MIDNIGHT HUNT: Book 3 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles (12 page)

“God be praised you were here!” She clutched his hand and staggered to her feet with his assistance. A foreboding settled over her face and she placed trembling fingers to her cheeks. “It’s returned.” She gasped. “Analise!” She snatched her shawl and lantern from the ground and ran through the trees toward the road, Broderick close on her heels.

“Now doncha be running off!” He grabbed her elbow and pulled her up short.

“My daughter Analise and her husband. I have to warn them.” She pointed down the road. The moon illuminated a small cottage nestled in the trees by a modest farm. “They’re just over there!”

“All right, now. Calm down. I’ll go with you.”

She hastened down the road, grasping her skirts in one hand, her outstretched lantern leading the way.

Broderick surveyed the open land once they’d cleared the trees. The empty field, surrounded by a piled-stone wall, smelled of fresh tilled earth. A faint sweet tang of blood drifted through the air, but it was too subtle determine its source and it wasn’t from the woman who walked ahead of him. No sign of the werewolf, nor could he smell its foul presence.

“Hurry!” She rushed through the front fence and up to the door, pounding against the worn planks. “Analise! Brynner!”

The door flung open and the scent of blood assaulted Broderick’s nose. A young blonde woman gasped and threw her arms around Broderick’s companion. “Thank God, you’re safe!” The blonde sobbed. “It’s Brynner.”

Sitting at the table, in the middle of the common room of the farmhouse, was a stout young man clutching his forearm wrapped in a bloodied cloth. A fire burned brightly in the hearth, illuminating the grimace on his face. Brynner bared his teeth and shivered. “The damned thing bit me, Johanna.”

“Oh, no!” The older woman rushed forward to assess the wound and Analise wept into her hands.

Broderick turned away so they wouldn’t see the silver core of his eyes, glowing from
The Hunger
. “You stay here and bar the door. I’ll look around to see if the creature is still about.”

Not waiting for their approval, he ran around the back of the house and tarried only until he was inside the forest before he used his immortal speed to dash through the trees and scout the surrounding acreage. What had he stumbled upon in this part of the world? Witch trials. Werewolves. His wife reborn into another body. All these decades, Broderick had kept to his family, his only concern protecting and loving them until time stole them away. Malloren Rune had been the only other bizarre connection to the supernatural outside of Vamsyrians. Well, other than one chance meeting with a werewolf over thirty years ago. His shoulder always ached with sympathy when he thought of the attack and he rubbed it now while he continued to survey the grounds.

He now had control over
The Hunger
and sniffed the air once more. No trace of the werewolf. No tracks on the earth. No blood on the wind. The creature had vanished. However, Broderick knew it was not the same werewolf he’d encountered the night he arrived in Kostbar. This one had a black pelt.
Damn!
Not one, but two to worry about. However, the first one might have actually been Monika’s father. Still, if there were two, there might even be more. Malloren had said he was in werewolf territory. He cursed under his breath. At least he’d been able to get the wolfsbane painted around his ship.

He dashed back to the farmhouse. Analise clutched her husband’s head to her bosom, tears staining her cheeks. Johanna stood and faced Broderick. “Did you find it?”

He shook his head. “How does he fare?”

“I’ve been bitten,” Brynner grumbled. “How do you think I fare?”

Analise cried harder.
I’ve lost him! God, why would you take my heart from me?

Broderick didn’t know what to say and he fought the tears threatening to come forth, so immersed in the sorrow saturating this home. Until he was sure Monika had the cure, he didn’t want to raise any hopes. Malloren said she was
searching
for the cure…not that she’d found it. Perhaps the answers were in the book they both saw in the dreams and visions. “I’m sorry.” An awkward silence hung thick like moisture in the air. He was useless to these people now. “I am heading back to the village,” he whispered and turned to leave.

“May I accompany you?” Johanna grabbed her shawl and threw it over her shoulders.

“Of course.”

“Mama, no.”

She hugged Analise, then framed her daughter’s face with her palms. “I have to warn the others. Be strong. Be
strong
.”

The young woman nodded and her bottom lip trembled. “Yes, Mama.”

Johanna gripped Brynner’s shoulder. “You have a fortnight, son.”

Brynner clenched his jaw, tears spilling down his cheeks, but he nodded and turned his red-rimmed gaze to his wife. The couple fell into each other’s arms and wept.

Broderick stepped out of the house, curling his fingers into fists, and paced while the older woman grabbed her lantern and closed the door behind her.

Once they traversed the short distance to the road, they fell into step beside one another.

“I am Frau Hafner.”

“Broderick MacDougal.” He frowned. “Your daughter or son?”

“My daughter and son-in-law.”
Why, God? Why?

How many times had Broderick asked that same question? “You said, ‘It’s returned.’ This has happened before, I assume.”

She nodded. “Ten years ago. That incident has haunted this village for years and Analise and Brynner know the tales well.”

“Is the healer able to help at all?”

“I certainly hope so.” A sad smile graced her lips. “Monika Konrads may be Brynner’s only hope. There was a rash of werewolf attacks. Monika’s mother Katrina had a very secretive client seeking her skills. Some say he was looking for the cure, and he was the werewolf terrorizing the village. Then he just disappeared. A month later, Monika’s cottage burned down. Monika’s father Symon was burned pretty badly. He’d told us precious little Monika had tried to drag her mother from the flames, but she was too late. By some miracle, Monika hadn’t even been burned.” Johanna shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Dear Lord, please let her have the answers.

They walked in silence for the last stretch of road to the village and Johanna went straight to Monika’s cottage. She rapped on the wood.

The door swung wide and Monika’s face lit with the radiance of the sun when her eyes fell upon Broderick. Her gleaming smile soon melted into a frown when she regarded both of their faces. “Johanna…what’s wrong?”

“There’s been an attack,” she responded, her voice thick with sorrow.

“Oh, no. Who? What happened?” Monika ushered Johanna inside and pulled a chair from the table for Johanna. With the boundary still up around her house, Broderick stood just outside the door.

“Child…I…” She clasped Monika’s hands.

Monika nodded. “I heard the howl. I know.”
He will burn for this.

Broderick noted the determined set of Monika’s jaw, the cold blue steel of her eyes, which she’d turned to him momentarily before diverting her attention back to Johanna.

“Brynner,” the older woman managed to choke out before she broke into sobs.

Not Brynner!
She wrapped her friend in her embrace and they rocked together in their grief.

“Please tell me you continued your mother’s work.” Johanna clutched Monika’s shoulders. “Did you ever find the book?”

“Actually, yes. Only just yesterday.”

“What?” The older woman searched Monika with hope in her wide eyes.

Broderick crossed his arms, a silent observer.

“Honestly, I cannot promise you a cure at this time, though I am working very hard to find the answers. I just don’t know if and when that will happen. We need to keep Brynner safe from others and from himself until then.”

Broderick stepped forward. “Can we build a safe room?”

The women turned their eyes to him.

“I don’t mean to imply we put him in a cage, but if we can create a strong room where he can’t escape when he transforms, mayhap even paint it with a wolfsbane infusion, perhaps that will keep him and other’s safe.”

“What a wonderful idea.” Monika squeezed Johanna’s hand, her full lips curling into a hopeful smile. “Helmut would be the one to organize such a task.”

“Yes! I’ll speak to him right away.” She leaned forward and kissed Monika’s cheek before scampering to the door. She stopped and faced Broderick. “Thank you, Herr MacDougal. For everything.”

He nodded and tried to offer a reassuring grin.

When Johanna left, Monika regarded him with her sapphire eyes, glassed with tears. It was enough to cinch his heart. “I don’t suppose you’ll come inside if I ask?”

Broderick opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. He studied her doorway, then smirked.

She sighed and chuckled. “Very well.” Monika joined him outside and they strolled to the bench by the well. “What happened?”

“I was returning to the village when I heard the howl and then a scream.” Broderick propped his right boot onto the bench. “I rushed to find the beast ready to pounce on Frau Hafner. Luckily it was easy to scare away.”

She cocked an eyebrow.
Easy to scare away, huh? I wonder.

Broderick resisted the urge to grin with pride.
Nothing goes unnoticed by this woman.
“When we went to check on her daughter, we’d learned Brynner had been attacked.” He shook his head. “I can only guess he must have gone looking for his mother-in-law when they heard the howl, too.”

Monika bit her trembling lip and hugged her midsection as she sat on the bench. “He’s like a brother to me. Analise, a sister. We all grew up together.”

“What can I do to help?”

A dejected laugh fluttered from her and she raked her fingers through her hair, swiping the kerchief from her head and bundling it in her lap. “I don’t know that you can. I don’t really know if there’s anything I can do.”

“You both spoke of a cure.” He relayed the information Frau Hafner shared with him on their walk into the village. “What else do you need for this recipe you mentioned? Is money an issue? Are the ingredients difficult to find?”

She sighed and shook her head. “That’s my quandary. Right now, the recipe is incomplete. A man named Thomas Carr came into Vollstadt the other day with my mother’s book, something my grandmother and I thought had been lost in the fire Frau Hafner told you about.” Monika told Broderick about Thomas’s story and her recent efforts. All the while, anger emanated from her body like the heat from a hearth and radiated across the space between them. “But I have to finish transcribing the pages before he’ll give me the book. As I’m doing so, I’m learning the steps my mother took in her efforts to find the cure.”

“Tell me where to find the blackguard and I will get the book for you.”

Husky laughter shook her shoulders and she gifted him with an endearing smile. “I am flattered you would champion my cause so soon after our brief meeting. I only have one or two more days of transcriptions, I’m sure. I should be able to get the book soon.”

Broderick clenched his jaw. “Mayhap he is the one who attacked Brynner.”

She leveled her gaze at him. “I am certain of it.”

Chapter Eight

A rising murmur of voices filled the courtyard as a small crowd rounded the corner, coming from the path Monika and Broderick had taken to the kitchen house the night before. A large, muscular man with a leather apron was at the front and, when he reached the blacksmith shop, he faced the gathering crowd and waved his arms. “Now, now! I can do my best to get this strong room built as fast as I can, but such a thing is going to take a lot of materials and a lot of work. You have to give me some time! And I’ll need help.”

Broderick nodded to Monika and they both walked over to the crowd. “What can I do to help, Herr Schmied?” he voiced over the rising protests.

The crowd fell silent and Helmut narrowed his eyes. “And who might you be, stranger?”

“This is Herr MacDougal,” Monika explained. “He’s a man of means and purpose. He can aid our cause.”

“Do you have men?” Helmut asked.

“There seems to be plenty of able bodies right here,” Broderick responded. “Mayhap—”

“We have our own families to tend to!” a man’s voice protested from the group.

“As I was about to suggest,” Broderick interjected. “I will pay silver to whoever volunteers their labor for the task.”

The villagers murmured nodding but also shaking their heads, some seemingly divided, others willing. Others were suspicious. The mixture of emotions whirling about the crowd pressed in upon Broderick.

“Why would you, a stranger, pay silver to trap a werewolf?” An elderly man pushed through the people and stood before Broderick with a walking stick.

“Nikolaus,” Monika scolded. “We’re not trying to trap Brynner. We’re trying to keep him and all of us safe.”

“He’s a beast that needs to be caged!” Nikolaus protested and waved his stick.

Broderick redirected the conversation back to the topic at hand. “I understand why you would question my involvement. I am a stranger, but I am hoping to settle in this area and call Kostbar my home. As such, I will defend this village as if it were my own. I know I need to gain your trust, but perhaps my contribution will speak for my intentions.”

“But once Brynner is safe,” Helmut said. “What about the rest of us? The werewolf that bit Brynner is still roaming free!”

The villagers raised their voices in agreement.

“Please listen to me.” Monika stood on tiptoe and waved to get their attention. They lowered their voices. “Many of you know my mother was working on a cure for the werewolf curse before she died. I have just recently found my mother’s book.” She raised her voice to speak over the increasing rumble of comments. “I might be able to find a cure before the next cycle of the moon.”

“Might?” Nikolaus barked. “We are putting our trust in
might
. We must organize a hunting party and find that werewolf!”

“Do you hear what you’re saying?” Edda shoved through the bodies. “Katrina was my best friend and I was there to help her through that horrible time. These were our friends, our family. Many of them died in her arms.” She cast an apologetic gaze to Monika. “We can’t let fear drive us to this. We survived the mercenaries because we joined together and helped each other. This is no different.”

“But we have no defense against a creature from hell,” Nikolaus argued.

“I supposed you had armor and swords and shields to defend your village against the mercenaries. Is that correct?” Broderick asked.

Nikolaus frowned.

“And your homes, they kept you all safe against the strength and torches of those soldiers. Am I right?” These were farmers, potters and bakers…not warriors.

“You weren’t here, young man!” the old man growled. “What do you know of war?”

“I’m older than I look.” He began unbuttoning his doublet. “I mean no disrespect, but I’ve been in several clan wars back in my homeland.” Broderick handed Monika his baldric, sword and doublet, then pulled his shirt over his head and turned full circle, catching Monika’s stunned expression as he did so. “And I have the scars to prove it.” Immortality did not erase the marks he bore before he transformed into a Vamsyrian. Those were forever branded across his skin.

The color leeched from Nikolaus’s face and he nodded. “Sweet Lord in heaven, boy.” He gazed at Broderick with regret.

“I don’t carry a sword for appearance’s sake.” Broderick patted the old man on the shoulder and slipped his shirt back over his head. Many peered around each other to see Broderick’s sword, which he retrieved from Monika. Edda’s eldest boy gawked and smiled.

“There is one thing you didn’t have ten years ago. Someone experienced with supernatural creatures. And two things you didn’t have when the mercenaries ravaged your town. One experienced in combat and the resources to protect you. I offer you all these.” He stepped next to Monika, still holding his doublet, and put his arm around her. “Fräulein Konrads has the means to make your homes safe against werewolves. She created a wolfsbane infusion for me last evening and, with a little help, I’m sure she can create enough for all of you.” He gazed down at her sapphire eyes, which gleamed with appreciation.

She nodded. “Werewolves only come out at night and there are nine days in the moon cycle. We only have six days left. We can stay indoors at nightfall. I have great hopes I’ll develop a cure before the next cycle. In the meantime, I can create enough infusion for everyone. I’ll begin collecting the flower immediately.”

“I’ll help!” Edda chimed at once.

“Nay, I will do that,” Broderick said, as he shrugged into his doublet. “I cannot protect everyone that goes out to gather the herb. It will be easier to protect one person than an entire village in the open forest.” Broderick turned to Helmut. “The construction of the strong house should be during the day, so save your efforts until then. Before I leave this evening, I’ll be sure you have enough silver to get started.”

Helmut dipped his head in acknowledgment.

“I believe I have some of the infusion left over from last night.” Broderick did a casual count of the villagers, who seemed to number no more than thirty. “Is this everyone in the village?”

Several heads swung to and fro, each villager taking an inventory of their neighbors.

“It might be tight, but I think the kitchen house is large enough to hold everyone, yes?” The thoughts of several villagers milled around wondering what Broderick was up to. “Here’s what I propose. I’ll retrieve the rest of the wolfsbane and meet you back at the kitchen house. Paint the infusion on the doors and windows. Be sparing, though, there isn’t much. Stay close to the building and if you need to protect yourselves, go into the kitchen. No fires,” he warned. “The space is too close for that without risking someone getting hurt. Monika and I will gather the wolfsbane and be back as quickly as possible to make more infusions so you can all dress your homes.”

Many heads bobbed in agreement then started filing across the courtyard to the path toward the kitchen.

As Broderick stepped toward the northeast pathway out of the village, Monika grabbed his hand. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” He dragged a curled finger along her jawline and images of him standing shirtless before the crowd flashed in his mind. Monika’s desire heated the air between them. He couldn’t resist teasing her. “Did I shock your delicate sensibilities when I disrobed?”

Her cheeks bloomed rosy. “You delight in making me blush!” She covered her laughter with her fingertips and pushed his shoulder. “Hurry back, you rogue.”

Chuckling, Broderick bowed before departing. He hurried down the road until he was sure no one could see him, then sped back to the docks and leapt onto his ship. The main deck was empty. While he fetched the jug of the remaining wolfsbane from his cabin, he also fastened a small sack of silver to his belt and took an old pair of leather gloves from his chest of drawers to protect him against the herb.

When Broderick came topside, he almost ran into Gilbert.

Fear widened his crewmember’s eyes. “We heard the howl, Cap’n.” He glanced at the jug in Broderick’s hand. “Time to hunt a werewolf?”

“Right now, I’m trying to protect the villagers of Kostbar, the small establishment down the road. You should be in your cabin.”

“Aye, Cap’n. I heard some noise, so I’d come to check it out. The others are below as instructed.”

“Don’t come out tonight. Stay inside like the rest of them.”

Gilbert nodded and disappeared below deck. Broderick sped along the same path back to the road to Kostbar. Vollstadt was at least a couple of miles from Kostbar. And though it was humanly possible for him to have gone there and back in the short amount of time he had been gone, he certainly didn’t look like he had exerted such efforts. Broderick paced at the side of the road. But the longer he waited, the longer the people in Kostbar were exposed to a possible attack. Broderick paced a few minutes more before growling and giving up.

He cantered into the village courtyard and passed the well, then backtracked and tossed in the bucket, fetching some water. Splashing it on his face and drizzling it down the front of his shirt and doublet and under his arms, he was pleased it gave him the appearance of sweating after hard labor. Trotting down the path to the kitchen house, he pretended as if he was out of breath.

Monika gasped and ran to him with a cloth in her hand. “My goodness! What happened?”

“Nothing, I just ran to get the jug.” He handed it to her and bent forward, bracing his hands on his knees, continuing the charade of exerting himself.

Monika passed it to Edda, then carried on with wiping his brow. “You should sit down. That’s amazing! You
ran
the entire way, there and back?”

Nikolaus cackled. “You’re a mighty fit young man!”

Several of the villagers chuckled.

“Come.” Broderick jerked his head, beckoning her to follow. “Let us gather the wolfsbane.”

“I think you should rest.” She placed her hands upon her hips.

“Bah!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “We don’t have time to rest. Goodbye, folks!” Broderick waved. “We shall return soon.”

Edda and Irma laughed and waved, along with many others in the crowd.

Monika shook her head and followed after Broderick. “You’re mad, you know that?”

He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. “Hopelessly.”

She rolled her eyes, chuckling, and stalked ahead. “I just need to get us some baskets and my gloves.”

Broderick pulled his gloves from his belt and held them up. “I brought my own.”

“Wonderful!” Disappearing only briefly into the cottage, she emerged with two large baskets, each lined with a large square of threadbare cloth.

They trekked into the woods together, Monika in the lead and Broderick keeping his ears and eyes open for anything. With her expert eye, she was able to spot the plant right away and showed Broderick what to look for.

Apprehension and a thick nervous tension radiated from Monika. Broderick glanced at her, but nothing in her appearance betrayed what he sensed.
It’s a fair question to ask,
he detected from her thoughts. She cleared her throat. “Herr MacDougal, might I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course you may.” He uprooted the next stalk of wolfsbane he came upon and caught up to her in two long strides.

“I’m assuming you’re not courting anyone at the moment since you…well, since we...”

“Since I kissed you last night?” The corner of his mouth turned up in amusement. She was adorable when she blushed…and smelled oh-so delectable.

Monika faced him and swallowed. “Yes.”

“I’m a widower,” he whispered, never very comfortable with that status.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” She reached for his arm, but stopped, noticing the gloves. Both hands clasped the basket handle as if to keep them in check. “My condolences for your loss. How long ago?”

He smiled. “Several years ago.”

“I see.” Monika drew her bottom lip between her teeth in that achingly familiar gesture used by Davina.

“Since we’re being so candid with each other.” Broderick set the basket on the ground, where he tossed his gloves. “I have not been involved with another woman since her passing. I’ve never had any desire for another woman since she came into my life.” He inhaled deeply, bringing the essence of Monika in with that breath, and his knees trembled. “Until you, that is.”

“Oh.” Such a whisper of a word passing through her plump, red lips.

“In all honesty, Fräulein Kon—”

“Monika.” A timid smile touched her mouth.

Broderick returned the smile and stared at her lips a moment, remembering how they tasted. “In all honest, Monika, I’ve felt that being with someone else would betray our love, and I’ve never wanted to do such a thing.”

She sighed. “Herr MacDou—”

“Broderick.” He chuckled.

Her smile deepened and she nodded. “Broderick.” Monika near breathed his name and raw need swirled in his gut. “You are unlike any man I have ever met.” Husky desire thickened her words. “You are the utmost gentleman, yet you reveal the rogue beneath the mask…and always at the right times. You speak of devotion for your wife, even though she passed many years ago. What woman wouldn’t swoon over such attention or dedication to love?” Monika pulled off her gloves and dropped them and the basket at her feet. “You are a man of your heart, Broderick.” She placed her hot hand upon his chest, her warmth covering his soul.