Of A Darker Nature

by Clay, Michelle

  Starr seemed calm in the face of danger. Instead of retreating, she hopped onto the squatty, unbalanced slide. She tilted her face toward the star-blotted sky unleashed a string of words. They sounded ancient and sinister.

  The witch’s hands lifted, and the skin on the back of Emily's neck prickled. The air around Starr seemed to shimmer. Her voice rose as she thrust her hands out toward them. White light gleamed from her outstretched palms. It illuminated the area around them and forced the murky darkness to shrink away.

  A blur of color flew past. What appeared to be a large chunk of metal, perhaps part of the playground equipment, sailed through the air end over end. Trent never saw it coming. It struck him hard and knocked him to the ground. Pete grasped one of his arms and dragged him out from under it. Together, they beat a hasty retreat.

  Finally, Emily saw who had leveled the playing field. John Doe stood on the other side of the park. Butterflies took flight in the pit of her stomach and recognition warmed her.

  Starr unleashed whatever spell she'd conjured by punching the air between them. Raw power left her hands. Emily's vampire was suddenly in front of her, blocking its path. The blast of energy hit him in the center of the chest and sent him backward onto the teeter-totter. His body glowed for a moment, the light escaping from his mouth and eyes before fading away.

  The teeter-totter’s wood splintered beneath him. A rather large piece pierced his left lung.

  Starr leaped from the slide with a triumphant cry. She reached the vampire in a few quick strides. A dagger glinted in the lantern's light as it arced upward. “Won't your mistress be devastated to learn of your death?”

  Emily bolted toward them. “Don't you hurt him, you bitch!”

  Beau made a grab for her, but missed.

  Emily’s fist connected with the side of Starr’s face. The force of the blow threw the witch sideways onto the grass. She hit the ground, and the blade slipped from her fingers. The witch twisted to glare up at her. She made a gesture and growled more Latin. A weak puff of air blew the hair out of Emily’s face.

  “Used up all your power, didn't you?” Emily grinned at the realization. The witch was something like a rechargeable battery.

  Starr scurried to her feet. She ran up the small incline toward the car. The dog chased her, but the car rushed forward to meet them. The dog veered away to avoid being run down by the vehicle, allowing it and the witch to get away.

  John Doe sat up. His wrenched the plank of wood from his chest and threw it aside. The look in his eyes was wild and untamed.

  A jolt of anxiety made Emily's limbs quiver. She crashed to her knees beside him. There was so much she wanted to tell him, to ask. Instead, she smoothed the hair from his eyes with trembling fingers. She wound her arms around his neck in a fierce hug and smiled against his neck. God, did he smell good.

  Emotion shook her voice. “I thought I'd never see you again.”

  One of his arms encircled her waist, and he pulled her against him. His lips brushed against her neck, to form a word.

  Suddenly Beau was there, hauling her up and away.

  “No, wait!” She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but he held on too tight. “That's my John Doe. Wait!”

  Within moments, they were next to her car. Emily squinted into the night. One moment her vampire was there, gone the next. He must have moved into the shadows, out of sight. She felt cold and nervy. Everything that had just happened was so surreal – like a terrible dream. Once again, her John Doe was gone, and she didn't know anything more about him.

  The canine returned to sniff the ground where John Doe had lain moments ago. It snarled and pawed at the ground where he’d bled. Beau called softly, “He's gone, Scotty.”

  The dog licked its muzzle. Intelligent eyes turned to survey Emily. “Is that your dog, Beau?”

  He shook his head and handed her rescued purse over. Dirt smeared his face and hair had freed itself from his ponytail. He’d also lost his glasses. “He's a coyote.”

  The animal leapt through the open door of her car and waited in the backseat. He whined and pawed at the seat.

  “Let's get the hell out of here.” Beau collapsed onto the passenger seat. He rubbed at the fading red marks on his neck and grimaced.

  Beau spoke after she’d driven a few miles. “Just drop me and Scott off on your way home.”

  Scott? Emily glanced at the rearview. Instead of the coyote, a very naked Scott Hall sat in its place. The pit of her stomach dropped. It seemed like something he might have mentioned in all the years she’d known him. She had finally managed to wrap her brain around the idea that vampires were real. Now she had to accept the reality that there were other things creeping around out there?

  “Did you just eat that guy's fingers?” Her voice was a little higher in pitch than normal.

  “Mm-hmm and they’re giving me heartburn.” He didn't quite meet her eyes.

  Emily tore her gaze away from the wiry coils of reddish-brown hair on his chest. “Were you going to keep it a secret forever or wait for the right moment to tell me?”

  Scott wiped at his smeared chin and shrugged. “It's not something I want everybody to know.”

  “I realize that, but until very recently, I didn't even believe people like you or Beau truly existed. It's a whole lot to absorb.”

  “Does it bother you that I go furry?”

  After saving her tonight, she couldn’t care less if he wore a pink tutu and sang Karaoke at the VFW every Friday night. “Furry is good. Furry is real good.”

  Emily stepped back to admire her handiwork. The opaque makeup she used on the old woman's face, neck and hands hid the few blemishes beautifully. The makeup was subtle, and there wasn't a hair out of place. She appeared to be merely napping before the family’s viewing tomorrow.

  Emily took great pride in her work. She made sure the final memory the families had would provide comfort. She was the buffer that provided a positive influence on a family's grieving and healing process.

  She turned to the body on the other table. Scott had already finished preparing the young man for tomorrow afternoon. All that remained was to conceal the wounds on his face and neck. A car accident had left him bruised and battered. With a gentle touch, she dabbed makeup onto the gashes at his hairline. It wouldn't do to cause any postmortem contusions. She did her best to mask the cracked cheekbone and black eye.

  Sometime later, Emily emerged from the workroom. The man had taken longer than expected. Although she had used a gentle hand, his crushed cheekbone was spongy and had caved in. Before she had finished, he’d required a restructure.

  “Where's Scott?” Emily asked as she entered the front parlor. She’d already gone upstairs in search of him.

  Wren shoved the vacuum into the utility closet. “He left about an hour ago, said he had some errands to run. Are you headed out?”

  Emily shook her head. “Not yet. I want to make sure that guy's cheekbone set before I leave.”

  Wren wore a guarded look. “I don't want to alarm you, but there’s been a car parked across the street for a while.” She pointed at the shiny black vehicle.

  “There's no one in it,” Emily murmured. The windows were down, and the interior was empty.

  “You can check on the cheekbone in the morning.” Wren opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. “You should go home. It’s been a long day.”

  “If it doesn’t set soon, I may have to do more to him. I'd rather get it done tonight instead of having to rush it tomorrow.” Emily smiled at Wren and shrugged.

  “Okay. Just make sure you lock the doors after you go back inside.” Wren gazed at the empty car once more. “And be careful.”

  Emily watched her drop into her car. Once Wren had gone, she locked the door. She stretched her legs on the chaise in the parlor and got comfy. She didn't sit directly in front of the window, but from her vantage point, she could see the car and anyone who returned to it.

  An upstairs floorboard creaked, and Em
ily lost her composure. It was silly, of course. The funeral home was an old, renovated Victorian. It creaked and groaned worse than an elderly man. She was so caught up in the momentary panic that she almost missed the lone figure that emerged from the shadows at the side of the lot. She peeked over the windowsill.

  John Doe! Had he come to see her and chickened out? Adrenaline kicked through her, and she surged to her feet. Emily burst out the door and down the front steps. Within seconds, she’d sprinted across the parking lot.

  “Hey!” Excitement heated her cheeks, and her stomach did nervous flips.

  To her complete surprise, he turned to gaze at her. Those few seconds seemed like an eternity while she stood there gasping for breath. Now that she'd captured his full attention, she had no inkling of what to do or say next. John Doe made the decision easy. He took a step in her direction.

  “I just wanted to thank you.” Oh shit, she was babbling like an idiot. “You know, for everything you've done.”

  His fingers cupped the back of her neck to pull her gently toward him. His light blue eyes drank her in and seemed to pierce her soul.

  Emily leaned forward to rest hands against his solid chest. She rocked forward, eager to taste him. This must be some kind of magic, and she wanted more. A breathy exhalation escaped her as he smashed her against his chest.

  His mouth captured hers. The unmistakable points of his fangs pressed her bottom lip, and she didn’t care. Not even one little iota. His kiss was gentle at first but grew more demanding. His mouth claimed hers, took possession of it. He tasted and teased with lips and tongue.

  Waves of heat and tingles of temptation collided within her. Desire throbbed between her thighs with every heartbeat. A longing that only he could feel drove her forward. One of her hands lifted to capture a handful of his silken hair. Her fingers tunneled through the strands, and she sighed against his mouth.

  Everything about this encounter with him felt so surreal, yet so valid. How could he, a man whose real name she didn't even know, make her feel so spellbound?

  She stepped back and looked up with wide eyes. Her fingertips touched his heart, and she offered a shy smile. “I don't usually kiss strangers.”

  “Come with me, Emily.” He dazzled her with another smile. “Let’s get to know one another.”

  Stepping off the curb, she took his hand. He hadn't charmed her or anything like that. It was just that his voice was smooth as chocolate silk and damn, could the guy kiss.

  “Will you tell me your name?”

  He looked good in a pair of jeans and a simple black t-shirt that stretched tight across his chest. His skin resembled unspoiled alabaster in the streetlamp’s glow. He was breathtaking, and he was looking at her again.

  “Marcus.”

  “I hoped you’d come back, Marcus.” She tested the name out. It felt good, right. “There’s so much I want to ask you.”

  “Let’s go somewhere a little more private to talk.”

  Emily wasn’t an expert on body language, but judging by the look in his eyes and the way he’d kissed her, he wasn’t interested in just talking.

  “You sure that’s all you want to do?” She grinned at him, wondering where the hell shy Emily had gone.

  “For starters,” he answered. Tipping her chin up, he kissed her again. This one was quick but full of promise. He finished by brushing his lips along her jawline all the way to the hollow of her throat. “We can see what happens from there.”

  A car horn blasted nearby, drawing them apart. The Miata that belonged to Beau's latest plaything screeched around the corner. The driver laid on the horn again, and Beau burst from the car's interior. “Get away from him, Emily!”

  Marcus’s grip tightened possessively. Just like at the park, he positioned himself in front of her.

  “What's going on?” Emily clung to her vampire’s arm. Why did Beau have to ruin the moment? Things were just getting interesting.

  Beau and Marcus stared at one another, neither willing to back down. Emily got the distinct impression that they knew each other. “Guys?”

  “She hasn’t done anything wrong.” Beau lowered his gaze and bowed his head. “Please, Marcus, let me take her inside.”

  Suddenly she felt torn. Beau was someone she trusted, and he had never given her a reason to doubt their friendship. On the other hand, Marcus was compelling, dangerous, and so damn sexy. Something about the man lured her in and made her want to get to know him personally and carnally.

  “I haven’t forced her to do anything yet.” Marcus narrowed his light blue gaze on Beau.

  “Please.” The single word hung heavy between the two men. Beau’s hand closed around Emily’s arm and he pulled her toward him. She went willingly, accepting there were dynamics in play that she didn’t quite understand.

  Marcus allowed his gaze to slide in her direction. “You owe me, Beau.”

  “Somebody better start explaining.” She was sick and tired of being left out of the loop. And what had he meant by yet?

  Without another word, Marcus crossed the street and rounded the front of his car. He did not look pleased.

  Emily watched him drop into the sleek machine and pull away from the curb.

  Beau gripped her shoulders, forcing her attention back to him. “Are you hurt?”

  Emily frowned up at him. “What the hell, Beau? That’s twice you’ve pulled me away from him.”

  “That should tell you something.” Beau refused to let her go. “Did he hurt you?”

  She shrugged him away. Marcus had rolled out of sight by now. There was no reason to stand in the middle of the street now. Damn Beau and his bad timing!

  Beau followed her inside the funeral home. “Answer me, Emily! Did he hurt you?”

  She fingered the heart dangling around her neck. “No. He didn't.”

  Maybe he didn't believe she was rational because he examined her neck for bite wounds.

  Emily couldn't help but smile. Her vampire came back. If Beau hadn't shown up, she might have learned more about him.

  Her friend’s eyes narrowed. “What did he want?”

  “I’m not sure.” Emily huffed. “Some rude bastard barged in and ran him off.”

  His laugh was more of an uneasy exhalation. “I didn’t run him off. If he wanted to take you, he would have. He’s far older and more powerful than I am.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you know him? I’ve been trying to figure out how to find him all this time, and you’ve kept your mouth shut?”

  He ignored her accusation. “Why were you in the street with him?”

  Emily told him about how Wren noticed the car, but not the driver. “After Wren had left, the upstairs was all creaky and I got a little spooked. You know how it is. Your mind plays these games like, what if someone is waiting till everyone else has gone? What if the bad guy is hiding upstairs?”

  “He was upstairs?” Beau's expression clouded and his gaze drifted to the ceiling.

  “I don't know. I don’t think so. I saw him cross the lot. It happened so fast.” She snapped her fingers to show just how quickly it all had unfolded.

  “What did he say to you?” Beau demanded.

  Emily touched her kiss swollen lips. “He asked me to go with him.”

  Beau shook his head and grimaced. “Now it makes sense. You weren’t in your right mind.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He must have enthralled you, convinced you to get in the car with him.”

  “No, he didn’t. Besides, I don’t think it works on me.” She glanced at the quiet street. “And anyway, my research says that I would have a compulsion to do whatever he asked. I wasn’t going to get in the car and go to who knows where with him. I was content just talking to him there on the street.”

  His gaze snapped up. “You can’t know that.”

  “I admit, he was very convincing, but I acted under my own power. I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to do.”

  Emily’s explanation caused h
is features to undergo several emotions. “Thralls don’t even know that they’re enchanted, Emily.”

  “Fine. If you don’t believe me, try it. Go ahead, I dare you.”

  Beau’s eyes darkened slightly, and he looked into her eyes. He took her hand in his. “Kiss me, Emily.”

  A giggle bubbled up her throat despite her best effort to keep it at bay. “Sorry. Do you want to try again?”

  He looked surprised and a little disappointed. “Nothing? Not even the slightest impulse?”

  “Nope, sorry. Were you really trying?”

  Instead of answering, he gripped her arms. He spoke slowly as if he was explaining algebra to a slow student. “You can't run after vampires, Emily. You're very lucky, do you understand me? He could have grabbed you and drove off, or worse. What were you thinking?”

  “I got caught in the moment.” Without apology, she went back to the workroom to check on the reconstruction. Her actions were reckless, she got it. He didn’t have to keep hammering it in.

  To her dismay, Beau followed. “I’d say so. You were kissing him. You’re flirting with disaster, girl.”

  “Who I flirt with is none of your business.”

  He bent to inspect the two containers of blood in the mini fridge.

  “It just worries me that you willingly put yourself in danger like that.”

  Deep down, she knew he wanted to protect her. “You’re a vampire and you have human lovers.”

  “Touché,” Beau laughed. “But Marcus is a different breed. That’s all I’m going to say.”

  “So, why do you owe him?”

  He seemed to weigh his words and after a few moments, Emily didn’t think he was going to answer. Finally, he said, “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Damn it, Beau. It does matter. I have a feeling it’s my fault you owe him, so spill it.”

  He removed his glasses and tucked them into his shirt pocket. “I owe him a favor because I asked him to spare you.”

  “Spare me? You think he was going to kill me?”

  “Amongst other things. Just because he agreed to leave tonight doesn’t mean he’ll be so benevolent next time. I’m begging you, Emily, stay away from him. If you see him again, run in the other direction.”