“There’s a fireplace in the lobby. It’s the closest one.”
Rafe retrieves Ivan’s discarded clothing. “Here, Drew. Wrap the heart in these. Let’s get rid of all of it.”
Rafe walks Drew out to handle the fire while I’m left staring at the beheaded corpse.
“There won’t be enough daylight to fry the corpse until spring.” I scratch my head, weary from the past two days, weary to my bones. “Asa, can you drag yourself from Joanna long enough to help?”
Asa jumps like I’ve stung him with a cattle prod.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jon snorts and turns it into a cough, trying not to laugh out right at Asa’s reaction.
“Haul the remains out front. We’re going to have us a bonfire on the driveway. Oh, and go around the wing, will you—not through the lobby? I’d rather not get any blood in there.”
Asa bends to his assigned task, so I turn to face the towel-hipped Jonathan.
“Can you start calling all of our people up and get them to spread the word? I’ll call the rest of the hunters in.”
“Don’t bother,” Liam calls out from the doorway. He’s standing with Antonio and Salvador. “We heard gunfire and ran right over. Once we saw you all had it under control, we stayed back to let Drew have the kill.”
Liam pats Asa heartily on the back as he walks by carrying the headless corpse in his arms, the severed head piled on top.
“What a fine way to spend a vacation,” he says with a big grin. “I can’t tell you when I last had so much fun.”
The charred smell of a burning heart and bloody clothes in the fireplace apparently make the others think party. I’m not sure how it happens exactly, but before I could say boo, the lobby had filled with the people coming upstairs from the basement.
Warm hugs and loud, life-affirming kisses could be heard through the vast space. The giddy high associated with surviving a terrible event, seems quite prevalent here tonight. Laughs come out a little too loud, a little too quickly. Word of the bonfire spreads and as Dr. Cook mills around, checking for signs of shock, some industrious soul has set up a buffet table for the enjoyment of those who can still eat.
But still, I feel like all that’s happened is rather surreal. The retelling of “the hunt,” as they’re starting to call it, has begun. Sal’s role in flushing Ivan to the main building has become a thing of legend. Liam’s brave part, flying around as a cloud, sounds a bit like an intelligence-gathering mission against large enemy forces.
Jet, on the prowl in wolf form, is accredited, by his own account, with knowing exactly where the killer was at all times. Antonio receives claps on the back in thanks from the families he and the wolf-dogs helped to protect. Joanna and Drew are the stars of the event, each having played an equally crucial part in stopping the killer. One in acting as bait, and the other in implementing the iron hand of justice.
Note, I didn’t say “of the law.” The law has no place here in Alaska on our resort for the undead. But justice—yes, justice—will always prevail.
No one knows of my involvement with orchestrating Joanna’s part in it all, except for Rafe. I can never hide anything from him, so I don’t bother trying. I’m off lurking in a corner, near the entrance to the dining room, with Rafe by my side. This is one time where I have no desire to seek the limelight. The events of the last two days have left me drained. All I want is to curl up in a hot tub with my man by my side.
Seeing Bunny and her children across the room reminds me of Paul. I need to find out the results of that talk Jon had with her. The arrogant werewolf is still wearing only his towel. If it keeps slipping lower on his hips, we may have an orgy in here soon. I motion him over to ask about Bunny.
“You need to get some clothes on.” I can’t help but smile when I say it.
His thick wrestler’s body is stocky and powerful. He wears that towel like a toga any Olympic athlete would be proud to wear. If my heightened senses can pick up the pheromones he’s kicking off, making me think of hot wrestlers and athletes, then you can damn well bet all the others can to.
“Is that really why you called me over here, Dria?” Jon purrs my real name out of earshot of the other employees. His golden-hazel eyes move from me to linger on Rafe. “Or is it because you and Rafe decided to finally beg me for a threesome?”
Familiar warmth pools low in my middle. It’s dangerously close to spilling over to my pussy and lighting it on fire. Rafe throws his head back and barks out a loud laugh, helping to break some of the spell.
“The day I need more than my dick in my wife, will be the day I’m dead.” Rafe’s laughter abruptly cuts off. His next words come out low and deadly. “And since I plan on killing you with my dying breath, we can guarantee it won’t be your dick in her either.” Rafe brings his voice back up to almost normal. “Why don’t you put some clothes on and stop teasing the whole damn room. There are children in here, for God’s sake.”
He sighs, letting out the rest of his anger. “If you’d rather consider it an order from your boss, then do it. But seriously man, you need to get clothes on, quick.”
“For you, boss,” Jon winks cheekily at us both, “no problem.”
He turns, heading into the north wing where the gym has some workout clothes available for the guests. Letting his towel slip down as he goes—until it drops to the floor in the carpeted hall and his bare ass is revealed to the whole room.
I project out a wave of calm, smoothing over the hot, boiling waters that churn up at the sexy werewolf’s exit.
Damn the furry bastard!
It sure as hell doesn’t help that Jon’s got a fine ass, not to mention that I was just checking it out with my husband right next to me. Ugh, not good. Thank God, Rafe isn’t the jealous type.
“How can I fault you, my love,” Rafe whispers next to my ear. “When I too am drawn into the same web he weaves. It’s his nature.” He kisses my temple. “We need to find him a mate.”
I know, hon, I know.
The bigger problem is who you will allow next to him and thus next to you?
I shake my head in answer, no desire to voice my own fears, even if it’s only in my mind. Sharing Jon will be the hardest thing I’ve had to do in nearly a hundred years.
The night I turned away from a young, teenaged Rafe, still ranks as the hardest. I left him in his mother’s secret yoga studio to spare him from a future with me. Little did I know the strength of his will at that point. I often wonder if it was the fates that brought us together, or just some cruel, cosmic joke. I’ll never know for sure and I don’t care either.
I hope Jon hurries back soon. I don’t think I can take Joanna’s gaze on me from across the room much longer without some kind of a diversion.
Crap. She’s got that puppy-dog-adoring-look going on. I tried to take very little blood from her to avoid this. I won’t have this problem with Asa because I didn’t move in and camp out in his head for several hours.
If I could have known when Ivan would break in, I could have timed it better… But come on, there is no way I could have known that. I think I’m going to have to talk to her.
Fuck me ten ways to Tuesday! Why now? I’m tired. That’s borderline PMS human behavior for me.
Joanna gets up from the chair she was in, heading our way.
I reach out in a silent plea to Rafe to save me. Don’t let this go on longer than a minute or so, okay?
Yes, dear.
I don’t need to turn to see his smile. It came through loud and clear.
“Hi, Vivian.” Joanna sounds tired too. Good.
She doesn’t know I literally held her mind in my hand. The same hand she so calmly holds between both of hers right now. Rolling a fellow vampire without their consent, while very rare and hard to do, is a crime still decreed by the ancients to be punishable by death.
I let Joanna know everything that happened, exactly when it happened, letting her think it was herself running that situation and not me controlling her
. She walked away feeling very brave and proud of what she accomplished. Unfortunately, she also feels an exceptionally strong connection to me she can’t explain away easily in her subconscious.
Damn. This is a bad week.
“Hey, Joanna. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good. Feeling really solid right now. Does that sound odd?” She gives me a soft, calm smile.
She had a good bit of my blood, maybe two ounces. I bet she feels great.
“Nah, no worries, Viv. I’m right as rain. Even better, I swear.”
“Well, that’s good, love.”
I look frantically toward the north wing, hoping for some kind of reprieve. There. I see gray sweats.
“Sorry. I’m in the middle of a meeting,” I nod my head at Jon. “We can talk later, ‘kay?”
Coward. Rafe’s liquid voice stirs up what didn’t quiet with Jon leaving the room. I feel my panties getting damp. Something I never expected tonight, that’s for sure.
“Sure,” Joanna replies. She reaches out, to grab my left hand, now holding both of mine in an earnest grip. “I’d like to stay after Liam returns to Europe. May I?”
Criminy! Another one who wants to stay here. What the hell is this? A boarding house for the chronically lost, damaged and undead or a damn hotel? Maybe I’m not a big enough bitch. Why do they all want to come play in my sandbox?
Because, you throw a damn good party, Rafe inserts smoothly. Now buck up and be nice to the young woman. It won’t kill you.
Jon arrives at that second. The biggest, fakest smile I can muster on short notice comes blazing out for Joanna.
“How about we talk about it tomorrow. Okay, Joanna?”
“That’s fine.” She lets go of my hands.
Finally. That was getting creepy.
“I’ll see you later.” Joanna leans forward, kisses one of my cheeks, and swings across to kiss the other in quick succession.
I don’t think I can handle more vampires here on a permanent basis. Truly, I don’t.
“You done teasing,” Jon, who apparently only has eyes for Rafe and I tonight, glances after the statuesque blond like she was wearing a garbage bag, “and flirting for the night?” He decides to live dangerously and continue in the same taunting tone. “Or do you want to hear what Bunny said to do with Paul?”
Chapter Twenty-nine
“Well, of course I want to know what happened, you ass.” I hold back from smacking him, but barely. Does he think I enjoy this crap?
Get it out, I command into Jon’s mind. Before I yank it out.
Jon does a funny imitation of a crack addict for a second. His arms flail like a fool at the voice sounding in his head, his eyes go round, and his body gives a sharp jerk before he can quiet his reaction.
“Holy shit. That part was real, huh?” For the first time all night, I feel him pull his aura of sex back in. “I’m sorry. Real sorry if you, um… read things… that I… um.”
The room’s overall tension level returns to the excited happy state it was in right after the danger passed. I nod in understanding because I did see a lot of things he may not have wanted me to see.
“Part of me thought I imagined that portion,” he continues. “How long have you been able to talk in my head?”
“Seven years.” I let out a tired sigh upon seeing the hope flare in his eyes. “From the moment I first fed from you. I only opened the connection now out of necessity. I will sever the link tonight while you sleep.”
Jon’s carefree armor firmly back in place, he gives me a crooked smile. “Don’t go rushing to cut the link on my account. I’m always open to any nasty little thoughts you might want to share.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I smile at the handsome man. “Back to business. What’s the verdict with Bunny and Paul?”
Cheering near the front windows reaches a crescendo and firelight spills in from outside. The bonfire, with Ivan’s body and head, roars to life on the driveway. Why does no one but the ex-enforcer in the room think this is freaky?
Let it go, liebling… Rafe pushes out with his calm, soothing my mind in a gentle touch. They need to do this to put an end to the horror of the last day.
Jon turns back to face us once the initial bloodthirsty cheer dies down.
“Bunny said she will accept Paul into their lives after you vouch for his control over his bloodlust.”
“Good. I couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.”
It will be a lot of work to train him, so yes, I could have hoped for an easier solution. Easier, would be if she’d said no and I killed him. Not good for Paul, but easy for me.
“Where is Paul, right now?” Jon asks.
Rafe responds, aware I’m complaining in my own mind and leaving me to it. “Asa carried him down to the basement right after the change. He’s still out cold.”
Jon grunts in acknowledgement. “Asa turned out to be pretty handy with a gun at the end. That’s a hard shot to make with silver bullets.” His face turns speculative at the mention of the silver. “How do you think he did it?”
“I think,” I answer, nodding in Asa’s direction by the fireplace, “that he has the beginnings of telekinesis. Silver bullets are highly inaccurate over any distance. Asa’s talent manifests right now in his ability to control exactly where his shots land—with pinpoint accuracy.”
Jon lets out a low whistle.
“Do you think we need to be worried?”
“No. I think he’s loyal and will remain that way.”
Rafe grips my shoulder tight in agreement. “Asa’s a good guy. He’ll be here to stay.”
“For how long?” Jon asks.
Damn, he always has to push.
I look him dead in the eyes, allowing no emotion to show. “Until I say he can leave. Or until he dies.”
Jon’s hands come up in a stop gesture. “Okay, queen bitch. I was just asking.”
With that parting shot, Jon turns on his heel and leaves us.
He worries about sharing you. With only one rival for your affections, he sits firmly in the second spot. Adding more men riles his wolf.
There is only one spot. It’s you. I turn to face my lover, wrapping my arms around his neck as I lean in to kiss him. Asa as well as all the other newcomers in the seethe will all need to know that. My lips brush Rafe’s in a gentle expression of love.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Sal’s smooth tenor pulls me out of our tender moment.
Yeah, I bet he’s sorry.
Later, my love, we’ll be alone soon.
Rafe uncoils my arms from him, turning me to face Sal. He knows I need the nudge. I’m so tired—I’d gratefully have ignored the old vampire.
“Yes? What can I help you with?” My smooth innkeeper voice reveals none of my true feelings.
“I’d like to arrange the transport of John Pierre back to Washington. He has family and friends who will need a proper burial to say goodbye.”
“The front desk can handle all the details. It will be done in time for your departure tomorrow.”
“About that—do you think we can stay a bit longer?” Salvador asks. “This trip has been exactly what Theresa and I needed.”
“I think we can arrange something. Please check with Miranda, she’ll make sure we can accommodate your party.”
“Thanks, Vivian.” A true smile lights the vampire’s face. “Your properties have always been breathtaking, but this place is a gem.”
I nod my head in thanks and he moves on to confirm his plans with Miranda at the front desk. My body sags back against Rafe. His arms come up to wrap around me in a comforting hug.
Loud cheers start again as Jerry walks into the lobby from the north wing. He must have entered through the back door and then made his way up here where all the noise is. Jerry gets the hero’s welcome he deserves. Hearty claps on the back and a mug of beer thrust in his hand within thirty seconds of arrival.
I need to get out of here. Think they’ll survive if we ditch out?
/> Rafe leans down to place a soft kiss on the back of my head. I don’t think they’ll notice we’re gone.
We slip into the dining room and head through the small commercial kitchen. The door to our private quarters stands open. We walk in, closing the door behind us, and start to strip. My sodden clothes fall to the floor as I make my way to the back door in our kitchenette.
All I want is to relax in a hot tub right now. You game, baby?
Rafe’s hard, calloused hand cups my bare bottom as I reach to open the door. When do I ever deny you anything?
The cold, harsh air slams into both of us. Whew! Nothing like an Arctic wind to wake you up!
Race you!
Rafe’s muscular form flies past me, bumping me slightly in his haste to get by. I step out from the shelter of the building on to the asphalt walkway. I have no desire to race him. Besides, if he gets there first, he’ll have to open the cover while standing there buck naked in the cold. Silly man.
Steam rises off the water, leaving a vapor cloud to hang above the tub. I catch sight of Rafe’s powerful thighs flexing in a jump as he leaps into the tub.
“Damn! It burns when you’re in the cold for too long.”
“Too true.”
With languid movements, I mount the short steps to enter the spa. I sit on the side to swing my legs over.
“Why do you get in so slow?” Rafe asks. “The burn in your toes has got to be killer.”
“On the contrary,” I state as I slide one foot into the hundred-degree water. The ensuing burn from being in the cold before plunging in sends shockwaves of pain coursing up my foot. “It reminds me that I’m not dead. If I never truly died when I turned, what did I become?”
This is a conversation we’ve had before. One that neither of us has a definitive answer for, but one we speculate on now and then. Vampires can die—as the dear departed burning Ivan is proof of—so we are not immortal. Perhaps semi-immortal would be a better term.
I lower my second foot into the hot water. Relishing the pain like a confirmation in my mind. I feel alive, therefore I am. I never died, so my soul remains intact. I will be judged by all of the actions in my life, not only by the bodies I have left behind me. This is what I believe—it is the mantra I hold to my heart as the hot water surrounds me.
Vampire Vacation (The V V Inn) Page 27
