Hope and Vengeance (Saa Thalarr, book 1): Saa Thalarr, book 1

by Connie Suttle

  * * *

  I woke on clean sheets, my wounds almost healed. Only a few red marks remained where I'd been ripped apart—I examined my arms carefully to make sure. Vampires heal quickly, but the wounds I'd suffered should have kept me down for days. Instead, I was nearly whole and felt surprisingly good.

  Sitting up in bed, I discovered the strangest sight. Anna was sitting on the floor beside my bed, her head leaning against the side of my mattress. She was asleep. I frowned.

  Had she witnessed the rejuvenating process, where I'd stopped breathing as the sun came up? If she had, we could all be in trouble. I didn't want to place compulsion; somehow that felt repugnant to me, although it could prove necessary.

  Another thought wriggled its way into my brain. She was there. I was there. My body was certainly awakening. Reaching out carefully so as not to startle her, I gently traced her cheek with a finger before leaning in to place a kiss. That alarmed her and it took every bit of speed I could muster to keep her from getting away from me.

  "Here, now, where might you be going?" I allowed the accent to come through in my voice. Anna's green eyes were frightened, I saw that immediately as I held her tightly and pulled her body over mine.

  "Adam, no," she whimpered and struggled against me.

  "But your wiggling is giving me ideas." I smiled, attempting to calm her. Fear enveloped her, and I had no idea where it had come from, unless she had seen things the night before that might require compulsion.

  "Adam," she dropped her forehead onto my chest and went still.

  "Anna?" I stroked her hair carefully. It was fine and soft as silk against my hand. I couldn't recall the last time I'd touched any woman's hair, and I wanted to bury my nose in Anna's.

  "Adam, I," she hesitated. "I don't have any good memories of sex," she added eventually before lifting her head.

  "What?" I blinked at her. She was trembling, now, and that worried me.

  "I just don't." She attempted to push herself away from me. My arms tightened about her in reflex.

  "It was bad every time?" I studied her face—she was terrified.

  "There was only once," she closed her eyes in remembered pain. "It wasn't, well, consensual."

  I think it was at that moment I first vowed to find the bastard who raped her and make him dead—in a very painful way. When Anna's body shivered against mine, I wanted to kill the bastard twice. Once for raping her, and the second time for making her afraid of me.

  "Then we'll take this slow," I whispered, rolling over and taking Anna with me until her body was partially beneath mine. "When you're ready, I'll love you properly and you'll have better memories. I guarantee it. For now, I'll settle for a few kisses, followed by an extremely cold shower." I breathed in her scent and nuzzled her ear before placing the first kiss at a sensitive spot beneath her earlobe.

  "Adam," she began.

  "Shhh, sweetheart. I'm not done kissing. This makes that nasty, cold shower more bearable." I placed another kiss on her forehead. The tip of her nose was next and then, when my mouth took hers, she closed her eyes with a sigh.

  Chapter 4

  I waited until the required cold shower was over before contacting Xavier. I had things to report and some of those things I was more than reluctant to reveal. I'd left Anna sleeping in my bed—she'd snuggled beneath the covers when I rose for the evening, and had somehow managed to fall asleep while I showered.

  Joey hovered while I dialed Xavier on my phone—I knew my sire wouldn't want to hear what I had to say in an e-mail. "Xavier," he barked an answer.

  "Xavier, I was attacked by eight werewolves outside the Packmaster's business in Rockport, last night," I began. "Prewitt is dead and I would have been without a bit of help from an unusual source."

  "We've gotten no information from the Grand Master," Xavier began, and I could hear him tapping keys on his laptop—likely contacting Wlodek while he and I spoke.

  "I imagine these were rogues, angry over the fact that one of their own seems to have been killed by a vampire," I reported dryly. Joey, who'd taken a chair across from me at the tiny kitchen table, nodded his silent agreement. "Therefore, no report would have been made to the Grand Master, since the Packmaster failed to survive the attack."

  "How badly were you injured?" Xavier demanded. "Werewolves will pay for attacking one of ours."

  "Xavier, we're attempting to preserve the peace, not initiate another race war," I pointed out judiciously. Joey's head bobbed emphatically at my words. "And I was severely injured. That's the other thing I have to report. I received assistance from Joey and the two local vampires, but I might not have survived had Anna Madden not called Joey and told him I was in danger."

  "She knew?"

  "Somehow. She phoned him and told him I needed help. He and the two vampires from Corpus Christi showed up, along with a stray horse that appeared and fought at my side."

  "A stray horse?"

  "Yes. It was shocking, and I assure you I wasn't hallucinating when that happened."

  "What did Miss Madden say to Joey when she called him?"

  "Let me ask; he's right here." I lifted an eyebrow at Joey.

  "She said to get the other two and go help Adam." Joey knew Xavier would hear his answer. I blinked at Joey in shock.

  "You're sure she said to get the other two and help Adam?" Xavier's voice held a command. His compulsion wouldn't work with Joey over the phone, but I was older and more experienced than Joey, and if I laid compulsion, he'd be forced to answer anyway.

  "She said 'Joseph, get those other two and get your asses to Rockport. Adam is in trouble,'" he quoted.

  "I see," Xavier muttered. "Out of curiosity, what color was the horse?"

  "White," I replied. I couldn't see why that might make a difference, but I answered the question anyway.

  "I will get back to you on this," Xavier said and ended the call. I was more than grateful that he did so; otherwise I'd have to admit that Anna was not only at the safe house in Corpus Christi, but that she knew where it was and was currently asleep in my bed.

  If I were honest with myself, that's exactly where I wanted her to be.

  * * *

  "Where are you going?" I demanded when Anna walked out of my bedroom half an hour before sunrise.

  "Back to my condo. I run on the beach most mornings," she said, shoving hair behind an ear and blinking at me. Joey, who'd been doing research all night and sharing information on Hartshorne Oil and Roy Cheek, CEO, stared as I blocked Anna from leaving through the only door into the safe house basement.

  It was one thing that she knew where the safe house was, another to let her out again. Every vampire knew it wasn't safe to reveal a hiding place to a human unless compulsion was placed.

  "Adam, it won't do a damn bit of good to do that," Anna stated flatly. "You can try, but it'll be wasted effort."

  "What will be wasted effort?" I asked, but fear was already crawling up my spine. Vampires handled those who weren't susceptible to compulsion in one of two ways—the first was to attempt the turn. The second was to kill them outright.

  "Adam, I'm not about to tell anybody. Let's just leave it at that, okay?" She sounded tired but resolute.

  "Tell anybody what?" Joey sounded breathless. He knew, just as I did, what could happen.

  "That you're vampires. I have to go. I have things to do." Anna pulled the strap of her purse more securely over a shoulder and crossed arms over her chest.

  "Bloody hell," Joey muttered.

  I have no idea how Anna managed to get around me and out the door before I could catch her, but she did. I can only attribute it to my shock and the ensuing immobility it created. Joey and I jerked when the door slammed behind her, followed shortly by the sound of her car's engine starting and then tires crunching on gravel as she backed out of the driveway.

  "Now what?" Joey turned to me. "Daylight's in ten minutes. There's no way we can go after her."

  "She saved my fucking life last night, and we'r
e going to repay that how?" I stared back at Joey.

  "I hate this," Joey muttered.

  * * *

  The fog was thicker over the beaches of Mustang Island. Bob Dougal stood just a few feet from where the tide swept the sand, casting his line far into the gulf water. Since he’d retired, fishing was how he occupied his time and was the reason he'd moved to the area after retirement.

  His line whizzed as it flew through the air before landing in the water with a soft plop. The sun was barely clearing the horizon and he’d already been fishing for an hour. Two good-sized fish were in his cooler and he was looking to hook more.

  The remains of a six-pack rested next to his beach chair; he'd brought beer with him to help pass the time. There were still two left as he crumpled his latest empty and tossed in into the tackle box.

  A light fog thinned around him as the sun rose farther into the sky. Bob settled his pole into the stand he’d stuck in the sand, then went back to his chair to wait for the fish to bite again. Bending down, he pulled another beer from the plastic ring, then lifted his head when he heard a swishing in the surf.

  He looked up, expecting to see a tourist wading through the water on an early-morning walk. He didn't want them to get tangled in his fishing line, so he rose from his chair to warn them away. Bob's eyes widened in surprise; instead of a tourist, a white horse walked out of the gulf toward him.

  Drops of seawater hit him in the face as the horse shook its damp mane. The animal was now so close he could touch it if he wanted. Bob lifted his hand, unable to stop himself. The horse flinched away, blinking a deep-blue eye at him.

  Then, before his fingers could reach its muzzle, the horse turned quickly on its hind legs and trotted south along the beach, wet sand muffling its hooves, the fog swiftly closing around it. Bob blinked a few times, wondering if he’d fallen asleep or imagined it. He dropped his gaze to the sand of the beach and watched as the few remaining hoof prints were washed away by the tide.

  * * *

  Joey and I knocked on Anna's condo door shortly after nightfall. We knew two things after waking at sunset—one, Roy Cheek had gone to Shreveport on a gambling expedition and two, we had to do something about Anna.

  "Come in," Anna opened the door for us and walked away. Her movements were stiff—she expected an attack. I have no idea why, but I felt that the next few minutes might determine my fate in some way.

  "Anna, we don't want to hurt you," Joey began before I could find words to speak.

  "I know that." Her shoulders drooped.

  Joey, what are you doing? I hissed mentally.

  The right thing, he snapped back. "Anna, all we need is something—some kind of reassurance that you won't let our secret out," Joey began.

  I watched her as she turned toward us, almost in slow motion. The breath caught in my throat as she actually turned—into the white horse that saved me two nights earlier.

  Joey gaped before whistling and breathing the word shapeshifter. If there were any guarantee that we might be safe with her, it would be because she held an equally important secret. This was something I could take to Xavier, and stave off any desire he might have to convince Wlodek that her death was required.

  There wasn't any way I could deliver her death—not of my own will, anyway. Joey, I knew, felt the same. Before I could stop myself, I closed the distance between us and brushed Anna's ears. Her animal snorted softly as she jerked away from me.

  "We're not gonna hurt you," Joey soothed, holding out a hand.

  "How do I know that?" Anna was back. She turned abruptly away from both of us and stalked toward the glass windows overlooking the gulf. "Roy Cheek went to Shreveport earlier today. Here." She handed a folder to me.

  "What's this?" I took the folder and opened it. Inside lay a single photograph—of Roy Cheek. He stood next to a late model luxury car and looked ready to climb inside. Beside him was another man I didn't recognize. On the opposite side of the car, with the door also open, stood Kirby Lee Gordon.

  "What the bloody hell?" I muttered.

  "Lion figures she and Cheek have been, well," Anna shrugged. She was still tense, that was easy enough to see, and still frightened.

  "Do you think she and Cheek may have planned her husband's disappearance?" I asked, keeping the conversation on safer ground and hoping to calm Anna at the same time. "Perhaps Cheek intended to leave the state with her? Kirby Lee told us she planned to return to Georgia."

  "That would explain her vehicle purchase—if they planned this from the beginning and he helped her buy the car," Joey took the photograph from me and studied it. "But who's the other guy?"

  "Somebody I thought was dead," Anna sighed. "And I don't think he's human, now."

  "What does that mean?" Joey asked.

  "It means I have to go to Shreveport. You're welcome to come along if you want."

  * * *

  I had no idea she'd chartered a private jet to Shreveport. Her bags were already packed and waiting. Joey and I held a thirty-second mental conversation before deciding to travel with her. We only needed to drop by the safe house, throw clothes in a bag and head to the airport.

  "Who is this?" I asked, tapping the photograph. Joey offered to drive us to the airport in my SUV—we'd decided to park it at the airport and leave Anna's hybrid in the safe house garage. I felt strangely unfettered, leaving town with Anna and Joey while realizing I hadn't had the urge to contact Xavier even once. I'd waited patiently for Anna to tell me who the strange man in the photograph was, but she'd withheld the information—until now.

  "It's Manuelo," she sighed. "Rita's cousin. I don't know how to tell her this." She'd leaned forward, poking her head between the two front seats so we could talk.

  "What's wrong with him?" Joey asked. "You said before that he might not be human, but I have no idea what that means."

  "I'll explain it better if we catch up with him," Anna breathed and leaned back in her seat. "If he really isn't human anymore, we'll have to kill him."

  * * *

  "Sweetheart?" Anna had fallen asleep in the seat beside me half an hour before we landed.

  "Huh?" She blinked sleepily at me.

  "Ready to get off this flying tin and chase Roy Cheek?" I offered a lazy grin. I think I'd smiled more in the last three hours than I had in the past century. Joey had certainly noticed—he'd sent mindspeech twice during the trip as he, Anna and I talked.

  We'd discussed Hartshorne Oil and Cheek's gambling debts, certainly, but in between, Joey kept us entertained and made Anna laugh.

  Adam's got a girlfriend, Joey's mindspeech sang in my head.

  Sod off, I returned.

  Somebody's grumpy.

  Somebody doesn't know grumpy, I replied. Somebody may find out very soon.

  Gotta catch me first. Joey grabbed his carry-on and raced toward the door.

  "Are you going after him?" Anna asked dryly.

  "There's no need," I shrugged. "The room reservations are in my name."

  Joey managed to discover where Cheek was staying, so I'd reserved rooms for us at the same casino hotel. Anna wanted a separate room. I lied and told her there were only two available. All I had to do now was convince her to share my bed. And make sure nobody disturbed Joey and me while we slept during the day.

  "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're safe," Anna smiled at me.

  "And I'll do the same for you." Leaning in, I kissed her lightly before drawing away and unbuckling my seat belt. "I've never been to Shreveport. What might you suppose there is to do, here? Other than chasing criminally inclined polluters?"

  "Do you gamble?" She blinked at me innocently.

  "No."

  "Watch American football?"

  "Definitely no."

  "Go swimming at waterparks?"

  "Not in this lifetime."

  "Then there's nothing to do." I laughed aloud at her reply.

  * * *

  "What I have is two rooms with a connecting door, with two beds in each
room," the frazzled desk clerk informed us later. I didn't want that—I wanted one king-sized bed in each room. There wasn't anything I could do, unless I wanted to carry sleeping patrons out of their rooms and dump them in the hall.

  "Adam, it's okay," Anna placed her hand on my arm.

  "Then it'll do," I nodded to the desk clerk and handed over my credit card.

  "At least it's livable," Joey muttered as we examined both rooms a short while later. Cheek hadn't chosen the best casino hotel in Shreveport, that much was evident. If the rooms hadn't been clean, I'd have gone elsewhere. Anna was exhausted, I knew that, and she hadn't eaten, either. I was about to remedy that.

  "Sweetheart, there's an all-night diner downstairs," I said. "Leave the bags, I'll take you to dinner and then get you in bed. Joey and I can look for Cheek after that."

  "Are you sure?" Anna turned to me, concern in her eyes.

  "You're not worried for Joey and me, are you?" I pulled her against me.

  "A little," she muffled against my chest.

  "Don't be. We've done this before."

  "Adam," she leaned her head back to look me in the eye, "you may not have done this—exactly—before. Be careful, all right?"

  "I'll just expect my horse to get me out of a jam," I grinned at her.

  "Schmuck," she tapped my chest as she moved away.

  "Did you know that schmuck in Yiddish actually means penis?" Joey informed us.

  "Joey." I glared at him. Anna laughed. I realized I enjoyed that sound very much.

  "Adam's smiling," Joey grinned.

  "Not for long." I schooled my face into the vampire non-expression. Joey scooted out the door as quickly as he could, making Anna laugh again.

  * * *

  My hand was at the small of Anna's back as we waited for a server to lead us to a table inside the diner. I wanted to put my arms around her, but resisted the urge. I'd do that later, when we had privacy.

  The diner was less than half-full at three in the morning, and I'd already studied all the patrons by the time the waitress arrived to show us to an empty table. Roy Cheek wasn't there, and Joey, who'd gone to the casino to look for Cheek, hadn't found him, either. He'd sent mindspeech, informing me that he was going to check the poker room next. I told him to be careful and use compulsion sparingly.