the ones by the pool. I enter through the double set of doors and place myself in the lighted area. Mikey and the other parrots stay miraculously out of my way. It adds to the freakiness of the moment when not even the birds break the silence.
I settle myself in a lounge chair for an extended wait. My body stills as I sink into the lush cushion to portray the semblance of relaxation. By slowing my heart, I achieve a meditative-like state. It’s not the same as the one I reach after yoga, but in a pinch, it will do. It allows me to open up my senses. Makes me aware of everything around me to an extensive degree.
The plant fronds rustle in the circulating air around me. The gentle lap of the water against the side of the pool calls out to the astrological water-sign in me that I was born under all those centuries ago. I never used to believe in all that star-sign bull. But it doesn’t need me to believe in it to be real—like most things in life, it either exists in spite of you, or because of you.
Have I thought of every outcome? Will my plan come together in the end? I’m not one for self-doubt, that’s for sure. It’s slightly nerve-wracking to have all of the events of the past forty hours come down to this moment. Will that sadistic son of a bitch take the bait? Am I the real reason he has come here or is it something else?
The twilight illumination this region of Alaska gets won’t arrive for several more hours. The master vamps outside shouldn’t have any problems with the minimal diluted sun exposure. Since Antonio and Joanna are younger, they might be uncomfortable if they were outside when the sunset-like illumination occurs. With luck, all this will be cleared up by before that becomes an issue.
I reach out to connect mentally with Jonathan; the wait has been long enough and I have a feeling he won’t know how to reach out to me.
Any sight of Ivan?
Jesus! That’s freaky. Can’t you give me any warning before you jump in my head?
I smile at the thought. What do you suggest, furball? I knock?
Okay, okay…Good point. Back to your question. Yes, I spotted him about ten minutes ago. As I was closing in, he gave me the slip.
Where did you last see him?
About a quarter of a mile from cabin ten, Jon answers. He appears to be working his way slowly to the main building.
How was he moving?
Pretty good. Not running at an all-out sprint, but moving along. He must have warmed up somewhere.
Thanks. Keep me posted with any changes. Try to tighten the circle to draw him in.
Sure thing, Viv. You ready for him?
I smile at that one. I was turned ready.
We end our connection and I reach out through my bloodline with my extended consciousness. I tap on each thread, chasing it to its end. Every dot of energy accounted for, including a few new sparkling ones that weren’t there before.
Asa? Where are you and Drew?
We followed a trail that led to the maintenance building. There were signs of forced entry. We think Ivan broke in to warm up at some point.
Good, I was wondering where he might have done that. Jon spotted him out by the cabins a little bit ago. Come get into position near the stone gardens outside the pool wing. It won’t be long now.
How can you be so sure? It looks like an obvious trap. What if he’s smart enough to stay away?
You let me worry about that. Don’t come into the building until you get my signal.
Roger.
Ending our connection, I unleash my aura. Every bit that I keep locked away comes rushing to the surface. My skin tingles; the tiny hairs on my arms stand on end. The power feels like a long-lost blanket—both comforting and confining at once. Similar to when I hunted Rafe for our afternoon sex in the basement, I close my eyes allowing my senses to extend into the building. I reach out to push through interior walls, pausing only when I reach the cold outdoors.
There. I sense something. It hides in the small attic above the fun floor. A new presence lurks. A hungry vampire sits still in the dark. Good thing I have what he needs after recovering from the gunshot wound—blood.
I push out with my mind to send the delicious taste of my power into the