by Judith Post
“How long were you with him?”
“For too long—five centuries. He took me near the beginning of the Dark Ages, and I stayed with him until the last of my bloodline died in 968."
"You chose to stay with him?"
"Vlad always threatened to drain my family if I left him. He'd bring some miserable human to our cave and drink him in front of me, then say, 'This could be your mother if you ever leave me.' Or my father, or brother, or two sisters—whichever took his fancy that day. As long as I stayed with him, I kept them safe, but when the last one died—a great, great grandniece of someone's, he lost control over me, and he knew it. He watched every move I made. Once I escaped, he hunted me. He's been after me ever since.”
“How long can you stay in one place before he finds you?”
“That depends on how many vampires live in the area. He always lets them know that he’s looking for me. Mid-sized cities seem to work best. I'm safer there."
"Not huge cities like New York or Hong Kong?"
"Too many vampires."
"What about the wilderness?"
"I almost got caught there, no place to hide when they spot you. I thought small towns would be good, but vampires drop in when they want easy pickings.”
“Why are small towns easy?”
“The people feel safe. When someone disappears, they’re shocked.”
“And that’s how the vampires do it? They just take them?”
“Fast food. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Enoch grimaced.
Voronika sighed. “I know you’re a vampire hunter. I know you’re good at your job, but you can’t save me. Vlad will call for as much backup as he thinks he needs. This city will be swamped with vampires.”
“That's what I'm worried about. I think we should leave.”
“We?”
"We'll pack a few things and go to a cabin somewhere with no mortals around. When the vampires come for you, I'll deal with them, and there won't be any human casualties. When Vlad's dust, we can come home."
"What if Caleb comes with Vlad?"
“Caleb doesn’t want a full-scale war between us again.”
“Can you survive them both if they work together?”
“I'll shoot Vlad and anyone he brings with him with the Light. When they're dust, you get out of there. Run. Hide somewhere until Caleb and I are finished. I can’t die. Neither can he. We’re evenly matched. We can grapple for eternity, and neither of us will win. I’m willing to do that, and he knows it. I have staying power. He doesn't.”
“And the thousands of vampires that he’s created—you’re not afraid of them?”
“If they come to me at the same time, it will make my job easier.”
“Because?”
“Of the Light. When I call on it, it floods every corner of every space. If they have you, though, and I use it, you’ll be dust—like them.”
“Then use it." Her voice was husky with emotion. "Use me as bait and kill every single one of them.”
Enoch didn't know if he could do it. He'd lose her. Could he bear that? “If they grab you, and there's too many of them, it could go that way. I hope not, but it could." He'd do everything in his power to make sure that didn't happen. "I can aim the Light, but that only works if there are only a few of them. If I get lucky, though, Vlad will come with a small army and I can destroy all of them at once.”
She frowned at him. "You've never been able to destroy Vlad before?"
He squirmed. "Lots of times."
"But?"
"I couldn't do it." He was weak, he knew it. Vlad was horrible. He should eliminate him no matter what Caleb wanted.
"Because?"
Enoch let out a big breath. "I couldn't do that to Caleb. It's complicated. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me that much either."
"But now?"
He looked directly at her. "If it came between me and Vlad, Caleb would choose Vlad. If it came between you and Caleb, I'd choose you."
Her yellow eyes flickered like flames. “Then I’ll go wherever you pick. I’d be happy taking my chances with you. And if I die, I take Vlad with me.”
"It hurts. They scream."
"I don't care. Vlad will be screaming too."
“I'll tell Danny. He should have enough information to stop his killer. I've given him all the help I can."
"What if this guy gets Maggie? He almost got Marie, even with you guarding her. We should stay in Three Rivers until Danny catches him."
"No, the sooner we leave, the better—for everybody.”
She shook her head. "But you think he'll strike soon, don't you? Even if we stay here a few more days, we can run once you've helped Danny, and Vlad will follow us."
"I don't want Vlad in Three Rivers. Vlad fights dirty. He'll hide behind humans."
She stopped and took a quick breath. "Danny! You're worried he'll take Danny, aren't you?"
"You know Vlad. What do you think?"
"We need to leave."
Enoch pushed himself off the bed. "It's settled then. We have a plan. Get some sleep. We'll pack a few things and get out of here tonight.”
"Enoch?" He turned to her. "Thank you… for everything."
"You're worth it." He closed the door behind him and gave a deep sigh. After he lost Grace in a previous lifetime, he swore he'd never love again. He couldn't stand the pain. But damn, he'd already fallen hard for Voronika. Vampires were known for their habit of play, don't stay. There was no till death do us part for them—they were already dead. But he didn't want to lose Voronika, ever.
Chapter 32
Maggie finished mopping the kitchen floor and went to find Danny. He was on his knees, rinsing out the bathtub. She tipped her head to the side and watched him. Over six feet tall with broad shoulders and leg muscles that strained his slacks, he looked like a cop—imposing and authoritative. She didn't expect him to pitch in with housework.
He turned off the faucet and noticed her. "Did you come to inspect my job?"
She felt a blush rise up her neck to stain her cheeks. "No, why would I do that? I appreciate your help."
He laughed. "My mom always doubled checked our chores. She didn't trust us." A grin. "For good reason."
"You must have given her a hard time."
"We were no match for Mom. By the time she got done talking to us, we always knew we were guilty. Wish I were that good in the interrogation room." He pushed himself to his feet, towering over her. "Are we finished? Ready to go to the store?"
"Let me get my list."
He followed her to the kitchen. "This sounds serious."
"It is. Party supplies. My friends aren't light eaters." She pulled on her winter coat and wrapped a red scarf, her favorite color, around her neck. "Let's go."
Danny pushed a cart up and down store aisles while Maggie tossed food into it—brats, dips and chips, lots of hamburger and cans of Manwich. "Sloppy joes?" he asked.
She grimaced. "They feed a lot of people, and they're easy."
"I love them."
"Really?" She bit her bottom lip. "Why don't you stay for the party? You can meet my friends and eat free food."
"Have you been talking to Enoch?"
She looked surprised. "No, why?"
"My friend thinks I can be easily bought." He watched the light bulb go on over her head.
She laughed. "My mom always told me that the way to a man's heart…"
"…is through his stomach." Danny nodded. "She might be right."
They were walking to the check out lanes when Maggie stopped at the bouquets of flowers. "I think I'll splurge. They'll look pretty on the kitchen table." She was reaching for a bundle of daisies when a man reached for them from the opposite side of the display. She frowned at him. How rude, but he only glowered back. She switched to a second cellophane cone of flowers. As the man stalked away, she watched him. "I've seen him somewhere before."
Danny looked too. Medium build, bleached blond hair, an earring looped in his left ear—"No
one I recognize."
Maggie shrugged the incident off. "Let's go. I'd better start cooking. Are you a good sous chef?"
"Excuse me?"
"Did your mom teach you to slice and dice?"
"Just keep it simple. I can peel potatoes and carrots and do a mean relish tray."
She smiled. She liked this man, more than she'd liked anyone for a long time.
Chapter 33
When Enoch was sure that Voronika was asleep, he bundled into his winter coat and went out to the balcony. He was just beginning to concentrate on Caleb's image when his friend appeared—transparent, yet distinct.
“Have you changed your mind?" Caleb asked. "Has Voronika talked some sense into you?"
"You can't really believe that, can you?"
Caleb shrugged. "Is she running then? If she takes off, I'll give her a head start. I'll even distract Vlad for a while, and we'll be back to business as usual. You'll do your thing. I'll do mine."
"You can give us both a head start. Voronika and I are leaving Three Rivers. If you let Vlad know so that he doesn’t come here, things won't get messy between us."
Caleb's image grew more intense. "You're going to run with her?"
"Yes."
"Vlad will still come for her wherever you go."
"Then distract him long enough that he forgets Voronika."
"You don't think I've tried?"
"I won't let anything happen to her."
"And I can't lose Vlad." Caleb's expression grew serious. "You took away Lucifer. Vlad reminds me of him."
"Neither of them are good for you."
Caleb laughed. "Who said anything about good? That's never interested me."
"Then keep Vlad away from us. We'll leave here, get away from mortals, and live our own lives."
"And if Vlad comes for her?"
"Warn him to stay away."
"You know he won't. That's why you're leaving. You're going somewhere to take a stand, somewhere you'll have a better chance of blasting him with the Light."
"And protect Voronika. That's why I'm telling you ahead of time. If he comes, I'll have to destroy him. Then Voronika and I will return here."
"For once, you're not thinking things through, my friend. If you kill Vlad, you kill Voronika."
He had thought of that, but he was hoping Caleb wouldn't. That way, he'd take his threats more seriously. "Voronika would rather die than go back to Vlad. If Vlad comes for her, I'll still kill him. And then I'll return here, alone."
Shots of red sparked through Caleb's aura. "If you like Three Rivers so much, why leave in the first place?"
"Because your favorite has no scruples, no morals. I came to Earth to protect humans. I won't be responsible for bringing packs of vampires into a city. They'll drain people to distract me so that Vlad can grab Voronika, and you know it."
"We have a truce. Vampires aren't allowed to drain mortals unless the world would be better off without them."
"I know that. You know that, but Vlad doesn't follow the rules. He knows he doesn't have to because you'll bail him out."
Caleb paced. His image went back and forth across the balcony. "If I warn him that I'll put him under house arrest for a decade if he sucks a human dry, will that satisfy you?"
"No, he'll just send his followers to do his dirty work."
"I'll ground him if his followers drain someone."
Enoch let out a sigh. "We both know you can't do it. Hell, you don't have enough discipline to keep yourself in line. First Vlad will jolly you up, then he'll pout, and once he sulks, you'll cave in. You always do."
"Vlad made her. She's his."
"He'll have to go through me to claim her."
"You've got it bad, don't you? The love bug bit you hard."
"It could last this time. She's not mortal. She won't die."
"Once you help her, she'll leave you, just like she did Vlad."
"She could. I know that, but you can't make someone love you. You should understand how that is. Does Vlad stay with you?"
Caleb sank onto the balcony railing. Not strong enough for bodies, but sturdy enough for images. "Look, I know things will never be the same between us, not like when we were Home, but I don't want them to get worse."
"You want me to stay out of your business."
Caleb grinned. "That too, but I don't think of us as enemies. I think of us as friends gone awry."
"Awry? Is that what you call it?" Enoch shook his head. "We're on opposite sides on this one. That's why I'm leaving. If innocent mortals get hurt, our truce won't matter. I'll feel responsible, and I'll have to do something about it.”
"Do you always have to be so damned good? So freaking responsible?"
"That's who I am."
"God, don't I know it." Caleb thought a minute. "Then let's make a new agreement. Here's what I propose…"
"You're offering me a deal?"
"It's what I do. I weigh the odds."
"And the house always wins."
"We're not gambling," Caleb pointed out. "I'm taking the bigger risk. The odds are against me this time."
"I doubt that."
"Listen and learn. I won’t guarantee Voronika’s safety—she’s one of us. But I’ll let it be known that any vampire who preys on humans in Three Rivers or any of its neighboring towns will be destroyed by me personally or by one of my generals.”
"That won't stop Vlad."
"But Bart can."
“You'd send Bart?” Enoch had worked with Bart before and many of the other generals Caleb created. He respected them.
“You won't have to fight Vlad's followers. They will.”
"It's still not safe. People will still be in the middle."
"If you leave, you'll make it worse. If I can figure out that you're leaving to protect people, so can Vlad. First, he'll send his converts to play in Three Rivers, then he'll bring people to you. Danny will be the first."
"How do you know about Danny?"
"I'm an angel too, remember? I have my ways."
Enoch knew Caleb was right. That's exactly what Vlad would do. Hell, he wouldn't put it past Vlad to send a bunch of rogues to grab grade school kids at recess time. "If I stay, could I have extra protection for mortals I'm closest to?"
"Why if?"
"It's Voronika's choice too. I promised to protect her. And Danny's. I've put him at risk."
"Voronika will understand why you can't leave. So will your friend."
"If anything happens to Danny…"
“He'll have extra protection. I have lots of generals. I'll send as many as you need. I don’t choose to go it alone.”
“Neither do I, but there aren’t any angels down here for me to call on.”
“Precisely. Where are your friends, your old worship partners from Home who sang praises with you to the One?”
Enoch had wondered that himself, but he wouldn't admit it. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
“While you fight the good fight alone.” Caleb shook his head. “They were always weenies. Always will be. What does that say about their concern for mortals?”
“You know the rules. Free choice. None of us were supposed to interfere.”
“More rules. You’re tied and gagged by them. At least you have some backbone. I appreciate your efforts and integrity, so I’ll promise that I’ll punish any vampires who break my rules in Three Rivers. In fact, I’ll include the entire northeast corner of Indiana.”
“You don’t need to do that. There’s no reason to put yourself in danger.”
Caleb grinned. “Oh, but there is. I know you, old friend. If your Danny gets hurt, you’ll come here and pin me for a millennium until your temper cools."
"So tell Bart to protect him, but don't make an angel's promise."
Caleb sighed. "How could anyone explain us? We've been adversaries for millennia, and we still don't wish each other harm. I'm touched. You don’t want me to drop into the Pit and be punished for eternity?”
<
br /> “No, I don’t.” How stupid was that? But Enoch still hoped—against any evidence that it might happen—that someday, somehow, Caleb would return Home with him.
“You have an odd sense of loyalty, but I admire it. I can’t guarantee your friend’s safety. What I can guarantee, though, is that any vampire who hurts him or anyone else in your city will suffer the consequences from this time forth.”
“Including Vlad?”
“Him too.”
“And if Vlad comes for Voronika and we meet?”
“He’ll have to fight fair—no human shields. Even Vlad understands the rules of an angel’s promise." Caleb paused. "But if my favorite captures her, fair and square, you swear not to retaliate out of anger?”
“I won’t come for you, but I’ll do everything in my power to hunt down Vlad and get Voronika back.”
“But you won't come after me?”
“No."
Caleb nodded. “I won’t make you promise. I know you, Enoch. When you give your word, you keep it. That’s enough for me. We have an understanding then?”
“Yes, if...”
“I know, Voronika and Danny agree. Take care, friend.” Caleb waved and his vision dimmed from view.
Enoch took a minute to think about what they'd decided. Not a perfect solution, but something he could deal with. He could stay in Three Rivers. He could fight his battles here if Voronika would stay and if Danny didn't ask him to leave.
Chapter 34
Voronika pulled on tight fitting jeans and a black, V-necked sweater. The V showed off her smooth, creamy skin to advantage, she knew. If Enoch was willing to run with her, he sure as hell was going to get rewarded for it. She wasn't a look, but don't touch type of girl. Once they settled somewhere, she was going to screw his brains out.
She found him working at his computer when she padded into the living room. He was so engrossed in his writing, he didn't hear her until she was standing right behind him. Then his body posture changed. Her nearness had an effect on him, she could tell. She leaned closer to read over his shoulder. "Not bad."
“I’ve had a few thousand years to practice. This isn’t one of my best centuries. I’m just doing ordinary work.”
