CHAPTER 27
The next day at dusk, Olivia paced nervously beside J.L.'s bed. Carlos waited at the foot of the bed, ready to pounce, in case he needed to restrain J.L. from biting her. She had three glasses of warm blood ready on the bedside table. Emma had recommended she have some straws on hand.
Olivia had spent half the night making love to Robby before finally succumbing to sleep. She'd wakened around noon. It no longer freaked her out that he was lying next to her not breathing. She'd showered and dressed in the clean clothes he'd brought from her apartment.
Carlos checked his watch. "Any minute now."
"Do you like working for MacKay S and I?" she asked.
"Yes." Carlos smiled. "Are you thinking about applying for a job?"
"Maybe."
"Angus is a good boss. He's been very helpful and supportive with my...particular problem."
"Fur balls?"
Carlos snorted. "I wish it were that simple. My kind is an endangered species. The village where I grew up was destroyed and most of the were-panthers were killed."
"I'm so sorry. That's terrible."
"I've made a few excursions to hunt for more of my kind. Angus not only gives me the time off to do it, but he finances my trips."
"Where - " she stopped when J.L.'s body jerked.
His chest expanded as he dragged in a big breath of air. His eyes opened.
She leaned over him. "J.L.?"
He snapped his head toward her. His brown eyes possessed a strange new amber glow. "What...where...aargh!" He curled up, grasping his stomach.
"That's a hunger pain," Carlos whispered.
Olivia wanted to explain the situation before shoving a glass of blood at him. "J.L., you were attacked by vampires. They nearly killed you. The only way to save you was - "
He shouted and covered his mouth. He moaned in pain.
She winced. "I'm so sorry. We had to change you, J.L. It was the only way to save you."
"Change me?" he whispered. He cried out as fangs ripped through his gums. He touched the fangs with his fingers, and his eyes widened. "I'm a...?"
"You're a vampire, dude," Carlos said.
Olivia's eyes blurred with tears. Poor J.L. looked so shocked. In the past, she'd always known exactly how he was feeling, but now he was blank. It was like she'd lost a part of him forever in exchange for making sure he survived. "I'm sorry, J.L. You were dying, so close to dying. It seemed like the only way to save you."
He looked at his hand, which had touched his new fangs. The fingers were smeared with blood from his ripped gums. His nostrils flared. "I'm so hungry." His gaze shifted to Olivia and the amber glow in his eyes intensified.
"Here." She held a glass of warm blood up to his mouth. It clinked on his fangs, so she plopped a straw in it. "Drink."
He took a hesitant sip, then grabbed the glass and drank it all. "Still hungry."
She passed him the second glass, and he finished it. His fangs retracted and there was color once again in his cheeks.
"I have another glass if you need it." She motioned to the bedside table.
He glanced at it with a bemused look. "It's so weird. It actually tastes good to me." His gaze drifted about the room. "Everything's more sharp and clear. Where am I?"
"Romatech Industries," Carlos replied. "The manufacturer of synthetic blood, or in your case, the local food store."
J.L. looked confused. "Do I know you?"
"I'm Carlos Panterra, day guard for MacKay S and I. And I'm a were-panther."
"Wow." J.L. looked at Olivia. "This isn't some kind of weird dream? I'm really a vampire?"
"I'm afraid so." She squeezed his hand. "I begged Robby to do it. But if you're really miserable, I heard there's a way to reverse it and make you mortal again."
"I'll consider it, but I think I'm going to be all right with this."
She heaved a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you would hate me."
"No." J.L. shook his head, frowning. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have gone back."
"What happened?" She perched on the bed next to him. "Do you remember?"
"I was at the hospital when Yasmine called. She said she was trapped inside the storage unit, locked in with a bunch of vampires, and if I didn't save her, they would wake at sunset and kill her. So I rushed back to get her. I thought it would be safe, you know, 'cause it was still daylight, and all the vampires would be dead."
He dragged a hand through his thick black hair. "It was a trap. There were some escaped convicts locked in there with her. I guess the Malcontents kept them alive to be breakfast. They attacked me and knocked me out. I think they were hoping to save themselves by offering me up as the entrée."
"It must have been terrifying," Olivia said softly.
He nodded. "I thought I was a goner." He smiled suddenly. "But hey, it could be worse."
She smiled back. "You could be a zombie?"
"Exactly. So when do I get to kick some Malcontent ass?"
Carlos chuckled. "Easy, bro. You need some training first to learn how to use your new powers."
"Superpowers!" J.L. grinned. "Sweet."
Robby was in the security office at Romatech, discussing strategy, when he spotted Olivia on a monitor. She was approaching the office with Carlos and J.L. He had checked on the newly turned Vamp earlier and was relieved to find him and Olivia in good spirits.
Robby opened the door to let them in, then introduced J.L. to the others.
"If ye'd like a job at MacKay S and I, we'd be happy to have you join us," Angus said.
J.L. shook his hand. "That would be great. Thank you."
"Everything's fine," Olivia whispered to Robby. "He's happy with the change."
"Wow, I could hear that," J.L. said as he crossed the room. He studied the weapons in the caged armory. "You guys have some awesome swords."
"We've decided to teleport back to Kansas City," Robby announced. "We believe Casimir will still be in the vicinity, mainly because his new buddy, Otis, will be there, looking for Olivia."
Olivia frowned. "I suppose you need to use me as bait to draw him out."
"Nay," Robby said quickly. "I'd rather come up with another option." He took her hand. "But for now, we're moving to Barker's office at the FBI building."
"I'm coming with you," J.L. insisted. "I don't know how to teleport yet, but I do know how to fence."
They armed themselves. Robby made sure Olivia had a dagger in addition to her pistol.
He slipped on some gloves, so he could load her pistol with silver bullets. "These willna kill a vampire, ye ken, but it will hurt like hell and slow them down."
"Thank you." She snapped her gun into her holster.
He stuffed a silver chain into one of the pockets of his black cargo pants. He'd learned months ago that he could teleport with the chain as long as it didn't touch his bare skin or wasn't wrapped around him. "This could be the night. If I can get this chain around Casimir, he willna be able to escape."
"And you'll finally have the revenge you've wanted for so long." Olivia touched his face. "Be careful, I couldn't bear to lose you."
He kissed her brow. "Lass, ye're going to be stuck with me for a long, long time."
She called her supervisor on the speakerphone. Robby teleported her to Barker's office, and Connor brought J.L. Angus and Emma arrived with Carlos.
Barker grinned when he saw J.L. and slapped him on the back. "You're looking good."
"Thanks." J.L. peered into the main office. "Everybody's gone home."
"Yep." Barker led them all into the larger outer office. "They think all the escaped prisoners are accounted for. Of course, Otis is still out there. Any ideas for finding him?"
"Maybe Yasmine used her debit card again." J.L. headed for his work area. "I'll check."
"I'll help." Olivia followed him.
"Do you know how many vampires we're up against?" Barker asked.
Robby sighed. They'd compared notes earlier about the battle in the storage unit. Three Malcontents had managed to teleport away in addition to Casimir and Otis. "We believe they have a total of five, but Casimir could have had more of his followers teleport in."
The Vamps had five vampires, including J.L., plus two shape-shifters and Olivia.
"We could call in reinforcements," Emma suggested. "Jack, Ian, Dougal, and Jean-Luc would be happy to help."
"Let's do that," Angus told her, and she pulled out her cell phone to make the calls.
Robby glanced at Olivia. She was at her work station, turning on her computer. "I willna allow Olivia to be used as bait. Otis may have learned how to teleport. If he gets his hands on her, there's no telling where he might take her. We would never find her."
Jack and the others appeared. Robby introduced them to Barker, and Angus brought them up to date.
"Robby!" Olivia called from her desk. "I just received an e-mail from Yasmine."
He dashed over to her, followed by the others.
"It was sent via a BlackBerry," Olivia explained. "She wrote, 'Help me, Olivia. They will kill me. I'm texting so they won't hear. Come to the old warehouse at Pier 6 by the river.'"
"'Tis a trap," Connor grumbled.
"Aye. Otis will be there waiting for you," Robby told Olivia. "We canna let you go."
She frowned. "I'm not helpless, you know."
"Ye're no match for a vampire," Robby argued. "They dinna let Yasmine call 'cause they dinna want us using her voice to teleport."
"I've located an office on Pier 6," J.L. said as he typed on his keypad. "We can call the number and teleport there."
Angus patted him on the back. "Lad, ye're going to fit right in at MacKay S and I."
J.L. smiled. "Just let me hitch a ride with one of you."
Olivia sighed. "And what am I supposed to do?"
"I'll stay here with you," Barker said.
"Verra well." Robby stepped back and drew his sword. "Call the number on speakerphone, J.L."
All the Vamps drew their swords and waited for the beacon to teleport. The phone rang.
"Be careful," Olivia told Robby.
He smiled. "Doona fash. I'm finally getting my revenge."
"Kansas City Exports," a female voice answered the phone. "How may I help you?"
Robby and his eight companions teleported, landing in a small office with a shrieking woman. Angus quickly erased her memory, and they all dashed from the office building. They headed toward the old warehouse.
Angus silently divided them into three groups of three, then they slipped inside. Angus took his group to the right, Jack veered to the left with his group, and Robby led Connor and J.L. down the wide path in the center.
Dim lights shone overhead with dust motes dancing in the weak, golden glow. The air was musty and stale. Robby passed rows of stacked wooden crates and boxes, then came to an open area in the center of the warehouse.
On the far side of the open area, close to a double stack of crates, Yasmine sat tied up in a chair. Definitely a trap. She couldn't have sent the text to Olivia with her hands tied behind her back.
A clash of swords sounded on the right, then another clash on the left. Angus's and Jack's groups were under attack.
Robby slowly advanced into the open area with Connor and J.L.
Yasmine spotted them. "Help! They're going to kill me!"
"That's what you said last time!" J.L. yelled back.
"I'm sorry," she wailed. "The prisoners said they would kill me if I didn't find someone else for the vampires to feed on."
"So you chose me?" J.L. glared at her.
"Please!" Yasmine cried. "I'm so scared. I didn't know Otis would become a vampire!"
"Doona approach her, lad," Connor said.
"Don't worry," J.L. grumbled. "I'll never trust her again."
Yasmine's desperate look vanished and she glared coldly at them. "Where's Olivia? I promised him Olivia."
"He will never have her," Robby said.
Yasmine lifted her chin. "Fine by me. She'll never love Otis like I do. I can make him happy - "
"You stupid bitch!" Otis zoomed from behind the crates and backhanded Yasmine across the face. "You failed me again."
"Otis," she cried. "I'll do anything for you."
J.L. charged toward Otis, but he teleported away just as J.L. lifted his sword. "Damn!"
Yasmine laughed. "You'll never catch him. He's too smart for you."
Connor ran behind the crates to see if another vampire was hiding there.
J.L. gave Yasmine an incredulous look. "What is your problem? How can you help a monster like that?"
"Otis needs me. He said I was different from the others. He said I was special. He hates other women, but he loves me."
J.L. scoffed. "He loves Olivia."
"No!" Yasmine struggled against her ropes. "He said I would be with him forever. All I had to do was help him drive Olivia crazy."
"You're the crazy one!" J.L. yelled.
"Enough." Robby held up a hand. The clashing of swords in the distance had stopped. He pivoted, searching the warehouse, then focused on Yasmine. "Is Casimir here?"
She glowered at him. "Why should I tell you anything? Otis hates you. I told him Olivia was dating you, and that's when he had me put the apples in her apartment to punish her. I'm the one who really loves him. When he realizes that, he'll change me into a vampire. Not Olivia. And then we'll be together forever."
"He's just using you, Yasmine," J.L. muttered.
Connor emerged from behind the crates. "It's clear."
"He loves me!" Yasmine shouted. "Otis loves me."
"Enough, woman!" Connor shot a vampire mind zap at her, and she slumped unconscious in her chair.
"Wow," J.L. whispered. "I need to learn how to do that."
Connor shrugged. "'Twill no' make you verra popular with the ladies."
The other Vamps ran into the open area.
"We killed two," Angus reported.
"We killed one," Jack said.
"Bravo," a voice said from above. Casimir stepped off a rafter far overhead and floated down to land on top of the crates. He held his sword in his right hand. His long coat didn't hide the fact that his left arm was bent in an unnatural way. His left hand was gloved and curled up against his chest. "It only took nine of you to kill three of my men. How very brave of you."
Robby reached a gloved hand into his pocket to grab hold of the silver chain. He teleported to the top of the crates and whipped the chain out.
Casimir pointed his sword at him. "Do you think you'll get revenge? The joke is on you, MacKay. I found a new way to torture you, and the wound will cut deep. You see, Otis stole the Asian's cell phone last night while I was feeding on him."
J.L. felt his pockets. "He's right. It's gone."
Casimir chuckled. "I wonder if the lovely Olivia will answer a phone call from her friend? If she has, Otis has already teleported there."
Robby's blood turned cold.
"What will you do, Robby?" Casimir sneered. "You can make a feeble attempt to kill me, or you can rush back to your woman and discover you were too late to save her."
Olivia was pacing in Barker's office, waffling between anger and anxiety. She was worried about Robby and J.L., but also angry that they hadn't allowed her to go with them.
"Relax," Barker said from behind his desk. "They'll be fine."
"J.L. isn't used to being a vampire yet. He shouldn't be fighting so soon." Her cell phone rang, and she checked the caller. "Oh my gosh, it's J.L."
She flipped the phone open. "Hello?" She shot Barker a worried look. "J.L.? Are you there?"
"I'm right here, darling."
She gasped and spun around. Otis was in the office, holding J.L.'s phone.
"Shame on you, darling." Otis affected an injured look. "You were supposed to come to the warehouse. But lucky for me, I had another way to find you."
She dropped her phone and drew her weapon.
Barker jumped to his feet, aiming his pistol.
Otis tossed the phone on the floor and stepped toward her. "Now, at last, we can be together."
Barker shot at him, but Otis vanished. Olivia spun around, looking for him.
She heard Barker gasp. His face contorted in pain, then he slumped to the floor. Otis was standing in his place with a bloodied knife in his hand.
"They left you poorly protected, didn't they?" He wedged the knife under his belt.
Rage exploded in Olivia. She fired her gun. And missed.
Otis had moved out of the way at vampire speed, his body zooming across the room in a blur. He knocked the gun from her hand. She jumped back and drew her dagger.
Otis smiled. "You like knives, too? I knew we were perfect for each other."
She lunged forward, stabbing at his chest, but again he vanished. He was suddenly behind her, yanking her up against his chest and ripping the dagger from her hand.
She elbowed him in the ribs and stomped on his foot. When his hold loosened, she broke free and ran for her dagger on the floor.
He tackled her from behind, slamming her onto the carpet. Before she could catch her breath, he flipped her over. She swung punches at his face, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms down.
"At last." He breathed heavily. "I'll make you mine forever." He reared his head back and his fangs sprang out.
She kneed him in the balls. He hissed, and lifted her up just to slam her back onto the floor.
Pain shot through her skull. Her vision cleared in time to see him drawing closer to her neck. She struggled, but he was too damned strong.
He flinched and pulled back. "What?" He regarded her with horror. "You've been marked. You let someone else bite you?"
"I'll never be yours. Never," she hissed.
"You bitch!" He pulled his knife from his belt.
A silver chain was suddenly looped around Otis's neck and he cried out in pain. The knife tumbled from his hand.
Robby yanked the chain tighter, and Otis's skin sizzled. He hauled Otis off her. Otis flailed his arms, trying to reach Robby behind him.
"His knife," Robby growled. He yanked Otis to his feet, still squeezing him around the neck with the silver chain.
She spotted Otis's knife on the floor beside her, grabbed it and scrambled to her feet. "This is for all the women you tortured and killed!" She plunged it into his chest.
He turned to dust.
She dropped the knife to the floor. Robby dropped the chain and pulled her into his arms.
She held him tight. Even so, she started to shake.
"'Tis over, sweetheart." He hugged her. "He'll never threaten you again."
"Is it really over? Did you kill Casimir?"
"Nay. I left him to save you." Robby kissed the top of her head. "I couldna bear to lose you."
A moan sounded behind the desk.
"Oh my gosh, Barker!" Olivia skirted the desk and found him on the floor. Blood oozed from his wound.
He blinked up at her. "You're all right?"
"Yes." She fumbled for the phone on his desk. "I'll call an ambulance."
Robby stopped her. "Ye may no' need to. Barker, will ye heal if ye shift?"
"I think so. But I've lost a lot of blood." He winced. "I'm sorry, Olivia. I wasn't much help. I passed out."
She squeezed his arm. "Don't apologize."
More Vamps appeared in the room.
J.L. ran toward Olivia and Barker. "Are you guys okay?"
"Otis stabbed Barker in the back," Olivia told him.
Connor stepped forward. "I can teleport him to a Vamp doctor in Houston. We'll make sure he heals properly."
"Oh, thank you," Olivia said.
Connor gathered Barker up and vanished.
Olivia gave J.L. a hug. "I was worried about you. Did you find Yasmine?"
"Oh yeah." He made a face. "The woman's crazy. We called the police to come get her."
"What happened to Casimir?" Robby asked.
Angus sighed. "The bastard teleported away right after ye did." He motioned to the pile of dust on the floor. "I gather this was Otis?"
"Aye. Olivia killed him." Robby smiled at her.
"We did it together." She stepped into his arms.
He hugged her tight. "We make a fearsome couple."
Angus chuckled and nudged his wife. "I think we'll have some wee bairns in the family soon."
Emma grinned. "Oh, I hope so."
Robby scoffed. "Do ye mind if we get married first?"
Olivia touched his cheek. "Are you proposing?"
"No' here." He kissed her brow. "But I know the perfect place."
She smiled. "It's a date."