Blood Emerald

by Amber Anthony

  If he gets out of here alive it will be a divine miracle. “So, what’s the good news?” Veronique exhaled her tension.

  “Well, uh, we do represent a concern expressing interest in parcels of this size for cash. It would be a lump sum and we could close within fourteen days.”

  Veronique held out her hands and tilted her head, “How much?”

  * * * *

  Richard Hiatt and Anna Curley checked out of the hotel early. The sun hadn’t revealed itself, as if to give the vampire his preferred cover of darkness. In the limo they avoided conversation, taking turns speaking to Player as if he were a three-year-old. Was she recounting the whirlwind hours with sensual regard? Rick wondered. Rick needed Anna yet he turned away from her. His anxious fangs dropped to their full length, craving her.

  His eyes grew heavy and although he was attended by the most renowned responder healers, he felt emotionally burdened and incomplete. It was a familiar feeling after dealing with an ‘incident.’ Our survival was worth it. Yes, it’s all worth it, Rick convinced himself. In due course the physical healing would be complete. Emotionally, they needed time to reconnect.

  * * * *

  The Fitzjarrald dirk lay in Anna’s lap. Since boarding the jet, her awe was reverently evident. “It’s more beautiful than the portrait portrayed it.”

  “The portrait?” Rick cocked his head at her. “You saw that?” Rick ran his tongue over his lip, wondering exactly what else Anna discovered.

  Anna’s eyes widened, “You don’t think I’d stay with someone unless I did my due diligence. Do you?” Anna carefully rewrapped the weighty dirk in its lambskin case and then she handed it to Rick.

  She sought his gaze as he accepted the package. Rick’s generally polished, metrosexual persona transformed since he brought back the historical masterpiece.

  Now Anna’s tone changed. “Fitz, did Sterling say if he was returning to L.A.?” Anna leaned back and adjusted the seat. She casually watched out the window as the ground crew completed their pre-flight routines.

  “Sterling?” Rick’s pause was a beat too long. “L.A.?... I doubt it. He looked as though he was headed anywhere but L.A.” Rick fussed today, moving from place to place until he was satisfied with the right storage compartment for the dirk.

  He returned to his seat next to Anna and caught her hand in his. He mirrored her watching the ground crew, “We expect to arrive around sunset, Cupcake.” He brushed his lips across the palm of her hand, “I realize you’re dressed and you’re ready for the day, is there any way I could entice you into the back?”

  Anna softened within his touch, “Oh, Fitz, there are so many ways you could entice me, and probably a few ways we haven’t discovered.”

  The aft cabin’s ambient lights reflected deep blue. The turndown service had left robes and slippers at the foot of the generously sized bed. Rick ushered Anna toward the bed and blessed her eyelids with whispers of kisses. She shivered at the thrill as he simultaneously undressed her while his lips journeyed downward.

  Once he knelt before her he slipped off her ankle boots and slid down her pencil skirt. Standing barefoot in the peachy silk panties and bra she’d chosen at the hotel boutique, she felt she was the physical embodiment of her nickname. Like a groom, Rick caught her up and carried her to the center of the bed.

  * * * *

  “Don’t you want me to undress you? I can handle those suspenders …” Anna sighed and stretched on the fluffy comforter. She’d flown down to Colombia a confused and curious girl and flew back to L.A. with the man she loved.

  “You could dress me when we land, hum?” Rick offered and Anna wiggled in the downy covers at the sight of Rick’s particular style of disrobing, a strip tease, treating her to the music of the snap of his necktie. Anna chuckled in surprise at his precision toss of cuff links into the padded leather tray on the valet. His shirt waited like a faithful servant hung over the valet hanger.

  Anna adored his well-built back as he sat at the foot of the bed to slide off his loafers and trousers. Preternaturally graceful, Rick stood and pivoted to face her, then slid his thumbs into the band of those deep blue silk boxers he favored. “What have I done that I get every part of your magnificent body?”

  Rick shrugged, “And all my parts move.” Just past his slender hips, the boxers fell to the floor leaving Rick gloriously naked.

  * * * *

  Sometime during Rick’s undressing, Anna’s hands traveled to find her nipple and her clit through the flesh-colored silk. Rick felt her heart thunder the second their lips touched. Now standing before her in silence, Rick posed offering himself. As Rick felt the figurative burn of her gaze, the curve of his phallus became more distinct. It rose from the inviting flesh at his thigh to the able and satisfying cock he hoped she held in the vault of her desires.

  In the past forty-eight hours Anna ripened. Although the weekend’s focus was based in espionage, Rick salvaged their time together with the best of food. His Cupcake wore the finest of those sumptuous dinners on her hips and in her breasts. The rose of her cheeks carried all the brilliance of the bottles of wine they shared.

  Rick longed for her, his fangs itched to trail down her neck and take delicious advantage of her. She wiggled out of her panties and shot them directly at his cock. Rick shook his head at her as he stood, hands on hips, with silk panties hanging off his thick member like a game of chance. Even in her playfulness she was beautiful. She sings to me, sings a melodious song of passions untapped and desires undiscovered.

  * * * *

  The Captain’s announcement that they had begun their descent jarred Anna from reading an article on her iPad. Rick playfully suggested she redress him before the flight landed and he hadn’t opened the door as an invitation to play. She glanced at her watch and calculated he was horizontal over seven hours. Popping off the seatbelt she called ahead, “Fitz, this is your wakeup call, you promised I could dress you…”

  No response. Her hand on the door, she peeked around it before entering, “Fitz? You up, baby?”

  Anna knelt by his bedside, and saw he was every bit as ashen as the afternoon she’d discovered him on his slab. This evening he was markedly greyer. His lips were distinctly bluer, coordinating with his hands. Anna laid the back of her hand on his forehead, he was frigidly cold. She caressed his face softly and got no reaction. She pulled his hand into hers and chaffed his wrist until his bluish eye lids slowly lifted and he turned toward her. In a middle European accent he drawled, “Good evening.”

  “Fitz, that’s just wrong. If you’re over five hundred years old, you must have better vampire humor than that.”

  There was a whisper of a smile on his pale lips, “Where do you think Bela Lugosi got it? It’s a classic.”

  “Now you’re going to tell me you were a film consultant?” Anna reached for his clothing.

  “A story for another day, Cupcake,” Rick deflected, as he rolled to put his feet on the floor. He held that position, his forearms on his thighs gathering strength. Anna handed him his socks, he rolled them back into her hand, “You promised you’d dress me.” With that, he fell back onto the bed, his feet on the floor.

  “Did Sterling slip you a mickey when you met with him? You look hungover, bad…” As she put his socks on, she noticed very blue toes and his feet were icier than a dog’s nose in January.

  “Like I’d drink with that minnow? He kept the meeting on point and we parted ways,” Rick answered curtly.

  Kneeling before him she rubbed up one calf and then the other, “Do you feel cold?” She exhaled warm breath onto his thigh and rubbed some color back into him.

  “I haven’t been 98.6 in a long time, Cupcake, but if the plane wasn’t about to land we could do a fierce sixty-nine.”

  She was on her knees with him making bad sex jokes. It would serve him right if he had to take her licks. “If you’re just going to lie there, I’m getting you dressed.” Anna slid the boxers up his legs, and when he didn’t sit up directly s
he extended her hand to his and tugged. She stood to pull him with her and he stayed seated. His eyes unfocused, he blinked and reached out for the nightstand.

  The jet lurched slightly and Rick overbalanced and caught himself landing back on the bed. Anna returned to the bed with his trousers and scrutinized every aspect of his behavior. “Fitz, you weren’t like this when we boarded the jet. There’s something wrong with you.”

  He bent over, shoving one foot at a time into the pants. This time he stood up slowly, one hand on the nightstand, “You wore me out.” His sly smile melted her worried heart.

  She blanched at the thought of another night she couldn’t recall. What about the other night’s gymnastics? Now, last night was a complete wash on any carnal highlights. All Anna could recollect was their tuning in Casablanca and opening a bottle of wine. Player kept her company stretched out in the king-sized bed, his cold nose in the small of her back.

  Rick sleep walked into his shirt as Anna held it out to him, “Cuff links?” she queried offering them in her palm.

  “Not tonight.” Rick pulled on his suspenders as Anna lovingly buttoned the waist and zipped up his fly, “Cupcake, you dress as well as you undress.” His arms encircled her tenderly and she noticed his stance widen to compensate for the jet’s descent.

  Anna held on tight, Take my breath, do you need it? She pressed into him, her head burrowed into the hollow of his neck, hoping to tease his earlobe with her fingertips. His lips found her neck as he brushed her hair away. “Hold me closer,” Rick did, “Closer still.” His kisses were unhurried, his lips dry and cold. Fitz, let me breathe some life into you.

  * * * *

  Before they could rise from their seats Adam loomed large in the doorway. Anna startled at his abrupt entry. “Hey, old man. I got a head’s up on a serious note.”

  Rick narrowed his eyes and stayed seated. If this was about Veronique they might have to file a flight plan for another trip. “Good to see you too, Adam.”

  “We’ve got the SUV set up.” Adam directed his comment to Rick, and then thoughtfully turned to Anna. “We’re going to get Rick comfortable and I’ll be back for you in a few.” Adam’s hand rested on her knee as his gaze honed in on hers. “Give us five or ten minutes.” In an instant he was up, his arm under Rick’s and they were out of the jet.

  Stunned, Anna sat, her palms sweating. For certain, Rick isn’t well. Do vampires get sick?

  The steward stood at the doorway, watching the SUV and Anna. Time crawled before the steward approached her and extended his elbow to escort her off the jet. She was uncertain about the past few days. What am I walking into?

  Chapter 14

  The SUV’s engine hummed as a trio of black autos waited. Adam held the rear passenger door open, yet no light illuminated the interior. He flashed a penlight and assisted Anna into the seat. Her seatbelt was locked and the door closed before her eyes adjusted to the ebony interior. A gurney replaced the seat behind the driver, from which an IV hung. As the SUV moved from street lamp to street lamp she identified Rick with a needle taped into his forearm.

  Even with his eyes closed he reached for her hand and softly squeezed it. “Have you ever gone on vacation and eaten really rotten food?” Rick joked.

  The SUV pulled to a red light and she saw the IV bag was blood.

  Anna’s breathing hitched, “You’ve been away from live donors. I told you I wanted you to snack on me.” Her heart broke as the pieces of the puzzle began to make sense.

  “It wouldn’t have been enough, Cupcake.”

  Adam turned around from the shotgun seat, “We were alerted this morning. We didn’t want to land the jet in an unfamiliar airport so we gritted our teeth and hoped you’d make it this far.” Anna sank back against the seat, edified her intuition was on point. Why didn’t I force him to feed? If he was ill, could he have taken too much? Her brain nearly imploded with the possibilities, so she simply held his hand in silence and waited for the shafts of streetlight to illuminate his resting face.

  “So we didn’t get much time to talk in Barranquilla, how did you enjoy yourself?” Adam asked pleasantly, as he watched the Rottweiler make a place on the gurney at Rick’s feet.

  “Why didn’t you admit you were sick? I could tell, you know.” Anna shook her head as Player slithered further from Rick’s feet to his hips.

  Rick answered above the static in the SUV, “If I were human they’d have medicated me. Just consider this an oil change.”

  Anna reached her limit, “Rick, they’re transfusing you. I’m no vampire M.D. but even Player is concerned.” The dog rested his head on Rick’s shoulder.

  Adam shook with laughter at the sight of big, bad Richard Hiatt under one hundred and forty pounds of dog. “I didn’t know Rotties were lap dogs.” Player rose and licked Adam’s face.

  * * * *

  The elevator door slid open, and Player lurched out of Anna’s grasp. Barking and loping the dog sped toward the living room. Anna played with the IV pole rollers to lead Rick out of the elevator. The bark echoed over the penthouse’s hard surfaces.

  “Player’s hungry, that jet wasn’t ready for him,” Anna remarked as his barking escalated.

  Rick inhaled and shook his head. “He’s barking at Matt.”

  Anna checked herself, she felt she carried a day of travel on her face. She wanted a shower, she wanted to take off her shoes, she was hungry. It’s too much to see Matt again.

  The three of them rolled in to find Matt in his usual spot on the overstuffed sofa. Anna recalled his customary manspread, with his left arm along the back of any sofa he occupied. Why is his body language inviting when he enforces hard limits on Vamp/Mortal relationships?

  Tonight, Matt leaned back with the massive Rottie standing between his knees, a broad paw on either side of his quarry’s neck. Matt was nose to nose with the inquisitive dog.

  “What is this?” Matt asked mildly. Player barked an unintelligible answer.

  In unison, Anna and Adam replied, “It’s a dog.”

  Rick shook off Adam and Anna to stand alone with the IV pole, “Player.” The dog obediently returned to Rick’s side. “Player, this is your new friend, Matt Brenner.”

  Matt knelt and extended the back of his hand to Player. The dog moseyed around Matt actively sniffing every possible inch of the dark-haired vampire. Matt chucked under the dog’s chin and established his dominance and Player answered with a wide yawn and a string of slobber.

  Once Rick and Matt’s handshakes and embraces had concluded Anna slipped behind Rick and silently guided him to the nearest chair. She felt Matt’s inspection as she rolled the pole closer and Adam adjusted the flow on another pint of blood. When Adam and Matt pulled chairs closer to Rick, she turned and automatically asked, “May I get you gentlemen refreshments?”

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Adam and Matt exchange looks.

  Matt smiled politely as he got comfortable on the sofa, “Lots of changes around here. Do you have a list of talking points for me?”

  Rick winked at Anna, and then spoke directly to Matt, “Anna’s off the menu now. Adam, could you find us a beverage or two, please? Perhaps a coke for the lady?”

  Rick rose from the chair to move to the opposite sofa where he patted a spot next to him. Anna burned inside. Of course I’m off the menu. Matt banned me months ago. She would do anything for Fitz, even stand up to Matt Brenner’s scrutiny. She sat beside Rick and evidently not close enough. He extended his free arm around her shoulder and slid her closer, his hand caressing her gently.

  Anna was determined to keep eye contact with Matt. He nodded to Rick and then Anna, “So, how did this happen?”

  Rick shook the IV pole and laughed, “Bad South American food.” Anna knew what Matt meant and she wanted to hear it from Rick’s mouth.

  Matt clarified, “How long have you two been a couple?”

  Anna felt Rick’s gaze from her knees to her eyes, he was comfortable next to her, “One night we ran into each
other in the garage.”

  Matt ran a hand through his hair and prodded. “The garage, at night?”

  Adam returned with a decanter and four glasses, a bottle of cola in his pocket, “Matt, I’ve got to take credit for this.”

  Anna prepared to be mortified.

  Adam poured drinks while he spoke, “We had a bit of a situation and we were already in Colombia. Rick gave me instructions and spell-check flubbed it.”

  Rick butted in, “It would be those paws you call thumbs. Anyway, Matt, she arrived at my suite with the dog. What could I do but fall in love with her?”

  Rick caught her hand and kissed the back of it before placing it on his thigh.

  Matt answered too quickly, “Who can argue with love?”

  Anna took slight offense at the cliché, thinking it a blanket statement dismissing his friend’s involvement with a mortal. Anna wanted out of there. She extracted herself and reaching for Player’s leash, spoke to Rick in a whisper, she knew they all heard anyway.

  “Fitz, you have important things to catch up on. I’m taking Player for a walk and I’ll get something to eat. I might be gone a while.” Rick reached for his money clip and she waved that off. She’d be damned to take something from him in front of Matt Brenner.

  As long as she was in their sight she walked purposefully erect. Once behind closed doors, she furiously stripped off the clothes Rick chose for her. Out came her yoga pants, tank top and her UCLA hoodie. She found a few dollars and her ID and slipped out by the service elevator.