Blood Rogue, #1

by Linda J. Parisi

  As she drove, Stacy tried to imagine herself with an unquenchable thirst. She thought about Jim and wondered yet again if she could have saved the security guard’s life. Knowing what she knew now about vampires and the tightrope they tread, she realized Chaz had been right. There had been no right or wrong that night, only fate. The rogue had a choice. He chose the security guard and not the cop.

  Now she had a choice. To offer herself up as bait or let another innocent, no make that a whole lot more than one, die. When put that way, there wasn’t a choice at all.

  Stacy pulled into the warehouse complex and drove around for a few minutes. She pulled into the center of a parking lot and turned off the car. For a moment, the world tipped and went black, and Stacy cursed Chaz for his damned nobility. She sat back, trying to get her head to clear and get the warehouse in front of her to stop spinning. She leaned back and let her head fall onto the headrest.

  The loud thump on the roof of her car made her jump. Then a fist tried to smash the windshield. Cursing herself for her stupidity, Stacy fumbled for the starter. The engine roared to life, and she threw the car into gear and floored the gas pedal. Then she swerved into a circle to throw it off.

  Tires squealed, but she couldn’t shake the creature, so she pulled down the alleyway into a larger parking lot. She thanked every star, God, and anyone else she could that cell phones in cars were a way of life now. And that she’d memorized his cell number and entered it into her car before she’d left. “Call Chaz cell.”

  She tried the swerve technique again, but it had no effect. Instead, she revved up the torque, peeled out again, and then threw on the brakes. The creature lost its grip and fell forward over the hood.

  Stacy slammed the car into gear and tried to run it over, but it was too fast. It scrambled out of the way.

  The line opened. She could only pray he heard her. “Dandridge. Warehouse. NOW!”

  Not sure where the instinct came from, Stacy hit the brakes again and put the car into reverse. She hit the gas, and the car lurched forward as she hit the creature. Then she shifted into drive and tried to get the hell out of there.

  An angry vampire is something a human doesn’t want to deal with. An angry rogue vampire? The driver’s side window shattered with the force of its fist. That same hand reached out and wrapped around her throat.

  Already weak, Stacy did not need her air supply cut off, but she had enough adrenaline pulsing through her system to know that she might just be able to knock the rogue off using the wall of the warehouse. So she swerved back through the alleyway and deliberately ran her car up against the building.

  Sparks flew, and so did the creature as it jumped off her car. But now Stacy was going the wrong way. She was going into the complex, not out. She tried to pull the car around again, but it jumped onto the roof. She pulled her gun out, and as it tried to catch hold of her through the window, she fired. She missed, but at least the creature was aware she had another weapon at her disposal.

  She fired again as soon as she saw it, but by looking out of the window, she missed the alleyway and rammed the car into the side of the building. She tried to get it to start. It wouldn’t.

  The hand that grabbed her throat meant business, but with her seat belt on, it couldn’t pull her out of the car. With one hand, she clawed at the vice-like grip. With the other, she groped for her firearm on the car seat.

  Talons. That’s what its fingers were. They were digging holes in her neck, and the smell of her blood was driving the creature mad with hunger. It kept trying to pull her out, pulling flesh and blood to its mouth.

  Then she found her gun.

  She fired four successive rounds at point-blank range into what she thought was a face. The rogue screamed in pain, and let go and then the thing was gone.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chaz

  Chaz stood on the roof of the warehouse. He’d figured the rogue would go back to the warehouse parking lot after Stacy left every sign imaginable. As he waited, he realized it seemed nearly a lifetime ago that he watched Stacy stare down a creature worse than her worst nightmare.

  His stomach plummeted when he watched her car pull into the lot. Sheer horror filled his belly when he realized Stacy had been followed. The rogue jumped from out of the shadows and pounced down onto the roof of Stacy’s car. His guts liquefied, and his feet slid on the roof as he ran towards the edge where her car was. Just as he was about to leap off the roof and get the rogue away from the car, Stacy peeled rubber and swerved. She was trying to shake the creature off. When she slammed on her brakes and quickly rammed the creature with the car, he wanted to applaud. He skidded to the edge of the roof. He was ready to fly down to the ground when his cell buzzed his leg. He didn’t dare answer. Instead, he opened the line so Stacy would know he’d gotten her message.

  And then her predicament became his. He jumped and rolled to the ground, ignoring the pain as he edged around the corner of the building. He needed an opening to get the rogue away from her, and she was doing her damnedest to keep him from helping. His heart lodged somewhere in the middle of his throat as he watched her car arc in a half-circle. She was facing the wrong way. She needed to turn around…

  “Oh no,” he whispered as her car smashed into the wall and refused to start.

  Chaz died a thousand deaths as he ran towards the car, seeing the rogue bend through Stacy’s car window. He was just about there when he watched in absolute amazement and terror as she fired a bunch of shots right into it, and that was all he needed to see.

  With the determination of a madman, he hauled the creature off the car. He stared at the missing face with immense satisfaction as he swung his fist right into a mass of tissue and muscle. Blood went flying, and pain scorched through his arm. He could have cared less.

  He lifted the rogue by its torn shirt and tried to smash what was left of its face back into its brain. Again, he ignored the pain his right hook caused and watched with glee as the rogue went flying.

  With the strength of ten men and the determination of a man who’d nearly lost his life and his love, Chaz lifted the rogue as he’d been lifted and threw his nemesis as hard as he could down onto the ground.

  “You are not going to kill one more being, you monster!”

  But the rogue wasn’t done yet. It managed to crawl to its knees, its lust for blood, any blood, overcoming the agony coursing through its body, and Chaz realized he needed an edge.

  “Do you remember this?” he cried, pulling out the silver chain and cross.

  The rogue hesitated and cocked its bloody head. It took a step towards him. “Do you remember, Mick? You had a heart once. You cared.”

  Scrape-drag. Scrape-drag.

  Was there something pitiful in the way the cross mesmerized the rogue?

  “You killed him for me, didn’t you, Mick? The vampire who made me?”

  Scrape-drag. Scrape-drag.

  “You avenged five good men the day you did that, but you aren’t Mick anymore, are you?” Sorrow filled his soul. And yet, there was no pity left inside. The rogue had tried to kill Stacy. It needed to die.

  Never before in all his existence, had Chaz seen a vampire so decimated. Unsure what he’d need to use to kill it, Chaz pulled out the syringe of extract with his other hand and hid it in his palm. Any and all ammunition welcome. He waved the cross on the chain in front of him, drawing the rogue ever closer. The rogue licked its lips, pink spittle flying from its mouth as the desire for blood fought with the prize he held in his hand.

  With one great leap, it flew through the air, arm outstretched to seize the cross. As soon as it landed, Chaz took the syringe of extract and jammed it into what he hoped was the rogue’s heart. He couldn’t tell because it didn’t have much of a head left to use as a gauge. With one mighty push, he dispensed the fluid into the rogue then ripped the needle out. It screamed in absolute agony as the fluid burned a hole through its chest.

  “I am what I am because of you, Mick. I�
�ll be forever grateful. But there’s nothing of you left.” Tears filled his eyes. “You had a choice. You should’ve gone to the caves. And for that, I’ll never forgive you.”

  All the fear, all the anger, all the knowledge that this thing had to die helped Chaz keep the rogue down on the ground.

  “You had a choice not to kill. Instead, you’ve murdered, I don’t even know how many innocent people. I don’t know why. I’ll never know why. I’ll always hate you for what you’ve done.”

  With all his might, he drove his fist into Mick’s unrecognizable face, and his arm jarred from the impact of the rogue’s head hitting the macadam of the parking lot. He held the creature pinned to the ground so it wouldn’t escape.

  “Charles. Chaz. It’s okay now. It’s over,” Hunter said, lifting him off the vampire while several soldiers surrounded the body.

  He tried to fight off the arms that held him. “No! It’s not. I have to finish this.”

  Hunter forced him to look at him. “It’s over.”

  Chaz drew in deep draughts as he broke away and stared at the monster lying on the ground. “Not until I take its head!”

  Hunter shook his head, and for the first time in his life, Chaz watched Hunter’s gaze soften. “You let me take care of that.”

  “No. He betrayed us, Hunter. Mick was a coward, but he betrayed me most of all. He was a coward.” Chaz spit the word out as if it burned his tongue.

  Sam stepped in front of him, her gaze solemn. She didn’t say a word. She simply handed him her knife.

  “But worse than that, he tried to kill Stacy. For that, he dies by my hand and my hand alone.”

  His heart threatened to pound out of his chest. His rage became a living thing. A roar in his ears blocked out all sound. The same roar he’d heard nearly a thousand years ago when he’d nearly drained Mary dry. The roar wasn’t the sound of her blood; it was the sound of his. The roar was his terrible need to end another life. Only this time, he recognized that need for what it was.

  With a sudden jolt, he stopped. A quiet calm filled his being. With it came sorrow and a realization. A life should never be taken out of anger or need, only out of necessity.

  “I’m sorry, Mick,” he whispered. Perhaps this was the final lesson. He didn’t know.

  He lifted his gaze to Hunter and Sam, and they nodded. They understood.

  Taking a deep breath, Chaz kneeled by the rogue. “You were my father, my mentor,” he whispered, letting the air out slowly. He brought his arm down and sliced off the rogue’s head. “You were my friend.”

  A sigh rustled through the wind.

  Chaz lifted from the ground. He handed the knife back to Sam, who received it with honor.

  A few moments passed, and then Sam said, “Go take care of Stacy.”

  Stacy? The sound of her name inside his head made him turn and run towards her car.

  So pale, he thought as he fumbled to get the door open. And her head was just lolling on the headrest, tiny rivulets of blood dripping down her neck. “Stacy? Darling? Oh my God, Stacy. Talk to me. Please.”

  He ripped at the seat belt, finally getting it unfastened. Then he lifted her out of the car as if she were made of spun glass. He set her down on the pavement.

  At first, he had no idea what to do. After all, she was the scientist. Stacy knew about medicine more than he did. He thought about tearing open his own wrist for a split second, but again, he was learning. If Stacy wanted to join him in this life, then that was a choice she’d have to make for herself. Instead, he fumbled for her pulse.

  “Lower, bonehead. Closer to my wrist.”

  Oh, God. Thank you.

  “Damn it, woman,” he cried, not knowing whether to kiss her or strangle her.

  She opened her eyes, both shining with suppressed laughter.

  “How in the hell did you manage to fight off a rogue all by yourself?” he asked.

  He didn’t go on. He didn’t have to. He knew damned well. She was one in a million, this woman of his. “I’d have told Hunter and Sam to take my head if I’d lost you.”

  She tried to laugh, but the sound didn’t go too far. Her throat was in pretty bad shape. “No, you wouldn’t,” she choked out in a hoarse whisper. “Because you’re like me, Charles Tower. We’re bound by pride and duty and by something much stronger. Love.”

  Did she mean it? Under the circumstances, he shouldn’t doubt her. But he wanted to hear her say it. At least once. “Say it,” he commanded.

  She smiled. “I feel like a thousand-ton truck ran over me, and like my throat has been inside a vice, and you want me to tell you that I love you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I love you, Charles, first guard of the tower. Forever and always. As long as you never, ever do that to me again.”

  He laughed and pointed to the car. “As long as you never, ever, do that to me again too.”

  “No promises,” she whispered.

  “I know.”

  Chaz refused to move her until he performed the rites on her neck. Then and only then, did he lift her and carry her to his car. After setting her inside, he told her he’d return in a moment and walked up to Sam and Hunter.

  “How is she?” Hunter asked, the concern in his tone touching Chaz deep inside.

  “Her throat is swollen, but I already know she won’t let me take her to the hospital.”

  “More important, how are you?” Sam asked.

  “I think I’ll be all right now.”

  Sam grinned at him and nodded.

  “She’s more than proven her loyalty to us,” he told them, still uncertain if they’d agree to accept her into their world.

  “Indeed, she has,” Hunter said. “I’ve never met a woman with her strength of will.”

  He swallowed hard, his gaze turning solemn. “Will you accept her as my mate? Will you allow her to remain with me?”

  This time Sam answered. “She earned that right the night she saved us at the mansion, Chaz. Tonight was simply icing on the cake.”

  “And the other leaders? I won’t rub anyone’s nose in our business, but she’s going to want to continue her work, and I think we should let her.”

  “Question already posed and answered,” Hunter said. “With a unanimous vote.”

  That thousand-ton weight slid off of him. “Thank you.”

  “When she’s healed and ready, we need to know more about Nirvana. Both Dannika and Jason have advised that they have had to imprison a couple of these drugged vampires inside their cells. The problem seems to be growing.”

  “Understood.”

  Sam smiled up at him. “She’s an exceptional lady, Chaz. We are honored to call her a friend.”

  Hunter agreed. “Every member of my cell has voted to guard her with their lives if necessary. Of course, not every cell will agree.”

  Chaz nodded. “I know, but it’s a beginning.”

  He walked back to the car and got in, lighter in heart than he’d been in centuries. He decided not to take her back to her shore house.

  “Where are we going?” she choked out

  He smiled. “We should be going to a hospital, but knowing you’ll fight me tooth and nail, I figured I’d take you to my place. It’s safer.”

  She didn’t answer. Taking her to his home meant he was letting her inside himself. He hoped she understood what opening that door meant.

  Once he had her tucked safely on his living room couch and sipping on a cup of tea with some honey for her throat, Chaz realized they had a few mountains to cross. He clenched his fists as he watched the purple bruises grow on her neck. Then he realized he had to let go. She had the right to live the way she wanted to live. He sat down next to her.

  “You nearly lost your life, Stacy. As proud of you as I am, I’m not sure I can handle going through something like this again. There’ll be other rogues in the future. You have to promise me there’ll be only one rogue hunter in this family.”

  She shivered. “I’ll leave them to you. I pro
mise.”

  All right. At least she wasn’t arguing.

  “Now we need to talk about family and who we are. What we’ll become. This is only the beginning, Stacy. Perhaps even the easiest part. I’ll never truly be a part of your world. You’ll never truly be a part of mine.”

  “Don’t you think I already realized that?” she asked.

  “Did you also think about the children you’ll never have?”

  “Yes.” She took another swallow so that her voice would come out close to normal. “Did you think about me growing old while you remain young?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you know that the answers to all of our questions lie in the future,” she told him. “We have to take that future one step at a time. I’m willing to do that. Are you?”

  “More than willing.”

  “And as far as both our worlds, we’ll figure that out too.”

  He smiled, lifting her onto his lap. She snuggled into his chest, and he swallowed, knowing she was in no shape for what his lower half had in mind.

  Clearing his throat, Chaz continued. “That may not be as far in the future as you think. It seems you’ve made quite an impression. All the vampire leaders have agreed to let you stay in our world. I’m sure Sam had a lot to do with that, but I’m not complaining.”

  She stilled a moment, then her shoulders started to shake with laughter. “And here I thought it was because of my charming personality.”

  He laughed with her. “Don’t think so.”

  “My keen wit and sharp scientific mind?”

  “Maybe.” He sobered. “You’ve even won over Hunter. He said to tell you his cell will guard you with their lives.”

  “Wow.”

  When she didn’t say anything else, Chaz couldn’t believe his ears. He didn’t think anything would render Stacy speechless.

  “Hunter also said that he would very much appreciate it if you’d consider continuing the work you’ve begun. I guess we were wrong after all. We need to find out what’s going on with those young vampires. We still need your help.”