Night Walker (23 page)

She still couldn’t believe it. She knew she’d missed a couple of periods, but her menstrual cycle had never been anything close to regular. The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind that her bouts of nausea could be a sign of pregnancy. Besides, she was on the pill.

Even birth control pills aren’t a hundred percent.
The doctor’s voice echoed in her mind.

Obviously he was right, and now she was living proof of that slim
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statistic. Instead of a prescription to settle her stomach, the doctor sent her home with prenatal vitamins and a lot to think about.

Kate loved children. Less than two months ago, she thought she would have a family with Tom. But her relationship with Calisto was still new. They hadn’t even discussed marriage, let alone a family. At this point, she wasn’t sure he wanted children.

But sure or not, she was having a baby.

And it wasn’t his.

Tears glistened on her cheeks while the strong breeze whipped her hair. For the first time since she met Calisto, that empty feeling welled up inside her again, washing over like the waves caressing the sand.

It felt like she’d already lost him. Kate wiped her tears away and stared at the horizon, waiting for the sun to set. It was crazy to feel this way. She knew Calisto well enough to know he would never blame her for this. She hadn’t been unfaithful to anyone.

Maybe he’d be happy about raising a child with her.

She clung to the thought like a life preserver to keep from drowning in the sea of doubt. She wanted to be excited for the baby and impending motherhood, but somewhere inside a dark shadow lurked that she couldn’t seem to shake. Until nightfall when Calisto came home, she was alone.

Alone and afraid.

§

Jose stood on the balcony, watching the wind slide its invisible fingers through Kate’s hair, envying the softness it caressed. She looked like a fragile flower, small and alone on the sand, and yet she was so much more. Kate was his sacrificial lamb, his means to immortality. She would make his dream possible, and he supposed in some small way, he loved her for that. Maybe he would tell her later while he made her cry out in pain.

A cold grin curled his thin lips at the thought.

But he wasn’t ready for the final battle yet. He had crafted a false identity, infiltrated Calisto’s home and his closest confidants without any of them ever suspecting his true desires. He shared Betty’s bed at 176 LISA KESSLER

night and Kate’s company during the day, all the while leaving threats to keep Calisto distracted and defensive. Anything to keep his mind off of making Kate a Night Walker.

But he wasn’t sure the threats were necessary anymore.

Kate talked about Calisto incessantly. It was painfully obvious she had no idea about his true nature. Perhaps the Church had been wrong all these years.

Maybe the Night Walker had no intention of making her a blood-drinker. Not that it mattered. The concerns of the Church had never really mattered to him in the slightest. What did matter was keeping her mortal long enough for him to gain victory over death.

Eternity would be his to claim.

Ever since he learned of the Night Walker’s existence, when the Fraternidad del Fuego Santo took him into their fold, he dreamed of the day they would meet face to face. And tonight his dream would become reality. Betty had arranged for the four of them to go to dinner together. He already counted down the minutes until he looked Calisto Terana in the eyes.

With a smug smile, Jose disappeared inside the house. He retrieved his leather attaché case and pulled out a small package.

He entered the office. “Someone just dropped this off for Calisto.” Betty looked up from her paperwork with a smile. “You can leave it here on the desk. Calisto will find it when he gets home.” He laid the box on the corner of the desk with an inward grin. He wished he could see the Night Walker’s face when he opened it.

“Who delivered this?”

The sound of Betty’s voice shook him from his thoughts. His eyes cut up to meet her gaze.

He shrugged. “A delivery man.”

Betty eyed the box. “Did you notice what he looked like?”

“No. Why? Is there something wrong?”

Betty glared at the box before looking up at him. “Not really, it’s just that I signed for a little box like this a couple weeks ago and the courier was... I don’t know how to describe it, really. He just seemed creepy, like he was a stalker or something. I tried to track down where
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the package came from so I could complain, but no one in town had record of making a delivery here.”

“That is strange. I’m glad he hasn’t been back,” he said, masking his features with a look of mild concern, but inside he laughed. Betty considered herself a shrewd businesswoman, someone who could spot a fraud in a heartbeat. Yet she was fucking the creepy deliveryman, and she hadn’t the slightest idea.

All he had to do was cut his hair, shave, and speak without a faked accent. Of course it wasn’t really her fault. Betty had never met a man of his caliber before.

“Me, too.” Betty glanced at the clock on the desk. “We’d better get going. I want to grab a shower and change before we meet Calisto and Kate for dinner.”

He pulled Betty into his arms. “She doesn’t hold a candle to your beauty.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Betty beamed at him.

“Yes, you do,” he whispered, nipping at her bottom lip when he kissed her. “Not to worry, tonight will be perfect.”

§

Kate was in the shower when Calisto returned. He smiled, holding a Romneya as he crossed the room. He tapped his knuckles against the door before entering.

“I missed you.”

“You’re home... ” Kate called from inside the shower.

“
Si
. How was your day?”

Silence.

Calisto frowned, staring at her through the frosted glass of the shower door. “Kate?”

“I’m fine.”

“Did you go to the doctor?”

She turned off the water and grabbed the towel. She wrapped herself before she opened the shower door.

“Yup. But I don’t want to get into that right now. I’ve got to get ready. We’re supposed to meet Betty and Jose for dinner in an hour.” Calisto watched her move from one place to another, dressing 178 LISA KESSLER

and brushing her hair and searching for shoes... And never once looking up at him.

Something was wrong.

As she passed by again, he pulled her into his arms, lifting her chin to meet his eyes. “Talk to me, Kate. Please... What did the doctor say?”

Her eyes welled with tears, and she shook her head, blinking them back. “I can’t talk about it right now. If I do, we’ll never make it to the restaurant in time.” Her eyes searched his, pleading with him silently. “Please, Calisto. Just let it go for now.” His chest tightened with worry, but he found himself nodding and releasing her from his arms. He couldn’t force her to tell him, and as much as he longed to search her mind for answers, he fought the temptation. He had to trust her judgment. Surely if her condition was serious the doctor would have admitted her to the hospital.

It was impossible not to watch her and wonder what her secret might be. He looked over her body for any outward sign of whatever might ail her. Her eyes looked red against her pale skin. She had been crying, and it stabbed at his heart. But for now she wanted space, so he would do his best to honor her wishes.

He went to his closet, quietly changing his clothes, listening to her brush her hair in the bathroom, his inhuman senses registering her every breath. He was no longer sure he would be able to maintain his precarious control over his emotions during dinner.

“We should cancel the dinner tonight.” He buttoned the cuffs of his long-sleeved shirt.

“It’s too late to cancel now,” Kate said, still searching for her shoes. “Besides we need to eat.”

“Whatever it is, we can face it together.” Her shoe search halted for a moment, and he could see a sigh escape her.

“I hope so.” She looked over at him with a weak smile. “Let’s just try to forget about it for now and have a nice dinner together, okay?”

“I will do my best.” Calisto turned back to slide his jacket off of the hanger. “That is all I can offer you.”
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He adjusted his coat. “I am going to check my desk upstairs while you finish getting ready.” He leaned in close and kissed her cheek tenderly. “I love you, Kate.”

And with that he left. He needed to clear his head and think.

Allowing himself to move quickly, he went up the stairs and entered the main house. When he reached his office, he froze. An unmarked package sat on the edge of his desk.

Yet another reason he should skip the infernal dinner date, but Kate had made it clear she wanted to go. As much as he wanted to cancel, he could refuse her nothing.

He went to his desk, tearing open the plain brown box and reaching inside. What he pulled out of the box made his heart stop.

Dangling at the end of Calisto’s fingertips was a pair of Kate’s white silk panties, stained and reeking of semen. Red ink covered the fabric.

On the front it read simply,
Soon she will know me.
The rest of the fabric was covered inside and out with the words
Again and again and
again
scrawled all over the silk in a frenzied script of red ink.

He shoved the underwear back into the box. This was no monk.

This was a madman. And he was after Kate.

“Are you ready to go?”

Calisto looked up as Kate walked into his office. She had the flower he brought for her tucked behind her ear, and all at once he realized he was trapped. She was just as innocent to what lay in store for her now as she had been over 200 years ago. Again her life was threatened, and not because of her own doing, but simply because she loved him.

While he wanted to find the sick monk and kill him slowly and painfully, it was clear that he couldn’t leave Kate’s side, not even for a second. Not now.

Fate was attempting to repeat itself, and it seemed they were once again set on a collision course with tragedy. This time he would change the end of their story, or die trying.

If dying were still an option for him anymore.

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles tenderly, masking the dread that festered inside of him. “You look incredible.” 180 LISA KESSLER

She moved into his arms, and he closed his eyes, holding her tight.

It had been centuries since he’d experienced fear. He had almost forgotten what it felt like.

He remembered now.

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Chapter Twenty-Two

Jose had waited for years for this moment, to confront the immortal Night Walker. Now, he sat across the table from him talking about mundane topics such as the upcoming opera season and whether or not the San Diego Symphony would be able to maintain paying union wages.

He participated in the casual conversation, while still maintaining the constant drone in the back of his mind, reciting the ancient chant that had been drilled into his memory. They had prepared him to watch the Night Walker from a distance, not to dine with him at the same table, but Jose wasn’t worried.

Even if Calisto uncovered his true thoughts and identity, he felt confident he wouldn’t be harmed. The public place and the women who shared their table protected him. He and Betty were lovers, and now Kate considered him a friend. Both women would think Calisto was a monster if he suddenly attacked him.

And once the sun came up, the Night Walker would be helpless to stop him.

Perfect. Tonight, everything would change.

Amidst the conversation that surrounded him, Jose analyzed Calisto’s behavior and smiled inwardly. The box he left had obviously 182 LISA KESSLER

shaken the Night Walker. He seemed distant, and his gaze tracked every new patron, examining them. Each person became a suspect.

Jose chuckled at the irony playing out before him. While Calisto sat preoccupied with his search for danger, he never suspected he dined with his foe. Calisto had no idea the man he sought sat no more than three feet away from him.

And seeing the haunted gaze in the Night Walker’s eyes, as though Kate was already gone, only sweetened Jose’s victory.

§

Calisto watched Kate sip her water. He’d watched everything tonight. He couldn’t help it. What if the monk spied on them right now, plotting to harm her? Every person who entered the restaurant drew his attention as he lightly scanned their thoughts for any sign they were looking for him, or for Kate. Paranoia threatened to take over, but it was difficult to control it when he knew someone wanted to hurt her. He couldn’t concentrate on anything, and his head throbbed with worry.

“Calisto?”

He blinked when Kate’s hand brushed up his thigh.

“Did you hear a word I just said?” She raised her eyebrows and smiled, but tight lines rimmed her mouth.

“Forgive me.” He rested his hand over hers.

He ached to peer into her mind and know what ailed her, but he wouldn’t. He had to trust her. It would be far too tempting to dig deeper into her mind, to invade her privacy on such a personal level.

He would never forgive himself for such a breach of her trust.

He patted her hand. “I was too lost in your beauty to hear the words you spoke.”

She laughed, and for a moment, her tense shoulders relaxed.

“You find this funny?”

“That was a fine piece of flattery to cover up the fact you weren’t listening to a single word I said.” Kate chuckled.

“Am I forgiven?”

“You are if you pay the bill.” Kate handed the small leather binder to him with a grin. “I thanked you for dinner and said I’d never
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been here before.”

Calisto took the check from her. “I am glad you enjoyed it.” His words died away as his gaze shifted to the man sitting across the table from him. Was Jose glaring at him?

Calisto stared at the other man as he gently reached into Jose’s mind and... The chant.