The Fertile Vampire (13 page)

He nodded slowly.
 

“Did you mesmerize me?”
 

For a fleeting second, I thought he was going to smile. But then he looked to my left and straightened almost to attention. His eyes flattened.
 

“I do it without thinking,” he said. “It wasn’t personal.”
 

I was flummoxed. Dumbfounded. Speechless. Sex wasn’t personal? Well, it was damn personal to me.
 

“Perhaps you should go and fascinate another female.”
 

I glanced over my shoulder to find Il Duce standing there. His brown eyes positively glowed as he looked at Doug.

My ex-boyfriend, sex-partner, facilitator - at this point, I didn’t know what to call him - didn’t return the stare. Instead, the floor had suddenly become fascinating to him.
 

When Doug abruptly turned on his heel and left us, I looked at Il Duce.
 

“I don’t need a chaperone,” I said. “Or a protector.”
 

“Do you not think so?”
 

His gaze speared me, or would have if I hadn’t looked away. In his glance was a reminder of why we were here, of what had happened.
 

“I didn’t call you,” I said.
 

“I felt your anxiety,” he said, moving closer.
 

“I wasn’t anxious. I was angry.”
 

“A strong emotion, nonetheless.” His gaze followed Doug winding through the crowd.
 

“Can any of them eat?” I asked. “Are any of them Pranic or whatever?”
 

He moved even closer, lowering his head until I could feel his breath on my temple.
 

“Caution, Marcie. Do not mention the Pranic aloud. Who you are will only inspire jealousy and envy in others. Or do you not think they yearn to be as they once were? To taste the bite of cheese, the delicate tang of wine on the tongue? If you announce yourself, you might as well paint a target on your forehead.”
 

In other words, I now had a larger pool of would-be assassins.
 

He wasn’t looking at me but was staring out at the crowd. He stood slightly in front of me, his body turned a little. A protective stance which told me more than I wanted to know. I was in danger from my own kind. I disliked thinking of myself as a vampire, but I didn’t like feeling like I was on a desert island surrounded by ravenous sharks, either.
 

My boring, normal, existence as an insurance adjuster was looking better and better. Oh, sure, I had problems with my mother and rolled my eyes about her more often than not. I thought my boss was the Peter Principle in action (everyone can be elevated to the level of his own incompetency). I was sometimes lonely and had thought, more than once, that I was a failure at relationships.
 

But all of those annoyances seemed minor compared to what I was facing now.
 

Had I wished for anything to happen to vary the monotony of my days? I vaguely remember feeling dissatisfied and lonely which is why I allowed Doug into my life.
 

Was I to blame for what happened?
 

I was a big one for personal responsibility, a trait that drove me crazy when investigating insurance claims. We weren’t all dandelion puffs being blown about on the wind. We make decisions and some of them suck. Some are good and we should take credit for those, but we should own up to the sucky ones, too.
 

Letting Doug into my life, my apartment, and my body had been a truly sucky decision.
 

I wanted to settle into some type of groove. Make me a vampire, fine. Let me learn how to be a vampire. But don’t give me this half and half stuff.
 

I noticed the longer Il Duce stood next to me, the more attention I was getting, ranging from the narrow eyed stares from the women to the drop fanged come-hither glances from the men.
 

“I should be leaving,” I said, glancing at him.
 

He nodded, placed his hand on my back and steered me through the crowd.
 

I wished I couldn’t hear the comments.
 

“She could be so much more attractive.”
 

“What shade is that lipstick? It does not flatter her.”
 

“She has no fashion.”
 

The women thought I should be better dressed. The men thought I shouldn’t be dressed at all.
 

Fangs slid into place, half hidden by full bottom lips. Eyes glistened and winked.
 

I didn’t want to be around any of them.
 

“Next week you will return to school,” Il Duce was saying. “There is much you need to know about the Kindred.”
 

“I’m not going,” I said.
 

Look what had happened the last time. Nor was I eager to be in a classroom with Kenisha again. What else did I have to learn? That there were fairies in my garden or my car was sentient?
 

“With technology, there’s no reason you can’t have online orientation,” I said.
 

“You will go. You only have three more classes.”
 

“Why can’t you email me what I need to know?”
 

At the door, he turned me until I faced him.
 

“Please, Marcie. Do not be difficult about this one thing. I have taken measures to protect you. You will be safe. This, I promise.”
 

I blew out a breath and nodded, leaving the Council building as fast as my little vampire feet could carry me.
 

 
Part of me was surprised Il Duce allowed me to leave so easily. No last minute warnings, words of advice, or cautionary tales. Halfway home, I realized why.
 

I was being followed.
 

I thrust my hand into my purse and dragged out my phone. I didn’t text and drive. Nor did I like even talking on the phone when I was driving, but Il Duce owed me an explanation, now.
 

Before I could dial, my phone rang.
 

I wasn’t surprised when it was Il Duce. Maybe there was something to this mental connection of ours.
 

“Someone is following me,” I said. “Are they your people?”
 

He said a word I normally don’t use and was surprised when he did. However, it was a good, old fashioned Anglo-Saxon word with a rich history.
 

Before I could respond, he put me on hold.
 

“They will blink their headlights twice,” he said when he returned. “Do you see it?”
 

When the lights flashed, I spoke into the phone again.
 

“Yes. Is this your way of protecting me? I don’t want anyone following me.”

“It is not your choice,” he said, hanging up before I could do the same to him.
 

Il Duce, Master and Prince was becoming a PITA.
 

By the time I reached my complex, the horizon was turning to gray, hinting at dawn. I’ve always loved the night. Darkness gave the world a depth and mystery it didn’t have by day.
 

I pulled into my parking place, grateful Mr. Gunderson wasn’t parked in his spot.
 

I clutched my phone again, opened it, and dialed Il Duce.
 

“Someone else followed me, too. They turned off before the gate.”
 

We had a security gate which was truly laughable. Everyone had the gate code so it served only as an annoyance.
 

“What does the vehicle look like?” he asked.
 

“I didn’t see it, only the headlights.”
 

“Dan will walk you to your apartment,” he said and hung up again.
 

He had to stop doing that, especially since I wasn’t finished.
 

I opened the car door, glancing up at the tall man who appeared at my side.
 

“Dan?”
 

He nodded.
 

“Hold one.”
 

I dialed Il Duce again. When he answered, I said, “I forgot to ask you. Take pity on Doug. You’re screwing up his love life. There’s a pun in there somewhere, but it’s not deliberate. Stop making him check out all his dates with you.”
 

He didn’t say a word.
 

“Hello?”

“You wish this?”
 

“Actually, I don’t care one way or another,” I said, surprised to find it was true. “The only thing he truly values is his libido,” I added. “It seems a pity to take it away from him now.”
 

“Very well, I will inform the Council.”

“Thank you.”
 

“You are welcome.”
 

I hung up and nodded to Dan who didn’t leave more than five inches between us all the way to my townhouse. Instead of complaining about it, I found myself reassured.
 

At least I made it to the door alive.
 

Nor did I complain when Dan insisted on checking out each room in my townhouse.
 

The man was almost as handsome as Il Duce with a slender face, high cheekbones and eyes so green I wanted to stare into them for a few hours. What was it about vampires that made them so good looking? Was it being a vampire? Or had they been selected for their appearance before becoming a vampire?
 

I doubted the Council’s squeamishness about turning people against their will pre-dated the twenty-first century. Probably most of the older vampires were conscripted rather than volunteers.
 

“How long have you been a vampire?” I asked, remembering when I was chastised for asking at dinner. I couldn’t help it, I was curious.
 

“What?”
 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” I said, looking away.
 

“I’m not a vampire,” he said, entering my bedroom.
 

I wish I’d cleaned up before I left, especially the bra hanging over the end of the bed. I sat on the edge of the bed and dragged a pillow over it.
 

“I work for Mr. Maddock, but I’m not a vampire.”
 

“He’s a duke. I’m surprised he doesn’t make you call him Your Grace.”
 

“He tried.” Dan the Driver smiled.
 

I was immediately taken back to my freshman year of high school when I fell madly in love with Steve Opperman. His father was a Methodist minister and he was as prudish and proper as could be, but there was a twinkle in his eye I’ve never forgotten.
 

Dan the Driver had it, a look making me think he had a hidden wild side.
 

“I’m just a good old Texas boy,” he said. “I’m not into flowery speech.”

Good to know. He was attractive enough to be a vampire but in a more rugged way. The planes of his face were defined. His nose was sharp, his chin squared off. He made Doug look too pretty in comparison.

I was tempted to ask him to spend the night, only in a platonic way, of course.
 

There was something wrong with me. He was not capable of mesmerizing me, but I was still staring at him like he was water and I had been tromping across the desert for a few weeks.
 

I bent over, desperate to find some other target for my eyes.
 

“What are you doing?” he asked.
 

“Looking under the bed.”
 

“Do you think someone can hide under your bed?”
 

Since there was only six inches between the bottom of the box springs and the carpet, not really. But I did find a shoe. I made a mental note to retrieve it later and also vacuum under there before righting myself.
 

He was smiling which was a good look for him. Less for me, since I was staring again.
 

Determined to maintain some dignity, I thanked him and followed him down the stairs. After locking the door after him, I stood there for a moment with my hand flat against the steel.
 

All vampires have to obey the call of dawn. The beginning of our night summoned us to rest, to recuperate. I was safe as long as whoever followed me was a vampire.
 

I was so screwed if it was someone else.

C
HAPTER
S
IXTEEN

He was right; you can’t go home again

Nothing happened for a few days, but I was keeping a low profile. I only went to the convenience store and HEB once. The messenger service delivered from PF Changs and I ordered a pizza from Dominos. If anyone was looking to do me in, the easiest way was to poison my food. But I happily scarfed everything down, watched a few reality shows, shook my head over the unawareness of the participants, and spent too much time looking out the windows.