Night Walker (24 page)

The same chant the last Spanish priest had used to mask his thoughts.

Jose knew the chant.

Rage tore through Calisto. The threat he had searched for sat at his own table, and he had been too distracted with worry to notice.

Calisto ground his teeth with pent-up fury, his cold stare cutting into his adversary.

This man had been in his house with Kate nearly every day. Jose’s mouth curved into a hateful smirk. Calisto wanted to kill him right where he sat. He rose from his chair suddenly, fighting to keep his voice down. “Please excuse us, ladies. Jose and I need to talk.”

“We do?” Jose wore a clever mask of surprise.

“
Si
,” Calisto practically growled. “Come.” Jose politely smiled at Kate and placed a soft kiss to Betty’s cheek. “I will be right back.”

Calisto followed Jose, struggling to keep himself from ripping Jose’s heart out. He needed to wait until they were alone, then he would tear the arrogant bastard apart piece by miserable piece.

Jose stopped once they reached the main entry of the restaurant.

“You don’t really think I would be stupid enough to be alone with you, do you?”

Calisto fought to keep his eyes from glowing red with hatred. “Do you think a crowd of people can protect you after all you have done?

If so, then you have greatly underestimated who you are dealing with.”

“I don’t agree. In fact, you disappoint me. You’re hardly the foe I dreamed you might be. I have been with
your
women, in
your
house many times. I could have raped and killed them both any time I wished.”

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Calisto’s fists tightened at his sides as he battled to cage his fury.

“If that were true, then what stopped you?”

“They are not what I want, but they do provide me with a way to get it.”

“I know what you want, and the Fraternidad is wrong. I have no intention of cursing Kate with an eternal existence. I will not make her a Night Walker. There is no reason for them to interfere.” Jose laughed and shook his head. His twisted smile sent chills through Calisto. “Do you think I care what the Fraternidad wants?

They were simply a means to get what I desire. The Church’s limited view of what could be gained is almost as pitiful as your own. You could be a god, worshipped, have money and power, and yet you sit in your office and pretend that you’re a mortal man. You live a pathetic existence when you could have the world groveling at your feet.”

“You’re mad.” Calisto grabbed the collar of Jose’s jacket, jerking him up close. A deep growl emanated from Calisto’s chest. He reached out with his mind, seeking to coax Jose to come outside with him, but the constant repetitive chant kept the madman immune, blocking Calisto’s silent suggestions.

“Yes, why not kill me right here in front of all these witnesses?

And don’t forget Betty and Kate are waiting for me to return. What will they think of you when you have my blood on your hands? I am their friend. You’ll be the madman, not me.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Now put me down.”

Calisto threw him back, sickened at how impotent he felt. “What is it you want from me?”

Jose wet his lips like a hungry wolf. “I want immortality.” Calisto clenched his hands into fists. “Impossible.”

“Then you will lose her again. I will take Kate’s life while you sleep. I’ll kill her slowly too, enjoy every soft whimper of pain. But first I’ll enjoy her moans when I taste her sweet flesh and remind her what being with a real hot-blooded man is—” Calisto cut him off, his fingers tightening around Jose’s throat. He pinned the wiry man to the wall. The monk clawed at him, struggling to break free.

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He couldn’t kill Jose here, with so many witnesses.

But he would kill him.

Calisto leaned in close to his ear and growled, “I will find you, Jose. I will hunt you down and slaughter you. No one will ever find your body and the women will never know. This is not a threat, it is my solemn vow.”

He freed Jose from his grip, watching the other man cough as the color returned to his skin.

“You think it will be so easy to rid yourself of me?” Jose rasped, gasping for air.

A cold, deadly smile pulled at Calisto’s mouth. “Yes.” Calisto spun around and made his way back to their table. He was finished listening to the madman from the Fraternidad. He needed to get Kate out of there, now. He could deal with Jose once he knew she was out of harm’s reach.

“Thank you for your company tonight, Bettina,” Calisto offered Kate his hand. “Forgive me, but I have some pressing business to attend to, and we really must be going.” Kate took his hand and stood, sliding her arms into her coat when Calisto held it up for her. “Goodnight Betty. Please let Jose know that we enjoyed his company.”

Before she could say anything else, Calisto led her away. He considered warning Betty about Jose, but harming her would get him no closer to immortality. His assistant wasn’t the monk’s target. The woman on his arm was.

And he needed to get her as far away as possible.

Once they were outside, Kate tugged at his hand. “Calisto, stop.” She steadied herself, catching her breath. “What’s going on?” He scanned the parking lot for Jose. “We need to talk. But not here. Far away from here.”

“Is this about the doctor appointment today?” His heart pounded with urgency. Jose’s scent still lingered on the night wind.

“Yes, we do need to talk about that. I am concerned about you, for many reasons.”

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She smiled and stepped closer. “I know. I’m sorry I made you wait, but it’s not something I wanted to drop in your lap right before dinner. Come on, let’s go home. We can walk on the beach and talk.”

§

The monsignor wrung his gnarled, spotted hands in front of the fire. He never got warm enough anymore. His joints ached with arthritis, and his muscles felt atrophied after so many hours on his knees in prayer.

But prayer remained essential, especially now.

Something had gone wrong with Brother Mentigo in America.

He wasn’t sure what happened just yet, but he would find out personally. He couldn’t in good conscience send another young monk to his death.

This time, he would make the journey himself, and if his day came to meet the Lord, let it be while protecting the world from the threat of another blood-drinker.

But he hoped it would not come to that. He hoped once he arrived in San Diego, he would find Brother Mentigo alive and well, and all of the suspicion around his disappearance would be a mistake.

He hadn’t received a message of any kind from Brother Mentigo in over three weeks. The monsignor contacted the Mission de Alcala and found that they hadn’t seen or heard from him either. His apartment stood empty, as if he simply vanished. Or he was dead. But until they had confirmation of the monk’s passing, the monsignor chose to hope for the best.

“How many more must die, Juan?”

The monsignor smiled, hearing the familiar shuffling of feet and the rhythmic thud of a cane. He turned to see his old friend Father Doñas standing in the open archway that led into his chamber.

The ailing monk had acted as the leader of the Fraternidad del Fuego Santo for nearly forty years until ten years ago, when his failing health forced him to give up some of his responsibilities. They had been friends for decades, and Father Doñas was probably the only person left in this world who still called the monsignor by his first name.

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“Has word of my trip to America already reached you?”

“It has,” Father Doñas said, toddling closer. “And I have come to talk you out of going.”

“Then you wasted your time. This is something I must do.”

“You realize that he is probably already dead. Brother Mentigo was often a slave to his own pride. He may have gotten too close to the Night Walker and paid for his arrogance with his life. Nothing you do now can bring him back.”

“That may be true, but I won’t send another monk from our Fraternidad to die for this cause.”

“That is the first bit of wisdom to leave your lips, Juan.” Father Doñas sat in a bare wooden chair against the wall. “The years have proven that we cannot control the Night Walker. Maybe it is not our place to do so.”

“Are you suggesting we simply turn the other cheek and knowingly allow him to unleash another abomination into the world?”

“I am suggesting that if it is meant to be, then we have no power to change it.”

“So we let Satan’s minions take over the night without trying to stop them?”

Father Doñas sighed. “You know the old story as well as I do, Juan. We both know he was one of us. How can you be so certain that he now serves Satan?”

The monsignor shook his head in frustration. “Our Lord would never condone feeding on the blood of his children so that one man can achieve immortal life. He kills to live.”

“As do the lions and wolves, and yet they are still creatures of God.”

“But they do not answer to sin as we do.” Father Doñas shrugged. “And the Night Walker is no longer one of us. Who are we to say his race is ruled by Satan? Perhaps our Lord has a greater plan in store that we cannot see, my friend. We have done all that we can in this matter. The rest should remain in God’s hands.”

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The monsignor shook his head, jaw tight with frustration. “I will not waste any more time debating this with you, Father. Until I know that I have done all I can to prevent this evil from spreading, I refuse to sit back and simply watch it happen.” He brushed by the elder priest. “I will be in America in the morning.”
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Chapter Twenty-Three

The sea breeze blew through Kate’s hair as they walked together hand in hand. Seeing the waves washing up and pooling around her ankles made the danger that loomed around them seem miles away.

Gradually, the thick mist of the marine layer enclosed them in its heavy embrace, and Calisto could wait no longer.

In a few hours the sun would rise and he would be powerless to protect her. The more he pondered his options, the more his rage and bitterness smoldered. Fate was cruel to allow them to find one another again, only to back him into a corner that left him no happy endings.

He needed to get Kate to safety, somewhere far from Jose, before the sun came up. She wouldn’t want to go, but somehow he had to convince her. And time was running out.

“We need to talk, Kate.”

“I know.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I knew we wouldn’t have time to discuss it before dinner.”

“Is it serious? Are you sick?”

“No nothing like that. But it was a shock. It
is
a shock.” Calisto stopped walking and pulled her close, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. “Just tell me.”

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“I’m pregnant.”

His strength drained from his legs and for a moment, Calisto wasn’t sure he could stay on his feet. Kate was with child just as Tala had been before she was murdered.

It was happening all over again.

But this couldn’t be his child. Not this time. When he gave up his humanity he also gave up his ability to reproduce as a mortal man.

Perhaps this was her one chance, a slight change in her destiny.

Then he realized what he had to do. In order to save her, he would have to hurt her.

The situation spiraled out of his control. He needed to get Kate as far away as possible while he hunted Jose. With the threat behind him, he could find her again.

Kate might hate him, but she and her child would live. He didn’t want to do this, but he had no other option. “This child you are carrying. It is not mine.”

She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I wish it was.

But we could raise it together. Tom doesn’t have to know. We haven’t talked about having a family, but I love you. We can make this work.”

“I am sorry, Kate. This is asking too much.” Her eyes welled with tears, and Calisto struggled to keep himself from pulling her into his arms. He would rather walk into the sun than be forced to see her hurt.

“You should go to him,” he whispered. “You deserve a family.”

“I can’t go back there and pretend none of this happened. Please don’t do this.” A tear spilled down her cheek.

Each one of her tears burned him worse than acid. Instead of walking away from him, she reached up to caress his cool cheek, making it almost impossible for him to continue. But he had to.

Let her live long enough to hate him.

Her eyes searched his and he fought the unbearable urge to hold her in his arms and comfort her. “Do not make this harder than it already is.”

“I don’t understand.” Her voice wavered, and he steeled his heart, reminding himself that he couldn’t allow history to repeat itself. “How
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can you just send me away like this? I don’t care who the biological father is. I love you, Calisto. You can be the father of my child.” Dear God, how her words ripped at his soul. The pleading in her gaze made him loathe himself even further, especially when he lied to her. “I do not want to be the father of your child. My life has no room for a family.” He bit back the emotions that churned inside of him.

“So we make room.” She dropped her hand away from his face.

Calisto’s jaw clenched. “I am truly sorry, Kate. I love you, but you should do what is best for your baby.”

“And you think running back to Tom is best?” She wiped at her tears, her cheeks flushing with color. “I can’t turn my feelings on and off like you.”

“My feelings have not changed, but the situation has.” He sighed and turned to lead her back toward the house.

But she didn’t move. Instead, she stood her ground, staring up at him in disbelief. “So this amazing connection we had, it was all a lie?” He stared out at the ocean. “No. But it
is
over.” He didn’t want to think about Kate with another man, touching her, hearing her laugh, seeing her smile, but he saw no other way to keep her safe. The sun would rise soon, Jose would come for her, and he would be unable to protect her.