The Vampire's Warden (16 page)

“
I’m going to be checking in a lot, Sarah.”

I nodded, staring straight ahead, “That’s a good idea. I’ll keep my cell with me, no matter what I’m doing.”

“
Love you, sis.” With those words, she stepped out of my truck, got her bag from behind her seat, and shut the door.

I waited until she had started the Jeep and pulled away before I hung my head and started crying. My Dad would have been ashamed to see me at that moment, broken and beat down, sobbing in the quiet confines of my truck. I was supposed to be strong all the time—a rock that everyone else could lean on. I missed him so much. Wanting to please him had meant everything to me not so long ago. However, an increasing sense of animosity had seeped into my head over the years as I saw my childhood friends grow up and move away from the town. I was expected to stay and continue at the Inn. And I had been doing just that, even though my soul raged against it. It was always Katie who was going to go off and do great things. Not me. I had a job already.

No wonder I was so angry all the time, I thought suddenly. My head came up slowly as an odd sort of peace settled inside my gut. Maybe there was a way out of this. What if I could sell the Inn, the land and just move away and do my own thing? Hope, unfamiliar and sweet, swept through me. It was a lovely little gentle humming that moved through my veins very slowly, leaving me replenished and feeling a little stronger.

If I could sell and just get away, I might do anything. I could go to college. Maybe I could find a great guy, settle down somewhere, and have two and a half kids and a minivan. Shaking my head, I laughed a little at that thought and pulled away from the gas station. It was the idea of freedom that sparked my imagination. I did not really care what I ended up doing. I wanted to start my own life. Away from Woodhaven Inn. Away from Brown County. That last thought made me hesitate. Maybe not that far away. That little doubt stayed with me as I drove south.

The rest of the way home, I tried not to think about any of it. I turned the volume up on the stereo, rolled the window down and sang along with John Mellencamp about Jack and Diane.

Chapter Two

When I pulled up by the front gate to open it, I saw Messenger. She was a gorgeous black Tennessee Walking horse and was one of only two horses that we kept on the property. After kicking down a gate the day before, she had been roaming the whole twenty-two acres at will because Alex and I had failed to catch her. I certainly was not about to try to mess with her while my ankle was still bothering me.

She had been grazing along the edge of the driveway about a hundred feet from the gate. When I hopped out of the truck with my crutch, she raised her head and fixed her wide intelligent eyes on me. I shook my head at her, opened the gate, and half stumbled back to the truck. She must have sensed she had an opening, because she began prancing over with her long silky tail flowing along behind her. I left the driver’s door open and did not fasten my seatbelt, but drove right through, slammed it back into park and jumped out.

I got the gate closed just as she reached the truck. Grinning at her, I shook my head.

“
No, you don’t, little miss. And I will get you back into your pasture. You can be sure of that.”

She tossed her head and reared up, then turned and loped off towards the woods.

“
Stubborn bitch of a horse.”

Still swearing, I got back in the truck and headed up to the house.

The rest of that day, I tried to keep myself busy around the house, but there was not much I could accomplish with my ankle all messed up. I did manage to get several loads of laundry done. About halfway through folding the last load, I realized I was running on fumes. I could not remember the last time I had gotten a decent night’s sleep. After I finished folding the last of the laundry, I hobbled upstairs and put on my warmest flannel pajamas.

The plan was to make myself a sandwich and a cup of caffeine-free tea, watch a little of the evening news and then fall into my bed. As I was spreading a thin layer of mayonnaise on a slice of bread, there was a knock at the front door. I was damn sure it was not an encyclopedia salesman. Probably a vampire. Wonderful.

Maybe if I did not answer the door, the creature would go away. Wishful thinking. I laid the knife down and left the kitchen, swinging my crutch before me and made my way through the entry hall in my fluffy white house slippers and peered outside. A dark, familiar figure stood on the porch.

Michael. I groaned and unlocked the door.

He was the first vampire I had ever met. He was cool, sarcastic, and utterly gorgeous in a bad-boy sort of way. He was also, as far as I knew, totally attracted to me. The feeling was mutual. I had been able to avoid any serious physical entanglements with him so far, but I was sure that was not going to last very long. There was definitely a spark between the two of us that seemed to grow more alluring every moment we were within each other’s sights.

Pulling the heavy wooden door open just an inch or two, I looked at him through the screen. The determined set of his jaw reminded me that we had a lot to discuss.

“
We need to talk. You’re going to have to invite me into the house, Sarah.”

I snorted, “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

One of his dark eyebrows rose slightly in annoyance, “Would you rather come out here?”

“
It’s cold as a witch’s tit out there tonight. I’m already in my pajamas.”

“
You know I won’t hurt you. I’d suffer through a thousand days in the sun before I’d allow
anyone
to hurt you.” He murmured with deep sincerity. I studied him. The smooth planes of his face were clear of any sarcasm. He was serious. Unwillingly, I felt a tiny smile beginning to form on my face.

“
Prove it.” However, I was still smiling. I could not help it. He had the most engaging little half grin on his face, and between that and his dancing blue eyes, I was bound to give in. I felt heat pooling in the pit of my stomach. He was right. We had a lot to discuss, and all my instincts told me emphatically that Michael would not attack me. Well, not in an effort to injure me. Any physical attack would more likely involve him removing my clothes first, which was not a threat to anything except my own personal sense of emotional stability.

Stepping back and pulling the door with me, I said lightly, “Please come in, Michael.”

He sauntered in, firmly pushed the door closed and looked around doubtfully.

“
Are you alone?”

“
For now, yes,” Hopping along with my one crutch, I headed into the den with its soft, casual earth-toned furniture and large television, sat on the plaid arm chair and put my injured ankle up on the matching ottoman. I crossed my arms over my middle and watched him carefully.

“
Katie went back to school.” I told him.

Instead of taking a seat on the long sofa, he stood at the windows, looking out through the wide wood blinds into the dark night. He looked delicious. He had dressed in a pair of dark jeans that fit him just right across his butt. He wore a long-sleeved gray fleece pullover and his rich brown hair had been recklessly styled. The dark waving locks still looked damp.

“
Where do you shower?” I asked suddenly.

“
That’s an odd question, given everything that happened last night.” He turned and cocked one dark eyebrow.

“
I’m curious. About a lot of things.”

He shrugged and turned, “Since you’re so curious, I’ll indulge you for now.”

He lowered himself onto the sofa and crossed one ankle over his knee in a manly gesture, “Your father had indoor plumbing installed in the old cowshed about fifteen years ago. He was kind enough to have a shower put in.”

The old cowshed had been designated a no-play zone by our Dad when we were growing up. Dad had said that there were tools in there that were not safe for kids to be messing around with. He had padlocked the doors to the shed early on, so Katie and I had never really attempted to get in there. I did know there was a loft there because above the main doors, there was a swinging door that was not locked.

I had not considered Michael’s living conditions. I was oddly glad that my father had thought of it, though. Then I realized that there was something else that he probably needed.

“
How do you get…?” I stammered.

“
Blood?” He sent me another one of those half smiles that made my insides feel like they were turning inside out.

“
Yeah.”

“
I’m a reasonably old vampire. I don’t require much blood. What I do need comes from animals in the woods. It’s not what I would prefer, of course.”

Animal blood. Oh, well that was not so bad. Was it?

“
I don’t know whether to believe you or not.” I said. It would have been so easy for him to lie to me at that point. However, as far as I knew, there were no unsolved murders in the area. I considered the possibility that he might be telling the truth.

“
Human blood can be obtained. I was able to secure a regular supply from a blood bank several years ago, but unfortunately my contact there disappeared.” He leaned forward; his clear eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made me draw a shaky breath.

I cleared my throat, “What happened with Alex?”

“
Victoria drained him and then we both gave him our blood. It took awhile for him to come around, but he seems to be getting control of his faculties.”

Bowing my head, I pressed my hands against my warm cheeks, “He probably hates me.”

Michael’s reply was not very comforting, “That’s probably true. And it poses a bigger problem than we first thought.”

“
Why?”

“
Because the containment field can’t hold him as it does Victoria and I and the others.”

That statement about Alex had me a little perplexed. Alex had been changed into a vampire within the field so it had no control over him? That
would
be a big problem, given the fact that the perimeter of the containment field was the only barrier we had against vampires and other unusual creatures. I was glad I had not seen a werewolf yet.

“
How do you know?”

He hesitated, a deliberate frown creasing his beautiful mouth, “He got away from us. Crossed the boundary line and then came back.”

I turned away from him, “And he’s angry at me. Who told him that it was me?”

“
Victoria. She wasn’t trying to cause trouble.”

An unladylike curse bubbled from my lips, “Bullshit.”

Then I recalled seeing my mother before I passed out in my bedroom and my anger was swept away thoroughly by another stronger emotion. Turning to look at him again, I searched his face for any sign of consolation, “Michael, my mother is back.”

He looked at me for a long moment, a trace of pity looming in the depths of his eyes, “I know. She came to see us. She sensed that Alex was in trouble.”

“
Why was she able to come into the house without an invitation?”

“
How do you know she didn’t get one?” He countered, tilting his head to one side and gazing at me expectantly. Oh, shit. Had Katie invited her in? I was sure that she would have mentioned that at some point during our conversations that morning.

“
I think the containment field doesn’t work for her either. She was turned within the field like Alex was.” He said quietly, “It doesn’t matter. Now that Alex is a vampire again, he’s of no use to her as a guardian for you. I would imagine she’ll probably take him back to California.”

I was really hoping all she wanted was to take Alex back. With that thought, I began to feel like a coward.

I let out a breath, “I really hope so.” However, I would still feel like I had taken the easy way out if that really did happen. I wanted my mother to be gone to save myself pain. I wanted Alex to be human again—to be my friend. I did not have very many friends.

“
With Alex gone, you’ll be unprotected.” There was an honest concern in his tone and his mouth was pressed into an uncompromising line that reminded me strangely of an iron bridge. A bridge to nowhere. Evidently, he did not consider himself my protector.

Swallowing a fierce sadness, I bit out, “I don’t want protection. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.” My voice sounded snappy and defensive. I could have kicked myself for going overboard with the bad attitude.

I stared resolutely at the wall, hoping he did not sense the fear in me. Protection sounded great, but after what had happened to Alex, I was terrified to bring anybody else into this. My eyes snapped back to him.

“
Did you find Luanna?” Luanna had been one of the rogue vampires that had been sent to us by the Council. Her mate, Gunter, had been the one who dealt the blow to Alex that effectively ended his life.

“
Yes. We’ve managed to get only a little information out of her. We’ve got her contained for now in one of the larger caves under the meadow.”

“
What did she have to say?”

“
That Gunter acted alone.” His eyes flashed with annoyed rage, “I know she’s lying, but I can’t prove it.”

“
Would it help if I talked to her?”

“
It may drive her mad, having a warm-blooded human so close. She hasn’t fed for days, and she’s much younger than I am.”