Jeff stood up and motioned to Samantha to follow him. He needed to pack up and grab

something to eat before heading back to the store. The lecture had gone well enough, but the turn

of events had him uneasy. His father had long held the line when it came to the supernaturals in

Austin, keeping things relatively calm and under control. The last big threat had been the

vampire cabal that his father and the other hunters had wiped out in the late Seventies. And they

would never have been able to do that without Cian.

“I don't understand how you know about Cian,” Samantha said in a low voice. Her eyes were

huge with disbelief.

“My Dad knew him really well before he died.” Jeff began packing up his slide projector. It

was old and worn out, but it had been his father's. He could easily use a laptop for this sort of

thing, but he had a problem letting go of the past. Well, letting go of his father.

"How?"

"My father was a vampire hunter."

"For real?"

“Yeah. And so am I. "

“You're not staking Cian,” Samantha said firmly. "Okay?"

Jeff hesitated, then rolled up a cord slowly. "Did Cian make the new vampire?"

“No. But his creator did. I heard that much. Theo Sumner made her. ”

"The Summoner?"

"Yeah, him."

"Shit." Jeff shook his head. "And she found her way to Cian?"

“I think he picked her up in a bar,” Samantha answered with a sigh.

"And this is your boyfriend?"

"Actually, we're engaged."

"Cian is getting married to a mortal?" Jeff raised both his eyebrows in disbelief.

“Yeah. So? He loves me! ” She gave him a petulant look and crossed her arms defiantly over

her breasts.

"Okay, just tell me what you know."

"You aren't going to stake him?"

“No. No. But we may have to kill the new vampire, ”Jeff answered.

Samantha thought this over carefully and Jeff could see her coming to terms with the thought.

“Okay. I can live with that. ”

“All right. Tell me everything. "

She did. In her perky, offbeat way, she rattled off the entire story. At times her eyes would

flare open with great drama and other times slit with disgust. It was obvious she was upset. It

was also very obvious she was certain Amaliya was a threat.

“And then he said her eyes glowed white, just like that Summoner guy! Which to me, says she

is totally on the bad guy's side and that she is snowing Cian, ”Samantha said at one point.

As he placed all his things in a big plastic bin, Jeff listened to every word she said with a

growing sense of dread. The Summoner was well known in the secret societies that deployed

vampire hunters across the world. He was legendary and reported dead every few decades only

to reappear later on. He was notorious for playing games with people, stalking them for years,

before finally destroying them. The Summoner had wiped out all the hunters in France within a

matter of days a few years ago. The only reason this was a known fact was because The

Summoner sent the dead vampire hunters after their English counterparts.

"When did she show up?"

"Wednesday."

“And it's Friday morning. Things changed that fast? "

“The first night, Cian was already being weird. Last night ... ”She got tears in her eyes. “He

went to bed without kissing me goodnight. Plus, he was mad at me. That never happens. Ever. "

Jeff shoved the plastic lid into place and heard it pop. Standing up, he scratched his side, then

sighed. “Okay. So Cian is changing. Are you sure he's just not, you know ... um .... doing it ... with

this new vamp and you're jealous? "

“He would not do that! It's worse than that. Seriously, she's making him- ”She looked startled,

her eyes widening even more. "Oh, God, she's making him dangerous."

Jeff leaned down and picked up the bin. “Okay. I just needed to make sure. My dad really

adored Cian despite him being a vampire. I don't want to undo what my father established with

him. ”

As he knew she would, she fell into step behind him, clutching her bag tightly to her, as he

walked out the back gate entrance into the alley parking area. His old Range Rover was parked in

the handicap spot and she frowned at him.

“You shouldn't park there just because you are the speaker,” she chided him.

“Fake leg,” Jeff answered and leaned down to rap on one of his calves. “A vampire tried to

pull me apart to punish my father. ”

"No shit?"

To his surprise, she leaned over and examined his fake foot. “Wow, it looks real. You can

even wear flip-flops. "

“You'd be surprised what they do nowadays,” he answered. He heaved the box into the back

seat and turned to her. “Look, what you are telling me is extremely serious just on the basis of

the possibility The Summoner is here. That is not a creature to be reckoned with. ”

"Does it hurt?" she blurted out, still staring at his artificial foot.

“Sometimes it itches,” he said with a grin.

"Wow."

He touched her shoulder to get her attention. “Listen, I think we need to talk more, but I need

to get back to my store. I have a clerk out sick and the other one is off at one. Come by the store

at eight. That is when I close the shop and do private consultations. I don't have anything

scheduled for tonight. ”

"What do you privately consult about?"

“Haunted houses, exorcisms, that sort of thing,” he answered.

“Wow. You're like- ”

"Don't say it."

"-Giles from Buffy."

He rolled his eyes. "If I had a quarter for every time someone said that."

She smiled impishly at him. “Okay. I'll be there. I don't want to be in the apartment when her

skanky ass wakes up anyway. "

Jeff couldn't help but laugh. “Well, considering everything you have told me, I actually think

it will be safer for you not to be there. ”

Samantha pouted, nodded her head, and then suddenly said, “Oh! Oh! You are going to tell

me about your Dad and Cian, right? "

“Yeah. I'll tell you all about that and some other stuff. But you have to promise me that you

will help me deal with this. "

"Like Buffy?"

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Yes. Like Buffy. ”

"Yay!" She grinned at him as he handed her his card. “I'll be there! Eight o'clock. ”

Jeff watched her as she bounced away, obviously feeling much better than she had earlier. He

understood what it was like to be consoled by the thought of actually being able to do something

about a dire situation.

Sliding into the Range Rover, he turned it on and listened to the engine try to turn over, then

catch after a slight cough. He definitely needed to get the SUV into the shop soon.

He pulled out of the parking spot and turned down the alley toward 29th St. He did feel

satisfied with how the lecture went, but the conversation afterward had him deeply concerned.

The pact between Cian and his father had remained intact since the Seventies and he would hate

to think that things were changing. The terms had been explicit. No other vampire but Cian

would be allowed to live in the city. Cian would kill or turn over any new vampires to the

hunters. In exchange, the hunters would leave Cian alone.

Sighing, Jeff donned his sunglasses and turned up the air conditioner. It was time to grow up

and fill his father's shoes. He just hoped he was up to it.

* * *

Amaliya awoke to utter darkness. Feeling drugged with sleep and needing blood, it took her a

moment to process that she was tightly bound. Abruptly claustrophobic and terrified, she began

to struggle. Something slick was pressed up against her face and she was compressed into a

small space. She tried to move and realized her hands were taped together and against her chest.

Panic gripped her, but she fought it back and tried to think straight. Managing to squeeze the

plastic between her fingers, she tried to push her nails through the slick material.

“Damn,” she whispered and tried not to completely lose her mind. She was terrified, but she

had to remember she didn't have to breathe, therefore, she couldn't smother to death.

Her nail poked through the plastic and she wedged her fingers through it. Desperately, she

began to tear at the black plastic. Filthy garbage leaked around her fingers and she cursed loudly.

Losing both her patience and her battle against panic, she threw her body back and forth as hard

as she could.

There was a loud cracking noise and then she fell sideways onto her side. She was still bound

and her legs were trapped in something that was pinching them hard, but now she was lying on

the ground. Instead of more black plastic and garbage being outside the hole she had torn, now

she could see the cement roof of a building. With renewed vigor, she tore at the plastic until she

could push her head through and looked around frantically.

She appeared to be in a multi-level parking garage. No cars were around and looking down

the sloped floor she saw the area she was in was roped off. Heavy blue tarps were hanging from

the ceiling to keep anyone from entering. A sign nearby read “Danger” and she realized the area

must be under some sort of renovations.

Sitting with her head poking out of the plastic, she could see her body was tightly restrained

in two trash bags with duct tape wound around it. Pissed, she tugged at the tape around her legs.

“If he wanted me gone, he could have just said so,” she mumbled.

It took awhile, but she finally got the tape off her legs and kicked the bottom bag off her.

Taking advantage of her hunger, she used her sharp teeth to gnaw through the tape on her wrists.

At last, she stood up, threw the bags away from her and looked around. She had busted her way

out of a large plastic trash bin and her duffel bag was still inside under a bag of garbage.

Disgusted beyond belief, she grabbed her stuff and noticed a note pinned to it.

Do not return to Austin. It is forbidden. - Cian

“Fucker,” she hissed. He could have just told her to leave.

She tore the note off, crumpled it up and tossed it in with the other garbage. Feeling like shit,

she moved toward the plastic curtains cutting her off from the rest of the parking garage. She

pulled back an edge and realized she was in the parking lot for the Riverwalk Mall in San

Antonio.

“Man, when you ditch a girl, you ditch a girl,” she bitched.

Holding her bag in front of her to cover her bloody shirt, she walked along until she found an

entrance and slipped inside. Luckily, no one was looking her way as she rushed down a side hall

to the women's bathroom. She was sure she looked like shit and she was still caked with blood.

Ignoring the empty mirror, she used the soap dispenser and a wad of paper towels to clean

herself off. She worked as fast as she could before anyone could enter. Once clean, she ducked

into a stall and switched out her clothes. To her dismay, she realized she was down to just a few

clean things now.

Dammit, she had to do laundry. Were vampires supposed to even do laundry?

The door to the bathroom opened and she heard a woman's voice speaking in Spanish.

Peeking out, she saw a beautiful young woman standing in front of the mirror checking her

makeup as she talked away into a bright pink phone.

The need inside of her drew black and wanting. She needed to feed. Slipping out of the stall

as quietly as possible, she moved toward the woman. As she knew it would, the mirror remained

devoid of her reflection and she crept up behind the girl on silent bare feet.

With one last laugh and a kiss into the phone, the girl clicked it shut and leaned forward to

touch up her lipstick.

Amaliya moved in to strike, her lips hovering just over the girl's shoulder. By the widening of

the girl's eyes, she knew her victim could see her out of her peripheral vision. The fact that her

prey could not spot Amaliya in the mirror froze the mortal in fear. It was ridiculously easy for

the vampire to spin her around and sink her teeth into her neck. She took four great gulps and

then licked the wounds closed. It took all her willpower, but she did not drain the girl dry. She

stepped back as the deeply tanned woman raised her hand to her neck, the terror in her eyes

keeping her still.

“Forget,” Amaliya whispered once, and pushed her power hard and deep into the young

woman.

Her victim staggered backward, then caught herself on the edge of the sink. Slowly, she

opened her eyes and put a hand to her forehead.

Amaliya retreated back into the bathroom stall as the pink phone started to ring. She smiled

with satisfaction when the girl said, “Babe, I need to eat. I almost fainted. Meet you at tony

Roma's. ”

* * *

Cian awoke knowing that something was wrong. At first, he could not fathom what it was, but

as he sat up, he realized he was alone.

“Amaliya,” he said softly, though he knew she would not answer.

She was gone from the chamber.

A flash of hot anger filled him and he hit the controls to open one wall. It rose and he leaped

out into his loft to find it strangely empty. Outside, the sky was nearly completely indigo with

just one brush stroke of lavender and pink on the horizon over the hills to the west. With

preternatural speed, he moved through the apartment, searching it in vain.

She was gone.

He was alone.

Even Roberto was missing.

Rubbing his bottom lip, he stood in the center of his living room and felt his anger growing

even more violent. Either The Summoner had found a way to violate his haven in the daylight

hours or he'd been betrayed. Only Samantha or Roberto could have taken Amaliya without

activating his survival instinct to awaken.

Where was Samantha? He looked over at his answering machine to see there were no

messages waiting to be heard. Of course, he had treated her rather badly the night before, so she

could be somewhere sulking. It felt odd not to have her waiting for him, ready to fling her arms

around his neck and shower him with kisses.

Sadly, he realized he was not as concerned about Samantha as he was about Amaliya's

whereabouts.

Behind him, the door opened and he moved to see down the hall. Roberto entered carrying a

Foley's bag and gave him a small smile.

"Good evening, Master."

"What did you do with her?"

Roberto didn't even hesitate in his steps as he made his way to the kitchen. “Nothing terrible. I

just removed her from your presence to bring her influence to an end. ”

"You had no right!" Cian's voice was harsh.

Roberto's eyes barely flicked toward him in recognition of his anger. He turned with a

stiffened back to place a new set of wine glasses on the counter.

"Roberto, you had no right to defy me."

“My role in your life is to protect you,” Roberto said after a beat. “To keep you from harm.

To be your guardian by day and your servant by night. I would hope that somewhere in the midst

of those duties, I am also your friend. ”

“You are my friend,” Cian admitted, but his emotions were choking him. “You had no right to

go against my wishes! What did you do with her? Did you kill her? ”

“Of course not. But I would have if I felt that had been necessary. After careful

consideration, I decided that her influence merely needed to be removed. She would have left

anyway. I just moved her along more quickly. ”

Cian hissed through his teeth and flung out one hand. “And why would you do that? Why? ”

“Because she is making you weak! She has already brought The Summoner to your city! Do

you understand that you are endangering everything we fought for? Everything we created? I can

endure Samantha because she is simply annoying and not a threat, but Amaliya is much more

than that. It is not who she is, but what she is. The Summoner's pawn. And despite yourself, my

Master, you are already deeply in love with her and what she brings out in you. ”

Cian took in his words, understanding them as truth, but not ready to admit it. “Where is

she? "

Roberto's hands gripped the edge of the cement counter top and said in a low voice, “Let her

be. Let her go. Return to the way your life was. "

“I can't,” Cian said in a low voice. “I can't because it wasn't real. I can see that now. I created

this illusion to make myself comfortable. I lied to myself that I could recapture what was lost

when The Summoner created me and I slaughtered everyone who ever meant anything to me.

I've been lying to myself and worst of all, to Samantha. "

“Then let them both go and be who you truly are,” Roberto said in a soft voice.

Cian drew closer to Roberto and his eyes flashed red. “Roberto, you have been at my side

nearly one hundred years. If there is anything you should know about me is that I do what I

please and what I believe is right. "

“And sometimes you are wrong.”

"Where is she?" Cian smashed his fist down on the counter near Roberto's hands and the

counter cracked and the edge crumbled.

Slowly, Roberto drew his hands back and pulled himself up even straighter. “You cannot set

right what is already wrong. Let her go. Remember that you have won your own battle with The

Summoner and let her do the same. "

“Roberto, I will not ask you again. Where is she? ” Cian looked at his old friend with despair

and frustration. He could not believe that his own servant would defy him, but yet again, for

years, it had only been him and Roberto, struggling to carve out a life for themselves. They had

been complimentary partners in crime for almost a century, but it was now obvious that they

were at a crossroads.

“San Antonio,” Roberto said finally.

"You dumped her in Santos' territory?" Cian was shocked. “Do you realize what he will do to

her? "

"If she's smart, she'll move on before he finds her."

“This is Amaliya we are talking about,” Cian snapped and headed toward his phone.

“Let her go,” Roberto said once more. "Let her go or she will ruin you."

Cian snatched up the phone and dialed. Pushing his shoulder-length hair out of his face, he

frowned deeply. His beard and hair were now the same length as when he had died. It never took

more than a few days for his appearance to revert.

Santos, the Master Vampire of San Antonio, did not answer his private cell phone. Instead, a

feisty Mariachi piece played and ended with a loud whoop, then the beep sounded.

“Santos, this is Cian. One of my cabal may be in your city. She's a fledgling and not very

clever. I will retrieve her if this is approved by you. Please call me back so we can discuss

terms. "

He hung up and stared at the phone. Resisting the urge to throw it or crush it, he set it down

on his desk.

“She'll be the end of you,” Roberto predicted.

“Then so be it,” Cian said.

He turned and walked toward the stairs. He would get ready and wait for Santos to respond. If

she was lucky, Amaliya would not be found by Santos' people. But if she was unlucky, he had to

be fully fed and ready to heal her.

“Cian,” Roberto's voice said from behind him.

Cian turned as he reached the first step and saw Roberto lingering near the dining room table.

"I did it because I love you."

“I know,” Cian said softly, and he walked upstairs feeling the heavy, sad weight of Roberto's

bitter gaze.

* * *

Amaliya slowly strode along the crowded walk that wound around the entire Riverwalk area

below street level in downtown San Antonio. Since it was Friday night, people were everywhere:

heading into clubs, strolling, shopping, and sitting down to dinner along the edge of the river.

The atmosphere was exciting and festive.

Children darted around her as they dashed about excitedly. Swerving around couples walking

hand in hand, she almost felt human and it felt great. All she needed to do was get her bearings,

figure out where she was going, and get back on the road.

At least the bastard had added another two thousand dollars to her stash of cash. Going away

money, she assumed. It should last her a bit longer.

She was feeling better now and enjoyed the energy of the people around her. She had fed off

of three different females that had come alone into the restroom. Luckily, she had been lurking in

a restroom tucked away from the main walkway and did not have to worry about being

interrupted.

She was passing one of the many stairways that led up to the street level when she was

snagged from behind. Two massive Mexicans grabbed her arms as another snatched away her

bag.

“Do not fuck with me boys,” she warned and tried to wrench free.

They didn't budge and their grip remained secure. Slowly, she realized they were not human.

Dammit.

“Um. Hi? "

“Let's go,” one of them said with a grim smile.

“Santos is going to love this one,” the smaller guy with the super short hair decided. “Yeah.

This one will be fun. ”

"Look, I'm just passing through and-"

“No vampire just passes through nowhere. You're in our territory now, puta. Better hope

Santos is in a good mood. ”

The big guy took a firm hold of her as if she was his girlfriend, his huge arm slung over her

shoulders.

Amaliya tried to break free one more time, but she was held securely in place against the

beefy man.

“Oh, shit,” she whispered and was escorted away into the night.