The Vampire's Kiss (13 page)

Jack met her blazing stare without flinching. “I don’t know.”

“What?”

Jack flushed. “I never met him in person. I talked to him on the phone and via the Internet. He wired money directly to my account.” He shrugged. “He sent me files to back up his story. I had no reason to doubt his identity.”

“You’re telling me that someone hired you to follow me around the country, and you have no idea who that person is?”

He nodded, his cheeks staining a dark red.

Great. Just great. The detective had no clue.

Unfortunately, Savannah had an idea who his client was. Deep inside, she knew. But she prayed that she was wrong. She rubbed her arms and began to pace around the room. “You said that you’d set up my murder. What did you mean by that?”

“Yes,” William drawled from the open doorway. “Tell us how you arranged for her to die.”

Jack jumped from the chair as if he’d been scalded. “Who—” He turned, catching sight of William’s furious visage. His eyes widened.

William stalked toward him with the slow, unrelenting stride of a hunter. A hunter that has scented true prey. A faint sheen of red glowed from the depths of his black eyes.

Savannah hurriedly placed herself between the two men. William looked like he could easily kill Jack in that moment. “William, I can explain—”

William never took his gaze off Jack. “I want
him
to explain. I want
him
to tell me why I shouldn’t do the world a favor and just kill him right now.” His accent was heavier.

Savannah touched his arm lightly. “I’ll tell you why. Because you aren’t a killer.”

“Yes, he is.” Jack moved to stand beside her, trying to push her behind him.

When Jack’s hand closed around her arm, a low growl emitted from William’s throat. Savannah thought she could see the edge of his teeth.

“Step back,” she whispered to Jack, knowing that he was in serious danger.

“No way.” Jack was obviously terrified, but he stood his ground. “I know about him. William Dark is a cold-blooded murderer, and I’m not going to let him kill you!”

A cold wind swept through the room. Goose bumps rose along Savannah’s arms. William stared at Jack and smiled.

His canines were long. Lethal. And his eyes were blood red. True fear swept through Savannah in that moment.

“No!” She screamed and took a step forward, breaking free of Jack’s restraining hold.

“Are you crazy?” Jack snapped, “He’s going to kill us!”

No, William wasn’t going to kill her. She knew that he would never hurt her. But Jack was a different story. “William, calm down. It’s not what you think. He’s a detective. He’s been following me—”

Rage swept across his face. She could feel his anger, beating against her mind. Uh-oh. She’d definitely said the wrong thing.

Jack foolishly grabbed her again, pulling her back toward the balcony doors.

William just watched them, his gaze burning, swirling with deadly intent.

“We’re getting out of here,” Jack said, reaching for the balcony door. He turned the knob, shoving the glass door open.

A gust of wind slammed the door shut before he could take a single step.

“You’re not going anywhere.” William took a slow step forward. His hands were at his sides, relaxed, loose. But his nails were lengthening into razor sharp claws. “Now step away from Savannah or I’ll rip out your throat.”

Savannah knew he meant it. She wondered if Jack realized he was seconds away from his death.

Jack froze. And he seemed to look at William for the first time. To really look at him. Jack’s eyes widened in horror. “Jesus Christ, what the hell are you?”

William smiled again, showing his wickedly sharp teeth. “I’m death.”

No. She wasn’t going to let William hurt Jack. Just because the man had been duped didn’t mean he deserved to be attacked. “William,” she said, deliberately injecting a calm, soothing note in her voice, “we need to talk. There’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Jack shook his head. His eyes were huge. “Lady, you’ve got to be kidding me. That guy’s some kind of a monster!” His fingers bit into her arm, causing a sharp gasp of pain to slip from her lips.

In the next second, Jack was the one gasping in pain. William had moved in a blur, launching his body across the room. He ripped Jack’s hand from Savannah, effortlessly squeezing bones and tendons.

“You need to leave the room
now,
Savannah.” William’s focus was on his prey.

Savannah shook her head. She took a step forward and shoved William back. He snarled, turning that terrifying stare onto her. She watched his eyes flash. Red. Black. Red.

“Listen to me,” she entreated, her stare fierce. “I know you think he was trying to hurt me, but it wasn’t like that. He came here to help me.” She had to make him believe her. She couldn’t have Jack’s blood on her hands, too.

William touched her cheek. His eyes closed and he took two deep breaths. When his lashes lifted, his midnight stare was back. “You risk too much,” he whispered, bending his head to press his lips quickly against hers.

She smiled, relief sweeping through her. He’d beaten the beast, at least for the moment. Her arms wrapped tightly around him. “I risked nothing. I know you’d never hurt me.” And she did. She trusted him, completely.

He swept her against his body, holding her close. She could feel the faint tremble that swept through him.

Jack rattled the doorknob.

William’s head jerked up. “You’re not trying to leave so soon, are you?” His arms slowly released Savannah. She stood by his side.

Jack’s hand jerked away from the knob. “Uh, no. I was just, uh, making sure the door was still locked.”

All things considered, Savannah thought Jack was showing amazing composure. He’d almost been killed by a vampire, yet he wasn’t screaming in fear. His hands shook, but he pushed them behind his back as he faced William.

“Who are you?” William demanded.

“Jack Donovan.” His voice wasn’t quite steady, but he managed to meet William’s probing stare.

“And you were hired to follow Savannah.”

Jack nodded.

“Why?”

Jack looked beseechingly at Savannah. She said, “Jack knows that I’m after the man who murdered my brother. He was trying to find the killer, too.”

“So he trailed you.” William shook his head in disgust. “How long have you been following her?”

“Since she left Seattle.”

“Tell me who hired you.”

Savannah heard the compulsion in William’s voice.

Jack answered immediately. “I don’t know. He said his name was Jonathan Gilbert. He told me his brother had been killed by the same person that attacked Mark Daniels. He hired me to follow Savannah. He said she would lead me to the killer.”

Savannah sat on the edge of the bed. “He never met his client. They just talked on the phone and exchanged messages on the Internet.”

“How much did you tell him?” William asked, using that same soft, compelling tone.

“Everything,” Jack said, his voice flat. “I told him every move that she made. Who she talked to. Where she was staying. When she came to visit you.”

William swore and turned to look at Savannah. “He’s going to be coming for you.”

“Wait just a minute!” Jack held up his hand. “What are you saying? That my client—”

“Is the one who butchered those people,” William finished. “And, thanks to you, he now knows exactly where he can find Savannah.”

Savannah stared down at her right palm. The scratches were barely visible now.
He’s going to be coming for you.
Her fingers clenched into a fist.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions—” Jack began.

“You know I’m right,” William interrupted, his tone brisk. “Don’t deny it. That’s why you’re here. Deep down, you know who he is. You know what he’s capable of.” He paused a beat. “You know what he’s going to do.”

Jack’s shoulders slumped. He suddenly looked very pale. “We need to call the cops.” His voice was hoarse. “If you’re right, if that guy’s the killer, we have to get the hell out here.”

“No,” Savannah said softly, firmly. “The police can’t help us.” And they couldn’t. She’d learned that lesson already. The only one who could help her was William.

“Of course, they can!” Jack’s voice was stronger. Fiercer. “They’ve got guns. If this guy comes after you, they can stop him. They can shoot him!”

“A gun won’t stop him,” Savannah said. If only it were that easy. “You can’t kill him with a gun.”

Jack stopped pacing. “Lady, you can kill anything with a gun. Trust me. I was on the force for ten years. A bullet in the heart will stop any killer in his tracks.”

William moved closer to Savannah. His legs brushed against the side of the bed. “But it won’t stop a vampire.”

“A vamp—” Jack’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What are you talking about, man? Are you crazy or some—” He broke off, his mouth falling open in disbelief.

William stared back at him, his eyes glowing blood red, his gleaming incisors a dark threat.

“Shit.” Jack’s body seemed to tremble. “Shit,” he repeated. “This can’t be happening. You can’t be a—”

“He is,” Savannah said. “William’s a vampire.”

“Your eyes! Your teeth!” Jake began to breathe heavily. “You’re a freaking vampire!”

William’s lips twitched. “You’re certainly observant, Detective.”

Savannah frowned at Jack, vaguely concerned. He sounded like he might be having an asthma attack. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” He gasped. “Just.” Gasp. “Great.” He breathed deeply, inhaling and exhaling. He looked a bit like a fish that had been jerked out of his nice, comfortable home in the water. “I don’t believe this,” he whispered. “I don’t believe this!”

“Believe it.” William’s eyes glowed.

“But vampires aren’t real.”

“Trust me.” William smiled, showing his fangs. “I’m very real.”

Jack’s body swayed.

Uh-oh. Savannah bit her lip. It looked like the good detective might pass out at any moment. “Jack? Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Dandy. Just freakin’ dandy.” He closed his eyes and exhaled. He stood there a moment, not saying a word, just breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

Savannah frowned.

His eyes snapped open. He pointed at William. “You’re a vampire.”

“Guilty.” Mocking, cold.

Jack’s lips thinned. “And the guy out there killing people, he’s a vampire, too?”

Savannah thought he appeared to have his focus back now. Good. Maybe he could help them, after all. “That’s why all of the blood was drained from the victims. He was feeding.”

Jack asked, “I’ve been talking to a vampire? My client was a vampire?”

“Yes,” she said.

Jack squared his shoulders. His breathing was still erratic, but he appeared to be regaining control. “You’re right. The cops can’t help.”

Savannah looked up at William. “When do you think he’ll come?” She wanted to be ready. She
had
to be ready.

William didn’t immediately reply. He cocked his head to the side, almost as if he were listening to something. Or someone.

“William?”

He shook his head, his gaze focusing on her. “Soon. He’ll come as soon as he can.”

“We have to be ready.”

“Ready?” Jack shook his head. “We’ll be ready when we get the hell out of here.”

“No,” William disagreed softly. “Savannah’s safer here than she would be anywhere else.”

Jack looked doubtful. “No offense, but, I got to her. And if I could get to her, then I am damn sure
he
could get to her.”

William stiffened. He peered down at Savannah. “How, exactly, did the good detective get to you?”

It was Jack who answered. “It wasn’t hard. She was alone, walking in the woods. If I’d been the killer, she would be dead now.”

Savannah shot to her feet. She ran toward Jack, pushing her finger against his chest. “You’re lucky that
you’re
not dead!” It infuriated her that he thought she was so defenseless. She could protect herself.

He grabbed her hand. “Come on, Savannah. You’re not strong enough—”

His words ended on a yell as Savannah pulled his arm forward and effortlessly flipped him to the floor.

“My mistake,” he managed, staring up at the ceiling. “You might not have been dead, after all.”

“I’m a black belt,” she told him, her eyes fierce. “I can take care of myself.” She’d learned, over the protests of her doctors, to defend herself. She had wanted to prove to them, to her family, and to herself, that she could be strong. That she was strong.

William’s fingers came up, wrapping lightly around her throat. His breath blew gently against her skin. “I’m impressed,” he murmured “But I’m afraid that your skills won’t be enough to stop Geoffrey.”

She knew that. She could send Jack crashing to the floor, but she wasn’t physically strong enough to defeat a vampire. Not yet.

But when she had the third bite, she would be.

Jack pushed himself to his feet. He winced, rubbing his back. “I don’t know who I’m more afraid of,” he said, staring at Savannah. “You and your boyfriend or the killer.”