The Caretaker of Showman's Hill (Vampire Romance) (10 page)

"I didn’t break in if that’s what you’re thinking. It was open."

"Amazing.” He chuckled lowly. “Someone must really like you."

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She saw the rain drizzling outside behind him, and knew the sky would be opening up at any second creating a downpour. She felt very uncomfortable in this situation and wished Basil had been there to protect her from Antonio. He wasn’t.

"I guess I better get back before I get drenched." She turned off her flashlight and put it back in her pocket. She moved toward the opening but Antonio didn't move out of her way. She felt her heart beat faster.

"Excuse me," she asked, knowing he wasn’t going to move.

"Such a polite little virgin," he grinned.

What the hell was this? Did everyone in the half-horse little town of Showman know she was a 25-year-old virgin or what? It really wasn’t something she wanted to be made public. Now her anger was stronger than her fear of him, giving her the courage she needed.

"Get out of my way Antonio before I . . ."

"Before you what?" He grabbed her wrist and she noticed that his hand was cold. Very cold. "I told you before, I want you. It still holds true."

"I'm not interested in guys like you." She struggled in his grip. "What's the fascination anyway? If you want a fast lay why don't you just ask one of the girls at the Bat House?"

"They don't have what I need. You do."

She felt her body stiffen as his face came toward her. She thought he was going to try and kiss her until his mouth neared her neck.

"Not the vampire act again!" She raised her knee and hit him right between the legs. He didn't even flinch. Damn, she thought. It always worked in movies. This guy had to have balls of steel.

He wrapped his cape around her, and she found herself once again not able to move. Then he threw her to the ground in the doorway and lay atop her. Her mind cried out for help, but her voice was oddly silent.

Stone scraping against stone sounded as the bottom vault of the mausoleum slid open. This time Cassie's scream was vocal. The corpse inside was sitting up. When lightning split the sky again, it lit up the corpse’s face so Cassie could see it. To her horror, she realized, it was Basil. Then all went black as she passed out.

Chapter 15

Basil jumped from his bed, fully clothed, and tore Antonio's body away from Cassie. He'd felt her presence even while locked away inside the wall. He knew it was her inside his domain, and wondered why the hell the guardians let her pass. Or for that matter, why they'd let Antonio get all the way to his door.

"Damn you, Antonio. I told you to keep your bloody fangs off the girl." He threw Antonio down the stone steps, both of them getting soaked in the rain which now turned into an all out squall.

"I only wanted a taste," moaned Antonio, getting to his feet and shaking out his cape.

"A taste," repeated Basil. “Now where would that leave Cassie? In the same condition we found Dee in. Drained of her blood and dead on my front doorstep."

"I wasn't responsible for Dee's death," hissed out Antonio.

"If not you, then who?" asked Basil. “The girl’s neck was punctured and she was drained of her blood. Although the finger points to me, I sure as hell didn't do it."

"You can't prove anything." Antonio gathered his cape around him.

"Not yet, but I will.  I'll prove you did it and clear my name with Madra."

"Then you'd better hurry," warned Antonio. "After all, she'll be here soon. She'll want answers this time, Basil. You know what she'll do if she doesn't get them."

Basil knew all too well that he, being the caretaker, would be the one blamed either way. Making sure things ran smooth at the cemetery was his responsibility. At least Madra wouldn't grace them with her yearly visit until All Hallow's Eve. He still had time to prove his innocence before she and the elders-from-beyond came together for his trial. The rain poured down upon him and he knew there was nothing more he could do for now.

"You realize I'll have to tell Cassie the truth about us now that she's seen me in the vault."

"So? What's the harm in that?"

"I can't let her leave here ever again if she knows the truth, Antonio. You know as well as I the first thing she'll do is write up a story about us in that damn magazine of hers."

"Good," said Antonio. "Then there'll be tourists and lots of fresh blood around here to choose from."

"Wrong, cousin. If we get exposed now it could be the end for all of us. There'll be vampire slayers coming out of the woodwork trying to put an end to us."

Antonio pushed back his wet, clinging hair, and seemed to ponder the suggestion. "So then we'll finally be able to die, Basil. What's wrong with that? Isn't that what you've wanted all along?"

Basil wanted that more than anything, but he’d never admit it to Antonio. It’s just what his cousin wanted to hear – that once Basil was gone, he’d be able to suck as much blood as he wanted without being reprimanded. No more relying on the dwindling customers at the Bat House for their feedings. They could feed the way normal vampires fed. No, Basil had to survive just to keep the world free from vampires like Antonio.

"Get out of here, Antonio." Basil's words were calm, but a branch from a nearby tree tore loose and landed right at his cousin's feet. They both knew it was Basil’s powers that had done it – intentionally or not.

Antonio jumped back in surprise rather than concern, since the branch couldn’t hurt him. He smiled smugly at Basil, then flicked his cape and turned around dramatically before he left.

"Take off that damn tacky costume already," Basil called after him, not that he thought Antonio would really listen.

Basil made his way back into the mausoleum to find Cassie stirring. He knew it was time to tell her the truth. He didn't like the notion one bit, but had no other choice. If he told her nothing, she’d be sure to bring back the rest of her co-workers from that cheap magazine to investigate. He had to find a way to explain the situation to her and still have her keep her mouth shut about him and the others. He hated the fact someone like Cassie stumbled into this whole mess in the first place.

Once he told her the truth, he couldn’t let her leave. He'd have to keep a close eye on her even if it meant tying her to a chair during the day or taking her into his vault with him when he slept. He ran a hand through his wet, long hair and wandered over to his personal bar thinking of how to handle the situation.

He pounded on the vault and the bar slid open. Grabbing a bottle of 100 proof, he uncorked the liquid and poured himself a glass. He'd just replaced the bottle when Cassie sat up and looked straight at him.

"Oh my god . . ." Fear and disbelief sounded in her words.

He took a swig and turned to look at her. The clouds had broke outside and there was just enough light coming in the open door and stained glass window for her to see him, just not very clear. He, on the other hand could see every hair on her head. His night vision was excellent. Just another of a vampire's assets.

"I'm dreaming," he heard her say.

"No, Cassie. You're not." He downed the rest of the liquid and threw the glass to the floor. Shards of glass crushed under his boots as he took a step toward her.

"Basil?" Her voice shook as she spoke his name. "What are you doing in here and what were you doing in that . . ." her eyes turned toward the open vault that comprised his bed.

"I live here," he answered calmly. "Welcome to my humble abode, my dear."

She sprang to her feet and took a step backwards, and for a moment he thought she was going to dart out the open door. The rain pounded on the earth outside, the smell of life and new growth blowing in on a breeze. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky behind her, as well as everything in the small room.

"You really do live here," she spoke softly. "You poor, sick, man."

He reached his hand forward, gently taking her arm and pulling her closer. "You've got it all wrong, Cassie. You've got it all wrong."

She just looked at him with wide eyes, and he felt her fear as well as her confusion.

"I'm not poor, Cassie. Never have been. And I haven't been sick a day in the last two centuries."

She gasped and tried to pull from his grip but he didn't let go - couldn't just yet.

"That's right, Cassie. I'm not even a man. I'm a vampire. I think you knew that for a while now, but just convinced yourself that we don’t exist, didn’t you?"

She was quiet for a moment as her eyes scanned her surroundings. She bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “No. You’re not a vampire. It can’t be true.”

"Why not? Because you don’t want it to be true? Because you’ve fallen for a man for the first time in a long time, and you don’t want to admit it could never work between us?”

He could see tears glistening in her eyes. She just kept shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's true, Cassie. Dammit, why don't you just accept it?"

"Because vampires are a myth. They don’t exist."

“They do exist, and tonight you’ve seen proof. I couldn’t be human and stay locked away in an airless vault without dying.”

“It’s a sick joke,” she answered quickly looking over toward his bed. “It’s a magic trick of some sort.”

“You’ve seen the way Antonio is determined to suck your blood, isn’t that proof enough?”

“He’s just some crazed man in a costume, that’s all. He’s probably one of these guys who really gets into Halloween.”

“Damn it, Cassie, stop denying the truth!” Two bottles exploded on his bar and Cassie screamed and stepped away. “I did that Cassie. I have powers that no human could ever have. I can read your mind, and I can make you sleepy. I can move faster than you’d think possible, and I can even make you forget all about me if I wanted to.”

“Then why don’t you?” she shouted, wiping a tear from her eye. “Why don’t you take away my pain by making me forget the feelings I have for you? You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Basil? After all, you never cared for me in the least.”

“That’s not true.” He stepped forward, his hand rising to wipe away her tear. She turned her head, rejecting him.

He didn’t want to hurt her. And the last thing he wanted was to make her forget him. He felt something for her. It was something he hadn’t felt in so long a time that he wasn’t even sure if he was just imagining it. Her innocence was admirable, her essence alluring, as he caught the scent of her exotic perfume drifting to his nostrils on a breeze.

She should be terrified of him, yet there she stood, making no effort to run. She should hate him for not telling her the truth sooner, but he knew she didn’t. She had feelings for him. Feelings that Basil knew he didn’t deserve. He hated the fact it would have to end this way, but there was nothing he could do. He was a vampire, and she a woman. A relationship between them was impossible.

"Cassie, I wish I could tell you this was all just a bad dream or some kind of joke, but I can’t. Vampires do exist, and I am one of them.”

“No. I refuse to accept it.”

“You have no choice.”

“Don’t tell me what to believe.” She raised a hand, still shaking her head. “Just leave me alone.” She tried to walk away but Basil blocked her path.

“I can’t let you go, now that you know the truth. I can’t risk exposure.”

“You can’t stop me.” She stepped around him and headed for the door.

“Don’t make me stop you, Cassie. Turn around and come back to me now.”

“I don’t want to.” She didn’t bother to turn to look at him, just headed out the door.

“No!” Basil shouted, holding up his hand. A strong wind blew its way into the mausoleum, and Cassie grabbed on to the door jam so as not to be knocked over.

“I suppose you’re going to tell me you’re doing this, aren’t you?” she shouted into the wind that continued to grow.

“You have no idea how strong my powers are. Now come back to me before you get hurt.”

“Never.” She took one more step, and Basil lost control. He was never going to let her walk away like this.

“I said, get back here.” At Basil’s command the wind got even stronger. Cassie could no longer hold on to the door jam, so let go. Her body flung back into the mausoleum with such force that she smashed into Basil, the momentum knocking them both down upon his bed.

Cassie didn't like the idea of Basil telling her what to do. She also didn’t like the thought of laying spread out across someone's coffin. Yet, there she was lying prone atop Basil, his arms wrapped around her in a protective hold. She could see his features clearly at this close proximity. She stared into his mocha brown eyes knowing she should be scared out of her wits, but yet she felt calm and protected. She daringly reached out and pushed a strand of his dark, wet hair from his face.

“I don’t know what to say, Basil. I’ve never known a vampire before.” Maybe if she acted like she believed him, he’d let her leave the mausoleum. He had magical powers of some sort, this she couldn’t deny. But vampires didn’t exist, and she knew he was not one. Still, she pushed her thoughts from her mind so he wouldn’t be able to read them.

His lips curled up in a slight smile. “There you go, sweetheart. I know it’s got to be hard for you, but now that you know the truth, things will start to make sense.”

“Nothing about any of this makes any sense,” she told him, pushing up off his chest. “How can vampires really exist? And why aren’t you trying to bite my neck like Antonio if you are one?”

Being pressed up against him felt good. Feelings started to stir in her that she couldn’t deny. Memories of being in the attic and how she had kissed him floated through her head. She’d never been this aggressive with any man her entire life. Truth being, she’d been so busy taking care of her ill mother the past few years that she couldn’t even remember the last time she went on a date. Long past due. Still, she couldn’t believe she’d acted this way with a man who was basically a stranger.

Maybe he had something to do with it, she thought suddenly. Maybe he had the power to make her crazy with lust just like he had the power to put her to sleep. Probably just another of his manipulative tricks.

“Did you . . . make me want you?” she asked boldly, already afraid of his answer.

“What do you mean?” He pushed up to one elbow.

“You know. Did you make me have feelings for you up in the attic so I’d want to kiss you? Like the way you made me tired at your subliminal command?”

“No, Cassie. I would never do that.” He sat upright and looked her in the eye.

“But you could make me feel that way. If you wanted to, couldn’t you?” she drilled him.

“No. No, I couldn’t. Well, I don’t think so. But anyway, I wouldn’t. I have the ability to make you sleepy, but I cannot control your emotions or feelings for me.”

“I don’t believe you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I think you’re no better than Antonio in a way. I think you wanted me to kiss you that night and therefore you manipulated my feelings. I have never wanted a man as much as I did you the other night. That just isn’t normal.”

He looked at her oddly, and she wasn’t sure what to think. Maybe she’d insulted him, or maybe he just didn’t understand the point she was trying to make.

“I won’t lie, Cassie. I did want you to kiss me in the attic, but I didn’t make you feel that way. That came from you alone. Let me tell you, I was just as surprised as you to see a virgin acting that way.”