The Dark Side (17 page)

The limo hadn’t moved and I felt a little stupid as I raised a hand to knock on the darkened glass. What if it wasn’t Marco?

Part of me knew it was.

The rap of my knuckles against the glass echoed loudly in the twilight and I looked around guiltily, hoping no one was watching. The window didn’t roll down. It still wasn’t completely dark, so I guess Marco was being cautious. Instead, the driver’s door opened and the driver came over to me. He was short and bald and dressed in an expensive dark suit.

“I want to speak with Lord Marco,” I said before he had a chance to speak.

To my surprise he just nodded and opened the door for me. Which kind of threw me—maybe it was dark enough after all.

I climbed into the limo and the door gently closed behind me. Instead of Marco, I faced a matte black divider—the kind that usually appears in a limo between the driver and passengers. For a moment I freaked out, wondering if I’d just climbed into a car with someone I shouldn’t have but then the glass slid back to reveal Marco smiling at me. The divider, I realized, must be UV treated—protection against any lingering sunlight that might have hit the inside of the car when the driver let me in. Nifty.

“Ashley,
cara
, how nice to see you.” Marco nodded at me as if it were perfectly normal that he was here.

“Don’t ‘cara’ me,” I said. “What are you doing here? This isn’t a vamp friendly environment.”

“They do not seem to mind werewolves.”

“Most of them don’t know I’m a wolf.”

“Truly?”

I nodded. “Believe me, Caldwell is not pro-supernaturals. I’m surprised you’re here.” I studied his face for a moment but it was an unreadable blank mask. “Why are you here, exactly?”

“Jason had some concerns.”

He did? He hadn’t raised them with me. Not that I’d given him much of a chance. “What sort of concerns? And why wouldn’t he come himself?”

“I presume, because he knows Caldwell’s attitude to our kind.”

“That didn’t stop you from coming.”

“I can take care of myself.” He tilted his head toward the driver. “I have resources.”

One vampire and one bodyguard might not be much good against an angry mob. But it wasn’t my job to look after Marco.

It was my job to look after my friends and family.

“What sort of concerns?” I asked again. Was Jase worried about me? Having another premonition? He wouldn’t bother Marco if he was just worried about how I’d cope with the memorial.

Also Jase would know that if Dan found out Marco was around, there’d be trouble. So it had to be something more serious. My hands curled in my lap as I waited for Marco’s reply.

“He wasn’t specific, he just said he thought there might be a problem.”

“Why tell you? He should have told Dan, we could have brought some agents.”

He looked out the window. “You should get back to your gathering. Your wolf will be wondering where you are.”

There was a distinct lack of answer to my question in that statement. But he was right. And getting out of the limo before this conversation got any weirder sounded like a plan to me.

* * *

I found Dan inside the hall, clutching a take-out coffee cup and looking nervous, surrounded by Aunt Bug and a gaggle of her friends. If I knew my aunt, he was probably being grilled about when he was going to make an honest woman out of me.

I caught his eyes and smiled. He grinned back and extricated himself from the group.

It didn’t take him long to reach my side. Our fingers snaked together. “How much longer do we need to stay?” he asked softly. He glanced back over to Bug and her cronies, looking faintly worried.

They’d definitely been grilling him about us. “Not long, I just want to say hi to a few people, then we can go back to Bug’s.” I knew he wanted to be back in Seattle, working. The full moon was approaching and we’d lose a couple of days going to the Retreat. We needed all the time we could get right now.

He nodded, looking resigned. “Want some coffee?” He held out the cup. “There’s no booze in it but it’s hot.”

“Were you expecting booze?”

A head shake. “Next year remind me to bring a hip flask.”

Yeah, that would go down well. My stomach didn’t like the thought of alcohol much but I desperately needed caffeine. “I’ll go make my own. I know the coffee here. It needs help.”

So I was a coffee snob, sue me. Caldwell was your basic white or black, cream or sugar type of town. There was no place in town to get a good espresso or a caramel latte. And the town hall coffee, from memory, was not even good basic coffee.

“Grab me a brownie,” Dan said with a grin. He dropped a kiss on my cheek then settled into one of the seats lining the walls.

I didn’t know how he could eat. I still felt like live eels were occupying my stomach. But I made my way across to the tables that held piles of muffins and cakes and brownies and sandwiches supplied by the good women of Caldwell. Homemade, delicious and full of calories. It made me regret my lack of appetite.

I snagged Dan a couple of brownies and made myself a coffee with triple sugar and extra milk. I figured that would see me through to Bug’s where a hot bath, some Advil and a nap might render me into a suitable state to actually eat something.

When I turned to grab a paper napkin for Dan, I almost bumped into Rhianna.

She looked less bubbly than earlier, her smile strained around the edges.

“How you holding up, kiddo?”

She grimaced. “Ask me tomorrow. And remind me next year to wear sensible shoes.”

I laughed. “You won’t listen.”

Her lips curved. “Maybe not. Well, at least remind me to wear cheap shoes that dirt won’t ruin.” She stared down at her feet, smile vanishing.

I looked down. She was right. The high spiked heels on her candy colored sandals were a dirt-colored mess and splotches of mud made them look like the leather had come from some sort of mutant pink and brown cow. “Ouch.”

Her blue eyes were rueful as we both straightened. “Ouch in more ways than one. I paid retail for these.” She sipped her coffee. “Are you going back to Seattle tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Dan needs to get back.” Using him as a scapegoat was easier than admitting that I could hardly wait to get away. I always needed a break from Caldwell after the memorial. Bug could come to town for our next girly bonding session.

“Mom says he works for the FBI? Doesn’t that worry you?”

For once I wished that I knew exactly who in Caldwell knew the truth about me and Dan.

Was Rhianna fishing for information about Dan being a werewolf or was she just asking? My brain was too tired to figure it out from her expression.

“Less than when he was a cop,” I said honestly. He spent less time in the field, for one thing. And he was a werewolf now. Harder to kill.

She shivered. “I couldn’t do it. I’d worry too much.”

I frowned. “I don’t think about it. After all, any of us could—” I cut myself off. Idiot. This was not the time or place to be talking about accidental deaths. “So is there a guy worshipping at your feet, as usual?”

To my surprise, she blushed. Rhi was the men fawning at her feet type. But she never took them that seriously.

I grinned at her and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re in luuuurve.”

Her gaze dropped back down to the mutant cow shoes. When she looked back up, her face was a similar pink to the unsplotched parts of the leather. A grin spread across her face making her look like her sister all over again. “Maybe.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Maybe? You’re blushing over but
maybe
? Okay, dish the dirt.”

She glanced over her shoulder and I saw her parents standing a few feet away. “Not here. Mom and Dad don’t know yet.”

I wasn’t letting her get off that easily. A little big sis-little sis gossip was just what I needed to take my mind off the day we’d just had. Something
normal.
“Rhianna Anders, you are not going anywhere until I’m fully informed. Let’s go outside. It’s getting hot in here anyway.”

She giggled then nodded. I dropped Dan’s plate of calories off to him and then caught up to Rhianna. We ended up sitting on the front steps of the hall.

We weren’t the only ones finding it a little close indoors; Aunt Bug and her friends had taken up position on the double row of park benches outside the hall. The sun had set now but the lights from the hall shed plenty of light across the lawn. I smiled to myself when I saw Stanley Douglas, who, Bug insisted was just a bridge partner, hovering around her.

“So,” I said, turning my attention back to Rhianna. “Tell me about this guy.”

She started to reply but stopped as a big black van suddenly squealed to a halt just near the hall’s front gate.

“Who’s that?” I said, frowning. Most of the town’s population was inside. And I didn’t think it was the sort of night that kids would be joyriding. Reporters maybe? The van’s side door slid backward and several men piled out. Something about the way they moved—a little too quick and fluid—made my heart stop. Vamps. Shit.

I jumped up. “Rhi, go get Dan. And Sheriff Kenny.”

“What?” She looked confused.

I yanked her to her feet. “Go
now
.”

The vamps were scanning the street, heads turning and seeking like a pack of dogs scenting the air. One of them looked straight at me. A nasty grin spread across his face. I stood my ground.

The group of vamps started to flow toward the hall.

I saw Stanley step into their path, saw one of them push him hard enough for him to hit the grass. Saw the looks of horror growing on the faces of the ladies around him. Including Bug’s.

I was down the steps and between her and the vamps before I could stop to think what I was doing.

“Get out of here.” A growl underlined my words. I heard Bug murmuring something behind me. “Stay back,” I said without turning around. “In fact, go inside. Now.”

“What makes you think inside will help?” The tallest of the vampires sneered.

“I told you to leave,” I said, trying to ignore the fact my heart was hammering and that the vamps would be able to hear it, clear as day. Where was Dan? And the Sheriff and his nice guns? Come to think of it, where the fuck was Marco?

“We’ll leave. But you’re coming with us.”

“I don’t think so.”
Hurry up, Dan
.

Hurry
the fuck
up.

I could hear noises coming from the hall—footsteps—but I didn’t know if Bug and her friends had retreated or whether someone was coming to help. I wasn’t turning my back on four vampires to check.

“You come quietly or things will get messy.” The vamp snarled.

My skin went cold. Another vampire attack might just break the town for good. On the other hand, being held by vampires again was very likely to break me for good. I needed to stall. “Who sent you?”

“Who said anyone sent us?”

“Get away from her.”

Dan’s voice. Relief weakened my knees.

The vamp slanted dark eyes past me, pale skin almost glowing in the dim light, lip curling to reveal his fangs. “Going to make me?”

“Yes, we are.” This time it was Sheriff Kenny speaking.

I risked a glance over my shoulder. Dan stood just behind me, Kenny and another guy I assumed was one of the deputies with him. Both the cops had their guns out. About time. I turned back to the vamp. “I suggest you leave.”

Something like fear flashed in his eyes. Obviously the thought of going back empty-handed to whoever was pulling the strings here didn’t appeal. “I don’t think so.”

He lunged for me, hands closing over my forearm. I snarled and tried to pull free.

“Ash!” Dan yelled my name and the vamp reeled back as a fist connected with his face. He and Dan tumbled to the grass, rolling and punching. I sucked in a breath, trying to work out where the other three had gone. Kenny had pulled a gun and I saw one vamp frozen in place but that left two unaccounted for. Two vamps loose in the crowd.

I whirled back to face the hall, trying to remember what the vamps had looked like. Dark hair, dark clothes. There was nothing distinctive. Then my brain kicked in. Dark clothes. Most people were wearing color. Look for black.

A shriek came from the steps. Bug’s voice. I broke into a run, saw her lifted off her feet by one of the vamps. “Bug!” I shrieked, speeding up. “Get away from her.”

Another vamp loomed up in my path. I hit him full force, striking blindly with one fist. It connected with his head hard enough to send pain screaming up my arm but he went down and I leapt over him and closed in on Bug.

The vamp swung around just before I reached him, holding Bug in front of him like a shield. “I’ll kill her.” He snarled at me. “You stay where you are.”

I froze as the color drained out of Bug’s face. “Let her go. I’ll come with you—”

“No,” Bug said, struggling. “You stay where you are.”

“Let her go,” I repeated.

The vamp just smiled and leaned his face closer into her neck. “I don’t think so.”

I tried to calculate how quickly I could close the gap between us and how badly he might be able to hurt Bug in the time it took me. Too badly seemed to be the answer but I had to try anyway. I got ready to leap for him but then Rhianna loomed up behind the vampire and smashed a chair over his head. He crumpled and I leaped for Bug, hitting the lawn before she did, so I cushioned her fall. She landed on top of me with a grunt and half-winded me.

“Are you—” I started to ask but a snarling sound interrupted me. The vamp. I turned my head in time to see him spring to his feet, face twisted with rage and fly at Rhianna. He grabbed her and buried his fangs in her throat before I could move.

Rage roared through me and the wolf blazed to life. I changed and rolled to my feet, snarling.

Screams echoed around me, people stumbling backward at the sudden appearance of a huge wolf in their midst. I ignored them, focusing on the vamp. He didn’t lift his head from Rhi’s throat. I didn’t have time to lose. He could drain her or hurt her fatally in another few seconds.

I sprang, snapping at his arm. My fangs sank through the cotton of his black shirt and buried themselves in muscle and flesh. The rank taste of vamp blood boiled into my mouth but I held on and twisted, using my body weight to force him away from Rhianna.