Crimson Kiss

by Trisha Baker

  Meghann held the heart to the moon for a moment—an offering to Andraste, the goddess who could only be appeased by impaled female victims.

  Meghann sank her blood teeth into the beating heart. The other vampire yowled and shrieked as Meghann drank the heart's blood. Renee's body shriveled, started smoking, and disappeared. When she vanished, the heart burst into flames in Meghann's hands.

  Meghann fell to her knees on the sand, and the circle of light surrounding her disappeared. The heart's blood of Simon's protégée had merely given a small fraction of the strength she'd lost by performing the ritual to remove her heart from her body.

  With every ounce of strength, Jimmy crawled over. "Maggie, are you okay?" His words were barely audible.

  Meghann put her head in her hands—her head was pounding. "I feel so sick."

  Jimmy put his hand on her shoulder. "What would make you feel better?" He shrank back in terror when she looked up at him.

  Her green eyes were clear as glass; they seemed to shimmer with urgency and craving. He was scared but couldn't move away—those eyes were bewitching him.

  Meghann put her hand on the back of his head and started drawing him closer to her. But then those alien eyes he was staring into changed. The inhuman quality disappeared as despair and anger colored her eyes. She shoved him away from her roughly.

  "Goddamn it!" she screamed, kicking and beating the sand furiously. She yelled, howled, and kicked like a wild thing until the worst of the need left her. Then she pulled herself up off the ground and glared at Jimmy. "This is what you want?" she yelled, and then laughed shrilly. "You stupid fool, did you think of this when you asked me to transform you? Did it occur to you that being a vampire means, above all else, a constant, unbearable need for blood? Blood is your master; in many ways, you're no better than a drug addict. Look at me, Jimmy. Look at what just happened! I nearly killed you! And I love you! I love you… but, God help me, in a choice between love and blood, love is a poor second." Meghann laughed again, bitterly.

  Jimmy looked at her in wonder; he didn't even hurt anymore. "You said you love me." He ignored her protests. "You finally said you love me."

  "Of course I love you. And I refused to admit it so I could spare you all this." She indicated the spot where Renee had been sacrificed. "You didn't understand. But that's all right—I never let you understand. Jimmy, if we get through this, I swear I'll tell you everything you want to know. For now, understand this. The curse of being a vampire is knowledge. Knowledge of the evil that you're capable of. Can you truly deal with that night after night? The unending temptation to gorge on people's pain and misery? Once you become a vampire, there's no turning back, Jimmy. Unless you greet the sunrise. And there's a risk that you won't survive transformation. You can die… or lose your mind."

  "Why are you offering it now? Is it because you love me?"

  Meghann had to be truthful. "Partly… and Renee has infected you. I felt it when I put my hand on your neck. I don't know how long she drank from you, but she took enough to start transformation. You're going to be very ill soon. I don't know if you can recover and keep living as a mortal. I'll have to ask Alcuin. But if it's a choice between death and transformation… which do you want?"

  Jimmy put his hands on Meghann's face, and kissed her. "I saw a lot tonight before you got here. I had to tell you I was wrong… you're nothing like him. What he and that bitch wanted… Maggie, they loved my fear. I could see them both almost licking their lips with it, lapping it up. Don't you ever try and tell me you're like that." Jimmy pulled himself up on one knee. "Let me try again. Maggie, I love you. And if there's something evil in you because of what that asshole turned you into, then let me fight it off with you. We'll be strong… together."

  After seeing her nearly kill him for blood, Jimmy Delacroix still loved her enough to want to transform. She no longer thought it was her place to make that decision for him—not after what he experienced tonight. She might never get another chance like this. To finally be happy with a man she loved, who made her laugh, who could see the worst she had in her and still love her.

  She looked down into her lover's face, intending to tell him what she'd decided. Then she saw a shadow behind her in the corner of her eye. She didn't need to turn around to know what it was—Jimmy's ashen face and shaking body told her.

  Run, she mouthed at him. He was uncomprehending, on the verge of shock. The shadow was moving closer. "Run!" she screamed at Jimmy at the same moment she was flung away from him. She got to her feet, and Simon Baldevar already had Jimmy in a chokehold.

  It wasn't simply his appearance that made Meghann feel panic. It was the unholy, nearly invincible strength emanating from him. He had an air of danger and ruthlessness that Meghann had never felt before.

  He had trapped her so neatly. Renee found Jimmy, and Simon knew she'd come after him. But he hadn't stopped there—he knew she'd have no choice but to fight Renee. Now Meghann's energy was depleted. And even if she was at the peak of her strength, she knew it would not equal one-tenth of what she felt in him.

  Simon gave her a moment to adjust, and then he gave her a truly malicious smile. " 'An eye for an eye,' my love? You murdered my apprentice; so I shall dispose of your plaything in the same manner." He put one hand over Jimmy's heart.

  "Fuck you!" Jimmy yelled at him, coming out of his daze.

  Meghann spied a large rock behind Simon. She made it whirl in the air and whack him in the back of the head. He winced slightly and told her, "Another trick like that and I'll snap his neck before your eyes. And tell your consort to mind his manners."

  Meghann knew she could not separate them. "If you kill him, you'll have no hold over me, Simon Baldevar."

  Simon raised an eyebrow. "Why should I kill him, Meghann? Unless you have lost your taste for the blood of your lovers?"

  Simon saw the way she blanched, and smiled that nasty, cruel grin that had plagued her dreams for decades. "Surely, you have not forgotten your first feeding?" He inquired of Jimmy, "Does Meghann never speak of Johnny Devlin? Her fiancé? Come, child, tell your paramour how that romance ended."

  I will not cry in front of this bastard, she thought grimly, hating him for his re-creation of one of her worst memories. Seeing Jimmy in his grip—Simon knew exactly what that brought to mind.

  When Meghann didn't respond, Simon continued.

  "Meghann needed blood… so she drained her young man until he lay dead at her feet."

  Jimmy snarled at his tormentor, "Shut your mouth! Anything Maggie did was because you made her do it. I love you, Maggie—no matter what!"

  "How very touching," Simon told him in a chilling whisper. "And you, Meghann? Are you capable of such poignancy? Tell me, what is this mortal's life worth to you?"

  Meghann looked at Jimmy struggling to break out of Simon's grip—if only she could pry him loose. "My own," she answered simply.

  "If I release him, will you give me your word you won't try to escape?"

  Release him? Meghann frowned—why on earth would Simon let Jimmy go? He had to know she'd send Jimmy right back to the house for Charles and Alcuin.

  Which was exactly what Simon wanted her to do. Meghann grasped his strategy—Jimmy had been the bait to lure her here, now she was a pawn in trapping Alcuin.

  Meghann thought of saying no to save her friends but her refusal would ensure Jimmy's death. Maybe Charles and Alcuin, with her help, could destroy Simon when they arrived.

  Meghann started to nod but Jimmy howled, "No! Don't you do it, Maggie! Let this asshole—ow! kill me, but don't you give him anything… Get away from here!"

  "What a heroic speech," Simon said softly. "But I hardly need Meghann's permission to kill you." Simon put one hand on Jimmy's neck and started twisting Jimmy's head.

  "No!" Meghann screamed. "I'll accept your terms—let Jimmy go!"

  Simon dropped Jimmy on the sand, and Meghann went to him. She put her hand over his mouth to keep him from speaking, and glared up at Simon.
"I want to say good-bye to him—alone." She knew Simon would hear every word she said but Meghann wanted Jimmy to have some illusion their parting was private.

  To her surprise, Simon walked a few yards away without comment.

  Meghann was focusing all her energy on not shaking. She had not recovered from fighting Renee, and with the shock of seeing Simon again, she started swaying slightly.

  Jimmy put his arms out to keep her from falling. "Jesus Christ, Maggie, I'm not leaving you alone with him! You can't even stay on your feet."

  Meghann took a few deep breaths, then turned her will on her own body—the way Alcuin had taught her. In a few minutes, she was still tired but able to stand. "Jimmy, you have to go back to my house. Charles is there—he can summon Alcuin."

  "No… he's going to kill you."

  "Think," Meghann told Jimmy. "If Simon wanted to kill the two of us, he could have done it before we were aware of his presence. Simon is up to something—I don't know what he's got in mind, but he's not going to kill me right away. Now, leave—get to the house as fast as you can!"

  "Do you hear yourself, Maggie? You're admitting you can't take him on. He can tear you in half anytime he wants. What kind of man would I be if I left you alone with him?"

  Maggie saw Simon glaring at them impatiently. She knew he wasn't going to give her much more time with Jimmy. "Listen to me, Jimmy—you know if I want to I can reach into your mind and make you leave. Don't force me to do that. You're not a coward because you leave. Please go home."

  Jimmy searched Meghann's face. "I'll do it—on one condition."

  "What?"

  "You promise to transform me if we get through this."

  Jimmy didn't know that she had already made that choice. Meghann put her hand over her heart. "I swear I'll transform you if… when we get through this. Now, go!"

  Jimmy turned to go, but Meghann called him back. "Jimmy?"

  He turned around hopefully. "Yeah?"

  "I love you." Meghann was very conscious of the fact those might be the last words she ever said to him.

  Jimmy did not care what Simon Baldevar might do. He reached over and kissed Meghann. "I love you too, Maggie."

  She kissed him back before she pushed him away. "We shouldn't try to provoke him. Who knows what that monster might decide to do? Go before he changes his mind."

  Maggie watched Jimmy walk until she couldn't see him anymore. She'd managed to keep herself from crying while he could see her, but now the tears fell down her face. She was scared to be alone with Simon; for all her bravado, she was near panicking. Meghann refused to turn around—let Simon make the opening move.

  "Dry your eyes, little one." Simon offered her a handkerchief.

  Meghann glared at him suspiciously. Why was he being nice? He'd just threatened to tear her lover apart in front of her eyes. Ignoring his handkerchief, Meghann used the back of her hand to wipe away the tears and managed to smear Renee's blood over her face.

  Simon started to use the handkerchief to wipe Meghann's face clean, but she slapped his hand away and took the handkerchief. After she was done, she flung it into the sea.

  Amused by her actions, he offered his arm to her. "Shall we walk along the water, Meghann?"

  Meghann didn't move. Simon raised his eyebrows slightly. "Did you think I would ravish you the minute your lover disappeared?"

  "Why wait?"

  "Foolish girl, all these years, and yet how little you know of me. I'm not planning to kill you—merely humble you." Simon extended his arm again, and Meghann accepted. She had to stall him, until Alcuin arrived.

  Before they started walking, Simon plucked up the leather satchel by Renee's cape. "What's in there?"

  "Your discovery of the contents of this bag depends upon how… cooperative you are this evening."

  They wandered on to land that belonged to Riis Park before Simon broke the uneasy silence between them.

  "Allow me to offer my sincere congratulations on your new gifts, and the delightful way you employed them on my apprentice." Simon caressed her cheek. That familiar gesture was more unnerving than anything else he'd done so far. He saw her discomfort and grinned sharply. She felt Renee's scratches fade off her face when he touched her. She put her hand to her head—all her scalped hair had grown back.

  "Congratulations? Lord Baldevar, I hardly expected praise for killing your protégée."

  "You have developed new talents, child—abilities I will be happy to nurture properly. And you have saved me a distasteful chore by disposing of Renee."

  Meghann glared at him in disgust. "Why kill such an obvious soul mate, Simon? She was obviously the perfect lover for you… depraved, bloodthirsty, completely without a soul or the ability to love."

  "She was not my lover—not all women are as attracted to me as you are. And I do have the ability to love. I love you, and you broke my heart."

  "Love is not sexual bondage and mental domination, my lord. Stick with women like that harpy who tried to harm my—"

  Before she could go on, Simon lunged for her. The move took her by surprise, and he pinned her to the ground with her arms above her head. His amber eyes had darkened to copper with anger. "Meghann, never speak to me of any other man."

  "Why not?" she taunted. "I had lovers, Simon—lots of them! Haven't you heard of the sexual revolution? What the hell are you going to do about it?"

  Simon gave her an amused glance. "Why are you trying to provoke me, little one? And let me assure you, this is far from the first time in history people have indulged in sexual freedoms. We used to be a bit more discreet." With one hand keeping her down, he used the other to stroke her hair.

  "Discreet? I'm not the one who caught syphilis!" she screamed.

  Simon laughed—it was honest amusement, none of the threat he usually had. "So your new spineless allies fill your ears with tales of my bygone youth? From what I know of your behavior, your escapades could have caused you to pick up all sorts of nasty illnesses if you were not a vampire. But I shall forgive your infidelity—you were laboring under the delusion I was dead. And I'm sure it never felt as good as this." He kissed her neck, on the spot where he always bit her.

  She struggled to move away, and he grinned smugly. "Why are you frightened when I touch you? Do you find yourself enjoying it?"

  "I'm not frightened!" she shouted. "I'm repulsed!"

  "I don't believe you," he said smoothly. "And I have every intention of proving to you just how wrong you are." He bent to kiss her, and she took advantage of his lust by kicking him hard in the groin. It probably didn't hurt that much, but it did cause him to loosen his grip. Meghann stood over him, uncertain what his next move would be.

  Simon made no attempt to recapture her; he merely smoothed his ruffled hair. "Meghann, if you're wise, you won't make me hurt you tonight."

  "Is that a threat, Lord Baldevar? Should I tremble and throw myself into your arms, pleading for forgiveness? Go to hell! You sound just like every other wife-beater… telling a woman she should sit still and take abuse she did nothing to deserve!"

  To her surprise, Simon started laughing. "I had forgotten your love of that twisted science you call psychology. But, my love, you cannot compare us to those dreary women and their loathsome partners that you counsel. I am your master, and you will give me all you owe me before the night is over."

  "I will die before I call you 'Master'… so kill me if you can," she said flatly.

  "Never."

  That gave Meghann pause. Seeing her confusion, Simon told her in that soft, menace-laced purr, "My love, did you think I went to all this trouble to simply slay you? Do you think I will gift you with a martyr's death… allow you to die with your arrogance and pride intact?" He tilted her head up. "Child, I promise you that I'll see you precisely as I want you… prostrated before me, accepting me as your master."

  She wanted more than anything to spit in his face, but she simply didn't have the nerve. There was an aura of danger and menace to him that sh
e could almost see. She had never felt that kind of power in another living being before—not even Alcuin.

  Simon saw her fear; he smiled cruelly. "Good girl, you have some prudence after all." He dropped her chin, and she had to force herself not to sigh in relief.

  Where the hell was Alcuin? Meghann had to keep Simon talking before he decided to do other things. "You never answered my question. Why did you want Renee to die?"

  "As you correctly diagnosed, the girl was insane. And, my love, she had in her head the deranged notion that she would rule the world with me." Simon laughed heartily. "As if I have any interest in involving myself with all the headaches attendant to governing mortals. Do you know she sought me out?" Meghann found her interest rising despite herself. "Oh, yes. The woman was obsessed with becoming a vampire. For twelve years, she researched every recorded mention of a vampire. Apparently, a member of Queen Elizabeth's court left behind a diary discussing Lord Baldevar—the evil necromancer who was never seen in daylight. And then she found the writings of my good friend, John. So Renee, full of macabre and precious notions concerning vampires, made it her business to find me. And when she did, she begged me to transform her—give her 'eternal darkness and power' is the way she put it." Simon took Meghann's hands. "What Renee failed to understand is what you were well aware of—I do not take partners, as I have never found anyone I considered my equal. However, I do have a consort—and no interest in replacing her with some small-minded fool."

  Meghann tried to yank her hands away, and Simon tightened his grip. "Be gone. I have no desire to return to merely being your pretty puppet. I have a mind, Simon, and a career, and no desire to spend eternity as your little playmate."

  "Do you recall my asking your preference? Way back at the beginning, I told you what I wanted—body and soul. You agreed."

  "I was eighteen," she countered. "As I recall, I thought it was your idea of a game. And you damn sure hadn't told me you were a vampire when you extracted that promise. Nor did you tell me that you'd make me kill my fiancé, beat me if I looked at you the wrong way… damn you! You treated Trevor with more respect than you treated me."