Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) (14 page)

“Of course, Mr. Julian. I never thought about Miss Lily working in the kitchen. I should have anticipated that.” 

“How would you have guessed? I can’t remember the last time I’ve made coffee here.” I hug him with my good arm. “Let’s have our coffee. I’ll probably heal up before we are done.”

While we sip our first cup I feel a whoosh of warm air.

“Aidan’s coming,” I say.

Aidan pops in with a screaming, smelly man.

“Sorry to ruin your coffee. But I think I found your man. Julian, Sebastian, if you will watch over him. Julian, I’ll go and fetch your lover.”

He’s gone.

In a matter of seconds he is back with Helena and another woman wearing an Ann Taylor black pants suit and a sharp pair of stilettos, the better to stake you with.

“Helena, Aidan. How nice of you to bring us back a gift. Rum is always acceptable too you know,” Julian says.

“I think you will like this too, Julian. Liam, have a good look at this man. Is he the one who bit you while you were in New Orleans?” Aidan asks.

“Yes, this is the man. You bastard! You’ve ruined my life!” Liam shouts at him. Andrew is surprisingly quick to stop our new friend from jumping the stranger.

“I set you free, you fool. You are just too stupid to realize it,” Antoine spits at him.

“That satisfies me. I will tell the Queen of your help. Move aside now so I can kill him,” Celine says as she moves towards Antoine.

“No! I would like to take a sample of his blood first,” Julian says. “I have been trying to develop a cure, or at least a potion that will lessen the effects of the symptoms. I would like to analyze his blood along with Liam’s and Lily’s.”

“I will kill this Lily and Liam. We must not have any of this scourge left on the earth,” Celine says calmly with her deceivingly charming French accent.

Two furious supernaturals get between me and the female terminator.

“Whoa, sister! No one dies here except for Antoine. Liam is an innocent victim and so is Lily,” Aidan says.

“You will kill Lily over my dead body,” Sebastian growls.

“I am the Chief Investigator of the wolf attacks and the Queen has ordered all infected must be killed,” Celine insists in her inflectionless way.

“That was in New Orleans, Celine. This is different. Lily is a vampire and Liam is considering becoming a vampire. Lily is not contagious. If Liam chooses to become a vampire he will be the same way,” Julian says, stretching his findings. He never colors outside the provable data. Makes me feel unaccountably better.

“That’s not for you decide,” shouts the cat woman wannabe.

“We are willing to take responsibility for them,” Helena steps in.

“Lily’s blood is mostly composed of the vampire virus. She is not a threat,” Julian reiterates.

“But this Liam,” Celine says pointing her finger at him. “He is at this moment very dangerous. You must discuss this with the Queen. Now you will let me kill this wretch. Take your blood sample.”

“Celine, I believe you are forgetting your place once again. I am in charge of this operation. If I want I can have Aidan take you back to Zoe this instant. Behave!” Helena warns as she stares into Celine’s eyes, using her glamour on her. Celine backs up to a chair and sits quietly in it. She stays that way after Helena turns back to us.

“Sorry about that. She is young and full of herself.”

“I hope I don’t act like that,” I say. I think the hit-vamp’s behavior goes beyond arrogance. French drama queen.

“No, ma petite, you couldn’t be like her even if you tried,” Sebastian says.

“Will the Queen want me dead too, Helena?” Liam asks.

“Not if I have anything to do about it,” Helena says. “I am going to the other room to call her right now. I’m going to tell her what a pain in the ass her little helper has been too.”

“Let me get the samples I need from this creature and then we must try to find out who else he has infected before you can dispose of him Aidan. I think your method is cleaner for our carpets anyway,” Julian says returning to his lab for the necessary supplies.

Antoine keeps rolling his head back and forth trying to free himself.

“Why are you infecting other people?” Helena questions him.

“Why not? Isn’t it a lovely thing to see how my work has blossomed? First this guy and then the pretty little redhead. There is no way for you to control them when the moon comes full. They will get loose and they will hunt. My little family will grow and grow,” Antoine taunts as Julian rolls up his sleeve.

“But you won’t be around to see it,” Aidan assures him. “Now tell us or I’ll make your blood boil,” Aidan says. I am shocked. Aidan notes my gaping expression. He grins and gives me a one-shouldered shrug.

Julian puts on a latex tourniquet and looks for a vein. He finds one and gets his sample, his expression intent.

“I’m not sure we’re done with him,” Julian tells us. “We need to know how he’s able to infect his victims without being transformed.” Julian shoots the nasty creature’s blood into sterile vials. “We also need to know where his other victims live.”

Antoine growls at Julian. Aidan makes a fist and Antoine is gasping. He quiets immediately.

“Where have they been from, you piece of camel dung?” Aidan roars. I had never heard this omnipotent djinn voice before. It scares the panties off me. It must scare Antoine too, because he reconsiders.

“Many places. Rome, Paris and last night I bit someone from New York.”

“Under-belly of a warthog, how long have you been doing this?”

“Screw you!”

Aidan sends a blast down on the man that leaves him smoking with his hair standing on end.

“F-for a few months now.”

“Good God, this could be an epidemic by now,” Julian says.

“We have to search the foreign newspapers and alert the kings and queens,” Sebastian says.

“We can start in Rome, New York and Paris, but they won’t stay in those places for long. They’ll have moved around by now,” Aidan says. “I think we have all the information we are going to get out of him. I won’t say it’s been fun,” Aidan says. The were is foaming and snapping at Aidan now.

“Wait!” Julian shouts as he runs towards Aidan and the were with scissors and more vials. “I want to take more samples.” He then proceeds to clip hair and nail samples storing them in more vials. When he is done he steps back and strips the gloves off, dropping them in a plastic bag.

Aidan looks at him to make sure he’s done with the wolf. Julian nods. Then Aidan blasts a jet of light at the smelly, evil man on our library floor.

The man disappears in a cloud of steam. Andrew opens a window to air out the room.

“Shit, I’m glad I am on your good side,” says Liam in an awed voice.

“Yeah, me too,” says Sebastian.  Aidan arches his eyebrow at Sebastian. “Okay, at least it would make Lily sad if I disappeared in a blast of smoke.”

“That’s better,” Aidan says.

“That’s not funny,” I say.

“Just keeping it real,” Aidan says.

Helena snaps her cell phone shut as she returns to us. Her forehead is lined.

“The Queen has tentatively agreed with me for the time being. She has decided to let Liam and Lily live as long as they are in our care and are our responsibility.” She brushes her hair off her forehead. “She is less worried about Lily, since she is not contagious. She said that if Liam chooses to become a vampire she will evaluate the situation based on Lily’s moon phase. If Lily is containable at the next full moon and if Liam is turned so that he is less of a threat she will let him live. We must guarantee that he will not be a danger to others this next full moon.”

“That doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice now?” Liam says.

“Yes, you do,” Sebastian says. “We will still help you one way or the other. If we can guarantee your safety during the full moon cycle she may change her mind. You
will
have a choice.”

“I may not want one,” Liam says.

“That is your choice too,” Helena says. “The Queen is definitely pro-vampire, but even she is having a difficult time with Lily’s condition. What we really need is a cure or tonic to mitigate the effects during that time of the month.”

“Julian’s work and your experience inspire great hope. We will all help in any way we can,” Aidan says.

“I’m using all my academic contacts abroad to help me with this as well. They are invested in a solution because with Lily’s infection, they realize they are at risk. We’ll find an answer,” Julian says.

I never considered the possibility that the Queen would have me killed—the merciless bitch. Just add that to the worries I have. Relationship issues, she-wolf in my future and now I may have to check my back for an assassin. I glance at Bast and he is watching—his expression fierce. I know he is just as worried as I am. I look at Aidan. He stares at me ready to take me away and not tell anyone where we’re going. I have to say it is tempting. I reach for my sanitizer.

“I know what you are thinking, Lilith. I will not let it happen. I will take you away before they touch a hair on your head,” Aidan says, confirming my suspicions.

“Lily, they will have to kill me first. I would let Aidan take you if I thought that was the only way. I will not let them harm you,” Sebastian envelops me in his strong arms. His kisses draw me from my internal monologue.

“Both of you, thank you. I think that it will all come down to what happens at the full moon. I wish we could see into the future. So much depends on this. I’m going to be a nervous wreck.”

“Shhh, Cherie, don’t worry about it tonight.” Sebastian hugs me. “We destroyed the one who caused this. We will figure out the rest as we go.” I lay my head on his chest and let him hold me. I welcome the reassurance. I glance down at the tranced out Celine.

“Ahh, yes, what to do with Celine?” Helena says.

“I can take her back to Zoe’s,” Aidan says.

“I think that would be best. She has been a pain in the ass for the most part. Just pop her outside the front door and pop back, Aidan. Don’t linger. I don’t want Zoe to get a chance to question you about any of this.”

“Your wish is my command, Milady,” Aidan says with a mock salute. He takes Celine’s hand and pops out. He is back in a matter of seconds.

“She didn’t even know we landed. I saw Gabrielle run over to take care of her.”

“Gabrielle?” I ask.

“She’s one of Zoe’s flunkies. We met her briefly at court, love,” Aidan answers me.

“I have to admit I’m a little scared,” Liam says. “Do you think they will send someone to take me out during the month without you guys knowing about it?”

“No, I don’t think that. Zoe keeps her word,” Helena says, but her brow wrinkles again. She shakes her head like she’s shaking a thought away. “I do think that it would be better for you to stay with us if you are comfortable with that. We can all keep an eye on each other. Julian can take notes on the changes that take place for you and Lily as the month progresses and you won’t be in your condo, alone and worried.” She rubs his arm.

“I don’t know what to say. Part of me wants to stay with you, the part of me that is terrified. The other part of me doesn’t want to impose.”

“It’s no imposition, Liam, really,” I jump in. “I’d like to have the company and I know Andrew would, too.”

“Then, yes,” he says taking Helena’s hand. “Thank you. I accept your generous invitation.”

“Excellent, this will make it easier to observe when your change begins to come on as well. You can also get to know us and what it would be like to be vampire,” Sebastian says. “Julian is a renowned scholar and can teach you a great deal this month so you can make an educated decision.”

“I appreciate that. I’m desperate right now but I would like the chance to catch my breath and think about my options. Let my lawyer skills kick in.” He laughs.

“You will be given that chance, my new friend,” Sebastian says.

With Liam in the guest room, I’m not going to have a backup place to sleep anymore. I better make sure that Bast and I do our fighting before I get ready for bed. Hopefully we won’t be fighting like we have been. I think we worked through some things. Aidan will always be a sore spot—but maybe not as much. Didn’t Bast just say he would send me away with Aidan if he thought that would keep me safe? I can’t believe he is willing to put his fears and dislike of Aidan behind him to ensure my safety.

When Andrew and Liam leave to get the things Liam will need for a longer stay, Aidan and I add a few things we think will make his stay more comfortable. It is handy to have a jinni who can summon anything you can think of. We have so much fun, it feels good. Aidan shows off changing the throw pillows to different colors until I decide which color I want, when Sebastian walks in. He scowls. I squelch my giggles but Aidan keeps his huge grin. It is infectious and I can’t help mirroring him.

“Looks good in here, Lily. You have impeccable taste as always,” Sebastian says as he kisses me possessively on the lips.

“Thank you, Bast. It makes it easy when you have the world at your fingertips,” I say pointing to Aidan.

Aidan bows and Sebastian snorts.

“I can’t give you the world, Cherie. I’m sorry,” Sebastian says grumpily.