Authors: Lina Gardiner
He laughed low in his throat. It gave him pleasure to set up the Vampire Hunter. She deserved to be taught a lesson. Humans turn on vampires given the slightest provocation. Did she really think she'd be any different if they considered her a threat?
And if she saw the truth, maybe she'd also be able to redeem herself in his eyes. Maybe. He might be tempted to bring her back to the fold. If she was very good, and did everything he told her told. He laughed at the wicked images in his mind. Considering all of the women whose paths he'd crossed over the decades, it was a huge compliment to qualify her as the ultimate.
Mannie had always had a penchant for willowy, slim, dark-haired beauties, but Jess had been the best of the best. He'd known that from the first time he'd seen her on the beat all those years ago.
He'd killed many who looked like her over the centuries, but the moment he saw her, he knew she was the real thing. Any of the women he'd taken before or since had failed in comparison. She been so special to him, he hadn't even violated her when he'd turned her. That moment had to be perfect. It was coming, and soon!
He took a deep breath, raised his nose and scented the air again. There was another female approaching. If this one was even close to looking like Jess Vandermire, she'd be his tonight.
Like the last woman, she walked past him, looked directly at him standing in the shadows but didn't see him. Lucky night for this female. She was blond.
When he swirled out of the shadows and moved away at vampire speed, she might have turned and wondered what had caused the whirlwind to kick up the dust. But she'd never see Constantine.
The next night Jess entered the precinct and went straight to Britt's office.
Britt looked up from his desk. He appeared to be expecting her. “Evening, Captain."
"Have you finished your lessons with Sampson?"
If surprised by his formality, she didn't show it. He had to distance himself from her now. Especially at work.
She looked tired again, and he didn't like it.
"Would you care to sit, Captain?"
She sat in the chair in front of his desk. “I'm worried Britt. Worried that I am the one who killed those women. After all, VNA doesn't lie."
"I think it does.” Simple statement. He meant every word.
"If I ever attack you, use the words on me, Britt."
"Not damned likely. They might kill you."
"I'd rather you kill me before I kill you."
He sighed, got up and walked around his desk. “You're being set up, Jess. I'd bet my life on it. And don't forget that vampire we've run into a couple of times. I'm willing to bet he's involved in this somehow."
"I haven't forgotten him. In fact, I think I know him. Or should I say knew him.” She shook her head and wouldn't make eye contact. “I don't know. Maybe I turned him into a vampire, too?"
"You didn't."
"Why do you always have so much faith in me?"
He looked into her eyes. “You know why."
"You're too trusting. It'll get you killed."
"Not by you, it won't. And, Jess, you may have recruited me into this job, but you didn't force me to stay. I want this. If I die, I die doing a job I want to do. We make a difference."
"What about that vampire threatening you? He'll come after you. I want to stay with you and protect you,” she said.
Britt allowed a quick grin. “That sounds like a familiar scenario. You might have to sneak a GPS tracking device into me in order to do that."
"Stop joking. This is serious."
Since she was still seated in the chair, he crouched in front of her but didn't touch her. “I know it is, Jess. I'm not making light of the seriousness of this situation. And, believe me, I realize I'm at a disadvantage with this guy. But if I can't fight him, what good am I to the team? If it's not him, then some other vampire will come along who's just as tough. This is a battle I have to win if I'm going to be capable of doing this job."
She lowered her head. “I don't want to lose you."
His heart soared. “And, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you don't. But don't take this fight away from me, Jess. If you think I can't cut it, then I'll have to quit. I can't be part of the team if I can't carry my own weight."
She didn't answer.
"Either you trust me, or you don't,” he said, tipping her chin up so she'd have to face him.
Their eyes met and held. “I trust you. And I know you're strong enough and smart enough to find ways to combat this vampire. But, Britt, even I was afraid when I was chasing him and he stopped and looked at me.” Her fingers kneaded together. “That's why I phoned, James, Britt. He scared me."
"Okay, we both admit he's stronger than anyone we've come across, and since we know that, we can come up with ways to combat him. One way for me is using the ancient text, if I have to."
Jess breathed in deeply then looked at the cross on Britt's neck. The cross she'd given him. “I can smell him right now."
Britt saw where she was looking. “Yeah.” He lifted the cross and looked at it. “It burned him, and he dropped it."
She leaned in and sniffed again. “That scent is very familiar to me,” she said scrunching her forehead into worry lines. “I'm not sure, but it might be the vampire I smelled in Vaslov's place the other night."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?” Britt said dryly. “Okay, we need a plan. Vaslov wants to hire us, and I say we go back again. This time we don't leave until we find out exactly what he's up to. Tonight."
"I agree. At least that way we'll have the advantage of surprise."
"Just give me a minute to gather a few weapons, and I'll be ready,” Britt said, going to a cabinet and extracting several canisters of holy water and shoving them into the slots on his belt.
Jess visibly shivered at the sight of the water, and he, of all people, understood her reaction. He'd never forget that night outside the church when they fought Prometheus. Britt didn't know much about vampires back then, but he'd seen enough old movies to consider bringing Holy water along. Jess had been too close when he threw it at Prometheus, and he'd burned her so badly it took several painful days for her to recover fully. If there was any chance of splash-back on Jess tonight, he wouldn't use it. He'd never burn her again.
"Before we go, is there any way I can stop him from fogging my mind?” Britt asked.
Jess looked thoughtful. “I've never heard of a way."
"Wait a minute. I broke his concentration when I distracted him with this cross. If the time comes, maybe I can do it again."
Jess thought about how she'd taken over Britt's mind and he was none the wiser. She suspected that the only reason he'd managed to break away from the vampire's mind control was because the vampire was enjoying the battle and didn't want to fight a mindless automaton.
Her stomach twinged. “It won't work, Britt. It only worked the last time because he didn't want it to work."
"I'd better get used to the idea of using that cyanide next time, then, before he gains total control over me. Because no way am I going to let him turn me into a vampire."
Jess felt a growing sense of panic. If this vampire wanted Britt so badly, would she even be able to stop him? He seemed to have more abilities than her. At this point, it wouldn't be at all helpful to tell that to Britt.
When the doorman buzzed, Drago jumped out of his seat. Relief washed over him. He'd been sitting here trying to figure out a way to get Jess here tonight.
Normally, she didn't show up without a lot of effort on his part. Even the Mayor was becoming suspicious about his requests and hadn't been as cooperative as he used to be. Drago didn't have time to mollycoddle the city's elite. Not with a job like this on the line. He had to provide Jess to his client tonight. He'd promised. It wasn't smart to irritate a vampire.
He heaved a sigh. But why was John Brittain still alive? Mannie was supposed to have gotten him out of the way. Mannie had never let him down before. His heart pounded several times and he sucked in a breath. The stress of possibly losing ten million dollars was obviously getting to him. He'd never been so affected by stress before.
Drago met them at his office door, and ushered them inside.
"It's so nice to see you here tonight. I take it you've decided to work for me?"
"Yes,” Jess said. “Assuming your offer is lucrative enough, we won't pass up.” She tipped her head and eyed him.
"I guarantee it'll be well worth your while,” Drago said.
"What is it you want us to do?” Britt asked.
Vaslov ignored his question. “Did you see my assistant, Mannie, when you came in?"
Jess and Britt exchanged glances. “I'm afraid I have no idea who Mannie is,” Jess said.
Drago frowned. “You've never met him when you've been in the club?"
She made a quizzical face. “No. Why? Should I have?"
"It's just that he always greets my guests before they see me. He's sort of my front line man."
"I've been here several times, and I've never met Mannie,” Jess said.
Now that Drago thought about it, Mannie was always on break when they were here. Strange didn't begin to cover that. He pressed the button on his headphone. “Mannie, get your ass in here.” No response. Vaslov went to the door and hollered to one of his employees. “Where's Mannie?"
"He left a couple of hours ago, boss,” the employee said.
Jess put her hands on her hips. “Mr. Vaslov, if you have something more pressing to attend to we can come back another time."
"No! Tonight's the night. I must do this tonight.” Irritation welled up and he had to quash it before they got suspicious. As it was, his face felt hot and a there was a fine sheen of moisture across his forehead. If she hadn't come to him tonight, he'd planned on going after her. His client had been adamant. He got her tonight or no money.
"Okay,” she said.
Brittain didn't look as accommodating; his expression was thunderous.
God! How the hell was he going to do this without Mannie? He was the muscle.
Panic welled up Drago's throat and his hand went to his neck. He couldn't feel a thing in his hands. They felt lifeless, yet they were trembling. Jess noticed, too, so he lowered them instantly.
He'd never asked Carl, his doorman, to handle these kinds of issues, but it looked like he'd have to tonight. He'd have Mannie's head on a spit over this.
"Excuse me one moment,” Drago said.
He left the office and strode toward the towering brute named Carl. The guy was a monster, all muscles and brawn, and he packed a Glock under his arm.
"Carl, I need you to keep Lieutenant Brittain busy for a while. I've got some business with Captain Vandermire, and it can't happen as long and Brittain is there."
Carl looked surprised. “He's a cop, right?"
"Yes."
"He's not going to want to cooperate is he?"
Vaslov smiled at him. Carl had promise. Too bad Drago hadn't noticed that before. “No, he isn't. Will that be a problem?"
"Nope.” The big guy patted his armpit, and stretched his broad shoulders to the point of nearly splitting the seams on his jacket.
"Thank you. I'll make sure you're handsomely reimbursed for this Carl. And...” He patted the doorman's bicep, because he couldn't reach his shoulder. “...I think it's time you were promoted."
Carl winked. “I'm your man, boss."
"I'll send Brittain out to you. Keep him out of the way. Permanently, if you can handle it."
Drago returned to his office and tried to keep his outward demeanor unreadable. In reality, he felt as if he was about to implode inside.
Even with her diminished vampiric abilities, Jess heard Vaslov's thundering heart. His face was pinched and moist, and he didn't seem to know what to do with his hands.
"Lieutenant Brittain, it seems my doorman has a phone call for you."
Britt frowned and moved toward Drago's desk to take the call on his phone. Jess knew as well as he did that there was no call. He wanted Britt out of the way.
Drago held up a hand to stop him. “Sorry, it's a different line. You'll have to take it at the doorman's desk."
Britt looked at Jess and she nodded. He rolled his eyes just for her and left the room. She stifled a grin. Even with her problems, she could handle a human without his help.
But the minute Britt left the room, Vaslov lowered his head and took a deep breath and she felt the room spin. What the hell?
She opened her mouth to scream for Britt when she started to black out. She heard Vaslov's blood pulsing in his veins, smelled the scent of his humanity. A coppery fragrance that all vampires recognized.
When she opened her eyes she was in the alley again.
"I'd hoped you'd come back."
She whirled toward the voice and saw the same face she'd seen in this alley before.
With wavering vision, she tried to focus on the waxy face. Her head felt hollow and light. He didn't approach her. Just watched her.
"Who are you?"
"Can't you feel me? I'm becoming more a part of you. In our thoughts and in our minds."
She took a step closer to him, but when she did she felt even dizzier, when she moved away the dizziness subsided.
She tried to sense if he was a vampire. Wait. He was in her head. She felt him. Vaslov?
"How have you managed to do this?” she asked.
"What do you mean? You shouldn't be this aware."
"You're in my mind. How and why?"
She couldn't see any facial movement, but the eyes narrowed behind the waxy mask. She knew she was right, and he wasn't happy that she'd figured out at least that part of it.
"I have something to offer you. Something you'll never experience in your life as a vampire.” He spread out his hands as if giving a liturgy. She watched him closely, making sure she stayed back because the closer she got to him, the dizzier she got.
"You're going to be very sorry you messed with me, Vaslov.” she told him
"He laughed. “No, I won't because you won't remember.” His voice began to fade away, and Jess felt as if she were falling through space. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and found herself still in Vaslov's office. She'd never really been in the alley.