Annie Nicholas - Catch

I’d been barefoot, not being able to wear Rurik’s shoes and losing my high heels the other night. “Let’s go back.”

“Wait.” Gwen grabbed my arm and stopped my turn. “I smell something wrong.”

A chill shot from the base of my spine to my shoulders. Stiff backed, I twisted from side to side and tried to find a scent. Nothing unusual troubled my nose. Flowers, plants and dirt all registered. “I don’t smell it.”

“You wouldn’t.” She let my arm go then brought her face close to the ground as if sniffing a trail.

I blinked, opened my mouth to ask what the hell she was doing, but snapped it shut.

As a blood slave of a Nosferatu vampire ruler, standing on the side of a small mountain in Brazil, Gwen smelling the dirt really shouldn’t surprise me.

A handgun appeared in her hand and she motioned for me to get down.

I didn’t need to be asked twice, I dropped to my stomach and waited. Lightheaded from the sudden move, I stared at one of the pebbles on the path. An ant crawled on top of it as if on a hill. I could relate.

Gwen crept soundlessly through the underbrush. I didn’t know if I should follow.

Allowing Rurik to hunt me for fun this past year taught me to be quiet. I could move like her if I concentrated and didn’t let fear rule me.

One step at a time, I inched forward. Move a leaf, check for things that might creak, step, then repeat. So focused on the jungle floor, I almost got up-close-and-personal with Gwen’s ass.

Still as stone, she studied something on the ground in front of her.

I twisted to look at the path. We’d gone about thirty feet from it.

“You can stand.” Gwen rose with fluid ease and returned the firearm to its holster.

“She’s been dead a while. The killer is long gone.”

What? I shoved past her and regretted it. A young woman lay in a shallow grave.

Bits and pieces of her missing, some of the wildlife must have been snacking. Her long brown hair braided in hundreds of thin strands and twisted into a complicated knot on her head. It appeared as if she’d been dressed to go out somewhere fancy. Her dress and heels seemed intact, but her eyes were gone.

My stomach heaved without warning.

Gwen yanked me away from the body so I wouldn’t desecrate it. “Come on, I need to get you someplace safe then take care of this mess.”

I wiped my chin with the back of my hand. Breakfast didn’t taste as good the second time around. “Will Tane let the police in here?”

“For this? No.” Gwen shook her head and still held my arm as she guided me back to the path. “Whoever did it will get punished though, if not killed. He has no tolerance for murder, there’s no need for it.”

The radio on her belt squealed.

I jumped as if Satan had pinched my ass and I might have wet Rurik’s pants just a bit.

She lifted it to her mouth and spoke in Portuguese. I understood enough to make out the words blood and truck . Her frown deepened and she raised her voice while gesturing with her free hand.

I glanced back at the jungle where the body lay. The rays of the setting sun were fading behind the mountain. Zombie movie flashbacks wreaked havoc on my nerves.

“This would be a perfect setting for horror movie. All we need is a full moon.”

“That’s the last thing I need, Connie. Let’s go.” She took my hand and led me downhill at a quick pace.

“Is a blood delivery here?” My words came out between pants.

“I thought you didn’t speak Portuguese?”

“My vocabulary is good, but I can’t string them into sentences. I’m blonde, not stupid.” The mansion peeked between the leaves of the trees.

“There are too many vampires here for our humans to feed them safely. Most won’t be happy to drink cold blood, yet it will have to do.”

“Why are there so many?” It didn’t make sense to gather in numbers. Like Gwen said, supply and demand wouldn’t work.

“When Master Tane disappeared, many came to help with the search. They’ll be leaving tonight after the party.”

“A party?”

She stopped and stared at me. “Rurik didn’t tell you. I explained it to him last night after he’d fed.”

“He got distracted.” What an understatement.

“You need to attend.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Word is spreading about your bond to Master Tane. He’ll require your presence, a show of solidarity.” She stepped very close and glared down her nose at me. “This isn’t up for negotiations.”

I swallowed around a dry lump in my throat. “Okay.”

She nodded and stepped back. “Let’s get you settled so you can get ready for tonight.”

“What about the body?’

“What body?”

“You sound like a broken record.” Gwen stopped by the door to my room.

“I hate leaving that body alone in the jungle for anything to nibble on her.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I met Gwen’s dark glare. The empty pit that used to be my stomach still rolled.

“She’s dead. It doesn’t matter to her anymore. Look, Connie. I’m short-handed as is and this nest is about to wake. Do me a favor and stay in your room until I get this sorted out, or Rurik awakens.”

I nodded before opening the door.

Touching my shoulder, she made me hesitate. “I’d hate to find you in that jungle next.” She spun around and left me staring at her back.

Me too .

The door swung open about two inches then stopped. I tried it again and it met resistance. “Rurik?” No one answered but the sun was close to setting. What else blocked my way? With my shoulder pressed to the solid wood, I pushed until it gave enough space for me to squeeze through.

“What now?” I set my hands on my hips and regarded the luggage strewn across the floor. Someone had gone to our freaking hotel, packed our stuff and then brought them here. Strangers touched my delicates, who would like that?

I appreciated the gesture, I guessed. Eventually Rurik would want his clothes back and that would leave me with nothing but blankets. Something fresh to wear would be great…and shoes, except they didn’t need to bring everything.

Like a gong, the notion hit me. They expected us to stay. I glanced at my sleeping lover. Did he want to remain here among his own kind?

The door opened and a man stood with another suitcase in his hand.

I rounded on him. “Who told you to bring my things here?”

He set it by the door and raised his hands. “Não falam Inglês.”

Great, no English . I let out an angry sigh. “Empregador.” It should mean boss .

Nodding his head, he retreated from the room as I followed. We didn’t go far, left down the hall, then made a right to a guarded double door entrance. My guide spoke with one while the other eyed my oversized clothing and dirty bare feet.

Yep, that’s me, blood slave to your vampire king. All I was missing was a frayed straw hat and some chewing tobacco.

He spoke into his radio, however I didn’t hear a response.

Above their heads, I noted a small camera embedded in the wall. I twisted to look at the intersecting hallways and noted a similar set up. That’s how Gwen knew I’d left my room the first time; she was going to be pissed about this too. Right now, I didn’t care.

The three conferred in quiet voices until the first one gestured to me. “Follow me, Ms. Bence.”

They opened a door and let me in. We passed a small entry into a sitting area with a library from where I could see what appeared to be an office and heard the running shower.

Paintings of the sea covered every wall. Stormy, calm, some with boats, one with whales, and another with a familiar yacht I’d had the misfortune of sitting on.