Summit at Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 3) (25 page)

Well, it was a long time ago, but the memories are still new to me
, he reflected.

When Katrina finally returned to the suite, it was nearly ten o’clock. She attentively evaluated his condition with a pained expression. It hurt her each time her thoughts contemplated the beating he had endured at the hands of the renegade local officials. While a simmering anger still persisted, she managed to keep it in check with increasing effectiveness.

Having been cooped up in the room all day, Caleb was quite interested in the conference events. He quickly sensed his mate’s disdain for the affair and tried not to delve too deeply into matters. Still, he was left with the definite impression that things weren’t going well.

“I really don’t know how we’re going to improve the tone, much less appeal to any sense of logic among the participants,” she noted with resignation.

“We’re?” he pressed. “I thought you really didn’t want anything to do with it?”

“I didn’t, at first,” she replied. “But now it’s starting to feel personal. Alton’s trying his best, but even his diplomatic and political skills are starting to look strained.”

“So? You can always say that you tried, right?” he said.

“I’m going to do more than try,” she assertively remarked. “So far I’ve tried to stay on the sidelines, hoping that things might wrap up quickly. But instead, things are dragging along at a snail’s pace with each and every objection. So now, I’m giving it my all, right alongside Alton. We’re planning to strategize some more early tomorrow morning before the group reconvenes.”

“They sound like a paranoid bunch,” he observed.

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I’m beginning to feel there’s much more to it than just paranoia. The anti-collaboration faction, they have their own agenda, I think. It’s like they’re waiting for this to fail miserably, so they can proceed with something else. Somehow, I can’t help feeling like Baldar Dubravko’s steering the group.”

“I knew it, Kat,” he remarked with an intent expression. “If Dori and I can just –”

Her gaze fell hard upon him, practically pinning him to the chair where he sat.

“Stop,” she ordered in a flat voice. “You’re not doing anything, my love, except recovering. Why can’t you just relax and enjoy the conference like the other companions?”

“But I can help,” he insisted. “Dori and I think –”

“Enough,” she commanded in an uncharacteristic manner. “I don’t want to hear another word, Caleb. Alton and I are well-equipped to handle this, thank you. Besides, you and Dori aren’t to leave the conference site without me or Alton.”

“That’s not fair, Kat,” he retorted while rising from the couch to pace the floor. “We’re not children.”

“Perhaps not,” she conceded.

She covered the distance between them in a second to stand before him and reached out to grasp him gently by the shoulders and stare down into his pale blue eyes.

“But recent events are unsettling, to say the least, and I don’t want to see you in anymore trouble. I can’t bear to see you get injured again...or worse.”

He frowned, not quite certain if she meant his own behavior was unsettling, or just that of the local authorities.

“I’m not a troublemaker,” he quietly stated while looking away from her.

She used one hand to turn his face back towards hers, staring into his eyes in a penetrating fashion. Her predatory visage bore into him, and she whispered, “You are a troublemaker, but I’m confident I can fix that.”

He started to say something, but was silenced by her soft lips pressing against his as her palm cupped the base of his neck. Despite his sore lip, he immediately responded to her passionate kiss, forgetting his objections entirely.

Gone was the angst over their conversation, replaced only by his desire to be loved and wanted and embraced. His arms slipped around her waist as her kisses continued, and he hungrily pressed his sore lips to hers.

She relished their intimate contact, but pulled her lips from his long enough to resolutely stare back into his eyes.

“You’ll remain on conference grounds for the time being.”

He started to assert himself, but she quickly kissed him on the lips again.

“Promise me,” she persisted as she pulled away from the kiss.

“For now,” he quietly acquiesced. In his mind, he wasn’t giving in so much as diplomatically conceding to a respite.

It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was the best she could hope for at the moment.

“Trouble with a capital ‘T,’“ she mildly chastised. “Come here, Mr. Trouble,” she added, gently slipping her arm around his waist and guiding him towards the bedroom.

Despite his achy and sore condition, he managed to slip from his clothes, and they lovingly shared each other’s bodies for the first time since their arrival in Slovenia. Their shared passion was tender, and each thoroughly enjoyed the companionship of the other. Then time stood still, at least for a few hours.

*    *    *    *

The next day, Caleb felt the cold stares of some of the other guests while making his way to the restaurant for breakfast. Fortunately, he was too sore and tired to care. Local investigators appointed by the mayor and police commissioner arrived after breakfast to interview both him and Dori. Much to their surprise, Alton attended Dori’s interview, while Katrina was present for his.

To Dori’s and Caleb’s surprise, both Katrina and Alton encouraged them to be forthcoming with any information, save for their suspicions involving Baldar Dubravko. As for the storage building incident, both firmly held to the suggestion that the building had been broken into prior to their arrival, and they were merely curious. It was their position that they intended to notify someone, but the lieutenant and his officer showed up to engage them hostilely without provocation before they could explain, which was partly true, at least.

The only downside to the interview was the way that Katrina’s intense stare penetrated into Caleb’s eyes when she sensed the subtle change in his story involving the storage building’s breach. However, she said nothing either during or after the interview.

In truth, he had already disclosed the entire story to Katrina beforehand, so it wasn’t as if he were hiding anything from her. Still, it was unnerving to realize that he was being closely evaluated by her. Despite that, the investigators gave no indication of perceived doubt or suspicion, so he felt comfortable with his responses in the end.

Alton later informed Caleb, Dori, and Katrina that the investigators weren’t getting a great deal of cooperation from the surviving officer who had attacked Dori, though Alton didn’t mention where he had acquired that inside information. He suggested that the incident could erupt in unpopular media coverage, possibly generating an international buzz, which wasn’t in Slovenia’s best interests. He conveyed his suspicions that the case would be handled internally in the department, though Caleb was inwardly surprised that the story hadn’t leaked out to at least a local news source yet.

The focus quickly fell upon the conference again, and both Katrina and Alton returned their attentions to vampire politics and subsequent debates. However, Dori and Caleb’s attentions weren’t so easily diverted, and the two met in Alton’s suite to discuss matters further.

“Time to refocus on our objective,” Dori said. “Dubravko’s worth watching.”

“We’re stuck here for a while, you know,” Caleb lamented. “All he has to do is leave the site, and we’re in the dark.”

He stretched his body’s lean muscles, experiencing a series of aches and pains for his effort. While Katrina’s blood had significantly healed his wounds, a great deal of recuperation still remained.

“Dubravko stays in the hotel for the most part, you know,” she observed. “Besides, we still have to follow up on the storage building connection. There has to be something of interest in or around the area.”

“And just how do we do that?” he asked.

“There’s more to the process of investigation than skulking around the forest, Caleb.”

“Who are you? Nancy Drew?”

It wasn’t the first time he wondered about the woman’s background, about which she had been cagey at best.

“Quaint reference, but no,” she replied. “I have some additional venues of investigation that I’ll follow up with. In the meantime, why don’t you keep an eye on Dubravko’s activities on-site?”

He stared at her in bland fashion. “Have you ever tried to sneak up on a vampire?”

She shook her head slightly and rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Caleb. And to think I once said you were quick-witted. Loiter in the lobby until he leaves the conference sessions, and discreetly observe him from a distance. It’s not like you’re not expected to be relegated to the conference property. Everyone knows you’re grounded.”

“Bad analogy, Dori,” he said with a withering expression.

“Sorry,” she quickly apologized. “Listen, just maintain a low profile and observe. There’s no crime there, and it may reveal something tangible to follow up on.”

“Well,” he conceded, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to camp out in the lobby for a time. Perhaps catch up on my reading?”

“Good idea,” Dori agreed.

However, he was suspicious over the ease with which she had directed him. Somehow he had the impression that she had the more interesting angle to delve into, while he was relegated to nothing short of a child’s errand.

“I’ll let you know when I uncover anything,” she offered. “You do the same.”

Caleb spent the next two days sitting in the lobby reading novels, magazines, or idly passing time on his notebook computer. When not enjoying one of the comfortable chairs or couches, he would perch on a stool at one of the bistro tables placed just outside the lobby restaurant. Fortunately, the bar staff would serve food and drinks there, even outside of the dining room’s normal operating hours. And it was fairly scenic because he could appreciate the view of the grounds through the large floor-to-ceiling sections of coated glass that framed the perimeter of the lobby.

On the afternoon of the first day, Ethan, Aiden, and Maddy each briefly stopped by to visit and ask how he was feeling. However, most people gave Caleb a large berth, often completely ignoring him. That evening, Dubravko exited the conference and went directly to the security office carrying his telltale leather briefcase. Soon afterwards, Katrina and Alton appeared and accompanied him and Dori to dinner, idly watching them eat while chatting.

The next day, Caleb woke early enough to escort Katrina to the lobby, where he lingered long enough to notice Dubravko exit the elevator with Major Pietari before heading down the hallway leading to the conference room. By late afternoon, the conference let out early as Caleb dozed on the couch with a novel laid across this lap. He jolted awake in time to see Dubravko and Dominic Ambrogio enter the elevator and proceed to the upper floors.

Thinking he had gleaned nothing of value, he started to take a walk outside, but then halted upon realizing that he had missed something. For some reason, Dubravko hadn’t been carrying his briefcase. He walked back into the lobby just in time to see Major Pietari carrying Dubravko’s distinctive briefcase into the elevator. He watched as the car descended to lower level one, the basement area.

Why is Dubravko the only vampire carrying around a briefcase? Perhaps he hauls around a lot of cash with him wherever he goes?

“Whatcha up to, kiddo?” Paige asked seemingly out of nowhere.

Caleb lurched with surprise, and his head whipped around. “Geez, Paige!”

Her eyes immediately narrowed. “So, like I asked, whatcha doin’?”

You’re up to something, my little friend.

“Oh, just hanging around,” he evasively replied while glancing outside. “Not like I’m going anywhere interesting, you know.”

“Hmmm. Yeah, so I’ve noticed. In fact, I’ve been observing you for the past two days, in between the major’s endless errands, of course. Anyway, it seems like you’ve spent a good deal of your time just sitting around.”

“Just healing,” he replied. “Doctor’s orders, after all.”

“Uh-huh. Let’s chat,” she suggested while wrapping one of her petite arms around his waist and leading him across the lobby in the direction of a small, unused conference room on the other side of the building.

“You look good in a blazer, by the way.”

“Whatever,” she chimed, refusing to be distracted.

She ushered him into the small conference room and shut the door behind them.

“Okay, spill,” she insisted as her bright blue eyes penetrated into his.

“Spill what?” he innocently asked, even as his heartbeat increased slightly.

“What you’re doing hanging around the lobby. You’re waiting for something, or watching someone.”

“Aw, come on,” he irritably countered. “I’m not bothering anybody.”

“Stop spying on Dubravko,” she flatly stated. “You’re just going to piss him off, and that’ll make things harder on Alton and Katrina.”

He silently stared back at her.

How the hell did she know?

“Look, behind all this cute, playful exterior is a competent vampire,” she chastised. “I’m actually
good
at what I do, kiddo.”

He folded his arms before him, shaking his head slightly.

“I’ve never implied otherwise,” he countered. “But if you’re that good, then tell me what the major’s doing with Dubravko’s pet briefcase.”

She blankly stared at him for a moment as she considered his request.

Briefcase?
she wondered.

“Um, I dunno...let’s think about that. Oh yeah, the major is in charge of security. So, it’s likely containing valuables and needs to be secured. Hell, for all I know, the paranoid weasel probably keeps his secret ‘usurp-the-conference-plan’ in it or something.”

The Croatian jerk’s a pain in the ass, that’s for sure
.

“Somebody sounds kind of angsty. Maybe you need to cut down on the caffeine a little,” he quipped with a playful shake of his finger.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Don’t push my buttons, punching bag boy.”

He returned a bland, less-than-amused expression.