by Lea Kirk
Mikhail sighed and spread his hands out in a placating gesture. “What if I give my word that I shall not bite you?”
“You haven’t given me any reason to trust you.”
“Neither have the rattle snakes, scorpions, or coyotes.” He shrugged his shoulders. “The nearest town is a long walk from here. Or, I could give you a ride.”
Dammit. Did he have to make so much sense? “How long a ride is it?”
“About ten minutes.”
Ten long minutes of keeping her blood to herself. That seemed risky, but the alternative wasn’t much better. “I need to know one thing. About vampires, I mean.”
“All right.” He sounded wary.
“The whole staking thing, is that real?”
His lips thinned into a straight line. “Very real.”
“Does it have to be wood?”
“Silver works as well.”
Close enough. She stalked forward, closing the distance between them to a couple of feet. Then she deliberately tapped her finger tips against Carnwennan’s scabbard. “Then we have an understanding.”
One side of his mouth curved upward, and laughter danced in his eyes. “I believe I see your point, milady.”
Great. Just what she needed. A vampire with a warped sense of humor.
~*~
Mikhail kept his gaze straight ahead, on the road, although he would have much preferred to look at Donnie. What were the chances that she would end up on the back road into Magic, New Mexico, at the same time as him? The odds of finding anything or anyone in the desert were miniscule to begin with, yet here she was sitting next to him on the bench seat of the pick-up he had borrowed from his old friend Charlie Carson.
It never failed. Every time he came to Magic, something interesting happened. And finding Donnie here was without a doubt the most interesting event that had ever occurred to him. Every day since his arrival on Charlie’s door step to seek sanctuary and heal from his encounter with Ash, this woman had possessed his every thought. He had not dreamed in over a century, yet now she was with him even as he slept. It was most peculiar.
He gave her a sidelong look. There was a certain feminine allure to the way her hair fluttered and flowed in the cool current of the air-conditioning. But not so much appeal in the way she pressed her rigid body against the door and gazed straight out the wind shield. Yet, as tense and travel-worn as she appeared, there was a simple, down-to-earth beauty about her. In the week and a half since their New York encounter, her hair had grown enough to show her dark roots. Had the blonde been her attempt to confuse Ash? Did she know such artificial enhancements were useless in his world?
Thunk!
His head jerked and his body bounced on the cushioned, vintage brown and white bench. Curses, wash-out. He ground his teeth and grimaced as Donnie gasped and dug her fingers into the dashboard. The sweet fragrance of her blood mingled with her feminine scent, wrapping him in a heaven he would give anything to explore. Even his fangs lengthened with anticipation.
“Take it easy, will you,” she snapped.
“My apologies.”
Watch the road, not the beautiful woman sitting next to you.
Donnie had pressed herself against the passenger door of the truck, her gaze darting from him to the door handle and back. She was wise to be so alert. He stroked his tongue over his fangs to coax them back into place.
“So,” she demanded, releasing the dash and facing him, “where are we going?”
She was not going to like his answer, especially once she found out he was not the only vampire around. “It is a small town of about two-thousand full-time residents.”
“Uh-huh. Go on.”
“It has a thriving tourist trade, and this time of year the population is almost double.”
“Touristy place, huh? It must have lots of trendy boutiques with local artwork, I guess.”
“That is…one of its appeals.” That did not sound evasive at all. He could almost feel her gaze boring a hole through him.
“What aren’t you telling me, vampire?”
Was it too difficult for her to call him by his name? He inhaled deeply, held to the count of three, then exhaled. “You know how Sedona, Arizona is eccentric?”
“I’ve heard, yeah.”
“Magic, New Mexico is about triple that.” To put it mildly.
“You mean, it’s full of people like you?”
“Not exact—”
“Stop the truck!”
He glanced at her and gave his head a shake. “I will not. Not before you give me a chance to explain.”
“What’s to explain?” Her voice was approaching hysterical. “You’re taking me to a town full of vampires.”
“I am not—”
“Oh. My. God. I’m on tonight’s menu, aren’t I?”
“You are not—”
“Shut up, Carnwennan!”
What? Oh, curse it, she was reaching for her sword. And here he had been so determined not to give her a reason to stake him.
Her hand closed around the hilt and she disappeared.
“What the bloody hell?” The pain of loss sliced through his heart. She was gone. Vanished. As if she had never been there.
He stomped his foot on the brake pedal until his foot met the floorboard. The truck skidded and lurched over the gravel until it came to a stop. Much more of this and he would owe Charlie new brake pads. And tires.
But, Donnie? How could she be gone?
A burst of powerful magic—faerie magic, judging by the way it raised the hairs on his arms and head—surged through the cab, followed by a disembodied yelp of pain. Then Donnie reappeared, cradling her hand. “You burned me. What’d you do that for?”
Had she lost her mind? “I did no such thing.”
“Stay out of it, vampire,” she snarled.
Stay out of what? He glanced at her hand. “Dammit, Donnie, what happened? Your palm is bright red.”
She started rocking back and forth. “I know. The stupid piece of junk got mad and burned me. God, it feels like my skin is boiling.”
He was definitely missing something here. As much as he wanted to reach for her, to hold her, comfort her, it would be a mistake. He put the truck in park, leaned over the back of the bench seat, and lifted the lid of the cooler full of groceries. Reaching in, his hand closed around the ice-cream container.
“You are in luck, I just went grocery shopping. Hold this.” He gently placed the container in her injured hand. “Roswell is the closest town that carries my favorite ice-cream.”
“Ahhh.” Tears shimmered in her eyes and she sagged back against the back of the bench.
“Does that help?”
She nodded, then peered at the carton. Her gaze jerked up to his and a little high-pitched laugh bubbled out of her. “A vampire who likes black licorice ice-cream?”
“Addicted to it, in truth.” He cracked a grin. “Better than blood, any day, but rather difficult to procure.”
She blinked at him. “You can eat real food?”
“Just like you. What do you think ice-cream is?”
“Well, it can be liquidy like blood, so I figured….” She snapped her lips together and a faint pink color blossomed on her cheeks.
“Food is food. Blood, on the other hand, is a necessary supplement for a vampire.”
She nodded. “You, um, seem to have a thing for black.”
He glanced down at his black jeans and t-shirt. She did have a point. He met her gaze again. “It is most unfortunate that black is not the most comfortable color to wear out here.
Another laugh filled the cab, but this one was more relaxed, like bells tinkling. If light could be a feeling, then it was filling him now. Back in New York he had thought of Donnie’s eyes as hazel. But here in the bright light of day they were more complex. Emerald for the most part, with brown and molten gold in a pattern more stunning than a crystal.
“Sorry, I kind of freaked out,” she murmured.
“A
perfectly reasonable reaction, especially given the circumstances. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing,” she said. “No, wait. You can tell me about Magic. How many vampires are there, and should I wear a cowl neck?”
“Only a small percentage of the entire population are vampires, and no on the cowl.” She should never hide her graceful neck under a cowl.
“Okay.” She seemed to be bracing herself for bad news. “And what about the rest of the population?”
“Various other, erm, magical creatures.”
She looked up at him again, her face pale and anxious. “Like…what?”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“Well, since I’m going to die for knowing anyway, I may as well get the full story.”
She was going to what? “There is no crime in knowing. Some humans do, and they are alive and well.”
“But, Mr. Merrick said….”
Of course, in the alley. She believed what that slimy worm had told her. “Ash is an ass. And a liar.” And a murderer.
“Oh,” she said. Her normal, lovely color crept back into her cheeks. “I guess you know him, being a…well, um, a paranormal crea—being, and all.”
“Our paths have crossed more than once.” Unfortunately.
“So, it’s okay that I know?”
“Absolutely.” He gave her a teasing smile. “Without proof, who would be inclined to believe you?”
There it was, the softening in her expression he had hoped to see. Her shoulders rose and fell with her relieved sigh. “Not many.”
A definite crack in the veneer of fear that had surrounded her since they had met. “May I look at your hand now?”
There was uncertainty in her eyes, but then she nodded and lifted the ice-cream container away from her skin. He leaned forward, careful to avoiding contact. “The red is receding, and no blisters. May I touch?”
~*~
Donnie caught her lip between her teeth and nodded. A tiny voice in her head screamed a warning about letting a vampire touch her, but the reality was that it was too late. Her fate was sealed. It had been since the night she snuck Carnwennan out of Mr. Merrick’s office building. Either she’d survive this crazy trip into the Twilight Zone, or she wouldn’t. Although, it’d be really nice if she did.
Mikhail’s touch was light, cool, and quick. He grazed his finger to her palm before drawing it back. Then he nodded as if he’d confirmed a suspicion.
“What is it?”
His smile was tight. “Faerie magic.”
Uh, oh. He figured that out fast. “How do you know?”
“Magic feels different from species to species, and as a paranormal, I can often sense the subtle differences,” he said. “Witch magic, for instance, floats over the skin like humid air. Faerie magic, on the other hand, feels more velvet lined with needles. I am certain your little dagger is from the realm of the Fae. I’m also certain that if it had intended to hurt you, you would no longer have a hand.”
“Oh.” She glanced down at the alabaster hilt. Carnwennan had never zapped her before, but the message was clear. Just because she had the means to hurt someone didn’t mean she should. “Why did you pull back so fast? Did its magic hurt you too?”
Mikhail’s warm chuckle soaked into her and her toes curled in her converse. “Not at all. Vampires and faeries do not exactly see eye-to-eye.”
“Why not?”
His expression shuttered and he glanced out the windshield. “We should get going.” He put the truck in gear and it lurched forward. “I presume it was the dagger’s idea to bring you out here.”
That was a fast change of subject. “It was, yes. But I didn’t know that until five minutes ago.”
“That is in keeping with its kind. The Fae like to be mysterious.”
She waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. “Kind of like vampires, huh?”
The surprised look he gave her morphed into a humorous grin. “See how much you have learned about vampires since we met?”
A sense of curiosity from Carnwennan nudged at her.
Even though it wasn’t an apology, it was good to know the magical weapon didn’t hold a grudge. Donnie leaned against the passenger door to study Mikhail. “My sidekick here wants to know if there are any fairies in the area.”
His brief glance was punctuated by a brow-quirk. “There is a fire elemental living in town. He has several fairies living in his garden, but I suspect they are not the ones your friend is looking for.”
Disappointment radiated from Carnwennan. What was up with that?
“What’s a fire elemental?”
“A paranormal being who can control fire.” He shrugged like that was nothing impressive. “There are elementals who can control air, water, and earth as well.”
“That is seriously cool.” She gave her hand a wave. “But back to the fairies. There are different types of them?”
“There are. The elemental’s fairies are tiny, about half a foot tall, more or less. And, they all have wings,” he explained. “The faerie, or Fae, are tall and unusually slender. Those who have wings can hide them to pass as human. My understanding is that few of their kind wish to reside on the human plane any longer. I myself have never seen one.”
Carnwennan’s sorrow washed over Donnie. Of course, it’d be sad knowing none of its people were around to help. Donnie gave her head a shake. “I didn’t realize they were different.”
“Different, and best avoided.”
Why would that be? Before she could ask, a single word floated to the forefront of her thoughts. Guide.
“I think Carnwennan was hoping there’d be a faerie here to greet us.” Best not reveal too much about the veil between the realms yet. Not until she knew Mikhail could be trusted. Oh, but how she wanted to trust him now.
Mikhail sighed. “I suppose we can check with my friend Charlie’s mother, Nonny. She comes from a family of very powerful witches. Very little escapes her attention. Only her sister Topper is stronger, but, Topper is away on trip with her husband right now.” He pointed ahead. “We have arrived. Welcome to Magic, New Mexico.”
Chapter Five
The gas pump clicked off at exactly twenty-two dollars. Mikhail grinned. Once again, Magic’s only locally owned and operated self-serve gas station, The Lucky Leprechaun, had lived up to its name. He put the nozzle away, capped the tank, and climbed back into the pick-up with Donnie. At least she was no longer plastered against the passenger door. Her sitting square in center of the passenger seat constituted a small victory. A larger, much more satisfying victory would be to have her at his side on the bench where he could put his arm around her.
He cleared his throat. “How is your hand?”
“Better.” She held it out for him to inspect. “I put your ice-cream back so it wouldn’t turn into soup.”
“I would eat it anyway.” He took her hand in his and turned it from side to side. Barely even pink. He lifted her palm and pressed his lips to the soft skin. The faint shush of her blood whispered just under the soft barrier of skin, but the pink glow on her cheeks was far more enticing. It was pleasing to know she was not as unaffected by him as she seemed.
“Good as new, I believe is the correct turn of phrase.” He released her hand. “Now is probably a good time to ask you if you have a place to stay?”
“No, but you can drop me off at any hotel with air conditioning and I’ll be fine.” Was she aware that she cradled her hand against her breasts?
“Lodgings will be difficult to come by.” He slid the key into the ignition. “It is the middle of the day right now so it is difficult to tell, but tourist season is in full swing.” By sunset, the masses would emerge from their air-conditioned bliss.
She glanced out the windshield and frowned. “I do see what you mean.”
He turned the key and the truck engine rumbled to life. A small vibration of power trembled through the seat and along his spine. “I have been staying in the guest cottage of my fri
end Charlie. There are two bedrooms, and I only need one. I am sure he would not mind if you used the other.” Neither would Mikhail.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to impose.”
“You could never be an imposition, Donnie.” That much he was certain of, no matter what happened between them. “The Carsons would be unhappy if I abandoned you at the park to sleep under a tree. I do not relish the thought of Charlie’s mother, Nonny, using a spell to fling me into a cactus for such poor manners. Besides, your room has a lock on the door. You will have privacy.”
A slow grin curved her luscious lips in a bow. “You mean a locked door can keep you out?”
He held her gaze. “You have my word that I will never impose myself on you for any reason, whether or not your door is locked. The one caveat to this is if you invite me in.”
The beat of her heart increased and her smile faded. Then she slowly nodded. “I believe you, Mikhail. Thank you.”
At least that was settled. Her blood still sang to him, tempting him in a way no human’s blood ever had, but somewhere along the road to Magic, his desire to protect her had become stronger than his desire to taste her. He could attribute the change to his physical attraction to her, but that was not the complete truth. She was in over her head, and likely did not comprehend the depth of the danger she faced. For whatever reason, Ash seemed to have an attachment to the faerie dagger, and he would not give up until he possessed the weapon. It was only a matter of time before Donnie would need help, and Mikhail would be there for her.
~*~
Donnie shoved down the giddiness bubbling in her chest. Tingles still lingered where Mikhail had kissed her palm. Why did that make her so darn happy? Twenty minutes ago, she’d considered risking death-by-desert over trusting him. Now she was all but sighing like a teenage girl. Could this day get any crazier?
Mikhail turned the truck into a paved circular driveway. “This is it.”
The modest, two-story adobe home ahead didn’t look anything like a place she’d imagined vampires or witches would live. Everything was neat and well-maintained, from the driveway’s sienna pavers to the garden’s eclectic mixture of native plants and flowers. How pathetic that she’d bought into a stereotype without a second thought.
