I took another drink and then entered the confines of the stairwell. The gate closed behind me and the shadows pressed closer. As I paused, uncertain of my footing, light flared, forming a chain of blue that led the way up the circular stairwell.
At the top there was another metal door, but it opened as I approached. The room beyond was all dark glass and metal, and filled with shadows despite the bright array of lights that constantly swept across the windows. There was a black table sitting in the middle of the room, with a couple of plush-looking chairs at the front of this and a third behind. The room seemed to hold little else in the way of furniture.
“Please, do come in,” a soft, slightly accented voice said. “I won’t bite, Ms. Grace, I assure you of that.”
I hesitated and then moved into the room. “I’m afraid you have the better of me, as you appear to know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
A figure appeared out of the gloom. Her skin was like porcelain, pale and perfect, with little in the way of lines to suggest her age even though I suspected she was far older than she looked. Her hair was a lush chestnut that had been swept into a loosely bound topknot, and her eyes were a gray so pale there was only the slightest variation between her irises and the whites of her eyes. She was wearing a rich brown dress that looked for all the world like an eighteenth-century riding gown, but her feet were bare.
“My name is Maelle Defour,” she said, in the same unthreatening tone. “And I wish to welcome you to my establishment.”
I didn’t immediately answer. I couldn’t, because every instinct I had was again telling me to run, and it was taking every ounce of concentration to stop from doing just that.
Maelle Defour wasn’t just a powerful woman of indeterminate age.
She was also a vampire.
Chapter Five
Oh, fuck, came Belle’s comment. You want me to magic up a distraction or something?
No, not yet. Her canines aren’t visible, so I don’t think she’s intending an attack.
If she were, you probably wouldn’t know about it.
Thanks for yet another cheery thought. I took a sip of alcohol, trying to act nonchalant when every bit of me was quivering. Which, as a vampire, she’d undoubtedly sense.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Defour,” I said, glad my voice at least sounded normal. “But I’m afraid I’m at a loss as to why you summoned me.”
“Surely not?”
She motioned toward one of the chairs at the front of the desk, and all but glided to the one behind.
I sat down and crossed my legs—an action that revealed a little too much upper leg for my liking. Vampires, I’d been told, considered blood taken from the inner thigh to be far sweeter than that from the neck or the wrist. Which was weird, but I wasn’t about to tell a very old vampire that—especially when I was locked in the same room as her.
“I’m afraid you really do have me at a loss,” I said.
“Ah, well.” She interlaced her fingers, her pose somewhat regal. “It is not every day that one gets to meet a blueblood witch.”
I didn’t make the denial, even though it sprung to my lips. All I said was, “I’m not what you think.”
“No one ever is.” She cocked her head slightly to one side, her strange gaze narrowing slightly. “You know what I am.”
“Yes.”
“And you fear it?”
“That would depend on two things.”
“Those being?”
“On what outcome you wish of this meeting, and whether you are, in any way, involved with the vampire who has killed a sixteen-year-old girl within this reservation, and may have shared his blood with her.”
Even though she didn’t move, her pupils contracted and there was a definite sharpening in her attention. “When did this happen? I’ve heard no whisper of it through my contacts.”
“The teenager was found in the forest two nights ago. The rangers had confirmation via an autopsy yesterday that the bite marks on her neck were indeed a vampire’s.”
“Ah, the Banks girl?”
“Yes. Apparently she’d been meeting with her killer for weeks.” I hesitated. “She met him here.”
“Impossible. I would have sensed the presence of another on my own soil.” Her voice was flat—chilling. “And I certainly would not have allowed it.”
“I believe he’s capable of the dark arts, and is using it to conceal his presence.”
She frowned, momentarily marring the perfection of her face. “This is unpleasant news indeed.”
“Then I’m gathering he’s not one of yours?”
Cool amusement touched her lips. “My vampires have better sense and—dare I say it—better taste than to share blood with a sixteen-year-old. I can imagine no worse a fate than tying yourself to someone who will not grow beyond the self-important ‘the world owes me’ attitude of those years.”
I couldn’t help smiling. “Teenagers do eventually grow up and gain some sense—surely that would also apply to those who have imbibed vampire’s blood?”
She waved a hand, the motion dismissive. “It still takes far too much time for it to be, in any way, a pleasant experience.”
“If he is not one of yours, will you pass on any news you might hear of him?”
“I certainly will pass on anything I might find to you, Ms. Grace, but I have no desire to mix with the werewolves any more than necessary.”
“And yet, here you are, running a nightclub that is both staffed by werewolves and enjoyed by them, just as much as the humans.”
“This club is a business venture. I meant privately.”
There was something in the way she was studying me that had my heart racing. She might mean me no immediate harm, but that look suggested there was something more behind this meeting than just a simple introduction.
I took a drink that failed to ease the stirring unease or the unwise racing of my pulse. “Are the wolves even aware of your presence here?”
“Indeed they are. I would never step within the boundaries of a reservation without giving the council fair warning of my presence.”
So why had Aiden been so adamant that there were no vampires here? “Then the council hasn’t passed this information on to their rangers, which I find rather surprising.”
“No, because I guaranteed I would shed no blood and feed on only the willing while I am within this reservation. In return, they will not expose my presence to the wider population.”
“I hardly think the rangers could be called the wider population.”
“Perhaps not, but those were our agreed terms.”
I frowned. “You will excuse me if this sounds rude, but how in the hell can they even police such an agreement?”
She smiled. It wasn’t an entirely pleasant smile. “You are obviously not up on your vampire history, young lady. I am of the Defour line. Our word, once given, is a binding we cannot break. The council is well aware of this fact.”
“That almost sounds like the binding is one of magic.”
“Indeed. It was—depending on your point of view—either a gift or a curse from a long-ago witch of the Marlowe line.”
A statement that made me wonder if she suspected who I was. But how? Hair color alone wouldn’t have told her much. The crimson color might be a common trait amongst the three blueblood lines, but it wasn’t unusual for it to carry over to the “half-bloods”—those witches born from a union between a blueblood and either a lowborn witch or a common human. And unless they had the ability in life, vampires weren’t telepathic. I’d certainly had no indication that she was rifling through my thoughts and memories, and I would have, given I was still wearing a warding charm.
“If you think I am capable of undoing such a spell,” I said evenly, “you are sorely mistaken.”
“Oh, I am well aware the binding cannot be undone. I have asked greater adepts than yourself many a time over the years.”
“Which places us right back to your reason f
or inviting me up here.”
“Is it not always sensible for one such as I to make my presence known to the local witch?” she asked. “It tends to lessen any misunderstandings that might otherwise occur.”
“I appreciate that politeness, but it is hardly necessary. Witches have been banned from this place.”
“And yet, here you are.”
Again my smile held little in the way of humor. “I’m a charm maker with psychic powers. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Oh, I think there’s a whole lot more to you than you either wish to see or admit,” she replied, and rose. “I will inform you if I hear anything about the vampire. But I must also warn you that I am, given the terms of my agreement with the council, unable to do anything about him, as much as I might wish otherwise.”
I picked up my drink and stood up. “I’m surprised the council have neither advised you of the vampire’s presence nor come to you for advice.”
Amusement briefly crinkled the corners of her pale eyes. “They undoubtedly will if there is a second kill, but most vampires who prefer a full meal rather than a mere sip generally tend to hit and run.”
“I don’t think this vampire has any intention of running.”
“If he has shared blood, I would agree.” She made a rather regal motion toward the stairwell. “Thank you for indulging me, Ms. Grace. I look forward to having another chat with you soon.”
It was a statement that had trepidation flaring fierce and hard again. But I forced a pleasant smile, said a polite goodbye, and headed out. Her pale assistant opened the door once I reached the bottom of the stairs, and Belle met me near the bar with another cocktail. I downed the remains of my first one and then repeated the process with the second. A warm buzz flooded my body, chasing away the cold threads of dread.
“Want another?” Belle asked, as she plucked the second glass from my grip.
I shook my head. “Not unless you want me dancing naked on the bar.”
She grinned. “I might not, but it could be an interesting experience for our ranger.”
“What? He’s here?” I glanced around but couldn’t immediately spot him—not surprising, given the place was packed.
“I saw him talking to the bar staff. It appears he’s here for the same reason we are.”
“Except he has no idea this place is run by a vampire.” I stepped around her and headed for a vacant stool. The alcohol buzz was getting stronger. Perhaps downing both drinks in such quick succession wasn’t such a bright idea.
“Are you going to tell him?”
“It’s not my place.”
“It’s not our place to be trying to find this vampire, either, but that hasn’t stopped us.”
“That’s because we have five hundred reasons a day to do so.” I frowned at her. “Where’s your werewolf friend? I’m in need of some water.”
She propped beside me and then waved her hand. Zak appeared a few seconds later. “What can I get for you, lovely ladies?”
“Another cocktail for me, and a sparkling water for my friend here.”
“Coming right up.”
“Thanks.” Belle glanced over my shoulder. “Don’t look now, but your hot ranger is walking toward us.”
“Probably to interrogate me,” I muttered. “Or to bitch yet again about me being in Castle Rock.”
“I’m thinking it’s something a little more drastic than that,” she said. “He does not look happy.”
“That appears to be a common look for him, especially around me.”
“This is more a ‘something very bad has happened’ expression rather than a mere ‘I hate witches’ one.”
I reluctantly turned and looked. He was walking up the steps from the dance floor, his movements fluid and yet oddly sharp, and his expression as fierce as the flashes of red in his aura.
I held up my hands as he approached. “Whoa, Ranger, I have no idea what you’re about to accuse me of, but I promise, I haven’t done a goddamn thing.”
He stopped several feet away from me and shoved his hands into the pockets of his brown leather jacket. “I’m not here to accuse you of anything. I’m here to ask for your help.”
I couldn’t help a sharp laugh. “I’m sorry, what? Has hell frozen over or something?”
“Obviously.” His gaze flicked past me. “Ms. Kent, I presume?”
“Indeed, but please call me Isabelle.” She stuck out a hand. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Ranger…?”
“Aiden O’Connor, as I’m sure you’re aware.” He briefly shook her hand but his gaze remained on mine. “Well?”
I raised my eyebrows. “You might try saying please. You might also want to explain the sudden urgency for my help when neither you nor your second-in-command have taken my dreams or my psychic skills seriously.”
“This is neither the time nor the place for recriminations,” he bit back, and then took a deep breath, visibly reaching for calm. “You’re right, of course, and I apologize.”
Man, that hurt him, Belle said, her mental tone somber. Hell must have indeed broken loose for him to reach out like this.
I don’t think either of us need to guess what that ‘hell’ might be. To Aiden, I added, “How did you know I was here?”
“You weren’t home, so I checked the hotels and clubs.”
And, as Phillip Banks had noted, there weren’t that many options in Castle Rock. “Did Karen rise, as I predicted?”
“Later than you predicted, but yes.” His voice was grim. “And we have five people dead.”
“Shit.” I rubbed a hand across my eyes. “I’m sorry there’s been such a high toll, but I don’t really understand why you need me there. The people she killed can’t rise as vampires—”
“I’m aware of that,” he cut in. “And if that was all we were dealing with, I wouldn’t be here.”
Ain’t that the truth, Belle commented.
“Then why are you here? Spit it out, Ranger.”
“Karen had help escaping,” he said. “We presume it was the vampire who turned her.”
“I did say that was a possibility.”
“Yes, but there’s more. He left a message.” He paused and then added softly, “For you.”
“No.” Fear spiked within me even as the denial passed my lips.
“Yes.” He reached out as if to grab my arm, then dropped his hand. “Please, I need you to come and see it.”
“Why?” I said, even as I rose.
“Because the only thing we’re able to read is your name. Everything else looks like gibberish.”
I glanced at Belle. “Some sort of spell, perhaps?”
“It’s certainly possible.” She smiled at Zak as he returned with our drinks. “But it’s unlikely he would have had the time for anything too intricate.”
“Meaning your business partner is a witch, despite your protestations,” Aiden commented. “Doesn’t this just get better and better?”
“Look,” I said, somewhat testily. “No matter what grief some witch caused you in the past, neither of us deserve to be the target of your hatred—especially when you’re here to ask for our goddamn help.”
“True enough,” he said, after a slight pause, “and again, I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t help suspecting he was sorrier about being forced to ask for our help rather than for his hatred, even if his voice held an edge of sincerity. “Has the message been placed on the inside or the outside of the building?”
“Inside. Why?”
“Was the outside of the building patrolled?” I continued.
“Of course—there were three people, in fact, all specifically hired for that purpose. They were all wolves so should have sensed the vampire well before he had the chance to attack.”
“Unless the vampire was using some form of magic to conceal his presence.”
He frowned. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
“If a vampire is capable of magic before he turned, what makes you think he would be
incapable after?”
“Nothing more than myths and legend, which—as a werewolf—I should know better than to trust.” He shrugged. “But my people are all over the crime scene—nothing untoward has happened so far.”
“Which might just mean it is a simple message, as you suspect.” I glanced at Belle. “But in case it isn’t, would you mind coming along?”
“It’s not the way I’d hoped the evening would end, but I can hardly let you face this alone.” And the fact he’s addressed this note or spell to you specifically suggests he might be aware that you were with Karen in her final moments. If he’s capable of that, he’s probably stronger than we’ve been presuming.
That connection was immersive, Belle. All he should have sensed was Karen’s thoughts and feelings.
Just because he shouldn’t have felt you doesn’t mean he didn’t.
She motioned for the bill and, once Zak had bought it over, signed it and then leaned forward, whispering something in his ear. He grinned, pulled a business card out of his pocket, and handed it to her.
“If your social life is all sorted, can we go now?” Aiden said, voice holding an edge.
“Totally,” Belle said. “After you, handsome.”
He raised an eyebrow but did as bid. We collected our coats on the way out and followed Aiden over to his vehicle—an unmarked blue Ford Ranger rather than the green-striped white SUVs that were commonly used within the reservation.
The morgue was situated within the grounds of the region’s hospital, and though it was housed in a separate building, it could be accessed from the hospital by a glass-covered walkway between the two and also via the doors set within the walkway. Ranger vehicles and—rather weirdly, given the hospital was little more than a few hundred meters away—ambulances were parked everywhere, and there was a myriad of medical staff and rangers moving around.
I climbed out and took a deep breath. The air was fresh, filled with the fading electricity of the storm that had passed by. There was no immediate sense of magic, dark or otherwise.
There wouldn’t be if the spell lies within the building, Belle said.
“This way, ladies.” Aiden walked toward the walkway’s entry doors.