Beating Hearts

by Lucretia Stanhope

“Was his woman bitten?”

  “I assume so, she smelled marked.”

  “A strong mark?”

  “No, not overly.”

  Warren sighed, it didn't make any sense.

  He dismissed the vampire to go about his orders, and watched the floor himself.

  He thought long and hard, but came up with no answers. He knew they must have done something, something serious for Nick to risk sending her there, and why would Paul take part?

  K ate opened her door as soon as the car stopped. She got out and paced, while they waited for Nick.

  Paul got out and watched her. “I'm sorry that happened the way it did.”

  She turned and looked at him, she could tell by the way he looked at her that he still struggled against his urge to bite her. “I'm glad we were able to get what I needed, thank you.”

  “Yes, though I do wonder what happened with Nick,” Paul mused.

  “Did he sound hurt?”

  “No, just panicked about us still being there.”

  “Do you have a safe place to go?”

  “Oh, I'm not worried about Warren. His issues are with Nick, and by association, with you.”

  “Well yes, but if he knew we were there, wouldn't he also have issues with you?”

  “Perhaps,” Paul said, apparently still not worried.

  Kate watched as a car pulled up. She could see Nick through the windshield, and walked toward the car.

  Nick got out and made his way quickly toward her.

  She rushed to him, needing to see him, and make sure he was okay. She stopped just before she got to him, there wasn't a mark on him.

  He closed the gap and kissed her deeply, then pulled her to him and held her tight.

  Paul walked up, shaking his head. “What the hell happened?”

  “Did you two have any issues?” Nick asked.

  “No, we were already outside when you called,” Paul said.

  “Good, good. I have no idea why he just stopped following and headed back, but if you left, he shouldn't have been close enough to sense you. Did anything odd happen inside? Anything that might have had him called back?”

  “No, smooth as silk, I even had a nip,” Paul said, and smiled.

  “No issues? Smooth as silk? A nip?” Kate said, her voice trembling.

  “Did you get the footage you needed?” Nick asked to Kate.

  “Yes, more than enough, but what happened with Warren?”

  “Kate, get in the car. We will talk on the way home.”

  Kate didn't budge, she pulled herself closer to Nick and wrapped her arm around his waist.

  Paul watched and saw the defiant look on her face. He looked at Nick and smiled. “You sure got your hands full there.”

  “With her or Warren?”

  “Both, my friend, and I'm glad it's your problem,” Paul said. “Call me when it's done. I'd love to hear he finally got his due.

  “No problem,” Nick said, released Kate, and walked Paul to his car, thanking him again.

  “Do you think Warren is following us?” Kate asked as Nick walked back toward her.

  “I asked you to get in the car.” Nick frowned at her. “No, I don't sense him. I will take you home and come back tomorrow night to finish him. He will be restless since I was in town, and I don't want him turning up at my place.”

  “Not alone, Nick.”

  “I love you, Kate, please don't make this harder than it has to be. We are not doing this together. You have no idea how terrifying it was for me when Warren was heading in your direction.”

  She looked at his face, heard his tone and understood that it was not a point he was going to negotiate. She was going to have to seek her revenge from Warren by using the footage she got from his place, to shut down the whole underground system.

  She got in the car and leaned over to kiss him again. As she pulled back, she looked in his eyes. “I was so worried about you. Why do you think he didn't fight with you? I assumed he really wanted to, since he followed you away.”

  “Yes, that is troubling, but you just can't tell with him. He could have had a call about something in town. His business will always come first. We should go,” he said, and started the car.

  Once they were on the road, Kate started to relax and closed her eyes, but then suddenly they popped back opened. “Will he know I was there?”

  “Possibly, I've never been linked to a human, so I don't know for sure. It doesn't matter, because tomorrow it will all be over. I will walk into that place and drag him out, if I have to. We will not live looking over our shoulders.”

  She smiled and leaned back again. “You will save all those people tomorrow then?”

  “Yes, did you really get all you needed?”

  “Oh yes, Jesus, I didn't tell you, Paul even killed a woman,” she said, and rolled down her window.

  “Yes, he is a vampire.”

  “I know but, well, I just didn't expect to see him do that.”

  “Will it help?”

  “Yes, but I…”

  “I'm just glad you are safe at my side again. One more night, and this whole nightmare will shift into a fantasy.”

  “It's already a fantasy,” she said, and squeezed his hand.

  Nick frowned. “What the hell did Paul do? You reek.”

  “He said it would mask my purity a little.”

  “God no, it doesn't. Nothing can mask that from me, it just makes you smell like him.”

  “I'll grab a bath when we get home.”

  Nick smiled and drove on.

  She sat up, and looked over to him as he passed the exit to go home. “Where are we going?”

  “Gun shop.”

  “For?”

  “A gun.”

  “I'm not really a fan. I have my trusty pipe at the house.”

  “Don't get stubborn with me, again, tonight. You have a day alone, before I go handle this for good, and while I am there you will be stuck outside the city again in a hotel alone. I just don't like the idea of his thugs being able to touch or take you. This is about to get very serious.”

  “The shotgun is there, if I want a gun,” she said, and shook her head. “I'll be so glad when this is all over.”

  “Me too, and then we are going to the beach. I am going to have you so many times, you are going to be trying to get sand off of you for years to come.”

  “That's the kind of problem I like to have.”

  After he convinced her she would be safer with a smaller gun that she could handle, they made a quick stop and then drove back home.

  Kate took a fast bath and then they tried to relax in front of the fire for a little while.

  K ate felt cool lips on hers. “Sweetheart, wake up. I need to go now and you need to be up.”

  She opened her eyes. “I'm up.”

  “Sit up.”

  “Yes dear, aren't you being bossy tonight?” Kate sat up and watched him as he watched her. His eyes looked sad and nervous. “Did you want me to come with you?”

  “No, no, just in case he sends someone. I may need you to handle them with the pipe again,” he said and then winked at her.

  “Do we have time?” she asked, and stood up kissing him.

  Her hot lips on his, made him shudder with pleasure. “Sadly, I don't…” he started to say, but she kissed his neck and ran her tongue across his skin. “Maybe, really fast then.”

  She took off her pants quickly and started to back up to the couch. She hadn't even taken off her shirt when he dropped his pants and was over her with an inhuman speed.

  It was like every time before, he craved to be a part of her, to make her a part of him. They made love with urgency, hands bruising, lips pressed tight as they reached a fevered climax so quickly they were both caught off guard.

  “You are amazing. I love you,” he said, and kissed her forehead. “I must go now. I will make love to you slowly, tomorrow.”

  “I love you too. See you tomorrow.” She laid back and enjoyed the s
ensations left behind from his touch.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  W arren was stood lost in thought when the vampire he left in charge approached him again.

  “Anything else you need?” the vampire asked, noticing that Warren had a distressed look.

  “Yes, watch the place. I need to go out again.” Warren didn’t bother to wait for a response. He took long, focused strides toward the exit.

  He slowly drove to Paul's house, the whole time his focus remained on why Nick sent Kate back to Beating Hearts. His anger grew with each second that passed.

  While he knew it would be more fun if it were Nick or Kate, someone was going to pay for his frustration right then, and Paul was closest, as well as the most likely to talk about what they had been doing.

  Paul sensed it when Warren pulled into his driveway. He walked to his bedroom, reached in his nightstand, and pulled out a silver-tipped wooden knife, which he then slid into his waistband. He glanced around the room, and wondered if there were anything else that might help.

  Warren didn't bother trying to sneak up, it wasn't his style. He casually walked up to the door, and rang the bell. He could sense Paul inside, and hear him as he shuffled about. “Little pig, little pig.”

  Paul cracked the door, but left the thick chain latch still on. “Warren, to what do I owe this visit?”

  Warren cut his eyes at him and gave him an impatient smile. “How long have you known me Paul?”

  “Long enough to know you aren't here for a social visit.”

  “Good. Invite me in, and let's talk about this then.”

  Paul considered his options and shut the door, locking it again. Even with his knife he didn't feel like a fight with Warren would go his way. He stepped from the door and started toward his back door, wondering if he could get to his car before Warren realized he had circled around.

  He wasn't even half way when he heard the front door creak in protest against the force Warren used against it.

  Warren pushed at the handle and the door frame groaned and gave way. The door took the frame with it as it opened inward, hinges bent to allow it to do so. With a final push it fell to the floor and he stepped on it, entering the house. “You are getting on my nerves Paul,” Warren called out. He could feel Paul move away.

  Paul opened the back door and made his way quickly around the front toward his car. When he rounded the last corner, he saw Warren stood in his path, lips pursed, irritation in his features.

  “Who exactly did you think you were screwing with?” Warren asked.

  Paul froze in his steps, his mind raced as he tried to think of how he was going to get the upper-hand now. His hand reached to his waistband and he pulled out the knife, gripping it tight.

  Warren chuckled. “You should invite me in and try not to further annoy me.”

  Paul knew he didn't want to be pinned in a confined area with Warren. “What do you want with me?” He stalled as he tried to imagine in his mind the best way to get out of this alive.

  “Who is Kate to you?” Warren took slow, measured steps forward.

  “She is no one to me.” Paul stepped back to match Warren's steps, knife still firmly in hand.

  “I am going to lose my patience soon.”

  “I owed Nick a debt, that is all.”

  Warren felt a twitch and rubbed his temples. “So you helped him to do what?” he asked with a clearly annoyed tone.

  Paul realized that even if he told Warren the whole truth, this wasn't going to end with a friendly handshake. He decided he wasn't going to give up anything useful. He considered fleeing into the neighborhood, but knew he couldn't out-run Warren. He took another step back and stumbled into a tree.

  Warren crossed the distance between them in a flash and had Paul pinned to the tree by his throat with one hand. “I am out of patience. You will tell me what that little bitch was up to, or I will rip you apart, one piece at a time.”

  Paul closed his eyes, made a long blink, and then made a swipe at Warren.

  The knife tore his shirt. Warren looked down and chuckled, and used his free hand to grab Paul's right hand. The sound of bone cracking filled the air as Warren squeezed. The knife fell to the ground and he kept twisting as he asked, “Who is, Kate?”

  “Nick's human,” Paul managed to say, sounding steady in spite of the pain. He reached up with his free hand and pried at the vise-like grip Warren had on his throat.

  Warren twisted firmly and tugged, tearing flesh and sinew as Paul's hand tore off. “How long do you imagine you will last before you tell me what I want to know?”

  “We are going to find out,” Paul said defiantly, and swung at Warren, hitting his head with no effect.

  Warren roared and his eyes became totally black. He bit down on Paul's shoulder and ripped open a wound, drinking from him. Paul felt a searing pain and himself start to get weaker as Warren drained him. Blackness crept in as the effects of the saliva hit him.

  When Warren felt him go limp, he dropped him to the ground and looked down at him, wondering if he should wait for him to wake back up and try again, or just kill him.

  He walked into the house, to the bathroom and washed his face and hands while looking in the mirror. His eyes mostly returned to brown, but he could feel the animal rage bubbled just under the surface.

  It was bad enough for Nick and some annoying human to be screwing with him, but Paul too? Paul had never been one to give any thought to how humans were treated. In fact, he had been a good customer over the years.

  Nothing was lining up. He just couldn't believe this was all for the love of a human. She was pretty, not mind-blowingly so. She was pure, but Nick was a tracker, he could have any pure human he wanted. She tasted sweet, dear god did she ever taste sweet, but Nick hadn't even tasted her. There had been a fire in her that had caught his attention, but surely that wasn't enough to make Nick avenge the little woman. Hell, for that matter, how had Nick known her to begin with?

  Warren put together that Paul originally bought her to return her to Nick, and so he had to assume that they knew each other before. Yet she ended up at his club. He heard rustling, and walked outside to see Paul staggering toward his car.

  “Hello again,” Warren said, as he fingered the little silver knife on his waist, pulling it from its sheath. He smiled at the irony of killing Kate's friend with her own knife. “Who's Kate?”

  Paul was focused on the car and so drained that he hadn't noticed Warren, hadn't even registered his voice. His hand reached for the door handle and then he pulled it back screaming as pain ripped through him. Paul let out a howl of agony and fell back to the ground, holding his arm. He saw Warren through barely opened eyes, saw the shine of a silver blade.

  Warren knew that Paul was far enough removed from the source that the cut would be fatal, especially in the condition he was in. It would be drawn-out and painful, but final.

  “Finish it,” Paul managed to say.

  “Sorry, my old friend, I seem to be fresh out of mercy,” Warren said, and walked away, leaving him to die agonizingly slow as punishment for his role in whatever was going on.

  W hen Warren returned, the club was almost emptied. He watched the last few stragglers leave before he walked over to his bouncer. “I have a job for you. I want you to gather a few men, at least two, since she seems to have bested one on her own, and get that bitch, Kate.”

  “Kate, Sir?”

  Warren walked back to his office with the man following closely behind. He pulled out her ID and tossed it to him.

  “Kate, I'll give you an address. She is shacked up with an old enemy. Leave him, leave his house, I want to kill him myself. Take his human, and bring her to me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I want her alive too. You can be as rough as you like, but I want her alive. Be cautious with her, I'm not sure how, but she managed to take out one of my stronger messengers.”

  “Consider it done, sir.”

  Warren looked at the man with
hate in his eyes. “When I wake up tomorrow, Kate is here, or you will know suffering on a whole new level. I will kill your entire family, all of your friends, and even casual childhood acquaintances. Clear?”

  “I won't let you down, sir.”

  “Good,” Warren said, and waved for the man to leave.

  He may not have known what Nick and Kate were up to, but it was going to end now.

  He made his way back to the humans, wanting something to wash the taste of Paul out of his mouth. He chose a damaged, submissive one, having already had his fill of being fought and resisted for this lifetime. He drank quickly as the day was fast approaching, and walked to his room knowing tomorrow night was going to be much better. He would have his answers and his pound of flesh, both would come from Kate. Knowing Nick like he did, he knew that he would follow, then they would settle up as well, and his nights could return to normal.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  K ate sat up, the sunlight shined on her face as she looked around to get her bearings. She was home, home with Nick. She must have drifted after they had sex. She smiled thinking about it and stood up slowly. After a fast breakfast, she turned on the computer and plugged in her camera to start downloading the footage.

  While she waited she straightened the main room, stopping when she saw the gun. Suddenly she felt nervous and walked over to peer out the window in the door. It was quiet, nothing out of the ordinary. She held the gun in her hand and then slid it into her pocket and started to straighten some more.

  Once the footage was downloaded, she made a backup copy on her external drive, and started to watch it. When she got to the part where Paul sat across from her with the woman, she stopped it and when to the kitchen for a drink.

  A loud crunching sound and a creak from the other room drew her attention and she sat her glass down. She pulled the gun out of her pocket, and made her way slowly back to the main room. She was really feeling jumpy, especially after watching the footage. The floorboards creaked in the house every day and night, and it was usually just the house settling. She tried to calm herself down, but when she peered out from the dining room and saw the front door opened, she felt her throat go dry.