by L. Rosario
He passed out on the way to the bathroom.
* * * *
"I swear I have no idea where they came from."
The defensive tone of Raphael's voice pulled Valentino back to awareness. He blinked the bright lights of Dr. Reynolds’ lab into focus and barely managed to stifle a groan. What the hell was he doing here? And why the fuck was Raphael being interrogated? Instinct told him neither answer would be pleasant.
"You were with him all day, CF16, or do you deny that too?” Wow, Dr. Reynolds sounded really angry.
"Actually,” Raphael began with obvious reluctance. There was no need. Valentino would never blame him for being honest with the doctor. None of them really had a choice. “I wasn't with him all day. Aiden and I dropped him off downtown and then spent the rest of the day at the gym."
Silence descended upon the room like an oppressive storm cloud. Valentino held his breath and began to count the ticks of a nearby clock as he waited for the doctor to respond ... or explode.
"Where did you drop him off?” It wasn't quite an explosion, but the doctor's temper was clearly simmering.
"The library,” Raphael responded in a voice that said he knew the doctor would never believe him. He was right.
Dr. Reynolds snorted, then cursed, before finally responding in a very predictable fashion. “I would appreciate the truth from you, CF16, or you will join your friend in the gas chamber."
Jesus, the gas chamber? What the fuck?
Just as predictably, Raphael supplied all the details. “There was a girl..."
Valentino stopped listening. He simply tuned out the sound of his friend's voice and focused his slit gaze on the ceiling. Clearly the doctor had decided to end his employment. Why else mention the gas chamber? Would it be tonight then? Was this it? Not caring anymore if Dr. Reynolds discovered he was conscious, Valentino rolled his head and glanced toward the vault-like door that led to the gas chamber. Would it hurt?
"...vampire."
That regained Valentino's attention.
"I swear I didn't know what she was,” Raphael insisted. “I knew she'd bitten him, but a lot of the clients like freaky stuff."
"You may go, CF16, and do not speak a word of this to anyone. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir.” The door sealed behind Raphael, and Valentino tensed as he listened to the doctor nearing the table. Would he be given a chance to defend his actions? Could he claim rape of some sort?
"You have a great deal of explaining to do, young man."
Valentino lifted his head to see the doctor hovering at the foot of the table. “I didn't know what she was until it was too late."
Under the loose shoulders of his white lab coat, Dr. Reynolds shrugged. “Regardless, the damage is done, and nothing I can do will reverse it."
"Which means what?” It was hard to keep the panic out of his tone or his gaze from straying toward the chamber's door.
The doctor sighed, and for a moment, he looked almost regretful. “You will have to be disposed of, Valentino."
That was that then. Dr. Reynolds would never call him Valentino under other circumstances. Jesus.
"Would you like me to explain exactly what is going on inside you that I cannot reverse?"
God, did it matter?
Obviously it did, because Dr. Reynolds went on without waiting for Valentino to reply. “You see, when I created the concept of Captive Fantasy, I made sure my creations were filled with blood that could withstand all of the known viruses and diseases. Not only that, but your blood allows you to age twice as slowly as a normal man. You believe you are twenty-two, but you are actually closer to forty-five."
What would Sera think of that? Her horror at his age had been pretty evident. Not that it mattered now.
"The blood I created was not perfect though,” the doctor went on, beginning to pace around the lab as he spoke. “I had to sacrifice some elements in order to gift all of you with a heightened libido, not to mention sustained arousal, and impressive proportions."
Right about now, none of that mattered to Valentino. He'd always sort of wanted to be normal anyway. Just once, he wanted to know what it was like to finish too early, or fail to get an erection. The closest he'd ever come to feeling normal was with Sera. With her, he almost lost control.
"What exactly did you sacrifice?” His question caused Dr. Reynolds to halt in his tracks and spin around to face the table. Valentino shrugged. “You might as well tell me everything, doc."
"Your blood, and that of all the other captives, is susceptible to only one thing. The bite of a blood-sucking mammal. They secrete a venom-like substance that—well, none of that matters, really.” A humorless chuckle escaped the doctor's narrow lips. “I considered San Francisco to be a fairly safe place due to the lack of vampire bats."
Under different circumstances, maybe Valentino would have summoned a chuckle. But there was not a goddamn thing funny about any of this. Had he the strength, he would have leapt off the table and strangled Dr. Reynolds. Then they could all be free.
"It never occurred to me that you would be forced to entertain a vampire.” The doctor shook his white head. “It never occurred to me that they actually existed. And you've been bitten twice.” His eyes narrowed, and he approached the table. “The second one was voluntary, wasn't it? Why would you wish her to do such a thing?"
Valentino refused to share a single detail of his time alone with Sera. Tight-lipped, he stared up at Dr. Reynolds and arched a brow.
"You are right. I cannot force you to tell me a thing.” The doctor turned away and began to pace again. “Perhaps it will comfort you to know that I'll use your DNA to create a clone.” He stopped and glanced back. “Would you prefer I not reuse the name Valentino?"
"I can't see how it matters to me what the hell you do."
The doctor looked displeased by the retort, but he let it slide. With a nod, he headed for the door. “I injected you with a drug that should stabilize the effects of her bite. You shouldn't get sick again, but the drug will not last for long. I suggest you stay calm and move around as little as possible. Of course her photo and name have been posted at the door, and she'll be banned from entering this establishment. You were one of my best captives, and I'll not risk her ruining another."
"When will you do it?” He had a right to know, didn't he?
Dr. Reynolds answered with his head down, and his hand poised over the button that would open the door. “There are two others before you. Your time will be the beginning of next week."
Five days. Jesus, in five fucking days, he'd be dead.
Would Sera ever know? Would she care? If only he could see her again.
* * * *
Sera gripped her head and collapsed onto the bathroom floor with a groan. The mug full of warm blood she tried to place on the counter smashed against the tiles near her hip, splashing her with the contents. The smell permeated the air and turned her stomach. What the hell was wrong? As the thought formed, her throat fought down a wave of bile.
Now she was really worried. Vampires did not throw up.
She barely made it to the toilet before she disproved that myth. Clutching the bowl, she got rid of every drop of blood she'd consumed after returning to her apartment. Mixed in was something she didn't recognize and would rather not contemplate, but she couldn't ignore that it was the strange purplely color of Valentino's blood.
Had she taken too much from him? Was vomiting a result of gorging? That would certainly explain why she'd never thrown up before. Then again, maybe she just wasn't used to fresh blood. Maybe this was like food poisoning or something and she'd feel fine in twenty-four hours.
Another wave of nausea rolled through her, and she lurched back over the toilet, but nothing came up this time. She heaved for several moments, then rested her head on the cool rim. If this didn't pass soon, she'd never be able to go into work. Mr. Henry would probably call in the FBI to investigate her reasons for calling off since she'd never done so before
.
After several minutes passed without her nausea coming back, Sera attempted to get to her feet. Bad idea. The moment she straightened her legs, the room tilted and she fell back down. Her head bumped the rim of the toilet on the way to the floor, and she winced at the sharp pain. Something was definitely wrong.
If you need me, do not hesitate to call.
Constantine's words drifted into her head. Should she call him? And if she did, would he even know what was wrong with her? Could she risk not calling him? But wait a minute, she was vampire, and vampires didn't get sick. Though she should tell that to the foul mess in the toilet.
Yeah, she definitely needed to call. Too bad the phone was in her bedroom. But did she need a phone? As freaky as it was, Constantine was always present in her thoughts, so maybe if she just focused hard enough he'd realize she needed him. Worth a shot.
Sera closed her eyes and opened her mind. Constantine was there in an instant. If she weren't so desperate, she'd be bothered.
"What is it, my pet?"
I need you.
"Say no more." With that, the connection was severed and so was Sera's grasp on consciousness.
She came to in Constantine's arms. The familiarity of his embrace made her squirm, but he refused to loosen his hold on her. Instead, he stroked her hair off her face and cooed words of comfort, which made the whole situation worse.
"Let me go,” she bit out, still struggling. They were on her couch. Well, it was better than the bed.
"Be still before you make yourself ill again, my pet."
Sera looked up into Constantine's face and scowled. Damn, why did he have to still be so handsome? His eyes were just as black, just as mesmerizing as they'd always been. His inky hair spilled around his face like fine silk, begging to be touched, and his features still managed to look god-like. Damn him.
"Have you missed me?” He flashed a wide, brilliant smile and trailed a finger down her nose. “I've missed you."
"I don't believe you."
He shrugged and adjusted his hold to allow her to sit by his side, but he did not release her. “Believe what you will.” Before she could offer further protest, he went on. “Now tell me what I had to flush away in your bathroom? You aren't, by some strange happenstance, pregnant, are you?” He sounded truly horrified by the notion.
Sera's stomach flipped. “My God, could I be?"
Constantine rolled his eyes and shook his head. “No.” His gaze settled on her face and became serious. “Would you wish to be?"
"Does that matter? You made sure I could never be a mother."
He let her go and got off the couch. “When I offered that final bite you were more than willing, my pet."
It was true, but it still pissed her off. Crossing her arms, she glared up at him through her bangs. As she did so, she noticed how immaculately attired he was. Had he been at a party when she called? Focusing on the expensive fit of his black slacks, she hoped there was some woman somewhere wondering why he'd had to leave in such a hurry. The thought almost brought a smile to her face.
"Still jealous, my pet?"
Sera lifted her gaze past Constantine's maroon shirt to meet his smug gaze. “Tell me why I got sick."
His disappointment over her not rising to the bait shown in his eyes. “I do not know."
Hmm. She changed tack. “Is it possible for fresh blood to make me sick?"
"No."
"Are you trying to be difficult?” she snapped.
"Not at all."
With an angry snarl, she shot off the couch, determined to stalk to her room and slam the door. She didn't get far before her knees buckled, and she fell into Constantine's expectant arms.
"You are still weak."
Sera gripped the front of Constantine's silk shirt and struggled to stand on her own. It was no use. She collapsed against him and laid her cheek on his chest. “What's wrong with me?"
"I told you, I do not know.” His tone was gentle as he stroked a hand over her hair. “But I believe I should take you to the coven, after I feed you."
She knew what that meant. She shook her head against him. “No. I don't want your blood.” It would only reaffirm the bond between them.
"You have no choice, my pet. It is a long trip, and I want you there as soon as possible, which means traveling by day. In your present state, you will not be able to tolerate even the thought of sunlight."
Damnit, he was right.
"For once, do not be so stubborn."
She'd never been stubborn.
Constantine's chuckle increased her ire, and she gritted her teeth and slid her hand down his side to snatch his wrist. Fine, if he wanted her to feed, she'd feed. She lifted his hand, ripped the cuff of his shirt to expose his skin, then sank her fangs into his veins. She made no attempt to be gentle, but Constantine offered no complaints. He merely held her and allowed her to take what she needed.
Damn him.
Chapter Thirteen
It was really rather irritating how much better she felt with Constantine's blood running through her veins, but Sera would cut off her own head before she admitted that out loud. Not that she had to. Constantine hadn't stopped grinning like an idiot since she shoved his wrist away and licked her lips.
"Pack lightly,” he called to her as she headed out of the living room. Did pack lightly mean she could leave him behind? “No, it does not, my pet."
Ugh!
Sera darted into her room, slammed the door, and froze. The air smelled of Valentino. Unable to help herself, she took a deep breath and held it in. She hated how things had ended between them, but it had to be for the better. He'd go on with his life, and she'd go on with hers. Doing so together just didn't make sense, especially if she was going to reinstate herself with a coven, and she knew that's what Constantine hoped for. He'd take her there, and leave her.
Just like he'd done in England.
So why are you agreeing to go?
"Because I don't have any damn choice,” she snarled out loud. “I didn't have a choice centuries ago, and I don't have one now."
"It's for the best, Seraphina.” Constantine's voice reached her through the door. She hated when he used her name almost more than when he called her “my pet."
She shot a hateful look toward the door. “Just leave me alone, all right? I agreed to go, but you don't need to hover.” Silence met her angry words, and she chose to believe that Constantine had headed back into the living room to give her some privacy.
She'd only managed to toss two pair of jeans into a duffel bag when she spotted Valentino's discarded bath towel on the floor near the bed. Instantly, the image of him standing in the doorway, damp from the shower and looking good enough to eat, filled her mind. Knowing she shouldn't, she dropped to her knees and gathered the towel onto her lap. In some places it was still damp, and the folds held the scent of her bath soap mixed with Valentino.
Sera lifted the red cotton to her nose and inhaled. If she could go back in time, she'd do things totally different. Valentino had obviously wished to talk on the ride over to Captive Fantasy, but her brittle wall of self-defense had kept him quiet. She'd been too afraid that he might convince her to give things a try. That he might say something that made sense, and then she'd have to admit her feelings toward him transcended what he could do for her in bed.
Terrified, and eager to be away from him, she'd peeled away from the curb the moment the door closed behind him. His shocked expression in her rear view mirror would haunt her forever. She buried her face in the towel. “I'm sorry."
Constantine opened her door without knocking and met her gaze over the edge of the towel. His eyes were sad. “Were you really falling in love with him?"
"It's none of your business.” She tossed the towel back to the floor and stood up to finish packing.
"I fell in love with a mortal once."
She knew he wouldn't let it go. Pulling random shirts out of her closet, she ignored him.
"She was lovely
and too innocent for me, but I couldn't resist. I believed she would accept what I was, and maybe long to join me. For a time, I think we were happy together."
Sera stared at the blouse in her hand as she twisted the white sleeve around her fingers. Was he talking about her? He had never loved her. He had used her desire to be loved against her until he had what he wanted from her, and then he'd turned his back.
"But then, like a fool, I turned her away when she failed to meet my exceedingly high expectations. I wanted her to be exactly like me. I wanted her to revel in what she had become, to crave blood as I did. To take it with absolute abandon, but she did not, and I refused to understand."
Sera threw the blouse into the duffle bag and rounded on Constantine. “Stop it! You never loved me. I was nothing but a toy to you. A pet."
"That is not true."
It had to be true, because it was a lot easier to hate him if she believed he also hated her. “I don't know why you're saying these things, anyway. I wasn't falling in love with Valentino, so you don't have to worry that I'll start to cry on your shoulder or something."
He didn't look convinced. “So what was going on between you two?"
Sera gestured toward the bed and hit Constantine where it would hurt the most. “Sex,” she snapped. “Good, hot, kinky sex. The kind of sex I could never have with you."
He stalked toward her, making her regret the taunt. “Oh, you could have had any kind of sex with me you wanted.” He took hold of her shoulders and yanked her against his chest. “But the little princess was afraid to let go. You were afraid to act like a whore, I believe you said. You believed finding sublime pleasure would send you to hell.” He gave her a little shake. “Well, guess what, my pet?"
"Let me go. Now."
He didn't. “You can't get more damned than you already are. I tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen. Do you think drinking from a plastic bag makes you less of a monster?"
"Let me go.” She refused to beg, but she knew he could sense her growing fear. Did it please him to know she was afraid?
