A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire #2) - Page 8

Caleb woke in their hotel suite a few hours following their return from lunch with Alton. The elder vampire had been correct that their flight, combined with the food and wine, had caused him to feel incredibly exhausted. He rolled over onto his back and immediately stared into Katrina's beautiful eyes.

She smiled down at him warmly while perching on one elbow next to him. "Welcome back to the world of the conscious, my love." Her fingertips tenderly brushed against the side of his cheek, causing him to smirk from the tickling sensation.

"Watching me sleep, I presume?" he asked before stretching and yawning.

She half-shrugged. "You're the best view in the hotel."

He shook his head. "I don't know, there's always London through the windows."

"I've seen London. I can't get enough of you," she said simply and kissed him on the lips.

"You're spoiling me. Badly," he warned.

She smirked playfully and teased, "Don't worry, I'll put you in your place if you get out of hand."

He rolled his eyes at her and glanced at his wristwatch. It was already early evening. "Wow, I slept five hours!"

"Just in time for evening, actually," she offered.

He shook his head slightly at the late hour and asked, "So, are you ready to go out on the town for some sightseeing?"

Her eyes flared bright green for a second and she replied, "Once I'm done with you."

"Done with me?" he asked carefully.

She smiled slyly. "You got your sleep. Now I want blood and more."

While initially caught off guard, it took very little motivation to interest him for more amorous prospects. He was amazed by the level of passion she raised in him, almost at will. He felt a mix of adoration mixed with animal magnetism coming from her. It was like standing before the sun: blissful warmth that burned into you if you stood too long before it or got too close. But it was a blissful burning, the kind that you wanted to yield to and embrace. So he did, and time stood still for them.

Later, a numbing sensation formed in his neck as he lay on the bed, glistening with sweat. He was still catching his breath as he subtly felt Katrina's fangs pressing into him. It wasn't painful, thankfully, more like increased pressure forming in his neck. He heard the telltale slurping sounds indicating that she was feeding from him. No, not feeding. Communion. And he was only too happy to oblige. He let his mind wander on a euphoric tide, which ended much sooner than he wanted. When her head lay against his chest, her mane of hair tickling his skin, he opened his eyes and wrapped his arms around her.

"I so love you," he whispered.

She kissed his chest with soft lips and murmured, "My love. My reason for existence."

They relished the precious moments, lying together in contented silence.

Following a shower and changing into fresh clothes, they headed downstairs to begin their excursion into London. The weather was still cold and cloudy, but at least the rain had ceased, allowing them the opportunity to take pictures using Caleb's camera. While the city was breathtaking to view from the hotel and Alton's office building, it was another thing entirely for Caleb actually to walk through it. The city was alive at night, transformed from just a large metropolis to something mysterious and eternal, teeming with people from all walks of life.

The sights were amazing. Their view from inside the London Eye was impressive. Of course, while the stores were still open, they also did some souvenir shopping. Then they proceeded to get Caleb something to eat at a popular downtown restaurant named Bankside, not far from Southwark Cathedral. Katrina contentedly watched him eat, and they discussed their next destinations that evening.

Afterwards, they went through parts of the city to view key sights such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Thames River itself. Katrina even posed a couple of times with Caleb as friendly passersby were willing to snap the photos for them. As much as she enjoyed the touring, most of her satisfaction came from watching Caleb's reactions and sharing in the excitement of his experiences. It was so easy to see how much fun he was having, and it filled her with genuine happiness.

It was while appreciating his interest in a granite-mounted statue of the Duke of Wellington on horseback that she caught the glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. Her keen vampire vision focused on a pale man in a dark overcoat who was watching them from about a hundred feet away while partially concealed in the shadow of a nearby building. However, once the figure realized he had been sighted, he quickly disappeared from view.

I wonder if he's one of Alton's vampire staff? Katrina wondered with a narrow-eyed expression. Caleb looked up at her curiously, but she smiled at him as if nothing had happened. Instead, she made a point to stay close to him and be more aware of her surroundings without raising her mate's suspicion. Fortunately, the remainder of their nighttime excursion was pleasantly uneventful.

As they made their way back to the hotel via the London Tube, she snuggled into his arms as he held her closely beside him, earning a number of envious-looking stares from fellow passengers.

All in all, it's a perfect evening, Caleb mused as he closed his eyes to rest.

This has been wonderful, Katrina thought happily as she scanned the train car's nearest passengers in precautionary fashion.

As soon as they carried their armload of shopping purchases into the suite, they freshened up, and Caleb collapsed into bed. Katrina lay beside him, lightly caressing his back while gazing out the large bedroom window into the night and out onto the city. Her mind recalled the events of their excursion, but also played back the brief discovery of the mysterious vampire observer. The stranger's actions hadn't seemed hostile, merely curious. Probably one from Alton's cadre of employees. I'll ask him about it tomorrow.

Caleb woke early on Sunday to find Katrina gazing upon him fondly as she lay beside him. A glance out the bedroom window revealed gray clouds and some light drizzle. However, it didn't detract from his excitement of knowing that he was waking up in London.

"Morning, Kat," he offered with a sleepy grin.

"Good morning, my love," she replied warmly.

She started to kiss him, but he held up his hand to cover his mouth and shook his head.

"Oh, not yet," he protested and quickly rolled out of bed to patter into the bathroom as she regarded him with a raised eyebrow.

A few moments later he returned to bed and offered her a minty fresh-breath kiss. She smirked following their kiss and shook her head. Always so thoughtful, she mused.

"Fresh breath for a fresh day in London," he quipped. "What's on today's agenda?"

"Well, there's a couple of museums located near the hotel that aren't open in the evening, so perhaps you can visit those today. We'll see other sites together this evening," she offered.

He glanced outside again before returning his gaze to her. "I'm no meteorologist, but isn't it safer for you on cloudy, misty days like today?"

She smirked. "Somebody needs to watch more Weather Channel. Despite the clouds, the sun projects very powerful ultraviolet radiation that penetrates them, and it would still damage me. It's an easy misperception by most people. UV radiation isn't in the visible spectrum for humans, but vampires can sense it quite readily in much the same way you can feel heat emanating from an oven."

"Oh," he replied sullenly. He hated the idea of spending the day without her, but he certainly didn't want her to be injured, either.

She reached out to caress the side of his face with her fingers in soothing fashion. "It's okay, my love. I don't want you to be cooped up here in the hotel all day. Besides, I'm used to the limitation, and it will be evening before you know it. There's a lot to see, and we'll only be here a week. Please, go enjoy, okay?"

"Well, okay. But I won't enjoy it as much without you."

"You're very sweet," she acknowledged appreciatively.

He wished that he could do something nice for her before he left, but it wasn't as if he could order breakfast in bed for her. An idea struck him, and he smiled slyly. She frowned at him with a curious expression as he lay back down onto the bed and turned his head slightly away from her.

"Hungry? How about a little nip before I get ready?" he offered.

She smiled at his thoughtful gesture. Her eyes briefly flashed, and she advanced upon him to kiss him deeply, warmly. I'm such a lucky woman. He's so giving, especially of himself.

Her mouth moved from his lips to the side of his soft neck, and she kissed him ever so gently a number of times with appreciation. Her lips parted, her tongue pressing against his skin. He waited patiently as the numbing sensation spread throughout his neck.

"Thank you, my love," she whispered. "You fulfill me in so many ways."

She held her tongue against his skin for another brief moment, and then extended her fangs into him. A wave of ecstasy passed through her as his blood trickled past her lips, into her mouth, and down her throat. She caressed his scalp with her fingertips soothingly and deliberately controlled the rate at which she drew blood from him.

Knowing that he was preparing for a day of sightseeing, she made sure to take only a small amount from him, just enough to fulfill her morning craving. There were few words she could use to describe the satisfaction that partaking in him brought to her. Human blood was sweet, but all the sweeter when given freely and with love. The time passed all too quickly, and she carefully retracted her fangs and used her saliva both to seal and heal his bite marks so nobody would be the wiser.

Despite his aversion to the idea of touring London alone, the day passed quickly for Caleb as he visited two museums close to the hotel. He ate in one of the museum cafes and continued his perusal until later that afternoon. He was amazed by the diversity of people that he saw as he walked around the exhibits and quickly understood how popular the city was for tourists. By four o'clock, he hurried back to the hotel. Upon entering the suite, he found Katrina sitting on the couch watching television and using her notebook computer.

After he freshened up, he and Katrina went out on the town. They went to a different local restaurant so that he could eat dinner someplace new and afterwards took in a play at the Her Majesty's London Theater. It was a rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, and they had a wonderful time. The remainder of the evening was spent seeing various sites of interest and walking arm-in-arm together while appreciating each other's company. Time flew by, and soon after midnight, Katrina redirected them back to the hotel so that her mate could get a decent night's sleep. And though it felt like a brief evening out for a vampire, she felt the quality of their time made up for its length.

The next day was Monday, and Caleb woke very late in the morning to find himself alone in bed. He stretched, yawned, and happily reflected on the previous night's events. Despite the closed the bedroom door, he heard Katrina talking in the living room beyond.

"…he just woke up, in fact," he heard her comment when he strained to hear what was being said.

Okay, so I'm nosy, he conceded with a shrug.

A few moments later, Katrina appeared in the room with a swoosh of air and a sweep of the doorway. The gust of air actually blew his hair around slightly before she appeared at the bedside.

"Good morning, sleepy-head," she murmured before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"Hey, morning breath alert," he warned, but was too late to make a difference.

She merely shook her head. "A few hundred years ago, there wasn't any such thing as morning breath. Just breath. And a morning waking with breath was a good morning."

He pursed his lips as he considered the historic logic of her statement, admitting, "You certainly have a way of putting things in perspective."

She gave him an endeared look. "You better get up and around; breakfast will arrive soon." She noted his curious expression and explained, "Alton thought you would appreciate an authentic English breakfast. Oh, and he made an appointment for you."

She explained that Alton had scheduled for him to meet with Dr. Guilhelm that evening. He hoped that the accomplished vampire psychiatrist would be able to unlock his blocked childhood memories. And while he was adamant about recovering those memories, he still felt a sudden rush of anxiety at the prospect. But I'm not going to get cold feet, that's for damn sure.

He shaved and dressed and was ready to eat the breakfast that had arrived just minutes prior. Katrina watched with amusement as he gazed upon the large platter containing eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, mushrooms, and baked beans.

He wrinkled his nose and looked up at her with shock. "This is a traditional English breakfast? Mushrooms? And baked beans?"

She laughed so hard from his semi-horrified expression that tears streamed from her eyes. In the end, he ate the eggs, bacon, and part of the sausages and picked at the rest just to be polite.

Overall, not too bad, he reflected.

He passed the time perusing the local shops and interests within a block of the hotel while Katrina spent most of the afternoon visiting with Alton about his new European project intended for the upcoming summer. When evening arrived, Katrina would accompany him to see Dr. Guilhelm.

Much as Caleb expected, and as was typical when he was apprehensive about something, the afternoon passed rather quickly. By the time the sun began to set and early evening arrived, he returned to the hotel suite to find Katrina sitting on the couch channel-surfing. He put down a small sack of novelties he had purchased and plopped down on the couch next to her. After a quick exchange of kisses, he glanced at the television and pointed to the screen as the channel changed.

"Hey! Wasn't that a Doctor Who episode?" he asked excitedly.

She peered at him curiously, shook her head and replied, "Not sure. And anyway, we don't have time for– um."

"Doctor Who," he supplied happily.

"Ah. We've got to head across town for your appointment. Then we'll get dinner afterwards, okay?"

He shrugged. "Okay."

The journey was expedited via the London Tube, and they arrived nearly thirty minutes early. The five-story office building was actually used for a variety of businesses, which included small medical practices. Dr. Guilhelm's office was on the fifth floor and reminded him of the small office that Alondra Vargas, actually Chimalma, had maintained in Atlanta during last fall's adventure. The small seating room outside of the doctor's main office was eerily similar in size and layout. A brown-haired, human receptionist greeted them, acknowledged their appointment and asked them to sit in some chairs on the other side of the room.

Caleb looked up at Katrina with a frown and made a comment regarding the odd coincidence in setting. Her expression turned serious as she whispered, "Something like that's simply not going to happen to you again. I promise no vampires will be messing with your mind or body. Except for me, of course."

He sighed with his arms folded across his chest, and she placed a comforting arm across the back of his shoulders as they sat next to each other. After a few minutes, the doctor's interior office door opened, and a tall figure with teal eyes and silvery blond hair looked at Caleb with an inviting expression. The fellow appeared to be in his late forties and had gaunt features and a lean body. Aside from his overly pale complexion, the only attribute even hinting at his true nature was that his eyes appeared somewhat brighter than normal.

"You must be Caleb," he ventured calmly. "I'm Dr. Guilhelm, and I'm pleased to meet you. Alton said to expect you. And Ms. Rawlings, I presume?"

"Katrina," she offered as she rose to shake his hand firmly.

Dr. Guilhelm shook Caleb's hand in turn and gestured towards his dimly lit office. "Please come in, Caleb. Would you mind if Katrina remained out here for the time being?"

He looked up at her, and she smiled supportively and nodded her affirmation.

"I'll be right outside if you need me," she assured him and noticed the doctor smile and nod subtly in agreement.

"And Ms. Prescott, you may clock out now," Guilhelm politely instructed his aide. "I won't need you back here until tomorrow afternoon at the regular time."

"Yes, sir," the woman acknowledged with a respectful tone. "Good night."

"Good night," he replied as Caleb walked past him to enter the office.

A few minutes later, he perched on the edge of a brown leather couch placed against the back wall of the office. A series of forest photographs was displayed in three large frames above the couch. A leather reading chair sat across from the couch, in which the doctor sat with his legs crossed. Caleb scanned the office and noticed the window behind the doctor's large oak desk looked out upon a nighttime view of the city beyond. Overall, it was much more comfortable than Vargas' office and far more warm and inviting.

"Kind of a classic look in here, Doc," he offered with a hint of anxiousness. "Do all psychiatrists use the same office furniture catalog? Or maybe it's a standard layout?"

The doctor smiled, briefly and nodded. "Chapter three of the psychiatrist's manual, actually."

Caleb sighed and smirked.

"Are you feeling nervous, Caleb?" Guilhelm asked calmly with a supportive, non-threatening expression.

Caleb swallowed. "No. Well, actually, yes. But I'm okay."

"Ah, but if you really were okay, you wouldn't be here, would you?" the vampire asked with a grin.

Caleb looked up with a surprised smirk and chuckled despite himself. "You're not a real psychiatrist, are you?"

The doctor grinned reassuringly. "Actually I am, but I've found humor usually lightens the mood, and you seem to enjoy a little levity."

"I can see that," Caleb agreed good-naturedly as he absently rubbed his fingertips against each other. "And yeah, I like humor."

"That's good. So, why not tell me a little about yourself?" Guilhelm encouraged. "And then a little about what it is you're trying to recall."

Caleb described his background at a cursory level, but soon found himself going into further details about his childhood and abusive father. He was surprised how easy it was to talk to the doctor, and he effortlessly described his introduction to Katrina last fall, including the occasional flashes of memory flaring at odd occasions. He described the flashbacks after having discovered the old photograph of his mother and Katrina, then Amber, at the company banquet. Occasionally, the doctor asked simple questions for clarification or additional details, but mostly listened patiently. By the end of his recollections, Caleb found himself feeling oddly at ease and had even stopped fidgeting.

"Caleb, have you ever undergone hypnosis therapy?" Guilhelm asked once Caleb had finished.

"Nope, never."

"Well, I'm going to try something that's very straightforward and pain-free," the doctor began. "It's just to gauge how significantly your memory may be blocked. And if the conditions are viable, I'll see what I can do beyond that. Perhaps I can nudge them free for you. All you need do is sit back and relax."

Caleb nodded, and the doctor stared at him in a sedate manner. Guilhelm's eyes began to glow mildly, and he offered in a reassuring voice, "Now just stare into my eyes, Caleb. And don't be nervous. My eyes are calm, and friendly, and inviting…"

Within moments, Caleb was concentrating on Guilhelm's teal eyes. They were entrancing and soothing, and it made him feel a little sleepy. Suddenly, he saw only teal eyes before him. He heard Guilhelm continue talking, asking him to think about his childhood. Random memories from his youth flooded his mind. The doctor's voice continued to soothe and guide him as he remembered back to various childhood events. Again, the teal orbs filled his vision, blocking out everything else. And the memories continued to flash in his mind.

He described his visions in a subdued voice, explaining the scenes and recollections playing out in his mind. But at some point, he was unable to recall whether he were speaking aloud, or merely thinking, or both. Yet the memories continued to flood through his mind. After an undetermined period of time, he saw something new from his childhood seemingly appear before his eyes. At least, the vision seemed new. He didn't recognize the scene, which included a sunny day in his old backyard in Ohio. Was it summer? Everything was so vivid in the vision. I played with my toys, and I saw something blurry kicking up dust in the field near our house. A door opened and slammed shut abruptly. It was the old garage next to the house. I ran to investigate. Caleb watched events play out through his own eyes as he entered the musty garage with a curious expression.

I went into the garage, and I think I heard moaning somewhere. Was it an animal? The sound came from the tarp-covered old car that Dad worked on sometimes. I knelt on the floor and peeked underneath the oily old tarp. Caleb gasped. I saw a person, or something that looked like a person! There was a stinky, burnt smell, too.

There was a woman's voice, a quaky-sounding woman's voice. Was she hurt? What was she doing under the car? Then additional flashes of conversation with the woman. She's an angel? From heaven? And she needs help soon! I ran back into the house for a pencil and some paper and returned to the garage. It was a secret, the angel. Angel Amber said not to tell anyone, not even Mom. A long series of numbers followed. He needed to get to a phone and call the number and give the angel on the other end of the phone some more numbers. What were all the numbers for? Did God use all those numbers too?

I waited for a truck to arrive. God sent a truck? The delivery angel, Angel Bruce, although he looked like an ordinary man, left a plastic box with me. Why did the angel need for me to write my name on a clipboard? Don't angels know everybody? I rushed the box to the garage for Angel Amber. She told me to leave for a while, so I did. More playing with toys, watching television, and eating lunch. Then Mom made cookies. It was evening, and I had to go check on Angel Amber after supper. But Dad was angry after work, and he drank more of the stinky bottles of beer. He got angry again. Lots of shouting, and Mom started crying. Then Dad hit me when I kept asking about Mom. The pain hurt so much. He likes hitting, I think.

I went into the garage and wanted to see the angel, but I'm upset. Angel Amber asked me questions from under the car. Wait! Dad's coming! He looked angry, and I was scared. Ow! My arm was bleeding, and I cried. There's a woman standing in front of me. Who is she? She's Angel Amber? Dad's really mad and doesn't like Angel Amber. The angel hit Dad! She's putting me outside, out of the garage. But Dad's going to hit the angel with a big metal bar! Angel Amber grabs Dad by the neck, and he falls onto the floor. Angel Amber wants to look at my arm because it's still bleeding. She kisses it, and it feels funny, but better. She says the angel magic will fix it. She wants me to look into her eyes. She has pretty green eyes. I feel sleepy. Then I'm playing in the back yard with my toys. I see the angel carrying something over her shoulder as she walks through the empty field near our house. And Dad's gone…

Caleb gasped as he fell back against the cushion of the leather couch, still staring into Dr. Guilhelm's calm face. His heart was racing so fast that he thought it might burst from his chest.

"Are you okay, Caleb?" Guilhelm asked quietly with a concerned expression. "How are you feeling?"

Caleb blinked once and nodded dumbly. "Um, yeah," he stammered. "Confused…" He actually remembered meeting an angel named Amber. It's like everything just happened. Everything's still so fresh.

Guilhelm merely nodded silently and waited.

"Angel Amber was Katrina," Caleb mumbled almost to himself. "She killed…She saved me from my dad."

Guilhelm nodded again. "Caleb, you found something that was hidden away inside your mind. You must realize that these new memories, though valid, are as you would have interpreted them as a child. They are yours either to embrace or reject, but either way, they are your own. I suggest that you patiently take the time to go over them in your mind."

"They're so vivid, like they just happened," Caleb rambled.

"In essence and to your conscious awareness, they just did," the doctor explained. "What are you feeling right at this moment?"

Caleb rubbed at his eyes and felt wetness on his face. Guilhelm handed him a box of tissues, and he blew his nose.

"I'm not sure," he began unsteadily. "I'm free from Dad, though. Forever."

"Caleb, your memories can be very powerful, and I want you to think about your feelings surrounding them. You have some difficult images to digest and may want to consider further visits with me. I'll be more than happy to help," Guilhelm offered.

"What next?"

"Most of all, you should talk to Katrina about your memories openly and honestly. I also want you to call me if you have any questions or concerns, day or night." Guilhelm handed him a business card. "I put my personal cell phone on here, and you shouldn't hesitate to call me anytime. After all, I'm a vampire, and I don't sleep much."

Caleb smirked at the quip and took the card. Guilhelm rose from his chair, but motioned for him to remain where he was. "I'm going to step out for a few minutes so you can collect yourself in quiet," he explained. "But I'll be outside with Katrina if you need me or her."

Caleb nodded, and the doctor quietly slipped from the office.

Katrina rose as soon as Guilhelm exited. She had an expectant expression on her face, and the doctor motioned for her to remain quiet. Once he pulled his office door to, he whispered, "We're done for now. He seems fine and is collecting himself at the moment. I was successful in releasing his memories, and I suspect he remembers everything that you blocked. But time will tell, and he may need to visit with me in the future. I told him that he needs to think about his feelings and to talk to you about them. I gave him my card, but I'll give you one too, just in case. Call me anytime, especially if you sense that something is wrong."

"Can I see him now?" she asked with concern. My God, it's been nearly three hours!

He held up his hand tentatively and suggested, "Give him a few more minutes alone. Then you can peek in on him."

"Um, just let me know what I owe you, and –" she began a little unsteadily. Her mind was racing with concern for Caleb.

"No," Guilhelm countered. "This one's pro bono. Alton told me a little about your circumstances, and I'm just happy to help."

"Pardon me for being suspicious, but why?" she asked carefully.

Guilhelm smirked. "I see what Alton meant when he warned me about your protective and cautious nature. Not that I'm criticizing, mind you."

She scowled. Alton, you blabber-mouth.

"For one, he seems like a fine young man. I'm sincerely pleased to help you, actually. Alton conveyed how very important Caleb is in your life. And frankly, I don't get to see many vampire hypnosis patients, particularly vampire mates. This was a sort of professional opportunity for me," he explained. "You did a pretty good job, by the way. But I'd stay away from hypnotizing humans in the future. It's quite tricky."

She sighed and shook the doctor's hand. "Yeah, I found that out the hard way."

Guilhelm smiled and nodded.

He certainly seems like a thoughtful being for a vampire. How unusual. "I've got to hand it to you, doctor," she said. "You're a first in my book, as well."

"First vampire psychiatrist?"

"No, first time I met a psychiatrist who does pro bono work," she teased. Fortunately, a hopeful feeling began to replace the anxious ones of a few minutes ago.

Guilhelm shook his head and smirked. "Cute. Tell you what, I'll make a few phone calls from out here while you go in to check on him."

Katrina nodded and gently opened the door leading into the office. She slipped into the office and noticed Caleb rubbing at his eyes while sitting on the couch. He's been crying. She suddenly felt anxious, wondering what his first reaction would be to her following the restoration of his memories. He'll know for certain that I'm the one who killed his father.

He blew his nose into a tissue and looked up at who entered, thinking it was Dr. Guilhelm again. Instead, he saw Katrina, only this time, there was another figure in his mind whom he instantly recognized. His mouth dropped open with a degree of astonishment.

"You're Angel Amber," he whispered as he rose from the couch. He had seen the photo of Katrina as a short-haired brunette, but now the face in that picture was actually real to him and not just a blank space. "You called me Angel Caleb. I remember that, too," he added.

She smiled tentatively and promised, "You're still an angel."

"You saved me," he whispered in a shaky voice. "Thank you, Angel Amber."

Katrina felt a tear slip from the corner of her eye, but it was swept aside by the velocity of her movement as she lurched towards him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her in a warm embrace. "You never have to thank me," she whispered soothingly. It was a far better reception from him than she could have hoped.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear as his arms encircled her waist.

"Oh, how I love you too, Caleb," she whispered. "Completely and forever."

It was very late by the time they left Dr. Guilhelm's office. Katrina asked if Caleb wanted to