A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2) (10 page)

Devon settled back in his chair, steepling his fingers before him. “I was born Thadeous Devon Stevens in 1928 near Thomasville, Alabama. My family was part of the working poor, and of course, being African American meant that life was even harder because the jobs were scarce for people of color. My father worked on a road construction crew, and my mother was a seamstress and laundry worker. While in my twenties, I worked odd jobs just about anywhere I could find them. I eventually made my way to Chattanooga by age thirty, where I met a woman while walking down the back alleys on my way back from some late night entertainment.

“Her name was Nadida Kendrick, and after only a brief conversation, she offered me employment as a general laborer at her estate. Her property was vast, one of the largest spreads I’d ever seen at the time. I started as a kind of groundskeeper, but within a matter of months I progressed to helping coordinate the remainder of the staff she employed. I discovered from one of the maids that the previous estate coordinator disappeared abruptly from her employ with no indication why he would’ve left.”

Devon paused, as if collecting his thoughts.

“Ms. Kendrick, as we called her, never came out at daytime, and instead seemed somewhat reclusive, except for occasional socializing a few evenings each week. And though somewhat standoffish to the general public, she was always pleasant around me and the other staff. After about a year of employment, she revealed herself as a vampire to me. I awoke one summer night in 1958 to the sound of shouting coming from the large barn she stabled the horses in. When I went to investigate, I saw a well-dressed man trying to attack her with a pitchfork, so I intervened. Little did I know the lady really hadn’t needed my help, but she seemed touched by my sense of chivalry. It was then I found out what she was,” he said. He paused and looked at Katrina with a curious expression.

“Please, continue,” she encouraged.

“I was scared at first, of course. But she assured me that she meant me no harm, and I began to appreciate how being different was as much a threat to her in a human world as being African American was to me in a predominately Caucasian world. Over a year or more, we grew closer as she observed my trustworthiness and continued loyalty. Eventually, we became lovers. In retrospect, I suppose it wasn’t really true love,
per se
, but rather an intimate partnership that included the offering of my blood. She encouraged my appreciation for classic literature and helped educate me in some of the finer knowledge of the world. Everything seemed fine until 1963 when that part of the country erupted with the early civil rights uprisings. You see, Nadida was wealthy in her own right, but she was a mulatto. At that time, anybody resembling a black was targeted for retribution by whites who opposed civil rights. She said she needed to relocate to another part of the world because she’d stayed in the area far too long. She sensed that her increased visibility was starting to raise additional suspicions. As for me, I didn’t want to leave the country, but she promised she wouldn’t force me to. Instead, she offered me immortality as a reward for my service and companionship before she left. She stayed only a matter of months after I was turned, just long enough to provide me with the basics regarding my new vampire life. Then she sold the estate and left the country. I’ve only heard from her on two occasions since then, but we haven’t seen each other since she left me in early 1964.” Devon stared across the room in a contemplative fashion, as if recalling some private thoughts.

He looked up with a hopeful expression and continued, “Since then, I’ve moved around the country and adopted the name Devon Archibald. I take odd jobs performing evening shift work in either manual labor or security. Naturally, given my size, I’ve managed to work as a bouncer from time to time. Right now, I’m a security guard for a tire manufacturing plant here in town and still do work as a bouncer at clubs on weekends when I need some quick cash.”

Katrina considered everything she had heard, including Devon’s rather humble and secluded lifestyle. His sincerity and forthrightness seemed genuine, and a part of her sympathized with his circumstances despite her intention to remain as neutral as possible to their meeting. Still, she couldn’t allow her emotions to enter into her decision as to whether he would live or die that night. But she felt a small pang of guilt over that, as well.
Why shouldn’t I kill him for attacking, and nearly killing, Caleb?

Devon regarded Katrina curiously as the silence grew and prompted, “Is there anything else you want to know?”

She broke from her thoughts and noticed an old copy of Dickens’
A Tale of Two Cities
sitting on the end table next to his chair. A place marker was stuffed between the pages approximately three quarters of the way to the end.
Looks like he’s still reading the classics
.

“Do a lot of reading?” she asked.

He glanced absently to the book at his left and replied with satisfaction, “Yes, actually. I’m a varied reader for the most part, but I still reread the classics. It reminds me of my time with Nadida.”

“I like the classics too,” she agreed before falling silent. “So, do you have any questions about who I am?”

“I admit that I’ve already made some discreet inquiries to learn more about you,” he conceded cautiously.

“Understandable.”
This should be interesting
.

“I discovered you’ve earned quite a reputation among some in the vampire community,” he began warily. “I had no idea how popular your recent experience with killing that Aztec vampire has become. I don’t stay in regular contact with our kind, you see.”

“Really?” she prompted.

“I generally don’t have much in common with other vampires. I prefer human blood, but try to keep a low profile in my own community. For that reason, I spend more time outdoors hunting animals than I do being around others. What few human contacts I maintain are shallow because I haven’t found anyone I trust enough to reveal my secret to.”

I’m so fortunate to have Caleb
, she affirmed.

“My prior experiences with women have often led to poor partings or having to dispose of a body and relocate to another part of the country,” he continued. “And as for vampires, I see that with some of our kind, even honest misunderstandings might prove fatal. Although I’m interested to hear if reasonable restitution might be possible in my case.”

She nodded imperceptibly and sat forward on the edge of the couch, allowing herself easy access to the combat knife hidden at the small of her back beneath her leather jacket. The time had come to make a decision.

“Devon, I appreciate your taking the time to tell me a little about yourself,” she acknowledged politely. “And I can honestly say you have an intriguing and compelling life story.”

He tensed slightly and quipped, “At least I was able to recite it out loud one last time, if nothing else.”

The corners of her mouth upturned slightly in amusement. “There may be an opportunity to recite it again to others, if we can reach an agreement.”

His eyebrows rose slightly. “What did you have in mind, exactly?”

“You seem to be well versed in security, so your skills might be helpful to me from time to time,” she suggested tentatively. “I may need for you to check into concerns within the pockets of territories that I plan to claim. There may also be times when Caleb might need some additional assistance in the area of personal security.”

He adopted a slightly amused expression. “Somehow, I think your mate may not be pleased to hear that right now.”

“Very true, I’m afraid,” she admitted. “But I preside over matters concerning his security, either with or without his acceptance. And not everything has to be done so overtly or even within his spectrum of awareness.”

The large-framed vampire seemed intrigued by that statement. “Would I need to take orders from Caleb?”

Katrina’s eyes narrowed. “Within reason, of course, though never when they countermand my explicit instructions. But no matter the instructions, one rule is paramount: he must be protected or defended at the expense of any other objectives.”

“Your mate means a great deal to you,” he observed respectfully.

“He’s everything to me,” she stated flatly. “Above all other concerns, goals, or interests.”

Devon nodded with comprehension, but frowned with some confusion. “I think I get the picture. Now, pardon me if what I’m about to ask seems odd. But if that’s true, and if he likely hates me right now for attacking him, why am I not dead already? Though, not that I’m complaining or anything, you understand.”

Katrina fell silent as she considered his pertinent question. “You might be surprised to learn I don’t have a precise answer for you on that right now. However, rest assured that I’m prepared to reconcile any incongruities in my logic as I deem necessary,” she stipulated.

The broad-shouldered vampire appeared slightly unnerved by her statement and arched an eyebrow in surprise.

“Suffice to say that, in all honesty, I thought there was something about you that merited further investigation,” she continued. “And yet, your continued longevity strongly depends upon your sense of personal integrity and in not proving me to be mistaken in my leniency.”

His eyes widened. “Just before you arrived tonight, I checked my email, and I had received a message from another vampire who explained she had been seeking me out to perform a background check on your behalf. I believed her only because of the warning in her message.”

“Warning?” Katrina asked with an arched eyebrow.

Devon nodded. “Yes. I thought it rather strange, because her message emphasized you were an alpha. She suggested you’re quite experienced at killing both humans and vampires. She recommended I accept any reasonable offer made to me and stated that if I weren’t on my best behavior for our meeting, I probably wouldn’t live through the night,” he recalled warily. “She also had a nickname for you,” he added with a hint of amusement.

Katrina’s lips tightened into a thin line. “Oh, really?”
Just who the hell is meddling in my business now?

“She said you were ’a red-haired bitch’ when you get angry,” he replied soberly.

Her expression turned steely. “And just what was this vampire’s name, precisely?”

“Ah, yes. It was Paige,” he replied.

She froze in place, though nearly wincing from the revelation, and slowly shook her head.
I’m so going to strangle you, my little blonde-haired friend
.

Devon still seemed wary. “Is this Paige legitimate?”

She returned a half-smile and confirmed, “Oh, she’s legitimate all right.”
Legitimate pain in the ass sometimes
.
But one of the dearest, best friends I’ve ever had.

“So, as to an agreement between us, then?” he pressed.

Katrina’s expression turned serious again. “Only if you agree to my terms: defend and protect Caleb, address any concerns within my declared territories, and maintain loyalty to our agreement for the agreed duration.”

“What duration did you have in mind?” he asked carefully.

She wondered what was both fair and reasonable for nearly killing her mate. Just the thought sent a wave of nausea through her, and she cursed herself for trying to assign a value against Caleb’s life. “What do you think is reasonable?” she countered.

He seemed surprised to be asked and frowned as he fell deep in thought. Finally, he shrugged slightly and offered, “Ten years?”

Katrina realized how youthful in both mindset and lifespan the vampire sitting before her really was. Ten years was like the blink of an eye to most vampires. But he had barely been turned for forty years, so he was still thinking in finite human terms. It would have seemed amusing had the issue not related to someone so dear to her or for consequences she deemed so dire.
But perhaps ten years will be enough time, after all. Caleb will be thirty-six by then and in the prime of adulthood as a human, or quite possibly in his infancy as a vampire
, she added with anticipation.

She soberly regarded Devon and agreed, “Ten years it shall be.”

Devon stood and reached out with his right hand to shake, and Katrina rose to return the gesture. Their hands met and gripped each other’s tightly in a single motion.

“I’m an honorable person, Katrina Rawlings,” he insisted. “And I keep to my bargains, oaths, and obligations.”

She raised an eyebrow and agreed, “Good. As do I.”

They released hands, and she withdrew a business card from an interior jacket pocket. She handed the card to him and instructed, “This has my home and cell phone numbers, email address, and home address written on it. Never share it with anyone unless I stipulate otherwise. I will contact you in the near future to confirm my territorial declaration before I announce it. Feel free to contact me if you have questions, concerns, or information you think would be helpful.”

Devon nodded.

“Any questions for me?” she asked.

“Just two, really. First, how would you prefer to be addressed? And second, what do I need to know about your associate, Paige?”

She admired his quick thinking.

“You may call me Katrina,” she offered. “I take it you prefer Devon?”

“Yes, please,” he replied in his deep, baritone voice.

“And as for Paige, she’s Caleb’s surrogate guardian and protector. You should defer to her orders so long as they aren’t in conflict with my own. I’ll introduce you to her at the earliest opportunity,” she explained, moving towards his entryway to depart. She wanted to return home to Caleb as soon as possible.

“I understand,” he replied.

“Oh, and one more thing,” she offered while glancing back over her shoulder. “Feel free to call Paige by her nickname.”

Devon raised his eyebrows. “What’s that?”

“Goldilocks,” she slyly replied as she walked towards her car.
Right back at you, my little friend
, she thought with a mischievous smirk.

He watched her depart, and then slowly walked back inside his house.