Okay, Noah, the answers yes. In fact, my friend Denise and I were going to catch dinner Monday night. Youre welcome to join us.
He let out a breath. Monday is perfect. Ill call you Sunday to confirm. I dont normally do things like this. God, that sounds like a line. Let me ask for your number, before I talk you out of it.
With a smile I wrote down my cell number. If Noah and Denise hit it off, Id quietly leave before dessert. If he turned out to be a jerk, then Id make sure he was sent on his way without bothering her further. Hey, what were friends for?
Please dont change your mind, he said when I handed him my number.
Instead of responding, I merely waved good night.
THREE
AT TEN TO SIX THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, my phone rang. I glanced at the number that flashed up and frowned. Why was Denise calling me from her house? She was supposed to have gotten here fifteen minutes ago.
Whats up? I answered. Youre running late.
It sounded like she took a deep breath. Cat, dont be mad at me, butIm not coming.
Are you sick? I asked worriedly.
There was the sound of another deep breath. No, Im not coming because I want you to go out with Noah. Alone. You said he seemed like a really nice guy.
But I dont want to go on a date! I protested. I was only doing this so you could meet him, but then have a graceful way out if he wasnt your type.
For Gods sake, Cat, I dont need another date, but you do! I mean, my grandmother gets more action than you. Look, I know you dont talk about the other guy, whoever he was, but weve been friends for over three years and youve got to start to live. Dazzle Noah with your drinking skills, burn his ears with your language, but try to have a little fun with a guy youre not intending to kill by the end of the night. At least once. Maybe then you wont be so sad all the time.
Shed hit a nerve. Even though Id never mentioned specifics about Bones, especially the one about him being a vampire, she knew Id loved someone and then lost him. And she knew how alone I felt, more than Id ever admit to.
I sighed. I dont think its a good idea-
I do, she cut me off at once. Youre not dead, so you need to stop acting like you are. Its just dinner, not eloping to Vegas. No one says you even have to see Noah again. But just go out this once. Come on.
I looked at my new kitty. He blinked, which I took as a yes as well.
All right. Noahs due here in five minutes. Ill go, but Ill probably say something completely inappropriate and be home in an hour.
Denise laughed. It doesnt matter; at least youd have given it a shot. Call me when you get in.
I said goodbye and hung up. Apparently I was going on a date. Ready or not.
As I passed by a mirror, I did a double take at my reflection. My newly brown hair was cut shoulder-length and looked foreign, but that was the idea, in case Ian decided to confirm the rumors about my appearance. I didnt need any vampires or ghouls getting a heads-up as to who I was because of my hair color. Blondes might have more fun, but I was hoping for a higher body count. The Red Reaper had been laid to rest. Long live the Brunette Reaper!
When Noah knocked on the door, I was as prepared as I was going to be. His smile froze when he saw me.
You were a redhead before, right? I didnt just imagine it in my anxiety?
I raised a brow, no longer red but honey-colored. I wanted a change. Been a redhead all my life, and I felt like something different.
He backpedaled at once. Well, its beautiful. Youre beautiful. I mean, you were beautiful before and you still are now. Lets go, before you change your mind.
I already had, but that had nothing to do with Noah. Still, much as I hated to admit it, Denise was right. I could spend another night tormenting myself over someone I could never have, or I could go out and try to have a nice evening for a change.
Bad news, I told him. My friend, um, got held up and she couldnt make it. Sorry. If you want to cancel Ill completely understand.
No, Noah said at once, smiling. Im hungry. Lets eat.
Its just one date, I reminded myself as I walked to his car. What harm could there be?
Noah and I went to Renardos, an Italian bistro. Out of courtesy I drank only red wine, not wanting to reveal my penchant for vast quantities of gin and tonic.
What do you do for a living, Cristine? he asked.
Field research and recruitment for the Bureau.
It was sorta true, if you called hunting down and killing creatures of the night research. Or defined going across the country rounding up the best men the military, law enforcement, FBI, or even the criminal justice system had to offer as recruitment. Hey, far be it for an operation that killed the undead to discriminate in who we hired, right? Some of our best team members had once worn an orange jersey. Juan was a penal code graduate who chose working for Don over twenty years behind bars. The mishmash might not make for the most traditionally behaved fighting unit, but it sure was a deadly one.
Noahs eyes widened. The Bureau? Youre an FBI agent?
Not technically. Our department is more of an extension of Homeland Security.
Oh, so you have one of those jobs where you could tell me what you did, but then youd have to kill me? he teased.
I almost choked on my wine. You said it, buddy. Uh, nothing that exciting. Just recruitment and research. Im on call constantly, though, and I work strange hours. Thats why Denise would be a better person to introduce you around Richmond than me.
This I said directly to put out any illusions. Noah was sweet, but anything more wouldnt happen.
I understand strange hours and being on call. I get paged at any hour for an emergency. Nothing as serious as your line of work, but still. Even the littlest things in life deserve attention. Ive always felt how you treated something weaker than you showed your true character.
Well, well. He had just raised a notch in my opinion.
Sorry Denise couldnt make it, I said for probably the fifth time. I think youd really like her.
Noah leaned forward. Im sure I would, but Im not sorry she couldnt make it. I only used meeting people as an excuse to ask you out. I really just wanted to go on a date with you. It must have been those fuzzy slippers.
I laughed, which startled me. Truthfully, Id expected to have a miserable time, but this wasnice.
Ill bear that in mind.
I studied him over my wineglass. Noah wore a crewneck gray shirt and a sports coat, with charcoal slacks. His black hair was freshly cut, but that one lock kept falling over his forehead. Noah certainly had no reason to lack for dates. Even if his skin didnt have that creamy crystal luminescence that glittered in the moonlight
I shook my head. Dammit, I had to stop haunting myself with Bones! There was no hope for the two of us. Even if we did manage to conquer the insurmountable obstacles of my job killing the undead, or my mothers seething hatred of anything with fangs, we still wouldnt work. Bones was a vampire. Hed stay forever young while Id inevitably grow old and die. The only way around my mortality was if I changed over, and I refused to do that. No matter how it broke my heart, Id made the only decision I could by leaving him. Hell, Bones might not even think about me anymore. Hed probably moved on; it had been over four years since wed seen each other. Maybe it was time for me to move on, too.
Do you want to skip dessert and go for a walk? I impulsively asked.
Noah didnt hesitate. Id love to.
We drove forty minutes to get to the beach. Being March, it was still frigid, and I wrapped my coat around me in the cold ocean breeze. Noah walked closely next to me, his hands inside his pockets.
I love the ocean. Its why I moved from Pittsburgh to Virginia. Ever since I first saw it, I knew I wanted to live near it. Theres something about it that makes me feel small, but like Im still part of the bigger picture. That sounds cheesy, but its true.
Wistfully I smiled. Its not cheesy. I feel the same way about the mountains. I still go back there, whenever I get a chance
My voice trailed off, because I was remembering who Id been with when I first saw the mountains. This had to stop.
In a burst of longing to forget, I grabbed Noah and almost yanked his head down to mine. He hesitated a fraction before responding, wrapping his arms around me, his pulse tripling as I kissed him.
Just as suddenly as I began, I pulled away. Im sorry. That was rude of me.
A shaky chuckle escaped him. That kind of rudeness Id been hoping for. In fact, I was planning a smooth maneuver with asking you to sit, maybe putting my arm around youbut I like your way better.
God, his lip was bleeding. Stupid me forgot to check my strength. Poor Noah was apparently a glutton for abuse. At least I didnt knock his teeth down his throat; he might have objected more strongly to that.
Noah grasped my shoulders, and this time he lowered his head under his own power. I restrained my normal force, kissing him gently and letting his tongue dip past my lips. His heart rate shot up higher and his blood traveled south. It was almost funny to hear his bodys reaction.
I pushed Noah back. Thats all Im willing to give.
Im very happy with that, Cristine. The only other thing I want is to see you again. I really want to see you again.
His face was earnest and so honest. Completely unlike mine with all my secrets.
I sighed again. Noah, I lead a veryodd life. My job has me traveling frequently, leaving without notice, and having to cancel almost every plan I make. Does that sound like something you want to get involved in?
He nodded. It sounds great, because its your life. I would love to get involved in it.
The sensible part of my brain sent me a clear warning. Dont do it. My loneliness slapped it down.
Then Id like to see you again, too.
FOUR
A KNOCK BOOMED AT MY DOOR, CAUSING ME to bolt up in bed. It was only nine in the morning. No one came by this early; they all knew my sleeping habits. Even Noah, who Id been dating now for a month, knew better than to call or come over at such an ungodly hour.
I went downstairs, habit making me put a silver knife in my robe pocket, and looked through the peephole.
Tate was on the other side, and he also appeared as though hed been freshly woken up.
Whats wrong? I said as I opened the door.
We need to get to the compound. Dons waiting for us, and hes calling in Juan and Dave as well.
I left the door open and went back upstairs to throw on some clothes. No way was I showing up in my Tweety Bird pajamas; that would hardly inspire respect among my men.
After changing and doing a quick brush of my teeth, I climbed into Tates car, blinking at the bright morning sunlight.
Do you know why were being hauled in? Why didnt Don call me first?
Tate grunted. He wanted to ask my opinion of the situation before speaking to you. There were some murders last night in Ohio. Pretty graphic, no attempt made to hide the bodies. In fact, they were displayed.
Whats so unusual about that? Terrible, I give you, but not out of the ordinary.
I was confused. We didnt jet around to every nasty crime scene, or wed never be able to cover them all. There was more than he was telling me.
Were almost there. Ill let Don fill you in on the rest. My job was just to pick you up.
Tate had been a sergeant in Special Forces before joining Don, and his years in the military showed. Follow orders, dont question command decisions. It was what Don loved about him-and why I frustrated my boss so much, because my credo seemed to be the exact opposite.
In twenty minutes, we were at the compound. The armed guards waved us through the gates as usual. Tate and I were such a common sight, we didnt even show identification anymore. We practically knew all the guards by name, rank, and serial number.
Don was in his office, pacing by his desk, and my brows shot up. My boss was normally cool and collected. This was only the second time Id seen him pace in the four years since he recruited me. The first was when he found out that Ian, or Liam Flannery, as Don still thought of him, had gotten away. Don had wanted me to bring the vampire in to keep as a pet, so we could siphon blood from him to make more Brams. When I came back without Ian, I thought Don would pop a seam. Or wear a trench in his carpet. My being stabbed was barely an afterthought. Don really had a mixed-up set of priorities, in my opinion.
On his desk were photos that looked downloaded. He gestured to them as we came in.
I have a friend at the Franklin County Police Department who scanned these two hours ago and sent them to me. Hes already contained the area and barred any more police or medical examiners from the scene. Youre leaving as soon as the team is assembled. Pick your best men, because youre going to need them. Well have additional personnel standing by to deploy at your command. This has to be put to bed immediately.
Franklin County. My old hometown. Cut the mystery, Don. You have my attention.
In reply he handed me one of the photographs. It was of a small room, with a pile of fresh body parts strewn on the carpet. I recognized it at once, because it used to be my bedroom at my grandparents house. The writing on the wall froze me, and I knew at once why Don was freaked.
here kitty kitty
That wasnt good. Not fucking good at all. The fact that this deliberate taunt was clearly addressed to me, and in the house I grew up in, showed two terrifying things. Someone knew my stage name-and my real one.
Wheres my mother? She was my first thought. Perhaps they only knew about Catherine Crawfield, or maybe they knew about Cristine Russell, too.
Don held up a hand. Weve sent men to her house with instructions to bring her here. Were doing that as a precaution, because I think if they knew who and where you were now, they wouldnt have bothered with your birthplace.
Yes, that was true. I was so upset I wasnt thinking clearly. That had to stop, because there was no time to be stupid.
Do you have any idea who this could be, Cat?
Of course not! Why would I?
Don pondered that for a minute, pulling the hairs on his eyebrow.
Its coincidental that youve been dating Noah Rose for a month now, and suddenly someones found you out? Have you told him what you are? What you do?
I gave Don a nasty glare. You ran a full background check on Noah the minute you discovered I was dating him. Without my permission, I might add, and no, Noah doesnt know anything about vampires, what I do, or what I am. This better be the last time I have to assure you of that.
Don gave a concurring nod, then went on to speculate again. Do you think this could be Liam Flannery? Did you tell him anything before that he could have used to trace you?
A cold chill went through me. Ian had connections to my past, all right. Through Bones. Bones knew my familys old address, my real name, and he used to only call me Kitten. Could this be Bones? Would he have done something this extreme to draw me out of hiding? After over four years, did he still even think about me?
No, I didnt tell Flannery anything. I dont see how he could be responsible.
The lie tripped off my tongue without pause. If it was Bones, directly or indirectly, Id deal with him myself. Don and Tate thought his body was packed away on ice in the basement freezer. I wasnt about to change that.
Juan and Dave arrived. Both of them also looked like theyd been freshly woken. Briefly Don filled them in on the situation and its implication.
Cat, I will leave you four to it, he concluded. Pick your team and plug this leak. The planes will be ready when you are. And dont worry about bringing me back any stragglers this time. Just eliminate whoever knows about you.
Grimly I nodded, and prayed my suspicions were wrong.
Have you been home since you started with this Death Squad from Hell? Think anyone will recognize you?
Dave had kept up a stream of steady chatter as we circled over the air base before landing.
No, I havent been back since my grandparents died. I only had one friend-and I was definitely not referring to a certain horny, alcoholic ghost-and he graduated from college and moved to Santa Monica years ago.
That had been Timmie, my old neighbor. Last I checked, he was a reporter for one of those the truth is out there independent magazines. You know, the kind that every once in a while hit on an incredible, factual story and then made Dons life hell while he tried to find ways to discredit it. Timmie believed I had been killed in a shootout with the police after murdering my grandparents, some police officers, and the governor. What a way to be thought of. Don hadnt spared my reputation in making me disappear. I even had a headstone and fake autopsy reports.
Besides I shook off the past like a wet raincoat. With my hair shorter and brown, I look very different. No one would recognize me now.
Except Bones. Hed know me a mile away by scent alone. The thought of seeing him again, even under such murderous circumstances, made my heart pound. How low Id fallen.
Youre sure about bringing Cooper? Dave nudged me and glanced toward the back of the plane. We had our own little area up front. Werent we the special ones?
I know its only been two months since we brought Cooper on, but hes smart, fast, and ruthless. His years as an undercover narcotics officer probably helped there. Hes performed well in training operations, so its time to see how he does in the field.
Dave frowned. He doesnt like you, Cat. He thinks youll turn on us one day because youre a half-breed. I think he should be put under the juice and have the last two months wiped from his mind.
Put under the juice referred to the brainwashing techniques Don had perfected over the last years. Our in-house vampires had their fangs milked like snakes. The hallucinogenic drops they produced were then refined and harvested. When combined with the usual mind-fuck method the military used, it left the participant happily unaware of any details regarding our operation. That was how we weeded through the recruits and didnt worry about one blabbing about a chick with superhuman powers. All they remembered was a day of hard training.
Cooper doesnt have to like me-he only has to follow orders. If he cant do that, then hes out. Or dead, if he gets himself killed first. Hes the least of our concerns now.
The plane touched down with a jar. Dave smiled at me.
Welcome home, Cat.
FIVE
THE HOUSE I GREW UP IN WAS ON A CHERRY orchard that looked like it hadnt been harvested in years. Maybe not since my grandparents were murdered. Licking Falls, Ohio, was a place I hadnt thought Id see again, and the scary thing was that it seemed like time had stood still in this small town. God, this house would get a sick sort of notoriety. Four people had been killed inside these walls. Two supposedly by their own granddaughter, whod then gone on a senseless murder spree, and now this couple.
It was ironic that the last time Id walked up to my front porch, it had also been to a double murder. Pain blasted through me at the mental image of my grandfather slumped on the kitchen floor and my grandmothers red handprints staining the stairs where shed tried to crawl away.
Dave and I circled around the kitchen, careful not to disturb anything more than necessary.
Were the bodies checked? Was anything found?
Tate coughed. The bodies are still here, Cat. Don ordered they not be moved until you looked at them. Nothing has been confiscated.
Great. Don was too smart for his own good. Have they been photographed? Documented? We can rip through them to look?
Juan winced at my choice of words, but Tate nodded. The house was surrounded by exterior troops in case this was a trap. It was just before noon, so we were somewhat safer. Vampires hated to be up early. No, I had been brought here specifically, and I was betting whoever did this was getting their beauty rest.
Okay then. Lets get started.
An hour later, Cooper was at his breaking point.
Im going to be sick.
I glanced past the remains of what used to be a happy couple. Yep, Coopers mocha face was positively green.
You throw up and youll eat it off the floor, soldier.
He cursed, and I returned to examining the torso in front of me. Occasionally I heard his stomach heave, but he swallowed back the bile and kept working. I held out hope for his abilities yet.
My hand struck something odd in the chest cavity of the female. Something hard that wasnt bone. Carefully I pulled it out, ignoring the squishy suction sounds it made as I drew it free.
Tate and Juan leaned over me intently. Looks like a rock of some kind, Tate noted.
Whats that supposed to mean? Juan wondered.
I felt as hard as the stone in my hand. Silently I screamed inside.
Its not a rock. Its a piece of limestone. From a cave.
Stay back five miles from all sides. Any closer and theyll hear your heartbeats. No overhead air support, no radio. Hand signals only; we dont want to give away our numbers. Ill enter the cave from the mouth, and you will give me exactly thirty minutes. If I dont come out, you use the rockets and blast it, then contain the perimeter and watch your backs. Anything comes out of that cave except me, you shoot it until youre sure its really dead. And then you shoot it some more.
Tate angrily rounded on me. This is a bullshit plan! That missile would only kill you, but the vampires would just dig themselves out later. If you dont come out, were coming in after you. Period.
Tate is right. Were not blowing you up before I get a chance to show you my sausage. Even Juan sounded worried. His innuendo was halfhearted at best.
No way, Cat, Dave agreed. Youve saved my ass too many times for me to flip that switch.
This isnt a democracy. Ice edged my words. I make the decisions. You follow them. Dont you get it? If Im not out in thirty minutes, then Im dead.
We spoke while flying in the chopper to thwart any undead eavesdroppers. I was paranoid to a fantastic degree after finding that rock. I hated to believe it, but I couldnt imagine who else could have left it except Bones. That memento from the cave was too personal for it to have been Ian. Bones was the only one who knew about the cave, and everything else. The thought of him tearing apart those people sickened me. What could have happened in four years to change him so much, that hed do such a gruesome thing? Thats why I needed only thirty minutes. Either I would kill him or hed kill me, but it would be fast regardless. Bones always did get straight down to business, and he wouldnt expect a romantic reunion. Not when he just sent me a bouquet of body parts.
The helicopter landed twenty miles away. We would drive the next fifteen and I would walk the last five. The three of them argued with me the entire time, but I ignored them. My mind was numb. Id wanted desperately to see Bones again, but never had I imagined it would be like this. Why? I wondered again. Why would Bones do something so horrible, so extreme, after all this time?
Dont do it, Cat.
Tate tried one last time as I wrapped my jacket around me. It was lined with silver weapons, useful for much more than warmth. Winter was slow to release its grip this year. Tate gripped my arm, but I yanked free.
If I go down, lead the team. Keep them alive. Thats your job. This is mine.
Before he could say anything more, I broke into a run.
The last mile I slowed to a walk, dreading the confrontation. My ears were pricked for the slightest sound, but that was why the cave had been such a great hideout. The depths and heights played tricks with noise. I couldnt pinpoint any exact sounds. Surprisingly, I thought I heard a heartbeat as I drew nearer, but maybe it was just my own pounding. When I touched the outer entrance of the cave, I felt the energy inside. Vampire power, vibrating the air. Oh God.
Right before I ducked under the threshold, I pressed a button on my watch. Countdown, thirty minutes exactly, had just begun.
Both my hands held wicked-looking silver daggers in them, and I was weighted down with my throwing knives. Id even brought a gun and tucked it inside my pants, the clip filled with silver bullets. Being prepared to kill cost a small fortune.
My eyes adjusted to the almost nonexistent lighting. From tiny openings in the rock, the cave wasnt completely black. So far the initial entryway was clear. There were noises deeper inside, and the question Id refused to consider now loomed in front of me. Could I kill Bones? Would I be able to look in his brown eyes, or his green ones, and wield that blow? I didnt know, hence my backup plans of the missile. If I faltered, they wouldnt. Theyd be strong should I prove to be weak. Or prove to be dead, whichever came first.
Come closer, a voice beckoned.
It reverberated with echoes. Was that an English accent? I couldnt be sure. My pulse sped up, and I went farther inside the cave.
There had been some changes since Id last seen it. The area that once doubled as a living room was trashed. The sofa was in sections, and it hadnt been a sectional. Stuffing from the cushions settled like snow on the floor, the television was smashed in, and the lamps had long since seen their last light. The dressing screen that had guarded my short-lived modesty was in pieces throughout the area. Someone had obviously torn the place apart in a fit of rage. Frankly I was afraid to look in the bedroom, but I peeked inside anyway, and my heart constricted.
The bed was reduced to bits of foam. Wood and springs littered the space and stood inches deep on the ground. Stones in the wall were chipped here and there from a fist or other hard object pummeling them. Anguish welled up in me. This was my doing, as surely as if Id used my own hands.
A cool current parted the atmosphere behind me. I whirled around with knives at the ready. Staring at me with glowing green eyes was a vampire. Behind him were six more. Their energy thickened the air in the close space, but they were evenly distributed, if you could call it that. Only one of them crackled with an abundance of power, but his face was entirely foreign to me.
Who in the fuck are you guys?
You came. Your old boyfriend wasnt lying. We werent sure whether to believe him.
This statement was from the vamp in front, the one with the curling brown hair. He looked to be about twenty-five, in human years. From the clout oozing off his body, I judged him to be roughly five hundred or a young Master. Out of the seven, he was the most dangerous, and his previous sentence scared the shit out of me. Your old boyfriend. That was how they knew about me. Mother of God, it wasnt Bones who killed those people, but these vampires instead! What they would have done to him to make him talk both sickened and infuriated me.
Where is he?
The only question that mattered. If theyd killed Bones, I was going to turn them all into exact replicas of the mattress behind me. Indistinguishable from one particle to the next.
Hes here. Alive still. If you want him to remain that way, youll do what I tell you.
The other minions began to fan out, trapping me with the bedroom as my only exit. Since it was a closed area, there was no help there.