‘I have stopped the bleeding. One true thing about the vampire legends is that we have a substance in our saliva that helps wounds heal faster. And, of course, blood is a wonderful delicacy and I would never pass up the opportunity to partake. It is my nature.’
Something about the words ‘it is my nature’ roused me from my stupor. Suddenly it all came back to me. I was in my office and Devereux was one of the lost souls pretending to be vampires. And I’d been attacked by a lunatic.
‘I am not pretending to be anything,’ he said. ‘I apologise for invading your mind, but we do not have the luxury of time. Bryce is indeed a lunatic, and you need to fortify yourself with facts. Facts are important to you, are they not?’
I struggled up from the couch, my face hot with anger, and was just about to vent some of it on Devereux when he stood and picked me up in his arms, all in one invisible movement.
Now, I’m not a small person. In my two-inch heels I could easily reach 5’10’, and no one had ever complained about how I filled out my swimsuit. But for the second time in one night I’d been scooped up like a sack of potatoes and made to feel like a helpless infant. I couldn’t even remember the last time anyone had the nerve to touch me without my permission, but that seemed to be the name of the game with these people.
I pushed against him and, just as with Bryce, it was impossible to wriggle free. His arms were unyielding. Closing my eyes tight to hold back the waterworks I felt gathering there, I tried very hard not to cry, but I was suddenly so exhausted I didn’t know how much longer I could keep everything inside. Part of me just wanted to curl up in his arms and sleep.
‘Please listen now.’ Devereux moved gracefully around the room, apparently trying to soothe me. ‘There is much I need to tell you. We must talk about the dangerous situation you are in. I am grateful you have finally come, but your arrival has inflamed Bryce’s irrational thoughts. I must protect you . . .’
I have finally come? What does that mean?
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘Please put me down. I’m sure you mean well, but this has been a terrible night and I just want to go home. I appreciate your pulling Bryce off me, and you’ve been very kind, but I’ve had enough.’ What did he mean that I’d finally come? Come from where? The tears I’d been trying to hold back slid down my face and I made a pathetic sniffing sound.
He studied me briefly, lifted my chin up towards him and gently kissed my lips. He pulled back, gazed at me with soft turquoise eyes for a few seconds more, then bent down and kissed me again, lightly at first, then deeper. His lips were warm and silky and, without even thinking about it, I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Hey, wait. I’m kissing a stranger. And liking it. What’s wrong with me?
He let my feet find the floor and wrapped his arms around me, never altering the intensity of the kiss. He brushed his tongue along my lip and I opened my mouth for him. Whatever else he might have been, he was one awesome kisser.
Somebody hose me down, I’m going to spontaneously combust.
We reluctantly pulled our lips apart and he enveloped me into a warm hug. I could feel both of our hearts beating out different rhythms. It occurred to me that my sensing Devereux’s heartbeat was proof he wasn’t a vampire. Everyone knew the dead had no heartbeat.
The ridiculousness of that thought made me want to laugh out loud – or scream. I didn’t know which was more upsetting: my granting validity to the possibility of the existence of vampires or kissing a beautiful nut-case. I was in deep shit any way you sliced it.
He stepped back from me and brushed a stray lock of hair from my face. ‘I think you have had enough excitement for one night. Please allow me to drive you home. I promise I will be a perfect gentleman.’
I was going to argue that I could drive myself, but it just wasn’t true. I could either take Devereux up on his offer or call a cab, and since I needed my car the next morning, the choice was clear.
Well, there you have it: if Devereux was really a vampire he wouldn’t know how to drive, right? Don’t they all sprout bat wings and fly?
Devereux chuckled softly. I was going to ask him what was so funny, but my body’s lack of coordination suddenly captured my attention.
I had intended to walk over to my desk and gather my things to leave, but even that small attempt to move under my own power proved to be too much for my legs and my knees buckled. Devereux caught me and lifted me into his arms again. I’m not saying it wasn’t pleasant, but I felt like a limp rag doll and I didn’t understand what had happened to cause me to be so lethargic. ‘What’s wrong with me? Why am I so weak? What did Bryce do to me?’
‘He bespelled you and then he drank your blood.’
‘What? You’re kidding, right?’ Oh, please, no more vampire fantasies. My brain is going to explode.
‘No. I am very serious. Bryce is a master of enchantment. We all have the ability to use our eyes to entrance mortals, but Bryce takes special pleasure in manipulation and control. He is very powerful and, to use psychology terms, he altered your brain waves. That is why you feel so confused: he surely had intended to drain you to near-death, and he would have had I not arrived when I did.’
Reality check.
‘Do you mean he used his fake fangs to make holes in my neck and actually sucked my blood out and swallowed it?’ My professional self refused to accept what Devereux was telling me. I didn’t want him to be crazy.
He raised one of his perfectly arched eyebrows and stared down at me for a few seconds. ‘Humans have the most remarkable ability to ignore what they do not wish to see. The stronger the mind, the harder it is to accept what is hiding in the shadows. I would rather we had the time to introduce you slowly to the ideas you resist, but that is not possible now. This situation is not something that will go away like a bad dream. Bryce will not stay away. His misguided feelings for me have gone far enough and I must take action. He is destroying the unity of the coven.’
I started to ask more questions, but he shook his head. ‘No, that is enough for tonight.’
He walked me over to my desk, bent down so I could pick up my briefcase and my purse, and we left to find my car.
I must have fallen asleep on the ride to my house because the next thing I knew, we were there and he was lifting me out of the passenger side of my car.
As he carried me up to my front door I asked, ‘How did you know where to go? I didn’t give you directions to my house.’
‘I performed my “little parlour trick”. I can do the same with your alarm code if you wish, or you may simply punch in the numbers.’
I gazed up at his face, decided I didn’t have the energy to argue, entered the code and unlocked my door. We stepped into my living room and I blurted, ‘Hey, I thought vampires could only come in if they were invited.’
The moment I said it, I couldn’t believe it had come out of my mouth. Embarrassment warmed my cheeks. I must have had some kind of head injury or something because I’d never make light of someone’s delusion if I was in my right mind. I’d just flunked Being a Therapist 101.
‘I’m sorry. That was very thoughtless of me.’
He laughed. ‘I am pleased you are getting into the spirit of things. But that particular bit of vampire lore is false – we can come and go as we desire. Where is your bedroom?’
I tensed. ‘My bedroom? Why do you want to know where my bedroom is?’
He stared down at me, the warmth in his eyes replaced by something remote and cold. ‘Yes, it is wise for you to be afraid. No matter how much some of us might wish to pretend, we are not human and we do not live by human rules. We are not humans with fangs. But for tonight, allow me to put your mind at ease. As delightful as it would be to take you to your bedroom and make love to you, I am offering only to carry you to the comfort of your bed. I would be lying, however, if I said I do not hope for an invitation in the future.’