Bound in Blood (13 page)

Martin opened his leather satchel and took stock of its contents, nodding with satisfaction on seeing everything he would need to arm himself against the vampire when the time came. He pulled out one of the silver knives, his hand trembling slightly as he grasped the ebony hilt. This had been his father’s but had not been handed down to Martin willingly. Even now, after all these years, a quiet rage filled Martin as he remembered the old man’s contemptuous words after his failed attempt to capture and kill the Spanish vampire they had tracked for over a month. It would have been Martin’s first kill, and despite his lengthy training under his father’s, at times, cruel training, Martin had not sufficiently gauged the vampire’s incredible strength and speed—nor his ferociousness when cornered.

Martin had felt real terror when faced by the snarling creature, and even his father’s shouted assurances that the sun would soon be up and the vampire would weaken did not stop him from stumbling backwards in fear, knocking his father over in his attempt to dodge the vampire’s outstretched hands. It was fortunate that the vampire was more intent in escaping the sun’s rays than in killing either Martin or his father, and had raced for the comparative safety of a nearby forest’s shade.

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J. P. Bowie

85

Listening to his father’s tirade of blame as they’d unsuccessfully tried to track down the vampire had filled Martin with shame and the determination to quit the old man’s authority.

He had returned to the States alone, had sought out the covert association that paid bounty for a captive or dead vampire, and had been partnered with Vince LaGuardia. Well built, handsome, and with a superior manner that intimidated Martin, LaGuardia proved to be a coolly efficient hunter with several kills to his credit, mostly in Asia and Africa.

“Vampires living in the US are harder to locate,” he told Martin. “They’ve managed to blend in better in the big cities, especially when they have mortal lovers – although at times, that can be their weakness. Gay or straight, vamps can’t seem to resist a mortal’s company.”

Martin was going to use that weakness now to corner his first solo kill. And despite the nervousness he couldn’t quite shake off, he was so ready to tell Vince of his success—and to tell him to go to hell. Vince’s arrogance had grated on Martin’s nerves from the beginning. It would be the greatest pleasure to tell Vince he didn’t need him anymore. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Vince’s face when he showed him the bounty he’d collected—all by himself.

Yes, that would make it all worthwhile—that, and the bounty, of course.

BOUND IN BLOOD

J. P. Bowie

86

Chris was not looking forward to returning to the Xtasy Club. Even the knowledge he only had a couple more nights to work there couldn’t make him feel better about it. But he had promised Lonnie, and Carlos had said he’d be there before the end of his shift.
At least,
they wouldn’t have to walk up that damned alley
, Chris thought smugly. He had his car back.

The club was busy when Chris arrived. Some young guys were celebrating a birthday in one corner. They’d hired a stripper for the birthday boy, and the whooping and hollering was reaching ear-splitting level. Chris had to close the office door so he could concentrate on the work that had piled up over his days off. After a couple of hours, he ambled over to the bar for a cup of coffee to have with the sandwich he’d brought. As his eyes swept across the crowded club, he was momentarily startled by the long stare of a man sitting at the far end of the bar. The man’s unswerving gaze was fixed steadily on Chris, a slight smile on his thin, pale face.

Chris shivered and a prickle of unease ran down his spine. Was the guy hitting on him?

Not to appear rude, Chris gave him a watery smile then turned away to pour his coffee. Joe, the bouncer on duty, clapped him on the shoulder.

“I hear it’s your last night tomorrow,” he said, his lips close to Chris’ ear so he could be heard above the noise. “We’ll miss you, Chris.”

“Thanks, Joe.” He gave the big man a quick smile.

“I would say come back ‘n see us, but I reckon this isn’t really your kind of place.”

“Not really, but maybe I could meet you and Paulo for coffee somewhere.”

“That’d be good.” Joe gave him a hug, and Chris disappeared briefly in Joe’s massive arms.

“Who’s the strange guy at the end of the bar?” Chris asked, taking a quick peek round Joe’s broad shoulder.

Joe turned to look then shrugged. “Who?”

The man had gone, and Chris felt a rush of relief, though he was not quite sure why.

“Oh, some guy was staring at me. Guess he’s gone.”

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87

“Lots o’ guys stare at you, sweet chops.” He swatted Chris’ behind, and Chris laughed, wading through the crowd, carrying his coffee carefully on the way back to the office. He stopped short when he saw the man who had been staring at him, standing at the office door in an obvious attempt to speak to him.

Chris tried to ease his way past the man. “Can I help you?”

The man turned his pale-eyed gaze on Chris and smiled. “I think perhaps the question should be, can I help
you
?”

“Excuse me?” Again, Chris tried to get past, but the tall, thin man effectively blocked his way. “Look, do you mind? I have work to do here.”

“So do I,” the man murmured, pushing Chris into the office.

“Hey, what the—?”

The office door was slammed shut behind them. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?” A shudder ran down Chris’ spine as he stared into the man’s cold eyes.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“My name is Martin Kellogg, but who I am is of no consequence. What I want, is another matter, however. What I want is your vampire friend.”

Chris barked out a short, surprised laugh. “Are you nuts? I don’t have any vampire friends. There’s no such thing as a vampire. Oh wait, you read that stupid article in the paper, didn’t you? Surely, you don’t think what that idiot told the reporters is true.”

Martin’s humourless smile thinned his lips. “Oh, I can assure you there are such things as vampires. Not only that, I can tell you have been tainted by vampire blood.”

“
What
?” Chris stared at Martin, now thoroughly convinced he was talking to a madman.

“Is he coming here tonight?” Martin asked, his eyes narrowing to mere slits. “You will bring him in here.”

Chris took a step back, wondering how in hell he could get out of the office. He could yell, but with the noise outside in the club, no one would hear him. The guy was obviously nuts, but there was something else about him—something cruel and dangerous. Chris had a feeling that Martin Kellogg would have no compunction whatsoever about hurting him, badly. There was just one chance—and Chris took it. With one quick motion, he hurled the contents of his coffee cup into Martin’s face. The coffee wasn’t hot enough to scald, but it had BOUND IN BLOOD

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the desired effect of taking Martin by surprise. With an involuntary cry of surprise, he reeled back, covering his face with his hands, and that was enough for Chris to dart through the office door.

“
Joe
,” he yelled, running as fast as he could towards the bouncer’s station by the main entrance. “There’s some crazy guy in the office!”

Joe left his station at the door and strode over to the office with remarkable speed for someone his size. “Nobody here, Chris,” he boomed, peering inside.

Chris joined him in the office. “He was here, Joe. I threw my coffee at him.” He pointed at the Styrofoam cup and the spilled coffee on the floor. “He was talking crazy about me having a vampire friend and about my blood being tainted. He had to be nuts.”

Joe shook his big head slowly. “Nutcases everywhere these days, sweet chops,” he said.

“He must have gone out the emergency exit. I told Lonnie to get that stupid alarm fixed.”

“Well, thanks anyway, Joe.” Chris stooped to pick up the coffee cup. “I’ll get a rag and clean up this mess.”

Martin walked quickly into the shadows outside the club, wiping furiously at his face.

That damned kid would pay for making him look stupid, he seethed.

“What happened?” Billy stared at Martin’s wet face. “Where’s the kid?”

“In the club,” Martin snarled, unwilling to inform Billy of how Chris had outsmarted him.

“You smell like coffee,” Billy said, sniffing at Martin. “Hey, your shirt’s all wet.” He snickered loudly. “What—the kid got the better of you? The fearless vampire hunter? What a loser!”

Martin’s right hand shot out and grasped Billy by the throat. “Shut your stupid mouth,”

he growled, “or that insult will be the last thing you ever say.”

Billy’s eyes bugged in his head, and he squirmed in Martin’s vice-like grip. “Aaah, lemme go, you moron,” he squeaked.

Martin relaxed his hold on Billy’s neck but did not release him. He pulled him in close until their faces almost touched. “I suffered a setback tonight,” he hissed. “Don’t compound BOUND IN BLOOD

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my anger by uttering asinine remarks, or your services will be dispensed with. Do you understand?”

Billy quaked as he gauged the thin man’s strength to be out of proportion to his appearance. He nodded his understanding then staggered back as Martin released him.

“The boy doesn’t know what his friend is nor is he in the vampire’s thrall.” Martin eyed Billy keenly. “Do you understand what I’m saying?’

“Yeah, I read about it. It’s when the vampire kinda has you hypnotised so you’ll do what he wants.”

“Mmm. Except it is much more than that.” Martin’s pale eyes gleamed in the darkness.

“Much more. The vampire can bend your will, make you forget what he doesn’t want you to remember—make you go to him, willingly, whenever he calls.”

Billy shuddered. “You mean he could make me…
want
him?”

Martin’s smile was closer to a sneer as he stared at Billy. “Again, I don’t think that is something you should worry about.”

Carlos flew swiftly through the night sky, his mind consumed by thoughts that all was not well with Christopher. He had said he would meet him at the end of his shift, but moments ago, he had felt Chris’ panic and, after a quick explanation to Marcus and Roger, had left their company to make sure he was all right. Alighting gently in the alleyway, he strode quickly to the Xtasy entrance. He gave Joe the bouncer a brief nod as he entered the club.

“Is Christopher still here?” he asked.

“Sure is—and he’ll be glad to see
you
,” Joe replied, putting a meaty hand on Carlos’

shoulder. “Some dude was here talkin’ crazy crap ‘bout vampires and such.”

Carlos stiffened. “Vampires? Did you see this man?”

“No, he took off after Chris doused him with his coffee.” Joe chuckled. “Got some spunk, that kid.”

Carlos walked quickly to the office and tapped on the door.

“Who’s there?”

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J. P. Bowie

90

“Christopher, it’s me, Carlos,”

“Oh, Carlos…” Chris unlocked the door and pulled Carlos inside. “Boy, am I glad to see you.” He threw himself into the bigger man’s arms and held him tight.

“Joe told me what happened,” Carlos whispered, stroking Chris’ hair gently.

“I couldn’t believe it, Carlos. The guy was nuts. Had these really nasty, pale eyes that seemed to look right through me.”

Pale eyes
. “Did he say his name?” Carlos asked quietly.

“Yeah. Martin something. Kellogg—Martin Kellogg. But what was crazy, he asked me if my vampire friend was coming here tonight! I mean,
vampire
, for Pete’s sake.”

Carlos tightened his arms about Chris and kissed his forehead. “The man was obviously insane,” he murmured. With a finger under Chris’ chin, he tilted his face to his own and brushed his lips tenderly. “I think you should call it a night and let me buy you a drink.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.” Chris smiled into Carlos’ eyes. “Thank goodness tomorrow’s my last night here. Won’t have to deal with any more fruitcakes talking about vampires!”

“Hmm…” Carlos leant back a little and winked at Chris. “I think your personal bodyguard will make it a point to be here during your whole shift tomorrow night.”

Chris chuckled. “And afterwards?”

“That, too. I’m afraid you might get rather tired of me hanging around.”

“I doubt that very much.” He snuggled deeper into Carlos’ embrace. “If I lived forever, I would never tire of you.”

Carlos rested his chin on top of Chris’ head, gently smoothing the curls through his fingers. “Even if you lived forever?” he asked softly.

“Even then,” Chris replied.

“We have a vampire hunter among us,” Carlos told Marcus and Roger later that night.

After he had seen Chris safely home, had made love to him then made sure he was soundly asleep, he had waited in the dark outside the apartment just in case the hunter lurked nearby.

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At last, satisfied that they had not been followed, he returned to his friend’s home in the Hills.

Marcus stared at him silently for a moment or two then asked, “Are you certain?”

Carlos nodded. “His name is Martin Kellogg. The same Martin Kellogg involved in the near death of my friend Juan Ramirez two years ago. Juan described him as reed thin with pale eyes. Tonight, he visited Christopher at the club. He described him to me in much the same way.”

“Wow.” Roger leant forward in his seat. “Chris? Is he okay? Where is he?”

“He’s at home, quite safe. I made sure we were not followed.”

“You should’ve brought him here,” Roger said.

“I think that might have presented too many problems, Roger.”

“Carlos is right.” Marcus, a study in panther-like grace, rose from the couch and walked over to the bar. He poured Carlos a glass of wine. “He can watch over him from here. Now that Christopher is imbued with Carlos’ blood, they are more closely attuned than before.”