by Judith Post
"We'll be here. Voronika's been looking forward to it. I'll grab her and head back over. Danny said you want a wallpaper border with ABCs. You girls can visit while we work."
Maggie hugged him. "You're such a special friend."
"It's mutual. You guys are the best."
She clung close until Danny said, "We've gotta go, hon. Get changed and I'll be back in no time."
On the ride back to the apartment, Enoch thought about mortals—their emotions and hormones. Humans were fragile, buffeted by more than he'd ever imagined. He understood Maggie's mood swings, but what had made Macy the way she was? What made her hurt herself? He'd probably never know.
Once home, he collected Voronika and Angel and drove back to Danny's. Voronika was excited, anxious to see the baby's room. Angel was hyped up, too, happy to be going some place new.
"Why are you taking me?" she asked. "Mom never took me anywhere with her."
"We didn't want you to feel left out," Voronika said. "Danny and Maggie like kids."
Angel bounced in her seat. When they pulled into Danny and Maggie's drive, she saw kids playing in a front yard two doors down. They had a basketball hoop. When she got out of the car, a girl called to her.
"Hey, Maggie said someone my age was coming to visit her today. Want to go to the park with us?"
Enoch frowned, but Danny came out to greet them. "Heidi's a great kid. Angel will have fun with her."
"Can I?" Angel begged.
"What about supper?" Enoch asked.
"We're not going to eat until later." Danny looked at Heidi. "Have her home by seven."
"Will do." Heidi motioned for Angel to join them, and they took off together.
Enoch knew the park was only a few blocks away. He knew lots of kids from the neighborhood went there. But he still fretted.
Danny patted his arm. "Maybe you could get a chip buried in her neck like vets do with pets. Would that make you feel better?"
"I like that idea."
Danny shook his head. "Kids aren't dogs. You can't keep them on a leash."
"What do you know? Yours isn't born yet."
Danny laughed. "Come in. Maggie's waiting for you."
Voronika and Maggie disappeared into the back of the house to see the baby's room and hash over decorating ideas. Danny led Enoch to the kitchen. "Want a beer?"
Enoch raised an eyebrow.
Danny laughed. "Maggie bought wine for you."
They got their drinks and walked outside to the back yard to inspect things. It was a beautiful evening for the beginning of November. Crisp, but invigorating. They looked at the end of the garden with its withered tomato vines and drooping pepper plants. Then they talked about Maggie's flower beds. She'd cut the roses back and trimmed all the shoots from the perennials. Only mums and sedum bloomed.
When they heard the women in the kitchen, they headed back inside to put up the border in the baby's room. It was a quick job, and soon they joined the women at the kitchen table.
"Ready?" Danny asked. "Voronika volunteered you to help me on the grill. We have burgers and hot dogs."
The women set the table while Enoch and Danny flipped food, and when they settled down to eat, Angel and Heidi came racing into the yard. Angel beamed a smile and waved goodbye to her new friend, then glanced at Enoch, nervous. When he looked her way, she turned her face, not meeting his eyes.
Enoch studied her. "Did you have a good time?"
Angel forced a smile, a little too bright. "The park is awesome. So is Heidi. We like a lot of the same things."
Something was off, but Enoch let it go. Maybe Angel felt odd, socializing with people she didn't know. Maybe she was trying to fit in, but didn't feel quite comfortable yet.
They took their time over supper, laughing while they finished ice cream sundaes, until Voronika said, "We'd better go. Ulrich's on his own with Lucinda and Crystal, and Crystal's in her lust phase of the vampire change. He might need backup."
Danny looked surprised, but didn't ask. Instead, he shrugged at Enoch. "Can't be good. Ulrich has to fight off women, as is."
On the drive home, Enoch asked Angel again, "What did you do at the park?"
She sighed, looking out the window. "We played."
"Did you have a good time?" Voronika asked.
Angel seemed distant, a little sad. "Yeah."
A worry niggled in Enoch. Had going to the park with Heidi made Angel realize how much she was missing, living with them? He'd warned her that he and Voronika didn't live normal lives, but how would a little girl realize how that would impact her?
Once they got home, Angel ran to see Crystal, and Enoch and Voronika went out on the balcony for a little private time.
"Do you think Angel's happy here?" Enoch asked.
Voronika frowned at the traffic below them. "I thought she was, but maybe she'd rather be around kids her age with a park nearby, in a family neighborhood."
Enoch nodded. Their apartment wasn't set up for kids. Downtown wasn't the best place to find eleven-year-olds. "Maybe we made a mistake."
Voronika moved to lean against his side. "She asked us to let her live here, remember? She must be sort of happy."
Was sort of good enough? "It's better than staying with her mom." But Enoch didn't feel nearly as optimistic as he had before.
Voronika patted his arm. "Give it time. Let's see what happens."
He sighed. What if Angel didn't like it here? Should they offer her to someone else, someone who'd be better for her? And suddenly, he realized that he wouldn't like that. He didn't want to give her up. Neither would Voronika.
Ulrich came out on the balcony to join them, and Enoch pushed the thoughts away. He'd deal with his worries another day. Tonight, they had to train the new vampires. That is, if Crystal and Lucinda could concentrate this time.
Chapter 26
On Sunday afternoon, once Ulrich, Lucinda, and Crystal were sleeping, Enoch drove to pick up Danny at the station, only a few blocks away. Voronika had gotten up to play God of War with Angel on Xbox. Enoch was a little surprised by how much Voronika liked that game and how good she was at it.
Danny raised his eyebrows when Enoch pulled to the curb in front of the station. "Decided on the Jaguar this time? And you're all dressed up."
Enoch had settled on black, light wool trousers and a cream-colored, silk shirt for this visit. "Tindle's rich. I want her to take us seriously."
"Works for me." Danny ran a hand over the soft, leather interior. "Anything that improves my ride."
Enoch rolled his eyes. He drove to Washington Boulevard and followed it out of the city. The richest suburbs of Three Rivers rimmed its north and southwest borders. Tindle's addition bordered a golf course and a country club. When Enoch first moved into the penthouse, someone had invited him to join the club, but the fees weren't cheap and members had to approve him as a new recruit. Money wasn't a problem, but Enoch didn't interact with mortals enough to be interested in rubbing elbows with them. He didn't want or need contacts.
When he pulled into Tindle's driveway, lights gleamed throughout the house. He and Danny walked to the front door and Danny rang the bell.
A woman opened it with a wide smile on her face. Her dark hair was pulled up in an elaborate updo. She wore a navy dress and three-inch heels. When she saw them, she looked Enoch up and down, frowned at Danny, then blinked. "Yes?"
The aroma of roast beef, garlic, and herbs drifted to them. A large dining room was visible at the right, front of the house, set with crystal stemware and silver.
Danny showed his badge. "We came to see Tindle Perry."
A man with silver hair and steel-blue eyes came to stand behind his wife. "We're expecting company soon. What's this about?"
"We have a few questions for Tindle Perry," Danny repeated.
The man dismissed him and looked at Enoch. "Is this important? Can it wait?"
Enoch kept his voice and expression bland. "Today's Sunday. If we thought it could wait, we'd have
come on Monday."
Mr. Perry frowned. "I'll call my daughter."
He didn't invite them in, so Danny and Enoch waited on the front step. Mrs. Perry went to finish last minute details for the dinner party, fussing with flower arrangements on the long table.
When Tindle came to meet them, she wore a long, brown skirt with a matching, long-sleeved turtleneck. The brown of her outfit matched the brown of her hair and eyes. She had her mother's coloring, but whereas her mother looked vibrant and alluring, Tindle looked as if she were trying to fade into the background, to shrink from notice. She glanced at her parents and stepped outside to talk with Enoch and Danny.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked. "Did I park in a no parking zone?"
"We're here about the nightclub you visited," Enoch said. "We've come to warn you about vampires and venom."
Color drained from Tindle's face. Danny held out a hand to support her. Enoch worried she might faint.
"You didn't say that to my parents, did you?"
Enoch hurried to assure her. "We assumed you're twenty-one, or you couldn't get in the club. So no, you're an adult. We don't need to notify your parents."
She put a hand to her throat. "They wouldn't understand."
Enoch frowned. "We don't understand. Why are you hanging out with vampires?"
She bit her bottom lip and walked farther down the drive. Danny and Enoch followed her. "My parents know everyone. Between Mom and Dad, we can't go anywhere that someone doesn't recognize us. But none of our friends would be seen at Feral's club."
Danny stopped, spread his feet in a fighter's stance, and shook his head at her. "None of your friends would go to a bikers' bar either or a cheap dive, and they're less dangerous than Feral's place."
Tindle looked down the street at the perfectly manicured lawns and expensive houses. "You don't understand. I wouldn't fit in at a bikers' bar or a dive. But I feel comfortable at Feral's."
Enoch nodded. The opulence of the bar would make Tindle feel like she was in her natural surroundings. And everyone who frequented there put on their best manners and presented themselves at their most charming. It was like walking into a mirage—beautiful on the surface, but with deadly undercurrents. Tindle must not realize that.
Danny cleared his throat. He looked uneasy. "Have you let a vampire feed off you?"
She blushed, crimson rushing from her cheeks to her hairline.
Aaah, the reason for the turtleneck. Enoch sighed. "We've come to tell you how dangerous venom can be."
"It can't be that bad. It feels so good."
"That's why it's dangerous," Enoch said. "It's addictive, just like any drug that makes you high."
"No." She blinked at him. "I'd never use drugs."
"You are now," Danny said. "What do you think venom is?"
Her brown eyes went wide. "Raoul would never hurt me. He loves me."
"He loves your blood and your money." Enoch wanted his words to hit home. "If you don't believe me, I'll go to the club some night when you do. I'll sit at the bar, as back up. See what happens when you tell Raoul that you're done with venom, but you'll keep coming to the club to see him because you love him."
Voice small, she asked, "What do you think will happen?"
"I think he'll move to the next table to hook up with a woman who'll let him feed off her and will pay him to do it."
Her shoulders slumped. "It's not really about that for me. I just like feeling free, like no one will expect anything from me."
Enoch gentled his tone. "Then why stay in Three Rivers, still live with your parents? Why not travel, have new experiences?"
"My parents are wonderful to me. That would hurt their feelings. They're the best."
"But?" Enoch knew there was a but.
Tindle turned back toward the house. Guests were starting to pull into the drive and disappear inside.
"Tindle?" Enoch asked.
She turned to face him. "I'm not like them. I never will be."
He nodded. "That's fine, but you can't go back to the club. I'm psychic, and I saw you in a vision, dead from an overdose of venom."
She gasped.
Enoch went on. "You have to stop running away from what bothers you. Start running toward something, something that matters to you."
"I'll talk to my parents." At Danny's skeptical look, she said, "Really, I promise, and I won't go back to the club. I wanted to escape, not die."
Enoch smiled. Tindle was stronger than she thought. She'd be all right.
He and Danny walked to his Jaguar. No one had parked them in. They recognized the Jaguar as an unknown car that might leave before everyone else did. As Enoch pulled away, another car turned into the drive to take his place. The Perrys were popular. He guessed that people congregated here often.
On the drive back to his apartment, he said, "You know, I've been thinking. We assumed all three of the people I saw in my vision were over twenty-one because they got in the club, but the kid Crystal has a crush on—Lance—can't be twenty-one. He was in her class at high school."
Danny thought about that. "Maybe he's never gone inside the club. You saw him with Scarlet in an alley. He was outside the next time you saw him, too. The kid's rich, though. He might have a fake I.D."
"It would have to be a good one," Enoch said. "Incisor checks everyone's I.D. at the door. They even have a machine that checks them, and most fakes don't pass."
"You said it yourself. The kid has money. He can buy an expensive one off the internet."
Enoch tried to remember. "I've only seen him outside with Scarlet. So how did Scarlet meet him? I'm guessing he's never been inside the club."
Danny got where Enoch was going with that thought. "You think Feral looked him up, not vice versa?"
Enoch nodded. "And there's no good reason for her to do that, unless…."
"She wants to use him to hurt Crystal," Danny said.
Anger rose, and Enoch pushed it down. He'd like to smash Feral and Lance. "I can't do much about Feral, but maybe I can work with Lance."
"You think so?" Danny looked at him, surprised.
"What other options do I have?" Enoch asked.
"Not all that many." Danny waited for him to pull into his drive, then patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks for going with me today. Hope the rest of your Sunday's a little better."
"Yours too." Enoch gave a wave and backed onto the street. Heidi and her brothers were playing basketball in their driveway. He almost stopped to ask her if everything had gone all right when she took Angel to the park, but how weird would that sound? Danny would laugh at him. Instead, he turned toward home and found Angel and Voronika, side by side, watching music clips on YouTube.
Voronika looked up and waved at him, then went back to whatever band they were watching. Enoch shook his head. His life had taken a turn he never saw coming. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of wine. He collected his many Sunday newspapers and went out to the balcony to read them. He needed a break.
Chapter 27
Enoch tried not to think that two days had passed with no crises. He was afraid to breathe a sigh of relief. That might jinx it. The sun was setting on the third day, and he wouldn't get his hopes up. He'd wanted a break, and the heavens had sent him one. It could last for weeks, and he'd be happy.
He turned the flame on the stove to low and put a lid on the skillet full of sloppy joe meat. He sighed. Since Angel and Crystal moved in with them, his cooking habits had seriously changed. Now, he cooked for kids. A bag of potato chips sat on the teak table, Angel's favorite side with sandwiches.
Ulrich walked from the bedroom and came to find him. "Where's Voronika and Angel?"
It had been a nice, gloomy day. No sun. "They drove to a park with a playground, not far from here. Took the Land Rover with tinted windows, in case." Enoch glanced outside as light faded from the sky. "They'll be home soon."
Lucinda, dressed in black, came to join them. Crystal came a few minutes later. She
, too, was adorned, neck to toe, in black.
Ulrich grimaced. "Are we in mourning or are you just this happy we're training tonight?"
Lucinda raised a copper eyebrow. "I thought men liked women in black."
"Little, black dresses maybe," Ulrich said, considering. "I'm thinking it has more to do with short and tight instead of color."
Lucinda passed him to go to the kitchen, pausing to graze his arm with her breasts as she leaned close to whisper, "It's hard to do martial arts in a dress."
Ulrich raised his eyes to the heavens. "The Goddess Freya's trying to tempt me. She knows men are weak."
Crystal kept her distance. Lucinda had made it clear that Ulrich was off limits.
When the apartment door opened and Angel spilled into the room, Ulrich smiled. "Your cheeks are rosy. It's getting cooler outside, isn't it?"
Voronika walked to the kitchen to hug Enoch. "Young boys were playing football at the park. We stayed to watch the end of their game."
Enoch took a deep breath. Voronika smelled of fresh air and autumn. Nothing made him happier than cradling her in his arms.
Crystal handed out paper plates—another concession that Enoch had fought, but bowed to—and said, "I'm starving. Let's eat."
Ulrich raised a blond eyebrow and studied her. "I'm happy to see you're in a better mood." The girl had been dragging her feet the last few days. He'd practically had to make her leave the apartment to train. After they returned, she'd spend hours in her bedroom, alone, brooding.
Enoch hated to admit it, but the brooding made life easier for him. No constant touching or trying for his attention. Ulrich had started training her when they went out at night. If Enoch worked with her, she'd throw herself on him. Once, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and Ulrich had to pry her off. Not her fault, Enoch knew. Vamp lust was a powerful drive, hard to ignore, but it was tiring for him.
Now, Crystal's eyes glittered with excitement. "Sloppy joes were my favorite lunch at school. I'm starting to like mortal food again. I can control my moods better. Maybe I'll be all right as a vampire."