As Twilight Falls

“Where is he?” she demanded, jabbing her finger into his chest. “Where’s Carl?”

Saintcrow grabbed her hand and bent it back until she flinched. “If you point that finger at me again, you’ll lose it.” He bent her hand back a little more, until she dropped to her knees. “Remember who you’re talking to.”

She nodded, her lips compressed in pain.

“Carl and Kiel have both been dispatched,” he said, his gaze moving over the other vampires. “They accosted my woman, and they paid the price. The rest of you might remember that.” He released his hold on Lilith and she scrambled back to her seat. “So,” he said, “what’s going on?”

“We’re tired of living like this,” Vaughan said.

“Right,” Wes agreed. “We’re living like sheep instead of wolves.”

Saintcrow glanced at the other vampires, his gaze resting momentarily on each of them. “You all feel this way?”

Trent stood, his arms crossed over his chest. “We do.” “I take it this is something you’ve been talking about for quite a while.”

Vaughan nodded.

“You might want to rethink it,” Saintcrow suggested. “The hunters have united. They aren’t hunting individually now, but in packs. They’re well armed and well informed. And relentless.”

“You’re just saying that,” Felix said. “You like keeping us here.”

Saintcrow snorted. “Why the hell would you think that?”

“Well . . .” Felix shrugged.

“It makes you feel like you’re the king or something,” Gil said. “Giving orders, keeping us here like we’re serfs.”

Saintcrow shook his head. “You want out? Fine. Get the hell out of here, all of you.”

“You mean it?” Lilith asked. “We can go?”

“I said it, didn’t I?”

“What about the humans?”

“What about them?”

“Are they free to go, too?”

“No. When you’re ready to leave, let me know, and I’ll escort you across the bridge.”

Lilith looked at him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “How do we know you’re not going to destroy us when we leave here?”

“I won’t have to. The hunters will take care of that for me. Like I said, let me know when you’re ready to go.”

With a last look at the vampires, Saintcrow left the tavern. So, they wanted out, did they? Well, to hell with them. He’d taken them in, provided them with a comfortable lair and a variety of human prey. And now they wanted out. Well, good riddance.

“We’re free!” Lilith exclaimed. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Maybe we’re being hasty,” Vaughan said.

“Hasty?” Wes exclaimed. “This was your idea in the first place!”

“I know, but he’s right. We don’t know what’s going on outside. We haven’t had to seek a safe lair or hunt in years.”

“I’m pretty sure we all remember how,” Lilith said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“That’s not the point,” Vaughan said. “Saintcrow is the oldest vampire among us. If he’s reluctant to leave here, maybe we should reconsider. Maybe we could convince him to let us know what’s going on outside.”

“Maybe,” Gil said dubiously.

“What do you think he’ll do with the humans?” Lilith asked. “He won’t have any use for them when we’re gone.”

“Forget the humans. We need to know what’s going on in the world outside,” Nolan said. “When I came here, the people who believed we existed were few and far between. If that’s changed, we need to know.”

“So, we ask him to bring us up to date,” Vaughan said.

“Fine,” Lilith said. “You go ask him. And ask him what he’s going to do with the humans while you’re at it.”

“All right, I will.”

Saintcrow scowled when he opened the door and saw Vaughan on the porch. “You ready to go?”

“Not yet.”

“So, what are you doing here?”

“We talked it over. We decided we need to know what’s going on outside before we leave.” He cleared his throat. “We want you to help us connect with others of our kind in the outside world, find out what we’re up against when we leave here.”

“Is that right?”

“Come on, you owe it to us.”

“I don’t owe you a damn thing.”

“I know. We came here of our own accord and in spite of whatever was said earlier, we appreciate what you’ve done. You’ve taken good care of us.”

“Uh-huh.”

Vaughan grinned. “You don’t buy that, huh?”

“Not for a minute,” Saintcrow said.

“Would it help if I said please?”

Saintcrow shook his head in amusement. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Oh, Lilith was wondering what you’re going to do with the humans.”

“Tell her to keep wondering.”

Saintcrow stood at the door, staring out into the night long after Vaughan had taken his leave. So, the coven wanted to be brought up to date. No doubt they’d want cell phones and newspapers next. Letting them stay here had seemed like a good idea at the time. It had all started with Nolan. He had saved Browning from being staked by a couple of hunters and brought him here. Browning had asked to stay. He had found Lilith the same way, the ungrateful shrew. She’d been nothing but trouble the whole time she’d been here. Trent and Quinn had found the place by accident. He had run into Vaughan and the others on various trips outside and offered them his protection.

Well, he was tired of playing nursemaid. Hell, they were free to go, all of them. The sooner, the better, he thought, then paused. Without the coven, he had no need for the humans. He never fed on any of them, preferring to hunt outside. Still, Kadie would be lonely without someone to keep her company during the day. The men could go, but like it or not, the women would be staying.

Chapter 20

Kadie was surprised the next night, when, out of the blue, Saintcrow asked if she would like to go shopping with him.

“Sure,” she said eagerly. “Where are we going?”

“To a local mall. I need to get something for the coven.”

“I don’t believe it!”