“Both murders were done at times when I wouldn’t have an alibi, which makes me think it’s someone who wants them pinned on me. The only problem with that theory is that I haven’t been here long enough to piss anyone off that badly.” He risked a small smile. “Well, except maybe for you.”
The older vampire’s own smile was a whole lot scarier. “For the record, if I was that mad, you’d be the one who was dead, not two innocent women.”
“Duly noted, boss. But there was a vampire here who might think he has good reason to want me dead—Banan Delaney. As Phoebe’s father and Megan’s ex-lover, he wouldn’t like me messing with what he’d see as his property. He might not want Megan anymore, but I’m sure his family feels differently about Phoebe. As a pureblood vampire, she represents their future.”
“But why kill these other women?”
“To hide his real target? Remember, he’s already tried to kill Megan once. If I hadn’t had the antidote in my medical case, she’d have died shortly after Conlan found her. She didn’t want anyone to know.”
Rafferty’s eyebrows snapped down as he flashed his fangs at Seamus. “For future reference, Dr. Fitzhugh, patient-doctor confidentiality be damned if one of my people is threatened. I expect to know about it, and sooner rather than later.”
“Knowing what I do about you now, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. Back then, I had no reason to trust you with her safety.”
“Point taken.”
Seamus drew a deep breath and launched back into his theory. “I think Banan wants his daughter and knows Megan will fight him on that. If he eliminates Megan from the picture, makes me take the fall for the deaths, he’s got a chance at taking his daughter home to his clan. I can’t imagine he wants Phoebe for any reason other than a power play within his family. We both know the vampire who ensures there’s a next generation carries a lot of clout.”
He didn’t need to explain that any further to Rafferty. Seamus was the last of his clan. If he never produced an heir, his family name would disappear, and Rafferty wouldn’t be taking in strays like Seamus if his own clan was thriving.
“But Conlan insists he dragged Banan off my property himself. I have no reason to doubt that he did exactly that.”
“Conlan just told me that he sent someone to make sure that Banan made it all the way to New Eire, but he hasn’t heard anything yet. I think Banan came back. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Not through the gate, of course, but maybe over the fence some way. I know you’ve got sensors and stuff, but there has to be some flaw in the system he could have exploited if he was willing to spend enough money.”
Rafferty was back on his feet. “Maybe there’s another way to find out. I’ll call his grandmother. She might not approve of me or what I’m trying to do here, but she won’t refuse my call. I have too many friends and too much money for her to risk offending me.”
“Won’t she be suspicious if you accuse Banan of murder?”
“Give me credit for being more tactful than that. I’ll tell her how much I enjoyed his visit and ask if she knows where he can be reached. It seems that he left one of his favorite jackets at my house, and I’d like to return it.”
“You really are a sneaky bastard, aren’t you? Can you make that call now? The night’s not getting any longer, and I need to know Megan’s safe.”
Rafferty punched in the number of the Delaney estate and asked to be connected to the matriarch of the clan. Seamus waited impatiently for the a few minutes for her to be located. The conversation didn’t last long.
When Rafferty disconnected the call, he definitely looked worried. “Seems the lady is not pleased with her grandson. He hasn’t been home in a while and is supposedly visiting a distant cousin that she doesn’t approve of. Seems Banan’s cousin Riley had criminal connections and has been disowned by the family as a whole. No one has seen or heard from either of them in days.”
Seamus was already starting for the door. “If he lays a hand on either Megan or Phoebe, he won’t live long enough for you to kill him. They’re mine.”
“Let me warn Conlan that you’re on your way.” Rafferty was already punching in the numbers. After a few seconds he hung up. “No answer.”
“Son of bitch, they’re already there.”
Rafferty pulled a gun out of the top of his boot and tossed it to Seamus. “Go. Run. I’ll only slow you down, but I’ll be right behind you after I call in the rest of the security force for backup.”
Seamus gave Rafferty a long, hard look at his fangs before snarling, “Call in whoever you want to but warn them not to get in my way. You can have what’s left of Banan and his cousin when I finish with them.”
Then he ran out into the night.
Chapter 16
Seamus ran full out, not caring who heard him coming. In fact, Banan should know that death was on its way. There was no way Seamus would let the bastard live this time. He wanted a future with Megan. For that to happen, he needed to lay her past to rest, preferably in a shallow grave.
If he left enough of Banan to actually bury.
The urge to go charging in, fangs and gun at the ready, was powerful. Even if it were only Conlan in peril, his predator instincts would be aroused. But with a helpless infant and the woman he loved at risk, those same instincts were at full boil and ready to explode.
By sheer strength of will, he brought himself under control. He needed to know what was waiting for him. Only a fool went in blind, especially when it could endanger the very people he wanted to save. He tested for scents on the air. Vampire. Chancellor—Conlan. Blood. Fresh blood.
Shadow to shadow, step by step, he approached Megan’s cottage. Voices, angry but with a spicy hint of fear, carried on the night air. He recognized Megan and Banan, but not the third voice. Conlan’s absence from the conversation worried him. Was the chancellor dead? He’d better not be. Banan already had enough to answer for.
He stooped lower, not wanting to draw anyone’s attention until the last possible minute. He’d made it within twenty meters of the front door when he spotted a still form lying on the ground just ahead. He froze briefly to make sure no one was watching from the doorway before sprinting forward to verify the body’s identity. Conlan. It was too much to hope that he’d managed to take out one of the bad guys.
He felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one. Using his sense of touch, he did a quick check for injuries. The chancellor was bleeding from a shallow gash on the side of his head. Seamus used his own shirt as a bandage to help stanch the bleeding. Conlan was in no immediate danger, so Seamus dragged him farther from the house to remove any potential of him being used as an additional hostage. Hopefully Rafferty and his security forces would find him if Seamus didn’t survive his encounter with Banan.
He had a lot to live for now that he had a home and a woman he wanted to share it with, but he would gladly die to save Megan and her daughter. That might be his only advantage against two vampires in bloodlust.
He positioned himself against the house, pressing his ear against the wall to listen. Hearing the filth Banan was spewing out to Megan in a series of threats infuriated him even further. At least the two vampires had yet to lay their hands on her and Phoebe.
From what he could discern, she’d barricaded herself in her bedroom by shoving the furniture in front of the door. The cottage had no windows in the bedrooms, so the only way Banan could get to her was through the barricaded door.
Suddenly Banan stopped shouting threats and started whispering. Seamus could only make out a few words, but one stopped his heart cold.
Fire.
Before he could react, the front door flung open and a vampire charged outside to head straight for a transport parked at the side of the road. Should Seamus go after him or not? Deciding he should to avoid the risk of him returning before he could subdue Banan, Seamus picked up a hefty rock and went on the attack. He reached the vampire just as he stepped off the curb. Leaping high, Seamus hit the bastard on t
he back of his head, putting all of his strength into swinging the rock. The blow sent the vampire plummeting to the ground, his face hitting the concrete with a satisfying jolt.
Seamus put his knee in the small of the man’s back and bent his arm up almost to the point of dislocating his shoulder. The vampire whimpered in pain when Seamus cranked on it even harder as he leaned down near his ear.
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Seamus Fitzhugh, the vampire who is going to kill you. You must be Riley.”
“Banan said you were locked up,” Riley whimpered.
“Well, he was wrong, wasn’t he?” Seamus laughed nastily, “What’s more, boyo, Rafferty O’Day is on his way here. You’ll hate meeting him.”
That set off a full-blown panic attack as the frantic vampire tried to buck Seamus off his chest. “It was all Banan! He made me help him.”
“Don’t bother lying to me. I saw what you did to those women. You and your buddy in there deserve everything you’re going to get and then some.”
If Megan wasn’t still at risk, Seamus might have taken the time to teach the stunned vampire a lesson about playing with his food. Instead, he went right for the jugular, ripping into the side of his victim’s throat, inflicting as much pain as possible. As tempting as it was to kill him outright, he decided to leave some of the fun for Rafferty. He drained enough blood to weaken the vampire and left him sprawled on the edge of the road.
That left Banan. Wiping the blood off his mouth, Seamus stood up. If he didn’t hurry, the other vampire might come looking to see what was keeping his cousin. Seamus yanked Riley’s hooded sweatshirt off his body and put it on, hoping he could get close to Banan before he recognized him.
The house had grown ominously quiet. Seamus approached the front door, his heart in his throat. If he’d made the wrong decision in going after Riley first…
But then Banan’s voice rang out again. “Go ahead, bitch, and think you’re safe. When I get back, we’ll see how much you like being toasted. I know you’d rather see Phoebe with her father than dead. Think about that.”
Megan’s fury burned brightly in every word she uttered. “Phoebe doesn’t belong to you, Banan, and never will. Even if you manage to kill me this time, Seamus Fitzhugh will hunt you down and get her back. And think how many interesting ways a doctor knows for killing animals like you!”
“Yeah, well, your lover isn’t here, is he? By the time they put out the fire, I’ll be on my way home with the brat. My partner out there will be another unfortunate victim, so Rafferty will think he’s found the killer. My parents and grandparents will get their precious heir, and I’ll get my inheritance. It’s a win-win situation for me.”
Megan still had plenty of fight left. “No matter what happens, Banan, you’ll be a loser. Do you really think your grandmother doesn’t know what a worthless piece of garbage you are? Otherwise, why are they more concerned about the next generation instead of you?”
“Shut up, bitch!” Banan backed up and kicked the door again.
Seamus turned the corner to find Banan standing outside Megan’s bedroom. There were huge cracks in the wooden door, and it would have likely shattered if Banan and Riley had attacked it with their combined strength. He shut down that thought. There’d be time later to think about how close he’d come to losing both Megan and Phoebe to this madman.
He eased closer, hoping to sneak up on Banan, but something gave his presence away.
“It took you long enough, Riley. We don’t have much time before we have to get out to the pickup zone.”
Thanks to the sweatshirt, it took Banan a couple of seconds to realize that he wasn’t talking to his cousin. When he recognized Seamus, his eyes went huge and he backed up a couple of steps. That was all the invitation Seamus needed to go on the attack.
“Get ready to die, Banan. Personally, I’m looking forward to watching you bleed out.”
At the sound of his voice, Megan called out, “Seamus! I knew you’d come.”
“Stay in there, honey, while I take out this trash. Rafferty’s on his way with help.”
Banan lunged at Seamus. The fight turned brutal quickly. Desperation was driving Delaney, but all of Seamus’s protective instincts were running at full bore. He would make this night safe for his females or die trying. The two vampires banged from side to side in the narrow hallway until they finally stumbled into the kitchen.
Banan managed to snag a butcher knife off the counter and slashed at Seamus’s chest with it. The blade sliced through his shirt and skin, but he didn’t even notice the pain or the blood that immediately soaked through the cloth. Instead, he latched onto Banan’s wrist with both of his hands.
Despite Banan’s best efforts, Seamus slowly bent the knife around until it was aimed back toward the other man. Lunging forward, he forced the blade upward and into Banan’s chest. When he yanked it back out, blood came gushing out in pulsing waves. Banan gave up all pretense of fighting as he attempted to stanch the bleeding with his hands.
Seamus wanted to watch his enemy as Banan’s life force poured out onto the floor. But now that he was no longer a threat to anyone, Seamus’s medical training kicked in. He grabbed the dish towel off the rack and tried to get Banan to let him apply pressure.
“Let me stop the bleeding! You’ll be dead in seconds if you don’t.”
But Banan was too out of his head with pain and fear to listen to reason. He stumbled past Seamus, heading for the front door. By the sounds of things, Rafferty had finally arrived. He could deal with the Delaney heir any way he wanted to. Seamus had more important things to do.
A few seconds later, an agonizing scream rang out, and then there was silence.
Seamus needed to get to Megan and Phoebe, but he was covered in blood, some of his own, some Banan’s. He wiped off what he could with the towel and washed some of the rest off at the sink. The gash on his chest was far more serious than he’d realized, so he got out more towels and did his best to close the wound and slow the bleeding.
When he’d done all he could, he ran down the hallway to the bedroom.
“Megan, honey, open the door. It’s safe now.”
He could only hope he could stay on his feet long enough for her to come out. He had something to say, something important, and he needed to say it now, before it was too late.
Finally, he heard the last piece of furniture slide out of the way and the door opened. Megan peeked out. When she saw him, she started to smile, but then she noticed the blood dripping down onto the floor.
“Seamus! You’re hurt.”
His vision was going black around the edges, and he couldn’t feel his feet. He was surprised to find he could still stand. When Megan reached his side, she wrapped his free arm around her shoulders.
“Come sit down before you fall down.”
“No, that’s not what I need to do,” he told her, standing his ground. “Need to tell you something.”
“It can wait until we stop the bleeding.”
“No. Waited too long already.” He fought the dizziness and the fog.
“Okay, tell me as we walk over to the couch. That’ll work, won’t it?” She tugged him along a step or two.
“No, listen. Look at me.”
“Stubborn man, what could be that important?”
She propped him up against the wall and positioned herself to catch him if he should fall. Bless her.
He smiled or at least he thought he did. Megan only looked more worried, so maybe he wasn’t doing it right. No matter. Words were better. Clearer.
“I came here. Life over. Hated Rafferty.”
“Yes, I know. We’ve been over all that.”
“Didn’t tell you, though.”
“Tell me what?”
“Love you. Love Phoebe.” He managed to drag his hand up to her face. It left a blood smear on her pretty skin, but she didn’t seem to mind. “Want you. With me. Please.”
He was pretty sure that it was tears making her eyes sparkle so
brightly. On the other hand, she was smiling, so maybe he was wrong about that. None of it mattered, though, because as he slid down the wall to land on the floor, she said the words he’d been hoping to hear.
“I love you, too. Now can we get you some help?”
“Good idea,” he managed to whisper.
Then the lights went out.
Megan walked into the clinic and headed straight for the pre-op room. She’d spent a good part of the day there until Rafferty and Joss ran her off with orders to get some sleep. Since her cottage wasn’t exactly livable at the moment, she’d commandeered Seamus’s bedroom and slept there.
Joss was staying with Phoebe for a while, freeing Megan up to visit the two patients currently housed in the clinic. Rafferty had flown in an outside doctor to care for Seamus and Conlan.
Banan’s body and that of his cousin had been returned to the Delaney clan. The family had agreed to accept Rafferty’s offer to report the deaths as tragic accidents. They all knew that if the two had survived long enough to stand trial, they’d be facing execution if convicted. No matter how much money the Delaney clan had, they wouldn’t be able to buy their way out of this one. The scandal was buried along with their bodies.
Megan wondered if she should be feeling some regret about that, but she wouldn’t lie to herself about how she felt. Banan had destroyed any feeling she had for him with his atrocious actions. Someday, Phoebe might have some questions about her father that would be tough to answer. Somehow she and Seamus would find a way to handle them when the time came.
She could already hear the grumbling from inside the makeshift patient ward before she’d gotten halfway across the waiting room. Both males were due to be discharged within the next day, and neither of them took being invalids particularly well. She stopped in the doorway to study their battered faces. Conlan looked the best, but that wasn’t saying much. It terrified her to know how close she’d come to losing both of them.
Pasting a bright smile on her face, she knocked on the door frame. “Up for some company?”
Vampire Vendetta Page 22