Luscious Craving (32 page)

I turned back to Chet. “Thanks,” I said. “I just may owe you my life.”

“Okay, I just have to ask this,” Chet said. “Shouldn’t you be just a little more freaked out?”

“When you work security you come up against just about everything,” I explained. “Believe it or not, that wasn’t my first vampire.” There. I had said it, right out loud. “For the record, you don’t look all that freaked out yourself.”

Chet made a face. “She’s not my first vampire, either. I lost my best friend to one about eight months ago.”

“Chet.
I’m so sorry.”

He gave himself a shake, as if to throw off a bad dream. “Yeah, well, so am I. But I don’t figure we have time for a history lesson now.”

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small device. The buzz in my ears got louder as he thrust it toward me. Not a buzz, but that high-pitched whine I had heard in the IT center.

“What is that?” I inquired.

“Originally, it was an ultrasonic bat locator,” he explained. “I modified it to help me locate and trace vampires, because only vampires react to the sound.
Only vampires and you!”

“Chet, I’m not a vampire. I’ll explain later. We don’t have time. You’re here because of the technical problems with the fireworks?”

“Right.
Mr. Glass sent for me because there was a glitch in the program, but I got it straightened out.”

“So everything’s set to go at midnight.”

“Yes.” Chet’s eyes narrowed. “What aren’t you telling me? What’s going on?”

“I can’t explain now,” I said hurriedly. “Except to say, watch out for the waiters dressed up like the Rat Pack. They’re actually vampires. If I’m right, I think they may make some sort of play for Senator
Hamlyn
.”

I didn’t expect Ash would get his own hands dirty, not with his toy soldiers around.

I glanced at my watch. It was eleven-twenty, and the fireworks would go off at midnight. Maybe, just maybe, there was enough time left for my con.

“I need your help, Chet.” I located my cell on the ground, flipped it open, praying it was still intact. It was. “Do you have some paper?” The guy had a pocket protector and a vamp locator, for crying out loud. Dollars to doughnuts he had a pad of paper and a pencil concealed somewhere.

Sure enough.
He pulled both from an inner pocket, and I scribbled a few sentences.

“I want you to call the numbers of my most recent twenty voice mails and tell them this,” I said, giving the pad back to him. “And call security and see if you can get some more troops over here.”

“All right.”
He looked puzzled. “What are you going to do?”

“I have to find someone,” I said.

Chet reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small silver tube. “Candace, take this,” he said, pressing it into my hand.

“What is it?”

“A light I use for working on computers.” He twisted one end. “That’s how it turns on.” The narrow beam was barely visible. “It’s not much, but it should help when they turn off all the lights for the fireworks.”

“Thanks.” I slipped the light into my costume. “Do
me
another favor?”

“Sure.”

“Find me just before the fireworks start.”

Music blared as the jazz band began to really let loose. I stood off to the side, clinging to the shadows but staying close to Senator
Hamlyn
, who was talking with Katherine Glass and another woman who seemed, if possible, even more elegant.

The crowd had grown and now spilled onto the lawn and paths that led from the deck to the house. I checked my watch. It was five minutes before midnight, and aside from the presence of multiple vampires, I hadn’t picked up any sign of a direct threat to the senator. That didn’t mean it wasn’t coming. Only that they hadn’t yet put their plan into action.

After leaving Chet with my cell, I had searched the house and grounds for Ash.
Nada.
He seemed to have vanished from the scene.
Which was troubling in its own way.
Somehow, I couldn’t imagine that he had actually left or that his disappearance was benign. He was lying low, a predator waiting patiently for the kill.

The deck was thronged with couples dancing to the band, and others standing around the food tables and Jacuzzi. The largest and thickest crowd of all was gathering over by the pool, waiting for the fireworks to begin. Randolph Glass appeared at his wife’s side. He said something. Both he and Katherine laughed. Then
Randolph
took Katherine into his arms to dance.
Hamlyn
was immediately swept into the crowd gathering by the pool.

Shit! The last thing I needed was
Hamlyn
disappearing from sight. I left the relative safety of the shadows and began to wend my way through the crowd to the pool.

Applause met the end of one song and the beginning of the next. Three minutes till midnight. I glanced toward the living room’s glass wall. There was no sign at all that anyone was coming.

Chet appeared at my side. “Ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“What are we looking for?”

“I don’t know. Just keep your eye on Senator
Hamlyn
.

“Excuse me,” I said, edging closer to the senator. There were at least a dozen people between us, and even in heels I couldn’t see over most of their heads. Chet, fortunately, was taller.

“
Hamlyn’s
talking with a woman in a black gown,” he reported. “And, holy crap, on his left, there’s a guy who looks like Peter
Lawford
moving toward him.”

That’s the same vamp I saw earlier, with Ash
, I thought. The music stopped and the lights dimmed. I began to push through the crowd, not caring who I bumped or jostled.

“Scheherazade security, let me through,” I shouted. But I was too far away, had waited too long. The crowd was thick, everyone packed together to stare toward the Strip. I was barely making any progress. I risked a glance at my watch and another at the windows of the house. No one was riding to the rescue and there was no more time left. My heart sank. Around me, people were shouting drunkenly, “Five…four…three…two…one!
Happy New Year!”

The music started up again as the first round of fireworks shot up in the air with a fierce explosion. I kept moving
,
my gaze focused on the senator. “Let me through!” I could hear desperation in my voice. “Please, let me through!”

My eyes blurred as the light was filled with brilliant explosions of light and color and then plunged into darkness. One moment I saw the senator standing by
Randolph
, but then I caught sight of him being steered by Peter
Lawford
toward the house.

“
Goddammit
.”
I looked around for Chet. He was right behind me. “This is it!” I said. “They’re trying to get the senator out. Come with me!” I tugged on his sleeve as I switched on the tiny flash-light.

It was a little easier making our way in this direction. Fireworks were still going off, so most people were glad to let us out so they could move closer to the deck where the view was the best. Although the lights in the outdoor area had been dimmed, I found a door into the living room.

“This way,” I said, leading Chet into the house.

The inside of the house was
pitch
black. I moved slowly, using Chet’s light to avoid stumbling into furniture. I thought I heard the senator’s voice, but I couldn’t be sure. What if they’d already gotten him away? What if…?

I swung the thin beam, hoping to find a lamp or some sort of light I could turn on. And then I felt the bone-chilling cold, a rush of it directly in front of me. Jerry Lewis.
Just my luck.
I’ve never even thought the
real
one was funny.

“What did you do with him?” I demanded. “Where’s the senator?”

“Expect me to answer you, lady?” the Jerry vampire replied, his grin manic. He clamped a hand around my upper arm and tugged me hard, toward the darkened recesses of the house.

Anger replaced my fear. I don’t like being jerked around, especially by a vampire.

The finale of the fireworks show shook the room. The thundering booms and screaming, shrill whistles drowned out all other sound. I struggled to think clearly.

I let the Jerry Lewis vampire pull me across the room. I wanted him to think I couldn’t overpower him. He walked steadily and deliberately, dragging me away from the party.

I saw a pale light in a room ahead. My heart sank as I caught a glimpse of the senator being ushered toward the front foyer.

The vampire pulled me down a long darkened hall. He was big and strong.
But not strong enough.
Time to move, Candace.
Time to end his comedy act.
Arrogant bastard.
He didn’t care that I had one hand free.

I took a deep breath. Then I swung the free hand up hard and gave his Adam’s apple a hard chop with my closed fist. He made a gulping sound. I didn’t give him a chance to recover. I clamped my hand around his necktie and pulled down with all my strength.

He stumbled forward, his knees buckling. Breathing hard, my hand aching, I let go. He hit the wall and spun around. He couldn’t keep the surprise from his face. “Damn it, lady,” he choked out, struggling to loosen the tie. “I’m not
gonna
hurt you. I got my orders, you know?”

But I’m
gonna
hurt you
! I told myself. My fingers reached for a silver chopstick. I held my breath and waited for the vampire’s next move.

“Hey—!” I didn’t expect him to move so fast. One second he was against the wall, the next he had his hands around my face. “I like the feisty ones,” he said, spitting on me with each word. He tangled his fist in my hair and leaned in closer. His lips made a hideous parody of a lover’s kiss. I could smell the scent of blood on his breath.

Wait. Wait for the right moment.
The kill moment
.
My heart pounding, I willed myself to wait. The stench of him, his breath nearly suffocated me. He leaned closer. Closer…

Now!

As he pressed himself against me, I brought my arm up high behind his back…and plunged the silver chopstick deep into his neck.

It made a sick, dry sound like a rake cutting through dead leaves. He made no cry. No sound. No struggle. I could still feel the pressure of him against my body. But he was gone.

I had to be sure. I knelt down to touch the cool marble floor…and my fingers sank into a dry pile of dust.

“Chet,” I called, hoping that another vampire hadn’t attacked him.

He didn’t answer and I got to my feet, panic rising. Where was the senator? By this point he might be miles from the house. I could smell the sickening scent of failure closing in on me. I had played my hand and I had lost.
Hamlyn
was gone. Ash had won.

Somewhere to my right I heard a door swing open.
The front door?
I tried to orient myself, and there was a flare of light. And then more lights—blinding lights. Great! Lights were what I wanted.
Lights that would take away the vampires’ advantage and reveal the truth about what was going on.
Lights were everywhere as a horde of TV reporters and their camera crews swarmed through the front door and into the living room. “Senator,” one of them called out. “Is it true you’re announcing your candidacy tonight?”