The Vampire Jonah Read online

  “Yes.”

  “Both had to do with Lilith’s promise.”

  “So?”

  “There are three of us . . . three brothers.”

  A chilling thought began to surface in the back of her mind. She tried to push the unwelcome thought away, but it was stronger than her will. She made an effort to slip her hand from his, but his grip tightened and her heart raced as fast as her thoughts. She wanted to run away, to close her ears and her mind to whatever it was Jonah felt compelled to tell her. Most of all, she didn’t want to look at him. She didn’t want to lose herself in those eyes—one blue, one gray—that seemed able to gaze into her soul. She tried to pull away again, but he wouldn’t let her. Instead, he put his other hand on her shoulder.

  “Look at me, Angela.”

  She didn’t want to look into those two disparate eyes, but she couldn’t stop herself. It was as if his eyes were magnets that drew her to him. And when he started to speak, it was as if another part of her was listening.

  “You asked about my humanity and when I would regain it. I told you that, according to the prophecy, it would be done through a ritual, just as it had been for my brothers. And that ritual—and its place and time—would be determined by the goddess Lilith.”

  Jonah paused, and she nodded. Yes, she remembered. But what did that have to do with her?

  “Just as Lilith sent Simone to Julian and Dottie to Jerome, she sent you to me.”

  Her throat felt as if it were closed tight. She could barely breathe. There were three brothers. And three friends.

  Julian and Simone. Jerome and Dottie. Jonah and . . . her.

  Dear Lord, this couldn’t be happening. But it was, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  Jonah said nothing. He didn’t have to. It was as if she could read his mind. He was giving her time to adjust to this life-altering news. Time to say goodbye to the Angela Martin she might never know again.

  HE WOULD HAVE given everything he possessed to change the future of the woman next to him, but he was as powerless as she was to change their destiny. All he could do was try to calm her fears.

  He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure that if you’d had any idea of what awaited you, you would never have offered to deliver the Chemi-Plas to me.”

  Her lips were clenched so tight, he feared her teeth would draw blood. Blood. Her blood. That was the last thing he needed to see tonight. He reached for the remainder of his drink—the Double B—making certain his other hand still held tight to hers despite the spirals of heat the mere touch of her flesh sent throughout his body. He forced himself to look at her again.

  All color had drained from her lips because of the intensity of the pressure she was exerting on them. He guessed she was attempting to stop herself from lashing out at him. Not that he could blame her. So, he was both surprised and relieved when she finally spoke.“Did you . . . did everyone know what I was getting into when I offered to bring that . . . that blood substitute to you?”

  Her voice revealed none of the fear he knew she must be feeling, and he felt a surge of pride at her strength. “No. When you left San Francisco, no one knew what lay ahead for you.”

  But they should have guessed. Certainly, after a woman had been sent into the lives of both Julian and Jerome, it should have been obvious what was happening. One of them, himself included, should have seen the handwriting on the wall. Why hadn’t he done something to keep Angela from coming here? Why? Because he desperately needed the Chemi-Plas. But, most of all, he was too focused on Carnegie Hall to think of anything else. Would he ever be able to forgive himself for that lapse?

  Angela put a hand to her cheek, a puzzled look on her face. He knew what the next question would be.

  “Shouldn’t they have known?”

  “My brothers were probably too immersed in their own problems. As was I.”

  “What makes you so certain I’m the right woman?”

  “You’ve heard about Zurik, haven’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  That shaky, one-word response told him she understood the element of danger that had just been added to the picture. It was time now for the rest of the story. He would temper the details as much as possible, but he felt honor-bound to be honest with her. She had a right to know what she was facing.

  “I found out yesterday that he’s in this area.”

  “He’s . . . that evil . . . he’s here?” Her voice rose with every word.

  “Yes. That’s why I had to be certain you didn’t leave.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “There was nothing wrong with my car, was there?”

  “No. We had to find a way to keep you here.”

  “Scott is in on this, too?”

  “Scott knows everything that concerns me.”

  Angela got up and began pacing in circles, her fingers pressed to her lips. His heart ached for her, but the best thing he could do at the moment was to let her absorb all the information he’d given her at her own pace. He’d be there, waiting, if she needed him. Finally, she stopped pacing and faced him. He saw tears forming in her eyes and her throat tightened when she spoke.

  “Is Zurik here for me?”

  “I’m afraid that’s what it looks like. You are his means of getting to me, and ultimately, to my brothers. When you showed up here, Zurik knew the goddess had sent you to me.”

  Angela’s fists clenched at her sides. “If you had let me leave when I first wanted to, I would be away from here and safe by now.” Her accusatory tone would have cut through him had he not known the truth. That once she entered his life, she would never be safe from Zurik until the monster was vanquished forever.

  “In all probability, a Watcher would have followed you.”

  “A Watcher?”

  “During the day while a vampire sleeps, humans who are loyal to him act as his eyes and ears and keep track of people, who, for one reason or another, are important to him. Zurik would have had one of his Watchers follow you when you left and that night. . . .” Before he finished the sentence, her expression turned from one of anger to dismay and finally, to horror.

  He leaped from the sofa and wrapped her in an embrace. For several long seconds, they stood with his arms sheltering her. When he felt her body begin to relax, he led her back to the sofa. It was going to be a long night.

  Chapter Six

  ANGELA SAT ON the sofa cradled in Jonah’s arms. She closed her eyes, trying to convince herself that the last few minutes had only been a dream. But she knew better. She could clearly remember every word spoken. And she knew what those words meant. If she did nothing, she was doomed to live her life with a vampire. A vampire who, if he was lucky, would one day be human again. Somehow, she would have to take matters in her own hands and find a way to leave at the first opportunity.

  That would not be a smart thing to do.

  Angela covered her ears with her hands.

  That will not help. Only your will can silence my words.

  She shook her head violently in an attempt to clear her thoughts.

  Do you really want to close me out? Do you really want to prevent our being able to communicate even when we are miles apart? When it could mean life or death?

  What do you mean? How are you able to do this? What is happening to me?

  Pressure built in her chest and in spite of herself, she began to cry. She hadn’t cried since the day her father died.

  Finally, she slumped against Jonah’s chest, exhausted. And a strange feeling of safety slowly started to replace the fear and hopelessness that had overwhelmed her. But even as she welcomed the new feelings, she knew they were only temporary.

  Jonah stroked her back. “Speaking silently to my mind wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  She wa
s surprised to find her voice. “No, but . . .”

  “But you don’t know how you did it.”

  She could only nod.

  “Our minds linked. You didn’t realize it at the time, but I asked permission for our minds to connect before I spoke to you. From now on, you’ll notice an almost imperceptible nudge at the back of your mind when I want to speak to you. All you have to do is open the portal between us and let me in.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “Offer no resistance.”

  “And if I don’t want to let you in?”

  “Then you can mentally close your mind to me. It may seem a bit strange to you at first, but trust me, as time passes, it will become second nature.”

  As time passes? Second nature? Not if she could help it. For now, though, she was content to draw all the comfort she could from Jonah’s embrace.

  But before she could get too comfortable, Jonah shifted slightly and leaned forward. Pulling a watch out of his pocket, he held it out to her. Then he lifted her hand, laid the watch across her wrist and began adjusting the band. What is this all about?

  “You are to wear this watch at all times, especially when you are outside. It will protect you from danger. As long as you have it on, neither Zurik nor one of his minions will be able to harm you fatally.”

  Mention of the evil vampire caused bile to rise in her throat. Her head started to spin.

  “Breathe deeply, but slowly,” Jonah whispered.

  How did he know she felt ill?

  “Because our minds are still connected and I could sense your distress.”

  If she’d had any doubt of that connection before, it disappeared in that instant. In spite of not fully understanding everything that was happening, she knew, at least for now, that she had to trust him.She turned her wrist and looked closely at the watch. It looked identical to the one Jonah wore, only smaller. She looked up. “It’s exactly like yours. I noticed it the night I arrived. It’s beautiful.” She looked appraisingly at her wrist. “They’re both beautiful.”

  “There’s a history behind them.”

  That didn’t surprise her. After what she’d learned tonight, not much would.

  “It has to do with Lilith’s promise—as long as a Whitcombe has a copper adornment on his body, he will be protected.”

  And that same promise extends to others as well?

  Yes.

  Jonah gave a low chuckle. “See how easily you’ve adapted to our connection?”

  She just smiled. She’d decided to try silently communicating with him. And it had worked.

  Jonah returned her smile, made a few more adjustments to the watch band, then, nodding his satisfaction, he pointed to the watch face.

  “Centuries ago, when the first copper was discovered, a piece of the metal was fashioned into a dagger and given to a Whitcombe by the goddess Lilith. Since then, the dagger has been the Whitcombe family symbol. At some point in time, each male descendent received a piece of copper from that original dagger. I received mine in the 1970s.

  “As you can see,” he continued, “the bezel is pure copper. The middle of the dial, which is fashioned in the replica of a dagger, is copper as well, as are the hour and minute hands. Obviously, the hour designations are marked with an alternating pearl or turquoise stone.”

  She listened with rapt attention as he proceeded to tell her that the stones were added to the copper because like the metal, they too had special historical significance. The pearl was the oldest gem ever discovered and turquoise was worn throughout history either on the hand or the neck to ward off evil. “I originally had the copper and the stones made into a necklace, but later decided to have the necklace reworked into the watches,” he said, finishing the tale.

  She couldn’t resist asking, “Why two? Did you know in the beginning that you would need that second watch?” When Jonah nodded, any doubt she may have had that her entrance into his life was predetermined quickly vanished.

  Leaning closer, Jonah rested his hand lightly on her shoulder. His touch sent shivers through her. “All three of us had pieces of feminine jewelry made to match our own.”

  She looked away, “This is all so difficult for me to grasp.”

  “As time passes, everything will become easier to understand.”

  As time passes. There was that phrase again. Her hands tightened into fists. She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t stand idly by and let herself be swallowed up by Jonah’s destiny. She had a life back in Mobile. A new career she’d been working toward for years. No matter how hard Jonah tried to convince her that her future was tied to his, she would resist. Somehow, she would make her way back home. The rest of her life depended on it.

  BECAUSE THEIR MINDS were still linked, Jonah felt Angela’s resistance to the path he’d defined for her. As he should have done earlier, he closed the connection.

  He wasn’t surprised she felt such reluctance. She was undoubtedly experiencing the greatest shock of her life. He expected that she would explore every means of escape, and he certainly couldn’t blame her. Escape was something he wished for daily, especially now, when the highlight of his musical career was only days away.

  He could appreciate how much Angela wanted to return to the life she’d built for herself. After all, she had a new career just waiting for her, one she had no doubt worked toward for a long time. Ten years, maybe? Ten years was a long time in a human’s life. But ten years was nothing compared to the decades he’d waited. He’d waited for his dream longer than she’d been alive. It was something he’d lived with day after day, breath after breath. And just when it was finally in sight, an act of nature was poised to snatch it from him.

  He got up from the sofa and began to pace. “Just so things are clear between us, I want to assure you that this turn of events is as unpleasant for me as it is for you. Having a woman enter my life at this particular time is not a choice I would have voluntarily made.”

  She looked up at him. “But you’ve been expecting it all of your life, haven’t you?”

  He couldn’t deny that truth. “Yes. However, you have something to bring to the table in this that I don’t.”

  “And what is that?” she asked, a quizzical frown on her face.

  “Free will. You may not have freedom of movement right now, but you do have the liberty to refuse the one thing that is needed to change both our lives. It’s the one thing that could save us both.” He noted the confusion in her eyes. “The prophecy dictates that a woman will eventually enter my life and become my mate. The precautions we’re taking now are to assure your safety in the event you are that woman. But there is nothing in that prophecy that says the woman must be you.”

  She sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”

  “The rules about taking a lifelong mate apply to me as they did to my brothers. The woman who enters my life must fall in love with me and be willing to risk her life for me should such an act become necessary.” He paused, but didn’t let his eyes waver from hers. “Since you have a strong commitment to another life away from here, I think we can both count on you resisting my charms.”

  “Is that all it would take?”

  By all the gods and goddesses, he hoped that was all it would take. He smiled to himself. He had a feeling he would be calling on the gods and goddesses more in the coming days than he had in a long, long time. “Getting rid of Zurik is still our best hope for guaranteeing your safety, but we can’t overlook all the options.”

  He crossed the room, sat next to her again, and started to reach for her hand. Fortunately, he caught himself in time. There was no need to add to the problems he already faced. He had to do anything he could to stop Angela from falling for him.

  She reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t plan this.” Even throug
h the fabric of his shirt, her touch was like fire to his skin. Despite all his good intentions, the ugly tentacles of The Need twisted his insides. He had to remove himself from her company and the temptation she presented. He got up from the sofa.

  “You look tired. I think we’ve covered enough for tonight. In the morning, you and Scott can work out a daily routine, and he can answer whatever questions that remain.”

  She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. “I am tired, and it is quite late.”

  He allowed himself an extra few seconds to revel in the warm glow cast by the ginger-jar lamps and the beauty of the festive decorations on the tree. The view brought back memories of his childhood. “I guess it’s time the tree came down.”

  She followed his gaze and nodded. “Everything looks beautiful, but it is a new year.”

  She rose and bid him goodnight.

  As he watched her walk away, he knew it would be anything but a good night for him.

  SCOTT SET A PLATE of cheese, crackers, and fruit on the table in front of Angela. After only a few hours of troubled sleep, she had refused anything but coffee for breakfast. And although she had little more appetite now, to refuse even the simple lunch he had prepared would have been inhospitable. Besides, she knew Jonah had asked him to be with her today, and there were still questions she needed answered.

  She took a small piece of cheese from the tray. “I was told I needed to work out some kind of routine with you. Frankly, I don’t know exactly what that means.”

  “It means Jonah wants to be certain you do not go out alone. If you leave the house, I will accompany you.”

  She took a bite of the cheese, chewed slowly, then washed it down with a substantial amount of tea. “I’m not accustomed to having my movements restricted.”“I understand. And so does Jonah. Unfortunately, there is no other way to assure your safety.”

  That wasn’t entirely true. Her safety wouldn’t be an issue if that evil creature, Zurik, didn’t believe she was going to be Jonah’s mate. And that would only happen if she fell in love with him. So, she was faced with two options. She could either stay here and trust herself not to fall in love with Jonah . . . or she could leave. Of the two, which was the greater risk? She had to believe if Zurik’s powers had led him to her, those same powers would tell him there was no love in her heart for Jonah. No love, no problem.