Carpathian 12 - Dark Melody

The last was almost an accusation.
    Corinne could feel Lisa's pain. Their world was changing around them very fast, and it was frightening to Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    think of all the dangers they were facing. She couldn't blame Lisa for being scared or for wanting things to be the way they were before. "I loved John very much, Lisa – don't think for one moment I didn't.
    Maybe it wasn't romantic and passionate, but I loved him deeply and I'll never regret what we had. I don't want you to think I was forced into marrying John. I'm excited about the baby, but I'm nervous too.
    And meeting Dayan is very unexpected. I don't know how I feel about him. I don't know why I respond to him the way I do." She took a deep breath and admitted, "It is frightening, Lisa. I'm afraid too."
    Lisa swallowed hard and summoned up her courage. "Tell me what you think happened – why someone wanted to kill John."
    "John went to the university to talk to a professor about his talent." Corinne looked straight into Lisa's eyes. "You know what I'm talking about – his ability to know certain things before they happened." She took Lisa's hand in hers. "It was how we managed to save you. John knew you were in danger, and I was able to open the trunk of the car." She closed her eyes, remembering finding her mother's battered body lying next to Lisa. Her heart gave a lurch, and she forced her mind away from the haunting memories. "The university sent him to the Morrison Center, which does psychic research. John felt strongly that we should be using our talents to help others."
    "Because of me; because you saved my life," Lisa said softly.
    "He thought maybe he could save others," Corinne confirmed gently. "A few weeks later, he told me he thought someone was following him. He became secretive. You saw the changes in him. He left that morning to meet someone. He was nervous, edgy, and he wouldn't say why. I don't know if he had started working with them and discovered they were doing something illegal. You know John – he would have wanted to go to the authorities. Dayan suspects that the people who murdered John are part of some organization who fanatically believe in the existence of vampires."
    Lisa's lips parted in an O shape, and her blue eyes went wide with shock. "You can't believe that nonsense. That man is crazy. Vampires! Good God, Corinne, he must be mentally ill!"
    "Dayan's right," Cullen said as he entered the room carrying two cups of steaming liquid. "I belonged to the organization at one time. They investigate anyone who appears the least bit different. Most of those on the bottom rung are kids who love anything gothic and like to pretend they believe in vampires. They think it's all fun and games, but the information they supply often determines who is under investigation.
    Those at the top are very serious about killing anyone they think is a vampire. They do it in a ritualistic way. A stake through the heart, garlic in the mouth, beheading – the whole bit. These people are fanatical, and they're killers."
    Lisa was staring at him in horror. "You joined something so stupid? Why would you do that?"
    "I believe vampires exist," Cullen admitted. "I saw one." He kept his gaze fixed on Lisa, waiting for shock, for condemnation. Waiting to lose his chance with her.
    Corinne and Lisa exchanged one long look. They were suddenly very aware they were alone in a house with someone they didn't know very well. And the man was probably very ill. Last night, when Dayan was talking to her, Corinne thought he'd made perfect sense, but now it all seemed totally insane.
    Cullen handed each of them a cup of tea. "Don't look at me that way. I know what you're thinking, but I'm not crazy. There was a time I thought I was losing my mind. Several years ago, I was engaged and my fiancée and I had gone out to dinner. At that time there was a serial killer loose in the city. He targeted women, and their bodies were always drained of blood. My fiancée was murdered that night, Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    and I witnessed it. I saw him bite her neck and drain the blood out of her. I saw it with my own eyes. He would have killed me too, but something interrupted him." He tapped his finger against the palm of his hand. "I saw him kill her. No one would believe me. I wasn't drinking. I don't use drugs, but the cops wanted to lock me up in a mental