by Kate Hill
“How much did I make?”
“You get a thousand dollars.”
“A thousand dollars?” Matthew wiped his bloody mouth. “I look like a guy who retained the wrong end of a grenade and all I get is a thousand dollars?”
“Darling, you’re new and rough.” Rosa trailed her fingertips over Matthew’s biceps. He jerked away, though his gaze again strayed to her breasts in the tight black shirt. The fight had aroused him and made his blood catch fire. God, he wished Dulcie was around so he could wrap his arms around her, sink his fangs into her neck and bury his cock deep in her hot, slick pussy.
When he met Rosa’s gaze, she smiled, blinking slowly, catlike. “You’re going to need blood. Allow me to treat you and your friend.”
Matthew forced himself to keep his eyes from her slim, white throat. “No thank you.”
“Charlene!” Rosa called to the bartender. “Give Matthew and Gareth whatever they want.”
Rosa took a wad of bills from her back pocket and tucked them into the front of Matthew’s pants, her fingertips tracing the velvety flesh of his semierect cock through his pants. To his annoyance, it grew even harder and he repressed a shiver as desire stabbed his gut. He caught her wrist and snarled, “Don’t ever do that again.”
Rosa glanced at Gareth. “Such a gentleman you’ve brought us. I’ll be seeing you both again, I’m sure.”
Rosa sauntered away.
Matthew glanced at his bulging crotch and muttered, “Why do I feel like a call boy?”
Gareth laughed and motioned with his head toward the bar. “Come on. We can at least get some blood. And guess what, Matthew, it’s out of a bottle so you don’t even have to know where it came from.”
“I’m a married man.”
“Yes, and I’m still dying to know more about your wife.” Gareth handed Matthew’s jacket back to him.
Matthew sighed, shrugging on the jacket, counting the money and sticking it in his pocket.
Again his thoughts strayed to Dulcie, and he wondered if she thought about him as often as he thought about her. She was a lusty, beautiful woman. He knew the size of her sexual appetite. Would she remain faithful? Could he possibly expect her to? He wanted her to be happy, but part of him wanted her to miss him as deeply as he missed her.
Selfish bastard. He hadn’t realized the extent of his self-centeredness until he was deprived of Dulcie. She allowed him to live exactly how he wanted, work whatever hours he chose to. She gave in to his every sexual desire and was his best friend—all without complaint. And he’d left her. Now he was in so deep, he just couldn’t go back.
* * * * *
In his room, Matthew glanced at his reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, washing blood from his face. The cuts and bruises had already begun to heal after the blood he’d drank at Rosa’s bar, but the scratches on his arms remained raw and fresh. Luckily they weren’t particularly deep, so he cleaned them, showered and stuck on bandages.
He’d just pulled on his jeans when Todd knocked on his door.
The boy stared at Matthew’s healing face and bandaged arms before he yanked a baggy gray sweater over his head.
“Man, who kicked your ass?”
“Nobody—” Matthew playfully tweaked the boy’s nose, “—and don’t swear.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing important.”
“Ma says to come over for dinner. It’s done.”
Matthew followed Todd to the next-door apartment. He’d made an arrangement with Laurie. If she cooked for him, he’d supply her family’s food. Laurie agreed the plan suited them both. She prepared breakfast and dinner for him daily. Lunch he handled on his own.
In the apartment, he took his place at the table beside Todd.
“God—” Laurie stared at him as she served bowls of stew, “—what the hell happened to you? Is it from those things in the sewer?”
“No,” he muttered, “from the things across town.”
“Huh?”
He shook his head. “This looks good. I really should learn how to cook.”
“What did you do before you got married?”
“My mother cooked.”
She giggled and pointed a ladle at him. “You’re just too cute. I mean, you’re like some guy out of a nineteen-sixties’ sitcom. I bet you grew up in a suburban house with a white picket fence.”
“Tan.”
“Huh?”
Matthew shrugged as he accepted a slice of bread from the plate she held out. “It was a tan picket fence.”
“I probably should have guessed a black picket fence. That’s what you’d think a family of vampires would have.”
“My family is not immortal. I was adopted.”
“They adopted a vampire? Weird. How did they feed you blood?”
“They didn’t know. They still don’t know.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Wasn’t it hard for you? How did you keep it from them?”
“Long story.”
“Guess you don’t want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t get along too good with my parents—more my mom. My dad’s in prison for life.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I never really knew him. Can’t say I really knew my mom either. She had lots of boyfriends. Liked them better than me. One thing I’ll never do is put no man above my kids. No more guys for me. I’m done.”
“Maybe you just should be more selective?” he suggested.
“Selective? Don’t you got eyes? Look at the scum in this neighborhood. You know you and Gareth are probably the only decent guys here.”
“Ma, can I have more?” Todd asked.
“Sure.” She ladled another helping of stew into the boy’s bowl. “Eat up, kiddo.”
“How’s the baby today?” Matthew asked.
“Good. Real good. She ain’t been sick since we got the medicine.”
“Excellent.”
“I made this real cool thing for dessert,” she said. “They call it a torte. Ever seen one?”
Matthew smiled. “Yes. Laurie, have you ever thought of attending cooking school?”
“Cookin’ school?” She shrugged. “Not a bad idea. I love to cook. Think you can make pretty good money doing that?”
“Not bad, I think, depending on the restaurant you work in.”
“Think I could do that? Go to school? I got a GED. Was pregnant through most of high school, so I didn’t graduate with the rest of my class.”
“Why don’t you look into it?”
“Where would you start with something like that?”
“Do you have a phone book?”
“Sure.” She stood, walked to a drawer and tossed the yellow book to him.
He flipped through. “Here you go. There’s a cooking school not far from here. Why don’t you call them tomorrow?”
Laurie took her lower lip between her teeth. “You think so? I got the kids and all.”
“You said Geneva watches them while you’re at work. Why not while you’re in school? I’m sure because of your income, arrangements can be made for tuition.”
“Geneva might not want to do that.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“She’ll listen to you.” Laurie brightened. “Just watch yourself. She might give you a grab you know where.”
“Where, Ma?” Todd asked.
“Just keep quiet and eat, kiddo.”
Todd glanced at Matthew and shrugged as they both reached for more stew.
* * * * *
Matthew spent the remainder of the week in the training hall, helping with the wounded and training with Gareth, Geneva and other hybrids and mortals experienced in the fighting arts. Pete taught him somersaults and backflips. The next time he entered Rosa Ferrer’s ring, it would be with dignity. He was also determined to learn all he could about weapons from Geneva. Though she took particular joy
in landing as many painful blows as possible, Gareth constantly reminded Matthew that if he didn’t refrain from using his brute strength against her, he’d learn little.
“How much practice before I learn everything she knows?” he muttered one afternoon as he rubbed a particularly large bump on his shin.
“Well,” Gareth drew a long breath and smiled, “she’s had about six hundred years of experience. You’re what? Forty years old?”
“Thirty-eight.”
“A baby. Just a baby.”
Matthew bristled with annoyance as he lit candles in the empty corridor outside the training hall. He and Gareth had been using it to practice magic in private. Tonight, Matthew actually looked forward to the meditation. Tomorrow he had another shift of guard duty—this time with Judah as his partner.
Morning came quickly, and he and Judah silently entered the small room to relieve Paul and Vick from their shift.
The wolves had been quiet for the past hour, so the guard change was remarkably simple.
Judah and Matthew stood alone at opposite ends of the room.
Judah extended his claws and examined their gleaming tips. “Heard you almost got yourself killed in Ferrer’s ring.”
“Who did you hear that from?”
Judah shrugged. “I’m not disloyal to my sources. I’m not a disloyal person, unlike my present company.”
“How can you presume to know anything about me?”
“You’re a rich doctor whose brother heads the Network. That’s all I need to know. How long do you plan on slumming, Matt?”
“For as long as I have to, Jude.”
“I heard you’re married. Aren’t you afraid something bad will happen to your wife while you’re away? Shit, you don’t even give a damn about her.”
“Never mention my wife!” Matthew hissed, his fangs and claws extended.
“Why not? You might as well say you killed mine!” Judah snarled, his feet spread apart and his fists clenched at his sides as he howled long and loud.
“What the hell are you doing?” Matthew snapped, glancing toward the grate.
“Calling my cousins.”
The sound of wolves echoed down the corridor. Several of the beasts flung themselves against the grate, shaking the room.
Judah released the bolts. Matthew jumped to stop him, but he was too late. Together, the Immaculates rolled into a wall as the wolves burst through.
Judah howled as he fought the wolves. Matthew’s howls joined the others as he tried forcing the wolves back into the corridor. Judah made his way to the door, relatively unhindered, and called, “Have a fun watch, Dr. Winter!”
Judah’s laughter echoed as the door slammed shut, trapping Matthew with the wolves.
Panic struck him as he shoved the hairy bodies toward the grate, pulling his gun and shooting. It took him nearly an hour to secure the grate by himself. He leaned against the wall, panting, drenched in blood and sweat.
He had to get out of there! No one knew he was alone except for Judah, who was off gloating somewhere. Even if he shouted for help, no one would hear him. He was too far below.
His only chance was to run for it.
He reached the door, but the wolves’ breath and clicking toenails sounded up the corridor. Inevitably, they’d break through again. If he left for help, they’d overrun the sewers, then the city. God knows what would happen when they got loose. He’d have to handle the shift himself. It was only twenty-four hours.
Only, he thought, if I live that long.
* * * * *
Matthew snarled as he flung the bolts through the locks. He glanced up sharply, saliva dripping from his fangs. The ceiling dented down farther. It was only a matter of time before the wolves broke through.
Time. He didn’t even know exactly how much had passed since Judah left him. Within hours his bullets had run out. His two spears had snapped, making them almost useless for distance fighting.
He felt like an animal, a rabid beast, devoid of emotion. Never in his life had he been so tired, yet each time he heard those growls, he mustered some reserve and managed to defend himself. By rights the wolves should have been dead a hundred times over, but as Gareth and the others had warned, they kept coming back.
Matthew’s clothes and skin were ripped to shreds. His sweat- and blood-soaked hair matted against his scalp and neck.
I’m going to die in here. No one’s coming back. Twenty-four hours was up ages ago.
Only his ability to block the narrow entrance when the wolves broke through the grate saved him. He held them off one at a time until they eventually fell back for a few moments, then he fixed the locks.
The door burst open and he spun, his nerves close to shattering. His lips drew back over his fangs and his gory claws poised to slash out the first throat they contacted. Hoarse growls rumbled in a throat raw from screaming.
“Matthew, my God!” Gareth said, Paul behind him.
Matthew sagged gratefully against the wall.
“I can’t believe that asshole!” Paul snarled. “Goddamn Judah. He said he split a shift between you and Vick. Vick’s been gone for two days!”
“Two days?” Matthew rasped. “I’ve been down here for—”
“Forty-eight friggin’ hours,” Paul said. “You okay?”
Matthew shook his head and stumbled out of the room. Wolves growled behind him, but even as Gareth and Paul began fighting them through the grate, their actions sounded as if from a great distance.
Matthew closed the door, walked a couple of feet, and lay on the damp floor in the corridor.
He tugged what was left of his jacket around him and closed his eyes. His last conscious thought was, I’m going to kill Judah.
* * * * *
Matthew awoke an hour later and pushed himself to his feet. His entire body ached. Cursing, he pressed a hand to his lower back as he slowly walked to the training hall, where he cleaned up a little before making his way to the streets above.
“Are you all right?” Geneva asked, wrinkling her pert little nose at him. “You’re a mess.”
He ignored her as he wiped his face on a towel.
“You need blood,” she said. “Mindy is walking the corridors down here tonight—”
Matthew’s look stopped her mid-sentence.
She shrugged, turning away. “Laurie starts her classes tomorrow, so I’m watching her kids like you asked me to.”
“Good.”
“In the morning, we’ll be at your house to watch cartoons.”
“What’s wrong with their house?”
“I said the only way I’d do all that baby-sitting is if you helped me when I need it. Well, your television has a better screen.”
Matthew shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, too tired to argue.
As if in a daze, he walked out of the sewer and to his room. After undressing, he didn’t bother showering but flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.
* * * * *
“Matthew?”
The room was dark, so black that even Matthew’s vampiric eyes couldn’t discern the shape of anything, but he knew her voice, her scent. His pulse raced and his breathing quickened. She was here!
“Dulcie?” he called. “Dulcie?”
He turned and she was in his arms, her cheek nuzzling his chest, her arms tight around his waist.
“Matthew, I miss you so much.” She squeezed him hard.
They were naked, their bodies warm. Her full breasts felt so good pressed against his torso. The nipples hardened, rubbing him as his swollen cock felt so deliciously trapped between their bodies.
He rained kisses across her forehead and cheeks. His mouth covered hers, his eyes slipping shut as he relished the softness of her lips and the gentle stroking of her tongue against his. Gentle fingers sifted through his hair and her warm palm caressed the back of his neck.
“I love you, Matthew. I love you so much.”
“I love you more than anything, Dulcie.” Lifting her
, he buried his face in her shoulder. Her bare flesh felt so smooth and warm. God, he wanted to devour her, love her, hold her forever! “I want to be with you so much.”
“You can’t!” Panic sounded in her voice. He felt as well as smelled her fear. “You have to stay away. The Network is still looking for you. So are the police.”
“Are you all right? That’s all I care about.”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You’re hiding something from me.”
“I’m not.”
“Dulcie—”
“Matthew, don’t waste what time we have, even if it is just a dream.”
“This is a dream, isn’t it?” he whispered. If felt so real, yet he was asleep. Wasn’t he?
Several feet in front of them, a dim light shone upon a bed of black silk. He walked to the bed and placed her on it. Kneeling beside her, he was so transfixed by her that he scarcely noticed the smoothness of the sheets beneath his legs. As his gaze held hers, powerful emotions threatened to overcome him. It seemed like forever since he’d seen her, held her.
“Let me touch you,” he whispered, running his fingertips through her hair and down her cheek. He traced the shape of her lips, his pulse skipping when the tip of her moist, pink tongue flicked across his finger. How he wanted to feel that tongue and those lips on his cock!
It throbbed and swelled, brushing against her soft flesh as he stretched out on his side next to her and stroked her beautiful white throat.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, his hand curving around one full breast, his thumb circling the nipple. “I felt like I’d never see you again.”
“I’ve been so worried about you, Matthew.” She caressed his bearded jaw and ran her fingers through his hair. “Are you safe?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
Closing his eyes, he rested his head against her breast and extended his claws, drawing gentle circles on her hip. His touch didn’t break the skin, but tickled it.
Moving his hand lower, he sheathed the claws again and caressed the delicate flesh rimming her pussy. It was damp. Her warm juices bathed his finger as it slid inside her, feeling, loving her by touch. Beneath his cheek, her heart beat faster.