Night's Illusion

by Amanda Ashley

  “Oh. Did I hurt you?”

  “Are you kidding?” he asked, drawing her dripping body into his arms. “I’ve been tortured by experts.”

  Going up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

  “Is that the best you can do?”

  Slipping her arms around his neck, Cassie pulled his head down and kissed him again.

  And the next thing she knew, she was soaking wet in bed beneath a fully aroused, equally wet male with only one thing on his mind.

  And that was okay, because she wanted him just as desperately.

  * * *

  After a short nap, Giovanni rose when Cassie did. Knowing one of Alric’s goons had been at the ranch the day before, he didn’t want to be upstairs, dead to the world, if something happened. They showered together, then dressed.

  “I think I’ll go out and have a look around while you’re having breakfast,” he said, following her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

  “Be careful.”

  “Stay inside.” He kissed her cheek, then dissolved into mist and left the house, heading toward the barn.

  Hearing sounds from within, he peered round the edge of the door. A man was in there, forking hay to the horses. Giovanni drifted up behind him. Resuming his own form, he wrapped his arm around the man’s neck and shoved him up against the stall door. “Did Alric send you?”

  “I don’t know . . . anybody . . . by that name,” the stranger gasped, digging his fingers into the arm that was cutting off his breath.

  “Lie to me again and I’ll break your neck.”

  “All right! All right! I know him.”

  Giovanni turned the man around, his hand locked around his throat. “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “When is he coming here?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Giovanni tightened his hold on the intruder’s neck. “You sure about that?”

  “He didn’t tell me, I swear it. He just told me to keep an eye out and let him know when somebody showed up.”

  Giovanni grunted thoughtfully. He was thirsty. Cassie was having breakfast up at the house. He would dine in the barn.

  “Oh, shit,” the guy muttered as Giovanni’s eyes went red. “You’re one of them.”

  “Right the first time,” Giovanni said, grinning wolfishly before he buried his fangs in the man’s neck.

  * * *

  Giovanni found Cassie sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee, when he returned to the house.

  Looking up, she tapped a finger to the corner of her mouth. “There’s blood on your lip.”

  He wiped it away with a swipe of his hand.

  “Whose is it?”

  Taking the seat across from her, he said, “Alric’s stooge.”

  “Oh. Did you . . . is he . . . ?”

  “Dead? No. I sent him away. He won’t be back. I imagine Alric will show up soon. But not to worry. The family will be here before sundown.”

  “I’ve been thinking. If we win . . .”

  “Not if,” he chided softly. “When.”

  “When we win, where are we going to live?”

  “I found a place I think you’ll like.”

  “When did you have time to look?”

  “Actually, it was the night our house burned down. I’d been hunting in a new town when I saw it. If it’s still for sale when we get back home, I’ll show it to you.”

  “I’ve been meaning to ask, what happened to the Mustang? I left it in the parking lot at the Winchester. Did you find it?”

  “It’s parked behind my lair, protected from sight by a bit of vampire magic.”

  “Good. I’m glad you didn’t lose that, too.”

  Leaning across the table, he took her hands in his and kissed her lightly. “All I worry about losing is you.”

  “You won’t,” she promised. “You won’t.”

  * * *

  The day passed quietly but Cassie’s nerves grew tighter with every tick of the clock. Mara and her family would be here in a few hours. What did that mean, exactly? She assumed they had a plan of some kind to capture Alric. She knew she was the bait, but that was all. And if they caught him, what then? Would they just kill him in cold blood? She told herself she didn’t care; he was cruel, evil. And yet . . .

  She tried not to think about it. He was a vampire and Giovanni and Mara’s family would have to deal with him.

  But no matter how she tried, she couldn’t put it out of her mind.

  Giovanni was well aware of her troubled thoughts. He considered and rejected a dozen ways to explain vampire justice, but they all sounded barbaric, which they were. Still, Alric was a danger to all of their kind. He killed indiscriminately, left bodies where they could be found, which drew attention to the vampire community, something that was expressively forbidden. Giovanni wasn’t foolish enough to believe Alric would change his ways.

  He glanced at Cassie. She sat at the other end of the sofa, a book in her hands, but she wasn’t reading. Instead, she was staring out the window at the setting sun, her expression pensive.

  He was about to reach for her when he felt a rush of power and Mara materialized in the room.

  Cassie gasped, the book tumbling from her hands.

  “Sorry,” Mara said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Oh, that’s all right,” Cassie said, one hand pressed to her heart.

  “I take it things have been quiet here,” Mara said.

  “So far. Any sign of Alric out there?”

  “No, but we have to assume he’s on his way if he isn’t already here. The family has the house surrounded. Not too close, of course. As soon as it’s dark, I want you and Cassie to go to the front door. You give her a hug and tell her you’re going hunting and you’ll be back as soon as you can.”

  “What will you be doing?”

  “I’ll be upstairs.”

  “I’m not leaving Cassie.”

  “Once you’ve dissolved into mist, you can join me upstairs. He can’t sense our presence if we’re not in physical form.”

  “How long do we wait for him?”

  “As long as it takes. Cassie, you stay downstairs with the lights on.” Mara glanced around the room. “Sit in that chair in front of the window.”

  “You must be expecting him to bring someone with him,” Giovanni remarked. “He can’t cross the threshold himself.”

  “I imagine he’ll bring the witch.”

  “I don’t like it.” Giovanni shook his head. “It sounded like a good plan back at your place. Now I’m not so sure.”

  “If you’ve got a better idea, I’m listening.”

  He shook his head. “Cassie, keep that sack I gave you close at hand.”

  “I will,” she said, her heart pounding so hard she thought she might faint. It hadn’t been so long ago she’d told herself she was tired of running, tired of being afraid. Told herself she was eager to get this over with. But now she wasn’t so anxious. In fact, running seemed like a darn good idea.

  “All right,” Mara said. “It’s time.” Transforming herself into mist, she floated up the stairs.

  “It’ll be all right,” Johnny said. “We’ve got him outnumbered.”

  Unless he brought an army with him, Cassie thought. She forced a smile as she followed him to the front door.

  He winked at her as he opened it. Then, speaking a little louder than usual, he said, “I’m sorry, Cassie, but I need to feed. I shouldn’t be gone long. Keep the door locked and don’t let anyone in.”

  Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, Cassie nodded, then lifted her face for his kiss.

  And then he was gone.

  Chapter 44

  Cassie paced the living room floor for several minutes, her heart in her throat. Then, remembering Mara’s instructions, she picked up the book, together with the sack Johnny had given her, and sank down on the rocking chair by the front window, the gun heavy in her lap.


  It was full dark now, the night eerily quiet.

  Was Alric prowling around out there, lurking in the shadows? Was he watching her, even now, plotting how to get past the wards that surrounded the house?

  Vampires weren’t supposed to be able to cross a home’s threshold without an invitation. But one of Alric’s goons could easily break down the door.

  Was Johnny upstairs with Mara? She closed her eyes and tried to find the bond between herself and Johnny, but it didn’t work. And then she recalled Mara saying Alric couldn’t sense their presence when they were invisible. If the vampires couldn’t do it, what chance did she have?

  Cassie. Come to me.

  Her head snapped up at the sound of her name. “Johnny?” she whispered tremulously, then went cold all over as she recognized Alric’s voice in her mind.

  She had no sooner said Johnny’s name than he appeared beside her. “What’s wrong?” His gaze darted around the room before returning to her.

  “I heard Alric’s voice in my head, calling my name, telling me to come to him.”

  “So, he’s here.” Staring out the window, Giovanni tried to connect with the link that bound Cassie to the other vampire. At first there was nothing and then he found it—weak and flickering, like the flame of a candle.

  There was a shimmer in the room as Mara materialized beside him. “What’s happened?”

  “He’s here.”

  Mara’s phone beeped. She answered it, her brow furrowing as she said, “Right,” and hung up.

  “That was Brenna. She’s detected the signature of another witch in the area.” Mara glanced at her phone again when she received a group text message.

  A moment later, Giovanni received the same text. He swore softly as he read it.

  “What is it?” Cassie asked anxiously. “What’s going on?”

  “A number of revenants have been seen around the ranch. Vince encountered one. So did Nick and Abbey. And Edna.” He swore softly. “It sounds like Alric’s got an army out there.”

  * * *

  Sheree clutched Derek’s arm as a full moon rose over the distant mountains. “Are you all right?”

  He grinned at her. “The wolf wants to go vampire hunting.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

  “I can smell him. He’s not far away.”

  “But . . . Derek, behind you!”

  He spun around, his body contorting, shifting, his clothes shredding as a revenant lunged at him, a sharp wooden stake clutched in his hand.

  Caught up in Alric’s spell, the revenant made no move to run or defend himself as the werewolf slammed him to the ground. One quick bite ripped out the man’s throat, ending his life.

  “Be careful,” Sheree called, as the wolf bounded into the night.

  * * *

  Pearl’s gaze darted restlessly from side to side. “How many of those creatures do you think he’s made?”

  Monroe shook his head. “Beats the hell out of me.”

  “Edna killed one.”

  “Good for her.”

  “It doesn’t seem right,” Pearl remarked. “Killing those poor men. They don’t even know what they’re doing.”

  “It’s them or us, darlin’. Whatever happens to them is Alric’s . . . Look out!”

  Pearl let out a shriek as Monroe slammed into her, driving her out of harm’s way. She screamed in denial as the stake meant for her back sank into Monroe’s chest.

  Springing to her feet, she buried her fangs in the revenant’s neck, piercing his jugular. Tossing the body aside, she fell to her knees beside Monroe. “Don’t be dead,” she begged, shaking his shoulder. “Please don’t be dead.”

  Tears welled in her eyes as she sobbed his name over and over again.

  * * *

  Brenna ghosted through the dark, Roshan at her heels, as she followed the faint signature of the other witch. It led in a roundabout way toward the ranch house, meandering through a corner of the pasture, weaving through trees and shrubs toward the back door.

  Brenna came to an abrupt halt when she saw movement a few yards away.

  “She’s with Alric,” Roshan whispered. “I wish I could hear what they’re saying.”

  “Should we rush them?”

  He shook his head. “He’ll just vanish and we’ll have to find him all over again.”

  “So, what are we going to do?”

  “Wait and see what he does next. In the meantime, I’ll tell Mara they’re close to the kitchen door.”

  Fading back into the shadows, he sent a message to Mara’s mind, warning her that Alric was nearby.

  * * *

  “He’s closing in,” Mara said. “We should go back upstairs. There’s a good chance he doesn’t know we’re here.”

  Giovanni shook his head. “I’m not leaving Cassie alone.”

  “He can’t get in. If anyone else does, we can be down here in a heartbeat.”

  “I’ll be all right,” Cassie said. “Let’s get it over with.” Her bravado faded as soon as the two vampires dissolved into mist and drifted up the stairway. Palms damp, mouth dry, she stared out the window, only to leap to her feet when there was a growl from outside, followed by a hideous shriek as the front door exploded inward and flew across the room.

  A moment later, a figure clad all in black stepped over the threshold.

  Fear spurred Cassie to action and before she realized what she was doing, she grabbed the pistol and pulled the trigger again and again and again.

  Johnny appeared beside her. “That’s enough, love. She’s dead.”

  Cassie looked at him in horror. “Dead?” She dropped the pistol, then burst into tears.

  Mara and Logan appeared moments later.

  Mara stood over the body, then, in a singsong voice, she said, “Ding dong, the witch is dead. And I say, good riddance, whoever she is—or was. Logan, would you please take out the trash?”

  He had no sooner carried the body out the front door when a big, black wolf trotted into the living room from the direction of the kitchen, a strip of bloody cloth dangling from its mouth.

  With a wordless cry, Cassie shrank back against Johnny.

  “It’s all right,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “He’s one of us.”

  “He . . . he is?”

  “It’s Sheree’s husband, Derek.”

  She vaguely recalled Johnny telling her that Mara’s son was both werewolf and vampire.

  Giovanni glanced at Mara. “What happened out there?”

  “I guess we’ll have to wait for Derek to shift to find out.”

  Knowing that when werewolves resumed their own shape, their clothes didn’t magically reappear, Giovanni suggested Derek go into the guest room to shift.

  Cassie breathed a sigh of relief when the wolf trotted out of the room. She clutched Johnny’s arm when a howl echoed through the house.

  “It’s okay,” Johnny said. “It’s a painful transformation, shifting from human to wolf or wolf to human.”

  Sometime later, Derek returned to the living room, a blanket wrapped around his waist.

  Mara smiled at her son as he dropped down on the sofa. “So, what happened?” She sat beside him, one hand resting on his shoulder.

  “I found the witch and the vampire huddled together at the side of the house. The witch ran one way and he went another. I followed Alric.” He gestured at the bloody scrap of cloth on the floor. “I almost had him.”

  “How did he get away?” Rafe asked.

  “One of those revenants threw himself at me and tripped me up. By the time I regained my feet and tossed him out of the way, Alric was gone. I know vampires heal quickly, but the bite of a werewolf is almost as painful as silver. He’ll be hurting for a while.”

  Mara smiled at him. “We’ll get him next time.”

  All eyes turned toward the front door when Pearl staggered in, closely followed by Edna. James came in a moment later cradling Monroe’s body in his arms.

  The rest of the f
amily filed in behind him, their expressions solemn.

  James glanced around the room. Then, at a gesture from Giovanni, he carried the body down the hallway to the guest room.

  Sobbing, eyes red and swollen, Pearl followed him.

  “I’ll go stay with her,” Edna said.

  Mara nodded.

  “The revenants are all dead,” Nick remarked quietly.

  “The family killed them all?” Mara asked.

  He shook his head. “We killed some of them. The rest just collapsed and died.”

  “I guess Alric had no further use for them,” Giovanni remarked. He didn’t say what they were all thinking—Alric could easily make more, if needed.

  “So,” Nick asked, “what’s our next move?”

  “We need to lay Monroe to rest before we do anything else,” Mara said.

  “Where are we going to bury him?” Vince asked.

  “I’m not sure.” Mara glanced around the room. “Ideas?”

  “There’s an old cemetery a few miles from here,” Rafe said. “It hasn’t been used in the last fifty years or so. We can bury him there. The witch, too.”

  “No,” Mara said adamantly. “We’ll cremate the witch.”

  * * *

  An hour later, the family gathered at the cemetery. It was a small place, surrounded by a rusty, wrought-iron fence. Wildflowers and weeds grew in scattered clumps between the headstones.

  Cassie shivered as she watched Derek and Logan dig the grave. James interred the body, and Johnny prayed over the remains.

  They dug another hole outside the cemetery, dropped the witch inside, and set the body on fire. Cassie turned away, sickened by the smell of burning hair and flesh.

  When the flames died out, Vince and Nick filled the grave.

  Silence fell around them.

  “We should go,” Mara suggested after a time.

  Pearl shook her head. “I’m staying with Monroe,” she said, dabbing at her eyes. “I can’t leave him here alone.”

  James and Edna exchanged glances as Pearl returned to Monroe’s grave. “You all go on,” Edna said. “We’ll look after her.”

  One by one, the family hugged Pearl, then moved away from the cemetery.

  “The rest of you might as well go home,” Mara said. “It’s unlikely Alric will try anything else tonight. His witch is dead and he’s badly hurt.”