A Vampire for Christmas(3)

Charlotte didn’t care how desperate or at the end of her rope she was. She had scruples and self-respect. Even though she and Kari worked in different industries, she’d never sleep with a client. If she couldn’t land a design job on her own merits, then it wasn’t meant to be.

The beehive stopped again—this time to take off someone’s shoes. Charlotte sighed. She’d had enough. The parking lot was on the next block and, from where she stood, she could see the red car she’d parked next to. She bypassed the group, dancing out of the way as a woman flung her arm out dramatically, and continued down the sidewalk.

Served her right for going out on a weeknight anyway. She reviewed tomorrow’s busy schedule in her head. A few client meetings and she couldn’t forget to check on a delivery. Mrs. Wilson would be really upset if her new dining table didn’t arrive as scheduled. Charlotte had redecorated the woman’s home, convincing her that the dated old table had to go. With the holidays right around the corner, Charlotte was afraid Mrs. Wilson would have kittens if the new one didn’t come in soon.

As she stepped off the curb, something flashed in the corner of her eye. She glimpsed a pale blue Volkswagen Beetle parked in front of a Dumpster in the alleyway. Peering into the shadows beyond it, she saw nothing but darkness. She moved to the far edge of the sidewalk anyway and picked up her pace.

A breeze blew past her, its icy blast ruffling her hair. She shivered. Taking a bath in a tub filled with hot soapy water up to her earlobes was sounding like the best idea she’d had all day.

As she pulled her coat up around her neck, her heel caught in one of the cracks of the cobblestones. She tried to catch herself, but she lost her balance and hit the ground fast. A jolt of pain shot through her wrist.

Something sounded behind her. Laughter, maybe?

God, how embarrassing. Could this evening get any worse?

She winced at the pain as she pushed herself up. Had the women seen her? She glanced around, but the beehive had crossed the street and were on the next block over, just as oblivious as ever.

Only the wind, she decided. She brushed tiny bits of gravel from the heel of her hand and wondered whether it was bad enough to warrant being iced when she got home. Her ankle, too. Damn. The next time she talked to Kari, she’d—

There was a whisper, then a shuffle of feet.

She whipped her head around and surveyed her surroundings. Nothing but an empty sidewalk lined with colorful awnings, large potted plants and—

A shadow on the ground outside the vintage clothing store she’d just passed looked a little odd. She narrowed her eyes. It definitely didn’t match those cast by the plants in a nearby pot. It seemed thicker. Like…a person.

Was someone hiding behind one of the trees? Was…was someone following her? A cold lick of fear snaked down her spine, threatening to morph into panic.

She walked away as fast as she could without running, her heels clicking efficiently. It was nothing, she told herself. These buildings were filled with apartments and condos above the ground floor. Probably just a tenant. At night, spooky things were easy to imagine. Besides, if she screamed right now, a zillion people would run to her aid.

Thank God her car was near—she could see the bumper now.

When she glanced back over her shoulder to reassure herself that it was just her crazy imagination, she almost choked. Two dark figures, less than twenty feet away, were coming straight toward her. Something dangled from one guy’s hand. A rope?

Dread settled over her like a wet blanket.

Ignoring the pain in her wrist, she turned and ran. She pressed the remote on her key ring. The taillights on her car blinked, the chirp chirp a friendly hello. She’d jump in and quickly lock her doors. Should she use the button on the door handle to lock it behind her or use the remote? Remote, she decided, as she sprinted into the parking lot.

Wait. The panic button on her car alarm. She could hit that and—

A large man stepped from the shadows between two cars and jerked at the tie around his neck.

Arms flailing, she slid to a halt on the loose gravel.

As he stormed straight at her, a roaring, rushing sound rang loudly in her ears. Oh, God, he was going to use it to tie her up. This had to be a setup.

Before she could scramble and change direction, he strode up and steadied her with a large hand. She wanted to shrink away from him, but he held her upright. Thanks to the overhead streetlight, much of his face was in shadow. All she could make out was the hard set of his jaw and a steely glint in his eyes as he surveyed the darkness behind her.