The Vampire Jonah Read online

  Scott pulled the car into a parking space at a modern one-story building with the name The Onyx blinking in red and blue neon lights. He cut the engine and looked at her, his expression serious. “Gordon’s a cousin of mine.”

  Had she heard him correctly? “He’s your cousin?”

  Scott nodded. “I’m a Changer, just like Gordon. I’ve been with Jonah for as long as Gordon’s been with Jerome. Our primary job is to safeguard our charges.”

  “Why do they need that protection?”

  “The gods and goddesses have given each of the Whitcombes a specific territory to protect against the evil vampires. Jonah’s area is the Pacific Northwest. As powerful as the Whitcombes are, there are still times when they need help from someone with different abilities.”

  She wasn’t certain she fully understood what Scott meant, but she let the subject drop. Still, she couldn’t help being impressed by the great responsibility Jonah and his brothers carried with them all the time. To be responsible for the safety of so many people had to be a heavy burden to carry.

  As to Scott’s admission he was a Changer, perhaps that should have surprised her, but it didn’t. Not really. She was quickly learning to expect the unexpected in the world of the vampire.

  What she had not expected was her strong attraction to Jonah. She wasn’t the kind to get weak-kneed over an attractive guy. She hadn’t even had a date since the end of her engagement two years ago.

  But this attraction was as surprising as it was unnerving. And she couldn’t help wondering if Jonah was attracted to her as well.

  JONAH DIDN’T NEED to search the room to see if Angela Martin was in the audience. He could feel her.

  He sensed her energy with every breath he took, with every beat of his heart, with every note he played. And he cursed those feelings with an intensity that made his hands shake. He could not allow anything or anyone to distract him at this particular time . . . not when he was so close to the culmination of a century-long dream of making an appearance at Carnegie Hall. He would be gracious to his guest tonight and breathe a sigh of relief when she left tomorrow.

  He put the trumpet back to his lips for the solo section of St. Louis Blues, the song he’d been practicing last night when Angela had arrived. Driven to excel, he played with an intensity that surprised even him.

  When his solo ended, he felt exposed, as if every person in the room had heard not only what he had played but knew the reasons why. Damn it all, he had to face it—he had performed to impress the woman seated at a front table whispering in Scott’s ear.

  He cursed silently. Why should he care how cozy they had become? Angela would be out of both their lives soon enough.

  He played the next few sets with renewed concentration until the band took their first break of the night. He took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and made his way to Angela’s table. As luck would have it, Scott wasn’t with her. He took a seat across from her, nodded to the empty chair, and gave her one of his warmest smiles. “I see your date deserted you.”

  She returned his smile. “Your manager was put to work. It seems there was a slight problem with a disgruntled customer.”

  He shook his head. “That’s nothing new. It happens almost every night. You know what they say. You can’t please everybody all of the time. But how about you? Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “Tremendously. I love everything about this place. The ambience, the music. Especially the music. Your trumpet piece was great.”

  He nodded appreciatively. “Coming from someone with your vast exposure to music, I take that as the highest compliment.”

  “It was meant to be.”

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying your visit. I take it you’ll be leaving tomorrow?”

  “Actually, I’ve decided to stay for at least another day. Scott offered to take me to Seattle for some coffee at the original Starbucks store.”

  He almost fell off the chair. What the hell was Scott thinking? Just then he saw his friend approaching, a drink in each hand. “It looks like your date resolved his problem and is ready to rejoin you.”

  Before Angela could answer, Scott arrived, set both drinks on the table, checked his watch, and addressed Jonah. “Can I get you something? You still have ten minutes left in your break.”

  He shook his head and got up from the table. “I’ll get something later. Right now, I see someone I need to speak to.” He turned to Angela. “I hope you enjoy the rest of the night.”

  On his way to greet one of the women whose company he’d enjoyed a few times recently, he clenched and unclenched his fists. He would talk to Scott when he got home tonight, but it was too late to do anything about the invitation he’d already extended to Angela for tomorrow.

  He spent the last minutes of the break with the woman he knew only as Jewel—a woman who enjoyed sex with him as well as the “love bites” he always left on her neck.

  Well aware that it was rude not to visit Angela again, he nevertheless kept himself occupied with small talk with some of the other band members during his next break. He didn’t want to put himself through another unpleasant spike of anger—or had it been jealousy—that he’d felt earlier at seeing her and Scott so cozy with one another.

  Stop being ridiculous, his conscience admonished. You charged Scott with the responsibility of bringing her here and now you’re upset because he carried out your instructions?

  The thought gave him pause, forced him to admit his immature reasoning. He knew Scott was just trying to thank Angela for going out of her way to bring the Chemi-Plas. And all of his out-of-line thoughts about Scott were nothing more than an excuse to avoid the pair for the rest of the night.

  When the band closed down at one o’clock, he took a deep breath and wound his way to the back of the room where Angela and Scott stood talking to some of the other guests.

  He bowed gallantly from the waist, lifted her hand, and planted a kiss on top of it. “Thank you again for going out of your way to do me a favor. I hope if you’re ever in the area again, you’ll give me a call.” Big lie. He hoped he never saw her again. Bigger lie. He didn’t trust himself around her.

  Before Scott could say a word, Jonah turned on his heel and headed for the door at the back of the building, his body on fire from the mere touch of his lips to Angela’s flesh.

  FRIDAY NIGHT, ANGELA went to the window and pulled back the curtain. All the lights in the city seemed hazy through the rain. Hazy, like her thoughts.

  She had spent the entire day with Scott as planned. They’d left early in the morning and had driven through a deluge for the hundred plus miles to Seattle. They’d had lunch first, then, at Scott’s suggestion, made a quick trip to the Science Fiction Museum. Finally, he’d taken her for her long-awaited cup of coffee at the oldest Starbucks store on Pike Place. “Would I be overstepping if I asked if you have a significant other?” she asked him, deciding to find out more about the mysterious life he lived with Jonah.

  He didn’t hesitate to answer. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  Her next question seemed a logical one. “Is she . . . the same as you?”

  He chuckled. “You mean is she a Changer?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fortunately, she is. We’ve known each other for a very long time. The only real drawback to our relationship is that her job requires her to live in Europe and I must stay here with Jonah.”

  “I’m sorry you two are forced to live apart.” She had truly felt a twinge of sadness for him.

  “It’s not too bad,” he assured her. “We visit each other often. And each meeting is like the first time.” He winked. “If you know what I mean.”

  All in all, it had been a great day, and by its end, she felt as if she and Scott were old friends.

  Neither of them had mentioned Jonah the entire day, w
hich convinced her even more that her impression that Jonah was upset with her had validity. Several times, she was tempted to ask Scott outright, but she held her tongue. It wouldn’t have been fair to put Scott on the spot that way. If the occasion ever presented itself, she would ask Jonah directly.

  She dropped the curtain back in place, walked over to the television, and surfed until she found one of the cable news channels. As she’d hoped, coverage of the earthquake was on the screen. She watched for a while, but when she realized there was nothing new, she turned off the set. If she intended to get an early start in the morning, she should really try to get to sleep. She turned out the bedside lamp and closed her eyes, but she couldn’t get her mind off the abrupt way Jonah had left her last night.

  She took a deep breath and tried to think of something more pleasant. Like the possibility that she might be going home to a job with the largest family law firm in Mobile. It was something she’d wanted for a long time.

  Sleep was but a few breaths away when the unexpected ring of the room phone nearly caused her heart to leap from her chest. Fumbling in the dark, she almost dropped the receiver, but finally managed to put it to her ear.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  It took a second for the voice to register. “Jonah?”

  “Yes.”

  She took a deep breath. “What do you want?”

  WHAT DID HE want? Jonah switched the phone to his other ear to buy an extra second before he answered. He could tell from the agitation in Angela’s voice that she was not happy to receive his call. And this late in the evening, he couldn’t blame her. It was the end of her day, not the beginning, as it was for him.“I want to apologize for my rudeness last night at the club. I had other matters on my mind, but that was no excuse for letting you leave as I did. Especially after you went out of your way to help me.”

  “Just a moment.” He heard some rustling sounds and the click of a lamp switch. “I’m sorry. I was in bed when you called.”

  “And I’m sorry for the lateness of the hour. I’m calling from the club.”

  “No problem. What is it you want?”

  Her voice was stronger, clearer. He began again. “I’m asking you to forgive me for my rudeness the other night.”“You weren’t rude. Just a bit preoccupied.”

  Had she noticed his involvement with his lady friend at another table? Probably. That had been his intention, after all. “Again, I apologize. Can you forgive me?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive.”

  “Nevertheless, I would like to make it up to you.”

  “That isn’t necessary. I’ll—”

  He stopped her before he lost the nerve to get to the real reason for his call. “I’d like you to come back to the club tomorrow night.”

  “Oh no, I can’t. I’m leaving in the morning.”

  Her response was exactly what he’d expected. But he was prepared to beg if he had to. “Please reconsider. I won’t be able to forgive myself if you leave without giving me the opportunity to make up for my ill-mannered behavior.”

  “Really, it’s not necessary. Your apology is quite enough. Besides, I couldn’t stay even if I wanted to. My room is not available for an extra night. The hotel is fully booked.”

  “Yes, I can imagine it is. New Year’s Eve is always busy. But that’s exactly why I’d especially like you to join me at the club tomorrow—it’s our year-end celebration.”

  He detected a slight pause before she answered. “That’s awfully nice of you, but I can’t. I’d never find another place to stay on such short notice.”

  “You could stay at my house.”

  He heard a quick intake of breath over the line. Not giving her time to come up with another excuse, he jumped in fast. “There’s a guest bedroom and bath downstairs. It would please me very much. And besides,” he added after a slight pause, “I haven’t finished telling you the Whitcombe Legacy story.”

  She laughed and some of his tension eased.

  “I’ll think about it and let you know in the morning. That is, I’ll let Scott know in the morning.” He could hear the laughter in her voice again. “Deal?”

  “Deal.” What else could he say?

  “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight.”

  He doubted the night would be good for him. He was more torn now than he’d been before he made the call. Yes, he’d wanted to make up for the cold way he’d let her leave the other night. There was truth in that. But there was more.

  He was attracted to her. Wildly attracted. And he didn’t have a clue what he was going to do about it.

  Chapter Four

  AFTER A RESTLESS night’s sleep, Angela awoke Saturday morning to the same dreary weather she’d experienced the past two days. Jonah had been right; she had chosen the worst time of year to visit. Not that she’d had any choice in the matter.

  Reluctantly, she got out of bed and stretched. She had better get her mind and body in gear if she expected to think straight and plan for her eventual departure. But first, there was the New Year’s Eve celebration at The Onyx, she reminded herself. That thought gave her pause.

  Her feelings about Jonah were all tangled up. She had convinced herself it would be better to get on with her plans and leave for Oklahoma, even though she really did want to see him again. But when he’d called and invited her to spend New Year’s Eve with him, she’d given in. After all, she did love the idea of ringing in the New Year with music and dancing. She’d always wanted to spend the holiday with her father, but he was always playing in one city or another on New Year’s Eve.

  Still, should she be spending so much time with a vampire? But she had given her word. She’d see it through. End of discussion.

  She ordered coffee and bagels from room service, headed for the shower, and assessed her travel wardrobe while she undressed.

  Nothing she’d brought with her would do for a party. If she’d known about this outing twenty-four hours ago, she could have asked Scott to take her to a nearby mall yesterday when they’d been in Seattle. But it was too late now. She’d just have to find someplace close by where she could buy a simple black dress and a pair of glitzy heels.

  She was barely out of the shower when room service arrived. Tightening the belt of the soft white robe, compliments of the hotel, she accepted the delivery and lost no time pouring her first cup of steaming hot coffee. After a few delicious swallows, she was ready to plan her day.

  First, she would call her sister and let her know there’d been another delay. Then she’d call Scott to let him know what time she’d be arriving at the house. Next, she would check with the concierge and get the location of the nearest women’s apparel store. And finally, she would try to make contact with Dottie to find out what was happening in San Francisco.

  Once her plan was in place, she could no longer put off thinking about tonight. A ripple of excitement made her feel almost giddy. She couldn’t deny she was looking forward to seeing Jonah again.

  And of course there was always the music. Not just the music Jonah made, but that cacophony of sounds that always transported her to a world of make-believe, a fantasy world she’d buried herself in when she’d been a child. Forcing her mind to shut off the past, she finished her bagel and poured another cup of coffee. Enough fanciful reverie. It was time for reality.

  BY NOON, ANGELA had bought a little black dress and was on her way to the shoe department. An hour and a half later, she was ringing the doorbell at Jonah’s house, in weather much the same as it had been when she’d first arrived.

  Scott answered the door, offering a cheery greeting and taking both her suitcases before he closed the door behind her. “This way,” he said, leading her down the long hall.

  Midway down the hall, Scott stopped, opened a door and stood aside for her to enter. Unlike the living
room, the décor and furniture in this room was as modern as her room at the hotel. There was even a television in the center of a built-in bookcase on the wall opposite the bed. “The club doesn’t open tonight until nine,” Scott said. “We’ll be leaving shortly before then.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Scott set her suitcases on the bed. “I’ll be working the rest of the day, so please make yourself at home. Since the club only serves appetizers, I’d suggest you eat something before we leave. The kitchen is at the end of the hall to your right and the refrigerator and pantry are amply stocked. Help yourself to anything you want.” He grinned. “Just leave me a piece of cheesecake and some vanilla ice cream. I have a sweet tooth.”

  She gave him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

  At the door, Scott paused. “In case you’re wondering, Jonah will have to leave before we do tonight. There are a couple of numbers he and the band need to rehearse.”

  She nodded, and Scott left her to unpack.

  She removed the plastic from the dress, hung it in the closet, and moved the suitcases from the bed to the floor. She’d pull out what she needed, later. Right now, she wanted to catch up on the news. She sat on the edge of the bed and, using the remote, turned on the television.

  Immediately, chaotic scenes from parts of the Bay Area filled the screen. She watched for a few minutes and was about to switch to another channel when a breaking news announcement interrupted the newscast. Another aftershock had rocked a nearby area of San Francisco. When she was certain the area was nowhere near Dottie, Angela breathed a huge sigh of relief. Coverage quickly shifted to the newly affected area. When she could take no more of the heart-wrenching scenes, she scooted up the bed to rest her head against the pillows and surf the channels for lighter fare. She must have drifted off to sleep, because she dreamed she heard someone playing the piano.

  Was she the one coaxing the beautiful melody from those shiny black and white keys? Or was it someone else—one of her father’s fellow band members, maybe? She didn’t want to wake up. Instead, she yearned to simply stay there, letting the music carry her back to distant memories of her childhood. But all dreams had to end. She opened her eyes, slowly at first, to adjust to the darkened room and the unfamiliar surroundings.