Martin’s nervous, quavering voice stuttered out a chant of what sounded like Latin phrases to Chris. “Louder, you idiot,” Vince screamed, holding his forehead and joining in.
“
Mucronia, bisulcumis, forare, morderemus
…” There was a slight pause then their words were cut off as another ear-splitting crash reverberated overhead, and a deluge of wood and plaster rained down on top of them, causing the hunters to run for cover.
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“It’s not working,” Martin whimpered. “They’re going to get in.”
Outside, the vampires surrounded them, their collective powers slowly destroying the building, brick by brick and overcoming the hunter’s attempt to use ancient magic against them. Carlos sensed exactly where Chris was and was careful to deflect any falling debris from him.
“Carlos,” Marcus called out. “The seal has been broken. You can get Christopher out now.”
Carlos nodded and, in one blurred movement, was at the door, flinging it open with a wave of his hand. His smile was one of cold satisfaction at the sight of the two hunters huddled together in a corner, arms raised to protect themselves from the timber and tile that still fell all around them. His gaze moved to Chris who stood unharmed by the door, his expression one of recognition and love.
Soundlessly, he moved into Carlos’ arms, burying his head against the hard, welcoming chest. Carlos held him, fusing their bodies together in an embrace that at any other time neither man would have wanted to end. They were almost unaware of the four figures entering what remained of the room to confront the hunters, their vampire faces pale and hard in the moonlight that slanted through the ruined roof.
Slowly the hunters got to their feet, Martin visibly quaking, Vince affecting a defiant stance. “Safety in numbers, eh, vampires?” he sneered. “What? It takes all of you to have the courage to face us?”
Marcus exchanged an amused look with Joseph then, without a word, they stretched out their right hands and levitated both Martin and Vince until their heads disappeared through the gap in the ceiling. The hunters’ bodies twisted and writhed in futile attempts to stop themselves from rising further into the air until finally Martin shrieked out a plea for mercy. Abruptly, Marcus dropped his arm and Martin plummeted to the ground where he lay dazed and groaning.
“What do you say, hunter?” Joseph taunted Vince who still struggled in midair. “Will you meet me in combat?”
“Let me down, and you’ll find out.”
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Joseph lowered his arm slowly, allowing Vince to land on his feet then he strode forward and gripped Vince by the throat, bringing the hunter’s face to within an inch of his own.
“Your kind have murdered friends of mine throughout the ages,” he hissed, his fangs extended. “But never in combat, only in cowardly attacks during the daylight hours. Now here’s your chance to show your courage, hunter. Draw your weapon and face me.” He flung Vince away from him, allowing the man to draw his silver-bladed knife from inside his coat.
“And if I kill you, will the others let me live?” Vince asked, his tongue flicking nervously over his lower lip.
Joseph’s smile was wicked. “They might. But first you will have to kill me, then negotiate.”
Chris, who had been watching this scene unfold before his astounded eyes, looked up at Carlos’ grim expression. So it was true. This beautiful man holding him in his arms, along with the four men he now recognised and whose names he remembered, were vampires.
What Carlos had revealed to him on that fateful night, the last time they had been together, what he had forgotten until now, was all true. It was incredible, but what was even more incredible was that he was unafraid. Instinctively, he knew that he had much more to fear from the two vampire hunters than from Carlos and his friends. They had come to save him, and now, Joseph might be killed.
Carlos’ arm tightened around him. “Joseph is in no danger,” he murmured. “The hunter is cunning, but he is no match for any of us—when we are awake.”
Vince lunged forward, his knife raking the air in front of Joseph, missing his throat by a mere inch. Joseph feinted then stepped back, grabbing Vince’s wrist, twisting it slowly until with a moan of pain, Vince let the knife fall from his hand. He stood facing Joseph, a visible shudder of fear rippling through his body. Joseph released the hunter’s wrist then placed a hand on either side of Vince’s face, drawing him close into what was almost a lover’s embrace, staring intently into his eyes.
“What’s he doing?” Chris asked in a whisper.
“He is finding another path for the hunter’s journey through life.”
“What does that mean?”
“Watch.”
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Vince stumbled backwards as Joseph released him. He looked around the ruined room, an expression of complete bewilderment on his face.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“You seem to have strayed in here by mistake,” Joseph told him.
“No, no!” Martin leapt to his feet, grabbing at Vince’s arm. “They’re tricking you, Vince.
They’re vampires. Don’t you remember? We came here to kill them.”
Vince stared at Martin then slowly shook his head. “You’re insane, man. I don’t even know who you are.” He pulled himself free of Martin’s grip. “Guess I’ll be on my way then.
Sorry if I interrupted something.”
“Don’t leave me here with them,” Martin wailed. “They’re vampires!”
Vince gave Joseph a sad smile, shrugged then walked from the room onto the dark street outside. Moments later, the sound of his SUV’s engine starting had Martin trying to run from the room in pursuit of his ex-partner. Carlos reached out and grabbed him, practically lifting the panicked man off his feet.
The others gathered around Martin, and Chris began to feel real pity for the man who had been stalking him. Then he remembered the savage attack on Carlos, the knife buried deep in his back, the blood, all of that horror flooding his mind as the events of the past several days became clear and stark in his memory. His pity turned to anger.
Martin fell on his knees in front of Carlos. The vampire hunter’s worst nightmare was unfolding around him. Alone, with five vampires and a mortal who now stared down at him with cold and unforgiving eyes.
“Please,” he whimpered. “I’m alone and unarmed. This was all Vincent LaGuardia’s idea. You let
him
go…” He cringed as the vampires chuckled, sinister sounds that echoed in the barren room, completely without mirth. “Please,” he cried again. “I’ll just go away, disappear. You’ll never see or hear from me again.”
“It would be better,” Marcus rasped, “if all of humanity never saw or heard of you again.”
“Right,” Roger added. “You really are a worthless piece o’ shit, you know.”
“Totally worthless,” Micah muttered.
“So, what shall we do with him?” Joseph asked.
Marcus smiled. “Carlos?”
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Carlos pulled Martin to his feet then pushed him into Joseph’s arms. “Kill him,” he said.
“No, no, no!” Martin whirled away out of Joseph’s waiting embrace and ran smack into Marcus who snapped at him, fangs flashing. Hysterical now, Martin tried again to run for the door, but this time Roger and Micah grabbed him and led him back in front of Carlos.
“Please, no…”
Chris tugged on Carlos’ arm. “Carlos, he’s scared enough.”
Carlos grinned at him, showing just the tips of his fangs. “You think? Then I’ll let you decide his fate.”
“Just do what Joseph did to the other one,” Chris said. “That seemed to work okay.”
“Boring,” Roger protested. “I say we carve him up!”
“Ugh, no.” Micah grimaced. “You want
that
blood in you? Yuck.”
“Please,” Martin whimpered again.
“Oh, for the love of the gods,” Joseph muttered. “Do
something
, Carlos. His constant pleading is bad for my nerves.”
“If you insist.” Carlos reached for Martin and lifted him up with one hand on the hunter’s collar until their eyes were level with each other. “You have no idea how I have longed for this moment,” Carlos said, his voice low and venomous. “There was a time when I dreamed of all the many ways I could make one of your kind suffer. To make you pay, as it were, for the death of a loved one, and now that I have you here in my grasp…” He pulled Martin’s knife from inside his coat, the one Martin had used in his attempt to kill Carlos, and held it for the quaking man to see. “Poetic justice, is it not?” Carlos said quietly. “To die with your own knife imbedded in your throat?”
Martin squealed with terror. His pale eyes grew huge as the silver blade glinted in the half light.
Chris tugged on the tall vampire’s arm again. “Carlos, he’s not worth it. Just make him forget all about us, and let’s get out of here.”
Carlos nodded. “Consider yourself lucky tonight, hunter. Christopher has saved your worthless life.” He fixed Martin with another riveting stare then, after a moment, he let the terrified man fall to the floor where he lay in a crumpled heap.
“Not your average fearless vampire hunter,” Roger remarked through his laughter.
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“Don’t think he’ll be doing much hunting in the future,” Micah said. He looked over at Chris. “So, you all right after all this?”
Chris nodded. “I think so—though I feel like I’ll wake up any minute and find this was all just a dream.” He gazed up into Carlos’ eyes. “And I hope like hell it isn’t.”
“Well…” Marcus chuckled and put his hand on Roger’s shoulder. “I think our work here is done. I suggest we go home and enjoy some wine and each other’s company.” Chris gaped open mouthed as Marcus and Roger rose into the air, hand in hand, disappearing through the hole torn into the roof, followed a second later by Joseph and Micah.
Carlos smiled at Chris’ amazement. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, drawing Chris into his arms.
Chris wound his arms around Carlos’ neck, kissing him long and hard. “With you, I’m ready for anything.” He felt himself secured in a tight embrace, then, slowly at first, they rose into the air, leaving Martin to gaze upwards at them with uncomprehending eyes.
The night breeze was cool against Chris’ bare skin, and when he dared to open his eyes, he saw the lights of Los Angeles beneath him as he and Carlos glided over the city towards the hills. Despite everything he had witnessed in the past hour or so, all of it still seemed totally unbelievable, like it belonged in a dream, but Chris knew he wasn’t dreaming. The press of Carlos’ powerful body on his, the strong arms wrapped around him was all the proof he needed to know he was wide awake, and that knowledge filled him with an elation he had never before experienced.
“Can we go to my place first?” he shouted above the rushing of wind around them. “I need to get dressed.”
Carlos pressed his lips to Chris’ ear. “If we do that, we might not make it to our friends’
house.”
Chris turned to grin at him. “That would be all right, too.”
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Once safely inside Chris’ apartment, they lost no time in making for the bedroom. But once there, Carlos surprised Chris by taking a robe from the closet and wrapping it around Chris’ almost naked body.
“So you won’t distract me while we talk,” Carlos said with a gentle smile.
“But I want to distract you,” Chris protested, trying to shuck off the robe. Carlos held it firmly in place then bent his head to kiss Chris lightly on his lips.
“There are things you should know before we go further.”
“I think I just found out the most important thing about you,” Chris said, gazing into the golden-brown depths of Carlos’ eyes and feeling a visceral thrill in the pit of his stomach.
“And you are not afraid?”
“Of you?” Chris hesitated. “I was. I remember being afraid when you first told me, but now, what I’m more afraid of is losing you or of not remembering you. These past few days seemed empty. I knew I was missing something. I just didn’t know what it was.” He reached up to touch Carlos’ face. “And now, I know it was you and the times we spent together, how happy I was, and how much I loved you. Still love you. You’re not going to take that away from me again, are you?”
“Not unless you wish it.”
“I don’t!”
Carlos cupped Chris’ face in his hands and kissed him again gently. “You must understand there will be difficulties ahead of us. Your friends and your parents cannot be told of what I am.”
Chris nodded. “I understand. I just don’t want to lose you, Carlos.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “Am I right in guessing that Ron, the guy who runs that Italian restaurant, isn’t a vampire?”
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“You are correct.” Carlos sat on the bed next to Chris and drew him into his arms. “Ron is still mortal. My cousin’s lover Tony is also mortal—although to be honest, I feel there is a need for him to accept the change soon.”
“Why?”
“He has been with Andorra a long time. A very long time. Longer than I can remember any mortal surviving the passage of time without the change.”
“How long?”
“Over one hundred years.”
Chris’ eyes grew big as he stared at Carlos. “How…how old are you?”
“I was born in the seventeenth century.”
“Oh, wow.” Chris remembered a remark Roger had made in the restaurant the night he’d first met Carlos’ friends. About Marcus and Joseph being older than God. He’d thought it strange then, and now—
“Marcus was a Roman centurion,” Carlos said, answering Chris’ unspoken question.
“And you can read my mind, too.”
“Yes.”
“So Ron will have to change eventually?”
“If he wishes to remain with Jean-Claude, then yes. But there are many more years before he must make that decision.”
“How did you become a vampire?”
“By foolishly not listening to my cousin Andorra’s warning.” Quickly, Carlos related the events that had changed his life forever.