Prophecy of the Undead (9 page)

Yuri’s lips twitched with amusement.

“Yes, I see that you aren’t the kind of woman who would take that lying down...or standing up...or even bent over my sofa. No my dear, I don’t intend to throw my considerable years of experience in your face. After all, if I am so great then I would have found the answers I seek a long time ago, right?”

She nodded decisively. “That’s right, Mister. You need me, remember?”

He leaned over even further to whisper into her ear, “I do indeed.” His fangs gently nipped her earlobe and his tongue shot out to lick the drops of blood.

Keisha tried to get over the shock of that little act. It made every cell in her body vibrate with excitement. She crossed her legs protectively but that just compressed her clit between her thighs and made things worse. Yuri’s low chuckle made her turn to glare at him, aware that he knew what she felt. She tried to think up a witty, yet snarky, quip to toss at him when the captain made an announcement over the intercom.

“Ladies and gentlemen. We are about to land in Tucson.”

Yuri leaned over, patting her on the back of her hand.

“I look forward to sparring again with you, when we have more time.”

“Fine,” Keisha huffed. “As long as you don’t plan on winning every argument by appealing to my sexual appetite.”

“Which is growing by the minute, I can assure you. No, you are not just the woman of my dreams during my every waking moment. You are also the formidable intelligence I have sought for many years. I won’t forget that for a moment, nor will I risk losing you for any reason.” He stopped, amused by the shocked look on Keisha’s face.

“Growing every minute?”

“Yes, my little newbie. Growing stronger in the blood enhances all kinds of sensual delights. However, we have more important things to talk about now, so listen to me.”

She forced herself to concentrate.

“We are going to be visiting two of the older ones. One is only a few hundred years older than me. He was born in Russia also so we have the bond of national kinship. His lover for centuries is Hispanic. He no longer goes by his birth name but changed it to reflect the many years they’ve lived in Mexico and Central America. His name is Casimiro Pavlenko—his first name translates roughly to ‘famous destroyer’.

“The other is much older...possibly seven hundred years—give or take a few decades. He’s the oldest one I have ever met. He came to the New World back before it was known to anyone except those who already lived here and a few hardy souls who made a one-way voyage across the sea. His name is Apolinar Villalba, and his first name translates as ‘the destroyer’. They regard the similarity in the meanings of their names as being part of the fate that drew them together.”

“What? That they both want to destroy things? Sound like typical
macho
-men to me. The alpha types who trample over everyone else and then wonder why no one likes them.”

“Yes. Please remember—whereas I find your sarcasm entertaining, they won’t. They insisted on meeting you and plan to share blood with you.”

“Ew? Do I have to?”

Yuri sighed.

“I’m afraid so. They want to probe your intelligence but have sworn to me that you won’t be harmed. I have no idea what they will offer to you in return. Usually when we share blood, the drinker is in control of what he or she learns from your brain while the blood is connected. In your case, they will be in control both times.”

Keisha’s voice was small. “You’re afraid for me, aren’t you?”

He nodded.

“Then I’m terrified.”

“Don’t be. As I said, I have their sworn word that you won’t be harmed, either here or anywhere else—ever—by them or any of their agents. Believe me, you don’t live as long as I have without learning how much detail you have to put into agreements like this. I tried to cover all of the bases. If you are threatened, I stand prepared to die for you.”

“Can they do that?”

“If they choose. There really is no point to it. They have nothing to gain from ending my life. They are already feared and respected due to their advanced years. Most of the younger ones have never heard of them except in whispers about the Ancient Ones who’ve lived long enough to become indestructible themselves, while gaining the knowledge of how to cause other vampires to die a final death. Those who know them, like me, are far and few between. I have met Casimiro a few times...shared blood with him each time. His is an ordered mind—filled with numbers, statistics, and math formulas, the stuff of his dreams. Apolinar is totally opposite. The brief flash of insight I had the one time I met him was filled with violent colors and shapes. He is a painter whose works are in museums all over the world under many different names.”

“I’m not less frightened but knowing you are there with me will be some comfort.”

Yuri smiled grimly. “I won’t let any harm come to you if I can help it. Not much of a comfort but the best I can do.”

The plane was landing, so they stopped talking to make preparations to disembark.

Chapter Ten

As they exited the airport, Keisha gasped at the blast of hot dry air that slapped her in the face.

“Wow. I haven’t been cold since that first night, when your advice about the long hot shower was just what I needed. But this? How does anyone breathe in this kind of heat?”

Yuri grinned. “I was born close to Siberia so I find it uncomfortable. Casimiro has lived all over the world, but will live wherever Apolinar chooses. He was born in Spain so hot and dry is his first choice. This is as far north as he will usually come. Most of the year they are both in either Mexico or Central America. They have estates in quite a few places.”

At Keisha’s questioning look he said, “Remember? Lots of years equal lots of money. Especially when you don’t care how many mortals are being hurt or killed by the violence that accompanies drug sales. As for the many houses, I repeat—you can never be sure just where you will be when the sun comes up so it’s nice to have options.”

“So, do they live near Tucson?”

“No. They own a small piece of land southwest of here, near the
Cabeza
Prieta
National Wildlife Refuge. Only a small part of it is above ground, so it looks like a modest adobe
casa
. Most of the rooms are underground, so there is no need for you to seek shelter when the sun rises. For those as old as these two, there really is no need for much sleep at all. You, on the other hand, will appear dead to the world for quite some time when the sun comes up. I can usually fight it for a while but even I have to succumb and lie down eventually. I get up earlier also. The blood has many odd peculiarities we must learn to adapt to. In exchange, there’s the whole eternity thing.”

“So, how are we going to get there? Fly?”

Yuri held her hand to lead her along the walkway to a rental station.

“Actually, no. I didn’t learn to drive until about fifty years ago. Now that I do know how, I really enjoy it...especially when I get to pick out such a fine car.”

Yuri gave his name to the clerk, who handed him the paperwork and indicated a silver Jaguar parked outside the door.

They walked back out into the heat where Yuri held the door for Keisha to slide into the passenger seat. He stood still for a moment, admiring her legs now that her skirt had ridden up to her thighs. She noticed what he stared at and giggled while snapping her fingers in front of his face.

“Hey, Romeo. Pay attention. We’ve got some important people to see first. Later.”

Yuri shook his head and went around to the driver’s side of the vehicle. He opened the door and climbed in.

“You’re right, but damn. You’ve got some great-looking legs.”

Keisha pulled her skirt down demurely. “Thanks. Let’s just concentrate on keeping me alive long enough to get another chance to enjoy wrapping them around you again.”

“I want them wrapped around my head while I...”

“Stop it. Just stop it.”

He smiled and turned on the radio. They argued over the stations but decided they could both live with an oldies channel out of Phoenix. Driving at almost one hundred miles per hour, the car ate up the miles they crossed in no time.

* * * *

There were No Trespassing signs posted everywhere as they approached the property. Signs in both English and Spanish warned of attack dogs and armed guards. Keisha shifted around uncomfortably in the soft-as-butter leather seat.

“The signs are not for us,” Yuri pointed out. “There are both mortal and vampire guards, and mortal and vampire dogs. That way the property is defended against drug runners and anyone else who might attack a simple adobe home. Because of the warning signs, the owners figure that anyone who disregards them deserves the swift, yet painful, death they will encounter. Really, out here, who is going to notice—let alone pursue the disappearance of anyone?”

When they got to the main gate there was a guard hut. No one was in it, but Yuri stopped and got out to sit nonchalantly on the hood of his car. He pulled out a cigar but before he got anything lit, a man suddenly swooped out of the night sky to land in front of him.

“Name?” he growled.

“Yuri Kozakov. The female is Keisha Brown. We are invited guests.”

The vampire spoke into the walkie-talkie attached to his collar.

A voice crackled back to him, “They are expected. Let them pass.”

He nodded at Yuri who offered him the cigar he planned on smoking. The vampire sniffed at it then smiled briefly, deliberately showing his fangs.

“¿Cubano?”

“Sí.”

“Gracias.”

Yuri got back into the car and continued driving up the road. He glanced over at Keisha who frowned with anxiety.

“I’m still terrified,” she said in reaction to his unspoken question.

He nodded. “Good. Never forget for an instant that these two are the monsters from under your bed. They have the power to destroy your mind or snap your neck like a twig, and they don’t need to even touch you to do either. Be respectful and polite.”

“Show a little leg?” she asked nervously. “That won’t do any good. You said they are partners. So, they’re gay, right?”

“For the most part. No man, alive or undead, will turn his eyes away from an attractive woman’s legs.”

They pulled up to the entrance and parked next to a beige dirt-covered Humvee. Keisha didn’t wait for Yuri to walk around to her door to open it for her. She climbed out of the car and stood uncertainly until Yuri claimed her hand, pulling it up to his mouth to kiss her fingertips gently, making her shiver.

“I will be with you at all times. Even when you don’t feel me, I will be there. I won’t let you out of my sight.”

“Why are we here, exactly?” Her voice shook from nerves.

“To find out why your research made you a target. And to impress upon them the importance of calling off the attack dogs so you can answer my questions. They pretend not to care but there are few among us who haven’t wondered what makes us what we are. We need to be sure you will be allowed to find those answers.”

“So, we’re asking them to let me live?”

“Basically.”

Keisha took a deep breath and strode up to the front door to knock. Before her knuckles hit the wood, the door swung open.

A slender blond man stood in the doorway, smiling at them both. He wasn’t as tall as Yuri, but the similarities in bone structure and coloring made Keisha fairly positive which one of the powerful Old Ones this man was. She would have guessed his age to be slightly younger in mortal years than Yuri.

“Yuri Kozakov, welcome to our home. This must be...”

Yuri answered quickly, “Keisha Brown. Keisha, this is Casimiro Pavlenko, the countryman of mine I told you about.”

Keisha offered her hand for a shake, but Casimiro bowed and took her hand in his to gently kiss the backs of her fingers. He stood again and waved into the house.

“
Bienvenido á nuestra casa.
Welcome to our home. Apolinar is painting but asked that I bring you down to meet him when you arrived. We so seldom have visitors.”

Keisha found it hard not to scream from nervousness. Somehow even the normal pleasantries of polite conversation threatened her. She hoped that she only imagined things but she felt like the proverbial fly entering the spider’s web.

She followed their host down the hallway to an elevator, with Yuri close behind her. The door was open so they got onto the elevator and Keisha watched as Casimiro pressed a button. The door swished closed in an efficient manner.

In just a few minutes, they walked through the open door into a hallway lit by wall sconces burning scented oil. They continued down the hall to a large door at the end of it. Casimiro knocked briefly and then threw the door open.

“They are here but then you knew that already. Come and meet them. She’s delightful. I think you will be pleased.”

Keisha and Yuri both turned to look in the direction that Casimiro spoke. There was a large canvas on an easel and two legs were visible under it. Keisha tried to hide her surprise when a teenager looked around the canvas at them. His face lit up with a smile as he walked around the easel to approach them still holding the paintbrush. He was about the same height as Keisha, who was the average height of an American woman at five feet four inches. His long black hair was pulled back away from his face and held by a piece of red ribbon, tied in a bow. He had an olive complexion and a faint mustache barely darkened his upper lip. His black eyes sparkled as he looked at them and smiled.