The Reluctant Vampire taf-15

by Lynsay Sands

  “Yeah, I need you down here at my place. You need to take Susan Harper into custody,” he said into the phone as he handed Anders a pair of cuffs. “I’ll explain when you get here.” Teddy hit the button to end the call, and then raised an eyebrow at Anders. “What are you waiting for? Cuff her. She’s under arrest.”

  “Teddy,” Susan said with dismay. “You can’t arrest me.”

  Teddy arched his eyebrows as he peered at the girl. “Four counts of attempted murder is serious business, Susan. I certainly am arresting you.”

  “But he killed Jenny,” she wailed. “And he’s a vampire. Not even human. He’s a monster.”

  “Jenny’s death was an accident, one it’s sounding like she brought on herself,” he said, and then added sternly, “As for his being a monster, Harper never intended her to die, and it wasn’t his fault since she didn’t tell him about the tumor and chemo. You, on the other hand, have been deliberately cutting brakes and firebombing Elvi’s house and apparently the gas station. If I were you, I’d rethink who the monster is here.”

  “You can’t arrest her,” Anders said quietly.

  “What the hell do you mean?” Teddy asked with amazement. “Of course I can. The woman’s a menace. She needs to be locked up, probably in the hospital, but the courts will decide that.”

  “You can’t charge her with trying to kill Harper,” Drina said quietly.

  “They’re right,” Harper said, when Teddy opened his mouth to protest. “How are you going to explain that we didn’t die from any of the attacks? And what happens when she starts squawking about vampires and Jenny’s dying during the turn?”

  Teddy’s troubled gaze slid to Susan. “Well, what the hell are we supposed to do with her then? We can’t just let her loose. She’ll just try again.”

  There was silence for a minute, and then Anders quickly cuffed Susan and urged her across the room. “You can lock her up, but I suspect Lucian will want her in Toronto as well.”

  “Teddy,” Susan cried, jerking around and looking at him pleadingly.

  He frowned, but sighed, and asked, “What will Lucian do?”

  Anders shrugged. “Depends.”

  “On what?” Teddy asked at once.

  “Does she have family here?”

  “She and Jenny were all that was left. Grandparents were all gone by the time they were out of grade school. The mother died while they were in high school, and the father had a heart attack a couple years back.” He paused, and then added, “I think they have an aunt and a couple of cousins in London, but they weren’t close as far as I know.”

  “Then he’ll probably have her memory wiped and relocate her to the other end of Canada or somewhere down in the States,” Mirabeau said quietly. “Give her a job with someone who can keep an eye on her and a new home. The works.”

  “Memory wiped? Like she won’t know who she is?” Teddy asked with a frown.

  “No.” It was Drina who answered this time. “They’ll wipe her memories of Harper and vampires in general, alter her memories of Jenny’s death so she believes she died from the tumor alone, and probably put it in her head that Port Henry is full of bad, sad memories for her, and she doesn’t want to return.” Her mouth tightened, and she added, “They’ll probably veil her sense of loss over Jenny too so she can move on.”

  Teddy grunted at this and shook his head. “So she tries to kill Harper, nearly kills you and Stephanie along with him, and gets into the immortal version of the Federal Witness Protection Program?”

  “That’s about it,” Mirabeau said wryly, and shrugged. “She isn’t wholly in her right mind, Teddy. Jenny was all she had. She’s grieving.”

  Drina made an impatient sound, and Harper squeezed her fingers gently, knowing she wasn’t too pleased by this outcome. Not that Teddy looked as if he thought it was a fair deal either.

  “And she calls you guys the monsters,” Teddy muttered, shaking his head. He scrubbed one hand through his gray hair, then sighed and stepped back out into the entry when they heard the crunch of snow under tires. Glancing back into the room, he gestured Anders forward. “My deputy’s here. He’ll take her down and lock her up until Lucian can send someone for her.”

  “Teddy?” Susan said unhappily, as Anders walked her to the man, “please don’t let them-”

  “I don’t want to hear it, Susan. I’m tired and heartsick. You did this to yourself,” Teddy said sternly. “And you’re getting a hell of a good deal. If it were up to me, you’d be locked up for what you’ve done. You tried to kill the man, caused no end of pain to all three of them, damned near burnt down Elvi’s house. . and you could have killed that semi driver or someone else with that brakes stunt too. Just thank your lucky stars they aren’t demanding your head on a platter.”

  Shaking his head, Teddy turned to the door to watch his deputy approach the house, muttering, “I thought I lived in Goddamned Mayberry with a bunch of Aunt Beas and Andies. Who knew Port Henry had so many homicidal nutcases running around? I think it’s time I retired,” he added wearily as he opened the door.

  They were all silent as Teddy turned the woman over to his deputy. The moment she was out of his hands, Anders slipped his cell phone from his pocket and started punching numbers. Calling Lucian Argeneau, Harper supposed.

  “Well, that takes care of that.” Teddy closed and locked the front door, then turned back to stand in the doorway to the living room to survey his guests with a sigh. He grimaced as he noted Anders talking quietly into his phone, then glanced to the others, and said, “I’m hoping this means we’re off high alert and are back to thinking that this Leonius fellow is still in the States?”

  “It looks that way,” Drina said, sounding a little more cheerful than she had at the prospect of Susan’s lack of punishment for what she’d done.

  “Right.” Teddy turned away. “Then I’m to bed. I’m too damned old for this nonsense.”

  “Sleep well,” Harper murmured, a sentiment echoed by the others. They all smiled wryly when the man snorted at the very possibility.

  “He means it about retiring,” Stephanie said sadly. “He’s very depressed about what’s happened in Port Henry the last couple of years.”

  “He just needs some sleep,” Harper assured her, and hoped it was true. He liked the man. Teddy Brunswick did his best for the people in this town, mortal and immortal alike. Unfortunately, the man was nearing retirement. Unless he turned out to be a life mate for someone, they would lose him in another year or so. Harper frowned at the realization and thought perhaps he should suggest Drina talk to her aunt Marguerite about setting that special skill of hers for sniffing out life mates onto Teddy. She usually found mates for immortals, but she might be able to find an immortal for him. It would certainly be handy if Teddy became one of them.

  “Lucian’s sending someone for the woman,” Anders announced, putting his phone away. “I’m going back to bed.”

  “So are we,” Mirabeau said on a sigh. “Good night, guys.”

  Harper murmured good night, and then glanced from Stephanie to Drina. The two females were peering at each other, Drina eyeing the girl with worry, Stephanie peering back, her expression a portrait of misery.

  “I don’t want to be a no-fanger,” the teenager said suddenly.

  Harper winced, guessing the girl had read that worry from one of them despite their best efforts to keep the thought from their minds.

  “We won’t let you,” Drina said quietly. “We’ll find a way to help you.”

  Stephanie nodded but didn’t look as if she believed it as she lay back down and turned over to face the back of the couch.

  When Drina sighed unhappily and settled back in her chair, Harper released a little sigh of his own. He wanted to tell her everything would be all right, but he wasn’t yet sure his plan would work, so simply gave her hand another squeeze and closed his eyes to sleep as well.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “I don’t think I like helicopters.”

&nbs
p; Drina smiled faintly at Stephanie’s words as Harper urged them both out of the elevator and into his apartment. In truth, she hadn’t been too thrilled with the helicopter this time either. It was extremely windy tonight, and the ride had been a little bumpy. But they were here now, safe and sound and much more swiftly than it would have been by car.

  “I guess you may as well call Lucian and let him know we’re here, Anders,” Harper said as he shrugged out of, and hung up, his coat.

  “No need.”

  Those two words brought everyone to a halt. Frowning, Harper moved to the end of the entry and peered into his living room. Drina could tell by the way his eyebrows rose that he was surprised, and not necessarily pleased, at who he found there. Lucian Argeneau. Drina would recognize her uncle’s voice anywhere.

  “How did you get in?” Harper asked, sounding annoyed.

  Drina hung up her coat, kicked off her boots, and moved to join Harper as Lucian answered, “Your doorman is mortal.”

  It wasn’t much of an answer, but pretty much said it all. Lucian had controlled the man to let him in, Drina deduced, eyeing him where he sat looking relaxed and comfortable on Harper’s sofa. It was a con, of course; Lucian wasn’t at all relaxed. He was reading Harper. She’d bet her life on it, Drina thought, and then stiffened when his gaze suddenly shifted to her, and she felt the telltale ruffling as he now rifled through her thoughts as well.

  Drina glared at him for it but didn’t try to block him. When his gaze slid past her and narrowed, she knew before turning that Stephanie had finished removing her own outer gear and moved up to join them. Drina spared the girl a reassuring smile and slid her arm around her, then glanced to Anders as he joined them.

  “Yes, I can,” Stephanie said suddenly, and Drina glanced to her sharply, then peered warily at her uncle. One eyebrow was raised on his hard face, but otherwise, he looked as emotionless as ever. Standing, he walked toward them, and Drina stiffened, but he merely moved past to the closet to retrieve a long, leather coat.

  “Anders, you’re with me,” Lucian announced as he drew it on.

  The man immediately joined him at the closet, and Drina scowled. “That’s it? You dragged us all the way to Toronto, and now you’re just going to leave?”

  Lucian shrugged. “Between your brainstorming and the arrangements Harper has made, you have everything under control.”

  Drina’s eyes widened. She wasn’t at all sure she had anything under control, and she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about when he said “arrangements Harper has made.”

  “So we return to Port Henry?” Harper asked.

  “After the repairs and renovations you commissioned are done,” Lucian said.

  Drina glanced to Harper with surprise, and he explained, “I made some calls last night after arranging for the helicopter to pick us up.”

  “Stay here till then,” Lucian ordered. “Keep Stephanie inside unless you can find a way to disguise her.”

  Drina nodded solemnly, knowing that Leonius was still a worry. While the man was supposedly in the States, that could change, and Toronto was one of the places he’d look for the girl.

  “I’ll see what I can find out from the few older edentates, and tell Bastien to help you any way he can with whatever drugs he thinks might be useful,” Lucian announced.

  Drina glanced worriedly to Stephanie. That idea had come up after the girl had fallen asleep. It was Tiny who had suggested that perhaps there was some sort of drug that might help block the thoughts of others for her until she learned to do it herself. It wasn’t a first choice, but a last resort to help her hold on to her sanity until she was able to deal with the thoughts, energy, and electricity herself.

  “I want regular reports,” Lucian barked, drawing Drina’s attention again as he pressed the button for the elevator. He then glanced back. “And I want the truth. Help her if you can, but if you can’t, I need to know about it.”

  Drina nodded reluctantly, and his eyes narrowed on her.

  “This is a temporary gig, Alexandrina. Elvi’s already raised and lost a daughter. She and Victor were happy when I asked them to be in charge of Stephanie, and I won’t take it away from them now. They make final decisions until it’s safe to put the sisters together again.” He didn’t wait to see how she reacted to that, but turned and led Anders onto the elevator. “I’ll have blood deliveries set up for you while you’re here.”

  Drina let out a slow breath as the elevator doors closed, and then glanced to Stephanie and Harper. “Well, that went better than I expected.”

  “Yes,” Harper said dryly.

  Drina chuckled at his expression and glanced to Stephanie. “How are you doing?”

  Stephanie forced a smile. “Good. Tired though. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

  “Well, there are three guest rooms in this apartment,” Harper said at once. “All of them have their own attached bath. Go take a look, pick which one you prefer, and have a nap, then we’ll figure out how to disguise you so we can see some plays and stuff while we’re in the city.”

  “Plays?” Stephanie peered at him with interest.

  “Yeah, I hear there are a couple good ones in Toronto right now,” he said easily. “And you’ll need a break from all the work Drina and I are going to make you do to try to learn to block thoughts.”

  She nodded and started to turn away, then quickly whirled back and hugged Drina, mumbling, “Thank you for wanting to help me, and for my room at Elvi’s,” she added as she then hugged Harper.

  Before either of them could respond or even hug her back, she was off rushing across the living room and away up the hall toward the bedrooms.

  “Her room at Elvi’s?” Drina asked with confusion.

  Harper smiled faintly and turned to slip his arms around her. “When I called about repairing the fire and smoke damage to Elvi’s house, I also arranged to have insulation, a wall of brick, and several different kinds of soundproofing and whatnot put in Stephanie’s room. I’m hoping that will help block thoughts and give her a quiet place to get away when it gets too much for her.”

  “Oh.” Drina sighed and leaned against him. “You’re a clever man.”

  “I like to think so,” he said lightly, rubbing his hands up and down her back. “I’m thinking I might do it to whatever room she chooses here too.”

  Drina pulled back to peer at him with surprise. “But we’re only going to be here until the house is repaired.”

  Harper shrugged. “I can afford it. Besides, that way she’ll be comfortable if we can bring her back to Toronto for visits. Elvi and Victor may be in charge when they return, but we can be the doting auntie and uncle figures who drag her off to the city for plays and shopping on occasion and give them a break.”

  Drina nodded solemnly. “You’re going to be a good father.”

  “I sincerely hope so,” Harper murmured, bending to kiss the tip of her nose. He then straightened, and asked, “I presume that means you do want children?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. “Do you?”

  “Definitely,” he assured her. Letting his hands slide to her waist, Harper lifted her up. When Drina instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, he began to carry her through the living room toward the hall Stephanie had disappeared down. “And where would you like to raise those children?”

  “With you,” she said simply.

  He smiled and paused at the start of the hall to kiss her, but then continued on, asking, “And where would that be? Where do you want to live, Drina? Your home and family are in Spain.”

  “And your home and family are here in Canada,” she pointed out.

  “Actually, my birth family are in Germany,” he said wryly, “but you’re right, Elvi and Victor and the others have become my family, and they’re here. As is Stephanie.”

  “You consider me family?”

  Harper paused, and Drina glanced around to see that they were halfway up the hall and in front of an open bedroom door. Stephanie
stood in the middle of the room, her wide eyes on them.

  “We’d like to consider you family if that’s all right with you?” Drina said solemnly.

  “Oh, yeah!” She grinned. “Everyone needs family, and you two are pretty cool. Kind of annoying with your new-life-mate horndoginess, but still cool.”

  The words startled a laugh from Drina, and she said, “So you wouldn’t mind if we settled in Port Henry or somewhere nearby and stayed a part of your life?”

  “I’d like that,” she assured them quietly.

  “So would I,” Harper said, and glanced to Drina. “You’re sure? Your family is in Spain.”

  “You’re my life mate, Harper. And I love you. You are my family,” she said solemnly. “And so is Stephanie. My home is here now.”

  His eyes widened, and he seemed to hold his breath for a moment as if savoring what she’d said. That breath came out as if he’d been punched when Stephanie said, “Well? Aren’t you going to tell her you love her too, Harper? I know that you do.”

  He smiled wryly, and then turned to the girl to say, “I’ll tell her. Now go get some sleep. We’re going to nap too.”

  “Oh yeah.” Stephanie rolled her eyes as she moved to the door. “I bet you’ll get so much sleep.”

  Drina wrinkled her nose. “Maybe we should cut your hair. That might help disguise you.”

  “No way!” Stephanie said at once. “Actually, I’m thinking a goth look might be a cool change. Black hair, black lipstick, maybe some purple or pink streaks like Mirabeau. Oh, and some chains and nose rings. I could really rock the goth look,” she assured them with a wicked grin as she closed the door.

  Drina groaned as Harper started moving again. “She’s going to be trouble, that one.”

  “No doubt,” he said with amusement. “But you can handle her.”

  “I can, can I?” she asked wryly, as he carried her into his room and kicked the door closed.

  “Dree, darling, you’ve handled pirates and prostitutes. You can handle one little teenager. And together we can handle Stephanie and ten more,” he assured her, moving to the bed and kneeling on the edge to lower her to it.