by C. L. Quinn
“Yeah, received and opened. Little did he know he just sent us an awesome vampire for our army.”
“Four of my oldest friends, and their entourages, will be joining us here sometime tonight. Then we’ll begin our strategy and response to this threat.”
“Do you have enough room for that many people in your home?”
At that moment, the car cornered around a stand of evergreens as tall as the sky, and his home came into view.
“Oh, Bas…” Park gasped. It was a magnificent compound, surrounding an impressive estate. The main house was what could conservatively be called a mansion. It looked like it could have been here for centuries, or built last month. Park had been raised in a two room walk-up with little heat in the winter and no air conditioning through scorching summers. And although her little beach property was high dollar, and she loved it, it didn’t approach this level of luxury. It felt too grand for the likes of her. With no volition, the little girl in the dark returned.
“I think there’s enough room. Pull up to the main entrance.” He pointed. “There.”
Like she could miss it. She wasn’t too surprised when six men came out. They greeted Bas warmly and smiled at Park, who responded in kind and wondered how many of them were not human.
A tall remarkably built man in his mid twenties, (well, he appeared to be in his mid twenties, could be two or three hundred) approached her.
“I’ll take the keys, mum.” Lovely accent.
“Why?” Park asked defensively.
He smiled tolerantly. “So I can park the vehicle for you when we’ve unloaded it. Don’t worry. Mr. Sebastian has very safe facilities. Please.” She handed them to him when Bas told her to.
“I’d like them back after you park her,” wanting to maintain some measure of control when it seemed every aspect of her life was flinging wildly out of control.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said politely. One of the other men was pulling Bernie out of the backseat. She had her eyes covered and was still moaning.
“Take her to lockup six. She’s in transition. I’ll join you later. Have any of the others arrived?”
“Ms. Desiree is in the Brown suite. She asked to be notified when you arrived, sir.”
“Fine. Give me about half an hour to get settled, and then have her meet me in the conference room.”
“Yes, sir.”
Bas turned to Park, whose head was swiveling, watching Bas’s efficient crew take care of business.
“Park, I’m having my housemaster show you to the Lavender suite. I think you’ll like it, based on the colors in your own bedroom. And it’s very near to mine. If you want to unpack and clean up, then let him know when you are ready to join us. He’ll bring you to us. Don’t worry. You’re safe here. I’ll make sure Bernie is secured.”
“I heard you tell him to lock her up. Are you putting her in a cell?”
“No, but it’s a secure room for her situation. I know she’s done well so far, but it’s going to get exponentially more painful over the next few days. She’ll need to be secured for her own safety.” He came to her and held her face. He liked to do that, and as it turned out, she liked it too. “Park, you’ve trusted me this far. Trust me now.”
She smiled softly. “I do. This is just…it just got so real in the past two days.”
“I know. You’re handling it well. I’ll see you soon. Enjoy the bathroom in your suite. It’s incredible.”
144
Chapter Six
Her entire bedroom in her house would have fit in the bathroom alone. And the waterfall shower…well, she didn’t want to leave it. It felt so wonderful after the last few days of limited chances to clean up and dealing with a lot of blood being exchanged between three people.
After the shower, she dried off with what had to be the plushest, softest towels in the world, wrapped the large lavender bath sheet sized one around her, and strolled barefoot back into the brightly lit lavender scented bedroom. Her favorite part of the room was the large balcony that ran the entire length of the outside wall. She could see the well lit gardens below her window as she wandered out to the railing, where brilliant white moonflowers covered high trellises all around the courtyard beneath the windows. It was only when she saw one of Bas’s security men moving about down below that she realized she was wearing only a towel, so she retreated into the room and went to her small overnite case try to find something to wear. It was sitting on a bench at the foot of the bed and as she approached it, she noticed a note on the top. She tore it free and read it. It said, Mr. Bas wanted me to let you know to look in the closet before you dressed. If you need anything, my name is Cherise, and I can be here if you dial 120 on the phone.
Her brows furrowed as she left the little case abandoned and went over to pull the double doors of the huge closet back…and revealed a closet filled with clothes. For a moment her heart clenched as she wondered who all these beautiful woman’s clothes belonged to, and then she saw that they all had tags on them. They were new? On closer inspection, she realized they were mostly her size. Had Bas had someone shop for her? She started pulling some of the garments out. They were all very high quality, a nice combination of casual and dressy. Some of the jeans were the same brand she preferred herself and had hanging in her own closets at home. The shoes …they were her size, too.
It took some work to select something with so many gorgeous choices, but she ended up with a pair of light denim capris and a white loose knit sweater top that was designed to drop off one shoulder, and it was sexy as hell. That was unusual for her, to dress for sexual impact, but it was how she felt tonight. She wanted a response from Bas. And the image in the mirror confirmed that she succeeded. With high heeled slides, her hair swept up in a loose ponytail falling over one shoulder to just below her breasts, she felt really sexy for perhaps the first time in her life.
Clean hair, scrubbed skin, fresh clothes that looked and smelled fresh, Park felt her energy and mood rebound. In the shower she had discovered a huge bruise that covered her from her breasts to belly on her right side. It had been from when Bas collapsed on her the day they had started Bernie’s transformation. Although sore right from that first night, it was already healing. The sweater covered it completely.
She dialed the 120 on the bedside phone and a woman with a heavy French accent answered with a cheery, “Hello, mademoiselle.”
“Hi, Cherise? Could you tell me if Mr. Bas wanted me to meet him after I was ready?”
“Yes, he is in the conference room. I will have Eugene come and escort you.”
“Oh, that’s alright, you could just tell me where to go and I can find it myself.”
“No, you would not. It is pretty tough to get to. Eugene will be there momentarily. Do you need anything else?”
“No. No, I’m good.”
As soon as she rung off there was a light knock on the door. The man there was as big as a black bear, just as dark and just as imposing. But his smile lit up the corridor, large white teeth that were almost perfectly straight. Reminded her of the Cheshire cat in Alice’s adventures.
“Mademoiselle, I am Eugene.” Like Cherise, he was French, and gave Park an immediate sense of safety. He was armed, a large automatic pinned to his side like it had always been there. He had a Bluetooth positioned in his left ear.
“I am to bring you to him. Please to follow me.” To “him”. Park guessed there was no doubt who was king of the manor. Bas was apparently not bragging when he told her he was wealthy enough to do anything he wanted.
She followed Eugene through a series of hallways, some with alcoves and bay windows, a few with actual window seats, which Park had loved the idea ever since she’d read a book called The Velvet Window when she was a child. She’d always thought that sitting in a bay window seat covered by tulle curtains watching the snow fall would be so wonderful. Of course, her childhood had held no such moments. She actually had a small window in her room, but her mother had a piece of plywood nailed over
it, so Park only saw the sun briefly when she went from their apartment to somewhere else. Which was rare. Park had been home-schooled, what little she’d actually had, and was never sick, so she never had to go out to a doctor. But they did let her have books, they considered them harmless. Park learned about the world that way. She thought it was magical and couldn’t wait until she could go out into it someday.
She’d never known, when she was a child, that other children didn’t live like that. Not until she was older, until she went to college and began to talk with other girls. The world out there truly was magical. Sunshine and soft words, people being nice to her, for no reason! Good food and soft clothes. Television! And…no one hit her…told her how stupid and worthless she was…told her nobody in the world wanted her.
Shee. Park had to pull her head back out of the dark place now. Here, in this opulent mansion, she was likely living as well as anyone on the planet. She knew her mother wasn’t…wherever she was now. Even though her younger self had lived in what she now knew of as squalor, her mother hadn’t lived much better. Although there had always seemed to be enough money for beer and drugs, and peroxide and tattoos, and no one beat her, her mother had still lived in the same dirty apartments with her daughter. Park cringed at the word that she usually kept out of her mind.
It hurt her to even use the word…daughter. A daughter, she knew, was a treasured female child, loved and cherished by her mother and father…protected. Once, and only once, had her mother referred to her as her daughter. It was right after she sold Park to a huge filthy old man to “pleasure” him. Park had been fourteen. It had been established that she would take care of his needs, but that there would be no intercourse, no penetration. Her mother had made it clear if he did, she’d cut “it” off. He’d grinned his toothless grin and nodded, and they went into Park’s room. Her mother had smiled as the door snapped shut, turning to count the grimy wadded up cash he’d given her.
Suddenly dizzy, Park felt herself transported, back to that awful moment. The vivid memory assaulted her and made her see it, live it, again. The horrible man advanced on the terrified little girl who had backed into the furthest corner of her dismal little room. As he walked forward, he’d loosened his pants and let them drop around his ankles. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he pointed to her.
“Don’t make me wait, girlie. Your mama’s been paid and my johns ready to play. You a cute thing, though, for all your mama tells folk. Get on over here and make me happy.”
She squeezed tighter into the corner, her eyes shut, whispering to herself that he’d be gone if she opened her eyes, wishing to be anywhere else. But when she felt his hard pinch on her face a moment later, she opened her eyes and threw her hands out. He flew backward, airborne, landing on her bed, his pants twisted around his ankles, that horrible thing between his legs sticking up. He’d yelled as he flew, but he was silent now. Park stayed in her corner, looking at her hands. What had happened? How had she done that? She was still looking at her hands when her bedroom door swung open and her mother came in. Mother’s mean little eyes took in the scene, the little girl holding her hands up , the man on the bed with his pants off and his privates exposed. She grinned.
“Used your hand, huh? That’s better than your mouth if they’ll let you get away with it. Did he pass out?”
Little Park nodded.
“Well, he ain’t staying here.” Mother went over and kicked him hard, in the thigh. It roused him and he sat up shakily.
“She done you good, so get out,” mother said. He looked confused, like he’d had a blow to the head and wasn’t quite aware of where he was.
He stood, reached down to pull his pants up, kept blinking his eyes, staring at Park. “She…she took care of me…”
“Damn right. So get the fuck out of here. Unless you wanna pay for another round.”
He shook his head. “Nah, nah, I’m good.”
He walked away zipping his pants, mumbling to himself.
Mother stared at Park, her eyes suddenly sharp. She stared for a good five minutes, and it scared Park. Mother never looked at her unless she had to. Or unless she was going to be punished. Suddenly mother stepped toward her.
“Maybe I can make some money off you. That was quick. Your young body must really turn the old men on. Yeah.” Mother lit a cigarette as she walked to the door, her hand on the knob. “You might be able to earn your keep now that you’re older. Keep it quiet, I’m taking a nap.”
Then mother switched off the light and closed the door softly.
Afterward, the little girl who would someday be a brilliant scientist sat in her lightless corner and wondered what was wrong with her. She didn’t go near her bed that night.
Now, safe in Bas’s fortress, she stopped in her tracks as she was following Eugene. Her heart was racing, and her chest felt like it was being crushed. She knew the feeling well…flashbacks paralyzed her until she could deal with them…she had to go back to her room.
She put her hand out to stop Eugene. Speaking was hard.
“Um, Eugene, I have to do something first. Will you let Mr. Bas know I’ll join him later.”
“But he is waiting for you.” He was visibly upset, his accent more pronounced.
“Yeah, I know, but he’ll just have to wait a little longer. I’m sorry. I just go back around here and to the right and then to the left corridor and back right again. Right?”
Eugene nodded, his eyes now worried. He was an intuitive man…knew something was wrong.
“Is there something I can do for you, mademoiselle? Shall I send Cherise to you?”
No, god, no. She smiled, tried to seem okay. “No, really, I…I have a headache. Just need to lie down for a moment. It’ll go away, but I just need to close my eyes. Thanks.” She made a hasty retreat before he could analyze her further. She knew what she really needed now, and that was to be alone to reassure herself that she was okay. Park brought her little iPad touch with her. She would go out on the beautiful balcony and listen to music that always made her feel better. Bas would just have to wait. It wasn’t like he really needed her anyway. She was nothing special, she wasn’t a vampire. What could she do to help his battle? She found her way back easily.
Bas wondered where Park was. They were sitting down in the situation room to discuss the danger that presented all of them a great deal more concern than they’d dealt with in some time. Two more of his long time vampire friends had arrived and were being settled. One of his oldest, trusted friends, Vaz, was watching out for Bernie, whose transition had really kicked in. They’d gotten here not one minute too soon for her, who was now partially tethered to two heavy metal poles with unbreakable leather and chain straps. Bas would be joining her for the next feeding as soon as the meeting was finished. But Park, she should be here. His cell buzzed. It was Eugene.
“Mr. Bas, I need to let you know your human isn’t coming.”
Bas was concerned.
“Why? What happened? And her name is Park.”
“I’m sorry, sir. She’s a lovely woman. We were on our way, then she suddenly said she had a headache and had to go back.”
“Thank you, Eugene, I’ll check on her.”
“I offered Cherise to stop in but she did not want her.”
“No…no, it’s alright, I’ll take care of it.”
“Very good, sir.”
Now Bas was wondering if she was just being stubborn, difficult Park, or if something was wrong. He turned to his second in command, a vampire who had been with him for over two hundred years.
“Jake, keep everyone here when they arrive. I’ll be right back.”
Jacob Ward knew Bas well and rarely ever questioned him. He nodded and scooped up a nacho chip full of cheese and jalapenos. They had a new house girl who was from New York City and she was making every junk food dish under the forbidden sun for them. Vampires didn’t ever have to worry about unhealthy junk food, and Jacob was loving this new gastronomic direction. He’d take good car
e of their guests until his friend returned. He was polishing off a good size plate of the spicy dish when a stunning six foot tall woman dressed in tight leather came into the room on six inch stiletto heeled boots. Her hair was pitch black with bright purple streaks wound through it, twisted in a braid to just above her waist. He snickered. Every vampire movie cliché, right there. Her most shocking feature was her pale blue eyes, unheard of in a vampire. Regardless of a person’s eye color, they all went dark when the vampire took over. She was the only person he’d ever known who hadn’t.
“Jakester,” she said coolly.
“Dez,” he acknowledged, “Have something to eat. Bas is gonna be awhile. He’d dealing with his new human.”
“Ahhh….” The amazon groaned. “Another one? I though after hearing what happened to that last one he might stick with his own kind. But what the fuck do I know?” She grazed on some of Jake’s chips. “You guys always have the best shit.”
“You know, for a woman who grew up in polite society in downtown London during the early eighteen hundreds, you are outrageously coarse.”
“And you need someone to pull that stick out of your ass…or push it through. I’d like to present myself for the job.” Dez grinned and picked up the rest of the nachos and wandered to the other side of the room.
Jake fumed. Bitch, he thought. Not out loud, something about the point on those stilettos scared him too much. They couldn’t kill him but they’d hurt like hell.
Bas gently knocked on the door of the Lavender suite, located conveniently just three doors away from his. No answer. He knocked again, louder. Nothing. Then, banged. Again, no response. Well it was his damned house so he shoved it open and went in. It was dark, she had the lights off, the only light filtered in from the balcony, both doors swung open wide. He continued through the room and found her, stretched out on a recliner. When he came up behind her and said her name, she didn’t respond, then he realized her eyes were closed and she had earphones in her ears. But she knew he was there because, without opening her eyes or turning to him, she said his name back to him, very, very softly.
