Vampire Instinct (29 page)
Authors: Joey W Hill
Tags: #Vampires, #Horror, #Paranormal, #General, #Romance, #Fantasy, #Erotic Fiction, #Erotica, #Fiction, #Occult & Supernatural
In her physical body, Elisa closed her hands into knots of painful joy as Matthew snuck up on Jeremiah and splashed him, starting off a substantial water fight. The three sent sheets of water spattering at one another, then chased one another up and down the banks like squirrels. Whenever they paused, one might submerge entirely, just to marvel at how they could walk beneath the water’s surface without floating. Then they were off and running again.
Thought you’d like to see that. Need to close down now. A little tough holding this open for a second-mark.
Yes, of course . . . Thank you, Mal. Thank you so much.
Realizing it was the first time she’d called him by his given name without prompting, she hastily added the honorific.
Sir.
Sir.
His inner smile was like the touch of sunlight on her hair, and then that tunnel went dark again. But she still felt surrounded by his awareness of her, even though he was not within sight. It made her smile, too.
Tokala was giving her a look, and she cleared her throat, explained what she’d been seeing. The Indian grunted, but his eyes danced. “They’re at the water hole, three miles from here. I expect if I’d had the chance to see that, my eyes would be sparkling like blue flowers, too. And my cheeks would be all rosy from blushing.”
“Oh, shut it.”
He laughed at her then, offered her another biscuit. She played a few hands of poker with him, betting the last of the biscuits, and then decided she’d gather up some of the wildflowers to put in vases in the house, since there were some varieties here that weren’t readily accessible in the yard. She found a bucket in the back of the Jeep, a stream within sight to fill it with water and keep the wildflowers fresh. She usually carried a penknife with her, as there was often a need for such a thing for a stray thread or other trifles, such as flower cutting.
Tokala stretched out on the hood, his long form easy in the pose, one knee crooked up as he kept an eye on her and watched the stars. Enjoying their companionable silence, she moved slowly through the long grasses, considering her choices. She realized she was almost happy tonight. It gave her a sharp pang, thinking of Willis dead in that barn, and her happy here.
Don’t matter if the sun shines for me or not, girl. Long as you’re smiling.
She blinked back the tears, remembering he’d said that to her, one morning when she’d complained it was overcast. It wasn’t that she didn’t miss him. Things were just going better now with the fledglings. The weight of worry she carried on her heart about their future seemed to be lessening, as if Mal was shouldering some of it in truth. He wouldn’t be going to these lengths if he truly believed they were a lost cause, right?
She chided herself. That man was so thorough, even if he thought the fledglings were beyond hope, he’d want to make good and sure of it. But oh, how could anyone with a heart and soul feel that way, seeing them playing in the water like that? Monsters didn’t have water fights, didn’t have the beginnings of laughter on their faces, experiencing it as if for the very first time. In truth, they might not remember the last time they laughed, or if they’d ever laughed at all.
“Bugger.”
Her bucket bobbled on her arm as her ankle twisted abruptly in a soft depression. When she yelped, she lost hold of her penknife. “Oh,
bother
.” She knew the sharp jab of pain that heralded a sprain. And damnation, even with the second-mark accelerated healing, if it was a bad one, she’d be hobbling at least until sometime tomorrow. Only third-marks healed within minutes, and sometimes they needed the Master’s blood to do it. Vampire blood didn’t do that much to accelerate second-mark healing; otherwise, this would be a gift instead of a pain in the arse, because it was a perfect excuse to get close to Mal’s tempting throat.
Her bucket bobbled on her arm as her ankle twisted abruptly in a soft depression. When she yelped, she lost hold of her penknife. “Oh,
bother
.” She knew the sharp jab of pain that heralded a sprain. And damnation, even with the second-mark accelerated healing, if it was a bad one, she’d be hobbling at least until sometime tomorrow. Only third-marks healed within minutes, and sometimes they needed the Master’s blood to do it. Vampire blood didn’t do that much to accelerate second-mark healing; otherwise, this would be a gift instead of a pain in the arse, because it was a perfect excuse to get close to Mal’s tempting throat.
Tokala sat up quickly at her cry, but she waved at him. “Just turned my ankle, is all. Clumsy. Let me get these last purple ones, and then I’ll come that way.”
Moving to the edge of the hood, he propped his boots on the bumper and gave her a grin, spitting out the wad of grass he’d been chewing. “Won’t get you out of cleaning and cooking. Kohana’ll say you did it on purpose and figure out things much worse you can do sitting down.”
She chuckled. Three days ago, Kohana wouldn’t have let her do anything if she hadn’t insisted, but now he was starting to welcome her help. It made her feel good, another thing that added to her happiness quotient. It really was remarkable. It’d been so long since she actually felt . . . good. Willis wouldn’t begrudge her feeling better. He’d cross his arms and say, “’Bout time, girl. Been wallowing long enough.” Then he’d give her that wink. She’d swat at him and he’d pull her over to rub his whiskers against her cheek until she was helplessly giggling and pushing him away.
Ah, blimey, she
was
moving like a hobbled horse, limping her way to that last clutch of flowers. Maybe she’d ask Tokala to come cut them for her. She could sit here for a minute and—
was
moving like a hobbled horse, limping her way to that last clutch of flowers. Maybe she’d ask Tokala to come cut them for her. She could sit here for a minute and—
She’d kept her senses wide-open, so if Mal contacted her again, she’d have her engine running and foot on the gas pedal, so to speak. But she also found she really liked taking in so much more of what was happening around her. The sigh of the wind, the various smells of flowers, the way the long grasses felt, brushing her hips. However, now those senses gave her something else. An imminent sense of danger.
When she spun, the animal smell hit her, strong and immediate, as well as the huffing breath, the rumble of a growl in a deep, wide chest. Her bones liquefied into pure terror as she saw the lion charging toward her. That rumble was because he was closing in for a kill, his amber eyes so intent, his mane a swirling riot of rust color around the smooth face. The second mark gave her every vivid detail, amplified by her absolute certainty that her life was about to end.
It was so sudden, she had no time to think or act. Her heart caught in her throat as the creature leaped, its powerful haunches propelling him up and out, his speed mesmerizing. Almost as mesmerizing as the vampire who hit him midbody.
The lion’s roar was a deafening explosion of surprise, but before Elisa could draw breath, she was seized in hard hands that flung her painfully over a shoulder. A jolting run across the ground; then she was dumped into the Jeep’s backseat. Tokala slammed the door closed, then ran a few yards from the Jeep, bringing the rifle to his shoulder.
Elisa scrambled up to the open window, a cry catching in her throat. The grasses were a tornado of motion as the two beings struggled. There was a flash as they surfaced, and she saw Mal grappling with the lion, then ducking under the swipe of a paw, avoiding wide, fang-filled jaws that could have crunched down on her skull like shellfish. The lion had more than one set of claws, however, and as they rolled, the powerful back legs raked, tearing open the jeans and flesh covering Mal’s left leg. A geyser of blood erupted and Elisa cried out.
“Mal.”
Tokala fired into the air. It might have worked if the creature didn’t have blood in his nose, but he was as gripped in bloodlust as one of the fledglings. As fast as they were grappling, the Indian had no clear shot, though Elisa knew he could shoot through the vampire if needed, since a bullet wouldn’t kill Mal. She wondered why he didn’t, shouted in panic at Tokala to take the shot, and then realized Mal wouldn’t want the lion harmed unless absolutely necessary.
Tokala cursed and leaped forward. As Elisa watched in amazement, he darted in, seized the lion’s tail and twisted it, hard. At the same time, he yanked on it, using his second-mark strength to haul the lion back several feet.
By his tail
. The creature howled in pain, turned like a whipping snake.
By his tail
. The creature howled in pain, turned like a whipping snake.
“No!” But Tokala was already backpedaling and fired directly into the ground between him and the lion, spraying up dirt and grass and startling the creature. It gave Mal the moment he needed. He threw himself on the lion, pulling the beast onto his haunches and locking his fists around the maddened creature’s neck, a wrestler’s headlock.
Get her out of here.
Elisa heard the thundering command in her mind and Tokala was already in motion. She scrambled to the front, shoved open the door. Tossing the rifle in the back, Tokala slammed into the driver’s seat, turned the engine over, fishtailing the vehicle to get up the slope and back toward the service road. She twisted around in the seat in time to see Mal release the lion, thrust him away, and then the vampire was no longer there, moving out of the animal’s range faster than she could follow, despite that grievous injury.
Elisa heard the thundering command in her mind and Tokala was already in motion. She scrambled to the front, shoved open the door. Tossing the rifle in the back, Tokala slammed into the driver’s seat, turned the engine over, fishtailing the vehicle to get up the slope and back toward the service road. She twisted around in the seat in time to see Mal release the lion, thrust him away, and then the vampire was no longer there, moving out of the animal’s range faster than she could follow, despite that grievous injury.
Less than two minutes, and it was all over. As they reached the top of the hill and the road, she looked back and saw the lion at the abandoned trailer. Mal’s blood had sprayed against it, such that the beast was hitting the metal side with his body, roaring, as if he thought his prey had escaped in there. She noted he was trampling the flowers she’d dropped when Tokala had been running with her.
Her mind was pinwheeling, panicked.
Mal? Mal?
Mal? Mal?
I’m here, Irish flower. I’m well outside of Thai’s range now. He’ll calm down in a bit. I’ll meet you on that next ridge.
She glanced toward Tokala, whose face was tense, lips pressed tight. “It’s okay; they’re all right.”
He gave her a half nod, and she realized he was listening to someone else. Someone giving him what for, because he looked like he was being beaten with a tire iron sitting still.
This wasn’t his fault. Sir? Mr. Malachi?
He ignored her, making her jaw clench. How could Tokala have known the lion would come out of nowhere like that? The western section had miles of area, after all. Even Mal hadn’t expected them to be around. They’d be
indifferent
, he’d said. When they pulled up to the ridge, though, her worried irritation over that was eclipsed. Mal was sitting on the ground, that frightening tear in his jeans soaked with blood, and he was pale.
indifferent
, he’d said. When they pulled up to the ridge, though, her worried irritation over that was eclipsed. Mal was sitting on the ground, that frightening tear in his jeans soaked with blood, and he was pale.
As the Jeep slowed, Elisa was all set to jump out, but Tokala clamped down on her arm. “Wait.” He nodded, and then she saw what he did. Jeremiah, standing at the edge of the forest.
Mal managed to get to his feet, and though he didn’t look toward Jeremiah, she could tell by the set of his shoulders he was well aware of the young vampire’s proximity. Their bloodlust could be set off by violence, weakness, the smell of blood itself, and this moment was rife with all three.
However, that didn’t appear to be Mal’s primary concern. He was pure vampire now, the one who commanded all of them, his expression devoid of emotion or familiarity. Tokala got out of the Jeep to face his employer, his eyes anguished and smooth face tight.
“You want me to get my stuff and leave, I will, Mal. No excuse for it. Just plain stupid, in so many ways.”
“No.” Elisa got out, though the fact she was having to hop took some of the dignified determination away from it. “You can’t fire him. The lion came out of nowhere.”
“No, he didn’t.” Tokala turned toward her, since Mal said nothing. “I knew there were two of them wandering the preserve. I should have been keeping my senses tuned to it. They likely wouldn’t have bothered us, even if they saw us, because they’re familiar with humans, but it was your limping that drew him. Sets off a prey radar and he pretty much has to run you down. The moment you twisted your ankle I should have told you to stop where you were, not move until I scouted the area or brought the Jeep to you.”
“So you made a mistake. It happens. I’m fine. We’re all fine.” Though she’d feel far more certain of that if she could get a closer look at Mal’s leg, see if it was healing up already. Offer him blood if he needed it. She sidled, just a discreet hop, and Mal’s gaze twitched wholly onto her.
“Stay by the Jeep, Elisa.”
Jeremiah straightened then, and when Mal glanced toward him, his throat worked. Elisa stilled as she heard a coherent sound come from him, such a remarkable occurrence that everyone’s attention turned. He squared his shoulders and spoke. “Go . . . I’ll go.”
“You spoke.” She let the joy of it fill her, keeping the trauma of the past few minutes at bay.
Jeremiah nodded, ducked his head. She heard the next words clearly enough. “Different . . . here.”
Mal studied his bent profile. “Join the others back at the water hole. I’ll be there shortly.”
Jeremiah gave Elisa one more look and then disappeared into the trees. Mal waited, obviously confirming the boy was well out of range before he turned his attention back to Tokala. Elisa could see the man’s pain. This was his home. It wasn’t a matter of being fired from a job. If Mal told him to go, he was being expulsed from a family. She wanted to argue or plead with Mal, whichever might work, but she was afraid either one might push him in the wrong direction. After a long moment, the vampire shifted.
“Take Elisa back to the house. You and I will talk in my office later tonight.”
She let out an unsteady breath. Tokala might not be able to tell, but she could. He was going to get a serious thrashing in some manner, but Mal wasn’t going to send him away. Only then did she notice she’d started to shake, her knees weakening at an alarmingly fast rate.
Of course she didn’t fall or faint; she’d never own up to that. She just lost a few minutes, after which she found herself being placed in the passenger seat of the Jeep. Mal slid his arms from beneath her. She guessed he’d caught her before she could hit the ground. Which would have happened if she’d done something like fainting, which of course she hadn’t.
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