Annie Nicholas - Catch

Removing the skirt, I dropped it on a chair and jumped into the cool, clear water next to her. Head first, I broke the surface and saw a shocked, half-soaked Bel gaping at me.

A huge grin spread her rosebud mouth then she jumped in with me. She brought out my inner child and made me want to have fun. Something I never really had the opportunity to have growing up.

Like a couple of fools, we splashed and swam. Soft sand lined the bottom of the natural pool and dark gray, smooth stones lined the walls. Jungle plants surrounded the area giving me the impression of being in the wild. A marvel.

I swam free of Bel’s antics toward the small falls. The water fell cool and clear.

What was its source? It smelled like it came from a spring. My skin tingled as I let it pour over my head. A thick vine grew close to the ledge. I grabbed it and pulled myself onto the top.

Bel doggy paddled in my direction, her limbs pumping and getting entangled in the floating skirts of her swim suit.

With a laugh, I cannon balled close to her. Tiny bubbles traveled past my face while I sank. Sand swirled through the water clouding my view as Bel stood. I kicked to break the surface, but hit resistance.

Something leaned on my head. I reached and found a small hand grasping my hair.

Bracing my feet in the slippery sand, I pushed away and sharp pain filled my head as my hair got yanked.

Pulled out of the water, I gasped a lungful of air. Bel’s laughter rang in my ears before the water swallowed me whole again. I struggled and kicked and scratched.

Even though Bel was slight and petite, she was still a vampire with the strength of the undead. Fortune on my side for once, I was blood bound to the strongest Nosferatu in the vampire nation. It didn’t make me Bel’s equal, but it made me stronger than the average human woman.

I dove toward her body, grabbed around her waist, and lifted her over my shoulder.

When I stood, she let go with a squeal and I allowed the fresh air to fill my starved lungs.

Now that I held onto Bel, I feared to let her go. She might attack again. Maybe she forgot I needed to breathe? And where the hell was Rurik?

She slapped my back and kicked, splashing enough water to drown me above the damn water line. All the while she laughed.

Coughing half the pool out between words, I managed to call out her name. “Bel!

Bel, stop.”

She finally heard and rested quiet in my arms until I set her down. In a spasm that shook me to the core, I coughed the last of the water I’d inhaled. When the stars cleared from my vision, a wide-eyed vampire girl stared at me.

“Are you well, Connie?” She whispered.

“Sure, peachy-keen.”

Bel grinned and flashed fang. My sarcasm slid past her.

“You could have killed me.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and retreated to the edge of the pool.

Her smile faded. “I thought we were playing.”

Without taking my eyes off her, I lifted myself out of the water. “You got too rough.

I’m still mortal.”

She placed her small, delicate hand over her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Moving slowly, she came toward me. “Please don’t tell on me. Archios will be so angry. I’m not supposed to play with humans anymore. Tane isn’t as understanding as Dragos. I don’t want to be placed on the mountaintop to watch the dawn.” She hiccupped her last word before sobbing. “I just wanted to be your friend. The others are so mean to me when Archios isn’t around and you’re so nice.”

Lost in a torrent of fear, pity, and guilt, I watched Bel crawl out of the pool. A friend? How odd it felt to be wanted. Most of my life I’d been alone so I understood her need. It gave us a connection.

I closed the distance between us and hugged her like I wished someone had done for me so long ago. “I won’t tell.”

After my near death experience with poor Bel, I sent her back to her apartment and returned to my room. Rurik waited there for me. If his looks could kill, I would have spontaneously combusted the moment I stepped in the room.

“Sometimes I wish you’d keep your mouth shut.” He pulled a pink business suit from the closet and tossed it on the bed.

His comment froze me to spot, he’d never complained before.

My off-white silk blouse joined the suit then he yanked out a suitcase. “Tane is sending you to the hotel tonight. Why did you have to volunteer?” He dropped the luggage and confronted me.

Water dripped from my hair and pooled on the carpet at my feet. “I—I, he…” I pointed out the door.

“ Now you lose the ability to speak.”

I pursed my lips as my blood boiled. “It sounded like they wanted to kill Colby.”

“They do!” He waved his hands in the air. “Now you’re in the middle of it and I’ve been ordered to remain here .”

“Why are you angry now? You didn’t say anything when we left and—Wait a second, you went back to Tane, didn’t you? You went back to his room to talk him out of the plan, not to give Archios your passport.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Absolutely.”

“I have a hard time believing Colby would be so stupid to run around with a crossbow in his hands after shooting it. He has a whole arsenal of better weapons to use.

You don’t know him like I do.” I slammed the door. “Are those clothes for me?” I pointed to bed.

He nodded.

“Then I best get ready.” As I walked to the bathroom to finish drying, I paused next to him. “I can take care of myself. Don’t worry so much.” Then I kissed him on the cheek.

The night doorman who helped me out of the taxi held an umbrella to shield me from the pouring rain. A bellhop took care of the luggage as I walked into the Fasano Hotel—the same place Rurik and I stayed New Years Eve.

Tane thought my return here would be a reasonable conclusion for Colby to make.

Rumors of my leaving the vampires flooded the city before I left the mansion.

I obtained my keycard from the desk, crossed the foyer and hit the elevator button.

Colby would have to be deaf not hear the news. He needed information on vampire movements since the minor clans hunted the streets tonight and the werewolves would take over before morning. Worse, Tane sent his two Nosferatu brothers still visiting Rio to monitor human thoughts for signs of Colby. They wouldn’t fight for Tane, it would make him look weak, but this assistance apparently was acceptable. So they coordinated everything. Airports, train and bus stations were watched.

A shiver ran down my spine. The power Tane held scared me and this was only the tip of the iceberg. I hoped to never be the focus of such a hunt.

Like a pawn caught between two chess masters, I waited for Colby to respond and make his move. I could only hope he didn’t checkmate me.

The decadent empty lobby’s reflection in the mirrored wall paled in comparison to Tane’s home. My heel clicked on the cold marble floor as I tapped my foot. I crossed my arms while examining my image. The pink business suit Rurik chose enhanced the color in my cheeks. Lace peeked from under the trim jacket so I tucked it back under. I remembered the night he took me shopping and talked me into buying the suit. He wanted me to have something professional, yet feminine, in my wardrobe.

I glared at the lit floor numbers as it slowly crept to the lobby. Crap, I hated waiting.

After being vampire bait for two years, I should be used to it by now.

A ping announced the elevator’s arrival and the door slid open. I entered and hit the button to my floor.

Waiting made me nuts, but fear tamed my crazy urges, such as using my cell phone to call Red, or circumventing the lobby and taking the back door. The elevator stopped on my floor and I shook the temptations from my mind. Too much rode on this for me to flake out.