Lisa swallowed hard and summoned up her courage. “Tell me what you
think
happened — why someone wanted to kill John.”
“John went to the university to talk to a professor about his talent.” Corinne looked straight into Lisa’s eyes. “You know what I’m talking about — his ability to know certain things before they happened.” She took Lisa’s hand in hers. “It was how we managed to save you. John knew you were in danger, and I was able to open the trunk of the car.” She closed her eyes, remembering finding her mother’s battered body lying next to Lisa. Her heart gave a lurch, and she forced her mind away from the haunting memories. “The university sent him to the Morrison Center, which does psychic research. John felt strongly that we should be using our talents to help others.”
“Because of me; because you saved my life,” Lisa said softly.
“He thought maybe he could save others,” Corinne confirmed gently. “A few weeks later, he told me he thought someone was following him. He became secretive. You saw the changes in him. He left that morning to meet someone. He was nervous, edgy, and he wouldn’t say why. I don’t know if he had started working with them and discovered they were doing something illegal. You know John — he would have wanted to go to the authorities. Dayan suspects that the people who murdered John are part of some organization who fanatically believe in the existence of vampires.”
Lisa’s lips parted in an O shape, and her blue eyes went wide with shock. “You can’t believe that nonsense. That man is crazy. Vampires! Good God, Corinne, he must be mentally ill!”
“Dayan’s right,” Cullen said as he entered the room carrying two cups of steaming liquid. “I belonged to the organization at one time. They investigate anyone who appears the least bit different. Most of those on the bottom rung are kids who love anything gothic and like to pretend they believe in vampires. They think it’s all fun and games, but the information they supply often determines who is under investigation. Those at the top are very serious about killing anyone they think is a vampire. They do it in a ritualistic way. A stake through the heart, garlic in the mouth, beheading — the whole bit. These people are fanatical, and they’re killers.”
Lisa was staring at him in horror. “You joined something so stupid? Why would you do that?”
“I believe vampires exist,” Cullen admitted. “I saw one.” He kept his gaze fixed on Lisa, waiting for shock, for condemnation. Waiting to lose his chance with her.
Corinne and Lisa exchanged one long look. They were suddenly very aware they were alone in a house with someone they didn’t know very well. And the man was probably very ill. Last night, when Dayan was talking to her, Corinne thought he’d made perfect sense, but now it all seemed totally insane.
Cullen handed each of them a cup of tea. “Don’t look at me that way. I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not crazy. There was a time I thought I was losing my mind. Several years ago, I was engaged and my fiancйe and I had gone out to dinner. At that time there was a serial killer loose in the city. He targeted women, and their bodies were always drained of blood. My fiancйe was murdered that night, and I witnessed it. I saw him bite her neck and drain the blood out of her. I saw it with my own eyes. He would have killed me too, but something interrupted him.” He tapped his finger against the palm of his hand. “
I saw
him kill her. No one would believe me. I wasn’t drinking. I don’t use drugs, but the cops wanted to lock me up in a mental institution instead of listening to me. Those in the organization listened to me. Unfortunately, my anger and terror bought me a membership into the inner sanctum of the group.” He tried not to sound bitter, but even after all this time he still felt the pain of that time. He looked directly at Lisa. “I swear to you, I’m not crazy. I saw a monster. I saw it.”
There was a look on his face, totally vulnerable, very sad. Lisa wanted to cry. There was an actual pain in her chest. It was all she could do not to run to him and comfort him. She didn’t know what he had witnessed that horrible night, but he certainly believed he’d seen a vampire. “I know you’re not crazy, Cullen,” she said softly.
Cullen stared at her a moment longer, then began to blink rapidly, fighting some strong emotion. When he looked away, Lisa caught the sheen of tears in his eyes, and a large lump in her throat threatened to choke her.
She was happy she hadn’t blurted out a condemnation. Whatever he had seen that night had changed his life for all time. Lisa knew about murder and trauma.
She glanced apprehensively at Corinne and caught her watching her thoughtfully. For no reason at all, Lisa found herself blushing. “What?”
“Don’t ‘what’ me.” Corinne took a cautious sip of tea. “Mmm, perfect, Cullen, thank you. I think you’ve revived me. I swear I was so sleepy I didn’t think I could ever get up.” Her hand crept up to cover a spot on her neck, just over her pulse, where she felt a sudden warmth, as if Dayan’s mouth had moved over her skin.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t take you to the doctor just to be on the safe side?” Lisa asked anxiously.
“Believe it or not,” Cullen said, “I sometimes wake up that way in the middle of the afternoon. I actually have to go back to sleep. I think when you hang out with musicians, you start staying up most of the night and then you start sleeping all day like a bat. I’ve seen Dayan stay up all night just playing his guitar. When he plays, I can’t seem to walk away and just quit listening. I tell myself to go to bed, but then I don’t do it. I’ve seen a packed house stay that way all night, even when no one is drinking anymore. They just don’t go home until he stops playing.”
“Last night,” Corinne said, “not one person went near Dayan when he stepped off the stage and we were dancing. The crowd just opened up and let him through. No one asked for his autograph, no one tried to talk to him, none of the girls even went up to flirt with him. When we went outside, not one single person attempted to stop him. Explain that to me.”
“I noticed that too,” Lisa said. “I was certain they would crush him, but no one went near him.”
Cullen shrugged. “He’s like that. I can’t explain it, but I’ve seen it often enough. They come in wanting to meet him, they talk about it at the bar and on the dance floor. I’ve heard them, the women. They flirt outrageously while he’s on the stage, but when he puts down his guitar, when he’s finished playing, he always does the same thing. He looks at the audience just once and then he steps off the stage. No one ever approaches him. I honestly think he has some kind of look that terrifies everyone. He can scare the hell out of me when he looks a certain way. I’ve also wondered if maybe he’s a psychic and simply warns everyone to leave him alone.” He looked at Lisa. “Did you want to meet him?” He seemed to be holding his breath, waiting for her answer. “Was that why you went to the bar last night?”
Lisa shook her head. “I wanted to surprise Corinne. She loves music, and she’s always talking about the Dark Troubadours. A friend called to tell me Dayan was playing.”
Cullen arched an eyebrow. “A friend?”
Lisa smiled. “Bruce, an associate I work with. I did joke about meeting Dayan, but once I was in the bar all I could think about was...” She trailed off, the color rising steadily in her cheeks.
Corinne nudged her teasingly. Lisa scowled fiercely over her teacup, signaling Corinne to silence. Corinne smirked at her. Cullen looked at them both, and a slow grin spread across his face.
Corinne opened her mouth to tease Lisa some more, but words faded from her mind. Everything faded but the knowledge of Dayan’s presence. She could feel the burning weight of his stare. She turned her head slowly, knowing he was standing in the doorway. A moment before, the doorway had been empty, and in the next instant it was filled with his powerful frame. He was simply standing there in total silence, his hungry gaze fixed on her face.