by C. L. Quinn
“Make sure you want to do this.”
“I’m sure.”
“What the hell are you talking about? And shouldn’t we get a doctor in here to look at Taggert?” Merry asked.
“It isn’t necessary. He’s fine now. Just a little more time to heal and he’ll be as good as new.”
“He was shot in the head!”
“I know that. He’ll still be fine. You have to trust me, Merry. Can you do that?”
“I’m not sure anymore.”
“Get sure. Come with me.”
“Lauren, I want to stay with…”
“Come with me,” Lauren repeated, and pushed the compulsion.
Merry stopped speaking and walked behind Lauren as she left.
Koen rolled his eyes, something he did too much lately. It’s just that everything was changing so quickly in their communities and things that used to be immutable, no longer were.
“Adapt or die,” he said, and returned his attention to Taggert.
The door swung open again and Bryn entered followed by Marc.
Marc pushed past Bryn and to the bed. “Dude,” he said to the man finishing a round of coughs.
Taggert looked up at Marc, and grinned. “Brother,” he said and took Taggert’s outstretched hand. “What the hell took you vampires so long to get here? I thought that I was toast.”
“Nah. We weren’t going to let that happen. It was Christmas, buddy. Cake, and cookies to eat. Spiked punch. Santa, presents. Hey, we made it in time, right?”
Marc leaned in and hugged his friend. “We were really worried, buddy. I’m glad this turned out all right.”
“There was a really good chance it wasn’t going to.”
“I’d have missed you, brother.”
“Ditto.” Taggert scanned the room. “Where’s my girl?”
“She’s with Lauren.”
“Can she come back in?”
“Soon. I’d like to give you a little more blood. That head shot was nasty.” Koen answered for Marc. “If we’d been another half hour you probably wouldn’t have made it.”
“Okay.”
Koen started to open his wrist again when Taggert stopped him. “Does she know? What you are?”
Marc shook his head. “No. I mean, she saw the feeding, and freaked about it a little, but she doesn’t know anything other than the fact that you were near death and now you’re not. I think Lauren is considering reading her in.”
“She’s smart. And honest. You can trust her.”
“Buddy, you knew her for two days.”
“It was a lifetime, believe me. It’s interesting what you can learn about someone with sensory deprivation under highly stressful conditions. We got close.”
“Ah, hell, you’re such a dog.”
“That isn’t what I meant. Let’s get this done. I’d like to get out of here.”
Koen completed the slice. This time Taggert held the vampire’s wrist to his mouth on his own, and gagged more. His eyes moved back and forth in mock horror.
“That’s so vile,” he remarked when he pulled away. “But thanks, Koen. I know what you’ve done for me tonight.”
“Aye, well, I didn’t want to lose the best security guy I’ve ever had.”
Taggert looked at the two men in this room that meant more to him than any other men he’d ever known. He respected and admired Koen, who trusted him enough to give Taggert total control to protect his family. Marc and he often jokingly called each other brother, but Taggert truly felt that close of a connection to him. He knew that Marc felt the same. For a man who’d never made emotional ties in his life, these people had transformed his life.
And now there was Merry.
Lauren sat across from Merry in the nearly empty cafeteria on the 2nd floor of the hospital.
“Merry, what you saw in that room is a miracle, you understand that?”
After a sip of her steaming coffee, Merry looked up at her old friend. “I do. That man was dying, I could see that when I looked at him. Somehow, I knew that his life was slipping away. The huge man’s blood stopped that. It’s clear that he saved Taggert’s life, and I am very grateful.”
She paused. “Taggert and I got close while we were captive.”
Lauren raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Really. You’d be surprised how that can happen when your lives are threatened.”
“I really wouldn’t. That’s how I ended up with the bear of a man. You know the blood in my apartment that night that I disappeared? It was his.”
“Holy shit. But he’s all right.”
“Yeah. About that… There’s a lot that I need to tell you, but not here, not now. Merry, can you trust me enough to keep what you’ve seen quiet and let me explain later?”
“You know that I can. This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen, and I have no idea what’s happening. All is know is that you guys saved Taggert, and that’s what matters. Thank you, and that enormous man who gave him his blood.”
“Taggert is a member of Koen’s family, and we protect our own. You ready to get back?”
“I am. I want to see Taggert.”
“He’ll be leaving here with us shortly.”
“But he’s badly injured.”
“Not anymore. Wait until you see, Merry, you’ll be amazed.”
Merry didn’t ask any more questions, they didn’t matter right now. She’d meant what she told Lauren, that she was grateful that he was alive, and that was enough.
When Lauren and Merry arrived back in the ICU, raucous laughter blasted from Taggert’s room. As they entered, Merry looked at the man in the bed, who stopped laughing and looked at her like he could eat her.
“Merry,” he said, almost in awe.
She felt her cheeks flame. He was so beautiful.
The big men in the room parted to let her pass and she came up alongside Taggert.
“Hi,” she said simply.
“Hi,” he responded.
“Aw, shite, woman, just give the man a kiss. He’s just thwarted the angel of death.”
Xavier, just being Xavier, no tact, thought Lauren.
But she agreed.
Merry looked at the collection of big men and Lauren around them and smiled. “Give the audience what they want.”
Leaning in, she nipped his upper lip, tugging gently with her teeth and then plunged into the kiss, tongue searching. She hadn’t intended the kiss to be so deep, but Taggert’s arms went around her and he pulled her halfway up onto his lap. He kissed her so thoroughly that when she pulled away from him, she knew that her cheeks had to be as red Santa’s hat.
The room was silent, the vampires smiling.
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about. A man’s gonna heal better that way. How about we all get out of here and snag some dinner?”
“But Taggert isn’t discharged,” Merry reminded him.
“It isn’t necessary,” Marc said kindly. “I’ll help you get dressed, buddy.”
Lauren led Merry from the room. “Let’s go down to the lobby. The men will take care of getting Taggert out of the room, securing any issues, and covering up our presence.”
“Our?”
“I’ll tell you what I mean, tonight if you want me to.”
Merry watched Lauren’s eyes. The woman had changed so much. She was more beautiful than Merry remembered, and a stunningly confident woman now.
“I want you to.”
Twelve
“We have them, babe.” Koen’s voice over his cell phone was warm as he told Alisa that they’d been successful tonight. “We’ll bring Taggert home tonight. Claude’s guy shot him in the head.”
“Oh, Koen,” she gasped. “Those assholes have a thing for headshots, don’t they?”
“Seem to. Anyway, I miss you, I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, my love. Come home safely.”
Alisa pitched her phone onto the table. “They were successful and they’re coming home. Everyone is okay.”
The collected sighs and nods around the room showed how relieved Koen’s family and guests were that this was over.
Tamesine, sitting beside Alisa, closed her eyes and lowered her head. Finally, it was done. Now, once everyone returned to their homes and lives, she would work with Eillia to find and destroy Claude. Then it would all be done. He’d survived the purge when they disbanded and eliminated the SRS, that horrific supernatural research group that imprisoned and killed supernaturals. He was the final piece and once gone, would hopefully allow them the freedom to return to uncomplicated, threat-free days. It was past time.
Park came up and brushed Tamesine’s long hair from her shoulder. “It’s good news, eh? Now we can move past all this trauma and get back to raising happy, healthy, safe children.”
Tamesine smiled up at her. “Soon. Claude’s gone and he’s vampire now. We think that it will be easy to find him and eliminate him, but that isn’t true. No one knows more than the people in this room that it won’t be easy and it might not be soon.”
Eillia leaned on the table and popped a piece of chocolate Christmas candy into her mouth. She moaned as it melted on her tongue. “No. But it will happen. After we finish first meal, and after we enjoy the last of this historic celebration. You don’t know this, Tam, but Cairine and the boys want to read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to us after we eat. Isn’t that special?”
Tamesine’s eyes went to the three children sitting on the other side of the table grinning. “Very special, indeed. In that case, let’s finish dinner.”
Suddenly, she felt the worry fade. These children were the future, and as her eyes moved from one sweet, intelligent little face to the next, she realized that there really was nothing to worry about.
Merry’s apartment was cold. Her kittens met her at the door, meowing and frantic. While she knew that her neighbor would have made sure they were fed, Mrs. Walton wouldn’t have held them or played with them. She scooped two of them into her arms as she made way for Lauren to follow her into the small, colorful room.
Once she switched the light on, Lauren whistled.
“This is so cute, Merry X. So you. I love it.”
“It’s small, but I don’t need big. Would you like some tea? It will warm you up.”
“Sure, I have a few minutes before Koen has to pick me up. We’re taking Taggert back home to France to finish healing.”
Busying herself in the little kitchen, Merry put the kettle on to heat water and opened up a can of kitten food for the tiny mewling faces staring up at her from the linoleum floor.
“So, Lauren. You said you would tell me what I’ve seen tonight. Why a man at death’s door is now perfectly fine.”
“You deserve to know. I always knew that you were special, Merry, from that first day when I hired you. This stuff that I’m involved with, it’s beyond any experience you’ve ever known, and while most people are better off not knowing any of it exists, I think you would want to know. What I am going to tell you is for your ears only. These people live quiet, unknown, isolated lives and they must remain so.”
Still, Merry watched Lauren slowly walking around her apartment. “You know me, you know that I can be trusted.”
“That’s what I told Koen.” Lauren picked up a rhinestone encrusted guitar. “Wild.” Placing it carefully back beside Merry’s bed, she walked back to the kitchenette and leaned against the wall. “What you witnessed tonight was the incredible healing powers of vampire blood.” She paused for just a moment and then continued. “Koen is a vampire, and his blood can heal most human injuries easily. The more severe the wound, the longer it takes, but as long as the person isn’t too close to death, as long as their lifeforce is still viable, a vampire’s blood has the power to heal them. He is the most powerful of the group of vampire’s with us tonight, so we wanted him to be the one to feed Taggert to give him his best chance.”
Merry hadn’t moved. Once Lauren stopped speaking, she gave her a slight nod and turned to pour the now boiling water from the tea kettle into two waiting teacups. Turning carefully, she brought one to Lauren and went to her little two person table and pulled out a chair.
“Please, have a seat and enjoy the tea.”
After a few sips, and a couple of glances at Lauren, Merry set her teacup back on the table. “So, these men are vampires.”
“They are.”
“Vampires. Like Dracula.”
“Nothing like Dracula. Vampires are just like any person, good, bad, indifferent. Loving, kind, crazy. People, Merry, just like you.”
“Hmmm.” Merry took another sip, the hot beverage burned its way through her chest. “Is Taggert a vampire too?”
“No. If he had been, that room would never have held him. Vampire’s can unlock any lock, they’re strong, fast, powerful, and he could have broken out of the room. Also, a gunshot to the head would have just been an inconvenience. Vampire’s don’t die from a gunshot.”
“But Koen is and his blood saved Taggert.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s a lot to process. It doesn’t sound possible.”
“I know. It took me a while to accept it the first time, too, believe me. I was a genetic scientist, and when they told me about vampires, I couldn’t believe it. They had to show me.”
Again, Merry nodded and sipped her tea. She carefully placed it on the saucer and her eyes locked with Lauren’s. “What about you?”
“Yes, I am vampire too.”
What the fuck was all of this? Merry’s head was swimming now.
Lauren leaned closer. “Merry, we’re just people with extraordinary talents. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Are you kidding? Lauren, I was just kidnapped and nearly killed by a man who has something going on for you. Don’t tell me that I’m not in danger.”
“Not now, not with us to protect you.”
“Ha!” Merry shot up and carried the tea back into the kitchen, putting it into the cast iron sink too quickly.
The plate shattered, but she didn’t pay attention as Lauren continued.
“I wasn’t vampire when we met. That only happened after the man who kidnapped you, Claude, tried to shoot me to death last year. He nearly succeeded. When I told you that vampire blood can heal, it can, but if the person is too near to death, then it’s too late. The only thing that might save them is to convert them to vampire, a terrible, painful process that remakes your body, every cell, into something new.”
“So you’re a vampire. Do you like being a vampire?”
“Merry, I’m in love with a big, goofy vampire that is the heart and soul of me. I will remain young and healthy for a great many years, perhaps centuries. Yes, I love being vampire.”
“Sunlight will kill you, though, right?”
“There are a few things the American movies get right. Yes, sunlight is very bad for vampires. But we eat normal food, we party, we make love, we live wonderful lives.”
“But you have to drink blood. You have to kill people.”
“Yes. No. We need blood, but we don’t kill anyone for it. We just drink what we need, reseal the wound, and the person is free to go.”
“Hmmm. This is a lot.”
“It is. Would you like me to show you something cool?”
Merry wasn’t sure how to answer, but she was curious and this was Lauren, who she trusted implicitly.
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
“Okay, go over to the window. We’re on the fourth floor, right? Once I leave, look down at the streetlight right there.”
“Uh, huh.”
“Okay, watch me go, Merry.”
Merry looked up at Lauren and she was gone. She shifted her body and eyes to look out the window, and there, under the light, was Lauren, grinning up at her. Seconds later, she was back in the apartment, the door swinging shut behind her.
“Holy hell, you weren’t lying! That is incredible! It’s hard to imagine anyone could move like that in real life.”
“Sure, a Sig automatic. Why?”
“Because if you ever do see Claude again, you need to get out of here. He’s vampire now, and that makes him even more dangerous. Take the kittens, you won’t be back. You can stop him, just like he stopped Taggert. The difference is, it won’t kill him, and it’ll heal within a day. Shoot him anyway, right in the forehead and then get the fuck out of here, somewhere that you never go so that he can’t find you. Call me, and I’ll come for you. You understand?”
“I do. I won’t let him capture me again.”
“Good girl. Well, I need to go. Merry X, it’s been amazing seeing you again. Now that I’m not hunted, I’ll stop and see you again. Take care, will you, honey? And try to find happiness.”
“I can’t promise, it can be elusive, but I plan to try.”
“You’ll do it. You have such a light in you. Goodbye, Merry. Happy holidays!”
In a second whoosh of air, Lauren was gone, and Merry hurried to the window to see the car already pulling away from the curb. Wow.
Vampires? No way. Really? Creatures from storybooks and bad movies. Blood drinkers. Immortals.
Merry dropped onto her sofa, spent, her mind racing. Kittens pulled themselves up onto the cushions with sharp claws and clustered onto her warm lap. Automatically curling her fingers around the precious little bodies, she thought of all that she’d been through the last few days, the wild things she’d just learned from Lauren, and Taggert. It was overwhelming.
“It’s too impossible, isn’t it, guys?” she whispered to the kittens as she scooted down onto the couch and let exhaustion take her. The kittens found little warm pockets and crevices to burrow into and fell asleep too.