CHAPTER 23
When the guards arrived for breakfast, the cook informed them that Lara had volunteered to work in the kitchen. The tall guard with the squeaky sandal appeared to be in charge. He carried a clipboard with him and gave out assignments. He told Lara that she would be on guard, duty that afternoon from one to four. After that, she could return to the kitchen to help prepare supper.
"Yes, master." Lara set a plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon in front of him and noticed the puncture wounds on his neck.
As she served the other guards, she noted more wounds. Apparently, Athena didn't like to limit herself to a single Chosen One. She preferred the five-man buffet.
Lara stayed in the kitchen to help prepare and serve lunch, then shortly before one in the afternoon, she accompanied one of the maidens to the temple to do guard duty. It was the maiden who had stayed up late the night before, crying.
As they crossed the compound, Lara surveyed the surroundings, now more visible in daylight. There was the temple, the villa-style dormitory, and the kitchen, all enclosed by a stone wall. A thick forest loomed on the other side of the stone wall.
"What a pretty forest," Lara said. "Maybe I'll take a walk there later."
The maiden halted with a gasp. "You can't leave the Elysian Fields! It is forbidden."
Somehow that wasn't too surprising. "There might be some berries I could pick to make us all a nice cobbler."
The maiden shook her head. "You can't go into the forest. Apollo says there are ferocious beasts there with great gnashing teeth!"
Lara stifled a snort. She was a lot more worried about Apollo's gnashing teeth.
The maiden shuddered. "Apollo says that if one of those beasts captures you, it will drag you to Hades."
"Well, we wouldn't want that to happen." Lara sighed. These girls were so brainwashed, they couldn't even detect sarcasm. She followed the maiden into the temple.
The maiden led Lara around the thrones to a hallway in the back. There were three doors on each side of the hallway. Two doors were painted red. Rooms for the Chosen Ones, the maiden explained.
Lara noticed one of the male guards standing in front of a purple door. That had to be Athena's room. Kristy and Vanessa were sitting on red cushions in front of a golden door. They stood when Lara and the maiden approached.
"I hope you left us some lunch," Vanessa said. "We're starving." She and Kristy headed off to the kitchen.
Lara sat beside the other maiden. She pushed her cushion against the wall so she could lean back and stretch her legs in front. Her new position earned her a frown from the other maiden.
She tried not to think about Apollo's dead carcass on the other side of the door. At least they were safe from him during the day.
Where was Jack? In his death-sleep at the townhouse on the Upper East Side? She recalled how he'd told LaToya there were usually dead bodies in the basement, and she'd thought he was kidding. That rascal. He was so different from the vampires here.
Athena and Apollo considered humans nothing more than walking meals, foolish and easily controlled. Jack had always treated her with respect and kindness. He truly cared about her feelings and her safety. Had he spent the night desperately searching for her?
She thought back to how he'd been with Mario and Gianetta in Venice. They were mortals, but he considered them family. He'd showed respect and affection for Father Giuseppe. And he'd tried so hard to please her that night with the ice cream, the gondola ride, and the serenade.
He was such a good man. And she missed him so. He could make her laugh. He could make her hot. He made her feel beautiful and smart and cherished. He was the perfect man, except for the little Undead problem.
Was it crazy to fall in love with a vampire? Or was it even crazier to refuse him because he was a vampire? It wasn't Jack's fault that he'd been transformed. He had been attacked. Hadn't he suffered enough? It would be too cruel to reject him and make him suffer more.
Apollo rejected girls simply based on their hair color. But wouldn't the real God judge people according to their hearts find not their looks? Would Love reject anyone for being different?
A sensation of peace settled on Lara like a warm blanket. She knew what she had to do. She couldn't reject Jack. She couldn't bear to hurt him. Even if it meant the total upheaval of her own life, she would rather take the pain upon herself than cause him to suffer anymore.
It was the way of love. And she loved him with all her heart.
She closed her eyes and remembered how he'd made love to her in the bell tower. What a sexy man he was, her vampire Casanova. She couldn't wait to see him again, to let him know that her mind was made up. She belonged with him forever. Please, Jack, find me soon. She imagined how happy he would be, how he would make mad, passionate love to her.
The other maiden poked her in the shoulder. "Don't fall asleep. It is forbidden."
"All right," Lara grumbled as her romantic dream fizzled away. "Do we really have to sit here for three hours? This is so boring."
"Shh!" The maiden glanced at the guard down the hall. "Don't speak like that. He'll hear you."
"Okay. My name is Lara. What's yours?"
The maiden gasped. "Stop that!" She glanced again at the guard. "We cannot use names."
"Let me guess. It's forbidden?"
"Yes," the maiden hissed. "Behave yourself."
"Okeydokey." Lara decided to call this girl No Name. No, Miss Forbidden was better. She couldn't recall seeing her photo in the case file. "What college did you go to?"
Miss Forbidden shot her an angry look. "That life is over. We do not speak of it. I realize you are new, so I won't report you, but you had better learn to curb your tongue, or you'll end up in Hades."
Lara reluctantly agreed that she needed to behave. She didn't want to draw attention to herself. "I'm terribly sorry. I really do want to serve the gods." She pointed at the bronze doorway at the end of the hall. "Whose room is that?"
"It is the Most Holy Sanctum," Miss Forbidden whispered. "When Zeus comes, he stays there."
"Zeus comes here?" Lara figured he was another vampire. And he stopped by to mooch a free meal off of Apollo. "That is so exciting."
"I know!" Miss Forbidden's eyes lit up. "He comes by every few weeks to visit his children, Apollo and Athena. But of course, he usually lives on Mount Olympus."
"Of course. What does he look like?"
"No one knows," Miss Forbidden whispered. "He never leaves the Most Holy Sanctum. Apollo selects a Chosen One for him. And the next morning, the Chosen One doesn't remember him. He works in mysterious ways."
"Right. So how many gods drop by?"
"A few." Miss Forbidden smiled. "One time Hermes came to visit, and he chose me."
"How... wonderful for you." Lara couldn't see Miss Forbidden's neck since her long reddish blonde hair was in the way.
Lara spent the rest of the guard duty trying to glean more information from Miss Forbidden. Then she returned to the kitchen to help Cook prepare supper for five guards, eight maidens, and the new Chosen One, Aquila. It couldn't be a coincidence that Aquila was chosen just as Brittney Beckford disappeared. Apollo must have known she was about to die. That bastard. He actually had these girls eager to become his next victim.
She and Cook were cleaning up after supper when the sun set.
Kristy ran into the kitchen. "Hurry! Zeus has arrived. There's going to be another Selecting Ceremony."
"Oh my gods." The cook dried her hands on a dish towel. "We need to get cleaned up, fast." She ran to the dormitory.
Lara followed, and Kristy gave them new white robes to wear. They rushed into the temple just as the first gong sounded.
Lara took her position in the last row of red cushions in the center of the temple. Vanessa and Kristy were next to her. Three maidens stood in front of her. On the first row, only two maidens stood-Cook and Miss Forbidden. The third pillow was unclaimed. It had been Aquila's.
The gong sounded again, and the guard announced the Chosen One. Aquila strode in, dressed in her red robe. Lara was relieved to see her still looking strong, though the red scarf around her neck was creepy.
Athena was announced, and then Apollo. Lara kneeled and bowed with the other maidens.
"We have been honored by a visit from my father, All Mighty Zeus." Apollo circled the maidens. "First row, stand."
Cook and Miss Forbidden rose to their feet.
"You will be his Chosen One for tonight." Apollo motioned to Miss Forbidden. "See that you please him well."
"Yes, My Lord Apollo," Miss Forbidden breathed. "Oh, thank you, my lord."
With a sad face, Cook helped Miss Forbidden put on the red robe.
Lara's stomach churned. She didn't want to think about what was going to happen to Miss Forbidden.
Apollo led Miss Forbidden to the hallway behind the thrones. She was going to the Most Holy Sanctum, Lara thought. She hoped the poor girl would come out alive.
As the ceremony ended, Lara noted there were only seven maidens now. Fear surged inside her, threatening to explode into sheer panic.
They walked to the dormitory. The air was cool and crisp, but she was finding it hard to breathe. Her heart raced. She glanced up at the clear night sky. Jack would be up now. Was he looking for her? Jack, please hurry. I'm starting to freak out.
She couldn't wait for a rescue. She had to get out of here. Aquila and Miss Forbidden could die. The other maidens were in danger. Hell, she was in danger.
"I think I'll go to the kitchen and check supplies," she told the other maidens. "I'll be along later."
She dashed to the kitchen and gathered up supplies for her escape. A knife, a small box of matches, an empty bottle filled with water, some crackers. She emptied potatoes out of a burlap sack and put her supplies inside.
With the sack in hand, she crept out of the kitchen. These damned white sandals were not good for a long trek through the woods, but what choice did she have? And this white gown made her way too visible.
She spotted two guards walking along the stone wall. They were headed away from her. She rounded the kitchen and spotted an overgrown dirt road in the back, leading to an iron gate. Great! This was probably the road the delivery truck used to bring in food supplies. It might lead to a nearby town.
She looked around. The coast was clear. She pulled her long white gown up to her knees and dashed to the gate. She slipped underneath. She was free!
A long howl echoed eerily around her. She scanned the woods and gasped when a pair of golden eyes looked back at her. What had Miss Forbidden told her? There were ferocious beasts in the woods with gnashing teeth? They would drag her to Hades?
She shook her head. No, that was brainwashing. She couldn't believe that.
The golden eyes moved closer. Lara pressed against the gate. Her heart thundered in her chest. Another howl came from the forest. Undergrowth swished and crackled.
She fumbled in the burlap bag for the knife. Just in time, too, for a huge, gray wolf appeared from the forest. She gulped. She'd never seen such a huge wolf. Actually, she'd never seen a wolf before at all. She tightened her grip on the knife.
The wolf's gold eyes gleamed in the dark. He snarled, and two more wolves emerged from the forest.
Oh God, there could be a whole pack of them. Lara eased back underneath the gate. She retreated slowly, keeping her eyes on the three wolves. They stood still, watching her.
She circled the kitchen, then ran inside and slammed the door shut. Dammit! Vampires and wolves. Either way, she was a goner.
Oh, Jack, please find me.
Jack strode into the security office at Romatech. "Give me another place to check out. Hurry."
Phil looked up from where he sat behind the desk. "No luck with the place in West Texas?"
"No." It was just past midnight, and already Jack had investigated four isolated compounds across the country. "Wasn't there one in Colorado?"
"Robby's at that one." Phil referred to the yellow legal pad on the desk in front of him. "And Phineas is in Virginia."
Jack paced across the office. The three Vamps had split up so more locations could be checked. Phil was manning the phone as more reports were called in from wolf packs across North America. Unfortunately, they were getting a lot of reports from the western states, and Jack still believed Apollo was somewhere in the east, close to his hunting grounds.
Phil tapped his pen on the yellow paper. "I've got one in Minnesota."
"Call the pack master, and I'll teleport there." Jack had to stay busy, or he'd go crazy. If he even stopped to think about how Lara could be suffering, he would rip a tree out by its roots.
As Phil reached for the phone, it rang. "MacKay Security and Investigation. Phil speaking." He paused. "Yes, I'm that Phil."
Jack's superior hearing could pick up the deep, gruff voice on the line. A pack master from northern Maine. This sounded promising.
Jack leaned over the desk, so he could hear better. A female body had been discovered in the woods.
His heart lurched. No, not Lara.
Phil gave him a worried look. "Can you describe her? You have a photo? I'll give you our fax number." He recited the number.
A chill stole over Jack. The voice on the phone described the girl as tall, slim, with reddish blonde hair and blue eyes. The fax machine was so damned slow. Jack's stomach roiled, and for the first time in his long vampire life, he thought he might lose his dinner.
Finally, the photo arrived. Jack ripped it from the machine. It wasn't Lara.
He drew in a shaky breath. "It's not her. But this girl looks familiar." He grabbed the case file and rummaged through the photos he'd collected. He pulled out a photo that closely matched the fax. Brittney Beckford. Apollo had dumped the poor girl's body in the woods.
"Greek-style architecture?" Phil sat up. "Are you sure?"
"Put him on speakerphone," Jack said. "We'll go there now."
Phil punched the button and warned the pack master that they were on their way. Jack grabbed Phil's arm and teleported to the sound of the werewolf's voice.
"Welcome to Wolf Ridge." A tall man with thick gray hair and amber eyes stood behind a desk, wearing a police uniform and a grim expression. "Everyone around here calls me Chief."
Jack glanced at the empty jail cell behind him. "You're the chief of police here?"
"Yes, and pack master." The werewolf extended a hand toward Phil. "It's good to meet you. I know your father."
"I'm sure you do," Phil muttered and shook Chief's hand. "This is Jack from Venice."
Chief eyed Jack warily as he shook his hand. "My sons and I found the dead girl in the woods. I think one of your kind killed her. She has tooth marks on her neck, and she's completely drained of blood."
Jack ground his teeth. "The vampire who killed her is not one of my kind. I only drink synthetic blood, and I protect mortals from those who would kill them for a meal."
Chief nodded. "Good. I don't allow my pack to attack mortals, either."
"We need to see the compound you discovered." Jack called Robby and Phineas, and the two Vamps teleported there.
Chief looked them over. "So we have a vampire from Venice, one from Scotland in a kilt, and one from...?"
"The Bronx," Phineas finished the werewolf's sentence. "You got a problem with that?"
"No." Chief smiled. "I'll take you to the compound. If there's a vampire there who's killing women, I want him stopped, too."
Chief led them out the door, and they all piled into his SUV. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at Chief's hunting cabin, deep in the forest.
"I'll take you the rest of the way on foot." Chief stepped behind the big hood of the SUV and removed his uniform. "It'll be faster for us wolves if we shift." He glanced at Phil. "Ready?"
Phil's jaw shifted. "I'll stay as I am."
Chief winced. "Sorry. I got the impression that-"
"Don't mention it," Phil grumbled. "I'll be right behind you all. And I'll bring your clothes."
"Thanks." Chief left his clothes stacked on the hood. As he walked toward the woods, his body began to waver. Within a few seconds, he had shifted into a large, gray wolf.
"Holy shit," Phineas said. "That was fast."
"He's an Alpha." Phil grabbed the police chief's clothes. "They can shift easily at any time. He doesn't need a full moon."
"Oh." Phineas glanced up at the crescent moon. "So I guess you're not-"
"Enough," Robby interrupted. He pointed at Chief, who was already loping into the forest. "Let's go."
The three Vamps dashed after the running wolf. Phil sprinted along behind.
After a few miles, they arrived at the compound. Jack grinned when he saw the Greek temple. I've got you now, Apollo.
"Bingo," Phineas breathed. "This has got to be it."
Chief sat on his haunches, panting, with his tongue hanging out.
"As soon as Phil catches up, there'll be five of us," Robby said. "We could attack right away."
It was tempting, so tempting to rush in and rescue Lara. But was it wise? "We can't be sure how many vampires are in there," Jack said. "We know Apollo has at least one accomplice. There could be more."
He walked slowly around the compound, keeping to the woods. The others followed. He wished he could send a psychic message to Lara that he had arrived, but he didn't dare. Vampire telepathy was like broadcasting on a radio. Every vampire in the vicinity would hear it.
Phil arrived. He set Chief's clothes behind a tree, and the wolf shifted back to human form.
Phil eyed the compound. "This looks like the right place. It's got to be, since one of the missing girls was found close by."
"Yes, but I want more information before we attack." Jack spotted two guards. "Mortals. Armed with swords."
"I bet they're heavily under vampire control," Robby said. "They may be programmed to kill the women and themselves if the compound is breached."
"Shit," Phineas muttered. "That's cold."
"You could be right." Chief rounded the tree, buttoning his shirt. "I doubt this guy will want to leave any witnesses. Come, I want to show you something."
Chief led them through the woods till they came upon a dirt road and a gate. "This leads to another town, a mortal one, about thirty miles from here. I think the town is delivering food supplies here."
"Really?" Jack turned to Phil. "How would you like a new job?" With vampire control, it would be easy enough to convince a store manager that Phil was their new delivery man.
Phil nodded. "Sounds good. But I would be here during the day when the vampires are in their death-sleep. I may not be able to find out much."
"I'll come here at night to find out more," Jack said.
"Ye're thinking of going under cover?" Robby frowned at him. "I doona like it, Jack. Ye've killed enough Malcontents that they know yer name. And Apollo saw you for just a second before he teleported away."
"That's all right." Jack smiled. "I can change my name and my looks. I know a really good hairdresser in Massachusetts."
The next day, when Lara was helping Cook clean up after lunch, she thought she heard the sound of an automobile engine. She grinned with relief.
Cook frowned in confusion. "This isn't delivery day. But I guess I'd better unlock the back door." She wandered into the back storeroom with a key.
Lara looked around frantically. She ripped a paper towel off the roll and grabbed a bottle of ketchup. She squeezed a small drop onto the tip of her finger, then wrote Help! Bring police on the paper towel.
She flapped the towel in the air, so it would dry quickly. Then she folded it and slipped it inside the bodice of her white gown.
She found Cook standing by the open back door. In the distance, she spotted a delivery van parked on the other side of the gate. The driver, a young man dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, was opening the gate.
She ran toward him.
"Stop!" Cook yelled. "We're not supposed to be seen."
The driver moved toward her, watching her carefully with his light blue eyes. "Can I help you, miss?"
"Yes!" Lara slowed down and reached inside her bodice. "We need-"
"Maiden!" a guard's voice bellowed behind her.
She stopped short, six feet from the delivery man. Damn! She couldn't pass him the note without being seen.
"Maiden, return to the kitchen immediately!" the guard shouted.
She glanced back. It was the head guard with the squeaky sandal. He was followed by two more guards. She shot one last pleading look at the delivery man. "We're prisoners," she mouthed, hoping he would understand.
His blue eyes narrowed, and he nodded ever so slightly.
Lara ran back to the kitchen.
"Oh no," Cook muttered. "You're in big trouble now."
Squeaky Sandal marched up to the delivery man. "What's going on here? You're not the usual driver. And we're not expecting a delivery for two more days."
The delivery guy shrugged, apparently unfazed by the head guard's beefy muscles and belligerent attitude. Lara smiled to herself. The guard would be a lot more ominous if he didn't squeak with every other step.
"Look, buddy." The delivery man crossed his arms over his broad chest. "The regular guy quit, and I'm going on vacation tomorrow. So there won't be any more deliveries for two weeks. Take it or leave it."
Squeaky glared at the delivery man. "All right. Pull the van up closer to the kitchen."
The delivery guy jumped back into the van and drove closer to the kitchen. To Lara's dismay, there was no writing on the van. She had hoped to catch the name of a local town.
"Stop!" Squeaky yelled, and the van halted.
The two other guards opened the back of the van and began unloading. The driver grabbed a box and strode toward the kitchen.
"Stop." Squeaky held up a hand. "You cannot enter." He took the box and brought it into the storeroom.
Damn. Lara had hoped the driver would come in so she could pass him her note. She peeked out the door. The delivery guy nodded at her.
"You should not be seen." Squeaky pushed her aside as he exited. He glared at the driver. "Wait inside the van."
"Sure," the driver muttered. "Nice toga. Bet it gets a little chilly in the winter." He strode back to the van.
Lara hovered just inside the door. It looked like she wasn't going to be able to pass her note. Still, she had a feeling that the delivery man understood. Or was that just wishful thinking?
The last of the supplies were brought in, and the guards slammed the van doors shut.
The driver sauntered toward the kitchen with a box in his hand. He spotted Lara peeking from behind the door. With a grin, he shook the box. "How about a snack?"
"Give me that." Squeaky grabbed the box. "And you can leave now."
The driver cast one last look at Lara, then climbed into the van and drove through the gate.
Lara's heart sank. What if he hadn't understood? There wouldn't be another delivery for two weeks.
Meanwhile, the guards inspected the box from the driver.
"There might be a special decoder ring inside," one guard said.
"Yeah, that guy seemed a little suspicious to me," the second guard said.
Squeaky ripped the box apart, and caramel corn scattered all over the dirt road. "There's nothing here." He tossed the box on the ground, then glared at Lara. "Clean this up, maiden."
"Yes, master." Lara grabbed a garbage sack, then rushed outside. She scooped handfuls of sticky popcorn into the bag while the guards strolled away.
When it looked like they'd lost interest in her, she picked up the pieces of the torn box.
Her breath caught. Cracker Jack. A sound, halfway between a laugh and a sob escaped her mouth.
Jack had found her.