don’t tell me it’s a long story.”
“Aran Linquist is a medieval vampire who is imprisoned in these walls.”
That’s not what Memphis expected to hear. “Of course he is.”
Polly threw her hands up in the air. “I know it’s confusing.”
“How and why was he imprisoned? Is he a spirit? And what did he do to be punished so?”
“There are many legends. Some say it was a fight over land.
Others say a woman. I believe that he took on a power higher than his own and he lost.”
58
Amarinda Jones
“Whoa,” Memphis murmured as she thought about higher powers who could trap people in walls. She looked around at the walls in question. She remembered the warmth of them under her hand.
Freaky. “These are probably two hundred years old? If he’s a medieval vampire how could he get trapped in these modern walls?”
“I’m not sure. That’s the thing with Maverick House. No one really understands the true extent of its power.”
No wonder Memphis was confused. The house was a contradiction in itself. “Okay, so let me get this straight. If I kiss Richard he gets the house?”
“Possibly.”
“Huh?” Curiouser and curiouser.
“I used to think this was all about finding mates for Alaric and Richard so that they could stop fighting each other and settle into the house in peace.”
“But it’s not?”
“No.”
Memphis lifted her hands in question. “So whether I kiss Richard or not is no longer relevant?”
“Oh, it is,” Polly assured her. “I have to be free of this house. I’m hoping by you kissing Richard, it will give me a chance to break free of the house.”
“If you’re sick of the house leave it now.” Wasn’t that the simplest solution? Or did only mortals think this way? Were witches mortal? I have to get a book from the library to brush up on all this.
“I can’t. Like you, I’m trapped,” Polly told her. “I’m hoping there’ll be a moment after you kiss him that the house’s defenses will be down.”
“Okay, this would be the Aran guy who is stuck in the walls.” In a strange, soap opera kind of way it was starting to make sense to Memphis.
“Yes.”
“I want to talk to Aran the vampire.”
The Vampire’s Kiss
59
Polly looked agog. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” Maybe he just needed a reality check, twenty-first century style.
“He only shows himself when it suits him.”
Memphis snorted. “What a prick.”
Polly smiled suddenly. “I don’t believe anyone has ever called him that before.”
“Well, he needs to have his ass kicked for playing with us all like this.” Memphis hated to be manipulated by anyone let alone outside forces.
“I believe he has known his own share of sorrow and hardship.”
No doubt. The man had been trapped within walls for hundreds of years. Polly grabbed Memphis’ hand. The hand that held her own was not that of the old frumpy woman Polly pretended to be.
“Do you love Richard?” Polly asked Memphis.
“I barely know him and—”
Polly persisted. “Do you love him?”
The desperation in the other woman’s eyes gripped at Memphis.
“Yes.” That was the simple truth.
“Then kiss him.”
It was then that another truth hit Memphis. “What has Aran done to you?” No woman wanted to escape a man without good reason. It was either violence or love.
“The worst thing possible,” muttered Polly.
Ah, love. “You’re in love with him.”
“Shh,” Polly hissed out in a whisper.
“Oh, come on, if this guy is all-powerful and all-knowing—”
Polly interrupted her. “Then he knows enough.”
After Polly left and she waited for Richard to return. Memphis sat and thought about what she had wandered into. Some medieval dude was holding people hostage for an unknown reason of his own. Was it a case of misery loves company or did he need these people with him?
60
Amarinda Jones
Chapter Eight
Memphis found Richard as soon as she could. “Okay. I’m going to kiss you.”
Richard looked
“Aran Linquist is a medieval vampire who is imprisoned in these walls.”
That’s not what Memphis expected to hear. “Of course he is.”
Polly threw her hands up in the air. “I know it’s confusing.”
“How and why was he imprisoned? Is he a spirit? And what did he do to be punished so?”
“There are many legends. Some say it was a fight over land.
Others say a woman. I believe that he took on a power higher than his own and he lost.”
58
Amarinda Jones
“Whoa,” Memphis murmured as she thought about higher powers who could trap people in walls. She looked around at the walls in question. She remembered the warmth of them under her hand.
Freaky. “These are probably two hundred years old? If he’s a medieval vampire how could he get trapped in these modern walls?”
“I’m not sure. That’s the thing with Maverick House. No one really understands the true extent of its power.”
No wonder Memphis was confused. The house was a contradiction in itself. “Okay, so let me get this straight. If I kiss Richard he gets the house?”
“Possibly.”
“Huh?” Curiouser and curiouser.
“I used to think this was all about finding mates for Alaric and Richard so that they could stop fighting each other and settle into the house in peace.”
“But it’s not?”
“No.”
Memphis lifted her hands in question. “So whether I kiss Richard or not is no longer relevant?”
“Oh, it is,” Polly assured her. “I have to be free of this house. I’m hoping by you kissing Richard, it will give me a chance to break free of the house.”
“If you’re sick of the house leave it now.” Wasn’t that the simplest solution? Or did only mortals think this way? Were witches mortal? I have to get a book from the library to brush up on all this.
“I can’t. Like you, I’m trapped,” Polly told her. “I’m hoping there’ll be a moment after you kiss him that the house’s defenses will be down.”
“Okay, this would be the Aran guy who is stuck in the walls.” In a strange, soap opera kind of way it was starting to make sense to Memphis.
“Yes.”
“I want to talk to Aran the vampire.”
The Vampire’s Kiss
59
Polly looked agog. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” Maybe he just needed a reality check, twenty-first century style.
“He only shows himself when it suits him.”
Memphis snorted. “What a prick.”
Polly smiled suddenly. “I don’t believe anyone has ever called him that before.”
“Well, he needs to have his ass kicked for playing with us all like this.” Memphis hated to be manipulated by anyone let alone outside forces.
“I believe he has known his own share of sorrow and hardship.”
No doubt. The man had been trapped within walls for hundreds of years. Polly grabbed Memphis’ hand. The hand that held her own was not that of the old frumpy woman Polly pretended to be.
“Do you love Richard?” Polly asked Memphis.
“I barely know him and—”
Polly persisted. “Do you love him?”
The desperation in the other woman’s eyes gripped at Memphis.
“Yes.” That was the simple truth.
“Then kiss him.”
It was then that another truth hit Memphis. “What has Aran done to you?” No woman wanted to escape a man without good reason. It was either violence or love.
“The worst thing possible,” muttered Polly.
Ah, love. “You’re in love with him.”
“Shh,” Polly hissed out in a whisper.
“Oh, come on, if this guy is all-powerful and all-knowing—”
Polly interrupted her. “Then he knows enough.”
After Polly left and she waited for Richard to return. Memphis sat and thought about what she had wandered into. Some medieval dude was holding people hostage for an unknown reason of his own. Was it a case of misery loves company or did he need these people with him?
60
Amarinda Jones
Chapter Eight
Memphis found Richard as soon as she could. “Okay. I’m going to kiss you.”
Richard looked
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