Seduced by the Night

by Robin T. Popp

  “I don’t understand. Isn’t it a chicken and egg scenario? You have to have at least one vampire to create another.”

  “Not necessarily. Have you ever heard of El Chupacabra?”

  “No, what’s that?”

  “It’s the name of the creature that created the vampires we’re dealing with today.”

  She waited for him to go on.

  “A year ago, I hadn’t heard of it either. The name, El Chupacabra, is Spanish for the goatsucker. Goats are the creatures’ preferred food source—or rather the blood of the goats, because chupacabras live off blood. Until a year ago, they were considered to be like Bigfoot. Nothing more than the product of folklore—tales told at night around the campfire. There have even been sightings, but nothing that could ever be proven.”

  He glanced at her, maybe to see how she was reacting to his story, but she kept her face blank, waiting for him to continue.

  “About a year ago, the U.S. government found two creatures in the Amazon that they believed to be El Chupacabras. They called in a scientist to study them—a cryptozoologist, Dr. Clinton Weber. Lanie’s father.”

  He took a swallow of his drink before continuing. “Weber studied them for several months and discovered that these creatures have hollow fangs and they inject their prey with venom while they are feeding—like a snake does. Weber thought the venom might prevent the blood from clotting while the chupacabra is feeding. Anyway, once the animal dies, end of story. Not so with humans. The venom has a strange effect on people and when the human dies, the venom somehow restores life to the corpse, and two nights later the victim rises as a vampire.”

  Bethany sat very still, willing herself not to reject, out of hand, what he was telling her. He obviously took her silence as acceptance and went on.

  “Of the two creatures found, one was an adult and the other was much younger. About six months ago, the adult chupacabra attacked and killed Dr. Weber and another man, Lance Burton. At that time, no one knew about the chupacabra-vampire connection. Two days later, Dr. Weber and Burton literally rose from the dead and killed the remaining members of their research team.”

  Bethany gasped. “How awful.” In her mind’s eye, she saw an image of Mr. Yarbro, clutched close to the vampire’s chest as it leaned forward, fangs buried in his neck. “Is that who’s been after me? Lanie’s father and this Lance Burton?”

  “No. Dr. Weber was never a threat. Burton, on the other hand, was.” He paused and for a moment Bethany thought he might not continue. “Burton was a former SEAL, along with me and Mac. In life, he was psychotic, but when he became a vampire, he was much worse. He came up with a plan to assassinate the President and to do that, he needed help. So he kidnapped the adult chupacabra and forced it to kill several other members of our former SEAL team—men who had been his close friends. In that way, he created his own special ops team of vampires. Mac and I killed all but two of them six months ago, including Burton, but I believe it’s the two who escaped who are responsible for the attacks on you.”

  It was almost more information than Bethany could process, but there was one question above all others that she still wanted answered. “Why do they want me?”

  “I’m not sure. I think they want to continue where Burton left off—only there aren’t enough of them to wage an all-out physical assault. So instead, they’re going for a biochemical assault. Germ warfare. And they need a biochemist.”

  Bethany gasped. “What? That’s unbelievable.”

  “It’s the best theory I have right now,” Dirk said.

  “And, of all the biochemists in the area, they randomly selected me?”

  Dirk’s pointed silence caused a shudder to run through her. “I wasn’t randomly selected?”

  His features were grim when he spoke. “I did some checking. Van Horne wasn’t just bragging when he said you were the best in your field—and trust me, they’ll need the best. Your being a woman was an added benefit. They probably thought you’d be easy to intimidate.”

  While Bethany digested this, the waiter arrived with their food. As soon as he left, Dirk reached over and took her hand in his. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay? Now, let’s try to enjoy the meal.”

  He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. The gesture was meant to be reassuring and shouldn’t have sent warm shivers up and down her arms. She wondered if the contact had affected him, too, but his attention was focused on the array of bite-sized food and pots of cheese. He viewed them with obvious skepticism.

  She used the opportunity to study him as he tentatively pierced a cube of bread and dipped it into the nearest fondue pot. Then he popped it into his mouth.

  “Not bad,” he said after he swallowed it. Bethany smiled. She’d always thought there was something inherently feminine about eating fondue, but Dirk pulled it off with such smooth, masculine confidence, it left her wondering what those hands could do under different circumstances.

  She picked up her skewer and stabbed a vegetable piece, then dunked it into the cheese. As she lifted the food to her mouth, she felt Dirk’s gaze on her. He made her feel self-conscious and she worried that she had cheese stuck to the corner of her mouth, or something equally ludicrous. She picked up her napkin and pressed it to her lips, just in case.

  Across from her, Dirk was, once again, spearing another piece of steak and her attention was drawn to the hand holding the skewer. It was a strong hand, square and wide, with veins running across the back. She knew from the few times he’d touched her that his hands were slightly rough, with calluses, not smooth and soft, like Miles’s hands were. Her gaze wandered to his thumb and she wondered if there was any truth to the old wives’ tale about the size of a man’s thumb and the size of his—

  “You want my meat?”

  Her eyes flew up to his face as she tried to decide if she’d heard him correctly? “Excuse me?”

  There was a devilish twinkle in his eyes as he waved his skewer in the air, the piece of steak on the end coming close to dripping cheese all over the place. “You were staring at my steak here, so I thought maybe you wanted it.”

  “No, thank you.” Bethany mumbled, trying to decide if his comments were deliberately suggestive or whether it was her own depraved imagination running wild. The meal that was supposed to help focus her thoughts and attention on her fiancé was doing just the opposite.

  Lost in speculation, she pierced a piece of steak and placed it in her mouth, pulling it from the skewer slowly as she savored the flavor. Across from her, she thought she heard a groan and when she glanced up, Dirk was watching her with an intensity that fairly sizzled across the open space between them. It gave her a guilty thrill to think that he might be as affected by the innuendos as she.

  “Does it taste good?” The low rumble of his voice washed over her, teasing her senses.

  Feeling daring, she gave him a seductive smile. “Yes. Juicy and thick.” She enunciated the words slowly, another maneuver in a dangerous game of enticement.

  He held up his skewer with a piece of steak on it and brought it close to her mouth. “Let me feed you my meat,” he said, touching the steak to her lips and then pulling it away slightly just as she opened her mouth to take it. In the darkness of the room, his eyes seemed to take on a strange reddish glow.

  Tightness started building deep in the pit of her stomach and her breathing grew shallow. Warning sirens screeched in her head that this game had gone too far. They were close to crossing that invisible line dividing flirting from something far more dangerous, and yet she couldn’t resist edging just a little closer.

  Wrapping both her hands around his, she brought the steak to her mouth and gently sucked on it, taking her time. Then she pushed the skewer well into her mouth, drawing it out slowly before pushing it in again.

  Across from her, Dirk’s eyes were glued to her mouth, mesmerized by her movements. He groaned, released the skewer, slid out of the booth, and disappeared into the back, leaving Bethany to savor
her moment of triumph.

  He was in so much trouble. Dirk knew that he should never have pushed the game that far. He walked into the bathroom and, seeing it empty, turned on the faucet closest to him and splashed cold water across his face. Then he placed his hands against the edge of the sink and leaned forward, staring deep into his reflection, where glowing red eyes gazed back at him.

  When his breathing returned to something more normal and his eyes faded back to blue, he wiped his face with a paper towel and walked back to the booth. Bethany looked up when he sat down, but didn’t say a word. They continued to eat in silence, only occasionally asking for something on the table to be passed. When they were done, Dirk paid the bill, feeling that the sooner they were out of this place, the better.

  He held the door open for her and they made their way across the quiet parking area. It wasn’t until they were almost to his SUV that Dirk realized that the edgy feeling he had was more than discomfort from what had happened inside. He looked around, noticing the empty lot and the unnatural silence.

  He reacted as the first rush of wind hit him, shoving Bethany to one side. “Run!”

  The impact of the vampire slamming into him knocked Dirk to the ground and he didn’t have time to reach for his dagger. He landed on his side and ignored the jolt of pain that shot through his hip. He didn’t give his attacker time to settle on top of him, but immediately threw him off. He used the momentum of the effort to roll to his side and then jumped to his feet just as a second vampire leaped on his back. The two were not as experienced in fighting as Dirk, but their superhuman strength made up for their lack of skill.

  Dirk took several punches before he could pull his dagger free and plunge it deep into the first attacker’s heart. Before the vampire hit the ground, Dirk turned toward the second. His own emotions, already on edge, raged out of control. He curled his lips back to give the vampire a savage grin and saw the creature’s eyes widen in surprise. The decision to run flashed across the vampire’s face as clearly as if it were written on a page.

  “Too late, asshole.” Dirk took the stride that would close the distance between them, grabbed the creature about the neck, and jerked him forward, onto the blade of his dagger, held at the exact angle needed to pierce its heart.

  Bethany’s scream ripped through the night air and sent him racing to where he’d seen her disappear around the side of the old house.

  Bethany fought her attacker with all her might, kicking her feet and bucking her body as he dragged her farther and farther away from Dirk—and safety. Something wet ran down her arms and she suspected it was blood from where his fingernails bit into her flesh.

  Desperation and terror consumed her, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn’t want to die like this. She screamed again and was vaguely aware of Dirk, racing around the corner of the house, before her attacker shifted and blocked him from her view. “Dirk!” she shouted, hoping he’d hear her. They’d just passed the Dumpster when suddenly the vampire released her, staggered, and fell back.

  Then Dirk was there, between her and the vampire, a towering wall of protection as he faced the enemy. Bethany wanted to grab his arm and flee before the creature could kill them, but she was frozen by fear. When Dirk moved toward the vampire, she cried out for him to stop, but he didn’t listen. He hauled the creature up by the scruff of his shirt and plowed a hand into the creature’s face, knocking it back several more feet.

  “Dirk, let’s go,” Bethany pleaded from where she stood. She took an involuntary step toward him and he must have heard her, because he hesitated. At that moment, the creature lunged to its feet and attacked. Snarling, its lips curled to reveal fangs glowing pearly white in the moonlight, it thrust its mouth against Dirk’s neck.

  Roaring in anger, he swiveled and grabbed the creature, plucking it off as if it were a bug and tossing the vampire so far that it landed behind the Dumpster, out of sight. This time, when Dirk went after the creature, she didn’t call him back. She waited, listening to the sounds of fighting that filled the night air. Frantic, her mind conjured images of more vampires lurking in the shadows, waiting to jump out at her.

  She considered running for help, but then remembered the can of Mace in her purse. She pulled it out and held it before her as she moved slowly toward the Dumpster. Cautiously, she rounded the corner and all hopes of a clear shot vanished.

  The vampire was between her and Dirk. She started to edge around, hoping to come at the creature from a different angle. At that moment, she heard the sound a knife makes when it’s thrust into a melon. It was accompanied by a grunt. Then, in slow motion, the vampire crumpled to the ground and she watched it fall in morbid fascination.

  Was it over? she wondered. Was it dead? She looked up, needing to see the reassurance in Dirk’s face, needing to know that she was safe.

  Chest heaving from the effort of fighting, a bloodied dagger still clutched in his hand, Dirk stared at her with eyes that glowed with an unnatural red light and lips curled up in a feral snarl, revealing two sharp, pearly white fangs.

  Chapter 8

  Still caught up in the adrenaline rush of the fight, it took Dirk a moment to realize Bethany was staring at him in horror. He knew how she must see him—no different from the vampires who’d attacked her.

  He closed his mouth, once more hiding his fangs from sight, willing the vampire half of his changeling nature into submission. For several long seconds, he thought he might be able to save the situation, because while he’d been fighting to control his temper, Bethany hadn’t moved.

  Not knowing exactly how to reassure her that everything was okay, he took a step toward her. In that instant, she screamed and pulled the trigger.

  The spray hit him in the face, burning his eyes and temporarily blinding him. He roared in pain and frustration, wiping his eyes as he stumbled after her, using the sound of her running footsteps, more than sight, to guide him. It didn’t take long to catch her and by the time he grabbed her arms and pulled her to a stop, he’d managed to sheath the dagger.

  “Bethany, stop fighting me and let me explain.”

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she whimpered as she tried to pull away from him.

  “Oh, Beth, honey. You’re breaking my heart. I would never hurt you.” She thought him a monster, like the ones who had killed her bodyguard, and the knowledge sliced through him more effectively than any knife’s blade. Still, he couldn’t let her run off without making sure no other vampires were around.

  Though she resisted, he pulled her up against him and locked her in his embrace so she couldn’t move. Instead of kicking at him now, she trembled helplessly in his arms, small whimpers continuing to tear him apart.

  His eyes hurt like hell, so he closed them while he rested his head against hers. “Beth, hush now. No one’s going to hurt you.”

  “You’re a vampire.” The accusation came out in a choked voice.

  “No, I’m not. I’m a changeling—half vampire, that’s true, but also half human. I’m not the undead. I have a conscience and a soul.” He waited for his words to sink in, hoping she believed him, knowing she didn’t. “Beth, how can I prove to you that I won’t hurt you?”

  She stilled in his arms. “You can let me go.”

  “And if I let you go, you promise not to run away?”

  She started to nod her head and then stopped. “No.”

  He felt a smile tug at his lips, despite how worried he was. Keeping his tone steady and even, he tried to reason with her. “We have several problems here. First, I don’t want anyone coming out and seeing dead bodies all over the parking lot. They might call the police and things could get complicated until I can get hold of John. Second, I don’t know if those vampires I killed are really dead, so the sooner I get the bodies out of here and dispose of them properly, the better. Finally, while I think we’ve seen the last of the vampires for tonight, I don’t know that for a fact, so I need to get you somewhere safe ASAP.”

  He waited to
see if she reacted to anything he said, but she remained quiet and still in his arms. Deciding he had no other choice, he slowly let her go. To her credit, she took a very purposeful step back, but didn’t bolt. Up until now, she hadn’t looked at him—not really—and he tensed, waiting for that moment. Finally, she raised her eyes and he knew that despite the fact that his fangs were covered and his eyes had returned to their normal blue, she still saw the vampire.

  After tonight, she’d never see him any other way. She’d probably want to move out of the mansion, away from him, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t still be there, in the shadows, doing his best to protect her from Harris and Patterson—at least until this whole thing was over. After that—he didn’t know. Maybe he’d still be there, trying to catch glimpses of her, hoping that would be enough for him, but knowing it wouldn’t be.

  Moving slowly, so as not to alarm her further, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to his SUV. Then he held them out to her. “Take these. Drive yourself home, or wherever you want to go, but for God’s sake, be careful. This isn’t over yet and there will probably be other attacks.”

  “How . . . how do you know?”

  “Because you’re still here. Beth, they’re not going to stop until they have you—or until I kill them all.” When she still didn’t move, he jangled the keys in front of her. “Go.”

  Hesitantly, she reached out and took them. “What about the bodies?”

  “I’ll call Mac and ask him to meet me here.”

  She nodded and backed away from him in the direction of his SUV. Minutes later, she pulled out of the parking lot and drove away.

  The sound of the restaurant door opening tore Dirk from his thoughts and he hurriedly ducked out of sight, behind the Dumpster where the one body lay. He dragged it farther out of sight and waited for the latest patrons to drive off before recovering the other two bodies.