Bloodstalker
Drawing Blood Successful children's book illustrator Holly Seaton is no stranger to the paranormal. With her artist's hand, she creates magical beings of myth and fantasy. Little does she know some of these creatures actually exist and she just met one in the supermarket. Stryker Cain is a vampire on a crucial mission to save his people from extinction. For years he's been settling small enclaves of vampires amidst human communities all over the world. Stryker has deadly enemies, people who will stop at nothing to destroy his dream. He doesn't have time to deal with the complex feelings Holly engenders within him, but some things can't be pushed aside. She's his bloodmate. The one person a vampire cannot deny. When innocent people close to him are murdered, Stryker is forced to pull Holly into his world in order to keep her safe. But is Holly the one who will need saving? Genre: Romantic Suspense/Vampires/Werewolves Length: 88,265 words
DRAWING BLOOD Bloodstalker
Mary Lou George
ROMANCE
www.BookStrand.com
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[email protected] A SIREN-BOOKSTRAND TITLE IMPRINT: Romance
DRAWING BLOOD Copyright © 2009 by Mary Lou George E-book ISBN: 1-60601-427-7 First E-book Publication: June 2009 Cover design by Jinger Heaston Muskoka photo by Alex von Einsiedel All cover art and logo copyright © 2009 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER www.BookStrand.com
DEDICATION For my cousin Terri who taught me the rules of romance.
DRAWING BLOOD Bloodstalker MARY LOU GEORGE Copyright © 2009
Prologue Their leader would bring a new era for his kind. It wouldn’t be easy. They had to take it slowly in the beginning or run the risk of being misunderstood, feared, hunted, and in the end destroyed. In the past under lesser leadership, they’d almost been wiped off the face of the earth, forced to scurry underground, forced to stay with their own kind. Now their numbers had grown and so had their hope. Evolution had been kind to them, their bloodlust tempered by science and deeper understanding. No longer creatures of fable at the mercy of their hunger, they would venture beyond their world to seek a place in a far bigger one. Could they make a difference, maybe even save humankind from their folly? Perhaps it would happen gradually, carefully with him as the first, selected for his strength, wisdom and commitment. The human world awaited. He was ready.
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Chapter 1 Holly Seaton enjoyed shopping in Bracebridge. The people were so friendly. She’d lived in the community for over a year now and still marveled at how much fun she had coming to town. It didn’t matter what store she stepped into, she was greeted with genuine pleasure. Holly wondered if the people in Muskoka were just happier by nature. Again she said a silent word of thanks that she’d left Toronto and moved north to cottage country. For the first time in her life, she was accepted and loved for who she was and not what others wanted her to be. It hadn’t been easy though. Her overprotective father had resisted. “Don’t you believe in me, Father?” Holly had asked. She needn’t have bothered. She knew the answer. He scowled at her. “I think you’re being foolish. You have a secure job at the firm and a perfectly good home here in Toronto with family who can take care of you. Your condition…you need us. Why would you want to move away from your job, your home, and your loving family?” Holly could answer that question for him, but decided not to. She had no desire to provoke his temper. It was supposed to be a happy occasion, a celebrated announcement. She was excited and longed to share that feeling with her family. This was what she’d always dreamed of. Holly had drawn the illustrations for a series of children’s books her best friend Avery had written. What started out as a lark, became a best selling series. Now Holly and Avery worked together doing something they loved. Since the work was so lucrative, she’d hoped her father would be happy for her. Alan G. Seaton understood success better than anyone. In the business world, the name Seaton was synonymous with success. Holly’s father walked with the world’s financial giants. Her brother and sister worked with him, two perfectly formed chips off a most impressive block. Holly had been his one disappointment. She had no interest in the economics of profit, so a high-
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powered career in one of her father’s companies had been out of the question. She loved her family, but she didn’t fit in their fast-paced, urban world. Holly Seaton was a square peg sanded down and forced to squeeze in a round hole, but in the small town of Bracebridge, Holly fit—with room to grow. She parked her car in the parking lot and strolled into the grocery store. She wasn’t in a hurry and glancing around noticed that neither was anyone else. She smiled at perfect strangers who smiled back. Everything moved at a more leisurely pace in the country. Cashiers actually chatted with their customers. Their good nature was valued above their ability to check out the maximum number of people in an hour. This particular grocery store wasn’t glamorous and didn’t carry fifteen different kinds of mustard, but it had an ample selection of prepared meals. Since Holly didn’t cook much, she made good use of what was offered. Comfort food, arranged in an attractive display sat packaged and chilled, just waiting for her weekly visit. Looking for the best before-date, Holly bent and grabbed a sealed dish of chicken penne. The fever hit with a swiftness that almost brought her to her knees and she swayed with vertigo. The package fell from her fingers to the floor. A bolt of electricity speared her spine. She clawed at the refrigerated shelf to keep from joining the dish on the floor. The shock eased off almost as quickly as it struck, but from the small of her back to the nape of her neck, Holly could still feel a strange residual tingling. One of her knees buckled. Unable to withstand the extra stress, the other one gave way as well. If he hadn’t caught her, she’d have bounced off the prepared foods shelf and slumped to the ground. “Are you okay?” an urgent voice asked. Holly looked up into the face of a stranger. But what a face! Stunned, she stared blankly at him then cast her glance down the length of him. What a body! He held her weight effortlessly and for a second it didn’t occur to her not to let him. Well over six feet tall, the stranger was hard muscled with boy-next-door kind of good looks. He was definitely not her usual type, but bewildered, she found herself smiling back at him, feeling almost compelled to do so, like he’d willed it. A buzzing sound started in her head. Charisma
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wafted off him like dust clouded Pig Pen in the Charlie Brown cartoons. When she narrowed her eyes, Holly could actually see it and shuddered with reaction. This wasn’t the first time Holly had seen a person’s aura, but it was the first time she’d been so affected by one. Dazed, she realized she was staring at him in silence. He looked down at her with an expectant expression on his face as if waiting for her to speak. When her voice finally obeyed her commands, it sounded hoarse and low pitched. “Thank you. I lost my balance I guess. Wow, you must have good reflexes. I could have sworn no one was near me when I started to rifle through these things.” She inclined her head toward the packages of prepared food. Belatedly, she realized he still had a firm hold on her. The skin he touched felt heated despite the cool air from the refrigerated section. Awkward, she stepped away. He let her go, but the concerned look on his face didn’t waver. “Are you okay now?” She waved a hand and said, “Yes…yes, I’m perfectly fine.” Under his steady scrutiny one of her knees started to tremble. Glancing down at the offending joint, she frowned and put a hand on his arm to regain her balance. At first touch she wanted more. The buzzing in her head got louder. She felt the fine hair on his forearm and the hard muscle beneath his skin and barely kept herself from running her fingers up his arm to his chest, down to his stomach then down… “Sure you are.” He took hold of her elbow. “Come on, there’s a bench at the front. You should sit down.” Her little spell and his lightning quick reaction to it garnered considerable attention, but the man silenced all expressions of concern and bystanders politely melted away. Abandoning both their shopping carts, he helped her to the bench, but didn’t sit beside her. Instead, he said, “I’ll get you some cold water.” Before she could thank him, he melted away and the strange sound in her head eased off. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes and listened to her heart pound. He returned so quickly she’d barely had time to take a breath. Watching her closely, he opened the bottle of water and put it in her hand. Her fingers trembled and he frowned. Holly gave him a steady look, took a long drink of water and sighed.
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“Ah, the restorative effects of water.” “Are you pregnant?” He asked the direct question without embarrassment, but the thought obviously brought him no pleasure. A frown darkened his face. Disarmed, Holly answered just as bluntly. “Not unless it’s another immaculate conception.” She actually felt warmth when he sighed. The artist in her always made note of how light reflected off faces, but this was something she’d never seen before. Wow, light sure loves him. Looking at him was like looking through a pair of clean spectacles after years of wearing dirty ones. He was sharp, crystal clear and bright. Holly resisted the urge to blink. Shading her eyes from his brilliance even for a second seemed such a waste. “Maybe I should take you to the hospital,” he suggested. She shook her head firmly, trying to control her wayward reactions to him. “No, I’m just fine.” She stood up. “See? Look, Mom, no hands.” “If you think calling me Mom is going to reassure me that you don’t have to go to the hospital, you’re sadly mistaken.” She appreciated his humor. It seemed so normal compared to how strange her body was behaving. Holly narrowed her eyes and said, “There is a very faint resemblance between you and Mom actually.” For some reason, she added flatly, “But she’s dead.” That drained the look of humor on his face. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s not your fault…or um, don’t be sorry.” She stared back at him. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she carry on a normal conversation? Why did she care so much about his reactions? But there was no denying it. She wanted to impress him. As if her happiness depended on his responses. The near faint must have messed with her brain chemistry a little. Silently, she berated herself. Shake it off, Holly and talk to the man or he’ll think you’re on a day pass from the mental institution. “She died years ago. I never knew her. I was only joking about the resemblance. A lame attempt at humor, I guess.” She was babbling now. So much for proving she wasn’t mentally unstable. He inclined his head. “I’m still not sure you’re okay. However, since you won’t let me take you to see a doctor, I’ll just shop with you for a while. If you don’t mind.” It wasn’t a question.
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His gaze didn’t waver. Her stomach flipped at the thought of spending more time with him. Perhaps it was more prudent to put as much distance between them as possible, but she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him. The whole thing was so unusual for Holly, a woman who usually took the safe route. She surprised herself, stuck out her hand and said, “I’m Holly Seaton.” He took her hand in his and firmly but gently squeezed. His touch felt wonderfully cool on her heated skin. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Seaton. I’m Stryker Cain.” Her hand in his, Holly had a hard time concentrating. Was he for real? She wondered if his use of the ‘Miss’ was an affectation, but he looked at her with such sincerity she decided it wasn’t. “Please call me Holly.” “Okay then. Holly. You can call me Stryker.” She felt like she’d stepped back in time for a brief second. People didn’t stand on ceremony anymore these days. They didn’t wait to be invited to use first names. Hell, even the kid at the gas pump used her first name. Did she detect a slight accent when he spoke? Curious, she asked, “Where are you from?” “I live here in Muskoka.” She shook her head. He sure as hell wasn’t from around here. He wasn’t Canadian. That much was obvious because Canadians understood that when someone asked where you were from it usually meant from what old country did your great-grandfather emigrate. Holly said, “Before that?” “The United States.” “Ah, but you’re no Yankee. Southern states, right?” She smiled. He frowned. “Is it that obvious? I thought my accent was gone.” “It is almost.” She tilted her head. “There’s just something about you.” Visions of dark and mysterious bayous flashed in her fevered mind. One minute she basked in the light surrounding him and the next she vibrated with an expectation of danger. Maybe she was losing her mind after all. He arched an eyebrow and looked down at her. He had symmetrical features, blue/black eyes, high cheek bones and a jaw line you could sharpen knives on. Where did that air of danger come from? She couldn’t decide. The ends of his dark blond hair were delightfully sun bleached.
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Instinctively, Holly knew his hair color didn’t come from chemicals in a salon and his even tan wasn’t artfully applied. She couldn’t imagine this man sitting still long enough to have anyone fuss over him. Primping wasn’t in his repertoire. He was the real deal. Remembering what she’d come to town to do, Holly filled her cart with food, barely glancing at the contents of the packages she grabbed. She tried to rein in her wayward thoughts and the pounding of her heart as she made light-hearted conversation with the man who was responsible for all her internal chaos. This guy was a feast for the female eye and she wasn’t the only one who noticed. For the first time since coming to Muskoka Holly felt invisible. Walking beside such a man she was definitely a supporting player. Stryker drew all eyes. Some women actually did a double take. When their eyes finally alighted upon Holly, they were filled with curiosity and envy. “Okay, how about you, Holly? Where are you from?” he asked, interrupting her reverie. “Oh, ah…I live here now, but I was born in Toronto. My family is Canadian from way back,” she said proudly. He smiled for the first time and Holly thought she’d break into a sweat. “I’ve spent some time in Toronto. It’s a beautiful city.” She nodded. “It is if you like cities.” How was she carrying on a normal conversation? “I like the idea of having an international city like Toronto just a few hours drive away. It has so much to offer. Like dim sum.” He looked at her and only her. She made a determined effort to concentrate on his words and with enthusiasm she replied, “Me too! That’s the one thing I can’t find around here. I drive to Toronto to visit friends and we often go for dim sum. Some of my friends are Chinese. Believe me it’s great to have a translator when you’re looking down at barbequed chicken feet in Dim Sum no man’s land.” Was she babbling again? As she spoke, his smile never wavered. It pulled at her, drawing her closer to him. He could bring about world peace with that smile. The strange tingling along her spine and the buzzing in her head started again. Could her body be transmitting a warning of some sort? Heart pounding, she paused
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and took a deep, steadying breath. Stryker’s frown chased away all trace of the magical smile. “You okay?” The concern in his voice sounded so genuine and she missed the smile so much, Holly decided then and there that the tingling sensation was fleeting and the buzzing was not so unpleasant after all. Hoping to ease the tension and improve her chances of seeing the smile again, she replied lightly to his question. “Yes, I’m fine.” But she gripped the shopping cart tightly, grateful for its support. When it came time to check out, he helped her unload and place her selections on the moving belt. The cashier looked at Stryker like she’d just taken a pillow to the face…stunned, but happy about it. He certainly was aptly named. After she paid, Holly waited patiently, noting with a wry smile that the cashier lingered over his purchases just a little too long. They walked out to their cars together. It was the middle of summer in one of Canada’s favorite vacation spots, so many of the people walking about were vacationers. Flip-flops were the footwear of choice and too often people revealed more flesh than was necessary, but Holly had lost that frenzied, gotta-get-it-done-now attitude she’d had in the city. It had taken her time to shed the sharp city edge. When she finally did, it was like she’d lost fifty pounds of anxious weight. An easy going approach made life so much more pleasurable and Holly had decided that was the way she wanted to live her life. Walking beside Stryker, Holly marveled at how easily he’d shattered her complacency. Thirty minutes with Stryker Cain and she was a nervous wreck. Stryker loaded up her car then opened the driver’s side door for her. Holly’s heart beat insistently in her chest and her hands shook a little as she waited for him to ask for her phone number or something, anything to indicate that he wanted to see her again. It was inevitable, wasn’t it? Surely he could feel the chemistry between them. During their short acquaintance he’d looked at no one else. Stryker had kept his full attention on Holly, making her feel like the only woman within a fifty mile radius. He even
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ignored the come-hither glances from an artfully exposed woman with obvious fake boobs. Could she have misread the situation? Such potent physical attraction was a new experience for Holly. Had her own extreme reaction to him clouded her judgment? When it came time to take her leave, she got nothing from him except a rather stiff, “Drive safe.” The self recriminations began. Had she done or said something wrong? Anything was possible. During their short time together, she’d hardly been in control of her tongue or her response to him. For a moment he simply stared at her, his eyes held such intensity it surprised her that they didn’t sear a hole in her skull. How was it she didn’t burst into flames on the spot? The silence between them was pregnant with tension. But he said nothing more. He tapped the top of her car twice as if taking frustration out on the metal. Without another word or a backward glance he turned away. Disappointed, yet highly charged, Holly sat frozen in her car as she watched him walk off. God, he moves so effortlessly. She blinked and in that split second he walked twenty paces, covering the distance to his car surprisingly quickly given the ease with which he moved and his unhurried gait. Like a mirage, one moment he turned away from her and the next he was unlocking the trunk of his car parked at the other end of the lot. Strange. Holly still felt the effects of her contact with him, but forced her fingers to marry the key with the ignition and start her car. As she drove away, she looked for him in her mirror. He’d already finished stowing his groceries. Damn, the man moved faster than the speed of light, but not once had he appeared to rush. Maybe that was what so intrigued her about him. Holly knew she was grasping at straws. Stryker Cain was an unknown quantity, a man like none she’d ever encountered and her reaction to him was startling. She shook her head. Remembering how he’d smiled at her, she got hot all over. With a flick of her wrist, she turned the air conditioning full on. Making a careful left turn, leaving Stryker behind at the supermarket, a feeling of deep disappointment settled around her. “Snap out of it,” she muttered to herself. “It was nice while it lasted, but it’s over. He said goodbye, made no move to prolong the encounter. What’s that saying? He’s just not that into you.” She sighed heavily. “Probably married. Figures.” ****
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When Stryker finally sat behind the wheel of his SUV, he let his breath out slowly and wondered at the beating of his heart. It felt strange, but far from unpleasant. He liked it. It pounded in every pleasure point in his body. He congratulated himself on his self-control. Stryker’s strength was almost legendary, a fact he took great pride in, and it had taken every drop of his iron will to resist her. Yet another testament to his control; despite his instant and overpowering attraction to her, he’d been a perfect gentleman. Every instinct he possessed told him to take her on the spot, claim her as his, but he’d resisted. How’s that for evolved? His brother Declan would be so proud. As usual he’d managed to override his primitive side, but that didn’t stop his imagination from running wild. Not for the first time, his body reacted to the mental image of her in his bed, beneath him, moist and ready. The thought made him grit his teeth and pray for restraint. The moment the door had swung open and he’d walked into the supermarket Stryker had known she was inside somewhere. He could feel it in his teeth. His bloodmate. Her near-faint had been his fault and he knew it. Unfortunately, while reining in his reactions, he’d projected some of his own overpowering physical response on to her. He’d have to watch that in the future. And in that moment he knew there would be a future. She wouldn’t be accustomed to the kind of energy he wielded. He’d have to use caution. He didn’t want to knock her out cold. Smiling as he remembered the look of her, he started the car. She wasn’t beautiful in the modern sense, but Stryker saw her with more than his eyes. He’d examined her with every one of his supercharged senses and found her divine. He conjured an image of her in his mind. Dark brown hair framed her delicate face so lovingly he was just a little jealous of it. She had eyes the color of the finest chocolate and the brightest smile he’d ever seen. Her whole body reacted when she smiled. Hell, his whole body reacted when she smiled. Her scent was impossible to describe, unlike anything Stryker had ever known. It filled him like thick maple syrup dripping over a warm waffle. Her essence had lingered on his hypersensitive skin. Touching the tip of his tongue to the palm of his hand, he tasted her. One taste and he wanted more, more, more. She had a husky but smooth voice that spoke to him beyond his sense of hearing and communicated directly to his sex drive. He refused to
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think about how it felt to touch her skin and feel her heated blood as it pulsed just below the surface. He was strong, but not that strong. Imagine meeting her at the grocery store of all places. He clenched his jaw as if biting down hard on a bullet in an effort to control his body’s instinctive reactions. The more disciplined and detached part of his mind warned him that now was not the time to indulge his own desires. He had a job to do. His responsibilities had to take priority because so many counted on him. Their enemies would do anything, risk anything to stop them. One misstep on his part could spell disaster for them all. Damn it, he couldn’t afford the distraction he knew Holly Seaton would prove to be. Other lives were at stake, not just his own and now that he’d found her, the last thing Stryker wanted to do was endanger Holly in any way. He knew it was not fair of him to even consider pulling her into his business and starting something with her. Too late, he’d seen the bewildered interest in her eyes. Of course she’d felt it. It was far too potent to be ignored, but she had no idea what she was getting into. His hands gripped the steering wheel making deep indentations on the leather and he forced his emotions back under control. Fate had dealt him a hand he had no choice but to play and he prayed his brief self indulgence hadn’t doomed them both. Instead of resisting her unconscious siren’s song, he’d been weak. Unable to rein in the pull of his senses, he’d entered the store and set his hungry eyes on her. Hell, the energy their first meeting had generated almost knocked her to the floor. For better or worse, they’d met and from this point on there could be no going back. As strong as he was, even he’d never forget her now. Bloodmates. Oh so rare. Many had ceased to believe they even existed anymore, a side effect of too much outcross breeding. The last bloodmates he’d heard of were his own parents. He’d never even considered the possibility that it could happen to him of all people. Finding his bloodmate was a complication none of them had anticipated, but on an elemental level he knew without a single doubt there was nothing he could do about it. He had to claim her. **** The woman had to die. A few of the faint hearted thought that since she was human she should be spared, but he’d silenced those voices with a
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ruthless finality. He was merely protecting his own. Mankind had fought too long and too hard to lose all they’d gained simply because there were those who refused to stay the course. The creatures were an abomination, a plague infecting the earth and anyone who assisted them had to be destroyed as well. He’d seen to it before without pause or regret. He’d see to it again. It was his destiny.
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Chapter 2 “You never know, maybe he isn’t married,” Avery said. Holly rolled her eyes. “He didn’t even really flirt with me.” She laughed. “Not that every unmarried man flirts with me. It’s just I got the impression he was unavailable to me in some way, like he was holding himself back.” Avery waved a slender arm and said, “Ah! That’s where you’re wrong. Every unmarried man is hot for you. You just never notice. Wait and see. I think we’ll be seeing Stryker Cain again in the near future.” Holly shook her head. Her reaction to the man had been so extreme maybe it was safer if she never saw him again. She didn’t tell her friend that though. Avery was thrilled that she’d finally shown an interest in a man. “When are you going to stop trying to find me a man?” Holly asked. “Never. It’s become a habit I can’t break, but seriously I don’t want to see you close yourself off from the possibility. You’ve been alone too long.” “Sure, you’re so blissfully happy with Stephen, you want the same for me. But I don’t care. I’m absolutely fine as I am.” Or at least she was until Stryker Cain showed up. Avery held up a hand in defense. “I know you’re happy and that’s great, just don’t shut out what could be a very fulfilling part of your life.” Holly knew she’d never win this argument. No one won an argument with Avery. She wasn’t a belligerent person who always had to be right. She was just right most of the time. Still reeling over the encounter with Stryker and not yet ready to talk about its intensity, Holly tried a little distraction. “Quite the name, eh? So soap opera studly.” Her friend laughed. She checked the clock on the stove and said, “I’ve got to get the kids from camp. You wanna come?”
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“No. I’m going back home. I feel that itching in my left hand and you know what that means.” “Do you want a ride to your place, or are you going to walk?” Avery looked at her friend with dawning concern. Sometimes if Holly didn’t answer that peculiar itching she grew weak “Actually, would you mind?” She wasn’t sure she had the energy to walk even the short distance between their homes as the itching in her hand suddenly grew in intensity and made her start to twitch. Her nerves were frayed to begin with and her left hand, the one she used to draw with, had begun to tingle during their conversation. Now it was getting critical. Avery reacted immediately. She grabbed keys and walked Holly to the car. Avery’s very quick mind had the reflexes to go with it and she handled the vehicle with speed and ease. Holly was home in no time. With obvious regret and concern in her voice, Avery said, “I wish I’d asked Stephen to pick up the kids. I don’t want to leave you alone.” Holly cocked an eyebrow. “You know better than anyone, there’s nothing to be done until it’s over. There will be no pain. Go, go get the kids before someone else takes a fancy to them and spirits them away. Stephen would be so put out.” Avery sent her one last look over her shoulder. “I’m coming over as soon as Stephen gets home. No arguments, kiddo.” After Avery left, Holly sat down at her dining room table with some drawing materials. Just like always, it struck swiftly when it finally came upon her. Of its own volition, her hand picked up the pencil and began moving across the page feverishly. She didn’t look down at the paper. Blankly, Holly stared straight ahead at nothing in particular. Her father called them seizures and had taken her to more doctors than she could recall. Prescribed anti-seizure medication at six years old, Holly had weaned herself off as soon as she’d grown old enough to be responsible for her own health. She refused to think of these spells as something to be feared and prevented at all cost. They didn’t hurt and she got plenty of warning, so they weren’t dangerous. She just visited another place for a time and brought back a little something with her, in the form of a detailed drawing…of the future. Sitting quietly in her comfortable home, Holly breathed deeply and let the spell take over.
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Unexplained abilities tended to make people uncomfortable, so Holly rarely owned up to them in casual conversation. Refusing to treat it as a parlor trick, she’d never been particularly good at describing the phenomenon. She’d once told Avery it was like having someone switch off her consciousness and focus her unconscious mind for an undetermined time period. While creating one of her premonitory automatic drawings, Holly was completely unaware of her immediate surroundings, and when it was over, she never remembered where her mind had been during the time away. Time passed unnoticed. Sitting alone at her dining room table, Holly’s breathing finally returned to normal and her hand stopped its frantic scribbling. As always when she finally came out of the fugue state, her arm ached and her drawing hand felt cramped. Shaking off her mental haze, she blinked rapidly. Curious, she looked down at what she’d created, expecting to see the usual harmless sketch drawn in her familiar style. She was sadly unprepared for what greeted her gaze. This was no innocuous picture. Not this time. Holly gasped in horror, shocked at what she saw. One brief look at the picture frightened even the woman who’d drawn it. The image that met her eyes was so graphic it made her blood run cold. With a feeling of sick certainty, Holly knew she was seeing what was to come. As usual she’d drawn the future, but this time the future was grim indeed. A gory crime scene, there was no other way to describe it. She shuddered violently, horrified that she’d been able to so accurately capture such carnage. Usually, Holly created perfectly mundane scenes like her father’s latest cook making a mystery meal, or her sister snagging a pair of pantyhose, but unless she did something to prevent it her automatic drawings came true without fail. A lump formed in her throat and her stomach heaved. What was depicted in her drawing hadn’t happened yet, but it would if she didn’t do something to stop it. Maybe the drawing was wrong this time, but Holly knew wishing it so wouldn’t make it go away. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, she examined what she saw on the page. An older woman was slumped over a kitchen table, her eyes open, but lifeless and empty. A puddle of blood soaked the tablecloth and her head rested in the middle of it. On her neck were deep puncture wounds. What
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made it most macabre was that except for the dead body, the scene looked perfectly normal. Mugs, bowls and cutlery were drying in the dish rack and a bag of chocolate chip cookies lay open on the counter. Nothing else appeared unusual. It didn’t even look like there’d been a struggle. Holly hadn’t used color and was thankful for small favors. In graphite, the scene looked vivid enough, color would have made it positively lurid. The old lady had been playing cards. Even in death, her hand still clutched half the deck as it rested on the blood soaked table. The woman greeted her maker with an everlasting expression of frozen terror. Swallowing her revulsion, Holly examined the drawing critically. Created in her unmistakable style, it was incredibly detailed, as were all her automatic drawings. She glanced at the clock on the wall of her own kitchen. The whole thing had taken under an hour. Holly didn’t recognize the woman. She’d drawn the painful death of a complete stranger. What to do with it? Go to the cops? They’d think she was crazy. Maybe even believe her homicidal...think she’d committed the murder. Could she prevent the death of this woman? Should she? Was it right to interfere with fate? She berated herself for the question immediately. Wouldn’t that be easy? Ignore it. Tempting but cowardly. Of course she should try to interfere. Why else did she create the image? Holly wasn’t a fatalist. She believed a person had to do whatever they could to make the world a better place. Yes, some things were inevitable, but that didn’t mean you give up trying. But how to find the woman? Sighing, she fetched a loop…the kind photographers used to view contact sheets. Through the magnifying lens, she examined the details more closely. She’d been mistaken. The cards laid out on the table were not regular playing cards, but tarot cards. Six cards were positioned on the table in what looked like a star formation. Each individual card was well worn, but still vivid. The last card, the one still clutched in the dead woman’s hand would have made up the top of the star. The Hanged Man. Holly identified the figure as the Titan, Prometheus, hanging upside down from a rock, while an eagle circled above. Lousy with numbers, but pretty good at classical history, Holly possessed a workable knowledge of myths and legends that helped in her
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work as a children’s book illustrator. She knew that in Greek legend, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. As punishment he was sentenced to hang from a mountain and have his liver pecked out every day. Like so many mythological stories it was gruesome, but with a grimace Holly acknowledged that her drawing was equally gruesome. Fitting. Bent over the recycling bin, she fished out her copy of the local newspaper. In the classified section a number of fortune tellers placed regular ads. Holly had seen them before, but never really paid them much mind. Could the woman in her drawing be one of them? The tarot cards would suggest so. With a shaking hand she circled the most likely candidates with the pencil she’d used to create the drawing and grabbed the phone. Half an hour later, Holly had four appointments. She’d never visited a psychic before and wasn’t sure what to expect, but she’d made the calls and was prepared to see it through. Luckily, one woman agreed to see her that evening. She wasn’t sure how much time she would have to change the destiny her drawing predicted or what she’d do once she located the victim. Finding the woman was the first step. Avery knocked twice before entering the house. One look at Holly’s expression and she rushed to the table, concern written all over her beautiful face. “You looked pretty done in when I left you, so I asked Stephen to come home early. I’m all yours.” She landed in the chair next to Holly and said, “You look like crap. Are you okay?” “Yeah, but this woman isn’t going to be.” She pushed the drawing toward her. “My God, this is horrible! What are we going to do?” Holly smiled at her use of the word ‘we’. There was no better friend in the world. “You’ve lived here longer than me and you’re more sociable. Does she look familiar to you?” Avery studied the picture and shook her head sadly. “Does the room make you think of anyone?” Again Avery shook her head. “Nothing in this drawing is familiar to me, but most of the people I’ve met in the community are parents just like me. This poor lady is a bit old to have kids in grade school.”
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“What about Stephen?” “He doesn’t make house calls, but you know him, he extroverts all over everyone. He knows a lot more people than I do. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to show him the drawing. Hell, we should show it to as many people as possible in hopes of finding her.” Holly nodded tentatively, feeling more than a little reluctant. “I agree, but the picture is pretty disturbing, I can’t pass it out to children and I’m not looking forward to showing it to adults. I’ll be labeled a nut job.” Pushing the paper away from her, Avery sighed. “Sometimes you capture the moment too well. This thing is scaring me.” Holly ignored her comment. “I’ve made appointments with some of our local fortune tellers. I think I’ll recognize the woman pretty easily.” Avery winced. “I will too. It’s not something I’m going to forget. I could take half the appointments if you’d like. Did you check the yellow pages?” Holly rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think of that. I guess psychics are listed. They’re businesses after all.” She hauled out the book. Avery took it from her and started to flip through, finding the page within seconds. She moved almost as quickly as Stryker Cain had. Holly shivered, she didn’t welcome the reminder. Dragging her attention back to Avery and the phone books she said, “That didn’t take long.” “Yeah, I know my alphabet. I’ve got three kids. Do you have any idea of how many times I’ve heard the alphabet song?” She reached for the phone and started dialing, but hung up before she heard a voice. “I just thought of something. We don’t have to show the picture to a whole lot of people. We’ve got Beth!” She said the name like someone would exclaim, “Eureka!” Beth Wayland owned their favorite general store and knew just about everyone in the community. Holly said, “That’s a great idea. Beth knows me. She won’t look at me like I’m a twisted psychopath if I show her this picture.” “Well, at least no more than usual,” Avery said as she stood up and made for the door. ****
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An homage to the old fashioned general store, Beth’s shop carried groceries, hardware, candy, souvenirs and more recently, a wide selection of movies to rent. Avery and Holly were regular visitors. They didn’t always have the time or energy to drive into town. Besides, they both believed in supporting local businesses, especially good-hearted and generous Beth’s. The woman was a powerhouse in the community, respected and admired by all. She smiled brightly when the two women walked in. Avery didn’t waste a second but got right to the point. “Hey, Beth, we need your help.” “Sure, what can I do?” Bless her, that’s what she always said when someone needed help. Holly handed over the drawing. Avery explained. “I know it’s pretty bloody, but try to put that aside. You don’t happen to recognize the woman in it, do you?” Beth took one quick look at the picture and turned her head away with a grimace. Holly said, “I’m sorry. The drawing is mine. I know it’s startling, but we’d like to find the woman if we can.” Looking at the paper again with reluctance, Beth frowned. After a long moment she raised her eyebrows, tilted her head to the side and said, “It could be Irene O’Neill.” A look of triumph passed between Holly and Avery, but they said nothing, giving Beth more time to study the picture. “Yeah, I’d say it’s Irene.” The store owner looked horrified. “What does this mean? Don’t tell me this is real. How…?” Avery quickly shook her head. “There’s no evidence that it is. We’d just like to find her.” “Does Irene O’Neill read tarot cards?” Holly asked. Beth looked down at the drawing again before handing it back to Avery. “Yes, Irene has been known to read cards, but just for friends and family. It’s not a business for her.” “Would you happen to know where she lives?” Avery ventured. The door opened and a couple of teenagers filed into the store giggling. Holly smiled at them and exchanged a quick look with Avery. She could
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remember those years where being together during the summer meant endless late night confidences and more giggling than a Tickle Me Elmo. Such moments helped to cement their now indestructible friendship. It comforted Holly to rely on that friendship especially when all hell was breaking loose and she was forced to try and locate a woman who was about to be murdered. Beth pulled out a well-worn book and a piece of paper. She wrote down Irene O’Neill’s phone number. She handed the paper to Avery and proceeded to give them precise directions to Irene’s home. Holly glanced at her wrist watch and said, “I’ve got that appointment with the fortune teller I booked before we thought of asking Beth. Too late to cancel on her. This is her business and it wouldn’t be fair.” Avery nodded. “You can cancel the others later. I’ll contact Irene. Just drive me back home.” Holly smiled and they thanked Beth for her help, promising to explain in full later. They each bought an ice cream and hurried out to Holly’s car. The sugar rush helped. Beth called out, “You’ve scared the hell out of me now. I have no choice but to trust you so good luck you two…with whatever you’re doing.” Holly wasn’t sure luck had anything to do with it. She didn’t know what the fortune teller would see, but she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it.
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Chapter 3 Margaret Wickham lived in the town of Huntsville about half an hour from Holly and Avery’s homes. The drive was smooth and traffic-free. Keeping her mind occupied with trivial things, Holly smiled when she recalled rush hour in Toronto. Thank God for the subway. As the office receptionist, Holly had kept slightly different hours than the rest of her family who drove into work together every day. Instead, Holly had always taken the TTC, public transit. In her head, she ran through the directions Margaret had given her and found the house with ease. She parked in the street in front of the woman’s home instead of the driveway. She didn’t want to block anyone in and have to move her car in the middle of her reading. Holly had no idea how the whole thing would play out, but she had an overwhelming feeling of dread and looked over her shoulder at her car, her only avenue of escape. Before stepping forward, she took a deep breath. Nervous, her heart pounded. How did one do this? Did she tell Margaret Wickham things about herself or did she wait for Margaret to tell her? She figured it was natural that her stomach had a few butterflies. It wasn’t every day she sought the future. It had always come to her naturally, but this time, after creating the frightful drawing, actively seeking out the future was as scary as anything Holly had ever known. With a firm resolve, she walked to the front door. “Hello, you must be Holly.” Margaret Wickham answered the door bell almost immediately. Holly had pictured her grandmotherly. Margaret was anything but. She was rather good looking actually. Except for the shorts and t-shirt, she would have fit in perfectly at Holly’s father’s firm. Young, attractive and energetic, Margaret Wickham was definitely not the woman in her drawing. Holly felt relieved and disappointed at the same time.
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She smiled. “I guess since I had an appointment, you don’t need to be a fortune teller to know my name.” She rolled her eyes and apologized. “Sorry, I’m sure you’ve heard that one a million times.” The fortune teller laughed. “I’m afraid so.” Holly looked around uncertainly. “Where do we do this?” Pointing to a large table, Margaret said, “Just this way. Come sit down and relax. Would you like something to drink?” Holly wrinkled her nose. “Do I have to drink tea?” She laughed and pulled out a chair for Holly. “No, I don’t read tea leaves. I was just trying to make you more comfortable. You’ve never done this before, have you?” She took the seat offered. “That obvious, eh? I guess I’m a little nervous.” “Do you have any particular questions you want to ask?” Margaret sat opposite her. Holly’s mind went blank. She shrugged. “I can’t think of any at the moment.” How could she ask “Is a woman I’ve never met but have drawn, going to be murdered in the next couple of days?” “Well, feel free to ask should any questions occur to you while I’m reading.” Margaret sounded encouraging. “Okay?” Holly tried not to wince and nodded instead. “I don’t read tea leaves. I don’t use cards either. Instead, I take something that belongs to you and I get impressions from it. Do you have anything like that with you? A ring or necklace?” Holly sighed. She wore no jewelry except a circlet of garnets set in white gold on her left baby finger. As the only thing she had from her mother, it meant a great deal to her. Pulling the little ring off her finger, she handed it to Margaret. “It’s pretty.” Holly said, “I feel a little naked without it. It belonged to my mother. Oops.” She put her hand up to her mouth. “Was I supposed to tell you that?” “You can tell me whatever you want. Or you can just stay completely silent.” She covered the hand holding the ring with her other hand and closed her eyes. Holly waited silently, watching different expressions cross the psychic’s face.
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After a few moments, Margaret’s eyes popped open, startling Holly. Her face was blank, her eyes appeared glassy. Holly shuddered at the strange look on the psychic’s face. In a much deeper voice than her own, she started to speak. “Your mother is dead. Her life was short…happiness…and tragedy. She knew love…brief...but intense enough for many lifetimes.” Margaret continued. “It is good you moved here. The city was not for you. I see love. You are fortunate to have such a friend. It gives you strength. Did you know that?” She didn’t wait for Holly to respond. “I can see it. Right now you share your spirit with this friend. That will never change but there’s something out there. Something strange.” She blinked and frowned. Her eyes still held that glassy look and her breath came out in pants. Still breathless and struggling she whispered, “Secrets. Old secrets. Misunderstandings, violence. You will be tested. He is not what he appears to be. So many in your life are not what they pretend to be. You have a choice to make.” The color drained from her face and her voice rose as she forced the words out, “Blood, I see so much blood…it’s all over him! Hunger! Madness! Oh God! Betrayal, death…slaughter!” Her scream almost pierced Holly’s eardrum. Unsure of what to do, Holly moved to shake Margaret out of her trance. The other woman stopped screaming when Holly touched her. At last she snapped out of it and looked up with fear in her eyes. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “That’s all. I can’t tell you any more…I’m sick…leave please…” Holly opened her mouth to object. She hadn’t paid Margaret for her time. Trembling, as if it burned her fingers, Margaret dropped the ring in Holly’s hand. Unevenly she said, “Go…go…I don’t want your money. I’m sorry. I’m not feeling very well.” She looked away. Before Holly could move, Margaret gripped her forearm tightly and in a voice that was not her own, she said, “Be careful who you trust. Don’t make your decisions lightly, so many repercussions…”
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Dumbstruck, Holly didn’t know what to do. Margaret’s face changed and like a curtain falling, finally her own intelligent blue eyes peered back at Holly. Apologetic but eager to be rid of her, Margaret said, “I’m sorry. This has never happened to me before. It’s so strong. There’s an unusual energy around you and I think it’s thrown me. I can’t do this right now, maybe another time. Can you find your own way out?” Holly nodded and moved to the door. She folded up bills and set them on the hall table. Margaret didn’t want to be paid, but Holly had taken up her time and the poor woman suffered for whatever she’d experienced. Sitting in her car, with her hands shaking and her pulse racing Holly leaned back and tried to calm her nerves. She hadn’t known what to expect, but what happened was far from anything she’d imagined. The psychic’s words echoed in her head and scared the hell out of her. **** Until now, Holly felt her life was pretty uneventful, boring even. Alan Seaton had always been overprotective of his youngest daughter. His concern had made Holly uncomfortable because she knew he thought of her as weak and incapable. Eventually she’d believed it herself. Father knows best. How many times had she told herself that? She’d made a habit of taking his advice, letting him handle her life. That is until Avery stepped in and offered up an entirely different world, one where she wasn’t the ‘special’ daughter of brilliant Alan Seaton and his equally brilliant son and daughter. Still disappointed that she hadn’t taken his advice and stayed in Toronto, her father never visited her new home. But once a month her brother or sister came to check on her and report back to their father. It amused Holly to see how utterly out of place her siblings were in her new surroundings. But still like clock work, every month she’d get a visit from one of them. In a way, it was endearing. Matthew and Alison Seaton took their lead from their father and treated Holly like she was made of glass. They usually brought a carload of meals the cook had prepared on her father’s instructions.
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For the first time in her life, Holly was actually living her own life. It amazed her just how competent she could be. She still hadn’t mastered the cooking thing, but was incredibly good at heating things up, and when she got sick of prepared foods, there was always Avery. Avery was a master at making even the most uninspiring fare taste good. Holly and Stephen often joked that all food tasted better if Avery prepared it…including crackers and cheese. Holly chose to believe it was because she added love to everything she did. Stephen and the kids agreed. Sure, since moving to Muskoka, Holly had discovered her independence, but Margaret Wickham’s words had unsettled her. Instead of going straight home, she pulled up in front of Avery and Stephen’s house. Just the sight of it made her feel better. She wasn’t alone. At 8:30 the kids were either in bed or finding excuses not to go to bed. She didn’t bother to ring the doorbell. The dogs’ barking had heralded her arrival. The Williams family believed in going big. They owned a great deal of property and their dogs were loyal and protective, perfect examples of their impressive breeds. Austin, a Great Pyrenees and Micah, a Newfoundland greeted Holly happily. As an adopted member of the family, she was under their protection and always welcome. The house was silent when Holly entered. After the strange day she’d had, it felt blessedly warm and familiar. She mounted the stairs and heard Avery’s animated voice, reading. Just in time. The kids looked up and smiled when she walked in. As soon as she sat down, Connor found his way onto her lap. She hugged him close and flashed a special smile at Aaron and Jessica. They had no idea how much she appreciated their uncomplicated company especially after what she’d just been through. Together they listened to an animated and expressive Avery tell the story of King Arthur and Excalibur. Once the kids were in bed, Avery and Holly sat in the living room. Stephen, understanding that they needed to talk, made himself scarce. Avery spoke first. “Irene O’Neill is definitely the woman in your drawing.” Holly breathed a sigh of relief, looking towards the heavens. “Thank you, Beth.”
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“She didn’t scoff when I told her that a friend of mine thought she was in danger. It seems she believes in listening to instincts, her own and other people’s.” “So she’s getting the hell out of Dodge?” Avery nodded. “She was planning a visit to her sister’s anyway. We just moved up the date of her departure by a week.” “How soon is she leaving?” Holly wanted the woman gone immediately. She wasn’t sure how far into the future the events depicted in her drawing would occur. “She said she’d go tomorrow if she could get all her errands taken care of first.” “Good. The sooner the better.” Holly leaned back with a sigh. “I guess we’ve done all we can for now.” “What happened at the psychic’s? You looked pretty shaken when you walked in here. I appreciate you suppressing it in front of the kids, by the way.” “I didn’t want to scare them.” Holly rubbed a hand across her forehead and leaned forward on the couch. She told her friend about what Margaret had said. Avery’s reaction wasn’t a surprise. “Oh my God! That sounds terrifying. Maybe you should leave town too?” Shaking her head, Holly said, “Wouldn’t that make my father happy? He’d pack me in bubble wrap and hide me away forever like Rochester’s first wife in Jane Eyre. I’d only see the light of day when I felt the urge to set the house on fire.” “Just a suggestion. You don’t have to go to your father’s. You could take a trip to New York or something.” Avery smiled at her. “I’d go with you, you know.” “Yeah, I know you would and thanks, but I can’t avoid this. I imagine if I left, it would just follow me or wait until I got home. I won’t be that pathetic weakling my father expects me to be. I’m not going to run away.” “Well, it’s your decision. Just remember you’re not alone. Stephen and I will help you any way we can.” “Thanks.” Holly smiled. “Plus, I’m expecting Alison tomorrow. She left a message on my voice mail.”
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“I wonder what she’ll wear this time.” Avery laughed. Alison and Avery had never been friends. They hailed from worlds and ideals at polar opposites and kept a silent, but tense armistice. Holly shook her head and joined her friend’s laughter. “God only knows what hot little number she’ll sport, but you can be sure it will be expensive and uncomfortable.” **** Holly was right on the money. The next day, Alison Seaton showed up wearing a business suit tailored to fit like a glove. Her heels were at least four inches high, forcing her to walk on the balls of her feet. She sank into the ground in Holly’s yard and the moist earth coated the spike heels. Visibly annoyed, she cleaned them off carefully as soon as she walked in the house. Holly wondered why she bothered. They’d just get dirty again when she left. “Sorry about the mud,” she said. Surprisingly, she meant it. “You really are in the middle of nowhere.” Alison moved farther into the house. She’d tied her bone straight hair in a tight pony tail that fell down the middle of her upper back between her shoulder blades. Holly was reminded of a palomino horse. The thought wasn’t meant as an insult. Holly happened to love palominos. Shaking her head, she decided her observation was best left unspoken. Her sister wouldn’t take kindly to being compared to a horse. Who would? “What are you grinning about?” Alison asked, looking over her shoulder. “Oh nothing, I’m just admiring your hair.” Alison returned Holly’s smile. “It’s okay when the style of the day is straight hair. It still refuses to hold a curl like yours does.” Holly pushed her sister’s words aside. “You’re just being generous because I gave you a compliment.” Alison looked sad for a second and touched Holly’s dark wavy hair. “That’s not true. I meant it. Just accept the compliment with grace and say, thank you.” “I can do that. Thank you.” Holly smiled. Alison nodded and moved to the living room.
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“Do you miss us at all?” She felt sorry for her sister for a moment. She’d never considered the possibility that Alison might miss her after she’d moved up north. Feeling a little guilty Holly said, “I love it here, but of course I can’t help but miss my family.” “Daddy broods about you.” That fact came as no surprise to Holly. “How is he?” “He’s still scaring all the interns at work and orchestrating deal after deal. He’s fired another cook.” Alison nodded to the bags she’d placed on the kitchen counter. “You’ll discover yet another version of macaroni and cheese. I hope it’s better than the last one.” Holly grinned. “Ah, the frying pan of doom.” Alison shared her laughter. It surprised her when Alison said, “We’re not very good friends are we?” “It’s never too late you know.” Holly started to reach out to her sister, but Alison missed the gesture and moved away. “Maybe,” she said quietly. She didn’t stay long and was on her way shortly after they’d covered all of the things Alan Seaton insisted Alison do when she or Matthew did a drive-by. Holly obliged without complaint and humored them. It was harmless and seemed to be important to her father. She didn’t confide in her sister about what had been happening in her life. She loved Alison, but hair color wasn’t the only thing they didn’t share. In fact, they didn’t have much in common at all, except that they were both southpaws...not something that tended to bring people together. Their family resemblance was next to non-existent. Alison had almost unearthly fair skin. She was tiny, but surprisingly voluptuous, whereas Holly was of average height and average build. Blithely confident, Alison commanded attention. Holly retreated from it. Holly couldn’t talk to her sister about the strange man she’d met in the grocery store and her intense reaction to him, nor could she mention the gory sketch she’d created or her visit to the psychic. She’d been keeping her automatic drawings from her family for too long. Her father considered them an aberration, something that needed to be treated with drugs, like a mental disorder.
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Alison invariably sided with their father. She’d mean well, but Holly’s recent experiences would alarm her. She’d report back to their father. He was poised to collect his youngest daughter and bring her home. Holly refused to give him ammunition. After Alison said her goodbyes, Holly picked up her pencil and started to draw. Smiling absently, she whipped off a quick sketch of Alison and her Armani suit. Avery would appreciate it. Holly meant no disrespect to her sister. As a gifted artist, she couldn’t help it. She drew every day, sometimes just quick gesture drawings, but as if driven to do it, she had to have a pencil in her hand. Her book illustrations were tremendously successful. She preferred fantasy to fact when it came to her work. Avery wrote books about fantastical worlds filled with magic and wonder. Holly illustrated them. It was a symbiotic relationship that proved incredibly lucrative. They loved it. Putting her pencil down, Holly glanced at the clock; long past dinner time. She grabbed one of the more promising meals her sister had brought her and popped it in the oven. Filling her kitchen with the aroma of garlic, it was ready in thirty minutes and Holly ate it with relish. It was a beautiful night and she spent the later part of the evening out on her porch watching the moonlight glisten off the water. The stars shone incredibly bright, reflecting off the lake so clearly they looked like little beacons gleaming up from deep beneath the calm waters. Holly’s imagination took flight. What if the lights weren’t the stars’ reflection? What if an entire civilization existed in the lake, under the water? She made a mental note to talk to Avery about the idea. Maybe they could turn it into something, perhaps a future book aimed at teaching readers about the importance of nature conservation. At last, forcing herself to skirt her drawing materials, Holly went upstairs to bed. If she’d stopped and picked up a pencil, she knew she’d be at it all night. No, it could wait until the morning. She needed to sleep. She loved her bedroom. It was once the attic in the pre-war house. Before moving in, she’d had renovations done and converted it into a bedroom and ensuite bathroom. She’d even had skylights installed in the ceiling above her bed so she could look up at the moon and stars every night.
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Shutting out the sky overhead and curling up on her side, Holly brought the covers up to her chin. The sheets were crisp and cool. She moved her feet up and down enjoying their smoothness. She couldn’t sleep. Margaret Wickham’s words kept playing in her head. She’d never get sleep if she didn’t drown them out somehow. Without conscious will, her mind turned to Stryker Cain. Thoughts of him silenced Margaret at once. Was he in bed looking up at the same sky? Holly gave herself a mental shake. Surely she’d exaggerated her reaction to the man. Maybe she’d already been psychically gearing up for her automatic drawing when she’d met him and her own ability complicated her reactions to the man. Yeah, that must be the explanation. There was nothing special about him. There couldn’t be a connection between them and no he wasn’t in bed looking up at the same stars. He was probably in bed having sex with his wife…the drip-sweat kind. Her heart tripped. He seemed the type who would make his partner sweat buckets. Holly gave a huge sigh and reined in her rogue thoughts. Raising her head up off the pillow, she punched it twice and settled down for the night. But Stryker Cain only followed her into her dreams. Asleep at last, she snuggled deeper into her pillow and smiled. In her mind, a sunny glow surrounded him and he smelled like sunshine. But like a coin, on the flip side there was a darkness that she couldn’t quiet bring into focus. Try as she might, she couldn’t get a handle on what important bit of information he kept from her. He was adept at all kinds of manipulation. One stroke of his hand and she was beyond caring. He leaned over her and almost took her lips with his own. Holly longed for the touch of his mouth but he teased her, staying just a breath away. The anticipation became sweet agony. When skin finally met skin it was well worth the torture. He was gentle, and waited for Holly to get accustomed to his lips on hers. When she responded eagerly, he ran his tongue along her bottom lip then pulled away. He wasn’t gone long though, as a second later his mouth took hers with a little more aggression. His kiss was exquisite and Holly felt her limbs become liquid as she opened to him. She gladly offered up her soul as a sacrifice. She didn’t care about the unknown darkness. He could take whatever he wanted. Still he hesitated. Pulling his head away from her, he looked down at her willing and waiting body. Her skin burned wherever his eyes paused. His head dove and
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she moaned as he nipped the curve that joined her throat to her shoulder. Instinctively, Holly turned her head to give him easier access. Again, he didn’t take what she offered. Instead he traveled down her body to where his lips and tongue found the puckered tip of her breast. He smiled at her with a triumphant look in his eyes and he touched the crest with his tongue. Pleasure shot through her and she groaned. He didn’t stop there though. A gentle touch wasn’t enough. He opened his mouth and used not only his tongue but his lips and teeth as well. She unraveled. Crying out, she tried to lift her arms, use her trembling hands to force his lips to hers, but she had no control over her limbs. Her body had turned to liquid and it ignored all commands from her brain. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back again, arching her neck. His lips feasted on what he found there. It wasn’t enough for Holly. She wanted to feel his teeth. She yearned for the pleasure and the pain that somehow she knew only he could give her. Lost in sensation, she felt completely at his mercy, but he held back. Her body writhed beneath his. His hardness against her yielding flesh was a promise unfulfilled and she begged him to put her out of her sweet misery. He didn’t, instead he moved down her body stopping to tease one pleasure point after another until Holly wanted to scream. Still, he didn’t release her. He moved back up her body and kissed her deeply. His tongue found a spot beneath hers and he drank. He moaned. “Your essence, my love.” Somehow she managed to wrap her legs around his waist and press him to her. All tenderness forgotten, he took what he wanted, driving her beyond reason. She engulfed him…flowed around him…cupping him tightly, surely. It didn’t end. Holly reached one peak just to reach another and rise higher and higher again. The tension in her body drew tighter and tighter. Would there ever be a release? Inside her body and her soul, he became liquid too. They joined, becoming one, indistinguishable from each other. His eyes were blue/black as he looked down at her. She threw her head back and panted. “Please. Take it. Do it now.” His white teeth gleamed in the dim light, his head swept down. Would she feel pleasure or pain? Holly screamed.
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Chapter 4 The sound of her own scream finally tore her from the dream. Breathless, she looked around the room…her bedroom. It seemed so real. The sheets were damp with telltale sweat and her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Holly’s skin burned. She threw off the covers and tore at her nightgown. Total nakedness was the only thing that offered any relief. She stood under the skylight and watched a shooting star. Her heartbeat eventually returned to normal as her skin chilled. Her nightgown lay in a ghostly white pool at her feet. Still damp from her perspiration, the fine cotton was cool to the touch. She tossed it in the hamper and pulled another one from the closet. Completely drained, all she wanted was sleep, but the damp sheets would provide no comfort, so she hauled them off the bed and replaced them with fresh ones. Finally, she collapsed on the mattress, pulled the sheets up and slept. Fatigued from the incredibly erotic dream, she hadn’t noticed how badly her arm ached or the detailed sketch that floated off the bed and landed on her slippers as she drifted off. **** Holly wasn’t usually a sound sleeper but when she woke the next morning to the sound of the doorbell, she knew she’d been dead to the world. Rolling out of bed, she staggered over to the window and with a scowl looked down at the person disturbing her sleep. Standing on the porch with a scowl all her own, Avery waved her arms urgently. Something was up. Holly glanced at the bedside clock and frowned when she saw that it was after 10:00. She’d overslept. She hadn’t done that
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since moving up north. Avery hit the doorbell again with impatience. Holly waved and hurried down the stairs to the door. “Sorry to wake you, sleeping beauty, but you have to turn on the Moose.” She hurried to Holly’s stereo and pressed the power button. The Moose, named after the quintessential, Canadian icon, was Avery and Holly’s favorite local radio station. Music was playing and with a sound of exasperation, Avery changed the channel. Holly said, “Can I make you some coffee?” “Had some already. Stephen dropped the kids off at camp. I called you, but when your voice mail picked up, I got worried. Do you know I’ve been pounding on your door for about fifteen minutes?” She looked at Holly with concern. “I was just about to go home and get the spare key. I thought something had happened to you.” She continued to change channels until she got to the news. “Here,” she said, “listen to this.” She dropped her long, lean body on a stool beside Holly’s kitchen island. The reporter’s voice didn’t sound familiar. This wasn’t a station she usually listened to. At first, she looked at Avery with confusion then she heard what had her friend in such a state. In Muskoka, at a home not far away, police had found the body of an elderly woman. So far they hadn’t released the cause of death. Holly looked at Avery and shook her head in denial. “No…it can’t be her. She said she was leaving yesterday. Didn’t she?” Avery nodded. “Yes, as long as she got a few errands out of the way. I didn’t bother to ask her what those errands were. She seemed to get the urgency. I don’t know what kept her from leaving, but it sounds like it cost her her life.” “Wait a second.” Grasping at the proverbial straw, Holly said, “They didn’t announce the woman’s name, so we don’t know if it’s Irene O’Neill.” Avery treated her to a withering look that had Holly reluctantly admitting, “I know, I know. What are the chances of it being someone else? What do we do now?” Holly leaned her forearms on the kitchen island and unconsciously lifted one foot then the other, taking turns raising each and warming it on the opposite calf.
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“We can’t just sit around and wait to find out if it was Irene or not. Oh God.” Her eyes widened and she looked at Avery in horror. “What if it isn’t Irene, but someone else killed in her place? I’m responsible.” Avery looked at Holly sternly and used her firmest voice, the one that always made the kids stop dead in their tracks. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not to blame any more than I am. We didn’t murder anyone. What else could we have done?” “I could have taken the sketch to the police.” Avery reacted with spirit. “We talked about that. They would have dismissed you immediately, especially the cops around here. I doubt there’s ever been a murder up here. They might have blamed you for it. As it is, the gossips are going to dine out on this for weeks.” Holly had to admit her friend was right. What else could she have done? Still, that didn’t alleviate her feelings of guilt. “They’ll release the victim’s name in good time, but how do we find out now who it was? I don’t think we should wait.” “I’ve got an idea,” Avery’s eyes gleamed. Holly shook her head and grinned for the first time that day. “You’ve always got an idea. Call me Ethel Mertz to your Lucy Ricardo. So start s’plaining, Lucy.” “Janice Owen. Her husband is a cop.” “Who is Janice Owen?” Avery waved a hand. “You know, Jeffrey’s mother? Connor’s friend Jeffrey?” Holly nodded. She could picture Jeffrey’s mother’s face. “Does her husband work in this county?” “Who cares? He’s a cop. If there’s been a murder, he’ll have more information than we do. I’m going to call Janice and see what she can do for us.” Avery moved to the phone. While her friend tried to remember the phone number, Holly poured a glass of orange juice. She lifted the jug in Avery’s direction. Avery shook her head and showed her straight white teeth. Holly smiled at her iconic gesture for having just-brushed-teeth. Orange juice after toothpaste was most unpleasant. With nothing to do while she waited for her friend to finish, Holly recalled a little of her dream the previous night. She could feel her blush
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start at her chest and move upward, warming as it went. Holly wondered if something as natural as a blush could set her hair on fire. It sure felt like it. Avery hung up the phone and looked at her askance. “What’s wrong, Hol?” She only flushed deeper still. It got hotter. “Oh, well, now you have to tell me. That’s your, this-has-something-todo-with-sex blush.” She took Holly’s shoulders and guided her to a chair by the kitchen table. Poking her head in the pantry, she reappeared with the homemade cinnamon buns Alison had dropped off. “This calls for fat and sugar.” She dished out a bun for Holly and one for herself and dug in with gusto. Her mouth full, she said, “Spill, kiddo.” Holly coated an index finger with icing and licked it off. She took a deep breath, whining. “I think I want mine heated.” Avery narrowed her eyes, picked up Holly’s cold bun and put it in the microwave for a few seconds. They waited in silence. At the ding, Avery took the bun out of the microwave and placed it in front of Holly. She said, “This had better be good.” There wasn’t a thing in Holly’s life that Avery didn’t know, so if she could tell anyone about her dream it was Avery. Still, the details were very personal and she glossed over a few of the more embarrassing bits. Her friend would understand. She was very good at drawing her own conclusions. When Holly was finished, Avery looked at her with excitement. Delighted, she threw her head back and laughed. “This is great! You have to see him again!” Holly scoffed, “Yeah, in my dreams…literally.” Avery wasn’t deterred. “If he can do that to you in your dreams, imagine what he can do in real life.” “Don’t you think it’s a little scary? I mean, we’re talkin’ intense.” “No less intense than meeting him in person. Don’t try to deny it. He lit you on fire. You tried to hide it, and I let you think you’d succeeded, but I know you too well. You were shooting flames kiddo. It’s a good thing. You could use a little sexual intensity. I gotta meet this guy.” Holly shook her head and smiled despite herself. Avery was irresistible when like this. “I don’t know how you’re going to meet him. I’m not sure I’ll ever see him again.”
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“Oh, you will. Trust me, you will.” Avery sounded absolutely certain. Feeling the need for a life preserver, Holly changed the subject. “What did Janice say?” “She’s already on it. She’s going to call my cell as soon as she gets any info.” “Didn’t she think it was weird you called to ask that?” Holly asked, Avery rolled her hazel eyes. “Are you kidding? She said she’s been on the phone all morning. Everyone’s called.” Holly took a huge bite of her cinnamon bun. “Small towns.” Once she’d finished the calorie-laden breakfast, Holly excused herself to shower and change. Mounting the stairs, she could hear Avery on the phone talking to her husband, Stephen. In the bedroom, Holly slipped on her terry cloth robe and searched for her slippers. She found them on the other side of the bed. Picking up the sheet of paper that rested on the fluffy white things, she sunk to the bed in shock. Finding her voice, she hollered for her friend. “Avery! Get up here!” She could hear the kitchen stool crash to the floor as Avery took off at a run. The woman was truly amazing. She must have taken the stairs three at a time. Holly glanced down at her friend’s long muscular legs and amended her estimate. With those legs, Avery could take the stairs four at a time. Without saying a word, Holly passed the drawing to her barely breathless friend who sank to the bed beside her. “Oh my God. Is that him?” Holly nodded. Some time during the night, she had drawn the upper half of a naked, Stryker Cain. The savage likeness was uncanny. Avery said, “Wow. He’s certainly hot…I’ll bet he’s inspired more than one sex dream…but, Holly, what’s with all the blood? It is blood, isn’t it?” She nodded slowly, staring at the drawing in Avery’s hand. It was an almost perfect image of the man she’d met in the grocery store except for two things. He wore no shirt and blood dripped from the mouth of the man in her sketch. It slid down his chin, pooled in the hollow of his collarbone and stained his chest. Again, Holly was grateful there hadn’t been color pencils handy. “You did this in your sleep?” “I must have.”
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“So I guess you really can claim you’re such a natural artist you can do it in your sleep.” Holly raised an eyebrow at her. “That was lame.” Avery shrugged. “Yeah, sorry. It’s the stress.” “I can’t recall ever sketching in my sleep before. At least I’ve never found a drawing on my pillow in the morning, but I’ve awakened from a dream and grabbed a pencil to draw what I’d seen.” She shook her head and touched a hand to her temple where a headache pounded. She nodded at the paper. “What the hell is this? He’s covered in blood. His mouth is full of it.” “Let’s not overreact here. It’s just a drawing.” “But you and I both know my automatic drawings depict the future. They’re never just drawings.” Avery sighed. “Yes, I know all about them, but have you ever had a dream like the one you had last night?” Holly laughed without humor. “Trust me, I would have told you if I did.” Avery smiled back at her gently. “Glad to hear it. Well, then, we’re in new territory here. You don’t know how you respond to such an erotic and realistic dream. You’ve only had one. This could be your libido talking and not the future.” She wanted to believe what her friend was telling her, but Holly felt skeptical. Avery hammered home her point. “You said that in your dream last night you felt like you’d been turned into liquid.” She gave Holly a hopeful look. “Well, maybe that’s what you drew. Maybe that’s not blood at all. It’s you!” “So Stryker Cain is going to drink me?” Holly couldn’t help but see the humor in her friend’s suggestion. “Yeah, well, some men can consume a woman.” She offered up a pathetic look. Holly laughed. “Man, are you off your game. That was lame too. Did you finish your cinnamon bun?” Avery shook her head, feigning shame. “No. You interrupted me.” “Oh, okay. That explains it. Your sugar must be low,” Holly said with a smile. She sobered for a second and pointed to the sketch, forcing the conversation back on topic. “I think we have to go on the assumption that
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this is blood. I’m not willing to ignore a portent just because it casts doubts on a man I find attractive. A man I don’t even know.” Avery nodded her reluctant agreement. “Okay, but you have to still keep an open mind. He might be completely harmless.” Holly rolled her eyes and waved the drawing in her optimistic friend’s face. “Yeah, wish me luck with that.” Avery took the sketch from her hands and looked down at it. “You’re going to need it. What a waste, if he’s the villain in all this.” “Avery, he’s drinking blood!” “I can see that, but it doesn’t necessarily mean real blood. Maybe the O positive symbolizes how he’s going to make you feel? That’s what happened in the dream right? He made you feel liquid.” Holly reluctantly agreed. Avery said, “Just promise me you won’t sabotage this attraction you feel. Don’t smother it before it gets a chance to breathe.” She narrowed her eyes. “You do that, you know.” Holly shrugged. “So you’ve told me.” “Well, it’s about time you listened. Don’t jump to conclusions about him. I’m not prepared to plunk a black hat on his head just yet.” She made shooing motions with her hand. “Go on, take your shower. While you’re doing that, I’m going to eat my cinnamon bun and look up this Stryker Cain.” **** Holly sighed with relief when the warm water hit her chilled toes. Standing under the shower head, she closed her eyes and let the warmth soothe her. The water did its job for a moment until Holly remembered the liquid feeling she’d experienced in her dream. It had melted her very bones. Her heart started to pound as she recalled the dream and the man. The water sliding down her body felt like a caress, his caress. It felt so sensuous, so wonderful, she wanted to purr. Holly tilted her head back, closed her eyes and indulged herself for just a second. A second turned into minutes. She had no idea how long she stood there. Finally dragging herself out of her sensual daydream, she opened her eyes and started. Vision clouded, she wiped the water from her eyes with impatient fingers. Her sight restored,
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Holly gasped with astonishment. There he was. Stryker Cain and his glorious body stood not six inches away, the shower’s mist swirling around him.
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Chapter 5 “I’m not sure we should be doing this,” said Holly, as she stopped her car close to Irene O’Neill’s property. “Me neither, but what other option do we have?” Avery said. While Holly had watched her vision of Stryker Cain fade away in the shower, Janice had called Avery back and told her that the victim’s name was, in fact, Irene O’Neill. The only opportunity they’d get to see the murder scene was if they snuck in after midnight. Janice informed her that they’d have a fifteen minute window of opportunity at that time. Avery didn’t bother to ask how she came upon that kind of information. Holly still had doubts about dragging her friend in with her. “We don’t have another option, but you do. Stephen sure was mad at you for doing this. Maybe I should have come alone…kept you out of it.” Even in the darkness Holly could sense Avery’s annoyed expression. “Stephen is not the boss of me and he knows better than to try to stop me. I’m not about to let you do something like this alone. He’ll just have to wait by the phone and be ready with the bail money in case we get arrested. Now come on, we have to get into the kitchen, see if it fits the drawing.” Both dressed in well matched, dark clothing, Holly felt a little ridiculous and giggled nervously, half scared half excited. Neither of them had ever dreamt of doing something like this let alone actually doing it. A typical Muskoka summer night, anonymous creatures communicated in languages Avery and Holly couldn’t understand. Their voices filled the air. Clouds covered the moon and they had to use flashlights to find their way through the brush to Irene’s house. As they drew closer to the scene of the crime, Holly shuddered at the thought of the animals they might be disturbing. Then she noticed something strange. “Don’t you find it a little quiet?”
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Avery stopped and looked back at her friend. “You know you’re right. All of a sudden, it’s gotten pretty quiet. I don’t hear a thing anymore.” “If this were a horror movie I’d say, ‘It’s quiet…too quiet’.” Holly laughed. “Weird we don’t hear anything now though, eh?” “Maybe not. We’re making enough noise to frighten all God’s creatures into silence. For them, humans are the most dangerous creation of all.” “True,” Holly said. She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the outer rim of Irene’s property. Shocked by what she saw, she froze in her footsteps. There was police tape surrounding Irene’s rather large garden. She whispered to Avery, “What happened out here? Why the tape?” Avery shrugged. “Let’s take a look.” She shone her flashlight over the sectioned off area. It didn’t take long to find the answer. The grass was soaked with blood. Avery panned the light up to illuminate Irene’s beautiful flowers. Some of them were blood splattered too. Deep burgundy drops stained the petals of a perfectly formed fragrant white rose. Holly felt sick. “It didn’t happen in the kitchen. We warned her and changed the future, but we didn’t change enough.” Her voice sounded desolate. Avery put a supportive arm around her and squeezed. After a moment, she said, “Let’s check the kitchen anyway. The cellar door has to be this way.” She pointed to the side of the house. They’d thought to bring tools with them in order to take one of the doors off its hinges and get inside the house. Neither of them had imagined that the murder took place outside. Holly looked down at the cellar doors. There was no lock. They wouldn’t need the screwdrivers. She understood that many people living in the country didn’t lock their doors, but surely it was reckless to leave an access point unlocked. The woman may as well have kept her front door swinging wide open…then again maybe she did. Irene O’Neill wouldn’t be the only one who felt so safe in their community that she didn’t feel the need to live behind locked doors. If she had been killed in her own garden…was there any place safe? The cellar smelled musty and Holly wrinkled her nose. It was damp and cold inside. She shivered, but couldn’t tell if her body was reacting to the chill in the air or her own nervousness. The cellar wasn’t much more than a crawl space. Avery had to bend at the waist to avoid hitting her head. Holly herself could touch the ceiling if she had the inclination. She didn’t.
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Using their flashlights, they found the stairs to the main floor of the house. The door at the top was slightly ajar. Holly’s heart pounded so loudly she wondered why Avery couldn’t hear and comment on it. “What if we’re not alone?” she whispered. Avery put a finger to her lips and started to climb the stairs. Holly followed. The door didn’t make a sound when she pushed it open and they walked into what had been Irene O’Neill’s kitchen. It was almost exactly the same as the drawing except they saw no dead body, no blood, no cookies and no dish rack. The house remained silent and dark. Holly and Avery stood beside each other wondering what to do next. “Hello, Holly,” a man said pleasantly. The sound of his voice in the silence made Avery and Holly jump nervously. Light flooded the kitchen. Blinded for a second, they instinctively turned towards the voice. About two feet away from Holly stood Stryker Cain. Dressed in dark clothing, a navy t-shirt and jeans, he leaned casually against the counter, each hand resting on the marble behind his hips. He crossed his feet at the ankles, looking completely at ease, the situation firmly under his control. “What brings you here at this time of the night?” he asked calmly. Avery had narrowed her eyes and Holly knew she was about to speak, but Holly jumped in. “Stryker Cain, I’d like you to meet my friend Avery.” It was ludicrous making polite introductions under such strange circumstances, but Holly didn’t know what else to do. Damn, even under these circumstances she felt his pull. Avery looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Stryker’s smile widened. He was humoring her. She recognized the signs and frowned at him. His smile still had power over her. Her pulse raced. Thankfully, Avery stepped in. “What brings you here?” “I think I asked first.” His deep voice was mild. Holly said, “You’re not supposed to be here anymore than we are and you’ve turned on the lights.” She moved towards the switch. He raised a hand. “Don’t worry, the constable was just here. He won’t be back for at least twenty minutes. I’ve been watching.” “So you’ve been waiting until the coast is clear?” Holly asked.
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Still smiling broadly he nodded. “I have a good reason for being here ladies. Irene O’Neill was a friend of mine. She told me that someone had suggested she leave town for her own safety and was prepared to pay heed to that advice, but by the looks of it, she didn’t act quickly enough.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing straight up and irresistible. It was the first time Holly had seen him disheveled in any way, and it made her feel even more drawn to him and in far less control of her response to him. “I’m not convinced the authorities around here have enough experience in this sort of thing,” he said. Avery, eyes still narrowed, said, “And you do?” Stryker’s smile faded away and he stared unwaveringly at her as he said, “Unfortunately, I do.” “Do the police know you’re here?” Holly asked. He shook his head, “I’d rather slip in under their radar. It could be…complicated. How about you?” Avery laughed. “No, the police do not know we’re here.” Holly blurted out, “We were the ones that warned Irene.” Avery looked at her like she’d lost her mind and Holly wasn’t sure she hadn’t. She had no defense and shrugged at her friend. Under her breath she said, “I don’t know what came over me.” Avery sent her a look that indicated she knew very well what had come over her. He politely ignored their interaction. “How did you know Irene was in danger?” “I drew it.” Apparently, Holly wasn’t finished spilling all her secrets. “Holly,” Avery hissed between her clenched teeth, nudging her. She put up a finger and pointed it at Stryker. “How do we know you didn’t kill her and now you’ve come back to revisit the scene of the crime?” “You don’t. All I can do is give you my word that I did not kill this woman. Irene was my friend.” Still under his spell, Holly believed him without hesitation. Avery, ever vigilant, stayed silent. “Have you found anything in your search?” Holly asked. He shook his head, “They found the body outside. Her throat had more than one deep puncture mark. The killer came up behind and struck with
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such viciousness he almost severed her spinal cord. It’s possible he wouldn’t have got a drop of blood on him that way. I’ve already been over the garden. I was just about to start in the kitchen when you two showed up. Care to help me?” Neither woman answered as they began to look around. “Since we’re all here together anyway and time is at a premium, why don’t we get organized?” He suggested. “I’ll check the kitchen, Holly could you take the bedrooms and Avery, you take the living room?” The two women looked at each other and nodded. As she walked by him, Avery jabbed his chest with her index finger and said, “I’m watching you.” Holly wanted to giggle, but instead she turned towards the bedrooms. Forty-five minutes later they were done. When they met back in the kitchen, Holly voiced a concern that had been niggling at her since she began riffling through Irene’s things. “What if we’ve left evidence behind by searching this place? The police would consider us suspects.” Stryker laughed. “And this just occurred to you now?” “This is my first black bag job, Hamburglar. You’ll have to forgive me.” He touched her arm and said, “The police have already gathered all the evidence they’re going to. They think they have their man.” “Who?” Holly and Avery said in unison. His hand on her arm felt strong and steady. Holly was happy when he left it there. “Irene’s ex-husband,” Stryker said sadly. “He’d been calling, begging her to take him back. She refused and he made some pretty ugly threats. It seems he was foolish enough to leave a couple of messages on Irene’s answering machine. The cops picked him up already.” “If that’s the case, then why are you here?” Avery asked. “I don’t believe Stan killed her. She wasn’t afraid of him. I trust Irene’s judgment.” His thumb started to stroke Holly’s arm. He didn’t seem aware of it, but she certainly was. His hand felt wonderfully cool against her heated skin. Why did her internal temperature rocket a couple of notches whenever he was near? In a hushed voice, she said, “You accepted our explanation about the drawing without question. Why?” He looked into her eyes and laughed. “I have no reason to think you’d lie, Holly.”
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Surprised, she shook her head with confusion, “But you don’t even know me.” His thumb ceased its caress. “Let’s just say, I’m a good judge of character.” He turned his head toward Avery and said, “Neither of you are accustomed to lying.” Holly frowned. “What makes you say that?” He pulled his hand away. “Call it a hunch.” Avery said, “Why should we trust you?” “Good for you, Avery. I would advise you both not to trust strange men, but, Holly, am I really so strange to you?” The look he gave her made her blush. How could he know about her dream or about the shower? Had he read her mind? No. That was impossible. But then again it was impossible to draw a murder scene before it happened too. Wasn’t she used to doing the impossible? Holly shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He changed the subject. “Irene was leaving. I can tell. Usually, she kept a dish rack near the sink. She always put it away when she left the house for any length of time. She liked to leave her home in tip-top shape.” Avery shrugged. “I didn’t find anything in the living room/dining room except that she had a truckload of silverware. She wasn’t robbed.” “Her bags were packed except a small toiletry case that she’d placed near the bathroom sink,” Holly said. “She intended to leave all right. That’s always the last thing you pack, your toothbrush. Irene’s pink one was right by the sink.” Stryker looked at the clock on the mantel. “We should get out of here. The constable could be by any minute. I’d rather not have to explain why we’re here.” Before Holly could walk away he took her elbow and said, “I need to see your drawing.” She looked at Avery. Avery nodded. Holly said, “Okay, but I didn’t draw her in the garden. In my sketch, she died here in the kitchen.” “Well, then your warning changed that part of the future at least. I’d still like to see it.” Holly nodded. “Do you have a meeting place in mind?”
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Holly shocked them all by saying, “I’ll come to your place.” She raised her eyebrows at Avery and shrugged. She didn’t know why she’d blurted that out, but it was said and she wasn’t going to back out. Stryker wrote down directions to his home. “Why don’t you come around 12:30?” He spared a look for Avery. “You?” She shook her head. “No, I’ve got my kids tomorrow. I promised we’d swim all day.” Holly smiled and for a second forgot where they were and what they were doing there. “They love the water. How’s Jessica’s diving coming?” Avery said, “Not so good. She always raises her head at the last minute.” Holly turned to Stryker and explained, “Jessica is Avery’s oldest. She’s more cautious than the boys, Aaron and Connor. They dive like ducks.” At last, feeling ridiculous making polite small talk at a murder scene, Holly turned to Avery. “Let’s get out of here.” Stryker grabbed her hand before she could leave. He squeezed it and Holly felt the shock of his contact spread through her body. He looked at her and for a second she felt as if she was somehow vital to him. He said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” **** Back in the car, excitement, fear and relief made Holly giddy. She started to giggle. Avery joined her. They’d had an adventure. An onlooker would estimate their age at maybe thirteen as they let their tension out on each other. They made enough noise to be heard outside the car even with the windows up. Finally, Holly pulled herself under control and started the car. “I’m not going to sleep tonight, you know that, don’t you?” “I’m not sure I will,” Avery said. “He’s amazing. He certainly had an effect on you kiddo. Hypnosis…that’s the only explanation.” Holly shook her head. “I don’t know, Avery. There’s just something about him that calls out to me.” “Yeah, and it’s in his pants!”
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Laughing Holly said, “No. Seriously. There’s something there I can’t explain but man is it potent.” She fanned herself with a hand. Holly almost immediately regretted her words. Avery looked at her askance, obviously prepared to make a joke about potency, but didn’t take advantage of the opportunity her friend’s words had given her. Instead she sobered and said, “I’m glad he has that effect on you because you deserve it. He certainly has a thing for you. There’s no way that man is married. He makes a meal of you with his eyes.” Avery sat forward, excitement in her own eyes. “Check out that whole stroking with his thumb thing. I don’t think he even realized he was doing it. Caressing you was so natural to him, something he did automatically…like breathe.” Holly said, “Avery…I didn’t tell you about what happened in the shower this morning…”
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Chapter 6 “Obviously it was just my imagination, but I saw him. It was so real. I almost reached out and touched him.” Sitting in the passenger side of Holly’s car, Avery angled her body within the confines of her seatbelt and rested her head on the side window. She didn’t say a word, her expression said it all. The look on her face told Holly her friend was astonished, intrigued, excited and impatient to hear more. Holly didn’t disappoint her as she proceeded to explain. “I must admit, I was thinking about him as the water poured over me. You know that whole liquid thing?” She took her eyes off the road for a second to see Avery nod knowingly. “The fluidity of the water sort of reminded me of him. When I opened my eyes I could see him standing in the mist.” “Was he naked?” Avery asked, a look of anticipation on her face. Holly giggled. She should have figured that was coming. “No, he wasn’t naked…but he wasn’t clothed either. He was just…there.” “Shame he wasn’t naked,” Avery mused almost to herself. Losing control once again she laughed. “Okay…well, that’s just way cool!” “You don’t find it a little scary?” “No,” she said with force, “but I can see why you would. You’ve never taken a risk in your life, except coming to live up here, and that wasn’t much of a risk at all. Letting this thing with you and Stryker play out is going to be tough for you.” Holly understood what her friend was saying. For her, this was new territory. Holly had always dated the nice guy. The guy a girl could or should marry, but for some reason or other, she’d always stopped short of real commitment. Absolutely nothing about Stryker Cain implied that he was the kind of man she usually attracted or was attracted to, and that was scary. For a split second she considered running for the hills.
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The ideal foil for Holly in that respect, Avery encouraged her friend in this new adventure. “You have good instincts, follow them for once. What does your heart say? Hell, what does your body say? Go with it, Hol. I have a good feeling about this.” Holly raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, and that feeling would be…sexual tension.” Avery didn’t bother to deny it. “Yeah, and it was so thick I could have scooped it up in pails and sold it on eBay.” Holly laughed at the image Avery had created. “You know I can’t help myself, don’t you? So there’s really no need for you to encourage me.” “Yeah, but I figured you needed to talk about it anyway. I’m with you on this, Holly. Just keep me informed. It’s safer that way and far more interesting for me.” Holly pulled into the long laneway that led to both their properties. She took the west lane and in a matter of minutes Avery’s house appeared. Built on a point, the house had a panoramic view of the lake. The most inspiring sunsets Holly had ever seen were enjoyed while eating dinner with the family. This was home for her and she felt her heart tighten just a little. Avery said, “It’s dark inside. At least Stephen left an outside light on for us. Do you want to check on the kids with me?” Holly had already turned off the ignition. Here on the edge of the lake the night creatures were very noisy. Fireflies flirted with the trees in the distance. She took a deep breath, appreciating the moment. How remarkable was Mother Nature? Slipping into Jessica’s room to watch her sleep, Holly asked the question again, how remarkable was Mother Nature? Avery’s daughter was almost a carbon copy of her mother. Long and lean, all knees and elbows, Jessica was sound asleep. She’d tossed the comforter off and had one foot on the floor as if ready to run out of the room as soon as the sun rose in the sky. Avery and Holly exchanged smiles in the darkness as they pulled covers over the sleeping child. Both the boys were also posed in creative positions. It had always amazed Holly that they managed to sleep with their bums in the air or their limbs hanging over the bed. Not for the first time, she felt sad that her own mother never got the chance to do the same thing with her when she was a
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child. Every child deserved a mother like Avery, someone who loved unconditionally, someone who was there no matter what. All three children were sleeping soundly. Avery could go to bed. She hugged Holly goodnight and said, “I’ll wait for your light.” She didn’t need an explanation. That was their signal. From Avery’s kitchen window, she could see Holly’s house through the trees. When Holly got home, she would turn her porch light off and on to indicate that all was well, she’d arrived safe and sound. It was a code they’d learned from Avery’s father. When they were teenagers with bright and shiny driver’s licenses, he’d watch from the window when Holly walked to her car to drive home after dark. She had to check the backseat and lock herself in. With the interior light on, Holly would wave goodbye to him. He wasn’t satisfied that she was safe until she got home and called him. The ritual was like second nature to them and they’d brought it with them when settling in Muskoka. All those years ago, Holly had appreciated Avery’s father’s concern. It was so different from Alan Seaton’s more stifling behavior. Avery’s father, Will, wanted her to grow independent, but always safe. Her own father didn’t care about the independence part of it. He meant well, but he wasn’t an easy man. Margaret Wickham, the fortune teller had been right, Alan Seaton had loved his wife above all else. Holly was so like her mother, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her too, so he tried to cushion every aspect of her life. But Holly had a life of her own. She had to live it. At home at last, with her doors locked securely, Holly turned her porch light off and on. She watched as Avery’s light went off and on in reply. Perhaps they’d brought urban fear into rural life, but they didn’t care. It was a part of their childhood and they liked it. The kids loved it. Given the opportunity, they took turns flicking the light switch. The silent communication reassured them. Holly was close by and that made them all happy. **** Stryker Cain made it home on foot. He had excellent night sight and could move quickly over Mother Nature’s carpets. He didn’t fear the creatures of the night. He knew they were all around him, but they wouldn’t
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hurt him as long as he posed no threat. As usual, he was granted unmolested passage. Back on his own property, he was greeted by Polly, his dog. She was a yellow lab and as loyal and good-hearted as a dog could be. Stryker smiled down at her. In sync, man and dog entered the house. Stryker’s home was a renovated farmhouse. Most people wanted lakefront property in Muskoka, but not Stryker. He was content just to have land he could ride his horse over comfortably. The rocky waterfront properties wouldn’t have been a great choice for him. Since he’d moved in, he and his black stallion, Dakota, had been over every inch of his land. Either of them could map it blindfolded. He mourned Irene’s death in silence. She was an understanding and generous human being, the kind of woman who opened her heart to things most people feared. Their cause needed humans like her. Upon hearing of her murder, Stryker had slipped onto Dakota’s bare back and the two of them covered miles and miles of Muskoka ground without stopping. He longed to feel Mother Nature’s hand upon him. He understood and accepted that all living creatures had to die, but murder was abhorrent to him. Animals killed to survive. That was sanctioned by nature, but senseless, cold blooded murder was not and in this instance Stryker knew he had to do something about it. Irene was gone, brutally slaughtered. He refused to accept the police’s simple explanation of her death. Holly’s drawing had foretold it. Stryker had sensed her power the moment he’d felt her presence in the grocery store, but had no idea what form it would take. Yesterday, sensing that power was all he’d needed to know. But that was before he’d lost a friend. Holly’s gift was intrinsically entwined in Irene’s murder and now there was no avoiding the fact that she was involved. Irene’s death had to be part of something bigger. Something he had to stop. He knew it wouldn’t end with her. More was coming. He regretted that Holly Seaton had to be a player, but his gut told him that destiny was in play. Meeting her in the grocery store was one thing. That put him on his guard, but finding her tonight had hammered the point home. Stryker couldn’t let anything happen to her. He’d have to protect her. Instinctively he knew that she would have gotten involved whether he liked it or not. Now the only way to keep her safe was to work with her. If she resisted his interference he’d have to insist. A part of him almost felt sorry
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for her. Of course as his bloodmate, she had no choice, but at least Stryker knew the rules. Poor Holly had no idea what she was getting into. Her life would be turned upside down. Her fate had been sealed the moment he’d caught his first whiff of her. **** The next morning, Holly woke feeling refreshed. She looked around to see if she’d drawn anything in the night and was relieved to see that she hadn’t. She couldn’t remember a single one of her dreams. That was probably a good thing. In all the excitement, Holly and Avery hadn’t had the chance to really talk about Holly’s book idea about the civilization under the lake. She’d mentioned it to Avery who seemed intrigued by the idea, but lately they’d had other things to talk about. Things like precognitive drawings, bloody murder and Stryker Cain. Just the thought of the man had Holly blushing. She wasn’t a complete innocent when it came to men. In the past, with Avery’s help she’d managed to slip away from her father’s watchful eye a few times. In fact, she considered herself one of the lucky ones. Her romantic relationships hadn’t left her with any baggage. But not a single man in her past had made her feel what Stryker made her feel with a single glance. It was a strange almost primal thing. The yearning didn’t originate in her mind or even her heart. It seemed to come from her life force…her flesh, her bones, her blood. It was part of her and she was just beginning to get acquainted with it. It scared and thrilled her all at the same time. Today she was going to the source. She’d be treading on Stryker Cain’s turf. Would it make a difference? Would her feelings intensify when surrounded by his things? Holly had no idea how to answer her own questions, but one thing was certain, she was in for a rough morning if she didn’t stop dwelling on the man. She drank a cup of black coffee and ate a muffin. Her father’s new cook was a wonderful baker. Holly licked the tip of a finger and used it to gather up every last crumb from her plate. She considered having another one, but ignored the impulse.
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Next Holly did what she always did. She picked up a pencil and started to sketch. This time her drawing wasn’t automatic, but she felt that in a way her hand wasn’t her own as it flowed over the paper with a mind of its own. She drew a likeness of Stryker leaning against the counter in Irene’s kitchen. That’s how they’d found him last night, or rather how he’d surprised them last night. She knew she could draw. Her technique was flawless, but that confidence wasn’t enough to make her an artist, to make her a success. Any artist needed that special something, that gift. Her drawings for Avery’s stories had more than just technique. They had heart. And so did this quick drawing of Stryker. She’d captured him beyond his physical likeness. She’d captured his indulgent humor, his unshakable confidence and a little of the danger he represented. “That’s good,” Avery said, looking over her shoulder and smelling of clean laundry. Holly had heard her come in and knew she’d find her way to where Holly sat examining the sketch. Avery took a seat, sipped her coffee and said, “You’ve nailed him.” She giggled. “That pun was entirely intentional by the way.” Holly smiled. “I thought you were swimming with the kids all day today.” “Stephen’s just fixing them breakfast. So I slipped out to check on you. A phone call wouldn’t have been enough. Even you can fudge over the phone. I had to see your face.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not thinking of backing out of going to his place today, are you?” Holly rested her head in the palm of her hand and propped it up with her elbow. “No. I’m definitely going. I’m just trying not to waste my whole morning thinking about him.” Avery looked down at the drawing and said, “Yeah? How’s that going for you?” They both started to laugh. Avery said, “What’s wrong with thinking about him? Of course you’re thinking of him. He’s the kind of man women think about. Hell, Irene O’Neill was old enough to be his grandmother and I’d bet she thought of him.” “Poor Irene is dead,” Holly said bluntly.
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Avery refused to be ashamed of her comment. “Yeah, well, when it comes to that man I’m not sure death is enough.” “You’re nuts. You know that, don’t you?” Holly appreciated her friend’s attempt to cheer her. “Yeah, but I know what I’m talking about.” “Better than most people.” They exchanged a knowing look. No words were necessary. Avery’s romance with her husband Stephen was the stuff that made best selling novels best selling novels. They hadn’t liked each other at first, but they’d wanted each other with a passion that promised to become legendary. That unmistakable desire made things very interesting until finally they actually communicated with each other and stopped playing games. In the end, they found themselves very much in love. Nobody was more surprised than Avery. Finally she stopped fighting him and her feelings for him. Holly had been relieved, because Stephen was the only man she’d ever met who was worthy of her friend. Theirs was a marriage to be envied. With a generosity of spirit that came from true love, they’d made Holly part of the family. She loved Jessica, Aaron and Connor like she would her own children which was a good thing as Holly figured it. She had never felt a desperate need to procreate. She often joked that her biological clock was unplugged and flashing 12:00. Because of Avery, she had a family, children who loved her, children to love. She was content…at least up until now…up until she’d walked into the super market and straight into Stryker Cain’s arms.
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Chapter 7 By noon, the sun had reached its zenith and Holly was forced to turn on the air conditioning in her car. She’d dressed with the heat in mind and that included the heat Stryker tended to generate inside her. She wore a white sundress that she knew complemented her golden tan and her gentle curves. After about five minutes, she turned off the air conditioning and opened her sun roof. She much preferred the fresh clean Muskoka air, unconditioned. He’d given her excellent directions to his home and she had no problem finding his laneway. She pulled her car to a stop before turning down his drive. Taking a moment, she made a vain attempt to calm her nerves. Part of her wanted to put the car into reverse and get the hell out of there, but Holly ignored that part and pushed on. Her heart pounded as his house came into view. She liked it on sight. He’d made a beautiful home out of the huge old two story farmhouse. There were changes like an obviously new barn, but not a single one of his upgrades interfered with the charm of the place. The man himself sat on the porch steps, as casual as you please, throwing a ball for a yellow lab who brought it back to him over and over again. The dog dropped the saliva-soaked projectile at her master’s feet and barked. Stryker stood up when Holly brought her car to a stop. She hadn’t seen him move, but before she could reach for the door handle, he was opening it for her. He offered her his hand and helped her out of the car. It was a sweet gentlemanly gesture and smiling up at him, Holly placed her hand in his. His touch was cool and familiar, but it still made her heart skip a beat, then pound faster. It felt like he took her heart in his hand, touched it then gave it back to her forever changed. She could think of nothing to say. Coming to her rescue, he covered the silence.
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“You’re right on time.” With all encompassing expertise, his eyes swept down to her sandals and her painted pink toes, then back up. “You look beautiful.” She peered up at him and said the first thing that came to mind. “So do you.” He laughed and guided her toward his front door. The dog gamboled up to them with the tennis ball in her mouth. Stryker bent and took the ball from her. “Holly, this is Polly.” He laughed at the rhyme. “That sounds ridiculous,” she said. He nodded. “It does, doesn’t it?” He threw the ball and Polly went running after it. “Come on, I’ll show you around.” The inside of the house was decorated with simple taste. Holly didn’t want to think that he lacked imagination, but she could see many opportunities he’d missed. Opportunities and little things that could make the place more homey. Being thoroughly human, she couldn’t help but rejoice that it lacked the feminine touch. A chilling thought occurred to her. She stopped and looked up at him. Games were not Holly’s forte and she wasn’t prepared to start playing at this late stage. “Are you married?” She blurted her fear out loud and braced herself for the all important answer. He turned and looked at her seriously. “No, are you?” She smiled and barely managed not to breathe an audible sigh of relief. “No.” “For the record, Holly, I’m single. I’ve never been married, nor have I ever considered the possibility of getting married. I am not a monk, but I’ve never taken advantage of or hurt a sexual partner in my entire life.” He paused then added, “Oh, and I’m straight.” She laughed, almost giddy now. “Wow. That’s a lot of information to take in at one time.” “I have faith in you,” he said. Taking her hand in his, he pulled her with him. Holly liked the second level of the house as well and appreciated the decisions he’d made regarding updates, but what she liked best was the feeling of his hand holding hers. She felt awkward and fell silent when he showed her his bedroom. The huge four poster sat in the middle of the room
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like an emperor granting an audience to his subjects. Wow, the things we could do in that bed. She couldn’t look at Stryker, but she couldn’t look at the bed either because it inspired all kinds of fantasies in her well endowed imagination. With careful deliberation, she studied the ceiling. She even made some lame comment about the light fixture he’d chosen. Determined, she pushed her fantasies aside for the moment, promising herself that she’d pull them out and visit them again later at her leisure, maybe while standing in line at the bank. Now that would raise some eyebrows. Holly smiled at the thought. Her smile made Stryker look at her in confusion, but he said nothing. She walked out of the bedroom without saying a word and blindly headed toward what she thought was another room. Stryker came up behind her and opened the door. She almost stepped inside a linen closet. He said, “You seem interested in this particular room of the house. I guess most women look for the closets and storage capacity in every home. Let me assure you that I’ve plenty of that.” Smirking, he moved to a guest room. This time Holly didn’t even step over the threshold, but simply glanced at it from her position in the doorway, unwilling to tempt the fates. He said, “There are two other bedrooms like this one.” She nodded. “That’s a lot of room for just one man.” “Yeah, I guess it is, but someday perhaps I’ll have house guests.” “Do you have a large family?” She snagged this conversational gambit in desperation. He shrugged. “Let’s put it this way, I have a large extended family.” “That must be nice.” She’d never had aunts and uncles or cousins. Both her parents had been only children. Holly had no one but her immediate family and her chosen one, Avery, Stephen, Jessica, Aaron and Connor. As if reading her mind, he said, “It is nice to be surrounded by people who care for you. I could tell that Avery is your family by choice, if not by blood.” She smiled. “You put that exactly the way I would have.” “It’s impossible to miss.” She didn’t respond. His words didn’t require a comment. He showed Holly the kitchen and she was lost. To her inexperienced eyes it had every gadget ever made by man. She didn’t know the purpose of
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half of them. Her mystification must have been obvious because he said, “Yes, I know how to use everything in this kitchen.” Holly laughed. “I’m glad you do because it’s beyond me.” She pointed to one gleaming stainless steel apparatus warily and said, “I think I saw that one in a horror movie once. Not good.” “If you’re thinking of the movie I’m thinking of then you’re damned right it’s not good.” He laughed. Somehow Holly knew they were thinking of the same thing and she accompanied his laughter with her own. It sounded good and she started to relax a little. He served lunch outside in the garden. Holly was impressed with his culinary prowess and his gardening skills, but he rushed to set her straight. “I don’t know much about gardening, but I’m happy to hire someone who does.” He looked mildly apologetic. Holly laughed. “I’ve never been good at pulling weeds. I can’t help but think they have a right to live just as well as any other plant. In fact I admire them, they’re plucky.” “Well, now that you mention it. Who was it that decided grass is good and dandelions are bad?” “Exactly.” She nodded and gently pounded the table with her fist. “And you can eat dandelions, damn it! Marigolds are good and dandelions are bad. What’s the difference? A flower is a flower as long as it’s indigenous.” “You can even make dandelion wine!” Stryker laughed with mock triumph. He lifted his glass of Sangria and toasted, “Here’s to the dandelion, a much misunderstood gift of nature.” Holly touched her glass to his and their eyes met. All humor drained from her face as they stared at each other. The tension was back instantly. She could see desire in his eyes and wondered if it was her own reflected back at her. She held his gaze. He looked away. At last, he said, “Did you bring your drawing?” Lost for a second Holly took a moment to reply. At last, she nodded. “Yes. It’s in my bag.” As she moved to retrieve her handbag, Stryker shook his head and said, “Allow me.” Rising from the table with effortless grace, it took him a split second to retrieve her purse. He looked funny carrying her little flowered bag. Holly suppressed a giggle. Men always seemed to have a particular expression whenever they carried a woman’s handbag, part discomfort, part
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embarrassment. They held it like they would a baby with a dirty diaper. They knew that they had to handle it with care, but they would much rather someone else took it off their hands. He looked so cute. Holly was delighted. For that moment, gone was the sense of danger that seemed to surround him. The image was an intriguing juxtaposition—vital, potentially dangerous man with purse. He arched a brow at her, an inquiry in his eyes, but she ignored him and started to rummage through her bag. She pulled out the folded drawing and handed it to him. Without missing a beat he said, “It’s good. You shouldn’t have folded it.” Holly looked at him warily. “It’s not something you want to frame and put in your living room.” “No, I guess it isn’t, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good.” She shrugged. “If you say so.” “I say so. You captured Irene’s kitchen perfectly. And look,” he pointed to the sketch, “there’s the dish rack. When you created this, she wasn’t planning on leaving. You did change the future, just not enough.” “Whoopee! Irene O’Neill died outside in her garden instead of at her kitchen table. She didn’t make a mess on the linoleum, thanks to me.” He reached out and touched her hand. She felt his need to comfort her and looked up at him in surprise. “You did all you could. More than most people would have done. It isn’t your fault that Irene didn’t get out in time. What we have to hold on to is the fact that given the right opportunity, we can change the future. That’s miraculous in itself.” His thumb gently stroked her hand. “Your drawing proves something else and it gives me no comfort.” She frowned and looked at him waiting for his explanation. He didn’t keep her waiting long. “It proves to me that this won’t be the last.” “How’s that?” Holly felt bewildered. Why would he suggest such a thing? He pointed to the drawing. “See here? You drew two puncture wounds.” Wow, he noticed the marks right away. Distracted by the blood and gore, it had taken her some study to notice that detail. But what did they
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mean? “Two puncture wounds? Why does that make you think there will be more murders?” “Because I’ve seen this before.” “Where?” Holly was horrified. “Are you saying we’re looking at a serial killer?” “I’d rather not say until I have more information. Right now it’s just a hunch.” She considered arguing with him, but one quick glance at his set expression had her deciding against it for the moment. Instead, she studied the picture again shuddering. “It’s so horrible. “It is, but if it helps at all, I don’t think she suffered.” She rested her hands on the table and said, “It helps a little.” “If your drawing depicts what actually happened, then death came fast. It would have been almost immediate.” He pointed to the drawing. “See? Clean wounds. No additional trauma to the skin. The weapon was sharp and the killer’s aim, precise.” Holly looked away from the drawing and into his blue eyes. “What makes marks like that? A barbeque fork?” She scoffed at the suggestion. “Snake bite? Vampire bite?” Trying to find some humor, she searched his face. He wasn’t laughing. He eyes remained fixed, intent and deadly serious. “Nevertheless, I don’t believe you would have drawn one isolated murder committed on the spur of the moment. I think it was planned and some part of you picked up on that plan. I don’t care what the police think. Irene wasn’t killed by her exhusband.” “I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse,” Holly said seriously. He smiled at her. “You are enchanting.” Taken aback, Holly lifted an eyebrow and smiled at him. “Now that’s an antiquated word. It conjures up images of old Englishmen and dusty libraries.” He frowned, confusion on his face. “I don’t think that’s fair. The word fit, so I used it.” “Well then, I guess I should thank you for the compliment.” She hesitated, narrowing her eyes. “It was a compliment, wasn’t it?”
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“Of course,” he said and added ruefully, “I guess I could have used more modern words, but they just didn’t seem to express what I meant.” She waved him off. “Sorry. I’ll take enchanting. It’s a nice word. Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” He sat there smiling at her and appeared prepared to do that for the rest of the afternoon. Holly shifted a little uncomfortably. Being the recipient of all his attention was a little unnerving and she felt compelled to keep the conversation going. “If what you said is right, then there will be another murder or attempted murder. Right?” He nodded with obvious regret. “What do we do to stop it?” His tone was deadly serious. “I wish I knew. For now, I think we should work the problem. That’s all we have.” Holly nodded eagerly. “Yes, work the problem.” She nodded again then frowned. “How do we do that?” “We’ve checked out the crime scene and found very little. Murder investigations are never like they’re depicted on television. Crime scene investigators don’t work every case. The procedures you see on CSI are expensive and time consuming. They won’t be used here especially since the cops think they’ve got the guy. They’ve cottoned onto the first and easiest explanation.” “That hardly seems fair.” “It isn’t fair, but that’s the way it works. Unless some cop takes a personal interest in this case, they’ll try Stan O’Neill for Irene’s murder or better yet, they’ll try to get him to confess to a lesser charge and strike a deal.” “So you think they’ll work on getting a confession from him then?” He nodded. “Yes, that’s where they’ve concentrated their efforts. I’ve called Irene’s nephew and asked him for admittance to the house. The police have released it. We won’t have to sneak around anymore.” “But what are we going to find that we didn’t last night?” “I’m not sure. The neighbor who found her body and the cops who arrived first on the scene messed up the murder site pretty good, but I’ll still take some samples. I can send them to a private lab and have testing done.” Holly’s jaw dropped. “You can do that?”
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“If you have the right connections you can.” “I guess that means you do.” He nodded. “I’ll see what can be done, but if you don’t mind, I’d rather do this without alerting the police. I don’t think they’d take kindly to us investigating something they think is solved.” “But what happens if we find the murderer?” “If we hand them the culprit along with solid evidence, I don’t think they’re going to care where the solution came from.” Holly had to agree, he had a point. “So what do we do now?” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. Despite the cool touch of his skin on her heated flesh, she could feel herself blushing. He smiled as he looked down at the effect he’d had on her and said, “Now we have dessert.”
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Chapter 8 Holly slid the moist chocolate cake from her fork then licked her lips and closed her eyes. Stryker stared at her, mesmerized. He smiled. “Should I leave the two of you alone?” “I like chocolate." She felt the need to defend herself. He flashed her an indulgent grin. “So I see. I felt like I was intruding.” Rolling her eyes, she savored another bite. “Did you make this yourself?” she asked with her mouth full. “I must confess that I cook, but I don’t bake. I got this from the bakery.” Taking a large bite of the cake on his plate, he said, “I like chocolate too.” Holly swallowed. “What’s not to like?” She loved the fact that he took pleasure from food. Avery would have approved. She’d always said that a man who could enjoy his food, could enjoy a woman. It all boiled down to sensuality. At this moment, Holly couldn’t find a single flaw in her friend’s reasoning. Stryker looked even more irresistible while satisfying his appetite. Entirely different appetites were brought to mind as she watched him. “Have you been precognitive your whole life?” He interrupted her thoughts. His question took her by surprise and the very personal drawing she’d done of him flashed before her eyes. He didn’t need to know about that. Finally, she answered him. “As long as I can remember I’ve been able to draw the future. I’m completely out of it while I’m doing it, but luckily I can feel the urge coming on. My father took me to doctors and they put me on medication that impaired my ability for a while. Man, I hated how the drugs made me feel.” He touched her hand and she melted a little as he said, “I’m sorry. It was wrong of him to try to stifle what you can do. It’s a gift.”
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“It is sometimes.” She touched a finger to the folded drawing of Irene sitting on the table and shook her head sadly. “It scares people, even me at times. I’ve never drawn violence like this before.” “Then there’s a reason why you did this time. Please don’t be frightened. Many people are afraid of what they don’t understand or can’t control. I think it makes more sense to be open-minded. We just have to puzzle it out. There is a great deal in this world human kind has yet to accept.” He pinned her with his steady gaze. “You should not have been medicated. There’s no telling what damage those drugs did to you, to your power.” What a strange way to put it. But Holly refused to dwell on his choice of words. She felt disloyal and hurried to correct his impression of her father. “My father loves me very much and he was worried about me at the time. He didn’t understand but I know he meant well.” “He’s your father and a beloved one, I see. I meant no disrespect. Forgive me.” Holly shook her head. “Not necessary. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so touchy. It’s just that I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression about my father.” Astute, he said, “You feel guilty. You can’t help but resent him and that makes you uncomfortable. Your father tries to capitalize on that.” “I see you’ve met my father.” She smiled. He shook his head and laughed. “No, no I haven’t. Just men like him, I suspect.” He squeezed her hand gently and released it. “Listen, Holly, what we’re about to undertake could be dangerous and it isn’t easy for me to bring you into all of this. Just pinch me if I get too overprotective. I do that sometimes.” “That’s a promise.” She laughed and stabbed her last piece of cake with the ruthlessness of a Samurai. She ran her tongue over the tines of her fork and set it down beside her plate. Stryker watched her every move. At last, he said, “Has there ever been anything that triggers your automatic drawings? Flashing lights or music?” She paused and thought hard. “I don’t think so. I just know that the drugs stopped them completely for a while. Then, after time they started to come back, but I didn’t tell my father.”
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He leaned forward. “Were there any other side effects to the drugs?” His sharp insight made her pause. “How did you know?” “All drugs have side effects, but yours were different I’ll bet.” “Yes, they were. I started to see auras. And I still do. That side effect didn’t wear off once I’d weaned myself off the drugs. These days, I don’t see everyone’s, just some.” Steady and direct, her eyes pierced his. “Now answer my question. How did you know?” “I guessed. You never had an affliction, you had an ability and there was no one around to help you control it. It was misdiagnosed, misinterpreted and misunderstood. Your ability to see auras wasn’t a side effect, but rather an additional ability you merely grew into. When you stopped taking the meds, you could still see them. It stands to reason.” He sounded supremely confident. Warily, she said, “You seem to know a lot about this kind of thing.” His gaze dropped to the table for a second before he answered. “I do know a little bit about this kind of thing. I have a few abilities myself and living this close to nature only hones them.” She leaned closer, her eyes widening. “What can you do?” He laughed sheepishly. “I don’t pull coins from children’s ears. That’s for sure.” Narrowing her gaze, Holly could tell he was reluctant to divulge his secrets. After a moment she leaned back, deciding to take pity on him. She knew what it felt like to have strange, unexplained abilities. Feeling generous, she let him off the hook and turned the subject in a slightly different direction. “Was Irene psychic?” Startled, he said, “Yes, a little. She used the tarot cards to help focus her ability, but, yes, even without the cards she possessed an unhoned gift.” “Maybe that’s why I picked up on her death.” He raised his brows and nodded, considering the possibility. “That could be. She might have unconsciously helped you to pick up the killer’s intentions. We should get hold of Irene’s phone records and ask the neighbors about visitors.” “That’s something Avery and I can do. We know this hacker who can do just about anything with a computer. He’ll be able to get her phone records.”
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“Do you think he could also find out about any activity on her credit cards?” Holly waved a nonchalant hand. “Pfft…in a New York minute.” She smiled at him and added, “While Arnie is checking into that and you’re gathering samples, I’ll talk to the natives.” He smiled at her, and the corners of his eyes creased deeply. Holly found herself even more charmed by him. He’d spent a good part of his life smiling like that. The thought of all those smiles warmed her heart. He said, “Be very careful. Try to make your inquiries seem like idle gossip, busybody kind of stuff. We don’t want to alert the killer. Please promise me that you will show me all future automatic drawings you do.” His expression was deadly serious. Guilt forced her to look away for a second. When she dragged her gaze back, the blood-drenched image she’d drawn of him superimposed itself on his seated form and she blushed. She knew better than to lie. Instead, she avoided full disclosure and said, “From now on, I promise to show you any drawing that might pertain to this case.” Could he tell she was hiding something? He narrowed his eyes, but didn’t question her. Feeling uncomfortable, she shifted in her seat. “Are you, or have you ever been a cop?” He laughed. “No, but I’ve been asked to investigate crimes in the past. Like your Mounties, I always get my man.” Holly laughed and he looked at her with an inquiring raised eyebrow. “Avery used to say that.” She explained. “I don’t really understand what you mean by that, but I’ve met Avery so I’m sure it was no empty boast.” “Trust me, it wasn’t. I like the RCMP reference though. Very Canadian of you. You get points for that.” **** When Holly prepared to leave, Stryker walked her to her car. Polly trotted beside them with the ever present grimy tennis ball in her mouth. He leaned down and threw the ball for the dog.
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Watching with admiration, Holly said, “She’s a beauty. How long have you had her?” “Since she was a pup. My brother’s dog is her mother. I’ve always had a canine companion. Unfortunately, they don’t live long enough. One can never replace another, but I’ve loved every one I’ve ever had.” Holly liked him the more for it. “I’m thinking about getting one now that I work from my home. My father never let me have pets. He didn’t think I needed to be burdened with the responsibility. His words, not mine. My brother and sister never showed an interest.” “You should consider it. Let me know if you want my help picking one out.” She looked up at him. “Thank you. I may take you up on your offer.” “Next time you come I’ll show you my horses. I come from a long line of horse lovers. My stallion, Dakota has a very regal bloodline. Do you ride?” She nodded. “I love to ride, but I’m not very good.” “I don’t believe that. I’m sure you have a natural seat.” So did he. Holly had noticed that particular fact while following him around his house. She laughed and grinned up at him. “I’m not going to touch that one.” She reached for the driver’s side door handle, but he got there first. Opening the door, he leaned down. Holly lifted her head to his, waiting for the touch of his lips against hers. He looked down at her mouth then into her eyes and back again. She used her tongue to wet her lips. She could feel his breath mingle with hers. It felt cool against her moistened lips. She closed her eyes and waited. Her skin practically hummed in anticipation and her lips parted instinctively. Stryker tipped his forehead to hers and sighed. Cupping her face in his hand, his thumb stroked her cheek then moved to her bottom lip. Her tongue followed the movement of his thumb and she heard him groan. His hesitation was killing her and she considered taking matters into her own hands, but before she got the chance, he lifted his head slightly and kissed her on the forehead. He stayed motionless for what seemed like minutes, but common sense told Holly it was only seconds. He whispered. “I’ll be in touch.”
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As he said the words, Holly shivered in response. Like an automaton she slipped behind the wheel of her car and drove away. When she got home, it amazed her that she had no recollection of her trip back. The heat was unbearable and Holly couldn’t tell for sure if it was from the weather or her reaction to Stryker, but she had a good idea. The lake beckoned. A swim would cool her down and the kids would take her mind off the reason she needed to cool down. Moving quickly, she found her bathing suit and stripped out of her sun dress. She couldn’t get naked fast enough and as she pulled the suit up, her heart pounded. She almost ran the short distance to the lake. Avery was sitting on the dock watching Aaron and Connor swim. Perched on a nearby rock, Jessica studied the clear water, tapping her foot on the surface. Inhibitions fled as Holly broke into a run. With a loud holler of warning, she dove in, cutting the surface with clean precision. When at last coming up for air, she heard the sweet sound of kids’ laughter. It didn’t matter how commonplace her presence was, they always greeted Holly with enthusiasm and she never took it for granted. They made her feel like a rock star. The water, the exercise and the children did the trick. Holly was able to push Stryker Cain out of her mind temporarily. She avoided Avery’s eyes. Her friend accepted her reticence silently, but Holly knew it was a short reprieve. Avery would wait only so long. **** “And he didn’t kiss you?” Avery looked astonished. “I can’t believe it! The way he stared at you in Irene O’Neill’s kitchen made me feel like grabbing a fire extinguisher. He wants you bad. I wonder why he’s hesitating.” “Maybe we’ve misread the signs.” Holly ventured the pathetic suggestion without really believing it. Avery snorted. She actually snorted. She did that when someone said something preposterous. “I want to call him and ask him what the hell he’s waiting for.” Holly laughed. “Oh that would be an interesting conversation.”
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Avery narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tempt me. I’ll give him one more chance and if he doesn’t kiss you when the opportunity presents itself next time…I’m going to do some investigating myself. All over his ass.” Holly broke into heartfelt laughter. Her tension eased a little more. “He warned me that he might get a little overprotective.” Avery frowned. “Oh no…not another one.” Holly lifted a shoulder. “I’m afraid so. I seem to bring out the protective side in men. At least Stryker told me I could pinch him if he takes it too far.” “Well that’s something I guess. Men can be very sweet when they’re protective, but you don’t need another controlling man like your father.” Holly nodded as Avery continued. “I know they say women are attracted to men like their fathers. That would be so wrong for you. Big mistake, lethal mistake.” “I know, but aren’t we jumping the gun? So far there’s nothing between us but friendly cooperation.” Avery said, “Pfft.” Holly ignored her. “I’m not going to assume a relationship where there isn’t one, especially with a man like him. I think that would be asking for trouble. I don’t want a romance. I’m happy the way I am.” “I know, kiddo, and that’s just fine. I won’t push you, but I can’t pretend I don’t see how much he wants you. It’s unmistakable. It’s neon. It’s disco ball, man.” Holly laughed at her friend’s reference and wondered what she’d ever do without her. Before leaving, Holly squinted, pointed a finger and said, “Don’t forget to take your vitamins and get plenty of rest.” Avery looked bemused. “Yes, Grandmother.” Holly explained. “You have to take care of yourself because I can’t live without you.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder, and said, “It’s all about me.”
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Chapter 9 That night, snug in her bed, Holly worried that she’d never get to sleep. Thoughts of Stryker kept intruding. At last she drifted off, but he followed her into her dreams. Again, he teased her by not taking her lips. He kissed her, licked her, nipped her everywhere else instead and she thought she’d scream with frustration. Naked, his skin felt like heaven against hers. She rubbed her sensitive breasts against his chest. His expert hand slipped between their bodies and touched her gently at first then with increasing urgency. The tension in her body wound tighter and tighter. She climbed higher and higher until she found release. It wasn’t enough. She longed to take him with her and dug her nails into his back. He threw his head back and groaned. Holly dragged her teeth and tongue down the side of his neck. Grabbing her by the hair, he dragged her mouth from his throat. He looked in her eyes and she could see the desperate desire there and God help her, she felt a triumphant thrill. She had power over him and gloried in it. Finally, he put his lips against hers. He was so gentle she barely felt his touch and didn’t have a chance to respond before he pulled away. He leaned back and she recognized the look of surrender on his face. It was familiar. He had power over her too and she didn’t care either. She wanted him to take, take, take…drain her, penetrate her…mate with her. He ran his tongue over her mouth and paid exquisite attention to first her top, then her bottom lip. He pressed his lips against her and stroked her tongue with his. “I need to taste you.” He moaned. She responded with a desperate sigh. “Do it.” Finding that special spot under her tongue, he drank then pulled back and bit her lip. It didn’t hurt her. It just made her want more. Driven beyond words, she was led by example and raked her teeth over his bottom lip.
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He laughed. “You learn fast.” Holly found her voice again. “Please…” She begged him, unsure of what she was pleading for. He kissed her deeply and Holly responded with fervor. She’d never been kissed like this before. She felt liquid and she flowed into his mouth as he flowed into hers. In one sure thrust of his hips, he took her and she cried out. Waking in the darkness of her bedroom, Holly savored the residual waves that swept over her body. When her heart calmed and beat more regularly, she wiped a hand across her moist face. Dream sex with Stryker Cain was more intense than anything she’d ever experienced in her waking hours. What would the real thing do to her? Would she survive it? If she didn’t…what a way to go. **** He tried to feel guilty but he just couldn’t. This time her pull was beyond his capacity to resist. Temptation had trumped his self discipline. It was too late. He’d touched her, connected with her. She was under his skin now and Stryker knew that he would have no choice but to accept it. He could smell her unique and utterly personal scent, a fragrance that had nothing to do with perfumes purchased in a store. He knew her essence and it pulled at him, was always with him like the phantom pains of a lost limb. This was the second time he’d entered her dreams. With a craving such as his, dream walking was the only thing that gave him relief. This time Stryker took pride in knowing that he’d been able to give her sweet pleasure as well. A twinge of guilt washed over him and he tasted it for a moment. Bitter. It wasn’t fair to her. Holly Seaton would not understand what was happening to her. Stryker could tell she had no idea of her potential. For the hundredth time, he wondered how that was possible. Abilities such as hers should have manifested during puberty at the latest. The drugs her foolish father had pushed on her must have been powerful to block out her particular gifts. What a shame. There was so much she could do and she was utterly unaware, unschooled. He’d have to tell her soon. Offer up an explanation and help her in some way. Their connection would grow, and if not assuaged it would turn into a
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raging fever, then madness. The dream walking could hold off the inevitable for only so long. He wished he could concentrate solely on Holly, but that wasn’t possible. Better than anyone, he understood that things happened for a reason. He knew poor Irene O’Neill’s death was just the beginning. Standing in her garden, he could smell the malice. She’d been killed by the hand of a stranger and one who enjoyed his work. In Irene’s mind, this stranger had posed no identifiable threat to her. She hadn’t seen it coming and she’d died quickly. Small consolation. The police had taken away her body, but her blood had leaked out onto the ground. He’d studied the stained flowers and flinched when the smell of her blood was too powerful to ignore. Stryker knew Irene had died not knowing who or what her assailant was. Her blood told him that. **** “But you didn’t draw anything in your sleep this time, did you?” Avery asked when Holly told her about her erotic dream. Holly shook her head and fanned her face with her hand. “No drawing, but I still get palpitations when I think about it. The guy makes my eyelids sweat.” “Damn. He’s good. From miles away he can achieve what a lot of men can’t do in close contact with instructions. That is if the statistics are right.” Avery grinned. “I wouldn’t know.” “It was so real.” Holly blushed and felt the heat rise but ignored her friend’s knowing look. “It might not have been a dream, Avery.” She looked skeptical and asked, “What does that mean?” “Well, what about something like astral projection or hypnosis? Maybe he drugged my chocolate cake. Help me, Avery, be Scully to my Mulder.” Holly pleaded. Avery looked at her blankly. Holly explained, “The X-Files. Scully was the medical encyclopedia filled with thin explanations for supernatural phenomenon.” “You are such a geek.” Avery teased her. Holly shrugged. “Humor me.”
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“Okay. I suppose astral projection is possible, but he’d have to be a master at it and the same thing goes for hypnosis. How could he have triggered you from a remote location?” Avery leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath before saying, “I have an idea.” “I’m not going to like this, am I?” Avery shook her head ruefully and said, “You should ask him.” “What?” She didn’t take her friend’s words seriously. “No. Just listen.” She put a hand up in defense, and when Holly sat back prepared to hear her, she continued, “The only way you’re going to know for sure is if you ask him.” “How do you suggest I do that? ‘Uh…by the way Stryker…are you having sex with me in my dreams? I don’t mind, I’d just like to know.’” “Don’t be ridiculous.” “Who’s being ridiculous here?” Her tone rose a full octave. “Who’s being ridiculous?” “Seriously, Holly, this guy is different. I’ve never seen you so keyed up about a man in your whole life. There is something special about Stryker Cain. It’s primal, in the animal sense, not the numerical, ha!” She laughed at her own joke. “This thing that’s happening between the two of you calls for drastic action. You’re special. You’ve always been special and I don’t mean the short bus kind of “special”. It stands to reason, that you would experience something unique and unexplainable. Talk to him.” “He’ll think I’ve taken leave of my senses.” “No he won’t. If he really is visiting you in your dreams, he’ll have to come clean. When confronted with such a question, he could hardly lie to you.” Holly wasn’t convinced and looked at her friend warily. “Just tell him that you’ve had some strange dreams and see what he says or how he looks. Ask him in front of me. I bet I could read him.” Holly didn’t doubt it. She’d lost count of the times Avery had summed up a man in two minutes flat. She seemed to approve of Stryker Cain however and Holly started to weaken. “You like him, don’t you?” Avery said, “Yes, but most of all I like the way he makes you feel.” She put up a finger and silenced her friend. “Don’t even try to deny it. I know you too well. There’s been a light in your eyes ever since you met him at the grocery store.”
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“Okay, that sounds like very bad song lyrics. You’re a writer. You can do better than that.” Holly smiled. “Believe me, if things go the way I think they will, I could write sonnets. I’m serious, Holly. Think about asking him about the dreams. Don’t play coy…just confront him. This is too weird to be ignored. And if my guess is right, it’s too important to brush aside.” Holly pressed her lips together and gave Avery’s words some thought. Did she have the courage to ask him? How else was she going to get to the bottom of it? To Avery she said, “Okay. I’ll think about it.” “Have you told him what Margaret Wickham told you?” Holly looked at her in horror. “What with all this stuff with Stryker, I’d almost forgotten that. I didn’t tell him about it, but I wonder if I should.” “Maybe it’s just the writer in me, but I think the very least you should do is write it all down while it’s still kind of fresh. You’ve probably forgotten some of what she told you already. It could be important and you may have to tell Stryker someday soon.” Avery tossed her a pad of lined paper and said, “Start writing.” Like a child obeying an elementary school teacher, Holly did what she was told. When she was finished, she pushed the pad over to Avery who proceeded to jot down what she could remember. She read the whole thing over aloud. Together they made a few corrections and after a little discussion and the odd alteration they decided they were satisfied with the written account. Avery gathered up the papers, handed them to Holly and said, “Atta girl. Now let’s go talk to Arnie.” **** Arnie McCloud was a fifteen-year-old computer genius. He was also under house arrest. Caught hacking into classified government documents, Arnie was serving a remarkably light sentence. Luckily his lawyer had much experience with such cases and was utterly brilliant. The government was so embarrassed that a fourteen-year-old had cracked their security that they hadn’t wanted to call attention to their blunder and Arnie reaped the
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benefits. In the end, the court mandated that Arnie get counseling and be housebound for a period of nine months. For Arnie it was plum. He never went outside much anyway. At least they didn’t take away his computer privileges. Holly and Avery knew that nothing would stop the teenager from hacking and if the authorities had taken away his computer, he’d just figure out some clever way to fool them. They wondered if one day Arnie might prove very useful to the government. His employment potential was sweet. He was a funny kid who’d meant no harm. Both women really liked the boy, and for his part, Arnie had a huge crush on Avery. She never failed to treat the adolescent genius with gentle respect, offering him dating advice and building up his confidence. He was her ever willing nerd, and when asked, happily promised to get them Irene’s phone and credit card records by the next day. “As soon as you can, Arnie. We appreciate it.” Avery said. “Now tell me, how’s your love life?” He smiled and became almost handsome. In that second, Holly could see that Arnie would one day be a bona fide charmer. He just had to grow into his face a little. “I’ve met a girl.” “How’d you manage that? You’ve got three weeks left under house arrest.” He rolled his eyes in the classic teenaged way and sighed. “On-line.” “Of course.” Avery wasn’t impressed. “Don’t dismiss it. A lot of people meet on-line these days,” Holly came to Arnie’s defense. “Yeah, but that means she could live anywhere. How are you ever going to meet if she lives in Yemen or something?” Arnie laughed. “She lives right here in Muskoka. She and her family moved here a few months ago.” Avery smiled. “Well, that changes everything.” She punched him in the arm. “Way to go, tiger! Have you met face to face?” Arnie pointed to his ankle bracelet. “Can’t leave the house, remember?” Avery wasn’t deterred, especially when romance was involved. “Well, she could come here.” “I guess.” He shrugged, sullen all of a sudden. Avery took hold of his hand. “Arnie, any girl who is lucky enough to have you as a friend is lucky. You have to remember that.”
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He nodded. He’d heard it all before and was yet to be convinced. “People say that, but that’s not the reality. Looks are everything, and let’s face it, I have very little to offer in that department.” “That’s bullsh--! Sorry.” Avery looked anything but sorry. “If the girl is so shallow, she doesn’t deserve you.” Holly understood Arnie’s unhappiness. All Avery said was true but that didn’t make it any easier on a teenaged boy with raging hormones. “It will get better, Arnie. One day it will be better. I promise you that.” And she meant it. Avery squeezed his hand. “Promise me you’ll ask to meet her face to face. Best to find out now if she’s worth your time. Don’t let yourself fall for her until you know if she’s worthy of you.” He looked skeptical but finally nodded his head. “You’re right. I promise.” Avery hugged him. “That’s my boy. Now keep us posted and call if you need an ego boost. We think you rock!” As they pulled out of Arnie’s driveway, Holly could see his face through the window and her heart broke for him. Kids could be so cruel to each other. She prayed this girl wouldn’t break poor Arnie’s heart. Maybe when all was said and done, there was a reason for young heartbreak. It prepared a person for what the world had to offer sometimes. But she knew without a doubt that someday Arnie McCloud would be an absolute catch. **** After saying goodbye to Arnie the computer genius, Holly and Avery agreed that the best way to find out about the murder was to talk to the people in the community. So what if the only way to do that efficiently was to visit just about every shop in town? The murder was bound to be a major topic of conversation. They figured that by the end of the day they’d have all the information available and all their shopping done. People were horrified by what had happened, but everyone, including Irene’s neighbors, seemed convinced that the police had arrested the culprit. Stan O’Neill wasn’t very popular and unfortunately for him, the verdict was in. Most people thought him perfectly capable of murdering his ex-wife.
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“He’d threatened her before you know.” The waitress at the coffee shop squinted at them. “Right there at the Rotary Club dance. He was really hammered. She tried to get him to go home and sleep it off but he turned on her, mean as a snake he was.” She looked at the couple sitting at the table next to Holly and Avery and nodded. “You were there, Debbie. Do you remember?” Debbie agreed. “He was always gettin’ pissed. He caused a holy ruckus when Irene was buying that bracelet. You remember, it happened at that special jewelry night SAS hosted in June.” SAS, short for Sue and Sue was one of Bracebridge’s most successful gift shops. The Sues were a local favorite. Both young and beautiful they’d pooled their resources and their exquisite taste and created a thriving business. Their inventory was first class and their prices reasonable. Holly and Avery couldn’t imagine why anyone would take issue with a purchase from that particular shop and their opinion of Irene’s husband dropped another notch. Debbie obviously agreed. Shaking her head, she said, “Stan O’Neill could be a miserable drunk, eh, Howard?” She looked at her husband. He shook his head sadly. “Yeah, Stan sure could get nasty, but I never expected this.” The waitress shrugged. “Who does?” “Especially here.” Debbie shrugged. “I’m just glad they got him. We can sleep nights.” It looked like the community had accepted the cops’ conclusion. Stan O’Neill had killed his wife. In an odd way that worked to Holly and Avery’s favor; they wouldn’t be tripping over the official investigators as they tried to get to the truth. They’d done all they could for the day. Settling the tab and leaving a generous tip for the waitress, Holly and Avery gathered up their shopping bags and walked to the car. They had plenty of time to pick up the kids at camp. Piling into the car, childlike voices overlapped each other as Jessica, Connor and Aaron tried to talk all at once. Patient as always with her children, Avery sorted them out and they each had a chance to tell their story. Holly and Avery took turns asking for clarification and providing encouragement. Their laughter was shared. The women grinned at each other as they exchanged knowing looks, remembering what it was like to be
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a kid. Perhaps that was part of what made their collaboration such a success. They knew what kids liked. They had their own focus group of three. The kids talked all at once overlapping each other, as Avery pulled into Holly’s drive. Holly’s mind hit mute when she saw Stryker Cain leaning against his car, looking like an advertisement for the good life.
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Chapter 10 Pulling herself together, Holly smiled and waved to him. Without moving her mouth, to Avery, she said, “What do I do now?” She continued to smile at Stryker through the car window. Avery waved too. She said, “Come on, kids, I have someone for you to meet.” Holly sent her a quelling look, but was ignored. They all poured out of the car and they weren’t quiet about it. Avery was the first to speak to Stryker. “Hi, Stryker. We’re not staying long, but I’d like you to meet my kids.” She introduced each child to him and he shook each tiny hand. Jessica, savvy for her age, looked at the man and then at Holly and back again. Holly knew the ten-year-old would have some questions for her later, but for now she simply studied Stryker with her serious green eyes. For his part Stryker seemed rather comfortable around the children. They had a little trouble believing that Stryker was his real name. He shrugged and smiled. “Stryker was my mother’s maiden name. The last name she was born with. She changed it when she met my father, but couldn’t quite let go of her identity so she used it for my name. Stryker is an old and respected name where I come from.” The kids looked up at him in fascination. He laughed. “I’m just glad her name wasn’t something like Boyle or Wiener. I don’t think I’d like to go through life being called Wiener or Boyle. What do you think? The kids giggled. Stryker listed a number of even more unsuitable names and they all burst into laughter. Avery gave Holly a knowing look and nodded. She said, “Come on, kids. We’d better be going.” She waved at Holly and Stryker. “Don’t forget seatbelts…no, Aaron, let Jessica have the center seat. You had it last time…” The car door slammed.
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They watched Avery and her brood drive away. Holly found it a little difficult to look at him. The late afternoon sun loved him. It turned his hair into gleaming gold strands that caught the breeze. In natural light, he seemed brighter, visually warmer than other people. His brilliance almost blinded her and she looked away. In a shaky voice, she said, “I didn’t know you knew where I lived.” “I’m pretty good at finding people.” “I can see that.” She walked towards the house. “Would you like to come in for a cool drink?” He strolled beside her, his movements so agile, so effortless. “I’d love to see your home Holly, thanks. It looks like Avery has her hands full with three kids.” He made small talk. Holly appreciated it. It was safe and easy to talk about the kids. “They are very engaged kids. They have endless questions and a unique view of life. It always amazes me what they come up with.” “Do you want children?” he asked. She looked away from him again. “I don’t have to.” Holly escorted him into her living room and said, “How about some lemonade?” Stryker nodded. “Would you like some help?” She shook her head. “I’ll be right back.” In the kitchen, Holly took a deep breath, trying to control her rapidly beating heart. Her hands shook just a little as she filled the glasses with ice. Great, how was she going to stop the ice from giving her away? With her hands shaking, it tapped against the glasses in tell-tale disharmony. She walked quickly back into her living room. With her voice raised to cover the sound of ice against glass, she said, “Avery and I were busy today. People were very happy to discuss the murder. It’s the talk of the town.” She sat down across from him at a safe distance. If he noticed how she’d skirted him, he gave no indication. Leaning forward, he took a long sip of the lemonade she’d placed on the coffee table in front of him. “Thank you.” Glass still in his steady hand, he sat back getting comfortable. “Did you learn anything new?” Holly shrugged. “Not really, other than the fact that Stan O’Neill is not a very nice guy. Everyone seems perfectly happy to believe he killed Irene. Arnie, our computer expert, promised to get us the information on Irene’s
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credit cards and phone calls. He won’t have it ready until tomorrow morning.” She smiled indulgently. “I think he’s busy overthrowing a fascist regime in Latin America.” Stryker laughed. “First things first.” Holly nodded. “Did you get the forensic samples?” “Yeah, and I’ve sent them off to my guy. I’ve put a rush on it, but you know, I don’t think they’ll have much to reveal really.” “Why do you say that?” He smiled sadly. “It was a pretty professional job, Holly. My gut tells me that it won’t be the last.” Her stomach churned with fear. The lemonade turned sour in her stomach. “I hope you’re wrong.” “So do I, but I won’t be in this case, so we’d better be prepared. That is if you’re still in this with me.” “Oh I’m in this all right,” Holly promised. “Any more automatic drawings?” She shook her head. “No, but for the first time in my life, I wish I had a few. The last one didn’t give us much time to warn the victim.” “True, it didn’t, but Irene did listen to you. We’ve already established that. Maybe next time we’ll get lucky, especially now we know what’s at stake.” Holly sighed and sipped from her glass. “You certainly are comfortable with my ability. Have you had experience with this sort of thing before?” He took a long time to answer. Finally he said, “I’ve learned to trust instincts, my own and others. Animals do that. Too many humans seem to have lost that ability. They talk themselves out of it.” He paused then spoke again, “But to answer your question, no I’ve never known anyone who could draw the future.” “But you’ve worked with other types of precognition,” she said bluntly. Stryker smiled at her. “Yes, I have.” “Do you know of anything that can bring it on?” She looked at him intently taking in his every nuance. He shook his head. “I’ve known people who’ve worked on their control since childhood. When they were very young, they didn’t understand what was happening to them, but through the years, with help, they’ve managed
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to find the strength to call up a vision on demand…but that’s after years of practicing.” “I haven’t done any of that. In the past, my drawings were always so innocent, boring even.” He spread his arms across the back of the couch. The movement pulled his shirt tight across his chest and Holly swallowed a little loudly. So attuned to her, he frowned. “Are you okay?” Feeling the heat rise, she waved a hand at him. “I’m fine.” He accepted her claim with obvious reluctance. Eying her with concern, he said, “Yesterday you told me that you could see auras.” “Yeah, that started when I was about seven.” She pulled her eyes away from him and continued a little breathlessly. “A new girl came to my school and we became fast friends. I liked her on sight. Whenever I looked at her in natural light, I could see this haze around her that changed color with her emotions. I didn’t understand it at the time, but as you can imagine, it fascinated me.” “What did your father say?” Her eyes met his, alert for any criticism. She saw none. “I didn’t tell him at first. The automatic drawing was bad enough. I didn’t want to worry him with the aura thing.” “But you ended up telling him.” She shook her head. “I told my sister Alison. I needed to know if I was the only one who saw it. She thought I was crazy and told father.” “Your sister worries about you too I see.” “They all do, my brother Matthew as well. They’re all so alike. They speak the same language. They finish each other’s sentences. I’m the black sheep, a total mystery to them.” Holly tilted her head. “They’re sweet really. I remind them of my mother and they lost her so young. I think they’ve projected some of her qualities on me.” “What was your mother like?” “I don’t remember of course, she died only a week after I was born. My birth was difficult for her. My father has always said that she was very much like me. For their part, my brother and sister agree. She was a sculptor.” Stryker looked surprised and Holly hurried to explain. “She wasn’t famous or anything like that. She just liked to sculpt.” She pointed to a figure on the fireplace mantel. “She did that.”
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Stryker stood up and studied the work. His eyes narrowed as he continued to stare. Finally he said, “I like it. She was good. I guess you got your talent from her.” “I certainly didn’t get it from my father’s side.” She laughed. “He’s a very successful businessman. My brother and sister work with him.” “What do they think of your work with Avery?” She raised an inquiring eyebrow. “You don’t strike me as the type of guy who reads children’s literature.” “Normally I don’t, but it shouldn’t surprise you that after meeting you the other day, I did a little checking. It wasn’t too hard to get people to talk about you. The people in this community are very proud of you two.” “That’s nice to know, but Muskoka is so beautiful, it’s home to many very successful artists. I guess it draws people like me.” She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered by his admission or not. “What does your family think about you living here?” he asked. Holly couldn’t read his expression, but she had the definite impression Stryker knew the answer to that question. “They want me to come back home. They worry about me.” He nodded. “They’re very protective, aren’t they?” “My father is and he’s infected my brother and sister.” “So he’s protective of them too then?” She shook her head adamantly. “Not in the least. They’re older and more like my father, so he trusts them.” “He doesn’t trust you?” She sighed. This was beginning to feel like an inquisition. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m an unknown quantity to my family. They don’t know what to do with me. I see things they can’t. I look at the world in a very different way.” Gently he said, “People fear what they don’t understand.” His eyes peered into hers without blinking. She corrected him. “They fear for me.” “Ah, I see,” he said, but Holly wasn’t convinced that he did. She knew she’d be wasting her time trying to explain to him, so she didn’t bother. Instead she asked, “What about your family?” “There’s just my brother and me in the immediate family.”
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He said the words without emotion, but Holly sensed there was sadness there. She reached out and touched his cool hand as it rested on his knee. “I’m sorry.” He smiled at her. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago. My brother Declan and I are very close.” “You’re lucky. Where does Declan live?” “In the States,” he said simply. She tried again. “What does he do?” “He heads up a huge co-op of sorts.” He waved a hand at her. “He’s the leader in the family and I’ve always been the protector. That’s where I obtained my investigative experience.” “You worked for your brother?” “Kind of. I helped him start the co-op. There were hard times at first, but Declan has made great progress.” “You’re proud of him.” “We’re proud of each other. You’d like him. Everyone likes him,” Stryker said. She smiled. “I guess it runs in the family. The kids seemed to take to you and I don’t think I’m telling tales out of school if I say that Avery likes you too.” He smiled. “I’m glad. I like Avery and her kids.” His smile died and his blue eyes caught and held hers. “Do you like me, Holly?” Flustered, Holly tried to look away, but found that for some reason she couldn’t. She said, “Yes.” There was silence in the room. Neither of them moved. They simply looked into each other’s eyes. Finally Stryker spoke. “I like you too, Holly. From the first moment I laid eyes on you.” His voice was low pitched. Holly didn’t look away, but felt awkward under his unflinching stare. She smiled tentatively and said, “I guess the feeling is mutual then.” He astonished her by saying, “There’s so much more to it than that. Do you feel the pull?” Mesmerized by his eyes, she remained silent as he continued, “You don’t have to answer that question. I know you feel drawn to me as well. It’s not going to go away you know. It will get harder and harder to keep our hands off each other.” He’d woven a spell with his words and Holly tried to break eye contact with him but found the effort a waste of her energy. He smiled and the
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corners of his eyes crinkled. Her eyes zeroed in on his bottom lip as his smile widened. She loved the way his mouth looked when he grinned like that. Fighting the impulse to touch that lip, Holly put both hands around her empty lemonade glass. He reached out and took the glass from her. His fingers were only slightly warmer than the ice filled glass, but they heated her skin on contact. Taking possession of her left hand, he stood up and pulled her with him. He tugged gently, throwing her off balance. She fell against him and he groaned. She stifled the harmonizing groan in her throat. God, his body felt so cool and hard against her skin. He looked down at her face so close to his. His eyes moved from her eyes to her mouth and back again. She waited. She didn’t know how or why, but after two very erotic dreams about Stryker Cain she knew better than to hurry him. It was worth the wait. Her reward was the most soul-searing kiss she’d ever imagined, infinitely better than her dreams. His mouth mated with hers. He made love to her with his lips and tongue. When he pulled away, Holly was left even more aroused and it must have shown in her eyes because he smiled with satisfaction. While still grinning he kissed her again. It felt wonderful being kissed by his smiling mouth and she smiled up at him. As if choreographed, they both pulled back and looked at each other. Holly tried to keep from panting as high grade joy filled her chest and threatened to explode into laughter. Looking in his eyes she saw humor matching her own and she succumbed. She started to laugh and he joined her. The sound spilled into the room and echoed off the walls. “This isn’t quite what I expected,” he said through his mirth. She shook her head and said, “Me neither.” And they broke up again. He put an arm around her and they dropped as one to her couch. She landed on top of him and he didn’t seem to mind. In one smooth motion he switched places with her. When he looked down at her, the amusement was still in his eyes. “Let’s try this again.” He kissed her. Holly’s laughter dissolved as his expert lips covered hers. This was no laughing matter.
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Chapter 11 In a way, it was like her dreams, but so much more. Her skin came alive at his touch. She wanted him inside her, hot, heavy, hard and ready. Holly was relieved that he didn’t seem inclined to deny her a thing as he pulled her t-shirt up to expose her midriff. His fingers stroked her as his mouth trailed down the length of her body. Her jeans came undone at the touch of his hand. How was he able to do such things? Holly wondered distractedly. He slipped a hand inside the open zipper and touched her. She almost spun out of control when skin met skin, but there was so much more he had in store for her. His lips and then his tongue replaced his hand and she writhed and cried out. He was relentless, driving her wild, driving her harder and harder until her world exploded, once, twice, three times. Breathless, she longed to touch him as he’d touched her, to give to him as he’d given to her…use her mouth to explore him. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt but his hands covered hers, effectively stopping her. His eyes held naked desire as he bowed his head and pressed her open hands against his chest. Their hearts beat in sync. Stryker gathered her into his arms stroking her hair gently. His heartbeat slowed. Lifting her head, she looked at him in confusion. He consoled her. “Sorry, Holly, but any more and I won’t be able to stop.” In a husky voice not quite under her command, she said, “I don’t remember asking you to.” He smiled ruefully. “You have no idea what you’re in for if I don’t put the brakes on right now.” She frowned. “Tell me then. What exactly am I in for?” “I can’t right now. It’s complicated.” He cupped her face in his hand and stroked her lips with his thumb. “Please, trust me, Holly, there’s nothing
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I want more right now than to lose myself in you, but I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you.” Angered by his martyrdom, she pulled away from him. “Thanks for thinking of me, Galahad. Maybe you should leave now. This was obviously a huge mistake.” His patronizing rejection of what she’d so willingly offered had struck at her pride. The balance of power felt lost. He’d touched her so intimately and sent her exploding in every direction, but he’d kept himself from her. He didn’t want her to touch him. She felt tears of hurt and humiliation threaten and gritted her teeth. He wouldn’t see her cry. Stryker didn’t move. He looked at her hopelessly. His body was still aroused. He couldn’t hide that from her. “I’m sorry, Holly. My timing sucks I know, but please bear with me.” She shook her head and moved to the chair opposite him. She looked up at the ceiling, forcing the tears and frustration away. She slumped against the cushions and closed her eyes. He said, “You don’t know enough about me to make this kind of a decision.” Anger washed over her again and briefly she welcomed its distraction from her hurt. She said, “That’s not for you to decide. But for argument’s sake let’s just take a minute here. So what you’re saying is that I’m promiscuous. I’m willing to jump into bed with you without knowing you.” She stood up, pointing a finger at him. “Listen, buster, I think I’ve been insulted enough for one day. Why don’t you quit while you’ve dug a hole so deep you’ve hit magma?” He didn’t give up and pleaded with her. “You misunderstand me, Holly. I wanted…I want you just as much…oh hell…more than you want me. I took things too far, too soon. Please don’t take offense, none was meant.” She stared at him unwilling to let go of her anger for the moment. It was an emotion she could handle much better than hurt, but finally her better judgment won out. She sighed and said, “Okay, I won’t kick you out…just yet…but you’re going to have to say or do something right now to make me feel better.” He smiled. Relief sounded in the tone of his voice. “I appreciate your honesty. I won’t even bother to sweet talk you. You’re too bright for that, so I’ll be as honest with you as I can.” She narrowed her eyes and he took a deep breath. He said, “Just now, here, on that couch, I wanted you more than
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I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my entire life. One day you’ll understand just how much that really means. But for now, please trust me.” She sighed, frustration warmed her breath. “Well, now I’m totally confused. I don’t ever offer myself lightly, but you got to me, and for once in my life, I went with it and let myself respond naturally. It was a mistake obviously.” She narrowed her eyes and punctuated her point with a wave of her hand. “Next time it won’t be so easy. You trust me on that one, mister.” He nodded with acceptance. “I understand. I’m willing to take my punishment. I deserve it.” He smiled at her hopefully. Still she didn’t smile, but finally after a few moments, the edges of her mouth turned up despite her better judgment and she reluctantly grinned. Holly tapped her left hand on her knee. “I will demand an explanation soon.” He nodded. “Got it. And I’ll give you one soon too.” He looked down at her hand as it continued to beat a tattoo against her leg. “Are you okay?” She frowned at the offending hand and then met his eyes warily. She said, “I’m a southpaw, it always itches and tingles just before I slip into automatic drawing mode.” She walked away from him grabbing a sketch pad from her desk. She deliberately ignored the colored pencils in favor of an HB. “Congratulations, Stryker, you’re about to enter the Twilight Zone.” “What should I do?” Dropping down onto the sofa, she rolled her eyes at him. She still hadn’t completely forgiven him for rejecting her. In a sarcastic voice she said, “Why don’t you bake a ham?” “I would if it would help,” he said seriously. His tone and the look on his face broke the tension and Holly laughed softly almost forgiving him. “That’s okay. There’s nothing for you to do but wait. When it’s done I might like a drink of water. Think you can handle that?” “I hope so. Bottled or tap? Room temperature or cold? With ice?” “Surprise me.” He grinned at her. “That I can do.” Her eyes smiled at him then went blank and glazed over. She could no longer see him and retreated into her mind while another part of her brain took over. She submitted to it completely.
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As always, Holly was unaware of time passing. At last, her pencil stopped. Dragging herself out of the trance, she blinked and looked at Stryker as he sat close by frowning down at her. Puzzled, she tilted her head. Her gaze followed his and rested on the drawing that sat in front of her. Stryker pushed a glass of ice water towards her and without taking her eyes off the sketchpad she took a long drink. Brain freeze ended her silence. She winced and lifted the heel of her right hand to her forehead. She cried, “Ah, too cold, too fast…hurts.” He reached out to her. She gave him a one eyed, quelling look. “And just what do you think you’re going to do? Can you cure brain freeze? I can’t wait to tell the kids.” Stryker shook his head. “No, but you were in pain and I wanted to take it away.” His sincere words and his look of genuine concern silenced her and she finally forgave him for everything for anything. A grateful smile split her face as she looked at him. He returned the favor, looking much relieved. She glanced back down at her drawing and her smile froze then disappeared entirely. Again, it was a grizzly sight. Even in pencil lead the sketch looked tragic. Holly ran her finger over the paper and frowned. As usual, her technique was flawless. The subject matter however, left something to be desired. A battered and twisted body rested against the steering wheel of a car. The angle of the head obscured identification, but ensured the viewer that the driver was indeed, dead. Dressed in bloodsoaked t-shirt and jeans, its shape suggested a young woman. Obviously, the car had gone off a cliff. It sat at an impossible angle amidst the rocks. The damage to the car and the bizarre position of the body was chilling. No one could have walked away from such an accident. She pushed the drawing away from her with irritation. “Great, this one is even more ambiguous than the last. We can’t see the person’s face.” Stryker put up a hand. His face was white under his golden tan as he stood up. He shook his head and said, “Maybe we don’t need to see the person’s face, Holly. I think I recognize the car.” Surprised, she moved to stand behind Stryker as he looked at her picture. “You know this car?” He nodded. “Yes, I think so.”
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“How? I didn’t draw the license plate and it looks pretty much like any other sedan on the market these days…after it’s plummeted over a cliff.” “Ah, that’s where you’re wrong. Look at these.” He pointed. She gasped. “What? Empty pop cans? How does that help identify the car? This is familiar to you?” “Yes. I know someone who drinks this brand of soft drink and she has a tendency to toss the empties on the floor of her car when she’s done. I know the cans would have shifted during the fall, but they’re in that car. You drew them perfectly. She crushes them just like that.” “Okay, I believe you, but tell me, who is it?” His voice was barely above a whisper when he said the name. “Lydia Baldwin.” Holly shook her head. “I’ve never heard of her. Besides you, is there any connection between Irene and Lydia?” He looked at her, a world of sadness and regret in his eyes. He paused. She frowned at him impatiently she couldn’t help but push for an answer to her question. His reaction was scaring her. “What? Tell me.” “Lydia can scry,” he said flatly. He said it like it should mean something to her, but it didn’t. Puzzled, she asked, “Scry? What is that…and why do you look so ominous?” “It’s amazing how little you know about these things.” “It’s amazing how much you know about these things,” she countered. He smiled wryly and explained. “Scrying is a form of clairvoyance or divination. Lydia can call up psychic images by gazing into a black mirror.” “She’s a fortune teller?” “After a fashion, I guess you could call her that. She doesn’t make a living at it though.” Intrigued, she asked, “So how does it work?” “It’s a triggering process. The scryer sits inside a circle and holds the black mirror in black velvet cloth. The room has to be dark and candlelit, but none of the flames can reflect in the mirror.” His tone was earnest, as if willing her to understand. “At first all that can be seen is an empty featureless pool in space. But for the experienced scryer, and Lydia is one, the pool becomes milky then clears and images can be seen.” “Images of the future?”
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He inclined his golden head. “The future, the present, the past. Lydia will one day see the future and the next the past. She has no control over that.” “Psychic abilities. That’s one hell of a connection, Stryker.” He nodded and looked pensive. He stayed silent. Holly didn’t. She said, “We have to warn Lydia about this.” “Yes and as soon as possible. I’ll call her first before we head over there.” She smiled, pleased he understood and accepted the fact that she was in on this. Stryker used his BlackBerry to call his friend. Holly heard only his side of the conversation. “Lydia, it’s Stryker. I’m coming over with a friend. Don’t go anywhere…good…see you very soon.” He ended the conversation. “That was abrupt,” Holly said. He closed her sketch pad and tucked it under his arm. “I didn’t want to mince words. Let’s go now.” He took her elbow gently and escorted her to his car. Once she was safely strapped in, he closed the passenger door and walked around the vehicle to the driver’s side. Once again, Holly admired the way he moved. He never seemed to be in a rush, but he sure as hell got places quickly. He was amazingly cool and smooth on the surface, but Holly knew underneath there was molten heat. She sighed and leaned back on the leather seat. He’d parked under a huge maple tree, so the interior was blessedly cool compared to the humidity hammering at them from the outside. “Lydia’s place is about fifteen minutes away.” He pulled out of the driveway and spared a quick glance at Holly. He said, “Do you mind if I drive fast?” “Knock yourself out.” She gasped, horrified at her poor choice of words, “Well, not literally…what I meant to say was…choose your speed. I’m not lead footed, but Avery drives fast so I’m used to pulling a few ‘g’s’.” He pressed his foot to the accelerator. They took off like a shot. He handled the car like he did everything else, effortlessly and with great skill. She leaned back and tried to calm her nerves. Turning toward him, she asked, “What will you tell Lydia about why I’m with you?”
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He didn’t take his eyes off the road when he answered her. “She won’t ask but I’ll tell her that you did the drawing.” Surprised, she said, “Are you going to show her my sketch?” He nodded. “Yes, I have every intention of telling Lydia everything. She deserves it if her life is in danger. At the very least, she can get the car checked out by a mechanic to make sure it’s safe.” Holly laughed. “I guess seeing as how she stares into a black mirror, whatever that is, and tells the future, Lydia has an open mind.” “A black mirror is a piece of clock glass, Lydia’s is about five inches in diameter. The convex side of the disk is painted with several coats of black to make it opaque but shiny.” He sounded a little didactic and Holly grinned. “Thanks, Professor Dumbledore.” She teased him. He took his eyes off the road for a brief second. “Sorry, I guess I deserved that.” “Not really,” she conceded. “It’s just that I know nothing of this sort of thing despite the fantasy books I’ve read or illustrated. They’re not rooted in reality. This stuff sounds frighteningly real.” He shook his head. “There is so much to know.” “I can appreciate that. I want you to teach me.” She turned in her seat trying to gage his reaction. There was none. He kept driving. Finally, he said, “It would be my pleasure to teach you whatever I can, Holly.” He grinned wolfishly at her and she noted the double meaning in his words, but before she could respond, he pulled the car into a narrow driveway and said. “We’re here. I’ll get your door.”
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Chapter 12 Lydia was waiting for them. A tall dark-haired woman in her thirties, she wore a worried frown on her thin face as she sought Stryker’s eyes. “That was fast,” she said as she held the screen door open for them. Stryker made introductions. Lydia graciously offered them both something to drink. Holly accepted the glass of water she was handed. Stryker asked for nothing. They sat around Lydia’s kitchen table. Stryker set the sketchbook down in front of him. He didn’t open it and Lydia glanced at it curiously. “Lydia, Holly and I have reason to believe that you’re in danger.” He didn’t mince words. “Earlier today she drew this.” He opened the book to the drawing and slid it toward Lydia. “Oh my God.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “That’s my car! This is going to happen?” “So far Holly’s drawings are always precognitive.” “What do I do?” Lydia didn’t hesitate to put her fate in Stryker’s hands. She quite naturally deferred to him and Holly looked at her with surprise. Stryker didn’t hesitate. He accepted responsibility for ensuring Lydia’s safety without question. “We don’t know when this is supposed to happen, but I think it’s safe to say that you shouldn’t drive anywhere in the next few days at the very least.” She nodded and he continued, “If you need to go anywhere, let me know. I’ll drive you myself or arrange for another to. The most important thing is that you keep your car in the garage until I tell you it’s okay for you to drive again.” Lydia accepted his words with a nod. “Thank you, Stryker. I appreciate this.” The older woman had completely deferred to him like it was second nature to her and Holly couldn’t help but wonder about their dynamic. What
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kind of relationship did they have? She deferred to him easily. Lydia was comfortable placing her fate in Stryker’s hands. Why? As they took their leave, Stryker leaned down and kissed Lydia on the forehead. She closed her eyes at the contact and smiled up at him. She said, “Thanks for coming. I know you’re busy, but you always take such good care of all of us.” Her words and the tone with which she uttered them surprised Holly. Stryker smiled grimly and said, “I’m only a call away. You know what to do.” Feeling awkward, when her time came, Holly said, “It was nice to meet you, Lydia I’m just sorry it was under these circumstances.” Lydia nodded and put out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Holly, under any circumstances, and in this case, it looks like you may be saving my life. Anyway, no matter what, Stryker’s friends are always welcome.” She glanced at Holly then at Stryker and back again, a look of speculation on her face. In the car on the way back to Holly’s house, Stryker handled the roads at a less breakneck speed. His luxury car positively ate up the miles. Trying to rein in her curiosity, Holly said, “That was strange.” He gave her a quick quizzical look and said, “Strange? How?” “Well, for one thing Lydia asked no questions. She just took your word for it. She didn’t object to being house-bound even.” “Lydia trusts me,” he said simply. “She knows I have her best interests at heart.” “How long have you known each other?” “Many years. You could say she’s a friend of the family.” He smiled at her. “Has she lived here long?” “Not really. As a single mother, she was looking for a quiet place to raise her daughter, Candice.” He shrugged. “I thought she’d like it here. Candice had some trouble adjusting at first, but she seems fine now.” Holly said, “This is a great place to raise children. That’s something Avery looked into in-depth before coming here. The schools in Toronto are top notch, but they wanted a smaller school, something not so urban.” “Ah, so they wanted to be able to see the stars at night, huh?”
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Holly nodded sadly. “Yeah. The night sky here is spectacular. When I was a child, my friend Nicole loved the stars.” “Nicole was the girl with the aura, right?” “Yes. Hers was the first I’d ever seen. It was beautiful,” Holly said with a soft, reminiscent sigh. He took his eyes off the road for a second and looked at her with concern. “What happened to Nicole?” “She died.” Holly still mourned the loss of a friend she’d never been granted the opportunity to get to know better. “They never caught the hit and run driver. She lingered for a few days in the hospital, but her injuries were too severe. That drawing hits pretty close to home. Automobile accidents can be so devastating.” He took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. Gently, he kissed her palm. It shocked Holly just how erotic a simple kiss on the hand could be. She shivered in the air conditioned car. He immediately turned down the fan. “Do you remember the last time you saw her?” His voice was soothing. Holly sighed. “I remember it all too clearly. Her Dad took me to see her in the hospital. I wish he hadn’t. I’ve never forgotten it. She wasn’t conscious. She didn’t know I was there and I can’t get her broken body out of my mind when I think of her. That isn’t the way I want to remember my friend.” “That’s a hard call to make Holly. Maybe Nicole’s father thought she’d appreciate your presence. What did your own father say about you visiting her?” She shrugged. “I never told him. If he had known, he wouldn’t have allowed me to go. He didn’t like Nicole much. He thought she was a flake.” Holly shook her head, mystified. “She was like, thirteen years old. We’re all flakes at that age. He thought she encouraged my interest in the arts.” “Did she have an aura in the hospital?” Stryker asked. “You know, I’ve never thought about that.” Holly paused for a moment, frowning. “No, she didn’t have an aura in the hospital. I guess she was already gone.” “Could be.” He took her hand again, squeezing it gently. “I’m sorry you lost your friend, Holly. I can tell it still hurts.”
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Holly looked at him and saw compassion. “I know it’s silly to still miss someone I knew when I was so young.” “What’s so silly about it? When you lose someone you love it doesn’t matter what age you are or how long you knew them. Hell, I still miss my first dog and that was eons ago. It’s sad that your Nicole never had the chance to grow up, your friendship never had the opportunity to grow.” “You say that as if you know what it feels like.” “I guess I do. I’ve lost a lot of people I’ve cared about. It doesn’t get any easier.” They’d reached Holly’s home. Stryker eased his car to a stop and turned off the ignition. He said, “I’ll get your door.” By the time she unsnapped her seat belt, he was opening her door. Taking hold of her hand, he helped her out of the car. He had old fashioned manners that Holly found endearing. She liked being treated like a lady. What girl didn’t? It certainly didn’t make her feel weak. It made her feel cherished, respected…special. It was getting late and Holly’s stomach had started to remind her of the time so she invited Stryker in for dinner. With masculine enthusiasm, he helped her prepare a salad while she heated one of the many casseroles her sister had dropped off for her. “Your family really does take care of you,” he observed as he glanced at the carefully written re-heating instructions. She laughed. “Oh, you mean the food?” He nodded and she explained, “That’s the one advantage to being Alan Seaton’s hapless daughter. The food. Father changes chefs like he changes his socks, so the meals they send up are always varied. I could manage perfectly well on my own, but I figure why bother? My family likes to do it. Who am I to take away their joy? Besides it gives my sister and brother a reason to visit.” “What about your father? Doesn’t he come to your home to see you?” She didn’t answer right away. Instead she moved to the refrigerator and pulled out some cheese for the salad. “My father has never set foot in my house.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her. “I’m sorry, Holly. He probably wishes you hadn’t grown up and moved away. It can be hard for parents to let go.” She smiled at him appreciating that he could understand.
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“It was hard for him. After my mother died, my father never even considered seeing another woman. He loved her so much.” “That’s very sad. He’s been alone a long time. I’m sure your mother would have wanted him to be happy. Did she have abilities like yours?” Holly thought for a second and said, “No one has ever told me that she had any unusual abilities, but now that you mention it, I’ve always thought she had something.” “What makes you say that?” He looked at her solemnly waiting for her answer. “When my father talks about my abilities, which is very rarely, he gets a look on his face that’s identical to how he looks when he’s asked about my mother’s artwork.” Finished preparing the salad, Holly put the bowl on the table. She looked over her shoulder at Stryker and his serious expression. “What?” she asked. He obviously had something to say and was hesitating to do so. “Why don’t you ask him point blank? He’d have to say something, clarify things for you. You could insist on an answer.” Holly wanted to laugh. Didn’t Avery say something like that to her earlier about Stryker and her dreams? Perhaps women really were attracted to men like their fathers. Not good. He waited for her to answer. She said, “No one insists with Alan Seaton. My father doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. He’s kept this from me my entire life. I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon. You don’t know him, Stryker.” He nodded in acknowledgment. “No, I don’t know him. What about others? Did your mother have relatives or friends who might be able to shed some light?” “My mother was an only child. Her parents were killed in a car accident shortly after she got married. I don’t know of any friends, but I have some pictures of her from her university days.” Holly handed plates to him as she spoke. “She wasn’t alone in those old pictures. She had friends. My father couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me anything about them.” “Do you know what university she attended?” Stryker asked. “U of T,” she replied.
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He looked baffled for a second then nodded, “Ah, you must mean the University of Toronto.” Holly laughed. “Sorry, I forgot you’re not from around here.” “Nice to know I fit in so seamlessly,” he said. “The university would have pictures of all the students who attended classes with your mother. If you want to find out more about her, I could help you locate some of the people in the pictures.” Holly stood studying his handsome face. He was absolutely serious, anxious even. It appeared that Stryker was as curious about Helene Seaton as was her own daughter. The timer dinged, startling them. She turned to tend to the casserole and the moment was lost. Over dinner, they avoided the subject entirely. Holly enjoyed their conversation. Stryker was a very interesting man. They didn’t have the same opinions on every subject, but he was pretty good at defending his beliefs when she challenged him. Their conversation was lively and filled with laughter. Avery showed up just as they were finishing dessert. She said, “Ah, I thought I smelled chocolate.” Holly offered her a brownie and Avery followed her to the brownie pan on the counter. In a low voice so Stryker couldn’t overhear, Avery said, “If I’m interrupting, I’ll take off.” Holly shook her head adamantly. “No, please stay. I’d rather you stayed.” Looking a little disappointed, Avery nodded. “Okay, but when you want me to leave just give me the signal.” “And that signal is?” “You could always pick your teeth or your nose.” Holly laughed quietly and whispered, “If I did that, he’d race you for the door.” Avery took a bite of brownie and with her mouth full, she said, “Not a chance.” She moved to the kitchen table and took an unoccupied seat. She smiled at Stryker, completely at ease. Stryker proceeded to tell Avery about Holly’s new drawing and their visit to Lydia’s.
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“I’ve met her I think. The name is familiar.” Avery thought for a moment and said, “It’ll come to me. You say she’s psychic?” Stryker nodded, meeting her eyes steadily. “I’ve known Lydia for years. Trust me, she has a gift.” Avery raised her eyebrows. “I don’t doubt it. I could hardly be Holly’s friend and not believe that such things are possible. In fact, I’d say I doubt the supernatural less than she does and I have no gift other than mother’s intuition.” He shook his head adamantly. “Don’t underestimate your intuition under any circumstances.” Avery narrowed her eyes and gave him an assessing look. “I never underestimate my gut. Do I, Holly?” “That’s true, Stryker. If anything, Avery’s been the one person in my life who has helped me to embrace what I can do.” He smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. Have you ever thought that Holly might have even more abilities than she’s shown thus far?” “I’ve considered it.” Avery turned to her friend. “Well, I have, Hol. You just never seemed to want to hear. Your family hasn’t exactly been supportive of that side of you.” Holly was reluctant to admit it, but she knew Avery was right. “I’m convinced you’ve barely tapped the surface of your abilities. I’m glad I can help you in that area as well,” Stryker said. Struck speechless Avery swung her head around and focused on her friend. Holly shrugged. Avery nodded and smiled reassuringly. “Has Holly told you about her recent visit to a psychic named Margaret Wickham?”
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Chapter 13 As Avery told Stryker about Holly’s experience, Holly moved to her desk and pulled out the notes they’d made together in an attempt to remember exactly what Margaret had said. When Avery stopped talking, Holly said, “We’ve written it down so I wouldn’t forget. She took my ring.” She lifted her left hand and wiggled her pinky finger and the garnet circlet at him. He said, “Psychometry.” Holly and Avery exchanged questioning looks. Stryker caught them and explained. “If Margaret Wickham took your ring and gave you a reading based on what she felt when she touched it, then she is a psychometrist. A good one can tell you a great deal about the history and associations of an object that way.” “Okay…” Holly was unsure. Avery frowned and demanded that he tell them more. He obliged. “Everything is alive, but exists over a vast range of frequencies. Obviously, the life frequency of a rock is infinitely slower than that of a dog. It’s evident even within the animal kingdom. The life frequencies of a sloth or a humming-bird are near the two extreme ends of the animal spectrum.” Both women nodded indicating they followed his train of thought so far. They waited for more clarification and he continued after taking a large bite of brownie. “An example, red and violet light are at opposite ends of the spectrum of visible light. Radio waves and X-rays are like light, but because they’re outside the frequency range of our eyes, we cannot see them.” “Gotcha...I think.” Avery nodded carefully. He smiled. “What we consider normal, human life-awareness is limited to the animal and plant spectrum of frequencies. Anything outside of that,
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we think of as being lifeless, but we’re wrong. Some people have an extended awareness.” “You’re saying that Margaret Wickham is one of those people?” Holly asked. He shrugged. “Could be. You are too of course, given your abilities.” He took her hand and looked at the garnet ring. “Your ring is alive on its gem and gold frequencies, which are both far slower than you are. But there are harmonic frequencies between the two.” He kept her hand. Holly nodded. “Okay, I think I get it. It’s like striking a top C on a piano with the pedal down. The bottom C string hums as well. Actually all the intervening Cs and related notes respond too, but not as much.” “Exactly,” Stryker said. Approval stoked the fire in his eyes when he looked at Holly and he stroked her hand. “If the ring has been on your finger for years, all the events on your non-physical levels will cause a harmonic response or vibration in the corresponding levels of the ring.” Excitement sounded in Avery’s voice as she got it too. “The ring will ‘remember’ them. Like memories…sweet.” Stryker smiled at her enthusiasm. “Yes. A sensitive psychometrist, handling the ring, will pick up these ‘memories’ by the same harmonic resonance.” Holly said, “Then I guess you can’t read plastic because it is neither organic nor mineral.” “You understand.” He sounded so proud of her she felt her skin heat up a notch. Avery said, “Yeah, we’re with you now, but don’t expect us to explain it to anyone else. Let’s just say we get it and leave it at that.” Holly nodded and smiled at her friend. As usual, Avery nailed it. She said, “Will this be on the test, Professor?” “No, but it will be on the final exam,” Stryker teased. Holly smiled and looked down at the notes she and Avery had made. She scanned the pages for a second or two. “Margaret mentioned my mother first. I guess that makes sense because it was her ring in the first place.” Stryker and Avery nodded agreement. “What did she say about your mother?” he asked.
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After a quick glance down at her notes, Holly said, “My mother knew happiness and tragedy and a love that was short lived but intense enough to last lifetimes.” “Does that make sense to you?” “Yes, I guess. She died so young. My father can never forget her. It stands to reason. They must have loved each other very much.” Looking over Holly’s shoulder, Avery said, “She also said that Holly made the right move coming to Muskoka. There’s love here for her.” Proudly, she put an arm around Holly and squeezed. “The woman knows her stuff, eh?” Stryker raised his eyebrows. “She does indeed. What else?” “She saw secrets, old secrets, misunderstandings and violence,” Holly said. “She told me that I will be tested. Then she got very upset and yelled out words like, ‘hunger, madness and betrayal.’ After she said that, she snapped out of it and asked me to leave. She didn’t even want to get paid.” “Sounds like quite the experience. That is not customary. Not a great way to initiate you into the world of psychometry,” he said. Holly laughed. “You’re telling me.” He took both her hands in his and stroked them with his thumbs. He looked directly into her eyes. “She could have been picking up parts of your mother’s life. You have to admit, Holly, your mother is a big mystery to you.” “I’ve been telling her that for years,” Avery said as she leaned back in her chair and rested a slim arm on the back. Holly nodded. “I guess I’ve been too scared to find out. My father has discouraged it all my life and I’ve respected his wishes. I didn’t want to cause him unnecessary pain.” Stryker said, “She was your mother. You have every right to learn about her life. It’s your history.” He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed each palm, sending a tingle of electricity up her spine. “My brother and I know all about our family’s history. We’re proud of our lineage, our bloodline.” “What if all I succeed in doing is hurt my father? What if there’s nothing to be proud of in my mother’s past?” Holly could hear her heart pounding in her head.
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Avery said gently, “Wouldn’t you rather know? You’re not responsible for the acts of your parents. None of us are, thank God.” Holly smiled at her friend. “You’re right of course. This is something I need to do. I’d like to know.” She slipped her hands out of his grasp and sat a little straighter. “Stryker, I think I might take you up on your offer after all. Will you help me?” “Of course I will.” Avery glanced at her watch and cried, “Ah! Look at the time.” She stood and moved to the door. “If I don’t get to Beth’s in the next five minutes, we won’t have orange juice for breakfast tomorrow.” Holly pointed to her fridge. “I have a full jug of orange juice. You can have it.” Avery shook her head and looked at Holly then Stryker and back again meaningfully. “That’s okay. I’ll make it. I drive fast, besides Beth’s been pressing me about the drawing of Irene O’Neill. I have some explaining to do.” Holly explained to Stryker that they’d enlisted Beth’s help to identify Irene. “Have you decided what you’re going to say to this Beth?” he asked. Avery nodded. “For now I’m going to ask her to bear with me. I’ll tell her all I can when I get more information and that’s the truth. We will eventually tell Beth everything. She deserves to know.” She gave Stryker a steady look then smiled at her friend. Before she left, Stryker said, “I enjoyed meeting your kids today. I hope I get to see them again sometime.” Avery laughed. “Count on it.” She lifted a brow and said, “Maybe the two of you could do some babysitting for us. I don’t usually let my sitters have boys in, but for you I might make an exception.” She winked with exaggeration and slipped out. As the screen door slammed, they could hear her laughter. Left alone with Stryker, Holly started to clear the table. He immediately stood up to help her. She smiled at him and they worked together silently. It felt right. Their movements were in sync. Amazed, she realized that to an outsider it might look like they were dancing. When she passed him something she didn’t have to check to make sure his hand was there. It just was. Holly could have worked with him with her eyes closed. He anticipated
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her every move. She looked up at him and wondered if he’d noticed how effortlessly they moved together. She didn’t have to wonder for long. The bemused look on his face told the story. He’d noticed. When they finished straightening up, Stryker said, "It's been a long day. I should go now.” Holly didn’t object. She simply nodded. “Could you dig out those pictures of your mother at university? I think we should start there.” She nodded, moved to a bookcase in the living room and pulled out a photo album. She cradled it in her arms as she returned to stand in front of him. “This was my mother’s. I’m ashamed to say that my father does not know I took this. I needed a part of her with me.” Stryker smiled gently and ran his index finger down her nose. “I’m sure your father would understand.” Holly gave him a skeptical look and opened the book. She pointed to a dark-haired beauty with wavy hair and laughing eyes. “That’s my mom.” “She was beautiful. You are very much like her.” He was serious. “Thank you…” Holly said. “I guess we’ll start trying to find out about my mother’s life tomorrow then.” “The sooner the better, don’t you think?” “Yes.” He rubbed his thumb gently against her chin. “It’ll be okay, Holly. I’m willing to bet your mother’s past is nothing you should fear. Your father tells you that you’re just like her. That confirms that there couldn’t possibly be anything shameful in her story.” “What a nice thing to say.” Holly smiled with gratitude. He laughed. “No one has ever used that word when referring to me. Don’t people hate the word ‘nice’ these days? Nice guys finish last…it’s weak and pathetic…milquetoast kind of thing…not exactly what a man considers a compliment.” Holly shook her head vehemently. “I couldn’t disagree more. I think the world could use a little more ‘nice’. In fact, we have too much ‘mean’, too much ‘cruel’. I think we should bring ‘nice’ back.” She waved a hand in the air and snapped her fingers twice. “Hmm. When you put it that way, I have to agree. This could catch on. Do we make fridge magnets?”
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She laughed. “I think word of mouth will do this time.” “Speaking of mouths. I love to watch yours. I can’t help but kiss you.” He bent his head and tried to take her lips with his. Holly hadn’t forgotten what had happened earlier. She pulled away from him. “I told you it wasn’t going to be easy next time. This is next time.” He smiled ruefully. “I understand. I’m sorry for taking the liberty.” She put up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, Stryker. I don’t mind you taking the liberty, as you so charmingly put it. You’re a guy. It’s a biological imperative, just don’t expect me to fall into your arms ever again.” “I’m not sure I can keep myself from touching you,” he said. “That’s okay. I like that in a man.” She looked at him impishly. He laughed. “Well, you’re going to love me then.” She rolled her eyes at him. “That remains to be seen.” “I live in hope,” he said then he sighed and murmured, “Oh what the hell…” He reached out and pulled her into his arms. His kiss was devastating and Holly had to struggle not to respond too enthusiastically. Her word would be worth nothing if the first time he kissed her, she caved. He wasn’t making it easy though. What would it hurt if she responded just a little? She acted on the thought and kissed him back. If she had hoped to resist him, she’d just made a big mistake. He could be a bit of an opportunist when it came to kissing. He immediately took advantage of her response, touching his tongue to hers, teasing it before sucking on its tip erotically. He pressed her body against his. She couldn’t miss the fact that he was as turned on by the kiss as she was. She loved how it felt when he grabbed her leg, lifted it and pressed his hips closer to hers. Holly was losing control and longed to ignore the little voice in her head that reminded her of his earlier rejection. But her better judgment won out. Dragging her body away from his, she leaned against the counter, breathless. He looked at her with such heat she could feel it echo in her lower body and almost closed the distance between them. Almost, but not quite. She forced her gaze away from his and looked down at the ceramic tile on the floor of the kitchen. Their breathing was the only sound in the room. It pleased her that he was as affected as she was. Tied to him with an invisible bungee cord, Holly had to make a concentrated effort to keep her distance while the cord kept pulling her back.
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The right, the relaxed state was to be in his arms, everything else felt like needless tension. Her spirit tried to reject the unnatural restraint. Resisting the pull was exhausting when all she wanted to do was let go and snap back into his arms. It felt right. Her pride wouldn’t let her give in though. Instead, she turned away from him. He reached out a hand to touch her, but she forestalled him. “Weren’t you leaving?” Her voice was more husky than usual. His voice wasn’t its normal timbre either. “Yes, I was. I got distracted.” His grin crinkled the corners of his eyes the way she loved and all she wanted to do was kiss those smiling lips. By the look on his face, he knew it too and, opportunist to the end, he made a move towards her. His movement caused a small breeze and papers slipped from the counter to the floor. He paused and bent to pick them up. Glancing at them, he rose. He stood motionless for a second then, very methodically, shuffled them back in order. Holly froze when she saw his reaction to the last page. The page she hadn’t told him about. He looked at her sharply. “I see you didn’t tell me everything Margaret told you.” She looked directly in his eyes and admitted the truth. “No, I didn’t tell you everything. Can you blame me?” She pointed to the papers. “You can read.” He nodded. “I sure can. ‘He is not what he appears to be…so much blood…he swims in it…betrayal…’.” Holly didn’t back down, but kept her eyes locked on his, bravely. She waited for him to speak again. “I guess you think she was referring to me.” He said the words in a clipped tone. “I don’t know who she referred to, but you’re the one person who’s just recently come into my life. I know nothing about you. I’m not a fool. Not everyone is what they seem to be.” He stood silently for a long moment then finally said, “You’re right, Holly, I am not what I seem to be. If it makes it easier for you then I will admit that Margaret could have been talking about me.” Shocked at his easy admission, she stared at him. Calling on her courage once again, she said, “And the blood part? Does that refer to you?”
Drawing Blood “Yes.”
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Chapter 14 Stunned, Holly didn’t know what to say. She knew she was staring at him agog and struggled to contain her shock. Stryker remained silent waiting for her to say something. She didn’t disappoint. “You have to explain that to me.” He shook his head and looked away. “I can’t right now. Please forgive me. I need a little time. This isn’t my secret alone. Telling you the truth could impact upon so many people. If I’m going to take the chance of jeopardizing the safety of others, I’ll have to clear a few things away first.” She frowned. What the hell was he talking about? “Just how do I pose a threat to anyone? Is what you’ve told me about yourself a pack of lies?” His eyes met hers, begging for understanding. “I’ve never lied to you. I can’t say more at the moment. Please, give me some time.” “I think you should leave now. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She shook her head with resignation. “There’s no point discussing this any further. Here we stand. The unstoppable force has met the immovable object. We’re just wasting our time.” He took her face in his hands and tilted her chin up. “The time I spend with you is never wasted. I hope to make you see that soon.” His blue eyes compelled her to understand. He was irresistible yet somehow Holly resisted. Her stomach heaved when she thought of walking away from him, but there was so much she didn’t know about him. Yes, a sense of danger surrounded him and she wasn’t sure she had the courage to stand up to it, but she wanted the opportunity to try. He wasn’t prepared to share it with her. Could she trust a man like that? For now, all she knew was that he was actively delving into her life while keeping his a secret from her. Holly didn’t want that kind of uneven relationship. She wasn’t a child who needed to be protected. Her shoulders slumped as she moved away from him and towards the door. “Like I said, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
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He inclined his head and walked out. Before he hit the bottom porch step he turned and said, “Sweet dreams, Holly.” As his car pulled away, Holly watched through the window, a frown on her face. Stryker had said those parting three words with meaning. Holly wasn’t sure exactly what he’d meant, but she had her suspicions. Did he know about her erotic dreams of him? Was he causing them? He certainly understood more about psychic abilities than she did. He’d actually admitted to possessing some. He could very well be an expert. Earlier that evening he’d proven how knowledgeable he was when he’d explained psychometry so comprehensively. Was it possible he was consciously stepping into her dreams at night? If he was, did she care? Those dreams were more satisfying than any other sexual experience she’d known. She could dine out on that passion for weeks. How could she think of it as a violation of her privacy when it brought her so much physical satisfaction? Holly couldn’t bring herself to resent his presence in her dreams. It felt too good. How pathetic did that make her? She looked around her kitchen remembering how smoothly they’d cooperated while clearing up after dinner. The thought gave her a rush and the excitement rose in her chest. Her heart beat more quickly in response. She fingered the garnet ring on her left hand, wondering if it had tried to warn her about him through Margaret Wickham. Was Stryker Cain the catalyst who would bring tragedy into her life? She hoped not because deep inside her heart she knew she could never resist him for long. If he was a villain, then she feared there was no hope for her. **** Without the illumination of street lights or moon, the Muskoka night was almost impenetrable. It didn’t matter to Stryker. As usual he drove fast, safe in the knowledge that there was nothing ahead to slow his progress. His night vision was exceptional, his keen eyes missed nothing. Up ahead he spied a raccoon family rustling in the bushes beside the road. An owl searched the forest for its supper. Stryker pitied the owl’s prey and understood that nature could be cruel, but it was perfectly balanced. He respected that balance as the most sacred of laws and hoped to preserve it.
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He thought of Holly and shook his head, clearing the vision of her from his sight. His brother wouldn’t welcome his news, but Declan would eventually have to accept it. Stryker’s mission was a delicate one with so much riding on it. He didn’t look forward to telling Declan that he’d found his bloodmate in Holly Seaton, but there was nothing he could do about it. His blood called to hers and her blood answered. Neither of them had control over the phenomenon. It would only get stronger. It could replace all else in their minds and drive them insane if they didn’t do something about it. He had no choice. It had been like this since the beginning of time. Who was he to buck tradition? Not trusting the security of cell phones, he waited until he got home to dial Declan’s number from a land line. His brother was a night person. Stryker grinned at the thought. There was no risk of disturbing him in the late hours. Declan answered on the first ring. Stryker could envision him at his desk scowling down at something intently, his dark brows drawn together. It was a common sight. Declan was their leader, he had many onerous responsibilities, but nothing was more important than Stryker’s mission. “Yup,” he said into the phone. He was terse as if impatient with polite custom. A man who had no time for the niceties. “We have a problem,” Stryker said. His words were greeted with silence and he explained. “I’ve connected with her.” Declan sighed, but when he spoke he sounded resigned. “Damn, if Holly Seaton is your bloodmate, you have no choice now, brother.” “I thought I’d better let you know that I have to bring her in,” Stryker said. “Of course, but Christ, Stryker, you couldn’t have picked worse timing.” “You don’t have to tell me that.” Declan sighed again and said, “When will you tell her?” “As soon as possible. It would be dangerous to wait.” Decision made, Stryker’s voice was firm. “I’m doing it tomorrow. She has no idea what she is. Her family doesn’t want to accept what she can do. I’m going to need resources on your end to investigate her mother. Holly gave me pictures of her. I’ll get them to you with what information I can dig up tonight. With the extensive records we have at our disposal, it shouldn’t be too hard.” Declan said, “And you’re sure it’s the mother?”
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“Yeah, her father just doesn’t fit the profile. His daughter’s gifts scare the perfectly pressed pants off him. He’s had her on drugs for years trying to keep her abilities at bay.” “It’s hard for others to understand. To outsiders, abilities such as hers are disconcerting at best.” “Alan Seaton is protective of Holly and fears what she’s capable of doing. She admires and loves her father, but has grown tired of his interference in her life, though she doesn’t come right out and say it,” Stryker said. “Be careful how you tell her. She won’t easily understand. She will try to pull away from you…pretend it’s all a fabrication. You can’t let that happen. She has to understand. You don’t have the luxury of time to ease her into understanding.” “That brings me to something else you’re not going to like. I want to tell her friend Avery as well.” Stryker ignored Declan’s vivid curse. “Her friend has to know. They’re closer than sisters. If I don’t tell her, Holly will and I’d rather she hear it from me. At first she’ll accept it easier than Holly will. Avery will help her to open up to her true nature. Hell, the woman’s so perceptive I wouldn’t be surprised if she suspects something already.” There was reluctance in Declan’s voice as he responded. “Okay, Avery will know. If you think it’s necessary. I’ll defer to your judgment, brother.” Stryker expected no less. “Good because I’ll have to tell Avery’s husband Stephen too.” “Bloody hell, Stryker, why not put an announcement in the local newspaper while you’re at it?” “We cannot ask Avery to keep something like this from her spouse. Such a thing is not acceptable to us and you know it. I’m sorry, my timing sucks, but fate has dealt me this hand and I intend to play it to the best of my ability.” Declan sounded resigned. “Do you make things difficult for yourself on purpose, just to prove you can conquer every obstacle in your path? Christ, Stryker, if you weren’t my brother, I’d kick your ass. What we are trying to do has been in the works for too long and is too important. We need your full attention. When you sensed Holly’s presence that day in the supermarket, you should have left immediately.”
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Stryker laughed. “I’ll ignore the ass kicking comment because I like to think you have a more finely tuned sense of self preservation than your words suggest. You have no idea how hard it is to resist a bloodmate. It hasn’t happened to you yet. I hope I’m around when it does. I promise to be just as supportive.” “You won’t have to worry about that. The phenomenon is too rare. It doesn’t happen for all of us, you know that. There’s a good chance I’ll never know it. I have much more important concerns. The distraction would be even more inconvenient for me. I’m not destined to mate for life which makes my sex life far more interesting and varied.” Declan declared. Stryker laughed. “You have no idea, little brother.” They spent the rest of their conversation discussing Holly’s drawing and the threat to Lydia. Declan accepted the news with a litany of foul words. Stryker raised his eyebrows. “Your vocabulary hasn’t grown I see.” Declan ignored his brother. “From your reports, everyone else is managing well.” “Yes, that’s true, but someone knows we’re here. First Irene is murdered, now Lydia’s in jeopardy. The mere fact that Holly drew Lydia’s “accident” suggests that it was anything but. Too coincidental. We have to consider the possibility that there is a bloodstalker in our midst.” Declan was silent for a long moment then said, “You’re right of course. I’ll look into it. In the meantime, do you want me to send reinforcements?” “Not yet, I don’t want to draw unwanted attention and I could be wrong.” Declan scoffed. “You’re never wrong about this kind of stuff, but I’ll abide by your decision. Use an abundance of caution, brother. There are many who love you.” “I promise to be very careful,” said Stryker. “One more thing you should know. There’s a sensitive here that our research didn’t uncover. Her name is Margaret Wickham. I’ll write up a report of all I know and send it to you. From what I learned from Holly and Avery she sounds gifted.” “I wonder how we missed her. Damn it, we can’t afford to make such stupid mistakes. Leave it with me. This is going to spoil someone’s night.” “I thought you might say that,” Stryker murmured just before he said goodbye.
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After hanging up the phone, Stryker booted up one of his computers. He wasn’t quite at Arnie’s level of hacker expertise, but he could navigate electronic information with ease. He pulled up the journals and scrolled through them quickly. He read at an uncommon speed so it took a matter of seconds to consume all the information the others had provided. Except for Holly’s drawing of Lydia, all seemed fine. It pleased him to see that Candace, Lydia’s daughter was beginning to make friends. It was so important that young people learn to adapt. The move had disrupted Candace’s teenage life, but if her journal was anything to go by, she seemed much happier now. He stretched and looked down at Polly as she rested her head in his lap. The sound of his computer powering down always brought her to him. He said, “You want to go for a run, girl?” She paced to the door and back again as if trying to hurry him. “Okay, let’s go.” He swept out of the house and took off into the night, Polly at his side. **** Holly couldn’t sleep. Lifting her head up, she punched the pillow twice for good measure. She wanted to talk to Avery, but knew it was too late. Once she started talking about Stryker, she knew she’d have a great deal to say. Avery would get no rest. Holly chose to spare her friend. At least one of them should get some shut eye. No use disturbing both their sleep patterns. She’d had a big day. It was natural to have a little trouble winding down, she told herself. Earlier Stryker had brought her to more than one climax with finesse. One built on the other and tore her apart in the very best way. What she’d experienced in her dreams was nothing compared to what he could do to her in reality. He’d stopped though, refusing to let her return the favor. His actions had disrupted the balance of power and left her feeling unsettled. It gave him the upper hand in a way that made her very uncomfortable. When it came to sex, Holly was a firm believer in give and take. She was naturally more comfortable giving than receiving, so Stryker’s behavior put her at a personal disadvantage. At least she’d made it clear she wasn’t happy with the situation. Avery would give her points for that. Too often Holly kept her peace, staying silent, accepting other people’s actions
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without question. That was her family’s dynamic. Avery had always encouraged her to demand more, but Holly never bothered. It didn’t seem worth it. It was easier for her coast when she didn’t make waves. Usually she took the path of least resistance, but for the first time in her life, Holly understood that would be the wrong approach…especially with a man like Stryker. In some ways, Stryker was like her father, both were alpha males. She didn’t want two men in her life telling her what to do. With Stryker, she’d stand her ground and perhaps their relationship could be a more equal one. He had secrets, just like her father, but unlike Alan Seaton, she wouldn’t let him keep them. She would insist on knowing the truth, every drop of it. Gone were the days where Holly skulked away quietly when told she didn’t need to know something. **** Bloodstalker. The word sounded like something out of a science fiction movie but it described him perfectly. He’d decide who their next victim had to be and he’d deal out their death sentence without hesitation. Years ago his hands had dripped with their thick red blood, but not anymore. The passage of time had aged him. A part of him still missed the hunt and the smell of spilled life force, but contemporary times called for more advanced methods which made the kill much less satisfying. So those types of dispatches he reluctantly left to others. He resented the distance he was forced to put between himself and his prey. Because of advances in forensic science, they’d had to get more creative and make some of the deaths look like accidents. He missed the days when he could revel in the sweet pleasure of watching as the life drained from those he’d bled. It was a calling he liked to think he’d been able to turn into an art form and he’d always been happy to answer it.
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Chapter 15 Holly slept through the night and woke in the morning without remembering a single dream. It had taken her a while to finally nod off, but when she did, she’d slept soundly. Erotic visions of Stryker were conspicuously absent. Holly had no idea of what that meant, but she was sure it had some sort of significance. Avery stopped in after dropping the kids off at tennis camp. She and Stephen splurged and had a court built on their vast property, but no one in the family actually knew how to play. However, the kids were eager to learn. Holly and Avery vowed to take a few lessons, just enough to volley back and forth. They were not interested in competition, but they were firm believers in teamwork. Avery was visibly anxious to find out how Holly’s evening with Stryker had ended. Holly could see it in her eyes. She wasn’t always good at hiding her curiosity from her friend and that morning was no exception. Avery poured herself a cup of coffee and muttered what she always muttered while sipping coffee when the kids weren’t around. “I don’t know why we can’t have hot chocolate in the morning.” She shook her head sadly and tsk tsked. She perched on a stool by the kitchen island and commanded, “Tell me everything.” Holly complied. Avery listened, asking for clarification here and there. When Holly was finished, Avery said, “Wow. By the sounds of it, your dreams are just the tip of the iceberg. The guy’s a sexual impresario. Lucky you.” “Very funny, but I’m really uncomfortable with the way we left it. The balance is off,” Holly said seriously. “Well, kiddo, I think you could use a little vertigo. You don’t always have to stay the course you know. A little excitement is just what you need, and by the sounds of it, Stryker Cain is the guy to provide it.”
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Avery’s reaction didn’t surprise Holly at all. “Easy to say, not so easy for me to do, I’m scared of how he makes me feel. My pulse rate keeps jumping. He’s a good cardio workout for me.” Holly shrugged helplessly. “Now isn’t that handy? Does that mean you’re not going to play remedial tennis with me?” Holly laughed. “I’m not backing out.” Avery sobered. “Your reticence with Stryker is understandable, especially under the circumstances. You were right to insist he explain himself. I’m proud of you” “He’s supposed to call me today. I’m not going to agree to see him unless he’s prepared to come clean with me,” Holly vowed. Her friend nodded. “I think that’s fair, but what about Irene O’Neil and this Lydia woman? Are you saying you’ll stop investigating your drawings?” Holly shook her head vehemently. “Not on your life. If need be, we’ll go it alone. We don’t need him.” “Atta girl.” Avery lifted her hand and Holly slapped her palm. The phone rang and they exchanged meaningful looks. Avery glanced at the call display. “Unknown caller. It’s probably him. He strikes me as the kind of guy who chooses to remain anonymous.” She handed it to Holly. Taking a deep breath, Holly pushed the talk button and said, “Hello?” It was Stryker. “Good morning, Holly. I hope I’m not calling too early.” Holly said, “I still pull the odd all nighter just to feel like a university student again, but I can’t help waking up at 8 o’clock every day.” She mouthed the words “it’s him” to Avery who accepted the news with a casual lift of her shoulder. “I hope you slept well,” he said. Holly frowned and narrowed her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I have slept well?” Avery lifted an animated eyebrow and flashed her the thumbs up. Stryker said, “No reason at all. I was merely asking.” “Well, in that case, I did in fact, sleep well last night.” She shrugged at Avery.
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“I’m glad. I’d like to invite you, Avery and her husband Stephen to dinner at my place this evening. I know it’s short notice, but I’m hoping you all can make it. I have some explaining to do.” “You can say that again, Lucy,” Holly said. “Pardon?” “Oh, I just associate explaining with Lucy Ricardo of I Love Lucy. It’s a thing Avery and I say.” She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “Does that make you Ricky then?” She laughed and sang, “Babalu…” “Desi Arnaz never looked so good. Will you ask Avery and Stephen about tonight? Lydia’s daughter, Candace babysits and I can vouch for her. I’d invite Jessica, Aaron and Connor as well, but what I have to say isn’t meant for their ears.” Holly felt ridiculously charmed by the fact that he used the kids’ names instead of lumping them together as “the kids”. It showed he thought of them as individuals. “I’ll ask them and let you know.” “Thank you. I’ve checked on Lydia and all is well with her. She likes being chauffeured. She’s never really liked driving, but knows it’s a necessary evil in contemporary society.” Holly smiled at his choice of words. “I’m glad she’s okay. Maybe we’ve been able to change the future in a more significant way this time.” He wasn’t nearly as optimistic. “I’m not going to jump to conclusions yet, but I hope you’re right. Has your computer hacker come up with anything on Irene’s phone and credit card records?” Holly had almost forgotten about Arnie. She’d been so focused on Stryker she’d had little time for anything else. She looked at Avery and without covering the mouthpiece she asked her. “Did you get anything from Arnie?” Avery shook her head and scoffed. “Pffft…Arnie’s a vampire, he sleeps by day. I don’t expect anything from him until about 2pm even though he told us we’d hear from him in the morning.” “Did you hear that?” Holly asked Stryker.
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“Clear as a bell. I have excellent hearing. I’ve come up nearly empty on the forensics angle. Irene’s killer knew what he was doing. He left no trace except the two marks on her neck.” “Ah, I was right, vampire,” Holly joked. “Nah, a vampire wouldn’t have left so much blood lying around,” Stryker said in a serious tone. “Very funny. That doesn’t leave us with much. Let’s hope Arnie has better luck. I’ll let you know when we hear from him.” After she hung up the phone, Holly told Avery about his dinner invitation. Avery was always up for socializing. “We’d love to come. I’ll tell Stephen.” She picked up the phone and dialed his number. Stephen was a general practitioner. He was brilliant and had every opportunity to specialize in any number of fields, but a country doctor was all he’d ever wanted to be. Holly admired him for it. Small communities needed medical personnel like him. Stephen believed in treating the entire patient. He didn’t scoff at the concept of prevention or homeopathic remedies. He was very open-minded. Avery could never have fallen in love with a lesser man. **** Avery refused to give Holly a ride to Stryker’s house, insisting that Holly drive herself in case she elected to stay later for whatever reason. Stephen accepted his wife’s explanation without question. They were able to get their usual babysitter and she arrived on time. Holly was the last to pull into Stryker’s driveway. Her timing had been intentional. She didn’t want to be alone with Stryker before he’d been honest with her. She didn’t have the self-discipline. Dinner was delicious. Conversation was easy and at times, lively. Stephen and Stryker immediately slipped into the age old male speak. They seemed to understand each other with very little actual discussion. Avery and Holly had always wondered at guy conversation. Men bonded seamlessly, yet the deepest conversation they shared was “Pass the Doritos” or “While you’re at it, get me another beer.” The women kept things interesting at dinner, challenging Stryker and Stephen in the quintessential battle of the sexes. Holly was having such a
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wonderful time, she almost wished they didn’t have to spoil it by digging into Stryker’s secrets, but the time had come. They moved into the living room for coffee and brandy. It was understood that Stryker would take the floor. “I’m glad you were able to make it on such short notice. Holly has demanded explanations from me and I know it’s time to come clean. I thought it best to tell you all at the same time. A doctor such as you, Stephen, may come in handy.” His audience looked at him with synchronized confusion. He took a sip of his very expensive brandy and continued. “I must ask that what I’m about to tell you stay within these four walls. A great deal rests on secrecy at the moment. I also beg you to suspend disbelief until I’m finished.” He looked around the room. Each of them nodded, agreeing to his terms. Finally, he began. “You might say I’m a stranger in a strange land. I’ve settled over one hundred people within this community. I’ve done it all over the western world. Soon, we hope to do the same in every country on earth.” Struck speechless, they waited for him to continue. “Margaret Wickham was right, Holly. I am not what I appear to be. Like you, I have abilities most people do not possess.” Holly exchanged a look with Avery and asked, “Like what?” “I can move at great speed, albeit, for very short distances. At times, I’m faster than the human eye can see. I have superior night vision.” He patted Polly on the head. “Polly and I run through the forest in the night with nature’s creatures. Sometimes I ride my stallion, Dakota, who has unusual abilities as well, but I digress.” Holly, Avery and Stephen looked at him skeptically, but he spoke with such conviction that they stayed silent and reserved judgment as they’d promised. “My kind is not susceptible to most of your diseases and we live a very long time. Cut us and we heal overnight. However, we do not procreate easily. It is rare to find a couple with more than one child. It is far more common for a couple to be childless.” Soft-hearted Avery, the mother of three, gasped and offered genuine sympathy. Stryker accepted it with a grim smile and a nod as he reached out and squeezed her hand in gratitude.
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“Long before recorded time, my people were hunted and almost wiped off the face of the earth. In the interests of self preservation, our leader took us underground where we’ve stayed for centuries. We became creatures of fable and fantasy in your world. We had our share of rogues who bridled at the self-imposed confinement and broke our laws, but they always met a tragic end. We police our own and our justice by necessity is swift and deadly. But, there are those who have hunted us for generations. They’ve vowed to wipe my kind off the face of the earth. We call them bloodstalkers.” He met Holly’s eyes and sighed. “Yes, I think Irene was killed by one of them. My people did not stay idle when we scurried underground. We learned a great deal about our own physiology and were able to overcome some of our weaknesses, but still we do not have many children.” Stephen obviously couldn’t help but interrupt. “You’ve told us about your superior abilities. What kind of weaknesses are you talking about?” Stryker said, “There was a time when we knew a great hunger that was never completely satiated. It drove us and made us worse than animals. We had no concept of enough. Our greed knew no limits.” Avery muttered, “Ah, like Enron executives.” He laughed at her joke. “Yes, there are some very unfortunate similarities.” Stephen persisted. “What other weaknesses?” “We suffer from a sensitivity to the sun that can prove debilitating. We burn very easily in direct sunlight. Even before the ozone layer was damaged, we suffered very bad sunburns. Sunblock hadn’t been invented. It took our scientists years, and great pain I might add, to discover that slowly we could build up a resistance to the harmful effects of the sun. Now we simply tan very easily. Every parent exposes their child to the sun so gradually that it takes years before they can allow their children to spend even an hour in the daylight. They start around the toilet training period. Before then, our babies are kept sheltered from the sun.” He smiled as if envisioning a favored child in his mind’s eye. “My kind lives with the utmost respect for nature. There is no need for us to attempt to conquer it when there are so many ways it sustains and nurtures us. We have evolved beyond the concept of killing for pleasure. We do not torture Mother Nature’s creatures or defile her earth with our waste.”
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Avery said, “Sounds good to me. So far, I think I like your kind better than mine.” Holly stayed silent, a frown fixed on her face. From the moment he’d started to speak, her mind had been working feverishly sorting out all the information he was imparting. Stryker looked at her and she knew. Could it be? All that he’d told them fit with her suspicion, but she hesitated to lend her voice to it. She didn’t dare articulate her suspicion because it seemed so preposterous but one glance at Avery told her that she wasn’t alone. Stryker didn’t take his eyes off Holly as he said, “My bloodline is an ancient and much respected one. With each generation, a Cain has been leader of our people. When the responsibility passed to me, I abdicated to my brother. Declan is far better suited. My talents lay elsewhere, but I am as dedicated to my brother’s vision as I am to my brother. We have ventured out into the human world with the hopes of making it a better place for all who inhabit it.” Holly shifted her gaze and locked eyes with Avery. They’d both come to the same conclusion. Stephen was a scientist. His imagination was not at the ready. Avery nodded and Holly finally broke her silence. “You’re telling us that you’re a vampire.” Stephen scoffed, Avery nodded and Stryker spoke with naked honesty. “Yes, Holly. That is exactly what I’m telling you. I was born a vampire.”
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Chapter 16 Avery shook her head and hit her ear with the heel of her hand as if to correct her hearing. She said, “Excuse me, but I think I just heard you say you’re a natural born vampire.” Stryker smiled at the look on her face and leaned back in his chair. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” He put up a mediating hand. “Remember you promised to bear with me, to suspend disbelief.” With a raised eyebrow and wide eyes Avery said, “Yeah, but you didn’t double dog dare us…I don’t think your case would hold up in court.” She looked at her husband and friend. “Do you guys?” Holly reached over and touched Avery’s arm. “Let’s hear him out.” She looked back at Stryker. “You’ve got five minutes to make us believe you. Otherwise we’re walking out of here for good.” Stryker nodded with resignation. “I have proof. Will you join me in the library?” They stood up and followed him from the living room down a paneled hallway to a set of solid wood double doors. Holly couldn’t wait to see the room again. She remembered the library from the tour he’d given her. It looked like something straight out of Harry Potter’s world. It was the kind of room she’d always dreamed of. She’d never known anyone who owned so many books. Some of them had to be very old. From walnut wainscoting, to cathedral ceiling, every wall held row upon row of different sized books—hardcovers, paperbacks, leather bound, cloth bound. Stryker’s library held every kind of bound publication ever created. Overstuffed chairs and an incredibly large couch sat on a thick rug in front of the stone fireplace. At the end of the room a beautiful curved dark walnut staircase led to the second level and more books. Holly waited to see Avery and Stephen’s reaction to the room. She wasn’t disappointed. Their jaws dropped as they looked up and around. “You didn’t tell me about this, Hol,” Avery whispered.
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Holly whispered back, “Yeah, sorry, I forgot. I had other things on my mind at the time.” Stryker showed them to the couch with the sweep of an arm. “Please make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be just a moment.” They watched as Stryker pulled a wide ladder to a spot on the east wall. He took four steps up and reached out for three very large books. They looked impossibly heavy, but he carried them effortlessly in one hand, as he moved back to what looked like his favorite chair. He sat down and placed the books on the coffee table. Stryker placed the largest in front of Holly. “This is one of my family photo albums. Take a look inside.” Sitting beside Avery, Holly slid forward on the couch and opened the book. All of her senses told her the book was authentic. It looked like it had stood the test of many years. It had that indescribable smell that all very old tomes had, and when she opened it, Holly could feel the cloth-like texture of the paper. The album was filled with pictures that must have dated back to the invention of the camera. Holly gasped and put a hand to her mouth when she recognized a man in one of the pictures. She pointed without touching her finger to the surface of the photo. “You’re telling us that this man is you?” He looked her directly in the eye. “That is exactly what I’m saying, and I swear on everything I hold dear that I’m telling you the truth.” He looked at Avery then at Stephen. “If you have access to the means necessary to confirm the book’s authenticity, I’d gladly hand it over to you and the others as well. The one you’re looking at right now is a family photo album and the other three contain a modern history of my kind dating back to the 1400’s. You’re welcome to take them, read them, test them, whatever proves to you that I’m telling the truth.” “That won’t be necessary,” Stephen said in a firm voice. He surprised Holly and Avery by saying, “I believe you.” Avery did a double take and frowned at her husband. “I really thought I’d be the first person to say that. After all, I’m the writer here. My imagination knows no bounds.” Stephen smiled at his wife. His admiration for her was evident by the expression on his face. “Sweetheart, you’ve taught me that the world is filled with mystery. Scientists cannot explain everything.” He nodded to
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Stryker. “I’ll just bet Stryker here has a truckload of doctors who will back up his story. Don’t ask me how I know, but it rings true to me.” Stephen’s trust in Stryker was instant. Holly could only figure they’d bonded on some sort of male molecular level that she and Avery would never understand. Stryker said, “You’re right Stephen, I am prepared to introduce you to some of our doctors. I can give you a sample of my blood. You will see it is not human and is unlike anything you’ve ever encountered before. You can take the blood yourself.” He turned his left arm over and exposed the blue veins that throbbed close to the surface of his inner elbow. Was there ever a more attractive man? Holly had never found a man’s arm particularly sexy before, but every inch of Stryker’s body was food for her starving eyes. She wondered how he’d taste and longed to press her mouth against the beat she could see pulsing under his skin. It was strangely hypnotic. Dragging her eyes away from the life force she could see rushing through his veins, Holly said, “Speaking of blood…do you drink it?” There was silence in the room. Stryker smiled at her and Holly could have sworn she saw a golden light appear behind him. She glanced at her friends to see if they saw it. They showed no sign of having witnessed the phenomenon. Stryker finally spoke. “Yes, my kind drinks blood. But we’ve evolved to the point where we can survive without it. Our special abilities manifest only if we consume a small amount of blood every week. When we do not drink blood, we are just like humans except for our long life, our sensitivity to the sun and unfortunately, our inability to procreate easily.” “It’s all relative, wouldn’t you say? How much blood do you consider a small amount?” Holly pressed. He laughed. “No more than the amount of alcohol one puts in a shot glass. And the blood has to come from a willing donor.” Avery said, “Human donors.” “Yes. We do not take what is not ours without consent and animals cannot consent. Taking blood by force is why we’d never been able to control the hunger so long ago. In humans, fear produces adrenalin. Human adrenalin created by fear acts on the vampire like a drug. It’s instantly addictive and turns us savage. Eventually, it drives us insane. There are people in the world that know of us and are happy to provide us with what
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we need. Irene O’Neill was one of these people. She was a generous and compassionate woman who had a great capacity for understanding the supernatural. We all mourn her loss.” Sad, but in earnest, Stryker leaned forward in his chair. “The penalty for taking blood that is not freely offered is death. We cannot afford to take such crimes lightly. The last time we were forced to put one of our own to death was over one hundred years ago.” “You’re over a hundred years old?” Avery squinted at him and said, “Man, that’s some serious Botox, Count Chocula. That explains Dick Clark at least.” Holly couldn’t help but giggle. Trust Avery to find the humor. The levity broke the almost suffocating tension and Holly sighed deeply. She said, “So you and your vampire friends are infiltrating the human population. To what purpose?” Stryker took no offense at how she’d phrased her question or her directness. Calmly, he said, “We want to share this earth. We have much to teach humans and much to learn from them. My mission is a peaceful one, Holly. I give you my word on that.” She nodded carefully and said, “Go on.” “Don’t believe what has been written about vampires. We cannot increase our numbers simply by exchanging blood. That process is far more complicated and is forbidden. To my knowledge, the Becoming Ritual hasn’t been performed in hundreds of years. The knowledge of what is necessary to perform it has been all but lost. We cannot procreate easily. Humans do not have such a problem. In fact, they have over populated the world to such an extent that one day it will no longer sustain any life.” He made a pleading gesture with his hands. “We live ten times your lifespan. Our future is bleak if humans continue exploiting this planet.” Holly looked alarmed and Stryker reassured her. “I’m not suggesting that we plan to take over the earth. No. We seek only to co-exist with our human cousins…to learn from each other. We have discovered that humans and vampires are sexually compatible.” Holly looked away from him and felt warmth spread through her body. Under her breath Avery said, “I’ll say.” He looked at her genuinely puzzled and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”
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Avery looked panicked for a split second then made the save. She said, “I said, ‘We’ll pay.”…you know, like…humans will have to pay for raping the earth.” She smiled stiffly and Stryker nodded obviously not deceived, but willing to accept her lame explanation. Avery sighed with relief. Sitting beside her, Holly barely controlled a peal of laughter. Avery surreptitiously nudged her. That only made it worse. Holly and Avery had learned from their teachers’ black looks back in high school that laughter repressed was more explosive than laughter expressed, but they never stopped testing the theory. Finally, Avery snorted. Their tenuous control snapped and they broke into loud laughter. Bewildered, Stryker looked to Stephen for some sort of explanation. Stephen rolled his eyes. “They do this sometimes. I’ve found it’s easier to just ride it out. Trust me, we’ll never get it, but don’t worry. They’re not laughing at you.” Stryker and Stephen couldn’t help but smile as the two women laughed so hard they cried. Struggling for control, Holly was finally able to speak. She wiped the tears from her cheeks with a knuckle. “We’re sorry…” She looked at Avery and started again. Breathless, she nudged her friend and said to her, “Don’t look at me, I’ll never stop. I can’t look at you.” She put her hand up and used it as a blinker to keep Avery out of her peripheral vision. It took them another minute of avoiding the other’s face to pull themselves together. “Are you with us again, ladies?” Stephen said. Finally, they nodded and indicated that Stryker could continue. “Eventually we hope to assimilate into human society and…I guess there is no delicate way to say this…breed. The commingling of our species will make us both stronger. We’ve learned that vampires and humans can have children who do not need to consume blood in order to possess special abilities.” Holly said, “And you know this because…” His direct stare pinned her to the couch. “It has happened before. We have discovered that half human, half vampire children possess the best of both species. Some of my friends are both vampire and human and they will tell you there is no disadvantage.” Stryker lifted his glass of brandy and sipped it, waiting for reactions. His eyes never left Holly’s face.
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Stephen said, “Stryker, I would like to get a sample of your blood and that of someone with a vampire and a human parent.” He rushed to clarify. “Not that I don’t believe you, but rather I find this endlessly fascinating. I’d be honored to meet some of your doctors.” “I can arrange all of that,” he said calmly. Stephen looked at Avery then back at Stryker and said, “And we’d like to take those books you offered as well.” Ignoring her husband, Avery narrowed her eyes and looked at him skeptically for a second. She said. “So if I get this right, you’re saying eventually after years of “cross breeding”, we could wipe out disease?” Stryker nodded. Stephen said, “More than that…this has the potential to solve a vast number of the world’s problems. We just have to open our minds to it...imagine the possibilities.” Holly shook her head, still trying to understand what she was hearing. “This is huge. It would take me days to list all the ramifications of such a thing in our society.” Stryker frowned. “It’s not all rosy I’m afraid. There are people in this world who have known about the existence of vampires since the beginning. They believe we are an abomination. They’ve handed down their bigotry from generation to generation, refusing to believe that we’ve evolved. The children follow in the father’s footsteps. Their fear of us has turned to hatred and like the Ku Klux Klan or the Nazis, they long to maintain a “pure” race. They’re not much different than any other racist group except that their order is an absolute secret. It recruits no new members and is kept within the family. They are powerful and extremely ruthless.” Holly frowned at him. “It’s more than that, isn’t it?” He inclined his head and gestured for her to continue. She said, “Think of how much money is spent on human disease. The figure is astronomical. If what you’re saying is true then the health care systems in every country on earth would be turned inside out. If handled properly, your plan could eventually even end poverty. My God, this could revolutionize the world!” Stryker smiled at her and nodded. “There are those who know about our plan and seek to stop it at all costs. They do not see the world as a whole, but as spoils awarded to the winner. My brother has been able to convince
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the vast majority of our people, vampires that this plan offers us all the best possible future, but just as in human society…there is always the struggle between good and evil.” Holly said, “So when you said you work with your brother, you were telling the truth.” He nodded. “Holly, in time you will learn I am unable to lie to you.” “But like most men you can stretch the truth,” Avery said as she glanced sideways at her husband. “Like…‘I had every intention of sorting the garbage, but just didn’t get around to it, honey.’” He laughed. “The longer Holly knows me the more she will be able to detect even the slightest stretch of the truth.” Holly laughed, “Kind of like that 2% Spandex in jeans? They don’t look stretchy but they are, and that makes them so much more comfortable.” Avery raised her eyebrows and said, “That was good, Hol.” “It just came to me.” Holly smiled at her friend. Stephen waved a hand and told Stryker, “They do this as a defense mechanism. The topic is so overwhelmingly significant that they have to take little recesses with each other.” “I get it. I think it’s charming.” Stryker smiled at them. Avery said, “I’m getting the impression that we’re being patronized.” Holly shook her head, “No we’re not. That’s just the way he talks.” “Seriously?” “Seriously,” Holly said. Stryker said, “I know I’ve given you too much to take in at the moment, but I am willing to answer any of your questions…” Avery took a breath, but he anticipated her. “No, we do not sleep in coffins.” “What about mirrors?” Holly asked. He smiled. “You can see my reflection in a mirror. Do you need me to prove it?” Holly shook her head. “A stake through the heart kills me, but then it kills everybody. We’re not immortal. It just seems like it when compared to humans.” Avery said, “If a vampire and a human fall in love…with the disparity in life spans then the vampire would have to spend the greater part of his life without his spouse?” She looked at her husband and took hold of his hand as if to reassure herself that he was still there. “That’s so tragic.”
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“Not necessarily. Our doctors are currently working on that. They are investigating the theory that if they could find a way to make human blood mix with vampire blood without being completely absorbed, they could extend the human life span considerably without changing human into vampire.” Stryker shook his head sadly. “Of course our blood is dominant. The storybooks have not fabricated that fact. It is not our intent to wipe out humans or turn them into vampires. Our two species must learn to share this earth in peace. We understand this will take generations, but right now, here in Muskoka, we’re the thin edge of the wedge.” Stephen said, “I’d like to learn more.” “You will. Our doctors are just as eager to learn from you as you are from them.” Holly said, “Forgive me, but this is all so utopian. I’m having a hard time accepting it. Maybe I should have taken the blue pill.” Stryker laughed. “Ah, you refer to Keanu Reeves in the film The Matrix….” He smiled, pleased with himself. To Stephen, he said, “I think I’m starting to get it.” Stephen said, “Yeah, good luck with that.” “Holy water! Does holy water burn you? Can you walk into a church?” Avery asked, half jokingly. He laughed. “I can even enter a house without an invitation, but I don’t because that would be rude.” They joined his laughter. “Many of the things written about vampires were created by those who would have us reviled and feared. It serves their purpose. If we are creatures of children’s nightmares then we are no real threat…we don’t exist.” Avery said, “I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight, not from fear, but from optimism. I understand why you didn’t want to talk about this in front of the kids. This is so huge.” He nodded. Holly said, “The kids are going to love this…” She looked at the faces around her and added, “That is, when they’re old enough to know about it.” “We hope to make the world a better place for all our children, but right now we balance on a precipice. A strong wind and we could plummet in defeat. That’s why it is so important that we find the bloodstalker who killed Irene O’Neill and the person pulling his strings.” Stryker set his brandy
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glass down and looked at them in turn. “Obviously our enemy knows we’re here. Trust me, they will stop at nothing to stop us.” There was silence in the room. Finally Avery spoke. “Okay, I’ll say it, since we’ve entered a new reality here. What makes you so certain it was a bloodstalker who killed Irene? There were two puncture wounds. Why not a vampire?” Stryker looked rueful. “Irene would have been drained. A vampire wouldn’t have been able to stop. There would have been no pool of blood. No, Irene was killed right handed, from behind with a sharp two pronged object, blood splatter on the flowers tells us that. Perhaps the killer wanted to make it look like a vampire bite just to mock us. Either way, I got the message.” Holly looked at Avery and Stephen for confirmation. “We’ll do anything we can, but the kids have to be protected.” Stryker said, “Jessica, Connor and Aaron have nothing to fear, but I will arrange for my men to ensure their safety.” Avery said, “A vampire?” Stryker said, “Maybe, or part vampire, part human. He will not interfere in their lives in any way. Your children won’t know he’s there, but rest assured he will give his life to keep them safe. Trust me. He will not be taken down easily.” Stephen said, “I believe you, but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” “Children are sacred to us. We do not throw them away or use them for our pleasure. Being able to have a baby is an honor, not a right in our world.” Avery said, “I like the sound of that.” Stephen glanced at his watch. “Speaking of children, we should get back to ours. I think you’ve given me enough information for one night Stryker.” He turned to Avery, “We should be going.” They moved to leave. Holly followed in their wake intending to make her departure as well. Stryker touched her elbow and said, “Could you stay behind a moment, Holly?” Holly and Avery exchanged looks. Avery thanked Stryker and hugged Holly goodnight. Stephen shook Stryker’s hand. They understood each other. Avery and Stephen drove off and left Holly alone with Stryker.
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Chapter 17 After they waved goodbye to Stephen and Avery, Stryker looked down at Holly and asked, “Library or living room?” She said, “Well, usually I’d say library. I love that room. I’ve never seen anything like it, but I think given what you’ve already told me, I could use a little less old world and a little more Muskoka farmhouse.” “As you wish.” He bowed slightly and walked with her to the living room. Holly collapsed in a chair. She deliberately avoided the couch. Her mind could too easily conjure up an image of Stryker making ferocious love to her there. There were just too many erotic possibilities in that couch sitting there all big and roomy, Holly thought. “Can I get you anything?” His sharp eyes did not miss her deliberate avoidance of the couch and he raised his eyebrows just slightly. She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough coffee and I’m driving, so wine is out of the question.” “Okay then.” He sat on the couch. Leaning back, he put one arm along the back. He stroked the fabric of the soft cushion and Holly couldn’t help but imagine what that hand could do to her. He stretched his long legs out in front of him. His feet almost touched Holly’s frosted pink toes in her blue sandals as they rested modestly side by side on the floor. She knew she looked awkward sitting there so primly while he lounged comfortably, but Holly had just realized she was completely alone with a vampire…a vampire for God’s sake! Stryker must have sensed her discomfort because he smiled at her gently. “You can relax. I’ll stay right here. If we touch this evening, you will be the initiator.” He raised a hand in defeat. “I’ve given you too much to think about. It wouldn’t be fair if I took advantage of you.” She sighed. “And of course there’s the whole, you’re a vampire thing…”
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He laughed. “Yes. There is the me being a vampire thing. There’s a great deal about my kind that you do not know. I didn’t want to dump anything more on you and your friends in one sitting.” Holly raised an eyebrow with trepidation. “There’s more?” He was deadly serious when he said, “A lot more, Holly, more about me, more about you and more about the two of us together.” Holly’s stomach turned over. She’d had enough and just wanted to go home to bed, but she didn’t want to say so. She hated to show weakness. Her father had always tried to protect her from the truth, refusing to tell her anything he’d decided she didn’t need to know. Holly didn’t want to be patronized so by Stryker. “You can start now,” she said steadily. Stryker shook his head. “You misunderstand me. I have more to tell you, but I was hoping that I could see you tomorrow morning and discuss everything with you. I’m not sure I have the fortitude tonight. This hasn’t been easy for me either. I take a very serious risk by revealing to you my mission.” Holly sighed. “I suppose you do. Sorry, I was just thinking of myself and how this has jostled my world just a tad.” “No need to apologize. Just say you’ll see me alone first thing tomorrow morning.” “Of course I will. Call me when you’re on your way. Arnie sent something earlier today. I need to go over his results. We’re still going to try to find out about my mom, aren’t we?” “If you want to, we most definitely are and don’t forget Lydia. I know that what I told you this evening kind of puts everything else out of your mind, but we cannot forget we’re trying to catch a ruthless killer here.” “You’re right of course…it’s just all so unreal. A year ago I lived in my father’s house and worked in his offices as a receptionist. The most exciting thing in my life was the next episode of 24. Now look at me!” She lifted her hands up. “I’m talking to a bona fide vampire!” He smiled sympathetically. “There is so much more for you to know, but not tonight. Please wait for me tomorrow morning. We both need a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow could be another eventful day.” ****
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Holly came home to an empty house and vowed to start looking for a dog. Seeing Stryker’s dog Polly and of course Avery and Stephen’s dogs Austin and Micah, made her long for canine company. As a member of many animal causes, Holly knew there were countless dogs in need of a good home. She’d have a hard time picking just one. That’s what made her pause. How could she choose one over another? It would be like a dog version of a Dickens’ novel. The unadoptable would cry in their beds at night after she’d walked away with a cute little puppy. Holly shuddered at the thought. Stryker had offered her his help. Maybe she should take him up on it. She’d been taking him up on so many offers, what was one more? Getting ready for bed, Holly forced all thoughts of Stryker and vampires out of her mind. She had to, otherwise she’d never get to sleep. **** She woke early the next morning relieved to discover that she’d drawn no new nocturnal pictures. Showered and dressed in comfy shorts and a sleeveless white t-shirt, she made her way downstairs for a lonely breakfast. After half a cup of coffee and two pieces of peanut butter and toast, Holly heard Avery’s light step on her porch. She knocked once and walked in. “I smell peanut butter,” she said. “Want some?” Avery winced. “After three kids, peanut butter and I have a tentative relationship. But thanks for the offer. How’d you sleep?” Holly sighed. “I managed.” “I guess that means you didn’t frolic with our local version of Count Dracula in your dreams or wake with a new drawing clutched in your hand.” “You’re right. I guess the stuff Stryker told us last night was all my unconscious mind could handle,” Holly said. Avery nodded and sat on a stool across from Holly. “Me too. I don’t even remember any of my dreams. Stephen is ridiculously happy and can’t wait to meet with Stryker’s doctors.” “I suppose any medical doctor would want to learn more about vampires.” Holly frowned. “That sounds so weird. I didn’t imagine last night, right?”
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“I’m afraid not. It’s a brave new world, Huxley.” “Stephen seemed happy to take Stryker at his word last night. That didn’t change by morning?” “No, if anything he was days ahead of me. He cleared his schedule of all but the most necessary appointments. He intends to be available and he wants the research time. I think human physiology bores him now.” Avery laughed. “What can you expect? Stephen has a first class scientific brain. He’s brilliant. Surely it doesn’t surprise you that he’s jazzed by what Stryker told us last night.” Avery said, “Who knew that Muskoka would be ground zero for the salvation of the planet?” “I wonder if we know any of Stryker’s pioneers,” Holly said, then shook her head. “I’m not sure if I want to know. Too much information could be dangerous.” Avery said, “I’m not sure Stryker would tell us if we asked, at least not now.” “He’s asked to see me this morning. Apparently there’s more he needs to tell me.” “You and not us.” Avery narrowed her blue eyes, sipped her coffee and spoke over the rim. “It must have something to do with your reactions to each other, otherwise why wouldn’t Stephen and I be invited?” “Oh I know it’s about us. He pretty much said so. He claimed it was best if he waited until this morning to talk to me.” With her elbows propped on the counter, she dropped her chin in her hands. “He was probably wise to insist on it. I’m not sure how I feel right now. I think I’m numb.” Avery walked around the kitchen island and hugged her. “I’ll insist on staying with you if you want.” Holly sighed with resignation. “Thanks, but I think I need to talk to him alone.” “When’s he coming?” Holly shrugged. “He said he’d call.” She pointed to the phone. “I’m expecting that thing to ring at any time, heralding his approach.” She jumped when it actually rang. Avery looked at her warily and shook her head. She said, “Gadzooks, it’s Count Chocula himself! You know chocolate can replace sex. Damn,
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that’s just messed up. Give me sec…I’ll work this out…” She frowned and started to mumble to herself. It was indeed Stryker calling to tell Holly he was on his way. **** Why did he have to look so edible? Holly wondered. Avery’s chocolate reference didn’t hit far from the mark. Stryker Cain was chocolate for the feminine eye. He wore jeans that fit him like all men wished jeans could fit, comfortable and sexy as hell. He made a red blooded woman want to put a hand in each of his back pockets and pull him hard against her. Being a red blooded woman, Holly shook her head and tried to ignore his pants and listen to what he was saying. “…was just here...” He stopped speaking when he saw her shake her head. “Is something wrong?” He looked genuinely concerned and Holly felt guilty. “No no no. Everything’s fine. I was just taking a moment.” She laughed lamely and started to walk towards the living room. “What were you saying?” He said, “Avery just left.” “Yes, but I guess that stands to reason,” she said. “At any given time, if Avery isn’t here, she probably just left or is on her way.” “True, but I could smell her too.” He was serious. She blushed. “Oh yeah, I forgot…your superior sense of smell. Riding the subway in the summer would be torture for you.” He shook his head. “I don’t really find natural scents unpleasant.” He laughed. “I’m like a dog that way.” “You said it, I didn’t.” He looked toward her computer. “Did Arnie send you his results?” Holly nodded. “Yeah but everything on Irene’s phone dumps seems normal except a call she received from an untraceable disposable cell phone. Generally I wouldn’t see that as unusual, but she was murdered and around here disposable cell phones are rare.” “Could I see what Arnie found out? I will be able to recognize most of the numbers.”
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Holly said, “Sure. I’ll just e-mail them to you right now.” She sat down in front of her laptop and looked up at him, “What’s your address?” “Here, I’ll type it in for you.” He moved to lean over her and type in his address, but uncomfortable with his closeness, Holly slipped under one of his arms and walked away. Trying to sound normal, she said, “Can I get you a drink?” He declined. Nervous, Holly walked to the couch bent her knees and sat stiffly. When he was finished with her computer, she said, “Okay, get started.” He smiled at her rigid posture and said, “Relax, Holly. Can we just talk about nothing for a bit? Did you sleep well?” Holly said, “I slept fine, thank you.” She looked at him suspiciously and added, “Remind me to ask you about that, okay?” He nodded and said warily, “Sure, I can do that.” “Did you tell Declan that Avery, Stephen and I know?” “I didn’t have to. He knew I intended to discuss our plans with you. My brother knows I am a man of my word. He knows it is done.” “He didn’t wonder how we took it?” Stryker smiled and said, “He knows I have more to tell you today.” “Ah, so Declan knows what you’re about to say to me?” Uncomfortable, Holly lost her patience. “Just tell me, Stryker, I’ve had enough of secrets.” “Of course, I’m sorry I was insensitive about that. I had to speak to you alone because this affects you only.” She nodded and made a gesture with her hands that indicated he’d better hurry up and spill. He said, “Our scientists have linked psychic ability to our species. We have reason to believe that every human being with supernatural abilities has a vampire ancestor.” He nodded at her when she furrowed her brow. “We’ve shared this planet as long as humans have. Vampires and humans have joined with each other since the beginning of time. Humans who have fallen in love with vampires are fiercely loyal to their mates. They’ve kept our secret for thousands of years. Their children always inherit some, if not all of our superior abilities. Our blood is diluted in later generations and our scientists have discovered that explains why some humans exhibit our abilities, but have no idea how.”
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Holly scowled at him. “So somehow you can prove that every psychic is part vampire?” He shook his head. “I’m not saying that at all. I can’t be that definite, but we can prove that there are vampire DNA markers in every gifted human we’ve tested so far.” Holly’s heart pounded in her chest and she hesitated to speak again. Her voice wasn’t at her command. She let his words sink in. He waited in silence. His eyes never left hers. Finally her voice obeyed and she said, “I’ve had supernatural abilities my whole life. If what you say is true then someone in my bloodline hundreds if not thousands of years ago had a half human half vampire child.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly anxious to hear his response, but afraid of it as well. He took her hand and stroked her palm with his thumb. At every point of contact with him, her skin tingled. She made note of it and was grateful for it. Her hand felt right in his. For once, the heat of her skin was cooled by his touch. His strength somehow communicated with her and propped her up, giving her the courage to insist. “Stryker, tell me the truth. You said it yourself. I need to know.” He squeezed her hand and said, “If our doctors examined your blood they would find vampire markers, yes. But more than that, Holly, I believe your blood would be half human and half vampire.”
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Chapter 18 Shocked, Holly pulled her hands away and scowled at him. “What makes you say such an outrageous thing? How can I be half vampire?” “I’m not sure, but I think we’ll find the answer when we learn more about your mother’s life.” “I don’t like what you’re suggesting. My mother was not a vampire. Alison and Matthew don’t have any of your so-called vampire abilities. I’m the only one in the family who has them…” Mortified, it dawned on Holly what she was saying and what he was suggesting. “You don’t think I’m the biological child of Alan and Helene Seaton do you?” “I think there is evidence that puts your parentage into question.” He admitted quietly. Angry at his prevarication, Holly said, “Damn it, Stryker. Quit beating around the bush. You think I was adopted?” “Yes, that is one possibility.” “That’s impossible. My father told me about the night my mother gave birth to me. He was there!” “Perhaps the woman who gave birth to you was not Helene Seaton.” Holly rejected that theory with a shake of her head. “That’s not possible. My father has always told me that I’m just like her.” “He could still say that and be telling the truth. You could be just like your mother and not be related to Helene Seaton.” He sounded so reasonable Holly wanted to shake him. “You think my father had an affair and I’m the result? Or do you think my mother had an affair and I’m the result?” Her voice was sharp and demanding. Stryker didn’t pull any punches. “Either one is possible, however, your father doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who could raise the child of a man who’d stolen a much beloved wife.”
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“He couldn’t. He’s far too alpha male for that. My father worshiped Helene Seaton. If she’d cheated on him and had this man’s baby, he’d have deserted us both.” She frowned and looked down at her hands. They were clutched so tightly they ached. Forcibly releasing the tension, Holly opened and closed them stiffly. “My father is not an easy man, but he loves me. Yes, he’s always treated me differently, but that’s because I’m such a disappointment to him.” Her voice trembled. Fathers had such an effect on their daughters’ self esteem. “I can’t believe that I’m different because my mother was not Helene Seaton, but rather a vampire woman my father cannot speak about.” Stryker nodded at her. “It fits Holly. I’m sorry. If your mother was of my kind, your father would never be able to forget her. Nothing compares to the love shared between our species.” “What are you saying? Explain what you mean.” Her gaze was sharp, ready to identify a half truth. “Vampires live far more passionate lives than do humans. Our senses are sharper and often our feelings are extreme. Our love can be incredibly intense. You’ve no doubt heard about people dying for love?” She nodded, suspicious. “Heard of it, yes.” “Well, dying for love is not uncommon for my kind, when a vampire finds what we call a bloodmate, all else pales in comparison. The couple is linked, forever changed by the powerful shared experience.” “Is it always mutual?” She was afraid of his answer, but refused to look away. “For bloodmates, yes. They sense their mate’s desires and it fuels their own. Imagine a passion multiplied exponentially.” He pulled Holly from her seat and made room for her on the couch. Mesmerized by his words and the tone of his voice, she didn’t protest. There was no question about it. She was rattled beyond her capacity to think straight, but after a second of close proximity she grabbed what sense she still possessed and decided to put some distance between them or risk losing her will to think independently. Holly pushed away from him. “Forget about my mother and father for a moment.” Still bewildered, she looked at him and put her hand against her heart. “You can somehow tell that I have vampire blood?” He nodded. “The older ones can always tell. I’m not the oldest of my kind by a long shot, but I have had experience with this kind of thing. It has
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been my job to find people with our blood no matter how diluted. Declan is convinced that these people should be the first we approach when we begin to initiate contact. Their minds would be more open to the possibility of our existence. Many of them already feel like misfits.” “Is that why you told me?” “Yes, but that’s not the only reason. Holly, you have far more power than you know. Raw abilities such as yours left untrained would be like a beacon to a bloodstalker. So far, I think perhaps the drugs you were taking temporarily retarded your capacities. When your powers come to you, if you’re not prepared, there’s no telling what could happen. Tragedy could ensue.” Holly looked at him warily still keeping her distance. “What kind of tragedy?” “The kind that made Margaret Wickham throw you from her house in a panic.” He gave her a sympathetic look. Positively incredulous, she stood up and started to pace. “So everything I’ve known up until now has been a lie? Even who gave birth to me? You’re telling me that I’ll discover new abilities that could be dangerous to me and other people?” She ran both hands through her hair and pushed the thick strands behind her ears with impatience. She waited for his answer. “That’s it in a nutshell sort of.” “Now I know why you didn’t tell me this last night.” She tried to smile at him. The whole thing was completely outrageous, but Stryker was so serious, so earnest that Holly couldn’t help but believe him. “Think about it. Have you ever had a single sick day in your life? Any cut or scrape healed very quickly, didn’t it?” She looked away from him and thought about his questions. He was right, she’d been incredibly healthy her entire life. Except for her ‘spells’, she’d never seen a doctor for any other reason. She did heal fast and viruses that attacked the people surrounding her, always seemed to avoid her. She said, “You’ve offered to let Stephen take your blood and test it.” When he nodded she continued, “Well then, I want him to take mine as well and prove to me that what you’re saying is possible.” “I think that would be wise. You trust Stephen. I’m sure he’d be happy to do this for us.”
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“Agreed. That’s the first thing I want to do.” She wiped her hands on her shorts, continuing to pace. “Next, I want as much information as possible about my mother. If I’m going to confront my father, I want to know everything.” Holly had had enough of secrets. He nodded. “I’ve already got people working on that. If you trust me to take care of this for you, they can continue.” She didn’t mince words. “I’m not sure if I trust you or not, but that’s beside the point. I want to see everything you have right away. I’ll ask Arnie to verify anything that doesn’t ring true.” He didn’t look offended, merely regretful as he said, “This thing between us…” Holly interrupted him with a raised hand and said firmly, “Is on hold until I find out who I am.” **** Avery was just as shocked as Holly had been with Stryker’s claims. They sat around Avery’s dining room table with martini glasses in front of them. Avery had made pomegranate martinis, Oprah’s recipe. Avery’s version of the drink was strong and a little biting, exactly what Holly needed. They’d just managed to put the kids to bed and spoke in hushed tones. The sun was setting and the two women watched as it turned the sky spectacular shades of blue, purple, yellow and pink, beautiful beyond reason. The breathtaking sight made Holly believe that maybe anything was possible after all. Since meeting Stryker, each day brought her something new to wonder about. Today had been a notable example. When Holly finished explaining what Stryker had told her, Avery said paradoxically, “I’m speechless.” She took a breath, opened her mouth let out the air she’d taken in and closed her mouth again. Avery was truly left speechless. That as much as anything scared Holly. “Help me out here, Avery. This is crazy, right? He’s certifiable and I am too, for listening to him.” Avery was absolutely serious when she finally found her voice. “If that’s the case then you’ve taken Stephen with you. He believes everything Stryker has told us so far.” She shrugged and said reluctantly, “I’m afraid I do too.”
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Holly scoffed. “You believe I’m a vampire?” Avery laughed and said, “That’s putting it a bit harshly, but when it’s boiled down, yes, I believe it’s a possibility. You are different than most humans. I’ve always known you were special. I can believe that you possess untapped gifts or abilities. Do they come from vampire blood? I don’t know, but Stryker is very convincing and paints a very different picture of vampires for me.” She shrugged. “Let’s wait until Stephen is finished with the blood samples before we head down to Sherman Funeral Homes and pick out your new long, narrow bed with a lid.” Off hand, Holly said, “Stryker said that’s a myth. Vampires do not sleep in coffins.” “A little artistic license would be appreciated, Vampira.” Avery smiled engagingly and Holly couldn’t help but smile back. Avery said, “Damn it, I meant to rent the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer…research you know. Doesn’t that Angel guy remind you of Stryker?” “Very funny.” Holly rolled her eyes. “Comedy. It’s my only defense. I would go insane without it,” Avery admitted. Holly sighed, “Well these days I’m not sure you’d have to go too far.” “I would like to see some of the abilities Stryker claims to have.” She giggled. “I already have.” “Yeah, and one of them is the ability to give you multiple orgasms in your sleep. Have you asked him about that yet?” Avery teased. Holly appreciated her attempt at humor and smiled. “No, of course not. But he can move at a remarkable speed…get your mind out of the gutter Avery. I’m serious. The first time we met, he came from nowhere and stopped me from falling to the ground. He gets out of the car and opens my door before I can get my seat belt off. He’s fast, but it’s weird, I never see him move at super speed. He’s just there.” “Well, Holly, he did say that for short distances he can move faster than the human eye can see. Maybe what you’ve seen is proof of that. It sure as hell sounds supernatural.” “It’s possible. He smelled you earlier today you know.” Holly could tease as well. Avery flushed. “How embarrassing.” She lifted an arm and sniffed.
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Holly laughed. “He didn’t seem to mind.” “My pores secrete honey.” Avery smoothed a hand over her hair with mocking supreme confidence. “From what I’ve learned about vampires from Stryker’s example and what I read in his books last night before I went to bed, I think I like vampires better than humans.” “He does paint a rather rosy picture of his kind.” Holly agreed. They heard a sound and both froze. Had one of the children fallen out of bed? They looked at each other and waited. They heard nothing. Avery said, “This is a time when that super sonic speed would come in handy. You could just whip down there and check. I wouldn’t even have to stop talking to you. You’d be back before I noticed you were gone and before I finished your martini on you.” “You can’t help yourself can you?” Holly laughed. “Why stop now? Stephen is meeting with Stryker and a couple of his medical geniuses right now. Let’s not panic until we hear from him.” Holly nodded. She liked that idea. It was all she was capable of doing at the moment. She set the panic aside and picked up a pencil. **** Declan hung up the phone. So it was done. Stryker had forced the issue and stepped up their plan a little. No matter, he was very adaptable. When executing such a multi-pronged and complicated plan, one had to make room for the unexpected. Neither of them had imagined the unexpected would prove to be Stryker’s bloodmate. In a way, Declan envied his brother. From what he’d heard of bloodmating it could be the most fulfilling part of being a vampire. Few humans could understand what it was like to find the other half of one’s soul. Declan had seen it in his parents’ relationship. They’d made each other complete, but not in a way that made them incomplete on their own. If anything, finding your bloodmate meant you were never alone again. The love shared by bloodmates could survive beyond death. Just like they could walk in each other’s dreams, a bloodmate could conjure up the vision of a beloved departed partner with ease. Their love could live forever and need never be replaced.
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He’d accepted that it wasn’t meant to happen for him. Long ago Declan had married himself to a vision, one that would save his kind and human kind as well. It proved all consuming. His attention had to stay focused on the plan. It would take many years. It had taken many years, but he knew that the end product would be worth the wait and their hard work. Declan wondered if he’d live to see his plan come to fruition, but in the long run even that didn’t matter. There were those who would pick up where he’d left off. Now Stryker had told outsiders. It relieved Declan that one of them was a medical doctor. Finding brilliant human minds and helping them to understand the vampire species had always been part of his vision, but not this soon. Hundreds of years had taught him to work with what was handed him and it made sense to connect with Stephen Williams. The doctor’s trusted relationship with Holly Seaton aside, they couldn’t have found a more suitable human to bring in this early. Declan could tell by the sound of Stryker’s voice that he hadn’t explained things fully to Holly yet. He hadn’t spoken of it, he hadn’t needed to. Both brothers knew Stryker couldn’t wait much longer. Soon it would be too late for her.
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Chapter 19 Holly kept her finger on the doorbell. She knew Arnie would eventually have to get up and answer the door, his mother had left for work hours ago and he was the only one home. She heard his voice through the screen. Grumbling, he swung the door wide. He blinked owlishly and looked past her for Avery. Reading him, Holly said, “Avery couldn’t come.” He looked so disappointed Holly laughed and said, “Now I feel like Jan Brady.” Arnie recognized the reference and whined, “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.” He smiled at Holly and stepped aside to let her in. “Sorry, Holly, I was just hoping to get some advice from Avery. You see, there’s this girl…” Holly put up a hand. “Yeah, I remember you mentioned her the last time we were here. I’ll tell Avery to call you, but let me say that any girl you’re interested in is very lucky indeed.” The young man blushed and said, “Thanks. I took Avery’s advice. I sent her a picture of myself.” He looked enormously pleased. “And she didn’t shut me down at first sight. I think she might be the most amazing girl in the world. She sure looked beautiful in the picture she sent me. We’re going to meet as soon as I get this thing off.” He pointed to the police bracelet on his ankle. “I take it your girl doesn’t know about your run in with the law then?” “Actually she does. I decided to be totally honest with her. She was pretty cool about it.” “Well, then why wait until it comes off? Why not invite her here and meet as soon as possible?” Arnie looked thoughtful for a second then smiled. His face lit up and he looked as handsome as Holly had ever seen. Young love was miraculous.
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“You’re right. Thanks for the advice.” He looked at what Holly was clutching. “That’s it?” She nodded and handed it to him. Stryker had the disk delivered to Holly that morning. It contained everything his sources had discovered about Helene Seaton. Holly hadn’t the courage to look at the stuff herself. She’d immediately called Arnie and asked him to verify the information contained on the disk. Arnie said, “You want me to check this out? Dig deep to determine if anything has been fabricated or altered in any way?” Holly said, “Yes. I haven’t even loaded it on my computer. I want to know it’s authentic first. Do your magic, Arnie. Don’t pull any punches. Do everything possible to check out the information.” “Will do.” Without Avery’s presence and their business concluded, Arnie reverted to his customary shyness. Holly understood and put him out of his misery. “I’ll leave you to it then. Good luck with your lady love. I meant it when I said she’s a lucky girl.” She thanked him and took her leave. **** Days ago Stephen had returned to his wife filled with excitement. Stryker’s doctors convinced him that Stryker had indeed been telling the truth. Vampires not only existed, but were living among them. Stephen had tested the blood samples he’d taken himself. The samples were unlike anything he’d ever seen, definitely not human. His preliminary findings hadn’t really shocked Holly. There was a commonality between her blood and the vampire samples Stephen had taken. Still, she refused to see Stryker. Her life had been turned upside down and she wasn’t sure she’d have the strength to resist the temptation to run into his arms and let him take care of everything for her. Her dreams had been free of him lately, but instead of being relieved, she felt tense and on edge wondering, as she rested her head on her pillow at night, would she see him in her dreams? She didn’t. Stryker had taken Holly’s decision calmly, but he made her promise that when she was ready to talk, she’d come to him. He’d provided the disk containing Helene Seaton’s dossier and Holly was grateful for that, but she
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wasn’t yet ready to delve into more secrets. She was just getting used to what she’d discovered so far. Since Stephen had told her of his findings, Holly had dined at Avery’s every night, afraid that left to her own devices she’d wind up at Stryker’s door. Jessica, Aaron and Connor were able-bodied distractions and amazingly good conversationalists. They got that from their mother’s side of the family. Holly could remember countless dinners with Avery and her parents. Will Chase, Avery’s father, would throw out a provocative statement and wait for everyone around the table to respond. By the time dessert was served, they’d invariably exhausted the subject. At that point, Will would usually say something outrageous and they’d begin all over again. No one was made to feel that their input was unimportant. Holly had never felt so confident in her entire life. Avery’s home life was nothing like Holly’s. Alan Seaton rarely ate dinner with his children, citing work as the reason for his absence. Most evenings, Holly would sit in her assigned place in her family’s well appointed house in one of Toronto’s most affluent neighborhoods and make inane, but polite conversation with her brother and sister. Alison tried to be a friend to Holly but they had so little to talk about. In her teens, Holly got into the habit of asking Alison to tell her about her dates, and after a fashion, they’d bonded as much as two very different sisters could. Alison had endless boyfriends, whereas Holly could count her boyfriends on one hand and still have a finger or two left over, so Alison’s stories were fascinating to her less experienced sister. Their conversations helped make dinner bearable. Her brother Matthew, bored by what he considered their girlish chatter often read the paper, ignoring them entirely. There were odd occasions however when he’d tease his young sister and make her blush or giggle. He and Alison were very close, but he’d never been able to get close to Holly, his youngest sister. He’d always protected her though and had been happy to drive her places when she’d asked him. Holly had refused to have her father’s driver take her anywhere. Few of her friends had such luxuries and it embarrassed her that she did. It was a very patient Matthew who’d taught Holly how to drive. He’d paid the price though. Alan Seaton had forbidden Holly to try for her driver’s license, but they’d both disobeyed him. When he’d caught them, her father had looked at her with the all too familiar
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disappointed expression on his face, but he’d taken Matthew into his study. Two hours later her brother emerged from the room somehow smaller. He avoided her sympathetic gaze, quietly skulking away to his room. They’d never talked about it. She’d tried, but Matthew turned such a blank look at her, she dropped the subject. Holly couldn’t remember another example of a time when her brother had so blatantly defied their father. Holly’s own big rebellion had been moving to Muskoka. Despite what was going on currently, she was pleased with that decision. She looked around the table and smiled softly. Dinner with Avery, Stephen and the kids was an entirely different experience than what Holly had known growing up. At Avery’s home, dinner was family time, an impenetrable safety zone. There was no uncomfortable tension or fear. Stryker had been as good as his word. He’d assigned three men on 12 hour shifts to watch over Avery and Stephen’s children. These men were very good at staying out of sight. The kids had no idea they were so protected. Hyper aware of their presence, Holly rarely caught a glimpse of them, but occasionally she’d see something move in her peripheral vision and assumed she’d glimpsed their impossibly quick movements. “Come on kids, I rented a movie.” Stephen said. “We can eat dessert while we watch it.” Aaron looked at his mother hopefully. “Are you and Holly gonna watch too?” Avery touched his hair gently and said, “Not this time, bud. I’m going to clear all of this away. Holly’s going to help me and then go home. She needs her rest. I’ll read you a story before bed.” With that having been said, six little feet hit the floor and the kids hurried after their father who had walked into the TV room with four well endowed, top heavy cupcakes on a plate. The dogs, Austin and Micah followed in their wake. Avery didn’t waste time. She said, “Enough is enough, Hol. You have to talk to Stryker tomorrow.” Holly looked at her in shock. “I’m sorry to be blunt, but you’ve stewed over this long enough and I’ve kept quiet knowing you needed time. I don’t think it’s healthy for you to put off talking to him any longer.” She paused and finally said, “It’s not like you to be cowardly.”
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Holly opened her mouth to defend herself, but closed it again with futility. She knew Avery was right and her practical side appreciated her friend’s candor. She looked into Avery’s sympathetic blue eyes and said, “I know. You’re right, but that doesn’t make it any easier.” “You know, kiddo, I’d never pressure you to do something I thought wasn’t in your best interests. Reach out to Stryker. Stephen is more impressed with him the more he gets to know him.” Surprised, Holly turned to Avery and said sharply, “Really? Has Stephen been spending time with him?” Avery gave her friend a knowing look. “Yes, he has and I’m not going to ask Stephen how he’s feeling…you know like high school? Find out from Stephen if Stryker likes me, but don’t tell Stephen that I like Stryker, because I don’t want him to know that I like him until I know if he likes me. Just tell him that I said hi.” She said the words without taking a breath and at the end, dragged in air noisily. Holly laughed. “Ah, good times.” “I think your future good times may rest in Stryker’s hands. At the very least you should explore your latent abilities. He’s the only one who can help you with that. It’s dangerous to ignore them for long, given what we know now.” “You’re right of course. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” Holly ran a hand through her hair and said, “So I guess you’re kicking me out.” “And kicking your ass. Off you go.” She made dismissive motions with her hands, but Holly pushed them aside and hugged her close saying, “Thanks.” As usual, Avery hugged her back enthusiastically. **** The path between their houses was so familiar to Holly she could have walked it blind. She looked up, hoping to spot the moon, but found only darkness. Heavy clouds hung low in the sky like a black canopy. Holly was grateful that she knew the path so well because there was very little light illuminating her way. “What the hell?” she thought. “No harm in trying.” She closed her eyes and concentrated on each of her senses. Sight was the easiest, so she opened her eyes and tried that first. She brought the trees into focus and with
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determination, pushed past previous limits. The night busted open, taking shape before her eyes. She could see the path clearly. Surprised, she looked up expecting to see the moon shining through the dense cloud cover. All she saw was blackness. She blinked repeatedly, convinced she’d imagined it. But no, there was no doubt about it, she could see almost as well in the darkness as she could in the light. Her heart pounded, excitement rose from her belly up to her chest and exploded in delighted laughter. She spun around, seeing her surroundings as if for the first time. Her blood rushed through her veins and she reveled in it. Despite her rapid pulse, her hands were steady as she touched a silver birch. The white paper-like bark looked remarkably bright through her newly discovered night sight. For a moment Holly prepared to explore another sense, but a sound in the forest behind her made her freeze. Her previous feeling of exhilaration was sucked away only to be replaced with naked terror. Had another sense awakened in her? The fine hair on the back of her neck stood up and she knew she was in danger. Instead of rejecting the fear, she embraced it like a wild animal would, and took off at a run. Her fear gave her a burst of speed and she took advantage of it. Whatever was stalking her followed at a consistent distance, neither closing nor widening the gap between them, toying with her, as if it enjoyed the chase. Holly ran as fast as she could, instinctively relying on her newfound sight to navigate the winding path that led to her front door. She took her porch steps in one leap and slammed into the front door. Her hand had precise aim as she fit her key into the lock and fell inside. When the door swung shut loudly, she locked it, leaned against it and slid to the floor with relief. She listened intently to determine if she’d been followed home. There was nothing, no sound at all. She stood up and looked through the window. Maybe it was the glass but for some reason, her enhanced sight deserted her. All she could see was the dense darkness. Holly walked from window to window, checking all the locks. She wasn’t sure if it made any difference because she knew not what had stalked her in the night, but somehow she felt safer behind locked doors and shuttered windows. As her pulse slowed she picked up the phone and dialed Stryker’s number. “Holly,” he said into the phone.
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For a second she thought he’d known it was her because of telepathy until she realized he must have call display. She felt foolish and berated herself silently. “Holly? Are you okay?” He sounded alarmed. Breathless, she hurried to reassure him, feeling a little silly now. “I…I’m fine.” “No, you’re not, I’m coming over.” Okay, so maybe telepathy wasn’t out of the question. Holly thought after he hung up the phone. She was left frowning down at her receiver. He wasted no time. She wondered how long it would take him to get to her place. She didn’t have long to speculate because within mere minutes, he was knocking at the door. Before she could close the door behind him, he took her in his arms and pressed her cheek to his chest. The tattoo of his heart gave him away. Pure one hundred proof adrenalin must have pumped through his veins like a wildcat oil well. His pulse beat so rapidly Holly couldn’t hear the pause between thumps. His chest positively hummed. “Tell me what happened.” He ran his fevered eyes over her to make sure she was okay. “Sorry, Stryker. I didn’t mean to alarm you. I was being foolish. I could have sworn something followed me home from Avery’s tonight.” She looked up at him helplessly. He sighed deeply and said, “You were not being foolish. Your instincts sensed danger and you heeded them. Good girl.” His praise made Holly feel ridiculously pleased. Get a grip woman, she berated herself silently. He walked her to the couch and made her sit down. Standing over her, he said, “I’m going to check to make sure whatever it was is long gone. Stay here.” He disappeared before Holly could take the breath needed to object and returned almost as quickly. He wasn’t even breathing heavily when he said, “You were right. Someone followed you.” She frowned and said hopefully, “Could it have been one of the men who are watching the kids? Maybe he was just checking to make sure I was safe. Couldn’t it have been harmless?” Stryker didn’t lie to her. “My men are assigned to the children. They would die rather than leave them. It was a human.”
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Before he could say more, Holly piped in, “Don’t tell me. You could smell him.” Stryker nodded gravely. “Exactly, and soon with some guidance, you will too. It’s started already. You knew you were in danger and acted immediately. Humans are socialized to ignore their animal instincts. We vampires have learned to heed our inner warnings or die.”
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Chapter 20 “Are you suggesting that because I’m part vampire, my life is in danger?” she asked him tentatively, afraid of the answer. “I’m afraid so. Obviously given what happened just now, I should have been clearer. There are those who would wipe us off the face of the earth. People such as you, who are half human and half vampire, are living proof that our species are compatible even enviable.” He leaned an arm on the fireplace mantel and Holly couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. The adrenalin the chase had shot through her veins wasn’t gone. It was just channeled in a different direction and her chest heaved. She remembered vividly what it had felt like to be in his arms with her ear to his heart and for the moment, she lost her train of thought. He continued to speak and a part of Holly’s brain registered that the subject was serious, but Holly couldn’t concentrate on his words and meaning. She watched his neck muscles move as he swallowed and felt an undeniable desire to press her lips to the side of his throat and gently suck. She wanted to feel his skin beneath her teeth, not to taste his blood, but to heat it. Licking her lips, Holly could almost taste his skin and she longed for more. Her body temperature rose a full degree. Fever, she had a fever. Her heart pounded strangely, sounding unfamiliar to her ears. Pushing aside her own response, she made herself deaf to all sound that didn’t emanate from Stryker’s body, listening to his heart beat a reply. She watched as he took a deep breath. A rise in body temperature could bring on all kinds of delirium Holly knew, but she’d never experienced anything like this. She couldn’t think, she could only feel. For the second time that night, but for an entirely different reason, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her skin felt over charged, suspended, almost painfully anticipating his touch. He was speaking, she could even see his lips move, but Holly didn’t listen to him. Her body was hearing him on a
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different level. Words weren’t necessary. Besides, there were so many better uses for his mouth. Talking seemed so mundane, so pitifully inadequate in comparison to the way their bodies were communicating. From the tip of his shoe to the strands of golden hair on his head, Holly examined him. Somehow her body recognized his on a level she couldn’t fathom. She breathed in, savoring his primal scent. Her eyes swept up, locked on his and in that moment she knew. He understood what she was feeling because he was feeling the same thing. Muscles Holly didn’t know she possessed tensed, as her body prepared to pounce. She hadn’t a thought in her head except to get to him as quickly as possible. Something in his eyes broke the spell. She hesitated for a split second and it was lost in the blink of an eye. The moment was gone. How did he do that? How could he diffuse the situation with just a look? Stryker’s eyes filled with regret. Strangely enough, Holly could taste it. It didn’t appeal to her. She winced and breathed air in through her nose and out through her mouth trying to expel the acrid taste of his regret. Confused, she looked at Stryker helplessly. What was happening to her? Frightened by these new sensations, Holly moved to put an armchair between them. She braced her hands on the back of the chair and pressed down on the fluffy cushion. She clutched the thick fabric in her hands desperately, trying to pull herself back under control. Somehow, she’d lost all sense. Her pride demanded she get a grip. Stryker looked infinitely sad and said, “I’m sorry, Holly. This isn’t fair to you.” She frowned at him, not understanding what he was saying and almost too worked up to care. Giving her a wide berth, he moved to the couch opposite her and sat down. He extended a hand, palm up and indicated the arm chair Holly had clutched in a death grip. “Please sit down. There is more you need to know.” He shook his head so regretfully that Holly wanted to soothe away the lines of tension in his face. But she didn’t. With a stilted gait, she walked around the chair and dropped into the seat. She didn’t dare speak for fear of having no control over her own tongue. She closed her eyes tightly and clung to her selfcontrol when she thought of the word tongue. The simple word conjured up all kinds of erotic images. If she was to survive this little powwow with her
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dignity in tact, Holly knew she had to pull herself together. She started multiplication tables in her head, praying that the dreaded numbers would snap her out of it. Being hopeless at arithmetic, Holly got stumped at 8 x 13 and finally looked at Stryker clear-eyed and ready to listen to what he had to say. “This is hard to explain, but please bear with me. I know what’s happening to you.” Holly stayed silent and waited for him to explain. “Please forgive me for not telling you sooner, but there was so much you didn’t know. Finding out that you’re half vampire couldn’t have been easy for you.” She sent him a meaningful look, but didn’t say anything. He said, “I know what you’re going through right now because I’m going through it too. It’s easier for me, however because my kind consider the phenomenon one of the richest, most fulfilling gifts we are given.” She still looked at him patiently, but there was heat behind her eyes and she knew it. How come he didn’t burst into flames? He said, “You and I are what my people call bloodmates.” When he didn’t go on, Holly grew impatient and said, “And what are these bloodmates when they’re at home?” He smiled. “Bloodmates are two halves of one spirit. A vampire can live his or her entire life and never find a bloodmate. Only the truly fortunate ones do. Such as my parents. That’s one of the reasons they were able to have more than one child. Biological siblings are very rare in my world, as I’ve explained.” “Keep going, Stryker. I’ll save my reaction until you’re through,” she said flatly. “I knew my bloodmate was in the grocery store that day I first met you. I should have left immediately, but the pull was too powerful for even me to resist. I had to see you, touch you, hear…you get where I’m going.” She said, “You say you should have left and you speak as if you’re apologizing.” “You deserve an apology. If I had walked away that day, you wouldn’t have been so affected by my presence. I could have stayed away from you until the time was more appropriate.”
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“Oh, so you’re saying that you would have just walked away and picked me up later when it was more convenient? Don’t worry about me. I have no will of my own.” Holly dug her nails into the soft fabric of her chair. He nodded then shook his head. “You misunderstand. I could have settled my people here safely then turned my full attention to us. As it is now, I’ve dumped a hell of a lot on you, more than one person should have to bear.” “Yeah, but as you say, I’m a rare person,” Holly said sarcastically. Stryker ignored her tone. “You are that and then some. Usually when bloodmates meet, all they can think about is being together. Given the situation, you and I have had to deal with other more dangerous matters. The longer we stay apart, the harder it will get for us, but once we’ve consummated our relationship we are bonded for life.” “You’re sure of that,” she said quietly. “Yes. We will get into each other’s blood. Our hunger will know no bounds. If we were to separate while living, you would go insane. We cannot be apart.” His words were said with a calm finality that irritated her “Oh, I’ll be the one to go crazy, eh? Well, what about you? Do you just get to walk away with a residual bulge in your pants, feeling a little uncomfortable? Damn it! Even in the vampire world men roll sevens.” “It has nothing to do with being male. Trust me, it’s worse for pure vampires. In this instance, the human side of you will give you strength. Separation can be even more destructive for the vampire. We’ve been known to die.” Holly forced the words out. “What happens if we never consummate the relationship?” “If we separate, what we feel for each other physically will haunt us. We will be drawn to each other as if we had no will of our own. We’d fall asleep alone and wake up together, somehow having made our way to each other in the night. We’d see each other everywhere we went, subliminally choosing the same activities and locations.” He looked away from her for only a moment, but when he said his next words, his eyes bored into hers. “We would walk in each other’s dreams, and when we awoke, we’d long for each other that much more.” She looked at him with suspicion. Damn him to hell. “Dreams. So you are aware of the dreams I’ve had.”
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He looked ashamed. “Yes, I’m sorry. I’ve disrupted your sleep. I hoped it would give us both some release. I prayed it would give me the strength not to run off with you and forget all my responsibilities.” His right hand clenched and unclenched as it rested on the back of the couch. Holly recognized it as something he did when he was most agitated. “Please understand, Holly. I have never shirked my duty or ignored a responsibility in my long life. My control over my impulses has been infinite. No small feat considering vampires have very strong impulses. We have not placed taboos on sex the way humans have, so my self-discipline is rare. I’ve not been celibate…for such a thing is preposterous to us, but nothing has ever deterred me from my mission before. I’ve always been able to push my physical and emotional needs aside.” He reached out an arm to her then dropped it. “Until you.” “I suppose that’s where the danger comes in, eh?” She tried not to lock eyes with him for fear of being drawn in forever. “Exactly. I should not be distracted from what is happening to my people here, but I am. I know it’s my own weakness, but there you have it. I’m at your mercy. Our mission here is at your mercy.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s an original way to get a woman into bed.” He looked at her in confusion and she finally took pity on him. She put him out of his misery. Without realizing it had happened, at some point during their conversation, Holly had made a decision. Now she spoke with confidence. “I believe you. I don’t blame you for anything. The things that have been happening to me since I met you now make sense and I’m not frightened.” She paused and grimaced. “Or at least I don’t think I am.” “But you should be, Holly. There is a bloodstalker out there.” “Yeah, I know, but by the looks of it, he’s already got a beat on me if tonight is any indication. There’s nothing that can be done about it now. I figure I’m safer with you than without you.” He shook his head. “I’m not so sure. There is another option.” Now that she’d made her decision, Holly wasn’t sure she wanted to hear about another option and she looked at him suspiciously. He smiled. “I could take you to my brother. He could protect you until I’ve handled the situation here.” “Pffft,” she said, rolling her eyes.
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He lifted an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?” “I said pffft. I’ll say it again, pffft. Do you really need a translation?” He laughed. “No, I guess not.” His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Without knowing how she got there, she was lying on the couch under Stryker. She smiled up at him. “Wow. I could get used to this, but please tell me you don’t do everything at hyper speed.” Words weren’t necessary. Stryker knew how to take his time and he proceeded to treat Holly to a sample. He ran his hand down her bare arm, keeping an infinitesimal distance between his palm and her skin. Goosebumps rose on her flesh in reaction to the electrical charge between them. Her skin responded to him like a philharmonic responded to its conductor. Barely touching her, yet hovering over her, Stryker shocked her when he kissed her hard as if unable to stop himself. She loved it and kissed him back with enthusiasm. It was exquisite. One moment he’d be demanding, verging on rough, the next he’d be so gentle and it was Holly who became demanding. She could feel his arousal through their inconvenient clothing and she arched her hips up and pressed even closer to him. He groaned and used his hips to drive her deeper into the couch cushion. Lifting his head up, he frowned at the give in the soft couch. With one eyebrow cocked devilishly, he gathered Holly into his arms and rolled off the couch to the floor. She landed on top of him and gasped as the impact with his hard body slammed her hips into his. Straddling him, she moved her body against his and wondered at how savage the contact made her feel. Stryker took advantage of the opportunity and pulled her t-shirt off in one smooth motion. She was naked underneath, and when the cool air hit her skin, she congratulated herself on deciding against a bra that morning. Almost touching her, but not quite, Stryker moved his hand up. His eyes followed the progress of his fingers. Holly could see desire reflected in his gaze and arched her back pushing her breast into his open hand. He was torturously gentle at first, but when she looked down at him and frowned, he smiled and handled her with a little less care. Holly was ignited. She couldn’t get enough. This time she was on top. The balance of sexual power between them was about to be set right. Holly had never torn a button off a man’s shirt in her entire life. With well-made
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shirts it wasn’t as easy as it looked, but with her passion unleashed, she tore the shirt from his back with ease. Perhaps there were more advantages to this new half blood vampire thing of hers. She smiled at him in triumph and ran the tip of her index finger down the centre of his heaving chest to the button of his jeans. She dipped her finger under the waistband and raked a fingernail across the skin that was still hidden from her. Their eyes locked and she met his mouth with hers, taking his tongue into her mouth and sucking on it. Grabbing a handful of his hair, she pulled his head back and exposed his neck. She waited until he started to struggle before dipping her head quickly, stopping a hair’s width from the pulse under his skin. With aching precision she ran her teeth along the length of his throat. Her nails clawed their way down his chest to his belly button. She put a hand between his legs and pressed down then up without gentleness. Her tongue dipped into his navel and drew swirls on his stomach until she reached his fly. She stopped and looked into his eyes. They were pleading. She liked that. In a split second, she had his pants open and her mouth on him. She used both of her hands, her tongue and her lips gently at first until he could take no more and cried out his impatience. At his protest, she lifted her head and challenged him with her eyes. This time when she swept her head down she wasn’t nearly so restrained. He was grateful for the pity she showed him and expressed his gratitude with a rather colorful expletive. Without pausing, she trapped his eyes with hers and used everything at her disposal to take him to the edge, pull him back then take him there again before driving him over the precipice. Breathless, she rested her cheek on his hard stomach and smiled to herself. That should even things up a bit, she thought. Panting and twitching, Stryker grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up the length of his body. He kissed her, cushioned her back with his arm and flipped her underneath him. Her eyes widened when she felt his hardness against her. “Mmm, so soon…you recover quickly,” she whispered. He laughed. “I didn’t tell you about vampires? This is just the beginning.” Somehow before she knew it, she was naked and writhing underneath him.
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Chapter 21 Again, Stryker took his time. Holly thought that once he’d gotten her naked under him, he’d lose control and finally take her, but no. Damn him, he chose that moment to prove his self-discipline to her. She groaned, yet still he held back. She clawed at the golden hair on his head and the smooth skin on his back and buttocks, but he continued to tease her. She took a deep breath and prepared to scream her frustration. At that precise moment he entered her, surely, smoothly. Her scream turned into a moan as she felt his fullness inside her, joining their bodies. It was heaven. For a second, he looked down at her in wonder then with a very subtle movement miraculously he managed to slip even deeper. Holly had never felt so full, so completely joined. Slowly, he set the rhythm, taking her with him until they no longer kept anything from each other. She took him inside her body and he reached between them, finding the exact spot where her sensation was most focused. She cried out and cracked, but did not shatter. He saved that for a little later when his own voice would join hers. Finally, with eyes locked on each other they both cried out loudly, triumphantly in unison. With a last sure thrust, Stryker was spent. Holly wrapped her legs around his waist, savoring the feeling of still being joined together. Her movement caused a slight friction and Stryker lifted his head from her shoulder and smiled down at her. “You started it.” He moved his hips against hers and started all over again. Lacking the will to speak, Holly let her body respond for her. Her mind surrendered completely. At some point in the night, Stryker had picked her up and taken her to bed. She couldn’t remember when, but she had a vague recollection of feeling weightless in his arms.
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Sleepy, she snuggled next to him between the smooth sheets of her bed. She ran her hand over the hard ridges on his stomach. Damn, she thought idly, he belongs in an underwear commercial. She looked a little farther down and registered his body’s response to the movement of her hand and realized that perhaps she was wrong. Strictly x-rated, his body was not designed for prime time. She loved him for it. He cupped her chin in his hand and said, “Sweetie, obviously I’m willing, but I think you need some rest.” She started to protest and he put his thumb against her lips. She sucked it into her mouth and touched the pad with her tongue and then her teeth. He arched his head back with pleasure and groaned. Laughing, he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you in your dreams.” He pulled her even closer. She rested her cheek on his chest and his steady heartbeat lulled her to sleep. **** Holly woke the next morning with a smile on her face. He was right. He’d been with her in her dreams. Not all of her dreams were erotic, just most of them. Looking out at the sun shining through her bedroom windows, Holly realized she’d never felt so content in her life. Stryker had spooned behind her during the night. Now, snuggled against him in the morning light, she shivered as she felt his lips travel from behind her ear, down the curve of her neck to her shoulder. His teeth grazed her sensitized skin and he lifted his head. He said, “Good morning, Holly. I won’t bother to ask how you slept. I know. I was with you.” Even first thing in the morning, their bodies moved as if choreographed. Just as her neck felt strained, he’d shift her to a more comfortable position. It was amazing. If he had morning breath, Holly didn’t notice and for one panicked moment worried about hers. She smiled without showing her teeth and prepared to dart to the bathroom and brush her teeth. He laughed at her and pulled her underneath him. “I know what you’re doing and don’t.” He laughed at her mutinous expression and used an index finger to trace the line of her mouth as she pressed her lips together. “I know your scent, Holly, just as you know mine. You will never smell like
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anything but you to me. Thankfully, it works the other way too. I will always smell like me to you. We will catch each other’s scent and it will never be unpleasant for us unless the other is suffering. I promise.” She looked skeptical until he said the last two words. Finally she let the air out of her lungs and spoke. “Great, no quick dashes for the toothpaste in the dawn’s early light. Isn’t that convenient for morning after sex? ” “It sure is,” Stryker said. His mouth touched hers, his tongue tracing the line of her lips just before delving inside to stroke the particular spot underneath her tongue that he seemed to like so much. He pulled away, kissing her lips lingeringly. “God, you taste like a flavor I’ve known existed since the day I was born. Like something I’ve always sought out and never found until now. Ambrosia, food of the Gods” Intrigued, Holly kissed him and tasted him the same way. It was an indescribable sensation. She wanted to drink him as if she’d been left in the desert for days and he was the first drop of water she’d found. She pulled back reluctantly. “I know what you mean. This is sweet, literally and figuratively.” She laughed. His sobered expression wiped the smile off her face and suddenly worried, she asked, “What’s wrong?” “I’m sorry, Holly, but I’ve been very selfish. I’ve taken away your free will. My brother was right. I should have pulled out of Muskoka as soon as I sensed your presence.” Holly frowned. At first she instinctively sought to dampen the hot flash of anger she felt at his words. Over the years, she’d learned to control her anger, preferring to be even-tempered and agreeable, but not this time. He’d freed something inside of her and she liked it. She’d had enough of his martyrdom. She sat up in bed, dragging her body away from the temptation of his nakedness. Unlike the night before, her movements were stiff and filled with rage. Likewise, her voice was not soft and husky when she spoke. “Stop right there! You’ve already done all the apologizing I’m going to bear. Why do you give me so little credit? Damn it, you’re as bad as my father.” Her temper once ignited raged like an oil fire. She jumped out of bed and started to pace. She threw words at him like darts and ruthlessly aimed for the bull’s eye. “What makes you think I’m so delicate that I can’t handle this? Bloody hell! After what happened last night, you sure as hell better not start treating
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me like a child or I’ll have you arrested for pedophilia! You keep saying that what you’ve done isn’t fair to me. Well, I say, you better let me be the judge of that.” She continued in a voice meant to ridicule. “Oh, the big vampire guy brags about his self-control and his integrity! Well, don’t underestimate me, Nosferatu! I’m a hell of a lot stronger than you give me credit for.” She was yelling now and for once in her life she didn’t give a damn. “Did it ever occur to you that I made a choice? What happened last night was pretty great.” Standing at the foot of the bed, naked, she narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at him. “Don’t even bother to pretend either of us could have stopped it from happening. So shut the hell up and let’s do it again!” She’d vented her built-up fury. Feeling better now, she smiled provocatively. Stryker jettisoned from the bed. Taking her with him, he pressed her against the wall and entered her. She could have sworn he did it all in one exceptionally smooth and well-aimed movement. Arching her back and putting her arms over her head she stopped thinking altogether. **** And he could cook too! Holly pinched herself just in case she was dreaming. She sat at the kitchen table as Stryker made pancakes. When he started mixing the batter, she told him that she wanted him to make a hippopotamus for her or she wouldn’t eat them. He laughed at her challenge. The ones that didn’t meet with his exacting standards were piled on his own plate and by the number accumulated, Holly hoped he had a good appetite. At last be brought over a stack of hippos on a plate and set them in front of her, a smile of triumph on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Ah, hippos are easy.” He looked outraged and moved to take her plate away. She gripped his wrist. “Never take food away from a hungry woman. These look delicious.” She let go of his arm and used her knife to drop a large pad of butter on top of the hippos. The butter melted as he kissed her and Holly wasn’t sure it was from the heat of the pancakes. Finally he sat down across from her and tended to his own rather misshapen pancakes. She said, “You’re a good cook, but I guess you’ve had a lot longer to learn than most men.”
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He laughed. “True, but I’ve always liked to cook. I have a thing for kitchen gadgets as you may have noticed from my kitchen.” She nodded and took another bite of pancake. He said, “Tell me though. What’s the purpose of an electric can opener?” He put his elbows on the table and warmed to his subject, “I mean, how easy is it to open a can? Didn’t they already invent the can opener? How lazy can you get? Oh, I can understand it if you have an injury and don’t have the strength needed, but what’s with all the new can opener inventions? I still use the simple metal one with the thing at the end that you turn. I’ve had it for years. It’s never let me down.” “That’s because you’re right-handed. Try being left-handed living in a right-handed world. I think you should be forced to try a can opener designed for the southpaw. Then we can talk.” Holly smiled at his intent face and said, “And while you’re at it, explain to me why they can’t cure PMS, but they have a pill for erectile dysfunction.” He took the pancake from his fork with avarice and said, “Dunno, never had occasion to be concerned about such things myself.” She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re telling me.” He smiled eagerly. “I could show you too.” Before she could answer they heard Avery’s voice. “Did you know there is an enormous black stallion in your yard, Holly? Better get the jumper cables. Caffeine’s not working today.” She froze when she saw Stryker. She turned without a word and started to tiptoe out. He laughed and said, “Too late, we’ve seen and heard you. Join us. And that stallion is named Dakota. He brought me here last night in the blink of an eye and is waiting patiently for me. He’s a gentleman. Do you want some pancakes?” “Just coffee for now.” Now that she was welcomed into the kitchen, Avery dropped into a chair. “Anyone care to tell me anything?” She pointed at them, shifting her finger back and forth between them. Holly and Stryker spoke at the same time. “No!” They looked at each other and laughed. Avery shrugged. “It was worth a try.” She turned to Stryker. “Did Holly ever tell you how she walked in on Stephen and me the first time we made love?”
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Holly flushed and nodded. “It’s true. I was worried they wouldn’t get it right without me…” She laughed and shook her head. “I thought they were sleeping and I needed my car keys. I was young. How was I supposed to know they’d be at it all night long?” Eventually the smell of Stryker’s pancakes seduced Avery into having a few. Holly looked around the table at her friend and her lover. It pleased her how well they got along. She could see the happiness in Avery’s eyes and knew it was there because she was pleased for her friend. However, that pleasure froze on her face as Holly told her about her experience on the path the previous night. “Oh my God.” She grabbed Holly’s forearm, her eyes filled with alarm. Holly shook her head and patted the hand that clung to her arm. “It’s okay. Either I’m imagining things or I’m starting to discover some of my enhanced senses. My eyesight became incredibly clear. I made it home safely and called Stryker.” He looked at Avery when he spoke. “I was here within minutes. I do believe she was being stalked, but at a distance that doesn’t indicate malice at this time.” He nodded and said, “At this time at least.” Avery’s concern sounded in her voice when she said, “So what kind of protection are you going to give her?” Stryker’s eyes were on Holly when he answered. “She’s safe with me.” It was a statement of fact and both women accepted it without question. Holly stood up and started to clear off the table, effectively halting the discussion. Getting the message, Avery changed the subject. “I spoke with Arnie this morning. I was shocked to hear his voice so early until I realized he hadn’t been to bed.” She looked at Stryker and said, “Are you sure Arnie’s not one of you?” Stryker smiled. “I’m sure.” “He was definitely out of sorts.” Holly said, “I encouraged him to meet the girl he’s been connecting with on-line. They’ve exchanged pictures and it seems that this girl just might be worthy of our boy. She’s interested in meeting him. I meant to tell you and I forgot. Sorry.”
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Avery said, “He told me that he’d need another day to work on what you asked him to do. He was all business, not himself at all.” She looked worried. To Stryker, Holly said, “I asked Arnie to double-check everything on that disk you gave me.” He nodded solemnly. “Good idea.” Avery frowned. “You’re not ticked?” “No. If Holly hadn’t done it, I may have.” The women looked at him surprised and he explained. “Of course, I trust the people who gathered the information, but we cannot be too careful. It’s conceivable that our enemy has infiltrated our group. How else did they find out about Irene? There are even some vampires who do not want me to succeed. They thrive on the status quo. Living in the shadows has worked to their advantage. Just like the bloodstalkers, they’d stop at nothing to ensure my failure. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to double, even triple check things, and from what you tell me, when it comes to computers, Arnie’s the best. Especially since he’s an unbiased third party. Hell, even the federal government is afraid of him.” “Arnie’s a good kid.” Avery said. “You should talk to him. Maybe he’s lost his nerve. He usually talks to you about girl trouble. I tried, but he’s closer to you,” Holly said. Avery waved an arm, “Oh he has no girl trouble. What he has is a confidence problem. Damn, I don’t understand how parents can undermine their children’s potential by putting them down.” Holly nodded, knowing too well. Avery smiled gently and said, “This girl is new to town and according to Arnie, she’s totally hot. Although heaven only knows how he can tell. He’s still under house arrest. That would put a crimp in anyone’s style. So far the whole romance is being conducted on-line.” Stryker asked, “Did he tell you the name of this new girl in town?” Avery and Holly looked at him appraisingly and Avery said, “No, but from the look on your face, I’m beginning to think I should have insisted. She may be your kind. Right?” “Is she vampire, Stryker?” Holly asked.
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Chapter 22 “If she’s new in town chances are she’s one of us.” Stryker smiled. Holly looked at him and said, “I guess your plan is working. Our young people are starting to integrate.” He nodded. “It often starts with the young, think Romeo and Juliet.” He correctly interpreted Holly’s quiet gasp and shook his head with a smile. “No, I’m not saying that Romeo and Juliet were vampires. As far as I know, they were just young lovers like Arnie and his mystery girl. I can’t say I’m not pleased, but I get daily reports from all my people living here and I haven’t read anything about Arnie in any reports. That causes me some concern. I’ve insisted my people keep journals for a reason. How else can I determine our progress?” Avery said, “You can’t be surprised that Candace kept you in the dark. Teenagers want their privacy and a teenage girl is unlikely to tell you, of all people, about a boy she’s connecting with.” He frowned, Holly and Avery laughed. Holly said, “Oh Stryker, you’ve never been a sixteen-year-old girl, so you just can’t understand.” She giggled and exchanged a look with Avery. “It’s a good thing you have us. We’ll be able to read between the lines of the estrogen crowd’s reports.” She looked uncertain for a second, then said, “Do female vampires run on estrogen?” Deadpan, Avery said, “I’ll ask Stephen for you.” Stryker looked at them with exaggerated patience and said, “Look, ladies, I appreciate the offer of help, but I’m not sure it’s necessary.” Holly frowned and said, “Don’t be silly, of course it’s necessary. If the aim is to gain insight into how well your people are assimilating into human society, then it stands to reason, you will need a female perspective. Especially a human female.”
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Avery finished for her. “She’s right, Stryker. By bringing us in, you’ve covered all the most significant bases. Vampire, human, male and female.” Stryker hesitated a moment before saying, “You’ve made a good point. I’ll think about it.” Holly and Avery nodded at each other. Stryker smiled wryly. “I took a look at the stuff Arnie supplied regarding Irene’s phone and credit card records. I recognized most of the numbers and I’ve talked to everyone of my kind who spoke to her the days before she died.” He shook his head sadly. “You were right. The only thing unusual is the call she received from a disposable cell phone the day she died.” Holly said, “You believe the person who bought the phone is the killer?” “Yes. That’s the most likely explanation. None of my people would have used one.” He looked over at Holly. She could see his desire for her shine in his eyes, but she understood that he was keeping it in check. She smiled back at him, letting him see her response in her eyes. Their communication was instantaneous and oddly satisfying. Stryker said, “Could I see the drawing again?” “I’ll get it.” Avery grabbed a bunch of papers from Holly’s desk and brought them back to the table. They pushed the remaining dishes aside and made room. Smoothing out the top paper, Stryker said, “We know that you changed the future by warning Irene, so what this drawing illustrates, never happened.” They looked down at Holly’s detailed sketch of Irene O’Neill, dead, slumped on a kitchen table with a wide pool of blood spread under her cheek, staining seven tarot cards, including the one still clutched in her hand. Holly said, “Yeah, she wasn’t killed in her own kitchen but her own garden.” She lifted her arms mockingly and said, “Yay for me! A change of scenery! Her blood didn’t stain the furniture. Do I get the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval?” Stryker ignored her. “If we assume that this drawing represents the future that would have occurred without your interference, perhaps the unidentified cell phone caller was someone who’d asked Irene for a reading.”
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“And because of our warning, Irene told the stranger that she wouldn’t be available.” Avery said. “Exactly. It’s possible, Irene told the caller that she was leaving town. If so, then he had to move fast, improvise. He called three hours before Irene was killed, according to the forensics report and the time of death. For the time being, let’s assume the bloodstalker does not live here in Muskoka. It took him three hours to make the journey and execute his plan” “Makes sense,” Avery said. Looking down at the drawing, Stryker said, “Here in the future, we know that this scene never happened. Irene used the tarot’s Star spread for the murderer’s reading, but in reality she never did it.” Excited, Holly said, “Are you saying that this layout is a reading of the murderer?” Stryker shrugged. “It’s possible, but I think it’s more likely that this is a reading of the person who created the drawing.” He touched Holly’s hand to calm her. He said, “Think about it,” He pointed to the drawing. “This never happened. It would have, had you not interfered. It couldn’t possibly be the murderer’s reading because Irene never laid the cards out in reality. No, I think since it was your mind that created the drawing, the reading is meant for you.” Avery nodded her head. “It makes sense, Hol.” She turned to Stryker, “Can you read tarot cards? What do these cards reveal?” Stryker shook his head. “I know more about the tarot than most humans, but I would not dare attempt to read something of this import. I’ll send the spread to an expert. What I can tell you is that this particular layout is called the Star and since Irene used only the Major Arcana, or face cards, it offers insight into the psychological position of the seeker, at the time of the reading.” “My psychological position. If you’re right.” Holly said. “Yes. And I think we should get it deciphered as quickly as possible. Since it appeared in an automatic drawing made by your hand, this spread is all about you. It probably won’t help us much, but just in case, we need to understand it immediately. Will you let me do that?” Holly nodded. “Of course.” He said, “Good girl. May I use your computer?” “Sure.”
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Avery said, “Your expert won’t need to see the actual drawing?” “I’ll get her a copy, but to get things moving I’ll just indicate the placement of the cards for now. That’s most important.” Stryker said. “Are you okay, Holly? It’s not every day you connect with a dead person.” His voice was filled with genuine concern and Holly watched as he exchanged a quick look with Avery. “I’m fine.” She narrowed her eyes and added, “Don’t you two start ganging up on me.” Avery’s look of mock innocence made Holly laugh. Stryker treated her to a relieved smile when he heard her laugh. He said, “I think we should examine the second drawing more closely as well. We may have missed something important.” Avery nodded to the papers before him and said, “It’s underneath that one.” He pushed the top page aside and scanned the drawing of Lydia and her car at the foot of a cliff. Holly and Avery had pulled their chairs closer to him to view the previous drawing so all they had to do was lean in to get a good look at the second. Holly gasped. “I didn’t notice that before.” “What?” Avery demanded. She pointed to the drawing. Amongst the trees, at the top of the cliff, there stood a shadowy figure. “Doesn’t that look like it could be a man?” Holly said. Stryker nodded. “It does to me, but you know your style better than I do. Would you ever draw a man in this manner?” “Sure. In fact I have, many times in gesture drawings. You know, the kind you do in like three minutes? You don’t take a lot of time to add detail,” Avery leaned closer and looked at the figure. “Does he look familiar in any way?” asked Holly. Avery shook her head. “Not detailed enough.” “Just because he’s standing at the top of the cliff doesn’t mean he’s the murderer. This drawing doesn’t show us the cause of the crash. It could be the figure of one of the rescue crew’s men or the person who discovers the crash.” Holly suggested. “You’re right. There’s no way to tell without further information.”
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Avery asked, “How is Lydia taking the restrictions you’ve placed on her?” “She’s fine, enjoying the chauffer service. Her daughter, Candace, is less impressed with the situation.” Holly sighed. “We could have told you that.” She pointed at Avery then at herself and back again nodding. “We’ve both been teenage girls at one point in our lives. We know how she feels.” Avery laughed. “She’s right, Count Chocula. We could be of use to you when dealing with your people living amongst us.” Stryker said, “Could be. I’ll think about bringing us all together someday soon, but we’d have to do it in complete secrecy. The people I’ve settled in this area don’t communicate with each other. It’s safer that way. I’m their connection. I’m the only one who knows each one. If our enemies knew of a large gathering between vampires and friendly humans, it would provide them with an irresistible opportunity to wipe us out. A chance, I’d wager, they couldn’t pass up.” Holly shook her head, “We don’t have to do it en mass. Smaller meetings could be arranged and be safer as well.” “I’ll think about it. I’m not sure we’ll have the time—” His cell phone interrupted him and he frowned down at the call display. “I have to take this. Please excuse me,” he said as he turned away. Avery and Holly moved closer to each other and spoke in hushed tones. Avery said, “Stephen is planning to take time away from his practice to learn more about Stryker’s people…I guess they’re your people in a way now too.” “Yeah, I guess so. I don’t know what to feel anymore. You know what my life’s been like. Could my father have known this about me? What about Alison and Matthew? Have they known? Is that why I’m the ‘special’ daughter of Alan Seaton?” Avery said, “You’d be the special daughter of anyone, Holly. But I know what you’re getting at. You’re going to have to talk to your family.” “Yes, I know,” Holly said with a frown. “I’m not looking forward to it and I’d kind of like to know as much as possible beforehand so I’m not blindsided by my father’s response.” “When do you expect the next Seaton visitation?” Avery asked with a smile.
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“I can always gage it by how many prepared meals I’ve got left, but lately I’ve been eating with you guys so much I’ve lost track.” She looked at the calendar hanging on the kitchen fridge. “I don’t expect either Matthew or Alison to arrive for a visit for another couple of weeks or so I guess.” “I can’t wait to see Alison’s response to Stryker. Don’t even bother to pretend the two of you didn’t sleep together last night. I’m not a vampire and even I could smell it in the air…but not in a gross way. Sleeping had very little to do with it. I’m thrilled for you,” she scoffed gently and said with certainty, “There’s no way he’s going to let you keep him secreted from your family.” Before Holly could form a reply, Stryker hung up his cell phone and frowned down at it for a moment. His silence alarmed them. They waited for him to speak. When he raised his head his expression was grave. “Lydia hasn’t heard from Candice since last night and the car is missing.” Holly was struck silent. Avery was not. Her voice held urgency when she questioned Stryker. “Lydia’s car is missing?” Stryker nodded. “Candice doesn’t have a car?” He shook his head. “No, Lydia thinks she’s too young, but she’s let Candice use her car in the past.” “Was Candice told why you insisted that the car stay in the garage?” “I left that to Lydia. It seems she chose not to tell her daughter. She trusted Candice not to break the rules.” Avery’s voice was sharp. “Damn it. Are vampire children more obedient than human children? Candice is a teenager. She’s biologically compelled to take the car out without permission! Has Lydia called the police?” “I’ve taken care of it. My people are on it, searching everywhere. Holly, I’d like to give them your drawing as a frame of reference.” He put up his hand and said, “I’m not saying that Candice is at the foot of a cliff somewhere. I just think we have to rule it out. We could all be worrying for nothing.” Holly said, “Let’s hope Candice is nursing a life-altering hangover right now. Wow, I never thought I’d say something like that before.”
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“Yeah, but better that than the starring role in your drawing,” Avery said, tapping a finger on the offending sketch. Stryker said, “Does anything in the drawing look familiar to either of you? You know the area better than I do.” Holly said, “That’s one of the first things I thought of when I looked at it. Muskoka has so many rocks and cliffs, I’m not sure I can tell one from another. How about you, Avery?” Avery looked at her friend and scoffed. “Are you kidding? I’m lucky I can find my way home from Huntsville. Holly, you know I’m hopeless at this kind of thing. You could draw my grandmother’s house and I wouldn’t recognize it.” She looked at Stryker and shrugged. “My talents lie elsewhere. You can’t have everything.” Grabbing both sketches, Stryker moved to the door. “I’ve got to get both of these scanned and sent to my people.” He stepped close to Holly and used a gentle hand to press her against him. The simplest of touches aroused them both and Holly thrilled at the phenomenon. He took her lips with exacting precision. She responded to him, and when he pulled away, she looked up at him with surrender. The feeling was entirely mutual. Stryker said, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He stepped away and met Avery’s stare. She smiled at him widely and he sent it right back at her. He said, “When there is more information, I’ll let you know.” His eyes encompassed both women for a second then he was gone.
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Chapter 23 “How are the kids?” Holly asked. When she thought of danger, the kids were the first thing on her mind. “They’re fine. I still haven’t caught a really good glimpse of the men Stryker has watching over them, but somehow I can feel them there. You know?” “I know exactly what you mean. I don’t see them clearly either, but I catch the odd blur in my peripheral vision when I look at Jessica, Aaron or Connor,” Holly said. “I suppose that’s part of your superior vision. You can see what many of us cannot.” She frowned, shaking her head. “I’m not sure about that. Why is it coming now after years of lying dormant? What have I done differently?” Avery offered her explanation tentatively. “You’re aware that you’re more than human. You’re supposed to have enhanced senses. Maybe you’ve always had it, but a part of you rejected it. The mind is incredibly powerful.” Holly nodded equally hesitant. “I guess that’s possible.” “So how was last night?” Avery asked finally, rubbing her hands together comically. “It defies description.” Avery wrinkled her nose. “Damn it, sometimes I hate it that I’m the word person and you’re the picture person.” Holly could see an idea light on Avery’s face as she said, “You could draw it for me.” “Yeah, now ladies and gentlemen, I’ll try my hand at pornographic art.” She jabbed her friend with a well place elbow. “And let me assure you, it was art.” Avery sighed and said, “It was just a thought.” Looking intently at Holly, exhausting all means of distraction and unable to avoid the subject any longer, she said, “What’s your spidey sense telling you about Candace?”
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Holly shook her head in defeat. “I’m worried. I think Candace is dead.” Flatly, Avery said, “I do too. Poor Lydia, like any mother, she wanted her daughter to have a normal life, not one filled with bloodstalkers and the like. I suppose she decided not to tell Candace about your warning in hopes of shielding her from a danger that cannot be easy for a teenager to cope with. I can understand that. Many parents would do the same thing, I guess.” “But not you.” It was a simple statement of fact. “You’d want Jessica to know the truth.” “Or at least enough of the truth not to disobey my wishes,” Avery said. “When in doubt, go with the truth…works every time.” Holly nodded in agreement. “Poor Lydia, she made a mistake. No mother should have to deal with something like this.” She heard the sound of a car driving up her laneway and sent Avery a surprised glance. She got up to look outside. Avery gave her a puzzled glance then heard the noise too. Over her shoulder, Holly said, “You called it, Avery. I guess I was due a familial visit after all. That’s Alison’s Lexus.” **** Astride his stallion Dakota, and looking down at the crushed car at the foot of the cliff, Stryker thought. ‘Poor Lydia.’ Candace was dead. The scene was hauntingly similar to Holly’s drawing. All they’d achieved by warning Lydia was to change victims. No doubt Lydia would rather it were her behind the wheel and not Candace. A mother would gladly die for her child. Gingerly, he searched the ground for telltale signs of the figure Holly had drawn. He found nothing tangible, but he could smell it—the malice, the blood lust. The figure in the drawing had been the killer and the killer was indeed a bloodstalker. Even from the top of the cliff, Stryker could hear what the men investigating the scene were saying. Lydia hadn’t been informed yet. He knew what he had to do. She deserved to hear it from him. Stryker mounted the stallion. As always, Dakota was aware of the impulses of his rider and he took off through the woods towards Lydia’s house. Supernaturally fast, Dakota stopped in front of Lydia’s house within
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minutes. Stryker dismounted and thanked the horse for loaning him his speed. He knocked once and entered. One look at his face and Lydia collapsed in his arms. Words weren’t necessary. Surrounded by her new Muskoka friends and neighbors, Lydia continued to sob in Stryker’s arms. He hadn’t said a word but she knew her daughter was dead. In time, more people would make their way to Lydia’s door. The death of a child was a tragedy felt by all. Stryker held Lydia until she slumped against him, exhausted. Finally he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. He stroked her head and said, softly, “Sleep, my friend. You will need your strength. You are not alone. We look after our own.” He discreetly questioned each person present. Lydia’s car had been checked by the local garage and they’d pronounced it sound. Candace was a competent driver and wasn’t known to drink alcohol or do drugs. He would of course have to investigate further just as a formality, but he knew in his heart this was the work of a bloodstalker, not some horrible yet random twist of fate. Candace Baldwin did not die an accidental death. Interesting, he mused, their enemies were working from arm’s length more often in the contemporary world. In the past, they’d preferred to see the light die in their victim’s eyes as they slipped away. A bloodstalker usually preferred to dip his hands in the blood he’d spilled. This remote kill must have been singularly unsatisfying to the hunter. It was indeed, a new world they’d ventured in to. Somehow, like Irene, Lydia’s vampire bloodline had been exposed to their human enemies. Stryker had to find out how and plug the leak. Permanently. There was no way to tell how much the bloodstalker knew of their overall plan, but one thing was certain, the murders would not stop until he’d located the bloodstalker and excised him. The hunter had their scent and would not be satisfied with isolated kills here and there. Stryker had smelled it in the air as he’d stood on the cliff overlooking the site of Candace’s death. This was the work of a relentless killer whose sworn purpose was to wipe out Stryker’s kind and the carnage had just begun. They were all in danger. There were those more suspicious vampires who would conclude that Stryker had made a mistake telling Holly, Avery and Stephen about their
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intentions, but Stryker knew they weren’t the source of the leak. He didn’t have the slightest doubt about Holly and her friends. His heart knew they were incapable of such betrayal. Besides, Irene O’Neill had been killed by a bloodstalker long before they were aware vampires lived among them. No, if anything, he’d put Holly and her friends in the line of fire by confiding in them. By virtue of the fact that they knew about his mission and were willing to help, they’d inherited very dangerous enemies. Against his natural instincts, he considered pulling his people out and starting somewhere else. If they left, there was a chance that Avery’s family would be safe. As his bloodmate, Holly had entwined her fate with his intimately. She could not run away any more than he could. They’d bonded. They would be together or die. Her friends were not so intimately linked with him. He had to consider retreat for everyone else’s safety. He knew Lydia would probably choose to leave her new home in Muskoka. Candace’s memory could prove too hard to bear. But before setting out on this mission, he’d selected only the most committed settlers and Lydia had been one of them. Perhaps she would dig in and fight, defying those who would destroy her kind and had executed her daughter. Stryker hoped so. **** It hadn’t rained much, so the earth around Holly’s house was hard packed. This visit Alison had dressed for the terrain. She still wore heels, but instead of stilettos, she walked in chunky espadrilles that tied around her delicate ankles. Her sundress matched the pattern on her shoes. Avery had always found that fascinating. She’d often asked Holly how Alison always managed to coordinate her entire wardrobe. Typically, Holly had no answer for her friend. While Holly had never worn socks with sandals, she had worn white after Labor Day once or twice. Alison had pronounced her hopeless. Holly and Avery heard the doorbell ring. In a loud whisper, Avery said, “She uses the doorbell? She’s your sister.” Holly said quietly, “And I can’t just call out and tell her to enter. She waits for me to answer the door. I’m not sure what she thinks she’d find if she walked in on me. I gave up sacrificing virgins long ago.”
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“Good thing too, seeing as how they’re so hard to come by these days,” Avery called out as Holly reached the front door. Alison’s bright smile was the first thing to greet Holly. She looked fresh and confident even after her long drive. “Hi, sis,” she said, “I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.” “Of course not, you’re always welcome. Come on in.” She moved aside and Alison walked inside. In many Canadian homes, it was considered polite to shed one’s shoes upon entering the house, but given the intricacies of Alison’s footwear, Holly didn’t expect her to do so. “Just go right in. Avery’s here.” Alison’s smile widened but lost a little of its sincerity. Avery and Alison had never been comfortable around each other no matter how hard they’d tried. For some reason Alison felt shy in Avery’s presence and it didn’t matter what she did, Avery couldn’t make her feel at ease completely. “Hi, Avery. It’s very nice to see you.” Alison flushed and stuck out her hand. Avery grasped it firmly and shook. “You look lovely, Alison. It’s good to see you.” She ran a hand down her flat abdomen and smiled shyly. “Thank you. I always seem to get it wrong when I come up here, but I figured a sun dress was a safe bet.” Avery said, “I’ve never seen you look anything but well put together.” Blushing, Alison said, “Thanks.” Holly offered coffee, but Alison asked for water instead. “I’ve had too much coffee today already. It makes me jumpy,” she said as she looked outside Holly’s kitchen window where wildflowers competed for room as they raced to face the warm sun. Holly had a green thumb and her garden thrived. In a quiet voice, Alison said, “I don’t blame you for wanting to live here.” Astounded Holly did a double take. Her sister laughed, “Just because Daddy can’t accept your decision, doesn’t mean that I’m incapable of coming around to your way of thinking.” Avery said, “Well good for you, Alison. We might get you up here more often.”
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Smiling shyly, Alison looked meaningfully at Holly and said, “I’d like that.” Feeling uncomfortable around her sister’s rare show of shyness, Holly returned her smile. On impulse, she hugged her tightly and said, “I’d love it too. I have a spare bedroom. You should come up for a few weeks this summer. It’s summer in Ontario and Muskoka is the place to be.” “One step at a time.” She pulled back and looked into Holly’s eyes. “At least this time I thought to bring my bathing suit.” Avery said, “Well, that clinches it. You have to stay the day and have dinner with us. The kids would love to have company for dinner.” “Thank you,” Alison said. “Just a sec.” She put up an index finger and with the other hand pulled out her Blackberry. After punching an endless number of characters with her thumbs, she stopped and proudly pronounced, “There, I’m scot-free for the day. It’s been ages since I’ve seen your children.” As she walked back to the front door she said, “Holly, I’ve got stuff for you in my trunk.” Together the three women unloaded Alison’s car. She’d brought a new supply of prepared dinners. Looking at the offerings, Avery said, “Hey, maybe I won’t have to cook tonight.” Alison shook her head. “Holly tells me that everything you cook tastes better and I’d love to test that out, but if you don’t want to cook, I could whip something up for all of us. We don’t have to deplete Holly’s stash.” Avery shook her head. “Just kidding. I have something up my sleeve for dinner tonight.” Deliberately, she turned to Holly with a teasing smirk. “What about Stryker? Think he’ll want to have dinner with us tonight and even up the numbers?” Alison looked at her sister with narrowed eyes. She said, “I take it this, what’s his name, Strider, is the new man in your life?” Holly corrected her. “Stryker.” She wrinkled her nose at Avery playfully and said, “Yes, I’ve just started seeing him.” Alison smiled. “Well, then this is a celebration. I’ll go in to town and get us some champagne! Maybe pick up something decadent for dessert too. Just give me directions.”
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Holly and Avery laughed at her enthusiasm and Holly said, “We’ll go with you. I’d like to show you a little of Muskoka. I love it. It’s so different than the city, but I fit in here.” Alison frowned and touched her sister’s arm. “I’m sorry you didn’t feel you fit in at home. Daddy loves you very much.” “I know and I love him too, we’re just different people. He’s not good at having his plans thwarted.” Alison laughed deeply. “You can say that again. I’ve never had your courage.” Surprised at her sister’s response Holly said, “I didn’t realize you ever wanted to take a different path from the one Father laid out for you.” Tilting her head to the side, with a shrug, she confessed, “It’s a good thing I listened to him. He knew what was best for me and it’s worked out well so far.” “I always thought it did for both you and Matthew,” Holly said. Waving a careless hand she said, “Oh, Matt is proving to be a brilliant business man. He’s diversified quite a bit and made some very shrewd moves. He’s gaining a reputation that rivals Daddy’s.” Shocked Holly said, “I can’t believe it.” “Yeah, everything he touches turns to gold…no that’s the wrong way to put it. Everything he touches turns green. Our big brother has turned his genius to environmental sustainability. He’s proven that we don’t have to plunder the earth to make a profit.” Alison smiled proudly. Avery said, “Wow, I wonder what all your father’s oil buddies are saying about that.” Alison assumed the conspiratorial expression of the small town gossip when she linked arms with Holly and Avery and said, “Well, let me tell you…” They showed Alison around the charming town of Bracebridge. She seemed impressed with Holly’s home base as she said, “It suits you.” Holly nodded. “I guess it does.” “Now tell me about this man you’re seeing.” Holly slid Avery an exaggerated dark look and said, “Avery has a big mouth.” “Oh no! I’m so glad she told me! Don’t be mad at her. This is exciting! I can’t wait to meet him.”
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Avery and Holly laughed. Avery said, “Don’t worry, she’s not ticked. I’d have to do a hell of a lot more than that to make her mad. She’s dying to talk about him.” She scowled and pointed at her friend. “Don’t you dare deny it.”
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Chapter 24 Avery was right. Holly did want to talk about Stryker. Their relationship was so new there wasn’t much to say and of course there were obvious aspects of his character she couldn’t tell her sister, but it felt good to confide in Alison for a change. After their visit to Bracebridge, the three of them drove back to Avery’s for a swim. Holly’s jaw almost dropped when her sister appeared in a cream colored bathing suit almost the same shade as her skin. At first glance she looked naked, but that impression was dispelled as the sun caught the bead work and sent prisms of light dancing around her. “Wow, that’s some suit, Alison. Are you sure you want to wear it swimming in our lake. It’s a lake…you know…the kind with fish and weeds?” Avery cautioned. Alison waved a hand at her. “Who cares? It’s just material.” Holly scoffed. “Yeah, material made from Marilyn Monroe’s Happy Birthday, Mr. President outfit.” “That’s it!” Avery said. “I knew there was something familiar about it.” Alison grinned and struck a pose. “It’s just us girls. I promise not to sing.” They laughed as they strolled the pathway that led down to the water. It was an easy walk, the earth packed firm by hundreds of trips to the lake and back made it easier for Alison to navigate in her espadrilles. Alison was the first in the water but she didn’t stay in the lake for long. She dropped her towel over one of the Muskoka chairs on the spacious dock and dove into the lake. She executed a technically perfect front crawl and headed back, using the ladder attached to the dock to pull herself out. “That was quick,” Avery said.
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Alison nodded and looked at Holly. “I don’t have Holly’s skin. Mine burns badly. I keep sun block handy at all times.” And she proceeded to smear her delicate flesh with thick white lotion. Happy she didn’t have to be so vigilant, Holly dove in the lake. Avery followed. Surfacing mere inches from one another, they exchanged a look. Sound carried over water so they dared not talk about anything they didn’t want Alison to hear, but they had the kind of friendship that often didn’t need words. Avery’s look told Holly that she was happy Alison was making an effort. They both longed to talk about Stryker’s people and the man himself, but they had to settle for pointed glances shared occasionally throughout the afternoon. “Yippppeeee!!!” “Sweet!” “Mommy! Holly!!” The kids were home. As usual when they didn’t find their mother in the house, they sought her out. The fact they had found her on the dock with Holly and a beautiful blonde in an invisible bikini just made the scene that much sweeter. Their childish voices and laughter broke the silence but complemented the scene. The warm summer sunshine and cool lake water welcomed them as if waiting all day for their attention. The day took on a luster that promised to be remembered long after the sun went down. Avery managed to grab Aaron’s arm before he jumped off the end of the dock. She said, “Come on, you. We have a guest I’d like you to meet.” Holly made the introductions and was pleased to see that the little tutorial Avery had given them on firm handshakes and steady eye contact, had taken root. Alison greeted each child sweetly and when Connor stood there in awe, his hand still gripping hers, she laughed and kissed his forehead. Avery said, “I think you’ve made yet another conquest there, Alison.” Connor snapped out of it and said, “Ahhh, Mom.” He blushed, turning his tanned cheeks ruddy. “She looks like The Lady of The lake. You know, from my book?”
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Avery and Holly looked at Alison speculatively. Holly was the first to respond. “You’re right, sweetie. She does look like The Lady of the Lake from your King Arthur book.” Connor smiled. “She even sparkles.” His voice held a sense of awe and all three women smiled. Holly couldn’t help herself. She had to grit her teeth to keep from squeezing him too tightly as she gave him a huge hug. The words, “Watch me, Alison!” joined the ever ringing, “Watch, Mom!” and “Holly, watch me!” as the kids played on the water trampoline. Tears welled up in Holly’s eyes. It was an unexpected treat to have her families together and she was grateful for that rare moment. **** The magic didn’t last into the evening though. Holly was disappointed that Stryker was unable to join them for dinner. She understood of course, figuring that in his position he would have endless responsibilities. Alison tried to make her feel better. She put a cool hand on Holly’s forearm and said, “Don’t worry. There will be plenty of time for me to meet him.” “Of course, you’re right.” She pointed at her sister for emphasis and said, “You have to promise to come again soon and stay longer.” “Yes…please! You just have to!” Connor added his own encouragement. He’d insisted on sitting next to Alison throughout dinner. Periodically, he’d look up at her, his grey eyes shining with wonder. She was good with the kids. Holly felt a little guilty for being surprised, but she had never seen her sister interact with children. Maybe she had more in common with Alison than either of them had ever known. Gently, Alison smiled at Connor then at Aaron and Jessica. “Oh you’ll see me again. I promise.” She stroked Connor’s hair and Holly saw him shiver at the contact. He’d always been a sensitive boy. ****
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Holly and Alison walked back to Holly’s house after helping Avery and Stephen put the kids to bed. Alison had read to them from Connor’s book about King Arthur. It seemed fitting. Her night vision kicked in and made Holly even more surefooted than usual. Alison commented on it. “Wow, you’re pretty familiar with this path, eh?” “I should be. I take it often enough.” “It’s so dark though. I can barely see my hand in front of my face.” “I could walk this path blindfolded,” Holly insisted. There was no way she was prepared to talk to her sister about her enhanced senses. “Well, you’re sure walking it blindfolded tonight.” She put her hand on Holly’s back and let her lead the way. In Holly’s kitchen Alison accepted the offer of coffee. She said, “I’d love a coffee. I have a long drive ahead of me. I don’t want to doze off.” “You could stay the night if you want.” Alison shook her head regretfully. “No. After taking today off, I’ve got to get to work early tomorrow, but thank you.” “Well, you have a standing invitation,” Holly said as she started to make the coffee. While they waited, Holly sat across from her sister at the kitchen table. She felt closer to Alison than she had for many years. She plucked up the courage and asked. “Do you remember much about our mother?” Alison looked shocked and took a second before replying. “I was young when she died, but I have a few vague memories. You know what I mean? She would kiss my boo boos, read bedtime stories and I remember her voice. Low and husky, just like yours.” Her eyes were sad when they met Holly’s. “Did she have any friends? She had no family left. Surely she had a close girlfriend,” Holly ventured. Alison laughed without humor. “Not everyone has a best friend like you do, Holly. Friendship like that is rare. I should know.” She nodded to the coffee and said, “I think that may be just about done.” Holly looked over her shoulder and stood up. She wasn’t ready to drop the subject of their mother yet though and as she poured Alison a cup of coffee she persisted.
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“So you don’t remember a single friend of Mom’s?” Alison said, “I barely remember her, Holly.” Holly looked disappointed and Alison sighed with what sounded like impatience. “I recall the name Carrie because Matt had a hard time pronouncing her name and called her, “Care-we”.” Holly was excited. “What about a last name? Anything else?” Alison gave Holly’s question some thought. Finally she said, “I remember it was a color. I was coloring and she commented on the fact that I was using my left hand, just like Mom. I think I connected one of the crayons with Mom’s friend Carrie. It made sense at the time.” Holly stayed silent giving her sister all the time she needed to work it through. “Black? Brown? White? Green?...No, what was it? How many colors are there?...Blue!!!!” She snapped her fingers and smiled triumphantly. “Carrie Blue. That was her name! Wow, it’s been forever since I thought of her.” “Was she married?” “You mean is Blue her married name?” “Yes.” Alison said, “I can’t remember ever seeing a man with her or anything, but I guess that’s not a sure thing.” “That’s great! It’s a place to start. Thanks, Alison.” “What’s brought on this sudden interest in Mother’s friends?” Alison looked unsure of herself. Holly answered as honestly as she could. “I have no memories of her. Though vague, at least you have something, and I imagine Matt does too, but I have nothing. All Father will tell me is that I’m very much like her and he loved her beyond reason.” “Yeah, I’ve heard that too.” Alison looked a little uncomfortable. “You’ve given me the first new information I’ve had in years,” Holly said with enthusiasm. She frowned. “What can you do with that information?” “Nothing probably, but if I can find someone who knew her, they might be able to help her take shape for me.” Alison shook her head. “You should go to Daddy with this.”
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“Trust me, Alison, I’ve tried.” “But if he knew you were going to this much trouble, maybe he’d feel obliged to tell you more.” Holly rolled her eyes, “We’re talking about the same father right? That is Alan G. Seaton? Our father?” Alison grinned reluctantly. “Yes, silly. I think he deserves one more chance.” “That’s fine by me. Feel free to tell him what I’m doing. Tell him if he has anything he’d like to tell me, he has my address.” “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Holly shook her head. “Not harsh, just realistic. I’ve decided not to live under a cloud anymore. I want to know it all. As Helene Seaton’s children, we deserve to know what kind of a woman she was. Don’t you think?” Visibly reluctant, Alison said, “I guess so, but you don’t have to hurt Daddy’s feelings in the process.” Surprised, Holly said, “Why would it hurt him?” Alison shrugged. “I don’t know. I just think it should be your father who tells you about your mother, not some stranger.” “I understand your point of view and you make perfect sense, but my position still stands. Tell him, if he wants to tell me, I’d be happy to listen…and forget all that stuff about him knowing where I live. If he’s prepared to share with me, trust me, I’d make the trip into Toronto.” Even as she said the words, Holly knew she would not hear from her father on the subject. No further discussion was possible as the phone rang. Holly barely had the receiver against her ear when she heard Avery’s voice. “Arnie’s been taken to emergency. His mother isn’t sure what’s wrong, but apparently he’d been expecting this new girl to come to the house last night and she never showed. I knew something was wrong when I talked to him this morning. Damn it, I should have taken the time to talk to him then.” Holly did her best to comfort her friend. “You couldn’t have known. What happened? How’d he end up at the hospital?” “According to his mother, he grew more and more agitated as the day wore on until this afternoon he had some kind of seizure and was rushed to the hospital.” “What’s his condition now?”
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“It’s your decision.” Declan said. “You’re the best person to judge whether we should pull out.” “A lot of help you are,” Stryker said. “What’s the point of having your brother be your fearless leader if he’s not prepared to be fearless and make the tough decisions?” Declan knew the question was rhetorical. “What you’re doing there is important. It’s the first settlement in Canada, a vast country, sparsely populated, but rich in natural resources, resources that must be preserved if we’re to make any inroads in saving this planet. Canada is key. Your position right now is pivotal.” Stryker knew everything his brother said was true but it was proving almost impossible for him to rein in his own rage. He’d stood on that cliff and tasted the bloodstalker’s pleasure in the kill. Stryker longed to lash out. He wasn’t so evolved that he didn’t long for revenge. A biblical eye for an eye felt right to him at the moment. The people he’d brought with him to Canada were the most committed people he’d ever known and now they’d lost a child, one of their own. He couldn’t pull out without at least trying to fight back. If they gave up, their enemies would win. He said, “We’ll stay. I’m going to ask you for a few more men for backup. It might get dirty here and I want to provide our people with some kind of protection.” “What about Holly and her friends?” “Holly is my concern alone.” He said the words flatly. He’d tolerate no argument on that point. In a less harsh voice he continued. “Her friends will have protection. Stephen is a brilliant doctor who appears to be more and more committed to our cause.” Stryker knew the conversation had ended. He’d made his decision and Declan would abide by it. He’d just needed to talk it over with his brother…bounce options and possibilities off each other like they’d done for hundreds of years. ****
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Alone, Holly got ready for bed. She knew she’d get no sleep, but there wasn’t much she could do. Arnie was in good hands. Bracebridge hospital had a stellar reputation and if his condition worsened, they’d airlift him to Toronto where some of the best doctors in the world would tend him. Lying on her side, she pulled the cotton sheets up and tucked them under her arm. Holly looked at the pillow next to hers. Grabbing it and pressing its softness to her face, inhaling his scent. The fragrance would make a great men’s cologne. She’d call it Stryker. Of course it would never be mass produced because she’d see to it that she was the only consumer. She sighed, wrapping her arms around the pillow and squeezing tightly. Somehow she knew she would not be sleeping alone. Stryker would come to her soon. Her blood told her so. She was more certain of this than anything else ever.
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Chapter 25 He was there beside her. One moment she was alone and the next she was in his arms. She glanced at the clock on the table beside her bed. 2:00 am. She snuggled closer to him and said, “How’d it go?” He sighed heavily. “Lydia’s daughter Candace is dead.” Holly tensed and he squeezed her tighter. “The scene mimicked your drawing perfectly. The killer stood at the top of the cliff looking down at his handiwork just like in your sketch. I got there as fast as possible. Caught his scent. It was definitely a bloodstalker. I could smell his pleasure. It was unmistakable.” Holly could hear his teeth grind. She lifted her head from his chest and looked into his rage-filled eyes. “I’m so sorry. You know I’d rather my drawing were very, very wrong.” He tried to smile down at her but only managed a grimace. “I know.” “How is Lydia?” “Shattered. She’s been sedated, but I’m not sure how much that helps anyone. When she comes to, she’ll still feel the emotional pain. Medication just postpones the inevitable.” Holly muttered her agreement and he continued to talk. “She’s blaming herself for not explaining to Candace why she wasn’t allowed to use the car. They’d been butting heads recently like all mothers and teenage daughters. When Candace demanded an explanation, Lydia refused to give her one. She expected her to obey without question.” “Oooo. Not a good thing to tell a teenager. Poor Lydia. I can’t imagine what she must be feeling. Does she know it was a bloodstalker?” “I didn’t talk to her about that, but I’m sure she has her suspicions. When she volunteered to join me in this mission, she knew the dangers, but knowing that doesn’t help.”
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“Do you have any leads?” He shrugged and Holly’s head moved as the muscles in his chest contracted and released. “There were no skid marks. As soon as the body is released, we’ll have our doctor do an autopsy to see if there were any drugs in her system. She could have been unconscious or dead before the car went off the cliff.” Holly said, “Or the brakes had been tampered with.” “Yes, and if that’s the case, we can narrow down the killer’s window of opportunity to mess with the car, maybe get a timeline.” His voice sounded tight as it fought its way past his constricted throat. “Declan will send me support. I have to protect my people.” Holly ran her hand over his chest and said, “Your brother’s sending more of those spook-like guys following the kids?” She didn’t have to look up to know that he smiled. “Yes. More of those spook-like guys.” His tone lightened a little when he said, “One of our experts has interpreted the tarot spread in your drawing.” She sat up. “That’s great!” He gently settled her against him once again and said, “Tomorrow, Holly. There will be time tomorrow. For tonight I just want you.” For the moment, she decided to keep her concern for Arnie to herself. They had enough worries for the night. His mouth swept down and took hers. His tongue traced her lips and he sucked her bottom lip gently. It wasn’t enough for Holly and she nipped his lip in response. Getting the message loud and clear, Stryker raked his teeth over her chin. She arched her neck and offered him her throat. When she felt his lips on her jugular vein, an intensely sweet pleasure sliced through her like a straight razor and she screamed. Not with fear but with passion. He laughed at the sound his lips had inspired and touched his teeth to the same spot. Holly cried out again and grabbed at his hair helplessly. The sensations were so sharp she wanted to strike out at him, bite him, scratch him. Looking into her eyes, he smiled smugly and said, “Let it go, Holly. You won’t hurt me. Give it to me. I want it all.” Perhaps the stress of what they’d had to face recently added to the intensity of their passion but his words were all the encouragement she needed. She smiled and looked at him triumphantly just before she bit his
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shoulder and dug her finger nails into his back hard, but not quite deeply enough to draw blood. She touched her tongue to the blood that pulsed beneath his ravaged skin. His neck arched and this time it was Stryker who cried out. She was wet and ready for him and he knew it. With unerring precision his fingers found the spot that sent her reeling. He took her with a passion that bordered on violence and she loved every minute of it. Their joining was exhilarating but when they found release, Holly wanted more. She wondered if she’d ever get enough. He was still inside her when he started all over again, slowly, smoothly. This time he was infinitely tender, drawing out their lovemaking for what could have been hours. Holly lost all sense of time, reality, space. She knew only Stryker and her desire for him. She’d taken ownership of his body as he had of hers and instead of feeling trapped by the phenomenon, she felt freed. **** She could hear him calling her and as she regained consciousness Holly realized it wasn’t a dream. He was saying her name over and over. She opened her eyes to see him leaning over her, a frown of concern on his face. “You’re scratching at your hand, Holly. If you don’t stop you’ll draw blood and while that wouldn’t bother me, it might make you uncomfortable. Should I get you a sketchbook and pencil?” She looked down at her left hand. The vivid red lines marking her flesh made her frown. Under the fingernails of her right hand she found bits of her own skin. Still it itched. She nodded to Stryker and he had her outfitted with drawing materials in less than a second. The last thing she could remember before the drawing took her over was marveling at his swift movements yet again. **** Stryker thought he’d seen every paranormal ability in action, but just like the first time, the sight of Holly drawing feverishly, completely unaware of his presence, unsettled him. Weren’t bloodmates who had consummated their relationship always aware of each other? He wondered if Holly’s ability gave her strength
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beyond the call of her blood. Did this mean she had the resources within to resist the pull of her bloodmate? Selfishly, he didn’t like the idea, but he acknowledged that her ability to resist him might come in handy for her in the future. These were dangerous times for their people. He’d risked his life more than once in the line of duty. So far, nothing had changed in that regard, but now he had Holly to consider. Patiently, he waited for her to stop sketching. He didn’t dare look at the drawing that began to take shape. Just like Holly, he’d wait until she finished before examining her creation. Instead, Stryker watched her face with an intensity that should have burned her skin. Psychically, she was in a place where he could not reach her and it filled him with a loneliness he’d never experienced before. So this is what bloodmates feel. He knew he’d have to get used to it. His long life had forever changed the day he’d walked into that supermarket. He vowed to do everything in his power to ensure that they were never separated for long. His heart beat because he knew she lived. His life began the moment he’d touched her. It was as simple and as complicated as that. He no longer had a choice. She was his life. He existed simply because she lived. He had an obligation to his people and he’d see it through, but in that moment he understood that he’d give up anything if it meant keeping her safe and at his side. Holly’s hand stopped moving. She blinked and shook her head in what appeared to be an attempt to clear her vision. He put a glass of water in her hand. She smiled at him and took a deep swallow. With the glass pressed to her mouth she nodded at him. The hand that held the glass trembled slightly and as soon as she set it down, Stryker took her into his arms. He pushed the sketchbook and pencil aside, holding her tight in his embrace. Neither one of them said a word. Mentally, they’d been separated for only a short period, but it had shaken him and he needed to re-establish their connection. “You were gone.” Frowning, she pulled back. “You’ve seen me do it before. Was this different than the other day?” “No, but last time we hadn’t mated. I knew you were my bloodmate, but we hadn’t consummated it yet.”
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She looked at him, incredulous. “So it felt different to you this time because we’ve had sex?” He laughed. “Kind of. In a way, your spirit wasn’t with me. Even if we are miles away from each other Holly, from now on, our souls are connected. When you went into this trance I couldn’t feel you anymore.” “I don’t feel anything when I’m under. What did you feel?” He was reluctant to tell her for fear of frightening her. Their relationship had become so intense in such a short period. He’d been prepared for it, but growing up human, Holly had no idea. The truth won out. “I felt a deep loss. For the first time in my life I knew the bitterness of loneliness.” She touched his face. Her fingers ended up on his lips and she pulled his head towards hers. She kissed him sweetly. “I’m sorry you felt that.” “It was to be expected.” He frowned. “Just a taste of what I’d feel if I lost you.” “You’re not going to lose me, Stryker. I can feel the link too. I am where I want to be. I want to learn more about my heritage…my people.” Her eyes filled with tears, “My origins have been kept a secret from me and I’d like to know why. Alison was here yesterday and gave me a lead on my mom’s college friend, Carrie Blue. Do you think we could find her?” “I’ll get someone on it right away.” He rested both hands on her shoulders. “So, are you ready to take a look at your drawing?” Surprised, Holly looked at him and smiled. “I almost forgot about that.” He reached a hand out and turned over the sketchbook. **** There was no blood this time. The drawing looked completely innocuous. A middle-aged, dark-haired woman sat on a loveseat looking at them. On the coffee table in front of her, there stood a teapot and three cups. The picture window behind revealed a suburban neighborhood. Stryker’s car was parked on the street in front of the house.
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For Holly, this kind of drawing was very familiar. Until Irene O’Neill, all of her automatic drawings had been mundane like this one. She sighed, feeling relief that she hadn’t drawn another murder. Stryker said, “I guess one of those tea cups is for me.” He pointed to his car. Holly nodded. “Yeah, and the other one is probably mine. Is the woman familiar to you? Is she vampire?” “I do not recognize her and I can’t tell if she’s vampire just from your drawing.” She said, “I’ll bet this is Carrie Blue. We talked about her last night. She was fresh in my mind. We’re going to find her.” “Perhaps.” He reached for his cell phone and punched a few numbers. Holly tuned out his voice and inspected her drawing more closely. When he ended his phone conversation he said, “Do you see something?” “Yes.” She pointed to the drawing. “See here. A U of T yearbook. I’m more sure than ever that this is Carrie Blue.” “I’ve got someone searching for her. It shouldn’t take long if she’s not in the witness protection plan or on the lam.” She smiled at him. “I have a good feeling about this.” “I’m happy to hear that. Are you ready to hear about the tarot reading?” Holly surprised even herself by shaking her head. “I want Avery to be here when we discuss it. It doesn’t make sense to go over it twice and there’s no way Avery isn’t going to be interested in what the cards have to say.” “Don’t forget we don’t know for sure that this reading applies to you,” he cautioned. She shook her head. “No, but I think you were right when you said that the drawing came from my subconscious. It makes perfect sense that it’s meant for me. Do you know what it says?” “No. The information was sent to me via computer. I had it printed out in triplicate.” He smiled. “I figured Avery would want one too. I haven’t read the report myself yet. I thought it best to be together when we did.” “It’s still early. Avery probably won’t stop by for another hour or so.” She fervently wished she could just forget the world for a little longer, but time would not stand still for them. “I’ve got to call her. We found out that
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Arnie was taken to the hospital yesterday.” Holly told Stryker what she’d learned from Avery. Stryker’s face paled with the information and Holly grew concerned by his reaction. “What is it? It’s horrible news, but why are you acting this way? You’ve never met Arnie. What did I say?” He shook his head. “I think I know what’s happened to the boy. My God, it’s worse than I feared.” “What are you talking about?” “I can feel it in my gut. It fits. This community is too small for it to be a coincidence. Arnie must have been waiting for Candace. She didn’t show up because she was lying dead in Lydia’s mangled car at the foot of a cliff. They never got the chance to meet because a bloodstalker murdered her.” “How can you be sure?” One look in Stryker’s eyes and she knew he was right. “But that’s horrible, oh those poor kids. This is so sad.” Holly paused before she spoke again. “But as tragic as this is, it doesn’t explain Arnie’s collapse, his seizure or the coma.” “Yes, it does Holly. It explains it all, why Candace felt compelled to ignore her mother’s rules and take her car and why Arnie’s so ill.” Stryker’s eyes burned into Holly’s. “Candace and Arnie were bloodmates. Even though they never met in person, their connection is still unbelievably strong. Now that Candace is gone, Arnie may not survive. He’ll need help.” He grabbed his cell phone. “I’m going to call our doctors and get them over to the hospital. You call Stephen and have him meet them at Arnie’s room. Avery’s going to have to persuade Arnie’s mother to put him under Stephen’s care. There’s still time to save him.”
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Chapter 26 They’d managed to get Stephen involved in Arnie’s case and they fervently hoped he’d be able to help him but for now that was all they could do. Wait and hope. The three of them sat around Holly’s kitchen table, each with a folder in front of them. The room was quiet except for the hum of the dishwasher. Holly tapped a finger on the page she’d just finished reading. “I guess the tarot card reading was meant for me,” she said. Avery and Stryker nodded silently. “Do you know the person who interpreted the cards?” Stryker nodded again and said, “Very well. Lisel Dupree has vampire blood and is very gifted. When it comes to divination, she’s the best.” “So according to this Lisel you know very well…currently I’m facing a decision in my love life.” She looked at Stryker then down at the page. “I guess that fits.” “She’s also right when she mentions your parents,” Avery ventured. “You can say that again.” Holly said. The report stated that Holly’s love life was or would be influenced by her parents’ relationship. So far that was true. “Do you think she is referring to my mother when she writes that I have to accept the faults of others and face my fears and inhibitions?” Stryker shrugged. “I think we’ve covered off the inhibitions thing. Don’t you?” He took her hand and smiled wickedly. “Ahem.” Avery waved a hand in front of his face. “Third party here. Over-sharing. When I want to know details I’ll get them from Holly behind your back.” They laughed, breaking a bit of the tension in the room. Holly got back to the matter at hand.
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“I mean, perhaps I’m supposed to accept the fact that my mother was not Helene Seaton but an unknown vampire.” “Maybe.” Stryker put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “But it just might mean that you are not responsible for the actions of your parents and have to look inside yourself to discover who you really are.” “So, according to Lisel Dupree, there are life-altering secrets in my life that have yet to reveal themselves. It’s my choice to let them defeat me or to rise above them. Oh, and I have a vast yet unfulfilled potential. Pretty vague.” “She had to work with what I gave her,” Stryker said. “All she had was the seven card layout. I’m sure Lisel would be much more specific if she met you in person. She’s at least confirmed that the reading was for you and not the murderer.” “Yeah.” Holly picked up the page. “I hardly think the killer is concerned with ‘the magical side to the human spirit which never gives up on a better world.’” Avery laughed. “Or, ‘the struggle for courage and self-discipline to achieve a moral victory.’” “Morality has no place in the life of a bloodstalker.” Stryker’s lips thinned. “They are single-minded, bloodthirsty and relentless.” Avery shot him a glance and said, “Yeah, Dracula, we get it.” He looked a little regretful. “Sorry. I just can’t emphasize enough the danger they present.” They stared at each other silently. Finally, something in Stryker’s eyes made Avery nod. Holly changed the subject by pushing a sheet of paper between them. “I drew this last night.” Avery looked down at the paper. “Now this is more like the automatic drawings you usually do.” Lamely, she said, “Pretty china pattern on the tea cups.” “I’m sure that’s the friend Alison mentioned to me. Carrie Blue. Arnie must have worked all night. He confirms Stryker’s dossier on my mother. Apparently the people who put this information together knew what they were doing. Carrie Blue was my mother’s roommate in college.” “Roommates can get pretty close,” Avery said with hope in her eyes.
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Stryker took out his Blackberry and pushed some buttons. “I requested the information last night. Here it is. Carrie Blue’s address.” Holly leaned over to see. “Do you have a phone number for her?” “Yes.” Stryker started dialing. Holly and Avery exchanged a look. Holly had trouble controlling the beat of her heart. It took him only moments to make the arrangements. Stryker and Holly had an appointment with Carrie Blue. She lived just outside of Toronto in the town of Markham. It would take them a good two hours to get there, so they left almost immediately. **** “That looks more like a witch’s house than anything I’ve ever seen,” Holly whispered looking up at Carrie Blue’s old Victorian. Stryker laughed. “I wonder if she gets many trick or treaters.” Somehow it comforted her to hear Stryker’s voice make a casual observation. So much of their conversation lately had been filled with significance. Holly laughed. “Maybe houses like this get even more ghosts and goblins at Halloween. It’s so fitting for the occasion.” “Right you are.” He put an arm around her and they walked up the stairs to the front door. She answered almost before the doorbell stopped chiming. Tall and slim, Carrie Blue stood staring at Holly and Stryker. She suited the house. Dressed in a long flowing skirt and peasant top, she lifted a hand to put a chunk of dark, fiery red hair behind her ear. “You look like your mother,” was all she said. She moved aside and opened the door for them to enter. Inside, the house smelled like lavender. Holly breathed the fragrant air and forced her pulse to calm. Carrie Blue led them to the front room and indicated an enormous green couch. She sat in a comfy armchair close by. She wasn’t seated two seconds before she curled her legs under her. She waited. Stryker made the introductions and each woman inclined their head in acknowledgement.
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“I’m sorry. I’m not usually this lost for words.” Carrie Blue laughed. “I’m just so surprised to hear from you.” Her long mass of hair escaped from behind her ear and she ignored it, allowing it to shield her face just a little. “You were my mother’s friend.” It wasn’t a question but rather, a statement Carrie didn’t correct. “Could you please tell me about her?” Holly couldn’t quite keep the pleading out of her voice. Carrie responded immediately, leaning forward and taking Holly’s hands in hers. “He hasn’t told you about Helene?” The way she’d said it, Holly knew she referred to her father. “Very little, just that he loved her above all else and that I’m very much like her. He’s always implied that she was a little fragile.” “Ha!” The older woman’s loud bark of laughter made Holly jump. “Helene wasn’t fragile in the least. Tender perhaps, but fragile? The girl I knew was strong and determined.” Confused, Holly didn’t know what to say. Stryker put an arm around her. She could feel his body reach out to her. It felt good. Carrie stood up. “Can I get you some tea? I make my own. It’s pretty good.” Stryker said, “Yes, thank you.” She was right. The tea was delicious. Holly just had to turn her head and look out the bay window to see her most recent drawing take shape before her eyes. She’d captured the room perfectly. Right down to the steam rising from the teapot. “Helene and I were roommates all through university. We kind of lost touch when she met your father. That didn’t matter much to our friendship. We had the kind of relationship that picked up right where it left off.” Holly nodded. She was fortunate enough to know a lot about friendship. “I met your father only a few times. He was always working. He gave Helene everything a woman could want, including two beautiful children. I never really got to know Matthew and Alison. I didn’t get the chance. Our individual lives took over and we headed in different directions.” Carrie took a sip of her tea. Holly sat on the edge of her seat.
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“I had every reason to think that she was happy in her marriage to Alan Seaton. She never complained and she doted on the kids. I think he left her alone a lot though. I guess business took him away. As I understand it, when he was home he was extremely protective of her.” “Did you see her when she was pregnant with me?” Carrie smiled gently. “She stayed with me during seven of the months that she was pregnant with you.” Shocked, Holly didn’t know what to say. “You didn’t know that, eh?” Carrie raised her eyebrows and shook her head. “Not surprising. Your father wouldn’t have told you and I don’t know where else you would have got the information.” “My mother left my father when she was pregnant with me? Why?” “I’m not exactly certain. For some reason, Helene felt she couldn’t confide in me. She kept so much from me during that time. I didn’t know what to do except give her the time and space she needed. I figured she’d talk to me when she was ready, but she never did.” “What about Matthew and Alison? Did she leave them too?” There was a note of disapproval in Holly’s voice. Stryker stroked her back, soothing her. “She didn’t want to. Your father wouldn’t let her take them with her. It broke her heart and in the end I think she went back to him because of the children.” “I can’t believe it. Father has never even hinted at this.” “Of course not.” Carrie said. Her voice took on a harder edge. “He was very conscious of his social standing. Having a pregnant wife walk out wasn’t something that went unnoticed.” “He is a very prominent businessman,” Holly said. “Yes. He was then too. I believe he loved your mother very much.” There was a ‘but’ coming and they waited for Carrie to go on. “Alan was too possessive. I think Helene felt smothered by him. He overwhelmed her.” Holly nodded, understanding immediately. “Me too.” “He’s a very powerful man and I don’t mean just socially. I…I always felt an intensity in him that I couldn’t reconcile. I never told Helene. I’m sorry about that now.” “What makes you say that?” Stryker asked.
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Carrie shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe if I’d discussed my concerns with Helene she might have opened up to me. She’d always said he was a hard man to resist. Once he focused his attention on Helene, she didn’t have a chance. I think she’d lost too much of her own independence after she married him. I’m not sure if you know this, but your mother was a very talented artist, if she’d pursued it, she’d have been very successful.” “I have some of her sculptures. They’re good,” Holly said. “My father doesn’t understand art except as an investment that appreciates in value. He thinks people in the arts are flighty and weak.” Carrie smiled sadly. “I got that impression. For him, her work was a hobby not to be taken too seriously.” Holly laughed. “Wow, for someone who’d only met my father a few times, you sure have him nailed.” “I read between the lines.” Carrie bent and lifted the teapot, looking up at Stryker and Holly she silently asked if they’d like more. At their nods she poured more tea and sat back on the chair with her full cup. “How did Helene act when she was with you all those months?” Stryker asked. “She was terribly sad. If she hadn’t been carrying you, Holly, I think she would have wasted away. Helene plodded through each day with determination, but she wasn’t the girl I knew. She’d cheer up a little after visiting Matthew and Alison, but that didn’t last long. She missed them terribly.” Carrie shook her head. “I once heard her talking to your father begging him to let her see them.” “My father kept her from them?” “I’m sorry to say he did. I think he thought that would bring her back. In the end I guess it did, because one day she went to see the kids and didn’t return. I called the house and Alan said she’d decided to come home. You were born the next day. I read the announcement of your birth in the newspaper.” “And you didn’t try to talk to Helene herself?” Stryker’s voice was sharp. Carrie blushed. “I tried, but couldn’t get past the servants or the hospital staff. I’m afraid I just don’t have the wherewithal to go up against a man as powerful as Alan Seaton and I was going through a difficult time myself in those days. I got a formal card from Alan’s secretary with a picture of you,
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Holly.” She inclined her head to a box on the shelf. “I think I still have the picture.” “If it’s the one from the hospital, then I’ve seen it.” Holly said. “It was the last picture taken of my mother. She died that night…complications from a difficult birth.” Carrie nodded tearfully. “I saw the death notice. There wasn’t a service or I would have gone.” “I know. My father said it was my mother’s wish.” “That fits with what I knew of Helene.” The room went silent. They could hear the rustling of the trees through the screen door. Holly looked around the room and wondered what her mother had felt while staying in this house so many years ago. It seemed she’d never know. Helene had just walked away from Carrie’s home one day and never came back. Stryker squeezed her shoulder. From the touch of his hand, she could tell he had something important to say. When he spoke, his voice was clipped. “Did she leave anything behind? Carrie Blue looked blank for a moment, then a smile dawned on her face. “Yes. Yes, as a matter of fact she did.”
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Chapter 27 Holly could barely stay in her seat. She wanted to shake the information out of Carrie Blue. Stryker must have sensed her frustration because he said, “Can you get Helene’s things for us now?” Their hostess put a hand to her forehead. Rising she said, “Sure. Follow me.” She continued to speak as she led them to the attic. “I kept expecting her to come back for this stuff. When she never did, I just moved it all up here. I didn’t have the heart to go through it. I doubt there’s much here except maternity clothes and some books.” The light streamed in from a round window and little particles of dust danced in the sunlight like tiny glistening faeries. Carrie walked to the window and propped it open. Pointing to a wooden chest, she said, “That’s her stuff there. It’s yours of course.” Without consciously moving, Holly found herself standing over the chest. Carrie blinked with surprise. Holly knew she must have reacted in a split second. Had she, in her excitement unconsciously tapped into her abilities? Anything was possible. Stryker drew the woman’s attention. “Do you mind if we look through it now?” “Of course not. I’ll leave you alone. Take your time.” She squeezed Holly’s forearm and walked away. Pausing in front of the chest, Holly said, “Now I’m not sure I want to open it,” “Take your time.” She smiled and walked into his arms. They kissed. The contact was achingly sweet. She rested her head on his chest and just listened to his heart. It beat in time with hers.
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He gave her strength and she accepted the gift without hesitation. Finally, she pulled away. Taking a deep breath she said, “Ready.” The top of the chest lifted up easily enough, but the hinges vocalized a definite reluctance. “Sounds like the sound effects from a horror movie.” She looked up at him, afraid to look down at what lay in the chest. He stayed silent, but moved closer to her. Clothes. Carrie was right. The chest contained maternity clothes. They had a familiar scent that Holly couldn’t quite place for a moment. Then somehow she knew. They smelled like her mother. She gently lifted garment after garment. Helene had classic tastes. Much of her clothing had stood the test of time. She obviously hadn’t favored the current fads, pregnant or not. At the bottom of the chest Holly found a pile of books. They exchanged ironic grins when Holly held up a pristine copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Most of the rest were classics like Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Dickens’ Oliver Twist, but there were also more contemporary books like John Irving’s The World According to Garp. She hoped her mother had finished reading it. She caressed the cover of the book, one of her favorites. Sitting cross legged on the attic floor, a tear dripped down her face. Stryker had pulled up another chest and was sitting on it, watching her. She looked up at him. “Not much here, but we have the same taste in books at least.” She set them down. He reached for her, settling her on his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder and cried. Stryker moved his knees, rocking her gently. Her foot hit the stack of books and they spilled out over the floor. Lifting her head from his shoulder she looked down at them. Holly frowned. A leather bound book she hadn’t noticed before, rested an inch from the toe of her shoe. They exchanged a look before Holly dove for it. “It’s a journal.” Her excitement mingled with fear and she hesitated before turning the first page. “Do you want me to take you home to read it?” Holly shook her head. “No. I want to read it now. She lived here while I grew inside her. The atmosphere seems fitting.”
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“In that case,” he looked around the attic, spotting a large old rocking chair. “Let’s get comfortable.” He took her hand. He held her as she read. My darling daughter: I begin this journal with a heavy heart. A piece of me and a piece of the man I love are joined in you and that gives me my only happiness. I ask that you not judge me too harshly for I hope the things I tell you come as no surprise. “She must have meant to give this to me one day,” Holly muttered. “She had no idea I wouldn’t get it until years later.” She continued to read aloud. I trust that by this, your twenty- first year, you and I are close friends with no secrets between us. Your father cried when I told him about you. He was not a man for tears so I trust you understand what it meant for me to see them wash his face. We did not mean for this to happen in this way. Please forgive us. Perhaps one day you will understand how useless it is to resist a love like ours. Holly stopped reading. A lump had formed in her throat. “Would you like me to continue?” Stryker asked. She shook her head. “No, it has to be me.” She took a deep breath and began reading again, her voice low-pitched and husky. I love your brother and sister as much as any mother loves her children. I hope that someday you know this kind of fulfillment. I loved my husband, Alan Seaton once as well. But how long can you love your jailor? Alan Seaton is a driven man. His business interests take him away from his family frequently, yet still he grants me no freedom. He has people watch over me. His love has turned into obsession. I understand at last. He is that kind of man. He frightens me. In the beginning I did my best to try to understand Alan’s dedication to his work. I even admired it. I was busy raising Matthew and Alison, and didn’t pay that part of his life much mind. When I finally lifted my head out of the nursery, I realized that Alan’s business is not what I had assumed. He has a finger in an endless number of financial pies, some less than ethical, but that wasn’t what shocked me to the core. It sickens me to write the words but I have to.
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Recently I discovered that my husband is a member of a consortium of powerful men who keep a secret from the rest of the world. In their minds, they protect the human race from an unspeakable evil. But in reality they seek only personal power and gain. They will stop at nothing to further their own ends. They claim they’re protecting humankind from an ancient evil, but they’re really just perpetuating a centuries old injustice for their own benefit. My child, trust me when I tell you, vampires exist. Many walk among us. Alan Seaton’s family and their partners have hunted them for centuries. They see wickedness where there is none but what they nurture in their own hearts. The Seaton men are bloodstalkers. It is their mission to eradicate what they call ‘the vampire vermin’ from the earth. They use this as an excuse to commit any number of atrocities. My darling daughter, please trust this…vampires are not evil any more than humans are. They simply seek to exist on this planet. I know this because I’ve fallen in love with one of them. Holly stopped reading and looked at Stryker solemnly. “I guess that explains my blood results.” He kissed her and waited until she began reading again. She took a shaky breath. My lover is Alan’s current obsession. His prey. Mackenzie Holister has been hunted by my husband and his ilk for many years. By pure chance, Alan managed to capture Mac. He took Mac prisoner and conducted unspeakable experiments on him. Alan and his superiors sought information about the physiology of vampires, their strengths and weaknesses. They wanted to obtain all Mac’s information on other vampires as well. Mac was held prisoner in the extensive basements of the mansion I’d called home. Alan perpetrated this crime for weeks until Mac was broken and almost dead. Arrogant and foolhardy, Alan underestimated him and in his hubris, let down his guard. Mac managed to escape. He ended up in the back of my car one night as I drove away from the mansion on an errand. When I discovered him he didn’t frighten me. He was too weak to frighten a fly. Somehow I knew he meant me no harm. He needed my help and I gave it gladly.
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It was more than love at first sight, Holly. We were two halves of the same spirit. I’ve learned that in the vampire world, we’re called bloodmates. I nursed him back to strength, and yes, my darling daughter, I committed adultery with this man. I confess it freely to you. Forgive me, but I can feel no guilt. I can not. Alan was furious when I asked for a divorce. He knew nothing of my relationship with Mac. I thought he would kill me. I think he would have had he realized I was the one who freed Mac and we’d fallen in love. He denied me the divorce, then went on with his obsession to find Mac. It grew worse. He refused to let me take my children and I too became his prisoner. His violence against me grew. It wasn’t easy for me to slip away and be with my love. I could not take Matthew and Alison with me. I wouldn’t endanger them that way. I knew it the moment we conceived you, my darling. Afterwards, I went back to the mansion and gathered up a few things. I contacted a lawyer, seeking custody of your brother and sister. I could not let them be raised in the hatred their father spewed. But I’m no match for him. Alan is far more powerful than I. He has contacts everywhere. I’m allowed to visit Matthew and Alison under supervision. One night he had me followed, and I am ashamed to admit, I led them straight to my beloved Mac. I felt it when he died. I thought I’d died as well, but I knew I had to carry on. I have you, a piece of him, of us. My friend Carrie Blue let me stay with her. I will entrust this journal to her with instructions that she give it to you on your twenty-first birthday, if for any reason I am unable to do so. I cannot prove Alan killed Mac, but I know in my heart he did. I have no hope of defeating him and getting my children back…but I have you and that keeps me going. I know I’m having a daughter so I will name you Holly, after your father, MacKenzie Holister. I will teach you about him and you will love him as I do and ever will. Today I will visit Matthew and Alison and try to figure out a way to get them away from their father so we can be together. I fear I’ll never find a way. Holly turned the page and found the rest of the book blank. “That’s all? But I need to know so much more!”
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Stryker said, “She must have gone into labor when she went to visit Matthew and Alison. Your father, or rather, Alan Seaton probably forced her to stay with him. She would have been in no condition to fight him. And you didn’t get the diary on your twenty-first birthday because Helene never got the chance to tell Carrie about it.” “She died because of me.” There. She’d said it. The fear had haunted her forever, but she’d never given voice to it. Now she had no choice but to face it. Stryker gave her a gentle shake. “Don’t be ridiculous.” “I’m not. She gave birth to me and died from complications.” “How do you know that?” Stryker’s voice was sharp, snapping her out of her self recriminations. “My fath…Alan Seaton told me…” she said haltingly as it dawned on her what he was getting at. “Exactly. You have his word only. Until now, you’ve never had reason to question him. Based on what we’ve just found out, there is every reason in the world for him to lie. Hell, the man’s been lying to you for years. He’s a bloodstalker, it’s second nature to him.” He pulled out his Blackberry. “I’m going to get hold of your mother’s hospital records. I’m willing to bet he killed her or had her killed.” Holly shivered, but maintained a thin control over her body’s reactions. She tried to tap into her anger, better pissed than pitiful. Stryker was right of course, but she couldn’t help trembling just a little as her life unraveled while she sat on his lap in Carrie Blue’s attic. **** Stryker pulled his car away from the curb. They hadn’t reached the end of Carrie’s street before Holly said, “I want to go to Fath…Alan Seaton’s home.” “I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now.” “I don’t care.” She looked at him without blinking. Her anger served her well. “I have to make this real somehow.” She started rifling off directions never for a moment, doubting that Stryker would grant her this wish.
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The town of Markham was situated just north east of the Greater Metropolitan Toronto Area, the GTA, one of the largest cities in North America. Holly had grown up in the Seaton family home located in an affluent area known as The Bridle Path. Holly was silent until Stryker turned onto the winding road that led to the mansion where she’d grown up. “Prince…or the Artist Formerly Known as… whatever…used to live near us,” Holly said hollowly, making small talk. “He mentions The Bridle Path in one of his songs.” Her stomach jumped into her chest when she caught sight of the main house. What was once her home now seemed like something foreign, malevolent even, squatting on the lush green grass…some Medieval monster guarding all the Seaton family’s rancid secrets. They didn’t bother to ring the bell or knock. Holly used her key, disabled the security system and just burst in looking around for signs that he was home. Somehow the house had always felt different when he was in residence. Crossing the imported marble floor of the front foyer, Holly paused in the doorway to the library. She heard the tinkle of ice in a glass, but the room appeared empty. Her senses told her different and she cleared her throat. She heard movement before she saw him. He was well over six feet tall and able to meet Stryker’s gaze at eye level. Dressed casually he was devastatingly handsome. He frowned darkly until he caught sight of Holly. “What are you doing here at Hell House? I thought you were the one that got away.” Matthew Seaton smiled at his sister in welcome. She recovered quickly and said, “Is he home?” Knowing immediately who he was, Matthew shook his head. “No, he’s still in the Caymans. At least that’s where I left him.” With his hand outstretched, he introduced himself to Stryker. Calmly, Matthew Seaton played the consummate host and asked if they’d like something to drink. When Holly brushed his offer aside, he said, “You might want to reconsider, little sis. Sit down. I’ve got something to tell you.”
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Chapter 28 “Father has been in the Cayman Islands for the last three weeks.” Matt gestured to Holly and Stryker and they took a seat on the couch. Holly fidgeted and Stryker stroked her back. Matthew registered Stryker’s instinctive movements with a flicker of an eyelid, but didn’t comment, instead, he said, “We talked at length and I’m out.” “What does that mean?” “Father disowned me. Or rather, I disowned him. I’ve had enough. The man has no conscience.” Warming to his subject, Matt continued. “You name just about any dirty deal or unethical business practice in the last twenty years and it has Alan Seaton’s fingerprints on it. He could keep it from me for only so long. When I confronted him, he calmly admitted everything. He was proud of what he’d done and the legacy he’ll leave.” He laughed without humor. “I think it came as a bit of a disappointment to the bastard when I told him I wanted none of it. So, Holly, your inheritance just increased significantly. You and Alison can split my share of the Seaton riches. Congratulations. I’ll have none of it.” He lifted his glass in a mock salute. There was so much to say. Holly didn’t know where to begin. He was her brother, only half as she’d just discovered, but still blood. Despite having grown up in the same house, they didn’t really know each other. Strange, she felt closer to him now than ever. Matthew didn’t know it yet, but they were united in their distaste for Alan Seaton. Emotionally overwrought, Holly stood up and walked into his arms. Startled, it took him a second to respond. Finally he hugged her back. After a long moment, he leaned back, a hand on each of her shoulders. “I didn’t expect this kind of reaction.” His brown eyes held hers. “I’m proud of you, Matt.”
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He smiled grimly. “Maybe your move to Muskoka motivated me a little. I envied you when you left this house in pursuit of your future. It made me think. I wasn’t making the kind of difference I’d always wanted to make. I thought I could use the power of the Seaton name to bring change, but Dad’s too entrenched in the status quo. He’s in deep. The whole Seaton family is.” “You say your Father has been in the Cayman Islands these past weeks?” Stryker asked. “He had meetings or rather, machinations. I had to fly down there to speak to him in person. The mountain always comes to Mohammed.” Holly and Stryker exchanged a look. “Any idea when he’s coming home?” Holly asked. Matt drained the last of his drink and swirled the ice in his glass. “I have no idea what his plans are and I don’t give a damn. I plan to clear a few things up and be out of here by the end of the week.” “Where will you go?” “I’m not sure just yet. Why? Do you have room for me at your place?” He smiled, teasing her gently. “I could find the room.” “You’re sweet, little sister.” He kissed her forehead. “But I think I’ll take some time and work things out.” He hesitated, obviously wanting to say something more. There was silence in the dark paneled room. Finally, Matt decided to speak. “Be careful of Father, Holly. He’s a hard man who does not take kindly to having his plans unravel. He’s sheltered you almost obsessively and still you managed to break free. Now I’ve walked out. The heir apparent thumbing his nose at all the great Alan Seaton has created. There will be fallout. I’d better warn Alison.” “Matt, do you remember anything about our mother?” He sighed. “Enough to miss her.” “You’re lucky.” Holly’s voice was filled with pain. Matt hugged her again. “Yes, I guess I am. Poor Holly. But at least on this one point, Father was honest. You’re a lot like her.” “Do you remember a period of time when she wasn’t around?” He frowned and thought hard before he responded. “No…unless you mean while she was pregnant with you.” Holly nodded, too anxious to speak.
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“Yeah. The pregnancy was tough on her. She spent weeks in the hospital under a doctor’s care. They only let her visit us once a week. She came to us here. Dad said she didn’t want us to see her in a hospital bed so she’d leave the hospital for a few hours and visit us then go back.” His frown deepened. “Funny, I’ve never thought about that time much. It’s a very vague memory…strange…knowing what I now know about Dad, I’m sure the whole thing was a lie.” “You’re right,” Holly stated flatly. “Well, I see I’m not the only one who has news. What is it, Holly?” “All that you’ve told me about Father comes as no surprise. He has lied to us our entire life. He’s capable of anything. I’m glad you’re leaving and I think you should encourage Alison to do so too. This house is not a home.” Matt pinned her with his eyes. “And you’re not prepared to explain further? That’s all you’re going to say?” She nodded. “For the time being. I don’t have all the information yet. I have a few things to work out first.” She put a hand on his forearm. “Get out of here as soon as possible.” “You have a tale to tell. Tell me now.” Holly shook her head. “It’s a long complicated story and I’m not ready. Please understand.” He inclined his head. Stryker broke in. “Does your father keep any private papers in this house?” Matt shook his head. “No, not in the house. He’s too careful for that. Now I know why. He wouldn’t want me to have easy access. It was a bitch trying to find out all I did. I confess that I used the heir apparent line with underlings more than once in order to dig out the truth.” “Needs must.” Stryker smiled at him. At another time or place, Holly could see the two men becoming friends. Maybe when this was all over and she could fully explain to her brother and sister. Maybe. **** Before pulling away from the house, Stryker checked his messages and paused at one in particular. Almost afraid to ask, Holly leaned over. “What is it? More bad news?”
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“Candace was alive when the car went off the cliff.” “My God. That poor kid. She knew what was happening then.” “It’s been determined an accident.” Stryker’s knuckles were white on the wheel. “But we know it was no accident.” “Yeah, but at least the police will stay out of it. It’s up to me now.” He drove the car hard into the night. Holly sat back in the plush passenger seat and silently reviewed all she’d learned that day. The illusion that had been her life had shattered into a million pieces. She was coping better than she’d dreamed possible. One more thing Alan Seaton had lied to her about. She wasn’t weak. Turning her head to look at Stryker, she glimpsed the bright lights of Yorkdale Shopping Centre just south of the highway and she actually managed a smile. For anyone who liked to shop, Yorkdale was Mecca. She had such fond memories of that sprawling mall. One of the most successful in North America, Yorkdale had every quality shop one could imagine. She’d spent her last day with her friend Nicole in the shopping center’s tender loving care. It had been a wonderful day. Nicole’s aura had shone so brightly that Holly blurted out to Alison what she had seen. Of course Alison had laughed at her and dismissed the whole idea. But for Holly, sharing the car with Stryker as he expertly drove them home, revisiting her memories of Nicole helped her to relax and sit comfortably during the drive. When at last they pulled up to Avery’s house, Stephen told them that Arnie was holding his own and the doctors Stryker called had every hope he’d roust himself out of the coma within the next day or so. He’d need all the support he could get in order to recover from the loss of Candice, but Stryker promised he wouldn’t be alone. As Candace’s surviving bloodmate, he now had a new family. He would get all the support he’d need. Perhaps one day he and Lydia could offer each other comfort. As for what they’d discovered at Carrie Blue’s, Stryker left it to Holly to fill in Avery and Stephen. It was her story to tell. Shortly after arriving, he excused himself and went to see Lydia. She needed to know about Candace and Arnie. He knew it would give her no solace, but it might help her to understand why her daughter felt compelled to disobey and take the car against her wishes. Lydia had to stop blaming herself.
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The kids were still up so Holly kept all she’d learned at Carrie’s house to herself until they were safely tucked away. It wasn’t easy. That weekend was Midnight Madness in Bracebridge. They were excited. Each year the town threw open its doors long past closing time and celebrated in the streets. There were jugglers, fire eaters, gymnasts, dancers and just about every activity for kids. Local talent was on display. Avery and Stephen took them every year. In the past, Holly attended as well, making a special trip up to Muskoka just for the event. This year, Avery and Holly had agreed to do an author signing for the local bookstore so they had to attend. Holly had no intention of disappointing the children by mooning over her current situation. Life goes on. The children taught her that. **** “Well that explains so much.” Avery said as she closed Helene Seaton’s journal. “Alan Seaton is not your Father. Given the circumstances, lucky you.” Holly said, “There is no way he didn’t know. Why did he raise me as his own? Seems out of character.” “I’m not so sure. What better way to get back at Helene and her lover? Raise their child in ignorance, afraid of her natural abilities and at the same time, learn all about the physiology of vampire human offspring. If you weren’t strong enough to resist, he would have kept you drugged and disoriented your entire life. He would have crushed you. That seems like the kind of cold revenge a man like him would relish.” “Maybe, but I’m not so sure you’re right when you credit me with strength. I’ve never really considered myself strong,” Holly said. “You’re the strong one, Avery…if it wasn’t for you…” “You’d have found a way. Forgive the romanticism, but I believe this was destined. If you hadn’t met Stryker Cain in the supermarket that day, he’d have come looking for you.” “But the murders…God, do you think my Father is responsible for them?” “Didn’t Matt say his father was in the Caymans? He couldn’t have committed them himself, but he sure as hell could have hired someone else to do the deed. Do bloodstalkers hire contract killers?”
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Holly shuddered, ignoring Avery’s lame attempt at humor. “As soon as he finds out about Stryker, he’ll come after him. Just like he did Mackenzie Holister, my biological father.” Avery took hold of Holly’s upper arms and looked into her eyes seriously. “My money’s on Stryker.” “But don’t you think his involvement with me will only exacerbate the situation? Make my fath…Alan Seaton rabid?” “Seems to me he’s there already. He knows about you two. Alison probably told him.” Avery shrugged. “Innocently enough…she’d have no idea what that news would mean to him and neither do we for that matter. We know he’s a bloodstalker, but we don’t know if he’s aware that Stryker is a vampire.” “Stryker is going to get all the information he can on my real father, Mackenzie Holister.” She kept repeating the name in hopes of making it feel real. “He didn’t recognize the name. Back then, his people had barely started to assimilate and a rogue relationship with a human was frowned upon. My parents would have thought themselves alone with no one to turn to. Stryker says he and Declan are the first to see the advantages of reconciling humans and vampires and they had no knowledge of MacKenzie Holister and my mother.” Avery smiled. “So I guess that kinda makes you the first lady of the vampire nation.” “Ha! Stryker says he’s just a warrior drone. Declan is the real leader.” “Yeah, and I believe that. Stryker’s got alpha dog written all over him. I can’t see him blindly following an order he didn’t agree with.” “Me neither. I’m in love with him, Avery,” Holly stated. “Tell me something I don’t already know, kiddo.” She hugged her friend fiercely. **** Stryker slipped between the crisp sheets on Holly’s bed. She was waiting up for him. They said nothing. Words weren’t necessary. When he pulled her beneath him, she was already wet and waiting. With one smooth movement he was inside her. She flexed her muscles, holding
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him tight. He lingered, enjoying the sensation until he couldn’t help it anymore and he started to rock. Holly gasped at the size and strength of him. Every time he pulled away, she tried to hold him tighter to keep him there. He slipped a clever hand between their bodies, zeroing in on the perfect spot. She lost all conscious thought and became a simple creature of nature writhing, sweating, mating for life. A long time later, when their collective pulses had calmed, they talked. At first about nothing really. They simply shared their thoughts. It excited Holly that he was so interested in what she thought about everything. Of course they didn’t agree on all subjects, but he always showed respect for her position. His admiration for her was evident on his face every time he looked at her. It gave Holly more confidence than she’d ever had. “I’m relieved that Arnie is going to pull out of this thing, but when he comes to he’ll face a world of hurt.” Holly’s lip trembled. “He’s very young. He and Candace never knew what hit them. That might actually make it a little easier for Arnie to live with. She’ll appear in his dreams though.” “Isn’t that worse?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. He’ll never really feel alone. She’ll be with him always.” “This whole bloodmates thing sure is complicated.” Holly propped her head up on her hand as it rested on his chest. “Yeah, it is. I wish I could tell you more. I wish I knew more. My parents were bloodmates but they didn’t talk about it much. Your parents were bloodmates too. It’s possible we inherited the potential from them. It’s a pretty rare thing. But maybe it won’t be once we manage to settle more of our kind into human society.” Holly frowned. “I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not. I’ll have to get back to you on that.” She wasn’t ready to talk to Stryker about her fears regarding the whole bloodmates thing. What was this compulsion to love another? Did they have a choice? Did he want to love her or was it merely something beyond his control? If so, then would he come to resent the phenomenon? Shouldn’t choice come into it somewhere? Obeying her wishes, he changed the subject, sort of. “How do you feel about what you learned at Carrie Blue’s place?”
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“Strange. My whole life has been a lie, but instead of being devastated, I feel calm. It’s like all those lies weren’t important anyway. They weren’t what made me who I am. On one level, I’m not really so surprised to learn my father is not Alan Seaton. Avery’s been my family for as long as I can remember. In retrospect, I realize, I always wanted to run away from the love Father gave me.” “Alan Seaton doesn’t love without strings.” Alarmed at the tone of his voice, Holly turned to him. There was barely contained violence in his eyes. “Have you learned something new?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear more, but she didn’t tell Stryker that. “My sources got hold of your mother’s medical file. It wasn’t investigated at the time and of course nothing was done about it, but she could have been murdered. It looks likely.” Holly shook her head. “No more. Please I don’t want to hear anymore. I’ve had enough for today.” She laid her head on his chest. “I just want to listen to the beat of your heart. I don’t want to hear about murder and death right now. Can we forget it for the moment? Let it go? Please just hang on to me.” Stryker wrapped his arms around her. She could sense the battle he waged controlling the anger Alan Seaton engendered and smiled when she realized he’d won over his primitive impulses and brought his pulse under control. Eventually they fell asleep in each other’s arms. **** There was no question. It had to happen. If Holly Seaton stood in the way she’d be eliminated. That thought gave the bloodstalker no pleasure. Some would have thought it would, but Holly Seaton had proved useful. Once again he congratulated himself on the decision he’d made all those years ago. If it came to it, he’d regret losing her but if necessary he wouldn’t hesitate to give the order. Her friend, Avery’s children were the answer…they could be used. Their fate was of no concern in the larger, more important picture. His will was all that mattered.
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Chapter 29 They all agreed not to talk about bloodstalkers and lying fathers for the night. Midnight Madness in Bracebridge was something the kids had been looking forward to with bated breath. They had to come first. Stryker begged off, deciding instead to stay with Lydia. “These kids are going to be so cranky tomorrow,” Avery said as she glanced at her watch. She’d promised to ignore their usual bedtime this once. She and Holly had just finished signing books and were at last, ready for some fun. It was nine o’clock and getting dark finally. Each kid had his or her face painted. Jessica was a ladybug, Aaron a frog and Connor a skeleton. Holly solemnly assured them they each made the right choice. “Hotdogs, chips, cotton candy and ice cream, I’ll have fat with my fat with my sugar and sugar.” Avery put a hand on Holly’s shoulder and said, “Tell me I’m not a bad mother.” “You’re not a bad mother.” Holly parroted as she wolfed down a ketchup soaked French fry. “I’ll hate myself in the morning…ah, I’ll sleep till noon.” “I can’t remember the last time I slept till noon.” Wistful, Avery pouted. Stephen gave her a dubious look. “I’m not sure I’ve ever slept till noon.” “Oh listen to cranky pants here.” Avery nudged him. “Just remember dear, no man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.” The kids squealed with delight as a man on stilts spewed fire. Ever inquisitive, Aaron tugged on his father’s hand. “How did he do that Daddy? He’s not even burned.” Patiently, Dr. Stephen Williams explained to his son how it’s possible to blow fire and not get burned. When he was finished he said, “But don’t try it at home.”
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Music started up and they headed toward it. The kids ran ahead. Six eyes followed their progress sharply. “Good turn out, eh?” Beth had come up behind them. “Beth!” Avery threw her arms up in the air and hugged her soundly. “So nice to see you outside the store. You work too hard.” Beth patted her on the back. “I come every year.” She nodded toward the library decked out to look like a haunted house. “Have you taken the kids in yet?” Shaking his head, Stephen said, “They haven’t asked. It might be aimed at an older audience. Connor still has nightmares from the Harry Potter movies.” “Poor baby.” Beth said. “I’m not sure it’s good for kids to think all that magic stuff is real.” “Hey, that magic stuff is our bread and butter,” Avery said. Beth waved a hand. “Oh I didn’t mean that. The kids know the creatures in your stories aren’t real.” Holly lifted her eyebrows and said, “They’re real to me. This world is more magical than adults think.” Beth smiled with earnest. “Well, for now all the magic I need is to hear that Arnie is conscious and well.” They nodded. No one wanted that more than Stephen, Avery and Holly. Their conversation was interrupted when Jessica, Aaron and Connor came running back to them, yelling. Connor reached them first. “Jessica says I’m too young to go in the haunted house without you, Mommy.” “He is. He’ll have nightmares.” She made a face at her little brother. Avery looked down at Connor. “Do you want to go in alone?” He looked uncertain for a moment. He swallowed and finally nodded his head soberly. “If Aaron can, then so can I.” “Ah, sibling rivalry.” Beth smiled. Touching Aaron’s hair, Avery said, “So Aaron…you up to going in?” He didn’t hesitate a second. Fearless, he said, “Yes!” He started to move toward the converted library. “Whoa there.” Stephen caught him. “Do you all want to go in?” They nodded, and hope gleamed in their little faces. They were irresistible.
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“Okay. We’ll go together,” Holly said. “Ahhh, Mom! Can’t we go alone?” “Please! We won’t be scared.” Avery crouched down and looked her children in the eyes. “Okay, you can go in alone, but stay together. We’ll watch you go in and wait for you at the exit. How’s that?” It didn’t take much to make them happy. Holly smiled at their oh-soobvious excitement. She whispered to Avery, “I didn’t feel much like exploring a haunted house anyway. I’ve had enough of monsters for now.” At the entrance, the kids recognized some of their school friends. There was no way they were going to show fear in the face of all that peer pressure. The adults stood outside and waved them in. When they disappeared from sight Stephen said, “They’ll cowboy up for sure now. I’m going to get a drink of that fresh squeezed lemonade. Anyone else want some?” He took orders. “I’ll meet you at the exit.” Ever the popular one, Beth was called away by some friends, so Avery and Holly walked to the haunted house exit together. Holly said, “I don’t know that I’ll be afraid of anything supernatural again. My own father, or the man I thought was my father, is the scariest of all and he’s human.” Avery looked at her with sympathy, “That sucks, Hol, but at least you know now.” “I don’t know it all. There’s so much more to figure out and I think that’s what scares me most.” “Stryker will help you with that and so will we. None of it changes who you are.” Avery put her arm around her friend. They waited patiently for the kids. Stephen came back and Holly had half finished her lemonade before the kids started to exit the haunted house. They were very excited and some wanted to go back inside. There was mass confusion as they worked out who was going back in and who was staying out. The truly motivated repeaters ran back to the entrance.
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Holly could feel Avery tense from three feet away. Something was very wrong. Her eyes searched the crowd of children. Holly automatically picked out Jessica, Aaron and…Connor? “Where’s Connor?” Stephen was the only who spoke and for the moment his voice sounded only mildly curious. Panic hadn’t set in…yet. “He was just behind us,” Jessica said, her eyes huge and serious. Stephen corralled his family and used his most commanding voice, “Stay here.” “I’m going with you,” Avery said. She looked frantically at Holly who acknowledged Avery’s unspoken request. “I’ll watch over Aaron and Jessica. You guys go!” She called out the words to their retreating backs. “You take the exit and I’ll take the entrance. Check everywhere.” Avery took off at a run. Holly did her best to distract the kids while they waited for their parents to return with Connor. She saw Stephen talking to an official. The lights in the library cast shadows against the curtains. There was no more haunted house. Word travels fast in a small community, everyone searched for Connor. The bodyguard Stryker had watching the children was nowhere to be found. Holly knew with a gut-melting certainty that something must have happened to him. He was Stryker’s man, nothing but death would have kept him from his post. There was no question. Connor was missing. He wasn’t lost. He was taken. **** Avery’s face looked so pale Holly could see the veins beneath her smooth skin. When she spoke, her words were precisely pronounced in a dry staccato. She hadn’t shed a single tear as if tears would make it real…possible that Connor was gone. Holly knew better than to try to console her friend. There was no consolation for this. Now was the time to cope. To fix the situation, solve the problem. Avery wasn’t going to lose it, and in support, Holly held on as well. Stryker arrived with his usual speed and searched the area. He appeared by Holly’s side before she knew it.
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“He’s down,” he whispered in her ear. “Connor? What do you mean?” Holly said turning to him. “No, not Connor. The body guard. He’s dead.” He spoke without emotion, but Holly knew what teamed beneath his calm. It took a lot to kill a vampire, especially one of Stryker’s men. It had to be the work of a bloodstalker. Connor in the hands of a bloodstalker. It was unimaginable. “Tell Avery and Stephen, but no one else. I hate to upset them further but they deserve to know the truth. They’ll understand that Connor has to be the priority. He’s still alive. I can feel it.” He nodded to the stricken Jessica and Aaron. “Get them home. Keep them safe. I’ll send you more men to watch the house.” **** Back home, Avery, Stephen and Holly tried their best to reassure Jessica and Aaron. They put them to bed, promising that Connor would be home in the morning. Exchanging looks, they silently vowed to make it the truth. Holly didn’t know what to say to her friends and the look on Avery’s face told her that she shouldn’t even try. Words wouldn’t help. She needed action. The local police did all they could, but there was no sign of the little boy. Stephen and Avery went to the police station. Holly promised to stay with the finally sleeping Jessica and Aaron. They needed to see the face of a loved one should they wake in the night. Alone with the kids, time ticked away as she paced up and down the living room. Why hadn’t she heard from Stryker? He must know the hell she was going through. Holly stopped pacing. No. She had to stop thinking about herself. It was better that Stryker was out there somewhere trying to get Connor back. She trusted him. She believed that if anyone could rescue Connor, Stryker could. There was nothing she could do but wait. Frustrated with her impotence, she searched for something constructive to occupy her time. It finally came to her. What the hell? Now was as good a time as any and it was worth a try. Forcing her legs to stop moving, she sat on the couch. Closing her eyes she tried to empty her mind and concentrate solely on Stryker. Their connection was getting ever stronger. They were
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bloodmates, if he could walk in her dreams, who said she couldn’t connect with him over distances? **** Three hours. Connor had been missing three long hours. Stryker couldn’t bear to think what could happen to a small boy in such a long time, especially in the hands of a bloodstalker. He consoled himself with the knowledge that human children were not usually the bloodstalker’s prey. There was still a chance that Connor was unharmed. Stryker searched everywhere at once trying to catch the scent of the kidnapper. He could tell it was the same bloodstalker they’d been searching for. The bastard smelled the same. Connor wasn’t harmed on site or Stryker would have tasted his pain and terror. No, Connor wasn’t frightened which meant he was probably unconscious. At last, Stryker finally lost the trail. The kidnapper had used the highway. Stryker refused to go back to Holly with no information. He had all his people on it. He’d called out a general alert, but he knew that despite all their efforts, they wouldn’t find Connor until the kidnapper wanted them to. All they could do now was wait for the ransom demand. Sitting astride his horse, Stryker felt closer to nature. The scent was easier to catch when not polluted by automobile exhaust. Besides, Dakota could move as fast as any car and there was no comparison when it came to maneuverability. He longed to give the stallion his head and taste the speed he was capable of, but he reined in the impulse. He had to maintain his calm and be prepared to act on a dime should he learn anything significant. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long. He felt the vibration of his Blackberry and prayed for good news. It was a text message and its content was so disturbing Dakota could sense his rider’s tension and tossed his head in reaction. The message read: Vampire, it’s you I want. Cooperate, and Connor will live. Take Hwy 11 south. Will contact with further instructions. Tell no one or the child dies. There it was. The demand. As he’d expected, it came to him, not the boy’s parents. Stryker didn’t hesitate, he turned Dakota to the south and they took off. ****
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Stephen and Avery returned home about an hour later. They had no good news to share with Holly. In turn, she had none for them. After a brief moment of contact, she’d lost psychic connection with Stryker. Her experiment had been moderately successful. Mentally, she felt him for a while, but in the end she lost him. Had he shut her out? Unsure of what that meant, Holly didn’t share her concern with her friends. They had enough to deal with. Stephen stared hollow-eyed out the window while Avery paced. Her keen gaze moved from one object to another, refusing to rest in any one place for too long. They waited. Agonized. When the phone rang, Holly and Stephen looked at each other hopefully. Avery picked it up before the first ring was finished. The police had a trace on the line, but no one really had any hope it would prove fruitful. Avery’s hand shook and her knuckles turned white as she gripped the receiver. Stephen and Holly waited anxiously. The call lasted only a few seconds and Avery said very little on her end of the conversation. “Yes. Yes.” She hung up. “I know where he is!” She explained as she ran. “I’ve got an address. They said he was fine.” She glanced over her shoulder at Stephen, her control finally slipping. “You better drive.” **** Holly couldn’t rest until she knew Connor was okay. Millions of questions ricocheted off the walls of her mind. If Connor was okay, then what had happened to him? Who had rescued him? Where was Stryker? She took Avery’s place and paced up and down again in the exact same spot as her friend had just minutes before. Her cell phone rang forty-five minutes later. It was Avery. “He’s okay.” They both started to cry. “He’s been drugged, but Stephen says he’s going to be fine. We’re on our way home now.” Holly didn’t say a word. Huge sobbing gulps heaved in her chest as she collapsed on the sofa. He was safe. What a blessing. If anything had
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happened to him…it was beyond comprehension. Slowly she brought herself under control. Taking deep breaths, she eventually stopped hiccoughing. Finally, she smiled. Thank God, everything was going to be okay now. Her feeling of relief was short lived. Slicing through her chest, a pain so sharp ripped her feet out from under her. She cried out, clutching the leather sofa cushion. A shaky hand against her heart proved she wasn’t bleeding, but nevertheless she felt blood gushing as if from a mortal chest wound. Her hand was clean, no blood, no injury at all. What the hell? She felt bile rise in her throat and forced it down. She didn’t know how, but in that moment, she understood. The horror struck her full force and all of a sudden she knew with a certainty that almost stopped her heart. Stryker was down.
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Chapter 30 For the moment, there was nothing Holly could do about it. Jessica and Aaron were sleeping upstairs. She’d have to wait for their parents to get home before going after Stryker. Where to start? She ran to the door and called out to the men she knew were watching the house. Almost before the words were out of her mouth a huge man appeared. He didn’t get the chance to say a word. Holly launched into commands. “Tell Declan that Stryker’s been taken. He gave himself over in Connor’s place. I don’t know where he is, but I know he’s hurt.” She barely finished her words and the man was on his cell. When he’d finished the call, he nodded to her. “We’ll take it from here.” She had no idea what more she could do standing outside in the dark so she thanked the large man and walked back into the house. She had an inkling of an idea. Was there something more constructive she could try? Sitting on the couch in the living room, Holly desperately tried to calm her racing heart. It wasn’t easy. She’d been drawing the future since she could hold a pencil, but tonight was the first time she’d force the ability or die trying. She’d work on it until she succeeded even if the attempt broke every blood vessel in her body. She didn’t care. She had to find Stryker and this was all she could do at the moment. Clear the mind, breath in and out, in and out. Visions of Stryker tortured, bleeding, dying…kept pushing their way into her mind. With a determined strength of will, she nudged them aside. Holly slid from the couch to the floor and grabbed the crayon and notepad that lay on the coffee table. Staring blankly at the wall, she concentrated on the mundane and started doodling with the crayon. After what seemed like a lifetime, her left hand moved across the paper of its own accord.
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She drew, but Holly wasn’t aware of it. Finally her fingers stopped moving, her eyes focused and blinking rapidly, she could make out the west wall of Avery’s living room. Everything was in its place. Afraid to look down at the paper and see useless scribbling, she took a deep breath and forced her gaze down toward what she’d drawn. She’d done it! This wasn’t just chicken scratch. Hope filled her chest as she picked up the paper to get a closer look. What she saw made her want to scream…not in fear, but in frustration. All she’d drawn was a vaguely familiar landscape with farmhouse and barn. “What’s the point? You desert me just when I need you most.” She spoke to her raised left hand, at her wit’s end. Teeth clenched, she grabbed the offending sketch and crushed it in her hand. With all her strength, she threw the crumpled ball against the wall, but taking frustration out on the paper did no good. She threw like a girl and the projectile was too light to land with the even the softest of satisfying sounds. The paper lightheartedly sailed through the air, mocking her. The tears fell. With an effort she tried to keep her sobs muffled. She didn’t want to wake the children. If they saw her in such a state they wouldn’t believe that Connor was safe. She had to do something, but knew of nothing that could be done, so instead she paced, just as Avery had. On her second circuit of the room she stepped on something and looked down only to see that damned paper ball again. Swinging her foot back, she prepared to kick it across the room, but at the last minute she changed her mind. Kicking the thing would be no more satisfying than throwing it had been. She paused. Not so fast, maybe… Holly picked up the crumpled paper ball and smoothed it flat on the coffee table. Maybe she hadn’t tried hard enough. Was she missing something? And if she was, could it be important? She studied what she’d drawn. Finally, something twigged. Was it possible? Maybe…yes, the scene was familiar, but why? Holly searched the drawing for information. Of course! She recognized the house in the distance. She’d been in that house...by that lake. They’d vacationed there when she’d been very young. Where was it? At the time she’d been too young to take note of the house’s location. It wasn’t far from Toronto, that much was certain. Alan Seaton wouldn’t have wanted to be far from his
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business. The thought of the man she’d believed was her father made Holly shudder. Was the picture as innocent as it had first appeared? Why draw that place now? There had to be a reason. She decided to trust her instincts. The drawing had to be significant, if she could only figure out why. Could this be where Stryker was being held? If that were true, her father had to be involved with the kidnapping. Could he be that far gone as to kidnap a child? How had she missed it all these years? Is it possible? Of course it is! How foolish she’d been! Alan Seaton had Stryker! With a certainty she could feel in the marrow of her bones, Holly knew she was right. With shaking hands, she dialed the phone number of the house she’d once called home. Thankfully, Matthew answered on the third ring. She didn’t explain much, the catch in her voice transmitted immediately the urgency of her call. “I remember the place,” he said. “Where is it?” “On Lake Simcoe. I was boat crazy that summer.” Matthew said. “Give me directions. I think Father has Stryker.” “What the hell?” “Don’t ask, just give me the damn directions!” She practically yelled at him. Matthew provided her with sketchy directions and everything he could recall from that summer. He began to offer his help but before he could say more, she hung up on him. At last, she heard the car in the driveway and rushed out to meet Avery and Stephen. Connor was sleeping soundly. He actually had a small smile on his face. “The little bugger has the nerve to look content.” Avery’s voice was charged with emotion and Holly hugged her close. She quickly explained the situation, but didn’t wait for her friends to argue. They tried to stop her, hoping to be of some use, but she was way beyond their help. Mad with fear and panic, it never occurred to her to call out to Stryker’s men and tell them to follow her. She never thought to tell them that she had an idea of where Stryker was being held. That would have taken rational thought and she was beyond that. All she could think of was getting to him herself. She moved with a supernatural speed she never knew
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she possessed. Behind the wheel of her car, she honked the horn as gravel shot out from under her tires. On the highway, the exit signs didn’t come fast enough, so Holly pressed harder on the accelerator. She’d never driven so fast in her life. She prayed some poor innocent animal didn’t decide to run out in front of her. Instinctively, she used every sense she possessed both human and vampire, to get her to her destination. When she came upon a stretch of road she couldn’t get a beat on, she concentrated as hard as she could on Stryker and her senses took over and told her where to turn. Instinctively she knew she was on the right track. Now that she was on her way, Holly realized her oversight. She should have let Stryker’s men know where she was headed. Scrambling for her cell phone, she glanced at the screen. Damn it! No signal. She cursed her foolishness and prayed it wouldn’t cost Stryker his life. She was alone in this and there was no way to tell how long Stryker would last. Would Alan Seaton kill him outright? Something told her no. He’d want to enjoy bringing a vampire of Stryker’s strength to his knees. She could only imagine what he’d done to her biological father, Mackenzie Holister. Rather, she didn’t want to imagine. Her imagination only served to make her more desperate to get to Stryker and she was already breaking the sound barrier. The area around Lake Simcoe was also considered cottage country, but was a good distance east from Muskoka. Despite the speed, for Holly the drive was far too long. After what felt like years, she pulled up to the laneway of the house she remembered from her childhood and from her drawing. Still no signal on her cell phone. There was a surreal quality to the darkness of the night. The moon, hidden by dense cloud cover, could provide no light by which to navigate. She’d have to rely on her senses, not daring to keep the car’s headlights on for fear of alerting the bloodstalker inside. What now? She rolled down the window to smell the air. Horse. Incredibly, the night air smelled of horse. Holly heard a soft sigh and spotted Dakota. Stryker had come to this place on his own. She didn’t dare approach Stryker’s stallion. He looked prepared to do violence and she wasn’t sure he’d discriminate between the good human and the bad one. In her heart she knew though, that if necessary, she’d risk anything to save Stryker and
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Dakota might well come in handy in that respect. But that would come later. First she had to find him. She got out of her car and spoke softly to the horse, giving him a wide berth. “Good boy. Easy boy. You stand guard. I’ll get him or die trying.” The horse tossed his head as if nodding. Perhaps he understood more than she’d given him credit for. Wouldn’t be the first time… Carefully but with as much speed as she could muster, Holly headed to the house. From what she could tell, not much had changed since her childhood, so it was easy to find the kitchen door despite the darkness. Memories of the summer they’d spent here flashed through her mind like a slide show. She’d loved it. Matthew, Alison and she’d been almost like a real family. She could recall Matthew patiently teaching his sisters how to water ski, any excuse to drive the boat. Holly shivered and remembered that it had all been a fabrication. Her childhood had been a lie. Dear God, somehow she’d have to tell Alison and Matt the truth about their father. She pushed the thought aside. She had other things to worry about at the moment. All was quiet, but Holly could feel Stryker’s presence like a wild thing struggling to free itself. He was here and her instincts told her just where to find him. Below ground, how fitting, considering the rock Alan Seaton had crawled out from under. Years ago, the basement had been off limits to children. Young Holly hadn’t minded and had no inclination to explore the damp musty place. It gave her the creeps. Her father had been furious at Alison when she’d dared to venture down the stairs. He’d made them all promise not to go near the place, claiming it was dangerous down there. In retrospect, Holly wondered if it was perhaps the only time he hadn’t lied to them. Tonight she was positive there was danger down in that particular basement. The door made no sound when she swung it open. The concrete stairs were dry and clean. Could it be that the basement was the only part of the house used on a regular basis? The thought and what it implied made Holly sick. Her heightened senses smelled fear and despair. It tasted bitter, but she breathed it in anyway, using it to help harden her resolve. Without the slightest sound, she slipped into the dank room. It was dimly lit but using her enhanced vision, Holly could see everything. The
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sight that greeted her was one from a nightmare. Unaware of her presence, Alan Seaton stood by a huge stone fireplace with a glowing branding iron in his hand. Stryker was stripped naked and chained to a cinder block wall stained with blood and sweat and God knows what else. He was soaked in so much blood that it pooled in the hollow of his collar bone and trickled down his chest. With a sniff, Holly knew the blood was not his. With rising horror, she understood what had been done to him. “You sick monster, you’ve been force feeding him human blood,” she said aloud, drawing Alan’s attention to her. When he turned in surprise, she could feel the excitement oozing from him…excitement, not revulsion, pity or fear, but excitement. The bastard was enjoying himself. She gagged. His eyes were glazed with sick pleasure. Alan Seaton looked at her and in a conversational tone he said. “Yes. It’s most interesting. He’s needed more than any other vampire I’ve ever known. His control is remarkable. The others reverted to their savage states almost immediately after having consumed human blood. But this one,” he poked Stryker with the branding iron and Stryker growled, “resisted until he smelled you. How does it feel, Holly, to know that the creature you love could rip out your throat without regret?” “Shut up.” Her lip curled with disgust. “Have you ever seen the change before? It’s really an incredible sight to see. They are such powerful creatures. I guess you’ll find that out soon enough now that you know where you come from. Who you are.” Alan Seaton showed his teeth in what might have at one time been a smile. “They, or rather, you are a plague my dear. The most dangerous animals on earth. For generations we’ve been studying these creatures. We had to for the protection of all human kind. You see, we had to learn as much as we could in order to protect ourselves. To protect an unsuspecting world. Once reverted to a savage state, vampires make wonderful prey. I’ve known them to elude a bloodstalker’s grasp for days. This one,” he poked Stryker with the iron again, “would have made the best hunt we’ve had in a long time. At least the best since your biological father died. Now that was a hunt to remember. I suppose you know about your father.”
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“Yes, and I’m relieved you and I don’t share the same bloodline. You’re worse than any animal. You torture and kill for pleasure. Is that what you did to my mother? Did you kill her too?” Holly tried to keep his attention, to distract him from his purpose. She knew there wasn’t much more Stryker could withstand. Seaton looked genuinely sad for a moment then blinked and the look was gone. “I loved your mother. She betrayed me and had to be punished. I wanted to keep her, but our leader insisted that she had to go. She knew too much. She refused to see things my way. I didn’t do the deed, it was arranged. They let me keep you in order to document your early development as half savage, but I knew I had to do something when your abilities started to present themselves. Luckily the drugs kept your vampire abilities dampened.” “But I haven’t taken the drugs in years,” Holly said. He laughed. “Yes, you have. When you stopped taking them voluntarily like a good little girl, I had them put in your food. You made it a little difficult when you moved out, but then I simply sent food up to you. The drugs had to build up in your system to be effective. Someone else eating one or two dinners wouldn’t have felt a thing but you, eating them regularly would get just enough to keep your levels steady. And you thought I was just being a concerned papa. Touching.” “Why? Why didn’t you kill me when I was a child?” Her voice was filled with confusion and sadness. From the corner of her eye she could see Stryker fighting the blood madness, struggling for control. He was slipping fast and she knew of nothing else she could do. Alan Seaton stood between them. A maniac prepared to kill and enjoy it. “You were so like Helene. She loved you so much. You, her only link to her beloved.” His face flushed and his eyes looked feverish. “I liked denying you your heritage. It seemed fitting somehow. I made you mine...human. At last, I took what mattered most from Mackenzie Holister. His own flesh and blood. What better revenge?” Warming to his subject, he placed the branding iron in the fire again. “My family has been bloodstalkers for generations. Vampires cannot be permitted to mix with humans. It’s an abomination. Such a thing would destroy civilization as we know it. Men of my kind, we keep the world in a delicate balance, under our control.” Holly sneered. “And make obscene amounts of cash as well.”
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He looked surprised. “We’ve kept humanity pure. Surely we deserve to be compensated for the heavy burden we bear. We’re the world’s leaders, its champions. We’ve allowed the rest to chug along blissfully ignorant of the danger vampires pose except in movies or television series. We’ve protected humanity…done the dirty work.” “Dirty is a good word for it.” Holly kept her eyes on Alan. Beyond him she could see Stryker retching, ridding his body of the blood forced upon him. At the sound, Alan turned his head and smiled greasily. “I’ve never seen one do that before. Interesting. I suppose he resists the pull of his nature for your sake, Holly. He must love you very much. Just like your father loved your mother. Interesting.” His eyes shifted to the doorway. “Hello, Alison. What perfect timing.” Holly turned just in time to see her sister enter the room. She looked lovely in a soft yellow dress and pearls, so out of place in the dank and damp chamber of horrors. Gliding gracefully towards her father, she spoke before Holly could react. “It’s all done now, Daddy.” She moved into his arms. Holly tried to warn her off. “Alison, don’t…” “Shut up, Holly,” Alison snapped. Her voice was hard and brittle when she spoke her next words and she looked at Holly with disgust. “You never understood. This is my birthright. I am a true Seaton, a bloodstalker and proud of it.”
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Chapter 31 Alan laughed at the shock on Holly’s face, “Matthew turned out to be such a disappointment. Too much time spent with his mother when he was a babe, I suppose. I didn’t bother to bring him into the fold. Not ruthless enough. He’d never have the strength of character to inherit real responsibility, the kind he’d need to carry on my work.” He nuzzled Alison’s neck then bent to grab the branding iron again. Alison gazed up at her father, hero worship in her eyes. “I knew she’d been hooking up with a vampire, Daddy. Bloodmates, I could see it in her face when she talked about him. And Stryker is such a unique name.” His lips against Alison’s ear, he said, “You have done your duty, my sweet. There’s just one more thing I’m going to ask of you. A sacrifice.” With his arm around her, he walked his flesh and blood daughter over to the place where Stryker strained against the chains that bound him. Reluctant to get too close to the struggling vampire, Alison hesitated, but one look at her father and like an automaton, she went willingly. “That’s my girl.” Alan said gently as she smiled adoringly at him. Holly felt the revulsion rise in her belly. She had a sick suspicion of his next move and prayed she was wrong. He was planning the unthinkable yet Holly knew she was powerless to stop him. One moment Alison was held gently in her father’s embrace. The next, he took hold of her hair and thrust her toward the panting and resisting Stryker. Alan forced Alison’s head back and offered her pale, white throat to Stryker. “Take her. It’s what you want. Feed! Her blood is warm and rich…Seaton blood, a bloodstalker’s!” He ran a fingernail down his daughter’s neck, drawing a deep red line on her skin. “Do I have to draw first blood, give you a whiff? Is that what’s needed to tempt you?”
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Holly could see the war Stryker waged within himself and tried to distract him, calling out, “Stryker, it’s Holly, listen to me! You know it’s me. You have to fight it. You are not a savage. You’re the man I love, my bloodmate. Think of me and don’t do it. Please, for me…” Alison stood motionless, her throat inches from Stryker’s blood smeared, snarling mouth. The pain of her father’s betrayal left its stain on her face. Her terrified eyes begged him. Deathly pale, she whimpered pathetically. “Daddy? Daddy, please. What are you doing?” At another time, the sound of Alison’s pleading would have broken Holly’s heart, but she hardened her heart and ignored it, concentrating on Stryker alone. She didn’t dare break eye contact with him for a second. Inch by inch, by sheer force of will, she helped pull him from the edge. He still looked wild and savage, but underneath that, in his eyes, Holly could see her bloodmate at last. He was there inside, fighting the age-old hunger that had brought disaster to his kind. “Look at me, Stryker. Look at me!” Holly cried as Alan pressed Alison’s throat to his full lips. For a split second, Holly could see a flicker of savagery in his eyes. The overhead light reflected off his razor sharp teeth as he prepared to bite down. Then it was gone and Stryker violently wrenched his body away from Alan and Alison and the tempting call of her blood sacrifice. At last, as Stryker retreated, Alison started to struggle against her father. Sadly, her resistance surprised him. He was forced to drop the branding iron to control her, but she slipped away from him. Keeping her eyes trained on Stryker, Holly hoped Alison would make a run for the door at the top of the stairs. But she was mistaken. Alison chose not to make good her escape. Instead she grabbed a gleaming object from the wooden table in the corner. Too busy concentrating on Stryker, Holly had no way of anticipating Alison’s next move. Turning to facing them all, Alison cocked a gun and aimed it at her father. The tears dried on her delicate face as she pointed the weapon. She handled it with an easy familiarity that made Holly shudder. “I did it all for you, Daddy…all for you. And you offer me to this…this creature as…as food? Food! I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked of me.” The gun still trained on her father, Alison sneered at Holly. “I was the
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perfect Seaton, but it was always you…always about you…don’t you know it was me who did all those things? I did it. I did it all!” Ignoring Alison, Holly fought an entirely different battle. Still she held Stryker’s gaze. Was he coming around? Brief recognition flickered in his eyes and she caught a glimpse of the man she loved then just as quickly the savage came back. She didn’t dare break eye contact again for fear of losing him altogether. Alison continued to speak, her voice hollow, weedy. “I told Daddy about your friend Nicole, you know. She had an aura that you could see. She wasn’t pure. Daddy praised me for providing the information. He was so proud. Nicole had to die because she wasn’t pure…I knew it. He got the order from above and ran her down. I understood that it had to be done and told no one. That day I proved myself a Seaton. I was Daddy’s good little girl. I impressed them all at such a young age.” Holly gasped in reaction. Her gaze faltered, but only for a second. Stryker held on. Maintaining eye contact with Stryker, willing him to fight, Holly let Alison babble on. “I was the one who carried on the family tradition. I’m the bloodstalker. I killed those women in your precious Muskoka.” Alison spoke the words proudly in an almost conversational tone. “The cops can be so naive sometimes. I even left puncture wounds like a vampire. Clever, huh?” She giggled. “The murders were so heinous they never dreamt a woman could commit them. But I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I look. I called Irene O’Neill and told her that I simply had to have a reading. Stupid old woman didn’t have a clue. I met her at the gas station during one of my monthly visits and she told me that she read tarot cards. That information alone was enough to make us take a closer look at Muskoka population trends. You creatures tend to attract one another.” Alan Seaton tried to take advantage of the momentary distraction and escape, but Alison stopped him. “Stay right where you are, Daddy. Can’t you see it’s all over? After everything I’ve done for you, to you I’m still expendable. You made me a killer…you made me a kidnapper…lovely little Connor came towards me so willingly. It was easy to get my hands on him. And his bodyguard, filthy vampire, never suspected little ole’ me. It’s up to me. I’ll kill them all! And precious Holly first!”
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Stryker growled. “I won’t let you hurt her, you bitch! It was you! You took that child. You murdered my people! I will rip you apart!” In a lightning quick motion, he took hold of the iron Alan had discarded and with super human strength, used it to break his bonds. Naked, his skin deep red, painted with the blood Alan had force fed him, he lunged for Alison. She fired. The bullet caught Stryker in the chest, throwing him off balance. He fell to the floor and Holly ran to him. She cradled him in her arms, urgently, begging him to hang on. Alison ignored them. She only had eyes for the man she’d idolized her entire life. “Stay where you are, Daddy! It’s over. I worshipped you! I would have done anything for you, yet you threw me away! And for what? This vampire? This half breed? What would you have done had this monster drank me dry? Would you even have cared?” She moved closer. “No…no, you wouldn’t have, would you? What there was left of me after it sucked me dry you’d have thrown out with the garbage without a backward glance. Do you feel nothing for me? After all I’ve done in your name?” In a wheedling voice, Seaton tried to save his skin. “Alison sweetheart, I know you won’t hurt me. Give Daddy the gun, darling. You don’t have it in you to kill me. I…” “Shut up!” This time her aim was true. She shot her father smack dab in the middle of the forehead. He was dead before he hit the floor. For a long moment, Alison stood perfectly still as her father’s blood painted the floor red. At last, as if finally realizing what she’d done, she ran to him. Cradling him much like Holly cradled Stryker, she started to keen. Madness twisted her tear-drenched face as she rocked back and forth talking gibberish to her father’s lifeless body. Stryker panted. “Holly?” “I’m here.” “You’ve got to get out of here. I can control this for only so long. He glanced down at the bullet wound bleeding freely. “I’m losing blood now. I’ll get worse as I weaken. The blood I’ve consumed…” But Holly refused to be pushed away. “We’ll get you to a doctor.” Stryker shook his head. Through clenched teeth, he said, “You don’t understand, my love. You’re not safe here. This is something I can’t fight. The more blood I lose, the more I’m going to need to feed. Don’t you see? I could kill you!”
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“I don’t believe that for a second.” There had to be a way to save him. Holly was prepared to do anything. “Go!” He tried to push her away, but for the first time in his long life, he was weak. And Holly wasn’t budging. Instead she looked at him with a deadly determination, the likes of which she’d never felt before. His eyes followed her gaze and he understood. “What are you thinking? Holly, no, stop!” Ignoring his pleas, she reached up and grabbed one of the knives on the table near them. With it, she cut deep into the purple vein in the crook of her arm. Thick, red blood poured from the wound. Stryker watched, despite himself, mesmerized by it. But still he made no move towards the torn vein that pumped out her blood. “My blood will make you strong. It’s given freely.” She offered her crimson soaked arm to him, but he turned away. “I could drain you. It won’t stop. I still feel the savage inside me. I won’t be able to control it once I get a taste of your blood.” “You can control it. I trust you.” She offered him her arm again. “My blood is yours. You could never hurt me.” He tried to move away again, but she pressed the pulse in her arm to his lips, forcing him to drink. One taste and he was lost. He needed no more invitation. As he drank, Holly felt a pleasure so sharp it was almost painful, but not quite. His hunger was so sensual, so erotic, she longed to lie down, spread her legs, expose her neck and let him take her there on the cellar floor. Nothing else mattered. The feeling was exquisite, unlike any she could possibly imagine. All those dreams she’d had were right. They’d foreshadowed it. She became liquid as she flowed into him. Joyfully, Holly gave him everything, all of her. She lost the will to fight against it. Miraculously, it was Stryker who pulled away. As his strength returned, so did his ironclad control. With a deep moan, he dropped Holly’s bleeding arm. Grabbing a cloth he wrapped it around the wound and put pressure on it until the bleeding abated. Holly lay on the damp floor limp, useless, still in the throes of the pleasure she’d felt when he’d sipped from her. At last she understood. The gift of blood offered to a vampire, need not be about violence. My God, how wonderful it could be when given freely.
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Stryker tore himself away from her and staggered over to the concrete sink in the corner. He let the water run over his face and chest until he was washed clean of all traces of blood. Desperately weak and dreadfully ashamed, he wrapped a towel around his waist to cover his nakedness. He staggered to Holly. “Are you all right? Did I hurt you?” His voice was filled with self loathing. “Please forgive me.” He hung his head. His voice snapped Holly out of her sexual stupor. With a cry, she put her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. The reassuring beat of his heart was music to her ears. “Oh, my darling, you didn’t hurt me. You could never hurt me,” She cried. In a voice filled with anguish, Stryker asked, “Is Connor okay? Seaton…he…he told me that he’d let the boy live, let him go home to his family unharmed if I gave myself up without a fight. He forced human blood down my throat. I think I went mad. I didn’t hurt anyone else, did I? I tried to fight it. I tried so hard. Seaton told me it was Connor’s blood he fed me. Please tell me I didn’t…” Holly swept a hand over his face and smiled. “Connor’s home thanks to you. Not a scratch on him. You never sampled his blood tonight. You didn’t hurt anyone, Stryker. You are the one who has been hurt.” Her keen eyes examined what she could see of his body. The evidence of the torture Alan had inflicted made her swallow hard, but thankfully, her own blood had given him enough strength to survive. “You have a bullet in your chest and it has to come out. You’re still bleeding. Even if you do have super recuperative powers, I’ve got to get you to a hospital.” She looked over at Alison and in a firm voice spoke her sister’s name. “Alison, stay right where you are! I’ve got to get Stryker out of here and if you try to stop me, I’ll go right through you.” Beyond reason or hope, Alison had started tearing at her beautiful hair when all attempts to revive her father had failed. Holly made a slow move towards her. Through her madness, Alison caught Holly’s movement. She looked up and smiled sweetly. It was the ugliest smile Holly had ever seen. “Don’t worry, half breed, I’ve got him now.”
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With a lightning quick motion, Alison pressed the gun to her own chest and pulled the trigger. She was gone before Holly could get to her. Her body lay lifeless and bloody, draped over the man she’d lived for. With no time to waste, Holly couldn’t afford to indulge her emotions. She forced the shock of the past few minutes aside, promising to revisit it later. She had to get Stryker to a doctor and fast. She helped him into his torn clothing. One look at her cell phone told her there was still no signal and she cursed out of frustration. “Get me to Dakota,” Stryker murmured. She turned to him, confused. “Who? Oh, you mean your horse?” He closed his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly. “You don’t need the horse, I’ve got my car. I’ll drive you to the closest hospital.” “No…a hospital won’t do. Get me to Dakota. He’s faster than any car and knows where to take me.” Holly decided not to argue and helped him to cross the room. The going was slow, but when they made it up the stairs and out the kitchen door, Dakota was waiting for them. Miraculously, the majestic stallion kneeled to assist Stryker in mounting. From atop the horse, Stryker said, “He’ll take me to a doctor who knows how to help me.” He slumped against Dakota’s neck. “I’ll be okay, Dakota knows what to do. Get in your car, lock the doors and drive. When you can get a phone signal, call Stephen. Stephen will know where they’ve taken me.” He was gone. Holly didn’t even see what direction they’d taken. “I guess Dakota is faster than any car…” she murmured and made her way to the car. As she drove, she kept an eye on her phone. The second she picked up a signal, she placed her call to Stephen. He understood immediately and gave her directions to where he figured Dakota had taken Stryker. Before he hung up, he reassured Holly. “Don’t worry. Vampires don’t have to die from bullet wounds to the chest. It sounds like he fought the worst battle right before your eyes. From what I’ve learned about his kind, large amounts of human blood like that should have driven him insane…feral. It should have been impossible for him to resist taking Alison and you too, eventually, bloodmate or not.”
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She’d told him nothing about her own blood sacrifice. Holly caught a sob in her throat and Stephen handed the phone over to Avery.
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Chapter 32 He was back in her home the next day. Holly kept touching him to make sure he was real. Stryker didn’t appear to mind in the least. As always he welcomed her touch. “I love you Holly,” he said as they snuggled on the couch. “I loved you even before that day in the supermarket. I just didn’t know it. I think I’ve loved you since the day you were born. That’s the way it is with bloodmates.” He kissed the long length of her neck. “It was your voice, your scent that gave me the strength to fight the hunger, the madness. Through it all I could sense you. I didn’t want to lose myself…I didn’t want to lose you.” “You’ll never lose me.” She sighed. His teasing lips sent shivers through her body. “We’re bloodmates, remember? I have no choice. When I saw you chained to that wall, I thought I’d go mad.” “Good thing you didn’t. Had you broken down, shown any kind of reaction, I’m not sure I could have controlled myself. I would have felt your emotions and let my own go. I couldn’t have come back, Holly. Seaton would have succeeded.” “I don’t believe that. Yes, inside, you wage a battle. Lots of people do, but you win that battle every day. You could never be a monster. I know it. I can feel it in here.” She placed a hand against her heart. He took hold of her hand. “But you understand that there is a savage side to my nature, don’t you? You’ve witnessed it first hand. Not many humans do and live to tell about it. It doesn’t go away. I’m ashamed of what I did to you. I drank from you. Can you get past what you saw in me? What I did?” She frowned, pushing away from him to look into his face, head on. “I don’t want to get past it. It was the most incredible experience of my life. You only took what I offered gladly. That savage inside is part of you and I
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love you. All of you.” She put a hand to his cheek, “Without hesitation, you gave yourself to save Connor. How could I not love you? You are the most noble man I’ve ever known.” Feeling serene in that belief, she smiled. “I guess I’ll have to marry you now and have lots of vampire babies.” His smile warmed her blood the same way it did the first day they met. He said, “We’re bloodmates, remember? You have no choice. But my people call it handfasting and it’s forever. Truly. You’ll see.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m looking forward to exploring all your developing abilities. We have so much to look forward to.” Her smile held a touch of sadness. “Yes, but as I age you’ll stay the same.” He shook his head. “Not so. Haven’t I told you? When you’re pregnant with my child you will inherit the same longevity as the baby. That’s the best part of vampire human breeding. I couldn’t bear to watch you age and die. You are my life. When you leave this earth, I will go with you.” “I guess that’s part of being bloodmates, eh?” She frowned. “Yes, it is. Does that bother you?” She shrugged, trying to make light of her concern. “To be honest, yes. It’s like you have no choice but to love me. Even if you’d rather not.” “Trust me, Holly. I’d love you whether we were bloodmates or not. What’s not to love? How could you doubt it? You’re funny, smart, beautiful and sexy as hell. You have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and I’ve been around a while.” He wound a strand of her hair around his finger. “You’ve made me a part of this world. For so long I’ve obsessed over my mission, my responsibilities, my self discipline. You make me want more. You’ve given me hope. With you I can be so much more. I can laugh, love – live. Sweetheart, I’d choose you no matter what and I’m prepared to spend ten lifetimes proving that to you.” He nuzzled her neck. His lips made her bones melt and his words left her speechless. But still she didn’t smile. “What is it?” “I can’t help thinking about poor Arnie. He’s lost Candace. Will he never fall in love again? Will he never know what we have?” Stryker frowned. “What happened to Arnie and Candace is tragic, yes. But Arnie is one of us now. Perhaps one day he’ll find a deeper understanding. He’ll have plenty of support and love. Sadly, he’ll never
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know love like ours, but our love is rare indeed. He’ll find happiness though and Lydia will help him. I’m sure of it. There are many kinds of happiness. We’ll all help him. He won’t be alone.” She finally smiled. “That’s good to know.” But her smile faded once again as she remembered all Alan and Alison Seaton had done. Stryker didn’t speak this time, instead he waited for Holly to organize her thoughts and finally put a voice to what was bothering her. “My father killed Nicole. She was just a child.” She bit her trembling lip. He shook his head. “He wasn’t your father, Holly. Mackenzie Holister was your real father. We’ll find out about the man for whom your mother gave up everything.” His eyes followed every expression that crossed her face. “Alan Seaton must have known that your friend Nicole had latent abilities which meant she had a vampire bloodline however diluted. That’s what bloodstalkers do, sweetheart. They kill without conscience. He couldn’t afford to have Nicole awaken your abilities. When Alison told him about the aura you saw around Nicole, he knew she had to be taken from your life and he didn’t hesitate.” “She died because of me.” She spoke in a flat tone. “They all died because of me.” Stryker frowned. “You can’t blame yourself for what Seaton did. You were his victim too. You couldn’t have known what he was up to.” He bent his head to hers and kissed her trembling bottom lip. “It’s over now.” They heard Stephen clear his throat as he and Avery entered the room. “You’re sure Connor’s experiencing no adverse effects?” Stryker asked them. “Right as rain, thanks to you. He suffered no ill effects from the drug Alison administered. Avery gave him the, ‘be careful of strangers’ talk again though he keeps insisting that Alison wasn’t a stranger.” Holly smiled. “He’s a very smart kid.” Avery sat on the couch beside her. She said, “I can’t believe what we’ve been through in the last twentyfour hours.” She smiled ruefully at her friend. “Sorry, Hol, but I’m glad Alison and Alan are dead. After all they did. I could kill them myself for taking my son.”
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Holly accepted her comment with a nod. Truth be told, she felt the same way. She shuddered to think that her association with Alison had put the children at risk. “Alison must have hatched that heinous scheme when she was here the last time. The kids were all excited about Midnight Madness and probably mentioned it. And of course there were all those posters in Bracebridge.” She put a hand to her heart. “Can you ever forgive me for bringing those monsters into your lives?” “Don’t be silly. There’s nothing to forgive. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again you’re not responsible for the sins of others.” Avery frowned then changed the subject. “So when’s the wedding?” She smiled expectantly. Stryker said, “Not soon enough for me.” Holly snuggled closer to him. “Me either. I want to start having lots and lots of vampire babies. We really should set a good example.” The look she sent Stryker was deadly serious. He nodded approval. She said, “So as soon as we can arrange it, let’s get married or handfasted or whatever you call it. I’d like my brother Matthew to meet some of your friends. I’m sure there’s a vampire woman out there for him.” Avery laughed. “That will be worth seeing.” “Have you heard from Declan yet?” Stephen asked. “Just briefly. He’s taken matters in hand and connected with local law enforcement. Irene’s ex-husband is officially cleared and the murders here in Muskoka are closed. Now we mourn our loss. The Seatons weren’t the only bloodstalkers out there. Alan wasn’t the leader. I believe for here and now, the worst is over, but they know we’re here in Muskoka. The war will wage on.” He pulled Holly a little closer. “As usual, my brother’s trying to keep the whole thing under raps. We don’t want the police involved. It’s best that the Seaton name isn’t dragged through the mud at this point. How could it be explained anyway? Who knows what domino effect all of this will have. They’ll come up with a good story to cover Alison and Alan’s deaths.” “I have to speak to Matt.” Holly said. “We’ll talk to him together,” Stryker promised. “He’ll have to take over the Seaton business holdings. A change is gonna come. Something tells me that’s a good thing. He was already suspicious of his father, but Alison’s part in all of this is going to come as a shock I think.”
Drawing Blood
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“He has to be told the whole truth. Now more than ever, I want my brother in my life. Is Declan okay with letting one more person in on the secret?” Stryker grinned. “No, but he doesn’t have a choice. The bloodstalker network won’t take kindly to losing control of Alan Seaton’s power when it passes to your brother. Declan can help with that. Besides, Matt is going to be my brother-in-law. He’s family.” Holly blushed. “It doesn’t bother you that you’ll be marrying into a family of bloodstalkers?” Stryker shook his head. “Naw, after all, my brother and I are blood suckers. It takes all kinds to make up a family.” Avery’s eyes met Holly’s. “You can say that again.”
THE END www.marylougeorge.blogspot.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Lou George lives within driving distance to Toronto where she is fortunate to have the best of both worlds, the city and the country. She’s worked in the design studio of a major Art Museum for over twenty years. The creative atmosphere there has helped to keep her imagination fertile and her humor well exercised. In her personal life, she’s surrounded by family, friends, and an animal or two, or three. It’s no surprise that her books include four legged characters. She comes from a long line of animal lovers and earth mothers. Her home is filled with love and laughter. She believes there’s a little bit of magic in each of us and working hard for the happy ending is always worth the extra effort.
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