by Lisa Kessler
Outside, birds fluttered past her window to their feeder, oblivious to the sudden changes in her life. The world appeared unchanged, but she would never be the same. Juliana folded the note and tucked it into her apron, praying for a busy day in the shop; otherwise she’d be a prisoner of the clock—again—waiting for the sun to go down. Waiting to hear from Colin.
The morning rushed by with bouquet purchases and a get-well floral arrangement. Phone orders came to her through a service that took the verbal sales and then emailed them to her to be fulfilled. It wasn’t ideal, but she was grateful for the work. Busy hands calmed her mind from her worry for Muriel and Colin. She practiced how she would tell him about her dreams so he would understand the danger instead of deciding she was insane. Tricky.
As the afternoon passed by, the shadows lengthened outside. The shop door opened, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up and smiled at the familiar face.
Benedict! You’re early.
He grinned and gave a playful bow, keeping his face turned upward so she could watch his lips. “And you, my lady, are a sight for sore eyes. You look lovely today.”
Her skin flushed. Could she still be glowing from her evening with Colin? For once she was grateful for the need to write out her conversation. It gave her something else to focus on.
Thank you. What can I get you today?
He glanced at her note and sobered. He moved closer to the counter. “Actually, that’s why I came by early. I’m worried about you.”
Worried? She frowned. Why?
“I heard your cousin went missing. Muriel? She owned a pub, right?”
Word traveled fast. She sighed. The police think she ran away with a man she met on the Internet.
“But you don’t.”
She shook her head. One of the regulars saw him with her. He’d never seen him before. If Muriel had met a handsome man, she wouldn’t have been able to keep him a secret. I would’ve known, and she would’ve brought him around the pub to show him off.
Benedict placed a large hand over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You might be right. That’s why I came to warn you.”
Warn me? Her dream popped back into her head, and she realized she should probably warn him, too. There was a good chance he wouldn’t believe her, but she had to try.
“I came by last night, but you had a gentleman at the counter. It was near closing so I didn’t come inside. I didn’t want to keep you late.” He paused. She raised her gaze from his lips. Concern lined his dark eyes. “Later, when I was leaving a restaurant, I saw that same gentleman from your shop walking with a woman with blond, curly hair. After hearing about your cousin, I realized the resemblance.”
Juliana shook her head, writing frantically. That’s impossible. Colin was with me.
“Did he leave you to search for her?”
Her blood chilled. She nodded slowly, remembering Colin’s note. He had something to tell her about Muriel.
“This is going to sound crazy.” Benedict sighed. “But that man you were with last night, he isn’t what he seems. I…” He shook his head.
You know Colin?
“I know of him.” His eyes narrowed. “You will need to see him in action to believe it.”
In action? She wrote, pausing. What was he talking about? On the farm?
“No, he doesn’t hunt there.”
Colin hadn’t mentioned being a hunter. Of course, she hadn’t spent much time with him to find out what he did when he wasn’t shearing sheep.
Benedict held out his hand. “Let me buy you an early dinner and I’ll show you what mean. If I’m wrong about your new friend, no harm done, but if I’m right, I want you to be safe.”
Colin’s note also warned her to be safe. She reached up to grasp the Celtic triangle pendant around her neck, tracing the knot with her fingertip. The banshee in her dream had called for her. A warning, not an inescapable omen.
She stared at Benedict’s hand. He was mistaken about Colin. He would have told her if he’d seen Muriel. Benedict had to be mistaken.
Plus, Muriel didn’t leave the pub with Colin. He’d been at dinner with Juliana when Muriel had vanished. But if he’d freed her from her abductor later…
What was she thinking? The man who’d bared his scars to her and admitted he wanted to protect her would never have harmed Muriel. He’d come to her upset, needing healing. There was no way he’d do something like that.
Benedict waited patiently. He’d never given her any reason for concern. She’d been alone with him in her shop more times than she could count. What could a bite to eat hurt? They’d be in a public place, and after they found Colin, he’d explain what happened to her and Benedict both.
She didn’t take his hand. She picked up her pen again. Give me a few minutes to put the flowers away and lock up.
He smiled and stepped out of the way, but something in his eyes unsettled her. There was a trace of smugness in his smile, like he’d won something. As she lifted buckets into the refrigerators, she also slid her pepper spray and the utility knife from her apron pocket into her jeans. Other than casual chats in her store, she didn’t know Benedict at all.
It never hurt to be cautious.
Chapter Eight
She was beauty in motion. The blossoms paled in the presence of her smile. Benedict glanced at his watch. For his plan to work, he needed to be sure he had Juliana out before sunset. He was betting Colin would hunt before he went to see her. The Night Walker’s skin was cold without an influx of fresh blood.
Benedict was well aware of Colin’s penchant for criminals and shady businessmen by the docks. If Juliana witnessed him feeding, saw his fangs for herself, she’d understand that below the skin, the Night Walker was truly a monster.
She’d run to Benedict’s arms for comfort.
She would be his.
If the Night Walker didn’t leave Ireland, then Benedict would relish taking everything from him, almost as much as he would enjoy killing the Mayan god himself.
If he could figure out how.
Juliana stood before him, breaking his train of thought.
He smiled. “Ready to go?”
She nodded and led him out. After setting the alarm and locking up, she made a note on her pad. Where to?
“There’s a great restaurant on the waterfront near the docks. Their Bangers and Mash is amazing.”
Sounds good.
He offered his arm, but she pretended not to notice, fiddling with her pen and pad and walking ahead of him. He ground his teeth. The damned Night Walker had already charmed his Irish rose. He matched her step. If the filthy Mayan had touched her, he’d rip his arms off. And then he’d give Juliana a lesson in loyalty.
The restaurant was a good six blocks from her shop. Since she couldn’t write and walk at the same time, Benedict lost himself in the swell of revenge brewing in his gut. With the restaurant finally in sight, he pointed it out and guided her to the door.
After they were seated, he ordered for them both. For his plan to work, he’d need to lure the Night Walker in and catch him in the act. Inebriated men, hungry for extra money, were exactly what he needed.
Benedict reached for his silent cell phone and frowned. “Juliana will you excuse me for a minute? I need to take this call.”
She nodded, and he made his way to the door, the dead phone pressed to his ear. He didn’t bother speaking into it; she couldn’t hear him anyway. Once he was outside, he made his way across the parking lot to where a live band played. Boisterous laughter echoed through the alley. Benedict almost smiled, pocketing his phone.
He jogged to the door and slipped inside the pub. The reek of beer, fried fish, and sweat assaulted his senses. Benedict walked through the crowd, parting them without effort. Reveling in the grumbles and threats from the men cast aside, he reached the bar. He scanned the patrons and spied two men at the end of the bar, preening like drunken peacocks.
Benedict put himself between them.
“Gi
t out of the way ya bloody arse!” The tall blond man shoved Benedict, frowning when he didn’t move.
“I have a proposition for you blokes. There’s money in it, and you’ll still get to beat the shit out of each other. Interested?”
The dark-haired one shook his head. “Yer full o’ shit.”
Benedict withdrew a few large bills from his pocket. “And there’s more where this came from.”
The first man took a step closer. “An’ all I gotta do is kick the ever-lovin’ crap outta him?” He pointed at his mate.
“More or less.” Benedict shrugged. “Meet me in the alley.”
He turned around, heading for the back door. He didn’t check to see if the oafs were following. They’d practically drooled over the cash. He had no doubt they’d be trailing after him like a couple of starving puppies.
When he got to the back alley, he stopped. The blond crossed his arms. “Money first.”
Benedict handed each of them some bills and then produced a switchblade. “I’ll leave this here for whoever grabs it first.” The weapon clinked on the pavement, echoing though the empty alley. “To make things more interesting.”
He walked away, smiling when he heard the punches land. With any luck, blood would flow soon.
Colin snapped awake the moment the sun set in the sky. Memories of his night with Juliana filled his head, warming his heart. But there was still so much to tell her. First, he needed to feed.
After a quick shower, he dressed and grabbed his coat. He’d hunt near the docks and then head over to Juliana’s cottage. Anxiousness coiled in his chest, a unique sensation he’d never experienced before.
As Colin reached for the front door, Bartley came inside. “Good to see ya, Colin.” His words were friendly enough, but his tone was not. He didn’t smile, his jaw tightened. “How was yer evening with Juli?”
Waves of protectiveness and aggression came off him. Colin reached for the man’s thoughts and found a knot of worry for Muriel and concern for Juliana. He reached out to clasp Bartley’s shoulder.
“The police are searching for Muriel, but they told Juliana they suspect she wanted to disappear.” He’d tell Bartley the truth after he told Juliana. She deserved to hear the news first.
“Bullshit.”
“Probably.” Colin sighed, lowering his hand. “But I didn’t find a trace of her last night.”
“So ya gave up and spent the night with her cousin, instead?”
Colin raised a brow. “I came home last night.”
“Not ’til nearly morning.”
Both of them knew Bartley couldn’t best him in a fight, but his care for Juliana outweighed his good sense. Colin couldn’t fault him that.
“I give you my word, Bartley. I would never hurt Juliana. Never.”
“Does she know what ya are?”
“Not yet.”
“Then ya already have.” Bartley brushed past him without looking back.
A muscle clenched in Colin’s cheek. He’d make everything right with Juliana tonight. He hoped. But he needed to feed. The last thing he wanted was for her to see the bloodlust in his eyes.
He opened the door and stepped into the darkness.
By the time Benedict came back inside the restaurant, Juliana had almost finished her Bangers and Mash. Whatever he wanted to show her, she’d rather learn about Colin on her own.
“Forgive me. I didn’t realize the call would take so long.” He sat down across from her.
That’s all right. I should be getting home anyway.
His shoulders tensed while he read her note. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need to see this.”
She sighed and pushed her plate away. I appreciate your concern, but I really need to get back.
Benedict took her hand, his somber expression cooling her blood. “I would not have brought you here tonight if it wasn’t important. I’ll walk you home, and maybe we’ll run into Colin on the way back.”
She pulled her hand away, tucking her notepad into her purse. If she went with him, she was not holding his hand. Benedict was a handsome, charming man, but her heart yearned for Colin. The last thing she needed was for Benedict to get the wrong idea.
Outside, he pointed toward the docks. “Humor me? He usually hunts in this area.”
Juliana nodded and slid her hand in her pocket, gripping her pepper spray. What could Colin possibly hunt down here at night? Rats?
Colin wandered the alleys near the docks, but before he opened his mind to listen for the thoughts of the mortals around him, the rich scent of fresh blood swamped his senses. His fangs lengthened as he followed the trail. When he rounded the corner, a dark-haired man had another guy pressed against a brick wall with a knife to his throat. Both men were swollen and bloodied.
Colin’s thirst clawed to the surface, his eyes burning with hunger as he approached. “What’s going on here?”
The man with the knife didn’t take his eyes off his prey. “None of yer bloody business. Sod off!”
The blond man glanced his way, his eyes widening as he struggled in earnest. “Jesus…what in God’s name are you?”
Benedict pressed his finger to his lips, signaling her to be silent as they rounded the corner. Her eyes widened. She had to be hallucinating.
Nine meters from her, Colin had a dark-haired man pinned to the ground. The man struggled in vain, and Colin’s eyes… His eyes glowed red, his mouth opened, poised over the man’s neck, and his teeth…
She rubbed her eyes, opening them again as Colin’s gaze connected with hers. He had fangs.
Juliana’s survival instincts kicked in, fueled by the memory of the banshee’s cry. She spun around and ran.
Benedict watched her go, then turned back with a smirk. The Night Walker focused on his prey, staring into the other man’s eyes before he finally dropped his dinner. Disoriented, the man scrambled to his feet and bolted.
Colin started in the direction Juliana had gone, but Benedict caught his right arm, tight. “I gave you the chance to leave. This is my land, and these are my people.”
Colin’s eyes flashed again. “Juliana is not yours. You do not touch her or—”
“Or what exactly?” Benedict glanced around at the empty alley. “It doesn’t look like you’ll be touching her anytime soon.” He lowered his voice, pulling the Night Walker closer. “She thinks I saw you walking with Muriel last night while you were supposed to be searching, and now she’s witnessed your…appetite. She’s a smart girl. I’m sure she’s already connected the dots.”
He drank in the rage in the Night Walker’s face. Oh yes, he’d hurt him by exposing his secret. Good.
“I’m no longer starving, outlander. My strength matches yours,” he said. “You are not in control here.” Benedict ran his tongue across his teeth. Juliana would turn to him for comfort, after this, and he would be there. Happily.
Suddenly, he was slammed against the brick wall of the pub. The Night Walker’s hand tightened around his throat, choking off the air. Pain radiated through the back of his head as he struggled to and break free.
Colin’s breath brushed over his neck. “You’ve got it all wrong, water horse. I think your blood will quench my thirst just fine.”
“No!”
Colin snapped his head in the direction of Juliana’s voice. She stood, her feet wide, gripping a metal pipe like a bat.
Go home, Juliana. I will explain everything. You have my word.
Her eyes narrowed. Your word means nothing to me.
The cold edge to her voice spoke volumes.
She tossed her notepad toward them. It clattered to the ground at Colin’s feet. He glared at Benedict and yanked him away from the wall. “Pick it up.”
“Get it yourself.”
Colin smashed Benedict facedown onto the ground and reached for the paper. He flipped it over, glancing at her note. A knife stabbed through his heart as he read her words.
I don’t know who or what you are, but I won’t le
t you hurt Benedict for showing me the truth.
He glanced at Juliana, her knuckles were white around her weapon, her cheeks flushed, ready to defend herself. From him.
He got up, freeing Benedict. Slowly, he walked toward her. I should have told you the truth about me, but that doesn’t change the fact that I had nothing to do with Muriel’s disappearance. Benedict is lying to you. He is dangerous, Juliana.
She took a practice swing. He wasn’t the one about to eat a guy in a dark alley. He’s not a vampire.
Benedict moved around him to stand at Juliana’s side. Seeing him next to her awakened the hawk inside of Colin’s soul. His animal spirit struggled for freedom. Colin flexed his fingers, grinding his teeth to keep the beast at bay.
I am not a vampire, and I stopped that man from slitting the throat of another. I only feed on criminals. Walk away, whatever you wish, but do not leave with Benedict.
He stared into her eyes giving her a mental push. She already hated him; mesmerizing her in order to save her life could not do anymore harm at this point.
Benedict stepped between them, breaking Colin’s eye contact with her. With his back to Colin, he spoke to Juliana. “You’re communicating with him, aren’t you? After all you’ve seen, you’re still talking to him.” He shook his head, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
Colin grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from Juliana and spinning him around. “Do not touch her.”
Benedict tackled him, knocking him to the ground. He landed a punch to his mouth, splitting his lip. “I am through taking orders from you, Night Walker. And I’m going to make you sorry you ever set foot on this land.”
Colin spat his blood up into Benedict’s face. “I am only sorry I did not kill you centuries ago, you pompous ass.”
He snapped his head up smashing his forehead into Benedict’s nose. The scent of blood reawakened his thirst as he scrambled to his feet. Benedict snatched the discarded switchblade from ground and swung it in Colin’s direction, catching his shoulder. A red stain blossomed through his shirt.
