CHAPTER TEN
Christopher Smythe hated sleeping in the mine. It brought back bad memories of the betrayal. He considered taking a house from someone, but until he had a better feel for things, he wanted a little distance between himself and the town. If they remembered him, they might attack him in the daytime. Far better to get control of things first. He rolled onto his side and tried to push thoughts of Mary out of his mind.
He couldn’t believe she was gone. He would never hear her laugh again, never see the moonlight glisten in her hair. He would never hold her in his arms and feel her heartbeat. Now her heart was like his, but she was truly gone and he could do nothing to bring her back.
First, Lucas would pay for his betrayal.
Smythe heard footsteps in the mine and he sat up.
“Um, sir?” Ted said. “You … um … you have company.”
Smythe rose to his feet as Ted approached carrying a lantern. Even without the light, Smythe could see a beautiful woman holding a Colt 45 nudging Ted forward through the dark, damp mine.
“That’s a big gun,” Smythe said.
“I don’t care for dainty little derringers,” Sonya said. “You need better protection than this buffoon.”
“I’ve been thinking along the same lines since I met him.”
“Sorry, sir,” Ted said. “She caught me by surprise and—”
“Silence your tongue or I’ll put you out of my misery.”
Ted clamped his mouth shut.
Smythe looked Sonya up and down. “I wasn’t prepared to play host today.”
“That’s all right. My name is Sonya Talon and I’d like to talk to you.”
“Sonya,” Smythe said. “You’re quite lovely, but you pale beside my beloved.”
“Bad luck to have a woman in a mine,” Ted grumbled as he leaned against the wall.
“I told you to be quiet,” Smythe said.
“But women upset the tommy-knockers.”
“Men and their superstitions,” Smythe said.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sonya said with a grin. “Makes them easy to manipulate.”
Smythe smiled in return. “I suppose it does. How did you find me? There are a great many mines in the area.”
She shrugged. “Most of the tracks go to the big mines, but a set of two tracks led here. They were mostly filled in by the new snow, but I could still make them out enough to follow them.”
Smythe nodded, impressed. “What brings you to my humble abode?”
Sonya tucked the gun into her coat. “I don’t believe I’ll need this and it wouldn’t do me much good against you anyway. I have a business matter I’d like to discuss with you.”
Smythe found himself intrigued. “I’m listening.”
“Mayor Wilkins hired my husband to kill you.”
He shrugged. “Go on.”
“My husband, Jack,” she said. Smythe gave no reaction, so she said, “Jack Talon.”
He shook his head.
“You haven’t heard of Suicide Jack?”
“Sorry, no.”
“You met him last night.”
Smythe raised an eyebrow. “The dying gunslinger. He’s clearly looked Death in the eye and not flinched.”
“He’s very good at what he does.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“I don’t want to lose him.”
“And now we’re getting to the crux of the matter. You’re here to beg me not to kill him.”
“No.”
“Interesting. What then?”
“I want you to turn me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“So that I could turn him. I can’t bear to watch him die. It’s been a slow decline for several years, but it’s accelerating. The doctors say he could have days, weeks, maybe a month, but he won’t live through the year.”
“Not to be crass, but how does any of this benefit me?”
“He won’t kill you.”
Smythe laughed. “He won’t kill me regardless, my dear.”
Now Sonya laughed. “He’s killed far worse than you, Mr. Smythe.”
“I doubt it.”
“You’re just a vampire.”
“None of us are just anything. Are you just a woman? Is Ted over there just a moron? Is Lucas just a mayor? What we are does not define us. What we do defines us.”
“You loved Mary.”
“I still do.”
“I love Jack. I don’t want to watch him die.”
“Close your eyes. I’ll kill him quick.”
“How would Mary feel about that?”
“Mary is dead. She doesn’t feel anything anymore. My heart doesn’t beat, but it hurts me just the same. Mary and I were going to spend eternity together. Why should I grant you what I can’t have myself?”
“But—”
“Enough,” Smythe said. He rushed forward and grabbed Sonya.
“Let go!”
“I couldn’t decide whether you were incredibly brave or incredibly foolish to walk into my territory. I believe the verdict has come in.”
Smythe pinched her carotid artery closed. She struggled for a few seconds, then her eyes glazed over and she passed out.
“Can I have her?” Ted asked.
“You may have her gun, but that’s all.”
“Okay,” Ted said. He reached into her coat, his hands wandering a bit until Smythe shot him a look, then pulled the gun out. “This is nice.”
“Try not to shoot yourself.”