Crimson Vengeance

by Sheri Lewis Wohl

  He already knew a couple of reasons why. One was Ivy, and the other a little more complex. This was the first time he’d run up against lay people who knew about vampires, who might be trying to do the same thing he was.

  If most people were really honest, they’d admit they were aware of the preternatural creatures that lived among them. But the majority didn’t want to accept that level of awareness. Instead, they left it to those like him to clear the path and keep their world orderly. He was okay with that. He didn’t need to be called a hero, didn’t need the gratitude of the strangers he kept safe. He just went out and did his job.

  In the past, he’d done the job alone. The slayers lived and worked in solitude. It was the nature of the mission. Now, things had shifted and he hadn’t quite adjusted. Of course, it was hard to adjust to something with an element of the unknown. He just had to keep his mind and eyes open, and his senses alert. The answer was out there and he’d find it one way or the other.

  At the muted sounds of his cell phone, Colin jumped. For a moment, he was confused as he tried to remember where he’d left it. In the inky darkness, he fumbled around until he found his discarded jeans. He stuffed his hand in the pocket and pulled out the compact phone.

  The number that glowed from the front display was familiar. “Yeah.”

  “I have news for you.”

  Colin was instantly awake, a feather-light chill racing up his arms. “Tell me, Monsignor.”

  It didn’t occur to him until this moment that Monsignor had promised to call him yesterday. The monsignor always kept his word. So, why hadn’t he called earlier? Couldn’t be good.

  “Your mystery woman is still a bit of a mystery.”

  Why bother to call if he had nothing to share, unless… “I feel there’s a but coming?”

  “But, I have a feeling,” Monsignor said.

  Colin stood, the phone pressed to his ear, and moved to the door. He peered out. The house was dark and quiet. Ivy must be asleep in her room. He hoped. As he walked to the window, he smacked his little toe on a chair he didn’t notice in the dark. It hurt like the devil and he sucked in a breath to keep from yelping. Probably broke the damn thing.

  After the pain receded a little and he was able to breathe once more, he said, “Tell me.”

  Colin opened the blinds. It was as smoky dark and quiet outside as in. The tall red-maple trees swayed as a light breeze blew silently through the night, causing shadows to dance on the ground. High in the sky, a filmy white cloud cover partially obscured the moon. No dogs barked, no cats ran. Nothing moved in the shadows.

  “Your Dr. Preston seems to have appeared out of nowhere about fifty years ago.” The sound of shuffling papers came over the line.

  At Monsignor’s words, Riah’s face flashed in his mind. So pretty, so young, her dark-hazel eyes alive with fire. “She doesn’t look like she could be more than about twenty-five, let alone fifty.” Which really didn’t mean squat when talking about a vampire.

  “Hear me out, son. I said she popped up about fifty years ago. From all we can find, she’s been a vampire at least that long.”

  At least? “How much older?” If he were to guess, based on attitude alone, he’d put her way more than fifty. A hundred maybe? Or even a hundred and fifty.

  “My educated guess—five hundred years, give or take.”

  Colin’s breath caught. “If that’s true…”

  “I trust you’re following me.”

  “Yes.” At about a hundred miles an hour.

  “Too many timing coincidences. Our records have suspicious appearances and disappearances by a woman whose description matches your medical examiner. It could be more than one, but I don’t believe so.”

  All the puzzle pieces clicked into place. “Catherine Tudor?”

  Monsignor didn’t pause for even a second. “That’s what I believe, yes.”

  It was too good to be true. Both the vampires he sought in one place? Destiny was almost in his crosshairs and he’d take her down soon. But Tudor? Though she was on his mind, as yet, she hadn’t even been on the radar. Sure, he’d imagined the moment he’d come face-to-face with her. He’d even imagined how he’d end her reign of terror. He’d just never imagined that he’d like her.

  A sound in the hallway made him start. “I’ll need to call you back.”

  He would have slipped the phone back in a pocket, except he wasn’t wearing any pants or underwear either since he usually went commando. He didn’t have time to dive for the bedcovers when, after a quick knock on the door, Ivy pushed it open. The light from the hallway spilled into the room, placing his naked body square in the middle of a golden slice of light.

  Chapter Eleven

  Spokane was large enough, though it seemed subdued compared to other places she’d been. Too quiet for her tastes. Destiny liked places that popped, where people cruised all hours of the day and night. Where drinks flowed and laughter boomed. All the better for hunting.

  Here, it was as if the streets rolled up at the first sign of darkness. The expected people were out and about––prostitutes, drug dealers, the lost, the sick. No one she’d be interested in. Where were all the good and tasty folks of this city? A girl did get hungry, after all. How could a city this large be so boring?

  She felt the first tug as she crossed the Maple Street Bridge. At the north end, she pulled over and walked back to the center. The roar of the water as it crashed over the falls seemed to echo in the darkness. She bent over the high concrete railing and let the spray touch her skin. It was cold and wet. She stuck out her tongue to catch the drops of water. Nice.

  Closing her eyes, Destiny breathed deeply and cleared her mind. She opened her arms and her psyche. Where are you?

  The tingle started at the base of her spine and flowed up through her body as powerful as a red-hot poker. When she stepped back and to the south, the flame cooled. When she changed direction and moved toward the north, the fire turned scorching. She opened her eyes and smiled. In the darkness, the lights of the tower glowed. The building was old and, even from where she stood, its Gothic design distinctive. It was a castle rising in the night as if to guide her journey.

  Destiny walked back to her car, drove two blocks north, and parked in front of the brick building. It turned out to be a complex of sorts, with the castle-like building set as the jewel piece. The courthouse, the police station, the county jail, and other assorted public entities were housed in a cluster much like the fortresses she remembered from her youth. Of course, back then, they didn’t have electronic security gates or cameras.

  The tingle was now an all-out vibration. Destiny smiled and stepped from her car. Hers was the only car on the street, which unfortunately meant she wouldn’t have long. No matter. What she needed to do wouldn’t take much more than a few minutes.

  In the front of the castle, she stood still once more and closed her eyes. The vibrations coursed through her body. A moment later she opened her eyes and walked around the buildings. At a loading area behind tall, secure gates, she stopped and inhaled deeply. At last.

  The heavy sound of footsteps announced the security guard. Stealth obviously wasn’t his aim. It reminded her of the pounding hooves of her father’s mules when the stable hands took them hay. Destiny blended into the shadows and watched.

  He was a tall, good-looking young man, who scanned his surroundings as he made his rounds. She expected a man bigger and fatter, but there was nothing hefty about him. In fact, he looked lean and luscious. A tasty little morsel, if only she had more time.

  He held a card that he waved in front of a gray pad. A beep sounded and the gate slid open. He stepped through and continued toward the building.

  When another man emerged from the back door, he waved. “Hey, Brett, how’s it hanging?”

  “Same as always, A.J. They don’t call me a lady-pleaser for nothing.”

  Destiny didn’t think so. The second man was also tall and young but, unlike this A.J., softer. Of the two m
ore likely to please a lady, this lady in particular, it would definitely not be the one called Brett.

  “Anything happening tonight?” A.J. asked as he stepped into the light of the entryway.

  Brett popped a cigarette into his mouth and flicked a lighter he pulled from his pocket. “Not here, though I heard they have a Stater down out near Sprague Lake.”

  “Some asshole shoot him?”

  “Naw. Sounds like he was stabbed or something. All I got was he bled out.” Brett exhaled a puff of smoke.

  “Brutal, man.” A.J. rubbed a hand over his close-cropped hair and stepped away from the smoke.

  “No shit.” Brett sucked hard on the cigarette again, the cherry glowing deep red.

  Destiny would like to watch the men a little longer, especially A.J., but darkness was waning. Time to find a place to rest.

  She returned to her car and drove downtown, where she pulled into the valet-parking area of the Davenport Hotel. She appreciated the finer things in life—and death—and the Davenport was the best.

  The second she walked inside the hotel, Destiny breathed easy. The marble fountain in the center of the lobby flowed with clear, blue water, and fresh flowers filled the air with fragrance. The lobby was deserted except for one tired-looking woman, who pulled a rolling suitcase to the glass doors.

  In less than ten minutes, Destiny was high above the city in a gorgeous suite. The bed was tall, soft and perfect. Destiny put the do-not-disturb sign on her door and stripped. Naked, she lay on the bed and closed her eyes. She ran a hand over her breasts, her nipples hardening as she touched them. Her hand slipped lower. As she stroked, she smiled, rolling over in her mind all that would happen before the next night came to a close.

  *

  Riah couldn’t get settled. Between the call from colleagues in Adams County and Adriana’s words, she was antsy. Sitting on her bed with a goblet between her hands, she twirled the crimson blood around and around. It was as beautiful as a fine burgundy or aged port instead of the blood she needed to survive. She longed for the days when it would have been one of the wonderful wines her father imported from Italy.

  Those days were long past and she’d found some sort of peace in her altered existence. Life moved smoothly and had for many years now. Her goals were simple…to find a way out and to atone for her past. So far, she’d managed to do a little of both. Her search for a cure was plodding along well, all things considered, and each time she found answers for people who lost loved ones, it helped ease her guilt. It didn’t make up for everything she’d taken during her years with Rodolphe, but she’d simply stay at it until it did.

  Right now, Riah couldn’t allow personal feelings to distract her. Too much was at stake. Still, the way Adriana made her feel was something she’d almost forgotten. Only in her dreams did it tug at her heart and make her remember—until Adriana.

  It was a mixed blessing. When Adriana touched her, everything inside came to life again. When she was around her, she felt whole. At the same time, her heart broke for what she’d lost so long ago. It wasn’t fair. Not what was taken from her. Not what was taken from her love. What would life have been like if that carriage ride hadn’t occurred?

  Going down that road again was foolish. Fate had stepped in and changed everything in her life, and perhaps that was the way it was meant to be. From the day of her birth, her life consisted of nothing but lies and betrayal. If her birth mother, the Queen, hadn’t died, how different would her life have been? But she did die, and nothing about Riah’s life had been right or true since. Becoming a creature of the night seemed fitting in the chaos of her existence.

  Except she never truly fit. Not in her human life and not as a vampire. It wasn’t that Rodolphe didn’t give it his best effort. He was an incredible teacher, not to mention a handsome and skilled lover. Until Rodolphe, she’d never even looked at a man. Her world revolved around Meriel and the love she could never deny regardless of what society demanded. Rodolphe, a persuasive and skilled teacher, guided her into another existence. In a way, she even loved him. Of course, the line between love and hate was very fine.

  Riah took a long drink from her goblet and settled back against the piled-up pillows. She closed her eyes and memories flooded her.

  Rodolphe brought her roses. The bouquet was huge, the flowers deep red and fragrant, tied with a soft golden cord. Catherine held them to her nose and inhaled deeply. He knew how much she missed her gardens and occasionally brought her the gift of flowers.

  Why, then, did she feel so empty? Even her beloved roses failed to lift her spirit. She sat on the brocade couch and held them close, the thorns biting into her skin, making tiny spots of blood dot her chest.

  He stood behind her and caressed her shoulders. “Ma chérie,” he whispered in her ear as he dropped kisses along her neck. “You like the roses?”

  “Yes, Rodolphe, they’re very beautiful.”

  “Like you.” He used a finger to turn her face to his and kissed her softly.

  His hands loosened the laces of her dress and slid the gown off her shoulders after he took the roses and set them aside. He licked the blood from her skin, then lowered his mouth to a bared breast. Catherine closed her eyes and allowed sensations to wash over her. He nipped lightly and she shuddered.

  “Come,” he said when he raised his head.

  She took his offered hand, stood, and stepped out of her gown. He went down the hallway and she followed him to their bedchamber. Next door, she heard the soft cry of the child, the other gift he’d brought her this night.

  The child was beautiful, no more than a year old, with pale blue eyes and flawless skin. Earlier, Rodolphe proudly presented Catherine the infant, a delicacy rarely taken by any vampire. Children were forbidden, a vampire law unspoken yet universally understood. Rodolphe heeded neither man’s law nor vampire law.

  He was standing in the middle of the room, naked and aroused. Catherine didn’t think she’d ever seen a more handsome man and never would’ve believed she’d want a man like she did Rodolphe. It was more than the fact he was her maker; he was charismatic and alluring, a lover like no other. Though not a day went by she didn’t long for Meriel, she found some satisfaction in the touch of her lover.

  Inside the door, she paused and reached behind to take hold of the weapon propped against the wall. Firelight reflected off the gleaming blade. Caught up in the passion of the moment, Rodolphe didn’t notice. It was so heavy in her hands.

  She closed the space between them. Tears blurred her vision as she brought her arms up, holding the sword with both hands. A confused look, one she’d never seen before, crossed his face. As realization dawned, darkness veiled his expression. One hand came up, the silver ring with the flashing ruby, reaching out.

  She didn’t hesitate. With all her power as both a vampire and a woman, she stepped into the swing. When his severed head hit the ground, it rolled across the stone floor, coming to rest on the lush bearskin rug laid out in front of the fireplace. Catherine turned away. The sword slipped from her fingers. In the next room, the child cried.

  Riah rubbed her face. The goblet tipped over on the duvet and a large red stain spread. She hated remembering and most of the time was good at blocking the memory. Some nights her best intentions weren’t good enough and it all came back. Like tonight.

  Even hundreds of years later, Riah wondered, as she often did, about the child. Did she ever know how close she came to death? Riah had left the infant on the steps of the local church in the hope she’d be well cared for. Then she disappeared. Catherine ceased to exist that night.

  However, Riah was never really free of Catherine. Recollections haunted her. Emotions assailed her. Guilt imprisoned her. No matter how far she ran or how many amends she tried to make, an emptiness inside refused to be filled.

  Until now, which scared her more than anything.

  *

  “Perdón!” Ivy wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment. No graceful method of exit came to
her, so she stood in the open doorway and fidgeted. Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to describe it.

  “You’re sorry about what?” Colin asked calmly, as if she hadn’t just walked into his room where he stood stark naked. Yeah, that happened every day.

  “I shouldn’t have barged in.”

  He didn’t move, the light from the hallway acting like a spotlight designed just for him. “Freudian slip, maybe?”

  “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”

  His smile was slow, sexy, and a single eyebrow rose. “Not a chance.”

  God, he looked good. In clothes, he was hot. Out of them…he was some kind of eye-candy. His legs were about a mile long and his flat stomach was topped by a broad chest. The term six-pack jumped to mind. Light-colored hair sprinkled his chest and trickled down to where it made a nice thick patch around his cock. She told herself to keep her eyes up and failed.

  “See anything you like?” he drawled.

  His words did what her self-control couldn’t––snap her gaze up to his face. If the heat she felt was any indication, the flush that raced up her neck and face had to glow like burning embers. Great. Just fucking great.

  “I…I heard a phone ring.” Lame, Ivy. Real lame.

  He held out his hand, a cell phone between his thumb and forefinger. “The boss called.”

  “Anything important?” She wondered what kind of boss he meant.

  He took a step toward her. “Nothing we have to worry about right now.” His voice was low and soft.

  “Well, then, I’ll let you get back to bed.” She took a step back.

  “Alone?”

  Ivy took another step back. “It’s probably a good idea.”

  “Were you sleeping?” He tossed the cell phone and stepped closer.

  “No.”

  “Me either.” He closed the gap between them.

  Her back was to the wall. “I should go.”