Chandler: Books 4 The Witch and the Vampire (8 page)

Chapter Fourteen

He trailed one hand slowly along Jada’s naked side, then slid his palm across her abdomen. Her flesh was moist with perspiration. Her breathing was erratic, having only just climaxed moments earlier.
Chandler
kissed her bare shoulder and nestled his head against hers. He closed his eyes and savored the moment. It felt so right to be lying with her, their bodies naked and sated, the bed beneath his back, comfortable and surrounded with quiet peace.

His eyes jerked open. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down. Vampires weren’t known for their tender reveries. He heaved a long sigh. He wanted Jada for himself, but short of turning her, of making her a vampire and controlling her for his own selfish purposes, he saw no way of fulfilling his desires. Sooner or later, she would learn what he was—a creature of the night, undead, sharing little human emotions aside from the sex act.

“Were you careful when you broke into Collins’s office?”

The question caught him off guard. He separated his head from hers and stared at the side of her face. She had a most becoming profile. Her nose was perfectly proportioned for her face, her lips were plump, perfect for kissing, and her lashes were long and brushed her cheek when she closed her eyes.

He drew in a long breath. “As careful as any burglar, I suppose.” He caressed her abdomen, trailing his fingers up to her breasts. He cupped one mound, squeezing it gently before he inched his hand up to play with her nipple. Needing to distract her from the conversation she started, he slid one hand beneath her waist and pulled her body atop his.

A worried look claimed her features as she raised her head and looked down at him. “Did you destroy the office—I mean is it going to be obvious that there was a break in when Collins returns?”

He nodded his head, remembering the broken safe and the splintered desk drawer.

She shook her head and grimaced. “You better stay away from the club for a while.”

His brows drew together. “You have enough evidence to convict
Collins
. Arrest him and end the case, Jada.”

She bit her bottom lip. “It won’t be that simple.”

Chandler
grasped Jada by the upper arms and pushed her to one side, levering himself up on the bed. “Explain that. I broke into that office in order to get you enough evidence to convict the crook so you could be done with your dangerous investigation. Now you tell me there’s more.” His eyes narrowed.

“
Collins
will be back in town Monday morning. I’ll have him arrested then and I’ll get a search warrant to look through everything else in his office.”

Monday morning?
The words lodged in his brain.

“As soon as he’s taken into custody, my days as an exotic dancer are over.” She smiled at him. “But until then I have to be up on that stage, strutting my stuff, and pretending I like all the attention, and
Mike
has to play the role of bouncer, tossing out anyone that can’t behave.” She placed one palm against his chest. “And for your own safety, you should not return to the club…under any circumstance.”

“
Collins
will be back Monday
morning
?”

She nodded her head. “He comes in early every day.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose he checks on things before the doors open. Or maybe he sells the stolen art at that time of day. I don’t know why he’s there so early, but a few weeks into the investigation,
Mike
and I were trying to figure out when we could sneak into his office and have a look around when
Mike
saw one of the waitresses coming out of his office. She was disheveled and we figured she had been servicing
Collins
in some capacity.” She rolled her eyes. “Horny son-of-a-bitch. He’s fucked every waitress who works at the club…and all the dancers.”

Chandler
snarled and levered himself off the bed. He strode across the room where his clothes lay in a heap. The night was rapidly waning. He had to leave, despite his not wanting to.

Chapter Fifteen

The master has figured out how to live in the daylight!
Chandler
turned on his heel and strode across the attic room, his brow furrowed.
Johannes
had lived many centuries. He had a wealth of experience and knowledge. He gave full reign to his thoughts. Being fearful of the consequences, he had never dared risk being engulfed by the daylight. He had sought the security of his crypt at the first hint of sunrise.

He paused his steps and gazed at the small attic window he had shrouded so carefully.
What if I pull away the covering and…
The risk was great. Should the light engulf his body for very long, he would surely perish, shrivel up from the hot rays and wither and die, then turn to ashes and smolder until nothing remained. He had seen the demise of a vampire.
Johannes
had cast a poor creature into the sunlight and he had seen the deathly effects it had on him. Therefore he knew the terrible death awaiting those who risked fate beyond their capabilities.
But the master has figured out how to survive when the night gives way to daylight.

A thought sprang to mind. He would tear away the window curtain and wait for the sun to fully rise. He would stand at the window and face the new day. Ready at a moment’s notice should his body revolt at his plan. He would merely replace the curtain, go to the darkest corner of the room and fall into the sleep of the undead.

If the master can do it, perhaps there’s a way that I can, too.
The thought of being able to exist during the light of day filled him with wonder.
Hope
sprang up inside him like a fountain, pouring forth its bounty and giving him great expectation.

The sun began rising beyond the city, its golden rays blinding to his eyes. He stood at the window and squinted, keenly aware of the risk to his existence. He raised one hand and shielded his eyes while not daring to look away. He wasn’t cowardly by any means—though to slink beneath the ground for survival was the vampire way—

His eyes pained. He was forced to close his eyelids in an effort to halt the assault. Still he stood at the window and braved the new day as it rapidly awakened around him. His limbs felt heavy, fatigued, as though he had walked a great distance or lifted an extraordinary weight. He drew in a long breath, straightened his shoulders and raised his head. He opened his eyes. He had always been a bit of a dare devil, careless at times while in his mortal state. He loved adventure, craved excitement and never ran from danger.

Dammit! I’m not mortal any more. Being a vampire changes everything.
He stared out the window, feeling the warming rays of the new sun against his face. He held his hands out before his eyes and surveyed their appearance. His skin was cool, as it always was in his undead state, but he saw no signs of deterioration that he had feared. He smiled briefly, leery still of the effects the light might have on his body.

 
He raised one hand and felt his face, scrubbed his palm across his chin. The lingering stubble of whiskers remained, a brief spray of blond hair on his chin and along his jaw. He had been in need of a shave when the master turned him and thus his face retained the slight dusting of beard when he became a vampire. He felt the prickle and dared to think that perhaps he might be able to shave it off as well as live in the daylight—if he didn’t perish at any moment.

 
Stepping closer to the window, he drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs and puffing out his chest. The sun was rapidly ascending into the blue sky. He felt a certain amount of bravery fill his insides. And he had Jada to thank for it. Had she not mentioned that the man she knew as
John
Collins
would be returning to the city on Monday
morning
, he would be concealed within the stuffy darkness of the attic room, sleeping the morbid sleep of the undead.

He felt ravenous suddenly, so famished for nourishment that he could hardly stand it. He placed one palm against his chest and tried to steady his hunger telling himself that it might be too dangerous to venture out in the daylight so soon. He had always fed at night, under the cover of darkness. A wave of remorse gripped his insides suddenly. In the back of his mind he saw himself crouched over a victim, his fangs sank deep into a pulsing vein, hot blood squirting into his mouth.
I’m a gruesome creature.

The intense feeling of fatigue continued, growing stronger by the second. He ran one hand over his hair onto the back of his neck. His bloodlust rose in mountainous peaks, urging him to reconsider his earlier thought about venturing outside the old house to seek a food source. He grimaced and gnashed his teeth, tormented by the thought of defying his vampire existence. Should he fail, he would surely burn up from the heat of the sun’s rays.
If I don’t risk feeding, I will perish from lack of nourishment.

Chandler
turned toward the door of the attic room. The single thought of reviving his body clung to his mind. He passed through the doorway and rushed down the stairs to the bottom floor of the old building. He paused when he stood before the door leading to the outside. Once he exited the house, he would be at the mercy of the elements. The sun would touch his cold skin—

I have to try. I have to see if I can survive in the light. I have to take the risk.
Bolstering his confidence, he opened the door and stepped outside. The light surrounded his body. He threw up one hand to shield his eyes, turning his head against the brilliance of the sun. He stood transfixed on the stoop of the old building, waiting, perhaps for the end to come.

His hunger beckoned to him. He craved new blood, its intense warmth rushing through his veins. He forced his feet to move, to traverse down the three steps that led to the crumbling sidewalk. He squinted against the brilliance of the light, looking up and down the deserted area. Ruin stared him in the face. The small cluster of abandoned buildings sat amid overgrown lawns and broken concrete sidewalks. Window frames sagged, spilling their glass panes onto the ground and wisps of curtains dangled helplessly out the broken windows.

He turned his head, sickened by the rundown appearance of the area. It was so stark in the daylight. In the darkness, he had accepted the fate of his dwelling and its counterparts, but with the sun’s rays gleaming off the brick exteriors, it made him only pity the place he chose to reside.

His blood lust rose, tormenting, turning his mind from the dreary state of the buildings. He had to find food, a victim to take blood from. He tuned his ears to the surroundings, listening for signs of life concealed somewhere within the tenement area. He heard breathing, loud snoring. He chuckled and aimed his feet toward the sound glad that someone was nearby for his needs.
Someone sleeps.

Chandler
hurried down the sidewalk and across the narrow street to one of the abandoned brick buildings. The sound of snoring grew louder as he approached one house. Quietly, he glided across the sagging porch and through the gaping window into the lower floor. He followed his ears to the sound and discovered a man lying amid a pile of dirty blankets, his head upon a folded overcoat, his legs outstretched and his mouth hanging open as he pulled in great gasping breaths.

Chandler
glided silently over to the man. He could see him clearly, make out his every feature, knew of his deep sleep state. He bent over the body, smiling slightly at the array of noises coming from the gaping mouth. He slid his gaze to the man’s neck, spied his jugular vein and licked his lips. His eyes began to glow red in prelude of feeding. His fangs appeared, grazing his lip. He reached for the man’s neck, curled his long fingers around his throat and lowered his head, sinking his fangs into his vein.

Hot blood gushed against the back of his throat. He sucked the nourishment, feeling it revive his flagging body instantly as it slid down his neck. He drank and reveled in the newness of the moment. He was awake and in the throes of rejuvenation in the early morning hours. He had broken the taboo of the vampire’s existence.

Chapter Sixteen

Chandler
sat on the stoop of the old brick building and stared at the sky. His eyes still felt the sensitivity from the sun, a thing he thought he could possibly remedy merely by observing some of the mortals on the streets of the city. He felt revived with the blood he had taken from the man sleeping in the building across the way. He smiled slightly, satisfied that he had been cunning enough to take the man’s precious blood and not awaken him. He raised his arms above his head and stretched, feeling stronger than he ever imagined he could.

It’s all so new and very wonderful.
Thoughts of great proportions filled his mind. He saw himself living among the mortals, going about his daily routine as if he were one of them and not the undead thing he had become. He drew in a deep breath. He felt hopeful for the first time in so long. He lowered his head and closed his eyes as hot tears blurred his vision.
Who knew vampires could cry?
He chided himself for being so emotional. He raised his head and shook away the reverie. The brief show of emotion had been long coming.
And I have Jada to thank for it.

Chandler
rose from the stoop aware that he felt invincible. Not so different from the way he felt at night when he arose and nourished his body with fresh blood. A wide smile spanned his lips. Happiness bubbled up inside him as he turned his feet toward the busy part of the city. There was much to do now that he had been able to survive well past the rising of the sun. He had to observe the mortals and copy their daytime actions.

He strolled along the sidewalk, his hands inside his jeans pockets. Centuries had passed since he had been privileged to walk in the daylight. The newness enthralled him. He smiled as if for the first time. He noticed the buildings along the way, the modern architecture, the various shades of colors chosen to accentuate the large windows and glass doors. He became intrigued with the assortment of merchandise shop owners dragged to the sidewalks in front of their businesses. He paused and inspected the various racks of clothing and trinkets.

He exchanged pleasantries with the early morning shoppers along the way, observing their style of dress and the way they conversed. He made mental notes of their actions and the way they intermingled with each other. He passed among them as if he were one of them, a curious shopper looking for bargains amid the many shops, all the while keenly aware of how he felt physically. Emotionally, he was on top of the world, the happiest he had been since
Johannes
turned him into a creature of the night.

He found the solution to his eyes hurting from the sun’s rays. Several of the shoppers he encountered wore dark glasses over their eyes. When he found a rack containing numerous pairs for sale, he took careful note of them, only to remind himself that he had no money to purchase the glasses with. For the first time since realizing he could survive in the daylight, he felt remorse gather in his gut.
If I’m going to continue this act, ever how uncertain it might be, I must find a way of supporting myself.

Short of stealing, he could think of no way to readily acquire money in his pocket. Getting a job seemed out of the question.
Who would hire a vampire?
He chuckled in spite of his circumstance.
At least I don’t have to worry about purchasing food.
He grimaced and stepped away from the display of sunglasses he had been looking at.

The retail section of the city proved to be too noisy and too crowded for his vampire senses. His hearing was too keen to tune out the noise of the automobiles on the streets or the voices of those clustered along the sidewalks. He heard every little nuance, from high-pitched voices of women tending their toddlers, to low toned voices of well-dressed men carrying briefcases and discussing financial deals on cell phones.

He turned into the first narrow alleyway he spied and didn’t pause his feet until he was at its end. The noise coupled with the bright light of day was making his temples pound. He closed his eyes and leaned his back against the solid wall of a brick building, mentally accessing his next move.

“So you’ve figured it out.”

Chandler
jerked his eyes open and lunged upward from his leaning position against the building. He clenched his fists and hissed a warning as he blinked his eyes at
Johannes
, leaning nonchalantly against an adjacent building.

“You’ve discovered the secret of living in the daylight.”

A ripple of fright coursed through
Chandler
’s body. He darted his eyes from side to side, aware that there was but one escape route in the alley. Should
Johannes
suddenly attack him, he would have only one choice. He braced his feet apart, readying his body for the onslaught.

Johannes
smiled at him, a slow, deliberate smile meant to taunt. His face held none of the characteristic pallor of a vampire. He was tanned and healthy looking, his dark eyes were clear and framed with sultry black lashes. His face was youthful, having been in his prime when he was changed into a vampire.
Chandler
had heard the story many centuries ago.
Johannes
had been a notable count, a wealthy landowner with considerable political powers.

“Aren’t you going to tell me how nice it is to see me again,
Chandler
? How long has it been?” He raised one hand and stroked his chin, a contemplative look on his dark handsome face.

“Centuries,”
Chandler
ground out. He tried to reason why
Johannes
had suddenly confronted him, since he was rumored to be out of town.

Johannes
nodded and pushed himself away from the building at his back.

Chandler
readied himself for the attack from the master. His heart rate jumped to a rapid tattoo and his muscles stiffened.

One quick movement and
Johannes
was mere inches from his body, a non-threatening look across his face.
Chandler
lurched back, finding the immovable building behind him.

“You have changed little.”
Johannes
reached out one hand and raked a long nail along
Chandler
’s jaw.

Chandler
slapped his hand away. “Vampires don’t change once they’ve been turned.” He bit the words out, glaring at
Johannes
, a snarl on his face.

Johannes
threw back his head and laughed loudly.

Chandler
watched the master, his senses alert to any treachery from the old vampire.
Johannes
silenced and leveled a threatening gaze at
Chandler
. He opened his mouth and bared his fangs.

Chandler
cautioned himself not to move too hastily, not to instigate the attack. He was too inexperienced to start something he couldn’t finish. He stared at the master, awaiting the message he surely meant to deliver.

Johannes
’s body began to rise upward, enlarging, growing wider and more powerful as
Chandler
stared. He soon had to tip his head to look the master in the face. He had transformed into a towering monster, his handsome face contorted into that of a beast, snarling and gnashing his teeth. His eyes glowed bright red and saliva dripped from the points of his sharp fangs.

“I have toyed with you long enough. I am weary of your presence. Leave my territory.”

Johannes
’s warning was ground out in a guttural slur that echoed around
Chandler
’s head. He flattened his back against the building and calculated how swiftly he could attack the vicious vampire while he was still transformed into his hideous state.

“Or you will die.”

Chandler gathered his courage, lunged his big body from the sturdy support of the building and came at Johannes, his fangs bared, only to find he was grasping thin air as Johannes took to the air, rising straight upward from his hovering position in front of Chandler. He left nothing in his wake except a morbid stench of centuries old flesh.