NightFall: Book One: Bloodlust Is the Cure for the Immortal Soul (31 page)

Simone was silent as she absorbed everything that Van had told her. If it was true, then she didn’t have long left to enjoy her life.
Thirty?
That was the cut off point but that didn’t mean she couldn’t go sooner. She studied Van. She still loved him. Nothing could change that. Not even after all he had explained to her.

Didn’t she once wish that she could live forever? She had remembered wishing that on her plane trip over here. Because Indea was a friend you couldn’t find anymore.
Eternity?
With Van?
With Saldivar and Indea if she agreed and
believed?
Could she believe a story like this? Van has never lied to her. He seemed sincere.

God help her, she was beginning to believe. Maybe Mr. Hobbs wasn’t a freak of nature after all. Maybe he
did
know there was something to this whole vampire thing.

Simone grabbed Van’s hand and laced it with hers. “I love you, Van. I didn’t think I would have fallen so fast. I know time is running out but I need some time to absorb all of this. Do you understand? It’s a lot to take in.”

“Yes. I can understand your dilemma. I was there once.” He took on a more serious tone. “You must also know that there are people who want to kill us; destroy our very existence.
People in the OVI.
I don’t know who runs it but I found out last night when Saldivar came home after his date with Indea. Turns out there is a big shot reporter doing stories on vampires’
existence.
He or she has been working with Mr. Hobbs. I wish I knew the filthy person willing to do such stories. Why destroy us? We do no harm and yet they want to do away with us because they do not understand. Kill the unknown. I do not understand it.” He shook his head but there was a fire in his gray eyes, hinting of what he thought of this unknown reporter.

Simone swallowed but couldn’t bring
herself
to say anything about it.

Van quickly recovered and smiled. “On a better note, however, Saldivar did find out he has a sister named Raven.” Van didn’t feel the need to go into further detail until Saldivar himself could explain and of course, introduce Raven to him and the girls.

Simone was quiet.
OVI?
They were out to destroy vampires? Then why did Mr. Brant want her to write a story on Van and Saldivar? No. No! He knew about it all along. He used her. She decided not to tell Van just yet that she was the one doing the stories. Had she known, she would’ve refused.

All those loving e
-mails from Mr. Brant were a guise
.
Love, Mr. Brant.
How could he do this to her? She unwittingly might have put Van and Saldivar in danger. She was going to have to give Mr. Brant a call when she got back home.

Simone put on a happy face. “So, Saldivar
has
found his sister?”

“More like she found him.
She’s his half sister.”

“Is she a vampire, too?”

“No. She is only half. She was sired by Saldivar
‘s second father, t
he one who transformed him.” Van didn’t say any more about Zane. He felt Saldivar should
di
vulge that kind of information when he was ready.

“How
old is she?” Simone asked, crinkling
her brows. “Come to think of it, how old are you and Saldivar?”

Van laughed. “Raven was born in 1961, so she is fifty and
considered a neophyte by the undead. I’m over three hundred years old and Saldivar is over eight hundred.”

“What about Saldivar’s transformer?”

Van blinked
. “Over two thousand years old, I guess.
It’s uncertain to find out his exact age. He was transformed by the Seer of All. His origin is unknown as well as his age.”

Simone’s mouth gaped open. “Wow. This is so hard to fathom.” She sat back down.

“I know you need time to let all of this information sink in. You still find it unbelievable. I know how you feel.
I’m sure when you
are home
you might change your mind about me.”

Simone shook her head as she
got up and walked over to him,
“I couldn’t do that, Van.”

Van ran his fingers through her soft hair.
“
I sincerely hope not, my sweet Simone. Shall I take you home so you can roll it around in your mind what you need to do? Do not tell Indea if Saldivar hasn’t. It has to come from Saldivar’s lips only.”

Simone nodded. “I won’t say anything, Van. I promise.”

Van kissed Simone lightly on the lips. “Then, come, my sweet. I will take you home.”

Simone paced her room, in between biting her nails and mussing her hair.

What am I supposed to do? A vampire! I can’
t believe Van’s a vampire.
And
Saldivar too.

Simone couldn’t find any falsehood in what Van had said. He had never lied to her. He even knew about the OVI!
Which reminded her……

Simone grabbed the receiver beside her bed and called the states.

“Hello?”
came
Davis Brant’s voice.

Simone forced
herself
to act natural.
“Hi, Mr. Brant.
How’s everything in Alabama?”

“S-Simone.”
It was clear he was nervous. He never stuttered unless he was. And that wasn’t often. “It’s great. How are you and Indea? How is your vacation going?”

Simone knew right away that her hunch was right. Something fishy was going on. “It’s going really well. I’m so glad you let me have an extra week.”

“You deserve it, Simone.” The guilt was heavy in his voice. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “How is it going with Van and Saldivar?”

Simone had to be very careful what she told him. He was fishing for information on them and she wasn’t quite sure what kind of things to tell him or what could be used against them. “They’re great. We’re having a wonderful time together.”

There was a pause on Mr. Brant’s side of the call. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Simone was agitated that Mr. Brant was making small talk. He doesn’t do small talk. She decided she needed to push hi
m a little. “Mr. Brant, I am
curious as to why you wanted a detailed story on Van and Saldivar. I mean, there must be much bigger clubs in Paris that would also strike your fancy.
Why couldn’t I just write about the club itself and just note the owners? It seemed like you needed a lot of stuff for a small club.”

Davis Brant sighed. He didn’t know how much to tell her. If he told her something, anything, and Mr. Hobbs found out, Simone and Indea
,
along with Van and Saldivar
,
would be in gr
ave danger. And it would be completely
his fault. He put them in this horrible situation without them knowing and now it might possib
ly get them killed. “Simone,”
he s
tarted, his voice shaking.
“Trust me when I say that everything will be fine. You’re like the daughter I never had. I can’t say anything to you. Do you understand, Simone? Please, I
can’t
tell you
anything.
It’s safer that way.”

Simone heard the panic in his words. She got the meaning behind his statement loud and clear. If he told her anything, their l
ives would be in danger. But, s
h
e had to know something, anything.
“Well, I’m sure you have all the information about the cl
ub and the owners. You won’t need
any more on them, I assume.” She hoped he got the message.

Mr. Brant audibly swallowed. “No. I will need a couple more stories. So far, what you’ve given me has gotten rave reviews. It would be best to keep going.
For the good of the paper, Simone.”

Simone rubbed her temples. She didn’t want to continue with this. She was getting more than uneasy with the whole situation.
She wondered if Mr. Brant had been threatened and if she didn’t continue with the story, would he be harmed? Was Mr. Brant’s life in her hands? Was her life in his? She didn’t want to betray Van and Saldivar by doing this. If she did, she was certain Indea would never forgive her. So far, Indea hasn’t said anything about her work to Saldivar. She w
as sworn to secrecy. But if Indea
knew that it would somehow ruin their lives, she just might forget her promise in order to save them. Simone couldn’t blame her if she did.

Simone bit her lip. “I’ll see what I can do. That’s all I can give you right now.”

“That’s fine, Simone. Our
readers
would like to know where Van and Saldivar grew up and they want to know a little about their families and their history. I know you won’t disappoint me.”

Simone squeezed her eyes tightly. Tears threatened to fall. Mr. Brant had always been like a father to her and now it seemed it was falling apart. She didn’t want to let him down but she didn’t want to do this to Van or Sal
divar. She was torn. “Okay,”
was all she said
, her voice a broken
whisper.
She replaced the receiver and sat down on the edge of the bed. What had gone wrong?

*

Davis stared at the phone. He hated himself with a passion right about now. How could he keep doing this to
Simone? Maybe he should just find a way to tell her and face whatever punishment Mr. Hobbs had in store for him. But if he did, Simone and Indea would still be in harm’s way. He was caught between a rock and a hard place and it seemed there was no solution to remedy the problem. It was his fault. He should have never agreed to do any of this no matter what they were going to pay him. Unfortunately, hindsight was always 20/20. It was too late to turn back now. If he could change anything, he would have never put Simone in this deadly situation. It was too late.
Too late.

Davis decided to leave the office early. He had to find a way to get Simone and her friends out of this. As for himself, he didn’t know if he could save himself. But he would help Simone if it costs him his life. He owed her that much.

He locked up his office door and left the building.

*

Van was sitting in his usual chair when Saldivar walked through the door later that night. Saldivar caught the intense look Van gave him.

“What is wrong,
mon ami
?” Saldivar asked, sitting opposite him.

“We need to talk about some important matters. First, Raven. What is the story on her any way?” Van wanted to know.

Saldivar thought for a moment. He then explained to Van what Raven had told him.
Zane, the hospital, the spying.
“I already know you know about the OVI. I want to know the sorry person who would write stor
ies on us in the first place,”
he finished.

“I despise him already,”
Van said scathingly. “If
it were up to me, I’d thrash that
reporter.”

“Yes, well.” Saldivar went on the change the subject. “What about Simone? Have you told her your story yet?”