Twice Bitten: An Argeneau Novel
Page 15
“He’s right,” Sam assured her. “I’m not afraid, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to it.”
“So? Milkshakes?” Alex asked.
“And burgers,” Wyatt added. “El didn’t have anything to eat when she got up.”
Elspeth glanced at him with surprise. “How did you know?”
“You crept out of your bedroom and climbed down off the balcony,” he pointed out, ushering her toward the SUV. “I hardly think you made a quick trip to the kitchen first if you wanted your mother to think you were still sleeping.”
“No,” she admitted. “You’re right. I didn’t have anything to eat.”
“Wait a minute,” Alex said, drawing them all to a halt as they were about to get in the SUV. Once they’d all turned to peer at where she stood by the back of the vehicle, she asked Elspeth, “Does that mean you didn’t have anything to drink either?”
The way she emphasized the word “drink,” told Elspeth that Alex meant blood. It also drew Elspeth’s attention to the mild cramping she was experiencing and had been trying to ignore. Grimacing, she shrugged and simply said, “I can wait till we get back to the apartment.”
“Oh, hells, no,” Alex said at once, and opened the back of the SUV. “Why would you when there’s no need?”
Eyebrows rising, Elspeth moved to join her, aware that Wyatt was following.
“Hide them under your coat until you get back in the SUV,” Alex said, handing her two bags. “I’ll bring the other two.”
“Thanks.” Elspeth tucked both bags inside her jacket, and turned to move around to the back door on the driver’s side. Wyatt opened it for her, closed it and then walked around to get in the other side as Alex slid into the front passenger seat and passed two more bags back to her.
“Suck ’em back,” Alex said lightly before turning to put on her seat belt.
Nodding, Elspeth slapped the first bag to her fangs. Holding it in place, she then tried to do up her seat belt one-handed. A difficult task, so she was grateful when Wyatt brushed her hand out of the way. At least, she was until he bent his head and leaned in to take over the task for her. His nearness and his hands moving against her waist as he worked the seat belt were more than a little unsettling, and she stared down at the top of his head as her body responded to both.
Once done with the task Wyatt sat back and watched her solemnly and then suddenly asked, “So is our being life mates the reason my body responds the way it does to touching you in even the most casual way? I mean I’ve never got a semi boner just helping a woman with her seat belt before.”
Elspeth found her gaze dropping automatically to his lap and felt herself flush when she saw the expanding bulge there. She wasn’t sure if that was the reason for the heat that suddenly filler her cheeks, or his bluntness. The man certainly didn’t seem to be shy about discussing this stuff. Although, he had kept his voice low, probably in an effort to keep this conversation between them. He failed miserably, of course. Their hearing was as advanced as the rest of their skills and abilities and Elspeth noticed the way Alex turned around to peer at the man wide-eyed.
With the bag at her mouth still a quarter full, all Elspeth could do to answer, was nod, silently. But Sam decided to help her out. Or perhaps she did so to let Wyatt know they could hear him no matter how low he pitched his voice. “Life mates are very,” she hesitated and then finished, “responsive to each other.”
“Life mates are horny dogs around each other,” Alex countered, her voice full of dry amusement. “Horny dogs in heat. They can’t resist each other. They can try, but in the end, if they don’t deal with their attraction and the needs it stirs in them, they can lose it and go at each other at the most inopportune times and in the most unfortunate places.” Grimacing, she added, “Actually, even after they give in to it, they can lose it at the most inopportune times and in the most unfortunate places.”
“Yeah, like you and Cale in the restaurant kitchen when you had Thanksgiving dinner for the family there, the first year you and Cale were together,” Sam said with a grin. Glancing in the rearview mirror at them, she added, “Dinner was delayed until they regained consciousness and we could fetch the food. Of course, it was a dried-out mess by then.”
“Christmas at Nicholas and Jo’s was no better thanks to you and Mortimer,” Alex countered. Turning sideways in the front seat as far as her seat belt would allow, she told them, “Jo asked Mortimer to carry the turkey out, and gave Sam the potatoes. I followed a couple of minutes later with the gravy, but stopped when I saw what they’d got up to and backed up into the kitchen to wait.”
“That was Mortimer’s fault,” Sam said in self-defense. “I put the potatoes on the table, turned to leave and he was there. He gave me a kiss, and . . . Honestly, I think he meant it to be just a quick peck, but it’s never just a quick peck with new life mates,” Sam said on a sigh.
“No, it’s not,” Alex agreed, and then burst out laughing, before adding, “I wasn’t too worried at first. I thought, so okay, dinner’s going to be a little late and cold. Right?” she asked and when Elspeth and Wyatt nodded, wide-eyed, she continued, “But, no! We ended up having to order in because it wound up all over the floor when the table broke under Sam and Mortimer’s weight. Or perhaps the activity was just too vigorous, but whatever the case, it just collapsed with a crash.”
“I was washing cranberry sauce and mashed potato out of my hair for days after that,” Sam said with a grimace, and then pointed out, “But at least we didn’t end up with fourth stage frostbite like Jo and Nicholas did after that New Year party Marguerite held.”
“Oh, God! The New Year party,” Alex said with a groan. “That was a bloody mess.”
Wide-eyed, Elspeth ripped the empty bag from her mouth and asked, “What happened at New Years?”
“Marguerite had a big party for everyone on New Year a couple years back,” Sam explained. “There were dozens of us there. Too many to sit at a table, so she had a buffet so we could grab a plate, fill it up and eat while we circulated. It was really nice, actually, getting to see everyone and visit.”
“Yeah,” Alex grinned. “And then midnight struck.”
“What happened at midnight?” Wyatt asked with curiosity when she paused briefly.
“All the couples gave each other their New Year kisses,” she said dryly. “We have a lot of new life mate couples recently. Marguerite’s been acing it in that department. Well, the minute they kissed . . .” She shook her head. “Marguerite has a lot of rooms in her house, but not that many.”
“I swear every closet, bathroom, and just room, period, in that house had an unconscious couple in it fifteen minutes after midnight,” Sam said with something like awe.
“Yeah, but there were also others who couldn’t find rooms and took it outside,” Alex said with a grimace. “They passed out in the snow and woke up later with frostbite and whatnot. Jo and Nicholas were among them and would have lost their toes and fingers at least if they were mortal.”
Wyatt’s eyes narrowed. “So it’s normal for life mates to pass out after sex?”
Something about the way he phrased the question made Elspeth glance to him with a frown. It sounded almost like he had experience of that and had thought that passing out was something unusual. But they hadn’t had sex yet. Her gaze slid to Alex and she noted that the other woman was peering at Wyatt with concentration, and surprise. She was obviously reading his mind, but whatever she was reading was apparently unexpected.
Elspeth was about to ask what that was, when Sam announced, “Here we are. The finest diner in the GTA.”
“What’s the GTA?” Wyatt asked, glancing out at the restaurant Sam was parking in front of.
“Greater Toronto Area,” Alex explained, and then glanced to Elspeth and scowled. “You’ve only had one bag of blood.”
“Oh.” She peered down at the three bags she still held and grimaced. She’d got distracted with the tales of life mate hijinks.
�
�Suck ’em back now before we go in,” Alex ordered.
“Wait!” Sam interrupted as Elspeth started to raise another bag. “Tell me what you want first and I’ll go in, get us a table and order while you finish up out here. We only have a half hour. I don’t want Martine bothering Mortimer again because we’re late.”
Elspeth asked for a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake before popping the bag to her mouth. Sam then took Alex and Wyatt’s orders before slipping out of the SUV.
Alex asked Wyatt questions about British Columbia while they waited for Elspeth to get through the three bags of blood, and then the trio exited the car to join Sam in the restaurant. The food was just being delivered as they arrived, and as Sam had claimed it was really good, and yes, the shakes were amazing. Sam had ordered dessert for everyone as well, but all but Wyatt were too full to eat it, so they had theirs boxed up while Wyatt devoured his, and then he ordered one to go too before they paid and left.
“Here we go,” Sam said grimly as she started the SUV engine. “Time to meet momma bear.”
Nine
“No. The girls and I are staying right here.” Martine’s voice and eyes dripped ice as she peered down her nose at Sam. “You, Wyatt, and Alex can stay in the basement apartment.”
Sam opened her mouth to respond, but Elspeth stepped up next to her and intervened. “That’s fine, Mother. The basement apartment has two bedrooms too, and is newly furnished thanks to Mortimer. I’ll stay down there with them.”
“You will not,” Martine said firmly. “You’ll stay right here with us.”
“I . . . will stay right here with you,” she agreed, her anger slipping away. In fact, she suddenly couldn’t remember what she’d been upset about . . . or why Sam, Alex, and Wyatt were all narrowing their eyes on her, their expressions turning grim.
“That’s fine,” Sam said after a moment, her voice cheerful. Pulling her overlarge purse around in front of her, she dragged out a stack of papers stapled together. It looked like a contract. “You just need to sign this release form and we’ll get out of your hair.”
“What? Release of what?” Martine asked, her eyes narrowing.
“It’s just a form stating that you’ve refused protection for Elspeth and release us from any liability when she’s killed,” Sam explained pleasantly. “Just sign here on the bottom line and—”
“I’m not signing that,” Martine said with dismay. “And I’m not refusing protection. I want you to guard her. Just not from here. She’s fine here. Go down and stay in the basement apartment and you can guard her when we leave the apart—”
“Now, Martine,” Sam interrupted gently. “Either we’re guarding her or we’re not, and you know we can’t guard her from two floors away. If you insist on staying here and making us leave, then you are essentially refusing her protection.” Holding out the papers, she said, “So, just sign this form acknowledging responsibility for her life, and refusal of our help, to ensure there can be no problem with the Council when Elspeth is killed.”
“Did Elspeth say there were two bedrooms downstairs?” Julianna asked, pushing the kitchen door open to peer in at them.
Obviously, she’d been listening from the living room, but that was no surprise, Elspeth thought.
“Yes, she did,” Alex said with a smile. “We stopped to see it on the way up here. One of the bedrooms has twin beds, and Mortimer had a big flat-screen television, and a computer put in it too.”
“Really?” Her eyes widened and she turned to their mother. “Come on, Mom. We can stay down there. That way Victoria and I will have an actual bed instead of having to sleep on the air mattress on the floor.”
“Please, Mom,” Victoria begged. “You were the one who insisted Mortimer put guards on her, and like Sam says, they can’t guard her from another apartment. Let’s just stay down there. You can always come up and visit all you want.”
Martine had opened her mouth on what no doubt would have been a refusal, but paused at Victoria’s last words. She was silent for a moment, her expression considering, and then she nodded. “Very well. We will sleep in the other apartment and visit up here.”
“Well, all right, then,” Sam said just as cheerfully, slipping the sheaf of papers back into her purse. “If you go pack, we’ll help you move your luggage when you’re done.”
Martine pursed her lips, and Elspeth was quite sure she was considering ordering the trio to pack and move her luggage for her, but then she apparently thought better of it and turned to leave the room. The moment she was gone, Elspeth felt herself again and knew her mother had released her. And for some reason Martine hadn’t taken the trouble to erase the moments since taking control of her from her mind. She remembered her mother’s comment about visiting, and she knew exactly what that meant. Her mother would move her luggage down to the lower apartment and spend all her time up here anyway.
“Well done, Sam. You actually won out over Martine,” Alex congratulated her sister.
“To be honest, I’m not sure I did win,” Sam responded thoughtfully. “She gave in way too easy.”
“But she gave in,” Alex pointed out. “She’s moving to the basement apartment.”
“Yeah,” Sam nodded, but then turned to Elspeth and asked, “She’s going to move her luggage down there and then come right back up until dawn, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Elspeth said on a sigh and walked over to grab the coffee carafe. She turned to carry it to the sink, her gaze landing on the radio/CD player on the counter behind Alex. Pausing, she smiled suddenly. “Although, if you turn the CD player on, she won’t stay long. She hates the CD I have in it and simply refused to allow me to play it at home.”
“Really?” Alex turned to the CD player and opened it to retrieve the disc inside. Turning it in her hand, she raised her eyebrows. “Queen’s Greatest Hits?”
Elspeth noted the way Wyatt stiffened, his expression stilling, and it raised her curiosity, but she said, “Yes. She hates it.”
“You’re a Queen fan?” Sam asked.
“I guess I am,” she said with a faint smile. “At least, I love this CD. Other than that, though, I don’t listen to modern music.”
“Then why Queen? Where did you get this CD?” Wyatt asked quietly, walking over to peer at it over Alex’s shoulder.
Elspeth glanced to him and shrugged. “It just showed up in my player one day and I listened to it and loved it. It always makes me happy,” Elspeth admitted.
“It just showed up in your player?” Wyatt asked solemnly.
Elspeth nodded. “At the time, I assumed it was Julianna or Victoria’s, but they both claimed it wasn’t. So, I’m guessing it belongs to one of my cousins and they left it when they visited.”
“You didn’t get it when you went to the play?” he asked carefully.
Elspeth raised her eyebrows. “What play?”
“We Will Rock You,” he said. “It played at the Dominion Theatre in London for something like twelve years.”
Elspeth raised her eyebrows. “No. I’ve never seen it.”
Wyatt speared her with his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure,” she said with amusement. “I’ve never been to any play. Mother doesn’t care for them, and she certainly wouldn’t let my sisters and me go without her. We were lucky to be allowed to go to university without her there holding our hands.”
“You really don’t remember,” Wyatt said with quiet amazement.
“Remember what?” she asked with confusion.
“Going to see We Will Rock You,” he said solemnly.
Her eyebrows rose slightly. “I told you I’ve never been.”
“You have,” he assured her.
“No, I haven’t,” she countered.
“Elspeth,” he said, his voice gentle, “I was there. I saw you attend. I took you. You loved it.”
“No, I—You’ve been to England?” she asked with surprise.
“Yes. Four years ago. I took you to that play.”
“I did,” he said solemnly and reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. Opening it, he retrieved a collection of three or four small photos. The first one was of she and Wyatt in front of the Dominion Theatre. We Will Rock You was on the billboard out front.
They looked so happy, she thought and took the picture to look closer, but paused when she saw the photo underneath. It was of a much younger Wyatt and Merry, in front of Merry’s house. Elspeth suddenly suspected she knew why the house had looked so familiar to her when she’d seen it online. She’d seen it before. Wyatt must have shown her that picture when they met years ago, and while her mother had erased her memories, her subconscious had recognized the house. Her renting from his grandmother hadn’t been chance.
Feeling sick over what her mother had done, Elspeth handed back the photo of them in front of the theatre.
Wyatt took it, but didn’t put it away at once. Instead, he peered at it for a moment and said, “This was just after I finished my last enlistment. I took a couple weeks to travel and decide if I should enlist again, and if so, for how long. I was going to tour several European countries while I thought about it. I started in England. France was supposed to follow, but I never got there.”
“Why?” she asked, but already knew the answer.
“Because I met you. I stopped to have lunch in a café the first day after I arrived. You were at a neighboring table. I asked to borrow your vinegar and we started talking. You were playing hooky, you said. You had called in sick to work because it was your birthday.” A smile curved his lips. “We ended up sitting there for a couple of hours, and only left when the workers started giving us dirty looks. I was booked for a tour of the Tower of London and was going to cancel, but you said you’d come with me. In the taxi on the way we briefly got held up in traffic in front of a theater that had We Will Rock You playing. The Dominion Theatre. I mentioned I was kind of interested in seeing it and you said, then we should. We’d go on the tour, have dinner, and then go to the play. And that’s what we did. We went on the tour and spent the entire time talking and laughing, annoying the heck out of our tour guide.”