She stood and approached him. “How old are you?”
“Let’s just say I’ve written a few letters with a feather in my time.”
A laugh burst from her. It wrapped around him like a warm blanket. One word came to mind. Home.
“So, the child lived?”
“Her name is Rosie. She’s my mother.”
He watched the play of emotions on her face. She had expressive eyes that he could get lost in.
“And your father?”
“His name is Andrei. He and my mother travel a lot since Helen’s death.” The sting to his gut arrived right on cue. He wondered if he’d ever be able to speak her name without pain.
Ember closed the distance and wrapped her arms around his waist. She touched her lips to a spot right above his heart, then turned her head and laid her face against his chest. “I’m sorry.”
He hugged her back. “I wasn’t there to prevent her death, but I will protect you.” And he would, no matter what he had to do. He’d taken her blood. She belonged to him now.
“Tell me about the Seeker.”
“The first one came into existence after Marco took his revenge on the ones responsible for his wife’s murder. The Seeker single-handedly took out a dozen or so of our women and a few of the men.” Anger rose up, threatening to choke him.
“Why did he go after the women?” He could hear the horror her voice.
“Because it was easier that way. If he killed a female, it would most certainly bring down her mate.”
“Do you mean bring him out in the open?”
“Once one of my kind mates with another, it’s for life—a bond that can’t be broken, not even by death. So if she dies, he usually follows not long after, unless there are children involved. But once the kids are old enough to defend themselves, the last living parent will go underground to sleep for hundreds of years. Most never emerge.”
“How is the Seeker able to kill Vampires? I mean, I’ve seen how fast you are…”
“For years, mates didn’t sleep together if they had children. It made them less vulnerable to rest in two different places, and they changed locations often. If something happened to one, the other would have to survive to take care of the offspring.”
“They are killed in their sleep?”
Angel rested his chin on top of her head and nodded. “The Seekers have turned into some kind of secret organization over the years. We have no idea how many members there are or who heads it up. Some of the ones we have caught actually folded and gave up a name, but then that person would be dead by the time we got to him.”
“How did he know to come after me? And why not just kill me instead of strangling those women?”
“Because your blood is too diluted to bother killing you. His plan all along was to draw me here by using you as bait.”
Ember leaned back and gaped at him. “He wants to kill you?”
Chapter Six
Ember’s mind whirled with information overload. She’d just been told the nightmare she’d lived for the past year had been a series of events meticulously planned by the Seeker in order to kill a Vampire. Before tonight, she never would have believed such beings existed, but a big, tall, fanged one stood in front of her now. “How would he know you would come to me?”
“He was not sure which of us would show. But he has access to the same database that we do. Every bloodline in Vampire history is recorded.”
“How does he have access to the names?
Angel’s expression hardened. “It was taken off one of the elders that the Seeker killed.”
“My family is in danger. We have to warn them.”
“Your parents are safe. They are too old to be of importance.”
“I don’t understand.”
“They can’t procreate, and their blood is too diluted. The Seeker hoped one of the purebloods would come if he dangled you in front of us. It was his way of saying I am here. Come and get me.”
She reared back and searched his face.” But your grandmother was human. “
“Yes. And my grandfather was an elder with royal bloodlines.”
“Royalty? How?”
“He’s a descendent of Vlad the Imapler. Also known as—“
“Dracula,” Ember breathed.
“It’s a lot to take in, I know.”
“So, all the stories are true?”
Angel laughed softy. “Some of them, yes.”
“So, a stake to the heart can kill you?”
“Many things can if we can’t replenish fast enough.”
“Replenish? Meaning, blood.”
“Exactly.
I have to warn my cousin, Shon.”
“You can’t leave here until the Seeker is caught.”
Surely she’d heard him wrong. “I have to return to my job. I worked for years to get that promotion. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you, and I didn’t kiss anyone’s ass to get there.”
He gripped her shoulders. “There is a good possibility the Seeker is employed with the newspaper company or has someone planted there. It’s not safe.”
“But you said yourself it’s not me he wants, and he doesn’t know what you look like.”
“He’s already taken the lives of several women. Just because he hasn’t killed you yet doesn’t mean he won’t. If he grows tired of waiting, he may just do it to lure me out in the open.”
Ember’s stomach dropped. “How are we going to stop him?”
“We aren’t doing anything. You’re going to get some sleep before you end up sick, and I’m going to make some calls.” He gently backed her toward the bed.
We’ll just see about that. “Are you staying in tonight?”
“I’m going to be your shadow until this lunatic is caught.” He pulled back the covers.
Ember divested herself of the borrowed robe and climbed into Angel’s big bed. “I have to go to the station in the morning to make a statement.”
His jaw tensed. “Call the detective and tell him you won’t be in until tomorrow evening.”
“If I do that, he will likely show up at my place again. Or Laura will. Angel, I can’t avoid work.”
“You have to. Now get some rest while I make some calls.” He kissed her on the forehead after tucking her in, and then left the room.
She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the images of the innocent women in those photographs. They had lost their lives because of her, to make it appear she was being stalked by a man they’d dubbed the Watcher. The Seeker knew once the media learned of Ember being targeted, it would only be a matter of time before the Vampires descended. And they’d played right into his hands.
Ember ran her tongue over her teeth, thinking about fangs, blood, and Angel. Her skeptical side wanted to balk at the idea that Vampires existed, but she’d seen the evidence, had experienced it firsthand. If someone had told her yesterday that she would be drinking blood fresh from a vein, she would have laughed in that person’s face after gagging first. But she’d not only done it, she’d enjoyed it. Hell, she wanted to do it again. She rolled over onto her side with a jaw-popping yawn. The last thought she had before sleep claimed her was how she was going to keep all this from Laura.
* * * *
Ember stretched while cracking open an eye. The room was still dark, telling her she had longer to sleep. A full bladder coupled with a dry mouth ruined that idea for her. She threw a leg over the side of the bed and sat up. Remembering her nude status, she snagged the robe lying across the nightstand.
Looking down, she noticed Angel sleeping peacefully on his back. He was so beautiful it sent her heart racing. With one last lustful look, she trudged off to the bathroom. The tile floor felt cold to her feet as she hurried to take care of her needs.
Once her hands were washed, she crept into the kitchen for a drink. The water helped to moisten her parched throat, but she couldn’t seem to get enough.
The clock on the wall read five minutes after seven in the morning. It c
an’t be that late. It’s still dark. It occurred to her that Angel had blackouts on the windows to keep the sun from coming in. The whole Vampire thing seemed surreal.
Ember needed to go home. She had to meet Laura at the sheriff’s department in less than an hour to give her statement. She was also determined not to lose her job, and that meant getting it in gear and showing up. She felt sure she would be fairly safe in a building full of people in broad daylight. Angel was going to be furious with her, but she’d deal with that when the time came.
With a made-up mind, she tiptoed back to the bedroom. She’d have to leave through the sliding door since he’d brought her in that way. Once again she wouldn’t be able to get inside her condo by the front entrance. I really must start carrying a key on my person.
He hadn’t moved, and she doubted he would until the sun set. She eased to the side of the bed and leaned over him, letting her lips hover over his briefly. Feelings rushed to the surface that couldn’t be denied. She was in love with a man she’d known less than three days.
“Angel?” He didn’t stir, so she softly brushed her lips against his. “I love you.”
She straightened and exited the room.
* * * *
Ember’s whispered confession floored Angel. Had he been standing, those three words would have taken him to his knees. She had no idea what it meant to hear it fall from her lips. And he was trapped inside himself, helpless to respond.
The sound of the glass door sliding open, swiftly replaced his euphoria with panic. He had forbidden her to leave, and damned if she hadn’t done just that. He wanted to howl in frustration. Ember!
* * * *
The parking lot of the sheriff’s department was full when Ember arrived, leaving her no choice but to pull in across the street at the courthouse. She slipped a pair of sunglasses on and climbed out, locking her car doors behind her.
Traffic zoomed by in a flurry of color and mayhem. It seemed everyone was in a hurry to be somewhere, including her. She glanced at her watch and pressed the button at the crosswalk. She was more than twenty minutes late.
The signal changed shortly after, indicating she could proceed without being run down by oncoming cars. She broke into a jog to make up time and nearly twisted an ankle on the opposite sidewalk. “Damn it.”
By the time she reached the building, she was winded and moderately agitated. At least she’d had the good sense not to wear heels. She pulled open the door and practically ran into a disgruntled Laura.
“There you are. I was just heading out to call you. I’ve been worried sick about you, and Clay is fit to be tied.”
“I’m sorry: I got stuck in traffic, then I had to park across the street and wait for the light to change. I so need coffee.”
“Me too. Come on, he’s waiting for us.” Laura took the lead, striding off down a long hallway, the clicking of her heels echoing off the concrete walls.
Ember followed close behind. “I need to call Barry and explain why I’m going to be late for work.”
Laura glanced back without slowing. “I’ve already spoken with him. I told him we were taking your car in for service, and I would be giving you a ride.”
Relief poured through Ember. The less that people knew of the situation, the better. Especially her boss.
She could hear the murmur of voices over the ringing of phones as they passed several open doors along the way. A picture of the sheriff hung off-center on the hallway wall. Directly below his unsmiling face, a slogan read, DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME.
Ember thought of Carnley sitting in prison. She wondered how he’d been so careless as to leave behind evidence at the crime scene. Was he a Seeker also, or a distraction to throw the cops off the trail of the real Seeker?
Ember was so lost in her thoughts, she nearly ran into Laura when the blonde suddenly stopped in front of Detective Harper’s door.
“You ready?” The blonde raised an eyebrow and gripped the knob before tapping lightly with her knuckles.
“Not really, but we’re here.”
“Come in.” The bark of Clay’s voice spoke volumes about his mood.
The first thing Ember noticed upon entering the office was the detective’s appearance. His hair stood out in places as if he’d run a hand through it one too many times, and he sported a five-o’clock shadow on his usually clean-shaven face.
He gestured toward two chairs positioned in front of his desk. “Have a seat, ladies. I’ll be right with you.”
Chapter Seven
Wait, why did I agree to this again?
The heat was sweltering as Ember unlocked her car and got behind the wheel. Turning on the ignition, she cranked up the life saving air-conditioning. She wasn’t thrilled about the deputy waiting for her to back out, but Clay had insisted she have a tail.
The meeting with the detective hadn’t gone as smoothly as she would’ve liked. Clay wasn’t happy she’d kept the note from him, and had voiced his feelings on the matter more than once. Both women received the third degree with orders to be careful and call immediately if anything else surfaced. Clay had also issued police protection for the two of them.
Ember waved to the deputy sent to follow her, and left the parking lot. He stayed close behind as she drove to work in a jumble of mixed emotions. In the last three days, she’d received the pictures, met the sexy Angel, had someone break into her office, discovered the folder in Angel’s kitchen, had the best sex of her life, and found out Vampires really existed. And to top it all off, she carried Vampire blood herself. Yeah, she was teetering on the brink of insanity.
Ember took a deep breath as she pulled in to her usual spot, gathered her things, and exited the vehicle.
The deputy parked next to her and climbed out of his car. “After you, ma’am.”
“You’re coming in with me?”
“Detective Harper ordered me to check your office before you go in.”
“Great. I really don’t want anyone at work knowing about this.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Ember nodded and strolled to the back entrance with the deputy in tow.
“Wait.” He stepped around her, eased the door open, and poked his head inside. Obviously satisfied there wasn’t a threat, he marched over the threshold.
“Excuse me.” She glanced at his name tag. “Ted? This really isn’t necessary. It’s broad daylight, and I highly doubt anyone’s going to slaughter me in the elevator. I can take it from here.”
His chin jutted out. “But Detective Harper—”
“I know what the detective said, but I have the right to refuse. If you’ll give me your number, I will call you as soon as I go inside and get settled.” Ember wasn’t about to have to explain his presence to her boss—or anyone else for that matter. She was already going to be on Angel’s shit list; she might as well kill two birds with one stone and jump on Clay’s also. Besides, she had some snooping to do and didn’t need any added attention.
Ted rattled off his number, which she promptly programmed into her phone.
“Thank you, Ted.” She breezed by him and boarded the elevator.
It lifted with a lurch, stopping on the second floor with a ding. Ember stepped forward as the doors slid open, and came face-to-face with the janitor, Frank. He stared back at her without expression, making her feel like a trapped animal.
“Excuse me.” She was sure he could hear the fear in her voice.
Pushing past him, Ember practically ran the rest of the way to her office, glancing back periodically to see if he followed. Once inside, she shut the door and leaned against it. The thought that Frank might have been waiting at that elevator for her made her skin crawl. I’m overreacting.
Ember straightened and strolled over to her desk, dropping her things on top before taking a seat to call the deputy.
He picked up before a full ring sounded. “Ted.”
“Everything is fine.” She quickly checked the bathroom while she had him on the phone. “No
sign of an intruder. I’ll call you if I have any problems.”
“I’ll be right outside until my shift change.”
She felt a little relieved to know he would be close. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Miss Wells?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”
“I will.” She ended the call and went back to her desk to open her laptop. She needed answers, and she needed them fast.
A few minutes later, Laura barreled in without knocking. “Well, that was a cluster fuck.”
“What was?”
“Everything. From the trip to the station to the deputy who tried to ride my back all the way here. Shall I go on?”
“Not necessary. We are in the same canoe, you and me. Grab an oar.”
“Why didn’t you tell the detective about the pictures?”
Ember couldn’t tell her about the Seeker or Angel’s involvement. It would only raise more questions she wasn’t ready to answer. “Because I would be willing to bet the farm it’s a coworker trying to scare me. That same person obviously left the notes also. I hate that Clay is involved.”
“Because of your promotion? Yeah, I’d thought of that. I still keep thinking Alan, since you snubbed his advances, not to mention he wanted the job you ended up with.”
“You may be right. He has been acting strange lately.”
“Since you became lead photojournalist.”
She ran a hand down her face. “Yeah, I guess so. I need some water.” She was suddenly thirsty enough to suck a lake dry through a straw.
“You look like shit. I’ll get you a drink.” Laura grabbed a bottled water from the mini-fridge Ember kept next to the bathroom, and tossed it to her.
“Thanks.” Ember twisted off the cap and took great gulps of the cool liquid, draining it in seconds. “Can you grab me another?”
“Wow. Are you okay?” Laura retrieved a second bottle for her.
“I’m not feeling so well.” She finished the second one off as quickly as the first.
“Do you need to go home? I can make an excuse for you.”
“Thanks, but I have too much to do.”
“I have a meeting in twenty minutes. Text me if you need me.”
Ember (The Seeker Series Book 1) Page 8
