“Is that an old crater?” Giovanni asked.
“It looks like it. There’s a natural depression of some kind, but the tunnels Tulio dug seemed solid.”
Giovanni and Tenzin both nodded. “So this plan of yours—”
“Won’t work.” Baojia shook his head. “I’d need seven or eight vampires. We have no way of knowing how many will come, or if Ivan will be with them. Probably not. I don’t expect you to go down there. I’ll just have to figure something else out. Maybe if I go down alone—”
“What?” Natalie sat up straight. “No way! You can’t go alone. With all those other vampires?”
He gave her a warning look. “I’m not going to risk anyone else to do this. And don’t even think—”
“I’ll go,” Tenzin said quietly. “Between the two of us, we should be able to take out the rest.”
“We’ll tag along,” Carwyn called from the door, his hand on the small of Brigid’s back as the two walked toward the table. “We’ve been looking for some fun.”
Brigid added, “And if all of these vampires have taken elixired blood, they’ll be stronger than average. There’s no need to take chances with the two of you.” She nodded at Baojia. “Carwyn told me your plan. It’s a good one. We’re in.”
Giovanni said, “Beatrice and I—”
“Can provide a distraction,” Baojia said quickly. “See if Ernesto wants to meet for dinner tomorrow night. The last thing we need is for the two of you to become involved in a political problem. If you meet with him, it provides both you and Ernesto with cover should this turn messy and the cartel raise a fuss later.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “I’m sure. It’ll be a relief to know that this isn’t going to come back and cause more problems down the road for either you or my sire. All I want is to stop Ivan.”
“Only if you’re sure, Baojia.”
“I’m sure.”
Natalie watched the quick exchange with mounting anxiety. The plan seemed e pre,to be that Baojia and the other vampires would go down to the desert and stake out the hunting grounds where the women would be taken. Then, when all the vampires were there, he’d launch a surprise attack and kill them with no one in Ensenada or Los Angeles the wiser.
Brigid looked at her. “We’re going to need some humans. If you want to get the women out of there, we’re going to need someone to replace them. The first thing they’ll notice when they get there is scent. If it doesn’t smell like humans, they’ll know something is wrong.”
“I’ll go,” she said. “It’s my story. I’ll go.”
“No,” Baojia said quietly. “Not acceptable.”
Tenzin ignored him and spoke to Natalie. “Ben has already offered to help. He’s well-trained. With us providing cover, he’ll be able to guard you while we handle the vampires. You’ll be safe with him.”
“No,” Baojia said again, slightly louder. “She’s not trained. She’s staying here.”
Tenzin cocked her head. “She has to go. We need her. Ben’s presence will not be enough. And he’s male. They’re expecting women. If you want to save these girls—”
“I’m not saving them by putting her at risk,” Baojia said, stepping closer to Tenzin. “It’s not an option.”
Both vampires broke into a sudden flurry of Chinese that looked seconds away from turning into blows. Tenzin’s voice was raised and she gestured toward Ben, who had been sitting quietly on the couch by the fire, seemingly at ease with the angry voices. Baojia looked furious, biting out words and baring his fangs at the small woman who would not back down.
Finally, Natalie stood and shouted, “I’m going, okay?” They both stopped and stared at her. “I’m going.” She looked pointedly at Baojia. “You knew I was going to. Don’t try to stop me.”
His nostrils flared while Tenzin simply nodded. “Good. So, we will leave at dusk tomorrow. We will stake out the crater and wait for the women to arrive. When they do, Carwyn can tunnel under the crater and hide them while we leave Ben and Natalie as bait for the other vampires. Ben will cover Natalie while Baojia, Brigid, and I kill the vampires who come to hunt the women. Will Ivan be with them?”
Baojia’s fangs were still down, and he was still glaring at her. “We don’t know.”
“So how are we going to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” Tenzin looked cross, but Natalie was still focused on Baojia, who had not taken his eyes off her.
He said, “Because if he is not with them, then I will hunt him down and kill him myself.”
“Oh,” Natalie muttered. “But I’m the reckless one.”
He slammed his hand on the table, spun around, and stormed out of the library. Natalie watched him go but did not rise to follow him. She raised her chin and looked at Tenzin. “I want a stun gun. Two of them would be better.”
Tenzin smirked and nodded toward Brigid. “She’ll get you set up. You’ll be with Ben. Tell him not to worry.”
Giovanni murmured, “Oh yes. Obviously that’s going to ease his mind.” He winced when Tenzin kicked him under the table. “What?”
Carwyn squeezed Natalie’s shoulder. “Go talk to him,” he said quietly. “You know why he’s angry.”
She rose and walked out the door. When she got to the foot of the stairs, Caspar was there, nodding toward the French doors that led out to the back garden. She followed the lit path that led toward the pool at the backol of th of the house. He was there, pacing around the deck, the water following him as he walked, creating a churning whirlpool that matched the stormy look on his face. He only glanced at her once before he turned his eyes back to the water.
“Well, you got what you wanted,” he said.
“I didn’t want you mad at me.”
“Are you surprised?” he bit out.
She sighed and crossed her arms. “I guess not.”
“He’s a teenage boy. You’re going to be guarded by a teenage boy while I’m dealing with the rest of them.”
“Tenzin told me you once took on over a dozen trained soldiers yourself and killed every one.”
“And I almost died!” he stopped, spinning toward her. “I had two swords at my neck.” He took his finger and traced a line. “And they cut halfway through it. I was inches away from death, Natalie. If I was human, I wouldn’t have survived. Plus, I was by a river. I was strong there.” He kept walking and she forced herself to remain where she was. His fangs were down, his black eyes glittered. He was still furious. “I was as strong as I can be on land, and I still almost died.”
“Baojia—”
“But we’re going out to the desert! There is no water around for miles except a few irrigation canals. Nothing. I will not be at my strongest, there are going to be an unknown number of vampires there hopped up on some drug that makes them super-strong and crazed by the scent of human blood.” He stopped a few inches from her face. “And you are putting yourself in the middle of all that out of some insane need to save the world!”
“You need me there for this to work. I’m the only one—”
“Yes!” He grasped the back of her neck and pulled her face to his. “You are the only one. The only one. Why don’t you understand?”
She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his mouth to hers. Their kiss was hard and angry. Desperate and needy. “I do understand.”
“Then don’t do this.”
“I have to!” she cried, tears in her eyes. “Why can’t you—”
“I love you,” he breathed out, the words caressing her cheeks as he held her. “Can’t you see? I love you, and I can’t see you die.” He captured her lips again, wrapping his arms around her, almost cutting off her breath with the ferocity of his embrace. “I can’t, Natalie.”
“I’m going to die someday,” she said, the tears welling up in her eyes. Her heart soared at his words. Her mind raged at the thought of the danger they both faced. “Everyone dies someday.”
“Unacceptable,” he breathed out, tilting her head to t
he side. His fangs scraped along her collar. His hand grasped the nape of her neck almost painfully, but she reveled in it. She had never felt more alive. “When we live through this, I’m leaving this place, and you’re coming with me.”
He spun her around, pressing her back against the wall of the house as he kissed her again and again. Natalie could feel the water drawn from the pool lapping at her feet, drawn to him as the energy crackled around him. She could only gasp as he continued the relentless assault on her senses.
“Vampire or not,” he hissed against her skin, “you are my mate. I will not be without you.”
Natalie gasped, “I am your mate.”
“And you will never do anything this dangerous again.”
“Baojia!” He took her breath away. His fingers pressed into the small of her bamald yck, and he shoved his thigh between her legs. He growled low in his throat when her fingers sank into his hair and gripped. She couldn’t get close enough. She felt wild. Feral. A creature of instinct and sense. Her mind was blurred by the hum of his energy, the scent of his skin, and the feel of his fangs as they pierced her neck. Natalie cried out when she felt the pull of his lips. Taking. Claiming. She was his. The waves of pleasure crashed over her as the water reached for him, soaking her legs as he held her against the wall.
“Say it, Natalie.”
“I love
you.”
His hoarse groan echoed in the night as the waves came harder, buffeting against the wall, lapping against her skin and causing her to shiver. He reached for her pants, pushing them away as he moved her farther into the shadows. Natalie tugged at his clothes frantically, desperate to touch him. Desperate to feel. To remind herself that, whatever happened later, in that moment, she was alive. He was her reason, and he loved her.
“I love you,” he whispered again as he entered her, holding her gaze as firmly as he held her heart. Her back scraped against the wall, but Natalie only held him closer. “Don’t make me live without you.”
She ignored the tears that slid down her cheeks. “I won’t. I promise.”
His thrusts were hard, still holding an edge of anger. “You can’t promise me that.”
She cried out, biting into his shoulder to suppress the scream as he drove them both. Pleasure coursed through her body, but his fear pierced her heart.
“I promise,” she finally panted as he arched back in release and she came apart in his arms. “I promise you, Baojia.”
He held her close, both of them soaked to the skin, and Natalie clutched him tighter, praying she’d made a promise she could keep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
He listened as they drove south, the night growing lighter as the waxing moon rose and traveled the sky. The lights of Tijuana were in the rearview mirror, and Ben sat next to him, eyes focused on the cracked asphalt they followed into the desert.
“The main difference between a stun gun and a Taser is proximity.” Brigid was lecturing in the backseat as they drove, a duffel bag of weapons open on the seat between her and Natalie. “To use a Taser, the ideal distance is around ten to fifteen feet. But you’re dealing with vampires who are far faster than anything human. So if you see one, point and shoot even if they’re farther away. These all have laser sights built in. By the time it fires, they’ll probably be within a few feet of you.”
“Lovely. And the stun gun?”
“Very effective, but you’ll have to be in direct contact—”
Baojia growled in the front seat, and Brigid narrowed her eyes at him.
“Hey,” Natalie said. “No growling.”
“Obviously,” Brigid muttered, “direct contact is not the ideal. So try to use the Taser. I packed a few of them for you.”
“I’m counting at least twenty, Brigid.”
“You can never have too many weapons. And this model can be used as a stun gun for about half a minute after it’s fired. But you shouldn’t need any of this. It’s purely a precautionary measure. We will be engaging the vampires at the perimeter, and you and Ben will create a defensive position in the center of the crater.”
Natalie nodded nal nampirvigorously. “I remember there were some rocks and trees and stuff we can use to hide.”
“They shouldn’t even get near you.”
Brigid was obviously young, Baojia mused as he drove the old car, dodging potholes before he turned onto the dirt track that had been used as a mining road. Battle plans—even his own—rarely went as planned. The only constant was the unplanned factor. There was always something unpredictable, and it usually happened at the most inopportune time.
He had tried again when they woke that evening to dissuade Natalie, but she was determined. He had used all his powers of persuasion, thrown every logical argument in her face, before he finally conceded humans were an integral part of the plan, and if they didn’t use her, they’d have to use someone else. After that, all arguments were moot. She wouldn’t stand to have anyone else put at risk. He briefly considered knocking her out anyway, but at that moment, Tenzin had pounded on the door and told them to stop having sex and get in the car. Which was doubly annoying because they weren’t actually having sex.
He had to fall in love with the stubborn one, didn’t he? The stubborn, beautiful, defenseless human with no sense of self-preservation and a hero complex.
“And make sure you don’t ever use a Taser on a fire vampire, or you’re toast.”
Baojia gritted his teeth and glanced in the rear view mirror at Natalie’s wide blue eyes.
“How will I know if it’s a fire vampire?”
Brigid said, “You’ll know. But chances are, it won’t be. There’s not that many of us, to be honest. Meeting two like you have is fairly extraordinary. The most common type of vampire is Earth, with Wind and Water rounding things out. Fire is very uncommon.”
“It’s like a recessive gene,” Ben said from the front seat.
“Okay, and I’m assuming that they’ll burst into flames if shocked or something?”
He saw Brigid nod. “Our amnis is nothing more than an enhanced electrical current. That’s why vampires short out electronic equipment so easily. It also seems to be what connects us to our element, so when we’re shocked, our systems react by loosing an incredible amount of elemental power. Carwyn would create a large earthquake. Baojia would draw all the water around to him.”
“Except we’re in the desert, where there’s no water,” he muttered, still highly annoyed at the handicap.
“Well, yes. Try to make the best of it,” Brigid said. “Tenzin is air, but I’m not sure what it would do. I’ve never shocked an air vampire before.”
Ben said, “Can I try? Please?”
Baojia said, “The fact that you’re still alive is truly amazing sometimes.”
“Eh…” The boy shrugged. “She has a soft spot for me.”
That much was obvious, but it had been to the boy’s benefit. He was one of the most well-trained mortals Baojia had ever met, even just shy of his eighteenth birthday. Ben was proficient in judo and jujitsu, could fire various weapons with accuracy, had a good command of hand-to-hand combat with knives, and could even handle a blade passably well. Added to that were the instincts he could only have been born with. The boy was incredibly sharp. If Baojia had enough time with him, he’d have him a master by the time he turned immortal. If he turned.
He glanced in the rearview mirror again. If she turned.
What if she didn’t want it? What if she never wanted it?
t?“What other weapons did you bring?”
Ben’s voice broke into his ruminations. Baojia glanced down at the twin short swords that were strapped to his thighs. “I have a few other swords in the trunk. A dao and a new katana I bought last year, but I probably won’t bring them.”
“Are those going to be enough?”
He nodded.
“They’re kind of…”
Baojia smirked, knowing exactly what the boy was thinking. “Kind of…?”
> “Short.”
“Are you saying that size matters, Benjamin?”
The teenager snorted. “I just mean that your reach with those—”
“These are fourteen-inch twin butterfly swords. Handmade and balanced within ten grams of each other. They are also perfect for the way I fight.” He glanced at the boy. “One thing you will learn is that every fighter is different, and this is important to know. We all have our strengths. What is your aunt’s favorite weapon?”
“Shang gou. The hook swords. You trained her on them; you know.”
“I picked those for her because her sense of balance and flexibility makes them ideal for her. One of her strengths as a fighter has always been balance and knowing how to use her opponents’ weaknesses against them. She needed reach and heft. The hook swords were perfect for her.”
Ben muttered, “And they’re really cool.”
“No, Ben. They’re really fucking cool.” For the first time that night, he felt a real smile cross his face. “But I have different strengths, first of which is speed. I’m much faster than your aunt or your uncle.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” Ben rubbed his ribs where Baojia had given him a good punch the other night while they were practicing.
“Good. And so a long sword like a dao or a katana or the shang gou is not ideal for me. Short swords are faster. Besides, I don’t try to keep my opponents at bay. I draw them close and then attack. It’s the way my father taught me, and still the most effective way for me to fight.”
“Ernesto taught you that?”
Baojia paused, his breath catching a little at the flood of memories. A man—almost a mirror image of himself—practicing wing chun forms in a small garden. Watching. Baojia was always watching. Then he was the one practicing. He could hear the man’s murmured instructions as he gently corrected the small boy. The evening sunlight pouring over them as the smell of food drifted from the outdoor kitchen where his mother sang.