Courted by the Vampire

by Sandra Sookoo

  “If anyone can do it, you can, bounty hunter.” She hoped her smile relayed a confidence she didn’t feel. “Let’s go crash a party.”

  *****

  Andre Valkaret’s grand mansion was located in a wealthy and affluent neighborhood on the north side of Indianapolis. Edwin grunted in annoyance when they were admitted into the house by a uniformed butler. Of course, the demon lord would want to flaunt his wealth. Light streamed from every window, laughter and the low buzz of conversation ebbed and flowed around them, as they stood transfixed in the foyer.

  White tablecloths fluttered in a faint breeze from ceiling fans and each intimate round tabletop supported candle-filled globes of blown glass. The tables littered a vast expanse of black marble that made up the foyer. Crowds of people mingled through the space, wineglasses of the finest crystal in their hands.

  “He overcompensates for other things in his life.” He glanced at Hannah, dismayed at her look of awe and envy. “Do not be misled by outside trappings.”

  “Where does someone like Andre get the money needed to retain a home this large?” She turned a slow circle, her eyes shining at each new luxury she took in.

  Soft strains from one of Beethoven’s symphonies drifted over the sound of conversation from the small five-piece orchestra that sat on one side of the room.

  Edwin shrugged and accepted two glasses of champagne from a circulating waiter. “Who knows what a person can accumulate once he sells his soul to the highest bidder.” He pressed one of the glasses into her hand then touched his flute to hers. “To our future.” His chest tightened when she smiled. He sent up a quick prayer to whatever deity listened that they would make it out alive.

  “Here, here.”

  He constantly watched the people in the crowd, evaluating, searching for potential problems. “Andre is not in attendance, at least not in the immediate area.”

  “He isn’t on the upstairs level either.” Xavier sauntered into their space. “However, there is a third floor currently restricted by two rather burly gentlemen who guard the stairs.”

  Edwin lifted his flute in a salute to the newly arrived werewolf. “I wondered when you would show yourself.”

  A sardonic smile draped Xavier’s lips. Dressed in a tuxedo like every other man at the party, his fashion sense set him apart by the fact he sported an ivory waistcoat and bowtie. A red rose bud reposed in his lapel while a black fedora completed the ensemble.

  Admiration evident on Hannah’s face, she grinned. “Good evening, Xavier.”

  “Ah Hannah, a vision, an angel. My evening is now complete.” He kissed her hand then bowed. “It’s too bad we meet again under such dire circumstances.”

  Obviously, he has learned nothing from our past meetings. Edwin cleared his throat in warning. “You came unaccompanied?”

  “I did. No other woman can compare to yours.”

  When he bristled, she laughed then linked her arm through his. “I must be the luckiest woman in the room tonight, being paid compliments by the pair of you.”

  “While your assessment of Hannah’s appearance is flawless, I am troubled our quarry has not yet made an appearance.” Edwin shot a glare at the werewolf. Hannah, I would appreciate if you would end your association with Xavier.

  He’s not a threat. You own my heart, all of it. There’s not a piece left to give to anyone else.

  Xavier desires you. He— The thoughts stopped abruptly when she shut him out of her mind.

  “Save it for the talk shows, Snookums.” She linked her other arm with Xavier’s and ushered them through the crowd. “Let’s keep the conversation on the task at hand, hmm? Do either one of you know where Duncan is being held?”

  He stiffened at the use of the banned nickname. “I have no idea. Andre’s home is massive.” He glanced at Xavier. “Should we run a recon-mission?” Anticipation flared in his gut. He had been inactive for too long and the thrill of the hunt beckoned.

  Xavier shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt. Why wait for Andre to come to us? We could flush him out, and if we locate your friend in the process then it will be our lucky day.”

  Edwin nodded. “Hannah, please stay on the lower level until we get back. I do not anticipate Andre will do anything dire with all of these party goers in the way. We will only be gone for fifteen minutes at the most.”

  She dropped their arms as if they both had caught fire. “Are you kidding me? What happened to our partnership?” She glared at them. “I can’t believe you, Edwin.”

  “I do not discard our partnership. I simply ask that you to stay here.” He stifled a grin when she sneezed from the champagne bubbles. At least you did not announce our presence with a wayward bit of magic.

  Oh, you pick now to develop your sense of humor?

  Why did females have to make everything so difficult?

  “Ah, angel, if you were mine, I would allow you to do whatever you pleased.” Xavier bestowed a suggestive smile on her that was not lost on him.

  “You push the bounds of friendship.” Edwin curled his hands into fists as he moved a step closer to Hannah.

  “Both of you knock it off.” She elbowed the werewolf in the ribs then glowered at Edwin. “Do you even have half an inkling of how sexist this is?”

  Edwin rolled his eyes to the heavens. “Please do not go into your equal rights for women act.” This time, the look he exchanged with Xavier was one of patience.

  “So you’re gonna go traipsing off to fight some imagined foe like a testosterone crazed super hero?” She planted her hands on her hips. “What the hell kind of logic is that? Why do you always want to leave me behind? What good is it to be an Enhancer if I can’t put that power into play? Why can’t you accept the fact that I can help you if you’d ever remove the stick up your butt and let me?”

  He blinked in surprise at the high octaves she achieved the more upset she grew. “I can assure you I have nothing lodged in the region of my anatomy you mentioned.” He gritted his teeth when Xavier howled with laughter.

  “Why do you have to be so literal all the time?” She poked a forefinger into his chest. “I’m coming with you.”

  “I cannot allow it.” His mouth settled into a hard line.

  “I refuse to accept that. I demand a reason!” Her chest heaved as she stared him down, eyes flashing green fire, twin spots of color splashed on her cheeks.

  “Because…” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, suddenly uncomfortable.

  “Because what?” The challenge in her voice was unmistakable.

  “I cannot lose you again, Hannah. I am not strong enough.” He swallowed past the lump of fear in his throat and felt drained as if the admission took the whole of his energy. “Without you I am nothing.”

  She gaped at him for the space of a few heartbeats as the party guests ebbed and flowed around them. “Oh.” Scale-spanning emotion flooded through his mind as they reflected on her face. Hannah threw herself into his arms and kissed him, nearly knocking all reason from his being with the force of her embrace. “That’s a good reason.”

  They gazed at each other, until Xavier cleared his throat. “You are one lucky bastard, Mason.”

  Edwin grinned in response, supremely satisfied with his life. “Your assessment is correct.” He brushed his fingers along the curve of Hannah’s cheek, reveling in the softness of her skin. Even now, as they teetered on the threshold of a fight, his groin stirred in response to her. With regret, he blocked the sexual energy. “Stay out of trouble, please. I will be back.”

  He patted her hand then he followed Xavier into the crowd.

  *****

  Hannah blinked at the empty space they formerly occupied. There was no way she would sit around and wait for his annoying self. She wasn’t exactly cut out to loiter docilely by the fire for her man to come home from work at the end of the day.

  Moving steadily through the throngs of people, she made it to the edge of the room to better assess the situation. Xavier mentioned the third floor was u
nder heavy guard, which meant that was most likely where the menagerie was hidden. The hired goons would surely be alerted if all three of them showed up.

  She’d investigate the lower level by herself.

  Branching off the foyer were two corridors, framed by elaborate arches of dark wood. She chose the one on the left. It appeared to lead to the back of the house, only used by the kitchen and wait staff. As she accepted another glass of champagne, she wove her way through the happy, buzzed guests, and then paused under the arch. Unoccupied but well-lit, glass boxes of artifacts and period clothing lined the corridor. As the crowds built and swelled, she prodded Edwin’s mind, desperate for information.

  Edwin?

  I am busy now, Hannah. Is there an emergency?

  No, I just wanted to tell you I’m bored and am going to explore one of the halls off the foyer. It looks like a display area.

  Very well. Be vigilant.

  Teal swirls of excitement flitted across her mind’s eye. She frowned. Either he fought with the guards or he had found something of interest. She only hoped another supernatural sex goddess wasn’t hitting on him.

  You’d better be knocking the crap out of an ogre. I’m not in the mood to wrestle you away from a hormonal paranormal.

  Sipping the bubbly wine, Hannah proceeded down the hall, intrigued with the museum pieces. Exquisite coral beadwork found in a tomb in Egypt, small statuary taken from a Roman temple, gold pieces that once belonged to the Aztec Empire, a robe found in Israel that reportedly belonged to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Anger tempered her wonder. Did Andre buy these items on the black market or from another collector? She turned away from the display case. It didn’t really matter how he acquired the objects. They should be in a museum for the general population to see and enjoy.

  Continuing down the corridor, she glared at the display cases. A gown worn by a famous dancer, a cowboy hat purportedly autographed by a movie star legend, veils from Scheherazade, one of Cinderella’s glass slippers.

  Where in the world did the man come up with this stuff?

  A closed door of carved oak ended the hall. She tried the knob, annoyed when it wouldn’t turn. Whatever was stored on the other side must be more valuable than the artifacts she had just seen. “If you want to hide something, do it in plain sight.”

  Frowning, she set her empty glass on the floor then slipped Winifred’s antique key out of her tiny evening bag. A quick glance around still showed an empty hallway. Hannah smiled. “You’ll have to try harder than this, demon lord.” She fit it into the lock, thrilling at the perfect fit as it turned. The heavy door swung open to reveal another long hall and this one had no display cases.

  Her stomach churned with anxiety. Why lock this part of the house if there wasn’t anything to keep safe behind the door? She tried to push into Edwin’s mind but ran up against a very thick gray wall of resistance. Why did he block her? Had something happened to him?

  Uneasiness prickled her skin. Should she go back, wait for Edwin in the foyer like he asked? The slamming of the oaken door answered her unvoiced question. Hannah frantically scrabbled for the doorknob but there was none on her side. Crap!

  Her footsteps echoed eerily in the empty gray hallway. The dim lights and harsh walls provided no insight to what awaited her on this side of the door. She shivered and drew her evening wrap more tightly around her shoulders. The warm safety of the foyer seemed like a lifetime ago.

  Another door waited at the end of the hall. Hannah paused just before the oaken panel. Power exuded behind it. Dark, evil, and raw. A shiver wracked her body. She pressed her back against the wall. She couldn’t go back, but didn’t want to go forward. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm. She hadn’t opened the door but could feel the dark power reaching out to her.

  Edwin?

  Silence stretched into oblivion, as she stood motionless in the empty hallway. Nothing but ominous gray stretched through her mind. Edwin and Xavier most likely had walked right into a trap. Andre had deliberately separated her from her protectors. She was alone. That thought shook her soul. Cold spikes of dread chilled her skin and froze her blood. Andre’s hunt for her would end soon.

  Hannah…

  She pushed her fear to a far corner of her mind as she waited for another prompt. Concentrating hard on Edwin’s presence, she tried to strengthen her connection to him. Terror clogged her throat. She could barely feel him in her mind. Edwin, where are you? Are you hurt? What’s happening?

  Her attempt to keep the panic from her consciousness failed. An agonizing eternity passed before the vampire spoke again.

  We were overcome by Andre’s men. They were waiting for us. The room contained only boxes. I have been… detained… and Xavier is gone…

  She frowned. Gone? Did that mean the werewolf was not in the room or no longer in this world? Where are they holding you? I’m stuck in a hallway. Beyond this door is something I’d rather not see alone. Something dark, something evil.

  Navy blue clouds darted through her mind, signaling Edwin’s despair. I am chained to the wall of a cell. Whatever you do, Hannah, please be careful. I will help you when I can get free.

  Edwin?

  No answer. He had closed his mind.

  “Damn!” She smacked the wall with her palm.

  Tamping down the ugly knot of fear, Hannah put one hand on the doorknob. Her fingers tingled at the power that emanated behind the door. She had three objectives: find and free Edwin, locate and disable Andre, and remain alive while trying to snoop around to find Duncan’s hiding place. She groaned and once again wished she’d stayed in the foyer. Guilt coated her stomach when she thought of Edwin. She owed it to him to do this. She owed it to herself to finish it.

  Clutching the tiny evening bag, she took some small comfort that at least she wasn’t really alone. Her fairy friends were with her, and before the night was over, they’d probably see a fair share of the action. She inhaled deeply, expelled the breath through her teeth.

  She ignored her fear and pushed open the door then stood at the threshold to the beginning of the end.

  Chapter Twenty

  A spacious room greeted her. Running the length of the house, it gave off an air of anticipation, as if the building itself waited for something to happen.

  Highly polished hardwood floors gleamed under soft recessed lighting high above in the fifteen-foot ceilings. Quaint, cozy groupings of two or three wingback chairs dotted the edges of the cavernous space. Green shaded accountant lamps on low tables provided dim light for reading or conversation, but what caught and held Hannah’s attention was the rows and rows of display cases. She couldn’t be sure since they were all draped with heavy black velvet sheets. Perhaps Andre intended to unveil them for his guests.

  The door slammed shut behind her and the sound echoed in the vast chamber. The knot in her stomach grew. She needed to find Edwin, to escape.

  Now.

  Light winked off panels of glass at the back of the room. Display cases?

  Another quick glance around the room didn’t reveal guards of any sort. She slunk along the walls until she gained the relatively anonymous veil of the darkened rear of the room. They were display cases! But where was Edwin being held?

  Stretching out her free hand, she concentrated, stared at her palm until a blue flame materialized. At least now she could see. With a brief stop in front of each case, she illuminated the dark interiors, noting with trepidation their empty status.

  The power exuding through the room tickled her nose and she sneezed.

  Hundreds of tissues floated gently through the air like abstract paper ghosts. If Andre hadn’t been alerted to her presence before, he certainly would be now. Stifling the hysterical laughter that threatened, she smiled as the white pieces drift slowly down to the floor, draping over the furniture with soft sighs. As a sharp pain prickled behind her left eye, she winced. This time it receded as quickly as it came.

  Voices echoed at the far side of the room. Hannah spun around
, shrinking into the shadows. Annoyed at herself for not finding Edwin, she opened her evening bag and softly called forth the four fairies. They shot out of the small clutch in a shower of multi-colored sparks. Expectant faces looked back at her, and a tremor of fear tingled at the base of her spine when the footsteps drew nearer.

  “Damn.” She glanced over her shoulder, glad for the moment to be alone. “Listen, folks, I’ve got a job for you. I need you to locate the bounty hunter. He’s being held hostage somewhere, and I don’t have time to search for him right now.” She dug Winifred’s brass key out of her bag then handed it to Roosevelt. Hannah grinned as he struggled with the weight of the piece. “So far it only opened a door. Maybe it will also unlock the chains that bind Edwin.”

  The voices grew louder, echoing off the walls as if underwater. Her stomach churned and bubbled with unease. “Quickly now! I don’t want Andre to capture you too.”

  “What’s in it for me?” Narcissa asked. A pout wrinkled her face. She glanced at her fellow fairies and stuck a hand on her hip. “If we help you, what will you do for us?”

  Hannah gritted her teeth at the cruel waste of time. “If you help me now I promise to unbind you forever. You can go wherever you want.”

  “A promise from a human isn’t worth very much, but I’ll take it.”

  Narcissa lifted off from the floor, leaving the others to stare at Hannah in confusion.

  “What?”

  “We don’t want to leave you. We were having a good time where we were.” This from Shakespeare. He fingered his slingshot. “Some of us don’t like to be on our own.”