Vampires in America

by D. B. Reynolds

Lucas didn’t stop staring at Juro over Raphael’s shoulder, his animosity and distrust written on both his face and his body. Had Raphael not been there, the vampire would have happily torn Juro apart. Or, at least, he would have tried.

  “Lucas,” Raphael said, demanding his attention. “Where are Bennie and Agnes?”

  “They’re with the wagon. Bennie’s feeling great after his nap. He’s keeping an eye on Agnes.”

  “How far?”

  “A mile to the turn-off, another half mile to the stable.”

  “We should go. We need to be away from here before dawn. And there’s the matter of sleeping arrangements.”

  “You’re going to trust him?” Lucas growled.

  Raphael’s posture change was subtle, but the night around them suddenly grew still. His next words were quiet, but filled with a menace that seemed to come from some inner well of power.

  “Are you doubting my judgment?” he asked Lucas.

  “Sire, no!” The other vampire appeared honestly distraught at the accusation. “It’s just . . . you nearly died,” he added softly. “And I wasn’t there.”

  Raphael gripped his shoulder. “You were close. And you’d never have let me die, Lucas.”

  Lucas nodded wordlessly. “Not without taking me with you,” he whispered.

  “Not tonight,” Raphael said, with a final shoulder squeeze. “Come. You can lead us to the stable.”

  Lucas turned for his horse, but not before he’d given Juro one last distrustful glare.

  “That one doesn’t trust me,” Juro commented to Raphael, once they were back in the wagon and following Lucas to the stable.

  “Lucas has good reasons for his distrust of others.”

  “We all do,” Juro responded.

  Raphael tilted his head slightly, acknowledging the point, and remained silent for the rest of their ride. But as the wagon jolted to a stop at the stable, he stood and looked down at Juro. “We’ll leave here tonight, and travel together for a time. It’s best for all of us to travel some distance from this city as quickly as possible. But after that, you and Ken’ichi will have a decision to make. Think about what you really want, and let me know what you decide.”

  Juro stood. He didn’t like crouching at another man’s feet, even if that man was a vampire. “And if we decide we want to go our own way?” he demanded.

  Raphael gave a small smile. “I am not a circus master, Juro. If your path is different than mine, then I will see you safely on your way. I have no need for animals and no stomach for slaves. What I do need are strong, loyal men who will fight to protect what we build together.” He opened the wagon door to the outside. “Talk to your brother. It will take us two weeks or more to reach safety. I’ll want your answer then.” He took the first step down from the wagon, but Juro’s voice called him back.

  “Will we be like you? Will we be vampires?”

  Raphael laughed. “You’ll be vampires, if you wish. But probably not like me.”

  Juro scowled at the empty doorway, wondering what the hell that meant. He was still standing there when Ken’ichi rounded the back of the wagon.

  “Stupid vampire talks in riddles,” Juro growled.

  His brother tipped his head, studying him, then said, “They need us, Juro.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I know. Let’s see what this stable offers by way of supplies. I suspect we’ll be driving through the night from now on.”

  THEY KEPT THE wagons even though they were slow. But they were a safe place for the vampires to rest during the day, and finding horses big enough to carry Juro and Ken’ichi wasn’t easy. Once they returned home to the Malibu coast, they could search out appropriate mounts for the two, but for the moment, their focus was on leaving San Francisco far behind as quickly as possible. There was also no desire to call attention to the brothers, whose size and identical appearance made them instantly notable.

  So, they traveled by night, with Raphael, Lucas, and Bennie riding separately, while Juro and Ken’ichi drove the wagons, and Agnes rode along with whichever one struck her fancy on a given night. There were enough big and small towns along the way that the vampires had no trouble finding blood donors. Raphael had made it clear to Bennie and Agnes that they were to take what they needed and no more, and that the donors were to be left healthy and happy, but without any memory of the encounter. The last thing he needed, as he forged the beginnings of his sprawling territory, was a mob of terrified humans knocking on his door, or far worse, burning his house down. He had rules for his vampires, and any who disobeyed were eliminated. There was no room for fools.

  Raphael maneuvered his horse up next to Lucas’s as they neared their familiar stretch of coastline at last. He could feel the difference in the air, the moisture and the salty brine scent. It drew him like the sweetest siren song.

  “Nearly there, Sire,” Lucas said, glancing over as they drew abreast.

  “Home,” Raphael agreed. He surprised even himself sometimes with the comfort he found in this place. He’d expected to appreciate the security of his headquarters, but never the pull of home. “But not for you, Lucas,” he said quietly.

  “You’re casting me out?” Lucas half-jested.

  “You’ll always be welcome,” he chided. “You know that. But you’ve staked a claim to the Plains. You can’t walk away and still expect anyone to honor your rights.”

  “I know.” Lucas looked away. “What about those two?”

  Raphael didn’t have to ask whom he meant. Lucas was polite to Ken’ichi, but barely tolerated Juro, still blaming him for the wounds Raphael had suffered when freeing the two brothers.

  “Juro and Ken’ichi have until we reach the estate to make their decision. I’ve told them the same.”

  “Will you turn them?”

  “If that’s what they choose.”

  “You think . . .” Lucas didn’t finish the thought.

  “What worries you more, Lucas? That Juro will be useless to me? Or that he’ll be stronger than you are?”

  He laughed dismissively. “He won’t be stronger than I am. I’m a vampire lord, Sire. There simply aren’t that many of us. But even if he’s a weak and stupid vampire, he’ll still be a very big man. That could be a problem for you.”

  “If they ask to be turned—and they may not—I don’t think they’ll be weak or stupid. There are no certainties when it comes to vampires, but I have an intuitive sense about such things. I created you, didn’t I?”

  Lucas grinned. “Yeah, but there’s only one of me, Sire. You know that.”

  “And the world is grateful. Come on, Lucas,” he said spurring his horse to a faster pace. “I want to be home tonight.”

  JURO STOOD ON the high bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, marveling at the vivid color of the sky, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, and another day died. There was nothing to see here but ocean and sky, with wind-worn trees scattered along the bluff. The nearest neighbor was miles away. Malibu was a primitive place compared to the big city that was San Francisco. Los Angeles was close and thriving, but Raphael had chosen to establish his estate far away from all of that. It wasn’t much yet—a pair of houses that were weathered and worn. At first glance, they appeared on the verge of collapse, but, as with so many things when it came to Raphael, their ramshackle appearance was deceptive. In fact, the two houses, which were connected by a short, enclosed passageway, were extremely sturdy and well-sealed against sunlight. This was a place for vampires. Very few humans lived here, and those who did were bound to a vampire mate and so considered trustworthy. They served the household’s daytime needs, including guarding the vampires’ sleep.

  Raphael had purchased the several acres of land for a fair price, although he’d probably used some vampire persuasion to get the owner to sell such a large plot. The other homes on this part of
the coast were all small and set right next to each other on a brief stretch of sand.

  But Raphael had wanted more. He had a vision for the future that Juro greatly admired. It was a vision that would provide safety and security for vast number of vampires, integrating them into the human world in a way that was unprecedented, and bringing both fortune and power. Juro supposed being a vampire made a man look at life differently. A human’s life was so brief compared to a vampire’s. Humans had a few decades to dream and grow, before they died. Vampires had centuries. Even that arrogant ass Lucas was over a century old.

  He glanced back toward the sprawling residence and saw Ken’ichi walking out to join him. His brother was a man of few words. But when he had something to say, he made his voice heard. And, judging by the determined look on his face, Ken’ichi had something to say.

  “Juro,” he said, coming up to stand next to him. They were identical in every way, except for the talking.

  “Ken’ichi,” he responded in kind, waiting for his brother to say whatever was on his mind.

  “This is a beautiful place, isn’t it?” he asked softly. “A man can hear his own thoughts here. Not like in San Francisco.”

  Juro nodded, waiting.

  “He’ll do it, you know.”

  “Raphael?” Juro clarified.

  “Yes. Some men plot their whole lives and never achieve a thing. Raphael’s different. His dream will become reality.”

  “I know.”

  “I’d like to be a part of it. Not just the living, but the building. It would give life purpose. And no one would ever own us again.”

  “You don’t think it’s unnatural? Never to see sunlight, to drink human blood to survive?”

  Ken’ichi shrugged. “What’s natural, brother? If it exists in nature, isn’t it natural?”

  Juro laughed. “Now you’re playing word games with me.”

  “But I’m right.”

  “You are, but it’s not nature or purpose that calls me to this decision. It’s Raphael. He’s a leader of men—no matter that he’s a vampire. To earn his trust and loyalty would make me proud. If that ass Lucas is deserving of such, then you and I are surely twice so.”

  Ken’ichi chuckled. “Accept it, brother. There’s a bond between them that you’ll never break.”

  “And that’s exactly it. Raphael expects loyalty, but he gives it in an equal amount. He doesn’t break.”

  “So, we’re agreed, then?”

  Juro breathed deeply in and out. “I guess we are.”

  RAPHAEL LOOKED up when the two brothers tapped lightly on the door of his study. He knew why they’d come. He even thought he knew their decision, but wanted to know for sure.

  “Juro, Ken’ichi,” he greeted. “Come in.”

  They walked in side by side and stood in front of his desk.

  “You said we had a decision to make,” Juro said, taking the lead as usual. “Well, we’ve done so.”

  Raphael leaned back and gave them a curious look.

  Juro’s mouth tightened briefly, but then he said, “We’d like to join you. We want to be made vampires.”

  Raphael was happy about their decision and wanted to smile, but he didn’t. “You’re certain. You’ve thought about what it means to be Vampire?”

  “We have, my lord,” Ken’ichi said quietly. “And it’s what we want.”

  Raphael smiled. “I’m pleased to welcome you then. I can turn you both in the same night. I’m assuming you’d prefer that?”

  The brothers nodded in unison.

  “Well, then . . . what about tonight? Or tomorrow, if you’d like to see one more day of sunlight.”

  Juro blinked in surprise, as if facing that inevitable reality for the first time. It wasn’t hypothetical anymore. It was real. Ken’ichi, on the other hand, seemed perfectly relaxed, secure in his decision. The two of them exchanged a long look, and in the next moment, turned as one to face him again.

  “Tonight will be fine, my lord,” Juro said. “We watched the sunset earlier.”

  “Excellent. Who’s first?”

  JURO STOOD ON the edge of the bluff, feeling the surf pound against the cliff. A full moon hung in the sky as big as the sun, giving the grassy bluff, with its few sparse trees, a silver sheen. It reminded him of Raphael’s eyes, which was a fanciful thought he never would have expected of himself.

  Ken’ichi walked up and stood next to him. “Regrets?” he asked.

  Juro shook his head. “None. My blood burns with power of a sort I don’t quite understand yet. I’m ten times as strong as I was before. And, brother, we were strong. How can I regret it?”

  “Sunlight? Food?”

  “A small price. Do you have regrets?” he asked abruptly. Ken’ichi had been the one with no regrets going in.

  “Oh, no,” Ken’ichi said calmly. “This is what we were meant to be. I believe it.” He stood silently for a moment, then said, “Lord Raphael wants to see us.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “I don’t believe he needs a reason, but he did give one. He needs an army, and he’d like us to train it.”

  Juro grinned. “Really?” He nodded slowly. “I like that. Let’s get to work, brother. Our new life begins tonight.”

  The End

  Vampire Vignette #19

  Merry Christmas, Baby

  Two weeks after the events in RELENTLESS

  Malibu, CA

  “WE NEED A VACATION.” Cyn lay on the bed, watching through the open bathroom door as Raphael finished shaving. He had a meeting tonight. Another meeting.

  Raphael walked out of the bathroom and headed for his half of their walk-in closet. They were both clothes hounds. When she’d moved in permanently, they’d had to remodel his basement suite to accommodate the addition of her clothes. What had once been a second office for him—one that he’d never used—was now part of a closet that was nearly as big as the main bedroom. Raphael disappeared into that closet.

  “Did you hear what I said?” she asked, knowing full well he had. Vampires had great hearing. “We just saved the world; doesn’t that deserve a vacation?”

  He walked out of the closet, his suit pants zipped, but not buttoned, a crisp white shirt hanging open to show off his gorgeous chest. “Saying we saved the world might be a bit of an exaggeration,” he responded with a smile, as he sat on the bed to slip on his boots.

  Cyn sat up and crawled down to the edge of the big bed. Coming up behind him, she bracketed his hips with her thighs and lifted the back of his shirt, pressing her naked breasts against his bare skin. “I didn’t hear a ‘no’ in there. We could go to Colorado and have a white Christmas.”

  He turned enough to give her skeptical look over his shoulder. “Because I love cold weather.”

  “Oh, don’t be such a fud. It’s not like we’ll be making snowmen by moonlight. Maybe a nice walk or two, but think of how romantic it would be. You and me and no one else, all cozy and warm by the fireplace, while it snows outside.”

  “I’m not sure Juro would share your enthusiasm for the ‘just you and me’ part.”

  “He can’t come. He has to stay home and help Luci plan their wedding. And don’t say it. I know you’ll still have to bring security, but it’s a big house. We could pretend it was just us.”

  His expression turned serious and he stood, pulling her off the bed and into his arms. “Does it bother you? Always having my security team around?”

  “No,” she said, but couldn’t make herself look at him. He was too good at detecting lies, and she didn’t want to lie to his face anyway.

  “Cyn,” he chided. “Talk to me.”

  She raised her eyes to meet his, taking in every detail of the face she loved so well. “It doesn’t bother me . . . mostly. And it’s not eve
n that, it’s just . . . It feels sometimes like we’ve been fighting one war or another from the moment we met. Isn’t it time to let someone else do the fighting? Quinn’s all set to go in Ireland, and you have allies here at home. Let them handle the bad guys for a while.”

  He kissed her forehead, then trailed his lips down to her mouth. “But, Colorado?”

  She opened her mouth to his, enjoying the slow seduction that was his kiss. “We live at the beach, fang boy. We can’t vacation there. Besides, I like the idea of a white Christmas.”

  He kissed her again, a quick brush of his lips over hers. “The things I do for you, lubimaya.”

  She grinned. “Yeah, but I make it worthwhile.”

  “Is that a promise?”

  “You bet.”

  “I’ll have Jared make the arrangements. We have to bring security, but we’ll make it the minimum necessary.”

  “Can we go dancing?”

  “Dancing?” he repeated skeptically. “What does dancing have to do with snow?”

  “Not snow, vacation. A romantic vacation getaway, with dancing in the moonlight.”

  “In the cold moonlight.”

  “Well, no. We’ll go to a club and dance indoors.”

  He sighed. “I’m going to regret this. Make your plans, coordinate with Jared. May I get dressed now?”

  She pulled back, giving his bare chest a blatant scan of appreciation. “If you must.”

  “You,” he said, giving her a quick, hard kiss, “are temptation itself. But I’ve already postponed tonight’s meeting twice because of that business in Paris.”

  “That’s fine,” she said breezily. “You finish up your meetings. I’ll plan the vacay.”

  She was still chuckling, hunched over her laptop, checking out weather conditions, when Raphael emerged from the closet once again. But this time, he was in full master of the universe mode. She looked up and gave him a detailed head-to-toe perusal, enjoying every inch.

  “You do look good in a suit, baby.”