Blood Game

  “Good. Because you’re going to have one with you or behind you for the foreseeable future.”

  Her smile faded. “The goblet of blood. Is it Jelak?”

  “More than likely.”

  “He’s after Eve?” She nodded slowly. “And you think he may use me to get to her.”

  “There’s a slight possibility that I might want to make sure you’re safe as well.”

  “That goes without saying. But it’s Eve that we have to worry about.” Jane frowned. “You know I’ll be careful. I’d never risk Eve. She may be your center, but she means more to me than anyone in the world.”

  He was silent a moment. “What about Mark Trevor? I haven’t heard you mention him lately.”

  She said warily, “What about him? I haven’t seen him recently. He’s busy. He globe-trots all over the world. I’m busy. I have a career. We agreed that it might be best not to incur any additional obligations.”

  “Because you’re afraid to trust any relationship.”

  “Maybe.” She smiled. “I trust Eve. I trust you . . . when you don’t act weird as you did when I first arrived here. Are you going to tell me what that was all about?”

  “Probably. Someday.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Don’t take chances, Jane. Not now. Not ever. You’re too important to us.” He turned on his heel. “There’s a gun in a case on the top shelf of the closet. Take it with you when you go out from now on.”

  “I will.” She watched him go into the house before she turned and gazed out at the thick veil of rain. It was like being cocooned behind her own private waterfall. She used to love sitting out here in a rainstorm when she was a teenager. Sometimes she and Eve would sit on the swing and talk for hours.

  Precious times.

  Precious memories.

  Someone was watching.

  She was suddenly shivering.

  Nonsense. If she couldn’t see through this veil of rain, no one else out there could see her. It was Joe’s talk of Jelak and warning her against taking risks that had spooked her.

  Maybe.

  She had always trusted her instincts, and they were sending up skyrocket signals now.

  She took a step closer to the porch railing, then stopped. If there was a threat out there, she didn’t want to confront it blindly. It was enough to be on her guard and perhaps mention it to Joe to follow up tomorrow.

  Joe believed in the power of instinct. He would understand.

  JELAK SMILED WITH SATISFACTION as he lowered the infrared binoculars. He hadn’t been able to see more than a flash of body heat on the porch, but it comforted him to know that he was still in contact, in control. Every instinct told him that it was Jane MacGuire, and she had moved toward the edge of the porch as if wanting to confront him. “I want to confront you too,” he murmured. “But you shouldn’t be so defiant. If I had a rifle, I could take you down right now.”

  But he didn’t like guns. He always carried a Glock pistol because of the convenience, but he seldom used it. He preferred the might of his muscles and the clean stroke of his knife to claim the gift.

  “Do you feel me, Jane MacGuire?” he murmured. “You’re standing so still I think you must. I was angry with you, but it’s going away. As soon as the rain stops, I think I’ll take a gift in your honor. Anger makes the hunger burn, and I have to keep up my strength.” He rolled the window of the car up and leaned back in the seat. “It will be difficult, but I’ll find a suitable—”

  Fear.

  No!

  His heart was pounding, jerking, panic racing through him.

  It was out there in the darkness, coming toward him. He was coming toward him.

  He had to get away.

  His hand was shaking as he started the car, backed up, and stomped on the accelerator.

  Closer. He was closer.

  His tires were skidding in the mud as he raced through the forest.

  Get away. He had to be stronger before he could face him. More blood. More power.

  He’d reached the road leading north to the highway.

  How had he found him? The village of Fiero was a world away, and he’d been careful for years not to do anything that might trigger a search. The goblet? Possibly. Before this, he’d used the goblets very sparingly so that there would be no connection.

  It could be his imagination. The fear was ebbing the farther he went from the cottage. He could barely feel that sense of impending threat.

  It wasn’t his imagination. He’d felt that same fear all those years ago. He’d run then as he was running now.

  But he was stronger now and would become even stronger after the next gift. He should strike boldly and show himself the master of the game.

  It was time to stop running.

  ________

  SKID MARKS IN THE MUD.

  Seth Caleb’s lips tightened grimly as he knelt and checked the tire marks. Deep, tires spinning, lurching; Jelak had peeled out in a panic. Seth had hoped to track him down before he’d become aware that he was on the hunt. But the bastard had clearly known there was a threat near.

  Caleb muttered a curse as he got to his feet.

  Okay, he’d lost him tonight, but Jelak wasn’t going to give up Eve Duncan. When she had killed Kistle, it had placed her as a prime and immediate target in Jelak’s game.

  All Caleb had to do was take control of the game and change the rules.

  1:35 A.M.

  THE WOMAN WAS SITTING IN A chair in the living room talking on the phone. She was laughing, and there was a flush of color on her cheeks.

  Jelak drew closer to the window. Good. It was always better to take them when they were at the height of emotion. Joy or terror, it didn’t really matter.

  Now all he had to do was get in the house or get her out. It would be difficult to get her out in this storm. He’d probably have to go in after her.

  But she was standing up and going toward another room.

  Time to make a move.

  You can’t go to bed. I have to have your gift. He’s coming closer, and I’ll need your strength to fight him.

  He moved silently away from the window and down the stairs, carefully avoiding the hanging baskets decorating the porch.

  The rain had not lessened, and he could hear distant thunder as he carefully opened the gate to the backyard. The lamplight from the house glowed cozily from the windows.

  Light was always the enemy.

  First came darkness, then came fear.

  SEVEN

  “LOOK, I KNOW IT’S EARLY but I’m just acting as an intermediary, and he wants to see you right away,” Megan said, when Eve picked up the phone.

  “Who wants to see me?” Eve punched up the volume on her phone as she sat up in bed and glanced at the clock: 5:40 A.M. “And why should he need an intermediary?”

  “Seth Caleb. Renata says he’s a distant relation and that he may know something about those goblets. He saw the fax with the goblet and immediately flew in from Edinburgh. He called me at eleven last night and asked, no, told me to call you and tell you that he was going to come to see you. He wanted to make sure that you knew he was here to help and not one of the media.”

  “We’ll be glad to talk to anyone who can tell us anything about Jelak.”

  “I thought you would. But Caleb impressed me as being a little . . . I just thought I’d warn you. Renata said that he was a law unto himself and would have come whether we wanted him or not.”

  “You’ve warned me.” She glanced at Joe, who was sitting up and listening. “And when should we expect him?”

  “Seven.” She paused. “And he said to tell Joe Quinn that he should check the west side of the lake about two miles away from the cottage.”

  She stiffened. “What?”

  “He said the rain would have washed out most of Jelak’s tire prints, but there might be something he could use.”

  “You’re saying Jelak was in a car parked outside the cottage last night? We had the police scour all the
immediate area after we found that goblet.”

  “Caleb said the car was set way back from the lake and well hidden.”

  “If Caleb knew that, then he must have been out by the lake last night too.”

  “Presumably. For a rainy night, those woods must have been pretty crowded.” Megan added, “That’s all I know. But evidently he figured it was a strong enough card to get your attention.”

  Eve threw back the covers. “Oh, it got our attention.”

  Joe was already out of bed and throwing on his clothes.

  “What else can you tell me about Seth Caleb?” Eve asked. “Does Renata trust him?”

  Megan hesitated. “I think she trusts his motives. I’m not sure that she’d trust his way of handling the situation. I’d say treat him as an unknown factor.”

  “Great. That’s all we need.” Eve got out of bed. “I can hardly wait to meet him. Thanks for calling, Megan. I’ll let you know just what kind of unknown factor he turns out to be.”

  “Do that,” Megan hesitated. “Is Joe all right?”

  “Joe is fine. He’s working hard and nary a glimpse of Nancy Jo. I’ll call you later.” She hung up and said to Joe, who was ready to walk out the door, “Did you hear? Two miles away on the west bank. The car was far back, away from the lake.”

  Joe nodded. “I’m on my way.”

  And she’d be right behind him, Eve thought. Two miles was much too close for comfort, and the idea of Jelak hovering out there like a vulture was frightening.

  Five minutes later she was walking out the door.

  “Joe told me that we’re going to have a visitor.” Jane got up from the swing. “And that we might have had one last night.”

  “What are you doing up?”

  “I wanted to talk to Joe before he left this morning.” She started down the steps. “And I was having trouble sleeping.”

  “Why did you want to talk to him?”

  “It’s not important now. The situation has resolved itself.” She looked out at the path. “Do you think he was staking you out or that he followed me home?”

  “I have no idea. Perhaps both.” She started down the steps. “Maybe this Seth Caleb will be able to tell us.”

  ________

  “HE WAS HERE.” JOE WAS KNEELING beside a deep rut in the ground when they reached him. “Whether it was Jelak remains to be seen. But the car had some weight to it. It was big.”

  “But you won’t be able to get an impression?” Eve asked. “The print’s almost washed out.”

  “But there’s a better one in the brush that was partially protected by the trees. I have a chance of getting a decent one.” He shook his head. “When he drove out of here, he was in a hell of a hurry. There are skid marks all over the place.”

  “Panic?” Jane asked.

  “Maybe.” Joe got to his feet and reached for his phone. “But why? Our guys who are watching the cottage were nowhere near here. I wish to hell they had been. He was too damn close. I’m going to have the area searched again and then have all the cars checked for bugs. We might as well go back to meet this Caleb and try to get some answers. I’m going to phone and get a team out here to check those tire prints and try to identify the car.”

  “It’s a Lincoln Town Car built in the nineties. Jelak always likes the luxury models.”

  Eve whirled to see that the man who had spoken was standing only a few yards away from them. She hadn’t even heard him approach.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Seth Caleb. I believe you were expecting me.” He smiled. “I knew you’d be out here checking my story. I thought that I’d come to meet you.” He studied Eve. “You must be Eve Duncan. Yes, I can see why Jelak would target you. Even if you hadn’t killed his host, you’re a prime piece.”

  “You make me sound like a slice of meat.”

  “No, that’s not what I meant. I was referring to a game piece.” He inclined his head. “And you’re definitely worth his attention. Intelligence, sophistication, and experience. How could he resist?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Megan had said that she’d gotten the impression that he might be abrasive, but there was nothing abrasive about this man, in Eve’s opinion. He was dark and sleek and cool, and that smile was charged with megawattage. High cheekbones, a faint indentation in his chin, threads of gray at his temples, full, beautifully shaped lips. He had a slight accent. Scottish? Italian? She couldn’t determine the origin. “Yes. Megan called to tell us that you’d be here.” She met his gaze. “She didn’t tell us what you were doing out here last night, Mr. Caleb.”

  “I preferred to do it myself.” His glance shifted to Joe. “You’re Joe Quinn?”

  “I’m Quinn,” Joe said. “And I’m about to ask those questions and a hell of a lot more.”

  Caleb nodded. “But you’re probably blaming yourself for not realizing that Jelak was so close to her. I think he changed locations frequently and made sure he was far out of range. He probably has a trunkful of electronic equipment to keep tabs. I’d bet that he was in these woods for at least a week or two.”

  Eve shook her head. “We know he was in Alabama a few days ago.”

  “False trail. Alabama is a quick trip. Jelak has been setting you up since he knew that he might lose Kistle.”

  “The goblet of blood in the refrigerator,” Jane said. “That was part of the setup?”

  “A gesture of bravado. To show that he could do it.” Seth gazed at her for a moment. “I’m surprised he hasn’t made a more meaningful gesture.”

  He meant Jane, Eve realized with a chill. Jane’s blood, Jane’s life. “We take care of our own.” She whirled on her heel. “Come back to the cottage. We have some talking to do. I want to know everything you know, Caleb.”

  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t intend to let you help me.” He gave a mocking glance at Joe. “You have certain advantages that I don’t. The police usually do have a slight edge.”

  “We’re more interested in you helping us,” Joe said coldly.

  “Oh, I will. Never doubt it. I’ll keep Jelak away from you.” He smiled. “I know this demon, and he knows me.”

  “‘Demon’?” Jane asked. “Monster, maybe. Not demon.”

  “We are what we think we are,” Seth said as he followed Eve down the path. “Haven’t you discovered that yet?”

  “MAY I HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE?” Seth Caleb asked as he entered the cottage. “I’ve been up all night, and I could use the caffeine.”

  “Why were you up all night?” Eve went to the coffeemaker and turned it on. “Megan says you called her late last night, but that was obviously after you’d lost Jelak.”

  “I had some other calls to make checking what we knew about Jelak’s background before he came back to the States. I don’t know everything yet, but I’m close.” He glanced around the cottage. “Cozy.” His gaze fell on the pedestal that held the skull on which Eve was working. “For the most part.”

  “Before Jelak came back to the States?” Joe asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “I first ran across Jelak in Fiero, a small town outside Venice, Italy. That was over ten years ago.” He looked at Jane, who had dropped down on the couch. “He’d just killed a girl about your age and was on the run. Her name was Maria Givano. She was young, beautiful, and full of life. He was still experimenting at that time and wasn’t sure how much blood he’d require to help him become what he thought was his destiny.” His tone was without expression. “So he kept her in a cellar for three days, keeping her alive, but slowly draining her of blood. When she died, he left her there and moved on to another town.” He added. “Another woman. A little older, more experienced. Youth could feed him, but that wasn’t what he was looking for in the long run. He was discovering that there was an element in a more mature, intelligent woman’s blood that could enrich him. As I said, he was experimenting.”

  “What the hell do you mean?” Joe asked. “Feed him? You make
him sound like a vampire.”

  “Do I?” He smiled crookedly. “As I said, you are what you think you are.”

  Eve turned to look at him. “You’re saying that Jelak thinks he’s a vampire?”

  “Oh, yes. Well, he’s not quite reached that exalted state, but he’s working on it,” Caleb said. “You must have suspected as much.”

  “Not really. It’s too weird.” Eve remembered the joking reference she and Jane had made to vampires and Béla Lugosi when they had first found the goblet. “Joe said that Nancy Jo Norris’s murder was a ritual killing, but that doesn’t mean—Why would he think he was a vampire?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe he liked the idea. From what I could find out about his early years, he would have embraced the concept. Power. Death. Darkness. Everything incorporated in one entity.” He added, “I think he went to Italy to find his roots and he would have twisted those roots to be anything he wanted them to be.”

  “‘Roots’?” Jane grimaced. “Why go to Italy? Why not Transylvania? Isn’t that supposed to be vampire home ground?”

  “So all the melodramas tell us. As a matter of fact, he did go there first. Then to Spain, and finally Italy.” Caleb crossed the room and held out his hand for the cup of coffee Eve had poured. “It seemed that he preferred the Latin version of bloodsucker.”

  “This is too wild,” Jane said. “You can’t expect us to believe you.”

  “I can’t blame you if you don’t.” He looked down into his cup. “But you have to accept what I’m telling you if you want to bring him to his knees.”

  “I don’t want to bring him to his knees,” Joe said. “I want to put him behind bars and throw away the key.”

  “Then I hope I get him before you do.” Caleb’s smiled without mirth. “Because I do want him on his knees. It’s the best possible position for me to cut the son of a bitch’s head off. Let’s see how fast he bleeds to death.”