The usual crowd was gathered and they all stopped what they were doing long enough to look him over when he walked in. Then, just as quickly, he was dismissed and they returned to their conversations and games of cards or darts.
Erik scanned the room for the thirty-something woman of classic beauty and short platinum hair, wearing an impeccably fitted suit. She should have stood out from the gathered crowd. He felt a flash of annoyance when he realized she wasn’t there, because it meant he’d have to go to her room. Lately, she’d strongly hinted that she’d like to make their relationship more personal.
Moving to the stairs, he understood now why she’d mentioned her room number to him when they’d talked on the phone. It was going to be difficult to keep things strictly business while talking in her bedroom, which was no doubt her plan.
Heaving a resigned sigh, he went up to the second floor. He found the door easily enough and after knocking, waited for her to answer. Soon he heard the sound of approaching footsteps followed by the deadbolt being thrown back.
“Hello, love,” she cooed, all smiles. “Thanks for meeting me. Won’t you come in?”
Erik took one look at her appearance and almost allowed his jaw to fall open. Instead of the business skirt, blouse, and jacket he was used to seeing her in, she wore a clingy dress that hugged her curves so tightly, there was no doubt in his mind that she wasn’t wearing bra or panties. “Penny, you look,” he began, struggling for the right word, “great.”
She flushed under the compliment. “Thank you.”
“Are you meeting someone? Maybe I should come back some other time.”
She laughed and it was a delicate sound. “Nonsense. I’m meeting you. Come in, won’t you?”
He hesitated. “I thought we might talk downstairs.”
She waved aside his suggestion. “It’s much too noisy down there. Besides, no one will bother us here.”
There was no way to politely refuse, so he followed her inside. She closed the door, turned, and approached him, lightly placing her hand on his chest and leaning up to kiss his jaw by way of greeting. In itself, it was a common enough gesture, but she didn’t immediately step away from him as would have been expected. He looked down into her eyes, noticing the way her body pressed against his.
The temptation was nearly overwhelming. He thought of all the reasons he shouldn’t take advantage of the situation, none of which had to do with Penny not knowing he was a vampire. He’d learned long ago how to keep that secret from his lovers.
When Penny tipped her head back with an obvious invitation on her lips, he found himself wanting to accept. Maybe being with Penny would take his mind off a certain someone else.
At the edge of the woods outside of town, Kacie found a place to stash the spotlight because it was too cumbersome to carry while she walked around. Besides, between the moon and the street lamps, there was enough light to see where she was going.
Moving with unhurried steps, she kept a wary eye out for vampires as she headed for the nearest pub. When she reached it, she was about to go inside when the door opened and a lone man stumbled out.
Kacie recognized him from their school days and watched as he staggered and nearly fell.
“Reggie, is that you?” she asked, rushing up to steady him.
He blinked several times, trying to focus on her face. Then a slow smile tipped his lips. “Kacie? Well, what do you know?” He used the arm draped around her shoulder to pull her close and when he breathed out, she twisted away, trying to avoid the warm breath that smelled of sour ale. “Are you back in town, then?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’ve been working on my Master’s at York. I—”
“That’s wonderful,” he interrupted her, leisurely studying her face. “That’s great. Gee, you look good.”
She felt herself blush and hoped he didn’t notice it. “Thanks. You’re looking well.”
He pulled himself up a little straighter. “I try to stay in shape, but you know how it is.”
Kacie nodded absently, half her attention on the empty streets around them. “Where are you headed, Reggie?”
“Home,” he mumbled. “Hey—why don’t you come with me? Nancy—you remember Nancy Wilson from school? We got married two years ago. Anyway, Nancy’s at home with the baby. I know she’d love to see you.”
Kacie considered going but decided against it. “I’m sorry, Reggie. I need to get back home. It was great seeing you, though.”
“Yeah, you, too.”
She let him pull her close for a hug good-bye and because they were the same height, their belt buckles clanked together with a resounding noise.
“What the—” Reggie pulled back and looked down. Then a slow smile split his face. “Hey, that’s one of those special buckles, isn’t it? With a concealed knife.” He smiled when she nodded. “I saw it on the news.”
The buckle had been a gift from Ben who, before they started dating, had been her tae kwon do instructor. He’d bought several buckles from a black market street vendor and had given her one, insisting she wear it whenever she was out alone at night.
“Can I see it?” Reggie asked.
Kacie hesitated, wondering just how drunk he was. At his eager look, though, she nodded. “Sure,” she said, sliding the knife from its place in the buckle and handing it to him.
He let the moonlight play across its surface before opening up the blade. “That is one cool knife,” he observed.
Kacie smiled. “I like it.”
She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to see two men walking toward them. The first man appeared to be about Kacie’s age while the second man was younger, perhaps sixteen or seventeen. They looked enough alike to have been brothers, Kacie thought. Both had the same pale blond hair and chiseled good looks.
She kept an eye on them as they walked, not recognizing either of them. As they drew closer, she noticed their attention was on Reggie and the knife. “Maybe I should put that up,” she suggested quietly.
“What?” Reggie looked up, obviously surprised they weren’t alone. He started to close the knife and hand it back when it was snatched from his hand. The older man shoved Reggie hard in the chest, causing him to fall back against the teenager, who immediately snaked an arm across Reggie’s throat. Despite Reggie’s struggles, the youth held him easily.
“Let him go,” Kacie demanded.
“I’ve seen this knife before,” the older man said, completely ignoring her. “It was found beside my brother’s body.” He leaned close to Reggie, waving the blade beneath his nose. “Did you kill my brother?”
“Wh-what?” Reggie stammered. “No. I didn’t kill anyone.” He tried to back away from the knife, going as far as the younger man let him. “It’s not even my kn . . .” He let the words trail off as three pairs of eyes turned to stare at Kacie.
“That’s right,” she said. “It’s mine.”
“Impossible,” the man growled, his eyes taking on the crimson glow of a vampire’s. “Whoever killed my brother had to have skill and strength.”
In one fluid motion, Kacie drew her sword. “That would be me.”
“She’s only a woman,” the younger vampire gasped, sounding incredulous as the older vampire studied her closely.
Kacie held her position, ready in case one or both vampires attacked. They were too intelligent to be progeny, which meant she was facing two primes. Adrenaline surged through her, as did the realization that she could very well die tonight. Suddenly, she wished she’d tried to patch the rift between her and Gerard years ago.
Just then, a shadow shifted at the mouth of the alley not far from them. “What’s going on here?”
At the sound of Erik’s voice, Kacie almost collapsed with relief. She fought the sudden urge to grin. Her would-be attackers would not stand a chance against the two of them.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
That was what she had wanted to say, yet it was the vampire holding her knife w
ho actually spoke the words out loud. As the implication sank in that these vampires were Erik’s friends, Kacie felt like the ground had just crumbled beneath her feet.
Chapter 3
I’ve found Sedrick’s killer,” the older vampire informed Erik, his gaze never leaving Kacie’s face.
“Is that right?” Erik asked in a voice that sounded much too calm to Kacie.
“Yes, but you already knew that, didn’t you? How else would she have possession of the knife?”
“Maybe I asked her to wear it in order to flush out its owner,” Erik suggested.
“Perhaps,” the vampire conceded. “However, she’s just confessed to the crime.”
The lazy expression on Erik’s face didn’t change as he turned to regard her. “Has she? Well, that wasn’t very smart of her.” She heard the censure in his tone, but refused to react. She was already in a precarious situation without doing anything to make it worse.
“So, Michael, what do you intend to do now that you’ve found her?” Erik continued.
“Kill her, of course,” Michael said as casually as if they were discussing the weather.
“In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never taken the life of a woman,” Erik pointed out.
“In this case, I’m willing to make an exception.”
Erik gave her a cold, hard look and she felt the chill of it to her very core. “You should have stayed home.” Like I told you to. He didn’t have to say it out loud for her to hear the words in her head.
Beside her, Reggie cried out in pain as the vampire holding him tightened his grip. Distracted, Kacie turned her head to check on him and in that moment, Michael lunged at her. Her life should have been over there and then, but he never touched her. Instead, Erik was suddenly in front of her, taking the full brunt of Michael’s approach.
Apparently, she wasn’t the only one shocked by his action.
“What the bloody hell?” Michael exclaimed angrily, his eyes burning brightly in the night as Erik knocked him to the side.
“Michael, don’t let your grief make you do something you’ll regret.”
“I will avenge my brother’s death.”
“I understand. I want to as well, but I can’t let you kill her,” Erik said.
Michael frowned. “This is not what we agreed.”
“I know,” Erik admitted with a pained sigh.
Michael’s eyes narrowed. “Think carefully on this, Erik. Make sure you know exactly what you’re doing. There are much bigger things at risk here than the life of one woman.”
Kacie couldn’t see Erik’s face anymore, so she couldn’t tell whether he was regretting his decision to protect her or not, but she knew she didn’t stand a chance without his help. “Erik—”
“Shut up, Kacie,” he said, cutting her off. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do it,” Erik said to Michael, sounding a little too remorseful for Kacie’s comfort.
A movement from the younger vampire had her swinging her sword instinctively in his direction. He held Reggie before him like a shield and she stayed her blade a hairbreadth from the tender, vulnerable skin of his throat. “Hurt him and I’ll kill you,” she warned. It would be so easy, but she didn’t dare. The situation was precarious enough as it was.
“Either help me or get out of the way,” Michael growled at Erik. “She forfeited her life the moment she killed my brother—or have you forgotten?”
“No,” Erik growled. “I haven’t, but the situation has changed.”
“Has it? Sedrick is still dead.”
“I mourn his loss, too,” Erik said. “But it doesn’t change the fact that if you want her, you’ll have to go through me first.”
“If that’s the way you want it . . .” Michael rushed Erik before he even finished speaking and Erik stumbled back several steps before he could stop Michael’s forward momentum. Then there was a flurry of movement as fists flew on both sides.
The younger vampire holding Reggie glared at her with dark, hate-filled eyes, but she held her blade steady, daring him to attack.
She risked looking away long enough to see what the other two were doing and saw that both were bleeding from cuts on their faces. Kacie inwardly winced at the dull smack of fists pummeling flesh and bone. She wasn’t sure how long they could keep going at this rate, but it seemed like they had no intention of stopping.
She wondered why Erik didn’t just pull the sword he kept strapped to his back—unless he’d left the castle without it. Kacie considered making quick work of both vampires, but the thought of skewering a teenager on the end of her sword made her squeamish. She knew he was older than he looked, but the knowledge wasn’t helping her any.
As long as the young vampire wasn’t attacking Reggie, she would wait. When Erik defeated his opponent, she would strike.
The night dragged on endlessly. At one point, Reggie passed out from the booze he’d consumed, but the vampire continued to hold him. Finally, the fighters’ movements started to slow. She could only imagine how much pain they were both in. To make matters worse, dawn was approaching. If they didn’t end the fight soon, they were going to have more serious problems to worry about.
“Michael—finish this some other time. We must leave,” the younger vampire said, apparently having the same concern Kacie had. “Michael—the time.”
“Give over,” Michael demanded of Erik between heaving breaths.
“Never,” Erik gritted out, sounding just as exhausted. He threw another punch, attempting to draw Michael back into the fight.
“You crazy git, you’d fight right up until dawn turned us both to stone, wouldn’t you?”
“If that’s what it takes to keep her safe.”
Michael stepped out of reach of Erik’s fists, shock and dismay written across his face. “You would end all our lives—over a woman?”
“For this woman, yes.”
For this woman. The words echoed in Kacie’s head. She didn’t know who was more surprised by the announcement—she or Michael. Her thoughts raced, searching for the reason behind his statement. It certainly wasn’t because he liked her. Then logic asserted itself. He wasn’t protecting her per se; he was protecting Gerard’s daughter.
Michael shook his head. “So—in the end, it was a woman who came between us after all.” There was a wealth of sadness in his tone.
Erik said nothing.
“I never wanted to be your enemy,” Michael said finally. “But you leave me no choice. We will finish this.” He gestured to the other vampire and then raised his hand to his forehead, giving Erik a small salute. “The pact is off.”
They released Reggie and he fell to the ground. Kacie made ready to swing her sword, but Erik grabbed her arm. “Let them go,” he said. Something in his tone got past her anger and caused her to take a good look at him. Moments ago, he’d seemed strong enough to go on for hours. Now he looked ready to collapse.
“You don’t look so hot,” she said, running her gaze over him. “Are you hurt?” His eyes and lips were swollen and his knuckles were raw and bleeding.
“I’m fine,” he muttered. “Maybe you should see to your friend.”
She’d forgotten about Reggie, who woke after being dropped, and hurried over to him as he got to his feet. Putting her sword away, she started to reach for him, but dropped her hand when he shied away from her. “Are you all right?” she asked him.
“I’m . . . no. What were those things?”
Kacie was conscious of the sky’s soft glow, getting brighter as dawn approached. Erik had just saved her life and she owed him something in return. “You deserve an explanation. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to give you one. Whatever your mind is telling you about those men—no matter how crazy it might seem—is probably the truth, or close enough to it—so pay attention. Go home and for the next couple of weeks, don’t go out after dark. You get off work? You go straight home. No more stopping off for a drink first. Do you understand?”
Reggie nodded.
“Good. It was nice seeing you again. Now, go home and go to bed. When you wake up, this will all seem like a bad dream. Okay?”
He nodded again and took a step back. Then another. Finally, he turned his back to her and walked quickly away.
“Don’t you want to make sure he gets home all right?”
Kacie looked at Erik and saw the lines of fatigue etched across his face. “No. He’ll be fine.” She glanced at the sky again. “We should go.”
They headed toward the back path that would take them to the castle. For several minutes, she was aware that Erik was struggling to keep up with her. “Maybe I’d better help,” she suggested.
He turned those dark brooding eyes on her, but shook his head. “I don’t want your help.”
His refusal was like a sharp slap across the face but she understood. Theirs had never been a relationship based on trust. “Just so you know, if that stubborn pride of yours gets you turned to stone, I’ll leave you here for the birds to shit on.”
His hard expression didn’t soften, but after a second he nodded. It suddenly occurred to her that she’d never touched him before except for when they were fighting. This would be different. This would be getting in close; his body next to hers. His arm around her shoulders. It was such an intimate position, she wasn’t sure she could—should—go there with him.
Swallowing hard, she closed the distance between them. Erik never moved. When she was beside him, she wrapped her arm around his waist and waited for him to drape his arm across her shoulders. The warm weight of it sent fissures of awareness racing through her. The heat of his body warmed her against the chill of the night air. It was impossible not to be aware of him. She cast a furtive glance at his face and then felt herself blush. He was so close. If she turned her body to him just a little, he’d be close enough to kiss. Her eyes fell to his lips. How would they feel? Was he a good kisser? Her pulse raced at the thought.
Lord of the Night Page 5
