would be dangerous to let anyone know my secret, even my family. Living with a vampire, I’d learned secrecy was critical for survival.

  The doorbell rang. I closed the curtain tightly, fastening it along the edges of the wall. Michel had these specially designed to protect him.

  Michel strode over to me. He cupped my cheeks and searched my eyes. “Enjoy it. And, if you change your mind, it’s okay. I love you either way.”

  I’d never take his love, compassion, and loyalty for granted. If there was anyone I’d want to spend eternity with, it was him.

  “Thanks for understanding.” I thought of saying, “Don’t worry, I won’t change my mind,” but what if I did? I could head outside and realize what this change meant and chicken out. It was a difficult decision, one I’d pored over countless times since I’d been bitten and had wavered back and forth. Just because I’d declared my intentions to Michel and Maya didn’t mean I wouldn’t have second thoughts.

  Oh, Maya. Had I done her wrong by choosing this path? Of course I did. I’d said no to being there on the biggest day of her life. Damn, I wish there was another way, but after attacking a woman, it wasn’t safe for me to be around other people.

  A horrible image filled my brain and I cringed. Someone opened the door for the running of the brides—where hundreds of brides-to-be rushed through a department store to bargain hunt for wedding gowns. Only the brides weren’t human, but undead creatures who lived in the shadows and existed off the blood of humans. Bloodstains soaked the white of their bargain finds.

  Jeez, I needed to cut back on the B-horror flicks.

  Michel bent down and kissed me. When he pulled back, he grinned. “Soak up some of that vitamin D for me, eh?”

  I grinned. “Will do.” I put on a wide-brimmed sun hat and dark sunglasses, since I was rather sensitive to sunlight, and then I stepped outside to say goodbye to the sun forever.

  Minutes later, I stashed my beach accessories in the trunk of my car as if heading to the ocean for a day of fun.

  Danton climbed in the car with some awkwardness, which was expected from an oversize shifter. Once we had our seatbelts on and I turned on some music, I drove.

  He wasn’t there to protect me from others, but to protect others from me. It was disturbing to know I was the threat. But I no longer trusted myself out there anymore—and frankly, I doubted anyone trusted me.

  “Where would you like to go?” he asked.

  “I’m thinking Gloucester. Get something to eat. And then head over to Good Harbor Beach.”

  “The beach, eh? Let’s hope it’s not as exciting as last time.”

  Danton was one of the gargoyles who’d arrived the dreadful night I’d drank from that woman—a memory I hoped I could purge from my brain one day. And it didn’t stop with gargoyles. A mountain lion shifter and Michel had also come. It was like a supernatural intervention after the gargoyle had tossed me into the Atlantic Ocean. Grr. Not my best moment.

  I groaned. “You’re not going to let me live that down, are you? Ever?”

  Maybe I could put in a special request with Michel to leave that memory in my mortal coil when he brought me over.

  Yeah, right, I doubted the transition worked that way. I wouldn’t just keep my sucky memories, I’d keep them even longer—possibly for eternity.

  “I don’t mean to tease you.” Danton glanced straight ahead with an unreadable expression—a typical, stone-faced gargoyle one.

  I squirmed in my seat as I recalled that awful memory. “I’m still really sorry about the whole thing.”

  The freakin’ guilt of luring that woman, Ally, to the beach where I drank her blood would haunt me for some time. Would it continue after I’d become a full-fledged vampire? Or, once I was a creature of the night, would I embrace the predatory nature that came with it?

  “I know, Nike. I’m here because I have some compassion for your situation.”

  “Thanks.” I gave him a sheepish smile.

  “I’m quite familiar with the injustice of being cursed. You had to make a choice. I think it’s the right one.”

  “You do?”

  I’d been learning more about the supernatural world since being with Michel. Apparently, three of the many gargoyle statues at Vamps were more than stone. They were gargoyle shifters, whom Michel had brought over with him from Paris. Danton and his two brothers had been cursed by a witch to remain locked in stone. Gargoyle magic set them free when they needed to intervene during dangerous moments.

  While Danton had broken his curse upon bonding with Tracy, his other brothers remained in statue form. If or when they’d ever break free was still unknown.

  “Yes. I’ve known Michel for a very long time and respect him. He did his utmost to keep you from having to go down this path with him, but sometimes we must adjust to situations we haven’t planned for.”

  True.

  “Thanks, Danton. I appreciate it. Mind if I turn this up? I love this song.”

  “Not at all.”

  I turned up “Why Can’t I Be You” by the Cure and veered onto the on ramp for the highway. The song gave me a break from that conversation. If this was going to be my last night as a human, there was no point in dwelling on my mistakes.

  For my last meal, I chose Italian. I wanted the hearty flavors of the sauces to be the last ones on my tongue. I invited Danton to join me and we found a table outside on the Gloucester waterfront. He ordered a beer, and I ordered a chardonnay.

  “How’s Tracy?” I asked.

  “Fine. Busy with school and work.”

  “Good, good,” I muttered.

  I gazed out over the ocean, studying the reflection of sunlight dancing on the surface. Amazing how something I’d seen thousands of times captivated me again with its magical sparkle.

  He eyed me with a strange expression over his glass. “Are you all right?”

  “Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” My voice rose higher than I’d intended.

/>   He raised a brow. “Obvious reasons.”

  I squirmed. “Well, I am nervous.”

  “As anyone would be.”

  “You get it, then?”

  “Of course. Change is often terrifying. It’s the unknown that torments our minds with questions.”

  A part of me observed this interaction as an outsider. Never did I think I’d be sitting at an outdoor restaurant with a gargoyle shifter discussing my decision to become a vampire. “Do you think I’m making a mistake?”

  He took a sip of beer as he appeared to ponder my question. After he set down the glass, he said, “I’ve watched many interactions between people over the years. And I’ve seen some bizarre things happen. Some are unjust and unfair. And sometimes, I see a genuine connection between people. I’ve seen that with you and Michel.”

  I wasn’t sure where he was going with that, but I interpreted it to mean everything happens for a reason. Maybe that was true. Maybe I had this unconventional reaction to a vampire attack so I could be with Michel. What would have happened otherwise? I would have grown old as a human and died, and he’d face immortality alone. That idea filled me with angst, coiling like a corkscrew twisting in my gut. He’d spend more centuries alone. We had something amazing together. Something that would endure.

  It had to for me to even consider this step with him.

  “You think we’ll be okay?” I asked Danton.

  Our server arrived with plates of Caesar salad, chicken parmesan, shrimp scampi, and fettuccine alfredo, which we placed between us to share family style. No way could I eat all this, but with a massive gargoyle, I’m sure we would manage to conquer a good portion.

  “I think you’ll be okay,” Danton said with a reassuring smile.

  “Thanks.” I scooped a portion of chicken parm onto my plate and took a forkful. The rich flavors almost made me moan.

  I savored every bite of my meal and polished off as much as I could eat of three desserts. We ordered tiramisu, cannoli, and a decadent chocolate cake. Might as well enjoy a sugar rush while I could.

  After dinner, I parked at Good Harbor Beach and gathered my bag and umbrella from the trunk. Danton and I walked down through the sand to a location far from any beachgoers. When I found a relatively private spot, I put down a blanket.

  “I’ll give you some space.” Danton pointed to some large rocks. “I’ll be right there.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Yes, this was a moment I wanted to be alone, but I was reassured that he was close enough in case some overwhelming compulsion claimed me and I tried something stupid.

  After he walked away, I sat on my blanket and stared at the ocean. If Maya were in this situation, she’d probably want to talk it out. It was one of the ways we were different. I was more introverted and in my own head, while she was so exuberant and outgoing and loved the energy of being around people. How was she doing with her wedding planning, anyway? What a shit friend I was for abandoning her.

  The sun kissed my skin with a gentle warmth and a slight tingle of discomfort. It reminded me of rough sex—the pain enhanced the pleasure.

  I closed my eyes to appreciate it with my other senses. The sound of the surf rolling in and hitting the rocks was soothing. The scent of salty ocean and marine life was unmistakable. I remembered a summer day at a beach in Rhode Island as a kid, back when my mother was alive. Since she’d died when I was so young, I didn’t have many memories of her, but I clung to the few I did have. My younger brother barely remembered her.

  Michel and I would never have a family day like that. My days of basking under the warmth of the sun would soon be gone. Forever.

  I’d still come to the shore, but experience it differently. Michel and I could walk along the shoreline at midnight, taking in the beauty of the ocean in a quiet hour. My senses would be heightened. Surely, that would be a wonderful experience.

  The heat on my skin intensified beyond tolerable levels, and that meant more than scorching my pale skin. It was time I opened the umbrella. I opened my eyes and squinted at the sun. It was bright and hopeful overhead. Amazing how such a beautiful sight would be fatal.

  After I set up my umbrella, which had a special coating to protect me from the UV rays, I took cover beneath it. I pulled out my phone, put in my earbuds, and started a playlist that I’d made especially for this occasion. The first song was “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles.

  Hours later, the sun began to set with fiery colors that spread across the horizon. Bright oranges, brilliant pinks, and alluring purples painted with daring brush strokes on this endless canvas. My emotions flip-flopped like a fish had jumped onto the sand as I cycled through my playlist—including “House of the Rising Sun,” “Waiting for the Sun,” “Black Hole Sun,” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.”

  I stood and shook the sand from my lower body. “All right, Danton. I’m ready to go home.”

  Away from the light and into the darkness.

  As we trekked up the beach back to my car, we passed a woman walking a Golden Retriever. The sea carried her scent over to me—sweet, tangy, luscious blood—that made me salivate. Her dog started to bark at me.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said as she reared him back on the leash. “He’s never like this.”

  When her dog lunged at me, I hissed. My fangs emerged, and I clamped my hand over my mouth before she saw them. Still, she gasped.

  Danton took me by the arm. “Time to leave.”

  That wasn’t the first time a dog had a reaction like that to me since I’d been bitten, but it was the first time I’d responded that way.

  Shit. That could have turned ugly in a heartbeat.

  Maybe my path to darkness had already begun.

  Maya

  Two days after Nike had turned me down, I drove to Tristan’s parents’ house in Salem. His mother, Isabella, had lush gardens, and she invited me to choose some perennials from her greenhouse that we could plant at my house come spring.

  Tristan had a great loft near Vamps, and we’d spent many wonderful nights there, but once I moved in with him, we realized we needed more space. We found an old Victorian that was closer to the firehouse. Like many old New England houses, it needed a lot of work. He took care of the major renovations before we’d moved in, but we’d likely have new projects to keep us busy for the rest of our lives.

  Today’s project was deciding which plants to add to our backyard for a garden wedding. Last fall, we’d cleared the overgrown gardens and tamed them down to more manageable levels.

  Isabella pointed at a snowy spot beneath a dogwood tree. “Lily of the Valley thrives there. You can take as much of that as you’d like. It’s good for a shady spot, but you should keep it contained. It likes to spread.”

  “Ooh, thanks for sharing the bounty,” I said.

  “Think nothing of it. The perennials can always use some division. It helps them out by giving them more soil and less space to compete. Anything you see that you’d like, we can work with to incorporate into your space.”

  I had visions of creating a Gothic-style garden one day with purple flowers so dark they appeared black, and red ones as well. But I’d hold off on that until after the honeymoon. Only so many projects I could handle at a time.

  “Some spring flowers will be in bloom in time for the wedding,” Isabella pointed out. “And we can add more flowers to the arch where you’ll get married.”

  When it came to mothers-in-law, I’d scored big time. How many people could luck out with a Salem witch? It beat some of the horror stories I’d heard from friends and family.

  “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

  After we’d gone through selections in the greenhouse and sketched some plants into a garden planner, we went inside the house for a bite. Charlotte, a woman who worked for Tristan’s parents, brought us some iced tea and sandwiches. We ate and then Isabella suggested a reading.

  She pulled out a deck of tarot cards. “It’s good to have an idea what to expect
in the future, right? Especially when you’re taking one of the biggest steps in your life.”

  “Sure, I guess.”

  She handed me the cards and directed me to shuffle them, thinking about my future. And then she arranged them in a tree of life pattern. Yes, I was picking up some things about divination from my mother-in-law.

  The reading started out fine. I’d face some challenges that I’d overcome. When I spotted the Tower card, a horrible picture of a tower in flames with people falling out of it, I sucked in a breath.

  I groaned. “That doesn’t look good.”

  “You don’t have to interpret it as a literal burning tower,” she said. “This card can symbolize change.”

  “What kind of change?”

  “Sometimes, things must be destroyed in order for new birth.”

  “Hmm, still. It seems a bit ominous.”

  “Think of what’s going on in your life. Is there anything that could be coming to an end? It could be a job or a relationship. It could even mean one aspect of your life changing with the wedding and a new one beginning.”

  That was possible and my last conversation with Nike came to mind. She sure as hell was going through a change. “A friend is going through something, and we had a—umm—difficult conversation.” I didn’t want to get into details about what it entailed. “Our friendship seems pretty rocky, if it even still exists.”

  She nodded. “That could be it. Perhaps it will lead to a different phase of your relationship, or if it ends, it paves the way for a new one.”

  As Isabella continued the reading, she furrowed her brows.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Interesting.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What is?”

  “Many of your cards are in the suit of wands.”

  I glanced at the cards. Earlier, she’d noted that the seven of wands could denote fighting off something, especially with the eight of wands warning me of a conflict ahead.