The Reluctant Vampire taf-15

by Lynsay Sands

  “A short one, but a paragraph just the same,” he murmured, glancing her way. He then paused to take her in. She was petite, as he’d noticed outside, which was a polite way of saying short. But she was curvy too, rounded in all the right places. She was also most definitely Spanish, with olive skin, deep-set eyes, the large brow bone, and straight, almost prominent nose. But it all worked to make an attractive face, he decided.

  “Right, of course, the turn,” Tiny muttered, drawing his attention once more, and Harper shifted his attention back to find the other man looking resolute. As he watched, Tiny straightened his shoulders and continued into the living room.

  Harper frowned and had to bite back the urge to tell Tiny that perhaps he should wait on turning, but he knew it was just a knee-jerk reaction to his own experience. It was rare for a mortal to die during the turn, and in all likelihood, Tiny would probably be fine. However, Jenny had died, and so that was the first thing he thought of and the worry that now plagued him.

  Sighing, he bent to remove his boots. He set them beside the radiator, and straightened to remove his coat. Laying it over his arm, he then took Anders’s as he finished removing it and crossed the room to collect Drina’s as well before ducking into the small pantry in the back corner of the kitchen. It held the entry to the garage but was also where the closet was.

  “Handy.”

  Harper glanced around to see that Drina stood in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes sliding around the small room. Her gaze slid back to him as he reached for hangers, and she moved to join him as he hung up her coat.

  “Let me help. You don’t have to wait on us.” She took the second hanger he’d just retrieved and Anders’s coat, leaving him to deal with only his own.

  Harper murmured a “thanks,” but had to fight the urge to assure her it was fine and send her from the room. The tiny space suddenly seemed smaller with her in it, a good portion of the air seeming to have slipped out with her entrance, leaving an unbearably hot vacuum behind that had him feeling flushed and oxygen starved. Which was just odd, he decided. He had never been claustrophobic before this. Still, Harper was relieved when they were done with the task, and he could usher her back into the much larger kitchen.

  “So where is this Stephanie we’re supposed to guard?” Drina asked, sliding onto one of the stools that ran along the L-shaped counter separating the kitchen from the dining area.

  “Sleeping,” Harper answered, moving past her to the dining-room table to gather the cards from his game with Tiny.

  “Stephanie’s still used to mortal hours,” Tiny explained, returning to the kitchen then. “So we thought it’d be better if one of us was up with her during the day and the other up at night to keep an eye on things while she slept. I got night duty.”

  “They’re concerned about the lack of security here,” Harper explained, sliding the cards into their box and moving to set them on the counter.

  Drina frowned and glanced to Tiny. “But isn’t that backward? You’re mortal, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you be up during the day and this Mirabeau up at night?”

  Tiny smiled wryly. “That would have been easier all around, but it’s only been this one day. Besides, while I can hang out with her during the day or night and keep an eye on her, someone has to sleep in her room, which had to be Mirabeau.” When Drina raised an eyebrow, he explained, “We didn’t think it was a good idea to leave her alone in her room all night. There’s no fence here, no alarm. . It could be hours before we realized she was gone if she was taken or-”

  “Or what?” Drina asked when Tiny hesitated. It was pure politeness on her part, Harper knew. The woman could have read him easily enough to find out what he was reluctant to say but was asking instead out of respect.

  Tiny was silent as he removed his own coat, but finally admitted, “There’s some concern that Stephanie might try to run away and get to her family.”

  “Really?” Drina asked, her eyes narrowing.

  Tiny nodded. “Apparently, Lucian caught the thought in her head a time or two. He thinks she only wants to see them, not necessarily approach them, but-” He shrugged. “Anyway, as far as she’s concerned, none of us know that, and someone has to be with her twenty-four/seven because of Leonius.”

  “So we are not only watching for attack from outside, but a prison break as well,” Drina murmured. “And because of this, Mirabeau has been sleeping in Stephanie’s room with her?”

  Tiny shrugged. “This was the first night. We only got here the day before yesterday, and Elvi, Victor, DJ, and Mabel were here then to help keep an eye on things. But they left at four this morning, so. .” He grimaced. “When Stephanie went to bed, Mirabeau did as well.”

  Drina heaved a sigh, smiled wryly, and said, “Well, I guess that will be my gig from now on. I’ll have a bag of blood, and then go up and relieve Mirabeau.”

  Harper had to smile at Tiny’s expression. The man looked torn between shouting hallelujah, and protesting it wasn’t necessary tonight and she could take over that duty tomorrow. Duty versus desire, he supposed. Tiny and Mirabeau had brought Stephanie here from New York, sneaking her from the church where several couples were being wed in one large ceremony, including Victor and Elvi. They had left via a secret exit in the church, and traveled some distance through a series of sewer tunnels before reaching the surface. They’d then driven to Port Henry, where Victor and Elvi had been waiting to welcome the girl.

  While Tiny and Mirabeau were officially off duty now that Drina and Anders had arrived, Lucian had insisted they stay to get over the worst of their new-life-mate symptoms. Harper suspected they would feel a responsibility to help out while they were here. They would probably even feel they should, to pay back for staying here at the bed-and-breakfast for the next couple of weeks.

  “Drina’s right,” Anders announced, saving Tiny the struggle. “It’s better someone less distracted than Mirabeau be in Stephanie’s room with her. Besides, it’s our worry now. You two are off duty.”

  Tiny blew out a small breath and nodded, but then added, “We’ll help out while we’re here, though.”

  “Hopefully, it won’t be necessary, but we appreciate that,” Drina said, when Anders just shrugged. She then slid off her stool and glanced from Anders to Harper in question. “Which blood do I use? From the coolers or the fridge?”

  “Either one,” Anders said with a shrug. “More is coming in a couple of days.”

  Harper moved to the refrigerator to retrieve a bag for her, pulled out three more, and turned to hand them out.

  “Thank you,” Drina murmured, accepting the bag Harper offered. She popped it to her fangs, then suddenly stiffened and turned to glance over her shoulder. Following her gaze, Harper saw that Teddy was entering the dining room from the foyer.

  “I thought I heard voices,” the man said on a yawn, running one hand through his thick, gray hair.

  “Sorry if we woke you, Teddy,” Harper said, and gestured to the newcomers. “The backup Lucian promised has arrived.” He turned and explained to Drina and Anders, “Teddy Brunswick is the police chief here in Port Henry. He’s also a friend, and he offered to stay and help keep an eye out until you guys arrived.” He glanced back to the man, and said, “Teddy, this is Alexandrina Argenis. She prefers Drina.”

  Teddy nodded in greeting to Drina, and then glanced to Anders as Harper finished, “And her partner is Anders.”

  “Hmm.” Teddy raised his eyebrows. “Anders a first name or last?”

  “Neither,” Anders said, and ended any further possibility to question him by popping his bag of blood to his mouth.

  Teddy scowled but merely moved into the small back room with its coat closet. He returned a moment later with a coat in one hand and a pair of boots in the other.

  “Now that the cavalry have arrived, I guess I’ll go home and crawl into my own bed,” he announced, settling on a dining-room chair to don his boots.

  “Thank you for staying, Teddy,” Tiny murmured. “I made a
fresh pot of coffee shortly before Drina and Anders arrived. Do you want a cup for the road?”

  “That’d be nice,” Teddy said appreciatively, finishing with one boot and pulling on the other. Tiny immediately moved to the cupboard and retrieved a travel mug. By the time Teddy had finished with his second boot, Tiny had poured the coffee and added the fixings. He waited as Teddy donned his coat and did it up, and then handed him the mug.

  “Thank you,” Teddy murmured, accepting it. “I’ll clean the mug and return it tomorrow when I come to check on things.”

  “Sounds good,” Tiny said with a nod, as he walked the man to the door and saw him out.

  “Well,” Drina said, pulling the now-empty bag from her fangs and moving around the counter to throw it out. “I guess it’s time for me to go to bed.”

  Harper smiled faintly at her grimace as she said it. It was only a little after one. Going to bed now was like a mortal going to bed at four in the afternoon. It was doubtful she’d be able to sleep for quite a while. In fact, he suspected she probably wouldn’t be able to drift off until just before dawn, and then she’d have to get up with Stephanie in the morning. She was in for a rough time until she adjusted to her new hours, he thought with sympathy.

  “It’s the room in the front right corner as you come off the stairs,” Tiny said helpfully. “I’m not sure which of the twin beds Mirabeau chose, though.”

  “I’ll figure it out,” Drina assured him as she picked up her suitcase. “Good night, boys.”

  “Good night,” Harper murmured, along with the others. He watched until she’d left the room, and they could hear her mounting the stairs. He then frowned slightly and glanced up toward the lights, wondering why the room seemed a little darker all of a sudden.

  Chapter Two

  Drina paused before the bedroom door Tiny had directed her to and eased the door open. The moment she did, someone sat up in the near bed. Mirabeau, she guessed, and backed up as the woman got up and moved to join her in the hall.

  “Our replacement?” Mirabeau whispered as she slid the door silently closed. She wore joggers and a sleeveless T-shirt: comfortable enough to sleep in but ready for action if necessary.

  “Drina Argenis,” Drina said with a nod, offering her hand.

  “Mirabeau La Roche.” They shook hands, and then Mirabeau asked, “Lucian said Anders was coming with you?”

  “Yes, he’s downstairs with the others,” Drina said. “I came up to relieve you. I’ll sleep in Stephanie’s room from now on.”

  “I can’t say I’m sorry to give up that job. I haven’t slept a wink,” Mirabeau admitted dryly.

  “I don’t think I will either. At least not tonight,” Drina admitted on a sigh. She hadn’t slept at night since. . well, actually she didn’t recall ever sleeping at night. Shrugging, she added, “Although tomorrow night may be a different story. By then I may be exhausted enough that I do actually sleep.”

  “Let’s hope,” Mirabeau said, glancing toward the stairs.

  “Go on,” Drina said with amusement as she picked up her suitcase. “Tiny is no doubt getting antsy waiting for you.”

  Mirabeau nodded and turned away. “Good night.”

  “Good night,” Drina murmured, and eased the bedroom door open to slip inside. The room wasn’t completely dark, the curtains were heavy, but a faint glow from the streetlights outside was still slipping around the edges. Between that and her eyesight, Drina could see almost as well as if it were daylight. She set down her suitcase beside the bed, briefly considered changing her clothes, but then decided the sweater and jeans she wore would do. She didn’t want to wake Stephanie, and wasn’t likely to sleep anyway, she thought as she eased to sit on the side of the bed.

  “Aren’t you going to change your clothes?”

  Drina turned sharply and glanced over her shoulder as the young girl in the next bed shifted onto her side facing her and raised her arm to rest her head on her hand.

  “You can turn on the light if you like. I’m not asleep anymore.”

  Drina hesitated, but then supposed if they were going to be roommates, she should at least introduce herself to the girl. Standing, she moved around the bed to sit on the side facing Stephanie as the girl reached over to turn on the lamp on the bedside table. Habit, Drina supposed. As an immortal, Stephanie should have been able to see as well as Drina did.

  The sudden light was briefly blinding, but after blinking several times, Drina found herself peering at a petite blonde. She’d been told the girl was fifteen, but Stephanie looked younger. She had a lovely face, but a child’s body, still somewhat gangly and flat-chested.

  “Hi.” Stephanie shifted to sit cross-legged on her own bed. “You’re Alexandrina Argenis, but prefer to be called Drina.”

  “And you’re Stephanie McGill,” she said calmly, supposing that Lucian must have told Mirabeau and Tiny who was coming, and they’d passed it on to the girl.

  “They didn’t tell me,” Stephanie said with a smile.

  Drina blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “You just thought that Tiny and Beau told me who was coming, but they didn’t. I read your mind.”

  Drina sat back slightly, her eyes narrowing. The girl certainly sounded as if she’d just read her mind, but it wasn’t possible. Drina was old, older than her uncle Victor, and Stephanie was a new turn. The teenager couldn’t possibly read her.

  “Maybe it’s because you’ve met your life mate,” Stephanie suggested with a shrug. “That usually makes you guys readable, doesn’t it?”

  “Er. .” Drina instinctively shook her head in denial.

  “Marguerite suggested you to Lucian because she thinks Harper is your life mate.”

  “Crap.” Drina sagged where she sat. The kid really was reading her. That was the only explanation since Marguerite had said Lucian hadn’t wanted to know who it was so long as it wasn’t Anders. She and Marguerite were the only two in the world who knew.

  “Plus me,” Stephanie said with amusement.

  “Plus you,” Drina agreed on a sigh. Apparently just meeting the man had been enough to start affecting her. Great.

  “It was smart you’ve played it cool and didn’t just blurt out that he might be your life mate. Harper’s going to be a hard nut to crack,” Stephanie said suddenly. “He’ll fight this life-mate business.”

  “Why do you say that?” Drina asked warily.

  “Because it isn’t grief that’s making him so miserable over Jenny. It’s guilt. He thinks if he’d never met and tried to turn her, she’d still be alive. It’s eating him up. He doesn’t think he deserves to be happy. He thinks he needs to suffer for her dying. He’ll fight it and avoid you for the next couple of centuries until he feels he’s suffered enough if he finds out you’re life mates. . unless you creep up on him.”

  Drina stared at her blankly, amazed to hear such wisdom from someone so young.

  Stephanie suddenly grinned and admitted, “I’m not Yoda or something. I’m just repeating what Marguerite said to you.”

  “She did say that, but I wasn’t thinking it,” Drina said with a frown.

  “Yeah, you are. It’s nagging at the back of your mind and probably has been since she said it. That and the thought that it just figured you’d finally encounter your life mate, and instead of it being easy like you’d expect finding an immortal life mate should be, it’s going to be even more delicate than it would be were he mortal.” She grimaced. “I know the feeling.”

  “Do you?” Drina asked quietly.

  “Oh, yeah. Nothing lives up to your expectations,” she muttered, then grimaced and said, “Like, before. . when I was human, I used to fantasize what it would be like to be, you know, different. Special. I even once or twice fantasized about what it would be like to be a vampire. I thought it would be so cool. Strong, smart. . no one would pick on you, no one could make you do anything you didn’t want and all that bull.” She sighed and shook her head. “It isn’t like that at all. Sure, I’m stronger, an
d the kids at school couldn’t pick on me, but I’m not in school, am I? And there seem to be even more problems than when I was human.”

  “You’re still human, Steffie,” Drina said quietly, feeling for the kid. Marguerite had told her all about the girl as part of her effort to convince her to accept the assignment. She knew that last summer Stephanie had been a happy, healthy mortal with her whole life ahead of her. . until she and her older sister, Dani, had been taken from a grocery-store parking lot in cottage country by a group of no-fangers. The girl had been terrorized and turned against her will, and now her whole life had changed. While Lucian and his men had rescued her, she was now Edentate, immortal but without fangs, and she could not return to her previous life. Like Dorothy caught up in a tornado and dropped in Oz, Stephanie had lost her family and friends and been dropped in the middle of an entirely different life not of her choosing. She’d had a rough shake and didn’t deserve what had happened to her. And Drina wasn’t at all surprised this wasn’t what the girl had envisioned when she’d imagined the impossible fantasy of being a vampire.

  Realizing that the girl was staring at her oddly, she asked uncertainly, “What?”

  “My brothers and sisters always call me Steffie.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Drina muttered. Her brother’s name was Stephano and she always called him Steff. She supposed she’d just automatically turned it feminine.

  “Your brother’s name is Stephano?” the girl asked with interest. Stifling a yawn, she lay back in the bed. “You’ll have to tell me about him, but tomorrow. I’m really tired now. Sometimes, this reading-thoughts business is exhausting. Good night.”

  “Good night,” Drina murmured, as the girl rolled onto her side away from her and settled into her bed. She then hesitated a moment, considering whether she should take the time to change now or just turn off the light so the girl could get to sleep.

  “Go ahead. The light doesn’t bother me,” Stephanie mumbled. “Besides, while I know you don’t think you’ll sleep, you’ll stand a better chance of doing so if you’re more comfortable.”