Into the Flames

by Multi-Author

  “She’d only been turned a decade earlier, but she’d learned how to live on the blood of animals. She sought out other vampires and taught us. Helped us become more human.” He closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment to remember her. “We fell in love. It was fast and raw and meant to last forever. We were married. Ran the ranch together. Vampires came from all over under the guise of hired ranch hands and we continued to show them how to live off animal blood. For nearly a decade, our life was idyllic.”

  Agony ripped through Reese as the memories tumbled over themselves. “They came one night. A group of vamps who believed we were eroding the true bloodlines. Without warning, they slaughtered the vampires in the bunkhouse. They staked me to the ground and tortured her. In front of me, when I could do nothing for her, they raped her over and over, slicing away small pieces of her and—”

  “Reese don’t.” Alex pressed her fingers to his lips. “I get it. You don’t need to relive that part.” Reese saw his pain reflected in Alex’s eyes. She stretched out next to him, comforting him in her embrace. They held each other through the wash of grief.

  “Is she the reason you joined RISEN?”

  He nodded and lifted her hand to his lips. “I didn’t want anyone else to suffer that kind of senseless loss. It nearly killed me what they did to her.”

  “And yet, here we are. It’s still happening.” She brushed away her tears and pressed a gentle kiss to his heart. “Why do we have to be so judgmental of one another? Why can’t vampires embrace different beliefs?”

  “The nature of the beast.” He squeezed her tight, letting go of his past, embracing his future.

  “It’s like with the blood wine. There are so many who are grateful we’ve discovered a way for them to exist without the blood of humans. Yet, others who despise—”

  “Wait, what?” Reese sat up slowly, bringing her with him. “What did you say?”

  “We’re all too judgmental.”

  “That’s true. Especially when it comes to the blood wine.”

  Confusion furrowed her brow and thinned her lips.

  “Don’t you see Alex?” He kissed her full on the lips. “You’re brilliant!” He rolled from the bed, shoving his feet into his jeans. “I don’t know why we didn’t see the connection before.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “It’s still happening.” He bent and kissed her full on the mouth.

  “Reese, wait! What are you talking about?”

  “I know the reason why someone is trying to frame you.”

  * * *

  The map Hope had first marked up was now spread out in front them. Reese had gone over each murder again, scribbling in the margins of the notes he’d taken earlier. “There it is, in black and white or Technicolor. Whatever.”

  In bed with Reese, Alex had been able to ignore the pain throbbing in her head. But the concentration it took to follow Reese’s logic, blurred the edges of her vision. “All of this because of the blood wine?”

  “It’s one theory. I’ll put Ronan on it tomorrow when we meet.”

  “But we’ve been so careful who’s been let into the cellars.”

  “Might not be someone who knows about the cellars.”

  A nugget of hope blossomed in her chest. What Reese was saying made so much sense. Alex would like to think she could leave South Kenton without dragging around the suspicions everyone seemed to be laying at her feet—or the guilt that she may have been the murderer’s motivation.

  The door opened and Josh slogged in with the cool autumn breeze. He froze in the doorway, an orange tabby sneaking in around him, hissing as it passed.

  “What the hell is she doing here?” he asked.

  It took all of Alex’s willpower not to cower from the hatred she saw in his eyes. Not that she could blame him, but, after all their months of friendship, it still hurt.

  Reese jumped from the chair, putting his hand on Josh’s chest. “Slow down, cowboy. I’ve got more information that may just change your perspective.”

  His brow furrowed. “About Hope?”

  Reese shook his head.

  “Then anything you have to tell me I can hear when we bring Alex in front of the tribunal.”

  “She didn’t do it, Josh.”

  “To hell she didn’t.” He pushed past Reese, sweeping everything off the table in one swift movement. Alex held her ground as he continued his verbal assault. “She was your friend, damn it. She trusted you!”

  “I didn’t know she was in trouble. How could I—”

  Josh let out a howl that sent the cat skittering down the hall. “You know we found the car you ditched? Her purse? Her cell phone? But no Hope. Just tell me where she is and I’ll let you live long enough to stand before the tribunal.”

  “What the hell are you talking about, Josh?” The question Alex wanted to ask came from Reese’s mouth.

  He turned back to Reese. “She didn’t confess that she’d driven Hope’s yellow bug into the lake?”

  “When would I have done that? You saw me at the fire. And your friend Ronan babysat me until I showed up here this morning.”

  “Josh, stop. Alex didn’t do it. Not the fires. Not Hope’s car. None of it.”

  Josh walked up to him, his gaze hard and cold as ice. He scented the air, his lips thinning with understanding. “And you believe in her innocence because you fucked her?”

  Reese cold-cocked his roommate, taking him down with a solid uppercut to the jaw. “Watch where you’re going with this, Burkett. I understand you’re in pain, but I need you to shut up and listen.”

  Josh cradled his jaw in his palm, but stayed where he’d landed on the floor. “I’m just saying your girlfriend here seems to know an awful lot of the people dying.”

  “Of course she does. It seems someone has been targeting her vamps drinking blood wine.” Reese’s voice held no emotion.

  “What about the humans? What about Hope?”

  “I’m still working on that one.”

  Josh picked himself up and dusted off his jeans. “Well, the firefighters hauling the VW out of the lake happened to mention the fire marshal is now working to link all of the fires and deaths to Glenn.”

  “How the hell could they think that?” Alex asked. “He died in that fire or has the fire marshal discounted that fact?”

  Josh shrugged absently. “He’s figuring Glenn finally made a mistake and got caught in his own fire. John Sampson? The pentagram? The bite marks? It seems a good portion of the recent victims have had the same injury and as much as the coroner tried to hide it, some human in his office has been spouting off to the fire marshal.” He pointed to Reese’s scarf Alex had wrapped around her neck. “You might want to lose the accessories or they’ll throw you in with the whole vampire conspiracy.” His mouth curved in a malicious smile. “Oh wait, you already are. I just haven’t told them.”

  “Drop it, Josh,” Reese said through clenched teeth.

  “You’re thinking with the wrong head, Colton. You’re theory’s weak and you know it. But let her lead you around by your dick. I’ve got Nason out there looking for Hope and pulling the last of the evidence together.” He leaned in close to Reese. “You’ve got less than twenty-four hours. We’re taking her to the tribunal tomorrow. Right now, I’m getting ready for work.” Josh strode down the hall. The poor cat yowled and skittered around the corner.

  “I’m taking Alex to her car. I’ll meet you there,” Reese hollered down the hall.

  “If they find you burned in a ditch, I’ll know where to send the fire marshal.” A door slammed.

  Alex absently scooped up the frightened tabby. Now she’d caused a rift between friends. Would her good deeds never end? “You don’t need to defend me to Josh. I didn’t kill anyone, but I don’t think anything you say will convince him of that.” The fat tabby leaned into her caresses, purring loudly. “I can’t even imagine how he’s managing through all of this. He needs yo
u.”

  “Circumstances can warp the facts when viewed from the wrong angle.” Reese tipped his mouth in a sad attempt at a smile. “He’ll come around.”

  Alex doubted that was true.

  “We rescued that cat from Professor Morgan’s mansion,” Reese said. “He’s been miserable with us. I thought it was all vamps, but it seems he’s taken a shine to you.”

  Alex was thrown by his sudden change in topics. “Paul had dinner parties at the mansion for his colleagues. Zeus and I are old friends.” Heat rose in Alex’s cheeks. There was so much more to the cat’s affections. She’d been lying for so long she couldn’t remember the truth anymore. Guilt stung the back of her eyes and burned hot in her throat.

  “Maybe you should take him home with you.”

  “He’s definitely better off here.” She kissed the cat’s head and set the tabby on the floor, ignoring the pleading look he gave her. Alex had no idea how much longer she had. Zeus had already lost one owner, he didn’t need to be orphaned by another.

  She straightened and forced a smile. “How about that ride to …” An unexpected wave of grief washed over her and she couldn’t say Glenn’s name. It hurt too much. She cleared her throat, pushing the words past the hot coal of sorrow filling her throat. “My car’s still at the farm.”

  “Yeah, it’s getting late. I’ll drop you off.” Reese bundled her into the Buick and they headed up the road, both of them lost in their thoughts.

  They’d barely acknowledged the death of the man they both loved. Alex wasn’t sure how she was going to handle seeing the destruction that had taken Glenn’s life. When she’d left last night with Ronan, the fire had still been raging. She’d snuck out of the bathroom window at the tavern intending to go to the farm, collect her car and leave South Kenton in her dust. But one turn and a slight detour and she’d found herself at Reese’s cabin. Her heart had a destination even if it hadn’t informed her head.

  But she’d never regret this day.

  Alex couldn’t have asked for more tender memories to take with her. It had been selfish of her involving Reese Colton. She wondered if he’d ever forgive her when he learned her secrets. And she had no doubt, despite the death of the professor—or perhaps because of it— everything about their experiments would come to light.

  Josh was right in one aspect. Reese was blinded. But it wasn’t his groin blocking his vision. She suspected it was his heart. She’d felt it in every tender caress and heard it in every quiet whisper as he’d made love to her throughout the afternoon.

  Reese pulled into Glenn’s driveway. Alex sat in stunned silence staring at the burnt remains of the barn. One side lay crumpled in on itself, a defeated warrior unable to stand against its hellish foe. Half-moons of soot marred the red siding above the windows on the remaining side. Rain dripped from the charred roof, making the barn look as if it were weeping over Glenn’s passing.

  “We’re going to find the person who started this fire and make everything right,” Reese said.

  She’d been so unfair to this man. He’d already lost so much in his life. Reese deserved more than what she was leaving behind. Alex wondered if she’d known about his wife, if she would have gone through with the last two days. Selfishly, she was glad she hadn’t known about his past, it created less guilt. “You need to go.” The words clawed their way out of her throat.

  “And you need your keys.” He flipped down his visor, catching them in his hand. “I grabbed them from your ignition last night.”

  “Thank you.” She leaned in and accepted the gentle brush of his lips. He didn’t try to stop her when she rushed to her car without a backward glance. Tires squealed and gravel pinged off rocker panels as Reese backed out of the driveway, leaving Alex utterly alone.

  Details and events had become shuffled and confused over the last twenty-four hours as her body had begun to shut down. But one thing she knew for certain … her Honda had been parked beside the barn when she’d followed John into the woods last night—not parked in the driveway behind Glenn’s truck.

  * * *

  Clouds shrouded the moon as he stood on the stoop of the old farmhouse, surveying the abandoned field. Some caring neighbor had probably come in today and no doubt sheltered the wayward animals. Just as well. After tonight, pig blood would no longer be needed for that heinous concoction that passed as vampire sustenance. Glenn’s death was another step in solidifying that.

  Vampires were nocturnal creatures. Born of blood, they lived by blood. To hell with modern views to the contrary. Ridding South Kenton of the contemptuous vampires who had weakened themselves with that chemical concoction had been necessary. Though Glenn’s death should have been the end, the realization that one more fire would be needed to complete the purification spurred the monster forward.

  Under the cloak of darkness, he’d searched Glenn’s house but found nothing. Either Glenn hadn’t discovered anything of consequence at the professor’s office at the university or he’d hidden it well. Had there been more time last evening, it would have been a pleasure to coax the information from the vampire’s bloody lips.

  But misdirection required precision. The setup left in the barn fire could not have been more perfect. Killing the crazed vamp who’d stumbled upon Glenn’s demise had been an added pleasure. Staking the body to the pentagram was nothing short of pure genius. Already gossip of Glenn’s occult practices had begun to spread. Small towns survived on grist from the rumor mill. The lies about Glenn’s satanic practices had been whispered in the man’s own tavern tonight, for chrissake.

  Getting rid of the nosy reporter and her car after Glenn had resurrected her—sublime.

  It filled him with great pleasure that he’d coordinated every ruse to the smallest detail. It was all falling into place so much easier than he’d imagined. And no one in town suspected he’d orchestrated the whole thing. Those clowns from RISEN were following a trail he’d paved with his own deceit.

  All that was left was cleaning up any lingering proof that implicated him instead of Alex. He couldn’t believe how easy it had been to frame the insipient vampire. Alex was a fool and an idealist who needed to be held up as an example of misguided vampire morality. Once he located and destroyed every scrap of the professor’s work, including details of the fires that had been set, there would be no way the tribunal could overlook her transgressions.

  Having Alexandra Flanagan beheaded at the tribunal’s orders would be a victory sweeter than human blood.

  If Glenn had stolen evidence from the professor’s office—information that would no doubt spur others to follow in his footsteps—it was imperative he locate it and be sure it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. He’d worked too hard at stopping the foolish professor’s experiments to be thwarted by another confused enthusiast who didn’t understand the true place of vampires in human evolution.

  The victory cry of an owl filled the stillness of the night, answered by the death scream of its prey. It was a haunting sound that called to the murderer’s heart. “Life taken to give life.” The creed rode on the gentle breeze.

  The rain had slowed around midnight and now, nearly an hour later, had finally stopped. It would make the long walk back to the bridge where his car was parked a pleasant stroll. His heavy boots clomped down the stairs and across the driveway. Clouds skittered across the sky and opened. A full moon beamed in all its glory upon the blackened barn, the rays of light stretching to illuminate Glenn’s vehicle. An obvious sign that couldn’t be ignored.

  With a confident stride, he walked across the driveway and stood at the cab of the truck. The moon glittered off a metal ring hanging on the shifter. He opened the door and leaned in, retrieving the key. And that’s when he found the leather satchel peeking out from beneath the seat.

  Fate had smiled down upon him once again.

  Chapter Eight

  Alex’s muscles seized, her teeth gritting against the pain. Like a junky in desperate need of a fi
x, her trembling hands could barely grip the steering wheel. With relief, she pulled into the empty parking lot of O’Malleys, backed into the furthest shadowed corner, and shut off her car.

  This was the last thing she needed to do before she could watch the mountains of South Kenton recede in her rear view mirror. With grief and exhaustion wrapping her in a heavy cloak of ice, she was beginning to doubt whether she’d be able to find the strength to make it into the wine cellars.

  The little tavern in front of her warped in her watery vision as memories of happier times slipped uninvited through her thoughts. Sorrow’s heavy thorns dug into her heart, adding to the pain knotting cold in her gut. Perhaps leaving wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d once believed. She and Glenn had worked hard to create the homey atmosphere that had made O’Malleys a favorite gathering place for the locals. She wondered now, with Glenn gone, and her quiet departure, what would become of her little tavern.

  Maybe Chris would find it in his heart to keep O’Malleys running.

  She wished she could talk to him one more time and explain, but she had no doubt the vamp blamed her somehow for last night’s fire and ultimately—Glenn’s death. The ride from the farm to the tavern had been long and uncomfortable, the air in Ronan’s car thick with unspoken accusations. Not wanting to endure an interrogation from either vampire, she’d gone immediately to the wine cellar and locked herself in. By the time she’d found the courage to face them, Chris was gone, and Ronan’s disdainful look over the rim of his glass of scotch had stolen whatever bravery she’d found alone in her office.

  That’s when she’d slipped out the bathroom window and into the comfort of Reese’s arms.