Once Upon A Midnight... (The Firsts Book 9.5)

by C. L. Quinn

  The lighting was dim, but she could easily make out the figure beneath the white blankets on the bed just several feet from her. For two seconds, she hesitated when her eyes landed on the face trapped between all of the white. The blankets were pulled up to his neck and a white bandage covered the top of his head.

  Taggert dying. The intensity of sorrow overcame her suddenly in a wave that nearly drove her to the floor. Yet she began to move forward and finally saw him for the first time. And probably the last time too. The pressure in her head and chest were crushing.

  Once she stood beside him, her eyes couldn’t leave his face.

  “Well, hello, roomie,” she whispered. Putting a hand out, her fingers hovered above his cheek for a moment before she touched him. He felt cool.

  “You really are quite handsome.”

  He was. Every line of his face was purely masculine, from a heavy square-cut jaw to a trimmed beard and mustache surrounded by dark stubble where he would normally have shaved if he hadn’t been held captive for days. A long-healed scar cut through the edge of his left eyebrow, but that only made him look more rugged, and sexier because of it. And like the hero he was.

  Her gaze slid up to the bandage around his head. Butch had told her that he’d been shot and that he would likely not survive. More than anything in this world right now, she wanted to fix this, to make sure that he would open his eyes, smile at her, and make her laugh.

  How could she miss him so much already? She’d known him for only two days! Sometimes connections didn’t require time to build and for them, it hadn’t. She knew that she would grieve for him and for what they might have found together if fate had been kinder. Well, fate had never been her friend. Apparently it was finished with Taggert too.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I couldn’t get you out safely. I’m sorry we won’t be able to have that dinner and celebrate our survival.”

  She cupped his chin and moved closer, her lips just a breath from his. “And don’t be shocked, but I was really looking forward to having sex with you in full daylight while I looked into your eyes. Taggert, I wanted to feel you and see you when we fucked. Now, I’ll never get to…”

  Merry’s voice broke and tears flooded her eyes. Once she wiped them away, she looked at this handsome man who had saved her life. Merry knew that most people spent years hoping to find that special someone to share this brief journey through life. To say “good morning” to and “good night”. To turn to and say “oh, did I tell you?” To hug suddenly just because you’re happy. Sadly, she thought he might have been hers.

  After she pulled a chair up to the side of his bed, Merry sat down and took his still hand in hers. “So, did I tell you that I had ice cream tonight? It was nice after two days of lousy deli sandwiches. I was thinking about which restaurant we should go to and I think the Lion’s Bone would be perfect.”

  The door opened and the nurse came in.

  She gave Merry that kind little smile that she was getting used to. “I just want to check his IV’s. Do you need anything?”

  Merry smiled back and hoped it didn’t look forced. “No, I’m good. Butch let you know that I’d be staying?”

  “He did. It’s okay.”

  “Thank you.” Merry paused, her eyes moving back to Taggert’s face. “He isn’t going to make it, right?”

  “We’re doing all that we can. But the damage is quite severe. It’s good that he isn’t alone. He’s very handsome.”

  “Isn’t he? His looks weren’t relevant when we got together.”

  “It shouldn’t be, should it? How long have you known each other?”

  Merry sighed. “A long time for two days.”

  The nurse cocked her head, trying to figure out what Merry meant, but she didn’t ask. “If you do need anything, I’m Marla, just let me know.”

  “I appreciate that, thank you.”

  After Marla left, Merry just watched Taggert for a few moments. It was hard to imagine that this beautiful man might be gone soon and no one would know. She had no idea how to contact Lauren, and doubted that Lauren would know where he was. It was all so random and strange that he was losing his life for nothing. It would take a long time for her to get over this vicious act. If she ever saw that bastard that kidnapped her again, she would kill him instantly, brutally and with extreme prejudice.

  “For you,” Merry whispered in Taggert’s ear as she lay her head against his chest, fingers of her left hand curled around his. Physical and emotional exhaustion took her and she fell asleep against him. As she lost consciousness, she thought that this might be the last time she got to touch this man.

  “Aw, pure white fluffiness up to our arses. Chicago in winter. It’s been a while.” Xavier scooped up a handful of snow, formed it into a hard ball, and then pitched it fast enough into Koen’s back, it made a loud thud and stung the huge vampire.

  Koen whirled. “Brother, I can always depend on you to be a flaming pain. Step away from the snow before I bury you in it.”

  Xavier laughed and scooped up enough for another snowball.

  “Guys, stop it, for heaven’s sake. We have to get through this stuff to the shop. If we can find some clues, we might be able to save our friends before that psycho kills them just for shits and giggles.” Lauren was the lone female of the group and had to be the voice of reason among these aggressive males.

  “Yeah, guys, let’s get to it. We have no idea if Claude plans to kill them or just leave them bound somewhere until they die. Minutes may matter now.” Marc followed Lauren’s comment to back her up.

  Koen nodded. “You’re right, of course. Xavier, stop being a five-year-old and let’s get this rescue on the road.”

  They were downtown, the streets still snow-covered, but passable, Koen at the wheel, about ten minutes out from what used to be Lauren’s little shop, Floral Magic.

  Seeing the shop again would be bittersweet. Those two years had been difficult, and yet unexpectedly peaceful. Lauren had been poor, yeah, but there had been no vampire trauma. Just day-to-day living, normal…human. She slid her hand into Bryn’s and he wrapped his big warm fingers around hers. The vampire life had some benefits, and the truth was, she loved everything about her life as a vampire, and especially this big man she would be able to make love with for an obscenely wonderful number of years.

  Cherise had recited something to her once from a statement about life and living called the Desiderata.

  “Lauren, just stay calm and accept the direction that life sends you. Sometimes, usually, it is exactly where you are supposed to be. The Desiderata has a line that goes like this, No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Have trust that our lives have order and that in the end, it will be okay.”

  As usual, Lauren had found that Cherise was right. Now, they just had to fix this bit of craziness and hopefully, Cherise would be right again and this would all turn out okay.

  After smiling at her mate, Lauren looked out the window and saw that they were close.

  “Koen, just right up there, half a block, just park in front of Floral Magic.”

  Koen glanced back at Lauren. “Lass, you know that I know where the place is. Remember when I brought Alisa in to buy her that massive bouquet of yellow lilies, and you made it clear that I was an ass?”

  “Oh, yeah, I do remember that. You kind of were.”

  “It’s a good thing we’re such good friends now, eh?”

  Laughing, Lauren brushed the back of Koen’s head.

  “You’ve softened considerably. Love will do that to you.”

  Koen didn’t answer but his smile lit up his eyes. Yeah, love would indeed.

  The car wouldn’t fit too close to the curb, the snow banked too high when the snow plow had come through to try to clear the street. He didn’t care, he just pulled as close as possible and turned off the engine.

  “Here we are, folks. Let’s get in there and see if Claude or Merry might have left something to guide us from this point.”

>   Although the snow piled in front of Floral Magic was a good four feet high, the vampires easily scaled it with a jump and landed in the nearly two feet of snow on the sidewalk. None of them were wearing proper gear or footwear for the conditions, so all five trod soaked into the dimly lit shop once Koen pushed the door open to a tinkling bell.

  “Wasn’t locked,” he murmured as he continued past the counter.

  “No,” Lauren agreed. “And we usually didn’t leave the storeroom lights on, or these display lights. He took her from here. Look.” She pointed to a shattered vase, the glass fragments scattered from the showroom to the area she’d just mentioned. “It probably got ugly. Merry’s a fighter. I’m actually surprised that everything isn’t knocked over. She wouldn’t have gone easily.”

  “There’s probably a reason. There’s always a reason. Claude was a professional. Look at how easily he detained Tamesine.” Marc scanned the room, his eyes sharp, searching for any clue, obvious or not, that might lead them to their friends. Being here, at the site of one of the abductions, his heart ached at the thought of losing Taggert, who had become like a brother to him after what they’d endured and also accomplished together this year.

  Stop, he told himself. Focus on the task at hand, on the rescue. You do not have any reason to believe that he is dead.

  Carefully, methodically, they went from one side of the room to the other, then to the storage area. There was nothing remarkable to let any of them know where the murderer might have taken Merry.

  Lauren walked from the back room out into the showroom, her sorrow building. All this power, this talent, but Merry was just human, so there wasn’t a magical way to track her. They would check the city’s security cameras and do all possible to continue the search before they gave up. But this shop had been where she’d expected, hoped, to find a clue.

  Fingering an abandoned ribbon lying on the counter, Lauren remembered the last time she’d seen Merry two years before her own life here in Chicago had ended by the hand of the very same man. Merry’s face swam in front of her eyes as the tiny bell above the door suddenly tinkled and Lauren looked towards it. There, shocked, stood Merry, wearing an oversized navy blue coat and little else. Merry looked just as shocked when she saw Lauren.

  “Merry,” Lauren whispered, as she raced from behind the counter, and hugged her.

  Merry hugged Lauren, perhaps even tighter, tears rolling freely down her cheeks.

  “What are you doing here?” Merry asked, her voice ragged, pulling away as she and Lauren spoke simultaneously.

  “You’re okay. How did you escape?” Lauren asked, emotions raw and relieved.

  Neither answered the other as they hugged again.

  Footsteps on the wood floor announced that several large bodies were tramping back through the showroom.

  “I guess that’s our missin’ flower girl, eh?” Xavier’s voice boomed in the small quiet room.

  Lauren pulled back and nodded. “It is. Merry, honey, are you all right?”

  “Yeah. Now. Sort of. I will be, anyway.”

  Marc came forward. “I’m glad you’re okay. Merry, when you were held, was there someone else with you?”

  Everyone watched the frazzled, upset woman freeze. Her eyes watered again and, with the slightest motion, shook her head. “He’s hurt. He was shot.” She swallowed hard before she could continue. “In the head. They don’t expect him to make it.”

  “But he’s still alive? At this moment, he’s alive?” Marc asked, his tone urgent.

  Wordlessly, Merry indicated with a slow nod that he was. “I’ve been sitting with him. Finally, the nurse suggested I get some clean clothes. They gave me this coat and these sneakers from some lost and found bin. One of the police officers brought me here to get something. I always keep extra stuff here just in case I need it. You know how it is, Lauren, sometimes you don’t get out of here.”

  “I remember. Merry, where is Taggert?”

  “In ICU at the hospital. I can take you there. Could, uh, one of you guys tell the officer that he can leave? I’ll ride in with you.”

  “I’ll do it,” Bryn said, as he walked out the door, the bell tinkled twice, once when the door opened, and a second time when it bounced off Bryn’s forehead. “Really, lass?”

  “I love that bell. And it wasn’t meant for oversized apes like you.”

  “Tactful, my love.”

  “Go send the cop away, baby.”

  Merry’s eyes followed the massive man as he disappeared. She looked back at Lauren. “He’s with you?”

  “He’s with me. I’m happy, Merry. I hope you have been too. The shop looks nice.”

  “I try. It’s doing well. Happy, though? I’m trying there too. This hasn’t helped.”

  “I’m sorry you got caught up in my shit. After all this time, I would have thought that monster forgot about this place. I still can’t believe he did this.”

  “Did the authorities get him?”

  “Not yet,” Koen said. “But we will. He’ll pay with his…”

  He paused, then smiled. “Let’s just say that he’ll pay for this crime.”

  “Let me change then. I don’t want to leave Taggert alone too long.”

  Merry went back to the storage room.

  Lauren sighed. “I’m sorry, Marc. I hope we aren’t too late.”

  “I do too. We just need to get to that hospital.”

  Merry led them through the hospital corridors quickly.

  “They’ll let only two people in at a time, so the rest will have to wait out here. I’m going in, but then I’ll come back out if someone else wants to visit.”

  “I’ll come with you. We’re close,” Marc said, his eyes smiling into Koen’s, who nodded.

  “Come on, then,” Merry commanded and went through the double doors that said ICU.

  Marc on her heels, she entered Taggert’s room.

  “Hey,” she said softly to the room’s resident. “Look here, I brought a friend.”

  Marc moved passed Merry and took Taggert’s hand.

  “Hey, buddy, how’s it hanging? Look, dude, when I told you to go to London and raise a little hell, this isn’t what I had in mind. We’ll get this fixed, though, and bring you home.”

  After Merry left, the remaining vampires moved past the double doors for ICU. Xavier smiled at the pretty brunette nurse behind the desk who looked up startled at the big men in front of her.

  “Excuse me, but you can’t…”

  “Lass, look at me. Ah, those are beautiful baby blues. Sit quietly and do yer job. You didn’t see any of us pass by at all.”

  With a nod, the nurse did as compelled and sat back down, her eyes forward.

  Koen led Xavier, Bryn, and Lauren into Taggert’s room

  Merry looked up as the rest of the group entered Taggert’s room.

  “Hey, how did you guys get past Nurse No-no?”

  “We’re just that charmin’,” Xavier said with a smile.

  “It’s okay, Merry.”

  “Lauren, why don’t you take her out and we’ll get to it,” Koen suggested.

  “What? I’m not going anywhere. Get to what?” Merry was already backing away from Lauren as she approached. “What the hell does he mean, Lauren?”

  “It’s okay, Merry. Why don’t we…”

  Chiming alarms suddenly interrupted the quiet room, and Marc looked up at Koen. “Fuck, I think he’s arresting. Koen, I want you to do it. Your blood is much more powerful than mine.”

  “We’ll get the staff,” Xavier and Bryn headed through the door and closed it behind them.

  Koen bit his arm and placed it over Taggert’s face, his other hand holding Taggert’s head still.

  Merry tried to push past Lauren, her eyes wide, when she saw what Koen was doing. “What the hell are you doing to him? Where are the nurses? Lauren, get out of my way!”

  Lauren tried to take Merry’s arm. “Sweetie, look at me.”

  But Merry didn’t. She just tried to
shove Lauren aside to get to the man now choking on blood that dribbled from his lips. “Oh, my God, stop that! What the fuck are you doing?”

  “Merry…”

  Anger, confusion, and fear infused Merry and she shoved Lauren back to stumble over one of those weird wide chairs that seemed to inhabit every hospital room. She shot to the bed to Taggert’s side, ready to do something to stop the enormous man from smothering Taggert with his wrist, what the fuck was that?

  As she got to the bed, her hands out to pry Koen’s hand away from Taggert, Taggert’s eyes opened.

  She couldn’t move. He’d opened his eyes!

  As long as she lived, Merry would never forget the next moment.

  Blood covered his lips, but his tongue slid out and moved along the red-stained, cracked skin. He tried to clear his throat, and then he said, “Hey. Is that my beautiful Christmas girl?” He coughed then, but his marbled blue eyes never left her face. “I knew I was right.”

  “Hey, roomie. Welcome back.”

  “Have I been gone?”

  “Just sleeping. You need to get well, I’m starving. You have to take me to dinner.”

  A strong series of heaving coughs made Taggert roll to his side, but Koen kept a steady hand on him and supported his head. Koen looked up at Merry while he held his friend.

  “He’s going to be all right, Merry. He isn’t going to die now.”

  Her eyes on Koen’s, locked, searching, then moved moments later to Lauren, who came up beside her.

  “We’re here to make sure that he lives,” Lauren said, her hands on Merry’s arms again.

  “How? What you did…” She looked at Koen again. “You fed him blood. What the hell was that?”

  “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you, but you need to come with me.”

  Koen caught Lauren’s gaze. “Lauren…”

  “She can be trusted, Koen. Merry is an honorable woman and she’ll be safer if she knows what she’s up against. Claude is still out there. I’m not leaving her vulnerable again.”