Suckers Bite Back (San Francisco Vampires #5) (Vampires of San Francisco series) (3 page)

“Good man. I know Andrew is. Let’s go to Beach Blanket Babylon this afternoon. I’ve been dying to see the new review and I happen to have four tickets,” I sing-song. “Then we can party afterwards,” I say, anxious for night and the numbness.

“Fine, but we have to go to a gay bar,” Andrew demands.

“Only if there are women there too,” I pipe in. Liam just sighs.

“I’m going too. I need to eat and I can drive,” Julian says. Sebastian’s face relaxes. That pisses me off. He has no right worrying about me with Miss Botox hanging off his arm.

The boys and I hurry off to dress for a good time and a night of hunting.

6 SEBASTIAN

When Lily barely reacted to Nico it bothered me more than I expected. Her nonchalance affirms that she doesn’t care anymore.

She wants to get drunk again. Not a good sign. I’m worried. I debate calling Aidan, except the way Lily reacted last night makes me rethink getting him involved. I don’t want her to think we are ganging up on her.

I am relieved Julian is going with them. Who knows what kind of trouble Lily would have gotten Liam and Andrew into? I know that’s why Julian pretended he needs to feed. He just hunted the other night.

Oh God, Lily! She walks into the library wearing tight black leather pants and a bustier blouse. I could feel my fangs slip out and have to hurry and retract them so Nico won’t see. She’s never worn that kind of clothing around me. Not that I don’t like her designer clothes, I do, and she looks hot in them. But this, merde, this is beyond any fantasies I have had.

“Lily, uhm, don’t you think that you might send the wrong message with that outfit?” I suggest, running my hand through my hair. Nico murmurs something about going out to eat in French in my ear, trying to get my attention. I nod my assent, barely registering her.

“Sebastian, of course I want to send that kind of message or I wouldn’t have dressed this way,” she says.

“My dear, where did you pick up that naughty outfit,” Helena asks as she comes in the room.

“Hannah dared me to buy it.”

The four of them left arm-in-arm for a night on the town. Nothing good can come from Lily drinking again. But Nico is pulling on my arm again and good manners mean I must attend to her. First, I will have to take her to eat, if you can call what she does eating, and then I will take her home and scout out the gay bars with Aidan.

7 LILITH

“Roarrrr,” Andrew says, grinning from ear to ear. He and Liam are both wearing jeans and button down shirts. Andrew’s is pink and Liam’s is lavender. They both have on matching black jackets. They scream “couple.” It’s cute. I on the other hand in my heeled boots and skin tight leather scream “try and take me, I promise a rough ride if you can catch me.” Julian meets us in the library in black leather pants and black jacket with a white button down shirt.

“I saw you and took a cue from your outfit, Lily,” Julian says. “I hope you don’t mind?” He rubs his beautifully shaved head and looks sheepishly at me.

“Not at all, Julian. You look hot that way. You sure you don’t want to go, Helena?” I ask.

“No it’s a gay bar. I’m safe. He wasn’t one of those Romans,” she laughs, a throaty, sexy sound erupting from the petite woman, easing the tension in the room.

We take Julian’s car as he will be designated driver. Beach Blanket Babylon is a San Francisco long-standing headliner. Julian is able to glamour us some excellent seats. The show, with its unique, ginormous hats depicting the San Francisco skyline, is amazing. The actress who holds the storyline together is an enchanting songstress. By the time the show is done we are ready to get our party on.

“Lily, that was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, thank you,” Julian says as he opens his Mercedes, accompanied by a series of beeps.

“You’re welcome, Jules,” I say, with a genuine smile. I’m looking forward to being reckless. To forgetting Nico and the way Sebastian had his arm around her.

The boys pick a bar in the Castro called Black Bird, a new hot bar with mixed clientele. They say they want to keep it classy and forbid me to make a scene like I did the night before. I don’t know what they’re talking about.

Julian pulls up to a parking place a few blocks away. This part of the Castro is bursting with clubs and bars and we are lucky to find a spot at all. The night air is crisp and smells wondrous, especially to a vampire. We smell everything and soon find the eclectic mixes of life intoxicating.

Outside the Black Bird among a small crowd of smokers, we quickly make our way inside. The large room is classic. Lots of bowties floating around this place. Too many for my taste. I want to get my party girl on but I can see Andrew’s eyes sparkle. He is in heaven. For once I am inappropriately dressed. I may have to crash into another bar before the night is over.

Julian orders one of their signature drinks for all of us, “The Dickens.” It goes down easy, vodka, cranberry, ginger, lemon juice and honey all on ice. Yummy. But this isn’t getting me drunk, or the boys, and I promised them.

“Miss Lily, how do we go about getting intoxicated?” Andrew asks me out the side of his mouth. He gives a little wave to someone he knows. Liam sees this and grabs his hand and Andrew gives him a sweet kiss on the cheek to reassure him.

I step in front of the boys so that no one sees what I’m saying.

“First you need to find someone who is very drunk. Then you feed on them. Might I suggest you two share someone this first time?” They nod in agreement.

“I like that idea,” Liam says. “I’ve never been one for losing control. It’s the lawyer in me I think.” Julian gives them a parental smile and claps a hand on each of their shoulders.

“I think that’s an excellent plan, Lily. Now who looks good boys?” Julian asks.

Liam and Andrew take a minute to scan the room and both point to the same man and then break out in giggles. They really are meant for each other. Just another reminder that everyone has someone and I fucked up my happily ever after. Twice.

The gentleman they want is wearing a bowtie, an untucked button down shirt with an argyle sweater vest over the top. He has black frame glasses and short cropped hair. He looks like a major geek but it works on him. He has also had too much to drink and is sitting at the bar by himself.

“Gay or straight?” I ask the boys.

“Definitely gay,” they say in unison.

“Miss Lily, your gaydar is way off tonight. I’m ashamed. I raised you better,” Andrew admonishes me. I give him an evil eye and he just rolls his at me, I don’t scare him at all.

“So, which one of you two is going to hit on him?” I ask.

“This is the messy part. Neither of us likes doing it. I did the last one Andrew, it’s your turn,” Liam says.

Andrew winks at me. “Watch Aunty Andrew work his moves.”

I make a gagging gesture and then wave him off laughing. He walks up to the bowtie at the bar. Mr. Bowtie doesn’t even look up as Andrew sits close to him. Very close. Andrew orders a drink and says something and finally bowtie looks up and then starts laughing. That’s my Andrew, always a comic. Let’s see if it will get him dinner.

Five minutes of conversation and bowtie and Andrew start making their way towards the door. Liam hurries up behind them. Julian and I provide backup. Being drunk as a vampire is so much more intense than it is as a human. Our senses are already heightened and instead of dulling them it enhances our sensations. If you’re happy you get drunk then you become ecstatic, you’re sad and then you’re devastated. Eventually the heightened senses wears off and you get pleasantly numb. That’s what I’m looking for.

We round the corner of the alley and see Andrew wiping his mouth and Liam feeding. Andrew is already staggering. I scoop an arm under his to help him walk. He starts laughing and quickly covers his mouth and for some reason that amuses him and he starts laughing again. Liam finishes and Julian is helping him walk. We meander down the sidewalk through the crowds to the car. Liam looks at Andrew and starts laughing and that sets Andrew off again. Julian and I just roll our eyes over their heads. I forgot how annoying it is to babysit someone who is drunk, and they only had half a dose! We start for home.

“Miss Lily, you are soooo beautiful… I don’t know what Mr. Sebastian sees in that French bean-pole bimbo. You should be with him. Why aren’t you with him?” Andrew asks in his hazy stupor.

“I don’t know, Andrew. It’s complicated.”

“Yeah, Lily, you should be with Sebastian or Aidan. Aidan is a fine man too. It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Liam chimes in. God just make them stop. Julian squeezes my knee in sympathy.

“Well it is complicated, extremely complicated, so just drop it boys. I don’t want to talk about it,” I say between clenched teeth. We pull up to the manse and I yank Andrew out a little harder than I intend, and instantly feel bad about it. He laughs and stumbles up the stairs. Liam knocks on the door.

“Lilith, what have you done to these two?” Aidan asks as he answers the door looking down at Liam and Andrew in shock. “Surely you don’t approve, Julian?”

“Actually, Aidan, I do. They need to know what it feels like. They shared their dinner so they each only had a half dose,” Julian says.

“If this is what a half does to them, I’d hate to see them fully loaded,” Aidan says.

“Quite,” Julian says, eyeing me. I huff and march past them figuring they can handle the boys.

“How’d it go, Lily?” Helena asks. She comes over to me and brushes my hair off my forehead.

“They shared a dinner and are as giggly as a couple of teenage school girls.”

Helena smiles, “That’s nice. I remember my first time. It was scary. I had never been drunk in my human life. I didn’t know what was happening to me.”

This was new information to me.

“That must have been terrifying,” I say.

“Hmm, it was, but I survived it. Never been a fan though,” she says.

Sebastian comes up behind her and kisses the top of her head. I long for his touch. He stares at me and starts to move towards me but I shake my head and shake my hunger for him away. I recall the hurt that came with Nico.

“Where’s Nico?” I ask.

He stumbles on his approach and stops. Now I see the hurt in his eyes too. Well too bad. He brought it here.

“She had a party she had to make an appearance at. I didn’t want to go.”

“Hmmm… Well, I haven’t gotten my party on yet and I went to all the trouble to dress the part. I’ll see you all before sunrise. Ciao.”

“Lilith, wait. Let me go with you, please,” Aidan says.

“I don’t think you would like what you’ll see,” I say flatly.

“I don’t care. I just want to make sure you’re safe. Please, lover. Let me make sure you’re safe.

“I told you to never call me that again,” I say. My eyes burn with the impossibility of being able to shed tears I want to cry. Doesn’t he know it hurts? It hurts too much to hear those words.

“I’m sorry, Lilith. May I come with you?”

“Okay, it will save cab fare. But behave yourself. Give me space to do my own thing, Aidan.”

“Anything, lo-Lilith,” he says, slipping but catching himself.

Sebastian and Julian look like they are relieved. I suppose having a body guard is a good thing for where I’m planning on going.

“You ready, Aidan? I want to get going.”

“Where are we going?” he asks as he takes my hand.

“The Devil With You.”

“But that’s a Demon Bar,” Sebastian stutters out, looking alarmed.

I give him a sly smile. “I know.”

8 AIDAN

I pop us just outside the front doors of the club. My stomach twists, a new feeling for me. I can’t believe I willingly brought her here. But if I hadn’t she would have taken a cab and there would have been no one to watch over her. This is definitely the better option. To the gods, protect her.

“Come on, Aidan. Stop being a stick in the mud. This place is rocking. Can’t you feel the vibrations?” she says.

“And smell the brimstone…” I mumble.

“What’s that?”

“You heard me.”

We pay the cover charge. The bouncer slaps Lily on the arse and I want to zap him back to Hell but Lilith gives me the dirty look, reminding me I am just along for the ride. I glare at him. He just laughs.

“Nice ass, vamp girl,” he says and whistles.

Lilith looks over her shoulder and grins. “Thanks,” she says.

I close the gap between us to block his view of her “ass.” Suddenly I feel like her father, not her ex-lover. But unlike a father I want to put my hands on her and claim her but can’t. The next best thing is to keep everyone else from seeing her.

“Lilith, wait up! Oh screw this.” I materialize next to her at the bar where she is ordering a drink. The bartender is looking down her bustier. He’s got blue horns and a tail. He’s going to have an eye to match the color of those horns if he doesn’t stop ogling Lilith like she’s a piece of candy. Somehow, he manages to get her order right.

“Lilith, this place is a meat market. I don’t sense another vampire in here. Let’s go somewhere else,” I plea.

“Aidan, I told you that you wouldn’t like what you saw. I plan to let loose. I’ve never done that before. I want to be wild tonight. If you can’t handle it, go home.”

“Yes, Lilith,” I drawl. “I’ll just sit over here. In the corner. By myself. Like a good little djinn.”

“Don’t be that way, Aidan. Have some fun,” she says.

“Yes, just not with you. No, thank you. Seriously, I’ll be over at that table waiting to pick up the pieces.”

“Whatever,” she snaps. She’s never snapped at me before. My head jerks back. I take myself to the table in the corner and sit down. I figure she can’t get into too much trouble for a while.

I ditch Aidan and head to the dance floor and the band. Soon I am surrounded by hot, handsome Demons. They dance so well and I’m being twirled between them. Leather seems to be the theme in here. I’m back with the in crowd.
When the musicians take a small break one of the tastiest Demons I’ve ever seen comes up to me and wraps an arm around my waist.

“What’s your name, pretty vampire?” he asks.