I smile back but the pain in the side of my face turns it into a grimace. I am glad Amelia seems to have it all figured out but now is not the time for me to think about it. I am going to need the bathroom wall between us for that.
When we are all safely upstairs at the Chrysler my fortitude finally gives out. It is only eleven o’clock, but it might as well be four in the morning because I am beat, both literally and figuratively. Zaid and Amelia refuse Lucan’s offer to spend the night in his guest quarters and leave to walk the few blocks back to the Algonquin. Zaid is going to accompany Lucan to the Enclave in the morning brief the Council on Serge.
I am still wearing my ratty sweats and t-shirt when I climb into Lucan’s palatial bed because it hadn’t occurred to me to change before we left my place. It is almost a sin to be wearing the same thing I clean my bathroom in here. There is a hole in the ass of my pants for godsake. All of the other nights we’ve spent together I’ve manage to find sleepwear suitable for public consumption. Right now, however, I don’t care. Lucan slides into bed next to me and I press my body full length into his, wrapping my arms around him tight. My body relaxes and I know I’m safe.
“Abri?”
“Hmm?”
“Never mind. We can talk about it later.” He leans over and kisses my forehead. “Goodnight. I love you.”
“I love you too, Lucan.” I reply before sleep pulls me under for the second time tonight.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Serge made it back to his apartment before his legs completely gave out. The cab he’d hired was gone in spite of the fifty dollars he’d given the driver to wait. He should have taken his Mustang but there was never any place to park in Chinatown.
In spite of the good fortune of making it out of the apartment with his life, Serge was pissed that his plan to kidnap Abri Cole was so easily thwarted. He really blew it. There was no way that Lucan O’Reilly would allow his love to return to her apartment after his little breaking and entering routine. He knew where O’Reilly lived but there was no way Serge would try to fight Lucan on his own turf. That was just suicide and the only thing he cared about more than Abri Cole was himself.
Serge took out his phone and dialed Mark. “Ainsworth, you awake?” Serge snapped into the receiver. Serge was glad to have his apartment back to himself but almost missed Mark—Mark’s money—being around.
“No. What do you want?” Mark snapped back. His new diet had greatly improved his mental faculties and opened his eyes to the fact that Serge, among other things, was an asshole.
“I’ll thank you not to talk to me like that, Ainsworth. Do you still have that court hearing on Monday?”
“Yes. And no, you’re not welcomed to attend.” Mark knew that if Serge accompanied him to the courthouse it would be trouble, for him and for Abri Cole. But mainly he was concerned about Sarah.
“Ha!” he barked back at Mark. “I will be there. Your wife’s attorney owes me big time.”
“What did you do Serge?” Mark asked. Serge was a sick fuck, but was he dumb enough to hurt her in public? After his run in with Lucan O’Reilly there was no way Mark wanted anything to do with that guy or his girlfriend. In fact, he was kind of nervous about going to court on that account. It was a public place and Mark was sure Lucan would be there to keep an eye on things. Hell, even if the guy didn’t come along to bodyguard, Abri had enough on him bury him with the judge and Sarah.
“Nothing yet. Let’s just say that she’s not going to have her game face on for court on Monday. Now, I was planning to get shitfaced tonight, you in?”
“Ah, no. I'm good. Just about ready to turn in myself.” Mark replied, trying to sound nonchalant. Actually, he planned to go over to Sarah’s apartment. On second thought, perhaps he’d better stay home since Serge would probably just find him and spoil his plan.
“Fine. Suit yourself man. I'm just saying that you should enjoy the night, embrace what I’ve given you.”
“Given me?” Mark scoffed. “You haven’t given me shit. You couldn’t even finish what you started with me if I remember correctly.” Mark was shocked at the words coming out his mouth. And proud. Of course, that was short lived as he heard Serge end the call. No doubt on his way to kick Mark’s ass.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The shades let me catch a few extra hours of sleep after sunrise, but my bladder wakes me at nine thirty. I start to slide out from under Lucan’s arm and tiptoe to the bathroom, but the fact that I can actually move his arm means he isn’t asleep.
“You okay?” he asks quietly, which my throbbing head appreciates.
“Yeah, just need to pee. Sorry, that was kind of TMI wasn’t it?”
Lucan laughs. “No, just honest. You ready to get up?”
“No. Do you have any aspirin or anything? My head is still pounding. It’s a shame there’s not a night of drinking to blame this on.”
“In the cabinet where the towels are, I think.” He fluffs up my pillow for my return. “Are you sure you’re okay? I should take you to see Dr. Steinman today at the Enclave.”
“I’ll be fine. I just need a little more sleep and a shower. Plus, I have to go to work today. I told Max I would be there around ten, but I'm going to be a little late I think.”
I find the aspirin and swallow three with some water out of the tap. I catch a glimpse of my face in the mirror. It isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The bruising is mainly past my hairline and thus invisible, although no less painful. My eye is a little black, but nothing I can’t blame on lack of sleep.
I crawl back in bed and set the alarm to wake me at in an hour. I plan to shower before going down to the office. I might even go in sweat pants if I can’t find anything else comfortable to wear. It’s Saturday and dress codes doesn’t’ apply. I snuggle against Lucan and dose off.
When my alarm goes off an hour later, I am alone in bed. I might have convinced myself to stay another hour if Lucan had been there. I can hear him trying to be quiet in the kitchen.
“Tell me there’s coffee?” I call, crossing the living room.
“Yup. One lump or two, my lady?”
“Ugh. Watch it with the lump talk,” I protest. “Two and cream.”
Lucan hands me my cup and ushers me to the table. “Do you want anything to eat?”
I shake my head and immediately regret it. “No. I’m good. I'm only going to work a few hours on Sarah’s file and then come back up. Maybe we can do a late lunch?”
“Sounds like a plan. I'm going to get Zaid and head for the Enclave. I have a lot to report and I want to do some digging on that asshole Serge.”
“Wow, I’ve never heard you call anyone an asshole. I think that’s way too nice for what he is though. I'm going to go hit the shower and head down stairs. Don’t wait on me, go ahead and head out if you need to.”
“Are you kidding?” Lucan almost yells at me. His eyes flare red and just as quickly return to blue. “I'm not leaving you alone. I’m going downstairs with you and make sure your office is secure first. If I wasn’t under orders of the Council to report today, I would stay there with you until you’re finished working.”
“Lucan, you can’t watch me forever. Besides Max will be there and probably some of the litigation guys, they always work on Saturdays.” I am so not going to be chaperoned twenty-four/seven just because of Serge. After all, he ran away last night. My face says more than my thoughts as I glower at Lucan from across the kitchen table. This is not up for debate.
“Abri, I like Max and all, but there is no way he’s protecting you against a vampire attack.”
“I’m getting in the shower. If you’re still here when I'm done, then I’ll think about it.” I set my coffee cup back on the table and head to the bathroom. I need some space to think.
I turn on the water in the shower and gather a towel and washcloth from the linen closet. I plug my iPod into the dock on the counter and scroll down to some Train. I need something lighten my mood. When it is warm enough I shuck off my sw
eats and step into the giant shower. Moving cautiously under the stream of water, I test the cut on my scalp. It stings but not bad enough to keep me from enjoying the warmth.
What the hell happened last night? Why was the parking valet from the Enclave trying to kill me? Or worse, eat me. Okay, well not necessarily eat, but close enough. There is more to the story than I remember or than what Lucan is telling me. He and Zaid had had a very hushed conversation in the car last night about what had gone down in my apartment. I had been too tired to listen in and their voices were almost too low for my human ears to comprehend. This weekend is not getting off to a good start and Monday’s hearing with Mark will be icing on the cake.
I turn off the water in the middle of a Red Hot Chili Pepper’s song. My voice is bouncing off the tile walls as I sing along even though I can only catch every other verse. “Hey Oh…” I shout along with Anthony Kiedis. If Lucan is still here, which I’m sure he is, I probably sound like a dying cat to his ears. Even the bathroom wall can’t block out the fact that I can’t carry a tune.
As I towel off I can hear Lucan washing dishes in the kitchen so I resign myself to him walking me to the office. I put my wet hair up in a bun and slap on some cover-up for my eye. Max will probably comment on the wet hair situation. It is January after all and way too cold to travel from my apartment to the office with wet hair. Max is just the person to notice that detail.
“Are you still here?” I call innocently from the bathroom. “Because I have a few conditions if you’re going to walk me to my office like a kid on the first day of kindergarten.”
“I'm still here,” Lucan opens the bathroom door. “Damn, you’re dressed.”
“Benefit of the door/wall situation. You don’t know what I'm up to,” I smirk. “If you’re coming with me you have to promise not to make a big deal about it. No looking under all the desks for rabid vampires. The office has a secure card key system on the weekends just like the Enclave. No one can get in without it. Plus, there is security down stairs until about two.”
“Abri, I know, but Serge doesn’t exactly need a card key to get in. He can amp someone into submission to get them to let him in. That’s probably how he got into your building. That being said, I promise I will just walk you into your office and kiss you goodbye. Maybe even say hello to Max if he’s there.”
“Good. That’s why I love you, you listen.”
“Come on. Get your stuff and we’ll head out.” Lucan gives me with a sly smile. He probably will still look around after he leaves my office. And he probably has good reason to. I just don’t want to admit that to him yet.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
There is no one in the lobby when we reach the 30th floor and the office is locked up tight, as I expected. All is well, not a paper out of place, when we reach my office. Lucan is trying not to be obvious as he checks each office we pass. From the looks of it, no one else is working this weekend. I'm not sure this helps my position that I don’t need an escort.
“See nothing to fear. No bloodsuckers.” I give Lucan an I-told-you-so look.
“I beg to differ, my love. There is in fact one,” he replies, flashing me a fangy smile.
“One what?” Max interrupts as he walks in with a cup of coffee. “I heard you coming down the hall and figured you hadn’t had enough of this yet this morning since you’re running late.”
“You rock, Max. Thank you.” I eagerly take the cup from Max hoping extra caffeine will cure my headache. “You remember Lucan O’Reilly, right?”
“Yeah. How are you, Lucan?” Max asks, eyeing Lucan at bit too closely.
“I'm well, Max, and you?” Lucan’s fangs are no longer on display.
“Good.” A one word answer from Max, that is strange.
“Well, boys, thanks for all your help. I think I’ll get started. Lucan, I will call you when I head back—” I stop myself just before saying “upstairs.”
“I should be done in a few hours myself,” Lucan replies. “Max, take care of Abri today will you?”
Max gives him a bewildered nod before looking at me with suspicion. I can already hear the questions forming in Max’s brain. Lucan waves goodbye to us as he rounds the doorway. Max waits about .05 seconds before he starts in with Lucan probably still within earshot.
“What’s going on Abri? He has to walk you to work,” Max hisses. I am a little taken aback by the snarkiness. “It’s a little soon don’t you think?”
“He was on his way to a meeting and it was on the way so why not?” I can be snarky too.
“On the way from where? Did you stay at his place again?” Max isn’t even trying to hide it now.
“Yeah, on the way from his place. It’s real close,” I snap. “Why are you so nosey today? What do you have against Lucan anyways? He’s a perfect gentleman.”
“Nothing. I'm just worried about you, that’s all.” He leans back against the doorframe making it clear he isn’t leaving anytime soon. I half expect that he’s only come in this morning because I am here and he wants to talk.
“Really, Max, it’s fine. He’s harmless. I know it’s all been really fast, but he cares about me and I care about him,” I blurt out. I am relieved to say it to someone, even after last night, even if it sounds insane to my own ears.
Max looks like he is going to explode. Here it comes. “Abri, do you know what Lucan does for a living, I mean besides running this charity?”
“Possibly,” I start out slowly. “But why don’t you just tell me what it is you want to tell me and get it over with. I'm really not in the mood to beat around the bush this morning.”
“Do you know what the Enclave is, Abri? I mean really know what it is.” Max’s eyes are wide with worry. “And don’t lie to me.”
I try to keep my expression neutral when really I want to jump up and down that he’s admitting he knows something. I have so many questions. “Yes. Do you?” I set my mouth in a hard line, warning Max to be careful how he proceeds. “And don’t lie to me either.”
“He’s a friggin’ vampire, Abri. A vampire.” Max throws up his hands in exasperation as he makes vampire into two distinct words. Vam. Pire. “They’re real and he’s one of them.”
“I know.” Is all that I can think to say in reply. “How did you know that?”
“I was—I, ah…” Max’s voice drops off.
“Patron?” I finish for him. So that explains why his opinion of Lucan showing up in my office changed after he saw the calling card.
“Yeah. When I first moved here after high school, I needed money and they paid. I didn’t really like it, but the cash was better than almost anything a kid from Long Island could get with just a high school diploma and two years experience bagging groceries at the Save-a-Lot.” Max is working to get his story out fast, as if it will prove to me that he’s not crazy for believing vampires exist. “That’s not really how you met him is it?”
“No, I really met him in the elevator,” I answer. “Max, it’s okay. I am just glad I'm not the only one who knows about it. I’ve been bursting to tell you and Linds but I wanted to check with Lucan first and given everything that’s happened in the last twelve hours, I'm just glad I can talk to someone about it now. All of it.”
“What’s happened?”
“Sit down. This could take a while.” I gesture towards my client chairs.
I tell Max all about Serge and his failed abduction attempt. I leave out the parts about Zaid and Amelia and being Lucan’s Sodalis, that part can wait. Max mostly just shakes his head in disbelief. I can tell he’s not pleased with my story.
“So that’s why he walked me to work this morning. He’s not an obsessive stalker. He’s worried this douchebag Serge might come for me again. Speaking of which, you don’t know him, do you?”
“No, but I haven’t been to the Enclave in about five years. I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection with Lucan’s name until I saw the card. It’s been so long.” Max stops and takes a deep breath. I appreciate hi
m curbing the lecture. “Why is your hair wet?”
“Ah, well,” I stall. Max doesn’t miss a thing. “Well, I guess since you know this much, it can’t hurt to tell you. Lucan lives upstairs, in the old Cloud Club. He converted one of the floors into a loft and the other two are guest quarters and stuff.”
“That explains a lot,” Max smiles. “I'm happy for you Abri, I really am. I have nothing against Lucan. I’ve never heard anything negative about him. In fact, the only thing I’ve ever heard is that he’s perpetually single and filthy rich. It’s just that I want you to be careful. Their world is very different from ours.”
“So you knew him from before?”
“I knew of him but we never met. I didn’t run with the upper echelon there. He’s a powerful guy in their circles. Most of the women, human and vampire, wanted to date him and the men wanted to do business with him.” Max is trying to pretend this isn’t weird for him and I appreciate it. “Like I said, I never heard anything bad about him. He’s a good guy.”
“So you let them feed from you?” I can’t stop the question before it comes out of my mouth. Immediately I cringe at my use of the word feed.
“Uh, yeah,” Max replies. “I hate the word ‘feed’ too. It was good money, more than giving at the Red Cross.”
“What does it feel like?” I whisper, like there is someone around to hear us.
“Not bad. They have this venom that numbs you up pretty well. Sometimes we would just donate like you would at the blood bank with a needle. They stockpile for emergencies, like humans.”
“Do you get assigned a particular vampire or do they just come in a select you like a bottle of wine?”
“Nice, Abri.” Max shakes his head. “A little of both actually. You start out just being like a free agent but once you meet people you establish relationships, friendships. Have you been to the restaurant there?”
“Yeah, on our first date.”
Max gives me a wide-eyed stare before shaking his head again. “That’s were a lot of Patrons go to meet vampires and, for lack of a better term, show off their wares.”
42nd & Lex Page 20
