“You know what,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Who is he? How do I know he’s not the killer? And why haven’t you mentioned him before?” he demanded.
Mia’s face flushed. “It’s complicated.”
***
Cain arrived at Mia’s early the next day, while Peter was still in bed.
Cain watched her wipe her hands down the front of her jeans. He could hear her heartbeat and her breathing quicken. “Are you okay?” he asked as he sat down and patted the cushion next to his.
Mia flushed. “I need to ask you something.” She watched as he nodded. “I want to tell Peter about you, what you are, what you did for me.”
Cain’s eyebrows quickly rose. “I see.” He looked toward the doorway. “He’s coming now.”
Mia followed Cain’s stare. She bit her lip, and then took a deep breath. “Can I tell him? He needs to know.”
Peter eyed them from the doorway. “What do I need to know?”
Cain smiled at Mia. “What I am.” Peter crossed his arms as he leant against the wall. His expression was sullen. “You may not believe what I have to tell you.”
“Really,” he said flatly.
Cain breathed loudly through his nose. “Yes, really.”
Mia said, “Peter, please, it’s important.”
He peered at Cain sideways as he walked over and sat close to Mia.
“Peter, Cain is different. He’s not really human.” Peter started to speak and Mia shot him a look. “I’m serious.” She looked at Cain. “Show him your fangs.”
Peter’s body shot back an inch. Cain gave him a crooked smile. But Peter’s jaw dropped when Cain opened his mouth. Two large fangs were clearly visible.
“What the hell are you?” Peter gasped.
“He’s a vampire,” Mia butted in, a bit too chirpy.
Peter shook his head. His voice was slightly higher than it should be. “Have you totally lost it?” He looked at Cain. “What crap have you been feeding her?”
Cain raised his eyebrow. “I can easily give you a demonstration.”
“Peter, it’s true. I’ve known Cain since I was a child. Vampires do exist.” Her eyes looked watery. “It was one of them that killed Mom.”
Peter put his arm protectively in front of Mia and sat forward, glaring at Cain. “The murders!”
Mia pushed his arm down. “He didn’t have anything to do with them. He’s here to help.”
Cain said, “I assure you, I don’t kill innocent people.”
“But you do kill people?” Peter shot a look at Mia. “He needs to leave.” He glanced back at Cain. “You need to leave. Now!”
Mia stood up. “He’s not going anywhere. Peter, the vampire that killed Mom, is evil.” She looked back at Cain. “Cain isn’t evil. Please, give him a chance to explain.”
Peter looked at his watch. “He’s got five minutes.”
Cain told Peter about all his encounters with Vasile. Despite himself, Peter was fascinated and found it easier than he would have thought to believe Cain. He soon stopped watching the time, the allotted five minutes passing and extending into a long discussion. Cain answered all his questions candidly. Peter found himself becoming more and more concerned for Mia’s safety but acknowledged Cain was not the one they should fear.
He jumped up and started pacing the room. “How do I keep her safe from such a monster?” he asked. “He’s evil and he’s devious. How can I fight one so fast and so strong?” He looked at Cain. “How do we fight him?”
“We must never leave Mia alone,” Cain said. “Our vigilance is her only hope.”
As the weeks turned into months, there were no more reports of women being found murdered and no sign of Vasile. Cain would visit every day while Peter was at work so Mia would not be alone for a minute.
Cain saw that Mia’s eyes sparkled when Peter walked into the room. He watched Peter too. Peter would look at Mia out of the corner of his eye, hoping not to be noticed. And his face reddened on a couple of occasions when he saw Cain watching him.
Christmas Eve morning Cain sat Mia down. “Peter loves you.”
Mia blushed, “I don’t want to go there, Cain.”
***
Mia was making coffee in the kitchen when she heard a knock on the front door.
“I’ll get it,” Peter called out.
When she had the coffee percolating Peter walked up behind her and placed his hands over her eyes.
“What are you doing?” Mia giggled.
“It’s a surprise,” he whispered in her ear.
“You didn’t?” Mia playfully slapped his arm. “I don’t have anything for you. I thought we agreed not to buy presents this year.”
“Sorry, I lied.” He kissed the top of her head when he felt her cheeks rise with the enormous smile he imagined she had on her face. “I’m on the early shift tomorrow and this couldn’t wait. I want to see your reaction.”
He slowly guided her to the front door. “Keep your eyes closed.” He moved his hands an inch away from her face. “Promise?”
“Yes,” she said, and felt Peter move away from her. She listened and she heard the catch on the door open. She squeezed her eyelids hard to prevent the temptation of opening them. The front door closed shut with a slight bang and she heard a tiny bark. She opened her eyes.
He placed the husky pup in her arms. “Do you like him?”
“It’s a boy! He’s gorgeous, just perfect.” The pup started licking her face. She laughed. “Now I feel really guilty about not getting you anything.”
Peter said, “Seeing you smile is worth more than any gift.”
Chapter 41
Cain was happy Mia had such a good friend in Peter, and Peter finally accepted the fact that Cain was in Mia’s life. A few weeks later Cain and Mia were out enjoying a picnic when Cain received a call. Mia could not hear what was being said, but as she watched his face and saw his brows draw down in a deep frown she knew it could not be good news.
“What’s wrong?”
Cain didn’t want to worry her, so just said, “That was the manager of my Denver store. There is a bit of a problem there that needs my urgent attention.” He took a couple of paces away from Mia while he gathered his thoughts. “I have no choice. I have to catch the next plane.” He summoned a bright smile for her benefit. “But it is nothing for you to worry about. I will be back before you notice I have even gone.”
Mia grabbed his hand. “Denver? Cain, that’s over five hundred miles away. I’ll miss you.”
“I do need to go, for all our sakes.”
Cain made a quick call to book himself on the next flight. “It takes nearly an hour to get to the airport at this time of day.” He hugged Mia tightly. “Do not be afraid, Mia. I will only be there a few hours then straight onto the next flight back.”
“Are you positive you have to go?” She searched his eyes for any clues. “I have an awful feeling you’re not telling me everything.”
“I am sure. Do not worry. I will be okay, I promise.”
Mia was not convinced by his words. “Call me, please. Let me know how you’re getting on and when you’ll be back.”
“I promise.”
On the drive to the airport Cain turned over and over in his mind the message on the note that his store manager had read out to him, wondering just what he was getting in to by agreeing to meet Vasile. There had not been any details on the note itself, and no clues from whoever had delivered it since it was left during the night. His manager had read it word for word: ‘If Mia’s future is important to you, meet me in The Grand Hotel cocktail bar at 3 p.m. Come alone.’ He had no doubt Vasile had issued the summons, but why? What was he prepared to offer and, more to the point, what was his price?
***
Mia was so agitated she could not keep still. She had a deep sense of foreboding that just wouldn’t leave her. She hoped Peter would finish his shift on time. She needed him home to help her take her mind off things. Cain rang her
to say he was just boarding the plane and would call her as soon as he landed. She fought the urge to beg him to return, not to take the flight.
She was sitting in a comfy chair in her sweat pants and hoodie clutching her phone when Peter walked in after work. “What happened?” she asked, fearing what he might say. “You’re as white as a sheet.”
His hand was shaking as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Clive just found a woman’s body in the school playground.”
Mia put her phone down on the arm of the chair and ran over to him. She hugged him tightly then searched his face for clues. “Anyone we know?”
Peter shook his head. “No, she’s a Jane Doe at the moment, but she was really messed up. They think she was killed and some kind of animal was used in the attack. Her throat had been ripped open. It’s just like the other murders.”
Mia stood frozen, unable to move or talk. Her body started to shake uncontrollably.
“Mia, breathe, breathe!” It was Peter shouting at her. She had almost collapsed. She took in a loud breath.
“I have to call Cain!”
“It’s the work of that vampire, isn’t it?”
Mia ignored him, picked up her phone and called Cain. It went straight to answer phone. “Cain, I think he’s here!” She screamed as she saw Peter fly across the room. He thumped heavily against the wall and slid down in a heap, unconscious.
The intruder casually made his way inside.
Mia’s eyes fixed on the hand that had a large part of it missing, along with the fingers.
“Vasile?”
“How charming of you to remember me.” He walked over and crushed her phone in his hand.
“You killed my mother, you murdering bastard!”
He held his hands out in front of himself, as if surrendering. “I gave her life. Your lover murdered her.”
Mia backed up against the wall. “You murdered her. He had no choice! She would have killed me.”
Vasile took a step closer, grinning at her. “There is always a choice, my dear. He could have changed you to prevent her from attacking you.”
Mia looked toward the door. “Cain will be here soon.”
Vasile laughed. “Oh, I don’t think so. He will be on his way to Denver now. He is a fool. Did he really think I would wait around for the likes of him? He is blinded because of his concern for a mere mortal child.” He took another step forward. “This is going to break his poor heart. Such a waste.”
Mia spat, “If you are going to kill me, just get it over with. Save me the lecture, old man.”
Vasile liked her spirit. She was brave, and he would push that bravery as far as he could. “You are no fun. Are you not going to beg for your life? You could at least put up a fight.”
Mia stared him right in the eyes. “I am not going to give you the pleasure. Just do what you came here to do and kill me.” She sounded much braver than she felt, but adrenalin had kicked in. “Are you doing this just to make Cain suffer?”
“Now, now! You are getting ahead of the game. I think I will take you as a mate. How does that sound? Do you think he would suffer then?” Mia froze. On the outside she looked strong, but on the inside she was petrified. Vasile knew this. Her heartbeat and breathing were giving her away. “Do you want to take your mother’s place and be by my side? I have been looking for a mate with some spirit in her.”
Anger overtook her fear. “I will never be your mate! I would rather be dead!”
Peter started making moaning sounds as he slowly began to come around.
“Yes, Peter, do join us. We are going to have such fun.”
“Leave him alone!” Mia screamed as she ran to Peter’s side.
Vasile grabbed her arm. “Will you play if I leave him be? Will you beg for his life? Sacrifice yourself maybe?”
Tears threatened to spill over. “Yes, I’ll do whatever you want. Please, don’t hurt him.”
Vasile let go of her arm. “Run!” he roared at her.
She glanced at Peter, who was barely conscious, and then she was sprinting for the door. Within seconds Vasile had caught her. He swung her back into the house. She screamed as pain surged through her body and she landed a few feet away from Peter. She tried to sit up, but her left arm would not move.
“Tsk. You can do better than that.”
She couldn’t answer; so great was the pain. She was having trouble catching her breath.
Vasile walked over to Peter. “I lied, Mia.”
He broke Peter’s neck.
Chapter 42
Cain sat on the plane with an uncomfortable feeling that something wasn’t right. Mia was scared; he knew she was already worried, but this was different. He couldn’t pinpoint why he felt it. He kept telling himself she was okay; he would have known via her token if she weren’t. The deep nagging would not leave him, though he tried to convince himself otherwise. Besides, Peter was there so she would be fine. The plane door was closed when it suddenly dawned on him. He had been so blinded by his love and concern for Mia that he had been taken for a ride! Vasile was never in Denver. Now he had free access to Mia.
Cain scrambled to his feet and started making his way to the front of the plane. Two flight attendants tried to get him to sit back down.
“Sir, please take your seat. The plane is about to taxi.”
“I need to get off, now!”
The flight attendants were joined by two burly men. They began shouting abuse at Cain. Somehow, he had to get off the plane. He had to get to Mia, and fast.
***
Mia’s eyes were clenched shut, fear coursing through her body in waves. This is not happening. It’s just another nightmare. Please let me wake up. She felt Vasile’s cool hand through her sleeve, then his other hand on top of her shoulder. He jerked her arm up; pain turned her stomach as her dislocated socket clicked back into place. She blacked out. When she came to she was being moved, and she heard whistling. She opened her eyes. Vasile was roughly dragging her along by her legs. She managed to turn her head. The outside of the house was in the far distance. She looked to her left, as the woods were coming into view.
Vasile let her legs drop to the ground. He grabbed her hair and lifted her up level with his face.
Holding on to her hair, which was gripped in his hand, she watched saliva drip from his fangs, felt nauseated by his stale breath and tried to turn her head away. Fear almost took her mind off the pain.
“Now the fun really begins.” He let her go and she hit the ground with a thud. “Run or I will kill every child in this town.” He laughed at the hopeless look on her face. “Hurry now. I will count to one hundred.”
She didn’t hesitate. She ran for the woods. He would do it; he would kill all of the children for sport.
Moonlight seeped through the top branches; eerie shadows appeared wherever she looked. Her senses were heightened; she could smell the composting leaves, hear the hooting on the branches above. She took a deep breath as pain stabbed at her side. She should slow down a little, but she pushed herself to keep running. She quickly glanced down at her side, placing her hand on her hip to try and ease the stabbing pain. When she looked up again, gnarled hands twisted out from the shadows to reach her. Her heart hammered in her chest. She stopped breathing. She froze. Her mind willed her feet to move but they refused. She closed her eyes against the horror.
Nothing happened.
It was only the branches rattling against each other in the breeze, animating the skeletal shadows. She spun around completely. A set of glowing eyes peered out of the underbrush. She stifled a squeal and clamped a hand over her mouth. The animal ran. It’s a fox, just a fox.
Taking a couple of deep breaths, she took off again. Her head whipped around when she heard crunching noises coming from behind her. Before she could look forward, she ran into something hard, bounced backward and sprawled on the ground. Her eyes were wide open in horror. No, no no no!
The full moon caught his face, bathing it in an eerie, silvery light
. “Now beg for your life, Mia. Or better still, fight me off.”
“Cain is going to kill you!” she gasped. “You will suffer before you rot in hell.”
“He has tried before and failed.” Vasile grabbed her arm and yanked her up off the ground so hard that she shrieked as the bone started to crack. He threw her against a tree and, as she lay there, petrified. All she could think was Please, do it quickly. She watched him walk slowly over to her. He pulled his trouser zipper down.
“You are here because I have chosen you. I chose you especially for me to do with as I please. It will not be over quickly, and begging will not help you.” He laughed at her, a sound of pure evil.
She grunted when he dropped his weight onto her prone body. When he started ripping at her clothes she lashed out scratching his face. Then she went crazy; she punched, kicked and bit him, as he bit at her flesh. He found her resistance delightfully amusing. Time and again he allowed her to scramble away from him, only to be dragged back down.
“Your breasts taste so sweet,” he taunted as he licked at her cleavage. “We will have a wonderful time as mates.”
She was losing blood fast and her strength was failing her. Eventually she couldn’t fight any longer. She lay on the ground, gasping and praying for her end. Her mind was hazy and she was barely conscious when Vasile raped her. But the pain of his teeth as his fangs dug in to her neck? She cried helplessly as he drank her blood. Please, God, let me die.
After what seemed an eternity, she began to choke on a sweet, slightly warm, metallic liquid running into her mouth. She tried to claw at the hand that was forcing her mouth to stay open. She was barely conscious. She heard a voice. Sudden hope flared. Cain? But it wasn’t his voice.
“Get away from her!”
Vasile was thrown off her. He smashed against a tree trunk. The breath was driven from his body and he took a few moments to realize what had happened.
“Alexander!” Vasile recognized the vampire looming over him. He stood up slowly and laughed. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you thought she was for you? You’ve always had a soft spot for her, though.”
Alexander glowered, panting heavily from his wild dash through the wood. “You promised me you would let me have her if I did everything you wanted.”
Behind Blue Eyes: The Good The Bad & The Blood Page 30
