by J. L. McCoy
“Want something to drink, Skye?” he asked, plainly, not looking at me.
“A water, please,” I said, watching him retrieve a bottle of water and the crystal decanter of red wine. “So, what? Are you going to give me the cold shoulder all night?” I asked.
He handed me the water, walked over to the bar and selected two tall glasses. He filled each full of the wine and then put the decanter back in the fridge. He picked up his glass and walked over to the lazy boy in front of me and sat down, looking tired. He stared at me for a few seconds before he spoke. “Why him?” he asked, bluntly.
I swallowed thickly and looked down at the water bottle in my hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Jameson…honestly,” I said softly.
He scoffed and chugged down half of the liquid in the glass. “Not as good as from the tap,” he said to himself, holding up his glass and examining the liquid.
“Huh?” I asked, confused. Jameson stayed silent, just staring at me. “So, you’re really a vampire?” I asked, tentatively, playing with my fingernails.
Jameson stared at me hard. “Aye,” he said.
“Were you ever going to tell me?” I asked, cautiously.
He ran his hand through his long hair in frustration, and sighed. “I wanted to tell you earlier today,” he finally said, calming down.
My eyes widened in surprise. “And why didn’t you?”
“Because, there are rules. One must get permission from the leader of their sliocht before doing so,” he said calmly. He looked up into my eyes and I saw that they were pained. “I did not have permission.”
“And you have permission now?” I asked, confused.
“Aye. You heard him say yourself that it was time,” he said, sounding bitter.
I looked at him, surprised. “You mean your brother? Archer is your leader?”
Jameson drank the rest of his wine and sighed. “Aye.”
Wow. I didn’t know what to think. Archer was the leader of their…whatever they called it?
I processed this news as I took a long draw from my water bottle. “When, today, did you want to tell me?” I asked calmly, replacing the cap on the bottle.
Jameson stood up and walked over to the bar, setting his empty glass down. He stood facing the blank TV for a long moment before he turned around and looked at the floor between us.
“When I could not enter your house. When I wanted to drink your blood when we were in the car together.” He looked up into my eyes and continued. “When you opened the door and took my breath away. Take your pick.”
I was astonished. Where do I even start? I have so many questions for him. I want to understand everything.
Just then Archer opened the office door. “You’ll have your chance to ask them, Skye,” he said, replying to my thought. He walked to the bar, retrieved the drink Jameson had fixed him, and came to sit beside me on the couch. Jameson resumed his place on the lazy boy.
I sighed, looking over at Archer. “Can’t you turn that off or something?” I asked, annoyed. “It’s really unnerving.”
“It’s not that easy, Skye, or I would,” he said, turning toward me. “Humans transmit their thoughts louder than vampires. Your brainwaves are more active than ours. I can pretty much tune it out in a room full of vampires, but not when there is a human around.”
I looked at him and crossed my arms over my chest. “Not fair…” I quietly complained.
Archer laughed and looked over at Jameson. “She’s taking this remarkably well. You were right about her, Youngblood.”
“What? Did you think I was going to flip out?” I asked, confused. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. Finding out that vampires exist is kind of shocking. And, that weird mind reading thing and the disappearing-in-the-blink-of-an-eye thing takes some getting used to. And I’m NOT used to it, yet. But I know who you are, who you both are, and I know that you are good people. I know you wouldn’t hurt me. I trust you. So, why would you think I’d take it badly?”
“The prey always fear their predators,” Archer said, raising an eyebrow and taking a sip from his glass.
“Well, I don’t see any predators,” I said, stubbornly.
Jameson chuckled. “Silly girl. Underestimating a vampire can be a fatal mistake.”
I looked at him and snorted. “What are you going to do, bite me Jameson?” I asked sarcastically.
His eyes lit up and a wicked grin spread across his face as he leaned forward his chair. He looked positively predatory. “Is that an invitation, sweet Skye?” he slowly purred, licking his lips as he surveyed my body.
I dropped my bottom jaw in shock. He did not just say that to me! He most certainly can NOT bite me. But…I do kind of wonder what it would feel like to be bitten. Is it wrong for me to be slightly turned on by the thought? I quickly shut my mouth and looked at Archer out of the corner of my eye. Oh, god…he can hear everything I’m thinking, I remembered, completely embarrassed.
I looked over at Jameson and pursed my lips. “Bite me and I’ll shove a clove of garlic up your ass, fang boy,” I said boldly.
Archer threw his head back and laughed. Jameson just looked a little disappointed.
“It doesn’t work that way, Skye,” Archer said with a smile. “We are not affected by garlic, or by some of the other ridiculous myths that are out there.”
I thought about that for a second and then looked back and forth between Archer and Jameson. “You can walk in sunlight,” I said, surprised. “I thought vampires were supposed to be Children of the Night. How can you day-walk?”
Archer took another drink from his glass. “It’s a long story, really. Back in 541 AD, our sliocht Athair was blessed by Saint Fionán of Cluain Eraird. Our Athair, our father, was human and visited a church one evening to hear his sermon. Saint Fionán laid his hands upon him and prayed for wellbeing and guidance for our father. A week later, father was tending to his sheep in the valley when he was viciously attacked by something and left for dead. Our sliocht, the future descendants of our father, found him a few hours later when the sheep came home and father didn’t.
They buried him in the mound that night. Two nights later, father returned to our sliocht a changed man. He thirsted for blood, moved at impossible speeds, was inhumanly strong, and could read their minds. Father listened as the men fearfully recounted the discovery of his body and subsequent burial. He knew that he was no longer human, but what he had transformed into, he did not know. His heart still beat, although very slowly. He still needed oxygen, but he could go without it for tens of minutes at a time. He no longer hungered for food, but instead thirsted for blood. He could walk in sunlight, but it stung his eyes at first.
A few weeks after the attack, he met a brood of vampires one night while out hunting. They explained to father what he was, but they could not explain why he could day-walk. Father went to see Saint Fionán and asked him for guidance. The Saint said that he had been blessed by an tAthair Naofa, the Holy Father, and that he should be at peace with his condition. He said that the Holy Father had divine plans for our father now, and that our father should rejoice. He was meant to be a guiding light in the darkness of the world. The Saint told our father to live justly and protect the innocents from the darkness. Our father went forth and recruited our sliocht, transforming them as he had been transformed. Most of our descendants have divine powers, and all can walk in the light. We live by the words of our Saint. We strive to live justly and to protect innocents from certain morally depraved night walkers.”
I looked at Jameson and then back at Archer. “So, you guys are like crusaders, or something?” I asked, in awe.
Archer chuckled and answered. “No, not us. We choose not to engage in the politics of our race. War is not something Jameson and I enjoy. But, our fellow descendants have appointed an army of our brethren, An Dílis, to protect and serve the cause.”
“Wow,” I said, impressed. I looked over to Jameson. “So, if your brother can read minds, and most others of your race have pow
ers, what can you do, Jameson?” Then the question hit me. Was Jameson even related to Archer? I looked over at Archer, but Jameson had already begun speaking, so I turned back to him.
“I was blessed with the extremely rare ability to heal others, humans and vampires,” he said with a small smile. “There has only ever been one other.”
What? I thought. He could heal? I thought back to the injuries that I had sustained yesterday and remembered my miraculous healing. I opened my mouth in shock. “It was you? You healed me, didn’t you?” I asked in awe.
Jameson nodded his head, the small smile still on his lips. “Aye. I couldn’t stand to see you in such pain.”
“But how?” I wondered. “How did you heal me? I don’t understand.”
Jameson rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at me. “I am able to heal by touch. I started healing you when we were in Dan’s office, but he interrupted the process. So, I was able to resume when were in the parking lot later.”
I thought back to that night and blushed. His touch had been electrifying, tingly, and warm all at the same time. It had caused my body to respond physically to it, I remembered. “So, when we were…engaged, as you put it, were you healing me then?” I asked carefully, determined not to look at Archer.
Jameson looked down at his hands and discreetly replied. “Aye. That’s kind of, like, a small side effect of the healing. But it only happens when I am…when I have…certain emotions for the person I am healing.”
I blushed and felt immediately guilty again for hurting him. Being intensely attracted to two people at the same time just wasn’t fair. Then a thought occurred to me. I looked over at Archer and pursed my lips. “What I feel for both of you…is it just me, or does it have to something to do with your vampirism?” I asked him silently.
Archer looked thoughtful for a few moments and then replied. “I believe it’s a bit of both, Skye.”
I sighed in relief. So, it isn’t just me. There was a reason I felt the way I did.
I looked over at Jameson as Archer continued. “A vampire is very seductive by nature. That is how we attract our prey. Our bodies give off a pheromone that entices humans. To them, we are infinitely beautiful and they crave our…company.”
I studied Jameson for a few moments. I WAS very attracted to him physically, but there was more to it than that. He was also an amazing person. I turned to Archer and studied him for a few moments as well. Archer was the most beautiful man I had ever met in my life. It was a no wonder I was so attracted to him physically. But, at least I knew that it had almost everything to do with his vampirism. Of course, there was the part of him that I discovered tonight; the funny, outgoing, insanely sexy man that stole my breath on the dance floor.
Another thought occurred to me and I turned back to Jameson. “What you feel for me, is it caused by your vampirism, or do you yourself feel that way? Because, I mean, I guess I AM, technically, like a walking hamburger. Who wouldn’t want a free meal?” I asked tentatively.
Jameson sat forward in his chair and looked deeply into my eyes. “What I feel for you is all me. It has nothing to do with the blood running through your veins,” he said, then clarified. “Well, no, that’s not entirely true. You do smell insanely good and I find it hard for me to control my hunger around you sometimes. But, that’s not why I care for you.”
I blushed and looked down at my hands. “What we shared tonight, was that real, Archer? Do you care about me or was it just about my blood?” I silently and timidly asked Archer.
I felt him look at me, then at Jameson, and then down at the floor. I waited for a few seconds, but he did not answer my question, so I moved on to another one that I had. “Are you two really brothers?” I asked, looking up at Jameson.
“Aye, but not in the sense I think you mean,” Jameson said, leaning back into his chair and crossing his legs. “I am Archer’s páiste fola, his blood child. I believe the modern term for him is my “Maker”. But we are very close, like brothers.”
“Aye,” Archer agreed, holding up his glass of wine in solute to Jameson, a proud smile on his face.
Shit. I’ve come between a vampire and his child. That is one place I never wanted to be again. They had been together for who-knows-how-many years. I did not want to be the one to cause their relationship any strife. I quickly got up and walked to the office door. Jameson flashed to my side, one hand holding the door closed.
“Please don’t leave, Skye,” he said, sadly.
I took a deep breath and was about to explain why I got up when Archer spoke up. “Relax, Youngblood. She is not leaving. She is looking for an excuse to be by herself for a few minutes to think. She wishes to hide out in the restroom,” he said, chuckling, amused at my horror of coming in between the two of them.
I flung my head around to look at him and shot daggers with my eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Rhys,” I said tartly. “Asshole…” I added silently. He threw his head back and laughed.
“You had better use the one up here. All the lights are off downstairs,” Jameson said gently.
I faced Jameson, meeting his eyes, but immediately dropped mine. I couldn’t look him in the face right now. I felt like such a horrible person. “Uh, thank you…Jameson,” I said, turning and quickly walking to the apartment door. I refused to glance over at Archer. There was nothing funny about the way I was feeling and I didn’t want to look at the amusement that might still be painted on his face.
I walked in and shut the door, immediately going to the bathroom and shutting that door as well. I put the lid to the toilet down and sat on it. My life is never going to be the same again, I thought. Vampires really did exist and I was working for one. Not only that, but I had strong feelings for both of the vampires I knew. To complicate matters even more, they were maker and child. They were practically like brothers, they said so themselves. You’re just a magnet for hot messes, aren’t you?
I sighed, crossed my legs, propped my elbow up on my knee, and rested my chin in the palm of my hand. I have to clean up the mess I made of this situation. These were the people that I now had to work with, and quitting my job was not an option. Whatever happened between Jameson and I was in the past. We could start over and have the professional relationship that we would have had, had I found out earlier that we would be working together. And Archer was my boss. Dating one’s boss was a big no-no. I would make sure that I never made that mistake with him again, his drop-dead-gorgeous looks be damned. I didn’t need a man, I needed this job!
I got up and took care of necessities. I washed my hands and checked my makeup in the mirror. My hair was still up in a hasty ponytail, so I took it down, fixed it with my fingers, and replaced the black bracelet on my wrist. There, much better, I thought. I took a deep, calming breath and walked out back into the office.
I opened the door and they were both talking quietly by the bar. Jameson was pouring them some more red wine.
“Mind if I have a glass of that, guys?” I asked, needing a drink.
They both looked at each other and then at me. “Uh, how about some whiskey,” Jameson said.
I looked at him confused. “What’s wrong with having wine?” I asked.
Archer took his glass and sat down on the couch. “This isn’t wine, Skye,” he said plainly.
Well then what the hell was it? Archer raised both of his eyebrows and looked at me. “Oh... Oh, great! It’s blood isn’t it?” I asked him silently. He smiled and nodded his head.
I tried not to make a disgusted face and turned to look at Jameson. “I think I’ll have that whisky after all.”
Jameson smiled, but tried to hide it by looking down at the bar. “Good choice,” he said, getting the bottle of whiskey out.
I went to sit back down, but stopped. I didn’t want to sit by Archer now. I needed to distance myself from that whole situation. Archer looked up at me in surprise. His features soon turned confused as he read my mind. I walked over and sat down in the lazy boy across from the couch, crossing
my legs, trying hard to keep my mind blank. I wanted to keep my thoughts my own.
Jameson walked over and handed me my drink. He looked from me to Archer, then raised his eyebrows and took a seat by Archer. He looked kind of confused too. I didn’t want to answer any questions, so I resumed asking some of my own.
“So, how do you guys get blood?” I asked, motioning to their drinks. “I kind of figured that you just drank from people.”
“We do,” Jameson answered. “We drink from willing donors or we buy bagged blood from a vampire blood bank.”
“How do you find willing donors?” I wondered aloud, taking a sip from my glass.
Archer decided to answer this time. “We date them,” he said simply. “There are women who are into getting bitten. Some even like blood play. We call them ‘Vampire Groupies’. When we can’t find those, we have a service that caters specifically to vampires. We buy their…time,” he said tactfully.
Oh, I thought, blushing. I took another hasty sip of my whisky. I didn’t know what to say after that.
Archer chuckled. “I didn’t figure you to be shy about such topics,” he said with a lopsided grin.
“You shouldn’t presume to know everything about me,” I said, getting a little mad. I stood up and finished my drink. “It’s been real, gentlemen, but, if we are done here, I’d like to go home now. Jameson, would you mind driving me to my car, please?”
Archer stood up. “Oh, no you don’t,” he said. I looked at him, confused. “You have had way too much to drink tonight. I will not allow you to drive,” Archer said with authority.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “And, just what do you expect me to do? Sleep here?” I asked, getting annoyed.
“Yes,” Archer said simply
“But I have no clothes,” I said, trying to reason with him. “And, what about my dog?”
“I might have a few things here that’ll fit you,” Jameson answered, standing up. “And, maybe you can call someone about your dog?”
I thought for a second. The only person I could call was Nikki. “I can try…” I said, unsure of what time it was.