Vanse said nothing, but gazed at her. Even though the connection was dormant, they could not hide their emotions and thoughts from each other. If he had his way, she'd never leave.
"I'll leave after the ceremony tomorrow."
"As you wish," he said, and left.
Tatya waited outside St. Raphael’s church for Corwin and his wife, Winona. Without Aunt Lil and Sean, they were the closest she had to family. She came to honor Deputy Bellamy, and offer her support. Changing Sky sent two star quilts and his condolences. He had to leave on urgent business and regretted he could not attend.
Winter was breathing down the neck of the town, and a cold wind whipped the dried brown leaves into a wild dance. She shivered and raised the collar of the black wool coat provided by Vanse, closing it tight around her neck. He'd thoughtfully provided a mourning outfit for her of black trousers, a cashmere sweater, and leather boots.
The local newspaper gave the gas leak one paragraph at the bottom of page five—Bryson's people possessed a long reach. The funeral service was attended only by the families of those who'd died. They would never be given the real reasons for the deaths of their loved ones.
Tatya, Corwin, and Winona were the last to enter the church. A profusion of white lilies filled the oversized vases lining the altar, and magnificent wreaths adorned each of the twenty-five coffins. The military had organized the funerals, and they'd been generous.
Tatya felt numb as the priest spoke poignantly of the departed, and she remained silent as the choir purified the atmosphere with hymns. Keeping her emotions locked under a tight rein was the only way she would get through this. If she sang, the floodgates would open.
After the slow, dignified walk to the cemetery, and Aunt Lil's and Sean's coffins were lowered into the ground side by side, she offered earth and flowers to her dead. She didn't care that Sean's coffin didn't contain his body. He'd died a vampire and their bodies, even those of new vamps, disintegrated soon after death. This was where she would honor his memory.
"Give me a few moments."
"Sure," Corwin said. "I'll just drop Winona home and come back for you."
Winona embraced Tatya. "Anything you need, let us know. We're here for you."
"I know. Thank you. It means a lot."
Tatya remained by the graves, staring down at the coffins, her heart still numb. A reception to honor the families of the dead was being held in the adjoining church hall, but she wasn't attending. She had no desire to socialize or hear sympathetic platitudes; she only wanted to remember the love and happiness she'd shared with these two souls. Organizing the headstones would be top of the list when she returned.
The link sparked. She looked up and saw Vanse, wearing the man's version of her coat, walking toward her. He'd been absent from the funeral service.
"How are you?"
"I've buried my family. For the second time." At least after the first time, she'd not been alone.
"You're not alone, Tatya."
"Get out of my head," she said, but the words were hollow, without force. She was too detached for her words to have any bite. She heard the low growl of Corwin's car as he drove up and parked at the cemetery entrance. It was time to leave.
"How long will you be away?" Vanse asked, his voice neutral, his control as rigid as hers.
"As long as it takes."
"I'll wait that long then. I've been waiting a long time already." A small smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.
She gave him a sharp look. Was that a joke? His golden skin glowed; he was unaffected by the temperature. His dark eyes sparked with gold as the wind blew his hair back from his face. She caught the scent of sandalwood. How had this half-demon, half-vampire lord grown to be part of her life? And what powers did his demon side possess that he’d bestowed on her? At that moment, she was struck by how dependent on him she'd been during the most difficult times. She'd always been so set against his kind she hadn't recognized how familiar, even comfortable, he’d become. The familiarity of lifetimes. "Yeah, well, see you around." She walked over to the car without looking back, opened the passenger door, slid in, and slammed it shut.
"You sure you're ready?" Corwin asked, his fingers tapping the steering wheel.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said
The car pulled away. Tatya stared ahead although the only thing she could see was the look of longing on Vanse's face as she'd left. She knew, without a fraction of doubt, that he would wait, standing where he was without moving, watching till the car disappeared from sight.
THE END
Here are the first two chapters of Book Two in the Kala Trilogy. I hope you enjoy the beginning of the next stage in Tatya’s epic thrilling journey.
Vampire’s Bane©
By
Teagan Kearney
Chapter One: Starting Over
Angelus's demon heat seared her wrists where he pinned her to the ground, his legs on top of hers, immobilized her. Elation dawned in his blue eyes, brilliant with victory as he reinforced their link. He brought his face close and drew back his lips, showing his pearl white, perfect teeth. His fangs emerged, and he bit down on his lower lip.
She stared, mesmerized, as a droplet of dark red blood bloomed. He bent his mouth to hers. She screamed Vanse's name. His was the strongest link, he loved her. Where was he? Angelus's lips touched hers, and the bead of blood sank into her mouth.
Then the voice of another, chasing the nightmare away. “It’s okay, Tatya. It’s over. He’s gone and can never come back.”
And the golden link connecting her to the voice pulsed with reassurance and conviction.
Tatya jerked awake, covered in sweat, her legs entangled in the bedding making it impossible to move. She froze at the sound of footsteps in the corridor till she remembered where she was.
The door opened, and Eva’s tousled blonde head and sleep filled eyes appeared in the doorway. “The same dream?”
She nodded. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”
“No problem. It’s five thirty, and I wanted to be up early anyway. Coffee?”
“That’d be great. You up for a run before I leave?”
“You bet. Let’s see who’ll beat who today.”
They grinned at the old joke.
After pulling on a sweat top and pants, and downing a quick coffee, Tatya followed Eva down the steep cliff path to the beach. The house was in an isolated spot and saw only occasional visits from a few hardcore surfers. The tide was out, and the dampened sand provided a firm surface for their morning jog.
Eva lasted an hour before staggering to a halt, and gasping for breath. “How you do it is beyond me, but I’ve had enough. Don’t stay too long, I’m making pancakes for breakfast.”
Once Eva had left, Tatya let herself go, racing back and forth on the mile-long stretch of white sand for another hour. When she finally tired, she stood for a moment staring out to sea.
Thin gray clouds lay in a line along the horizon, and the pale delicate blue sky hinted at fine weather after yesterday’s spring storm. This morning the water was as peaceful as a sleeping babe, its surface smooth and glasslike, tiny wavelets surging and retreating, sushurring softly on the seaweed and driftwood-strewn beach.
She remembered the recurring nightmare.
She sat with others, young and old, men, women, and children on a beach. They shared a fermented drink laughing, joking, drinking, eyes twinkling, and teeth glinting in celebration. Red-orange flames danced under the bright moonlit solstice sky. The bard stared at her across the fire. He’d seated himself opposite where she couldn’t avoid his gaze. He smiled, his blue eyes hypnotic as dark gold snakes covered in flickering black lines crawled out of his ears, eyes, nose, and mouth and slithered toward her. She turned to Vanse for help, but as she touched his arm, he disintegrated into ash. Then the half-demon, half-vampire grabbed her, and she was back on that ledge fighting for her life.
The memories and dreams never truly left her. Along with the dreams ca
me thoughts of Vanse. Sometimes she dumped her pent-up lifelong hatred of everything vampiric onto him. At other times, when she could scarcely breathe at the thought of being separated from him, she wondered why she was putting herself through the unnecessary torture of staying away. After today, though, whatever problems she faced, this wouldn’t be one of them. Today, she was going home.
To say the relationship between them was complicated was an understatement. Vanse had saved her from the half-demon, half-vampire, Angelus, by giving her his blood, so for a time she’d been connected to both of them. Until she’d killed Angelus. But to keep the demon in hell, she and Vanse needed to stay connected. She could cut him off for short periods, but when either of them thought of the other, the link sparked. Regrettably, she had no power over his thoughts.
She’d miss the sea––its vast unceasing movement and unending changes of color eased her inner restlessness. But she would miss Eva more. They’d been roommates in college, and Eva had offered her shelter and solace while she grieved for the loss of her Aunt Lil and Sean. Tatya laid both deaths at Angelus’s feet; his need for her powers had destroyed the people she loved. She had never been able to confirm it, but her aunt’s illness must have had a psychic origin, with Angelus the most likely culprit. But Aunt Lil hadn’t died from her illness. The monster had orchestrated her death using Sean as his instrument.
An hour later, standing by the truck, Tatya looked around for the final time. The rounded brown hills nearby, the darker purple mountains further away, and as she turned, the dark Prussian blue ocean in the distance. With her heightened senses, she could hear the waves, soft in the background, and she breathed in the fresh salt sea air. Staying here had purified and healed her body and her mind.
“Looking forward to the first road trip in your new baby?” Eva asked, opening the passenger door of the vehicle and dropping Tatya’s bag on the floor.
Tatya had spent a part of her aunt’s inheritance on a brand new shiny black Chevy truck. She’d never owned a new vehicle. Every single one of her previous cars and trucks had been second, third, or even tenth-hand. “I can’t wait to see how it handles. A long drive will give it a chance to stretch its muscles.”
“Be careful, though. Remember that card. You’ve pulled it every single time I’ve done a reading for you.”
Eva was a fortune-teller. A good old-fashioned seer who used a crystal ball, the I Ching, and her specialty, reading Tarot cards, which she’d taught Tatya how to use during her stay. The card she referred to was The Abyss.
The memory of Vanse turning to ash from her dream came to mind. “But you could say there’s danger at every step. You can get killed just crossing the road.”
“In New York or Los Angeles, yeah. But Orleton?”
They laughed
“You haven’t forgotten any of your new outfits, have you?”
One day Eva had surprised her by taken her on a trip to San Francisco’s Uptown Oakland district, dragging her from one shop to another, insisting she needed at least a few smart outfits for the next chapter in her life.
“All packed and ready for those big business meetings I’m bound to have.”
“What time will you arrive in Orleton?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to enjoy the scenery.”
“Drive safe.”
“Come here, you. Thanks. For everything. I mean it. You’re an angel, and I won’t forget. I owe you big time.” She put her arms around Eva and hugged her tight.
Listening to the engine’s smooth purr as she headed for the freeway, she calmed the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She knew why she was nervous. Vanse. She’d put him out of her mind over the winter, while she cried her heart out over the two people she’d lost and mourned their passing. Now she had to return to the land of the living—or in Vanse’s case, the land of the undead.
The link flared, as his emotions, knowing she was returning, poured through the connection, and her body shook with the strength of his feeling.
She slowed down, and summoning her power, she cut the link. A short sharp cut. Her hands and fingertips glowed as she gripped the steering wheel. Good. Eva’s psychic exercises were working. She no longer leaked like a powder keg waiting to blow. She was stronger physically and psychically. He’d caught her unawares, that was all, but she’d be prepared next time. He should know that overwhelming her wouldn’t make any difference to how she felt about him. Sparks would fly and rules would be made clear when they met. Keeping her speed down till her anger calmed, power retreated, and her hands steadied, she fixed her eyes on the ribbon of road ahead. But as she drove, her thoughts kept circling back to the tall dark and handsome vampire.
Vanse had waited centuries for her, but she’d known nothing of this, till knowledge of her past lives had awakened. The trouble was, in her first life she’d loved Vanse, and each time they’d met that love had rekindled. Last autumn, before Vanse halted her transformation, she’d experienced the intense emotions a newbie vamp has for its maker. This was now layered on top of memories of her love for him from the past. Tomorrow she’d be in Orleton, and unable to avoid him. The problem was, despite her protests to the contrary, the thought of seeing him a shiver of anticipation up and down her spine.
Tatya opened the bedroom blinds, flooding the room with bright early morning sun. If she squinted, she could make out a dark line to the southwest, where the land rose in forested slopes. Farther on, was the Glusgap National Forest. Maybe when she got time, she’d drive out that way, do some exploring. She wriggled her toes. Feeling the smooth worn floorboards under her bare feet grounded her, connecting her to this new home. Her intuition had been right. Whoever had lived here had welcomed love in, and it had flourished. Her bedroom, at the rear of the apartment, overlooked a quarter of an acre, which she planned to use for growing herbs. The shop wasn’t near the town’s two up-market shopping blocks, but sat at the southern end of Main Street, right on the edge of Orleton. Those who wanted to buy her specialist teas or needed her healing skills would find her, and be happy they didn’t have to make the trek out of town any more.
The yard had been cleared of the garbage that had littered it when she’d first seen the place, but the well-established weeds would still have to be dug up, roots and all. She’d look into setting up a modern automatic irrigation system when it came time to plant seeds.
Tatya had arrived later than she’d planned yesterday evening. Too tired to do much more than unload her few boxes of clothes, and dump them in the shop, she’d taken her sleeping bag, and slept on the thick piece of foam she’d bought and left last time she was here––it would do till she could buy a new bed.
She decided to go for a run before starting her long list of things to do. Reestablishing the habit at Eva’s had given her a clear head at the start of the day, and she’d resolved to maintain the habit. Kimimela Woods wasn’t far; twenty acres or so of trees and bushes with paths for dog walkers, joggers, and cyclists designed for residents from the nearby exclusive suburbs.
She pulled into a parking space at a less frequented entrance to the woods. She could have chosen the regular access nearer town—but she’d have had to park in St. Raphael’s car park. This would be too near to Vanse’s lair in the hospital basement, and she wasn’t ready to face him yet. She remembered yesterday’s overload, and pushed down on the connection, ensuring it stayed closed. Keeping her mind clear of memories was a challenge, even without the extra stresses brought on by contact with him. Becoming reacquainted with the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the town she’d grown up in was enough for the moment. She’d get around to Vanse when she was good and ready.
She stretched, although she was positive her muscles no longer needed the warm-up, and entered the woods. Ground mist swirled through the aspen and spruce trunks. By the time she’d run her fifth lap, passing the odd dog walker and fellow runner, the kinks, and anxieties about returning to Orleton had eased. She wondered if she could manage to run all d
ay. How far could she push this hybrid body; what were its limits? An idea flickered. Perhaps she’d take up a martial art, judo or something—didn’t the high school run a course in something in the evening? She giggled aloud. Who did she think she’d turned into? Wonder Woman?
Stopping to get her bearings, she realized she’d been too absorbed in her own thoughts and had taken a wrong turn ending up adjacent to the hospital car park. Checking her watch, she realized she’d stayed longer than she intended. The new kitchen was scheduled to arrive this morning. As she turned to retrace her steps, a flash of red caught her eye. Bending and moving aside branches from a low bush at the edge of the track, she peered into the undergrowth. For a second she thought the young woman was asleep—she lay on her back with her arms crossed over her chest, long red-brown hair curling around her shoulders, her expression peaceful. Then gasped as she realized there was no rise and fall of her chest, no air moving in and out of her lungs. She was dead.
Tatya snapped her shields into place, and with her heart drumming faster she took a deep breath and began to scry. Linked to a person’s life force, the aura took around twelve hours to disappear. Here, disintegration seemed to be advanced, and tattered remnants of shredded pale green scraps lingered, bleeding into the ether. Her psychic senses spiked, alarms flashed.
“What’s wrong?” Vanse’s concerned voice quickly broke into her thoughts.
“Nothing,” she snapped, startled by the suddenness of his intrusion.
“Tatya, do you need me?”
She softened. Pushing him away was instinct. “I’m fine.” She didn’t mention the dead woman. Otherwise, he’d be out here in a flash, and working with the sheriff had drummed certain habits into her.
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