When a Vamp Falls

by A. M. Griffin

  “But they did not have a good mother.”

  She stroked the side of his face. “Ramsey, I’m so sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Their mother didn’t have it in her to love anyone more than she loved herself. It just wasn’t possible. I did everything I could to make it up to them, for picking a bad mother. They wanted her to love them so badly, but she … she couldn’t.”

  She inhaled a sharp breath. “But the children, who raised them after you were turned?”

  “I did,” he said with pride. “I was twenty-five when I was turned, and my oldest was only nine years old at the time. I couldn’t leave my girls with a mother who would’ve sent them away to fend for themselves or sold them off as slaves to the highest bidders.” He clenched his jaw. The tendons in his cheeks protruded. “I don’t know of any new vampire who could’ve stayed with his family, but I did. I had to protect them at all costs. I was their father first.”

  “You raised your children when you were a vampire? H-how was that even possible?”

  His features softened. “It was very hard. I told them that I had a job that took me away from sun-up to sundown. I made sure that I fed every night before I went home. I didn’t want any accidents. I didn’t want them to see me as a monster. I was their father. I was there to cook them dinner, bathe them, and put them to bed with a bedtime story. I didn’t tell the girls what I was until they were older. They accepted me as I was. Covered up why I wasn’t growing old and even moved to a new village to protect me.”

  She clasped her arms around his neck, holding him tight. The emotion rolled off of him.

  A tear formed in the corner of her eye. She couldn’t imagine having children and knowing that one day that she would watch them grow old and die. From the moment he’d been turned he knew that he would plan their funerals. “D-did they have any children?”

  “Many.” Loneliness dripped from him. “Marcos is the very last of my line.”

  It didn’t come as a shock that Marcos was his descendant. Their relationship was built off of something more than employee-employer. There was real love between the two. She’d seen that from the very beginning.

  “And who does Marcos descend from?”

  Ramsey didn’t smile, but his chest swelled with pride. “Litua, my baby. She lived well into her eighties, but she was still my little girl.” He gave a short nod. “I promised my girls that I would look after their children, and I did. Down to the very last descendant.”

  “But … but you still have some years left with Marcos, don’t you?” She hoped for him.

  Ramsey gave a tight shake of his head. “His time is almost up. The cancer that’s ravishing his body is spreading and growing immune to my blood. When he’s gone, I’ll be all alone.”

  “Can’t you make him a vampire so that he won’t die?”

  “Marcos doesn’t want my life. If he did want to be changed, I would do it for him. But I understand why he doesn’t want my life. I shouldn’t have had to bury my children, their children and their children. I shouldn’t have ever met Marcos, only to bury him, too.”

  Sadness overwhelmed her. “You love him very much.”

  “Marcos came to live with me when he was fifteen years old. The plague had wiped out everyone in his family save for him. The disease rendered him sterile.”

  A tear fell down the side of her eye. “Oh, Ramsey, I know I’ve said it before, but I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I’ve made a very long life, and it was a good one.”

  She lifted to watch him. “I don’t like where this conversation is going.”

  He met her eyes. The sadness that he’d held there just a few moments before was gone. “I had planned to leave this world after Marcos died. There wasn’t a reason for me to stay after my promise to my girls was complete.”

  She stared at him in disbelief. “Suicide?”

  “Don’t sound so surprised. That’s how most of us older vampires go. Besides, I said, ‘had planned’.”

  She pulled her brows together, watching him intently. “So, you’re sticking around?”

  He tilted her hips, making her sit up more. “You, my dear, have given me something to live for.”

  Her hair fell across her breasts, and he pushed the dark locks out of the way.

  “And what is that?”

  “Love.”

  She froze. The world stopped moving. She held her breath. “Y-you love me?”

  He rubbed his hand up her back. “I. Love. You.”

  Those three words sent her heart fluttering. She smiled to herself and buried her face against his chest. “I love you, too.”

  “Well, that’s good to hear. Any other answer and I would’ve been sitting on the roof meeting the sun in the morning.”

  She punched him on the chest and chuckled, her heart feeling lighter than it had ever felt before. “So, tell me about this vision of yours again. I was on top of you…” She pushed herself upright again, straddling him.

  He gave her a wicked smile. “And there was a chair involved.”

  “Oh, chair.” She rolled off and took his hand, pulling him to stand.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the recliner.”

  He chuckled and followed her. “Wait. I almost forgot. There was a blowjob, too.”

  She glanced at him over her shoulder as she led him to the living room. “For some reason I think you’re lying about that.”

  He wiggled his fingers at her. “Danya, I enthrall you to service me in every way,” he said in a deep sing-songy voice.

  She clutched her head with her free hand. “I—I feel your magic working on me.” She dropped to her knees in a fit of giggles.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dani checked the watch on her wrist for the billionth time that night. 12:01 AM. She had seven more hours in her shift and before she could clock out and make her way to the airport. Tonight would make the third night that she hadn’t seen Ramsey. It was weird to miss him like she did, but after spending so much of her free time with him, to be apart felt wrong.

  Every time she’d awakened without him tangled in the sheet by her side, she slumped, missing his presence. She’d had boyfriends in the past and even thought she’d been in love once, but what she had with Ramsey was something entirely different.

  She needed him, and her body craved him.

  Her phone buzzed with an incoming message. She pushed her medication cart to the side of the hallway. Her evening vital signs and meds had been given. She wouldn’t have anything much to do until five-thirty when it was time to pass the morning medications and prepare for the arrival of the morning nursing shift. She locked her cart and checked her text message. Seeing it was from Ramsey instantly sent her stomach into a fit of butterflies.

  Marcos has a doctor’s appointment so he won’t be able to get you from the airport. Nadine is picking you up.

  I can take a cab. I don’t want to put anyone out.

  It’s fine. I pay Nadine a shitload of money to lie around here all day. Besides she’s been homebound for a while and wanted to get out for a bit.

  Okay. Does she know what airline and what time to meet me?

  Yup. Keep an eye out for a black Jeep. She looks like a teenager and has black spikey hair. You won’t miss her. She’ll probably have her rock music playing way too loud.

  Dani chuckled, imagining Ramsey with his fist in the air complaining about loud music.

  Sometimes your age shows.

  Hardy-har-har.

  LOL. I’ll see you when you wake up.

  You actually don’t know how good that makes me feel, knowing that you’ll be in bed waiting for me.

  She cheesed to herself. A coworker walked by and hip bumped her. “Oh, girl. I know that look. You’re in love. Have fun in New Orleans!”

  She tried to hide her embarrassment, then after a thought held her head high. She was in love, no point in hiding it.

  I’ll be sure to have on something nice.r />
  As in sexy?

  Of course.

  *Slowly dying waiting for the hours to pass*

  LOL. I’ll see you in a bit.

  Dani stuffed her phone back in her scrub pocket. Her charge nurse, Mandy, came around the corner with a clipboard. “Evans, have you had your lunch break yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  She scanned the paper on her clipboard and tapped the side with her pen. “Okay, you go now and I’ll go when you get back.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  Twenty minutes later she was in the hospital cafeteria picking through a half-eaten salad. “I don’t know how anyone can live off a thirty-minute break,” Dani muttered. As it was, she had ten minutes to pee and get back to work. She sighed. Dani was just about to get up when an older woman slid into the chair opposite of hers.

  The cafeteria was busy, but it wasn’t full. There were plenty of available tables. Dani frowned when the lady glared at her, not saying anything.

  Is she a patient of mine?

  Dani quickly shook that question from her head. The woman had on a party dress complete with jewelry that shined so bright that they might’ve been real. She also looked as though she wouldn’t be caught dead in a hospital gown.

  “Can I help you?’

  The woman smiled. Her lips had the perfect shade of red on them. Her skin looked as though she’d either had a really good tan or the glow was a product of her heritage. She flicked her hair off of her shoulders, a healthy dark lock. Her striking gold-brown eyes were unwavering in their uncanny assessment of Dani. “Yes, you can.” She folded her arms and set them on the table. “You can start by leaving my husband alone.”

  Had she heard her right? Dani’s chest constricted to the point of crushing her lungs. “Wh-who is your husband?”

  The woman rolled her eyes. “This century he’s going by Ramsey.”

  Dani’s mouth went dry. Her lips were heavy. “He didn’t tell me that he was married.”

  The lady looked Dani up and down, assessing and judging. Dani wanted to fold in on herself. Next to this woman she couldn’t compare. This was exactly the kind of woman she’d envisioned Ramsey with—beautiful.

  “He does this—often. Every few centuries or so he goes off and dips his foot in the human pool to play around with the locals.” She rolled her eyes. “I think he does it to feel normal. But he’s not normal at all. We both know that.”

  Every few centuries?

  “I-I’m sorry.”

  The lady lifted a dainty shoulder. “It’s not your fault. It’s not like you can resist him when he lays on the charm.” She let out a breathy sigh and stared into space. “It’s how he was able to convince me to marry him all those years ago.”

  Dani didn’t want to ask. She knew that she shouldn’t ask. The answer might hurt her even more. “A-are you sure that we’re talking about the same Ramsey?” But then again, she wasn’t thinking logically. The rug had been pulled right from under her. This lady was bursting her bubble in the worst kind of way.

  The lady chuckled, a soft willowing sound. “Oh, honey. Of course I’m sure. Otherwise I wouldn’t waste my time being here and confronting you.”

  Dani couldn’t breathe. Everything hurt. Pain radiated along her jawline. Her chest tightened more, restricting her heart.

  Either Dani wasn’t really having a full-blown meltdown in the cafeteria or this lady was good at ignoring it. “Has Ramsey mentioned me?” the woman asked.

  Dani couldn’t find her voice.

  “No? Angelina? Does that name ring a bell?”

  Dani found the effort to shake her head. “H-he told me that he used to be married. A-a long time ago. Before he was turned. I—I thought … assumed.” She couldn’t form her lips to say anything else.

  Angelina’s beautiful red lips turned up into a smile. “So he did mention me. What did he say? Does he want to get back together?”

  Dani frowned. Confusion clouded her mind. “H-he said that I was his reason for living.”

  Angelina made a cackling sound. Dani saw a crack in her beauty. The sound grated on her ears. “What? You? That can’t be right. We married when I was fourteen, and he was fifteen. I’ve always been his reason for living, then our girls and now Marcos, too. Marcos is our last. He’s an offspring of my offspring.” Then she focused on the table in thought. “Of my offspring’s offspring.” She frowned then waved her hand in the air. “Never mind. It all gets so confusing when you get past great-great-grandmother. You get the picture. Ramsey, Marcos, and I are a family. This kind of history can’t be replaced.”

  Dani’s chest was on fire. Her stomach felt like it was splitting apart. How could she have ever believed that she’d been his reason for living? Seriously? How stupid was she? He probably fed that line to every idiot human he met.

  Oh God.

  Angelina looked away and blinked rapidly. She wiped the corner of her eyes with her sleeve. “We had three beautiful girls and from them, had many more children to look after. Marcos, my beautiful Marcos.” She dabbed her eyes again, but Dani couldn’t see the tears that were supposed to be there. “Is the very last of our line.”

  Why hadn’t Ramsey told her that his wife was still alive and kicking and a vampire? Because he did this every century. She was a game to him. Something to pass the time. She shook with rage, confusion, and embarrassment.

  Dani gathered her trash, throwing everything around her on the tray. Her appetite suddenly gone. “I’m so sorry. I w-won’t contact him ever again.”

  The sadness on Angelina’s face slid away, revealing an inhuman, monstrous mask of hate. “You’re not even one of the prettier humans. But I get what he sees in you.” Her eyes raked over Dani. “You do have a certain … appeal.”

  Angelina hadn’t smacked her, but Dani felt the sting just the same. She picked up her trash and stood. “If you’ll excuse me—”

  “Sit.”

  I don’t—” Dani slammed into her seat. The thought to sit was like a force she couldn’t disobey. She looked at Angelina. Dani’s mind raced a mile a minute. Fear consumed her when Angelina’s mouth quirked into a sinister smirk.

  “Now slam your face on the table.”

  Without a second thought Dani’s face hit the table with such force that her brain rattled and stars danced around her head. Pain shot out in bursts.

  “Again.”

  Dani cried out. She slammed her face against the table again. Blood splayed everywhere. Her vision clouded over.

  “Again.”

  ****

  Everything. Hurt.

  “Did they find out who did this to her?”

  Dani tried to wake. She wanted to wake up. But it was like fighting against quicksand. Her dad sounded so hurt. So scared.

  “Dad, I told you. No one did this to her. She did it herself.”

  Bride. She was crying. Dani tried to lift her hand to let her little sister know that she was fine and to stop crying. Her hand was so heavy. Dani couldn’t budge it.

  “She wouldn’t have done this to herself. That’s just plain crazy.”

  The bed dipped. A hand, large and rough, clasped hers. She recognized that touch. Her dad squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be all right, pumpkin.”

  Dani wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Her sister cried softly.

  “I just don’t believe it. I just don’t.”

  “Dad, the police showed me the videotape. Dani was sitting at the cafeteria table by herself, and the next minute she was slamming her head on the table.”

  No. I was with Angelina. She made me do this.

  Her dad squeezed her hand. “But why would she do that?”

  “On the tape she’s talking to herself and then … bangs her head.” Bride sniffled. “She wouldn’t stop. One of the doctors had to tackle her to make her stop. And even then she was fighting to get back to the table. She only stopped after she passed out.”

  Her dad let out a sob and Dani’s heart dropped. Please, do
n’t cry, Daddy.

  Dani drifted out of consciousness again.

  ****

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  What’s that noise?

  “Her blood pressure is dropping. I think her brain is swelling again.”

  Someone pried her eyelids apart. A bright light blinded her. Ow. Dani tried to wince and pull away, but she couldn’t move.

  The same was done to the other.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  “Get her out of here now. Someone call surgery. We need an operating room stat!”

  The world faded away again.

  ****

  “Dani? Dani, baby?”

  Ramsey.

  Her heart leapt from her chest. He leaned over her body. Her skin reacted to his. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, to run her fingers through his hair.

  Ramsey.

  She was mad at him. But why?

  No. He doesn’t love me. A game.

  He cried. His chest heaved against hers.

  Why would she think that? Of course Ramsey loved her.

  A door creaked opened. “Sir? Who are you? Visiting hours are over, and besides, only family can visit the patients in the ICU. You have to leave.”

  “I’m family. I’m her boyfriend.”

  Boyfriend? Wait. No. He can’t be.

  But why not?

  Dani couldn’t piece her thoughts together.

  “Sorry, but boyfriends can’t visit. You’ll have to leave.”

  “And who are you?”

  “I’m her nurse.”

  “You don’t see me,” he said.

  Dani waited for the nurse to object, to call security, but all she heard was soft whistling.

  He enthralled the nurse like Angelina did me.

  “Answer my questions.”

  “Okay.” The nurse sounded off. Distant.

  “Tell me what happened to her.”

  “She was eating in the cafeteria. Then she started banging her head on the table and wouldn’t stop.”

  “Was anyone with her?”

  “No. She was by herself.”

  “What’s the damage?”

  “She smashed her nose, fractured her sinuses, and fractured her skull. She has swelling on the brain and had two emergency surgeries to relieve the pressure. The doctor is waiting to see if her swelling goes down. If it does she’ll need facial reconstruction.