Kissed by Darkness(29)

I closed my own eyes, took a deep breath, and looked again. This time my own moss-green eyes stared back. Just me. Only me. The warrior was gone, but I knew who he was. He was the knight I’d been dreaming about. The one who’d been attacked in the cave by the ancient vampire, the one who’d felt so familiar. The one who looked suspiciously like Jack right down to the little nick on his chin. And now he was invading my waking life as well as my dreams. So not good.

I pushed the vision away and headed out the door. I’d face all this weirdness later. Much later. Right now I had a vampire to find.







I loved my car, I really did. These days with the whole energy crisis thing, it was not entirely PC to love your car, but I did.

Ever since I was a kid, I’d wanted a Mustang. Not just any Mustang, either, but a classic red one. So, the minute I moved back to the US, I bought myself a beautiful 1965 Mustang in mint condition. Then I pulled an act so sacrilegious it’d probably get me hanged in some circles. I yanked out the gas guzzling V8 engine and put in an Eco-friendly electric engine. It no longer had the throaty grumble of a classic muscle car, but it could go fast enough and it didn’t spew crap into the air.

I was all about the environment. We might quite literally go to hell in a hand basket before we ever ran out of fuel, but until then I would do my part to save the planet both from demons and pollution. How awesome was I?

I had just pulled out of the drive when my mobile rang. It was Cordelia. I frowned. How odd. I pulled over and let the car idle by the curb while I took the call. “Hey, Cordelia. What’s up?”

“Are you OK?”

Was I OK? Now that was a loaded question. “Um, yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

She paused for rather longer than I thought necessary. “Something is awakening in you, Morgan,” she said softly. “It has me worried. I’m not sure you’re ready to handle it.”

Something was awakening in me? What on earth did that mean? “I’m fine, Cordelia, really. Just a bit tired.” I rubbed the middle of my forehead where a headache was starting to form.

“So, you haven’t been … seeing things?”

Crap. “Just, um, some weird dreams, you know. But that’s all they are. Just dreams.”

“So, nothing in the waking world?” she probed.

Great. Just great. How did she know I was seeing things? “I’m fine, Cordelia.” It wasn’t an answer, but I wasn’t about to let her know I was seeing Crusaders in my bedroom mirror. That just sounded nuts. “I’ve just got a vampire to hunt, an amulet to find and I’ve got to figure out how to save the life of a bloody Sunwalker. I’m a little stressed.” My voice was going a little high pitched and whiny. I hated when it did that.

“So, you’ve discovered the Sunwalker is more than he seems?” I could hear the smile in her voice. In fact, her voice sounded downright smug.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ve gotta go. Vampire to hunt, remember?”

She laughed and for a minute my headache went away. “OK, Morgan. Go get your vampire. You might want to check the Waterfront tonight.”

The Waterfront. Right. “Sure. I’ll do that. Thanks, Cordelia.”







I liked the Waterfront. Much like the Park Blocks, Waterfront Park was one of those odd mixtures of peacefulness and energy. It sliced its way through the heart of the city along the seawall right on the edge of the Willamette River. If Pioneer Courthouse Square was considered Portland’s living room, then Waterfront Park was its playground. All summer long it played host to a plethora of festivals from the Blues Festival to the Bite of Portland. When it wasn’t acting as the site of a citywide party, it was the home away from home for skate boarders, a romantic spot for couples in love, and a fun place for kids and grownups alike to escape the heat in its giant fountain. And through it all there was the river rushing on its way toward the ocean.

I might have been an air sign, but I’d always had a bit of a thing for water. I might’ve preferred wind to rain, but give me a raging river or a pounding ocean and I was a happy girl. So, I guess if I had to hunt a vampire, the Waterfront was the place to do it.

I parked the car a couple of blocks from the Waterfront. The World Trade Center buildings were near the Waterfront, and ever since 9/11, parking had been restricted due to security concerns. It was a pain, but what could you do?

I always carried a couple of weapons on me. Never knew when they’d come in handy. I rarely weaponed up fully, however, until I’d actually found the vamp I was looking for. This time, though, Cordelia had given me the heads up, and I was starting to realize that when Cordelia gave you the heads up, you’d better listen, so I was going in fully loaded. In addition to my usual built-in boot knife and favorite bra stiletto knife, I slid a small sword into its sheath which was slung at an angle across the back of my leather jacket, strapped a blade bracelet on each of my wrists, and slipped a couple of silver tipped metal spikes into my belt.