A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2) (6 page)

His smile faded somewhat, and he wondered how to respond as his pulse increased slightly.

But before he could speak, she winked at him with a grin. “I’m just having fun at your expense, Caleb.”

Relief surged through him, and his grin quickly returned in earnest. After providing Tanisha with the details for Friday, he taught his two evening classes and headed home.

During the drive to the estate, he kept thinking about the conversation he had had with Tanisha. The woman had a knack for keen observation, and he sighed with the realization that he would have to be careful regarding both what and how he spoke with her regarding Katrina. He began to realize the full impact and weight of Katrina’s rules and how difficult befriending other humans could become. Since meeting his mate, he had only maintained sparse contact with his old friends, all of whom had either moved away or returned to other parts of the country following college. Tanisha was the first human he had formed a close contact with since college, and he already felt wary and pensive about it. His closest relationships since meeting Katrina had been formed exclusively with vampires, although that didn’t bother him in the slightest.

When he walked into the house from the garage, he heard Katrina’s voice coming from the kitchen. She was talking on the phone while sitting at the kitchen counter, looking cute in her cotton sweats and thick, fuzzy socks. She smiled at him and quickly kissed him on the lips while listening to the phone.

Caleb continued through the kitchen and casually mentioned, “I had a nice chat with Tanisha Browning this evening. She said if I come to work with black eyes, she’s calling the police on you.”

“Excuse me?” Katrina demanded abruptly.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he muttered as he walked down the hallway wearing a mischievous grin, knowing full well he would have to explain himself later, but wanting to have some fun first.

He heard Katrina ask irritably, “Just what the hell’s so funny, Paige?”

Later that evening, Caleb slipped beneath the cool sheets of their king-sized bed and turned out the lamp on his nightstand. The lamp on Katrina’s nightstand cast only a dim glow in the sublevel room. He lay with his eyes closed for a short time before hearing the pocket door at the top of the stairs open and close again. He waited and felt someone sit beside him on the edge of the bed. The soothing scent of cherry blossoms, Katrina’s favorite, permeated the air.

“I know you’re not asleep yet, my love,” she whispered.

He smirked and slowly opened his eyes to stare into her lovely emerald irises. Her tight-lipped expression spoke volumes regarding her concern.

“I love you,” he offered earnestly. “No matter how unconventional our relationship is.”

Katrina frowned, and he recounted the conversation he had with Tanisha. When he finished, her expression appeared more relaxed.

“I’ll also need to be more careful around her in the future,” she noted.

“Tanisha means well,” he said. “And I think we’re becoming fast friends.”

“Hm. Be cautious, as you should with all other humans.”

“I will.”

Her expression turned thoughtful. “Caleb, are you truly happy being with me?”

His heart skipped a beat, and his pulse increased anxiously. “Of course, I am,” he stammered while raising himself up on his elbows. “Why would you even ask me that?”

She smiled at him adoringly and gently caressed her fingertips against the side of his face.
Because I want you to be happy
.

“Just checking,” she said simply.

He frowned and lay back on the bed while absently grasping the pendant he wore around his neck. His lack of self-confidence bothered him at that moment.

She noted his gesture and reached out to take his hand in hers as he fingered the pendant. “I’m yours forever, my love,” she stated resolutely. “You never have to question that.”

Caleb nodded as he lay back against the soft pillow behind him. She leaned down and kissed him affectionately, which he returned in kind.

“And?” he teased as he flicked his pendant between his fingers. “Anything else?”

She adopted an aggressive expression, and her hand firmly cupped the base of his neck. She placed her lips against his and stated, “You’re mine, Caleb Taylor. And don’t you ever forget it.”

A rush of excitement coursed though him, and he only had a second to smile before she kissed him passionately.

Unconventional suits me just fine
, he mused.

* * * *

Chapter 2: Unwanted Notoriety

“Daytime again,” Katrina lamented while sitting at her computer in the sublevel room, or rather, her chamber. She finished putting her long red hair in a pony tail and stared at the computer screen while toying absently with the sterling pendant around her neck that commemorated her commitment to Caleb. As she finished reviewing a list of books she was interested in ordering from an online bookseller, her thoughts drifted to her sandy-haired young mate.

Caleb was so kind, gentle, and caring towards her, like her late husband, Samuel, who had died over five hundred years ago when she was just a human herself. To Katrina, Caleb was the complete package as a mate, and she loved him dearly. As she narrowed her book selections, she fondly smiled at how happy he made her.
So much like Samuel
,
and yet, so different. But in a good way
.

She refocused her attentions on the online order before her. The first book was a biography on the life of Theodore Roosevelt, which she could discuss at length with Caleb. She enjoyed their history-related conversations, being an amateur historian herself.
Face it
,
survive five hundred years, and by natural selection, you’re a historian.
She fondly recalled taking Caleb’s introductory history class the previous fall semester and the subsequent attraction she had felt towards him from that first day. Frankly, she had been caught off guard by that initial spark of desire for him.

The other book she ordered was a romance novel set in the late eighteenth century. She had been a vampire since the 1530s, so it was a period she recalled vividly, though without many of the glamorized trappings presented in historical romance fiction. Still, she had a soft spot for the genre and smiled at how Caleb would likely tease her over that.
Alpha vampire and romance reader
.

Yet I’m a woman
.
I deserve occasional romance, right?
She had tried to demonstrate that to Caleb regularly and openly, mainly so he wouldn’t be intimidated by her.
However, being a woman doesn’t mean being a pushover
.

Fortunately for her, Caleb wasn’t someone who challenged her for the alpha role. And while she wanted to claim that her commanding nature was important in order to protect him better, she admitted that she enjoyed being in control.
Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to mind that either
, she thought with a smirk. He even seemed to enjoy it at times.
Yes, he’s so unlike my previous relationshi
ps.

She moved quickly from browsing the Internet, which was undoubtedly one of her favorite pastimes, to reading new emails. She read some jokes that Paige passed along, including viewing a humorous video of someone falling off of a ladder in a buffoonish manner while painting his house. There was another series of emails similar in tone to others she had been receiving for weeks. Most were from vampires with whom she hadn’t previously corresponded. Each congratulated her on killing Chimalma or asked for further details of her exploits in doing so. Frankly, she was happy to leave the entire affair in her past, as those horrific events had nearly brought about her demise, and more importantly, Caleb’s.

Still, she went through the process of responding to each message, as she had nothing more pressing on her agenda. She was merely passing time until Caleb called to inform her about the mysterious plans he had for them that evening. Lately, he had been very creative about their time together, and she approved of his most recent game, Find Caleb. Despite having only played once, she was already looking forward to future activities in that same vein.

* * * *

As agreed the day before, Tanisha waited a little longer at her office than planned that Friday afternoon in order to transport Caleb to the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area. He removed a medium-sized backpack, heavy brown winter coat, and rolled-up sleeping bag from the trunk of his Honda Civic and transferred it into the back of Tanisha’s light brown Cadillac Escalade.

“That’s all you’re bringing?” she asked.

“Yep,” he replied. He glanced overhead at the sunny sky, appreciating the favorable weather conditions.

Once inside, he took a moment to appreciate the regal interior of the vehicle and the comfortable seating. It made his older-model Civic seem like a horse-drawn carriage. He smirked at how odd Katrina’s garage looked with his car parked next to her sleek Audi.
Maybe with the money I’ve been saving from sharing expenses with her, I’ll be able to trade in my car on a new one in the next year or so
.

“Nice ride,” he said.

She smirked as the Escalade’s engine purred to life. “Thanks. William teased me when he bought it, saying his African Queen had to travel in style.”

Caleb grinned, recalling that he had called Katrina a “Queen of the Vampires” not so long ago.

“Not that I’m complaining, mind you,” Tanisha added with a sober expression. “A little respectful attention is a proper way to treat a woman.”

“Ah, so William calls you his queen, then?” he teased.

She grinned slyly as they pulled out of the parking lot. “Mm-hm. He’s a caring and loving man, my Will. He still courts me even after ten years of marriage. But it probably isn’t like with you and Katrina. We’re a little more…”

“Conventional?” he interrupted with a grin.

“Hey, I’m not judging anybody.”

He shook his head as they made their way to the highway for the short trip to Lithonia.

It was late afternoon when Tanisha pulled up at the side of Klondike Road, adjacent to the preserve. Caleb thanked her and reassured her that Katrina would be joining him very soon. After he removed his sleeping bag and backpack from the Escalade, he waved goodbye and watched her turn around and drive away. He briefly considered how well things were going with him and Tanisha and how he was thoroughly enjoying getting to know her.

He turned and headed towards an area where the forest was growing thicker. His plan was to transfer his scent to a number of surfaces, including large rocks and trees, so he could confuse Katrina from going directly to his location once she arrived.

There weren’t many people around on that cold, late January afternoon, which suited him just fine as he was enjoying the peace and quiet. As he trudged amidst the lush pine trees, he realized it was time to call Katrina to reveal the location of their evening plans.

He was thankful to see he still had two bars of signal strength on his cell phone.
Didn’t think about that beforehand
. He made a mental note to verify cell phone availability in future Find Caleb locations. Safety was a condition Katrina insisted upon, and he didn’t want to cause her undue worry by overlooking something essential.

The phone only rang once before she picked up, and he smiled.
That was fast
.

“Caleb?” she asked.

“Hi, Kat,” he greeted. “Tonight, it’s time for another exciting episode of Find Caleb. I hope you’re feeling up to it.”

He thought he heard a brief, uncharacteristic giggle at the other end. “I’m always ready to find Caleb. Where’s the location, and what are we playing for tonight?”

He was pleased to hear the anticipation in her voice, and he realized he was as excited to take part as she seemed to be.
Alton was correct, after all
.

“Tonight’s hunt takes place at the Arabia Mountain Heritage Park and Nature Preserve. It’s less than half an hour’s drive via highway from the estate, and even during the winter, it’s a beautiful location. The game starts as soon as you arrive, and tonight we’re playing for an all-over body massage!”

She snickered. “Okay. Time limit?”

“You have until daybreak,” he said smugly.

“Daybreak?” she asked with surprise.
Just where the heck is this place?

He heard her typing furiously on her keyboard, followed by rapid mouse clicking sounds. Initially, he had been surprised that Katrina was so very tech-savvy, because he had always envisioned vampires as Old-World beings. He quickly learned that vampires utilized technology to the best of their advantage. They had to keep up with human society in all areas if they were expected to survive and maintain their anonymity.

“Caleb!” she exclaimed, “There’s nearly two thousand acres for me to search!”
That’s a hell of a leap from the woods near our house
, she fumed.

“It should be a challenge,” he conceded. “But you have all night, and I’ve seen you move, or more pointedly, not seen you move. You’re fast and can cover a lot of ground in a short time.”

She sighed, though he wasn’t sure if it were with resignation or disapproval, and he frowned. He wanted her to have both an enjoyable and challenging experience.

“It’s supposed to be cold tonight, Caleb,” she warned. “Are you sure you’re prepared?”

“Oh, yes,” he assured her. “I brought water, some snacks, a sleeping bag, and even some of those chemical warmers for camping. I also have some pepper spray in case I run into any unfriendly wild animals.”

Silence.

“Pepper spray, huh? Hm. Well, okay. But if I haven’t located you by 4 AM, or if anything feels dangerous, you’d better be signaling me somehow.”

“I can agree to that,” he replied.

“It wasn’t a negotiable request, my love,” she stated emphatically.
Your safety is paramount to me, silly man
, she thought while shaking her head.

He swallowed and amended his statement with, “Understood.”

“Much better,” she said in a more upbeat tone of voice. “I’ll be there just after sundown. Be careful. Love you.”

He smirked as the line went dead and tucked his cell phone into his belt holder. Then he went about covering as much territory as possible, spreading his scent around by brushing against trees and other surfaces.

By the time evening fell, it had turned very dark in the preserve. His scent-spreading efforts tired him out, so he stopped in a densely wooded area to eat some trail mix and drink some water. He was thankful he had packed a few bottles of water in his backpack. The nighttime air had a definite chill to it, and while activating a chemical hand warmer to place inside his winter coat, he mentally congratulated himself on bringing them. Fortunately, the cotton-lined leather gloves that he wore were doing an excellent job of keeping his hands warm.

He decided to trudge around a little more in order to stay warm and proceeded out of the trees and down a nearby hiking trail that led towards a high peak on the east side of the preserve. Despite the cool conditions, he thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors and was pleased he had selected the venue for their latest challenge.

As time passed, he contemplated the relationship he had formed with Katrina. It was so different from any he had experienced with other women. He was unused to being the focus of her attentions, and despite her tendency to be overly protective and somewhat commanding at times, he nevertheless loved her for it. There seemed to be nothing he wouldn’t try to make her happy, including trudging around in cold, remote areas of Georgia during wintertime.

He glanced at his watch with a yawn, realizing nearly two hours had passed since he had last spoken with Katrina.
Surely she’s at the preserve by now
. He felt a surge of adrenaline reinvigorate his system and tried to listen more closely to the sounds around him. He considered that he needed to keep more to the trees so she wouldn’t easily see him and focused on trying to move more stealthily.
Still, there’s a lot of territory for her to cover, and she may be miles away from me right now
.

After no more than half an hour of quietly maneuvering between pine trees and listening for unusual noises, Caleb settled down a few feet into the trees from a nearby hiking trail and laid out his sleeping bag to try to rest up a little. The cool winter air penetrated his jacket, and he activated another hand warmer, slipping the spent one he replaced into his pack. He absently placed his backpack against the trunk of a large pine tree. He unwound his sleeping bag, slipped into it, and sat up with his back against the same tree. Zipping the sleeping bag closed, he was able to hide most of his face inside the enclosure for warmth.

As he listened closely to the natural sounds around him, he failed to notice when he was lulled asleep.

“Well, what have we here?” a deep voice resonated as he lurched awake.

Caleb squinted into the darkness to see a large man towering above him. His heart rate soared instantly, as he was completely surprised that anyone else besides him or Katrina might be trudging around the preserve in the middle of a cold January night.

Maybe a park ranger
, he wondered.

“I didn’t expect campers out here during winter,” the baritone voice observed. “But then, I haven’t been hunting around here for very long, either.”

A hunter then
, Caleb mused. “You startled me,” he said as he unzipped his sleeping bag. “I was just resting, but I’ll be on my way now.”

The tall man chuckled. “No need to leave on my account.”

Caleb tried to focus on the man before him. Although it was dark, he distinguished blue jeans and a dark-colored sweater, though he wasn’t wearing a winter coat or gloves. He appeared to be sturdy-framed, broad-shouldered, and African-American by his dark skin tone. A final quality sent a shiver through Caleb’s body: the man had glowing violet eyes.

A vampire
, he gasped with realization.
What are the odds?

The vampire emitted another deep chuckle, and a scowl showed on his face as he perched his large hands atop his hips, glowering at Caleb from above.

“You’re a vampire,” Caleb muttered with as much reassurance in his voice as he could muster, fully realizing his revelation wasn’t a positive one.

The vampire’s scowl faded abruptly, and his arms went out to his sides in an aggressive posture as he demanded, “How so?”

“Your eyes,” Caleb said as he slipped his hands from his gloves and grasped a small can of pepper spray in his jacket pocket. “The glowing eyes are a dead giveaway.”