Crimson Psyche

by Lynda Hilburn

  “Keeping me safe?” She sat up straighter. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m still new to this whole bizarro world, and the last thing I wanted was to draw someone I liked into the madness. The less you knew, the better. It was the only way to keep you out of danger. As you said, vampires aren’t just humans with fangs.”

  “What do you mean — is there some kind trouble? Is that why Devereux’s watching you like a hawk — er, bat?

  When I didn’t say anything, she shook her head. “Still don’t trust me, eh? What do I have to do to prove I’m in your corner?” She held out her wrist. “Do you want me to take a blood oath that I won’t write about your main squeeze?”

  “Don’t be flashing any veins around here. You never know who might swoop in for a snack.”

  She frowned and scanned the room, not quite sure whether I was kidding or not.

  “No blood oaths required,” I reassured her. “And it isn’t that I don’t trust you. It’s that the hitman you heard about in the club, the one you thought Devereux hired to kill his manager, is an undead psycho-fiend, inexplicably obsessed with me. Remember the guy at the amusement park with the long hair wearing the genie pants? The tall, pale, handsome one?”

  “Yeah...”

  “That’s him.”

  “Wow — no shit? He’s a vampire?” She threaded her fingers together, then cracked her knuckles. “I’d let him suck on my neck anytime.”

  I clutched her arm, trying to let her know I was serious. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what he’s like. He’s already kidnapped one of my friends and I don’t want him to take you, too.”

  She thrust her chin into the air. “I can take care of myself, Doc.”

  “Not against this monster.” I shook my head. “He’s crazy.”

  “Yeah, but he’d make a great story.”

  Damn. She just didn’t understand how dangerous Hallow was — but how could she? No wonder she flip-flopped so fast from anger to eagerness. Once a reporter, always a reporter. It wouldn’t surprise me if she sought him out on purpose. It was definitely time to have Devereux blast her with some laser vampire eyeball voodoo so she’d forget everything we’d discussed. I hoped whatever he had to do to make her forget wouldn’t hurt.

  “Well, if you won’t believe me, maybe you’ll listen to Devereux.” I rose from the couch. “I’m going to get him. I’ll be right back.” I hurried out of the room before she could ask any questions.

  As I entered the hallway, Zoë’s voice shouted, “He’s gone, Luna! We must tell Devereux.”

  Chapter 20

  “Tell me what?” Devereux appeared from somewhere and strode over to the two women.

  “Master! Tom is missing.” Zoë grabbed onto Devereux’s arm, quivering as she delivered her rapid-fire monologue. “He was sleeping on the couch at Dr. Knight’s townhouse when I went out to feed and when I came back, he was gone!” Her chest was heaving, as if she’d forgotten breathing was optional. If she hadn’t been a vampire, I’d have diagnosed hysteria.

  Devereux spoke in a soft, soothing voice. “Zoë, I understand you are protective of him, but why would you immediately assume that Dr. Radcliffe is missing? Perhaps he awoke and took the opportunity to escape from what he considered his captivity? I am sure he will turn up eventually.” He patted her hand before stepping aside, allowing her fingers to gently fall away. He turned to me. “Dr. Radcliffe seems the type of individual to place his own needs at the forefront in any situation. Would you agree?”

  “Yes,” I said, studying the overwrought woman. “Why are you so upset, Zoë? What aren’t you saying? You know Tom — he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He’s probably off searching for another vampire to bring him over. What’s really bothering you?”

  Luna stepped out from behind her companion. “When Zoë came to the Crypt and told me Dr. Radcliffe was gone, I thought it wise to come to the Master. It can’t be a coincidence that first Victoria went missing, then the doctor, both of whom are close to Dr. Knight.”

  Devereux’s eyes were cold, his voice hostile. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

  The corners of Luna’s mouth trembled slightly and she lowered her gaze. “I believe it’s possible the Slayer has them both.”

  Zoë gasped and grabbed Devereux’s arm again. “Oh, Master — is Luna right? I’ve heard things about Hallow, very bad things. Do you think he has Tom and Victoria?”

  Devereux softened his expression. “There is no denying that Lyren Hallow is a monster, but I am not convinced that Dr. Radcliffe was taken against his will. In our short acquaintance, he has shown himself to be self-motivated and single-minded. In fact, it would not surprise me to find him on his way here, preparing to make another attempt to convince me to see things his way.” He shifted his gaze to Luna and, still addressing Zoë, added, “There is no reason for anyone to fill your mind with fantastic speculations.”

  Luna was behaving strangely, even for her, and I wanted to know why she sounded so certain. “Why do you think Hallow has them, Luna? Do you know something we don’t?”

  The expression on her face reminded me of the joyfully evil smile worn by the Grinch as he stole Christmas. “I know many things you don’t know, but my opinion is based on the fact that I know Hallow.”

  “You know Hallow?” My voice came out much higher than usual.

  She ignored me and spoke to Devereux. “If you would like me to search for Dr. Radcliffe, to see if he has gone to any of his usual haunts, I will do so, but my gut tells me he didn’t leave under his own power. I don’t have your tracking abilities, but I usually find what I seek.”

  Something about Luna’s odd energy set my teeth on edge. I was sure Hallow had taken Victoria, and it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that he’d snatched Tom as well. He’d probably figured out that we’d do whatever we could to get them back.

  Luna shot her attention to me, glaring. “Don’t you care what happens to your so-called friends? Aren’t you worried? Why aren’t you offering to search for them yourself — are you really just another useless, stupid human?” She threw her words at me like knives.

  What the hell had I done to make her hate me so much?

  I took a step forward, opened my mouth to answer her questions and bumped into Devereux.

  “Enough!” He locked eyes with me. “Do you wish me to search for your friend? I still have my doubts, but if you believe he is a pawn in Hallow’s game — that he is in danger — I will accompany Zoë briefly back to the townhouse and pick up the trail.”

  I didn’t know what I believed. Five minutes ago, I hadn’t given one thought to Tom’s whereabouts, but now that Luna had raised the possibility of Hallow’s involvement and Zoë was so upset, I couldn’t ignore the heaviness in my gut.

  “Yes. Please go.” I stroked my hand down Devereux’s chest. “Taking Tom is exactly the kind of thing Hallow would do. I’ve seen him kill people twice now. He actively enjoys it. I should’ve considered that he’d try to control me by hurting my friends. Please find them.”

  Face serious, he gave a curt nod. “As you wish. But you” — he raised my chin with his finger — “will stay here in this room full of vampires until I return. Swear it.”

  I made an X over my heart with my finger. “Cross my heart and hope to — er... not die.”

  He spoke to Luna. “I am giving you an opportunity to redeem yourself. You will be personally responsible for Dr. Knight while I am gone. She is never to be out of your sight. Do you understand?”

  She nodded solemnly, eyes downcast, but I was sure I saw her lips twitch ever so slightly in the beginning of a smile before she brought her face back under control. I started to tell Devereux I didn’t want to be babysat by the Queen of the Damned, but he took Zoë’s hand and they vanished before I could get the words out.

  A burst of sound filled the air as the vampires in the circle switched from the soft hum they’d been offering for the last few minutes to
a full-bodied “ohm” and my brain waves began to scramble until I thought I would dissolve into the tone. I distanced myself from the chanting, hoping to clear my mind, but something was niggling at me.

  Shit — Maxie!

  In the drama of the last few minutes, I’d forgotten about her. I headed toward the library, and heard footsteps behind me.

  Luna caught up with me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going? Didn’t you hear the Master put me in charge of you?” She grinned a mirthless grin.

  “Dream on, Vampira. He didn’t put you in charge of me. He said you were responsible for me. So be a good bodyguard and walk three paces behind. I have a guest to check on.”

  She fell back and hissed, the sound much closer to my neck than it should’ve been.

  I sailed into the library, the hostile Amazon almost literally on my heels. The room was empty.

  Luna laughed. “Was this guest an imaginary playmate or a ghost? Or maybe another kidnap victim? You don’t hold on to your friends very long.”

  I went through the room, opening every door, exploring every hiding space, while Luna leaned against the doorjamb, smirking.

  “She must have left,” I said aloud, more to myself than to Luna. If Maxie had overheard the conversation about Hallow, she was probably on her way back to her office to file a career-changing story. I hated to think about what would happen if she mentioned Devereux.

  Or maybe she was still in the penthouse somewhere, watching the naked vampires, believing she’d hit the jackpot.

  I headed back toward the circle and the chanting increased in volume. The sounds were so loud they repelled me. I pressed my hands over my ears to mute the vibrations and hurried up the hallway, bypassing the noise, and retreated into a room filled with Devereux’s art.

  “What’s the matter with you?” Luna snarled from directly behind me. “Are you too good to stand with the vampires who are trying to protect you? Does their nudity offend your tender human sensibilities?”

  I am so tired of her attitude.

  “Not even close. The chanting is giving me a headache.” That was true as far as it went. I didn’t owe Luna any explanations.

  I walked along the paintings until I came to one of my favorites: a self-portrait Devereux had created hundreds of years ago. He wore clothing from that earlier century and his hair flowed down over a black fitted jacket. The blue-green of his eyes sparkled from the canvas like precious gems.

  Luna stood next to me, studying the image. “He is very beautiful.” Her tone was disdainful. “Too beautiful for the likes of you. If you truly love him, you will go away, let him find someone more suited to his station.”

  I spun on her, determined to get to the root of her problem with me. “Someone like you, I suppose?” Had it really been simple jealousy all along? “You think you’re better for him than I am?”

  She laughed, and the sound was sharp enough to slice my ears. “I think the short fat vampire with the big dick would be better for him than you are.”

  Even though she was laughing at my expense, I couldn’t help but notice the gleeful explosion made her face even more attractive than it was when she was glowering or frowning. Her elaborate Cleopatra makeup was flawless tonight. She was every bit the sexy, otherworldly villainess of any horror movie. I wouldn’t have blamed Devereux for lusting after his personal assistant. I still didn’t understand why he was so uninterested. What was the problem between them?

  “You didn’t answer my question. Do you think if I’m out of the picture, he’ll suddenly find you irresistible?”

  She closed the space between us, bringing her face within an inch of mine. A musky scent wafted from her skin and mixed with the coppery tang of her breath, creating an intoxicating aroma. She must have fed recently. “You know nothing about me or my relationship with the Master.” She lifted her upper lip, exposing the tips of her fangs. “I told you I knew Hallow. Do you want to know how I knew him?”

  My heart pounded. Out of nowhere, Luna’s energy suddenly became manic, almost dangerous, as if she were in the grip of something more powerful than herself. Was Hallow controlling her, too?

  I took a breath to calm myself. There was nothing to be frightened of. I was safe in Devereux’s penthouse, surrounded by scores of vampires in the other room. But if that were true, why was my body on red alert?

  “Yes.” I couldn’t force any more words out of my mouth.

  Luna’s aura had become suffocating, dark and thick. “I belonged to him. I was one of his women. He calls us his lýtles. He was my everything.”

  He was her everything? Devereux’s addiction reference was more literal than I thought. “I don’t understand.” I licked my dry lips. “Devereux said Hallow drains all his women. He uses them up, sucks their life-force as well as their blood. How could you still be alive if you used to be one of his slaves?”

  “I’m alive because Devereux’s clean-up crew rescued me. They found me, along with several corpses, in a field. They didn’t know it was Hallow’s dumping ground. Then Devereux made me his own. I didn’t want to leave Hallow, but I was happy to give myself to Devereux.” She raised her palm and smoothed it down my hair, petting me like a doll.

  Why didn’t I see this about her before? Hallow created an addict and she just switched her drug of choice.

  “Do you mean Devereux made you a slave, too?”

  Does he know she’s addicted to him?

  “No, you stupid human.” She dropped her hand. “Devereux claimed me. I was still mortal, near death, and he brought me over. He gave me his blood and a new life. He became my Master — my reason to exist. Hallow has never forgiven Devereux’s vampires for taking me. I was supposed to die for Hallow, to be added to what he is so he can continue. I would have gladly sacrificed myself — and even now, I’d give up everything for one more touch from him.”

  Jesus Christ. She’s lost.

  “So why aren’t you with Hallow then, if you feel that way?”

  She bared her fangs and heavy energy radiated from her as she pressed her body against me. “Don’t you think I would if I could? I am of no use to him since I’m no longer mortal. He isn’t like Devereux. Hallow needs the raw power of abnormal human women. Even though he won’t touch me, I crave him still. I ache to have him inside me, to sense him in my mind. I yearn to have him pierce my veins with his sharp fangs.” She trembled, her eyelids fluttered. “Once you’re gone, Devereux will be truly mine, as Hallow was.”

  No wonder she hates me. I’m standing in the way of the fanged monkey on her back.

  Since she was in such a talkative mood and she hadn’t hurt me yet, I pushed on. “Why has Devereux been so angry with you? What happened?”

  “It’s my fault that Hallow is here.” She gave a skin-crawling smile and slid her finger along my lower lip. “A few weeks ago he mentally contacted me, and I told him about you, about how Devereux is so obsessed with you. About how I hate you. He told me he would take care of it. I couldn’t shield my thoughts from Devereux, so he discovered my fantasies. And he found out I had spoken to Hallow, which he’d forbidden. Since then, the Master has been trying to reject me — to cut me off. He said I couldn’t remain in his coven if I didn’t let go of my plans to kill you. But he’ll forgive me once you’re gone. I am sure I can make things right between us.”

  Oh. My. God. Kill me? She’s even crazier than I thought. She wants Devereux to become what Hallow was to her. Does he even have a clue?

  She pressed me hard against the painting on the wall, and as the edge of the frame jammed into my lower back, I gasped with pain. Her voice became lighter, almost singsong, as she spoke directly into my ear. “I know where Hallow is holding your friends.” She leaned back to watch my face. “I can tell you where they are, and you can save them.” She smiled wide, fangs glinting.

  I caught a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. Was that Maxie? If it was, I hoped she wouldn’t do anything idiotic. She certainly wasn’t any match for Luna.
Was she foolish enough to sneak up on a rabid vampire? I shifted my eyes from side to side, searching for my friend, but I didn’t see her again.

  “Don’t you want to be a hero?” Luna purred. She tilted her head and batted her eyelashes. “They’ll die if you don’t rescue them.”

  “You need help, Luna.” I stared at a point between her eyes. I knew better than to fall into her gaze, especially if she was connected to Hallow. She’d paralyzed me once before, and the memory was still painful. “It isn’t your fault — you’re an addict. Hallow did this to you.”

  The evil grin slid across her lips again. “The only thing that will help me is for you to go away. Permanently.”

  “You’re helping that monster kill people. Do you really think Devereux will still want you when he finds out you’ve been helping Hallow?”

  “I don’t care about the fate of puny mortals. They mean nothing to me. Since Hallow won’t take me back, Devereux is my only hope. No one else is as old and powerful. I need him. He will one day understand how things are.”

  “I understand now.” Devereux’s voice surrounded us.

  He grabbed the back of Luna’s shirt and pulled her away from me, slamming her against an empty wall on the other side of the room. The chanting vampires fell silent.

  “Master! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon—”

  “I never left,” he snarled. “Despite Hallow’s efforts to block me, I have mastered the magic necessary to override his manipulations. Now I can easily read his influence in your mind.” He leaned into her — if she’d been human, her lungs would have imploded. She made a satisfied groaning sound, as if she enjoyed having him so close, no matter what the cause.

  “You have betrayed me. I thought Hallow came to exact his revenge on my coven for taking you. I never suspected you had summoned him here to bring me pain.”