Between a Vamp and a Hard Place (11 page)

“We are going to find weapons. I will not go around this city without protection.”

“We can't carry weapons!”

His hand tightened on mine, and his fingers felt less warm than before. “My friends are dead,” he said, voice bitter and clipped with anger. “I have enemies all around. I refuse to walk about without protection. I do not care what the laws of this time and place are. I have never cared what the laws are. A sword makes the law.”

“But—”

He turned so quickly that I nearly ran into him. His hand went to my chin, and he forced me to look into his eyes. “Lindsey,” he said, the tone of his voice strange. I noticed an odd flare of color in his eyes, like a flash of green in the deep blue.

And then I couldn't look away. It was like I was hypnotized. I stared, entranced.

“Find me a weapons broker,” he said, voice low and thrumming. “That is what I wish right now. Weapons.”

Even though my mind knew it was a bad idea, I was helpless to disobey. “We should look for a rare dealer,” I told him. “Let me check my phone.”

“Do so quickly,” he said, that strange flash in his eyes.

I fumbled with my phone, typing as fast as I could. Sure enough, there was a rare arms dealer a few streets over. I mapped the instructions, and then we set off, Rand dragging me along by my hand. As we exited the cemetery, Rand released my hand. “Wait here.”

I couldn't have moved if I'd wanted to.

He stepped forward and crouched near the fallen guard. As I watched, he leaned over and tapped the man's cheek. The guard blinked awake, then his gaze was caught by Rand's.

Rand said something in Italian. The guard nodded, that blank look on his face. He got up, straightened his uniform, and began to walk away in the other direction, as if we weren't there. I watched his unnatural movement and set his keys down on the pavement, just in case he decided to come looking for them.

Something about this was very wrong, but it was like one level of my brain had shut off. I wanted to protest all of this but couldn't. It was like I was a puppet and Rand was pulling the strings.

“Let us go,” Rand said to me, taking my hand again. “I wish to get weapons before it gets too late in the evening.”

“What did you say to him?” I asked as Rand began to drag me behind him again.

“I told him to forget what he'd seen here.” Rand surged forward, hauling me over a median.

I sputtered at that. He could just tell someone to forget and they would? This was mind control. I suspected he was using mind control on me, too, because the more I tried to pry my hand from his and protest where we were going, the more my mind shut down and refused to obey. So I trotted behind Rand like a good little soldier as I called out directions to the weapons shop, all the while mentally seething that I couldn't disobey. He was using mind control on me? That utter shit. How dare he? Did he think I didn't have feelings? That I wouldn't help him?

Because that ship sure had sailed the moment he'd decided to take the decision away from me.

We arrived at the weapons shop to see the store closed. It was one of those buildings where the living quarters were nestled over the shop, and I guessed someone was home even if the lights were out. Still, I didn't want to force our way in if we didn't have to. “We should come back later,” I told Rand. “They're not open right now. You can tell me what you want, and I can come buy it in the morning.”

“No,” Rand said. “We are purchasing our things now. I refuse to leave without weapons.”

“But it's not like you're defenseless,” I protested, even as he let go of my hand. The man had superstrength and fangs and hypnotic eyes. Of course he wasn't defenseless. It was all in his mind, this obsession with finding a stinking sword or two. “Just let it go for now, Rand.”

“No. Wait here.”

A command? Ugh. I crossed my arms and glared at him as he studied the front door to the place. It was a small mom-and-pop shop with a heavy glass door nestled between two big windows that displayed old war collectables. In one window was an old cavalry saber and a helmet from World War II. I watched as Rand tested the doorknob and shook the door.

He turned to me, clearly impatient. “Can you open this?”

“It's locked.”

“How can we get in?”

That felt compulsively like a command, and I found myself answering, “You'd have to break in.”

“Then that is what we shall do.” He pulled back one fist, and before I could protest, he slammed it through the glass.

It shattered into a thousand pieces and I flinched backward.

He looked at me expectantly.

“What?” I hissed at him, crouching so no one would see me.

“Invite me in.” He gestured at the door.

“Invite you in? Why?” I stared at him like he was crazy. Maybe he was. “It's not my house! Why would I invite you in?”

This time, Rand rolled his eyes at me. “Vampires cannot enter a dwelling unless they are invited.”

“Oh, great. Just frickin' great,” I muttered. “Any other vampire trivia you want to impart to me while we're at it?”

“We cannot cross running water,” he said, ticking off each fact on a finger. “We cannot walk on hallowed ground. We cannot see the daylight. Stakes—”

“Okay, okay,” I told him. “We don't have all night.” I reached through the broken glass and fumbled on the other side of the door, then flipped the lock. I opened the door, stepped through, and gave him a mocking bow. “Please come in, Lord Vampire.”

If Rand noticed my snark, he didn't show it. Or he just didn't care. He pushed past me, entering the shop and looking around as if he'd owned the place. I stared around us in horror, waiting for the local police to suddenly swarm, but no one showed up. Jesus. This was like a nightmare come to life. I watched as Rand took a few more steps in, and I took another step backward, exiting out into the street. No way was I following him. No freaking way.

“Come, Lindsey,” Rand said.

Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it. I stepped inside.

The store was small, full of war memorabilia from different time periods. Most of it didn't catch my eye, but I watched as Rand headed unerringly toward a glass case in the back full of swords.

“Please, can we just go?” I asked, shivering in fear. He might be able to get out of a breaking and entering plea with his vampire powers, but I wouldn't be able to. “We shouldn't be here.”

“I will get my weapons and then we will be on our way,” Rand said, ignoring me. He pressed his hands to the glass case and eyed the contents. “How do you suppose we get into this? Should I just smash it?”

“I imagine there's a key somewhere,” I began, then fell silent at the sound of a pair of feet thumping down the stairs.

In the corner of the shop, a woman appeared, slightly older than me, her figure thicker. Her hair was wild, and she wore a bathrobe, and it was clear we'd woken her from her sleep. She said something in Italian and looked at me, then at Rand. Her words took on a higher-pitched tone, and I heard the word
polizia.

Oh God. “Rand, we have to go
now
.”

“We're not leaving,” he told me. Instead, he pointed at the case and spoke to the lady in Italian. Her voice went up a hysterical note again. Rand flung himself away from the case and began to stalk toward her.

Oh no, no, no. I watched in horror as Rand grabbed her and, as if things were moving in slow motion, pulled her against him to drink from her throat. This was like a bad movie. Her limbs twitched, then she gave a soft, breathless moan that made my body respond despite myself. I hugged my arms to my body, watching in horror as he drank from her. When she went limp, he set her gently to the ground.

This was all wrong. So, so wrong. I couldn't do this.

He straightened and wiped his mouth with one sleeve. He glanced back at me and flicked his eyebrows, as if pleased with how things were going. “Come and open this case for me, Lindsey.”

Just like that? As if I was nothing to him but another tool? Another person to be used? Resentment and fear bubbled inside me. Because I was helpless to disobey Rand's commands, I moved to the shopkeeper, searched her pockets for keys, and opened the case. The glass doors swung to the side and Rand stepped in, admiring the selection before him.

I automatically moved to the entrance of the shop, leaving the keys on the counter. I couldn't stop shivering. I looked over at Rand, but he was touching the hilt of one sword, brows drawn in a thoughtful expression.

It would be so easy to get away, if only he'd let me. Tentatively, I took a step outside to see if I could.

I could.

I looked back at Rand, heart hammering. He remained with his back turned to me, studying the swords intently. I realized his last command to me had been for me to unlock the case. Now that that was done, he was no longer controlling me. I took a few more quiet steps out the door, checked to see if he was paying attention, and bolted.

I ran, my lungs hammering, as if the hounds of hell were at my feet. I didn't know where I was running, the only thing I knew was
away
. Away from Rand. Away from the vampire who used and controlled and scared me. I didn't want to be a puppet. I flung myself down one side street and then another, trying to make my path as hard to follow as possible. As I ran, I looked for a taxi. All I needed was one to stop and I could get away. Then I'd be free once more. Rand couldn't bother me again because I'd go back to Venice right away, and Rand wouldn't be able to enter the apartment without my permission. I just needed one smooth getaway. Right into someone's home, maybe, because I could enter and Rand could not. I spotted a hotel down the street and sprinted, my purse slamming against my hip. That was almost like a home, right? That would work, and I wouldn't invite Rand in, because—

A hard arm grabbed me by the waist and spun me around, knocking me off my feet.

I screamed.

A cool hand clamped over my mouth, and I felt the scrape of fangs against my throat. “Shhh, Lindsey,” Rand said, even as he pulled me into the shadows of a nearby building. “Not so loud. I thought you did not wish to attract attention?”

Yeah, but that was before the vampire went all crazy on me. Now I just wanted to get away from him. My heart pounded like a frightened rabbit's, and I didn't respond. Instead, I struggled in his iron grip, trying futilely to get away.

“Why are you running from me?” Rand asked. He was plainly puzzled by my behavior. “What is wrong?”

I shoved against his grip again, hating how strong he was. “You! You're what's wrong!”

“What did I do?”

“How can you not know?” I pushed at his chest, hating how he felt like stone against me. He wouldn't let go of me; he just held tighter. “You're on a rampage,” I hissed at him. “First the guard at the cemetery, now the lady at the store? Who next? Are you going to drain half the city of blood and leave a path of destruction in your wake?”

“Does it matter?” he asked coldly.

“It matters to me,” I said, slamming a hand against his chest. To my horror, I felt angry, frustrated tears coming to my eyes. “It matters to me because I'm frightened and you won't listen to reason. Because you're breaking the law and using people like they're nothing to you. You're using
me
. I'm not a meal. I'm not a tool. I'm supposed to be your fucking friend!” And damn it, I'd just cussed at the man, but he deserved it. I hammered a fist on his chest again, knowing it wouldn't get him to release me, knowing it wouldn't hurt, but not caring. “We're supposed to be a team, and you're running around trying to get us both killed.”

Rand stared at me, those incredibly blue eyes blazing with a mixture of emotions.

A sob caught in my throat. “I know you don't want to be in this world, but I freaking care what happens to me and you, you know. You can't keep doing this. I'm not someone to be used and discarded like trash.”

The steely arm around my waist softened. “You're frightened.”

“Of course I'm frightened,” I said, a hiccup in my throat. “You're controlling me just like you're controlling everyone else. Why wouldn't I be terrified of you? It's clear I'm nothing to you but another . . . thing . . . you can just use to get your way.”

Was this how Gemma felt when I got all controlling on her? Guilt shot through me. I really needed to be a better friend, didn't I?

“That is not true, Lindsey. You are
not
nothing to me,” Rand said in a soft voice. His hand cupped my chin.

I pulled away violently, averting my gaze. “No! I don't want you to hypnotize me again!”

“Shhh,” he soothed. “I won't. I promise. You have my vow as one of the Dragon's Claws.” When I still wouldn't turn to look at him, he added, “I swear on the bones of my brothers William and Frederic.”

I paused. That didn't seem like something he would throw out there unless he meant it, given the events of tonight. Reluctantly, I looked up at him, meeting his gaze.

“I am sorry, Lindsey,” Rand said, voice soft. His fingers caressed my cheek. “I have made you afraid of me, and that wasn't my intent. This is . . . difficult for me. I have been ‘using people,' as you say, for over two hundred years. It will be hard for me to change.”

“Well, try,” I said, hurt. “I've upended my entire life to help you out, and all I'm getting out of this is scared.” And probably my face tacked on to a Most Wanted poster.

Rand's expression became sad. “I'm scared, too. Nothing is as I thought it would be. I cannot even look back on my past fondly, because now I see enemies in every corner. All I know is that I must somehow fix things.”

“This isn't the way to do it,” I said softly. “This is just going to make things worse in the long run. I promise that.”