Fire and Ash (Immortal Touch) (34 page)

“I guess you better,” she agreed. “Maybe if you explain the situation to him, he might be willing to cover for us. Until we can figure something out.”

“Maybe.” Raking a hand through his hair, he sighed. “Are you sure you can control that little punk on your own? He’s getting awfully cocky, awfully fast.”

“He’ll listen to me,” she assured him. “I’ll be back in a bit, okay? Don’t worry.”

But worry was etched clearly all over his features as she left him behind.

“’Bout time,” Dane griped as he followed her impatiently to the Jeep and climbed in beside her. “I’m glad
he’s
not coming. He’s a pain in the ass.”

“You’re one to talk!” Eva started the engine and backed out of the garage. “Why do you have to argue with everything he says?
He’s only trying to help you.”

“He thinks he knows everything.”

“He knows a lot more than you do!”

Dane huffed and rolled his eyes. “
Yeah, whatever. So where we goin’?”

“I thought
we’d pay Gerard Brauer a visit. He’s young, healthy and most importantly, he lives alone.”

“Gerard…you mean that waiter at Phantom Ridge?” His nose wrinkled in disgust. “No way! You expect me to bite a
dude?
”

“What difference does it make?”

“That’s nasty!”

“
Oh, don’t be immature. It’s just food. There’s nothing sexual about it.” She glanced over at him. “You don’t get all hot and bothered from eating a cheeseburger, do you?”

“Depends on how good it is.” He grinned saucily, causing her to laugh.

“You’ve certainly come out of your shell, haven’t you?”

“Thanks to you.” The look he gave her was one of pure adoration.

Eva shook her head uncomfortably. “Please…don’t thank me. I’m not so sure I did you any favors by turning you.”

“What, are you kidding? This is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me!”

“And what about Imogen?” she reproached him gently. “Have you forgotten her so easily?”

“
I never cared about her.”

The lack of compassion in his voice troubled her. He’d never struck her as being an unfeeling person. But how well did she really know him, anyway? “Dane. How can you say that?”

“Easy. It’s the truth. She never meant anything to me.”

“How is her father holding up?” Maybe it was best to steer the conversation in a slightly different direction.

“Well, my parents went to see him this afternoon and he was already plastered. Guess he’s coping with it like he does everything else. By drinking himself into unconsciousness.”

“Do you suppose he’ll
have her funeral here?”

“Nah
…I doubt it. He’ll probably take her back to California. Bury her there.”

“Poor little thing. She never had much of a chance at a normal life, did she?”

“I guess not.” He sounded unconcerned.

“Where did you tell your parents you were going tonight?”

“Told ’em I was going to see you. They figure I’m all broken up about Imogen and needed someone to talk to.”

“Hm.”

“Hey, Gerard won’t even be home, will he? Won’t he be at work?”

“He should be off tonight. He and Martin alternate Saturdays.”

“I don’t know why you couldn’t have picked a girl,” he grumbled. “By the way, you owe me a cell phone. I still can’t believe you smashed mine.”

“Fine, I’ll replace your phone.” He’d just seen his girlfriend die and
this
was what he was complaining about? A stupid phone? They pulled alongside the curb in front of Gerard’s duplex and she was relieved to see a car parked in the drive. Thank goodness he was home - she didn’t want to waste any more time trying to find the kid a donor. He was beginning to get on her nerves.

“We gonna sneak in his window or
what?”

“Nope. We’re just going to
go to the front door.” Eva climbed out of the Jeep. “Now follow me, and don’t do anything until I tell you to.”

Dane looked disappointed. Apparently he’d been hoping for something
a little more cloak-and-dagger. “Aren’t we gonna attack him? Whack him upside the head maybe?”

“
This isn’t one of your video games.” She rang the doorbell and gave him a stern look. “Now behave yourself and do as I say.”

The door opened a crack and Gerard peeked out at her. Recognizing her, he
smiled with delight. “Why, Miss Spencer…what an unexpected surprise! What in the world brings you here? Come in, come in…” Stepping back, he held the door open wide so they could step inside. “Please excuse the mess - I wish I could tell you I’m not always this sloppy but that wouldn’t really be the truth. I need to hire a housekeeper one of these days.”

“Think nothing of it.” She caught his eye and held his gaze firmly with her own. No sense beating around the bush. “We only want a moment of your time, dear. Then we’ll be on our way.
Just stand there quietly, please.”

The young man
stared back at her with a slack-jawed expression, and she turned to Dane who seemed very impressed.

“What’d you do to him?”

“I have him somewhat under my control. You can do this too - I’ll teach you how next time. For now, I just want to get some blood into you.”

“I don’t wanna bite that guy’s neck!”

“Then use his arm.” Eva took Gerard’s arm and held it outstretched. “Do it gently. The wounds will heal quickly but you don’t want to make them any more obvious than you have to.”

Dane eyed the man’s arm dubiously. “He does smell good,” he admitted, licking his lips. His eyes lit up with
a quickly growing hunger. “How…um, how do I do this?”

“Just flex your secondary teeth and push them in right here. The rest will come naturally. Remember,
gently.
You don’t want to leave a conspicuous mark.”

He did as he was instructed, and she waited patiently while he fed enthusiastically. Once he’d gotten his first taste, the gender issue
had lost all importance to him. Man, woman…it was all the same. Healthy blood was all that mattered. Eventually he would choose his own type preference.

“
That’s enough, hon. Stop now.” Placing her fingers underneath his chin, she pulled his mouth away from the arm that she was still holding with her other hand. “If you find that you need more, we can locate another donor. You don’t want to take enough to kill anyone.”

“Why not?” Dane’s eyes were glazed over with
euphoria.

“
That’s a stupid question. Even putting aside all moral objections, you might at least consider discretion as a factor. Do you think it’s a good idea to leave a trail of blood-drained corpses? Think, Dane. Use your brain.”

“I think it would be awesome to kill someone.
Just once. I…I think…” His hands trembled eagerly and he continued to stare at his victim with a speculative look that Eva found frightening. Had she really misjudged his character this much? Or had the transformation done something to him, dulling his emotions in the same way that Julian’s had originally been? She had to put a stop to this. Nip it in the bud.

“Go get in the car,” she ordered him. “
Now.
”

He started to protest, but seeing that she meant business he reluctantly trudged outside to wait for her.
Releasing a shaky sigh, Eva wiped Gerard’s arm clean and made sure the blood flow had ceased. “Thank you for your cooperation. Now kindly go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before. We were never here. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“Very well then. Have a good night.”

Gerard nodded dreamily
, and something in his brown eyes reminded her of another. A pair of sleepy eyes from the past, a full decade ago. A boy named Shawn who had been unnecessarily slaughtered for his blood. Would she never be able to bury that memory?

Somehow she had to
find a way to set Dane straight. Before any more innocent people died.

She
simply couldn’t bear to witness any more death.

~*~*~*~

“I’ve been expecting your call.”

“You know, then.” Julian had almost allowed himself to hope that Tristan was
blissfully unaware of Eva’s folly. He should have known better.

“Yes, I know.” There was a short pause on the other end. “I won’t even ask how you could have allowed this to happen. None of that matters now. What’s done is done.”

“Has Reid been told?”

“Not yet, no. But I can’t keep
him in the dark any longer.”

“It was my fault. I was the one who did it.”

“Very noble of you to accept the blame. But you know it isn’t true. It was your woman who broke the law.”

“The boy was dying. She meant well.” His voice almost
cracked, but he caught himself. “Please…tell me what to do.”

“There’s only one thing you can do. Get rid of him. Immediately.”

“Rest assured, nothing would please me more. But…” He hesitated. “I can’t.”

“May I ask why not?”

“She would never forgive me.” Eva’s affection for the boy was something he would never understand. And though he seethed with rage whenever Dane was near, it was the thought of how she would view him if he were to give in to his instincts that kept him from violence. He would not have her perceive him as a fiend. Not anymore.

“I would
strongly suggest that you reconsider.”

“There must be another way.
”

“
I can think of none.”

Damn it all - would he not bend in the slightest?
“Is there nothing I can say to convince you not to betray us?”

“I’m afraid my hands are tied.
You should have listened. Dammit, why didn’t you
listen?
” His somber voice became sympathetic as he continued. “I wish there was something I could do. Believe me, I don’t want to turn you in…but I can’t keep this from him. Do you think he wouldn’t find out? And then we would all suffer for it.”

“
If you must inform on us, tell him it was my doing. Not hers.”

“Mr. Winter, you know that…”

“
Please!
”

There was a long silence. Then, “
All right. I’ll do what I can.”

“Thank you…”

“I can make no promises.”

“I understand.
But you’ll keep me informed, won’t you?”

“Of course. In the meantime, at least try to keep the boy
from causing any trouble. That’s the last thing you need at this point.”

~*~*~*~

Asher stepped inside the elevator and selected number sixteen, nodding courteously to the frazzled woman in a huge floppy hat who was trying to prevent her toddler - who in his opinion was up way past a suitable bedtime - from pressing all the buttons at once. Beside her, a teenage girl texted mindlessly, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

The doors opened on the ninth floor, and when nobody made a move he asked the girl, “Was this your floor?”

She looked up, her expression blank. “Huh? Oh…yeah.” Still texting, she wandered out of the elevator with her eyes once again glued to the phone.

He exchanged looks with the woman, who shook her head with a sigh. “I am not looking forward to the day this one hits his teens.”

“I wouldn’t worry. Looks like you have a few years yet before that becomes a problem.”

“We
ll, they fly by.” She pulled the child’s hands away from the panel again. “No no, Mikey.”

“Don’t I know it,” Ash agreed, grinning as the doors opened again on his floor. “You have a nice
night.”

“Thanks…you do the same.”

His own phone vibrated in his pocket as he unlocked the door, and he pulled it out to see Tristan’s name as the caller.

“Hey there, Tristan. How’s the world’s greatest chef?” He whistled softly as he kicked off his shoes, his mood jovial.

“Ah…not so good, actually. I’m afraid this isn’t a social call. Are you where you can talk?”

“Yeah
. Why, what’s up?”

“It’s the
Oregon couple.”

“What about them?”

“Before I tell you, I want you to promise me you won’t overreact.”

Oh, hell. This didn’t sound good. “Don’t
jerk me around, Kendall. What have they done?”

A resigned sigh
came from the other end. “Another induction.”

Asher’s eyes narrowed. Through clenched teeth he demanded, “Which one of them did it?”

“Uh…well, the situation was such that…”

“
Who did it?
”

Tristan cleared his throat. “Miss Spencer.”