by N. R. Walker
“Really? What did I say?” Alec said with a smirk. “I hope it was dirty.”
Eiji barked out a laugh. “You said there can’t be anything wrong with him. That’s what he repeated to us when we were there.”
Alec’s smile died, and he stared at Cronin. “Tell me exactly what you heard.”
Cronin’s brow furrowed. “You said ‘There can’t be anything wrong with you, Cronin.’”
Then in complete unison, they both said, “There just can’t be.”
Now all three vampires stared at Alec. A shiver of fear ran down his spine. “That’s what I said.” He pointed to the sofa. “I sat there, thinking about how Cronin said he felt something wasn’t right, and I said there can’t be anything wrong with him. I said it out loud.”
“Okay, this is getting more absurd,” Jodis said, taking Cronin’s burden of books as well as her own. “We need to start this now.”
“It’s not normal, is it?” Alec asked quietly. “For fated couples to hear each other.”
“When they’re on the other side of the world?” Eiji asked, his eyebrows raised. “Uh, no.”
Alec took a deep breath and looked right into Cronin’s eyes. “We need to find a doctor. One we can pay enough not to say anything.”
Cronin shook his head, confused. “What for?”
“To run tests on my blood,” Alec explained. “Surely they can test trace elements, abnormalities, something. Anything. If it’s my blood that’s doing this, and we all think it is, right?” He didn’t wait for them to answer. “Then it might show something. Or it might show nothing, but at least by process of elimination we’ll know more than we do right now.”
Jodis smiled and gave a nod of approval. “I agree with Alec. It’s a good idea.”
“I know all doctors have patient confidentiality, but I can’t see my family doctor. I’ve known him since I was a boy, and he’s friends with my dad. And now that I’m technically a felon wanted by the NYPD, I can’t ask him to not report me.” Alec shrugged. “So how do we go about finding doctors who’ll do tests but won’t ask questions? The only shady doctors I heard about as a cop are in jail for medical malpractice. I’d rather not have one that’s had their medical license revoked for atrocities toward humans, if that’s okay.”
Eiji grinned. “Leave that to me. Though maybe you could define atrocities toward humans?”
Alec raised one eyebrow at Eiji. “Or animals, Eiji. Preferably not a veterinarian either.”
The smaller Japanese vampire laughed. “Oh Alec, you’re lack of faith disturbs me. Anyway humans pay plastic surgeons good money for atrocities all the time.” He grinned even wider. “But I can assure you, Alec, your family doctor knows more than you think.”
Alec stared at Eiji, as did Cronin. “You know his family doctor?” Cronin asked.
Eiji nodded. “Of course. Alec saw him many times as a child. I needed to be certain the doctor was adequately qualified for Alec to be in his care.”
“You what?” Alec asked.
Eiji rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t have Cronin’s fated one seen to by just anyone.”
* * * *
“The doctor will be here at six tonight,” Kole MacAidan said into the phone.
“Thanks, Dad. See you then.” Alec clicked off the call and threw the cell onto the table. “It’s organized. Though Doctor Benavides thinks the house call is for my dad.”
Jodis and Eiji were in the office going through the books they’d borrowed from the old library in Prague, giving Alec and Cronin some much needed privacy. Cronin put his forehead on Alec’s shoulder and sighed. “I’m sorry you have to go through this,” he murmured.
Alec put his hands to Cronin’s face and lifted it so he would look at him. “It’s not your fault. This isn’t anyone’s fault. It just is what it is. We had no way of knowing my blood would affect you like this. It’s just a routine blood test and a physical.”
Cronin growled again, a low petulant rumble. “What kind of physical?”
It made Alec laugh. “The kind you don’t have to worry about.” Alec looked at his new watch, then out to the beckoning sunrise. The wall of specially filtered glass protected the vampires within, without impeding the spectacular view of the city. “It’s almost bed time,” Alec said. “How about we start on our research before we call it a day.”
Cronin nodded. “Where do you want to start?”
“I was making notes before,” Alec told him. “Sometimes it helps to see the bigger picture when it’s written in front of you.” He found his notebook and read aloud what he’d written, the words Jorge had said.
From his blood comes the sun. Blood from a stone. Stone from a blood. So many questions. Blood from a stone.
Red hand, blue moon, silver river, the earth will come to life. Blood from a stone, stone from blood. He is risen already, as she was risen, the answer is in the stones. Blood from a stone, stone from a blood.
Cronin asked. “What does the key need to do?”
Blue moon, silver river, blood from a stone. You will not find him with your eyes.
Yes, through the key. Through the key.
Red hands in the stones. Forever is in the stones. The key asks different questions, he does. Yes, he does. Red hands in the stones. Forever is in the stones.
Alec was quiet for a moment as he thought it over. “He said the first part earlier. He said my blood comes from the sun when he was talking about the mummified vampires in Egypt. He saw that my blood resurrected Ra and the sun disk, killing all those poor souls. That’s what he called them. He said they didn’t know what they were doing, and he was right. Queen Keket never taught them, never fed them.”
Cronin nodded. “He said it wasn’t their fault. ‘They knew not what they did.’”
“Yes, and I agreed with him. They needed to die, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t their fault. They were a product of their maker.”
Cronin’s black eyes flashed with memory. “And he said ‘It wasn’t the Queen who did wrong.’”
Alec nodded. “I assumed one of his personalities didn’t like the fact that we killed so many vampires.”
“Maybe.” Cronin frowned. “He also said ‘He is risen already, as she was risen.’”
“You think that was about Queen Keket?”
“It’s hard to say for certain,” Cronin answered. “His answers were hardly coherent, but we’d not talked about any other female vampire. Only Keket.”
“’He is risen already, as she was risen.’” Alec repeated. “So whoever is plotting some evil plan this time around is already risen. Risen from the dead? Like a mummified vampire? Or just reborn as a vampire?”
“Risen to power?” Cronin offered. “It could mean anything. Or nothing.”
“Or everything,” Alec said. “And ‘the earth will come to life.’ Is he talking volcanoes, earthquakes? I can’t be fighting natural disasters, for fuck’s sake. Why can’t the kid just work it out in his head before he speaks?”
Cronin laughed. “And which Jorge would you prefer to speak?”
Alec shivered as he remembered. “Preferably not the one with the black eyes.”
Cronin feigned offense. “Is there something about black eyes you don’t like?”
Alec laughed at him. “Your irises are black, yes, not your whole eyeballs. There’s a difference. Yours are a fiery, smoldering black. His were dead, like a shark’s.”
“It is unnerving, yes?”
Alec nodded. “And as unnerving as it is, I think we need to see him again.”
“I believe Jodis has spoken to Eleanor and asked her to visit,” Cronin said. “We shall talk to her first and determine if she has seen anything of this new threat, without the riddles. She might be able to shed some light on Jorge’s words.”
Eleanor was a seer. A vampire with the talent of foresight. Not always accurate, and her visions could change on a whim, depending on decisions made and other outcomes
, whereas Jorge’s visions, although cryptic, were never wrong.
“And if we still need further clarification,” Cronin continued, “then yes, seeing Jorge again makes sense.”
“Maybe he can elaborate about all the stone references,” Alec said. “Do you know what he meant by that?”
“Possibly.”
“And the red hand? Silver river, blue moon. We think we know what blue moon means, but what the hell does the rest of it mean?” Alec shook his head. “I’m too tired to figure this out.”
Cronin took his hand. “Then rest. We can discuss theories after you’ve slept.”
Alec studied Cronin for a long second. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing, I—”
“Bullshit. I can tell.” Alec pulled back his hand, leaned his ass against the dining table, and folded his arms. “Have I not told you everything?”
Cronin sighed. “Alec, I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily. I don’t know if I’m even on the right track. Please don’t be mad at me.”
Alec knew his temper frayed easily when he was tired, and Cronin looked so sad that Alec’s anger melted away. He almost forgot Cronin had experienced some transference of vampiric talents and that was weighing heavy on his mind. He opened his arms and invited Cronin into an embrace. “I’m not mad, but please don’t think I’m some weak human who can’t shoulder this with you.” He cupped his hands to Cronin’s face and kissed him. “Are we not in this together?”
Cronin almost smiled. “We are.”
“Then tell me your theories,” Alec said. “Tell me what you think Jorge was referring to about the stones.”
“It wasn’t the stones that concerned me,” Cronin said. “It was the comment on the red hand.”
Alec tried for some cryptic skew. “Some sort of communist mentality? There is the Irish reference to the red hand of Ulster. Could that be what he means? It’s some Irish psychopath this time?”
Suddenly Jodis and Eiji were in the room, looking at them, clearly interested in their theories. “The Irish?”
Cronin simply shook his head. “I don’t think so. The only vampire reference to a red hand I recall belonged to a vampire that lived eight hundred years ago. He also happened to live in the area now experiencing human disappearances.”
“Who was it?” Alec asked.
Both Jodis and Eiji answered in unison. “Genghis Khan.”
CHAPTER SIX
“Genghis Khan?” Alec repeated. “As in the Genghis Khan, who ruled over Asia, China, and Europe? That Genghis Khan?”
Cronin nodded. “He claimed territories from as far east as Korea right across into Europe. He had faction covens, or generals as he called them, who claimed territories in his name for over a hundred years. It was an unprecedented carnage.”
“Worse than the Black Plague?” Alec asked. He’d discovered a few months before that the Black Plague wasn’t a plague as historians would have us believe, but a rogue coven of vampires who almost wiped out Europe in the 1300s.
“Much worse,” Jodis said. “Millions of people died, Alec. Millions.”
“And not just humans,” Eiji added. “Any vampire who dared question his motive or authority met their fate also.”
“You think it’s him?” Jodis asked Cronin. She looked concerned now; her blue eyes swam with worry. “But how?”
“That, I don’t know,” Cronin answered. “That’s what I need to research. Jorge said he is risen already, and there have been reports of human disappearances in China and, more than likely, Mongolia. For us to hear reports or any news from these regions means it must be worse than they’re letting on. And Kennard heard of southern Russian covens fleeing north.” Cronin took a deep breath. “It makes geographical sense.”
Alec pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly. “Genghis fucking Khan. Jesus Christ, you’re serious aren’t you?”
Cronin took his hand, making Alec look at him. “You should rest, Alec. You are tired.”
Alec snorted. “You expect me to sleep now? And how would I ask the three hundred questions I have if I’m asleep?”
Cronin gave him a small smile. “I presumed you’d have questions.”
“Um, yes. First one: how the hell was Genghis Khan a vampire and no one knows about it? And who else was a vampire that I should know about, over the course of fucking-ever?”
Eiji laughed. “I do love the way you ask questions, Alec.”
“Genghis Khan was a human boy named Temüjin,” Cronin said. “It is believed a nomadic vampire slew Temüjin’s village, including his father, the chief. When he was about eighteen, he was bitten but not killed.”
“He gave himself an appointed title of Khan,” Eiji said.
“Meaning ruler or king?” Alec asked. “I remember reading about him in high school. He was responsible for the Silk Road, postal services, communication, and currency, right?”
“He was responsible for a lot of things,” Cronin said darkly.
“Did any of you guys meet him back then?” Alec asked.
The three vampires shook their heads, but it was Cronin who spoke. “No, we were not elders at that time.”
Alec nodded. “Right. Because it was before the Black Plague attack that took out your elders.”
Jodis nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay,” Alec nodded, finally getting his head around the absurdity of it all. “So what do you think he wants? What’s the point of his return? And more importantly, how did he die the first time? If he was killed once, then we can kill him again, yes?”
“I don’t know yet what he wants, or to what his return means. But do you mean how will the key bring an end to him?” Cronin asked rhetorically. “That’s what I want to know also. That is what we need to find out.”
Alec let his head fall back and he sighed loudly at the ceiling. “Who else is there?” Alec asked again. “Which other famous or infamous person throughout history am I likely to have to kill again? I mean, how many more are there? How long do I have to keep doing this?”
Cronin was quick to stand in front of him. He cradled Alec’s face so gently, with so much love, it took Alec’s breath away. He kissed Alec’s cheeks, his eyelids, before pulling him against his chest. “I hate when you feel anguish, m’cridhe, for I feel it too.”
Alec’s voice was muffled by Cronin’s shirt. “How am I supposed to fight this one?”
“We will figure this out together, Alec,” Cronin whispered, kissing the side of his head. “You are not some weak human who has to shoulder this alone. Is that not what you said?” He kissed Alec softly. “I am forever by your side.”
“As are we,” Jodis said.
Finally, Alec smiled. “Just like the musketeers, huh? All for one and one for all.”
Cronin pulled back a little so he could see Alec’s face. “They weren’t vampires.”
“What about King Arthur?” Alec asked. Joking about it seemed to help with the overwhelming feeling. “Elvis?”
Eiji laughed. “No, and the rumors of Robin Hood are not true.”
Jodis joined in. “No, he never wore that ridiculous hat.”
Alec chuckled. “Let me guess, Santa Claus was a vampire who could leap. It would explain the ability to visit every child in the world in one night.”
“I’m not sure a vampire would be inclined to give children gifts,” Eiji said.
“No,” Cronin agreed. “There’s more truth in the legend of the Pied Piper than Santa Claus.”
“The Pied Piper from the Nursery Rhyme?” Alec asked.
Jodis made a thoughtful face. “Yes. Don’t discredit rhymes for children. There is often warning within each one.”
“Oh, Jesus.”
Cronin twisted his lips into a smile. He shook his head. “No. He wasn’t one.”
Jodis laughed. “The Pied Piper lived in Hamelin, Germany. This particular vampire preferred the blood of children. One hundred and thirty child
ren, to be exact.”
Alec’s mouth fell open. “Children?”
“Yes,” Cronin said quietly. “It is not an ethical practice, even for vampires, and he was brought to trial and executed in 1284.”
“There was also Whitechapel,” Eiji said. This time Cronin and Jodis both sighed.
“Whitechapel?” Alec clarified. “The Whitechapel murders? As in Jack the Ripper?”
Cronin nodded. “He was a particularly troubled vampire. He thought himself uncatchable.”
“They never did catch him,” Alec said. “Did they?”
“Not the police, no,” Jodis said with an amused smile. “Kennard had the pleasure of putting an end to that little show.”
Alec shook his head and puffed out a breath. “Jack the freakin’ Ripper was a vampire?”
“Oh, yes,” Cronin said. “Think about it, all crimes took place at night, the throats were cut to obscure bite marks. Though he liked to splash around in the blood. He really was rather peculiar.”
Splash around in the blood? Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis all seemed to find that amusing, but Alec didn’t. He put his hand up in a stop motion. “Yeah, okay that’s enough. I don’t think I need to know anymore.” He sighed and looked out across the view of the city. It was now well and truly daytime. “I need to go to bed.”
Alec only felt Cronin’s arms slide around him before they were leaping. He landed on his back on Cronin’s bed, with Cronin on top of him. “I could have walked from the living room,” Alec said, unable to stop the smile.
“I know,” Cronin replied. A soft purr became a low growl as he ran his nose along Alec’s neck.
Then Jodis called out, “No feeding from Alec.”
Cronin huffed out a frustrated growl, and Eiji laughed from three rooms away. Alec chuckled as well. “Shall we test your self-control?” he asked, biting his bottom lip. “Because I’m pretty sure you can fuck me and not bite me.”
Cronin tore Alec’s shirt from his body, making Alec laugh again. “I take it that’s a yes.”
* * * *
Cronin stayed beside Alec in bed, both of them still naked, and watched Alec as he slept. He’d never imagined in all of his years that he’d have this. Not just a bedfellow, but his fated lover. Someone who was half of him, who filled his very heart and soul, who encompassed every thought.
