“Andrew sleeps here doesn’t he?” Liam asks.
“Yes he does. Andrew lives here full time,” I say.
“That’s enough reassurance for me. I would be happy to accept your invitation Helena. Thank you.”
“Let me show you to your room. We can finish talking in the morning or afternoon, whenever you wake up. By the way if you hear noises coming from the room down the hall that’s just Lily and Sebastian,” Helena says.
Liam laughs. But Helena is serious. As a gracious hostess, she is warning him.
“I haven’t soundproofed their room yet. As you can see we are remodeling. I am working on a suite as a present to them.”
“You should have seen my condo before I moved in. I gutted it and started from scratch.”
“That’s the only way sometimes. I almost have the contractors talked into working twenty-four hours a day here, but I have yet to see it. I want to get this finished…”
“Andrew, would you serve some coffee, dearest?” I ask.
“Of course, Miss Lily. Thank you all for taking care of Liam. He is a good man. Mark, our mutual friend, has known him for years and has been worried about him lately. If I had known what was wrong I would have talked to you about it sooner.”
“No one would have guessed, Andrew. I think he was deliberately infected. A truly sadistic bastard did this. But to what purpose? It is almost as if he was targeted,” Julian muses then as so often happens when he tunes back in to the real world, his compassion kicks in. “I’m truly sorry for your friend,” Julian says quietly.
“Me too,” Andrew picks up the room as he prepares to leave to make the coffee. “It comforts me that at least he’s in good hands now.”
“Julian, do you have everything you need in the lab to do the tests in the morning?” Sebastian asks.
“Almost, I was going to ask my friend, Aidan, if he would help me acquire the other items I need. I could get them but not in the middle of the night.”
“I heard my name. What is it you need, Julian?” Aidan asks.
“I need to get a centrifuge, Aidan. I could get one but not in the middle of the night. Is there any way you could oblige me?”
“Of course, is there anything else you need for the tests?”
“Let me make a list and check my inventory. It will be trivial if there is anything else.” Julian gets up, but before he leaves for the state of the art lab he keeps, he turns back to the Djinn. “Thank you, you are not only a good friend but you are proving to be invaluable as well in our very unusual lives,” Julian says. Sebastian grunts. Aidan ignores Sebastian. They both turn towards me. I seat myself in a chair not in the mood for either of their attentions.
The heavenly aroma of coffee precedes Andrew as he returns. He looks weary. It’s not every night one’s vampire employers host a werewolf. Or have an acquaintance revealed as someone who turns into a slavering beast once a full moon. Instead of the usual heavy silver serving carafe, Andrew has switched to a beautiful gilded porcelain pot. It seems the changes are already being made.
“Sit down and have some with us, Andrew,” I say. “This must have been a disquieting night for you.”
“It has been, Miss Lily. Sometimes I think I’m sorry I waited to become a vampire and then nights like this I realize it doesn’t matter if you’re vampire or not. Bad things still happen.”
“That they do,” Sebastian says. “Vampirism isn’t automatic protection, Andrew. In many ways it is a curse. This is an example of some benefits but as we’ve discussed, with those benefits come responsibilities. You’ve been exposed to more of the supernatural world than you anticipated. Being a responsible part of that world can be costly.”
“I still think it’s the choice for me. I’m glad I chose to wait a little bit longer though,” Andrew says determinedly.
“You will know when you’re ready, Andrew. Until then, live your life and don’t be in a hurry,” I say.
“It won’t be long, Miss Lily. I do not intend to be an old, wrinkly vampire. And I definitely do not want grey hair for eternity.”
Sebastian and I laugh. Helena and Aidan are talking with each other in the corner. They join us.
“What’s so funny?” Helena asks.
“Andrew,” I say simply.
“Lilith, could you feed off of Liam, next week?” Aidan asks. He looks hopeful, some of the strain he has been wearing is since I was bitten lessens.
“Cherie, I didn’t think of that. I think you could do that safely, if he would permit it,” Sebastian says.
“That would take care of one week. He couldn’t handle another feeding the week after,” I say.
“The human process of replacing blood may not be the norm for a werewolf,” Helena says. Aidan nods.
“Julian can monitor his blood and we can deal with the issue then,” Aidan says his voice and expression serious for once.
“I think he may let you. He is very inquisitive about everything and I know he feels very guilty about attacking you, Miss Lily,” Andrew says, his natural exuberance rising.
“I don’t want him to do it out of guilt. It would solve the immediate problem, though. Let’s wait until we get closer to the time, before we broach the subject. I only want to ask him as a last resort,” I say.
“At least you have an option now,” Aidan says.
“We have to find a way to help Liam get back to a somewhat normal life again.” Helena sits on the end of a love seat next to me, smoothing a brocade pillow absently. “This isn’t his fault and it sounds like he has been terrorizing San Francisco. We simply can’t let that continue.”
“He sounded amenable to that, Helena. Maybe we could help him start his own practice where he could close down three days a month?” Sebastian suggests.
“That might work. We’ll talk to him,” Helena says.
“We have to track down the people he has bitten before Lilith,” Aidan says.
“We’ll watch the papers. Hack into the hospitals’ records. Check the police reports,” Sebastian says. “Hopefully he didn’t bite anyone. The papers, so far, have said that there were attacks but didn’t mention any bites. I would think the media would be all over that. The biggest problem is what to do during those three days he is contagious.”
“Could he lock himself up?” Aidan asks. “How intelligent are werewolves when they transform? Would they know to unlock themselves or are they purely animal?”
“He was mixed in with humans the night he stalked me. He must have some intelligent thought about him or he couldn’t have stayed undetected for three days,” I say.
“Now that he knows what’s happening he will have some warning but he may need some help overcoming the urge of the wolf,” Aidan adds.
“I think we’ll have to lock him up until Julian can find some kind of cure or medication that will temper the transformation. I can’t think of anything else.” Sebastian shrugs.
“That means me too, doesn’t it?” I look around, suddenly faced with the fact of my eventual behavior and fate.
“Cherie, we don’t know how you will be. Let’s not worry about it until it happens.”
“Promise me you will lock me up too, Bast. I don’t want to spread this if I’m contagious. Even if I’m not contagious I could be extremely dangerous and I don’t want to hurt anyone.” I look from face to beloved face. “I don’t want anyone to see me when I’m in that state either.”
“I promise I will take care of you, Lily. Whatever that entails,” Sebastian promises looking me in the eyes.
“We can always put her in my flat. There aren’t any doors. She couldn’t get out and she can’t hurt me. She could tear the place up and I could fix it with a wave of the hand,” Aidan says.
“That’s a good idea,” Helena says and then quickly stifles her smile when Sebastian glowers predictably.
“Of course, Sebastian would be welcome to stay there too, unless she was contagious. I would think it would be too dangerous then,” Aidan adds quickly.
“We will see about that,” Sebastian says. “I have a feeling that Lily isn’t contagious. The two viruses in her body have to battle for dominance I believe that vampirism is more dominant.”
Aidan snorts.
“Of course you would think that, nothing is more arrogant than an old vampire,” Aidan sneers.
“We’re immortals—I think she will be mainly vampire, but only the tests and time will tell for sure,” Sebastian replies, ignoring Aidan’s jibe.
“Julian was saying the same thing to me earlier. I hope he is right,” Aidan says. “I am going to go see what else Julian needs.” He drops a kiss on my cheek.
“Goodnight, love. See you tomorrow,” he says before he pops out.
“Good night, Aidan.”
“It’s time to go to bed, ma petite. Do you want me to join you?” Sebastian asks.
“No darling. I know you’re anxious to help Julian. I will see you in the morning. Come up and say goodnight, please.”
“Of course,” he says.
I climb the marble stairs to our room and change into my favorite cream colored silk night gown and wearily pull the covers over me. I realize I haven’t written any of this in my journal and so spend the next forty-five minutes writing everything down. Soon Sebastian is at my side waiting for me to put my book and pen down.
“A lot of writing to catch up on, Cherie. Don’t worry, we will make everything work. I promise.”
“I know, Bast. I’m counting on you.”
“Let me hold you while you fall asleep,” he says lowering himself beside me. “It’s my favorite part of the day.”
“Mine too.” I lay there thinking about the night I spent away from him. I wonder if he is thinking about it too. Before long sweet oblivion takes me over.
I wake up to bright sunlight and Aidan smiling at me.
“I love watching you sleep. You are so beautiful.”
“Does Sebastian know you’re in here?” My heart would be palpitating if it could.
“No, so be quiet. He’s busy with Liam and Julian. He’ll probably be along soon enough. I took a small break so I could pop in to be here when you woke.”
Damn my waking up at exactly the same moment every day!
“I hear him on the stairs. Go. I don’t want to set him off so early in the day,” I beg my jubilant jinni.
“If you say so,” he says with a wicked smile, nuzzling my hair before he evaporates.
Just in time. Enter Sebastian, stage left. Sometimes my life feels like the script of a daytime soap.
“I wanted to get here before you woke up. I’m sorry, Cherie. How are you this afternoon?”
“Fine,” I lie.
Aidan’s games, while amusing can be taxing. That was just too close a call. Damn Aidan.
“Good, I had Andrew brew some fresh coffee and it should be ready after your shower. I would join you but we have a guest downstairs and I think it would be rude to do so. Although maybe if we hurry…”
“Sebastian! I am perfectly able to go one day without sex.”
“It’s been more like four days and I’m not sure I’m able to go that long without being inside you.”
“Ohmygod! It has been that long. Okay, if we hurry…”
After our quick shower, that was oh, so right, we get dressed. Sebastian in jeans and a V-neck sweater and me in a peasant sleeved black mini dress. I think the generous sleeves make it easy for blood tests. We join the others in the library.
“I understand what they mean about noises coming from the end of the hall now,” Liam says smirking at us. Liam looks rested and at ease. His gentle teasing suggests he can be charming when he isn’t fighting off his dark side.
Aidan is uncharacteristically quiet. My heart goes out to him, it really does, but he needs to understand that I love Sebastian. Andrew brings in the coffee. I make myself a mocha.
“It was relatively subdued this morning, Liam. It gets quite ridiculous at times. Why do you think we are soundproofing their room?” Andrew says.
“I apologize if we made you uncomfortable, Liam,” Sebastian says.
“Not at all. My partner and I had a very healthy sex life. He left me a month ago. About the same time I lost my job. No one believed me when I said I couldn’t remember where I had been for those days.” His voice is light, barely hinting at the devastating changes he’d experienced with no self-awareness of what had been happening. Liam tells the others what he told me on the phone. “I was so depressed and scared. I just stayed in my place and ordered take out. I was afraid to leave. Then it all started again. This time, I had flashbacks of attacking a woman and I was at my wits end. I called a suicide hotline and spoke with a really nice woman on the other end of the line.” He bestows a sweet smile on me. “The rest is history as they say.”
“You’re better off without Brent, Liam. If he couldn’t believe you and stick with you through this, than he wasn’t worthy of you,” Andrew sniffs.
“Thanks, Andrew. What does Phillip think of all this?” Liam says as he includes all of us with a wave of his hand.
“He never knew. He thought I had eccentric employers. Then he had a chance to choreograph for Broadway, and had to move of course. I was happy to see him get the chance.”
“Have you ever wanted to become a vampire?” Liam asks.
“Oh brother…” Julian says.
“What did I say?”
“It’s just that Andrew used to ask almost weekly for us to turn him. We are morally against turning someone into a vampire. This is the first time we have ever had someone ask for it. We’ve talked about the special circumstances and made sure that Andrew is well informed and have decided that if he wants to be turned we’ll do it,” I explain.
“And…” Liam asks.
“And, I decided to wait a little bit longer, but yes I still want to be changed, before I have any wrinkles or grey hair.”
“That would suck to be immortal and grey,” Liam agrees. “I wonder what would happen to me if I was turned.”
“That’s a very interesting question.” Julian gives us a significant look. “I will have to think about it,” Julian says eventually. “It might slow down the effects of the were disease. It would also curse you to an eternity of moon phases. I think we need to know more before we go there,” Julian concludes.
“We should start the tests, Julian,” Sebastian reminds him.
“Yes, sorry. You can’t throw something that interesting at me and not expect me to get sidetracked,” Julian’s humor can be self-deprecating and dead-on so to speak. Not that it hasn’t been pointed out to him by his lover for the past five centuries. He’s a good sport about Helena’s gentle teasing. “Liam, Lily if you will follow me to the lab, we will start with some blood tests and follow them up with some simple physical tests, like reflex, vision and strength.”
Julian’s lab is a grand, bright, solarium. It’s always fun to visit his workspace. Helena’s plants and herbs share the sunlight. She has hung ferns of every kind imaginable, bromeliads and orchids on the walls and potted palms sit in the windows. Her herb garden is remarkable. Counters are lined with microscopes, incubators, gas burners, graduated cylinders and a brand new centrifuge, courtesy of Aidan.
Everything is kept in spotless order and like-new condition. Julian clearly labels every drawer and keeps everything he needs. It isn’t often he uses the lab for biological purposes, he’s usually doing pure research—not immediately applicable emergency testing. Julian and Helena use it mostly for botany.
Julian guides us to stools and pulls on gloves. He collects several small vials from one of his drawers and labels them with my name or Liam’s. He ties a latex strap around my arm and tells me to make a fist, locating a promising vein before he inserts the needle. The latex snaps as he releases it so the blood can flow. Vampire blood is sluggish so it takes a while to fill the vials. But soon enough all the vials are full. When he is done he tapes a thick pad of gauze onto my arm, tells me to keep it e
levated and instructs Andrew to give me a glass of mulberry wine.
Then Julian repeats the procedure with Liam. Even though Liam is comfortable with us, I admire how unusually sensitive it was for Julian to start with me. When he’s decided that he has collected enough from Liam, he adds a sample of blood to the centrifuge puts more into various petri containers and stores them in an incubator. The rest of the more-precious-than-gold vials, he stores in the mini fridge. Liam requests juice instead of wine.
“Now I want to run basic vision, hearing and reflex tests on you. Liam did they do this for you when you saw the doctor?” Julian asks.
“No, they only took an MRI,” Liam answers with disgust.
“That may be a good thing. It always amazes me how doctors ignore fundamental tests these days. They forget the history of their science it seems.” Julian shakes his head. We line up to read a vision chart at the end of the room. I could read even the miniscule print at the bottom. Par for me as I had good vision before I was turned and now, it is pretty much perfect. At least that hasn’t changed.
“Liam, please read as much of that chart as you can,” Julian asks.
“I can read all but the last two lines.”
“You have a noticeably more acute vision than a human being does,” Julian comments.
“It’s still so weird to hear you talk about human beings and me as two different things.”
“I’m sorry, Liam,” Julian says. “This is a big adjustment for you.” He pats the were on the back and makes notations in his records. “If you will step over here, we can do the hearing test now.”
Again Liam’s hearing results are close to mine—clearly superior to the human range.
“This is so bizarre. I thought I was hearing more. But then again I thought I was going crazy so I didn’t trust my perception.”
“Clearly, you’re not going crazy, Liam,” I say. “Julian, what is the lifespan of a werewolf?”
“As far as I have been able to find out, the natural lifespan is somewhat longer than a human’s. They’re not immortal like us. But it may be difficult to estimate accurately because they tend to have high-risk lives.”
Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) Page 7