Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (62 page)

Her mood brought about a sudden urge
to feed. With the sensation, coiling in her Sonja struggled to
focus. Blinking she tried to clear her vision. Attendants started
lighting the gaslights.

Below in the middle of the street
stood a man dressed in a black broadcloth suit who reminded her of
someone. The realization struck her with the force of a lightning
bolt. Sonja stumbled back. Ty caught her as she fell.

The flash of light, which followed
threatened to blind them both. Sonja gripped Ty’s vest front.
Unable to see briefly, both clung to each other for
support.

“
What was that?” The grip
he held her in tightened as she slumped against him. “Sonja, say
something!”

She couldn’t. The sound of her own
voice had left her. Alarm rippled through her as she struggled to
regain her bearings. She’d imagined the man below in the street.
There was no way he was truly there. Shoving from Ty’s arms, she
made her way back to the window. There was nothing there except the
moon’s glow starting to shimmer as night fell.

“
What is it, Sonja. You
look as though you’ve seen a ghost.” Ty gripped her arm and shook.
“Talk to me, damn it.” Tension rippled along his arm and circled
her in his grip.

What did she say to him? How did she
explain what she’d seen without sounding completely crazy? After
all the things they’d been through and his solid belief in their
truth, he’d most probably think her mad. She shoved at
him.

“
I…I thought…”

There came a loud knock at the door.
The men both turned. Jeb motioned to Ty as he drew his
weapon.

Ty flicked a glance at Sonja before
stepping to the entryway. “Who is it?”

“
It’s Mrs. St. John and
Reverend Jones. May we come in?”

Ty’s eyes narrowed as he glanced from
Jeb, who stood near the bed to Sonja and back to Jeb. Waiting for
confirmation, he should let them in, Ty motioned for Jeb to flank
the other side of the door. Since he wasn’t certain what lay on the
opposite side of the portal, Ty drew his gun before calling out,
“Come in.”

“
Hello, Mrs. Brooks, how is
your sister?” The widow St. John bustled in arms out stretched to
gather Sonja into an embrace of sympathy. “Dear, when we heard that
poor Briann was feeling poorly, we had to come and check on you
both.” Turning to Ty, she smiled demurely, “Oh, put that old thing
away, won’t Tyler. We’re friends here.”

The seductive perusal she gave him
didn’t escape Sonja’s wolf senses. More hairs sprang up to tingle
along her neck.

Reverend Jones stepped up and drew
Sonja’s hand into his. “My dear Sonja, how’s your
sister?

Sonja stood like a statue still
reeling from what she’d seen below in the street. She tried to take
back her hand as the reverend’s cold fingers dug into hers. There
was a stench coming from the preacher as well. Of course, with the
accumulation of trail wear on a body, one could expect an odor,
still this was somehow different. She glanced up and into his pale
face. There was a glint, which made her tug on her hand in his.
When he released her with a wicked grin, she stepped back, sure
she’d just peered into the eyes of a vampire. How could she warn
Ty? The blood surged in her veins with the burgeoning knowledge
they’d unwittingly invited the bloodsuckers into their safe haven.
Now what?

The widow St. John had moved to stand
near Jeb. Sonja had to do something. Jeb was in deep trouble, she
was sure.

“
Ty, get our guests some
refreshments won’t you? I’ll see to making sure everyone is
comfortable. We have a long wait, I’m afraid.” Her hostess skills,
though rusty kicked in and she managed to indicate the reverend
should sit while she stepped closer to Ty. With her telepathic
skills still in their infancy, she prayed he could understand.
Giving him a good long look into her face, she blinked and glanced
in the direction of Jeb’s place beside Briann. “We’ve got company,
Ty.” She reached out and latched on to his arm. The sensation
sizzled up the length of her arm and she hoped the feeling did the
same to his.

Ty glanced up startled at the
sensation and flinched but Sonja wouldn’t let go. The vampires
couldn’t see their communication or everything would be over in a
few seconds. “Would you get our guests those refreshments, please?
I fear we are unprepared for visitors.” Smiling sweetly, she gazed
into his eyes steadily. The flicker of recognition stirred a breath
from Sonja before she told Ty what she intended to do.

With another blink of her eyes, Sonja
wheeled as the change started to occur along her spin where course
hairs sprang to stand at attention. She cocked her head to the left
and then the right. Jeb glanced up from his vigil and fire leapt in
his undead eyes.

“
You’ll excuse us as we
weren’t expecting anyone, Mrs. St. John. I do hope the hotel has
something left from dinner. We haven’t had a chance to think about
eating.” Sonja stepped closer to the bed.

Briann’s hand reached out to Jeb. The
moan, filled with pain and alarm, brought Jeb back to her side. The
Widow seized the opportunity. The blade in her hand thrust forward.
A flash of movement, which no one would see except another creature
of the night. The stake pierced his side so quietly, anyone
watching would think he’d merely bent to Briann’s
attentions.

Sonja dove for the widow the same time
Reverend Jones aimed a wooden tomahawk at Jeb. Ty shot first, the
sound of the gun’s discharge making Sonja jerk. The widow bucked
once before looking down at her left side where a crimson stream
appeared in her taffeta jacket.

She turned and smiled. “Your aim is
good, Ty, but I don’t think you used the right tools.” The smile
she gave him was sardonic and wicked all at once.

“
Bitch has a problem with
improvisation?” He dropped the gun and hurled a wooden chair leg
directly at her heart.

Widow St. John doubled over and turned
to ask, “Jonesy?” A clap of thunder and she’d disappeared into
dust.

“
What the hell is going
on?” Ty threw the question to the room at large.

“
She was vampire, born in
evil and nurtured in werewolf blood.” Hortence flicked a glance at
him.

“
Why do you always talk in
riddles, old woman.” The frustrated anger was raw in his voice.
“Can’t you see we’ve got troubles here?”

“
It is true, young one, you
have troubles. The greatest is yet to come. Your mate has been
violated, her blood stolen in secret.” Hortence’s spared him a
narrow glance. “Let this be a warning to you, Tyler Loflin. You
stay put and protect your mate at all times. Do you
understand?”

Reverend Jones stepped toward Sonja
gripping her about the neck in a vampire’s claw. His features
started to shift, the cold gray of his true self began to emerge.
“Stay back, all of you.” He waved his gun freely between Jeb and
Ty. “Don’t do this,” he warned gravely. You’ll regret having done
this. There’s so much to lose.” He threw up his hand and a picture
of Sonja and Briann’s children staked to a fire pile where torches
encircled the pile formed along the ceiling. “All I have to do is
snap my fingers and it’s over.”

The image was so real, Sonja let out a
gasp. Briann’s trembling fingers reached out. “Help, Sonja!” she
cried.

Ty’s growl came from deep within. His
eyes glowed icy blue as he hunched forward. “She’s not yours. She’s
not here to be stolen. She’s here to save you from your rightful
end. Do you understand, blood scum?” His last words rushed out in
more of a guttural growl than a man’s voice. His face began to
change and his claws to lengthen.

Jones laughed so loud the windows
shook. “You speak of things you know nothing about, wolf.” Pointing
at the door, Jones asked sardonically, “Do you wish to speak of it
with our leader?”

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open,
banging against the wall. The man who stood stoically smirking at
them resembled Sonja’s late husband. Ty remembered a picture of him
sitting on the fire’s mantel in Sonja’s cabin. “I thought you told
me your husband was dead.” This is your husband?” Ty cut Sonja an
icy stare. “He looks hale and hearty to me.”

Her hand flew up to her
throat.

Ty noted the hand trembled before she
stumbled, seeking purchase against the bed frame behind her. She
hadn’t said a word.

Robert Brooks was never more alive.
His raven hair blew wildly about his thin face.

“
You look surprised to see
me, Sonja. I’d have thought you of all people would understand I’ve
been with you all along.” He strolled ideally into the room. “Oh, I
admit at times, I took on the image of another. Your blood allowed
me to do that you know.” Sharing a wicked smirk for Sonja and Ty,
he explained. “Do you wonder who attacked you that first night on
the trail or why Perkins kept returning to fight you? Perhaps you
were perplexed over the fatigue you felt while on the trail.” He
flashed his white teeth before continuing, “Don’t worry, Sonja,
you’re not pregnant. Just me - sampling the gift.”

“
You son of a bitch! I’ll
rip you from your gullet to your worthless dick.” Ty’s eyes glazed
over.

Glancing down, Robert flicked lent
from his elegant black suit coat. Ignoring Ty’s attempt to bait
him, he flicked a careless glance back at Sonja. “You see, dearest,
your blood allowed me to do things I never dreamed of doing.
Unfortunately, I always needed more. I even shared some with the
good reverend and the widow.” Inclining his head toward Jones, he
gave a quick shrug. “The new ones are still learning I’m afraid.
Now, my pet, don’t look so shocked. I’m still yours and will be for
all eternity.”

Sonja slumped in the reverend’s hold.
A single tear ran down her face. The facts had been there all
along. He’d used her and trailed them out of Pennsylvania because
he was a vampire with a hunger for the daylight. A movement caught
her eye. “Ty – don’t!”

Ty absorbed the fact the only way he
could. He leapt at the vampire with his claws at the ready. The
shift came full circle.

Jeb took the opportunity to lung at
the reverend. The stake the widow St. John had used missed his
heart so he used the wood on Jones. A look of disbelief showed on
the pallid face of the vampire. He stumbled backward. Released,
Sonja dropped to her knees gasping for air. Within moments, her
feral nature surged up and soon she stood as the she wolf. Her
silvery white fur glimmering in the gaslights eliminating the room.
She glanced from her husband to Ty’s wolf and the general. Fangs
gleaming, she lunged, latching on to Robert with her claws and tore
at his neck. Ty’s sheer weight atop the vampire held him down for a
few seconds before he flung them off like dirt and hovered near the
window.

“
Take heed, Werewolves,
your time is now. I’ll burn those dearest to you or you will do as
I say. I’m older and stronger than the both of you combined. Heed
my words and obey,” Robert growled.

Sonja glimpsed Jeb’s retrieval of the
stake. He hurled the wooden spike like a tomahawk at Robert’s
chest. The vampire smoothly blocked the blow and laughed softly. “I
fear you all will rue the day you came up against me.” Turning to
Sonja, he pointed a finger. “Rise, Liken, and meet your new master.
I’ve waited so long for this moment.” Smiling, he reached out as
Sonja’s wolf rose from the floor and floated toward him.

She struggled, protested and attempted
to claw his face, but in the end, his cold hand wrapped around her
silver collar of fur and held on.

Ty’s wolf paced out of reach of the
Robert’s lecherous clutches. The desire to attack struggled with
the need to protect his mate.

Jeb reached from under his coat and
drew out a revolver. “You’ll have to return to hell where you came
from bloodsucker.” He fired the first bullet and Robert’s face
froze. The second followed and Robert lost his grip on Sonja’s
wolf. He glanced down at his chest and back at Jeb. The realization
came in the twinkling of an eye.

“
You see vampire, I know
what kills you, too. I’ll have to thank Tyler for giving me his
wooden bullets. They’ve sure come in handy.” Jeb’s smile never
reached his eyes.

Robert fell to the floor and crumbled
into pieces before fire swallowed him up.

***

Sonja came back slowly. Hortence
crooned her name and offered encouragement. Struggling to sit, she
searched for Ty. “Where is he?” She sought her mate in all four
corners of the room. “Jeb?”

Hortence reached out and stroked her
glistening blonde curls. “Easy, my love. They’ve gone to check on
the children.”

Sonja blinked to focus. She rolled her
shoulders. The change back to human was almost complete. Scrambling
to her feet, she went to the bed where her sister lay sleeping
peacefully for the first time in over five hours. “Her head is
cool. The fever’s gone.”

“
Her fever came from black
magic.” Hortence appeared on the other side of the bed. Those
vampires are gathering support in any form they can.” She clutched
at a small pouch hanging from a string around her neck. “She will
be fine now.” Her eyes narrowed and searched the ceiling. “The
train is in danger though. You must go! I’ll stay with
her.”