Urban Vampire: The bookset 1-3

  I rubbed my hands together. “Well, it seems that Paul and I formed a bond before the bond with Alexis.”

  “I didn’t think something like that could be possible,” Tony said. “Leave it to you to figure out how.”

  I ignored his comment. “I appreciate you coming out. It must have been hard to do, since you told me you were tired of always running to my rescue.”

  Tony glanced at Paul. “You have someone else for that now. I trust that this is the last time you’ll have a need to call out my name.” Then he disappeared.

  Every Vampire had left except Julie and Ran. Monica was sitting on the stairs where Paul talked to her in soothing tones. It sounded as if he was apologizing. He did owe an apology to her.

  “Kim, I think we’re going to need protection here for a while,” Julie said.

  “Who?” I asked. I didn’t trust many Vampires, only the ones I had called, and maybe the word “trust” was a stretch. I had little faith that any of the Master Vampires under my liege would lift a finger to help me in battle, including the ones I had ruled in favor of during various disputes. They feared me, yet they wanted my territory returned to its former self-serving, human-abusing ways.

  Julie named eight vamps who mostly worked the safe houses. I hated to lose them there. The safe houses needed them more than we did. If any human under my protection got hurt because I had taken one of their guards, I didn’t think I could live it down.

  “I’ll take two, and I want one of them to be Tige.”

  Julie nodded.

  Tige used to be Tony’s First Lieutenant. He was quite capable despite his thin frame and propensity for smoking weed. When Tige went Rogue after turning me, he lost his position and later became a Second generation under me, his only sired offspring.

  The Vampire nation was odd and complicated.

  Julie agreed to send the vamps over as soon as possible. Though there were rooms down below where Vampires could sleep safely, I hated to inconvenience them. The memory of Yosef and his “pack,” however, was enough to convince me we needed the protection. And the look Yosef gave me before he left seemed to be a promise of more mayhem to come.

  Paul put his arm around my waist. “Kim, I had no idea they’d ever find me. I mean, they live in fucking Poland and they’re dirt fucking poor!”

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I’m just happy that they’re gone. They were nasty.”

  “They’re not,” Paul said. “Not really. They just need to save themselves from dying out, that’s all.”

  “That one was touching himself, as if he’d rape Monica and me if he got the chance.” I gave Paul a piercing look. “That’s what he was threatening.”

  Paul pulled me to him and kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring my baggage.”

  “I know, baby. I know.”

  He pulled back. “Do you regret that I came back?”

  “No! I’m so happy that you’re home. There’s been this horrible empty spot in my center that I could never fill. It didn’t disappear until you came back. So it doesn’t matter to me if you’re a Werewolf or if you were a were-rat! I’m just happy you’re home.”

  Ran took Julie’s hands, and they communicated something to each other. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. For the millionth time I wondered about the exact nature of their relationship. Were they lovers? Were they like father and daughter? Were they like brother and sister? I wished I knew.

  Ran turned to me. “I’ll leave you to your business. Any time you need me, just call.” He nodded to Paul. “It was nice to finally meet you, Paul.” They shook hands, and Ran disappeared.

  “Kim.” Julie turned to me. “About Athena. Maybe this isn’t a good time.”

  “What about her?” I tried to keep my voice from sounding as anxious as I felt.

  “My contacts have slowly been sending me information,” Julie said. “It’s good to have friends in low places just as it is to have them in low ones.”

  “Right, right.” I made a circular motion with my fingers indicating for her to continue.

  “Athena is being held for questioning about her killing Esmeralda.”

  Monica and Paul seemed to be listening as intently as I was.

  “Evidently someone of her stature can only be questioned by a Council so old and so strong that One Who Knows All is on the committee,” Julie said. “One Who Knows All is the oldest of us that I know of. I don’t think she was ever completely human. She may have been Cro-Magnon or something. I don’t know much about this evolution thing. We weren’t allowed to study that in school, and I died and all that. Anyway, at this point it’s no longer a secret that you and Alexis were together. What I’m saying is that Athena knows that she killed the wrong woman.”

  I swallowed. “Athena knows about me, huh? And I’m still alive because a Council stronger than her is questioning her.”

  “It appears so,” Julie said.

  “Any chance of her being put to death for killing Esmeralda?” Paul asked.

  Julie’s normally neutral face contorted slightly. “Don’t count on that. Neratomay of her stature aren’t killed easily. Even Alexis’ punishment is a relative smack on the wrist.”

  “But Alexis didn’t do anything worth being punished for,” I said.

  Julie sighed. “Maybe not for a human. But going against Vampire rules is a big thing for us. Rules like those are as ingrained in us are our instincts are.”

  “I get it, I get it,” I conceded. “Anything else about Athena?”

  “Not much about her,” Julie said. “But Alexis may have to leave Epic Cu.”

  My ears were pounding like crazy.

  “He is supposed to be punished,” Julie said. “Being able to leave at will through you or Athena or whoever else he’s bound to isn’t much of a punishment.”

  I cleared my throat. “He’s not ever bonded himself to anyone but me … and then Athena.”

  “And what about Kim?” Paul asked. “Any word about what the Elder Council is going to do to her?”

  “I heard that the Elder Council will determine that when they return to the States,” Julie said.

  “Julie,” Paul said. “How does one kill someone as old as Athena?”

  Julie shook her head. “One doesn’t.”

  “Anything can be killed,” Paul said.

  “If it were that easy,” Julie said, “we wouldn’t be surviving under an outdated caste system where the strongest rule and the weakest serve.”

  “Paul, we need to get going to the Council meeting if we’re to be there by three,” I said.

  “Okay,” Paul said.

  “Julie, would you stay here tonight?” I asked. “I don’t want Monica alone in the house.”

  “Of course,” Julie said.

  ~***~

  Paul didn’t sense any werewolves in the area, so he and I took the Porsche to the Council meeting. After a time I relaxed a bit and sat back to enjoy the drive with him. We listened to Neo soul and Alternative music on the satellite radio, and we sang to and smiled at each other.

  As we got close to the Council house, the mood changed when Paul kept glancing at me.

  “It still bothers you,” he said.

  “And it always will,” I said.

  “I didn’t think I was going to tell you this,” Paul said, “but that night, when I left you down in that basement, I heard you screaming. I went back down to kill everyone or die trying. Tony stopped me.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “Yes. I had lost it. Tony stopped me on the stairs. Even though he was torn up himself, he forced me outside.” Paul sighed. “It haunts me, not because I couldn’t hurt him, although that was bad. What haunts me is that instead of trying to help me tear them apart so that we could get you out of there, Tony was more concerned about the letter of the law. Look, he saved my life and I’m grateful, but it convinced me more than ever that I needed to come back because somebody needed to fight for you.” He glanced at me with a f
rown.

  I didn’t know what to think. Tony told me point blank that the rules were ingrained in him and that we really were different. I’d have to fight to the death for the one I loved. I shouldn’t judge Tony, but damnit, Alexis fought for me from a jail cell! Tony couldn’t fight for me with our Council?

  I put my hand over Paul’s. “Thank you, Paul. Thank you for coming back for me then and now.”

  He shook his head. “But I didn’t save you. Only Alexis has ever saved you. I still hate him, though.” He smiled at me. “Sorry.”

  ~***~

  We were a bit late, but the Council was used to that when dealing with me. Everyone including Carmine was in the lower level, but Letrelle was a no-show.

  “It’s about time,” Keada said in her deep Russian accent.

  “I’m fifteen minutes late, Keada. Damn.” And this time I had a good excuse. Did she not remember that I’d just had a pack of werewolves in my house? Cut a sister a break!

  Keada looked Paul up and down. “My time is just as important as yours.”

  “Where’s Letrelle?” I asked to no one in particular.

  Carmine answered. “I doubt that we will see that punk tonight.”

  I glanced at Paul. “He brought the case and now he doesn’t want to resolve it.”

  “Like Carmine said, he’s a punk,” Paul said.

  “I believe Letrelle would like to sneak into my home and arrange my death,” Carmine said. “He has no desire to fight fairly.”

  “Did you have a contingency plan?” Tony asked. He was lounging next to Kaniji, who eyed me smugly.

  “Tyler,” I said.

  Everyone was quiet, even Carmine.

  “I announce Letrelle a Rogue,” I said. “He will be hunted down and killed. His territory and assets will be given to his Second. Do you find this satisfactory?”

  “Yes,” Carmine said. “Thank you, Master.”

  “Then you are dismissed.”

  Carmine disappeared.

  “Tomorrow I will send Julie and Tyler after Letrelle,” I said.

  Cyrene stood. “Then let us resume our Council meeting. Obviously we need to discuss the threat made against our Council Member, Kim.”

  “Actually, we don’t.” I sat in one of the chairs furthest from them. Paul stood by my side.

  “You did call for our assistance,” Kaniji said.

  I handled Kaniji best by ignoring her. “Did any of you know that werewolves actually existed?”

  “There has been some evidence of their existence,” Cyrene said.

  “I have seen a Werewolf,” Kaniji said. “Before I was Neratomay, in Japan. In our gardens behind my house there was a man who was more animal than human. My father struck him with his sword, but the man ran away. It was a death blow, but it did not kill him.”

  “If there are werewolves in the United States, then they have been secret about their existence,” Frank said. “We’ve been living alongside of each other peacefully, if that’s the case. Still, what Kim said at her house is worth exploring. I would love to taste the blood of a Werewolf.” Frank stared at Paul.

  The heat radiating from Paul spiked.

  “Kim, what is it like?” Frank asked. “I’m sure you know. You should share. His blood would be a great treat at our next Council meeting … or this one.”

  “Frank!” I shouted.

  Paul put his hand on my shoulder. “No, it’s okay, Kim. Let him taste.”

  “I would taste, too,” Keada said, her eyes wide and greedy.

  Paul took off his suede jacket and handed it to me. He removed the shells from around his neck and handed them to me as well.

  I studied him, but his expression was blank as he tugged at his collar and walked to Frank.

  Frank swept back his long greasy hair and dropped the teeth, causing his pale face to transform into something monstrous. Frank’s choice of clothing bordered on the sado-masochistic. He loved his leather chaps and straps and enjoyed exposing his narrow, scrawny chest. He wasn’t the cleanest Vampire in the world, and I never allowed him to put his hands on me.

  Paul seemed relaxed as he offered his neck. Frank’s eyes rolled up in his head as he bit down on the pulse in Paul’s neck.

  The reaction was instantaneous. As soon as Frank’s teeth entered Paul’s neck, the wolf in Paul reared up and growled. He swiped at Frank with clawed hands and slashed Frank’s chest. Paul’s teeth sprouted and his nose extended into the shape of a wolf’s nose. Though his golden eyes were still human, coarse hair sprouted on his face and his hair grew long, Paul’s shirt shredding as his body thickened. He touched his wet neck and jumped at Frank in rage, teeth snapping inches from Frank’s face.

  Frank brought up his forearm, and Paul’s impossibly wide teeth clamped down until we heard a sharp, loud snap.

  Frank screamed.

  The Council sprang to their feet, including me.

  “Paul, stop!” I shouted.

  Paul released Frank’s arm with a final shake. He turned to me and licked his red lips.

  I was afraid of the wolf, I’m not going to lie, but I turned my back to him to face the approaching Council. They were not going to attack my man! “There will be no feeding from the Werewolf. They take it as an act of aggression, and they go immediately on the defensive.”

  The Council regarded Paul and me with interest, but they stopped their approach. When I turned back to Paul, he had mostly morphed back to his usual form.

  Frank sat on the floor favoring his arm, cowering under Paul.

  Keada, who was friendliest with Frank, stooped beside Frank.

  “You might have just said that before he attacked me,” Frank said in a tight voice.

  “I think it was a lesson worth seeing,” I said.

  Kaniji seemed to stare at Paul with new interest. “I enjoyed the show.”

  “Did he do that to you when you tried to feed?” Cyrene asked.

  Paul put his hand around my waist.

  “Not quite,” I said, “but something similar.”

  Paul wiped his lips until there was no trace of blood. He was completely himself again.

  “It happens automatically,” I said. “Some things apparently trigger the Werewolf’s aggression. That’s one of them.”

  Paul removed his torn shirt. I noted that his beautiful chest captured the attention of the ladies in the room.

  “So let me get this straight,” Tony said. “The reason you left was to protect the one person that your Werewolf has already attacked? How badly did you hurt her?”

  “Excuse me!” I shouted. “We all had a learning curve, remember?” I didn’t mention the relatives that he had eaten when he was first turned. I turned back to the rest of the Council. “Can we get back on track?”

  Frank moaned over his arm but surprised me by resuming his seat.

  Cyrene shrugged. “Fine. As we all know Malarias is in Spain and will not have any information on our meeting to report back to the Elder Council. This is a fine time for us to discuss other matters that we would not have the Elders judge.”

  This was the first time I’d ever heard of our Council being capable of any type of deception toward the Elders. I knew the Elders could dig into our brains and find what they wanted, although my experience with Esmeralda taught me that it was possible for me to put things into my head that would fool them.

  “When Malarias returns from the death ceremony and investigation of Esmeralda’s murder, our Council member Kim will be scrutinized,” Cyrene said, “and we all run the risk of being scrutinized by a nationwide investigation.”

  “And why should you care?” I asked. “You haven’t done anything to be judged on.”

  “You know there has been a longstanding mistrust between the Old World Neratomay and the New World,” Kaeda said. “Something like this could tip the scales to another war, and it won’t be as easy to hide from the humans as the last one. In this age of technology, the Neratomay could be exposed.”

  “This is all sp
eculation,” Cyrene said. “Still the Barcelona Council is angry and not just at Athena, but at you.”

  I sucked in air through my teeth. “Well, hell.”

  “What do you think the threat is from Athena?” Paul asked.

  Kaniji smirked. “That’s obvious. She could implode our esteemed fellow Council member with a mere thought.”

  Paul stared at Kaniji. “Athena is being judged on what she did to Esmeralda. If she hurts Kim in addition to that then she’d be breaking a direct command from the Committee. I hear that breaking rules is considered disastrous for Vampires.”

  “Only if the Committee finds Kim’s death a bad thing,” Kaniji said. “They might decide it’s a good thing.”

  Did I say before that I really disliked that bitch?

  ~***~

  We adjourned after 4:30 AM., which was good because of the long drive. Everyone present had to give a territorial report which would be sent to the Elder Council. What the Elders did with the information was anybody’s guess.

  The drive back to the house was much more relaxing. I wanted to contact Monica, but I was sure that she had already gone to sleep. I spoke to Julie mentally and got a report that the guards were in place and everything was in order. There were no signs of werewolves, but she had Tige and another vamp patrolling the property at regular intervals.

  I knew that I should have flashed home, but it was so nice sitting with Paul.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. You want me to drive? You have to be exhausted.”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  I unhooked my seatbelt and snuggled against Paul’s warm body.

  He sighed and placed an arm around my shoulder.

  “I love this car,” I said.

  “I love you.” I looked up at him and smiled.

  He sneaked a quick peck to my nose.

  The road was quiet, which allowed me to become a little more amorous. I pressed my body against as I nuzzled his neck.

  “What are you doing?” He smiled.

  I teased his neck and ear with my tongue until I felt him shudder. I reached into his jacket. His flat nipples beaded tightly, and I stroked them lightly with the tips of my fingers.