Corin & Angelique (After the Fall of Night) (39 page)

“And what if those of your world don’t wish to change and move into this new
future you envision?” Corin wasn’t sure what to make of the immortal, but the more she talked, the more he learned.

“There will be no choice given. They will follow, or die
.” Her response held no emotion. “In pursuit of greatness there are always casualties.”

“You certainly have the makings of a true oppressor, forcing your people to
either submit to your reign, or perish.”

“We’ve gotten off track. You know the terms. I’ll bring the girl to the estate in
three hours for the trade. I suggest you get moving in search of your prey. Karlot’s not an easy one to track, and the clock’s ticking. Tick, tick, tick,” she imitated the sound before hanging up.

Corin slammed the phone down.

“What are her demands?” Tomes was eager to know.

“She proposed a trade—the charm Boldor possesses for Angelique. I have
three hours to find him.”

“It was next to impossible locating his hideout the first time.” Tomes fretted.
“He could be anywhere.”

“I know, but I have no choice but to try. Angelique’s life depends on it.”

Tomes pushed himself up. “I’ll come with you.”

“I’m sorry, Tomes, but you’ll just slow me down. This time, I’m going alone.”

“You’re right, you’ll cover a lot more ground without me. Go. Do whatever you can to find him. I’ll hold down the fort here.”

“I hate leaving you alone, not knowing where he might be.”

“Don’t worry about me. We both agree Angelique comes first.”

Corin nodded. “Do you still have plenty of those blackthorn nails left? I don’t
want to leave you completely defenseless.”

“I have plenty. And I’ll keep the staker close,” Tomes assured him.

“See that you do.”

“You better get moving.”

Not wasting another minute, Corin exited the house through the lanai, shape-shifted into the form of a night bird, and took to the sky.

* * * *

“They sound really close,” Angelique remarked on a pack of wolves howling from the nearby woods. “I’ve never heard so many at one time before.”

“They know I’m here
.” Lehndra cocked her head, mimicking the way birds move their heads in quick, short turns. “The bloody things will give us away if I don’t get rid of them.”

“How do you plan on accomplishing that?”

“There’s only one way I can think of to shut them up. First, I need rope. Where can I find some?” she spoke with heightened anxiety.

“Out back, in the barn.”

“Let’s go.” Lehndra grabbed Angelique by the arm and yanked her up.

Angelique winced as the immortal’s long nails bit into her delicate flesh, but
she didn’t cry out. When they reached the barn, she pointed out some rope hanging from a hook on a wall covered with tack.

Lehndra made haste in retrieving it
. “This will do.” She bound Angelique’s hands and secured her to a stable rail.

Angelique attempted to squirm free, but it was a useless effort.

“You’re only making it harder on yourself, my dear,” Lehndra yanked the knot tight. “Now be a good little girl while I’m gone.”

She turned and marched
out the open doorway, her fangs and talons emerged, prepared for the hunt. Heading for the woods with only one mission in mind, she was going to seek out and destroy those whining wolves. Approaching the tree line, she shape-shifted into the form of a lioness, but just as she solidified, a lanky, dark-colored wolf burst forth from the shadows. This was no ordinary wolf. Transforming into his human form with fangs and talons extended, Boldor was ready for a fight. Lehndra did the same, taking a defensive stance.

“Thought you could outsmart me, my lover? Out for a little taste of revenge?”
Boldor looked her up and down. “I thought you’d be over me by now.”

Lehndra played along with his assumption. Stroking his very large ego was
her best bet for survival. “I loved you, Karlot, and you left me to the mercy of the Order.”

“I go by Boldor now, and I haven’t time for this. Where is the girl?” He
grabbed her by the throat.

“The b-barn,” she managed to say, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate killing her.
“She’s in the barn.”

“You'd best not toy with me,” Boldor threatened. “Not if you value your life.”

“I’ll t-take you to her,” she gasped, her throat restricted by his firm, unflinching grasp.

He threw her out in front of him.
“Lead on.”

“How clever of you to use the wolves to draw me out.” Lehndra rubbed away
the lingering discomfort.

“Deceit is my specialty.”

“I’ve come to learn that, Karlot, and believe me, I won’t underestimate you again.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Same Deal, Same Place

Angelique gasped when Boldor slither
ed through the door. And catching a whiff of his vile scent, she wrinkled her nose in aversion.

“Back as my ransom again.” He wore a menacing grin, swaggering her way.
His eyes wandered over the length of her body, leaving her feeling dirty all over. “Nice to have things back in order, not exactly as planned, but still workable.”

Angelique looked into Lehndra’s face, observing the hatred in her eyes. It
obviously hadn’t been her plan to bring him into the picture, leaving Angelique to presume Boldor had caught the female immortal off-guard.

“I just don’t see it.” Boldor squeezed Angelique’s face, barely an inch between
them. “Do you see it?” he asked Lehndra.

“I don’t understand. See what?”

“A face worth dying for.” He studied his subject. “Beauty yes, that I see, but worth your life?” He released his hold with a huff. “No matter, von Vadim sees it, and that’s what counts.”

Boldor found another length of rope and bound Lehndra’s hands before
untying Angelique from the stall rail. Shoving them in the direction of the open doorway, he ordered them to the house. When inside, he pushed them toward the sofa.

“Take a seat.” He
kept close watch while he made a call. “Director, come to Jaffler Farm. I have another job for you.”

It was apparent that the recipient didn’t want to cooperate, making Boldor
furious.

“There is no discussion to be had. I own you,”
he threatened. “We have an arrangement, and there will be no wriggling out of it. Now, the night draws on, so I suggest you come this instant! We have a lot to achieve before dawn. Get a move on, Director, or die at our next meeting,” Boldor spat a final warning and ended the call, cursing the mortal.

“That sounded a little desperate,” Lehndra braved the remark.

“Things are growing riskier by the minute. If I don’t finish this tonight, I’ll have to walk away from the score,” he told her. “And I never walk away a loser.”

While waiting, he took the time to pen a note to von Vadim, reading it aloud
when he was done, Lehndra and Angelique his audience.

“Why are you doing this?” Angelique
asked.

“Why not?” Boldor responded coldly, folding the sheet and placing it in an
envelope.

“What has Corin ever done to you?”

“Nothing. But he’s going to do a lot
for
me,” he grinned. “When he’s gone, I’ll take his identity. The security and wealth, it will all be mine.”

“You’ll never be the man he is
,” Angelique insulted the immortal. “Not even close.”

“You might want to consider being a little nicer to me. Maybe I’d spare
you…give you immortality.”

“I’d rather die!” she declared.

“That could be arranged,” Boldor growled.

“You should back off, my dear,” Lehndra suggested. “He is not the most patient.”

Angelique took her advice and said nothing more, watching Boldor slither about the room till Fulner arrived.

“Not much of an army, Karlot.” Lehndra laughed when her eyes fell on the
pathetic-looking man.

“She did this to me. The bitch.” Fulner pointed to his bandaged face.

“We were all there,” Boldor reminded him.

Lehndra laughed at the asinine fool
then hissed, sending him scampering closer to Boldor for protection.

“And I will do much worse than a few talon marks if you don’t pay attention
and do as I say.” He shoved a sealed envelope at the man. “I want this delivered to von Vadim Estate without delay. It is to be placed in none other that his hand, understand?”

“Perfectly
.” Fulner noticed the Jaffler Farm logo marking the upper corner.

He started for the door, keeping a safe distance away from Lehndra.

“Wait, one other thing,” Boldor stopped him, approaching Angelique and cutting off a section of her hair with a pass of an extended nail. Then, ripping a strip of cloth from a nearby curtain, he secured the strands and handed it to Fulner. “Present this as well and tell him—till
death do us part.
”

* * * *

Tomes listened to the wolves howling in the surrounding woods, their forlorn echoes sending a shiver up his spine. Startled by the doorbell, he cursed, hoping it wasn’t the sheriff. Making his way to the entry, he started to open it, but thinking he should be cautious under the circumstances, he called out to see who was there.

“
Jerry Fulner, from the funeral home. I have a message for von Vadim.”

Tomes unlocked the door and
cracked it just far enough to view him, staker in hand. “Fulner,” he acknowledged in an unwelcome tone. “Are you alone?”

“Yes. As I said, I’m here to deliver a message.”

Tomes opened the door. “Adding a few more dirty deeds to your resume?”

“I told you before, don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Just hand over whatever it is he’s sent.”

“It’s for von Vadim. I was instructed to place it in his hand
. Only his.”

“Well, Corin’s not here, so you’re going to have to leave it with me, or take it
back to Boldor undelivered.” Tomes gave him his options.

Fulner
mumbled under his breath in indecision. “Okay, take it.” He shoved the bundle at him. “Just see that he gets it.”

“What is this supposed to mean?” Tomes recognized Angelique’s hair.

“Till death do us part.” Fulner took several steps back. “That’s what he said to tell von Vadim.”

“Why, you worthless…. Where is she?” Tomes
reached for Fulner, missing by mere inches.

The director dashed for his car
and Tomes attempted to pursue, but his sore body refused to cooperate.

Stepping back inside, Tomes
leaned against the inside of the door and tore open the envelope.

Checkmate, von Vadim. It seems I am back in the game. Your little angel has
once again played right into my hands.

Same deal, same place. Come now or her life is mine.
Make haste, for we end this tonight. Come dawn, this game is over!

“Same deal, same place
. The cemetery again.” Tomes knew what he had to do.

He slapped the note down and gr
ipped the staker. He’d lied to Corin about having plenty of nails, desperately wishing that weren’t the case. Frowning as he opened the chamber, he counted the last of his supply already loaded in the weapon—one, two…three. Nearly a hundred nails dwindled down to a measly three. He’d wasted them all. But there was nothing he could do now. What was done, was done, and what would be, would be.

Tossing the strap of the sheath holding the machete over his shoulder, he
hurried over to the key rack and scanned the titles above each one marking the automobiles they matched. Deciding on the ’66 Chevelle, he headed for a building just past the garage where Corin housed his classic cars. Someone had to go after Angel, and he had no idea where Corin was, or when he’d be back.

According to the note, Tomes figured that come dawn, Boldor intended to kill
her, or worse, change her. At present, he was her only hope. God help them.

* * * *

Sheriff Pierson watched the mansion from his previous stakeout position.

“I don’t buy it for a second,” he
thought back over Corin and Tomes’s story about Angelique leaving them stranded at the cemetery.

Only the two of them had been in the
‘
Vette when it entered the cemetery, yet a third person left in the car, racing out at a high speed, scarcely making the turn onto the main road. He’d attempted to follow, but a flat tire had ceased the chase.