Read Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) Online

Authors: Jessica McBrayer

Tags: #Hell Hounds are for Suckers, #vampires, #Aidan, #werewolf, #paranormal romance, #shape shifting, #demons, #romance, #werewolves, #Lily Goodwill, #New Orleans, #Vampires of San Francisco, #Sucking Bites, #Sucking in San Francisco, #Sebastian, #witches, #hell hounds

Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) (2 page)

BOOK: Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3)
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A fireplace, with a roaring fire and floor to ceiling bookcases, fill the rest of the space. Wing back chairs, softly muted lamps, a chaise lounge and a long, claret-red leather couch finish the room. Sebastian’s phone rings, again. I leave him standing in the hall and go in without him.

“Welcome home, Lily,” Helena says looking up.

“Hello, Helena. Sebastian is on the phone.”

“We heard,” Julian says, making a face.

“He had just hung up. I don’t know what could be so important that it couldn’t have waited until tomorrow.”

“It wasn’t, Cherie,” Sebastian says as he enters the room. “Some trivial things Paul should have taken care of.”

“I had an interesting call tonight.” I give Sebastian a pointed look, daring his phone to interrupt me again. “A man claimed a werewolf was trying to break into his house. Someone
was
trying to break in, so I did call 911 for him. But werewolves, come on.”

“Werewolves do exist, Lily,” Julian says.

“Really,” I squeak.

“Yes, though they are rare and mostly in Europe. I haven’t heard of one in the States in a hundred years or so. It would be fascinating if there was one here now. Dangerous though,” Julian says.

I reevaluate my call. I wish I had taken it more seriously from the beginning.

Andrew, our butler, comes in with coffee and tea.

“Miss Helena, those workmen are making the biggest mess. When are they going to be done?” our butler-cum-friend, cum-vamp candidate asks primly.

“Soon, Andrew, about another two weeks.”

“I can’t wait to see our room, Helena,” I hint.

“I think you should have to wait until we are married,” Sebastian says.

Have I mentioned that the M-word is a sore spot with Sebastian and me? I’m still getting used to the idea of being in a relationship with someone, let alone getting engaged. If Bast had his way we would be at the judge’s office tomorrow. I postponed the race to the nuptials by agreeing to a trip to France a couple of months ago but now he’s getting itchy again. I get my hand sanitizer out and use it liberally.

“Don’t go germ warrior on me, Lily Goodwill. This should not make you anxious,” Sebastian says raising his voice slightly.

“Well it does make me anxious, so deal with it. I don’t see why we need to hurry. We have forever, Sebastian, what are a few more months?”

“You should be eager to start your new life as my bride. I don’t understand your hesitation.”

“I am eager. I’m eager for every part of it and right now that part is being your girlfriend. I just don’t want to rush into this.”

“You’re still worried I’ll change my mind. I know you. But you’re wrong. You have never been more wrong. Don’t I prove that by wanting to marry you right away?” How does rushing equal long term commitment? His logic isn’t convincing.

I sigh and get up to make my cup of coffee, extra creamer, tons of sugar. He is not going to understand my reasons. I stir my coffee vigorously, spilling some only to have Andrew whisk in and wipe it up before I can even grab a napkin. He gives me a quick smile.

Bast’s got it half right. I
am
afraid he’s going to change his mind. Up until Sebastian fell in love with me, he was the ultimate player. He had a different woman every night. It took me a while to trust he was serious. But it’s more than just that. It’s also about giving up my independence and freedom. Something I have fought to maintain for years and years. My father had a mistress and my mother stoically put up with it. It’s not something I’ve told my friends. It’s something I vowed would never happen to me. I would never be trapped in a loveless marriage, unable to take care of myself without a man. It’s a major thing to sell my condo and move in together, although I can’t imagine not being with him every second of the day. But more than that, I’m afraid I’ll become half a person, at least half of me will belong to Sebastian. That’s a lot to ask of a girl, an obsessive-compulsive girl. I come with a few idiosyncrasies. Thank God, Bast loves them right along with the rest of me. Someone has to pass out my handi-wipes.

I sit back down on the overstuffed leather couch with him and sip my coffee. He toys with my hair. He lets it run through his fingers as he gently traces his hand down my neck. I love when he does this and he knows it. Before long we’ll end up going to our room.

“Before you two go upstairs,” Helena says giving us that knowing look, “what colors do you like better, white or navy?”

“White,” Sebastian says.

“Navy,” I say.

“White
and
navy it is. That’s all I need to know for now.”

We take that as our cue and leave the library for the stairs. Andrew is just entering the hall.

“Good night, Miss Lily,” he calls.

“Good night, Andrew.”

Sebastian carries me up the stairs to his room and puts me onto his bed. He gently lowers himself on top of me.

“I hate it when we fight, Cherie,” he whispers in my ear.

“Me too, let’s not fight anymore.”

He gives me a crooked grin.

“At least, not tonight. If we don’t fight, we can’t make up and making up is so much fun,” he says as he slips my shirt off.

He kisses my throat and down between my breasts. I sigh as he unclasps my bra. His fangs come out. Just when I am beginning to reach a higher plane, his phone goes off.

“If you go for that phone, I’m not talking to you for the rest of the night, Sebastian.”

“It might be something important, Lily. It will only take a minute.”

He gets up and answers his phone. True to my word, I get up and cross to the bathroom, finish undressing, and get into the shower. The hot water calms my nerves and temper, some. I take an extra-long time, half hoping that Sebastian will finish his call and join me, but that doesn’t happen. I finish and towel off. Even though I’ve just taken a shower, I use some hand sanitizer. I’m not that calm. I walk to our closet naked and find a silk pajama set—top and pants -to put on, no gowns with easy access for Bast tonight.

When I climb into the high four poster bed, Sebastian is still on the phone. I have another half an hour before dawn when my body shuts down and I fall asleep no matter where I am or what I am doing. I have enough time to rant in my journal about Sebastian and his blasted phone.

Dear Diary,

Vampires in committed relationships with vampires should love and adore their significant others. They should read Bride magazine and be looking for wedding dresses. They shouldn’t be dreaming of how to ram cell phones up undignified places.

He finally hangs up and finds me scribbling away.

“How angry are you?” he asks tentatively. I don’t answer him.

“Lily, do not ignore me. That’s childish.”

“Answering your phone while we’re making love is rude and inconsiderate, Sebastian. I feel like a minor detail you have to tie up.”

“Like it or not, ma petite, I have a business to run,” he says defensively.

“That business invades every moment of our lives.” That comes out more sharply than I intended. I take a deep breath, old habits undead, and re-evaluate what I want to say. It's time to get it all out. “If the business interrupts our most intimate moments then it’s taking up too much of your time.”

“What am I supposed to do, Lily, let it fail?”

“You could hire a competent manager for starters. There has to be someone out there who doesn’t have to call the owner every five minutes.”

“I like to know what’s going on.”

“More than you like making love to me?”

“That’s not fair.”

“I think it’s bang-on accurate. I also think I don’t want to sleep in here tonight. I’ll be in the guest room.”

I pick up my pillow and leave him standing there looking pissed off. We are down to one guest room at the moment because of the renovation and I find it blessedly free of cell phones. I only have a few minutes now before dawn so I quickly climb into bed and fume about our most recent fight.

I wake up as angry as when I went to bed, but Sebastian has had six hours to cool down. Next to my bed are two dozen pink and red roses. A bottle of Cristal chills in a silver container of ice. Sebastian sits in a winged backed chair waiting for me.

“Good morning, Cherie.” He smiles.

“Good morning,” I say coldly.

“You aren’t still angry, are you?”

“I went to bed upset and woke up in the same mood. I can’t help that you had time to process things, I didn’t.”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said. First, you will see that I am cell phone free,” he says while holding up his hands. “Our conversation is too important for interruptions. I also should not have picked up the phone last night while we were already occupied. That
was
rude and inconsiderate and I apologize for that. I need boundaries between my work and home life and I will try to maintain them.”

“You are so stealing my thunder.” He is trying. Having no cell phone is a
big
deal. I know it must be killing him, so he is serious about this. He’s seriously thought about what I said.

“Say you forgive me.”

“I forgive you.”

“Now let me finish what I started last night,” he says with dark eyes.

Two hours later, we lay in each other’s arms drinking the champagne, having totally destroyed the bed. Over three centuries of determined and creative lovemaking has produced one toe-tingling vampire with tricks that sweep this little vamp away. I spill some champagne on Sebastian’s chest and lick it off.

“Hmmm, I like that,” he murmurs, dipping his head to my neck and raking the tender skin with just the slightest hint of fang.

“That’s the idea.”

“It’s my turn next.”

I giggle as he pours champagne all over me and takes his time lapping it off.

“You should be illegal,” I pant.

He laughs richly then tops up our flutes with more champagne.

“We’re disgusting,” I say. “We lay around in bed all day. Helena and Julian must think we’re unsavory characters.”

Sebastian says, “Helena is the one who insisted on the champagne.”

“You're slipping, Bast, if Helena had to remind you.” His brows rise and he shrugs in his gallant way of acknowledging his momentary lapse in the art of romantic seduction. “Andrew will talk.”

“Andrew will talk.”

“Let’s take a shower and get dressed,” I say.

We streak down the hall to our room and get in the shower where we make love in the steam and hot water. Afterwards, Bast puts on a pair of jeans and a dress shirt he leaves open at the neck. He grabs a jacket for later. I put on a Barneys New York Print Dress in black and white, with a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Brush the fangs, some eyeliner, mascara and lipstick and I’m ready.

We walk downstairs together and I’m surprised to see my good friend and past almost-boyfriend, Aidan. Aidan, being a jinni, is especially keen to promote mischief. All the more if that mischief is pointed at Sebastian. I get twitchy when I drive with Aidan because he likes to make car doors pop open as I drive by and traffic lights change midway through intersections. He likes to feed off my energy when I get all stirred up. He says I’m delicious.

He’s as tall as Sebastian, at least six feet, sandy-blond, tousled hair and ocean colored eyes. His body is amazing, taut and tanned, his rich voice carries an English accent that ties the package up neatly.

“Welcome back from Greece, Aidan,” I say as I give him a kiss and hug.

Sebastian never lets me out of his sight when Aidan is in the room.

“Thanks, love. It was great being in the sun and surrounded by clear blue waters. I wish Sebastian would have let me take you. You look like you could use a vacation, maybe Istanbul? I’m up for another trip.”

“Not on your life, fire boy,” Sebastian grumbles.

He hasn’t forgotten the way Aidan fought for me.

“Just for a day, Bast? It would be great to get out of town,” I half tease, half beg, finding I seriously want to go.

It would be great but I know there is no way Sebastian will go for it.

“Not unless I come with you. If you really want to go somewhere, I will take you. It will have to be when things quiet down at the club, though.”

Right on cue, his cell phone goes off and he leaves the room to answer it. I curse under my breath.

“All’s not paradise on the home front?” Aidan raises an eyebrow, sounding entirely too hopeful.

“If I could, I would stick that phone right up….” I suggest. Aidan laughs loudly.

“I personally hate the damn things. Of course if I want to talk to someone, I pop in and talk to them directly so I only gave my number to you and Hannah. But if you wish I can be of assistance with your desire as per the phone…”

“No, no! I’m just venting,” I say quickly—I know he is all too ready and able to carry out that particular wish. “Where are Julian and Helena?”

“They went upstairs to talk to the workmen and should be down any minute. We heard you in the shower, uh hmm, and knew you would be down soon.”

“Sorry about that. It’s Sebastian’s fault. Really,” I say, totally embarrassed.

“Lilith, if I had you naked in the shower, by the gods I hope you would be screaming my name as well.”

“Aidan, if I could blush, I’d be beet red now. What’s got into you?”

“It must be all the fresh Greek air.”

“You better not let Sebastian hear you talking like that,” I say.

“Better not let me hear him talking like what?” Sebastian asks as he walks through the door, a scowl on his face.

“That she is lovelier than the goddess Aphrodite, more intriguing than Cleopatra, spicier than…”

“Enough! You’ve made your point! I think that’s about all I can take. Isn’t it time you pop yourself into a bottle somewhere?” Sebastian suggests.

“Au contraire, my French friend. I come bearing news. Have you read the papers this morning? Another mysterious animal attack in the city.”

“No, I’ve been a little busy.”

“Yes, I heard.” Aidan’s tone is frosty. “In fact we all heard. The whole house heard, including the workmen. You’re getting quite a name for yourself.”

“Merde!”

“Shit!” I say.

BOOK: Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3)
9.27Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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