Out of the Night (Harlequin Nocturne) (20 page)

“We—” Sophia started but choked on a sob.

Len gripped her shoulder in support and nodded toward Billy’s body. “We lost a member of our team.”

“A friend,” Kaja said, her voice sounding shaky, too.

“I’m very sorry,” Pierce said. “We can take care of him once we get to our destination. I’ll get you whatever you need.”

The others looked to Campbell. After a moment of consideration, he nodded. Pierce turned and led them into the darkened tunnel.

* * *

Despite Chloe’s assertion that she shouldn’t come, Olivia hadn’t listened. Now she wished she’d stayed away. It felt as though a gaping hole was opening up inside her to match the one in the ground she couldn’t stop staring at.

Smoke rose in the air from something still burning below street level. The air reeked with the scents of unnamed objects smoldering. She prayed that Campbell and his team were not amid the burning rubble.

Chloe still had her arm around Olivia’s shoulders. Olivia suspected that if Chloe released her, she’d crumple to the ground. Movement among the crowd of officials beyond the yellow crime-scene tape caught her attention. When a man who looked as if he might be a detective stepped away, she spotted Herbie.

“Miss DaCosta?”

Olivia looked to her left and noticed another familiar face. “Officer Cortez.”

“What are you doing here?” There it was again, the look that said he knew more was going on.

Trying to think on her feet while her heart was breaking took all her concentration. “I heard about the explosion and wanted to check on a friend.” She pointed to Herbie. “But he looks to be okay.”

Cortez glanced at Herbie before returning his attention to her. He didn’t say anything, and though she knew it was a tactic to get her to reveal more, she spoke anyway. “I deliver meals to the homeless. I’ve known Herbie and some of the others who spend their days here for several years.”

Finally, he nodded. “I’ll send him over when he’s finished.”

“Thank you.”

Officer Cortez walked away.

“That man feels like a human lie detector,” Chloe said.

“Notice I didn’t lie.”

After a few more minutes, Officer Cortez led Herbie to the tape and held it up so he could pass back to the outside of the barrier it made. He pointed toward Olivia.

She broke free of her friend and headed for the older man. “Herbie?”

“Olivia? What are you doing here?” He glanced at the position of the sun. “It’s early for your meal delivery.”

“Why were the police talking to you?”

“Because I saw someone toss a package into the bank deposit chute. Only that bank’s been closed since halfway through the virus outbreak.”

“What did he look like?”

“I don’t know. He was wearing one of those hoodie things. And he ran away as soon as he dropped the package. Had to be a human, though, because it was already daylight.”

“What were you doing out here so early? You’re not staying out here at night, are you?”

“Lord, no, honey. I got a one-day gig cleaning up after a show at Radio City Music Hall. They paid me a little and let me spend the night there.”

Olivia stared at Herbie, wishing that he knew more. That he could positively identify the bomber. Could assure her that Campbell had somehow escaped.

“Are you okay?” Herbie asked her. “You look as if all the blood has drained from your face.”

“She hasn’t been feeling well,” Chloe said as she put her arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “I think I’ll get her home.”

Olivia didn’t fight her. She had no energy left to do so. As Chloe turned her back toward where she’d parked her SUV, neither of them said anything. What could they possibly say to alleviate the yawning ache growing in Olivia’s heart? Tears trickled out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

This was her fault, for caring again. Though she’d not known Campbell that long, the pain his loss left behind felt too much like what had swamped her after Jeremy had died.

How could Campbell be gone? He was immortal. Why would fate allow such a good man to die not once but twice?

Chloe got her into the car without her realizing it. She leaned her forehead against the window and watched the streets of New York streak by as Chloe drove. Some part of her knew that they were going back to the diner, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to keep driving, far away from New York and all the bad memories of loss.

But that wasn’t realistic, was it? Nowhere was safe from death. Not even immortality.

Chapter 19

C
ampbell and the rest of the team followed Pierce as they left the subway tunnels and passed through a thick metal door into what looked like a private corridor. When they reached a set of stairs and Pierce started climbing, Campbell stopped and stared after him.

Pierce looked back. “Don’t worry that we’re going above ground. I’m a vampire, too, remember?”

After a bit more hesitation, Campbell and the rest of the team followed. They exited the stairway into an expansive library. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined a long wall, and several polished wood tables with comfortable-looking chairs filled the middle of the room. Opposite the bookcases was a line of tall windows now covered with thick metal shutters.

“This is amazing,” Sophia said as she walked forward and trailed her fingers over the top of one of the tables, its surface smooth.

“It is the least we can do for those among us who try to keep peace. Who fight against the tide of the Soulless.”

A tide, that was exactly what it felt like sometimes.

Len, carrying Billy’s body in his arms, was the last one up the stairs.

Pierce pointed at a door on the opposite side of the room. “The bedrooms are down the hallway to the right. If you want, you can place your friend in the first one until you can make arrangements.”

Len’s eyes looked bright with unshed tears as he carried Billy from the room. Quiet settled in the wake of his leaving. Finally, Pierce shifted to face them.

“The baroness asked that I convey that whatever you all need, the Imperium will provide. And if they don’t, she and I will,” he said.

Campbell extended his hand. “We can’t thank you enough, Mr. Pierce.”

Pierce took Campbell’s hand between both of his. “Call me Ray. And truly, no thanks are necessary. I’m honored to have you here.” He gestured at their surroundings. “One of the benefits of being wealthy is that I can help. Feel free to look around and use the house as you see fit. I don’t live here, so consider this entire place yours.”

Campbell suspected that calling this a house was like calling the
Titanic
a dinghy.

After Pierce left them alone, Campbell met the eyes of his team. Before they did anything, they had to say goodbye to Billy.

* * *

Olivia sat in the middle of her empty diner and watched the sun move closer to the horizon. She was dimly aware that Chloe was on the phone with her brother. Chloe had wanted to call Mindy, but Olivia wouldn’t let her. She didn’t think she could handle facing Mindy when she knew her friend wouldn’t mourn the loss of any vampire, not even Campbell.

Surrounded as she was by empty tables and chairs, Olivia couldn’t believe how fast her life had changed from being on the upswing to hitting rock bottom.

She became aware of the fact that Chloe was no longer on the phone.

“Would you like something to eat?” Chloe asked.

“I’m not hungry.”

“I know, sweetie, but you have to eat.”

“Why?”

Chloe slid into the chair next to Olivia. “Because Campbell cared about you, and he’d want you to take care of yourself.”

Realizing Chloe wouldn’t give up until Olivia ate something, she said, “Maybe a grilled cheese.”

The sandwich ended up tasting like old cardboard, not through any fault of Chloe’s cooking but rather through Olivia’s utter disinterest in eating it. Her friend must have realized it, because she quietly slipped the half-eaten sandwich off the table and took it to the trash in the kitchen.

“I think we could both use some rest,” Chloe said from the doorway into the kitchen.

Olivia realized that night had fallen without her noticing, and that meant Chloe wasn’t going anywhere until morning. Reluctantly, she nodded and somehow found the strength to stand. She was halfway to the staircase when someone pecked on the front door. Fear shot through her until she turned and saw a familiar face. She grabbed the back of a chair and still felt as if she might collapse. Whether it was her imagination, a ghost or reality, Campbell stood on the other side of the locked door.

And she couldn’t make her feet close the distance between them.

Chloe crossed to the door and unlocked it. She looked as stunned as Olivia felt.

“Hi, Chloe,” he said. Then he looked at Olivia. “We found your car.” He motioned toward the street, and she saw Colin leaning against the door of her car. He raised a hand and waved.

That movement broke through the veil of unreality that had kept her immobile, and she raced to Campbell. She leaped at him so fast that he stumbled backward but caught her in his arms.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay,” he said.

She framed his face and met his gaze. “You’re alive.”

The confusion in his eyes gave way to understanding as he glanced at Chloe.

“How did you survive that?” Olivia asked. “I saw the hole. I just knew you were gone.” Tears streaked down her cheeks again, a mixture of remembered sorrow and tremendous happiness that she’d mourned for no reason.

His eyes dimmed in pain, and she realized Colin was quiet, too. Even though she barely knew him, she knew that wasn’t normal.

“Campbell?” Chloe said as she stepped forward.

He met Chloe’s gaze, then lowered his own. “We lost Billy.”

“Oh, no.”

Olivia saw the pain, knew he was taking responsibility. She squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault. The police said it was a bomb.”

“He’s just as gone,” he said, his voice thick. This, more than anything else, showed her he had feelings the same as any human.

“I’m sorry.”

“How did you get out of there?” Chloe asked.

“We fled into the subway tunnels. The Imperium sent someone to help us set up a new headquarters elsewhere.”

“You’ve got a new place already?” Chloe asked, sounding surprised.

“It’s in the Imperium’s best interest that we stay on the job, and that means having equipment and a place to lay low during the daytime.” He shifted his gaze to Olivia. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I didn’t think.”

“It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

Campbell caressed her cheek and gave her a sad smile. “I need to go. I hadn’t planned to come back tonight.”

“Oh.” She tried to hide her disappointment. He had too much on his mind already.

“Being with me has serious repercussions, including the fact that I have my own enemies. But turns out I’m not as selfless as I’d like to be. After today, I couldn’t stop wanting to see you.”

“I’ll see you upstairs,” Chloe said, and turned away.

“Good night, Chloe,” Campbell said. “Thank you for staying with Olivia.”

She waved over her shoulder without looking back and headed for the stairs. Colin made himself scarce, too.

Campbell returned his attention fully to Olivia. “I’m sorry you worried about me. The day was chaos, and I never thought you would make the connection between the bombing and V Force.”

“Do you really have to go?” After a day of thinking he was lost forever, she never wanted to let him out of her sight again.

He nodded. “We have to follow a lead on the bombing. We think it might be the same person who is behind the kidnappings.” He ran his fingers along the curve of her jaw.

“I’m afraid if you go, I’ll convince myself the past few minutes didn’t happen,” she said.

He pulled her close and lowered his mouth toward hers. He kissed her softly, then more thoroughly, full of hunger. She responded with all the joy she felt at having him still be alive.

Campbell growled, not the scary version but rather the kind that made her want to drag him to bed. Suddenly, he broke away and took a step backward. “I need to stop now or I’m going to end up taking you up against this building,” he said next to her ear.

The thought shouldn’t have excited Olivia but it did. But enough common sense still resided in her that she knew she didn’t need to make the current situation with the diner irrevocable by having public sex with a vampire. Plus, Chloe was upstairs waiting for her. And Olivia knew part of what Campbell was feeling likely had to do with the loss of his friend, the need to feel alive after a brush with death.

“Promise me you’ll be careful,” she told him as she cupped his jaw.

“As careful as I can be.”

That would have to be enough.

* * *

Olivia went through
the motions of running the diner for the next couple of days, but her only regular customer to appear was Jane. And as lovely as Jane was, she and the occasional person who had no idea who Olivia was sure weren’t enough customers to keep the diner running. Frustrated and not knowing what to do next, Olivia decided to take a day off. She slept in, had a leisurely cup of coffee then decided it was time to go see Mindy.

She tried calling, but Mindy was either out or ignoring her calls. Whichever it was, she aimed to talk to her friend today even if she had to plunk herself down outside Mindy’s apartment door and talk to her through it.

After arming herself with her gun and a knife, she headed out into the brisk wind. She kept in mind Mindy’s first rule of self-defense, always being aware of her surroundings. But thankfully all she saw were other New Yorkers going about their days.

When she reached Mindy’s apartment building, movers had the elevator filled with someone’s belongings, so she took the central staircase. A shiver went up her back as she looked back down the stairs and saw one of the guys watching her. She felt safer with the weapons and the knowledge of how to incapacitate attackers, but he still gave her the creeps. Not every bad guy in Manhattan was working for vampires. There were still plenty of garden-variety rapists, muggers and thieves, too.

She felt better by the time she reached the fourth floor, where Mindy’s apartment was one of four units. At least she felt better until she saw Mindy’s keys hanging in the door and a bag of spilled groceries on the floor outside Mindy’s apartment. Dread settled in her stomach like a cold stone.

“Mindy,” she called out as she pushed inside. Her fear ratcheted up several notches as she searched the apartment. Instinct told her Mindy was not inside, and Olivia’s thoughts flew back to those movers.

She called 911 for backup as she raced down the stairs. When she hit the lobby, she saw one of the guys loading a bulky object covered in a thick blanket. She shoved her phone in her pocket and pulled the gun from her waistband.

“Put her down,” she said with as firm a voice as she could muster when she pushed through the exterior door. She scanned the area but didn’t see the second guy.

The guy at the back of the van dropped the bundle and held up his hands. Olivia did her best to stay calm when she saw two feet in familiar athletic shoes tumble out of the end of the bundle. “Move away from her,” Olivia said, punctuating her words with the gun.

“You even know how to use that thing?” the guy asked as he took a couple of steps backward.

“You want to find out?” She would shoot him, and she wouldn’t hesitate. Not with Mindy’s life at stake.

The sound of movement behind her caught her attention just before the other man grabbed her. She forced her elbow back into his gut. He grunted but it didn’t stop him for long. She tried kicking the side of his knee, but he was too fast and she kicked open air, putting her off balance.

“You are more trouble than you’re worth,” the guy said as she spun and slipped out of his grip again. He snatched at the gun but she stepped backward out of his reach.

Unfortunately, her heel slipped off the edge of the sidewalk. The guy took advantage of her momentary lapse of concentration and grabbed her. She kicked, squirmed, tried to bite him. He managed to get his arm around her neck to limit her struggles. She noticed the other guy was shoving Mindy into the van, so she lifted the gun still in her hand and aimed for the biggest target, his chest. When she pulled the trigger, the other guy flew backward and lay still. Mindy dropped halfway out of the van. She didn’t try to free herself, so they must have drugged her or knocked her out.

Fear zipped through Olivia a moment before the guy holding her cursed and covered her mouth with a cloth. Despite his tight hold on her, she struggled to get free as the world around her started to fade and then went black.

* * *

For a couple
of days after the bombing, Campbell’s team got their new headquarters up and running. Though they all wanted to take Salmeri apart chunk by chunk, they knew they had to go in with a solid plan that would ensure they were getting the right guy and he didn’t go free this time. So at night they ferried computers, cabling, office furniture and a new collection of weapons into the mansion. During the day, they set everything up and used the new supply of holy water Chloe had delivered to Ray to bless their shiny new handcuffs.

“What’s the plan?” Kaja asked as she sat on the edge of Campbell’s desk.

He looked up from where he’d been coordinating with Team 2’s leader, Matt Calloway, on a combined visit to one Nicky Salmeri. In the midst of setting up the new base of operations, Campbell had been beating the bushes extra hard, too. Turned out that Nicky was part owner of that new club where Campbell and Colin had convinced Charlie Benson to be a little more forthcoming with his intel. Universal Donor—Campbell still hated that name.

A Souled vampire witnessed the abduction of the teenage boy through his building’s video security feed. He’d recognized the driver of the van as one of the bouncers from Universal Donor. That’d been the one break they’d needed. But they couldn’t go in stakes raised without planning this down to the tiniest detail.

“Team 2 will be holding down the exterior, making sure no one leaves. We will go in and spread out. Word is Nicky likes to hang at the club early in the evening, so we’ll set up a perimeter and only go in after we see him.”

“When is this going down? Because I want to make short work of this creep and get the humans back where they belong.”

“Have some heavy-duty shopping to do?” Len asked as he strolled by to his desk.

Kaja gestured at the ratty jeans and Yankees T-shirt he was wearing. “You ought to think about doing some of your own.”

Campbell just smiled. It was good to see his team members showing signs of normalcy. After Billy’s funeral and the burning of his body, they’d all walked around in a daze until Colin pointed out that Billy was probably rolling his eyes at them. That had led to stories about Billy and even a bit of unexpected laughter.