Moving to the end of the bar, Santiago ordered a glass of red wine. Looking into the mirror behind the bar, he continued to watch the vampire work her magic on the detective. Not surprisingly, every other man in the room was also watching her.
When the music stopped, Tatiana took Michael by the arm and led him toward the entrance.
Muttering an oath, Santiago followed them outside. Though he had no love for Flynn, he knew Regan was fond of the man.
Santiago kept his distance until Tatiana drew Flynn into the shadows behind a tall hedge.
“What are you doing?” Santiago heard Flynn ask.
“You’ll like it,” Tatiana purred. “Trust me.”
“That’s enough,” Santiago said, rounding the hedge.
“Joaquin!” Tatiana exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. “What a nice surprise!”
Santiago grunted softly. Hunger radiated off of her in waves, like summer heat shimmering off blacktop. He didn’t miss the faint glow in her eyes, or the way she held on to Flynn, her arms imprisoning him in the guise of affection. Santiago knew it would be affection only so long as Flynn didn’t try to escape.
Michael Flynn glared at him over the top of Tatiana’s head. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Saving your neck,” Santiago retorted. “And I mean that literally.”
Flynn glanced at Tatiana, then back at Santiago. “What are you talking about?”
“She is a vampire.”
Flynn stared at him. “A vampire?”
Santiago nodded.
Flynn looked at Tatiana as if he had never seen her before. “Is he telling the truth?”
She shrugged. “Does it matter?”
“Damn right!” Flynn said. He tried to get away from her, but there had never been a mortal who could equal the strength of a vampire. Fear surfaced in Flynn’s eyes. “Get away from me!”
“Tatiana, let him go.”
Her gaze locked with his, her eyes blood red with hunger.
“Let him go,” Santiago repeated.
With a harsh laugh, she released her hold on Flynn. Moving toward Santiago, she raked her nails across his cheek, drawing blood. “All right, I’m going.” Standing on her tiptoes, she licked the blood from his cheek. “But you owe me one,” she said, and with a wave of her hand, she vanished from sight.
Flynn stared after her and then, ever so slowly, turned toward Santiago. “I’m grateful,” he said brusquely, “but I’d still like to know what you’re doing outside the park.”
“Saving your ass,” Santiago replied, his voice equally harsh.
“And why isn’t she confined,” Flynn went on as if Santiago hadn’t spoken. “And I intend to find out the answers to both questions.”
“I would advise you to mind your own business,” Santiago said, “or I might not be there next time.”
And then, he, too, disappeared from sight.
Muttering an oath, Flynn drove to Regan’s, determined to get some answers once and for all.
Regan was sitting at her computer, scrolling through the help-wanted section, when the doorbell rang.
Hoping it was Santiago, she hurried to answer the door, but it was Michael. After their last parting, she had never expected to see him at her doorstep again.
“Mike!” she exclaimed. “What a surprise. Do you want to come in?”
“Thanks.” He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa, one arm draped across the back.
Regan sat on the other end of the sofa. “So, what brings you here?”
“I want you to tell me everything you know about Joaquin Santiago.”
“What makes you think I know anything?”
“Come on, Reggie, don’t play games with me. How does he get out of the park? Why doesn’t the barrier affect him?”
“I don’t know, Mike, honest. I asked him once, but he never told me. Are you all right?”
He rubbed his hand over his neck. “Sure, for a guy that was almost dinner.”
She frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
“I was at the Blue Zodiac tonight. A woman asked me to dance, then she asked me to walk her home.” He cleared his throat. “Turned out she was a vampire.”
“Good heavens, Mike, are you all right?”
“Yeah. Your buddy Santiago showed up and saved my butt. I need to find out why she’s not registered in the park, and how he’s crossing the barrier. People need to know they’re not as safe as they think. If there’s a glitch in the barrier, then the superintendent in charge of security needs to know, as well.”
“The barrier works on most of the vampires, Mike. I think it doesn’t work on Santiago because he’s so old.”
He nodded. “Makes sense, I guess, but it doesn’t matter if it’s one bloodsucker getting out or a hundred. I’m sworn to protect the people in the city and as long as even one of them can get out, we’re not safe.”
“Mike, don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“Hell, no! If Santiago hadn’t showed up tonight, I might have been the next victim. You’re a hunter, Regan. We need to find the female and get her housed in the park before she turns the city into her own private buffet.”
“Have you cleared this with the department?”
“No, but I will.” He drummed his fingertips on the back of the sofa.
Regan nodded. Maybe Santiago could help her find the vampire in question. “Do you know where she lives? Her name?”
“She said her name was Tatiana.”
Good grief, Regan thought. That was the name of Santiago’s friend. “Does she have red hair and blue eyes?”
“Yeah, do you know her?” Even as he asked the question, Mike suddenly remembered where he had seen the vampire before. She had been at Charlie’s one night, dancing with Santiago. “You making friends with the Undead now?”
“No. All I know is that she’s Santiago’s friend.”
“I guess that means hunting her is out of the question, doesn’t it?” Flynn asked, his voice laced with contempt.
She lifted her chin defiantly. “I’m afraid so.”
Mike swore softly. “Regan, how serious are you about this bloodsucker? You’re not…you wouldn’t…”
“There’s nothing going on between us, Mike. He’s a vampire, remember?”
“See that you remember that.”
“Not to worry,” she said, forcing a smile. “I haven’t seen him in weeks.”
“Regan, you know how I feel about you. Nothing’s changed that.” He took a deep breath. “Is there any chance for us?”
She laid her hand over his. “I’m sorry, Mike. I just don’t love you the way you deserve.”
Mike nodded, then gained his feet and headed for the door. “Be careful, Regan,” he said, “I’m afraid humanity isn’t as safe from the monsters as we thought we were.”
Regan stared after him, wondering what he would say if he knew she was now one of the monsters.
Chapter 30
Zina stood at the window of Vasile’s house, smiling as she stared out into the night. He had left for the States only moments ago.
No longer would she have to endure his physical and verbal abuse. She had wanted only one thing from Vasile and now she had it. She placed her hand over her womb, her heart swelling with love for the child she carried. Never again would she submit to Vasile’s cruelty. If he ever laid a hand on her again, she would kill him. Though she had come to accept being a werewolf, she had never forgiven him for biting her. She had been a teenager when he attacked her. Before Vasile, she had dreamed of becoming a model or an actress, but Vasile had changed all that. He had bitten her and brought her here. She had been too afraid and too ashamed of what she had become to leave. But now…
“I could be free,” she murmured, and wondered why she hadn’t thought of it years ago. All she had to do was kill him and the curse would be broken. Her child would be born free of the curse. Killing Vasile…the thought gave her pause. It was against pack
law for one werewolf to kill another, but she had a child to think of now. With Vasile dead, she could take her baby away from this place and live a normal life.
The more she thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. She would be better off without him. The pack would be better off without him. Vasile ruled out of fear. In the past, the pack had been content to follow her in his absence. They would not miss him if he was gone a week, a month, or forever.
A familiar tingle told her that the moon was rising. Shedding her shoes and her clothing, Zina stepped out into the gathering darkness. Soon, the rest of the pack joined her. As soon as they all shifted, they gathered around her, rubbing their bodies against hers. They knew at once that she was with child.
With joyful yips and barks, the members of the pack bounded into the night, their humanity and all its cares left behind. There would soon be a new member of the pack. It was cause for rejoicing.
Feeling fulfilled for the first time in her life, Zina threw back her head and howled her happiness at the moon.
Chapter 31
Leaning back in her chair, Regan stretched her arms and legs. Of all the jobs she had considered, teaching hadn’t been one of them, but here she was, teaching a six-week class at the Academy on how to recognize and destroy vampires. She had been surprised when the chief of police called to offer her the job, surprised and pleased. At last, she was working again, feeling productive again, and earning credits again. The number of her students would vary from class to class, depending on the number of Academy recruits, but her pay remained the same whether she had ten students or a hundred.
It was a dream job. According to her schedule, she would teach for six weeks, have four weeks off, then start a new class. Best of all, the classes were held during the day, sparing her the necessity of having to worry about coming up with reasons to stay home when the moon was full.
Sitting up again, she opened the file in front of her. It held the results of the test she had given her class earlier that day. Her students wouldn’t be graded on this test. It was merely to determine the scope of their paranormal knowledge and discover where their strengths and weaknesses were. If they already knew basic vampire lore, so much the better.
She picked up the first test.
Circle all answers that apply:
Vampires
a. have hairy palms
b. can turn into mist
c. are repelled by crosses and garlic
d. cast no reflection in a mirror
e. can control the weather
f. have bad breath
g. can change shape
h. can shield their presence
i. will be burned by holy water and/or silver
j. can be destroyed by burning or beheading
k. can’t cross running water…
Regan found herself mentally answering the questions as they applied to Santiago while she graded the paper. Santiago didn’t have hairy palms. Quite the contrary, his hands were smooth and gentle when they caressed her. He had told her he could turn into mist. She didn’t know if he was repelled by crosses, but she had it from his own lips that a vampire’s aversion to garlic was just a myth. He could see himself in a mirror, but she didn’t know if he could control the weather. He most definitely didn’t have bad breath. She had seen him change into a wolf, and quite a handsome wolf, at that…odd, that Vasile looked ugly and misshapen in wolf form while Santiago simply looked like a wolf. She knew he could shield his presence when he wished. She didn’t know what the effects of holy water or silver would be on him, but she assumed both would burn him, just as beheading or fire would destroy him. She was pretty sure the running water thing was a myth. After all, he had crossed oceans…
Santiago, Santiago, no matter where she was, he was constantly in her thoughts. Though she disliked being a werewolf, it assured her of seeing him two nights of every month.
It wasn’t enough. What if she never found Vasile? Not that she was looking, but only because she had no idea where to look. She didn’t know if he had left the city or left the country. Santiago was certain that the werewolf would return soon, but werewolves, like vampires, didn’t view the passage of time the same way mortals did. Soon could be a month from now, or a year, or a century.
To live so long, she thought, and realized for the first time that she, too, could expect to live a very, very long time. What if Vasile eluded her for five years? Ten? Fifty? Did she want to remain alone all that time? As long as she was a werewolf, she couldn’t enjoy a normal relationship with a human male. When viewed through the lens of a hundred years or more, did it really make sense to refuse Santiago? She might tire of him in a century or so. He might grow weary of her. But until then, why was she denying herself the joy she found in his company? He was the only one who truly understood her. And he loved her, loved her enough to respect her wishes, to run at her side when the moon was full. And she loved him. They could have a good life together…
Even as the thought crossed her mind, a little voice asked if she would feel the same if she managed to rid herself of the curse. Would she still be happy to share her life with a vampire? And what of children? Santiago couldn’t father a child, but there were other ways. Adoption. Sperm donors…She shook her head. She could see herself now, sitting on the bed with her child, trying to explain why daddy couldn’t take him to the zoo or go to the park and play catch on a summer day, and why mommy turned furry when the moon was full.
She shook the thought aside. Kids were flexible. Having a dad who couldn’t go outside in the daytime wasn’t much different than having a dad who worked nights and slept days. But a mother who turned into a wolf? How would she explain that?
With a shake of her head, she stuffed the tests into her briefcase and left the building. Vampires, werewolves, children, marriage—none of it mattered. What mattered was that she loved Joaquin Santiago and she wasn’t going to let another day go by without asking him to forgive her for being such an idiot. She loved him and she needed him and she intended to have him, all of him, now, tonight.
Whistling softly, she jumped into the car and headed for his place, glad that it was Friday night. If she was lucky, they could make love all weekend long.
Santiago stared at the woman standing in the doorway. Was she really there, or had his insatiable need for her conjured her image?
“Regan?”
“Hi,” she said softly. “Can I come in?”
She wasn’t a figment of his tortured imagination after all. “Of course.”
He stepped back, allowing her entrance to his lair in the Byways, then closed and locked the door. He stood there a moment, inhaling the fragrance of her hair and skin, the alluring scent of her blood, appreciating the beauty of her face and form. He didn’t know why she was there, but it didn’t matter. The fact that she was there was like an unexpected gift and he intended to savor it for as long as possible.
He gestured toward the sofa. “Please, sit.”
She remained standing, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“No. Is something wrong?”
“No. Yes.” Taking a deep breath, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I…”
He tilted his head to one side. “Go on.”
“I love you.”
He lifted one brow. “I know.”
“Do you still love me?”
He frowned at her. “Of course.”
“Remember when you said you wouldn’t mind marrying a werewolf?”
A faint smile touched the corners of his mouth. “Yes.”
“Would you mind marrying me?”
“Are you proposing?”
“Yes. Should I get down on one knee?”
He laughed softly as he drew her into his embrace. “No, my love. I will marry you whenever you wish.” He dropped kisses across her cheek, her nose, her lips. “What has changed your mind?”
“I guess I just came to my senses. I love you and I
need you and tonight I asked myself why we were apart. I’m happy only when I’m with you.”
“What of children?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we could adopt or…I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to live another day, or night, without you.”
“Regan, do you remember the promise I made you?”
“You promised to see that I have everything I want.”
“Yes. Are you sure this is what you want? That I am what you want?”
“Very sure.”
“What of the future? What if you destroy Vasile and break the curse? I cannot promise that I will let you go if you change your mind.”
“I won’t change my mind. I’ve given it a lot of thought,” she said, laughing softly. “I don’t think I’ve thought of anything else in the last few weeks.”
He looked at her a moment, as if weighing her sincerity, and then he kissed her, long and hard, and she knew there was no going back. This was where she belonged. Werewolf or mortal, for now and always, this was where she wanted to be.
When he would have broken the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, her tongue sliding over his lower lip, her body pressing against his in silent invitation.
“Regan.” He murmured her name, his voice ragged. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, aren’t you?”
“I do not want you to be sorry later.”
“I won’t be,” she said, and taking him by the hand, she led him into the bedroom. “I want you,” she whispered, her voice husky. “More than ever.”
She didn’t have to tell him again. Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her, his hands making short work of her clothing until she stood naked before him.
Naked and blushing furiously.