Be Still My Vampire (18 page)

Shortly afterward, she received a call from first-floor security. Phineas McKinney was waiting for her. She locked up the office. Hopefully, Sean wouldn’t mind her leaving work early. If he complained, she was tempted to quit. She could always have her old job back at MI6. Besides, if she lived in London, she might be closer to Angus. She groaned. Why was she making plans for their future? They had no future.

She exited the elevator and halted when she saw Phineas. His hair had been cut. He’d shaved and was wearing clothes identical to the ones Phil had worn earlier. Apparently khaki pants and a navy Polo shirt was the MacKay uniform for those not wearing kilts. Phineas even sported a navy windbreaker with the words mackay security and investigation embossed in small letters on the upper left-hand side.

“Wow, Phineas, I hardly recognized you.” She circled him while he grinned and puffed out his chest. “You look so official.”

“I am.” He flashed his ID badge. “Cool, huh? I’m even going to get a permit to carry a piece.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “With silver bullets.”

Emma smiled. “I’m glad you like your new job.”

“My mission for the night is to escort you safely home.” He saluted the security officer as they left the building.

A black Lexus was waiting by the curb, and Phineas opened the back door for her. She climbed in and was greeted by the driver.

“Hi, I’m Gregori.” He twisted in the front seat to face her. With a smile, he extended a hand.

“How do you do?” Emma shook his hand while Phineas climbed into the front passenger seat. She did a double-take on Gregori. Somehow, he looked very familiar.

Gregori grinned. “So you’re the hot babe that has Angus all worked up.”

“Excuse me?” Emma blinked when recognition struck her. “I know who you are. You were the host on the DVN reality show.”

“Yep, that was me.” Gregori adjusted his tie. “But tonight, I’m your chauffeur. Where to, sweetie?”

Emma smiled as she gave him the address. “Do you work for Angus?”

He snorted as he pulled out into traffic. “No way. I’m the vice president of marketing over at Romatech. Have you seen the commercials for Roman’s Fusion Cuisine? I make those.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I was headed to SoHo to check on some property we’re having made into a Vamp restaurant when Angus asked me to give you and Phineas a ride.”

“I see.” Emma nodded. A Vamp restaurant? Surely the menu would be a bit limited? But then it was certainly much better than attacking humans.

“Don’t worry about your safety,” Gregori continued. “I’ve been taking some karate and fencing lessons. I got sick and tired of Connor acting like I was some kind of wimp.”

“I had my first fencing lesson last night,” Phineas said. “It was cool.” He tuned the radio to some hip-hop music.

Gregori started drumming on the steering wheel in time with the music while Phineas wiggled in his seat.

These were vampires? Emma watched in disbelief. They just seemed so… normal.

Gregori drove by Austin’s apartment and surveyed the street in dismay. “I’ll never find a place to park.” He circled the block.

Emma leaned forward. “There’s no need for you to stay if you have business elsewhere. Phineas and I will be fine.”

Gregori double-parked, then glanced back at her, frowning. “I’d better stick around until Angus comes. You two go in, and I’ll join you as soon as I park this beast.”

Emma and Phineas climbed out onto the sidewalk. She looked around, but there was no one watching them. They hurried into the apartment building while Gregori drove slowly away.

In Austin’s apartment, Phineas made a big show of examining each room carefully. He checked all the kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator. Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing. Did he think someone was hiding in the fridge or perhaps the cutlery drawer?

“Kitchen is secure,” he announced, then jumped into the living room, assuming a karate pose. “Cool, huh? I learned this last night.”

“Lovely.” Emma entered the secure kitchen to warm up some Chinese food left over from the night before.

Phineas checked under the sofa cushions, then proceeded into the bedroom. Five minutes later, he emerged and pronounced the entire apartment was safe.

“What a relief. Thank you.” Emma set her plate of Chinese food on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“I’m going to check the hall.” Phineas opened the door. “Lock up after me.”

“Okay.” Emma flipped the locks, then returned to the couch. She settled down with her Chinese food and turned on the telly. A cop show was winding down, and the perpetrators were getting dragged off to jail. She glanced at the VCR to check the time. Angus would be here soon.

The television show was suddenly interrupted by a late-breaking bulletin from a local news station. Three murdered bodies just discovered in Hudson River Park. Emma sat forward.

The newscaster announced they were cutting to the reporter on the scene by Pier 66. Emma set her plate of food aside as the picture shifted to the park. A crowd of curious onlookers surrounded the female reporter. Lights from parked police cars flashed red and yellow in the night sky.

“The bodies were discovered just moments ago,” the reporter shouted into her microphone. “We’ve heard that their throats were all slashed, but we’re waiting for confirmation on that. What is interesting, though, is that all three bodies appear to have been moved. They were discovered nearby on the heliport pad. We can only assume that whoever committed this heinous crime wanted the bodies to be found quickly.”

Emma jumped to her feet. It was the Malcontents. She was sure of it. They’d simply moved to another park.Three murders? Shit!

She had to know more. She needed to check the victims herself. Even with slashed throats, she could often detect the bite marks. Of course, she knew to look for them. And the bodies would also be completely drained.

Dammit! Why couldn’t those bloody bastards take a pint and go on their way? But no, they had to kill their victims. They enjoyed killing.

She searched her purse for the card Phil had given her, then called the number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Ian?”

“Aye. Miss Wallace? Are ye in danger?”

“No. But I wanted to tell you that the Malcontents are killing again. Three bodies were just found at the heliport in Hudson River Park. I’m taking Phineas with me to check it out.”

“What? Wait! Angus will want to come with you.”

“He can meet us there. I’ll be perfectly safe. There are a ton of police there.”

“’Tis no’ a good idea—”

“I’ll be fine,” Emma interrupted. “Just tell Angus where we are.” She hung up, then dashed to the front door. She heard voices outside and peeked through the peephole. Oh no! Tina and Lindsey were outside, and they were dragging Phineas toward their apartment. He didn’t appear to be struggling.

Emma flipped the locks and opened the door. “Phineas!”

The blondes giggled.

“We have your bodyguard!” Tina announced.

“Dr. Phang.” Lindsey tugged him down the hall. “He’s so cute.”

Phineas grinned. “Hot damn! I love this job.”

“Phineas,” Emma shouted. “I need you!”

“Not as badly as we do.” Lindsey pulled him inside their apartment.

“Phineas.” Emma marched toward them. “This is important.”

“Just five minutes.” Phineas gave her a pleading look. “That’s all I need.” He glanced at the two blondes. “Make that ten.”

“Bye.” Tina shut the door in Emma’s face.

“Phineas!” Emma hit the door with her fist, but only heard giggling on the other side.

Fuming, she strode back to her apartment. She paced about the living room. How long would it take Angus to get here? And since when did she wait on men to protect her? She was a black belt, dammit. She’d killed four Malcontents single-handedly. And there were a bunch of cops on the scene. A reporter was there and a ton of bystanders. Nothing would happen to her.

She grabbed her tote bag of stakes and locked the door behind her. She was not going to cower in her apartment in fear. She would be perfectly safe.

In fact, she almost wished she would see Alek. The bastard needed to die.

The two Vamp doctors had arrived at Roman’s townhouse, and as honored guests they both expected some personal attention from the CEO of MacKay Security and Investigation. Angus assured them they would be safe during their stay and introduced them to Connor and his security team. As soon as the doctors were happy with their guest rooms, they wanted a tour of Romatech and the birthing room Roman had prepared for his wife. They were both very excited and honored to be the first doctors to deliver a half-vampire baby, but already they were arguing about procedure. Angus was beginning to think Roman had made a big mistake by sending for two doctors instead of one.

Dr. Schweitzer from Switzerland was very pleased with the birthing room, but Dr. Lee from Houston demanded more equipment be on hand just in case. Roman was busily making a list of everything Dr. Lee wanted when Angus’s cell phone rang.

He excused himself and stepped into the hall as he retrieved the phone from his sporran. “Aye?”

“Angus.” Ian sounded agitated. “Miss Wallace just called. She and Phineas are going to the heliport at Hudson River Park.”

“What?”

“She thinks the Malcontents have murdered some mortals there.”

“The devil take it,” Angus muttered. He’d told her not to go out. “Is Gregori with her?”

“I doona know. She called just now,” Ian continued quickly. “If ye hurry, ye might be able to stop her.”

“I’m on my way.” Angus snapped his phone shut.

Connor cracked the door to the birthing room and peeked out. “Is there a problem?”

“Could be. If ye doona hear from me within thirty minutes, send Robby and Giacomo to Hudson River Park.”

“What’s going on—”

Connor’s words faded as Angus vanished. In a few seconds, he was in Austin’s apartment.

“Emma?” He zoomed into the bedroom, checked the bathroom, then ran back into the living room. Bugger. He was too late.

But they might still be in the building. He unlocked the door, ran into the hall, and crashed into Phineas. He grabbed him by the shoulders. “Thank God ye’re still here.”

Phineas was shaking. “Oh my God, man, I think I killed her.”

“What?”

Phineas’s face crumpled. “I didn’t mean to. She was just so hot. And I lost control. I’m not used to being like this—”

Angus shook him. “What did ye do?”

Tears ran down Phineas’s face. “I know it’s the number one rule, but I lost control.”

A chill skittered through Angus. “Ye bit her?”

“I didn’t mean to! God, I’m afraid I killed her.”

Angus slammed him against the wall. “Ye killed Emma?”

Phineas blinked. “No, man. I think I killed Tina.”

Angus stared at his new employee as relief washed through him. Phineas hadn’t bitten Emma. She wasn’t dead. At least, not yet. “Where is Emma? She should be with you.”

A door nearby opened. “Woo-hoo, Dr. Phang!” A blonde dressed in a lacy black teddy leaned against the doorframe. “When do I get my turn?”

Angus recognized her as one of the silly mortal women he’d met a few nights ago. Either Lindsey or Tina, he couldn’t remember which.

Her eyes widened. “Oh, I remember you. You’re the gay Irish guy. If you’re still looking forAustin , you’re out of luck. There’s some kind of foreign princess hiding out in his place.”

“Get back inside and shut the door,” Angus ordered.

The blonde huffed. “You are so rude. And you’re like totally wasting your time with Dr. Phang. He’s a ladies’ man. In fact, he was so good with Tina, she’s still unconscious.”

“Inside!” Angus shouted.

“Creep!” She slammed the door.

It was all becoming clear to Angus. His new employee had been busy tupping Tina when Emma decided to leave. Angus grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the wall. “Ye left yer post.”

“I—” Phineas winced. “It was just for a few minutes. Emma was okay with it.” He glanced atAustin ’s apartment. “Ask her. She’ll tell you. Everything’s cool. Except for Tina. She’s looking kinda bad.”

Angus stepped closer and gritted his teeth. His fist twisted Phineas’s shirt. “Ye left yer post. I’ve seen soldiers killed for that.”

Phineas gulped. “I’m sorry, man. It won’t happen again.”

“What’s up?” Gregori sauntered down the hall toward them.

Angus released Phineas and turned toward Gregori. “Where the hell have ye been? Have ye seen Emma?”

“No, she’s with—” Gregori gave Phineas a worried look. “I was parking the car. What happened?”

“Emma is gone.” Angus bit out the words.

“What?” Phineas glanced atAustin ’s apartment. “She was just here a few minutes ago. How’d she get away?”

Angus seized him by the neck. “She got away because ye left yer post!”

“Whoa!” Gregori grabbed Angus’s arm. “Easy, Mongo. Relax! We’ll find her.”

Angus released Phineas and took a deep breath. “I’ll deal with this later. I have to find her. She’s headed toHudson RiverPark .”

“Great! You know where she’s going.” Gregori gave him an encouraging smile. “It’ll be fine. I’ll drive you.”

“Nay. I’ll call her and teleport.” Angus reached in his sporran for his cell phone. “Gregori, I need ye to clean up the mess Phineas made.” He glared at his rookie employee.

Phineas winced and rubbed his throat. “I’m really sorry, man. Tina was just so hot. I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

Gregori frowned at Phineas. “You hurt her? Where is she?”

“In here.” Phineas shoved open the door to Tina’s apartment.

Lindsey squealed and jumped back. Phineas led Gregori inside while Angus remained in the hall, calling Emma on his cell phone.

“Hello?”

“Emma!” Relief flooded him so strongly, he stumbled back a step. “Keep talking. I’ll teleport to you.”

“Not now,” she whispered. “I’m in a taxi.”

“Ye think I care?”

“I care. I don’t want to be in a wreck. I’ll call you as soon as I get to the park. Give me your number.”

He did. “The devil take it, Emma. I told ye to stay hidden.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you soon.” She hung up.

Stubborn woman. Muttering a curse, he punched in Robby’s number.

“Aye?”

“Robby, I want ye and Jack to go to Hudson River Park, to the area around the heliport.”

“What’s going on?” Robby asked. “Connor called and said something was wrong, but he dinna know what.”

“The Malcontents may have murdered some mortals. Emma’s on her way there.” Angus gritted his teeth. “Alone.”

“We’re on our way.” Robby rang off.

Cursing some more, Angus strode into Tina’s apartment. Lindsey was hovering by a doorway, trembling.

“Excuse me.” He slipped past her.

She jumped back with a squeal. “There’s blood on her neck!”

Tina was sprawled on the bed. Phineas was tugging a sheet up to her chin.

“Good news,” Gregori said. “She’s alive.”

“Aye.” Angus frowned at the twin punctures on her neck. “I can still hear her heart beating.”

“You can?” Phineas gazed at Tina, confused.

Angus gave his rookie an irritated look. “Ye have a lot to learn, lad.” He turned to Gregori. “Teleport her to Romatech for a transfusion, then bring her back.”

“I’m on it,” Gregori assured him. “Were you able to reach Emma?”

“Aye—” Angus stopped talking when Lindsey leaped into the room, waving a foot-long, plaster Celtic cross in front of her.

“Begone, you demons!” She aimed the cross at each of them. “Go back to hell where you belong!”

Angus sighed. “And when ye’re done,” he continued to talk to Gregori, “be sure to erase their memory.”

“What?” Lindsey shook her cross like it might be broken. “Why didn’t it work? Aren’t you guys like vampires or something?”

Gregori motioned for Phineas to pick Tina up. “Let’s get going.”

“Where are you taking her?” Lindsey dropped the cross and fell to her knees. “Oh my God. You’re going to change her into a vampire, too. She’ll be young and hot forever.” Her face brightened, and she jumped to her feet. “Sign me up!”

Angus shook his head as he left the room. “The vampire world could never survive you two.”

The police had cordoned off the entrance to the heliport, so Emma asked the cabbie to drop her off nearby. She wove through the noisy crowd, headed for the nearest police officer. She fished in her tote bag for her ID badge. Her hand grazed her cell phone, and she considered calling Angus, but there were too many people jammed together for him to teleport there safely or unnoticed. She located her ID and showed it to those who remained stubbornly in her way.

“Excuse me. Homeland Security.” That usually got people out of the way.

She finally made it to the crime scene tape and a police officer. She flashed her badge and shouted to be heard over the noise. “I need to see the bodies!”

“You’ll have to talk to the captain first.” The officer pointed at a man in a trench coat about a hundred yards away, next to an ambulance. Two medics were loading a gurney with a body bag.

Emma ducked under the tape and strode toward the captain. She’d gotten about ten yards when another officer yelled at her to stop.

She raised her badge. “Homeland Security.”

After another fifty yards, she passed by a police car. She narrowed her eyes against the glare of its flashing lights.

A uniformed officer stepped away from the car to block her path. “This is a crime scene.”

She lifted her badge. “Homeland—” She gasped when he seized her upper arms.

“This will be a very bad crime scene.”

A Russian accent. She’d caught it too late. Stunned, she gazed into Alek’s face. The flashing red and yellow lights made his smile look evil.

“Do you like my costume? The officer no longer needs it.” He tilted his head toward the car.

It was difficult to see with the strobe lights flashing in her eyes, but Emma spotted a man in the front seat, his head twisted at a bizarre angle. Without warning, she rammed her knee into Alek’s groin.

He stumbled back. She aimed a series of punches at his chest, then spun and kicked him in the face.

Alek fell, blood gushing from his nose.

“Oh my God!” Someone in the crowd shouted. “She’s attacking a police officer!”

“Halt!” Several voices shouted.

Emma turned to see two officers running toward her. Her badge—where was it? She’d dropped it when she was punching Alek.

“Looking for this?” Alek jumped to his feet, her ID in his hand. His smile was tinted with blood. He licked the blood from around his mouth, then zoomed away, taking her badge with him.

“Halt, or I’ll shoot!” an officer yelled.

Emma dove into the crowd and worked her way in the direction Alek had headed. Pier 66. She dug her cell phone out and called Angus.

“About time!” he thundered. “Where are you? Are ye all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Let me find a good place.” Behind the crowd, she spotted a local news van. She ducked behind it. “Okay, you can come now. The Malcontents are definitely behind these murders. I saw Alek here. In fact, he tried to capture me, but—” She stopped when Angus appeared beside her.

He caught her by the shoulders. “Are ye all right?”

“Yes. I gave Alek a bloody nose, and he ran away.”

Angus laughed and pulled her into an embrace. “That’s my girl.” He leaned back to give her a stern look. “Doona ever frighten me like that again.”

“I can take care of myself.” She smiled. “But I’m glad you’re here.”

“Is Alek still in the vicinity?”

“He ran toward Pier 66.” Emma dropped her cell phone into her bag and retrieved a handful of stakes. “We need to take care of him. He’s killed at least four tonight, including a police officer.” She jammed the stakes into her belt.

“Nay. I want ye to stay here. Or better yet, go back home.”

“I’m not leaving you.” She looped her tote bag around her neck and one shoulder. “If we don’t finish off Alek tonight, he’ll keep killing.”

Angus frowned at her. “Verra well. But first we call backup.” He punched in a number. “Robby, we’re going after Alek. Pier 66. Hurry.” He dropped his phone into his sporran. “Ready?”

Angus led her toward the pier, using cars and Dumpsters for cover. They hurried along the back wall of a warehouse.

A woman screamed.

Emma cursed silently. How many people did Alek plan on killing tonight?

Angus peered around the corner. “There’s a small building on the river’s edge. The scream came from behind it.”

Emma took a quick look. It was a place that rented Jet Skis. She removed a stake from her belt. “Let’s go.”

They ran along the side of the warehouse, hugging the shadows, then divided to approach the target. Emma took the southern route and peeked around the corner. A rectangular pier jutted out over the river. There, in the dim moonlight, she could see a woman pinned beneath a man dressed in a police uniform. Alek. The woman lay still on the wooden planks while he rested on top of her and nuzzled her neck.

Angus zoomed toward them and pointed his claymore at Alek’s neck. “Release her.”

Emma eased onto the pier, looking carefully about. No one else in sight.

“Release her!” Angus shouted.

“Must I?” Alek asked calmly. He levitated off the body.

Angus glanced at the woman, then stepped back. “Emma, get out of here, quick!”

The woman started laughing.

Emma backed up, reluctant to leave Angus on his own. The woman rose to her feet, unharmed. Her fashionably slashed jeans rested low on her hips. Under her black leather jacket, her red halter top barely covered her breasts. She flipped her long, dark hair over her shoulder and gave Angus a look filled with hate.

This was personal, Emma realized. She turned and gasped when a line of shadowy figures levitated around the pier. Six vampires. They’d been hiding underneath, and now they landed lightly on the wooden railing.

She flexed her fingers around her stake, widened her stance, and bent her knees. A total of eight vampires against her and Angus. If they could just hold out until Robby and Giacomo arrived.

A vampire leaped through the air, his sword drawn. Angus charged, knocked the sword aside with his claymore, spun, and skewered the vampire through the heart. With a scream, the vampire burst into a cloud of dust that drifted down onto the pier.

Two vampires dashed toward Emma. She sidestepped the first one, then turned to kick him in the back. That propelled him forward and made him crash into the building. Continuing her turn, she spun to face the second assailant and met him with her stake in his chest. He turned to dust.

The first vampire recovered quickly and charged. He kicked the stake from her hand. She ignored the pain and pressed forward with a series of punches. He was too quick at dodging for her to land a solid hit. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind. She kicked backward to break the vampire’s grasp, then grabbed another stake from her belt. When he seized her again, she rammed the stake into his ribs. Howling, he released her. She swiveled and plunged the stake into his heart. Dust again.

The first vampire seized her from behind. She glanced at Angus just in time to see him skewer another vampire. Four down. They were doing well. Another vampire charged at her, and she leaned back on her captor to kick the assailant in the head. He stumbled back.

The first vampire pressed a dagger to her throat. “I should kill you, bitch.”

She grabbed his arm to pull the knife away. She heard Angus shout, then the vampire’s arm turned to dust, and his knife clattered to the ground. She turned to see Angus behind her, his claymore coated with the dust of the first vampire.

“Thanks.” She bent down to retrieve the fallen dagger. There were two male vampires left—Alek and another one. The woman was standing nearby, hatred glimmering in her dark eyes. She raised a wooden blowpipe to her mouth.

“Watch out!” Emma shouted.

Angus raised his claymore, then stiffened. A shocked look crossed his face. “Emma, run,” he whispered.

She stepped back, reluctant to leave. She gasped when Angus’s claymore slipped from his hand. “Angus!”

He collapsed onto the pier. A dart protruded from his back.

The two male vampires zoomed toward Emma. She slashed at the first one with her dagger, but he dodged. Alek seized her from behind. The first one kicked the knife from her hand, then punched her in the stomach. She sagged against Alek for only a moment before she kicked and struggled. The first one retrieved the knife and handed it to Alek.

The woman strode toward Angus, speaking with a Russian accent. “I should have killed you years ago.” With a booted foot, she shoved him onto his back.

Emma winced at the thought of the dart getting pushed farther in.

The woman leaned over Angus. “You can hear me, can’t you? The nightshade paralyzes you, but you can still see and hear.” She placed her foot on his cheek and pressed his head toward Emma. “See that? We have captured your mortal whore.” She kicked him in the ribs with the pointed toe of her boot.