I countered, taking a step toward the front of the car. He took another step around the car, away from the back door leading to the kitchen, just as I had hoped. “Oh? Have we met?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
The man smiled, taking another step toward me as I stepped away. He seemed to be enjoying this game of cat and mouse. “A few weeks ago … in the castle … do you not remember?” he asked, clearly amused.
Then, the realization of what he was set in: he was a vampire. Suddenly, a million ways to kill him ran through my mind … a stake through the heart … decapitation … silver … no, that was werewolves … or was it vampires? “Oh, I remember you!” I lied, trying to distract him, sounding matter of fact. “Well, of course you know I’m with Lance.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said, taking another step closer to me. “You were
“You need to lie down,” Lance said, eying my pale features then walked back into the kitchen.I shook my head. “No, I’m fine,” I replied, then walked over to the kitchen counter. “Sorry. I usually have a stronger stomach than this.”Lance laughed. “You just killed a vampire. You’re probably in shock.” He pulled out a chair and forced me to take a seat. Then, he opened a few cabinet doors and pulled the coffee jar and filters from a shelf, then rinsed out the coffee pot and filled it with water. Surprisingly, he knew his way around my kitchen very well.“Who was that and why was he here?” I asked, taking a deep breath, trying to steady myself as another wave of cold sweats washed over me. Lance was probably right. I was probably going into shock. I concentrated on steadying my breathing.“He was one of my men,” he said through gritted teeth, pouring the water into the coffe
Lance never made a move to seduce me while I sat on his lap and he rocked me back and forth in his arms, stroking my hair, and rubbing down my arms and my back. Suddenly, I could smell the blood pulsing beneath his skin. My breath quickened and my lips started exploring his neck. His scent was just too much to resist. “You smell so good …”“You’re craving blood,” Lance said, then bit into his wrist. A moment later, crimson blood was running down his arm.Without thinking, I took his wrist into my hands and licked the blood before it dripped onto the table, not wanting to waste a drop. Then, I covered the wound with my lips and drank, sucking the blood from his wrist, moaning in pleasure, as he cradled me to his chest. When I’d had my fill, I pulled back and the wound quickly healed.“Leila, are you sure you want this?” he asked. His pulse quickened, pushing the blood through his veins. “Are you sure yo
We made love into the night, repeating our words of love for each other over and again, truly making love to each other, until the rays of early morning sunlight came streaming in through the window. I quickly rose from the bed and pulled the shades, blocking out the light.“You’ll have to stay here for the day,” I said, crossing the room to the other window. I quickly snapped the shade shut. “It’ll be daylight soon and you don’t want to be caught outside.”“Stay with me all day,” he cooed against my skin as he wrapped his arms tightly around my body.Before I could answer, his lips found mine, cutting off any protests. Then, he pulled me into his arms and sank his fangs into my neck as my crimson, life-giving blood flowed into his mouth and my breathing quickened.When he pulled back, I said, “Feed me. I want to taste your blood again.”He leaned back onto the bed, leaned his head b
“Possible,” he corrected. He thought for a moment then asked, “What color are her eyes?”“Green, why?” I asked, stopping short when I realized that what he was saying was true. “Oh.”Lance nodded, forcing a smile. “You really need to go talk to her.”I nodded, knowing that he was right. After all, I couldn’t go to a regular doctor, could I? “What do you think is wrong?”“Well, I can’t be sure, but it sounds like you might be with child.”“With child?” I asked in disbelief. “Pregnant? No way!”“What are your symptoms?” Lance asked calmly. “Besides craving blood.”“Oh, my God!” I said, unable to believe what I was hearing. “I’ve been tired a lot lately, cold sweats, nausea, vomiting, and my stomach has a little pooch. It was always flat before. How could this have happene
When I stepped out of the bathroom, Lance was already asleep on my bed. I went to my closet and quietly dressed in a white button-down blouse, black slacks, and black pumps.“Have a good day,” Lance said, sitting up. “If you need me, just call.”“Okay,” I said, giving him a light kiss on the lips. “Go back to sleep.”He smiled, then rolled over and went back to sleep.I went downstairs and poured myself a cup of coffee. Then, I made myself some toast and slathered it with butter. It smelled delicious. I shoved it into my mouth, grabbed my purse, and headed out to the garage. The charred remains of the vampire were now just a pile of ash. It was strange that vampires burst into flames when they died. I stepped around the ash and slipped into my Mercedes.The drive to work was shorter than normal and, somehow, the sun seemed exceptionally bright. At a stoplight, I rooted through my purse and slipped on
The day went by pretty quickly and I didn’t have another bout of nausea for the rest of the afternoon. I helped Mr. Shaprio with his back, prescribing him muscle relaxants and pain meds; set a middle-aged man’s broken arm; and rushed to help a woman with chest pains, who ended up having angina … and all before eleven o’clock in the morning. I decided to take Rosa’s advice and silently vowed to leave for the day after I spoke with Dr. Ryan. I was just too tired to stay. I was going to have to watch my late night rendezvous.As I waited for Dr. Ryan, I wondered how she was able to be at the hospital so early, in the daylight. Who knows? Maybe she spent the night, or maybe there was another way that she could be in sunlight without bursting into flames. I made a mental note to ask her, in addition to other things.“Leila, Dr. Ryan is out of surgery,” Rosa said in a low voice. “I told her that you needed a minute.”
“Call me if you need anything,” Rosa said, standing under the awning of the hospital with me, just outside the automatic sliding doors.“Thanks, Rosa,” I said, slipping on my Ray Bans. “Rosa, I may not be home this weekend, but I’ll have my cell phone if you need me.” I pulled her in for a quick hug, and then hurried across the parking lot.She smiled. “Now, you tell that man to leave you alone and let you get some rest!” she teased as she headed back into the hospital. Before I could say anything, she waved to me over her shoulder and mouthed “Bye” to me, then disappeared.I shook my head as I walked across the street to the parking lot. I slipped the key into the ignition, clicked my seatbelt into place, and pointed my gray Mercedes toward home, unsure what I might find there. I sighed as my mind went through all of the scenarios of having a baby, not only a normal baby, but a supernatural pheno
Stephanie’s eyes flew open wide as a smile spread across her face. “You’re pregnant?”“No!” I said, suddenly shocked. She was a pediatric surgeon, after all, and was used to dealing with pregnant women. “No, I’m just not feeling well. Now, if you’ll excuse me …” I said, heading toward the bathroom, not waiting for an answer.“Honey, if you’re pregnant, we can help you,” Stephanie said, following me down the hallway. That was the last thing I needed.“I’m not pregnant!” I yelled just before I vomited into the toilet, having had just enough time to raise the lid.“Leila,” Stephanie said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. “If you’re pregnant with Steven’s baby, then we have rights as grandparents …”“Get out!” I yelled, not in the mood to be having this conversation. “Get out o