Hear Me When the Sun Goes Down (26 page)

“You are released from your duties for the duration of the night.”  Jakob waved him on, wrapping an arm around my waist.  “I can see to them well enough until the dawn.”

“Thank you.”  Rob bowed respectfully before turning to Amunet with a charming smile and offering his arm to escort her from the room.  “Highness?”

Amunet’s smile turned up a degree or two in brightness as she took his offered arm.  “I’ll return him safe and sound.  Thank you again for your kindness and it was lovely to meet you, my dear.” 

“Charmed, I’m sure,” I smiled, not liking the way Amunet eyed Rob as something tasty, but he seemed willing enough to go with her.  Too willing.  “Will he be alright?”  I asked the moment they were gone.

“Of course,” Jakob replied instantly, laying a single finger across my lips to stay any more questions as he closed his eyes, listening.  Silent while he waited for them to reach minimum safe distance from prying ears, he opened his eyes again when he was satisfied, running that finger over my bottom lip.  “He should be perfectly safe with Amunet, she would never risk the insult of killing one of my favored subjects.”

Why didn’t that make me feel any better?  “So, what’s going on?” I asked as we walked back to the ballroom.  “Anything bad?”

“No, her master is coming for a visit.  She wanted to test the waters and make sure I won’t kill him on sight.”

“Should you?”  Was that even an option? 

“Bakareh can be difficult sometimes, but actually, I encourage his desire to travel and connect with the world again,” he replied easily.  “And what did you think of Amunet?”

“What’s the deal with her and Rob?”

“They have had a much more recent association I believe.”  His brows drew together with a realization.  “You didn’t answer my question.”

I was too busy staring at the tops of their heads as the pair circulated through the room, making their way toward the exit as I got antsier and antsier. 

“Anja…” he prompted and I came to a snap decision. 

“You know what?  That’s a good point.  I don’t think I gave her a fair shake.  I can’t give you an opinion until I have a chance to talk to her.  You’ll excuse me, won’t you?  I’ll go have a chat with her.  You know, just us girls.”

“That is a good instinct.”  Jakob nodded his approval, kissing my temple.  “Hurry back to me,
älskling
.” 

“I’ll be back soon, I promise.”  Only I didn’t catch up with Amunet in the ballroom, I waited for them to get outside, slipping out behind them, unseen.  At least, I thought I was unseen until Bishop stepped up behind me. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Not now, Bishop.  This is important,” I waved him away, craning my neck to find them on the busy street outside. 

“So is your safety.  Rob should be by your side.”

“That’s exactly why I’m out here.  There they are.”  I spotted them waiting for Rob’s car to be brought around, her two servants seemingly unaffected by the cold, despite the fact they were human.  “Come on.”  I decided to include Bishop, the better to make it look like I was out there for something other than chasing them down. 

“Oh, hi there,” I smiled, glancing over as if I’d only just noticed them.  “It’s a good night for it, isn’t it?”

“For what?”  Amunet’s perfectly sculpted brows drew together in confusion. 

“For the hunt.  I like to go down by the docks myself.  The kiss of the salt in the air, the scent of danger, never knowing what you’ll come up against.  It gets the blood pumping again, you know what I mean?  So much better than submission.”  Of course I was taking a gamble.  For all I knew she got off on slaves blithely kneeling at her feet, but I risked everything on the theory she’d be in the mood for something new.  Something that didn’t involve Rob on his knees offering up a vein and more.

“You hunt among the humans?” she blinked.  “Here, in the city?”

“Oh sure.  Not right out in the open, but there are plenty of places to chase down your quarry without worrying about ending up on the six o’clock news.   Places a little wilder than this,” I jerked my head toward Jakob’s building.  “Would you like to come with us, maybe?” I asked as if I’d only just thought of it, ignoring Rob’s scowl over her shoulder.  Bishop for his part remained silent by my side, which was the only reason why I hadn’t shooed him away yet.

“I could do with a bit of sport,” she considered aloud.  “Will I need to change first?” 

“Only if you want to be more comfortable.  But this is San Francisco, you can pretty much get away with wearing anything you want.”

“That sounds delightful.”  She turned and fired off a string of
foreign words to her entourage, who nodded and backed away.  I was glad they wouldn’t be tagging along, especially since I was making things up as I went along.  “And who is this handsome devil?” she gave Bishop an arch smile. 

“This is Bishop, he’s a very good friend of mine.  Also of Jakob’s line.”  I threw in that last, hoping it meant something to her, though I suspect Bishop’s charming smile had more effect than my words.  He bent over her hand, raising it to his lips. 

“We met once before, in Brussels.  You knew me as Ulrik then.”  He coughed delicately.  “With Carys.”

“So I did,” she smiled warmly. 

Good gravy, was there anyone she hadn’t been with before?  “Well, the night’s not getting any younger.  How about we get this show on the road?”  The last thing I wanted to do was have Jakob show up and turn this into an even bigger train wreck. 

“We’ll take my car,” Rob offered, pulling open the rear door for us, handing Amunet inside.  He shot me a meaningful glance as he did the same for me, but all I could do was shrug.  I was improvising. 

“Where are we headed?” Amunet asked once she and I were in the back seat, Rob and Bishop in the front. 

“It’s a surprise,” I replied, wracking my brain for ideas.  We could cruise the docks, but what if that didn’t provide the hunting grounds I’d promised? 

Bishop held up his hands as Rob leveled a stare at him.  “Don’t look at me, I’m just along for the ride.”

“I’ll need more than that, miss,” Rob said, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Take us to the Tavern, you know the one.”  It was the only thing I could think of. 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Absolutely I am.  I think our new friend would like something off the beaten path.”  I settled back on the soft leather as he pulled into traffic without another word, but I could tell I’d get an earful later.  I didn’t care.  Amunet wouldn’t be sinking her teeth into him anytime soon if I had anything to say about it. 

“How long have you known Jakob?” Amunet asked, and I returned my attention to keeping her entertained. 

“Not all that long.  We’ve had a sort of… whirlwind courtship.” 

“And he set you up as Elder of the West, that’s so sweet.”

Then she did know who I was.  “No, actually, I got the gig on my own.  At the time he was laying low.”

“Ah, I see.  That’s understandable.  I commend you on your cunning and strength then.”

“What’s understandable?”

“That Jakob was laying low, as you say.  In truth, I was most surprised to find him openly holding court again.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s no secret he’s preferred to remain in seclusion for so long.”

“But it is a secret
why
, and you seem like you know what that secret is,” I pressed. 

She seemed about to reply when her lips pursed speculatively.  “Perhaps it’s best to curb any gossip where Jakob is concerned.  The
Ellri
are not known for forgiveness.”

“You are preaching to the choir, sister,” I murmured, turning to look out the window in disappointment.  Maybe it was for the best not to get too much into chit chat mode with Amunet anyway?  I had more secrets to air than most vampires, and it could prove dangerous to get too chatty with her.     

Rob brought us to the infamous Tavern, parking the car across the street from the dive bar.  I steeled myself for Amunet’s disapproval once she saw how rough it was, but she surprised me by smiling wide once we stepped inside. 

“How did you know I would find a place like this intriguing?” she asked, making her way to the bar with slow steps, enjoying the attention we drew in our fancy clothes. 

“I took a chance you don’t get to go to place like this very often,” I said, relaxing when I didn’t spot any of the men I’d tangled with the last time I visited the bar.  “I figure, you get your choice of beauty every day.  But here… here you’ll find something different.”

“Indeed I shall,” she replied with glittering eyes.  “You will wait outside,” she ordered both Bishop and Rob.

Rob made no move to obey.  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Highness.  This is a rough place.  It wouldn’t take much for things to go pear shaped, yeah?”

“Relax, Rob,” I said, waving him off.  “We can take care of ourselves.”

“That’s as may be, but I’m not to leave your side when you’re out and about, you know that,” he glowered.

“And Jakob also released you from your duties for the night, so beat it.  I’m not asking.
”  I put an edge into my voice, mostly for Amunet’s benefit. 

Rob bristled, his jaw working, but all he said was, “As you wish, miss.”

“You too, Bishop.  Wait for us outside, okay?”

“Of course, your grace,” he smirked, clicking his heels together, mocking me with his formality.  I bit back the urge to stick my tongue out at him, I was trying to be mature and regal like Amunet
, who oozed nobility.

If she noticed the power play between us, Amunet didn’t mention it, a smile curving her lips once they’d gone.  “Now then, let the games begin.”

“Where would you like to start?”

“A drink first, I should think.”

“Don’t try the beer unless you’re feeling adventurous,” I advised, but it turned out that was the wrong thing to say, as she promptly ordered us two beers, using her compulsion to get the bartender to drop them off for free.   

I sipped politely, trying not to ingest much of the disgusting brew, my eyes lighting upon Chad at his usual table, hunched over his beer.  He looked up, his eyes catching mine and I saw his brows twitch closer together, as though wondering if he knew me
.  But a second later he looked back into the bottom of his glass again, as if that held all of life’s answers.  Maybe he’d be a good candidate for Amunet?  He was easy on the eyes and plenty virile enough to satisfy her. 

Only that wasn’t what she had in mind.  At all. 

“Do you want to play predator or prey tonight?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant.  I’d played a game called predator or prey in the sixth grade at Camp Hammer, but somehow I didn’t think she wanted a blindfold and a pair of twigs.  “Ah… I’m good either way, if you have a preference
,” I answered, wishing I hadn’t kicked Bishop to the curb so quickly.  It was a sure bet he knew all about her vampire games. 

“I think I’m feeling like a bit of sport,” she said after a moment’s consideration.  “I’ll take predator if you don’t mind being the prey, just to make things interesting.”

“Sure… of course.  I’ll be the prey.”  What the heck was I agreeing to?  “But um, first let me head to the ladies room to freshen up.”  Yikes, did the place even have a ladies room?  I couldn’t imagine they got many ladies in the place.  I’d settle for the men’s room if it gave me a few minutes to text Bishop some important questions. 

“Don’t be silly, you look fine,” she smiled, brushing the hair back over my shoulder.  “Very innocent and alluring.  I’m certain you’ll attract the right sort.”

I started to clue into the game.  I wasn’t her prey, I was the bait.  “Thanks.  So, you’re calling the shots.  Where do you want to do this?”  Hopefully not right there in the bar, that would take too much compulsion to straighten it out. 

“Does this establishment have a back entrance?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll leave you to it then.  And no fair stealing a taste without me, I claim first blood as predator.”

“I wouldn’t dream of spoiling that honor for you,” I said, rising from my stool and she laid a cool hand on my arm. 

“Thank you for this, Anja.  I do so enjoy a good game every now and then.”

“Don’t we all.”  I offered a tight smile, wending my way to the rear entrance, moving nice and slow so they had plenty of time to notice me.  For extra dramatic effect, I dropped my purse twice, tottering about on my heels as though I’d had too much to drink.  Never mind the fact that I hadn’t even finished my beer, the opportunists in the room would see what they wanted to see. 

I made it into the alley without anyone stopping me and had my phone in hand
, prepared to call Rob when he stepped out of the shadows, nearly scaring the spit out of me. 

“I thought I might find you out here,” he said, his voice low but all kinds of grouchy.  “What are you two birds cooking up in there?”

I turned him around by the shoulders.  “You have to get out of here, I’m the prey.”

“What?”

“I’m the prey, she’s the predator.  Now scoot before you spook the bad guys.”  I gave him a tiny shove but he easily evaded me, turning back around to demand some answers.

“What bad guys?  Have you been at the sauce?”

“Amunet wants to hunt for bad guys and I’m supposed to lure them, now scram,” I hissed as the door to the bar opened, a single man stepping out, pausing as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. 

Rob obediently faded into the shadows, and I shot him a smile of thanks, continuing my unsteady stroll down the alley.  A scene from
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
came back to me.  Not the TV show, but the silly movie where she’s trying to lure vampires into attacking her right after the training montage, and I started to hum the melody to
Feelings
.  What ever happened to Luke Perry anyway?  I couldn’t remember him in anything after that bit part in
The Fifth Element
. 

I could hear the guy behind me, keeping pace, not closing the distance, but definitely on my tail instead of heading for the mouth of the alley where most people’s cars waited.  “I’m feeling very helpless…” I sang softly.       

“Hey…” the guy called out from behind me, and I pretended not to hear, humming to myself as I continued on my way.  “Hey,” he tried a notch louder.  “You got change for a dollar?”

“Change?” I repeated, pretending to almost lose my balance as I turned around.  “Sure, I have change,” I said with a silly grin.  This was kind of fun.  It appealed to my sense of the theatric without the embarrassment of an audience.  Opening my purse, I pretended to root around in it while he stalked closer, all the while keeping an eye on him from my peripheral vision. 

He sort of reminded me of that guy on
Person of Interest
who was also in that movie with the Vikings and the alien guy…
Outlander
, Jim Caviezel.  A little shifty and dangerous looking when he was unkempt and in need of a shave, but his eyes burned bright with purpose. 

Me.

“Oh, I just have two…” The guy grabbed me by the shoulders, pressing me back against the brick wall.  “… quarters.  But you can have ‘em,” I blinked. 

“That’s too bad, I guess I’ll take something else instead.”

Even though I knew I could kick his booty nine ways from Sunday, I still felt a knot of fear in my stomach from the intensity of his gaze.  This guy was about to assault me, and a normal drunk woman wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it.  I almost wished Amunet wasn’t waiting to pounce so I could teach the guy a lesson myself.  Then again, I remembered the last time I’d been in that alley.  I never wanted to taste that kind of rage again. 

“You can have my money, there’s not much there.”  It wasn’t hard to put a whimper into my voice. 

“That’s okay, I have what I want right here.”  His fingers dug into my arms and I winced, no acting involved. 

“You’re hurting me, let me go!” I struggled weakly, getting tired of the game.  Where was Amunet?  Or had she double crossed me, leaving me to get pawed in the alley while she skipped off with Rob?

Right on cue, she appeared at the other end of the alley.  “Anja?  Are you out here?” Amunet’s voice echoed as she stumbled out of the bar, making a show of spotting us and lurching in our direction.  “What are you doing out here?”

“Let go of me, I want to go home,” I whined, surprised when he did, but he blocked me from leaving with his body. 

“We’re just having a good time,” he said, the look on his face anything but friendly.

“Anja, we have to go,” she said, motioning to me and I tried to step out from behind him. 

“Not so fast.”  His arm shot out to grab onto my arm.  I was supposed to be the prey, so I cowered behind him, watching the drama unfold with sick fascination.  How far would she carry this out before she attacked him?  “Join the party or get lost.”

“I’m not leaving my friend.”  Her chin came up with determination, the hint of fear showing behind her eyes.  Wow, she put my acting to shame.  Was there anything she couldn’t do better than me? 

Deciding she was the more interesting prey, the scumbag switched focus.  “Fine, she can go, you stay.”  He shoved me aside, grabbing hold of her wrist to tug her closer.

“Let us go or… I’ll call the police!”  Amunet dug into her pocket, producing a slim cell phone and he gave an ugly laugh.

“Go ahead, I’ll be done by the time they get here.  Go ahead and scream all you want,” he said, pulling Amunet closer, a meaty hand closing over her breast.  “Nobody around here gives a fuck.” 

“Please… please don’t.” She squirmed in his grasp.  “Please… I’ll do anything!”  Amunet’s rich voice throbbed with emotion, her dark eyes wide and shiny with unshed tears. 

“That’s what I like to hear,” he grunted, pinning her roughly against the wall, his hand fumbling with his belt. 

“Do you know what I’d like to hear?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What?”

“I’d like to hear you scream.”  She smiled, her fangs sharp and glistening in the poor light.  

“What the…?”

Her brows drew together in mock puzzlement.  “I thought you wanted me?  Come and take me then, if you can.” 

“Jesus fucking Christ…”  The guy shoved her away, grasping at his loose pants as he stumbled backwards.  Just for fun, I bared my teeth at him too, extending my fangs with a snick, though I had no intention of getting physical with him.  That was all the motivation he needed, and he took off running for the mouth of the alley. 

Amunet turned to me with a serene smile made somewhat creepy with the poke of fangs.  “The chase is on.”  And then she shot out of there like a bat out of hell.  I wasn’t sure if I should follow after, or leave her to the hunt,
with my role as prey officially over.

Bishop and Rob appeared seconds later, both obviously keeping close tabs on the ‘game’. 

“What happens now?” I asked, retracting my pointy teeth.  “She’s going to compel that guy to forget about all of this when she’s done scaring the beejeezus out of him, right?”  I knew that wasn’t it even before Bishop shook his head. 

“We’d better keep up with her before this gets out of hand.”

It wasn’t already out of hand?  “She won’t actually kill him, will she?” I asked Rob. 

“What did you expect?”  He pressed his lips together, disapproval coming off of him in waves.  “Best get after them, this could get messy.”