Part 8 (1/2)
The sleepy-eyed clerk behind the counter looked up in surprise. ”What seems to be the problem, son?”
Cameron rushed to the counter. ”Someone slashed my tires.”
The older man shook his head. ”There's one all-night wrecker in town. You need me to make the call?”
Cameron plunked his bags down on the counter. ”No, I need your f.u.c.king car keys. I've got to get back to my girlfriend right now.”
”Now, son,” the older man began, ”I can't just hand over my truck so you can go see your lady friend...”
”You don't get it.” Cameron took out his gun. ”This is life or death. And unless you want this entire town to turn into a vampire bloodbath, you better close this rat hole of a store and take me to your truck this f.u.c.king minute.”
The clerk put his hands in the air. ”All right, son, no one needs to get hurt here.”
Cameron's gut tightened as he led the man out of the store at gunpoint. He'd explain everything to the poor clerk once they were in the truck and rolling. He didn't have time to wait for a wrecker or a ride. He had to get to Eden before someone else did.
Eden stepped out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair. The silk of her white nights.h.i.+rt swirled around her legs, a sensation she'd never noticed before. Was this what love did for you -- heighten all of your senses, making you feel as if you'd never been so alive? She wanted to twirl around the room, giddy with happiness. She giggled, imagining Cameron walking in on her doing just that.
”I think he might find that very amusing.”
”Me too,” she answered. Then she opened her eyes.
She dropped the towel, a scream tearing itself from her throat as she backed into the bedroom wall behind her. The woman who had spoken to her in a clear, melodious voice sat on the edge of the bed, composed and watchful.
”Surely you've been expecting me, Eden.” The woman lifted a hand to examine her nails. ”You knew I'd catch up with you eventually.”
”Who... and what...” Eden trailed off, silenced by terror.
”Oh, yes. Where are my manners?” The woman came to her feet, but not by any human means. One moment she was seated, then a split second later, her body unfolded itself to a standing position, like some perverse marionette. Eden swallowed back a rush of bile.
”I'm the Countess of Bathory.” The woman glided toward her, floating rather than walking. ”But those closest to me call me Elizabeth.” She drew closer, so close that Eden could smell her -- a strange mix of reptile and lilacs.
”I do hope we're going to be close, Eden.” The countess leered at her, baring fangs that looked more like something you'd see on a cobra than a vampire. ”Very, very close.”
The Dodge pick-up truck roared down the highway. The old guy from the liquor store floored it.
”Son, if you'd just told me the whole story back at Luther's, you wouldn't have had to pull a gun on me.” The clerk took a nervous drag from his cigarette and gave Cameron a glance before turning his gaze back to the road. ”Last thing I want is for some h.e.l.lsp.a.w.n vampire to kill your lady friend.”
”Look, man, I'm sorry about the gun.” Cameron clenched and unclenched his fists. Would they never get there? ”It's just... I swore on my own life to protect her and...” He broke off, pounding the dashboard with the flat of his hand.
”Does this woman know you're in love with her?” The clerk turned off onto Main Street, nearly clipping a mailbox in the process.
Cameron slumped down against the seat. ”I think she does, yeah.”
”You mean you haven't told her?” The clerk looked at him.
”Not in so many words.” Cameron couldn't hide the defensive note in his voice.
”Son, there's only one way to let a woman know you love her.” The clerk shook his head. ”You have to tell her. That means words.”
”I'll tell her as soon as we get there.” Cameron clenched his eyes shut and said a prayer to anyone who happened to be listening. ”Once she's safe, I'll tell her until she can't take it anymore.”
Once she was safe. Because she had to be all right. He couldn't lose the only woman he'd ever loved.
”You're supposed to be dead.” Eden inched away from the countess, hoping that her slow trek to the bedroom door would go unnoticed.
”A simple matter, really.” The countess waved her deathly white hands in a dismissive gesture, looking at Eden with cold blue eyes. ”I'd been moldering away in my grave inside that church in Hungary since 1614 when those delightful little scamps from House Minotaur decided to raise me up.” She shrugged her narrow shoulders, making her icy blue gown move artfully around her pet.i.te form. ”A witch did a little blood magic over my grave, and there I was, in the flesh.” She smoothed her skirts. ”You really underestimated me, dearest. I tracked your scent all the way from the place where you slaughtered my Chupacabras and followed you here. And so we meet, at last.”
”My bodyguard will be back soon,” Eden told her.
”No, dearest, I don't think he will.” Elizabeth let out a snarling laugh. ”My Chupacabras took care of his car. The slashed tires should slow him down nicely.”
”You killed all those girls, didn't you?” Eden held her breath. If she could just get close enough to the fireplace, she could get the poker...
”They were mere distractions. Practice kills, if you will. But their blood made me even stronger. All the better to catch you with, dear Eden.” The countess tossed her long white hair over her shoulder. ”The vampires from House Minotaur despise you, you know. They resent the way you, a mere half-vampire, are trying to change our ancient ways with your synthetic blood and energy feeding.” Her overly large, soulless blue eyes peered at Eden. ”You can't make a snake into a lapdog.”
”What does any of this have to do with you?” The poker was so close... if she could just keep the old hag talking...
”They brought me back to kill you. They knew they couldn't do it. What they didn't realize was how strong I'd be. Too strong for them to control.” She grinned, showing her hideous fangs. ”They can't put me back in my grave now. It's too late.”
”So why did you kill those other girls?” Eden backed into the frame of the fireplace, her heart thudding in her throat.
”Surely my legend must be better known than that.” She frowned. ”I bathed in their blood. Hence the severed arteries.” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip. ”But what I truly crave is virgin blood.” She hedged closer. ”Minotaur staged that shootout at the club, trying to kill you before I could get my hands on you. They fear me. They thought if they killed you first, maybe I'd just go away.” She threw back her head and cackled. ”As if anything could make me lose my... desire for you. All those victims during my first lifetime couldn't compare to you.”
She reached out, tracing a frigid finger over Eden's cheek. ”I was put in solitary confinement until my death... over mere servant girls!” The countess sighed. ”But you, Eden, are a different story. What could be more potent than the blood of a virgin dhampire?” She tilted her head, studying Eden's face. ”And the daughter of Master Cain? With your blood, I will be strong enough to rule the entire vampire world. You were worth waiting a few centuries for.”
”Too late.” Eden wrapped her hand around the handle of the poker. ”I'm not a virgin anymore.”
She swung the poker out before the countess had time to react, striking the vampire so hard that the creature flew across the room.
Eden's breath came in painful gasps. The countess lay on the floor, giving all appearances of being dead.
Trying to collect her ragged nerves, Eden backed her way toward the bedroom door, never taking her eyes off the countess.
The countess' gaze rose. ”Oh, Eden, you disappoint me so.”
In a motion so swift that even Eden's dhampire vision couldn't detect it, the countess grabbed the silver knife from the bedside table and threw it.
It was intended to be a strike to the heart, a killing blow. Eden dropped to the floor, watching her blood spurt out in a ruby torrent. The silver burned her chest like a fiery brand.
”You see, Eden.” The countess glided toward her, her head wound already healed. ”I shall have my way with you yet.”