by Cat Devon
“The outside world?”
“We’re a pretty tight-knit community here.”
“Where is here?” Keira went to the windows, but they were covered by the locked shutters. “Are we in Romania or something?” The reference to Heavenly Cupcakes that Sierra had made earlier made Keira think they were still in Chicago, but she couldn’t be sure.
“No, you haven’t left the city.”
“What’s going on here?” a tall, tanned woman demanded from the doorway. She was super skinny and wore a tube top and mini skirt that looked like they’d been sprayed on her. “Sierra, you’re supposed to be doing a chat with your street team in five minutes.”
“I know, Tanya. I texted you that I plan on doing it later this evening.”
“Who’s that?” Tanya demanded pointing to Keira. “Is she some demented fan stalking you?”
“No.”
Tanya eyed Keira suspiciously.
Keira eyed her right back. How had Tanya been able to enter the loft and get past Alex’s security system? Unless … “Are you a vampire, too?” Keira asked.
A second later Tanya had her by the throat and flashed her fangs at Keira. Yep, definitely a vampire.
“Tanya, stop that!” Sierra said. “Keira is a friend of mine. Let her go.”
Tanya released her reluctantly.
Keira stumbled backward. Why had she asked that? Another stupid move on her part. Did she have a death wish or something? Her fingers trembled as she rubbed her throat.
“What’s going on?” Alex demanded, appearing out of nowhere. “What are you doing here, Tanya?”
“Protecting my favorite author,” Tanya said.
“She doesn’t need protecting,” Alex said. “You can both leave now.”
The instant they were gone Keira said, “They might not need protecting but I sure as hell do.” Her voice was raspy from the hold Tanya had had on her throat.
“I know you need protecting. That’s why you’re here,” Alex said.
“I’m not safe here. That vampire just tried to strangle me.”
“Luckily you only mildly ticked Tanya off. Had she been really pissed she’d have torn your head off,” Alex said.
“If that was meant to reassure me, it failed.”
“I wasn’t trying to reassure you. In fact, you’re the one who has to reassure me.”
“Why? Because you’re afraid of me?”
“Brave words considering the trouble you’re facing.”
“Why were you next on my grandfather’s hit list and why weren’t you surprised?”
“Very little surprises me these days.”
“I surprised you.”
“Yeah, you did. That’s not necessarily a good thing,” he warned her. “I’m not real fond of surprises.”
“So you weren’t surprised that you were…”
“Your grandfather’s next victim?”
“I have a hard time imagining a vampire as a victim,” she said.
“I don’t.” He reached for her laptop.
“Hold on. What do you plan on doing with that?”
“It’s already been done. Everything on it was copied wirelessly. Vampire Wi-Fi.”
“But … you didn’t have my password.”
“Didn’t need it.”
“Then why did you bully me to get it?”
“To teach you a lesson.”
“Yeah? And what lesson was that?”
He headed for the fridge … to the ice cube dispenser. Grabbing a towel from the counter, he wrapped it around the ice before bringing it to her.
“You could be getting a shiner,” he said, placing the towel in her hand and then gently lifting her hand to just beneath her eye.
“Why were Sierra and Tanya able to get past your invisible security system and leave?”
“Because they aren’t you.”
“Lucky me,” Keira muttered.
“Lucky you, indeed,” Alex said.
“Sierra said I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone else about you being vampires or where I am.” Using her free hand, Keira pointed to the windows. “Am I really still in Chicago?”
“Yes, you’re still in Chicago.”
“Prove it. Let me see out the window.”
“You’re going to be the one proving you can be trusted, and that needs to be done before you see anything outside.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I said. The others want a sample of your blood.”
Keira’s ears started ringing. “But it’s toxic.”
“They don’t want to drink it. They want to analyze it.”
“No way!” She wavered unsteadily.
“Sit down if you feel faint,” Alex said. “I’m not falling for that act again.”
Down she went.
Shit. Moving with vamp speed Alex caught her before she hit the floor. She wasn’t faking this time. Lifting her in his arms, he carefully laid her on the couch.
Her face was so pale. He ran his fingertips along her cheek. Her skin was so smooth. He could hear the rapid beat of her racing heart. When she’d gone down he’d felt a panic in his gut along with a fierce need to care for her and shield her from danger. This went beyond his usual response as a cop.
Cupping her cheek with the palm of his hand, he tried to figure out what was going on here. Because his connection with her was nothing he’d ever experienced before.
He wanted to know more about her, what made her tick, if she could be trusted, if she felt the same attraction he did. She was sharp and observant. Not much slipped past her. She was fierce and not easily spooked. Had she really only come to see him because of the blood thefts? Or was there more to her story?
If this was what he thought it might be, then he was in deep shit.
It will happen one day, his sire Mitch had told him. You might not know it at first sight but it won’t take long for you to know.
To know what? Alex had asked.
That you are experiencing The Longing. The woman who will inspire this emotion in you … she’s not like you. But she’s The One. In some way she will be your opposite. In others she will be your match. In all ways she will be your revelation. She’ll change your afterlife for good … or for bad.
Alex swore under his breath. Had Mitch known that the woman he’d been talking about was a hunter’s granddaughter? Was that what that line about her being his opposite meant?
Was that why he’d been torn about taking her blood for testing? He stood by his decision that she should offer it willingly as proof that she was trustworthy. But looking at her now, so vulnerable and pale, made his protective instincts come to life with an intensity that surprised him. No one was sticking her. Not without her permission.
His hand still cupped her cheek. What kind of twisted karma was this? That The One for him was the one woman who could ruin him. Already he was going against Damon’s wishes and putting his concern for Keira first.
Her eyes flickered open. She didn’t say a word, just looked at him. Did she feel the same connection he did? Her brown eyes seemed to say so. She didn’t pull away from his touch. Indeed, she seemed to nuzzle against his hand.
A moment later, realizing what she was doing, she moved his hand away. He twined his fingers with hers. Oh yeah, there was definitely a bond going on here.
Of all the women in the world, why did she have to be The One? He pulled his hand away and headed for the kitchen. He returned with a glass full of red liquid. “Drink this.”
She eyed it suspiciously. “I am not drinking blood.”
“Like we’d waste good blood on you. It’s red wine.” He took a sip. “A very nice burgundy.”
Her eyes widened. “You only drink blood.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone.”
“I can drink several types of beverages. Most of them alcoholic.” He held the wineglass out for her to take.
She refused to take it.
He shrugged. “Your loss.” He too
k a healthy swig. “I probably need it more than you do.”
“What does that mean?” She sat up and checked her arms for needle marks. “Did you take my blood?”
“No. I told you, you need to be willing to give a sample of your blood voluntarily. As a means of proving that you aren’t a hunter, that you aren’t part of some plan.”
“How can my blood possibly prove that?”
She had him there. Only her actions could prove that. The blood would be analyzed and tested. He already knew from the heat sensors that she didn’t have druid blood or vampire blood.
He tried to read her thoughts but couldn’t pick up anything specific. To his surprise, she took the glass from him and sniffed its contents before expertly swirling it as if she were at a wine tasting in the Napa Valley. Then she darted her tongue out to daintily touch the liquid. “It is wine.”
“I told you it was.”
“Can all you vampires drink wine?”
“Not all, no.”
“What makes you special?”
You do.
He didn’t know yet how or why that she made him special, but he sure as hell planned on finding out.
“I’ve got to go,” he said curtly. “Someone will be here shortly with your stuff.”
“What stuff?” she asked.
But Alex was already gone.
Chapter Six
Keira blamed her light-headedness on a lack of food rather than a lack of courage. She hadn’t eaten much at the press luncheon before going to see Alex. She’d just sampled a few of the buffet’s bite-size selections.
The bottom line here was that she hadn’t passed out because she was a wimp. She’d passed out because she needed sugar.
She eyed the cupcake on the table. Sierra had taken a bite and seemed fine. She’d seemed normal. But then she hung out with vampires on a daily basis. How normal was that?
Still, that didn’t mean Sierra had handed Keira a poisoned cupcake. Okay … maybe not poisoned, but drugged in order to keep Keira quiet.
If that was the case, then why hadn’t Sierra shown any symptoms? Would Sierra really risk taking a bite of something tainted? Doubtful.
Was it worth the risk? Keira’s stomach growled an answer. She stood, holding on to the back of the couch as the room spun a bit around her.
She waited until her equilibrium returned before walking to the table. She took a dainty bite of the cupcake … just the cake. Mmmm. Yummm. Next she ate a hefty sample of the icing.
“Hey there,” a jolly male voice greeted Keira as she turned with a mouthful of cream cheese icing. “How’s it going? Great cupcake, huh? Not that I know from personal experience, but everyone says they love the red velvet cupcakes.”
“Would you like a bite?” she automatically asked, then wondered what made her offer it to a complete stranger.
“A bite?” He stared at the pulse in her neck for a beat before regaining his composure. “Oh, right. The cupcake, of course. No, thank you.” He held up a suitcase. “I brought your things.”
She eyed him carefully. He was heavyset with dark hair and kind eyes. He was also very meticulously dressed in a dark suit and blue shirt opened at the neck.
“I love your outfit,” he told her. “You have great fashion sense. So do I.” He spread out his arms. “Who am I wearing, you ask. Tom Ford, of course. It’s Tuesday. I try to wear Tom Ford on Tuesdays.”
Keira’s mouth hung open. This day was getting weirder and weirder. “Who are you?”
“I’m Bruce. Didn’t Alex tell you I was coming?”
“He didn’t tell me your name.”
Bruce shook his head. “Isn’t that just like him.”
“Listen, you’ve got to get me out of here,” she said desperately. “I’m being held against my will.”
“That’s terrible.” Bruce’s expression reflected his surprise. “I wish I could help you.”
“You can help me. You’re a vampire, right?”
“How did you know? Was it the open collar on my shirt? Too much?” He quickly fastened a button. “Wait, it was the cupcake comment, right?”
“You’re not like the others.”
Bruce frowned. “You mean because I’m gay?”
“No. I mean because you’re nice.”
“Thank you,” he said, smiling at her, his chest puffing out just a little. “I pride myself on that. It’s not always easy, you know.” He set her suitcase down next to the couch. “Actually, I have a confession to make.” He sighed before pausing dramatically. “When I went to your apartment to get your things I was forced to kill two other vampires. I tried to be nice about it, though.”
Keira was speechless.
“They were stealing your things and trashing the place,” Bruce said. “That really pissed me off. Still, I would have remained nice if they hadn’t tried to kill me first. Don’t worry. It wasn’t messy. They disintegrated when they died.” When she tried to speak, he held up his hand. “No, you don’t have to thank me. I like to think anyone would have done what I did. Well, anyone who is a vampire.” He paused. “Anyone who is a vampire in my clan, that is. Along with being nice, I do try to be accurate. Ask anyone, they’ll tell you.”
“No, they won’t. No one around here is telling me anything.”
“They aren’t?” he said.
They don’t trust me, she almost said before thinking better of it and just shrugging as if she didn’t have a clue.
“That’s such a shame. You seem like a nice person to me.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t believe she was standing here talking to a vampire who killed other vampires. Her reporter sense must be on vacation. He looked harmless. He seemed empathetic. Maybe she could appeal to that side of him. “Will you help me?”
“Sure. Frankly, I think your fashion presence is pretty good on your own, but I’d be glad to give you a few tips—”
She interrupted him. “I need to get out of here.”
He smiled at her fondly before shaking his head. “No can do.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re The Executioner’s granddaughter and as such you could possibly be a risk to our security.” Her face must have shown her surprise at his words because he added, “Did you think I didn’t know? I’m gay, not stupid, and I certainly wasn’t born yesterday.”
“No, you were probably born centuries ago,” she muttered.
“I was not!” He was clearly affronted by her words. “You take that back.”
“I’m sorry,” she said automatically before stopping herself. “Hold on, no I’m not. You’re the one who should be sorry. Holding me captive against my will this way.”
“I’m not holding you captive. Alex is. I merely brought you some of your clothes, which as I already told you are very impressive given your limited budget as a reporter. May I say that I also liked a number of the songs on your playlist. I am a huge Andrew Lloyd Weber fan; I’m also a huge Imagine Dragons fan. And that Bastille song ‘Pompeii.’ Awesome. Or Lorde’s ‘Royals.’ I also like ‘Put the Blame on Mame’ sung by Rita Hayworth in the classic film noir movie Gilda. What can I say? I’m a man of broad tastes.”
“Whoa, how do you know what’s on my playlist?” Keira said.
He pointed to her laptop. “Vamp Wi-Fi.”
“So all you vampires know everything that’s on my laptop?”
“No. I called dibbies on checking out your playlist. Tanya called dibbies on checking out your social media except for Pinterest. I got that one as well. You and I share the same fondness for furnishings and dream homes.”
“This loft sure doesn’t qualify,” she muttered.
“I know. And so much could be done with it, right?”
Yeah, like escape from it, she thought. She finished the cupcake before wiping her hands on the paper napkin Sierra had left nearby.
“Does the loft belong to you?” she asked, already knowing it couldn’t. As he said, he would have decorated it better. But her intention was
to win Bruce over, and making polite conversation with him was part of that plan.
“No way. I would have taken this place in an entirely different direction. Less brick and industrial metal and more casual chic.”
“Who lives here?”
“Alex.”
“How well do you know him?” she asked as she looked around the kitchen for any sign of a knife or other means of self-defense. She didn’t see anything on the countertops. That shouldn’t surprise her. Vampires had no need for toasters or Cuisinart food processors.
“How well does anyone know anyone, really? I mean, we all project an image that we want others to believe. There’s nothing there,” he added.
“What?”
“No knives. No weapons. No garlic, not that garlic would hurt me.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Sure you were. That’s okay. I understand it must be tough for you to take all this in. It’s not like you knew your grandfather was a vampire hunter, or so I understand. That must have come as a big surprise.”
“More like a huge shock.”
Bruce looked around a bit nervously before confessing, “I’ve heard rumors that The Executioner once killed seven vampires in seven minutes. Wait. Maybe it was seven vampires in seven seconds. I’m not sure. I never heard all the details. No one wants to talk about his deadly deeds.”
Keira had a hard time reconciling what she was hearing and what she’d read in her grandfather’s journal with the man she’d known who’d read her Dr. Seuss stories at night. She’d ended up having to skim the parts of her grandfather’s journal where he’d described his killing sprees. She’d skipped over sections because of the bloody violence.
“So vampires were never on your radar before?” Bruce was asking.
“No.” She tried to turn the conversation away from her. “Are you a cop like Alex?”
Bruce laughed. “No way. I’m with Pat. I believe you met him earlier.”
Keira nodded. “He didn’t seem to like me.”
“It’s not personal,” Bruce assured her. “He’s naturally suspicious given your background.”
“A background I didn’t know I had until twenty-four hours ago.”
“That’s what Pat told me. He also said that you confronted Alex at work knowing he was a vampire. That was brave.”
