Vampire Assassin League Bundle 4 - Eternity (19 page)

“Wait! Don’t kill me!”

The little man screamed it as the body flopped back into the spare seat, blood finally slowing and then turning into a thin flow. Tassanee worked at pulling her fangs back as she looked up at Len. She’d ended up almost in his arms. He didn’t look pleased. He didn’t look displeased, either. His eyebrows were raised, he’d sucked in his cheeks, and he’d stuck his lips out, putting some of the light coming through the windows on the whiskers of his upper lip.

“I’m just a pilot! Don’t kill me! Please?” The other guy screamed it again.

“Oh shut up already. And get up. Tassanee?”

Len stepped back, taking her with him, and then he pulled his sunglasses off, found another tissue from his jacket somewhere and started wiping his glasses off. The entire time he was looking at her. And then he shook his head.

“Well. That’s that, I guess.”

“What?”

“That is exactly the blood mess I was referring to. Maybe worse. Nobody can fly a plane if the controls are all...uh. Yeah. Pretty much out of commission. How about it, buddy?”

The other pilot was standing in the doorway to the cockpit. He was her height. And covered in blood spray. He looked faint. Or maybe he was that pale and shaky normally. He shook his head.

“Yep.” Len put his glasses back on. “One multi-million dollar jet. Out of service. Just like that.” He snapped his fingers.

“I’m sorry,” she replied.

“Oh hell no, babe. That was incredible. You are something, you know that? I mean, Akron told me you were a badass, but hey. He didn’t tell me
how
bad. I suppose that was a
Bokator
move?”

She nodded.

“Well. Babe. What can I say? You are definitely on the team.”

“What team?”

“Ours.”

“Oh.”

“So, hey. Buddy. You got any information that will keep her from knocking your head into next week? Or...maybe I’ll have her aim for the luggage compartment this time.”

“Well I...”

“Speak up already. Or...oh, what the hell. Start talking or we get to see the next
Bokator
move. I’ve heard it’s a doozie.”

“I’m just a pilot!”

“Yeah. I heard that part. You heard it, too, didn’t you, honey?”

Len looked over at her. She nodded.

“But little weasel guys usually hear a lot more than they admit. So, tell me. Where are we? What kind of force is out there? And what kind of firepower?”

“I don’t know anything!”

“You don’t even know where we are?”

“Longitude and latitude! That’s all I was given! I swear!”

“Speak. Now already. Or forever be silent.” Len put his pistol against the man’s temple and cocked the mechanism.

“I didn’t memorize them!”

“Why on earth did they hire you? And why on earth am I wasting my time? Jeez. You even make a piss-poor weasel.”

“I told you! I’m a pilot!”

“Right. And I’m just an innocent bystander. Tassanee?”

“Yes?”

“Eliminate this bum.”

“Wait!”

A red sphere lit the man’s head before she could move. And then his skull exploded, splattering brains and gore all over, making almost as big a mess as the cockpit. And then Len grabbed her and slammed into a side wall, taking the brunt of it with his body.

“Can you get us through the roof?” he hissed.

She nodded.

“Then do it!”

A loud whine accompanied his words. Tassanee hit the ceiling with her back, pulling Leonard with her, at the exact moment the entire plane became a fireball, shooting flames out in every direction, singeing her feet, and starting his pants on fire. And still she ascended, going up until the top of the cavern stopped her. That’s when she dropped slightly, ending up crouched atop an iron cross piece. She still had Leonard in her arms, slapping at his pants and gyrating, making it difficult to keep him from plummeting back to the floor. And it looked a long way down. She held him until he straddled a beam and locked his ankles under him. Even then, she kept her hands close.

“Shit. And shit again. That was close.”

“What was that?”

“My pants were on fire. Damn. And I paid almost twenty bucks for these.” He grinned at her, but it looked sickly. And his sunglasses were broken and hanging crookedly from one ear.

“Is that a lot?”

“No. Actually it’s a pittance. Hell. I know associates who pay upwards of a thousand for their leather slacks. Rafaele something-or-other Santiago, for instance. He loves the premium leather look, and he likes them tailored. And he’s large so the poor guy has no choice. He has to get them tailored.”

“Larger than you?”

“I told you babe. I’m fairly average.”

“I still don’t believe it. But if you didn’t pay much for your clothes, why do you care about damage? I don’t understand.”

“If I make fun of the small shit, the big shit gets easier to deal with. It’s part of the smartass and sarcasm package.”

“Oh. I get it. Well...in that case. Look what it did to my pants.”

“Whoa, Tassanee. Babe. That is not a good idea. Especially now.”

“Why?”

“Well. I’ve got a few well-armed Hunters chasing us, I’m lost somewhere in Eastern Europe, I’m perched some ten stories in the air, and I’m astride an iron beam that’s about what? Four inches wide?”

“Closer to six inches. And you never did say why.”

He pulled off his glasses, folded them as if they were perfectly aligned and straight, and tucked them into an inner jacket pocket. And then he looked back at her. And her reawakened heart skipped a beat. She actually felt it.

“Tassanee. You are too gorgeous. And way too curvy. And I am not immune. I am your mate, remember? Everything about you calls to me. It’s like a never-ending signal. So. Right now? It would be mucho appreciated if you wouldn’t call my attention to the fact that you don’t wear enough and never have. And where in the hell is your cloak, anyway?”

“Down there.”

She pointed. The both looked down in time to watch the plane explode again, this time with less sound and debris, although it sent more flames and black smoke out the sides and then billowing up. And coming out of the sides of the area were small figures toting equally small guns. They looked like little ants swarming an ant hill.

“Well. Look at that. A bonfire. And I didn’t even bring marshmallows. I would say this is another prime example of Hunter intelligence. And lack, thereof.”

“What is?”

“They think we’re still down there. They’re waiting to stake your heart and put a bullet through mine, should we make it through the flames. Not one of them thinks we’re fast enough or smart enough to escape an RPG. I’m telling you. Some days they don’t demonstrate the brains Mother Nature gave an onion.”

“Onions don’t have brains.”

“Yeah. I know.”

She laughed. “I get it. I do. You’re very funny.”

“You’d think Chester would teach his minions some fiscal responsibility, wouldn’t you? Then again...maybe he doesn’t care how many English pounds they blow up. Must be nice to have so much money you need to burn it.”

“They must want you really bad, Leonard.”

“Oh no. Not me. More you. But I think their real objective is Akron. They look like ants on an ant hill, don’t they?”

She caught his eye.

“What?” he asked.

“I was just thinking that.”

“Wow. I think there’s hope for us yet, babe.”

“That looks like more than a code eight on the threat level, Leonard.”

“Well. We didn’t check for updates. But you’re right. This is getting close to a sixteen.”

“In that case, it’s a good thing we went with your original plan.”

“Oh, we did, did we?”

“Wasn’t I supposed to fly up out of the way and hide?”

He grinned. “Oh. Yeah. Good one.”

Sounds of gunfire started erupting below them. They both looked down again, although Len rocked a bit on his perch before steadying himself.

“Hey. Check it out. A 4D Team has finally decided to rescue us. About time. Man. I almost wish I had popcorn. Talk about a front row seat. And look. Isn’t that Stanislaw at the front? In the khaki outfit?”

“What’s a 4D Team?”

“A group that excels in mayhem, death, and dismemberment. Looks like they sent us the Blue Team. Our operative, Sasha, leads that one. With her not-so-attractive mate, Stuart. And that really is Stan with them. Will wonders never cease? Because rescuing him was my next objective. Nice to know I can move onto the next one.”

“Why is it called 4D if they deal in mayhem, death, and dismemberment?”

“You are way too sharp, babe. It’s actually Deploy, Destroy, Disinfect, and then Disappear. I like to name things different, just because it makes me different. Makes me a little more than your average guy.”

“But you aren’t that.”

“I love you. If I forget to say it later, remind me.”

“Oh. Len.”

“You’re not going to cry are you? I might be out of tissues. Nope. Got one left. Oh come on. What’s wrong with a few blood droplets between vampires and almost-vampires?”

He grimaced at the packet and put it back. “You know, Tassanee. You are really good in a tight spot. Really good.”

“I am?”

His praise made everything go warm and constrictive warm about her heart.

“Well. Yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t trade you. Not even for a signed baseball from the 1918 Cubs-Red Sox series. The season with the huge scandal. And babe. Trust me. If I could find one of those, I’d be in sports memorabilia heaven.”

“You’d trade me?”

“Oh hell no. What I meant was I
wouldn’t
trade you. Ever.”

“Ever?”

“You’re going to make me do this now, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“My next objective. From twenty-plus stories in the air, atop a six inch iron beam. I’m telling you. It’s a woman thing. It has to be.”

“I don’t think it’s that high, Leonard, and—what are you doing?”

He was shifting, using his arms to push up so he could balance on his knees. And then he lifted his right leg, and slid his boot to the spot directly in front of his left knee. And then he straightened his back and regarded her, with an elbow atop his bent thigh. He looked wobbly. Unsure.

“What am I doing? I’m proposing. Why? What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Oh. Leonard.”

He cleared his throat and locked gazes with her. “Tassanee. I love you. I want to marry you. Be with you. For now. And Forever. No matter what the future holds. Including the vampire side. So. What do you say? You in?”

She should have taken the tissue. Her eyes were filled and overflowing. And it felt like warmth wrapped her. Everywhere.

“Is this a yes? Because they’ve stopped the action down there, and we’re getting noticed. And this is probably going to be all over the VAL video feed, if I don’t miss my guess.”

“Would you care?”

He tipped his head and scrunched one side of his face as if pondering it. And then he sobered.

“That will depend entirely on your answer. Yes? No? I’ll think about it? Go to hell. Something?”

“Oh yes, Leonard! Yes! And another yes! Yes!”

She leaped into his arms, and then had to grab the bars behind him to keep them from careening into space. But nothing had ever felt as secure and protective and wondrous as his arms wrapped about her, holding her tight. She stuck her nose into his collar and breathed deeply.

“I’m sure glad that was a yes. And I’m doubly glad that we didn’t fall. You have no idea.”

“I don’t?”

“Turn around, babe. Take a look.”

She pulled her nose out of his jacket collar and turned. There were at least a dozen vampires hovering in the space behind them. And several had their cell phones held out at arm-length.

“Hello Sasha. And look. There’s the better half, Findlay. You guys filming this, are you?” Len asked.

“Well. Akron did ask us to. He said this would happen.”

A stunning dark haired woman answered. She was wearing a black mini skirt and matching suit jacket. And really high stiletto heels. And she already looked tall.

“Figures. You’re getting this right?”

“Oh yes.”

“With sound?”

“These are top of the line phones, Len.”

“Well, then. Akron? I have to hand it to you. You were right. And when you’re right...oh. To hell with it. Bug off. All of you.” Len turned back to Tassanee, matched his nose to hers, and kissed her.

Soundly.

-o0o-

Hold Their Peace

by Jackie Ivie

A Vampire Assassin League Novella

“We Kill for Profit”

 15th in series

CHAPTER ONE

“You promised me heat, Lizbeth. A vacation full of heat. Hot days. Hot sun. Hot sand. Hot guys. You know. Hot.” Darcy spit out another strand of wind-blown, rain-filled hair, making the last word sputter.

“You wouldn’t know what to do with a hot guy, kiddo.”

“Look at him. Duh.”

“Well, in that case, the guy at the gyro stand in town was hot.”

“He was also a midget.”

“Everyone is a midget to you.”

“Funny. Funny. Ha. Ha.” Darcy replied.

“I don’t know why you keep complaining.”

“Right. You’ve got me in some completely forgotten corner of this dig site, standing in the continuous drizzle in order to hold a light for you since it’s dead-thirty at night, and yet you wonder why I’m complaining? Really? I mean,
really
?”

“You know this area is off limits during the day. And come in a little closer. I can’t quite make this out.”

Darcy moved a step and lowered the penlight a fraction. “Look. I agreed to be your ‘Plus-One’ on this trip because it sounded like a fantastic vacation for the price. I mean who could resist your sales pitch? The Mediterranean coast. Great food. Olives. Cheese. Amazing wines. And all at a villa amid sun, sand, and surf. And let’s not forget the promise of hot guys. Twenty-four seven. Wow. I’m amazed at my gullibility.”

“This is a villa, Darcy.”

“I think somebody forgot to mention that it was last occupied in Roman times, and that it’s roofless so we’d be relegated to sleeping in a tent. Oh. And let’s not forget that this place might not have a rainy season, but you couldn’t prove it by me. And while I’m at it, let’s just add in that the only guy in sighting distance out here is over seventy.”