I was fighting for more than a cause, for something bigger than Queen and country, for something far more important than a flag or a religion.
And it wasn’t just me. It was all of us. The vampire hunters, our friends, the innkeepers, the Ministry, the armed forces, the people. There was nothing religious about this sudden awareness. It was no God-inspired epiphany. It was simply the understanding that just as the human race stretched thousands of years into the past, it would go on into the future, if we could but protect it.
We were fighting for everyone, for the generations before us, for the billions now alive, and for the uncountable numbers yet to come. We must not lose, we cannot lose, and we will not lose.
And if I had to put my nuts on the line one more time, well, that was what I’d signed up for.
I started to jog again. I had another problem, a problem called Marie.
Technically she’d been right when she said we weren’t soldiers. The Ministry hunters were, technically, part of the police force. Of course, even the police force had rules against fraternization between ranks, but that wasn’t important. The rank thing had just been an excuse.
The truth was that I was afraid. Not afraid of Marie, never of Marie. She’d never hurt me. I was afraid of myself.
My mind went back to a month or so ago, when Marie had quite literally offered herself to me. Scared the piss out of me. It’s a wolf thing, or so she said. It boiled down to ‘here I am, it’s yours if you want it’.
I seized on the first excuse I could think of, our rank difference, and she agreed to back off, at least until she became a full-fledged hunter.
Trouble was, I did want it. I wanted it bad.
CHAPTER
8
FIVE DAYS AGO…
I went downstairs and headed out the front door, intending to have my sunrise cigarette. I was trying to quit smoking and had managed to cut down to just a few a day. The one I rarely missed was the last one, smoked whilst watching the sun come up, a kind of celebration of making it to the end of another night. Bill was outside. He gave me a cheery grin and went back to watching the sky.
We were at the Dog & Duck, a safe house that was actually a mile or so into vamp-held territory.
I perched on the low wall and pulled out my packet of cigarettes.
“You bed that young lady yet, Jack?” asked Bill.
“Bill,” I said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. “That is none of your business.”
“So, no, then?”
I sat and smoked for a while, saying nothing.
“Jack, I’ve never known you have a problem like this when it comes to a woman,” he said. “Usually you just take whatever’s offered and worry about it later.”
“That’s the problem,” I said thoughtfully, staring off into space.
“What is?”
“I’m trying to find out what I want,” I replied. “On the one hand I could just sleep with her. She’s made it clear she wants to. I could take her to bed, spend a day getting amazing sex, and just go on as normal.”
“Another notch on the headpost, yeah?”
“Right.”
“And on the other hand?”
“On the other hand, I think I want more.”
“Oh hell, Jack. Are you felling in love?”
I stopped and thought about that for a minute.
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “But I do know I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Dammit, Jack, you are in love with her!”
I hesitated, trying to put it into words.
“I might be,” I said finally. “That’s what I have to figure out. In the meantime I’m not going to jeopardize the possibility by doing the ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’.”
Bill wiped an imaginary tear from one eye and sniffled sarcastically.
“My little boy’s finally growing up.”
“Oh piss off, Bill.”
“No, man, I’m really pleased for you. There’s nothing like the love of a good woman. Seriously, Marie’s a catch and you’d be stupid to let go.”
I smiled and stubbed my cigarette out against the wall I was sitting on. I threw the dog end and the empty packet into the rubbish bin.
“Speaking of which,” said Bill carefully. “You’re sleeping with Scrapper today.”
“Um, no I’m not,” I said. “I thought we’d just established that.”
“I didn’t mean sex, Mr. One Track Mind. I meant sleep, as in you have to share a room with her.”
“What? Why?”
“Well, there’s only three rooms,” he replied. “Anna and John are already asleep. And as soon as it gets fully light I’m taking the ‘Rover down to Carterton to pick Helen up.”
“Robert coming with you?”
He shook his head sadly.
“My darling son is staying with his grandparents this weekend,” he said.
From the tone of his voice I didn’t have to ask which grandparents. It always struck me as weird that someone as sweet and loveable as Helen could have come from such a pair of perfect bastards.
“So Marie and I are sharing a room?” I said. “Maybe I should just sleep down in the bar.”
Bill leaned forward and gave me an intense look.
“That’s your call, brother,” he said. “But think on this: If you sleep in the room but keep your hands to yourself, that’s one thing, but if you avoid this altogether, she’ll wonder what’s wrong with her that you can’t even stand to be around her. Besides, she already took your bergan up.”
“Relationship advice?” I said, smiling slightly.
“Yep. Either shag her or tell the poor girl how you feel, but for crying out loud do one or the other.”
“Yeah,” I said, acknowledging the point but not committing.
Bill sat there in silence for a moment and then leaned forward.
“Jack Henderson,” he said softly. “Are you afraid she’s going to reject you?”
“What if she does, Bill?” I asked. “What if the one woman I’ve ever had any real feelings for doesn’t feel the same way?”
“Okay, now you’re scaring me. My oppo doesn’t talk like that.”
“Your oppo has never met anyone like her before,” I replied.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I never thought I’d meet anyone like Helen.”
“Speaking of which,” I said, looking meaningfully at my watch.
“Yep, better go get the light of my life.”
“You gonna be okay on your own?” I asked.
“Oh please, I’m the big, bad vampire hunter,” he said and patted the H&K G36 hung over his shoulder. “Besides, I have Kate to protect me.”
“Your wife know you named your rifle after your first girlfriend?”
“My first girlfriend was called Naomi,” he said. “Kate was the first woman I ever slept with, and if you tell Helen that, I’ll solve all your problems with Marie by ripping your nuts off.”
I snorted laughter and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Get going, big man,” I said. “Give Helen my love and be careful.”
“What could possibly happen?” he scoffed.
“Bill, seriously man,” I said. “Take care. It’s dull and cloudy. Some vamps could still be out.”
His face grew serious when he caught the note in my voice.
“Jack, I’ll be fine, you know me,” he said. “But, look, just in case something happens, there’s something I’ve always wanted to tell you.”
“Anything, bro, you know that.”
He hesitated, trying to find the right words.
“Jack, I love you,” he said, staring into my eyes. “I’ve always loved you. You’re my world. And you have the body of a Greek god—”
I couldn’t help it; I cracked first, bursting into laughter.
“Get the fuck out of here you wanker,” I said
I waved him away and went back inside, still laughing. At the top of the stairs were three doors. Anna and John in the first. B
ill and Helen in the second. Marie in the third. Marie and I.
I would have to be firm on this. I was sleeping on the floor and nothing she could say would change my mind.
So why didn’t I believe that?
I took a deep breath and knocked on the third door.
If you’re familiar with that style of pornography that revolves around scantily clad women holding or firing guns, you have a good idea of what greeted me as the door opened.
Marie was holding her SIG, her elbow bent, the barrel pointed at the ceiling. She was wearing a short black spaghetti-strap top that ended short of her belly-button and a matching pair of string bikini underpants. The top clung to her small, high breasts and clearly outlined her nipples.
I reached out and wrapped my hand around hers, flicking the safety on with my thumb and pulling her hand down until the gun was pointed at my stomach.
“Point the weapon before you open the door,” I said softly. “The extra second you need to bring it down might kill you.”
“I hardly think I’m in danger of vampires in here,” she said doubtfully as she pushed the door open to let me in.
“True, but it might have been some horny pervert come to force his attentions on you,” I said as I walked in.
“But that’s exactly who it was,” she said as she shut the door. “Should I have shot you?”
“Probably not.”
The room only had one bed, a king-sized four-poster with a canopy. Romantic. My bergan was sitting in the corner, my rifle leaning against it.
“It seems our friends have conspired to bring us together,” I said.
“Yeah,” she said, slowly walking towards me. “Seems like they think they know something we don’t. I think they expect something to happen.”
She was smiling and her eyes were sparkling.
“It’s not going to, though, is it?” she asked.
“No,” I said quietly.
She smiled and kissed me.
“You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?” I accused.
“Not a chance.”
She lowered her chin, looking up at me with wide eyes.
“Jack,” she said in a throaty voice. “Fuck me. Fuck me hard.”
“Marie, stop it.”
“I want you inside me, Jack.”
“Stop.”
“Tear my clothes off and take me, Jack,” she whispered.
“Marie!” I growled, a little harsher than I’d intended.
Suddenly she broke up into a fit of giggles.
“Do you have any idea how much fun I could have with you over the next few weeks?” she asked, grinning.
“You little—” I said, laughing.
“You can call me a bitch, Jack,” she said impishly. “In my case it’s true.”
I laughed again. The woman in my arms was intelligent, funny, strong, independent, sexy, and already owned a large part of my heart. Unfortunately she was also a recruit in training under my command.
But there was more. I’d admitted something to Bill that I had barely dared to admit to myself. I didn’t want a one-night-stand with Marie. I wanted more, much more, and I did not want to blow that.
I stepped back.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said.
“Okay,” she said eagerly. “I’ll join you.”
“Marie!” I snapped, trying not to laugh.
“Ohh, it’s kind of a turn on when you say my name like that,” she purred.
“You’re impossible,” I said as I grabbed my bergan and headed for the bathroom.
“I’ll be waiting,” she said teasingly.
CHAPTER
9
A soft breeze chilled the sweat on my skin and I snapped out of my reverie. The afternoon was wearing on and the sun was making its journey down to the horizon. I judged I had a few hours until sunset, but the more powerful—or more cautious—vampires could be out and about before that.
I jogged back towards the inn, my mind made up. The only twinge I had left was how to break the news to Marie.
I didn’t really rush getting back and the sun was low on the horizon by the time I stepped through the door. Picker was already on duty and the biker gave me a cautious nod.
Quigley was waiting for me. He turned and opened his mouth to ask.
“I want operational control,” I said, cutting him off. “Full operational control. No busybodying.”
Quigley looked like he was about to argue, then shut his mouth and nodded.
“I’ll do it,” I said and turned away before he could reply. I had a far greater challenge ahead of me.
I went up the stairs and paused outside our room, taking a deep breath and trying to steady my nerves. I could face a thousand vampires but the thought of causing pain to Marie made my stomach churn.
I opened the door and went in. She was sitting on the end of the bed, watching the TV. She looked up and didn’t even ask.
“You’re going.” she said.
I nodded helplessly.
She sighed and stared at me for a long moment.
“Well,” she said finally, tears welling up in her eyes. “You wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with if you didn’t.”
She stood up and ran to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my chest.
“Damn you, Jack. I swore I wasn’t going to cry.”
I wrapped my arms around her, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.
“You’ll come back, right?” she said, looking up at me.
“I will, I promise,” I said.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she said with a brave smile.
“Oh please,” I said with a dismissive wave. “A couple of vampire Lords? A few dozen of their slaves? You think that’s gonna stop me?”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my head down.
“You better come back, or I’ll come after you,” she said.
Before I could say anything she kissed me and she didn’t let go for a long time.
“Marie,” I said once our lips were apart. It didn’t last; she silenced me with another kiss.
When she finally broke the kiss I opened my mouth to speak and she shook her head.
“Don’t,” she said emphatically. “Don’t you dare reject me tonight.”
“Marie,” I started.
“Don’t. This might be the last time I see you. Don’t push me away.”
“But,” I began again.
“Jack, no buts.”
“Marie, let me—”
“No, Jack. Don’t do this to me. I’ll change and force you,” she said.
I could see the sparkle in her eyes as she said it, and I knew she wasn’t serious. I shut my mouth and looked her in the eye, one brow cocked.
“Okay,” she said with a little laugh. “I didn’t really mean that.”
“I’m all sweaty, Marie,” I said firmly. “I just want a shower before you take liberties with my body.”
Marie gave me a startled look and then laughed a little sheepishly.
“That was a little presumptuous of me, wasn’t it?” she said with a cute little smile.
“Not at all,” I said. “It’s nice to be wanted.”
“Oh, I want you,” she said archly. “And I mean to have you.”
She pulled me into another kiss, deeper and longer, and then suddenly pushed me away.
“You are all sweaty,” she laughed. “Go shower.”
I did as I was told. I had a shave and a shower, and then stood looking at myself in the mirror. What am I? Am I a hero? Am I simply a thirty-something vampire hunter lusting after a beautiful young woman? Could I justify it by saying I’m a man and I have needs?
No, that wasn’t it. Sure, Marie made every nerve in my body jangle with electricity, but it wasn’t just sexual. I did love her, I already knew that.
I looked down my body. He was awake. There’s an old joke that claims men always name their penises
because they don’t want a stranger making all their decisions. Mine never got named, though. It was always simply him, and he was definitely interested. I was pleased to find out that he wasn’t alone. My heart and my head were casting their votes, too.
I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and absently wished, for about the millionth time since quitting, that I had a cigarette. Marie was waiting for me, but there was something at the bottom of my bergan that I wanted to find. It had been a jokey birthday present from Anna and John last year, a pair of black silk boxers with a bright red heart embroidered on one leg. I found the shorts, still in the original box, and slipped them on.
I looked in the mirror, wondering if the shorts were too cheesy. Yeah, I was nervous, believe it or not. Finally I shrugged. She wanted me, not my clothes.
I opened the door and stepped into the room. Marie had spent the time setting the mood. The curtains were closed, the lights were out, and a pair of candles stood on the dresser. I had no idea where she’d found them, but the soft light illuminated her perfectly.
She was sitting on the bed, leaning back against the pillows, her hair tumbling beautifully over her shoulders. She was wearing a slinky camisole that barely covered the top of her thighs. It was black silk with tiny red ribbons down the front.
My heart leapt into my throat. In the entire time I had known her she had never looked more beautiful.
“Nice, very nice,” she said when she saw what I was wearing. “We match. I told you this was meant to be.”
I laughed as I walked to the side of the bed. At that moment all my doubts evaporated. If she could make me laugh and relax me, at this moment, then she was the perfect woman and I wanted her in my life. I wanted to grab on and never let go.
“You get one last chance to back out if you’re having second thoughts,” I said with a smile, confident in her answer.
“Not a chance,” she replied, crooking her finger at me. “Get over here.”
I climbed on the bed and she wrapped one arm around my neck, her other hand trailing down my chest to the waistband of my shorts.
“Leave these on,” she said in a breathy voice.
Pagan (MPRD Book 1) Page 6
