Vampire Trouble (21 page)

Looking back at Maya, Shane noticed the concerned expression etched into her features. He extended his hand and wrapped her fingers in his. When their flesh met, the line between her eyes smoothed and her lips curved into a smile.

“Agreed.” Shane brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them lightly. “Just remember, Maya. All creatures are capable of darkness, but not all choose to succumb to it.”

As they leaped into the sky and flew through the night swiftly and silently, Shane couldn't stop thinking about something Lottie said the night they arrived.
Funny
how
the
mind
can
choose
what
it
wants
to
remember
and
what
it
wants
to
forget.
Perhaps, he thought while they raced toward the city, some things would be best left forgotten.

***

They landed silently in a dark alley at the edge of the French Quarter, but even along the outskirts, the lights and sounds of the bustling district could be heard. Shane linked Maya's hand with his and walked down the quiet, dimly lit cobblestone street toward the corner of Ursuline and Dauphine. Holding her hand seemed the most natural thing to do. Though far smaller and more delicate than his, her hand fit in his like it had been made only for him.

A pungent, familiar scent filled his nostrils and brought the reality of their situation crashing back in on him.
Werewolf.
The distinctly woodsy aroma slammed into him just before they reached the intersection where The Den was located. Maya stilled and her body tensed next to his. When he glanced at her, he was pleasantly surprised to see a ferocious, battle-ready look on her face.

I
smell
it
too.
Maya's voice touched his mind curtly.
And
I'm getting that weird feeling again, but it's even stronger this time. Like an invisible rope pulling me toward them. There's more than one, and they're to the left, maybe a block or two away.

There's a pub not far from here that's run by a pair of wolves.
Shane nodded his agreement and scanned the area, attempting to pinpoint the wolf's location more clearly. His search was interrupted when Maya's hand squeezed his almost to the point of pain.
The
scent
I'm picking up is coming from that direction.

Shane.
Her voice whispered into his mind on a rush.
Look
at
my
pocket…it's glowing
.

He looked down to see that Maya was absolutely correct. The left side of her white dress now had an almost ghostly green glow emanating from the pocket where the necklace was. With shaking fingers, she pulled the necklace out and held it up between them. The large stone that dangled from the bottom of the gold chain was glowing as though lit from within.

They looked from the stone to each other, and Maya's expression was nothing short of amazement.

“I don't recall it lighting up like that at the club,” Shane said, looking more closely at the unique jewel. “Although I was admittedly…distracted.”

“No. I've never seen it do this before.” Maya shook her head and laid the necklace in her hand, but once the stone touched her flesh, the light dimmed. “Whoa. That felt weird. It's vibrating.”

“Come here.” Shane took Maya's arm and brought her into an alley across the tiny street, away from anyone who might pass by. Human or werewolf. He stopped and looked around before turning his attention back to Maya. “Let go of the stone.” Maya did as he asked, and they watched the stone begin to glow again. “Now, lay it in your hand.”

Once the stone touched her flesh, the light dimmed.

“It may not be glowing anymore, but it's humming or vibrating or something.” Maya's eyes lit up with excitement. “I bet I know why it's doing this. It's warning me that there are wolves in the area. I should put it on.”

“No.” Shane grasped her forearm and shook his head. “Maya, we know there's a werewolf in the area and that the wolves have it in for you because of this necklace or whatever they think it stands for.”

“
And
we know that this necklace has magic or, at the very least, it's connected to some magic that I'm supposed to have.” Maya's chin tilted. Her eyes flashed and she pushed his hand away. “I've worn this necklace every day for as long as I can remember, and I feel naked without it—unprotected or something. Look, I can't explain why, but I do.”

“You're being stubborn.” Shane folded his arms over his chest.

“And this is news?” Maya asked playfully, putting the necklace around her neck and nestling the stone at the top of her cleavage. “See. It's not glowing anymore, but I do feel that vibration. It's really subtle, though, and like I told you before, when I was in that suite with all the wolves, my senses were going haywire. That's probably why I didn't notice it then. And I probably didn't feel it when we were at The Dollhouse because that place is total sensory overload.”

Shane's mouth set in a tight line. He grasped the smooth stone between his fingers then frowned as he released it. “I don't feel vibrations.”

“Really? Maybe that's because you're not a gypsy person or whatever.” Maya pressed it to her chest and looked at him. “I can feel it, and I'm still getting that tugging feeling in my gut, which is actually really unpleasant. Can we just go see Lillian now? Please?” She buttoned up the cardigan sweater so that most of the necklace was covered. “Look. Now you can't even see it. Okay?”

“Fine.” Shane grabbed her hand and walked with her toward the corner. He flicked a serious gaze in her direction. “Keep your senses alert, and do not leave my sight for one second. Are we clear? We are to keep our visit here quiet, and we don't want to attract any attention to ourselves.”

“Fine.” Maya bumped her hip into his and laughed. “You really don't get it, do you?”

“What?” Shane asked tightly. He stopped at the corner and noted the oval wooden sign with a snarling tiger on it that read, The Den. Glancing around at the busier street, which was open only to pedestrian traffic, he was relieved to note that the scent of the wolf had diminished. “What don't I get?”

“You.” She laughed. Shane looked at her with genuine confusion, which only made her laugh harder. “You are a six-foot, four-inch hunk of drool-worthy hotness. Believe me, you attract attention, whether you like it or not. See?” She leaned into his embrace and nodded toward two human girls who were giggling and staring at Shane while they stumbled away. “You're a hottie and the ladies love you, but don't go getting any ideas.” Maya tugged his hand and pulled him toward the doorway of The Den. “I don't like to share.”

“Good,” Shane murmured, following her into the bar. “Neither do I.”

When Shane crossed the threshold into the bar, the clear and distinct scent of an Amoveo shifter hit him. Unlike with the werewolves, the Amoveo scent didn't evoke feelings of danger or unpleasantness. The bar was sparsely populated and dimly lit, but Shane could see everything clearly. Keeping his arm around Maya protectively, he surveyed the pub with its pirate-ship theme. There were a series of tables and chairs to the left, a long beat-up wooden bar to the right, and a staircase along the back wall that led to balcony seating on the second floor. All of the patrons were human, and other than the Amoveo man behind the bar, he and Maya were the only supernaturals in the place.

“Welcome.” The bartender's voice boomed through the small pub, and Shane immediately knew it was Boris Zankoff, an Amoveo from the Tiger Clan. He was about Shane's height with shoulder-length black hair and the eyes of a warrior. From what Shane heard, Boris was one hell of a fighter. “You must be Shane and Maya. Lottie said we might be seeing you two.” He extended his hand over the bar and welcomed them both with a broad smile. “I'm Boris and I'd introduce you to my mate, but she's—”

“She's right here,” said a bright, bubbly blond woman from the second-floor railing. With long, windblown hair, a peasant blouse, and a flowing skirt, she looked more like a gypsy than Maya did. Lillian Zankoff leaned over the railing and waved at them. “Hey! Come on up, I was just setting a table for us up here so we could have some privacy.”

“That's Lillian,” Boris said with obvious pride. He leaned closer, with both hands on the bar so the old man at the end of the bar wouldn't hear him. “She's really excited to meet you both and has been talking about doing your reading, Maya, ever since Lottie told her about you.”

“Me too,” Maya said with a nervous smile.

“Boris,” Shane began, careful to keep his voice low. “Have you had any other
unique
patrons this evening?”

“You mean wolves?” A slow smile cracked Boris's face, and he pushed his long hair off his forehead. “No. They usually steer clear of my place. Two weres own a bar called Full Moon Café at the end of Royal, a couple of blocks from here. When wolves come to town, they tend to spend time there. You know how it is in neutral-zone cities like New Orleans. Everyone tends to stick to their own kind. It's safer that way.”

“Thank you.” Shane shook Boris's hand again and felt some relief. “That's reassuring.”

Climbing the stairs to the second level, Shane extended his senses in search of any signs of a wolf—or other vampires, for that matter—and, to his relief, found none. Maya sensed his apprehension, and when they reached the top of the stairs, she turned around and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
It's all going to be fine.

“I'm so excited to meet you both,” Lillian's voice interrupted. She scooped Maya up in a hug and held her by both arms, giving Maya the once-over. “Damn, man. You've got some groovy vibes.”

“Thanks.” Maya smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “I think.”

“And you have some dark, spooky vibes, dude,” Lillian said, waving at Shane from a distance. “You're hot and everything, but whoa. You're like
way
spooky.”

“You should see him when he's dressed in his sentry uniform,” Maya said with a wink to Shane. “Super spooky
and
super hot.”

Shane clasped his hands in front of himself and stood at attention because he didn't know what else to do. Being scrutinized like this was highly unusual and not something he wanted to get used to. He was comfortable flying under the radar and slipping in between shadows, and right now he was experiencing the exact opposite of that.

“Sorry.” Lillian laughed and made the peace sign with both hands. “You'll have to forgive me. The only other vamp that I've really met is Pete. I've seen plenty of 'em here in the city, but I haven't actually met them.” She gestured for them to follow her to the back wall where a candlelit table and chairs were waiting. “You see, until a year ago when I found Boris, I thought my ability to read palms made me a total freak. Now that I know about all the different supernatural species, well, I feel almost normal.”

Lillian and Maya sat at the table, and Shane stood by the wall where he could have a clear view of the two of them and the stairs. The last problem they needed was for someone to slip up here undetected. He took a mental inventory of the weapons he had with him and thought perhaps he should have brought more, but the silver throwing weapons were difficult to use without the protective leather of his sentry uniform. He had the special-issue sentry dagger, the one with “Eternity” engraved down the center, in a harness strapped to his back and a gun tucked in an ankle holster. Even though he was armed, he couldn't escape a sense of worry, but when his gaze landed on Maya's gorgeous face, he realized why he felt so out of sorts.

It was her. More specifically, his feelings for her.

A weight settled in his chest, and the gravity of his situation came roaring into focus. If he allowed himself to love her, he would never feel truly prepared or be one hundred percent convinced of his power, because for the first time in four centuries, he was afraid. Shane was terrified of losing her. Be it at the claws of a werewolf, the skin-searing rays of the sun, or Maya herself telling him to take a flying leap—the thought of losing her was paralyzing.

How could Shane protect Maya, or anyone else, if he was weakened by fear?

The necklace stopped vibrating by the time they went into The Den. That weird pulling feeling in Maya's gut had gone away too, but now she couldn't stop shaking. Her nerves were on edge and the anticipation of being so close to finding out more about the necklace and her family legacy was torture. The only reason she hadn't totally freaked out was because of Shane. The man was a rock, an immovable force that Maya knew she could count on, no matter what.

“Are you ready?” Lillian asked. Her eyes widened and she clapped her hands together. “Oh wait. Lottie said you have a necklace too. It's a family heirloom or something.”

“Yes.” Maya flicked her eyes to Shane, who was watching her like a hawk from his spot against the wall. A wry smile played at her lips. He stood there still as a statue, yet ready to spring into action at any moment. She hated to admit it, but Shane's protective nature was one of his most attractive qualities. Maya turned her attention back to Lillian and started to unhook the necklace. “Do you need to hold it?”

“Maybe.” Lillian pushed a mass of wavy, dark blond hair off her face and smiled, laying her hands, palm up, on the table. “First I want to do a straight-up palm reading and see what I get. Okay?”

“Alright.” Maya dropped her hands and placed them in Lillian's, forcing herself to remain calm. “How do we do this?”

“Well, before I found Boris, I could only get images from the lines in a person's palm, but once I hooked up with him, I started to pick up readings from objects too. It's pretty wild.”

“So you just hold my hand, and you'll see things?” Maya asked.

“Not exactly. I usually get an image when I run my index finger along the deep lines of a person's palm.” Lillian gently turned Maya's left hand over, cradling it in one hand while the other hovered just above without touching. “But I've never done a reading for a vampire before, so I have no idea what I might see or not see.”

Maya could feel the heat of Lillian's human body and heard her strong, steady pulse as thick, warm blood coursed through her veins. A pang of hunger struck Maya, but she bit it back. There would be time to feed later; right now she needed answers.

“Why the lines and not just touching someone?” Maya cleared her throat and steeled herself against the surge of hunger. Asking questions was helping her focus on the task at hand.

Are
you
alright, youngling?
Shane's voice touched her mind gently.

Yes.
Maya closed her eyes and fought to clear her head.
I
know
Olivia
doesn't want us hunting while we're here, and that live feeds get us all hopped up, but I think I miss it. I don't know…maybe I'm just nervous about what she's going to see.

We
cannot
hunt,
but
if
you
truly
want
to
have
a
live
feed, I will take you somewhere safe so that you can satisfy that desire.
Shane's voice was edged with seductive promise
. But you must finish this first.

“Hey?” Lillian snapped her fingers in front of Maya's face. “Are you okay?”

“Sorry.” Maya shook her head. Laughing nervously, she glanced at Shane. “I was distracted.”

“Right.” Lillian looked over her shoulder at Shane before giving Maya a wink. “Boris does that to me too. Like I was saying, those lines in your palm are the ones that were formed when you grew in your mother's womb, when you clenched and unclenched your tiny hands. They are as deeply connected to you as I can get.” Lillian's hand hovered over Maya's, and she looked at her intently. “I want you to close your eyes and stay real still, okay?”

Maya nodded and let her eyes flutter closed. Doing as Lillian requested, she cleared her mind. But the instant Lillian's fingertip touched Maya's palm, lights danced behind her eyes and a flurry of images came roaring to life.

Summertime
in
the
mountains. Blue skies blanketed the heavens, and Maya lay on a blanket in dandelion-covered grass with a young woman's face hovering over her. Long blond hair spilled over slim shoulders and a pair of familiar blue eyes smiled down at Maya, but the woman wasn't alone. A man with shaggy brown hair and pale green eyes sat next to the woman with his arm around her, looking at Maya lovingly.

“My parents,” Maya whispered. Her voice sounded far away, and for a second she wasn't sure if she'd said it out loud. Tears spilled down her cheeks and the comforting warmth of love filled her chest, washing over her like the sun. “I can see them, Shane.”

The
howl
of
a
wolf
shattered
the
golden
moment, and the red haze of fear curled inside of Maya like a fire. Her father's voice ripped through the fear and he screamed,
Run, Elizabeth!
Maya's mother picked her up, running with Maya cradled to her chest. Her heartbeat thundered through Maya's body, and her labored breathing surrounded Maya like a shroud.

Maya
was
covered
in
darkness, and the sounds of her mother's crying filled her head. Snarls. Growling. A man's scream. Silence. She could hear her mother whimpering while she cradled Maya's small body to her shaking chest. Soon the darkness gave way to light and her mother laid her on a pile of blankets in a closet.
I love you, Maya,
she
whispered
before
she
closed
the
door
and
left
Maya
in
the
dark
alone.
I won't let them find you.

Silence.

Darkness.

The
scream
of
a
woman
amid
the
snarling
and
growling
of
wolves
rumbled
around
Maya. The sharp sound of furniture breaking and then the triumphant howls of wolves filled the dark. The howl faded and the aching sound of silence filled the darkness…but only for a moment.

“They're out there,” Maya whimpered. “I can hear them sniffing around. The wolves are looking for me.”

The
terrifying
sound
of
claws
scratching
at
the
door
grated
through
Maya's head, and just when she thought they'd break through the door and tear her to pieces, a door slammed and the wailing whine of a wolf in pain pierced the air. More growling preceded a high-pitched wail and then—silence.

Maya's body shook with fear and anticipation. The door of the closet opened, temporarily blinding her. When her vision cleared, she saw her grandmother. She was younger than Maya remembered, but the necklace was draped around her neck as it always was. She cooed softly and picked Maya up, whispering gentle, soothing words.

Her
grandmother
carried
her
out
of
the
cabin, and Maya peered over her shoulder at the wreckage of a battle. Broken furniture was strewn about the cabin, and in the middle of it, two men lay naked and bleeding. The last image Maya saw as her grandmother carried her outside was her mother's lifeless hand covered in blood.

The memory blurred and spun. Lights flickered behind her eyes, and when Lillian released Maya's hand, the past vanished and the present came roaring to life. Shaking, with Shane squatting next to her and rubbing her back with one hand in a sweet, reassuring gesture, Maya pressed her fingers to her eyes and wiped away the tears.

“They died for you,” Lillian said in a quiet voice. She sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap, looking from Maya to Shane. “Your parents were killed by werewolves, but your grandmother took the wolves to task. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be here right now.”

Maya nodded but couldn't make any words come out.

“That necklace you're wearing is the one your grandmother was wearing in the vision.” Lillian pulled her hair back and rested her hands on top of her head. “I don't know exactly what she did or how she did it, but she kicked their hairy asses.”

“She killed the wolves?” Shane asked with genuine surprise. “How is that possible? Gypsies are human, and no human could possibly overpower a werewolf.”

“I dunno.” Lillian shrugged and pointed at Maya's necklace. “But that necklace must harness the gypsy magic somehow. Maya's mother and father were obviously no match for the wolves, but her grandmother, the one wearing the necklace, was.”

“The wolves don't want me, Shane.” Maya grasped his hand and settled her other hand over the necklace. “They want the necklace, and I guess I can't really blame them. How would the vampires feel if the werewolves had one item that could destroy vampires as easily as this necklace killed those two werewolves? My grandmother, an older human woman, killed those two wolves without even getting her hair messed up, and it had to be because she was wearing this necklace.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Lillian,” Shane said, rising to his feet. “I will be sure to inform the czars of your generosity and your willingness to help.”

“Cool.” Lillian stood up, stretched her arms over her head, and let out a sound of relief. “Man, that took it out of me and my muscles are way stiff.” She dropped her hands to her hips and jutted her chin at Maya. “I know that I've never read a vampire before, so I really don't have anything to accurately measure it against, but you have a really funky energy. It's different from a human and an Amoveo. It's thick and sticky.”

“Sticky?” Maya said and laughed, rising to her feet on surprisingly steady legs.

“Yeah.” Lillian shrugged and headed toward the stairs. “Pushing into your memories was kind of like swimming through cotton candy. I don't know if it's because you're a vamp or a gypsy…or both.”

“I agree.” Shane's voice drifted over Maya's shoulder. “Maya's blood memories were next to impossible for me to read. I only get glimpses, bits and pieces. Granted, they have come more easily over the past few days, but they're still not visible to me the way they should be.”

“Must be the gypsy in you, then.” Lillian headed down the stairs. “Lottie did say that the gypsies are a secretive group.”

“Well, it looks like the secret's out now,” Maya said, following Lillian down to the bar. “I'm from some long line of werewolf assassins or something.”

“You may remember more as the night wears on.” Lillian slipped behind the bar and poured herself a shot of bourbon. “When we were done, that weird, sticky veil that I had to push through in the beginning was gone. Maybe we cracked the seal on whatever was bottling up your memories.”

Shane slipped his arm around Maya's waist and watched Lillian throw back the shot of brown liquor. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a slow breath before slamming the shot glass onto the bar.

“Sorry.” Lillian swiped at her mouth with the back of her hand, and Boris sidled up next to her, kissing the top of her head reassuringly. “Sometimes I need to take the edge off after a vivid reading, and yours was way freakin' vivid. I don't think I'll ever look at the weres the same again.”

Maya nodded her agreement. “I know what you mean.”

“Can I get either of you something to drink?” Boris asked, raising one eyebrow. “I do keep your drink of choice on hand, just in case.”

“No.” Shane shook his head and tilted his head in deference. He slanted a sly glance at Maya, the one that made her stomach flutter. “I have made arrangements for us this evening, and we've taken up enough of your time.”

“Thank you, Lillian.” Maya extended her hand over the bar, but Lillian gave her a doubtful look.

“A handshake? Please.” Lillian laughed and came around from behind the bar before gathering Maya up in a warm embrace. “We're practically family now. I have been inside your head, and we dug up all kinds of information. I think we're well past handshakes and have moved right to hugging.”

“True.” Maya giggled and hugged her new friend tightly. She pulled back and smiled. “I mean it. Thank you, Lillian. You gave me more than information. You gave me back my parents and allowed me to feel their love again. I—I don't know if I can ever repay you for that.”

“No repayment required.” Lillian winked. “I know what it's like to feel lost.”

“Me too,” Maya whispered, glancing at Shane. “But not anymore.”

Shane and Maya waved good-bye to their new friends and stepped out onto the sparsely populated street. Smiling, he took his hand in hers.

“I have to give the necklace to the wolves,” Maya said, with Shane leading her down the street. She wasn't sure where they were going, but he certainly seemed to have a destination in mind. “I think that's the right thing to do. Besides, they're not going to stop until they get it, Shane.”

“Agreed.” Shane nodded but kept his sights on the street ahead as they wove their way through the growing crowd of humans. “I will call the czars tomorrow night and let them know what we've discovered, but right now we have something else that needs to be addressed.”