Tall, Dark & Fangsome

  Although that particular decision was subject to change without notice. The threat of turning into a death puddle was a strong motivating force.

  I took a good look at the leader of the vampire hunters. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, Gideon, but even with the glamour spell, you look like hell.”

  He held on to the chair arms so tightly that his muscles flexed. His skin was sickly white and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead. “That’s a very appropriate word to use for the way I’m feeling.”

  “Are you in pain right now?”

  “Ever since I was touched by the hellfire I’m constantly in varying degrees of pain. Today it’s worse than ever before.”

  I couldn’t help but cringe at Gideon’s obvious distress. As Quinn had reminded me earlier, I was basically a vampire-shaped Peep.

  Suck it up, marshmallow girl, I told myself. This is the man who threatened to kill everyone you love if you say or do the wrong thing. Never forget that.

  I wouldn’t forget.

  “I need something from you,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “What?”

  “Come here.”

  My eyes flicked again to the dagger next to him as I tentatively approached. “What’s that for? Whittling stakes? I met a hunter who said that was a hobby of his.”

  “I need some of your blood. Now. It can’t wait.”

  That surprised me. “But the ritual—”

  He drew in a shaky breath and raised his green eyes to meet mine. “The ritual will go on as scheduled. This… this is different. The research I’ve done on your unique blood makes me think it may help to ease my pain. If I can have some of it now—it may help me to think straight. The pain… it’s destroying me. Please, Sarah… help me.”

  So what flowed in my veins was a magical elixir that healed all ailments? I’d been looking for a new job. Now I knew what it was. I’d charge people big bucks to suck my blood.

  Gideon wanted me to ease his pain. He was relying on me. I could work with that.

  “I’ll help you,” I said. “But first I need you to promise that everybody I know will be safe. No assassins, no spies. I want all of them called off.”

  “No.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Just no? Not even a negotiation?”

  “Ask for something else. Anything else.”

  “The grimoire.”

  He shook his head. “The grimoire is payment for information leading me to the Red Devil. Ask me for money, gifts—furs, diamonds, anything. I can give you whatever you want.”

  “I don’t want gifts.” I stood firm. “Lose the assassins or give me the grimoire and I’ll help you out.”

  His strained expression flinched. “Then what assurance do I have that you’ll go through with the ritual?”

  “You’ll have my word.”

  He glared at me for a moment. “I can’t do that.”

  “Don’t you trust me?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “That stings, Gideon. Really. I thought we were friends.”

  He managed to laugh a little. “Sure you did.”

  I crossed my arms. “Okay, I didn’t. But you’ve been trying real hard to convince me you’re a nice guy.”

  “Not buying it?”

  “I don’t buy anything from the Chase boutique. I don’t like the return policy.”

  His lips twitched a little. “You’re the first woman in the world able to resist me.”

  “Even when you’re in agony you’re still full of yourself.” I rolled my eyes. “No, I’m able to resist you, Gideon, because I know what you are. And I know what I am. Hunters kill vampires, in case you’ve momentarily forgotten.”

  “I haven’t forgotten anything.”

  I shook my head. “Why should I help you if you’re not willing to do anything for me in return? Doesn’t sound like a very fair trade-off.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Well, there is that matter of those handy assassins I have only a phone call away. Do you think I won’t follow through with my threats?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Oh, believe me, I don’t underestimate you. I know exactly who you are. I’ve done my research.”

  “And who am I?”

  “You’re a murderer. Why would I ever help somebody like you out of the kindness of my heart? You have to threaten me or you’d never get what you want.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” he said quietly.

  “I’ve met a lot of hunters in the past three months and I have to say, a lot of them are dumber than a box of hair. But you’re not stupid. I can’t imagine that you’re convinced that vampires as a whole deserve to die. They’re people. They can think, they can cry, make jokes, make love; they have lives and jobs and marriages—and just because they’re a little different you feel justified in killing them. You know what you do is wrong and yet you do it anyhow.”

  When he didn’t answer, I paced to the other side of the room and then came back to stand in front of him. “Even with all your women, money, and power, are you that dead inside, Gideon? That must be it. Forget the hellfire. You’re already dead and killing vampires must be the only thing that makes you feel alive.”

  Okay, that was a way longer speech than I was planning. I should go into politics, maybe. But it wasn’t every day that a mere fledgling like yours truly got to face off against the leader of the hunters and say what’s on her mind.

  I guess my half a semester of psychology in university had paid off after all. Maybe Gideon was devastatingly handsome and popular with the bimbos at one time; maybe he had a ton of power and hunters across the world looked up to him, and his father, and his grandfather before him. But he was just an empty candy wrapper that happened to look like a man. I felt strangely sorry for him suddenly.

  Gideon stared at me, still and silent. The only thing that showed he was still alive was the constant flicker of pain in his eyes.

  I waited for a response, afraid that I’d stepped over the line, but pissed off enough that I didn’t really care.

  “You’re not the first female vampire I’ve spent time with,” he said. “A while ago I met another one. She was beautiful and strong and deadly. I was going to kill her but she seduced me instead. The sex was great, some of the best I ever had, but I knew she was only doing it to save her own skin. She was an opportunist. Totally self-absorbed. Willing to do anything it took to ensure her own survival. When I woke up the next morning she was gone.”

  I licked my very dry lips. “You should write that story up and send it to Letters at Penthouse. I’m sure they’d love it.”

  His gaze remained fixed on me. “For a moment during our tryst I considered her more than a vampire, more than what I’d always thought of as a monster. I thought of her as a woman. If she’d been there when I woke up I don’t think I would have killed her. I felt changed inside. Something was different. But her absence made that sensation easy to forget. Ever since, there’s always been that kernel there in the back of my mind that agrees wholeheartedly with your assessment of me. That I am the monster. Not her. Not you.”

  “Wow, she must have been really great in the sack.” I said it lightly, but my throat felt thick from hearing that he’d come an inch away from changing his evil ways. “However, you did go back to business as usual, didn’t you?”

  “I did. I can’t deny that. And it’s true what you said. Hunting made me feel whole. It gave me purpose when otherwise there was none. But—” his brow furrowed. “—now I’m on the brink of becoming a vampire, myself. Of my own free will—”

  “Not that you have much of a choice.”

  “No, but the thought of becoming the thing I’ve always hunted doesn’t fill me with fear or apprehension. It fills me with hope. I don’t want to go back to what I was. I want to be different. I want to change. And when I do, maybe I can change other hunters’ views on vampires.”

  A chill went down my arms. I shook my head, not wanting to believe him. “You’re lying to me right now, ar
en’t you?”

  “I’m not.” He blinked. “Help me, Sarah. Please give me some of your blood tonight. It might not even work, but you’re the only one who can stop this pain right now.”

  I couldn’t process what he’d said. It was too incredible. Gideon wanted to be different? He wanted to change things?

  “Dammit,” I said under my breath when I saw him shudder again as a wave of agony swept through him. His chest hitched.

  Fine. The Sarah Happy Hour was officially open for business—even though he’d given me nothing in return but words.

  I didn’t even feel the blade as I slid it over my forearm. Okay, that was a lie. It stung like a son of a bitch, but it did help that I was currently quite numb from hearing Gideon’s tales from the dark side.

  Then I presented my arm to him. “Cheers.”

  He studied it for a moment as if surprised I’d actually agreed to be his nightcap. The line of red welled up where I’d made the cut. He finally brought my arm up to his mouth.

  Since he didn’t have a natural thirst for blood, still being human and all, he didn’t slurp greedily at the wound as a hungry vampire would. Instead, I felt the warm touch of his mouth, tentative at first, as he tasted me.

  I felt awkward and more than a little bit scared by our proximity as he drank deeper. He didn’t let go of me. In fact, his grip became stronger.

  After a minute he looked up at me with surprise. “I think it’s working. The pain is lessening.”

  “I’m a walking, talking cure-all for demonic injuries.”

  “You are.” He smiled and lowered his mouth to my arm again.

  I felt something stir deep inside me from the sensation of his tongue sliding against my skin. It disturbed me a million times more than anything else that night.

  Gideon is not Quinn, I sternly reminded myself. He’s evil. No matter what he tries to make you believe, it doesn’t change anything. It’s only words.

  And he wasn’t Thierry. I loved Thierry. No matter how frustrated I got with his stubborn and secretive nature, it didn’t change the fact that I wanted to be with him. That’s why I did what Gideon wanted. To make sure everything went smoothly. That everything turned out okay in the end.

  Gideon had my arm so tightly in his grip that I had to brace myself against his chair as he continued to drink.

  He made a strange sound, like a sigh of relief. “It’s the first time since the accident that the pain is completely gone.”

  He rose to his feet in front of me with renewed strength. His hands moved around to the small of my back and he pulled me up against him. I braced my hand against his chest.

  “I think the bar is closed,” I said.

  “Then I should probably settle my tab.”

  He moved his mouth down to nuzzle at my neck, his hands moving lower to skim along my waist and hips.

  “Gideon, stop—”

  And then, suddenly, he was kissing me.

  Gideon Chase was kissing me.

  This was so not good.

  Even less good was the fact that I was kissing him back.

  But only for a second.

  I pushed at him using every ounce of my vampire strength. It was more than enough to force him away from me.

  I wiped at my mouth with the back of my hand. “That wasn’t on the menu.”

  “I haven’t felt so well in some time. I couldn’t help myself.” He smiled widely at me, showing off his perfect white teeth. “And I knew you liked me, despite everything. You can’t deny it anymore, can you? I think we could be very good friends if you let yourself.”

  “Think again.”

  “I’m going to be a vampire very soon and you’ll be my sire. That brings with it a very special bond, doesn’t it?”

  My cheeks felt like they were on fire. “Not the kind of bondage you’re thinking of. I think this little meeting is over. I’m leaving.” I turned toward the door.

  He easily cut me off and blocked my exit. “Stay with me.”

  “I don’t think so.” I reached past him for the doorknob.

  He grabbed my wrist. Above it, the wound had already begun to heal. “I know that you and Quinn are involved again. I was informed you were seen with him earlier today.”

  News did travel fast. It must have been the man with the suspicious-looking seeing-eye dog in the café. I knew it. “So what if I am?”

  He shifted his grip to take my hand in his and entwined his fingers with mine. “Forget him.” He leaned in to whisper against my lips. “And forget Thierry. Stay with me tonight. I want you.”

  He kissed me again. But he’d succeeded in putting the thought of Thierry firmly in my head and a wave of guilt swept over me. What was I still doing here?

  I pushed at him, but he only deepened the kiss and slid his tongue into my mouth. I bit it. A small nip wasn’t enough to transfer any of my trusty vamp virus to him but it did manage to get him to jerk back from me. He held a hand to his mouth.

  “Don’t try that again,” I said darkly.

  His eyes narrowed and he grabbed my arm tight enough to hurt. “I usually take what I want when I want it.”

  “I’ll remember that if I have to fill out a police report.” I shook my head. “See? I knew the real Gideon was in there somewhere under that nice shiny surface.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “And yet you can’t seem to stay away from me, can you? And you willingly kissed me before. Don’t try to deny it.”

  My stomach sank. “I won’t deny it. But listen to me, Gideon. I don’t care what you say to me or what you try to make me believe, the only reason I’m doing what you want me to do is that you’re forcing me to. You threatened my friends. You’re holding the grimoire as ransom to use against me.”

  “I do regret having to use such extreme measures, but I was very desperate for you to agree to what I need from you. I promise to make it up to you one day. Rethink staying with me tonight. We could explore if we have anything more between us than our many differences.” He slid his hand down my back to the small of my spine.

  I shook my head. “Goodnight, Gideon. This meeting is over.”

  His expression darkened and his grip on me tightened for a moment before he let me go. “Until next time.”

  I opened the door and walked out of his suite without looking back, feeling completely and totally shaken.

  I was in deep shit.

  Let me repeat that: Deep. Shit.

  What the hell had just happened? I’d been so in control when I got there. Totally. Then he was dealing with the pain, we talked about what a psychopath he was for a while, his story had made me think he might have a redemptive bone in his body buried down somewhere deep, I’d given him some of my blood… and then I’d kissed him.

  Or, rather, he’d kissed me.

  Semantics. Kissing had occurred.

  I hated him. I did.

  Or, at least, I tried to convince myself of that.

  Was this a version of Stockholm Syndrome? When the kidnapped victim start to empathize with her captor? Did I really believe that he wanted to change his evil ways after all these years?

  I had to go see a shrink. Possibly check myself into a rubber room. The sooner the better.

  At least I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I couldn’t possibly be falling in love with him. After all, I was already in love with Thierry.

  What I felt for Gideon was… something else. Something darker and much scarier. Only I had no idea what to call it.

  I walked down Bloor Street and tried not to think about anything. Thinking hurt. Currently, a lot.

  Even without thinking, I could sense that someone was following me. And if I could sense it, that meant it was my trusty, masked bodyguard whom my spidey senses alerted me to whenever he was within twenty paces.

  Maybe since he was super old he cast off some über–master vampire vibes. Thierry and I sometimes had a connection like that. I didn’t use it very often because keeping tabs on his whereabouts was also known as ??
?crazy girlfriend behavior.” But if I really needed to know where he was I could reach out—using a ton of concentration—and pinpoint his location like an internal GPS tracker. At the moment, however, I didn’t have a lot of concentration to spare.

  I stopped walking, turned around, but couldn’t see him. I let out a shuddery breath. I still felt unsteady after seeing Gideon. He hadn’t taken very much blood at all, but I still felt a bit weak.

  It had nothing to do with the blood.

  Lurky McLurkalot was starting to annoy me. The least he could do was make his presence known. Say “hi” or something. I’d settle for a polite nod in my general direction.

  “I want to talk to you,” I said, loud enough so the Red Devil could hear me. A woman gave me a strange look as she passed by. “Not you. Carry on.”

  What was I going to say to him? I didn’t really know. But I did know I wanted some answers. If Thierry refused to tell me anything about the reclusive vampire vigilante, then maybe the masked man in question would be a little more forthcoming about himself.

  I kept walking till I got to the next block. There was an Italian restaurant on the corner with a half-empty parking lot. I walked around to the back of it and waited, leaning heavily against the exterior wall. It didn’t take long before a dark shadow loomed and the Red Devil appeared. He didn’t move closer to me, instead staying about twelve feet away and out of the light of the security lamp I stood under. His face was shadowed and I could see little more than the mask, dark hair, and a long dark coat.

  He studied me silently.

  “Who are you?” I asked simply.

  “Someone who wants to help.” He spoke in a harsh whisper I had to strain to hear.

  I eyed him skeptically. “Where have you been for a hundred years?”

  “Around.”

  So incredibly insightful. I was overwhelmed by information. “Great answer. Really.”