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Selina poured a cup of coffee and brought it over to Diana, who was sitting at her kitchen table. A week ago, she would never have believed it to be possible. She and Diana had a lot to talk about, but now was not the time.
Damian walked into the kitchen and poured more coffee into his cup, then sat down across from Diana. “What do we do now? Just wait for this vampire to show up?”
“I know you’re probably used to the more direct approach,” Diana replied, “but this plan requires some finesse.”
“Finesse?” repeated Damian. “I assure you that I can exercise finesse when I choose to do so.”
Selina covered a smile by taking a sip of coffee. “I think we could all use something to eat. It could be hours before he shows up. What about a sandwich?” she asked, walking over to the refrigerator. “I believe I have some roast beef and turkey.”
Diana laughed. “You are such a little mother,” she said, looking over at Selina. “I knew they would be better off with you.”
“What do you mean by that?” Selina demanded, walking back over. “Are you saying that you got rid of Apollonia, so I could have the girls?”
Damian stood up. “Ladies, I think we’re going to have to agree that for tonight some subjects will have to be off limits.” He looked over at Selina. “We need to focus on catching this killer.”
Diana glared at him. “You mean as opposed to the killer, who is sitting at the table with you?”
“Stop!” Selina exclaimed. She sat down, adding more quietly, “Just stop. I don’t know what happened or why and I probably never will, but for tonight Damian is right. We have to focus on this rogue vampire, who is killing young women today. What happened two centuries ago has waited this long....it can wait a little longer.”
“Agreed,” said Diana. Then she smiled, slightly. “Are we still having sandwiches?”
Selina took a deep breath, then stood up and walked over to the counter. “Yes, fine. We will have sandwiches,” she replied, glancing over at Damian. “I’m sure you must be hungry, too.”
“Now, that you mention it,” he said, walking over to help her.
He watched the men position themselves around the house, then he quietly worked his way towards the truck. The woman was sitting inside, talking to someone on her headset. He turned and walked back into the bushes. He would start with the men, then come back for her.
As he moved through the undergrowth, he heard two men. They were whispering, but he could easily make out their conversation. He worked his way past them and found two more further along the drive. That would leave just a few others, he thought as he slowly circled the house. But these were better trained or didn’t like each other because he couldn’t hear anymore talking.
Too many, he decided, looking up at the Victorian. He told himself that he should have brought a can of gasoline and matches with him. She would never invite him into the house, but if he had started a fire, she’d have to come out. He was starting to get angry, thinking how stupid he had been. Why hadn’t he planned this better? He’d had so much time, and now he was going to ruin this just like he’d ruined everything else in his life.
He took a breath and forced himself to relax. He would think of something. He just needed to concentrate. There had to be a way. As he crouched in the shadows of the large trees, it came to him. So easy, yet so effective.
He worked his way back to the truck, stopping to pick up a large branch, then tapped on the window. When the brunette looked over, he jumped up on the hood and broke the windshield with the branch, quickly pinning her to the back of the seat.
“I’ll finish you,” he said, “unless you tell them all to come over here right now.”
Charlotte tried to fight back, but he twisted the branch and she almost passed out. “I will not help you, rogue,” she managed, wishing she could catch her breath. She thought he might have punctured one of her lungs.
“You will do as I say,” he replied, “or you will die. Right here.” He paused, reaching over and running a finger along her cheek. “Or, I could make you suffer first.”
He pushed the branch further into the seat as Charlotte tried not to scream. That would bring the others, too, which is exactly what he wanted. “I will do what you ask,” she whispered, “just don’t hurt me.” She pushed the button and tried to catch her breath. “It’s Charlotte,” she said quietly. “Code 14,” she yelled, pushing him back with all her strength. “Don’t come back to the...” he pushed the branch further into the seat and ran.
Diana put her hand to her ear, trying to make sense of what was happening outside. “I’ve got to go,” she said, jumping up and running for the door. “He’s got Charlotte,” she explained, glancing over her shoulder, “stay inside the house.”
Selina started to follow her when Damian grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Let her go, Selina,” he said, “she knows what she’s doing.”
“I hope you’re right,” Selina replied. “I hate being stuck in here and doing nothing to help.”
“I know, Carina,” he said more softly. “Sit down, and hopefully this will all be over soon.” He wanted to be out there himself, but he wasn’t leaving her alone in the house.
He watched the blonde running towards the truck along with two of the men. He quietly made his way back along the shrubs and found the first two men, looking back towards the commotion rather than watching the house. He had two big branches this time. As he came up behind the first one, he ran the branch through his back, killing him instantly.
The other turned around, and he recognized the man from the Underground City...the one he’d thrown into the wall.
Henri saw the rogue and dodged the branch, turning and shoving him back into the shrubs. The rogue jumped back up and raced at Henri, missing him by inches as Henri stepped to the right. He spoke into his headset, “The rogue is here with me just east of the garden gate.”
Henri dodged another swing and pushed the rogue into a tree. “I think Raoul is dead,” he added, running at the rogue. “I’ve got you now,” he said as he made a grab, just missing him. The rogue spun around and caught the edge of Henri’s foot. As he fell, Henri tried to roll out of the way, then he felt the branch against his back.
Diana reached Charlotte and checked her pulse. “She’s still alive,” Diana said with relief. “We’ve got to stop this bleeding.” Turning to Armand, she said, “Take her to the house.” Then she looked over at Vincenzo. “Go find out what the hell is happening in the garden.”
As she followed Armand to the house, she used the headset to tell the rest of them to stay in position. “And watch your backs as well as the house,” she added. When they got to the porch, she knocked on the door. “Selina, I am going to need your help.”
Damian opened the door to see one of the vampires carrying the brunette, who looked half dead. “I am hoping we can amend our agreement,” Diana said, looking past him to Selina. “We need to get her inside.”
Selina nodded, stepping forward, but Damian stopped her. “You can ask them in from here,” he said quietly.
“Diana, won’t you and Charlotte please come in?” Selina asked. Damian walked over and took Charlotte, carrying her over to the sofa while Selina ran into the kitchen to get some towels.
As Diana started to walk in, she was grabbed from the side and pulled back. “Not so fast,” the rogue said. When Armand spun around, he added, “Back off, or I’ll snap her neck.”
“Do you know who I am?” Diana demanded icily.
“The woman, who is going to convince Selina to come out here if she wants to live,” the rogue hissed. “I’ve got a stake that I took from one of your men in the garden. He’s not going to need it anymore, but it will leave a lovely hole in you if you don’t do exactly as I say.”
Selina handed the towels to Damian, then looked around for Diana. “Where is...” she started to ask when she heard a man calling her name.
Damian turned and saw Diana framed in the doorway with the rogue holding a stake to her back. As he took a step forward, the rogue looked over and said, “Not another step, wolf man. I’m here to see my beautiful fiancé, Selina.”
Selina walked over, then put her hand to her mouth. “No,” she said. “It can’t be you...you’re dead.”
“Did you miss me, Cherie?” asked the rogue. “I know I’ve missed you.”
“Selina, who is he?” asked Damian.
“Guy Fontaine,” Selina replied. “The man I thought was killed in Vienna while looking for someone to turn him into a vampire.”
“It looks like he succeeded,” Damian said, taking a step forward. At Diana’s cry of pain, he stopped.
“I told you I’ll kill her,” Guy threatened, looking at Damian. Then he leaned over to Diana and said, “Tell your men to back off. If they come any closer, you’re dead.”
Diana did as he asked, then looked over at Damian, hoping he could hear her. “Wolf,” she whispered as quietly as she could.
“What was that?” Guy asked, but Damian had heard her.
Keep talking to him, Carina,” Damian said to Selina. He added, very quietly, “And get him to move to the window.”
Selina walked over to Guy, being careful to stay away from the doorway. “Why are you doing this, Guy? Why did you kill those women?”
“For you,” he replied, smiling at her. “To show you how wrong you were to leave me all those years ago. I saw your picture after that first murder. That’s how I knew that you were here. I even left the rose, so you would know it was me. A single, red rose for my beautiful Selina.”
“Guy, I’m sorry,” Selina said as calmly as she could, “but why kill them?”
“That’s what vampires do,” Guy said simply. “You know that I came back to Paris to find you, but you were gone. I looked everywhere for you, then one day I just stopped.” He pushed the stake against Diana, adding, “You never came back.”
“But Guy, I thought you were dead,” Selina explained. “Your sister told me that your body was found in Vienna, left in an alley and...mutilated.”
Guy smiled. “That was clever, wasn’t it? I had already taken money with me, a lot of money and then I decided to kill that man. He looked enough like me that I thought I’d found a way to start over. When I came back to Paris, you were gone.” He took a step forward. “How could you do that?” he demanded.
Diana felt the stake driving into her back and did her best to keep from crying out. Selina looked from Diana to Guy. “I would have gone with you. I didn’t know, Guy. We could have been together all this time,” she lied.
“Really?” Guy asked, his face lighting up. “But you said this was a curse...and you didn’t want me to be a vampire.”
“I didn’t want to turn you,” Selina said, taking a step forward. “I was afraid that I might hurt you, but now that you’re here we can be together.”
“You’re with the wolf now,” Guy replied angrily. “I saw you on the news together. It’s so obvious that he cares for you.”
“But he is only here to guard me, Cheri,” Selina said, smiling at Guy. “I can show you. Come over to the window and you’ll see. I have a painting of you, Guy...to remind me every day how much I loved you.”
“Why not invite me in?” Guy asked. “And then, you can show me your painting.”
Selina hesitated, and Damian knew that she was going to do it. That somehow, she hoped they could stop Guy before he hurt Diana and killed her. Damian was out of time and did the only thing he could think of when he picked up the chair and threw it through the window.
At the crash, Guy looked over and saw a wolf leap through the opening, then lunge at him and knock Diana down. As she fell into the house, Selina grabbed her and the wolf attacked Guy pushing him down the steps and into the yard. As the other vampires raced forward, the wolf ran back into the house.
Damian stood up and closed the door, embracing Selina and turning her away from the sound of four vampires tearing one of their own apart.