by Jenna Black
At least one thing had gone right—Camille had swallowed the story about Gabriel being responsible. Ian smiled secretly to himself. Gabriel was going to die at Camille’s hands. How Ian wished he could be there to see it!
“What do we do now?” one of the fledglings asked, and they all looked at him with blank eyes.
“Don’t pester me,” he muttered, sweeping them all with a look that had each of them hanging his head. He’d picked his fledglings carefully. Camille had made a dreadful mistake in transforming a man of his intelligence and expecting him to bow to her will at all times. He refused to make the same mistake.
Yes, he’d learned much from his maker, and his fledglings were too stupid—and too scared of him—to challenge him in anything. Now, all he had to do was use his hard-earned education to bury her. Because he was not about to settle for being the Master of Nowheresville. No, only Baltimore would do.
The farmhouse had been the perfect hideout, up until now. Only thirty minutes outside of Baltimore, it afforded him easy access to the city while being far enough away that Camille and Gabriel knew nothing of it. He’d visited regularly, bringing food for his fledglings while he trained their powers.
The property had been abandoned for years, the house crumbling from neglect, on its way to being reclaimed by nature. None of the neighboring houses was close enough for anyone to hear the screams.
One of Ian’s favorite games had been to release a mortal in the darkened house and let his fledglings hunt it down. In headlong flight, one of those mortals had actually fallen through the floor and into the basement. She’d broken her ankle in the process, making her easy prey. Now, his fledglings liked to herd mortals to that hole in the floor—covered by a rug—so they could enjoy the despair of their trapped victim. Even now, Ian could hear the muffled sobs of the hitchhiker they’d caught earlier.
As perfect as the house was for hiding a dozen fledgling vampires, it was not a place Ian himself would like to live. He preferred more creature comforts. And fewer creatures. He wrinkled his nose. The house stank of bat guano, and had no electricity or running water.
No, before he figured out what to do about Camille and Gabriel, he had to find a more comfortable base of operations. One that couldn’t be traced to him, for if Gabriel managed to survive, he’d surely come hunting for Ian.
Surveying his remaining fledglings once more, Ian’s eyes came to rest on Tommy Monroe. Tommy seemed to shrink in on himself, trying to hide in plain sight. Not an easy thing to do when you were an overweight linebacker. He’d only been a junior in high school when Ian had taken him, but he was most definitely big for his age. Ian smiled.
“If I remember rightly,” he said, “your house is only two miles from here.”
Tommy swallowed and nodded.
“It’s just your mom and sister there now, right?”
Tommy’s eyes widened. If he’d been mortal, his face would have paled. “Please don’t …”
Ian waved off his concern. “Killing them would do me no good. The house would go on the market and someone else would move in. But if I convert them, I bet they’d be overjoyed to let me live there.” It was perfect. The house would still be under the Monroes’ names, but with them as his fledglings, he could take over the place. He could even send them to live in the farmhouse with their son while he lived in comfort. Besides, Tommy’s big sister was quite a tempting morsel, if memory served. And if Tommy objected to what Ian planned to do to her … There were plenty of other muscle-bound dimwits available for the taking.
Tommy looked less than thrilled with the idea of Ian transforming his family. But though he was basically dumb as a post, he wasn’t dumb enough to argue with his master.
“I think I’ll take care of it tonight,” Ian announced, happy to have at least one problem taken care of.
“Can I come with you?” Tommy asked. “Maybe they’d be less scared if …” His voice trailed off.
If the ignoramus thought Ian wanted his victims less scared, Ian wouldn’t correct him. “I was thinking of letting you have one of the little tidbits in the basement, but if you’d rather come with me, you can.” Ian hadn’t had a chance to play with the girl yet, but he’d already thoroughly enjoyed the street punk he’d brought from the city last night. The punk had thought he was tough. Ian had taught him differently. There was probably enough blood left in him for Tommy.
The mere suggestion that he might feed brought Tommy’s fangs down with lightning speed. He tongued them, still getting used to their feel. Then his eyes drifted to the gaping hole in the living room floor just across the hall. The hitchhiker had stopped crying, giving in to despair. No doubt Tommy would inspire her to more tears before he was through with her fellow prisoner.
“You can do whatever you want to the boy,” Ian said. “But the girl is mine—no biting, no fucking. Not until I’ve had her.”
Tommy’s head bobbed up and down in a vigorous nod. Ian made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and Tommy forgot all about his dear family in his hurry to have his meal.
GABRIEL’S OFFER SEEMED TO echo in the room, though that was surely Jules’s imagination. With Gabriel’s help, catching Ian and killing him would actually be possible. Oh, it was a wicked, evil temptation Gabriel was offering!
“It might take us a while to catch him,” Gabriel continued, “but he’s too stupid to elude us for long.”
Ian was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. He’d graduated from Penn summa cum laude, although just because he was intellectually gifted didn’t mean he had any street smarts. After all, what kind of moron would let someone like Camille turn him into a vampire? Ian must have thought that becoming a vampire would magically transform him into something other than a pathetic loser. Not even the transformation could work that kind of miracle.
Apparently, Jules was silent too long, for Hannah spoke up, looking at him with narrowed eyes. “Tell me you’re not actually considering this.”
Even if he weren’t considering it, he wouldn’t say so in front of Gabriel. Somehow, he didn’t think good ol’ Gabe would take too kindly to refusal.
Jules met Hannah’s reproachful gaze. “I could probably track Ian down eventually without Gabriel’s help, but what would I do then? He’s already proven he can overpower me, and it’s not like I can sneak up on him.”
Gabriel’s smile was sly in the extreme. “I, however, would have no trouble with him. And I’d be happy to hold him still while you killed him as slowly as you liked.”
The glow in Gabriel’s eyes was not a pleasant sight at all. It was all Jules could do not to shudder. “I’d settle for a quick, clean kill.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “After what he did to you?” His tone and the knowing look in his eye suggested he knew exactly what Ian had done. Humiliation flooded him, and he fought the urge to look away.
Gabriel laughed. “I persuaded him to tell me all about his little adventure in Philadelphia when he returned to the fold. I never did like the little weasel. Always looking for someone else to blame for his fuck-ups.”
Yes, that was Ian all right, and Jules had paid dearly for not recognizing it.
“Would it please you to know I believe turnabout is fair play? Though I like to think I’ve refined his technique.”
Jules’s gorge rose. No, that didn’t please him one bit. Because he heard the unspoken threat behind the words. If he had fed any time in the last couple of days, he might have had to make a quick dash to the bathroom. As it was he had to close his eyes and swallow hard to force the sudden nausea away.
Hannah put a hand on his arm, offering silent support. Of course, with Hannah, the support rarely stayed silent for long.
“What are you two talking about?” she asked. “What did Ian do?”
Jules opened his eyes, pleading with his gaze for Gabriel to keep his mouth shut. Gabriel inclined his head slightly in acquiescence.
“You’ll have to ask Jules,” he said. Then the moment of sympathy vanishe
d as if it were never there. “So, what say you? Do we have a deal?”
“You give me Ian first, and let it be a clean kill, and you have a deal.” He heard Hannah’s outraged gasp, but ignored her.
Another raised eyebrow from Gabriel. “You would betray your friends so you can have your revenge?”
Of course not, but he hoped Gabriel believed he would. To that end, he couldn’t sound too eager. He clenched his fists at his sides. “I don’t want to. The Guardians are good people, for the most part, and they don’t deserve to die for Eli’s flaws. But since you can force the information out of me anyway, I might as well get something for it.”
Gabriel’s nod suggested he was buying it. “A very pragmatic approach. And, of course, it’s Eli I want, not your Guardians. I won’t kill them unless they make it necessary.”
“Jules?” Hannah asked, and she sounded strangely uncertain. “Tell me you aren’t really going to do this.”
He turned his coldest stare on her. Maybe, just maybe, if she believed him a traitor, she’d get the hell out of Baltimore. Away from Gabriel, and Camille, and all the other dangers that lurked here. She’d hate him for it, but that couldn’t be helped.
“I don’t have a choice,” he said.
“Bullshit! You can’t just roll over like this!” She looked like she wanted to deck him.
Jules felt like the slimiest bastard ever to walk the planet. “You don’t get to be a hundred years old without learning to accept some of the more distasteful realities of life. Like you’ve got to play the cards you’ve been dealt. If you want to help, run back to Philly and warn them what’s coming.” He turned to Gabriel. “You’ll let her go, won’t you? You strike me as the sort who wouldn’t mind facing a challenge.”
“She can warn them I’m coming,” Gabriel agreed. “It won’t do them a bit of good.”
“We’ll see.”
Tears spilled down Hannah’s cheeks unheeded. Her pain was almost more than Jules could bear, but he maintained his stoic expression. Later, after she was gone, he would deal with his own pain that she would believe this of him so easily.
“Go home, Hannah,” he urged. “Warn them. But leave now, while I still have business to discuss with Gabriel and he can’t chase after you.”
Hannah’s eyes hardened and she swiped away the tears. “You lousy, despicable, asshole! I can’t believe I dragged myself down here to look after you. I can’t believe I saved your life. And I can’t believe I—”
Her cheeks were already red with anger, but Jules had no doubt if they hadn’t been, she would have blushed. Turning her back on him, she snatched her duffle bag off the floor, not even bothering to pack any of her personal belongings.
She came to stand within about a foot of him, looking him up and down with utter contempt. “You make me sick!”
She punctuated that little gem with a sharp kick in the shin. He clenched his teeth against the pain but made no effort to defend himself, either from her words or her dangerous hands and feet.
With a last shake of her head, she turned her back on him and stormed out the door.
16
“WELL, THAT WAS QUITE dramatic,” Gabriel said with a sardonic grin.
“I’m so glad we entertained you. Now, where’s Ian?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Jules gaped at him. “You don’t know? That’s going to make it hard for you to give him to me, don’t you think?” Somehow, he’d assumed Gabriel had some idea where Ian was hiding, and it was just a matter of catching him.
“I said I don’t know yet. I’ll find him.”
“If Camille doesn’t find you first, you mean.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, but though Jules’s jibe obviously angered him, it was impossible to miss the hint of pain beneath the anger. “Remember, Guardian, I don’t have to give you anything in return for your information. I could drag the information I want out of you by force. You would beg me to kill you before I was done.”
Hannah seemed to be able to goad Gabriel with impunity, but Jules obviously lacked the knack. “I was just pointing out a fact of life. She’s gunning for you now, and she’s older than you.”
“She’ll come to her senses.” He didn’t sound terribly convinced. “I’ve just got to give her some time to think it through. I tried to tell her Ian was behind this, but she thinks I’ve killed him so he could be my scapegoat. I’ll avoid her for now, but if we have to fight over this, she’ll be in for a rude surprise.”
The world would be a better place if Camille and Gabriel fought to the death, no matter who won. But it would be paradise on earth if Ian died first.
“How will you find Ian?” Jules asked. “For all you know, he’s three states away by now.”
Gabriel shook his head. “He wants to be the Master of Baltimore. He won’t go far. If I were him, I’d start picking off Camille’s other fledglings. Take away her support system.”
That made sense. And in truth, Jules didn’t believe Ian would have run away. Not after all he’d obviously put into trying to take over the city. According to Drake, five fledglings had died last night, but that still left Ian with seven. That they knew of. With Camille and Gabriel now at each other’s throats, Ian had to feel some sense of hope.
“So you’ll start monitoring Camille’s fledglings?” Jules asked.
Gabriel nodded. “Ian will come for them, or will at least send his fledglings for them if he’s too cowardly to come himself. When I catch one, he will tell me where Ian is hiding.”
Jules pitied the poor fool Gabriel captured. “I suppose that’s it, then. Will you want my help surveilling?”
“No.” He smiled one of his unpleasant smiles. “I wouldn’t want anything happening to you before I’ve had a chance to question you.”
Jules couldn’t say he was disappointed. The less time he spent in Gabriel’s company, the better.
Gabriel pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his jeans pocket, then held it out to Jules.
“What’s this?” Jules asked.
“I thought you might prefer to stay somewhere other than the Roach Motel. This place is quiet and discreet, and far enough out of the way that no one should accidentally stumble across you. We frequently hunt this particular neighborhood, so it’s not a good hiding place.”
Jules felt like an idiot. The worst neighborhoods always made the best vampire hunting grounds. Much easier to make someone disappear here without arousing anyone’s attention. He should have considered that before parking himself here. Not that he was thrilled with the idea of staying in a hotel Gabriel suggested.
He must have hesitated a little too long.
“Don’t be difficult,” Gabriel said. “If I don’t know where you are, how am I going to tell you when I’ve found Ian?”
“Right,” Jules agreed with a grimace. He took the paper from Gabriel’s hand.
“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you,” Gabriel said.
The feeling was far from mutual, but Jules wasn’t about to voice that thought. Gabriel paused in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob.
“By the way. In case you’re lying to me and considering fleeing to Philadelphia, I thought you should know I’ll be keeping an eye on you. If you run, you die. Slowly. Understand?”
Jules nodded tightly, and Gabriel slipped out the door.
HANNAH WAS NEARING THE I-95 on-ramp, tears still blurring her vision, when it struck her what an idiot she was being. She pulled into a convenience store parking lot and shut off the car, leaning her forehead against the steering wheel and taking deep, calming breaths.
Jules had been trying to get rid of her from the moment she’d set foot in Baltimore. And if last night’s escapades had shaken him half as much as they had her, he’d be doubly anxious to be rid of her now. What better way to accomplish his goal than to convince her he was going to put his desire for revenge over the life of his friends?
“Jesus, Hannah. You’re too stupid to live.” She banged her
forehead against the steering wheel. She’d chalk up her gullibility to sheer cowardice. After last night, perhaps she’d been eager to find an excuse to get away.
Still cursing herself, she turned the car around and headed back to the hotel. She was stopped at a red light a block away when she saw Jules exit the hotel, suitcases in hand. Geez! If he’d looked like a tempting target before, right now he was damn near irresistible. Just where did the damn fool think he was going, anyway? She scanned the streets for any sign of Gabriel but didn’t see him. She wasn’t terribly reassured.
The light turned green, and she quickly caught up with Jules. She slowed down to match his pace—which the driver behind her didn’t much like—and lowered the window.
“Need a ride, stranger?” she asked, leaning over the passenger seat so she could see his face.
His groan was drowned out by the horn of the car behind her. There was an empty parking space a couple of yards away. She pulled into it, finally silencing the asshole who’d been leaning on his horn. Jules came to a stop by the open window, shaking his head at her.
“Go home, Hannah.”
“Like hell.” She popped the trunk. “Put your bags away and get in.”
“I make you sick, remember?”
Her face heated but she did her best to brazen it out. “Can I help it if you’re a good actor? Now come on, get in. You don’t want to go this alone.”
He leaned down to put his face to the open window. “I’m most likely going to end up dead before this is all over. And yes, that I very much want to go alone.”
“Tough shit. You’ve dug yourself one hell of a deep hole, and you’re going to need help climbing out of it. Especially if you want to climb out of it without betraying everyone you care about.”
With a grunt of pure frustration, Jules stood up. The car rocked madly when he slammed first one suitcase, then the other into the trunk. She was rather surprised the trunk lid didn’t crumple when he shut it, considering the deafening bang. He closed the car door with similar force. She locked the doors and turned to look at him, but his expression was shuttered.