Forbidden Nights with a Vampire(100)

 

"Good," Connor said. "Phil, as soon as the sun sets in yer location, I want ye to call Phineas. He'll pick you up. By then we should know where Sigismund has stopped, and we'll be gathering there to attack."

 

"Will do." Phil hung up. He drummed his fingers on the table. It would be another hour or two before the sun set in western Wyoming.

 

As soon as night fell, Phil jumped into the cellar to see Vanda. He heard her first gasping breath as she came back to life. "Hey, sweetheart."

 

She sat up. "What's going on?"

 

"I have to leave soon. Phineas will come to get me."

 

She rose to her feet. "Then the battle is tonight?"

 

"Yes. I bought you some weapons today, just in case, and a cell phone so you can teleport. I want you to know you can stay here as long as you like. If anything happens to me—"

 

"No!" She dashed toward him at vampire speed and threw her arms around his neck. "Nothing's going to happen to you."

 

He held her tight. "I love you, Vanda."

 

"I feel the same way about you," she whispered. "I know you have a great future ahead of you."

 

He started to kiss her, but she jumped back.

 

"I need to eat." She levitated up to the ground floor.

 

He jumped through the opening and shut the trap door. Vanda was already pulling a bottle of synthetic blood from the ice chest. Brynley was standing by the kitchen table, where he'd left his weapons. He embraced her, then strapped on a shoulder holster and inserted his handgun.

 

He picked up his cell phone and called Phineas.

 

Within seconds the young Vamp was there. "Yo, wolf-bro." He shared a knuckle pound with Phil. Then he noticed Vanda and winced. "Oops, hope I didn't blow the big secret."

 

"She knows." Phil looked at Vanda and smiled. "She loves me the way I am."

 

Vanda smiled back. "Yes, I do."

 

"This is my sister, Brynley." Phil motioned to her.

 

"Whoa, a lady wolf. Dr. Phang at your service." Phineas shook her hand.

 

Phil noticed the boys on the front porch, peering through the windows. "And this is the young wolf pack. Future employees of MacKay S & I."

 

"Excellent." Phineas waved at the boys. "Looking good, dudes."

 

Vanda approached the kitchen table, sipping from her bottle of blood. "Phineas, how is Dougal?"

 

"He's okay. He's learning how to fence with his left hand." Phineas frowned. "He insisted on coming to the battle tonight, and Angus let him. Angus is worried about us being outnumbered, but we have more than seventy Vamps there now."

 

"Where?" Phil asked.

 

"A campground just south of Mount Rushmore," Phineas said. "Are you ready?"

 

"Yes." Phil gave his sister a quick hug and Vanda a quick kiss. "Remember, I love you."

 

She nodded, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

 

"Let's go." Phil grabbed onto Phineas, and everything went black.

 

They landed in a small clearing next to a stream. The moon shone overhead, still full. It glittered on the gurgling water and reflected off large gray boulders. The air was fresh with the scent of pine.

 

"The campground is farther down this stream," Phineas whispered. "Come on, let's get you a sword." He led Phil upstream to a pile of boulders. Dougal was standing guard by a stash of weapons.

 

Phil greeted him quietly and clapped him on the back.

 

Dougal gave him a wry smile. "They doona trust me to fight yet, so this is my job."

 

"It's a damned important job," Phineas muttered. He selected a sword.

 

Phil picked one that felt good in his hand.

 

"Angus sent Ian to scout the campground," Dougal whispered.

 

"Ian's back from his honeymoon?" Phil asked.

 

Dougal nodded. "He and Toni came back when they heard about Robby. In fact, about every MacKay employee I've ever met is here."

 

"Come on." Phineas led Phil to a nearby clearing where the Vamps had gathered.

 

It was true. Every male Vamp Phil had ever met was here, plus others whom he'd never met. Even Laszlo was here, nervously fidgeting with a sword. Emma was sticking close to him like a protective mother hen. Colbert GrandPied had come with four men. Phil recalled he'd had six men in New Orleans. Two must have died in the battle there.

 

Phil stopped next to the other shifters.

 

"If things get bad, I'm going to shift," Carlos said. "I'll be a lot more effective as a panther."

 

Phil nodded. He would stay in human form as long as possible, but draw on the power of the wolf for super strength and speed.