Blood Rapture

Blood

RaptuRe

Lee Pearce

passion in pRint pRess www.passioninprint.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright 2011 by Lee Pearce All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Published by Passion In Print Press 3052 Gaines Waterport Rd. Albion, NY 14411 Visit Passion In Print Press on the Internet: www.passioninprint.com Cover Art by Winterheart Designs Editing by Lawan Williams

Print ISBN# 978-1-60820-480-9 Also available in ebook format ISBN#978-1-60820-481-6 Issued 2011 This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

Dedication To those of you who have wondered what it would be like to live the life of an explorer, colonist and pirate. Enjoy.

Acknowledgement Thanks to my editor, Lawan Williams, for her tireless effort, and to my friends with the Canadian Authors Association for their support and assistance.

For Brigitte

Chapter One Beneath the town of Rocks End, a fresh-water lake sat deep in the earth, its cool waters meandering through dark caverns. At the edge of this cavern, an older female demon, Maysla, sat, her hands resting upon her crossed knees, her eyes closed. Her chest barely rose in her meditative state, her breathing and heartbeat slowed to near death. Yet her eyes danced about beneath her eyelids as thoughts jumped about her mind. She had sensed a change in the water’s glide over the past few weeks and even now, heard its cry of pain. She had never heard the water speak to her in such a way and knew it was not of her imagination. The other clans had communicated their anxiety too, blaming it on the centuries old legend of the cursed dead walker. Maysla shivered. Unable to continue her meditation, Maysla unfolded her long slender legs, stretched her feet out to the water’s edge and set her heels in the cool liquid. Ripples trembled about her feet. She slid forward bringing her knees up to her chest, her feet slipping beneath the surface. Reaching forward, she scooped up a palm full of water, bringing it close to her legs and slowly poured it onto her skin. As she reached toward the surface a second time, she stopped. A low rumble passed overhead. Dirt fell from crevices in the rock ceiling, splashing into the water. Maysla twisted her head sideways to look up and smiled. She heard the thunder pass by overhead again. “The horses are restless,” she muttered, her voice echoing about the chamber. She liked this particular cavern. It rested below the ranch of the town’s matron, Julie Woods, who parlayed justice and therefore wielded power in Rocks End. Only the town’s Sheriff had more power. She and Julie had had their moments of strife but overall each left the other alone to take care of their own kin. Julie, a werewolf, had inherited the title of matron upon

2 Lee Pearce her father’s death. Born with a genetic malady, Julie was only expected to live a short while. She could give birth to as many male children as she wanted but once a female child was born, her body was supposed to shut down and kill her. But Julie had taken as her first husband, Brad, a werewolf with friends skilled in the medical field who had found a cure for Julie in time for her to give birth to what the rest of the supernatural community had called a miracle: triplets comprising of two boys and one girl. The Matron’s second husband, the vampire Victor, though, had nearly gotten Julie killed. A past lover, another vampire, had tried to get her vengeance by stealing Julie’s children directly at birth. Victor had killed the female vampire, saving Julie and her unborn children. Maysla had seen Victor show such passion a long time ago, nearly three hundred years ago. And when he had appeared again in Rocks End, the old memories had flooded back. As a very young child, she had seen him at the time when he had done what he had for the demons before disappearing. She had thought he had died but when he had shown up in Rocks End, she had taken on the role of watcher, knowing interference was illegal yet was so fascinated she had wanted to learn all she could about him. Victor had barely aged over the past three centuries as was expected of a vampire but his face did show the emotional effects of a man suffering from the guilt of what he had done. Yet when he came to Rocks End and became embedded with the Woods family to help Julie’s mother, he seemed to be searching for something he had not yet attained. He had never married nor shown any interest in joining any sort of vampire nest or other type of clan in which he could gain a sense of family. Maysla wondered what it was like to go for so long without the comfort of other creatures. It must have been a very lonely life. After Julie’s birth and sudden death of her mother, Victor had vanished from Rocks End. Maysla had thought that to be the last of her seeing the vampire until he had shown up again when Julie had reached the age where her own werewolf sickness would soon start. He had used his rapture to keep Julie alive

Blood RaptuRe 3 through her trials, gaining the respect and love of this small supernatural community. She wondered when Victor had known he had fallen in love with the Matron. Had it been when he had returned from his journey and seen her starting to grow into a woman? Or had it been when Julie had become an independent woman preparing to go off to college? It was good to see the troubled vampire settling down to a stable life. Maysla’s people would have wanted this for him, considering all he had done to ensure their emancipation during the slave years. It had been a dark time in their history, their own people selling off those whom they had deemed to be enemies to the humans. The demons’ strength was considered an asset to the land owners of the new world and they fetched a high price, making a profit for all involved. Saved from a life of slavery by Victor, Maysla’s family protected the newly-made vampire until such time as he had accepted his lot and moved on. They swore always to protect him and with the help of other demon conclaves, managed to keep a sketchy record of his whereabouts for the past few centuries. The rumble crossed overhead again but instead of dying off continued to build. She felt the vibrations through the rock beneath her body. The water bubbled out in the lake, frothing and churning, growing into a splashing fountain reaching toward the ceiling. Glittering droplets filled the air, landing like a rain shower. She heard the sound of wind just as the water ceased its motion. A dark head broke the surface, the mouth wide open drawing in a noisy breath before submerging again. Maysla remained still, waiting and when the body broke the surface again, she rose, ready to give aid if required. The transition from water to solid form again could be traumatic enough that the creature may become unconscious, fall back and drown. This creature though appeared to not have any trouble at all. In fact, his dark form appeared beneath the water, swimming with long languorous strokes, growing larger as he, for she could see his definite masculine shape, approached the shallows. She

4 Lee Pearce felt the rush of excitement through the water as it bounced against her feet, felt the tingling spread throughout her body. The man reached the shore, curling his legs beneath his body to stand upright in one fluid motion. As the water poured from his face and down his body, Maysla felt fear replace her excitement. She gasped audibly and took a step back. The man’s eyes, their dark depths glittering in the faint light from above, met her own, causing her to freeze in place. He walked out of the water, his muscular body outlined by his wet shirt and pants. She wanted so to reach out and touch him but, having recognized him, knew to do so without permission could be punishable by death. “Maysla,” he said, his voice reverberating about the chamber. “My lord,” she replied, her voice breathless at his knowing her name. She bowed her head, looking down to the ground noting the extensive webbing upon his feet, only found upon one so ancient. “What brings you here?” It was a rude question for she should never question the action of her king. “Look at me, child,” he said. His hands reached out and grasped hers, pulling her so close to his body that she was forced to look up into his eyes once again. She would have found the closeness offensive if his eyes had travelled anywhere else than her face. “You have grown into a woman.” “What has brought you here, my lord?” she asked, again, her voice trembling slightly. She felt an attraction to her king, her body leaning toward him. One so powerful could give her strong children. Embarrassed at her reaction, she made to step away. Whether he noticed or not, he continued to hold her hands tight, his own hands warming quickly. She shivered again. “I have come seeking your help,” he said, his voice soft and soothing. It danced across her skin, snapping her nerves, setting her body on fire. At this moment she wanted to touch his body, run her fingers across his chest, wrap her arms around his back, feel the demonic ridges there and take his body inside her own. “My help?” she repeated. “Why would you come to this unworthy community when you have the rest of the world at

Blood RaptuRe 5 your command?” He could have gone anywhere to get help. “Your unworthy community has what I need,” he said, his hands tightening their hold. Pain shot through her hands as her fingers were slowly crushed in his grip. “What, what is it you need?” she said, gritting her teeth, trying in vain to pull away. Suddenly fear came again and replaced lust. He leaned in close, his breath searing her forehead. “I need the dead-walker.” Adrenalin flooded her body. She yanked her hands free as his grip loosened ever so slightly. She stumbled back, only just keeping her balance by catching herself with a hand placed behind her back against the cave wall. No, she wanted to scream but that would have been blasphemy. Yet, her king had deceived her. He had used his demon pheromones to nearly persuade her into giving up that which she treasured the most. “I know you have been keeping guard over him,” the demon king said, turning sideways. He scanned the cavern. “You will bring him to me.” “No,” she shook her head, still backing away. “Maysla,” he lunged at her, grabbing her arms, her bones straining under his grip. His eyes had gone a deep red, the whites, too, and his skin glistened with the numbing agent, his demon body preparing to fight. “This will be done. I am your king and you will obey me.” “Why do you want him?” she gasped, trying to still her frantically beating heart. “Why now?” “An object of value has been stolen from me,” her king spoke, “and only he can bring it back.” “But we made a promise to him,” Maysla said. A draft blew across his skin, carrying the stench of carrion to her nostrils. She pressed her hand against her mouth trying to hide her sounds of gagging.

6 Lee Pearce The demon king turned, his face darkened by shadow. “I care not for whatever your ancestors may have said to this man. I need him to repay the life we have allowed him to live. Bring the dead-walker to me by sundown or I shall destroy your unworthy community, soul by soul.”

Chapter Two “It’s going to happen,” said Julie Woods, Matron of Rocks End and full blood werewolf lay nestled in rumpled cotton sheets against the cool body of her second husband, Victor Maher. She tightened the grip on his entwined fingers pulling his hand close against her chest. Victor responded by pushing his lanky form against her back, bending his knees so he spooned her athletic form. “It’s just that in your vision you were so sure the child’s age was close to the triplets,” he mumbled, his face buried in her hair. She could feel his warm breath on her ear and shivered. “And it is going to happen.” “How can you be so sure?” Victor said, sounding frustrated, “You know in my current state I cannot father children.” “Yes, I do know,” Julie said, feeling her own frustration level rising, “we just have to be patient.” “It’s been two years,” he said, “so…” Quickly, Julie let go of his hand and twisted to face him, noting the look of pain on his face he was a little too slow to mask, and placed her hands on either side of his head, his blond hair plastered against his forehead with the sweat from their lovemaking. She could feel his tension beneath her fingers. This man whom she had known all of her life was over three hundred years old. He had become a vampire in his twenties and due to the slowed aging a vampire experiences looked closer to forty years of age. “Victor, we’re going to figure this out,” she said, “Brad has his friends working on the research. They fixed me. They will figure out how to make you a father.” “Fixing you was easy,” Victor said, kissing her palm. “They’d have to make me human again in order for me to become

8 Lee Pearce fertile.” Julie sighed and ran her other hand down his cheek and neck, coming to rest on his chest. Julie had, as all the previous female werewolves in her family, been born with a genetic deformity that did not allow her to completely change into a werewolf. Instead, whenever her body had wanted to change, she had suffered painful attacks as her body attempted its change. Only Victor’s rapture, his hypnotic voice and the numbing agent his teeth exuded when puncturing her skin, had kept her alive through her seizures. They had fallen in love during her college years. She met her other husband, Brad Billingsworth, when he had moved in to the ranch beside her family’s land and he had let her pasture her horses there. Their attraction was immediate and powerful, their love just as deep. Julie was surprised at Victor’s acceptance of the second love in her life. He had reminded her that vampires do actually live in nests, having many lovers at one time. Brad, himself over one hundred years old, accepted Victor as Julie’s other love. It was actually the two men who decided they should all live together so that she didn’t have to feel like she had to sneak around when she wanted to spend time with either man. Brad had friends in the medical community who had found the cure for her genetic problem. She had become pregnant and if the child was female, the overriding hormonal reaction would kill her during the birth. When it was discovered she was not only pregnant with her sons, but her daughter as well, Brad’s friends had worked feverishly and were ready. Fortunately they had saved her life after the children’s birth. During the birth, she’d had a vision of her children about eight years in the future. Three dark-haired children all looking like their father, Brad, and one blond son, looking distinctly like Victor had been all enjoying a picnic on a warm sunny afternoon. When Julie had told Brad and Victor about the vision, she had seen the joy in Brad’s eyes and the hope in Victor. And now it hurt her to see desperation overwhelm Victor.

Blood RaptuRe 9 “Maybe,” she said, broaching a subject once again that was a sore point with Victor, “maybe the demons, maybe Maysla…” “No, Julie,” Victor said, rolling onto his back. “Do not go to them. You promised.” “I don’t understand why you are so against asking them for help,” she said. “They won’t give it,” he said. “And why are you so sure?” “Because they’re devious,” he said. “To owe them a favor is to owe them your life.” “I hope that’s an over reaction,” Julie said. “I don’t want you doing anything to embarrass the kids this afternoon.” He let out a groan. His voice lowered. “You will not go to the demons.” He spoke in a monotone. Julie replied, her voice sleepy. “I won’t go to the demons.” “You will stay here with me.” “I will stay here.” “All day and night.” “All day and night.” “We will make love and you will beg me to never stop.” “Never.” Julie suddenly broke out laughing. “You are not getting out of going to the birthday party today.” Victor lay back with a sigh and a grin. “At least I know I can’t rapture you.” She sobered. “You were really trying?” “Uh-huh,” he nodded, his eyes serious. “So do you think I’ll be immune to other vampire’s raptures now?” “We’ll need to test you with someone else.” Now Julie sighed and leaned back on her pillow. “Do you trust anyone else here?”

10 Lee Pearce “I may find one or two I can trust of the willing ones,” Victor said. “What if they do something during the rapture?” “I could implant a subliminal message in your mind,” he said, “a thought or a signal that would tell you a vampire has just tried to rapture you.” “A signal?” she said. “Uh-huh, like you’d get an itchy palm or you’d have to sneeze or…” “Or how about just simply rubbing my neck? You know how vampires are fascinated with necks.” “All right, the neck then,” Victor said, “but now you’ve got to relax. Let me do my work.” Julie closed her eyes. “All right, any time.” And started to giggle. She heard Victor sigh and opened her eyes. “Sorry, try again.” And got another fit of giggles. “I’m sor…” Victor’s mouth came down upon her lips, cutting off her words. She sighed, thinking they would try the subliminal implant another time, and put her whole mind into his kiss. She pressed her body against his lean form, wrapping her arms around his back, carefully beneath the fleshy folds of his wings. Vampires grew wings in their first decade of change. It was a long slow process due to the painful nature of the change and the need for the vampire’s body to take skin and cartilage from other parts of his body. Even in this finished state, his wings were very fragile, and she had to be careful so as to not tear the skin and cause him to have to heal with pain. As she settled against his body, her mouth lingered against his lips, moving with a familiar rhythm and insistence that warmed her body. Her hands slid slowly down his back to cup his buttocks, massaging them. She felt his hot breath on her neck, her own body responding, an ache beginning in her stomach. Victor dragged his teeth down her neck to her shoulder where he nipped her skin, not breaking it but still sending shivers

Blood RaptuRe 11 down her spine. His hips shifted sideways and she spread her legs, knowing what was coming next. His fingers trailed lightly between her breasts, down her stomach and through the small mass of curls, twisting and tugging, sending flashes of heat through her pelvis. She moaned, her hand moving to his arm not wanting him to pull away. His fingers parted her flesh, brushed her labia lightly then pressing hard, light then hard. Julie writhed beneath his touch. Her mind tried to follow his rhythm but it was too difficult to think. Stop thinking. Her hips shifted upward, giving him easier access, encouraging him. His finger moved down her channel, pushing hard, dipping in and pulling out. She moaned again, this time. “Don’t…don’t…” she said, her breathing harsh. Victor only chuckled, his voice close to her ear. She opened her eyes. When had she closed them? His face was a blur yet she could feel his breath on her neck. Tensing she waited for his bite. It never came. Too much. Too much to think about. “Stop thinking,” he murmured. Had he just read her mind? Probably not. He just knew her too well. The pressure increased. His palm now rested on her clit, holding it down tight. His finger dipped deep inside, swirling, pushing, widening, finding and touching. She nearly sat upright as her body jerked and clenched his hand. She held her breath anticipating, waiting. The pressure vanished. She cried out, disappointment flaring into rage. He dragged his teeth down her shoulder, over the mound of her breast, scraping harshly enough to leave a trail. His hot mouth settled around her nipple, his regular teeth nipping at the enlarged bud. Tiny shocks danced down her back with each bite, driving her crazy with need. Her cunt still pulsed with an unsatisfied orgasm. She wanted his hard body inside, ramming

12 Lee Pearce himself deep. Julie shifted her hips, her hands searching for his cock. She found it only when he curved his back, bringing his hips up closer for her touch. Grasping him, she began a slow massage. In response, he moved his mouth to her other breast, consuming it, piercing it. She cried out, her grip tightening involuntarily. He grunted but still she hung on, dragging him closer, her legs spread. As his hips moved downward, she pushed his tip against her slick opening. He lifted his head from her breast and stared into her eyes. They both seemed to be holding their breaths. For the briefest of moments she saw Victor’s eyes change from the passionate black to his normal silver, full of love. Regret flashed briefly replaced quickly with passion again. She lifted her hands and placed them on his forearms, holding him tight, anchored to the bed and herself. She wondered what had just happened, what he had been thinking. Then his hips moved. Slowly he slid himself into her body. She drew in a deep breath thinking he would never stop, swearing she could feel him touching her spine. Pinned to the bed, she wrapped her legs around his thighs. Victor began a slow rhythm, a push and pull within her body. Her aching cunt grasped him sending liquid fire through her lower body. She could barely breathe, every part of her body consumed with heat. His own breaths became ragged and short as he quickened his pace. His slight tuffs of hair rubbed her clit, sending sparks to her stomach. She held him tight, not wanting him to finish, feeling her own need building. Then he slammed into her with such force, she cried aloud, finally taking a deep breath. Switching into overdrive, he pounded her relentlessly. Not caring, she hung onto him tightly, her arms around his back, her hands clenching his buttocks, her nails digging deep. Heat rose in her body, a blackness infusing her head as her climax struck. Her sex muscles clenched his hardened shaft, pulling him, keeping him tight. She willed him to stay.

Blood RaptuRe 13 His motion stopped and a shudder ran through his body. He held himself aloft and she felt him pulsing against her walls, his climax familiar and new, each time. Then his head dipped. She turned away, giving him free access. A sharp pain made her gasp. His bite always took her by surprise. Immediately the pain vanished and Victor lowered himself to her side. He never took blood, saying just to have her trust was enough for him. “Mine,” he said, brushing her hair away from her sweaty face. She placed her hand against his chest, feeling his slowing heart beat. “Forever mine.” He smiled slyly, opening his mouth to speak when a door in the house squeaked open and slammed shut. A torrent of feet ran across the wooden floors and kitchen chairs scraped. Young voices laughed loudly. Julie and Victor stopped, raised their heads to look at each other and smiled grimly. “Guess we’re gonna be called upon soon,” Victor said. Julie nodded. She slid out from the covers and sat on the side of the bed, reaching for her t-shirt. Victor climbed off the bed and headed for the shower. “You going to join me?” She smiled and reached up to brush the hair away from her neck. “No, I think I…” She pulled away her hand and stared at him. Looking up at Victor, she said, “You did it?” He nodded and looked a little guilty. “I knew if I started kissing you, you would truly be under my control.” She grabbed a pillow. “Oh, you think you’re that great of a kisser?” “Yes, yes I do.” Victor caught the pillow before it struck his head. With a wicked smile, he jerked his head toward the shower. “Come on. Let’s spend some more quality time together.” She stood, grabbing the rest of her clothes from the bottom of the bed. “Not now, mister. We have a busy day ahead of us.” “Yes,” he muttered, “we do.”

14 Lee Pearce “Oh, come on,” Julie smiled, “I know you’re looking forward to the birthday party.” “Twenty prepubescent children hyped up on sugar?” Victor said, “What’s not to look forward to?” Chaos reigned outside of the house full of children even before the birthday party had officially begun. As Victor drove up to the neighboring ranch where Julie’s brother Mark lived with his partner Stephen, the vampire cringed as he saw five four-year-olds race across the parking lot toward the stables, a smiling seventeen-year-old girl in fast pursuit. “Lizzy!” the triplets chimed in unison as they saw their favorite cousin. As if she heard them through all that distance away, Lizzy slowed, looked toward the car and waved madly, then continued in her race to catch up to the disappearing children. “How did she…?” Brad muttered. “Must be the werewolf genes kicking in,” Julie said, “We were warned it could happen anytime with her once the genetic treatment kicked in.” “But she’s so young,” Brad said, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes. “She’s seventeen, Brad,” Julie said, tilting her head sideways, “and growing up. She’ll be the first female to change.” Brad looked at her in horror. “I’m not going to be the one to take her through it.” Julie patted his arm. “I know. I guess I will. She and I will have to do the best we can.” Brad shuddered. “I remember my first time. It seemed to last so long.” “Are you sure you don’t know any other females who could come to help?” Victor spoke up from the farthest back seat in the van, leaning forward between the two boys.

Blood RaptuRe 15 “Her change will come upon her so quickly, we won’t have time to bring anyone else in,” Brad said, pulling into a vacant spot near the main steps of the house. “I just hope Julie is nearby. At that age, she’ll be embarrassed to have to do it in front of her uncle, even if she has practically grown up with him.” “We’ve spoken,” Julie said, “she knows what to watch out for. She’ll call me when she needs me.” They got out of the van. Victor carried Brad Jr and Carl, one on each hip. Brad carried in Sara while Julie carried in a grocery bag. They were greeted at the door by Mark, Julie’s brother. “And so now the guests of honor have arrived!” The triplets squealed to be let down and immediately chased their uncle through the massive house. Julie headed to the kitchen. Brad and Victor worked their way into the living room where more children played on the floor, the furniture and even one child hung from a bookcase which Brad rescued immediately. Three small boys cornered Victor and demanded he make his funny face. He crouched down, became very stern and let his fangs drop into place. He even hissed for added effect. The boys all laughed and started to climb all over the vampire. These boys enjoyed playing with Victor. They were unafraid of him. Of course, they were all werewolves and had seen their fathers change into large wolves so to them, Victor the vampire was more like a clown, not to be feared at all. The afternoon shot by. Soon the caterers had the rows of grills smoking in the backyard and hamburgers and hot dogs were set out for the hungry crowd. Then came the opening of presents. The triplets quickly became exhausted from tearing open the gifts so Julie had to step in to help. It seemed Sara received a lot more presents, her being a female werewolf and a novelty. Victor glanced at Brad and saw the same thought on his face. He wondered when he might have to start fending off suitors. He hoped not for a few more years. After dinner when the guests and their parents had finally left, they gathered in the living room, enjoying the rest of the wine. Julie had lined up the triplets on one sofa to sleep and

16 Lee Pearce the adults sat in the remaining club chairs and sofa, sighing contentedly after the large barbeque dinner and cake. It had been some time since Victor had eaten any type of food and he enjoyed the feeling of the sugars being slowly digested by his body, making his heart beat just a little faster even though the blood it pumped was no longer red hemoglobin but black plasma. He glanced around the room, noting how similar Mark and Julie looked, the siblings being only a couple years apart. Stephen, Mark’s partner, looked somewhat like his cousin Lizzy, their eyes and mouths shaped the same. He felt happy to be part of such a family, even if they were werewolves. Any semblance of family he had otherwise had, human or vampire, was long since gone. He was glad to have found a woman to love and a people to be accepted into. Brad got up slowly, waving his empty wine glass and disappeared into the kitchen. Julie leaned against Victor’s arm, tilting her head to look into his eyes. “It’s not fair you’re not even the slightest bit exhausted,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt to have a vampire around,” Mark muttered, grinning slyly, “He can drive you all home, wash the dishes and catch up on the laundry, right?” “Me? Do woman’s work?” Victor said, trying to sound offended but still smiling back. “Ouch!” Julie pinched him a second time. “They’re called chores and we all do them. Unless you want to be stuck on mucking-out duties for the next decade.” “Okay, okay, I will do whatever chores are necessary,” Victor said, holding up his hands. “I will happily leave the shoveling of horse manure to the experts.” “Speaking of chores,” Brad’s spoke as he backed into the room, his arms hidden. He slowly rotated, holding two bottles, one of champagne, another a dark red in color, in his hands. “Seems we have another birthday to celebrate.” Uncomfortable suddenly, Victor tried to sidle off the sofa

Blood RaptuRe 17 but Julie placed a hand on his thigh keeping him firmly rooted. Brad placed the two bottles on the table in front of him. Meanwhile Stephen and Mark had leaped off the sofa and were noisily rooting through a credenza. They began passing wrapped boxes across the sofa to Brad who placed them on the table next to the two bottles. “You didn’t have to do this,” Victor said, eyeing the boxes. “Sure we did,” Julie said. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re part of this family, too.” “Come on, old man,” Mark said, reaching for the bottle of champagne, “open your gifts.” “You have a lot of them this year,” Brad said, “maybe you have a secret admirer.” “Or one of them is a gag gift,” Mark said, popping the cork. He began to pour the bubbling liquid into their empty wine glasses, leaving a fifth one empty. Stephen passed out the glasses. Victor raised an eyebrow. “If it explodes and wakes the children then you’re staying up with them until they go back to sleep.” He reached for the closest present which happened to also be the largest and pulled it onto his lap. Mark put down the nearly empty bottle, leaned back, his hands raised. “Why would you ever think it was me?” Stephen let out a guffaw. “Why wouldn’t it be you?” Mark just answered with a sly grin and a shrug. Victor tore off the birthday paper and opened the box. He pulled out a shiny pair of riding boots. Smiling at Julie, he said, “You’ve been digging through my wardrobe again.” “You can use a new pair every fifty years or so,” she said, “besides, you’ll need new boots soon. Lizzy is getting pretty good at show jumping.” Victor looked at her knowingly. “You’ve been giving her lessons?” “How could I help it?” Julie said, “She asked. I obliged. It

18 Lee Pearce feels good to be back in the ring.” As Victor reached for his second present, Stephen grabbed the unopened bottle. Victor waved him to stop. “You sure?” Stephen asked. “It’s okay,” Julie said, “you deserve a treat.” “But I don’t really feel like a blood thirst tonight,” Victor said, staring at the bottle. He had known what it was when Brad carried it in but for some reason he really didn’t feel an attraction to it. “I think tonight I just want to stay in tune with you,” he said, puzzled at his own admission, “and not lose myself in that.” He didn’t drink much blood anymore just because the blood lust made him forget who he was. It was like taking a powerful drug and he didn’t like the effects. He tore the wrapping paper and several books spilled into his lap. He sighed contentedly. Reading was one thing he did do to fill his time when he didn’t require sleep and these thrillers were just the right thing to get lost in. Stephen put the bottle down on the table again. “All right but take it home. It’s a good vintage and if you keep it chilled, it will be ready for you whenever you want to indulge yourself.” “So Victor, just how old are you?” Mark asked. “Mark!” Julie said in a low voice, nearly a growl. “It’s all right, Julie,” Victor said, “I am three hundred and thirty-five years old.” Mark sat back, pretending to be astounded. “Wow and not a grey hair.” Brad growled under his breath. “Speaking as the next oldest, you’d better show some respect, youngster.” Mark waved his hand at his brother-in-law. “Respect? You’re what, a hundred or so? I will save my respect for the truly ancient.” “Enough!” Julie said, laughing despite herself. She turned to Victor. “So this being the day you were changed to a vampire,

Blood RaptuRe 19 how old were you?” “I was actually thirty-five,” Victor said, looking at his hands. He hadn’t realized this was more than a birthday. It was a major anniversary: a three hundred year anniversary. A slight shiver went down his spine. He heard the splash of water, the cry of a seagull, the rip of wind on sail. Mark cleared his throat and brought Victor back to the present. He reached for the third present. A small one still remained. He left that one to the last thinking it was from Julie. She liked to buy jewelry. “So three hundred years ago…” Mark began, “that would have been the early 1700’s. Where were you?” “Who were you?” Stephen asked. Victor opened the gift and flipped open the medium sized box. In it he found a wrist watch. Julie kissed him again on the cheek. “Happy Birthday, Victor. Something else to wear out.” He eyed the last tiny box. “Boots and a watch to wear out. I do hope that’s underwear or I might not be allowed anywhere in public.” The others laughed as he reached for the last box. It felt heavier than it should be. “So, Victor, are you going to tell us?” Mark said, “Who were you three hundred years ago?” Victor sighed as he worked at the paper. He really didn’t want to talk about his past. No matter how he explained it, it always sounded tragic. Whoever had wrapped the box had taped every edge down so it could not be easily opened. Remembering the children might be pretending to be asleep, he kept the story simple. “I came from a family of wine makers from a small town outside of Paris,” he began. “I had two older brothers who went off to find their fortune, sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to what you call the Caribbean. After each left, we didn’t hear from them so my parents finally sent me in search of them. Dammit! Which one of you used heavy duty tape on this?” He

20 Lee Pearce said, angrily, looking up. They all glanced at each other blankly. They were all good at hiding their true feelings. The paper seemed to be impermeable, the tape thick as duct tape. Not even scratching at it seemed to make the tiniest tear. Stephen leapt up and fished out a knife from the inside of his boot. Julie eyed him curiously. “It was sheathed the whole time,” he said, “no little hands could have gotten to it.” He handed the knife to Victor who pried the tip under the tape and finally began to whittle away at the paper. “I made it to the Caribbean, only to find my brothers were long dead. I was on my way back home across the ocean when my ship was overcome by pirates.” “Pirates? They were real?” Mark asked. “Yes!” Victor said, tearing the paper off the box with such gusto the box went flying across the table to land at Brad’s feet, the lid falling off. Metal clanked. Brad stooped to pick the pieces up. As he did, he looked up at Victor. “Apparently, whoever sent you this gift, also knew about your history.” He placed two small figures in Victor’s hand. Both were made from tin. One was dark. One was light. Both were shaped like pirates. Victor stared at the tin pirates. His hand started to shake and he clenched the figures tight, their sharp edges biting into his skin. “What’s wrong, Victor?” Julie asked. Victor suddenly stood. “I have to go.” Julie rose, grabbing his arm. “Why? Where do you have to go?” He twisted, pulled her close and kissed her quickly on her forehead. “Love you. Be back soon.” “Victor, what…?” Julie’s called out as he rushed toward the door. He had to go. He couldn’t ignore the summons even though every fiber in his body screamed not to go.

Chapter Three Victor lifted into the darkening sky, the red sun in his eyes as he flew west toward the city. Rocks End, a small town, filled with humans and other supernatural creatures. A chill had begun to settle in the air as the sky turned from bright pinks to deep purples. Barely needing to flap as he rode the thermals that still existed from the day’s heat over the fields, it wasn’t until he crossed into the town, the thermals became weakened by subdivisions full of buildings, and he had to flap more consistently. The north end of town held older houses, built pre-wartime, that nestled against a park and water recycling plant. The occupants, the demons, always kept close to water, preferring fresh to salt. Ocean water tended to eat away at their natural defense system, a paralytic compound. As he flew, Victor forced the memory of his rebirth to come to the surface. He had to remember the faces of those who had witnessed his resurrection no matter how upsetting it had been for him since he was about to face these creatures or at least their descendants. The day had been a calm one. The trade winds had blown in from the southeast, warming the islands of the Caribbean of so long ago. Back then resort hotels, restaurants and beach bars did not crowd the sandy shores. Instead, huts and plantations filled the islands, one for workers and slaves, the other for land owners. Pirates lived on most of the islands and robbed from unguarded merchant ships. Slavery and piracy had been rampant for over one hundred years by the time he had arrived. Victor landed in the front yard of a non-descript bungalow. He recognized the group of young demons who stood about a muscle car, a Camaro actually when he looked closer. They didn’t move but they did stare at him, as if seeing him for the first time. He folded in his wings as he crossed the neat lawn.

22 Lee Pearce Stepping onto the porch, the front door creaked outward and the matron of the demons, Maysla held it open for him. She glanced at the darkening sky. “Come in, Victor,” she said. “I got your message,” he said, stepping into the small foyer. “He’s out back,” Maysla said. “He is expecting you.” Victor wondered who it could be as he followed Maysla down the hall passing by a living room cluttered with sofas, computers and a large screen television, past a kitchen glittering with stainless steel appliances and a massive dining table, down two stairs and out the back door. Possibly a child or grandchild of Mass or some other demon who had taken on the head of the conclave. Demons were not known to live very long lives. At least, the ones he knew about. But then, he did know very little about the secretive race. And why did they need him now? What could be so important during this time of peace? Maysla led him toward the sound of splashing at the back of the long yard. A dark form rose from the still water of a pond and remained standing at its edge as they approached. His familiar voice vibrated through Victor’s body as he called out. “You have not aged at all, young Vic.” Victor nearly stumbled. “Mass? How?” The demon who had saved Victor’s life three hundred years ago now stood in front of Victor, smiling coldly in the moonlight. Victor held out his hand as he spoke, “It is good to see you, old friend.” Mass took his hand, squeezed it once. “It is good to see you also.” “Why did you not get in touch sooner?” Victor asked, trying to see if any of his old friend remained. Up close, Mass seemed to have become harder, his eyes shadowed and full of pain, lacking the joviality he had once had. “You were living your life,” Mass shrugged, “and I mine. You are married now?”

Blood RaptuRe 23 Victor nodded.

“Children?”

Victor shrugged. “None of my own making.”

“But you always wanted children. What has stopped you?”

Victor looked at him suspiciously. “I am a vampire. I cannot

make children.” Mass put an arm around his shoulder. “What if I told you there was a way to make you human for a short time? Then you could make all the children you wanted.” “What? How?” To have his dream become fulfilled. Give to Julie the child she had seen in her vision? Have a son of his own? This seemed too good to be true. Yet the timing would be correct. Was fate working in his favor for once? “We have discovered an elixir that can do this,” Mass said. Victor turned to him, now highly suspicious. Mass’s gifts did not come without a price. “Why are you coming to me now with this information? What do you need?” Mass laughed. “You always were the intelligent one.” Then he sobered. “The elixir has been stolen from us. To get more is very difficult. I need you to get it back.” “Who took it?” “That is where we need you,” Mass said. “It has been taken by a nest of vampires still living in your old home.” “Tortuga?” Mass nodded. “I need you to negotiate its release. Whatever they need, I will give them.” “But why don’t you go yourself?” “I would but they asked for you.” “Me?” “Uh-huh. Seems they want to meet the vampire that started the revolution down there so long ago.” “Me?”

24 Lee Pearce “You are a legend.”

“I nearly destroyed all of the vampires.”

“It seems they have forgotten that.”

“So you just need me to go down and negotiate a ransom?”

Mass nodded once, his eyes shaded by the moonlight.

“Sounds too easy.”

Mass shrugged. “It should be for someone of your

intelligence.” Victor sighed. This seemed much too simple. There had to be a catch. “Victor, you owe us,” Mass said, sensing his hesitation. “Bring back the elixir and your debt is fulfilled.” “When do I leave?” “Immediately,” Mass said, “My jet is waiting at the airport.” “I need to settle some things at home.” “Do it on the way but no one must know where you are going. We need to keep this embarrassment under the covers, so to speak.” “I understand but-” “No, Victor, on this you must obey me. We go now.” In the car, Victor dialed Julie. “I have to go away on business for a day or two.” “Business? What type of business?” She sounded relieved. He felt guilty he had worried her unnecessarily. “Just repaying a debt,” he said. “A debt? To whom?” Now she was curious. He realized he had told her so little about his past life. She had never really pried. His life had had its bad parts. He didn’t feel it necessary to share those parts. They were in his past. That was that. Or so he had thought. “Maysla,” he said.

Blood RaptuRe 25 “Maysla?” Julie’s voice became low and guarded. “Victor, you know how much I trust the demons especially after what nearly happened to the babies. I’d rather you didn’t go with her.” “This debt is from a long time ago,” he said. “Once I’m done, then I am truly finished with them.” He glanced at Mass who stared at him curiously. “Where are you going now?” “To the airport. We’ll be out of the country for a day. No more.” “Out of the country? Where?” “I can’t tell you,” he said, “but don’t worry.” “I can’t help but worry,” she said, “I love you. It comes with the territory.” He smiled. “I love you too.” “Text me whenever you can,” she said. “Even if it’s just to say ‘hi’. I miss you already.” “I miss you too.” They said good-bye and as he put his phone in his shirt pocket, he noticed Mass looking at him. “Is she not the Matron of your town?” Mass asked. “Yes.” “And she has a dislike of the demons?” Victor glanced at Maysla. She met his gaze steadfastly. “She has her reasons,” he said. “Explain,” Mass said to Maysla. “I…” Maysla began then paused as if struggling with her thoughts. “It’s not necessary,” Victor spoke up. “It was actually a rogue vampire who caused all the difficulties. She put a strain on our community, making the demons,” he thought it best not to point out the part Maysla had been forced to play, “to act against their Matron, Julie. The incident is over. We have moved on.” Mass glanced from him to Maysla and back as if trying to

26 Lee Pearce decide what next to say. Victor hoped he would drop it and found himself holding his breath. Maysla did not need any further embarrassment over the incident. She had lost one of her own children because a rogue vampire had moved into town and wanted to exact revenge on himself and Julie’s other husband, Brad. Mass didn’t need to know about this. Maysla didn’t need to relive it. Mass finally shook his head. The car pulled into the small airport, going through the high gates and stopped beside a small jet. As they walked toward the plane, Mass held Victor back. “Should I worry about you two?” he asked. Victor looked at Maysla as she climbed into the jet. “No, Mass. I think we should be more worried about where we are going and why whoever summoned you wanted me along as well. Someone knows our history, Mass. Someone from so long ago who must still hold a grudge against the two of us.” Mass looked grim. “Three hundred years is a long time.” Victor nodded. “He or she must be one angry supernatural.” Within the hour, Victor found himself sitting in a very comfortable chair on a luxury jet heading south out of the country. Within minutes of reaching altitude, a human female flight attendant offered glasses of champagne. She moved to the back of the cabin where Maysla had taken a seat. “I thought we’d celebrate,” Mass said, his dark skin glistening as he watched the young woman move about the cabin. She wore a tight blouse and short skirt. “How much more of your crew is human?” Victor asked. When Mass looked puzzled, Victor quickly spoke. “I mean, in a stressful situation, you could do them more damage than the situation itself.” Mass smiled. “She’s the only one and she’s been trained on what to do. She actually likes the challenge,” he glanced at Victor, his smile becoming lurid, “we play ‘rescue party’ a lot.”

Blood RaptuRe 27 Victor smiled back but inwardly grimaced. A demon’s skin has hundreds of pustules full of a paralyzing serum which can erupt if even slightly agitated. He wondered how a demon could maintain any control while having sex with a human without harming them. It was not only irresponsible but inconsiderate, the thought of which turned his stomach. “Have you ever been back?” Mass asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Back?” Victor asked blankly. “Tortuga?” Mass said, “Your home. Or shall I say your home after you became a vampire.” Victor looked out the airplane’s window into the black of the night. “No, Mass, I’ve never wanted to go back.” “How about France then?” Mass said, “You must have gone back there. Even to visit Paris. No one can stay away from the city of lights.” Victor sighed. “I’ve been briefly.” “And your family?” “They’re all scattered now,” Victor said, watching the flashing lights on the plane’s wing. “They are no longer my family.” Mass excused himself and made his way up to the front cabin where coincidentally the flight attendant had been working in the galley. Victor heard some giggling and realized he would probably be alone for a little bit. He reclined his seat and looked back out of the window. Moisture trailed across the window, smudging the flashing lights making them appear to be points of fire. Three hundred years ago, fire guided his life, filled it with warmth, made him feel so safe. At least it had until the night his parents had received the devastating note.

Chapter Four France, early 1700’s Bright sunshine filtered through tree tops hanging over the lane leading from the town out into the countryside. Victor sat on his gelding, still a somewhat spirited horse, following slowly behind a carriage drawn by two large white mares. In the carriage, his parents sat quietly, neither speaking nor looking at one another. His mother held a parasol to shade her head. His father leaned away so as not to get poked by the spikes. They silently rode the few miles back to their estate. Their lives had once been filled with joy and laughter. He and his two older brothers always getting into trouble of one sort but now that they were gone, Victor found he could rarely bring a smile to his parents’ faces anymore. It made him resentful of his brothers’ lack of consideration. Neither had sent a note over the past five years. First his eldest brother had gone west to the new world, seeking to increase the family fortune, for he stood to inherit the largest portion of the family winery and estate, but was a greedy sort and wanted more. Gerard had gone with his father’s blessings and a good portion of the family’s money to purchase new lands in an area called the Caribbean Ocean. Sugar cane was becoming a profitable commodity and his father was willing to risk his current fortune on another alcoholic beverage. Gerard had not been heard from for over two years after his purchase of a plantation on an island called Trinidad so his father sent the next oldest son, Francois, across the ocean. Francois had gone with only enough money to live on for he was to seek out Gerard’s whereabouts on the island and discover why he had not reported back the family. They did not wish to think the worst. They did not want to consider that Gerard had been taken with a fever and died. Victor’s father had confided

30 Lee Pearce this to his remaining son. His father had begun to show the signs of age, brought upon faster from the worry caused by not knowing what had happened to his eldest son. Victor couldn’t help but feel guilty. As the remaining son, he knew he must marry and have children in order to continue the family line. In his thirtieth year, he also knew he should settle down and so it was as he rode behind the carriage, he kept glancing to the side of the road, finally catching the glimpse of a small farmhouse through the foliage. He reached into his jacket pocket for the hundredth time, fingering a small ring, feeling its solid presence against his body. He knew she would respond favorably. Why wouldn’t she? He offered her a life of wealth and prosperity and in exchange she would give him many children. He would then prove to his parents his devotion to the family and its business and release them from their torturous obsession. As the farm’s laneway approached, Victor leaned a little forward in his saddle. “I will leave you now,” he said. The carriage continued on. His mother glanced his way, no emotion on her face. His father did not look at all. They did not approve of his choice for she came from a simple peasant background but Victor had never liked any of the other women they had forced him to meet in Paris. They all seemed a little too above him in class. He always felt unworthy of their standards even though his father did say most of these women would inherit substantial wealth themselves and put him in an even more comfortable lifestyle. But this was before his two brothers had vanished and his priorities had changed. He watched until the carriage had rounded a bend and disappeared before he turned his horse up the laneway. On either side dairy cattle grazed in the lush fields. The farm appeared to be quite prosperous. It would never make the money his father made from selling wine but Victor found this life to be just as profitable, only on a smaller scale. He would have been happy growing up here as at his own home. Victor found her working in the barn with her father, busily

Blood RaptuRe 31 wrapping large round cylinders of cheese that she handed to her father who packed them with straw into wooden crates. She looked up as he approached and smiled, her cheeks red from exertion, her face and the skin of her chest glowing from perspiration. She had an ample bosom, a small waist and large hips, the build of a woman used to working hard and one who could carry many children. She had tied her long brown hair back and one tendril escaped to tease her neck. He found her attractive and thought he would not mind sharing his bed with her for a lifetime. “Lisette,” he said, dismounting as she approached, “you are busy today.” It was not a question for he knew no matter how busy she would be, she always found time for him. “Papa is preparing for the fall fair in Paris,” she said, her voice a little high and breathless. “He will leave later today so he has time to set up his stall.” “If you are too busy…?” he asked, glancing at all of the crates piled inside the shaded barn. “No, Victor,” she quickly shook her head, placing a discreet hand on his forearm as if to reassure him. She looked over her shoulder. “Papa? Victor and I are going for a walk.” “All right,” the older man’s gruff voice called back. “It is time for the noon meal anyway. Why don’t you take some food with you? A little bread, cheese, some wine perhaps?” Lisette’s face became even redder as she looked back at Victor. They smiled knowingly at each other. “All right, Papa,” she said, loudly. As she went into the small house, Victor tied up his horse and then wandered into the barn. “You have had a good season?” he asked, searching the interior. “The cows have been good to us,” her father responded. “And your vines? They have been good?” “Father thinks we will have a good vintage this year,” Victor said, eyeing the crates. He counted the ones he could

32 Lee Pearce see, calculating their contents worth. “You should do well next week.” “The buyers are fickle,” the older man said, walking stiffly from the back of the barn into the sunlight. “There are many who make the cheese now. We need to think of something new. Something to make us different.” Another man, younger, closer to Victor’s age, continued to pack the cheese into an open crate. He had the broad shoulders and large hands of a farmhand. He didn’t look at all related to Lisette. Victor wondered when they had hired him and how they could afford the money. “You think wine-soaked cheese is a good idea?” They had spoken of this before. Victor was still unconvinced. “I know so,” the old man said, “I just need you to take a chance.” “How much wine would you need?” Victor asked, not one to pass up an opportunity to gain favor with his future wife’s family. “Just a case for now,” the old man said, “I would need to see how it ages, when to add in the wine, do some testing.” He sounded excited. Victor liked to hear a businessman’s enthusiasm. His father had not shown any enthusiasm for the family business for a long time. “I will speak to father,” Victor said, looking up as a shadow crossed the barn’s threshold. “Victor?” Lisette stood in the doorway, squinting into the interior. The sunlight shone around her body, making her, the barn doorway and the ground she stood upon glow with a blinding aura. He had never seen anyone look so angelic as she did at that moment. It warmed his body and embarrassed at his sudden physical attraction took the small basket from her hands and carried it in front of him until he could walk more comfortably, once again. They found a quiet spot near the river that ran through both

Blood RaptuRe 33 their properties and laid the blanket out in the sunlight. The days had begun to lose their summer warmth so sitting out in the sunshine was preferable now. As Lisette laid out their meal, Victor couldn’t help but feel for the gold band in his pocket. She glanced up once, saw his fingers inside his chest pocket and smiled, quickly looking away. Her long fingers placed out a long loaf of bread, still warm from the oven, a small round of cheese, two glasses and a bottle of wine. She handed him the wine bottle to pull the cork. He noted it was one his own family’s bottles, one of the newer, less expensive brands. It was still a satisfactory wine. He poured the wine into their glasses and set them aside to breathe. Lisette sat in the centre of the blanket and patted the empty space beside her. Victor knelt on the rough, woolen cloth. She turned to reach for the loaf of bread but he caught her closest hand, stopping her. She looked up at him, puzzled. “What is it, Victor?” she asked, a little breathlessly, again. Her pulse had quickened and her face began to grow rosy. All this he took as a positive sign. “Lisette,” he began, “we have known each other for a while now.” “Yes,” she said when he paused. “We are friends, yes?” Again he paused. This was not coming out like he wanted it to. “Yes,” she smiled, shifting onto her hip so she could face him better. “Good friends?” he said, “I mean very good friends?” “Yes, Victor, very good friends,” she said, her breathing quickening so that her chest rose and fell, showing off her cleavage. “I can think of no one else I would like to spend my life with,” he said, lifting his eyes to gaze into her own green orbs. “Can you?” She kept smiling. “Victor, it has been on my mind too that

34 Lee Pearce you would make a fitting lifelong companion.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny ring. Holding it out to her, he asked, with as much hope and love as he could muster, “Would you become my wife, Lisette?” She looked at the ring for the longest time. A look of resignation flashed across her face for just the briefest of moments then as if making a decision, she took the band from his fingers and placed it upon her finger on her left hand. “Yes, Victor, I will marry you.” So joyous did he feel he wanted to leap up and run home to tell his parents. All would be well now. The business would prosper once again. They needn’t worry about his older brothers. He could take over now. And he had Lisette’s father’s proposal to introduce as a side line. Both families would be very prosperous. Warmth touched his lips and he breathed in the soft smell of soap and milk. Surprised at how forward she had become, Victor wanted to pull away but as her lips pressed upon his own, he found his mouth opening to her insistent tongue. Her hands held him tight in her embrace. As their bodies pressed close together, Victor felt he had never felt such love before. They married within the month and he and Lisette at first enjoyed the marital bed. By the third month, she informed him she carried his child. He was overjoyed. He planned to tell his parents that evening at dinner but a messenger arrived just before the meal. His father took the note to his study and closed the door. His mother joined his father and when he could not bear the secrecy any longer, burst into the study. His father seemed to have aged another decade. His mother’s face was red and puffy from crying. “What is it?” he asked, staring at the paper. “It is your brother, Francois,” his father said, his voice tight with the effort of holding his emotions in check, “he has died.” “What?” Victor rushed forward, grabbing up the letter, pain shooting through his chest. At the top, was the name of

Blood RaptuRe 35 a barrister. He scanned the letter. It stated simply his brother had succumbed to a fever. The barrister wondered what should happen with the plantation? There was no mention of Gerard. He brushed away an errant tear as he read the letter, again. “You will have to go, Victor,” his father said, waving his hand in the air with a finality as if already dismissing his last son. “See about this plantation. I will need to know its business, its resources, its profitability.” His mother sobbed into a handkerchief folded in her palm. His father could be so cold as to shut out all emotion at times like this. Victor knew deep inside his father was filled with pain. “I will see to Francois’s grave,” Victor said, swallowing his tears, speaking with a voice he hoped would reassure his mother. “I will find out about Gerard. Francois must have found out something.” Later that evening, nestled in Lisette’s blossoming breasts, Victor told her he must go away for a while. She seemed to accept this without question, yet she held him a little tighter for a short while. “When you return, you will have a fine son,” she said, her hand snaking down below his waist. He was going to miss the birth of his son, he thought sadly. As Lisette’s hand began to massage him back to a satisfying solidness, he also thought he would miss his wife’s enthusiasm in bed.

Chapter Five Victor had his first and last argument with Lisette the day he was to leave to go to board his ship. She was adamant about wanting to have the baby at her parents’ farm. He refused, saying she lived here now. Here is where their son should be born. Unfortunately, Victor knew he had lost the argument almost as soon as it had begun. When Lisette resorted to shedding tears, he used them as the excuse to let her go back. At least he knew she would be well-kept for by her parents and she could help her father with the cheese and wine business. His own parents had stayed out of their marriage, tolerating his wife at the dinner table. He had felt that his parents did not trust his wife and he had become resentful. He had also on many occasions noticed Lisette staring out the window in the direction of her home whenever she thought he wasn’t watching. She looked so wistful, he felt jealous. So it was with mixed emotions that he said good-bye to his wife once more ensconced at her home and continued on his way to the ocean. As it was now November, the stormy season on the Atlantic Ocean, Victor had a rough crossing on the schooner. He spent most of it holed up in his cabin, either too sick to move or too cold to venture forth. Most days he wished he were dead then he’d remember his wife and their unborn son and they would give him the strength to continue another day. The ship sailed into Trinidad’s harbor and immediately he was enveloped by a stifling wet heat. Exhausted from his voyage, he wanted nothing more than to find a hotel and sleep for a week. Instead, he hired a wagon to take him and his belongings out to his brother’s plantation. He stopped at the barrister’s office and it being mid-afternoon, found the office closed so he left a note in the letter box and continued on out into the countryside, hoping the wagon driver knew where he was going. The island was mostly flat with some hills in the distance. He passed a couple other large estate houses, their fields filled with

38 Lee Pearce waving stocks of sugarcane. Small shacks surrounded the larger houses and dark-skinned people, sat about the houses, resting in the late afternoon heat. They watched with sleepy eyes as he passed. Slavery had been very active on these islands for over a century. He personally found it distasteful but knew the cheap labor was a necessary evil to run a profitable business. Yet, the people who now rose to greet him did not seem at all like slaves. Instead, they seemed to be well fed, strong and not at all repressed. Four men approached, three moving to the back of the wagon and started to pull down the trunks and crates. The fourth man came up to him, more than mild curiosity on his face. “You, sir,” the man spoke halting French, “are the brother?” He nodded his head as if confirming his own statement. “Yes, oui, I see you are.” He suddenly reached out and grabbed Victor’s forearm. “We will keep you safe, last brother. We will.” “Ach Jeremiah,” an older woman said, stepping up and between Jeremiah and Victor forcing Jeremiah to release his arm, “you must excuse my brother. He speaks like a fool at times.” She looked close into Victor’s eyes. He found he couldn’t look away. Her eyes were as black as the night yet tiny stars danced in the depths. She blinked and the stars vanished. “Should I fear for my safety?” he asked, glancing about the yard. Palm trees lined the edge of the yard behind the cabins and beyond lay tall waving strands of greenery beyond which he could see no further. Anything could be lurking in the fields, the forest beyond or the mountain in the distance. But what could harm him here? He had seen no sign of wildlife other than sea birds. He looked back at the woman. She had remained smiling at him the whole time. “Only at night, little brother,” she said, paused then burst out laughing. The other people started laughing too and Victor found himself chuckling too. “So why have you come here?” Jeremiah asked.

Blood RaptuRe 39 “I’ve come to find out about my brother, Francois, his death and this place. Our father wants a complete report,” Victor said, looking up at the large house. “Then I want to find out about my eldest brother, Gerard. I…” Another woman gasped behind him. By the time he glanced over his shoulder to see, all their faces had become stoic. “Do you know something about Gerard?” he asked, looking at each of their faces. No one spoke. Some looked away. He knew they knew. He could feel it. It made him mad. He stepped toward the group, his hands clenched at his sides. “Do you? What happened to my oldest brother?” He felt a painful grip on his shoulder stopping him in mid step. Jeremiah’s touch held him rooted to the ground. “Come, suh, to the house. You are not used to the heat. You need to rest.” Victor nearly turned and struck the man for touching him but something in Jeremiah’s eyes told him not to even try. His whole body began to ache. Bone weary, he felt his anger fade. Nodding his head, he let out a great sigh. “Yes, I am tired. Show me to the house.” He remembered very little of the rest of the night. He was led up the broad staircase, through the two large open doors, up another staircase immediately to the left of the foyer and to a bedroom at the back. He did note the room had been decorated as if for a small boy, with toys and books on the shelves, and he wondered vaguely if Francois had planned to marry and raise a family here. Had he been engaged? Married? He fell upon the bed, his eyes closing as the woman pulled the drapes. He heard her speaking to Jeremiah outside of the room. “Stay and watch over him?” “Yes, I shall.” “I’ll go prepare the tea in case he wakes in the night,” she was saying.

40 Lee Pearce “Mary?”

“Yes?”

“How long do you think before…?”

“Before he comes back?” Mary sighed. “It might not be long

now. He has probably already heard he’s here.” He? Victor wondered as his mind grew dark with sleep. Francois? No, not Francois. He was dead. He missed his middle brother. Or Gerard? Was he still alive? Why did everyone seem so afraid of him? And where had they gone? Victor awoke famished. He found a cold cup of tea sitting on his bedside table. Mouth dry, he sniffed at it but found it sour smelling as if it had gone bad and replaced the china cup on its saucer. As he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his feet struck the solid wood flooring and for the first time in many weeks, the floor did not shift. He sighed with pleasure as he stood. It felt good to be on firm ground once again. His trunks had been placed along the wall next to the fireplace. As he walked across to them, he couldn’t help but laugh at the lack of movement of the floor. He had not enjoyed that voyage and hoped the next time it would be in better weather. He flipped open the trunk. A musty smell made him gag and he stepped over to the other trunk. His bedroom door burst open and a small boy rushed in. Upon seeing Victor, he stopped in the middle of the room, did a quick bow bending at his waist his head nearly to his knees, rushed over to the table, grabbed the cup and saucer and dashed out of the room. Victor stared amused at the vacant doorway as he listened to the boy’s fading footsteps heading down the staircase. He thought of his unborn son and smiled thinking how much fun he was going to have playing with him. As soon as he heard about the birth, he would send for Lisette. She would like it here. She liked the outdoors. And they would be together. “You slept well?”

Blood RaptuRe 41 He turned to see Mary standing in the doorway. He hadn’t even heard her approach. “Like the dead,” he said, turning to look at his trunks. “I’m afraid these clothes are a mess from the voyage. Are there any other clothes I might borrow? Something my brother might have left behind?” She walked up beside him, wrinkling her nose. “I shall see to these. Take off your clothes. You will find the bath down the hall. The water will be warm enough for you by now. I will check in the other closets to see what might be suitable.” His stomach grumbled. “I will have your breakfast brought up here too,” she said, moving over to one of the bedroom windows. She pulled on the sash and the window slid upward. A warm breeze blew into the room, billowing out the curtains. He could hear shouting voices in the distance. “What is going on?” he asked. “The men are chasing the rats,” she said, moving aside as he came to look. “Rats?” He saw Jeremiah and the other men, more than last night, gathering in front of their houses, sticks and pitchforks over their shoulders. “They are bad this year,” Mary said, “they eat the stalks at the base, killing the plant. Not good. We kill them every morning but still more come.” “Have they found the nest yet?” he asked. She looked at him, puzzled. “Their nest? Their home?” Mary slowly shook her head. “We have not gone looking.” “Then perhaps we should,” Victor said, stepping away from the window. “If we can kill them where they reside, that should take care of the vermin problem for this year.” After his bath and a quick breakfast, Victor went to the next bedroom. He found more clothes, not as musty as his own, in

42 Lee Pearce a dresser and pulled on pants and a shirt. He wondered which brother had owned these clothes, felt a little strange pulling on his missing brother’s attire but knew he had no choice. Making his way downstairs, he found two of his crates sitting in the foyer. He opened the first one and began pulling out small boxes that he piled on the floor. Halfway down he pulled out a long narrow box and carried it over to a side table. He placed the box on the table and opened it. Inside sat two rifles. He lifted each, checking their workings and found them in good shape after their voyage. Next, he returned to the crate and pulled out small boxes of ammunition. He pocketed a handful of bullets and turned to go out the front door. Mary stood in the doorway to the parlor, her silent approach unnerving Victor. “Do you plan to shoot both at one time?” she asked. He shook his head. “I will give the other to Jeremiah. Two of us should get more rats.” “You would give him a gun to use?” “Why not?” he asked. “He seems like the sort who knows how to handle a gun.” He could still feel her eyes on him as he jogged down the front stairs and across the yard toward the fields. Rifle fire might scare off the rats for a little while. If he could save his crop then he had to try. He found the other men at the far end of the field only by luck. The stalks of sugarcane grew so close together, he couldn’t sidle between them so instead found it easier to walk at the end of the rows, glancing down for any sign. At times, he’d see a shadowy form but when he would look back again, the form had vanished. He wondered how they could move so quickly in this heat. His shirt and trousers had long since been soaked by his own perspiration, clinging to him as a second skin. He thought he’d much rather go without clothing but then the mosquitoes had also found him a delicious feast. Going naked would just be asking to be drained of all his blood.

Blood RaptuRe 43 Glancing only haphazardly down one of the hundreds of rows, a dark shadow dashed toward him. He stepped back to only have the shadow dart between his legs. He cried out in surprise then stared incredulously as the rat, as large as a medium-sized dog, nearly knocked him off his feet. The rat stopped a few feet away and turned around, its long tail snaking behind it. It looked up at Victor, its red eyes blazing fearlessly. It bared its teeth and hissed loudly. The rat lunged at Victor’s legs. Not having loaded the rifles yet, Victor dropped one and raised the other above his head. He swung it at the rat. The rat swerved, stopping sideways. The rifle buried itself in the damp earth, sending painful vibrations up his arm. The rat hissed at the rifle then leapt over it, its teeth bared, its jaw open wide. Victor stumbled backward, falling to the ground. His downward momentum jerked the rifle out of the ground and sent it flying behind him. The rat landed on his lower legs and clamped down. Victor felt only a slight pressure. The rat had hit his riding boots. Made from the best cow’s leather money could buy, it was very thick and didn’t allow the rat’s teeth to penetrate the hide. He kicked at the rat with his free foot. He landed a solid thump on its side. The rat only crouched, its claws clinging tight to his leg. As he drew back for another kick, he watched in horror as the rat sprang toward his chest. He raised his hands and closed his eyes, waiting for the painful entry of the rat’s incisors. Instead he heard a crash filled with snapping twigs, a solid thump, a cry of pain and more snapping twigs. Victor opened his eyes to see the rat, its eyes now black and losing life, lying against several of the green stalks. Jeremiah stood above him breathing hard, a broom handle held high above his head, his eyes wild, his skin perspiring heavily. His brought the handle down again and again until Victor saw the body was crushed. “Jeremiah,” he said, repeating his name several times to get his attention. “Jeremiah! I think you’ve killed it.” Jeremiah doubled over, trying to catch his breath. Victor slowly got to his feet, eyeing the man who had saved his life.

44 Lee Pearce “Are they all that large?” Jeremiah nodded. “Why are the eyes so red?” he asked. “I have never seen…” “Must have been a trick of the sunlight,” Jeremiah said, quickly, “Are you bit?” Victor did a quick inventory but did not find any cuts. “I am unhurt. Thank you.” Jeremiah huffed as if brushing off his gratitude. “Come, little brother. There are many more to kill today while the sun is still up.” Victor picked up both rifles. He handed one to Jeremiah who brushed off some of the dirt then held it up to check its site. “It is not a bad gun.” “You have used a rifle before?” Jeremiah didn’t even glance over his shoulder. “Once or twice. It would work better with bullets.” “I believe you are correct.” Victor handed over several of the shells, feeling he had found a kindred spirit. Not even his own brothers had ever shared the respect he had felt when out hunting. His brothers had wanted to mutilate the animals and never cared for their own guns, leaving that up to him, knowing he would oil and polish the weapons for them. With Jeremiah, he felt the man respected the weapon he carried. And as the day wore on, Victor discovered he was even more skilled with the rifle than he was. He used it like a man who had been working with weapons for many decades. They returned late in the afternoon when they heard the distant ringing of a bell. “Do you have more of these rifles?” Jeremiah asked as they stopped in front of the workers’ cabins. “I have two more,” Victor said, “but I also have money to buy more if needed.” “Good,” Jeremiah said, looking thoughtful as he handed

Blood RaptuRe 45 over his rifle, “we should teach the others to shoot. It will make guarding the property easier.” “Guarding?” Victor asked, “From what?” Jeremiah looked at the others nervously for the briefest of moments then turned to Victor smiling, “From rats, of course. And any other vermin who come to our doors.”

Chapter Six Inside the house, Mary had set out Victor’s dinner in the large dining room. From a back window, he could see the other women setting out plates and cups on a long table that the men had put together. As he sipped from his wine, Victor noticed them bringing out platters of steaming food and bowls of bright vegetables. Everyone sat down at the table but he did notice one empty chair. He could hear Mary working in the kitchen. He called to her to come to him. “Is your dinner not to your liking?” she asked, glancing at his barely touched plate. He shook his head. “Do you have a family?” “I have a son, yes,” she replied. “Husband?” “No, he is long dead.” “Why are you not with your child for dinner?” “I work in the house,” she said, matter-of-factly, “You are my first responsibility.” “Well, you are dismissed, Mary,” he said, just as matter-of­ factly. “You do not like…?” “You should be with your son,” he said and when she did not move, he waved his linen serviette in her direction in what he hoped she took as a dismissive gesture. “Go.” “If this is what you wish,” she said, beginning to untie her apron, “I will come back later to clean up.” “It can wait until morning,” Victor said. “Be with your family.” He noticed as she turned away, a slight smile of gratitude on her face. He heard the back door squeak open and close, the voices outside hush then rise again in timbre. If he couldn’t be with his family at least he could make another feel better with

48 Lee Pearce her family. As he dined on his own meal, he didn’t question its origin. A cooked white meat which he hoped was a heavily spiced chicken and not the rats they’d been killing all day, even though he had seen the boys burning the carcasses in a large fire. The dish went down well with the bottle of white chardonnay he had found in the cold cellar below. Several root vegetables of varying color went down just as well. Mary was a very good cook and he looked forward to her next meal. When he took his dirty dishes out into the kitchen, he heard singing coming from the outside table. He didn’t understand the language, knowing only a spattering of English along with his French and Spanish, yet he could not find their language close to any he had come across. The songs seemed to be quite joyous and everyone, even the little children, seemed to know the words. He had much to tell his parents and thought that even though he had only been on the island for a day, he should write them a letter. His mother would be frantic having thought he had died, too. Moving through the dining hall where he grabbed one of the lit lanterns, he moved into the foyer and picked up some of the small boxes he had placed on the floor when he had brought out the rifles earlier. He brought them back into the dining room, not wishing to look for another room that might have been used as an office in the gloom of the setting sun, and brought out quill, ink and writing paper. He paused thinking just how to compose his letter. His mother would want to know of his voyage, his arrival, the life, the people, the slaves, the food and the house. His father would want to know about the business. That he could fill in tomorrow when he’d had a chance to look at the books. Victor wondered who had been running the estate after Francois’s death. He hoped he was an honest sort. Perhaps it was that barrister he had yet to meet. Lastly, his Lisette would want to know all about the estate and the island. He wanted to give her a rosy picture so that she

Blood RaptuRe 49 would want to come here with their child. Maybe next year, she could take the voyage, during the spring or summer, of course, when the storms were less severe but the winds still strong to make their voyage swift. Thinking of her touch in the privacy of their room brought about a reaction he was glad no one else was present to notice. He did miss her loving ways and set about writing her letter first, filling it with the longing he felt to be with her now. He hoped all was well with the child and again how sorry he was to not be at her side during the birth. He told her about the house and how they had enough bedrooms for at least half a dozen children. He finished his letter with more graphic details about what he would do to her luscious body once she had joined him. Needing desperately to take a few moments to compose himself before starting his letter to his parents, Victor wandered over to the back French doors and opened them, letting in the cooler night air. He breathed deep and thought of other more morbid thoughts such as the fearless rats with the glowing red eyes. He had known rats back home in France. They were small, thin, skittish creatures who ran and hid whenever someone approached. They stayed out in the fields, rarely seen. These rats here though made a shiver go up his spine. The first rat had seemed to want to attack him. It had taken an offensive approach, such as a cat might do with a dog. As he stood in the doorway, he noticed the singing had stopped. Lights glowed in the small cabins and he could hear voices murmuring from within. He glanced upward. A large full moon hung over the distant hills, glowing brightly. He could see the rows upon rows of sugarcane waving in the slight night breeze. Looking back up at the moon, he felt he could almost reach up and touch it. A flock of seabirds flew past, their dark forms creating a black streak across the moon’s face. As he was about to turn back into the house, he saw a solitary bird sail across the face of the moon. Trailing behind its outward stretched wings were two long appendages, he swore looked like human legs. His

50 Lee Pearce heart began to beat frantically. As the creature glided past, its body dipped so that it appeared to be heading toward the estate. Victor felt a sudden need to get his rifle. He made to step back into the dining room when a dark form moved in from the shadows on the porch. He jumped back, his heel catching on the threshold, and he fell against the glass door. Mary caught his arm as he struggled to remain upright. Amazed at her strength, he let her pull him upright, just stopping as he nearly fell into her arms. Their bodies did brush against each other, his chest briefly pressing against her breasts. He felt an electric charge shoot through his torso and unfortunately bring back to life his errant manhood. Clinging to his upper arms, she swung him further into the dining room, only releasing him when he was away from the doors. She swiftly turned and closed the doors, locking them with an audible click. He turned his back so that she would not see what his needful body now showed. “Sir, it is time to lock up the house,” Mary said, walking past him. “Did you see the size of the bird that flew past?” he asked, trying to concentrate on something else other than her ample female body. He wished his wife were here now. He would take her and ride her right here on the dining table. Swallowing heavily, he realized these thoughts were not at all helping. “We have many birds here,” Mary said, moving to the foyer. He heard her shut the front doors and lock them. Then her footsteps began to climb the staircase. “Come, sir, I will draw you a bath. It is late and you will want to be up early tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” he asked, weakly, waiting as long as he could so as not to watch her ascend the stairs. When he heard her walk down the upper corridor, he grabbed the lantern and hastened up the stairs and into his room. “The crop is due within the month and you will need to go speak to the distillery,” she called out, “arrange for delivery and payment.”

Blood RaptuRe 51 “I should also go to the barrister,” he said, stripping off his clothes. “See about Francois’s will.” This cool air in his room sobered his body sufficiently so that he could walk down the hallway in his dressing gown without embarrassing himself. “Is his grave in town? And Gerard’s?” he asked, entering the bathing room. Mary stood with her back to him fussing with a towel. She seemed to take sometime to answer. “Francois’s grave is here on the property. Gerard died out at sea and was buried there.” “Why was Francois not buried on consecrated ground?” Victor asked, perturbed. His parents would not be happy to know of this. “Your brother was not baptized into this church,” Mary said. “The reverend would not allow it.” “He was baptized catholic at home,” Victor said. “I don’t understand.” “I think it had more to do with insufficient donations being made,” Mary said, her head tilted as if she too found it confusing. Victor sighed. His selfish brother had finally suffered for his sins. “My brother never could justify spending money on the afterlife. I just hope he is satisfied with purgatory.” “You believe in buying your way into heaven?” Victor shook his head. “I believe in helping make one’s job easier to do if he has chosen to help other people no matter what their station in life.” “You are charitable then?” Victor tilted his head at her. “If that is what you call it.” “You are different from your brothers.” With that Mary left the room, shutting the door behind her firmly. Victor stared at the closed door wondering exactly how different she meant. The next day, as Jeremiah was readying the horse to the

52 Lee Pearce wagon, the skies darkened, heavy clouds dropping quickly over the hills blown by a wind that whipped the sea of sugarcane fronds into a seething froth. Jeremiah stated today was not a good day to travel so Victor moved into the small office sitting just off the kitchen and spent the morning unpacking his crates. After a light lunch, he began to go through the estate’s books. He discovered the plantation was a very profitable business even though, quite guiltily he realized, they paid out very little in the way of labor costs. A paltry sum had been spent on food, clothing and shelter for the slaves. Francois had bought the estate as it now stood with its ready labor force, livestock and out buildings already standing. The estate even owned a small percentage of the local distillery. It seemed he had been savvy enough to get thirty percent ownership. Victor wondered who had the other seventy percent. One person or several? Over the next few weeks, storms darkened the skies day and night. Whenever Victor mentioned about going in to town for supplies, Jeremiah would state the roads were impassable or Mary would say she had already sent one of the other workers in to get what they needed. Victor began to feel as if they were trying to keep him inside at all times. One especially humid day, Victor’s temper got the better of him and he stormed out of the house, heading for the barn. He was going to saddle a horse and ride into town himself even if today’s storm blew him straight off the cliff into the ocean. He threw open the barn doors only to find the stalls empty. Apparently someone was conspiring to keep him on the estate. He strode out of the barn, down the road and through the gate. He walked briskly down the winding road, more so because the wind was at his back, until he entered into the rainforest again. Here the heat had become stifling and he had to stop to remove his coat. The forest itself smelled wonderfully of sweet flowers and lush foliage. Tree frogs croaked loudly but for some strange reason, he did not hear any birds. Perhaps they had gone into hiding from the wind. As he continued along the roadway, even the tree frogs

Blood RaptuRe 53 became silent. Feeling the hair on his neck rise, he turned about on the road. No one followed him. No one lurked in the forest ready to jump out at him. He continued on, picking up his pace. A branch crashed to the path in front of him. He jumped, slipping on the damp earth and nearly falling. Clutching at his franticly beating chest, he managed to laugh a little which calmed him down. He stepped over the branch and continued, now attempting to whistle. Any noise was preferable to the sudden silence. A dark cloud passed overhead. Victor brought his shoulders up protectively and glanced skyward. Several smaller shadows passed overhead, flitting throughout the tree tops. This time the hair on his neck remained standing. If these were birds, they were no normal sized birds. He tried to remember which was closer: the town or the estate. Deciding the estate might be better, he turned in the roadway and headed back. Rounding a bend, he came upon a man in a cloak standing in the middle of the road. “What business do you have here?” Victor called out. The man did not speak nor did he move. He could have been dead for all Victor knew. Victor continued toward him for this was his road, he being the owner of the estate above. “What is it you want, sir?” he said as he approached the man. He thought it strange in this stifling heat that the man wore such a heavy cloak. “Are you the new owner of this land?” the man spoke finally, his voice gravelly as if he had not used it in a while. “I am,” Victor said, coming to a halt. He could not make out the man’s facial features but yet he seemed familiar. “I have inherited it from my brother.” The man chuckled. “Inherited? Usurped is what I hear.” “Who are you?” Victor took another step forward, offended at the man’s tone. Yet he felt if he raised a hand to this man something tragic would happen.

54 Lee Pearce As he stepped around the man, Victor had a sudden feeling to not turn his back on him. The man rotated slowly as Victor passed by. The hood of the cloak cast the man’s face in darkness yet Victor could see the jut of a chin, the tip of a nose whenever he spoke or moved. The man seemed so familiar that Victor could almost remember where he had seen him. “Your family? Your father and mother,” the man asked, glancing up the road, “did they come with you?” “No, they did not,” Victor felt compelled to say, then as if realizing his mistake at letting a stranger, a possible burglar, know he was alone in the house, barked out, “Why do you ask about my family?” “I am a friend of your family,” he said. “You must invite me up sometime for I would like to get to know you better.” The man raised his hands, gnarled and skeletal, to the hood. He was about to lower it when he jerked his head up the road. Jeremiah rounded the bend, beating one of the horses into a frenzied gallop, heading toward them. The man let out a hiss and ran toward the forest. Jeremiah stopped by Victor placing the horse between him and the escaping man. He held out his hand to Victor. “Quickly, sir,” Jeremiah said, waving his hand, “get up behind me.” Victor saw the panic in his eyes and suddenly ashamed for frightening his friend, took his hand and swung up behind him. As Jeremiah spun the horse around, Victor saw the man standing deep in the forest. Then the wind blew, pushing a fern’s leaf in front of him. When it bent back, the man was gone. Back at the estate, Jeremiah let Victor off at the front step. “Go inside, sir.” Jeremiah couldn’t hide his fear. “Tell me what is going on?” Victor demanded. “Come inside,” Mary called from the front door, glancing nervously at the sky. Victor dashed up the stairs. “Will you tell me what is going

Blood RaptuRe 55 on? Who was that man?” Mary walked away from him, heading for the kitchen. Angry that she didn’t answer him, Victor caught up to her, grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Tell me, Mary. Tell me why you are so frightened of him?” She grimaced in pain but he did not let go of her arm. He had felt her strength before and knew he could not be hurting her. After a few seconds, the pain left her face. “You do not want to know, Victor. Believe me. The truth will kill you.” She yanked her arm out of his grip but instead of walking away, she leaned forward touching his face with her finger. He felt a slight prick along his temple then the floor was coming up to meet him, slowly for Mary held him in his fall. He blacked out feeling her hands lay his head gently on the floor. Victor woke to sun streaming through his bedroom windows. His body ached as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He had a foul taste in his mouth and needed to use the bathroom. He managed to rise to his feet but found his body ached each time he took a step. Slowly he made his way to the bathroom, leaning heavily against the wall. Finally when he stumbled into the small room and found the pot to relieve himself, he felt decidedly better. As he poured water into the small washing basin, he glanced up into the mirror. His nightshirt had been spotted with a dark liquid as if he had spit out something. The foul taste in his mouth did not remind him of anything familiar so he wondered what sort of medication Mary had given him. The last he remembered was Jeremiah bringing him back up the road and then collapsing in the foyer. He had been upset about something. What? Who? A man. The man on the road? “It is good to see are up,” Mary said, standing in the doorway. “What happened?” he asked, washing his face with the cloth. “You came down with the fever,” she said, “you were sick quite a while.”

56 Lee Pearce “How long?” he asked, staring at his pale reflection.

“Almost five days,” she said.

“Five days?” he dropped the cloth into the water, and pulled

it back out to soak his nightshirt. Gasping as the cold water struck his body, he yanked the cloth away. Mary moved in and reached for his nightshirt, starting to tug it over his head. “Mary, stop,” he said, feeling his face heat up. He had nothing on underneath. She just smiled. “I will get your dressing gown but first give me this wet rag. You’ve been in it all week and it will need to be laundered.” With a final jerk she had it over his head and walked out, leaving him standing naked in the cool room. Two girls immediately came in, carrying pails of hot water. Victor grabbed the closest towel and wrapped it around his waist but not before they had seen his body. He felt his face go red once more and they giggled, glancing at him occasionally, as they poured the water into the bath tub. Mary appeared with two more buckets and the girls ran out. “I…I am sorry,” he said, anxious such young girls had seen him, “I…” “Don’t worry, sir,” she said, “they have seen men before.” “But they are so young,” he said. She seemed to want to say something, changed her mind and instead held out her hand. He looked at it blankly. “Your bath, sir, is ready,” she said, wiggling her fingers at his towel. “I can bathe myself,” he said, jerking his head at the steaming tub. She lowered her hand and slowly left the room, turning to close the door behind. He swore he saw her laughing at him. Later when he had finished his toiletry and dressed, he made his way downstairs to the dining room. The smell of roast

Blood RaptuRe 57 chicken and fresh bread made his stomach growl. Mary had set his place at the table and when he sat down, she brought out a bowl of soup and a plate of bread which she set before him. He breathed in deeply of the steam and smiled. “Your food always smells so wonderful,” he said. She smiled. “It is good to see you have your appetite back.” “How did I get sick?” he asked, speaking as he lifted his first spoonful. A large piece of chicken floated among some carrots. “Possibly the mosquitoes,” she said, “they have been thick this season with all the rain. We should have tried to keep you indoors more but that morning…” “That morning I was going crazy,” he said, letting his spoon hang in the air, “I needed to do something. Go to town. It was like I was obsessed.” She nodded. “I think that was the start of the fever. We didn’t notice you had gone until it was nearly too late.” “If I hadn’t been stopped by that man,” he said, carefully, “I might have collapsed in a ditch anywhere.” She nodded but did not look up, instead fussing with her apron at her bodice. “Jeremiah would have found you.” “That man, Mary,” Victor didn’t want to let the subject go so quickly. “Who was he?” “Jeremiah thinks some sort of wanderer,” she said. “But he knew about my family,” he said, “asked me about my parents.” “This is a small island,” she said, rising suddenly, “everyone knows about everyone here. Remember, your brothers have been here too.” She started back toward the kitchen. Footsteps sounded through the kitchen but this time Jeremiah appeared in the doorway. He smiled broadly. “Ah, it is so good to see you are up finally,” he said, sitting down in Mary’s vacated chair. “That does smell good.” Victor pushed the heaping plate of bread toward Jeremiah

58 Lee Pearce and Mary placed a soup bowl and spoon in front of her brother. Victor thought it quite forward of him to assume he could eat at the table but then he realized Jeremiah had become his friend. He no more acted like a slave than any other worker he had seen on this estate. He found it rather comforting having a friend sitting at the table alongside him. “I understand I have you to thank for saving me,” Victor said, between mouthfuls of thick bread layered with butter. Jeremiah continued to spoon the soup into his mouth. “It was nothing,” he said, “but you do move quickly for a scrawny Frenchman.” Victor grinned. “And that man? Did you recognize him?” Jeremiah looked up at him. “That man will not be bothering us again. You do not have to worry about him being around the estate.” “He seemed so familiar,” Victor said, “and he said the strangest things.” Jeremiah filled his mouth with another spoonful so Victor continued to speak. “He said he knew my family and that he would like me to invite him up sometime so he could get to know me better.” Jeremiah started to choke on his soup, covering his mouth with the napkin. Victor rose to hit him on the back, a rather futile effort, as he made only hollow thumps on Jeremiah’s broad back. “What did you…what did you say to him?” Jeremiah asked once he could speak. “Nothing,” Victor said, “you arrived and scared him off.” “Good,” Jeremiah nodded his head, “good. It is important you do not invite any strangers up here.” “But he said he knew my family.” “Strangers will say anything to come up here,” Jeremiah said, “then they will rob you and kill you in your sleep.”

Blood RaptuRe 59 “He did not seem that sort,” Victor said, upset his own judgment of people was being questioned. “We have been here longer than you,” Jeremiah said. “The islands attract many bad sorts. You must trust us until you come to know the people who live here.” “Bad sorts?” Victor asked, picking at his bread. “Pirates, sir,” Jeremiah said, leaning over his meal toward him, “these waters are full of pirates who rob merchant ships, kill the crew, rape the women, make them their whores and take very few of the men as prisoners. The ships they don’t steal, they burn, often with the crew still on board. You cannot trust anyone you have not met. And you should not travel these roads without one of us guarding you.” “I am fine on my own,” Victor said, again, offended at Jeremiah thinking he could not defend himself. “You are the owner of a large, profitable estate,” Jeremiah said, sitting back in his chair, “if you were to end up dead, anyone could move in and claim ownership.” “I don’t plan to die anytime soon,” Victor said. “No, not of natural causes, sir,” Jeremiah said. Victor sat back in his chair now. “Did my brothers die of natural causes?” Jeremiah replaced his half-risen spoon and looked directly at Victor. Unblinking, he replied. “Yes, Victor, your brothers died of natural causes.” Victor stared back and decided he believed his friend, somewhat.

Chapter Seven As with all small towns, word got out about Victor’s illness. And because it was near to bringing in the crop time, the barrister and the owner of the distillery arrived shortly before the lunch hour of the following day. Both had business with Victor so both came together. Their arrival sent Mary into a great commotion. She called in the other girls from the field and they set about preparing a large meal for the visitors. Fearful more than just chickens might lose their heads today, Victor was only too glad to take the men out to the barn and fields for their inspection. The barrister, an older man by the name of Andreas Schmidt, sweated profusely in the humidity of the midday. He mentioned numerous times that he preferred to live on the coast where the trade winds blew the humidity back into the rainforest, a place it should remain. The man had a German accent, was short and stout but not overly so, and kept mentioning how his wife would like to meet Victor’s wife once she arrived on this fine island. The distillery man, John Moore, had a refined, British accent. He was tall and thin but sported the darker skin and bleached hair of one who worked outside. His hands were rough and callous proof he had worked in physical labor for many years. Victor immediately respected the man, himself having worked all his life in the vineyards. John even managed to warm to Victor once he realized Victor had not only a head for business but a love for it, too. “I understand my brother bought into your company, John,” Victor said as they stood perusing the waving strands of sugarcane. “Last year was not a good year for my company,” John said. “The pirates had stolen over half of my cargo. I accepted his money and terms just to keep us afloat.”

62 Lee Pearce “Do you own the other shares?” Victor asked.

John shook his head. “Upon your brother’s advice, I sold

smaller shares to the townsfolk.” “How much did you give up?” “Oh, I still own fifty-one percent,” John said, quickly. “The other owners are retired sorts from the British club.” Victor nodded agreeably. “It is good not to lose control of the family business.” “But it is also good to let others share in the profit,” John said. “And the loss,” Andreas interrupted, his brow furrowed. “You do not agree with what John has done?” Victor asked. “I think he should have sold more shares,” Andreas said. “Rum is the way of the world. He needs to expand. The new world is opening up for him as a profitable market. And being only a short sale up the coast to America, he can lower his prices to become more competitive.” Victor thought this did make a lot of sense. “And you, sir,” Andreas said, waving his hand at the field, “have a lot more land you could be cultivating. What you see here is only a small portion. You could be planting next year right to those hills.” He pointed to the distant peaks. “I own all that?” Victor asked. “I did not know.” Andreas turned toward the house. “Come, young master. I have a lot of paperwork for you to go over. You will be most pleased with the opportunities that are available to you.” After a large lunch of roast chicken, sausage, boiled potatoes, carrots, turnip, fresh bread, wine and a pudding with coffee, they retired to the back office. It quickly became apparent the room was too small for all three to work so they moved to the back veranda, Jeremiah and another man bringing out tables and chairs for them to work upon and they spent the afternoon going over the affairs of the estate.

Blood RaptuRe 63 John tried to excuse himself several times but Victor asked him to remain. He found the distillery owner’s expertise of the island’s geography astounding and questioned him constantly. By the end of the afternoon, Victor had a plan for the following year’s crop as well as increased storage facilities. They sorted out a mutually agreed upon price for his current crop and all agreed to work on solving the piracy problem. Later, Victor watched as the two men rode down the lane then returned inside to the kitchen. The sun had begun to set and Mary had long since returned to be with her family. He poured himself a glass of wine feeling in the mood to celebrate and thought he’d rather do it with his friends. Besides, he was going to bring prosperity to the estate and they would profit in it as well. Walking across the yard to the houses, he carried a freshly opened bottle of his father’s finest vintage and approached the cabin he had seen Jeremiah enter. As he got closer, he could hear him speaking to Mary. Their voices carried through the open window. They seemed to be arguing. “It is not right,” Mary said, “what he is planning.” “It will mean better food, clothes for us,” Jeremiah said. “What do we need with more clothes?” Mary said, angry. “We have enough. We have not needed anything else.” “Think of the children,” Jeremiah said. “He will disturb the way,” Mary said. “We’ll have to leave.” “We’ve been here so long,” Jeremiah said, pleading. “I am tired of moving.” “And what? Do you want us to wait for them to leave, again?” Mary had lowered her voice in what seemed a threatening tone, “How long until they go? They are not leaving this place. It is too much a paradise compared to where they have all come from. It will be hard to make them leave.” “I like this one, Mary,” Jeremiah said, his voice a warning. “Yes,” she sighed, “he is not like the others. He is fair and

64 Lee Pearce decent. He treats us well.” “We should tell him, Mary.” “No.” “He should know.” “No, he will not understand.” “He is smart. Perhaps he would.” “And you would risk his friendship? He would look upon you like the others have done before. He would turn on you just as quickly and then we would be forced to move on.” “Maybe, Mary, you could have a child with him.” “No,” she said, quickly, softly, “that did not work the last time. I will not bring another half-breed into the world.” “But with him, it would help him to accept. He is different.” “No, Jeremiah. You will not bring this up again.” Victor returned to the house, locking the door behind him. Who were these people that they felt they had to manipulate him in order to make him understand? Understand what? And why did this make him feel so uncomfortable? They had done nothing to make him fearful. They had saved his life and kept the plantation going strong when they were not sure if another family member was going to appear to claim it. They had just accepted him when he had appeared almost as if they were biding their time. They said they had been here a long time. How long? Were they second or even third generation slaves? Did they no longer remember their African roots? And then what was this about him having a baby with Mary so he would better accept them? Even though Mary was an attractive and friendly woman and the thought of lying with her was not an unpleasant one, he was a married man and would not be unfaithful to his wife. Yet, to use a child in that way. And Mary mentioning in a most distasteful way about having a half-breed child. He would not care if the child was mulatto. He would love it anyway. What was so important for him to know

Blood RaptuRe 65 that they would dare to use a child in such a way? Over the next few weeks, they began the laborious work of cutting down the sugarcane. They worked from sunup to sundown cutting and piling into wagons for transport. John supplied his own wagons so all they had to do was prepare the stalks. Almost when it seemed the job would never end, the last row was hewn and taken away on the last wagon. They celebrated that night with a huge feast. Victor joined everyone outside and passed around several bottles of his dwindling wine supply. A bonfire was lit and everyone sat around, Mary’s son even climbing into his lap. He found the weight comforting and wondered how his wife was managing with her pregnancy. It was now January and she would be nearing her final three months. He watched his workers as they sat about the fire, satisfied smiles on their faces. They seemed relieved another season had passed. Victor had never brought up the conversation he had overheard between Jeremiah and Mary. It had left him with many uncomfortable questions but as their relationship never changed, he did not see it necessary to bring it up. They spent February and March building new storage facilities near the distillery, Victor always travelling with Jeremiah and several other workers. He never did see the stranger again but at times felt he was being watched. In late April, he received a packet of letters and several crates on a ship from France. He glanced through the letters, putting all aside except for one. He had recognized his mother’s hand writing and tore open the letter. With his heart thudding in his throat, he read. Then he jumped up from his desk with a loud whoop. Mary came running in from the kitchen, concerned. He grabbed her and gave her a big hug, picking her up off the floor. “I have a son!” he cried out. “I have a son. He is healthy and strong. I have a son, Mary.” She laughed loudly in his ear and he suddenly realized he still held her close. Going red in the face, he let her down gently,

66 Lee Pearce feeling her warm curves pressed against his responding body. “I am sorry, Mary. I don’t know what got into me.” She stood back, only a little though that he could still smell the spices she had used for their lunch earlier, and smiled. “You have waited a long time for your news. When was he born?” she asked, peering at the letter clutched in his hand. “Oh, uh,” he said, trying to find the date. “Oh, March. March 3rd.” “It was early, yes?” she asked, delicately. Quickly, he did the math and his stomach flip flopped making him feel sick. “Uh, yes, about two months early. That is all right, isn’t it?” She nodded her head. “Your mother says the baby is healthy? Then it is all right. I hope he has your smile. You have a charming smile.” He grinned, felt his face heating up. He had never been told that before, especially not by a woman. For the briefest of moments, he actually wished Mary had been the mother of his child then confused at his thoughts, he turned back to the letter. “I have a son,” saying the words slowly so that they might sink in. “Oh, I wish…” “We will find out when the next ship goes,” she said, “and you will go home to see him. Bring them both back. This house will make a fine home for raising your many babies.” The ship, the Lady Isabella, on which the mail had arrived on was leaving at the end of the week. It was just enough time for Victor to gather up his reports, get statements from the bank, and talk John into giving him several crates of his finest rum to take back. He could hardly wait to give his father one of the finest bottles from his own estate. He left extensive instructions with Jeremiah whom he had all the confidence in the world to run the estate. He planned to return on a late summer sailing, not wanting to go through the fall storms again, but did sketch out plans for the year in case something were to happen and he

Blood RaptuRe 67 had to remain in France for an extended period. Lisette might take some convincing and if she became pregnant again, she might not want to try the voyage while heavy with child. He spent his nights thinking how he would make love to his wife, how much he missed her touch on his body, how she brought him to his peak. The voyage was much more pleasant this time for Victor and he spent most of it on the upper decks. He joined in with the sailors and soon learned how to sail the ship but what he found most enjoyable was watching the ship’s carpenter at work. He soon began helping him sand down, whittle, rework and replace most of the ship’s worn wood workings. By the time he had arrived in France, the carpenter was trying to get him to come back as an apprentice. Victor thanked the man saying perhaps he would seek this very ship out again in a few months time when he and his family returned. The carriage ride was interminably long and at the first changeover for horses, Victor hired his own horse and rode on ahead. It was late afternoon when he arrived at Lisette’s father’s farm. He galloped up the short lane and jumped off his horse in the yard, not even bothering to tether it. He ran up to the door of the farmhouse, knocking twice before entering. He stopped on the threshold beholding the site before him. Lisette stood by the stove, holding a wooden spoon in a large pot of steaming liquid. The farmhand whom Victor had seen only once before sat in a large chair, his head with its unruly black curls bent over, cooing at a baby with the same mass of black hair cradled in his arms. The man looked up at Victor and scowled. He remained seated and silent though, glancing over to Lisette. “Victor,” she said, quietly. “You have come back.” Victor looked upon his wife then back at the baby in the man’s arms. Suddenly weak, he stumbled outside only to make it to the barn before falling against the outer door. Lisette hurried out after him.

68 Lee Pearce “Victor, I wanted to tell you,” she said. “Why? Why?” he wanted to ask her too many questions that began with ‘why’ yet he could only get out the one word. “When I told Papa I was pregnant with Jacque’s baby and that we loved each other and wanted to marry, he forbade it. He said I had to marry you or he would make me get rid of the baby. He said I would starve to death living on a farmhand’s wages and that I would be much happier being a rich wife. He also said I was to convince you to invest in his cheese and wine business. That way he could become just as rich as you, his neighbors.” “I loved you, Lisette,” he said. “Did you?” She shook her head. “It would not have been unpleasant living with you. You are a gentle lover and a kind man but…” “But you love another man. You would not have been happy. He would not have been happy.” He felt the ground beneath his feet shifting. He dug in his heels and pushed himself upright. “What do you want from me, Lisette?” “Our marriage to be annulled.” He swallowed heavily and nodded once. “That would be most proper.” He moved toward his horse but stopped when he felt her hand on his arm. “I hope you find love, Victor,” she said. He stared at her hand then turned slightly to look into her eyes. She had been his future. He had thought he had found love with her but when he thought of their time together now all he could see was her naked body giving him physical satisfaction but leaving him otherwise unsatisfied. “I wish you well, Lisette,” he said. He mounted the horse and galloped down the lane, trying his best not to shed any tears of disappointment in front of the woman with whom he had wanted to share his future.

Blood RaptuRe 69 He could see the truth in his parents’ eyes when he appeared on their doorstep. He mentioned the annulment to his father who said he would take care of it. Then Victor took one of the many bottles of wine and drank himself into a catatonic state. He had to dull the pain and he did so for about a week. After that, he sobered up enough to finish business with his father, pack up the last of his belongings and say farewell to his mother. He arrived at the port and booked passage on the Lady Isabella. It wasn’t leaving for another five days, so he took a room above a bar. Drinking was the only pleasure he wanted, even passing on the advances of the many whores who saw his good clothes and manners as a possibility of decent payment. He lost track of time and when on the fifth day, his trunk went missing, he stumbled out of his room down to the bar, demanding to know who had stolen from him. He recognized the carpenter from the Lady Isabella and several other sailors. They had come looking for him and immediately dragged him off to board the ship. They tied him in a hammock and told him when he sobered up, he could come topside. It took two days and lots of bread and soup for Victor to feel sober enough to get his sea legs then he came up top, sat down beside the carpenter and silently began to work alongside. They tried to pry his story out of him but he spoke very little, other than to maintain the social niceties. He had been born a gentleman and he would remain one no matter how depressed he felt. Because it pushed all other thoughts aside, he concentrated on perfecting the carpenter’s trade. By the time they had reached the Caribbean islands, the captain was offering to find him another ship to continue to his fine work. Victor was sorely tempted. To sail away, never have to worry about family or business would make his life less complicated. But whenever he considered it, his mind filled with Mary and Jeremiah. He would miss their friendship. As the days had started to grow warmer, he had even begun to miss the stifling humidity of Trinidad.

70 Lee Pearce So when they docked at Port of Spain, Victor regretfully thanked the captain and the carpenter for his voyage and departed lighter of heart, heading off to his new home. He arrived early afternoon and was glad to see the tender shoots of sugarcane growing in his fields. He was also glad to see the fields had been extended as far as he could see and that the large storage shed had been completed. Jeremiah met him in the yard. “You have come back early?” “There was nothing keeping me there,” Victor said, not wanting to go in to the details in front of the hired men. Perhaps he’d never go over the details. Perhaps he’d just forget all the details. He climbed up the front stairs and Mary met him at the door. She said nothing but took one of his bags and led him upstairs. “I have drawn you a bath. Dinner will be served in an hour.” “I want to go out to see the crop,” he said, following her into his room. “I’ll bathe later.” She spun around making him stop abruptly so he wouldn’t crash into her. She sniffed loudly. “You will bathe now, sir, or I will strip you down and scrub you myself.” “All right!” He held up his hands in defense. As she walked out of the room, he sniffed his shirt. Wrinkling his nose, he agreed he did indeed need a bath. He appeared for dinner on time and dressed in clean clothes. Mary had prepared a cured ham with all the fixings and she and Jeremiah ate with him. They told him what had happened over the past few months and how John Moore had put what he had said he would pay into the bank. After the bills had been paid, Victor had a tidy profit sitting in his account. “We need to hire more workers,” Jeremiah said, “if we’re to keep the rats down and get the crop in on time next year.” “Oh, the rats,” Victor said. “We should find the nest and eradicate them.”

Blood RaptuRe 71 “It will take some time,” Jeremiah said, “they are a devious bunch.” “We have nothing but time,” Victor said. “We will go to the next slave auction and get ourselves more workers.” Then he pushed away from the table, excusing himself. He was tired from his journey and wanted to get a good night’s sleep before starting to work in the fields in the morning. He took one of the lanterns, lit it and headed up the stairs. He heard Mary walking around the bottom floor locking all of the doors. He entered his room, placed the lantern on his bedside table and began to unbutton his shirt. He stared at the bed and an odd feeling came over him. Never once had he pictured Lisette sharing this bed with him. Perhaps he had known subconsciously she was never going to join him. So astounded was he that he did not hear Mary enter behind him until he heard his door close with a click. “Tell me what happened.” Her voice was gentle and calm as she moved up behind him. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Her arms came up around his chest and her fingers began to unbutton his shirt. He did not move, suddenly craving her warmth. “Tell me. It is only me here.” “No.” He said it quietly, feeling his resolve fade as her fingers took his clothing from his body. “The baby?” His voice choked with tears. “Not mine.” She pulled off his shirt and stepped away to drape it over a chair. “And your wife?” she asked with her back turned to him. The fire glowed around her body and he saw the light dancing on her skin. It made him so desperately want to touch her. “No longer mine, either. We are annulled.” She turned around, a grim look on her face, and walking forward, reached out for his belt. He grabbed her hands when she got close enough for he was remembering a long ago

72 Lee Pearce conversation. “No, Mary,” he said. She looked puzzled. “Why?” “I will not be used, again,” he said, releasing her hands and walking over to the fire. He will not be used to give her a child. “Leave me alone.” “I wish only to give you comfort,” she said, following him. She pressed up against his back, her hands moving around to press against the front of his trousers. He grabbed her hands, feeling too late his growing erection and knowing she too had felt it. Yet, this still wasn’t right. “No, Mary.” He turned around. “I don’t need your type of comfort.” He tried to drag her toward the bedroom door but she remained rooted to the spot. “My type…?” she said, yanking her hands out of his grip. She put her hands on her hips, her face going red. “I love you, Victor. I’ve loved you from the first time I set eyes on you but did you even notice? No. Not once. You were all closed eyed over a woman you thought you loved. I knew it. So I waited. And now I am tired of waiting.” She grabbed his head, pulled him down and kissed him deeply. He opened his mouth reflexively and kissed her back. Her sweet warmth flooded into his mouth and his body. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her tight, wanting to feel every curve against his form. His hands moved up to her shoulders, grabbed the fabric of her dress and pulled it down her arms, her hands slipping out of the short sleeves. Her breasts exposed, he crushed her against his chest, their skin touching in hot passion. His mouth crushed down upon her lips again and she opened her mouth wide. His hands began to push her skirt down over her hips. He so wanted to have her body naked before him. He had imagined this moment in his mind and now it was going to happen. He was going to take her, love her, just like he had loved before. The memories returned. Lisette had said she had loved

Blood RaptuRe 73 him. Lisette had said she wanted to have his children. Lisette had only wanted his money. Angry, he pushed Mary away. She stumbled back, tripping on her skirt and fell on the edge of his bed. He shoved off his trousers, kicking them aside. His cock bounced in front of him as he strode over to the bed. He yanked off her skirts. She slid further onto the bed. He crawled after her, catching up, sliding between her legs and pushing himself in deep. She moaned and closed her eyes. He grabbed her hair and dug in his fingers. “Is this what you want Mary? Do you want me to give you a baby too?” He rammed himself in deeper. Her body jerked and in response, she tightened her legs around his back. She opened her eyes, fierce determination glowing. “Victor, you love me as hard as you want. Get it out. You are angry at her. I love you. You cannot harm me.” He looked into her eyes and saw her trust and her love. He felt his anger dissipating. He released his hold on her hair and lifted his body up on his elbows, thinking to slide out of her grasp. Still she clung to him. Her hands now firmly clenched his hair. “Victor, love me.” He couldn’t move. She held him so tightly he felt his bones straining with the strength. His body ached at the feel of her skin. If he just lowered himself again, their love making would become enjoyable. “I should not,” he said. This night had not started the way he would have wanted it. He had been angry. He had been thinking of another woman. Mary had been there instead. “This is the way it will be,” she said and she pulled his head down to kiss her, forcing him to lie upon her body. Suddenly he was upon his back and Mary was sitting astride him, rocking back and forth. He grabbed her thighs. She grabbed her breasts, tweaking her nipples. He reached between her legs, found her nub and began to press against it. Mary cried out, her body clenching his shaft. He felt his own build up, shooting his seed deep into her body. She relaxed

74 Lee Pearce forward, sliding off his body to lie, breathing deeply, beside him on the bed. He covered them both with a blanket, not because of any chill, but more for privacy and then lay on his side watching her sleep. He could now see no one else sharing his bed.

Chapter Eight They worked together planting more fields. The growing cycle of sugarcane was a year so every month he had them plant another section with more plants. Off shoots of older plants were nurtured until they grew roots then planted into the soil. He used the new storage building to grow the small delicate plants. Mary stayed with him most nights in the house. Some nights she stayed with her son. Victor felt her absence terribly when she was not with him and even broached the subject of letting her son come live in the house. She would shake her head and remind him, slaves do not share the house with the master. It would not be acceptable to the outside community. He knew this was right but still it made him angry. “I wish…” he said, sitting up in bed, leaning forward. “I know…” Mary said, sitting behind him so she could wrap her arms around his chest. “But this is the way of the world.” “If you weren’t a slave…” “Then I could live more openly with you,” she finished. “Does it not bother you?” “We’ve had worse masters,” she said, “you do not beat us. You provide clothes and food and shelter for us. You make us feel a necessary part of your life. We are happy.” He ran his hands over her arms feeling the scars of a cane once used upon her skin. He had seen the scars upon the rest of her body but she would not tell him who had done it saying only the wounds had healed long ago and did not pain her. “But you are still slaves. Do you not wish your freedom?” “What would we do if we were free?” she said, “This is all we know. We would come back here, be paid a pittance, have to provide our own food, clothing and houses. We would be worse off.”

76 Lee Pearce “Where did you come from, Mary?”

“What do you mean? We have always been here.”

“I mean, what country? Continent? Africa?”

She sighed and laid her head on his back. “We have always

been here, Victor.” “On this island? Even before the white man came? Columbus?” “Before even Columbus in 1498,” she said. He was shocked. “And your people let yourselves become enslaved?” “It’s the way of the world.” She glanced off in the distance. “That is the second time you have said that phrase. What do you know of the world? You have never left this island.” Returning her gaze back to him again, her sigh was heavy. “Victor, we have heard there are places that do not have slaves. Where people live equally together. But there is also war and starvation and death in those places. People always want more. Here, there is a balance. Here, we are happy to be part of the balance.” “I would fight for my freedom,” Victor said. “Yes, my master, and then you would die for it.” “You sound so sure.” “Your people, the Frenchmen, they are unhappy. They will soon fight. Many will die.” “Can you read the future, now?” he said, smiling. She looked at him with eyes as old as time. “Victor, life is but a circle. Your people will fight, there will be peace, other people will fight. It has always been this way. It always will be.” She began to pull him backward into the fluffy pillows. “Now, come, sleep, young master. You have much work to do tomorrow.” And so they lived this way for over a year, peacefully and lovingly. The crops grew and the first harvest was sent out in

Blood RaptuRe 77 the first month. John Moore was very happy with the rotating delivery schedule. He hired more workers and soon was working to capacity. He manufactured the sugarcane into rum and any extra he packaged as sugar which he sent back to the old world. He and Victor soon became wealthy men, something which did not go unnoticed on the seas about them. The pirates began to attack their ships, stealing the rum and sugar for their own enterprises. Some of the ships they left alone so that soon it seemed one in three ships were being attacked with a regularity that seemed almost planned. Almost personal. Victor accompanied Jeremiah and Mary on one of the town visits so that he could meet with John to discuss a way to stop the pirates. “You want to do what?” John asked, his face pale, his hands trembling. “Bribing the British and American navies has not worked,” Victor said, leaning over John’s desk, “We need to bribe the pirates.” John shot forward in his chair. “But they are pirates. They do not need to take bribes. They steal what they want. They kill whom they want to see dead.” “But you must admit the Navy is making a dent in their business,” Victor said, “a small dent but a dent nonetheless. Maybe they are looking for an opportunity to go legitimate.” “And you want to become a partner with men who just as soon shake your hand as slit your throat?” “We are becoming successful,” Victor said, “Why wouldn’t they want a share of it?” Victor waited while John thought for a moment. “Who would we approach? One of the ship captains?” “We need to get a message to whoever is in charge,” Victor said, “I have a plan.” Over the next few days, Victor and John sent several of their

78 Lee Pearce workers into the local pubs spreading word about a special shipment of John’s finest rum to be heading over to England within the next week. Exactly seven days later, they made a great show at the port of loading several crates into the hold of their fastest schooner, the Wind Swept, making sure they were tied down securely so as not to move no matter how great the storm. The Wind Swept left that afternoon on the high tide and glided out into the Caribbean Ocean taking a north easterly heading taking them past all of the other islands. This tract was typical of ships leaving Trinidad for it was the most southerly of the Caribbean islands, being just off the coast of South America. The crew did not know from which other islands the pirates would come but only that they would come. Who could resist such a fine vintage of rum? Shortly after dawn, a call went out from the lookout. “Ship, sir, to the west!” Below deck, Victor, Jeremiah and several other workers from his plantation readied themselves with guns. “Remember, we do not fire upon them. Use these only as a last resort,” Victor said, looking at a grim Jeremiah holding onto his rifle. “I do not like this plan,” Jeremiah said for the hundredth time. “I know,” Victor replied for the hundredth and one time, “but we need to make this first contact.” “I know but I still wish you would not be going up there by yourself,” Jeremiah said. “If they see I have come with a guard,” Victor said, “they might grow overly suspicious.” “Ship approaches, sir,” the captain called down into the hold, “no flags. It be a pirate ship.” “Easy does it,” Victor called back up, “we do not want to scare them off.” “Aye, sir,” the captain said. “We don’t want to put a hole in this fine ship, do we?”

Blood RaptuRe 79 “Nor my hide,” Victor muttered causing some muffled laughter in the darkness of the hold. “There’d be a rather upset lady back at the estate who would put many holes in our hides if that were to happen,” Jeremiah muttered. Soon they could hear the creak and groan of the other ship as it came upon them. A raspy voice called out. “Gentleman, lower your sails and prepare to be boarded.” The Wind Swept’s captain called back. “Sir, you have no flags. We shall not be boarded by pirates.” His comment was replied to by the boom of a canon. Victor cringed as he heard the whine of the shot and when it hit the water, he swore the sea splashed over the entire ship. Water dripped through the floor boards causing several of the slaves to hiss when the salt water hit their skin. Victor thought this strange, however, his mind was racing with thoughts of the coming confrontation and before he could process what he had heard Jeremiah had silenced the others with a harsh look. “Lower the sails!” the captain cried out, sounding panicked. Victor thought he didn’t have to act for this part. His own heart was pounding heavily in his chest. That shot could have sent them all to the bottom of the ocean. As the ship slowed and settled into the protected side of the pirate ship, Victor felt his own heart start to slow somewhat. This had to work or this day might end badly for all of them. “Gentlemen, prepare to hoist up your cargo,” the other captain called out. Several of the Wind Swept’s crew jumped into the hold and brought up the ends of the netting that would protect the crates. A rope with a hook was lowered, its pulleys squeaking loudly. A sailor grabbed the hook and looped on the ties from the netting. He jumped out of the way and the crates jerked upward. As the crates lifted above his head, Victor nodded once at Jeremiah then grabbed hold of the bottom of the netting and let it lift him off his feet. As soon as he became level with the upper deck,

80 Lee Pearce he let go, dropping to the floor. The pirate ship, a Spanish galleon, overshadowed them by at least twenty feet. It loomed darkly like a pirate ship should. He noted they had done a haphazard job of painting its sides black, some of the original red paint still showing through. It made the ship look like it bled. The crates continued to rise. He watched as they were lifted over the side of the galleon and lowered to the deck. He waited a few moments for the top crate to be opened. A cheer rose and the rope swung out over the side of the galleon once again. “Captain,” Victor called out, “Captain. I wish to speak to you.” The pirate captain looked over the side of his ship. “And to whom do I have the pleasure?” “I am Victor Maher,” he replied, “the owner of that fine specimen of rum you now carry. Please accept my gift.” “Your gift?” the pirate captain said. Several of his crew laughed loudly. The captain, though, remained stoic. Victor realized he was dealing with a shrewd negotiator. “Yes, sir,” Victor said, walking to the edge of the hold. “We have no more cargo today.” “No more?” the captain said. “Yes, sir,” Victor replied, “You are welcome to inspect our hold but there is no need.” “Then sir, what madness has brought you out here?” “Well, Captain…?” “Captain Sorensen.” “Well, Captain Sorensen, I wish to negotiate a trade treaty.” The pirates erupted in laughter. Victor saw a pirate talking closely to Captain Sorensen and when the laughter had died down, the captain turned to Victor. “A treaty you say, Mr. Maher? For what reason?” “Your business has been hurting our business,” Victor said,

Blood RaptuRe 81 doing his best to speak diplomatically. He did not need to have these pirates blow his ship out of the water. He was not in a mood for a swim either. “And I dare to say you may not have been getting top dollar for your merchandise. And as our merchandise disappears, we have to charge more to cover for our losses.” “Get to the point, Mr. Maher,” the captain called out. “I have a proposal that will see profit on both our sides with very few losses,” Victor called out. “Then come on board, Mr. Maher, and we will hash out this proposal.” Victor heard mutterings from below deck. “I beg your pardon, sir, but this proposal will depend not only on the territory you protect but the other territories as well. What would be the point if our profits were only to be taken from us two hundred miles north of here? Let us arrange a meeting in a few days at a neutral location with yourself and anyone else you may see fit to join us, so that we might negotiate this treaty.” “Be sure to bring more of this tasty gift,” the captain said. “We will need to sample the merchandise before we come to an agreement.” “Agreed.” The Wind Swept’s captain ordered the sails raised and they raced away from the pirate ship, heading back toward Trinidad. “You will not be meeting with any pirates,” Mary said, thumping about the kitchen. “I don’t care if you’re losing money to them. They will get your signature in blood, they will.” “Mary, I…” “No, you will not be fine.” “I will be fine. We are going.” “They are pirates!” “They are businessmen just like me.”

82 Lee Pearce “Ahhhgg!”

“Mary.”

“You will take Jeremiah and all the other men. You will have

protection.” “I only need a couple.” “You will take them all. Do you think the pirates will come alone? You will have proper protection.” “All right, Mary,” he said, smiling. “Don’t you flash your smile at me, Victor. If you come back dead, I will kill you. Do you understand?” “Yes, Mary.” Four days later, Victor, Jeremiah and several of the other male workers clambered into a wagon and rode down to Port of Spain. An inn with a questionable reputation called The Lusty Widow on the outskirts of town had been chosen as the neutral spot, the reason being the British and American navies were patrolling the more northerly islands more frequently. Victor suspected it was because the distillery was located on the island and there might be some pilfering during the meeting. John had agreed and tripled his security force for the length of the meeting. As they pulled up in front of the Lusty Widow, Jeremiah drew in a quick breath. “I do not like the feel of this place,” he said, reaching for the reins from Victor, “we should stay somewhere else.” Victor yanked the reins out of his reach and looked at his friend as if he had lost his mind. “We are staying here. All the others are staying here. What would it look like if we didn’t trust them enough to stay under the same roof?” “That you were a cautious man,” Jeremiah said. “No, Jeremiah,” Victor said, climbing down quickly. “That I am a coward. We are staying here and that is final.”

Blood RaptuRe 83 The Lusty Widow’s pub was already loud and boisterous. Jeremiah sent two of his men to the pub to see who had arrived while Victor got the keys to their rooms. They had gotten the top floor which consisted of one large room in the attic. Looking up, Victor could see glittering stars through the slats. “We should go to another inn,” Jeremiah tried again, “this room does not befit one of the richest plantation owners on the island.” “It will do,” Victor said, tossing his bag on a bed near the window. The two men arrived shortly and reported to Jeremiah. “They want to meet tonight in the pub. Start things going.” Jeremiah looked at Victor. “No. This isn’t right. Why change the schedule?” Victor smiled. “They’re pirates. Why would they follow any schedule?” Jeremiah sighed and shook his head. “This feels all wrong to me.” The others muttered in agreement. “You’re just nervous,” Victor said. “We agreed on a neutral place. They wouldn’t dare spill blood here. Let’s go down, get something to eat.” The others walked out the door. Jeremiah had just stepped into the hallway when the window blew in with a crash. The bedroom door slammed shut. As Victor spun around, he could hear Jeremiah pounding on the door, shouting. Victor’s blood ran cold as he stared into the eyes of the man who had stopped him in the laneway over a year ago. The man lowered his hood and stared back, his eyes glowing red. “Hello, Victor.” “Francois?” Why he hadn’t recognized him before, he did not know, but now his brother looked very familiar to him. “I thought you were dead.” “No, not dead. So much better than dead,” he walked toward Victor, “I have come to free you.” In three quick steps, he had

84 Lee Pearce his hand upon Victor’s arm. He wore only a tattered shirt, pants and boots, all stained darkly with what Victor guessed to be blood. Victor looked back up at his brother’s grim face. “Francois? What is wrong with your eyes?” Victor asked, growing horrified. He barely recognized his brother. His face had become gaunt, his skin grey, but his eyes. His eyes seemed possessed as if the devil himself had taken control. Victor heard Jeremiah bashing at the door. The fragile wood refused to budge. “There is nothing wrong with my eyes, Victor,” Francois said, both hands gripping Victor’s arms firmly. When he spoke, his teeth flashed in the candlelight. His incisors seemed longer than humanly normal, almost canine-like. Victor smelled rancid meat on his breath. “Come Victor, it is time you rejoined your family.” Too fast for Victor to react, he felt himself lifted over Francois’s shoulder like a side of beef. His brother jumped through the window and instead of dropping to the ground, lifted higher into the air. Victor stared incredulously as two huge wings burst from his brother’s shoulder blades further ruining his shirt and with each beat, lifted them both higher into the night air. He glanced back at the shrinking inn and saw Jeremiah hanging out of the window reaching out to him. The street vanished, the port shrank away to be replaced by the ocean. He dared not struggle fearing Francois would drop him. From this height, he’d break his neck as soon as he struck the sea. A few ships bobbed in the harbor. Francois’s wings straightened out and Victor felt them dropping. He tried to look about but when he shifted his weight, he slipped a little. Francois hissed and shoved him farther up on his back. Then Francois was swooping through another window and Victor found himself standing on his feet in a ship’s cabin. “Welcome, little brother,” a familiar voice spoke, “Welcome to the family business.” Victor spun around. “Gerard!”

Blood RaptuRe 85 Vaguely, he heard the rattle of chains as the anchor began to lift. Feet ran frantically along the deck as ropes scraped along the wood to lift the heavy masts. “You wanted to meet, Victor,” Gerard said from his seat at the head of a long table. “So let’s meet.” Victor walked toward his eldest brother. Again, he sported the same gaunt face, grey skin but his eyes were just his normal green. He glanced at Francois and noted his eyes had become their normal darker green as well. “What is going on…you two are dead…were reported as dead,” he turned to Francois, “you died of a fever.” Francois just smiled. “That’s what they said?” He glanced at Gerard. “That would’ve been her idea.” Gerard nodded. “And what did they say about me?” “Just, just that you had died. At sea.” “They didn’t make anything up? That I had succumbed to a jungle fever, too?” Gerard laughed. “Actually, no one knew what had happened to you,” Victor stepped closer to his brother, taking in the extended incisors. “What has happened to you?” Gerard stood and quicker than Victor could blink stood just barely a hands breath from him. “Victor, the best thing has happened to me. To us,” he waved his hand at Francois and continued, “we have been given ever lasting life. We have become vampires.” Victor stumbled back from Gerard. “What in God’s name?” Gerard laughed. “It has nothing to do with God,” Francois said, his smile showing off his glistening teeth. “It has everything to do with a whole new world. A world of supernatural beings. You are surrounded by them, didn’t you know, Victor? That estate I had bought for so cheap. It’s full of the devil’s own creatures.” Victor shook his head. “No, you’re lying. Those people…”

86 Lee Pearce “Those people are,” Francois spit out the words, “demons.” “What?” Victor had started to feel sick. Jeremiah? Mary? His Mary? “Yes, Victor, demons. Have you never noticed how their skin glistens? How it is so bumpy, full of ridges?” Victor continued to shake his head, continued to keep stepping backwards away from these horrifying creatures. “No, you’re lying.” “Of course Victor does not see them in their true forms,” Gerard said. “He is still human.” “Victor you need to become one of us,” Francois said, “then you will see the whore for who she truly is.” “M…Mary?” Francois nodded. “I took her first,” he said. “I took her second,” Gerard said. Victor stared at his brothers. “Took?” “Oh, not in the same night,” Francois said, turning to glance at Gerard. “That would have been rude.” They both laughed. “No,” Victor said, refusing to believe them. They were just trying to make him mad. “Oh, don’t worry, Victor, she fought at the first,” Francois said, “but I took a switch to her and she soon saw the error of her ways for you see, Victor, a vampire is as strong as a demon. They do bleed a lot, though, those demons.” Victor looked away. He had seen the faded whipping marks on Mary’s skin. He thought it was from a much older master, not his own brother. “Or perhaps you’ve felt Jeremiah’s true shape? I always thought Jeremiah fancied men,” Francois looked at his brother. “Perhaps you two have shared more than friendship. We did have some fun with him too, for a little while. That’s when we made him watch us have our fun with Mary.” “No!” Victor cried out. He charged Francois, going for his

Blood RaptuRe 87 stomach. He hit something hard, slid across the floor, smashed hard against the ship’s wall. Stunned, Victor lay there, trying to clear the buzzing sound out of his ears. Gerard knelt down, grabbed Victor’s head and twisted it first one way then the other. He was speaking but Victor couldn’t understand him. Then he stood and Francois bent over him. He grabbed Victor by his shirt and lifted him up off his feet, swinging him over the floor and shoving him into a chair by the table, the chair nearly falling over backwards. Victor stared at his brother incredulously. Where had he gotten his strength? “Now, where were we?” Gerard asked, pacing beside Victor. “You bastards,” Victor spat at his older brother. His head was yanked backward painfully. Francois leaned over him, his teeth extended. “Let me do it,” he said, watching the pacing Gerard. “Let me make him.” When Gerard didn’t respond, Francois hissed. “Gerard, please!” “No, brother,” Gerard said, “Like I did with you, I want him to want it.” Francois let go of Victor’s hair, snapping his head forward. “I don’t want to wait. They might come for him.” “I have another idea,” Gerard said, “take him below and chain him with the rest of the prisoners. Let’s see how long he lasts among them as a human before he is begging to be changed.” Francois called in two crew members, both vampires. He glanced at Victor as they were dragging him out of the cabin. “Watch out for the first mate, Victor,” he said, “he likes to take small bites.” Both he and Gerard burst out laughing, the sound of which was cut off when the cabin door slammed shut. Victor was dragged down two more flights of stairs through dark rooms that smelled of death. He was placed up against a wall as one of the pirates fumbled with a ring of keys. The other

88 Lee Pearce pirate leaned in close, sniffing at Victor’s neck. “You haven’t been tasted yet?” He opened his mouth. “Found it,” the other pirate said and inserted the key. He tried to open the door but Victor’s shoulder was in the way. “Come on, Dirk, you send him in there bleeding, he won’t stand a chance,” the pirate said, “and you know how the captain is about his prisoners ending up dead, well, deader than normal.” Dirk growled but pulled away from Victor. “Another time.” And shoved him into the rank room. Bodies scrambled to get out of the way. They found an empty set of chains near the centre of the room. “This one is the captain’s last living relative,” the first mate, Dirk, said as he stepped through the doorway, “show him a good time, won’t you boys?” Victor pulled at the steel cuffs and ankle bracelets. Even though they appeared rusty, they were solid. He felt a shadow leering over him and turned to see an old vampire snapping his jaws at him. He jerked out of the way only to come up against a solid wall of flesh. He jerked back just as quickly. This was going to be a long night, he thought sourly. “And what is your name?” the wall of flesh asked in a deep voice. “Who wants to know?” he asked back. If he was going to die tonight then he might as well know some names. “Tell me your name or I will allow old Hank there to sink his teeth into you.” “Victor. Victor Maher.” “Well, Victor, Victor Maher. We’ve been expecting you.” “Me?” “Yes, it seems you are about to lead our mutiny.” “What?” “Yes, we received word from our brethren on the island estate,” he said, “our Matron has foreseen your part in our play.”

Blood RaptuRe 89 “Are you a…?” “Demon?” the man filled in. “Yes, Victor, I am like the ones you have called your friends for these past couple years. I am a part of the conclave our Matron, Marigot, has ruled these past many decades.” “Marigot? Mary?” Victor asked incredulously. His head began to swim. His brothers were vampires. His best friend was a demon. His lover was not only a demon but in charge of many demons. He began to shake his head. This was all too much. He wasn’t sure at what point in the night he had fallen asleep and landed in this nightmare, but none of this could be real. He just needed to wake up and go home. Then everything would be as it should be. “I want nothing to do with your problems.” “So speaks the only human on board,” the demon said. “You my friend have a lot more to worry about than our simple mutiny.” “Really? My brothers-” “Your brothers would not give one damn if they found out ol’ Hank here had been gnawing on your veins all night,” the demon said, jerking his head. “Can I?” the grizzled voice behind Victor sounded so hopeful. “No.” The demon studied Victor. “What are you looking at?” “I am wondering what our Matron sees in you,” he said. “Why?” “She has ruled that we are not to harm you nor to let any harm come to you,” he said. “We obey her every command and her current command is to keep your hide in one piece.” Victor sighed heavily. “So if demons and vampires are real then are werewolves real too?” The demon nodded his head. “Werewolves. Werecats. Weredogs. Wererats.” “Rats?” Victor asked, remembering the cagey creatures in his

90 Lee Pearce fields. “If it can shift, it can be anything.” “How many are there of you, your type?” he asked. “Oh, don’t worry. Humans still out number us. But our numbers are growing every day.” “How do I recognize you? Mary looks so human.” “We have magic,” he explained, “we can put up an enchantment so to you humans we look like a human too.” “What do you really look like?” The demon smiled. “Well, we’re not as pretty as you think we are.” Ol’ Hank began to chortle. “Uggleeee!” “Mary?” “Do you love her?” he asked. “For she must love you if she is making the southern islands protect you.” “Mary?” “You’re beginning to sound broken,” the demon said. “How hard did he throw you up there?” “You heard?” “We heard everything,” he said. “In fact, we knew the moment you set foot on board. You see, you being the only human, among a group of blood-thirsty supernatural pirates, we were all waiting to see which one of us would get to have you first.” Victor glanced around the room. “But Mary…” The demon smiled. “Yes, Mary.” “So what about this mutiny then?” The demon kept smiling and leaned in close. “The captain will probably leave you down here most of the night. We’ll be sailing north I reckon and when we get to our destination, he’ll put us in at port until nightfall. The vampires don’t like going out in the sunshine.”

Blood RaptuRe 91 “They sure picked a strange place to live then.”

The demon laughed. “Ah, lawlessness won out over

protecting their hides.” “I suppose so.” “So you’ll be hauled up in front of them by nightfall tomorrow and they’ll have reached their decision. I suspect they will make you one of them, seeing as you is blood and all.” “A vampire?” “Well, they’re not Weres so chances are pretty good, you’ll be sprouting wings in a day or two and taking to the air.” “How do I stop them?” “You want to kill your own brothers?” “They are not my brothers. Those creatures up there have done things my brothers would not have done if they were still alive.” “To kill a vampire, you must stake it through the heart with a piece of wood or slice off its head. Very simple.” “Very simple?” he said, remembering Francois’s strength. “Then why haven’t you done it?” “I was told not to,” he said, “I was told I had to wait for you to come.” “So you’ve been a prisoner here all these years?” His brother Gerard had been missing for over five years. He shook his head. “Captain took over my ship just a year ago. He made me and my crew its prisoners.” “So you’re the real captain?” He bowed his head once. “At your service. For now, just call me Mass.” “Well, Mass, how do we get your ship back?” “Just before dawn, before they rest, your brothers will want to see how you are faring,” Mass said, “at that time when he takes you on board, he will also be bringing us all topside. He’ll

92 Lee Pearce probably want to torture you some. He likes to torture humans. It helps him sleep peacefully he says. So while he is flailing the skin from your bones …” A few hours later, the ship had stopped rocking as it was put to anchor. The other prisoners were taken up first in handcuffs this time. He was dragged up shortly after and made to stand in front of Gerard and Francois. “So little brother,” Gerard said, “have you given my proposal any more serious consideration?” “I have,” Victor said, enjoying the fact he was about to destroy the hopeful look on his brothers’ faces, “and my answer still is no.” Gerard looked truly disappointed. “Then I shall ask you again tomorrow, if you manage to survive the next twenty-four hours. First mate? Ah, there you are. When you finish with him this morning, be sure to chain him solidly. But do leave the others free. I wish no hindrance for the truly hungry ones.” Then he glanced at Captain Mass. “Leave the demons chained too. I’d hate anyone to think they should help him.” Victor swallowed heavily. Did Gerard know? How? “String him up,” Gerard said. “Fifty lashes. I want to smell his blood in my sleep.” A cheer went up as Victor was dragged to the large center mast. His arms were pulled tight around the massive pole and tied around the other side. Someone tore the back of his shirt open. Cold air brushed his skin. Lanterns were placed all around his body. To his left, Victor could see the beginning glow of the sunset. Not long know, he thought. A sharp snap and whistle sounded followed by a slicing pain across his back so sudden he cried out. The pirates cheered. He heard the snap and whistle again, clenched his teeth but still moaned loudly with the next strike. Redness filled his head as his body turned on fire from the pain.

Blood RaptuRe 93 He lost count after five strokes. His knees buckled and he had to be awakened with a bucket of stinging salt water on his wounds. He survived several more lashes before blacking out again. He didn’t notice when Gerard and Francois left but the ship’s deck had become a lot brighter. His ears began to ring with shouts and cries of pain. He thought it was himself but realized his throat had gone so raw, his voice had left him long ago. The whipping had stopped awhile ago. Someone cut at his ropes. It was Captain Mass. Men were running all around the deck, some falling under another’s sword. “It is done?” Victor asked, trying to stand. “Stay here, young master,” Mass said, “You have lost a lot of blood.” He pressed the knife into Victor’s hand. Victor nodded, thinking he really did need to rest and leaned up against the mast. He heard a man scream. Next he was pushing a quickly decaying vampire off his lap. Ashes formed where the vampire now lay. Disgusted, Victor struggled to his feet, slipping in what looked like blood. He felt himself jerked off his feet and rammed up against the outside wall of the cabin. Dirk leaned in close. Victor tried to shove him away, managing only to cry out in frustration. A demon jumped down from the top deck and yanked the first mate off of Victor. Victor yanked open the cabin door. A breeze blew his way. He saw the wide open windows at the far end. Felt more than saw, the vampire crouched in a corner. “You!” it hissed. “Francois?” Victor said, “where is Gerard?” “Gone,” the vampire hissed again. He slowly rose shying away from the growing sunlight. “But I thought…” “With the right covering,” Francois said, edging his way closer to Victor. He sniffed the air continually and before Victor could react, his brother leapt toward him. He jumped forward, Francois falling on his legs. Victor knew he didn’t have

94 Lee Pearce the strength to fight him off so instead kicked out, throwing Francois off balance, and twisted his body. The vampire rolled off and Victor dashed under the table. Francois landed in front of him, having jumped over the table. “Hello, little brother. Do come out. I am so hungry.” “No, Francois,” he said, looking around the bottom of the table. So much wood. So few stakes. Even the chairs seemed solidly built. “Then I shall come to you.” The table lifted away from Victor landing heavily on its side with a deafening crash. Francois reached down and picked up Victor, dangling him off his feet. “Now, do you want to join the family or shall I just kill you?” “Kill me you bastard,” Victor said, “I will never become a vampire.” “Oh, but you shall, and you shall thank me,” Francois said, jerking Victor against his body, sinking his teeth into his shoulder. Victor cried out, pain searing his body. Liquid fire spread down into his chest. He reached around behind his back and felt the knife Mass had used to cut his bonds. He pulled the knife out and rammed it into Francois’s side. Francois’s body stiffened. Victor dropped to the floor, stumbling but maintaining his balance. He spun around and ran toward the back of the cabin. Francois stared at the knife. He started to laugh as he reached down for the handle. “Who ever told you this would kill me?” he said, pulling out the knife. He moaned as black fluid flooded his shirt. “No one,” Victor said, leaping up on the edge of the window sill. He opened up a panel and reached in, hoping Mass had been correct. His fingers wrapped around cold steel. “You do not play fair, little brother,” Francois said staring fascinated at the straight edge. He tossed it across the room, striking the far wall near the door. “Neither do you,” Victor said swooping down upon his

Blood RaptuRe 95 brother, an ancient rapier making contact with his neck. Victor watched as the blade sliced through, swinging away from his brother. Francois’s eyes looked shocked then they lost all life as his head tilted away from his shoulders, falling to the floor. His body followed, already degrading into dust, and exploded on the floor. Victor jumped back, wiping his tear-soaked eyes of the dust. He had killed the monster. Still, Francois had been his brother once. And he now mourned for that boy, not the vampire he had become. He dropped the rapier at his feet and stumbled to the cabin door. Grief racked his chest. He knew he could never tell his parents. This would be a secret he had to take to his grave. More blinding tears filled his eyes. As the first mate opened the door, faster than Victor could move, the man pounced upon him, knocking Victor to the floor and covering him with his entire body. Victor smelled fresh blood on the vampire’s breath. Victor saw his knife sitting close by on the floor, grabbed it and tried to stab the vampire in the side but the mate just grabbed his forearm and smashed it against the wooden deck, snapping the bones in his wrist. Victor cried out as the knife fell uselessly from his hand. Victor knew he had only moments to live and waited for the vampire to tear his head from his neck. He wondered vaguely if it would hurt and for how long. Then he felt the piercing of his skin by two incisors. He screamed out in frustration. “Kill me, sir! For God’s sake what are you doing?” The vampire pulled his teeth from Victor’s skin, tearing it a little on the way out. He chuckled. “Death would be too easy for you. You must be punished. It has been so ordered.” Victor cried out again as the vampire sank his teeth. He felt his lifeblood pumping into the vampire and vaguely thought he was going to kill him after all. As darkness began to fill his vision and his struggling limbs ceased to respond, Victor felt the vampire stop sucking. His great weight vanished and then Victor

96 Lee Pearce was floating through the air. He saw the clear blue sky in the distance but could still feel the harsh winds batting at his body as it dropped overboard. He struck the water and immediately sank, having no energy to swim a single stroke to save his life. The salt water infiltrated his mouth and nose. He tried to cough it out but only breathed in more water. He could see above dark shapes falling into the water, too. He thought sadly, as a final darkness overcame him, that the demons had lost their battle after all, were being killed and tossed overboard. Pressure on his chest made him open his eyes. He was rolled onto his side as he coughed up water. He stared in disbelief at the ship’s floor boards, the tightly hewn wood always a marvel to him. The sun began to dry his clothes yet he did not feel its heat upon his skin. He stared incredulously at the faces around him. “Master Vic,” a familiar voice spoke. “Mass?” Victor croaked, surprised he could speak after his throat had been nearly torn out by the vampire. “Vic, you must come with us,” the demon said as he felt himself lifted to his feet. The deck swayed dizzily. It was still covered in blood. The scent made his stomach grumble hungrily. He wondered how he had gotten back on board. A few vampires lay on the deck and the demons were lifting their bodies and tossing them overboard. He noticed the first mate kneeled on the deck. As a demon stepped up behind him and placed a knife against his throat, the vampire looked up at Victor and smiled. ‘It is done,’ he mouthed then his head was severed from his body. Dark fluid erupted onto the deck, mixing with the blood of the other vampires. Victor’s stomach growled, again. Two demons, one on either side holding his arms tight, turned his body around and headed toward the stairs to the hold. “Wait,” he said, struggling against their hold. He managed to get one arm free. His jaw ached, his breathing ragged. He tried to bend down toward the blood-soaked deck. He needed

Blood RaptuRe 97 to drink. Mass grabbed his head, forcing him to focus on the demon’s eyes. “I am sorry, Victor,” Mass said. Victor saw the sadness in his eyes. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this but we will get you through it.” Then Victor was dragged down the stairs and chained to one of the now-empty bunks. He screamed out again. “What are you doing to me, Mass?” Blood dripped down the walls of the ship. He yanked against the chains. Every fiber in his body wanted that blood. Needed that blood. “Mass, help me!” he called out. “You said you have to protect me. She ordered it.” A dark shadow filled his vision. “My friend, you were bitten. We were not in time. I am sorry.” Bitten. Victor let the word’s meaning sink in. “No,” he whispered, horror spreading through his mind. “Not…not like them.” The shadow nodded its head and then left the hold, shutting and locking the door on the newly made vampire. Distantly, he heard Mass return to his rightful place. “Captain Mass, where do we go?” “Tortuga,” he said, “strike a heading to Tortuga.” “Why Tortuga, sir? It is full of vampires.” “Yes, that is exactly why we should go.”

Chapter Nine Tortuga, Present day They landed in Port au Prince, Haiti, and took a waiting car to a private dock for the short boat ride across to Tortuga. Maysla sat up in the cabin beside the driver in the converted fishing boat while Victor and Mass sat on the lower level close to the water. “You still come here by boat?” Victor asked. Mass smiled. “The helicopter is being used today,” he said loudly over the roar of the wind, “Besides I thought you might like to return the way you had left.” Victor looked across the water at the approaching island. “I don’t have fond memories of my stay here.” “No, I don’t think you would,” Mass said. “The demons didn’t let you feed on humans did they?” “It was hard,” Victor said, “but now I am grateful.” “You slipped though.” “Yes,” Victor said, “but they took me back. Made me forget.” Just as well or he would never have been able to live with Julie or help her through her illness. “I think you are a strong man, Victor Maher,” Mass said as the boat slowed to pull up to the dock. Victor looked at his friend, grimly. “Strong?” “Strong in will,” Mass said, standing as the crew jumped out and tied the boat to the dock. “Perhaps that is why you have lived so long.” The boat bobbed beside the dock and they stepped over the side. Another car waited at the end of the dock. “And you, Mass,” Victor spoke, his feet echoing on the

100 Lee Pearce wooden dock as he walked beside him, “Why is it you have lived so long?” Mass laughed loudly. “I have kept on the right side of my friends and even more so of my enemies.” Once they were seated in the air conditioned car, Victor spent his time gazing out of the window as they drove slowly along the coast. Except for more modern housing, nothing much had changed. Victor barely remembered where the house had been that he had been incarcerated in for his transformation. It had been up in the hills, far away from any humans or other supernatural creatures. His cries of pain probably would have scared them away. The car pulled up in front of a two-story building, painted a garish pink. The sign on the second story read Official Pirate Museum. Simple yet right to the point as so many pirates had been back in the day. As Victor slid out of the car, he noted this museum stood upon a street with at least four other museums, numerous souvenir shops, restaurants, pubs and a few hotels. Mass stepped first into the dark interior. A musty smell of dust and decay hit Victor right away. Most humans would not even notice the decay but his powerful sense of smell let it be known that corpses lay on the premises, hopefully in the basement away from prying eyes. Maysla moved off to the left and became lost among the shadows. Immediately upon entering, a small desk sat with a box marked for donations and a guest book for signing. One look told Victor not many tourists came into this establishment as the last one to sign had dated the line two months ago. Mass proceeded past the desk, stopping in front of the first of many display cases lining both walls. In the center of the room sat a replica of a ship’s hold and a bunk bed with chains. A sign invited the unwary to climb in and get their picture taken. Victor shuddered, remembering his own time in the ship’s hold where he had prayed for death to take him. The proprietor, a small man with black eyes and a pot belly appeared in a back doorway. “Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Blood RaptuRe 101 Welcome to Tortuga’s Official Pirate Museum. Everything you see is for sale. If you are interested, I would be more than happy to negotiate an appropriate price.” “We’ve come looking for items from the 1700’s,” Mass said, “We have an interest in the magic of the time.” The man nodded his head to the back of the room. “This way then, please. You will find many books and containers. Some even still have their distillations within.” Mass moved forward. As Victor started to follow the man clapped his hands together. “Oh, good sir, I did not recognize you.” Victor looked at him blankly. The man waved him to the back. “You have come to pick up your package. I have it here for your inspection.” Mass glanced at Victor. Victor shrugged and turned to look at the man. “You were expecting me?” “Yes, sir,” the man said, reaching into his pant’s pocket and pulling out a set of keys. “Your brother said you would be coming in to pick up the rest of your gift. I do hope you received the pieces he sent?” “My brother?” Victor asked, feeling his pulse quickening. Gerard? Alive? The man nodded again as he looked at his keys, flipping through them on a small ring. “Yes, he does look like you. Twins are you?” Victor shook his head. “No, we are separated by a few years.” If it was Gerard the man meant. How could Gerard still be alive? He had looked all over the world for him eventually giving him up for dead. He felt the old anger starting to burn inside him, an ember glowing deep within. The man selected a key and inserted it into a small display case. He lifted the glass lid, locking the metal hinge with a click. Reaching in with both hands, he slowly lifted a game board filled with tin figures from the display case. Turning slowly he

102 Lee Pearce moved to another display case and put the game on top of the glass. Stepping aside, he waved for Victor to come forward. “As you can see the chess set is impeccable,” the man said. The board had inlaid mosaics of colored wood forming the squares. The pieces all stood as if ready for play. One side had definite white painted markings while the other had more black. The pieces in the king positions were missing. Victor studied the board. None of the pieces had been moved. Even the slight layer of dust had not been disturbed. “Why would Gerard leave you a chess set?” Mass said. “How would he know we would come here?” “How did you know to come here?” Victor asked. “This museum has the best display of our magic,” Mass said looking directly at the man. “This would have been the first place I would have come if we were missing something important and needed to replace it.” The small man nodded quickly. “Yes, we have many reference books in the back rooms. These are not for sale. They are too valuable to be in just one person’s hands. Your people come here often to do research.” “When did my brother come in here?” “About a month ago,” the man said, “he was most insistent that he buy this set. He didn’t even barter the price.” “How old is it?” Victor asked. “When was it made?” The man smiled, happy in his element. “The pieces were forged in 1787 for a Francois Maher.” “And the board?” Victor asked quietly. “The board is not as old. It was made just in this past century in 1960.” When Victor did not say anything more the man spoke up. “Shall I package it for you, sir?” Victor nodded and stepped away from the display case. The man carefully picked up the board, the pieces balanced so

Blood RaptuRe 103 perfectly they didn’t wobble as he lifted the set. Victor watched him walk into the back room. A shadow moved and he saw Maysla flipping through some framed pictures sitting in a box on a table. She pulled one out and held it close, her head moving as she scanned the photograph. “Wasn’t your brother already dead by 1787?” Mass asked quietly drawing his attention back into the room. “Apparently Gerard is sending me a message,” Victor said. “And if they were not meant to be part of a chess set,” Mass said, “why make a chess board and set them upon it? Another message? What message?” “1960 is the year I moved in to Rocks End,” Victor said. “Before that I had managed to keep a low profile. I suppose once word got out I was helping a werewolf to live, it didn’t take long for Gerard to find me.” “Then why has he not contacted you directly?” Mass said. “Why involve the demons?” “He must be the one who took the elixir,” Victor said, “What vampire wouldn’t want to have a chance at being human for a short while?” Mass’s face grew dark. “So where do we find him?” The man returned with a small box. “Did my brother leave a mailing address?” Victor asked. The man nodded and disappeared back into the room. He returned holding a piece of paper out to Victor. “Here is his address. A city in South Carolina, I believe.” Victor looked at the address and his face became even paler than before. “What is it?” Mass asked. “He knows,” Victor said weakly as he handed over the paper to Mass. “He knows about my other family.”

Chapter Ten Tortuga, early 1700’s “Mary! I want to see Mary!” Victor cried out. “Where’s Mary?” His voice echoed in the basement, mocking his ears with its sound of futility and hopelessness. No, he swore, I will not lose hope. On the day Mass had moved him from the bowels of the ship, shoved him in a box on a wagon and then released him into this dungeon, he knew they had set about to watch him die. He was starving to death. His body craved blood. He could smell it everywhere. He could smell it in the cracks between the stones making his floor and walls. He could smell it on the boards nailed over the one window that led to street level. He could smell it whenever a human walked by. That was the hardest to take. The human would be the easiest to get the blood from. The human would have so much blood to give. Victor would take only enough each day, keeping the human alive, feeding so that he wouldn’t die, feeding so that the human wouldn’t die. Whenever Mass came to visit, Victor tried to explain it to him. But Mass would say it was not a good idea for him to even think about harming a human. He said his matron wanted Victor to get over the craving for human blood. His matron wanted Victor to learn to like other blood. And so after such a long time that Victor barely had the strength to rise from the two boards he used as a bed, his vampire jailors began to force feed him animal blood. He knew it was animal blood for he remembered vividly now the blood from the chickens and cows and hogs his mother had brought into the house, smelling their richness as she dressed the meat before trapping the raw flesh in a roasting pan and baking the lifeblood out of it. Victor’s mouth salivated at the

106 Lee Pearce thought even having hallucinations of the cooking smells. At first Victor shoved the jars of blood away, refusing to eat, demanding instead human blood. Then when he became too weak to even lift his head, the vampires began to pour it bit by bit down his throat. He choked on the strange taste but each day, his body began to respond, gaining a little more of its strength. His skin and muscles began to fill out. He no longer had to hide from the sunlight glaring through the boarded up window. He began to sleep again and then dream. He dreamed mostly about Mary. Mary and Jeremiah and the plantation and his parents and Francois and Gerard as small boys. But mostly he dreamt of Mary. And when he dreamed of Mary, his body ached for her touch, a feeling he remembered having before being changed. He grew excited at this and told Mass. “Do you think I am becoming human, again, Mass?” he asked as Mass sat on a small stool outside the wall of bars. Mass shook his head. “Your body is healing, Victor. You will be able to perform like the human you once were but there is no life inside of you.” “No life?” Victor said. “But I can feel my heart beat. My skin is warm.” “Your body is only doing what it must to keep your muscles working,” Mass said, “your blood has changed to something that will keep you moving and thinking. Other than that, anything you used to be able to do as a human you can no longer do.” “But I’ve felt it,” Victor said, glancing down at his trousers. “Yes, but your seed is dead.” “Dead?” “You cannot father children.” Victor wanted a family. He wanted to give Mary children. He needed children to continue on with the sugarcane plantation and his father’s vineyards. What would happen now? “Have you told my parents what has happened?” Victor

Blood RaptuRe 107 asked his friend. Mass shook his head. “That is something you will do in time.” “But if they believe me to still be alive, Mass, I can continue to run both businesses.” Mass was shaking his head. “Victor, the time is not right for us to become visible to the humans. They are a superstitious lot and will kill us as quickly as they can.” “But not my parents. They need not know.” “How long, Victor? How long can you go until you slip? You can’t eat real food. How would you explain it to your mother when she sees you drinking blood? How would you feel when she looks at you in horror, like when you first saw your brothers, and lifts a knife to kill you?” “But I would not be like that,” Victor said, but he was not sure. “I can act like a human. I look human still.” Mass shook his head. “It will never come to pass, Victor. We will never be able to live side by side with the humans.” “I don’t believe you,” Victor said, “I still feel my humanity. I still feel love and sadness and anger. I am still human in here.” He touched the spot where his heart continued to beat albeit much slower than before. He looked at his demon friend. “Mass, you were born as a demon yet you act more decently than most humans I have known. Why would you think a human would not want you as a friend? A neighbor?” Several nights later, Victor had a dream so vivid and lifelike, it woke him in a cold sweat. Gerard flew through the night, his long strokes carrying him across a vast ocean. He landed upon an island and walked up a dark laneway lined with trees. He climbed a set of stairs Victor recognized as the entranceway to his plantation house, pulled open the door and ascended the staircase. Moving as if he were familiar with the house, Gerard strode into the farthest bedroom. As he walked to the bed, a figure sat up and cried out. Mary reached under

108 Lee Pearce the blanket at her side and as Gerard leapt upon the bed, drew out a machete. She swung it at his torso, deftly cutting halfway through his stomach. Gerard stumbled back off the bed. As he spun around in the room, he caught his reflection in the mirror. Victor looked back at him. Victor leapt from the wooden planks and hammered at the locked door, calling out until one of his vampire keepers came. “You must get a message to Mass.” A long, agonizing week later Mass returned to the basement. For the first time, he opened Victor’s door, swinging it wide. “Your vision came to pass,” Mass said. Horror filled his gut. “Mary?” “She managed to disable your brother,” Mass said. “Is he dead?” “No,” Mass said, “but they have him trapped. The vampires want him back. The demons want him destroyed. Mary thinks you should decide.” Mary. She still thought of him. Perhaps she might come to accept him if she knew he still loved her. “Is she well?” Mass nodded. “Yes, Victor, she is well and thinks it is time you returned home.” Victor stared at the open door. He had begun to think this dungeon would be his home for a very long time. “Come Victor, a ship awaits.” On the night sail back to Port of Spain, Victor stood against the railing watching the ocean slip by under the full moon. Mass stood nearby. “I saw Francois flying one night when I had first arrived,” Victor said. “Will I grow wings too?” Mass nodded. “But not for a couple years yet. It is a slow process. Your body has to use its own cartilage and flesh. It will be painful at times and I hear the first time you try to use your wings, the pain is excruciating.”

Blood RaptuRe 109 “More pain to look forward to.”

Mass chuckled. “Well, each angel earns his wings differently.”

Victor started to laugh. “Now, you think I am an angel.”

“Well, Mary sure thinks you are.”

“How did you know I was ready?” Victor asked, sobering at

the thought of Mary. “Ready?” Mass asked, “I knew when you started dreaming of our matron. When you finally had the vision I realized you were ready to face the world.” “I love her,” Victor said. “I know,” Mass said, “but you must remember, she has greater responsibilities than just to you. She has been around for a very long time. If you want to be part of her life then you must be willing to make some sacrifices.” “Sacrifices? Like killing my brother?” Victor chuckled. “What more can I give up?” Mass looked out at the ocean, grimly. “Just be prepared, Victor.” His homecoming was a little cooler than he wanted until Victor remembered he was the one who had gone through the physical transformation and it must seem very strange to Mary. Jeremiah met him at the front porch. Victor had grown used to the way Mass looked as a demon without the magic hindering his once-human eyes but he was still a little taken aback when his old friend came out to greet him. Victor shook his hand, feeling the bony ridges in his grip. “How are you Jeremiah?” His friend’s face shined with sweat but also the slight excretions from his skin. Victor now saw how his head seemed not so smooth and how he had grown his hair to cover more of the ridges. “Victor, I am sorry for all that happened to you that night,”

110 Lee Pearce Jeremiah said. Victor stepped back. “It is all over now. Nothing to worry about.” “We tried to come for you,” Jeremiah said, “but we had to take care of the pirates at the inn first. When we finished we were not at all sure where you had been taken.” “It seemed I had fate to thank for that evening,” Victor said, “as if it had all been preordained.” Jeremiah jerked his head toward the house. “She had said something to that effect.” Victor lifted a foot to step onto the porch stairs then replaced it. “She’s waiting for you,” Jeremiah said. “It has been so long,” Victor said. “What if she doesn’t love me anymore?” Jeremiah sighed. “You’d best go find out.” Victor walked up the stairs and across the porch, his footsteps echoing hollowly below. He reached the door, grasped the cool handle and turned it. The door swung open and he stepped inside. Mary stood in the foyer, waiting patiently for him to come. “Hello, Mary.” “Hello, Victor.” “How are you, Mary?” “Fine, thank you. And you?” “Fine, thank you. I’ve missed you.” “I have missed you too, Victor.” She stood in the growing light of dawn, vibrant and just as beautiful as the first day he had seen her. He took a step closer. He could reach out and take her hand if he wanted. If she wanted. “Would you like some coffee? Breakfast?” she asked, turning

Blood RaptuRe 111 sideways. Was she shaking? “Coffee would be all right,” he said, knowing she needed to do something familiar to calm her. As she started to walk away, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He reached out and grabbed her hand. Suddenly, she was in his arms, kissing him deeply. Her hands tangled in his hair. His hands were scratching at her back, tearing her dress. Knowing the front door still stood open, he lifted her up in his arms and ran up the stairs and into their room. Their clothes fell as a torn mass on the floor and they as a mass of limbs on the bed. It had been too long. Victor ended it too quickly. She didn’t seem to mind. The second time they made love, he took his time, remembering her body and seeing it all anew. It was late afternoon before they lay exhausted in each other’s arms. “How have you been, Mary?” Victor asked. “I have missed you, Victor,” she said, “I was so afraid that night when you left for the meeting.” “You knew, didn’t you?” “It had been foretold,” she said, “that a human man would come to upset the balance and only one of the blood could right it.” “You’re talking about Gerard?” “No, Francois,” she said, “we knew nothing about your other brother. We had never met him. Francois was a kind man just like you but he seemed sad. Perhaps he had already discovered his brother was missing and presumed dead and was trying hard to forget. When he bought this estate, we knew we had a special caretaker and we let our defenses down.” “When did it happen?” “He wanted to go down to the church for Christmas Eve services and then for dinner after. He said he was going to spend the night at the inn, go to church again in the morning and return. I had asked him if he wanted to have a Christmas dinner prepared but he said not to bother. He was considering

112 Lee Pearce an invitation with one of the local families. I was a little disappointed as I could sense a homesickness in him and I wanted to make him part of our family.” “It happened down in the village?” “I’m not sure when,” she continued, “but I believe it happened during the night as he slept. He had gone to the evening service, out for dinner and taken his room at the inn. But he did not go to the morning church service nor did anyone see him again for the next couple weeks.” “When did you see him again?” “I began to hear rumors that he had been turned,” Mary said. “There had been sightings. Humans had gone missing. People were becoming fearful of going out at night. We began to hear of him attacking ships so we guessed he had become a pirate. We knew of only a few ships that were crewed with supernaturals so it didn’t take long for us to find him. “I sent Captain Mass out to bring Francois back. We had to first, make sure it was him and second, see about the plantation. If it truly was him, I could send a note to your parents about his death and hope they would see fit to sell the estate. We knew he had another brother but we didn’t know your age. You might have been too young to come over and take ownership.” “Who would have bought this place?” “We would have, through a mediator.” “Andreas Schmidt?” “Yes, he is of demon origin so is sympathetic to our cause.” “But I showed up.” “And you were just as pleasant as Francois was at first. Then you became a shrewd businessman and we could see the profit and stability you would bring all of us. We did not want to see you fall to the same fate as your brother so we set up borders to keep any vampires out.” “That man in the road?”

Blood RaptuRe 113 “We’re not sure who he was but Jeremiah knew him to be a vampire as soon as he saw him,” Mary said. “I never did see his face,” Victor said. “Could he have been one of my brothers?” “Perhaps,” Mary said, “but he couldn’t come any further. I think he drew you out.” “So I wasn’t sick after all?” “When you came back and were so upset about what had happened, I put you to sleep.” “What? How?” She held up her hand, showing a slight point on the pad of her index finger. “This has a paralyzing agent that can kill my enemies but if only a very little is injected into a human’s bloodstream, it will induce sleep.” “Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?” “How would you have taken it, Victor?” “I suppose not well,” he said, running his fingers down the slight indentations on her stomach. “What are you going to do about Gerard?” “His fate is in your hands,” she said, “you must decide soon for the vampire council wants him back and my own conclave wants him killed. I am holding both off but only for the moment. Either could come and take him away at any time.” “All right,” Victor said, starting to rise, “I will go see him.” Instead, Mary pulled him tight as he pushed aside the bed sheet. “I did not want this to happen to you, Victor,” Mary said, running her fingers up and down his arm. “I had told Mass to not let any harm come to you. I wanted you to remain as you were.” “I appreciate that, Mary,” he said, “but they would not have killed me anyway. The vampire who turned me said he had been ordered to keep me alive. I think Gerard wanted me to suffer as he has as a vampire.”

114 Lee Pearce “Are you suffering?” “No, I feel fine but then Mass did get me help from the start. If I had been left to feed and kill indiscriminately then I would have suffered terrible guilt. I think that is what Gerard wanted. I suppose I would have lost my head by now if it hadn’t been for your direction.” “Mmmm, my direction,” she said, her hand sliding down his stomach to between his legs. “I am enjoying your new stamina and strength.” As he felt the pulse in his shaft coming to life, he leaned back onto his side. His hand touched one of her breasts. “I do think I am going to enjoy learning about your body all over again.” Later that evening after a shared bath, they dressed and headed out to the barn. Mary warned him about not trusting Gerard. He was not the same brother he once knew. Jeremiah met them inside. He had been standing watch over the form huddled in one of the stalls. “So the master of the house has come to survey his property,” Gerard said, managing to sit up even though heavy chains held him bolted tight to the side of the stall. “I thought you’d never stop fucking your servant. I could hear you all the way out here.” Victor ignored the insult to Mary. “Gerard, what happened to you?” Gerard looked sad for the first time since Victor had seen him. He shifted on the sand and winced. His shirt opened a little and Victor saw the cut Mary had given him oozing black bile. “Does that hurt you?” “Careful, Victor,” Mary said. Gerard shook his head. “Only a little. It is just a minor inconvenience.” “Tell me how you were changed.” “Do you really want to know, little brother? Really? Do

Blood RaptuRe 115 you want to know the truth? Or some silly story about being attacked on my sea voyage over here by vampire pirates? That I had not even set foot on one of these islands yet before we were boarded and taken prisoner? Do you want to hear about how the men were given the choice to either die or be turned? At first we all refused so we were made to watch them rape and then suck the blood out of the women. In front of us. Some of the men starting begging to die, anything to let the women live. So they drank from the men and killed them, tossing their bodies overboard. Do you want to hear how I grew so afraid that I had to give in? That I couldn’t take the killing anymore? “Or tell me, little brother, do you want to know how while onboard my ship on the voyage across, I was approached by a gentleman not unlike yourself and given the choice of eternal life? And that I accepted without neither thought to duty nor consequence. I just liked the idea of living forever. Tell me, Victor, which story do you want to hear? Which would you believe?” “Gerard, why?” “I was tired of being father’s protégé. I wanted to be independent. Start up my own business,” Gerard said, “I wanted to disappear and when I saw the opportunity, I took it.” “You were not a selfish, brutish brother,” Victor said, “What happened?” Gerard laughed. “I always hated father. You never saw the way he treated me for you were mother’s favorite and he didn’t want you reporting back. Victor, the man is too controlling. You should sever your ties with him while you can. Oh,” and he started to laugh even more, “oh, I’ve done that for you.” “Gerard,” Victor said, crouching down in front of him, “what am I to do with you? They want me to kill you.” “Victor, not so close,” Mary said. “Perhaps you should,” Gerard said, sober once again, staring intently at Victor, “then the vampires will have a lot more respect for you. Look, it’s the new vampire who has killed his own two

116 Lee Pearce brothers. We have to watch out for him. Guard our backs.” “Francois would have killed me,” Victor said, looking away, not wanting Gerard to see his shame. A loud jangle of metal struck Victor and he fell backward. A dark shadow passed overhead. He heard a scream and a gurgle. As he shoved away the chains, Victor leapt out of the stall. Jeremiah lay on the barn floor, unmoving, his head twisted unnaturally. He heard a gasp and saw Gerard shove a pitchfork into Mary’s stomach. Rage fuelled Victor and he leapt onto Gerard’s back, dragging him off Mary. Gerard shook him off like a bear shaking off a mountain lion. Victor landed across the top of the next stall, his body nearly bent over backward. Gerard jumped up and landed on top of the stall. He placed one foot on Victor’s stomach. “You always were the naïve one,” Gerard said and started to press down. Victor felt his stomach squishing up into his chest. He could barely draw a breath. Then he heard the snap of bones as Gerard broke his back. Victor cried out. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Gerard said his foot firmly planted in Victor’s body. Victor felt his head snap down and grind against the back of the stall. He tried to lift his arms, tried his upper body but nothing moved. Gerard had paralyzed him. He removed his foot and jumped down into the first stall. Victor saw his legs coming over the top of the stall. Gerard grabbed his arm and flipped him off the stall and face down in the sand. He felt his hair wrench as Gerard dragged him out into the centre of the barn. He propped Victor up against one of the end posts. In the distance, he could hear shouts. Gerard stood in the barn doorway. He unfolded his wings and leapt into the air. Jeremiah’s body still lay in the sand. Mary’s bleeding body lay too far away for him to touch. She looked around for him, her hands clutching at her wounds, and when she finally focused on his face, smiled.

Blood RaptuRe 117 “You’re alive,” she said, happy.

“Mary, I’m sorry,” he said, wanting to reach out to her.

“Where…where is he?”

Victor glanced at the barn door. The other demons had

gathered there. They did not make a move to come closer. He shook his head helplessly. She continued to smile. “You’ll heal.” “Will you?” “I have to leave you for awhile, Victor.” He watched as her body began to shimmer. He looked up at the demons. Still they did not make a move to help. Instead, they watched her, calm on their faces. “What do you mean?” “I need to go away. Do not come looking for me, understand?” Her body continued to fade. “No, don’t go, Mary. I need you.” But he could no longer see her form. Instead, just the indentation left by her body in the sand. The demons watched over Victor as his body healed overnight. Then he helped them bury Jeremiah. On the third day, Victor went down to see the barrister, Andreas Schmidt, and he put the estate in Jeremiah’s eldest son’s and Mary’s names. He figured if Mary truly had not died that she would come back one day. If she had died then Jeremiah’s son would claim ownership. Victor hired himself onto a merchant ship as a carpenter and started looking for his brother. After a year of following rumors throughout the Caribbean, Victor settled into the life of a sailor. He became known as a good carpenter who did detailed work. His services soon became in demand and his captain hired him out to other ships. So it was that Victor found himself working diligently on a ship that leaked like a sieve. He had just finished

118 Lee Pearce convincing its elderly captain to go into the nearest port for more extensive repairs when a hurricane swept down upon them. The ship was thrown onto some shoals and broke apart immediately, its human crew dying. He, being a vampire, was the only survivor. He took shelter in the broken hull of the ship until the demons found him the next day. He wondered what he would have done for sustenance if they hadn’t come along. He might not have been able to restrain himself if a ship of humans had rescued him. He worked on their ship for over a decade, quietly perfecting his carpentry skills. On the anniversary of Mary’s death-he called it her death as he hadn’t heard or seen her in all that time-Mass came to him. “My friend, you must get your wings now,” Mass said to him as they both sat quietly in the dullness of the hold, the place Victor had called his home. “I wondered myself when they would come,” Victor said. “Is there something wrong with me that they did not grow of their own accord?” Mass looked away. “Sometimes a vampire needs help. It is painful but without your wings, you will be at a loss.” Victor nodded. “I could have flown from the shipwreck and saved myself.” Mass nodded, too. “Now it is best if we do this sooner than later, Victor. Are you in agreement?” Victor licked his dry lips. “Will this take long?” Mass shook his head. “You shall have them by the morning.” Victor swallowed heavily. Mass pointed to the wooden pallet Victor called his bed. Victor removed his shirt and lay down upon his stomach. Mass tied his wrists and ankles to the bed posts then began to apply a salve onto Victor’s back. At first it was cool on his skin and he stopped struggling. “This is not so bad,” Victor said feeling sleepy all of a sudden. He felt the salve starting to warm. His back began to itch. He felt

Blood RaptuRe 119 ropes go around his ankles and his legs spread wide. He tried to kick out with his last free foot but struck only air. Heat began to spread throughout his chest. He felt his lungs constrict. He found it hard to breath. He lifted his head. “Please, Mass, it is too much,” he gasped. Pain shot through his back and he cried out, surprised and angry. He had been told a long time ago getting his wings would be a painful process. His body would be growing new cartilage and skin and muscle to make what had to go into his wings. He would truly become more vampire than human when it was all done. He didn’t want to lose any more of his humanity. Perhaps that was why he had never grown his wings. He lifted his head to tell the man this and instead a cloth was stuffed into his mouth. Another cloth was placed over the gag and tied at the back of his head. “I am sorry, Victor,” Mass said, “but this must be done.” Victor remembered very little of the night other than searing pain broken up by moments of unconsciousness. At one point he actually managed to pull one of the ropes free. He was quickly tied again but not before he felt a weight on his back and his balance shift as he tried to roll over. He heard flapping and cries of pain before he blacked out again. In the morning, he lay on the pallet too weak to move. He felt a heavy blanket covering his body. Mass began to untie his legs and arms and helped him to stand. Victor nearly fell over backwards, the weight on his back strange. “You’re going to need to do some practice flying soon,” Mass said as he packed up his supplies. He glanced over Victor’s shoulder. “You will become used to them quickly. They will fold up into a space in your back now if you just think of it. When you fly, you must think you are like the hawk. Lots of gliding, very little flapping.” Victor did practice his flying over the next while, staying close to the ship. Once he got the idea of it though, he stopped flying and returned to his quiet life of a carpenter. To think of

120 Lee Pearce this possible freedom frightened him enough that he wished only for a quiet life. One day a few years later, the demons decided to return to the land. Victor left them at that time, ready to go out on his own and set out to explore the colonies of America.

Chapter Eleven Charleston, South Carolina, Present Day “I don’t want you to come with me,” Victor said as the plane taxied along the runway at Charleston’s airport. “It’s important that we do,” Mass said, unfastening his seat belt. “We need to get the elixir back from your brother.” “I will get it,” Victor said. Mass sighed. “Victor, you are not going alone. I don’t trust your brother anymore than you do. You need our protection.” Victor glanced at Maysla. “He is your king. Do you want to see him killed because of me?” “I do what my king asks of me,” Maysla said even though her eyes did little to hide her worry. The plane rolled to a stop and a moment later the flight hostess sprang up to open the door. Mass stood and walked toward the door. As Maysla passed, Victor grabbed her wrist. She looked down at him, curious. “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Victor said, “Maysla, keep an eye on him, all right?” She nodded once. “I will watch you both.” He released her arm and stood, following her to the door. “Did you find what you were looking for?” She stopped suddenly and looked at him, puzzled. “In the museum,” he said, “you were looking at pictures.” She smiled slightly and glanced at the locked bin beneath her seat. “Yes. Yes, I did, Victor.” A limousine waited outside and Maysla entered first, disappearing into the dark interior. Mass followed and Victor climbed in last. When the driver closed the door, the sunlight

122 Lee Pearce dimmed considerably with the darkened windows and Victor found himself squinting against the light whenever he glanced outside. He had never come back here. He had wanted to forget about this part of his life. He had greatly embarrassed himself in one of his many reincarnations, as a highwayman, robbing from rich gamblers on board riverboat casinos. He had been a failure not having the heart to kill anyone who stood in his way of the money. It was either learn to kill or be killed by his employer, so he had vanished one night and laid low, keeping under everyone’s radar. Now, over three hundred years later, his past was coming back to haunt him in an all too real way. Gerard, whom he had thought lost and dead, seemed to be very much alive and well. But why now after all these centuries did he want to see Victor? Victor had moved on with his life. He had nearly forgotten about Gerard. He wanted nothing more to do with his murderous brother. And why do it in such a clandestine way? Why not just send a note, an email or call him? With all of his contacts, it would not be hard to find Victor. In fact, why hadn’t he tried to find him sooner? What did he want from Victor? Why now? Charleston had grown from a tiny village populated by pirates and legitimate entrepreneurs on the Atlantic Ocean to a city of over a hundred thousand people. They drove south from the international airport into the city, arriving in one of the historical districts in front of a brightly painted house. As the driver slid out of his seat and walked back around the car to their door, Victor turned to Mass again. “He might not have the elixir.” Mass smiled gravely. “You think this is a trap?” “I know I do not trust him.” The car door opened and they were immediately awash with hot, sticky air. “This will be a quick visit, Victor, I am sure,” Mass said, looking out the door up at the house. “I will have you two back in Rocks End by nightfall.”

Blood RaptuRe 123 As Victor slid out of the car, he took a deep breath. The hot outdoor air filling his lungs made him wonder if he’d draw another such breath again. Inside his last living blood relative waited for him. The brother who had killed his first love and had tried to kill him the last time they had met. The brother whom he might have to kill today if this was the bad situation he felt it was turning into. His cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw his home phone number. “Hello?” he asked concerned opening the phone. Was something wrong with the children? Julie? Brad? “Victor?” Julie’s voice sounded over static. “Julie, is something wrong? How are the kids?” His heart jumped at the sound of her voice. He clutched the phone close fearful he might miss something important. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said, “I was just wondering how you are. Where you are.” He relaxed and smiled. “I’m fine. I’m in Charleston.” He felt his body flushing from her voice than from the hot sun. If only he could be home right now, holding her tight, up in their room, her skin glowing from the sweat of their lovemaking. “Charleston? Which one?” He laughed. “South Carolina. The one on the Atlantic.” “I’ve never been,” she said, “It must be nice. Are you still with Maysla?” “Yes, Julie. We should be home soon.” He paused, wanting to say he would take her straight up to bed and give her the child she had seen in her vision but he changed his mind. No need getting Julie’s hopes up just in case this was a false trail. “Are you finding what you need?” It was as if she had read his mind. Victor looked up at the house. “I’m not sure how successful we’re going to be. This might end up being a dead end.”

124 Lee Pearce “Well, Sara is worried about you. She wants me to tell you to be careful of the toy pirate. The black one.” “Sara? Really? She said that?” “Does that mean anything to you?” “No, not at all,” he said, lying to the woman he loved. “Oh, all right,” Julie said, her voice saying more than it should. She could always see through him. “Julie, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. I will see you soon.” “Yes, Victor. Love you.” “Love you, too.” He ended the call regretfully. He could have listened to her talk all day, her voice strumming along his spine, warming his body, pushing blood to the lower part of his body, building to an orgasm, all because he loved her more than any other woman he had ever known before. “Very touching,” Mass said as Victor tucked his cell phone away in his shirt pocket. “And how did you manage to fall in love with a werewolf?” Victor looked at him with one eyebrow cocked. “One of the easiest and the most difficult things I’ve ever done. She’s an easy person to love. But knowing she could have died at any moment made falling in love with her the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” “You never could just fall in love?” Mass said. “The women you chose always managed to be complicated.” Victor nodded. Yes, his relationship with Julie had been complicated from the start. Julie’s mother had had a genetic anomaly that had caused her body to suffer greatly whenever it wanted to change into a werewolf. She couldn’t change so Victor had agreed to help by using his vampire rapture and the paralyzing discharge from his teeth to help her through her attacks. She had made Victor part of the family and he had been treated like a brother. He grew to love the Woods and thought of them as his own family, becoming very protective of them. The time had come for him to help Julie, his one true love. Then Brad had come into the picture and even though their

Blood RaptuRe 125 lives were complex, he wouldn’t change his current family for anything. But, if he could truly find a way to give Julie a child it would make all the difference. “What if your brother really is the one we are about to meet?” Mass asked. “Then we’ll get what we came for and leave,” Victor said, staring up at the front door. He wondered how long he could last before breaking Gerard’s neck. “I need you to be good, Victor,” Mass said, “there is a lot more at stake here than your vendetta.” “I will make sure you get the elixir,” Victor said, “after that, I can’t promise anything.” “We shouldn’t keep him waiting,” Maysla said moving toward the front steps. Victor and Mass followed behind, climbing the steps slowly. Victor wondered how his brother had managed to get such a fine house. What did he do to earn his money? Most likely something illegal. Piracy of all forms still happened, even in this day. Maysla reached the door first and pressed the door bell. A chime echoed behind the front doors. A few seconds later, one of the doors opened. A young man opened the door, gazed at the two demons barely seeing them and stopped at Victor. A smile came across his face. “Welcome, Mr. Maher,” he said. “You have been expected.”

Chapter Twelve Victor followed Maysla and Mass into the house’s dim interior and the man closed the door behind them. The foyer opened up into a great room separated only by a massive staircase leading up to the second floor. The great room had smaller areas of seating and a dining table at the far end. The back half of the floor had been walled off and Victor guessed that was where the kitchen and other utilitarian type rooms stood. The house also appeared wider than it should have. “It looks like your brother bought the other two houses to give him the space he wanted,” Mass said, his distaste showing. “I wonder how he got the historical society’s approval to destroy such fine architecture.” “You don’t have many good memories of this time period,” Victor said, “yet you like the architecture?” “I do like the more genteel aspects,” Mass said. The young man had been watching them and now tilted his head to the back of the house as if listening. “This way, please,” he said, waving them toward the back. “Mr. Maher is waiting in the greenhouse.” They walked through a hallway lined with oak panels, past a doorway leading into a large kitchen glittering with stainless steel countertops and appliances. Perfect-to-clean conditions for a blood-sucking vampire Victor thought. Long, glistening knives hung along one wall. Victor wasn’t finding much to like about his brother either. The young man walked ahead and turned left, disappearing around a corner. Maysla, a few steps ahead, turned next. As Victor followed, he came face to face with a fifty-year-old man. He scanned their faces until he came upon Victor then a slow, measured smile cracked his otherwise smooth skin. Victor stared back at his brother, stunned. His brother supposedly only

128 Lee Pearce five years older looked at least twenty years older. “Victor, my brother,” Gerard said, walking forward, holding out his hand. “It is so good to see you.” Victor walked toward him but did not take his hand. “Gerard, you have grey hair.” Gerard continued to smile. Oddly, his eyes did not seem to smile at all. “My brother, we may not have seen each other for three centuries and yet you remember the tiniest of details.” “Gerard,” Victor said, “you have aged. How is this?” “Please, Victor,” Gerard said, waving his arms around the large glass conservatory. Marble had been laid on the floor and rose up the sides creating lush planters all around the oval room. A variety of plants grew up the side of the glass, some reaching over twenty feet high up to the ceiling. Cast iron tables and chairs had been set up around the room, the only other furniture. A wooden box sat on one of the tables. “Please, Victor, you and your friends, come sit.” Mass and Maysla remained still, glancing occasionally at the wooden box. Victor took his cue from them and did not move into the greenhouse. “Gerard, we have come in search of something the demons have lost.” “Yes, I know,” Gerard said, his arm waving toward the box. Maysla took a step toward it but stopped. She glanced warily at Mass. “It is all right,” Gerard said, looking at Mass. “You can take it.” Mass nodded once. Maysla moved forward, still cautious, to the table. Slowly she raised the box’s lid. Two glass bottles sat nestled in among straw. She lifted each to the light. Victor saw they were both full. She replaced the bottles and felt through the straw for a moment. “One is missing,” she replied, looking up at Gerard this time. Gerard sighed. “I needed one for my own use.”

Blood RaptuRe 129 “The elixir is not to be used just for any purpose,” Mass said, crossing the floor until he stood within inches of Gerard. Gerard stiffened, his smile gone, his eyes hard. “It is also something that should not be kept hidden away.” “Return what is left,” Mass said. “Or what, King of the demons?” Gerard said, turning to walk away from Mass. “Or you’ll kill me?” He started to laugh. Mass leapt at him, grabbing his shirt. He started to spin him around but Victor stepped between them, facing Mass. “Leave him,” Victor growled. “Move, Victor,” Mass said, “You don’t want to get involved with this.” “I know but I must, Mass.” “No, Victor. He is not your brother.” “Mass, let him go. Threatening him won’t get your elixir back.” “Yes, Mass, listen to my brother. You might want to find out why I’ve kept the elixir.” Mass released Gerard with a jerk. Mass stepped away not before shooting a glance of hatred at Victor. Victor knew he had crossed a line. It would have been so easy if he had let Mass kill his brother. All his troubles would have been over. But his gut had told him this was not the way. If anyone was going to kill Gerard, it would have to be Victor. “Gerard,” Victor turned to face his brother, “why did you want me to come to negotiate the return of the elixir?” “I wanted to see if it really was you,” Gerard said, continuing to walk toward one of the tables. “I wanted you to see I am a changed man. I’ve gone legit. I wanted to mend our bridges.” He reached a chair and sat down. “I still don’t hear anything to convince me, Gerard, that you mean what you say,” Victor said, following him. He didn’t sit; instead placed both hands on the table top, leaning forward,

130 Lee Pearce towering over his brother. Frustratingly, his brother continued to sit, his hands beneath the table on his legs, doing nothing. “You left me to die on that ship, Gerard. It could have been either me or Francois.” “You were the stronger brother,” Gerard said, no emotion in his voice. “I was the luckier brother,” Victor said. “Do you not care our brother died because of you? You turned him. You made him into what he was. And you left him to die. Gerard, I don’t understand you.” Victor pushed away from the table, shaking his head. As he turned, he saw a look of shock erupt on Mass’s face. Maysla jumped forward, her hands outstretched. Victor felt a jab in his arm. He spun around to see Gerard pushing the plunger on a syringe. He jerked his arm away. “What was that?” he asked. The room began to spin. He felt Maysla’s arms catch him as the table came up to meet him. He felt a chair beneath him. “Too much,” she was saying, looking at Gerard. “You gave him too much.” Mass was kneeling beside Victor now, his face full of concern. Gerard leaned over them all. “No, matron, I gave him just enough.” Victor clung to the edge of the table feeling suddenly sick. His mind reeled. His pulse quickened. The table became colder beneath his fingers by the second. Colors and sounds in the room became muted. “What is happening to me?” he asked to no one in particular. “You, Victor, are becoming human.” He heard his brother say. “Whaaa…?” His tongue felt strange in his mouth. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and his lungs filled with the smell of the peace lilies dotted around the room. More delicate scents filled his head. His pulse quickened. His skin became

Blood RaptuRe 131 pink. Blood rushed through his body, filling his fingers and toes. He lifted a hand and stared at it, seeing flattened veins puff up beneath his skin. He even felt blood rush to his abdomen. The child. This was how it would be done. With whatever Gerard had given to him, this was how he would conceive his son with Julie. He looked up at Gerard. “How long?” Gerard shook his head. “I haven’t given you much,” he said. “I knew I had to prove to you that I have created a cure, Victor. A cure for vampirism.” Victor stood and took a step. He felt like a wobbly toddler, unsure of how these two appendages worked. They felt so strange, so unnatural. He began to sweat from the suddenly noticeable humidity. Each breath he drew in was full of fragrance and warmth from the plants. He began a slow walk around the room, enjoying each step, the feel of the shoes on his feet as he made contact. “What did you do to the elixir?” Maysla asked. “I re-formulated it,” Gerard said, “Made it last longer. It dampens the vampire virus.” “How do you plan to use it?” Mass asked. “To give creatures who have never known what it is like to be human a chance to feel it,” Gerard said. “Like werewolves?” Maysla said. Victor tensed but continued walking around the room. Gerard nodded. “Even yourselves. You do have some human DNA in there somewhere.” “If a creature were to use this, they would appear to be human for a few moments,” Mass said, “They’d pass any type of biological filter. They could get in anywhere.” Gerard shook his head. “I would not allow this to be used for anything illegal.” “But once it got out on the street…” Mass said.

132 Lee Pearce Gerard shrugged.

“I want some to take back with me,” Victor said.

Gerard looked sadly at his brother. “I don’t have enough to

give you, my brother. I’ll have to produce more.” “How long?” Victor asked. “Victor.” Maysla said, warningly. “Maysla, this was meant to be,” Victor said. “Julie and I…” “Ah, you are still trying to make a baby, Victor?” “Our family, Gerard, needs an heir,” Victor said. Gerard smiled and glanced toward the main part of the house. “I have heirs.” Victor swallowed bile feeling nauseous all of a sudden. “That is not how it is to be done.” “No, this will not be allowed,” Mass said. “We are leaving.” Maysla closed the box lid and slid the box under her arm. She glanced up at Victor before walking toward the hallway. Mass turned to follow her and when Victor did not move, he stopped. “Victor?” “I’m not coming,” Victor said. “Victor, you are not thinking clearly,” Mass said, “Return home and discuss this with your family. Then you should…” “No Mass,” Victor said. “I am staying. Now. My brother has changed. I want to get to know him again.” “Victor, when that wears off you may be thinking differently,” Mass said. Victor sighed and held up his hands. They were not as pink as before. His voice remained steady when he spoke. “It has already begun. I am staying.” “What do you want me to tell Julie?” Maysla asked. “The truth, Maysla,” Victor said, “that I am visiting with my brother for a while. I will return when I am done here.”

Blood RaptuRe 133 They all walked back to the front door. Mass turned to Gerard. “Victor means a lot to us. If anything were to happen to him.” Gerard smiled, again. Victor thought if he was trying to reassure Mass it was a humble attempt at best. “I am only too aware of how important Victor is to your species. It is for the same reason he is respected by us. Without Victor we would not be able to walk in the light and for this reason, Victor will never be harmed.” Mass seemed willing to accept this answer and without any further words departed. Victor watched the demons get into their car and drive away. He would text Julie later when he was his vampire self again to let her know of his change of plans. With his body slowly returning back to a vampire, he wanted to ponder these new feelings for awhile. Would he tell her? Perhaps just not yet. He had to make sure he could get enough of the formula so that he could be human long enough to father a child. Julie would be happy just to know he had found kin. He would call her later when he had a private moment. As the door closed, Victor turned to Gerard who was all smiles. “I am so glad you decided to stay,” Gerard said. “Now I think it is time you got to know the family business.” Gerard walked with Victor back through the house and into the kitchen where he stopped at the massive refrigerator. He grasped the handle. Victor held his breath. He didn’t know what he expected to see inside. A cut-up body. Maybe one of his enemies put on ice, ready to chew thawed or not. As he swung open the door, Victor gasped. Enough food and drink to feed about fifty people jammed the shelves. Victor looked blankly at his brother. “You arrived just in time, Victor,” Gerard said. “We’re having a dinner party tonight with some of my top clients.” “Clients?” Victor replied curious now. “Yes, come this way,” Gerard said. He closed the refrigerator

134 Lee Pearce doors. Victor did note he hadn’t opened the other side. Perhaps that was where he hid the bodies. “My chef and staff will be arriving soon to prepare for tonight,” Gerard said, “The guests will start coming at eight for dinner at nine. I’m sure you will fit into one of my dinner suits. We always had the same build even though you do look like you’ve put on some muscle. I guess that comes from living on a ranch.” “So you do know something about me,” Victor said. “When you resurfaced in the 1900’s, I watched your life with fascination,” Gerard said, “I couldn’t believe you would give of yourself so unselfishly. And when you returned to help out the same family, I was truly happy you had seemed to finally settle down.” “I had settled down,” Victor said, “with friends.” “And this Julie? Do you love her?” “More than anything or anyone else.” “I too have been married,” Gerard said, “In fact three times, once in each century. My current wife just passed away. I am sorry you couldn’t have met her. I would have to say, brother dear, you are the one with the more exotic tastes in women.” Gerard opened the door before Victor could respond. A blast of voices and brightly lit monitors assaulted Victor as he stepped over the threshold. A long narrow room set up with computer monitors, keyboards and manned by at least a dozen men and women, all vampires Victor noted, sat along one wall. A raised platform took up the other half of the length of the room. Gerard stepped up. A long narrow countertop separated the platform from the tables below. Here, Victor had a great vantage point for an unhindered view of the screens. The bottom row of monitors looked like a series of evermoving bar graphs. Each graph had a different title at the top. The upper bank of monitors had a map of a different part of the world’s oceans flanked by land masses with several dots floating

Blood RaptuRe 135 between. “Welcome to my empire,” Gerard said, staring with fascination at the bank of screens. “Each dot represents one of my active freighters transporting across almost every ocean and sea. I have over 200 ships at the moment either in motion or being loaded for transport.” “What sort of goods do you transport?” Victor asked, awed at the magnitude of his brother’s company. “Anything my client wants moved,” Gerard said, ominously. Victor looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “Do not fear, Victor,” Gerard said, looking back at the monitors, “My pirating days are long over. In fact, I even hire out ships to protect those seas still being cursed by pirateering. We’ve managed to get the number of incidents down to nearly fifty percent.” Victor thought perhaps his brother had made deals with these pirates and was sharing in the profits. But he didn’t say anything. Maybe his brother had gone legal. Maybe he really was telling the truth. One of the men in a chair below turned around to face Gerard. “Sir, there is a storm cell building in the southern Atlantic. Shall I reroute our ships?” “Is the cell looking like its going to work itself into something more?” “Yes, sir, the weather stations are predicting an offshore hurricane.” “Tell the captains who are already in transit to steer clear. A day late won’t cost us much more than if we were to lose the ship completely. Any other ships in the vicinity, tell the captains to use their own best judgment.” “Yes, sir.” “You give your captains a lot of control over the fates of their ships,” Victor said.

136 Lee Pearce “I hire the best I can so if I can’t trust their capacity for doing what is right then I wouldn’t be a very good boss,” Gerard said. With one final glance at the monitors, he started back toward the door. “Come Victor, let’s get you outfitted for tonight.” “Who exactly is coming tonight?” Victor asked once they were back in the kitchen. “Representatives from one of the largest pharmaceutical labs in the states,” Gerard said.

private

“Pharmaceutical?” Victor asked. “Do you mean to tell them about the elixir?” “Yes, Victor,” Gerard said. “I mean to not only tell them but give them a demonstration.” “Mass won’t like this,” Victor said. “I gave Mass back what he came for,” Gerard said. “My people have duplicated their elixir and made it better.” “What about testing? What you gave me hasn’t lasted even an hour. You’re going to need more time and people and…oh.” “Yes, Victor, and this company is going to give me the facilities and manpower to do just that.” “But you stole the demon’s magic. Why not make a deal with them? When they find out you’re going to make money from their own formulation they are not going to be happy. There could be a civil war.” Gerard turned on Victor, his face hidden in shadow beneath one of the kitchen’s pot lights. “Do you think I am afraid of a fight, Victor? I have been out-maneuvering the demons since the day I was made. You see, you helping them was the greatest thing you could’ve done for me. I used that, played with that, to get their trust. And now I am going to make something that will benefit the greater good of the supernatural community. I am going to make them human again.”

Chapter Thirteen In the dimly lit interior of the plane, Maysla stared at a tiny test tube in her hand. Mass sat in a chair across and waited patiently. She watched as the cloudy contents cleared, the chemical reaction slowing. She held it up for Mass to see. He sighed and sat back in his chair. “Should we tell Victor?” Maysla asked, glancing with disappointment at the wooden box and its contents. “Yes, send him a message,” Mass said. “Warn him about what his brother has done.” “And what about this?” Maysla said, removing an empty syringe from her jacket pocket. “We’ll test it back at the home lab,” Mass said. “I want to be sure Victor isn’t about to be pumped full of sugar-water or worse, liquid silver.” “What if Gerard really has found a fountain of youth for the vampires?” Maysla said, carefully placing the syringe in the wooden box. “What then?” “We have many friends in the supernatural community,” Mass said. “It would be a shame to start having to kill them.” He stood and walked over to the open door. Maysla watched as he waved at someone on the tarmac. A shadow filled the doorway. “Tell your matron to keep watch on the Mahers,” he said, “Victor in particular. I do not want any harm to come to him. I have worked long and hard to keep him alive and remind your matron of the debt we owe him. She is to report to me the goings-on of both brothers. Is this clear?” Maysla heard what she thought was a positive response. The shadow vanished. Mass returned to his seat as the door was sealed shut behind him. “What if we cannot save Victor this time?” Maysla asked. “His death would not be looked upon favorably.”

138 Lee Pearce “Are you afraid of how the vampires are going to react?” Mass asked. Maysla shook her head. “No, my lord. I am afraid of how a certain wolf pack will react.” Maysla could see Mass considering this as the plane began its taxi down the runway. She pulled out her cell phone and tapped in a short message to Victor. Hitting send she watched until she had received confirmation the email had been sent then turned off her cell phone. Mass watched her silently and remained quiet until the jet had settled at altitude. He left her alone, seeking out the stewardess for his own pleasure. Maysla ignored the sounds coming from the small galley. She had decided only a short while ago she did not like her King. Even though he had shown a kinder, more compassionate side when with Victor, she realized it was all for show. Mass had not been Victor’s friend for compassionate reasons. It had been because he had seen the future. And now Victor was about to play a part in Mass’s plan. Maysla needed Victor alive for her own reasons. Yes, they may also be as altruistic as what Mass had in mind but she knew she was doing this for the greater good of her Rocks End community. She had worked hard to keep the supernatural creatures from killing each other, especially her own people who saw anyone else’s use of their sacred aquifer as a violation of their very life source. Fortunately, Julie Woods had been an open-minded werewolf and when she had become matron of the entire community of Rocks End at such a young age, she had proven to be a worthy leader without already having formed sufficient opinions to prejudice herself against the demons who could prove to be quite a challenge to wrangle. Maysla had taken the title of matron so that she could keep a handle on her large conclave but she always bowed to Julie’s direction if the need presented itself. Maysla had had to sacrifice much in order to keep the peace but in doing so had formed a tenuous bond with the Were Matron. Now she realized she was going to have to stretch

Blood RaptuRe 139 that bond more if she was going to keep Victor alive over the next few weeks. Maysla stared at the small test tube sitting nestled safely beside the other two worthless bottles. Gerard Maher was not one to be trusted. She had known this from the very beginning when she had heard he had fled the pirate ship leaving Victor alone with his other brother, Francois, expecting the stronger vampire to kill the weaker human. Victor instead had succeeded. She flipped open her computer and began to key in notes. She had to discover more about the contents of the syringe. She had to do more research on Gerard and his so called shipping empire. Demons belonged to the water. She would contact her saltwater cousins to find out what they knew about Gerard Maher. She did not believe for a moment he had gone legit. He couldn’t have. It was not in his nature. Mass returned to his seat as the plane began its descent. He looked as immaculate as ever. Maysla wondered after all the rather boisterous noises she had done her best to ignore how he could seem to be ready to do another round. He did not look her way until the plane landed then stood, barely glancing at her, as she passed to disembark. The short drive back to the house found her King restless. Maysla had one of her boys take Mass to the aquifer’s underground caves where he could spend some time in meditation. Wanting some down time as well, Maysla instead put her laptop and the box into her car and drove downtown to the medical center. The lab was still open on the lower level, two technicians working at separate stations acknowledging her entrance, as she hurried back to her office. She had a fully equipped lab and after carefully removing the syringe and bottles from the box, set to work getting the samples. She vaguely remembered saying goodnight to the techs. Only when she could hear the buzz of floor cleaners on the upper floor did Maysla realize it must be about the middle of the night. Reading another set of results on her office computer, Maysla began to shut down her equipment. The last three test runs had

140 Lee Pearce given her all the same result. She locked up the samples in her safe, packed up her laptop and locked the lab behind her. On the drive home she tried to figure out the next steps. Her head began to pound and she realized she needed time to meditate as well. The house was quiet except for a light on in her eldest son’s room. She knocked and opened the door slightly. He was bent over his notes, a text book open on his bed. “Everything all right, Mikos?” she asked. He looked up. “Almost done, Mom. Just gotta do a spell check and print it out.” “And the other two?” “Sissy went to bed early. Said she had some reading to do. And Jeremy’s here again, sleeping in Dake’s other bed.” “His dad’s in the hospital again?” “Yeah.” “How long this time, do we know?” “He’s not sure.” “Was he injured?” “Not so bad this time. Just some stitches.” For a human kid, Dake’s friend Jeremy sure survived a lot of damage. “Well, he knows he can stay as long as he needs, right?” “Yeah, Mom, Jeremy knows. We got some cereal leftover for him to eat from the last time.” “Good. I’ll pick up more human food tomorrow for him. I don’t want him getting sick like the last time.” “Uh, pizza?” Mikos asked hopefully. “Take-out this time?” Maysla sighed. Not one of her favorite human foods but apparently her kids could digest it without problem. “All right.” “Thanks, Mom.” “I’m going out back for a few hours,” she said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Blood RaptuRe 141 “’K, Have a good zone out.” Maysla smiled as she closed his door. Kids these days didn’t meditate. They ‘zoned out’. Pausing in her own bedroom, she changed into a t-shirt and yoga shorts. Hanging up her suit with care in her sparse but functional closet, Maysla pulled out her over flowing laundry basket. Another use for water, she thought. At least she knew her clothes were cleansed when she pulled them from the washer. The water here had therapeutic powers even if the other supernatural creatures didn’t realize it and she always felt good wearing her clothes. Carrying the basket, she put it in the laundry room, just off the washroom. She’d start a load later in the day after the kids had all had their showers and left for school. Walking through the kitchen, she ignored the piled up dishes and headed out into the backyard. The night was still. The plants hung limply in the humid air. Although it was a lot less humid than Charleston, she still could feel the moisture in the air. Sidling around the first circle where chairs and a table had been set up, she moved to the back of the yard. A small fountain danced in the middle of a pond of water. A few lilies floated at the edge. A school of fish flashed orange just below the surface but didn’t scatter when Maysla stepped into the pond, settling on the edge. With just her feet in the water, she became connected to the larger body of water below. As she cleared her mind, she felt the water’s flow along the skin of her legs. She closed her eyes, breathed deep of the night air and pictured the aquifer below. Rocks End was just an island barely joined to the mainland by spits of earth and rock. The water below floated the town, holding it so that it wouldn’t sink into the earth. In the few spots where the water breached the surface having nowhere else to go the pressure having built so, the townsfolk had capped the water, keeping it in place, slowly drawing the overflow into their houses and lives, unknowingly keeping the balance between the underground and the above ground. Even in the early morning hours, Maysla could feel the water begin to move a little faster. Ranchers would be up, watering and

142 Lee Pearce feeding livestock. The water would be pulled faster and faster as the morning progressed but now, it only moved marginally, patient and always ready, giving life to this area. People drank of the water, knowing of its life-giving properties. Without water, all creatures would die. Water made up a large part of one’s body, dependent upon the creature of course. Humans and demons had large portions of water. Vampires had very little. Yet vampires still had a flow within their bodies. To keep moving their plasma had to flow to their muscles and ligaments or they would just dry up into dust. Seeing the change in Victor’s body had upset the balance. The serum Gerard had created stopped the vampire virus, forcing Victor’s body to use the oxygen he breathed in as a matter of habit to regenerate red blood cells. In a normal human body, cells grew and died. That was how a human aged. Gerard’s serum not only gave life to Victor but it aged him. She felt a subtle shift in the pond’s water. Opening her eyes to slits, she watched as Mass slowly emerged from the depths. The fish scattered, trying to get out of his way. She fought the urge to remove her legs. This was her water. He could not make her leave. He rose from the depths, his eyes focused on her face. Water slicked down his body, making it glisten in the glowing moonlight. He walked naked from the pond and sat down beside her on the rocks, their thighs touching. She swallowed thickly trying not to feel his warmth as it permeated her body. She felt her skin tingling in anticipation of his touch. No coldblooded demon could ever resist such a fine specimen of a male. Her sex drive kicked in and she fought against the urge to strip naked and take the man right here. “What did you find out?” he asked, his voice rumbling across her skin giving her chills. “The serum does not have lasting power,” she said, “those few minutes we saw with Victor were probably the best it could do.”

Blood RaptuRe 143 “Is the serum for real?” “Yes, it is,” she said, “but it would be very expensive to make. The ingredients are hard to find and even more difficult to duplicate.” “Then why give us a show?” Mass said, tracing his finger through a water droplet on his muscular thigh. “Was the show for us?” she replied, focusing on something else other than what his finger was doing. “What if it was just for Victor? Remember, he asked to have Victor specifically come negotiate the release of the elixir.” “Some negotiation. Gerard practically put the box in our hands and pushed us back out the door. So if he wanted Victor so badly, why go to this subterfuge?” Mass was drawing the water back up his thighs, to his hips. She couldn’t help but notice the musculature of his body. She hadn’t felt such power in a lover in a long time. Think. Don’t let him win. You know he has no interest in you other than for sex. “I think he still wanted the elixir. And he wanted us there too. He wanted us to witness Victor voluntarily staying. But to what end?” “Does he need Victor for another purpose? What do your demon contacts in Charleston say?” “Not much except that Gerard has the werewolves upset down there. Something about missing females and they’re blaming the vampires,” Maysla said. “Civil war? Does he want a war?” Mass said. He shifted over onto his hip so that he could look sideways at Maysla. She tried her best not to look at what sat large and growing thicker by the second on his upper thigh. “What would he gain with a fight?” she pondered. “Charleston is a small community. It would barely make a blip on the supernatural radar if a few wolves and vampires ended up dead.” Maysla jumped when she felt Mass’s hand on her shoulder.

144 Lee Pearce Embarrassed at being caught off guard, she turned to apologize. Instead she felt his lips upon her own, his hand on her head holding her close. She tried to pull away but knew it was useless. Her own body cried out for his touch and she turned reflexively into his body. She opened to him, tasting him, feeling unexpected warmth in his passion. He pulled away for a moment. She looked up into his eyes. They sparkled with the lights shown only in their deepest moments of high emotion. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She leaned in closer again seeking out his lips when she heard him chuckle. Maysla pulled back, puzzled. Mass grabbed her chin. “You are such a hard one to get close to, Maysla.” He smiled like a conqueror. “I thought you would never give yourself over.” He leaned in for another kiss. Maysla’s heart hammered. “You thought what?” she pushed him away, amazed at her strength considering Mass’s considerable bulk. He grabbed her arm. “I’ve seen you looking at me. I know you wanted me since the moment I arrived.” He pulled her close, leaning over her body. She tried to take a breath. Yes she had wanted him. Who wouldn’t have? His body screamed potency and virility. She could have many more strong children with him. She looked into his eyes and saw only coldness. The very bottom of the ocean boiled in comparison. “No, Mass,” she said, this time not pulling away. “Not this way. You would make fine children for me but you would not be all mine. I want all of you or none of you.” Mass sighed and released her arm. Sitting upright he stared sadly into the pond. “I am King. I cannot give all of myself.” “I know this. You would make a fine mate. But I want more than a mate now. I want a father for my children.” “You are sounding like a human.” “They have some fine qualities,” she said. “I have met good

Blood RaptuRe 145 humans and respectable werewolves. I am most impressed with their need for a coherent family unit.” “You are speaking of Victor’s family again?” “You should see him as a father.” “But none of those children are his own.” “I think he has come to accept that he will be a father in name only. He loves the children he has. He nearly died for them not long ago.” “Victor always retained his humanity.” She placed a hand on his forearm. “You saw to that, didn’t you? When you made sure his first taste for blood was from animals, not humans.” “I didn’t want him to get caught murdering humans, that’s all,” he replied but didn’t pull his arm out of her touch. “Oh, no,” she said, her eyes going wide, “that’s it, isn’t it?” Mass looked at her puzzled then his eyes too went wide. “That’s what Gerard is after, isn’t he? He’s out to destroy Victor’s humanity.” “I should…” Maysla started to rise but Mass grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Maysla, we have to let Victor do what he said he would do,” Mass said. “But, Mass…” “No, Maysla, you need to trust Victor. He’s survived this long. He will survive again.” Maysla sat down abruptly on the stones. “But he could die or worse. What if he comes back here, different? Changed?” She thought of his wife, Julie. Julie would be heartbroken. “If he comes back changed, then I will deal with him,” Mass said. Maysla heard a tinge of sadness in his voice. “It probably won’t come to this,” Maysla said. Mass nodded. “Yes, Gerard will probably kill him first.”

146 Lee Pearce Maysla nodded sadly. But only to agree outwardly with her King. Instead, her mind began to plot. If she could get the right help down to Victor before it was too late, then Victor might stand a chance at surviving the next while. An opportunity was going to present itself in a few days. She would have to wait and hoped that Victor had the time as well. A door slammed inside and she heard the shower start up. With a regrettable sigh, she rose. Mass stopped her as she stepped over him. “If I were not King, would you consider me a viable mate?” he asked. She heard none of the trappings of a male ego. It was just one demon feeling the reproductive urge speaking to another. And for this reason, she was turned on, again but she knew what her answer was going to be. Without pausing she said, “You know what I want Mass.” And she continued on into the house. Dake, her middle child and just a teenager, sat at the table pouring cereal into a bowl. A very thin, even as humans went, red-haired older boy sat beside him scooping in large spoonfuls of cereal. She noted he sported an old black eye and a bandage partially covered a newly stitched wound on his left forearm. “Do you want some toast, Jeremy?” she asked moving over the already heating toaster. “Yes, please,” Jeremy said, “ma’am.” “How is football coming?” “Good,” Jeremy said, cautiously. She didn’t blame him. Too much had already been taken away from him. Football was his first love. If that was taken away it would break him. “They made you quarterback yet? I’ve seen you throwing the ball. You’ve got a good arm.” Jeremy shook his head. “Not yet. Coach says I’m still too small.” “That’s okay, Jeremy. Keep eating the way you are and you’ll get big enough yet. I thought you wanted to be quarterback. You

Blood RaptuRe 147 don’t need to be so big for that position.” “Yes, ma’am,” Jeremy said, reaching for two slices of toast and the butter, “competition is fierce for scholarships though so I gotta be ready to play any position at college, whichever college wants me.” “Have you had some offers?” Maysla asked. She thought the human way of giving scholarships to kids to go to school was a good idea. Jeremy nodded while slathering on the butter. “A couple out of state and one nearby.” “Which one do you think you’ll pick?” “I think the one nearby,” Jeremy said, looking down to concentrate on cutting the slices in half. Maysla noticed a slight redness creeping up Jeremy’s neck. “It’s good to have options, Jeremy.” Dake smirked and elbowed Jeremy. “Options, huh, Jer?” Jeremy stuffed the rest of his toast into his mouth but the blush blossomed up to his hairline. Maysla turned her back to the boys, leaning against the counter and grinned. There’s only one thing a boy would blush about. “Coach says he’s going to let Jeremy start in one of the games soon,” Dake said. “That’s great news, Jeremy. Your dad will be proud.” “Yes, ma’am.” The toaster popped, again and Maysla put more slices on their plates. They dug their knives into the butter at the same time, the steel clanging. “Mom!” a shrill voice called from the hallway. “What is it, Sissy?” Maysla called back. “Make Mikos get out of the bathroom,” she wailed, “He’s been in too long.”

148 Lee Pearce As Maysla moved away from the counter, she glanced outside. Mass had disappeared from the yard. Perhaps the sounds of family life had been too much for him and had left for quieter ground. She didn’t blame him. There were days she’d like to escape, too. Mikos was opening the bathroom door as Maysla approached. He sported only a towel around his waist as he turned to go into his bedroom. Maysla wondered when he had grown up. He’d soon be looking for his first mate. The summer gathering would be a perfect place for him to meet some girls. But that was a few months away yet. Sissy, too young to understand any of this, dashed into the bathroom and promptly locked the door as if a human-made lock would stop any of them from breaking through. Maysla turned around and headed back toward the kitchen. “Who needs a ride to school?” she called out. “Not me,” Mikos called back. “I’m getting a lift.” As if in response, she heard a car pull up and a horn honk. Mikos dashed down the hall, pulling on his shoes, his pants and t-shirt askew, grabbed his knapsack and ran out the door. Maysla tried to get a glance of the driver. He or she had long hair. She couldn’t tell the sex or species. Everyone wore long hair these days. Back in the kitchen Dake was putting in two more slices of bread in the toaster. Sissy appeared a few moments later, dressed and washed. Maysla sighed. When she became a teenager, they would have to get another bathroom built on. Sissy grabbed one of the slices of toast when it popped up and even though Dake made a face, gave the other slice to Jeremy, who even though he looked like he could eat the whole loaf, cut it in half and shoved the other half onto Dake’s plate. Maysla smiled. All that Jeremy had been through, he still treated his friends with respect. Maysla grabbed her car keys when they were all done breakfast. “Get your things. We’ve only got a few minutes to get across town.”

Blood RaptuRe 149 Rocks End was a small town. It didn’t take long to get anywhere in it so about six minutes after getting the three kids into the car, Maysla pulled up in front of the school. The high school sat beside the elementary school so that both could share the sports fields and the pool. Sissy leaned over and kissed Maysla’s cheek before dashing out of the car. “Look, Jer, there’s Lizzy,” Dake said. Jeremy blushed the color of his hair as he followed Dake out of the car. Maysla watched in wonder at the human boy as he walked up to the werewolf girl. That boy has a lot of confidence, Maysla thought as she pulled away, or is it ambition? Most humans didn’t stand a chance at attracting the attention of one of the few female werewolves in the area but when she looked out of her rear view mirror, she noticed Lizzy and Jeremy speaking and walking close together into the high school. Maysla returned home. She wanted to get a few hours of rest before returning to the lab to check her results. Mass was nowhere in or outside the house. Maybe he had left for good. She felt a stab of disappointment. At least he could’ve said good bye. She was matron after all.

Chapter Fourteen Gerard’s dinner party was actually the most boring human party Victor had ever attended. The dinner was delicious at least that is what the guests said. Victor ate very little, preferring to stick to the liquids. He almost wished he could get drunk but he had to maintain a clear head. He did not trust his brother and wanted to make sure he had control over what could happen tonight. The pharmaceutical people were already pretty much sold on whatever Gerard had in mind for them. They just needed to have a proper showing. After dinner and before dessert, Gerard took the scientists to another part of the house and ushered them into a small media room. He asked everyone to sit and showed a small presentation on the serum he was creating to give vampires a bit of their humanity back. When the lights came back on, there were many questions. “How successful have been the tests?” “How long does the formula last?” “So how far along are you in creating the formula?” “Can this be used on other supernatural creatures?” “What sort of human applications do you see?” “Can it fix certain diseases that are genetic in nature?” “How about cancer?” “The common cold?” This last question got a certain laugh. It was well-known the cold virus could be cured but the amount of revenue generated from selling so-called cold remedies was astronomical. It kept most companies afloat so they could continue the higher-profile research for other killer human diseases. “Gentleman, I am very happy to answer all your questions,” Gerard said, “but first let me say that the answers are in the

152 Lee Pearce briefs I gave you earlier.” “Then why the song and dance, Gerard?” a man with a Texan accent asked. Victor was wondering the same. “Gentleman,” Gerard looked crest-fallen, “To continue such research requires funds and facilities I do not have at my disposal.” “What more do you need?” another man, a CEO Victor recognized from the mid-eastern states spoke up. He was affiliated with one of the universities. Gerard pressed the remote in his hand and a partially built structure came up on the screen. “Gentlemen, this is the new Maher Research Facility and Laboratory.” “You’ve already broken ground?” the Texan asked. “Where?” “Outside Charleston here,” Gerard said. “It is my home. I wish to be close to family.” He glanced at Victor but Victor did not recognize it for what it was at first. “But what if my people don’t want to fund a facility located here?” a third man spoke up. He represented interests located in either Washington or Oregon. Victor couldn’t rightly remember. “I believe your people,” Gerard stressed the last two words as he struggled to keep his temper, “will either have to bow out or show they have the guts to stay in the game.” “What game is it you wish to play?” the CEO asked. He would be interested. Locating another school next to this facility would draw in a lot of students and rich ones at that. His school would be well-thought of for bringing its formidable reputation into the southern United States. “If you would be so kind as to direct your attention here,” Gerard said and he flipped through a few more slides. Each showed numbers of personnel employed, the cost of construction, benefits to the local community, and when finished, again the numbers required to run the facility, the revenue generated and the profits realized. Victor heard the requisite oohs and aahs.

Blood RaptuRe 153 The last slide showed the investment being asked for. Silence. “That’s…that’s a hell of a lot of dollars,” the Texan said. “We’d have to do a partnership if we were to find those funds,” a yet unheard from woman spoke up. “And sharing really isn’t your strong suit, is it?” another man chuckled. “For that kind of money, we’d have to look at a ninety-nine year clause,” the CEO said. “That’s if this serum actually works,” the woman spoke again. Gerard held up his hands. “Gentlemen, as you know, the supernatural community has nothing but time to give you. You have no fear of this. You and your next few generations will be reaping the profits from this serum for a very long time.” “Can we see this serum in action? Can you give us a real time test?” As if on cue, the door opened and the young vampire entered followed by two older vampires, one carrying a briefcase, the other pushing a heart monitor on a cart. The young boy walked up to Gerard and turned around to face the audience. “What is your name?” Gerard asked. “Peter Sulinsky,” he replied, his voice as young as he seemed. “How old are you, Peter?” “I am nearly ninety years old, sir,” Peter said. This brought about a few more aaahs. Knowing a vampire’s age always shocked humans. Victor wondered if they knew how old Gerard was. Behind Gerard, one of the older vampires had set down the briefcase and opened it. The other vampire turned the monitor so the audience could see it. He began to pull out the electrodes as Peter unbuttoned his shirt. “How old were you when you were changed?” “I was fifteen, sir.” He pulled open his shirt so the other vampire could fasten on the electrodes.

154 Lee Pearce “And are you here on your volition?”

Peter looked at Gerard blankly.

Gerard smiled. “Are you here because you want to be?”

Peter nodded and beamed. “Yes, sir. And I…I could use the

money, too, sir.” He said looking hopeful. “Ah, the American way,” Gerard said. Laughter broke out. Even Victor couldn’t help but to chuckle. Money fueled the U.S. economy. Everyone understood its value. Gerard glanced over his shoulder. One of the vampires was slowly filling the syringe. “Can you tell these people how it was that you came to be a vampire?” he asked as the second vampire attached wires to Peter’s electrodes. The heart monitor began a slow beeping. “Oh, sir, it was during the Great Depression. You see, my family was starving and I was approached by a man who asked me if I would like to never feel hungry again. I knew what he was so I asked him why me. He said he needed a servant to help with his business and wondered if I would like to join him. I knew I was in terrible straights but I knew I had a chance here to see my family well again. So’s we struck a bargain. My family got lots of money to live on and I got a lifetime job.” “You didn’t mind being changed into a vampire?” the woman asked. “No, ma’am,” Peter replied. He held out his arm as Gerard swabbed it with an alcoholic wipe. Victor realized this was just for show. Peter wouldn’t be changed long enough to become infected by a dirty needle. “In fact it made my job much easier. You see, I didn’t need to sleep so much, nor eat so much. My appetite went down. I was much better at doing my job.” This got a quietly positive grunt from some of the human men. Victor thought he might be sick. He had never heard such a story from a vampire before. Most vampires were not asked. They were taken and if lucky to remain alive, made. Victor

Blood RaptuRe 155 figured Gerard had made up the story for Peter to tell. Anything to gain the audience’s sympathy and they believed every word. Or at least some of them did. The woman in the back looked suspicious. Gerard took the needle from the vampire behind him, held it up and then with a nod from Peter, jabbed it into his arm. He put in just a few cc’s of the serum before withdrawing the needle. Peter took several deep breaths. Within a few seconds his skin began to grow pinker. He flexed his fingers, hands and then arms as the blood began to flow faster. The heart monitor responded by speeding up. Soon it settled into a steady familiar­ to-humans rhythm. Gerard pointed to the monitor. “That, ladies and gentleman, is the pace at which a human heart, a healthy human heart might I add, pumps.” Applause erupted. The audience jumped to its feet swarming Peter. They touched his skin, felt his pulse, shot questions at him incessantly. Victor heard the heart monitor speed up as Peter felt the pressure of the closeness of the people. Victor listened fascinated. The serum obviously did work. It had been tried out on two vampires now. If he could get enough to last just long enough for him to be with Julie and if they timed it right, they could become pregnant. But what would it cost him? His brother would never give it to him freely. Anything he asked of his brother would come at a cost. Victor hung back and watched his brother work the room. He fielded inquiry after inquiry, always putting off the offers saying he would be taking bids come a week today starting at noon. He wanted his guests to go over the research data and make absolutely sure they wanted in on this from the ground up. They laughed at this considering the building was already at least one floor up from the ground. A few of the guests attempted to persuade Victor to their side. He just waved them off saying he wasn’t even an employee of Gerard’s company and that he had no say in what his brother did. The woman who had begged poverty also hung back. He

156 Lee Pearce could see her watching the competition closely. At one point she was standing back at the bar, having her drink refreshed by the bartender. She had turned her back to the group, particularly Gerard, and was typing into her cell phone. She looked up at one point, saw Victor watching her, waved her phone at him and mouthed the word “kids”. He nodded in sympathy but they both knew he knew she was lying. He didn’t care. Whatever espionage happened here would have happened outside of these walls also. The heart monitor began to slow and Peter was ushered out of the room, still hooked up. Victor followed them out into the corridor, maintaining a discrete distance. The three vampires walked to the end of the hallway and came to a stop in front of a panel. It slid open and they stepped into a small elevator. Immediately, Peter began yanking off the cables and electrodes. “Get this shit off me,” Peter said. “Just hold on, Pete,” one of the vampires said, angrily. “You know he doesn’t want anyone to see.” “I don’t effing care,” Peter said, just as angry. “I am so effing hungry. That she-bitch had better be ready for me. And I don’t care if she cries this time. I’m going to have my fill.” Then the doors slid shut. Victor heard the whir of machinery as the elevator descended. Shocked at the change in Peter, Victor knew he had to investigate the lower level. Now would be the perfect time with Gerard still busy with his guests. He had seen a staircase beside the kitchen entrance. That would be the place to start. He turned and came up short. The woman was standing directly behind him. He gasped in surprise and scented werewolf. It was very faint but he had no trouble recognizing it. “Tell me Mr. Maher,” she said, bringing her hand up to her hair, pulling it out of her ponytail and down across her well-dressed bosom, “just what do you think of your brother’s invention?” “I have no comment,” he replied, leaning in close, “but can

Blood RaptuRe 157 you tell me why a Were is interested in a vampire serum?” She stiffened for just a second then relaxed once again but it was enough for him to know he was right. She decided to play it straight. “I am here representing parties who have an interest in Mr. Maher’s other experiments.” “Other?” Victor said, his turn to be taken aback. She reached up to her jacket, slipped open the single button at her waist and pushed her hand inside. Victor’s pulse quickened. He wasn’t sure if it was because she might be reaching for a weapon or if it was because her athletic form reminded him so much of Julie. Either way, he was disappointed when she pulled her hand back out holding a small white business card, the jacket flap closing neatly shut. “If you were to perhaps discover some information about these other experiments,” she said handing over the card, “I would most appreciate a phone call.” Victor took the card. It had only a name and a phone number printed on its surface. “Why should I trust you?” “Because you don’t trust your brother,” she said, leaning in close so he could smell her again. “And you’re going to need a friend soon once your brother starts showing his true nature. Again.” Victor stiffened this time. How much did she know about his past? About their past? Before he could ask the last of the guests left the room followed by Gerard. “My darling Vanessa, was it? I thought you had all but given up,” Gerard said, holding out his arms as if to embrace her. She smiled at Victor and turned to face Gerard. “Why Mr. Maher, it is not over until the last horse has crossed the finish line. If there is a deal to be struck, then I will find a way to strike. Now did you say you had cherries jubilee for dessert? My I do so hope there is a little bit left for me.” She glanced over her shoulder at Victor before allowing herself to be swept up by Gerard and taken back to the dining room.

158 Lee Pearce Victor tucked the business card into his shirt pocket. He had gotten the horse reference. Anyone who knew anything about him would know he currently lived on a ranch. But what they might not know is his penchant for betting on horses that seemed to lose. His bad luck but of course it was on purpose. He and Julie and Brad raised horses that won, a lot. If he were seen betting on any of those then he’d be banned from the race tracks so instead he went to watch his colts run and to keep up appearances, bet on the losers. Miss Vanessa was telling him that she knew all about him but also telling him where to find her if need be. After another couple hours of socializing, the guests finally all departed. It was close to midnight when only he and Gerard were left alone in the dining room. Gerard chewed on an expensive cigar. Victor indulged himself in a brandy. “You garnered a lot of interest tonight,” Victor said. “That was the plan,” Gerard said, waving the cigar about the air, creating one huge cloud of smoke around his head. “And what was the purpose of giving them a week? You know word will spread and more companies will want a piece of the action.” Gerard smiled. “Nothing like keeping the competition busy.” “More like at each other’s throats.” Gerard leaned forward. “Now, you’re getting the idea. You’ll make a fine businessman in no time.” “Gerard, I…” but Victor was interrupted by the entrance of Peter and the other two vampires. Peter had blood stains on his shirt but showed no other signs of having just fed. Victor could smell the human blood on him though. “Well done tonight,” Gerard said. “You think?” Peter said coming directly over to Gerard and wrapping his arms around him from behind giving him a quick hug. Victor was a little taken aback. He hadn’t expected Gerard to

Blood RaptuRe 159 allow a vampire to be so friendly. “You were wonderful,” Gerard said. “How was your snack?” “Deeelicious,” Peter said, licking his lips then he put on a pout. “Next time does she have to be chained? I do enjoy a good chase.” “This way is much neater, Peter,” Gerard said, patting his arm. “You can be so messy when you let your nature get away from you.” “Oh, all right,” Peter said, rising from the chair. “Shall I draw your bath for you now?” “Yes, my dear,” Gerard said. “I shall be up shortly.” Peter left the room, closing the door behind him. Victor looked at his brother. “You and he?” Gerard nodded. “I am the older man who saved him from a slow meaningless death.” “His story? It was true?” “Partially. I met him and his parents on the road. They had stopped for the night and were just settling down to sleep when I took Peter. I turned him the first night and then let him lose. He killed the rest of his family himself. Made a mess of it of course, but don’t we all at first, so I cleaned up after him. Then he just stuck around me so I taught him some manners and etiquette. He’s been with me ever since.” “That is very charitable of you,” Victor said, trying to not sound disgusted. Gerard just grinned. “Well, he is more than just a servant to me.” Victor just nodded. Gerard suddenly stood. “Victor, there is blood in the smaller refrigerator in the kitchen. Do help yourself. I notice you barely indulged yourself at dinner. If you require anything else to help you go to sleep tonight, do not hesitate to ask one of the guards. They can find anything or anyone for you.”

160 Lee Pearce Victor nodded once again. “Thank you, Gerard, but if you don’t mind I saw some interesting books in your library. I might indulge myself there.” Gerard tipped his head. “If that is what you wish, then help yourself. Now I must not leave Peter alone for too long. He does like to sulk.” Victor waited for his brother to leave the room and go up stairs before he rose and made his way through the dining room to the den just off it. He spent some time looking at the books, taking one off the shelf, reading a page or two, putting it back and selecting another. He continued in this manner for part of the night. The guard checked on him every half hour or so until he became bored and Victor heard him settle into a chair near the front door. Victor waited a while more to see if the guard made anymore rounds then carrying his book, he made his way quietly to the kitchen. He stood near the smaller fridge and waited. Not more than five minutes passed before the guard came looking for him. Victor stood with the fridge door open staring at the hundreds of bottles of blood. When the guard paused at the kitchen door, he looked up, trying his best to look bewildered and said, “So many choices. I just don’t know which one. Do you have a suggestion?” The guard shrugged. “Mr. Maher would like you to help yourself.” Victor grabbed one of the animal brands and closed the fridge door popping the blood into the microwave. As the oven hummed he looked at the guard. “I’ll just take this up to bed. I supposed Mr. Maher has a busy day planned for me later on.” “Good night, sir,” the guard said, not falling for the bait and walked away. As he waited for the microwave to finish, he glanced out the kitchen window into the back yard. He saw a parked van, its two back doors open. Two other guards, carrying a large sack between them, appeared from the ground, most likely a

Blood RaptuRe 161 storm cellar, and hefted the bag into the van. It appeared quite heavy and awkward. Victor thought it seemed about the size of a human body. He remembered Peter’s comments about “her” being tied up. Had Peter killed the woman he had fed upon? They closed the doors quietly and jumped into the front seats. The van drove away. Victor had a feeling it would be pointless for him to do any snooping tonight. The guards were way too on edge and he had to work at gaining their trust. That might be his best chance. A few minutes later in his room, he sipped at the blood as he stripped off his clothes. Victor too was curious as to what Vanessa had meant by Gerard’s other experiments. Maybe he should look her up later on. As he climbed into bed, a great weariness came over him. He glanced at the partially emptied bottle and vaguely wondered if Gerard had drugged the bottle. Then he fell asleep. The moon was shining through his windows when he finally struggled awake. His mouth was dry and his body felt stiff. He stumbled to the shower and turned on the hot water hoping it would loosen up his muscles. He hadn’t felt this way since the last time he had slept for more than a few hours. Wondering how long he had been asleep, he found his cell phone lying on the night table. He hadn’t remembered putting it there but then a lot of the previous night, he did not remember. The cell phone read 9:45 p.m. Wednesday evening. He’d slept through two full days. The bottle of blood had disappeared so he couldn’t check it for drugs and Gerard had probably gotten rid of the supply in the refrigerator below. His clothes were still piled on a chair and he rifled through his shirt pocket. The card was still tucked away safe. Now he just needed an excuse to go out. That did not seem to be a problem. A new guard stopped him near the front door. “Good evening, Mr. Maher,” he said, “Mr. Maher has just

162 Lee Pearce gone out for dinner. He said if you would care to join him, I was to bring a car around for you.” “That won’t be necessary,” Victor said. “I can drive myself. I assume the car has GPS?” “Yes, sir.” The guard handed Victor a set of keys. “It is the Mercedes to the left sir.” He scribbled some coordinates on a piece of paper. “Here is the location. Have a good evening, sir.” Victor stuffed the paper into his pocket and headed out the door. He found the car, got in, revved the engine and raced down the driveway barely checking on the street for traffic. He didn’t need to. He hadn’t heard any cars so knew he was all right. Once a few blocks away, he pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Vanessa’s number. On the second ring, she picked up. “What took you so long?” she asked. “Let’s just say I won’t be drinking much there anymore.” “Oh,” Vanessa said, speaking volumes. “We should meet.” “First thing, I assume the car you’re driving has GPS? You have to park it and grab a taxi.” She proceeded to give Victor directions to the closest bar and then what to tell the taxi driver. Fifteen minutes later, Victor stood alone outside an abandoned fair grounds watching the taxi speed away. A pickup truck turned into the parking lot a minute later and pulled up beside him. Two more trucks pulled over by the curb and waited, their engines still on. Vanessa rolled down the window. “You alone?” Victor nodded. “Get in.” “Where are we going?” Victor asked once the truck was in motion. The two other trucks followed at a discrete distance. “To meet the area patriarch,” she said. “He is very interested in meeting you.” “Why is that?” Victor asked trying to not to imagine the

Blood RaptuRe 163 hundreds of reasons the werewolf leader would like to kill him. “You’re a legend among them, Victor. No other vampire has kept another werewolf alive and then fallen in love and actually committed to her. And to boot, you are a Maher.” “Oh, so is he going to kill me after showing his respect?” Vanessa grinned. “Guess you’re going to have to be patient.” They drove for a couple minutes in silence. The streets of Charleston had gone quiet. “What’s your story?” Victor asked. “You’re not a full-blood yet the clan let’s you live here?” She jerked her head in surprise at him. “You can tell what percentage of wolf blood I have?” “I can sense if you’re a hundred percent or not. That is all.” “My great-grandparents were a hundred percent. My grandfather married a human. My mother married a human. So my blood has been thinned out.” “And they still let you be involved with clan politics?” “They discovered how useful I can be after I had proven my loyalty.” “Proven?” She nodded and held out her right forearm. It showed five healed welts. “Who do you work for?” “Like I said interested parties.” “Interested in what? Interested in stopping Gerard?” “Wait to hear our side, Victor, before you make any judgments.” She pulled into a packed parking lot on the outskirts of Charleston. A small building sat surrounded by motorcycles and pickup trucks. Vanessa looked upset as she pulled up in front of the doors. “What’s wrong?” Victor asked.

164 Lee Pearce “I don’t know,” she said, looking at him over the hood of the truck. “Maybe this was a mistake.” The doors burst open. A burly, biker-type stood in the doorway. “Vanessa, what are you doing? Get our guest in here before anyone else sees him.” “You’re the one who wanted the convoy following me,” she muttered glancing at him sidelong as she led Victor into the brightly lit interior. Several tables of poker were in session as Victor entered the main part of the bar. At the far end was the requisite stage and poles for the strippers. At this time of night they must not be the main attraction. Victor got barely a glance even though he could sense the tension in the room rise as he followed Vanessa to the back. One thing Victor noticed was this bar was all werewolves. In a city as large as Charleston the other supernatural creatures must have their own bars. He hated to think discrimination was rampant here. The single door was not guarded and Vanessa knocked twice before entering. Three men, one seated, two standing looked up as they entered. Each wore tailored shirts looking like they had just come from a business meeting. Victor wondered what type of meeting would be held this time of night. “Victor, this is Niam Merde, our Patriarch,” Vanessa said, “Niam, this is Victor Maher from Rocks End.” The seated man stood. He had the look of a patriarch, well muscled and scarred on his face, neck and any other bits of skin Victor could see. “Welcome to Charleston,” Niam said, pointing to one of the chairs about his desk. The other two wolves moved away. “These are my brothers, Chris and Abe.” Victor nodded at them and only when Vanessa took a seat did he settle in to the other chair. “You wanted to see me?” Normal protocol for visiting pack members was to get formal permission to enter the other pack’s territory. Victor had not considered getting permission for he was not an official member

Blood RaptuRe 165 of Stephen’s pack. He was not a werewolf and therefore was never considered for initiation. He was only involved in pack business because of his marriage to Julie, the pack and town matron. “I wanted to meet the brother of Gerard Maher,” Niam said, tenting his hands in front of his face as he leaned back in his chair. Victor felt like a bug under a microscope. “I understand there is some tension between my brother and your pack,” Victor said. Chris let out a small laugh which he quickly covered with a cough when Niam glanced his way. “Your brother has been suspected of bringing about harm to some of my members,” Niam said. “Female members in fact.” “Harm?” Victor asked, feeling a chill as he remembered the strangely wrapped object being hoisted into the van a couple nights ago. “How much do you know of his experiments?” “Very little.” “Can you find out more?” “I believe I can, but why would you trust me?” Niam continued to stare at Victor for a moment as if choosing his next words carefully. “We have mutual friends who want to see you remain alive. They say we can trust you.” Mass. Victor sighed. “I have come to question some of the things my brother does. But I still don’t see the connection between him and you.” Niam nodded toward Chris and Abe. They rose and went out the door. Niam stood once the door had closed and walked around to a bookcase. He stood in front of several rows of frames with groups of people, glancing from frame to frame. “Like the humans we’ve had our share of troubles with our growing kids,” he began, “Runaways, drug addicts, prostitutes. Some have managed to find their way home, some are still

166 Lee Pearce missing. Those who come home often come home alive. Lately though, we’ve had a few show up not so alive.” “I’m sorry,” Victor said. He couldn’t imagine any of his kids ending up dead. “We believe your brother has something to do with their deaths,” Niam turned around. “How? These supposed experiments?” Niam stared at him, his face suddenly hard. “We have proof of your brother’s supposed experiments, Victor.” A cell phone rumbled on his desk. He leaned over and picked it up. “If you would come with me.” He headed toward the door, yanking it open. Victor and Vanessa followed him through the bar to behind the stage. Another door led out into a large warehouse. They walked past several shelves holding cases of glasses and mugs and other dinnerware as well as chips and pretzels and other foodstuffs. A walk-in cooler came next. Victor could see cases of beer sitting on the shelves. Beside it stood a freezer. Niam continued past and turned just beyond the freezer. The back end of the wall was a large garage door for receiving. It could fit a transport truck in quite easily. Probably made loading in the hot summer weather easier. Victor came up short when he saw a pickup truck sitting beside the freezer. The tailgate had been lowered. Lying on a familiar-looking mudstained white sheet was a teenage girl. Her clothes were torn as if she had been fighting and large gashes showed up on her chest and thighs as if she had been beaten repeatedly. As Victor got closer, he could see the tooth marks on her neck. He felt sick. Had Peter done this to her? Was she the girl he had talked about? He stepped closer and then grabbed the sheet and yanked her body toward him. Chris and Abe went to grab him but he shook them off like flies. Remembering where he was, he looked at Niam. “I need to look at her face,” he said, grimly.

Blood RaptuRe 167 Niam nodded once, his own face pale. Up this close, he could smell the beginnings of decay. If she had truly been dead for two days she should have reeked with death. Maybe she wasn’t the girl Peter had fed upon. He gently pried open her mouth. Her canine teeth were longer than normal for a werewolf in human form. In fact, they were longer than a vampire’s in any form. He touched the tip of one, piercing his finger. He withdrew his hand and holding up his finger to Niam, asked, “How is this possible?” “It isn’t,” Niam said. “Then how is it she is a vampire and a werewolf?” Victor shook his head. Gerard? Is this what Vanessa meant as one of his other experiments? “How many more have there been?” “Only two others that we have found.” “All female?” Niam nodded. “We figure it’s because they are easier to subdue. Females tend to look abroad for fulfillment. Our males tend to stick to their own kind.” Victor ran his hand around the rest of her head, touching her ears, then he grabbed her shoulders and started to lift the body. A warning growl behind him made him stop. Without turning around, he spoke. “I’m checking for the start of the wings. If she had truly become a vampire she would have needed to have fed. Human blood will start the breakdown of the cartilage in her upper chest in preparation for the wings.” “Why is this important?” Niam asked. “It will tell me how successful the process was,” Victor said, still not moving. All creatures were similar in that they did not appreciate the desecration of a body. Still no one spoke. “Please,” he said, “this is important. It will also tell me how long she was in this state.” “Go ahead,” Niam said. “Damn it all, Niam,” Chris said. “He’s one of them. He doesn’t care.”

168 Lee Pearce “Niam, you know we didn’t want him here,” Abe said, “Now he’ll go back and report to his brother.” Victor took this moment of confusion to reach beneath her body. Niam had told him to continue. Pressing against the dry skin, he felt the firmness of her ribs and spine. Her back had not started to collapse into itself. He carefully laid her back down on the sheet and examined the fang marks. The two holes had tear marks meaning she had been awake when fed upon. She had struggled so had been coherent enough to realize what was happening. She had only been fed upon once. He looked closer. Twice. He noticed the nearly healed marks of an earlier puncture. So her werewolf genes had kicked in to heal her body. Remembering Julie’s healing times, he guessed she had been bitten the day prior to the one that killed her. As the brothers continued to argue, Victor grabbed the edges of the sheet to pull it over her body. He rubbed the sheet between his fingers, memorizing its feel. The thread count was high, the sheet slipping like silk through his hand. Anyone could have a white sheet but not many could afford this high a quality. It felt like the sheets on his bed. A pair of hands reached over to help him. Vanessa looked at him curiously but said nothing as she helped him wrap the body. They both turned around as the brothers continued to argue. “I’m done,” Victor said. “Did you get what you needed?” Niam asked. The brothers went silent. Victor nodded. “She’d been changed for only a short while, maybe three days. I don’t think it was done naturally.” Again, more growls. “I mean by a vampire’s bite,” Victor explained. “I believe it was medically induced. You think Gerard has something to do with this?” Niam nodded. “I want you to find out what you can. We need to get him stopped.”

Blood RaptuRe 169 “Why would my brother do this?” “Why wouldn’t he? Just imagine the strength of a werewolf matched with the immortality of a vampire. The new race would be invincible.” And the demons would be even less powerful, Victor thought. “We know you have your own issues with your brother,” Niam said, “and that perhaps you might need help from some friends while you’re here in town.” Victor had never considered this. He wanted the newly formulated elixir. He didn’t want anyone else getting in his way though. But help? He had never once considered he would need help. “What I need from my brother I can get on my own,” Victor said. “Then let me put this another way, Victor,” Niam said. “I need someone on the inside who can find out what is going on.” “You want me to spy for you?” Niam was already shaking his head. “You would be too obvious. Your brother doesn’t trust anyone.” He moved over beside Vanessa and put his arm around her waist. She looked up at him, suspicious. “You need to take someone in with you whom your brother does not suspect just yet.” He gently pushed her toward Victor. She gasped with surprise. “Niam?” “My dear, I need you to cozy up to Victor, become his girlfriend while he is away from home, so to speak,” he said in a soothing voice. “You’ve already introduced yourself to Gerard. He would be suspicious if you didn’t try to gain favor with someone in his organization.” “But Niam, Victor is married. He wouldn’t…” “Oh, but he would,” Niam said, now eyeing Victor. “You see if he didn’t, then it might get out to Gerard about this little

170 Lee Pearce meeting and his brother might not be so open-minded about Victor’s visit.” “Niam I do not…” Victor began. “Oh, but you do, Victor. You see, most vampires need to indulge their appetites while away from the trough,” Niam said, pushing Vanessa practically into Victor’s arms. Vanessa spun around angrily. “Niam, I will not become his plaything just because you need a spy,” she said, stalking back to him. He stared her down. “You will do as I say,” his voice low and threatening, “and I might just let your little romance play out.” She started to speak, her mouth open then she slammed it shut and walked back to Victor’s side. “All right, but there will be no sucking of blood or sex. Got it?” Niam shrugged. “I will leave that up to you two to discuss.” Victor agreed. There would be no sucking of blood or sex. Besides he didn’t want to face the other half of Vanessa’s “little romance”. “All right,” Victor agreed reluctantly, “but only long enough to get her inside the house. After that she’s on her own.”

Chapter Fifteen Five days after Victor had left Rocks End, Julie found herself in front of a large set of glass doors leading toward the darkened interior of the newly built Superstore. Standing between two werewolves both clearly trying to invade her personal space while still trying to look respectful, Julie glared at both until they got the hint she did not appreciate their macho maneuverings especially with Brad standing just a few feet away looking more amused than bemused. If Victor had been here, he too would have been trying to hide his laughter at her discomfort. Julie held on to an over sized pair of scissors and thought she might soon have to plunge their tips into somebody’s gut if one of them didn’t give her at least a foot more of breathing room. The taller, broader man leaned a little closer. “Miss Julie, I’d like to invite you and yours over for dinner this Saturday night.” She looked at him, sideways, stunned. He had never invited her over before. “Your Honor? What is the occasion?” “Just a small gathering of the clan,” he said, “I don’t get to see my pack’s Matron very often.” “You know you can come visit us anytime,” Julie said, trying not to cringe. “You are the triplets’ great uncle.” Mayor Greenley, being Lizzie and Stephen’s uncle, was related to her children through marriage . The Greenley males tended to have aggressive natures, as did many werewolves, so she had never encouraged many visits by distant relatives. Once or twice a year was enough until the kids could fend for themselves, and in her view, their twenties was a perfect age. While she had been growing up, it had been expected for her to marry Stephen Greenley, her best friend, but he had instead chosen her brother, Mark, for his partner. It had never been questioned as Stephen had inherited the title of patriarch just a few days prior to making his relationship public. Stephen was still expected to produce heirs. Continuing the lineage was very

172 Lee Pearce important to the pack in Rocks End. It was one of the smaller packs on the continent and its tenuous hold on its own territory often came into question. Neighboring packs could easily swallow up their town and no one would even notice except the other supernaturals, of course. Julie, as matron, became the judge over most civil matters for the townspeople. She solved marital disputes, land squabbles, personality disputes and lots of other matters that would normally clog up the sheriff’s office. Her job kept her busy most days and she used her family’s ranch house as the meeting place. She tried to meet with people one at a time but sometimes she had to do a form of group therapy if too many people showed up about the same problem. It was actually a very effective solution. She did this all for free, of course, but often found gifts at her door, mysteriously delivered during the night. People would stop her while in town and thank her. She’d find her family’s lunch bills at the diner already paid by the time she had finished her meal. She was glad her job was valued within the community. Julie was proud of the successes she had had. “I have been remiss in my visits to the family,” Uncle Josh said, sounding just a little contrite. “It’s all right, Uncle Josh,” Julie said, “they are still quite young. You mentioned a small clan gathering on Saturday? Anything we need to be concerned about?” “No, nothing,” he replied, a little too quickly, looking out at the crowd, “we’re just going to review some items that have been put off for too long. Nothing you need to worry about.” Julie was about to say something more when the other werewolf, the store manager, turned and nodded to her. “We should get started.” As Julie stepped up to the ribbon tied between two of the cement posts sitting at the threshold of the store, she glanced at Uncle Josh. Something in his voice had made her feel uneasy. He had never been one to make small talk but the tone of his voice told her he was hiding something. He now stood waving

Blood RaptuRe 173 and smiling to the crowd, acting as a mayor should. The store manager introduced Mayor Greenley who said a few words. Julie cut the ribbon and they all stood back as the large crowd filed into the store. She and Brad followed, putting the triplets into carts. “What did the mayor want?” Brad asked a few minutes later as they stood in the paper goods aisle and scanned the rows of toilet paper. “He’s invited us all to dinner Saturday,” Julie said. “Said there’ll be a meeting after to clear up some things.” “Clear up? What?” Brad asked, grabbing a large package with kittens on the wrap. He placed it in the cart. “Grrrr….” Brad Jr said, reaching for the package. He stuck his thumb through the plastic wrap, taking out the kitten’s eyeball. “Bradley,” Julie said, her voice low in warning. “Bad kittie,” Brad Jr said, pulling out his finger. “It’s only a picture,” Julie replied, moving the package to the front of the cart. Brad Jr turned around, put his elbows on the hand rail and cupped his chin in his hands, sulking. “Did something happen between you and one of the barn cats?” Julie asked. Before he could answer, an annoying clatter of wheels made them turn their heads. Maysla and a young teenage demon boy came to a halt in the middle of the aisle, staring at them. Julie smiled awkwardly. “Hello, Maysla, when did you get back?” Julie asked, her heart pounding. If Maysla had returned to Rocks End, where was Victor? “A couple days ago,” the demon Matron spoke, starting to back out of the aisle. “And Victor?” Julie said, stepping out beside her cart. If she had to, she’d grab Maysla’s cart to get her to talk. She hadn’t

174 Lee Pearce heard from Victor in a week and if something had happened to him, she wanted to know. “Is he still in Charleston?” “He stayed,” Maysla said, her eyes darting up and down the aisle. “He met up with some old friends and thought he should spend some time with them.” “Where? Is there a number I can reach him? He’s not responding to his cell phone.” Maysla was already shaking her head as if she had read Julie’s mind. “No, no number. They’re, uh, sailors and were going to be out on the ocean for awhile.” “Sailing?” Julie asked, startled. “He’s gone off sailing?” She glanced at Brad, who shrugged. It didn’t make any sense. Victor knew about his son and that they should be getting pregnant soon. He would not have left for an extended period of time when they had very little time themselves. Julie heard the clatter of Maysla’s cart and reflexively grabbed the front, jerking it to a stop. Maysla looked at Julie startled. “What is really going on, Maysla?” The demon Matron licked her lips nervously. She started to speak but a very tall, very well-built demon male stepped around the end of the aisle and walked up behind Maysla. The teenage demon ducked out of the way, going around to Maysla’s other side. Julie felt Brad step up close behind her, his hand resting protectively on the cart with Sara and Carl. “Is there a problem, Maysla?” the demon male asked, his deep voice reverberating off the shelves. “No, no problem, Mass,” Maysla said, barely looking over her shoulder at him. “This is Victor’s wife, Julie, and her second husband, Brad.” Mass smiled widely. Julie swore she saw pointy teeth. When she blinked, his teeth looked human, once again. Darn demons. Always feeling they have to put up camouflage, she thought. “It is good to finally meet you two,” he glanced at the children, “and

Blood RaptuRe 175 you three. Victor told me how much he loved being a father.” Loved? Julie’s hair stood up on her neck. She sensed Brad shifting his stance as if ready for a fight. Sara’s young voice piped up. “It’s all right, Mommy. Mass is Daddy Victor’s friend. A long time ago, he helped Daddy Victor get his teeth and his wings.” Startled, Julie could only stare at her daughter. Brad’s quickly indrawn breath betrayed his surprise. Mass broke out with laughter, his voice booming off the roof. Julie looked at Mass and couldn’t help but smile. “You have a very perceptive daughter,” Mass said, between breaths, “Yes, ma petite, I helped Victor make the change from his mortal body. He had done us demons a very great favor and we felt beholden to ensure he survived the change that had been forced upon him. How is it you know so much for one so young?” Sara just smiled and started to pick at the daisy on her t-shirt. Julie thought it best to not let too many people know about the connection Sara shared with Victor. “Victor must have told her some of his stories,” Julie said. “Do you have a number where I can reach Victor? We miss him and are wondering how he is doing.” “Ah, vampires,” Mass said, raising his eyebrows in a sympathetic gesture, “time to them is meaningless. He has allowed the lure of the sea to capture him once again. He always was a difficult one to get to settle down.” Julie felt irritation building. Just give me a damn phone number, she wanted to scream at them. Not a very matronly way to act but she was at the point of wanting to go werewolf on them. Tear off a limb or a head. Not something you would see every day in the paper towel aisle. Mass was wrong. Victor was very happy to settle down with them. He loved this family as much as if the children were of his own making. And then there was the vision of his child. Mass put a hand on Maysla’s shoulder and she began to back the cart out of the aisle.

176 Lee Pearce “Where did you last leave him?” Julie asked, trying not to sound desperate. “Where did he sail out of?” “Charleston, South Carolina,” Maysla said, turning the cart in the main aisle toward the front of the store. That had been the last time she’d spoken to Victor. “Why was he there?” Julie asked feeling as if she was missing a big piece of this story. “Ask your other husband,” Maysla said, glancing behind Julie. “He has met Victor once before.” Then she was gone. Julie glanced at Brad. He looked puzzled at first then realization dawned on him. “Oh, my Go…gosh. The poker game.” Sara giggled. The two boys laughed out loud. On the drive home, Brad told Julie an interesting story. “I don’t think Victor remembers me from that day. He was rather busy, you see, and it all happened so fast.” “What happened?” Julie asked, sipping at her take-out coffee. Brad grinned as he looked at Julie. She couldn’t help but smile back. “Well, let’s just say Victor wasn’t cut out to be a robber,” Brad began. “It was around the end of the 1800’s. I had been wandering for about twenty years and found some work as a professional gambler on a steam boat called the River Belle.” “A professional gambler?” Julie asked, “You were paid to gamble?” Brad nodded. “I was never a very good cheat but I could pick ‘em out so I got a job as a professional gambler, someone to make sure the games all stayed legit. It didn’t pay much but I got to live onboard. We travelled out of Charleston and then moved on to the Mississippi River. It was a great time. I got to watch the cities grow larger and larger. The river was used for a lot of trade. I’d get off once and a while and stay in one of the

Blood RaptuRe 177 cities for a week or so, then get back on board.” Brad seemed to get lost in his thoughts so Julie prodded him. “And Victor?” “Victor. Yes, Victor. The River Belle soon became quite popular with the everyday folk when it became known we ran an honest game. It seemed wives felt comfortable letting their husbands come on board to play when they knew their men were not going to lose all of their worldly possessions. Our river trips were soon full to capacity and the ship made a lot of money. My job became more difficult as more and more cheats tried to get some of that money. I never did expect an all-out attack and it was during one of our early morning arrivals, when we were busy counting the money, that a group of pirates boarded the ship.” “Pirate Daddy Victor!” Carl called out. Brad Jr and Sara laughed. “I’m glad they see this as funny,” Julie said, a little perturbed. Brad grinned slyly. “Well, actually, Victor wasn’t a very good thief. It is a rather funny story.” Julie shook her head, still grinning. She found it hard to believe Victor wasn’t good at something. Everything he put his hand to now, he did well and with skill. She supposed there must have been a time he had his weaker moments. “Tell me.” “When they did the final money count at the end of the night,” Brad continued, “I was to stand guard inside the locked door. Two more men stood outside on the deck, keeping watch on the passengers as they disembarked and on anyone else who tried to get on board. More security stood near the gang way and on the dock. It looked like we had every possible angle covered. “The night Victor came, the boss was packaging up the money when I heard some shouts from outside. I called out to the guards outside and they said a fight had broken out among the passengers and our security had gone down to settle it. I waited a few more minutes and when I heard loud thumps on the deck, I knew we were being robbed. The guards outside did

178 Lee Pearce not respond when I called to them. We all pulled out guns. I didn’t like to use one but they didn’t know I was a werewolf so I pulled out mine all the same. “Then I heard the strangest thing.” “What’s that, Daddy?” Carl spoke, his voice breathless with anticipation. Julie smiled. “Well, would you believe, it was a knock at the door.” Brad rapped his knuckles on the dash, twice. “Then I heard a voice.” Brad paused. “What did he say?” Brad Jr asked. “He said ‘Would you be so kind as to open this door?’” “It was Daddy Victor, wasn’t it?” Sara said. Brad nodded. “And he was so polite. I didn’t open the door, of course. I knew what he wanted and it was my job to see that he didn’t get it.” “What did you do?” Carl asked. “I said to Victor ‘I will not be opening this door anytime soon, sir. It would be best if you were to be going on your way.’ And I waited for his response. I waited and I waited some more. I could feel him standing on the other side of the door. I believe he was trying to make up his mind. At that moment, I realized the man on the other side of that door was not a violent man. Most robbers would have shot down the door by that time, killed us all and taken the money. But no, that man was thinking about what to do next. “I tried to reason with him. I tried to make him see the fault in his actions. But he did not go away. I heard voices outside and figured maybe four more men had joined him. By this time, the boss had locked away the money in the safe. He had left out a couple of bags of bills--nothing that would have been missed in the overall deposit--so that when they did finally break in, at least they had something to grab. I could hear him arguing with the other men. It seemed his heart really wasn’t into this

Blood RaptuRe 179 robbery job and he wanted all of them to go. But he didn’t succeed in his attempts to turn his accomplices from their task and they broke down the door. “I was first up and blocked most of the splinters of wood with my arms. I reached out to stop the men from entering but they were like leaves in a hurricane, thin and light and impossible to grab. They got past me and I turned to protect the boss. I was already too late. You see these men were all vampires. They were dressed in seafaring clothes from another time and looked truly as a pirate should. They killed the accountant and left the boss still alive. They had not been fooled by the decoy bags and had frightened him into opening the safe. I knew his life was about to end so I grabbed the closest vampire, taking him by surprise, and broke his neck. I tossed him out the door and upon hearing a splash, realized I had tossed him right over the ship’s rail. I hoped no one had noticed but I didn’t have time to check. “The second vampire leapt at me and we crashed outside against the rail. I was angry by this time. I had managed to put my arm up against his neck and with all of my strength I tossed the vampire up and over my head and over the edge of the boat. As I started back inside the cabin, I saw the open safe and my boss hanging lifelessly from the last vampire’s hand. His neck appeared to be broken. I let lose a warning growl and started forward. I felt a hand on my arm. Victor was shaking his head at me. ‘If you want to live, do not go in there,’ he said.” “The other vampire stepped out of the office, holding several bags in his hand. ‘Kill him and be done, Victor,’ he said. “‘No, I will not. He is one of us.’ “The other vampire stepped up to me and took a long sniff. He looked disgusted. ‘He is but a Were. Dispose of him.’ “‘I will not. Let us depart.’ “The other vampire became even angrier. I thought he was going to harm Victor when he stepped up real close. I prepared myself for a fight. For some reason I felt I might have to protect Victor. The other vampire said, ‘You are not proving yourself

180 Lee Pearce worthy, Victor. In fact you are a disappointment to me. We shall discuss this back on the ship.’ “The vampire leapt into the air and just as Victor was climbing onto the rail to leave, he glanced at me and shrugged. ‘Guess I’m not a very good thief,’ he said. ‘Tell the police when they come, they can find the money on a yacht about twenty miles down river.’ Then he was gone, flying just as the sun began to rise. And that was my only other encounter with Victor, the pirate.” “So was Maysla hinting that Victor had become a pirate, again?” Julie said, thoughtfully. “She had said he had gone back out to sea. Was she trying to warn us?” “To stay away or was she suggesting he needs our help?” Brad said. Julie looked at him sharply. “Do you think he might have been forced to go back to his old life? And what does Charleston mean in all of this?” “Piracy still exists,” Brad said. “Charleston was one of the cities the pirates made their home when they grew tired of being chased by the American and British navies.” “I thought a lot of pirates stayed in the Caribbean,” Julie said. “Most pirates were actually private citizens forced to become privateers to live,” Brad explained, “so when most had gained enough wealth to live upon, they chose to live along the coast, populating some of the larger cities. But what I can’t understand is why Victor would return to that life? He was the most unpirate­ like of any pirate I had come to know.” “Oh, and how many pirates have you met?” Brad smiled. “Just enough to realize I didn’t like them and they didn’t like me.” Julie pulled out her cell phone. “I know it’s only been a week but I think I’d like to know how he is doing.” She typed ‘Miss u. How r u? Call if u get minute. Not urgent.’ Hitting send made

Blood RaptuRe 181 her feel rather silly. It had been only a few days. She didn’t want to seem like the clingy type. Victor deserved some time with his friends. Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling something more was up with him. That he might actually be in trouble. “When he responds,” Brad said, “You can find out how he is and how long he is planning to be away.” Julie’s hand inadvertently dropped to her stomach as she looked out the side window. Maybe the blond boy in her vision was not Victor’s child. Maybe it was a child they would adopt later on. Victor was a vampire. His body was clinically dead yet the virus in him kept him functioning. He could not make children. Unless he could be turned back into a human, it was impossible for the two of them to have a baby together.

Chapter Sixteen After wandering around aimlessly for a couple days, Victor finally drove Gerard crazy enough to find him something to do. He found work for Victor down at the docks. The dock manager was not at all impressed but listened to Gerard who told him to teach Victor everything about the shipping business. The manager was not happy at having a Maher hanging about the yard, but Victor never once played the rich playboy card. He worked tirelessly on the docks, driving forklifts when asked, overseeing the unloading of the freighters, and even worked on the books. He did everything he could to learn more about Gerard’s business without causing too much suspicion. The first day when it was near quitting time, he heard a sports car pull up. A door opened and closed and he heard loud wolf whistles before the door to the office opened. Vanessa strode in wearing a skin tight skirt, a blouse opened just enough to show off ample cleavage, and very high heels. The two other men in the office just stared as she stood in the doorway, slowly removing her sun glasses. “Victor?” she asked loudly, “Where is my Victor?” Recognizing the game she was playing, he called out from his back office. “In here, honey-cakes.” As she walked past the two desks, the two men continued to stare, their eyes fixated on her hips. “My, oh my, you’re looking good today,” Victor said, standing and holding his arms out. Vanessa nearly crashed into him, jamming her hips against his, taking his head in her hands and planting a very passionate kiss upon his lips. “I have missed you,” she said when she pulled away. “You didn’t call me once all day.” “I am sorry,” Victor said, letting her step away and continue to lead this charade. “I was busy here at work.”

184 Lee Pearce She turned around so the others could see the pout on her lips. “I know,” she whined, “but you come with me now and let me show you how much I’ve missed you.” Vanessa sauntered across the floor to the door, her hips swaying even more so than before. Victor quickly grabbed his coat thinking he didn’t want her to go back outside alone to face the workers again. As he dashed out after her, he could hear the chuckles from the office staff and realized he was acting like a typical male in heat. Slowing, he knew it had been just a reflex but it had been a good reflex. Vanessa sure knew how to draw it out of him. She was slowly marching down the stairs, her long legs stretching for each wooden step by the time Victor caught up to her. She sauntered across to a small red Mercedes and reached for the driver’s side door handle. Victor caught her hand. “I do believe I should drive,” he said. Vanessa smiled and reached up on tiptoes, her arms going around his neck. “That’s my boy,” she whispered in his ear and then planted another sloppy kiss on his lips. As he stood admiring the car, she strode around to the other side and stood by the door waiting. Victor dashed around and grabbed the door handle, opening it and holding it open for her as she slid in. Victor heard some laughter and tried to look embarrassed as he hurried back to his side of the car. He drove out of the parking lot, squealing the tires in the dirt and raced up the road away from the docks. Once they were out of eyesight, he slowed and eventually pulled into and then behind a gas station. Vanessa smiled broadly. “Was that what you wanted?” Victor grinned back. “I think you made the right impression. It won’t take long for Gerard to hear about your entrance.” “As long as he makes the right assumptions,” Vanessa said. She turned in her seat and pulled out a laptop from behind his seat. “I’ve been studying those documents Gerard sent us. Did you know the research facility he is building is massive in

Blood RaptuRe 185 respect to what his planned usage is? This whole wing in fact,” she circled a section of the U-shaped building on the artist’s mockup with her long slender finger, “is a mystery. It is three floors plus however many floors he puts into the ground that can house hundreds more scientists or patients or both.” “So we should be finding out what his phase two plans are?” Victor said, trying not to notice her low cut blouse. The last time Julie had worn something like that for him was a long time ago. When he finished with Gerard, he was going to take Julie away for a weekend and buy her some nice clothes and then slowly remove them from her body, one article at a time, kissing the just-bared skin. Vanessa snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Hey, lover boy. You with me?” Victor shook his head. “Yes, er, what were you saying?” “You miss her, don’t you?” she said. Feeling awkward sharing his thoughts with another woman, he pointed to the laptop’s screen. “This is a massive undertaking. Gerard must have another lab somewhere else. Do you know where it is?” “We think it can only be on one of those freighters,” she said. “Can you find out which one?” “Shouldn’t be a problem. The manager trusts me now to have access to all of the files, paper and electronic,” he said. “Tomorrow I will do some research.” “Good,” she said, closing up her laptop, “now get us back to my hotel. You’d better spend a few hours there so it looks like we are actually having a physical relationship.” Victor drove away from the gas station grimly. He’d rather have Julie in that hotel but he knew he had to keep up appearances. When they arrived at the hotel, he let the valet drive the car away and walked through the lobby, arm in arm with Vanessa. She giggled all the way across to the elevators. They had to make sure lots of witnesses had seen them come

186 Lee Pearce in. Once in her room, she ordered dinner and made sure his blood arrived at the right temperature or “Mr. Maher would be very upset”. “Are you still going to place a bid on Thursday?” he asked, sitting in an easy chair while she disappeared into the bathroom to change. “We are,” she said. “Do you really have the money?” Vanessa smiled slyly. “I have enough to fool Gerard’s bankers. And when we win, we’ll shut him down.” “It’s not going to be that easy,” he said. “Money will be his downfall,” she said, stepping out into the room. She wore only a negligee and a see-through housecoat. Victor squirmed uncomfortably and started to say something when there was a knock on the door. “Room service,” a voice called. Victor sighed and got up to open the door. A waiter pushed in a cart. He kept his eyes averted to the cart the whole time, but Victor knew he had noticed Vanessa’s state of dress. Vanessa leaned over the cart, lifting the lid from one plate to display a very rare steak. Her negligee bodice strained as gravity took over. “Darling, they did your steak perfectly. Lots of blood.” “That’s wonderful, my sweet,” Victor said as he signed the bill, adding a generous tip, and ushered the gaping man out. Any human would be more than overcome by Vanessa’s state of undress. Victor closed the door after the waiter and watched as Vanessa set out the plates on the small dining table. “Come, Victor,” she motioned to the chair at the table. “You might as well enjoy this. It’s costing Niam a hell of a lot of money.” Victor started across the room. A knock on the door stopped him. “Room service,” said a new voice.

Blood RaptuRe 187 Victor turned but not before he saw Vanessa’s look of panic. He peered out the security hole to see Niam standing in the hallway. He jerked his head at Vanessa and she hurried into the bathroom, again, closing and locking the door. Niam knocked again and Victor opened the door. “Niam, what a surprise,” Victor said, moving aside to let him pass. “I came to see how your first day at work was,” Niam said, looking about the room as he made his way to the dining table. “Do you mind?” He sat down in Victor’s chair and carved off a piece of the steak. He rolled his eyes and smiled. “Wonderful cuisine they have here.” The bathroom door clicked open and Vanessa came out, wrapped in one of the terry bath robes the hotel offered. “Ah, Vanessa my dear,” Niam said. “I see you’ve been treating Victor right.” “What do you want, Niam?” she asked, remaining standing and away from him. Victor wondered what made her dislike Niam so much. “Just wanted to see you were keeping Victor happy,” he said, placing his knife and fork on the plate. He glanced around the room. “This is one of their finest suites, Victor. I do hope you find it to your liking.” “It is very nice, Niam,” Victor said. “If you’re looking for a report…” Niam was looking at Vanessa. “No, not at all. It is early days.” He stood and, smiling, walked over to Vanessa. Victor could almost feel her cringing even though she hadn’t moved a muscle. Niam took in her fully covered body. “I do hope that is not what the bell hop saw.” “Niam--” she started, clutching the robe tightly at her neck. Victor moved toward the door. “If there’s nothing else you want tonight,” he said. When Niam turned to face him, Victor did his best to look conspiratorial. “Vanessa and I have some

188 Lee Pearce unfinished business.” Niam nodded in agreement. “Yes, I was hoping you would have a chance to taste more than just dinner tonight. She is a most delectable morsel.” Vanessa said nothing, but Victor could see her face turning red. Victor opened the door. “Good night, Niam.” “Have a good night, Victor.” Niam pulled the door shut behind him. Victor locked it solidly. When he had heard the elevator close shut behind Niam, Victor turned to Vanessa. “Pack your things. You’re not staying here.” “You think I would be any safer in your house?” “Yes, then I can watch over you and…” “No, Victor, I can handle Niam. I have handled him for the past year. I will continue to handle him just fine now.” “What does your boyfriend think of all this?” Vanessa grew silent and moved over to the dining table. She carefully lifted her plate and placed it at her setting. “We should eat,” she said, softly. Victor pulled out her chair and waiting for her to sit before he took his seat. “Tell me about him.” “Nothing to tell,” she replied, cutting into her own rare steak. “He’s away. Overseas.” “A soldier?” It was not uncommon for the supernaturals to join up. They had better stamina and endurance than the normal human male. And they healed faster, able to get back out in the field sooner. “Doctor,” she said, “without borders.” “Where is he right now?” “Kenya,” she said, “inoculating mothers and babies.” “Why aren’t you with him?” For the first time she looked up at him as if he’d lost his

Blood RaptuRe 189 mind. “I’m a female. That’s why.” Julie would never have let that stop her. He didn’t see it in Vanessa either. There had to be another reason. He stood quickly, moved around the table and bent down, pressing his hand against her stomach. “What the…? Stop!” she cried out, wrenching his hand away. He had only needed a few seconds anyway. He sat back down and dug into his steak, again not speaking. “I wasn’t sure,” she said finally after eating a few large mouthfuls from her own plate. He raised an eyebrow but continued to eat. “I didn’t want to risk losing it,” she said. He looked at her left hand. “He doesn’t know yet,” she said, sipping her water, “I didn’t want him to worry while he was away. I’ll tell him once he gets back in a few months and if he’s not ready to settle down yet, that’s all right, I can have it myself, raise it myself, until he’s ready.” Victor put down his knife and fork, sat back and folded his arms. “All right, I will tell him next time we talk,” she said, waiving her fork at him. “How the heck does she live with you? You’re a right pain when you’re arguing.” Victor picked up his knife and fork and cut into his steak again, grinning silently. Victor returned to the house late so it appeared he had spent a sufficient amount of time with Vanessa. Gerard was nowhere in the house that he could tell and he went up to his room, showered and climbed into his bed for a few hours of rest. The blood from the steak made him feel energized but it had been nothing like what he had felt when his body had changed back to human. He stared at his right hand, flexing the fingers.

190 Lee Pearce They felt dry and brittle now. But then. Then they had moved without cracking, blood making the joints smooth and warm. The warmth. To touch another and not have them draw back, not used to the colder temperature of a vampire’s body. To love a woman, Julie, and actually share the sweat of their bodies. To have the blood flow throughout his body. To have his sperm become alive once again. To fertilize Julie and bring them both a son. What about Vanessa? And Niam. They suspected Gerard was doing more than just creating an elixir to dampen the vampire’s virus. But what else could Gerard be creating? What more would he want? Something was not right. In another day, the bidding would open up for North America’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Gerard would soon be in partnership with a company that didn’t know his true plans. No one knew his true plans. Maybe he had none. Maybe this reformulated elixir also held properties to help humans with certain sicknesses. Maybe that was all it was. Victor tried to fall asleep. His mind kept turning over. Finally he rose, dressed and as the sun was coming up, drove down to the docks. He found a security guard who let him in and he started going through the paper files. After a couple hours, Victor came to the decision if Gerard had a separate lab then it wasn’t on one of the ships. Each freighter was always in use on set schedules. No scientist in his right mind would work on a ship that was out to sea for months on end. If Gerard had a lab then it had to be on land somewhere. But where? Where would Gerard put a lab that no one would suspect its location? The dock manager arrived and put Victor to work helping to unload one of the freighters that had arrived overnight. Victor didn’t get back to the office until an hour past checking out time and found Vanessa hanging out with the office boys. They were hanging on to her every word as she regaled stories about growing up as a werewolf female. “You thought being a teenage human was hard,” she was

Blood RaptuRe 191 saying, “imagine the extra hormones given off by a teenage werewolf.” She took a deep breath and her bosom took a subtle shift toward heaven. “Oh, I felt so sorry for all those human boys. I knew if I was to get a hold of one, he might never, well, walk straight for at least a week.” Victor actually heard the men sigh as he stood unnoticed in the doorway. “Vanessa, sweet? I haven’t kept you waiting long, have I?” She slowly slid off the desk, letting her skirt hitch up. “No, not at all, snook’ems. These gentlemen have been so kind to me. But I am so terribly hungry. You must take me home right now and feed me.” She leaned in close, shaping her hand into a claw and gently raking it down his cheek. “Yes, my darling,” Victor said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the office. A few minutes later in the car, Victor told her what he had discovered this morning. “So if none of his ships could be a possible laboratory and the only building he owns of significance is the one he is building then where else could he have a lab?” Vanessa said, barely noticing the charming older houses passing by her window. “The only other building he owns is the house,” Victor said. “Do you remember the night of the dinner party?” He told her about seeing Peter and the two other vampires disappearing into a small elevator. He thought he had seen it go down. Vanessa turned to him and opened another button on her blouse. “I guess you’re taking me home with you after all tonight.” “I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Victor said. “Gerard’s security will be next to impenetrable if he does have a lab beneath the house.” “Leave that up to me,” Vanessa said. “I’ve gotten in and out of the best with no trouble.” “So you’re into more than mergers and acquisitions?” Victor

192 Lee Pearce said. “Well, let’s just say I’m very good at all sorts of mergers.” A few minutes later Victor pulled up in front of the house. He thought it might be a better idea if he left the car parked on the street in case they had to make a quick exit. Entering through the front door, they were met by Peter. He looked them both up and down then with a lascivious grin said, “Well, well, Mr. Maher. Seems you’ve found something to nibble on.” “Is Gerard home?” Victor asked, ignoring his insult. “Mr. Maher is indisposed, preparing for tomorrow,” Peter said. “You would be best to indulge,” he said, putting lots of emphasis on the word and glancing up toward the bedrooms, “yourselves. I will come fetch you when he has a moment.” Vanessa started up the stairs. “Darling, do get us some nibblies and champagne. I am feeling very, very hungry.” Peter watched her walk up the stairs. “If you need someone to keep you company…” “No, thank you. Victor is all I need.” “Down, boy. What would Gerard think?” Victor said, walking back to the kitchen. “Gerard doesn’t have much time for me lately,” Peter said, following close on his heels. “I am so bored.” “Why don’t you go out?” Victor asked, turning into the kitchen. He opened up the wine fridge set conveniently close to the doorway. “Gerard doesn’t like me to go out on my own,” Peter said, hopping up on top of the stainless steel countertop. “He’s says I get into too much trouble.” Victor started going through some of the cupboards looking for snacks to take upstairs. He tried to remember what Julie liked to eat. “Does he ever have women over?” Victor asked, pulling out

Blood RaptuRe 193 a tray. He started to load up boxes of crackers and other items. “Not so much now,” Peter said, “We used to share but now he just takes them downstairs, ooops.” Victor looked at him sharply. “Downstairs? He has a playroom downstairs?” Peter began to shake his head. “No, no, I was mistaken. He takes them upstairs.” “Is that where you went the other day? Downstairs?” Peter’s shoulders dropped. “Please, Mr. Maher, don’t tell him I told you. You weren’t supposed to know.” “It’s all right, Peter, I won’t say a word.” Victor picked up the tray and headed out of the kitchen. “Good night.” “Good night, Mr. Maher.” Inside his room, he placed the tray on top his dresser. Vanessa started going through the contents, pushing aside the champagne and boxes of crackers. She selected a short paring knife, holding it in her hand. Victor told her what Peter had let slip. “Do you think he meant to feed us that information?” Vanessa asked. “If it’s a trap then we can just play dumb,” Victor said. “I did ask if it was a playroom.” She smiled shyly and fluttered her eyelashes. “Oh, Mister Maher, are you going to tie me up? Perhaps paddle my bottom?” He chuckled. “Well, you have been a naughty girl lately.” After about an hour, the house became very quiet. Victor listened intently but could only hear a guard wandering around in the back yard. He and Vanessa made their way downstairs. Victor took her to where he had seen the elevator. They listened against the wall but couldn’t hear any noise echoing from the other floor. They backed away and instead moved outside. Victor found the storm doors and reached down to open them. Vanessa kept watch for the wandering guard.

194 Lee Pearce Victor grasped the handle and yanked at the door. It didn’t open but he heard a click and a hum. Standing back, he watched as the doors automatically slid to the side, revealing a lit stairway. Victor walked down first, Vanessa close behind. The stairs led to a short tunnel that Victor guessed took them back under the kitchen and possibly under the control room. As he stepped from the last step a light hummed to life. Victor stopped in mid-step. Vanessa held her breath, her warm body very close behind. When he heard nothing, no scraping chairs, no running feet, no excited voices Victor continued forward. The air grew noticeably chillier. At the end of the corridor, he reached a wooden door, heavy and darkly stained. Twisting the ancient handle, Victor paused to wonder if it had come from Gerard’s pirating days, the door swung open. They stepped into a narrow wine cellar. The door closed quietly behind them. “Terribly small room for such a large house,” Vanessa said, glancing at a row of dark green bottles. “But apparently your brother does have good taste.” Victor walked to the end of the shelves. He leaned against the far wall. “What is it?” Vanessa asked, standing close. “All I hear are these annoying lights.” “Not sure,” Victor said, running his hands across the wall. “But I think: breathing.” He pressed against several panels. One clicked and moved inward. The wall slid to the right. Glaring light blinded him for a moment. “Ah, Victor, I have been expecting you.” Victor stepped into the bright room, Vanessa close behind. The door slid shut. He felt the tense presence of the two guards who had accompanied Peter the other day. They didn’t move so he chose to focus his attention on the center of the room. Gerard stood nonplussed wearing a white lab coat over a shirt and tie. A long lab table separated the room in half. A hospital bed sat on the other side of the table. Scanning the rest of the room, Victor felt a chill run down his spine. At the back of the

Blood RaptuRe 195 room, even with dimmed lights, he could make out two large cages. “What are you doing here, Gerard?” Victor asked. Vanessa walked to the cages. He knew she would be trying to get a scent of any of the female werewolves who had turned up dead lately. She wrinkled her nose a lot but only managed to look confused. “Victor it is so good of you to have finally found my grand secret,” Gerard said, turning toward the lab table. “Come. See.” He waved his arm toward the table. Victor stepped up to the table. An assortment of test tubes and tiny glass bottles and syringes as well as other assorted lab equipment sat on the table. He recognized their use and got another chill. “Victor I am glad I don’t have to hide this anymore from you,” Gerard said. “You should know about this. You’re going to play an important part in this soon.” “Gerard, is the serum not ready?” Victor asked. Gerard shook his head. He walked around the far side of the table. “Oh, no, Victor. That part of the serum is more than ready. I can make a vampire human for a short while.” “But?” Victor added knowing there had to be one. Gerard smiled and pulled toward him a box holding a syringe and several vials. “But that is only a small part of the experiment. You see, Victor, I need the DNA from a very old vampire to continue.” “Old…?” Victor asked, dumbfounded. “Where did you find one so old?” He scanned the room and saw no other vampires except himself, his brother and the two guards. Gerard turned to face him. “You don’t remember, do you Victor?” Victor’s mouth had gone dry suddenly. He swallowed heavily trying to push down his frustration. “What don’t I remember,

196 Lee Pearce Gerard?” “That Victor, you are not really my brother,” Gerard said. He nodded imperceptibly toward the guards. “That Victor, you are actually no one’s brother. You are so old Victor, you don’t even remember your original family. Only creatures older than yourself remember, Victor.” He heard them moving just a split second before they grabbed him. Vanessa screamed and launched herself at the guards. One of them swung out with his arm, caught her high under the neck and sent her flying against the cage bars. She landed, her face grimacing but managed to stay on her feet. Victor struck out, hitting flesh, sending both guards dropping to the floor. He spun around and reached out for Vanessa but more guards swarmed him, their shear weight forcing him to the ground. They grabbed his arms and yanked them behind his back. He thought he felt his shoulder pop out of its socket. They lifted him high and carried him over to the hospital bed, throwing him down harshly enough that the air left his lungs. Moving so quickly they were a blur, the vampires strapped Victor to the bed. “Gerard, what the hell is going on?” Victor said, yanking at the straps. He could feel the steel reinforcing the leather. He struggled for a few seconds only to stop when he saw the pitiful look on Gerard’s face. It made him even more angry to see his brother feeling sorry for him. “Gerard, I am no older than you. What game are you playing at?” Gerard sighed, his shoulders lifting and falling dramatically. “I play no games, Victor. It is your demon friends who play the games with you. Only they know how truly old you are.” “I don’t believe you,” Victor said, his head and shoulders straining to remain upright so he could keep an eye on Gerard. He had turned slightly to reach for the syringe which he was now removing from its packaging. Victor heard the crinkle of the plastic and it grated on his nerves. “I know, Victor,” Gerard said, stepping close with the syringe,

Blood RaptuRe 197 “but the demons did something to your mind. They made you forget.” “That’s a lie,” Victor said, trying to shove the darkness that continued to creep toward his mind back down. “The demons barely tolerate me. I did them a favor once and they repaid the favor.” Gerard jabbed the needle into Victor’s arm. Victor saw plasma squirt around the edges of the needle. The syringe quickly filled with the dark liquid. He started to struggle but the two guards came to hold him down. Gerard filled all six vials with blood then yanked out the needle. Victor stopped bleeding immediately, the hole healing quickly. Gerard smiled down at the nearly vanished wound. “Have you ever wondered why you heal faster than any other vampire?” Victor let his head and shoulders drop to the bed, exhausted from fighting Gerard, the guards and the darkness. “No, it never occurred to me.” “I wonder what would happen if I cut off a hand, a foot?” Gerard said. “No!” Vanessa cried out, pushing off from the cage. Gerard turned toward her, his hand raised. She stopped as if she had hit a solid wall, looking surprised. Without looking at Victor, he spoke, “What shall we do with her? We really can’t have a witness.” “Let her go, Gerard,” Victor mumbled. “Rapture her to forget and put her back out by the car.” “Is this what you want, Victor?” Victor nodded. She was pregnant. He didn’t want anymore werewolf deaths on his hands. “And if I do this for you, what will you give me?” “I will stay,” Victor said, closing his eyes against a sudden pain. Julie. He may never see her again. “And be part of this experiment?”

198 Lee Pearce “And be part of your experiment, Gerard.” “Agreed!” Gerard nodded at his guards to release their grip on Victor. They grabbed Vanessa who had turned to run toward the door and dragged her forward, holding her upright as Gerard placed his hands on either side of her head. “Victor, don’t let him do this,” Vanessa said, trying to look his way. “Vanessa, think of the others,” Victor said, his voice going low, almost a monotone. “I will make this stop now. Gerard has what he wants. Me. There will be no more trouble for the weres. You can tell them the auction will be a success. Everything is going to happen as it should.” “But Victor, he’s going to kill you,” she said, slowly, sadly, her eyes becoming distant. Gerard sighed. “Enough. You are breaking my heart. Now, look at me, my dear.” Gerard’s voice became very low. Victor could barely make out what he said. Then he released Vanessa and two of the guards walked her out of the laboratory. “If I find out she has been hurt in any way,” Victor said, “I will kill you.” Gerard moved close to the table, his fingers on the first latch for his wrist band. He looked deeply into Victor’s eyes and for the briefest of moments Victor swore he saw the briefest flash of fear. “I have no doubt about it, Victor.” Then he bent his head and quickly unfastened all of the straps. Victor sat up. “So what are you looking for in my blood?” “DNA,” Gerard said. “And that will tell you, what? That I am our father’s bastard child?” Victor said, painfully. He knew it wouldn’t be the truth. He remembered growing up with his two brothers and his mother and father. He could not have had any other family or life before. “No, Victor, it will tell me your age,” Gerard said, carefully lifting the small box of filled vials. He started to walk to the large

Blood RaptuRe 199 refrigerator. “You see Victor if you are as old as I think you are then I am about to find out the cause of our vampirism. The virus so to speak.” “To what purpose?” “Victor, just think,” Gerard paused as he opened the refrigerator door and slid the box onto a shelf. He closed the door, making sure it has shut completely before turning to look at Victor, “with a pure form of the vampire virus, we can start again. We can build our own immortal race of purebloods. It will be stronger than the watered-down version we have become now. You, Victor, most likely hold the key to our superiority.” “Even if this were true,” Victor said, “what would you gain?” “Dominance over the other races,” Gerard said. “We would finally be the ultimate species. We would wipe out all the others and make this planet our own, as it should be.” Julie? Dead? The children? Brad? Mark? Stephen? Lizzy? All of his friends? “No, Gerard, I won’t have any part of this,” Victor said, sliding off the table. He hit the floor hard, his knees collapsing beneath his body. The needle must’ve been laced with a paralyzing drug. He looked up at Gerard, puzzled. “You said…” “I don’t trust you either, Victor,” Gerard said, walking over and grabbing Victor by his arm. He dragged him upright and pulled him toward the cages. “You’re going to be my guest for awhile.” He swung open the cage door and dragged Victor inside, dumping him on the floor. He stepped out and closed and locked the cage door. Victor could no longer feel his arms. “Have a good rest. We will talk more in the morning when I’ve run my tests.”

Chapter Seventeen Saturday’s pack gathering started with an afternoon of horseback riding for the kids followed by a bar-b-que of hamburgers, steak, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes and baked beans. Lizzy, as she was still too young to participate in pack meetings, set up the kids to watch a movie in the family room of Stephen and Mark’s massive house. Nearly all of the pack had shown up so they had to move the meeting outside in the back. Chairs had been set in a semicircle and Julie, Stephen and Mark all sat facing into the curve. Brad sat near the edge, as close as possible to Julie. She liked seeing him as part of the pack. He had come to Rocks End and had planned to stay as an independent, wanting to not be tied to a pack. His old pack had just dissolved as the members were all moving to different parts of the country and they had decided it would not be practical to remain a pack. Then Brad had met Julie and in order to stay with her, he had to join the Rocks End pack. She knew he had made a huge sacrifice of his freedom to be with her and she made sure he knew how grateful she was every day. Mayor Greenley made a few short announcements about local horse auctions and shows coming up, and as some of the children will be participating in the shows out of town any support would be appreciated. “You mean protection, don’t you Josh?” one of the ranchers spoke up. In a pack meeting it was acceptable to drop titles. “Remember what happened last year? We don’t want anymore mysterious accidents.” Stephen slid forward in his chair. “I will personally ensure there are enough people around to guarantee the safety of our children.” “Oh, not just your niece then?” another voice said.

202 Lee Pearce Stephen’s face grew red. “I care about all of the children in my district. I do not show favoritism.” Some of the others started muttering amongst themselves. All of the werewolves cared deeply about their children, especially if they had a female. Rocks End had been cursed with very few girl children so the fathers were especially protective, Stephen being almost the worst example over Lizzy. Julie could almost feel the testosterone rising. “Gentlemen,” Josh said, lifting his hands. The muttering subsided. “We have one more piece of business.” He turned slightly in his chair to look past Stephen and Mark to Julie. Julie felt her heart begin to beat faster. “Julie Woods has been our Matron for over four years now,” Josh began, leaving Julie to wonder where he was going, “a long time for a Rocks End matron. Julie your dedication to your job has been admirable and you have set a precedent for future matrons.” Josh paused and the pack murmured their agreement. Has? She thought and managed to cast a polite smile at the group. Most of them seemed as puzzled as she, even Brad who looked suspicious. “And so it is with a heavy heart that I must ask you to step down from your post as Matron,” Josh said and sat back, his arms crossed. “What?” Julie blurted out. She would’ve jumped to her feet but Mark put a firm hand on her thigh, keeping her seated. “Why?” Others spoke up surprise and anger in their voices. “Josh, we need her,” a young man at the back called out, “without Julie’s intervention I might never have gotten the property rights cleared up for years.” “Yeah, Josh, she helped me find and wed a proper Were girl,” another said. “The Sheriff’s office is going to be overrun. Have you spoken to him about all this?”

Blood RaptuRe 203 “We need a matron here, Josh. Who’s going to keep order? Run things?” Julie looked around gratefully at the crowd. She didn’t realize just how her work had been appreciated. She did notice Brad sitting quietly. He looked ready to leap upon Josh. She tried to catch his eye but he just kept looking from Mark to Stephen and back again. He would take his cue from either two patriarchs. Julie worried her own protector might do something stupid so she held up her hand to speak. The crowd quieted immediately. “Josh, what made you come to this decision?” she asked. “I, uh, we have noticed how busy your life has become,” he said, “with raising your children and the running of the two ranches. You have taken on a lot so your patriarchs could have the time to run the pack. But as you know we have a small pack and we need to increase its numbers.” “Since I have been doing this,” she said, “how many successful marriages have we had in the past couple years?” Josh nodded once to acknowledge her commitment. “Your children are getting older and now that you, uh, have been cured, should you not also be doing your part to continue the Woods lineage?” Julie nearly fell off her chair. “Is this what this is all about? You want me to have more children?” She felt her face going red with anger. “The number and timing of us having children is none of your business, Josh.” She glanced at Brad who gave her a warning look. She took a breath. It couldn’t be about children. Werewolves never rushed having children. She was going to live a long life and had many years to procreate. It wasn’t like it was a hundred years ago when Weres lived in hiding and had greatly shortened life spans due to being constantly hunted down and killed. They didn’t live in fear anymore so were not in a rush to have children. No, Josh must have another reason to not want her in a position of power. He had actually said she had done a good job so that wasn’t it. Her brother was still patriarch of Rocks End so she still had

204 Lee Pearce the right to the inherited title. If that wasn’t it, then it had to be something personal. Julie felt the blood drain out of her face. “Josh,” she said, turning to face him, “this has nothing to do with needing time for the children, does it?” He didn’t say a word but she could read it in his face. “It’s because you don’t think I’m a werewolf anymore,” she said. The crowd went silent. Several horses nickered in the pasture behind them. The wind rustled the branches of the large oak tree off to the side. Josh looked back at her. “You must agree your situation is unique. In order to cure you of your genetic malady, your werewolf genes had to be repressed. Is this not correct?” “I am still a werewolf,” she said, “even if I cannot change. I can still hear and see and scent just like any other werewolf.” “But you cannot change,” Josh said. “A werewolf must be able to change. It is the very essence of their being. To not change is to not be a Were.” “Josh, that is stupid logic,” she said, jumping to her feet. “You are wrong. I will not give up the post of matron. I am a werewolf and I will continue to hold the position my mother and her mother and all the other females in my family have held. You cannot take it away from me. I will not allow it.” Josh remained seated even though she could see him itching to rise. His eyes looked distant and unfocussed as if he were listening to another voice. “Julie, the pack rules state a matron must be one hundred percent werewolf.” “But I am,” she said. “Take my blood. Have it tested.” “You may pass all those tests,” Josh said, “but you will never know how it feels to be a changeable werewolf. If you cannot change, you won’t know what it is like to be a wolf. To be a wolf is to be what we are. You will only know the human half of yourself. Julie, you are not a complete Were.”

Blood RaptuRe 205 “That is nonsense,” she cried out, yet she couldn’t help but feel her life slipping away. She looked at Mark and at Stephen. “Is this what you want? Is this how it’s going to be?” Mark looked up, shaking his head, “It’s not what I want, but if it’s the rule then...” She looked at Stephen. “Julie, I’m sorry. Give me time to fix this, okay?” She started to shake. “I…I am…” the words caught in her throat. She felt a hand on her arm. Glanced down then up. Saw Brad nod toward the house. He was trying to give her a way out so that she could still keep her pride. Taking the kids home because it was late was as good an excuse as any. They had to regroup. Find out what was really going on. “This is not over,” Julie said, looking at Josh. “You need me and when you realize that, you’d better hope I’m still willing to take the job back.” Brad tugged at her arm and she let him lead her out of the circle. She didn’t dare look back at Mark or Stephen. She didn’t want to see the guilt on their faces. She didn’t want to know the part they had played in her removal. She didn’t need to hear their apologies. She had Brad and Victor and her children. This was all she needed. For now. Then why did she feel like she had just been betrayed by those who loved her? Back at the house, the children were strangely good-natured about being put to bed. “Mommy,” Sara said as Julie pulled up the blankets around her shoulders. “Yes, Sara?” “Daddy Victor loves you very much,” she said, her voice soft with sleep. “I know,” Julie said, “why do you want to tell me this?” “Daddy Victor is afraid you’re going to be mad at him.”

206 Lee Pearce “Why would I be mad at him?” Julie thought this a strange thing for her psychic daughter to be reading from her other father. “What has Victor done?” Sara sighed and closed her eyes. “He says he trusts you to do the right thing when the time comes.” “Are you talking to him right now?” “Uh-huh,” Sara shook her head. “When did he tell you these things?” “I had a dream about him earlier,” she said. “He was very tired but he wanted you to know these things.” “Is he all right?” Julie asked, silently begging her daughter to not go to sleep yet. “Sara?” But Sara’s eyes were shut tight and her breathing deep and regular. Her little girl could fall asleep at the drop of a hat. Julie took a fast shower before nestling into Brad’s arms in bed. “Talk to me,” Brad said, his breath hot on her neck. His hand began to rub up and down her arm. “What’s there to talk about?” she said, “I’ve just been fired from my job.” “What was Sara saying about Victor?” “Strange things like how much he loves me, to not be mad at him and that he trusts me to do the right thing when the time comes,” she said. “Do you think he knew this was going to happen? Is this what he meant?” “I didn’t even know this was going to happen,” Brad said, “and I saw the looks on Stephen and Mark’s faces. They looked just as surprised as you.” “I don’t get it,” she said. “Why now? Why not three years ago when I was cured? What is going on now that would force Josh to make this decision? I wish Victor was here. He’d know things.” Brad’s hand suddenly stopped rubbing.

Blood RaptuRe 207 “Oh, I’m sorry, Brad,” she said turning to face him. “I didn’t mean that you…” “It’s all right,” he said, rolling onto his back. “You miss him. I understand.” “No, I meant that Victor just seems to know more about this sort of stuff.” “It’s all right, Julie. I knew what you meant.” “I didn’t mean to upset you,” she said, pressing against his side. “Victor has been around a lot longer than I,” Brad said, slipping his arm beneath her body. “He does know a lot more people and understands a lot more about this world we live in. It’s actually quite interesting the stuff he knows. I think sometimes he doesn’t know what he knows until he says it.” Julie smiled. “Yeah, he always gets that little lost boy look whenever he says something from his past. It’s like he had forgotten all about it and just needed to be reminded.” “How much do you know about his past?” “Not much. He doesn’t speak about it.” “Not ever?” “No. I asked him once and he said he just wanted to keep focused on the present. That was all that mattered to him. What about you, Brad? You don’t talk much about your past. Do you have any deep dark secrets I should know about?” “Well, you know I’ve been a cowboy my entire life. And a riverboat gambler. Other than that I just did some wandering, trying to fit in with a society that didn’t acknowledge werewolves.” “Were you ever married?” “Married?” Brad paused. Julie looked at him. He seemed far away, then his eyes met her’s and a sly smile crept onto his face. “Married. No.” He pushed Julie onto her back. “But I have had my way with the women folk.” His head dipped to her neck. She felt his teeth graze her jugular vein.

208 Lee Pearce “How many…?” she gasped. “Many,” he muttered, wedging his knee between her legs. “Whores. Lonely widows. College girls.” His hand dipped below her stomach. “Too many to keep count.” “So I am with a gigolo?” “Yes, ma’am,” his fingers went deep inside her body, “and I apparently am with no college girl right now.” Julie gasped and arched her back. Brad crushed his lips against her mouth. There would be no more talking at least for a little while tonight. Sunday afternoon arrived a little too quickly for Julie. She and Brad had just barely finished making brunch for them all when the phone rang. “Lizzy, of course, we’re coming to the game,” Julie said, glancing at Brad as he washed the triplet’s faces, “we wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Brad glanced up. “This is the high school game?” She nodded. “Yes, this afternoon. We’ll be there. Save us seats.” “Why is this game so important, again?” Brad asked, setting Brad Jr down on the floor. The boy dashed into the living room, following where his sister and other brother had gone only moments before. “Not sure,” Julie said, “I think it has to do with a boy.” “A what?” Brad asked, surprised, pushing in the chair a little too hard. Julie nodded. “You remember that scrawny human boy, Jeremy?” “The one who is always following Lizzy around?” “Uh-huh,” Julie nodded, again, and turned to pull the dishwasher door down. “Seems his persistence has paid off.”

Blood RaptuRe 209 “But he’s, he’s a human,” Brad said. “What’s she thinking?” Julie shrugged. “She’s still young. I wouldn’t take this very seriously if I were you.” “I wonder what Stephen thinks,” Brad said, sweeping up the last of the dishes from the table and carrying them over to the sink. “He kinda likes the kid,” Julie said, taking the dishes and rinsing them off in the sink. Brad wiggled around and started loading the dishwasher. “But not as a potential mate for Lizzy.” Julie raised a disapproving eyebrow at him. “Okay, ‘mate’ is not the right word,” he said, quickly, “but still, Stephen won’t even consider him.” “Times are changing, Brad,” Julie said, “and I think Stephen is learning to be a lot more patient with his niece.” Brad dumped the cutlery into the plastic holder and then stood aside as Julie poured in the detergent. “So what position does this Jeremy play? Half-back? Water boy?” Julie smiled. “You’re going to be very surprised.” An hour later they arrived at the high school’s field. They found Stephen and Mark sitting in the middle of the grand stand behind the home team’s seats. They got settled in, Mark and Stephen each taking a boy. Brad let Sara sit on his lap. Sara started waving madly down at the field. “Lizzy! Lizzy!” Julie scanned the group and found Lizzy standing next to a tall, thin boy with vibrant red hair that glowed warmly in the hot mid-afternoon sun. He held his helmet in one hand and had his other hand on the small of her back. His uniform hung loosely on his body. They were standing close, listening to the coach. The referee blew his whistle and the group parted, the fans moving into the stands. Lizzy made her way up the stairs and sat down beside Julie as the players lined up on the field for

210 Lee Pearce the kick-off. “Coach is going to get Jeremy out there as much as possible,” Lizzy said, worried. “And this is not a good thing?” Julie asked. “Well, he needs to strengthen his arm,” Lizzy said, sounding so knowledgeable, “even though he says his arm is strong enough, but still I don’t agree.” They stood as the visiting team sent the ball almost to the ten yard line and sat as the play was called. Jeremy ran out onto the field. Lizzy stood, her hands clenched in front of her stomach. He got lost in the huddle, but moved back out behind the line up for the next play. The football was tossed in his direction. He caught it effortlessly, ran back a few steps, looking up the field as his team mates ran through the other line, found his target and threw the ball. The ball arched perfectly up and over everyone’s heads. The players all stopped to watch it go. The ball soared into the blue sky as if it had wings and dropped slowly and neatly into the other player’s hands. Having a clear field, the player ran and dashed across the goal line. The crowd went wild, cheering and screaming, feet stomping. Julie glanced at Brad. “That kid has some arm,” Brad mouthed for she couldn’t have heard him over the crowd. The first half continued with the score remaining close. As the seconds ticked down to half-time, Jeremy was called out for another play. The crowd rose in its seats again to watch. The ball was handed back. Jeremy searched in vain for an open player but it seemed the other team had anticipated this and managed to have everyone guarded. Jeremy tucked the ball under his arm and started to run. The crowd went wild. Lighter than the other players, Jeremy hopped over the first couple players who tried to tackle him, his team mates taking them out. Unfortunately, Jeremy got hit from

Blood RaptuRe 211 the side. He fell hard to the ground and was immediately piled upon by several large players. Lizzy was already running down the stairs before the half-time whistle blew. Two of the players started pushing and shoving each other. Several others joined the fight. The benches emptied and the field filled with fighting players. Several security guards stopped most of the audience from jumping over the gates but Lizzy managed to leap over and land softly. Julie lost her in the surging crowd of team players and staff. Stephen ran after her but got stopped by a security guard. Almost as soon as it started, the fight ended. Julie saw Lizzy and another player holding up a slumped over Jeremy in the middle of the field, helping him to walk back to the bench. “He looks okay,” Brad said. “Why would she do such a stupid thing?” Stephen said making his way back to his seat. Julie didn’t dare look at him and did her best to hide her smile. She felt a tug on her arm and turned to see Maysla. “Is it true you are no longer matron?” the demon matron asked. Julie nodded. “Yes.” “Then who will take care of your people?” Julie shrugged. “I suppose the sheriff or one of the patriarchs.” “You know this is not right,” Maysla said, “this is not the way it is supposed to be.” “What do you mean?” “You were meant to be the one,” Maysla said, glancing over her shoulder. Julie saw a group of demons sitting high up in the stands. She didn’t see the one called Mass. “Maysla, it was just a job,” Julie said, trying to reassure her, “anyone could do what I did.”

212 Lee Pearce Maysla shook her head. “Something is wrong. Something has upset the balance. An outside force.” She looked distantly out across the now empty field. “What have we done?” “What do you mean, Maysla?” Julie asked, feeling a chill. “Does this have something to do with Victor?” Maysla jerked her head to look at Julie. “No, no, nothing about Victor. Victor has to remain where he is. He is not finished yet.” She started to walk down the aisle. “Victor? What about Victor, Maysla? Maysla!” The demon matron turned. “Julie, no matter what you hear, do not go after him. Do you understand? Do not leave Rocks End.” “What’s Victor doing? Is he in trouble?” Maysla’s only response was to turn and hurry up the aisle. Julie started to follow but felt a hand on her arm. “Let her go,” Brad said when she turned around. “We will do our own investigating. You won’t get a straight answer from her anyway. You know how demons are.” “If Victor is in trouble,” Julie said, “I want to know now.” Brad glanced at Sara who sat quietly sipping at a fruit juice box. “I think we’d know if Victor was in trouble.” Julie sighed trying to still her frantically beating heart. Sara hadn’t mentioned anything recently. Maybe Victor wasn’t in trouble after all. Perhaps he was very much in control of the situation and didn’t need anyone’s help at all. Or maybe he was unable to communicate with Sara and desperately needed her help. Julie felt her heart start up again. Damn it, Victor. Why do you have to make me worry?

Chapter Eighteen Victor heard breathing. Rapid, panicky breathing. He struggled to awake. Someone was in distress. If only he could open his eyes. A low whine filled the breathing. He knew he had to wake. His arms and legs moved like lead. Slowly he lifted his head. Bright light filtered through his eyelids. He managed to look through tiny slits. Fuzzy vertical lines became the cage’s bars. “Please.” The voice was high-pitched, young. “Please, mister. Wake up.” She was whispering. “Please, wake up. You gotta help me.” Victor forced his eyes to open. He turned his head slowly. A pounding began as if he had the worse hangover ever. In the cage beside, he saw a teenage girl sitting with her back against the bars, her legs outstretched, facing him. Sweat coated her body plastering her t-shirt to her skin. “That man gave me something,” she said, “I don’t feel so good.” Victor pushed himself upright. He didn’t feel so good either. What had Gerard given him? “What’s your name?” he asked. “Tina.” “Are you from around here?” he asked. “Where’s your pack from?” “How did you know?” she asked, surprised. “I live with werewolves,” he said. “How long have you been here?”

214 Lee Pearce “Since late last night,” she said. “How come they let you live with them?” “It’s a long story,” Victor said. “But,” she started, “but are you like some sort of servant? My pack doesn’t even tolerate humans.” Victor swallowed heavily, felt his heart beat quicker, his hands go sweaty. He stared at his hands. How long? How long had he been human again? “How do you feel?” “Me?” “Yes, describe what is happening to you.” He sounded angry but he had to know. “I, I feel cold,” she said, “and my heart is beating really slowly. Oh, someone’s coming.” The door slid open and Gerard followed by three other vampires entered. “I see my guests have awakened.” “Gerard, what did you do to her?” “Victor, I got the results from your blood. It is a perfect match for my use.” “What use?” “Why for making my new race of beings,” Gerard walked over to Tina’s cage. “Just imagine a creature with the strength of a werewolf and the speed of a vampire. Nothing would be able to stand in its way.” “Vampire?” Tina asked weakly. “Yes, my dear,” Gerard said, “you are feeling the effects of your body changing into that of a vampire.” “I am no vampire.” “No, not yet, but you will be. Just a few more treatments, that’s if you survive, of course.” “Gerard, let her go,” Victor said, remembering the other

Blood RaptuRe 215 dead girl he had seen just a few days ago. “I wish I could,” Gerard said, “but today is a big day. Today is the auction.” He nodded toward the waiting vampires. Two of them moved toward Tina’s cage, one holding a set of keys. Gerard pulled a syringe and bottle out from the cooler. “So I must give her next treatment early today.” Tina didn’t even try to bolt when the vampire swung open the cage door. She did lash out with her feet making the vampires work a little harder to flatten her out on the bed. Gerard stepped into the cage and bent over her body. “Gerard, please,” Victor said, clinging to the bars that separated their two cages, “stop this. She’s just a kid.” Gerard inserted the needle and pushed the plunger. Tina howled, painfully. Victor felt his heart break. Gerard stepped out of the cage with the two vampires following. Tina curled up into a ball, her body shaking. She had closed her eyes tight, wrapping her arms around her knees. Victor collapsed back onto the floor, having no cot to lie on. He stared at Gerard. “Why?” he asked weakly. “Aren’t you tired of getting along with all the others, Victor?” Gerard said, standing before his cage door, “putting up with werewolves just so you can be with the woman you love. Imagine if you could change her into a vampire. You could have her forever and yet, she would still be a werewolf. She would have the best of both worlds.” “She would never go for it,” Victor said. “Not even for love?” “Not even for love.” Gerard turned away but not before Victor thought he saw a flash of a smile. His brother walked across to the refrigerator and replaced the vaccine and syringe. “Gerard?” “You’re wondering how much I’ve given you?”

216 Lee Pearce This had been the longest Victor had felt human again. Gerard glanced at Tina. “Oh, it should last about another two hours or so. Enjoy the feelings. I know it’s been a long time since last you were human.” “You know?” Victor said, mildly curious. He was just over three hundred years old. “What did the test results say?” Gerard placed his hand on a pile of papers. “Well, Victor, it seems your demon friends gave you more than one gift. As well as being able to walk in the daytime, it seems they also gave you the gift of forgetfulness.” “What? Why would they wipe my memory?” “Good question, Victor, what could you have done that would have been so horrific that you would want to forget?” Gerard looked at the papers. Quickly, he took the pile and put it inside a file, opened a drawer beneath the lab table and slid the file inside. Victor heard an audible click as Gerard closed and locked the drawer. “Gerard, what did the papers say?” Victor asked as his brother walked toward the door. “Gerard, how old am I? Gerard!” Gerard slid out of the door followed by the vampires. Only the lights above hummed and Tina’s labored breathing as the only sounds Victor had for company. He had always wondered why the demons had taken a special interest in him. Had they done more to him than just help him get his wings? If they had wiped his memory then could they have planted memories? What if he was older than three hundred years? How long had he been a vampire? Did the demons really have the power to wipe his mind? Had he asked them to make him forget? Forget what? He glanced at the lab table. The answer sat in the locked drawer. If he knew when, he could figure out why. Victor struggled to his feet. His new weakened human condition didn’t allow him to spring upward anymore. His body ached from lying all night on the cement floor. He heard creaking and snapping as his joints struggled to move.

Blood RaptuRe 217 As he reached his door, he glanced at Tina. Her breathing had slowed. She lay with closed eyes. She must have passed out. He grabbed his door and gave it a shove. The door burst open, nearly causing him to spill out onto the floor. He stared incredulously at the door. Gerard had left it unlocked. On purpose or by accident? Probably on purpose. Victor had agreed to stay in exchange for letting Vanessa go. He glanced back over at Tina. He hadn’t remembered the guard leaving the keys but if he could find a screwdriver, he could get her door unlocked. Rushing over to the lab table, he started opening drawers. On the third attempt, he found a drawer full of scalpels. Too flimsy, he thought, and moved on to a storage cupboard. The items on the shelves proved even less helpful. Boxes of gauze, empty test tubes, boxes of syringes and other medical equipment took up the space. No tool box. Nothing. He turned back to the drawer of scalpels. Pulling it open, he chose one with the longest edge. Moving back to Tina’s cage, he watched for any signs of her regaining consciousness. As he squatted in front of the door, he heard her mutter. He inserted the tip of the scalpel into the left side screw on the lock and tried to turn it. It was stubborn at first. With a curse, he wished for his vampire strength back. “What are you doing, Victor?” Tina muttered, slowly opening her eyes. “Trying to get you out of here,” Victor said. “Can you stand?” “Hurts too much,” she said, watching him. “Try, Tina,” he said, “if you want to live you’re going to have to be able to walk out of here.” She put a hand on the bed and managed to push herself upright. Clutching her arms across her chest, she began to shake. Victor concentrated on the screw. He slowly turned it and felt it give just ever so slightly. Standing to get a better angle, he placed his left hand on the bottom of the metal plate. Pushing hard, he got the screw to move a little more. Then it gave. The scalpel slipped from the notch and struck his hand, slicing across the

218 Lee Pearce top of his wrist and down the side. Blood squirted into the air. Tina launched herself from the bed. Faster than he could react, she reached the bars, grabbed his arm and yanked it through. She sank her teeth into his flesh. “Tina, stop!” he cried out. She looked at him but continued to suck. Her eyes had gone the black of a feeding vampire. She couldn’t be reasoned with in this state. Victor tried to pull his arm away. He felt his skin tearing. She moaned and sank her fangs in deeper. “Tina, stop,” he said, weaker. The room began to spin. He remembered it didn’t take long to drain a human body, especially if a vampire was on the verge of starvation. His legs gave out and he slid to the floor. If he could have found the strength to laugh, he would have found this whole situation funny. Killed by a vampire of his making. He heard a click. Tina’s body stiffened. She fell back to the floor. Victor felt his body lifted and placed back in his cage. A form crouched over him. “I see the experiment was a success,” Gerard said. “She’s actually changed.” Too weak to respond, Victor could only watch as his brother left the cage. This time Victor heard his lock click into place. Gerard turned to look at Victor. “Victor, I lied about the length of time you have as a human. It won’t be long until you’re changed back. Do you think I would have let you die this way? As a mere human? You’re much too valuable for that sort of death.” Victor watched as Gerard left the room once again. Too weak to fight the blood loss anymore, he passed out. “So hungry.”

The words gnawed at his brain.

“So hungry. Victor. Help me.” Tina’s raspy voice forced him

Blood RaptuRe 219 to open his eyes. He saw her reaching out, through the bars toward his foot. He quickly pulled his leg out of her reach. She cried out frustrated, her hand a claw, a wolf claw. “Victor, come to me.” Victor sat up. His body didn’t creak and groan anymore. He looked at his forearm and wrist. The cut had begun to heal. “I’m becoming a vampire again, Tina,” he said, “You won’t be able to feed on me soon.” “Don’t you think I can sense that,” she said, bitterly, stumbling back to the cot. “My body aches. I need more.” “I know you do,” Victor said. “The first thirst is always the worst. If you had some blood it would help.” She sat upright, watching him cat like. “Is this what it is like? All the time?” “No, you’ll learn how to control it,” Victor said, “You’ll know how much blood you’ll need to sustain your body’s urges and when you’ll need to feed. But then, I’ve never met a partwere part-vampire before.” “Do you think he’ll come back? Your brother? Or will he just let me starve to death?” “He’ll be back,” Victor said, “You’re too valuable for him to let die.” “What will he do to me?” “He’ll probably test you. Find out your strengths and weaknesses.” “Is it true he wants to mix werewolves and vampires together?” “Yes.” She sighed and looked at her still-shaped claw. “How do you feel?” Victor asked. “I feel the same,” she said. She furrowed her brow. Her claw changed back into a hand. “It didn’t hurt.”

220 Lee Pearce “Pardon?”

“I said it didn’t hurt,” she spoke, her eyes wide. “The change

just then. It didn’t hurt.” She stood and took off her clothes. “Tina, wait…” She dropped to her hands and knees, the change already begun. As she hit the floor, her body shifted very quickly. Victor barely heard the snap of her bones as they reformed into her wolf’s body. She stood still for a moment, panting heavily, swaying side to side. Then her panting filled with a whine. Each breath became more like a cry. She snapped at her side with her jaws. “Change back, Tina,” Victor cried out. She began to yelp and run around in a circle. She struck the side of her cage. The bars rang out. She struck again. Victor realized she was trying to knock herself out. “Tina, concentrate,” Victor said, not even knowing if she could hear him. “Tina, stop. Think.” She hit the bars closest to him and remained leaning against them. Her eyes looked at him, pleading. He shook his head. She gave a low growl. He moved away. “I am sorry.” He heard a yelp and her body settled once again on the floor, a tranquilizer dart sticking out of her hip. This time one of the lab techs stood on the other side of the bars. He glanced at the wolf, watched it shift back to human then put the tranquilizer gun back on top of the lab table. “Seems your werewolf friends are determined to buy into my plan,” Gerard said, later on that evening, Victor guessed by the tuxedo his brother wore. “They had one of the highest bids.” “One?” Victor said, trying to make polite conversation. He had to keep Gerard’s trust, no matter how flimsy. “Yes, the international firms are much more aggressive,” he replied, fussing with his cufflinks. “I’ve given them to the end of

Blood RaptuRe 221 the week to sort it out amongst themselves. Then we will see who survives and who doesn’t.” He glanced at the still-unconscious Tina. “Good work with her, by the way.” “I did nothing,” Victor said. “Oh, but you did, Victor,” Gerard said, “Your blood was the key. It was so pure that it took her right over the top.” “What are you going to do with her now?” “First, I want to see how long this lasts,” he said, “I noticed she had a problem when she shifted. I think I’m going to have to stop that part of the werewolf.” “That would be taking away what they are.” “Ah, but they are getting so much more. Immortality. Better eyesight and hearing. And possibly even the ability to fly.” “That would mean a partial shift. They might not be able to handle it.” “Yes, Victor, it is all very complicated,” Gerard said, his eyes going distant. He seemed lost in thought for a moment then he snapped his coat sleeve down over his shirt cuff and strode to the door. “I’m off for a night at the opera. Do have a pleasant evening resting Victor. I will see you two in the morning.” Victor glanced at Tina. Once the door had closed, he whispered. “Are you awake?” “That man makes my blood boil,” she said, not bothering to get up. “What happened when you shifted?” “I felt like I hadn’t shifted all the way,” she said. “I knew something was wrong inside. Then the pain started. I couldn’t even think to shift. All I could feel was pain.” She looked into his eyes. “Why didn’t you kill me?” “I couldn’t,” he said. “Why?” she demanded. “Because I am not a killer,” he said then looked away. “I am sorry.”

222 Lee Pearce “You’re married to one, aren’t you?” she said. “Is that why?” “I respected werewolves a long time before I got to Rocks End,” he said, “but yes I am married to a werewolf.” “I didn’t think it could be possible,” she said, “do you have any children?” “Not of our own,” he said, “but we do have children.” “How? Did her previous husband die?” “No, he is still alive.” “I didn’t think werewolves divorced.” “They don’t,” Victor said, “All three of us live together. Julie, as one of the few female werewolves in our district, can take as many husbands as she wants. She is encouraged to have as many children as she wishes.” “And this other werewolf doesn’t have any problems with you living there too?” Victor shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. Julie and I have a special bond that he respects.” “I think it would be difficult having more than one husband to manage,” Tina said. Victor smiled. “I think you could handle it. Most females I know are very strong willed. If you find the right man or men to love then it will all work out.” She sighed. “Right now, if I don’t get this vampire stuff out of me, I don’t think anyone will want to mate with me.” They didn’t speak again for a long while. Tina drifted off to sleep first, Victor next, feeling lonely without Julie. He wondered how she was doing. She would be worried he hadn’t checked in with her for a few days. He wondered about the kids and Brad. Brad would take care of them. He was a good father and husband. If Victor didn’t ever return, he felt confident Brad would take very good care of the family. When Victor woke the next morning, Tina was gone from

Blood RaptuRe 223 the cage. She didn’t come back for a few hours. When she arrived, held up by the two vampires, she was battered and bruised, bleeding from several cuts on her face, arms and torso. “What did they do to you?” Victor asked when the vampires had locked her cage. “I had to fight them,” she said. “Guess they wanted to see how strong I was.” She smiled at him. “I got a few good shots in.” She grimaced and clutched her stomach. “All that blood has made me hungry.” Gerard entered and went to the vaccination refrigerator. He filled a syringe and headed toward Victor’s cage. “Feeding time, Victor,” Gerard said standing on the other side of the cage. He held up the needle for Victor to see the tiny amount. “What do you mean, Gerard?” Victor said, standing and remaining in the middle of the cage. “I mean, Victor,” Gerard said, staring and smiling at him. “She needs to be fed. Your blood is the best for her. Take your shot, become human long enough for her take enough of your blood to get her strength back, and then you will return to being a vampire to heal.” “I will not feed on him, again,” Tina said, “I nearly killed him last time.” “This is how you will learn restraint,” Gerard said, barely glancing at her as if she didn’t exist, “now, Victor, do we do this the easy way or,” he glanced over his shoulder at the waiting vampires, “the hard way.” “If I refuse?” Victor said. “Then she will die,” Gerard said. “And I will just have to go find another werewolf. They are getting fewer here. I might have to go further afield.” Victor looked at Tina. No more. No more deaths. She started to shake her head. “Don’t…”

224 Lee Pearce Victor stepped up to the bars and thrust his arm through. Gerard jabbed the needle into his arm. “Much better.” As he pulled out the syringe, he turned to Tina. “Restraint, Tina. You must learn to restrain yourself.” Victor felt the serum course through his body. His heart fluttered then began a slow steady beat. He turned to Tina. Already her eyes had begun to darken, her mouth open, her fangs extended. “Tina, listen to me,” Victor said. She jerked her head up to look into his eyes. “When you feed, you have to listen to my heart beat. When it starts to slow, you have to pull away. Do you understand?” She had begun to breathe hard, her focus back on his forearm. Her eyes continued to darken. He held his arm up close to her bars. He had to get them both through this without either one of them dying. He had taught new vampires before how not to kill their human victims. He could do it with her but could he do it before he lost consciousness himself? “Tina! Do you understand?” She glanced at him and nodded once. “Heart beat,” she hissed. He put his arm through the bars bracing his body with his other hand. She grabbed his wrist, sinking her teeth into the small veins. He felt her sucking, pulling at the blood. After a minute, he began to feel dizzy. His legs weakened from the lack of blood going further down. “Tina,” he said, trying to get her attention. “Tina,” he said a little louder. She didn’t even look up at him. He swallowed, his throat parched. He felt his heart slowing. “Tina, stop,” he said. His body slumped against the bars, start to slide downward. Tina had to struggle to hold on. She paused in her feeding

Blood RaptuRe 225 to get a better grip. As she broke the bond with his flesh, she seemed to regain some sense of being. “Victor!” she cried out as he slid to the floor. He blacked out as soon as his head hit the concrete.

Chapter Nineteen Two weeks and six days had passed since Julie had last heard from Victor. It would not be normally bothering her but his last text message had been cold, too cold for even him. And then nothing. Silence. Like he had forgotten how to use his cell phone. Like he had dropped off the face of the earth. She still sent him a message every morning asking him how he was, where he was and when he was coming home. Always silence. This morning though she just sat at the kitchen table with a coffee mug clutched between both her hands, its burning warmth doing little to take her mind off the cell phone she had placed on the table centered just above her placemat. She stared at the screen saver of cartoon horses running across the small screen. Had Victor truly vanished from the planet? Had he finally done it? Left her? Gotten wanderlust? Left his family? Sure, the children weren’t his biological children but he was as much a father to them as Brad. And she had never once suggested to him that he should leave. He had always been welcome here. He was her first love and always would be. Brad entered the kitchen. “The kids are out in the sand box,” he said, moving over to the coffee pot. He poured himself a cup of coffee and to get to his seat, had to move behind Julie. She heard him stop behind her chair. “Has he responded yet?” She shook her head. “I…I haven’t…” Her voice suddenly choked up. Brad put down his coffee cup and placed both his hands on her shoulders bending close. His body was still warm from being outside in the early morning sunshine. It was going to be another hot day. “He’s probably so wrapped up with his new friends that he forgot to charge his cell. You know vampires.

228 Lee Pearce They don’t pay attention to time the way we do.” “But it doesn’t make any sense,” Julie said. “He’d want to be in touch. He’d want to know how the children are. He’d want to know about your horse sale. He’d want to know if…” her voice trailed off again. Brad wrapped his arms around her chest and leaned forward, his chin resting on her head. “You’re thinking about the baby, aren’t you?” “I…I’m sorry…I…” “Don’t be sorry,” Brad said, squeezing gently. She felt reassured already. “Those kids have been correct on many occasions. If you’re meant to have a blond son, then it is going to happen.” “Are you sure there isn’t any blondness in your lineage?” she asked, knowing she had asked him many times before. “For the millionth time,” he said, “there is no Nordic pedigree in my ancestry. If there was we would not only have blond offspring, we would be taller, our musculature spread out over thinner bodies. Much like Victor is now.” Julie grabbed his arms. “How is it you can make sense of everything while I can only worry?” “Because I am the man and it is my job.” She was about to retort but she felt him brush a kiss on her neck just below her ear. She giggled as his hands found her ticklish spot on her sides. “Why don’t we move this into the living room?” he whispered into her ear, his hot breath sending jolts down her chest. “We can’t,” she said, regretfully. “Yes, we can,” he said, nuzzling at her neck. “You have a horse delivery to make,” she said. “If you want to be back by nightfall then you have to get going now.” “You mean to say you are spurning my advances?” She turned her head sideways until she felt his unshaven face against her cheek. “Just merely putting them off until this

Blood RaptuRe 229 evening.” She continued to turn in the chair until their lips met. He crushed his lips against hers, holding her head with one hand so that he could ravish her mouth. She reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair thinking well, maybe the living room might be a good place to start. It would only take seconds to remove enough clothing to do the job and then they could…A distant honking sounded and Brad stopped his kiss with a sigh. “I do believe, madam, it is time for me to depart.” Julie smoothed down his hair where her fingers had grabbed him. “Drive carefully,” she said as he slowly extricated himself from their embrace. “It’s going to be a long day,” he muttered. “Best get going then,” she said, smiling at his indecision. The horn honked again and he jammed on his hat, nodding once in her direction like in the old time western movies and then hurried from the kitchen. Smiling and shaking her head, Julie stood and walked over to the front door. Her brother Mark sat behind the wheel of a long horse trailer which he had stopped in front of the house. He waved when he saw her looking. Stephen sat in the passenger seat and moved to the middle as Brad jogged around the front of the truck. Mark put the truck in gear and turned the vehicle around in the yard. As they drove past, Brad tipped his hat in her direction. She curtsied and waved, tipping her head in what she hoped was a demure way. She heard Mark’s laughter as they drove down the driveway. When the truck had turned onto the highway, Julie moved back into the kitchen. She peered out the side window. The triplets were playing in the sand watched over by one of the ranch hands who was working on oiling a saddle in the shade of a nearby tree. Ever since they had been born, the children had held a certain fascination for the werewolf community. Triplets were rare. Julie never had any problem finding a babysitter among any of the ranch hands, all of them werewolves, or her relatives.

230 Lee Pearce Knowing the kids were in safe hands, Julie began to load the dishwasher with the breakfast dishes. She had to move her phone several times as she worked and when she finally came to wiping off the table, she put her phone in her shirt pocket. As she rung out her dish cloth, she got an idea. Pulling out her cell phone, she typed: “Miss u terrible.” She never could get the hang of short forms. “Want to see u. Which hotel?” Not expecting a reply, she put the phone back in her pocket and headed toward the front door, reaching for her purse and car keys. Even though nothing had been planned, Lizzy was coming over to work on her show jumping this weekend which meant Stephen and Mark would be following and be expecting to be fed. She had some grocery shopping to do and glancing at the kitchen, saw her partial list sitting on the small desk. As she returned for the list, her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. Wondering what Brad had forgotten to tell her, she pulled it out. The sender’s name nearly made her faint. Victor wrote: “Miss U 2. Wentworth Mansion. Charleston SC”. The Wentworth? One of the most expensive hotels in the city? How could he afford it? She wanted to text him all of that but instead, realizing her luck in just getting a response, texted him back: “Checking flights. Will let you know.” Brad wouldn’t be back until late tonight. She could catch a flight tomorrow. Brad wouldn’t mind. He was used to sharing her. And he’d understand. She could fly in early tomorrow. See Victor. And fly home Saturday. Lots of time to spend with Lizzy yet for the weekend. She started to dial the travel agent in Rocks End then stopped. One small problem. The travel visa. The travel agent might not have enough time to get the necessary permissions for her to visit the South Carolina territory. She had to have permission to visit another pack’s area. If she travelled without the required papers, she would be considered rogue and could end up either captured and driven back to the edge of her territory or killed. It would depend on who she had pissed off.

Blood RaptuRe 231 But if she made her own travel arrangements, took a taxi directly from the airport to the hotel and never left her room, the area pack shouldn’t know she was even there. Besides, she wasn’t about to leave the hotel. She planned to spend all of her time in doors with Victor barely stepping outside on anyone’s territory. Even as an ex-matron, Julie knew it was wrong. She should inform the proper authorities but as an ex-matron, she was still mad enough she didn’t care. She wanted to see Victor and nothing was going to stop her. Gerard stared at the cell phone screen, a slow smile creeping across his face. How fateful that his brother’s lupine wife had texted when he had been alone in his office. He could almost feel her desperate need to see Victor. Wolves had voracious sexual appetites. He knew. His very first experiment, Sabrina had been a demanding lover before he had attempted to change her. But this one would be different. He had heard about Victor’s wife who could no longer change. She was still one hundred percent wolf but her genes had been repressed. This one might be the one he needed to successfully complete his experiment. The other girl was proving to have her limitations. Even with Victor’s blood, her body was slowly failing. She hadn’t seemed to have noticed yet, but he could smell her body’s degradation. It might only be a matter of days before he had to move on with a new subject. He checked his email while he waited for Julie to get back about flights. It was just a short twenty minutes later when Victor’s phone buzzed, again. He wrote down her flight information and texted back, he would have a limousine waiting for her at the airport. He added the requisite “Hardly wait to c u. Love u.”, waited for her response then closed up Victor’s phone. He first called the Wentworth and booked one of the suites, putting it in the Maher name. He asked to be transferred to the concierge and instructed him to send a limousine to pick up Ms. Julie Woods who would be checking in early

232 Lee Pearce tomorrow and to book the restaurant for dinner that evening. He changed his mind thinking it would be better to meet this lovely lady in a busy restaurant than alone. She might feel much more comfortable and less likely to make a scene when he appeared and not her husband. Lastly, he asked the concierge to book a car to take Julie out to one of his favorite ladies wear shops so that she could pick out something suitable for the evening. He left his email address so that the concierge could confirm all arrangements later while he slept. Gerard then called the tiny boutique, mentioned his friend would be shopping in the afternoon tomorrow. He listed several items he would like Julie to try on and told the manager to put it on his account. All she was to say was that Mr. Maher would be taking care of the bill. She was not to say his first name. Unperturbed the manager’s voice didn’t even flinch when she agreed to these terms. For the amount of money she was about to make, she would happily say anything to Julie. Standing quickly, Gerard strode from the study into the kitchen and then down the stairs to the cellar. He moved through the cold room to the back, pulled the switch to open the back door and entered the underground lab. He strode between the two counters to the back where the cages stood. He barely glanced at Victor, lying on the far left floor. He had thought to reward his brother for his continued assistance. His brother hadn’t stirred when he had arrived so he must be in his deep sleep. He stopped in front of the other cage. Tina slowly uncurled her body and sat upright on her cot. “Time again, so soon?” Her tone was very matter of fact as if she had been expecting his visit. “How are you?” he asked, returning to the closest counter and picking up the set of keys hanging on the side. “Neither dead nor alive,” she replied with a laugh that quickly turned into a hacking cough. Her lungs continued to struggle to breathe even after she had stopped coughing, their rattle loud to his ears. He stepped up to the door and inserted the key into the

Blood RaptuRe 233 lock. “I am afraid I have done you an injustice,” he said, turning the key. The lock clicked open and he swung open the door. She just sighed in response. He wasn’t sure if she was unable to speak or just didn’t want to. He stepped into the cage, leaving the door open. She had barely enough strength to take Victor’s blood the last day. “More training?” Tina said. She slowly rose to her feet. Gerard couldn’t help but to stare at her emaciated body. Her arm and leg joints all stuck out through her skin making her look skeletal. The hair on her head had fallen out in great chunks as her werewolf body had attempted to heal itself against the vampire virus. He could hear the faint beat of her heart as it valiantly attempted to keep her body alive. Her eyes had lost their luster. He saw only death in her eyes now. He held open his arms. “Tina, it is time to set you free.” Her smile took great effort. He swore he saw tears in her eyes. She glanced only once at Victor. As she moved past him and out the door, Gerard grabbed her from behind. Victor woke to the sound of cracking bones. He saw Tina’s body slump in Gerard’s arms and leapt to his feet. “Gerard, no!” He was already too late. He could smell her death. Gerard let her body fall to the floor. “Gerard, why?” Victor cried out. Gerard looked at his brother. “Because it had to be done. She had served her purpose.” “But you said she was a success,” Victor said, pain stabbing his chest. “A success for what I wanted from her,” Gerard said, “She easily took the new serum but her werewolf genes fought the vampire virus, trying to heal what it thought to be an injury to her body. I need to work on that. You might not have a room mate for a couple days. I do hope you don’t get too lonely.”

234 Lee Pearce “Gerard, let me out,” Victor said, angry gripping the bars of his cage. It was time to stop him. “As much as I know you don’t enjoy being confined, Victor, I still need you at least one more time.” “No more, Gerard,” Victor said, “You’ve done enough killing. You…” A loud screech filled the room. Tina’s misshapen body jumped onto Gerard’s back. Her razor like fingernails raked at his face and neck. Her eyes barely showed any life. Her legs had wrapped around his waist. Gerard tried to pull her off. He cried out loudly. Victor heard running feet coming down the stairs. Tina’s hands grabbed skin on his cheek and began to tear it. Gerard spun around madly, jamming her up against the bars of Victor’s cage. “Get her off.” Victor stepped back. If Tina’s resurrected vampire body was going to kill Gerard, then so be it. Gerard must have realized he wasn’t going to help so he made a dash toward the lab table. Her hand yanked more skin from his face. He roared with anger. Reaching the table he grabbed a used syringe, turned it toward her and started jabbing where he thought her face was. A few times he heard her grunt as he struck home. Still she clung on like a being possessed. Victor caught the look on Tina’s face once in the stainless steel side of the vaccine refrigerator. She had no humanity left. She looked like a she-devil, her hair pointed in all directions, her eyes wild, her mouth wide open, fangs extended. It frightened him. He had never seen a vampire in such a state before. The door burst open. Several vampires rushed forward. Screeching, Tina was dragged from Gerard’s back. It took four vampires, one on each limb, to hold her still. Gerard held the flap of skin up to his face as he opened up the vaccine fridge. Reaching far into the back, he pulled out a small box. Lifting the lid, he brought out a small vial filled with a silver substance. Carefully filling a syringe, he replaced the now half full vial back into the box and put it back in the fridge.

Blood RaptuRe 235 The other vampires cringed. “Hold her very still,” Gerard instructed and stepped up to her body. He had to take his hand from his face and saw one of the vampires look away, pale. The only spot he could get without coming close to one of the guards was her stomach. Victor knew it would be painful for her but he didn’t want to see her suffer. Jabbing in the syringe deep, Gerard pushed the plunger all the way. Tina’s body bucked as the liquid silver ran its course through her body. She howled in pain. It lasted only a few seconds but seemed like forever. Victor saw the gleeful look on Gerard’s face as her body stiffened and moved no more. Victor felt sick. “You’re a bastard, Gerard,” Victor said, low with menace. “Did you see what she did to me?” Gerard said, bringing his face close to Victor. “You’ve suffered worse I am sure,” Victor said. “Not at the hands of a woman,” Gerard said. “At least you now know your experiment is a failure,” Victor repeated. Gerard stopped. “Actually it was a better success than I thought. It seems your vampire virus is very strong. It can even out live death.” “Gerard, you have to stop this. It is inhuman.” “Me? Inhuman?” Gerard couldn’t help but laugh. “You should look in the mirror sometime Victor.” Then he laughed again. “Gerard, tell me what you want,” Victor said. “Do you want to see me suffering? I am suffering. What else do you want from me?” “Victor, you don’t know what suffering is,” Gerard said, “You brought this all on yourself. You started it.” He stopped talking. He still had to prove his theory. Victor looked at him puzzled. He had made him curious. Let him think about that for awhile.

236 Lee Pearce “I am going, Victor,” he said, “I have arrangements to see to. I will be back in tomorrow to see how you are doing. We can talk more then.” “Tell me, Gerard,” Victor was calling after him, panic filling his voice, “what are you planning to do?” Gerard stepped through the door, pausing so that Victor could see his sly smile, then pulled it shut behind him. Victor had a growing sense of fear that something horrible was about to happen. He looked down at Tina’s body. Who was going to be Gerard’s next victim?

Chapter Twenty “I am coming with you. You cannot go there alone.” Brad’s voice yelled over the cell phone. She could hear in the background loud neighs and banging on the metal floor of the horse trailer. “There’s no need for you to come with me,” Julie said, stuffing clothes from her dresser into her duffle bag. “I am not taking an entourage just to go meet up with Victor.” “You cannot enter another pack’s territory unprotected,” Brad said. “I won’t need any protection,” she said, “I’ll be there less than twenty-four hours. Nothing is going to happen.” “You haven’t arranged for permission, have you?” “I don’t need it,” she repeated. “I will not be going anywhere. I will be spending all my time with Victor. We won’t even leave the hotel.” “That’s not the point,” Brad said. “If they catch any scent of you, you will be at their mercy. We won’t be able to get to you in time. You said Charleston, right? South Carolina? We’ll be home tonight and…” “My flight goes in an hour,” she said, “Brad, I’ll be fine. You have to trust me on this.” “I love you and I’m not going to let you go alone,” he said, “What time does your plane get in to Charleston?” “About noon, why?” “I will catch a flight from the next city,” he said. “Wait in the airport and I will meet you there.” “Brad I do not need…” “I know,” he said, his voice softening. He had probably just gotten into the car. “But I want to be with you. I should be with you. At least for show. My wife should not go without at least

238 Lee Pearce one bodyguard.” She sighed heavily. Brad wouldn’t give up until he had gotten his way. She might as well give in now. Besides, he was right. She knew she was breaking many rules. Rules she should be following, even if she was an ex-matron. “Julie?” “All right, Brad,” she said, “text me your flight info when you get it and I’ll meet you at your gate.” She zipped up her bag and then went into Brad’s room and picked out a change of clothes for him. At the last minute she dragged out a suit jacket and tie, just in case. It was a high end hotel. Its restaurant was probably just as high end and though they might frown on his cowboy boots and jeans, they would surely insist he wore at least a tie. Besides, she liked her men in suit coats. They looked so civilized. No one would guess their true natures. A few minutes later, Julie arrived down in the kitchen, two duffel bags and a wardrobe bag in hand. She peaked in where Lizzy sat at the kitchen table watching the triplets eat breakfast. The kids looked toward their mother. Sara spoke first. “Mommy, it is good you’re going to see Daddy Victor,” she said, “he is very lonely in his dark room.” “Dark room?” Julie asked, “Do you mean his bedroom?” Sara stuck her fingers into her bowl of cereal and fished out a letter which she delicately placed beside some other letters on the table. She fussed with the line up so much that Julie came over. “He’s cold, Mommy.” Julie stopped at the edge of the table and her own blood ran cold. Sara had spelled out the word ‘cage’. “Is Victor in a cage?” Sara nodded and reached for her spoon. “He doesn’t like it but he knows it’s for the best.” Julie swallowed heavily. “The best?” Sara nodded as she filled her mouth with cereal, milk dripping down her chin, and said nothing more. Brad Jr. and Carl continued eating as if nothing out the ordinary had

Blood RaptuRe 239 happened. As Julie stepped off the plane a few hours later and started the long walk through the terminal to collect her baggage, she reached into her purse to turn on her cell phone. She had two text messages. The first, from Victor, she read quickly. The second, from Brad, after reading it, she stepped between two rows of seats at one of the gates and dialed his number. “What do you mean you’re fogged in?” she asked when his voice sounded in her ear. “I know, I can’t believe it either,” Brad said, sounding frustrated. “It never gets foggy there,” Julie said, “What did you do? Piss off a demon? Steel his sale at the auction?” “It almost seems like one of their tricks,” Brad said. “Look, Julie, I can’t tell if we’re even going to make a flight tonight so why don’t you just come back home and…” “Brad, I am not going home,” she said, trying not to sound too frustrated. “Victor sent me a text message a few minutes ago and said he had contacted the Weres in this district and confirmed I had permission to be here.” “I don’t know, Julie,” Brad said, sounding very worried. “I do not have a good feeling about this. I know Victor would not put you in any danger but calling you up to come for an overnight visit is not something Victor would do.” “Brad, Victor has just as much of a right to-” “No, no, Julie, that’s not what I meant. Victor would treat you better. He would ask you to come for a week. He’d show you around. Take the time to be with you. Have you meet his friends. Not just come for one quick visit and send you home on the next flight.” Julie sighed. “I know. I’m sorry. I, I guess I’m just as concerned.” She stepped out from between the chairs and started down the hallway, trailing behind her fellow passengers.

240 Lee Pearce “I’m still going to go to the hotel. I will text you as soon as I check in with my room number, all right?” Now, Brad sighed. “Okay. I still don’t like it.” “I know. And I like it that you don’t like it. Your possessiveness is quite a turn-on.” Her voice became low and husky, her body warming at the thought of the phone call turning sexy. She reflexively glanced around for the nearest quiet corner. He chuckled. “When I finally catch up to you, I am going to show you just how possessive I can be. Perhaps a little roping lesson followed by a branding lesson.” “Mmmm… I like your branding iron,” Julie’s steps slowed, “especially when…Brad?” static filled her ear, “Brad? Are you still there?” She heard a click and then a dial tone. She tried dialing his number again and this time, got an out of service message. She didn’t think the truck had been moving. She couldn’t remember hearing the engine running. A sudden chill shot down her back and she shook it off. Brad could take care of himself. Besides, he had Mark and Stephen with him. They’d watch each other’s backs. Julie tucked her phone into one of her purse’s outer pockets so she could hear it ring when Brad called back and quickly grab it. Quickening her pace, she rounded a corner, went through a sliding glass door and entered a cavernous room. Three baggage carousels sat in the room, only one turning at the moment. She stood back from the crowd, preferring to let the others struggle to get their luggage. Her bag could go around a couple times while she waited for the people to disperse. The doors to the outside stood at the far end. She saw bright sunlight through the glass and wondered where she would find the driver Victor had sent to pick her up. She saw several suited men standing near the doors. What name would be written on the card meant for her? Woods or Maher? She had kept her own last name but if Victor was trying to keep her anonymous in this district, he would use his own last name.

Blood RaptuRe 241 Glancing around the arrivals area, Julie saw several older couples waiting patiently. Families hurried toward them becoming swallowed up in hugs and affection. The group moved out the doors and into the bright sunshine, laughing excitedly until the doors slid shut, cutting off the joyous sound. She sighed and wished she had brought the triplets. They would have liked to have seen Victor again, even if it had just been a couple weeks. To act like a normal family would have been so very nice. Here, they could pretend with no one knowing about their heritage. They could act as human as the next humans. The carousel behind Julie suddenly started up. She jumped at the rattle of hidden gears pulling chains to move the panels. A maintenance worker stood on the far side of the carousel, staring in her direction. His eyes had narrowed. He clutched a wrench in his right hand. His left hand hovered close to a tool box balanced on the protective edge of the carousel. Embarrassed at being caught staring, Julie looked back to her own carousel. Silver flashed and she quickly stepped up to a vacant spot. Her two duffel bags came around, upside down of course, and she reached for them, struggling to drag them upright. She tried to grab one of the handles but found it just a little too far out of reach of her fingers. A large hand clamped on to her bags and pulled both effortlessly onto the ledge. Julie grabbed for the handle, thinking someone was trying to steal her bag, took a breath and got a whiff of human male. Looking up, she found bright blue eyes staring back. “They build these for people with arms as long as monkeys,” the man said, releasing her bags. He wore a conservatively-styled dark suit and matching tie. His black hair was combed back with not a hair out of place. A briefcase stood at his feet and a larger piece of luggage beside it. He looked non-threatening in a pleasant salesman type way. He held her gaze and a sudden chill went up her spine, again. “Yes, it is awkward,” she replied, taking up both handles and picking up the bags. “Thank you.” She turned and walked around the end of the carousel, most of her senses tuned to the

242 Lee Pearce line of chauffeur drivers, a small portion on the man behind. She dared not glance back in case he took it as encouragement to approach her, again. She didn’t want this day to start with her having to fend off the advances of a randy human male. Only two drivers remained and neither held up a sign with a name she recognized. Thinking her driver might be waiting outside, Julie headed out. The sliding glass doors swooshed open. Humidity and heat washed over her body. Sunlight momentarily blinded her. Julie paused in the middle of the sidewalk, searching for her sunglasses. “Are you looking for the taxi stand?” She looked up, recognizing his voice, suddenly on edge. “No, I’m fine. I have someone meeting me.” Her fingers touched the arms of her glasses and she dragged them out. “Because if you are going downtown, we could share a ride,” he said. Did he think she was some poor hick from the country? “I’m fine,” Julie said, putting on her glasses. She walked away from him and toward a line of cars. Please don’t follow, she thought, or I might just have to kill you. People jumped out of cars and rushed inside the terminal as Julie worked her way up toward the limousine line. Surely one of these cars had been ordered by Victor. How would she handle this? What was the proper etiquette? Start rapping on windows? That somehow didn’t seem to be what the truly rich did. Maybe the driver had gotten her flight times mixed up. Maybe he had gone to the wrong part of the terminal. Maybe the wrong airport. As she passed by the first car, the driver remained seated and didn’t even glance in her direction. She moved past the next car with the same result. At the third car, she was about to pull out her cell phone when she heard a car crunch to a stop in the passing lane. The driver leapt out oblivious to the other drivers squealing their cars to a stop and loudly honking the horns.

Blood RaptuRe 243 “Ms Maher?” he asked, reaching for her bags and garment bag even before she acknowledged him. “Please come this way.” Well, so Victor wanted her to remain anonymous. She took in a deep breath and smelled human, again. He must be her driver even if he wasn’t a vampire. Julie followed. He opened the back door. As she slid into the cool, darkened interior, he apologized for being late. “Mr. Maher had me run an errand on the way.” Before she could respond, he had closed the door. She saw his blurred form jogging around the car through the shaded windows. Well if Victor had thought it was important then she wasn’t going to question why the driver was late. The driver jumped into his seat and accelerated down the roadway. Julie vaguely saw the man standing on the sidewalk watching her car drive away. Was he still waiting for his own ride? Should she have offered him a ride? She shook her head. He was a stranger. She wasn’t about to offer a stranger a ride. Not here. Not like at home. You might not actually know the person but you knew their family or friends. No, Charleston was a big city and she had to trust her instincts when it came to strangers. And her instincts told her to be wary of that man. During the drive to the hotel, her driver didn’t say a word. Julie enjoyed the silence and the sites as they drove downtown. The hotel, an older building that looked more like a mansion than a hotel, stood like a grand dame. Julie stood by the car as the driver retrieved her luggage. Suddenly she felt small and inconsequential against such an older majestic building. “Ms Maher, when you are ready to go to the boutique,” the driver said, as he led her toward the front doors, “just ask the concierge to call and I will be here by the time you step outside.” “Boutique?” she asked, a little bewildered. Was she to meet Victor at a store? “Mr. Maher said I was to take you to one of his favorite stores for some shopping,” the driver replied as the doorman opened the hotel door. He paused while Julie entered first then caught up with her as she crossed to the front desk.

244 Lee Pearce “One of his favorite stores?” Julie asked, still confused. Victor must have been here before then. The vampire was quite old. He would have had a life before Rocks End. But a boutique? That sounded expensive. They didn’t have the money to spend on expensive clothes. The triplets were growing faster than the weeds and needed new clothes every week. No, they couldn’t afford to be buying clothes she would never wear again. “Yes, ma’am,” the driver said. “But that is not necessary,” Julie said, “Maybe you could point me in the direction of a salon?” She hadn’t had a professionally done manicure in a long time. That would go a lot further tonight than some new clothes she didn’t plan to be wearing for long in Victor’s presence. Raking blood red nails over his muscular back would be much more effective than a frock lying on the floor. “Whatever you wish, Ms. Maher,” the driver said, inclining his head, “I will have to inform Mr. Maher of the change in plans.” “He’ll understand,” she replied, briskly. She didn’t need Victor’s permission to change her mind. She saw the driver’s eyes narrow and felt sorry for taking it out on him. “I will call you once I get settled in. Maybe you can take me for a drive around the city. Show me the sites?” She stopped in front of the large wooden desk. What harm could she get in to in a locked car? The driver nodded and placed her bags at her feet. He backed away a step but remained nearby. Probably in case she needed help from Victor to check in. “Welcome to the Wentworth Mansion, Ms Maher,” the young woman said. Impeccably groomed, makeup and hair perfect, she wore the hotel uniform in a way that said she was used to being around money. Julie thought well, there’s money and then there’s money. Her family wasn’t starving and could now afford a few luxuries. The race horses her ranch had bred over the past few years brought in a substantial income. She had just

Blood RaptuRe 245 never thought about spending the money on herself. Something always needed fixing on the property or someone needed new boots or, well, she just never really felt like showing off her money. “Your room is ready.” The clerk handed to Julie a pass key in a tiny paper envelope with her room number written on a card tucked inside. “If you require anything else, please call us anytime day or night.” “Thank you.” Julie rose, reaching for her bag. It was snatched from her fingers before she could get a firm grip on the handle. A bell hop wearing the same suit held her bags in his hands. “If you will come this way, Ms. Maher.” She followed him to the elevator. Few other guests wandered through the lobby. It being a weekday, all seemed to be quiet in the hotel. The ride was short and they got out on the fourth floor. Her room was the third door on the right, room 405. Using her pass key, she opened the door and stepped into a room larger than the bottom floor of her house. Two sofas and several chairs stood next to a large fireplace on her left. A dining table and chairs stood against the wall on the right so she had to walk between them to get to her bedroom. A doorway on the far wall led to another large room with a fireplace and a massive bed that nearly took up most of the floor space. She looked at the bed and knew it wouldn’t take them long to use all of that space tonight. The bell hop was rambling on about how to use the television remote, the environmental controls for the air conditioning, and only when he mentioned the whirlpool tub did she pay attention. He held out his arm toward another unexplored doorway. Cool marble floors and glistening white porcelain met her gaze. A large soaker tub with plenty of room for two stood against a far wall. Again, she knew that piece of furniture would also be put to use tonight. The clatter of dishes and the bang of wheels hitting marble brought Julie out of the luxurious bathroom. A waiter stood by the dining table quickly setting the table, the silverware and crystal glittering in the sunlight flowing through the bank of

246 Lee Pearce windows. Drawn by the irresistible smell, Julie strode over to the table. The waiter immediately held out the chair and placed the napkin on her lap when Julie had sat. He lifted a plate covered with a silver lid from the cart and placed it in front of her. He lifted the lid and the full scent of the medium-rare steak filled her lungs and head. Her pulse quickened at the thought of tearing into the meat. She licked her lips and realized she was nearly drooling onto the meat. It had been a long while since breakfast and her stomach now rumbled loudly. The waiter stepped back while Julie picked up her knife and fork and cut off a polite-sized morsel. If she had been at home, she might have taken a larger piece but no need to frighten the humans in this hotel. The meat slid into her mouth and dissolved between her teeth. She closed her eyes and moaned as the warm bloody juices filled her mouth and slid down her throat even before she swallowed. Her body tingled and warmed and she pictured Victor sitting next to her, leaning in, brushing his lips across her mouth, tasting the blood on her lips, his eyes becoming silver with passion, his mouth opening, forcing her lips open, his tongue seeking out the traces of the meat’s juices along her tongue, then seeking more, lowering his fangs into the delicate flesh where her shoulder and neck met, his desire demanding more from her body. “Is the meal satisfactory, madame?” The waiter’s voice broke her reverie and Julie turned on him, cutting off a snarl. He looked shocked and she quickly raised her napkin to her lips, hiding her sudden embarrassment. “Yes, this meal is very satisfactory,” she replied. “Would madame like some wine?” he asked touching the neck of the bottle he had placed upon the table. The label was new to her, a vintage from France. If Victor had been here right now, yes, a glass of roomtemperature red would have been most enjoyable. But since she was alone and had plans for this afternoon in preparation for

Blood RaptuRe 247 Victor’s arrival tonight, she decided to decline the wine. “Thank you, but if you have bottled water, that will do for now.” The waiter nodded his head and reached beneath to the cart’s lower level. He pulled out a green bottle. Julie grinned. They sure liked their French companies. Once the waiter had filled her goblet and made sure she had everything she needed, he left her alone. Julie ate her lunch enjoying every morsel. Victor had been very thoughtful to think of ordering lunch for her. He may be indisposed at the moment yet he had not left her to find her own way around the city. Perhaps she should go to the boutique after all and see what he had planned for her there. Being dressed by a man, especially when the man was her husband, was very much a turn-on. As soon as Julie finished the lunch, she called down to the concierge to ask for the car to be brought about. A few minutes later she was walking through the lobby, looking out through the large plate windows for the car when she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. She paused in the middle of the lobby and pretending to look through her purse did a slow turnabout, glancing up supposedly frustrated so that she could take a look at the people in the large room. The last thing she wanted was to be scented out as a werewolf. Victor had texted he had gotten permission to have her visit the Charleston territory from the district Weres. She was curious though that none had shown up to check her out. Perhaps they weren’t as fascinated with female werewolves as her pack. Her pack might have been the only one with females with the genetic anomaly that killed them during birth and that all other packs in the area never had that worry. Yet, she still found it strange she hadn’t even gotten a whiff of wolf and this hotel lobby smelled of disinfectant and fresh roses. Two clerks stood behind the front desk, one showing the other something on the computer, their heads bent in concentration. A bell hop sorted through some suitcases at the far end, his back to her. No one sat in the chairs off to the right, it being mid-afternoon and most people out for the day. That

248 Lee Pearce left the restaurant off to the far left. One of its French doors stood open but the interior was so dimly lit she could only make out the slight twist in the entrance and a wall. If someone stood looking out at her, he or she must be mostly hidden by the wall. “Ms Maher?” Julie nearly jumped but she immediately recognized the driver’s voice and instead turned around. “Ms Maher, are you ready to go?” he asked. With one final glance at the restaurant, she followed him out through the main doors into the humid afternoon. The feeling of being watched faded as she slid into the car and ended when her door closed. Julie settled back into the plush seat. “How was your lunch, Ms Maher?” the driver asked, as he put the sedan in gear and pulled away from the hotel. “Very good,” she said, trying not to blush as she remembered her erotic thoughts of Victor. She saw the driver glancing at her in his rear view mirror. “I’ve changed my mind about the boutique. I would like to go there first.” The driver nodded. “What is your name?” she asked. Might as well get to know this man who was going to be her tour guide for the afternoon. “George, George Baer, ma’am,” he replied. “I’m surprised you’re working for Mr. Maher,” she said. “Oh, you mean me being a human?” he said. “Mr. Maher actually needs a human driver for daytime errands. He has certain business interests which are only open during the day so I help with those enterprises. He has other supernaturals to help him during the night time when he goes about to his other businesses.” Victor? Had businesses here? “What is he like to work for?” Now she was curious. She apparently had seen only one side of Victor. “Mr. Maher is fair most of the time,” George said, “but a

Blood RaptuRe 249 man would only dare to cross him once. He is very territorial and would make an example of that man once he caught him.” Julie shivered. This was not the Victor she knew. She sat quietly as George navigated the downtown traffic. Victor? Territorial? Vengeful? In the years she had known him, he had never shown this side. What was he going to be like tonight? In this different element, would she even recognize him? George turned the sedan down a side street and stopped in the lane. Older colonial homes lined the street on both sides. Most had been converted to shops and offices. George stepped out of the car and hurried around to her side. He opened her door and helped her out. Again, the humidity struck her like a stick but the warmth felt good on her parched skin. She could smell salt in the air and thought to ask George to take her down to the ocean on their way back to the hotel. “This way, Ms Maher,” George said, stepping onto the sidewalk. He led her up the stairs of a yellow house and held open the front door. ‘Gigi’s Boutique’ had been etched into the glass. The first floor had been broken into two different shops: one for lingerie and the other for clothing. Julie was swept into the clothing area by a stylish older woman who immediately drew her past all of the racks to the back of the store where a change area had been set up. Three large mirrors stood to give a full view of the outfit. Behind the mirrors was the change room. Julie spent the next couple hours trying on gowns and shoes and to her chagrin, lingerie. The shop owner tried to get her to purchase several of each item but Julie argued insistently against it. Even if Victor seemed to be involved in so many businesses, it didn’t mean he had the money to buy these items. The gown itself had a four digit price on the tag, not including the cents. Victor’s money was her money. She could afford one gown but that was it. The rest of her money she had to put back into the kids and the horses and the running of the ranch. In fact, Julie felt so guilty that when she finally escaped to the change room, she put on her clothes instead of the next dress and with a terse apology to the owner, rushed from the store.

250 Lee Pearce George had found a parking spot in front of the store and Julie jumped into the back seat before he could get out. “Madame?” he asked, surprised. “Take me back to the hotel,” she ordered. “But your purchases? Shall I…?” “No, there are no purchases. This was a stupid, selfish mistake. We can’t afford any of this. Take me back to the hotel. Now.” “Yes, ma’am.” George pulled away from the curb. After a few seconds, George glanced at her in the rear view mirror. “Madame, were the clothes not to your liking? There are other boutiques…” “Oh, they were very much to my liking,” Julie said, “that’s the problem. I like them very much. But we can’t afford such things. What was he thinking?” She saw George looking at her curiously. “We have children to clothe and feed. And the ranch. The barn needs repairs. One of the trucks needs an overhaul. Damn it. Why did he do that? He knows we can’t afford those kinds of luxuries.” As they neared the cross street to the hotel where George should turn right, instead he drove straight through the light. “Wasn’t that…?” she asked. “I am going to take you to see some of the sights,” George said, “If I am right, I am thinking you don’t really want to go back to the hotel.” Julie sighed. Yes, the more she thought of it, the more she didn’t want to spend the afternoon cooped up in the room waiting for Victor to arrive. She’d just get madder and madder and wouldn’t be in the proper frame of mind to have a quiet discussion with him. So she sat quietly in the back while George drove her along the waterfront, across Ashley River and eventually turning on to Old Town Road. She saw the sign to Charles Town Landing State Park as he drove by and parked at the entrance.

Blood RaptuRe 251 “Why are we here?” she asked, looking at the old buildings. “Charleston was one of the Atlantic Seaboard cities where the pirates brought their families to live,” George said. “If you come with me, I will show you some of Mr. Maher’s history.” Pirates? Now he had peaked her curiosity. She followed him to the information center where he paid for their admission. She followed him through the museum where he pointed out some of the exhibits. They stopped in front of a male figure dressed like a pirate. The usual flamboyantly ruffled shirt, wide hat with requisite swooping feather and sword and knives were visible. She could not see Victor wearing any of this. Not his style. “Mr. Maher was sent over from France by his father to see about the prospect of starting up a business in the Caribbean. His family was in the wine business and his father was always one to increase the family’s fortune. On his voyage over, Mr. Maher befriended a man whom he later discovered to be a vampire. Sometime on the voyage, the vampire bit Mr. Maher and because they had grown to be such good friends, the vampire turned him instead of killing him. Mr. Maher did start up a business on one of the islands, purchasing a sugar cane plantation, but he grew bored quickly. He became a profiteer and grew his own empire. After a few close calls with the American navy, he retired to Charleston and became a legitimate businessman.” “So all these businesses he owns came from money he stole as a pirate?” Julie asked. “Many of the businesses here were started with such money,” George said. “Was he a good pirate or a bad pirate?” “Do you mean did he kill people?” Julie nodded. She wanted to know about Victor’s past. “Mr. Maher did what he had to do to amass his fortune,” George said. “If someone challenged him then he did what was necessary to get his prize. If it meant taking human lives then

252 Lee Pearce he did.” “Oh.” Julie still could not imagine Victor killing just to steal a ship’s cargo. They were going to have a very interesting conversation tonight over dinner. As they walked back to the car, Julie felt a little better after stretching her legs. Still the knowledge that Victor might have been a cold-blooded killer disturbed her greatly. On the drive back, she sat silently, trying to work out what she would say to him. She realized that whatever he had done in the past must have been for a good reason. She just wanted to get rid of this uneasy feeling. George left her at the hotel, saying he would be by early in the morning to take her back to the airport. In her room, Julie found a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket and a glass sitting beside a note. Seven p.m. Hotel Lobby. She smiled at the bottle. This was very considerate of Victor. Leaving it on ice, she walked around to the bathroom. A long soak in the tub would feel good right now and would help to get her thoughts in order for tonight. Alcohol would not help. They could have the champagne when they came back after dinner. As she turned on the water, Julie pulled out her cell phone. Brad had not texted her during the day so she dialed his number. Stepping out of the bathroom so she could hear the phone’s ring over the roar of the water, Julie got a message saying his phone was out of range. He was probably driving between towers. She would try in another hour or so. She dialed Mark’s house. A breathless Lizzy picked up the phone. Julie could hear giggling in the background. “Have the kids driven you crazy yet?” Julie asked. “No, not at all,” Lizzy said, “We were playing catch the ponies and everyone got tuckered out.” “The ponies weren’t hurt, were they?” “No, even though Brad Jr and Carl were getting a little too aggressive. Mind you, the ponies gave a few bruises back when they head-butted the boys. One of the ranch hands had to call

Blood RaptuRe 253 the play when the boys started going after the bigger horses.” “You’re okay on your own?” “Yeah, fine. Stephen and Mark should be home soon. Last time Stephen called he said something about the fog being so thick they had to creep along the interstate. Would take them all night to get back.” Julie sighed. That would mean Brad would be going insane thinking she was here without his protection. “If you here from them again tell them everything is fine here in Charleston. I’m about to get ready to have dinner with Victor-” “Not Daddy!” Sara called out. Julie agreed. The man she was going to meet tonight might very well not be the Victor she knew as her husband. “-and that I’ll be catching the early morning flight back as planned.” “’K. Bye.” Julie hung up the phone and moved over to where she had left her duffel bag sitting. She had hung up her clothes just after lunch and opened the closet to see if her blouse needed to be ironed. Inside the closet, the dress she had first chosen then rejected for being too expensive hung inside. The shoes sat on the floor. Almost afraid to look, she opened the dresser and found the lingerie laid out in the drawer. Julie let out a long sigh. A small envelope sat tied to a box beside the panties. She reached in, pulled it out and opened it. The note read simply: Please accept this as the gift it was meant to be. You deserve so much more but this is all I can do for you at this time. I will explain tonight when I see you. I am looking forward to spending time with you. I have missed you very much. Love, V. Again, she sighed. Maybe she was over reacting. It was a nice dress after all. And if he wanted her to have it as a gift, it would be rude for her not to wear it. She opened the box and pulled out a dark red silk scarf. It would look wonderful against her pale skin and black dress. Tonight. For him. She would happily dress

254 Lee Pearce up. Julie moved back to the table and opened the champagne. One glass of the bubbly would go well with her long soak. Promptly at seven o’clock, Julie stepped out of the elevator. Gazing about the lobby, she couldn’t see Victor. The maitre’d from the restaurant walked across the lobby in her direction. He smiled as he approached. “Miss Woods? Would you be so kind as to follow me?” Classy, she thought. She followed him across the lobby, her shoes clicking on the marble floor in a sexy way. She knew Victor could hear. Maybe they’d just have drinks and appetizers and go back to her room. The one glass became two glasses of champagne as she had slowly sipped while she had gotten ready had loosened up her body. She had felt the stress of the day fade and now her body tingled in a most erotic way. She wanted nothing more than to feel Victor’s cool touch all over her body. The restaurant was empty. Candles had been lit on several of the tables, casting a mellow glow throughout the room. The crystal and silverware glittered on the tables. It seemed like the restaurant had become a sparkling cave. She scanned the room. A waiter stood near the back of the restaurant, patiently waiting. The maître d led her forward to a center table. No one else stood in the room. The maître d held out her chair. “Is Mr. Maher not here yet?” she asked, sitting down. The maitre’d glanced toward one of the darkened corners. A figure stepped out of the shadow. He had the same slim build as Victor and at a distance, his face structure looked like Victor’s but as he did not have the same walk as Victor. Whereas Victor strode confidently this man stepped slowly, each foot carefully planted, stalking across the room, his eyes fastened decisively upon her face. She felt she had just been marked as prey. “Where is Victor?” she asked, wanting to but unable to take her eyes off this stranger. The man bowed his head as he stopped at the table, grasping

Blood RaptuRe 255 the top of the chair opposite her own. “I am sorry. Victor had to go out of town on some business. My brother sends his regrets.” “Brother?” she asked, stunned. Victor had never mentioned having family, let alone another brother who was also a vampire. “Yes, Mademoiselle Woods,” the man said, sitting down. “I am Gerard Maher. Victor is my younger brother.”

Chapter Twenty-One Brad stared at the grey mist swirling around his legs and kicked at it viciously. “Hey there,” Mark said, “You might as well just whistle into the wind. You aren’t going to get it moving out of here any sooner by doing that.” “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Brad said. “It’s like something is trying to keep us from going to Charleston with Julie.” “Julie’s comment about the demons is bothering you, isn’t it?” Stephen said, stepping from the back of the horse trailer. “What if she’s right?” Brad said. “What if the demons have just manipulated Julie into a trap? And they’ve messed with the weather just to keep us stranded here?” “It does seem very coincidental,” Stephen said. He nodded toward the cell phone still clutched in Brad’s hand. “Give ‘em a call.” Brad beeped through his contact list, found the demon matron’s phone number and pressed send. The phone rang twice before being picked up. “Maysla?” Brad spoke. “Brad Billingsworth here. I need to ask a favor of you.” He had thought it best to play dumb. She might not have had anything to do with the weather. She might be able to help them. And if she had ordered the fog bank to be created, he was going to give her a way out to fix it. She listened silently. She could have muted her phone for all he knew but when he finished talking she did respond right away. “I will contact a friend up there. You might have to do something for them though.” Brad sighed. He had figured this would happen. Demons never did anything without exacting payment. Soon after Brad finished speaking to Maysla, his cell phone rang. The voice on

258 Lee Pearce the other end was unfamiliar. “I am a friend of your demon matron. My name is Connor Chance. I am to offer you a safe place to stay tonight until this fog clears.” “Uh, thank you, Connor,” Brad said, “but we are actually looking for a way to leave. I have urgent business-” “I am afraid that is not possible,” Connor said, patiently, as if speaking to a child, “The fog bank has settled over the district. Even the interstate is at a standstill.” Brad glanced at Stephen and Mark and mouthed the words ‘What do you want to do?’ Stephen shrugged. Mark mouthed back, ‘What choice do we have?’ “All right, Connor,” Brad said, “We accept your offer of hospitality.” “My car will arrive there within a few minutes,” Connor said. “My driver will lead you to a place where you can rest the horses and yourselves.” Brad closed the cell phone and put it in his coat pocket. “I don’t trust them,” Stephen said, “let alone our own demon neighbors.” “Why don’t we try driving out of this?” Mark said. “I’d rather be on the road than stuck in the middle of a demon conclave.” “It’s not safe to drive in this weather with the horses,” Brad said. “I wouldn’t want to risk being rear-ended.” “How long…?” Mark asked as a car pulled up, its bright lights cutting through the mist. A man stepped out, his head covered with a hood. Brad could still make out the indentations on the man’s face, the poisonous pustules glistening against his dark face. “You are to follow me,” he said, his voice heavy with an East Indian accent. “Stay close. The air is very thick out there.” “Where…?” Brad began but the demon got back into his car and shifted it into drive. They jumped into the truck and Brad had to hastily turn on

Blood RaptuRe 259 the ignition to follow the quickly departing car. “Apparently we interrupted his lunch,” Mark muttered as Brad sped to catch up. “Guess he’s got better eyes then we do,” Stephen said when Brad drove onto the side of the road for the second time, gravel crunching beneath the truck’s tires. Brad growled low in response. Yesterday the sale had gone well. They had arrived in good weather, the sky blue, the winds light. It had been a perfect day. If he hadn’t been scheduled to make this auction run, he would have stayed home, taken Julie out for a ride in the back woods. Perhaps to a secluded spot, opened a bottle of wine, slowly peeled off her clothes, given her a full body massage and let their bodies do what came very naturally to both of them. Instead he was stuck driving very slowly through a countryside he knew nothing about, no matter what the weather, feeling very much like one of the horses in his trailer, being jerked about by the reins. Fence posts and trees loomed out of the fog. Side roads came and went. At one point, the truck rose up a hill and only on the top did Brad realize it was an overpass. He heard the roar of a passing transport truck, thought it strange for the driver to be moving so fast, then shoved the thought aside as they moved back into a forested lane. Another few miles and the car ahead turned down a laneway. He followed onto a gravel road. Houses loomed up on either side. When he saw the sign on a building that read Holme’s General Store, he felt a little more relaxed. A town was always a good sign of civilization. Even Stephen let out a sigh. They passed through, crossed over a small bridge and immediately turned left into another laneway. Branches grated along the top of the horse trailer as they drove by. The car did a large circle in what seemed to be the middle of a yard, stopping to face back up the lane. The driver jumped out and pointed toward a structure sticking out of the fog. Brad drove up to it and recognized a small barn, rickety and badly in need of painting, but it would shelter the horses for the night.

260 Lee Pearce “Are we staying there, too?” Stephen said. “I didn’t see a hotel in town when we passed through.” “Let’s check it out first,” Brad said, unfastening his seat belt. “It may not be suitable for the horses.” He got out of the truck while Stephen and Mark slid out the passenger door. He could hear the sound of rushing water. “There’s a house over there,” the demon waved to their right. Brad couldn’t see another building but had to trust him. “We’re going to check the barn,” Brad said. The demon waved, got back in the car and drove away. “Guess he thinks we’re staying,” Mark muttered, joining Brad around side of the truck. A wooden door creaked. Stephen stepped through the open door as they rounded the front of the truck. Brad and Mark stepped into the darkened interior. The wooden floor creaked beneath their feet. Stephen stood in the middle of the small barn, his hands outspread looking at his feet. “Don’t…” he called out. As they walked toward him, the floor groaned. Wood splintered. The floor gave out. Stephen dropped through. A loud splash followed. Mark a little ahead, caught himself as the floor gave out, one leg disappearing below. “Damn!” he cried out. Suddenly his body jerked downward. Surprise filled his face. Brad dropped to all fours and reached out to him with his hand. “Mark!” Mark’s body jerked downward again. “Something’s got me.” Then he was gone, a loud splash following. “Mark!” Brad leaned forward and saw only rushing water. Both men had disappeared. He spun around, starting to stand. The wood board beneath his feet splintered and threatened to give way. He dropped again to his knees and crawled the last few feet to the door. He had

Blood RaptuRe 261 to get outside the barn, find the river, see if Stephen and Mark had made it to the river bank. He wasn’t too worried. They knew how to swim even if the rushing water would be hard to navigate. How far downstream had it pulled Stephen and Mark? Brad rose as he crossed the threshold. A shadow struck out at his head. Still bent over, Brad dropped to the ground and rolled away. He heard a curse. Quickly rising, Brad lashed out with his foot, striking the body in the stomach. The demon doubled over and collapsed on the ground, gasping. Seeing he had a few seconds, Brad got to his feet and ran toward the rushing water. He stumbled as the bank dropped away, nearly slipping down. “Mark! Stephen!” he called out. Hearing no reply, Brad jogged along the side of the bank. Tall grass and overgrown trees slowed his passage. At times, he thought he saw a body on the far side of the river but it would turn out to be a stuck log. He kept calling out, knowing he was giving away his location to the demon, but thought it more important he found his wife’s brother and best friend alive. He didn’t want to face Julie’s wrath if he let either one die today. Barging his way through a particularly tall patch of grass, Brad came face to face with the demon. The man had bared his hands and face. Brad knew enough to duck as the demon swung with his right fist but reflexively he held up his left arm to block the punch. He felt the sting of the pustules as they dug through his shirt and into his skin. Immediately his arm went numb. He spun around to his right to dislodge the demon’s arm. The demon stumbled, off balance, and Brad kicked his legs out. The demon fell face first on the ground. As Brad ran past, he felt a sharp pain on his ankle. He yanked his leg free but when he put pressure on it, his leg collapsed beneath him. He fell to his knees, his right hand keeping him upright. He felt something smooth beneath his palm and wrapped his fingers around it. The demon stood above him. “Why didn’t you drown with the other two?” he hissed. “Guess I’m just a little too stubborn,” Brad said.

262 Lee Pearce The demon bent over him, his hands reaching out. “Today, you were not stubborn enough.” Brad swung up with his right arm, twisting his body, hoping the momentum would carry him before he collapsed. The demon must have expected Brad to do something and he jumped back. Brad fell to the ground and rolled away, the only thing he could do. The demon cried out in surprise. When Brad looked up, the demon had crumpled to the ground, Mark and Stephen, dripping water, standing over him. “You gonna lay around all day?” Mark asked, walking over to Brad. He held out his hand. “Glad to see your swim is done,” Brad said, slowly getting to his feet, taking Mark’s hand. Stephen nudged the demon with his foot. When he didn’t move, Stephen came over to Brad’s side and put Brad’s arm over his shoulder. “C’mon old man, we got a long drive ahead of us.” “Ain’t that old to know we’re in one mess of a trouble,” Brad said. “And so are Julie and Victor.” “We’d better make some phone calls,” Stephen said. “Warn the pack.” “Since we’ve over stayed our welcome,” Mark said, opening the truck’s passenger side door, “we’d best be moving on.” He slid in beside Brad. Stephen got in the driver’s side and got the truck moving up the lane. He paused at the road. “Through town or not?” “Best go through,” Brad said, shaking out his left arm trying to get the feeling back. “Can’t afford to get lost anymore.” “And if we meet up with resistance?” Stephen said. “Then I’m gonna do some shooting,” Mark said, reaching up over their heads. A gun rack sat close to the roof. He pulled down one of the rifles, laid it on his lap, and took out several shells from the glove box. He had the rifle loaded by the time they had crossed over the small bridge.

Blood RaptuRe 263 Fortunately, they didn’t meet anyone in the town. Seemed everyone had gone in doors. Maybe they had heard there’d be trouble and didn’t want to get involved. Stephen found the interstate and took the exit that would head them back home. Once on the highway and several miles away, the fog dissipated. No wonder Brad had heard transport trucks whizzing by. The fog had just been a local event created to hold them up. Mark called Rocks End and told Uncle Josh what had happened. He put extra guards on the triplets and Lizzy in case the demons were going to try to do something to the children. “Why are they doing this?” Mark asked. “The demons took Victor away. Now Julie is down there with him. And they just tried to kill us. I don’t get it.” “With Brad out of the way,” Stephen said, “Julie would only have one husband.” “Do you think Victor planned this?” Mark asked. “Victor? Murder?” Stephen said, shaking his head. “Not Victor. He loves Julie too much.” Mark glanced at Brad. “Then who?” “We need to find out who Victor is staying with down in Charleston,” Brad said. “If you call their patriarch, you could be putting Julie in jeopardy,” Stephen said. “If I don’t, we might never see her again,” Brad said, swallowing heavily. “Someone wanted the two of them together and away from our protection.” “The pirate toys?” “Uh-huh. I think Victor’s past has come back to haunt him.” “And Maysla is the only one who knows about it.” “We’re going to have to pay her a visit when we get back.” “And we’re not going alone,” Mark said. “I’m afraid we are going to have to use more than just diplomatic skills to get what we want.”

264 Lee Pearce Nearly an hour later, they pulled off the interstate and headed across the highway that would take them to Rocks End. About a mile along, police had set up a roadblock. A sheriff’s car sat parked on the side of the road. A second officer stood back a ways. Mark unloaded the rifle and put it back in its rack. As they pulled up to the first officer, he peered in the driver’s window. Brad got a whiff of human and nothing else. It seemed there might be nothing strange about this road check after all. “We’re looking for stolen goods, gentlemen,” the officer said, glancing back at the horse trailer, “There’s been a rash of break-ins lately. Do you mind if we have a look inside?” “Not at all,” Stephen said, pulling ahead onto the side of the road. Mark started to reach for the rifle but Brad stopped him. “I haven’t heard of any break-ins.” “I know, Mark, me neither,” Brad said, “but it wouldn’t be smart to start waving a loaded gun around the police officers.” Mark sighed. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.” “All we have are the horses in the back,” Brad said. “If this is legit then we’ll be on our way in five minutes.” “If it isn’t?” Stephen asked, putting the truck in park and turning off the engine. “Ever been in a police chase with a horse trailer?” Brad said, trying to lighten the mood. Stephen and Mark managed a grin as they all slid out of the truck’s cab. Stephen lifted the back cover of the bed while Brad and Mark moved to the back of the trailer to unlock the doors. They stood back as an officer peered into the small interior. The two horses looked up their ears perked expectantly, hungrily sniffing the air filled with the scent of fresh grass. The officer stepped back and joined the other officer. They moved a few feet away and turned their backs so Brad couldn’t see their faces. He stood quietly listening with his heightened werewolf senses.

Blood RaptuRe 265 Brad looked up at Stephen and Mark. They both nodded as the officer approached, again. “Gentlemen,” the officer said, his voice louder as if to sound more authoritative, “we’re going to need a further inspection done on the trailer. If you’ll follow us, we’ll take you to the police garage.” “Officer,” Brad said, knowing he had to encourage that bit of doubt in their heads, “the horses have been on the road all day. Can we get them home and then bring back the trailer for an inspection, later today? We’re only about an hour away.” The officer dropped his hand to his gun holster, letting it just brush the leather. Brad sensed Stephen and Mark tense up. Now was not the time for them to go wolf. Brad didn’t need his pack mates damaging these humans. “Sir, I need you to follow us in now,” the officer said, his tongue jerking out to lick his top lip nervously, “you will not put those horses in anymore jeopardy than they already are.” “But, officer,” Stephen said, reaching for the door handle, “I have proof the trailer was certified for travel just the other week.” He yanked open the door and both officers pulled their weapons. Stephen froze in place, staring at the barrel of the gun. Mark took a step toward his patriarch and partner, reflexively moving in to protect him, but froze when the officer turned the gun on him. Brad didn’t move but kept an eye on the second officer whose gun was trained on him. He could hear the two officers’ bodies adrenalin-fed pulses racing. Both officers had gone into over-drive and would shoot at anything, or anyone, that moved. “If you open the glove box,” Stephen said, speaking slowly and in a calm voice, “you will find all of the maintenance records for the past year.” Brad saw Mark jerk his head in the direction of the cab. The rifle. He hadn’t locked up the rifle. Brad moaned softly. The second officer looked at Brad. This was going to hurt his pride more than anything but Brad knew he had to do something.

266 Lee Pearce With a loud moan, he crumpled against the side of the trailer. Mark rushed to his side. “What’s wrong with him?” the first officer asked. “One of the horses kicked him in the gut earlier,” Mark said, grabbing Brad’s arm to keep him from falling all of the way to the ground, “when we were loading him up. I told you, you were hurt more than you thought.” “I’m fine,” Brad muttered, gasping a little heavier than normal, “I just need to get to the doctor soon. He’s expecting us.” He glanced up. The second officer was looking at the other officer. Both of them now looked undecided. If Brad was truly hurt, then they’d have more of a problem on their hands than just trying to stall them. They’d have to see to his medical care, too. Brad could see they hadn’t expected this situation to get complicated. “Look,” Stephen said, “I’ll drive under the limit. Just let me get him back to our doctor. Then I’ll take the trailer straight to our garage and have our mechanic check it out and fax you the report.” The officers still looked undecided. Brad doubled over, his arms crossed over his stomach, bent his knees and leaned heavily against Mark. “Oh God!” he called out through gritted teeth as loudly as he could, “I think I’m going to die.” “Look I think you fellers should get him looked at,” the first officer said, waving his gun toward the truck. Not wasting any time, Mark yanked Brad toward the front of the truck. Stephen stepped back and shoved Brad up into the driver’s seat. Brad slid over, grimacing and then remained bent over as the other two got into their seats. Stephen roared the engine to life and pulled away. Brad remained huddled over until they got far enough away he couldn’t see the police car in the side mirrors. “I wonder who they were to report to once they got us back

Blood RaptuRe 267 to the station?” Brad said, sitting upright. Mark flipped open his cell phone. After a few seconds of the phone ringing, Brad heard Lizzy’s voice answer. “How are things there?” “I don’t like having the pack around,” she said, her voice whining, “they’re awfully bossy.” “They’re supposed to be like that, Lizzy,” Mark said, his voice softening, “Remember they’re protecting you.” “Uncle Mark, not even the horse flies are daring to leave the manure pile,” Lizzy said, “I kind a wish some of these guys would go out and do some chores. They’re just sitting around, getting in my way.” “Has anything happened? Any strangers come to the door?” “No, not a soul. No one’s even called. Except you.” “Good, and the triplets?” “Oh, they’re sleeping right now. I made all your guards be quiet so they could get to sleep. I threatened to give the kids a load of sugar and turn them loose on them if they woke them, amazingly they all got real quiet.” Brad looked over and saw Stephen, the clan patriarch, smiling. “Think I’ll try that one next time we have a pack meeting.” Brad grinned back. He took the phone from Mark. “Lizzy? Remember how Julie was working with you on your instincts? How if you get a funny feeling that something is not right then you were to trust your feeling? Well, I want you to do that now. Those men will listen to you. They have a lot of respect for fe-,” he stopped himself from saying females so as not to offend her, “er, you and they will listen to whatever you tell them.” “Don’t worry, Uncle Brad,” Lizzy said, sounding like she was trying to reassure him, “We’re fine here. There are so many guards here I can hardly keep track of them. Oops, there goes Carl. You need more than a t-shirt, Carl! Bye.”

268 Lee Pearce And with that, the connection was cut. Mark looked at Brad, one eyebrow raised. “That one is from your side of the family apparently.” Brad growled but with a smile. All three kids had been a miracle of sorts. Caring for three had been exhausting and the family had all pitched in. But Victor had been the god-send. Not requiring too much sleep and having lots of patience, he had been able to take care of the fussing babies walking all night with them if needed. His cool body had been useful when a feverish baby had needed comforting. Brad had often wondered how they would have survived without Victor. Now someone was threatening to tear their happy family apart and Brad had to find out who. With this second attempt on their lives, he was becoming, well, agitated was not the right word, but he was on edge. Not only Victor but now Julie could be in danger. He felt helpless and confused. Who was trying to harm his family? And why? Maysla. She had the answers. He was going to find out. Tonight. “Drive faster,” Brad said, glancing at the speedometer. Stephen went up to the speed limit. “I do not want to risk getting the attention of any more police.” Brad sighed heavily. “Just a few more minutes,” Stephen said, “We’ll unload the horses and go straight back in to town.” Brad sighed, again. “You are doing her no good getting into a state,” Stephen said. “You need your head clear.” “I am clear-headed,” Brad said. “I know which questions to ask. I know which answers I need. And if I don’t get them, then I will start torturing demons.” “That makes a lot of sense,” Mark said. “I’m usually the hot­ headed one.”

Blood RaptuRe 269 “All right, Mark, you can do the torturing.”

“Thank you.”

Stephen cleared his throat.

“What?” Mark asked, innocently.

“There will be no blood shed unless I say so,” Stephen said.

“Or do I have to remind you I am the Patriarch.” “All right, Patriarch,” Mark said, “You can bite the first ear off, all right?” “Much better.” A few minutes later, they pulled into Brad’s ranch. The driveway was crowded with cars. Several wolves lounged about on the grass and stood as the truck and trailer drove on to the barn. As they leapt out, several of the pack members ran up. They helped unload the horses and drove the truck and trailer away within a matter of minutes. “We’re ready to go to the demon matron’s house,” one of Stephen’s lieutenants, Clive, reported to Stephen, glancing over at Brad. “Do we know she is at her house?” Stephen asked. “We have had visual confirmation,” Clive reported. “At least we know she has not left her house since early this afternoon.” “And nothing has happened here?” Brad asked. “No, nothing,” Clive said. “Your family is safe.” Brad nodded. “I’m going up to check on them.” He ran up to the house and burst in through the front door. A squeal led him to the kitchen where he found the triplets coated in chocolate cake and giggling. He reached Carl first, noted he now wore pants along with a t-shirt and kissed him on the forehead. Brad Jr got a kiss on the top of his head as there really wasn’t anywhere that wasn’t covered with cake. Sara leaned back. He found a blank spot high on her cheek to plant a kiss. “Daddy,” Sara said, “Are you going to help Mommy find Daddy Victor?”

270 Lee Pearce “I am going to see the demons first,” Brad said. “I think they can help, too.” Sara nodded. “She knows all about Daddy Victor. She can help.” “She? Maysla?” “Uh-huh. But don’t ask her when the bad man is near. She won’t speak the truth.” “The bad man?” “The one from the boat. Mass.” Carl started to giggle. “Mass?” “Uh-huh.” Sara nodded, wisely. “He is mad at Daddy Victor.” “Why is he mad at Victor?” Brad asked, kneeling down beside Sara’s chair. “Daddy Victor won’t do as Mass wants him to do.” “What does he want him to do?” Sara shrugged. “I don’t know.” She tapped her head. “My brain hurts when I think about it.” Brad kissed her again, this time on the forehead. “Then don’t think about it, ok, sweetheart?” “Ok, Daddy. Cake?” She held up her hand, a small piece on her palm. Brad took it gently and popped it in his mouth. “YuUHmeeeee.” All three kids laughed.

Chapter Twenty-Two Julie opened up her hotel room door, entered, closed and locked the door and started turning on lights. She hummed softly to herself. The dinner had been delicious and she had had a lovely conversation with her husband’s brother, Gerard. He had turned out to be a good conversationalist and after she had gotten over her initial disappointment at not having Victor’s companionship for the evening, she actually began to enjoy herself. Now as she stood in front of the dresser, she glanced at herself in the mirror. As she reached around to unzip her dress from the side, she felt something was missing. A long elegant box sat open on the dresser yet she couldn’t remember what had been in it. She slipped out of the dress and reached up to let down her hair. Her left hand strayed to her neck where it began a slow massage. Julie froze. A chill raced down her spine. Her hand continued a slow up and down motion until she purposely made it stop. “That bastard!” she said loudly, slamming her fist down on the dresser. The box jumped. She remembered a flash of red. The scarf. He had taken the scarf. She took a deep breath and let the dress drop to the floor. Hurrying to the wardrobe, she turned slowly around in the mirror. Her body showed no unfamiliar marks. So Gerard Maher had raptured her just to take the scarf. Her heart pounding wildly, she tried to guess why. The only person who would care about her scent would be Victor. Why would Gerard want to torture Victor with it? Victor knew he was the only one for her. She loved him and Brad equally and no others. Gerard must want Victor to do something for him that Victor did not want to do. Even the slightest hint Gerard could get to her would drive Victor crazy. He might say or do anything once he realized this. As Julie stripped off the pretty but impractical lingerie, she

272 Lee Pearce glanced at her cell phone. She should let Brad know what was going on but once he found out, he’d make her promise to stay put. She needed to move and quickly. Every fiber of her body told her Victor was in terrible danger. But Brad should know. She picked up her cell phone and scrolled through the phone numbers. She selected Brad’s cell number but did not hit send. She didn’t have time to argue with him. Instead she backed out and went to the texting icon. Unable to figure out what to say, she put her phone down and stepped into the shower, scrubbing furiously. If Gerard had touched her in any way she wanted his scent off her body. As she dressed, she pulled out her cell phone and opened the internet. Searching through the telephone directory, she found Gerard Maher’s address then mapped it out. The vampire lived about ten blocks from the hotel. She pulled on running shoes. Julie was going for a midnight jog through the streets of Charleston. Picking up her cell phone, again, she dialed Brad’s number. It went directly to voicemail. She gave a brief description of her dinner with Gerard and the fact that he had raptured her to take her new scarf. A lot of things weren’t making sense and she was going to do a little reconnaissance to find out if Victor truly was in trouble. She’d call Brad back once she’d arrived at her destination if she had anything to report. Pocketing her room key and cell phone, Julie made her way to the hotel stairs. Four floors below, the stairway ended at an outside door before it turned toward the hotel lobby. It was not marked as an emergency door but still she opened it slowly in case alarms did get set off. She peeked out, saw no movement and stepped out, finding herself in an alley. The night air had cooled a few degrees but the humidity still hung in the air. She turned to the right and headed out to the street, where she turned onto the quiet sidewalk. Alternating between fast walking and jogging, Julie followed the map on her cell phone. It took her past several restaurants, the smells of cooking food making her stomach growl. She wondered if she had really eaten dinner with Gerard or if he had planted that

Blood RaptuRe 273 memory in her head also. Two streets later, she turned a corner to head toward the residential district. Loud country music assaulted her senses. Bright lights nearly blinded her. She stumbled into something big and hard, nearly falling. She got a whiff of werewolf and dodged outstretched hands. “Hey, where you going, sweet thing?” a drunk, husky male voice called out. She dashed out into the street staying close to the far side of the parked cars, keeping her head low. Maybe if they thought she looked like she was making her way home, they would leave her alone. She heard more male laughter but kept walking. Soon their voices faded. As she crossed another busy intersection, she focused on the map. She had gone a block too far but found herself in a quiet residential area. The street lights now became less frequent casting great shadows on the sidewalk. Instead of turning around, she went up the next block, around, and down Gerard Maher’s street. Coming up from a different angle gave her a chilling perspective. She saw two vampires standing outside his house. Several other figures stood in the shadows across the street. Gerard must have been expecting her to come. She backed away, turning down the other street. A small sports car pulled up beside, the window open. She kept walking, her head low. The driver leaned over. “You won’t make it to the next block, Julie. Get in now.” She glanced closer at the driver, recognizing the one who had helped her at the baggage carousel earlier at the airport. “You? Why should I get in with you?” “Because the wind was blowing from behind you,” he said, “and the vampires will have your scent by now. It’ll only be a few seconds before they’re on top of us.” She glanced back up the street. Two men now stood at the corner staring in her direction.

274 Lee Pearce “Come on, Julie, get in the car.” “How do you know my name?” she asked, still not moving either way. “Everyone knows about the Rocks End matron who lives with a werewolf and a vampire. We just thought we’d never see you down here.” “I’m only here because of the vampire,” she said. “Me too,” he said, making her look at him quickly. “What do you mean?” “Get in and I’ll…damn it!” She heard a loud thump and the crunch of metal but saw only a large form land in front of her. The vampire slid off the hood, reaching out. She ducked his claws, running beneath his arms and around to the other side of the car. His wings flapped with agitation, banging against the car, as he tried to follow. Julie yanked open the door and jumped in. The driver tore off, the vampire rolling off the side of the car, dropping to lie stunned in the middle of the road. Julie glanced out the back window as he skidded around a corner. She had seen two vampires. Where was the other one? The car switched gears, jerking her forward and then back. She reached for her seatbelt only to have the car screech to a halt. She heard glass shatter and felt a hand grab her shoulder. She cried out as nails bit into her flesh and swung with her arm, thudding against flesh. The vampire responded by hissing and digging in deeper. A loud blast and flash from a gun caused her head to jerk back. The claws vanished as the vampire fell or leaped away. She couldn’t tell, her vision filled with flashing lights. “Are you hurt?” the driver asked. Julie slumped against the car seat and shook her head. He grabbed her torn shirt, pulling her close. “It doesn’t look bad.” He threw the car into gear and raced down the street. Julie

Blood RaptuRe 275 bit her lip to keep from crying out every time he switched gears. The force pushed her body back into the seat, the pain in her shoulder searing into her flesh. He drove onto the interstate and the cool air from the broken windshield blew onto her skin. She turned her face to get it out of the wind. “Who are you?” she asked over the roar of the wind. “A friend,” he said, concern on his face, “a friend who should have stopped you at the airport.” She found the passing lights of the interstate hypnotic and soon found her eyes closing. A sharp pain in her shoulder made her jump. “Stay awake, Julie,” the man yelled. “Stay awake or you’re going to die.” But she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She just needed a little nap that was all. The car screamed around a corner. She barely saw the sign for the off ramp before he took it too fast. Then he was flying along a country road, gravel crunching. She closed her eyes, breathing deep of the freshly cut hay. Again pain shot through her shoulder. She jerked awake. “You…” she said, angry but fully awake. “Stay awake, Julie. Just a few minutes more.” He pointed to a brightly lit country bar sign. The red letters ‘Uncle Phil’s Place’ scorched her eyes. She turned to look away as he pulled into the parking lot and drove past a long line of motorcycles and pickup trucks, finally skidding to a stop at the front door. He leapt out, yelling at the bouncers, running around to her side of the car, opening the door, picking her up, carrying her through the doors, across a dance floor crowded with rank-smelling werewolves and into a back room where she was put into a chair. “What the hell happened?’ a new voice demanded. “She took her time getting into the car,” the driver said. “Try your charm next time,” the new voice said. “Is she coming?” “I’m here,” an old gravelly voice spoke, “get out of my way,

276 Lee Pearce young pup.” Someone growled low but Julie felt the figures move away. An old wrinkled woman stepped up into Julie’s field of vision. She could see the bumps and crags on the demon’s skin. Her knobby hands pried apart Julie’s blouse, tearing it finally. The demon pursed her lips. Someone else gasped. The demon touched her shoulder. Julie nearly shot out of the chair, the pain burning her chest. “What …what…?” she tried to say. “Someone wanted to make sure you were incapacitated,” the demon said, “this is powerful magic.” She stood back. “I don’t think there’s anything…” Julie grabbed her dress, stopping her from leaving. “Please. I need to get back to Victor. Do something.” The demon looked at her puzzled. “Why?” “Because I love him,” Julie said, releasing her dress as she collapsed back into the chair. That had taken the last of her strength. “What I got is going to hurt more than what you got, child,” the demon said, “you sure you ready for this?” She had experienced demon magic before. It had saved her life. “Do it,” she muttered, her teeth already clenched. The demon reached down to the floor and opened a bag Julie hadn’t noticed until now. She pulled out a dirty rag and a bottle filled with a green liquid. Unscrewing the cap, the room immediately filled with a smell of swamp gas and rot. Someone gagged. A door opened and closed. Julie felt her own stomach churning. The demon poured the liquid onto the rag and replaced the cap. Holding the sopping cloth in her hand, she nodded at someone standing behind the chair. Julie felt hands press down on her good shoulder and forehead, holding her close to the chair. The demon pressed the cloth against her wound.

Blood RaptuRe 277 At first Julie felt nothing. A smell of burning skin filled her nostrils. She saw smoke coming from the cloth. Heat began to permeate her skin. It sawed through her shoulder and into her chest. It constricted her lungs so she couldn’t breathe. Nor could she scream. But she wanted to scream. The pain filled her head. She saw only red heat. The room had vanished. All she saw was the demon’s eyes, blazing, filling her sight. She wanted her to stop. She’d had enough. She’d rather die than take much more of this. The demon pressed harder. Julie bent her back into the chair, trying to escape out the other side but the hands on her body kept her upright. The demon reached down into her bag again and pulled out a small silver vial. Without pausing she pulled the stopper with her teeth and lifting the rag, poured the contents on Julie’s shoulder. Ice cold fire shot through her body. Julie finally got to scream. Gerard stood in the center of his foyer staring at the two kneeling vampires. Their wings, though folded against their backs, still fluttered wildly. “Tell me again why that female werewolf is not standing here right now?” Gerard asked. “My lord, she had help,” the first spoke. “Help?” “Yes, yes, a human driving a…” “A human?” Gerard felt his anger rising. “Are we not the superior species?” “Yes, my lord.” “Tell me why I should keep you alive.” The two vampires looked at each other. The one lifted his blood-stained hand. It shook as he held it aloft. “She has been injured, my lord.” Gerard studied the hand. “I smell infection.” “I am sorry, my lord. I had been dining when…”

278 Lee Pearce “No matter,” Gerard said. “She will need to seek medical aid.” The vampire nodded. “Yes, my lord. The human will take her somewhere to get help. We will start searching the clinics.” “No, don’t bother,” Gerard said, reaching a hand into his pocket. “She will be back.” He fingered the silk scarf and glanced toward the back of the house. “Get back out on the street. She will be bringing reinforcements.” He watched the two vampires flee out the front door before heading toward the back. He walked through the kitchen to the control room. Opening the door, he slid in silently. Two watchers sat before the monitors. One turned and nodded in his direction, acknowledging his presence. “How did the ships do in the south Pacific?” Gerard asked. “They rode out the hurricane as you instructed,” the man who had turned replied. “No damage to the cargo or ship. Two men were lost overboard.” “Acceptable losses. Is the ship still on course to intercept the freighter?” “Yes, sir,” the man’s tone fluctuated. Gerard reminded himself he needed to get more vampires in here to work instead of humans. Humans tended to get emotional, no matter how much he paid them. A freighter full of electronic parts would bring a good price on the black market. The insurance companies would pay out to the owners who would then be forced to buy the parts again if they wanted to stay in business. The human had to see where his employer’s priorities sat if he wanted to continue his employment here. “And our people in the Indian Ocean?” he asked. “They have reported another successful day,” the man replied, his voice steady once again. “The cruise ships are easy pickings for them.” “No sign of any of the navies?”

Blood RaptuRe 279 “No, sir. Seems the fight in the Middle East is keeping them busy.” “Nothing like a threat to the world’s oil supply to keep a country’s politicians and their armies occupied.” “Yes, sir.” “Let me know if anything untoward happens tonight,” Gerard said. “I’ll be below in the lab.” A few minutes later Gerard stood before the entrance to the laboratory and punched in his code to open the door. He grew excited thinking how he was about to see how far Victor would go to save his lovely wife. She had been a most enjoyable creature to get to know and he had almost regretted having to rapture her to take his trophy from her body. She had had a most delectable body and had toyed with the idea of having her strip naked for him so he could see what drew Victor to this werewolf. But time had been short and instead he had sent her back up to the hotel room, alone. One thing that had bothered him though, was how quickly she had recovered from his rapture. Had Victor figured out a way to plant a subliminal message in his wife’s mind so that she would know? Was Victor that strong of a vampire he could do this? As he pushed open the door, he thought of the blood samples Victor had given. The secret to his strength would be found in there. He must spend more time in his lab. Victor sat on the floor, his back up against the cage bars, staring out the side. He had never once shown any discomfort but Gerard knew he must be suffering without a soft surface to rest his body. Bruises should appear soon. The lone lab technician who had taken the night shift and barely glanced up from his computer screen when Gerard entered, would be checking Victor periodically to see how he fared. Victor also didn’t seem at all bored. But then a vampire of his age would have learned how to overcome boredom a long time ago. Victor hadn’t asked about the findings of the report. Gerard toyed with the idea of telling him his findings. If he did, Victor might

280 Lee Pearce realize where his strength lay. If he didn’t, Victor would go on living his ordinary life. Victor heard Gerard enter the room. The man had many secrets. Victor had to keep playing the game to keep his brother off guard. “How are you doing tonight, Victor?” Gerard asked, standing within a few feet of his cage. “I’ve missed your company, Gerard,” Victor said, not bothering to look at him, “Do tell me what has kept you away.” “I’ve been reviewing the bids,” Gerard said, “checking on my ships. A hurricane in the Pacific is no longer a threat. My tourist boats in the Caribbean continue to give pirate tours, ironically, a rather lucrative business.” “Our parents never got over when you died,” Victor said. Gerard paused. Victor knew he had shocked him. “Victor, you remember how harsh Father was to me. He never treated you the way he treated me. I was glad to leave. I never planned to return.” “Gerard, let’s face it, you always took the easy way out.” “You mean becoming a vampire?” “You asked him, didn’t you? You didn’t even let him offer. You must have begged him.” “And what if I did?” Gerard replied, starting to pace in front of the cage. “To die and begin a new life was very appealing.” “Then why, Gerard, why did you turn Francois? And come after me?” “I wanted to show you what it could be like.” “No, Gerard, you were jealous. You missed having a family. Even after only a couple years you couldn’t handle being a vampire. You were lonely and wanted your old life back.” “I…” “It’s the truth, Gerard. You didn’t like being a vampire, did you?”

Blood RaptuRe 281 “I…” Gerard stopped probably realizing Victor was goading him. His hand dropped into his jacket pocket. “Enough Victor, I’ve come to ask something of you.” Victor opened his mouth as if to say something more and changed his mind. “What is it?” “Your trials of the humanizing drug have been very successful,” Gerard said, “I think it is time we gave you a larger dose. One that would carry you over the next twenty-four hours.” “Into the day time?” Victor sounded hopeful. “Yes, Victor, I want to see if you can walk in the daylight as a human without the demon’s spell to protect you.” The lab tech walked over to the vaccine refrigerator and pulled out the serum. He filled a syringe and brought it over to Gerard. Gerard nodded for him to proceed to Victor. Victor stood and put his bare arm out through the cage bars and pulled it back when the technician had finished giving him the shot. As Victor moved back, Gerard stepped up. Victor began to stretch his arms over his head. Gerard watched as his skin became a pink color. He could hear his heart beat quickening. When he knew Victor was more human than vampire once again, he stepped up close to the cage. “I had a dinner date this evening,” he said, slowly pulling out the red silk scarf. “Anyone I would know?” Victor asked, eyeing the scarf suspiciously. Gerard held it up to his face and breathed in deeply. “Yes, Victor, you would know her.” He placed the scarf over one of the crossbars of the cage. Victor stepped close still eyeing the scarf like it was a snake and bent slightly to get its scent. His eyes widened and his face flushed, angrily. “You bastard, Gerard! Where is she?” Victor yanked the scarf from off the bar and gathered it up in his hand, holding it close to his chest. Gerard stepped back showing a little bit of fear. “She is safely

282 Lee Pearce back in her hotel room,” Gerard said, “but she does miss you terribly.” “What did you do to her?” Victor demanded, stepping up to the bars. “Nothing,” Gerard shook his head, a slight smile on his face, “nothing yet.” “Damn it, Gerard, let me call her, talk to her.” Gerard shook his head again. “I cannot. She believes you are off on one of my ships tonight, working, and won’t be back until late tomorrow.” “Gerard, why?” Victor said, frustrated now that he had been tricked into taking a super dose of the serum. “Victor, she is the ideal candidate,” Gerard began, “She is a werewolf and not a werewolf. Her genes have been turned off but she has all the instincts of a werewolf. I won’t have to worry about the aggressive change response mechanism with her when I give her the vampire virus. And she is going to walk right into my house in the next few hours. I won’t even have to go looking for her.” “Gerard, don’t do this,” Victor said, “I beg of you. Find someone else. Anyone else. I will let them feed off of me. You can have as much of my blood as you need. Let Julie go. Tell her to go home.” “Victor, I can’t do that. Your wife will be the start of my new race of supernaturals. And she will have your blood coursing through her body. What says love more than a sacrifice from the man who loves her?” “Gerard, please, I am begging you,” Victor said, pain ripping through his body. “You’re crying, Victor,” Gerard said matter-of-factly. Victor wiped at his face and stared dumbfounded at the wetness on his fingers. “How does it feel, Victor?” Gerard said, “To feel once again?”

Blood RaptuRe 283 Then he turned and headed for the door. “Don’t do this, Gerard,” Victor called after him. “Leave her alone. Gerard!” But his brother was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Three After several deep breaths, Julie finally felt the pain dissipating. The room came into focus. She seemed to be sitting in a chair in a large office that stunk like a bar. Outside she could hear country music and loud laughter. She hadn’t been tied to the chair, so she pushed her aching body upright. Her right shoulder hurt the most and she stumbled over to a mirror by the door to take a look. Her blouse had been torn open revealing several vertical gashes. A sticky substance lay over the slowly-healing wound. She remembered the vampire as he had reached in to the car. He had been most determined but the human driver had dislodged the vampire from the car’s hood. She remembered very little after that except excruciating pain and flashes of streetlights as they drove through the night. Victor. She had left Victor trapped in that house. She had to get to him before Gerard did anything more to him. Opening the office door, she was assaulted with loud music from a band on the stage, bright lights and the stench of over a hundred testosterone-charged werewolves. She had landed herself at the district pack headquarters and being here without permission, it was going to get messy as she left. She hoped she didn’t have to kill too many of the patrons. As she stepped through the door, Julie heard a man call out her name but she kept going. The front door. She had to find it. Then out, grab a taxi and get going back to Victor. A hand grabbed her arm, spinning her around. “You are in no shape to leave.” She turned on him, her fist flying toward his head. He was the man who had driven her here. He caught her wrist effortlessly. The music stopped. The room went silent. “I am leaving,” she growled in the loudest voice she could

286 Lee Pearce make, “and if you or anyone else wants to stop me, then they’d better get in line so I can make this quick.” “Ms. Woods,” a voice from the stage spoke, “for your own safety, I cannot allow you to leave.” One of the men was taking off his guitar as he spoke. He placed it on a stand and then hoped off the stage. The crowd on the dance floor parted to let him pass. He approached her, holding out his arm, pointing toward the still open office door. “Please if you’ll just go back inside, we can talk about…” “No,” Julie said, yanking her wrist from the other man’s grip. “I have to go back. Now. My…” she glanced around at the room full of werewolves, not knowing if they would understand or not, “my husband is in trouble. I have to go back to help him.” A few in the crowd muttered. She didn’t know if this was a good sign or a bad sign. “We know about Victor,” the guitarist said, “but there are things you need to know before you go back. If you will give me five minutes, I will explain.” Julie knew she wouldn’t be allowed to leave. She’d never make it through the next six feet let alone to the front door. Reluctantly she returned to the office. She knew she had to convince them to let her go. Victor was in trouble. She had to go to him. But what did they know about Victor? Would she dare to ask their help to get him out of the house? Would she dare put them in jeopardy or should she wait for Brad and the rest of her pack to show. Julie turned as he closed the door. “Who are you?” “My apologies, Ms. Woods,” he said, bowing his head ever so slightly, “I am Louis Neveau, the patriarch of Charleston and the surrounding area. Your patriarch called us just a short while ago and sent us out to find you.” “Stephen called?” she asked, surprised. Something must have happened at home. “Yes, he said to tell you, they stopped in to have a talk with

Blood RaptuRe 287 their demon matron and she was sending help,” Louis said. “Help arrived when we brought you back here.” “I don’t remember much.” “When the vampire grabbed you, he infected you with a virus,” Louis said, glancing at her shoulder, “that would have killed you by morning. Its purpose was to incapacitate you in case you got away. Unfortunately for them, you got away in a car with someone else driving.” “Who was that?” she asked. “One of our helpers, Jack Read,” he replied. “He was in the area so got to you faster than the rest of us.” “So a demon did some of their voodoo magic and stopped the virus, so she said,” Louis said, glancing at her shoulder. “How does it feel?” “Stiff,” Julie said. “She stopped the virus? Didn’t kill it?” “Those were her exact words.” Julie sighed. “If she couldn’t get rid of it then I’ll probably have to kill that vampire. I don’t even remember what he looked like, it all happened so fast.” She rotated her shoulder only to have pain shoot down her arm and chest. She must have gone very pale for Louis was at her side when she opened her eyes again. He motioned to the chair she had vacated earlier and she gratefully sat. “So when are we going back to Gerard’s house?” she said, weakly. Louis returned to sit on the edge of his desk. “You shouldn’t go.” Julie slid to the edge of the seat. “I am not staying here. Victor is somewhere inside probably doing something against his will.” “How do you know?” “Gerard took my scarf tonight while we were at dinner,” she said, “he raptured me and I didn’t notice until I got back to my hotel room.”

288 Lee Pearce “How did you know he had raptured you?” She paused wondering if she should tell him the subconscious message Victor had planted. She decided against it. “Victor taught me what to look for so I recognized it after a few minutes.” “Can you recognize it in another?” Louis asked moving to the office door. “What do you mean?” she asked but he had opened the door and was motioning to someone. After a few seconds, a young woman wearing jeans and a loose fitting yet flattering t-shirt entered. She stood by the door staring at Julie. “This is Vanessa,” Louis said. “She is heading up our bid to partner with Gerard Maher in his research facility. She was actually sent to work with Victor to find Gerard’s secret lab. You see, our female wolves have been going missing over the past few months. Then we’d find them dead in a swamp or a ditch, grossly misshapen.” “What was happening to them?” “Someone was trying to make a vampire out of them.” Julie shuddered. “You think Gerard is doing this?” Louis nodded. “A couple nights ago, Victor and Vanessa had been playing girlfriend and boyfriend and he had brought her back to the house under the pretense of, well, um you know, spending the night.” Julie was eyeing Vanessa who stared back, unblinking. She apparently had something more important on her mind. “I remember us arriving at the house and walking around the first floor. After that I draw a blank. Then I found myself out in the street, a taxi pulling up and telling the driver to bring me back here. It was still early in the evening so I know I was sent away. I just can’t remember anything else. I don’t even know what happened to Victor but every once and a while I get a bad feeling.” She paused and looked like she wanted to say something more then sighed and shook her head.

Blood RaptuRe 289 “What is it?” Julie asked, standing.

Vanessa shook her head. “It’s just on the tip of my tongue.”

“Tell me,” Julie walked toward her. When she got close

enough she grabbed both her upper arms and squeezed hard. Vanessa gasped and tried to draw back. “Tell me!” Julie insisted. “He said something about the auction going to be a success and that ‘Everything is going to happen as it should.’ What could he mean by that?” Vanessa blurted out. Julie released her arms, leaving indentations where her fingers had been. Vanessa would sport bruises for a while but she knew sudden, severe pain could break a rapture’s spell after a period of time. She sat back down heavily in the chair. If she was going to kill a vampire tonight, she’d need help. A lot of help. “Victor, what are you up to?” she muttered. She knew so very little about Victor’s past. “Tell me about his brother Gerard.” “Gerard is Victor’s older brother. It is rumored that he was first turned by choice,” Louis explained, “and when their middle brother went looking for him, Gerard turned him. Victor was the last to arrive and he tried to stop Gerard. At this point Gerard was a successful pirate and escaped when Victor finally caught up to him. Victor searched many years for Gerard who remained very well hidden, building up his own pirating empire. Only now for some reason Gerard wanted to let Victor know he was alive.” Julie nodded. “He received two small antique tin pirate figurines for his birthday. Gerard must have sent them.” “That would make sense,” Louis said. “Sounds like something Gerard would do.” “But why now?” Julie wondered. “Vampires live forever. What has happened now to make him find Victor?” Louis and Vanessa looked at each other. Vanessa spoke first.

290 Lee Pearce “The auction is the only new thing right now.” “Right now? You’ve been watching him?” Louis nodded. “Gerard does not have a good reputation. Our pack has been watching him for the past couple centuries.” “If you knew of his whereabouts, why didn’t you let Victor know?” Julie asked. This was not making much sense. If Victor had had a vendetta against his brother, why not let the two brothers finish it? “Victor is protected,” Louis said. Louis nodded quickly once, too quickly Julie thought. “Yes, the demons have him marked as someone who is untouchable.” “Untouchable?” This was news to Julie. “Why?” “You’ll have to ask your own demon matron that one,” Louis said. “Maysla? Why her?” “Well, she practically grew up with Victor,” Louis said. “She had been born on Victor’s plantation on Trinidad. She was among the first slaves to become emancipated.” “Maysla?” Julie said, finding it hard to believe she was over three hundred years old, too. “But Victor has only been in Rocks End for about forty years. Maysla has been there much longer.” “All the demons take their turns watching over Victor. It doesn’t matter where he lives. There will always be demons nearby.” “Why is he getting such special treatment?” “Well, it’s rumored he is much older than even he knows.” Julie slumped back in her chair. “What?” “No one knows his exact age but it is thought he could have come with the first migration across the Alaskan land bridge.” “But then he would be about ten thousand years old,” Julie shook her head. “That cannot be true. He doesn’t even look like he would be that old.”

Blood RaptuRe 291 “We think the demons did something to his memory,” Vanessa said, “blocked it.” “He must have witnessed something terrible,” Julie said. “That’s the only reason I can think of for someone to take his memory from him.” “No one knows,” Louis said. “It’s even said Victor himself asked for his memory to be blocked.” “Victor? Really?” Julie asked. “I think I might be having Maysla over for coffee and a long chat when I get home.” She stood and started toward the door. “Where are you going?” Louis asked. “I’m not staying here when Victor needs my help,” Julie said. “But we’re to wait until your patriarch arrives,” Louis said. “He can catch up,” Julie said, grabbing the door handle. “I’m going to rescue my husband. If you want to come along, I would appreciate the assistance.” “And if we don’t come along?” “Then you can explain to my patriarch why you didn’t protect one of his females.” Julie yanked the door open and marched out into the bar. Again, the music stopped but she kept marching across the floor toward the door. She heard someone running to catch up to her. Jack Read reached the door first. “You need a ride?” he asked. “You got something more than a tiny sports car?” He smiled and nodded. “Oh, yes.” Mayhem had broken out on the dance floor. Men guzzled beer and hurried out the other doors. Louis, followed by Vanessa, met them at the front door. “You are not coming,” Louis was saying. “Yes, I am,” Vanessa said. “I’ll drive. Then you can shoot.” She burst through the front door practically dragging Julie along with her. Outside the parking lot was quickly emptying.

292 Lee Pearce “Are they all coming with us?” Julie asked Louis as they headed toward a group of pick up trucks. “Some of them are,” Louis replied, lifting his key fob and unlocking the doors from a distance. The largest truck Julie had ever seen flashed its lights twice. “Others are going to known nests to keep those vampires locked up until this is over. No need for Gerard to get reinforcements. We’ll have this over with real quick.” They piled into the truck, Vanessa taking the wheel while Jack and Louis grabbed shotguns from the rifle rack and started loading them with wooden bullets. They shoved more shells into their pockets as Vanessa pulled out of the parking lot. Julie sat in the back seat beside Jack and when he had finished prepping the gun, she spoke. “How did you get involved in all of this?” He smirked. “You can say I have familial interest in all of this.” “Familial?” she asked. He nodded once but didn’t say anything more. Louis took up the conversation instead, changing it to a plan. “Julie, you gotta stay low, all right? Most of us are going to change if the fighting gets overwhelming. Then it will be hard to keep track of you, all right?” She agreed but knew the first chance she got she was getting inside the house. The drive back into Charleston was faster than what she remembered. They tore through the downtown neighborhood and braked to a halt in front of Gerard’s house. Several more pickups had joined them on the drive down and now they blocked the entire street. As they piled out, shadows began to move out from the houses. Several men immediately shifted into wolves and launched themselves at the vampires. Julie kept by the side of the truck gauging the location of all of the vampires. Some even stood on the rooftops. Those she knew were waiting for the vampires on the ground to do most of the work. The wolves moved away from the truck as they engaged the vampires.

Blood RaptuRe 293 Vanessa grabbed Louis’s abandoned shotgun and came around to stand near Julie. On several occasions the front steps became clear of vampires. Julie wanted to make a run for the front door but Vanessa and Jack both stood too close. She wouldn’t get two feet without them grabbing and tossing her back into the truck. Movement above made Julie look to the roof. The vampires had vanished. She turned to warn Jack only to see him vanish before her eyes, yanked upward. Vanessa turned and fired into the sky, a fruitless gesture considering she’d probably hit both Jack and the vampire but Julie felt her frustration. “Get back in the truck, Julie,” she cried out. Next moment another vampire landed behind Vanessa and dragged her up onto the engine hood. Julie moved to follow, felt arms go around her chest and a sudden weightlessness. She flew up over the roof of the house and dropped quickly to the back yard. A storm cellar was open and the vampire jumped down the stairs, still holding her against his chest, and ran up a corridor through a wine cellar and into a laboratory where he deposited her on the floor. Off balance, she stumbled a few feet before righting herself. Three people stood in the room: a lab technician off to her right, Gerard and Victor, both on either side of a cage wall. Sara’s words about Victor being in a dark place hit hard. Julie rushed up, crushing herself against the bars, grabbing a surprised Victor. She brought his head close and managed to kiss him even though cold steel separated them. As she pulled away to take a breath, she stared at him incredulously. Something was different about him. It slowly dawned on her. “Victor,” she slowly said, “Victor, you’re warm.” Gerard started to laugh. Julie ignored him as she and Victor studied each other, the knowledge of what was happening to him striking them both, giving them both hope. She dared not voice her happiness for fear that she was wrong. Victor remained tight lipped, his hands

294 Lee Pearce clutching her waist, holding her close. “Why are you here?” Victor asked. “I’ve come to rescue you,” Julie replied. A crash on an upper level told Julie the werewolves had breached the house. “I’m glad you thought to bring company,” Victor said, “I do hate it when you fight alone.” She smiled. “Oh, I brought the whole Charleston clan.” Gerard didn’t need to know it wasn’t the whole clan upstairs. She glanced in his direction. He didn’t seem at all panicked. Even the lab tech didn’t seem concerned. Something was not right, Julie thought. “It is so nice to see you again, Julie,” Gerard said, moving over to the lab table. When Gerard turned his back, Julie stood on tiptoes to whisper in Victor’s ear, “Where are the keys?” He glanced over to the lab table. She saw a ring of keys sitting on top, too close to Gerard for her to casually go pick up. She glanced around for another tool, a crowbar or something else to break open the lock. “Keep away from Gerard,” he whispered. She sighed softly in acknowledgement. “Trust me.” Still holding onto Victor, she spoke in her normal voice. “What have you done to Victor?” “Oh, you like?” Gerard said. “That is my second most recently invented vaccine. It dampens the vampire virus and makes the vampire more like his old human self.” “How long does it last?” “Depends on the dosage,” Gerard said, fussing with something on the lab table. “Victor should be like that for another eighteen hours or so.” “Side effects?” she asked, continuing to scan the area and finding nothing. She had to try a different tactic. “None so far,” Gerard said.

Blood RaptuRe 295 “Then why is he locked up?” she asked. “Because Julie,” suddenly his voice was right in her ear. She jumped. “Victor’s not going to like this part.” Something jabbed into her back. “Gerard, no!” Victor cried out, reaching behind Julie’s back, trying to grasp at the thing behind her. She twisted her back so he could reach it and pulled it out. She stepped back and saw a syringe in his hand. “Why?” he asked his brother. “I told you she was the perfect candidate,” Gerard said, plucking the syringe from his hand. Julie felt light-headed and chilled. Instead of adrenalin kicking in, her heart began to slow. “What…what is it?” “I have just given you a healthy dose of Victor’s vampire virus,” Gerard said, moving back to the table. He picked up the keys and turned to return. Julie looked at Victor. “Victor?” “It’ll be all right, Julie,” Victor said. “Gerard, let me out. Let me help her through this.” “I’ll do better than that,” Gerard said, inserting the key into the lock. As he swung open the door, he grabbed Julie’s arm and pulled her inside, pushing her into Victor’s waiting arms. “Now, you can take care of her Victor. She’ll be able to feed off of you anytime. Maybe she won’t drain you. But then, I did give her the next generation vaccine. I guess we’re about to see just how hungry she is going to get.”

Chapter Twenty-Four “What do you mean you had to leave?” Brad stood in the middle of the bar wrestling against several sets of hands holding him back. Louis stood in front, bleeding from a cut on the top of his skull, his face covered in blood and grief. “We were out numbered. They had taken her almost at the start. They were waiting for her. As soon as she was gone, they closed down the house, slamming those hurricane doors in place. We couldn’t have gotten in even if we’d nuked the place.” “Damn it all, that’s my wife in there,” Brad snarled. He managed to yank one arm free and stretched out his hand to Louis’s neck. He missed by an inch and was pulled back, nearly off his feet. “I know,” Louis said, standing in place. “We’re regrouping.” “Regrouping!” Brad suddenly threw his shoulders back. The werewolves holding him lost their balance. Brad managed two steps forward, just close enough to grab Louis by the front of his shirt. “Brad, stop.” Stephen wedged himself between. “Brad, this isn’t helping.” Brad looked at him dumbfounded. “How else am I going to get through to this group of country hicks? They obviously know nothing about protecting their own.” Several wolves growled around him but ignored them. Feeling his anger subsiding, Brad released Louis and turned to face Stephen. “So what are we going to do?” “We’re going to let them sort out their wounds,” Stephen said and then he pointed to the demon woman standing at the back of the room, “and we’re going to have a talk with that woman. Find out what is really going on here.” The demon pushed away from the wall and started to

298 Lee Pearce move into the crowd. Brad saw Mark move up beside her. She looked at him and stopped. They exchanged some words and then changed direction to move toward a door beside the bar. Stephen led Brad and Louis toward the same door. Once inside, Stephen ignored the others and stepped up to the demon. He pulled out his cell phone. “What is going on?” She turned her head sideways and refused to talk. Stephen waved his cell phone in the air. “Do I have to make a phone call?” Still she refused to speak. “Do I have to make you make a phone call?” She glanced at the phone nervously but still did not waiver. Stephen pressed the buttons on his phone and waited two rings. “Maysla?” The demon looked at the phone curiously, opened her mouth at the name but closed it just as quickly. “Maysla? I want to talk to Mass…No, we didn’t get here in time…I need to speak to him…Yes, we’re getting resistance…I don’t care if you don’t know where he is…No, I really don’t… Get outside, stick your foot in your pond and call him…” He pulled the phone away from his chin and looked at Brad. “She’s going outside.” “Anything you want to say while we wait to get in touch with your King?” Stephen said. Louis looked sharply at the demon. “What’s going on here?” Now, she looked painfully at Louis. She started to shake her head. “Don’t let him talk to Mass. It will ruin everything.” “Ruin what?” Brad said, stepping up to the demon. “What have you done to Julie?” “Brad, wait,” Louis said, “Let her explain.” “Quickly,” Brad said, “usually with her kind it means someone is going to die.”

Blood RaptuRe 299 The demon became angry. “Always with the ‘her kind’. You Weres know nothing of what we have to do here to keep you from destroying each other. The balance has to be kept.” “What balance?” Brad said, shaking his head, “What the hell are you up to?” “Why don’t you ask your friend?” she said, “The one you let live with you.” “Victor?” Brad asked, puzzled. “What would Victor have to do with this?” “If it wasn’t for him, you all would not even exist,” she said. “What are you talking about?” “He’s the start of this all,” she said, “He’s your beginning. He’s living a backwards life right now. He is about to start the end of all your lives and you don’t even see it. You’ll feel it soon.” “What do you mean?” Louis said, “You said Julie would make everything all right once again. What did you do to her?” The demon nodded excitedly. “I started the change. She was the only one who could do it. She’ll get close enough to him to start the chain reaction. Both species will start to cease to exist.” “What do you mean he’s here?” Stephen said into his phone. He looked at Louis. “Where is the closest outside water source?” Louis jerked his head toward the wall. “There’s a creek out back.” “And a back door?” Louis nodded. “Go open it. We have a guest.” Almost as soon as the words were out, they heard a hush go over the bar outside. The office door swung open. A very tall man, his skin still glistening blackly from the creek stood in the doorway. Brad swore he saw a million diamonds sparkling on his skin. The demon woman dropped to the floor, one knee bent. “Who has dared to summon me?”

300 Lee Pearce Stephen stepped forward, closing his cell phone. “I did.”

“Why?”

“Victor is in trouble,” Stephen said.

Mass nodded. “This was expected.”

“Expected?”

“He knew there was little trust between himself and his

brother when he took on this assignment,” Mass said. “He knew he might even die.” He glanced at the demon woman. “Georgie, did you not do as I instructed?” “Yes, my lord,” she said, still on bended knee, “but the husband is most insistent upon knowing.” Mass turned to Brad. “I had hoped to keep you out of this. You are a complication Victor does not need right now.” “A complication?” “Yes, Victor has an affection for you,” he glanced at the Stephen and Mark, “all. I do not understand it. You are such a young species yet. So much to learn.” “What does this all have to do with Victor?” Brad asked. “Victor is very special to us,” Mass said. “I met him when I was very young. He was already a legend but he was so normal.” “But Victor said he met you onboard one of the pirate ships,” Brad said. Mass smiled. “That is correct. That is what Victor has chosen to remember.” “Chosen?” “Victor had memories he didn’t want to keep,” Mass said, “He found they were interfering with his life, making him lose touch with his humanity. He asked if our magic was strong enough to block his memories. We did have such magic and we put up a door in Victor’s mind.” “Why? What did he do?” “I cannot answer that question,” Mass said.

Blood RaptuRe 301 “Why?” “I promised him. We all did,” he glanced at Georgie, “and now it is just the ancient ones who remember the Victor of before. The younger people have not been told nor will they ever be told. Victor will have the secrecy he desires once all the ancient ones have passed on.” “Ancient ones?” Brad asked. “How old are you?” Mass smiled again. “We are as old as the human race. We evolved along side them.” “And vampires and Weres?” Brad asked. “Vampires came along about the same time. You werewolves are still young, being only a couple thousand years old.” “Are you saying Victor is many thousands of years old?” Brad said. “I am saying nothing,” Mass said. Brad looked at Mark and Stephen. He could see the confusion on their faces. Their friend, who didn’t look anymore than in his late thirties and had just had his three hundredth birthday as a vampire, could be a lot older. What would have made Victor to decide to have his memories stopped if he truly had that much to forget? And Julie. What would she think if she knew? “We need to rescue them,” Brad said, shaking out of his reverie. “Gerard has taken Julie. I can only suppose Victor is being held against his will, especially now if Julie is with him. Mass, we’re going to need help to get them out.” “Yes, you are,” Mass said. “We will go later tonight.” “What? Tonight?” Mark spoke up. “I will not let my sister be in there any longer than she should.” Mass took a deep breath. Brad thought this wasn’t going to be good. Mass looked at Georgie. “Julie needs more time.” “Julie? What? Time?” “Julie voluntarily took on a secondary virus when Georgie

302 Lee Pearce healed her wounds from last night,” Louis said. “It will react with the vaccine that Gerard has been inoculating our females with but it needs time to change within her body.” “And what does this secondary virus do?” “It poisons her blood so that when a vampire feeds off of her or she feeds off of a vampire, it will kill the vampire,” Louis explained. “But Victor is a vampire,” Brad said, angrily. “She won’t feed off of him,” Louis explained. “And why not?” Brad said, remembering their love-making sessions where a little blood letting had happened. She would have done this with Victor, too. It was an important part of claiming their lovers. “Vanessa.” Louis waved to a woman who had remained in the shadows of his office, silent until now. “Because Victor is human now,” Vanessa said. “What?” “Gerard has made it known publicly he has a virus that will cure the supernaturals of their non-human genes,” Vanessa explained, “He has been holding an auction over the past week to sell the rights to manufacture the vaccine. We think all of this was to bring Victor back into his life. He knows about Victor’s past.” “Gerard is not truly his brother?” Stephen asked. “Gerard is a relative, many generations in between. We always try to put Victor into his own family every few generations to live. They always seemed to be more understanding of his situation. Just before this last memory block was put in place,” Mass said, “he asked to live as much of a human life as possible.” “But what about him being a vampire?” Brad asked. “He had gone on animal blood and flesh for so long, he needed very little to exist,” Mass said, “so we just made sure the family understood his needs.”

Blood RaptuRe 303 “The family knew what he was?” “The families were specifically chosen for their sympathetic views toward us,” Mass said, “I believe only his parents knew. His brothers grew up thinking Victor was truly their younger brother.” “You would have had to do something to their minds for them to believe this twenty-year old was a brother,” Brad said, suspiciously. “Only with their parents’ permission,” Mass said, “we never did or do anything to humans, when it concerned Victor, without their complete permission. Besides, Victor is a good person. He brings light into the families he lives with. And he always knew when to move on.” “So if Gerard has figured out Victor, why haven’t you gone in to take care of Gerard?” “Victor wanted his chance to bring Gerard to justice. Remember he still thinks of him as a brother. He still loves that other family and their offspring. We had to give him this chance.” “But he is now suffering as a human? How do you know this?” “We have someone on the inside,” Mass said. “He’s going to let us know when Julie has done her part. Then we’ll move in and extract Julie and Victor. It should be no longer than this evening.” “I’m not waiting,” Brad said. “You don’t have any choice,” Mass said. “If Gerard gets the funding to mass produce his vaccine, your species will become powerless. He will create his own race of vampire-were hybrids. The humans will be hunted down as food. We will be forced to go into hiding. This world will die. You must let the virus have time to mutate in Julie. Too much is at stake.” “And the cure?” Brad asked. “Who has that?” “The virus will die as the effects of Gerard’s vaccine wears

304 Lee Pearce off.” “Do you know how long that will be?” Mass shook his head. “All I know is he generally gives a booster every twenty-four hours. So if she had the shot immediately after she was taken last night then we have until about midnight before he’ll give her another dose.” Brad scanned the room. “So you can’t ask any of the vampires from this district to help, can you?” Mass shook his head. “We are truly on our own.” “Do they know about Victor?” “Only the people in this room know,” he said, waving his hand around the room. Brad glanced at Louis. He saw the unspoken thought on his face. But they wouldn’t be allowed to know about it for long. Victor’s request was more important than anything else to the demons. “All right, Mass. We wait but just until nightfall.” Victor held Julie all through the night as the virus slowly changed her body. He felt her temperature drop, her pulse slow and her body change. He felt the muscles go from taunt to strained, the skeleton became more pronounced, edges straining through skin becoming more translucent. Her breathing became slower as she struggled to accept the differences. Yet through it all she didn’t complain once. “I wish I could rapture you,” he had said once the changes had begun. “I would take away your pain.” “Just talk to me,” Julie had said, her head resting on his lap. “I miss the sound of your voice.” “What do you want me to say?” he had drawn a blank. At a time like this all he could think about was the pain she must be suffering. Whatever could he say to make her forget it? “Tell me about the pirate figurines,” she had said.

Blood RaptuRe 305 So Victor had told her the story of his life. He had held her tight, pausing when he had lost her to the pain, continuing when she had come back to him, all the while praying to hear the sound of rescuers breaking down the upstairs doors. And there was one other thought on his mind. Their son. Victor was human right now. Every part of his body was in working order. And Julie. Julie was here. But she was changing. If they made love right now, could she conceive? If yes, what would the child look like? Would he be part werewolf, part vampire, part human? What sort of hybrid would that be? Victor remembered Julie’s description of her vision. The boy had looked like Victor but very much a human. He glanced at the vaccine refrigerator. Could there be more of the vaccine in the fridge? Would the company that won the auction allow him to have more of the vaccine? If Vanessa’s company won the auction, they were going to shut down production. He strained to see into the fridge, cursing for his vampire vision for just this once. “Have you ever gone back to any of your homes?” “Just once to Paris,” he said, “my family had died out but the winery and farm were still in operation. I’ve never been back to Trinidad though the distillery is still running. And same with Jamaica and Tortuga, I’ve never had a reason to go back. Both had such bad memories, I didn’t want to return.” Julie took a deep breath and pushed herself upright. “How do you feel?” he asked. She twisted her neck, stretched out her arms, swiveled to look at him. “The pain has stopped. How do I look?” Victor was shocked. Julie looked like herself except just more pronounced. Her nose, cheekbones and chin now jutted out giving her a rakish look. When she spoke, he could see her grown incisors. “More,” he started, “more like a vampire than a werewolf.” She sighed and licked her lips. “I’m hungry.”

306 Lee Pearce Victor immediately raised his arm to her lips. She grabbed his arm but pushed it away. “No, not for that.” “Not for blood?” “Not human blood,” she said, puzzled. “I’m supposed to drink from you aren’t I?” She looked around. “That’s why he put me in this cage with you and not that one.” “Yes, you are. Julie, it’s all right if you need to feed. I…” She shook her head. “I would never do that. He probably wanted me to drain you. Kill you.” “It’s fine. You…” “No, Victor, I’m just not hungry for you.” She stood and walked up to the door of the cage. “Do you hear, Gerard? It didn’t work. I’m not blood-hungry. Your vaccine failed.” Victor leapt to his feet. “Julie, don’t antagonize…” He grabbed her arm, spun her around as the door burst open. Gerard hurried in, rolling up the sleeves on his white shirt, followed by the same lab tech. “What do you mean you’re not hungry?” Julie wrenched her arm out of Victor’s grasp and turned quickly but not quick enough that Victor saw her eyes turning the hungry black. She took hold of the cage bars and stared at her hands, pressing her forehead against the bars wearily. “Gerard, your experiment was a failure,” she said, her voice low that Gerard had to step close, “I have no urge to drink his blood. I am not a vampire.” “How can this be?” Gerard sounded frustrated. He slammed his fist on the cage. Spinning around he looked at the tech. “Get me more serum.” “Sir, you used it all up on her,” the tech said, shaking his head. “There is no more.” Gerard spun around again. “How…?” He reached through the cage toward her but Julie stepped back, turning sideways. “You look…”

Blood RaptuRe 307 “Don’t bother Gerard. Yes, I look and feel like a vampire,” she held out her arms, ran her hand down her bony cheek. “This is quite nice actually.” She flexed her hands. “I even feel stronger.” Victor heard keys jangling and watched in mute horror as Gerard swung open the cage. Faster than he had ever moved, Julie was upon Gerard, knocking him up against the cage bars. She bit into his neck. Black plasma leaked onto his shirt. “Noooo…” Gerard cried out. He grabbed her torso and tried to push her away. He managed only a few inches but Julie was too strong. She lifted her head. “You are most delicious.” Victor grabbed Julie from behind and tried to pull her off. Her arm swung back, knocking him to the floor. He lay stunned for a moment. The lab tech was speaking into a cell phone, probably calling for reinforcements. Victor struggled to his feet. A sharp pain jabbed into his chest. Looking down, he saw bruising. Julie truly was much stronger. He came up behind her and tried to ignore the sounds of tearing flesh and blood-sucking. Gerard’s eyes looked wild. His had gone the passionate silver. Victor felt sickened that his brother thought this was a turn-on. “Julie,” Victor said not touching her this time. “Leave me, Victor,” she said, her voice garbled. “Julie, enough,” he said, “You’re killing him.” “…hungry,” she said, a slight whine in her voice. “You’ve had enough,” he said, trying to reason with her, “If you have too much your body will reject the blood. You have to take it slow.” Julie lifted her head, dark blood dripping from her chin. Gerard looked almost hopeful. She bit into his neck again. “Julie, please. It will kill you. Think of the children. They need you.”

308 Lee Pearce Julie lifted her head again and looked at Victor. The blackness flickered. She slid from Gerard’s body and stepped away. Gerard slid down the bars and slumped on the floor. “Victor?” she asked. Suddenly, she doubled-over, fell to her knees and started retching. Black blood flew everywhere. When she had finished, she remained bent over on the floor, moaning. Gerard stared at the liquid on the floor, his hand to his neck, hardly holding back the flow. He shook his head. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand. It should have worked. I don’t understand.” Victor picked Julie up and carried her out of the cage, placing her on the examination bed. The tech rushed over, a scalpel in his hand. He reached for her shirt up close to her shoulder. Victor grabbed his hand, stopping his downward slice. “Don’t touch her.” “Please, Victor,” the man said, “I have to get the antidote into her.” Victor looked at him. “What?” “The vaccine activated the poison she put in his system,” he jerked his head toward the unmoving Gerard, “If I don’t give her the antidote, the poison will attack her now too.” “The vampire blood?” Victor guessed. The tech nodded. Victor released his hand and let the tech cut open her blouse. It revealed several long gashes, now flaming red with infection. The tech pulled out a syringe from his pocket and plunged it deep into one of the gashes. Julie screamed in pain, her body shooting upward. Victor caught her and held her tight while the tech pushed the plunger. Her body jerked. The tech had trouble holding onto the syringe but most of the serum did manage to get under her skin. Victor held on to Julie until she quieted. “Did she know?” he asked the tech as he pulled out the needle finally. He shook his head. “She’s going to be very sick for awhile.

Blood RaptuRe 309 You’ve got to get her medical attention as soon as possible.” Victor bent to pick her up. Suddenly he was jerked away from Julie and sent crashing against the cage. He managed to remain upright. As he turned he saw Gerard standing over the limp body of the tech. He held the syringe in his hand. As he jabbed his arm with the needle, he looked up at Victor. “Antidote, huh? Appears there’s just enough for me.” Gerard tossed away the syringe as Victor launched himself. He caught his brother in the side, shoving him against the lab table. They both bounced off the table and fell to the floor, Victor on top. He quickly straddled his brother and grabbed his head. He tried to twist his neck but his hands slipped on the blood-soaked skin. Gerard sprang up. Victor fell to the floor. Gerard fell upon Victor’s back, his hands tangled in Victor’s hair. He yanked Victor’s head backward. Victor felt his bones grinding. This was it. Gerard was going to kill him. He tried flailing his arms but he could only find air. Then his head snapped forward, his forehead striking the floor. Gerard’s weight disappeared from his back. He heard a board crack. “Come on, Gerard,” Julie hissed, “why don’t you pick on someone your own type?” Victor rolled over to see Gerard launch himself off the floor. Julie crouched low with her arms spread. At the last moment, she dodged and ran toward the still-open door, leaving Gerard to skid to a halt on the slippery floor. He dashed after her, catching up to her in the corridor. Victor heard her scream in pain and fury. He ran after them only to see Julie smash Gerard up against one of the wine cases. Bottles broke. Wine splashed onto the floor. Julie jumped back but Gerard’s feet slipped. He fell to the floor and knelt there shaking his head. Victor began to wonder if the antidote was not working. Gerard seemed too weak to let Julie overcome him a second time. “Come on, Gerard,” Julie cried out as she turned up the

310 Lee Pearce corridor, “I’m running away!” Gerard stumbled to his feet, giving Julie a few precious seconds. Victor reached him and grabbed him around his waist. All he got was a kick in the gut that left him gasping, alone, on the floor. He could hear them both running up the stairs. The security guards would be waiting for her. Julie was running into a trap. Victor ran down the corridor and up the stairs, expecting to end up in the middle of a battle. Instead, the hall was vacant. He heard a crash at the front of the house. Voices shouted. He thought he recognized Brad and turned right to go to the foyer. Movement outside in the back parking lot stopped him. He saw Julie and Gerard standing outside in the shade. He spun around and burst out the back door just as Gerard leapt at Julie. She tried to jump back out of his way. He grabbed her arm but she tripped on her feet, or seemed to. Gerard landed heavily on top of Julie. He grabbed her head, shoved it sideways and plunged his teeth into her neck. Victor grabbed Gerard, trying to pull him off. He caught Julie looking at him. She was jerking her eyes to her right, toward the sunshine. Victor put his hands under Julie’s side and rolled them both into the sunshine-lit part of the driveway. Julie jumped away as Gerard released his grip. Victor saw fear flit across his brother’s face before his body burst into flames. A few minutes later, Victor stood over the ashes of his brother’s body. Julie held his arm. “I am sorry it came to this, Victor.” He looked up. “How did you know?” “His human driver told me Gerard had a vampire driver to take him around at night and that the human driver ran errands for him during the day,” she said. “That struck me as strange as you could always move around during the day and night.” “The demons never gave Gerard the day-walking gift,” Victor said.

Blood RaptuRe 311 “That’s what I figured,” she said, “I knew I couldn’t beat him with my strength.” She held out her hand. Victor could see the effects were wearing off already. “So I hoped he would follow me and not stay to take care of you.” “He could have killed you,” Victor said, taking her hand. Slowly he pulled her against his side. She was trembling. He hoped it was from passion and not from the infection. “I knew you wouldn’t have allowed that,” she said, smiling up at him. He bent and kissed her lips. Her skin was a feverish hot. “Julie!” They both turned as Brad ran out, stopping when he saw Victor holding her tight. He stared at Victor. “You…you look…” “Human?” Victor asked, smiling. “I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” Brad took another step toward them. “You don’t even smell like a vampire.” He glanced at Julie, concerned. “But you, are you all right?” Julie nodded and opened her mouth to speak but Victor interrupted. “No, she isn’t. She still has the infection. Is there a clinic around here we can get her to?” Mark burst out followed by Stephen. They both stopped and stared at Victor. Mark stepped up close. “You’re…you’re alive.” “It won’t last long,” Victor said. “You don’t look much different,” Mark said. “I mean, all you need are your fangs and…” Stephen cleared his throat and Mark looked away, guilty. “I know,” Victor said, slowly, noting the quick looks between Stephen, Mark and Brad. “What’s going on?” Brad reached out for Julie. “We’re wasting time. We’ve got to get her back to the bar. The demon is waiting.” Victor released Julie into Brad’s arms. “Take her. There’s something I need to get.”

312 Lee Pearce He watched as the werewolves took Julie back into the house. With one final glance at Gerard’s ashes, he went down through the broken storm doors and back into the lab. He found the vaccine refrigerator door open wide. The shelves had been cleared. Only a few syringes still in their packaging sat on a top shelf near the back, discarded in the rush. He turned to scan the top of the lab table. Maybe the tech had left the bottle out by mistake. “You’re not going to find it here.” Victor looked up to see Mass standing in the doorway. “Did you take it?” “You shouldn’t be tampering with the laws of nature, Victor.” “You’re one to talk, Mass.” Victor continued to scan the table top. Papers lay scattered but the computers were gone. He opened up some of the drawers and started pulling out more paper. Of course, everything would have been on the hard drives. Victor leaned against the table, resting his hands on the papers. “We do what is asked of us.” Mass started to cross the room. “Asked? Who would ask you to do anything? You’re one of the oldest races on Earth.” Victor shuffled through the papers. Mass nodded. “We are one of the oldest, yes, Victor, but we, the werewolves, demons and vampires, have all been here for a long time in one form or another.” Victor shook his head. “You do like your riddles.” “Victor, I would like to show you something,” Mass said, starting to walk across the room. Victor turned to watch him approach. He looked very intent. His hands were outstretched yet empty. Victor felt his pulse quicken, a human’s nervous reaction. He started to take a step back when he heard a familiar voice. “Victor,” Stephen said, appearing behind Mass from the corridor, “Victor, it’s time we left this place. Julie’s been asking

Blood RaptuRe 313 for you.” Mass stopped dead in his tracks. Victor swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “All right, Stephen. I’m coming.” He led the way out of the lab but not before he caught a warning look pass between Stephen and Mass. On the drive out of Charleston back to the bar, Victor asked Stephen about the incident. “Just protecting you. You’re quite vulnerable as a human. Julie would be most upset if you ended up damaged.” “Is that all?” Stephen nodded. Mark stared straight out the side window making no comment. Victor didn’t need to be a supernatural to know something had gone on between them and Mass. He would find out--one day. At the bar, he found Julie lying on a sofa in a back office. She was asleep. Brad was sitting beside her. “How is she?” Victor asked, glancing at her bandaged shoulder. “Their demon has finished off the infection,” Brad said. “It was mostly all gone when the vaccine wore off. She just needs to rest.” “You shouldn’t have let them use her this way,” Victor said. “I could have handled Gerard.” Brad looked at him, harshly. “They wanted to stop Gerard. He had to be stopped. You’d had two weeks with him. We didn’t know if you’d gone to his side or not. The demons took matters into their own hands.” “They have a tendency to do that,” Victor grumbled. Brad continued to stare at him. “How old are you, Victor?” “You know how old I am,” he said, quietly. “The demons say you are much older. That you asked to have your memories blocked.”

314 Lee Pearce “Gerard tested my blood.” Victor looked at Brad. His hand reached to his shirt. He felt the crinkle of paper against his skin. “You going to look at that?” Victor undid one of his buttons and pulled out the paper. It was folded in half. With a quick flip, he could be reading it. “If I had asked the demons to block my memory,” Victor said, still looking at the paper, “then I must have had a good reason.” “What if they were lying?” Brad said. “What if they took your memories from you?” “What would they want hidden? Is that what you’re wondering?” “They sure didn’t want to see you dead. They went to great pains to make sure you stayed alive through this.” “What if they were just using me, like they used Julie?” “And that you are no longer worth anything to the demons?” Victor flapped the folded paper in the air. “This could be a lie also.” “Then tear it up.” Brad jerked his head toward the garbage can. “Be done with all of this.” “What if I did ask? What if I’m a bad person?” “I met you once,” Brad said. “I don’t remember,” Victor replied blankly. Brad waved him off. “You wouldn’t remember. We were together for only for a few moments. But you didn’t like what you had become. You wanted to make sure the wrong you had done was righted. That is the man I see before me now. Victor, I do not believe you have done anything that bad in your life. What I do know is that the demons cannot be trusted. They have their own agenda and they play to it.” Victor looked at the paper. “I don’t know if I want to know.” “Then put that aside,” Brad said, “and when you’re ready to

Blood RaptuRe 315 look at it, you will know.” Victor slid the paper back inside his shirt. His eyes lit up. “The riverboat.” Brad smiled. “You really were a terrible highway man.” “I was,” Victor said. “I quit after that. But you, you were a gambler?” “I was a professional gambler,” he said, “and I provided security.” “You gonna tell me your story?” Victor asked, pulling up another chair beside Julie. Brad grinned. “You first. How did you become a pirate?” “I never really was a pirate,” Victor said, smiling, “but it was an amazing time to be one.”

Chapter Twenty-Five By the time Julie had recovered enough to fly home, Victor had reverted back to being a vampire. Back in Rocks End, Victor got in touch with Gerard’s accountants, instructing them to close up all of Gerard’s businesses, cancel the auction and sell off the ships. He left them strict instructions to keep him informed at every step. He returned to his life back at the ranch and tried to find the same joy he had had with the triplets. He couldn’t help but to feel he had forgotten something back in Charleston but he didn’t know what. He spent a lot of time resting and a lot of time with Julie. She had noticed he had seemed to have aged. When he looked in the mirror he actually noted a few wrinkles had appeared on his forehead. He knew it had been from his short bursts as a human but he liked them. He had always looked the same age. Now he found he liked looking a little bit older. Julie spoke very little about her not being Matron anymore. Brad had told him it had upset her at first but she had come around once she realized she could put all that time into running the ranches now. For whatever reason Josh Greenley had given to get her to leave, Julie didn’t hold it against him. But there was some animosity between her and Stephen. She had explained she had expected Stephen to stand up for her but Stephen hadn’t. He had followed his uncle’s instructions and supported Julie’s forced retirement. One rainy afternoon, about a month after he’d returned, he got in his car and drove into town. He pulled up in front of Maysla’s house. Her oldest son told him to go to out back. Maysla was sitting beside her pond under cover of a gazebo. She glanced up as he sat on a bench beside her. “You have questions,” she said. “Is it true?” he asked.

318 Lee Pearce “What if I told you, you made me promise long ago, to never tell you anything, no matter what the occasion?” “Then I would say I would have put in a stipulation that if you felt the time was right, you would know to tell me.” She sighed. “You always were a little too intelligent for your own good.” “Why would I want to not remember?” Maysla turned so that he could see her eyes. Read if she were telling the truth. “Because it was too much for you.” “Too much? The memories?” “The emotions.” And Victor saw the truth in her eyes. “You’ve had many lives and many loves, Victor, but they were all so short. You were very sad. You were neither a bad man nor a bad vampire. You were one of the few who became a friend to the demons. When we saw the way you were headed, we chose to help you.” “So that’s all? You helped a suicidal vampire?” Maysla turned to look into the water. “There must be another reason,” Victor said. “You’ve known me how long?” “I knew you as a child from the plantation,” she said, quietly. “On Trinidad?” he remembered lots of children running around. “I’m sorry I don’t remember which one.” “You wouldn’t,” she said, carefully. She turned and looked again into his eyes. “I am Marigot’s baby.” “Mary? I thought she had died with the baby. She disappeared right before my eyes. Gerard had stabbed her through the belly with the pitch fork.” “My mother knew she had to save her baby,” Maysla said, “so she returned to the conclave where she was treated.” “How is she? Is she still alive?”

Blood RaptuRe 319 “She was already quite old,” Maysla said, “she died a century and a half ago.” “Why didn’t she try to get in touch with me? I thought we had something special…” “It could never have been. She knew that. The world was not ready for such a relationship. Besides, she knew your destiny lay in a different direction. She couldn’t divert you from this path.” “I loved your mother,” Victor said. “She knew but sometimes you have to give up that which you love the most.” “Is that why you helped me?” “Are you asking if I have any affection for you?” She shook her head. “You are not my father. You might have been my step­ father once but no, we are all assigned to watch over you, when you come into our areas. That is all. It is a responsibility we owe to you.” “Because of the memory block?” She nodded once. “If I asked you to remove it, would you?” “No, Victor.” “I still don’t understand why.” “I respect Julie. I would not do this to her.” Victor sat for a moment, digesting this information. If the past was not open to him, then could be the future? Then something struck him strange. “Why did I not have my wings?” Maysla sighed. “I suppose I can tell you this. You had them removed.” “Removed?” He felt the flesh flutter against his back. He couldn’t imagine being without them. “You wanted to look human once again. You even had your teeth filed down but they grew back. Your wings though, did

320 Lee Pearce not.” “I remember the demons forcing me to grow my wings.” “We knew you would need them. Want them eventually.” Victor sighed. “Do you have anymore of the elixir?” “Your brother kept all that we had,” she said. “What you took home?” “Was a placebo.” Victor thanked her for her time, stood and left. On the drive home he thought it could be possible if he were truly very old then he would have a lot of heart ache in his life but why would he also ask to shut off the joy and love he had experienced? Obviously this was going to remain a mystery for a while yet. Perhaps one day, he might remember. A few days later, a sleek black BMW pulled into the laneway and drove up to the ranch house. A woman, about forty years old, stepped out of the car and stood beside the open door. She held a hand up to shade her eyes and turned slowly around looking at the ranch. Julie watched her from inside the barn. She caught a scent of human and nothing else. “Can I help you?” Julie asked, walking toward the woman. The woman turned to face Julie. “Is this where Victor Maher lives?” Julie nodded. “Yes. This is his home.” “Is he here now?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at the house. “He is resting,” Julie said, “He won’t be up until near nightfall. Can I ask what your business is with him?” “I…” she paused as if not knowing what to say. “I have personal business with him.” “Can I know your name?” She glanced at the house again. “He would not recognize it.

Blood RaptuRe 321 But tell him I’ve driven up from Old Charles Town and that I will be having dinner at the inn tonight if he would like to join me.” The woman took a moment to look closer at Julie. “Are you his wife?” Julie nodded. “And do you have a family?” Julie nodded again. “That is good,” she said, smiling, “his whole life he wanted a family and a place he could settle down in. I am glad he has it finally.” “What do you know of Victor?” Julie asked. “Has he not told you about his life?” she asked. “Your Victor is a hero in our family. Without him I would not be alive today.” She reached into the car and a second later the trunk popped open. “I nearly forgot…” she said, lifting the lid and pulling out a small box. She held it out to Julie. “Be sure to give this to him. He’ll be pleased.” The woman closed the trunk, climbed into her car and drove back out the lane. Julie stared at the box. It was one of those that came from a winery with tiny hinges on the side and a snap lock on the opposite side. It was quite heavy and its contents gurgled when she tipped the box. A stamp on the outside read VMA, Fine Spirits and Wines, Trinidad, WI and Paris, France. Julie took the box into the house and placed it on the dining table so Victor would see it when he came downstairs. Brad stepped out from the kitchen drying his hands on a tea towel. “What is that?” he asked. “History,” Julie said, “Victor’s history has come to visit, I do believe.” Victor pulled into the inn’s parking lot shortly after seven in the evening. He stared at the building wondering if he should keep going. He had closed off that part of his past. Who was it

322 Lee Pearce and what did she want? Deciding he did want to know, Victor got out of the car and entered the inn going immediately to the front desk. He didn’t know what she looked like so hoped she had arranged something with the front desk. The clerk looked up as he approached and smiled. “Ah, Mr. Maher,” he said, coming out from behind the counter, “please come this way. You are expected.” He led him to the dining room and opened the French doors inward. Stepping aside to allow Victor to pass, he closed the doors behind him. The dining room was set up for the evening, all its tables glistening with silver and crystal. Only one table in the centre of the room was occupied. The woman slowly stood, smoothed out her skirt and began to walk toward him. She smiled and he recognized a long gone face. “Hello, Mr. Maher,” she said, holding out her hand, “My name is Elizabeth Constance. I am your first wife, Lisette’s eighth generation granddaughter.” “I never thought I would hear from that family again,” Victor said, holding her hand tight, unable to look away. She smiled. “You look like you haven’t aged a day.” He looked at her puzzled and when she tugged, he let her hand go. “Your picture,” she said. “My great grandmother found a picture of you in a war museum. She took a copy of it and we’ve had it ever since. It made your story all the more real.” “My story?” Victor asked. Elizabeth motioned to the table. He held out her chair than sat across. “We have always been told the story of the three sons who went off to seek their fortunes in the new world and how you destroyed your older brothers to save your friends. We were always told the story was the truth but it was not to come out into public knowledge. It was also our responsibility to keep any tidbit of news about you stored away. You were, and still are, our

Blood RaptuRe 323 family secret.” “Why did no one try to contact me before?” he asked. “We tried, with disastrous results,” she said, “It seems the vampire community is very close knit. We were told in no uncertain terms to stay away. Our lives were even threatened but nothing ever came of it.” “I didn’t know,” he said. “We had other ‘friends’ of the family,” she said. “Demons have been given a very bad rap lately.” He smiled. “Demons saved my life long ago.” “They made you a vampire?” “It wasn’t their fault,” he said, chuckling, “I just got in the way of some teeth.” “You received my gift?” “I never thought Lisette would keep the winery going,” he said, “after my parents passed on.” “She inherited her father’s partnership with your father – you knew they had done this – and when your father died without any heirs, she inherited your father’s vineyards,” Elizabeth replied. “She even partnered with the Trinidad plantation.” “Oh, hence the demon connection.” She smiled. “That was even harder to accept than a vampire great-great-something-grandfather. It was two generations before we figured that one out.” “Another family secret.” The kitchen doors opened at that moment and two waitresses brought out steaming bowls of consommé and freshly baked bread. Once they had been served and the waitresses gone, Elizabeth spoke first. “Are you happy, Victor?” He stirred his soup. “Yes,” he said after a moment. “Did you ever have any children of your own?”

324 Lee Pearce “It is not meant to be,” he said and took a sip of the soup so he didn’t have to speak. “The demons have magic,” she said. He shook his head, trying to choke down his pain. “Not anymore.” She reached out and grasped his hand. “They lied.” Then reaching around the back of her neck she took off her locket. She refastened the chain and opened the locket, holding it so he could see. Inside sat two pills. She closed the locket and placed it in the palm of his hand, his fingers reflexively curling over the locket and chain. “Where? Who?” “From an old friend,” she said. “That is all I am to say.” “How was your dinner date?” Victor found Julie sitting in the living room sipping on a cup of tea. He walked up to her and showed her the contents of the locket. Her eyes widened with surprise. “We still have a chance,” he said. “When…?” Julie took his hand. “Now.” “The kids?” “Brad’s upstairs with them.” Julie took Victor’s hand and headed toward the front door. “Where are we going?” “Somewhere magical,” she said, “we are going to need all the luck we can get.” They drove the truck out to the woods, parked along the edge and walked the rest of the way in. They passed by the men’s hollow, a place where the male werewolves went to hang out in their skins. Julie continued on another mile deeper into the woods. At a certain point, Victor began to feel a warmth radiating

Blood RaptuRe 325 from the ground. He started to unbutton his shirt, wanting to be more comfortable. Julie stopped and glanced down into a hollow. It looked more like a dip in the earth. “Take the pills,” she said. “Shouldn’t I wait until we’re closer to, uh, you know,” he said. She shook her head and smiled slyly. “Now is the time to take the pills. Down there, you’ll have other things on your mind.” Victor swallowed the two pills without question. Julie began to walk down the slight hill, pulling off her blouse. Next came her boots and jeans and underwear. As she neared the bottom, the moonlight cast a white glow on her skin. She turned to face Victor, letting lose her ponytail. Her long dark hair cascaded over her shoulders. He felt an urge to touch that hair and stepped off the edge. As soon as his foot touched the side, a whispering began. He glanced around but could see no one. He took another step and the whispering subsided to a light, cool breeze. It felt refreshing through his open shirt so he pulled it the rest of the way off, tossing it aside. Next came his shoes, socks and pants. Lastly, his underwear came off as he stepped up to Julie. She stood naked before him. He stepped close, feeling his heart beat quickening. His skin heated even in the silver cast of the moonlight. At least he knew the pills worked. He gathered Julie close and she sighed, her hands running up his arms. “You’re warm, again,” Julie said, smiling, tilting her head for his kiss. He pulled her even closer, trapping her legs between his thighs. His cock pressed against the soft skin of her stomach. Her hard nipples jabbed into his chest. She shuddered as he pulled her close, his hands holding her face on either side of her chin. Her eyes met his and he could see only her yearning need for his sex. The air swirled around their bodies, warming them even as

326 Lee Pearce the sun disappeared and the night chill settled in the forest. The grass brushed against their feet and legs, inviting them to cradle in its depths. No other sound permeated the hollow. Only their breathing made them feel as if they were the only souls for miles around. Victor lowered his head and kissed Julie’s mouth, languishing in her moistness, her tongue teasing within his mouth. He tried not to smile but knew she was playing a game with him. He couldn’t let her have the upper hand tonight. He didn’t know how long the pills would last. He had to get down to business. Yet, he couldn’t not enjoy her body. Once again, she had put herself in danger’s way, nearly sacrificing herself to save him. He hated himself for putting Julie in that position. His heart nearly burst though knowing she loved him enough to do that for him. He slowly pulled away from her mouth, and kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead. All the while, his hands slowly moved down her back, feeling the swell of her shoulder blades, the dip of the small of her back, the rounds of her buttocks. She pressed her stomach against his body, his shaft pulsing from her warmth. He lifted her high onto his chest, her legs wrapping around his waist. His cock bobbed free and nestled beneath her warm, moist slit. Her body was ready for him but he wanted Julie to be ready for him, also. He just didn’t want to fuck her. He wanted to make love to her. He slid his hand down the space of her buttocks, moving down her channel. Finding her opening, he pushed his finger in deep. She bucked against him, gasping in surprise. Her mouth found his and she stuck her tongue in deep, seeking, telling him what she wanted. He moved his finger back and forth, deep and shallow, hard and soft until Julie threw back her head, close to climaxing. “Victor, please,” she gasped. His cock responded to her plea, thickening with more blood. His entire body seemed to want to fuck Julie and he had no

Blood RaptuRe 327 control over its commands. Dropping to his knees, he pushed Julie onto the grass, placing his hands on the ground on either side of her shoulders, trapping her panting body. He could smell her arousal. She was more than ready. In fact if he waited too long he might lose her first. He felt her hand take hold of his rod. He froze as she started a slow massage, pulling his foreskin up and over his tip then back down. The blood flow increased, his cock becoming heavy and thick. A slight bead of moisture proclaimed his readiness. Julie pulled him down and pressed his tip against her body. He pushed into her body even before she had leaned all the way back. Her body arched, her hips slamming up to meet his body. He began a relentless pummeling of her cunt, his whole body concentrating on only one thing: bringing Julie to climax. Nothing else mattered. The skies could have opened up and poured on them, but he would not have felt a thing. Julie’s writhing body was all that he saw and felt. He took clues from her movements. When she tired, he drove himself a little slower. When she grasped at his body, he slammed himself deeper. She cried out, calling his name, telling him to finish it, that she was close. He heard and ignored her pleas, letting his body tell him when he was ready. At this moment, he had to let his human body take over, trust it to bring forth his seed. Julie gasped beneath him. Fearing the timing wasn’t right and he had to stop her orgasm, he held his breath and began to pull out. Blissful heat exploded through his body. He rammed his cock in deep. Julie screamed. Her body tightened, clenching, milking his shuddering rod. He held her tight against his pelvis for what seemed hours, loving the feel of her body anchoring him close. When at last his spent body could take no more, he fell to her side, pulling her close, not wanting to extract himself. Arms and legs entwined, they held each other, gasping as the night cooled their bodies, the hollow embracing them. “This place is definitely magical,” Victor whispered.

328 Lee Pearce Julie brought and held his hand tight to her stomach. “Yes, Victor, and in nine months, we will see how magical it truly was.”

About the Author

LEE PEARCE has been writing fantasy stories most of her life and received her first award in high school for a short story about ancient Greek philosophers. She has moved on to modern times writing urban fantasy romance stories about demons, werewolves, vampires and the odd human. She has written two papers for Kent State University for its children’s literature conferences, travel articles and is currently working on a young adult urban fantasy series as well as a literary mystery. She spends her free time at the family cottage on the Bruce Peninsula and travels when she can. She is a proud member of the Canadian Authors Association.

Trademarks Acknowledgment The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Camaro: General Motors