Keri Arthur - Hearts In Darkness

He's stealing their money?It was hard to believe someone would set up such an elaborate plot just to steal a few dollars.

It's not just a few dollars, Michael. These men are all incredibly rich, and we're talking millions from each. But it's heading to a charity that appears perfectly legitimate.

Appearing legitimate didn't actually make it legitimate. You're checking it out, I gather? He glanced out the side window. A sign indicated they were nearing Moose-Wilson Road.

Yes. I'll get back to you as soon as I have anything. In the meantime, as I said, be careful.

If she was repeating her warning, she had to be seeing some bad shit headed his way. I will. Thanks.

The link closed. He glanced up and met Nikki's gaze in the rearview mirror. Her eyes sparkled with gold fire in the darkness and were filled with an odd mix of anger and understanding.

"All sorted?" she asked.

"Yes. Turn right at the intersection. The Triple T, from memory, is only a mile or two down on the left."

He'd heard Doyle talking about it a couple of times and just had to hope he'd heard the directions right.

What they didn't need right now was to be wandering up and down the road looking for a damn ranch.

She nodded. He ripped the tape from Rachel's mouth. She hissed, but otherwise managed to control the fury he perceived in her mind. "We're giving you both the chance to live."

Rachel snorted. "We do not want your charity. We do not want your help."

He leaned back, regarding her steadily. "So you're happy to continue doing Cordell's bidding until you literally melt away? Which, from what we've seen, is only a matter of months away."

Rachel stared at him for several seconds, then licked her lips. "What do you mean, melt? We are not melting."

"It happened to the chauffeur at the airport," Nikki said, watching Rachel through the rearview mirror rather than watching the road. "And it killed both the imp and his vampire host."

"No. It's not possible. He told us there would be no danger."

Nikki raised her eyebrows. "And you believe a man who has already killed eight of your number?"

Michael leaned forward, tapping her on the shoulder, redirecting her attention to the road and the sign she was about to sideswipe. She straightened the car and flashed him a grin that burned his soul.

"Who told you this?" Rachel asked, crossing her arms and glaring at the back of Nikki's neck.

Lust rushed in heat waves through her mind, and the look in her blue eyes changed to hunger as her canine's lengthened.

Michael grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks hard enough to fracture bone. "Don't even think about it," he warned flatly, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You touch one hair and you're dead, understand?"

With most fledglings, the threat would have been useless. They were too caught up with their cravings, too consumed by the need to explore who they were and what they had become, to understand threat.

But Rachel nodded and gulped. Maybe it was the imp in her, giving her the sanity it took most fledglings years to attain.

Nikki slowed and turned into a driveway. There was a man at the gate. She opened her window and spoke to him for several minutes. Michael touched the man's thoughts, erasing all memory of

Rachel—just in case Cordell came looking for them. "Runway's lit and ready," she said, driving on.

"Park nearby and wait." He turned his attention back to Rachel. "What else can you tell us about

Cordell?"

"Nothing. We know nothing."

"How did you meet him, then?" he asked.

Rachel crossed her arms, her look petulant. "We met him on the Internet."

He glanced at Nikki . Didn't Matthew meet his abductor via the Net?He didn't mention Elizabeth, though her name hung in Nikki's thoughts. Elizabeth hadn't exactly admitted to being involved—hadn't denied it, either—and her burned hand was an ominous sign. But he wasn't ready to accuse her when they had no definite proof. He owed her that much, at least.

Yes.Nikki's annoyance was a black cloud that stung his mind. And isn't it odd that the link seems to open every time you have a question that can't be asked out loud. You wouldn't happen to be blocking it, would you?

Now is not the time for this, Nikki.He slammed the link closed again, but nevertheless felt the surge of her anger. Ignoring it and her, he looked back to Rachel. "And you became lovers?"

"We were before he turned me."

Meaning, obviously, they were no longer. Why? Did Cordell lose the taste for them once he had turned them? "He must have told you something about himself in the time you were lovers. Where did he live?"

"He had an apartment in The Heights."

"A plane is coming," Nikki said. She stopped and craned her head out the window.

Michael saw the lights beginning to descend. He glanced back at Rachel. "If he could afford to live in

The Heights, why is he kidnapping these millionaires?"

She shrugged. "He hates them. He thinks they owe him."

He frowned. "Why would he think they owe him?"

"We don't really know, do we? Probably something to do with his accident."

"Accident? What type—"

"Michael," Nikki interjected. She was staring out the rear window, and there was fear in her tone, her face, and her thoughts. "He's here. He's somewhere behind us."

"Where, exactly?" He twisted around, searching the night. Light flared behind them, a jagged blue-white beam that cut through the night, heading straight toward them. Fear tightened his gut. "Get out!" He reached across Rachel and thrust open the door. "Get out now!"

He pushed Rachel toward the door, saw Nikki dive out, then flung open his door and rolled out.

He'd barely hit the ground when the night, and the car, exploded into flame around him.

Nikki huddled against the ground, nose first in the dirt, her hands over her head and heat searing her back. Chunks thudded into the soil around her, bits and pieces of red-glowing metal, all that remained of the car. The air sizzled, thick with smoke and burning her lungs with every intake of breath.

Michael?She twisted around quickly, scanning the fire-drenched night behind her.

Here. I'm okay. You?

Relief swept through her. Fine . Even if her ears were ringing so loudly the roaring flames were little more than a whisper of sound. On hands and knees, she crawled farther away from the car and the heat, then sat down and stuck a finger in her ear. It didn't seem to help . I think I've gone deaf, though.

Can you see Rachel?

She looked around again and saw the young vampire sprawled ten feet away. A jagged piece of metal poked out of her back. She staggered across to her and felt for a pulse on Rachel's neck.

She's injured but alive.

A warning tingled across her skin. She glanced up. Michael stood opposite her, though the shadows were wrapped tightly around him. He was little more than a slight shimmer in the darkness. Fear surged anew. "What's wrong?"

Nothing. Can you sense Cordell any more?

She studied the night for several seconds. Out on the main road, coming from the right, lights approached—the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. How had they gotten there so fast? The ranch owner had obviously called the fire department.

I can't sense him anywhere near. Why aren't you showing yourself?

We have to get Rachel away from here. She's too dangerous, and we won't be able to keep her restrained once the cops get here. Cordell obviously wants her dead, so we have no choice but to save her.

The man at the gate saw her in the car with us—won't he think it a little suspicious…She hesitated, suddenly remembering the slight wash of power she'd felt before. You erased his memory, didn't you?