Suckers Bite Back (San Francisco Vampires #5) (Vampires of San Francisco series) (9 page)

“Okay, but you’ve been warned,” I say.

“Yes, I have. So don’t worry about me.” He grins and kisses my cheek and we part ways.

I quickly text Sebastian back before he has a hernia.

Just fine here. On my way home now. Are you going to be home tonight?

Lil

Glad you are fine. Yes I will be home. Do you want to talk?

Sebastian

Driving soon, will talk when home

L

I walk through the cherry wood doors fifteen minutes later to a relieved Bast. He smiles when he sees me and I give him a tentative smile back. I see him visibly relax at seeing it. We are making baby steps.

Then Nico steps out from behind him and wraps an arm around his waist and glares at me.

14 AIDAN

When we arrive at the base of the Tetons, Manda opens one eye and then the other. Almost like she is expecting something scary. She’s adorable. When she sees me smirking at her she slaps my arm making me laugh.

“At least you warned me. I have to admit it was kind of cool. Aidan, just smell this fresh air. Oh goodness, look at those mountains. They are so beautiful. You brought me to my favorite spot, Jenny Lake. If we’re lucky we’ll see some moose.” She grabs my hand and tugs. “Come on, daylight’s burning.”

I laugh but let her lead me forward to the trail head. We study the different trails and pick the longest one. When we reach the peak of the trail I summon some food for her and we stop for a rest. We’ve seen moose, elk, many birds and a black bear from a distance.

“Don’t you want any, Aidan?” Manda asks holding out a blood orange.

“I don’t eat food, love. Other people’s energy is my fuel. That’s the best way to describe it. It’s more like their auras. Yours is pure and honest and beautiful. Truly delicious, so I’m being well fed.”

“Like a parasite then,” she says, not unkindly. Her biology mind is kicking in.

“More like a symbiotic relationship. I give back.” I had never thought in those terms before.

“Interesting,” she says. She bites her bottom lip when she is thinking something through. I already know that about her. I wonder if she even knows.

“Are you full? We have a way to go and it’s nearing dusk. The grizzlies are bound to be out. Be prepared. If we run into one, I’ll just pop us out of here.”

“Okay, that’s handy.” She smiles and places her hand over mine. “Thank you, Aidan, for a magickal day. Truly, I can’t imagine a better way to have spent today.” She sighs. “I guess this means that it’s ending though. Let’s make the trek down.”

When we stand I pull her to me and look into her eyes.

“It doesn’t have to stop here you know,” I say.

“Aidan, it is very complicated and I have an extremely busy schedule. I travel extensively.” She reflects for a moment. “It is magickal but I’m a pretty level-headed person – usually.”

“What better boyfriend to have than a djinn who can travel all over the world with you?”

She raises an eyebrow at me.

“Let’s start with dating before you move yourself into the boyfriend status.”

“I can deal with that,” I say. I let out the breath I had been holding. I worried that I was pushing it by saying the boyfriend thing so soon but I am so new to this.

“You look so nervous, Aidan. Relax. I like you a lot. But it’s too much too soon. I just want to take it slow to make sure it lasts if it’s supposed to,” she says as she trails her fingers down the side of my cheek. My whole body shivers.

“Are you seeing anyone else?” I ask.

“No, you?”

“I was seeing someone not too long ago. I’m still friends with her. It’s complicated but we are no longer together. There’s another guy and I have moved on.”

“Sometime you’ll have to tell me what exactly “complicated” means to you. Let’s just keep it casual until we know each other more. Okay?”

“Sounds great. And I will explain everything,” I promise. We have to be completely honest if I want to pursue her. I can tell that honesty is important to her and that she won’t trust me until she’s sure I am being honest with her.

We spend the rest of the day talking like we did that morning. It is so peaceful. I learn about how she used to sing in her church choir, that she had a granny she was crazy about, who practically raised her. She is passionate about the environment and the law. Her passion fills me up to the point I am overflowing with energy. I smile so much today that it hurts my face. We laugh and share dreams and stories. I finally tell her what complicated is and she takes it well. Eight hours of time surrounded by the quiet of the wilderness leaves you with plenty of time to get to know a person. I like what I am getting to know.

By dusk we have the fortune to run across a momma grizzly and two cubs. Her beauty and presence is amazing. Manda takes my hand and squeezes. We both watch the bear lumber past while the cubs tumble each other in pursuit of their mother. They are far enough away I feel safe to stay where we were. When the momma disappears, Manda turns to me with shiny eyes.

“We can go now, Aidan. I’ve seen everything I need to see.”

I pull her hand to my lips and kiss her fingertips and then bring her back to in front of her apartment, dressed in a designer dress she looks gorgeous in, with her new Kate Spade purse. Her look is one of surprise.

She kisses my cheek and lingers a moment. Closing my eyes I try not to compare her kiss with Lilith’s. I realize it’s the first time I thought about Lilith all day, except for my confession. This confuses me. Manda must have seen this on my face. She pulls back.

“Did I go too far?”

“No, my dearest, not at all.” I kiss her forehead gently until the wrinkle on it smoothes. “I just remember I have somewhere I have to be. Can I call you and we can go out sometime soon?”

My mind is still on Lilith but I try to focus on Manda for a few more minutes. I’m suddenly so confused with the feelings that run through me. Feelings like this are still so new to me.

“Of course, I would like that,” she says and smiles.

“I don’t want to go,” I say. I find the idea of it novel. For the first time in months and months I had a perfectly stress free, enjoyable afternoon without any baggage attached. Immediately I feel guilt. It’s not Lilith’s fault I fell in love with her and created the love triangle we’ve been in. I never fully understood what she must have felt but now I am getting a taste of it.

Manda takes a bold step and moves in closer to me.

“Don’t go. Let’s get some dinner or go dancing?”

“I’ll make you a deal. Give me an hour to check on my friend and then I will pick you up for a night on the town? Does that sound good?” I say lifting her chin to look into her beautiful hazelnut eyes. I run a finger down her cheek and she shivers. I like that so I do it again, this time she cuddles up next to me.

“Aidan, promise you’ll come back? I feel like today has been a dream. I’m afraid if I blink for too long you’ll disappear and I’ll never see you again.”

“I promise, Manda. I’ll be back at seven. You can count on it.” I quickly kiss her on the lips and transmanifest out of there before I’m tempted to keep kissing her. I feel like too much is at stake with Manda.

I pop onto the front steps on the manse that Lilith calls her home. It makes me smile a little. I try not to compare the two women. I just can’t picture Lilith hiking through the mountains though.

I knock and Liam answers the door but is rudely pushed aside by a pissed off French model.

“Excuse us,” I say politely to Nico.

“Piss off,” she says in her French accent. Somehow she makes it sound sexy like the French do. Unbelievable.

“What was that about?” I ask Liam.

“Sebastian told her to take a hike. Although it was in French and they were yelling at each other before it ended. She didn’t want to believe him at first. Sebastian said everything in English in the hall when Nico ruined a moment between him and Lily. He was so angry. He had already told Nico they were over.” Liam moves and lets me in. He pushes his bangs back and links his arm in mine.

“She walked into the hall and threw her arm around Sebastian to make it look like they were a couple. Lily took it that way. Anyway, she’s sequestered herself in her room. She and Miss Helena are getting ready to go to a kick boxing class.” Liam finishes his recount just as we enter the library.

“Kick boxing? Won’t they tear the equipment apart and give themselves away?” I ask.

“It’s taught by a vampire who’s had all the equipment bespelled to stand up to vamps,” Julian says. “It’s good to see you, Aidan,” he says and grips my shoulder. His smile and gesture are so genuine and I can feel his sincerity. This I have missed. His and Helena’s company.

“It’s good to see you too, my friend. Where is this class?” I ask.

“In a condemned building in Chinatown. At least it looks like that from the outside. It’s got a rock wall, punching bags, mats, a ring, and everything else they need. Vamps get rough. They are deep in the building and there aren’t any neighbors,” Julian explains. “Noise and breaking things aren’t heard.”

“I never thought I’d see Lilith doing something so physical. Hmmm…” I think about this. It seems some changes have occurred while I’ve been gone. Could Lilith be healing? I remember her warmth and effervescence and her joy in life. I will always love her. And I will always have to share her love with another man. I realize something is changing in me as well. I want a love that I don’t have to share.

“She’s been doing a lot of things differently lately,” Julian says and claps my shoulder before moving on to the sideboard to make a drink for himself.

“Really?” But before Julian can answer, Lilith and Helena walk into the room dressed in workout clothes. The Gods how they hug Lilith’s curves. I have to shake my head to physically shake the images of her naked body from my mind. I look over at Sebastian and heat is coming off him. Lilith ignores him though. It must have to do with Nico.

“Lily, Nico is gone. She was supposed to be gone before. I told her I didn’t want to see her anymore but she wouldn’t leave. I apologize for her behavior,” Sebastian says. His hands rake through his hair making it look messy. He is distressed.

Lilith studies her hands. He reaches for them and she lets him take hers. That’s progress for him. Her downcast look is hard to watch.

“Can I talk to you in private, Sebastian?” she asks him.

“Bien sur, ma petite.”

They leave the room and go upstairs. This is so unlike Lilith for the last several months that my mischievous side, always a part of my nature, wants to eavesdrop, but I resist. She deserves some privacy. She and Sebastian are soon back and look subdued but settled. Like an agreement has been reached.

“Ready, Lily?” Helena asks. Part of me clenches. The energy in the room has settled but the conflict within me flares.

“Yes,” she says. She’s barely looked at me. I step in front of her.

“I’m glad to see you feeling better, Lilith,” I say trying to judge her reaction to me.

She gives me a small smile.

“Thank you, Aidan. I feel better but have a long way to go. If you’ll excuse me, Helena and I are going to be late for our first class.” She squeezes my hand to take the sting out of her abruptness. My mind and heart are in their typical whirlwind around her. I don’t know which way is up and suddenly I am tired of feeling this way. I know I have to get out of here.

I make my excuses and leave. I pop into my flat and lay back on my round bed. The same bed I’d held Lilith in. I shudder from the intense emotion that passes over me. Somehow I need to put this to rest. It is time to pick up Manda.

Manda.

Where to take her? She would love
You Belong to Me.

15 LILITH

It felt right to be honest with Sebastian. Telling him that it did hurt me to see him with Nico so soon after we were making some baby steps forward. After he told his side of it I knew he was honest with me and I told him I believed him. His relief shows me he is really invested in the mending of our relationship. When I told him I was seeing a psychologist he was shocked but supportive. I hug myself. I need that.

Helena and I park in a garage in China Town and walk quickly to be on time. The meeting place for class is cleverly hidden in a dilapidated building that the locals think is haunted. The very distant but distinct moans and groans that come out of it at night add to the legend. I laugh to myself thinking if they only knew a bunch of vampires were kicking the crap out each other they would be even more afraid.

At the side of the building a retinal scanner determines vampire from human retinas. It only opens for vamps. Pretty cool technology. Once inside, we hurry to the elevator and descend to the second floor (beginner’s level.)

Our teacher nods at us as the rest of the class is just assembling around her. I’m less tense with a female teaching us. I’ve had enough testosterone for now. She arranges us in a semi-circle to fill us in on the rules and class expectations.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Katie and I have been practicing or teaching kick boxing for many, many years. You’ve already figured out how to get into the building and find parking. There are just a few more rules for the building. They are listed on these papers I’m passing around. Plus there is a release form you have to sign. Standard stuff here. Please take a packet and pass them on,” Katie says as she hands a thick bundle of papers to one of the vamps on the end.

“You’ll find that officially kick boxing was recognized as a sport in the nineteen sixties. But as with many things, vampires have been using a form of kick boxing for years. It’s a mix of martial arts, kicking with bare feet and punching. In this class we will use gloves,” Katie says.