The Man Behind the Vampire (The Silver Series)

by Samantha Bates

  "Mary I don’t know the type of guys you dated before me, but never cancel something on my behalf and definitely not dinner with your parents. If I try to get pushy kick my ass and then kick it again, but the second kick should definitely occur in the bedroom."

  Her laughter rang out and it was a sound that she liked "Darius….Are we dating?" She would never had asked that if she hadn’t been drinking.

  "Well considering I am still laid in your bed completely naked, and I would like to have you back in here some time tonight I hope so. I would like us to be Mary, because I have to say at this point if I saw you with another man, we might have problems. What do you say, take pity on an old man will you?" His voice was low and gentle, a little seductive, it made her tummy tingle.

  "I would like that, but if I see you with another woman." she didn’t finish the sentence.

  "You won't Mary, I promise. Can I give you some advice though, when you get to your parents try to limit the slurred speech" Darius was now laughing, as was Mary, in fact when the cab pulled up in front of her parents she was still laughing, in fact she wasn’t sure she could stop.

  "Don’t worry my parents will like it. I think they worry about me."

  "Well let me do that now. Do you want me to come pick you up when you are done?"

  "No, why don’t I come to your place tonight? When I am done, I will pop home and get some things."

  "Sounds good, can you pick the red negligee in your second drawer? No don’t answer, surprise me, but how about I pick you up from yours?" ah she liked that he wanted to take care of her.

  "I would like that thank you Darius, see you soon."

  It didn’t take long for her parents to say something, they had shared a bottle of wine and Mary knew she was now more than a little drunk. Her parents had always been pretty cool, as an only child they had lavished their attentions on her. Both made sure she had everything she ever needed. She could talk to them about anything, and she knew they had been disappointed in every man she had dated, and they were only the ones they had met. Very rarely had they said anything, but the ones they had known they never really liked any of them. God knows what they would say about her dating a vampire. It didn’t take long for them to mention her obvious joy,

  "Isn't that the skirt we brought you a couple of years ago for your birthday. I have to say it looks lovely on you, makes your face light up." Her mother was in her 60's; she was slender and petite, she absolutely always wore matching clothes and shoes. She had always tried to get Mary to dress in brighter clothes, hence the skirt and jacket.

  "Thanks mom" she was halfway through her lasagne which was a welcome treat. An automatic pang of guilt stepped in, normally when she was dating she went on a strict diet, then she realised she didn’t have to and she carried on eating.

  "Is there anything new happening in your life sweetie?" Mary carried on eating, trying not to meet their gaze, she had never had to lie to them, but she didn’t know how they would react to a vampire.

  "What you mother means is that you are glowing, in fact you look fit to burst with happiness. It's like something big has happened, now we discussed what this may have been when you were in the bathroom, we think it’s a man."

  Her mother interrupted "but you are acting different, you have never been this happy, and when you start dating you go on a crash diet, which I have to say worries us dear. Anyway now we are puzzled."

  Her parents were great, and knew her so well. Putting her knife and fork down she looked at them, her father had a heart attack last year, he was still having physiotherapy for the paralysis in his leg, but it was getting better, "well I have met someone, he's different to the usual guy I date."

  "I like him already" her mom patted dads arm to quieten him.

  "Anyway he is different, he talks to me, actually talks. He wants me to know all about him, he thinks about me and what will help me. Like the other day he knew I had a big delivery coming in, do you know what he did?"

  "What sweetie?"

  "Well he was at work, but he sent someone he knows in to help me out, you should see the store it’s lovely. Oh and get this, when I was all self-conscious about not being skinny, he basically told me I was beautiful, can you believe it?"

  It was her mom who answered "yes dear we can, that’s how we have always seen you."

  By now Mary was too drunk to shut up she just kept going "even tonight when I said I was coming here, I offered to hurry so I could meet up with him. He told me to never cancel appointments for him; if they were important to me I should always go, especially if it was with you guys. I mean he is just too nice" as she continued with her meal she was deliriously happy.

  "Why didn’t you bring him with you, I always cook too much" her mom did, she always took left overs home with her,

  "No point he's a vampire it would be wasted on him."

  Only after she thought about what she said and took in the complete silence around the room did she look up, and see the absolute shock on her parents face. This time it was her father who was the first to recover; her mom was sat with the glass half way to her mouth.

  "I didn’t mean to say that out loud" Mary's voice was somewhat quieter, she felt a little more sober.

  "No point in secrets Mary, this man or vampire sounds very nice, but have you heard about these people who get addicted to feeding a vampire?" now it was her turn to sit in shocked silence.

  "Daddy, how do you know about… don’t worry about it. Thing is Darius hasn’t done anything like this, he hasn’t even tried, I promise. He actually works for the police, well sort of."

  Now her parents smiled "really, that’s good then, now tell us about this Darius" their smiles were a little weaker but she knew they genuinely wanted to know about him.

  She told them about Darius but not about his past, that was personal to Darius and not her story to tell. They were happier when they found out he knew Lucky and Ben. By the time she left she had promised to see if Darius wanted to come for drinks next week.

  Calling a cab she made her way back to her apartment, after tipping the driver she jumped out pulling her heels off. As she went to put the key in the lock, she heard a muffled sound in the alleyway near her. Walking round to look down the alley, she saw two men standing over something they were kicking, without thinking she started shouting.

  "Hey you, what do you think you are doing?" It was only when they turned around did she see that one had a baseball bat, the other had a knife, oops, she went to turn but already knew she would be too slow.

  Chapter 18

  As the sun set he was waiting, changing his route he made his way back to the Haven, taking the usual precautions he scaled the fence and made his way to where he hoped she would be waiting. She was and he felt his mood lift from just watching her on the swinging chair.

  Making his way through the bushes, he stopped, she was singing softly but it was beautiful. Church hymens, stepping out he gently pushed the chair "good evening Paulo and how are you feeling tonight?"

  "Keep singing, it is lovely" he hadn’t heard hymns for centuries and even then not sang in a voice this sweet. When she finished he looked down over her peaceful face, the gashes on her face healing slowly, he handed her a pot of cream.

  "This will help you heal quicker."

  "What is it?" she then cream and when her hand touched his he felt the sensation travel up his arm.

  "A potion used long ago to speed healing."

  With a gentle smile she replied, "thank you. Now tell me what you have planned for this evening, something involving my good friend Darius I imagine. You do know I still have 13 more days, don’t you?"

  Sitting beside her he laughed, "I do, and yes you are right, he was with some woman last night and i want to go and check she is safe."

  "Why on earth wouldn’t she be?" her voice sounded incredulous, why was it such a surprise? Looking across the manicured lawns, he could see how they allowed someone to scan the whole area, yet those looking in would
be hindered by the high conifers spanning the whole perimeter.

  "I know the real person Leila, he is not all good and this woman seems fragile, she runs a book shop for god sake."

  "Would she have short brown hair and glasses by any chance?"

  He looked at her, he could see amusement in her eyes "and if I say yes?"

  "That would be Mary; she is friends with Lucky who is the mate of the pack Alpha, who in turn is best friends with Darius."

  "Say what?" now she was laughing, clutching her ribs but laughing "it doesn’t matter what I said, just know that he wouldn’t hurt her."

  "How do you know that?" he really was interested in what she knew.

  "I have met Mary before; her shop is near my patch. She also delivers books here." As she moved, he watched her wince some more.

  "Are you still in pain?"

  She let out a weary sigh "physically it is getting better, mentally it feels harder. I know this place is safe but you manage to get in, and I am always waiting, looking over my shoulder."

  He slid his arm onto her shoulder, gently stroking it. He didn’t want to risk her pushing him away but he couldn’t let her continue worrying, he decided to tell her she was safe, he would take the risk of her being angry or scared of him, if it made her feel safer.

  "Leila you don’t have to worry any longer, they aren’t coming for you I promise."

  She actually leaned into him and for a second he was just a man, with a beautiful woman, watching the night around them "you don’t know that."

  "I do, I promise they won't come after you anymore" looking into his eyes she knew the meaning behind the unspoken words. She didn’t look angry or upset, she just nodded.

  "Thank you" and that was that, she leaned her head onto his hand, before he came round to sit beside her. The night was growing stronger, the thin scattering of clouds hovering in the sky. They must have sat there for an hour, just in silence before Leila spoke.

  "I had my first real counselling session today" he didn’t answer, he just listened

  "It was strange; I sat talking about my life with a man I didn’t know. Although he asked a few questions, I just talked and talked. Do you know something, I had never realised that even though my mom was there she wasn’t there for me, my childhood was all about her."

  "Did the therapist tell you that?" he waited while she pondered this, his hand stroking her neck.

  "No he didn’t, it was something that I realised myself, she left when I was 13. I was a bitch of a girl in my rebellion and I blamed myself for her leaving. When she left everything went to crap, dad started drinking, he lost his job, I got in with the wrong crowd and the rest is blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong lots of horrible things happened after that, I didn’t just wake up one day and say I know I will be a prostitute today. But anyway where was I, today I stopped blaming myself for her leaving."

  "That’s great, really great. I have learned lots of things over the years, but one thing that has been continuous is that, we take responsibility for our own actions not the actions of others."

  "That sounds like something I should have been taught at a much younger age."

  "I must go, a car is coming pulling up in front of the gates, can I…?" he hadn’t needed to ask.

  "Of course, I will be here." As he made his way through the lawns he blurred his image by using his speed. The car pulled in just as he settled back into the conifers, he watched from the distance as Darius pulled in.

  Waiting he saw Darius walk across the lawns towards where Leila who had remained seated. Placing his hand on the knife at his hip he continued watching, one false move and he would be there, forget the promise. If he hurt Leila he wouldn’t leave this place. Hunkering down, he tuned everything out; the dogs didn’t even come towards him anymore.

  Chapter 19

  Getting out of the shower Darius felt happy, in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time, actually not since his boyhood. Mary made him feel alive again. His thoughts kept drifting to her as he dressed, grabbing a glass of blood on the way through the kitchen, he heard Lucky before she knocked at the door. Opening it he saw she was not happy, in fact she looked pissed.

  "Tell me exactly what you are doing with Mary" her tone was one he had seen her use on her children and never directed at him.

  "In what way?"

  "Don’t play smart with me, I know you Darius, I have seen you with a different woman every night. I know about your little nights out, and Mary, well Mary is sweet and kind and innocent and in no way prepared for YOU" she prodded him in his chest.

  “Woah there,” Darius understood Lucky's concern, but she hadn’t even asked how he felt "hey hold on Lucky, I know Mary's your friend but I…."

  When she stamped her foot he nearly laughed out loud, there she was, this strong vibrant woman who had the ability to make one of the strongest men he knew quiver and there she stood stamping her foot at him. Then it dawned on him, this wasn’t about him, well not really, it was about Mary being hurt.

  "Lucky stop, stop a minute and think about how I am feeling. Come on take just one minute out of your tirade and use your empath skills" for him there was no risk, he had never felt like this, not even with Emily.

  He watched Lucky stop and look at him, before falling into one of the chairs "my god, you are in love with her."

  The pained expression on Darius' face must have surprised her.

  "No, I….Not love, I just… shit I love her. How? I don’t even know how. It hasn’t been that long." Now it was Darius' turn to fall into the chair, almost spilling his blood all over the floor. Darius really couldn’t work out how the hell he had fallen in love with Mary, he liked her a lot and he always had. He had been enjoying her body and her company, but love, when had that son of a bitch snuck in?

  "Oh god Lucky, don’t tell her, promise me you won't tell her. She will be absolutely terrified. Damn she even has parents, do you know when I last dated someone with parents who were still alive. No, No this will not work" coughing Lucky interrupted his ramblings.

  "Darius you need to stop mumbling" looking up he had almost forgot Lucky was there, instead of ranting at him, she was looking rather sweet. Coming over Lucky wrapped her arms around him, and then squeezed, rather hard.

  "You are so Lucky, Mary is great. But if you screw around, or make her cry I will cut off your balls and watch you not bleed to death."

  What the hell, how harsh, just the thought of it made him wince. How had they been partners for 2 years and he not see this mean and sadistic side to her? When she finally left he grabbed his keys and headed to the Silver Elite Haven. He needed a distraction, something to prevent him freaking out or over analysing his feelings for Mary. Maybe he should drop in on Leila.

  Chapter 20

  Darius saw Leila sat near the lawns; he wandered over to see her. Bastian had called him to report that Carlos had turned up dead, a colleague and working girl had given a statement naming some sort of other species as the suspect. He already knew that, Mitch had given him the heads up as well as warning him that if he had killed them he wouldn’t be able to protect him. Darius wasn’t concerned he had been with Mary at the time the witnesses had given for the deaths. He wouldn’t mind knowing who had killed him though, that way he could congratulate him.

  Sitting next to Leila, he was surprised at how relaxed she seemed, her hair blowing in the breeze.

  "Hey Leila, how are you feeling?" a smile touched her face.

  "I am good thanks to you and Mitch" it was a lovely night, cool but not cold, with the moon shining on the lawns and lighting up the sky. He sat down next to her, without the garish makeup, short skirt and heels, she looked almost childlike. Then again she was only in her 20's.

  "Can I ask you a question Darius?" he nodded.

  "Why do you come visit us, why do you help us out? Most people sneer at us prostitutes but not you, why?"

  Leaning forward with his elbow on his knees he closed his eyes, he was thinking too much about
his past these days, it couldn’t be healthy for him.

  "My mother made her living as a prostitute; it wasn’t any more acceptable then, than it is now. She worked hard to feed and clothe me, my brother and sister. I never resented her for it, in fact I still admire her determination to provide for us, hell my father did very little. I suppose I look at you girls, I don’t detest you, I don’t pity you, I just see people working a hard job, for little in return, I want to help."

  "That’s a good reason, thank you. Tell me about you Darius, have you always been this nice?" She was talking quietly, but he heard the loaded question, not knowing where it was coming from he answered truthfully,

  "I don’t think I have ever been a bad person, I have done things I regret and things I don’t regret, but I believe you get back what you put in. So I try to do good things, treat people how I want to be treated. Why?"