Bitten & Smitten

by Michelle Rowen

  “We do nothing, Sarah. He is a vampire hunter. He kills our kind without a moment of mercy. Do you really wish to help him?”

  My entire body was clenched as tightly as my fists. “I can’t just stand here and watch him die.”

  “Then leave.”

  “Thierry, please. Do something. What does he need?”

  “He needs the blood of a strong vampire. A lot of it.”

  I looked at Quinn, then back at him. “Your blood.”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Thierry. Please help Quinn.”

  “He doesn’t deserve your misplaced compassion.”

  I didn’t have a response to that. Or did I? Quinn was one of the bad guys. I got that. But I’d seen something in him before—something that wasn’t so bad. He didn’t like what he did. What he was. If not for his father’s tight grasp on his life, I wondered if he’d even be a hunter at all.

  “I know,” I finally said. “I know all of that. But please help him, anyhow.”

  Thierry walked to his desk slowly and then stood there, staring at me for a full minute. “We would need to keep him here until we are sure he’ll not give away our location.”

  I nodded. “Of course.”

  “If I do this, you must promise to do something for me.”

  Quinn moaned in agony, and I glanced at him before returning my attention to Thierry.

  “Okay. Anything. What is it?”

  His eyes flashed at me. “Later. All I need now is your promise to help me.”

  “I promise.”

  The knife was suddenly in his hand again. I hadn’t even seen him reach for it. Quinn watched him approach, his features contorted with pain. When he glimpsed the knife, I saw fear race through his eyes. He murmured something, but I couldn’t hear it. He tried to back away, but he was already pressed against the wall as far as he could go.

  Thierry slashed his left forearm in one quick swipe. He tossed the knife to the side and pressed his arm against Quinn’s mouth. “Drink, hunter.”

  I watched in silence as the last ounce of fight went out of Quinn. Finally it was too much, and his body went limp. All except his hands, which clutched at Thierry’s arm like a baby with a bottle. After five minutes Thierry pulled his arm away and helped Quinn over to the sofa. He fell asleep instantly.

  Thierry picked up the knife from the floor and left the room without glancing at me. I followed him out into the club.

  “Thank you for doing that,” I called after him.

  “He’ll sleep for a while, I think. He won’t be happy when he wakens.”

  “Yeah, he doesn’t seem like much of a morning person.”

  He turned to look me directly in the eyes. “If you’ve endangered the people who look at this place as a refuge, I will not be pleased.”

  I swallowed. “I know.”

  “Go home now, Sarah. Rest.”

  “Okay.” I turned to leave. “Oh, so what did I just agree to, anyhow? What do you want my help with?”

  Thierry settled back into his booth and took a sip from his glass of cranberry juice. “When the hunters have moved on to their next city, and when I’m sure that you will be safe, you will assist me in ending my existence once and for all.”

  I took a moment to let his words sink in before I freaked out.

  “You want me to help you kill yourself?” I sputtered. Maybe I’d heard him wrong.

  He stared at me. “That is correct.”

  I sat down heavily. My face and hands felt cold. “Have you ever thought about going to see a therapist? Maybe try some kind of antidepression medication?”

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I have given this matter much thought, Sarah. My existence has simply ceased to mean anything to me anymore. There is no longer anything to keep me here. Being what I am, I was not able to live a normal life and die of natural causes; therefore, I must choose the proper time for myself. That time is now.”

  “And on the bridge—”

  “On the bridge I was considering my limited options more than anything. Obviously, I was well aware that the fall would do nothing. The wooden stake in my pocket was another thing.”

  “Oh, that was a stake?” I said. “I thought you were just happy to see me.”

  He frowned.

  “I’m kidding.” I bit my bottom lip nervously. “I didn’t even know you had one on you that night. Sorry. Humor at inappropriate times, that’s me.”

  “So you will help me?”

  I took a deep breath. “I don’t like it at all, but I did promise to help with whatever it is you need.”

  That was as far away from a yes as I could get at the moment. How could he want to die? He had everything any man would want. Long life, good looks, a thriving business… a hot chick across the table from him. Hmmm. Well, three out of four ain’t bad.

  “We will discuss this more at a later time,” he said. “For now, get some sleep. I will do what I can to look after your friend.”

  “His name is Quinn, and he’s more of a passing acquaintance, really.” I looked around the busy club for a moment. “Fine, I’ll go, but I’ll be back first thing in the morning to make sure everything’s okay.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think it will be?”

  I bit my bottom lip again and looked away. “I’ll bring donuts.”

  Chapter 11

  First thing in the morning ended up being nine-forty-five. The alarm didn’t go off. I know—excuses, excuses.

  I’d slept so soundly that I hadn’t even heard the phone ring. There were two messages on my voice mail at home, both from my mother. She wanted to know details about my travel plans for my cousin Missy’s wedding. When I was showing up, if I was bringing a date, and that she’d made my favorite chocolate-chip cookies for my arrival.

  Tomorrow.

  I almost died when I remembered that little detail. How time flies when you’re being hunted within an inch of your newly immortal life. I’d booked three days off work, not that that was an issue anymore. In twenty-four hours I was supposed to be on my merry way three hours north of Toronto to my hometown and the site of my cousin’s second wedding. I was one of the bridesmaids. I wondered if they’d believe I had the flu.

  Or maybe I could just tell them the truth. I’d been bled nearly dry and made into a creature of the night, a bloodsucking monster who barely had a reflection anymore. I wondered if that meant I wouldn’t show up in the wedding photos. Or was it just a mirror thing? I should probably figure that out before I went anywhere.

  I had to get out of going. There was no other way. To be a bridesmaid in my current condition would be wrong on too many levels to list. I’d have to think about what I’d say later, though. Right now I had to deal with the Quinn situation.

  I swung past Tim Hortons on the way back to Midnight Eclipse to buy a dozen donuts. I used to love donuts, but now that I seemed to be on a strictly liquid diet, their sweet, carb-filled aroma didn’t make me want to gorge myself on the first dozen and buy a second dozen to cover up my binge. Not that that had ever happened before. Right.

  Strawberry-filled seemed to be a pretty good choice for your average pastry-eating vampire. Red stuff in the middle and all that.

  The taxi dropped me off in front of the tanning salon. I’d decided to take only taxis everywhere now, as long as I could afford it. Walking the streets alone, even in the blinding broad daylight, was making me more nervous with every passing day.

  The front door was locked, so I went around to the back. I was surprised to see George leaning against the wall outside, wearing very dark sunglasses that mirrored my own, and passionately smoking a cigarette. There were many butts strewn on the ground by his feet.

  “You’re still here?” I said. “Don’t tell me you never left last night.”

  I couldn’t see his eyes, but the expression on the rest of his face wasn’t pleasant. “Oh, you’re back. Thanks so much for leaving us with that lunatic.”

  “Lunatic? Qui
nn? What did he do?”

  “The real question is, what didn’t he do?”

  I shoved the box of donuts at George and pulled the door open all the way. I immediately heard banging—a loud, steady noise, as if somebody were playing around with a battering ram.

  A tired-looking Zelda approached me. “Thank God you’re finally here. He’s been asking for you. Well, maybe yelling would be a better word.”

  “Wonderful,” I said sarcastically. “Where’s Thierry?”

  “I don’t know, but he wanted me to give you this.” Zelda grabbed my hand and placed a large, heavy silver gun with a black handle in it. A gun! I’d never even held one before.

  “What the hell is this for?” I sputtered.

  “For protection.”

  “What do I look like? Dirty Harry?”

  She walked wearily behind the bar, poured herself a shot of blood from what looked to be her personal flask, and drank it down. “I like you, Sarah. I really do. But you’re the one who brought him here and then left. It’s your turn to deal with him now. I’ve had it.”

  She grabbed her blue cloth coat from behind the bar, threw it over her shoulders, and left the club through the back door.

  I swallowed heavily. Oh well, at least George was still there for support.

  “I’m gonna take off, too,” George said as he poked his head through the door, cigarette dangling from his lips.

  I ran to the door before it closed and grabbed him by his nearly see-through white shirt and pulled him roughly back inside.

  “Oh, no, you’re not.” I shook him by his shoulders. “You’re not leaving me here all alone.”

  The cigarette was knocked from his lips and pinged off my thigh to the floor.

  He blinked. “You’re kind of sexy when you’re all dominant and stuff.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to stay?”

  “Will you beat me up if I don’t?” He grinned at me.

  “Probably.”

  “Ooo.”

  Behind us there was a loud banging coming from Thierry’s office. Gee, I wonder who that was?

  “Sarah!” Quinn’s voice was hoarse as if he’d been yelling all night long. “Let me out of here right now!”

  I turned back to George. “Why hasn’t he just busted out of there by now?”

  “Reinforced door. It’s stronger than it looks. Kind of like you.”

  “George, compliments will get you anywhere,” I said. “Too bad about the gay thing.”

  I held the gun at my side like I’d seen cops do on television and walked toward the office. I knocked lightly.

  “Quinn?”

  The replying bang sounded like Quinn had thrown his entire body at the door, shoulder first. “Let me the hell out of here!”

  “Okay, you realize that probably isn’t going to happen, right?”

  “Let me out now!”

  I glanced at George, then back at the door. “Did you go deaf when you got bitten? Listen, nobody trusts you, especially me. If we let you out of there, you’ll tell your friends and then we’ll all be dead.”

  It made a lot more sense to me now in the harsh light of day. Maybe I’d made a huge mistake by bringing Quinn back to the club. Uh, maybe! Okay, I’d definitely made a mistake, I’ll admit it. I didn’t deal well with violence, death, and other nasty things. In fact, I normally didn’t have to deal with those things at all. I guess my brain shut off its common sense part last night and I’d been running on pure stupidity. Didn’t make me a bad vampire, it just made me more likely to get dead.

  But Quinn was my responsibility now, whether I liked it or not.

  “Okay, Quinn, why don’t you take one huge chill pill? I want to talk to you, face-to-face.”

  I waited for a response, but there was nothing.

  “Just so you know,” I continued, trying to sound as strong and confident as the commercials for my underarm deodorant said I should feel, “I have a gun. A big one. I’ve used it before, and I don’t have a problem putting a big, gaping hole through your sorry ass if you give me any problems.”

  I glanced at George. He nodded with approval and even gave me a big thumbs-up.

  Again I waited for a response from Quinn. Finally he said, “Fine. Come on in and we’ll have a nice chat.”

  Why was I finding his sincerity so hard to swallow? Oh, it could be because of the extremely insincere tone of his voice.

  I clutched the gun tighter. It was starting to get heavy.

  “It’s an automatic,” George whispered. “All you have to do is point and shoot.”

  “Just like a camera,” I said. “Listen, George, if things go wrong in there, can you tell Thierry that I’m sorry for calling him an asshole last night?”

  His eyes widened. “You called him an asshole? You are so my hero.”

  I shrugged, then turned back toward the office. “Okay, Quinn,” I said louder. “Move away from the door.” Then added, “Or else.”

  George slipped a key into the lock and turned it. I tensed, ready to aim quickly. I’d shoot for the legs if I had to. Could bullets kill vampires? I didn’t know for sure, although it was probably a safe bet that they’d hurt like hell.

  I turned the knob and pushed the door open a fraction so I could peer inside. Quinn was now seated on the sofa, his hands clasped, head lowered. It looked like he was praying.

  I took a step inside and George quickly closed the door behind me. I heard the lock click and my stomach sank. Thanks a lot, I thought. Throw me in with the lions, why don’t you?

  Quinn raised his head slowly, until he was staring directly into my eyes. “So here we are,” he said drily. “Let’s talk.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Great. Just great.”

  He stared at the gun. I raised it higher so it was pointed directly at him.

  “Why do I find it hard to believe that you’ve ever fired a gun before?” he asked.

  “Because you’re a male chauvinist?”

  “You don’t need it. I’m not going to try anything.”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t I believe you? You’ve been so friendly before this.”

  He looked around. “Can I get out of here?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why not?”

  I shrugged at him. “I just want to be greedy and keep you all to myself. It’s your charm. You’ve won me over.”

  He blinked at me.

  I shook my head. “I’m being sarcastic.”

  Quinn looked down at the floor. “Can I ask you one question?”

  “Ask away.”

  “At the bar the other night, were you planning on killing me?”

  “Pardon me?” I lowered the gun a bit.

  “Biting me. Making me into a vampire,” he clarified.

  “No.” I almost laughed. “Why would you think something like that?”

  “Because that’s what vampires do. Bite people.”

  “I haven’t bitten anyone yet, and I’m not planning on starting anytime soon. Do the words ‘gross’ and ’unhygienic‘ mean anything to you?”

  He frowned. “You seemed so normal. I still can’t believe I had no idea what you were. Are.”

  “Touché.”

  “So, what were you doing in there—in Clancy’s— the other night?”

  “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I said I only wanted to have a drink.”

  “Probably not. But what did I have to do with anything?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Wow, self-centered much? Hate to burst your bubble, buddy, but I wasn’t out to get you, if that’s what you think. I felt like a drink, so I had a drink. I saw a cute guy at the end of the bar, so I flirted with the cute guy.”

  “Cute guy?” He raised his eyebrows.

  I felt an immediate flush rise in my cheeks. “I think we’re getting off topic here. This is supposed to be our little chat about why you can’t kill all of us.”

  “You thought I was cute?”

  “Trust me, I’m over
it now. You’ve been a royal pain in my ass ever since I met you, so that takes a bit away from the whole package.”

  “So, that man, the tall one dressed in black, is he your boyfriend?”

  “Thierry’s a boy and he’s a friend. But not in the way you might think. What difference does that make?”

  Quinn stood up. I took a step back and raised the gun, which I’d lowered almost all the way down to the floor.

  “I’ve had a lot of time in here to think things through,” he said.

  I felt every muscle in my body tense as he took another step nearer to me. “Why don’t you sit back down? It’s a comfy couch.”

  He took a third step toward me. I didn’t want to shoot him, but it was feeling as if it might be easier and easier the nearer he got to me.

  He stopped then and sighed. “Look, Sarah, I know that if it wasn’t for your help, I would have died last night.”

  “And?”

  “And I know you’re different from the rest of them.”

  “The rest of who?”

  “The vampires.”

  “Hate to break it to you, but you’re a vampire now, too.”

  A flash of pain went through his eyes, but it wasn’t physical pain this time, that much I could tell. “I know. But I don’t feel any different than when I was normal.”

  “See? I tried to tell you.”

  “But… I am different now. I have to be.” His voice was sad. “I just can’t be the same thing that killed my mother. I can’t be an evil, bloodsucking, dead thing.”

  He lowered his head then and began to sob very quietly. The way men sob. Quiet, dry, and as discreet as possible. If I hadn’t been standing right in front of him, I might have missed the signs.

  I swallowed hard, but didn’t put the gun down. “Quinn, it’s not true. You’re not like that. I’m not like that.”

  “Dead things,” he said. “We’re disgusting dead things.”

  “No, we’re not.” I closed the space between us, grabbed his hand, and thrust it against my chest so he could feel the steady beat of my heart. Immediately my heart increased to an embarrassed pounding as I realized I’d just forced him to touch my boob. I let go of him, but his hand didn’t move away. His breath was ragged as he lifted his gaze to meet mine.