“I’ll help.” Kyo started down another row.
Going at vampire speed, the two Vamps moved quickly down the rows.
Caitlyn shuddered. “I keep imagining them all suddenly standing up and moving toward me.”
Carlos wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “They can’t hurt you.”
Angus shook his head. “If Master Han had succeeded, he could have transformed all these men at the same time. He would have had an instant vampire army at his disposal.”
Robby and Zoltan entered the large room, carrying Tanit’s body. They placed him in a row of clay figures.
“This place is amazing.” Robby strode toward them, his kilt swishing about his knees.
“Aye, but I can only be glad that Master Han failed,” Angus added.
“How can you be sure?” Mikhail called from across the chamber as he finished cracking open the clay figures. “There could be other caves just like this.”
That gave them all pause.
“Tanit said that Master Han has killed thousands,” Caitlyn whispered. “There are only two hundred here.”
“Kyo, I want you and your team in Tokyo to investigate this Master Han,” Angus ordered.
“Hai.” Kyo smashed the last clay figure with the end of his samurai sword. “These guys are all dead.”
“Good.” Angus turned to Carlos. “Show us the soldier.”
“This way.” Carlos led them up some steps and into the next room.
With no vampires in sight, the Vamps sheathed their weapons. Angus set the ice chest on the floor.
Carlos passed the first two altars where the clay figures housed skeletal remains. The third altar was just as they left it. Major Russell Ryan Hankelburg rested there in his green fatigues.
Kyo frowned at him. “He looks dead to me.”
“He’s not dead,” Mikhail said. “He hasn’t decayed.”
“His muscles haven’t withered,” Caitlyn added. “It’s like he’s frozen in time.”
Angus rested one hand on the major’s chest, then lifted the eyelids to examine his eyes. “Aye, he’s in a vampire coma.”
“How long has he been like that?” Robby asked.
“We estimate about forty years,” Carlos said.
Zoltan shook his head. “I’ve never heard of a person lasting so long.”
“Aye.” Angus drew his Highland dirk from his knee sock. “But he willna survive the night if his body rejects the transformation.”
“He is strong,” Mikhail said. “He will fight.”
“We shall see.” Angus sliced his forearm. As blood oozed from the wound, he placed it over the major’s mouth.
Nothing happened.
Angus pulled the major’s cap off and tapped his fingers against his temple. “Come on, lad.”
Mikhail shook his booted feet.
“He’s so far down in a black hole,” Zoltan said. “He’s probably forgotten which way is up.”
Angus smeared blood on the major’s mouth and nose. “Wake up, lad.” He glanced at Caitlyn. “Maybe he’ll respond to a female voice.”
“Okay.” She leaned close and placed a hand on his brow. “Russell, do you hear me? Russell, come back. Come back home.”
The major’s body jerked. His mouth opened with a gasp.
“That’s it.” Angus dripped some of his blood into Russell’s mouth.
The major coughed.
“Ye have to drink it, lad.” Angus drizzled more blood into Russell’s mouth.
The major swallowed, then his body trembled. He grabbed Angus’s arm and drank from the wound.
“Is that what causes the transformation?” Caitlyn asked. “He has to drink blood from a vampire?”
“Aye,” Angus answered. “First he must be drained dry by a vampire. All his mortal blood must be gone, and he has to fall into a vampire coma. Usually, the coma never lasts longer than one night.”
The major released Angus’s arm and opened his eyes. His gaze shifted from Angus to Caitlyn, and he looked confused. Then his gaze drifted up to the top of the cave. His eyes widened with alarm.
“Russell Ryan Hankelburg,” he croaked. “Major, United States Marine Corps. Serial number five-seven—”
“Lad, ye’re no’ a prisoner,” Angus told him.
“We found you in this cave.” Caitlyn smiled and patted his shoulder. “You’re safe now. You’re among friends.”
He lifted his head to look at all the people. His gaze landed on Kyo and he gasped. “Charlie!” He struggled to sit up.
“What?” Kyo huffed with indignation.
Russell searched his uniform in vain for weapons.
“You think I look like Viet Cong?” Kyo cried. “I’m not commie bastard. I’m Japanese! Descendant from noble ninja warrior!”
“Relax, Kyo,” Angus muttered.
Robby chuckled. “Yeah, tell us how ye really feel.”
Russell eyed them all warily. He winced and rubbed his stomach.
“That’s the hunger ye’re feeling,” Angus explained. He motioned toward the ice chest, and Mikhail removed a bottle of synthetic blood.
“Where am I?” Russell asked.
“A cave in Thailand,” Carlos told him. “What do you remember last?”
“I was on leave in Phuket. I went into a bar and—” Russell grimaced, pressing a hand to his stomach. “I don’t remember.”
“Most likely, a vampire took control of yer mind,” Angus said. “Then he teleported you here to feed off you.”
“What?” Russell gave him an incredulous look.
“What year is it?” Zoltan asked him.
“Nineteen seventy-one.” Russell’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why do you ask?”
“Lad, there’s no easy way to tell you this,” Angus said. “Ye’ve been in a coma for thirty-nine years.”
Russell flinched. “Thirty-nine?”
“Aye.” Angus nodded. “Ye’ll find that the world has changed quite a bit.”
Russell looked askance at him and Robby. “Men are wearing skirts now?”
The Scotsmen stiffened while the others in the room snickered.
“This is a kilt,” Robby announced.
“Aye,” Angus added. “’Tis a fine, manly tradition amongst the Scots.”
“Right.” Russell turned to Caitlyn and smiled. “And what’s your name?”
“She’s my wife,” Carlos growled.
Angus chuckled. “And some things havena changed at all.”
“Look, whoever you guys are—Agh!” Russell doubled over, holding his stomach. “Damn.”
“’Tis the hunger.” Angus accepted a bottle of synthetic blood from Mikhail, then offered it to Russell. “Here. Ye need to drink this.”
Russell lifted the bottle to his nose. “Blood?” He threw the bottle aside and it smashed into a rock wall.
“Lad, ye need blood.” Angus extended a hand so Mikhail could pass him another bottle.
“You’re crazy!” Russell shouted. “I’m not drinking—Agh!” He slapped a hand over his mouth.
“Those are yer fangs coming in,” Angus told him.
Russell’s eyes widened with horror.
“I know it is hard to believe,” Angus said softly. “Ye were attacked by a vampire thirty-nine years ago. He put you into a vampire coma and abandoned you here. We revived you, but yer life will be different from now on. Ye’ll have extraordinary strength and speed. Yer senses will be extra sharp. Even now ye can see amazingly well in this dark cave, can ye no’?”
Russell nodded, his hand still covering his mouth.
“Ye can hear our heartbeats,” Angus continued. “Ye can smell the blood running down the wall over there. And it smells good to you, does it no’?”
Russell nodded. He opened his mouth and felt his elongated fangs. “Is this for real?”
“Aye, ye’re a vampire.” Angus passed him another bottle of blood. “The pain in yer belly will go away if ye drink.”
Russell took the bottle and g
ave it a dubious look. “A vampire? I didn’t think they existed.” He winced and rubbed his stomach. “Aren’t vampires evil?”
“Do ye feel evil?” Robby asked.
Russell shook his head. “I feel the same.”
“Exactly.” Angus patted him on the shoulder. “Death canna change yer true nature. Now, drink.”
Russell took a sip from the bottle and grimaced. “It’s cold.”
“Do you see a microwave around here?” Zoltan asked dryly.
“A what?” Russell took another sip.
Zoltan chuckled. “Why don’t you come stay at my house for a while? Robby and I can show you how to be a proper vampire.”
“You guys are vampires, too?” Russell drank more blood.
“Aye,” Robby said. “We’re the good Vamps.”
“Cool.” Russell drank more blood. “This actually tastes good.” He downed the rest of the bottle.
Angus introduced everyone, then Zoltan and Robby teleported back to Budapest, taking the new Vamp with them.
“I will leave for Tokyo now.” Kyo bowed. “And I will begin investigation of Master Han.” He teleported away.
Angus turned to Carlos. “And what about you two? Do ye want to hitch a ride to Moscow?”
“We need to go back to the village,” Carlos said. “Our stuff is there, and our guide left a car nearby. We’ll leave in the morning and head east of Chiang Mai. We’ve heard there’s a group of panthers close to Laos.”
“Verra well,” Angus said. “Keep in touch.” He and Mikhail teleported them back to the Akha village, then went on to Moscow.
The next morning, Carlos and Caitlyn wished everyone farewell in the Akha village, then hiked back to the main road where Tanit had left the rental car. A few times, Carlos heard a twig snap in the jungle. He suspected one of the tigers had come to see them off.
They reached the main road, and he dropped his backpack on the trunk of the car so he could fish out the second set of keys.
Caitlyn leaned against the car and sighed. “I am so looking forward to a real hotel room with a real toilet and a real bathtub.”
Carlos straightened suddenly and sniffed the air. Sweat and tobacco. There were mortals close by. He glanced across the road at the dense jungle and spotted the glint of a rifle barrel. He considered handing Caitlyn the car keys and urging her to drive away, but what if the car had been tampered with?
“Catalina,” he whispered. “Go back to the trail, then run to the village.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
“We’ve walked into a trap.”
Chapter Twenty-six
C aitlyn stiffened just as gunshots were fired behind them.
Carlos pulled her down, using the car as a shield. He glanced over his shoulder. “I’ve been shot. Some kind of dart.”
She yanked it out. “What is this?”
“Tranquilizer.” He drew his pistol. “When I start shooting, run for the trail. Don’t stop. Don’t look back.”
A chill skittered down her spine. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Hurry!” a voice yelled behind them. “Get him!”
The shout had been in Thai, Caitlyn realized. And it sounded like the professor, Pat, from Chula. She eased up a few inches to peer through the car windows.
Ten men armed with rifles charged from the jungle. One of them was the professor. An old army truck crashed through the underbrush onto the road, and three more armed men jumped out.
“Run!” Carlos yelled at Caitlyn, then aimed his weapon over the car trunk. With rapid fire he took down four armed men before the others began shooting back.
“Careful!” Pat shouted. “We have to take him alive!”
Carlos ducked down and glared at Caitlyn. “I told you to run.”
She shook her head and pulled the knife from her belt. Her hand was trembling, so she gripped the handle harder.
Three armed men came around the end of the car. Carlos shot the first one, and the other two leaped back out of range.
“Look at his arm,” Caitlyn whispered. The dead man had the same tattoo as Tanit and the professor.
Gunfire rang out, and she jerked at the sudden pain in her rump.
Carlos winced, then rose to his knees. “They shot darts under the car.” He pulled darts from her bottom.
She yanked three darts from his rump. He suddenly pushed her head down and fired his weapon. She glanced toward the hood of the car and saw another man fall. How many were left now? Seven? She and Carlos were still badly outnumbered.
More shots were fired, and Carlos jerked. She gasped at the sight of five more darts in his back. One of the thugs had rounded the end of the car while Carlos was busy killing the one by the front.
“Stop that!” She threw her knife.
It hit the man in his gut and he fell back.
“Bitch.” He pulled a gun. “We don’t need you alive.”
“No!” Carlos threw himself in front of Caitlyn just as the shots were fired.
Caitlyn screamed as his body jerked with the impact of real bullets.
“Dammit!” Pat ran toward them. “I told you we needed him alive!”
The man writhed in pain, his hands gripping the knife in his gut. “I was aiming at the bitch. She deserves to die.”
“You deserve to die. You failed the Master.” Pat drew a weapon and shot the man in the head.
Caitlyn gasped and held onto Carlos tight. Blood oozed from two bullet holes in his chest. His breathing was shallow, but she wasn’t sure if it was because he was dying or just tranquilized.
Pat and the remaining five men fanned out, their rifles aimed at her.
“Hurry, load them into the truck,” Pat ordered. “Maybe we can still save him.”
The men advanced toward her.
“No!” She pulled a knife from Carlos’s belt.
Gunshots rang out as they sprayed her with a dozen tranquilizer darts.
With a huge roar, a tiger sprang from the jungle and leaped on the nearest man. Lethal claws ripped the screaming man apart.
Caitlyn pulled darts out of her arms, but she couldn’t reach those that had hit her on the back. Her sight blurred as she watched the tiger attack another man. Her ears rang with the din of multiple gunshots, all aimed at the tiger.
“No,” she moaned as the tiger slumped onto the ground, drugged by too many darts.
The tiger shimmered, then shifted into human form.
“Rajiv,” she whispered.
The men gasped, then shouted with victory.
“Another cat shifter!” Pat exclaimed. “The Master will be pleased.”
Dots swirled before her eyes and their voices sounded very far away.
“Load them up,” Pat ordered.
She collapsed on top of Carlos as everything went black.
Caitlyn slowly came to, her mind in a fuzzy haze. Memories of the ambush flitted through her head, and she sat up with a gasp. Where was she? A single lightbulb on the ceiling dimly illuminated the small room. The one window had been boarded up from the outside. There was a table against a wall. She was sitting on a hard pallet covered with a white sheet.
Her heart lurched. Where was Carlos?
A noise across the room made her jump. She peered into the dark corner.
“Miss Cait?” Rajiv pulled some of the white sheet covering his pallet into his lap to cover his nudity. “I apologize for my appearance.”
“It’s not your fault,” she answered in his language. “I’m sorry you were dragged into this.”
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I was considering leaving my tribe, so I could experience the world and have interesting adventures. I thought I might find that with you and Carlos. I suppose I have.”
She winced, hoping his search for adventure didn’t get him killed. “Do you know what happened to Carlos?”
“No. I just woke up a few minutes ago, and he was gone. Who are those people?”
“They’re working for a chiang-shih called M
aster Han.”
“A chiang-shih?” Rajiv repeated. “I didn’t know they were real.”
“Apparently, they didn’t know until recently that cat shifters are real.” She stiffened when she heard the metallic scrape of a bolt sliding and a lock being turned.
The door cracked open and the muzzle of a rifle appeared. Rajiv growled and started to shimmer.
“Don’t even think about shifting.” A man swung the door farther open and shot tranquilizer darts into Rajiv. When Rajiv started pulling them out, the man drew a handgun from a holster. “Stop it. This one has real bullets.”
Rajiv glared at him, then slowly slumped to the side. Two men hauled him from the room.
Meanwhile, the man pointed his gun at Caitlyn. “Don’t move.”
Her heart raced. “What have you done with Carlos?”
The man looked surprised. “You speak Thai?” He glanced out the door. “They’re bringing your husband now.”
Two men entered the room, carrying Carlos. She winced at the sight of his blood-soaked chest. They shuffled over to where she sat and dumped him on the pallet.
“Careful,” she muttered.
“Why bother?” The man with the gun smirked. “The bastard is dead.”
She flinched.
“That’s enough, Sawat.” The professor, Pat, entered the room. “Carlos’s death is a tragedy.”
The man with the gun scoffed. “He deserved to die. He killed a lot of our men.”
“They died in the service of our Master,” Pat argued. He turned to Caitlyn with an annoyed look. “You neglected to tell us you spoke Thai. We removed the bullets and tried to save your husband. We were too late.”
Tears filled her eyes. She knew Carlos should revive in a few hours, but it still grieved her to think how much he had suffered. She brushed the hair back from his pale face, and a tear ran down her cheek. “Why are you doing this? Carlos considered you a friend.”
“Master Han is in need of a powerful cat,” Pat explained. “Once I realized cat shifters might truly exist, I knew they would be the most powerful cats in the world. I thought Carlos could lead us to a cat shifter. It didn’t occur to me that he was one until Tanit told me.”
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