Courted by the Vampire (25 page)

Moving steadily through the throngs of people, she made it to the edge of
the room to better assess the situation. Xavier mentioned the third floor was under heavy guard, which meant that was most likely where the menagerie was hidden. The hired goons would surely be alerted if all three of them showed up.

She’d
investigate the lower level by herself.

Branching off the foyer were two corridors, framed by elaborate arches of
dark wood. She chose the one on the left. It appeared to lead to the back of the house, only used by the kitchen and wait staff. As she accepted another glass of champagne, she wove her way through the happy, buzzed guests, and then paused under the arch. Unoccupied but well-lit, glass boxes of artifacts and period clothing lined the corridor. As the crowds built and swelled, she prodded Edwin’s mind, desperate for information.

Edwin?

I am busy now, Hannah. Is there an emergency?

No, I just wanted to tell you I’m bored and am going to explore one of the halls off
the foyer. It looks like a display area.

Very well. Be vigilant.

Teal swirls of excitement flitted across her mind’s eye. She frowned. Either he fought with the guards or he had found something of interest. She only hoped another supernatural sex goddess wasn’t hitting on him.

You’d better be knocking the crap out of an ogre. I’m not in the mood to wrestle
you away from a hormonal paranormal.

Sipping the bubbly wine, Hannah proceeded down the hall, intrigued
with the museum pieces. Exquisite coral beadwork found in a tomb in Egypt, small statuary taken from a Roman temple, gold pieces that once belonged to the Aztec Empire, a robe found in Israel that reportedly belonged to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Anger tempered her wonder. Did Andre buy these items on the black market or from another collector? She turned away from the display case. It didn’t really matter how he acquired the objects. They should be in a museum for the general population to see and enjoy.

Continuing down the corridor, she
glared at the display cases. A gown worn by a famous dancer, a cowboy hat purportedly autographed by a movie star legend, veils from Scheherazade, one of Cinderella’s glass slippers.

Where in the world did the man come up with this stuff?

A closed door of carved oak ended the hall. She tried the knob, annoyed when it wouldn’t turn. Whatever was stored on the other side must be more valuable than the artifacts she had just seen. “If you want to hide something, do it in plain sight.”

Frowning, she set her empty glass on the floor then slipped Winifred’s
antique key out of her tiny evening bag. A quick glance around still showed an empty hallway. Hannah smiled. “You’ll have to try harder than this, demon lord.” She fit it into the lock, thrilling at the perfect fit as it turned. The heavy door swung open to reveal another long hall and this one had no display cases.

Her stomach churned with anxiety. Why lock this part of the house if there
wasn’t anything to keep safe behind the door? She tried to push into Edwin’s mind but ran up against a very thick gray wall of resistance. Why did he block her? Had something happened to him?

Uneasiness prickled
her skin. Should she go back, wait for Edwin in the foyer like he asked? The slamming of the oaken door answered her unvoiced question. Hannah frantically scrabbled for the doorknob but there was none on her side.
Crap!

Her footsteps echoed eerily in the empty gray hallway. The dim lights and
harsh walls provided no insight to what awaited her on this side of the door. She shivered and drew her evening wrap more tightly around her shoulders. The warm safety of the foyer seemed like a lifetime ago.

Another door waited at the end of the hall. Hannah paused just before the
oaken panel. Power exuded behind it. Dark, evil, and raw. A shiver wracked her body. She pressed her back against the wall. She couldn’t go back, but didn’t want to go forward. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm. She hadn’t opened the door but could feel the dark power reaching out to her.

Edwin?

Silence stretched into oblivion, as she stood motionless in the empty hallway. Nothing but ominous gray stretched through her mind. Edwin and Xavier most likely had walked right into a trap. Andre had deliberately separated her from her protectors. She was alone. That thought shook her soul. Cold spikes of dread chilled her skin and froze her blood. Andre’s hunt for her would end soon.

Hannah…

She pushed her fear to a far corner of her mind as she waited for another prompt. Concentrating hard on Edwin’s presence, she tried to strengthen her connection to him. Terror clogged her throat. She could barely feel him in her mind.
Edwin, where are you? Are you hurt? What’s happening?

Her attempt to keep the panic from her consciousness failed. An
agonizing eternity passed before the vampire spoke again.

We were overcome by Andre’s men. They were waiting for us. The room
contained only boxes. I have been… detained… and Xavier is gone…

She frowned. Gone? Did that mean the werewolf was not in the room or
no longer in this world?
Where are they holding you? I’m stuck in a hallway. Beyond this door is something I’d rather not see alone. Something dark, something evil.

Navy blue clouds darted through her mind, signaling Edwin’s despair.
I am chained to the wall of a cell. Whatever you do, Hannah, please be careful. I will help you when I can get free.

Edwin?

No answer. He had closed his mind.

“Damn!” She smacked the wall with her palm.

Tamping down the ugly knot of fear, Hannah put one hand on the doorknob. Her fingers tingled at the power that emanated behind the door. She had three objectives: find and free Edwin, locate and disable Andre, and remain alive while trying to snoop around to find Duncan’s hiding place. She groaned and once again wished she’d stayed in the foyer. Guilt coated her stomach when she thought of Edwin. She owed it to him to do this. She owed it to herself to finish it.

Clutching the tiny evening bag, she took some small comfort that at least
she wasn’t really alone. Her fairy friends were with her, and before the night was over, they’d probably see a fair share of the action. She inhaled deeply, expelled the breath through her teeth.

She ignored her fear and pushed open the door then stood at the
threshold to the beginning of the end.

Chapter Twenty

A spacious room greeted her. Running the length of the house, it gave off an air of anticipation, as if the building itself waited for something to happen.

Highly polished hardwood floors gleamed under soft recessed lighting high
above in the fifteen-foot ceilings. Quaint, cozy groupings of two or three wingback chairs dotted the edges of the cavernous space. Green shaded accountant lamps on low tables provided dim light for reading or conversation, but what caught and held Hannah’s attention was the rows and rows of display cases. She couldn’t be sure since they were all draped with heavy black velvet sheets. Perhaps Andre intended to unveil them for his guests.

The door slammed shut behind her and the sound echoed in the vast
chamber. The knot in her stomach grew. She needed to find Edwin, to escape.

Now.

Light winked off panels of glass at the back of the room. Display cases?

Another quick glance around the room didn’t reveal guards of any sort. She
slunk along the walls until she gained the relatively anonymous veil of the darkened rear of the room. They
were
display cases! But where was Edwin being held?

Stretching out her free hand, she concentrated, stared at her palm until a
blue flame materialized. At least now she could see. With a brief stop in front of each case, she illuminated the dark interiors, noting with trepidation their empty status.

The power exuding through the room tickled her nose and she sneezed.

Hundreds of tissues floated gently through the air like abstract paper ghosts. If Andre hadn’t been alerted to her presence before, he certainly would be now. Stifling the hysterical laughter that threatened, she smiled as the white pieces drift slowly down to the floor, draping over the furniture with soft sighs. As a sharp pain prickled behind her left eye, she winced. This time it receded as quickly as it came.

Voices echoed at the far side of the room. Hannah spun around, shrinking
into the shadows. Annoyed at herself for not finding Edwin, she opened her evening bag and softly called forth the four fairies. They shot out of the small clutch in a shower of multi-colored sparks. Expectant faces looked back at her, and a tremor of fear tingled at the base of her spine when the footsteps drew nearer.

“Damn.” She glanced over her shoulder, glad for the moment to be alone.
“Listen, folks, I’ve got a job for you. I need you to locate the bounty hunter. He’s being held hostage somewhere, and I don’t have time to search for him right now.” She dug Winifred’s brass key out of her bag then handed it to Roosevelt. Hannah grinned as he struggled with the weight of the piece. “So far it only opened a door. Maybe it will also unlock the chains that bind Edwin.”

The voices grew louder, echoing off the walls as if underwater.
Her stomach churned and bubbled with unease. “Quickly now! I don’t want Andre to capture you too.”

“What’s in it for me?” Narcissa asked. A pout wrinkled her face. She
glanced at her fellow fairies and stuck a hand on her hip. “If we help you, what will you do for us?”

Hannah gritted her teeth at the cruel waste of time. “If you help me now I
promise to unbind you forever. You can go wherever you want.”

“A promise from a human isn’t worth very much, but I’ll take it.”

Narcissa lifted off from the floor, leaving the others to stare at Hannah in confusion.

“What?”

“We don’t want to leave you. We were having a good time where we were.” This from Shakespeare. He fingered his slingshot. “Some of us don’t like to be on our own.”

She
licked her dry lips, keeping an eye on the shadows at the front of the room. “Listen, Shakespeare, let Narcissa find Edwin. She’s got a thing for him anyway. I need your help to distract those men in the black suits by the doors. After that, if you’d like to stay with me, that’s fine. But let me warn you, I may not make it out alive.”

The three remaining fairies held a quick conference then turned back to
her. “We have decided to remain with you. We will return to your evening bag after our work tonight.” Roosevelt’s Mohawk quivered with seemingly suppressed excitement. “Wherever you go, we will go. We’re family.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way.” Hannah blinked back sudden tears at
the announcement. She grinned then shooed them off. “Go. I’ve got to deal with something else.” The fairy troupe flittered off into the darkness. She chewed the inside of her lip. Without the fairies, she was truly alone.

Shoving self-pity aside, her attention was drawn to a door on the opposite
side of the room. It opened, and a steady stream of partygoers, laughter, and conversation filled the space with quick efficiency.

Determined to hide among the still-shrouded display cases, Hannah
worried about what to do next. Things were rapidly nearing a conclusion, she could feel the expectation in the air, and she was no closer to a solution than she had been when she started.

“Good evening, Miss Weybourne. Imagine my surprise to find you here
tonight. I wasn’t sure if Edwin would consent to bring you as protective as he’s been of late.” Well-modulated, the voice contained a mix of easy charm and heavy power. “My soirée is now complete.”

When his hand landed on her arm, she emitted a small squeak of alarm.
“It was an honor to be invited.” She studied the man before her with curious interest.

Chestnut hair cut short so it waved at a side part, silver at the temples
showed his age. Espresso eyes watched her with hawk-like intensity, his clean-shaven jaw jutted out with a slight hint at arrogance. He was Edwin’s height though not as physically imposing nor as muscular as the vamp. Dressed in the pre-requisite tuxedo, he sported a black satin waistcoat with a black rosebud on his lapel.

That was bizarre enough, but what really set him apart from everyone else
was the egotistical confidence he wore like a shroud. Hannah frowned as her stomach threatened to throw up its contents. This was the man whom everyone feared? Where was the proof he was evil personified? Where did he hide the black vileness? Power emanated from him in cold waves that chilled her skin, but she needed concrete evidence.

“You are shocked to find I’m not a hideous beast?” His grin oozed
magnetism, revealing straight white teeth that flashed in the dimmed light.

“Damn.”
Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment and she hastily erected mental guards, hoping her power would be enough to keep him out for a while.
I’d forgotten he’s a telepath.
She pasted a false smile on her face. “You took me by surprise, yes, but evil comes in all shapes and forms. Even those of us who don’t have a whole lot of experience in these things know that.”

She struggled to remember he was the root of all the evil in the room. When he
looked at her, he made her feel as if she were the only person that mattered, as if her every word was uniquely fascinating to him. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant.

“
You’ve been listening to the stories the paranormal world has been eager to feed you.” A trace of disappointment laced his low-pitched voice. He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. An easy smile graced his lips, his face devoid of all malicious intent. “At least give me an opportunity to prove the stories wrong.”

For the moment, Hannah didn’t see what harm it could do to placate him.
Maybe he would tell her where Duncan was. “That’s fair. Thank you.” She allowed him to draw her down the first row of curtained display cases. “So, when do we get to see the great unveiling? Surely, you don’t intend us to suffer much longer. I hate the anticipation.”

The smooth and velvety sound of Andre’s laughter surrounded
her like a warm fleece blanket. “I had been told you were rather impatient.” He winked. “The rumors are true. I like an inquisitive woman.”

Cheeks still warm, Hannah couldn’t concentrate as he talked of
meaningless things. The logical half of her brain warned of seduction spells and mind tricks. She glanced at Andre, but there was no outward sign he was anything other than what he appeared to be—a man with a passion for collecting oddities. She shook her head and hoped the jumble of conflicting thoughts would re-order themselves. “Please tell me what’s in the cases.” The comforting weight of Edwin’s ring shifted between her breasts. She wistfully wished for the Mirror of Truth.

“All will be revealed in good time, my dear.” Andre patted her hand, his
lips curled in amusement.

Desperate times called for harmless flirting. Hannah swallowed her fear,
and felt like a beauty pageant contestant with another fake smile. “Do you think you could give me a tiny peek? A hint maybe?” Unashamed, she batted her mascara-coated eyelashes. Hot pleasure stirred in her stomach when a satisfied smile lit his face. “I’ve heard you’re holding an actual full-blooded vampire.”

“Curious?” As he escorted her down the next row of cases,
her fingers itched to yank the black velvet away. His dark gaze captured hers, compelled her to look at him. “Did you come alone tonight, Hannah? I haven’t seen the esteemed bounty hunter.” He made a big show of glancing about the room. “He’s only a partial vamp, correct?”

She
shook her head, her brain heavy and muddled. “He came with me, but he left me in the foyer for some reason…” She couldn’t remember why he left. A thick murky fog like condensed milk coated her mind, hindering her ability to think clearly. Her stomach lurched as she realized her mental guards weren’t strong enough and Andre had slipped through anyway. She teetered on the heels, grateful for Andre’s steady grip. “Edwin gave me a glass of champagne. He should have been back by now.” Trepidation mixed with the haziness. “He wouldn’t leave me.”

“Allow me to fill the gap the bounty hunter left.” Andre snapped his
fingers. A waiter appeared with two glasses of the fizzy wine. When he handed Hannah a glass, his fingers brushed hers. Raw power hovered within him, warm and throbbing as it snaked its way up her arm. “May I propose a toast?”

Nodding, she stifled a sneeze as the bubbles tickled her nose. “Go ahead.”
The fog settled in her brain like an opaque cloud, dulling her senses. It deadened her ability to discern truth from fiction. “What are we toasting?”

“To the future. Here’s hoping our paths will cross often.” He tapped his
glass to hers with a smile. “I’m hoping for a business partnership of sorts.”

“A partnership.” She returned the smile as the word bounced around her
brain. Another glance into his unfathomable brown eyes sent Hannah’s internal organs into a meltdown. Andre knew exactly what he wanted out of life. She shivered. What would his lips feel like on hers.

He leaned in close. “It’s too bad your date ditched you. An attractive
woman like you shouldn’t be alone.”

Cold slivers of unease caressed her skin. “Thank you.” He smelled of
sickly sweet patchouli. “Tell me about your party. What’s it for?” She felt weird, not quite drunk but strange, as if she wasn’t quite herself. Fuzzy sparkles filled her mind. Each time she attempted to recall the vital missing piece of information, the blanket descended once more. “Is it a celebration?”

“My dear, I am a collector of all things unique and different. I’m
compelled to own things no one else has seen or possessed.” He skimmed his fingers down her bare arm then he drew her along another row of glass cases. “I don’t want much in this world, except a few beautiful things now and again. Surely that isn’t too much to ask for?”

“It’s quite a noble aspiration.” She bit her lower lip and raised an
eyebrow.
Wasn’t I called by a different name?
She tried to remember but nothing would come into her addled brain. Giving up the cause, Hannah sighed and beamed a smile at Andre. “How wonderful of you to want to share your collection.”

Partygoers thronged into the area while expectation hung heavy in the air.
Somewhere within the bowels of the house, a clock chimed the midnight hour.

Hannah blinked.
What was it that I needed to do?
She twirled the stem of her champagne flute between her thumb and forefinger, gazed at the people that streamed around them. “Would you please give me a tiny peek?” She ran a finger over the nearest soft velvet sheet and smiled, feeling much like a tradeshow model.

Andre’s eyes glowed a deep rich brown as he gazed at her. “I suppose I
could allow you a quick look.” He twitched the velvet covering aside, clearly anxious to see her reaction to what the case contained.

Hannah narrowed her eyes at the man behind the glass. She sucked in a
surprised breath and clutched Andre’s arm. “Oh.”

Dressed head to toe in black, his platinum hair hung ragged about his
shoulders, his skin a pasty white, his dark eyes glared fire as he rushed to the glass. With a gasp, she backed up a couple of steps as her heart thumped against her ribcage. Andre’s arm about her waist gave small comfort.