Her room was on the second floor of what looked like a luxurious, Spanish-style house. Mansion might be a little too grand of a term, but not by much. The grounds were surrounded by a wall and a hedge she could just barely see over, and fruit trees and roses dotted a yard with ponds, fountains, and a large swimming pool.
“Beautiful.” She blinked. Where on earth was she? Lifestyles of the Rich and Fangy? This couldn’t be Baojia’s sire’s house, so where had they landed? She looked around the room again and walked to the painting that hung over the dresser.
“Georgia O’Keefe. I think… that’s not a reproduction.” She moved her duffel bag farther away from the priceless painting, somehow thinking it might explode and spray her bargain wardrobe all over it. “Holy shit. Holy shit, Natalie.” Baojia’s house in San Diego had been nice, but simple. This place…
She peeked in the bathroom. “Marble tub. Of course there’s a marble tub.” She let out a deep breath and surveyed her surroundings. In the past three days, she’d woken in a strange oceanfront house, what could only be called a c beSheave, and now this. She shrugged. “Nicest prison so far. I must be moving up in the world.”
Grabbing her bag, she made sure the other door was locked and went to the bathroom, mentally taking stock of how her life had changed as she showered with the Italian-labeled bath products she found.
First order of business, call Kristy. Her editor was used to her disappearing for a few days, but by now the woman was sure to be frantic and had probably called Marty and the boys. Maybe her dad, even. She tried not to wince at that. Also, she needed to get ahold of her notes. They were at the office in a locker down by the fitness center, but Kristy could get them. And she knew there was information in there that would mean more to Baojia than it had to her. Between the two of them, they might be able to find out more about Ivan and his connection to the women Tulio had buried in the desert.
Speaking of Tulio, she’d like another conversation with the strange vampire. He’d buried the bodies, but had he looked at them? Had there been any identifying documents? Any evidence that might have been destroyed? And where, precisely, had he found them? Was it even important? From what they’d discovered two nights ago, it sounded like the girls were being killed somewhere else and transported to the California desert, possibly by truck. Where had they been killed? If Ivan was behind it—and it seemed he was, judging by the death of the waitress from the bar—then Mexico was the most likely scene of the crimes. Were there any vampires in Mexico who might be friendly, or did they all owe allegiance to this mysterious cartel?
Natalie had a sudden vision of the vicious vampire Tio and others like him, chasing girls through the desert, feeding on them and killing them as if the girls were no more than prey. She shivered even in the steaming water. This was so much more dangerous than anything she’d ever investigated. She’d fallen into a world that barely seemed real, filled with creatures that looked human but were decidedly not.
And putting aside the physical danger, there were layers of history and grudges and politics she could only guess at. Forget human feuds, vampires seemed to take family dysfunction to a whole new level.
She dried off, patted her hair dry, and pulled it into a quick ponytail. She didn’t have any of her normal hair products, so it was the best she could do with the wavy mop. She remembered Baojia sitting next to her on Tulio’s couch, playing with stray curls as she chattered nervously. He seemed to like her hair. She smiled despite herself. Then she remembered his kiss and felt her face color.
“What the hell are you thinking, Nat?” She sighed and poked her head out of the larger door, curious to see more of the grand home she’d landed in. There was a long hall filled with more doors, but at one end, she could see a staircase. She crept closer and cocked her head when she heard it.
Apparently someone in the house liked Mario Brothers.
Wide-eyed, she peered around the doorway into a den filled with deep couches, bookcases of DVDs and games, and two people staring at an enormous flat-screen television.
“You got it. You got it… Watch out, Ten—”
“Be quiet.”
“You’re coming up on a really sharp left—”
“Shut up, Benjamin.”
“Just…” The teenage boy leaned over a small Asian woman, who was staring at the screen with grim focus, gripping a white plastic wheel.
She batted his hand away when he approached. “I know how to do this. Go away.”
“Will you just let me help?”
“I am thousands of years older than you. I think I can figure it out, you brat.”
Natalie must have let out a squeak, because the boy turned.
“Oh, hey! You’re awake.” He tapped the small woman—vampire?—on the shoulder before he stood. “Tenzin, she’s awake.”
The vampire didn’t turn around. She was wearing what looked like pink driving gloves as she continued to stare at the game, leaning to the left as the wheels squealed on the surround sound.
“She’s been awake for half an hour, Ben. She took a shower with that shampoo that smells like figs, and I think she’s hungry. Damn it!”
The vampire threw the white wheel to the ground and grabbed a box from a stack next to the coffee table.
The boy paused on his way toward Natalie. “You kill another one?”
“Yes. And I was just about to beat Yoshi. I hate that stupid little dinosaur.”
Natalie said, “Everyone likes Yoshi.”
Ben grinned at her. “Tenzin’s not everyone. You must be Natalie.” He held out his hand, and Natalie shook it. “I’m Ben.”
“You’re human.”
“One hundred percent,” he said with a laugh. “Did you get enough sleep?”
“Uh huh. And she’s a…” Natalie nodded toward the small woman Ben had called Tenzin.
“Vampire. Immortal,” he said. “Video game addict. Pain-in-the-ass, also known as Tenzin.”
“You should talk,” the woman muttered, trying to extract the new wheel from the stubborn box. Finally, she held the box up. “Ben?”
The boy walked over. “Why don’t you just bite through the plastic?”
She bared her teeth and long, curving fangs gleamed in the low lights of the windowless room. “I got a piece of plastic stuck right here last time I did that. That stuff is horrible. Why do they put everything in it?”
“Oh my God,” Natalie swore under her breath. The vampire’s teeth were the most vicious thing she’d ever seen. Long and curving, they looked like white blades in the woman’s mouth.
Tenzin’s eyes flicked to her. “Baojia said you knew about our kind. Don’t pass out.”
“I’m not going to pass out.” Hopefully.
“Your heart rate says otherwise. Take a deep breath.”
Ben finished opening the new wheel with a pair of scissors, inserted another game controller, and handed it to Tenzin before he walked over to Natalie. “You’ll be fine. Why don’t we go get you some breakfast? Well, more like lunch right now.”
She took a deep breath and nodded, still eyeing Tenzin, who was completely ignoring her at that point and watching the game again. Ben ushered her toward a spacious living room with a slate fireplace and more mission-style furniture.
“She’s a little different, even for a vampire.”
“How is she awake? I thought they slept during the day.”
He shrugged. “The older they are, the less sleep they need. They just have to stay out of the sun. And others… Well, they’re kinda like us. Everyone’s got their quirks, you know?”
“Is she a water vampire?”
“Wind, actually.” He frowned and looked over his shoulder. “I hope she doesn’t mind me telling you that.”
“I don’t!” Tenzin’s voice was faint, coming all the way down the hall. “She’s hungry, Benjamin.”
He smiled over his shoulder, then nudged her toward another door. “Let’s get you fed, then.”
Ben led her thr
ough a dining room and into the kitchen she barely remembered from the night before. An older man was cooking behind a large, professional range and an elderly woman was sitting at a breakfast table, surrounded by a newspaper she appeared to be reading.
“Ah,” the man said. “Our guest is awake. What can I get you to drink, dear? Mineral water or juice? There’s still some coffee if you’d like some.”
“Coffee would be great, thanks.” Natalie followed Ben to the table and sat down across from the old woman, who had the most vivid green eyes she’d ever seen. “Hi.”
“Hello.” The woman smiled, her face crinkling as the morning sun shone on a cap of neatly cut silver hair. “You must be Beatrice’s friend, Natalie.”
“Beatrice?” She blinked. “Is this her house? No one told me. Wow.”
The woman nodded. “I’m her grandmother, Isadora. This is my husband, Caspar.”
“Hello.” The older gentleman smiled as he set down a cup of coffee and gave his wife a soft kiss on the cheek. “I understand you and Baojia have had a rather interesting few days.”
She sipped her black coffee. “You could say that.”
“He’s such a dear man,” Isadora said.
Natalie blinked, surprised by the obvious affection in the woman’s voice. “How do you know Baojia?”
She heard Ben rifling through the refrigerator, but Caspar came and sat next to Isadora.
“We’ve known him for years. He upgraded the security in the house a few years ago when we first moved here. Then last year—”
“Beatrice and Gio had to go to Italy for some time,” Isadora broke in. “Baojia stayed with us until they returned. Then he had to return to San Diego. But he still calls occasionally to say hello and asks after us.”
“Very fine individual,” Caspar said, his English accent giving the words a crisp, dignified tone. “I’m so glad he felt comfortable coming here when he needed help.”
Isadora gave her a mischievous smile. “And I do believe he and Gio might get along better now that you’re here, Natalie.”
She frowned. “Uh… why would they—”
“Roast beef or turkey?” Ben called. “You want a sandwich?”
“Turkey would be great.” She sipped more coffee. Apparently everyone here thought well of her vampire, even if she still had her doubts. “By the way, is there a phone I can use?”
Caspar and Isadora exchanged guarded looks.
“I really need to call my editor and let her know I’m alive. I don’t need to tell her where I am—she’s used to me being vague—but if I don’t call her by today, she’ll be calling the police to report me missing. We kind of have a three-day rule.”
Caspar visibly relaxed and nodded toward the counter. “There’s one right there.”
“And I don’t even know where I am, so it’s not like I can call the cavalry to come in.”
Isadora let out a tinkling laugh. “My dear, I believe you’ll discover the cavalry is already here.”
Natalie poked her head into the library. The windows were shuttered are
A low voice came from the far corner of the room. “Natalie Ellis, why do you trespass on my inner sanctum?”
Natalie rolled her eyes and flipped a switch, flooding the room with light. “Really?”
Her old friend’s laughter burst from the far corner of the library. “Oh my gosh, your face, Nat!”
“Get the hell over here and give me a hug, you weirdo. And no biting. I heard you like that now.” Beatrice rose from the chair where she’d been sitting and crossed the room, just slightly faster than should have been possible.
“Hey, you.” Beatrice gave her a hard hug. “How did you end up in my guest room?”
She tensed for a moment when she felt her old friend. It was Beatrice, but the difference was there. The cooler skin. The stronger arms. Natalie forced a smile to her face. “Long story. So you’re really a dark and mysterious creature of the night now?”
Beatrice pulled back and grinned, her fangs dropping down as Natalie’s stomach also took an instinctual dive. “Yup.”
“Well.” She blinked and shook her head. “You never really were one for sunbathing, I guess.”
A wistful smile touched Beatrice’s mouth. “Not so much. It’s good to see you. Despite the circumstances. I have to stay away from most of my old friends, so… It’s really good to see you, Nat.”
“It’s good to see you.”
“Dez filled me in a little this morning. Dead women in the desert, huh? Are you sure it’s like Juarez? I remember you always followed that case.”
They walked over to a table and Natalie could already see news reports and clippings from the previous crimes littering the table. “I’m not sure of anything anymore. There are definitely dead women, but I don’t know what it has to do with Juarez. It’s possible there’s no real connection, and this Ivan character is using those events to mask his crimes here.”
“Get everyone thinking it’s the same serial killer or gang and use it to cover his own actions?” Beatrice said. “I guess it could work. And you’re sure it’s Ivan?”
“Fairly sure.” They both sat down and Natalie spread her hands over the news clippings. “There was a body dumped night before last, out at one of Ernesto’s casinos near the Salton Sea. It was a girl I’d just been talking to down at Ivan’s bar the night before.”
“Jeez, Natalie. You went down there alone?” Beatrice’s eyes widened. “What were you thinking?”
She threw up her hands. “This is me! I was following the story. I thought it was maybe gang-related, but nothing about it said supernatural, immortal killers. How the hell was I supposed to predict this?”
“You couldn’t,” said a voice by the door. The voice was followed by perhaps the most handsome man Natalie had ever seen. He was art on legs with an Italian accent and a seductive stare.
“This is your husband?” she murmured to Beatrice.
“Yep.”
“Nicely done, my friend.” Natalie held out her fist and Beatrice bumped her knuckles with hers.
“I like him.” Her friend gave the handsome man an adoring smile. “Hi, honey.”
The man bent down to brush a kiss across Beatrice’s cheek. “Gos cHer frod evening, tesoro.” Then he stood and held out a hand to Natalie. “And Ms. Ellis, may I say how very nice it is to meet you? Welcome to our home. I hope everyone has made you comfortable.”
“Very. Thanks.” She stood and shook his outstretched palm, noticing that unlike Beatrice and Baojia, this vampire’s skin was warm. Almost feverish. “You must be Gio. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Giovanni Vecchio. And if it was from Baojia, I’m sure it was very flattering.”
Her eyebrows lifted in amusement. “Dez actually.”
“Ah. No wonder you’re not running away screaming.” He smiled again and pulled out the chair next to Beatrice.
“Be nice.” Beatrice gave him a playful slap on the leg as he sat. “You two are too much alike. That’s why you don’t get along.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You think that’s the reason, do you?”
“Getting back to the current problem…” Beatrice gave him a pointed stare before she turned back to Natalie. “It seems like there are still too many questions. And the Ernesto situation makes it all more problematic.”
“Can someone tell me what, exactly, the Ernesto situation is?” Natalie asked.
“I think it would be best if Baojia shared that with you,” Giovanni said. “I am not sure of the details and I don’t know how much he wants to tell you.”
Her lip curled. “Please tell me you’re not one of those ‘don’t worry the little woman’ types.”
A self-effacing smile crossed his face. “My wife has taught me the absurdity of that notion. I just know he’s a very private person, and I have too much respect for Baojia to speak out of turn. Besides, he’ll be awake soon. In the meantime, our resources are yours. What can we help you with?”
She took a deep breath and folded her hands. “Well, I just talked to my editor and, after she got finished lecturing me about making her worry, she promised to send a box of my notes to a FedEx office here in LA. I’m not sure where we are, so I just gave her the name of one near Union Station.”
“I’ll arrange to have someone pick it up and bring it to the house. What’s in your notes?”
“Maps of the locations where the bodies were found. Victim profiles I’d worked up.” She shrugged. “A few police reports from Imperial Valley and notes. Lots of notes from phone interviews. I have some e-mails, too. It’s just kind of a jumble, to be honest.”
“Ooh!” Beatrice grinned, her fangs on display. “Does it need organizing? I love organizing.”
Giovanni smiled. “Natalie, I believe you came to the right place.”
Natalie was lying on the bed in the guest room, catching a quick nap before the night truly started, when she heard him. The door creaked, just a little, and she looked over to see a sliver of his solemn face.
“You can come in, Baojia.”
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, shutting it behind him. “How are you?”
“Better.” She watched him. He was so careful with her. As soon as he entered the room, she saw him subtly check the surroundings, paying particular attention to the windows and the door to the bathroom. “I don’t think you need to worry. It’s like Fort Knox here.”
“No.” He couldn’t help himself. He looked in the bathroom and checked behind the door. “The security here is better than Fort Knox. Are you rested?”
“Yes.”
“And they fed you?” Satisfied that no intruders had crept into her bathroom through the tiny window, he moved to the closet
.