Cordelia's stomach churned at the last word. She visualized "customers" descending into torch-lit dungeon cells to sample the human merchandise.
"I doubt it's anything like that. Victorian resort hotels seldom featured dungeons." The warmth in Karl's voice partly tamed her nervous cramps. "Corinne said she found Miranda in an upstairs room."
The drive ended at a sprawling, white structure with a wraparound porch. The former hotel had two main stories plus a third floor with gabled windows in the center and turrets at each corner. "Good grief, it looks like a castle."
"I'm not surprised," Karl said. "Typical of Josef. He always had a tendency to flamboyance." He pulled onto a gravel-surfaced parking pad at the side of the building. Picking up their bags, he motioned Cordelia to precede him up the walk. ::Don't be afraid.:: His words caressed the inside of her head. ::Just stay close to me and speak as little as possible.::
Even with her better-than-average night vision, she could make out little of their surroundings. She glimpsed what looked like gardens and inhaled the fragrance of late-blooming flowers. Vines festooned a trellis next to the wide stairs. The light fixture beside the door was off. But, then, why would nocturnal creatures bother with a porch light? Dim, erratically spaced illumination flickered through the windows. Otherwise the hotel lay wrapped in darkness. A second glance revealed that the windows had multiple small panes, not transparent but almost opaque. Stained glass?
Her knees quivered as she walked up to the porch, and chills crept through the sleeves of her jacket. Karl transferred both bags to one hand and rang the bell, then encircled her waist with his free arm. ::Maintain your shield, remember.:: He slipped into her mind and poured strength into her. She visualized her bubble expanding to merge with his, surround both of them, and repel any invaders.
The door opened. A tall woman of wraithlike pallor and slenderness, with shoulder-length, golden-red hair, arched her eyebrows in surprise at the sight of them. "Karl? Whatever do you want here?" She sounded more amused than offended at his presence. "Josef will be shocked." Her eyes raked over Cordelia. "And you've brought a pet. Is she for sale?" Licking her lips, she ran a fingernail down the side of Cordelia's neck.
Cordelia sizzled with indignation but forced herself to keep her face blank.
Karl pulled her tighter against his side. ::Shields up. Don't let her read you. She's only trying to provoke me.:: "No, just the opposite. It's good to see you, Imogene, but I've come to bargain with Josef."
She led them through an entry hall and waved them into the lobby. A fireplace surrounded by marble scented the air with wood smoke. Candelabra burned on the mantel and the reception counter of polished wood. Persian rugs adorned the shiny hardwood floor. Rich crimson, arabesque wallpaper lured Cordelia's eyes into its labyrinthine pattern. Wing-backed couches and armchairs were scattered around, accompanied by marble-topped, claw-footed tables. With no light source except the candles and the hearth, she couldn't make out details in the far corners of the room. The building definitely had electricity, for the air conditioner blasted a cold draft that made her glad for her jacket. Why no lamps, then?
Karl telepathically answered the unspoken question. ::Atmosphere. Besides, we don't need or enjoy bright artificial light.::
"I'll ask him to come down," Imogene said. "Make yourselves comfortable. Would you care for some refreshment?" She scanned Cordelia again. "No, I suppose not. You already have what you need. How appetizing." Her tongue flicked like a snake's.
::Are we supposed to put up with that?::
Karl replied, ::She hasn't overstepped the bounds of courtesy yet.::
He guided Cordelia to a love seat near the fireplace, while Imogene disappeared up a broad, curving marble staircase. "I don't believe this," Cordelia murmured. "Air conditioning and a fire at the same time?"
Karl shrugged. "A compromise between atmosphere and comfort." He put his arm around her. She focused on merging her psychic barrier with his.
A man descended the stairs so smoothly and quietly he seemed to glide. Striding over to them, he greeted Karl with a minuscule bow. "It actually is you. I almost suspected Imogene of joking. I had no idea you even knew about the existence of my modest establishment."
Like the other vampires Cordelia had met so far, he was taller than the human average. Even if she'd stood, he would have loomed over her. He wore his ebony hair tied into a ponytail with a black ribbon. Above his violet eyes, bristling eyebrows almost met over the bridge of his nose. "So this is your new pet?" He ran a tapered finger over the back of her hand.
The chill of his touch made her skin quiver. She couldn't restrain herself from clutching Karl's arm with her other hand.
"Yes, Josef, she belongs to me, and she isn't for sale. I came to negotiate with you on another matter."
Josef pulled up a chair and sat opposite them. "I'm surprised you'd lower yourself to deal with me on any terms. Don't you disapprove of the venture I'm conducting here?"
"Do you find it so unbelievable that my attitude could mellow over the years?"
"As soft on ephemerals as you are? I confess I have trouble visualizing such a change."
"Oh, I don't approve of this place. I still find the idea of a blood farm distasteful. But it's not my job to police your ethics. As long as you aren't endangering our species, it's none of my business." If she hadn't known better, Cordelia would have found his dismissive tone convincing. "I've heard rumors about the high quality of your merchandise. I've also heard you might be willing to sell a donor."
Josef arched his thick brows and steepled his fingers. "Now, why in the name of all dark powers would you want to buy one, given your philosophy? Especially since you own an obviously healthy pet already?" He leaned forward, baring his teeth.
Only Karl's warm mental embrace stopped Cordelia's pulse from stuttering with fear.
"That's precisely my motive. I don't want to risk Cordelia's health by placing heavy demands on her body." He skimmed his fingers caressingly over her cheek. She blushed at the sensation that rippled through her. "I'd like to acquire a secondary donor to share the burden of my needs. Naturally, I want someone she can get along with harmoniously."
"You intend to give your pet veto power over your choice?" Josef shook his head with a mocking smile. "No, your views haven't changed."
"I assume you screen your donors thoroughly for physical health and pliant character. Purchasing one from you struck me as more efficient than a random search."
"Buying a human blood source doesn't disturb that inconvenient conscience of yours?" He pronounced the word "conscience" with a tinge of contempt, as if it meant "deformity."
"Look at it this way," Karl said. "I'm performing an altruistic deed by liberating one of your victims."
Josef laughed. "Good enough. If you find one that appeals to you, and we can come to mutually agreeable terms, I'll sell. Too bad you're not here to trade, though." Standing, he leaned over Cordelia and touched her chin with one pointed fingernail.
Her stomach roiled. Karl tightened his arm around her and growled deep in his chest. Josef bared his teeth in a silent snarl that reminded her of a tiger, despite the absence of visible fangs. The air between them thrummed with hostility.
Seconds later, Josef stepped back and arranged his face in a mockery of a genial smile. "Never mind. Whatever you think of my conduct, I don't poach on others' property. I'll let you inspect my stable tonight. Imogene will show you to a room where you can rest for the day."
Imogene appeared from an adjacent hallway, as if she'd been listening for that cue. After Josef left the room, the tightness in Cordelia's chest eased. Karl removed his arm from around her to hold her hand instead. Since Imogene seemed less threatening than the master of the house, Cordelia ventured a question. "Where is everybody? The other donors, I mean."
"We've trained them to keep nocturnal hours. It's more convenient for all concerned." She led them along the corridor to a kitchen outfitted with industrial-scale, stainless
steel appliances.
Karl scanned the room. "Josef spent a considerable amount of money on equipment he didn't need."
"We didn't want the contractors who did the renovation to ask awkward questions. Besides, we do have to feed our livestock." She opened the refrigerator to display juice, yogurt, and canned protein shakes. A bowl on the counter held apples and bananas. "For dinner and midnight meals, we have a supply of frozen entrees delivered by a caterer. Josef also requires the donors to take vitamin supplements. You see, we're careful to keep them healthy."
Karl snagged a chocolate drink from the refrigerator and handed it to Cordelia, along with an apple. "She's right, you must keep up your strength." His smile verged on a leer.
::Feeding the livestock?:: She concentrated on not letting her irritation leak past the boundaries of her shield.
::That's how Imogene expects me to act. And I would want you well nourished in any case.::
Still following the vampire woman's lead, they returned to the lobby and walked up the broad, curved staircase to the second floor and through a labyrinth of halls. Each had different colored wallpaper and carpeting, all in deep, vibrant tones, from scarlet through royal purple, turquoise, forest green, and gold. Gaslight glowed from wall sconces with glass chimneys whose hues matched the walls and rugs.
Cordelia groped for an elusive memory of something the color scheme brought to mind. ::Oh, yeah, the palace in Poe's "Masque of the Red Death."::
Karl's telepathic voice dryly commented, ::How much more ostentatious could they get, not to mention clichéd?::
When Imogene ushered them into a bedroom, they found its decor echoed the Victorian theme of the lobby. The dressers and four-poster, king-size bed were made of dark wood. Burgundy drapes, carpet, and bedspread reflected the rose and crimson tones of the stained glass windowpanes. After Imogene lit a pair of candles and left the two of them alone, Karl said, "I have to admit the window style has a useful function. It prevents discomfort from sunlight without needing the curtains closed all day." He encompassed the spacious room in a sweeping gesture. "But who'd want to spend more than a night or two in a pseudo-Gothic den of iniquity?"
"Oh, I don't know," Cordelia said. "The stained glass may be a little over the top, but I think the candles are kind of romantic. Not that I want to get romantic with you," she hastened to add, dropping her voice when Karl gave her a warning frown.
::Vampires have superhuman hearing. If you'd rather speak than use telepathy, very well, but keep it to a whisper.::
"This overdone stage-setting," he went on aloud, "is just the kind of thing Josef would design to appeal to younger vampires who've absorbed human clichés about our kind. It's mostly the younger ones who'd seek out a place like this and bother paying for donors. Older vampires would laugh at the melodrama. Atmosphere does add to the satisfaction of feeding, but there are limits."
In a barely audible voice, she said, "The way Josef acted gave me the creeps."
Karl grasped her shoulders with almost painful force. "I will never allow him to violate you."
Her pulse raced at his touch. The predictable response verged on humiliating. "If you hadn't promised to care for our family, wouldn't you take the very same attitude toward human beings? Or, rather, livestock?"
He wrapped her in his arms so that his heart thudded under her ear. With his lips brushing the top of her head, he whispered, "We aren't human. You can't expect us to think or feel as you do. But I would never see you as a lesser being." He released her and stepped back, exhaling a labored breath. "You'd better rest. We'll be expected to stay awake during the night."
She fumbled in her overnight bag to avoid meeting his eyes. "There's only one bed."
"Of course, what did you expect?" Again, he spoke so quietly she had to strain to hear. "Don't worry, I'll fall into daylight dormancy soon after sunrise. We've often been mistaken for dead in that state, so you can count on undisturbed sleep."
"You always spend the day in a coma?"
"Suspended animation, more accurately, and I can stay awake if necessary. There's no reason for that today. Josef accepted our reason for being here. We should be safe."
"I wish we didn't have to wait until tonight to find Randy."
"Patience. As I told you, we can't risk arousing suspicion by rushing the transaction."
She considered sleeping in her clothes but decided to choose comfort and trust Karl's word. She did keep her panties on under the sleep shirt decorated with kittens that she'd packed. After they'd taken turns washing up, Karl folded down the covers and lay faceup on the satin sheets. He wore black silk jogging shorts. Cordelia suspected he'd kept on that much to spare her from embarrassment.
She ran her palm over the pillowcase. "Talk about luxury." Lying as far over on her side of the mattress as possible, she turned away from him and folded her knees up to her chest with the top sheet pulled up to her shoulders.
With a soft chuckle, he said, "If I hungered for you, do you think a layer of cloth would stop me?"
With his thoughts unshielded, she sensed affection as well as humor in the question. She also felt a twinge of the hunger he mentioned. Her own body echoed it. "You said I didn't have anything to worry about. I'm holding you to that."
"This situation feels strange to me, too. I haven't shared a bed with a human female since Lydia died." Sadness shadowed the words.
Cordelia felt an irrational impulse to roll over and offer him a hug for comfort. Any such gesture would lead to more than comfort, though. Better leave him alone to sink into his daylight coma. She wasn't sure which sounded worse, lying beside one of the living dead all day or fending off erotic advances from him. Furthermore, she wasn't sure whether or not to feel disappointment when he didn't make those advances. Within a few minutes, fatigue overcame anxiety, and she sank into sleep.
Chapter 8
* * *
She floated up from a sensual dream whose details faded the instant she woke, leaving only a rosy mist. A pair of eyes glinted in the shadows above her.
Her breath caught in her throat. "Karl? What are you doing?"
He reclined on one elbow, staring down at her. "Watching you." He brushed her earlobe and curled a lock of her hair around one finger.
She tried to ignore the shiver down her spine and the acceleration of her pulse. "You're supposed to be dead to the world." A glance at the green numbers on the bedside clock showed it was a little after five in the morning.
"It's not quite day, and I couldn't sleep yet." He spoke in a barely audible whisper.
Recalling what he'd said about vampires' keen hearing, she did the same. "Why not? I can't believe you're worrying about Randy the way I am."
With a drowsy smile, he said, "I'm concerned, but not enough to disturb my rest. You're keeping me awake. I can't stop thinking about the taste of your blood." His fingertips wandered to the hollow of her throat. “And the sharing--the way you exploded with passion. If I tried to sleep, I would dream of that, and our kind hardly ever dream." He nuzzled her hair to whisper still more softly. “Think of how a restless day would exhaust me and interfere with my ability to protect you."
"So it's my duty to give you another taste?"
The amusement in his mind echoed hers. "Liebling, I crave more than a taste. I want to drive you to ecstasy and drink deeply of your pleasure."
His thirst made her feel hollow inside, too. She tilted her head in silent invitation.
The moment his tongue swirled over the tender skin of her neck, his desire reverberated through her. Her nipples tingled. As if he sensed that response--but of course he did; he sensed everything she felt--he fondled her breasts until she had to bite her lips to keep from moaning aloud.
"Herzliebchen," he murmured. "I can't wait."
When he pierced her throat, his need flooded over her. She poured herself into him as he probed inside her panties and unerringly found the spot where she burned for him most urgently. She clung to him, submerged in the whirlpool of hi
s delirium.
::I'm drowning in him.:: A thread of panic shivered through the thrill that possessed her.
::And I in you.:: She sensed he could barely form coherent words. ::Don't be afraid, my own.::
She did cry out then. Together they spiraled to stratospheric heights and spun down to a still point where she found herself embracing him with his head on her breast.
When the aftershocks faded, she flushed as she realized how she'd abandoned all inhibitions. "Suppose they heard us?"
Rolling onto his side and bringing her with him, he laughed softly. "That's what they'd expect us to do. Think of it as part of the masquerade."
"Except it wasn't an act." She trailed her fingers down his chest.
Hissing, he caught her hand. "Ah, Liebling, what are you doing to me?"
* * * *
When she blushed, the blood suffusing her skin almost tempted him to taste her once more. Almost. That last sip had sated his hunger for now. No matter how her scent and aura tantalized him, he wouldn't risk weakening her with overindulgence.
To his astonishment, a different need welled up inside him. A tightness in his loins echoed the warmth that still flooded hers. He skimmed down her sides and reached under her nightshirt to stroke her thighs. The tiny hairs in his palms bristled at the contact, shooting jolts of electricity through his nerves.
"What I'm doing to you?" she murmured, tormenting him with the play of her fingers on his chest. "You did it to me. I'm the helpless victim here."
"Helpless?" He chuckled and guided her hand to his growing erection. Her clasp impelled him to thrust into that welcome heat. Her aura darkened to a deeper crimson as her body mirrored the thrill she roused in him. "This is not supposed to happen."
"Why not?" Her hips rocked in harmony with his movements, even though they touched only with hands and minds.
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