Of course she misunderstood. Who would ever believe the truth?
I was monitoring, but more openly, since we've become somewhat honest about all the energy stuff. So I may have looked casual to the people around us, but she was watching me and I was zeroed in on Conor and vastly irritated that he hadn't fed. So focused, I missed the new danger until my hand was suddenly squeezing Henna's leg.
At my side, Henna swung to a group of people at the door and I heard her sharp gasp. and in a flash I was on my feet and her right after.
The hiss came out boiling. “Russell!” Russell, whom I had banned from Claremont. Whom I've been looking for. Who was brazenly flaunting my strict rule of protocol.
I caught only a quick glimpse of his face, saw him spot Henna and me beside her. Then he was gone. I felt him distancing himself through the wet night, fleeing fast, careless of witnesses, intent on escaping from me. I should have been after him and he obviously expected it. But Henna was standing next to me, alarm on her face, her pulse racing. I wasn't sure if she saw him, but she felt his entrance, all right.
She looked at me then flicked to the door then to Conor. Then the ground. But her pulse was like horse hooves on stampede. I pulled her to me. Recognition that someone new has vibes like me and her old stalker? I hoped it was only that, but she might have heard me hissing his name. And he might be the one who made her drink blood.
I looked again Conor. His eyes were wide. They moved to the door then back to me, questioning. I frowned, sending him the message to play it cool.
Henna wanted to leave and I didn’t argue. I followed her home and wanted to stay and needed to go. She gave me a long, tight hug and went inside. Fine, because I had a fight and maybe killing to take care of. I headed west towards Azusa.
My cousin wasn’t home so I huddled in my room with Sonar, frantically replaying the evening. Brecken and I were supposed to meet tonight at the Tavern, but I got there early, totally keyed up to talk one on one with Conor. Music, as I planned for a start.
“Oh, Conor, I’m so glad you’re not playing yet. Sit with me for a few.” I pulled him to a side table, noting that the place was filling up.
He gave me a cute grin. “Sure, but I’m on in ten minutes. How was your trip?.”
How does he know I was on a trip? “Listen, you know Jeff switched us and I'm not scheduled for tonight but I wanted to ask you something, if you don’t mind.” He cocked his head and I plowed in. “It’s impressive the way you communicate with your audience. How do you do that? You're sure a lot better at it than most musicians I’ve seen.”
“Thanks, but don’t forget I’ve heard you - and Henna, you don’t suck.”
We both laughed. “That’s funny.” I gave him my best persuasion face. “Come on, tell me how you do it?”
So often Conor had the lost expression of someone who has just left home for the big wide world, but now his look was wary like I was invading his privacy or something. Well I was trying to do exactly that, but he wasn’t helping.
Part of what I wanted find out was if he used what he is to affect the audience, like Logan did with that woman. Fine if he does do something to the listeners, because I do, too. But I sure don't take them into a dark place and bite them. Yeeks, does Conor? How in the world do I find out?
“Come on,” I said. “I’m not stealing your special secrets. There’s no competition here.” I gave him another persuasive smile and sent trust me thoughts, hoping it would work.
His response was disappointing. “Tell me how you do it. You get them more than I do.”
I wanted to pinch him. “Only because they know me, Conor. All I do is sing and think positive.” I couldn’t mention the energy. Not unless he did. Beside, I’m not sure how I do that part, since it comes naturally to me.
“Well, all I do is play my heart out and love what I’m doing,” he said. “Hey, Brecken.”
I turned, a stupid smile on my face like I’d been caught with my fingers in someone’s wallet. I felt him arrive, but he was here too early, so there goes my Conor chat.
Brecken dropped his hand on my shoulder and gave a little rub. I swear my heart stopped beating. Conor might tell him, so I better be honest.
“Conor is telling me how he captivates his audience. Or at least I’m trying to get him to tell me. I think it’s a State Secret, though.”
They both laughed at me and Conor went to the platform. Someone whistled when he picked up the banjo. Who plays a banjo at a bar in So Cal? Conor does. Just a couple of songs, but it’s unique and gets everyone jumping. And all I have is the guitar. No matter, I can make my guitar sing and dance or scream and cry.
I turned to Brecken and all the little problems sort of disappeared.. There was no drive to talk, no pressing items to discuss. There was only Brecken. And all the rest? I brushed it off for now. Or maybe he brushed it off. That woman on the beach. Yeah, I was pretty sure Brecken could do that. But his wall around me or mine? I didn't know.
Near the end of Conor's set, I felt Brecken's hand tighten on my thigh and suddenly my senses flared and I turned sharp towards the entrance. I flew to my feet, staring at the people coming in, but I didn't see anyone I recognized. No, of course not. I never saw Venice stalker's face. But he was here.
I realized Brecken was stiff beside me and - oh, no - waves of black were pouring off him. He glanced at the door then at Conor, so I did, too. Conor kept playing, but he looked shaken. And he felt awful to me. He was throwing off wild colors and his aura had the same stream of black I saw in Brecken.
I shook my head and looked away. Oh Lord, there's my proof. The awful sensation of stalker was gone, but I wanted out of there. “Brecken, I need to go home.”
His dark glare turned to me. “Something wrong?”
“Just tired. We've had late nights since I got back. And it's wet and cold. I want to get in my robe and crawl in bed where it's cozy.”
“Take Sonar with you.”
He had that pegged. I was definitely scared but I made myself sound calm. “You know my dog always sleeps on the end of my bed.”
“Good. How about I follow you home to make sure there's no trouble on the wet roads.”
Oh, I needed that, but I needed alone too, or I'd end up telling him everything. “Thank you. I do want to get to bed tonight, though. Do you mind?” I know he heard my voice quiver.
“Mind not coming in?” His frowning eyes roved my face then he planted a kiss on my forehead. “I always mind, but I'll see you tomorrow.”
“I work late tomorrow so meet me here. Okay?”
“Okay and not okay. Sure, I'll be here.” He hesitated, made his face look worried when I knew he wasn't worried at all. He was hiding black rage. “Did I do something to upset you again, Henna?”
“No, no. I'm just exhausted.” Still in the Tavern, so my hug was one armed and quick. I gave Conor a nod and felt his eyes on us all the way out the door. Frantic eyes. Or spooked eyes. Of course! He felt Venice stalker, too. Venice vampire, I just remembered. Oh Lord, I wanted to get home and hide under the covers. I wanted Brecken under there with me.
But, a last look at the most incredible and fabulous person in the world, standing right next to me, looking like everyone else, and being nothing at all like everyone else with that darkness reeking out of him - and I cringed. Tonight, alone was better.
Chapter 56
I tore away from Henna, followed the trail of vampire and found Russell in a foreclosed house, just as he’d said. An hour after spotting him at the Tavern, I stood in the drizzle waiting for him to open the door. Even though Azusa is at the very edge of my territory, protocol gave him no choice. Given the way he blatantly dismissed my rules, I had the right to barge in, but I wanted the physical submission of his opening the door to me, because symbolism matters. And it just might save his dark life.
Russell wasn’t surprised and he wasn't submissive. He walked defiantly out onto the short porch and then I did barge, knocking him aside as I pushed past him
into the unfurnished house.
My glare fixed on him, seething and letting him know it. He hesitated at the doorway, as though flight were an option. Not a chance.
I eyed him coldly, taking in the Levis and boots. He wore a loose plaid shirt with a harmonica in the pocket, a watch on his left wrist and a ring. Same bad hair. Same cold eyes. Same surly attitude - a fistful of belligerence and disrespect and a small nudge of fear. Much what I’d expected and none it a problem.
Before anything else, I needed to check out the house because there was a human in one of the back rooms. The man lay on the carpet in a bedroom, alive and seemingly asleep. I knew it was a more than sleep that kept him so still.
“He’s gonna live,” Russell muttered.
“Yes, he will.” I made it a warning. “How long has he been out?”
“A couple hours. He’ll wake up tomorrow and remember nothing, so you can't gouge me about him.”
Taking a human to feed on over a slow period of time was not atypical and Russell was correct. I had no right to hassle him about the man. I checked and the old man was still healthy, so Russell hadn’t fed too heavily. It was the only point I would give him.
Russell shifted nervously, waiting for my dark calm to explode. I got down to business. “Why were you at the Village Tavern?”
“Didn’t know you’d be there,” he grumbled.
“That’s not an answer.” My voice was sharp, the explosion close.
“I told you before I needed to find someone. I was in and out fast and didn’t bother anyone.”
“Only because I was there. I told you to stay out of my town.”
“But you had no reason. I'm not giving you any trouble.”
“What part of 'it’s my territory' don’t you understand?” I growled and shoved past him.
His personal things were on the living room floor and I tossed through them. Back pack, clothes, an old picture, one wallet with I.D. that wasn’t his and another that was his and had several hundred dollars folded inside. Phone and a toy car. Not much else. I asked questions and got surly answers. I wanted him gone.
I assessed his scattered belongings. “You travel light.”
“Like I said before, I travel around a lot.”
“Good. It won’t take you long to pack up. You need to be far from me, Russell. Now.”
He stiffened. “Hey, I’m not ready to leave yet.”
“Yes, you are.” I kicked at the back pack, but his eyes directed towards the prize - the sleeping dinner in the back room. “The man stays,” I said.
He was close to challenging that and I almost wanted him to, almost goaded him further so he would. But he squatted on the floor and started stuffing his back pack, cussing and spitting under his breath. Tough. He was lucky to still have his head.
He turned at the front door, knowing - as we all do - which of us had the top hand and was clearly the more powerful. Yet he lifted his chin, glaring ice at me. I almost laughed in his face. Ice? I chew ice for the kick of it.
“Just keep traveling, Russell. You don’t want to see me again.”
I hung around for a while, tracking his departure. He headed south, where I sensed three more of us. Friends of his or coincidence, who knows, but he was leaving my territory. I checked on the human and bristled when I saw his neck and arm. The bites were careless. Jagged and still visible. Russell must have just dined and left out the healing bite, since the wounds were only beginning to close over. A poor cover up job, but it by the time the man woke, they’d be healed. I left the house, trying not to think how similar the bites were to the angry gash I gave Ev.
But I was still boiling, wishing I’d slashed at Russell to punish. Wishing his head were burning in the fireplace of his damned foreclosed lair. When I could no longer sense him, I jumped in my car and headed back to Claremont to spend the rest of the night lying on the slope. I had the feeling I was missing a crucial detail.
Her lights were out and hours passed as I lolled sopping wet and sulking, but also enjoying the normality of Henna’s return to her scheduled life. I heard her turn restlessly in her sleep and sent waves of ease along with threads of vampire Silver down the slope and into her room. She continued to toss, fighting my attempts to soothe. An urge to tell her about what I was doing teased at me.
A bitter laugh escaped. Was I a mental? Nuts? Stupid crazy?
Yet, something still nagged. My mind kept returning to Azusa, to the man in the bedroom and those rough bites. To Russell’s possessions littering the floor. I saw his clothes. Normal. Mentally I recounted the money, remembered a map sticking out of the rather pricey back pack. The ridiculous toy car and the picture - a sepia toned photo in a plastic frame. Not large, not new. A simple studio head shot of a young woman. Nice looking. Long hair, bushy. It was the picture that nagged.
Chapter 57
I woke hard, shivering under the covers, my heart thumping in panic. The Venice stalker! Brecken saw him and is outside somewhere. He'll take care of me. Brecken will handle things. He knows that guy is a vampire. He won't let anything hurt me. Maybe he'll go after him. Maybe he already has. How did that guy find me? But he can't know where I live, so I'm okay. Safe, because Brecken will take care of it. But, oh God, I don't want to hear Sonar barking and know Vampire Stalker is out there again.
At dawn I ran with Mark and Ev, went for coffee and returned to Henna's house after verifying she'd arrived at the University. Time for a serious B & E. Break Henna’s trust again and search her drawers. I consoled myself with the thought that she’d never find out.
I expected the house to be empty but Christina was back from Chicago and I sensed her in an upstairs bathroom. She couldn’t see me from there so I simply walked through the front door and stooped to greet the wiggling member of my pack.
“Tsk,” I murmured to Sonar. “Henna didn’t lock up when she left.” I thumped his ribs. “Not that a lock would keep me out, but why make it convenient. So you can attack and prove your worth? Meh. You have intrinsic worth, Sonar.”
I headed up the stairs. Christina’s darkened bathroom connects to her bedroom and both doors were open. I heard water running in the bathroom sink. She coughed hoarsely and blew her nose. Sick, then. She wouldn’t be leaving the house, but I couldn’t wait for another time. It had to be now.
“Christina.” My voice was gentle, but she jerked, startled to see a male form standing at her bathroom door. Scary stuff for her, so I made it quick.
Ev considers it a form of instant hypnosis, since it takes a scant second. A few words, or none, to steal awareness from her mind. Whatever, it’s efficient and harmless and immediately effective. There would be soothing words for this particular woman.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and guided her to the bed. “Lie down and take a nap. You’re alone and tired. You need to sleep the whole afternoon. You won’t dream. Nobody has come and you don’t see me.” I seldom talk while putting them under but I loved doing it now. Easy words, commanding, but gentle. She is Henna’s cousin and I wouldn’t harm her for the world. Nor take from her, though my capricious self urged exactly that.
I tucked the covers around her and headed for Henna’s bedroom, Sonar at my heels.
My first invasion I'd seen some photos in a drawer by her bed. I rifled through them on that B & E. but it was only a cursory peek. Look through them now or take them with me? I gathered them up and tucked them in my jacket pocket.
Henna’s computer tempted me from the small desk. Her screen saver was bouncing music notes on a clouded sky background. Some things I’m poor at resisting.
I brought up her documents and emails. One to some girl I'd never heard of, more to her mother. Several others that were work related. I scanned and smiled. I was in there. Not by name, but that was me, all right. I thought of the rattler attack and looked further. Found a few saved articles on reptiles and venom. Clever girl.
I felt certain that she hadn’t shared that day with anyone. I spent several minutes in he
r file with pictures of younger Henna and people I didn't know. None were current, it seemed. And no pics of former lovers. Sonar whined and I patted his head.
One picture of Henna performing made me linger. Not that I needed a picture, with her face, her body, her entire personage engraved in my mind. I clicked on print and rolled the copy carefully before slipping it in my pocket along with the other photos.
A little extra snooping wouldn’t be difficult and I wanted to do it anyway, in spite of what I pretended. I absolutely hungered to know each and every thing about her. Especially where she went a few days ago.
The first time in her room had been a quickie search. Now I took my time, exploring the closet and fingering through jewelry and personal memorabilia that obviously had meaning to Henna. I bristled briefly inside, thinking how I felt about Ev rummaging around my things like this. But it was too tempting and I continued tossing through boxes and pockets and even under her mattress, then replaced everything to Henna's normal disorder.
My drawing of her was taped to her mirror and one of my wildflowers was pressed in a book. I hesitated, recalling her expression when she opened the guitar case and found the flower lying inside. She had turned towards me and beamed as she stuck it in one of the tiny braids that hung alongside her face.
In the bathroom I opened drawers, examined the medicine cabinet and, remembering Ev, I tasted a glob of her toothpaste. Wonderful. The scent of Henna was in her bathroom, in her closet, everywhere.
I’d already seen it - spent interesting moments there. Nevertheless, I peered into the empty space under the bed. Waiting for me? Not this time.
Finally I looked in on Christina, whispered “Good boy, Sonar,” and slipped out the front door, not locking it, as I expected to return the photos in a bit.
The sky was still overcast, although rain had moved on. Fortunately for my mood, Allie wasn’t working. I wanted the extra punch, so I ordered five shots to the strongest brew and shrugged when the server blinked at me. I wanted ultra privacy so I took my coffee home to the front porch.
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