Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

Her gaze moved over Alex. His whole body was rigid, his knuckles white around the stake clutched in his hand.

Daisy was beginning to worry that she would have to do something to stop Erik when he ran his tongue over the bites in Alex's wrist, then lifted his head.

Alex took a step backward, his expression uncertain.

Erik's gaze met hers. His eyes were still red and glowing; a drop of bright red blood stained his lower lip. With his gaze still on hers, he licked it off.

"Waste not, want not," he muttered.

Chapter 31

Rhys Costain stared into the empty cell. How the devil had Erik slipped his bonds and escaped? Silver rendered a vampire powerless. Erik couldn't have dissolved into mist and floated away.

Stepping into the cell, Rhys nudged the shackles with his foot. Someone had picked the lock.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, then spat out a string of curses as two familiar scents mingled with Delacourt's.

"Dammit!" He drove his fist into the wall, shattering brick and mortar as if it were cardboard. "Traitor!" The word echoed off the cold stone walls. "Traitor!"

Damn her! Mariah had been right all along. Delacourt had been in league with the hunters who had tried to destroy him. But why now, after all this time? And what the hell difference did it make?

Rhys slammed the cell door shut. The clang of metal against metal echoed off the walls.

"Vampire, trust no one," he muttered.

Turning on his heel, he stalked toward the stairway, his anger growing with every step.

"Damn your black soul, Delacourt. You can run, but you can't hide from me. I'll find you. All of you. And death will be a long time coming!"

Chapter 32

"So, what now?" Daisy asked.

At Erik's request, she and Alex had both had something to eat and drink and now the three of them were sitting in the living room. Erik sat in the chair facing the sofa, his expression pensive. Alex sat on the sofa beside Daisy. He looked wary and apprehensive. Daisy couldn't blame him. She wasn't anxious to face Rhys Costain again, even with Erik on their side. She knew Erik was a powerful vampire, but Rhys was far older, and vampires grew stronger with every passing year.

Alex straightened in his chair. "What are you staring at, vampire?"

"I was thinking about the reward on Costain's head. Who told you about it?"

"I found it on a Web site. You know, sort of a vampire hunter's craigslist."

"Who offered it?"

"I don't know. There was no name, just an e-mail address."

Erik ran a hand over his jaw, his expression thoughtful. "How were you supposed to claim the reward?"

"I was instructed to send an e-mail saying it was done, and then we were supposed to arrange a meet."

"What were you going to take as proof? Once you kill him, he's dust."

Alex shrugged. "I was told to collect whatever was left and take it with me."

"Only another vampire would be able to tell if the remains belonged to Rhys or not."

Alex frowned. "So, you're saying a vampire put out a hit on another vampire?"

Erik nodded.

"Why would they do that?" Daisy asked.

"Could be a lot of reasons. Anger. Jealousy. Someone wanting to take over Costain's territory." Erik grunted softly. "I wonder..."

"What are you thinking?" Daisy asked.

"Costain has made a lot of enemies in his time. Some of them are right here, in LA. I'm thinking we might be able to set a trap."

"Yeah? Before or after Costain kills us?" Alex asked.

Daisy glared at him. "That's not funny."

"Damn right!" Alex retorted.

"Calm down, you two," Erik said impatiently. "If we can hand the traitor to Rhys, maybe it'll let us off the hook."

"And if it doesn't?" Alex asked.

"We'll be no worse off than we are now. Besides, I've got a pretty good idea who it is."

"Why did Costain turn against you?" Daisy asked.

"He thinks I'm the one who put the hit out on him."

"Did you?" Alex asked.

"Alex, don't be a bigger idiot than you are," Daisy said with a huff of annoyance.

Rising, Alex began to pace the floor. "Okay, suppose you convince Costain that you're innocent. How's that gonna help us? We tried to take him out."

"I'm pretty sure I can persuade him to leave you alone."

"Pretty sure?" Alex said. "That's a real comfort."

"We've got to start somewhere," Erik said. "Rhys is the most powerful vampire I know. I don't want to fight him if I can help it. I'd rather try to reason with him. If that doesn't work..." He shrugged. "Then it's the three of us against him."

Muttering under his breath, Alex paced the length of the room.

Daisy leaned toward Erik. "Do you think the three of us can beat him?"

"I'm betting my life on it."

"Yeah," Alex said glumly. "And ours, too."

"I want to see that ad," Erik said, rising.

Daisy led the way into her office and switched on the light. Alex sat at the computer, with Daisy and Erik standing behind him.

It took him only a few moments for Alex to find the right listing.

Daisy grimaced as she read the ad, which was short and to the point.

Two-hundred-thousand-dollar reward for the head of Rhys Costain.

Contact MC at hunterz666.net when the job is done.

"Now what?" Alex asked.

"I need to go out for a while," Erik said. "Then I'm going to get in touch with Rhys and see if he'll listen to reason. I'm going to tell him what I think is going on. If he's willing to be reasonable, we'll see about setting that trap."

"And if he isn't willing to be reasonable?" Daisy asked. "What then?"

Erik shook his head. "Then it's a whole new ball of wax."

"Why are you going out?" Alex asked, suspicious as always. "How do we know you're not going behind our backs to make a deal with Costain? You know, our lives for yours?"

"Alex, enough! Erik saved my life. He saved your life. I won't have you talking to him like he's our enemy."

"It's all right, Daisy," Erik said. "He has no reason to trust me, any more than I trust him. Like I said, I need to go out."

Daisy watched him leave the room, and then hurried after him.

"Erik, wait!"

He turned at the sound of her voice.

"When will you be back? What if Rhys comes here?"

"Don't worry, darlin'." Erik put one finger under her chin. "I'll be back as soon as I can. If Rhys comes here, don't talk to him. Don't open the door. Don't ask him inside."