Bound by Blood (Vampire Romance)

by Tara Manderino

  “The two planets are seldom in the position they are now,” Philip said. As if sensing the problem he began speaking in a normal tone of voice.

  “You asked what is different? What would keep Janelle from trying this again?” Alex reminded her, his voice matter of fact. “Just this -- the alignment of the planets.” He released her shoulders, but let his one arm slide down to rest on her waist.

  She breathed easier and actually felt the tension in the room drop considerably. “How often does it happen?”

  “Once every century, perhaps. Maybe longer.” Louis shrugged. “I have seen it several times, but of course there was no Cardinal’s Ruby, so it was immaterial.” He picked up another book and made his way to a corner of the room to flip through it.

  “And all the wood?” she finally asked.

  Philip cleared his throat, but it was Louis who spoke. “Why to make stakes, m’dear.”

  Her gaze flew to his, then Alex. Was he serious?

  It seemed he was. She looked to Philip for an explanation since neither of the others appeared to want to speak.

  “Stakes are still used to kill vampires,” Philip told her.

  She looked to see if either of the others were angry with Philip telling her that little tidbit. They didn’t seem to be.

  “Sometimes there are rogues, and the vampires can’t leave it to fate that a vampire slayer, as such –“

  “Are there really such things?” she interrupted.

  Alex scoffed.

  “Okay. Stupid question!” She put her hand to her head as she tucked the book closer to the front of her. Alex still hadn’t released her, and she wasn’t inclined to step from his touch. That should disturb her.

  “Consider that last week you didn’t know there were vampires,” Alex reminded her.

  Good point. She turned to look at him. “Why are you telling me these things?”

  “Because you may need to know,” Louis told her.

  She felt her eyes widen in shock.

  “Hopefully not against one of us, but there are others.”

  “Like Carlos?” she asked.

  “Like Janelle,” Alex corrected her.

  “If it’s Janelle, she better stick it in herself first,” Louis said before turning back to his book.

  Was he serious? Her expression must have been easy to read because Alex gave her a reassuring squeeze then turned to pick up a book himself and started to leaf through it. “He does have a point,” he said after a moment.

  “If that was a pun, Alessandro, you should keep it to yourself.” Louis never looked up from turning the pages.

  Lisa hid a grin and looked down. It was rather pitiful, but she got the point. And winced at her own thought.

  She might be able to read ancient Latin, but obviously not as fluently as the others as she saw the stacks of books dwindle in front of them. She was only leafing her way through her third volume and hours had passed. By now she was sitting on one of the discarded stacks of books and feeling the pain in her back. Philip must be exhausted. She peeked a look at him and was disturbed to find he looked positively chipper. There was no other word for it. She let the book lay open on her lap as she addressed him. “How do you do it? I’m exhausted.”

  “I told you, lots of practice. I often keep late hours with Alex.”

  She looked at her watch. It was two o’clock in the morning.

  Louis put down his book. “I have one reference. It refers to another book, the Implications of Astrological Interpretations of Planetary Alignments.”

  Alex and Philip stopped what they were doing, and checked the titles of their books. Lisa did the same. Since none matched, it meant if it was in the room it was one of the remaining books. All of them searched the remaining stacks to no avail.

  “Okay.” Philip ran his hand over his thinning hair. “It’s not here. Do either of you know of other collections?”

  “There aren’t many,” Alex said. “The British Museum, perhaps.”

  Philip headed for the stairs and encouraged the others to follow. “And bring the book, Louis,” he reminded the vampire.

  Lisa was afraid to look. Philip spoke to Louis as he would any young person. How would he take it?

  Louis just grinned and did as he was told, turning off the light behind them.

  Once back upstairs, Lisa blinked at the brightness compared to the gloom of the passageway. Philip and Alex headed toward the armoire in the corner which held an up-to-date computer.

  Alex seemed quite familiar with it, but encouraged Philip to sit in his chair. “I have access to various catalogs,” he explained as his fingers flew over the keyboard. “Private and public.” He practically flew from one screen to another. Alex stood on one side and Louis on the other, scanning the titles as quickly as the man could pull them up.

  Lisa sat at the table and played with the papers in front of her, not really paying attention to what they said – at first.

  “Alex.” She could barely get his name out in her excitement. “We have a match.”

  He was immediately at her side, while the others looked on.

  “What are you talking about?” He braced one arm on her chair and leaned over her, studying the papers spread before them.

  “No, there’s still just a title, Lisa. Granted it’s the entire title, but we need the information.”

  She looked up at him. “My father has this book. See?” She pointed to the fax number near the top of the page. “My father sent this, so he has to have the book, or at least know where it is.”

  Alex rested his hand on her shoulder. Even so, she was already pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Concern colored Alex’s voice.

  “Don’t we need to know now?

  “No,” Alex said.

  “Yes,” came from Louis and Philip.

  Looking at them, she shook her head. They were quite comical although she was certain they wouldn’t appreciate hearing that.

  She started dialing the number and breathed a sigh of relief when her father answered. “I need more information,” she said.

  Chapter 23

  “Lisa, whatever you are involved with, get out now.”

  The others in the room also heard him quite clearly.

  “I agree,” Alex said in a voice low enough that only she and Louis would hear. “I can hide you for a while,” he said.

  And he would, he thought. He had no right to drag her into this. Certainly not to this level. Louis would help him. As would Philip if it came to that. He had Philip were friends, but if it came to one life for another, he would spare Lisa’s – hands down.

  “Hold on, Dad,” she said into the phone and covered it with her hand.

  “I’m fine, Alex. I want to do this. I’m responsible for Sandy.” She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. “Look, it’s my job to watch her.”

  “It’s my job to do so,” he said. He couldn’t resist running his hand down the length of her hair. He closed his eyes briefly when she leaned into him. Would that she would always trust him as she appeared to do now.

  “Talk to your father,” he said, using his chin to point to the phone. He could hear the man calling to her.

  “I’m here, Dad. Sorry about that.”

  “Lisa, let me help you.”

  Alex had no problem hearing the man and he laughed at himself for actually feeling a kindred spirit with the vicar. He was worried about Lisa too.

  “That’s why I’m calling. The papers you sent were just what we needed, but now we need more.”

  “There isn’t more.”

  “We know there is. We found the next key and now we need the dates as to when the planets will be in alignment.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Alex could hear the underlying desperation in the man’s voice. He leaned close to her other ear and again whispered, “You don’t have to do this.”

  She brushed him away as
if he were an insect.

  “The dates, Dad.”

  “Is that all you need?”

  “No. I really need everything. I need the damn book, but I’m here and you’re in England so I don’t see how that’s going to help. Even if you faxed it to me page by page I wouldn’t get it until morning.”

  “Everything looks better in the morning, Lisa. ‘At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.’”

  She gave a dry chuckle. “Trust me, Dad. I know more about the night than I ever wanted to, but I need that book – or at least bits and pieces from it. Will you talk to Philip?”

  “The man you’re involved with?”

  “Not the way you mean! I told you Monsignor Philip is an archaeologist, and he’s older than you.” She shot Philip a quick glance and a shy smile. “Let me put him on; he can better tell you everything we need.”

  “I don’t like this,” her father protested.

  “I know,” she told him softly, then handed the phone to Philip.

  Standing, she seemed unsure of where to go or what to do next. Alex couldn’t resist pulling her close to his side. “Thank you for calling,” he said, “but the offer remains, you can still back out at this point. I will arrange protection.” If there was any.

  She shook her head in denial. “I’m thinking, Alex. Couldn’t you possibly get the book tonight?”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

  “It is in England, Lisa.” He waved his hand indicating a great expanse. “You know across the Atlantic and all that.”

  “I guess I was just thinking out loud. Of course that would be impossible.”

  “Or not.” Louis came to join them and turned to Alex. “As always, Alex, my jet is at your disposal.”

  “No offense, Louis, but I don’t think it will even be fast enough,” Lisa told him.

  “For you it would not be quick enough,” Louis agreed. “For Alex.” He shrugged, “It should be plenty fast.”

  She shook her head as if trying to clear it. “Am I missing something?”

  “My problem is getting across the ocean,” Alex said. “Once on land, on either side I can use preternatural speed.”

  “That’s faster?”

  “Much,” both vampires said in unison.

  No sooner was it said than both were making plans on how to best make the arrangements. Philip was still talking to her father.

  “Should I let him know you are coming?” he asked.

  Alex nodded once in the other man’s direction. “It might be best.”

  Louis left to make further arrangements. Lisa looked up into Alex’s face. “You’ll be safe?”

  “As much as I can be.” How could he promise anything else?

  She grasped his hand. “Alex, it’s not that I don’t trust you, I do. But you won’t hurt him, will you?”

  Alex cupped her face. “No, I won’t hurt him.” Not the way she meant, but he would like to tear the man limb from limb for the way he had treated his daughter. But he was willing to help them now, which had to count for something. “Come with me.”

  He actually felt her breath catch. “I’d slow you down.”

  “Not by much.”

  “Alex, this is too important. You need to get this on time. And what about Sandy?”

  “Cassandra will be fine.” He was surprised by how much he did want her with him. For his own benefit, he would get to spend more time with her, but this was also the perfect opportunity to get her to face her family and he would be there for her. He couldn’t offer her much, but his strength was hers, just as she, if she knew it, was his.

  Seeing Louis was off the phone, he motioned him over. “I asked Lisa to come with me. Will you guard Cassandra?”

  “You know it,” he said.

  Lisa looked from one to the other, finally settling on Louis. “But won’t I be too slow?”

  “Did Alex say that?”

  She shook her head.

  “You should trust him. Alex is strong enough and fast enough.”

  “Then you don’t still need the information?”

  “I didn’t say that. For now, he can protect you. If Janelle gets what she wants with the Cardinal’s Ruby, his strength will mean nothing. No one’s will.” He concentrated on Alex. “You will have to be back by tomorrow at sunset. Whatever is going to happen tonight would have already occurred, so it’s safe. For now.”

  Alex nodded, still listening as he went about the room collecting his jacket and his gun. Philip had finished his conversation and came to learn the news.

  “It will be for the best,” Alex assured the man. “Louis will care for Cassandra. If you have any difficulties, look on him in my stead.”

  “Do you need any of the papers?” Philip started gathering them.

  “I imagine you will need them more than I.”

  Lisa grabbed her own jacket and joined him in the hall in enough time for Louis to tell him he would find all that he needed on the plane. “I shall leave word if we must move,” he told him.

  Alex grasped Lisa’s hand and headed for the door.

  “Go with God,” Philip called after them. Alex heard Louis scoff at this friend’s customary farewell.

  ~*~

  Lisa didn’t know what to expect when they arrived at the airport and were shown to the private tarmac, then seated on the jet. This was way out of her realm and she said so.

  “Louis has always liked to live richly,” was all Alex said as he settled back into his seat. She would have liked to have asked more questions on their journey to the airport, but if she had any bearing on Alex’s preternatural speed, it must have been minimal indeed. There was certainly no breath for her to think about a conversation.

  She tried to settle in her seat, but the take off made her nervous. Instinctively she grasped Alex’s hand, then let go when she realized how tightly she was gripping it.

  “You should have said something.”

  “Why? You weren’t hurting me.”

  She gave him a tight smile. “I’m really nervous, Alex.”

  “About seeing your family?” he hazarded a guess.

  She nodded. “I mean, my dad sounded concerned over the phone, but Alex he threw me out of the house.”

  “And you never went back,” he reminded her softly.

  “How could I?”

  “Then how could he contact you if he never knew where you were?”

  She tried to snatch her hand from his, but he turned his palm so that he now grasped her fingers in his strong grip.

  “Who’s side are you on?”

  “Yours. Lisa. Always yours. But you have to be honest with yourself. Perhaps your father is helping you now as atonement for what happened earlier.”

  She leaned back in her seat. That was entirely possible but not probable she admitted to herself. Then repeated it to Alex.

  “You have to understand, Alex, even if my father hated the sight of me he would help with this. He has always believed in good versus evil; has dedicated his life to it.”

  “I know,” he reassured her. “And he is going to prove an invaluable ally.”

  “He is?”

  “He has the book and he’s willing to share it.”

  She nodded and settled back in her seat. In a remarkably short time they had touched down and gone through customs.

  “Alex, the sun is going to be up soon. Don’t you need to… um… feed?” She was still uncomfortable with this whole vampire stuff.

  “I’m fine. Louis had stuff ready on the plane.”

  She didn’t remember seeing him take anything and was about to say so when he interrupted.

  “You were asleep.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m fine.”

  Alex moved unerringly through the country side. “I told you I had been here many times,” he said in answer to her questions.

  “I didn’t think you really meant right here.”

  He chuckled at that then reminded her he always said what he meant, or he didn’
t say it at all. Then she had no more breath for speech. She was quite content to tuck her head into his shoulder.

  In an incredibly short amount of time they stood in front of her parents’ house. She wiped her hands down the side of her pants. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this.

  Evidently Alex was. He pulled her from behind him; her hand firmly held in his and knocked on the door. In the moment it took for someone to answer, Lisa stepped behind Alex, not sure what she would say to her father or mother when she saw them. Perhaps she had been right all those years, but what if she had been wrong? Now she wouldn’t have her righteousness to carry her through. Now, she would know the truth.

  She heard the door open, and pictured her father dressed as he always had, casual trousers and worn cardigan. “Yes?” He inquired, his voice floating in the air. “How may I help you?”

  Lisa felt tears well up in her eyes. That was the same greeting her father had used since she was a tiny girl. There were no strangers for her father, except for herself, she thought. Everyone else was a friend.

  Alex tugged on her hand before answering, dragging her around the front.

  “Lisa!” Her father wrapped her in his arms and she promptly burst into tears. Never had she expected such a welcome.

  She felt Alex push them further inside, and then she heard her mother come and throw herself into the fray, crying as hard as she was.

  After a few moments of hugging and nodding, Alex interrupted and Lisa jumped back guiltily.

  “This is Philip?” her father said wryly.

  Lisa gave him a tired smile. “No, this is Detective Alex Aguilar,” she introduced Alex to her parents. “Before we talk, could I please have something to drink,” she asked, “and could we get comfortable.”

  Nodding agreement to both, her father led them to his study. Lisa sat in the chair in front of the desk where her father always sat, but Alex chose to stand near her. She was grateful for his presence. It was reassuring. She wasn’t certain if her mother should be included or not, and asked her dad, referring to the issue they had discussed earlier. When her mother arrived with the drinks, she declined to stay anyway, saying she would prepare some food for them.

  “Now are you going to tell me what you’re mixed up in?” Her father asked when her mother cleared the room.