B005EMAYWS EBOK (9 page)

“Is it a
Vilka
?” she asked, hoping beyond reason that it was not one of Anton’s people.

Anton shook his head. “No … this is not a being from
Outerlands
, but he is not human either.”

“Okay, I’m confused.” Summer was becoming impatient.

“Many years ago, I was married. My wife was murdered in the same way as your friend. We found a black rose with her.” Anton swallowed hard.

“I’m so sorry!” Summer reached across the table to lay her hand over his.

“It was a long time ago,” Anton forced a smile.

“I never knew you’d been married. I guess I thought you have always been a Zen.” Summer told him, still unable to picture him with a wife.

“I was a young man when I married … it was an arranged marriage, like yours will be.”

Summer opened her mouth to tell him that she had no intention of getting married, but he held up his hand to stop her.

“Yes … I know. You don’t plan to get married, but we’ll let your parents worry about that when you get home. For now, we have to get you out of here … you are no longer safe,” he explained.

“No one is safe here … if you haven’t noticed.” Summer gave him a sour look.

“You don’t understand Summer.
You
are not safe here any longer.”

She knew there were vampires in the human world. In fact, it was the world of man that was the realm of the immortals. The vampires’ hunting ground, but she had never actually seen one or heard of any deaths connected to them. She suspected that they were very careful to only prey on those that would not be missed. At least that was her understanding from Lex, the
Vilka
that had the most contact with vampires. It had been Lex that brought Sarah to stay with her because of some danger. Summer now had to assume that it might have something to do with the recent murders.

“That’s not all,” Anton continued. “There have been similar murders throughout the country, but without the rose. That’s what makes me think that this particular vampire is the same one that killed my wife.”

“Well I am still not going until the killer pays for what he did to Penny. He won’t get away with it.” She lifted her chin defiantly.

“There is no more to argue about! You are coming back with me.”

“I’m not!” Summer folded her arms in front of her chest.

Anton sighed. “Summer … I haven’t told you this because I didn’t want to frighten you, but there is another reason that your father wants you to return.”

Summer eyed him curiously, but said nothing.

“The immortals are up to something. There have been rumors that they plan to declared war on the wolves. There is to be a gathering of the packs at Beaver Creek. Your father wants you there so that you can be married at that time.” Anton reached for her hand.

“He felt it was the best time to seal the arrangement with the
Vilkas
, especially with the trouble that’s brewing.”

“So you think these murders have something to do with that?” Summer was starting to put the pieces together. It would explain the bodies being drained of blood, and the torn throats could be the result of a careless hunter, or someone that wanted to cover the true nature of the crimes.

“I have no choice. My being here is putting others in danger … especially you.” Anton grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. “I’ll have to leave you.”

“I don’t understand.” Summer fought to control the pain that was threatening to consume her. Despite her brave words of being able to handle a quick fling with him, she knew that she would be devastated if he were gone.

“If I stay here I will continue to take you to my bed … and we can’t keep doing this when you are to be,” he paused, as if picking his words carefully, “someone else’s wife.” Anton’s voice was gentle, but his words stung.

“But …” Summer blurted out.

Anton cut her off. “Please let me finish. There is also the fact that while I am with you, this vampire will not rest until you are dead.”

Summer barely heard him. She had already turned to leave. Tears stung her eyes and she quickly brushed them away so that he wouldn’t see them.

It was barely 4:00 AM and daybreak was still a couple hours away. She scarcely noticed the darkness as she walked through the lonely campus parking lot. Her heart was shattering into thousands of pieces, and the one man that could put it back together, had just left.

Summer fumbled with her keys, looking for the one that would open the door to the Social Science building. She had nowhere else to go but to work. Her apartment was off limits, and she didn’t want to stay with Anton. Knowing he was leaving was one thing, but she didn’t think that she could stand to watch him leave.

Summer stepped into the darkened foyer, locking the door behind her. Her footsteps echoed through the hall as she walked toward her office. Though there was the occasional nightlight to cut through the shadows, it was still dim enough that she was more than just a little uncomfortable.

As she picked up her pace, the air around her seemed to become heavy, almost too thick to breathe. All of a sudden the back of her neck began to tingle, and she felt as if she were being watched. She knew that her perceived change in the atmosphere was really her sixth sense kicking in - warning her of danger. Just then, she reached her office and unlocked the door as quickly as possible.

Once inside, Summer secured the door and allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. The emergency lights were not working for some reason, so it was impossible to see anything. Feeling around on the wall beside the door, she searched for the light switch. She flipped the switch on and the room was flooded with fluorescent light. It took a few minutes before Summer was able to push the fear away. In her current state of mind, the familiarity of the office felt like an old friend.

She placed her purse and overnight bag on the floor next to her desk before turning on her PC. Wanting to do something routine, Summer checked her email. She reasoned that there could be a message from Detective Pierce, or Warren. As much as she tried to concentrate on the task at hand, she just couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was still watching her.

Ignoring the eerie feeling, Summer started sorting through her files, looking for more evidence that what Anton said was true. What clues pointed to the murderer really being a vampire? There had been little blood left in the bodies, but that could simply be because of loss of blood. Both of the current victims had been killed somewhere else, so there was no telling what the murder scene looked like. It could have been completely covered in blood.

With Penny it was different. There had been some blood, but not a lot. If the Medical Examiner also found that she had been drained of blood, it could easily point to a vampire killing.

Summer jumped at the sound of her mobile. Wondering who could possibly be calling her at such an early hour, she reached toward her handbag to grab her phone.

Her hands began to tremble when she saw the reading on the caller ID. The message was from Penny’s number. Of course that was impossible, unless the killer took the phone when he’d murdered her friend.

Summer was shaking so badly that it was difficult to read the text. Once she was able to focus, Summer’s stomach started to churn.

The message was short and sweet, but terrifying. She had little time to contemplate her next move when she heard movement outside of the office window. Someone was out there watching her.

Wasting no more time, Summer grabbed her purse and made a dash for the door. She was sprinting down the dark hall when she heard the glass shatter in her office. Picking up speed, she didn’t even bother to look over her shoulder. She could sense him behind her, and getting closer.

Summer started to pray. She prayed to God, and anyone else in that plane of existence that might help her in her hour of need. She called out to the Gatekeeper of
Outerlands
to intervene on her behalf. The Gatekeeper was a being from a higher dimension that protected the portals to
Outerlands
. Though he rarely interfered with the natural order of things, once in a while he would.

As soon as she reached the exit, she hit the lock release bar with both hands. Summer burst through the door and right into someone’s arms. Screaming, she struggled to free herself, until she realized it was Anton.

“What’s wrong?”

Breathless from terror, Summer stumbled on her words as she tried to explain to him what had happened. “Someone … someone broke through the window.”

“Call your boss and have him inform the police. We’ll just go in there and shut the place up.” Anton grabbed her arm to lead her back to the door.

Satisfied with his answer for the moment, Summer grabbed the keys from her purse and unlocked the door. Inside, she found the office exactly how she’d left it, except that the window was shattered. Pieces of glass had sprayed half way across the room. Whoever it was that had chased her, had burst through the window with tremendous force. Looking at the mess that was left behind was enough to make her think that going back to her parents might not be such a bad idea.

Summer switched off the computer.

“Let’s get going. You can call your professor boyfriend after we get out of here.”

Summer gave him a sour look, but didn’t take the bait. There was too much to think about to get into a sparring match over Warren.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

As they left the building, Summer couldn’t stop herself from nervously glancing over her shoulder. She felt that whatever had been there tonight was still watching her, waiting for his next opportunity.

* * *

Anton drove until they reached the freeway entrance. He then got on the freeway going east.

“Anton … maybe I should go back and check on the apartment?”

“I have no more patience for your games Summer. I am taking you to your family and you will need to work out your problems with them. But under no circumstances will we be staying here any longer.”

Anton was a Zen warrior and Summer was completely aware of the fact that she had already pushed him far beyond what most would get away with. There didn’t seem to be any choice but to let him take her home. It didn’t really matter. She would refuse to marry the
Vilka
, and that was that. Her parents would just have to accept it. At least at home she would have the protection of the pack. For the time being at least - it looked like she needed that protection.

They rode in silence, both too caught up in their own thoughts to talk. The miles sped by quickly. Soon the sun made its appearance in the eastern sky, painting it with shades of pink and lavender. Finally Anton slowed the car and took an exit that led them into a small town. Calling it a town was a stretch. The only business establishments seemed to be a gas station and a motel.

“Are we staying here?” Summer asked, her eyes burning from lack of sleep.

Anton shook his head. “We need fuel, but we are not far enough away to stop yet. You should get some sleep while I drive,” he suggested.

“If there are more vampires involved, how will you know when we are far enough away?” Summer wanted to know.

“We won’t be far enough away … not until we get to Beaver Creek. I think you will be safe there,” he told her, as he was pulling up to the fuel pumps.

When he was done filling up the car with gas, he opened the passenger door and stood aside so that she could get out. With a sigh of resignation, Summer stepped out and let him walk her to the restroom.

“I know you think I am being overly cautious, but you have no idea what the immortals are capable of. They are not something you have ever had to deal with before. Without the ability to shift, you are just as vulnerable as any human.”