Blood Flame

  I didn’t know I could trust a vampire. I thought you’d send me back to my abductors.

  You had no reason to think differently.

  Good-bye, Connor. And Evan, remember, you must atone and do it now. Or I will be lost to you forever. Our son, too.

  Connor felt there was something significant in these last words about atoning, but he didn’t know what. Maybe her insistence that Evan ‘do it now’ referred to the location.

  The next moment, a soft breeze blew through the terrible space. Heather departed, and the fight left Evan completely.

  “I’ve made a mistake,” he said quietly. “You can let me up now.”

  Connor’s cop training made him leery. But his instincts, enhanced by his time with Iris, caused him to levitate off Evan. However, he retained control of Evan’s sword.

  He flew back slowly several paces, holding his hands wide, the blade secure in his grip, knees bent. If Evan attacked again, he was ready.

  But Evan looked wrecked as he stared at Connor. He even looked around the space as though wondering how he’d gotten here. Iris still held Seraphina in a vampire thrall, a very strange thing to see, when she was just a witch. The dark cloud of Seraphina’s spell had disappeared as well.

  Evan called to the vampires waiting outside the building. When they flew in, he quickly took one of their swords.

  Connor moved swiftly in Iris’s direction, wondering if he’d just made the worst mistake of his vampire life.

  But Evan dismissed the vampires, ordering them to return to their homes. He then drew close to Connor. “When I give the word, I want you to take Iris out of here as fast as you can. We had the place wired.” There it was, the reason Heather had told Evan to take care of business now. He understood then what Evan meant to do.

  Connor nodded to him. “Let me contact Iris first.”

  Evan dipped his chin.

  He reached for Iris telepathically. Did you hear Evan?

  Yes.

  Do you trust him?

  I do.

  I’m going to grab your shoulders and pull you out of here at exactly the same time, a single smooth flow of motion. Do you understand and do you trust me?

  Yes and yes. Absolutely.

  Then we’re good to go.

  Connor nodded to Evan.

  “On three,” Evan said, sounding unusually calm. “One … two … three … ”

  At the same moment that Connor wrenched Iris away, he watched Evan’s sword slide into Seraphina’s stomach.

  Connor pulled Iris tight against him, then flew her swiftly through the doorway and into the air, higher and higher, but arcing southeast toward Elegance.

  The explosion followed within three seconds of their departure and was bigger and louder than at Sentinel. This time they weren’t directly beneath the blast. However, the ensuing shockwave catapulted them even farther into the night sky.

  He didn’t try to battle the wave, but flew with it until it dissipated. When they were a full mile distant, Connor slowed his flight, turning them in the air to face No Man’s Land. The debris cloud obscured the night and car alarms sounded all over Five Bridges.

  Iris held onto him loosely. She watched the cloud, and at the same time wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She had Seraphina’s blood on her lips.

  “Did you get any of Heather’s telepathy?” he asked.

  “Yes. All of it.”

  “Good.” He released a sigh, but not in despair. It was a strange thing to talk to the dead, but both Heather and Violet had given him back his life tonight. What he felt was gratitude, deep eternal gratitude.

  “Take me home, Connor.”

  “No place I’d rather be.”

  And that was the truth.

  ~ ~ ~

  Once back in the garden, Iris stared into the face of the man she loved. He’d kissed her about a dozen times, his eyes brimming with tears. He’d professed his love over and over and reaffirmed they were engaged and would soon be married.

  She saw how changed he was. The darkness that had held him in its hard grip was now gone. It had been blown away as surely as the blast in No Man’s Land had ended Evan and Seraphina’s tyranny over their lives.

  As she caressed his face, she sought about in her mind for the best way to thank him for coming into her life. Finally, she said, “You’ve taken all my pain away. Did you know that? I’d grieved for so long. Now all is made new.”

  He shook his head, searching her eyes. “I’m not sure you could have told me anything better than this. When you enthralled me, and I was able to see all that you were, I felt your pain. You’d lost so much. I also had a wish that one day I could ease your suffering. And if that’s what I’ve done, then I’m happier than I can say.”

  Iris thought it fitting to take him back into the shower and to clean the debris off their bodies from their final encounter with Evan and his witch. He took her to bed afterward and kept her there for a long time that night and several nights after.

  He kept telling her how much he loved her and she returned the favor. She wasn’t sure, given all that they’d been through in each of their alter lives, that the words could be spoken enough. Iris had never thought to find love in the harsh reality of their drug-riddled world.

  But here was Connor, a huge surprise in her life, a blessing sent to her by her sister and to some degree by Heather. If she had one struggle, it was finding exactly the right way to tell Connor how much he meant to her.

  Then one day, as Connor began moving his things to her home permanently, she figured it out. And she smiled, because he would love it.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Iris?” Connor called out to his soon-to-be wife. She’d been in the garage for most of the evening with the Harley mechanic repairing her police cruiser. It needed a new muffler and gas tank and had other assorted dents one of his workers was repairing. Other than that, it had survived the Sentinel explosion really well.

  He’d tried several times to head out to the garage to see what was going on. But each time he did, he got sidetracked with another household project. Iris had one helluva list for him, which included putting his Ducati poster up in the living room. But he needed her to eyeball the height for him.

  He smiled.

  He’d moved in.

  A whole week had passed since his announcement that sent about every territory in Five Bridges on its heels. First, he’d made very public his resignation from the Crescent Border Patrol. Then shortly afterward held a press conference with that prick, Donaldson, announcing that he would be the first vampire to join the Tribunal Public Safety force. Donaldson didn’t know it yet, but Connor was making it his mission to see the man kicked out of the Tribunal, the sooner the better.

  Connor had shaken up Five Bridges but good and at the same time had never felt more alive or more determined to make a difference in his world.

  He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed.

  Not even two weeks ago, he’d been alone, really alone and barely aware how skeletal his life had become. He would be a husband again and once more bound to the obligations of household chores. He couldn’t help but smile. Give him chores any day of the week. It seemed an incredibly small price to pay for being with the woman he loved.

  And speaking of her, shouldn’t her cruiser be repaired by now?

  “Iris?” he called out again.

  When there wasn’t an answer, he got concerned.

  He glanced out at the garden, but her latest spell held. Her home was safe. Iris now had a serious witch mentor who tutored her in the ways of fifth level witch-dom. Apparently, her basic power grid was exceptional anyway, but their bond had rocketed her potential into outer space. No dark witch could get through her spell now.

  There was also talk she’d one day serve on the Tribunal Council. His chest swelled with a combination of pride and love. Iris had always wanted to make a significant contribution to their world and now she would.

  He was about to call her name a
gain, when he decided he’d have to tear her away from her bike himself.

  The garage was on the kitchen side of the house. He went through the dining area, but as soon as he got near the door he felt compelled to go back and get the list of projects she’d made up for him.

  And that’s when it hit him.

  Damn. The woman had spelled the garage. He drew closer to the door, fighting the need to reverse direction, and there it was, a line of dragon’s blood and something else, probably ‘Connor specific’, all along the threshold.

  “Iris, get your ass in here.” He was pissed. She’d promised never to spell him, but she couldn’t deny this evidence.

  The door opened. She looked like a regular grease-monkey, wearing a kerchief on her head, her ponytail pinned into a bun, and blue overalls. She had the obligatory grease stains smeared here and there. “You spelled this door and you promised me you’d never do that.”

  She looked sheepish yet pleased at the same time. She was even smiling.

  Maybe he wasn’t being stern enough. The woman should be contrite.

  She glanced over her shoulder. “Duke, I’m in trouble, but do you think he’ll forgive me?”

  “Hell, yeah, he will.”

  Connor frowned. “Okay, what’s going on?” A row of cabinets prevented him from seeing into the garage.

  She reached over the threshold and kicked a break in the line of red powder and the spell dissipated. “Come here,” she said. “I have something for you. It’s a surprise.”

  “You’re still in trouble.”

  “I know. I broke a covenant between us, but it was meant for good. You can decide my punishment later. For now, come with me.”

  When she took his hand, he followed, because he couldn’t help himself. She might have spelled him to keep him out of the garage, but her love had become a magnet he didn’t think he could ever refuse and that had nothing to do with witchery.

  Once he passed the cabinets, he saw all three mechanics, also greasy, but grinning like school kids.

  That’s when he saw the bike. A Ducati 1974 750 GT. “Iris?”

  “She’s yours, Connor. The least you deserve for the man you are.”

  He didn’t know what to say. He turned to her, and not caring she was covered in grease, he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her first, then held her so tight he wasn’t sure she could breathe.

  He wanted to let go, but couldn’t. “You’ve given me so much.”

  “Same here, my love.” She pulled back, her hands on his arms. “But is this okay? Or did I overstep?”

  “You mean the Ducati?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “And the spell.”

  “The bike is perfect as well as the intent behind it. Thank you.” His heart swelled. He held her gaze once more, not understanding where she’d come from. Iris had only known him a couple of weeks, but seemed to understand him to the depths of his soul. “Thank you.”

  He then turned to the mechanics who were still grinning. “Well? Does she run?”

  They all laughed. Duke said, “You bet she does, but you’ll have to sit down and try her out.”

  Connor went over to the bike and that’s when he realized he hadn’t heard the engine once. Turning to Iris, he said, “You spelled the sound as well?”

  She shrugged. “Kind of had to. You would have known at once this wasn’t my TPS bike.”

  He chuckled. “You’re right about that.”

  He sat down on the seat and kick-started her up. He loved the rumble, the feel, the beauty of it. The vibrations were heaven.

  A part of his life had been returned to him.

  He thought about taking it out, but dawn was coming and the mechanics needed to be on their way. He shut the engine down, then took his time thanking each of the vampires for the work they’d done.

  Iris’s cruiser sat in the corner, covered and completely undisturbed.

  Duke gestured for his crew to head out through the open garage door and he followed. Connor tracked beside them onto the drive. He looked up into the night sky and up and down the street, but damn if Iris hadn’t taken every precaution. He could see her spell all the way to the streetlight about sixty yards away. She’d made sure the vampires were protected from any local, mistrusting witches.

  The men hopped on their own bikes and within seconds were making their way slowly down the suburban street. They knew the drill. They were three Crescent vampires in Elegance and needed to keep a low profile. They could have flown the distance, but each had the same philosophy: Why fly when you can ride?

  When Iris came up beside him, he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Did you give them directions?” she asked.

  “Yep, through Revel and Shadow Territories since they’re the closest. The last thing these men need to do is cross Sentinel Bridge. The Elegance Border Patrol would probably haul them in for questioning.”

  “And they might never be seen again.”

  He turned to her. “You overwhelm me, Iris.” He slipped his arms around her and held her close.

  She caressed his face. “The Ducati was the least I could do for the man who has so completely changed my life. It seemed like such a small thing when compared to having you in my home and sharing my bed. I don’t think I knew how alone I was until you showed up.”

  He kissed her, a slow tender brush against her lips. When he drew back, he slid his arm around her and led her back to the garage, closing the door.

  She gestured to the bike. “You don’t want to take her out? She’s ready and you’ve got a few minutes yet.”

  “I need something else right now.”

  Since he lowered his hand to fondle her bottom she looked up at him and smiled. “I like your thinking.”

  When she took his hand, then turned toward the door to the house, he followed after.

  “I’m still mad about the spell.”

  But she only laughed, maybe because he didn’t sound convincing.

  As she led him past the dining table, she turned to look up at him. “I’m really dirty, Connor. Think you could take me to the shower and get me clean?”

  He growled softly. “Definitely.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Connor’s reaction to the Ducati was exactly what Iris had hoped for. He’d had the strong wind-in-the-face expression she’d wanted, then he’d kissed her.

  She knew exactly what the bike meant to him, a symbol of what he’d lost and hopefully what he’d now gained because they’d become a couple, even a team to help build something better in Five Bridges.

  The shower was small for his big body, but the cramped space made it fun and close and wonderful. She kept her hands on him the whole time and he returned the favor.

  Making love with Connor was better than the sweetest dream. He was an attentive lover, always gauging her reaction to the slightest pressure of his tongue, his fingers, and especially his cock. She worked hard to match him, learning the ways he liked to be sexed up, then brought home.

  Then of course, there were times she attacked his body, like now in the shower, for the sheer pleasure of exploring every bulked up muscle he possessed.

  After a few minutes of soaping each other, he lifted her up against the tile wall and entered her. She moaned heavily, savoring the connection as he began to drive into her. The water hit them both, another erotic layer of feel-good.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and for just a moment she was reminded of flying with him for the first time.

  She held his gaze. “I love you.” Then she kissed him.

  His whole body responded as he pierced her mouth with his tongue and groaned. He drew back just enough, all the while thrusting into her. “I love you, too, Iris. So much.”

  He kissed her again, then moved his hips vampire fast, until her mouth opened wide and she screamed the ecstasy that poured through her.

  He roared his pleasure at the same time, and their energies merged once more.

  When the last pulse settled down, Iris kissed C
onnor over and over. He stayed connected to her for a long time, doing the same thing.

  “I never even imagined you,” she said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “All this time, I’d come to accept the harshness of this life in Five Bridges. Now it’s as though an oasis appeared in the middle of a barren desert and I get to live in it. I could never have imagined such a bounty here in our desolate world.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Connor finally drew out of Iris, but only because he wanted to take her to bed. He felt a powerful need to spend at least an hour worshipping her body and making her scream repeatedly. He would only be happy when he’d worn her out.

  He dried her off and led her to her bedroom, drew the covers back then settled her on the sheets. He made love to her as though this was their last day on earth. He promised himself he’d do the same for the rest of their lives, no matter how many days, months or years would belong to them.

  When he’d professed his love repeatedly and she was at last asleep in his arms, the French doors suddenly blew open.

  Iris remained asleep, but the smell of thyme filled the air and he could sense Violet’s presence once more. He owed the woman everything. She’d stayed behind year after year, until she could resolve a decade of suffering for both him and Iris.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  He felt soft fingers down his face. You’re welcome, swept through his mind. Then, Tell Iris I love her, but I’m going home now. For good.

  She’ll understand. It’s what she wants for you.

  And let her know I’ll be with Anna.

  Connor’s throat grew tight as he felt the wind sigh and Violet’s fingers once more touch his face.

  He felt her move over to Iris and watched the slight indentation on her cheeks as Violet touched her for the last time.

  The wind blew quickly out of the room, but Violet left the French doors open and for that he was grateful. He could smell the myriad of scents from Iris’s garden and each one eased his heart a little more.

  He was home now.

  After three decades of being on his own, he was home.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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