Darkness Bred (6 page)

I
f you needed information on the habits of vampires, why not go to your friendly local vampire?

As prickly as their last parting had been, when Sean called Elin, she had agreed the two of them should try to arrange a talk with Saul today.

Prying her loose from her closeted visit with Leigh hadn’t been easy, but Sean had pulled an advantage and asked Niles to communicate with his mate telepathically. Niles had wheedled Leigh into breaking up the tête-à-tête.

Not asking Elin what the two women had talked about took a lot of restraint, but Sean figured he would get it out of Niles later.

With Elin on the back of his bike, Sean had left Gabriel’s.

When he turned onto Gulliver Lane, he slowed his Ducati to ride past Read It Again, and Wear It Again, two favorite local destination shops. Elin’s grip on him tightened as they reached a cul-de-sac at the far end of the lane and came to a halt in the driveway of Dr. Saul VanDoren’s house.

From the front of the house only two floors showed but Sean had been in Saul’s basement living quarters, virtually below ground level at the back.

Elin tapped his shoulder and Sean took off his helmet when he looked at her. “I am sorry about being so foolish last night. I didn’t think anything like that could happen.”

How could he not hug her? “We came through okay—this time.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” she said, indicating the house. “I don’t want you and Saul to fight.”

There was an innocence, a trust in her eyes. “We won’t,” Sean said, hoping he wasn’t fooling himself into such confidence. “We asked to come because we want information and advice, remember.”

“You’re annoyed with him. You could say something you don’t mean. Let’s get home. Maybe one of the others will stand guard for me so you can go get some sleep tonight.”

That discussion would come later. When they were alone—together. Their situation wouldn’t do the way it was. He felt ridiculous. Their positions were almost reversed. He had to be the one to tell this woman he wanted so badly, that they must take more time before they came together totally. He struggled with awkwardness, and a simmering anger. Whatever he did, he would not hurt Elin. If the Team would not bend, he would give up his promises to them, take her away, and make a life, just the two of them, if that’s what it took. He would remain the strong-minded man he was, had always been, and keep her at his side.

“Sean?” Elin had taken off her own helmet and she brought her face close to his. “Please kiss me and tell me you aren’t angry with me. You look so…so…” She bowed her head.

“How can I be angry with you?” Gently, he took her face in his hands. “You know what I feel about you. You know what I want. But you don’t accept that there are things I must be sure about before we are sealed.”

Her mouth, soft and full, trembled. Sean touched his lips to hers, first lightly, then with more intensity. He drew back for an instant. “You are everything to me. Do you understand why I have to be strong—for both of us?”

Resentment flared in her eyes. “Don’t assume that I’m not strong, Sean.”

“I wouldn’t want you other than what you are,” he said. His possessiveness toward her could be unnerving, but he welcomed it nevertheless. “You’re determined. Look at me and listen. I have to be certain that I won’t be the death of you, do you understand?”

For moments she didn’t move. Her incredible violet eyes deepened to purple and she shook her head slowly. “No,” she whispered. “I understand that if we don’t hold on to each other today, there may not be a tomorrow. I’m not talking about death. We don’t know what will come, Sean, but we do know what we feel—what we have now.”

She touched him as he had never expected to be touched by another human being. But he did have to think about tomorrow and he didn’t want to explain all of it to her here. “Then you have to trust me to do what’s best for both of us.”

Elin stood, a shoe on either footrest, and planted her hands on his shoulders. She kissed him until his head spun. With her lips, her tongue, her teeth, the winding of her body about his, she demolished his resolve. If she demanded, he would do whatever she asked.

“I am yours,” she said at last. “If you insist we must wait, you have a reason and I’ll wait for you to explain what that is.” She gave a sudden, impish smile. “As long as you don’t get too bossy. But you’ll have to forgive me if I tease you a little. It’s one of my weaknesses.”

Relief started to flood him, until he studied the curve of her lips, the mischief in her eyes. “Tease away,” he said, while conviction grew that this creature could be his nemesis, in ways he had never imagined.

“Hah,” she said. “You’d like me to tease you, but you insist we’ve got more important things to do…first. Do we have to see Saul tonight? Are you sure we do?” Elin was wheedling and she wasn’t even trying to be subtle.

“You thought it was a good idea to call him and he’s expecting us.” He glanced at the darkening sky. From what he’d seen, light meant little to the vampires in the area but Saul seemed to avoid broad daylight. Something else he needed to understand. “I think Saul would prefer us to visit now.” Sean watched for some reaction, but Elin only nodded and looked unhappy.

She was used to vampires who walked by day as well as by night. But did she know there was another way elsewhere?

Elin went toward the front door, reaching her hand toward him as she went, and Sean held on, entwining their fingers. “Does he have fangs?” she whispered, hesitating on the front step. “I’ve never seen them. That Colin creature is horrible. I hope you threw him so far he never comes back.”

He wanted her to remember what happened because it would make her more careful, but he didn’t intend to dwell on the details of the previous night. “There is a lot about Saul that I don’t understand. He’s not like other vampires. He seems…evolved?” That wasn’t what he had intended to say but it was true.

She turned her face up to his, a frown wrinkling her brows. “Leigh said that’s what Niles thinks, too.”

“But you find him ugly and unappealing?” he asked, knowing he was pushing his luck.

She took hold of his collar and pulled his face down closer to hers. “Saul is very, very handsome. He doesn’t appeal to me…not so far.” Her grin was wicked.

He rang the bell and listened to its echo deep inside the house.

No footsteps warned that Saul was coming before he threw open the door and stood there, arms crossed, unsmiling. “Welcome. I hope I can be of help,” he said. His dark eyes stared into Sean’s. Neither of them had forgotten what had passed between them.

“I don’t like inconveniencing you,” Elin said, keeping her eyes averted from Sean. “But Sean and I both want to know more about…” Her voice trailed off.

“About vampires?” Saul finished for her with a vague smile. “You came to the right place.”

“Perhaps we’ve offended you,” Elin said. She drew in a big breath. “We should probably leave.”

Saul smiled and opened his door wider. “Why don’t you come in? The Team and I have an understanding. We may not always like each other, but we have respect, we have supported one another.”

Sean supposed Elin was right, the man was very handsome, dammit. And mysterious and…well, who knew what a woman saw in a particular man?

“Thanks,” Sean said but Elin’s grip on his hand tightened. She wasn’t comfortable here—Saul made her nervous.

He led them past the clinic portion of the building and downstairs to an art deco basement that favored lime green velvet, odd, fringed lampshades, and cabinets that looked more like pieces of art than furniture.

The light was subdued, but dusk was hitting outside and Saul showed no sign of having just climbed out of his coffin or whatever he slept in.

“What frightens you?” Elin said suddenly. “There’s got to be something that isn’t obvious. I was always told you vampires don’t like silver, but what else? Is the garlic thing true?”

Hiding a smile, Sean looked around. “Is it okay if we sit?” he asked. This woman who fascinated him so, and who held his heart in her hands, never failed to come up with another surprise.

“Take that couch,” Saul said, indicating a lime green piece with fat, roll arms. “It’s more comfortable than it looks—or so I’m told.”

Sean decided not to question what that meant and led Elin to the couch.

“Silver can be a nuisance,” Saul said. “It burns. Are you planning an attack on me, Elin?”

“Of course not.” She sounded amused. “I’m curious. I am curious about everything. I’m also not violent. Can you be violent?”

This is one way to get to the heart of things.
Sean decided to leave the two of them to spar their way through whatever this meeting ritual was.

“I can be,” Saul said frankly. “If I must.” He wasn’t smiling.

“Do you know a vampire called Colin?” Elin said, looking the man directly in the face. “He’s disgusting and he tried to kidnap me last night. Hateful. He got into the cottage, and if Sean hadn’t come, that thing might have succeeded.”

“Indeed?” Saul inclined his head. “You don’t know about our local scourge, our vampire group intent on making their reputation true? Colin, his sister, and the rest of their blood-hungry crew? Do you know where they
live
, where they…do what such creatures do?”

Elin shook her head, no.

“They are not far from here,” Saul said with a vague gesture. He raised his face. “I can smell them by the essence of their acts.” His disgust was obvious.

Sean certainly knew of the scourge. Niles and Leigh had encountered them once.

“Why aren’t you like them?” Elin said, and Sean began to wish he had taken hold of the conversation. “Or are you like them and pretending not to be?”

“I can’t make you trust me simply by saying anything,” Saul said. “I will prove it to you, though. You will have to learn to curb your tongue if we are to win, Elin. Danger is ahead. It’s everywhere, and it is beyond anything you may have imagined. We’ll have to be subtle and very, very careful.”

Undeterred, Elin said, “Show me your fangs. All vampires have fangs, don’t they? And why can you go out in daylight? You’re not supposed to be able to do that.”

Saul raised his expressive brows. “You came to me for help,” he said. “Because you have been attacked by a vampire and you need to understand them better to arm yourself against them. To explain such a long history would take longer than any of us have. Should anything else occur, contact me at once. Meanwhile, I am puzzled that Colin felt free to enter the cottage without an invitation.”

“I think at least one of Elin’s questions deserves an answer,” Sean interrupted. “Why would we believe you’re different from the rest of the scourge, from Colin and his sister, and all their kind? What could make us trust you?”

“You don’t have a choice,” Saul said. “You say, ‘the rest of the scourge.’ I am no part of the scourge. My people are few and far away and nothing like these
animals
who have allowed themselves to sink into the depths.”

“That’s a nice speech,” Elin said. “Sooner or later we’ll know if it’s all true.”

Saul sat in a bright magenta chair. “I have been a vampire a long time—I think you know what I mean by a long time. My contacts are many and my influence reaches very far. I have followed the progress of the werehounds with interest. You are not like the wolves, Sean. They have no interest in regaining humanity. As you will learn, they are largely responsible for what has gone so dangerously wrong on Whidbey and what must be stopped.

“What I know about the two of you I have learned from Sally. She is very wise. She is a friend, a good woman who has taught me a great deal, some of which has saved lives.”

Sean wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with all of Saul’s “knowledge.” “I don’t understand your interest in any of this. Or your part.”

“I’ll show you soon enough. First”—he paused as if searching for his next word—“as I’ve already said, Aldo suspects you are here.”

Sean frowned. His stomach contracted. “Who is Aldo and what is he to me?” Damn the man—the hound.

“You know that,” Saul said. He threw back his dark hair and glanced at Elin. “He wouldn’t have any idea where you are and I wouldn’t know your connection to him if things were not going badly. There are rumors and they reach far beyond San Francisco—and your last encounter with him. But I do have reports from there and how this Aldo caused…you know what he caused. There are always those who are willing to hunt for a bounty. You were found, Sean. Aldo still wants you, but the situation has changed as you will find out in time. Probably sooner than we’d like. In other circumstances he would come himself. In his mind he thinks he needs something from you.”

“What does he mean?” Elin asked Sean, her voice a little shaky. “Who is Aldo?”

“No one,” Sean said quickly. He wasn’t pleased with Saul bringing this up in front of her. “Well, yes, he is someone and I will explain in good time. Please let me decide when that is.”

“My plan was to go to Niles with all this, but not until I had done more investigation,” Saul said. “You forced my hand. Now I believe the fewer we involve, the better—for now. If you feel you must go directly to Niles, I won’t attempt to stop you.”

Sean didn’t respond. No way would he tell a vampire that he, a hound, would take orders from him one way or another.

“Things have changed in our world, the paranormal world, and they will only go in a horrifying direction if we don’t manage to stop the one who wants to own us all,” Saul said. “The One on The Island.”

“Where?” Elin said, her eyes huge. “What island? Who is he?”

Sean put a hand on her arm. “Don’t be too quick to accept anything Saul says.”

“I wasn’t born a vampire, dammit,” Saul said in the first show of temper Sean had ever seen from him. “I ended up here for two reasons. I was invited to The Island, and I don’t mean Whidbey. There is another island out there.” He waved a hand to the southwest. “And I discovered my host, known only as The One, although there is another name and I intend to learn what it is, The One was more dangerous than you can imagine. He
is
more dangerous than any you have encountered.