Out of the Night (Harlequin Nocturne) (19 page)

“That’s a tall order, especially when humanity still has problems with acceptance among themselves.”

“Yes, but we will live a very long time. There’s no telling what we’ll see.”

He didn’t know why he’d not thought of it before, but it hit Campbell that even if he and Olivia found a way to make their relationship work, it would only be for a tiny fraction of his immortal life.

“You’re thinking of your lady’s life span?”

He stopped and looked the baroness in the eye. “How did you know?”

“I’m a keen observer, Mr. Raines. How do you think I got this job? Why I’m so good at it?”

“Why do you work, anyway? I know you don’t have to.”

She pushed some of her dark hair behind her ear. “Because I bore easily.” She waved her hand in a swirling motion. “I guess I’m a little like you. Somebody has to keep all these crazy vamps in line.”

He looked off into the night. “Sometimes it feels like a losing battle.”

“I know.”

He returned his attention to her. For the first time since he’d known her, she sounded tired. It was so unlike her that it caused concern to swell in him. What did she know that he didn’t? Did it have anything to do with the fact that she was in New York?

Her abnormal moment passed and she met his eyes. “My advice is don’t think about how long her life is. It robs you of the joy you can have with her while she is here.”

“You sound as if you speak from experience.”

“I do. I loved a man very much, but I spent all the years we had together tied in knots over the fact that I’d lose him too soon, that we wouldn’t be like other couples who got to spend their entire lives together. When he was gone, I realized how much time I’d wasted, time when I could have been truly happy.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the night sky. “If I were sane, I’d stay away from her. I fear hurting her, or worse.”

“You know what my favorite saying is?” the baroness asked. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” With that, she patted his arm again and turned on her heel. “Well, I better get back. Maybe I’ll think of a way to make Drogan’s night miserable on the walk back.”

He smiled then kissed her cheek. “Maybe I should have fallen for someone like you.”

“My dear, you wouldn’t be able to keep up with me.”

As he watched her walk away, her words reverberated in his head.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Was there? He wasn’t so sure, not with memories of Bridget tormenting him. But if so, he was damn well going to find it.

* * *

Something was wrong. Olivia stared out at the handful of people sitting in the diner, a fraction of the normal morning crowd. And it was too quiet. She’d noticed that as soon as Rusty had shown up. First, he’d been several minutes later than usual. Then he hadn’t been able to meet her eyes, and he’d barely said anything.

“What is going on?” she said to herself.

Could the abductions be keeping people away? Or maybe the fact she’d had two dead bodies found in her alley? She shook her head. It was more than that, and she intended to find out what. She headed for the dining room.

She stopped only a few steps in when Rusty simply left his money on the table and left. Dread settled in her stomach. With Rusty’s exit, that left only a family of four in the back corner and Jane next to the window. When she met Jane’s gaze, the other woman gave her a sad smile. Olivia took it as permission to approach. At least Jane wasn’t making a beeline for the door without a word.

Jane pointed to the chair across from her. “Have a seat.”

“Are you sure? Seems everyone else thinks I’m contagious with something.”

Jane nodded to the empty chair, and Olivia slipped into it. “Word has gotten around the neighborhood that you’re seeing a vampire.”

Olivia jumped as if she’d been stung. “What?”

Jane leaned a little closer. “One of your neighbors saw you together, saw him jump from the street to your balcony.”

What should she say? Deny it? Try to explain.

“You are not the first and likely won’t be the last,” Jane said.

“I... You don’t seem upset.”

Jane shrugged. “It doesn’t affect me. I personally think people ought to mind their own business and not tell everyone else how to live.”

Olivia glanced across her nearly empty diner. “You seem to be in the minority.”

“Unfortunately.” Jane slid her glasses to the top of her head. “You ever wonder what I’m writing in here every day?”

“Yes. Mindy and I have actually debated many times. Our latest guesses are erotic novel—that’s Mindy’s guess—or spy thriller because you used to be a spy.”

Jane laughed. “Maybe it’s an erotic spy thriller.”

“Hey, new genre.”

Jane placed her hand on either side of her laptop. “No. I’m writing about human-vampire relations throughout history.”

Olivia scrunched her forehead. “Is there enough material for that? There really hasn’t been much interaction.”

“See, I don’t think that’s true. There are too many stories of vampires throughout history. I’m taking a look at all of them again, along with historical accounts of the same periods when the stories originated. I don’t think all of those tales are fiction.”

“I was told that those stories sprang up because of rogue vampires who killed too much and didn’t make sure no one saw them.”

“Maybe part of it. But I don’t think all the interactions were deadly. They’ve just been very well hidden or disguised. Do you think your vampire would consent to being interviewed?”

Olivia couldn’t imagine it in a million years. She gave Jane an apologetic smile. “I don’t think so. Besides, he’s a very young vampire. He wouldn’t have witnessed any of these potential historical encounters.”

Disappointment fell over Jane’s face. “Oh, well. It was worth a try.”

“You don’t fear them?”

“I wouldn’t say that. I’m not so adventurous that I step out of my building after sunset. But they do fascinate me. I want to know the reality versus the myth. Before the Bokor virus, I traveled to remote locations all over the world writing about little-known peoples and places, but this is like nothing I’ve ever worked on before. I feel as if I could peel back layers forever and still not get the entire story.”

“They were very good at hiding their existence.” Despite her relationship with Campbell, Olivia still found the vampire world frightening and the fact that they’d lurked in the dark for centuries creepy.

“The most secret of societies.” Jane took another sip of her coffee.

“Can I get you a fresh cup?”

Jane closed her laptop. “Sorry, no time. I have a meeting this morning.”

“Will you be coming back?” Olivia hated the hint of desperation in her voice. But her dining room sat as sparsely filled as it had in the days after she’d reopened following the pandemic. Just when she’d felt as though things were getting better, bam, the rug got pulled out again. At least Mindy wasn’t here to see what Olivia’s actions had done to their livelihood.

“Yes, dear. I’ll be back again tomorrow.” She looked at the empty tables around her. “Hopefully the others will come to their senses soon, too.”

Olivia sat at the table for several minutes after Jane left, watching people walk by on their way to work. Could she really blame customers for staying away? Not so long ago, would she have been any different?

She had to find a way to fix this, to fix everything.

Chapter 18

C
ampbell would swear it’d been ages since he’d seen Olivia rather than the mere day since he’d left her apartment. He needed to feed later tonight, had confirmed with Ethan that there were a couple of units of AB-negative available. He wasn’t going to push himself to the breaking point ever again if he could help it. But first he needed to see Olivia, hold her in his arms.

The baroness’s words had reverberated in his head ever since she’d uttered them. He didn’t know if he could totally turn off the thoughts of her mortality or the danger he posed to her, but he couldn’t imagine never seeing her again either.

When he arrived at her apartment, she was lying on her couch watching TV. All he could see of her were her sock-covered feet hanging over one of the couch arms. Hoping he wasn’t disturbing her if she was asleep, he knocked on the balcony window.

It took her a moment, but she rose, turned off the TV and crossed to the door. “Hey,” she said when she opened it and ushered him inside.

Once he was standing in her dining room, she pulled the blinds closed over the sliding glass door.

“You okay?” he asked.

She offered a small smile. “Just a long day.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Are you too tired for company?”

“No.” She wrapped her arms around him and placed her cheek against his chest. “I want you to stay.”

Sensing her fatigue, he led her to the couch and urged her to curl up against him. He kissed the top of her head.

“How’s the abduction investigation going?” she asked.

Campbell’s muscles tightened. “We’ve got a suspect. Just have to find the evidence to prove it.”

“Do you...do you think those people are still alive?”

“I hope so.”

When she fell silent again, he knew something was wrong. He rubbed his hand along her arm. “You’re hiding something from me. What is it?”

“Just had a bit of a dip in the amount of customers today.”

“How much of a dip?”

She let out a long sigh. “A big one. It hasn’t been that bad since I first reopened after the pandemic.”

He knew the reason without her having to say it. “It’s because of me, isn’t it? Someone found out about us?”

She hesitated but then nodded. “I guess one of my neighbors saw you.”

He cursed, then closed his eyes and let his head fall against the back of the couch. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself,” Olivia said as she sat up.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Who do you think is at fault?”

“Me, the neighbor who couldn’t keep his or her mouth shut, any vamp who has ever drained a human. Frankly, whoever is behind these kidnappings. It’s not just one thing, though it seems that way.”

“Maybe not, but I was the tipping point.”

“And I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”

He shook his head slowly. “How can you say that? It’s hard enough to get by now without having someone like me torpedo your business. Not to mention how your best friend feels.”

“I’ll manage. I always do. I might not be a vampire, but I can be a tough cookie when I set my mind to it.”

He smoothed her hair away from her face and let his fingers travel along the edge of her cheek. “I know. I saw that fight in you the first time we met.” When he’d almost killed her.

Campbell pulled Olivia close and kissed her. He knew he should leave, figure out some way to make things right, but his need for her overpowered any other thoughts.

“Make love to me,” she said in his ear.

“My pleasure.” He lifted her effortlessly in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

The dip of the bed woke Olivia. She fought off the disorientation of sleep in time to see Campbell stand and pull his pants over long legs and lean hips.

“You’re leaving?”

He didn’t turn toward her. “I have an appointment at the blood bank.”

“You’re hungry?” Despite how she felt about him, the idea of his vampire hunger still stoked fear in the deepest part of her.

“Yes. I don’t like it when I start to think of your blood too much.”

She didn’t like that thought either. Instead she focused on the play of his back muscles as he slipped his T-shirt on. She resisted the urge to ask him when she’d see him again, partly because she didn’t like clingy women and didn’t want to be one. But she had to admit to herself that it was mostly because she didn’t want to give him the opportunity to say, “Never.”

When she tossed off the comforter, he turned toward her.

“No, don’t get up. Go back to sleep.”

Unease stirred inside her, but she didn’t voice it. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, and she became acutely aware of the distance between them.

“I shouldn’t have told you,” she said.

“Told me what?”

“About the loss of customers.”

He stood and slipped on the jacket he didn’t need. “I’m not leaving because of that. I’ve just got a lot to do.” He smiled. “Guy’s got to work for a living.”

Sadness settled in her chest. Though everything he said was true, she knew there was more to it. At least some part of Campbell was running away from her, whether he realized it or not.

* * *

As Campbell drank
bagged blood at the blood bank a few minutes later, he berated himself for getting so involved in Olivia’s life. Not only was he a constant danger to her, as his yearning for her blood tonight proved, but now he’d also endangered her livelihood. And Mindy’s. But evidently he was a selfish bastard, because he still didn’t think he could stay away forever. Not even close to forever. But he had to figure out how to make things right.

But how was he supposed to undo this damage? He couldn’t make someone unsee him, couldn’t contact all her customers and tell them he posed no threat and would stay away.

After his feeding and then a fruitless questioning pass through Little Italy, he headed home. When he walked through the door, Travis looked up from his desk.

“Good news,” Travis said. “Olivia’s car has been located in Connecticut.”

Campbell headed toward his own desk with a nod and a sound of acknowledgment.

“And the award for least excitement goes to...” Travis said. “What’s eating you?”

“Olivia’s customers have deserted her diner. Guess whose fault that is.”

Travis adopted a chastised expression. “Sorry.”

Campbell ran his hand back through his hair. “And I have no idea how to fix it.”

“That’s easy,” Kaja said as she walked over from the kitchen with a new mug, this one with a big curly
K
on it. “Buy a big honking ad in the
Times
for her. Replace the old customers with new ones.”

Kaja took a drink and sat down at her computer. Instead of work, however, she started playing “Farmville.” For the life of him, he couldn’t imagine what her fascination with that game was.

He thought about what she said. Maybe an ad would help. Couldn’t hurt.

“I just emailed you the details about where to pick up Olivia’s car,” Travis said.

“I need you to do it.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.” Campbell didn’t use a tone that invited argument, and Travis didn’t give him any.

“Fine, whatever.”

Len, Colin and Sophia came in from patrolling with only a couple of minutes to spare. Billy rolled in on his skateboard a few seconds later.

“Look who’s cutting it close now,” Campbell said as he met Colin’s eyes.

“One of those nights,” Colin said.

“Yeah, if we were werewolves, I’d swear it was a full moon with the way things were going down,” Len added. “Fights, more than the usual amount of angry stares coming our way. Some weird vibe in the air.”

“At least one of us had a good night,” Colin said as he glanced at Billy. “I think Puppy here found himself a skater-geek girlfriend.”

Billy skated by Colin and bopped him on the head. “At least I’m getting some action, old man.”

“Don’t listen to him, Billy,” Sophia said. “I think she’s cute.”

“Thank you.” Billy paused to kiss her on the cheek before pushing off on his skateboard again.

Thumping from the street level drew their attention, then the sound of something coming down the drop chute. Campbell was sitting closest to the chute, so he headed for it. “Did anyone put in another order with Chloe?” he asked.

He heard the chorus of noes at the same moment he saw what had been dropped down the chute. He spun and pointed toward the back corner. “Get out!”

They almost made it.

* * *

Olivia considered not
even opening the diner. She didn’t know if she could face another disheartening day of empty tables and the lack of friendly faces.

She remembered how she’d told Campbell she was a tough cookie, however, so she forced herself downstairs. Whatever the day dished up, she’d deal with it.

She was glad to see Jane a few minutes later, her first and perhaps only customer of the day.

“Something must be on fire,” Jane said as she walked in. “I heard a bunch of sirens, and there’s a big black plume of smoke coming from somewhere up near the park.”

Olivia turned on the TV mounted on the wall. A reporter was on the scene with fire trucks behind her.

“Officials say it appears a bomb has gone off at a vampire-owned building on the east side of Central Park. It is unclear if any vampires were in the building at the time of the bombing, which happened just after daybreak.”

A bad feeling started growing in Olivia’s middle. After taking Jane’s order, she retreated to the kitchen. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Campbell’s number. Her pulse raced faster with each unanswered ring. After his phone rang a dozen times, she hung up and dialed Chloe with shaky fingers.

When she got voice mail, she realized how early it was. She hung up and dialed Chloe’s cell phone.

“Hello.” The normal pep in Chloe’s voice was absent.

“Chloe, it’s Olivia. Where is the V Force headquarters? Where does Campbell live?”

Chloe didn’t answer, and tears popped into Olivia’s eyes.

“Tell me it’s not what’s on the news.”

“I’m sorry, Olivia.”

Olivia made an anguished sound. No, not again. She refused to believe it, not unless she saw it for herself. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“No, don’t.” Chloe paused for a moment, and Olivia gripped the back of a chair to keep standing. “There’s nothing left.”

* * *

“Just pull it out,” Campbell told Len as they sat in the old subway tunnel, dust from the explosion thick in the air. But when Len did exactly that, pulling a large shard of metal from Campbell’s back, he couldn’t hold in the yelp of pain.

Sophia was ready with a wad of white cloth that he thought was the long-sleeved shirt Len had been wearing over a gray henley. As soon as the metal was free, she pressed it against the wound, stemming the flow of blood until Campbell’s body could begin to heal.

Colin walked toward them with his tee shoved against a wound on the side of his head. Blood streaked his bare chest. “What the hell happened back there?”

“It was a bomb.” Which they’d thankfully survived, along with the daylight, by picking themselves out from under the rubble and escaping through the emergency exit that led to the network of abandoned subway tunnels. He counted heads and came up one short. “Where’s Billy?”

They all stared at each other for a horrible moment, then started digging frantically at the rubble that filled the passage that connected their headquarters with the subway tunnels. “Billy!” several voices called out at once.

“Puppy? Come on, kid,” Colin said as he tossed huge chunks of concrete out of the way.

Campbell winced with the pain in his back but dug nonetheless. Dug despite the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He found Billy and wished he could hide the boy’s body from the rest of the team. But it was too late.

Sophia cried out, “No!” and took Billy’s lifeless hand in hers.

The irony was Billy didn’t seem any more damaged than the rest of them. It was the large shard of his skateboard through the middle of his heart that had sealed his fate. Curses and crying met Campbell’s ears, but all he could do was stare as a cold numbness filled him.

After the initial shock, Colin and Len stepped forward and together with Campbell they finished digging Billy out. Kaja reached over and closed Billy’s eyes and caressed his pale cheek.

“I’m going to kill whoever did this,” Campbell said. “And he’s going to die slow.”

“Why the hell did a bomb end up down our delivery chute?” Colin asked.

“Someone wanted to deliver a message,” Len said.

“That we’re getting close and they don’t like us sniffing around,” Campbell added.

“That creep Salmeri?” Kaja asked.

“That’s where I’d lay my money,” Campbell said, focusing on his job, on avenging Billy’s death.

“Told you to let me rip his throat out,” she said.

“After I’m through with him, if there’s anything left, you can be my guest,” Campbell said.

Travis stared back at the pile of rubble. “We’ve lost everything.”

Campbell looked around at his dirty, bleeding, bedraggled team. Time to be the leader. “We’re going to get whoever did this. And we’ll rebuild somewhere else.”

“Perhaps I can help you with that.”

They all turned toward the new voice, ready to fight. A man in khakis and an expensive leather jacket stepped into the faint glow shed by the emergency light on the subway-tunnel wall.

“Who are you?” Colin asked as he pointed a piece of rebar at the unknown vamp. “And don’t take a step farther.”

Campbell moved to the front of his team. He placed his hand on Colin’s arm, applying downward pressure so he’d lower his weapon. When Colin did so, the guy took a couple more steps toward them.

“I’m Raymond Pierce.”

“Raymond Pierce?” Colin said.

“Yes, that one,” Pierce said.

Pierce had owned more companies than Campbell could name a decade ago. As rich as Richard Branson, Bill Gates and the entire Walton family put together. So he was dead, as the news had claimed, but not gone.

“How did you know we were here?” Colin asked.

“Baroness Flanders is a good friend. When she heard about the bombing, she asked that I come offer my assistance. You are in need of a new home, are you not? As it happens, I have just the place. If you all feel up to a bit of a walk, I can show you what we can offer.”