She spotted an empty space where the gargoyle she killed must have been sitting. The Gothic style architecture was fitting for a vampire.
The landscape would be very austere in the winter time. Like something out of an Edgar Allen Poe poem. They entered the front door of the home. The three vampires first, she and the ghouls and the jester followed behind them.
She was led down a long hallway and through a double set of doors. Harley didn’t have much time to look at the outside or the interior. They entered a large sitting room, or perhaps a parlor. At the far end of the room, a large fireplace was lit with a roaring fire.
Several black chairs sat around the fireplace in a semi-circle. The ghouls stopped half way into the room. The vampires and the jester walked up to the back of the middle chair, kneeling behind it.
“Master we have brought one of the intruders. The others were gone by the time we arrived. This one killed one of the gargoyles.” The female vampire spoke in almost reverent tones.
“Bring the captive forward, Zoe.”
The ghouls tugged at her. She nearly fell onto the floor. Her body ached, and the blood from her arm was still slowly flowing. It should have coagulated long ago. She would need to seek medical attention.
Her mind reeled with the possibilities as they approached the other side of the room. She was too tired to fight, but she would if she must.
The ghouls dragged her past the back of the seats and in front of whoever spoke earlier.
Harley got her first glimpse of the vampire she knew set the wards. She could feel the power rolling off him. She hadn’t felt it earlier and wondered if he had blocked her. Ancient vampires had a lot of powers. She was guessing this was one of them.
He was stunningly gorgeous. Almost pretty, but he was too masculine to be called pretty. His long blonde hair fell beyond his shoulders. She couldn’t tell how long it was since he was seated. His eyes were blue, the color of a cloudless sky. They were nearly luminescent in the semi-darkness.
His chin was chiseled and had just the right amount of stubble on it. He had the most sensuous set of lips, she had ever seen.
She had the nearly uncontrollable urge to kiss them. His wide shoulders were clothed in a black velvet jacket. Harley noticed for the first time the chairs around the fire were also black velvet.
He seemed to be studying her as much as she was studying him. The silence stretched on as each looked the other one over.
He had a white shirt underneath the velvet jacket that was unbuttoned showing a light covering of chest hair. His skin wasn’t as pale as she thought it would have been. Perhaps he was old enough, or powerful enough to be a day walker.
He finally spoke. His voice was smooth, warm, it sent shivers down her spine.
“Release her. Let her sit.” He motioned for Harley to sit in the seat beside him.
“Please tell me your reason for trespassing on my property and for killing one of my gargoyles.”
“I’m part of the region's paranormal response team. I’m the witch that goes with them on their biggest cases. I cover from Tulsa to Dallas and everything in between.”
“A group of college students reported a gargoyle sighting. As part of the response team, I came to investigate.”
“We found the college students murdered in the circle that your underlings found me in. The gargoyle had torn them to shreds.”
“I had to kill the gargoyle to not only save myself but to save the rest of the paranormal response team.”
He studied her while she talked. She had the sense he knew she was telling the truth.
“I thought your energy tasted witch like. I’d say you are from a very powerful and old blood line.”
He turned to the jester. “Aiden, go get something to bandage our guest's arm. I wouldn’t want anyone to be tempted by all that delicious smelling blood.”
“Now, why don’t you tell me your name? I do believe you will be spending the night, while my associates verify your identity. One can’t be too careful after all.”
Harley found herself nearly smiling. “My name is Harley. Harlowe Kelly if you need to look me up. You can find my agency information easy enough.”
“Hmm. Harlowe Kelly. I may have heard of you. Tell me, Miss Kelly, how did you kill my gargoyle?”
“I used a sword. I’d also like to know whose hospitality I will be enjoying this evening.”
He nodded his head in mock formality. His words were succinct, sending energy through her body with each one. “I’m Luciano. Zoe, please escort our guest up to a room. Allow her to freshen up, and rest.”
While Harley didn’t like the idea of staying here, if she was at least semi-safe, it would be the easiest thing to do. She was out of other ideas.
CHAPTER FIVE
The three vampires escorted Harley to a rather comfortable looking bedroom. The room was decorated in deep purple Victorian Goth.
She would have loved this room under other circumstances. She heard a distinct click when Zoe and her two cohorts left and knew she was locked inside the room.
Though she was told by her host, Luciano, she was a guest, she knew she was really a prisoner at his mercy. He had taken her cell phone. For that matter, her boots were still back in the circle.
Her feet were cut, bruised and raw. The wound on her arm still bled and had begun to throb with the
