Mortal Bite (Golden Vampires of Tuscany) (21 page)

Lionel Jett awoke to the sounds of someone else in his bedroom. Paolo had
traced there, melding over the protection he’d placed around the perimeter.

“How’d you do that?” he asked his employer’s brother.

“Marcus had the manuals at the study. I read them.”

Lionel made a mental note to be more careful with the security
literature. He stretched and began to stand, but realized he’d slept naked
again. It was becoming a habit, as was the fact that he was making love to his
sheets every night, regardless of whether or not he’d had sex with a date the
night before. The visions in his head of the sweet green-eyed, red-haired
hottie he’d screwed several times the night before, right next to his brother
Huge, who had been screwing her sister, came flashing back and his dick boinked
to attention. He immediately bent over to cover it up.

Paolo was laughing. It was not funny to Lionel.

“You guys had some fun last night, apparently”

“Still managed to call your brother first.”

“And for your loyalty, we thank you. We are indebted to you.”

“Thanks.” Lionel grabbed a long-sleeved tee from the floor and covered up
his groin as he shuffled to a dresser to retrieve some clothes. The evening sky
had turned pitch black.

“So what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Lionel asked with his back
to Paolo. He turned and caught Paolo eyeing his butt cheeks. “Fuck off, Paolo.
I don’t do guys. You know that. You go both ways now?”

Paolo was still in a good mood, and laughed it off. Lionel could remember
a time when it would have cost him another humiliating fight that he was
required to lose. Didn’t mind the pain, which would heal relatively quickly. It
had been about his pride, knowing he could kick young Paolo’s ass and still had
to take the fall, “for the good of the family.” Still, it was his job, and he
did it regardless of how he felt. He was glad Paolo had learned to temper his
reactions. And he did seem happier these days.

“That’s what I want to talk to you about.”

“Going both ways. You honestly think you can have a conversation with me
about going both ways.” Lionel was close to tracing himself anywhere else, even
though he was still naked.

“No, about protecting the love of my life.”

“Love of your life or love of her—it is hope to God’s hangnail a
girl, right?”

“Well, yes, and she’s mortal.”

“A blinding flash of the obvious. How come you don’t like female
Goldens?”

“You forget what Lucius’s mother did to me.”

“Half my guys lusted after her too. Hell, you couldn’t help yourself,
everyone knows that. And most of the guys would have loved to have her abuse
them like she did you. Paolo, time for you to grow up and be a man.”

“So I’ve been told.” Paolo’s smile was getting thin.

“Marcus handled her for almost a hundred years.”

Paolo wasn’t jealous since he had no feelings for Maya. “But Maya loved
Marcus. She barely tolerated me.”

It was the truth. Everyone knew it. Sadly, though they were fated, Maya
and Paolo would never have survived as a couple. They had enough animal
attraction to produce an offspring, but as far as spending eternity together,
it had been completely out of the question. It was fortunate her death saved
him from the agony.

“Okay, man. Sorry. Tell me what you’re here for, and I’ll do whatever it
is you want me to do.” He started to step into a pair of boxers. “Within
reason, of course,” he added in a mumble.

“Of course.”

Lionel put on his dark black jeans, a form-fitting t-shirt that made his
muscles look twice a normal man’s size, and thick black socks. He sat at the
edge of the bed and pulled on his knee-high boots with the steel toe, stowing a
KA-BAR on the side of one. Next he donned his shoulder holster, checked his
Ultra Crimson Carry II with the 3-inch barrel, stowing it safely under his arm.
His black jacket was fitted so no one would ever suspect he was packing. Which
is the way he liked it. But one look into his eyes and they would know they
were dealing with Dr. Death himself.

He liked that too.

Paolo grinned, glad he could call upon this lethal combination of brains,
brawn and equipment sure to keep Cara safe.

“So where are we off to? And don’t tell me it’s a fuckin’ hot tub party.”

“Hardly. Call your brothers. We’ll meet at that bistro by the square in
downtown Santa Rosa. Tell them to be there in less than a half hour.”

“I’ll have them ready. Meet you there.”

The three Jett brothers wore sunglasses, their eyes being extra sensitive,
even to the votive candles on the little table they shared. The space was so
small their knees almost touched, which meant that when one of them crossed or
uncrossed his massive legs, the others had to do the same in tandem. Though it
annoyed Lionel from time to time, it was a necessary evil, since they needed to
be close together to discuss their plans so they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Huge, you bring those magazines?” Jeb asked. He was referring to the
fact that Hugh had a well-worn collection of girlie magazines they enjoyed
looking at during long stakeouts. Sort of took the edge off their testosterone
level for a bit. It never really helped Lionel at all. He found it extremely
childish.

“Jeb, you have more money than God. Anything wrong with you buying your
own smut?”

“Nah.”

“Oh, I get it,” Hugh continued. “You just like it free.”

“Well, if you are offering and everything. Why not?”

Lionel pointed to Paolo, who was returning from the bar with four glasses
of red wine. “Casanova here is on his way to Tuscany. Why don’t you ask him to
bring back some of those Eastern European magazines?”

“Those girls look young. Really young.”

“Some of them are,” Paolo interjected. “Big money these days in smuggling
little girls into prostitution. You don’t want to support them by buying their
stuff.”

Jeb looked up at the ceiling. Lionel could tell this was one of those
times he felt impatient with their Golden vamp employer.

“Marcus over there, too?” Hugh asked.

“Yup. That’s why we need your services,” Paolo said, holding up his
glass. “Cheers, gents.”

They clinked glasses. Paolo sipped his wine, savoring it, while the
brothers threw theirs back like it was a shot of whisky.

“They got absinthe here?” Huge asked Lionel.

“It’s a French bistro. I’d say yes,” Lionel answered him. “But let’s stay
off the green crazy stuff until we find out what’s in store for us.”

The brothers recrossed their legs in tandem again, Huge and Jeb crossing
their arms as well.

“We have reason to believe the new dark coven Supreme Leader, Dag
Nielsen, has his eye on a friend of mine, a college professor named Carabella
Sampson,” Paolo started. “I would be personally taking care of her, except I’m
accompanying Marcus to Tuscany, where we have pressing business.”

“We get to take care of her the same way, too?” Jeb grinned,
demonstrating he had lost a tooth. One of his canines. Paolo frowned.

“What happened to your tooth?” he asked.

“Had it pulled. Was giving me some fits. I got an implant coming.”

“How they going to do that?”

“Well Dr. Gervais—you know him, Paolo—done some work for
Anne. He says he can give me an implant, but it will have to stay down all the
time. The hollow point will be towards the back of the tooth so no one would be
able to see it up close.”

“Still, Jeb, gotta be kinda awkward walking around with a fuckin’ straw
sticking out of your lips all the time,” Hugh added as he punched his younger
brother. The ensuing tussle almost sent them all sprawling. They got
temporarily entangled in the canvas curtain of the outside seating area,
hitting the aluminum frame and alerting other customers to their presence.

“Would you guys stop with the horseplay?” Lionel whispered to them. “Some
pair of covert ops you guys make.”

Paolo finished off his wine and leaned into the table. “For the record,
my brother doesn’t approve of my involvement with the beautiful Cara, so he has
erased her memory of me.”

The Jett brothers looked like they were responding to a bad smell.

“For her own safety, she has to be kept in the dark. And that’s where you
come in. We need a detail on her 24/7. Marcus told me you have some brothers in
arms you can trust during the day?”

Lionel nodded. “Retired SEALs. Bad ass dudes, for mortals.”

“They available for hire?”

“Depends. They evaluate the situation first before they decide.”

“No can do. This has to be kept strictly between us. No one outside the
family and your family can know all the facts.”

“Which are?” Lionel asked. The cat and mouse game was tiring him.

“This lady is a professor at SSU, an authority on myths and mythology,
with a special emphasis on vampire lore. She had located evidence that a very
rare book on our kind had surfaced again after centuries.”

“Had? As in past tense?” Hugh asked.

“That’s primarily why we erased her memory. But the other side doesn’t
know this—well, to be perfectly honest, they’ve been told, but they don’t
believe it. We believe this book was part of my grandfather’s collection. It
disappeared before I was born.”

“And you have the book now?” Lionel asked.

“No. We have a book, a book Cara found and had shipped here to
California, a sort of cryptic map written in journal form by a man who did find
it almost two hundred years ago. That book is in safekeeping. We believe it
will tell us where the missing tome can be found.”

“And so what’s the problem?”

“Dag Nielsen and his dark coven want that book, and they’ve been killing
to get it. You know they killed young Rory Monteleone last week?” Paolo said.

Each brother silently nodded.

“And they got his little brother two weeks ago. They’ve been killing the
Golden children like crazy. We’re not sure why they’ve stepped up this genocide
against our race,” Paolo continued, “but Dag has something up his sleeve, and
he desperately wants what’s in the book.”

“Makes me wonder too, Paolo. You got any ideas?” Lionel felt like his
employer was hiding something, but he couldn’t quite make out what.

“I’ll give you specifics after I get them. Right now, we’re going to
Tuscany to get permission for a mission here. We’re asking you just keep an eye
on things until we return.”

“You mean keep an eye on her?”

“Well, yes. We also have staff, loyal, trusted mortals who have served
our family for generations. We cannot leave them unprotected.”

“But you primarily care about her,” Lionel dug deeper.

“I’m not lying when I say she matters a great deal to me, but her
importance in this scheme is far greater than just my feelings alone. You’ve
all felt the rumblings of war, right?”

The brothers nodded solemnly. Even Lionel couldn’t look into Paolo’s
eyes. The smell of war and impending death was all around the little wine
country community full of innocents who had no idea what was about to befall
them.

“We are getting close to understanding what this grudge is all about. And
looking for ways to stop the planned attack on us all.”

“Why not round them up and take care of it that way?” Lionel wanted to
know. He wondered why they were being so careful. “They aren’t loyal even to
themselves. Should be easy to get the information we need.”

“Because we aren’t sure they haven’t discovered some weapon to use
against us. And we don’t know where their information is coming from.” Paolo
leaned back in his chair. “Brothers, we are trying to stop innocent lives from
being lost.”

The two younger Jett brothers looked at Lionel, who was stewing about a
problem he suddenly had to express. “Just what am I supposed to tell the SEAL
team? They don’t even know we’re vamps.”

“Lionel, under the circumstances, I think you’ll have to level with
them.”

“Suuuureeee. You fuckin’ gotta be nuts, Paolo! They’ll never believe it.
What am I supposed to do? You ever try to convince someone about vampires?
Someone who is absolutely an unbeliever?”

Paolo smiled. “Do what I did once.”

“What’s that?” Lionel asked.

“Disappear or trace them somewhere.”

Cara called the University and confirmed what Mr. Monteleone had told
her. Classes had indeed been cancelled. It was all over the news about her
assistant’s murder. She spent the day in and out of bed, with long crying bouts
in between.
 

It was odd how she had lost three whole days, just forgotten what she had
taught, who she had talked to, what she had done. Though she tried to retrieve
her memories, it was as if they were gone from her forever, not locked behind
an iron wall. Just evaporated.

Something had been pressing on her, she could tell that much as she looked
over the papers covering her desk. For some reason, just from the way her
normally neat papers were splayed across the wooden surface of her home office,
she got the feeling she had been looking for something. She started to organize
the mess, hoping it would bring back at least a sliver of her memory.

She began to examine every slip of paper she could find, sorting them
into piles on the floor. Bills, receipts for payments made, checkbook
statements, professional magazines, and correspondence. She even had a couple
of early Christmas cards from educational companies wanting her to purchase
their teaching aids. There were several requests for donations to charity
events coming up.

She’d made a decision skip any more faculty charity functions until next
year. Although she made a decent income as a college professor, she was
planning some trips—
what was that?
Where had that come from?

A trip? She’d been planning a trip?

She quickly scanned the travel brochures that she’d tossed on the pile of
clothing and bedding catalogues she had planned to recycle.

She found a brochure with a post-it note inside describing a city tour
and map of Prague. She read the note, which was not in her handwriting.

If you are in need of lodging, this
hotel is very nice and not as expensive as some. My family and I live in a
small flat above the bookstore and cannot accommodate you, although we would if
we could. My store is quite close, within walking distance.

I am due to receive another crate
from a monastery in Scotland in early November. If there is anything of
interest there, I shall message you. Until then, please use my travel agent as
a resource. She can find you some great airfare that could save you hundreds of
dollars, if the tickets are purchased here.

Regards,

Tomas Novotny

Cara put the note down and stared out into the darkening sky. She hadn’t
even noticed she’d missed her lunch, and now was hungry for dinner.

As she prepared a salad, she thought about the note. For some reason, the
name Tomas Novotny was familiar to her. Then she remembered where she had seen
the name before. It appeared on her credit card statement as Novotny something.
Novotny Travel?

Novotny Books.

She dropped everything in the kitchen and rummaged through her desktop
piles and found the one for her credit card statement from two months ago. The
single line item for August 15 read: Novotny Books. The charge was for $145,
which meant it was a valuable book, or research material. She just couldn’t
remember what it was. Sitting behind the desk, placing her forehead to her
palm, she concentrated.

What was this book? What was the
book about?

She knew it must have been about vampires. And her upcoming trip to
Prague was further indication of the connection she had with this particular
bookseller. But why couldn’t she remember the purchase?

She kept a stack of cards in her center desk drawer. Flipping through them,
she came upon the card for a Tomas Novotny, rare bookseller. And there was a
telephone number.

Before she thought about what time it was in Prague, she dialed the
number but got no answer. The phone rang and rang. She hung up and retried the
number. On the third try, an answering machine picked up with a man’s voice speaking
in broken English.

‘
This is Thomas Novotny. I am
currently unavailable but will return your call if you speak slowly and leave
your telephone number. Please also state the nature of your business, and what
book or periodical you are interested in. Thank you and have a good day.’

The beep made Cara jump before she collected herself in order to leave a
message. “Mr. Novotny, my name is Professor Cara Sampson and I am calling from
California. I believe you sold me a book in August, and I would like to discuss
this with you. You also mentioned you were receiving another shipment. I’d be
most interested in what you have found, if anything. Thank you.” Cara left her
phone number and hung up.

Paolo was struck with a perplexing feeling. Something was worrying him.
He concentrated on it as he rode with Lucius in the family limo to the airport.
They were flying to his brother’s home just outside Florence.

The persistent, perplexing sensation seemed to be generated from outside
himself.

He leaned back into the leather seat, resting his head and closing his
eyes.

“Father, are you okay?” Lucius asked.

“Yes, son. I have a bit of a headache. I was trying to see if I could
make it go away.” He smiled down at his son, who grinned back, and snuggled
closer to him. Paolo loved how just being with Lucius made him happy, and vowed
he’d spend all his non-working time with the boy. “You excited to be going back
in Italy?” he asked Lucius.

“Yes. I like the sunlight there. More yellow. Not as bright as
California, more golden.”

Paolo had never thought about that before, but Lucius was right. The
sunlight in California did seem very harsh and often hurt his eyes.

The pain in his forehead came back. He could just barely make out a
statement:
What was this book. What was
this book about?

Paolo gripped the leather armrest and sat forward, which nearly toppled
Lucius. It was Cara’s thoughts he was hearing. And she was thinking about a
book. Looking for a book.

The limo driver was a newer employee, so Paolo dared not risk a cell
phone call in front of him. He motioned to have the man pull the vehicle over.
He got out of the driver’s seat and opened up the rear door.

“Sir? You want something?”

“I just remembered. I forgot something at the house.”

“But you will miss your flight if we return there now.”

“But I have to go back.”

“Sir, should I call the airline and see if you can take a later flight? I
am quite sure you will miss your flight.”

Paolo wished he’d taken his brother up on the offer to take a private
charter, where he could show up late and they’d wait for him. Paolo had insisted
on paying for his own way, taking a first class commercial flight.

The driver was waiting for an answer.

“Let’s stop at Starbuck’s. I need to use the rest room. I’ll see if I can
get hold of someone at the house. Perhaps they can mail it to me,” Paolo lied.

“Very well, sir.” The driver resumed his duties, pulling up to a
Starbuck’s within minutes.

Paolo didn’t want to leave Lucius in the car, so he instructed him to
accompany him inside. “You want anything?” he asked the driver.

“No thanks. We come stocked. I don’t drink coffee, affects my nerves, not
to mention my driving.”

“Nasty habit. Lucius and I will be right out.” He helped his son inside
the shop and heard the familiar scream of the espresso machines. “You go first,
Lucius. I’ll get you, what, a hot chocolate?”

“Oh, yes. Thanks, Father,” Lucius called over his shoulder as he skipped
toward the men’s room. He waited until he saw his son close the door behind him
before he made the call to Marcus. His brother picked up on the first ring.

“Problem? You should be on your way by now.”

“I just got an image, a feeling from Cara. She’s looking for a book.
Searching her memory, and she’s a little frustrated with it, too. She’s
investigating it, brother.”

“Damn.” Marcus was not pleased. “You got the Jett brothers squared away?”

“All set. They should be all around the house. Marcus, what if they learn
about the book?”

Paolo could almost feel the wheels turning slowly in his brother’s head.
“It’s a risk we’re going to have to take. I need you to get Lucius to safety. I
need your help with the Council.”

“But if she’s beginning to put things together, won’t she perhaps begin
to regain her memories?”

“That I don’t know. There is still only one course for you. You must get
you and your son to Italy without any further delay. Let’s have the Jett boys
earn their salary. Is there a detail for the day?”

“Yes. Marcus, they are mortal.”

“Who are they?”

“Friends of Lionel. Retired SEALs.”

Marcus chuckled. “They’ll do. If they believe in the cause, they’re every
bit as good as your ordinary black vamp.”

Paolo reluctantly agreed to continue with his flight plans. He dialed
Lionel just in case and was reassured that Cara had stayed home this evening,
and was going through paperwork on her desk. No visitors. Nothing out of the
ordinary. Nothing scented or sensed that caused them to worry. Lionel assured
Paolo they were vigilant.

“And you wouldn’t believe what my buds think of me now that they know I
can disappear at will. They all want to learn the trick.”

Paolo was glad for Lionel, who seemed to be able to fit into the human
world as well as his own dark family, yet still maintain his loyalty to the
Monteleone clan. He was indeed a rare warrior.

“They with you tonight?”

“We’re training a few at a time. But yes. I’ve traced them to Murder
Burger three times already tonight. They think it’s pretty cool. I know it’s
not the hamburgers. It’s the ride they love.”

This brought a smile to Paolo’s face, just as Lucius was coming from the
bathroom.

Damn. He’d been so engrossed in the phone calls that he’d forgotten to order
the hot chocolate.

They waited in line to order, holding hands. Then Lucius sat on his lap
on the couch while they awaited their order. Paolo was glad he’d decided not to
tell his brother the SEALs were going to be told about their Golden Vampire lineage.

He could see that the years of peaceful coexistence with the dark covens
and the human world had left their family without their own protective forces
made up of Golden vampires wishing to serve and perhaps lay down their lives
for their families. That was a tremendous error in judgment. Relying on other
species to protect the Golden families had left the dark covens with a distinct
advantage. Just by their very nature, the dark covens had never ceased to
maintain a fighting stance. And their numbers had been growing exponentially.
Paolo intended to inform the Council of this.

The limo continued to the airport, where they got aboard the plane for
Florence without a moment to spare. Paolo encouraged Lucius to sleep, but his
son was avidly playing with all the gadgets available in first class seating.
No doubt the boy would be halfway disappointed when they landed.

Paolo listened for another thought from Cara, but felt nothing. He smiled
back at the attendant, who seemed determined to give him extra attention,
leaning over him to serve his boy, making it hard for him not to get a whiff of
the perfumed flesh between her breasts. It only made him long for Cara.

Paolo thought of Cara and wished that someday he’d get one more day with
her. He’d even take a day where she didn’t know him. He’d even agree not to glam
her if he had to. Anything to be in proximity to her.

The attendant’s breast brushed over Paolo’s shoulder in an unmistakable
gesture. Her peacock- blue eyes were lovely, he thought. Full pink lips that
could no doubt do lovely things. But he sighed, careful not to sigh in her
direction or she’d orgasm on the spot in front of the entire first class cabin.
Perhaps he’d have to get used to this. But he would never forget Cara, or the
wonderful music her body played for him. Her voice, her touch, the feel of her
skin, were all something he needed, craved. And, unlike a true addiction, she was
good for him. She granted him life and spirit. Strength and purpose.

For now, the need to protect his son and his family had to come first. He
hoped the Jett brothers and their buddies would do their jobs like they had
done for centuries. He prayed there would be time for love later.