Wandering in the opposite direction, she headed for higher ground, climbing over a fallen tree and landing with a soft thud on a bed of pine needles.
“Don’t go too far, Eva,” her father called. Henry glanced at his daughter, and something almost predatory glowed in his dark eyes.
“I’m just practicing, Daddy.” Evangeline drew a tiny arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and aimed at a brilliant orange leaf dangling from a nearby tree. The last rays of sunlight sparkled around her target. Breathing deeply, as she’d been taught, she released the arrow and giggled as the metal tip tore through the leaf and then embedded itself in a tree ten feet away.
“I did it!” she called, but her father and his men ignored her. Evangeline scuffed her foot against the dirt, then trudged towards the arrow. She’d begged her father to bring her topside for weeks, desperate for fresh air and sunlight. Usually, her temper tantrums brought only a quick slap and a few harsh words, but in the middle of this afternoon’s wailing, her father had relented.
Now, he and his friends sat around the campfire with bottles of some drink they wouldn’t share, “shooting the shit,” as her father called it.
One of only four children in the catacombs, Evangeline didn’t have a lot of friends. At eight, she was the youngest by three years. Too little to join the foraging excursions. Her father spent all of his free time in his lab—where Evangeline wasn’t allowed.
Her unexpected freedom left her grinning as she skipped stones in the river, climbed over rocks, swung from low tree branches, and practiced her archery. One day, she’d prove to her father that she was big enough to hunt, and then she’d be allowed to be outside on her own.
She’d stayed close to the fire, hoping her father would notice how much she’d improved since her last archery lesson, but he and the other men ignored her.
Tense whispers punctuated the happy sounds of the forest, and even at eight, she knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping. But Daddy never really talked to her, and she was curious.
“How close do you need to be?” Jake asked. The meanest of her father’s friends, Jake never smiled. He yelled at his wife and son all the time, and Evangeline didn’t like the way he looked at her.
She crept closer, straining to hear her father’s answer over the chirping of the crickets. “Twenty feet. Otherwise, I risk hitting her. Or not hitting the vamp.”
“And you’re sure this is going to work?”
“Silver laced with curare? Yeah. It’ll work.” Henry glanced down at his tablet. “Looks like he’s about ten miles away. He’ll be here soon.”
Will, a big, burly man with a beard, ran his fingers through his wiry red hair. “Look, I know we need this, but she’s just a kid. Tammy’s pregnant, and I already love that baby. You’re really willing to risk—”
“After what happened with Marie,” Henry spat, “I’ll do anything. Those cocksuckers are going to pay. All of them.”
Evangeline crept a little closer. Her soft boots made no sound on the carpet of pine needles and leaves, and she held her breath, hoping to hear more about her mother.
“He probably won’t turn a kid, but he could use his mind control shit,” Jake said.
Henry laughed. “If he does, we’ll just force him to release her. All the silver we have down below? Child’s play. Now get ready. I’m going to start the show.”
A pop and a hiss startled Evangeline, and she whirled around to peer up at the violet sky. Red sparks danced in the air, leaving trails of smoke and light. Mouth agape, Evangeline headed for the fireworks. She’d read about them before but had never seen them. Another pop and the sky exploded in green, then pink, orange, and purple. She broke into a run, hoping to find out what caused the pretty lights.
Passing over little hills, ducking around trees, and climbing over fallen trunks, she pursued the dazzling show. Finally, she started to scale a rock formation three times her height, and as she reached the top, a final, brilliant orange burst of color painted the darkening sky directly above her.
“Wow.” Following the last of the smoke trails with her gaze, she couldn’t wait to tell her father what she’d seen. Except, when she looked around, she didn’t recognize anything. She couldn’t hear the men’s voices, couldn’t see the smoke from the campfire.
Carefully picking her way down the big rock, fear took hold. At the bottom, she turned around in a circle and realized she didn’t know what direction she’d come from. A slightly worn path looked easier than traipsing through the thick of the forest, and she ran for a few minutes, but then tripped and fell, scraping her palms on the pebbles and pine needles that littered the ground. Tears burned her eyes.
No. Babies cry. Not me. Grown-up eight-year-olds didn’t flop down and give up. Maybe if she climbed a tree? Rubbing at her eyes, she stared up at the sky. Stars sprinkled against midnight blue. She drew her knees to her chest and shivered.
“What are you doing out here, little one?” A soft, deep voice with a hint of an accent startled her, and she screamed as she scrambled back. No one should be out in the forest at night. Only vampires came out this late. Daddy had warned her.
“I will not harm you. My name is Nicola. What is yours?” The man crouched down and rested his elbows on his thighs. Denim hugged his powerful legs, and a green flannel shirt stretched over his bulk. Bronzed skin bore no wrinkles, and his long black hair flowed over his broad shoulders.
“Nuh-uh.” Strangers were bad. Outsiders couldn’t be trusted. What if he was a vampire? Evangeline shook her head. “Go away.”
Nicola smiled, and she caught a hint of his white teeth. No fangs. Vampires had fangs. Dropping the pack slung over his shoulder, he held out his hand. In the semi-darkness, his eyes almost glowed—the color of the cartoon dinosaur she used to watch on disc as a baby.
“You are lost. I will not harm you. Let me help you find your way home.”
Daddy would be upset. She rubbed her shoulder where he’d grabbed her a few days ago. The bruise still throbbed. If she made it back to the campfire quickly, maybe he wouldn’t be mad.
One step, then another, drawn to Nicola’s brilliant purple eyes, and Evangeline started to cry and launched herself into his arms. He smelled good. Like tobacco and something sweet and spicy.
“Shhh, little one. Everything will be all right now.” He inhaled deeply, his nose brushing her neck, but quickly drew back and stroked her hair. “Nothing will harm you. Nothing at all. Can you tell me what you’re doing out here all by yourself?”
“Lost,” she sobbed against his shirt. “I can’t find Daddy and his friends.”
The man withdrew a white handkerchief from his back pocket and dabbed softly at her cheeks. He scented the air, the way an animal searched for food or checked for danger.
“I smell a campfire. Is that where you belong?” He nudged her chin up gently so she could see his luminescent violet eyes.
She nodded, biting her lip. “Daddy told me…not to wander off.”
“And you did so anyway?” Nicola chuckled as he set her down, and she stared at her boots.
“There were fireworks,” she said.
“Si. There were indeed. I saw them as well. Unusual here. We are miles from any town.” Nicola frowned, shook his head, and carefully shed his leather jacket. “Hold out your arms.” She did, and he helped her into the warm cocoon. “I will bring you back to your father, little one.”
He lifted her in his arms and tucked her against his chest, striding between trees and over rocks with ease. The scenery passed quickly—too quickly. She’d never seen anyone move so fast. “There are no houses around here. Can you tell me,” he asked her, his voice low and smooth, “where you and your father live?”
“Down below.”
“Below? Below what?”
“Underground.”
“How many of you are there?” Nicola shifted her slightly as he steadied himself with one hand and climbed over a large boulder.
“Um…there are…thirty-three of us.”
Proud she remembered the number, she grinned up at him, but he wore an odd expression, and his dark brows knit together.
“Why are you underground?”
“Daddy says we’re safer there. The vampires won’t find us. Or be able to stop him.”
Nicola paused, and a muscle at the top of his jaw ticked until he spoke. “I cannot bring you all the way back to your father. But I will ensure you are close.”
“Why not?” Had she said the wrong thing? She wriggled, afraid he might be angry with her, but he stopped her by smoothing his hand over her hair.
“I am a vampire, sweet one.” Shifting her so she could see his eyes, he kept his words slow and smooth. “I swear that you are safe with me. Vampires have many laws protecting humans. We are forbidden from harming them for any reason. I wrote many of those laws, and I believe in them with my entire soul.”
“Daddy says all vampires want to hurt us.”
“A very small number do. But not all. Not me. I stop the vampires who ignore our laws. I put them in prison.” Nicola offered her a sad smile. “Do you believe me?”
She did. Though fear still had her heart racing. “Why do you put them in prison?”
“Because humans were not meant to be slaves. You have too much spirit, creativity, and intelligence. But most of all, because all vampires were once human.”
The warmth from his leather jacket, combined with fading adrenaline left her sleepy, and she relaxed against his strong chest. “You talk funny.”
“Oh really?” Nicola laughed. “I am from Italy. Have you ever met an Italian?”
“No. Only vampires live in Italy.”
“That is not true. There are many humans in Italy. The town I live in has more humans than vampires. All free. Ci proteggiamo l'un l'altro. We protect one another.”
“It’s pretty,” Evangeline whispered. “Say something else!”
“Un regalo per te.” Nicola dipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew a small coin. “A gift, sweet one. This is from my homeland. It is very old. I have carried it for luck for nearly three hundred years. May this bring you as much luck as it has brought me.”
Evangeline couldn’t see the pattern on the coin, but the well-worn edges were smooth against her palm. “Can I come with you?” she asked, her voice small. “I don’t like being underground.”
“Your father would worry. And a human child with a vampire? No. You must go back where you belong. But can you tell me your name first?”
“Eva.”
“Is that short for something?” he asked, inclining his head towards hers and inhaling deeply.
“Evangeline.”
“I like that better. It suits you.”
Evangeline started to doze off. This strong vampire smelled nice, and he held her with a tenderness she’d never known before. Why couldn’t she stay with him? She hated her father. Hated being underground.
“Almost there, my sweet one.” When she turned her head to look at him, he smiled, no evidence of fangs amid his straight, white teeth. He pointed at a stand of trees. “Your campfire is just through those pines. If you walk that way, you will find—”
A loud bang disturbed the peace of the forest, and the vampire stumbled. He tried to right himself, but after another step, fell to his knees, barely holding onto Evangeline. Blood seeped through his shirt above his waist, and he sat back on his heels, fighting for breath.
Evangeline screamed and threw her arms around Nicola’s neck. The scent of his blood terrified her, and she looked around wildly.
“Get up,” she cried. “Please.”
He curled his body around her. “I cannot. Silver. I will do my best…to protect—”
“Let the girl go!”
Footsteps thundered towards them, and when Henry stepped around one of the taller pine trees, a pistol pointed at Nicola, Evangeline started to cry. “Drop her now, vampire. Or I will end you.”
“I will not let you harm her,” he managed as he got one foot under him. “Hold on, little one.” Nicola pushed to his feet, wavered, and groaned.
“Last warning.” Henry’s ice blue eyes flashed behind his wire-framed glasses. “Let go of him,” he said as he fixed his gaze on Evangeline.
Nicola tightened his hold on Evangeline, taking an unsteady breath. His muscles tensed.
“Daddy, no. I got lost. He helped me. Why did you hurt him?”
“This…is your father?” Nicola asked. His voice cracked, and he swayed slightly. After one more step, he fell to his knees again, and Evangeline nodded.
With her tears soaking into his shirt, she buried her face in his neck. “Please. He’s a bad man.”
“A thing like that will never help a human. All vampires want to do is control us. Turn us. Make us into their slaves. Now get away from him, Eva. Don’t make me punish you.” Henry kept the pistol pointed at the vampire’s head as he approached, malice and anger churning in his eyes. She clung to Nicola even tighter.
“Do not worry…for me. You…are safe…now.” His arms loosened, and he set her on her feet. She tried to wrap her arms around his neck again.
“I wanna stay with you. You’re nice. He hits me.”
Nicola growled as Evangeline’s father grabbed her by the back of her shirt and hauled her away. He shoved her towards Jake, and she landed on the ground with a bone-jarring thud.
“You bastard!” Nicola roared and with a sudden burst of strength, leapt to his feet. A second shot found his shoulder, and he wheezed as he fell on his ass.
Evangeline screamed and sobbed as Jake lifted her off her feet. Kicking and clawing, she eventually found his groin. He dropped her with a keening yelp, but before she could take more than two steps towards Nicola, Jake wrapped her wrist in his meaty palm, then slapped her. The stinging in her cheek brought more tears, and she stopped fighting when he hauled her up and threw her over his shoulder.
Henry pressed the pistol to Nicola’s heart. Gasping, the vampire met Evangeline’s gaze as she twisted in Jake’s hold. “I am…sorry,” he whispered.
“You are an abomination. So stupid and cocky. I trapped you. Baited you with an unsuspecting child. And you never had a chance.” Henry smiled. “I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Second book of Samuel. I have God on my side. He wants your death, and I will be the instrument of your destruction.”
The shot hurt Evangeline’s ears, and she sobbed as blood soaked into Nicola’s shirt and pain marred his kind face. He fell back, trying to claw his way to her, but Henry knelt next to him and grabbed a fistful of his hair, twisting his head at an unnatural angle.
“You’re mine now, vampire.”
Nicola’s eyes closed. “You killed him,” Evangeline screamed.
Henry spared her a brief glance. “He was never alive in the first place. Jake, take her below.” As Jake dragged her into the portal, Evangeline vowed she’d never forgive her father for what he’d done.
Where was he? Bright lights seared his eyes, and his vision was hazy. He tried to bring his hand up as a shield, but he couldn’t move more than a couple of inches. Pain. His skin burned, and his chest ached with every weak breath.
The world slowly came into focus. Bars above him. He turned his head. More bars. His fangs lengthened in response to the pain coursing through his body. The harsh scent of antiseptic assaulted his nose.
Squinting down at his chest, he groaned. An angry bullet wound just above his heart and another in his abdomen oozed blood. Silver. The bullets had been silver. He’d heal slowly, and his strength was gone—stolen by the one metal with the potential to kill him.
Evangeline. He snarled and tried to sit up, but too weak, he collapsed back onto the floor. Silver bound Nicola’s wrists to a chain around his waist—also silver. Even at full strength, he’d have trouble breaking his bonds. Weakened, he didn’t even try.
“Merda!” he cursed in his native Italian. He’d been stripped down to his boxers, thrown in a cell, and cuffed. At least his legs were unfettered. Unstea
dily, he climbed to his feet, forcing himself to breathe when black spots threatened to obscure his vision. Once steady, he tested the bars around the fifteen-foot cell he was in. All silver. He kicked at the door, but every time his bare foot contacted the torturous metal, pain shot up his leg, and he weakened further.
Humans. He’d been trapped by humans. The sweet girl’s father and his friends. What had become of her? The openness and acceptance in her eyes had warmed his heart. Even with a father such as hers, she’d trusted him…asked him to take her away. If only he’d listened. Turned around and ran in the other direction. Perhaps they’d both be safe now.
Knowing there was nothing he could do to comfort the girl drove him mad. The rich scent of her blood had intoxicated him—unlike anything he had ever smelled before. He had not fed from a human since the 1921 treaty he’d helped pass, and though he had been tempted to taste her, he could never have harmed such innocence. Now, he would surely pay for his kindness with his life.
Hunger rattled his stomach. How long had he been out? The bullets had been removed, but silver wounds healed slowly without human blood to fortify him. A day? A week? No doubt he had missed his planned briefing with the vampire law enforcement in Seattle. The Conclave would look for him. But deep underground, would they ever find him?
“Finally awake, are you?” came a thin, reedy voice from the corner of the room.
Nicola’s head whipped around. “Where am I?” he asked. The cold, sterile room frightened him, but he forced strength into his words.
“Does it matter? You’re never leaving.” Slow footsteps approached. A demented smile curved the man’s lips. “We planned this for months. Years even. I’ve thought of everything. The bars, the chains. Even the door. All laced with silver. There’s no way out. And no way in—even if someone did have an idea where you were.”
Nicola studied his surroundings. A metal cot with a thin mattress took up one corner of his cell and a chemical toilet the other. Sinking onto the cot, he tried to stifle his grimace. “If I am not leaving, then what is the harm in telling me where I am? And who you are.”
Secrets in Blood Page 2
