Flight Read online

  Jade shook her head and frowned. “Oh, Bill. If only there was some way to help you, you know I would. But how can you want to go on like this?”

  He put his face in his hands and wept bitterly. “I’m so confused―I don’t want to live like this, but I don’t want to die either.”

  Jade took a few tentative steps forward. “You’re not living, Bill. You’re existing. There is no happily-ever-after for you, only more pain and degradation. Let me set you free.”

  Bill stood up and rushed to the open window. “I can’t, Jade. I just can’t give any of this up yet.”

  “Bill, wait!” Jade shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the flutter of huge black wings. War flew into the room and went right for Bill. But the vampire was partly out the window and managed to transform into a bat and make his escape before War could catch him.

  Jade chewed her lip as War took his human form. “What happened?” he asked, clearly upset.

  She looked past him out the window and forced herself not to cry. War would never understand. Bill had been her friend and a damn good one. “I let him go.”

  “Why?” War asked.

  “Because he needed a little more time.”

  War scowled. “More time for what?”

  “More time to mourn the loss of his human life.” She came over and touched her hand to War’s cheek. “I would appreciate it if you would let me deal with Bill. He was my good friend for many years, and this is. . . kind of personal.”

  War nodded and gave her a warm kiss. “He’s your problem then, Jade, and I hope he realizes how lucky he is.”

  “Guess he’s not too lucky to have ended up like that,” she said, following War out into the melee. There were very few vamps left still running around, but Jade didn’t give a hoot about them.

  “I suppose you’re right,” War said.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After a grueling week of finals, Jade had spent more than a week traveling around with War on the back of his bike. They hadn’t gone anywhere in particular, just flew to different places, and it had been heaven. They’d just gotten back last night and spent most of the day lazing around her apartment, ordering pizza, and making love. It had felt just like a honeymoon.

  Jade had also several promising job interviews for positions within Fish and Wildlife. All she had to do was wait and hope. War, for his part, was confident that she’d get a job soon. After all, he joked, no one was more qualified to study birds than her. She smiled watching him sleep. Who would have guessed what a great guy he was? He was fun and adventurous, and Jade found herself falling in love with him more and more as time passed.

  Leaving him to sleep, she quietly got up off the bed and made her way into the living room to get a midnight snack. But just as she passed her couch, she was grabbed from behind by ice-cold hands. Jade tried to scream, but a hand covered her mouth.

  A man she didn’t recognize leaned in close with an evil leer. His breath was rancid and smelled like old death and rotting teeth. “I’m going to tear your throat out.”

  He touched his lips to her throat, and someone else shouted, “No, don’t! She’s been mated!”

  But her attacker either didn’t care or hadn’t heard in time. He sank his fangs into her neck, and a stabbing pain shot up her throat. No! I don’t want to be one of these horrible things! Jade erupted into violence. Breaking free of her attacker’s hold, she twisted around and punched him off her neck. Blood trickled down her throat, dripped onto the floor, and she was suddenly very dizzy. Falling to her knees and holding her ruined throat, Jade watched in stunned silence as her attacker gagged and choked on her stolen blood. The grey skin on his face grew even more gruesome, sinking into his bones as if he were melting right there.

  Heavy footfalls came from the bedroom, and War emerged, his amber eyes blazing in fury. The other two vampires, realizing their mistake, tried to bolt for the balcony, but they were much too late. In a flash of speed, War was in his raptor form and on them. Their high-pitched screams filled the room and sent chills down her spine. Remembering her own injury, Jade pulled her hand back and was amazed that her throat was no longer bleeding. She touched all around the area of her injury but felt nothing other than her own soft skin.

  Grabbing the edge of the coffee table, she carefully got to her feet. She scanned the room for the vampires, but there was nothing left of them. Gone without a trace. War transformed back into his human form and came over to make sure she was all right.

  Jade looked up into his eyes, terrified she was now one of them. Her mouth twisted into a miserable frown. “He bit me.”

  War placed his large hand over her neck and caressed the tender flesh. “And he paid for it with his life. They can’t hurt you, baby. You’ve been mated. You’re not human anymore. You’re their natural predator and my queen.”

  Jade fell into his arms relieved, and for the first time, she felt like everything fit together. She was his, and gosh darn, it if it wasn’t the best thing that had ever happened to her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “I got a message for you,” HighTower said, joining her as she sat at the picnic bench on the back porch of the lair. He was one of the most attractive men Jade had ever set eyes on, with dark chocolate skin and perfect kissable lips. He wore his black hair very short, which only accentuated his dark good looks.

  Jade had come outside to be alone and collect her thoughts. She was having a lot of trouble dealing with the truth about Bill. He was such a nice, smart guy. He deserved a lot better than the horrible death she could offer him.

  “Who’s your message from?” she asked.

  “Your friend Bill. He left a note for you on the front door, and I grabbed it before War saw it.” He held out a small white envelope with her name on it.

  She took it and flipped it through her fingers. “Did you read it?”

  High Tower shrugged. “Yeah. He’s looking for some help that no one can give him. I feel for the guy.”

  Jade sighed and chewed her thumbnail. She really didn’t want to murder Bill no matter what he had become. “What should I do?”

  High Tower stood up, stretching to his full six-foot height. “I’m not sure. I’ve never thought of vamps as friends before, just food. You should talk to War.”

  “I have, and I hate to do it again. He hates Bill.”

  “That’s just because he’s afraid for you. Vamps are experts at tricking people. I mean, look what happened to your friend.”

  “I don’t think Bill is trying to trick me,” Jade said sadly. “I mean, what can he do to me? He can’t change me. No, I think he wants out.”

  High Tower squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll see, but talk to War. Nobody knows vamps like him. Have him watch your back.”

  * * * *

  Jade pulled War away from the TV to come outside and talk to her. He was happy for the distraction, pulling her into his powerful arms to hug and kiss her. “What is it, baby?”

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I have a problem, and I need your help. I know I said I didn’t want your help before, but I’ve since changed my mind,” she rambled. “But if you want to stay out of it, I’ll completely understand.”

  War grinned and let her go. He took her by the hand and sat down at the table. “Is this about your buddy Bill?”

  “Yes,” she said as her gut wrenched with sorrow. “He wants me to help him, but I don’t know how.”

  “I take it he doesn’t want to be dinner?”

  “I don’t want him to be dinner either.”

  “There’s only one other way for him to find peace, but, like I told you, it’s more painful,” War said, twisting the cap off his beer and taking a sip.

  “The sun thing?”

  War shrugged. “That’s it, baby. He’ll have to stay out until the sun comes up.”

  Jade swallowed. “What’s that death like?”

  War stared into her eyes. “Don’t think it’s too nice either, Jade.”


  “Can I stay with him while he’s . . . sunning himself?”

  “Only if I get to go too.”

  “Promise you won’t attack him?”

  War grinned. “I promise. Anything for you, baby.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jade left Bill a note in the same place he’d left hers. She figured he would check back to see if there was a reply since he seemed to be growing more desperate by the day. She’d told him to meet her and War on the courthouse roof at five in the morning and told him if he didn’t show she’d understand.

  Although she hated to admit it, she was glad War had come with her. He was good company at this ungodly time of the morning. He lay on the roof with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed as she paced, looking for any sign of Bill.

  “What time is it now?” she asked War.

  He opened one eye and stared at his watch. “Five twenty.”

  “Maybe he changed his mind.”

  “Maybe,” War replied. “You thinking of going home?”

  Jade sighed. “We’ll give him just a little longer.” She stared off the roof scanning the skies for a movement. “You think I’m crazy to do this, don’t you?”

  War stood up dusting himself off. “No. I just think you’re being loyal to your friend. I can understand that.” He scanned the horizon. “Here he comes now.”

  In the predawn light, a tiny bat flew onto the roof and changed. There standing before them was Bill. If it were possible, he looked even more horrible than when she’d last seen him. His ashen face was a sickly shade of grey, and his lips were close to black. Large, dark ovals circled his eyes, and he looked painfully thin.

  “Hey,” he said in a voice so soft Jade had to strain to hear him.

  “You look awful,” Jade said sadly.

  Bill glanced at War. “I haven’t been feeding.”

  “Why not?” Jade asked.

  “Because,” War said, anticipating Bill’s answer, and folding his arms across his chest, “he’s been trying to kill himself, but it’s only making him sick.”

  Bill nodded in agreement. “That’s right.”

  Jade went over and took his hand. “We’re here to wait with you for the sun to come up.”

  Bill nodded weakly and sat down on the ground where War had been dozing.

  “That’s very nice of you, Jade, but you don’t have to do that. I thought I would need you here, but for some strange reason, I don’t feel as sad about any of this anymore. I don’t feel a lot of things anymore. Besides, from what I understand, this won’t take very long.”

  Jade glanced at War to confirm what Bill had just said. War nodded grimly. She crouched down by her friend and gave him a gentle smile. “I’d really like to stay if you’ll let me.”

  Bill lowered his lids in surrender as if he didn’t care one way or the other. And that was when Jade knew in her heart that War had been right. Bill was dead and getting more so with every passing day.

  On the horizon, the sky was taking on a warm orange glow. Jade stared down at her friend, but he didn’t look up anymore. All he did was stare at his hands and move his lips in a silent prayer. Every part of Jade wanted to hug him, but he looked so fragile she was afraid to touch him.

  Finally, she said, “Are you sure you don’t want War to do this for you? He says it’s much faster and less painful than waiting for the sun to rise.”

  Bill shook his head. Then he said in a soft voice, “I loved Robert, you know. Maybe that’s one of the things that hurts the most about all this. He never gave a shit about me. That’s the truth I know now. All he wanted was my blood. Once he turned me, he couldn’t have cared less. I feel like such a fool.”

  “We’ve all made mistakes for love,” Jade said, trying to comfort him. The sun was rising, its golden rays touching the tallest points of the courthouse roof. Panic gripped Jade’s heart. She felt like she was watching someone with a loaded gun in his mouth. Frustrated and sad, she lifted her glasses and wiped a few tears away. “I’ll miss you, Bill.”

  “Me too, Jade.” Then, the first beam of sunlight touched him, and he was engulfed in flames.

  Jade cried out and fell back right into War’s arms. Sorrow broke from her chest, and she sobbed, burying her face in her husband’s chest.

  “It’s all right, baby,” War said to soothe her. “He’s gone now. It’s all over.”

  Jade turned around and looked at the place where Bill had been, but all that remained was a large pile of ash. “I want Robert to pay for the lives he’s ruined,” she said angrily.

  “That’s a good idea,” War said. “Why don’t we go back home and see if we can’t find him?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  War and Jade returned to the lair in a dark and somber mood. Of course, his mood had more to do with how upset Jade was rather than any feeling he had for her friend Bill. That man’s suffering was over. But he understood Jade’s anger about Robert. It was hard not to want someone to pay for what had happened to Bill even though War knew it happened all the time in every city of the world.

  That’s what the vamps did. They recruited the dreamers and romantics with false promises of a new immortal life, but what the victims didn’t know was it was all an illusion. Once the vamps turned someone, that’s when the truth was found out. There was no glamour as a vampire, just hunger and cold, and eventually you couldn’t feel anything but those two things. Love meant nothing to you. Compassion was forgotten. You ended up a shell of a person, just as dead on the inside as the out. The only exception was the hunger. That relentless horror followed one everywhere.

  It was late morning, and the shades over War’s window were mercifully keeping the sun’s bright light out of the bedroom. Jade stripped slowly, lost in her own thoughts.

  War came up behind her; lifted her long, dark hair; and kissed the back of her neck. “How are you feeling?”

  She turned around, her lovely dark eyes shiny with unshed tears behind the lenses of her glasses. “I’m okay,” she said. “Just tired.”

  He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling it back from her face, and admired her simple beauty. A warm fire burned in his soul, and he paused for a moment to enjoy how happy he was. Jade was everything he could have hoped for in a wife, and he was madly in love with her. “I understand why you want revenge on Robert, but I want you to consider letting it go.”

  Her eyes hardened a little. He knew she wouldn’t like that. “He’s responsible for Bill’s death.”

  “Yes,” War conceded. “But Bill made his choice to be with him knowing exactly what Robert was. It wasn’t like Bill was an innocent victim. He just made a bad choice.”

  “Are you defending the vamps?” she said, breaking off from him and pacing.

  “No, Jade, I’m just being realistic. Robert is a vamp. Vampires deceive people to make more vamps. That’s what they do. It isn’t personal.”

  “Well, it’s personal for me,” Jade said. “I can’t believe you want to dismiss all this. Just tell me if you don’t want any part of getting Robert, and I’ll go find him myself.”

  War shook his head. She was still too tired and raw for this conversation. He should have waited. “Okay,” War said, holding up his hands in surrender. “The next colony we hit, we’ll look for Robert. He’s been around the city for a few years. I’m sure we’ll catch up to him.”

  Jade’s features softened. She went over and hugged him, squeezing him tight. “I’m sorry, War,” she said softly. “I’m just strung out. Let’s go to bed and get some sleep.”

  He smiled. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

  * * * *

  Jade woke up to the warm feel of War next to her. Glancing at the window, she noticed it was dark and wondered how long they’d been asleep. The clock read eight fifteen. She rolled over in bed to face the huge wall of muscle that was her husband’s back. On his right shoulder was an impressive buzzard-in-flight tattoo. She reached out and traced the outlines with her index finger. As soon as she
touched his flesh, her hunger awoke.

  Moisture gathered between her legs, and her sex throbbed gently. Fascinated by the ferocity of her lust, she placed her whole palm on his shoulder and heard him groan as he woke up. A magical passion sizzled inside her much stronger than in the past. After caressing down his ribs, she slid her hand around his hip and dared to touch the thick rod of his penis. That got his attention, and he rolled onto his back to give her easy access.

  Jade kissed him lightly, then dragged her lips down his neck to the huge muscles of his chest. Nuzzling her way to his nipple, she pulled it into her mouth and sucked hard. War gasped and ran his hand into her thick hair to massage her scalp. Jade continued her seduction, traveling down his chest with her lips and tongue. His cock, nestled in a neatly trim patch of dark hair, was long and fat with a plump helmet tip. She licked it, tasting the salt of his essence. Grabbing the shaft in her hand, Jade moved her lips down the length and moved her head up and down. War let out a heavy moan, shifting his hips around to get more of her passionate mouth. Jade massaged him with her lips and tongue, eager to please him, and soon he was close to climax.