by R. E. Carr
Georgia could only stand there in shock as Arthur studied her. He eyed her blue hair, torn jeans, and baggy shirt with something akin to disgust. One tear slipped out of the corner of her eye.
“I—I—”
“She’s with me, Lord Pendragon. Isn’t that obvious?” a cocky voice with a distinctive New York accent called from the shadows. Steve sauntered to Georgia’s side and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“What is this?” Arthur asked, raising his brow again.
Steve leaned over and gave Georgia a kiss on the lips. He gave her a little wink before turning back toward the king. She remained stunned for a moment before leaning against him in return and faking her best smile.
“This is love, Lord Pendragon, and we’re getting married. That’s why she asked to be released from service,” Steve said.
“A Jaeger, marrying a human, who just happens to have been one of my family’s servants?” Arthur asked incredulously. “Really, are you going to insult my intelligence, and not admit this is some sort of petty vengeance?”
“Vengeance?” Georgia asked hotly, before grabbing Steve and kissing him as passionately as she could fake. For one millisecond, she actually melted into his arms, and lost track of the furious vampire king staring at them. She whirled back to face Arthur. “I love him. I always have, but I couldn’t admit it. We finally got Klaus and Lord Jaeger to acquiesce, because we couldn’t fight it anymore.”
“Geoffrey says that you hate him and that this Jaeger tried to kill you,” Arthur replied, although he did look at the pair slightly differently.
“Mr. Lambley believes that because we worked together to trick him. Dr. Pang once told me that belief saves you when nothing else will. Geoffrey had to believe that he was saving me. That he was needed and he was strong,” Georgia said, her lip quivering. “Steve here was willing to be hated by his best friend and walk away from me, because he loved your grandson enough to save him.”
She gave Steve her best loving glance. “Steve played the villain, so that Mr. Lambley could be the hero. I could never tell my old boss, because I had to make sure he was strong. I loved Mr. Lambley too. I simply couldn’t deny my heart.”
“She couldn’t tell the truth, so I . . . kidnapped her,” Steve said, holding Georgia close. “Look she did everything in her power to save one of yours, so she deserves a chance to be happy. The Pendragon let her go, damn it.”
“You love her?” Arthur said, bursting into laughter. “What could possibly make a woman such as her so special that you would risk being branded a traitor?”
Steve looked over to Georgia. “Well for starters, she doesn’t take any of my crap,” he said, his normal smugness drained from his face. “She makes me laugh, and she never cared that I was some low-ranking noble or the lackey of the sheriff. She always sees me for exactly who I am . . . and I love her for it. I loved her from the very moment I laid eyes on her.”
Georgia gulped. Steve turned back to face Arthur. “I would think that you, of all people, Lord Pendragon, would understand the hopeless love for a human.”
Arthur gave Steve a withering look. He sneered at Georgia. “And you would really choose him, with all the other, finer specimens of vampirekind you must have seen?”
“He told me once that it was inevitable that we’d end up together,” she said, giving him a wistful glance. “No matter what, we always understand each other.”
“It’s almost sickening. Now tell me, are you here alone, or are the monsters and my son with you? Tell me.”
Georgia squeezed Steve’s hand. He looked Arthur right in the eyes and said, “We came here to get my father’s blessing and get married. The animals didn’t want to stick around.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, staring right at Steve.
“Yeah,” he said. “In fact—”
“We’re getting married tomorrow,” Georgia blurted out. “Did you want to stay for the wedding?”
“Georgia,” Steve gasped.
“It was going to be an elopement, but I wouldn’t dream of not inviting a vampire . . . king. Right, baby?” she asked Steve.
He gave her another kiss, before turning to Arthur and planting his biggest grin. “Yeah, it would be an honor for you to come . . . to our wedding . . . tomorrow,” he said, barely hiding a gulp. “It’s a human ceremony though, kinda boring.”
“Tell me where the werewolves are!” Arthur commanded.
“I have no idea,” Steve said honestly.
“They split,” Georgia added. “Sorry.”
“You know, it’s kinda bad luck for you to see me, Sweetheart,” Steve said.
“That would be if she were wearing her wedding dress, numbskull,” Arthur sighed, burying his face in his hands. “Fine, I’ll stay a while and see if this is a charade.”
“Why don’t you go take care of those last few things?” Georgia said, blowing Steve a kiss. “I’m sure Estella and the other servants are looking for you.”
“Yeah, Sweetheart. Anything for you,” he said before hustling off into the night.
Arthur whirled around and glared at her. “You, I’ve heard things about you,” he said. “But there is no reason a dimwitted child like him should be able to resist me.”
“Unless we’re actually telling you the truth,” Georgia snapped. “Ever consider that? I’m sure if you ask anyone, they’ll tell you the same thing.”
Arthur smiled, showing off his fangs. “Oh, I’m sure they will. But if you’re in love with that pathetic excuse for a vampire, I expect you to be a lot more convincing. You know, I think I will stay for the wedding. I like a good farce, woman.”
“It’s the truth. I am going to marry him,” she said, glaring at Arthur.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Arthur snorted. “And if I do, well then I’ll tell Mr. Lambley some beautiful lie. After all, I would hate to stymie his recovery.”
“Exactly. You can say that Steve abducted me. Maybe he can spend a few years trying to rescue me. It will be good for him. Please, just make sure he’s OK.”
Arthur cocked his head. “You know, when you speak of Mr. Lambley, I do believe you. Interesting, Georgia Sutherland, very interesting indeed. Perhaps there is more to you after all,” he said, turning toward the door.
He did look back once, staring at Georgia in the moonlight. His face softened for the briefest of moments, before his shook his head and slowly walked away.
“Mada ikite iru, Ren,” Georgia whispered, dropping to her knees. “I’m still alive, but I’m an idiot.”
11
“We have got to be the biggest bunch of idiots ever,” Paige grumbled as she sat in the same little lab she had started her day in. Kayleigh and Nadia sat next to her, engrossed in their phones, while Morgan tried his best to sink into the opposite corner. Kyle, Dr. Pang, and all the assistant techs filled the rest of the claustrophobic space, going over data and arguing in a mix of English and Chinese.
“I’ve been in worse,” Nadia muttered.
“Hey,” Kayleigh whispered, looking at Paige. “You sure your great-grandpa’s mojo works every time? He had to suck face with about ten librarians down there.”
Paige made sure Kyle had Dr. Pang’s full attention before replying, “Did you get what you needed?”
Kayleigh nodded and pointed to her phone. “Think so,” she mouthed. She nudged Nadia.
“Everything is going well here,” the purple-haired werewolf mumbled noncommittally.
“Well I’m glad someone is having a good day,” Dr. Pang exclaimed. “Meanwhile, I am surrounded by imbeciles. There is no way to stop the advance of the E. coli infestation without killing the patient.”
“I’m telling you, Lorcan is resistant to the penicillin family. He has worked on it for a century—” Kyle interjected.
“That may have worked a few weeks ago, but he has already advanced to the cystic stage—” Pang retorted. The pair went on and on as Paige grabbed her head.
“Are we sure the soundp
roofing is that good?” Nadia asked, glaring at the physicians. “We are supposed to be hiding.”
Dr. Pang rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh. “Don’t you see? None of this will matter once Arthur has worked his way in. Sure, the elder vampires can resist him for a while, but we have servants and that idiot DeMarco—”
“Hey!” Paige snapped.
“Not you, your incompetent grandfather. Arthur will make him tell where we are all hiding before this night is done. Not that it will matter. I am certain that he will kill Lorcan while he sleeps as soon as he finds him,” Pang said bitterly. “He doesn’t care about our laws. He thinks that he is above them.”
“Please, you cannot say such things, master,” one of the lowly techs said. He was rewarded by a walking stick to the face.
Dr. Pang continued. “I make a point to study my patients. Arthur is different, and now he is an Undying. He has been researching our kind and studying their powers.”
“Powers?” Paige asked.
“He can walk in the sun. I have watched him swallow antibiotics and eat salad . . . for fun. With my own eyes, I saw him stab himself with a pencil, just to see what happened,” Dr. Pang snapped. “He laughed!”
“So, he’s a vampire without any weaknesses?” Nadia asked, raising a brow.
“Oh, I am sure if you set him on fire, or dropped him into the deepest depths of the ocean, you would do fine.” He stopped as he heard audible gasps from across the room.
“Don’t give me those faces,” the doctor berated his stunned team of undead underlings. After a quick tirade in Chinese he turned back to the werewolves. “I researched all the records on Arthur in his heyday, if we don’t find a way to control him now, we are all, and as you Americans say, seriously fucked. I tell you now!”
A deep throaty laugh came from the corner. Everyone turned to see Morgan grabbing his sides as he barely contained his guffaws. Dr. Pang hobbled over and bonked the blond werewolf on the noggin.
“This one’s gone mad. Too many compressions of the brain, perhaps?”
“Oh, we’re so screwed,” he said, laughing harder. “We are so completely screwed.”
“I think Morgan’s lost it,” Kayleigh muttered.
“I have to laugh. What else can I do?” he asked, wiping his eyes. “What else can any of us do? We are hiding in a tiny little room, waiting for King Arthur the vampire to come and hunt us all, while my human little sister is somewhere up there, helpless.”
“Your sister is the only one who isn’t helpless, boy,” Dr. Pang hissed. “She might at least be able to resist. Also, if we get caught she can still escape as the backup.”
“Backup?” Morgan asked, suddenly not laughing.
“In case they kill you, stupid boy. In a pinch, she will work!”
Everyone stared at Dr. Pang now. He gave a confused look to Kyle. “You didn’t tell them?” he asked. The stares all shifted to Kyle. The three female werewolves stood up.
“Kyle?”
“It’s only a theoretical plan, if storing Grandpa in the freezer doesn’t slow down the infection enough,” Kyle said, keeping a close eye on Paige.
“Wait, Lorcan isn’t locked in the lab?” Paige asked. “I thought you said he was locked up safely?”
“In the freezer, it is step one of preparing him for transplant, silly girl,” Pang sighed. “There is no going back now.”
Paige lunged toward the doctor, but her leg gave out, sending her stumbling. Kyle caught her, but not before Dr. Pang swiped her with his nail. He then tasted the tiny droplet of blood. His lips curled into a wrinkled smile, but he said nothing.
“Transplant?” Nadia asked. “We did not discuss this.”
“That’s because it didn’t involve any of you,” Morgan piped up.
“. . . Morgan?” Paige asked. She stared at the gauze taped on the inside of his elbow. He stared at her, dead-eyed.
“I finally get to be some use to you, Paige,” he growled. “You wouldn’t believe it, but guess who is a long-lost descendant of your beloved Lorcan?”
“Wait, no, you . . .” Paige stammered. “You knew?”
She slammed her fist into Kyle, the effect rather muted as he still had to hold her up. The snarl rose in her throat. Kyle held her tight, keeping the claws at bay.
“You?” she growled at him.
“He figured it out himself, and Dr. Pang got to him first,” Kyle growled back. “I swear.”
“You knew?” Morgan asked. “Figures.”
“Morgan—”
“What? Do you really think I’d just sit by while some insane, invincible bloodsucker takes over the world?” Morgan asked. “The same vampire who is shacking up with the people who, I don’t know, killed my parents while I watched! Jesus, Paige, I don’t give a shit if it’s awkward for you, I’m ending this once and for all.”
“Would anyone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Nadia interjected.
“Lorcan’s old body is dying, I have been tasked by my lord and father to save him. I must say, it is quite the procedure,” Dr. Pang started.
“Turns out Lorcan’s body-switching secret is out, at least among these bloodsuckers,” Morgan said, looking pointedly at Paige. “They are going to try it again, and I volunteered.”
“See, simple! I should have guessed that Lorcan was really Mordred, but even I can be mistaken . . . rarely,” Dr. Pang finished. “Assuming we can survive tonight, I will thaw Lorcan and transplant him into the stupid werewolf. The cold temperature should slow the process—”
“And hopefully allow Morgan to survive as Lorcan slowly wakes up. Ren managed to survive, and I’m doing everything in my power to replicate. . .” Kyle continued.
Paige slumped against Kyle, no longer hearing all the words pouring out of his and Dr. Pang’s mouths. He helped her back to her seat, where she endured Morgan glaring at her as well. Nadia finally nudged Paige back to reality.
“Are you all right with this?” Nadia asked.
“No,” Paige said softly, staring across the room. “But it’s not my choice, it’s Morgan’s.”
The all sat in a rather awkward silence, until everyone with a screen started getting lost in it. Paige rested her hands in her lap, pressing against her belly as she gnawed on her lower lip. Every once in a while she would catch Morgan looking her way.
“My sister is off limits, Dr. Bloodsucker,” Morgan growled. “You hear that, ladies? If he tries anything on her, please, do that thing you do with vampires who piss you off.”
“Oh yes, ladies,” Dr. Pang said, imitating Morgan’s slight drawl. “If the door bursts open and Arthur and his goons come in, I would like you all to know that I am no physical match for any of you and could not possibly stop you from the killing. Of course, I would hate for it to come to that.”
“Of course,” Nadia sighed.
“Oh, except you,” Dr. Pang said, pointing to Paige. “We cannot risk the potential spare should we lose this one.”
“Potential . . . spare?” Morgan said as the room grew deathly quiet.
“Oh, are your senses that useless, dog? That one is pregnant!” Dr. Pang exclaimed, then lapsed into Chinese, muttering ferociously to himself. All eyes turned to Paige.
Kayleigh and Nadia both gave her a little sniff, before exchanging worried glances. Morgan, however, retreated further into his corner, his jaw so tight that veins popped up on his neck. He pointed to his chest. Paige gave him the tiniest of nods. He looked away, his hands balled into fists.
“Days like this make me so happy I only sleep with women,” Kayleigh muttered, before an even more awkward silence descended upon the room.
“Was it something that I said?” Dr. Pang asked innocently.
12
“Sweetheart, can you let me in, please?” Georgia heard through her door. The moment she opened it, all six feet of Steven J. DeMarco collapsed against her. She managed to steady herself against the wall, and barely anchored her shoulder under his arm. They painfully, slow
ly stumbled to her bed, where Steve promptly fell over and grabbed his throat.
“Steve!” she said, loosening his collar. “What happened?”
“Venom . . . gland . . . cramp,” he forced out.
“You can get those?” Georgia exclaimed. She stared in horror at a lump on the side of his jaw. “What can I do?”
He pointed to the lump. Georgia began to massage it while Steve held his jaw. After a few seconds he gagged and a thick, syrupy fluid sprayed from his lips, hitting Georgia on the forehead. She wiped it off with the back of her hand.
“Sorry, Sweetheart,” he said, cringing.
“You don’t—”
“I just sucked the faces of every human and vampire in this house, to the point that I ran out of venom, can I catch a break?” Steve snarled, closing his eyes. Georgia slipped to the bathroom and grabbed a towel. By the time she came back, Steve looked passed out, his shirt soaked with a mix of sweat, blood, and venom.
“Half a break,” she muttered as she unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way and started cleaning both his chest and her face. He kept his eyes closed, but he reluctantly turned to each side, so she could strip his top. “You could help me out a little more,” she said.
“Where is the fun in that?” he said, rolling in her covers.
“I hate you, Steven DeMarco,” she sighed as she dove into her closet for one of her baggy T-Shirts. She couldn’t help but grin as she saw a Red Sox one.
“No, you don’t,” he replied.
“Why are you covered in blood?”
“I had to eat on the run. I know you guys think that I can just summon the amnesia juice whenever I want, but I’m tapped out, Sweetheart,” he said, grabbing his head. “And I’m so thirsty.”
Georgia filled up a little cup in the bathroom. She helped Steve up just enough to take a sip. He wrinkled his nose at the water.