vampires of san francisco 07 - suckers lost and found (22 page)

“I could use some food too. Let’s get out of here while it’s still safe,” Manda says. She grabs Lily’s hand and they walk to the front door. Aidan I follow with Aidan shaking his head.

Once we get in the car we realize that we don’t know where we’re going. Many suggestions are given. Recently, Lily started drinking human blood again but she is extremely picky about it. Before she had been living off me. The doctor says that fresh human blood is best but that if we couldn’t get it then bag blood would be second best. If she only drinks vampire blood she will not get enough nutrients to feed the baby. She needs a diverse selection too. She can’t take any more blood from drunken donors. That will complicate things slightly. She will have to hunt with Aidan, Julian or Helena. I can’t glamour people yet, that will come in a couple hundred years or so. I do a snatch and grab now that I am not sleeping with my meals. The others will be able to lure her donor.

We end up in the Richmond District next to Golden Gate Park. There are always events happening in the park. Today it’s a concert. We have used concerts here before to find donors. It’s easy to grab someone in the bushes. 

“Aidan can you glamour a couple guys for us?” Lily asks. She looks dead on her feet. Ashen and wobbling. I keep a tight grip around her waist and she looks up at me and smiles.

“Of course, love. Manda, you will have to learn how to hunt in case I’m not here,” Aidan says and smirks at his intended.

“I’ll take you a few times. It’s not too hard. You really should know,” I tell her.

Aidan uses his magick to lure two handsome men to come over to the bushes. Manda pounces immediately and starts to moan. Aidan laughs at her.

“She used to sound like that when she ate regular food, too,” he explains.

Lily takes out a handi-wipe and wipes the neck of her young man. Then she delicately bites him. She starts to take too much and I try to pull her off. She relinquishes but not easily.

“Do you need more, Lily?” I ask her.

“Yes, I’m starving. I didn’t realize until I started eating. I knew I should stop but I almost couldn’t.”

Aidan brings another man over and Lily quickly wipes him down before sinking into his neck. She eats her fill but doesn’t take too much. She wipes her mouth with a handkerchief when she is done. There is color in her cheeks again and she is steadier on her feet. I feel like sagging in relief. I know now that I will have to keep her well-fed. I’m going to have to talk to Julian and Aidan about getting some blood on hand for her at home. The baby is using up a lot of her energy.

On the way back we chat like two couples will. It’s not until we pull up to our drive and two of the King’s protectors materialize out of the shrubbery that I know everything is not normal anymore.

TWENTY-FOUR / LILITH

The King’s men scared me. No one thought they would be here yet. And the next conclusion was made.

“If they made it here so fast than Giulia could be here too,” I say.

“Aidan, stay close to the girls and I will talk to the guards,” Sebastian says.

“I’ll also let everyone next door know what’s going on,” Aidan relays.

When we get out of the car, both guards bow low to me. I’m taken aback by it and Sebastian has a grimace on his face. He doesn’t like that Basilio has afforded me this honor, but he won’t say anything because we need the help.

“Thank you,” I say. “Thank you, also, for coming so quickly. Is there anything you need while you are here? How can I make your stay more comfortable?”

“You honor us, Signora St. John. Can we use the house in the back to monitor things? We have already put up a full security system. We’ll show you and Signor St. John how to use it,” one of the guards says.

“What are your names?” I ask.

“I’m Alessandro and this is Matteo. Please, can we move inside? We don’t like you so exposed.”

Alessandro is black-haired with a model’s face. Matteo has dark hair but his nose has been broken before he turned. It gives his face character.

“Yes, of course.” I take Sebastian’s arm. I am escorted inside, flanked in front, back, and on the sides. This is going to be claustrophobic but I will do anything for a safe, healthy baby and the time to watch it grow.

We settle in at the kitchen island. Matteo takes out a tablet of some kind and presses in a code. Instantly little images of our whole perimeter take up the screen.

“Wow,” I say. Sebastian immediately takes a closer look.

“Is it wired for sound?” he asks the dark twins.

“Yes, signor. An alarm goes off with any motion, too,” Matteo answers.

“Can I have one of these?” Sebastian asks as he points to the tablet.

“Si, signor, we would like you to have one. Signora too.”

“And me. I’ll be staying here as well. I’m a Djinn so don’t be alarmed if you see me popping in and out.”

“Si, Signor Aidan. The King told us about you. We had hoped we would have you in our arsenal,” Alessandro says.

“This is Manda, my fiancée. She is staying here also. We have quite an extended family next door and they will come and go. I think I might pop them in and out though, less exposure for Hannah and the twins. Maybe an underground tunnel? Is that too much?” Aidan rubs his chin and looks at Sebastian. “What do you think?”

“I think the tunnel would be the best option as long as it comes down when all this is over,” Bast says and rubs his hand across his eyes as if he is tired.

“This would make our job easier as long as we know who is where. We were told to keep an eye on the babies as well as they are too precious,” Matteo says.

“Has the King told you that Lily is pregnant yet?” Bast asks.

“Incredibile! How is this possible?” Matteo asks.

Aidan raises his hand.

“Not my child but my magick,” he clarifies.

Alessandro laughs. He pats Aidan on the back and Aidan raises an eyebrow at him. Alessandro quickly removes his hand and Aidan bursts out laughing.

“I’m just playing, my new Italian friend. Welcome to the family,” Aidan shakes his hand and then Matteo’s. Sebastian shakes their hands next.

“I think I am going to go lie down for a half hour or so. I’m still pretty tired.”

“I’ll join you in a few minutes, cherie. I want to go over security with Matteo and Alessandro. Maybe you could go with her, Manda?”

“Of course. If you feel up to it we can discuss the wedding,” Manda suggests.

“Aidan, my things?” I ask. He has all my wedding planning materials and magazines I had gathered in the months before our trip. He keeps them stored I don’t know where. Sebastian was going crazy stumbling over my books and sheets of paper. So Aidan said he would put them in “the vault.”

“I just deposited them on your bed along with the latest editions of all your magazines.”

I clap and hurry to my room with Manda hot on my trail. I find the stool Sebastian had Aidan summon for me and use it to climb onto the bed. There are two large plastic containers on the bed. Manda climbs up too.

“What’s all this?” she asks.

“It’s all my research for our wedding. We can eliminate one whole box because it’s info on the cruise and Italy and I doubt you want to go back there.”

“You so have that right.” Manda loses herself for a minute and I take her hand and squeeze.

“You’re safe now. You’re loved and safe,” I say trying to comfort her.

“I know, thank you. The memories are fading, being replaced with beautiful ones. Thank you so much for saving me, for loving us.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for. You’ve returned my friendship tenfold. I mean you and Aidan have moved in here to help protect me and my baby. I can never thank you enough for that.”

“It’s the least we can do. I know Aidan still loves you and I’m okay with that because I love the man that makes him. I want you to know I love you too. You helped make Aidan the man he is.”

“And that man wants to marry you, so we have lots of planning to do,” I say trying to steer away from all talk of Aidan loving me still. We will always love each other but that love has changed from passion to a brother/best friend kind of love. I smile weakly because I’m getting tired. I lean back onto my pillows and point to one of the containers.

“That’s the one with all the bride magazines and wedding planning books. I bought three so I have one that’s still empty and we can use it to plan.”

“I’m so excited. I’ve dreamt of my wedding since I was a little girl.”

“Do you know what kind of dress you want or what colors? They say you can and should plan the entire event around the dress,” I say drowsily.

“Why don’t I look through these magazines and you can sleep for a while. I’m going to take the boxes over to the chaise by the window. You rest,” Manda whispers and moves a piece of hair off my forehead. Then I feel the bed move before I crash.

“Welcome back, ma petite mamman. How are you feeling?” Sebastian asks as he kisses me gently.

“I feel much better. Where did Manda go? How long have I been conked out?”

“She’s in her and Aidan’s room looking through all your wedding research and filling up a book full of ideas. You’ve created a monster.” Bast laughs and it resonates through his chest which I am resting my head on. “You’ve been asleep for about an hour and a half.”

“Not too bad then. I can live with having to take a nap every day. I think we can work around that.”

“Our only schedule right now is taking care of you and our petite bébé. We only get to do this for a short time and I want to cherish every minute of it.”

Sebastian scoots down and I protest until he pulls my dress up and kisses my belly. He lays his head on it and gets a huge grin on his face.

“I can hear the heartbeat. It is truly the most precious thing I have ever heard except for when you said “I do.” He rubs his hand up my side. “I am the luckiest man, vampire, immortal in the world. You make me so happy. Have I told you that yet today?” I laugh and run my fingers through his hair.

“Not yet, but the day is young.”

“Do you have the energy to let me make love to you?”

“I think I might insist on it. You probably won’t want me when I’m huge.” Some of my insecurity must have shown through because Bast moves up and takes my face in his hands.

“I will want you forever. No matter what. What is beautiful to me is who you are as much as your physical beauty. I will worship you with my body as often as you allow me to.”

I can’t talk so I do the next best thing and kiss him, desperately, and he meets me, just as needy. He tastes of love and safety. 

He makes gentle love to me while whispering sweet words in my ear. He truly worships my body with his. I am so in love with this man and now we are going to have a child. I can’t help it, I cry with joy.

“What’s wrong, cherie? Did I hurt you?” He looks panicked.

“No, no… I’m just so happy. I can’t contain it all. I love you, Bast and am so excited about the baby.”

“Ma petite mamman, I love you too. I can’t describe how much I love you and this child,” he says as he rests his hand on my belly bump. I hold his hand there and giggle-sob. 

“I’m afraid, Sebastian. Giulia is out there somewhere and I have never felt more vulnerable. I’m also afraid of what happens when I go through the full moon phase. What will it do to the baby? I should have asked Dr. Hildebrand but so much has been on my mind. Do you think it is too late to call him?”

“No, ma petite, I’ll call him right now.” Bast stands in all his glorious nakedness. Broad shoulders, slim waist and solid abs. He is gorgeous and he is mine. I finger my wedding ring.

“Are you enjoying the show?” He smirks at me.

“Always, and it’s all mine.”

“Yes it is, forever.” He goes into the closet and pulls on some jeans and a sweater. Then he gets his phone out of his discarded clothes to make the call.

“Please put it on speaker phone.”

“Bien sur, ma petite.” Bast calls the doctor and I grip my hands tightly in anticipation.

“Dr. Hidebrand, it’s Sebastian St. John. I hope I haven’t disturbed you again.”

“No, no. Is Mrs. St. John okay? Anything new happen?”

“No, she’s fine, well, she’s worried. We want to know what to expect when she goes through the full moon phase. It’s in three weeks and we are worried about what it will do to the baby.”

“I’ve been doing some research and thinking about this. I’ve access to all the medical records of the supernatural world down here. There have been two documented full blood werewolf pregnancies,” Dr. Hildebrand says. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. At least there is a precedent. 

“In both cases, the babies were fine. Although they were born with the disease. I’m not sure if that is any help or not. I do think that she will be able to phase with no trouble. But I can’t give you a guarantee whether the baby will be one quarter werewolf or what that will mean.” He pauses for a moment. “It could be with both parents vampires that the gene will not be displayed. We’ll have to wait and find out. We can do some genetic testing in a couple of weeks when the baby is bigger.”

“I think Lily and I would appreciate that. How would the disease manifest in a baby?” Sebastian asks. 

“The interesting part is that it seems to have waited until puberty to set in for the werewolves. But we know they are essentially human. We don’t even know if your child will hit puberty or just continue to mature at an accelerated rate. So much is unknown. But please know that I have Dr. Green working on it already. He is an excellent doctor. Hannah said you were considering him. I needed to pull in a pediatrician right away when we determined how fast this pregnancy would progress.”

“Thank you, Dr. Hildebrand. I think we will be happy with Dr. Green,” I say. “It sounds like there are a lot of unknowns. I’m not sure if it eases my anxiety.”

“Please, please understand that just because it is unknown doesn’t mean it is bad news. You are breaking all the rules and we’ve never seen anything like this. I think that so far things are going very well.”

“I took about a two hour nap today and ate. I feel much better. I have a bump already. It’s small but it’s definitely there.” Bast moves his hand over the baby as I talk.