Donald: Dalton’s Kiss: Vampire Paranormal Romance (Dalton's Kiss Book 3)

by Kathi S. Barton

  “I promise that if there is a time I can either save you or your family, I will save them.” He grinned, not even bothering to hide his fangs. “However, I will do my damndest to make sure you’re safe as well.”

  She left the bathroom before he did after they exchanged blood drops. Pulling shadows around him, he waited until someone came in and left when the door was still open. Brian didn’t know what to do now. If he stayed here, CJ and her family would be safe. If he went to talk to Bancroft, he’d be able to figure out what was going on with the drive. Smiling to himself, he thought of the perfect plan.

  Hello, Bancroft. I’m in serious need of you to send someone here to Mercy Hospital. I have something for you. He asked him why he couldn’t come. I don’t know precisely, but your name has come up attached to someone wanting to kill you.

  I see. Do you happen to know who this person is? He explained to his oldest and dearest friend what had happened in the last few hours. Okay. This woman, do you know her name? Anything about her?

  Her name is Circe Jane Montgomery. She goes by CJ. I do know that she works on computers. However, we have exchanged blood, and she is someone that I instinctively trust. I have no idea why, but I know she’s not lying to me and that she’s scared of being killed. Bancroft told him that Kelly wanted to go get whatever it was he had. Thumb drive. And make sure Kelly isn’t alone. I don’t know what’s on this drive, but they might have some knowledge of her as well.

  Brian, you’re scaring me a little. He told him he was sorry, but he thought this was important. I agree with you, but it doesn’t make me any less afraid. I’m an old vampire, and to think that someone out there thinks they can kill me makes me wonder what sort of lengths they’re willing to go to.

  By the time Kelly and Donald showed up, Rachel was out of surgery and in recovery. The other women were with her. CJ told him she was going to make a full recovery, but it was going to be a long road.

  “I have someone that is going to take the drive with them. I’m going to stay here to make sure the four of you are safe. I don’t know who might be coming to get you, but you’re vulnerable here. Too many people coming and going all the time.”

  “Thank you.” She didn’t say anything for a few seconds, and he decided this woman knew a great deal more than she was letting on. I was just thinking about something. Something that I got back from one of my clients last night. He said he didn’t get the program I sent him. However, it was opened, as was the email. I wonder if his computer has been compromised. It can’t be mine. I’m too good to let that happen. But what if someone is trying to get to me through some of the people I work for? Then, in turn to Bancroft?

  I know squat about computers at the level you seem to have. But I’d say if they were trying to get to Bancroft—who I do know, by the way—then they’d do whatever they can to make you a target. She told him that was what she was just thinking. I know you love your family, CJ, but you shouldn’t stay around them. The farther you are away from them, the safer they can be. Also, I’m going to send someone to your home when your family leaves.

  My Grannie. I forgot about her. Can you make sure she’s safe as well? He said he would. CJ told him where she was and the code word to give to her if she had to leave with someone other than her. I’ve left nothing to chance, I thought, but right now, I feel my life unraveling at a high rate of speed.

  I’m going to do my best at keeping you all safe. Even Bancroft will if it comes to that. Can you tell me, through our link, what is the reason they want to kill my friend? She was thinking. It was tempting to look into her mind to see what all she knew, but he also knew to do that would put a wedge between them and their trust for each other. You don’t have to if you don’t think—

  Bancroft is a lord of a kiss. I’m not sure what that is. A kiss, I understand, but not what him being a lord is. Several hundred years ago, Bancroft purchased a large chunk of land that is now worth billions. His wife is human and corrupted. Their words, not mine. Their plan is to kill him and take his wife. I know that doesn’t sound like much of a reason to kill him, but that’s only one part of the information on the drive. That drive holds information about six different companies and their mentioning of Bancroft. He asked if that was the worst. Not even close. They want to take him to a lab and drain his blood to give to the highest bidder. They believe by draining him and selling his blood, they’ll have humans all over the world wanting some of it to live forever. I’m not sure, but I don’t think that’ll work. But then, that’s one of the other plots. The worst one I came across was a satanic group that wishes to use him to call forth the devil, so they can be one with their god.

  Christ. CJ told him that she thought so as well. All right. I’ve given the drive to Kelly, and Donald, the man that came with her, is going to pop her home. I’m not leaving here until you decide what you wish to do.

  I guess you’re right. I have to leave. He said he was sorry. As am I. They’re all I have, and I don’t want to leave them.

  He didn’t tell her it might not do any good to leave them. If they knew about her family, they’d used them no matter where she was. Thinking along those lines, he thought he was going to need more help than he’d first thought. They needed to just disappear, the entire family.

  He looked at Kelly when she sat down next to him. Telling her everything through the link they had because of her being mated to Bancroft, he also told her what he wanted to do. Hide them. All of them.

  All right. Let me make a couple of calls, not to my work. As yet, we don’t know how these people are affiliated with other people. We can put them in our home, and they’d be safe for a while, but I think they need to be hidden deeper than that. Brian thanked her for going to so much trouble for him. You would have done the same for us.

  Yes. Without a second thought. She smiled at him, and he felt his face heat with embarrassment. I walked right into that one, didn’t I?

  I won’t hold it against you. But I’m glad to know that, even though we’ve only just met, you’d take care of me. Okay. You and Donald stay here, and I’ll see what I can do from home. For now, we’ll just have them as guests at our home. I think that it will be safer than at their home. By the way, did you kill the men that beat up her sister?

  Yes. She said she thought so. They’d found their bodies an hour ago. I was pissed off that they’d hurt someone. They really did a number on her too. Without my blood, she would have surely died before I could get her to the hospital.

  I’m assuming neither of them are your mate. He explained to her the feelings he had concerning CJ. Is that something important? What I mean is, is she one of the others’ mates? I’m still learning things here.

  I never thought of that, but she could very well be. He thought of how the other vampires he knew were protective of women. It could also be that we’ve been ingrained with the need to protect all females. I know I was sort of beaten over the head with how to protect the women of any species. We can test that theory when Donald gets back.

  It certainly would make her safer if she was one of their mates. She stood up and hugged him. Donald is going to pop me home, then come back. I’ll let you know what we find on the drive. We’re going to only open it with a laptop without any access to other computers. Perhaps we should send someone to their home to clean it out.

  Good idea. She hugged him again, and Donald appeared behind her. Don’t forget to let me know. I like this woman, and I don’t want anything to happen to her family. I’ve sent someone after Grannie too.

  After Kelly left and Donald returned, the two of them sat in the lobby of the ER and watched people. It was somewhat fun. They made up a game together where they would guess why they were there before looking. CJ reached out to him to let him know that her niece was in her room now. After getting that from her, Donald and he walked up the stairs to the second floor and waited for them there. In less time than he thought it shoul
d have taken them, the Montgomery family was sitting with them. Looking over at Donald, he asked him what was wrong.

  Nothing. He asked him a second time but asked if one of the women was his mate. Yes. I’m thinking it’s the one walking around. But they’re all so close together I’m having a hard time figuring it out. They smell the same.

  I’d not mention that if I were you. I don’t know how a woman’s mind works, but if you tell her she smells like other women, I’m sure you might lose your head. He nodded but kept watching the four of them. This is good, right? I mean, whatever one you are mated to, you can be happy in knowing that they’re all right as humans.

  Laugh it up, Brian. This only means you might be next.

  Teasing his friend was fun. Brian thought he might be the only one to welcome a mate into his heart. He was looking forward to it more than he had anything for a long time.

  Convincing the women wasn’t nearly as difficult as they thought it would be. They knew that CJ wouldn’t have told them it was dangerous if it wasn’t. The fact that one of them had been hurt badly helped to persuade them as well. Taking them home one at a time. CJ and Rachel were the last to leave. It was then that Donald knew which one was his mate. He didn’t know which one of them was taking it harder, either.

  Chapter 1

  Pfeiffer was enjoying this showdown of sorts between her sister, CJ, and the big man, Don, that seemed to be just as pissy about their status to each other. Not that she wouldn’t jump to her defense if it came to that, but Donald was having a difficult time getting CJ to even speak to him. She told him, in no uncertain terms, that she wasn’t going to get into it with him now, whatever that meant to either of them.

  They’d been staying at the home of Kelly and Bancroft for the past few days. Rachel was getting better daily. She had a lot of stitches on her face and body, she was dealing with a lot of broken ribs, and her wrist was sprained. All things that she, as Rachel’s mother, could live with so long as her daughter was all right.

  Pfeiffer didn’t know how she was ever going to repay the man that had saved Rachel’s life. Without his lifegiving blood, Rachel would surely have died. Brian had told her, several times, that it wasn’t anything for him to have helped Rachel. She also knew from Kelly that the man had destroyed the men who had hurt her. Not killed, but destroyed them. She shivered whenever she thought of that.

  “Are you listening to me?” Shaking her head no, she smiled at her sister. “I asked you if you thought you were going to be all right here while I’m gone. I have to get this figured out, and if I’m around the three of you, it’s only going to cause you more trouble.”

  “I don’t want you to leave me. None of us do. But I understand that in order to get to the bottom of why they’re hunting for you, you have to keep us safe.” She glanced at Don as he asked them to call him, then back at her sister. “Are you going to take Don with you? I’d feel a great deal better about you leaving me if you were to do that.”

  “It doesn’t seem I have much of a choice. He’s fucking attached to me like glue.” She looked at the handsome man, then smiled. “Maybe whoever is after me will take this out of my hands and take him instead.”

  “I’m pretty sure you know I can hear you. Also, I doubt very much that anyone would mistake you for me. You’re much prettier, as well as very vocal about what you need and want.” He grinned, and Pfeiffer was sure that whatever came out of his mouth was going to embarrass CJ again. “Are you like that during sex? Demanding and such? I’d think that would be one place I’d welcome you being so bossy. However, just so you know, I think I could make love to you and never have enough.”

  “Don’t you have someone else to bother?” Donald said he didn’t. “Well, I have work to do. And I can’t do it with you breathing down my neck all the time. Go outside and get a tan or something. That might take care of my issues.”

  “You want me to die? So soon? Well, I’d say that isn’t very nice, but so far, you’ve not really been nice to me.” He seemed to think about that. “I haven’t been all that nice to you either, but then, you’ve been sniping and biting at me since I found out what you were to me.”

  “When will it get through that thick head of yours that I don’t want to be your mate?” He moved—or at least that’s what Pfeiffer assumed he’d done when he was suddenly standing in front of her sister. “What are you doing? Back off.”

  “Not yet. I want to prove to you what you are to me.” She said she didn’t need this. Pfeiffer stood up, ready to protect her sister if she needed it. “I won’t hurt her. I promise you on my life that I will do nothing to ever harm either of you.”

  “I think I understand that, but she doesn’t play fair when she’s cornered.” Just as she finished saying that to Don, CJ moved, and Don ended up on the floor holding his groin. “I tried to tell you that. She’s not used to being pushed. You might want to remember that in the future.”

  “I will.”

  Before she could understand what he was going to do next, CJ was on the floor with Don and held with her hands above her head. Her legs were on either side of Don, and that was when Pfeiffer decided she needed to leave them to this. They’d either kill one another or not. She couldn’t do anything to help either of them.

  “I was just coming to find you. I have some things I believe you can help me out with.” She loved the older woman. Even though she looked the same age as Pfeiffer, she’d been told that she was very old. Gwyneth told her she was getting things worked out in the dining room. “I can’t stand to be in the office for too long. It’s just not me. But the way they’ve had the dining room set up, it’s a wonderful place to work.”

  She looked at the mess on the table. It caused all kinds of havoc with her OCD. To her, if it wasn’t in order, you weren’t going to get things done in a good way. But she sat down and sat on her hands. It was just too much to look at, so she focused all her attention on Gwyneth.

  “I’m to understand that at one time you were an accountant.” She nodded and told her she had to leave the firm when she’d taken ill. “Yes, I’ve heard about that as well. I want you to know that I know that feeling. That you can’t go on without your other half. I’m sorry if that’s too blunt to you, but I’m sure you’ve come to understand that with vampires in the house, we don’t take much in the way of chances about allowing people to be close to us.”

  “Robert was my husband. When he died, he took a great part of me with him. If not for CJ and my daughters, I might well have ended my life.” She looked out the window as snow began to fall in large flakes. “He had cancer. No one caught it in time, so by the time they found it, he was too far gone for help and was dead the next week. I miss him with every breath that I take.”

  “My husband was my world, too. We took in Banny to raise not long after his parents were killed. Nasty business back then when they found a vampire. But after my Bancroft was killed too, it was all I could do not to join him. Banny kept me focused in the here and now. Along with his friends. You’ll meet them all soon enough. But back to this help I need.” She grinned at her, and Pfeiffer grinned back. “I can tell you want to get this organized. You’ve already taken one of the piles and fixed it for me.”

  She had. Even without knowing it, Pfeiffer had taken one of the piles of paper and put them in date order. It embarrassed her to no end that she’d been so rude. She told Gwyneth she was sorry.

  “Don’t be. I’m glad to see you know your stuff. However, I need these things not just in date order, but also by company. You see, this is the paperwork I got when I took over the job as head of the school board. It seems to me that a great deal of the funding raised for the elementary school is missing. Then there is the high school, as well as the preschool program that is in place.” Pfeiffer, now that she knew she could nodded as she pulled another pile to her to organize. “I’m looking to have this information in a week if you can do that. I
want to see if I can add to the sentencing of the little prick that was trying to make a profit off some of the lands the kids are now using for an educational outdoors program.”

  “We had that when I was in school.” She was starting on the third pile of just putting them into date order. Then she’d work from there in getting them into business order. “I loved it. It’s where I got my need to make jellies and jams when I can. Oh my, I have some at the house that I should go and get.”

  “You stay here, and I’ll send one of the men over to get it. Anything else you might need as well. Pfeiffer, there are some really dangerous men looking for you to come home so they can take you to get to your sister. She told you that, didn’t she?” Pfeiffer said she’d forgotten for a moment that they were on the run. “Not on the run, honey. Don’t think of it like that. What you are is getting to know your new family members. If the two in the other room ever come to terms with what is going to happen to them once they fall in love.”

  “She was hurt once. It’s been a long time, four years now, but she was dating this lovely man, or so we thought, and CJ was ready to get married to him. The two of them seemed to be such a couple that everyone who saw them could tell they were a perfect match.” Gwyneth sat down and asked what had happened. “A week before the wedding, two men showed up at her house and said they were with the Feds. I was at her house then, or she might well have been arrested too. But they said they were looking for Peter Smirnoff. We didn’t know who that was until they showed us a picture of Mike James, the man she was to marry. They went on to tell her that he’d been on their most wanted list for a very long time, and they thought he was only marrying her for her computer jobs. Turns out, she’d been smart enough to lock her things up without him being able to get to them since they met. Good thing too. Not that he’d have been able to get into her computer—she’s that good at what she does—but he’d been trying very hard.”