by Parker Blue
“Nothing to talk about.”
“Uh huh,” I said doubtfully. “You learn your ex is a vampire and there’s nothing to talk about?”
He sighed. “Well, one thing’s for sure. There’s no chance of getting back together.”
Had he been hoping there was? I wondered at his disgusted tone. “You can’t deal with dating a vampire?” I asked.
“It’s hard to date someone who considers you food.” He glanced at me. “Could you do it?”
“I guess not.” Though it made me wonder what he’d think of dating a part-demon girl. Not that I was interested. Just, you know, curious.
A mental snort from Fang in the other room showed me what he thought of that rationalization. Go back to sleep, I thought irritably.
I didn’t know you could laugh in someone else’s mind, but Fang managed it.
Dan took another sip. “What I don’t get is why. I mean, taking a step like that—turning into a vampire—has to be voluntary, right?”
“So far as I know. Unless the person who turned her somehow forced her to drink his or her blood. It’s possible.” Possible, but not probable. If that had been the case, she wouldn’t be so cozy with them now.
Apparently, Dan had come to the same conclusion. “Why would she do such a thing? You think she was sick?”
I shrugged. “You’d know better than I would.” I dearly wanted to know more, but he didn’t seem very forthcoming and I didn’t want him to think I was interested in him or anything.
EVEN IF YOU ARE?
Go to sleep, Fang. Sheesh—I couldn’t even be private in my own head.
OKAY, OKAY. DON’T GET YOUR KNICKERS IN A TWIST. I’LL BE SILENT AS THE GRAVE.
Ignoring the hellhound, I said, “Maybe she wanted immortality. That’s important to some people.”
“No, I can’t see it. But Alejandro could have enthralled her, forced her to want it.”
I made a noncommittal noise. Again, it was possible. Maybe even probable, but more likely wishful thinking. Evidently, Dan wasn’t over Lily yet. And who could compete with that?
He turned to look at me. “Hey, Alejandro said your sister came looking for you. What’s that about?”
“I don’t know.” I took another sip. “The reason my parents threw me out is because they thought I was a bad influence on her—she was all gung-ho on helping me kill vampires. But she’s too young for this. Doesn’t have the same . . . reflexes I do.”
Dan stared at me curiously. “Yeah, how do you do it? It doesn’t seem quite natural.”
“Well, it is,” I said defensively. Natural for me, anyway. To get him off the subject, I said, “Guess I need to find her tomorrow and beat some sense into her head.”
He nodded. “I know how it is to have a stubborn little sister. Need some help?”
I grinned, remembering Jen’s reaction the last time they’d met. “Yeah, sure. You, she might listen to.”
He rose and placed his empty glass in the sink. “Okay, it’s a deal. I’ll come by early tomorrow and we’ll put a scare into your sister.”
“Good.” I rose and followed him to the door. Trying for a joke, I said, “If the vamps don’t kill me, Mom sure will.” I didn’t pull it off very well.
He glanced down at me. “Hey,” he said softly. “You really are worried, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “Mom forbade me to see Jen again, but how can I protect her if she runs into danger on her own?”
“Don’t worry—we’ll take care of it.”
He reached out to give me a hug and for some stupid reason, I dropped my guard for a moment and let him. It had been so long since someone had reached for me without holding thoughts of the demon in the back of their mind, without any thought but that I needed a hug. Human contact is a wondrous and scary thing. For me more than most.
Our energy fields intersected and clung. Heat flared between us—an odd, dancing energy—and my heart beat faster. Lola reached out to him and a surge of want and need flowed back and forth between us like a live thing.
I clutched his shoulders hard, tightening the embrace. The warmth of his body against mine, his woodsy, masculine scent, and the strange tingling in my own body were totally wonderful, yet frightening at the same time. Fearing he’d think I was acting too needy, I pulled back. Not all the way out of his arms, just far enough to look into his eyes.
Dan gave me an intense look, like he’d suddenly realized I wasn’t just a girl, but a woman . . . and he wondered what that woman tasted like.
A strange heat flooded through me, leaving me feeling boneless and yearning. Yes, please yes. Kiss me, I willed him.
He lowered his head, staring at my mouth. Ohmigod. I didn’t know it could, but my heart beat even faster and I felt energized—all warm and tingly—just like with Johnny Morton two years ago.
Uh oh. Draining your partner’s life force was so not cool. I gasped and pulled away.
He looked stunned and I didn’t quite know what to say or do. He didn’t think of me as a kid anymore, that was for sure, but it was artificial, brought on by the demon within me.
“God, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I don’t—”
I cut him off as I struggled desperately to shove a disappointed Lola back into her bottle. “Don’t worry about it. It was my fault.”
“But—”
We heard a key in the lock then—Gwen must be home. Dan ran a hand through his hair, looking a little frazzled, and opened the door for his sister. “Hey, Gwennie. Val and I were just having a little chat, but I’m headed home now. See you.” He rushed out the door.
Gwen glanced at her brother’s back, then at me. She closed the door softly, asking, “What was that all about? Is there something going on between you two?”
“No, no,” I assured her, not sure how she’d feel if there was. “It’s just that he ran into his ex today, and he’s not happy with . . . her new lifestyle.”
“Oh,” Gwen said in a flat tone and dumped her stuff on the dining room table. “You mean Lily?”
“Yeah.” And this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the woman Dan had loved at one time.
“How long have they been broken up?”
She grimaced. “Two months, thank God.” Flopping down on the couch, she said, “I don’t know what he saw in her—she’s such a cold fish.”
That was nice to hear. I sat down across from Gwen. “She seemed very . . . confident.”
“Yeah. He’s always been drawn to strong women, but we can’t figure out why he chose her. The family’s just glad she ended it.”
If she ended it, that might explain why Dan still wasn’t over her. “Family?” I asked.
“Yeah—my mother and my two brothers.”
“I didn’t know you had other brothers.” Dan hadn’t mentioned it. Then again, we hadn’t talked about much except stalking the undead and my family.
“Yeah—Jack and Adam.”
Two others like Dan? Whoa. “Older or younger?”
“Older. Dan and I are the youngest.”
“Do they live here in San Antonio, too?”
“Yes—Jack is a cop and Adam’s in civil service at Randolph Air Force Base and in the reserves.”
I raised an eyebrow. “All serving their country in one way or another?”
She laughed. “Yeah, it’s a Sullivan thing. It’s sort of a tradition, a motto, amongst us that every family member serves and protects. My grandfather and father were both in the military—Dad died in Vietnam. The same with my cousins—police, military, firemen. It’s what we do.”
“I get it—you’re all heroes,” I said with a half smile. It explained a lot about Dan, why he was in the SCU to begin with.
She looked surprised. “No, that wasn’t what I meant at all.”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” I assured her. “I think it’s cool.”
Gwen looked thoughtful. “That’s interesting—I never thought of it that way. But you see why Lily wouldn’t have fi
t in?”
“Yeah, she’s more the predator type than the hero type.”
“Exactly.” Gwen wrinkled her brow. “You said something earlier about her new lifestyle. What did you mean by that?”
Uh, how did I explain this without mentioning the fact that she had gone over to the dark side—literally?
When I hesitated, Gwen’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me—she’s turned into a vampire.”
Whoa. “You know about them?” I knew she’d seen fang marks on victims in the ER, but didn’t realize she knew what made them.
“Oh, yeah. Dan explained all about them. He wants me to be more careful. But I’m the only other one in the family who knows. Since you’re his partner, I figure you had to.”
“Yeah.” It was odd talking about these things with someone outside my family. I’d had to remain close-mouthed for so long . . . .
“So is she one of the walking undead now?” Gwen persisted.
I nodded.
“Figures. Undead totally fits her personality. Well, good. Now maybe Dan will give up on the skank.”
“He really loves her, huh?”
Gwen shrugged. “I don’t think so. I think it was more of a pride thing—she ended it instead of him, but wouldn’t give him a reason. I think he just really wants to know why. Plus he’d be upset if anyone he knew started playing on the wrong team.”
Seemed like more than that to me. But what did I know? I wasn’t bright enough to figure that out tonight. Not as frustrated as I felt. I was getting really tired of wanting things I couldn’t have. Family, a boyfriend, a life.
Except . . . when I looked back on the last week, I realized I had more of a life now than I’d ever had before. Just because certain aspects sucked didn’t mean it wasn’t a life.
She yawned. “Well, I’m gonna hit the sack.”
“Me, too.” Though, as I crawled into bed with Fang, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to sleep. Remembering what had almost happened earlier with Dan was liable to occupy my dreams tonight, whether I wanted it to or not.
Inwardly, I felt like hugging the memory tight and living it over and over again.
Outwardly, I squirmed. Crap—I’d almost drained him, just like Johnny. How could I face Dan later today? How could I continue working in close proximity to him, wondering if the demon would break loose again, would try to enthrall him?
Unfortunately, I had no choice. I’d just have to keep a lid on it and make sure our energy fields never mingled again.
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
I glared at Fang on the bed. Man’s best friend? Ha.
Later that day, as I waited for Dan to show up, I wondered if I should just take off on my own and blow him off. I was tempted, but I’d still have to see him at work anyway. Better just to tough it out, pretend it never happened. I shook my head. Well, nothing had happened except for a simple hug that had led nowhere. Unfortunately.
No—don’t even think that.
It couldn’t happen again, no matter how much I wished it would.
BOY, YOU’VE GOT IT BAD.
“Shut up,” I muttered at Fang. “You’re not helping.”
He jumped up on the couch next to me and nudged my hand with his nose, offering comfort and probably an apology. IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT—IT’S THE SUCCUBUS PART OF YOU.
I scratched his fuzzy little ears. “I know. I just need to learn to control it.”
YOU WILL.
Funny—the hellhound had more faith in me than I did.
When Dan finally knocked on my door about two in the afternoon, he looked none the worse for wear. Good—I was afraid he might have pulled a bender or something. But he looked as if he had everything under control, though his expression was a bit wary as he regarded me. After the way I’d acted like a frightened rabbit last night, I didn’t blame him. Half the time I wasn’t sure if I was a kid or an adult. Couldn’t blame him for being confused, too.
I felt suddenly geeky and awkward, not knowing where to look or put my hands.
“You ready to find Jen and beat some answers out of her?” Dan asked.
He knew exactly what to say to make me feel at ease again—ignore the awkwardness, concentrate on pounding something. Now that I was good at. I laughed. “Sure.”
Not knowing how long we’d be gone or if we’d be back before dark, I put on my holster with the stakes in back over my T-shirt and jeans, and covered them with my vest. “Okay, I’m ready.”
I got into Dan’s SUV and scooted as far away from him as I could get.
GEE, THAT’S NOT OBVIOUS OR ANYTHING. Fang jumped between us, making the distance seem more natural.
I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at the dog. Sure, Fang was a great friend, but there were disadvantages to having an intelligent furry companion who knew you too well . . . and could make snide comments in your head.
“So, where can we find your sister?” Dan asked.
“She should still be in school this time of day.” I gave him directions to the high school.
Luckily, I’d picked Jen up several times so the school officials knew me. But that familiarity did me no good.
She was at home, sick.
I had Dan call my parent’s house but there was no answer. We tried the store next, but when Dan asked for Jen, pretending to be one of her friends, Rick said Jen was at school.
Dan turned off his cell phone. “Sounds like your little sister is playing hooky. Think she’s out looking for you again?”
“Probably.”
“So where would she be?”
I thought for a moment. “Maybe she’s ditching at home, since Mom and Rick are at the store.”
“Okay, let’s try it.”
It was tough driving up to the only home I’d known all my life and feeling like an outsider. I hated the thought of going in where I was no longer wanted, but I had to find Jen before she did something stupid.
“Is that her?” Dan asked.
Jen was just leaving the house, locking the door and looking around furtively. When I waved, she ran up to the car and beamed at me. “I’ve been trying to find you, but no one will tell me where you live or give me your phone number.”
“Mom and Rick wouldn’t give it to you because they don’t want you seeing me anymore. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, but the ’rents have no idea how important this is.” She glanced at the car. “Hey, can you give me a ride to the bookstore? I’m supposed to work there this afternoon.”
Dan nodded, so I got out and motioned her to sit between us and Fang jumped in the back seat. As she got in, I gave Dan directions and he headed toward the bookstore.
Fang’s nostrils flared. SHE SMELLS LIKE VAMPIRE.
My little sister’s one of the undead? My heart stopped for a moment, until I realized Fang meant she smelled like vampire because she’d been hanging around them. Relief filled me, but annoyance soon followed. “What the hell have you been doing?” I snapped.
“Yeah,” Dan all but growled. “Tell us why you’ve been flashing your sister’s picture all over town, calling her the Slayer, nearly getting her killed.”
“Killed?” Jen repeated. “I-I didn’t know.”
It was her favorite refrain, unfortunately used way too often, right after she screwed up. Truth be told, that’s the part of Jen’s life that made me angry. I was never allowed to say, “I don’t know.” Never allowed to be a kid. I tamped down the jealousy, telling myself for the zillionth time that it wasn’t Jen’s fault she could have a normal life, be a normal kid.
She glanced back and forth between Dan and me, looking frantic. “I-I thought I’d be safer around the . . . you know . . . if they thought I was under your protection. You have quite a reputation, Val.”
“Yeah,” Dan replied. “One you made for her. Until you put a name and face on her, the ‘you know’ didn’t know who she was.”
Jen looked miserable. “I’m sorry. I joined their movement to find out more about them for Val. I w
as just trying to help.”
Dan had come to a stop a block past the bookstore and I spoke fast, not wanting Mom or Rick to see Jen with me. “You did what? How could you be so stupid? And why would you think that putting yourself in danger could possibly help me?”
She hunched one shoulder. “I’m not in danger. And I’m learning a lot—”
“I don’t need your help—and they are not safe.” Even if Alejandro meant what he said, I still didn’t want my little sister hanging around them. “You have to promise me you won’t talk to the vamps again—don’t even go near them.” She could be enthralled so easily.
She looked sullen. “All right, but what if I need to get in contact with you?”
“Call.” I gave her my new phone number along with Dan’s cell phone number, and Jen put them carefully in her purse.
Suddenly, Dan said, “Ah, hell.”
What—?
But I didn’t need to ask as my door was suddenly jerked open. I lurched a little, since I’d been leaning on it, but the seatbelt kept me in place. What the—
It was Mom, looking like a thundercloud about to dump a gutload of bad weather. Rick was right behind her.
“What are you doing here?” Mom demanded. “I told you to stay away from Jen.”
“It’s my fault,” Jen said. “I asked her to—”
“I don’t care what you asked her. I gave an order, and I expect it to be obeyed—by both of you. Get out of that car, young lady.”
An order? Geez, what did she think this was? The army? Calmly, I unbuckled the seatbelt and motioned for Jen to get out. “Go on.”
Jen looked pleadingly at me. “Can’t I live with you?”
“No.”
“You are not going to live with her,” Mom all but shouted. “Get out.”
Fang growled at Mom as Jen slowly got out of the car. WHOA. WHAT A BITCH. AND I AIN’T TALKING ABOUT NO FEMALE DOG
Dan, looking pissed, got out of the car and glared at Mom and Rick over the hood. “Lay off. The truth is, your daughter Jennifer is skipping school, playing cozy with the vampires, and endangering Val to play some game of her own. She made her own stupid mistakes.”