Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between

  “Not much.” He cleared his throat, back to business as usual. “On paper they check clean. They’ve lived here for four years, and they’ve never owned residences anywhere near California. Max got into the real estate business for pleasure. He’s financially set as his family owns a chain of Slumberwood Hotels across the world. Carolyn comes from money as well. Her parents struck it rich selling a patent that preserves fruit for extended periods of time.”

  I chuckled. “Do you mean those little bags you buy for bananas?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t delve into the specifics of her parent’s fruit protection invention. Next time, I’ll be more thorough.”

  “Do that. Otherwise, I’ll have to tell everyone what a slacker you are.” We exited onto East Drive and I asked, “So why are we meeting here anyway? Couldn’t you handle this alone?”

  He hesitated. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  “Oh my God.” I snorted in disgust, walking faster. “You’re like a worried Mother digging around for dirt.”

  “It’s not like that,” he denied. “But like it or not, we are a team now. And I know what you’re going through.”

  I refrained from addressing what I was going through. Instead, I let my attention wander over the people lined up on Cat rock. The dip in temperature had brought windbreakers and sweaters out in force; T-shirts and shorts were virtually non-existent. Soon, Christmas would arrive, and a blanket of snow would cover the trees, stone and metal statues, and fairytale castles.

  “Stop.” Goose gripped my arm. “There he is, walking into the children’s zoo.”

  Diverting my attention to the petting zoo, I located Max Starkey. Carolyn was with him, her hands on the handles of a black three-wheeled stroller.

  “I guess he’s taking lunch with the family,” I said quietly. “We should wait until they leave and follow him.”

  “Definitely.” Goose nodded his agreement.

  We stayed put, pretending to chat and shoot the breeze. It wasn’t difficult, the area was usually chocked-full of people doing the same. Max eventually reappeared with his family, Carolyn pushing the stroller, the child held securely in his arms. My heart sank and a lemony bitterness crept into my mouth.

  The little boy was perhaps four or five, and obviously ill. The New York Yankees ball cap covered most of his tiny head, and two red hearing aids were tucked inside his ears. He clung to his Father, a huge smile splayed across his face, and a surge of protectiveness overcame me, intermingled with disbelief.

  I shook my head. “It can’t be them. They were probably at the tasting to get blood to give to their son. You said everything else checked out, and it would make sense. Vampire blood heals.”

  Goose frowned. “You know what they say about appearances and deceit?”

  “Come on, Ethan.” I used his actual name to get my point across. “Do they look like they could attack and kill a vampire? Seriously, they’d be mincemeat. There is no possible way.”

  “I’ll agree that it appears highly unlikely.”

  “More like improbable. We don’t have an unlimited timeframe here. We need to move on to suspect number dos.” I lifted two fingers into the air, flicking them back and forth.

  “I’ll make you a deal.” He acted as if he was pacifying an unruly child, and I had to avert my face so he wouldn’t see the smile forming. “We follow Mr. Starkey the rest of the day, and if he checks out clean, then fine. We have to meet Disco tonight anyway. Marcus, Chris, Lawrence, and Dexter have agreed to meet and share information. At this point, client confidentiality isn’t a high priority.”

  “The suppliers?” I asked and he nodded. “Why wouldn’t they share all the information they had from the start? Don’t they realize how serious this is?”

  “They do now. That tip from Sharon proved invaluable. None of them are willing to go gently into that good night, and with all of them together in one place, we can start to connect the dots.” He stared at Max and his family. They had moved out of the zoo and were walking along the path ahead of us.

  “Come on.” He indicated we should follow.

  I fell in at his side and for once, I really hoped I was right. I didn’t want Max and Carolyn to be the monsters we were searching for.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Max Starkey didn’t make an appearance until later in the evening. He hailed a cab and we quickly followed suit. I never believed I would have the opportunity to utter the words, “Follow that cab,” but I did. It was strangely liberating and exciting to work covertly. I felt like a Bond girl.

  We trailed him home and nothing spectacular occurred. Max was just another man returning to his domicile after a hard day at the office. Fortunately, Goose agreed to insert our nosey asses elsewhere, and I took him up on the offer of a cab ride home.

  We hit my street after the sun had dipped below the horizon. The sky was painted with the last lingering hues of orange and yellow, which cast dusty shadows against the buildings and enveloped the trees in a warm glow. Dusk was a lovely time of the day, right before the creepy crawlies came out to play.

  “Thanks for the ride.” I braced myself against the faux leather seat and gripped the door handle, ready to escape inside my apartment for a few moments alone for the first time.

  “Not a problem.” His eyes narrowed and he gazed past me, out of the window. Surprise and humor replaced his worried expression. “I was going to ask you to call me so we could go together tonight, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I’ll see you there.”

  “What?” I frowned, turning to look at my building.

  Disco reclined casually against the wall. He was watching our cab, lips curved in a private smile. He was wearing a tight grey turtleneck with black slacks and the customary trench coat.

  So he did own a different colored article of clothing.

  He looked as irresistible as he did the night before, even more so if that were possible. My insides clenched and I felt that all too familiar heat return to my lower extremities.

  Goose laughed and I whipped around, narrowing my eyes at him.

  “What?” He mocked me, shoulders shaking as he chuckled.

  “I’ll see you later.” I climbed from the cab and slammed the door behind me. It wasn’t as if Goose knew anything, but I still felt completely naked, as if everyone had been in that foyer to see me act like a brazen hussy.

  The cab resumed its trip down my street in a cloud of smoke. I took my time approaching Disco. I wasn’t sure what he wanted, but I was sure of what my body wanted, and I wasn’t going there again.

  “Good evening, Rhiannon.” That mocking tone was still there and he looked happier than a pig in slop.

  He was enjoying himself—damn him.

  “Isn’t it too bright for you?”

  “The sun is no longer in the sky. The rays that continue to shed light are not harmful.”

  “Uh-huh.” I cursed my inability to look away from those enticing bright blue eyes. I clenched my teethed and forced myself to stare at the blades of grass growing between the concrete at our feet.

  “How was the stakeout?” There was laughter in his voice. He really was enjoying this. “Did you learn anything useful?”

  “No… I mean, yes, we did. We don’t think Max and Carolyn have anything to do with this. They’re probably interested in the healing properties of vampire blood for their son. He’s ill.” I risked a look into his face.

  “I see.” He shoved away from the building, moving his tall frame within inches of my own.

  “Why are you here?”

  “There are things we need to discuss before we go to the Razor. I was hoping you’d agree to speak with me. Am I mistaken?”

  “I didn’t realize there were more things to talk about, but I’m okay with it. What’s up?”

  He looked away, but not before I saw the smile resurface on his face. “Do you think we can do this in a more private place?”

  Oh…yeah. Of course, he would want to go inside my
apartment. Fair is only fair, right? I walked to the door and pulled it open. “Come in.”

  “Thank you.” He nodded graciously and stepped inside my building. There was no going back now.

  We stomped up the stairs and walked to the last door on the left. The little metal numbers had fallen off months ago, leaving behind a residue stain in the likeness. I’d learned shortly after I’d moved in that my landlord couldn’t be bothered to fix cosmetic issues. He had drains and toilets to unclog.

  I unlocked the door and pushed it open, reaching for the lamp on the table. Disco waited patiently at the door—unable to cross the threshold—and I felt like a dumb ass.

  “Come in,” I said again and he stepped inside, closing the door quietly.

  I emptied my pockets, plugged in my phone, and checked the machine. Deena had called and sounded worried. I contemplated calling her back, but decided against it. I’d call her later, when I had the chance to speak freely.

  “Nice place,” Disco said, walking into the living room. He looked out of his element, filling the small space completely. I considered telling him, “Welcome to the real world, Mr. Wayne. Alfred is on a permanent vacay but make yourself at home”.

  “No, it’s not. But it’s mine, and I’m not picky.” I grabbed myself a bottle of water and followed Disco into the living room. I turned on the lamp next the couch, flooding the room in a soft glow. He took my recliner, so I walked to the couch, nestling at the opposite end.

  Disco picked up my tattered copy of Jane Eyre and flicked through the worn pages.

  “Jane Eyre?”

  “Is there a particular reason you find my choice of literature so strange?” Maybe he assumed I was illiterate.

  “No, not at all.” He put the book back where he found it. “It was immensely popular when I was a child.”

  I couldn’t think of anything witty to say. He’d probably been alive to see the book the first time it was printed. Hell, he could have possibly met Ms. Brontë herself. I slipped my feet along the edge of the couch, placed the water on the vintage coffee table, and unzipped my shit kickers. I yanked them off, scrunching my toes and exhaling in bliss.

  “The first reason I’m here...” He pulled an envelope out of his coat and tossed it to me. “Since you’re a part of the family now, you’ll receive a monthly compensation. This means you’ll need to be on hand whenever and wherever we need you. Which brings me to the second reason.” He shot me a look that indicated he knew I wasn’t going to be happy. “I want you to quit your job. Finances won’t be an issue, and you should focus on learning from Ethan. The next few months will be intense, and the less stress you experience, the better.”

  “And if I refuse?”

  “Then you refuse. I don’t expect you to do everything I ask.” He sat back in the chair, elbows braced on the arms, fingers interlaced over his stomach.

  “I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that I had a similar discussion with Goose while we were out today, so I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. I’ll think about it. There has been a massive overhaul in my life, and I need something that remains solely mine.” As I spoke, I flipped open the envelope, eyes growing wide at the amount of cash inside. I closed it, holding the yellow paper aloft. “How much is in here?”

  “Enough. But if you need more, don’t hesitate to ask. You don’t strike me as a frivolous spender, so if you need something, I would assume it is a necessity.” He glanced around as he spoke, and I wasn’t sure if I should take what he said as a compliment or an insult.

  “How do you get this kind of money?” I shook the envelope. “You live in a mansion and don’t appear to have gainful employment. How does that work?”

  “I purchased a claim in an oil company years ago, expanding my interests as money came in from the venture. It proved to be lucrative”—he motioned toward my upright hand—”as you can see.”

  “What’s that like?” I asked curiously. “Having vast amounts of wealth and power combined with one hell of a long lifespan?”

  “A mixture of things.” He studied me. “To have immortality is to be free. You can explore the world, see all of the things you’ve dreamed of, and time is not an obstacle. You can be just as youthful when you visit Rome as you are one-hundred years later to visit Ireland. However, as with anything, there are consequences. While we have no limitations, the mortals we care for do. It’s the one heartache we all share.”

  “I never thought about it to be honest. I assumed you all remained in your tight-knit circle.”

  “Some do.” His voice softened as he became reflective. “But sometimes people intersect our path, and although we know better, it’s impossible to do the right thing and leave them alone. That’s when complications arise.”

  “And your family, are they random complications?” I leaned halfway off the couch to snag my bottle of water.

  He nodded. “With the exception of Paine, we’ve known one another since childhood. Our Grandfathers established a friendship during the Revolutionary War, and we were raised on corresponding plantations that were passed down to the family. All of that changed, of course, during the Civil War.”

  “You fought in the Civil War?”

  “We did. Would you like to hear the story?” I nodded enthusiastically and he continued, seeming pleased with my interest. “We were born in West Virginia during the same summer. Our parents were good friends, and because of that, we all grew up together. Our siblings intermingled constantly at both plantations. In fact, Paine was betrothed to my younger sister, Isabella.” His smile vanished and his tone became somber. “The burden of loyalty and where to fight wasn’t an easy one. Paine’s family owned a few slaves, mostly to help in the home and around the farm, but not my family. My Father cropped for profit, and when the time came to choose sides, there was a division. Paine chose to fight for the Union. I fought for the Confederacy.”

  He stopped, eyes glazing over.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” He returned to his story. “Paine and I had a huge falling out over that. Many families did. The war turned Fathers against sons, brothers against brothers. For years, we managed to avoid one another, until we met on the battlefield in Cold Harbor. What a waste that was; a complete massacre. A gap formed in our lines and a group of blue coats pushed through, unaware their comrades alongside were off track. They were sitting ducks, and the first volley of shots killed most of them. When reinforcements arrived, it erupted into chaos. It was dark and impossible to see, and we all fired at random. I don’t remember how I was hit. One minute, I was standing. The next, I was in the dirt, struggling to breathe.”

  “When I came around, it was pitch black, and someone was next to me in the shallow cover of fallen trees. It was Paine. He’d seen me when his unit approached, and when I was hit, threw me over his shoulder and got the hell out. Unfortunately, as he took cover, a stray ball caught him in the back. I don’t know how Darius found us. He changed me first, then Paine. Afterward, he carried us to a deep grave carved into the earth. We stayed there until the sun descended the next day. When we woke, our human lives were over.”

  He stared down at his hands. His story was unfathomable, and completely extraordinary.

  “Who is Darius?”

  His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “An old family friend of my Grandparents’. An aristocrat who’d ventured over to explore the new world changed him. He severed the family friendship after several years when he didn’t age and reappeared decades later, claiming to be a distant Grandson. After the war began, he tracked my progress. It wasn’t difficult for him to stay out of sight. If we move at our natural speed we’re not easy to detect.”

  “But… Why would he follow you?”

  “He knew I was the only male child in our family, and he didn’t want to see the family line vanish permanently following my death. Although we’ve argued over the fundamentals from time to time, as our kind cannot have children. I’m not exactly carrying on anything.”
>
  “And Paine? Why did he change him?”

  Disco smiled. “He said coming across one who wore blue and one who wore grey, side by side, content to die as long as it be together, said more for the potential of the human race than anything else he’d seen.”

  “What happened after? Did you go home?” I tried to picture how it would be back then. No transportation, no telephones. His smile disappeared, and I worried that my question was too personal.

  “We couldn’t return to our divisions or to the war. The sun would have killed us. We had to make the slow trek home at night. Darius insisted we leave for the west immediately, but Paine wouldn’t deviate from his course. He wanted to see Isabella and take her with us. He couldn’t enter the house, so he had to wait until she ventured outside. That’s when he got the first taste of his ability. When he touched her, he knew a future with him would result in a painful and excruciating death. Darius cleared her memories and we left, making the trip to California where we lived for several decades. Afterward, we returned here, settling down permanently.”

  “Where is Darius now?” I took a sip of my water. After what he shared, I couldn’t help but look at Disco differently. He wasn’t just a vampire. He was someone that had once been very much human. If he continued to soften me up, I’d be Silly Putty in no time.

  “He decided to take a sabbatical to see the world a long time ago. He drops postcards in the mail here and there, to let us know he’s still out there. The last one came from Spain.” He grinned, shook his head, and checked his watch. “We’ll need to leave soon.”

  I rose from the couch and said, “I just need a few minutes.”

  “Rhiannon, will you do something for me?” He smile was sheer enticement, and I chose to nod instead of speak. “Wear what you did that night we met at the Razor.”

  “What’s wrong with what I have on?” I peered down at myself, pulling at the hem of my turtleneck.

  “I can’t see your mark,” he answered quietly, golden sparkles in his eyes flaring.