Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
I waited on the dock and tried to focus on the beams of morning light rippling across the water.
The longer it took for the boat to arrive, the more anxious I grew.
Nauseated stomach. Tight chest muscles. The desire to hurl myself into the channel.
I should’ve stolen a couple of Meemaw’s edibles on my way out yesterday.
Five years ago, I’d taken certain precautions to guarantee my safety.
It was best for everyone if that particular secret stayed buried.
Now I was about to leave that security blanket behind.
It was almost a laughable concept given the present circumstances.
Belinda’s and Judd’s murders were proof that safety was an illusion.
I heard the whir of the motor before I saw the speck in the distance.
This was no boat; it was a yacht . Because of course it was.
I forced myself to relax. It would be a quick trip to Savannah. I’d kiss Vale’s ring, pretend to accept his help, then hightail it back to the island. Three hours max. I’d be fine.
You can do hard things, Maya . My father’s voice echoed in my mind.
As the yacht approached, I expected to greet Gage, but it seemed Vale had sent another minion to collect me. Whoever he was, I didn’t need to see the fangs to know he was a vampire. His broadbrimmed hat was appropriate for someone with the rugged good looks of an actor from 1950s Westerns.
He docked the yacht with an expert hand, then swaggered to the gangway to introduce himself. His eyes were as dark as his wavy hair.
“You must be Maya August. The name’s Cowboy. Nice to meet you.”
“Which came first? The nickname or the outfit?”
“Real name is Nicolas Araya Calvo. Friends used to call me Cal, which morphed into Cowboy.” He tapped the brim of his hat. “The style came later.”
“Nicolas Araya Calvo,” I repeated. A big name for a big vampire.
“In my culture, it’s common to have two surnames—father’s family name first, then mother’s.”
“And which culture is that?”
“I’m Chilean.”
“And what’s your relationship to Vale?”
His gaze flicked to the yacht. “Why don’t we talk on the way? The boss doesn’t like to be kept waiting, and I’m already running behind schedule.”
“Beautiful boat,” I said, stepping aboard.
“Vale has excellent taste and the money to match it.”
The moment we left the dock, it felt like we rode straight out of a vacuum-sealed container. We were now outside Evermore’s ward. My stomach churned worse than the water in the channel .
“What would you like to know?” Cowboy asked, once we reached the open water.
“Well, you’re not his right hand. That honor seems to belong to Gage.” A light mist sprayed my face. It was a refreshing reprieve from the oppressive heat and humidity.
“You got that right. I’ve worked for Vale for the past ten years, though.”
“In what capacity? Errand boy?”
Cowboy laughed loudly and I half expected him to slap his thigh. “Among other things.”
“You must like him if you’ve stuck around for a decade.” Not that a decade meant much to a vampire.
Cowboy gave me a sly look. “Either that or he’s hanging something over my head, right?”
“I didn’t say that.” But I was thinking it.
“I don’t always like him, but I respect him.”
Interesting. “Why don’t you always like him?”
“Vale can be…prickly.”
“I can be prickly. That isn’t necessarily a helpful descriptor.”
Cowboy smirked. “You’ll see.”
My nerves were fried by the time my feet hit land.
I hesitated a moment, waiting to see if anything happened—a lightning strike, a thunderclap, anything to indicate that my presence had been detected.
The only notable sound was the blare of an alarm and flashing lights as Cowboy unlocked the black Land Rover with tinted windows parked on the street.
“It’s only a short drive,” he said as I climbed into the passenger seat beside him.
I stared out the window as he drove, watching the scenery drift by.
Despite its close proximity to the island, I wasn’t familiar with Savannah.
I’d only spent an hour in the city before I was transported to Evermore.
“Lots of squares,” I remarked. I’d counted five so far.
Cowboy chuckled. “Your observation skills are unparalleled.” He pulled over and parked alongside the street. “This is the closest spot I’ll get. Vale’s house is on the corner.”
I exited the vehicle and waited to follow his lead. A neighbor stood outside and aimed a hose at a collection of potted plants. His efforts drenched the uneven cobblestones, leaving them slick with water. I slowed my pace, careful not to slip.
We reached a wrought iron gate sculpted with images of round fruit. Peaches. To the average person in Savannah, it was the state symbol of Georgia, but it was also a symbol of immortality.
“Is Vale a vampire too?” I asked.
Cowboy glanced over his shoulder at me. “You really do live on a sheltered island, don’t you?”
Not sheltered enough or I wouldn’t be here. Cowboy stopped outside the gate. “This is where I leave you.”
“So soon? But we’ve barely scratched the surface of your idyllic childhood.”
“Next time.” He gave a brief bow. “Great to meet you, Maya. I hope our paths cross again soon.”
“Won’t they cross again later today when you take me back to Evermore?”
“Someone else will be escorting you to the island. I have another obligation.”
As much as I wanted to dig further into his obligation, I opted to let it go. I had a feeling they were on a need-to-know basis, and if you needed to know, you weren’t long for this world.
I turned to face the Gothic mansion that overlooked an atmospheric square.
A fountain took center stage, spewing water that resulted in a soothing, gurgling sound.
Spanish moss hung from the live oak trees that secured each corner of the square.
Golden flames flickered in the black lampposts, adding to the ambience.
I drew a deep breath. “You can do this, Maya. In. Out. Back to Evermore. Everybody’s happy.”
I unlatched the gate and strode up the walkway with all the confidence I could muster. If anyone was watching me from the window, they’d have no sense of my inner turmoil.
I used the peach-shaped knocker and waited. The door opened to reveal another vampire. This one lacked Cowboy’s affable demeanor. He simply stood in the doorway and glared at me like I’d interrupted his nap.
“I’m Maya August. I believe Vale is expecting me.”
The vampire grunted. After an awkward moment, I realized that was his way of inviting me in. I entered the foyer and waited for further instructions. The vampire folded his muscular arms and placed his legs in a V position.
“Are you Vale?” I sure hoped not, or this meeting was going to take longer than the three hours I’d promised myself.
A rumble rolled from the vampire. It took me a second to realize the sound was laughter. Not Vale, then.
I closed my mouth and took the opportunity to admire the interior.
It wasn’t at all what I expected. Important men like Vale generally used their houses to show off their wealth and status.
Despite the minions and the demands of fealty, Vale’s house managed to reflect warmth and comfort.
It was the building equivalent of a steel-toed boot.
After a few minutes ticked past, my anxiety crept back in. If I could walk out of here this second and return to Evermore, I’d make a deal with the devil himself.
“Would you mind asking your boss to hurry up,” I finally said. “I have important work at home that requires my attention.”
“I apologize for the wait,” a voice said. Deep, smooth, sonorous.
I glanced at the top of the staircase. It was the closest I’d ever get to watching a Greek god descend from Mount Olympus. Black hair. Ice-blue eyes. A jawline that could slice through titanium.
“Maya August. Thank you for coming.” He extended a hand when he reached the foyer floor. “My name is Vale.”
“Got a second name, Mr. Vale?”
“Nope. Just Vale.” He nodded at the vampire, who retreated to the corridor before disappearing into another room.
I gestured airily. “Nice location. Do you ever sit on a bench in the square and contemplate the universe and your place in it?”
“No, I do that from the luxury of one of my upstairs balconies that overlook the square.”
One of his balconies? It was good to be the unofficial king of Savannah.
“Just out of curiosity, were the vampires meant to be intimidating?”
Vale’s expression was as impenetrable as the house’s brick facade. “What makes you think that?”
“You could’ve sent a perky elf in a dinghy to fetch me. Instead you sent a muscled vampire on a yacht and then had another one greet me at the door.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know any elves.”
“For the record, it takes a lot more to intimidate me than a burly vamp.”
“For the record, I wasn’t trying to intimidate you. Gage was busy, and Cowboy was the only one I trusted who was available at the allotted pickup time.” His frosty eyes flicked over me. “Now it’s my turn to be curious. Do you have a lot of experience with people trying to intimidate you?”
I couldn’t answer that truthfully. “I’m in charge of security for an island full of powerful people. What do you think?” To be fair, certain Neighbors did throw their hat in the ring on occasion to see who could ruffle my feathers. No matter what they tried, it was always a futile effort.
My answer seemed to satisfy him. “If you’ll follow me, I thought it best to meet in the library.”
“Because you’ll need quick access to reference books?”
He shot me a quizzical look. “Because it’s quiet and comfortable.”
Right.
We walked along the corridor in awkward silence.
I feigned interest in the paintings that lined the walls, not that he was even looking at me—unless he had eyes in the back of his head, which was always a possibility.
At this point, I had no idea what he was, which was unusual for me.
I’d been trained to identify nonhumans within a nanosecond.