Wicked Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 4) (18 page)

It was a matter of honor.

I nodded in silent response, more than ever determined not to give up my life without one hell of a fight.

Chapter 14

Katrina

How much pain can one woman endure in five hundred years?

Despite my best efforts, my nerves were frayed.

Caleb had been home at the estate for three days, though his condition seemed to be worsening.

I didn’t know what else I could do but wait, as well as try to be positive and support him emotionally.

I felt so damned helpless once again; powerless to affect his condition.

For all my strength, skills, and experience, I could do nothing.

If not for our houseguests, I’d probably be a nervous wreck.

Bonnie Lund was one hell of a nurse for a vampire. I really didn’t expect that, but I genuinely appreciated it.

Alton had commandeered our dining room, turning it into some sort of impromptu command center. Between his three large displays and no less than three notebook computers, he barely had room to place his tea mug.

Alton’s personal vampire assistant, Marla Kendrick, had arrived last evening. I welcomed her arrival to help ride shotgun over Alton, and Caleb was particularly fond of her.

The amazing Ms. Kendrick was a force unto her own as she effortlessly made due in her limited environment. She efficiently used a discreet amount of space in Caleb’s study, leaving notably ample space for her own teacup.

Only English vampires would still drink so much tea after being turned. It probably rivaled their intake of blood.

I spent most of my time watching over Caleb as he lay in our bed, often sitting and watching him sleep as the minutes ticked by.

Sometimes I read and other times I meditated.

Either way, I felt as if I was trapped in a sort of purgatory, stuck between heaven and hell.

So, I waited.

Ethan had been absolutely wonderful. He stopped by frequently to check in on Caleb; only I had the odd sense that it was as much for me as for him.

He was such a kind vampire, truly surprising in a refreshing and reassuring way.

Bonnie Lund stayed with us, as well. Her assistance was likewise immeasurable and welcome.

That filled our guest rooms to capacity.

Of course, Paige had taken up partial residence in the estate; splitting her time between our estate and the home she shared with Ethan across town. I think her motorcycle trips to and fro helped to distract her.

There were no less than three plainclothes guards on the grounds at all times; two humans and a vampire during the day, and three vampires at night. Fortunately, they had hotel accommodations off-site in either Mableton or Atlanta proper.

“How is he?” Ethan asked in a whisper.

I looked up to see him and Page approaching the bedside where Caleb was sound asleep.

“The same,” I said. “He seems feverish more of the time, and he complains of being hot, achy, tired, and generally nauseous. He’s barely keeping vegetable-based foods and fluids down now.”

His revulsion to animal-based food or liquid was a telltale sign that we were losing our battle to keep him human.

I was fearful of the inevitable outcome.

He won’t survive a conversion in his physical state.

And I can’t live without him.

“Are you sure his brain’s not healed enough yet?” I asked, grasping at hope.

Ethan regarded me patiently. “The odds improve ever slightly with each day his conversion is delayed, but I seriously doubt it.”

I shook my head as Paige placed a supportive hand on my shoulder.

“With the vampire blood trying to convert his cells, his body is battling just to remain human,” Ethan said. “And there’s limited energy for his body’s normal human healing processes.”

I can tell he’s growing weaker every day.

“He walked around the house a little bit today,” I said.

“Yeah, I practically had to chase him back into bed before he fell over,” Paige said with a snicker.

Caleb stirred slightly and then fell back into a deep sleep.

“He’s seems so determined to fight it,” I said. “Even when he wants conversion so badly.”

He’s very brave.

“Still, with each passing day there’s hope,” Ethan said. “We can’t forget that.”

I wanted to believe him, but I feared otherwise.

* * *

I envied Alton.

He seemed in constant motion, blissfully distracted with things both mundane and arcane: exchanging numerous phone calls, working with Marla on various tasks and projects, and typing like a madman on the array of computers before him.

He’d been chatting with me about the state of vampire politics abroad, though I hardly remembered a word of it.

My mind was firmly set upon the love of my life.

“Will Caleb survive?” I asked yet again.

Alton remained silent as he reached out for his mug of hot tea. It seemed to take forever for him to drink from that mug.

“Alton?” I asked.

He sat the mug down and stared into my eyes. “I honestly don’t know, Katrina. Heaven knows, I genuinely hope so.”

His voice was thick with sincerity in a manner that pulled at my heart. I felt my eyes moisten.

“You need a distraction,” he said. “Something to pass the time.”

“Like what?” I asked. “And if you say ‘make a cup of tea’ I’ll scream.”

I certainly could use a good scream.

And then, perhaps a cup of tea.

“I know who hired Caleb’s hospital assassin,” Alton said.

Now that’s a worthy distraction.

“Who?” I asked.

“Raul Balefor is the head of the Balefor clan, residing in the ancient city of Merida, Spain. He was yet another strong ally of the late Baldar Dubravko.”

My mind raced with both anger and scorn, and I wanted to leap from my chair for the first plane bound for Europe.

“Never heard of him, not that it matters,” I said. “I’ll see to him personally.”

I’ll crush him.

“I thought you might feel that way,” he said with a weary tone.

I looked at him sharply. “And just how else am I supposed to feel?”

“I realize you’re upset, Katrina, but perhaps you could wait long enough for my insights before you run off on a killing spree.”

I folded my arms before me and glared daggers at him.

“Thank you,” he said in that unnervingly patient manner of his. “Balefor’s merely one of many vampires who’s aligned themselves together.”

“What sort of Alliance?” I asked. “I thought Hakizimana said there were merely numerous parties who opposed the Slovene conference. I don’t recall any mention of an alliance.”

He nodded. “Indeed. They’ve either organized far more quickly than we have, or they’ve been far more secretive than I gave them credit for.”

“It’s hard to believe they could’ve out-organized you following the conference,” I said.

“I’ve been working rather aggressively on my own alliance in the short time since the conference, if I do say so myself,” he said. “That was one of the reasons I was already here stateside when Paige called me about Caleb’s condition.”

Caleb.

“And how are your efforts coming along?” I asked, though more to distract myself again.

“Quite well, actually,” he said.

Alton was many things, but a braggart wasn’t one of them. He was one of the most capable and charismatic vampire leaders on the planet, in fact.

“But not as well as our opposition,” he said.

“Then they’ve been organized for a time,” I said.

“Yes, it would seem they have,” he said. “Recall that few if any of us were expected to have survived that briefcase bomb at the conference. After further consideration, I suspect they would’ve initiated large scale actions internationally by now had the bombing not been thwarted by Caleb.”

I nodded. “These attempts against Caleb must be a revenge vendetta; a message to others not to interfere. You suggested that might happen before we ever left Slovenia.”

He shrugged. “On that matter, I’m sorry to have been correct.”

A bitter realization struck me. “And that means they’re probably not going to stop.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “But perhaps not, if we act properly.”

I wondered what hope for success I had if I boarded a plane for Europe.

One vengeful vampire against who knows how many aligned opponents? That’s a daunting prospect, even for me.

“You’re contemplating the odds, aren’t you?” he asked.

I looked up, startled.

“What can I say? I know how you think, Katrina,” he said.

“Perhaps,” I said cryptically.

“Well, you can forget about it,” he said. “We’re in this together, you know. Caleb is likewise dear to me, but it goes well beyond him now.”

“Far beyond Caleb?” I asked, arching my brow.

“We’ve reached a potentially dire crossroad in the vampire world,” he said. “I’ve seen this in our future for some time, actually. That’s why I pushed so hard to form the Slovene conference.

“Regrettably, I greatly underestimated how quickly we’ve arrived at this pivotal moment. I ran out of time. Perhaps if I’d started a decade ago,” he said.

I frowned. “All right, you’re late. Now please tell me you have some grand plan in mind.”

His eyebrows rose. “It is rather grand, of sorts; certainly ambitious.”

The tone in his reply reminded me of a gambler whose bluff had been called.

“Go on,” I said, though part of me wished I hadn’t.

“
The arms are fair, when the intent of bearing them is just,
” he said.

“Where’s that from?”

“Henry IV.”

“And why are you quoting Shakespeare?”

For some strange reason, I suddenly felt very cold.

“For the first time in a nearly three hundred years, House Rutherford is preparing for war,” he said. “I’m raising an army, as well as a coalition of willing partners among our kind. Some have already declared an allegiance to the venture; not surprisingly, many of them were potential victims of the recent Slovene summit bombing attempt.”

I stared back at my friend and former mentor with disbelief. My only experience with one of Alton’s wars was not long after I’d been turned, and Alton had taken me in under his wing to train and mentor.

Given my lack of experience, I’d taken very little part in sorties as a young vampire; though Alton had taken me on a few minor excursions as part of my training. Most of my experience came later when I ventured out on my own.

“That’s what you’ve been busying yourself with these past few days?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I’ve been running the scenarios, weighing the odds and options of diplomacy.”

He stared at me with a piercing, questioning look.

“And now you want to know if I’ll join you?” I asked. “At a time like this? With Caleb on death’s doorstep?”

He cast a sardonic look at me. “I know the timing’s very poor, but I have a feeling you’ll join with me.”

I frowned at him.

“If Caleb dies, you’re going to want to lash out at something or someone. And I’d rather it not be me,” he said. “But if Caleb lives, you’ll want to protect him from continued adversaries.”

“And, of course, the best defense is a good offense,” I said.

“Precisely.”

He may be correct. Yet, it’s another distraction to draw me further away from Caleb…if he survives.

“But, Caleb---”

“Rest assured, he would be well taken care of during your absences,” he said.

That’s something, I suppose.

If he lives.

I fought to repress such thoughts.

“It’s been a long time since I followed you into battle, though never a wholesale war,” I said. “It was only ever minor skirmishes.”

“Good times,” he said fondly.

Seriously?

His expression sobered as I stared at him.

“However, this time I won’t be on the front lines as often,” he said. “In this venture, my primary role will be strategic; battle planning, raising forces and organizing resources, securing funds, and negotiating alliances and treaties. Though, rest assured, I’ll make appearances from time to time as needed.”

I frowned. “Then who’s leading this grand army of yours?”

He arched a brow. “Hopefully, you will.”

I was stunned.
“Me?”

“You’ve come a long way since the fledgling young alpha that I trained,” he said. “Now you’re one of the most feared vampires of our kind.”

I stared back at him incredulously. “How could you dare ask me something like that at a time like this?”

“Fate doesn’t wait to do our bidding. And you had to know that something like this was coming, Katrina. With Caleb squarely in the center of a targeting reticle, surely you realize you’re going to have to go on the offensive eventually,” he said.

I considered that for a moment.

Finally, I nodded. “True enough, I suppose. Caleb’s long-term safety depends upon an elimination of the outstanding threats.”