Chapter Fifteen
Walter
The flat was adequate. I didn’t eat, so it didn’t matter that nothing in the kitchen worked, aside from the freezer. The creature who ran the building graciously accepted cash, and left me be. On the ground level, I was able to create an opening in the floor, hidden beneath the excrement-colored carpet. The crawlspace beneath was deep enough to offer space for rest and escape from sunlight. It was all that I required.
This place had been mine since Yeke had stolen both the throne and my sire’s estate. After that, it sickened me to return to my home. There was no way I could continue to reside under that roof, not while he was there. That hadn’t changed when Ashley became the next usurper. I would train her, defend her, obey her, but I would not stay there.
Up and down I flipped the switch. No light came on. At some point I’d remember to replace the bulb. Not that it mattered.
I shut the door, as much as it could be shut, and navigated through my dilapidated flat. I stepped around the hole in the laminate kitchen floor, the spot covered with the little rug. Then over the metal threshold that was peeled up on one side, and across the worn, brown carpet that had seen far worse than my kind.
I sat down on the edge of the bed I never slept in, and waited in the dark for my progeny to arrive.
Alone with my thoughts, I recounted the night—the gathering at Evans’s house. Violet.
She’d fit perfectly in my arms. Her hair was fire, her eyes the ocean. Her wide hips allured as much as the swell of her breasts. Her smooth skin was warmth, life—everything I was not. She was vibrant, defiant, and deliciously sweet. I knew it was true, though I hadn’t tasted her. She would be the death of me or the salvation—which one, I was not yet sure. But I could not deny the draw to her, my desire to consume her in every way.
The door squealed as it opened, the switch clicked as it jiggled. I cleared my throat, and focused on the present, though reliving the past hours was more pleasant.
“You really need to get a bulb in that thing.” The voice belonged to Charles.
“I know.”
A bright circle of light clicked across the floor, the walls, and landed on my face. I squinted at the blinding yellow light.
“Sorry,” Charles said, then lowered his flashlight. “This thing really comes in handy though. If you don’t want a light on the ceiling like a normal person, then you should at least get one of these.”
His night vision should have been sufficient.
Again he shined the light into my eyes. And again he moved it away when he realized his error.
“What did you find?” I asked.
“Uh—”
He paused. Too long of a pause.
“What is it?” I asked, expecting the worst. Evans had surely committed another offense. Maybe the forces he gathered appeared formidable. Maybe something worse.
“I, uh—”
“Charles.” There was a sharpness in my tone, exaggerated because that was what worked on progeny. A raise of my voice and he always obeyed.
“Nothing,” he said. “That guy with the black hair and the nose ring… You know who I mean… Petzly. That’s it. Petzly hung around in that house forever. When he came out, he went back to a motel. And that’s where he still is. Probably. I can’t say for sure, since I’m here talking to you. But that’s where I left him.”
Something was off.
“What else?” I asked.
“There’s nothing else to tell,” he said. “It could just be a social thing, all of them hanging out together. If it’s bad, something terrible they’re plotting, there isn’t time to move on it tonight.”
He spoke the truth. But still, I had this nagging feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling me. Charles could be trusted. There was no chance that he had defected. So I let it go. For now.
“Fine,” I said.
“I’ll get right back on him at sunset,” he said with a big, whole-faced grin. “On the job, watching him. Not on him. You know what I mean.”
“Good work, Charles,” I said, and rose from my seat. “You may go.”
He saluted and winked, before turning for the door.
“And Charles,” I said.
“Yeah?” He turned to me, and waited.
“Don’t underestimate this threat,” I said. “Arthur Evans and those who associate with him are not to be taken lightly.”
“Got it, boss,” he said. Then he left to return to his resting place at the estate, before the rise of the sun. He’d spent Yeke’s rule here with me, and the start of Ashley’s between her sheets. Now, he had his own room at the estate. There was no harm in it, so I let him be.
I lifted the carpeted hatch and climbed down onto the blanket beneath the floor. I closed my eyes, and she was there, in my thoughts, in my dreams. Violet.
Chapter Sixteen
Violet
Moonlight reflected off of the mosaic of broken glass, shimmering against a background of dark blacktop. Fuzzy green moss grew over mortar, framing worn, clay bricks. It was an unremarkable alleyway, like they were in any city, the type where vampires fed, the type where I hunted.
From the darkness, a set of palms hit my shoulders, pinning me against a wall of cold brick. The dampness, the chill, seeped through my clothes. I blinked to see. I reached for my blades. My jacket was missing, my knives gone. I reached for the belt on my thigh, for a knife, for pepper spray. There was nothing but the bare skin of my thigh beneath my skirt.
Red eyes glowed in the darkness, and moved closer. His face was hidden in shadow. It was him. My breathing sped, my body grew warm, and I let go of all thoughts of weapons. Walter.
He slid his hands slowly up my thighs, lifting the hem of my skirt. His fingers were cool, his touch gentle, as he teased the edge of my panties.
Rough stubble brushed my face as his cheek passed mine.
“Violet,” he whispered in my ear. His voice was deep, smooth. My name a promise.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaned in to feel his body against mine. His chest was hard, as hard as mine was soft. He slid his hands around to my ass. My whole body was on fire, every nerve raw.
Rough hair scratched my jaw as he tilted his neck. Sharp fangs teased, and more than anything I wanted it. I wanted him.
My eyes shot open.
Above me was a ceiling of flat white plaster, not a blanket of twinkling stars. Below me was a mattress, not rough blacktop. Wrapped around me was a fluffy white comforter, not the vampire whose touch still ignited my skin. Imaginary touch. I sighed, then rolled over to check the time. Six forty-five.
When exactly was sunset? It had to be soon. I turned on the light, then looked to the closed curtains for a better gauge, but the thick, navy fabric hid the truth.
The hardwood floor was cold on my bare feet, hard like there was cement just underneath. Probably because there was. It was nothing like the floors of my childhood that creaked with age, with character. But hotels felt more like home now.
I flung open the heavy curtains. Darkened by the setting sun, tall skyscrapers looked like black rectangles, a bar graph for a horizon. Orange and red and pink mingled in the sky like a fruity cocktail.
Knock knock.
It was sunset. He’d promised to meet me at sunset.
I looked down at my oversized t-shirt and bare legs. Crap.
“Just a minute,” I said, as I raced to put on actual clothes.
I threw on a bra and a shirt that fit. Then I opened the second drawer. Heat rose in my cheeks when I spotted the one skirt I’d packed. It was twice as long as it had been in my dream. Still, no way.
I pulled on some jeans, one leg at a time, as I hobbled over to the door. Content that I was fully clothed, I opened the door as much as the chain would allow. A girl has to be cautious.
Through the crack I saw him, for the first time in full light.
He wore the same long, black coat he always did. Beneath was a charcoal button shirt and black sl
acks. His hair was lighter than I’d thought, a warm shade of brown. His nose seemed less sharp, his eyes a little brighter. In the light of the hall, he was less intimidating, but just as sexy.
“Walter,” I said. It was stupid, I’d expected him. Not necessarily here, but I knew he would find me, just as he promised. How was that all that I could say?
“Good evening, Violet,” he said, voice so smooth I melted, just a little. “May I come in?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, “sure. Let me just—”
I shut the door and undid the chain, then stepped aside as I opened it for him. Walter entered, and looked over the space. I eyed the t-shirt I’d tossed onto the lamp when I’d dressed. Then I hurried over and threw it in the closet.
“So you have to be invited in?” I asked. “I figured since this was a hotel and all, that rule wouldn’t apply.”
“No.”
“No?” I turned and found him standing straight with his hands clasped behind his back. Was he as nervous about all of this as I was? Maybe I was just projecting.
“I don’t have to be invited in,” he said.
“To a hotel room,” I added.
“Anywhere.”
“I see,” I replied. I’d never heard of a vampire who could do that, but Walter wasn’t like any of them in any way.
“It’s just polite.”
I nodded.
“So,” I said, as I tried not to awkwardly fidget. “Vampire and vampire hunter, quite the team.”
“Is that what we are?” he asked.
“Yep.“ I think I sounded sure, but I was completely unsure. I didn’t know what this was, not even a little.
Walter nodded. “May I suggest we designate rules of engagement if we are to commit to a partnership?”
He brought his hands forward, reminding me of the feel of his touch against my bare thighs, the squeeze of his fingers on my ass. Imaginary touch. It wasn’t real. I took a deep breath and strapped my utility band on my thigh.
“Sure,” I said, and kept my back turned as I tried to regain some level of composure.
“There will be no execution on this territory’s soil,” he said.
Did he think he was going to stop me from hunting? That was enough for me to get it together. I turned and faced him.
“You aren’t in charge of me,” I said.
“I didn’t claim to be,” he agreed, though his grin suggested otherwise.
My jaw was tight, my muscles tense. How had I thought this could be a good idea? How had I even considered working with a freaking vampire?
His smile faded.
“I cannot permit anyone to kill in the Chesapeake region, not humans, not vampires.”
“Oh.” I felt the tension in my shoulders melt. It wasn’t about me, about controlling me. It was about not killing, just like with the blond chick in the basement of the dorm. Which reminded me of the vampire who had done that to her.
“What about you?” I asked. “Are you above the no killing rule?”
He looked at me, a quick flare of crimson touched his dark eyes, and just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
“You are referring to Noah,” he said.
“The guy at the school,” I replied. “The vampire. You killed him.”
“I did,” Walter agreed. “It is my duty to keep the peace.” His face tightened.
Did he not like to keep the peace? Was it something he had to do, like vampire police, or something he chose to do, based on a personal code? I’d assumed the latter, but now, I wasn’t so sure.
“Sometimes there must be punishment,” he said. “Sometimes an example has to be made.”
“Did you do it because you wanted to?” I asked.
“No.”
His eyes showed a sadness, and I believed him. It was enough, for now.
“Shall we be going?” he asked.
“That’s it?” I asked. “One rule?”
“If more is required,” he said. “I’ll tell you.”
I wasn’t sure I liked that. It wasn’t a negotiation with both sides making compromises. Something told me he already knew exactly what he wanted from me, but he didn’t want to say. Not yet, at least.
I grabbed my jacket from the top of the dresser, my knives with it, and headed for the door. Walter rested his palm on the small of my back, and my dream came flooding back, every sensation.
I may not have known what he wanted, but I knew exactly what I wanted. And the thought terrified me.
Chapter Seventeen
Walter
Warmth radiated from Violet’s skin. It was as close as I could get to basking in the sun. It had been over one hundred eighty years since I had felt bright morning rays. I used to miss it, even though in life I’d spent most of my time indoors. I’d forgotten that until her.
Her hair was fire, her eyes ice. That stunning contradiction suited her, and made the world mundane, gray in comparison. She was rough, yet soft. Strong, but not like the prey I sought. She was different. She made me feel.
“Where are we going?” she asked as we turned the corner into the same alley where I’d left her the night before. She understood. It wasn’t here that mattered, but where we were headed.
“Tonight we follow Arthur Evans,” I said.
“Is he the guy from last night?” she asked.
She caught on quickly. I’d become so accustomed to answering questions that needn’t be answered that I’d nearly forgotten what it was like to be in the company of someone clever. Violet was a breath of fresh air. Or she would have been, if in fact I could still breathe.
“He is,” I replied.
My pocket vibrated, a soft tremor against my thigh. I reached in and pulled out my phone. Bennet.
“I have to take this,” I said.
Violet nodded.
“Yes?” I held the phone to my ear and waited for my blood brother to speak. If Bennet was reaching out, it was important.
“Hi, Walter,” he said. “I’ve come across something that might interest you.”
“Is that so?”
I watched the way Violet stared off toward the end of the alley. She watched the cars go by in the busy street. She waited for me, content to stand alone in a dark alley with the kind of creature who could tear her throat out as easily as blink. She was fearless. Reckless, brave, or both?
“Evans and Petzly are at the docks, pier six,” Bennet said.
“Thank you for the intel,” I replied.
I should have heard as much from my progeny. He was supposed to be monitoring Petzly. Was Charles shirking his duty? It was unlike him.
“And Walter,” Bennet said, “if you need backup, you know how to reach me.”
“I do,” I agreed, then hung up the phone.
The night was still young. It was possible that Charles had not yet discovered the whereabouts of Petzly, or that the opportunity to inform me had not yet arisen. It was possible that the queen had delayed him. No matter the cause, my focus belonged on the task at hand.
Violet turned to me, and raised her brows. “So,” she said, “where to?”
“The docks,” I replied.
She stepped closer, stood on tiptoes, and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her skin was soft, and warm. I could practically taste the scent of her—sweet, gentle, and earthy, like vanilla. Her breasts pressed against my chest, her full hips against my cock. I could take everything I desired from her here in this alley, but I didn’t. Had she been any other woman, I may have. But I wouldn’t use her. She was more than that, and I wanted this to last.
She looked up at me, expectation in her blue eyes.
“Let’s go,” she said with a smile that said more than words. It was light, it was happiness, it was fun.
I lifted Violet into my arms. She was soft, and felt natural in my arms. This was where she belonged. With me. I shook the thought from my head, knowing what it meant to let her in. Danger and death were all that I had to offer. She deserved more than that.
&nbs
p; The air was thick, a harsh barrier to push through at top speed. I enjoyed the rush, but more than that, I savored the feeling of Violet, for I knew it couldn’t last.
We crossed the busy city streets, a shadow, a flash of movement too quick for the naked eye to decipher. And just like that, we arrived at our destination. Selfishly I considered another lap around the metropolis, another minute to hold her. I let it go, and her as well.
Violet’s shoes dropped to slick asphalt, and she righted herself. We stood beside a razor-wire-topped, six-meter-high fence, and I considered our options. We could walk through the entry, evading the attention of any human in our paths through the illusion of shadow. They could look directly at us without seeing anything but that which belonged. We could go over. Both left us without cover, allowing the possibility of being noticed by Evans and his associates.
The chain link rattled. I looked, and found Violet holding open a corner of the fence like a makeshift door. That was one way to do it.
“Aren’t you coming?” she asked with a smile.
I followed her through the hole.
On the other side, it was I who led the way.
The dock smelled similar to the rest of the harbor, but had its own flair. It was salt water and wet wood, rusted metal and humidity. Distant voices spoke under the electric hum of bright fluorescent lighting, and the mechanical noise of forklifts. Closer than that was the gentle lap of waves along the water’s edge.
Even with massive lights turning parts of the lot into day, most of the dock was hidden in shadows of the night. We crept between tall stacks of metal shipping crates, remaining in darkness as we searched for signs of Evans.
I heard their voices before I spotted them.
“How many crates do we really need?” The voice was male.
Violet flattened herself against the surface of a metal shipping container. She was silent, and hid herself well. She was good at this. I wasn’t concerned that they’d see me. I was shadow, darkness itself.
“There has to be enough for all of them.” That voice made my skin crawl. I didn’t need to see him to know that the voice belonged to Arthur Evans.
Hunted: A Vampire Paranormal Romance (Vampires of Scarlet Harbor Book 2) Page 7
