After Sundown: Redemption (10 page)

He was disgusted with himself. Mentally, he had lost it. He had lost control of the beast. It had only been a few minutes, but it was enough to wreak havoc in him. Unleashed in that way, the vampire he was became elemental. Only two thoughts prevailed, hunger and the need to satisfy it.

Something happened as he was holding Alyssa. His desire for her had transformed into the beast. He had become vampire without willing it. That had not occurred since he was a fledgling.

It should not have transpired. He was too old for it.

Luckily, Alyssa’s aunt had continued knocking on the door. That was the only thing that had kept him at bay. The worry and concern in the woman’s voice had somehow penetrated his thoughts enough to let him withdraw. It had been excruciatingly painful, to the point where he almost hadn’t been able to do it. But slowly, inch-by-inch, he had moved away from Alyssa.

After taking a few seconds to collect himself, he had gone into Alyssa’s room and jumped easily out of her apartment window. He’d transformed into fog and floated to his car. His body should have calmed down by now. But he was still wound tight. He wanted Alyssa. He wanted her now, under him, as he plunged again and again into her sweetness, making her completely and utterly his.

He pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine.

“Dammit!”

Christian smacked the steering wheel with his open palm. He needed to get his mind on his job and out of his pants! He stalked into the Sundown Security office and groaned when he saw Vlad. He didn’t need an interrogation right now.

Vlad looked up from the papers in his hands. His eyes narrowed as he gave Christian a quick once over. Then his mouth spread into a sardonic grin.

“Frustrating, isn’t it? Join the club, my friend.”

Christian gave him a cold, blank stare. The one he had practiced using on his clients over the years.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He tried to sound casual, but because his gritted teeth punctuated every word he uttered, it was not very convincing, even to his ears.

“Whatever you say.” Vlad shrugged.

Christian glared at him, but the mocking smile remained on his boss’s face.

“Unpleasant wanting something you can’t have, isn’t it?” Vlad asked as his eyes became haunted. “My little miss princess is turning out to be much more of a handful than I anticipated. And a tempting handful at that.”

Christian wasn’t moved by his friend’s admission.

“I’m sure
you’ll
handle your situation, Vlad. Just like
I’ll
handle mine.”

“Right,” Vlad replied.

But Christian wasn’t so sure. He still felt edgy and restless and he knew just who the cause of that was. Alyssa. With her crystal blue eyes and long raven hair. He focused on his friend. Tried to get his thoughts back to where they belonged.

Vlad didn’t comment. He walked into his office, motioning Christian to follow.

“Come sit down. Tell me how the case is progressing. Anything new?”

Christian relayed what had happened at the auditorium with Bazhena.

Vlad frowned. He looked worried.

“Are you sure you incapacitated her for the rest of the night?”

“Yes. Her mind was completely open to me. No blocks, no defenses. I slipped right in.” Christian’s face filled with disgust as he recalled the evil and twisted caverns of Bazhena’s thoughts.

“Bazhena was directing everything towards Alyssa when I hit her with my mind. I could sense how much pain she was in. She won’t recover until the next sunset.”

“This is the second time she’s gone after Miss Edwards,” Vlad noted. “The first time, I thought she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but now I know it’s personal. Bazhena wants Alyssa for some reason, but why? Can you possibly enlighten me, Christian?”

“She’s the
Wendigo
,” Christian muttered.

“The what?” Vlad looked confused. He remembered Christian calling Bazhena by that name the other night. When she tried to attack Alyssa. But he didn’t know what it meant.

“Nothing. A memory just came to mind.”

“Tell me about this
Wen
—what is it?”

“
Wendigo
. You know the Native American tale don’t you? I remember hearing it, while I was stationed as an officer in St. Augustine. Mostly from the Ojibwa or Cree Indians who came down to Florida from up north.”

“I’ve never heard about it.”

“I’m surprised. The
Wendigo
is a story that men have spoken of since even before I became a vampire. Legend tells of a half beast, half phantom creature that has supernatural strength and speed and moves faster than the human eye can follow. It is supposed to be able to blend into the trees and winds. It can change shape at will. Some say the
Wendigo
can scare its victims to death with a single look. It’s also said to whisper into the wind, calling its victims, luring them to their death.”

Christian rose from his seat and walked over to Vlad’s window. He peered out into the darkness. This story was bringing back unpleasant memories. Still he continued.

“Its name can be roughly translated as ‘the evil spirit that eats mankind’. And that’s what it’s purported to do. It can devour its victims in more than one way. Either by feasting on their flesh and blood, or stealing their mind, turning them into a cannibalistic zombie, devoid of all personality. It’s also said that if a person is in the presence of, dreams about, or is bitten by a
Wendigo
, they will become one.”

Christian turned from the window and stared intently at Vlad.

“Any of this sound familiar?”

“Of course. It sounds like you’re describing a vampire. What’s your point, Christian?”

“Nothing really. It’s just that when I was still mortal, I heard that tale pretty often. And when Bazhena claimed me for the first time, with Elena’s bloody body lying dead in her arms, it was all I could think of. Even today, when my thoughts turn to her, I imagine her as the
Wendigo
.”

“You actually believe that rubbish?”

Christian glanced towards the door. The man who interrupted his story looked perfectly human, perfectly normal. Of course, just like everyone else at Sundown Security, he wasn’t. He was tall and muscular, with shoulder-length brown hair and gold eyes. Not brown or green with gold specks, but the kind of true gold that glows in the night when light reflects off it. That was the only clue hinting at his true nature. He was an immortal of magic and legend. He was a dragon slayer.

“This cynicism is coming from you, Eric?” Christian asked. “Someone who spends his days chasing dragons? Isn’t that somewhat hypocritical?”

Eric grinned and shrugged his shoulders carelessly.

“Maybe you have a point.”

“Did you need to talk to me about something, Eric?” Vlad asked.

“Yes, but it’s not urgent. I can wait until the two of you are done telling each other children’s tales.”

Shooting Christian one last smirk, Eric closed the door on his way out.

“That guy can be really irritating.” Christian grinned and shook his head.

“Maybe. But he’s damn good at what he does.”

Vlad’s serious tone held Christian’s attention. Vlad looked worried. His boss was an old vampire. That meant he was very powerful. If he was worried about Bazhena, then there was something to be concerned about.

“Any suggestions on how to deal with her?” Vlad asked.

Christian could think of many gruesome ways to deal with Bazhena, but he knew that’s not what Vlad meant. There was a rule against vampires killing each other without cause. And up to this point they had no cause.

“I’ll ask around. See if anyone’s heard anything. Bazhena usually isn’t discreet when she travels. She’s as flamboyant as she can be without catching too much mortal attention. And she likes to talk about herself. That could help us. I’ll keep a closer eye on Alyssa, spend every evening with her or close enough that I’ll be able to pick up on any disturbances.”

Vlad nodded.

“I’ll find out what I can also. And remember, Christian. Although Bazhena isn’t as old as I am, she’s still very powerful.”

“I know.”

Christian strode towards the door. He’d start investigating tonight.

“Be careful, my friend,” Vlad called to him.

“Aren’t I always?”

He could still hear Vlad’s loud guffaw as he left the office.

* * * * *

Christian drove over to Twice Charmed. It was one of the few nightclubs open all night and it was unique. It catered to and attracted the paranormal types like vampires, werewolves and elves, among others. This wasn’t a fact that was openly discussed. It just was. There was an aura around the place, a sense of dread the creatures that inhabited it perpetuated. Except for the occasional groupies or lost tourists, humans seemed to naturally stay far away from the club.

Despite this, there was one fast and steady rule everyone had to adhere to. No harm would come to humans while they were at or in the vicinity of Twice Charmed. The owners made this rule from the beginning and everyone involved knew why. If humans started dying at or near the club, people would get suspicious and curious. And none of the patrons of Twice Charmed wanted that. This was one of the few places where their kind could be themselves without hiding it from others. Everyone wanted to keep it that way, so they obeyed the rule, most of the time.

On those occasions when the rule was broken, harsh punishment resulted and the perpetrator was never allowed to return to Twice Charmed. No exceptions were made. Everyone knew that. So most behaved themselves. Except for the fighting. There weren’t any hard and fast rules about that. Especially when it involved two different species.

The owners didn’t allow fighting in the club, but they had no qualms about brawling in the back parking area. Especially since bets were often made on the winner. And the owners always demanded a cut of the winnings. Since the parking area was enclosed with high block fencing, they knew it wouldn’t attract much attention from outsiders. But the fights always drew curious onlookers from inside the club.

Christian approached the entrance and allowed himself to be searched. No weapons of any kind, magical or otherwise were allowed. The large, well-muscled man who checked him with detached thoroughness was a gargoyle. Most people couldn’t tell what they were when they were in human form, but since one of Christian’s co-workers was also a gargoyle, he knew just what to look for.

Gargoyles were in high demand for security jobs for several reasons. One stood out above all the rest. An innate dislike and wariness of any creature other than one of their own kind. Caution and suspicion was their natural mode of operation.

The gargoyle let Christian pass with little more than a grunt and a wave of his hand. People often made the mistake of assuming gargoyles were stupid. In actuality, they were, on the whole, very well spoken, intelligent creatures. They just didn’t like to talk to any but their own species.

Inside the club, Christian looked around. He had to fight the rush that flowed over him. A gathering of such beings was always filled with high energy. Patrons enjoyed the freedom to express their true selves, to the point that everyone grew more and more excited as the night progressed. Sometimes that energy stayed positive. Sometimes it didn’t. It was the latter that caused fights out back.

Positive energy flowed over Christian tonight. A beautiful woman entered the club and strolled by him. Her dress clung to every curve and her hips swayed seductively as she walked. She was tall and thin, with firm breasts and a behind that had just the right amount of jiggle. He knew that most of the males in the room were watching her with appreciation and anticipation.

He had seen her at the club many times before. She was a mortal human, a groupie who liked to be with magical creatures. He had seen her with various people over the last few months. She had never caught his interest. But tonight was different. Since she was here so often, she might know something about Bazhena. He needed to act quickly, before another decided to take her.

He sent a mental message to her. It projected hunger and promised passion.

She stopped walking. Swinging around, her gaze narrowed as she searched the room. She finally found him. Her face registered surprise, but then she smiled. When he returned her smile, she sauntered over.