by Mlyn Hurn
Relaxing and stretching her legs out in front of her, AnnaBelle felt pretty confident in her psychic abilities to spot trouble before it tried to make a blood donor out of her. Belatedly, she did wonder if the professor had not realized that she was the same woman who’d been his volunteer or not? Maybe it was strange and didn’t make much sense, but now she was feeling unnerved either way.
* * * * *
Iain was interrupted several times before he finally reached a man seated alone, in the far right corner of the auditorium. Iain crossed between the seat rows until he stood directly in front of the seated man. His eyes traveled over the dark-haired man. Gray streaks at his temples didn’t add to his age but merely made most women more attracted to him. The man’s skin was very pale and his dark eyes appeared black in the dimmed light of the auditorium. Iain noted the man was wearing a dark, expensive suit, white shirt and wine-red silk tie.
“I am very surprised to find you here, Simon. Last I heard you were living on the continent.” Iain spoke decisively.
The other man nodded his head and smiled slightly. “I’ve come here on business, but I don’t anticipate it taking too long. Besides, with all that political bickering and bartering over that damned park, I was glad to leave the area.” He paused and crossed one leg over the other at the knee, straightening the pleat before he continued. “It appears there is going to be a ‘Dracula Park’ after all. When I return, I’m sure all will be settled.”
“I just learned that the governmental plans have approved the Dracula Park provisory, which is entitled ‘Dracula—Rasnov—Brasov—Transylvania—Park’.” Iain crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned back on the seat behind him.
“Exactly, Professor. I am exceedingly grateful that they finally dropped the idea of using Sighisoara. Granted that it was the usual ranting ‘good for tourism, but not in my backyard’ reasoning, yet I had no desire to be seeing pint-sized Dracula imitations running all over the place, while their doting parents snapped pictures.”
Iain shifted his feet, lowering his hands to rest on the seat behind him. “It is a shame because from what I can recall, Rasnov is a quaint medieval village with a powerful fortress on a hill above the locality, halfway between Brasov and Castle Bran. Beautiful and unspoiled land is about to meet Mickey Mouse, complete with fangs, red cape and all the benefits of American tourism and capitalism.”
Simon laughed at Iain. “You are too harsh, my clever Professor. But rumor has it the first item scheduled is Dracula’s Castle, followed soon by the Institute for Vampirology.” Simon made no effort to hide his sneer.
“Nothing planned for the throngs of blonde, Buffy-like vampire slayers, from the sound of it so far.”
Simon frowned. “It is easy for you to jest since you will remain safe over here.”
“I have no fear that you will continue your secure solitude, protected by your human puppets.”
“Too cruel, Iain. They are free to leave, should they so desire. Some of my caretakers are third and fourth generation now.” Simon paused to glance around the rapidly filling auditorium. “I am rather like a family business, you might say.”
Iain shifted away from the seatback he’d been leaning on. “You still have the same odd sense of humor.” Moving towards the aisle, he paused before walking back to the stage. “I trust you won’t be staying long.”
Simon’s lips twisted into a semblance of a smile. “Subtlety was never your strong point. I’ll be leaving your precious city soon. It shouldn’t take me long to locate what I need, and then I shall be gone.” He paused to look over the audience already gathered. “I can see you are making a good living out of debunking your own kind. Far be it from me to curb your style, old friend. We’ve come close over the tides of time to testing our strengths, but I see no reason to risk our comfortable lives this time.” Simon crossed one leg over the other before stating softly, “I believe I will stay for your lecture. I can always use a good laugh.”
Iain started walking back down the aisle when he heard Simon speak again.
“And I could always use a little female companionship for the evening. There is nothing like pretty young co-eds.”
* * * * *
Iain was glad to end the lecture tonight. It was not only the drink he was having with AnnaBelle that he was looking forward to, but he also wanted to put distance between himself and Simon. Looking around, it appeared that AnnaBelle had gone outside to wait for him. Nodding to students, he wasn’t letting himself be delayed this evening. Outside, he glanced around once before he saw that AnnaBelle was standing next to Simon, only half hidden by the shadows.
* * * * *
AnnaBelle had hurried from the lecture hall, hoping the cool night air would shake the unusual feelings of uneasiness that seemed to have pervaded the hall. Moving towards her car, she had stopped when a deep, mellow voice spoke. The sound reminded her of dark velvet, burgundy cognac and mystery. Turning, AnnaBelle saw a tall, dark-haired man just a short distance away from her. As she watched, he smiled slightly, but AnnaBelle noted that the smile didn’t warm his cold, midnight dark eyes.
“Excuse me,” AnnaBelle spoke in reply. “Were you speaking to me?”
The man came a few steps closer. “Good evening. Did you enjoy the lecture?”
“Oh! Why, yes, I did. Were you in there as well?” The minute the words left her mouth, AnnaBelle told herself how stupid they must sound. Of course he had been in there! How else would he have known she’d been attending the lecture, and not just walking by the auditorium?
The stranger nodded his head, moving closer until there were only a few feet between them. “This was the first night that I was free to attend. Are you a devotee of vampire lore, or merely a curious on-looker?”
AnnaBelle felt a shiver run up her spine as the man moved closer to her. It also dawned on her that she had been acting naïve since she had arrived in New York. She didn’t have any of her equipment with her, nor was she observing her own usual strict codes of safety. Something about this whole trip, pretty much since her arrival, had been off center. It was making her balance haywire, and she was beginning to worry that it was affecting her judgment skills.
“Curiosity, nothing else.”
“Aah,” the dark-haired man whispered softly. “Do you attend the university? Are you a coed here? I believe the correct word is coed.”
AnnaBelle shook her head and had to laugh. It had been a few years since she had been that age. “No, I am not attending the university, but thank you for the compliment.” She planned on adding that she was just visiting the city when a touch on her arm caused her to jump a little in surprise. Turning her head rapidly, she saw it was Iain who now stood by her side. Her heart was racing as she realized that she had been completely unaware of his approach! Maybe she was getting sick and that is why her usual perception skills seemed so impaired.
Iain spoke softly. “Sorry for the delay, AnnaBelle. Are you ready to go?”
Before AnnaBelle had time to wonder about Iain’s silent approach, or the obviously cold look on his face, the stranger spoke.
“Leave it to you, Iain, to have a date with the loveliest woman attending your lecture tonight.”
AnnaBelle flushed at the compliment even as she felt Iain’s hand curling around her arm. “Yes, well, we’d better get going, AnnaBelle.”
The dark-haired man laughed softly. “I guess that means you wouldn’t welcome a third party, huh?”
AnnaBelle looked from the man to Iain. The undercurrents of emotions and portents of “things that go bump in the night” suddenly overwhelmed her. It seemed natural to move closer to Iain even though her brain would argue the point if allowed. “Do you two know one another?” she finally asked around the lump in her throat.
The other man spoke quickly. “We have known each other for what feels like centuries at times.”
AnnaBelle looked at Iain and caught the frown that quickly disappeared. “Perhaps you two should go out and have time to
catch up.”
Iain moved fast this time. “No, I’m afraid we can’t tonight, AnnaBelle. You promised me a ride home in exchange for seeing that book.”
AnnaBelle saw the other man frown for the first time. But it disappeared quickly and he smiled once again. “Not a problem, but perhaps I could treat you both to dinner after the lecture tomorrow?”
Iain tightened his hand around AnnaBelle’s arm. “Thank you, Simon. But class doesn’t meet again until Monday, and I didn’t think you were staying that long in the States.”
Simon’s smile narrowed, as did his eyes. “Yes, you are right, Iain. If I find my business delays me, I’ll come by at the end of the lecture Monday, and then we could enjoy dinner.”
“That sounds like an excellent suggestion, Simon. Now we must get moving! Good night!” He turned away quickly, his hand still tightly holding AnnaBelle’s arm. They had gone several feet, when AnnaBelle spoke up.
“My car is back the other way.”
“Just keep walking for now, AnnaBelle. Trust me on this.”
AnnaBelle tried to slow his pace and look over her shoulder, but Iain only quickened the pace.
“Don’t look back either!” He turned his head and met her clear, blue-eyed gaze. “Just trust me!”
Something in Iain’s voice and his eyes convinced her, and she stopped lagging and kept pace with him as they reached the far corner of the building and turned onto the next street. After they had walked another minute or so
Iain stopped in front of a traditional cottage-style house typically found surrounding college campuses.
“Let’s go inside for awhile, and I'll give you a ride back to your car or home then.” Iain had taken the first step leading up to the house.
AnnaBelle paused for a few seconds, not sure which would be the best thing to do. Iain turned back and looked at AnnaBelle.
“I’m not a serial killer or a rapist. I am just an unmarried college professor—boring, staid and under paid.”
AnnaBelle looked at his eyes, his face and felt something happening inside her that she couldn’t recognize. Taking a deep breath, she asked him softly, “Harmless?”
Iain grinned at that, and shook his head. “I’m not completely harmless, AnnaBelle. I am attracted to you, which is why I asked you out in the first place.”
AnnaBelle took the step and now stood beside him. “So this was a date? I wasn’t sure if you were just asking me to talk about class…”
Iain looked away from AnnaBelle’s clear-eyed gaze. “Come on inside. It’s a little cool out tonight.”
Chapter 5
Iain left AnnaBelle looking around the living room while he went into the kitchen to make some tea. Setting the teapot to boil, he got out teacups and saucers. Turning to lean backwards against the counter, Iain remembered back to when he had first seen AnnaBelle talking to Simon. Of all the women in the class, why had Simon chosen AnnaBelle? Had Simon been watching when he had asked AnnaBelle out? He didn’t think it possible that Simon’s powers could have increased to the point that he could read minds.
In their past encounters, both physical and mental, he had never detected Simon reading anyone’s mind. Simon had always possessed above the normal powers of persuasion. Over the years, Iain had seen many women, and some men, fall prey to Simon’s smooth words combined with his innate Vampiric powers. Simon was a smart vampire and Iain was sure this had allowed him to live and escape destruction for almost three centuries now. Of course, Simon’s dark, brooding good looks made him the stuff that composed many women’s dreams.
Iain knew that his own blond hair, and lightly tanned skin made him the “boy next door” for a lot of women. Since his earliest days though, he had never lacked for female company, either for dates or sex. His attraction to AnnaBelle didn’t fit any of his usual parameters for female companionship. And because he was always honest with himself, Iain admitted that he was not altogether comfortable in this situation, nor did he have much idea where this was leading. Somehow he knew that AnnaBelle was not the type of woman who enjoyed one-night stands.
The teakettle’s whistle sounded loudly behind him. Iain turned towards the stove, turning off the gas flame. He was pouring the water into a china teapot as Annabelle spoke a short distance behind him. Startled, he jumped a little and the hot water splashed onto his wrist.
“Can I help, Professor?”
“Damn!” Iain said under his breath.
AnnaBelle reached his side. “We need to run some cold water over that.”
Iain considered refusing but quickly decided to let AnnaBelle do her thing. He watched as she turned on the cold water and pulled his hand over. She shoved the slightly reddened area under the cold water.
Iain was much more aware of the way his arm, caught under AnnaBelle’s, was pressed against her soft breast. Leaning forward, pretending to watch what AnnaBelle was doing, Iain pressed his upper arm more firmly into her soft flesh. His body was already responding appropriately and if he shifted his body slightly, AnnaBelle would quickly know just how he felt about her. That would certainly quell any doubts she had about him inviting her on class reasons.
“There,” AnnaBelle turned her head and smiled at Iain. “That should do it. Do you have any ointment we could put on it?”
“No, but I’m sure it will be fine.” Iain reluctantly pulled his arm away from the warm, softness of her body. “Let me finish the tea.”
AnnaBelle sipped the tea a few minutes later as they sat in Iain’s living room. The heat of the tea wasn’t helping the flush staining her cheeks. Feeling his muscular arm between her arm and body, AnnaBelle had shifted until his arm pressed into her breast. She couldn’t say it was an accident either, and even wondered if she was glad that he had burnt his hand so she could touch him! Deciding the hot tea wasn’t helping her cool down, AnnaBelle leaned forward and set her cup on the low coffee table.
AnnaBelle stood and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling bookcase. She read the titles that were closest to her line of sight. “In Search of Dracula, the History of Dracula and Vampires.” Moving a step to one side, AnnaBelle scanned a few more titles. “Hmm, Vampire Book, the Encyclopedia of the Undead; Piercing the Darkness, Undercover with Vampires in America Today; the Essential Vampire; The Vampire Companion.” AnnaBelle moved again, finding another interesting title. “Energy Vampires, a Practical Guide for Psychic Self Protection.”
AnnaBelle lifted one hand to pull the last book from the shelf. Iain spoke suddenly, and from immediately behind her.
“If you are interested in books, I have one over here you might like to see.”
AnnaBelle turned, and followed Iain across the room. He walked into another room, and flipped on a light switch. AnnaBelle looked around, realizing that this room was full of bookshelves and books. She turned her head and saw that Iain had stopped by a glass case. Stopping beside him, AnnaBelle leaned down and gasped when she read the protected book’s cover.
“Dracula, by Bram Stoker. Oh my God! Is this an original copy?”
“Yes. Would you like me to take it out of the case?” Iain offered softly.
AnnaBelle shook her head from side to side vigorously. “No! Leave it under the glass. I’d hate it if something happened to it.”
“I’m not worried. I have several older books, if you would like to see them, AnnaBelle.”
AnnaBelle looked up from the old book in the case and looked at Iain. Something in the way he had just spoken her name had sent shivers up and down her spine. “You collect old books? Isn’t that rather expensive?”
Iain laughed softly. “On a professor’s salary?”
AnnaBelle flushed darkly in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean that! I was just thinking that the books must be really expensive…”
Iain smiled, shrugging his shoulders. He could admit that when he first purchased the books, they were new and therefore not that expensive. But discretion won out, and Iain kept his mouth closed. “I keep the others upstairs, if you want to se
e them.”
AnnaBelle paused, frowning. “Is that like ‘etchings you’d like me to see’? Once you get me upstairs, you ravish my innocent person!”
The minute the words left her mouth AnnaBelle wished she had just kept her mouth shut. Looking up at Iain, she could see by the look in his eyes that she had definitely said that line out loud. “Oops! Foot in mouth?” she jested quickly.
“Would you like to come upstairs and see the books?” Iain offered.
AnnaBelle nodded her head, refusing to listen to her mother’s voice insisting that going upstairs was a bad idea. She followed Iain up the dark wood staircase, unable to miss the way his chinos showed off his taut butt. Her desire to reach out and cup his ass in her hands shocked her. The need forced her to curl her fingers into the palms of her hands. By the time they entered the large master bedroom, AnnaBelle knew she had crescent moon indentations from her fingernails digging into the soft skin of her palms. Iain’s voice startled her attention away from the king-sized bed in the room.
“Here is one of the older books that I have.”
AnnaBelle turned and saw a book on a pedestal, opened to a page that appeared to be written in a script style. She reached out towards the page, but drew back; half afraid she would damage the book. Looking at Iain, she found that he was smiling at her.
“Here is an ivory page turner you can use. This keeps the oil off the pages.”
AnnaBelle nodded and carefully turned one of the large pages. “It’s really pretty silly for me to bother turning pages,” she added setting the carved ivory device down.
Iain folded his arms across his chest. “Why do you say that, AnnaBelle?”
“Even though this is very pretty writing, I still can’t read a single word.”
