Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) (20 page)

Her palms were sweaty and she wiped them on
her skirt. She dressed in one of the new outfits Cassandra had
bought for her. Black lacey blouse, black skirt, and she wore the
boots adorned with the silver buckles. She left her hair down,
letting her strands cascade in waves over her shoulders.

Derek told her she looked nice. Nice didn't
sound like much, but the way his eyes wavered over her,
nice
took on a new meaning—erotic and fan-worthy hot!

Derek set up surveillance across the street
and would do his best to keep her safe, but she also knew Wade was
part of this sting operation. He would sooner put a dagger through
her heart than save her from Tim's clutches.

A few days ago, she would never believe she
would fear Tim, but when he changed, the kindhearted person she'd
known had ceased to exist. Would it also happen to her, too? Her
emotions were all over the place. It was like she'd taken some kind
of adrenalin drug to amp her emotions tenfold. If she didn't have
Derek backing her… If she didn't have Tremayne encouraging her…
Would she have ended up like Tim?

She knew the answer and she didn't like it.
The hunger for blood was like a live entity inside of her, wanting
to break free and devour all things with a beating heart. Even now,
though she'd fed before she left the house, the pulsing need to
take more taunted her.

Tim must have felt the same thing happening
to him. He tried to resist it at first. He had bitten her but he
hadn't killed her, but now she realized he wouldn't have been able
to stay the hunger. He didn't have a chance. He'd been alone with
no one to guide him.

The hair on the back of her neck prickled.
"Tim," she murmured and her gaze riveted to the front door. He
sauntered in wearing a dress shirt, tie, pressed slacks and trench
coat. His hair was slicked back and he sported dark sunglasses.
Dressed in such a fashion reminded her of the secret service, a far
cry from his usual layback attire of T-shirts and jeans.

She hated to admit it, but the dashing new
makeover, looked good on him. His head turned in her direction. He
must have spotted her because in the next second he flitted toward
her, the quick movements only vampires could master. She had tried
it a few times at Tremayne's encouragement. It was an odd feeling
at first, making her stomach somersault, but she soon caught on to
the new trick.

Tim stood in front of her table, peering at
her with a slight tilt of his head. She sat relaxed in her seat
with one arm draped over the back of the chair, then she purposely
crossed one leg over the other, giving him a good look of her bare
thighs and snazzy new boots.

Tim removed his sunglasses. She flinched,
taken aback at how they glowed red, not brown, not human. The gleam
in Tim's eyes told her he appreciated her attire as much as Derek
had, but his bold stare made her uneasy.

"You showed," he said with a note of
surprise. So, he doubted she would see his message, or rather hear
about it. If Cassandra hadn't taken a picture of it, she would have
heard it directly from the officer first on the scene. Tim had
compelled the officer to blab away about the Valentine's card left
beside the flowers, a box of candy, and the gore. Fortunately,
Tremayne had put a stop to it.

"Interesting way to send me a message."

"I thought you'd like the romantic flair."
His right brow rose as his gaze swept over her, inch by inch with a
slow appraisal. "You look lovely."

She had to urge to cross her arms over her
chest and pull down her skirt to cover her knees, but she resisted
the impulse. "Thank you."

"Let's get out of here," he suggested and
offered his hand to her.

"I thought we were going to order
dinner."

He chuckled. "I don't eat food. I believe you
know that already and soon you won't have to either."

"I like food," she pouted in defense. She
would miss eating, having a latte and a scone for breakfast... She
wondered if blood tasted good in coffee. It didn't taste bad mixed
with wine. She would have to ask Tremayne.

Tim flitted to her side. Before she could
react or defend herself, he yanked her to her feet and pulled her
flush against him. His fangs lengthened.

"Don't—" Her words silenced into a hiss as
his fangs struck her, sinking into her neck—deep and without mercy.
She clawed at his arms but it was of no use. He was too strong, but
then he thrust her away. She stumbled back into the chair and she
blinked at him in confusion. Her skin tingled where he had bitten
her. She touched the wound expecting a gaping hole, but her skin
was smooth to the touch.

Tim's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "You're a
vampire."

"You bit me. Remember?" She hoped this would
convince him.

"But it took three bites from Trent before I
changed completely. Three," he said again.

She lifted a shoulder. "I don't know what to
tell you. I thought you knew how this worked." For a moment Tim
looked unsure, but then his eyes hardened. "I suppose it doesn't
matter. You're like me now. We can be together."

"Why do you want me at your side?" She had to
ask. They'd always been good friends since they were young, but had
only dated four months. In that time, surely Tim realized there
hadn't been any sparks, but then she hadn't realized the
relationship's doom until Derek had showed up.

"You really don't know." He looked perplexed.
"I love you."

She hadn't expected him to declare his
affections. Sure, she knew he cared about her. She cared about him,
too, had even contemplated sleeping with him with the hopes their
relationship would flourish into more. Now she realized it had been
a stupid idea. When Tim declared his love, she had no doubt he
believed it to be true. His emotions were heightened like hers
were. The line of love and being in love could have easily become
blurred.

"You're my girlfriend," he said.

"I know." She had to stick to the plan. She
had to make Tim believe she was on his side.

"Say it," he demanded.

Her brows furrowed, not understanding what he
meant.

"Say you love me," he clarified. His features
were a mixture of hope and longing. The vulnerable Tim broke
through for a moment.

Tears sprung to her eyes. "I love you." She
didn't really lie. She did love him. She just didn't
love
him the way he wanted her to. She wore an earpiece and everyone on
the
vampire hunting party
heard her declaration.

"You don't lie very well," he said with a
heavy sigh. His eyes changed color, turning dark like shards of
black marble. The kindhearted boy she grew up with was gone.

"We're friends too," she reminded him, hoping
he would see she wanted to help him.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Friends," he
said the word as if testing the truth of it. He met her gaze. "I
want more. Come with me and I'll show you how it can be with
us."

"What exactly does that mean?" she asked.

"We take what we need." He lifted a shoulder
in a shrug. "Feed off the humans and move on."

"Dear God, do you not hear yourself? You were
human a few days ago and now you act like you don't remember. Do we
go on a rampage and rip peoples throat's out? I don't want blood on
my hands."

He chuckled. "You'll change your mind if you
want to survive. It'll become easier. It did for me."

She shook her head. "That's the thing. I
don't want it to." She had to convince him to stop the killing. He
didn't ask to be changed any more than she had. Why should she be
offered a chance for a future, but not him? She stood and reached
for his hand. "Please, let me help you. You don't have to feed off
of anyone. There's another way."

"Another way?" He pulled away from her. "Who
have you been talking to? The hunter? He'd sooner end your
existence than help you."

She'd made a mistake. She shouldn't have
spoken of another way when she was supposed to be afraid and
wanting him to help her. The game was up.

Tim's eyes narrowed as he searched for the
threat. His body stiffened and she didn't have to turn around to
know Derek stood behind her. Tim's features hardened into a snarl
of frustration and his fangs elongated again. "I'll be back for
you," he told her.

"I don't think you will," Derek spoke and he
came into her line of vision. Tremayne had moved to the other side
of Tim.

She glanced around her and frowned. None of
the patrons in the restaurant seemed to notice the disruption or
that two of the men surrounding them sported medieval
weapons—Tremayne with a broadsword and Derek with his crossbow.

Tim's lips curved. "She's mine, you
know."

"No, she's not," Derek spat.

"We'll see." He tilted his head as he studied
Derek. "She's been bitten, hunter. Surely, you've seen the change
in her by now." Tim's gaze shifted to Tremayne who had inched
closer. Tim's eyebrows furrowed with confusion, obviously picking
up on the '
I'm not human either'
vibe from Tremayne.

"That's right, vampire." Tremayne grinned,
showing his fangs. "I'm a blood drinker, too."

Tim's gaze riveted to Sloane. "He's the one
who finished what I started. I smell him on you."

"We can help you, Tim," she implored. "Please
come with us."

"No." He backed away from her as if she asked
him to shave his head and join a cult.

"You're surrounded," Tremayne told him, his
voice even tempered, but with a note of finality. It didn't sound
like a threat, but it didn't leave any room for negotiation
either.

Tim smirked with a chuckle. "Do you think so?
Did you truly believe I wouldn't have an escape plan in place? I
can't tell you how disappointed I am that I had to use it." He
clapped his hands and everyone seated in the restaurant, including
the patrons at the outside tables, stood. "Now!" Tim shouted. The
patrons turned in unison like animatronics soldiers. Tim glanced at
Sloane one last time. "I have something you want," he told her.

"Tim, don't go." She tried to push her way
around the people under Tim's spell. They reached toward her,
pawing her with outstretched hands.

"You know where to find me," he said.

"Tim! Wait!" She tried to go after him, but a
woman grabbed her arm, holding her back.

Tim flitted, disappearing within the
crowd.

"What's happening?" She glanced at Derek as
she broke free from the woman clasping her arm. "Are they
vampires?"

"They're glamoured," Tremayne answered. The
people kept coming at them with trancelike intent, their grip like
steel. Tremayne motioned to Cassandra. "Let's put them to sleep,
shall we?"

She nodded and used the
Vulcan-like
pinch and the patrons dropped where they stood. Tremayne flitted
around to the back of the crowd and started there. Derek and Wade
did there best to do the same. Sloane would have to learn this
little trick. Just one of many techniques she still had to
master.

It wasn't too long before sounds of snoring
filled the air.

"Will they be all right," Sloane asked with
concern, her gaze landing on each of the victims Tim had
manipulated. Men, women and children…no one had been spared.

"They'll wake up with a slight headache and
bit embarrassed perhaps, but they won't remember anything else."
Derek placed his hand on her shoulder.

She glanced at him. "I'm sorry," she
said.

"For what?"

"We didn't catch Tim."

"It's not your fault. He's progressed farther
with his abilities than we thought he would."

"Too fast," Tremayne said as he approached
them. "I would almost believe someone is helping him."

Derek shook his head. "We eliminated his
brother and the maker. There was no one else."

"Now where do we hunt for him?" Wade stepped
over a snoring man to reach them. "He won't fall for a trap so
readily next time."

"Tim said something to me." All eyes turned
toward Sloane. "He said he had something I'd want and I would know
where to find him."

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Derek
asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know what he has
that I would want, but I do know where we'll find him. Whenever we
were together his goodbye was always the same:
You know where to
find me.
"

Wade threw up his hands. "Please, the
suspense is killing me. Where?" This won Wade an elbow jab from
Cassandra. "Ow." He rubbed his chest.

Sloane ignored their antics. "Tim is going
home."

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Derek stood in the archway of what would have
been a young girl's room. Sloane sat on the bed decorated in pink
fluff and frill. Stuffed animals were piled at one end waiting for
their owner to return.

Sloane held a doll with long blonde braids
against her chest, but it was the stain darkening the carpet that
held her fascination.

"Tim's father remarried eleven years ago and
he had a child with his new wife," she told him without looking up.
"This is…was Kylie's room." Her voice choked and she inhaled
deeply. "She just turned ten a month ago." She placed the doll on
the bed and looked at him. "Kylie was only ten."

He sat down beside her and pulled her into
his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how difficult this would be
for you. You knew Tim's family, cared about them."

She pushed away from him and shook her head.
"No, you're not understanding. Yes, I'm sad Kylie's gone, my heart
breaks for her, but the memory of her is like a distant dream." Her
attention shifted to the bloodstain at her feet. "It's her blood.
All I can think of is how her blood would taste. It's filling my
senses, making my mouth water."

His brows furrowed. "Sloane…"

She held up her hand. "Don't tell me
everything is going to be all right." Her eyes were bright with
worry. "My reaction is scaring the hell out of me."