Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) (9 page)

“What took you so long? I’ve been worried,” Sebastian asks ever observant, bordering on hovering.

“I just asked Aidan to fill me in on what had happened while I was at work and I was filling out some paper work, nothing major.”

Sebastian gives me the once over, as if he could spot jinni fingerprints. His eyes focus on my lips but he doesn’t comment. He glares at Aidan but that could be on general principle. “Come introduce yourself, Lily. He is anxious to meet you.”

We find everyone in the library. Liam rises to meet us. He pushes back dark hair, un-parted and a little long, and it immediately slips down on his forehead—a losing battle. The firelight accents his high cheek bones. His slight frame is well muscled and he is average height, about five foot ten.  He smiles tentatively. The expression in his almond shaped eyes is haunted. His grooming is as far from bestial as he could get. He smells wonderful.

“I can understand now, why you couldn’t tell me anything over the phone.” He wipes at an invisible spot on his silk tie.

I smile back at him and shake his hand. This is not the slavering beast I was picturing but a young man as confused about his condition as I am—maybe more so, because I have Julian and my friends to support me.

“I’m sorry. This must be overwhelming. It’s not every night you meet a djinn, a vampire, and find out you’re a werewolf.” I take his hands with both of mine. Warm hands, warmer than average I judge. I wonder if my body temp will rise, something I wouldn’t regret.

“I’m the one that is sorry. They told me that I attacked you last night. I remember your hair, but that’s all I remember. I was running pretty fast. I was scared to death. I don’t remember anything about the attack. God help me, I never wanted to hurt anyone,” he says. Eyes so brown they are almost black glisten in the low light of the room.

“I know, Liam. From what I understand, you had no control at all. There is nothing to feel guilty about. What you and I have to do now is figure out what we will do the next full moon.”

“Yes, I refuse to hurt anyone else, or force this madness on anyone.”

“Do you remember how this happened to you? Do you remember getting bit?” Julian asks.

“About three months ago I was attacked while on vacation in New Orleans. It was very different than what happened between Lily and me though. I was mugged and when he had taken my wallet he looked at my driver’s license. He spoke in French but I heard him say San Francisco. Then he held the gun at me and took my wrist and bit it. It was a nasty bite. It was infected for days. I went to the doctor. It was incredibly painful. It finally healed, about the time of my first blackout.”

“This poses a unique problem for us. A werewolf intentionally bit you and deliberately infected you. Another puzzling thing is he was not in his wolf phase, which poses another dilemma. There is another issue. Lily needs to feed but she can’t go around infecting innocent people. You see?” Julian asks everyone.

“There has to be a cure!” Sebastian says. “I don’t care how much money it takes to find out. Everything I have is at your disposal, Julian, you know that already. Please, find something. She has to eat.”

I sit down, dumbfounded. “I’ve already bit someone.”

“Yes, you fed right after you were attacked,” Aidan says. “But it would have been too soon after the bite you received to have passed the virus along.”

“We have to try to contain this. Keep it from spreading. So far, for sure we know of Liam and Lily. Let’s not worry about what might have happened. I agree with Aidan. The virus hadn’t gotten into her system yet,” Helena says.

“Yes, but Helena, I have to feed. I only have a week before I need to feed again. We have to figure something out,” I say.

“Easy honey, we don’t know if you and Liam are contagious like this other werewolf was. Liam may be but we don’t know if you are since you have extenuating circumstances,” she says meaningfully.

“Liam, would you consent to some tests? I would do them here in the house. I assure you that they would be very discrete. I just want to compare yours and Lily’s blood,” Julian asks.

“I would do anything that would help sort out this mess,” Liam says instantly. “I need to get some rest though. I must have been running for all three days. I’m exhausted. I should probably go home.” Liam yawns.

“We have a guest room here, you can be safe and we’d love to have you. Then we could do the tests in the morning,” Helena says. “That is if you feel comfortable staying here. I would understand if you don’t. Aidan or Sebastian could take you home.”

“Andrew sleeps here doesn’t he?” Liam asks.

“Yes he does. Andrew lives here full time,” I say.

“That’s enough reassurance for me. I would be happy to accept your invitation Helena. Thank you.”

“Let me show you to your room. We can finish talking in the morning or afternoon, whenever you wake up. By the way if you hear noises coming from the room down the hall that’s just Lily and Sebastian,” Helena says.

Liam laughs. But Helena is serious. As a gracious hostess, she is warning him.

“I haven’t soundproofed their room yet. As you can see we are remodeling. I am working on a suite as a present to them.”

“You should have seen my condo before I moved in. I gutted it and started from scratch.”

“That’s the only way sometimes. I almost have the contractors talked into working twenty-four hours a day here, but I have yet to see it. I want to get this finished…”

“Andrew, would you serve some coffee, dearest?” I ask.

“Of course, Miss Lily. Thank you all for taking care of Liam. He is a good man. Mark, our mutual friend, has known him for years and has been worried about him lately. If I had known what was wrong I would have talked to you about it sooner.”

“No one would have guessed, Andrew. I think he was deliberately infected. A truly sadistic bastard did this. But to what purpose? It is almost as if he was targeted,” Julian muses then as so often happens when he tunes back in to the real world, his compassion kicks in. “I’m truly sorry for your friend,” Julian says quietly.

“Me too,” Andrew picks up the room as he prepares to leave to make the coffee. “It comforts me that at least he’s in good hands now.”

“Julian, do you have everything you need in the lab to do the tests in the morning?” Sebastian asks.

“Almost, I was going to ask my friend, Aidan, if he would help me acquire the other items I need. I could get them but not in the middle of the night.”

“I heard my name. What is it you need, Julian?” Aidan asks.

“I need to get a centrifuge, Aidan. I could get one but not in the middle of the night. Is there any way you could oblige me?”

“Of course, is there anything else you need for the tests?”

“Let me make a list and check my inventory. It will be trivial if there is anything else.” Julian gets up, but before he leaves for the state of the art lab he keeps, he turns back to the Djinn. “Thank you, you are not only a good friend but you are proving to be invaluable as well in our very unusual lives,” Julian says. Sebastian grunts. Aidan ignores Sebastian. They both turn towards me. I seat myself in a chair not in the mood for either of their attentions.

The heavenly aroma of coffee precedes Andrew as he returns. He looks weary. It’s not every night one’s vampire employers host a werewolf. Or have an acquaintance revealed as someone who turns into a slavering beast once a full moon.  Instead of the usual heavy silver serving carafe, Andrew has switched to a beautiful gilded porcelain pot. It seems the changes are already being made.

“Sit down and have some with us, Andrew,” I say. “This must have been a disquieting night for you.”

“It has been, Miss Lily. Sometimes I think I’m sorry I waited to become a vampire and then nights like this I realize it doesn’t matter if you’re vampire or not. Bad things still happen.”

“That they do,” Sebastian says. “Vampirism isn’t automatic protection, Andrew. In many ways it is a curse. This is an example of some benefits but as we’ve discussed, with those benefits come responsibilities. You’ve been exposed to more of the supernatural world than you anticipated. Being a responsible part of that world can be costly.”

“I still think it’s the choice for me. I’m glad I chose to wait a little bit longer though,” Andrew says determinedly.

“You will know when you’re ready, Andrew. Until then, live your life and don’t be in a hurry,” I say.

“It won’t be long, Miss Lily. I do not intend to be an old, wrinkly vampire. And I definitely do not want grey hair for eternity.”

Sebastian and I laugh.  Helena and Aidan are talking with each other in the corner. They join us.

“What’s so funny?” Helena asks.

“Andrew,” I say simply.

“Lilith, could you feed off of Liam, next week?” Aidan asks. He looks hopeful, some of the strain he has been wearing is since I was bitten lessens.

“Cherie, I didn’t think of that. I think you could do that safely, if he would permit it,” Sebastian says.

“That would take care of one week. He couldn’t handle another feeding the week after,” I say.

“The human process of replacing blood may not be the norm for a werewolf,” Helena says. Aidan nods.

“Julian can monitor his blood and we can deal with the issue then,” Aidan says his voice and expression serious for once.

“I think he may let you. He is very inquisitive about everything and I know he feels very guilty about attacking you, Miss Lily,” Andrew says, his natural exuberance rising.

“I don’t want him to do it out of guilt. It would solve the immediate problem, though. Let’s wait until we get closer to the time, before we broach the subject. I only want to ask him as a last resort,” I say.

“At least you have an option now,” Aidan says.

“We have to find a way to help Liam get back to a somewhat normal life again.” Helena sits on the end of a love seat next to me, smoothing a brocade pillow absently. “This isn’t his fault and it sounds like he has been terrorizing San Francisco. We simply can’t let that continue.”

“He sounded amenable to that, Helena. Maybe we could help him start his own practice where he could close down three days a month?” Sebastian suggests.

“That might work. We’ll talk to him,” Helena says.

“We have to track down the people he has bitten before Lilith,” Aidan says.

“We’ll watch the papers. Hack into the hospitals’ records. Check the police reports,” Sebastian says. “Hopefully he didn’t bite anyone. The papers, so far, have said that there were attacks but didn’t mention any bites. I would think the media would be all over that. The biggest problem is what to do during those three days he is contagious.”

“Could he lock himself up?” Aidan asks. “How intelligent are werewolves when they transform? Would they know to unlock themselves or are they purely animal?”

“He was mixed in with humans the night he stalked me. He must have some intelligent thought about him or he couldn’t have stayed undetected for three days,” I say.

“Now that he knows what’s happening he will have some warning but he may need some help overcoming the urge of the wolf,” Aidan adds.

“I think we’ll have to lock him up until Julian can find some kind of cure or medication that will temper the transformation. I can’t think of anything else.” Sebastian shrugs.

“That means me too, doesn’t it?” I look around, suddenly faced with the fact of my eventual behavior and fate.

“Cherie, we don’t know how you will be. Let’s not worry about it until it happens.”

“Promise me you will lock me up too, Bast. I don’t want to spread this if I’m contagious. Even if I’m not contagious I could be extremely dangerous and I don’t want to hurt anyone.” I look from face to beloved face. “I don’t want anyone to see me when I’m in that state either.”

“I promise I will take care of you, Lily. Whatever that entails,” Sebastian promises looking me in the eyes.

“We can always put her in my flat. There aren’t any doors. She couldn’t get out and she can’t hurt me. She could tear the place up and I could fix it with a wave of the hand,” Aidan says.

“That’s a good idea,” Helena says and then quickly stifles her smile when Sebastian glowers predictably.

“Of course, Sebastian would be welcome to stay there too, unless she was contagious. I would think it would be too dangerous then,” Aidan adds quickly.

“We will see about that,” Sebastian says. “I have a feeling that Lily isn’t contagious. The two viruses in her body have to battle for dominance I believe that vampirism is more dominant.”

Aidan snorts.

“Of course you would think that, nothing is more arrogant than an old vampire,” Aidan sneers.

  “We’re immortals—I think she will be mainly vampire, but only the tests and time will tell for sure,” Sebastian replies, ignoring Aidan’s jibe.

“Julian was saying the same thing to me earlier. I hope he is right,” Aidan says. “I am going to go see what else Julian needs.” He drops a kiss on my cheek.  

“Goodnight, love. See you tomorrow,” he says before he pops out.

“Good night, Aidan.”

“It’s time to go to bed, ma petite. Do you want me to join you?” Sebastian asks.

“No darling. I know you’re anxious to help Julian. I will see you in the morning. Come up and say goodnight, please.”

“Of course,” he says.

I climb the marble stairs to our room and change into my favorite cream colored silk night gown and wearily pull the covers over me. I realize I haven’t written any of this in my journal and so spend the next forty-five minutes writing everything down. Soon Sebastian is at my side waiting for me to put my book and pen down.

“A lot of writing to catch up on, Cherie. Don’t worry, we will make everything work. I promise.”

“I know, Bast. I’m counting on you.”

“Let me hold you while you fall asleep,” he says lowering himself beside me. “It’s my favorite part of the day.” 

“Mine too.” I lay there thinking about the night I spent away from him. I wonder if he is thinking about it too. Before long sweet oblivion takes me over.

I wake up to bright sunlight and Aidan smiling at me.

“I love watching you sleep. You are so beautiful.”