Tempt Me When the Sun Goes Down (16 page)

“Is Rob okay?” I remembered suddenly, looking for the other fresh mound of dirt, but it lay undisturbed. 

“Your
childe
still sleeps,” Carys replied, sidling up to Bishop.  “We’re not going to wait here until he wakes, are we?  I’ve already had my fill of conversation with that dog.”

My eyes flicked to where Lee slumped in the driver’s seat, his hat tipped low.  Was he catching up on a few winks, or had he had his fill of conversation with the Wicked Witch of the Welsh? 

“We don’t have to wait here for him to rise,” Bishop decided.  “Let’s dig him up and then we can get a move on.”

Rob hadn’t moved an inch since we put him into the hole, and he didn’t show any signs of stirring as Bishop pulled him out.  For all her hurry to get on the road again, Carys insisted we clean him off thoroughly before we let him into the back seat next to her, and Bishop and I spent a few extra minutes brushing off the worst of the mess.  One nice thing about vampire physiology, the dirt didn’t stick to his skin the way it would a live human.  It came right off the leather jacket too, and there was nothing a few good pats couldn’t get rid of on his jeans. 

“Now then, shall we go?” Carys asked the moment we propped Rob upright in the back of the car. 

“Sure, if any of you have an idea which direction to go,” I pointed out.  None of us were any more familiar with our location than we were the night before.  “What we really need is for Rob to wake up and show us the way.  Beyond that, we could wander for hours on these back roads and not end up any closer to where we need to be.”

“I didn’t see hide nor hair of anybody along this lonely stretch of road the whole day,” Lee reported from where he slouched in the driver’s seat.  He looked worn out. 

“Why don’t you scoot over and take my seat?  I’ll drive for a while,” I offered.

“You don’t mind?”

“No, not at all.  I guess we keep going down the same road and hope for the best?”

“If we keep heading east we’ll eventually hit the ocean,” Bishop shrugged. 

“Oh, I can wake him up,” Carys declared in an impatient huff.  Biting her wrist, she held it to Rob’s lips.  On automatic pilot, his mouth fastened over her wrist and he sucked greedily, drawing a soft sigh of delight from her.  The tang of her blood filled the enclosed space, and I put down the driver’s side window, desperate to clear the air.  I’d only fed the night before, but I wasn’t immune to the tantalizing scent of such powerful blood.  Neither was Bishop from the look of it, his body was already canting toward hers, tongue darting out to moisten his lips. 

Carys felt his movement and turned to capture Bishop’s mouth in a searing kiss, while I stared in the rearview mirror.  Fifteen minutes ago you could’ve easily convinced me that Bishop wouldn’t have wanted to touch her with a ten foot pole, but there he was, giving his best impression of an Oreo with Carys as the fluffy cream filling between them.

There was a sound of creaking leather and I looked down to see that my fingers had left permanent impressions on the steering wheel without me even noticing it. 

“Steady now,
mija
,” Lee soothed, his touch light on my arm.  “You wanna take a walk or somethin’?”

But just as quickly, it was over, Carys having decided she’d had enough for the moment.  Breaking the lip-lock with Bishop, she pulled her wrist free and shared a blood-fueled kiss with Rob, who was very much awake now. 

“Such a lovely man,” she purred, smiling like the cat who ate the cream as she arranged her skirt primly.  “Now then, shall we go?”

I couldn’t look at either of them, I didn’t want to see how affected they were by the whole experience.  All I could think was – if I hadn’t been there and they’d been back at the farmhouse, would it have turned into a full blown threesome between them?  A week ago I would’ve said no, neither Rob nor Bishop would be up for such a thing, but now?  All it would take was for Carys to crook her finger and they’d both come panting, compulsion or not. 

Would they do the same for me?  Holy Hannah, that thought was almost as scary in its own way. 

“So, um… where to?” I asked, my eyes focused straight ahead. 

“Give me a moment to get my bearings,” Rob replied, stepping out of the car, his back cracking as he stretched, muscles straining at the confines of his t-shirt.  Such a lovely man indeed.  He lit a cigarette, and I got out of the car too, needing a breath of air.  “Sorry,” he said, turning to keep the smoke out of my way.

“It’s okay,” I replied automatically, holding my breath until the wind swirled it away.  But when I looked up at him, I could tell he meant about more than the smoke.  “It’s fine.  I know you needed it and she can feed you better than I can.”

“Only because I don’t care none about hurting her.”

“It sure sounded like you liked it,” slipped out before I could stop myself.

“It’s blood, what’s not to like?” he shrugged, taking a final drag and pinching out the smoking coal with his fingertips.  I turned to go and he caught hold of my wrist, keeping me in place.  “She don’t taste as sweet as you,” he said, his voice a low rasp for my ears only.

My gaze dropped to his lips.  “The things you say…”

“Did you figure out where we are?”  Bishop’s voice cut through the fog of intimacy that’d spread around us, and this time I wished he’d stayed in the car. 

“Yeah, I know where we are.  We’ve strayed from the path, but I reckon we can find our way back right enough,” Rob replied, his gaze never leaving my face.  If only it was that easy.  “There’s a way back to the main road about a mile ahead, it’ll put us where we need to be.”

“Oh good,” I smiled, relieved.  “I was starting to think we’d be wandering out here in the middle of nowhere for days.”

“Never happen,” Rob said with a shake of the head.  “Country’s not big enough to get that lost.  I’d have expected you to know that,” he added, looking to Bishop with an accusatory stare.

“Sorry, I haven’t been in this part of the country for about eighty years or so,” Bishop replied.  “Besides, I thought the point wasn’t to get back to the main highway, but to wander these back roads to find your family.  That
could
take days.”

“I guess we’d best get started then,” Rob said, taking the keys from my hand.  “I’ll drive.”  That put me in the back seat with Bishop and Carys. 
Cool beans
.  Oh man, I hoped we found the gypsies soon!  I didn’t think I could take another favor from Carys in feeding Rob, and I sure as heck didn’t want to be around when she asked Bishop for some of his blood as a refill. 

Thankfully, luck was with us, as we found the gypsy encampment.

You know those movies with gypsies where they’re sitting around the open cook fires, living out of a bunch of garishly painted, barrel shaped wagons parked in a circle?

That’s not how this was at all.  When we finally found Rob’s cousins, it looked more like a mobile home park than a gypsy encampment.  There were several permanent structures that while technically mobile, had probably never been moved from the moss and other flora growing on them.  But the majority of the dwellings were what I called trailers, designed to be towed by trucks, not mules.  Most of those trailers, or caravans, as Rob called them, showed signs of recent movement, at least within the past few months.  In addition to these caravans there was an above ground swimming pool (currently drained) and a communal shower/bathroom near the center of the complex. 

Rob stopped the car at the edge of the complex, leading us the rest of the way on foot.  I felt eyes on us from the moment I stepped out of the car, though there were few people out and about in the chilly weather.  I scented the tang of tobacco in the air, blending with the pungent spices from the evening meal.  A dog barked from somewhere in the complex, but nothing came bounding out at us and a few moments later, it was shushed. 

After that it was quiet, no sounds of TV or music – too quiet for such a large encampment.  If not for the flickering lights behind curtains and sheets tacked up over windows, I’d have thought the whole place had been decimated by a zombie horde, it was that deserted.  Over all, I have to say, the place creeped me out, though no one else seemed ill at ease. 

Lee stayed by the car while Rob took the rest of us into the caravan park, stopping in front of an old fashioned, metal trailer with curved sides.  It had once been a bright bubblegum pink, that much was evident from where a piece of trim had fallen off revealing the original color, but had faded with age to a dull, dusky rose.

Rob strode right up to it without hesitation, rapping sharply on the thin, metal door.  There was a creaking sound and the entire trailer rocked when the person moved around inside.  The door opened to reveal a woman in her fifties, with ash brown hair shot with strands of gray that curled around her shoulders.  Dressed in an orange t-shirt and faded jeans with a brightly colored scarf tied around her waist like a belt, she moved like she was twenty years younger than the lines on her face.  Her voice was deep and husky, the rasp of a long time smoker, but her smile was sweet enough, even at finding so many on her doorstep.

“The prodigal son has returned,” she declared, only to have Rob shake his head in disagreement.

“This weren’t never my home.”

“Home is where the heart is.”

“I know.” 

“Touché,” she smiled, conceding a point in an exchange I didn’t quite understand.  “Good to see you again, Robby.”

“Hullo, Aunt Lilias,” he smiled back this time.  “Kenna sends her regards,” he added, handing over the bracelet she’d sent along.

“Ah, very nice,” she nodded in approval, pocketing the bracelet faster than my eyes could track.  “And do you?”

Rob’s shoulders slumped lower, a furrow appearing on his brow before he threw a look over his shoulder.  “Bishop, hand over your watch.”

“Why should I?” Bishop objected.  “She’s
your
aunt.”

“Because I ain’t handing over mine, it’s special to me.”

“Lord, we’ll be here all night,” Carys muttered, stepping forth.  “Here, will this suffice?”  She handed over an emerald ring that must’ve been worth a small fortune if it was real.  From the look on Lilias’ face, it was real enough to impress.

“Oh yes, very nicely.  Come in, won’t you?  You’re all invited.”  She stepped back inside, making room for us all.  “Mind the beads.”

There were strands of intricate beadwork in various stages of completion hanging everywhere, and I had to step around Carys who was immediately distracted by them.  I followed Rob’s lead, taking a seat at the tiny banquette built into the corner of the trailer.  Lilias sat across from us and Bishop remained standing in the corner after Carys settled into the only other remaining seat.  The small table was littered with beadwork findings and tools and half finished projects.

“Sorry about the mess, it’s my trade.”

“You do lovely work,” I smiled, my eye catching on a broach holding back the pink lacy curtain over the window.  It was pewter pin depicting three running horses with their legs intertwined, like the ones Jakob had pinned to my dress on the night he turned me.  “Did you make these as well?” I asked, my fingers tracing over the raised design.

“That’s my son Luca’s handiwork,” she smiled proudly.  “I can make you a good price on them if you’re interested.” 

“I already have a pair, thanks,” I declined. 

Lilias leaned back to stare at me shrewdly.  “So, you’re of Jakob’s line then, are you?”

“Yes, actually, we all are,” I admitted.  “Even Rob now.”

“I’d heard,” she nodded, eyes flicking to Rob.  “Best introduce me to your new family then, Robby.”

Introductions went by quickly, I had the feeling she wasn’t particularly interested in learning any of our names.  She hardly looked at anyone but Rob.  “You’re dying,” she said simply and he gave a short nod.

“That’s why we’re here.  We need help busting up a curse.”

“You know I don’t mess with that dark shite,” she scoffed, reaching for an amber bottle, but stopping short of her lips. 

“But you do know the old ways,” Rob pressed.

“Knowing and practicing are two very different things.”  This time she tipped the bottle back for a long drink and I scented honey and cinnamon.

“Could you do it, if you wanted to though?” I asked.  “We wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t our last resort.  You said it yourself, Rob is dying.  Without your help, I don’t know how long he’ll last.”

Lilias stared at me long and hard, tongue rolling out over her bottom lip as if it itched.  “Tell me what you know,” she said finally.  We all took turns filling her in on what we knew about the curse, which wasn’t a whole lot by the time we got to the end of it.  She didn’t seem too concerned about that, picking up my hand without asking once we mentioned the ring.  Instead of inspecting it, her eyes fell closed as she held it, a low pitched hum emanating from her throat as she exhaled.

“There is much power here,” she said in a monotone, continuing to hum.  The touch of theatrics surprised me after she’d been so casually open with us before, but then I started to realize, we’d asked for gypsy magic, she was giving us gypsy magic.  That came with a certain amount of theatricality built in.  “It will be difficult to break this curse.  But it can be done…”  Her eyes snapped open again.  “…for a price.”  Theatricality and avarice.

“Name it,” Rob replied, and I couldn’t help but kick him under the table.  What kind of way was that to open negotiations? Even with family. “We’re this close, Anja. I’ll do whatever it takes.  You want me to cross your palms with silver or will cash do?”  He started to pull out his wallet. 

Lilias ignored the jibe, her attention focused on me.  “I’m glad to hear that.  But will you?” 

“Will I what?  Do whatever it takes?” I asked.  “You’ll get your price, how much do you want?”  Greed I could understand, and I was happy to pay her if she could pull it off.  If she couldn’t… from the look on Bishop’s face, I was willing to bet she wouldn’t get much of a chance to spend that money.

“Yes, I’ll have my price for helping you, but it’ll cost you more than money.  How far are you willing to go to break this curse and save the man you love?”  Her eyes flicked to Rob, hard as agates.

“What are we really talking about here?”  Dramatics aside, I wasn’t stupid enough to give any kind of answer until I knew what the stakes were.

Lilias leaned forward, her face alight with something I couldn’t identify.  Clearly she found this all interesting as hell, but I wasn’t sure if she had some other secret agenda wrapped up in it.  “All good gypsy curses require a blood sacrifice to break them.  Most times it can be done with dove’s blood or a goat,” she explained.  “But this one, it’s not your run of the mill evil eye.  To break the curse, we’re going to need not only the heart’s blood from the line that was cursed, but an actual piece of your heart to stamp out the curse.  For a mortal woman it would mean death.  But for a vampire like yourself…”

“Shut the front door… You want me to let you cut out a piece of my heart?” I laughed.  It had to be a joke – only she wasn’t smiling. 
Holy schnikes
, was she for real?

“No, I want you to let him do it.”  Her head nodded toward Rob.  “It’s got to be done by the person you love.”

“Not a chance in hell.”  Bishop was adamant before any of us could get another word in.  “She could still die, vampire or not.  Carys should be the one.”

“The devil you say!” Carys gaped at him.  “Do you truly mean me such harm after all I’ve done for you?”

“You said it yourself, Carys.  You’re older and stronger than Anja is.  You’d have a much better chance of surviving this.”

“I won’t do it!” she declared in a shrill voice.  “I see no reason to change things as they are.  Simply harden your heart to him as I did and Rob should survive fine.”

“I think your definition of fine and mine are a little different,” I scoffed.  “Carys, I know you don’t care, but that’s only because Jakob compelled you not to.  You remember that, don’t you?  Even if you don’t feel that love for Bishop any more, you still remember those times with him, don’t you?  Why else are you here if a part of you doesn’t want to see this curse destroyed?”  I hated to bring their shared past up, but I hated the idea of having my heart carved out even more.  Bishop was right, she was the logical choice for the procedure. 

Unfortunately, Carys wasn’t having any of it.  “I won’t do it and you can’t make me,” she huffed.  “I won’t sit here and listen to your ridiculous notions a moment longer.  If you’re so set on saving your man, then do it yourself.  I’ll be out by the car.”

“Don’t let the door hit you on the booty on your way out,” I murmured, my gaze turning back to Lilias, who watched us all with keen interest.  The whole thing didn’t sound at all appealing, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t willing to think it over.  “Assuming for a moment I’m even entertaining the notion, how big of a piece are we talking about?”

“Anja…” Rob started to object, but I shushed him.

“No, I want to hear exactly what we’re up against.  How much of my heart do I have to sacrifice?”

Her hand flopped back and forth.  “It’s hard to say.  It’s got to be enough that it’s a real sacrifice, but not your whole heart.”  She held up her fingers in the size and shape of a sand dollar to indicate the size she thought might do it. 

“You’re crazy…” I gasped, trying to picture myself surviving with a chunk of my heart that size carved out of my body.  It wasn’t a stake through the heart, and it wasn’t decapitation… maybe I could survive it, but the price was too steep.  There had to be another way.

“No fucking way.”  Rob’s face was thunderous as he rose from the table, upending it in the process, sending beads scattering every which way.  “I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure this practically qualifies as having your heart torn out, and that spells final death for our kind.  What good will it do to break the curse and save my life if she dies in the process?”

“There’s definitely a chance she could survive,” Lilias replied, unfazed by the table’s upset.  “It would take a long time to heal from and you might go into torpor from it, but more than likely your body would heal itself.  Either way, you have a couple of days to think about it.  That’s when it would have to be done, in two nights’ time, on the night of the new moon.”

“No deal,” Bishop echoed Rob’s upset.  “It’s way too risky.  We’ll figure something else out.  Come on, Anja.”

But I didn’t move, my mind desperately searching for a way to make it work.  “What if I could get my hands on more of Maeja’s blood?  It can cure anything.  Nelleke’s in London, we’ve got some time to fly her back home to bring it here by tomorrow night.”

The boys stared at me, refusal warring with hope as they turned over the idea.  “Technically it could work if we could get it to you in time,” Bishop allowed, but Lilias was already shaking her head.

“No, you can’t use any restorative potions, nor can you take any healing blood until after the ritual is complete.  There has to be an actual sacrifice for it to work.”

“No, there’s no way she’s gonna do this, it’s not worth the risk.”  Rob threw some money down at the table.  “Sorry to have wasted your time.”  Without waiting for a reply, he yanked me out of there with enough force to have bruised a human, but I only felt a twinge of pain in the motion.

“Suit yourself.  You know where to find me if you change your mind!” she called out after us.

Bishop was hot on our heels, and he grabbed my other arm when Rob would’ve hauled me all the way to the car.  “Let’s get one thing straight here,” he said, his brows drawing together into a single dark line.  “Put this idea out of your head.  No sneaking back here to go through with it, no crazy plans that you don’t spring on us until the last moment.  I know how you get, Anja, but this is suicide.  We’ll find another way.”

“What other way?” I demanded, pulling my arms free from both of their grasps.  “If you have another plan I’d love to hear it.  This is the first person we’ve found who has given us even a glimmer of hope.”