Summit at Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 3) (33 page)

Caleb attempted to brand the name into his mind while inclining his head in a gesture of respectful deference. Hakizimana seemed impressed by that, and the edges of his mouth upturned slightly.

Caleb viewed the growing darkness as an ominous blanket around him, and he had trouble clearly seeing the vampire’s expression. He warily surveyed the area as if half-expecting a contingent of other vampires to appear out of nowhere.

“We are alone...for now,” Hakizimana offered. “What can you tell me about the status of the conference, Caleb?” he asked with an authoritative tone.

Though Katrina had been kind enough to discuss the meetings in general terms, Caleb had very little specific information from the meetings. However, he understood that both she and Alton were suspicious of the motives of some of those in attendance, and the tone of the proceedings seemed less than fruitful. Despite his own growing reticence about the conference, he paused to consider what might be prudent to reveal.

“Well, it hasn’t exactly been successful,” he hinted.

That seemed to please the tall vampire, who smiled enough to display pearly white teeth for the first time.

“I thought as much,” he replied. “Alton Rutherford is far too presumptuous concerning his personal projects.”

“Even though I’m anxious for it to be over, I somehow don’t get the impression that failure is a good thing in this case,” he reasoned.

“Oh?” prompted Hakizimana.

“Well,” Caleb began, “Alton’s agenda may not be the one you need to be concerned about.”

Mara orbited around Caleb to gaze into his eyes, while Hakizimana moved closer towards him. He tried to remain calm, but nevertheless tensed from the rapt attention suddenly being paid to him.

“What do you mean by that?” Hakizimana asked.

Caleb swallowed, deciding,
In for a penny, down for a pound
. He shifted in his stance slightly so that both vampires were in front of him.

“There’s a vampire named Baldar Dubravko, you see. And between him and another vampire named Dominic Ambrogio-”

“We already know of them,” Mara interrupted.

Hakizimana held up his hand to silence her then nodded for Caleb to continue.

Caleb’s eyes darted between the faces of the two vampires before him, but settled upon Hakizimana. He hoped the sincerity of his next statements would ring true to him.

“They seem to be doing everything possible to disrupt the conference and its attendees,” he explained. “It’s as if they’re quite satisfied that things aren’t going well.”

“So?” Mara challenged.

“Well, I’ve been watching them,” Caleb ventured. “And though I can’t say for certain yet, it does seem as if they’re up to something. I’m fairly certain that I almost suffocated to death in a vault just from demonstrating an overt interest in them.”

Hakizimana’s brows furrowed.

But Mara scoffed and urged, “You’re just speculating in generalities, human. Hazi, we’re wasting time. Let me drain this one, and I’ll still have time to check things out for myself.”

Caleb’s pulse surged, and he nervously eyed the woman. Perhaps he had been hasty thinking that she had taken a liking to him at all.

“Wait,” Hakizimana ordered.

His yellow eyes bore into Caleb’s despite the darkness. “What is it that you think they’re up to, exactly?”

Mara shook her head and settled her hands on her hips.

Caleb couldn’t help thinking that this was his all-or-nothing gamble for either redemption or doom. He silently deliberated over everything that he had acquired from his own observations, coupled with anything Katrina or Paige had said to him. Then he replayed all the ponderings that he had contemplated during his numerous hours of boredom.

Finally, he shrugged and tried sounding as innocent as possible, “Well, if they’re so adamant against the conference, maybe that doesn’t just indicate disinterest in the proposal. What if the conference’s failure removes an impediment to another competing interest? And if Alton’s proposal is open and voluntary to anyone who wishes to join, what form of alternative or counter-agenda does that open the door for? Maybe nothing. Or maybe something that’s oppressive and less voluntary in nature.”

Mara blankly stared at Caleb, while Hakizimana thoughtfully tapped his chin with a fingertip. Seconds felt like hours as Caleb stood helplessly before the two vampires, wondering if his life were about to end.

I should’ve just run like hell for the conference center
, he belatedly determined.

Eventually, Hakizimana sagely nodded his head.

“An interesting possibility. Granted, it’s a great deal of speculation, but it’s worth considering.”

Caleb felt cautiously hopeful for the first time that evening. Then something else occurred to him.

“Um, if you don’t mind me asking, why don’t you infiltrate the conference and find out for yourself?”

Mara groaned. “What do you think I was trying to do when you saw me?”

“No,” Caleb countered, “I mean, from the inside.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Hakizimana asked.

“Easy,” he explained. “Just attend the conference.”

Mara stared at the tall vampire next to her. The dark-featured man’s eyes widened with some surprise.

“You have a gift for guile, for a human,” he observed. “As if Alton’s going to just invite me in, much less Katrina, who I’m sure won’t be very pleased to see me.”

Caleb admitted the logic of his statement. It was time for another gamble.

“Okay, point taken. But what if I could guarantee your safe admission to the conference?”

“And precisely what is your method of guarantee?” Mara demanded.

“Me,” he offered. “I’ll personally guarantee your safe consultation with Alton about this. My life for my word.”

“We could take your life now,” she flatly ventured.

Caleb contained a shiver at her cold tone and countered, “Yes, but it won’t get you admission into the conference if you kill me now.”

Hakizimana chuckled. “Well played, young man. Perhaps we’ll consider your boon.”

Caleb optimistically regarded the tall vampire.

“Any other bargaining chips up your sleeve?” Mara inquired.

He grinned. “Well, maybe…”

*    *    *    *

Paige strolled outside among the flowerbeds at the front of the conference center, appreciating the cool evening breeze. The shuttle bus pulled up before the hotel entrance with returning guests who had taken an earlier journey into town. She peered up at the partial moon in the sky and inhaled the fragrance of the nearby flowers. She also detected the telltale scent of a certain aftershave.

“Lovely night for a stroll,” Ethan offered, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Devoid of doctor’s coat and stethoscope, he looked like a tourist in his casual slacks and collared shirt.

She looked up at him. “Sure, if you like that whole romantic walk in the park sort of thing.”

“You don’t?” he asked with some surprise.

“I never said that,” she demurred.

Her radio suddenly crackled to life with the voice of a tense security guard. “Captain Turner to the west exterior side of the conference center immediately! We’ve got visitors.”

Paige and Ethan moved like a blur as they raced to the other side of the facility.

When they arrived on the scene, four vampire security guards were pointing submachine guns at Caleb and two other vampires whom Paige didn’t recognize. She sensed his anxiety and immediately noticed that his left hand had been recently injured. Her concern for him was quickly superseded by building anger directed towards the two vampires flanking him whose appearance matched his descriptions of the two vampires who had confronted him in Katrina’s backyard, as well as the woman at the Italian restaurant.

“Who are you, and what have you done to Caleb?” Paige demanded. She sensed Ethan’s solid presence beside her.

“It’s okay, Paige,” Caleb reassured her. “It was an accident.”

“We’re here under a flag of truce. We merely need to speak with Alton,” Hakizimana calmly explained.

“If that’s true, then let the young man come over here,” Paige negotiated.

Mara moved closer behind Caleb, gripping the top of his left shoulder in her hand and firmly squeezing.

“Um, I’m kind of guaranteeing their safety,” Caleb tensely countered.

Paige growled, and Mara’s grip immediately lessened, resulting in a sense of relief on Caleb’s face.

“Get Alton out here now,” Paige commanded into her radio, knowing that if Alton came, so would Katrina.

Minutes later, Caleb watched as two figures virtually materialized out of the darkness to stand to the right of Paige. Alton maintained a neutral expression, while Katrina’s was virtually livid, her emerald eyes brightly lit. Between her visage and her red hair shifting in the evening breeze, she looked liked a beautiful demon from hell ready to unleash both fury and brimstone on those around her, and Caleb shivered slightly.

Mara’s eyes widened as she sensed the tension in his body, and she readjusted to a more aggressive stance.

“You rang, Hakizimana?” Alton quipped as he soberly studied the tall vampire.

The tall vampire inclined his head in greeting. “Alton Rutherford, I’ve come to request admittance to your conference.”

Alton’s eyebrows curiously rose. “I see. And what, may I ask, caused you to reconsider my offer of nearly a year ago? An offer you pointedly rejected twice, as I recall.”

“Remarkably, this young man,” the yellow-eyed vampire matter-of-factly replied.

“Really?” Alton incredulously challenged.

Katrina appeared astonished, but said nothing.

“Well, kiddo’s just full of surprises,” Paige whispered.

Alton dismissed the gun-wielding vampires around him with a wave of his hand. They looked at Paige for confirmation, and she curtly assented.

The four vampires shouldered their weapons and quietly slipped back into the night.

“And what, exactly, did Caleb say that piqued your interest?” Katrina demanded. She was quite unhappy to see Mara’s hand on her mate’s shoulder and even more displeased to see his wounded hand and arm. The scent of his blood played in the air between them with each passing breeze.

Hakizimana appeared circumspect for a moment. “He shared some compelling arguments concerning the
best interests
of those in attendance. And then, of course, there were other perks.”

“Perks?” Alton pressed.

“Um, I may have mentioned that we could comp them for their suites,” Caleb spoke up. “Perhaps one of the larger suites?” he tentatively added.

Paige groaned and tightly pinched the bridge of her nose between the fingers of one hand. Katrina rolled her eyes, and Ethan artfully stifled a laugh.

“I think we can arrange something,” Alton diplomatically offered. “You’re welcome to attend the conference, of course. You may be surprised to discover that I actually appreciate your participation.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Hakizimana offered with a slight inclination of his head.

“Are there just the two of you?” Paige guardedly inquired.

“Just Mara and I,” Hakizimana replied. “However, I represent a number of other interested parties,” he added.

“How many?” Katrina asked.

“Close to three dozen, including the two of us,” the tall vampire replied.

Alton was immediately intrigued, and he shot a meaningful glance to Katrina.

“Excellent,” he replied in a self-satisfied tone.

Katrina regarded him suspiciously, but quickly refocused her attention back on Caleb.

“And what of my mate?” she demanded with narrowed eyes.

“Naturally, I remand him back into your custody,” Hakizimana offered, at which Mara released her grip on Caleb’s shoulder.

Katrina crooked her finger at Caleb and wiggled it in a slow, beckoning fashion as she glared at him with a penetrating stare.

He swallowed hard, fleetingly wondering if he didn’t feel more comfortable in Mara’s grasp. Nevertheless, he moved away from the two vampires to within a few feet of Katrina.

“Perhaps we should arrange for your accommodations,” Alton politely suggested to the two visitors with a gesture of his hand towards the conference center.

Hakizimana inclined his head in a gracious manner, and he and Mara followed Alton. Paige cast a curious, yet concerned, glance at Caleb before turning to fall in behind the trio. Ethan quickly surveyed Katrina’s displeased features and looked at Caleb with concern.

“Let’s have a look at those abrasions, Caleb,” he reassuringly suggested and moved towards the young man.

Katrina held up her left hand, insisting, “I think that I’ve got this. Thank you for your concern, Doctor.”

Ethan looked at Caleb, who shrugged.

“Thanks, Doc,” he replied. “But don’t wander too far,” he sheepishly quipped. “I just might need you later by the look of things.”

Katrina cast him a withering expression, though his comment elicited an amused smile from Ethan.

“I’m always a mere call away,” he politely affirmed and turned to walk back towards the conference center.

“Very funny,” Katrina remarked, somewhat relieved that her mate’s sense of humor had returned. “Let me see your arm,” she insisted, reaching out to him.

He stepped forward, extending his left arm to her.

She observed him in a stern manner that might chill a simmering volcano, but gently held his arm in her soft hands as she scrutinized his abrasions.

“Let’s go back to the room, and I’ll seal these,” she suggested.

He nodded with resignation and fell into step beside her as they walked to the hotel. While there was no denying that he was happy to be back safely at the conference site, he was nonetheless concerned about Katrina’s mood.

“I thought I was trying to help, but as with everything lately, all that I managed to do is make you angry,” he lamented.

She looked at the man who had captured her heart, draping one arm around his waist as they walked.

“I realize that you mean well, my love,” she conceded. “You’re so young and full of adventure, but there are moments when you lack the wisdom to make sound decisions. It’s a burden of youth, I’m afraid, and something that will develop with time.”