Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael 2)

"I'm burned, not disabled. Of course I can stand."

Her grin widened. “Just as well vampires don't get sick. You'd be a horrible damn patient."

"And you'd be the most annoying nurse.” He stood, then pulled her towards him, crushing the ice pack between them. If it was cold, she didn't feel it. He smiled slightly. “But I wouldn't mind seeing you in a nice little nurse's uniform."

"Oh yeah? That some sort of fetish I should know about?"

"Maybe,” he murmured. He bent and kissed her so hard and so long it snatched her breath and left her dizzy.

"Damn,” she muttered when she was able to breathe again. “Maybe you should get mugged more often."

"If you stayed—” He hesitated then stepped away, catching the ice pack as it fell. “You want to lead the way to Rachel?"

If you stayed. The unfinished sentence echoed through the link, through her soul. She smiled slightly. At least he was thinking about it, even if he wasn't yet ready to take that risk.

"This way,” she said, and led the way to the back parking lot and Rachel. Michael squatted beside the prone vampire and lightly touched her cheek. She was hot, burning hot. Like Nikki had been when the flame imps were in her. Like Elizabeth was this evening. He met Nikki's gaze. “She has an imp in her?"

She nodded and crossed her arms, as if to ward off a chill. “Yes. And I think its controlling her fledgling desires, at least to some extent. It's given her control."

"And yet she still desires to eat.” It meant the vampire urges were strong—maybe too strong to save her. He glanced down at the young vampire. Rachel was awake, her blue eyes dark with fury. Do you want to live?

He filled the thought with cold anger. She blinked, and fear stirred in her thoughts. She nodded. We want to live.

He wasn't sure if it was the imp replying, or Rachel, or maybe even both. It didn't really matter, as long as they obeyed. If I release you, you will do as you're told? You will not try to escape?

Again she nodded.

Because if you do try ... He left the thought hanging. Rachel knew what would happen if she tried. He could see the knowledge of death hovering in her mind. He took the car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Nikki. “Bring the car around. I'll contact Seline and see what we can arrange." She spun away, her footsteps echoing across the night. He scanned the parking lot, then reached out with his mind.

About damn time, came Seline's grumble. I was beginning to worry. If she were truly worried, she would have sent someone else out here to see what was going on . Got several problems for you, Seline. First up, is there anyone near Jackson Hole who could come and collect a package?

Package? Human or other?

Other. A young vampire who may be hosting another entity in her body. Nikki believes both can be saved. He didn't think so himself—not if the hunger in Rachel's mind was anything to go by. Doyle's flying in from Utah. I can get him to divert immediately. Silence filled the line for several seconds. A friend of his owns the Triple T ranch off Moose-Wilson Road. Apparently it has a private air strip. As long as he can get the proper clearances, he'll be there in twenty minutes. What's this other entity? Anything dangerous?

Nikki drove up. Michael began unwrapping the young vampire's feet. They apparently call themselves flame imps. They're some sort of fire creatures. I haven't seen them, but Nikki has. They can inhabit the bodies of others, controlling them.

Did Elizabeth have one in her? Was this magician's control over the imp in her the reason she couldn't leave?

Surprise whisked down the line. Flame imps? Haven't heard of them for ages. I didn't think there were any here in America.

Nikki climbed out of the car and walked toward them. She had a distracted look in her eyes, as if she were listening to something. Maybe she was, he thought, and snapped the link closed between them. She blinked, then glared at him. He smiled slightly and rose, pulling Rachel roughly to her feet. Then you've heard of them?

There's mention of them dotted throughout ancient texts.

So what are they, exactly?

Michael thrust Rachel into the back seat then climbed in beside her. She might have promised to behave, but he wasn't about to trust her. Not with Nikki in the car with them. “Head toward Moose-Wilson Road,” he said, as Nikki climbed back into the driver's seat. “We're looking for the Triple T ranch." She nodded and didn't ask the questions he could sense in her mind. Seline's shrug shimmered down the line. The imps are energy spirits, basically. They're generally only seen during the lunar cycle's new moon phases. It is said they can find human form during that time, and that no human male who sees them can resist them. If they can find human form, why were they being forced into people like Rachel—and maybe Elizabeth?

So they're some sort of energy siren?

Partially—they do not devour their prey, just suck the energy from them, leaving them drained but alive. And only during their mating cycles. I've never heard of them actually cohabiting within another's body.

It's something they appear to have no choice in. The man behind the kidnappings is apparently using magic to force them into the bodies of others—generally vampires, from what I've seen. Probably because a vampire is the only being capable of withstanding the heat of the imp for any length of time. Humans would literally melt.

Nikki hadn't, but then, they weren't really in her that long. But the vampire at the airport had melted. Maybe there were limits, even then.

I take it that you've encountered the man behind all this?