Out of the Night (Harlequin Nocturne) (22 page)

Colin parked in the dark alley they’d chosen for the express purpose of staying hidden from any vamp who might tip off Salmeri. Still without speaking, they all slipped out into the night and blended with the shadows as they walked the final three blocks to the edge of the Tribeca vampire-club strip. Campbell held up his hand, indicating everyone should stop while he checked in with Matt.

“You guys ready?” he asked over the radio as he looked up to the rooflines surrounding Universal Donor.

“All set here,” Matt said back, and gave Campbell a two-fingered salute from his post across the street. Dressed as he was all in black, he blended against the night sky behind him.

Despite the fact he didn’t need it, Campbell took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “Okay, here we go. Move in hard and fast, and don’t let anyone get in your way.”

When Campbell moved forward at full speed, he sensed the rest of his team doing the same. The bouncer saw them at the last second and started to block their path inside. Campbell knocked him aside so hard that the guy crashed into the side of the building next door.

The moment they were inside, internal security descended. If this were a law-abiding club, no one would have messed with a V Force team. The fact they were meeting resistance was all the proof Campbell needed that something illegal was going on here.

Colin and Kaja parted a path for him, and he scanned the club until he spotted Salmeri sitting in a corner yet again, this time with a leggy brunette draped over him. He dumped her on the floor the moment he saw Campbell and tried to make a smooth getaway.

“No such luck, you bastard,” Campbell said as he sped after Salmeri and tackled him in a flying leap. Before Salmeri could buck him off, Campbell clamped a set of silver cuffs on him behind his back.

“You better have a damn good reason for assaulting me,” Salmeri spat over his shoulder.

Kaja placed her booted foot on his head and shoved it back to the floor. “We’re just taking out the garbage, and you’re stinking up the neighborhood.”

“Bitch.”

“Big mistake,” Kaja said then called Salmeri a rather unflattering name. She pressed down until his cheeks flattened.

Campbell let her have her bit of payback then signaled for her to back off. She did so with a final sneer in Salmeri’s direction. Campbell jerked him to his feet, and not gently. A quick glance around the club showed him his team had trussed up the security goons, and the club’s patrons had been herded onto the opposite side of the glowing dance floor.

He returned his attention to Salmeri and leaned in close. “One chance. That’s all you get to come clean about the abductions and the location of the people you took.”

Salmeri answered by spitting in his face. Campbell responded with a fist to the other vampire’s jaw. Then he simply stood and looked at the crowd.

“Everyone stay where you are. There’s another team outside armed with stakes and enough holy water to float the U.S. Navy.” Matt came through the front door then. “Watch this no-good piece of garbage.”

“With pleasure,” Matt said as he settled his hand atop a stake at his waist.

Campbell looked at his own team. “Tear this place apart. Look for anything that might lead us to the captives.”

They searched every room on every floor, but it wasn’t until they descended the stairs to the basement that they found what they were looking for.

“They’re here,” Colin called up the stairs.

Campbell couldn’t get to the basement fast enough.

A line of humans stood against the wall, their hands chained to it above their heads and their feet manacled and secured to large metal rings in the stone floor.

“Oh, my God,” Sophia said.

One of the women looked up and started whimpering. “Please, not again,” she said. Though she’d only been gone a few hours, Mindy was pale from multiple feedings.

“We’re not here to hurt you,” Sophia said as she moved toward her.

Mindy flinched and tried to get away even though she had to know it was no use trying. But the human survival instinct was strong.

He scanned the faces of the rest of the captives but didn’t see Olivia. Was he too late? No, he couldn’t be. He refused to believe it.

“Mindy, where’s Olivia?” he asked. His question was more like a command, and it made her recoil.

Colin gripped Campbell’s shoulder. “You’re scaring her.”

“I need to find Olivia.”

Colin centered himself a few feet in front of Mindy. “Hi, Mindy. I’m Colin. I know you’re scared, but I also know you want to save Olivia. Do you know where she is?”

“She needs to go to a hospital,” Sophia said to Campbell. “They all do.”

Mindy stared at Colin in confusion. “I’ve died, haven’t I? Or I’m having a dream.”

“No, you’re awake and if you’ll let me come closer, I’ll take the restraints off you,” Colin said. “We can free all of you.”

Tears streaked down Mindy’s cheeks, and Campbell knew exactly what she must be thinking. That she’d thought she’d never see the outside of this basement ever again. But he desperately needed her to focus.

With what little energy Mindy had, she nodded. Campbell motioned to the rest of the team to start releasing the prisoners. Colin moved forward slowly. Even with freedom not far away, Mindy couldn’t hide her vivid fear of him. Once the chains were off Mindy, Colin helped her slide to a sitting position on the floor and offered her a bottle of water they’d brought in the hope they’d find the prisoners alive. With shaking hands, Mindy sucked the bottle dry in seconds. It seemed to push away some of her hysteria. When she looked up, she appeared to be thinking more clearly.

Mindy closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. “Olivia. They sold her, to someone really scary.”

“Scary how?” Campbell asked.

“These people came in wearing red cloaks with hoods, then a guy with the same kind of cloak, only black. He never said a word, but...there was something about him. Cold, made my skin crawl.”

“Some vamp with a weird fetish?” Len suggested.

“Maybe,” Campbell said, but he was getting a distinctly bad feeling. “How long ago did they leave?”

Mindy looked confused for a moment, as if she’d lost all track of time. “Not long.”

Campbell headed for the stairs.

“No,” Mindy said with more force than she’d exhibited since they arrived. She pointed toward the other end of the room, toward a half-hidden door in the shadows. “They went through there.”

Campbell nearly ripped the door from its hinges in his haste to reach Olivia. He heard more feet pounding behind him, but he didn’t look back to see who it was. He ran as fast as he could through a series of dark corridors. He’d lost count of how many turns they’d made when he rounded another and saw movement up ahead, the fluttering of cloaks. Two big guys in red turned toward him, and he saw Olivia hanging between them. If they’d hurt her, he was going to slice the flesh from their bodies before he staked them.

They shoved Olivia into the darkness ahead of them and turned to fight. Campbell and Len hit them full steam. Fists flew and Campbell took a couple to the jaw and an elbow to the gut. Another blow busted his lip and rattled his fangs. Not in the mood to let this guy live any longer, he pulled his stake-shooting gun from his hip and pressed it against the guy’s chest. He pulled the trigger and the fight went out of the guy like a light switch being turned off.

Campbell let him drop and stood in time to see Len make a powerful swipe with a knife that severed the other guy’s head from his body.

When Campbell looked ahead, Olivia was gone. “Damn it.” He raced past the dead vamps. He refused to believe he’d gotten so close only to lose her. He rounded another corner and skidded to a halt. Olivia lay in the middle of the floor, struggling to lift herself. He ran to her and dropped to her side. She yelped and tried to crawl away.

“Shh, Livvi. It’s me.”

When she saw him, tears sprang to her eyes and she crawled into his arms. “I knew you’d come for me,” she said. “I knew it.”

He held her close. “Are you okay?”

She nodded against his chest. “Now I am.” She sat back suddenly. “Mindy?”

He framed her face with his palm. “Safe. The rest of the team is getting them across the street to a human-owned building.”

“Mindy needs to get to the hospital. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

He ran his hand over her mussed hair, needing to reassure himself that she was really there in front of him, really safe. “We’ll take you both to the hospital.” He glanced down the darkened corridor, considered sending Len after the guy who got away. But he was probably long gone, and getting the humans help was more important at the moment. He didn’t let go of Olivia as he led her back through the maze of corridors.

When they reached the basement where the captives had been held, all of them were gone but Mindy. Colin had just lifted her in his arms. Olivia raced forward. “Min?”

“She’s passed out,” Colin said. “But alive. She’s strong.”

“How are the rest?” Campbell asked.

“Weak but okay. They hadn’t been fed on in a couple of days, and it looked as if they’d been given food.”

“They wanted to make sure they were able to keep making blood,” Campbell said with disgust.

“Everyone else went up under their own power,” Colin said.

“We’ll guard them until morning when the ambulances start running, but we’re taking Mindy and Olivia to the hospital now.”

Colin didn’t argue and started up the stairs with Mindy.

When they reached the club, Campbell stopped and looked down at Olivia. “Go out with Colin. I’ll be there in a minute.”

She gripped his arm.

“It’s okay. I just have a bit of business to finish.”

He watched as Olivia followed Colin out the door. Then he turned his attention to Salmeri. “You have no idea how much I want to kill you right now and save the Imperium the trouble of a trial. I’ll settle for shutting you down and anticipating seeing which horrible punishment they hand you.”

“You may have won the battle, but you’ll lose the war,” Salmeri said with a contemptuous sneer.

“It’s war, is it?” Campbell asked. “That why you tried to blow us to the hereafter?”

“You’re nothing more than a nuisance, but I don’t like nuisances.”

“Then you’re really not going to like where you’re going.”

Salmeri had the gall to laugh. “I won’t be there for long.”

“You seem mighty sure of that,” Campbell said. “Think your Nefari friends are going to break you out?”

Salmeri snorted. “You think like the small-minded vampires you are, as if the Nefari were your biggest problem.”

There it was again, that skittering feeling up his back that told Campbell something bigger was going on.

“Feel free to stop being cryptic at any time,” he said.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Salmeri said, evidently deciding to stay with the cryptic. “That or the next time someone bombs you, your merry little band won’t be so lucky.” He met Campbell’s gaze with hate-filled eyes. “When they do kill you, I plan to watch the tears pool in your little human’s eyes, delight in her mourning for her poor dead vampire.” Salmeri smiled, causing rage to swell inside Campbell.

Fed up, he jerked Salmeri to his feet and shoved him at Len and Kaja, who had returned from escorting Salmeri’s victims to safety. “Get this piece of garbage out of my sight before I kill him.”

Kaja wrapped a silver chain around Salmeri’s neck and dragged him out like the dog he was.

“You think he was just blowing smoke with all that mysterious crap?” Len asked.

Campbell stared toward the door and thought about Salmeri’s words. “I don’t think so.”

“What do you think he was talking about, then?”

Campbell shook his head. “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’re not going to like it.”

Chapter 20

H
aving been checked
out and given a clean bill of health, Olivia sat beside Mindy’s hospital bed as her friend slept. Mindy had been through so much, new horrors she didn’t deserve. The press had wanted to interview them again, especially since the viewing audience was already familiar with them from when they’d halted the earlier kidnapping attempt. But Olivia had simply denied them access, focusing instead on Mindy’s recovery. Despite what Mindy had said when they’d been held captive, Olivia still felt guilty.

A scrolling Breaking News banner on the muted TV caught her attention, so she adjusted the volume just enough to hear the reporter.

“An unbelievable story is coming out of Mount Sinai Hospital this morning. Eight people, the victims in a rash of recent abductions, were rushed to the hospital this morning just after daybreak. All had suffered significant blood loss and other less threatening injuries after having been kept as blood slaves beneath a new nightclub popular among vampires. Officials say that the victims confirmed that they were abducted by humans working for vampires. But what is truly surprising to everyone who has spoken to the victims is that they are all claiming they were also rescued by vampires. One of the rescued abductees, Jennifer Watson, spoke with some of the vampires who raided the club and freed the people being held captive.”

“I didn’t believe it at first,” Jennifer said from her hospital bed. “I thought I’d either died or was hallucinating. But there was this...team of vampires who busted in and set us free. They unchained us and led us across the street to a human-owned building so we could wait for the sun to rise. Just after dawn several ambulances arrived, so I can only assume they kept their word and called them for us.” She shook her head slowly. “These vampires captured the one behind our abductions, said he would be made to pay. I still half can’t believe it, but it makes me wonder about all my assumptions.”

When the filmed clip ended and the camera refocused on the reporter outside Mount Sinai, she looked every bit as stunned as Jennifer Watson.

“Law enforcement officials have indicated to us that they had their doubts about the story at first, but each abductee relayed the same details in separate interviews. This is one of those events that has just left everyone scratching their heads, but rest assured we will stay on the story and bring you more information as we have it.”

As the news anchor shifted to another story, Olivia lowered the volume. When she turned back toward the bed, Mindy’s eyes were open.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Olivia said.

“It’s okay.” Mindy glanced at the TV. “So it wasn’t all a dream?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, so stop acting as if it is.” She didn’t seem upset, just put out. In fact, she sounded enough like her old self that hope swelled in Olivia.

“Can I get you anything?”

Mindy shook her head on her pillow then stared at Olivia.

“What?” Olivia asked.

“You love Campbell, don’t you?”

She’d hoped to not have to face this conversation so soon.

“It’s okay if you do,” Mindy said.

Olivia couldn’t believe her ears. “It is?”

“Yeah. If it wasn’t for him and his team, we might be dead now. How many times has he saved you now, four? Even I can’t argue that he’s evil after that.”

Tears popped into Olivia’s eyes as she squeezed Mindy’s hand. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I should have listened to you sooner.”

“You had reason not to. More than once I thought I was crazy.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Mindy said. “I still believe most of them are monsters, just that there are a few exceptions when they’re not thirsty.”

Olivia couldn’t argue with that, because she agreed with every word. She shivered as she remembered Salmeri’s hand on her, the cold, hopeless feeling she’d gotten the moment she’d seen the nameless vampire in the black cloak. She hated the idea that he was still out there somewhere. She just hoped V Force’s raid forced him to flee and stay far, far away.

Despite her experience, hope bloomed inside Olivia. Hope that this story would start to change people’s minds about all vampires being evil. Maybe if the details of vampire society started to come out, Campbell would stop being so resistant to being with her, might stop worrying that he’d bring her nothing but sorrow. Even as he’d rescued her and held her close, she could feel some sort of barrier still between them. She needed to find out what it was so she could break it down.

She told Mindy she was going to the cafeteria, but when she reached the end of the hallway she called Chloe. “Hey, it’s Olivia.”

“I was just about to head to the hospital to see you and Mindy. How are you?”

“We’re fine. Listen, I have a question. Do you know where the new V Force headquarters is?”

Chloe hesitated before answering slowly. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I want you to take me there. I need to see Campbell.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not? Campbell won’t hurt me, and the rest of the team doesn’t have my blood type.”

“They’re not the only vampires there, and not every vampire has the strength to resist the call of the blood like Campbell does. Hell, even he can’t always overcome it. You know that.”

“Chloe, please. If I could just talk to him.”

“No, Olivia. No matter how much you beg, the answer will remain no.”

“But—”

“No. And it’s not just for your safety but also for theirs. The fewer people who know, the better. The only reason I know is because I have to deliver the holy water.”

Olivia understood, could even appreciate her friend’s concern for her, but it was getting really damn old. She was going to find Campbell, one way or another.

* * *

Campbell stared at the pencil he was twirling between his fingers. He despised Nicky Salmeri for many things, but perhaps most of all for the thought he’d put in his head. The one that someone was eventually going to take Campbell out, and that if he let his relationship with Olivia continue, she would be the one left behind grieving. She’d already been through that once. And he’d seen how thinking he’d died in the bombing affected her. She didn’t deserve to be subjected to it again.

And then there was the fact he had not shared his darkest secret with her. Each time he thought about doing so, he wondered if he could face seeing her horror, watching as she realized she’d been wrong about him all along. Realized that he really was a monster and ran away from him forever.

“When you get that look on your face, it means you’re thinking too much,” Kaja said from where she sat with her booted feet propped on the edge of her new desk. “And if I were a betting vampire, I’d say it has something to do with Olivia. When are you going to stop being an idiot and go see her again, anyway?”

Campbell tossed the pencil onto his desk. “Well, haven’t you made a one-eighty on that topic.”

“What? I’m an incurable romantic.”

Len literally choked on a drink of blood he was taking, this time from his own cup. Kaja had threatened him with castration if he ever drank from hers again, and even vampires wanted to keep that particular body part intact and functioning properly.

“It doesn’t seem fair to her when I could be killed tomorrow.”

“Seriously, that’s the excuse you’re going with?” Kaja asked.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s true.” And he couldn’t tell Kaja the bigger reason.

“For you and every cop in the world. Pretty sure a lot of them have girlfriends or, gasp, even wives.”

“They don’t have the strike of having died once already against them.”

“Do you think she cares? Seems to me you’re the only one hung up on that anymore.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Until you’ve found someone you really care about, you can’t know.”

Kaja dropped her feet to the floor and stood. “You know, Campbell, I respect the hell out of you. But sometimes you can be a real ass.”

He didn’t try to stop her, because she was right. But didn’t that just prove his point that he was no good for Olivia? Vampire, the constant target of the Soulless who would love to take out a V Force member, jerk. Three strikes and you were out.

The door opened and Ray walked in. But he wasn’t alone. When Campbell saw who was with him, he stood.

“Baroness.”

She made a dismissive wave. “Please, call me Catherine. After so many years of hearing myself addressed as
Baroness,
it’s grown quite stuffy.” She and Ray came farther into the room.

“Can we get you anything?” Sophia asked.

Catherine smiled. “No, dear, but thank you. I’m here to congratulate you on a successful mission. It is a good thing to have so many humans back where they belong through the help of Souled vampires.”

“We were just doing our job,” Campbell said.

“Yes, you were. You’ll be happy to know the trial date has been set for the detestable Mr. Salmeri. And if I have anything to say about it, he will no longer be a problem.”

“I’d be happier if I could just toss him out into the sun to roast,” Kaja murmured, but Catherine didn’t miss it.

“You never know,” Catherine said. “He might end up with a date with daylight.”

Campbell winced, not because he didn’t think Salmeri deserved such a punishment but rather at the memory of his own brush with the sun.

“I am sorry to not be able to let you all enjoy a much-deserved break,” Catherine said. “However, I need to discuss something of the utmost importance with you. I’m afraid that your job will only grow more challenging in the days and months ahead.”

Campbell knew vampire crime was on the rise, but something told him theft and assaults weren’t exactly what she was talking about.

“What I’m about to tell you is classified to the highest levels of the Imperium. I do not agree with that decision, so I’m not going to abide by it.”

Sophia gasped, and a couple of the others shifted uncomfortably. The Imperium’s law was absolute.

“It must be something very serious to cause you to make that decision,” Campbell said.

“It is indeed. It’s why I’ve been traveling like a crazy woman lately, why I’m in New York now. I’ve been meeting with the heads of the various Imperium offices around the world. We believe there is a building and significant threat to the Imperium itself.”

“The Nefari has gained that much power?” Colin asked.

“I wish it were as simple as the Nefari. Them, we know how to deal with. Common crooks, if ones with a lot of resources.” Catherine sighed, though she hadn’t required breath in more than a century. “I’m afraid the Nefari are child’s play compared to the Pravus.”

“The Pravus?” Campbell asked. “Sorry, but I’m no expert in Latin.”

“Evil, pure and simple,” Ray offered.

“We do not know who is behind it or what the specifics of their plans are, but what little we have gleaned points toward it being a plot by the Soulless to take over the Imperium and substantially change vampire society.”

“Oh, my God,” Sophia said, and sank heavily into her chair.

Campbell watched the baroness for a moment before speaking. “Why are you telling us this?”

“Quite frankly, because I trust you more than I do some of my colleagues in the Imperium.”

“You think someone in the Imperium is involved?” Kaja asked.

“That I don’t know, but I’ve been around long enough to know I should always trust my instincts. And those instincts are telling me that your team members are trustworthy. You all have proven that by how you interact with humans.” She looked directly at Campbell. “You, more than the vampires at the highest levels of the Imperium, see them as more than a food source. You see the potential for our two species to coexist, to do more than just share a world without crossing paths.”

He felt like squirming but refused to do so or make eye contact with any of his fellow team members. There were many reasons he shouldn’t be with Olivia, but he didn’t feel he should have to enumerate them. They ought to be obvious to anyone with eyes to see.

“What do you need from us?”

“Right now, simply be observant. If anything seems beyond what you normally see from the Soulless, let Ray or me know. I have a handful of Imperium representatives I trust investigating, as well. I also need for you to just be on standby.” She paused. “But before you agree, you need to know that should I call on you, what I ask of you must take precedence over everything else. You may have to deliberately disobey the Imperium.”

The full impact of what was going on descended on the room, but Campbell didn’t look away from Catherine. Like her, he trusted his instincts. And they were telling him that the vampire world was on the precipice of something huge, and Catherine was standing on the right side of the battle.

“I’m with you, but I cannot speak for the rest of my team. This is too big.” He shifted his attention to the others. “Each of you has to make the decision for yourself.”

“Well, I’m in,” Len said with no hesitation.

“Me, too,” Colin said.

Kaja flipped her hair over her shoulder, and a sort of defiance flashed in her eyes. “I don’t like authority figures who take advantage of their positions, so if there’s a chance that’s happening here, I’m with you one hundred percent.”

Travis followed suit, and finally Sophia, who unsurprisingly had the most difficult time with going against authority. She had a good heart and always wanted to do the right thing, but she wasn’t by nature a rebel.

Campbell returned his attention to Catherine. “There you have it.”

“Good.” She smiled. “I knew I was making the right decision. Until you hear from me again, go about your normal duties. I have no idea when I might need you or for what. It could be hours, days, even months.”

Campbell couldn’t say he liked the sound of that. If a threat existed, he’d much prefer to dedicate all his energy to rooting it out and destroying it for good. But for now, he’d trust Catherine and just keep his eyes and ears open.

Catherine and Ray shifted as if to leave. “Campbell, walk with me,” she said.

He fell into step with her and noticed that Ray lagged behind.