Courted by the Vampire (5 page)

She pulled her black blazer more tightly around her chest as another
tremor claimed her. “How much farther will we have to trek through this terrible place?” Hannah tried to keep the whine out of her voice but failed miserably. She knew a moment of acute panic when she walked into a spider web then spent the better part of five minutes trying to remove the sticky mass from her face and hair. “Thanks for your help.”

“I did not help you.”

“It was sarcasm.” She sighed. “Never mind.” The darkness hid her annoyance. “How much longer?” She gritted her teeth in an attempt to keep anger at bay.

“
Five or six miles perhaps. We will skirt the edge of the marsh so please mind where you put your feet.” Laughter filtered through his voice.

The hoot of another owl somewhere overhead made Hannah’s heart slam
into her ribcage. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. “Is this Marilyn person expecting us tonight?” She sucked in her breath. Was that a bat? She ran her hands through her hair just to be sure. She inhaled deeply and hoped for calm.

“It is hard to tell with Marilyn. One never knows what she is thinking.”
He stopped abruptly on the path. Hannah crashed into his backside with a muffled protest.

“What the hell?” She picked up her bag from the forest floor and ignored
the part of her brain that sparked at the accidental contact. As she laid a hand on his back, Hannah thrilled at the heat that emanated through the thin fabric of his shirt. The hard muscles of his back rippled beneath her fingers.
He might be a jerk but he’s a hot jerk.

“It was unavoidable.” He pointed into the gloom. “We must pay careful
attention through this section. We dare not wake Horace the Black.”

Hannah peeked over his arm to see the sleeping form of a half-man half-goat. She wrinkled her nose at the sweaty smell that originated from the creature.
“Yuck.” She stepped around the stinky, bearded goat man and shivered. “Why can’t a forest just be a forest?”

Living with her Gramma had taught
her a couple of things about life and how things are sometimes not as they seem. “Does anyone from the government know about this goat man? I mean you just don’t hear about abnormalities such as a goat man in the woods on the evening news, do you?” She willed herself to calm down and gulped air into her lungs.

“
There is no reason to panic.”

She looked into his eyes as he gripped her shoulders. “There
’s every reason to panic! Being here doesn’t feel right. Something’s wrong, I can sense it.”

For five years, she
’d closed her mind to the possibility of the magical world. Now, since she’d met Edwin, that portal forced itself open and thrust her rudely through it. Nothing good will come of treading this path. “I need to go back.” Trembles wracked her body as the pressure on her shoulders increased.

“Y
ou are stronger than you think. The inhabitants of the forest will not harm you as long as you do not fear them. Surely you can feel that as well.”

“They won’t harm me because they fear you more.” As she wriggled out
of his grasp, his tightly reigned energy, his diluted power kept the creatures of the night at the periphery.

A low-pitched growl rumbled deep in
Edwin’s chest. “They fear the untapped potential of what I could become if I chose to ever relinquish control. That reality will never occur.”

Hannah grinned into the heavy darkness when he intertwined his fingers
with hers. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips when the images in her mind remained neutral. “Why do I not experience the raw emotions I did this morning?”

“You saw what was in my mind this morning because I neglected to
strengthen my guards.” He pulled her along the path, the pressure of his fingers constant and reassuring. “I am always weakest mentally after I rise from sleep or become physically drained. The fact you could tap into my thoughts at all should show you how powerful you are.”

She ignored his explanation and focused instead on the word
he’d called her earlier. “What does
spatzi
mean?” Her hand warmed in his. He was a very unsettling man.

His chuckle was barely discernable over the sounds of the night-shrouded
forest. “It is German for little sparrow. You remind me of the brown fowl.” He squeezed her fingers. “Sparrows may be small and plain but they are a scrappy, plucky species of bird that will not bullied. They refuse to give in or give up. They do not concede to fear.”

“I have one more question.”

“Proceed.”

“Why did you kiss me?” Hannah attempted to remove her hand from his
, but he didn’t relinquish his hold.

“You would not listen to reason, and I have been told I am skillful at that
particular pastime. It would seem to be true since when I initiated amorous contact, you practically dissolved into my arms.” He laughed softly. “Do not be embarrassed,
spatzi
. You could not fight your attraction to me.”

“You arrogant son of a bitch!” Hannah’s cheeks burned in the darkness. “I
refuse to be treated like a common trollop.” She wrenched her hand from his grasp.

“Is there such a thing as an uncommon trollop?”

“What?” She stumbled to a stop and gawked at him.

“It is logical to assume that if there were such a creature as a common
trollop, then there would also have to be an uncommon one.” He held out his hand. “Do you wish to add another comment, or shall we resume our trek?”

“I can’t argue with you and expect to win.” She sighed. “Let’s get this over
with before I change my mind.” Hannah slipped her hand into his, grinning into the darkness at the heat the contact generated. “Carry on, bounty hunter.”

Chapter Four

Three hours later
they arrived at the cottage of Marilyn McAvis. A ramshackle dwelling built from oak and birch logs, it conjured up images of Hansel and Gretel.

Edwin drew her hand through the crook of his arm
. Goose bumps peppered her skin. Her nervousness sank into his mind. He wished he could send her a telepathic message of reassurance, but she had not yet opened her consciousness to that sort of activity since the first time he had attempted it without her authorization. So instead, he squeezed her hand.

Knowledge would come with time.

Ivy claimed the exterior walls, allowing the cottage to blend perfectly into the backdrop of the forest. Unless a person knew exactly what to look for, the dwelling would remain hidden. It was like one of those mystic eye pictures popular years ago. If he relaxed his eyes, he could see the house with no problem.

The air in the clearing was no less stifling but markedly cooler.
Anticipation filled him as he quickly scanned the perimeter for security threats. Hannah’s labored breath beside him tempered his excitement. They were here primarily because of her.

“Is she at home? The house looks awfully dark if she’s expecting visitors.”
Her voice held a note of barely suppressed panic.

“She has spies all over the forest, little one. You can be assured she knows
we are here.”

She
snorted. “I’m hardly little, and I would appreciate it if you would not cop the He-man attitude with me.”

“What attitude, and what is a He-man?” As always,
his fascination with the woman was at the forefront of his mind. He did not understand why gender dynamics mattered. He would protect her. That was all she needed to know.

“You think you’re superior to me, and I’m only a helpless woman who
needs a protector.”

“I am superior, and you do need protection. Why is this wrong?”

With a sound of exasperation, Hannah flashed him an aggravated look. “Never mind.”

Edwin pulled her forward until they stood on the small doorstep. “You
are tired. I can feel your fatigue. You will require rest soon.” She was not physically fit.

“I’m out of shape, that’s all.” She wiped her sweaty forehead with a
sleeve. “It’s not every day I’m forced to troop through the state park system to pay a visit to a woman who may or may not be seen by humans.” She rummaged in her bag and produced a bottle of water. She took a deep drink, and then offered the bottle to him.

“You come
prepared.” He gratefully drank his fill then handed the bottle back. “First the toothbrush, now water? I have never seen a bag like that, and I have seen many unexplainable things in my life.”

“I never know what will happen on any given day. This bag is my
lifeline.” She patted the black mock-croc bag. “It’s kinda like that famous carpetbag from
Mary Poppins
.” When he lifted an eyebrow in confusion, she sighed and continued. “You really need to watch a few DVDs and get up to speed in this century. Anyway, I got a good deal on it at a garage sale, but I had no idea it was enchanted until I used it for the first time. I tried to get it to give me a change of clothes, but all this stupid bag can come up with is a hideously ugly black witch’s gown. After a few tests, I’ve found it will give me the basics and even then it’s temperamental. One time I asked for a taco. It gave me a caterpillar. No wonder it was for sale.”

“Y
ou are a very unique individual. You speak of things that are both fantastical and intriguing.” He knocked on the gnarled wooden door, his lips turned down with a frown. “I only hope Marilyn finds you to be so.”

“What happens if she doesn’t? Should I be worried?”
Her fear transmitted itself into his mind.

He glanced at her, troubled to see anxiety clouded her pretty round face.
“Occasionally, she takes exception to guests in a rather distinctive fashion.”

Marilyn would eat her alive. His gut clenched with guilt.

Before either of them could speak again, the door opened to reveal a curious servant. Coarse gray hair sprouted from his face while wolfish ears pricked with interest. Edwin narrowed his eyes. The Forest Witch had changed staff since the last time he had been here. Dressed in an impeccably pressed black tuxedo complete with tails and starched white shirt, he looked down his rather large snout at them. Even in the paranormal world, butlers acted the same way.

Edwin narrowed
his eyes. The man sported wolf teeth. He stifled a bout of laughter. He appeared to be more bodyguard than a butler.

“May I help you?” His voice was deep and booming, quite out of place for
the quietness of the forest backdrop.

“We want to request an audience with Ms. McAvis,” Edwin explained
with an encouraging nod. “It is a matter of some importance,” he added as the butler tarried in the doorway.

“I will see if she is at home.” The
man showed them inside.

Hannah gasped when she caught sight of the furry, curling
wolf tail waving jauntily out at her from the back of his trousers. “Is that—?”

He squeezed her fingers to quickly cut off her question. When she glanced
at him, he shook his head and gave her a frown. Edwin knew Marilyn’s penchant for turning people she disliked into frogs. He hoped to head off disaster, especially since his companion did not possess the ability to think before she spoke. They followed the man through a long hall and into a sitting room, decorated in delicate French antiques.

At his side, Hannah glanced around the room with apparent wonder.

Edwin stifled a chuckle. He could well understand her awe. From the outside, the cottage appeared only large enough to hold one, maybe two, rooms. But the inside of the home transformed into a veritable mansion that dripped with lavish and expensive ornaments. Marilyn could wield magic as well as anyone, and she had chosen to appoint her residence with the very best.

“Wow.”

“Power corrupts.”

She
examined a powdered wig under a glass dome with her gaze. “Did that really once belong to Marie Antoinette?”

The wolf butler glared at her. “Wait here. I will see if the mistress wants to
receive you.” Once he left, Hannah turned to Edwin, her eyes alight with awe and magic-envy.

“This is fantastic! Do you know how she made this mansion masquerade
as a cottage? Can you do the same thing? Can I, or at least could you teach me? Imagine how much I could save on property taxes!” She glanced around the parlor, her gaze pausing on the floral-printed drapes and doily-covered occasional tables.

He
remained silent. Delicate French chairs and sofas dotted the interior, while soft pastel artwork hung on the cream papered walls. Marilyn’s tastes did seem to run to excess.

“Do you think she’ll share her floor space secrets?”

“Hannah?”

“Yes?” She set down the bejeweled fan she examined to glance at Edwin.

“Why are you annoyed now?”

“I would caution you into silence.” With the slight incline of his head, he
indicated the woman who had appeared out of thin air to pose prettily by a fireplace that flared instantly to life, the orange flames giving the room a romantic ambience.

“Dear Edwin, how nice to see you again.” Her voice was light, melodious,
and tinkled like a crystal bell. “You naughty boy, you never come to visit me anymore.” Her rose-colored lips formed a tiny moue of displeasure. “Do I have to invent a quest to send you on in order to get your attention?”

He squelched a smile
when Hannah grew more annoyed at his side. For the time being, he ignored her in favor of giving the witch his full attention. She was tall for a woman, at least as tall as his six-foot frame. Her hair was long and flowed down her back in honey-colored waves with ribbons and flowers woven into the mass. He remembered her fondness for feminine accoutrements since she had often commissioned him to pick up the things for her as he travelled. Her gown was of such a diaphanous moss green material, every enticing curve of her body as she stood in front of the fire was on display. His lips curved in genuine grin. He remembered her form well.

“I have been busy of late,” he finally replied. He moved forward to kiss
the hand she offered him. “You are stunning as always.”

“You have been away too long, bounty hunter. We should renew
our… acquaintance soon.” Marilyn’s voice held a hard edge that belied the soft smile on her face.

Hannah cleared her throat, impatience clear in the way she rested a hand
on her hip.

“This is Hannah Weybourne.” Edwin shook his head and
moved back to Hannah’s side. He threw a confused glance at the witch.
Damn the woman!
The beginning effects of her seduction spell gripped him and he struggled to fight its invisible thread. “I have brought her to you as requested. We would like for you to tell us where Duncan is hiding.”
You do not need such a spell, witch. I have bedded you before without such tactics.

Perhaps, but this woman’s hold on you is stronger.
Marilyn turned her gaze on Hannah, no doubt she planned to probe Hannah’s mind. She evidently didn’t find much information to manipulate since she rejected Hannah to turn the full force of her attention on him. “She does not know how to use the power that is within her. She is useless to your quest, Edwin. You must find another.”

“Give her time
. She is nervous, but she will learn.” Irritation surged through him at her abrupt dismissal.

Her whiskey-colored
gaze searched Hannah’s face, her eyes cold. “Leave us, girl. Edwin and I have much to discuss and none of it concerns you.” Wicked possibilities mingled with her grin. “In fact, why don’t you wait outside? If you’re lucky, the things that go bump in the night won’t hurt you.” She lifted a penciled eyebrow. “Much.”

“Listen
, lady, I don’t know what sort of racket you’re running but it wasn’t my idea to come. And it certainly wasn’t my idea to have a goblin destroy my apartment or be dragged across the state by your boy toy, so cut me some slack.” Hannah sucked in a quick breath. Stunned silence filled the space as Edwin gaped in some astonishment. “Since I’m here, you might as well tell us what we need to know so we—and I mean Edwin and I—can be on our way. The sooner you start talking, the sooner I can get back to my own reality.”

He
laid a hand on her shoulder in warning. When she glanced up to meet his gaze, he shook his head.

Damn! I was getting ready to unleash a can of whoop ass on her!

He blinked in surprise when she lifted an eyebrow, anger in her stance and expression. He would definitely need to teach her how to rein in her thoughts. It would be dangerous to delay instruction.

“She certainly doesn’t lack spirit or enthusiasm.” Marilyn smiled and it
was as if the sun had suddenly come up early. “I revise my opinion of her. It seems you have chosen well, Edwin, despite her lack of training. With a bit of guidance she will be ready.” Her eyes glowed softly as she regarded Hannah with a doubtful air. “Time will tell if she’ll do more harm than good.”

He heard Hannah’s sharp intake of breath and knew she would speak
again. To prevent that occurrence, he stamped lightly on her foot. “Please excuse Hannah. Her enthusiasm sometimes eclipses her common sense.” He cleared his throat. “I need to find Duncan to neutralize him before he can kill again. You know, perhaps better than I, the urgency of my mission.”

Marilyn transferred her gaze to Edwin, her smile predatory. “He is not
causing the ripple in our world. Duncan is merely a prisoner like so many others of our kind.” She made a helpless gesture with her lily-white hands that only served to draw attention to the curves barely hidden by her gown.

“Truly, you are wise beyond your years.” He let his gaze drift to the
witch’s bosom. How many more breaths would it take before the wispy fabric fell completely from her chest?
Why these mind tricks, Marilyn? Why do you not just ask me to service you?
It had been many months since he’d engaged in a sexual encounter with a woman, let alone the witch.

I have no choice. The human’s influence on you is quite strong, even though you
don’t realize it.
She moistened her lips with a gentle flick of her tongue. “As the days go by, more and more creatures of our world disappear. Andre Valkaret is the one you seek. The evil within him grows more powerful at every sunset. For reasons that are unknown, Andre gathers magical beings to hold them prisoner. He hunts the human as well, which means he hunts you.” She batted her long eyelashes. “I also hunt you, bounty hunter.” Her voice was low and seductive. “It has been a long time since you have stayed the night with me.”

“Do you plan to rectify that situation?”
The unseen strings of her spell pulled taut around him, and he was powerless to resist. The energy he used to keep mental guards up around Hannah had drained him. “If so, perhaps you should give us the information we seek.”