Because the Night

Chapter Seven

“Wooden bullets.” Lucas examines the ammunition in his hand. “Amazing.”

“Welcome to the twenty-first century, Father,” says Henry. “Two attempts on your life in one night. That’s when you know you’ve really made it. We’ll have Dracula knocking on the door challenging you to a dance-off next.”

We’re back at the house in the basement living room. Dawn is still several hours away, but going underground seemed safest. The runes won’t stop a sniper from shooting us through one of the upstairs windows. Henry said that was unlikely, however, because wooden bullets aren’t as heavy or strong as metal ones. I still wonder if bulletproof glass for the house will be next on the shopping list. The only good news tonight is that no one else was hurt outside the nightclub.

We got out of there as fast as possible. Then Lucas made a call to Helena, and Henry called someone else, and things were set in motion. Our asses are apparently covered in case of any security cameras, and where the local authorities are concerned. Vampire politics seem to be a lot like organized crime. Violence, money, and secrets. This is assuming what film and TV taught me about them is true.

I spent the ride home downing a blood bag. Handy that the Rolls-Royce had a stocked fridge. The Thorn Group really does think of everything.

Lucas puts a Louis Armstrong record on while I hug an embroidered silk cushion to my chest. “Are we assuming this is about Archie?”

“Seems likely,” he says. “Skye, how did you know?”

My gaze jumps to his face.

“The gun wasn’t in sight yet when you reacted,” he continues. “You were asking earlier about the possibility of extra gifts being bestowed when you’re turned. Is there something you want to tell me?”

I choose my words with care. “I wasn’t sure if it meant anything at first. It was mostly just a random word appearing in my head now and then. Like it was giving me a hint of what someone was thinking.”

He nods.

“Then I looked at the driver of the Escalade and he was staring at us, and I heard the word gun inside my mind,” I say. “Given they’d only just rolled down the back window, I jumped to the conclusion that it was a drive-by shooting and we were the targets and reacted accordingly.”

“You only hear one word?”

“Yes.”

Henry frowns. “What if the word is like the or and ?”

“That would be incredibly unhelpful,” I say. “But apparently that’s not how it works. When we were outside the club, I heard the word disappointed from you. It seems to be a random mix of things that people near me are feeling. And it’s not constant, just now and then.”

“Such as when I thought you were homely,” says Lucas.

The way I hesitate says more about my feelings than I like. “Yes.”

“Father,” gasps Henry. “How rude. And blatantly incorrect, I might add. She’s gorgeous.”

“I wonder if, with practice, you could train yourself to tune into a mind.” Lucas taps out a beat on the arm of the chair. “I have only met a couple of other vampires with gifts such as this. One who could move things with his mind, and another who could read objects. Get a feel for where they had been and suchlike. These vampires were treasured and well-protected members of their families. But both of their gifts developed over time.”

“If word got out, people would definitely want her,” says Henry, his gaze narrowed on me.

Lucas also stares as if he’s reassessing me. Like he’s surprised to find I have sudden hidden value. It is honestly a bit much after everything.

I rise from the sofa. “I’m going to have a bath.”

Covered in grit from the sidewalk and hints of ash from earlier, I could do with a wash. It doesn’t take long for the old claw-foot tub to fill. I dump my designer wear on the floor and climb in. The water is deliciously hot and the room full of steam.

No idea why or when I start crying. Again. The last two nights have been intense. I want to talk to my best friend and get her take on all of this. I want to hear my mom’s voice. And I really want to walk in the sunlight one last time and feel the warmth on my face. Woe is me.

The door cracks open and Lucas steps inside, closing it behind him. “I don’t like the taste of your tears.”

“You can taste my tears?” I ask with a sniffle. I press my knees to my chest and cross my arms to cover my breasts. “That’s so bizarre. And I’d really appreciate it if you could find the key for that door so I can lock it when I want privacy.”

“I could still just break it if I wanted to get in.”

“Given how upset you get when I break something around here, I’m guessing you won’t,” I say.

“Your sadness fills the air.”

“Go away, please.”

“You’ve seen me naked,” he says. “I’m not allowed to see you?”

“I didn’t look at you. And no, not without an invitation.”

“Consent again. It’s not like I can see anything the way you’re sitting.” He kneels by the tub and rests his arms on the side and makes himself right at home. Okay, it is his home, but still.

“Why did you come in here, Lucas? What do you want?”

“I don’t know.” His forehead furrows as if he’s genuinely mystified. “I just couldn’t sit out there doing nothing while you cried.”

“Since when do you care?”

“Again. I don’t know. It’s not like me.” He thinks it over. “It would seem I’ve undergone some changes during my sleep.”

“What was it like?”

“Painful for a while. The hunger for the first few months was fierce, but I was determined to wait it out. Then my body started to weaken, and my mind began to drift, going over old memories and such. It was similar to what I remember dreaming to be.”

“Why did you do that to yourself?” I ask. “Just because you were bored?”

His smile is small. “No. I was…upset about something. Turning my back on this world for a while seemed safest.”

I nod. Not that I understand a damn word.

“Now and then, one of the old ones loses their grasp on reason. They turn savage, slaughtering their families and anyone else nearby. Causing chaos until they can be stopped.”

“You were worried that would happen to you?”

He shrugs. “My anger was very great.”

“And now?”

The side of his mouth kicks up just a little. “Much better, thank you for asking.”

While I am not ashamed of my body, hanging out with random, uninvited dudes while naked is a new thing. “Okay. I’ve stopped crying. You can go now.”

“You don’t need my assistance again with…” He just stares at me, waiting.

“Believe it or not, Lucas, I know how to masturbate just fine. And I thought you said that was a one-time thing. Something about a newborn’s infatuation being yucky and inconvenient?”

He rises to his feet, all grace and strength. The expression on his face, however, is pure fuckery. “What did you call it, pity sex?”

“Get out.”

“Skye,” he says, waiting until he has my attention. Then, he says, “You were never homely. I was just being an asshole.”

“I know.”

At this, he nods his head. “Enjoy your bath.”

I wake up the next evening with Lucas lying on the bed beside me again. Only the pants remain of his sleek suit. All of the dips and planes of his chest are on show. His bulging biceps, in particular, call to me. But then, the whole of him is like a work of art. Guess the unnatural horniness is still a thing. Because I refuse to be attracted to the monster under normal conditions. I have to be smarter than that. Surely.

This evening, he’s busy with a digital notepad instead of a book. When I crashed, he and Henry had Barbarella playing on a laptop, while occasionally reading aloud from The Feminine Mystique , and also discussing the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the moon landing. They seemed to have settled in for the day to discuss and debate at length each era Lucas had missed.

Having not been alive during the 1960s and with no hope of keeping up, I went to bed in my new, black silk pajamas. A definite step up from my usual panties and an old tee. And once again I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. The newborn vampire need for sleep is no joke.

“Would you say you’re Team Jacob or Team Edward?” Lucas asks contemplatively. “Because in all honesty, I’m having trouble deciding.”

“Are werewolves real?”

“Yes. Though, they’re generally not found around here because they don’t like cities. Werewolves need space to run.”

“Wow. Next question. Are you at all familiar with the concept of privacy?”

His brows draw together. “It’s my bedroom.”

“We need more beds. What’s even in the other rooms down here? That hall goes halfway into the Hollywood Hills, but all the doors are locked.”

“Things I’ve collected over the years.”

“You’re a hoarder,” I say. “You know that, right?”

“Speaking of which…there’s something for you on the bedside table.”

I roll over—and holy shit. There are three familiar, slim, hardcover books waiting, bound in red with gold lettering. “Is that the first edition of Pride and Prejudice that was upstairs?”

“Henry noticed you admiring it,” he says. “He said you were sad that you lost all of your belongings in the fire.”

I don’t know what to say.

Lucas suddenly looks up, tosses the notepad onto the bed, and blurs out of the room. Without a word. Like he’s an animal that’s caught a scent.

The speed at which I follow him is about half of his, at a guess. But my reactions work well, I don’t crash into anything. I’m taking it as a win. Then Lucas, Henry, and I are on the front porch, staring at a stranger waiting patiently in the arched gateway of the stone fence. He’s handsome, with dark skin and short hair.

“Woodsman.”

“Father’s nickname from way back,” whispers Henry. “Not really a compliment. Long story.”

Lucas gives me a cranky look. “You should have stayed downstairs.”

I shrug.

“Captain,” says Henry, with a smile. “Are you finally ready to take me up on my offer of a proper catch-up? We haven’t hung out together in an age!”

“Not since 1863 after the Siege of Vicksburg.” The stranger nods at Henry. “I learned my lesson about spending time with you when the humans tried to burn down the church I was sleeping in.”

“How was I to know they’d be so touchy about us being undead and all?” Henry smiles. “It wasn’t like we weren’t helping them win. A bit of gratitude wouldn’t have gone astray. But you wouldn’t believe how good I made that uniform look, Skye. The blue really brought out my eyes.”

The stranger shakes his head. “I never did understand why you turned him, Woodsman.”

“It was largely due to my entertainment value,” says Henry. “Someone had to be the court jester.”

“We both know that’s not the role you play in your family.” The stranger raises a brow in question. “Are you going to invite me in?”

“Does Rose know you’re here?” asks Lucas.

“She does.”

Lucas frowns, pauses, and then nods. “Come in, Samuel.”

“Let’s give them a moment, shall we?” Henry slips an arm around my waist and ushers me back through the house. Pausing at the fridge to grab a couple of blood bags for me, of course. Then we head for the lounge room belowground.

“A long time ago, Father was a spy and enforcer for one of the oldies. The one who turned him, actually. Father liked to rely on word of mouth to do his job for him. He’s always been a big believer in work smarter instead of harder. Every morning, when vampire children were tucked into bed, they were warned if they didn’t behave, the Woodsman would get them.”

“There are vampire children?”

“Fuck no. Who wants an immortal toddler or tween? Can you imagine anything worse?” Henry pushes his blond hair out of his face. “During that period, Father carried around this terrifying, big bloody axe. He’s still got it around here somewhere. Basically, his job was to punish the naughty. He lopped off more than a few undead heads and limbs, let me tell you.”

“That’s why they’re still so afraid of him?”

“Sweetie, in the forty-eight hours you’ve been a vampire, you’ve already seen him rip out hearts and tear off heads. I’d say their fear is warranted, wouldn’t you?”

“Are you allowed to tell me this?” I ask. “Yesterday you wouldn’t even say how old he was.”

He takes a sip of my blood bag and pulls a face. “Ugh. I honestly don’t know how you can drink that.”

“Focus, Henry.”

“I don’t really think he’d mind me telling you just that much.”

“I mind,” says a voice from the direction of the front doorway.

“Oops.” Henry winces. “Please don’t chop off my head, Father. I’ll be a good boy, I promise.”

“Shut up and go check the area for any unwelcome visitors.” Lucas enters the underground lounge with Samuel. “Skye, stay out of sight until he’s given you the okay.”

Henry takes off without another word. By the time I’ve finished my second blood bag, he’s back, and it’s officially safe to use the aboveground floors.

One thing about being a vampire, temperatures are no longer a problem. A bitterly cold wind is blowing. Not that it bothers me, particularly. But I find a black sweater and matching jeans in my armoire, along with a pair of designer boots. It is about as plain as my wardrobe goes. Being a member of this family means dressing the part, apparently. My hair is tied back in a ponytail, and I’m done. No need for me to be hanging out with strangers in my pajamas.

They’re seated in the living room when I come downstairs. Lucas is wearing a black button-down shirt and shoes. Guess you don’t entertain guests half naked. He signals me to join him on the chaise lounge.

I do as asked, but keep a good half foot of space between us. At least I’m being included in whatever this is. Henry, meanwhile, is picking out a tune on the piano, while Samuel has settled into a chair in the corner.

Outside, the night is quiet. Give or take the various insects and other animals. The neighbor to the left watches a movie, while the ones on the right eat an early dinner. Then there’s the distant hum of traffic rising up from the Sunset Strip. But I’m getting better at blocking it all out. At only focusing on the information I need here and now.

“When did you leave London?” asks Lucas.

Samuel sets his ankle on the opposite knee and makes a show of getting comfortable. “A little over thirty years ago.”

“Makes sense she’d want you with her during the cull. Someone she could trust to watch her back.”

“We’d spent enough time apart.”

Henry looks up from the keys. “Rose and Samuel have been married for centuries, Skye. It’s quite the epic romance. They were wed in Morocco in 1762. Now that was a party.”

“You’ll have to forgive us.” Samuel gives me a charming smile. “Vampires are such notorious gossips that we assume everyone already knows our business.”

“Father balances out that fact by telling her nothing,” says Henry.

Lucas frowns. “I’m not that bad.”

“Eh,” I say, because feedback is important.

“Samuel and Rose are mates. They always go back to each other in the end,” finishes Henry.

“You mean like soul mates?” I ask.

Lucas shakes his head. “There’s no proof those exist.”

“Says the supernatural creature.” Henry grins. “Call me a romantic fool, but I met this fascinating couple in Berlin a while back. It was when the wall came down. They’d been together even longer than Samuel and Rose. They met back when Genghis Khan invaded India and had rarely left each other’s sides since. Can you imagine?”

Lucas’s brows draw down. “Spending forever stuck with someone? No, thank you.”

“I thought it was lovely.” Henry pouts. “Not that I’m signing up for it or anything. What do you think, Skye? You’re on my side, aren’t you?”

“My longest relationship barely lasted a year.” I smile. “What would I know?”

Lucas clears his throat. “Here’s something you should be aware of, Skye. In Rose’s family, Samuel plays the part of spymaster.”

“I am, of course, unable to confirm if that is true or not.” Samuel looks me over in silence for a moment. “Your Skye here is the first newborn made in the city in almost thirty years. It’s been a long time since there’s been any new blood in L.A. Guard her well. Some will be jealous that you got away with flouting the rules. Some will simply target her in an attempt to make you look weak.”

“What really happened?” asks Lucas. “How did L.A. descend into rules and boards?”

Samuel’s tongue plays behind his cheek. “The largest family in Russia was dissatisfied with their hunting grounds. They decided they needed more and turned their eyes to our fair city. Lev, the heir, was in charge of the operation. He had the money to buy a large following among the greedy and stupid. Then bolstered those numbers with newborns, and lots of them. All of those creatures out on the streets every night, causing bedlam and killing indiscriminately. Within no time at all, L.A. was in turmoil. The families had no choice but to send out their guards night after night to deal with the troublemakers.”

“And that’s when Lev tried to take them out?” asks Lucas.

“Yes.” Samuel stares out at nothing. “He succeeded in destroying several of the midsize families. There were also attempted hits on Archie, Javier, and Rose. The board was hastily convened, and they didn’t trust each other. It seemed unlikely they’d agree on anything. But the cull went ahead simply because they were so desperate for a solution. Lev, unfortunately, managed to escape the city and avoid being caught.”

“I was this close to waking you, Father,” says Henry, holding two fingers half an inch apart. “It was a shitshow.”

Lucas frowns. “L.A. is a long way from Russia.”

“The old ones love a land grab. You know that. And a juicy big war always staves off the boredom for a while.”

“Why hold on to all of these rules and regulations for thirty years?” asks Lucas.

“You have to understand, what happened here in the nineties wasn’t unique,” says Samuel. “The vampire population had gotten out of hand everywhere. There were more of us than could safely share this world and its hunting grounds. To compound the problem, we’d gotten soft. The age of science made it easier to survive for a time. Humans became more rational thinkers, and no longer listened to the old stories. Many turned their backs on religion and those who would have warned them of things that go bump in the night. But there were also fewer of them for a while. A hundred-million lives were lost in the human wars of the last century. It’s just as well; they fuck like rabbits and multiply quickly.”

Henry plays a couple of bars of some piece at an up-tempo speed. His take on classical porn music, perhaps.

“But more importantly, technology changed. Governance changed. People don’t tend to go missing anymore without any follow-up from the authorities. There are fingerprint and DNA databases.”

“Henry explained to me about how far science has come,” says Lucas. “It doesn’t surprise me humans carry their individuality even into their blood. Any vampire could have told you as much.”

“And it’s not just DNA,” Samuel continues. “Cameras are everywhere, and the methods of tracking us plentiful. Our race can’t afford to have fools or careless newborns running around exposing us all to risk. The world is much more dangerous for vampires than it used to be,” says Samuel. “We weren’t the only ones to decide on population measures. Many families forbade the making of newborns and formed packs to destroy any creatures who strayed into their territories. Wars over hunting grounds broke out everywhere. Most families were diminished. Some were even wiped out entirely.”

“These are dangerous times. A fool sat on a beach in Ibiza last year, waiting for the sun to come up. Broadcast it live on social media for all the world to see. It was written off as a stunt to promote a new horror movie. Lucky our bodies turn to ash and leave no evidence.” Henry starts playing a piece by Chopin. “The nineties were a purge for our kind. There are guesses that our population dropped by almost seventy percent.”

“Is that still happening?” asks Lucas.

“No. At least, not to the same degree,” says Henry. “By the time the new century came around, our numbers were sufficiently lowered enough for everyone to relax. But from the reports I’ve received, the world out there still isn’t as cushy as it once was, Father.”

“We should have talked about this earlier,” chides Lucas.

Henry sags on the piano seat. “I only just got you back. Forgive me if I wanted a few nights of fun before detailing the many ways in which the world went to shit while you were sleeping.”

Lucas rests an arm on the back of the chaise and toys with the end of my ponytail. Picking up a lock of hair and winding it around his finger. This is odd behavior, to say the least. We’re not touchy-feely friends. We’re not even friends. Though, this seems like a serious conversation that is best not interrupted. I, therefore, give him the side-eye, but keep my mouth shut. My boot, however, shifts nervously against the Persian rug at my feet. Tonight, my body wants to move; sitting still sucks. I’m like a restless child.

“Why are you here, Samuel?” asks Lucas. “What do you want?”

“You have to take Archie’s seat,” he answers. “Anything else will make the board look weak and leave them open to challenge. You would be forcing them to move against you. As you can imagine, the laws have been unpopular. The board has already publicly committed to a lessening of them, along with reducing the presence of board members’ guards on the streets. But Lev has been sighted in Seattle. We know his family didn’t take well to his failure here. And the mess that is now your territory would appeal to anyone looking for a place to start some trouble.”

“The house on Lake Como is lovely this time of year,” says Henry. “Or the penthouse in Copenhagen. Fuck it. Even the draughty old castle in Scotland would be tolerable given the circumstances. Just in case anyone was wondering what I was thinking.”

“The fact is, you weren’t here to help sort shit out when we could have done with assistance, Lucas,” says Samuel, in a brusque tone. “If you’re going to stay in this town, you need to step up. We don’t want another cull. But if Lev, once again, starts causing chaos, we may not have a choice.”

“What’s happening with Archie’s family, now that he’s gone?” asks Lucas, changing the subject.

“Some have gone into hiding. Some are being absorbed into other families,” reports Samuel. “But even with his group diminished, one of Archie’s guards, Joshua, is making a move. There are rumors that he was the family assassin, but we’re having trouble confirming that. I find it unlikely, since my sources have confirmed that it was he who ordered the hit on you last night outside that club.”

“Why not do it himself, if he’s really the assassin?” asks Lucas.

“That’s my thought.”

“Wait. Someone named Josh tried to kill us?” asks Henry archly. “Are you serious?”

Samuel shrugs.

“Oh, his head is fucking mine. Like hell I’ll have a Josh paying people to take shots at us.”

Lucas holds up a hand for silence. The one that isn’t busy playing with my hair. He pauses for a moment before saying, “I don’t remember anyone of that name being particularly close to Archie. Was he the designated heir? Did he inherit the family money?”

“No. That’s the interesting part.” Samuel’s smile is slow and kind of evil. “Archie kept his purse strings tight and his wealth well hidden. In the event of his unfortunate demise, it was all to go to his favorite. But you’d already dealt with Christos. It’s going to take Josh a while to track down exactly what Archie did with it all.

“And in the meantime, Josh has no visible means of his own. He’s only just over a century old, and not exactly good with finances, according to reports. He also made overtures to a disgruntled member of Javier’s guard. One who’s been vocal about his dislike of the board. Joshua offered him serious money for his sire’s head.”

“How do we know this?”

“Javier employs a hacker.”

“That’s someone who can break into computer systems,” explains Henry. “Intercept electronic mail and messages and so on.”

“Is someone funding Josh?” asks Lucas. “And if so, who?”

“That’s the question,” says Samuel. “But he’s gone to ground and I can’t find him. Wasn’t even able to locate the marksman they used in last night’s attempt. I will say it’s a level of organization and secrecy I wasn’t expecting. Until we figure out if someone powerful is backing him, we have no idea if the attempts on your family will continue, or how serious they’ll be.”

Henry sighs and plays some low, jarring notes. “You’re going to have to send for them, Father.”

“I already have.” Lucas’s face is a perfect blank. “All right, Samuel. Please tell your board that I accept the seat.”