After Sundown

by Amanda Ashley

  "How long do we have to wait for her to act?" Marisa asked. "I hate waiting, not knowing…"

  "It shouldn't be much longer," Grigori said. "I've felt her in my mind. She knows we are here, and that Duncan is with us. She suspects we are plotting against her. One of her revenants is watching the house even now."

  Revenants. Marisa shuddered.

  "She will be here," Grigori said, and went suddenly still.

  "What is it?" Marisa touched the chain around her neck again. "Grigori…"

  "Damn it, I should have expected this," Grigori said tensely. "Duncan! The front door…"

  The rest of his words were drowned in a splintering crash as the front door exploded inward.

  There was the sound of heavy footsteps, and two huge men burst into the room. Another followed. And another… and another.

  They were all built like football linemen—tall and massive and muscular. They fanned out toward the room's occupants without a word. They moved fast enough, but in a disjointed shamble, mouths slack.

  Their eyes were dead.

  Marisa's stomach churned with fear. She ran across the room toward Grigori without thinking about the silver she wore—until she saw him flinch away. She ducked around behind him—far enough away so the silver would not weaken him.

  By then, two of the revenants were on him, while two more closed in on Duncan. She couldn't see the vampire hunter past their bulky bodies.

  They seized Grigori's arms. Marisa felt him gather his power, felt it crawl along her skin, lift the hairs at her nape.

  With a savage cry of rage, Grigori broke free. He shoved one of the revenants away, and at the same time, he snatched the other to him, his hands folding over the creature's bulky shoulders in an obscene parody of a lover's embrace. Jerking the revenant's head down and to the side, he exposed its muscular, corded neck. The creature he had thrown off was shambling back to the fray, grunting furiously.

  Grigori buried his fangs in his prey's neck and drank deep as the other one laid his hands on him and tried to pry him away from his kill.

  Across the room, one of the creatures blocking her view of Duncan sagged suddenly and collapsed. Eyes glazed with the heat of battle, Duncan coolly planted his foot on its chest and withdrew a bloody stake. But before he could set himself to strike again, the second creature drove him to his knees with a clumsy roundhouse blow.

  Marisa shrieked as a huge hairy arm circled her waist and lifted her off her feet. The grip tightened relentlessly, cutting off her breath.

  "Grigori!" She gasped his name.

  He flung his prey aside, spun out of the grasp of the second, and was at her side in the blink of an eye. She couldn't see what he was doing behind her, but the revenant's arm fell away and he dropped heavily to the floor.

  Duncan was up again, struggling with one of the attackers. She scrambled toward the wall and turned, her mind reeling, her nostrils filling with the scent of blood.

  A stake was raised in the air, the end dripping blood.

  It took her what seemed like forever to realize it was not wielded by Duncan, but by one of the revenants. And that it was aimed at Grigori's back as he battled the creature who had seized her.

  Shadows blurred across her vision, moving fast.

  And suddenly Ramsey was there, his grip locked on the wrist of the revenant who held the stake. Kelly was there, too, struggling with the creature who had almost bested Duncan.

  Marisa watched with horrified fascination as Ramsey looped his free arm around the revenant's neck and snapped it with one powerful stroke.

  Kelly screamed as the monster she had attacked broke her left arm and hurled her to the floor. Ramsey immediately launched himself at the creature. Duncan grabbed a stake from the table and tossed it to Ramsey, who drove it through the revenant's heart.

  The room stank of blood and fear and violent death.

  The surviving revenants pressed their attack, utterly oblivious to the fate of their fellows.

  And then, Khira was there.

  Her triumphant laughter filled the room. "Sorry I'm late, children. I had to wait until Ramsey and his little trollop came out of hiding."

  Like a whirlwind, she spun through them. A single blow sent Duncan flying across the room. He slammed into a wall and slid to the floor, boneless as a rag doll. A revenant turned and plodded toward him.

  Khira backhanded Ramsey out of her path and grabbed Kelly. Snatching her upright, she curled her fingers into hooked claws and raked them down the girl's body, opening a great, gaping wound from shoulder to thigh. With a scream, Kelly collapsed to the floor.

  Ramsey almost reached Khira, but she spun away, flying at Grigori. A revenant was bending over Kelly, a stake in his hamlike fist. Ramsey spared only a glance for Grigori before lifting the revenant high and breaking its back over his knee.

  Khira stalked toward Grigori, her eyes blazing with the anger and jealousy of two hundred years. She waved her hand toward the table, and the remaining stakes went up in flame.

  Whimpering softly, Kelly curled in on herself, her body lying in a pool of her own blood. Marisa wondered if Kelly, being a new vampire, possessed the resilience to overcome her wounds on her own. Ramsey fell to his knees beside Kelly, his face stricken. Over in the corner, Duncan and the last revenant wearily hammered at each like two tired prizefighters.

  Marisa stood transfixed, unable to move. They were going to die, all of them.

  Khira's gaze burned into Grigori. "Have you nothing to say to me?" she asked with a sneer. "No last words?"

  Marisa wrapped her arms around herself. She was trembling all over from what she had seen, from what she knew was coming. She could feel Khira's power growing stronger by the moment, could feel it pushing against Grigori, could feel Grigori's power pushing back. He had fed well, but so had Khira. How many people had died this night to strengthen her? How many more would die when there was no one left to thwart her?

  It was a silent, deadly battle. Khira reeled backward as Grigori's power pierced her own, but only for a moment. Slowly she lifted her arms, drew them together over her head, her eyes burning, burning, as she gathered all her power and focused it on Grigori.

  He groaned low in his throat as pain engulfed him. "Ramsey…"

  Khira whirled and waved her hand at Ramsey, who had started toward Grigori. Her power wrapped around him and flung him back against the wall. He lay there, trapped in the web of her power, unable to move.

  And then she turned to Grigori once more. "It did not have to end like this," she said. Her power slashed at him like a whip, driving him to his knees. "And now, because of you, they will all die, your woman last of all."

  "No." The word was torn from his throat.

  "Yes. I will drain her of every drop. Think of that while you writhe in hell."

  "Marisa…" He gasped her name as white-hot pain splintered through every fiber of his being.

  Marisa stared at him, tears coursing down her cheeks. They had underestimated Khira's strength. All this time, she had been toying with them, playing with them, letting them think they had a chance against her, but it no longer mattered, Marisa thought dully. If she was to die, so be it. Without Grigori, she had nothing to live for.

  She glanced at Ramsey, helpless in the clutch of Khira's power, at Duncan, who seemed to be holding his own against the last revenant, at Kelly, lying in a pool of blood, at the dead creatures who had once been men, their lives destroyed because of Khira's jealousy. She looked at Grigori, writhing in agony because he was too fine and decent to run away and leave the city at Khira's mercy. And she was suddenly ashamed of her cowardice. People had died, were dying. Grigori was in agony. If she was to die, she would die fighting!

  Before she realized what she was doing, before she had time to talk herself out of it, she grabbed the dagger from the table and plunged it to the hilt into Khira's back.

  The vampire screamed, a high-pitched wail of pain and rage and disbelief that echoed off the walls and reecho
ed in Marisa's mind.

  Slowly, so slowly, Khira turned, her face a mask of agony, her eyes ablaze with hatred. She stood there for stretched seconds, her power shrinking around her.

  "You!" The word hissed from her lips.

  Marisa took a step backward, but there was no need. The life went out of Khira like an extinguished flame and she fell slowly, gracefully to the floor.

  There was a moment of complete and utter silence. And then, as if they had all been released from some sorcerer's spell, they all moved at once. Ramsey scooped Kelly into his arms and carried her to the sofa, murmuring that everything would be all right.

  With a final uppercut, Duncan slammed his last antagonist back against the wall. The revenant went down, hard. Lips drawn back in a grimace, Duncan jerked a stake from the body of another revenant and plunged it into the heart of the creature lying at his feet.

  Marisa knelt beside Grigori. "Are you all right?"

  He started to slip his arm around her waist, then jerked his hand away. Marisa frowned at him and then, realizing the problem, she removed the silver she was wearing and tossed it aside. With a wry grin, Grigori slipped one arm around her waist and hugged her tight. She could feel him trembling as the last of Khira's power floated away like smoke in the wind.

  "How's your hand?"

  He lifted it and showed it to her. There was an ugly red welt where his skin had touched her bracelet. She pressed a kiss to his palm. "I'm sorry."

  "Well," Duncan said, his voice filled with exuberance as he took in the destruction all around them. "We did it!"

  Grigori stood up, drawing Marisa with him. "We didn't do a damn thing," he said, his gaze resting on Khira's body. "Three vampyres and a first-class hunter, and it was a mortal woman who brought Khira down."

  Grigori looked at Marisa, his eyes shining with love. "My woman."

  With Khira's death, all the furious energy and pounding fear bled out of the corpse-strewn room.

  Marisa stared at the hilt of the dagger, protruding like a silver crucifix from Khira's back. She had thought she might faint when she felt the dagger pierce the vampire's flesh. Then she thought she might be violently ill. Her pulse raced; there was a pressure in her temples.

  "Is she really dead?"

  "Oh, yeah," Duncan said, grinning. "She's definitely dead."

  Marisa shook her head, unable to believe she had done such a thing. A wave of relief, sickening in its intensity, swept over her, followed by disbelief. She had never, ever imagined herself capable of killing.

  Grigori's arms enfolded her gently. A distant part of her mind noted that his usually powerful muscles were trembling weakly. His battle with Khira and the revenants had cost him dearly. She leaned into him, shaking all over.

  "It had to be done, cara, "he murmured, reading her thoughts. "You saved my life. You saved us all."

  On the couch, Ramsey huddled protectively over Kelly as she fed from his wrist. Remarkably, her broken arm had already mended; the horrible wounds on her slender body had stopped bleeding and were starting to close. But she was pale and weak. Ramsey's eyes were closed and his jaw set. Marisa realized that Kelly, in her need, could drain him.

  She looked over at Duncan, who met her gaze and grinned.

  "You did it," he said. "By damn, you did it!"

  "We all did it," Marisa murmured. "And now I need you to do something."

  "Sure, kid. I'll dispose of all this carrion; trust me." His gesture included the twisted bodies.

  "Not that," Marisa said.

  "Just tell me what you want," Duncan said. "And consider it done."

  "Ramsey needs to feed."

  Duncan stared at her. "What?"

  "He needs blood to replace what he's giving Kelly. He's not strong enough to hunt."

  "You want me to…" Duncan looked at Ramsey, then back at Marisa. "This is carrying friendship a little too far, don't you think?"

  "No," Marisa said.

  "Why can't you do it?" Duncan glanced at Grigori. "You're used to it."

  She felt Grigori stir, and put a restraining arm on his trembling shoulder. "Yes," she agreed calmly, "I am. But Grigori needs to feed, too. You have no idea what it cost him to hold Khira at bay until I could… could…"

  "Okay, okay, you convinced me," Duncan grumbled. But he picked up a vial of holy water as he moved toward the couch.

  Ramsey opened his eyes to watch him come. His eyes darkened with alarm. Grigori tensed.

  "Relax," the vampire hunter said. "A little insurance, that's all. Friend or no friend, you aren't turning me into a damned bloodsucker." He sat down on the sofa, his expression wary. "But you owe me big-time for this, Ed, and don't you forget it."

  Marisa tugged on Grigori's arm. "Let's go upstairs."

  He followed her up the stairs and into their bedroom without argument and closed and locked the door behind them.

  Marisa looked at him, one brow raised.

  "Duncan's still a vampyre hunter," he explained quietly. "Ramsey may be willing to put his life in Duncan's hands, but I'm not."

  "You don't think Duncan would try to…"

  "I don't know, but I'm not willing to risk it." He caressed her cheek, his dark eyes smoldering. "I need you, cara," he murmured.

  "I know, love." She sat down on the bed, her head tilted to the side to give him access to her neck. "Take what you need."

  He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. "Not just your blood now, cara mia, but all of you. Your heart, your soul. Your indomitable spirit." His gaze burned into hers. "Your love."

  "You already have them, Grigori. You know that."

  "And will you join your life with mine?" he asked, his voice thick with need and longing. "Forever?"

  She knew what he was asking. She thought briefly of all she would be giving up, then looked deep into his eyes and thought of all she would be gaining. They had faced life, and violent death, together. From this night forward—no, from the night she had first met him— she had known that her life was forever, irrevocably destined to be entwined with his.

  "Yes, Grigori, it's time."

  "You are sure, cara?"

  "I'm sure," she replied, and meant it with every fiber of her being. "I love you."

  "As I love you." His hands clutched her shoulders and he rose over her, his dark eyes glowing. "Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you."

  She closed her eyes, her heart pounding, not with fear but anticipation, as he drew her into his embrace. She felt a brief, sharp prick, followed by a rush of pleasure as she gave her heart and soul into his keeping.

  Chapter 37

  Ramsey woke with the setting sun. Kelly slept beside him, a welcome warmth against his back. Turning over, he drew her into his arms, feeling totally at peace for the first time since the night he had awakened to find himself a newly made vampire.

  A week had passed since the slaughter at Chiavari's house. Kelly had quickly recovered from the horrible wounds Khira had inflicted on her. True to his word, Duncan had disposed of the bodies, then declared he was taking a much-needed vacation.

  Ramsey blew out a sigh. It was still hard to believe that Khira was no longer a threat—that a being so vital, so powerful, one who had lived for hundreds of years, had been brought down by a mere mortal. And a woman, at that.

  But Marisa was mortal no longer. He had known the moment Chiavari brought her across, though he couldn't say exactly how he knew. The words "a disturbance in the Force" had him grinning into the darkness, but that was what it had been like. He had felt the change in her, the shift of preternatural power.

  The night after Khira's death, Chiavari and Marisa had left the city. "On an extended holiday," Chiavari had said. Ramsey couldn't help wondering if he would ever see them again, bemused by the thought that he would miss them. Both of them.

  Kelly stirred in his arms. "You're very quiet," she remarked, dropping a kiss on his forearm. "What are you thinking about?"

  "Something that's been in the back of my mind f
or a couple of weeks."

  "Oh?" She turned over onto her side to face him. "What?"

  "We need to be prepared in case some other vampire decides to go on a rampage. For all her wicked ways, Khira never left any trace of her kills. Another vampire might not be so neat. If the word gets out that vampires really exist…"

  She nodded. There would be panic in the streets, hysteria. In days gone by, the very word "vampire" had been enough to start a panic. And while she didn't think that would happen in this day and age, her mother had always told her, "Better safe than sorry."

  "So," he went on, "I thought maybe I'd set up a school to train vampire hunters. There aren't many of us left, you know."

  "Us?" Kelly asked, looking amused.

  Ramsey grinned. "Once a hunter, always a hunter."

  "Well, it sounds dangerous to me," Kelly said. "What if they decide to hunt us?"

  He gave her a wounded look. "They won't know about us. We'll put Duncan in charge."

  "What makes you think he'd be interested?"

  Ramsey brushed a kiss across her cheek. "We won't know until we ask."

  "What makes you think you can trust him?"

  "I've taken his blood," Ramsey said, his expression sober. "It will be impossible for him to betray me without my knowledge." He kissed the tip of her nose, his hand sliding up and down her rib cage. "What would you think about buying the LaSalle mansion?"

  "Why?"

  "Knowing Khira, I'm pretty sure it's as impregnable as a vampire could make it."

  She smiled up at him. "Suits me. I always wanted a mansion of my own."

  He kissed her again, slowly, seductively, amazed anew that she loved him, that she needed him. Wanted him. Her eyes glowed with the heat of her desire, and he swept her into his arms, silently thanking Grigori for the Dark Gift that had given him forever in the arms of the woman he loved.