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  “Good idea, dear.”

  Morgana nodded in agreement. She gathered up the rest of her weapons and hid them beneath her jacket. On her way out, she reached for the spray bottle of wolfsbane.

  Oscar placed his hand on hers, stopping her, “Sorry, Morgana, but I’m afraid we are going to have to use your blood as bait. The strange vampire from the café will have your scent now. We’ll use it to help lure him out. But we won’t let him touch you.”

  “Yes, Father.” Morgana left the wolfsbane on the shelf.

  Nearing the front door, Morgana felt the familiar presence of Gareth on the other side of the door and cursed under her breath.

  “Make it quick, Morgana. Get rid of him.” Oscar opened the front door. “Gareth,” he said. “Good evening.”

  “Mr. Van Wilden, Mrs. Van Wilden.” Gareth nodded as they walked past him.

  “Hello, Gareth,” said Vivienne. “I’m afraid you’ve caught us at a bad time, dear.”

  Gareth took in their attire. Morgana’s jacket was unbuttoned, revealing her black leather corset top. Gareth’s eyes bulged. “I just came over to see how Morgana was doing.”

  “Thanks, Gareth, that was very kind of you, but I’m fine. We have some important business to attend to right now.” She exited the house, pulling the front door closed behind her.

  “Dressed like that?” Gareth fell in step with her as they crossed the porch.

  Vivienne and Oscar were already moving across the front lawn.

  “Yes.” She avoided eye contact.

  “I suppose I’d better leave you to it then.” His voice was tight, but she didn’t have time to worry about his emotions right now.

  “I’ll give you a call later, Gareth,” Morgana called. She jogged away from the Van Wilden’s home, leaving Gareth standing in the front yard. Frowning, mouth agape, he watched her go.

  ***

  Morgana sprinted after her parents. It was really for his own good she had left him behind. He wasn’t trained or equipped to go on a potentially very dangerous scouting mission.

  “Morgana, you take the middle, Vivienne, go right, and I’ll take the left.” Oscar was all business.

  Everyone separated when they entered the forest. The calmness in the forest was always soothing to Morgana. She often wondered how a place so peaceful could harbor such an evil within. She moved through the forest looking for a trail, a scent of the strange vampire, or signs of where the clan may reside. Her mind wandered back to how forlorn Gareth had looked standing on the front lawn as she raced off. She really wished she could tell him what was going on. She had never been close with anyone who didn’t know the extent of her role with The Council. She started to wonder how much he could handle knowing.

  The smell of dying flesh drifted toward her. She had been so engrossed with her thoughts of Gareth, she had nearly tripped over the dead human body lying before her on the ground. She frowned at her mistake.

  Dialing the familiar numbers of her parents, she silently chastised herself for being so careless. “I found one of the hunted,” she spoke into the phone.

  “On our way,” Oscar responded.

  She kept the line open to run a commentary on the state of the body.

  Morgana squatted next to the body. It appeared to be another human hunter. Clouded dead eyes stared up into the forest canopy. His mouth hung open, his last cry for help framed by a thick red beard. Morgana examined the body, and from the bite marks, she determined the attack was recent. There were only small traces of blood beginning to dry on his neck. She didn’t see any blood on his blue-plaid flannelette shirt or khaki overalls.

  Morgana suddenly felt the presence of the last vampire she wanted to feel right now. “Shit,” she cursed.

  “Morgana,” Vivienne exclaimed on the other end of the phone line. “Language.”

  “Sorry, Vivienne, but Gareth followed us.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  After the Van Wildens left, Gareth had noticed Morgana wasn’t wearing any wolfsbane. She’d been wearing it the day before when she had found him in the forest being attacked by the bald vampire. Unmasked, her intoxicating blood swirled through his nostrils as she brushed past him. His chest tightened, and his heart rate slowed. Realizing he could smell her blood meant the other vampires she and her parents must be tracking would also smell her.

  What were they up to? Were they going to use Morgana as bait? Maybe if he followed the Van Wildens into the forest, he would find out more about Mr. and Mrs. Van Wilden and why the whole family had come to Oak Wood Hills.

  Setting off after them, he kept a safe distance so they wouldn’t be able to sense his presence. He had tasted Morgana’s blood, so he let his vampire instincts take over to follow her scent. He breathed in deeply. Sensing she was moving amongst the trees near the attack on the teenagers, his fangs grew. His mouth salivated as he listened to her heart pumping that delicious blood through her veins. He longed for her blood, to taste its sweetness again, to feel the immense power wash over him as her blood swirled through his veins. His pace increased.

  He sensed her out in front of him. She was quick and nimble, nearly visible. He had trouble keeping up with her, but he wasn’t going to let it stop him. He was determined to find out what the Van Wildens were doing in the forest dressed like spies. He saw Morgana crouched down, looking at something. She was talking on her phone. The unwelcomed scent of another human filled Gareth’s nostrils. Rank and pungent, the corpse was beginning to rot.

  Gareth crept up to Morgana crouching over the human’s body.

  Without warning, she pulled a handheld crossbow out from underneath her black leather jacket, aiming it straight at his heart without even glancing in his direction.

  He threw his hands up in defense. “Whoa, whoa, Morgana, it’s me, Gareth!” His survival instincts took over then, and he retracted his fangs—grateful she was too preoccupied with examining the body to notice him in full vampire-attack mode. Then she would really be using the crossbow on him. He felt sheepish. It wouldn’t bode well for their budding relationship if they tried to kill each other so early.

  “I know,” she said, standing up. The crossbow was still aimed at his chest. She continued staring down at the body. “I could sense you a mile away.”

  “Well, then what’s with the crossbow pointed at my chest?” He took a step back.

  “You can never be too careful in these types of situations,” she replied, her tone grim. She finally turned to face him.

  “I hope you don’t think I did this?” he snapped, pointing to the dead body.

  “No, I’d recognize your scent on the human’s body if it were you.” She sighed.

  “I don’t understand what’s going on.” His mind raced, wondering why she was acting this way. “Earlier we were fine, having a cordial lunch date, and then that strange vampire turns up, and you start acting all—”

  “Why did you follow me, Gareth?” Her eyes narrowed.

  “I was worried about you.” He tried to look concerned, though he knew she could handle herself.

  “I can more than take care of myself. You saw me in the woods the other day.” Her words were firm, but her face softened a bit. She seemed almost touched.

  “Yes, I can see that now.” More than ever he wanted to know who had trained her to become this and why. He eyed the crossbow, wary. She hadn’t let it drop. She seemed to be calculating. With her human side suppressed, her demeanor was more like a vampire’s. She reminded him of Mariza.

  Gareth felt Alastor approaching at a fast pace. He closed his eyes, releasing a slow breath. Maybe she would finally drop the crossbow if Alastor were around. He didn’t think she would shoot him, but she did seem pissed.

  “Gareth, I found something,” he said, stopping short when he saw Morgana aiming the crossbow at Gareth’s chest. “Jaysus Christ.” He put his hands up. “I don’t want to get in between a lover’s tiff.”

  “We’re not fighting. And were not lovers.” Morgana finally low
ered the crossbow.

  Oscar and Vivienne were approaching. They had obviously heard Gareth and had slowed their approach. So much so, they appeared as if they were gliding toward them. Vivienne wore a small smile on her lips as she surveyed the scene, her eyes shifting between Gareth and Morgana.

  Oscar eyed them as well. “Gentleman, do I dare to ask what you’re doing here?”

  Gareth and Alastor stiffened.

  “Ye take on the girl and the old man,” Alastor instructed Gareth under his breath. “And I’ll take the MILF,” he added, with a wink directed toward Vivienne.

  The tension broke, and everyone chuckled.

  The Van Wildens visibly relaxed.

  Gareth and Alastor lowered their hands, exchanging a shame-faced glance.

  “I thought for a moment you were going to stake us,” Gareth said to Morgana.

  “Not my call,” Morgana said. She unloaded the crossbow, slipping it back beneath her jacket into the holster strapped to her back.

  Gareth opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it and stopped himself. He didn’t know what to think about Morgana’s new cold-and-tough exterior. Where was the fragile girl he’d felt himself falling for?

  “What did you find, Morgana?” Oscar asked, stepping toward the human’s body.

  “Another attack by a newly-turned vampire,” Morgana replied. “Judging by the state of the body, this vampire was likely more experienced… a bit older than the one who attacked the teenage male a few nights back.” Morgana crouched down to point at the bite marks on the human’s neck. “Notice the clean bite here where the vampire would have probably tried to refrain from creating a large gash in the neck, but down here, on the collarbone, they’d obviously grown fevered for the taste of blood and couldn’t help themselves, ripping into the flesh here.”

  Alastor’s jaw dropped.

  Gareth couldn’t blame him. He was dumbstruck by her astute assessment as well. “How do you know all that?” he asked.

  “I’ve seen it many times before,” Morgana replied. She pointed down. “Notice the faint trickles of blood on the ground near the body. This vampire was trying not to spill a single drop of the precious blood.”

  Oscar nodded in agreement. “Looks like this strange vampire fellow may have been recruiting for longer than we’d thought.”

  Gareth glanced at the older vampire. How did they know so much, and why were they so interested? He noticed Vivienne wasn’t saying a word but was standing still, her hands behind her back scanning the woods beyond her. What were they up to?

  “I think you had better explain to us what’s going on here.” Gareth folded his arms across his chest. He gave a pointed stare to Morgana but glanced at Oscar, who nodded.

  “Okay,” Oscar said. “But not here. Someone’s coming.” He cocked his head, hearing something they couldn’t.

  Morgana lifted the crossbow, moving it around toward the trees. Vivienne was also on high alert, hands on one of the many stakes in her holster.

  “No, it’s human,” Oscar said grimly.

  Gareth was in awe. How could he tell what type of person it was from this far away? Gareth noticed he couldn’t sense it was a vampire, either.

  They all stood still, listening to the approaching footsteps.

  Gareth caught a familiar scent. He knew whose scent it belonged to, and he knew Alastor would know too.

  “Ava,” Alastor said, then cursed under his breath. Quickly followed by, “Excuse my language, Mrs. Van Wilden.”

  Morgana relaxed her posture with the crossbow. Now they could hear leaves being crushed underfoot. She was hurrying along. Everyone turned toward where Ava would appear through the trees, waiting patiently for her arrival.

  Ava halted in her tracks at the scene.

  “Woman, what are ye doing here?” Alastor asked, his voice raised.

  “What do you think I’m going to do, Alastor McLoughlin!?” Ava’s hands were on her hips as she stared him down. “Should I sit around at home waiting for you to tell me all about it? Another attack occurs in the woods, and you expect an investigative journalist to sit around waiting for her beau to tell her it’s safe to go outside?”

  “The vampires in the woods here wouldn’t think twice about feeding on ye, and yer yelling at me?” Alastor had moved closer to Ava, stepping around the dead body.

  Ava crossed her arms, and she stared back at him, unflinching. Inevitably, her eyes moved to the body. “Is this it? Wow, I’ve never seen a victim’s body up close before.” Ava dropped to her knees next to the body to examine it.

  Alastor threw his hands up in the air, cursing to himself while pacing a few feet away.

  “Ava,” said Vivienne, finally speaking up, “Can you not contaminate the crime scene, dear? We have done our examination, but the human police will be here shortly, especially if you knew to come here.”

  “Yes,” Oscar agreed. “I can hear them approaching. We must leave here to keep our presence unknown. Gareth, Alastor, and Ava… meet us back at our home, and we will debrief you on the situation.”

  Gareth nodded. “Let’s go,” he said, glancing toward Morgana. But Oscar was already giving her instructions to clear their tracks behind them, especially Ava’s.

  She glanced at him while Oscar was talking to her.

  “Excuse me, Father,” she said to him quietly, touching Oscar’s arm.

  Oscar glanced back over his shoulder at Gareth. He nodded, then offered his arm to Vivienne. “My dear, shall we head off?” His tone was casual as if they were off for a Sunday stroll in the park.

  “Of course, my dear.” Vivienne smiled at Oscar, looping her arm around his. They left quickly through the trees, soon disappearing from sight.

  Gareth watched as Alastor scooped Ava up in his arms, running away from the direction of the approaching human authorities. He felt Morgana right behind him.

  “We need to follow them.”

  Gareth turned to face her. “No more dodging my questions. This time you have to tell me who you really are.”

  Morgana walked up to him, looking him in the eyes. There was electricity between them. She must have felt it too because her eyes widened, and she took a step back.

  “Yes, Gareth, fine,” she agreed. “No more dodging.”

  Gareth heard the footsteps and human voices drawing closer.

  He turned back to face Morgana, but she was gone.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Gareth, Alastor, and Ava sat on the sofa in the Van Wilden’s living room waiting for Oscar.

  Ava glanced around the room. Dark-stained wood paneling covered the walls. “Nice place they have here,” she snarked.

  “Doesn’t scream scary vampire mansion at all,” Gareth muttered. He looked over at the other two.

  Alastor and Ava both snickered, though the gesture was cut short by obvious apprehension. They were holding hands so tightly the skin on Ava’s knuckles was turning white.

  Gareth couldn’t blame them. He was getting a bit nervous just sitting and waiting for answers. He had been adamant about discovering everything about the Van Wildens, but after their recent encounter in the woods, he didn’t know if he was ready. He sensed all three of the Van Wildens nearing the living room. He concentrated on Morgana in particular, following her closely as she entered. She was glaring at him, and he returned the intensity of her stare. The nervousness he felt left his body and was replaced by frustration. She stationed herself behind an armchair in front of the mantelpiece, still staring. Why did she always seem so angry?

  Gareth noticed she had changed from her black leather ensemble to a white tank top and jeans, and her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.

  “Would you gentlemen like a drink?” Oscar had walked over to his liquor cabinet. “And Miss Ava?” He nodded in her direction.

  Oscar had also changed. He was now wearing a long-sleeve, pale gray shirt with a darker shade of gray slacks. He seemed somewhat relaxed.

  Both Gareth and Alastor shoo
k their heads to the drink offer. Gareth had drunk enough alcohol for the day. Alcohol didn’t affect vampires the way it did humans, but it still wasn’t good for their bodies. He should have asked for blood. The craving for Morgana’s blood had made him quite thirsty.

  “No, thank you, Mr. Van Wilden,” Ava replied politely.

  Oscar spread his arms wide. “Please, call me Oscar.”

  “Yes… Oscar.”

  “Right then… shall we begin?” He poured himself a drink, then sat in the armchair in front of the mantelpiece.

  Vivienne sat casually on the arm of the sofa nearest to the armchair. She smiled sweetly at Gareth. He returned the smile. It seemed odd Morgana would be standing behind Oscar while Vivienne was lounging nearby. He glanced back at Vivienne. Her face had grown serious. Both Morgana and Oscar’s expressions had become very serious as well.

  Oscar relaxed his arms on the armrests—the glass of scotch in his right hand. “So, as you may have gathered, I’m not just the new candidate for mayor. And my wife and daughter aren’t what they appear to be, either.”

  Gareth, Ava, and Alastor nodded.

  “We are members of The Council of Order, a secret organization dedicated to keeping the vampire race alive.”

  Now Gareth understood the reason why Morgana was following him and why her fighting skills were so developed.

  Alastor whistled slowly.

  Her interest piqued, and Ava scooted to the edge of the sofa. “So, when you say dedicated to keeping the vampire race alive, what exactly do you mean by that?”

  “When a vampire begins causing havoc by killing too many humans in their vicinity or gets themselves noticed by the humans, agents of The Council arrive to assess the situation. The Council reviews the agents’ findings, and then advises on the course of action to be taken against the trouble-making vampire as well as their clan, if necessary.”

  “But how could Alastor and I not know about this ruling Council?” Gareth asked.