Page 33 of Their Haunted Hearts
Thirty-Two
He’d waited until full dark and then, hidden in his truck in the forest, he buzzed down his window and stared across the road at the corn maze. At the entrance two bales of hay stood to each side with grinning jack-o’-lanterns barely visible under the sliver of moonlight. Come Halloween they would light the lanterns and offer the public a chance to walk through the maze to discover the center, where candy would be laid out for the children. This time they would find something much more exciting. He opened the door slowly, making sure the interior light didn’t illuminate the body lying beside him.
He gathered her into his arms, surprised how much lighter she’d become. Without the blood, her face appeared hollow, like a recently shed snakeskin. Stanton was deserted, with most people asleep in their beds and no one around to hear his boots clatter across the blacktop. The wind rustled through the cornstalks like waves on the sea and as he entered the maze they shivered as if watching him. Underfoot, dead stalks and yellow leaves littered the ground, their denseness covering his footprints. It was all part of his plan. His illusion. To most people, a vampire slayer was nothing more than a myth—until they met him.
When the weight of the body shifted in his arms, he glanced down at her face. Empty eyes stared back at him and her slightly parted blue lips almost smiled. She no longer resisted him. He’d tamed her, bent her to his will, and she was no longer a threat. “Soon you will be at peace. I will make sure you will not rise in the morning.”
Darkness spread out before him but he’d memorized the way to go. He’d watched the men cut the maze earlier and place the two hay bales in the very center. They’d spread a Halloween tablecloth over them, ready to be covered with candy. Halloween props, severed hands, skeletal heads with flashing eyes, and grinning jack-o’-lanterns decorated the pathways, but none would be as good or more memorable than his.
With each step the cornstalks seemed to reach out to pull her from his arms as if she had the power to make them live again. Like her, they were just the shell of a once-living thing. He laid her down and stood back, staring down at her. The nightgown flowed down over her legs, making her appear to be innocent—perfect. With care, he arranged her hair, using his comb to smooth it down over her shoulders. He watched as the breeze moved it, making her seem almost alive but he’d never allow that to happen. He pulled the stake from his back pocket and, taking it in his gloved hand, raised it high before plunging it deep into her heart.
No blood, only a sigh came from her body. He lifted her arms and folded her hands below the stake and then raised her chin and arranged her hair again, to display the vampire marks. He knelt beside her, inhaling his creation, imprinting the image of her in his mind and wondered how the sheriff would react when she found her. A wolf howled in the distance and he smiled. Like him there was never just one wolf. Men like him roamed the country, ridding the world of vampires. It soon would be time for him to go. One more and he’d be gone—until next year.
Thirty-Three
Thursday
“Da-dee. Da-dee. Da-dee.” Jackson pounded his tiny fists on the side of the bed and then pulled at the blankets.
“Mommy said to let him sleep.” Tauri’s voice crept into Kane’s muddled dreams.
As Jackson let out a scream of protest, Kane opened one eye and looked at him. “Where’s Mommy?”
When Jackson giggled and pointed over one shoulder, Kane leaned over the edge of the bed and scooped up his son in his good arm. The giggling, squealing toddler gave Kane a sloppy kiss on the cheek and snuggled down beside him. Tauri sat carefully on the edge of the bed. He smiled at him and noted how careful Tauri was to avoid hurting him. “Morning. What are my two handsome sons doing up this early?”
“It’s not early. Nanny Raya came by to cook breakfast for us.” Tauri frowned at him. “Mommy is tending the horses and told me to stay here and look after my brother. She said Jackson was not to wake you.”
Kane sat up, slowly assessing the damage from yesterday’s fall. He didn’t like wearing the sling but had to admit that it did help with the pain, and Wolfe’s warning of possible permanent damage if he didn’t allow it to heal made him acquiesce to his demands. He needed to be ready for any circumstance and strong enough to protect his family and do his job. His high tolerance to pain and discomfort was a blessing when he had multiple injuries and he’d had them many times before. “It’s okay.” He kissed the mop of black hair on Jackson’s head. Oh, how he loved his boys, and moments like this were so special. “I’m glad you woke me and I’m happy to see you.” He ruffled Tauri’s gold-streaked hair, making him giggle. “I don’t get much time to see you before you go to school. What did you have for breakfast?”
“Pancakes, strips of bacon, and maple syrup, and Jackson had scrambled eggs. He likes eggs.”
At the thought of food, Kane’s stomach growled. “Did Raya make any extras for me?”
“Yes, and she told me to tell her when you woke up so she could bring you in breakfast.” Tauri nodded slowly. “She said I must ask you first.”
Raya, their nanny and a trained FBI agent, took her job very seriously. She had her own apartment, where she cared for the boys in their absence. She took Tauri to school and spent the day with Jackson. She had become like a grandma to the children, but she kept the boundaries and gave Kane and Jenna their privacy and space. She preferred to eat her meals in her apartment. Kane figured she liked time to turn off and rest after caring for the boys. Having her own apartment also meant she had her own privacy as well. She rarely made breakfast but was always there in an emergency. “Yes, I’d like breakfast, but I’ll need to wash up first. I’ll go to the kitchen when I’m done.”
He deposited the giggling Jackson onto the floor, and Duke crawled out from under the bed and yawned. Kane smiled at him. The dog never left his side anytime something was wrong. “Duke, look after the boys. I’ll be right back.”
When he emerged from the bathroom, dressed ready for work, Jenna stared at him. He plucked a strand of hay from her hair and kissed her. “Morning. What’s that look for? Did I forget to comb my hair?”
“You’re not thinking of working today, are you?” Jenna eased past him into the bathroom. “You need to be at home resting.”
Kane smiled at her. “Much as I’d love to stay home and care for Jackson, I’ll get more rest at work. He’s been jumping all over me since I opened my eyes.” He sighed. “He’s used to me lifting him up and swinging him around. He doesn’t understand that I’m hurting.” He gave her a long look. “I can still be useful at work and I can still draw my weapon. My right hand is just fine. The stitches in my leg are a little tight but I can drive and walk.” He rubbed his stomach. “I’ll grab some breakfast. Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, I ate with the kids.” She sat down and pulled off her boots. “Raya makes great pancakes but yours are better.”
Kane chuckled and headed out of their room and along the hallway, hearing the boys chatting to Raya. He went to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. “Morning, Raya. Thanks for making breakfast.”
“I’m happy to do it until you’re better.” Raya poured pancake batter onto the griddle.
The air filled with the buttery aroma of pancakes and the bacon crisping in a pan. Kane sat at the table. “That would be very helpful. The boys need a good breakfast and Wolfe insists I rest my shoulder.”
“Indeed, you should.” Raya took two strips of bacon cooling on a plate and handed one each to the boys. “Sit and talk to your daddy.” She lifted Jackson to his booster seat at the table. “Don’t feed Duke. He’s had his breakfast and then some.”
“Mommy makes cookies and black toast.” Tauri wrinkled his nose. “The toaster caught fire the last time, so I helped her and the next time it turned out just fine.” He looked at Kane. “She turns down the toaster dial so it doesn’t burn but then the bread is still white and she puts it down again and forgets about it.” He shook his head. “I told her not to mess with the dial.”
Grinning Kane leaned toward him. “Do you want to know a secret?”
