by Michele Hauf
“To be honest,” Zane said, straightening and drawing on a serious demeanor, “I attribute most of it to luck. But I do have this.” He lifted a chain, coiled at his hip, to display a three-pronged blade curved like a scimitar.
“That’s a Sinistari blade,” Sam said, utterly at a loss for further words.
Vampires were much less powerful than the slayer demons. When it came to angels and demons, vampires crept along the bottom of the food chain. They were nasty things that fed on mortals to survive. Sam felt the urge to wipe the bottom of his boot on the rug right now. Which was strange in itself.
When had he become so judgmental? First it was Raphael, and now the vampire. Was this mortal realm sinking into his psyche so quickly?
“Yeah, he wasn’t using it,” Zane said. “We made a deal, actually. The blade for a serious stack of chips at the blackjack table. Those demons do like to gamble. And sin. A lot.”
Clever. The only way a vampire could compete with a Sinistari—lure it to sin.
“Well then, we’re properly armed,” Cassandra said. “We’ve two demon blades. Sam has one, as well.”
“Not anymore.” Sam wasn’t going to reveal the truth in front of the vampire. “I used it on a demon, but left it in his heart.”
“I thought you took it?” Cassandra asked.
“No,” he hurriedly provided. No sense in admitting Raphael had taken it away from him as if a favorite toy being removed from a naughty child. And yet the lie served another plunge into mortal depravity. “But I do have this.” He tapped his hip.
“Yes, he’s got a halo.”
“So do we!” Coco tugged out a halo from the suitcase.
The weaponry and knowledge this group had of Fallen and Sinistari blew Sam away. But then he should expect nothing less from Cassandra’s sister. The entire Stevens clan, actually. That Granny Stevens—he sure would have liked to meet her.
The sister offered him the halo to inspect but he politely refused. He didn’t want to touch another Fallen’s halo. “The weapon is ineffective in a mortal’s hands.”
“She’s discovered that,” Zane said, with a secretive wink to Coco. “Doesn’t do the boomerang return to a mortal.”
“But it does give hope!” Coco enthusiastically chimed. “I love holding it.” She clasped the halo to her chest. The pixie’s brown eyes gleamed with adventure untold.
“So let’s get to it,” Cassandra said.
“She’s not coming,” Sam said. He caught Coco’s frown and it didn’t feel right in his chest. What was with these women and their ability to make his glass heart ache?
“I agree.” Cassandra snatched the halo from her sister’s hand. “It’s too dangerous, Coco. You know you’re not trained for this.”
The sister was about to protest, but she sighed, stuck out her bottom lip for an effective pout and conceded with a nod. “Of course, you should hold the halo. Seeing that you do have a Fallen angel who wants to do you serious harm standing right next to you.”
“I do not—”
“I’m holding the halo so you don’t feel you can come along with us,” Cassandra countered over Sam’s reply.
“Fine. But Zane can go.”
“We don’t need fang boy to stumble over,” Sam said.
“Fang boy?” the vampire said incredulously.
“Cassandra and I know what we’re doing. We’ll take the ash—”
“But he’s a ninja!” Coco protested.
Sam tilted his head at the vampire, who offered a sheepish shrug. “He doesn’t look Japanese.”
“I’ve the skills and the know-how to track both the Fallen and vampires,” Zane said.
“Why would you help us track vampires?”
“I don’t like what the Anakim are up to. Harming muses? That’s not my bloody scene. I want to stop what’s happening as much as Coco and Cassandra do.”
“You two should discuss this.” Cassandra pushed Sam toward the door. “I need to talk to Coco alone.”
“You want me to leave with the vampire?” Sam cast the vamp a glare. Where was the stake Cassandra owned?
“Please.” Her fingers to his chin softened Sam’s stoic need to remain in charge and dismissive of the vamp. “Just go down to the bar. It’s right below the AquaDom. You two can share a pint and stare at the fishes. I’ll be right there.”
Sam kissed Cassandra’s fingers and did not miss her sister’s gasp of surprise. Her let go of her hand with reluctance.
He had wanted a few minutes alone with the bloodsucker. “Fine. Come on, vampire, I’ll buy you a drink.”
“As long as it’s mortal,” Zane said.
Sam gaped. As did Cassandra.
“Just kidding. A vampire joke, eh?” The vampire straightened his smirk. “You have cash? One thing I know about you Fallen sorts, you don’t have two pence to your name. I’ll buy. See you in a bit, Coco. Nice to meet you, Cassandra. Gotta go make some face time with the winged one.”
Sam rolled his eyes. This one was going to try his every mortal nerve.
“Oh, Coco. A vampire?” Cassandra searched Coco’s dark brown eyes, twins to her own, but couldn’t find a reason to admonish. Though she’d like to punch her in the arm, not hard, but to show her disapproval. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her sister plopped onto the bed and leaned back on her palms. “I figured the last thing you needed right now was to hear I’m in love with a vampire.”
“Love? Oh, my God.” She sat next to Coco, clasping for the rosary under her sweater.
Where had she gone wrong? All these years of training and taking her sister along for the ride…had she neglected to teach her what a real relationship was all about?
Like you know, Cassandra.
Coco said, “I adore him. He adores me. He spoils me, Caz. Always doing things for me, and we spend entire weekends making love.”
“Sounds blissful.” And creepy. “What’s with the scar? I thought vampires healed instantly?”
“Oh, not instantly, but pretty fast. It’s from the demon blade. He didn’t give the demon chips in Las Vegas. That’s just his story. In truth, he fought him for the blade.”
“Doesn’t sound smart.”
“Zane is incredibly smart. He used to be a spy for the SRS before a vampire bit him.”
“Poor guy. So he hasn’t always been a vampire.”
“Nope. And he wouldn’t have asked for it if offered.”
“But I just met him so I don’t know if he is trustworthy. Does he bite you? Oh, no, did he change you?”
“Don’t be silly. The last thing Zane wants is to make me a vampire. I love him for that.” She teased the collar of her turtleneck with a forefinger. “And he only bites me about once a week, and never takes too much. It’s so incredible, Caz. You would never imagine it could be so good.”
Hell. Her sister was a vampire’s blood bitch.
“I think I’ll stick with not putting that image into my brain, if you don’t mind. As long as he treats you right. And you trust him? You’re sure he’s not on the vampires’ side?”
“Positive. He’s former tribe Anakim—”
“What? But they’re the ones we’re after!”
“Don’t worry. He genuinely hates that they are capturing muses and trying to mate them with Fallen. Zane is kind and he wants to make it stop. He’s a good man to have on our side.”
“Don’t you mean a good vampire?”
“Don’t judge, Caz. It’s not as if I woke one morning and said to myself, ‘Hey, I think I’m going to find myself a vampire lover today.’ I met him the night I went looking for the halo, for you, if you recall. He rescued me from the big bad angel.”
“And now you feel you owe him?”
“Don’t be absurd. Just because you’ve never been in love doesn’t mean it can’t possibly happen to me. You’re jealous.”
Cassandra gaped, but shut her mouth abruptly.
Was she jealous? Neither of the sisters had ever been lucky in lov
e. Coco had a quirky personality that most men read incorrectly as eccentric. Cassandra had always been too focused on her work. They’d ignored the prom to go to martial arts class, and dates had been few and far between ever since.
“I’m sorry, Coco. If you trust him, then I do. And if you love him, then I’m happy for you.”
They hugged and Coco squeezed her extra hard, which felt great. Come spring, she was definitely moving back to London. She could create her jewelry anywhere, and yet, be happier back at home near her sister.
“So tell me about your angel. I can’t believe it. After all Granny taught us…”
Cassandra lay back on the bed, and her sister joined her. The two stared up at the ceiling, hands clasped. It had been too long since they’d taken the time to be next to each other and share their lives and secrets.
Way to start the convo with the big secret, she thought of her sister. But then, she had her own.
“Sam is an outlaw Fallen.”
“An outlaw? Oh, that sounds sexy. He’s got a halo strapped at his hip like some kind of gunslinger, and he hunts Fallen angels. That’s so freakin’ romantic.”
“When did you become a romantic?”
“I’ve always been one. You were too focused on kicking butt for romance. Too bad, too. My sister finally gets some lovin’ and now she has the apocalypse to deal with.”
“It’s not the apocalypse, just a small crisis.”
They both laughed because if they shared one thing in common regarding men, it was a self-destructive desire for the bad boy. “Sam abhors the Fallen who believe they’ve a right to abuse their muses any way they see fit.”
“Like raping them because that’s why they Fell?”
“Yes. He would never harm me, Coco.”
“I believe you. You may not have had a lot of boyfriends, but you have a keen instinct about people. That’s why I usually vet my boyfriends through you before the second date.”
“You have dated some real tossers.”
“But, thanks to you, not for long. So, what’s sex with an angel like?”
“Coco!”
“Like we’ve never compared notes before.” She rolled onto her side and caught her head against her fist. “Dish, and I’ll tell you about vampire sex.”
She wasn’t at all interested in sex with fangs. “We haven’t had sex.”
“Why not? Can’t he? Is it true about angels having no sexual parts?”
“No, that’s not true.” And she had the proof thanks to their snuggle in the van. Very nice parts.
“Oh, right. Only when he’s in half form? But then, wouldn’t he feel the compulsion Granny told us about? Oh, Caz, I’m worried about you getting too close to this Fallen. He’s the one. Your destined Fallen.”
She grabbed the halo from the end of the bed and put it around Cassandra’s wrist. “You keep this close. No matter how much you trust him.”
“Don’t worry, Coco. I trust Sam. To a degree.” She took the halo in both hands and flipped it around before her. “He can have sex in the human form he is in now. We’ve kissed and cuddled, and, to tell the truth, I want him. I really want him.”
“Who wouldn’t? The dude is ripped and handsome like a movie star.”
“You don’t need to point that out to me. And he wants me, too, but it hasn’t felt right yet. I’m learning to trust a man I’ve been taught wants to get me pregnant with a monster. You know?”
“I can’t imagine how it must feel to have him be kind to you instead of mean. Poor Ophelia. Her Fallen was not kind to her. And now she’s dead. I can’t get the image of those tiny, bloody footprints from my brain.”
Cassandra curled against her sister’s body and hugged her. “We’ll stop it all,” she said, not feeling the truth in those words.
Because really? Who could stop something so innate and powerful as an angel wanting to mate with its intended muse? And the only way to stop the nephilim from being born would be to kill the muse before she had given birth. A cruelty of which Cassandra could not conceive.
There were yet too many angels who could be summoned to earth. And if the vampires had names and sigils, they could bring them, one after another, to this land.
Of course, they couldn’t have names and sigils because she still had the book. Maybe. Why hadn’t she checked the bathroom when she’d had a chance? It was where she’d hidden the original book.
“Let me go with Zane,” Coco said. “He’s trying to get hold of a Council member, another vampire, who lives in Berlin. The more people we have tracking the vampires, the better. I’ve got the same martial skills as you do.”
“What is the Council?”
“It’s a group of vampires, witches, werewolves, faeries and so on that kind of oversee the paranormals on earth.”
“Whew! You’ve surpassed my knowledge on all things not of this realm.”
“I don’t know much beyond that. Zane gave me the fast and dirty version. He doesn’t want me to get too enmeshed in the paranormal. I love him for that. Anyway, this guy—Ivan, I think is his name—might have connections to other vamps in the area, and maybe even the Anakim.”
“Then I’ll leave that to Zane. Sam and I have to find the nephilim.”
“Please can I come along, Caz? Zane will protect me.”
“Protecting you will distract him from the task.”
“But the halo. I know how to use it.”
“I thought you wanted me to hold it? Besides, it’s only an effective weapon in the hands of an angel. If you slashed with it, it would merely cut, never cause death.”
“I know. I forget these ooky-spooky things have weird rules that don’t always apply to mortals.”
“Ooky-spooky? Would your boyfriend fall under that category?”
“Sometimes. But don’t tell him that.”
“I won’t.”
“His scar is so sexy.”
Cassandra smiled at her sister’s admiring tone. She really was head over heels. What an awesome place to be. She wanted to talk about a man in that same way.
She already thought about Sam that way. Hmm…
“Do you have a laptop?”
“Yes, why?”
“You can be our command central. Can you set up a city map and keep us all in contact through cell phones?”
“I should be able to.” She sighed. “I’ll give my phone to Zane. But you know I’ll be worrying a hole through the rug about you.”
“You wouldn’t be Rococo Stevens if you weren’t worried about something, sweetie. Do you think they’re getting along, our boys?”
“Doubt it. Zane has an arrogant streak a mile thick.”
“Yeah? Well, Sam wears a divine attitude so cocky it’ll knock your man’s streak down to size.”
“Good thing we brought them together in a public venue.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Chapter 11
Sam had accepted the pint the vampire bought for him, and was already on his second. It was much stronger than the beer he’d consumed earlier with Cassandra. He liked this stuff. It went down smooth, and it warmed his chest and gut. And for a guy who didn’t normally feel cold and heat (unless it was Cassandra’s skin) he enjoyed the experience.
The vampire tilted his beer to Sam. “Just so you know, instinctively, I want to slay you instead of share a drink with you.”
“Vampire, I could break your neck before you notice me flinch.” Sam burped, which was so new to him that he chuckled and did it again.
“True that.” Zane sucked down the entire beer. “But a broken neck won’t kill me. Just piss me off and make me want to kill you all the more.”
“Then I’ll be sure to use the fancy spring-action stake Cassandra owns.”
“She has one of those? Brilliant! Those things are hard to come by. I thought the Order of the Stake kept a tight grip on them.”
“And I once thought the Sinistari would never give up their blade, come death.”
Zane stroked the thick sca
r on his cheek. “It’s a long story. Suffice, the deal was mutual.”
“Mutual, my arse.” Another burp. Sam smirked. “Heh. This beer is awesome.”
“And you are getting wasted on your second pint. Slow down, bloke, we’ve business to hand. Although…those fish are bloody fabulous.” The vampire gazed up at the massive aquarium, which served as the centerpiece of the hotel. The bar curved around the base of the tank. “You ever see a blue one like that before?”
“Yes, I’ve seen all animals across the world.” Sam ignored the fish in favor of watching the condensation trickling down the side of his glass mug. He blinked. His vision blurred. Odd. “So, business. Like following the pretty little muse all over this snowy wonderland as she traipses after the bad guys. What is it with that woman? How do mortal men do it?”
“I was once mortal. And I am a man.”
Sam grunted. “That’s stretching things. You’re a bloodsucking longtooth. Heh.” He liked the oath, and while normally he wouldn’t use slang, the beer was working a number on his inhibitions. “I mean, how do men handle women? They’re all tough and sexy and walk around in those tight shirts that show off their bouncing breasts.”
He squeezed the air before him, imagining Cassandra’s soft pair in hand.
“She’s so soft. I want to touch her. All the time! But how to do that without being lewd? And what’s with calling me buddy all the time? My name is Samandiriel. Though she shortens it to Sam. I like that. It’s like I’m hers. And she’s mine.”
“Oh, bloke, you got it bad.”
“Got what? Have I picked up some mortal disease? Because let me tell you, my head is spinning and all I can see is Cassandra, Cassandra, Cassandra. And all that hair. Why are there ribbons in it? They are pretty, but I don’t know how they can stay in there. Hey, I haven’t seen that orange one before. Nice.”
The vampire chuckled. “Fish. Who’da thought?”
Sam lifted his mug and viewed the tank through the bottom of the thick glass. “My head is moving, but my body isn’t. Is that normal?”
“Your head is bloody spinning because you can’t hold your liquor, angel.”
“No, it’s because of Cassandra. Cassandra. Cassandra. Cassandra.”
