Always the Vampire (29 page)

The rhetorical question made me shudder. “Do you think Cosmil’s compound is still secure?”

“I think if Starrack wanted to hit it and had the ability to break through the wards, he would.”

“So he could attack us directly at any time.”

“Except that Cosmil and Lia have protection spells on us.”

“Still, we’re putting out fires instead of making progress. I’m over it. We need to investigate Starrack in the mundane way. You found Lynn after all.”

“Because she had a driver’s license and had been arrested.”

“Understood, but the COA must have records of some kind, even if they’re on scrolls. And Cosmil is a blood relative, for heaven’s sake. He has to remember some details about Starrack’s likes, dislikes, habits. Interview him as you would a witness. Lia, too.”

“I can do that.”

“Good. Interview both of them together. Maybe they’ll spark each other’s memories. We can’t have less to go on than we do now.”

“Agreed. It’s also critical to find a safe place for Lynn to stay until this is over. I considered asking Candy Crushman, but sending Lynn to Atlanta doesn’t make good logistical sense.”

“I have an idea that might work, and I’ve already put out feelers to the people who’d be involved in helping us.”

“You put out feelers. On your own.”

He wasn’t wild about me taking the initiative. I caught that undercurrent in his measured tone, but that cool sensation spread through me and I stood my ground.

“Yes, I did.”

“Want to enlighten me?”

Just as I opened my mouth, the doorbell rang three times in quick succession. Then the knocking started. Make that pounding.

“Hey, vampire, I know you’re in there. Open up.”

Great gull droppings. Victor Gorman was on my doorstep.

“What the hell is Gorman doing here?”

Saber thrust his chair back so fast that it crashed to the floor. His fierce expression alarmed me, but the subtle darkening of his skin made my stomach churn with dread. Triton’s skin hue had changed when the Void sickness had flared.

I did what my gut told me. I rose slowly, laid a hand on his chest, and imagined waves of calm, peaceful energy passing from me to him.

“Honey, it’s okay. Gorman is part of my idea for protecting Lynn.”

“You want to stick her with him? Are you insane?”

“Probably, but he’s not a sure thing yet. Just follow my lead. Please.”

Saber’s anger downshifted a notch. I felt the difference as I brushed a kiss on his rigid jaw and left the kitchen. He stomped behind me to the living room, not happy but not murderous, either.

The bell rang again. I braced myself and opened the door to Gorman’s perpetual jalapeno breath. In his signature black-ops-wannabe outfit, he glanced from me to Saber with a ferocious scowl.

“Is this a trap?”

His gravelly voice grated, but I put on a smile.

“Now how can it be a trap, Gorman? We set this meeting for tonight. After my ghost tour.”

“Yeah, well, I figured that might be a trap, too.”

I didn’t roll my eyes, but boy, I wanted to. Maybe I
was
insane to try this plan with a blockhead like Gorman, but I couldn’t turn him away now. Crazier ideas had worked, so I motioned him inside. He gave me a suspicious glare but edged past me into the living area.

“Won’t you have a seat while I explain?”

He looked like he’d rather be attacked by a swarm of mutant sand fleas, but he lowered himself into the armchair closest to the door. Saber hesitated then threw himself into the matching chair, arms folded across his chest, scowl on his face. He might not help me, but maybe he wouldn’t hinder me, either.

I settled on the sofa, madly reconstructing the points of persuasion I’d listed on my notepad.

“As I told you on the phone, we have a situation. A young woman is in mortal danger, and you’re the only person who can keep her safe.”

Gorman’s ice blue eyes narrowed. “Danger from what?”

I leaned forward, as if eager to spill state secrets.

“From a rogue vampire. The nut job has already attacked her once.”

“What’s the perp’s name?”

“Name?” My gaze ping-ponged around the room, seeking inspiration. Then I spotted my book in progress on the end table. “Hess. His name is Hess.”

“Never heard of ’im. This chick ain’t one of them blood bunnies, is she?”

“Oh, no, not even close. She’s an innocent, but Hess is hounding her. He won’t leave her alone.”

“Son of a bitch wants to Turn her, huh?”

“Exactly. Saber is tracking him, but he’s hard to catch.”

Gorman’s gaze swung to Saber’s stony expression then back to me. “You sure this chick ain’t jailbait? You ain’t gonna trick me into committin’ no crime.”

Like he needed any help in that department. I bit my tongue and forged on. “She’s of age, and you’d only need to protect her during the day.”

“Wait. If this dude is a vampire, why ain’t she safe in the day?”

“Minions.” I blurted, but the lie seemed to take hold in his tiny mind. “The vampire has human minions, but I know they won’t get past you.”

“Damn straight they won’t.” Gorman’s barrel chest puffed out. “I can take care of her day and night.”

“Not at night. It may take Saber a week to find this vamp. You won’t be effective if you don’t sleep, so I’ve arranged for vampire guards at night. Two Marines who were Turned against their will. They work for the VPA.”

“Shit in a bucket, you gotta be kiddin’ me. I ain’t lettin’ any blood suckers in my house.”

“They won’t guard her at your place, Gorman. They’ll pick her up when it’s full dark and take her to another location, then bring her back before dawn. You just send her out the door, and they’ll take care of the rest. You won’t have to see or speak to them.”

“But they’ll know my name and where to frickin’ find me.”

“We’ll give you a code name,” I improvised. “Tell them it’s just another safe house.”

“I dunno.”

I ground my teeth and reached for patience to continue the charade.

“Please, Gorman. You’re our only hope to keep this girl safe. And did I mention we’ll compensate you?”

Dollar signs instantly danced in his eyes.

“How much?”

“Fifteen a day,” Saber said out of the blue.

I shot him a glance, struggling to keep a straight face at his sudden leap into the conversation.

“Gov’ment has to pay better’n that. Make it thirty.”

“Twenty.”

“Twenty-five, and money for her board. Girl’s gotta eat, right?”

Saber raised a brow at me. “Is that agreeable to you, Cesca?”

“I’m sure we can get the VPA to approve the funds,” I replied, then eyed Gorman. “Do we have a deal?”

“Not so fast,” Gorman said, still eyeing Saber. “I’ll need my weapons back. The ones you arranged to have confiscated.”

Saber snorted. “The ones you’ve already replaced on the sly?”

Gorman reddened and would’ve blustered his way out of the accusation, but thought better of it. Instead, he said, “Then you hafta okay me usin’ deadly force if it comes to that.”

Saber gave him flat cop eyes. “Don’t let it come to that.”

“Gorman,” I said quickly, “we’ll speak to the sheriff’s office if needed, but this is more an undercover operation than a shoot-out. Okay? Do you agree to the deal?”

“Yeah, I’m in. So, when do I meet this chick?”

“She’s not a chick, Gorman, she’s a young lady. You’ll probably meet her tomorrow afternoon. She has to agree to the plan, but I’m sure she will when she knows you’re the one who’ll be protecting her.”

“I do have a reputation.”

“You sure do,” I said as I stood.

Gorman popped out of his seat, too. Not to be a gentleman, but so that I didn’t stand over him.

“Now you’ll need to come up with a code name and a distress word, too,” I said as I walked to the door. “Not that I expect trouble, but you’re a man who likes to be prepared, so I’m sure you know what to do.”

Gorman left muttering under his breath. Fang Fighter Alpha? Geez, nothing like a comic book code name. Well, whatever made him happy. I had a more pressing problem. Placating Saber.

But when I turned, he wasn’t on his feet ready to explode. He sat still in the chair, his mood belied only by his fingers digging two inches into the leather upholstery.

As I resumed my place on the sofa, I saw my darling visibly rein in his emotions. His skin color had lightened some, almost back to its Latino tan color, and I took that as a positive sign.

“How much of what you just told Gorman is bull? Are the Marines really landing?”

“I don’t know yet if Ken and David are willing or able to come down here. I left each of them a message.”

“And where do you propose to house them if they come?”

“At the beach house.”

The house that sat in the middle of the last three lots of property my father had bought for me. The same property he’d entrusted to Triton’s care before my family left town. The worn little cottage on the dunes we’d discovered when Saber was house hunting in July.

“That place is a dump, Cesca.”

“Was a dump. I hired a plumber and an electrician while you were on your nest-closing trip, then did some power washing and painting. I scrubbed the place squeaky and even found a load of furniture at a garage sale. Cheap, because I hit the sale at the end of the day. The place isn’t a five-star hotel, but it doesn’t suck.”

“It’s a decades-old beach shack. With no protection from the sun.”

“Did I mention the guys who installed storm shutters? I found blackout curtains at Walmart, too. Though they’re off-white, not black.”

He shot me a look of pure vexation. “You think that’ll protect your fanged Marine buddies?”

“If not, they can always go to a hotel.”

“And what will you do if Triton and the others balk at your plans, or Lynn refuses to cooperate?”

“I’ll tell them to come up with a better idea.” I paused and searched his face. “Is that what’s bothering you? That I didn’t discuss all this with you before I started things rolling?”

“Partly.” He exhaled a breath that seemed to come from his bones. “It’s been a demanding day, and it’s not over.”

“You’re tired.”

“Exhausted.”

I slid off the sofa and grasped his hand as I knelt beside the chair. “Saber, I’m worried about you. Please let Cosmil and Lia do a healing on you tonight.”

“I don’t need it. We have too much training to do.”

“Which won’t mean squat if you’re not at your fullest strength possible. Please. Just ask if a shot of healing would help.”

He brooded for a full half a minute before he met my gaze. “I’ll ask only if you make a promise to me.”

“What is it?”

“If I’m mortally injured when we go up against Starrack and the Void, promise you’ll Turn me.”

I sat back, butt on my heels, mind spinning. “Turn you?”

“Swear it, Cesca.”

“Saber, I can’t.”

He took my hands, pulled me up and then into his lap. “I’ve thought long and hard about this, honey. Even before I was infected. I want to be with you.”

My emotions collided at such supersonic speed that I couldn’t begin to name them. Only one stood out. Anguish.

I took his face in my hands. “I want to be with you, too. For as far into the future as I can imagine. But I can’t Turn you, Saber. I don’t know how.”

“Then call Ray for instructions. Or ask the Marines. Even Jo-Jo.”

“What if I do it wrong? Or your bit of werewolf blood interferes and it doesn’t take?” I held his gaze, searching for any flicker of reaction to my questions. “Saber, what if you hate being a vampire once it’s done?”

He threaded his fingers through my hair. “Princesca, if you can drink Starbloods, I can. I’d rather live without sunlight than without you.”

He kissed me then. His lips teased, coaxed, and I opened to him even as that cool flowing stream of energy inside me heated.

“God, Cesca, don’t you feel this power between us?”

He slanted his mouth over mine, his kiss demanding now. And then I felt it. For the first time, I felt not merely his heart frantically beating with desire, but his blood rushing through his veins. I sensed the vampire in him straining to possess, the wolf straining to mate. I sensed the totality of the man who loved me.

And when he kicked the coffee table out of the way and tumbled us to the floor, I tore at his clothes with as much single-minded purpose as he.

“It can be like this always,” he whispered, skimming a hand down my side. “Promise me, Cesca.”

“Deke,” I whimpered when his tongue laved one nipple then the other.

My pulse pounded in my ears, and nerve endings thinned. With each caress, my fingertips found joy in the tension and texture of his skin.