Sucking in San Francisco (8 page)

Aidan can see me thinking and he raises a bold eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. His scrutiny makes me uneasy. I try to cover my discomfort by looking everywhere at once for potential accidents. He rides in silence except for a little snicker every once in a while. Lights change too fast to be mere coincidence. Cars cut in front of me and the only thing that keeps us in one
piece is my excellent vampire reflexes shifting us out of the way. By the time I pull up to my work place, in the Haight, my eye twitches. Bastard. I get extremely lucky and find a spot to park across the street at a meter. I wonder if Aidan had anything to do with it. A young guy with dreads and a scruffy goatee is playing a guitar and singing on the sidewalk and I toss a dollar in his cup. Aidan and I walk across the street to the key coded door so I can let us into the building. We head through the narrow entryway to the office.

“Hey, Janet, I just came by for my check.”

Janet is one of the supervisors that likes me. She really likes me. Sebastian thinks I’m starting to glamour people and she may be one of them.

“No problem, Lily, who’s your friend?”

Before I can answer Aidan sticks his hand out and shakes Janet’s.

“I’m Aidan, Lilith’s special friend.”

Then he gives her the look. The one that implies he is something much more than a friend. If I could curl up and hide under the rug I would right now. Just then my phone plays Sebastian’s ring tone telling me I have a text. Perfect timing as usual. I look down to see what it says.

Are you OK?

Yeah busy. I text back to him.

“Ohh, I see. It’s about time Lily had a friend like that.” And she smiles hugely.

Great, now Janet thinks I’m dating Aidan, which is exactly what he implied. We leave the office and I glare at Aidan.

“Was that really necessary?”

“What? I didn’t say one thing that wasn’t true. I am a special friend. How many djinn friends do you have?”

“Ugh!”

“You have a lovely energy, Lilith, did you know that? It swirls around you, delicate pinks, vivid reds and bright purple. It’s very exciting. All the brighter when I stir you up.”

Great.

“Who’s texting you?”

“Just Sebastian, a friend of mine. He’s a bit obsessive with new technology and my safety.”

Aidan’s eyes narrow slightly.

We cross the street to my Prius and my eye starts twitching again. I hope it isn’t a permanent condition. I’d hate to have to cut out my caffeine. I try to relax, reminding myself that I have superlative reflexes and extraordinary vision.

“Hey, Aidan. Do you know anything about a coven in the city making trouble? In particular, two witches named Indio and Iris.”

Aidan turns in his seat to face me. “Very naughty duo. They caused the blackout the other night,” he says as we go up and down hills. He starts messing with my radio and picks up music from the Middle East. He starts humming along. “Sisters, not too talented, but they have enough power to be trouble.”

“We picked up on their pranks. They seem to be on the darker end of things,” I say, feeling him out for more information.

“They’re trying to summon a jinni,” Aidan says, assessing me. I wonder if he thinks I have anything to do with this. I suddenly feel much more uncomfortable being in such close proximity with him.

“What?!”

“Yes, I thought you knew that,” he says.

“No, I had no idea. That’s a terrible thing. Are you protected?”

“Uhmm, yes. I think so.”

He regards me with increased interest.

“I suppose you won’t tell me how you bind a djinn?”

“Certainly, you must know the right incantations and you must know his true name.”

“Oh, Aidan isn’t your name?”

He throws his head back and really laughs this time. I amuse him.

“No, just like this isn’t really what I look like but it is what I choose to look like now.”

He has good taste in bodies. He also has a beautiful, warm laugh that fills me up.

“What do you look like otherwise?”

“I’m a fire spirit. My essence is fire, warmth, wind. Imagine a hot desert wind and that would be me.”

I didn’t want to tell him that I found that side of him just as appealing as the English accent speaking, nice-ass walking human he presented me right now. Being enveloped in a warm wind would feel wonderful to my circulation starved, cold body.

“Lilith… Lilith...?”

“Umm, yes, sorry, a little thought crossed my mind. Do you think they know you’re in town?”

“I don’t think so. It’s possible with the right incantations they could have deduced I was here, so it’s not impossible, but they seem to be inexperienced when it comes to djinn.”

We are in front of Helena’s house now.

“Why do you say that?”

“I would have felt something by now if they knew of me. A pull is the best way to describe it.”

“Are you going to come in here too, Aidan? Julian would love to meet you.”

“Perhaps another time. I think I must leave now as you will be having company shortly. It has been lovely and enlightening, Lilith.”

And with that he pops out of view and is gone, again. Leav
ing me feeling a bit frayed around the edges. Like I have been tagged ‘it’ but I don’t know the rules of the game. I have to admit there is something alluring about him, though.

Aidan had just winked out when Sebastian’s car pulls up with Indio in the front seat. Hmmm company, would have been nice if he’d been more explicit. Damn the timing. Now that I know what these witches are after, I have to warn the others. Bitch, see if she’s going to get my djinn! Where did that come from? I hardly know Aidan. But it’s clear I don’t want her to bind him. Especially if she’s as evil as Starbright says, I don’t want her anywhere near Sebastian either.

I climb out of my car and stare at Sebastian’s hands as he helps Indio out of his streamlined black Mercedes. She unfolds her slim, tall frame and all twelve yards of leg and regards me coldly. Yeah she’s beautiful, but she dresses in knock-offs. She gushes at Sebastian and sneers at my little car. I suck on my smoothie until it is gone so it makes that annoying sucking noise. She glares at me. Sebastian eyes me cautiously. He knows she is a strong witch and that she doesn’t like me. I give him a kiss on the mouth. Lingering and surprisingly my knees get a little weak. Sebastian notices and so does Indio. I’ve never tried to stake a claim (no pun intended) with Sebastian’s never faltering string of women, but something about Indio makes me realize that I don’t like her acting like she’s entitled to his attentions. Wow. I’m feeling possessive. In fact you might say I’m hitting them out of the ballpark today with my possessiveness. What’s the deal? First Aidan then Sebastian, I don’t have a claim to either one. And I don’t want one. Back off, Lily!

“Ça va, Sebastian?”

“I’m exceptionally well, Lily.”

He grins slyly now. He knows exactly what I’m feeling and he seems to be enjoying my response. If Indio weren’t here he would be grinning from ear to ear at making me so uncomfortable.

“It’s nice to see you again, Indigo, what brings you here?”

“It’s Indio,” she hisses. “Sebastian wanted me to meet Helena and Julian,” she says as she lightly touches his face. “What brings you here, Lilith?”

“Oh, you know I practically live here.” I swear Indio growls.

I walk in front of Sebastian and sashay the whole way. I pretend to twist my dainty little ankle on the steps making sure Sebastian has to catch me. He puts his arms around me and squeezes while whispering in my ear, “You are quite the little vixen and you’re playing with fire, my dearest one.”

“Silly me, I just got a pedicure and I was trying to be careful not to mess it up. Wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Sebastian puts me back on my feet and says, “Those are adorable toes, you must be careful of them. Let me get the door, Cherie.”

Indigestion flicks her long hair behind her shoulders and marches in front of me through the door. I have to hold back a giggle and Bast gives me a stern look.

As Indio walks over the doorstep, I see a slight shimmer around the edges of her body. She’s too pissed off to notice. Magick radiates from her. It’s a good thing. They don’t need to know about Helena’s protective charms. The only way she’s gotten through the door is because she’s been invited. Sebastian places a hand on her back and guides her to the green and blue parlor where they receive guests. I suspect Sebastian feels that the library is too revealing. My stomach tightens. Does he really have to touch her? Ugh!

Helena and Julian wait for us. Helena rings for Andrew and he comes in right behind me. They are ready for company. Impetigo eats it up. Andrew lays out an enormous tea and coffee service that was once owned by some French princess, with petits fours, amaretti, madelines and an assortment of other cakes and cookies. Helena pours tea and coffee for everyone and then passes the deserts around. We select something but only Indio will be eating. Technically we can eat. The food would just sit in our stomach until we threw it up. We don’t have the digestive enzymes for solid food anymore. We can’t eat much before we get sick. So if Indio starts to wonder why no one eats anything we can all take a few bites of cake. The sugar will make it more appetizing. Usually we just say we are watching our figures. She doesn’t need to know about the twelve packets of sugar I dump in my coffee.

“Indio, it is so good to finally meet you darling, Sebastian has told us so much about you and of course I have heard great things about you and your sister,” Helena says smiling sweetly at Indio.

“And I am not disappointed, Helena. You are just as beautiful and gracious as rumor has it.”

“Thank you.”

“Indio, welcome to our home. It is a pleasure to have you here,” Julian says.

“Thank you, a gentleman and a renowned scholar.”

All of them are lying through their teeth but it satisfies the social conventions. The niceties prevent us from tipping our hand.

“It seems you have done your research on us,” Julian says.

“It pays to know your neighbors.”

“Yes it does.”

“As neighbors, you might have noticed the blackout the other night.”

“We did,” Julian says.

Indio smiles.

“Yes it is a bit amusing after the fact. We had a little trouble with some text. Neither of us speaks Aramaic, much less read it and we’re having a devil of a time trying to decipher this incantation.”

“It sounds a bit dangerous to work a spell when you don’t know what it says,” Julian remarks.

“Well we know what it does, and believe me it is worth it, just troublesome. It would be much less so, if say a certain scholar would translate it into English for us.”

“What makes you trust me to translate it correctly?”

“We have ways of handling people who betray us,” she says presenting a glimpse of barbed wire behind the magnolias and honeysuckle.

Julian barely acknowledges her. “I don’t think I would like to get involved at this time, Indio, I’m sorry.” He may look like a passive scholar to the outside world but he is a formidable vampire.

“Suit yourself. The rewards would be great for anyone who helps us,” she says. Back to her false smiles.

“I have everything I need,” Julian responds levelly.

Indio continues to make small talk with Helena and Julian. She never once talks to me directly. Sebastian sits across from her and I catch him staring at me every once in a while. Eventually the small talk runs out. It is obvious her real reason for coming is to get Julian to translate their text.

“Well, I think it’s time for you to take me home, Sebastian. Helena, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can see each other again soon.”

“Of course,” Helena says.

“Julian, think about what I said.”

She stands up and Sebastian follows her. He looks back at us before they leave the room. His one look tells us he thinks the same thing we do. I’ve known him long enough to know what he’s thinking. Indio and Iris are up to no good and they want Julian’s help badly.

“I don’t know what they’re after but I know I don’t want to help them get it,” Julian says as soon as the front door shuts.

“I know what it is. I had another visit from my favorite djinn today. He popped into my car.”

“Incredible!” Julian is on his feet. He starts pacing on the antique blue Persian rug. “This is unprecedented. What did he say?”

“Well he said he was bored so he sought me out. Then he almost made me hit a car door while I was driving. I was a nervous wreck, which I think he liked. He continued to cause all sorts of trouble while I was driving until I was all twitchy. He said something about how it made my energy stir up. He said he could see my energy and that it was pink and red and purple.”

“Everyone, hurry up, into the library, I have to write this down. This is amazing. I have never heard of anything like this before. I wonder if only jinni can see this ‘energy’ aura.”

Helena and I follow after Julian, smiling.

“He followed me into work and implied that he was my boyfriend to the supervisor, which really pissed me off but made him laugh. Then I asked him about the coven, I thought it wouldn’t hurt. This is where it gets interesting. He said he knows they are trying to bind a jinni.”

“Damn them!” Julian says. “That’s what that text is about? If so, it means they haven’t been successful in their djinn summoning yet. They’re trying to summon a djinn without knowing the language. They have no business messing around with this level of magick.”

“What are they thinking?” Helena groans.

“Aidan didn’t seem that worried. I asked him if he was protected and he said yes.” Helena raised an eyebrow at me. I got the feeling she doesn’t like me being on a first name basis with Aidan.

“How does he protect himself?” Julian asks, searching for a pen, ready to transcribe the details.

“I don’t know, I just asked if he was. I got the impression he was going to come in with me, but then he sensed Indio and popped out.”

“I would have given anything to have talked to him,” Julian sighs.

“Don’t worry, Jules, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him. He’s inquisitive and persistent.”

“What does he look like, Lily?” Helena asks curious in spite of herself.

“He’s really easy on the eyes, Helena. He’s about six feet with sun-streaked blond hair and bluish-green eyes that shine when he’s up to something. He has an English accent. Very nicely put together. Did I mention the accent?”

“Yes, you mentioned the accent, Lily,” Helena laughs. “I guess he introduced himself. You said his name was Aidan?”

“Yes, the night he called, that’s the name he used. He said that the body and name are just what he has chosen to project.”

“And Lily thinks he chose well,” Julian says, reminding Helena.

I stick my tongue out at him.

“Helena, could you bind a jinni?” I ask tentatively.

“Yes, but I never would. It’s wrong for one thing and it’s evil magick. Slavery always is. Lily, come up with me while I change.”

I follow Helena up the staircase. I have the feeling she wants to talk to me and she doesn’t want Julian to hear. Sure enough, once we reach her room Helena corners me.

“What’s going on between you and Sebastian?”

“Nothing, why?”

“You know why. Spill it.”

“He has been rather attentive lately, but I don’t know why.”

“Well I do. He could hardly keep his eyes off you when Indio was here. He’s always sitting next to you. The boy has finally come to his senses and has lost his heart to you. The question is what are you going to do about it?”

“Helena, you’re a hopeless romantic.”

“Maybe, but anyone could see that you two would be a good match.”

I know lately, I get a strong gushy feeling in my stomach when he looks at me that certain way. When I kissed him I felt weak in the knees and that was a first. Of course, I’ve never kissed him that way before. But I don’t know if I can trust him, he’s been with so many women. Helena is all too ready to assume things.

I’m not ready for a relationship with a player. I don’t think I’m ready for any relationship right now. I just want to have fun and dedicate myself to my work. I still have a lot to figure out about myself before I share it with someone else.

“I don’t know, Helena. I love Bast, you know that.”

“Of course I do.”

“And who wouldn’t be attracted to him? I mean he’s gorgeous and charming and I think he has always cared for me like a sister at least. It’s very complicated. I’m not sure how I feel. He hasn’t openly declared anything.”

“Not yet,” Helena says, walking into her closet.

Sebastian stands in the foyer when we come down later. He captures my hand in his sending another little shock wave through me. Geez. He leads me into the library. We sit and I fill Sebastian in on my visit with Aidan. He’s not as excited as Julian was.

“I don’t like how this djinn has formed this attachment to you, Lily. It’s not safe,” Sebastian says. “Djinn just can’t be trusted. The fact that this one is interested in conversing with you, actually seeking you out, has me worried.”

“I think he’s fairly harmless. He tries to stir up trouble around me but not to deliberately hurt me.”

“I don’t like it. I would like to drive you to work tonight and pick you up after your shift. See if our little friend pops in on both of us.”

“Bast, I was going to take the bus.”

“Out of the question, you would be way too vulnerable to the djinn. And then there are the stakings. Please, Cherie? Allow me to do this for you?”

“I think you’re overreacting. I can take care of myself, Sebastian.

“It never hurts to have two vampires on alert. You can’t deny that,” he said knowing I couldn’t argue with that logic. The stakings did have me worried.

“Isn’t this going to put a cramp in your evening?”

“Not at all. You are my concern.”

His expression makes my toes curl. When he looks at me like this I know why I get confused and possessive. Damn him! We know each other for seventy-six years and now he wants to put the moves on me? Besides what could Sebastian do if Aidan wanted to kill us?

Helena and I fill Julian and Sebastian in on what Starbright had to say about the witches and their cousin Alexander.

“This is especially troubling now that we know what they are after,” Julian says.

“We will have to keep an eye out for Alexander,” Sebastian says.

The aging and increasingly decrepit Andrew brings us some warmed blackberry wine. It’s just what we need to warm us up as we watch the fog roll in and feel the night begin to cool down. Sebastian starts a fire and I read for a while before it is time to go. As we walk out of the room, Helena watches us from half lidded eyes.

Bast follows me in his car so I can change at my condo and leave my car. When I come back downstairs in my typical jeans and tee shirt, Bast has his Mercedes up front and helps me in. He sets the radio to a station he knows I like. He gives me a searching look, his eyes darken. I look away before I can think about what he might see in my eyes. We navigate through the dark yet busy city streets as the night wraps its fingers around us.

“What will you do if he calls you again tonight?”

“I’ll have to talk to him, but I won’t be running out to meet him again. I can’t afford to lose anymore time at work.”

“Good,” he says, with obvious satisfaction.

“Bast, this is a once in a lifetime chance to talk and interact with a djinn. I should take full advantage of it.”