Die By Night

by Kaitlynn Aisling

  “Like I tried to tell the vamps, I don’t do dental.”

  He frowns and opens his mouth as if to try and argue further, but I interrupt him before he can say anything.

  “I noticed that just the watchers were shooting us outside. Can vampires not tolerate sunlight?”

  “Aye, tis true.”

  “If that’s the case, why can’t you defeat them permanently? They have a huge weakness that is everywhere. Attack during the day, and they can’t fight back.”

  “It is a huge weakness, but some vampires can withstand more than most. They have their compelled human army, and we’ve seen more and more inventions from them to limit their vulnerability. As for a day attack, their sensitivity to the sun does no’ translate tae a need to sleep during the day. And all of their strongholds are in dark places, such as caves, tunnels, underground lairs, and the like. Not tae mention their numbers, and our own weaknesses.”

  “Like wolfs bane, silver, and garlic? Oh, wait garlic is their thing.” I wonder if they still sell garlic necklaces like I’ve seen in those cheap sci-fi movies.

  This conversation seems to have settled some of Gavin’s urgency. He’s settled back a little, bending one leg and letting his right arm drape over the top of it.

  “The garlic is a myth, but yes, wolfs bane and silver are poisonous to us. Although, in fairness, wolfs bane is poisonous to anyone.”

  “Oh, did not know that. And you said numbers. Why are there so many more vamps than you guys?”

  “Vampires can be both born and made, which is why there are so many variations among them. Their appearance is dictated by how diluted their vampire line is, as well as how much they take when they feed, and the purity and health of their blood sources. Weres are natural. We are born, never made.”

  “Then why did you bite me, if not to turn me?”

  “Because I wanted tae, and I need tae again.”

  Signal subject change number two.

  “They’re so much more advanced than you. I mean, no offense, I’m just going by what I’ve seen. So, how did you get in to rescue me?”

  Oh, he doesn’t like that. Too bad the truth hurts.

  “When you become accustomed tae something, you become dependent on it. Take that away . . . ” he hints.

  “Sitting ducks. How did you take it away?” Beyond my need to keep Gavin from sinking his teeth into my neck, I’m curious about this information.

  “We caused a spark so that the lights would flash at their utmost, blinding the vampires with their increased sensitivity tae light, then we destroyed the source. They were blind, both physically and technologically.”

  Brilliant. Gavin’s no idiot. These people give the impression that they may be resistant to change, modern ideals, and technology, but they’re not stupid. I wonder if they accomplished it by chewing through connecting wires with their wolf canines . . .

  “We’re wasting precious daylight, lass.”

  There goes the hope he’ll forget about the whole branding thing.

  “Gavin, please.”

  He’s serious once again, straightening his leg, grasping my arm and pulling me onto his lap. He bends his left leg so that my back is resting against it.

  “Trust me.”

  I don’t remember the first time he did this, lost in the throes and drunk and all that, but it had to have hurt. He means to leave a permanent impression in my neck. How could that not hurt? Should I go along and endure, put him at ease and make him think I’m resigned to staying with him, to gain his trust?

  “I don’t even have a tattoo. Yet, you’re telling me you want to bite me and leave a permanent mark?”

  Attempting to create a little distance between us does no good. His arms are too firm; he’s too strong. If I were a weaker person, I’d lean in and let that strength comfort me once again. I’ve cried all my tears by this point, but I still wouldn’t mind someone else taking care of everything while I cuddle with this wickedly handsome man. If I were a stronger person, I’d elbow him in the side and make a run for it. But I am neither. I’m just done in.

  “Is that from whence your resistance stems? Once done properly, only those o’ the mystical realm will be able tae see the mark, and you o’ course.”

  “Mystical realm? What else do you believe exists besides werewolves and vampires?”

  “Shh, lass. Enough talk.”

  A cloud passes over the sun, hindering its light. The innocent act of nature reinforces Gavin’s words. Evening approaches. Once the sun has set, we’ll all be vulnerable. Whether or not I stay with Gavin, which I’m not going to, I should want any weapons available to defend myself. I need to think strategically about this. Besides, the plus is that the mark will no longer be visible to my family, Meagan, and my coworkers.

  He pushes my hair aside. I can see the excitement burning in his eyes, like flames of amber desire.

  “I’m not sure . . . ” I whisper.

  “I am.”

  His voice is confident, sure. Implacable. He doesn’t waste any time, setting his teeth to my skin as soon as the words leave his lips.

  There’s an edge of pain, and I struggle not to flinch away and make it worse. But that pain fades almost as instantly as it begins, causing my body to sink into the protection of his.

  A slow, tingling warmth builds in its place. I feel incredibly close to him. A sensual bond grows, so intense I swear that I can see the intangible threads between us, glowing golden and pulling us closer and closer to remove all distance—between our bodies, our minds, our hearts.

  A fraction of me wants to yell for him to stop, for fear that within him, I’ll disappear.

  But there’s no resisting. It’s all encompassing, yet incomprehensible. His thoughts, his dreams, his purpose; they’re mine as well. Mine are his. There is no division, no separation, no hiding. The feelings are so powerful that I can’t stand it.

  And I realize something. I’m not losing my individuality, or independence; I’m gaining a supportive partner. I not losing a piece of myself; I’m gaining all of him.

  Our souls are aligning.

  We are one.

  His teeth slide from my skin. He places a searing kiss against my neck, and allows some space between our bodies.

  “What in the heck was that?” I whisper.

  “Twas right.”

  Oh, he’s all smug now that he’s gotten what he wanted. I still feel the connection though, and right now it’s so strong that it prevents any agitation. We sit there for a while, just luxuriating in our closeness, the rightness of our perfect connection, and a wild mix of passion and love.

  However, none of that lasts, because I’m human, and he’s not. Or at least, he believes he’s not, and I think that might be worse. I can’t love him; I don’t know him. His bite must have some wild mind control properties for me to think, even a minute, that we share love and passion. Cue The Princess Bride, because the whole thing is inconceivable.

  Chapter Ten

  “I believe you owe me some rest now,” I say, hoping to bring some realism back to the moment.

  “Are you always so literal?”

  “When my knight in shining fur demands obedience, who am I to refuse?”

  One ink black brow arches perfectly. I copy his move easily.

  One of his fingers strokes along my eyebrow, and he says, “I wonder if our bairn will have the same ability?”

  Funny, I was thinking just the same thing not long ago. Is this a result of his mark? Or have we always been in tune? He may not be everything I thought he was that night, but he’s still the man I found so attractive four months earlier in that bar. He’s still the same man I trusted to go to bed with, isn’t he?

  I cough and push at his chest once again. This time he lets me, and when I attempt to stand, he allows that too. It smarts my pride that I know all that I’m doing now is because he permits it. Natalie Donetsk doesn’t let any man dictate her actions. My papa taught me that, and my brothers enforced it until I was
able to protect myself.

  I take a couple of steps back and Gavin comes to his feet to match me. Right now, I hate that he’s got some height on me. I’ve always been able to use my height to intimidate those who push me too far. That tactic won’t work on this man, and I have a sinking feeling it’s not because of his height. He’s too sure, too confident. Strange that the same qualities that once attracted me to him now stand in my way.

  “Yes, rest,” he confirms.

  He looks up toward the trees, seeming to be calculating something. I haven’t spent much time camping or fishing, or even hiking, so I’m not accustomed to judging the time by the sun. Still, even I can recognize that night will soon be dangerously close.

  His eyes move back to me. Extending one hand, he says, “Ready?”

  “Yes!”

  Gavin smiles, and it’s not like other men’s smiles. It’s fiercer and all too enticing. Everything he does is arresting, so arresting in fact, that I grab his hand without thinking twice. Whatever he’s got, he should bottle it. He could make a killing.

  Yes, I’m ready to be out of this forest and to have an opportunity to get away. What I’ll do once I accomplish that, I don’t know. But the beginnings of a plan are more than I’ve had in a long while.

  He leads me to the rest of his group. Connor is wringing his hands from his spot on the ground next to Hawke. Upon seeing us approach, he leaps to his feet. Does the man even blink?

  “Gather your belongings; we’re heading intae town.”

  There doesn’t seem to be much to gather, but they all pack up their things. Piper rises up on her toes, excitement in every line of her body. She’s 5’3” or so and her bouncing brings her head to her boyfriend’s chest. The teen smiles right along with her, the two of them still holding hands.

  Athol glares at the couple. Why the disapproval? Are these people so old-fashioned that teenage dating is against their morals? Her lips screw up into an even tighter pucker than her normal expression, which I wouldn’t have believed possible.

  I think the woman could be pretty, if she hadn’t frowned so many lines into her face…and if she learned how to smile. Her poor husband. According to everything I’ve heard and witnessed thus far, they believe that mates are fated, with no personal choice. The guy met her and something in their rituals dictated she was his, and his alone. Now he’s stuck with her.

  I could have done worse.

  My stupid conscious supplying me with all the wrong thoughts again. Gavin is not mine. I’m not his. This is a colossal mistake that I’ll remedy as soon as we get to town.

  Now they’re all packed and ready to go. I have nothing to pack and am raring to go. Hawke says something to Piper and Nolan, the other teen, causing Piper to laugh and Nolan to blush. Connor hovers behind me, envisioning a million ways I could die via forest and how he’ll have to prevent it. Once again, I wish that Hawke was assigned as my guard, though as close as Gavin is and with my hand still captured in his, I don’t see a need for more protection. A big guy, whose name starts with an S, if I remember right, takes the lead. This allows for Hawke to drift toward the middle of the group, closer to Gavin.

  “Is everything set?” Gavin asks.

  “Adjoining rooms on the same floor for you and your mate, my liege,” Hawke replies, sweeping his arm out and attempting a poor excuse for a British accent. In his Scottish lilt, it comes off drunk.

  Adjoining rooms. Good. I’m surprised that Gavin is allowing that distance. He doesn’t seem the type to let an advantage go.

  “Connor will now be bunking with you,” Gavin tells Hawke.

  “Of course,” Hawke agrees.

  “Oh, wait just a minute!” When they say adjoining, they mean Hawke and Connor will be in a room adjoining ours, as in Gavin and I sharing. That is not going to work for me.

  Connor can’t be allowed to share a room with me either. I can see it now, Connor on his hands and knees combing the carpet for fall hazards. Then he’ll remove all my pillows and sheets to prevent asphyxiation in my sleep. He’ll lock the minibar to ensure I don’t drink anything without his express observation. Who knows what else he’ll ban or insist on monitoring in the deadly environment that is the modern hotel room?

  “I need my own room. And if Connor wants to have an adjoining room, well then, fine. I get the need for that.”

  “Do married humans no’ sleep together?” Gavin asks, innocent puzzlement all over his handsome face.

  “Oh, they do. However, I don’t see a ring on this finger. So, cot, couch, or two double beds; take your pick.”

  “If tis a ring you’re needing, lass, I can be obliging.” A jaunty grin curves his lips, and he turns to the big guy leading the way. “Did you come across any fine jewelers during your scouting mission, Silas?”

  “Aye, Rìgh,” the man answers in his deep voice.

  Ree? What does ree mean? Is that a blush creeping up Gavin’s cheeks at the title? And why does he seem uncomfortable.

  I don’t get the chance to ask. We’ve reached their fleet of vehicles in the parking lot. I see an old, weathered sign on the edge by the restrooms. It looks like it was once green, but now it’s an olive-tinged gray. I edge closer to the sign and away from the group as they load into their rental Jeeps, Trailblazers, and trucks. I know the vehicles are rentals by the license plates, once again confirming that America, or at least this place, is not permanent for them.

  I don’t get the chance to read the sign, and thus determine where we are. Connor places one arm in front of me.

  “Please enter the vehicle and fasten your belt.”

  “Have you ever tried interviewing for a flight attendant position? I’ve think you’ve got the part nailed.”

  A sense of humor is the one thing that has saved me from many tears throughout all of this. The one thing. Yet, I’ve been assigned a bodyguard who doesn’t even know the meaning of the word humor. His face could be made of stone, except for the fact that he is able to portray worry. That’s the only emotion I’ve seen from him: worry that I’ll kill myself through the very air I breathe.

  Maybe it’s a bit harsh, but I need to take my fears out on someone, and Connor is available and an easy target to boot.

  “Have you ever heard of spontaneous combustion?” I ask.

  Connor shakes his head in the negative, as he lifts me into one of the Jeeps. Hawke sits in the driver’s seat, and Gavin is talking to him in hushed whispers from the front passenger seat.

  “Real dangerous stuff. You should look into it.”

  At the word “dangerous,” Connor’s face settles even further into that already familiar half-panicked expression. As if I’ve handed him the greatest assignment ever created, Connor nods gravely. I suspect that if he had paper and pen on him, he would write the phrase down for further research. As it is, he mouthes the words several time, spontaneous combustion, to commit it to memory.

  Gavin shifts in his seat to wink at me. I guess I didn’t expect him to scold me, but I wasn’t sure he’d play along.

  When we drive out of the parking lot, we pass the sign again, but it’s so old that it’s hard to read. Connor’s huge body blocks most of my view out the window anyway, so I never do get a chance to try to read it. Then we’re on the open road.

  They have to realize that there will be road signs along the way to whatever hotel in which they’ve been holing up.

  I’m right; not two hours in, and I see a sign advertising Scarborough Trail. If I had my phone, I could Google that. I’ll have to hope for Wi-Fi at the hotel. I wonder how far we are from the hotel. I’m starting to worry. The sun is now a pinkish glow against the horizon, low enough to terrify. The dash displays 6:11 in bright neon.

  “Are we almost there?” I ask. My heart is starting to race again, though this time it’s not inspired by Gavin’s bare chested display.

  “Easy, Mo chroí. No vampire will ever touch you again.”

  “Awful confident, considering where you found me,” I mutter beneath
my breath.

  I can’t help the fear. I alternate between clutching the door handle of the jeep and rubbing my churning stomach. Poor Liam must be scared too.

  “Aye, but I did find you.”

  Gavin turns in his seat to look me full in the eyes, though his gaze drifts to my hand against my stomach. I’m noticing he has a bit of a fascination with my stomach. He’s keen to be a father, though why he wants something so permanent with a complete stranger boggles the mind.

  “It also bears mentioning that I did try to get you tae safety, back at the store.”

  “I don’t—”

  “No, I know you doona want tae talk about that particular incident.”

  “Yeah, well, you seem kind of ragtag. No offense.”

  “Yet, offended I feel,” he mumbles.

  I’m getting nowhere with this line of conversation. I’m antagonizing my protection detail, which doesn’t seem to be the smartest approach in my situation. When we arrive at the hotel, Hawke takes the lead, pushing his way through to the front desk like some executive enforcer. Connor stays behind me, his attention divided between my feet—looking for bumps in the pavement?—to the few people around us.

  Gavin grabs my hand, and I edge closer to him despite myself. It’s cold. I wonder if we’re still in the care phase, or if we’ve moved on to the rest portion of Gavin’s itinerary. I shiver in the night air, partly from fear, and partly because it’s now dark. Night is their territory.

  The hold on my hand loosens, and then Gavin’s arm comes around my shoulder.

  The hotel is in between lavish and economy. It’s not cheap, that much is obvious. From the chandeliers in the foyer, to the red-suited employees who tip their caps to us as we pass, the place screams class.

  Just how rich is Gavin and his merry little band of crazies? To arrange transportation and a nice hotel for this many people would cost mondo bucks. I doubt I could afford the fare for one person to Scotland from Oregon, yet they traveled in a group of sixteen. There’s probably a group discount, but still.

  The carpeting is plush, seeming inches thick. It’s a swirled design of gold on burnt sienna. The wallpaper is old world cream and a carpet matching gold pinstripe. I collapse into a nearby chair, losing Gavin’s arm around my shoulder. Even the chairs are obvious luxury, the upholstery silky to the touch, with tons of cushioning. Everything is gorgeous, really. I’m being offered a night in a four star hotel on someone else’s dime, no promotion necessary. Meagan would approve.