Amaury's Hellion (27 page)

Amaury’s face took on a puzzled look. “Nina, what is this about?”

“I don’t ... I can’t—” Her voice broke. She spun around and fled, yanking the door open.

“Nina!”

She heard him yell after her, but she was already in the stairway and kept running. She had to get away from the only man who had cracked the door to her heart open—leaving it exposed to be hurt.

Twenty-five

Amaury stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down. Nina’s rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway. What had just happened?

He ran his hands through his hair.

Had she really tried to offer him her blood?

It was what he’d fantasized about for the last few days, ever since he’d licked her blood off her wounds. It had haunted him, the knowledge that he was lusting not just after her body, but also after her blood. He wanted Nina, all of her.

As he ran down one flight of stairs, he stumbled over a package in front of Mrs. Reid’s door. He instantly stopped in his tracks. The old lady was still gone—all, because of him.

As crazed as he felt right now—thirsty from the lack of blood—his brain kicked in, and fear spread in his chest. What if he hurt Nina like he’d hurt the Mrs. Reid? What if he couldn’t control himself? The way he wanted Nina right now, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to stop drinking from her.

He remembered the sweet taste of her blood on his tongue, the intoxicating scent, the smooth texture when it had coated his throat. His cock went rigid at the mere thought of tasting her again, drinking from her, more this time, much more. His hands balled into fists as he fought back the urge to run after her and dig his fangs into her.

His desire collided with the guilt pulsing through him. He had to set something right first, had to assure himself that Mrs. Reid was going to live. The burden of another death at his hands would be too much to carry, and he couldn’t go back to Nina, knowing his conscience wasn’t clear. She’d forgiven him for one murder—he didn’t believe even she would have it in her heart to forgive him for another.

If he could save Mrs. Reid, only then did he deserve another chance. If not, he wasn’t good enough for her, not good enough to take what Nina offered him.

***

An hour later he’d found out where the old lady had been taken and had snuck into her hospital room.

Mrs. Reid looked fragile, lying there surrounded by tubes and machines. Amaury took a seat next to her bed and just looked at her. Her skin was pale, and there were lots of bruises. Had she fallen, because he’d weakened her too much?

His gut twisted in disgust at himself. He was a despicable creature, feeding from the weak and vulnerable, a monster. Amaury let his head fall into his hands, not knowing how to go on.

A sound at the door made him jerk.

“You can’t be in here. Visiting hours are long over,” the young nurse said. She stood at the door, hands at her waist and a scolding look on her face.

“I’m sorry. I just only got into town.”

“And you are?” He sensed the suspicion she treated him with.

“Her grandson,” he lied, knowing that if he didn’t claim he was family, she’d get security to throw him out instantly. “I’m sorry. I was so worried about her and didn’t want to wait till tomorrow.”

Her look softened, and she gave him a pitiful smile. “Have you talked to the police yet?”

Amaury stiffened. “The police?”

She nodded and stepped further into the room. If she was going to drag him to the police, he’d have to use mind control and wipe her memory. “Yes, I think they have a lead on the guy who did this.”

He swallowed hard. They were onto him? How? He’d wiped Mrs. Reid’s memory. There’d been nobody in the stairways when he’d entered her apartment to feed from her. Amaury stood, ready to do whatever he needed to do. His body hardened as he prepared to use his powers.

“You mean, they haven’t told you yet? It’s really awful what he did to her. Nice lady like her, and that thug just robs her and beats her up when she’s on her way to cash her social security check. I don’t know what the world is coming to.”

“She got robbed?” He cast another glance back at Mrs. Reid. Her arms sported black and blue bruises.

“You mean nobody told you?” The nurse tossed him an incredulous look. “She was attacked right outside her building.”

Amaury shook his head. “Nobody told me. I just came out here as soon as I heard she was in the hospital.” He hadn’t caused this? This wasn’t his fault? He felt a boulder the size of Mount Rushmore lift from his shoulders.

“Will she be alright?”

“She’ll pull through. She just needs some rest. You should go home now. Come back tomorrow during visiting hours.”

He nodded. “Just a few more minutes?”

“I didn’t see you.”

He smiled at her as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Amaury approached the sleeping Mrs. Reid and stroked his hand over her cheek. He hadn’t hurt her after all. It was terrible what had happened to her, but at least he was free of guilt. He could feel her pain, and he knew he could help her.

Swiftly, he pricked his finger so a small drop of blood appeared. He guided it to her mouth. With his mind he sent his thoughts into her.

Open your mouth and take the medicine.

In her sleep her lips parted, and he let several drops of blood drip into her mouth.

Swallow.

A few drops would be enough to help her heal faster. By tomorrow, the black and blue bruises would be gone, and her aching bones and muscles would feel less sore. There would be no adverse effects. Vampire blood was a cure for many human ailments, and if scientists only knew, they would be hunting him and his brethren. Luckily, they didn’t even know vampires existed.

Sleep now.

Amaury kissed her forehead. With a last look at her face which already took on a more natural color than before, he left her room. His step was lighter than when he’d first entered the hospital.

Twenty-six

Gabriel rushed through the entrance door Carl had opened for him.

“He’s in his office.”

He didn’t even break his stride as he headed for Samson’s office in the back of the house.

Samson looked up from his desk and motioned him to come in as he finished a call.

“Thanks, Thomas, and when you’re done with it, we’re meeting here at—” he looked at his watch, “—eleven o’clock. Call Ricky and Amaury for me, will you? Gabriel just got here.”

He disconnected the call and stood up.

Gabriel hadn’t taken a seat yet. He preferred standing.

“Give me the lowdown.”

Samson always came right to the point. Gabriel appreciated that in his boss. No beating about the bush, no politics.

“We’re sure it’s Luther. Paul Holland confessed after a little persuasion by Zane.”

Samson raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

“After he broke, I was able to get through to him. Luther wants revenge, that’s pretty clear, and not at all surprising, given what happened.”

Samson nodded. “Understandable. After he lost Vivian and his unborn child, he nearly went crazy. There wasn’t anything we could do to help him. He needed to blame somebody.”

“Don’t you think it would have been better if you had told him the truth?”

Samson shook his head. “Amaury and I decided it was better to keep the truth to ourselves. It would have killed him. When he disappeared, we first thought he’d followed her. But somehow I always knew he’d come back when he’d collected his strength. We knew we’d have to face him one day.”

“Now what?”

“We prepare as best we can. I don’t want him harmed, but we have to defend ourselves. Has Paul given you any indication as to what he’s planning?”

“I doubt he knows. I couldn’t find anything in his memories that would suggest he does, and Luther certainly is smart enough not to divulge too much information to his men. But you know him. He has a plan. He always did. We can be sure of that.”

“Then we’d better have a plan, too. Have you alerted your people to him?”

“Yes; they all know now who he is. Everybody is working on finding where he’s hiding out. We have a pretty good idea where he is. I found some hints to a warehouse in Paul’s memories. We’re confirming it right now.”

“Once my guys get here, we’ll mobilize our side. Who can we trust?”

Gabriel gave him a cautious look. “That’s just it, we can’t be sure.”

“Why’s that?”

“He’s creating new vampires.”

He could see his boss’ jaw drop. “He
what
?”

Creating new vampires willy-nilly was a big no-no in their society. One didn’t just run around and turn people. It was irresponsible. “What’s gotten into him? It’s one thing to want to take his anger out on me and Amaury; it’s another altogether to go around creating vampires.”

“He’s using it to gain loyal supporters. If they prove themselves loyal to him, he turns them, as a reward so to speak. At the same time he makes sure he’s got some dirt on them, so they have no way of turning against him.”

Samson looked straight at him.

“What kind of dirt?”

“He has them commit a crime for him, makes sure everybody knows who the culprit is, then saves and turns them. And thus he’s created a loyal follower, somebody who owes him big. I think he’s collecting an army. And he’ll need it if he wants to destroy Scanguards.”

“Is that what Paul thinks?”

“Yes. It looks like he wants to take the company down to hurt you and Amaury.”

“Damn! How many does he have?”

“We have no way of knowing, but I suspect that our two bodyguards who killed their clients are some of them. I believe it was all a set-up.”

“But they committed suicide.”

Gabriel shook his head. “That’s what eyewitnesses said, but the dead bodies couldn’t be identified. The first one was burned to a crisp, the other bodyguard jumped into the Bay according to witnesses, and the body has not been found. The eyewitnesses could have been tampered with. For all we know, Luther used mind control to plant false memories into their minds so they would testify that they saw the two die.”

“And they would even pass a lie-detector test,” Samson continued, “because they wouldn’t know they were lying. Clever.”

“Yes, Luther was always smart.”

“So for all we know, Edmund and Kent could be vampires. And supporting Luther. Who knows how many others he’s turned before those two. Any idea?”

“Paul had no information on it.”

Samson balled his hands into fists. “We have to stop him. He’s gone crazy. Who is with us?”

Gabriel glanced at his boss. “I’d say only the inner circle. I suspect that Luther’s been planning this for a long time.”

“You’re right. I’ll assign my guys to the search. We’ll coordinate with Zane and the others. Amaury can run the show.”

Gabriel sighed. “About Amaury …”

“What about him?”

“I think his loyalties are divided right now.”

Samson frowned. “Amaury’s loyalty to me is without question.”

“The woman,” Gabriel said.

Samson paused and closed his eyes for a moment. “I hadn’t thought of her. Damn, you’re right. I’d hoped finally something would change for Amaury. I don’t know how much longer I can pretend I don’t know what he’s going through.”

“What he’s going through?”

“Yes, his gift.” Samson sneered. “As if he can fool anybody.”

“You know of his pain?”

“He’s my oldest friend. I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I didn’t know the pain he’s going through every day.”

Gabriel gave Samson a surprised look. “And I thought I was the only one who knew, because I sensed his memories, as much as he was trying to shield them from me.”

“When I saw him with Nina last night, I could feel that he was much calmer than usual, as if he was at peace. Whatever she’s doing, it’s good for Amaury. He needs a break. But I’m afraid we can’t let him continue this, as much as I feel for him.”

“Do you think she knows her brother could be with Luther?”

Samson clearly contemplated Gabriel’s question. “If she does, then the reason she’s with Amaury isn’t his good looks.”

“Shit.” Gabriel didn’t like that idea at all. If she was in her brother’s camp, she would be a danger to Amaury and all of them. “He needs to know.”

Samson nodded slowly. “I think you’re right. We can’t trust her. If she was as close to her brother as she claims, he would never have kept her in the belief that he’s dead. We have to assume she knows.”

“Then she’s been using Amaury and us to help Luther.”

“That’s a distinct possibility.” Samson looked straight at his second-in-command. “We have to contact Amaury and warn him.”

Twenty-seven

“I know you’re in there. Open the damn door, or I’ll kick it in.”

Impatiently, Amaury hovered outside of Nina’s front door. The place was a dump. Sure, he didn’t live in the best area of town either, but there was no way he’d let her continue living in this vermin-infested place. At least he had a good reason to live where he did.

“Go away.” Nina’s voice came from inside the apartment, the first sound he’d heard in the five minutes he’d been banging on the door. It was a start.

He dropped his voice an octave, using all his persuasive powers, knowing mind control didn’t work on her. “Please, Nina. We need to talk. Let me in,
chérie
.”

A moment later he heard a chain being released and the door being unlocked. Finally.

“Nina, please let me come in.”

Nina opened the door and stepped back. He glanced at her face and recognized that she’d been crying. Had he done that? He felt like a complete and utter jerk for making her cry.

Quickly, before she could change her mind, he went inside, closed the door behind him and locked it.

“What do you want?” There was a good dose of defiance in her voice, and she served it up straight without any disguise. He deserved as much.

Amaury shifted his weight uncomfortably onto the other foot. It was critical that he didn’t make a mistake with her. Despite the fact that he couldn’t sense her emotions, he knew she was hurt. He was the reason for her big brown eyes reflecting sorrow and resignation. He realized he’d messed up. With his tendency of acting like a bull in a china shop, the odds of mending what he’d already screwed up weren’t in his favor. No self-respecting bookie would take that bet.