Vampire's Hunger (6 page)

Duncan heard Natalie still moving about the kitchen, and the apartment was beginning to smell like hot dogs so dinner, such as it was, was well underway. He glanced over his shoulder to see her staring at him. Even though he and Kimber were keeping their voices quiet, the place was small enough that Natalie could hear what they were saying. That was all right. She had a right to know about him, too.

He turned back and looked at Kimber. “You ever hear about the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre?” He waited for Kimber’s nod before he continued. “Valentine’s Day, 1929. Capone called for a truce. Another one.” Duncan spread his hands. “We were always operating under truces that were always being broken, usually by Moran.” He clasped his hands over his belly again. “Capone called for a meeting. There was about four inches of snow on the ground that day.” He gave a low chuckle. “I remember how cold my feet were, and I was cursing Capone and his damned Outfit for dragging us out into it. So much so that I’d delayed leaving my apartment.” He shook his head. “Just as I turned the corner, I saw a cop car behind the warehouse. I figured it was a raid, so I kept on going.”

“But the cops were really Capone’s men. I remember that from my American history classes.” Kimber’s mouth formed a small O. “Oh my God. You…you could’ve been killed.”

Duncan grimaced. “If I hadn’t been running late, I would have been inside the building when Capone’s boys came in. So would Moran.”

“Is that…” Her slender throat moved with her swallow. “Is that when Maddalene found you?”

“Several months later,” he said. “Capone hadn’t quite given up on the idea of making Moran a dead man. He just figured he’d have to be sneakier about it. People were tired of dodging bullets from Tommy guns,” he said in a dry tone.

“Yeah, I imagine so.”

“So Moran put together a plan to take care of Capone.” He sat up straight, clasping his hands between his knees, and stared at his fingers. “Three of us went to a restaurant Capone was known to frequent. Things didn’t go as planned.” He glanced up at her. “I managed to get away, but I was wounded. Badly. I made it about two blocks before I collapsed.”

Sympathy swirled in her eyes. She leaned forward, her fingers twisting in her lap. He wondered at the emotions he sensed from her. Would she have been sorry to hear some man she’d never met had died in a back alley long before she’d been born? Before even her grandparents had taken their first breaths?

Her lips parted. “Duncan. My God.”

He grimaced. “I was praying, I can assure you. God answered my prayers in a way I never saw coming.”

Kimber frowned then bit out a curse. “That’s when Maddalene found you.”

He gave a nod. “It was Black Monday. October 28th, 1929. If I’d died in that alley, it would have been a fitting end to a life that hadn’t been well lived.” As Natalie walked into the room, carrying two plates, he paused.

She handed Kimber a plate with a hot dog and a spoonful of beans then sat down on the other end of the sofa with her own plate in her hand. “I always feel strange, eating in front of you without offering you anything.” She held out her plate. “Do you want some?”

“He doesn’t eat food, Nat.” Kimber picked up the hot dog. She brought it to her mouth and her tongue came out to lick a drop of juice at the end.

Duncan bit back a groan. There was another piece of meat he’d like to see her do that to. He shifted in his seat.

She took a bite and closed her eyes on a moan. When she swallowed the bit of hot dog she opened her eyes. “God, this tastes really good. There’s nothing quite like a zombie apocalypse to make you appreciate the simple things.”

Natalie let out a sigh and looked at Duncan. “It just feels weird, eating in front of you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Duncan assured her. “I’ll…grab a bite later.”

Kimber narrowed her eyes.

He rarely joked, and when he did she never seemed to appreciate his efforts.

“Don’t even think about getting a bite here, buddy. I’ll bust your balls.”

“I’d like for you to try,” he responded in a low voice. He was stronger and faster than she was, and his reach was longer. He’d have her flat on her back unable to do anything but plead for mercy. Which he might or might not give. He wanted another taste of that luscious mouth, wanted to trail his lips and tongue all over her body. Maybe even turn her luscious ass red with his hand before taking her from behind. His cock stirred against his thigh. He grimaced and shifted position again. “Where was I?” he asked. “Oh, yes. I was in that alley, lying amid trash and dirt, and I looked up to see the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on.”

Kimber snorted. “Sorry,” she muttered at his sharp look. “I don’t disagree that physically she’s beautiful. What’s on the inside kinda ruins it for me, though. She had her vampires corner my parents like rats. They never had a chance.”

He couldn’t disagree with her, but she didn’t know Maddalene the way he did. Like O’Banion back in the day, there was a reason for her cruel nature. “She found me in that alley and she turned me. She saved my life that day.”

“She made you a vampire.” Kimber shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t see how that’s a good thing.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You and I would never have met, if she hadn’t. I’d have been moldering in my grave these past eighty-four years.”

Her expression went from startled to sad to one that suggested she didn’t think that would have been a bad thing. When he frowned, she pressed her lips together but then a big grin broke out. “I’m sorry, but the look on your face…” She laughed, but stifled it quickly.

Natalie spoke up. “
I’m
glad you’re here, Duncan.”

“Thank you, Natalie.” He shot a pointed look Kimber’s way.

She giggled a few more seconds then got herself under control. “Really, I kid. As much as you irritate the hell out of me most of the time, I don’t regret that we know each other.”

She apparently didn’t wish his permanent address was a cemetery, so at least there was that.

She shifted her position, crossing her legs, and began swinging one sock-clad foot in the air. “You said Maddalene saved your life a couple of times.”

“Yes. The second time…” A knock sounded on the door. He stood, frowning when both Kimber and Natalie jumped up, their bodies tense. As Aodhán came out of the bedroom, sword in hand, Duncan’s scowl deepened. “So now you think they’ll knock on the door?”

“It could be someone looking to steal our food, smartass,” Kimber muttered.

“Or they might want to rape us,” Natalie added, her tone much more serious than Kimber’s had been.

Duncan knew their fears were very realistic. Some men had taken advantage of the breakdown of society to allow their true natures out. He flashed his fangs. “I doubt a rapist would be polite enough to knock. Regardless, they’ll have to get through me first.”

“And me.” Aodhán stood to one side of the door and gave Duncan a nod.

Between the lingering smell of hot dogs and the ever-present though faint smell of decomposition from zombies that always permeated the air—too faint for most humans to detect but more than enough for a vampire—Duncan couldn’t get a good enough scent of whoever it was on the other side of the door. With a smooth motion, he twisted the lock and swung open the door. One of Maddalene’s runners stood there—a pale, thin vampire, hand fisted to knock again. When he saw Duncan he lowered his arm. “Maddalene wants you,” he said.

Duncan glanced at Aodhán and jerked his head toward the living room. Aodhán lifted his chin in acknowledgment and joined the women.

“Yeah, that’s right. That’s the place for him, hiding with the other girls,” the vampire said, a sneer curling his upper lip away from his fangs.

Aodhán lifted his sword and took a step forward. “If you think you have what it takes, bring it on, little man.”

“Boys, boys.” Duncan lifted a hand to forestall Aodhán and looked at their visitor, who stood all of five and a half feet tall and if he was lucky weighed one thirty. Duncan leaned in close. “Murray, do you really think you could take
him
?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Because I think Kimber could wipe the floor with you. What do you think an enraged fey warrior could do? And how fast do you think he could do it?”

Duncan knew the little vampire was stronger than Kimber; he’d merely said what he had to put the little bugger in his place. But Aodhán, on the other hand… Oh, hell yeah. Aodhán would have no problem getting the best of the vamp. Murray was small and wiry, and fast, which was why Maddalene used him as a runner. He could easily dart around zombies without getting caught. Unless he somehow got trapped in the middle of a horde. Then a lone vampire was SOL, no matter how fast he might be. The sheer weight of numbers trumped speed any day.

Murray’s gaze darted to Aodhán, who stood at the ready, his long sword clutched in a white-knuckled hand. The vampire looked at Duncan. “I need to talk to you. In private.”

“I’ll be right back,” Duncan told his friends without turning around. He joined Murray in the hallway, closing the apartment door behind him. “What do you want?”

“Not me. Maddalene. She wants you back at the complex. And she wants you to bring the necromancer.”

Duncan folded his arms over his chest. Was Maddalene starting up her shit again? “Why?”

Murray shrugged. “She didn’t say. I didn’t ask. I like having my head attached to my body, thank you very much.”

Duncan scowled. He’d been trying to get Kimber to move in with him so he could keep her safer than where she was at present. And he believed he
could
protect her, despite the fact she’d be also living with his queen.

Maddalene hadn’t mentioned Kimber in a couple of months. He’d thought she’d backed down on wanting Kimber’s services. But why else would she want the necromancer?

“Oh, and she said to make sure the fairy stayed behind. She doesn’t want him tainting her surroundings.” Murray gave a little smirk and then flicked two fingers in a salute. “You’d better shake your booty. You know she doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” Without waiting for a response, he walked down the hallway.

Duncan watched him leave. Only after the other vampire turned the corner did he go back inside Kimber’s apartment.

The three were in the same positions he’d left them in. Upon seeing that Duncan was alone, Aodhán sheathed his sword and leaned one hip against the side of the sofa. “And just what was that about?”

“Maddalene demands my presence.” Duncan looked at Kimber. “And yours.”

Her brows shot up. “What? I don’t think so. She’s not
my
queen.”

“Kimber.” Duncan scrubbed his hand over his chin. “If you don’t come with me now, she’ll send someone else for you. Someone a lot scarier than me.”

She propped her hands on her hips. “What does Her Majesty want?”

“I don’t know.” Duncan lifted one hand. “It’s immaterial.”

Kimber took a couple of steps toward him. “It’s immaterial? The local queen of the vampires summons me, and you say the reason is
immaterial
?”

“Kimber.” He couldn’t keep the exasperation out of his voice. Damn it all, did she have to fight him on everything? He took her arm and drew her to the side of the room. Keeping his voice low, he said, “Remember what happened the last time you didn’t do what she wanted?” To be fair, Maddalene hadn’t intended to injure Kimber, but sometimes what a vampire means to be a firm touch is enough to hurt a more fragile human.

Her lips thinned. One hand cupped her shoulder. The dislocated joint was long healed, but he knew she remembered the incident clearly. “And yet you say you can keep me safe if I move in with you?”

“Yes. Yes, I can, because Maddalene respects my wishes. And she needs me, so she won’t want to piss me off.” He was ninety-nine percent sure that last part was true. Well, maybe ninety-eight. Or seven. Regardless, if he gave them sanctuary, he would die before he let harm come to her or her friends. “We need to go. Now.”

She heaved a sigh. “Fine. I’ll go see what she wants. But if I get eaten by Maddalene, I’m going to haunt you.” She walked away from him. “Come on, Nat. Let’s get our weapons.”

The two women left the room, and Aodhán tipped his head to one side, studying Duncan. Finally the fey warrior said, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

He could read Duncan well and probably had picked up on micro-expressions on his face when he’d thought about how far Maddalene would let him go before she’d jerk back on the reins.

“There’s not really an alternative,” Duncan responded. “Unless we leave the city. Well, the state. But I gave my word to Maddalene that I’d stay as long as she need—”

“Screw that,” Aodhán muttered. He straightened. “You’ve repaid your debt to her tenfold. She’s taking advantage of your integrity, and you know it.”

Before Duncan could respond, Kimber and Natalie rejoined them. Each woman held a flashlight in one hand and their weapons—a hatchet for Kimber and a short sword for Natalie—in the other hand. “We’re ready,” Kimber said. “Well, as ready as we’ll ever be.”

Natalie had a look of false anticipation on her face. “It’ll be a grand adventure. I’m looking forward to it.”