by C. L. Quinn
“Why are we here?”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t know anything. Are you telling me that you do? Because if you do, please clue me in.”
He was quiet again. Merry heard something, a sliding across the hard floor, realized that he was shoeless too, and knew he’d moved closer yet. He was starting to scare her a little. Then he answered her.
“I know why I am here. Before I tell you, though, first tell me a little about yourself. Just so I can get a better idea of why you are here with me.”
Merry was quiet. What did he need to know? Why was he being evasive? “I don’t understand what you mean. Just tell me why he took us. Now.”
“That’s complicated and I need to understand your relationship to the…” He stopped for a second. “To the people involved in this. I’m like you, Merry, I’m his prisoner. We’re in this together, okay? Now, you’ll be happy to know that I’m pretty fucking good at protecting myself. And getting out of bad situations is kind of my thing, so if you have to be kidnapped, I’m a pretty good person to be kidnapped with.”
Merry could almost hear the smile behind his comment. She didn’t have any choice, anyway, so she might as well try to trust this man.
“I don’t have much to tell you. I’m Merry White, and I’m pretty much the quintessential nobody. There isn’t a reason in the world that anyone would want to kidnap me except for the obvious. I’m not worth any money, so it isn’t for a ransom. I doubt I’ve ever pissed anyone off enough to do this for revenge. And if it was for the obvious, he hasn’t raped me yet, so I don’t know why I’m here.”
“Huh. Okay, where do you live, what do you do for a living?”
“I live here in the city. I own a small flower shop that barely makes enough money to keep me from living on the streets.”
“What city? I was in London when I was abducted. Are we still in London?”
“No. We’re in Chicago. I think. I mean, he drugged me, but I don’t feel like I’ve been transported too far. Maybe. What the hell? You were in London? And he flew to Chicago for me? Buddy, you need to tell me what the fuck is going on and right now. Don’t give me any shit about how you need to know me.”
“Okay. Just calm down, Merry. I’m trying to find out if anything you said could connect you to…” He stopped speaking. Seconds later, Merry heard him swear beneath his breath. “Merry, do you know a woman named Lauren?”
Okay, then, this really did have something to do with her friend and whatever freaky thing had happened to her two years ago.
“Oh, God,” was all that Merry could squeak out, her blood running cold suddenly, this entire kidnapping thing real now, her mind finally accepting that she was in terrible danger. She pressed her back into the wall, hands on the floor on each side of her and tried to slow her erratic breathing.
Taggert swore again.
Merry heard him slide on the floor, then the sound of his stocking feet as he walked towards her. Her body jerked when she felt a hand on her arm, then another on her belly as he reached out to find her.
“It’s okay, Merry. It’s going to be all right, you hear me?” His voice moved from above her to in front of her as he dropped onto the floor and felt for her, his hands on her upper arms, firm fingers wrapped around them.
But the looming threat consumed her mind. She felt hysteria rise. “It isn’t. I’ve been kidnapped, God knows why, by a man who threatened to kill my friend, and I believe he would have done it, and now I’m imprisoned with a man I know nothing about in a dark room where I’m pretty fucking sure that I’m going to die.” Her words raced out, her breathing rapid, she was aware that she was hyperventilating, and convinced that death would come soon.
Something, though, about the strong fingers on her arms, seemed to invade her fear. Slowly, she fought for control. He spoke again, and she clung to each word like they were lifelines.
“You’re doing fine, Merry. I’m here, you’re not alone in this. We’ll get through this together, I promise. I’m a survivor, and I can tell that you are too. Am I right? Are you pissed that anyone thinks that they have the right to abduct you from your life? Are you ready to do whatever you have to do to get home safely? I think you are.”
It took a moment longer for her to realize that he’d scooted closer yet, and that she was holding onto him now, too. They sat there, arms now tight around each other, her head forward, the top of her forehead against his chest. Finally, the pressure on her chest calmed and her respiration slowed.
She could feel his breath move her hair. Raising her head, she pulled away, just slightly, but she didn’t want to let go of him.
“Taggert. Who are you? Why are you kidnapped by this man? What do you have to do with Lauren? And what is Lauren involved with that this man abducted us both?”
“Lots of questions, little lady. I’ll answer you, but it really is pretty complicated, and sadly, I think we have plenty of time. I believe we’re leverage, and we may be kept here for a while.”
“Leverage? For what?”
“I’ll tell you. Not yet, though. You’ve just had a panic attack. A well-deserved one, don’t get me wrong, but I think you need to remain calm right now. Besides, if I’m not wrong, we’re going to be fed shortly. I don’t know if the man who is feeding us is the same one who took us, but I doubt it. The food isn’t great, but it’s palatable. Eat, and keep up your strength. We have to put the tray back under the door as soon as we’re finished or he won’t feed us again. They won’t let us keep anything at all just in case I can use it to get out of here. It’s wise, I’m pretty clever.”
“Great. I hope you can MacGyver us out of here, then.”
“We’ll see. I already tried to kick out the door, but our guard made it clear that if he hears anything like that, he’ll send a barrage of bullets into the door. Merry, I’m sorry you’re in this, but believe me when I tell you that I’m pretty experienced and that if you had to be detained by a psycho assassin, I’m the best man to be detained with.”
“You’re all I got, so glad to hear it. You are going to tell me what’s going on though, right? And soon?”
“After we eat, I promise.”
IN SOUTHERN FRANCE
The skies cleared completely, stars unhampered by lights from the ground below twinkled like fairy dust over the gathering below on the festively lit beach. Waves from the Mediterranean were gentle tonight as they brushed the shorelines. Brisk winds had calmed.
Music filled the air, competing only slightly with the sea as it broke against the sand, sometimes covering the bare feet of the couples dancing too close to the shore.
Chione sat just out of the water, which lapped at her feet, as Donovan played with the sand. Using his new skills granted to him and his mate by the Mother Earth, he was amusing her, building elaborate sand castles by manipulating the water, air, and sand, and then crashing them back into the sea. Chione’s eyes sparkled, pleased that, although Donovan had only been vampire for four weeks, he was adjusting very well.
Several feet away, Tamesine sat in front of Marc and leaned against him, his scent filling her mind. Everything about him set her libido on fire, and she knew that she would never tire of making love to this man who had changed her world forever. Her eyes wandered back to the firelight where Eillia was watching her babies for her.
Life was perfect now. Why couldn’t it remain so forever? She knew that someday her children and the other first blood children would be called upon to protect this world. How big the fight might be, she did not know. But right now, with the peace on earth, good will toward men Christmas holiday just 2 days away, couldn’t they just stay this course?
Serenity. It had become Tamesine’s favorite word and her mission for the world. Would it ever be possible? She closed her eyes because she knew the answer. No, it wouldn’t.
“You’re quiet, baby. Are you all right?”
Sighing, she smiled. “I’m wonderful. Relaxed, joyous, happy. Just trying to purge th
e encroaching idea that it can’t stay this way forever.”
“Oh, Tam. Sweetheart, you know more than anyone how important it is to live in the moment.”
“I do, my love. And later, I’m going to hold you inside me and live inside you for many, many moments.”
“Damn, and we have company. I suppose it would be rude to disappear for about two hours.”
“I suppose so. There will be time when we go in for rest. It’s pretty incredible tonight, with all of these vampires in one place. You’re living through some remarkable history this week, Marc.”
“Who would have thought, a wrench monkey like me, witnessing history.”
“You are part of it. Our children are miracles.”
“You had me at…”
Xavier’s voice cut through the music and the calm night air.
“What the fuck?”
The music stopped suddenly, the dancing near the fire done, the abrupt silence almost shocking.
Tamesine looked at Marc, then hurried back to the fire with him, Chione and Donovan following them. Something was wrong!
Marc tried to keep ahead of Tamesine, a natural instinct of protection, searching the scene, making sure his children were safe in their bassinets, his eyes moving around the vampires who were standing still and staring at someone about twenty feet from the fire, held captured in Xavier’s arms.
Dragging the man towards the others present for the celebration, Xavier threw him down onto the sand once he arrived in front of Koen.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Koen demanded, stunned.
Marc watched Tamesine’s eyes as she recognized the man sprawled at their feet.
“Claude,” she whispered.
With no warning, Lauren ran forward, Bryn right on her heels, as she reached Claude and kicked him in the side as hard as she could. She was vampire now, so the strike was egregious and Claude screamed in pain.
“Bastard! You obviously have a death wish because there isn’t a chance in hell any one of us would ever let you live!”
Bryn held Lauren back, his hands gentle, but tight. “Lass, we need to hear him out. Ye’re right, he knows we wouldn’t let him live, so he must be here for somethin’.”
Tears glimmering in her eyes, Lauren nodded. “I know.” She looked up at the others surrounding them. “I apologize. It’s just, when you get to kick the fuck out of the man who murdered you, you kind of have to do it, you know?” Swiping the tears away from her cheeks with vigor, she let Bryn lead her away from the writhing Claude.
Koen nodded his agreement. “Lauren, I like your style. But your mate is right. This is one of the moments when you just listen and learn.”
He turned to the badly injured man on the ground.
“You better hope you can speak soon, or any one of us is likely to just kill you at any moment. What the fuck are you doing here in the middle of the most powerful vampires on this planet, all of whom have reason to eviscerate you and ask questions later.”
Claude groaned, his hands wrapped around his gut.
Xavier dropped down. “What was that? Your time is running out. I’m taking numbers to see who wants to try to beat it out of you.”
Eillia walked up to Claude, Park beside her, with Tamesine close behind. Between them, their power was so great, Claude would be little more than a puppet.
“Do you want us to use our magics on you, murderer?”
Eillia was not feeling generous tonight. Ordinarily, she was one of the most controlled and gentle amongst them, but not tonight. Not with this man who the first blood community had been searching for since they had destroyed Lamont’s research society that preyed on supernaturals. Claude had been the remaining member that could potentially threaten them again.
Finally, he tried to sit up and speak.
“No,” he croaked out. “No.”
“Then what do you think you are doing here?”
“I want to…make…a…” Claude gagged and bent over in pain. Something inside was damaged, and badly. But it didn’t matter now. “Deal. I want to…make a deal.” His eyes shot to Tamesine.
Tamesine’s body froze. Oh, God, her perfect night was ruined. She knew this was going to be awful.
After several more gasps, Claude rolled onto his stomach, and pushed against the shifting ground to slowly rise. His face was blood red, he couldn’t stand completely upright, but he tried to look dignified.
“I want to make a deal.” His words were coming a little easier now, if a little slurred from pain.
“All I want is to be converted.”
“No. Can I kill him now?”
“Xavier. Not yet. Go on, Claude. Tell me why we would do that when you already know that we’re going to kill you.”
“Because you all have soft spots for your humans.”
Tamesine knew before he even told them that he’d taken hostages, that he had done so. It was his m.o. and he knew that it worked. It had before.
She stepped forward, avoiding Marc’s hand as he tried to stop her. “Who do you have?”
Claude’s eyes moved to Lauren.
Lauren was on him again, and nearly grabbed him before Tamesine curled her fingers around Lauren’s arm, and used impression to help her cope.
“Just stay calm and listen. It’s how we learn what we face.” She turned back to Claude. “Who?”
“The pretty goth. The girl with the holiday name you left your little shop to.” Claude kept his gaze on Lauren.
Still held by Tamesine, she lost all fight. “Merry…”
Claude had already murdered someone she really cared about. Now he might take the life of another innocent, a young woman who had her whole life ahead of her. Merry’s only sin was being unfortunate enough to befriend Lauren.
Touching Tamesine on the hand, Lauren let her know she was all right now. She walked towards Claude. He was still standing, trying to hold himself upright, but he was shaking. “This is quite a risk. You don’t know that I care enough about her to do whatever you want.”
“I know. It’s a calculated risk, though, and I think I’m right. But I’m not finished. You guys sent your dog after me again, in London, again. Anyone heard from him lately?”
“Fuck me,” Marc said. “He’s got Taggert.”
“That’s right. And I happen to know that you two are besties. Do I have your attention now?”
Marc was on him immediately, Claude’s face held brutally. He used compulsion to force Claude to answer him. “Where are they?”
“I can’t tell you. They are being held for four weeks. Then they are to be killed. I cannot affect anything until I am converted, then I can stop it. But, of course, I don’t have any idea at all where they are.”
Tamesine was beside her mate, pulling his hand away from Claude. “He’s smart, baby, he knows how to do this. You remember.”
“Yeah. I can’t believe we’re here again.” Marc’s anger was as deep as Laurens. Taggert held a special place in his heart, that of friend and brother. The man had helped Marc save Tamesine from a horrible fate with Lamont. Marc could never repay Taggert for what he’d done for her and his family.
“Neither can I,” Koen said, slowly walking towards them. “I’ll do it. Fuck, I’ll do it, and then, someday, you won’t see me coming, I’ll end you forever. You understand? But I’ll convert you if you let those people go.”
Claude smiled. “No.” He looked past Koen to Tamesine. “Only her.”
No one was surprised. Tamesine was the most powerful vampire of all of them. She could destroy Claude with a thought. She could tear his thoughts out of him. But she couldn’t find out something from him that he didn’t know. And she wouldn’t let anyone else die at his hands either, if she could stop it.
“You’re a noble man, Koen. Thank you for offering. I will follow your example.” Tamesine, now face to face with the wavering Claude, stared him down. “But know this. What Koen said goes for me. This will not end well for you.”
Cla
ude nodded. “I expect that it might not. But I’m willing to take the risk.” He handed her a bent business card that had been crumpled in his hand. “Call me here tomorrow night. I want to begin then. This is going to be on my terms.”
“Christmas Eve?” Tamesine questioned.
“Why not? That way, by the first day of the new year, I’ll be gone, I hope, and you’ll have your people back, safe and sound.”
Claude backed up a few steps. “Don’t try anything, any of you, I promise, they will die. And it won’t be pretty how it happens.”
“You fucking beast!” Lauren yelled.
“Hey, I know how to get the job done. I’m sorry, but incentive works. I don’t want to kill that pretty little thing, so don’t make me. The soldier, Taggert, well, him I could do without. Have a pleasant night.”
With a struggle, Claude made it back up the stone steps.
Xavier and Koen were shaking their heads to each other.
Tamesine caught Eillia and Park’s eyes.
“Here we go again,” Park said.
Nodding, Tamesine took Marc’s hand. “Yes. But for the last time. I’ll do this, like I told him I would. But once those two hostages are safe, I will hunt him down and he will die. Quickly, I have no need for drama as he does, but he will be gone.”
Park’s swelling belly held her second child, who would arrive in just four months. “Tamesine is right. This will end with him, and soon. He really has no idea how powerful we are, does he? He may win this battle, but he has already lost the war. Tonight, though, let us try to recover some of our joy at being together. Why don’t we finish here and gather in the living area around the lovely Christmas tree we’ve decorated. Come, my friends, we will not let him ruin the night.”
