Holiday with a Vampire 4: Halfway to DawnThe GiftBright Star (Harlequin Nocturne)

by Susan Krinard

Kane was gone. But it wasn’t only his absence that told her that something was terribly wrong.

  She scrambled to her feet and checked her weapons. The rifle was still propped against the crates, her sidearm within easy reach. She holstered the gun, shouldered the rifle and started toward the hangar door at a run.

  The shouting stopped her in her tracks a few feet from the entrance.

  She knew the voice: Joel Goodman’s. Her heart clenched.

  No. Whatever he’d done, he was the only hope the ambassador had of reaching Sacramento. He would have no reason to try to save her, much less Kane. If anything happened to the senator because of her...

  Where in God’s name was Kane?

  More shouts, more voices she recognized. She ran half-crouched out the door and flattened herself into the snow just outside, preparing to fire. She could see a half-dozen Nightsiders—there had to be more out of sight—and three of her own soldiers facing them from the west.

  The Opiri leader had removed his helmet, and she could just make out his pale, craggy face. No one was moving. Lights bobbed in the air behind the human soldiers, and she could see—reinforcements, God knew how many.

  If she had been less of a soldier, she might have wept. For her own foolishness, for her people, for the senator and the peace he might have brought.

  For Kane.

  But Kane was there, too, standing between her and the Opiri troops. What in hell was he hoping to accomplish? He would be caught in the cross fire, and even a vampire couldn’t survive a hail of bullets from every side.

  She stood up, shaking the snow from her fatigues. The Opiri nearest Kane saw her and aimed their weapons. She threw her rifle aside.

  “Captain!” Goodman’s voice called. “Are you all right?”

  Fiona advanced slowly, arms raised, to stand beside Kane. “Commander,” she called, “go back. Retreat.”

  “I think it is too late for that now,” the Opiri leader said. He gestured at Kane with his rifle. “You see, we anticipated the arrival of your underlings. They are now surrounded by my troops.”

  “You think we’re that stupid, bloodsucker?” Goodman shouted. “We have a soldier for every one of yours, and two of yours are already dead. All we have to do is wait until sunrise. I’d say you’ve got about half an hour. Your suits may buy you a little more time, but all we have to do is pin you down and wait for them to fail.”

  “Then we will all die,” the Opiri leader said, “my troops and yours. But others will come after us to find your so-called ambassador, no matter where you have hidden him.”

  “If you think you can stop negotiations,” Kane said, “you’re wrong. Even if you kill or capture this ambassador, those on your side who favor peace will eventually succeed. Too many want an end to this war.”

  “He’s right.” Senator Sandoval stepped into the blaze of the lights, hands raised. “You can kill me, but your victory will be temporary.”

  Ignoring the Nightsider guns, Fiona turned to the ambassador. “Why did you come?” she asked. “Why did any of you come?”

  “He insisted,” Goodman said, a strange note in his voice.

  “No,” Sandoval said. “The commander said he would go after you alone. I refused to let him.”

  Fiona closed her eyes. In the end, Goodman had remembered his honor, but at a terrible price.

  “Not for my sake,” she whispered.

  Kane took her hand. “Your senator wouldn’t trade even a single life for his,” he said. “He once told me he knew there would be sacrifices to achieve a lasting peace, but I think he believes that peace cannot be bought with more death.” He squuezed Fiona’s hand and met the Nightsider’s gaze. “I would say that’s the difference between your kind—my kind—and humans. But I believe there are some Opiri who haven’t forgotten.”

  The leader was quiet for a long time, staring at Kane with a quizzical expression on his angular face.

  “I am curious,” he said at last, “whether you would give yourself to us without struggle and make no attempt to escape should I promise to let your human friends go.”

  Kane must have known that the Nightsider was merely playing a game, but he answered without hesitation. “Yes,” he said.

  “Even though you know you will suffer a painful death?”

  “Yes.”

  “Would you sacrifice this female for the ambassador?”

  “Yes,” Fiona said. “He would.”

  Kane looked at her. “No. Never.”

  “You would do it,” she said, gazing into his eyes, “because you fight for more than your own freedom. Because you are a soldier. Because you believe in what the ambassador is trying to achieve.” She faced the Opiri leader again. “A friend told me a story about a war when his soldiers and the enemy came together on Christmas Day in the name of peace...because they recognized their common humanity.”

  “We are not human,” the leader said.

  “But you were once. Maybe you remember, too.”

  The Nightsider stiffened. “You presume too much. Just because Kane and I—” He broke off, but Fiona knew he’d been about to say something important. Possibly something that could save all their lives.

  “You what?” she demanded.

  “He and I faced each other across that battlefield on Christmas Day,” Kane said. “As I recall, I gave him chocolate, and he gave me a pack of cigarettes.” He looked into the Nightsider’s dark blue eyes. “You know my name. It seems only right that I should know yours before we finish this.”

  “There can be only one end,” the Opir said.

  “Victory for one side and humiliating defeat for the other?” Kane asked. “Or an endless stalemate until no one is left to fight?” He took a step toward the leader. “Neither you nor I saw the end of that war. But we can help put an end to this one. Not just a truce for this single day, but an armistice that will let us all, human and Opiri, share this world in peace.”

  The hush was profound, as if the whole world were holding its breath. The first blush of dawn lightened the sky over the hills to the west.

  Slowly the Opiri leader removed his right glove. His hand was pale, fine-boned, like that of a man who might play the violin or caress the fragile pages of antiquarian books.

  “Von Grunwald,” the leader said. “My name was Leutnant Hermann von Grunwald.”

  He offered his hand. Kane took it.

  “Jonathon Kane,” he said. “Lieutenant, British Expeditionary Force.”

  “American,” von Grunwald said. “You joined the fight before your countrymen.”

  “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.”

  “And this female?”

  “Captain Fiona Donnelly, Enclave Special Forces.”

  Fiona felt something change in the air, a subtle shift from open hostility to a sense of...not friendliness, but acceptance.

  It felt like hope.

  “We lost much in the War,” von Grunwald said, dropping Kane’s hand. “More than our humanity.”

  “Yes,” Kane said. “The future we could have had.”

  “True death, too,” the Nightsider said. “But that, at least, would have been honorable.”

  “We can still find our honor again,” Kane said.

  Von Grunwald glanced at Fiona. “You truly care for this woman?”

  “I love her.”

  The German smiled sadly. “You are fortunate. She is most extraordinary.”

  “Dekarchos!” one of von Grunwald’s Opiri said. “It’s nearly dawn.”

  Looking toward the east, von Grunwald nodded. “It is true that we could fight in daylight, for a while. But it seems those we sought have disappeared.” He sighed and tugged his glove back on. “We will have to return empty-handed.”

  Fiona could hardly believe what she’d heard. Were the Nightsiders giving them up?

  “The ambassador?” Fiona asked.

  “He escaped us.” Grunwald signaled to his men, who began to fall back. “So, alas, has the rogue
vassal we hoped to locate.”

  Kane inclined his head. “If your lord finds out what you’ve done,” he said, “you’ll suffer for it. I’m still prepared to go with you.”

  “No!” Fiona said.

  “It is not necessary,” von Grunwald said. He shrugged. “We are very good at what we do. The Bloodmasters and Bloodlords can hardly afford to kill every vassal or Freeblood who displeases them. And perhaps, I, too, have not forgotten what it is to have free will. And honor.”

  Joel Goodman and his men rose from their defensive positions and moved toward the Opiri with lowered guns. Fiona immediately saw that Goodman was carrying the VS120.

  “What is this, Captain?” Goodman asked. “Did you authorize a cease-fire?”

  “I’m doing it now,” Fiona said, facing him. “There will be no fight today. The ambassador is safe.”

  Goodman stared at von Grunwald. “Why should we trust them?”

  “Because they could have killed us, and they didn’t,” she said. “We will continue north to Sacramento.”

  “And we will continue looking for our elusive prey,” von Grunwald said with an ironic lift of one eyebrow. He pulled on his helmet. “Auf wiedersehen, Lieutenant. I hope you succeed in winning your freedom.” He bowed to Fiona and clicked his heels. “Hauptmannin.”

  He signaled his men again, and they began to retreat, backing away from Fiona’s troops.

  Suddenly Goodman moved, aiming the Vampire Slayer at von Grunwald. Before she could move to stop him, Kane flung himself in front of the Nightsider.

  “Kane!” Fiona shouted. She tried to push him out of the way. “Goodman! Joel! Stand down! Remember what we’re fighting for!”

  Everything stopped. The rest of Fiona’s troops had moved into position behind Joel. Von Grunwald’s scouts aimed their own weapons more quickly than Fiona’s human sight could follow.

  Senator Sandoval walked up fearlessly behind Joel and laid his hand on the commander’s shoulder. “We have all lost too much in this war,” he said. “Let there be no more pain, no more sorrow. On this day of all days, let us be at peace.”

  “Joel,” Fiona said softly. “Will you be the one who destroys that peace?”

  Slowly Goodman lowered the VS120. In the growing light of dawn, she could just make out his features through his visor. His face was racked with pain, shame and the memory of losses he had never quite put behind him.

  “Peace,” he said in a broken voice. He threw his weapon to the ground and looked at Fiona. “I betrayed you,” he said. “Captain, I wasn’t right in my head. All I could think of—” He broke off. “There are no excuses.” He came to attention. “I stand ready to face a court-martial when we return to the Enclave.”

  She went to him, stepping around the VS. “We’ll deal with that when we come to it,” she said. “Right now we still have work to do.”

  He bowed his head. She heard a faint sound behind her and turned. The Opiri were melting away like winter fog, retreating to the shelter of the hangar while their long shadows stretched over the pink-tinged snow.

  And then they were gone.

  Kane joined her, hovering protectively behind her as if he expected Goodman to threaten her again.

  Goodman looked over her shoulder at Kane. “What I did...” he began.

  “Your captain has accepted your apology,” Kane said. “But never threaten her again.”

  “No,” Goodman said. “No.”

  Kane nodded and followed Fiona as she went to meet the senator. “That was very foolish of you, sir,” she said sternly.

  “I know it,” Sandoval said with an apologetic smile, “but I’m glad I came. I witnessed something extraordinary today.”

  “Because of Kane,” Fiona said, reaching behind her for Kane’s hand.

  “No, Fiona,” Kane said. “Because of you.”

  “You gonna keep thankin’ each other,” Alfie said from the direction of the hangar, “or d’ya think a poor body could get a li’l rest?”

  Kane and Fiona turned to see Alfie wading toward them through the snow, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Alfie,” Kane said, grabbing his friend’s arms and giving him a shake. “Where the hell were you?”

  “Keepin’ a bead on the Hun,” Alfie said. “Just in case ’e decided ’e wanted ta take you along with him.”

  “But he didn’t,” Kane said, releasing the other man.

  “Just like the Truce all over again,” Alfie said. “But that time we went right back to fightin’ the next day.”

  “Maybe we will, too, for a while,” Fiona said. “But perhaps this time we can stop it before it ends in tragedy. For everyone.” She searched Kane’s face. “What will you do now?”

  He stared at her as if she’d spoken in a language too ancient for even the Nightsiders to remember. “Go with you,” he said. “Protect the ambassador. And protect you from your own foolhardiness.”

  “You’re one to talk,” she said. “You were trying to move away from your Bloodmaster’s control. You have a second chance now. If you come with us, you may become trapped. You could turn back to them, because you won’t have any choice.”

  “No,” he said. “There’s something stronger than any Bloodmaster’s influence.” He hesitated. “Did you mean what you told me in the hangar?”

  “Did you mean what you said to von Grunwald about your feelings?”

  In answer, he took her into his arms and kissed her with her soldiers, the ambassador and Alfie looking on.

  She pulled away, a little embarrassed at her lack of professional control. It was a pity there were so many witnesses, or she might have committed a real indiscretion.

  “You’d better move on,” Kane said, letting her go.

  “Not without you,” Fiona said.

  “I can catch up after sundown. Not all the Opiri looking for us are likely to remember the Christmas Truce.”

  “But we will,” Fiona said, her heart expanding with almost unbearable joy. “For the rest of our lives.” She gave him a stern look. “You know the direction we’ll be heading. I expect you to catch up with us by midnight at the latest.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “And you’re never going to take blood from anyone but me. Is that clear?”

  He saluted her, his expression grave but his eyes sparkling. “Yes, Captain.”

  “I love you, Lieutenant,” she whispered.

  Kane took her hands and kissed them.

  Alfie rolled his eyes.”Well,” he said, “looks like I’ll ’ave ta come along ta look after ya both. Never trust people in love, ’at’s what I say.” He gave a long-

  suffering sigh and looked at Kane. “Ya needs yer rest, guv, ’n’ I don’t want ta sit up listenin’ all day ta ya

  moonin’ over the lady.” He met Fiona’s eyes. “As fer you...ya better get movin’. Ya got a lot o’ ground left ta cover.”

  Kane grinned at Fiona. “More than you can possibly imagine.”

  * * *

  The baby was born nine months from the night Fiona and Kane had spent together in the hangar.

  She looked completely normal by human standards, with Fiona’s red hair and Kane’s gray eyes. He had been completely unsurprised, but Fiona had been in a state of blissful shock from the moment she’d learned she was pregnant.

  Kane sat on the couch in their apartment, holding Fiona while she held the baby. He couldn’t decide which of the two of them was more beautiful. It was a pointless exercise.

  Little Jenna began to whimper. Fiona laughed.

  “Hungry again, you little monster?” She glanced back at Kane, flushing. “Sorry. Sometimes I forget...”

  “That I’m not human?” He nuzzled her hair. “Your mayor and congress managed to forget. I am grateful for their poor memories.”

  It hadn’t been easy at the beginning. When Fiona and her troops had returned from the peace mission—minus the ambassador, who had remained in Sacramento with his aide and two personal guards—Kane had hardly faced a
warm welcome, especially when he declined to provide Defense and Intelligence with information they could use to prolong the war if negotiations were to fail.

  But Kane had faith peace would prevail, and in the end, DI had let him go. For his part in aiding the ambassador’s mission, he had been permitted to take up residence in the City and marry Fiona. It was the first such marriage known since the Awakening.

  Fiona opened her blouse to let Jenna take her breakfast. When the baby was asleep, she and Kane would retire to the bedroom, where she would give Kane what he needed and they would give each other what they never tired of.

  “She still seems like a miracle to me,” she murmured, stroking the baby’s wispy hair. “Do you think this is the first child born to a human and a Nightsider?”

  There were still so many things Kane couldn’t tell her. But now that peace was so close, the time would soon come when there would be no more need for secrets. He had a feeling Fiona wouldn’t be content to stay safely ensconced in the City once she knew there were innocent lives she and Kane might be able to help.

  “Even if Jenna isn’t the first,” he said, “she’ll still be important, a living link between our peoples.”

  “Yes,” Fiona murmured. “But we can’t ever let her believe she has to be anyone but who she wants to be. She’ll never go through what you did.”

  “I’m grateful now,” Kane said softly, kissing her temple. “If I hadn’t been converted, we would never have met.”

  She looked up into his face. “Funny how things work out in the end,” she said with a tender smile.

  There was a brisk knock on the door. Fiona covered herself and shifted the baby into the crook of her arm. Kane took Jenna from her and made noises he never would have believed he was capable of making. Fiona went to the door and opened it just as Alfie walked in.

  “Awright,” Alfie said, glancing from Fiona to Kane and the baby. “’Bout time ol’ Uncle Alfie got a chance with the li’l mite.” He took Jenna from Kane’s arms, and the baby gurgled contentedly.

  Alfie cooed and made a series of ridiculous faces, even though Jenna was already falling asleep again. “Go on,” he said without looking up. “I’ll take ’er for a li’l walk. You get on with—” He tilted his head toward the bedroom.