They Come by Night

by Tinnean

  “No. But thank you. Come on, Min.”

  The steward watched us climb the stairs. About halfway up I glanced over my shoulder, and he was still there, beaming as if I’d done something that was a great credit to him. I shook my head and resumed the climb.

  DANIEL HAD been without his talisman for so long, he could probably go another half hour. At least I hoped so. I hated feeling sticky from the juice I’d spilled on myself.

  I went back to my room and showered. That bathroom was amazing, and I wanted one just like it!

  Suppose I knocked out a wall of my bungalow and enlarged my bathroom? With Dad’s help it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks, so I could get it done between vampyr visits. And while I was at it, I’d put in a rainforest shower head, radiant floor heating, and a heated towel bar.

  I dried myself off, wrapped the towel around my waist, and left that gorgeous bathroom. I had to change, and I hesitated over the black trousers and red shirt that hung in the closet. No, they were too similar to what Adam had given me to wear our first time together. Instead I chose a pair of dark brown trousers—they were a little large through the waist and seat, but a belt would deal with that—and a bronze silk shirt. I looked through the organizer and finally selected a pair of brown socks, also silk. There was no underwear, though, so I went commando.

  I hoped whoever owned these clothes wouldn’t mind too much that I’d borrowed them.

  Of course there were no shoes that would fit, but at least the socks kept my feet warm.

  I tucked the shirt into the trousers, threaded the belt through the loops, and buckled it. It would be nice to know I looked presentable, but there was no mirror to confirm one way or the other.

  “Okay, Min. Let’s give Daniel his talisman. Do you think Ioan knows of a way for us to get home?”

  She looked up at me and wagged her tail, but couldn’t say.

  “Oh well, it was just a thought.” I crossed the hall and tapped on Daniel’s door.

  “Who… who is it?” Ioan sounded a little out of breath.

  “Ty. Let me in. I have Daniel’s talisman.”

  Daniel opened the door. “My what?”

  “Uh… I thought you were supposed to be cuffed to the bed.”

  He smiled. “I feel better than I have since before Easter. Thank you, Ty.”

  “You’re welcome. Does this mean I won’t have to stake you?”

  “Is that really how you were going to put me out of my misery?”

  “Unless you wanted me to douse you with holy water, and believe me, that isn’t a pretty sight.”

  “How do you know that?” Ioan had been lounging across the bed, and now he got up.

  “Some vampyrs tried to grab me.”

  “You fought them off alone?” He looked as if he wasn’t sure if he should believe that or challenge me over it.

  “No. I had Mina and Ekaterina with me.”

  “I know the day watcher.” Ioan turned to Daniel. “I’ll explain about them as well.”

  “Do you have a lanyard or something for Daniel’s talisman?”

  “I’ll see what I can find.”

  “Okay. Just don’t wait too long.” I thought of what Stefan had said and wondered how much Daniel’s inability to process the rege’s blood had to do with the absence of his talisman. “I’ll put it on the dresser. And Ioan, could I talk to you for a minute?”

  “Yes. You saved Daniel. I’ll do anything in my power for you.”

  “Uh… thanks.”

  “Daniel, you’ll be all right for a moment?”

  “Y’know, this is… comforting.” Daniel had picked up his talisman and was stroking it. “Hmm? Oh, sure, Johnny.”

  We stepped out of the room. “Ioan, you know this isn’t going to end well?” He stared at me mutely, and I ran a hand through my hair. “He almost pissed his pants at the thought of loving another guy.”

  “It doesn’t matter. He’ll get used to the idea. I’m a good catch, you know, even if I’m not the rege’s heir—”

  That distracted me. “You’re not?”

  “No, that would be my older brother, Aurel. We’re twins, just as Adam and Stefan are… as most born vampyrs are. Although not Valeriu, which is a good thing.”

  “Wait. He’s an only child?”

  “He’s a vain, smug, supercilious….” Ioan sniffed, and I wondered if he realized he was doing a pretty good impression of Valeriu. “He sneers at Mamma because of—” Abruptly he changed the subject. “So you see, I can love whom I choose. And I choose Daniel. He says I’m too young, but he’s thinking like a normal.”

  “Ioan, he’s—”

  “I know he was saborese, but he was unaware of that. I have so much to tell him.” For a second he stared dreamily into space, but then he gave himself a shake and met my gaze. “I’ll wait as long as it takes. We have plenty of time.”

  “I was going to say ‘straight.’ You know that ‘gay for you’ thing is a bunch of baloney.”

  “There must be some basis in fact for it.”

  Ioan was setting himself up for a world of hurt, but who was I to rain on his parade?

  “Do you have a cell phone?”

  “Of course. Everyone does.”

  “Let me have it.” I put my cell number in his phone and gave it back to him. “If you ever need to talk, call me. Or… y’know… if you ever want to hang out.”

  “Why would you do this for me?” He looked as confused as I felt. Why would I do this for him? “You’re not in love with me, are you?”

  “No.” God no! But I didn’t want to insult him. “Your grandfather is my vampyr’s uncle. We’re practically related.” This was also a bunch of baloney, but it seemed to please him to hear it.

  “Thank you, Ty. Um… what did you want to talk to me about?”

  “Okay, here’s the thing. I need to go home. Is there any form of transportation I could use? Maybe borrow or rent a car?”

  “Tyrell, you’re in Romania.”

  My legs gave out from under me, and I suddenly found myself on the floor, staring up at him. “What?” Oh crap! How was I supposed to get home now? Adam had told me he’d gone to Romania to get Mina for me, and I’d assumed he’d used a private jet. I didn’t have money for a plane ticket. I didn’t have my passport. I didn’t have a passport.

  There was a commotion going on downstairs, but I ignored it. Mina crawled into my lap, and I held her and buried my face in the fur of her neck. “I want to go home.”

  “I’m sorry, Ty. I’d help you if I could, but—”

  “Tyrell!” The shout came from the lower level.

  Oh, no. I wasn’t going to be fooled a second time. I could hear footsteps coming up the staircase. That was probably Stefan….

  “Ty!”

  Before I could get to my feet, I found myself yanked up and into a pair of familiar arms. “Adam? It’s really you?”

  “Of course it’s me.” He began petting me and talking in Romanian. I didn’t understand a word of it until he said, “Băiat dulce,” and I realized he was whispering love words in my ear.

  “Adam. Please, can we go home?”

  “The rege needs to speak with you.”

  “Now?” I was just so tired.

  “No. It’s too close to dawn. I’m afraid it will have to be this evening.”

  “Okay.”

  He tipped up my chin and kissed me.

  “You… you let him touch you!” Ioan sounded astounded.

  “He’s my vampyr.”

  Adam ruffled my hair and kissed me again. “Yes, I am. Does Mina need to be walked?”

  “Pup?”

  She gave a yip, trotted to the end of the corridor, and glanced back as if to ask what we were waiting for.

  “All right, then. We should have enough time.”

  “And then we’ll go to bed?”

  He smiled into my eyes. “And then we’ll go to bed.”

  MINA DIDN’T dawdle. Adam brought us to a door that opened on a secl
uded little spot, she took care of business, and now we were back in the room that had been given to me.

  Adam stripped off his clothes and got in bed. The chain of his talisman caught on a nipple, then slid to the side as the mizpah nudged it out of the way. He saw what had drawn my attention, and he smiled and closed his fingers around it.

  “I always wear it, Ty… I have since you gave it to me.” He patted the spot beside him. “Come join me.”

  Before I could, Mina launched herself onto the bed, circled a few times, and made herself comfortable.

  “Uh… I think he was talking to me, Min.”

  She parted her jaws in a doggie grin, and I grinned myself. I knew as soon I lay down, she’d curl up against me.

  I took the vial of holy water from around my neck and glanced around. There was a night table on the left side of the bed, so I placed it there. But I left my half of the mizpah where it was and started to unbutton my shirt.

  “Why were there so many vampyrs in the Great Hall?” There had been a lot when we went down to walk Mina, and when we came back in, there seemed to be even more.

  “Leave it. It gets cool here in the citadel. Not that I feel it, but there’s no way I can keep you warm.”

  “Silly vampyr.” I leaned down and nipped his lower lip. “You keep me warm just by looking at me.” But I left my shirt on and climbed onto the bed beside him. “So what’s with all those vampyrs?”

  “It’s almost sunrise.”

  “They all live here?” There had seemed to be like a couple of hundred, although I knew there couldn’t have been anywhere near that number.

  “Some do, but some are just visiting, some have business with the rege—”

  “Which was interrupted because of me? I’m sorry, Adam.” He was lying on his back, and I snuggled against him and rested my head on his shoulder.

  “Silly sabor.” He curved his arm around me and gave me a little shake. “And some….” He paused, and I leaned back to look into his eyes.

  “Yes?” I encouraged.

  “Did you see the brunette who was talking to the rege and Raymond?”

  “How could I miss her?” She’d looked seriously pissed. And they hadn’t appeared too happy, either.

  “She was behind the attempt to kidnap you.”

  “What? Adam!” I bolted up to get the holy water.

  “You’re safe, Ty.” He caught me and pulled me back against him. “I have you.”

  I still didn’t like the idea of the vampyr responsible for that attack in the rest area parking lot being so close. “Why did she do it? Is she a female de Vivar? Does she want to be vampyr queen?”

  “No. She wants independence.”

  “I’m not following you.”

  “The United States gained its independence almost two hundred forty years ago. However, the American vampyr community is still under the rule of Alexandru Mondragon.”

  “I have to say that makes sense to me. Her wanting freedom for her vampyrs, not her trying to kidnap me.” I wasn’t likely to forget the rogue—rebel—vampyrs threatening to feed from me. Had she given them permission to do so if they obeyed her? I liked that even less.

  “She knows how much we value you, and she planned to use you as a bargaining chip. She’s had… people watching you.”

  “That’s creepy.”

  “I have to admit it is, especially considering one of them was a professor of yours.”

  I shivered. “Dr. von Bulwer.”

  “Yes.” Adam pulled me closer to him.

  “That must have been why he always seemed to have an eye on me.” I flipped onto my stomach and draped myself over him

  “Angle up.”

  “Okay.” I did a modified push-up that ground our dicks together, and this time my shiver was from how good that felt. I thought he’d want to move the mizpah out of the way, but instead, he unbuckled the belt I’d borrowed.

  “That’s better.”

  “If you say so.” I swallowed a smile and made myself comfortable on him. “What’s the rege going to do about the American vamp… what’s her name?”

  “Lindsey Diamond.”

  “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

  “It shouldn’t.”

  “But shouldn’t I be familiar with the various… um… families?”

  “We’re not like the mafia, Ty. But you have a point. I’ll have a list put together for you, and you can study it. At any rate, we’ll discuss this situation tomorrow evening, and in the meanwhile, Ms. Diamond stays here as our—”

  “Guest?”

  He laughed. “You could put it that way.”

  “Do you think the rege will grant her request?”

  “I really can’t say. He might have been willing to consider it if she’d come to him, but to advance an insurrection…. Well, we’ll see.” He was quiet for a while, and I wondered if he was falling asleep. But then he said, “Ty, Mother told me you fed Daniel.”

  “Yes. Are you angry with me?”

  “No. It’s what you’re supposed to do, and I’m proud you were willing to do this to help Daniel. His was a dire situation.” He petted my hair, then ran his hand from the base of my skull, down my spine, and pulled the shirt out of my trousers. He slid his hands under the waistband and over the curve of my butt, pulling me snug against him. We were both hard, and I couldn’t stop myself from rocking against him.

  “I’m pleased you chose to wear these clothes,” he murmured, nuzzling the side of my throat.

  “Do you need to feed? I can—”

  “You can’t. You fed Daniel too recently.”

  “I finished a bottle of cranberry juice and had about a dozen cookies. And what about after Rául was attacked and you fed him? I fed you then.”

  “I still won’t. I’d hoped….” He sighed, his breath cool against my throat.

  “Damn. Okay, give me a couple of weeks. I’ll eat raw liver”—Yuck! But I’d do it for Adam—“and spinach and drink lots of juice….”

  “No. We’ll wait a couple of months.” He licked the side of my neck, and I shuddered.

  “Okay. You know what was strange?”

  “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

  “Wiseass.” I turned my head and nipped his shoulder, and he groaned. He liked that? I’d have to keep it in mind.

  “So what was strange?” He was starting to sound drowsy, but that didn’t stop him from kneading my butt.

  “I didn’t get turned-on when Daniel put his fangs into me.” I rubbed my cheek against his shoulder and inhaled. I’d always loved chocolate—the smell, the taste, cake, cookies, Godiva candies—and since I’d come to associate it with Adam, I loved it even more.

  “You didn’t?”

  “No. I wasn’t in love him, either.”

  “I have to confess I’m pleased beyond reason to hear that.”

  “Good. Anyway, about these clothes. I didn’t have much choice. I spilled cranberry juice all over myself when I realized Stefan wasn’t you. And that reminds me. Is whoever this room belongs to going to be pissed I’m wearing his clothes, that we’re in his room, on his bed?”

  “Ty, this is my room.”

  “It is?” I arched up and looked into his eyes. “This bedroom is exactly the same as mine.”

  “It is.”

  I tucked my head under his chin and smiled. “Thank you, Adam.”

  He dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “Tyrell…. There’s something we need to speak of before I fall asleep.”

  Was he finally going to tell me he had a son? “Yes?”

  “Daniel Crist is your cousin.”

  “What? I thought—” Well. I wasn’t expecting that. “How is he my cousin?”

  “He’s your mother’s brother’s son.”

  “My mother had a brother?” I braced my chin in my palms and looked down at him. He grimaced. “What?”

  “You have very sharp elbows.”

  “Sorry.” I rearranged them.

  “Thank you.”
He pinched my butt. “Your mother had seven brothers, and Daniel was his father’s seventh son.”

  “Wow. I always thought that was supposed to be a good thing. It wasn’t for him, though, was it? And the other brothers?”

  “They also have numerous progeny. Your mother’s side of the family is prolific, to say the least. I… uh… should tell you that you have two half brothers.”

  “I do? How did that happen?”

  “She remarried after she left your father.” He studied my eyes. “How do you feel about this?”

  I cupped his cheeks in my palms. “Adam, I never knew any of my family. It doesn’t matter.” I lied; it did matter. I’d always felt as if there was a hole in my life, not that I ever told Dad about it. He was great, and he always looked out for me, but it was what it was, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

  “Your half brothers are twins, which is highly unusual for a saborese birth.”

  “There’s an awful lot of that going around.”

  “What, twins? There is.”

  “Could that be because we shared a common ancestor back in the day?”

  “Possibly.”

  I drew idle patterns on the skin of his shoulder. “Adam…. Did de Vivar know Daniel and I are related?”

  “We have no way of knowing without a doubt, but according to Raymond, the vampyr who brought Daniel here didn’t seem to be aware of it.”

  “De Vivar’s a dope.”

  “Perhaps, but it isn’t wise to underestimate him.”

  I’d have made a rude noise, but I didn’t want Adam to think I was disregarding his concerns. The Spanish vampyr could wait until another time.

  “So that’s all you had to tell me?”

  His brow furrowed. “Yes.”

  I sighed, eased his hands out of my pants, and rolled off him. “When were you going to tell me about your son?”

  “My son?”

  “Valeriu? At least, according to the countess, he’s your son.”

  “He is.”

  “Why did you keep it secret?”

  He was quiet for so long I was afraid I’d crossed some line.

  “Adam?”

  “Not a secret, Ty, never that.”

  It felt that way to me, but I kept my mouth shut and waited to hear what he had to say.