Possessed by a Warrior Page 12

  Carter flicked his ash. “A good man’s dead, Sam. One of the best. It was time for me to stir my old bones.”

  “I’m not going to refuse help. Jack was murdered. We don’t have a lot to go on.”

  “I know.”

  Sam closed the distance between them, feeling the years fall away with every step. There was no denying the pull of nostalgia. They’d fought together, watched nations rise and fall. Time and shared enemies formed a bond. He respected the man and regarded him as a second father, almost. If only he could forgive Carter for making him what he was, they might have been friends.

  Families, especially vampire families, were ever complicated.

  A little unwillingly, Sam dragged himself back to the present. “The Knights of Vidon are involved. I’m sure of it.”

  Carter’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “What makes you say that?”

  “You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t read my report. They’re after the diamonds.”

  “Are you so sure it’s the Knights?” Carter gave him that familiar smile of his—half teasing, half fatherly. “There are plenty of thieves in the world.”

  “Who else would know the dress was in Jack’s safe?”

  “Whom did Jack trust?”

  It was a good question. “The Company, of course.”

  “Not all the Company.”

  Sam frowned. Whom would Jack have distrusted? “Is that why you used Code Gray?”

  “Did he trust the Horsemen?”

  “Certainly, but we didn’t know what was in the safe.”

  Carter’s look was significant. “All we know for sure is that you didn’t.”

  “But...” His words ground to a halt. “Are you saying Kenyon and Winspear knew Jack had the diamonds?”

  He spoke the last in a low voice, suddenly aware that the other Horsemen were no doubt watching his every gesture. He’d broken protocol because he trusted them.

  Carter nodded. “Keep an open mind. Someone had to get the stones from the castle vault to the dressmaker. The dressmaker had to give the gown to Jack. There were a lot of steps involving a lot of people. A jewel thief could have taken interest at any point along the way.”

  Sam remembered what Chloe had said. Jessica Lark was dead. Jack knew her. He’d never mentioned her murder, or the dress, or the diamonds. Sam suddenly felt a gulf between himself and the Horsemen’s dead leader. “But why would Jack confide in Winspear and Kenyon and not me?”

  A gust of wind stirred the trees while Carter framed an answer. “Walk with me awhile.”

  Sam fell into step beside his maker. They moved slowly, ambling like men out to enjoy the air. Nonetheless, Sam felt the creep up his spine that said they were being watched.

  Now he wondered if he should have been more secretive. But they’re my comrades. Jack trusted them and so do I.

  Carter puffed his cigar for a moment. “You’re a straight arrow, Sam, and everyone respects that. Jack, on the other hand, was coloring a long way outside of the lines.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  The older vampire ran a hand over his face. “The king never authorized the removal of the diamonds. They’re stolen goods.”

  Sam looked at him sharply. He knew that already, so there must be more to Carter’s point. “Are you saying that Jack stole them?”

  “If he hadn’t, wouldn’t he have simply handed them back once they came into his possession?”

  “Could it be that he was curious to see who turned up looking for the diamonds?”

  Carter raised his eyebrows. “You mean Jack set a trap?”

  Sam shrugged. “Just a theory. It would be like him to wait and see what fish would show up to take the bait.”

  “That makes good sense. More than you know.” Carter kicked a rock from his path, sending it bouncing into the roadside scrub. “I need your help.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Three things. First, you need to assume command of the Horsemen.”

  “Pardon me?” He stopped in his tracks.

  “Jack formed the unit because the Company needed a crack team. We still do. You were his second-in-command and, truth be told, the best soldier. You’re War.”

  Pride shot through Sam, but not happiness. A promotion was good, but having Jack back would be better. “It was his team. He handpicked us.”

  “Now it’s yours.” Carter gripped his shoulder. “You were an officer. You enjoyed command, as I recall. The Company can’t have a leaderless unit.”

  That made sense. It was only a matter of time before someone was appointed. It might as well be him. But it makes Jack’s death too real.

  Carter started walking again, Sam falling into place beside him.

  “What’s the second thing you need from me?”

  “Turn the dress over to me. Quietly.”

  “You?”

  “I’ll take it back to Marcari while attracting as little attention as possible. That should throw the thieves off its scent until the diamonds are safely back in the palace vault. If we can pull this off, the king has agreed to keep Jack’s theft out of the official record. No stain on his name.”

  Sam nodded. That appealed to him. “Do you need an escort?”

  “No. Fewer people, less attention.”

  That made Sam curious. In his view, it was an unnecessary risk, one Carter would not usually take. “And third?”

  “Watch your men closely. Like I said, Jack trusted them, and now he’s dead.”

  Sam’s jaw tightened, but he kept his voice calm. “What do you mean by that?”

  Carter clasped his hands behind his back, head bowed. “Now, I just stated two demonstrable facts. It’s the connection between the two that you’re refusing to see.”

  “With good reason. I trust the Horsemen with my life.”

  “With your existence. Your life was over when I found you praying for death because your guts were spilling on the ground.”

  Sam didn’t reply. Even now, the memory was still too vivid for comfort.

  Carter gave him a searching look. “Sam, listen to me. Winspear’s as socialized as a jaguar. He’s got his own rules. He’s a doctor now, but don’t forget he spent the first few hundred years of his life as an assassin. Kenyon is a werewolf. He’s not even one of us. And what else? Oh, right, Jack might have taken the boy in hand once he was all but grown, but Kenyon spent his adolescence crawling through windows for a team of international jewel thieves.”

  Sam stopped again. Like a kaleidoscope, all the pieces of his world were shifting into a new and uncomfortable pattern. “They are proven men.”

  Carter waved an impatient hand. “And you’re a good friend. How nice.”

  Anger flared, and now Sam didn’t care if Carter saw it. “The Horsemen are a team.”

  His maker’s face sagged into regretful lines. “I’m not saying this lightly. Follow the facts. What two crimes do we know for sure happened? A jewel theft and an assassination. Who are your teammates? A jewel thief and an assassin. Give me a straight edge and a pencil, and I’ll connect the dots for you.”

  Stunned, Sam was silent.

  “I’m sorry.” Carter put a hand on his shoulder. “We’re vampires. You know all too well what that means. We may believe in loyalty and render great service to our king, but that impulse for good is a shaky thing. I’ve faced my true nature, mastered my base instincts. I’ve been the iron hand of the Company that keeps the vampires in check. Scratch the surface of any of us, and the pus of pure evil will come bubbling out. It’s a fact of nature, as surely as the cock crows at sunrise.”

  Speechless, Sam could only stare. It didn’t help that he’d been thinking the same thing only minutes before Carter had appeared.

  Carter went on. “But none
of this is news to you.”

  “No,” he finally replied.

  Chapter 13

  If I survive this, I deserve my own reality show.

  Chloe spent the morning in Uncle Jack’s study pulling miracles out of her hat. Or, to make the metaphor more appropriate, her bridal veil. She’d booked the golf club. She’d found an orchestra and a DJ. She’d nailed the church. She’d got her staff started on finding limousines.

  Oddly, working was doing her good. She was in a fairly good mood by the time Sam made his daily invasion into her territory. Today he looked more serious. Lines of fatigue etched deep into his face, as if he’d spent the night worrying. With everything going on, she’d be surprised if he hadn’t. Still, she tried to ignore just how good he looked in his perfectly tailored suit. If she got sidetracked, she’d fall even further behind.

  “What are you doing?” he asked when he saw her typing madly on her laptop.

  “Working on Elaine and Leo’s wedding.”

  Surprise flickered over his features. “I thought...”

  “Yesterday was just a temporary setback. After all, there aren’t that many wedding planners available and willing to work this quickly. At least, not with my contacts.” Chloe let a note of defiant pride into her voice. “This is what I’m good at. And this is the agreement with the catering company.”

  She hit Send and barely resisted the urge to pump her fist in the air. Okay, she was overtired.

  “Are you meeting Elaine in Thurston again?”

  “Yes, at the nice offices I wanted to rent last time. From now on, I’m doing this my way.”

  Sam scowled.

  Chloe scowled back but couldn’t keep it up. “Bodyguards and bridal bouquets don’t mix. I’ll figure out some way to manage things sensibly. I have a friend coming back from Europe. I know she won’t mind going with me to these appointments, just so that I’m not alone.”

  “Is she a weapons expert?”

  “She’s a photographer. I’m asking her to do the wedding shoot.”

  “A camera’s not going to help if someone jumps you.”

  “I dunno. My friend’s a redhead. I wouldn’t try it.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “So am I.” Chloe closed her laptop. She wanted Sam to feel appreciated, but this was her livelihood. “Everything has to go right this time. I appreciate your concern, but I can’t afford to alienate my clients. They want sunshine and puppies, not a private army.”

  Sam folded his arms. “Kenyon and I are going with you.”

  “Sorry, I can’t have you guys standing around brooding like angels of doom.”

  He winced. “I’ll stay in the background. Everyone likes Kenyon. He can be the good cop.”

  Remembering Lexie’s odd reaction when Faran Kenyon’s name came up, Chloe balked. She still didn’t know what to make of that conversation, but Lexie would be in town soon enough and could explain. In the meantime, she wasn’t risking another disaster with Elaine. “No. I’ll go by myself. Bridal talk is a girly thing. You’re not girls.”

  “Chloe,” he said, his voice close to a warning growl.

  “Don’t ‘Chloe’ me. I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I’m in charge of my own business appointments.”

  She felt his displeasure like a physical wall. Too bad. He was pushing her in a way that set her alarm bells ringing. And it set her imagination racing, taking that moment and painting it large. If she gave in now, what would happen down the road?

  It was easy to guess. If she didn’t stand up to him, he would take over everything, an inch at a time. And, sooner or later, he would leave—maybe not as dramatically as Neil, but men like Sam didn’t do the domestic scene. Then she would have to pick up whatever pieces he dropped—even if that included pieces of her heart. Better to stand her ground now.

  She took a deep breath, trying to sort fact from fear. This would be so much easier if she was more willing to trust. And what if I am taking a stupid risk? He knows more about this security stuff than I do.

  She rose, drifting around the desk and crossing the thick Oriental carpet to the window. Sam had left the drapes alone this time, so she could look out at the garden. Not that she cared what was outside, but it gave her a moment to gather her wits.

  It was gray out, raining lightly. She was wearing nothing but slacks and a sleeveless blouse, and the air near the French doors was cool. She rubbed her bare arms.

  He finally spoke. “Chloe, with luck, this will all be over soon.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Things will go back to normal. The dress will go back to the princess. You’ll go back to your home.”

  “And you’ll go back to your home, wherever that is.” She said it flatly. The implication that they’d soon be out of each other’s lives was all too clear.

  “Wherever. I have several addresses.”

  He said it inconsequentially, but the statement made her turn around. “That sounds—” She started, then stopped. “That sounds like a logistical nightmare, actually. I can barely keep track of my cable bill as it is.”

  He chuckled, a surprisingly warm sound for a man who didn’t seem to get much practice. “You never say what I expect you to.”

  Chloe took a step toward him, feeling the cold from the window on her back. “It’s a flaw of mine. I think I’m checking to see if anyone is paying attention.”

  “Who wouldn’t?” His smile was filled with male appreciation. Unexpectedly, everything seemed to shift, the mood in the room lightening.

  “Why do you have addresses and not a home?”

  He shrugged. “I work here and there. I’m never in one place very long.”

  “Does that bother you?”

  He touched her arm, just a light brush of the fingertips. “Honestly, yes. Sometimes I long for a real place, just so I know where I’m going to come back to.”

  Both his touch and his words made her shiver. Neither was an overt come-on, but she suddenly wondered if there was a possibility for something between them. It was an odd thought—a complete reversal—given their tense conversation a moment ago, but it wasn’t completely unthinkable, either. She could feel his interest like an electrical field, invisible but still crackling along her skin. I’d like to come back to you, it seemed to say.

  Get real. He has one foot out the door. He’s just said as much. But maybe he wouldn’t go if there was a reason to stay.

  Her heart sped for a moment. Sam raised his head as if he could hear it. Trust Sam, Jack had said. On the other hand, Lexie had told her to run for the hills. The choice was wide-open.

  “Now let me ask you something,” he said. “Why are you so determined to put yourself in danger by going to Thurston by yourself? I promise Kenyon and I will be very, very good.”

  She stiffened. “You know why.”

  “You think we’ll be in the way.”

  “Yes. Maybe. You scared Elaine half to death. And I have to look after myself. We all do.”

  “When it makes sense.” Sam’s hand traveled to his gun. “When it doesn’t, I’m there.”

  Until you’re not. Chloe dreaded having this conversation with anyone. It always sounded crazy. “I can’t leave it up to you.”

  “Why not? Why not let me take care of you? It’s what I’m good at.”

  “I’ll try to explain.”

  “Good.” His gaze held hers, but this time the gray wasn’t like steel. It was like a far-off storm, dark and heavy with power.

  “It’s an old thing with me. My parents were scientists working on something supersecret.”

  “You said they died.”

  “When I was a teenager they were murdered in a home invasion. All I ever found out was that it had to do with their work. I still don’t know what t
hat work involved.”

  Sam didn’t say anything for a moment, just frowned. “You were very young.”

  She folded her arms protectively across her chest. The atmosphere in the room was softened by the clouds outside, the jewel tones of the carpet and drapes washed with gray. “The worst part of their death has always been never knowing why it happened. Was there something I could have done to take precautions? Sure, I was only fourteen, but I still wonder. Had I said the wrong thing to a random stranger? Did I leave a door unlocked? Give away our phone number when I shouldn’t have? Will whoever killed them ever come looking for me?”

  Sam shifted, moving a fraction closer. “Unlikely. That was a long time ago.”

  “But I don’t know because I have no idea what any of it was about. It’s left me with doubts for the rest of my life.”

  Sam leaned against the bookcase, a boneless motion that reminded her of a big cat. It put his face only inches from hers. “And the point of this is that you see lack of information as a threat.”

  “Yes, that’s part of it.” Chloe exhaled. So few people understood, but Sam was keeping up.

  He studied her, his expression intent. “Your uncle was full of secrets, too.”

  “He was.”

  “How did you feel about that?”

  Gently, he traced a finger down her cheek. She shivered slightly, but was too mesmerized to pull away.

  “Not great. And now look where that’s got us. I adored Uncle Jack, but a safe full of hot diamonds? Not a great goodbye present. And yet, without telling me anything about what’s going on, he leaves me a note asking me to do the right thing. How should I know what that is?”

  “You think he abandoned you with a mess. That you’d learned to count on him and then suddenly he wasn’t there.”

  “Yes.”

  His finger came to rest on her lips and hovered there, light as a bee, before pulling away. “Just like your fiancé and your parents.”

  Chloe nodded, a little amazed. No one had ever grasped what she felt that quickly. “It’s not completely fair to them, is it? People don’t mean to die.”