Lori opened a small bag of chips. “What’s been going on with you two? You’ve been quiet about him and that’s not like you.”
What should Sarah say? That spending a night with John led to another and then another? And then after dinner each night, he had made love to her until she’d been too exhausted to move and each morning more of her stuff had magically appeared.
The fiend. Ah, but he was her fiend.
She smiled. “I think I moved in with him.”
Lori went ballistic, which was better than Sarah had anticipated. “You think? When did that happen? When were you going to tell me? Are you crazy?”
Sarah took another bite of her sandwich. Lori would eventually calm down.
“Have you learned nothing from your relationship with Steven?”
That last question stung. “I thought you liked John. He’s nothing like Steven.”
“I know that, and I do like him, but Sarah, you haven’t even known him a month. Don’t you think you’re rushing things a bit?”
Maybe, but there was no way she could tell her friend the truth. Being vague was the only way to go. “I love him, Lori, and he loves me.”
“So, what, did he propose?”
“No, he didn’t propose.” Did vampires even get married? Would a legal document even work with him? She’d get old, but he wouldn’t. Oh God, she didn’t even want to think about that. Still, what would pass for the exchanging of vows? The exchanging of blood? Hmm. Maybe that was how she could become a vampire. Wasn’t that how it worked in the myth?
“Then why did you move in with him?”
Because he was a sneaky little bastard. When would he learn he only had to ask? “Because I love him, why else? Don’t spoil this for me, okay? I’ve had the best couple of days so far.”
Lori shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. I hate seeing you make the same mistakes again.”
Sarah was getting weary defending herself where John was concerned. “I’m not making a mistake. Besides, I haven’t made any commitment with him. I’m not even giving up my apartment.”
Lori’s eyes lit up. “You’re not?”
“Not yet. He’d rather I wait a year.”
“Okay, then,” Lori said, and opened up her lunch bag.
“That’s it? That’s all I had to say, that I wasn’t giving up my apartment? Boy, I wish I had led with that bit of information.” Sarah laughed in spite of herself.
The day progressed as normal days did: meet with client, file, repeat. A few minutes after four o’clock, her cellphone rang displaying Lori’s name. Sarah laughed as she answered the call. “You too lazy to walk over to my office?”
“I’m down in the garage. I just got back from a client’s and didn’t watch where I was walking and I cut my leg. It’s bleeding all over. Can you bring me the first aid kit?”
“What? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“I don’t think so. Bring the first aid kit and you can decide for yourself. But hurry, okay? I parked next to your Bumblebee.”
Sarah disconnected the call and ran to the break room. After opening several cabinets, she found the kit. She rushed back to her office and grabbed her coat and purse, just in case she needed to drive. How the hell had Lori hurt herself so badly? Sarah was usually the klutz.
On her way out the door, she waved at Linda, who was busy chatting on the phone. Sarah arrived at the garage, rushed toward the Bumblebee, and abruptly stopped. Lori’s car was parked beside it, but her friend was nowhere to be found. As a matter of fact, she’d never told Lori her nickname for John’s SUV, which could only mean…
It was a trap and she’d walked right into it. Shit.
A hand covered her mouth and something pricked her neck. She jumped and squealed at the touch. Oh God. Not again! As the garage grew dimmer, the first aid kit slipped through her fingers.
* * * *
John scrolled through the many different Valentine flower arrangements. Buying flowers in the computer age was less personal, but, for someone who couldn’t venture out into the sun when most stores were open, sure made the process easy.
He’d never thought he’d buy flowers again. The last time had been for his mother’s funeral. He also never thought he’d be comfortable feeding from Sarah, yet once he became used to the sensations, he was able to take control and actually enjoy it. Having her taking vitamins and iron and eating more nutritiously helped, too. She hadn’t passed out the last time they made love, either.
He’d made his selection of pink—of course—and white roses when his neck tingled and stomach twisted. The last time that had happened, Sarah had been nearly abducted.
He rubbed his neck. It was only four-thirty, so the chances Danielle had captured Sarah were pretty slim, especially since Sarah was at work. But, what if… He grabbed his cellphone. She could yell at him all she wanted, but he needed to hear her voice or he’d go stir crazy.
He placed the call and promptly went to her voice mail. Damn. Had she let that thing die again? Maybe he should get her a charger for her office. He called her work number and the receptionist answered the phone.
“Hi, Linda. Would you get Sarah for me please?”
“I’m sorry, she stepped out. Would you like her voice mail?”
Sarah wasn’t there? Where would she be going, and without her phone? His stomach twisted tighter. “How about Lori?”
“No, she’s out with a—Oh wait. She just walked in. Hold on.”
“This is Lori, how may I help you?”
“It’s John. Do you know where Sarah is?”
“If she’s not in her office, then I guess I don’t. What’s up?”
He massaged the tingling in his neck. Something was wrong. “Can you check and see if she’s left for the day? Her phone isn’t working and I’m a little worried.”
“Is there a reason you have to know where she is every minute? Because that’s not a healthy sign. Neither is having her move in with you when you’ve only known each other a month.”
Shit. He didn’t need this right now. “She’s only staying with me until Steven has been caught. I’m not trying to control her. I just want to keep her safe and I don’t trust Steven. Would you check, please?”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about it like that. Give me a minute. I’ll call you back.”
He stood and paced the room. He needed to calm down. Get the facts first. Jumping to conclusions wouldn’t solve anything.
Someone knocked at his door and he jumped. Yeah, his nerves were shot or he would have heard—he sniffed the air—Heather climbing the stairs. He opened the door.
“Hey, Boss. Someone left this at the bar and said it was urgent you get it.” She handed over an envelope. “Also, the contractor called. They’ll be out Monday to work on the back steps. What made you go with cement?”
He flipped the envelope over and something inside shifted. It only stated his name. No address. No return address, either. Who would be sending him an urgent note? His stomach twisted. Oh shit.
“Hey, you okay?” Heather asked.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” John closed the door behind Heather. He ripped open the envelope and Sarah’s necklace fell to the floor. Oh God! Sarah! With shaky hands, he picked it up. A piece of paper stuck out of the envelope. He read it twice before it registered.
She’s in Urbana. You know the address.
He collapsed on the couch. Danielle had abducted Sarah. Who else? But how did she do it? The sun hadn’t set.
His phone rang. Lori. He pushed the answer button.
“Hey, John. I looked all over. Her computer is still on and your car is in the garage, but her purse and coat are gone.”
He needed to ease her worries because he was worrying enough for both of them. “It’s okay, Lori. She just got here. She’s not feeling well and came home. Thanks for looking, though. I appreciate it.”
“Oh, okay. Have her call me when she’s feeling bett
er.”
“I will. Thanks again.”
He disconnected the call and stared at the note. Danielle wouldn’t expect him to do anything until the sun set, which meant he could get the upper hand if he arrived beforehand. But how? How was he going to get to his car? How was he going to drive it? And how was he going to do all that and keep from turning into a crispy critter?
Shit, shit, shit.
Chapter 33
John stood at the back exit of Wings, roll of foil in hand, tape in pocket. Shade shrouded the alley making it safer, but not completely safe.
The one thing he’d been told over and over—avoid the sun at all costs—was the one thing he had to face. Barnet had tried talking him out of this madness, to wait for him, but John wouldn’t hear of it. Bad enough to wait the ninety minutes until sunset, but then to wait another two hours for Barnet’s help? Wasn’t happening. Nothing would stop him from saving Sarah from that bitch who had turned him. And the only way he would have the upper hand on Danielle was if he showed up sooner than she expected.
Wearing more clothes than normal—jacket, scarf, gloves—John had covered as much skin as possible. He’d even snatched Pete’s Looney Tunes ball cap, wishing it were a sombrero or one of Sarah’s knit caps. His ears and face were still exposed.
He took a deep breath to calm his wildly beating heart and then opened the door, praying he would survive the trip. Even in the shade, the brilliant blue sky blinded his eyes. If only he’d found some sunglasses. Not much he could do about that now. He lowered the bill of the cap and stepped outside.
So far so good. He stopped at the first beam of light, waited for the traffic to clear and then zipped across. Getting the brunt of the sun, his right ear and cheek burned for a moment, but John continued on his way. He’d heal, but at a cost. Each time he ventured out into the sun, the toll added up. By the time he arrived at the garage, he staggered as if he’d drunk one too many beers. A lone passerby would certainly aid his cause, but he wouldn’t sit around and wait.
He stumbled to his Xterra and opened the door. Sarah’s scent hit him hard. Despair weaseled in to take hold, but he refused to let it control him. He would save her from Danielle and nothing was going to stop him. He pulled the tape out of his pocket. The glass was already tinted, but how much of the harmful rays would it block and which rays were harmful? Better to be safe and cover the suckers. He left openings for the side mirrors and kept half the windshield clear. His destination lay northeast, away from the setting sun. He should be good. If not, he’d find out how well the glass was treated.
With the last window covered, he’d tossed the tape onto the passenger seat when a lone person ventured inside the garage. John hesitated for only a moment—Sarah would need him at his best—and he fed as quickly as possible.
While in the city, he avoided any street forcing him into the sun, but once he hit the freeway, he was in the clear. He arrived in Urbana in record time.
To prevent giving away his arrival—one of the disadvantages to owning a bright yellow vehicle—he parked several houses down in a copse of trees. The sun wouldn’t set for another fifty minutes, but the tree line and hills would create darkness sooner. At least, he hoped so. He climbed out of the vehicle and headed for his neighbor’s yard, avoiding the sun as best as he could.
A small forest of pine trees divided the homes and John crouched between two, safely in the shade and hidden from anyone’s view. With her mouth gagged, Sarah was hugging a tree—her wrists and ankles bound—in the middle of his yard, sitting in what little sunlight remained. Danielle was most likely hiding in the house or in the barn, somewhere protected. Was she alert, watching for his arrival, or lackadaisical, confident he wouldn’t arrive until well after sunset? He hoped for his and Sarah’s sake it was the latter, because there wouldn’t be a better time to strike.
* * * *
Sarah leaned her head against the tree. She hadn’t seen anyone since she awoke, but could only assume Danielle was behind it all. Why else be tied up like bait?
She tugged on the restraints again, but like the last time the cable ties only cut into her skin. Nothing she did seemed to loosen them.
Poor John. Most likely Danielle had informed him of her capture, probably enjoyed torturing him like that. He must be going crazy with fear. He wouldn’t be able to leave Wings until the sun set, which meant Sarah would be sitting out in the cold for at least thirty minutes after. What would happen during that time? Would she see Danielle then? Oh crap.
John appeared out of nowhere and he wasn’t a burning fireball. Oh thank heavens. She yelled at him to hurry—because if he could be out in the shade, so could Danielle—but the gag muffled her words.
“Wow, you got here sooner than I expected,” Danielle said. “I’m impressed.”
“Shit,” John muttered. Remorse filled his eyes.
He stared at Danielle as she emerged from the barn. She looked almost normal, wearing a flowered blouse and dress slacks. But there was a huge difference between this woman and the woman Sarah had met at the coffee shop. The auburn hair was now a long and wavy blonde and the plain brown eyes were gone, replaced with a sparkly ice blue, so pale they were almost white.
“I was hoping Barnet was wrong,” John said.
“Didn’t you know? He’s never wrong.”
He stood. “Fine, you got me. Let Sarah go.”
“Now, why would I do that? If I only wanted you, I could have had you. But you hurt me, John, and now it’s my turn.”
Steven appeared behind John and held out a gun. Sarah screamed a warning that came out all garbled, but John took heed and spun around.
A muffled pop sounded and John stumbled back. What was that? What was happening?
Another pop. Again, John jerked. Clutching his stomach, he turned around. Blood spread out from the wounds. Oh God, it was Steven. Sarah screamed at him, “Stop shooting! Stop shooting!” But her words were useless. She couldn’t even understand herself.
John staggered toward her, his face in shock. “I’m so sorry.”
A louder shot went off. She jumped. Blood sprayed from his mouth and hit her face and coat. John fell to his knees. She cried, screaming out his name. On his way to the ground, he grabbed her shoulder and his hand brushed her neck. Oh, the pain. The horrible pain.
Chapter 34
Sarah opened her eyes to the last traces of the debilitating pain she’d felt at John’s touch. How long had she been out? Shade covered the area completely. Maybe five, ten minutes? Hopefully that was the end of her knockout events. They were giving her a headache.
The gag was long gone and she could breathe freely, but her throat constricted when she remembered John collapsing. So much blood. So much pain. Regardless of what he had told her, how could he survive all that?
However, she was still alive and bound to the tree, so he must have survived. Why keep her if he’d died?
Sounds of ripping and laughter filled the air. What the hell was going on? She scooted around the tree to see what the commotion was about and nearly burst out crying.
Oh God. What was Steven doing?
Using a knife, he cut the clothes off John and tossed them aside. John lay still as death, with a stake protruding from his chest. He was covered in blood.
“John!” Oh please don’t let him be dead. She strained to get free, but the cable ties weren’t any looser and they cut into her tender skin again. Damn it, she’d gnaw her wrists free if she could.
John blinked.
Thank God, he was alive, but he wouldn’t remain that way when the sun came up. Steven was making sure of that. Or make that Danielle—wherever the hell she’d disappeared. No doubt she was controlling him. He’d never even flinched when Sarah had yelled John’s name.
If only she were a vampire, she’d be able to snap these restraints free. She stared at her sleeve, covered in blood. John’s blood. Was that the answer? Would it turn her? Hell, what did she have to lose?
Nothing, that’s what. She sucked off all she could reach. It tasted sweet, not the coppery flavor she’d experienced whenever John bit her. After ingesting what she could, she waited. Please let it have worked.
A small cramp formed in her stomach and lasted a few seconds. That was it? She’d gotten the impression turning hurt a lot. Whatever, as long as it worked. She took a deep breath and yanked on the ties.
Pain shot up her arms and she cried out, but the plastic never budged. Oh God. She rested her forehead against the tree. How was she going to get them out of this alive?
* * * *
John stared up at the darkening sky. Two shots in the front, one in the back and they all hurt like the dickens. But the worst pain came from his chest and it had nothing to do with the stake. He’d failed Sarah.
Steven cut the jeans and shirt free, not caring about nicking his skin. As if he wouldn’t notice another stab wound or four. Several tugs later, John lay naked to the universe. Come morning, if he wasn’t freed, he’d be one crispy critter and Sarah would be…what? No matter what Danielle had in store for her, it couldn’t be good.
Steven left him and headed for the barn.
John wiggled his fingers and toes and hope flared. A stake to the heart should have rendered him immobile from the neck down, so if he could move, then the stake hadn’t completely pierced his heart. If Danielle got wind of that, she might readjust it. Better to play it cool and hope for a chance at freedom.
Sarah called him for the second time. He’d been afraid to look at her earlier, but sucked it up and turned his head. Oh, what she must be going through. Danielle had been remotely curious as to why Sarah screamed out the way she had before passing out. If only he could take back that touch.
“Ah, I see the little freak has come back to join the living,” Danielle said as she emerged from the barn. “And how are you, John? Are you comfortable?” Laughing, she sat on the ground beside him and gazed at his body, especially the lower half. “What a shame.”
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