Bait

Chapter Six

I knew who it was before I answered the phone. “Colby?”

“Are you all right?” His voice dripped with anger.

“I think so. One of them followed me here.” I regretted those words as soon as they popped out. Exhausted, my brain must have malfunctioned.

“Is it still there? We can be at the hotel in minutes.”

A twister of emotions raged inside my heart. I didn’t want to tell him it was Rurik.

“Connie? Are you there? Connie, if you’re in trouble, this would be the time to use one of those code words I made you memorize.”

“No need for the Double-O-Seven stuff. He’s gone.”

“Did he bite you?”

“No, I convinced him to leave ... I told him I belonged to a stronger vampire.” Technically Rurik gave me to Dragos as a present. I wasn’t lying. Colby would want to dissect every nuance of my conversation with the Overlord of Budapest. The details of vampire politics and laws I’d learned at the party needed to be shared but our conversation in my hotel room was private.

“What? That worked?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Tonight was a clusterfuck. Report in five minutes at the front entrance, there’ll be someone waiting for you.”

“But—” The dial tone cut me off. I needed a shower. He could use a lesson in phone etiquette. My ride could sit there and grow roots. I was taking a shower. I had unidentified alley fluid dripping off the hem of my dress, vampire saliva on my chest, and eyeball remains under my nails. Colby could park his mercenary ass and wait ten more minutes.

A driver waved me over and held the door for me as I exited the building. Sunlight chased the stars away with its nimbus of pink light in the east. My ponytail dripped warm drops of water onto my t-shirt as I climbed into the back of a cab. I finally felt clean and comfy in my sweatpants. Our destination was a mystery to me. As a rule, the bait never gets informed. Basically, it’s a need-to-know relationship and a safeguard.

Good bait was hard to find. Can’t exactly place an ad in the classifieds. “Vampire lure wanted. No prior experience needed. Great benefits!” I snorted at the thought. Getting groped, chased, and then enthralled were not my idea of benefits. However, when a plan worked and a killer got dusted, it made up for all the other stuff.

Colby saved me from my first vampire encounter. It was a dismal time for me. The recent loss of my husband, Laurent, to cancer, cut a huge hole in my soul. Captain Morgan and I prearranged a date every night. I had nothing left and the prospects of joining my husband sounded nicer each passing hour.

Colby saved my life twice the night we met, the first time from the vampire and the second time from myself.

The cab stopped in front of a church and the driver looked at me through the rearview mirror. “When you get inside, go down the first set of stairs on the right.”

I stood on the curb and watched the cab fade into the growing traffic. The church loomed above, a giant stone monstrosity from a time when religion ruled the people.

Inside the entrance, I found the stairway, but something drew me further into the church. An altar stood on the dais in front of an enormous stained glass window. The weak sunlight, the only light in the room, filtered down around the altar and made pretty patterns of pinks and blues on the floor. Tranquility filled me. A small island of peace after the storm I’d just experienced.

I knelt at the closest pew. “Thanks for the help tonight.” Then I stood and did a little curtsy to the altar. That might not be the right way but I winged it. The appropriate formula for prayer was foreign to me.

When I returned to the stairs, Red blocked my way. He grinned from ear to ear, disfiguring his ruddy pockmarked face.

“That was so cute, Connie. Someone might mistake you for a lady doin ’ a curtsy like that.”

“Stick it in your ear, Red.” I brushed past him to make my way downstairs. Red was the size of a grizzly bear. People thought his size made him slow but they were wrong. He snatched me up like a doll and crushed me in his version of a hug.

“Breathe...” I swatted the back of his head with my free arm while stars flashed before my eyes.

He loosened his grip while setting me back on the ground. I gasped in air. “You big redheaded goof. Are you trying to break me in two?”

“Thought we lost you tonight, shrimp.” He ruffled my hair, pulling strands out of my neat ponytail. “You added more white hairs on my head when you ran out onto the Promenade away from us.” He leaned in close, meeting my eyes to make his point. “Next time, climb the damn fence. I’m too old to be sprinting after a lunatic.”

“Have you ever tried climbing a fence in a dress and heels?”

“When we get back home, you’re doing more training with me.” He pointed his thumb to his chest. Red’s hair may be getting whiter but his body could still dent things. “I’ll have you climbing fences in a clown suit.”

I snorted but returned his hug. Red meant well. I could count on one hand the number of people who truly cared about me. Red was one of them.

We made our way down the stairs. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “I heard about the vampire who followed you home. You shouldn’t play with strays, you might catch something.”

“Har, Har, you’re such a comedian.” We continued further into the church basement.

“How come he didn’t do anything to you?”

“I didn’t—I mean, he lost interest and dawn was coming.”

“You tellin ’ me this thing chased you three blocks, followed you to the hotel, and then lost interest?”

They thought the vampire who hunted me from the party followed me to my hotel room. “I reasoned with him.”

His eyebrow rose. “How?”

My thoughts raced. How indeed? “At the party Rurik gave me to a pretty powerful vampire as a present. Everyone witnessed it. I reminded him of that.” If I kept my lies close to the truth, I had a better chance of keeping them straight.

Red just stared at me, ridicule painted across his face. “That’s it? How’d he find ya?”

“I don’t know, Red. The subject didn’t come up, kinda had my hands full, staying alive and stuff, okay?” I could have sworn I felt my nose grow with each lie.

He opened his mouth then hesitated before shrugging. A huge duffel bag lay open on the floor. He picked it up. “Jump in.”

“Why?” I peered into it. “Is this punishment for screwing up?”

“If we wanted to punish you, we would have left you at the party.” He opened the bag wider, placed it back on the floor, and gestured to it. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve carried a body in it.” His face looked grim.

“I believe you, Red.” I mirrored his expression. “How else would you get a date to go home with you?”

His grin re-emerged.

“I’ve always liked ‘em small and quiet-like.”

“Good thing I have a big mouth.”

His laughter filled the room.

“Why couldn’t we meet here, Red? Why do all this subterfuge?”

“Things went bad tonight and on top of that, you were followed. It may be daytime but what if one their humans trailed you here? Maybe they made a connection between you and our attack last night. We can’t afford that.” He gestured to the bag again. “Getting in?”

I stepped into it, humiliated. I fit but stopped Red as he zipped it up.

“Not all the way. I need to feel like I can open it.” My voice sounded small, even to me.

“Okay, not all the way.” He left it open a smidge so I could see some light. Then heaved me over his shoulder and exaggerated a stagger. “Need to lay off those cookies.”

I elbowed him through the bag and he rewarded me with a grunt.

“Red,” I whispered quietly as he lugged me around like dirty laundry. “You’re not putting me in the trunk of the car, are you?”

“As tempting as that sounds, no. I’m tying you to the back of my motorcycle.”

“Red!” Suddenly I became weightless as he threw me onto the back seat of his car. Relief washed over me—I could be so gullible. The car’s motion rocked and lulled me into a much needed sleep.

Colby assisted me out of the bag when I was placed on the floor at last. We were in a makeshift office. No pictures or advertisements hung on the walls, just a room with a desk, chairs, and a filing cabinet. He stopped my progress to examine my split lip then my neck. His piercing green eyes never missed a detail. “No bites. Good. Any other injuries?”

“Just bumps and bruises.”

He released me and made his way to sit behind a battered wooden desk.

I pulled up a cold, metal chair to sit on and faced him. His dirty blond hair stuck out as if he’d been pulling at it. Thin strips of medical tape held a cut over his right eye together and a bruise along his jaw line was surfacing. “Was any of the team killed?” No matter how many times I explained this to myself, I still felt responsible when someone got hurt trying to protect me. Thank goodness it didn’t happen often.

“None. Three sustained injuries, enough to merit a hospital, but it appeared like most of the vamps held back from the fight.” He rubbed his bruised chin.

“From my angle at the top of the stairs, I could see some of the vamps fightin ’ among themselves. Mother fuckin ’ weird, if you askin ’ me.” Red leaned against the wall by the door with the duffle bag at his feet.

“What happened at the club? Why did you let him lead you out a side door instead of the main one like planned? I figured he didn’t know you were planted since he didn’t kill you in the alley.” His soft commanding voice gave me a chill. It reminded me of Dragos’.

I leaned forward against the desk. “Things were going smoothly. He finally made a pass and offered me a drink. We flirted a little and I got him to agree to leave the club with me, but he slipped something in my drink. I had trouble focusing on what we were doing. He took me to the side door instead of the main entrance. A car waited for us when we got outside then he pulled a whammie on me.” I glanced at my clenched hands and relaxed them. “The drug affected my mental shield more than anything else. I had no power over them. They just ran through my control like sand. He took me.”

Red cleared his throat. He stood by the door, guarding it. “He ... uh ... do anything to you?” His crossed arms over his chest, which bulged with contained tension.

“No, at least not what you are implying.” I shifted self-consciously on my seat. “He helped me into a car and told me he wanted to introduce me to an important magistrate. I have to point out here that Rurik’s powerful. He’s not fresh-outta-the-grave, he’s old and strong. Some of the vampires at that party were even stronger.”

“We noticed.” Colby ran a finger along his injured jaw.

“Rurik offered me as a ‘gift ’ to a real bad ass vampire he referred to as Master Dragos.” Colby and Red exchanged a quick look.

“Describe him.”

“Tall, bald, pointed ears, skin so pale it looked transparent. He had an intricate black tattoo on his scalp that extended down his neck. I can’t express how much he frightened me. Power just oozed from him. He was—” I searched my vocabulary to find the right word “—compelling.”

Colby sat back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin. “Did he like you?”

“What?” The question threw me. “I mean, he accepted me, and made me dance with him.” Heat crept up my cheeks. Red would use this to tease me. I could hear the wheels turning in his head from here.

My boss ’ green-eyed gaze stayed clear and direct. He never looked tired and he never looked happy. “Dragos.” He ran his fingers through his messy hair once more. His eyes never left me. “Can you work him if I find him?”

“Colby!” Red’s voice snapped across the room and made me twist in my chair.

They glared at each other as if having silent communion. “Never mind, Connie.” Colby pulled at his hair again. “We decided earlier you’re in too much danger. These aren’t the kind of vampires you’re used to working with. Red will get you on a flight home.”

Red picked up the duffel bag and approached me.

“Now wait a moment there, big boy.” I waggled my finger at him. “I’m not done reporting. This has been a tough night for everyone.” Turning back to Colby I met his steely stare. Hints of strain showed around his eyes. He didn’t tell me everything. He never did. “Rurik told me about a vampire government. It sounded like something more global than territorial. I think Dragos is part of that.”

He opened his mouth.

“Wait, don’t interrupt me yet.” I held up my index finger. “He also told me they have a ‘no-killing-people ’ policy. It attracts too much attention to their kind and they want to remain obscure. If this is so, why have we been hunting so many killers?”

“He sure told you a lot for a first date.”

“I know. It struck me as odd. Is he lying to me?”

“He’s just playin ’ with your head,” Red commented from his post by the door. “He has his own agenda and he’s usin ’ you.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. He makes my head spin.” I rubbed my hands across my face and tried to stay awake.

“Don’t discount all this yet.” Colby’s comment did a better job at waking me. “Something has stirred the vampire community this past year. It’s true, Connie, the killings have been increasing. We’ve never been so busy. I just assumed it was because we’re in America, where control is still being fought over. Things settled in Europe centuries ago so the vampire communities have been stable. Until now.” Colby spoke quietly to himself. “I wonder what is stirring them up. We’re missing something.” He rubbed his temples. “None of this makes sense.”

“Maybe if you told me more, I would know what to listen and look for.”

He raised an eyebrow at me and leaned forward. “Then you’re interested in going back?”

Red muttered under his breath behind me.

I shifted in my seat under Colby’s scrutiny. “Maybe. Depends on what you’re about to tell me.” This would be a milestone in our working relationship. We had a need-to-know agreement and Colby didn’t think I needed to know much.

“I hate it that Rurik got past your mental shield. Do you know how deep he went?”

“N-no. How could I tell? Each time felt different.”

“Each? How many times did he touch your mind?” His shout made me jump and my cheeks got warmer.

“Three.” I looked at the edges on the worn, wooden desk. The varnish peeled in places but the areas were smooth with age.

“I wonder if he had time to glean any information from you.” He leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands over his flat stomach. “Or enthrall you. Your behavior will be suspect from now on.” His stare traveled to Red. “Maybe we should send you home.”

I wouldn’t argue with him. He was right. It wasn’t just my behavior I worried about but my judgment too. I wanted to go home, but then the team would have to go to vampire territory to complete their contract. Not have their quarry brought to a battleground of their choice. Could I live with my cowardice if say, Red were killed because I ran away with my tail between my legs?

My decision to withhold the information of Rurik following me was suspicious. Did he do something to my mind? I didn’t sense anything different, except I think I liked him. Yet, I still held my tongue. If I couldn’t trust my own thoughts I’d go mad second guessing myself. I am who I am.

“If you send me home, you’ll be endangering yourselves. I can lure whomever you want to you safely. Have I ever failed you?”

“It’s against my better judgment, but I want Rurik bad, and I wouldn’t mind a meeting with his Master.” He watched his own hands and avoided me. “I saw the way he looked at you at the club. Rurik would follow you again.” Colby continued to think aloud. “Would Master Dragos?”

“No, I get the impression he’d eat me on the spot if I ever encountered him again.”

“Hmm, figures. I think he might be a Nosferatu vampire. They’re much more volatile.”

“We don’t know for sure what he is, Colby.” Red stepped away from his post, bag forgotten in his hand. “He could be just a freakin’, big, bald vamp.”

“You saw him before he escaped the building. He had the markings on his head. We both did. Connie’s description fits.”

“There hasn’t been a sightin ’ of a Nosferatu in centuries. They’re a myth, like the Loch Ness monster.” Red almost never argued with Colby. He was his right hand man, his enforcer.

“Red, most people think vampires are a myth and look what we do for a living.”

I felt left out. “Nosferatu? As in the movie?”

Colby gazed at me. “We don’t know much. There are some drawings and vague descriptions in our oldest records. They’re a species of vampire, probably the source of their kind. To sum it up, they’re hairless, powerful, vampire warriors. Uber-vamps.”

“Uber-vamps, sounds like Dragos.” I remembered the power and confidence that oozed off him. I also remembered the fear in the eyes of Rurik’s people as Dragos approached them.

“I wonder why you’re still alive.” The softness in Colby’s voice didn’t match the hard look in his eyes.

“I really thought I was riding on an express elevator to the afterlife until you showed up.”

Red stepped up to the desk. “Is it possible Dragos enthralled Connie? Used his power to track her here?”

“I thought you didn’t believe in them?” I couldn’t help myself. Red was so fun to tease.

“Wise ass.”

I curled my lip at him playfully. “We shouldn’t go down Paranoia Lane just yet. If we were followed, we’d be waist deep in trouble by now.”

Colby still leaned back in his chair, thinking about my information dump. “I live on Paranoia Lane, but you have a point. We don’t know enough to make any decision presently. Something big is happening. I can sense it.” He leaned forward, drawing our attention. “I’ve changed my mind. Connie, you stay.”

Red took a step forward, his mouth open, but Colby held his hand up. “No, Red.”

Colby pointed at me. “She’s doing well. She’s kept her head and collected more Intel in one night than we have all year.” He looked to me. “We’ll take you back to your hotel. Pack and move to another one. Red, get her a new identity. We don’t want to make it easy for them to find her. Connie, I want a detailed list of who you met and descriptions. Anything you can remember, even if it seems insignificant. If anymore vamps contact you, call my cell before taking action.” He stood and walked to the door. “I’ll get in touch when I need you.”

Red held the bag open for me. “All aboard.”