“I’m sorry.” I turned my head and made an effort to slow my heartbeat. I felt the burning behind my eyes begin to cool before I faced him again.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” I said softly.
“You didn’t, I mean—” He paused. “Well, yeah you did. But that’s okay,” he added the last part quickly. “I knew about everything ... I just—” He gulped.
“It’s all right, Richard. I’m not going to eat you.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice. I wasn’t angry with Richard. It was simply a disappointment to have someone else frightened to look at me.
“I’m not afraid of you.” His voice sounded stronger, and very clear.
I looked him in the eye.
“I’m a monster, Richard. What do you think of that?”
“I think I work with the real monsters. You’re just Lilith to me.”
“You really mean that?”
“Of course. How long have we known each other? I knew what happened to you. It’s just this was the first time I’ve ever seen wolf eyes in your face. I didn’t grow up with a dad who hunted werewolves, remember?”
He had a very good point.
“I’m sorry. Under the circumstances, I’d say you handled that quite well. But the question is: Do you want to see something really scary?”
He gulped again. “Like what?”
Richard was both a scientist and a self-confessed comic book nerd. I knew if anyone would appreciate the unusualness of my situation, it would be him.
“You’re a scientist, what do you make of this?”
As I stretched my right hand across the table toward Richard, I let my claws extend to their full length. They were at least six inches long, straight, and sharp as a razor.
“That’s incredible,” he breathed.
I could see he wanted to touch them. He reached out, but then pulled his hand back. Another professor he knew was a werewolf, so I assumed he was afraid of infection.
“It’s all right, I’m not contagious.”
“That’s right. I remember you saying you weren’t actually a carrier of the disease.”
As Richard turned my hand back and forth, examining the claws I repeated for him what Alfred said about my body mutating the virus.
“And this has never happened to anyone else?” he asked.
“It’s completely unprecedented. Besides, they gave up on the cure years ago. Nearly everyone who was vaccinated turned. No one had the reaction I did. It could have been the fact that the vaccine was injected into my system so soon after my attack. I guess it was just too late.”
“Wait a minute.”
Richard’s eyes lit up. I loved to watch him work. He was a scientist to the core, always coming up with fascinating theories about complicated or obscure things that most people overlooked.
“If almost everyone who was vaccinated changed, that means two things. First, the ones who didn’t turn had a natural immunity. That’s not that weird.”
“What’s the second thing?”
“Well, most people did change because of the vaccination. You had that shit injected directly into your blood stream less than thirty minutes after being brutally attacked. From the way you described the attack to me, I’d say a fair amount of werewolf DNA was already coursing through your veins.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“You were infected twice.”
His face said clearly that he understood the significance of this, but I did not.
“Sometimes people are attacked by multiple werewolves. Wouldn’t that count as being infected with each individual bite? That doesn’t make sense, Richard.”
“Yes, it does, and no that doesn’t count as a multiple infection. See, you were infected first by a werewolf, the animal itself. Then you were injected with a synthetic version of almost the same virus, meant to fight off the disease. You were infected separately with two different versions of the same poison, so to speak.”
“So what does that make me?”
“I don’t really know. A mutant of some sort?”
“Gee thanks, Richard. You really know how to boost a girl’s self-confidence.”
“It’s not an insult,” he insisted. “It’s a miracle. What happened to you should have killed you.”
“That may be true, but would it have killed a wizard?”
I then explained to Richard about my great, great, grandfather.
“When did you find this out?” he asked at the end of my story.
“A few months ago.”
He sat back and ran a hand through his prematurely gray hair and finished his drink.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Lilith. My knowledge of wizards is very limited. I didn’t even know of their existence until I met you.”
“Yeah, and I’m no expert.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that you don’t know much about them either, and I only know as much as you know. I’m really not sure if their actual genetic makeup is different enough to cause a mutation like that, or ...”
“Or what?”
“Or, if it’s magic.”
“I love good fiction, Richard. But I just don’t know.”
“You don’t believe in things you can’t see and touch? I know better than that. You believe in God, and love. What else would you call love but magic of some sort?”
“True enough, but you can feel both of those things.”
“You can feel God?”
“Of course. What else would you call a comforting touch when you’re in need but the hand of God?”
“I should never argue religion with a poet. You’re right though, I hadn’t thought of it quite that way.”
I poured Richard another cola and rum, got myself a beer out of the fridge and located a bag of pretzels.
“So what will you do?” I asked after a while.
“I don’t know. There’s really not much I can do. I don’t have any proof that she started those rumors.”
“That’s just wrong. There has to be someone you can complain to.”
“Nah, they all believe it.”
“Shit,” I said hotly.
“What it all amounts to is, my ass is chapped and they’ve cornered the market on chap balm.”
I laughed. “Nothing like standard issue sandpaper underwear.”
For the first time since he’d arrived I saw Richard smile.
“So what have you been up to?”
“Ah, not a whole lot,” I sort of stuttered.
“Oh, Lilith.” He sounded so disappointed, but I knew Richard couldn’t read my mind. “You’ve been toasting marshmallows haven’t you?”
I laughed. One of Richard’s favorite expressions was, “Don’t toast marshmallows over the fire that will most likely consume you.” I didn’t even bother denying he was right. I just didn’t offer any further explanation.
Richard stayed until late that afternoon. By the time I watched him drive away, he had calmed down significantly from when he’d first knocked on my door. At least he was in a better mood. It did me good to see him, but a few minutes after he left I started to feel more depressed than angry about all of the rumors that were circulating. I couldn’t imagine why people would say such terrible things about such a nice man. Richard was a sweet guy, but he was truly oblivious to a lot of what went on around him. He paid attention to certain people, like me. But that was only because we’d been friends for so long and he was interested to know what was going on with me.
If a student was interested in him, they’d have to show up naked at his office for him to take the hint. Subtlety did not work well with him. He simply didn’t pay close enough attention. Richard was very much focused on his work. He loved science. That was his thing and he did it well. He and Alfred were very similar creatures, but to have pointed that out to either of them would piss them off.
What bothered me even more was the fact that I was now a part of the whole sordid mess. I had never so much as thou
ght of having any kind of sexual contact with Richard. He was like a brother to me. What was really insulting was the fact that people didn’t think either one of us was capable of being just friends with someone of the opposite sex. As I walked through the house and turned off the lights I came to the conclusion that I could worry about it as much as I liked, but it wouldn’t change a damn thing. It simply wasn’t worth shortening my life span over. I walked upstairs and decided a bubble bath was just what I needed.
*****
Bubbles were floating so close to the rim I was afraid that when I got in it might splash over the sides. I put a CD of some of my favorite R&B music in the small player that sat on my vanity and began to strip.
After lighting the vanilla candles spaced throughout the room, I placed the tip of my toes tentatively in the water. It was perfect. I had just stepped in when my heard a beeping noise. I stepped back out of the tub and went over to the toilet where the noise was coming from. It was my communicator. I must have dropped it there when I’d been so sick a few nights ago. Normally, I didn’t answer any calls when I was about to take a bath, but I was afraid it might be important. I quickly covered myself with a towel and pressed the button.
Chapter Five
Marco appeared before me looking concerned. I’m not sure who I was expecting to see, but it wasn’t him. Just looking at his handsome face made my heart jump almost painfully. He was lounging casually in the large overstuffed chair I’d seen is his apartment. From the angle of his image, he’d placed the communicator on the ottoman in front of him. For the first time I was truly appreciative of the fact that my communicator was capable of receiving color images. Marco sat before me in his red silk pajamas with the matching robe open to reveal his torso. I watched for a few moments as the rigid muscles of his stomach expanded and contracted with every breath. His hologram wasn’t as good as the real thing, but it was close.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Something must have been wrong for him to skip his usual flirtatious greeting.
“I’m fine,” I answered the miniature image of Marco that stood on my vanity.
He looked at me for a moment as if he were sizing me up before smiling slightly.
“So, what are you doing?”
“We’re going to have a conversation now?” I teased.
“Might as well. There aren’t too many other options for you and I.”
“I was just about to take a bath.”
“Please, don’t let me stop you.”
I carried the communicator, along with the smiling hologram of Marco and placed it on the rim of the tub. While I did this I said, “I thought you didn’t have a communicator anymore.”
“And what did you think I did with it?”
“Well, I just assumed you destroyed it. I mean, can’t they trace your calls?”
“Not if I know how to jam the signal.”
I almost asked him to close his eyes while I got in the tub, but felt it would be pointless. Besides, he’s already seen this show. As soon as the thought crossed my mind I could hear Marco saying, “Sometimes re-runs aren’t so bad.”
As I lowered myself into the hot water my skin tingled slightly. It was hotter than I normally liked it, but I needed to relax. My muscles had been tense ever since I had that awful vision of Marco’s injury. I curled up and rested my forehead against my knees.
“You sure you’re all right?” Marco’s voice was soft and concerned.
I looked up at him and answered, “I was sick a few nights ago.”
“But you’re fine now?”
“Yes. So, you can jam their signal?” I changed the subject. I didn’t want to share with Marco what my father told me about his attack.
“Yes. However, I still use this type of communication sparingly.”
“And this was an emergency?” I inquired.
“Yes, it was. I had to see that you were all right. A few nights ago when you say you were sick, you were suddenly screaming through my head. I didn’t exactly hear your voice, I felt you. You were calling out to me in a way I’ve never felt before. So, my question to you is: Why did you call?”
I rested my forehead back against my knees. I couldn’t look at Marco and lie to him.
“It must have been something I ate,” I mumbled.
“Is that really what you’re telling yourself, or just what you’re telling me?”
I groaned.
“Come on, Red. That was a good bit more than bad sushi.”
Finally I responded, “I had a bad dream ... a haunted vision. It would disturb you if I shared it and it’s something I’d rather not re-live.”
His image grew very still for a moment and his brow knit in concentration.
“Of the past or of the future?”
“The past,” I whispered.
“I guess you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
“I’m sorry, Marco. I just don’t want that in my head again.”
“I understand. There are a lot of things I’ve seen that I wish I hadn’t.” He sighed. “Red, I can’t leave you on a bad note like this. How was your visit with Sam?”
I was glad for the change in subject, but surprised he didn’t already know the answer to that question.
“You mean he didn’t tell you?”
“Sure. He reported back that you were safe and all was well. He also made it very clear he was not my spy and if I wanted to know more I could ask you.”
“I knew I liked him.” I laughed softly and smiled as I imagined Sam reporting to Marco.
“Would you care to elaborate?”
It was the way his smile reached his eyes that convinced me to give in.
I shared with Marco most everything. Of course I left out our intimate conversations about my life, and the fact that I’d seen Sam naked. Marco laughed when I told him about Kat meeting Sam. That also brought something to mind I had wondered, but was afraid to ask Sam.
“Marco, does Sam keep a harem?”
During my week-long visit with him, Marco had told me that Bade Garren used to keep a harem when he was still a member of the pack. Of course, not every pack member is allowed such a privilege. Bade was at one time Marco’s second in command, his beta wolf. Normally only the alpha keeps a harem, but it is at his discretion to allow his beta wolf to do so. Marco however, had refused to keep his own harem. He said that natural wolves mate for life and he felt it a shame to be more like animals than they were. I was eager to hear if Sam did the same.
“No, but he could if he wanted to. It’s a long story, but Sam doesn’t have a mate and he hasn’t had for the past ten years.”
I looked a question at his hologram and Marco answered, “He dates, but nothing serious.”
“You mean—?”
“He nails his pack members.”
To my surprise, it didn’t bother me to hear this about Sam. I was relieved to find I was not possessive of every alpha male I encountered.
Toward the end of my bath and our conversation Marco asked, “So, when does Alfred return?”
“A week, maybe less.” I sighed.
The smile he offered me was kind, but there was something else in his eyes, something I couldn’t make out through the hologram.
“Keep in touch,” he said.
I nodded.
“Goodnight, Red.”
“Goodnight.”
I felt better after talking to him. Once I’d dried off and slid between my red silk sheets, I thought that sleep would surely have no problem finding its way to me. However, I decided to meditate just in case. I didn’t want to end up having nightmares about Marco’s attack.
Once I entered the place in my mind where I could release my worries, I began to do so. Gradually, the key appeared in the lock of the elaborately carved door like it had every time before.
When I was safely inside “my room,” as I called it, I heard Mathias’ voice.
“You must have been a moth in a past life,” he said sarcastically.
I didn’t need to ask what he was referring to. Yes, I tended to play with fire when I shouldn’t. Marco was hot, and like a moth to the flame, I was drawn to him.
“I’m not going to stop talking to him, Mathias.”
“And I am not saying you should, only that you should make up your mind.”
“This from the man who was rumored to have had how many lovers?”
“That is beside the point,” he said indignantly.
“No darling, that’s exactly the point. Your blood flows through my veins. I am after all, the power of The Seducer in living form, am I not?”
“What is your point?”
“My point is that I’m too much like you to ever make up my mind so easily. So don’t go lecturing me about what choices to make.”
“Hit a nerve did I?”
“Yes.”
“You should know by now, child that I would never deliberately hurt you. I am only suggesting you might find it less painful if you saw less of him. But, if that is not what you want—”
“I don’t know what I want. But seeing Marco less is not on the top of my list.”
“You have little choice, my dear. You know what he wants.”
I also knew Mathias wasn’t referring to sex. Marco wanted things from me that I was not willing to give. Truthfully, I didn’t know if I would ever be. I wasn’t exactly in a position to be the full-time lover of an alpha werewolf, not to mention help lead his pack.
“Didn’t you know? I have a special gift for doomed relationships.”
“Something else you must have inherited from me.”
His voice was kind and it made me smile.
“It will get better right?”
“Yes. I promise.”
“I suppose there’s no point in just asking you what will happen, is there?”
“No. Besides, it would not help. If I told you what would lead up to certain events, there are things that you would change, for the worse. However, there are other things, that may nearly kill you, but you would not want to miss what will lead to those events.”
Lilith Mercury, Werewolf Hunter Series (Boxed Set, Books 1-3) Page 37
