She closed her eyes and saw the subject of her wild need painted in her mind.
Still inhabiting the body of Viktor, Dru’s dream-self was shocked to see the image of her own face.
Viktor’s memories of her flashed past while she was still reeling - images of herself standing behind the desk, positively radiant in Viktor’s eyes, the thrill of her pulse visible to him through the honeyed skin of her pale neck.
She saw herself, saint-like and glowing in his eyes, sunlight emanating from her hair so pure he could taste it, her smile like rain in the desert.
Was this really how he saw her?
Something like love but more frightening enveloped them, binding him close to her.
Another hunger sizzled under her borrowed skin and urged the throbbing of Viktor’s ghostlike heart.
Twin urges threatened to tear them to pieces.
I need to stay with her, to protect her always.
I have to leave her, my very existence is a danger to her.
She felt his battle to restrain himself, the tightness in his chest as he fought to circle in her orbit without crashing himself into her as his body and soul demanded.
Church bells rang as he gazed into her eyes.
The bells grew harsh as her image faded.
Dru awoke to the jangling bell sound of her phone alarm.
She sat up in bed and looked at the window. The last rays of the sun were still visible in the afternoon sky.
But Viktor would be awake soon.
A delicious shiver went through her at the thought and she hugged herself, trying to shake the dream and slip back into reality.
5
Half an hour later, showered and dressed, Dru headed downstairs to find something to eat.
“Holy crap, you missed so much,” Hailey called to her from the desk.
“I’m kind of starving, can you hold that thought?” Dru asked.
Hailey rolled her eyes.
“Go ahead. Though how you can eat at a time like this, I have no idea.”
Dru laughed and headed for the dining room.
There was still no Constance, and the whole place was pretty much on lockdown.
But the cereal, bread and toaster were still out from breakfast. Dru made herself big bowl of sweet cereal and a couple of pieces of buttered toast and poured herself out a big cup of apple juice.
She carried her meal back to the lobby and sat at the small table in front of the fireplace. Though the heat was on again she was still drawn to the fire. It felt like she might never be warm again.
Hailey came over and sat down right away.
“You eat,” she said. “I’ll catch you up.”
“Thanks,” Dru replied around a bite of toast. “So what’s going on?”
“Okay, I’ll start with the hotel,” Hailey said. “As you can tell by the fact that it doesn’t sound like an F-15 is landing outside, the power is back on and the generator is no longer needed.”
“I hadn’t noticed that, actually,” Dru said. “But now that you mention it, it’s pretty nice.”
“Agreed,” Hailey said. “The tree is out of the way. There are giant logs all over the place on the lawn, but it’s possible to get up and down the drive now.”
“Even better,” Dru said.
“But here’s the bad news,” Hailey told her. “No one is allowed to go in or out until the police are finished. And they’re taking their time.”
“Really?” Dru asked, feeling a little hopeless.
“Channing said you figured the whole thing out,” Hailey said.
“Yeah,” Dru told her. “Only because I came across that newspaper. But I guess they still have to investigate.”
Dru wasn’t about to say it, but she’d wondered about just how lucky she’d gotten by finding that article. Was it really luck, or was there something more going on? She knew the rumors about the old place being haunted. What if someone, or something, had wanted her to find that paper?
But she had enough going on just dealing with mobsters and vampires. There was no need to bring ghosts into the mix.
“You’re a real Nancy Drew,” Hailey commended her. “I’m sure they’ll find what they need to support your theory, and we’ll all get some hot food again.”
“That would be nice,” Dru said, looking down at her half-eaten cereal. “And technically, we’re both Nancy Drews. I never would have looked twice at that newspaper if you hadn’t turned us on to the whole witness protection thing by noticing Brian’s clothes.”
Hailey gave her a little nod of acknowledgement and then stole a piece of her toast.
There was really only one question on Dru’s mind.
“Did they find Johnny?” she asked quietly.
Dru was pretty sure Hailey would have told her right away if the man trying to murder her had turned up. But she was going to hold out hope as long as possible.
Hailey shook her head, sadly.
“Is the internet back up again?” Dru asked, trying not to show her disappointment.
“Yes,” Hailey said with her mouth full of toast, looking delighted that Dru had asked. “I was saving that excellent news for last.”
“Thank God,” Dru said. “I kind of left my monster hunter group at a rough moment.”
“Oh yeah?” Hailey asked.
Crap.
Dru trusted Hailey with her life, but she couldn’t bring herself to start a conversation about vampires.
“Just, you know, the murder and everything,” Dru said weakly.
“Sure,” Hailey agreed. “Do you want to hear about everyone they’ve been questioning?”
“Did you sit in?” Dru asked. “Did they make you take notes?”
“Nah, I’m nobody’s secretary,” Hailey teased. “But I could see everyone going in and out of the sitting room from here. Crazy stuff.”
The last of the pink sunset was draining from the room, leaving the windows deep blue. Dru lost the train of Hailey’s description as a sensation of lightness filled her being. It was followed by a gentle tug, as if a rope were tied around her heart and someone was flicking it playfully.
“Oh,” Dru said, standing.
“You okay?” Hailey asked, looking up at her.
But the tug was replaced by a steady pull.
It felt like she was at the bottom of a swimming pool with her lungs full of air, the pressure building, pushing her upward.
Viktor.
She could feel his presence enveloping hers with a warm insistence.
“Where are you going?” Hailey asked, her tone slightly whiney.
Dru realized she was ascending the stairs, without having consciously made the decision to go.
“I-I have to go,” she murmured.
Viktor is awake.
6
Dru was on the landing when Channing spotted her on his way down the corridor.
“Dru,” he called to her delightedly. “You’re awake.”
“Hello,” she said, trying to focus on him even as she felt herself drawn toward Viktor’s rooms.
“We’ve got internet access again,” Channing said, jumping right in. “And the police have access to their records, of course.”
“That’s great,” Dru told him distractedly.