
INFERNAL
An Ellora's Cave Publication, June 2005
Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
1337 Commerce Drive, #13
Stow, OH 44236-0787
ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0201-6
Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):
Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML
INFERNAL Copyright © 2005 KATE HILL
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors' imagination and used fictitiously.
Edited by Briana St. James.
Cover art by Syneca.
Warning:
The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Infernal has been rated E--rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers.
Ellora's Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (Sensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).
S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.
E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as "fucking", "cock", "pussy", and such within their work of literature.
X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.
Ancient Blood:
Infernal
Kate Hill
A shiver ran down Dulcie's spine and she glanced skyward as clouds momentarily blocked the full moon. She inhaled deeply. His scent. Fierce. Wild. Deadly.
Immobile, crouched behind the trunk of a thick, old tree, she listened. With her sharp senses, any little sound would tell her exactly where he was. The snap of a twig. The rolling of a pebble. Anything.
He moved silently, but his scent was so strong. Lust. Oh, God. She shivered again, her clit throbbing and nipples aching with desire for his savage touch, yet she couldn't let him find her.
Her heart pounding, she bolted. Though she still couldn't hear him, instinct told her he was almost upon her. Instinct was the greatest tool her kind possessed.
Dulcie's feet seemed to fly across the rocky path winding uphill through the mountains. She shoved lashing tree branches from her face and leapt over fallen logs with the agility of a deer.
There was no way she could outrun him, but she needed to give chase. She wasn't about to let him win that easily.
She screamed, her entire body throbbing with excitement as he sprang from a clump of trees, his eyes glowing lavender and his thick, wolfish fangs bared. His growls filled her ears and his scent dripped with animal need. Shirtless, the muscles of his powerful shoulders, broad chest and sleek arms rippled as he advanced on her. Impossibly long legs clad in faded jeans swallowed the ground between them. At his sides, the long fingers of his big hands flexed as claws emerged from beneath the human nails.
Dulcie took two steps backward, then ran back down the hill. Within seconds he'd passed her and stood in front of her, clutching her shoulders.
Her fangs slipped from flesh sheaths high in her gums and she hissed, her booted foot cracking him hard in the shin.
"You little bitch!" he seethed, his heartbeat echoing in her ears. He flung her against a tree. As his fangs descended on her throat, she managed to free one of her hands and swipe his smooth cheek with her claws. Four thin lines of blood dripped down his face. He touched the scratches and licked blood from his fingertips, his ferocious gaze holding hers.
Dulcie swallowed and moistened her lips, the scent of his blood stabbing her very core. This much desire bordered on unendurable!
Twice she tried bolting and twice his tall, powerful frame blocked her path. His growls had grown softer though far more sensual. He reached out a fingertip, retracted the claw, and used the soft pad to trace the shape of her lips.
Grasping her wrists, he pressed her against the tree trunk, pinning her hands above her head. His torso crushed her breasts, so close she felt his heartbeat and every breath he took. Beneath her thin white blouse, her nipples turned to nubs of pure desire. Damn, he felt so warm and hard. Tilting her face downward, her lips brushed the hair-roughened expanse of his chest. As she lapped and nipped his steely pecs, he used his knee to nudge her legs apart. Dulcie moaned with pleasure as his cock pressed against her.
"I need to feel you deep inside me," she whispered. "Let me go so I can unzip you."
He licked her ear and pierced the lobe with one of his fangs before releasing her hands.
"Umm," Dulcie purred, unfastening the button of his jeans and sliding the zipper down. The blue briefs beneath bulged with his massive erection. She traced it through the cotton. Sinking to her knees, she tugged the jeans from his lean hips and down his hard, hairy thighs. The man's legs seemed to go on forever, and Dulcie's lips and tongue savored every delectable inch of them until she reached his ankles. He kicked off his boots and jeans while she removed her blouse. Braless, her firm but fleshy breasts dangled freely. She smiled as his black pupils dilated so much they nearly filled his entire iris, leaving only a faint rim of lavender amidst whites tinted dark, vampiric red.
Using his claws, he slashed off his underpants and squatted, cupping her breasts, gently squeezing the soft flesh and stroking the nipples with his thumbs. Dulcie arched her back, thrusting her breasts deeply into his hands. He leaned forward and took one of the nipples in his mouth. He sucked, his tongue laving and the tips of his teeth scraping the sensitive skin. Dulcie panted, clutching his head closer and running her fingers through his curly black hair. Her clit throbbed and her pussy felt so hot and drenched with desire.
Moving to the other breast, he teased her with his lips and tongue until she felt ready to explode. Glancing at him through half-open eyes, she smiled. He was just as lost in passion---even more. His attention was focused entirely on her body. Soft growls rumbled in his chest, and the rhythm of his breathing told her he was just about ready to fuck the hell out of her.
It was the perfect moment to take him off-guard. She stood swiftly and kicked him in the chest---not enough to do any harm, but enough to incite his wrath as well as his passion.
She didn't get a chance to run far. Strong hands grasped her from behind. Dragging her to her knees, he slashed off her jeans with his claws. Wearing only socks and boots, Dulcie sat on her knees, her forearms braced on the ground, sinking into dirt and leaves as he grasped her hips and thrust his thick, steely, velvet-skinned cock inside her. Inch by divine inch he filled her with his erection. Her bottom squirmed against him as he thrust, his hands stroking her belly and back before he clutched her hips and drove into her with such speed and ferocity she nearly lost her breath.
"Oh! Yes, yes! Oh, damn. Oh!" she cried, clutching handfuls of dirt, her entire body trembling with need as she sped toward climax. He stretched an arm in front of her, tickling her lips with his fingers. She sank her teeth into the fleshy part of his palm.
At the taste of his blood, she exploded, pleasure running from her pulsing clit and clenching pussy and spreading to her fingertips, toes and the top of her head. Somewhere through the scarlet haze of fulfilled desire, she felt his teeth sink into her back and his tongue lick the wounds. The pleasure of his bite rekindled her desire, driving her toward a second, quick orgasm even more intense than the first.
Suddenly he pulled up, his hips jerking as he came, his deep, wolflike howl resounding through the forest.
God, Dulcie thought as she collapsed on the ground, panting, I love being married.
"Did you get a good look at her?" Lana Adams whispered to her friend Dr. Jacqueline Black. The two women glanced across the room at the dark-haired, green-eyed beauty with a curvaceous body draped in a black, short-sleeved dress. Pearls dangled above the square neckline. Black low-heeled pumps adorned her feet. Yet the understated outfit couldn't conceal the woman's raw sensuality. The wildness of her eyes and the fullness of her red-painted lips exuded sexual magnetism beyond the reach of the hostess and her companion.
"Is it possible to miss her?"
"I wonder if those breasts have been reconstructed or if they're that perky naturally." Lana glanced at Jacqueline. "Well, Jacki? Breast jobs are your specialty."
Jacqueline shrugged her thin shoulders and curled her lip. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'd say they're real."
"Figures. At least she's dressed acceptably. I've seen her at the mall a couple of times. What a bimbo."
The women glanced away as the object of their barbs turned in their direction and smiled, revealing teeth that were almost too white.
"I still can't believe he married her. What a waste. One of the country's most respected hematologists, attractive, nice, and he ends up with a bitch who looks like she was a Ms. August centerfold." Jacqueline curled her lip. "Do you know she's an artist? What could they possibly have in common?"
"Probably nothing. He obviously is with her for the sex."
"Matthew Winter is the last man I'd expect to marry a woman for sex. He's so uptight."
"No, I always thought there was something wrong with him. He's too upstanding, too controlled, but there's something in his eyes." Lana shuddered.
From across the room, Dulcie Evans sipped from a crystal wineglass, pretending to watch the people mingling at the dinner party. In spite of her outwardly relaxed appearance, she felt uncomfortable. Most of the guests were doctors and professors, associates and acquaintances of her husband, Matthew Winter, a scientist at a research hospital in Boston. At thirty-eight, he was at the top of his field, well-known and respected. His colleagues liked him, yet he'd never been one to mingle. Dulcie understood why. Matthew was a vampire, yet he'd been raised in the mortal world. Until he'd met her eight short years ago, he'd never encountered another of his kind. Such a secret had made him withdrawn and uptight. To combat his wild nature, he'd kept an impossibly firm hand on his entire life. Perhaps if he'd been a hybrid---a vampire made from the bite of another immortal---things would have been different for him. But Matthew had been born a vampire. Like Dulcie, he was what their kind called an Immaculate. His true nature hadn't fully shown itself until he'd reached vampiric puberty at the age of eighteen.
Dulcie winced each time she thought about all he'd endured alone. When they'd met, it had taken her time to breach his rigid ways, but once he'd opened up to her, their romance had been the most beautiful experience. She'd taught him that he wasn't evil by nature and wouldn't become a killer if it wasn't inside him. Immaculate vampires didn't even have to bite humans. They survived off the blood of other vampires. Most of the time Matthew and Dulcie fed each other. She'd taught him to be the most powerful animal on Earth, and he'd taught her the meaning of true love.
Dulcie loved Matthew with all her heart. Only for him would she stand in a house full of intellectual snobs, her sensitive hearing picking up the catty conversation between the two ugly women across the room.
Matthew never socialized with the people he worked with, so when Dr. Adams and his wife invited them to their party, Dulcie insisted they go. She thought Matthew would enjoy himself.
Though he'd introduced her to some people, he'd remained fixed at her side for most of the night. His adherence pleased Dulcie, even when she was bored to sleep with the conversations he engaged in. When he spoke of medicine, she had no idea what he was talking about. The others guests discussed their personal lives, but Matthew always talked shop---except to her and his twin brother, Adam. In a way she felt privileged, yet she wondered why she'd bothered attending a party that he didn't want to be at any more than she did.
She listened as Lana continued in her silly human whisper, "Robert has known him since medical school. He's had nothing but praise for Matthew, and believe me, it's next to impossible to extract a compliment from my husband. I should know."
Dulcie strolled toward the women and said to Lana, "Jacqueline should know too," before she left the living room to look for Matthew. She nearly laughed aloud as she heard Jacqueline's heartbeat quicken with anxiety and sensed Lana's genuine confusion at Dulcie's comment. It seemed Jacqueline's yearlong affair with Dr. Adams was apparent to everyone except his wife.
Moments ago, Matthew had excused himself to use the bathroom, but Dulcie heard his resonant voice echoing from the kitchen. Her belly tightened just from the sound of it. Matthew had such a beautiful voice, so deep and cultured, so sensual when he spoke close to her ear in an intimate moment, so wild when he howled to the moon. She smiled, hoping her eyes weren't taking on their vampiric glow as she imagined him howling. Not all vampires made such a sound. As a rule, hybrids didn't howl, and only a few Immaculates felt the urge, yet it was the most arousing sound in the world. Matthew did it so well.
Dulcie stepped into the large, brightly lit kitchen. Though she disliked how bright humans kept everything, she'd grown accustomed to their preferences. Matthew had little difficulty with it, having been raised by a mortal family. Still, the sun irritated his eyes so much that during the day he usually wore sunglasses.
He stood by the sink, talking to one of his hospital's fellows, Nancy Brenner. Dulcie smiled, glad Nancy was there. For the first time that night, she sensed Matthew relax. Nancy had no idea her boss wasn't human, but Dulcie doubted it would matter. She was a pleasant young woman with a full, freckled face and kind brown eyes. She was a good friend to both Matthew and Dulcie.
Yet Nancy didn't capture Dulcie's attention at that moment. Matthew did. Even after eight years of marriage and a string of previous affairs, Dulcie thought he was the most attractive man she'd ever seen. Though not perfectly handsome or a pretty boy, he possessed magnetism that outshone classic looks. Well over six feet and rangy, he moved with the grace of a great cat, fluid but with underlying power. Impeccably dressed in a dark blue designer suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and long, lean legs, he leaned against a countertop as he talked. The red silk tie knotted at his throat made Dulcie quiver as she thought about what he'd probably do with that tie later in their bedroom. The clean cut of his dark, curly hair formed a perfect square against his smooth, strong neck. His high forehead looked almost primitive, yet the sapphire eyes beneath shone with keen intelligence and decency. His nose---straight, slightly snubbed---was his cutest feature, and his mouth was his most erotic. He turned to her and smiled.
"We were just saying now would be a great time to get out of here," Nancy murmured to Dulcie.
"Sounds like the best idea I've heard all night," Dulcie replied, glancing at Matthew as he slipped the wineglass from her hand and placed it on the countertop.
He whispered close to her ear, "I told you this was a bad idea."
"Yes, you did." Dulcie tilted her head against his shoulder. "At least the night is still young."
"Well, I'm going while the going's good." Nancy edged her way toward the door. "See you tomorrow, Matthew. Dulcie, maybe we can get together for dinner at the end of the week?"
Dulcie waved to her. "I'm there." Once Nancy had gone, Dulcie looked up at Matthew. "Want to go outside for a minute before saying goodbye to our charming hostess?"
"I detect sarcasm in your voice."
"Do you blame me?"
"Not in the least," he whispered, his voice only audible to her keen vampiric hearing. "Lana is a jealous snob. Always has been. Robert's not too bad. I can almost condone his affair with Jacqueline."
They stepped through the sliding glass doors onto a concrete porch tastefully decorated with white lawn furniture. The Blacks had just built the large, suburban home, but Dulcie thought the spacious colonial Matthew had renovated looked much more attractive. She'd been thrilled to move out of her condo and in with him after their marriage. He'd added on a studio for her, completely surrounded by glass picture windows since he knew how much she loved to paint by moonlight.
As they walked through the Blacks' dark backyard, shadowed even more by trees, a soft-rock love song drifted from the CD player inside the house.
"Sound familiar?" Dulcie slipped her hand into Matthew's as they walked behind some tall bushes.
"How can I forget?" He drew her into his arms. "The song we danced to at our wedding. Care to dance it again?"
Smiling, she nodded and drew a deep breath at the touch of his hand on her waist. He grasped her other hand and led her in gentle, swaying motions across the grass. His movements slowed as he tilted her face up to his for a kiss.
Dulcie sighed, her arms sliding around Matthew's neck, her lips and tongue mating with his. Their heartbeats quickened, beating in time. His incisors emerged from their flesh sheaths high on his gums, and he pricked her tongue with one of them. At the taste of her blood, they clutched one another tighter. Dulcie's pussy dampened, hot with desire. She felt his cock harden against her.
"Let's go home," Matthew whispered breathlessly against her lips. "I'm going to drive you insane tonight." He grasped her waist and jerked her so close that her soft breasts crushed against his hard, lean chest. "You're going to scream tonight, Dulcie."
"Is that a promise?"
"Yes." He nipped her lower lip. "Oh, yes."
She snapped her teeth close to his face and gazed at him through her lashes as they walked back to the house.
They paused before stepping inside.
"Do you smell that?"
Dulcie nodded, inhaling deeply. "Hybrid."
"I wonder who?"
"One way to find out."
No sooner had they entered the house than Robert Black, accompanied by a slim, dark-haired man, approached.
"Matthew! There's someone I want you to meet. This is Jay Ashford, a hematologist from the West Coast. Jay, this is Matthew---"
"Winter," Jay finished, casting Matthew a slick smile and offering his hand.
Dulcie studied Ashford carefully. Being a hybrid, the man was by no means physical competition for Matthew. Even among other Immaculates, Matthew and his twin, Adam, were alpha vamps in every way. Until he'd met Dulcie and confronted her ex-lover, Matthew hadn't fully understood the extent of his strength. He'd even taken Dulcie by surprise, though she reveled in his power each and every night of their lives.
"I'm very familiar with your work," Jay continued. "Highly impressive. Your entire career has been quite amazing. You're innovative, Winter, and you're not afraid to defy convention."
"Thank you. This is my wife, Dulcie Evans."
"Ms. Evans, it is my pleasure." Jay also took Dulcie's hand and squeezed it. "I caught your exhibit last month in LA. Your interpretation of the Old Testament was thought-provoking. An unusual subject for you, though, isn't it?"
"Not really." Dulcie tugged her hand free of his cool grasp. In spite of Ashford's friendly manner, she disliked him. "I'm glad you enjoyed my work."
"I've always had an interest in art. It's a hobby of mine. I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your paintings."
Matthew stepped forward, easing himself between Jay and Dulcie. A low growl, completely imperceptible to human ears, rumbled in Matthew's chest. Dulcie heard it, and so did Jay. He stared at Matthew and nodded slightly. "I see you and your wife are on your way out. I won't keep you. However, I do hope you and I will see each other again, Matthew. I've recently moved to Boston, and it's nice to have contacts."
"Of course." Matthew offered a smile as sincere as Jay's had been.
He and Dulcie nodded to Robert before leaving.
As soon as Matthew pulled their car away from the curb, Dulcie said, "There's something weird about that guy."
"He wanted you so badly I could smell it."
"So did I. Sort of a disgusting thought."
Matthew glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Glad you feel that way."
"You didn't actually think I'd go to bed with him?"
Over his dead body, Matthew thought.
"I heard that."
"Dulcie, you know I don't like you to read my mind, especially since I can't read yours. Unlike my twin, I'm telepathically deficient, remember?"
"But you're the super-genius."
He glanced at her. "Let's talk about something else."
"Like what?"
Matthew removed one hand from the steering wheel and slid it up the curve of Dulcie's shapely thigh. "Want to hear what I'm going to do to you when we get home?"
Her heartbeat fluttered. "Well, duh. Each and every lustful word."
Closing her eyes, she cupped his knee with her hand, not the least bit disappointed with the promises that followed.
As he pulled into the driveway and stopped the car, Matthew glanced at Dulcie. She smiled at him, tracing her voluptuous lips with the tip of her delicious tongue before she slid out of the passenger seat.
He fell into step beside her. Nearing the house, she clung to his arm and pressed her warm body close to his. The aroma of her perfume, so woodsy and wild, was overshadowed by her own alluring scent. She slid her palm over his chest and extended her claws. They pressed through the fabric of his shirt. He growled deep in his throat, not bothering to keep his fangs sheathed.
"Shall we go upstairs?" Her voice caressed the words as her hand stroked his cock through his pants.
"No." He dragged her into his arms. "I prefer the backyard."
"Really? Afraid we'll ruin more sheets?"
In reply he kissed her. Hard. His teeth pierced her lips and he drank of her flowing blood, his tongue stroking the tiny wounds on her mouth. Dulcie sighed and slipped off his jacket. He took it from her and slung it over his shoulder as they stepped through the wooden gate of the high brick wall surrounding their home. They liked the privacy the wall offered, particularly when they engaged in their midnight escapades.
Matthew's heartbeat quickened at the thought of taking her. Though they'd known each other for nine years, each time he made love with her felt unique and no less exciting than the first intimacy they'd shared. Before Dulcie, he'd had no way to release the passion in his soul. He'd always done his best to repress his desires and his powers, fearful of what might happen should he allow himself to indulge his wild side. Meeting her had changed his life, and in a way saved him. He knew she'd resurrected the spirit he'd buried long ago, or more accurately, given life to a spirit that had never been born.
The gate slammed shut behind them. Hand in hand, they walked across the neatly trimmed lawn. Two large, old weeping willows, a wrought iron chair stationed between them, stood in the middle of the circular yard.
The full moon bathed the yard in light as Matthew tossed his jacket on the chair. He reached for his tie, but Dulcie clasped her hands over his. "Allow me."
She jerked the tie tightly around his neck until he could scarcely draw a breath, then she kissed him deeply. Matthew closed his eyes, his heart racing. His cock leapt to life, responding to her forceful ministrations. Without moving her mouth from his, she loosened the tie and left the unraveled silk dangling around his neck.
Growling deep in his throat, he unzipped her dress and slid it down her body. His gaze lingered over the curves of her full breasts. He ran a fingertip over the plump nipples then licked them and pricked each with the tip of a fang. Dulcie sighed with pleasure as she stepped out of her shoes. She lifted first one foot then the other as he rolled off her black stockings, slipping them over her small, beautifully shaped feet.
He almost laughed aloud because she wore neither bra nor underwear. She'd spent the entire evening at the party without any undergarments! He felt glad he hadn't known, or it would have driven him absolutely mad. As it was, all night his thoughts had drifted to the weekend they'd spent in the White Mountains, chasing one another through the trees, over rocky paths and across lakes filled with water-slicked stones. The memories were enough to make him pole-hard.
He dropped her clothes on the chair beside his jacket then jerked the tie from his neck. Grasping her shoulders, he spun her so her back pressed against his chest. His arms tight around her, he licked her neck while his hands cupped her breasts, savoring their smoothness. She melted against him while he rolled his thumbs over her nipples, rubbing the hard peaks until she moaned. He grasped her hands and forced them behind her back, binding them snugly with the red silk.
She arched her neck, her green eyes gazing at him. "I love it when you're an animal, Matthew."
"With you it's hard to be anything but." He nuzzled her shoulder before biting it. The taste of her hot blood excited him so much his cock felt like bursting from where it wedged between his stomach and her back. She gasped, wiggling closer to him, trapping the engorged flesh. Closing his eyes, he wound his arms around her, caressing her taut abdomen. He folded his arms across her waist, his grip tightening, his claws biting into the backs of his own wrists until blood slicked his hands. Tearing his mouth from her shoulder before the taste of her blood flung him into orgasm, he gasped, his pulse racing.
"Matthew..." she pleaded, the scent of her arousal almost making him dizzy. She tried to face him, but he grasped her waist and pushed her onto the grass. Shedding his clothes, he gazed at her supple back and firm buttocks in the moonlight. To him, there was no part of her that didn't scream beauty.
She growled, and he answered with a short howl before his naked body covered hers. His heart throbbed as he stroked her thighs and back, enjoying her softness and underlying strength. Though tender and smooth, her body was pliable, the muscles toned, undeniably female yet singing of vampiric power.
His claws ripped the tie from her wrists. Finally free, her fingers clutched the grass as he entered her from behind, stirring memories of their mountain excursion.
"Oh, yes, Matthew! Fuck me. I want you to fuck me so, so hard!"
That's exactly what he did, his hips thrusting with smooth power as he clutched her hips. The raggedness of her breath and the feel of her hot flesh rubbing against his were absolutely intoxicating.
As his claws raked her shoulders and arms, drawing blood that he licked away, she panted his name and wiggled her lovely bottom, pushing backward as he thrust forward.
Just before she came, he withdrew and shoved her onto her back. A single long, slow thrust and he was buried to the hilt inside her drenched pussy. Simultaneously, they bit each other's shoulders, lapping and sucking in sync with the ferocious thrusting of their hips. Her pussy clenched and unclenched mercilessly around his swollen cock as she came.
Matthew's control snapped. Deepening his bite, his hips slammed into hers with several short, fast thrusts. Stiffening, he came. He tore his mouth from her neck and howled---a deep bellow of pure animal lust that echoed throughout the otherwise silent suburban neighborhood.
Rolling onto his back, he tugged her to his chest. One of her satiny legs draped his middle as they lay still in the grass, listening to the slowing of their heartbeats.
"Well," she purred, "now do you want to go to the bedroom?"
He nodded, his tongue flicking over her earlobe.
"Good, because I have plans for you." She clutched his lean, hard chest, her claws drawing blood. "Tie me up, will you? You deserve to be punished for that."
"Really?" He grasped her wrists and jerked her so close that he could see the beginnings of the reddish glow of vampiric desire surrounding her iris. "Maybe I'll humor you. Let you think you have the upper hand for a while."
"I do have the upper hand, Matthew Peter Winter." She clasped the length of his stiffening cock. "No matter what you like to think."
"We'll see---" he brushed his face against hers, "---who shrieks the loudest, my love."
Dulcie smiled, her bare foot sliding up his hair-roughened leg, her sultry eyes offering him a challenge he couldn't wait to meet.
\*
Dulcie rested her head against Matthew's shoulder, one hand caressing his face. Her body ached pleasantly, the sting of his claws and teeth subsiding as the shallow wounds on her flesh healed. She gazed out the half-open window across the room, a thrill fluttering in her belly at the sight of the brilliant yellow moon. Tilting her chin upward, she gazed at Matthew. His eyes fixed on the moon. Though he appeared languid as he rested beside her, she sensed the sharpness of his moon-lust, the edge scarcely dulled by their love-play. She smiled, knowing that it would take most of the night to sate him. They had done it on occasion, made love all night. Unlike mortals and vampire hybrids, Immaculate males had incredible staying power. Matthew was the most energetic man she'd ever been with. More often than not, his passion exceeded hers, and that was no small task.
"I'm going to the lab for a few hours." Matthew brushed her forehead with a kiss before he slipped out of bed.
"You'll take a night off sometime." Dulcie sighed, folding her arms across her bare chest and snuggling against his pillow His scent clung to the cotton, warmed by his body.
"Sometime." He winked at her. "I'll be back."
"You're sure? Don't forget to call me if you don't plan on coming home until tomorrow evening."
Though Matthew usually kept his promises, every now and then he'd lose track of time and not bother coming home for a night or two. Dulcie didn't mind his dedication to work, but she hated worrying about him. She knew her anxiety resulted from the time her cousin---an ex-lover---had broken into Matthew's lab and tried to destroy him. It had been Matthew's first kill, the first time Dulcie knew how much he loved her. She had also realized how potentially dangerous he could be. Dulcie's cousin had been another Immaculate, an older one with years of fighting experience. He'd been a menace to Dulcie's family, a murderer, the likes of which had given vampires a bad reputation throughout history. He'd considered Matthew an easy mark, a vampire raised by mortals, one who lived by brains instead of brawn, one who had repressed his vampiric urges. How badly he had misjudged her husband.
"I will be back." He smiled, grasping her ankle and tickling her foot. "There are some loose ends I want to tie up. I could have been doing that instead of going to the stupid dinner party. What a bore."
"What a bunch of cats." Dulcie gazed at her red-painted fingernails. "All Lana and Jacqueline did was rip us apart. Think they'd get a life."
"Jacqueline needs plastic surgery on her own face," Matthew called over his shoulder as he walked to the bathroom. "She and Lana are jealous because you're beautiful and they look like they'd tie for winners at a dog show."
"And I have a husband who doesn't cheat. I only wanted to go because I thought you'd have fun."
Matthew glanced out the bathroom door and wiggled his eyebrows. "I had more fun with you."
"All right. No more parties...at least with that bunch."
"Thank you for small favors!"
Dulcie heard the water running in the shower. Stretching, she stepped out of bed. She pulled on shorts and a tank top. Barefoot, she walked to her studio, set up her pallet and placed a fresh canvas on her easel. Her painting soon absorbed her. She and her friend, Charlie Ayer, were combining their work for a display at a local gallery. Dulcie was to paint nighttime scenes and Charlie daytime ones. Charlie was one of the only mortals who knew about Matthew and Dulcie's true nature. Charlie's husband, Jocelyn, had once been a hybrid vampire himself. Jocelyn had been killed in his vampiric state, but through a special ritual and by the blood of Matthew's brother, Adam, Jocelyn had been resurrected as a mortal again. Several years ago, the couple had helped Matthew and Adam destroy the First Father. At that time they'd learned, as Matthew had always suspected, that vampires were not supernatural beings but descendants of an alien race who, thousands of years ago, had sought to interbreed with humans. Unfortunately, humans were unable to handle their vampiric powers. Many turned evil, so the Originals---the aliens---sank the island upon which they'd settled---the island of Atlantis.
Since discovering the history of vampires, Matthew had been curious about the Originals, but there was little known about them. Few vampires from Atlantis still existed to tell their tale.
Dulcie sighed as she gazed out the window. Matthew was a very complex man. Highly intelligent, a scientist, he believed in rational answers for everything. The past nine years had been a time of emotional upheaval for him...and Dulcie. He'd discovered the truth of his nature and also that he was not alone. He'd discovered he didn't have to kill but was more than capable of it. He'd had the most difficulty accepting that he lacked the psychic powers innate in his kind. Matthew was known in the vampire community as "telepathically deficient". Still, during the final battle with the First Father, Matthew had been able to master ancient incantations---a talent usually reserved for strong psychics---and call up the sun in the middle of the night, burning the First Father beneath its rays. Such an occurrence was scientifically impossible. It had been in the newspaper headlines as a fluke, since no one in the mortal world could explain it.
Matthew had tried to find a reason for the phenomenon. There was none except for some power of the mind that called forth magic. Matthew had the potential to become a warlock, but he wanted nothing to do with it. Matthew didn't believe in religion or magic or anything that couldn't be sorted out and explained in black and white.
I still can't understand how he can stop himself from exploring that power, Dulcie thought. There are people who would kill for it.
Matthew, dressed in black pleated pants and a gray cashmere turtleneck, his hair still damp from the shower, tugged her into his arms and kissed her. "I'll be back around three to catch a few hours' sleep. I have to be at the lab at seven tomorrow."
Dulcie splayed her hands across his chest and nuzzled his neck. The scent of his cologne aroused her nearly as much as his own scent. She tightened her fingers on his hard pecs beneath the cashmere. "I love this shirt."
He smiled and grasped her wrists, tugging her hands from his chest and kissing her palms. "Don't rip this one. I just bought it."
Dulcie looked up at him through her lashes and purred, the tips of her incisors lengthening against her red lips.
Matthew kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking hers and tasting every corner of her mouth. His incisors pricked her lip and he gently sucked droplets of her blood. Dulcie smiled and clutched his hair.
"Dulcie, I have to go," he whispered.
She slipped from his arms and returned to her easel, winking at him over her shoulder. "Have fun."
He nodded, reaching for a final kiss, but she slithered away and giggled. "You have to get to work and I have to finish the painting. See you in the morning."
He left the studio, and Dulcie watched him from over her shoulder. She could scarcely wait to make love with him the following night.
\*
Matthew liked his lab at night. Alone, he worked comfortably with dim or no lights, pursuing private research related to vampires. Best of all, he no longer had to keep such research a secret from those above him. Several years ago, he'd been teaching and conducting research at a top university when he'd been approached by Jules Kane, an unbelievably old and ridiculously rich hybrid. He'd founded a private research hospital. Familiar with Matthew's work, Jules had also sensed the younger man's Immaculate nature. Though Jules's hospital cared for human patients to protect the vampires' secrecy, research regarding their own kind was conducted and protected. Matthew enjoyed working with mortals, but he'd always wanted to learn more about his race. Suddenly a new world had opened up to him. He'd met Dulcie and her relatives, Jules had found him, and he wasn't alone any longer. Still, it had taken some serious thought before he turned in his resignation to the university. His superiors had done everything in their power to keep him. He missed his old position for a short time, but the new atmosphere was more perfect than he'd ever imagined.
In a short time, he'd made terrific progress in the study of his kind. Eight years ago, he'd played an important part in keeping his brother, Adam, alive when he'd been infected by a poison fatal to vampires. Though Matthew hadn't actually discovered the cure, he'd since perfected it so any future cases of the disease were cured quickly, as long as the victim received treatment in time.
Matthew walked to his office and shut off his computer. Already it was almost three in the morning, and he'd promised Dulcie he'd come home for a few hours before starting work. He smiled at the thought of his wife. Before meeting her, he'd constantly struggled with his emotions. For years, he'd suppressed his vampiric passions with an endless cycle of work and study. Though he still spent long hours at the lab, going home held a charm it never had before. Dulcie was home. He'd never been in love before and had feared harming a woman with his passion. Dulcie wasn't an ordinary woman. Being an Immaculate vampire, she happily accepted the brunt of his bloodlust.
At that particular hour of the morning, little traffic blocked the streets between Boston and his suburban home. Within fifteen minutes, he turned the key in his front door. Dulcie's scent struck him as he entered the hall, a sensual, comfortable scent, just as beautiful as the woman herself.
He walked to where he knew she'd be. She stood in her studio, her back to him as she put the finishing touches on a painting of a pirate ship tossing on a stormy sea. He narrowed his eyes and smiled. The ship's Jolly Roger had fangs! Dulcie's sense of humor.
"Hello, darling." Dulcie didn't turn to him until she'd swept the last stroke across the canvas. She placed aside her brush and turned to him. "What do you think of it?"
"I like it."
She smiled. "You say that about all my paintings."
"I like them all."
"Hmm, not all." She tilted her face up to his. "I don't think you were keen about the nude I did of you."
"I told you I didn't want a nude."
"Then why did you give in?"
He grasped her waist and tugged her to his chest. "Because you know I can't resist you."
She smiled coquettishly.
Using his thumb, he wiped a smudge of paint from her cheek. "I'm going to bed. Are you coming?"
"I just have to clean up here first."
He kissed her and walked to their bedroom.
\*
Dulcie hurried to clean her pallet and brushes. Matthew would only be home for a few brief hours, and she wanted to sleep beside him. Matthew required less sleep than any vampire she'd ever known. She guessed it resulted from years of conditioning due to his successful attempt to both fit into the mortal world and satisfy his vampiric nature. At times she missed him beside her when she woke, but she understood and accepted his dedication to his work. She respected his diligence and was very proud of him, yet at times she couldn't help missing him. He was still young for a vampire, so full of energy and ambition. She doubted he'd change even if he lived a thousand years.
Her stomach fluttered and she smiled as she considered the benefits she reaped from his dynamic nature.
She climbed the stairs, walked silently down the hall, and stepped into the master bedroom. Matthew sat in bed, his back braced against the headboard, his knees bent, a black journal resting against them. The sheets stopped just below his waist. Dulcie's gaze swept his lean, muscled torso. She licked her lips at the sight of his broad chest roughened with hair, powerful shoulders and long arms curved with muscle. She wasn't sure if he noticed her as he scribbled in the journal.
"I'm taking a shower," Dulcie said. "Be out in five minutes."
"Okay." He didn't look up from his journal.
"Matthew, what the hell do you write in those things? You must have twenty of them lying around the den."
He looked up at her. "Just thoughts. It's supposed to be good therapy or something."
"I guess I can understand that. I feel that way about my artwork sometimes." She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. "Do you ever write about me?"
He smiled wolfishly. "All the best parts."
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"
He winked. "Some idea."
Dulcie took a quick shower and brushed her hair. As she approached the bed, she noticed Matthew lying on his side, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Naked, she slipped into bed and kissed his temple before curling up beside him. His arms slipped around her waist as he pulled her close to his warm, hard body. Smiling, she snuggled against him and slept.
An annoying beep woke Matthew from a pleasant dream that faded all too quickly. Eyes still half closed, he groped for the clock on his night table and shut off the alarm.
6:00 a.m. Beside him, Dulcie still slept, undisturbed by the alarm. Her long, thick hair covered her face, and the sheets were pulled up to her chin. He touched her hair gently, careful not to wake her. Like others of their kind, she wouldn't rise until later in the day. Many vampires refused to walk by day at all, but kept to the old ways which, Matthew admitted, better suited their constitution.
He showered, dressed in an understated gray suit and a tie of pastel colors, then blow-dried and combed his hair. Dulcie and his family often teased him for his vanity, but he wasn't egotistical. Not really. Being impeccably groomed had always been another way to keep control of himself. He hated messiness. Growing up, he'd looked like a lanky, raw-boned animal. His curly hair had been unruly, his cheekbones far too prominent for a skinny preteen. For the first years of high school, Matthew probably couldn't have gotten a date if he'd wanted one, but he hadn't been very interested in women. They didn't appeal to him sexually. Neither did men. It wasn't until years later that he figured out why.
He'd spent his childhood studying, learning. Academics came easily to him, so easy that he'd taught himself to read before he began kindergarten. His adoptive parents knew he was gifted and worked hard to provide him an education at the best private schools. They loved him and were proud of him, and he wanted to return their love by continuing to excel. It was only in his mid-teens, when he began experiencing the first signs of his vampiric nature, that life changed. Daylight became uncomfortable, and he started thirsting for blood. Fearful he was losing his mind, terrified of disappointing his family, he immersed himself deeper in study.
At fourteen, he had progressed so far beyond others of his age that he was already in medical school. At eighteen, he entered vampiric puberty. His strength increased, and so did his need for blood. Refusing to harm a person, he hunted animals, but their blood did nothing to stop the painful hunger that rose in him nightly. He began drinking his own blood. That took the edge off somewhat. At least he was able to cope with his heavy course load and the increasing concern of his family. Becoming even more serious and withdrawn, he knew something was terribly wrong with him. Should his control slip, he could harm someone without intending to. He became a master of restraint, and eventually those closest to him accepted his rigid ways. He was, after all, a genius. Weren't they all odd?
No one realized his difficulty during hospital training, particularly surgery. Surrounded by blood, desiring it, starving for it, but unable to take what he needed, added anxiety to an already stressful regimen. If only he hadn't felt so completely alone.
Matthew stared at himself in the mirror. He didn't consider himself ugly. He'd turned out fairly attractive. According to Dulcie, he was gorgeous. Vampiric maturity had banished the gawky youth. He possessed a height and build athletes would envy. He'd finally grown into all that sharp bone structure, and Dulcie swore she'd never felt anything as good as his thick, curly hair between her fingers.
He smiled. Having a wife was definitely a plus.
As he left the bathroom, he wondered if his brother, Adam, had similar feelings growing up. Probably worse, since his twin's adoptive father had been physically and emotionally abusive. In spite of some rough times, Matthew realized his good luck. At least his human family loved him. He only wished he could confess to them what he was.
Matthew grabbed a bottle of apple juice and a banana from the kitchen before walking to his car.
Outside, his neighbor, a plump young accountant, called to him.
"I don't mean to complain," said the man, "but I have to tell you, your dog kept me and my wife awake for most of last night. Think you could do something about that howling?"
Matthew paused, one hand on the car door. He was in a funny mood that morning, so he turned to his neighbor and offered a pleasant smile. "I'm sorry, but we don't have a dog."
The man's pink brow furrowed, a questioning look in his eyes. "Oh. I guess it must have been someone else's."
Matthew nodded, slipped into his car, and laughed almost all the way to Boston.
In the lab, Nancy glanced at him over the top of her glasses as he joined her. "Were you working again last night, Matthew?"
"Yes."
"Goodness, Dulcie must be so looking forward to your vacation next week."
"Vacation?" Matthew's eyes widened. "Damn. I forgot."
"Forgot?" Nancy rolled her eyes. "He forgets his vacation. You were married how many years ago? And you still haven't had a honeymoon."
Dulcie hadn't mentioned the vacation since they'd planned it. She knew he hated taking time off. It wasn't that he really hated it. He'd just become accustomed to his strict lifestyle. Since meeting Dulcie, he felt like a completely new person. She offered him a release from all constricting emotions, an exploration of every wild desire. He'd been promising her a vacation for years. The last time they'd been away was when they'd fled to Spain with Adam so the twins could train to destroy the First Father---hardly a vacation.
"So are you two still going to New York to visit your brother and his wife?" Nancy asked.
"Yes. We haven't seen Adam and Mara in months. We're looking forward to it."
"I think it's so wonderful how you and your twin found each other after all those years."
Matthew nodded. Nancy didn't continue the conversation. He guessed she'd worked with him long enough to know when he was thoroughly absorbed in his work. Conversation might come later.
As usual, Matthew lost track of the hours until Nancy poked him in the arm. "Phone. Dulcie."
"I'll take it in my office. Transfer it, will you?"
He stepped into the office, his gaze fixed on the red light flashing on the phone at his desk. He picked up.
"Dulcie?"
"Hello, handsome. Are you extremely tied up, or can I bring you lunch?"
Matthew smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Speaking of tied up, I'd like to tie you up again."
"Hold that thought for tonight."
"I plan on it. Come around three. That will give me time to finish what I'm doing."
"See you then." Dulcie made a kissing sound through the phone before she hung up.
The next few hours passed more slowly, now that he anticipated Dulcie's visit.
When he walked into his office at quarter past three, she awaited him, lunch on his desk. She glanced up, a spoon of tomato soup between her lips.
"Sorry," she said. "I'm starving."
He sat across from her, his stomach grumbling as he unwrapped the waxed paper from his sandwich. Peanut butter and raspberry jelly. He took a bite, savoring the taste before gulping skim milk from a single-size carton. For as long as he could remember, this had been his absolute favorite lunch.
"And I'm glad it is," Dulcie said, reading his thoughts. "Because after dusk, I don't mind domestic stuff, but during the day, forget it. PB&J is all I'll do, besides my own garden salad with tuna."
Matthew offered her a wolfish grin. "Cooking at night is all that counts."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"I'll be home early tonight. By nine." He wiped his mouth with one of the pink paper napkins Dulcie had brought. Pink. Since they'd gotten married, all their bathrooms as well as the kitchen dripped with pink. He'd told her his den was absolutely off-limits for the pink, and she'd agreed, as long as he didn't touch a thing on the floor in her studio. When they'd first gotten married, he'd picked up a pile of clothes and silk flowers strewn across the carpet, and she'd nearly ripped out his throat for ruining the setup for her next painting. That was the first time he'd learned that artists were even stranger than scientists and he'd better keep his claws to himself when he stepped into her sloppy pink studio. In fact, the sloppy pink studio had even grown on him, particularly during the times they made love in it.
"You know what I got, Matthew? Tickets to Othello for the first night of our vacation."
He smiled. "Wonderful!"
They both shared a love of theater and went as often as possible. They always discussed the performances for days afterward. That's what he loved about Dulcie---not only was she beautiful but she also possessed a very deep soul, though at times she tried to disguise it with excessive coquettishness. He knew she flirted as a form of self-protection. He'd met her family, and though he liked them all, they were a wild group of vampires, far more interested in the physical side of life than the emotional one. In spite of her own outward frivolity, Dulcie possessed a tender heart.
"I hate to say this, but I really have to get back to---" The phone interrupted Matthew. He picked it up. "Hello?... Right now?... All right. Send him up."
Matthew muttered a curse as he slammed down the receiver.
"What's wrong?"
"That was Dr. Simmons. He's in charge while Jules is away. Jay Ashford is on his way up. Wants to have a look at my lab. Pain in the rear."
"I don't like him, Matthew."
"I'm not keen on him either." Matthew kissed her forehead and lips. "I have to go. Thanks for lunch."
"Anytime."
"Oh," Matthew stopped halfway through the door and looked over his shoulder. "Did you take the train in?"
"Yes. You know I love the train."
"Would you do me a favor?"
Dulcie approached him, looping her arms around his neck. "You mean here? We haven't done it in your office since the first night we..."
"Tempting, but Nancy's across the hall and Simmons and Jay Ashford are on their way up. I was going to ask if you'd mind taking my car home. I didn't get a workout yesterday and I'd like to run."
Dulcie pretended to consider it. "Well, I suppose I could do that, as long as you don't spend all your energy running."
"That's never happened yet." Matthew spoke seriously. "In fact, the only time I recall reaching a physical limit was when Adam and I fought the First Father and I was wounded by platinum. You know, it's funny how for centuries humans have been under the impression that silver damaged us, when all along it's been platinum. Jules is conducting a study right now in which..."
Dulcie kissed him. He responded by dragging her tightly against his chest, stepping back into the office and slamming the door closed with his foot.
"You're trying to shut me up?" he murmured against her lips, his hands sliding up her back. Her tight nipples pressed through their clothes and poked against his chest in a way that made his cock leap.
She giggled. "Is it working?"
A knock sounded on the door, and Matthew glanced skyward. He wasn't quite in the mood for Jay Ashford or Dr. Simmons.
Dulcie returned to his desk and collected the remains of lunch while Matthew opened the door and donned a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Matt." Dr. Simmons nodded. Matthew resisted the urge to choke him. He loathed the name Matt. Why had Jules allowed such an irritating, arrogant man to invade their hospital, let alone award him such a position of authority? However, since Jules had been away, the hospital had fallen into the hands of human beings and human rules. Simmons continued, "You know Jay?"
"Yes, we've met." Jay extended his hand to Matthew though his gaze fixed on Dulcie's shapely posterior in her faded jeans as she leaned over the desk. Matthew's ultra-firm handshake forced his attention back to the young doctor.
"Dulcie, how are you?" Dr. Simmons called. "Did you enjoy the party last night?"
"I had a wonderful time. I'm on my way out. I was just bringing Matthew lunch."
"Must be nice to have a wife who's an artist, Matt," Simmons said. "She can just bend her schedule to accommodate you. Not like my marriage. Leah's always at the office and I'm always here."
"I'm sure there are plenty of drawbacks being married to a lawyer," Matthew said. "For instance, when you get divorced, she'll take you for everything you own."
Simmons laughed.
"I think it must be fascinating having Dulcie," Jay stated. "Not everyone marries a beautiful, creative woman. As I said last night, her work will live forever. I'm sure of it. There's been Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, and one day everyone will come to know Dulcie Evans."
Dulcie smiled with feigned sweetness as she swept out of office. "You're too kind. However, I'm sure they won't."
Once she'd gone, Dr. Simmons left Jay alone with Matthew, who conducted a tour of the hospital, spending most of the time in his own labs. He knew instantly that Nancy didn't like Jay. She abandoned her usual bubbly manner and replied as briefly as possible to Ashford's questions.
Around five o'clock, Ashford finally seemed ready to depart.
"Do you have a few minutes, Matt?" Jay asked. "I'd like to speak with you in private."
"Yes, and it's Matthew."
Jay offered a slick smile. "I apologize. Some nicknames just kind of stick, don't they?"
"Only if you let them."
Jay laughed. "I like your attitude, Matthew. I like how you work. You're self-motivated, but you're also a team player."
Matthew resisted the urge to yawn. Ashford wanted something. That was certain.
Back in the office, Matthew sat behind his desk while Jay lounged in one of the comfortable chairs across from him.
"Now we're alone, so let's get down to business." Jay leaned forward, his palms flat on Matthew's desk. "I'm conducting private research at a brand-new lab I've built just a few miles from here. I want you to work for me, studying our kind."
Matthew lifted an eyebrow. "Strictly our kind?"
"Yes. You know as well as I do how many vampires are in the sciences, trying to peice together bits and pieces of studies while hiding from the mortal world. It's about time we had a place of our own to better ourselves. True, we live for thousands of years, but that doesn't mean we aren't affected by physical diseases and psychological disorders. We need somewhere to study freely."
Matthew couldn't disagree. Jules allowed him a great deal of freedom to pursue vampiric research, however it hadn't always been so simple. The idea of a center that focused strictly on vampires was almost too tempting---and too good to be true.
"What do you say, Matthew? I want to put you in charge of the entire center. You're the best in your field, and I know all about the contributions you've made to vampire society. The cure you discovered several years ago to combat the poison deadly to our kind... Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
"That wasn't all my work. I had a psychic friend who contacted a person who'd known about the cure for centuries."
"Wasn't it something crazy? Like the mortal with the tainted blood who infected the vampire had to become a hybrid and the victimized immortal had to drink her tears? Crazy. Absolutely insane. You were able to create synthetic tears that produced the same results. Easier. Quicker. Brilliant. You'd be doing the same type of thing without the hindrance of researching mortals."
"Mortals aren't a hindrance," Matthew said, irritated. "I enjoy working with mortals. I was raised by mortals---"
"Wait a second. Wait a second." Jay held up his hands in defense. "I have nothing against mortals, Matthew, and I certainly meant no offense to your family. I just think that an Immaculate with your skills and intelligence shouldn't have to perform closet research for his own kind. This could be an amazing opportunity for you. You know I'm right."
Matthew glanced at his fingers as they twisted the edges of his desk calendar. He couldn't disagree with Jay. It would be a fantastic venture, one he'd never dreamed possible.
"You don't have to answer right away." Jay stood. "Give it a few weeks."
"How do I contact you?"
"Don't worry, Matthew." Jay smiled as he walked to the door. "I'll be in touch with you."
Dulcie stepped out of the shower and reached for a tube of lemon-scented lotion. Naked except for a pink bath towel wrapped around her head, she walked to the bedroom and smoothed the lotion over her skin. She always felt good after she worked out. For the past couple of hours, she'd used the stair climber and free weights in their home gym. Though Matthew ran on his own---his alpha male speed and stamina exceeded hers---they usually exercised together in the early morning hours before she retired to sleep and he went to the lab. She'd missed him tonight, particularly when he called her at eight-thirty and told her not to expect him until eleven. Jay's interruption earlier that day had pushed him behind on his daily goals, and he had to make up for it.
So Dulcie had refrigerated the dinner she'd prepared and spent the night alone. Occasionally she wished he'd spend a little less time at work and a little more at home. He usually spent seven days a week at that lab, and nearly as many nights. The crazy hours weren't a surprise to her. She needed her own freedom to work on her art, and the time they spent together was always wonderful. Still, that night she'd really been looking forward to Matthew coming home early.
She lifted her chin and inhaled, her heartbeat quickening and clit tingling with impending desire. Matthew's scent drifted through the window. Moments later, she heard the front door open. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was only ten.
Smiling, she slipped on a black robe and hurried down the stairs.
"Matthew?"
Dulcie shrieked as strong arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her to a bare, sweaty chest.
Dulcie slapped Matthew's wrist hard. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"
He nipped her earlobe. "Not to death."
"I'm so glad you're home," she purred, turning in his arms and kissing him. Her fingers stroked the mat of damp curls covering his rock-hard pecs. "How was your run?"
"Warmed me up for you."
She sighed with mock annoyance and stepped back, her gaze raking his sleek torso and long legs hidden by black jogging pants. "You know, I did just take a shower and you're getting me all messy."
"Sorry. I'll go wash up." He released her and headed for the stairs.
Dulcie leapt at him, her claws raking over his chest and abdomen. "Don't you dare walk away from me until I'm satisfied."
"I love a woman of authority." He grasped her wrists and tugged her to the kitchen.
"Hungry?" she asked coyly. "Dinner is in the---" She paused, gasping as he ripped off her robe and devoured one of her nipples. His warm, moist tongue lapped the rosy peak and circled the areola. "Refrigerator."
She closed her eyes as he dropped to his knees and kissed her stomach. Soft lips roamed over her waist. The tip of his tongue tickled her ribs and swirled inside her navel. Grasping one of her firm bottom cheeks in each hand, he lapped her inner thighs until her legs almost dropped from under her. She grasped handfuls of his damp hair and murmured endearments.
"Matthew, oh, God. That's it, darling. It feels so, so good!" she purred as he licked her clit and tugged the delicate flesh with his moist lips. His tongue ran down one side of it then up the other while his hands kneaded and squeezed her smooth posterior.
Dulcie's hands moved from his head to his shoulders. She clutched the big, solid muscles, feeling power ripple through him. He exuded raw strength like no other vampire she'd ever met. He allowed her a taste of it, enough to steal her breath, but never enough to harm her. Matthew loved her ferocious appetite. He gained as much pleasure from her exuberance as from the sensations of his cock buried deep in her pussy or filling her warm, wet mouth. Power was inside him. He was a man sure enough of his inner strength and masculinity not to carry dominance into the bedroom. He loved feeling the full brunt of Dulcie's passions. Anything less than a full-blown alpha female would bore the hell out of him and she knew it. Most of Matthew's life was spent maintaining control. He cut loose in his sex life and needed a woman with as much enthusiasm, vigor and strength of will as he possessed.
Lifting her onto a stool beside the stove, he pressed her against the wall. Dulcie shivered as much from the coolness of the tile against her back as from the marvelous sensation of his thick erection sliding, inch by thrilling inch, inside her.
"Matthew!" She panted against his neck. The flesh was damp from his run and grew hotter, the tendons and arteries bulging as he thrust fast and hard. He growled close to her ear. His chest rumbled with the animal sound. Clinging to him tightly, her claws sank into his back. She ran her palms down the slick flesh, feeling the muscles flexing.
She drew back slightly and gazed into his eyes, which glistened lavender as his desire heightened. The dark pupils expanded like a cat's in the dark.
"Your eyes are so beautiful," he murmured breathlessly. "I love it when they glow."
"Yours remind me of fireworks."
"I'll give you fireworks." He increased his movements, that big, hard cock pumping in and out of her, rubbing her in all the right places. The pleasure built to astounding heights, almost unbearable in its tightening, pulsing magnificence.
Closing her eyes, she unsheathed her fangs, feeling them slip from her gums. Her legs wrapped tightly around his lean waist, her heels resting against a taut male ass firm enough to crack walnuts with. She bit his shoulder, shuddering as the taste of his blood hurled her into an orgasm so long and intense that the world went black. Her pussy clamped around his cock, squeezing, throbbing, driving him to his peak.
He groaned as his teeth sank into her shoulder, drinking deeply as he stiffened and rammed into her drenched pussy with a final savage thrust.
\*
Dulcie sat across from Matthew at the dinner table, licking salad dressing that had splashed onto the back of her hand.
"So are you going to tell me about it?" she asked.
His gaze flew to hers. "Sorry. I'm drifting, aren't I?"
"A little."
"I got a job offer today."
"I didn't know you were looking, sweetheart."
"I'm not. Jay Ashford made a proposal."
Dulcie listened in silence while Matthew told her about Jay's offer. When he'd finished, she asked, "Do you want to work for him?"
"It would be a very good opportunity to advance the study of our kind."
"But?"
"I'm involved in my work at the hospital. I enjoy it."
"I know you like working with mortals, but you're also pursuing the study of vampires. If you take this new position, you wouldn't have to work quite so many hours to balance everything out."
"And that would leave more time for us." He smiled softly. "That's the biggest attraction."
"Matthew," she reached for his hand across the table, "you know I love spending time with you, but I don't want you to make the wrong decision because of me. I knew all about your schedule before we married. I want you to be happy, and I know how much you enjoy working with Jules and Nancy. You love your job at the hospital. You've done so much good there."
"I don't like Jay Ashford."
"I don't like him either."
"But this is a fantastic opportunity. Think about all we could learn with an entire team researching vampires."
Dulcie smiled, her hand tightening on his. "I know that look."
"What look?"
"This really excites you."
"How could it not?"
"Matthew, I know your temper. Do you think you could work for Jay Ashford and not lose it?"
"I didn't get as far as I have because I can't hold my temper."
"I just know once you lose it, there's no turning back. Face it, darling, you're an animal."
Matthew cast his eyes down to his plate. Her words disturbed him. It had been hard for him to reconcile with his wild side. At times he still denied it. She didn't like upsetting him, but she also understood the consequences should he and Jay Ashford have a serious confrontation. Not that she believed Jay would be foolish enough to taunt Matthew into a physical brawl---a common occurrence among vampire males--- but she sensed a verbal blowout could cause Matthew professional difficulties.
"When does he want your answer?"
"A couple of weeks."
"Good. We're going to New York for our vacation on Monday. You can talk to Adam about it."
"We'll be lucky if we see five minutes of Adam. He's a resident. He has no time."
"Mara's told me."
"How's she dealing with it?"
"Fine. She misses him, but her job as a Network chronicler keeps her busy."
In truth, Dulcie looked forward to talking to her sister-in-law about her involvement with the Network. With the destruction of the First Father, a secret group of vampires led by Marina, a survivor of Atlantis, had approached Adam about becoming a leader among immortals. They asked him to head the Network, an organization formed to keep order among vampires. The Network ensured those who used their powers for evil were punished. It helped vampire society to exist secretly and peacefully among human beings. Dulcie had been surprised by the number of members in the Network. Even some of her own relatives were associated with the group. Matthew had offered his expertise in the sciences for their endeavors but refused multiple offers to join.
Mara had often told Dulcie how much she enjoyed working for the Network, and her enthusiasm had recently made Dulcie consider learning more about it herself. During their vacation, she planned on discovering all she could about the organization from her sister-in-law.
"She's really glad we'll be visiting," Dulcie continued, "and I can't wait to see both of them again."
"Neither can I."
"And it will be nice spending so much time with you."
Matthew traced her lips with his thumb and said, "I plan on making the most of it."
\*
"Will you go home already?" Nancy folded her arms across her chest as she stood in the doorway of Matthew's office. "Your vacation has started. Begun. Is in progress."
"It's only six o'clock."
Nancy raised her eyes to the ceiling and sighed. "How shall I say this, Doctor? Go home and have fun."
Matthew switched off his computer, replaced a file in one of his drawers and glanced at his desk one last time.
Nancy shook her head. "It'll all still be here when you get back, you know. I swear to God, your attachment to your job is unnatural. You're not supposed to like working this much."
"You're sure that's the kind of thing you want to say to your superior?"
Nancy looked a bit worried until Matthew smiled.
"Just kidding," he said, and followed her to the hallway. "Remember, you can call me if you need..."
"No. I can't. You're away, remember?"
"I'm only in New York"
"It may as well be Africa. No one's going to call you. We'll survive the next couple of weeks without you, and believe me, you'll survive better than you think without us."
"How would you feel if I didn't come back?"
Nancy laughed. "Oh, right. As if that would ever happen. You've already got separation anxiety because of two weeks' vacation."
"I'm serious. Say I left. Would you miss me?"
"You mean it, don't you?" Nancy narrowed her eyes. "Matthew, you know how I'd feel, how most of the people in this hospital would feel. Come on, you're one of the good ones. Pardon my language, but there's a staff full of arrogant assholes around here, and you're simply not one of them. People can actually come to you with problems and not get their throats torn out."
Matthew offered a weak smile. Funny she should choose that particular term.
"You aren't really thinking about leaving, are you?"
Matthew stopped walking, and so did Nancy. "I've been offered another job. A good one."
"Well," Nancy drew a deep breath, "it must be for you to give up this one."
"I didn't say I was going to take it. I'm just thinking about it."
"Well, if it's something you really want, I think you should go for it. A person of your talent should have the best."
"You know I think this hospital is the best. I'm just considering all my options."
"And you should. Do what will be most beneficial to you, but if you decide to go, I'll miss you."
"You too, Nancy. See you in a couple of weeks."
\*
As Matthew turned his car down his street, he noticed his parents' truck parked in the driveway and smiled. Though they lived only a few towns away, his work prevented him from spending as much time as he'd like with his human family. Human family. Up until a few years ago, the Winters had been his only family. Then he'd met his twin and his birth parents, both hybrid vampires. Though the Winters would always be his true family, he did have affection for his biological mother, Mercedes. Adam, aside from Dulcie, had become his closest friend. In spite of their personality clash, Matthew had to admit he respected his biological father, Brett. Brett was everything Matthew was not---silly, juvenile, a bozo, but his heart was true. He'd spent centuries tracking and destroying evil vampires and had recently become a legitimate law enforcer in the Network. As he'd often pointed out to Matthew, he was also a medical doctor. Of course, he'd earned his degree in nineteen-twenty-something and learned his basic skills during the golden age of Rome...
Matthew considered the differences between his birth parents and his adoptive ones. His adoptive mother was a fourth-grade teacher, and his father a plumber. Matthew had five brothers and sisters, which was how he met Dulcie. She and his sister Lisa had attended the same college.
As he parked his car and approached the front door, he hoped Lisa had accompanied his parents. She'd recently had a son whom she'd named Buck Matthew, after her father and brother. Lisa hadn't married her son's father, and the man---if one could call him such---had little to do with her or the baby. Still, she often said she preferred it that way. Her ex-boyfriend had turned out to be a first-class idiot.
Matthew couldn't imagine a man avoiding his own child. Perhaps because the chances of him and Dulcie having a baby were so slim, he felt a touch of envy toward men with children. Vampires' cycles occurred very seldom, and the chances of conception were slight. He and his brother had been flukes. Immaculates were born on occasion, as Dulcie's entire family proved, but twins were next to impossible.
"Matthew!" Dulcie greeted him in the hallway. He accepted her embrace, inhaling the scent of his parents, Lisa, and his nephew. Good. "I'm so glad you're home early. Your family's staying for dinner."
Hand in hand, they walked to the living room. He greeted his parents, noting they both looked well, but his father's hair had a bit more gray at the temples, and his mother's glasses appeared slightly thicker. Like all mortals, they were aging.
The thought that his parents, brothers and sisters, even his nieces and nephews, would all grow old and die disturbed him. As a doctor, he had learned quickly to accept death, but as a vampire, part of him still rebelled against it.
"We wanted to see you two before you left for New York," said Matthew's mother, Julie.
"It's about time you took a vacation," his father, Buck, scolded, though his eyes shone with pride for his oldest son. "I can't believe you never took your wife on a honeymoon. Didn't I teach you anything?"
"Yes," Matthew smirked, "how to unblock toilets."
"Don't laugh." Buck wagged his finger in Matthew's direction. "You would have made a decent plumber, but no, you wanted medical school."
"Honestly, Dad!" Lisa laughed, passing the sleeping baby in her arms to Matthew.
His nephew was a soft, warm weight. He smiled at the scrunched little face as he told his father, "I've taken care of every pipe in this house."
"That's why it smells like a sewer in here," Buck teased.
"Speaking of sewers, dinner is just about ready," Dulcie told them. "This is my first vegetable lasagna, so I hope it tastes good." She glanced over Matthew's arm at the baby. "He's so cute."
"Why don't you hold him, Dulcie?" Lisa said. "I think you've picked him up once since he was born."
"Oh, no." Dulcie backed away, nervousness in her wide-set, slanted eyes.
Matthew laughed. "You look like he's an explosive instead of a baby."
"You should get used to it," Julie said to her. "What if you and Matthew decide to start a family?"
Dulcie and Matthew exchanged an uncomfortable look before she smiled at Julie and walked to the kitchen. "Everybody better come on before the lasagna gets cold."
"I'll put him in the carrier, Matthew, so you can eat," Lisa said.
"I'll hold him a while longer." Matthew winked at her. "When he starts screaming, you can have him back."
"You know, I think Ma's right." Lisa folded her arms across her chest. "You should probably get used to the crying and dirty diapers, just in case."
I wish, Matthew thought as he followed the others to the kitchen, but he said, "Used to it? Who gives you a night off once a week by watching the kid?"
"I know." Lisa glanced at her brother. "You're the best. Why do you think I named him after you?"
"But his first name is Buck." Buck pointed his fork in Matthew's direction. "Don't anybody forget that."
"Don't think you'll let us, Dad," Matthew said.
The family sat around the kitchen table as Dulcie served the food. As she placed a dish of the aromatic lasagna in front of Matthew, she kissed the top of his head. He listened to his parents engage in a brief spat while Lisa discussed her photography job with Dulcie. Even as his nephew's soft cooing finally exploded into full-blown wailing, Matthew thought how glad he was he'd left the lab early. Never had he imagined being so happy with his life. His family might not know what he was, but he loved them, and he had Dulcie, who knew everything about him. She meant the world to him. He remembered how he'd felt years before meeting her, the times when he wished he was dead because he felt so far removed from everyone else. His mother had once remarked on the changes Dulcie inspired in him, how much happier he seemed since meeting her. At times he wished he could tell them the truth and introduce them to his vampire family, but such a meeting was impossible.
Of course, his mortal family knew about Adam. He could think of no way to explain his twin other than to say Adam had searched for him. Still, it would be liberating to finally be honest with Julie and Buck. Maybe someday...
Later that evening, the front door had no sooner closed behind Matthew's family than he swept Dulcie into his arms and carried her up the stairs.
"Umm," she smiled, one hand looped around his neck, the other curling in his hair. "I guess you're in the mood for a little relaxation."
"I'm in the mood to fuck you until you can't walk, my love."
"Such lofty ambitions you have."
"Think I can't do it?"
She giggled, rubbing her nose against his. "I'm looking forward to having you try."
In their room, he placed her on the bed and sat on the edge of it, stroking her face. She took his hand and nipped it, just enough to draw a bit of blood. His eyes turned from dark blue to lavender as his passion ignited. Still, his movements were slow and tender as he unbuttoned her blouse and slipped it off. His hand swept her bare belly before he unsnapped her bra and slid the straps down her shoulders. She raised herself slightly to accommodate him as he removed her bra and placed it on the night table.
The sight of her full, firm breasts tipped with dark pink nipples already hard and waiting for his lips was enough to inspire a full erection.
Using the tips of his fingers, he swept the creamy globes, avoiding her nipples until she squirmed and thrust them against his palms. Extending one claw, he brushed one of her nipples, his touch nothing more than a tickle. He licked his lips and bent, swirling his tongue around the other nipple.
She felt so warm and smooth. The glow of her beautiful eyes told him she was as ready for loving as he. He hadn't been joking about fucking her until she couldn't walk.
Standing, he shed his clothes quickly and returned to her, covering her body with his.
"Oh, Matthew, I love you so much." She kissed him, sinking her teeth into his lower lip. Gazing into his eyes, she ran her fingertips over his face, stroking his brow, cheekbone, and the length of his nose. She touched his lashes, entranced by his gleaming lavender eyes.
His thick cock pressed against her thigh. He shifted his hips, loving the sensation of his cock head against her smooth flesh. Once he was buried deep inside her, it would feel even better, but there was time for that. All night.
Sliding off her, he rolled her onto her stomach and swept tendrils of hair away from the back of her neck. Beginning at her nape, he kissed her from spine to tailbone. He ran his lips over her firm, soft-skinned bottom. Unable to resist, he sank his fangs into one of the plump cheeks.
She gasped, wiggling a bit, and groaned with a combination of pleasure-pain.
While he continued licking, kissing and nipping her posterior, Matthew slid two fingers into her moist pussy. Dulcie mewled, murmuring breathless words of encouragement.
The stroking fingers slipped from her warm slit and pushed underneath her, stroking her clit.
A shiver ripped Dulcie from head to toe. Matthew rose to his knees, bracing a hand on either side of her and sliding his cock head over her back and buttocks. Taking her earlobe between his teeth, he eased himself down her body, his steely rod slipping between her bottom cheeks.
"Are you ready?" he growled in her ear. "Ready to be fucked, kissed and loved?"
"Oh, yes, my love! Oh please!"
"Please." He purred, raking his claws down her arm and licking her neck. "You beg so beautifully. Say it again."
"Please! Please!" She shivered as he rolled her onto her back and pinned her wrists on either side of her head. Her breasts scraped against his hair-roughened chest and her legs spread wide for him. "Oh, please, Matthew! I want you so badly!"
With a single fierce thrust into her passion-drenched pussy, he covered her mouth with his. His hips rammed her as their tongues battled, stroking, thrusting, demanding fulfillment. Their fangs drew blood from their lips, nourishing one another as their bodies pounded together in a savage rhythm. Dulcie's legs locked tightly around his waist. Her claws extended as her fingers twisted, her hands still pinned by her head.
They growled and groaned, their mouths fused and bodies moving as one. Dulcie exploded in orgasm, gasping into his mouth since he refused to let her tear her lips from his.
His constant thrusting drew out her orgasm to the last exquisite shudder, but he didn't stop there. His unceasing rhythm pushed her toward another climax, his cock, slick with her juices, rubbed her where she was most hot and needy.
As the second orgasm passed to a third, Dulcie's eyes squeezed shut, lost in a black and red haze of sensuality. Nothing existed but Matthew, his breath in her ear, his blood on her lips, and his big, sleek body taking all she had to offer. Her very essence was his. She knew it and loved it. Nothing matched being possessed by this handsome Immaculate who gave her his heart.
Outside the moon rose higher, inside Matthew slipped his thick, aching cock from Dulcie only to roll her onto her stomach and take her from behind. When he grew tired of that, he turned her again, thrusting fast and hard, feeling her claws sink into his back. Every muscle in his body strained for release. He marveled at his own restraint. Panting beneath him, Dulcie opened her eyes the slightest bit, her body trembling in another orgasm. Her hot pussy clamped around his rod, swollen to the point of exploding. The taste of her blood on his tongue aroused him, yet he kept his lust in check.
"Please," she murmured, her head arching into the pillow. She gazed at him, looping her arms around his neck. Her hips lifted to meet his. The tips of her fangs, tinged red with blood, glistened against her full lips. Perspiration misted her face. A droplet of sweat dripped from Matthew's forehead onto her cheek. Their moisture-slicked bodies slid together in a sensual dance.
His mouth covered hers, their fangs clicking and biting as they exploded in a mutual orgasm that left her trembling and semiconscious beneath him, aware only of the hiss of his breath in her ear and the slamming of his heart against her breasts.
\*
Matthew lay on his back, staring out the window at the moonlight. Dulcie dozed beside him, her head close to his shoulder, one of her smooth legs draped over his. She uttered a soft sound of contentment and turned her back, revealing the red tracks of his claws across her smooth skin. His chest and back were crisscrossed with her scratches. He grew hard again as he recalled the fun they'd had leaving such marks.
He doubted Dulcie would sleep for long. Then they could continue where they'd left off. The sweet taste of her blood still lingered on his lips. His entire body tingled with her essence. Until he'd met her, he had no idea how physically deprived he'd been, not just for sex but for blood as well. Since meeting Dulcie and accepting the nourishment his Immaculate body required, his strength had more than doubled. He'd had no idea the extent of his own power, and at times it disturbed him. The only vampire he'd met with his physical power was his brother. Adam was in a strength class of his own. He'd once killed a tiger with his bare hands, a next-to-impossible feat, even for an Immaculate vampire. Adam's entire life had been spent developing his physique since, according to prophecy, he was the one chosen to destroy the First Father. Though Adam had done the actual killing, Matthew had been very much a part of it, using magic---something he'd never believed in.
He'd sought explanations for the power he'd summoned, combing every scientific resource, but had gotten nowhere. For several moments eight years ago, the world had turned upside down. Matthew had been the cause. Members of the vampire community suggested Matthew's spell had created some sort of mass hypnosis.
For months, he'd not so much as mentioned an incantation or a spell, but his curious mind had eventually gotten the better of him. On occasion, he allowed himself to delve into the occult, first using spells---harmless ones---created by other magic users, then he'd started testing some of his own invention.
Each time, he'd tell himself never again. It was foolishness. A logical, educated man should not play with something as archaic as magic. He was not some teenage twit seeking the illusion of power, but a researcher at the top of his field.
Matthew tugged on black cotton pants and absently tied the dangling drawstring. Barefoot and shirtless, he walked out of the bedroom and into his study. From the bottom drawer in his desk, he removed a plain wooden box about the size of a shoebox and carried it to the backyard.
From inside the box, he chose a light blue pillar candle and placed it on the wrought iron chair. He knelt before it and closed his eyes, clearing his mind. Such a task wasn't simple for him. His thoughts constantly raced about work or Dulcie. Unlike most people, if he wasn't preoccupied, he wasn't relaxed. Practicing magic forced him to alter his ways, change his thought process. He told himself magic only interested him because it presented a challenge, and he loved challenges.
"Warmth of wax. Cinder of time," he said. "Hephaestus! Essence of power most sublime. Vulcan! Power I have no right to claim. Loki! Grant the timeless warmth of a single flame."
Slowly, he opened his eyes, and his heartbeat quickened at the sight of the glowing flame above the blue wax.
"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."
Matthew's head snapped over his shoulder. He stared at Dulcie, who stood naked, her arms folded beneath her full, pink-tipped breasts.
She smiled and stepped closer, dropping onto the grass beside him. "So how long have you been practicing this?"
He shrugged. "Not long."
She lifted an eyebrow.
"All right. About a year and a half." He sighed. "There has to be some logical explanation, some tangible reason, for vampires' mind control. Also, why can I do this---" he gestured toward the flame, "---but have almost no telepathic powers?"
"Oh, Matthew." She looped her arms around his neck. "All this is because you've been told you're telepathically deficient. You can't stand that word, can you? Why can't you just accept that maybe you can't read minds? You've got an IQ that's higher than most people can count, you're physically powerful, and you can work magic. What more do you want?"
He stood and paced the yard. "I want to know why magic works. Why so many vampires, and some mortals, are psychic." He stopped and sighed, squeezing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "I want to know if I should leave the hospital and take Jay's damn offer."
Dulcie laughed.
"What the hell is so funny?"
"Matthew." She leapt to her feet and hugged him. "Aren't there enough real problems in life? Why do you insist on creating more?"
"I'm not creating them. They find me."
She cast him a skeptical look, and he smiled, finally seeing the humor of the situation. "I'm obsessing, aren't I?"
"You?" she teased. "Never."
As Matthew smothered the flame, Dulcie howled softly. He glanced at her, a thrill coursing through him. Standing naked, her long, dark hair draping her shoulders and back like a silky cloak, she tilted her beautiful face upward as she wailed to the moon. Matthew knew he'd never seen a more sensual creature. She smiled at him, her fangs glistening in the dimness. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck before his own gaze fixed on the moon and he howled, long and deep. Dulcie's voice, high and fierce, joined his, and together they sang their wild moon song.
\*
Early the following afternoon, Matthew and Dulcie arrived at his twin's house in New York. Mara greeted them in the driveway.
"I'm so glad to see you guys!" Mara embraced them both before she helped them carry their luggage inside. "What's going on in Boston? How are Charlie, Jocelyn and the kids?"
"Everyone's great," Dulcie told her. "I'm so excited to be here. There's so much to see, and I want to sketch everything."
"Oh, sure," Matthew said in mock anger. "You tell me to leave my career behind, but you plan on working the whole time we're here."
"Quiet, or I'll put the nude I painted of you in my next exhibit."
Matthew narrowed his eyes at her. "And you'd do it, too."
"Absolutely, handsome." Dulcie stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
"How's Adam?" Matthew asked as they stepped into the house and piled the bags in the hallway.
Mara cast him a concerned look. "He's managing."
"I know. I haven't many fond memories of residency."
Mara shook her head. "You're not going to believe what's going on."
"Well, don't leave us hanging!" Dulcie said.
"This city suddenly seems to be crawling with immortal trash."
"From what I hear, New York's crawling with all sorts of trash," Matthew told her.
"It's not so bad." Mara shrugged. "Adam's lived here all his life, but he says he's never seen it so bad. I know he's always kept it fairly clean of dangerous hybrids, but there's been like an epidemic. There's trouble almost every day at the hospital. Hybrids are all over the place, sneaking in patients' rooms at night, even stealing blood in broad daylight. The humans have no idea what's going on, but Adam's losing his mind."
"Hasn't the Network sent any backup?" Matthew asked.
Mara looked disgusted. "I've been doing as much as I can, and Adam's been asking for help. For goodness sake, he's the leader! All the worst decisions go to him, and they can't even find him a single damn vampire to help him? I'm really worried about Adam. Sometimes I don't see him for days at a time, and if it was just because of his career, I wouldn't be so worried, but it's the idea that he could get killed at any time."
"I'm sorry, Mara." Dulcie placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Matthew and I can help while we're here."
"Of course we will," Matthew told her. "If we---"
The phone rang, and Mara rushed to the kitchen.
"Why didn't Adam say something to us?" Matthew asked.
Dulcie shrugged. "He knows how busy you are. He probably didn't want to trouble you. I mean, he is the Network's leader. Why don't they send the backup he's looking for?"
"Probably because he is the leader. I mean, he destroyed the First Father. They probably figure he can keep some rough hybrids under control. The problem is, he's got a lot of training to handle at the hospital right now, and he shouldn't have to juggle both."
"Matthew?" Mara stepped into the hall. "Adam's on the phone. He wants to talk to you."
Matthew stepped into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Matthew. Thank God. I know you just got here, but can you come down to the hospital? We have a little---" Adam's voice was suddenly replaced by a loud crash and the sound of a hybrid's dying growl. When Adam returned, he sounded breathless, yet he spoke without missing a beat. "Situation down here."
"On my way." Matthew hung up and returned to the hallway, searching through one of his suitcases.
"What's wrong?" Dulcie demanded.
"Adam needs some backup by the sound of it."
Mara's eyes widened with concern. "By the sound of what?"
"Nothing." Matthew offered her a slight smile as he pulled a small handgun from his bag. Dulcie knew the weapon was loaded with platinum-dipped bullets. Though Matthew tried avoiding violence, after the situation with the First Father, he'd perfected his fighting skills and gotten a license to carry. He kissed Dulcie and headed for the door. "We can handle it. Sorry to run, ladies. Dulcie, don't wait up for me."
"Matthew!" Dulcie shouted.
"What the hell did Adam say?" Mara demanded, but the door already clicked shut.
The women sighed and exchanged concerned, irritated expressions.
"So much for our vacation," Dulcie said.
"I guess that's what we get for marrying twins."
"Specifically those twins."
\*
The hospital where Adam worked was so big that it took Matthew nearly half an hour of wandering before he caught his brother's scent amidst those of mortals and hybrids. Adam's scent, like all Immaculates, was strong and unmistakably his. Fresh, powerful, it reminded Matthew of a whitewater tide.
His keen nose told him Adam was on one of the lower levels, possibly even the garage.
Matthew decided to take the stairs.
"Dr. Lindsay!" A small hand touched his arm. Matthew narrowed his eyes at a short, smiling nurse. "Are you all right, Dr. Lindsay?"
Matthew forced a smile, realizing the woman thought he was his brother. "I'm fine. Thanks."
"Goodness, when did you shave off your beard? I almost didn't recognize you."
Matthew touched a hand to his jaw, wondering if he should explain that he and Adam were brothers, then decided not to. It might be better for Adam if Matthew could wander the hospital keeping an eye out for hybrids---at least until the Network sent backup.
"You're sure you're okay?" the nurse asked.
"Yes."
"Well, have a nice day."
Matthew waited until she disappeared in the elevator before slipping into the staircase.
Ten minutes later, he detected the sound of fighting and hurried toward an empty room where the janitors stored nonhazardous trash. Inside, Matthew found Adam fighting another snarling Immaculate.
Aside from a full, dark beard and a slightly heavier build, Adam was identical to Matthew. The blond-haired Immaculate he fought wasn't quite as tall as the twins, but more thickly built. A jagged scar marked one of his cheeks. Matthew caught not only his scent but also the stench of months' worth of grime.
Adam and the Immaculate grasped each other's shoulders and attempted to throw one another to the ground. Their unsheathed fangs gnashed each other. Blood ran from the corner of the blond's mouth. The sleeve of Adam's white coat was torn and stained red. The Immaculate managed to flip Adam onto his back, sending his stethoscope and the little flashlight in his pocket sailing across the room. Adam grunted as he landed, but rolled aside before the blond's foot shattered his face. He kicked his opponent's legs out from under him and struck him hard in the temple, rendering him unconscious.
"See what I mean?" Adam panted, approaching Matthew.
Matthew noted his brother looked uncharacteristically frazzled. Adam had always been the calm one and Matthew the more hot-tempered twin.
He collected Adam's missing equipment and handed it back. "So this happens often?"
"Almost every day. Sometimes twice." Adam glanced around the dim room. "There's another one down here right now. Took off when I started fighting his partner. I'm losing my goddamn mind, Matthew."
Adam must have been at the end of his patience to swear. A devout Baptist, Adam rarely used obscenities, particularly those taking the name of the Lord in vain.
"Shouldn't the Network send you some backup?"
"Yes. I called Marina again. Someone will be coming in this week."
"No problem. I'll stay around until then."
"Sure you're up to it? I know you don't fight very often---"
Matthew turned slightly as the blond's partner dove through the door, a dagger in his hand aimed at the scientist's back. He soared past Matthew, who kicked him in the buttocks. He ducked the blade as the attacker swung again and grasped the man's arms, twisting them behind his back. Matthew smashed him face-first into the wall then dropped the unconscious vampire to the floor.
"Glad you're here." Adam offered his brother a mock salute. "The protecting bit is all yours until reinforcements arrive."
"How have you been getting rid of the bodies?"
"Two ambulance drivers are hybrids, part of the Network. They take care of the bodies."
"But they can't help you fight?"
Adam shook his head. "They don't have the power for that. I've had a surprising number of Immaculates breaking in. I have to get back upstairs. I'm sick of having to be in fifty places at once. The hospital wants me here, the Network wants me there. Being the friggin' leader is worse than I thought it would be."
Matthew resisted the urge to laugh. Swearing sounded so ridiculous coming from Adam, but he realized his brother was in no mood for good humor.
"When's the last time you had blood?" Matthew asked. "You look hungry."
Adam pressed his palms into his eyes. "Too long."
"You could take some from these guys." Matthew nodded to the unconscious bodies.
Adam curled his lip. "Do you still have your sense of smell? I don't think they've bathed in centuries. I can't bite that."
"Here." Matthew rolled up his sleeve and offered Adam his forearm. His twin looked hesitant. "I promise you, Adam, I shower daily."
Adam's lips flickered in a slight smile before he made a shallow bite in Matthew's arm and drank. When he finished, he drew a long breath and closed his eyes. "Thank you. When I'm hungry, this place kills me with all the blood around, especially in surgery."
Matthew nodded, remembering that feeling all too well, except he had had no one to confide in regarding his unique problems. He was fiercely glad he could support Adam.
"How's Dulcie?"
"Probably pissed at me."
"Mara isn't exactly thrilled with me these days, either, but most of the time she's very understanding. The Network keeps her busy."
"If she's anything like Dulcie, she'll appreciate her free time. Dulcie and Charlie have an exhibition coming up soon."
"That's wonderful. If---" Adam glanced down at his beeper, which had suddenly gone off. He curled his lip. "I'm glad I'm pursuing pathology. At least my patients won't need attention at all kinds of crazy hours."
"Yes, but you've chosen that field to filter out vampiric crime. Are you looking forward to fighting creatures like the First Father over and over again?"
Adam offered a little laugh. "Thanks for reminding me. Just about anything is better than what we went through with him. I have to go." Adam embraced his brother tightly. "I'm glad you're here."
Matthew glanced after Adam as he hurried to the elevators.
With Mara's help, Dulcie unpacked her and Matthew's belongings in the guest room where they'd be staying. The women spoke of trivial matters, each with her mind on what might be happening at the hospital.
"Do you want to go down there?" Dulcie asked.
Mara looked hesitant. "I really don't want to bother Adam at work, but what if he's dead or---"
"Come on. You don't have to talk to him. We'll just make sure they aren't staked through the heart or something."
Mara needed no further goading as the women tore out of the house.
\*
Matthew walked the perimeter of the hospital's lowest-level parking lot. Except for occasional visitors retrieving their vehicles, it appeared deserted. Nothing seemed amiss, yet Matthew had this feeling.
The scent of hybrids mingled with the scent of mortals, but he couldn't discern criminals by smell alone.
Suddenly, he caught her scent, felt her.
Dulcie.
He snarled, his eyes wide, as an unconscious hybrid landed at his feet.
Dulcie, dressed in loose jeans and black work boots, her curves shown to advantage in her black tank top, strode through the door leading inside the hospital. She stepped on top of the unconscious vampire and hugged Matthew around the neck. "Hello."
"What are you doing here?"
"Mara and I got worried." She tossed her hair over her shoulders. "Silly us."
"Where is she?"
"Talking with Adam. He's very grateful you're here."
"I told him I'd help. I know it's our vacation. Are you very mad at me?"
"No." Dulcie kissed his cheek, then rubbed away the red lipstick mark with her thumb. "I know you can't leave him with all this trouble. Would you like some help?"
"Absolutely not. I don't want you in danger."
"Oh, puleez." Dulcie placed her hands on her hips, hopped off the hybrid's back, and nudged the body with the toe of her boot. "I did this sucker in, and at least if I stay, you won't be lonely."
Matthew smiled and drew her into his arms. "If it gets too bad, I want you to go, or else I won't be able to fight well. I'll be too worried about you."
"Why you arrogant male---" He kissed her to silence, and when their lips finally parted, she resisted the urge to utter a demure "whatever you want, dear".
"Promise?" he whispered against her lips.
"Oh...all right."
For the remainder of the day, Matthew and Dulcie prowled the hospital and combed the surrounding streets. Fortunately, there were no further attacks. Around midnight, they arrived at the house.
Mara had left a note that she'd gone hunting and Adam was working a twenty-four-hour shift, so he wouldn't be home until the following afternoon.
"So, I guess that leaves you and me." Dulcie removed the baseball cap confining her thick, dark hair. She shook the silky tresses down her back and gasped as Matthew dragged her into his arms and carried her up the stairs to the guest bathroom.
"I wonder what you have in mind to occupy our time?" Dulcie smiled, unfastening the top buttons of his shirt.
He kissed her hard, placing her on the countertop beside the sink. His hands caressed her thighs, and he whispered against her lips, "I'm sure I'll think of something."
She purred as he slashed the tank top from her body with a single swipe of his claws. Her breasts bounced and her nipples tightened. He licked each before turning on the shower faucet. "First, we need a shower."
"And a good screw."
He glanced over his shoulder, his fangs lengthening and eyes glowing. "That too."
She unzipped her jeans and kicked them off. Leaping lightly to her bare feet, she hooked her fingers in his belt loops and tugged him close as she used her claws to rip off his shirt. He growled with desire and finished undressing quickly.
Naked, they stepped into the shower, hands groping, teeth nipping playfully. Matthew grasped her wrists and pinned her against the cool, slick tile before he sank his incisors deep into her shoulder. Nudging her thighs apart, he thrust into her, his bent knees flexing as he pumped. Using one of his hands to continue holding her arms above her head, he reached between them with his free hand and rubbed her clit in tender, circular motions. Dulcie moaned, her eyes slipping shut. She struggled against his grasp, longing to touch him as intimately as he touched her. Finally, he released her wrists. She clutched his shoulders, her sharp claws sinking into his flesh. Sheathing the claws on one hand, she reached down and grasped his balls, kneading and squeezing.
He growled in her ear. "That feels good. Harder."
She accommodated him, her grip tightening as she rolled his sac.
"Harder!"
Growling and howling, he nipped her throat as she clutched his balls, finally releasing them as his thrusts quickened. She clung to him, her thighs trembling as she came, imprisoned between his big, hot body and the water-slicked tile.
\*
Over the next several days, Matthew took over for Adam in keeping control of vampire undesirables. The attacks lessened somewhat, and on Adam's day off, the couples finally spent some time together.
For the first time he could remember, Matthew indulged his vampiric nature and slept for nearly an entire day. He awoke once around nine in the morning, glanced at the clock and leapt up, his heart pounding. Then he relaxed. He was on vacation and not late for work, as he'd initially thought.
Dulcie squinted drowsily at him. "What's wrong?"
"It's late."
She narrowed her eyes at the alarm clock. "You've got to be kidding. Didn't Adam say last night his backup is arriving on schedule today and both of you are going to spend the day with me and Mara?"
Matthew ran his hand through his hair. "That's right."
"So come back to bed." Dulcie grasped his wrist and pulled him down beside her, curling up against his chest.
Matthew slipped his arm around her, enjoying the warmth of her body and the idea that he could stay with her, just as they were, for as long as he wanted.
When he next awoke, it was late afternoon. The scent of dinner cooking rose from downstairs and mingled with Dulcie's perfume. Matthew guessed she'd already joined Mara and Adam in the kitchen, so he stretched and walked to the bathroom, the extra sleep and late hour making him feel completely vampiric. His senses were sharp, his body powerful. Later, he'd need a long run and a few hours of lovemaking with Dulcie. He smiled at the thought as he showered and dressed.
Downstairs, he found the women in the kitchen huddled around Mara's laptop, discussing her duties for the Network.
"Good evening." Dulcie approached him, brushing her nose playfully against his and nipping his bottom lip. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving."
"Me too." Adam stepped through the door looking far calmer than before. "Thank God Marina sent someone."
"Who is it?"
Adam shrugged. "I don't know, and at this point I don't care. I have a night when I don't have to be anywhere. Praise the Lord."
Mara shook her head at Adam and said to Dulcie, "Why did you get to end up with the atheist?"
"By the way, thank you all for covering for me." Adam tugged Mara into his arms. "And I'm sorry I haven't been in the best mood lately."
Mara hugged him. "You've had a lot on your mind. Let's eat."
The four sat at the table and dug into a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
"You should visit us more often," Adam told his brother and sister-in-law. "She never cooks like this."
Mara pointed a finger at him. "You know I've been busy with the Network, and besides, you're never home to eat."
"A couple more months, and I'm done with residency. Praise the---"
"Will you quit it?" Matthew said to his brother. "I feel like I'm sitting with a televangelist."
"So what's going on in Boston?" Mara asked. "None of us have had much time to talk."
"Charlie and I have a new art exhibition coming up," Dulcie said. When Matthew remained silent, she added, "I thought you wanted to talk to Adam about Jay's offer?"
"What offer?" Adam asked. "Who's Jay?"
Matthew, grateful for another opinion, spent the next several moments detailing his meeting with Jay and describing his possible career change.
When he'd finished, Adam said, "What a terrific opportunity. Too bad this Jay sounds like such a jerk. Do you think you'll be able to work with him?"
Matthew shook his head. "I really don't know if it's the right move to make. I hate the idea of leaving my research at the hospital."
"I understand. But this new position would really give you an opportunity to explore our species."
"I know that. It's too bad you can't tell me more about our home world. When you killed the First Father, you absorbed all his memories."
"Yes, but do you have any idea how old he was? Those memories of the vampire home world are thousands of years old. They're murky. All I can gather is that our planet was cold and dark. I've even attempted to learn more through hypnosis, but it's a slow process."
"I know that."
"Look, Matthew---" Adam placed his fork to the side and held his brother's eyes, "---whatever decision you make, be happy. You've always had more enthusiasm for your work than anyone I've ever known. Don't lose that, even if it means not taking this opportunity. You will do far more good researching in private at a hospital you love than switching to somewhere you don't want to be."
"That's what I told him," Dulcie said. "But does a man ever listen to his wife? No. Never."
"I'll drink to that." Mara lifted her wineglass, clinking it to Dulcie's.
Before the conversation resumed, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Mara placed aside her napkin and left the kitchen.
Adam called, "Who is it, Mara?"
"It's...the backup the Network sent."
"Wait a minute." Matthew lifted his chin. "I know that scent." The pungency of a typhoon.
The stressed look returned to Adam's face as he said, "Yeah. So do I. Tell me it's not true."
"Hey! I smell turkey." A tall, thickly muscled Immaculate with long black hair and a goatee sauntered into the kitchen. He wore fitted jeans, worn leather work boots and a black leather coat over his sinewy bare chest. He smiled at the twins. "What's going on with you two bookends?"
"Vincent." Matthew sighed.
"Sharp as ever, genius." Vincent pointed a finger at Matthew and winked as he dropped into an empty seat. "Marina told me Adam's been having some problems, so I'm here to the rescue. Again."
"I said I wanted help, not hindrances," Adam muttered.
"Adam, you know he's a good fighter," Mara said. "Try to be patient. Hey! Vincent, that's my dinner you're eating!"
Vincent looked up with wide brown eyes. The slice of turkey hanging from the corner of his mouth bobbed up and down as he said, "Sorry. It looked like somebody just left it."
"I did. To answer the damn door!"
"Try to be patient, love," Adam mocked his wife.
"Well, he can fight." Matthew glanced at Adam. "So that means we no longer have to worry about the attacks."
"I've got it all under control," Vincent said. "I just wanted to drop by and say hey. Mara, mind if I take some of the rolls for the road?"
"Help yourself."
"Cool." Vincent grasped two rolls and tore off a turkey leg. "See you later. And don't worry. I'm here."
Vincent left through the back door, whistling to himself.
"Why doesn't somebody just ram a stake through my heart and finish me off?" Adam pressed his palms to his temples. "Just who I need hanging around the hospital. Vincent Dilorenzo."
"Better than having all that extra work," Matthew told him.
Adam stared hard into his brother's eyes, and Matthew offered a helpless smile. Vincent was an excellent fighter, but the only thing that surpassed his martial skills was his talent for aggravation.
\*
After dinner, Matthew and Adam went for a long, fast run, each appreciating the stress relief of physical challenge with another Immaculate whose powers matched his own. They raced through back alleys, scaled the sides of buildings and leapt across rooftops.
All around them the odors of the city mingled with the scent of mortals and the occasional hybrid.
The twins wanted blood. They had similar tastes and waited until they found the right sort of hybrid.
"Wait!" Adam grasped Matthew's shoulder, nearly tripping him as he had been preparing to leap over a trash can and onto a fire escape.
"There," Adam whispered, his breathing as harsh as Matthew's from their run. He pointed to a group of five hybrids tossing a terrified mortal back and forth in a dark parking lot. Over gasoline and smog, the weak scent of mortal blood drifted on the air. The man was nearly drained. As one of the hybrids dragged him to his chest for a final bite, Adam and Matthew leapt into the alley.
"Fucking Immaculates!" one of the hybrids snarled, underlying fear in his eyes.
The mortal dropped to the ground in an unconscious heap as the group rushed at Adam and Matthew, drawing daggers. The blades looked like antiques directly out of the dark ages. Matthew knew the hybrids were probably centuries older than him and his twin. Yet it didn't matter. Immaculate power was altogether different than hybrid strength, and Matthew saw in their wizened eyes that they knew it.
The vampire closest to Adam lunged at him, his dagger thrusting at his heart. Adam grabbed his wrist with one hand and his throat with the other. The hybrid shrieked, clawing and kicking. Adam thrust him against the side of the brick building. Two others jumped on his back while the remaining two dived at Matthew.
As a rule, Matthew didn't care for fighting, but as an Immaculate, avoiding physical confrontation was next to impossible. The hybrids were quick and experienced, and as Matthew blocked and struck, he realized he was enjoying the match. He growled, unsheathing his fangs and claws. His senses sharpened until every streetlight glowed like rays of the sun. Thousands of scents became discernable, particularly those of the hybrids. He heard their heartbeats and could almost distinguish the rush of blood in their veins.
Matthew caught one hybrid's fist as it swung at his face. He spun the hybrid into the other vampire, who accidentally slashed his companion through the heart. Matthew back-fisted the second vampire in the temple, his Immaculate strength knocking the hybrid unconscious.
Matthew whirled, tearing one of the remaining hybrids away from Adam, who had already rendered one unconscious and was about to drink of the other.
Matthew drove the vampire to his knees, twisting his arms behind his back and jerking his neck to one side.
"Don't kill me!" the hybrid pleaded, his entire body trembling in Matthew's grasp. "Please. I don't want to die. I---"
Matthew's teeth lowered to the throbbing neck. His teeth ached to bite, and he could almost taste the rich blood...
The hybrid sobbed.
Matthew released him, shoving him toward the open end of the alley. The vampire fled without looking back.
He glanced at Adam, who had lifted his face from his victim, his lips glossy with blood. Matthew shrugged at his twin, and Adam smiled. "You never were much for hunting."
"Sorry." Matthew squatted beside one of the unconscious vampires, lifted the body and bit. He drank enough to quench his thirst.
As the brothers walked out of the alley, Adam punched Matthew amiably in the arm. "You're all right, Matthew."
"I just can't kill unless I'm furious. I don't know what it is."
"It's called sanity. Too few of our kind have it, which is why the Network is necessary."
"Dulcie's family thinks I'm too human. I know they do."
"Do you care?"
"No. Do you?"
Adam grinned. "Care what Dulcie's family thinks of you?"
"Think I'm too human?"
"Not with a howl like yours. Feel like racing home?"
Matthew leapt onto the nearest fire escape. "See you there!"
"Hey!" Adam shouted, following at Matthew's heels. "That's cheating!"
\*
When Matthew and Adam arrived at the house, Dulcie and Mara weren't home, so the brothers sparred. They kicked, punched and wrestled, each far more challenged by the other's strength than they had been by the entire group of hybrids. Though Matthew fought well, Adam's experience eventually allowed him to pin Matthew to the grass in an unbreakable hold.
"Give up?" Adam panted, amusement in his voice.
Matthew snapped his teeth, just short of clipping Adam's hand, before he admitted defeat.
"You haven't lost much, considering you've had so little time to train," Matthew said.
"Train?" Adam dropped onto the grass beside his brother. "You're forgetting I've been fighting those thugs almost every day since I started at the hospital. It's almost nice having Vincent around to take over. I wish you were staying, though."
"So do I, in a way."
"In a way." Adam glanced at his brother. "You miss work."
"I can't help it. I don't think I'm going to be able to leave, no matter how good Jay's offer is."
"Glad that's settled. I thought you'd obsess about it for the rest of your vacation."
"Obsess. Why does everyone use that word in reference to me?"
"I wonder."
They heard Mara's jeep in the driveway. Moments later, the women hopped the backyard fence. They emitted the energy of a successful hunt, and each carried the alluring aroma of desire.
Matthew growled deep in his throat as Dulcie's slanted green eyes narrowed at him.
"Good," she said. "We were hoping you two would be out here."
"Too tired for another match?" Mara flung a challenge at Adam.
"Sorry, Matthew---" Adam winked, "---but sparring with her is much more fun than sparring with you."
Matthew scarcely heard his brother. His attention focused on Dulcie, who circled him, her fangs elongating. She sprang at him, her claws nearly swiping his cheek. He dodged her, lashing out with the back of his hand, controlling his strength, though she eluded him and tossed him a wicked grin.
Dulcie might not have had the power of an Immaculate male, but she was a quick, smart fighter, and he found her a challenge to capture. Finally, he locked her in his embrace. She fought him wildly, her elbow striking his ribs, her hands clawing at his hair as she snarled, her curves soft yet solid against him. God, how he wanted her!
His leg locked with hers, sweeping her foot out from under her. She clung to him, and together they tumbled onto the grass.
"I love it when you're an animal!" Dulcie bit his lower lip, shivering with desire as his fangs pierced her mouth.
Giggling, she sank her claws into his chest through his damp cotton T-shirt. He howled long and loud, and several neighborhood dogs wailed in answer.
"Will you quit it!" Adam scolded. "You sound like a dog food commercial."
Matthew glanced sheepishly over his shoulder at his brother and sister-in-law, who lay entwined on the grass, staring in his direction. "Sorry. Forgot you were there."
"I honestly don't know what possesses you---" Adam stopped mid-sentence as Mara shoved him hard in the chest, knocking him backward. He leapt on top of her with a feline roar.
Matthew laughed and said, "Well, if it isn't King of the Jungle."
He took Dulcie's hand, and together they walked to their room, leaving Adam still roaring as he wrestled Mara in the grass.
"Hello, Lindsay residence," Matthew spoke into the phone mounted on the wall in Mara and Adam's kitchen.
With Adam working and the women shopping, Matthew was alone in the house. Usually he would have gladly gone clothes shopping with them, but he looked forward to a couple of hours alone to practice spells.
"Matthew?"
Matthew recognized the voice on the other line. His biological father.
"Brett?"
"Hey! How's it hanging? Stupid question. Being a son of mine, it's always up."
Matthew's chest tightened. Brett annoyed him more than almost anyone in the world. Matthew knew he was often short with Brett. He didn't hate him, and his father possessed some qualities he genuinely appreciated, such as loyalty and courage. Maybe because Brett, more than anyone else, reminded him of his own animal side.
"Brett, how are you?" Matthew wondered if he sounded as uptight as he felt. "How's Mercedes?"
"She's here. Want to talk to her?"
"Yes." Matthew got along well with his biological mother. She reminded him of a harsher version of Dulcie. Mercedes flaunted her sex in every way possible. At times Matthew wondered how he and Adam had come from Brett and Mercedes at all.
"Matthew?" Mercedes' soft, Spanish accent sounded on the line. "We haven't talked for so many months. Are you well?"
For the next several moments, Matthew spoke with Mercedes about trivial matters.
Finally, she said, "What's wrong?"
"Wrong?"
"I know you don't like us to listen to your private thoughts, but I can sense something's bothering you."
"It's work-related. Nothing important."
"I'm sorry to interfere."
"It's all right. I should be more guarded."
Mercedes' sudden silence made Matthew wish he'd chosen his words more carefully. Though he didn't speak often with his birth parents, he wanted them in his life. At times he wished they lived closer. If they did, he might even get used to Brett.
After jotting down a message for Adam to return Brett's call, Matthew gathered incense and candles and arranged them in the living room. He lit the candles with the spell he'd been practicing and was about to meditate when he caught Vincent's scent.
The doorbell rang. Matthew considered pretending he wasn't in until Vincent tapped on the living room window and waved through the glass. Rain matted his hair and ran down the tip of his nose as he shouted, "Hey, genius! How's about letting me in?"
With an agitated sigh, Matthew opened the front door.
"Sheez," Vincent said as he stepped inside, shaking out his hair, animal-like.
Matthew wiped a drip of water that flew in his eye and said, "Aren't you supposed to be helping Adam?"
"There hasn't been trouble around that hospital all night. I thought I'd take a little walk farther out of the city and see what's up."
"I assure you, there are no problems here."
"I know that. I was passing by, caught your scent, smelled the incense and figured you might be practicing a few spells. You must be pretty good at it now. If I had your talent for that stuff, I'd be a monster."
"You are a monster."
"How's about letting me watch a few spells? I can probably help you meditate. It'll be like old times."
"I don't practice often, but when I do, I like to be alone."
"Just one lousy spell. Come on, genius."
"If you don't get out of here, I'll invoke the goddess of illusion and make you disappear."
Vincent's eyes widened. "You can do that? See ya later, genius. I'm swamped with hybrids who need their asses whipped."
Vincent strode toward the door and slammed it behind him.
Smiling to himself, Matthew turned toward the living room. Vincent was easy to manipulate.
The door opened suddenly, and Vincent stuck his head in, scolding, "Genius, there is no goddess of illusion."
Matthew turned on his heel and walked back to the door. "Sharp as ever, Vincent. Talk to you later."
"Later---" Vincent's sentence was cut off as the door slammed in his face.
Matthew finally settled on his knees by the coffee table and closed his eyes. Free of distractions, he meditated for nearly an hour before attempting to extinguish the flames by ritual.
After several unsuccessful tries, he snuffed out the candles when he heard Mara's car pull into the driveway.
With a sigh, he packed everything into the small wooden box, pondering over why bringing forth the flame seemed easier than putting it out, just as some of the deities were easier to approach than others. Goddesses were particularly hard to invoke. Hecate, the goddess of fertility, interested him most. Vampire cycles were rare, and it was particularly difficult for immortals with similar cycles to pair off. Usually when one was in cycle, his or her partner wasn't. He and Dulcie were close in age and both in the middle of a cycle that wouldn't occur again for at least another seventy-five years. If only they could conceive. He'd been studying procreation on his kind in private, searching for a scientific method to aid in conception. If he decided to work for Jay, he'd have more time and better resources to study vampire sexuality.
"Hello." Dulcie stepped into the living room followed by Mara, both women carrying shopping bags.
Mara inhaled deeply. "I love that incense."
"Sorry. I meant to have all the smoke cleared out of here before you got back."
"No, leave it burning. I'm going up to the study to work. I have a pile of historical files to log for the Network. Latin. I hate Latin. I really miss having Adam around."
"If you need any help, let me know," Matthew offered.
Mara winked. "I might just take you up on that. Adam's been trying to teach me, but languages just aren't my thing. It took me forever to pick up Spanish."
Mara hurried upstairs, leaving Matthew and Dulcie alone.
"Want to see my new clothes?" she asked.
"Try them on for me in our room."
"I got you two beautiful silk ties."
"Did you?" Matthew peered into the bag.
She jerked it away playfully. "Wait until we get upstairs, then you can tie me up with them."
Matthew growled in her ear as they raced to their room.
While she searched through her shopping bags, Matthew undressed. Dulcie's gaze riveted to him, her pulse quickening as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing the expanse of his well-defined chest. His steely abs tapered to a lean waist. Unzipping his pants and pulling them down, he revealed a nest of dark curly hair from which sprouted his semierect cock. Dulcie grinned, knowing within moments that thick appendage would swell even more. Then every long, hard, veined inch would drive her to astounding heights of pleasure.
Matthew sprawled naked on the bed, his broad back propped against the pillows as he stared at her with intensity that made her spine tingle.
"I got this." She held up a slinky black dress, the neckline and hem adorned with seed-pearl flowers.
"Beautiful," he said. "Try it on for me."
Dulcie shed her clothes, a half smile on her lips as his gaze devoured her, focusing on her full breasts and the soft mound between her legs. His cock lengthened and thickened. Desire pulsed through her as he curled his fist around it and rubbed the staff a couple of times before folding his arms behind his head. The position exposed the curve of his biceps to advantage.
She slipped the dress over her head and glanced at herself in the mirror. It was a pretty dress.
"God, does that look sexy," he said.
Dulcie's smile broadened as she removed the dress and hung it in the closet.
"These---" she bent, reaching into the bag and awarding him a perfect view of her bottom, "---are for you."
Straightening, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and approached the bed. Two silk ties, one pink, one gray, dangled from her hand.
His gazed flickered to the ties. He took them as she knelt beside him on the bed.
Examining them carefully, his lips curved upward slightly. "My favorite designer."
"I know."
"Thank you."
"Let's try one on you." She selected the pink and slipped it around his neck. The intensity of his gaze and the soft stroking of his fingers across her breasts had her pussy drenched with desire. Knotting the tie, she pulled it tight around his neck, holding it to the pit of his throat with one hand while her other grasped his cock and pumped.
"Umm." He arched his head back, his eyes slipping shut as his cock swelled even more in her hand.
Jerking the tie loose, he placed both accessories aside and reached for her. She grinned, slipping from his grasp, and leaned over the bed, reaching for a smaller bag.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Cherry-flavored lotion." She slanted her gaze at him. "I know you're not into foreign enhancements, but do you think we could just try---"
Grasping her by the waist, he flung her onto her back and stretched out beside her, taking the lotion from her hand. His gaze scanned the label. "Delectable. Edible. Sensual. Lots of alluring words, here, love."
"Honestly, Matthew," she giggled. "You're the only man I know who'd read the label on a sex lotion before using it on a lovely, willing woman stretched out naked in front of you."
"I just want to know what's in it."
"I've used it before. It's really---"
His body covered hers and he kissed her, his tongue sliding into her mouth while his thumb caressed her clit and his middle finger slipped into her slick pussy. Her arms locked around his neck and she thrust her pelvis against his stroking hand.
When the kiss broke, he said against her lips, "I don't want to hear about your old lovers."
"Don't worry. No matter how many aids they used, none of them were nearly as good as you. I just thought it might be fun to---"
She paused as he opened the lotion and squirted it onto her belly, using the tip of the bottle to draw random shapes. Kneeling over her, one steely leg on either side of her body, he bent, his hands curving around her waist as he licked the lotion from her flesh.
When all the lotion was gone, he reached for the bottle again, this time decorating her breasts.
Dulcie nearly laughed aloud at the vibrancy of his eyes. He licked his lips, his hard cock brushing her belly.
"Not so bad, is it, genius?" she teased.
"Do not call me that. You remind me of Vincent."
"Heaven forbid."
"And this stuff tastes pretty good. Of course, just about anything would taste good off such a lovely plate."
"Ohh," she purred. "I love it when you get romantic, Dr. Winter."
His tongue rolled over her nipples and covered every inch of her full breasts, lapping away the cherry-flavored cream. He kissed and licked his way down to her clit. He caressed the swollen pink flesh with the flat of his tongue then ran the tip along the sides and the sensitive little head.
When his incisor pricked the tip, the sensation almost overwhelmed Dulcie. She thrashed and moaned, steadied by his hands on her hips.
Sliding up her body, he rubbed his cock over her thighs and belly. She inched lower and grasped it, her tongue flicking over the head as she squeezed and stroked the shaft. As he'd done to her most sensitive part, she nipped his cock head.
Matthew growled, his muscles tight and straining as she sucked and licked his cock.
When the sensation became unendurable, he covered her body with his, filling her with his pole-hard erection. The hard, velvet-skinned cock rubbed and teased, bringing them both to the panting edge of passion. He slowed his movements and sped them again, tormenting them until their fangs pierced each other's flesh and they came, groaning, their bodies jerking together in sweet, passionate fulfillment.
\*
The remainder of Matthew and Dulcie's vacation went well. In between helping Adam, Matthew spent leisurely hours with his wife and they had a few memorable evenings on the town.
"See how fast two weeks went by?" Nancy said to Matthew at the lab on his first morning back. "And can you believe we actually survived without you?"
He smiled too sweetly. "Imagine that."
"What time did you get here this morning?"
"Five-thirty."
"Do you ever sleep?"
Matthew shrugged. "I almost wish I didn't have to."
"Jay came around yesterday looking for you."
Matthew's smile faded as he tugged at a loose strand on the sleeve of his lab coat. He wasn't looking forward to meeting with Jay. Though he knew he didn't want to leave his job, Jay's offer had been almost too tempting.
For the rest of the day, Matthew immersed himself in his work. He forgot about Jay until the man himself entered the lab.
"Matthew---" Jay shook his hand, "---have a minute?"
Matthew guided him to his office.
"So, when can you start?"
"I'm not leaving the hospital."
Jay's eyes narrowed. "You've thought this over carefully?"
"I have."
"I really do want you on the team. You're the best."
"Thank you, but I'm happy where I am."
"Maybe you just need more time to think it over."
"No." Matthew sat on the edge of his desk and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes fixed on Jay's. He felt the man probing his thoughts, but Matthew had become quite good at blocking telepaths when necessary. The last person he wanted crawling around his mind was Jay.
"Well," Jay sighed, "I can't say I'm not disappointed, but you have to do what's right for yourself. Good luck, Matthew."
"And to you. I think your project is good, something our kind has needed, but I'm just not ready to leave my research and my patients here."
"I understand. Well, I'm sure we'll see each other again sometime."
Matthew escorted Jay to the hospital entrance and watched his black sports car disappear into the Boston traffic.
\*
When Matthew arrived at home around eleven, Dulcie was busy in her studio, but she called out to him in greeting, saying she'd heat up dinner while he went for a run.
At twelve-thirty, they sat at the kitchen table eating dinner by candlelight.
"I talked to Jay today. I declined his offer."
"Good. I really don't like him."
"Me either, but the opportunity... No use talking about it now. I just couldn't bring myself to leave the hospital."
"I know." Dulcie reached for his hand. "I'm sure they'd miss you as much as you'd miss them, and Jules would be upset to return and find you gone."
"I wish he'd get back. Simmons is driving everyone crazy. I hate obscenities, but asshole is the only word for the guy."
After dinner, they cleaned the kitchen together, then Dulcie told him she wanted to finish her painting and would meet him in their bedroom.
Matthew undressed and slipped into bed, journal in hand.
He glanced over ten pages of his bold handwriting. It revealed an argument with himself over the decision he'd made regarding Jay's offer. For crying out loud, Matthew, how boring is this?
"Do you plan on writing in that all night?" Dulcie purred as she approached the bed and ran her claws over his chest. He tossed the journal aside and pinned her beneath him so swiftly that she gasped in surprise and whispered, "I guess not."
He kissed her, and when their mouths finally parted, she said, "You did the right thing today with Jay."
He nuzzled her shoulder. "I love you, Dulcie."
"You too. Now, do you plan on showing me how much?"
\*
For the next month, while Matthew worked his long hours, Dulcie anxiously prepared for her exhibition. In between, their marriage continued as happy as ever. Dulcie hadn't imagined that after eight years their affection would continue to grow, and she wondered if even after a thousand years they would grow tired of each other. She supposed not. Her own parents had been together since ancient Greece, or was it Rome? After so many years of hearing the story, she'd tuned it out.
The day of the exhibition, Dulcie met her friend and collaborator, Charlie, at the hall so that they could look over the arrangement of their work one more time.
By dusk, the women had returned to Charlie's house to dress. Dulcie finished braiding Charlie's brown hair and applied blush to her lightly freckled cheeks.
"So how do I look?" Charlie asked.
"Gorgeous."
Charlie laughed, glancing at Dulcie's voluptuous curves in her black dress. Her hair was arranged in a stunning updo, her green eyes lined with black. "No, you're gorgeous. I think I look okay, though."
"Better than okay, dear." Dulcie flicked a bit of lint off Charlie's sleeveless brown sundress, admiring the creamy tops of her firm breasts. "If I survived off mortal blood, I'd bite you."
Charlie smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"As well you should." Jocelyn stepped into the bedroom. Tall and lean with chin-length blond hair and metal-rimmed glasses, he looked every bit the history professor that he was. Though physically older than Charlie, even before his centuries as a vampire, Jocelyn seemed her perfect match. He continued in his charming English accent, "Charlie's blood is the only fond memory I have of my vampiric years."
Charlie stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband. "Has the sitter arrived for the kids?"
"All set. If you ladies are ready, I'll escort you to the car."
"Is Matthew coming tonight?" Charlie glanced over her shoulder at Dulcie as they walked down the hall.
"So he promised, but you know Matthew. He might lose track of time." Dulcie tried sounding nonchalant, but inside she hoped Matthew would come to the exhibition. She accepted his devotion to his career, but at times she did want him to herself.
\*
Dulcie smiled and nodded to the man speaking with her about one of her paintings. She murmured thanks to some comment he made, not even certain it was complimentary.
As she slipped from the exhibition hall for the third time to glance outside for Matthew, she noticed Charlie standing in a corner laughing with a group of patrons, Jocelyn beside her. She felt a pang of envy.
Someone caught her arm before she reached the exit. She smiled upon recognizing her childhood art instructor, the woman who'd first encouraged her to explore her talent. She fell into deep conversation, pleased the woman even remembered her.
"Remember you?" the tall, elderly lady smiled. "I'm so proud of your success. I always knew you were talented."
"If it hadn't been for you I might never have pursued art." Dulcie paused as she caught Matthew's scent. Her heartbeat quickened and she smiled inwardly. So, he remembered his promise after all.
As Matthew's warm hand caressed her back, she turned to him, gazing into his sapphire eyes.
"I'm sorry I'm late."
She looked at him through her lashes, as if to say, I'll make you pay for it later, before introducing him to her old instructor.
Moments later, they walked together through the exhibit hall.
Matthew leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You look gorgeous in that dress."
Dulcie's gaze swept his dark blue suit and the gray silk tie she'd bought him. "You're not half bad yourself."
As they paused in front of one of Charlie's paintings of a sunlit beach, he whispered, "Are you wearing underclothes this time?"
"Of course not."
His eyes glistening with lust, he growled so low that only Dulcie heard. She giggled, shielding her mouth with a delicate hand to conceal the incisors that stubbornly poked through their sheaths. Determined to control her desire, she forced her teeth back into submission. After the exhibition, they'd have all night for each other.
"I painted one for you," Dulcie told him. "You're no telepath, but I bet you can guess which one."
Matthew's lips slid into a half smile as he wandered throughout the hall, studying the array of paintings, paying particular attention to Dulcie's nighttime works. He lingered over a painting of naked red devils and voluptuous black demons tangled in carnal embraces, writhing on a mountain streaked with lava from a smoking volcano.
Matthew glanced at Dulcie who stood beside him, her fingers entwined with his. He said, "I love it. Thank you."
"It's called Pleasure and Pain." She winked. "And I knew you would."
He opened his mouth to reply but stopped suddenly, his gaze darting toward the door. Moments later, Jay stepped inside.
Dulcie sensed Matthew's discomfort. They both hoped they'd seen the last of the slender, dark-haired scientist.
Jay smiled and waved as he approached them. "Dulcie, Matthew. So good to see you again. I must say I've been looking forward to this exhibition, and I can already tell I'm not going to be the least bit disappointed. Dulcie, your collaborator is also very talented, but I'm afraid your depictions of the night world are far more appealing than her interpretations of the day. I suppose I'm biased... Demonic hell, that is a masterpiece!" Jay brushed between the couple, staring at Pleasure and Pain. "It emanates all the wicked lust ever felt by man or beast since the beginning of time."
Dulcie glanced at Matthew from the corner of her eye and said, "It definitely had carnal inspiration."
Jay turned to Dulcie. "But there's no price."
"That one's not for sale."
"Not for any price? I can be quite generous. I must have it."
"It already belongs to someone."
Jay scratched his chin. "Well, where's the owner? I'm sure he'll strike a bargain."
"I'm afraid he won't," Matthew told him. "I'm the owner."
Jay smiled. "It seems you're fated to disappoint me, Matthew. I know there'll be no bargaining with you for your wife's work."
"You're right."
"Well---" Jay turned back to the painting and stared for a long moment, "---you might be interested to know, Matthew, that my new research center is operating beautifully. It's amazing what we've done already. Even the Network has been keeping contact with us."
"You must be very happy."
"Yes. Only one problem keeps me from total bliss. You're not on our team."
"You're far too complimentary. There are many just as capable and I'm sure more experienced than I am. I'm not old enough to---"
"Age has nothing to do with this. I know it's generally thought the older we are, the more powerful and knowledgeable we become. Unfortunately, after so many years, many of us cling to old superstitions. Ancient ones are fearful of the new. An Immaculate with your intelligence, training and youth is as priceless as...as Dulcie's exquisite painting."
"Enjoy the exhibition," Matthew said with a forced smile as he took Dulcie's hand and walked away.
Jocelyn waited for them at the door. He swept a tendril of straight, blond hair behind his ear and asked, "Who is that?"
"Jay Ashford," Matthew told him.
Jocelyn's brown eyes flickered in Jay's direction. "The man who made you the job offer? Glad you didn't take it."
Dulcie and Matthew exchanged glances. Though Jocelyn had lost his vampiric powers several years ago, he retained a keen sense of perception and powerful telepathic ability. His friends trusted his judgment.
Jay turned from one of the paintings and stared directly into Jocelyn's eyes. The slender, blond mortal held his gaze. It was the vampire who looked away first.
Jocelyn nodded to his friends. "Forgive me, but it's almost time for me to collect my wife. The hall will be closing soon."
The blond left them alone.
"It's been a fun night---" Dulcie's claws bit into Matthew's hand, "---but I'm looking forward to celebrating the exhibit's success---with you."
"I plan on really showing you my appreciation."
Matthew drew back from the microscope, squinting against the sudden glare of lights.
"Geesh, Matthew," Nancy said. "Forgot the lights again? You're going to give yourself eyestrain."
"You're in early."
"Are you being a wise guy? There was an accident on the highway. Traffic was backed up for miles."
Matthew returned to his work as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. He began, "I found some really interesting---"
The phone rang, and Nancy picked up. She held out the receiver. "For you. It's Dr. Simmons."
Matthew glanced over his shoulder and mouthed, The jerk. Tell him I'm tied up.
Nancy cleared her throat and said, "Dr. Winter is tied up right now. Could he get back to---" Nancy winced and held the phone away from her ear as the voice on the other line bellowed.
Matthew's keen hearing picked up every word, and he stiffened with rage. One thing he absolutely detested was arrogance and rudeness, though he'd been accused of the former many times himself.
Taking the phone, he said in a cool voice, "I'm on my way," and hung up without awaiting Dr. Simmons's response.
"Matthew, I don't like that look on your face." Nancy hurried to keep up with his long strides. Outside, a nurse practically leapt out of the middle of the hallway to prevent being run over by Matthew. "He's the hospital director! Will you just keep cool!"
"I am cool," Matthew stated flatly as they stepped into the empty elevator. The door rolled shut. "I've never allowed my personal feelings to disrupt my career---at least not often. Just because I hate the man's guts---" he punctuated the word by slamming his palm against the metal wall, "---doesn't mean I'm going to jeopardize my job."
They stepped off the elevator and made their way to Simmons's office. Inside, Simmons and another man, whom Matthew didn't recognize, stood in front of the desk. Simmons's face was etched with fury, and Matthew heard his heart pounding. The other man's heart also raced in spite of his outward calm.
"Glad you could make it, Dr. Winter." Simmons's voice dripped with sarcasm. "We know how dedicated you are to your research. Too bad you're even more dedicated to your wallet."
"Excuse me?" Matthew demanded, completely unsure of what was going on, but sensing something terrible was about to take place.
"Sit down." Simmons extended his hand to one of the chairs and dropped into the seat behind his desk.
The stranger sat beside Matthew and drummed his fingertips on the wooden chair arm.
"Matt, this is Michael Wiley. He works for Fretis Company."
"The drug company," Matthew stated.
"Last year you completed research on one of their new treatments. Do you remember?"
"Of course I remember. What's the point?"
"You approved the drug."
"Yes."
"It's come to our attention that several people have died as a result of the treatment. Further research has proved it to be high risk. It's also come to our attention---from a trustworthy source---that several scientists who researched the drug had substantial investments with Fretis Company."
"What does that have to do with---"
"You were one of the names."
Matthew momentarily stopped breathing and stared at Simmons. "I do not, and have never, invested money in a company for which I've tested drugs."
"I admit I was shocked." Simmons drew a deep breath. "And disappointed. You've been good for this hospital, Matt. You seemed so dedicated---"
"Seemed?" Matthew stood so abruptly he nearly toppled over his chair. "This hospital is my life. I want to know the source of these accusations. I'm also going to contact my lawyer because this is outrageous!"
"Dr. Wiley worked for Fretis Company," Simmons continued. "I'm not saying he has anything to do with---"
Matthew glared in Wiley's direction. The man's eyes widened, the scent of his fear filling the room.
"You have no proof," Matthew stated. "You have no proof because the alleged investments do not, and have never, existed."
"There are investigations being held even as we speak," Simmons continued.
"Are you firing me? Go ahead. You'll have the biggest lawsuit you've ever imagined on your hands."
"We're not firing you, Matt---"
"It's Matthew. Or Dr. Winter."
"Whatever. We're not firing you, but asking you to consider our position. Once this becomes public, you'll be as damaging to this hospital as you have been helpful."
Matthew laughed without a trace of humor. Inside, he boiled with such rage that he felt on the verge of murder.
"Wiley left Fretis Company because he couldn't stand the lack of ethics. He's working for this hospital now, and until all this is sorted out---"
"There's nothing to sort out."
"We'd like you to take some time off while Dr. Wiley continues your research."
"What? You want him to take my job?"
Matthew's hands clenched into fists. He took several steps toward Simmons, who also stood.
Nancy stepped between Matthew and the hospital director. She extended a hand in her friend's direction. "Calm down."
"Get this straight, Simmons, I will never---"
Nancy touched Matthew's arm. "Dr. Winter---"
"Never turn my research over to this puny liar!" Matthew pointed a finger in Simmons's face. "And you have no right to accuse me of anything, you arrogant, jealous---"
"Matthew!" Nancy pleaded, bracing both hands on his chest, as if she could stop him from tearing Simmons apart if he really wanted to.
"No way." Matthew's teeth ground, his fangs threatening to slip from his gums. His heart throbbed with fury, and he wondered if his eyes had taken on their vampiric glow. He almost didn't care. "I'm not taking time off, Simmons. I quit!"
"Good!" Simmons shouted as Matthew stormed out of the office. "I never liked your attitude, anyway, Winter!"
Matthew's fists clenched so hard that his unsheathed claws cut his hands. By the time he stepped into the elevator, his palms were sticky with blood.
"Jesus, Matthew." Nancy reached for his hands, but he rammed them into the pockets of his lab coat.
"Sons of bitches!" Matthew hissed. "Imagine accusing of me of such loathsome behavior! As if I'd ever put money before my ethics!"
"I'm outraged." Nancy stared at him with wide eyes. "You're the last person on Earth who'd ever do such a thing. I can understand how angry you must be, but you should never have quit over this. Once they realize the terrible mistake they've just made---"
"I don't care. Ever since Jules left and Simmons has been in charge, nothing has been the same. He's ruining this hospital, and I don't give a damn."
Matthew stepped out of the elevator and headed for his office.
"Yes, you do. You're one of the only people who really do care. Maybe that's your problem. You've always tried to do what's right for people, but this is a business."
"I know all about it. I lost all my innocent notions in med school."
"Yes, but you're one of the only doctors I know who've kept their ideals."
"Have I? Guess it doesn't matter one way or the other."
As Matthew cleared out his desk, hurt replaced his subsiding rage. Except for Dulcie, his career meant more to him than anything. He'd dedicated his life to medicine, to the hospital.
"Matthew, I can't believe this," Nancy said as he removed his white coat and tossed it in the trash. As he paused at the door, she hugged him. "It's not going to be the same around here without you. I'm so sorry."
"Thanks."
"I'll still see you and Dulcie, right? The three of us can have dinner."
He forced a smile and nodded. "There are some people I want to say goodbye to, some patients I want to see before I go."
Swallowing hard, he glanced at his assistant and his office one last time before shaking his head and walking away.
\*
Dulcie hummed softly as she painted in her studio. It was dusk, and she'd spent most of the afternoon working. The painting on her easel pleased her, and she was warmed by a feeling of accomplishment.
Sighing, brush in hand, she walked across the room and switched on the television to keep her company.
On the news, an anchorwoman dressed in a blue suit and simple gold jewelry was in the middle of a report. "...former Director of Hematology has been accused of approving dangerous drugs from Fretis Company. The case of Dr. Matthew Winter is another example of researchers choosing personal gain over professional ethics. Now here's Jack with sports."
Dulcie nearly dropped her brush. Matthew? Personal gain over ethics? Former director of hematology? What was going on?
Her hands trembling, Dulcie dropped her brush and hurried to the phone. She dialed Matthew's beeper, then prepared dinner.
She'd just finished setting the table when Matthew's car pulled into the driveway. Rushing to the front door, she met him as he stepped inside and gazed at her, his dark blue eyes uncharacteristically lost.
"Matthew, what happened?"
"You know?" he whispered.
"It was on the news. I didn't catch the whole thing."
His brow furrowed. "The news?"
"Apparently they were covering research and ethics."
"I'm unemployed."
"They fired you?"
"No, I quit."
He walked to the living room, Dulcie behind him. Together they sat on the couch while he explained what happened early that morning.
"Oh, Matthew." Dulcie hugged him tightly. "What a stupid lie. Anyone who knows you must realize it can't possibly be true."
"The whole thing is absurd! It's like a nightmare."
"Where have you been all day?"
"Driving. Walking. I didn't want to come home. I didn't know how to tell you."
"Tell me?"
"Nothing like this has ever happened to me before." His eyes narrowed in thought. "I've always tried to do everything right. I've---"
"Matthew, you didn't do anything wrong."
"But it looks like I did."
"I don't care what it looks like! It's not true."
"I have to prove it." He stood and paced the room. Suddenly his rage returned in full power. His eyes flashed lavender as his incisors lengthened, piercing his lower lip. "I want to rip out Simmons's throat!"
Dulcie stood and embraced him. "That won't help anything."
"It might make me feel better, and I even detest killing. Killing. People are dead, and it might be my fault. What did I miss? What did someone else find that I overlooked?"
"Matthew, you're not infallible. I know you did everything in your power to test that treatment. Everything will be all right. It's some kind of mistake, and soon everyone will know it. Then you can have Simmons booted out of his job."
Matthew buried his face in her hair. "I love you so much. What would I do without you?"
Dulcie kissed him and loosened his tie. "Let's have dinner. I made your favorite. Turkey breast with cranberry sauce."
She turned toward the kitchen, but he gripped her hand and tugged her back into his arms. "I'm sorry about all this, Dulcie."
"It's not your fault."
"But---"
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "But nothing. We'll get through this."
"I miss the hospital already."
Dulcie's hand tightened on his. "I'm sure plenty of people there miss you, too."
She heard his thoughts. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Somehow just being with you makes my entire life seem better.
"I feel the same about you," she replied aloud, and for the first time she sensed he didn't care if she'd read his thoughts.
\*
"I can't believe such crap!" Adam's voice on the line sounded as furious as Matthew felt. "I hope you've contacted your lawyer."
"First thing. But it doesn't matter. Even when he proves I'm not guilty, something like this stays with you forever. The question will always be in the backs of people's minds. Patients won't ever trust me again, and why should they? I screwed up somewhere in that testing."
"Matthew, just calm down."
"Will everyone stop telling me to calm down? What am I going to do with myself, Adam?"
Adam snorted with laughter. "At this point, I'd be glad to get away from a hospital for even a week---"
"That's because you're a resident. I'm there because I love my...what job? I have no job."
"This is all going to work out, Matthew. You're not guilty of what you've been accused of. Until then, spend some time with Dulcie. Read more of those stupid astronomy books you like so much. I have to go. I'm being paged."
"Thanks for calling, Adam."
"You're my brother. I wish I could do something."
"Just get back to work. At least somebody can."
Matthew hung up the receiver and sighed, staring at a heart-shaped magnet on the refrigerator. He glanced around the kitchen and wandered into the living room. Just one day out of work, and he felt like he didn't know what to do with himself. His own home felt strange and lonely.
Dulcie.
He stepped into her studio. Dulcie was painting a blue background for a new picture.
Matthew stuck his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "What's it going to be?"
Dulcie glanced over her shoulder at him. "I was thinking of a Moorish palace."
Matthew stooped beside her box of brushes and pulled out one that looked big enough to paint a wall. "What's this for?"
Dulcie lifted an eyebrow. "And you have an outrageously high IQ? It's a brush, Matthew. You paint with it."
"I know that. But it's so big."
Dulcie sighed and grasped his wrist, dragging him to the couch. "You need a hobby because you're driving me crazy."
"I've spent last night and all morning job hunting. No one's hiring the man whose fallen ethics are all over the news." He glanced at her fingers as she unbuttoned his shirt halfway. "What are you doing?"
"You have a job. If you're going to hang around this studio and drive me crazy, you're going to pull your weight."
She shoved his chest hard. Dropping onto the couch, he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her with him, nuzzling her neck. "I think I'm going to like working for you."
"No, Matthew." She slipped from his arms. "You're going to sit for me. I'll do the palace later. Now, put your leg up on the couch."
"Oh, Dulcie, you know I don't like to model."
"Shut up!" She showed her fangs and tousled his wavy black hair. "There. Now you look a little roguish. Put your arm up... No, take this instead." She placed a black silk rose in his hands. Taking several steps back, she gazed at his lean, muscled chest and flat stomach. "You are so handsome. Don't move!"
She returned to the easel, removed the canvas and replaced it with a fresh one.
"Ever think about being a professional model?" she teased.
"Aren't I too old?"
"You look about thirty. When you're a thousand, you'll look about thirty."
"A thousand years from now, I'll probably still be unemployed."
Dulcie laughed. "Matthew!"
His lips flickered in a smile as he thought of how paranoid he sounded.
"That's good. Show me some fangs. You have such beautiful teeth."
"Adam's are bigger."
"Yes, he looks like he could chew up an elephant. Stop tapping your foot."
"You know I hate sitting still."
"You came in here, genius. I didn't invite you."
"You know I'll have to get rid of all this excess energy."
"Go for a run?" Dulcie gazed at him innocently.
He completely unsheathed his fangs. "Don't bet on it. You'd better prepare yourself."
"Keep talking like that and I won't get any work done."
"Good."
"No." She pointed her brush at him. "You're sitting there for at least an hour, then we can...take a break."
He growled deep in his chest.
Dulcie looked back to the canvas, her pussy dampening just from the sound of his growl. "On second thought, handsome, I think I'll work fast."
\*
Matthew and Dulcie were just sitting down to lunch in the living room when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Dulcie hurried to the hall. "I think it's Nancy."
Matthew nodded, catching the familiar scent.
Moments later, Dulcie and Nancy walked into the living room.
"Are you sure you won't stay for lunch?" Dulcie asked.
"No thank you. I have to get to the hospital and hand in my resignation letter."
"Resignation?" Matthew said from where he stood by the fireplace. "What for?"
"Why do you think? I've worked with you for years, Matthew. You're the most dedicated person I know. They had no right to do this to you! You're brilliant!"
"No." Matthew walked to the couch and sat down. "I'm unemployed. God, it makes me sick just saying it. Nancy, you have a good career. Don't throw it away for anybody."
"But I'm so furious!" Nancy's fists clenched as she turned to Dulcie. "You should have seen how they treated him! Cornering him in that office with those stupid accusations! Matthew, I thought you were going to punch Simmons in the nose."
Matthew laughed humorlessly. That was the least of what he'd wanted to do to Simmons. "Nancy, just go to work. This is my problem. I really appreciate your support."
"I'm still going to consider leaving. If they did this to you, Matthew, they'll do it to anyone."
Dulcie sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "She's right."
"I have to go. Maybe we can have dinner next week?"
"Call us," Dulcie told her as she and Matthew walked Nancy to the front door. "Thank you for coming."
"I still can't believe it," Nancy muttered to herself as she left the house.
Dulcie closed the door and slid into Matthew's arms. "You see? I'm sure she's not the only one who's upset about what happened."
"I just don't understand. How did this happen?"
"It's obviously a mistake---" Dulcie stopped speaking, her gaze fixed on Matthew's as a familiar scent permeated the air.
Simultaneously, they said, "Jay."
"I do not want to talk to him," Matthew stated.
"I'll get rid of him."
"Like hell." Matthew strode to the front door. "He reeks of lust every time he looks at you. I'll get rid of him. I'm in just the mood."
Jay stood on the walk, his expression serious. "I heard about what happened to you. Now before you say anything, I want you to know I'm on your side. I don't believe a word of it. It's got to be some kind of mistake."
"What do you want?" Matthew demanded, in no mood for Jay and his smooth talk.
Jay opened his arms wide. "What do you think I want, Matthew? I want you to work for me."
"I already told you---"
"Matthew, these humans to whom you're so loyal have kicked you in the face. All that skill, all that intellect, and you've wasted it on an ungrateful alien race."
"We're the aliens, Jay. They were here first, remember? And you know how I feel about humans, so this line of talk is doing nothing for---"
"What do you have against your own kind? I'm not saying you have to abandon mortals. I've met some I've liked, too. I'm just asking you to consider my offer. Think of all the good you could do, Matthew. Think of all those questions you have about what you are---what we are. Think of all the answers you can find without sneaking around. If you join me, you can do whatever you want. I'll give you complete freedom. Where else will you get such an offer?"
"Especially now, right?" Matthew's rage heightened.
"I didn't say that. Look, anyone who knows you or who has followed your career realizes it's only a matter of time before your name is cleared. You'll be able to work anywhere you want, but I really want you now, Matthew. Why don't you come to my center just until all this blows over? Then if you're not happy, you can leave."
Dulcie narrowed her eyes at Jay. She didn't trust him, but she sensed the truth in his words. He desperately wanted Matthew, and he would allow him professional freedom. In spite of her feelings for Jay, she wanted her husband to be happy. Unless he was working, she knew he'd be miserable.
"Why don't you think about it, Matthew?" she said.
Both Matthew and Jay stared at her in surprise. Dulcie shrugged, folding her arms beneath her breasts. "It can't hurt to consider."
"Yes!" Jay beamed. "Just think about it, Matthew. In a few days, come down and take a look around the center. Meet some of the team and see what they're working on."
Dulcie glanced at Matthew. Already she sensed his interest, his excitement.
Jay removed a business card from the inside pocket of his gray jacket. He passed it to Matthew. "Think about it, and you call me."
Nodding, Matthew glanced at the card.
Jay offered Dulcie a smile as he turned and walked to his car.
Matthew closed the door and leaned against it, touching his fingertip to Dulcie's chin. "Do you really think I should work for him?"
"I want you to be happy, Matthew. I know you won't be unless you have somewhere to go every day and stimulate that brain of yours." She took his hand and nipped his palm, not enough to draw blood, but almost.
"Maybe working with vampires isn't such a bad idea. There's so much I'd like to do that I just couldn't at the hospital. It wasn't always easy hiding things from Nancy as well as administration. Of course, it was simpler when Jules was around."
"I wish he'd come back."
Matthew kissed her mouth. "Want to have lunch later?"
She stood on tiptoe and licked his throat. "Right now I'm in the mood for a drink."
He swept her into his arms and licked her throat.
"What do you say we go to the beach?"
"The beach?"
She nodded. "The private one way up in Maine where my family had their gathering last year?"
A lusty smile spread across Matthew's face. Squeezing her closer, he nipped her bottom lip. "I have some wonderful memories of that place."
"I know." She stroked his nape. "Feel like rekindling them?"
He placed her on her feet and smacked her bottom. "Get us a change of clothes and I'll pack us a snack."
"I love being spontaneous!" she chirped, grasping his crotch and standing on tiptoe as she kissed him.
With a final tug on his cock, she turned and hurried up the steps.
Moments later, Dulcie joined Matthew in the car. Her pulse quickened at the sight of him, so blatantly sexy that she almost dragged him back to the house for a quickie before they left. Sunglasses protected his eyes, and to her delight, though in a very un-Matthew-like gesture, he was shirtless. One of his powerful arms rested on the edge of the open window while his opposite hand curved around the wheel. Sunlight glinted off his chest hair that tapered down his flat stomach and disappeared beneath the waist of his jeans. The denim clung to the hard curves of his thighs and calves.
Glancing at her, he smiled. "Ready?"
"More than you know."
"Me too." His grin turned wolfish. "I can hardly wait to rip that dress off you."
As Dulcie tossed a travel bag into the backseat, she noticed their picnic basket and another shopping bag from a novelty store at the mall.
"What's that?" she asked.
"When I was out earlier, I stopped for a thing or two you might like."
"What?" She reached for the bag and opened it. Laughing, her nipples and clit already tingling at the thought of how they'd play together, she looked at the items.
"A feather. A silk blindfold. Chocolate body paint."
"I couldn't find peanut butter."
"Matthew!"
He shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips.
Wearing a wicked grin, she removed the feather and unzipped his jeans.
"Dulcie, what the hell are you doing?"
"Seeing if this works."
She curled her fist around his cock and leaned down, taking the head between her lips.
"Damn it, you're going to get us into an accident!"
"It's nice that your legs are so long that you need to sit so far away from the wheel. Leaves me plenty of room."
"Dulcie!" he growled, his pulse racing as her tongue swirled over his cock head. As he tried concentrating on the road, he fought to control his breathing. He was about to pull over when one of his former associates who lived in the neighborhood stepped out of his house and waved. Matthew forced a smile as he sped to the end of the street, Dulcie's teeth and tongue working on his cock while her hand squeezed and stroked his sac. "Stop it!"
Burying a hand in her hair, he tugged her away from his crotch. A shiver ran down his spine as his cock popped free of her lips.
"Sometimes I think you're really evil," he panted, casting her a roguish glance.
Offering him an innocent smile, she twirled the feather over his rock-hard erection. "How does it feel?"
"Like I'm going to explode. Zip up my pants before a cop pulls us over!"
"Uh---" Dulcie's brow furrowed as she attempted to restrain his cock, "---that's easier said than done."
He cast a brief glance at his massive erection and inhaled deeply. It twitched and swelled even more as he thought of all the delightful ways he could punish her when they got to the beach.
Matthew sat on his backyard grass, staring up at the clear, starry sky. The aroma of incense floated on the breeze as vicious incantations wafted through his mind. He wasn't the most experienced warlock in the world, but he had the feeling if he placed a simple curse on Simmons it would probably take.
"Kali," he whispered. "Hecate..."
He sighed and shook his head. Such strange powers weren't meant to be wasted on the likes of Simmons, and placing a curse could be bad for the spell-caster. At least that's what those silly magic books said. He felt like such a total fool sneaking into the New Age section at bookstores. He had to step over teenagers with black nail polish and pierced eyebrows just to snatch one of the books and rush to the checkout.
"It's for my daughter," he'd say to the clerks. Why did he tell them anything? It was none of their business.
The thought of him even looking at such a book was ridiculous. He was an Immaculate, the most powerful of all vampires! He was a firm believer in science. There had to be logical explanations for the psychic powers of his kind. If he could admit to himself that he believed---just a little---he might seek out a real practitioner. The only way to learn the truth would be from someone who really knew how to use incantations, not someone writing corny spells to sell books to children and adults seeking to mix love potions.
"Matthew?" Dulcie said as she stepped outside.
He stood and met her halfway across the yard, drawing her into his arms.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "Incantations?"
"No."
"You should have Adam or Mara ask around the Network. There are probably plenty of practicing witches who could help you explore---"
"That's ridiculous."
"Not everyone has your ability."
He lay on his back, the grass soft and damp against his flesh, and tugged her against his chest. One of his hands stroked her thick hair while the other extended skyward. "I wonder where we come from out there. Which planet is ours?"
"You mean where the Originals came from? I don't know."
"Adam says it's dark, like nighttime, from what he could understand of the First Father's memories."
Dulcie smiled. "It must be beautiful."
"Beautiful."
"Matthew, you've always wanted to know everything about our kind, to understand our nature. You were one of the only vampires who believed we weren't supernatural but biological beings, and you were right. Maybe Jay's center is the place for you."
"I hate him as much as I hate Simmons."
"I'd love to claw his throat out," Dulcie snarled.
"Which one?"
"Mostly Simmons."
"And you told me to calm down."
"Doesn't mean I can't have my fantasies. Our phone's ringing."
"Should we answer it?"
"Why not? Race you to it!" Dulcie leapt to her feet and bounded across the yard.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Matthew laughed. He sprang, covering the distance between himself and Dulcie in seconds. Growling playfully, she raced up the porch steps. He jumped, caught the edge of the deck and pulled himself onto the porch before she made it to the top.
"Now who's cheating?" She stamped her foot, catching up to him as he picked up the phone. He tossed her a wolfish smile, his incisors flashing. Sheathing his fangs, he spoke into the receiver. "Hello?"
"Oh, Matthew, honey! We were away for the weekend and just heard what happened from Lisa!" Matthew's mother said. "What happened? Are you okay? My poor boy---"
"Will you stop fussing and let him talk?" Buck growled. Matthew realized the two were on a speaker phone.
Dulcie nearly smiled as her vampiric ears picked up the entire conversation. Matthew's parents were certainly characters.
"I'm fine," Matthew said. "It's all such lies."
"Of course it is!" Julie continued. "How dare they do this to you after all those years you've worked at that hospital!"
"What are you going to do until this blows over?" Buck asked.
"I'm not sure yet---"
"Well, son, you can always work with me again. You were a terrific plumber!"
"You fool!" Julie snapped. "He didn't spend all those years in medical school to unplug toilets!"
Dulcie bit her cheek to keep from laughing.
"There's nothing wrong with being a plumber!" Buck shouted so loudly that Matthew had to hold the phone away from his ear. "I made enough money to send him to all those goddamn fancy schools, didn't I? Do you know how many doctors and lawyers come running to me when their pipes don't work? And I charge the bastards good prices, too!"
"Gee thanks, Dad."
"But you don't have to worry about that, Matthew," Buck continued, "because you know how to fix your own pipes. I dare anybody to find a hopper you can't unplug---"
"For heaven's sake, Buck!"
"How's Lisa and the baby?" Matthew attempted to avoid a full-blown fight between his parents.
Buck lowered his voice. "Fine, fine."
"Why don't you and Dulcie come over for lunch tomorrow? We have the baby all day."
"We'll come!" Dulcie called over Matthew's shoulder.
Several moments later, he hung up the receiver and sighed. "I'm really going to miss them someday."
Dulcie nodded, slipping her hand into his. Her parents were vampires and most likely had centuries still ahead of them. She didn't envy Matthew's eventual loss of his mortal loved ones. More than anything she wished he'd tell them what he was. Somehow, she felt they would understand.
\*
"You're in early." Jay stood in the doorway of the dark, windowless lab. He smiled as he approached Matthew, who didn't bother looking up from his microscope.
"In?" Matthew said absently. "I haven't been home yet."
"I knew neither of us made a mistake by you coming here. Only two weeks and it's like you've always been here."
"Hardly. There's so much to do." Matthew gazed around the dark room, yet to him it was just bright enough. He never realized how physically uncomfortable he'd been working under conditions geared toward mortal preferences. "It's great to have so many samples from hybrid volunteers and not have to hide all my research."
"I told you." Jay perched on a stool beside Matthew. "You didn't belong at that hospital."
"I didn't say that."
"No, I'm saying it. Mortals have their own kind working for them, but there are so few of us. One more thing, not that I'm complaining about your dedication, but don't you ever miss your wife?"
"I don't discuss my personal life."
Jay laughed. "What personal life? You might as well live here."
Matthew stared hard at Jay. "You can't decide whether you want me here or not."
"Of course I want you here, I'm just thinking of Dulcie."
"Dulcie's not your business." Matthew forced himself to keep from growling. Jay's heartbeat quickened whenever he thought about Dulcie, and Matthew hated it. He also didn't like to admit the truth of Jay's words. Even though he and Dulcie understood one another, he wondered if she felt neglected because of his long work hours.
"If I were you, I'd stay home at least one full night a week," Jay said, leaving as several other scientists stepped in to begin their shift. They exchanged brief greetings with Matthew as they settled to work.
"So do you like it here, Dr. Winter?" a dark-haired hybrid who looked no older than twenty smiled at Matthew.
"Yes, thank you. Amanda, is it?"
"Yes. Forgive me, but it's strange to be working for someone so young."
"It's difficult to remember most of you are so much older than you look." Matthew glanced around the room. No one appeared over forty, but each of them had seen a hundred-plus years.
"Yes. Jay mentioned that most of your circle is mortal. It's amazing all you've been able to do for our kind while living under such conditions."
"Well, it's certainly easier to study vampires here."
"You haven't seen the half of it---"
"Amanda!" a thin, sandy-haired hybrid snapped as he slipped into his white coat.
She shrugged. "What?"
"Let him get used to the place. He hasn't even been here a month yet."
Matthew gazed at the two hybrids with interest. He asked Amanda, "What do you mean, I haven't seen the half of it?"
"Nothing. Just some of the sillier projects around here. Call it Jay's sense of humor. You'll get used to it."
In spite of his telepathic deficiency, Matthew sensed discomfort from both Amanda and the other hybrid.
"Like what?" he prodded.
"So tell him, Amanda," the slender hybrid scoffed. "He's the boss."
Amanda offered a toothy smile. "You'll have to forgive me, Dr. Winter. I tend to ramble."
"Not at all. Everything here is of interest to me. I want to know exactly what's going on everywhere in this center. I---"
Matthew paused as he was paged to the telephone. For the next several hours, he was occupied assisting Jay and several members of the staff, but the conversation with Amanda and the skinny hybrid remained in the back of his mind. Why did he suddenly have the most unsettling feeling? It was because the center, with its pleasant atmosphere and work more stimulating than any he'd ever done, seemed too good to be true. Around seven at night, Matthew finally decided to leave. He'd been at the center for almost two days straight and had spoken only once to Dulcie.
During the drive home, he felt a little guilty. Since starting at the center, he had been completely obsessed. As usual, Dulcie hadn't spoken a word other than those of encouragement. When he got home, he'd have to show her exactly how much he appreciated her.
\*
Dulcie, wearing one of Matthew's blue plaid dress-down shirts that dangled to her knees, stood at the kitchen sink, washing acrylic paint from several brushes. She cursed softly as the rolled-up sleeves slipped and she tried pulling them up with her teeth. Matthew had been at the center since two nights ago. Though accustomed to his crazy hours, she really missed him. The new center seemed to have an even greater hold over him than the hospital.
She heard the familiar sound of his car in the driveway and caught his scent as he approached the front door. Her belly tightened with excitement and she smiled. Still, she forced herself to remain by the sink, unwilling to let him see how much she had longed for him.
His footsteps were silent, but she felt him enter the kitchen. His arms slipped around her waist, and the petals of the bouquet of red roses he held tickled her chin. His lips brushed her cheek.
She touched the flowers. "What are these for?"
"You like red roses."
Turning in his arms, she stood on tiptoes and kissed him. She loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. "How's everything at the center? You look a little tired."
"I'm sorry I've been spending so much time there. There's just so much to learn."
"It's okay. I never complained about your hours before, so I'm not about to start now. Just as long as you're happy there. Are you?"
He smiled. "Yes. Very. I didn't think I would be this happy." He traced her throat with his fingertip. "Isn't that my shirt?"
"You're sharp tonight." She slipped from his arms and walked to the refrigerator. "Are you hungry?"
"Why don't I take you out to dinner?"
Dulcie folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. "You don't feel like going out to eat. Why don't we stay home and relax and go out another night?"
"Why don't we make a date?" He drew her into his arms.
She laughed sarcastically. "So you're going to pencil me in like one of your patients?"
"I meant make a date, like before we were married. Pick a night, get dressed up, go to dinner, then a museum or a play. Then I'll see if I can get you to go to bed with me."
"I'm not that kind of girl," she teased.
He growled against her shoulder. "Not from what I remember. So will you date me or are you going to turn me down? I'm very fragile and your refusal will shatter my ego."
"It would take a nuclear bomb to shatter your ego, Matthew Peter Winter."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
"Well, what day were you planning on? I'll have to check my calendar."
"What night do you want?"
"But what about the center?"
He shrugged. "I'm the boss, remember? The only one over me is Jay, and my making plans with you won't affect him at all."
"How about Friday night?"
"Friday." He nuzzled her throat, his tongue sweeping lightly over her warm flesh before his teeth pierced it. Dulcie gasped, her eyes slipping shut as she clung to him. The pleasure of his bite seemed to pierce her with desire from throat to breast to clit. Her nipples hardened beneath the shirt, and she clung to his neck, pulling his head closer as he lapped her blood. He picked her up, still drinking deeply, and carried her to the living room. As he dropped to the couch, she straddled his lap and unbuttoned his shirt. Splaying her hands across his chest, she clutched the lean muscles.
When he'd finished, he kissed her throat.
"You were thirsty." Dulcie half-smiled, her cheek resting against Matthew's shoulder as they sat, entwined, on the couch.
"I've never tasted blood as sweet as yours."
"Glad you like it." She nuzzled his neck, her incisors lengthening. She pierced his throat but didn't drink deeply, as he had. She'd hunted earlier and quenched her thirst, but she just wanted to taste him. Though it had only been a couple of days, to her it seemed like forever.
Her tongue licked his neck, loving the smoothness of his skin and the saltiness of his flesh. One of her hands rested against his chest, feeling it rumble as he growled, a low, sexual sound. His cock stiffened, pressing against her clit. She tugged up the shirt a bit so her soft mound covered in silk panties pushed close to his straining staff. Her love juices seeped through the silk and it clung damply to her most sensitive parts.
After a moment, she lifted her head and licked her lips. "I'll make something for dinner."
He swatted her behind as she left the couch, picking up the television remote control.
"...the drug did not cause the death of the men and women across the country. Still, the question of ethics and money, such as in the case of Dr. Matthew Winter, remains a serious problem in the---"
Dulcie switched off the television. "Did you know about that? The treatment didn't cause the deaths. See, it wasn't even your fault."
"That's a relief. Now all I have to do is prove I never had investments with Fretis Company."
"I don't know what the problem is. It's insanity. The drug company has a record of investments under your name, but you know nothing about it. Have you thought about changing your lawyer? It's costing us a fortune, and he's still done practically nothing."
"If not for the principle of the situation, I wouldn't even care anymore." He ran a hand through his hair. "It makes me so damn furious."
Dulcie bent and kissed his forehead. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He touched her cheek before she disappeared into the kitchen.
Dulcie made salad and broiled chicken. When she'd finished, she called Matthew for dinner, but he'd fallen asleep on the couch. She half-smiled as she watched him. He is so adorable.
Though she disliked Jay, she was glad Matthew had decided to work at the center. It had gotten his mind off his problems, and he seemed very happy with his new position.
Dulcie tugged off his shoes and covered him with a black quilt before retiring to her studio to touch up her most recent painting.
\*
The following afternoon, almost every hybrid in the center had dispersed for the day, leaving Matthew alone in his lab. In spite of his discreet questioning, neither Amanda nor anyone else at the center provided information about anything out of the ordinary. Still, he sensed something being hidden from him. If only he had Adam's telepathic abilities! Without the most traditional gift of vampirism, he'd have to investigate by more human methods.
Leaving the lab, he walked down the empty hallway to the elevator. He pressed the button for the basement. It seemed logical to search the center from the bottom up. Though he'd been given a tour on the first day, taking another thorough walk around the place would ease his curiosity.
The basement was even darker than the upper floors of the center. Though the entire building had lights, they were seldom used and mostly for show in case of visits by mortal strangers---building inspectors and such. Only the glow of equipment and a bit of sunlight bleeding through thick blinds provided extra light.
Even the janitor was a hybrid. Though young in years, Max appeared to be a portly, middle-aged man. He knew everyone and everything that went on in the center. As he searched through the storage and waste rooms, Matthew hoped Max was somewhere on the upper floors.
With gloved hands, Matthew searched through trash until he caught Max's scent. Cursing softly, he bundled the waste and tossed the gloves.
"Dr. Winter, how ya doin'?" Max smiled broadly, revealing sharp little fangs and dimples in his plump cheeks. "What brings you down to the dungeon?"
"Just wanted to have another look around the center. I've been spending a lot of time in the labs."
Max laughed. "That's what you do, right? What do you care about the junk down here?"
"You've worked with Jay for a long time, Max?"
"Sure. We go back decades. He's a helluva guy."
"Yes," Matthew murmured, "a helluva guy."
"You're like me." Max smiled again, rubbing his hands together. "You hardly ever go home. There's always something to do around here. I got here at four last night and washed the hallways on floors one through ten. Then I dumped all the waste baskets. Did you ever notice how the trash in the ladies' rooms is always worse than the men's?"
"No, Max. I never noticed." Matthew thought of what the bathroom looked like after Dulcie finished fixing her hair and makeup and added, "But I'd believe it."
"After the trash, I scrubbed graffiti off the wall outside. Damn kids. They have nothing better to do all day than ruin other people's property."
Matthew edged his way back to the elevator as Max followed, still reporting his night's work.
"Glad we had this talk, Dr. Winter." Max stuck his foot in between the elevator doors before they closed. "Maybe we could do it again."
"Sure." Matthew forced a smile. "Max, I really have to get back upstairs."
"See you later." Max gave a mock salute and removed his foot so the doors slammed shut.
Matthew sighed with relief as the elevator dragged upward.
"And I thought Vincent was annoying. Max is a nice guy, but wow. Instant migraine."
Matthew searched the next ten floors and found nothing unusual. As he reprimanded himself for his paranoid behavior, he noticed a blank elevator button just below the one for the tenth floor. Feeling silly, he pressed it. The elevator stopped, and Matthew stepped out.
He'd been told Jay had a private lab, but hadn't considered where it might be. The corridor was long and gray, like the others, but carpeting covered the floor and the atmosphere seemed eerie. Only two doors stood at either end of the hall, and as Matthew walked toward the nearest one, his pulse raced. He hadn't felt such doom since he, Adam and Vincent had fought the First Father.
Like several of the labs below, the door was protected by a voice-sensitive security system.
"Winter, Matthew Peter," he stated, and tried to turn the doorknob. It remained shut tight and a message flashed across a tiny digital screen. Winter, Matthew Peter. No Clearance. He narrowed his eyes and repeated his name. The same message appeared.
"This makes no sense. I was told I have clearance everywhere in this building. What the hell does it mean, no clearance?"
He tried the other door, but it was also secured.
Aggravated, Matthew's grip tightened on the doorknob. He could force the door open.
No. The best thing would be to approach Jay. Then if he didn't like the answer he got, he'd consider breaking and entering.
As he returned to his office, the curiosity about the restricted eleventh floor gnawed on him. Jay wouldn't be in at least until dusk, and it was only eleven-thirty in the morning. What was Jay hiding in his private lab? Why couldn't Matthew shake the feeling of doom?
He worked for another hour, then decided to go home. The curiosity was driving him to madness. Maybe after getting some fresh air, some blood and talking to Dulcie, he'd feel better.
\*
Dulcie jumped awake, her heart pounding. She squinted at Matthew, who stared at her from where he straddled the chair at her vanity.
"Matthew, what is it?" She shoved long, tousled hair from her face and pushed herself to her knees. "It's the middle of the day."
"I didn't want to wake you."
"What are you doing home? Are you sick?" She walked across the room and touched his forehead.
He laughed wryly and stood, pulling her into his arms. "No. Do I really spend that much time away?"
"Yes. What's wrong? I know something's bothering you." She walked to the bed and sat, watching as he undressed and slipped beneath the sheets with her.
He tugged her against the length of his naked body and kissed her hair. "I think there's something weird going on at the center."
"Weird how? Matthew, we had enough trouble eight years ago with the First Father. We don't need any more."
"I know. It's just a feeling I have. The other day, one of the hematologists said I didn't know the half of what was going on there. Another scientist shut her up. They wouldn't say anything more. Today I searched the building from bottom to top---"
"Matthew---"
"On the eleventh floor there's a room I can't get into. I think it's Jay's private lab. I was told I had security clearance throughout the center. Not there, it seems."
"What do you think is going on?"
"I don't know. We do most of our research on hybrids and Immaculates, but we also use human samples at times. I assumed he wasn't killing anyone to get them."
"You think he's murdering people?"
Matthew shrugged. "I don't know. I wanted to work at the center so badly, but I still don't trust Jay. I hope I haven't made the wrong decision."
Dulcie turned and took his face in her hands. "There's probably nothing going on, but if there is, you'll do what's right. I have no doubt about that."
He brushed his lips across her forehead. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"
"Why don't you show me?" She licked his throat, her nails raking his biceps.
He growled, his arms like steel bands around her waist as he rolled onto his back.
Feeling his hard body, smooth in places, hair-roughened in others, against hers sent thrills of desire through to her soul. Her legs slid down the length of his, her feet caressing his calves. Staring deeply into his sapphire eyes, Dulcie leaned closer and took his lower lip between her teeth, sinking her fangs into the tender flesh.
Matthew groaned, his eyes slipping shut. Clasping her buttocks, he rubbed his erection against her. Claws slid from beneath his human nails and he gently scraped them down her back. Dulcie uttered a guttural sound, the heady combination of lusty woman and feral cat. She licked his lips and kissed him, thrusting her tongue against his before sitting up. Her satiny bottom perched on his thighs, she clasped his cock in both fists, rubbing the velvet skin along the steely rod.
Desire for him pulsed through her. Her nipples and clit ached with delightful torment. She loved it when he touched her, adored him deep inside her, but something about touching him turned her on like nothing else. The texture of his skin and ripple of his muscles beneath her hands and lips, the pounding of his heart against her palms made her libido sing.
Sliding a bit farther down his legs, she bent, her long hair dusting his stomach, her lips hovering over his cock head. She breathed on it for several moments, then used the very tip of her tongue to caress the head and the tiny eye. She laved the underside, tracing a particularly thick vein, then took the head between her lips and sucked. It slid along her wet lips, in and out, in and out, until he growled with need.
Usually a man of so many words, when Matthew made love he usually relied on animal sounds to communicate. It was as if he lost all reason and became a completely wild vampire, a creature of pure feeling. Dulcie loved the way he poured his entire soul into lovemaking.
Grasping her shoulders, he tugged her upward, his eyes glowing lavender as she positioned herself atop him and slid onto his cock, her drenched pussy swallowing it inch by inch.
While she rocked upon him, he caressed her breasts, squeezing the globes and pinching the nipples hard, the way she often preferred. He always seemed to sense exactly how rough or tender she wanted it. Usually she liked it hard. Really hard. Power excited her, particularly the raw power of an alpha vamp like Matthew.
In a swift motion, Matthew flung her onto her back. His body stretched upon hers, he grasped the headboard, his hips bucking in time with hers as their fangs teased each other's flesh while orgasms washed through their straining bodies.
That evening, when Matthew entered his office, Jay awaited him in one of the plush chairs across from the desk.
"Matthew," he stood, smiling. "I let myself in. Knew you wouldn't mind."
"Of course not." After all, it was his building. Still, Matthew felt his feathers ruffle.
"You were on the eleventh floor this morning."
"Yes."
"What were you doing there?"
"I've been here a couple of weeks, but I scarcely leave my own labs. I thought I should be more involved in the other sections."
"That's a half truth." When Matthew didn't reply, Jay continued. "The studies I conduct upstairs are very personal, but perhaps more important than any others in this center. I trust you to a point, Matthew. I trust your professional judgment. I trust your skill, and I trust your dedication to science and medicine."
"But?"
"But I know little about your sense of justice, about what you view as right and wrong. I don't know quite how far you'd go for your research."
"If this is about that rumor from Fretis Company---"
"Of course not," Jay scoffed. "I said I believed you, and I do. Especially now that it has been proved the drug you tested had absolutely nothing to do with the deaths. All those people happened to have been taking another drug. What a coincidence."
"Funny it wasn't picked up right away."
"Yes, but life is like that, Matthew. You and I are doctors. We realize nothing is picture perfect. You should know more than anybody, after all you and your family went through with the First Father."
Matthew walked to his desk and sat, leaning back and watching Jay carefully.
"You must really hate the First Father."
"There's nothing left to hate. He's dead, remember?"
"But suppose there was another like him? You agree it would have to be destroyed."
"There are evil vampires in the world just as there are evil mortals."
"And it's also been no secret how interested you are in the Originals."
"My curiosity is unlikely to be satisfied. The First Father was the last of the Originals. When Adam received his memories, the oldest ones were too unclear for him to decipher."
"Suppose I tell you I've been studying the Originals."
"How?"
"Ah. That got your attention."
"What's on the eleventh floor, Jay?"
"Normally, I wouldn't allow anyone who's been with the center for so little time access to my lab. You are exceptional, however, which is why I brought you here." Jay crossed an ankle over his knee and leaned back, sighing. "You must love your brother very much to have risked everything to side with him against the First Father."
"What's your point?"
"You'd do anything for the good of your family, wouldn't you? Not only that, you'd do what's good for the majority, regardless of the cost to yourself."
"Will you stop talking in code, Jay? If you have something to say, do so plainly."
"That's what I like about you, Matthew. You're to the point. Direct. You don't worry about offending anyone." Jay stood. "Meet me on the eleventh floor in half an hour."
\*
Matthew paced outside the doors of the eleventh-floor elevator, his thoughts churning with revelations soon to come.
At one minute past eleven, the elevator doors opened. Jay, wearing his usual smile, stepped out, Amanda and three other scientists behind him.
"Anxious to get started, are we?" Jay winked at Matthew. "I'm sure you'll find this more interesting than anything you've ever imagined."
"I have quite an imagination."
Jay glanced at his companions. "Ladies and gentlemen, shall we?"
Matthew and the others followed Jay to the door at the end of the hallway. He spoke into the security system. "Ashford, Jay Xavier Felix Denton." Matthew tossed him an irritated look, and Jay shrugged. "I've lived many years and many lives, Matthew. I hate giving up old names."
The digital screen flashed the word Cleared. Jay opened the door, and they filed inside.
Matthew's gaze scanned the entire room. Initially, it appeared like any of the other labs in the center. He was a bit surprised at the number of people working there. Most of them he'd never seen, and he thought he'd met just about everyone at the center. Everything looked normal, but it smelled all wrong. Fear hung on the air. Fear and pain. After so many years of working in a hospital, he was accustomed to such smells, but this felt different. He detected the scent of hybrids, but also other scents---animal scents---completely unfamiliar to him.
"You get used to the smell," Amanda told him.
"What animals do you use here?"
Jay said, "You'll see everything in time. Let's start over here." He approached a bearded, Asian hybrid. "Dr. Li has been studying the differences between hybrid, Immaculate and Original strength. As you know, there are significant differences between the three. You, for example, are---according to the old way---considered an alpha. There are no hybrids and few Immaculates with your strength."
"I don't know," Matthew stated. "I haven't met enough Immaculates to judge."
"Of the ones you know, are there many physically stronger?"
"My brother is probably the strongest Immaculate known thus far."
"Yes." Jay smiled slowly. "Adam. He heads the Network. We're very glad to have him."
"We?"
"I've been part of the Network for years, Matthew. Didn't you know that?"
"Apparently Adam doesn't, either."
"He wouldn't know me by this name. I've recently changed it, but I'm sure eventually your brother and I will be introduced. I've heard he's quite remarkable. Of course, anyone who destroyed the First Father has my respect."
They continued throughout the entire eleventh floor, moving from lab to lab. Matthew made detailed notes and was soon absorbed in the studies. Their knowledge of the Originals shocked him.
As one of the scientists stepped back from a microscope and allowed him a look at a blood sample, Matthew said, "Where did you get this? It's the blood of an Original, isn't it?"
"Yes," Jay replied.
"Where did it come from? I doubt you got it from the First Father."
"Not directly." Jay stroked his chin. "But as usual, Matthew, you're not far from the truth."
"Do you care to tell me, then?"
"Matt...sorry, Matthew---" Jay clapped him on the back, "---why else do you think I brought you here? Come on."
Matthew, Amanda and the others followed Jay to a thick metal door across the room. Again, Jay disarmed the voice-activated security system. Before continuing, he glanced over his shoulder. "Inside, Matthew, is the answer to every biological and psychological question you'll ever have regarding the Originals."
Matthew's heartbeat quickened with anticipation, then dread. When Jay opened the door, the smell of fear and fury was overshadowed only by the reek of urine and feces. The room was dark, even for vampire eyes. In the center stood a small cage, a naked boy curled in a corner. His eyes shining red with bloodlust, he hissed and spat like a trapped cat as the scientists approached.
"Good gracious! Hasn't Max cleaned up in here today?" Jay wrinkled his nose. "This place must be scrubbed every day. It can make quite a mess."
"What the hell is going on?" Matthew approached the cage. The child roared, his eyes narrow with hatred.
"What do you think, Matthew?" Jay stuck his hands in his pockets and strolled around the cage. "It's an Original. Isn't it fascinating?
"You... That's a child! What right have you---"
"Calm down, Matthew. Before you let that temper of yours get out of control, just listen to me." Jay winced as the child released a shrill wail. "Amanda, give that creature something to keep it quiet while we talk."
From a refrigerator across the room, Amanda removed a chunk of raw, bloody steak and approached the cage. The child stretched its hand through the bars, reaching for the food while the rest of its thin, white body cringed. Matthew heard the Original's heartbeat racing, could almost feel its desire for blood. He squinted at the child's hands and noted white scars on the tips of his fingers. A sick feeling washed over him when he realized the Original's claws had been removed.
"The steak won't nourish him, but it will keep him occupied," Amanda explained.
"What happened to his claws?" Matthew wondered if he sounded as furious as he felt.
"They had to be removed. It was for his own protection," Jay said. "As you know, Matthew, they're not like us. There's so much animal in them."
"Animal? They possessed the knowledge to travel across space and interbreed with humans, but they're animals? There are definitely animals in this room, Jay, but he's not one of them!"
"Matthew, just listen," Jay said calmly. "He's been in our care for a very long time. Perhaps he's not psychologically sound, but he is an Original and he is extremely violent. You can see for yourself---"
"I see a child in a cage. Who do you think you are? Fucking Dr. Moreau?"
"Oh---" Jay cringed, "---such language, Matthew. Highly offensive and inappropriate. I would never have expected it of you."
"You wouldn't expect it of me?" Matthew laughed humorlessly. He glared at Amanda and the other scientists. "Are you all crazy? Doesn't this bother you? How can you do this? What sort of ethics---"
"Matthew---" Amanda's eyes begged him, "---please listen."
"I understand what this must look like to you." Jay touched Matthew's arm, but Matthew jerked away. "Come with me. The rest of you can stay and go about your work."
Still fuming, Matthew followed Jay out of the lab and to the elevator.
"I'm completely disgusted," Matthew stated. "You won't see me here again. I'm reporting you to---"
"To who?" Jay laughed. "Mortals?"
"If I have to."
"Grow up, Matthew. You know as well as I do there's nothing they can do about our kind."
"Then I'll go to the Network. That's why they exist."
"It's unbelievable how innocent you are. You're not putting on an act, right? I've been with the Network for longer than you can imagine. They support this center."
"Adam would never allow this. He doesn't know."
"You're right." Jay folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "Your brother doesn't know. There's a lot he doesn't know, a lot he still has to learn, but I guarantee he'd take my side in this."
"You don't know Adam."
"And even if he doesn't, the Network's decisions are determined by The Jury. Adam's is not the only voice. Don't you understand, Matthew? The child is a danger to society."
"Then destroy him! Don't keep him like an---"
"Animal? That's what he is. He's the son of the First Father and his mate."
"Where's the boy's mother?"
"She's dead. We had to destroy her. She was insane and far too strong."
"You're forgetting, I saw the First Father up close. I spoke with him. He was very intelligent. He had the soul of an animal but the mind of---"
"The soul of an animal." Jay sighed. "Most of his minions---the ones who survived the battle with you, Adam and Vincent---would agree that he had no soul. He was evil, was he not?"
"Yes. He was evil, but no more evil than what I've seen here. Have you ever been caged, Jay?" Matthew demanded. Jay shook his head. "Well, I have. I cannot be part of this."
"Matthew, listen to me. Think about all you can learn. The child is not abused. Did you see any marks on him?"
"He'd regenerate. Speaking of regeneration, how did you manage to remove his claws?"
"Ah." Jay's eyes lit with his discovery. "We used platinum."
Matthew's stomach twisted.
"Look, you're no stranger to experimentation. This is no different from any other testing. The boy is an Original. He cannot be allowed to roam free because, as you saw, he cannot function as a member of society. But should we really kill him? Is that not unethical as well, to take his life? It's not his fault he's what he is."
"Don't try to turn this around and make yourself look like you're doing him a favor."
"Aren't I?"
"The Network will decide."
"Matthew," Jay said as the elevator came to a stop, "you just got here. We don't want to lose you. If you go to the Network with this and I allow myself to be taken to trial, when they take my side, will you stay on here? I'll allow you as much freedom with that Original as with everything else in the center. You can see for yourself he's not mistreated."
Matthew uttered a mocking laugh. "Fine. If you think Adam and the Network will allow this to continue, you're crazier than I thought."
"I like you, Matthew. You have more spirit than a thousand vampires. All that passion and brilliance. All that innocence. How I envy you."
Matthew repressed a growl as he stormed out of the elevator and down the hallway where, for the second time in a month, he cleaned out his office.
\*
"Good Lord, Matthew! You can't seem to stay out of trouble lately, can you?" Adam's irritated voice sounded on the phone line.
"What would you have me do, Adam? Ignore the situation? Would you ignore it?"
"You should have gone with your gut feeling. You didn't like Jay from the first, and now to find out he's Xavier Ashford---"
"I can't believe you didn't know what was going on in your own Network!" Matthew's temper slipped in the face of his brother's aggravated response to the problem with the Original child. He knew Adam felt stressed between the Network and his career, but this was important, damn it!
"Xavier Ashford is known to all the old members of the Network. He's done a lot for our kind. He was one of the first hybrid scientists ever."
"I respect his previous achievements, but that shouldn't affect our response to what he's doing now. You should see this child, Adam."
"The First Father's child."
"Yes. He's the First Father's child. Are you suggesting he should pay for his father's crimes?"
"I'm not trying to sit in judgment."
"You don't have a choice. You are the judge for this trial or whatever you people call it."
"We people? You could be part of the Network, too, Matthew. It's not as if you haven't been asked."
"No. I'm caught between two worlds. I have too many human ties."
"Which would make you even more valuable to us."
"We're not supposed to be discussing me. When is this trial going to take place?"
"This coming Saturday. It's my only day off and the soonest we could arrange for the others to come. Five well-respected members of the Network will be The Jury."
"And you?"
"Yes. And me. Matthew, you know me. I'm not going to be influenced one way or the other, nor will I let a child be mistreated...even the First Father's child."
"Adam, if you'd seen that cage. If you'd seen his hands. They removed his incisors, too. What the hell kind of people remove a vampire's incisors?"
"Matthew, just cool off. You said yourself the boy is dangerous. He could very well have been injuring himself or others. Perhaps it was less cruel to---"
"Goodbye, Adam." Matthew, unable to argue any further, slammed down the receiver. He drew a deep breath and sat at the desk in his study, tapping his claws on the arm of his chair.
"Sweetheart?" Dulcie stepped into the room and slipped her arms around his neck. "Are you all right?"
"No. I'm not. I've never known Adam to be so unreasonable before."
"Are you sure he's being unreasonable, or is he waiting to gather the facts before he makes his decision?"
"Dulcie, I know what I saw! Regardless of whether the boy is dangerous or not, Jay and the others are using him. I can understand taking blood samples, urine samples, studying him. But removing his incisors?" Matthew gazed her. "They're doctors, for crying out loud. They're supposed to help people, not torture---"
"What do you think should be done with him?" Dulcie perched on his knee and smoothed his hair behind his ear.
"I don't know."
"You said he doesn't speak. He's violent. Perhaps he got all the worst of the First Father's traits. Maybe he has a mental problem---not to sound cruel, but it's a possibility. Matthew, we're Immaculates. You know how powerful we are, but he's an Original. When he grows up, you realize how strong he'll be. There'll be no controlling him if he can't control himself."
"I don't know, Dulcie." Matthew buried his face in her shoulder. "I just know this is wrong. I feel it."
Dulcie laughed. "Leave it to you to pick now to start going with your feelings. At least no matter what the Network decides, you'll be able to make sure the Original is properly cared for."
"In his cage."
"If need be."
If need be.
The Case of the First Father's Son, as it was recorded in the Network's files, was presented to Adam and five esteemed Network members---known as The Jury---at the North American Headquarters---a hotel in Boston called Poet's Manor.
The hotel was owned by a slight, blond-haired hybrid, Marcus, the vampiric offspring and lover of Marina, the vampire who founded the Network. Poet's Manor, a tall, old-fashioned building, was reputed to be one of the finest hotels in Boston. Unknown in the mortal world, Network offices occupied the entire top floor. It was a storage house of historical files and a haven for vampires---Network members whose duties forced them into hiding for a brief time. The Network's major concern was vampiric law enforcement, and its members were as open to danger as mortal police and military personnel. Adam was a leader, called upon only for dangerous missions and council meetings such as the one about to take place.
Marcus met Matthew and Dulcie in the lobby. The man's slender lines and large brown eyes gave him the look of a deer. Dressed as impeccably as Matthew, the hotel owner wore a pale gray suit and a buff-colored tie with a matching pocket handkerchief. His short, white-blond hair framed a rounded face. A pale blue stone rested in one pierced earlobe.
"You must be Dr. Winter." Marcus offered Matthew his hand. "The resemblance to your brother is startling."
Dulcie noticed the strain in Matthew's smile as he asked, "Has Adam arrived?"
"Yes, he and the other members are upstairs now. Marina---you've seen her---is on The Jury. I'll describe the others on the way up so you'll know who you're dealing with." Marcus turned to Dulcie and took her hand, bowing over it in an old-fashioned but charming manner. "Forgive me, Ms. Evans. How rude of me not to introduce myself."
"I'm quite sure you're Marcus," Dulcie said. "Glad to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine. If you both would follow me, I'll escort you upstairs."
As they stepped into the elevator, Dulcie took Matthew's hand and looked up at him, wishing she could help him relax. She knew how important the Original's freedom was to him, and the more she'd listened to him talk, the more she also realized the graveness of the situation. What right had they to cage a child simply because his father had been a monster? The previous night, they'd talked. With Dulcie's blessing, Matthew was going to suggest the Original be turned over to their care rather than live at the center.
Dulcie knew what such a decision meant, but Matthew was determined that with time and effort, the Original could function as any other vampire. She agreed that he should at least be given the chance.
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, she thought how stunningly handsome Matthew looked in his black suit and gray-on-gray silk tie. The scent of his cologne battled with Marcus's in the elevator---Matthew's clean, crisp and extremely masculine, Marcus' softer, stranger, like incense.
"Other than Marina, there are two female hybrids on The Jury, Cassia and Pilar. Cassia is very tall with steel gray hair. Pilar is heavyset and has blonde hair. She always wears bright red lipstick. Thomas and Arkin are the last two members. Thomas is a muscular redhead in a kilt. He's a druid. Arkin is tall, big-boned---not unlike yourself--- with a long blond ponytail and pale blue eyes. You probably won't remember all their names."
"He has a photographic memory," Dulcie stated.
Marcus glanced at Matthew. "Then I gather all I've heard about your intelligence is true. Good. You'll need every skill you possess to convince The Jury. They're very old, very set in their ways. Ashford has known them for over a thousand years. Your youth will be a detriment, Dr. Winter."
"Tell me something I don't know. Adam and I have always been second-guessed due to our youth."
The elevator stopped. They walked down a long hallway covered with a plush peach-colored carpet and paused outside a door at the end of the hall.
"I wish you luck," Marcus said. "I detest injustice of any kind."
Marcus' slender hand turned the doorknob, and the three stepped inside.
The spacious room contained two rectangular windows tinted black. A semicircular table stood at the farthest wall. Adam sat in a chair at the center of the table, Marina---a petite blonde---and Thomas to his right, Pilar, Arkin and Cassia to his left. The Jury appeared just as Marcus had described. All stared at Matthew with penetrating eyes.
"You'd think you're the one on trial," Dulcie whispered to him.
"Aren't I?" he murmured. "I better do well. The child's life is my responsibility."
"Why?" Dulcie looked up at him. "Why do you feel that way?"
"Because I'm aware of what's going on. To ignore it would be unethical."
"No one else seems to care about ethics."
"I'm not everyone else."
"I know." She squeezed his hand. "That's why I love you."
Matthew's attention focused on the group as he approached the table and took his place on one of the seats facing The Jury. Dulcie waited beside Mara across the room.
"Are you okay?" her sister-in-law whispered.
"I guess. We've had so much going on lately."
"I know. Matthew feels very strongly about this. So does Adam."
"Matthew didn't think Adam felt strongly about it after speaking to him on the phone."
"Adam is the Network leader. He has to appear impartial. You both know that."
"I know---" Dulcie glanced at her friend, "---but you know how passionate Matthew can be."
"Adam's been thinking about what he said. You know how Adam feels about child abuse, especially after how he grew up."
"I can imagine what the Network must have said about this trial, Adam being Matthew's brother and all."
"They also know how he feels about the First Father, so I don't think they're concerned with him siding with Matthew on this."
"There's Jay!" Dulcie interrupted, pointing to the door as Jay and Amanda stepped inside and took seats next to Matthew. Dulcie resisted the urge to snarl. Jay looked so pompous, so self-assured. He actually smiled at Matthew!
"Now that everyone's finally here---" Adam glanced at Jay, who pretended not to notice, "---we can begin this case. Both sides will be presented, and by the end of the evening, a decision will be made. The decision will be honored by all parties. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," Jay stated.
"Yes," Matthew said.
"First Father," Jay stood, addressing Adam by the rank he'd inherited upon killing the Original First Father, "I realize I have the right to speak first, but I'd like to defer to Dr. Winter."
"As you like." Adam waved his hand. "Just get on with it. Matthew, you have the floor."
Matthew stood and reported what he'd seen on the eleventh floor of Jay's research center. As he spoke, The Jury listened attentively, particularly to his descriptions of the child's cage and raw meat being fed to him.
When he'd finished, Jay stood and said, "I cannot deny any of Dr. Winter's observations. However, I can explain everything he's described."
At Jay's significant pause, Adam said, "So continue. That's why you're here."
"This child is kept caged because he's a danger to society. He's violent and uncontrollable. He cannot be reasoned with---"
Matthew interjected, "Have you even tried?"
"Quiet, Matthew," Adam snapped. "You've had your time. You won't speak again until the closing comments."
Despising Jay's smug attitude, Dulcie tightened her grip on her purse. She hoped Matthew would control his temper.
"As for the removal of the child's teeth and claws, several times he tried damaging himself and my assistants. We've done our best to make this Original comfortable."
"I don't believe I appreciate your tone when you speak of the Originals," Marina's soft voice rang out. "Remember, sir, I am from Atlantis. I knew the Originals. All of them. Not just the First Father. They were a noble race."
"I'm sure." Jay offered one of his easy smiles. "And I meant no insult, Your Honor. I simply mean to say that this particular Original is mad. He doesn't have the ability to reason. He can't even speak, let alone understand the damage he does to himself and others. At the center we've been able to restrain him as well as learn about the Originals. Our research has narrowed the gaps between hybrids, Originals and Immaculates. It has brought us closer to our forefathers. Even if we were callous enough not to care about the welfare of this child, we would not risk all that we can learn from the last of the Originals. That's all I have to say. Thank you."
Jay sat beside Matthew while Adam and The Jury exchanged looks for several moments.
Dulcie drew a deep breath and willed herself not to invade the telepathic exchange occurring at the semicircular table across the room. Adam and The Jury discussed the case telepathically. To eavesdrop would be such a sign of rudeness that she could be asked to leave the room. For the first time, she understood how frustrated Matthew must feel when other vampires communicated telepathically in front of him and he was unable to participate.
"Why have you not mentioned this child before?" Pilar asked, her white teeth stained red from her lipstick.
"We didn't want to pester the Network with our research. We didn't feel it was significant enough---"
"You thought I wouldn't be interested to know about the First Father's son?" Adam demanded.
"I can see I was wrong." Jay bowed from the neck. "You have my apologies for offending you."
"Not necessary," Adam snapped. "Your apologies don't affect this case."
"You used platinum to remove the incisors and claws?" Marina asked.
"For his own good---"
"May I speak?" Matthew stood. Thomas's red head nodded in his direction. "I believe the Original's teeth and claws were removed as part of an experiment to see if he'd regenerate."
"That's completely untrue," Jay scoffed. "I understand Dr. Winter's position. He's very, very young. He's also new to the center. If I had walked in after less than a month of work and seen the caged Original, I probably would have felt the same. If he would only spend more time on the eleventh floor, he'd understand that our methods are far less cruel than his suggestion of destroying the child."
Six pairs of eyes flew to Matthew. "He's using my words out of context. I said rather than torture the child, he should be destroyed. Would any of you like to be caged simply for being what you are? There are mortals who believe we should die because we possess fangs and drink blood. They eat flesh all the time, yet we should die because---"
"This case isn't about mortals and their beliefs, Dr. Winter," Marina said. "Please keep to the subject at hand."
"Jay, you're known and respected in the Network," Thomas stated. "I've known you for close to a thousand years. Your research has always helped our kind. I can't understand such extreme measures in this case."
"Perhaps it would help if you saw what I've been dealing with." Jay motioned to Amanda, who stood, removed a videotape from her purse and walked to the television and VCR across the room. She slipped in the tape and stepped aside.
Some of the members' eyes widened while others squinted as the caged child flashed across the screen. The Original grasped the bars and shook them violently, shrieking like a wild beast. One of the scientists stepped too close to the cage. The child grasped his arm, and the scientist screamed as the sound of snapping bone echoed throughout the room.
Dulcie's heartbeat quickened. She felt a little sick, whether at the child's behavior or the way he'd been raised, she wasn't certain. And she had agreed to take that into her home? As appalled as she felt by any creature being so mistreated, she wondered if she and Matthew could handle the boy---or rather if she could, considering the crazy hours Matthew worked.
"And you are?" Marina said to Amanda as the screen went black.
"I'm one of Dr. Ashford's assistants."
"That behavior is common for the Original?" Thomas asked.
"That was a good day." Amanda removed the tape and returned to her seat.
"If your life consisted of confinement and raw meat being tossed at you, how would you act?" Matthew demanded.
"What do you suggest we do with the child, if not keep him at the center?" Cassia asked.
"My wife and I are willing to look after him."
Again the room fell silent as Adam and The Jury discussed the case.
"We're prepared to hear your closing statements," Adam finally said, indicating for Matthew to speak first.
"Not only is the treatment of this child cruel and unhealthy," Matthew began, "but I believe it could be detrimental to Dr. Ashford as well."
For the first time, Jay looked shocked.
"I realize how much Dr. Ashford has contributed to vampiric society. I greatly respect him and his research. I know how easy it is to become so involved in one's work that you lose your sense of reason. I wouldn't want Dr. Ashford to act in a manner he might one day regret or which might affect his reputation. I would be willing to protect both the Original and Dr. Ashford, if given the chance. Thank you."
"Dr. Ashford." Adam motioned for Jay to begin his closing statement.
"All I can say is I believe Dr. Winter is a good man who is trying to serve justice. If I didn't believe this, I never would have hired him, considering all the recent controversy regarding his ethics. I believe in him, but I know he's very young and naïve of our ways---the old ways. He also hasn't been involved in the eleventh-floor research long enough to make a fair judgment about our care of the Original. To remove the Original from the lab setting would be detrimental to the child and to the rest of society. Dr. Winter and his wife are not prepared to handle this boy. We've been caring for him for over eight years. If you want to do what's best for the Original---and for society---I implore you, leave the boy in the center."
Jay took his seat.
For the next half hour, Adam and The Jury discussed the case in silence.
"It's time for our vote," Adam stated. "Everyone in favor of leaving the child in the center, remain seated. Everyone who believes Dr. Winter should be given custody of the Original, please stand."
Adam and Marina stood while the others remained seated.
Dulcie wasn't sure if she felt relieved or not. Even across the room, Matthew's sadness reached her. His gaze fixed on Adam's for a long moment.
"The Original will remain at the research center," Adam said. "But there will be stipulations. A report will be prepared monthly regarding all studies of the Original. Bi-monthly, perhaps more often, an agent of the Network will visit the center to ensure the child is not being mistreated. This seems a fair compromise."
Jay smiled. "Yes, it does."
"Dismissed," Adam stated.
Everyone dispersed.
"Matthew, I think eventually you will agree that this is the right decision." Jay offered Matthew his hand. "I hope you'll stay on at the center and---"
"You'll find me difficult to get rid of." Matthew accepted Jay's hand.
"By the way, that was an excellent twist at the end of your speech. Imagine, expressing concern for me. You're young, my friend, but you're learning to play the game. In a few hundred years, you'll be one to watch out for."
As Jay and Amanda left the room, Matthew thought, You won't have to wait that long, Jay.
Matthew and Dulcie spoke little during the ride home from Poet's Manor. Though he appeared stoic, she felt his concern and disappointment.
"You did all you could, Matthew."
"Did I?"
"At least you have access to the eleventh floor. You can see the Original is not mistreated."
"I can't be there twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and even if I could, he's still a prisoner. How can I possibly teach him all he needs to know to prove himself to the Network?"
"You really believe he's capable of civil behavior?"
"Yes."
Dulcie sighed, remembering the skinny, naked, vicious creature. Or had it simply been terrified? After seeing the Original, she understood Matthew's compassion for it. If anyone could reach the child, she knew Matthew would.
"The Jury's decision was wrong," she said softly.
"I don't know if I can live by it."
"Their word is the law of our kind. If you disobey, there will be repercussions." She placed a hand on his knee. "But you know all about that."
He pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. Before getting out, he embraced her. "I love you, Dulcie."
"I love you too." An uncomfortable feeling crawled up her spine. She knew how tightly Matthew clung to his beliefs. Once he thought he was right, he'd stand his ground until death.
"What do you think of all this?" he asked, and she knew his question had implications. He wasn't simply asking what she thought of The Jury's decision---he was seeking her approval to go against it. She was probably the only person on Earth whom he would ask to clear one of his decisions. She also trusted his judgment enough to know the Original was as abused as he'd described. As he said, he'd become responsible for the child because he'd been exposed to him. Now so had she, and she hated Jay's methods as much as Matthew did.
"I know you, Matthew. I know you have to follow your heart and do the right thing."
He brushed her mouth with a kiss. "I'm sorry we didn't have our date Friday night."
"There were other more important things to deal with."
"Maybe I can try to make it up to you a little?" He traced the shape of her lips with his fingertip.
Dulcie offered him a slow smile as she stepped out of the car.
Before she reached the front door, he swept her into his arms, growling sensuously, and kissed her. She locked her arms around his neck as he carried her into the house. In their room, he flung her hard on the bed. Dulcie's pulse raced with anticipation. Nothing aroused her more than a bout of rough sex with Matthew.
She stared at him, a purr in her throat as she watched his eyes turn lavender and his fangs lengthen against his lips, a startling contrast to his understated, pristine suit. He unknotted the tie and slipped it off his neck, then tossed it on a chair. His jacket followed.
As he started unbuttoning his shirt, she leapt off the bed and grasped his wrists. "Let me."
Her teeth lengthened, and she bit the buttons off his white shirt. As his flesh exposed, she licked it, feeling the muscles of his taut abdomen tremble beneath her probing tongue. By the time she reached his zipper, his cock bulged, filling the crotch of his pants. Licking her lips, she took the zipper in her teeth and pulled it down, sliding her hands over his thighs as she sank to her knees. He stepped out of the pants and stood in front of her, his erection thick against his black silk boxers. With a brush of her fingers she wrapped the silk tightly around his cock head and used her tongue to tease him. The material grew wet, clinging to the bulging crown of his erection.
Growling, Matthew buried one hand in her hair and gently tugged her to her feet. Dulcie moaned, her throat arching as he licked her neck. With one sweep of his claws, the dress fell from her body. She wore no bra beneath, and he tore off her black thong and discarded his boxers.
"How do you want it?" His voice was a husky whisper in her ear. One of his hands cupped her breast, his thumb stroking the nipple, while the other dipped between her legs. Two fingers eased into her wet pussy, caressing and exploring.
She clung to his neck. "Hard. Fast. Now!"
His laugh turned to a howl of pure animal pleasure as he grasped her beneath the arms, threw her on the bed, and covered her body with his. She was more than ready for him---or so she thought. Tonight his passion seemed almost desperate. His lean hips drove into her, thrilling her with climax after climax until his name became a ragged cry on her lips. He rolled her onto her stomach, his nails raking her flesh, his tongue lapping the wounds as he took her from behind, his thick cock filling her, building delightful pressure with every powerful thrust. She wasn't sure how long he played the game, molding her body into multiple positions until she couldn't think coherently.
Pushing her onto her back, he knelt between her legs and lapped her clit. Dulcie gasped, her fingers buried in his sweat-dampened hair, her smooth legs draped over the slick, hot muscles of his shoulders. As he pleasured her with his lips, teeth and tongue, she thrashed beneath him. When he finally slipped into her again, she bit his shoulder, drawing his blood, her sinewy legs tight about his waist. His chest heaving and muscles taut, Matthew pierced her throat, the taste of her blood and the hot pulsations of her slit around his cock driving him to a blinding climax.
"Dulcie," he murmured against her neck, as he caught his breath, "remember whatever happens in our lives, I'll always love you."
"I know," she whispered. "I know."
\*
For the next two weeks, Matthew made careful preparations. To ensure that every detail was hidden from Dulcie, he diligently practiced the magic of mind manipulation. Though he hated resorting to those strange powers he'd vowed never to rely upon, he wanted to be certain that Dulcie knew nothing of his plans. Such knowledge would not only be dangerous to Matthew and the Original but also to Dulcie herself. Her safety was most important to him. No one, not Jay or the Network, could harm her for knowledge she didn't possess, nor would they bother attempting to get to him through her if they knew she had no idea of his whereabouts.
Matthew realized he needed to disappear, but for how long he wasn't sure. The idea of leaving Dulcie and his family sickened him. Though plagued by how his actions might affect his loved ones, he was tormented by the guilt of what could happen to the Original if he didn't act soon.
At five o'clock Friday morning, Matthew worked out with Dulcie and shared a shower and breakfast with her. The scene was familiar, but every expression, every touch, imprinted on his memory. He worked a silent spell to shield his thoughts, shocked that it worked. She usually picked up his feelings with frustrating ease. Part of him wanted to tell her everything, but secrecy was crucial.
He dressed carefully, unable to look at himself in the mirror. When he kissed Dulcie goodbye at the front door, he held her so close that their hearts seemed to beat in unison. His mouth devoured hers, his tongue tracing the delicate shape of her lips, exploring well-loved territory.
"Wow." She smiled up at him, leaning against his chest. "I can't wait for you to get home."
In reply, he took her face in his hands and kissed her again. Then he left, waving as he pulled out of the driveway. Inside, his heart shattered.
\*
Matthew worked in his lab for several hours, raising no suspicion among his co-workers. He waited until midday when almost all the hybrids had left for home.
Slipping on plastic gloves, he stepped into the hallway. On the tenth floor, he pulled the fire alarm, then took the elevator to the eleventh floor. He watched from the supply closet until the last of the lab workers raced down the stairs, then he approached the door.
"Winter, Matthew Peter."
Cleared.
Matthew pushed open the door and repeated the same procedure at the door to the Original's room. As he suspected, everyone had left the child to be consumed by flames, and in doing so had proved something else. Jay owned mortal police, firefighters and heaven knew who else. By feeling secure enough to leave the Original when they knew mortals would enter the building meant Jay was paying well for cover-ups.
Fury knotted Matthew's stomach as it finally dawned on him who had begun the rumors about him and Fretis Company.
Jay's going to regret the day he ever heard my name. But later. Right now there's too much to do.
The Original, its small, pale body shivering, screamed and hissed upon seeing Matthew. The sound of the alarm hurt Matthew's ears, so he imagined the Original was even more sensitive to noise.
With a blow dart, such as a vet would use on a large, wild animal, Matthew anesthetized the child. Only Jay had a key to the cage, so Matthew had brought wire cutters. Even with his Immaculate strength, the cage was almost impenetrable. By the time he'd cut away enough of the bars, his hands ached and he panted slightly, though more from anxiety than physical exertion. He lifted the unconscious child, shoved him in an oversize cotton laundry bag and flung him over his shoulder. Matthew took the stairs to the roof. To him, it was a short jump to the next building. Luckily, no one looked up from the street. On the roof of the second building, he'd hidden a change of clothes---an outfit he'd worn when he and his brother once had to mingle in a rough part of Madrid. He would have thrown the stupid-looking outfit away, but Dulcie had liked it. So he'd kept it to wear sometimes during their love-play.
He quickly removed his suit, tie and shoes and dragged on jeans that hugged his long, muscled legs. A sleeveless blue T-shirt followed. He fixed a faded blue and white bandana over his head so the ties dangled at his neck and hurriedly laced up black military-style boots. Shoving his suit into the laundry bag along with the child, he slung it over his shoulder, then climbed down the fire escape and walked to the street. He passed the crowd gathered around the lab as fire engines slammed to a stop by the sidewalk.
Two blocks away, Matthew slipped into a car he'd rented under an assumed name and drove off, his heart pounding. He'd seen a lot of crazy things, had been responsible for life and death, but never had he directly broken a law. Now he'd not only gone against the Network's decision, but he was certain Jay would have the mortal police after him as well.
How would he hide this wild boy and disguise himself until he could undo the damage Jay had caused?
First he'd need a place to restrain the Original when he woke. He'd already arranged for that---at least for today.
\*
Matthew kept the Original unconscious until evening. He discarded the car. Even though he hadn't given his real name, he could be traced if the clerk at the rental company recognized his face from news reports. The story broke quickly, but he'd expected no less from Jay. By evening, he heard the report as he passed by a newsstand at the train station where he and his "laundry bag" had waited out the day.
"Dr. Matthew Winter is quickly becoming known as the black cloud of Boston. Controversy surrounds this hematologist, once known as the most brilliant in his field. He was recently accused of approving a dangerous drug from Fretis Company, with whom he allegedly has significant investments. Investigations are still under way concerning the situation with Fretis Company, but this afternoon Matthew Winter sabotaged the research center where he has recently been employed. He destroyed equipment, stole important files and murdered several employees."
Matthew momentarily stopped breathing. Murdered! Now Jay had killed people and blamed their deaths on Matthew. There was no mention of the Original. How could Jay acknowledge the child without exposing himself?
A photo of Matthew suddenly filled the screen, and the reporter continued, "Matthew Winter is thirty-eight years old, but looks in his late twenties to early thirties. He is six feet, four inches tall and approximately two hundred thirty pounds. He has black hair, dark blue eyes, and is clean-shaven. He likes to dress in expensive, professional clothing and has scars on both palms---"
Damn! Matthew looked down at the white scars on his hands. He'd sustained the marks when the First Father had trapped him in a cage of platinum-dipped steel barbs. Platinum was the only substance that caused long-term damage---often death---in a vampire. Matthew's hands had been badly torn when he'd freed himself from the prison.
"Matthew Winter has martial arts experience, is armed and extremely dangerous," the reporter continued. "If you see him, call the police immediately. Do not approach him. And now for the weather."
\*
Dulcie sat in the living room of Matthew's parents' house, feeling too upset to cry. Julie sobbed enough for both of them. Lisa did her best to console her mother and her own crying infant while Buck paced the room, ranting furiously. Dulcie knew his display of temper was his way of expressing his deep concern for Matthew.
"I can't believe this!" Buck bellowed. "Matthew has never done anything wrong in his life! He's always tried to be perfect, for Pete's sake! This is bullshit! All of it!"
"Oh my God. Oh my God," Julie said.
"Dulcie, he never mentioned anything to you?" Lisa asked.
Dulcie shook her head. Matthew's family didn't even know he was a vampire, let alone his involvement with Jay and the Original. "All I can tell you is whatever has been said about Matthew, there's more than one side."
"I'm sure of it!" Buck growled. "Murder! Matthew could never kill anything! He saves lives, damn it!"
Dulcie drew a long breath, knowing Buck's words were basically true, but remembering how savagely Matthew had slain her cousin so many years ago. When faced with injustice, when pushed to his limits, Matthew, like all vampires, acted on his nature. Though he possessed many human traits, he had the blood and soul of an Immaculate. It wouldn't surprise her if he had killed hybrid members of Jay's staff, but where was he? She was concerned for his life. Whatever happened at the center earlier that day, Matthew could be dead. She detested Jay and wouldn't put anything past him. She also knew Matthew wouldn't abide by the Network's decision regarding the Original. Whatever happened at the center had involved the First Father's child.
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
"Who the hell is that?" Buck fumed.
Dulcie recognized the scent and jumped to her feet. "I'll get it."
She hurried to the front door. Jocelyn, looking as slender and severe as always, stood, his hands folded and his fine lips set in a grim line.
Dulcie swallowed tears. "Jocelyn."
"I know." He touched a hesitant hand to her shoulder.
"What did he tell you? Where is he?" she pleaded.
"I'm afraid I don't know. He merely asked me to come here and place the Entry Spell on his young nephew."
The Entry Spell could be placed on any infant child. If performed correctly, no vampire could enter the room of the child without permission from the child himself.
"Come in," Dulcie said.
Matthew's family had met Jocelyn several times, but Dulcie knew they found the pale blond college professor strange. Jocelyn's remote personality caused discomfort in many.
"I've come to let you know Charlie and I offer our support in any way possible through this difficult time," Jocelyn said to the family. "Anything we can do---"
Buck's temper faded a bit. "Thanks, but there's nothing anyone can do. This isn't like Matthew."
Dulcie walked to Lisa and offered to take the squalling baby, her stomach twisting with anxiety. She and babies just didn't mix. No matter how she tried, she couldn't seem to gather the maternal instinct that apparently came so easily to most other women.
"I'll take him for a minute," she said.
"Thank you." Lisa sighed, glad she could focus her attention on Julie.
"I'll see you out, Jocelyn," Dulcie said. Together, she and the professor walked to the front door. "Do it fast, will you? Don't kids ever shut up?"
"Here." Jocelyn took the baby easily, accustomed to his own children. He used one hand to remove a stick of incense from his pocket. "Light that. This will take but a moment."
Dulcie did as he asked and watched as he spoke a few random words over the baby.
"I need a drop of vampire blood," Jocelyn told Dulcie. "It seals the spell."
Dulcie unsheathed her incisors, pricked her finger on one of the sharp tips and watched the drop of dark red blood bead on her skin.
"Drop it on his forehead," Jocelyn ordered.
She did as he asked.
Jocelyn whispered words, then wiped the blood from the baby's forehead. "The incense must finish burning. I'll wait around the side of the house until it burns down. Please try to make sure I'm not discovered."
"Of course." Dulcie took the baby back from Jocelyn. "Will I be able to take him in the house now that the spell is on?"
"Yes. You're carrying him, so you'll be fine. Also, if he enters a room with a vampire in it, the spell won't work. It's only so a vampire cannot enter a room where he already is."
"Thank you very much."
"I meant it when I said if there's anything Charlie or I can do, don't hesitate to ask."
"I'd tell you what's going on, but I don't understand the whole situation myself."
Jocelyn held up his hand. "Somehow I feel it's better we don't know. Obviously Matthew thought it safer for us not to."
"Yes," Dulcie whispered. "I only hope Matthew is safe."
"Sir, I have to ask you to leave or I'll call security," Nancy said in a stern voice.
"Please listen to me. I badly need your help."
"God!" Nancy's hands flew to her mouth and her heart raced.
"Matthew?"
"Don't be afraid. I know what you've been hearing on the news."
"What the hell is going on?"
"Nancy, you're the only one I can trust right now. My life is literally in your hands."
She approached, her wide eyes sweeping from Matthew's bandana-covered head to his booted feet. His appearance must have shocked her. She truly hadn't recognized him at first, and that was good. If a friend hadn't known him, then most likely no one else would identify him.
It was evening, and except for Nancy, the lab was deserted. He'd taken a chance that she'd be working extra hours.
"I'm going to show you something quite unbelievable," he said.
"What?"
"I need you to get me to an observation room. I have someone who must be restrained."
"Did you kill anyone, Matthew?" Nancy asked in her usual point-blank manner. Squinting at him, she rested her hands on her plump hips.
"No, I didn't kill anyone today," he stated. At least that much was true. "Let me sum this up quickly. Jay Ashford is powerful and has many connections. In his private lab at his research center, he performs unethical experiments. He's been holding a child there."
"A child---"
"This isn't an ordinary child. He's been raised like an animal. That's why I need the observation room, to restrain him after he wakes up."
"After who wakes up? Jay?"
"No! The child. I took the child from the lab today."
"But the news said---"
"Only what Jay fed to the police. He owns the police. He's a monster, Nancy. I can't stay here long and endanger you as well. I just need your help for tonight. Then all you have to do is pretend you never saw me."
"Matthew, you're a friend, but I don't know what you're into. I don't want to know."
"Please! This is important."
She flinched, her fear permeating the room.
"All right," she said quietly. "Follow me."
\*
"This is absolutely unbelievable," Nancy said after seeing the Original. "He looks human, but his vital signs, his blood...everything is so different. He's extremely powerful for such a little thing."
"Wait until he wakes up." Matthew shook his head as he knelt and clothed the unconscious child while Nancy watched.
"Matthew, you really should have gone to the police."
"They wouldn't have helped. There are so many complications, more than I can explain without putting you in danger. If I hadn't been desperate, I wouldn't have come here at all."
Nancy's gaze lingered on his arms and chest in the clinging, sleeveless T-shirt.
"I really don't believe all this. It doesn't even look like you, Matthew."
"Yes, well, you know what they say about clothes making the man."
"You know I'm not coming on to you. We've been friends for years and I've got a girlfriend at home, but I have to say this. You have some major biceps. I never would have guessed that under all those designer suits you were this jacked."
Matthew snorted. "I am not jacked."
"Then I suggest you make an appointment with an optometrist because you need glasses." She shook her head. "Matthew, what do you plan on doing with this kid? He needs professional help."
"As I said, there are complications, but trust that he's better off with me than with Jay."
"I don't doubt it, but you're going to have to explain more."
"I told you---"
"Matthew, I'm putting my ass on the line for you. Who---or what---is this boy?"
Matthew sighed. "You'll think I'm crazy."
"I already do."
"He's an alien."
Nancy's jaw dropped. "Oh, God. I knew you were too brilliant. All geniuses are insane, right?"
"Nancy, you've examined him yourself. Is he human?"
"No, but---"
"What do you think he is?"
She pressed a hand to her temples. "This is too much. An alien. What planet? Mars?"
"I don't know."
"Matthew, listen to me." Nancy stooped beside him and touched his shoulder. He smelled her fear and credited her with not fleeing to the police. "You're not well. Let me get you help."
"He's of another race, Nancy."
Her eyes shone with sorrow. "Oh, Matthew---"
"And I can prove it."
"How?"
He drew a deep breath. "Because I'm of the same race."
Swallowing hard, she edged toward the door. "Matthew, you need help. Let me at least call Dulcie."
"No!" He leapt up, holding the door shut as she struggled to open it.
"Let me out right now!"
"Nancy, you've known me for years. Do you really think I could hurt you? Look at me."
She stared into his eyes. "I want to believe you. How can you prove this?"
"Examine me."
"What?"
"Go on. Give me a full examination. Blood samples. Whatever you want. Just make it quick."
"All right." Nancy sighed. He knew she was humoring him, but the only way she'd believe him was to see with her own eyes.
\*
"I don't believe it." Nancy stood, her hands clasped, in front of Matthew. "No wonder you never seem to get tired. Unbelievable. Absolutely amazing. To think I've known you all these years and never noticed. You have a pulse that's a step up from a dead man. The stress test didn't even get it to a normal human level. How long could you have run?"
"At that speed?" He shrugged. "Hours. Almost all night."
"How fast can you go?"
"I've timed myself at forty-six miles per hour, but I can't sustain that for longer than a couple of miles." Matthew thought to himself, Several years ago, I clocked Adam at close to fifty miles per hour. What would she think of that? Though he had revealed his nature, he needed to keep other vampires' existence secret. It was dangerous enough---for her and for them---that she now knew the truth about his kind.
"Couple of miles," Nancy breathed.
"I can do twenty miles or so at twenty to thirty miles an hour."
Nancy shone a light in Matthew's eyes and watched his pupils disappear.
"Don't do that too long, please," he said, trying not to flinch with discomfort. "Light's not my favorite thing."
"No. It wouldn't be," she murmured. "It's the first time I've ever had someone read 'Made in China' on a vision chart. All these years your stethoscope has been just for show? Your hearing is really that good?"
"I can hear your heartbeat right now, but the stethoscope does come in handy at times."
"Doesn't all that noise drive you crazy?"
"I've learned to block it out. I have to concentrate on hearing a heartbeat."
"What are you really, Matthew?" Since examining him, Nancy seemed to have lost some of her fear. This gladdened him.
"Please don't be afraid of what I'm about to show you."
"I'm scared as hell, but I trust you, Matthew. Now I at least know you're not crazy."
He held out his hand, extending his claws from beneath his short, human nails. Nancy took his hand and stared.
"There's more," he said.
"I'm almost afraid to ask, but I'm fascinated."
He unsheathed his incisors and parted his lips. Again, her heartbeat quickened.
"Matthew, you look like a---"
"Vampire?" he smiled. "Exactly."
"But there are no vampires. There's no such thing as a supernatural---"
"I told you, I'm not supernatural. Neither is the child."
"You're aliens?" She folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself. "Why the hell not?"
"Nancy, I can trust you."
Staring into his eyes, she nodded. "Yes. You can."
"I owe you for this."
She offered him a familiar smile of friendship. "Big time. And believe me, Matthew, I won't forget it. Now, what do you want to do about that boy in there?"
\*
When Dulcie left Matthew's parents' house, it was after one in the morning. By then, her sorrow and fear mingled with fury. Fury at Matthew for leaving so abruptly and fury at Jay for driving him to it.
Jay! Why hadn't she gone to him immediately? Perhaps that had been another kind of fear. She knew he had something to do with Matthew's disappearance. Had she been so terrified for her own life that she hadn't gone to the one person who might know her husband's whereabouts?
Tires screeched on Dulcie's jeep as she swung the vehicle around and sped toward the research center.
Security met her at the door.
"Tell Jay Ashford that Dulcie Evans is here to see him," she stated. "Now."
The guard's eyes widened with surprise. Dulcie smelled the hybrid's curiosity and arousal. He found her attractive and intimidating. Being an Immaculate, she could have ripped him apart, and he knew it. Matthew had been right. The entire center was staffed with vampires. The scent of hybrids was overpowering. None of them could beat her in a one-on-one fight, but they could destroy her with their number. Apprehension crept up her spine.
As the guard phoned Jay, his eyes remained focused on Dulcie. Finally he turned to her. "Dr. Ashford would like you to go to his office. The tenth floor. Turn left out of the elevator---"
Dulcie disappeared before he finished speaking.
Jay waited for her outside the elevator.
"Dulcie. I am surprised to see you, under the circumstances."
"Where's Matthew, you son of a bitch?"
Jay's solemn face twisted into a smile. "You're a lot like your husband. Direct. To the point. However, I can't help you, Dulcie. I was hoping you might tell me Matthew's whereabouts, but I can sense you really don't know. He's a brilliant man, your husband. Covers all grounds..." Jay's voice faded. For a moment he looked far-off before he said, "I didn't expect this of him. It's not often I'm taken by surprise. Funny, but I thought I knew him."
Dulcie's laugh was full of contempt. "You don't know anything about him."
"I know how much he loves you. If anything should happen to you, he'd be shattered. Oh, he'd go on, of course. A man like Matthew Winter didn't get as far as he has by allowing emotions to rule him---at least that's what I thought. Damn. He is a complex specimen."
"Specimen?"
"Still, should anything tragic happen to you, it would at least be the equivalent of a nice kick in his testicles, and oh, does he deserve it after what he's done to this center. I trusted him when no one else would. I---"
"Are you threatening me?" Dulcie's fangs lengthened and she unsheathed her claws, a growl trapped in her throat. "I could kill you right now, Jay Ashford. As a matter of fact, I'm getting hungry for hybrid blood."
Jay backed up as Dulcie advanced on him. "You could, but you won't."
"Why not?"
"Gentlemen," Jay called. A group of hybrids emerged from the hallway. Dulcie glared at them. A smaller group she could have taken, but not this. "Please escort the lady out."
"I can find my own way," Dulcie snarled, pushing past the brawny guards. She glared over her shoulder at Jay. "You better hope Matthew's alive and well."
"I most certainly do. The bastard has the child with him."
Dulcie's eyes widened.
"Until I get that child back, Dulcie, you and Matthew's family had better keep a careful look over your shoulders."
As Dulcie left the center, she plotted Jay's death. In the parking garage, she heard footsteps behind her as she approached her car. The security guard from the center's entrance stepped in front of her, pulling his gun.
"These are platinum bullets," he stated, but couldn't continue.
A gun went off and, shrieking in pain, he dropped to his knees, blood spreading through the sleeve of his jacket.
"So are these," growled a deep voice.
Dulcie spun, facing Adam.
He strode to the guard, dragged him to his feet and said, "You're coming with us. Shut up until I say you can talk."
"You---"
Adam's wolfish teeth flashed. His growl sounded more like a roar. "You don't breathe until I say breathe, understand?"
The hybrid nodded slowly. Dulcie heard his frantic heartbeat echoing through the garage. Adam hurriedly stopped the flow of blood on the hybrid and shoved him into the back of Dulcie's jeep, climbing in beside him. "Dulcie, take us to Poet's Manor."
"But Jay is upstairs---"
"There's nothing we can do about Jay. Not now."
"Dr. Ashford will---" the hybrid began, but Adam's hand clamped his jaw so hard that the guard's small, sharp fangs cut his own lips.
"Did I tell you to talk?" Adam demanded. "I'm in a really bad mood. This situation has kept me from taking a job I wanted. I worked my ass off for eight years. Do you get that?" The hybrid nodded, and Adam continued, "Good. Now keep your mouth shut!"
"If you feel that way about it, Adam, then why are you here?" Dulcie demanded. She well understood a man obsessed with his career, but she was past the point of empathizing with anyone. Her husband was missing, and his brother, whom Matthew had once put his entire life on hold for, was complaining about this situation ruining his professional plans!
"The Network wants to know what happened, and so do I."
"The Network?" Dulcie snarled, glaring in the rearview mirror. "Don't you care at all about Matthew?"
Adam remained frustratingly silent.
At Poet's Manor, Marcus, his delicate face more solemn than ever, guided them up the back stairs of the hotel to a steel room specifically created as a holding cell. Adam dragged the guard inside and flung him to his knees. Marcus and Dulcie followed.
"You should go," Adam said to Dulcie.
"No."
"I said---"
She glared at Adam. "You don't give me orders. I'm not one of your Network bootlickers!" Marcus cleared his throat loudly, and Dulcie glanced at the reserved hybrid. "Sorry, Marcus. I didn't mean you."
"You're not of the Network, so you have no authority here, Dulcie," Adam told her. "I don't want you to be upset by---"
"If this has to do with Matthew, I want to know! I have the right to know."
Adam nodded, then focused his attention on the captive. "Why did you try to kill her?"
The hybrid clenched his teeth, lifting his chin defiantly. The back of Adam's fist cracked across his face, knocking him to the floor.
"Why did you try to kill her?"
"I was told to," the guard stammered, pushing himself to his knees, blood running from his lips.
"Who told you?"
Again, the guard mustered the courage to keep silent.
"I see." Adam clutched the man's shoulders, pinned him against the wall, and stared hard into his eyes.
Dulcie and Marcus remained silent as Adam probed the man's mind. Dulcie focused on the captive's thoughts as well. It took forever to wade through the jumble of memories. The hybrid's telepathic skills were poor, and he was young. Obviously a simple minion. But who did he really work for? It wasn't Jay. The man had not a single memory of making murder plans with Ashford. Thoughts of a tall, powerfully built black man predominated in his mind.
"Did he tell you to kill her?" Adam demanded aloud, referring to the black man.
Slowly, as if stunned, the captive nodded.
"Who is he?"
"Judah."
"Good. That's a name. Now tell me who he is."
"I don't know! He pays me. That's all. I swear, that's all!"
Adam sighed, dropping his hands and walking to the door as the hybrid sank to his knees, trembling. Dulcie knew mind invasion wasn't always the most pleasant experience, nor was being the brunt of Adam's physical blows. The First Father had been holding back most of his strength or else he'd have knocked the captive's head off.
"I'll send someone to take care of this mess," Marcus stated, locking the door behind them. He handed Adam another set of keys. "Room 512 is available for you."
Dulcie followed Adam down the hallway to the suite, furious at her brother-in-law's behavior but unable to fully despise him because he looked so much like Matthew. In fact, she couldn't keep her eyes off him.
In the room, he closed the door and said, "Dulcie, we will find him."
"A lot you care."
Adam's dark blue eyes narrowed, as if truly confused by her words.
"All you care about is how disrupted your life has been. How quickly you forget. About eight years ago you crashed in on Matthew's life, half-dead, and who helped you, Adam? Matthew didn't even know you, and he worked day and night to save your life! Who helped you kill the First Father? Remember that?"
"Dulcie, why else would I be here if not for Matthew?"
"Because the Network sent you!"
Adam's jaw tightened. "The Network doesn't send me anywhere. They ask me, and I go where I see fit. I know what it must have sounded like to you in the car. How can I explain? I feel like I've been on edge forever. This is not an excuse, but between studying medicine and Network business... I'm sorry. I spoke out of frustration. Residency's finally over and I'm about to start my career...and all of this sounds so incredibly self-centered. I apologize. I'm here because I love Matthew. I want to know what's happened to him and I want to see that you and his mortal family are protected. I already have hybrids watching their house. Vincent is going to stay with you---"
"Vincent!" Dulcie shouted. Though the goofy Immaculate had his good points, he annoyed her.
"He's one of the best fighters we have. He's also going to check around the center. You and I have to try to outthink Matthew, God help us." Adam folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. "The only thing we have going for us is Matthew has so little criminal experience. Hopefully he'll slip up somewhere and---"
"Slip up?"
"I know. We're talking about Matthew. We have to think like him. No one knows him better than you. Where do you think he's gone?"
"I honestly haven't a clue."
"Then we have to find clues. We'll go to your house and access his computer."
"He only keeps work in that computer. All his personal things, journals and such, are handwritten."
"Journal? He keeps a journal?"
"Dozens of them."
"Good. Maybe he wrote something in them we can use."
"Adam, do you think he's all right?" Dulcie wondered if she sounded as desperate as she felt.
"Yes. Matthew is very resourceful."
Dulcie nodded, blinking tears from her eyes. "You look so much like him. Looking at you is almost---"
"It'll be all right. We will find him." Adam took a step forward and tugged her into his arms.
For a moment, Dulcie clung to him. It was an embrace of total friendship, because no matter how much Adam looked like Matthew, he felt different. The two were identical twins, but it was not Matthew's chest her cheek rested against. It was not Matthew's heartbeat or Matthew's scent. Dulcie longed for Matthew more than she ever imagined longing for anything.
At home, Dulcie and Adam stood in Matthew's den, gazing at the volumes of plain black journals in the desk drawer.
"Adam, I feel like I shouldn't be doing this," she said.
"I know, but if we want to find him, we'll need to learn all we can. The most recent entries will probably be the most help."
"We'll have to open them to see which is which. None of the covers are marked." Dulcie pulled out all the journals, placing aside the oldest ones, written in Matthew's childlike handwriting. She smiled affectionately. Leave it to Matthew to keep such detailed diaries, even as a little boy.
She opened one that read,
September, 1975
Monday
Started med school. At fourteen, I'm the youngest in my class. I'm amazed I'm here. Mom and Dad seem very proud. I'm thrilled, but nervous. I hope I can live up to the expectations of my parents and the school. More than anything, I want to be the best I can be.
Dulcie glanced through the pages, scanning Matthew's experiences in medical school, becoming more proud of him with every word. He'd been so young, so responsible and so brilliant. He'd handled the pressures of education and dealing with lives well, but so far there was little mention of his vampirism. She knew he hadn't yet reached vampiric puberty. Then she came across this entry.
December, 1979
Sunday
Why is this happening to me? All I can think about is blood. My teeth are changing. I have claws...I can't even write the words. Why? There's no medical explanation that I can think of, and I'm so afraid to ask for help. What if none of this is real? I think I'm a vampire. I know I'm going crazy. I can hardly focus on my studies, but I need to keep up my grades. I'm afraid of myself.
Dulcie's heart twisted. Even Matthew's handwriting had changed, gone from its usual flowing beauty to dark, jagged lettering. The following entries worsened. He struggled to keep up his grades while faced with ever-increasing hunger and the drastic changes in his body. It amazed her that he'd kept his needs hidden and survived days in the sunlight when he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a dark room and sleep. Without the hybrid blood his body required, his desperation must have been agonizing.
"Adam," Dulcie nudged her brother-in-law who was also absorbed in reading. He glanced over her shoulder and read.
January, 1980
Tuesday
(Internship)
I know I'm insane, but I try to look rational. I'm the youngest intern at the hospital, and this is the most difficult experience I've ever had. I'm working day and night, but it's so hard to focus. I'm exhausted all day, but at night, when the moon rises, I want to run for miles and drink blood. The blood scent in the hospital makes me so hungry I get dizzy. I'm starving all the time, but food---when I get a second to actually eat during these crazy hours---isn't enough. I'm terrified to even write this, but if I don't, I think I'll explode. I've been drinking my own blood. It's the only way I can satisfy the hunger. I'm trying to be a doctor, and I'm drinking blood. I wish I was dead.
Dulcie and Adam silently read the remainder of the journal together. When they'd finished, they looked at each other.
"Poor Matthew," Adam murmured. "And I thought I've had it hard."
"I don't know how he did it."
Adam pointed to the first page of the next book.
December, 1981
Wednesday
(First Year Residency)
I want to be a heart surgeon so badly I can taste it almost as bitterly as I taste the blood on my tongue. I've been told I have good hands for surgery, but every year it's becoming harder and harder to control my desire for blood. The smell of it, the sound of it with every human heartbeat---I call them humans because I know by now I'm not one---is unendurable. I wish I could tell someone. Am I mad? I don't know anymore. One day I'll do something horrible. Is any part of me still a human being, or am I a total animal? I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to be normal. I don't need my damn high IQ. I don't need to be able to run---I mean really run---forty miles and not be tired. I'm a monster. Deep inside, I know I'm a monster. I want to help people. I want to be a good doctor, but at times I hate everyone and everything. Other interns and residents complain about the same feelings of tiredness and frustration, and I know it's not easy on anyone, but do they all need to drink blood? When they smell blood, do they have fangs that ache to unsheathe? Do they have claws? Does daylight give them a migraine?
Thursday
I'm no longer going to wish I was dead. Like everything else, if I want it, I have to reach for it. Today I have it planned. I will overdose on morphine. A cowardly way to die, but I have to end it before I hurt someone---maybe even someone I care about. Mom, Dad, if you ever find this, I love you and I'm grateful for all you've done. Thank you for adopting me and for sending me to medical school to follow my dreams. I'm so, so sorry I couldn't have been a better son and a better human being.
Saturday
I've done everything right all my life, but I botch this. I can't even overdose myself correctly! What the hell kind of a doctor am I? I took enough to die. I know I did, but here I am.
This confirms my worst fear. I am a vampire. I am not crazy, but I know I cannot be a surgeon. I'll finish out the year---if I can stand it---and find another area of specialty---that is, if the hospital doesn't throw me out for good. I've been unconscious from the morphine for over twenty-four hours, virtually my entire shift.
May, 1982
Tuesday
(Second Year Residency)
I know what I want! I'm studying hematology. I can help people with blood diseases as well as sneak a few pints for myself. I love medicine too much to give it up, but I can't trust myself not to hurt someone if I don't get blood. Drinking my own is something I've grown accustomed to, and I know it helps me survive.
Dulcie swallowed hard. "It's horrible."
Adam nodded. "But he came so far. This is the first one I picked up."
He passed Dulcie another journal, and she opened to the first page.
August, 1986
Sunday
It's odd how much I've learned about myself, about being a vampire. I've learned only my own blood can sustain me, yet human blood---a drink every now and then from lab samples---is a quick, pleasurable fix. I can't contract human diseases, and I know I have to hide how strong I am so that I can fit in. Days have become quite tolerable.
I can control what I am and what I do. I am a vampire, but I can also be a man. I can be a director of hematology, a position I plan on filling eventually.
"Dulcie, there are things about you in there, too. Maybe you should finish it," Adam said. "I don't know how much he's going to write about you and him."
Her heart racing with curiosity, Dulcie began reading.
\*
"So now what are we going to do?" Nancy half-shouted to Matthew over the Original's growls. The child snarled and hissed as he cringed in the corner of the observation room.
"Just stay back." Matthew gently nudged her toward the door. "He's much stronger than he looks. He could seriously hurt you."
"Don't worry. I'm not about to get any closer than I have to." Nancy backed away. "But if you don't keep him quiet, someone might hear. Then how are we going to explain this?"
At Nancy's movement, the child lunged forward, his eyes flashing red.
Matthew stepped between them, and the boy cowered again.
Glancing from Nancy's white coat to his own that covered his street clothes, an idea struck him.
He slipped off the coat and said to her, "Take yours off, too."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Nancy removed hers and took Matthew's. She tossed them outside the room.
The child stopped growling and stared at them with wary eyes. Matthew took a slow step toward him.
"Be careful!" Nancy said.
"I will," Matthew said in a low, soothing voice. "See. He associates the coats with those bastards at Jay's lab."
"Nice call. Now what do you plan on doing?"
"We won't be able to stay here much longer, and I can't keep him anesthetized forever. I want to see if he can trust me."
Matthew stepped within arm's length of the child, who growled, softly this time.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Matthew knew the child didn't understand his words, only the sound of his voice. He squatted so that he no longer towered over the Original. For a moment, the two stared at each other. Matthew extended his hand, and the child swiped at it and scratched viciously. The boy's strength even surprised Matthew. Though not nearly as strong as the full-grown Immaculate, the boy had power in his skinny arms. Matthew glimpsed the strength he would possess when he reached adulthood. The First Father had been a small creature but extremely powerful---even stronger than most Immaculates. Matthew left his hand out. After a moment, the boy stopped scratching him and Matthew touched his shoulder. The child trembled beneath his touch.
Matthew slowly stroked the bony arm. The Original's brown eyes glistened with moisture as Matthew edged a bit closer and slipped his arms around him. The boy began fighting him with terrifying strength, but after several moments stopped. Only the sound of the Original's frightened breathing echoed in the otherwise silent room. Matthew loosened his hold, but strangely, the Original didn't move away. Instead he leaned a bit harder against his new protector. Whimpering, the child shivered. Matthew was moved with pity. He glanced up at Nancy, who looked half-sympathetic, half-horrified.
"God, Matthew," she whispered. "What are you going to do?"
"Whatever I have to. He has to eat. It's long past his usual feeding time."
Matthew slipped a knife from his pocket and cut the back of his wrist.
"Matthew!" Nancy said so sharply that the Original hissed.
"It's all right. I'll heal very fast. He has no incisors, so he can't take blood naturally."
"What's so natural about it?" Nancy watched as the child grasped Matthew's arm and began feeding.
"Damn it!" Matthew drew a sharp breath as the Original's flat, humanlike teeth sank into his bleeding arm. Oddly, vampires' fangs rarely hurt when they sank into flesh. A momentary prick was all, then pleasure. This child had been robbed of his birthright and the ability to give pleasure with a bite. As he grew, he would have to find other methods and ways of compensation.
"Matthew, your eyes!"
Matthew knew his eyes had taken on their lavender glow. Strong emotions such as lust, fury, pain and pleasure gave rise to vampiric nature, causing the whites of vampires' eyes to turn the legendary blood red. When the color mingled with the iris, it gave each vampire his own personal color. Dulcie was reddish, Vincent mahogany, Adam amethyst, and Matthew lavender. The painful gnawing of the child's teeth combined with the amount of blood the Original drained caused Matthew's heartbeat to quicken as his vampiric nature emerged. He resisted the urge to hurl the child across the room.
"Matthew," Nancy continued.
"It's all right. It's a normal reaction. Damn it!" Matthew gasped as the child drank more deeply than any vampire he'd ever known. He'd heard the story of how the First Father had drained many hybrids and Immaculates to death. He gently nudged the child. "That's enough." The boy, completely lost in bloodlust, bit even harder and drew so deeply Matthew felt lightheaded. He grasped the boy and felt some of his flesh tear away as the child sat back, gasping, licking blood from his lips. Panting, Matthew held one hand over his wrist to stop the bleeding. He stared at the child, for the first time wondering if he could control him.
"Let me see." Nancy hurried to Matthew and bound the wound with gauze. "You're going to need stitches."
"Maybe."
"I'm telling you, you'll need it."
"Probably. If I could get hybrid blood, I'd heal, but I have no access to it." Matthew drew a deep breath, his head clearing.
"I'll be right back." Nancy left the room.
The child edged closer to Matthew and hesitantly touched his bandaged arm. Looking into Matthew's eyes, his expression revealed confusion and sorrow. He awkwardly stroked Matthew's wrist as Matthew had stroked his shoulder.
"And they say you're an animal," Matthew whispered. "You just haven't been given a chance. That's all."
The child tilted his head, as if trying to understand.
"Matthew." Matthew pointed at himself and repeated, "Matthew."
Nancy returned and began cleaning Matthew's arm. "You've lost a lot of blood."
"I'll be fine. Believe me. I've been through worse."
"I can get you some blood."
"Remember I told you I'm an Immaculate? Human blood doesn't nourish me."
"Why don't you let me call Dulcie? I'm sure she's worried."
"No! The less she knows, the better. And the less time I spend with you, the better."
"Matthew," the boy said softly.
Both adults stared at him.
"That's right." Matthew smiled. "Matthew. That's Nancy. N-a-n-c-y."
"Nancy," the Original repeated, then pointed at Matthew again. "Matthew." The child pointed at himself, a questioning look in his eyes.
Matthew, taken a bit off-guard, glanced at Nancy.
The chubby scientist smiled. "Looks like you better give him a name, Daddy."
The boy nudged Matthew and pointed at himself again.
Matthew motioned toward his charge. "Sage."
"Sage," the Original repeated. "Matthew. Nancy. Sage."
"Sage?" Nancy lifted an eyebrow.
Matthew shrugged. "I always liked that name."
Standing, he took Sage's hand.
"Where will you go?" Nancy asked as she escorted them out.
"I don't know, and even if I did, it's safer for you not to know. I owe you, Nancy. I really do."
"Like I said, I'll make sure you pay me later. Matthew, I wish I could do more for you. This is all so unbelievable."
"Take care of yourself, Nancy. You're a great friend."
"From what I can see, you've done the right thing."
"Thank you. It's good to hear."
"You be careful." Nancy hugged him.
Matthew nodded and made his way out of the hospital.
\*
June, 1989
Thursday
Tonight I saw, without doubt, the most beautiful woman who has ever graced this earth. She has the eyes of Cleopatra and the face and form of Aphrodite. Her scent is like nothing I've ever experienced. I think she's like me, a vampire. She has to be. Those eyes, that scent...I can't find the words.
I think she was flirting with me at my father's birthday party tonight. She's a friend of my sister, Lisa. I know she was flirting...I think. I've never paid much attention to women before. They've never interested me. Neither have men, so I'm not gay. Not that I have anything against homosexuals... Listen to me! Even in my own journal I'm trying to stray from the subject. Dulcie. Her name is Dulcie. If the essence of sex could truly be captured by one word, it would be Dulcie.
I sound like a total fool. I'm an adult...Director of Hematology at a great new research hospital, and here I am writing and feeling like a teenager with a crush.
It won't do me any good. She might have been flirting, but I know she was toying with me. She couldn't have possibly been interested. I have about as much finesse with women as an elephant has for ballet. I didn't say much to her. It's best that way. I probably would have said something stupid, unless I discussed my research. Then she'd have gone to sleep.
I left Dad's party before he opened any presents. I missed the damn cake. I love cherry cake. I don't think I could have swallowed it in front of Dulcie.
She asked if anyone had ever painted me. She said she paints mostly nudes. My teeth ache and I have an erection hard enough to use as a coat rack just thinking about being nude in the same room as...
I can't write about it anymore. I'll just have to forget her. I probably won't ever see her again, anyway. Thanks for small favors.
Friday
I could have killed Lisa! Why the hell did she have to bring Dulcie to my office? Why the hell did she have to demand we go to lunch?
Dulcie apologized if what she'd said at Dad's party offended me. Offended me? I felt like dragging her into bed. Oh, that would be rich. She looks like she's had plenty of experience in bed, and me... That's something else I don't even want to write about.
I wonder if her skin is as soft as it looks. I wonder what her hair feels like. I could see the outline of her nipples through her dress. They're so beautiful, like berries just calling for me to taste them. What would they feel like against my tongue? How would her soft curves feel pressed, naked, against me? If I close my eyes, I can smell her perfume, I can hear the rush of her blood. I know she's like me. Her heartbeat is so slow.
I've never desired anyone this much. I didn't think it was possible for lust to evoke physical symptoms. I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin. It's close to midnight and I still have so much work to do, but I keep thinking about her. I'm the only one in the lab right now. I prefer it this way, especially at night. The moon is so close tonight, so brilliant. I feel like I could run a million miles. I can hardly sit still. I hate it when I get like this. Usually I can control myself, but tonight it's so hard---because of her. I know it is.
Later
I still can't believe what happened tonight. Dulcie showed up at the lab. It was after midnight. I thought I was going crazy from the desire for blood. I thought I'd only imagined her scent in the hospital, but I turned around and there she stood in the doorway.
She wore a flowing white skirt set. The light from the hallway shone through the flimsy material, and she wasn't wearing any underclothes. The scent of her lust filled the room and my cock took on a life of its own. It throbbed and ached, longing for something smooth and slick, something it had never touched before but which would bring unimaginable pleasure. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might explode through my chest. I was going mad with desire.
I had to make her leave. I know how strong I am, and I was so afraid I'd hurt her in my desire.
Hurt her? What a joke! I was right when I guessed she was like me---a vampire.
I never imagined anything satisfying me as much as my work, but research is nothing, nothing like what I shared with Dulcie tonight.
I can still feel the scratches on my back from her claws and the imprints of her teeth on my flesh. We spent the night having sex in my office. How unprofessional. I'm so ashamed, but I don't regret a moment of it. The thought of it makes me shiver and stirs my cock. Already I want her again so badly I can scarcely breathe, and my hands are trembling so much I can hardly write. I wish I had her with me right now to sate this agonizing desire. I'd make love with her all day and all night if I could.
All my life, I've been so lonely. Now I can share everything with Dulcie. She's the only person who really understands me. I love her. It's only been a couple of days, but I know I love her as surely as I knew I wanted to become a doctor.
I want her to be only mine. I want her with me for the rest of our lives.
Whoever would have thought I could feel this way, like a part of me I never knew existed has awakened.
Dulcie paused in her reading, her heart full of sorrow and joy. She remembered those first days with Matthew so clearly. She had no idea he felt so strongly about her right away. When she'd first met him at the party, she thought he'd hated her. She knew he'd desired her, but he'd been so uptight.
As much as she'd given him, he'd given so much to her in return. She felt secure in his love, and she knew he respected her and would never hurt her if he could help it. Yes, he'd hurt her by disappearing, but she knew how strongly he felt about protecting the Original child. Matthew stood by his convictions, and she'd always loved that about him.
I love you, Matthew, she thought. I love you so much. Please, please be safe.
She glanced back at the journal.
Monday
Meeting Dulcie has opened a new world for me. Not only has she told me about her family, who are also vampires, but the doctor who founded the hospital where I work called me aside today. His name is Jules Kane, and he is also a vampire. Imagine that! I've been working for him since the beginning of the year when I was hired as Director of Hematology, and I never knew. His scent was a bit different, stronger than humans, but not like mine or Dulcie's. I've learned there are different kinds of vampires. Jules is what's known as a hybrid. He was once a human but made a vampire by a bite. Even more shocking, he knows about my past. He knows my biological parents. I'm an Immaculate vampire. I was born of two hybrids. I'm writing this, but it's almost too much to take in at once. My adoptive parents knew nothing about my background, and all my life such questions have been a mystery. Now I find out my superior has had the answers all along. Jules said he wanted to watch me for a while, to see if he could trust me, to see how much I knew and understood about myself.
I'm a little angry he didn't come to me right away, but I can't be completely upset. Suddenly I'm truly not alone anymore, and I have Dulcie to thank. She's given me a new life. I'm seeing her again tonight. I have tickets to Macbeth in Boston. She loves Shakespeare as much as I do. Still, I can't wait for the play to be over so I can take her home and make love...
Dulcie touched the pages, remembering with painful clarity the moments Matthew described.
"Dulcie." Adam interrupted her thoughts, and she glanced at him, blinking tears from her eyes. He held out a smaller book bound in red leather. It smelled of incense. "Look at this."
She opened the book, reading pages of incantations, some original, others credited to various witches and warlocks. There were notes in the back about gods, goddesses, magical traditions and religions.
"It's a grimoire," Adam stated.
"Yes. I knew he was practicing magic a little. Who wouldn't, with that kind of potential? However, I had no idea he was this involved."
"Whoever would have thought Mr. Die-in-the-Name-of-Science would be a warlock?" Adam shook his head. "And he laughs at me because I'm a Baptist."
"There's a lot to Matthew. I always knew that. None of this really surprises me."
"Damn it, Matthew! Where are you?" Adam clenched his fists, his worry apparent in his expression. "Dulcie! My God, I'm a fool!"
"What?" She stared at her brother-in-law, her eyes wide with hope. "Did you think of something?"
"The research hospital! Did he have any close friends there?"
"Only Nancy. Why?"
Adam headed for the door. "Come on."
"Do you think he went there?"
"If he has the boy, he'll need help. If I were him, it's where I'd go."
Together, they drove to the research hospital, where Dulcie asked for Nancy. The pudgy scientist met them in the lobby. As soon as Nancy saw Adam, both Immaculates felt her fear. Only one thing could justify such terror, and it was confirmed by Matthew's scent wafting faintly through the hospital.
"Nancy, Matthew was here, wasn't he?" Dulcie demanded.
Nancy glanced over her shoulder at an intern who passed through the lobby.
"Come with me," she said. "We'll go where we can talk privately."
She led them to her empty lab.
"It's so weird here without Matthew," Nancy said. "Since he left, I'm the only one who comes here at this hour. He used to live in this lab---"
"You have to be honest with us," Adam told her. "He's in a lot of danger."
Nancy snorted. "You're telling me, but I really can't tell you anything. Oh, God!" Nancy pressed a hand to her temples as Adam probed her mind.
Dulcie knew he invaded the scientist as gently as possible, but Adam was still perfecting his telepathic skills. He could communicate well with vampires, but not harming an inexperienced mortal still challenged him. He stopped quickly, fearful of doing Nancy serious damage.
"I'm sorry," he said, "but we have to know."
"He told me everything," Nancy whispered. "I know he's a vampire. I know the two of you---"
"Thank you for not going to the police." Dulcie embraced her friend.
"Hey, no problem." Nancy shrugged, still trembling. "Matthew had a little boy with him. It's disgusting how that child was treated."
"How has he been controlling him?" Adam asked.
"I have to admit, I thought he was going to tear the place apart at first, but he likes Matthew. He listens to him."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "He does?"
Nancy nodded. "It's amazing, but within moments Matthew had him learning to talk."
"Talk?"
"He was right." Dulcie met Adam's eyes. "Matthew was right."
"I don't know everything that's been happening," Nancy told them, "and I know Matthew's in a lot of trouble, but he's done the right thing. That kid was being tortured, treated worse than a dog."
Dulcie stared hard at Adam, and her brother-in-law drew a long breath. "I should have challenged The Jury."
"Jury?" Nancy looked confused.
Dulcie sensed Matthew hadn't discussed the Network with her. They'd betrayed him, but he'd remained loyal to a group he didn't even belong to. Dulcie silently cursed the Network and The Jury.
"Nancy, there are other vampires looking for Matthew," Adam told her. "I'm not saying you are in danger, but there is a possibility. I'm going to send someone here to protect you."
"Protect me?" Nancy's eyes widened beneath her round glasses. "Oh shit. I don't need any of this. I just want to come here, do my job, go home, spend time with my girlfriend---"
"Nancy, it'll be all right," Dulcie reassured her. "And thank you so much for what you've done."
"Hey---" Nancy, in spite of her fear, managed to flash a thumbs-up, "---you know I think Matthew's the best."
"If you need anything---I mean anything---call this number." Adam wrote on a piece of paper from Nancy's desk. "By morning, a man called Marcus will be contacting you about your protection. Thank you for everything."
Nancy smiled weakly, her fingers fidgeting with the slip of paper as she watched the Immaculates walk toward the elevator.
"So where do we begin looking?" Dulcie asked as the doors slipped shut.
"I don't know," Adam sighed, "but I'm going to search every inch of this city until I learn something. Somewhere, he's left a clue."
"He's right about the Original, Adam. More than anything, I want to see Matthew again, but I almost hope we don't find him. Your Network is on Jay's side. God knows what they'll do to Matthew and the Original if you find them."
"I'm not going to let anything happen to either of them."
"You're not the only authority figure. They can unseat you as the First Father. You said yourself they want to send Matthew to trial for the deaths at Jay's center. Even if he was only trying to free the Original, the deaths must be accounted for. I just don't believe he killed anyone."
"Neither do I."
"But how will we convince The Jury?"
"Without Matthew, we can't."
In her heart, Dulcie knew that even with Matthew, The Jury would be difficult, if not impossible, to convince. And she hated the thought of what punishment those supposedly just and upstanding vampires would pass on an Immaculate as young and passionate as Matthew.
Somewhere in Boston
Matthew sat on a chair in front of a television set with a broken antenna and a fuzzy screen, his gaze fixed on the anchorwoman. A folded newspaper propped the broken back leg of his chair. Still, each time he bent to point out words in the book Sage was learning to read, the chair tilted. He gazed around the room, spotting two roaches racing across the wall. At least they kept their distance.
"Marie said she would take a trip to An...And..." Sage narrowed his chocolate-colored eyes at the unfamiliar word.
"Andalusia." Matthew pointed at the book.
"Andalusia," Sage repeated, and continued reading. "She would discover the boy's secret."
"That's good, Sage." Matthew rested a hand on the Original's shoulder. The child's intelligence amazed him. Though Matthew was a genius, the Original might even surpass him, but not stuck in a filthy rented room in a part of town where no one cared enough to ask any questions.
A photo of Matthew flashed across the screen, and the anchorwoman said, "The search continues for Dr. Matthew Winter, who vandalized the research center where he had recently been employed. Winter is responsible for the deaths of three employees, theft of files crucial to the center's hematology research and damage to millions of dollars worth of equipment."
Matthew smiled wryly. It seemed the story got worse with each news report. Next they'll say he had plans to murder the president.
Sage glanced at Matthew and pointed toward the screen. "It's you."
Matthew switched off the television. "Don't worry about that."
"But you didn't hurt anyone."
"You and I know the truth. That's all that matters."
Matthew stood and glanced at himself in the cracked mirror above the bathroom sink. A ring of rust from a dripping faucet stained the basin yellow. Matthew had fixed the sink after one annoying day of listening to the water slap the porcelain.
As he looked at himself, he already noticed changes. He scarcely resembled that clean-cut, well-groomed man on the news. Vampires' hair grew much faster than mortals', and with Matthew's dark coloring, his beard was already full after two weeks without shaving. His hair nearly brushed his shoulders, and in a couple more weeks, it would hang halfway down his back. That was good. The less he resembled his preferred appearance, the less likely he would be caught. Dark smudges rimmed his eyes. Though he'd scarcely slept, it wasn't lack of sleep that bothered him. He was accustomed to that. Feeding Sage exhausted him. The Original required large amounts of blood, more than Matthew should supply on his own, particularly when he had no access to hybrid blood himself. Though only two weeks had passed, already he was starving. He hadn't felt so weak---or so desperate---since before he'd met Dulcie, during those horrible years when he hadn't known what he was.
He glanced at Sage, who sat on the edge of the bed, looking at a picture Matthew had pulled from his wallet early that morning while Sage slept.
He gazed down at the photo in Sage's small hand. It was of him and Dulcie sitting on a large rock on a beach in Maine. Dulcie wore a sleeveless flowered dress, her thick, beautiful hair wind tossed. Matthew sat behind her, his arms around her waist, his chin brushing her head. Both were smiling.
If he closed his eyes, he could feel her body in his arms. They'd been so happy that night. They had been at a party with her family. Her aunt had snapped the picture.
"Who is she?" Sage pointed to Dulcie.
"My wife."
Sage glanced at him with dark, innocent eyes. "You look happy there."
"I was."
"You're not with her because of me."
Matthew stooped so he was at eye level with the boy. "Sage, nothing that's happened is your fault."
"The people from the lab are after us, aren't they?"
"Yes."
Tears sprang into Sage's eyes. "They're going to take me back."
"No. I will not let that happen. I promise." In the back of his mind, he thought, But I'm really going to need help. Where could he get it? He couldn't go to Dulcie or his mortal family. Not only would he endanger them, but certainly Jay had people watching them, hoping Matthew would try to make contact. He couldn't go to Adam because his brother was so deeply involved in the Network. To the Network, an old vampire such as Jay could do no wrong. Asking Nancy for any more help was also out of the question. He had no one to go to, no one he could trust. Or did he?
A sharp knock sounded on the door. Matthew tensed, his fangs and claws lengthening. Why didn't he simply keep his physical weapons out at all times? He felt so on edge. Every movement, every sound, he thought it was the Network, Jay's guards or the mortal police coming for him.
Repressing a growl, he made his way toward the door. Fear also shone upon Sage's face as Matthew motioned for him to keep back.
The knock sounded again.
"Eh! I know you're in there. The friggin' rent is due!"
Matthew's pulse slowed as he took money from his wallet, glancing at the bills he'd withdrawn from the bank a few days before abducting Sage. He'd taken several thousand dollars, but over a length of time it wouldn't be much, and there was no way to withdraw more. He was sure to be recognized. Even an ATM withdrawal would ensure a picture of him on the video monitor and reveal his changed appearance.
He opened the door and passed money into the cigarette-stained fingers of the skinny, sickly looking landlord. Coughing puffs of stinking smoke, the man counted the money.
"Would you stop that?" Matthew held up his hand against the smoke and spittle. To the Immaculate's finely tuned senses, cigarette smoke was almost intolerable.
For spite, the man exploded in an extra-loud coughing fit and croaked out, "You worried about a little smoke? You look like you're strung out on crack and everything else. Fucking scum. Makes me sick what I have to put up with around here."
The man muttered and wheezed his way down the hall.
Matthew shook his head as he closed the door. "Moron. Ignorant. Walking disease factory. Breeding ground for venereal disease in his youth, beer-swigging son of a---" Matthew glanced at Sage and stopped himself before swearing. Not that it mattered. With all the fucks and friggs echoing through the halls, Sage had most likely accumulated more curses than King Tut's tomb.
"Let's have lunch, Sage."
Sage poured milk while Matthew made two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He'd have to do some shopping soon. They were nearly out of food. For fear of being recognized, he went out as seldom as possible.
While they sat at the scratched, round table by the window shielded by a moth-eaten blanket draped over the torn shades, Matthew wrote math problems in a notebook. When he'd finished, he passed them to Sage.
"I have to go out for a little while. You do these problems, and I'll be back very soon."
Sage looked fearful. "You're not coming back."
"Of course I'm coming back." Matthew stood, tugging a plaid shirt over his T-shirt. He didn't bother with the buttons, but let the fabric hang over his jeans.
As he approached the door, Sage leapt from the table and grasped his waist. "Don't go, Matthew."
"I promise I'll be back." He gently took Sage's chin in his hand. The terror in those chocolate-colored eyes broke his heart. He nudged him toward the table. "Go do your problems."
Matthew slipped out of the apartment into the dark streets. A glance at his watch told him it was close to eleven o'clock. The telephone in his rented room hadn't been working for days, and he needed to dial long distance.
He climbed the side of a building blocks away and entered through the roof, sneaking into a dark office and picking up the phone. As he dialed a number he'd been given years ago but had rarely called, he murmured silent thanks for his incredible memory. The phone rang, and he muttered, "Pick up, damn it. Just pick up."
"Hola," came a groggy voice, for in Spain, the sun was up and most hybrids were asleep. His biological father was obviously no different.
"Brett?"
"Matthew?" All sleepiness left Brett's voice, and he immediately switched to English. "Where the hell are you? Are you all right?"
"Brett." Matthew sounded tense. He wasn't accustomed to pleading with anyone, but he was desperate. "I know we haven't always gotten along, but I need your help. There's no one else I can go to."
"What do you need?" Brett asked without hesitation.
"You know about the trial with the Original?"
"Adam has told me everything."
"Adam," Matthew murmured. Adam was also Brett's son, and much closer to him than Matthew. How could he ask Brett not to inform Adam of their contact, particularly since Brett worked for the Network? Though on a year's sabbatical, he was still a Network member.
"Talk to me, Matthew."
"I have to trust you not to reveal my whereabouts to Adam or the Network."
"Adam is desperate to find you. So are Dulcie and your mortal family. Matthew, I don't know what you did at that research center, but---"
"I didn't kill anyone. I swear it."
"I believe you."
"You do?"
"Of course I do. But you did steal the Original."
"I had no other choice. If you'll only help me, you'll understand. I need someone to take Sage. This is no life for him. He deserves better."
"Sage?"
"The Original child. I can't do this alone. He needs more than I can give while running."
"Can't you go to the Network and explain?"
Matthew closed his eyes, his stomach twisting with frustration. "The Jury trusts Jay. They don't trust me. I'm too young, according to them. Jay has---"
"I know how they can be." Brett sighed. "The Network is necessary to keep some control over our kind, but they're not always right. And the older a vampire is, the more stubborn he can be."
"Will you take Sage and protect him? Please? I'm running out of time." Matthew glanced at his bandaged wrist. He hadn't yet fed Sage today, and he wasn't looking forward to it. "I don't know how much longer we can survive without help. I can't go to Dulcie or my family because I'm sure Jay is watching them. Adam will bring us both to trial."
"Adam cares for you."
"But he has to do what he feels is right, and that means passing through the Network's channels. I have no right to ask for your help. I've never been very accepting of you as my father. I know I---"
"Where are you? I'll come for you."
"I'm still in Boston."
"Right under their noses. Good move. They probably think you fled Massachusetts long ago. I'll call for a ticket to the United States, book a room and tell you where to meet me."
"Thank you."
"Can I call you back as soon as I have the details?"
"No. It's not safe." Matthew glanced anxiously around the office. The smell of a security guard drifted closer. He had to hide.
"All right. You call me back in fifteen minutes."
"Ten."
"Fine. Ten."
Matthew hung up quickly and returned to the roof until the guard passed the top floor. He glanced at his watch and hurried back to the dark office, dialing Brett's number again.
"The soonest flight I could book is the day after tomorrow. Provided there are no delays, I'll meet you on Friday," Brett told him, and gave him the address of the hotel where he'd be staying.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Be careful, Matthew."
Matthew hung up and hurried back to his room, where Sage awaited him.
When he entered, Sage smiled. "You're back."
"I said I would be." Matthew locked the door behind him and sighed.
Sage approached. "Matthew, I'm hungry."
"I know." Me too. "Come on. I'll give you some blood."
He fed Sage from a new cut in his opposite wrist. Without hybrid blood, his wounds healed slowly. His own hunger approached a dangerously high level, and he could scarcely count the days before Brett arrived.
Matthew fell asleep on the bed while Sage gulped blood. He didn't rise until the next evening when he jerked awake, glancing at his watch.
"God," he muttered. Never in his life had he slept so long.
Jumping out of bed, a wave of dizziness struck him.
Sage looked up from where he sat on the opposite bed, reading his books.
"Are you okay, Matthew?"
"Yes. I'm fine." Matthew walked to the bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and showered without so much as looking in the mirror. As he stepped from beneath the lukewarm water---it was next to impossible to get hot in the building---his vision cleared. He reached for a comb to untangle his unruly curls.
"Oh shit." Matthew's chest tightened as he glanced in the moisture-streaked mirror. The hair at his temples had turned gray---not much, simple silvery wings, but it unsettled him. He'd stopped aging ten years ago! It must be a result of providing the Original with so much blood while being unable to feed himself. The rest of him, other than tired circles under his eyes, hadn't changed at all.
Thank goodness Brett would be coming in a few days. He had connections that didn't belong to the Network. He'd be able to feed Sage without making anyone suffer and offer him a comfortable home with a good education. Though Brett could be an annoying joker, he was intelligent and a decent person, far better suited than Matthew at the moment to raise Sage. And with Brett came Mercedes, Matthew and Adam's biological mother. Though a wild vampiress, she loved children and was good with them. She'd often said how much she missed raising Adam and Matthew and that she'd like another child. Maybe she'd help with Sage.
Matthew dressed, wishing he was home with Dulcie. At that moment, he'd have loved to bury himself in her embrace. He wished he could hear her voice, tell her how much he loved her and how sorry he was for leaving so abruptly. He wondered what she was doing. Had she given up looking for him yet? He didn't blame her if she had.
\*
"Okay, gorgeous. Today is the day we talk to that little puke. No more 'Dr. Ashford isn't in', 'Dr. Ashford is unavailable', 'Dr. Ashford is doing his goddamn toenails'. We're going to bust in there and get whatever information we can from the son of a bitch," Vincent bellowed over the crashing highway wind.
Dulcie sighed, glancing skyward as she grasped Vincent's belt, her knees gripping the seat of his motorcycle from where she sat behind him. The muscular, bearded Immaculate had moved into her house a little over a week ago. Together they'd joined Adam in searching New England for any sign of Matthew. Though they'd been to Jay's center several times, Ashford had managed to avoid them. This time, however, they were determined to get answers.
"You know, I don't like the bullshit that the Network warned him whenever we were visiting that center," Vincent continued. "They treat this guy like he has more power than God. I thought Adam was supposed to be in charge, the big banana and all that."
"He's the leader, but his power is limited." Dulcie replied. "They have all sorts of checks and balances in the Network, like the government."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been working for them for about eight years now, and I still think a lot of what they do and say is---"
"Bullshit?" Dulcie completed.
"Yeah. Cool. You know, you're not bad." Vincent turned the bike off the next exit. "It's hard to believe you and Matthew are so tight. He's like Mr. Perfection, male model, IQ off the scale, go-to-sleep-when-he-talks, by-the-book boy. But you've got... I mean, honey...wowwee."
"Think you can try to make a coherent sentence?" Dulcie scoffed. "And apparently Matthew isn't as by-the-book as everyone seems to think."
"But you always knew that, didn't ya?" Vincent glanced at her and winked.
"Yes."
"Don't worry. We're going to find him."
Dulcie didn't reply as Vincent parked in front of the center.
"Vincent, this isn't a space," Dulcie told him.
He shrugged. "The Network pays for my expenses, including parking tickets. Screw them. They have so much old money that one little ticket ain't gonna kill them."
Dulcie shook her head as she and Vincent walked into the center.
"Sir, may I help you?" called the front-desk clerk as Vincent and Dulcie headed for the elevator.
"Nope," Vincent called.
"But, sir!"
The elevator door slid shut before the clerk reached them. Matthew had often told Dulcie where Jay's office was located. She and Vincent quickly made their way there.
The clerk must have been told to warn Jay if either of them arrived at the center, because he awaited them outside the elevator.
"Dulcie. I'm surprised to see you again. Any word on Matthew?"
"We want to check this place out," Vincent said. "We want you to take us to the eleventh floor."
"I suppose you're Vincent?" Jay's eyes swept contemptuously over Vincent, from his wavy black hair to the worn snakeskin pants covering his muscular legs. "I'm afraid the eleventh floor is off-limits. The Network has already searched it, and there are delicate experiments---"
"Look here." Vincent's hand, covered in a crinkled brown fingerless glove, shot out and grasped Jay by the collar. "I don't give a shit if you've got an MD or VD. I want a look around this place. I'm on official Network business. You understand that, don't ya?"
Jay's eyes widened. His heartbeat quickened with fury and a touch of fear. Vincent was as powerful as he was crude.
"I could have you shown out," Jay snarled, then slipped into an easy smile. "But I won't. The Network knows how loyal I am, and I'll do anything to help find that disloyal murderer."
Dulcie couldn't help growling.
Jay tossed her a pleased look. "So much fire in those beautiful eyes. Matthew Winter had no idea how lucky he was, or else he never would have left you like this."
Vincent placed a hand on Dulcie's shoulder before she lunged at Jay. "Let's just get on with this."
Jay extended his hand for them to step back into the elevator and he took them to the eleventh floor.
Matthew's heart pounded with apprehension as he and Sage stepped off the train and made their way to the hotel where Brett had agreed to meet them. He forced his incisors to remain sheathed and hoped the dark glasses hid the vampiric glow of his eyes. Between starvation and the anxiety of the past weeks, it was difficult for him to keep his nature buried. Though he trusted Brett, he wasn't completely sure if his biological father would go against the Network and keep a secret from Adam. Brett had been a part of Adam's life while he was growing up, but after Matthew had been adopted, he hadn't seen Brett until his twenty-ninth year. The father and son were opposites in every way. Brett had a humorous, slightly crude personality. Matthew didn't know why Brett so often annoyed him, and perhaps he'd been a little hurt that both of his biological parents had given him up without leaving any clue about his vampiric nature. After all the arguments between him and Brett, he'd still had the audacity to call him. Matthew felt a little guilty about that, but he had no one else to turn to. He felt grateful for Brett's help, providing it wasn't part of a trap for Matthew set up by the Network.
"This way."
Matthew spun, his heartbeat quickening at the sound of Brett's voice.
Brett was tall---not as tall as Matthew or Adam, but slightly over six feet. He wore his glossy black hair in a tail at his nape. Sleek muscles rippled beneath his black turtleneck and faded jeans. Unlike his sons, Brett's eyes were pale blue, but both Adam and Matthew had inherited his straight, slightly snubbed nose.
"Come on." Brett beckoned to them.
Matthew, Sage clinging to his hand, followed him to the elevator.
"Don't worry about the clerks at the front desk," Brett said on the ride up. "I've wiped their minds of any memory of you or the boy."
"Thank you so much for doing this. I know I had no business calling you."
"How many times have I told you, you're my blood? I might not have raised you, but I do care for you, Matthew." Brett glanced at him. "You don't look well."
"I've been better."
"I'm glad you came to me." Brett hesitantly embraced Matthew.
Matthew gripped the hybrid, surprised at how good it felt to be with someone he could trust again.
Brett glanced at Sage and offered his hand. "Nice to finally meet you, young man."
"Thank you, sir."
Brett smiled. "Very nice."
The elevator dragged to a stop. Brett led the way to a room at the end of the hall. As soon as he opened the door, a tall, muscular vampiress with long black hair and an exotically beautiful face leapt into Matthew's arms.
"We've been so worried about you!" She kissed his cheek.
"Mercedes." Matthew squeezed his biological mother. "Thank you so much for coming."
Mercedes waved off his thanks as she gazed at the boy. "This is Sage?"
Matthew introduced Mercedes to the Original. The vampiress took one of the books from Sage's hand. "Why don't we go onto the balcony and you can show me how well you read? I'm sure Brett and Matthew have a lot to talk about."
Sage followed Mercedes through sliding glass doors onto the porch behind the breakfast table, while Brett offered Matthew a chair. Matthew sat, removing his glasses and running a hand through his hair.
"You really don't look good," Brett observed. "You need blood."
"I haven't been able to get any. Sage requires a lot of blood. He could probably drain me, if not now, then soon. He's growing quickly."
"That is not the same child Adam and Mara described from the video at the trial."
"That's because I haven't been treating him like an animal. Jay is evil. I don't give a damn what the Network says."
"He has a lot of connections, but Adam doesn't trust him. He's placed guards on your mortal family, Dulcie and Nancy."
"You know about Nancy?"
"Adam's your twin. If anyone can catch up with you, Matthew, it will be him. You know that."
"Why can't he just leave it alone?" Matthew whispered.
"He can't do that. He's the First Father. Why don't you just turn yourself over to him? The Network will have to listen to reason after seeing Sage."
"No! Sage has been through hell and I will not risk that damn Jury sending him back to Jay."
"They're not going to---"
"You know how stubborn those old vampires can be."
"Seeing as how I am one, I think I understand."
"But you're reasonable. Jay is in such a clique with so many members of The Jury that no one's going to get through to them. Sage needs time away from this mess. He deserves better than he's gotten and better than I can give right now."
"What are you going to do, Matthew? You've been accused of murder. The Network wants you. You have to try to prove your innocence or else they'll never stop chasing you."
"It's not just me and Sage. I've been to his private lab. There's so much going on there. I don't believe for one second that Sage was the only victim. Jay wants me out of the picture. He wants me dead because I've disrupted his plans and I know what he's really like. I have to disappear, Brett. You know it, and I know it."
"Where will you go?"
"I don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Will you protect Sage?"
"Mercedes and I will do our best. We'll take him back to Spain with us right away."
"Thank you." Matthew sighed. "I need more clothes."
"I'll go for you."
"Good. You know what to get. Things I'd never usually buy."
"What's your size again?"
"You mean off the rack?"
Brett slapped a hand to his forehead. "Madre de Dios."
"I'm only joking." Matthew offered a slight smile. "How is Dulcie?"
"Worried."
"But Adam has someone protecting her?"
"Vincent."
"Vincent!"
"Calm down. He's sticking to her like a burr on a dog's rear end."
Matthew glared. "That's what I'm afraid of."
"Don't worry. Dulcie is fine, other than being sick with worry."
Matthew's stomach twisted. "I didn't want to hurt her."
"Did you honestly think you wouldn't? Your entire family is concerned for you. Not only that, the Network has been pressuring Adam for sending protection for the people closest to you. They said it's a waste, but he's arguing that they should cover all grounds, just in case Jay isn't what he appears to be. They don't like what he's implying about Jay, but you know how stubborn Adam is."
"Thank God," Matthew said. "I don't want to cause all these problems for Adam."
"Then turn yourself in."
"If I do that, they'll want to know where Sage is. Eventually, they'll force me to tell them. You know how powerful their mind control is and how telepathically deficient I am." Matthew didn't mention how much stronger his magical spells were becoming. Still, he couldn't hold off the Network's questioning forever, even with his magic. And Sage needed time to grow away from Jay's lab.
"You really care for this child."
"You saw him. He's intelligent, kind. He's a beautiful child and he's been horribly mistreated. The Network could have done something about it, but for some reason no one wants to upset Jay. If they can't see the corruption in their own system, then how can I possibly hope to convince them of my innocence without hard evidence?"
"You're going to try to find this evidence while you're in hiding?"
"I don't know what I'm going to do. I just need some time."
"All right. Mercedes and I will protect Sage and give you time. I don't like lying to Adam and I don't like what this is doing to him. I just want you to know that."
"Neither do I, but Adam and I are both grown men. Sage is a child."
"I know." Brett rested a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "I also agree with what you've done."
"You do?"
"Yes. I'll give you some of my blood. Then try to get some rest while I get your supplies."
Matthew pointed to his temples. "Look at my hair."
Brett couldn't help chuckling. "It's from feeding Sage without taking nourishment yourself. It's also permanent."
Matthew shrugged. "The Network has always scoffed at my age. Maybe this will help with my credibility."
"Sure, if you weren't born thirty-eight years ago," Brett said as he walked to the sink and sliced his palm. He bled into a mug and brought it to Matthew, who drank the blood quickly.
"I'll get you more later," Brett told him. "Right now I'm going out."
As Brett left, Matthew walked to the glass doors leading to the porch and watched Sage and Mercedes reading together. Again, she reminded him of Dulcie. Mercedes had generous curves, a strong, supple body, and she dressed to complement it. She wore snug black pants and a fitted red sweater. Her dark hair was braided down her back, and high boots adorned her feet. Matthew knew she had a temper as fierce as her love. He'd often been told he'd inherited his quick temper from her.
He stepped into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. Even that slight bit of blood from Brett had restored him somewhat. He felt less tired and more able to face whatever came next. At least he knew Sage would be cared for. He only wished he could see Dulcie again, tell her how much he loved her and how sorry he was.
He stepped out of the shower and dried off, dressing in jeans and a plaid shirt. Barefoot, he lay on one of the beds and stared up at the ceiling. It felt good to be in a clean room again, where roaches didn't run across the walls and the place didn't reek of mold and cigarette smoke.
The key turned in the door and Brett stepped inside, followed by Dulcie.
Matthew stood, his gaze fixed on his wife, his heart pounding. Never in his life had he seen anything more beautiful. Dulcie wore a simple red dress, her hair loose down her back. He heard her heartbeat and inhaled her scent.
"No one knows she's here," Brett told him. "I figured you owed her this much."
"Matthew!" Dulcie took a step forward. He crossed the room in two long strides and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Dulcie clung to Matthew's neck as he lifted her in his arms. She promised herself she wouldn't cry when she saw him, but now that they were together, she couldn't help herself.
"Oh, Matthew," she whispered, burying her face in his shoulder. "I've been so worried about you."
"I'm sorry," he said, his body warm against hers. Still clinging to each other, they sat on the edge of the nearest bed. "I'm so sorry."
Dulcie shook her head. "You did what you had to. I know that."
Glancing at him, she brushed tears from her face. He tugged a tissue from the box on the nightstand, dried her eyes and kissed her.
"Your hair." She ran her fingers through the silvery wisps mingling with the dark curls at his temples.
"Does it bother you?"
"No. Of course not. It's rather sexy."
"I love you."
"I love you too." She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "You need blood."
Behind them, Brett cleared his throat. He stood with Mercedes and Sage, who had stepped indoors.
"Dulcie, this is Sage," Matthew said.
Sage offered Dulcie his hand. She shook it, narrowing her eyes at Matthew. "The Original?"
Matthew nodded.
"I'm sorry," Sage said to Dulcie.
She looked down at the child's innocent brown eyes, amazed at the changes in the wild boy she'd seen in the video at the trial. The viciousness of Jay's deeds suddenly struck her. Hard. Matthew had been right again, and he had been fighting the entire Network---plus the mortal authorities---on his own.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Dulcie told Sage. "You've done nothing wrong."
"Come on, Sage." Mercedes took the boy's hand. "You and I will go out with Brett for a while and give Dulcie and Matthew some privacy."
"Enjoy yourselves." Brett winked as he escorted Mercedes and Sage out of the room.
As soon as they'd gone, Dulcie and Matthew fell onto one of the beds, locked in each other's arms.
Her face buried in his chest, she thought how good it felt to be close to him again, to feel his hard body pressed against hers and inhale his fresh, masculine scent.
She unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers seeking his bare chest.
"I've missed you so much," she murmured as she kissed him from throat to abdomen. Her tongue lashed across his nipples and dipped into his navel.
Matthew groaned, closing his eyes as his head sank deeper into the pillow. His heart pounded with need and affection, as desperate for her touch as for the taste of her blood.
Unzipping his jeans, she freed his cock, so swollen with desire, and wrapped her hand around the warm, pulsing, well-veined staff. He growled deep in his throat, his hunger touching her heart yet making her libido shriek.
He hiked up her dress and lifted it over her head, sighing as her naked curves molded to his body. Her breasts flattened against his chest, the nipples tickled by the mat of hair across his pecs. In seconds he'd discarded his jeans and pulled her to him as they slipped naked beneath the sheets. Dulcie tossed her thick hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck as she leaned over his lips. He bit so fast and sharp that she gasped in surprise. As he drank, pleasure washed over her and she clung to him. His beard brushed her flesh and caused new, erotic sensations to course through her. She closed her eyes, her fingers clutching his shoulders, loving the sensation of his sharp teeth and lapping tongue.
"I love you, Matthew," she whispered. "I love you so much."
Strong arms held her tightly. His scent filled her. The sound of his growls and the sensation of his bite made her shiver with desire.
Their time together would be short, and she didn't know when they'd see each other again. Every moment needed to last. She wished she could stop time so they could remain together just as they were for eternity.
Matthew gently pushed her onto her back. She ran her fingers through his hair as he loomed above her, the tip of his cock rubbing and circling her slick entrance. Her eyes closed and she moaned softly as he entered her slowly, tenderly, until he was buried to the hilt.
"Look at me," he said in a husky voice.
So filled with his steely erection, she felt lost in sensation. Opening her eyes was difficult, but she did as he asked. Desire stabbed her in all her most sensitive places at the look in his sapphire eyes. He gazed at her with more passion than any man who had ever looked at her.
His gaze still locked with hers, he thrust, slow and gentle at first, then harder, faster, in the animal way she knew and loved.
"Matthew!" she panted, gripping his shoulders and wrapping her legs around him. Her hips rose and fell, matching his rhythm.
A low howl escaped his throat before he sank his teeth into her at the same moment she bit him.
Black and red passion exploded behind her eyes as her pussy throbbed in magnificent bursts that seemed to go on forever. Matthew's breath grew harsh and his growls ragged as he came, surging into her, every muscle in his gorgeous, powerful body tight and needy.
For several moments they rested, her body trapped beneath his, their hearts beating in union, before shifting position.
Slowly, he lifted his head and stroked her hair. "I love you, Dulcie. No matter what happens, my soul is yours forever."
"Just as mine is yours, Matthew Peter Winter. Forever." She propped her cheek on one hand and cupped his face in her other palm. "Matthew, take me with you."
He narrowed his eyes, the idea far too tempting. He shook his head. "No, Dulcie, I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I have no idea where I'm going. I'm in danger, and I don't want you to get wrapped up in whatever might happen to me."
"I'm already wrapped up in it!" She left the bed and paced the room, folding her arms beneath her breasts. Fury, fear and longing battled inside her.
Matthew stood and drew her into his arms. Her anger turned to utter sorrow as she hugged him, her tears dampening his chest. "Matthew, I can't let you go again."
"I don't want to go. Can't you see this is killing me, Dulcie? But I don't have a choice. I have to give Sage a chance, and I have to find a way to clear my name."
"But if you went to Adam---"
"Do you honestly think Adam can be impartial? Even if he wasn't far too close to this situation, The Jury has the final say. You know they thought little of me before and mostly likely think less of me now."
"Those bastards!" She pulled away as they dragged on their clothes. "You're the one who found the cure for that goddamn disease that almost killed Adam and destroyed countless other vampires! As old and experienced as they are, I didn't see any of them finding a treatment and cure for their own worst illness!"
"Dulcie, I'm not Jay Ashford. I haven't been part of the Network for thousands of years. They don't want to believe he can do any wrong because admitting one of the old ones might be imperfect would mean they'd have to reevaluate themselves. You know as well as I do how stubborn our kind can be. I have to go. Lie low for a while."
"Lie low?" Dulcie pushed away from him and pressed her hands to her temples. "Matthew, you're talking like some kind of criminal. Look at you! You look worse than Vincent! All you need are the snakeskin pants!"
"You don't think Brett will buy me some, do you?" Matthew wrinkled his nose, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm supposed to look completely different than I normally do. I have to be in disguise, so to speak."
"Oh, sure." Dulcie folded her arms across her chest. Her gaze raked his shoulder-length kinky hair with its silver wings, his full, wiry beard and his tall, muscular frame. "No one will notice a six-foot-four guy with a body like a brick shithouse and hair like a hippie devil. Damn it, Matthew, people might not recognize you from the picture they're showing on TV, but you look like a...a degenerate."
"Believe me, where I've been no one would think I look out of the ordinary."
"Do you know what is driving me craziest of all?" She pressed a fist to her breast, and when he looked at her in question, she leapt on him, her legs locked about his waist, her fingers clutching handfuls of his curly hair. "You look so damn sexy."
Suddenly they broke into laughter.
"Oh, Matthew. I don't want us to be apart anymore."
"Me either."
"But I understand why you have to do this." She sighed and slipped down his body, reaching for her purse. She tugged out his grimoire. "I thought you might want this."
"You found it." He took the book, flipped through it and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for bringing it. It will be very helpful."
"Matthew, I have to tell you, when Adam and I were looking for you, we read your journals. I'm sorry, but we had to look for clues."
He turned away from her and walked to the porch. She followed, and they stood together, gazing at the traffic coasting down the street below.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, slipping her arm through his.
"It's all right." He shook his head and embraced her. After a moment he asked hesitantly, "What did you think?"
"I think I love you more now than ever before, if that's possible."
"You weren't disappointed?"
She looked up at him and traced his cheekbone with her fingertips. "No. Never. I'm sorry you had to go through so much alone. I wish we'd have met sooner."
"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Dulcie. I know that sounds clichéd, but it's true."
"I know, because I feel the same."
Together they walked back to the room just as Brett, Mercedes and Sage returned.
"Here." Brett dumped several shopping bags on the bed. Dulcie and Matthew searched through them, unpacking several pairs of jeans, some soft leather pants, various Tshirts, another pair of work boots and a worn leather jacket.
"We were lucky to find that in a thrift shop," Mercedes said. "There weren't too many leather jackets in your size."
"I brought you money, too." Dulcie handed him an envelope from her purse.
Matthew glanced inside at several thousand dollars.
"You didn't withdraw it from the bank, did you?" Matthew asked. "If Jay has people watching you, they might wonder why you withdrew so much."
She shook her head. "It's money I have hidden in the house."
"You keep money hidden in the house and didn't tell me?"
She looked sheepish. "I'm sorry. It's just a habit I picked up from my mother. Ever since the French Revolution, she's been paranoid and likes to provide for quick escapes. She raised me like that."
He kissed her mouth. "It's time for me to go."
"So soon?" Mercedes looked as disappointed as Dulcie felt.
"It's better that way," Brett agreed.
"Thank you, Matthew." Sage hugged Matthew's waist. "I'll miss you a lot."
Matthew stroked the boy's face and smiled affectionately. "I'll miss you too, Sage. I don't have to tell you to be good. I know you will. I'm very proud of you."
"We'll take care of him," Mercedes said as she hugged Matthew goodbye.
"If you ever need anything, you know how to contact me," Brett said.
Matthew nodded. "Thank you for everything."
Dulcie walked with him to the door, willing herself not to cry again. Since when had she turned into such a wimp?
Matthew embraced her so hard she couldn't breathe. She clung to him, memorizing the sensation of his chest beneath her cheek and inhaling his scent deeply.
"I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you too. If you ever grow tired of waiting for me---"
"I'll never grow tired of waiting! Never!"
He kissed her deeply, but not nearly long enough, before he draped the duffel bag full of clothes over his shoulder and walked to the elevator. Dulcie stood in the hallway and waved to him as the doors slipped shut.
Matthew swallowed hard as he glanced over his shoulder one last time at the hotel where Dulcie remained with Brett, Mercedes and Sage. He'd always thought of the term "broken heart" as trite, an exaggeration, but at that moment, he understood the expression far too well. He was completely alone, but his decisions had brought about his situation. He had no one to blame but himself. Though he regretted the separation from Dulcie and his family, he knew he'd made the right decision for Sage.
"Now all I have to do is clear my name and prove that Jay is evil." His biggest problem was Adam would be looking for him. He feared Adam more than the Network, more than the mortal authorities and far more than Jay's henchmen. Adam was his twin. They were part of each other, and he knew Adam wouldn't relent until he got what he wanted.
"You want to find me, Adam, I'll make it easy for you, but you won't bother looking in front of your own stubborn eyes. I'll be in hiding in New York. So close you could bite me."
\*
"Where the hell were you?" Vincent demanded as Dulcie stepped into her house.
"Vincent, quiet," Adam stated from where he stood in the doorway to the kitchen. "Are you all right, Dulcie?"
Dulcie, her heart still longing for Matthew, brushed past both male Immaculates and put on a kettle for tea. "Why don't you two bloodhounds just back off?"
"See what I told ya?" Vincent said to Adam. "Keeping an eye on her is next to impossible. She does whatever the hell she wants with no regard for---"
"Shut up, Vincent!" Dulcie snarled. "I'm not a child and I'm not under arrest, am I, Adam? Do you want to hunt me down like you're hunting your own brother?"
"You've been with him, haven't you?" Adam asked quietly. "Oh, you've washed off his scent, but I can see it in your eyes. Is he all right?"
"Yes."
"What the hell is going on?" Vincent demanded. "You've seen Matthew? Where is he?"
"I don't know. He's gone again."
"Where's the boy?" Adam asked.
"He told me nothing, except that Sage is not the monster Jay wants you to think he is."
"Sage?"
"The boy has a name."
"Dulcie, you have to get me to Matthew. He might not believe it, but he needs help."
"Yes. I know."
"Then let me help him, damn it! The Network wants his blood! I can protect him."
"Can you?" Dulcie sounded honest, not bitter. "Adam, I know you care about Matthew, but you know as well as I do you can't change what The Jury thinks about him or what they think about Jay. You'll need solid evidence. Even that might not be enough."
"The Network will not give up on Matthew. Not only that, the mortal authorities are after him because they blame him for what happened at the research center. He's in deeper than he can ever imagine."
"Oh, believe me, he can imagine." Dulcie approached Adam and stared into eyes that were painfully like Matthew's. "Adam, please, if you really care about Matthew, you'll stop looking for him. You'll try to convince the Network to concentrate on other pursuits."
"Dulcie, you know I can't do that. The Network expects me to deliver justice."
"They expect you to deliver Matthew."
Adam drew a deep breath and folded his arms across his chest. He walked to the window above the sink and squinted at the rising sun.
"Would it really hurt to back off a little?" Vincent asked Adam.
"Hiding is not the answer. If he doesn't face this, he'll be running forever. Dulcie, I have to find him, more for his sake than for the sake of the Network."
She nodded slowly. "You keep telling yourself that, Adam."
"Whether you know it or not, it's the truth."
"I don't know where he's gone, so don't bother probing me. You wouldn't get far, anyway. I'm a better telepath than you, First Father or not."
"I believe he didn't tell you anything. He'd never put you in that kind of danger. He is all right, though?"
"As well as can be expected. Adam, he won't be as easy to find or manipulate as you think. Matthew's prowess as a vampire has been underestimated before."
"I know better than to underestimate Matthew. I know him as well as he knows me. That's what hurts so much."
Dulcie watched Adam leave the house.
"Damn---" Vincent lifted a thick black eyebrow, "---this emotional stuff really screws with my mind. I'm glad I don't have a twin."
Dulcie glanced at Vincent. "Believe me, I'm glad you don't have one either."
"Hey," Vincent shouted as she ascended the stairs, "was that supposed to be an insult? Shouldn't you be playing the part of the grieving wife? Why the hell are you insulting me? I'm on your side!"
Dulcie ignored him and walked slowly to the room she'd once shared with Matthew. Though very young for one of her kind, she felt like she'd already lived a thousand years.
"Oh, Matthew," she whispered, "please be safe. Please."
\*
Matthew stepped off the train and walked the dark streets---the ones Adam had always warned him to avoid when visiting New York City, unless he was interested in a particularly violent hunt. Matthew had never been one to revel in the pain his Immaculate strength could cause others. The only rough play he enjoyed was between him and Dulcie.
He strode past prostitutes and beggars. A man across the street paced back and forth, screaming to himself. The scent of dirt, blood, pain and disease hung on the air. The sounds of fighting, crying and thousands of heartbeats echoed around him. Every now and then, he caught the scent of other vampires. He wondered if they were from the Network, or perhaps those vicious fiends he'd helped Adam fight at the hospital a few short months ago. He and Adam had been close then, brothers, friends, partners against a world of violence. Matthew thought nothing could come between them. How wrong he'd been.
And there had been Dulcie. Matthew hadn't fully realized how lucky he'd been to have her. All those hours he spent working and she never once complained. She waited for him when he came home, giving him kisses, blood and conversation. He wanted to see her, hear her again so badly it was a physical ache. He'd always thought he'd appreciated her, but now he realized he hadn't appreciated her nearly enough.
"The watch and the ring. Give 'em here," an agitated voice spoke to Matthew's left. He stopped, staring into the bloodshot eyes of a boy no more than eighteen. The youth reeked of several weeks' worth of dirt, drugs and alcohol. His hand gripped a gun pointed at Matthew's chest.
Matthew glanced at his gold watch and wedding band.
"Take 'em off!" the youth hissed through gritted teeth, his dirty fingers tightening on the weapon.
Matthew sighed. He was not in the mood for this. He just wanted to rent a room and hide with his thoughts for a few days. The watch didn't mean very much to him. He slipped it off and handed it to the boy, who snatched it.
"The ring. Come on! I'm not fucking kidding!"
Matthew's hand shot out before the boy could blink. He grasped the gun in one hand and the youth's chin in his other. Pinned to the side of the nearest building, the youth's feet dangled several inches from the ground. Matthew squeezed the gun, warping the metal in front of his captive's terrified eyes. Fangs lengthening, Matthew dropped the gun, took back his watch and snarled, "Go home."
He dropped the boy, who raced down the street, leaving behind the thick scent of fear.
Instead of putting the watch back on his wrist, Matthew slipped it into his pocket. He dug through his duffel bag, removing the black lacing from one of his spare boots and threading it through his wedding ring. After tying the ends of the lace in a knot, he slipped the makeshift necklace over his head, dropping the ring beneath his shirt before he continued down the street.
He stopped at a building that looked about ready for a wrecking ball, though the sign outside advertised rooms for rent. Inside, the man he spoke to looked as seedy as his last landlord, except instead of sickly skin and bone, this man toted a potbelly and stubbled jowls. His greasy fingers practically ripped the money from Matthew's hand before he passed him the key to a third-floor room and grunted out brief directions.
Matthew walked up the rickety steps and down a creaky hallway with peeling paint and a stained carpet. He unlocked the door to his room and turned on the light, not because his vampiric eyes required it but because he'd learned that light often frightened away most of the bugs that frequented old, run-down buildings. The light sputtered weakly, then flickered out. Matthew noticed several dark spots racing across the walls and floor.
"Great," Matthew muttered. His bag still slung over his shoulder, he returned to the landlord and complained about the light.
The man growled. "I'll put it on my list."
"You can write?" Matthew snapped, aggravated and miserable enough to seek an argument with anyone, including that smelly Neanderthal.
"Look, wiseass, I'll throw you the hell out of here---"
Matthew turned while the landlord was still talking and made his way to the nearest convenience store. He bought light bulbs, cleaning supplies and some basic groceries. In the apartment, he fixed the lights, sprayed every corner with bug killer, laid ant traps and began cleaning.
"Goddamn pig sty," he snarled as he scrubbed out the refrigerator, stained from old food droppings. He opened the windows to air out the musty smell and the harsh odor of bug spray. The sound of popping tires and loud music from passing cars filtered inside. As he dusted, swept and scrubbed the toilet and shower, he smiled to himself, thinking about Dulcie. She'd always teased him for his neatness. He wondered what she'd say about him now. What was she doing? Usually at this time she'd be working on one of her paintings. Sometimes she'd paint in the nude. The thought of her voluptuous curves and toned muscles made his heartbeat quicken and his cock swell. Was she painting naked right now? Suddenly he froze. He hoped not. Vincent was in the house with her.
"Vincent!" Matthew said aloud, slamming one of his fists into his opposite palm. "Am I crazy leaving her alone with that fanged octopus?" He dragged on his jacket and headed for the door, about to run to the nearest pay phone, then stopped himself. Calling her would be too risky.
Was she all right? She'd been so upset when he'd left.
His mind focused on Dulcie, he spent the next several hours cleaning the room until it smelled only of furniture polish, wall and window cleaner and floor wax.
"Good luck to those little bastards if they can live through this," he said of his crawling roommates. It was nearly dawn when he suddenly caught the scent of hybrids. The scent grew stronger as they moved closer. Matthew's heart pounded and his teeth and claws lengthened as he prepared to fight. Had Adam and the Network found him already?
The vampires were close---in the same building. Stepping into the hall, he looked around anxiously.
A shadow moved against the wall as someone ascended the steps. Matthew stared, waiting. A girl who looked no more than thirteen years old stepped from the staircase into the hallway. Her scent and the glow of her eyes revealed her vampiric nature. She was slender, her straight, light brown hair tied in a ponytail down her narrow back. Freckles dusted her small, delicate face. Her large, dark eyes reminded Matthew of the deer he and Adam sometimes chased during a few weekend trips with their wives to the mountains. Chasing animals was a fun, challenging exercise, one that Adam openly enjoyed. Deep inside, Matthew also liked the thrill of the chase but felt too disgusted by its crudeness to admit it.
The girl's slim lips parted, revealing the pointed tips of her tiny incisors. She beckoned Matthew with a tilt of her head.
"What?" he asked.
She lowered her chin and walked down the steps, her expression so forlorn that Matthew was compelled to follow in spite of a feeling deep inside telling him to return to his room, close his door and spend the night feeling sorry for himself. As Dulcie always told him, he should have gone with his gut, but he'd already walked halfway down the stairs after the girl.
Outside, she ran, but Matthew caught up to her with a brisk walk.
"What is it?" he asked.
She looked up at him and ran faster, dropping lightly down an uncovered manhole.
"Hey!" he shouted, squatting in the street and staring down the dingy hole. She gazed up at him and beckoned with her hand. The air reeked of hybrids. They were everywhere---up, down. One way or the other, he couldn't avoid them.
Water splashed his pant legs as he dropped into the sewer. His teeth lengthened and his heartbeat quickened as his vampire side emerged. Surrounded by damp corridors, he found himself in another world. He'd heard stories about the sewers of New York but had never paid much attention to them. He hadn't paid much attention to anything except his research and Dulcie.
The girl stood ahead. Her glowing eyes fixed on him before she darted to the left. He chased her, his steps so fast and light that even his boots made no sound. As he stalked deeper into the sewer, new scents bombarded him. Not the simple smells of waste and dampness, not only the aroma of hybrids but something completely unfamiliar...
The new odor was powerful, animal-like, wild.
The girl paused in front of a jagged archway. Dim light shone from within.
Growling deep in his throat, Matthew slowed his pace as he approached her.
He entered a long, wide room with such low ceilings that his hair brushed the wet brick. Hybrids and humans of every age and race imaginable filled the room. Most looked skeptical, used. They stared at him with harsh, glowing eyes, except for the girl. She took her place beside a man with a sturdy frame and long, dark brown hair tied at his nape. Like the girl, his large hazel eyes watched Matthew with benign curiosity.
"We're wondering, why are you here?" the man asked.
Matthew's gaze scanned the room, lingering on every face. "What exactly is this place?"
"If someone walked into your house, wouldn't you demand to know why before they began questioning you?"
"I followed her." Matthew nodded toward the girl. "I thought she needed help."
"And you want to help?" A hybrid female dressed in a bra, dusty shorts and scuffed boots curled her lip at him, revealing small, sharp fangs. "Since when does an Immaculate from the outside want to help?"
"The outside?" Matthew asked.
"You're in our part of town," explained the man with the hazel eyes. "We've watched you closely since you arrived." The man pointed to a boy hidden in the shadows. Matthew recognized him as the youth who'd attacked him earlier that night. "Does he look familiar? You're from the outside. We can sense it. Smell it. You smell of good fortune."
Matthew laughed at that statement.
"What are you doing here? Who sent you, or did you come on your own? What do you want from us?"
Matthew held up his hands. "I don't want anything except to be left alone."
He turned to leave, but the hybrids closest to the archway blocked his exit.
"Out of my way!" Matthew snarled, unsheathing his claws and drawing his lips back over his thick, wolfish fangs. He knew his teeth---like those of most Immaculates--- looked far more intimidating than the hybrids' pincers.
"What are your intentions?" asked the woman who had spoken before.
"Are you here to destroy us? Are you part of that Network?"
"What do you know about the Network?" Matthew demanded.
"You are!" A lanky hybrid who looked no more than sixteen reached for a pointed pole leaning against the wall. He jabbed it at Matthew's heart. Matthew grasped the pole before it struck him and wrenched it from the boy's hand.
"You want to hurt us!" cried an old, gray-haired woman. "You want to kill our protectors."
"I don't want to hurt anybody!"
"Wait!" The man who'd first questioned Matthew---apparently the leader---stepped forward. "Leave him alone for a moment." He stared at Matthew. "I'll ask again. Why are you here?"
"That's none of your business."
"Everything that goes on here is our business. Every vampire who lives here must prove himself, or else we drive him off. It's not that we want to live this way, but we have to. No one cares about us, so we have to care about ourselves."
"I don't understand. Will someone either tell me what's going on or let me pass? Don't think about keeping me here, or you will regret it. You know what I am, what I do."
"Feed off us." The woman in the bra leered at him. "Let me tell you something, Immaculate, if you want to feed off me, I expect to be paid for it. From what we've learned from watching you, you have money."
"Did you kill for it?" someone shouted.
Matthew glanced around. They were mad. The entire group of them. He knew all about crazy people living on the streets. He'd just never expected so many of them to be vampires. Other than some physical differences, his kind were very similar to human beings. Why wouldn't they be affected by diseases of the mind?
"He looks strong." The hybrid woman glanced at the leader.
"We should see how strong first," the leader commented.
The little girl who'd led Matthew to the den of mad dogs stepped in front of him and shook her head vigorously, holding up her hands. Matthew wondered if she could speak at all.
He didn't have a chance for any further questions because the hazel-eyed man reached out and jerked the girl into his arms, snarling. She shrieked and struggled, her claws drawing blood on the man's hands.
"Let her go!" Matthew snarled, reaching for the man, who turned and fled down the corridor.
Matthew chased, knowing that the hybrid could no sooner outrun him than a tricycle could outdistance a ten-speed. Matthew had just stepped outside the corridor when the floor dropped out from under him and he fell long and hard, landing with a thud on his stomach.
"Oh, God," he grunted, pushing himself to his knees, his body aching from a landing that had knocked the breath from him. Gazing up, he saw the girl and the leader staring at him, then looking at each other. He hadn't been hurting her! It was a setup! But why?
Matthew stood, nearly choking on the stench of body waste and old blood. He heard heartbeats, slow, powerful, distant. Panting breaths and throaty growls even deeper than his own filled the dank room.
"What the hell?" he muttered as the heartbeats sounded stronger and the animal scent he'd been smelling flooded the chamber. His eyes darted upward as the man and the girl covered the hole he'd fallen through, leaving him in such blackness even his Immaculate eyes had trouble seeing clearly. His vision adjusted as howls echoed through the metal walls. Tense, his heart racing, he prepared to fight something that made the hair on his nape stand up.
Two hulking creatures, bipedal, covered with dark hair and flashing teeth and claws that dwarfed Matthew's, stood in the open doorway at the far end of the cell.
Matthew cursed under his breath and leapt up the wall, digging into the sleek metal with his claws as he sought to reach the hole that had opened partway as the man and girl stared down at him again.
"Are you crazy?" Matthew bellowed.
His claws slipped down the slick metal. One of the creatures grasped his ankle and jerked him to the ground. The shrieking beast pinned him to the floor, its fangs snapping at his throat. Matthew kicked, hurling the monster against the wall. The other leapt on him. Its claws slashed through Matthew's jacket, drawing blood. Matthew's hands clamped the creature's jaw shut. He squeezed, his knee jabbing its hairy belly. Behind him, the other creature leapt. Matthew's leg snapped out with a back kick, ramming his snarling opponent in the throat. His claws ripped at the eyes of the animal whose jaw he held. Matthew howled, a sound of rage and warning that rivaled the shrieks and howls of his animalistic opponents. The creature he'd blinded whimpered. When it turned to run, it smashed into a wall, knocking itself unconscious. The second beast, more furious than ever, swiped at Matthew's face. Growling, Matthew dodged the hairy paw and lashed out with his own claws. His strike missed, but his kick didn't. His foot snapped across the beast's face. A second kick smashed the back of its head. It collapsed to the ground. Again Matthew tried clawing his way to safety. The man and girl were no longer staring down the hole, but as Matthew pulled himself up, the odd group surrounded him. This time, he smelled fear mixed with anger and apprehension. He hissed, his heart pounding from the fight, his breathing ragged. The group backed away slightly, except for two hybrids who dragged a slab of metal over the hole and bolted it down.
"He's strong," someone called from the back of the crowd, "but dangerous!"
"None of this means we can trust him!" someone else shouted.
A group of about ten hybrids advanced on Matthew, some holding guns, others clutching sharp-tipped poles and knives.
He growled, preparing to fight again, but the girl stepped in front of him. With incredible swiftness, she kicked the gun out of the hand of the hybrid nearest Matthew.
"No!" the girl snarled, her small voice carrying the authority of a combat general.
The group stopped moving but didn't lower their weapons.
"I said leave him alone!" the girl ordered, glancing at the hazel-eyed man. "Gareth!"
The man stepped forward. "Put those weapons away and go about your business! This is not our way. He's proven himself worthy."
"But not trustworthy!" shouted one of the hybrids.
"That will come," the man stated. "I'm sure of it."
Matthew, his incisors still exposed, saliva dripping from his lips, watched cautiously as the group dispersed, except for the man and the girl.
The man said, "You've passed our most dangerous test, and if you agree to some terms, we'll welcome you."
"Welcome?" Matthew demanded. "I should eat your hybrid hearts! What the hell did I do to you that you should try to kill me? What are those things?"
The man smiled. "Those are complicated questions. Down here there are so many questions, so many answers, so many stories."
"I'm listening."
"You're hurt." The girl stood on tiptoe to better reach Matthew's bleeding arm. He narrowed his eyes at her, but she ignored him and took his hand. "Come with us."
"I don't think so." Matthew jerked away. "I'm leaving."
"Aren't you curious about us?" the man asked. "And you'll not only need help caring for that arm, but you'll need blood."
"I can take care of myself."
The girl laughed. "What are you, a doctor?"
"Yes," Matthew said as he made his way out of the sewer, "I am."
The girl and the man exchanged such curious looks that Matthew would have smiled had he not been angry and in pain.
The two followed him out of the sewer and onto the street.
"You still need help," the man said. "Don't be a fool."
"Why should I stop now?"
As Matthew entered his building, the landlord stood in the hallway. He chuckled to the man and the girl. "He's still alive. I didn't think he'd make it."
Matthew stared at him in shock.
"We're all in this together," the hazel-eyed man explained. "Are you sure you're not ready to listen?"
Matthew sighed, his hand slippery with blood as he applied pressure to his wounded arm. He motioned for the girl and the man to follow him, thinking to himself, Looks like I haven't got much choice but to listen.
In his room, he tugged off his jacket and cursed softly as he examined his torn arm. The wound had already begun to close, but it still needed to be cleaned and bandaged. If he took some hybrid blood, it would be nearly healed by morning.
The hazel-eyed man grasped Matthew's arm and shook his head. "It always amazes me how fast Immaculates heal. That's a nasty gouge, though."
Matthew pulled away and stooped by his bag in the corner, searching for the proper supplies to clean and bind his arm. As he scrubbed the wound, the girl knelt beside him, her small hand taking the wad of gauze from him. "Let me help you."
"Who are you people?" Matthew demanded.
"I'm Gareth and this is Geneva. You'll meet the others at one time or another, I'm sure."
"But what is that group?"
"The people here, vampire and human, are outcasts. We're the insane, the young, the weak, the prostitutes, parentless children, single mothers. Anyone society doesn't want."
Matthew glanced at Gareth.
Geneva asked, "Am I hurting you?"
He shook his head, glancing at her, suddenly uncomfortable with the way she looked at him. Her eyes didn't hold the expression of a thirteen-year-old. They looked almost as experienced as Dulcie's as they lingered over his shoulders and chest in his sleeveless black T-shirt.
"I know it must seem strange to you," Gareth continued. "If you are what you say you are, what are you hiding from? What's your story? Who are you?"
Matthew glanced at his odd companions, not willing to trust either of them. He felt both probing his mind and threw up the mental barriers he'd learned from Adam and Brett, as well as repeated an incantation to defend himself against their telepathy.
The girl narrowed her eyes at him and whispered, "A warlock, too. Your skill surprises me."
"Why?" Matthew asked.
The girl's fingertips traced his cheek to his bearded jawline. "You're so young and beautiful."
"Geneva!" Gareth shook his head.
"He is young." The girl glanced over her shoulder at Gareth, her pert little nose wrinkling with annoyance. "Stop ordering me around. You're not my father or my lover. In fact, there are times when you should count yourself lucky to be my friend."
"You little fiend." Gareth grasped her upper arm gently, but hard enough to drag her away from Matthew.
She struggled. "He needs blood."
"And he could drain you in a heartbeat," Gareth scoffed. "I'll give him what he needs, then we can talk business."
"I don't want or need anything from you." Matthew stood, already feeling stronger.
"We all help each other here," Gareth told him.
"And you're either with us or against us," Geneva stated. "If you're against us---"
"You don't know how badly I take to threats." Matthew growled.
"We don't want to upset you," Gareth said. "The group of people you met below relies on each other. We protect one another, see that everyone survives in this...filth. You're obviously on your own. We don't know why, but if you're willing to live in peace with us, we'll do the same. We'll help you if you help us, but to do that we have to get to know one another."
"I'm very selective," Matthew stated.
Geneva's gaze raked him once more, and she licked her lips, the tips of her fangs glistening white. "So am I."
Matthew sighed. As he leaned down to close his bag, the shoelace with his wedding ring fell out of the neckline of his T-shirt.
"That's very special to you, isn't it?" Gareth nodded toward the ring. "It's a wedding ring." Matthew ignored him, but as he slipped the ring back under his shirt, a sick feeling twisted his stomach. How he longed for Dulcie!
Gareth sighed. "I'll be honest with you. We need you much more than you probably need us. Those creatures you fought down below were only two of many. They must be contained, but there are so few vampires with the strength and skill to do so. They're not just stupid beasts---they think. It seems that each generation grows more and more intelligent."
"What are they?"
"The closest description would probably be werewolves. They're not like the creatures of legend, though they have some of the same characteristics. Like vampires, they're another race. Did you even know that? Our kind are not supernatural monsters, but living beings."
"I've known that for a long time." Matthew grasped his hair and clutched it at his nape. Until it had grown long, he'd never realized how heavy and wiry it was.
"God," Gareth murmured. When Matthew turned to him, the hybrid's eyes were wide. "You're that doctor who's been all over the news. Matthew Winter."
For a moment, Matthew forgot to breathe.
"You're the one who found the cure for the poison, the one that had been killing our kind for thousands of years. You're part of that Network---"
"I am not part of the Network!" Matthew snapped. "Believe me."
"You may as well be." Geneva's lips curled in disgust. "You're all alike, you perfect vampiric specimens. I don't care how pretty you are, I despise you!"
She flew at him, but Gareth caught her.
"Strange. We tested you, and you don't seem to live up to your reputation. You don't seem like the kind of man who'd take bribes and commit murder."
"I'm not!"
Gareth tilted his head to one side, thoughtful. "Then perhaps you need us after all. You want to stay hidden, don't you?"
Instead of replying, Matthew asked, "What tests did you supposedly give me, other than seeing if those things would tear me apart?"
"First, you didn't kill the boy when he tried to jump you. Second, you chased after me to protect Geneva."
"Yes, you did, didn't you?" Geneva relaxed, and Gareth released her. "So what is your story, Matthew Winter?"
"My story is none of your business." Matthew gathered his belongings. "I'm going."
"Matthew, you don't have to run," Gareth said. "We've told you our story. We protect each other. The vampires care for the mortals and immortals who are too weak to care for themselves. The mortals provide the hybrids with blood to live, an even exchange, and the few Immaculates who exist among us are given hybrid blood in return for their help. Join us. Tell us what's happened to you, and if we judge you worthy---"
"No!" Matthew snarled. "What the hell is wrong with everyone? Everybody is a judge. Who gave you the right to such power?"
"We have to judge to protect ourselves. We have to know we can trust you."
"You trust me? You led me into the sewer where you tried to have me eaten alive. If anyone should be demanding proof of trust, it's me!"
Gareth glanced at Geneva. "He's right."
Geneva looked annoyed, but she nodded as she glanced at Matthew. "So how can we prove ourselves?"
"Stay here for a while," Gareth suggested. "We have no intention of turning you in. To do so would bring the Network here. Believe me, we don't want them. They've caused us more harm than good."
"Doesn't his brother head the Network?" Geneva asked. "Couldn't he help you, Matthew? He's supposed to be all-powerful, killer of the First Father."
"Believe me, he's not all-powerful. Just stubborn."
"Spend some time with us, Matthew," Gareth said, "see how much you're needed. See how we're able to care for each other. Your mental shields are strong, but I can sense your loneliness and frustration. I'm sorry about the tests we forced upon you, but we had to know what you're made of, what your heart is like."
"Your heart." Geneva approached Matthew and climbed onto a rickety chair so she was closer to his stunning height. She tugged the shoelace from his shirt and let the wedding ring rest in her palm. "Is it already taken?"
Matthew jerked the ring from her hand. "Rule number one for dealing with me is never mention this." He held up the ring for both of them to see. "Understand?"
Geneva opened her mouth to speak, but Gareth clamped a hand over her lips, lifted her from the chair and placed her back on the floor. "We understand perfectly. You will not regret giving us a chance, Matthew, and your skills, both in fighting and in medicine, are greatly needed here. The sun will rise soon. We'll leave you to rest for the day. I'll give you some blood first."
"I don't want your blood," Matthew told him, his eyes boring into Gareth's. "Yet."
\*
Once Gareth and Geneva had gone, Matthew flopped onto the bed and stared at the cracked, water-stained ceiling. He wasn't accustomed to having nothing to do and nowhere to go. He missed his work, missed his family, but most of all he missed Dulcie. Still, this new group---or gang---he'd reluctantly become associated with piqued his curiosity. Unfortunately, he still felt hesitant to walk the streets by day for fear of being recognized.
"Doubtful," he muttered to himself. "I certainly don't look like the guy they're showing on the news. I wonder how long it takes for something like this to blow over?"
Matthew closed his eyes, listening to the sound of traffic, passing trains and voices on the street below. Eventually, he drifted off.
He awoke a couple of hours later, the sun still bright behind the smog outside. Slipping on sunglasses, he left his room, jogged down the rickety steps and strode along the sidewalk.
Several people glanced at him and stepped out of his way. Two old ladies sitting on a porch, their gray hair in curlers, their plump bodies draped with flowered shifts, stared at him with a combination of fear and curiosity. Matthew wondered exactly how many people in the neighborhood knew about him.
As he turned a corner, footfalls echoed behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed a group of youths followed him but kept their distance. As they walked, others from apartment houses, alleys and storefronts joined in the group. Matthew sensed their agitation, anger and fear. He smelled it, heard it in their heartbeats. Smiling wickedly, his own irritation and the stress of hiding tore through the thinning surface of his self-control.
The footsteps behind him quickened, but instead of hurrying, Matthew slowed his pace. As he turned, several of the youths lunged at him with chains, knives and---to Matthew's disgust---sharp wooden stakes.
Growling deep in his throat, he leapt onto a fire escape and clung to the rusted metal. He kicked two of the boys in the face, sending them sprawling into their companions.
"What do you want from me?" he demanded.
"We don't want anything from you!" snapped a middle-aged man from the back. The man walked with a limp, and Matthew saw a lifetime of misery in the deep lines around his mouth and eyes. "You're the one who wants something from us! Your kind wouldn't spit on us, but here you are, thinking you can hide among us to save your rich white ass!"
"Rich white ass?" Matthew repeated, his eyes flickering with a combination of amusement and irritation. "I see several Caucasians among you."
"Oh, Caucasians," mimicked a tall, thin redhead with a straggly beard. "He sees several Caucasians. I guess Gareth and Geneva were telling the truth. We got us a genuine yuppie Immaculate here. A doctor, ain't that right?"
"That's right," Matthew gloated, "can you spell that?"
"I bet Gareth said you could fit in with us. That we'd help you if you help us," the middle-aged man continued. "We just want you to know something. Your kind has made our lives hell. You only give a shit about yourself. Get this straight, we don't want anything from you. You stay out of our face, and we'll stay out of yours. Gareth and Geneva said you can stick around, and we're not about to disrespect that."
"Before you respect someone else, you have to respect yourself." Matthew glared at them.
The redhead's teeth clenched. "Watch that mouth of yours, or you might find your heart cut out in your sleep."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "I rarely sleep, and you don't want to mess with me."
"So you think you're a tough guy---"
"Ross." A teenage girl in baggy pants and a black tank top touched the redhead's arm. "He knocked out the wolf things, remember?"
The redhead took a step back, fear crossing his eyes. He said in a gruff voice, "Yeah, I remember. Don't mean I'm scared of him, though."
Matthew pounced from the fire escape and the crowd dispersed, except for Ross, who ran halfway down the street before he stopped and turned, his face as red as his hair. Several of the younger kids giggled at him, and teased, "Sure. Ross ain't scared of the Immaculate."
"That's all we wanted to tell you." The older man drew himself up to his full height and looked down a nose that had been broken several times. "Just because Gareth and Geneva want to get tight with you doesn't mean the rest of us do. We don't like what you stand for, and we don't like you."
"I couldn't care less. I don't like you either."
No one commented, though he saw hatred in several pairs of eyes before the group left him alone.
Matthew sighed and continued down the street, unhindered.
He stopped at a manhole, slipped the cover aside and dropped to the sewer below. He wondered if the hybrids would be as hateful as the mortals. Funny how they blamed him for their situation. He'd never done a thing to them. It wasn't like he'd been raised by a filthy rich family and never worked a day in his life. His father was a blue-collar worker. Matthew had been blessed with keen intelligence and a high IQ, but that didn't mean he was exempt from the same basic responsibilities his parents had expected from his siblings. He'd always had a job and had worked his way through medical school in combination with the financial help his parents had generously offered. Matthew had never considered himself lazy, nor did he look down on other people. He felt proud of his intelligence, but as a child had often tried to hide it in social situations. He'd wanted to fit in, but in his youth, particularly after reaching vampiric puberty, he'd been set apart.
He pulled the manhole cover back into place and climbed down to the damp ground. The scent of the others lurking there, probably asleep, filled the air. So few vampires liked to travel by day, and some were severely allergic to sunlight. He had to admit he appreciated the dimness as he walked. The odor was another story.
"What the hell are you doing down here?" The short female hybrid from the day before---the one wearing only the bra---stepped around a corner, directly into Matthew's path. This time, a black thong accompanied a zebra-striped bra with round cutouts over the nipples. One of the pink nubs was pierced with a silver ring. By the disarray of her matted hair and the way she rubbed her eyes, Matthew guessed he'd disturbed her sleep. "Don't tell me you need a fix right now. Mindy Muff don't start work until after dusk."
Mindy Muff. Matthew repressed laughter. "I don't want your blood."
"Good," she yawned, "but if you change your mind, it's fifty---"
"I don't pay for blood or for sex."
At those words, she seemed to awaken a bit. Her full lips curled over sharp little teeth. "Oh sure. You're too good for that, aren't you? Let me tell you something, piss-pot. I get more doctors, lawyers and politicians coming to me than I do horny little teenagers and their potbellied dads!"
"Good for you." Matthew turned down the corridor to his left, away from her.
She shouted, "And you're all cheap bastards! Always trying to get more for your money! Keep walking, Mr. Thing! Keep on walking, but you'll be back when you need some good, red hybrid blood!"
"I'd rather die of thirst." Matthew ran his tongue over his teeth, as if cleansing them just from the thought of biting through her dirty flesh.
Ahead, the sound of voices and laughter caught his attention. A rat ran over his foot. He watched it scurry around a turn before he continued toward the voices.
In a small room Gareth, two hybrids and an elderly mortal played cards.
"You know this is no fair," said one of the hybrids, a slender Asian with smooth, handsome features. "Jimmie and Gareth can read minds way better than we can."
"Are you saying we're cheating?" the mortal man laughed, his pale blue eyes buried in a mass of wrinkles. His hands, covered with fingerless gloves, shuffled the cards. He dealt swiftly.
"We're winning on our own merit, Paul," Gareth said to the Asian. He glanced at the muscular blond hybrid seated across from Paul. The blond wore baggy black pants and a half-shirt, exposing his muscular, tattooed abdomen, shoulders and arms. "What do you say, Vick?"
The blond shrugged. "I can't tell. I was changed what, a month ago? Damn shooting. If Mindy Muff hadn't bitten me---"
"Come on over, Matthew," Gareth said. "Join in the game. You any good at poker?"
"Oh, come on, Gareth." Paul threw down his cards. "You really want him to play?"
"Give him a break." Jimmie coughed into his cupped fist, then spit at a rat staring at the men from a corner. The rodent scurried off. Jimmie's wrinkled face turned to Matthew. "Get your butt over here, kid. Better start gettin' to know you if you'll be around for a while."
"So do you play, Matthew?" Gareth asked again.
"Cards? No, not really."
Paul and Vick exchanged broad grins.
Vick scooted aside, offering Matthew the floor beside him. "Park it."
"I say we up the stakes," Paul suggested.
Gareth glanced at Matthew. "They're out for your blood."
"What a surprise." Matthew took his place in the group. "So how do you play?"
"Ha! Gotcha this time. Full house, Immaculate freak." Paul thrust down his cards, gloating at Matthew. "Beat that."
Silently, Matthew spread his four aces and the king of spades.
"Bullshit!" Vick growled, his fangs glistening against his full lips. "You're cheating! I thought you said your telepathy was bad."
"It is." Matthew shrugged. "I can't help it if I have beginner's luck. Want to play another hand? I'm sure I'll lose this time."
"Wise guy," Jimmie muttered. "I hate wise guys."
"We know you're a warlock." Paul pointed at Matthew. "Geneva said so. She sensed it, and Geneva's never wrong. Everyone knows there's no such thing as a warlock who has trouble with telepathy."
"I guess I'm a freak in more ways than one."
"I know when I've had enough." Gareth collected the cards and handed them to Jimmie, who slipped them into his pocket.
"As if you need all the money you won from us." Paul snarled at Matthew.
"We're all in the same situation down here," Gareth reminded them. "He isn't living the life he once did."
"I don't think the whole fifty dollars will make a difference one way or the other." Matthew tossed the money at Paul.
The young Asian jumped to his feet, his eyes gleaming with fury. He kicked the money back at Matthew. "I'm no charity case!"
"Then why comment about who needs the money more?"
"I don't believe it." Paul shook his head and walked away. "See you guys later."
Jimmie shrugged as he collected the money and shoved it into the pocket of his stained trench coat. "I'm no fool. Matthew, if you ever want to practice telepathy, I'm no vampire, but I do have a gift. You're okay."
Matthew returned the old man's smile and watched him shuffled away, Vick beside him.
Gareth shook his head. "Jimmie used to be one of New York's best cops."
"What happened to him?"
"One day on the beat, he got shot in the head. When he woke up, he had the gift of telepathy. Everyone thought he was crazy. He got suspended from the force, and his only brother disowned him. He began to think he was crazy himself. Almost drank himself to death. He's been sober for three years. Paul met him, brought him to us. He just needed somebody to listen. No one wants to be completely alone and forgotten."
"No," Matthew said softly, "not at all."
"So what do you think of our community?"
With a sigh, Matthew leaned back on his elbows and crossed his feet at the ankles. He didn't speak.
"You don't like us much, do you?"
"Most of you don't like me. You don't even know me, but you think you do."
"Being accepted takes time, but I'm sure you already know that."
"Yes. I know all about it."
"I assume you don't like to sleep much by day?"
"I don't like to sleep much at all."
"I'm curious to know your side of the story, Matthew," Gareth said as the two stood and walked side by side down the corridor. "There's a lot to you. You're young to have developed such skill as a warlock, but you need much more practice. You're untrained."
"Such things really aren't very important. I've dabbled in magic out of curiosity. Science and medicine are what matter most to me."
"And the woman behind the ring you wear around your neck?" Gareth ventured. "I know you told us never to mention her."
"I meant it."
"Someday we might trust each other, Matthew. We all have secrets, but at times we need to confide."
"You're not like the others."
Gareth sighed. "Many of them are young and have seen the rougher side of life. It's not easy to claw your way out of the gutter, even for vampires."
"Whoever said life is easy?"
"You judge others harshly, but I'm guessing you're just as hard on yourself. You never would have become such a success in your chosen field if you weren't diligent."
"Doesn't matter now, I guess."
"There are many people in our community who can benefit from your skill. Of course you didn't become a doctor to work for free, but we also don't have to keep your whereabouts a secret. One hand washes the other."
Matthew lifted an eyebrow and spoke in Gareth's even tone of voice. "I'm guessing lawsuits don't mean much to you and your community."
Gareth laughed, exposing the tips of his fangs. "Does it matter much to you, Matthew? You're already in deep. What's one more tangle with the law?"
Matthew thought, I don't know. Maybe nothing. However, more than legal matters bothered him. "No matter what you say, these people don't want my help. They want nothing to do with me. Not that I care."
"If you really didn't care, you wouldn't have mentioned it."
"No, really. I don't care," Matthew stated. He always said what was on his mind.
Gareth smiled. "For such an intelligent man, you've spent a lot of time in denial, haven't you?"
"Excuse me?" How could Gareth know so much about him? They'd just met, yet the hybrid's perception was remarkable.
"You look fit." Gareth's gaze swept Matthew's sleek body. "And you have decent fighting skill, though I notice you depend quite a bit on brute strength. You're powerful, even for an Immaculate. Your brother has a reputation for being one of the most physically powerful Immaculates in existence, and you are, after all, his twin."
"Adam is a gifted martial artist and very strong. He's trained as a fighter and athlete practically since birth."
"I see." Gareth smiled. "He used brawn while you used brains."
"Adam is very intelligent."
"And you're very strong. Maybe now is the time for you to get in touch with your wild side."
"I've already been in touch with it." Matthew remembered all the times he'd made love with Dulcie. If she couldn't bring out a man's wild side, then it didn't exist at all.
Gareth stopped and moved aside a grate in the middle of one of the corridors. He glanced at Matthew. "Care for some training?"
Matthew looked into the darkness with interest and caution, remembering the last hole he'd fallen down and the creatures waiting there. "After you."
Gareth dropped down the hole and Matthew followed.
They walked down a corridor that opened into a large room with craggy walls. This room was oddly quiet and drier than the rest of the damp underground. Three enormous metal cylinders stood to the far end of the room. Matthew noted dents in the metal, as if a hard object had struck it. Nearby, two heavy bags dangled from the concrete ceiling. Several weapons hung on a large slab of wood leaning against one wall---four rapiers, two sets of tonfas, six spears, two of which were tipped with platinum. Matthew recognized them only because he'd seen Adam and Vincent train with them. He'd handled some weapons himself during the fight against the First Father, but had little interest in such destructive tools.
"Platinum." Matthew approached the spears. "That must have cost you."
"They're mine," Gareth explained. "Been with me for years. Are you proficient with any of these?"
Matthew shook his head. "I don't like violence, really."
Gareth lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "That's not what I sensed."
"I prefer saving lives to taking them."
"Just because it's your preference doesn't mean you don't enjoy violence. Like it or not, it's inside you."
Matthew remained silent. He'd only killed once in his life, and when he thought about the taste of enemy blood, his heartbeat still quickened with desire. He'd hated the man he'd killed---another Immaculate, Dulcie's cousin Wayne. Dulcie once had a sexual relationship with him, and Wayne hadn't wanted to let go. He'd thought because Matthew possessed human traits he couldn't protect his mate. Wayne had been wrong.
"For one so young, I sense you've had many experiences," Gareth said. "Of course, you survived a confrontation with the First Father. He destroyed millions before you killed him."
"My brother Adam---"
"Had help from you. And there was another Immaculate involved?"
"Yes." Irritation crawled up Matthew's spine. Vincent. Vincent, who was stationed to protect Dulcie---in Matthew's home. Dulcie, who enjoyed painting while naked...
"Well, now that we're here, want to join me in a workout?"
"Yes," Matthew said. "Exercise is good for frustration."
Gareth glanced at him. "There's a lot I can teach you about fighting. Down here, you'll need it."
"Why?"
"I told you we all pull our weight in this community. Those creatures you fought earlier have many companions. We've managed to keep them contained below, but it takes work. A few levels down, there's a grate sealing the entrance to their domain. They keep breaking through. It's our job to make sure they don't escape. Can you imagine what would happen if they were let loose in the city?"
"No. I don't want to think about it."
"There are few of us with the strength and skill to guard that grate, so we take shifts. I do it, and there are five other hybrids and one Immaculate who trade off shifts. If we get desperate, there are groups of humans who can assist while armed with guns, but it's very risky for them."
"So you want me to fight those things?"
"Just hold them back, should they break through the grate. It's difficult to make repairs because once they break through, it's hard to get close enough to the entrance, though it can be done."
"Why don't you just kill them?"
"Do you think we haven't tried? There are complications, the least of which is their power of regeneration is even greater than ours. And to answer your next question, even greater than yours---an Immaculate. At first, we thought piercing the heart with bullets---even made of silver and platinum---would kill them, but they kept coming back."
"There must be a way to kill them." Matthew's tenacity surfaced. "There are no such things as supernatural beings. I've always known that. I was right."
Gareth smiled. "You'll add some new life to this place, Matthew. We'll learn so much from you---and you from us."
"I wish I could get some samples from one." Matthew's eyes narrowed, scarcely paying attention to anything Gareth had said. "Then I'd have to get them to a lab. I wonder how much research I can do down here? Probably zilch. Damn, this is annoying!"
"Well, if you can find a better means of fighting them, we would be grateful. But that brings us to the next complication."
"Which is?"
"There are different levels of intelligence among those---let's call them werewolves. From what I've learned, these creatures have been altered genetically. They're experiments, Matthew."
"Experiments? How can you be sure?"
"Because I know," came a deep voice from behind them.
Matthew turned, his gaze fixed on a tall, muscular black man. Except for a long braid lashing across his broad shoulders with every step, the man wore his hair short. Large, dark eyes glowed mahogany in a sculpted face with high cheekbones and a strong jaw. Thick, wolfish fangs glistened in contrast with the man's neatly trimmed goatee. The jeans and sleeveless black T-shirt accentuated his athletic build to advantage. His every movement sang of animal grace. Matthew knew immediately by his scent that he was an Immaculate, but he carried another scent, something Matthew couldn't identify.
"Judah." Gareth stepped between Matthew and the other Immaculate. "This is Matthew---"
"I know who he is." Judah's gaze burned into Matthew's. "I know what he stands for. I know he doesn't belong here."
"He's as much a part of us as anyone."
"Bullshit!" Judah's voice echoed in the large room. He growled at Matthew. "You know his kind is responsible for Leah's death."
"Matthew had nothing to do with---"
"He discovered the cure!" Judah's teeth ground, and his fists dripped blood as his claws bit into his skin. "That Network wouldn't let us get to him because we're from down here."
"Judah's wife was one of the few vampires to ever be infected by the poison that almost killed your brother," Gareth explained. "When we learned of your discovery, we tried to get to you, but with the Network's red tape, it was too late."
Matthew's brow furrowed. "I'm very sorry."
'"Save your phony sympathy, you son of a bitch." Judah snarled, circling Matthew.
"If I had known---"
"You wouldn't have cared!"
"That's not true."
Judah threw back his head and laughed without a trace of humor. He stopped suddenly and stepped up to Matthew so they were inches from one another.
Matthew wondered if Judah expected him to back off. The sun would sooner burn out.
"I should kill you right now and make you suffer like Leah did."
"I said I was sorry about Leah, and I meant it. If you want to fight over it, fine." Matthew's incisors lengthened. He unsheathed his claws, his fists clenching and unclenching. "But I don't see what it'll solve."
"Stop it! Both of you!" Gareth shoved the two apart, using all of his hybrid strength. The Immaculates scarcely moved. "You two want to kill each other. Good. Great. The only two Immaculates down here. We may as well let the wolves rule the city---why not the country!"
Judah growled deep in his throat and took a step backward.
"Judah knows a lot about the werewolves," Gareth explained.
"Seeing that I am one." Judah turned gloating eyes to Matthew. "Imagine that, Matt. I've got their strength and our strength combined."
"It's Matthew."
"Down here, you're Matt."
Matthew growled, taking a step toward Judah, who raised his fists. Again Gareth stepped between them, his hands braced against Matthew's shoulders. "I thought you hated violence?"
Matthew stopped, glancing from Gareth to Judah, who stared at him, gloating, beckoning him with a wave of his hand.
"This is insanity." Matthew walked away.
"Damn right, Matt!" Judah bellowed. "In our world, everything is insane! You should have let me kill him now, Gareth, because there's no way in hell he's going to make it down here."
Matthew tossed a vicious look over his shoulder, his eyes glowing. "Want to bet on it, Jude?"
"I have to take my shift. It's better if we stay out of each other's way." Judah bared his teeth again before walking out the door.
Once Judah had gone, Matthew said, "What a winner."
"Judah has powerful convictions. He's a lot like you."
"I don't think so."
"Be careful with him. He's an extremely skilled fighter, and he has no qualms about killing. He has a lot of experience."
"So I'm supposed to be afraid of him?" Matthew raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so."
Gareth tilted his head to one side. "Then I suggest we start training. With your attitude, you're going to need it."
"My attitude? What do you mean, my attitude?"
Gareth only shook his head and smiled.
\*
Matthew's spear blocked a thrust from Gareth's before the two stepped apart.
"Good," Gareth said. "You don't seem to have any trouble handling a weapon."
"I have a long way to go to catch up with you." Matthew wiped blood from his cheek where the tip of Gareth's spear had cut him. The wound was already healing, and there would be no scar. They practiced with metal-tipped spears rather than platinum-tipped ones. For that Matthew was grateful. Blood also smeared his arms from light scratches, yet after a couple hours of practice, he had started to block more of Gareth's blows.
Gareth and Matthew bowed to each other, an unfamiliar tradition to Matthew, but Gareth preferred to keep the polite customs of his old mentors. "Keeps us civilized," he'd said.
"I have to get a couple of hours' sleep." Gareth lowered his weapon. "I have a watch tonight. Feel free to stay here and train. I know how energetic Immaculates are. I doubt you're anywhere near tired."
Matthew returned his spear to the wall, thinking how right Gareth was. His stamina hadn't begun to wane in the slightest. Another long workout was exactly what he needed.
Gareth left Matthew alone. He spent the next couple of hours hitting the heavy bags and the cylinders, which he realized were much better suited to his strength. The thick, pliant metal accepted the full power of his kicks and punches so that the bags weren't knocked off their chains. When he'd finished with the cylinders, he walked to a long pipe stretched across the ceiling and leapt into pull-ups. He wasn't sure how long he trained, only that he stopped when his hands finally slipped. He landed in a crouch below the bars.
"There's nothing quite as stunning as Immaculate strength."
Matthew's gaze flew across the room to Geneva.
He stood. "Hello."
"Matthew." She walked to the wall and removed the tonfas. Whirling them, she loosened her wrists. "Finished working out? Pity. I'd hoped you and I could spar."
He smiled, amused.
"So you think you'd have the advantage? Choose a weapon."
He shook his head.
"All right. No weapon." Geneva walked to the center of the floor, tonfas poised to do battle. "It's your pain."
"I'm not sparring with you, Geneva." He ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair and headed for the corridor.
She stepped in front of him, the end of a tonfa nudging his abdomen.
He shoved the weapon away. "Have fun practicing."
As he continued out of the room, she cracked him across his lower back.
"Hey!" He snarled, pressing a hand to his back. Though small, she wielded the weapon with power.
She giggled.
"Geneva." Gareth suddenly appeared in the doorway.
She sighed, irritated. "I thought you were on guard duty."
"Geneva, stop pestering Matthew. You know the fight wouldn't be fair."
"Thank you." Matthew offered him a slight smile.
"I mean to you, Matthew. You think because she's small she can't handle herself?"
"I don't think that at all." He remembered Dulcie and his sister-in-law Mara. Both were small women yet fierce fighters. Still, they wouldn't have stood a chance against him or another male Immaculate. This little girl was only a hybrid. "It's just that logically---"
"It might be better to get this over now." Gareth sighed. "I'm not saying that in time she'll continue to challenge you, but as of now, you can learn a lot from her. She has a tremendous gift for weapons."
"What's a few minutes of your time?" Geneva lifted her chin, her dark green eyes taunting. "You can go easy on me if you think it's necessary."
Matthew shrugged. "I'm not saying you can't use those---"
Geneva lunged at him with animal swiftness and struck him in the knee, the stomach and the groin before he finished talking.
"Little bitch." Matthew snarled through clenched teeth, almost doubling over and clutching his privates. Geneva giggled. This time when she lunged, Matthew tried blocking her blows. He successfully deflected three before the hard wooden end of one of the weapons landed between his legs again. He tried tearing the tonfa from her hand, but her movements were too quick and fluid. She struck his knee and his shin. Her eyes glowing, she backed him deeper into the room.
"What's wrong with you, Matthew?" she demanded. "Why don't you defend yourself?"
Matthew's manners battled with his desire for self-preservation. He didn't want to hurt her, but she had no qualms about smashing any part of him her wicked little weapons could reach.
Stumbling over the jacket he'd tossed on the floor, he leaned forward to catch himself. One of the tonfas belted him across the face. He tasted blood and felt it running from his lips.
She attacked again, and he managed to catch one tonfa, then the other. Geneva hissed with frustration as he ripped the weapons from her hands and jerked her into his arms, holding her small body immobile.
Geneva suddenly stopped struggling and kissed him. He dropped her, and she stumbled to her knees, staring up at him while licking his blood from her mouth. She murmured, "God, you are so beautiful."
Matthew tossed the weapons aside, his eyes narrowed with irritation and disgust. Geneva's giggles echoed in the room as Matthew picked up his jacket, jerked it on and brushed past Gareth.
"That girl needs professional help," Matthew stated as Gareth fell into step beside him.
"She's not a girl," Gareth told him. "She's over seven hundred years old."
"I don't care if she's a thousand. She looks like a preteen."
"Geneva can be pushy, but she's had to be. Her life hasn't been easy."
"So what am I supposed to do about it?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to explain a little about her. You can learn a lot from her."
"As long as she keeps her hands---and mouth---to herself."
"I've talked to her about that before." Gareth shook his head. "It's just her way. She's a good fighter though, isn't she?"
"Very good."
"But she hasn't the strength to back it up. That's why you're so lucky, Matthew. You're an Immaculate, the most powerful creature on Earth."
Matthew remained silent. Yes, Immaculates were powerful, but he recalled the strength of the First Father. Originals were even more formidable. He thought about what Sage would be like when he grew up---how powerful he'd be.
"I have to go on guard duty," Gareth said. "In a few days, when I have duty again, I'll take you with me so you can get used to it."
Matthew nodded. "Thanks for the workout."
"That room is open to you anytime. The others mostly use it at night, so if you want more sparring practice, that's when to get it."
Gareth turned down a corridor to the right and disappeared. Matthew returned to the street. Drawing a deep breath, he felt the energetic pull of the rising moon. Without work or Dulcie, the nights seemed so long...
"Vincent!" Dulcie shoved her way through the trash-filled hall as she balanced several bags of food.
"Yo!"
"Get out here!"
"What's the matter? You being chased?" Vincent, shirtless, dragged on torn, faded jogging pants as he stumbled into the hallway.
"No, I'm not being chased! Clear away some of these bags so I can get to the kitchen!"
He kicked aside green trash bags as Dulcie plowed past him.
"Sheesh." Vincent sniffed. "Smells ripe in here."
"That's because I told you two days ago to take this shit to the dump! All you do is lie around here. Can't you do the one simple thing I ask you to?"
"Lie around here?" he scoffed, following her to the kitchen where she dumped the bags on the round glass table and began putting groceries in the refrigerator. "I'm here to protect you. I'm constantly aware of my surroundings. That's stress, baby. I tell you--- Hey!" Vincent sputtered as she peeled a banana and squashed it in his face.
"Just get rid of the damn trash, Vincent! And look at the rest of this house. Dishes in the sink---"
"You said you didn't want them on the counters."
"Your laundry is everywhere."
"You know what your problem is? You've been living with Dr. Clean for too long. I looked in his closet the other day. You know he has one of those little shoe organizers?"
"Yes, I know. I gave it to him for his birthday."
"Yeah, but he uses it. His suits are all lined up by color. There's black, then there's dark gray, then light gray, then navy blue. I don't know what's up with the ones that are still covered in plastic like he owns stock in a dry cleaners or something---"
"I know exactly what Matthew's closet looks like, and why were you in it?"
"Looking for some sweats. The hole in these keeps getting bigger and bigger."
"So go buy some new ones."
Vincent yawned and stretched. "I hate clothes shopping. Boring. Usually a bunch of sissies. I bet Matthew spends a lot of time shopping. I've never seen so many ties, and not one of 'em has a cartoon character on it."
"Vincent. Do me a favor. Go buy yourself some sweats. Take the trash and get the hell out of this house for a few hours."
"You shouldn't be alone here."
"I'm going to visit Matthew's parents."
"Well," Vincent sighed, "I guess so. Be careful, though. If anything happens to you, those friggin' twins will kill my ass, especially Matthew---if we ever see him again."
"Vincent!" Dulcie snarled, at the end of her patience. The thought of never seeing Matthew again terrified her. The last thing she needed was to hear it spoken aloud by Vincent.
"I'm going. I'm going." He left the kitchen.
Dulcie continued putting away the groceries, pausing over a jar of peanut butter and a can of cranberry sauce. She swallowed past a lump in her throat. "Why did I buy this stuff? Habit. I wonder how Matthew is. I really wish I knew."
Once certain Vincent had gone, Dulcie walked to the bedroom and opened Matthew's closet. She ran her hand over his clothes and slipped on one of his shirts. In the bathroom, she sprayed his favorite cologne on the sleeve, then curled up on the bed and closed her eyes. She tried pretending he was with her, or would be coming home soon. It didn't work. As she drifted to sleep, she thought only of him.
\*
In his room, Matthew undressed and stepped into the shower. He closed his eyes, allowing the hot water to soothe his muscles. He tried pretending he was back in his own large, clean shower instead of the tiny rectangle of cracked porcelain. At least he'd scrubbed away the rust stains and fixed the pipes.
Forget about the pipes. Think of something pleasant, like Dulcie. A pang of sadness so deep it became a physical ache struck him when he thought of her. Yet he would rather focus on memories of her more than anything else.
With his eyes closed, it was too easy to imagine she was with him under the hot stream of water. He drew a deep breath and placed a hand on his chest, sweeping down his abs, pretending it was her hand on his body. It would be a small hand, incredibly strong yet so, so tender. Her claws would emerge slowly and scrape over his nipples, then trace his ribs. Warm rivulets trickled down his forehead and neck. Fingers curled around his cock, stiff and aching from thoughts of her. Her small, voluptuous body would be slick with moisture beneath the water, her delicate face tilted up toward the faucet as her smooth leg brushed against his. The hand around his shaft tightened and pumped. With a swift, smooth motion, it ran over his cock head.
Matthew's pulse quickened and he drew another deep breath. Her warm, firm little tongue would circle his male nipples and tickle its way down his abdomen. When he grasped her breasts and rolled the pert nipples beneath the pads of his thumbs, she'd moan with desire, a high-pitched animal sound that stabbed him with lust.
Matthew growled, his hand pumping his water-slicked cock faster, the muscles of his thighs hard and tight as he imagined Dulcie's lips and hands stroking them.
He could almost feel her, catch her sensual aroma and hear the sexy mewls she uttered as she neared her climax.
His breath coming in ragged pants, his buttocks clenched as he clasped a hand to the base of his cock, his hips thrusting, imagining her pelvis pressed close to his. Blood pounded through his body, the pulsations echoing in his ears as he loosened his hold on the base of his cock and worked his hand in a savage rhythm that ended in a spurting that sprayed the shower wall almost from bottom to top.
Panting, Matthew leaned a shoulder against the wall, wishing more than ever that she was actually in his arms.
"Damn it!" Matthew snarled as the water suddenly turned ice-cold. He rinsed off quickly and reached for a towel. In the apartment across the wall, he heard water running and muttered, "At least someone's having a hot shower."
He pulled on socks, blue sweatpants and a white T-shirt. On the nightstand, he lit two white candles and lavender incense. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind. Now he had more time than ever to practice magic and meditation. He wished he possessed even a bit of telepathic skill. That way he might be able to contact Dulcie.
He drew a deep breath and released it slowly, doing his best to focus.
Just when he'd begun to relax, a baby's loud screaming erupted from the apartment next to his. He tried to block it out and concentrate, but the only thing he'd ever been able to focus on was his work. Magic and telepathy were much more difficult for him. He needed quiet. He needed focus. He needed...
"To make that kid shut up," he muttered.
He noted the baby's crying sounded sick, not just neglected like so many children he'd seen lately.
Muttering to himself about the wisdom of minding one's own business, he snuffed his candles, left his apartment and knocked on his neighbor's door.
"What the hell do you want? I told you I'll have the rent money tomorrow night!" shouted a woman's frazzled voice above the sound of the screaming infant.
"I'm not here for rent."
"Do I sound like I can afford to buy anything? No magazine subscriptions, no makeup, no encyclopedias---"
"I'm not a salesman."
"Oh, God!" The door flew open, and a woman no more than eighteen years old, a toddler clinging to her leg, a squalling baby cradled in her arms, stared up at Matthew with frightened eyes. "Officer, Robbie doesn't live here anymore. If he's done anything... Oh, it's you." The woman relaxed upon seeing Matthew. "You're the new guy. What do you want?"
"What's wrong with your baby?"
"She's been sick for days. I brought her to the clinic down the street, but I can't go there again right now. I have two other kids who can't wait all those hours... Dina, shut up!" The woman shouted at the toddler screeching, "Mommie, Mommie, Mommie!"
"Maybe I can help you. I'm a doctor."
"Yeah. I heard. I got no money and no insurance."
"I'm not exactly in formal practice at the moment."
"Yeah. I heard."
"May I come in?"
She blew a strand of lank blonde hair from her eyes and stared up at him before she shrugged. "What the hell?"
Matthew stepped into the apartment, surprised that, aside from several scattered toys, the place appeared clean---or as clean as rooms in such a broken-down building could be.
He reached for the baby, and the woman placed the red-faced, screaming bundle in his arms.
"She'll be an opera singer." Matthew made an attempt at humor as he placed the baby on the kitchen table next to a little boy drawing with crayons. The boy stared at him as he examined the baby.
"First, let's get her fever down," Matthew said. "Make a lukewarm bath. What did they tell you at the clinic?"
While the woman explained about the baby's symptoms and repeated the advice she'd received at the clinic, Matthew bathed the infant and diapered her.
"Are you a kids' doctor?" the woman asked.
"A pediatrician?" Matthew shook his head. "I work primarily with adults in research. I'm a hematologist."
"Oh." She narrowed her eyes. "What's that?"
"A blood doctor."
"Oh. Sure. Why not? You're a vampire, right? Business and pleasure all in one."
"I'm afraid it doesn't really work that way." Matthew held the baby in the crook of his arm. She was quiet now, but he guessed it wouldn't last long. "You really need to get the medication prescribed at the clinic."
"I have no money and no insurance."
"What about the children's father?"
She laughed humorlessly. "You try tracking him down."
"Mommie, I'm hungry," the boy at the table said.
"Later," the woman hissed.
"I can take care of the baby while you make them dinner," Matthew offered.
"No. You've done enough. Really."
"It's no problem."
"I can't make dinner. There's nothing to eat." She opened the refrigerator which, except for a half-empty jar of salad dressing, a can of formula and an onion, was empty.
Matthew sighed. I do not want to get involved with anyone here. This is none of your business, Matthew. Don't be a sucker!
"Come over to my apartment for dinner."
"No. Thank you."
"Can I come?" the boy asked.
"Todd!" she hissed.
"Why don't you all come? I'm not used to eating by myself when I'm home. Usually my wife..."
The woman held his eyes before she grabbed the formula from the refrigerator and picked up a faded pink baby bag. Taking the toddler by the hand, she said to the boy, "Come on, Todd."
The woman and children followed him down the hall.
"What's your name?" Matthew asked as he opened the door. He remembered to switch on the light to suit their human eyes.
"Laurie. That's Todd, this little monster---" she glanced affectionately at the toddler, "---is Dina, and the baby's Brianna."
"What's for dinner?" Todd asked.
"Todd, you better keep that mouth of yours shut!" Laurie tossed her son an annoyed look.
"It's okay," Matthew said. "There's chicken breast---"
Todd giggled. "Hey, Ma, he said breast."
"Todd, I mean it!" Laurie hissed.
"Don't know why I bought chicken breast," Matthew said to himself. "I haven't a clue how to cook it. My wife does all the cooking."
"You mean you're not married to some other yuppie? No offense."
"She works out of the home. Do you know how to---"
"Sure," Laurie said. "I can cook it. That's one thing I can do right. What else do you got?"
He opened the freezer. "Peas. Carrots. Salad."
"Bet you don't drink caffeine or smoke or nothing." Laurie propped the baby on the bed and opened the refrigerator. "I knew it. Diet soda. No caffeine. Milk. Orange juice. All you need is apple pie and football. Where the hell did you come from?"
Matthew felt eyes on him and glanced down at the staring boy, who asked, "Do you play basketball?"
A smile played around Matthew's lips. "No."
"Can you touch the ceiling?"
"Todd! I told you to keep quiet!" Laurie snapped as she began preparing the food.
"I was just askin', Ma." The boy turned to Matthew and shrugged.
"Sure I can touch the ceiling." Matthew picked Todd up by the waist and lifted him. "So can you."
Todd ran his hand over the rough plaster. "Cool."
"Are you still married?" Laurie asked.
Matthew nodded.
"You miss her?"
"Very much."
"I don't think I ever want to get married. Having a boyfriend was bad enough. I'll tell you, even though the son of a bitch hasn't sent a penny in over a year, it's almost worth it to not have him around."
"He should be responsible for his children."
"Hey, he put Todd and me in the hospital a couple of times already. That's enough. Things weren't too bad because my mom was living with us and she took care of the kids while I worked at the grocery store. She got sick about a month ago and had to go to a home. I had trouble finding sitters and lost my job. Gareth got me an interview for next week, and Geneva's going to start watching the kids for me."
"Geneva?" Matthew wrinkled his nose. I wouldn't let her watch my dog, let alone my kids.
"She's okay, once you get to know her."
While Laurie cooked, Matthew set the table and the children watched television. Within the hour, they sat down to eat. The meal was very good, almost as good as Dulcie's cooking. That thought brought a fresh wave of longing, but Matthew buried it, at least until after his company left.
"Thanks for everything, Matthew," Laurie said once she'd gathered her family and prepared to go.
"Where's that prescription for Brianna?"
She reached in the baby bag and pulled out the piece of wrinkled white paper.
"I'll get it filled for you," he said.
"Look, I'll pay you back."
He nodded.
Once his guests had gone, Matthew pulled on a sweatshirt and sneakers, muttering to himself, "You're a jerk, Matthew. I told you not to get involved."
But the moment he'd agreed to live symbiotically with Gareth's strange community, he'd become more deeply involved than he cared to admit.
\*
"Very nice!" Paul shouted as Matthew's back-fist cracked across Gareth's cheek, staggering him. "Follow up... Jeez, Matthew!"
Paul shook his head. Matthew had backed off after striking Gareth. The hybrid took the opportunity to sweep Matthew's feet out from under him. He landed with a crash onto his back, and Gareth sprang at him. Matthew kicked him across the room.
"I hope you won't pause like that in a real fight," Paul said. "Especially with the wolves. They'll rip you to shreds."
"Somehow I doubt Matthew has survived this long by backing off in a real fight," Gareth said. "The only thing is, when you train, pretend it's real."
"I know. Adam's been telling me that for years. I just can't seem to follow through unless I'm mad."
"I bet I can make you mad," Geneva said from across the room where she leaned against a wall, caressing one of her tonfas.
"Geneva, this is serious business here," Paul told her.
"Shut up, Paul, or I'll rip you apart."
"Put down those stupid billy clubs and see if you can!"
"That's enough, you two." Gareth held up his hand. He motioned for Matthew to follow him out of the training room. As they reached the door, Geneva and Paul began arguing in whispers that soon turned to fighting.
Gareth shook his head. "We have more important things to do than listen to those two."
"Maybe you should try letting Geneva fight the werewolves," Matthew suggested.
"Believe me, if she was bigger and stronger, she'd be first on our list of guards. Laurie said you helped her last night."
"It wasn't anything."
"She said you had incense burning. Were you practicing magic?"
"Shoddy warlock that I am."
"I can guide you. I've been practicing for centuries."
The temptation to accept Gareth's help lured Matthew, but still he said, "No. It's just to pass the time. It's really pointless."
"Is it?" Gareth smiled. "I was there, you know."
"Where?"
"In the quarry the night the First Father died. Oh, I was lost in the crowd. Never got very close, but I saw and heard you. You performed the chant that allowed your brother to kill the First Father."
"There must be a scientific explanation. I'm still looking for it."
"Perhaps you're right. However, you won't find it soon. Why not just accept your talent for magic as you've accepted your brilliance in research?"
"Because I can't believe in both science and magic."
"But you admit that science might one day explain magic?"
"Yes."
"Then why not explore both? The odds are you'll live a very long life, Matthew. There's a good chance you'll see your theory proven. Why not learn as much as you can?"
Excitement kindled in Matthew at the thought of sharpening his magical skills without hiding and without guilt. "That does make sense."
"Would you like me to train you?"
"Yes."
"Good. This will also help with your telepathy."
"I'm deficient."
Gareth laughed. "Who told you that?"
"Everybody. I'm not a good telepath. I can't send messages. Before I learned how to block my thoughts, other telepaths could pick my mind with ridiculous ease. It's extremely annoying. To this day I cannot abide anyone inside my head---sometimes even my wife." Matthew fell silent. Why was he talking so much about Dulcie lately? The less anyone knew about her, the better off they both would be.
"She's telepathic? A vampire?"
"I don't want to talk about her."
"That's not what I sense."
"I'm not endangering her. I scarcely know you."
"Fair enough. If you ever do want to talk about her---"
"No. Thank you."
Silently, they made their way through the moonlit streets to Matthew's building.
Once in his room, they lit candles and incense, then sat on the floor.
"This might not be the best idea." Matthew wrinkled his nose as he glanced at the stained carpet. "I tend to have little visitors."
"The whole building is crawling," Gareth said. "The exterminator can't seem to do a thing."
"This place is a shithole."
"I'm sure, especially compared to the way you're used to living."
"Some of these mortals and hybrids I can understand being here, but what about you? You sound educated, and I'm guessing you're old."
"Long ago, before I was changed, I was a monk. I thought of myself as a peaceful man, but after witnessing so many wars, so much death, I delved into fighting. Still, no matter what I've done, I've always felt attachment to the downtrodden. I guess it's just part of who I am. I feel it's not just my duty to stay here and do what I can, but my destiny."
"You believe in destiny?"
"To a point."
"I don't. I believe everything is a result of our decisions. There's no great spirit guiding us. No God to damn or forgive us."
"You believe in logic, things you can reach out and touch---or at least make sense of."
"Adam is the one who's always preaching about God." Matthew sounded more bitter than he'd intended. After what happened with Sage, he'd been harboring resentment toward Adam. His brother claimed to be so deeply rooted in his Baptist origins, but Matthew wondered if Adam wasn't becoming as hypocritical as the abusive foster father who'd raised him.
Gareth's penetrating gaze held Matthew's. "You and your brother don't get along?"
"We used to," Matthew said, more to himself than to Gareth. "We were so close once."
"What's it like, having a twin? How does it feel, looking into another man's face and seeing your own image?"
"Strange at first. Adam and I were nearly thirty years old when we met. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I remember him from before we were separated as children."
"Your memory is a wonderful gift. Not everyone has a photographic memory. That's why I can't understand the problems with telepathy. Maybe it's just too much in there." Gareth smiled, tapping Matthew's head. "Too many facts and ideas. Too many details."
"There's no such thing as too many. There's so much to learn."
"So many of our kind waste centuries reveling in their physical power, but not you."
"Are you going to start teaching me or not?" Matthew asked, uncomfortable engaging in such personal conversation.
"We'll start with meditation, then move to visualization. At first I'll guide you, then in time you'll be guiding me."
"I've experienced visualization once." Matthew's stomach clenched at the memory. Years ago, Vincent had guided Matthew and Adam into a shared vision where he'd shown them the First Father. It had been an eerie experience---one that Matthew didn't care to repeat.
"It can also be a beautiful experience," Gareth said.
"Please don't read my thoughts again."
"I won't read them without your knowledge," Gareth agreed. "But if you want me to teach you, eventually you and I will have to practice telepathy."
"You're wasting your time. I told you, I just don't get it."
"I believe you will. You just have to believe it. Aren't you willing to try?"
"Yes, I'll try. I'm just not convinced. Also, I'm going to need to find a way to make money eventually. I can't live on what I brought with me indefinitely, and using an ATM is impossible."
Gareth's smile faded. "We can work that out later."
"Hiding my identity---"
"Won't be necessary, but we'll deal with that in time."
"If you have something to tell me, Gareth, just do it. I hate being kept in the dark, so to speak."
"Just keep training with me. Everything will work out in the end. It always does."
"It does?"
"Matthew, one thing at a time. Right now we have to meditate."
Matthew shook his head. He closed his eyes, but it felt like hours before he focused. His thoughts churned, and always Dulcie's face, form and irresistible scent infiltrated them.
On Saturday evening, Gareth and Matthew met in the training room so Gareth could accompany Matthew on his first guard duty.
As they walked to the lowest, darkest levels of the sewers, Gareth explained, "We post two guards per shift, sometimes three. Two works best because that way we only take two shifts a week. Shifts are generally twenty-four hours. Days are a little slower, but at night, the attacks are incessant."
"How many wolves are there?"
"We're guessing twenty or so, but we're not sure if they've been breeding. According to Judah, most of them have been fixed."
"What did he mean when he said he was one of them?"
"It's a personal story, so I won't go into detail. Let's just say while seeking out a cure for his wife, he became the subject of an experiment in which he was altered and blended with the werewolves. I have no knowledge of science, so I can't explain."
Matthew didn't comment, but thought to himself, Sounds like something Jay would do.
"Judah is very powerful. He's interested in the werewolves."
"I can see why. I don't like him, but I can understand his anger toward the Network. I wish I'd known about his wife. I wish he'd come directly to me."
"The Network has such tight control over our kind. I'll bet the Network has used your discovery as they see fit, and you didn't even think to question it."
"No. I didn't. I know the Network's function is to protect our kind as well as humans, but they're in need of change. Adam is young. He should be bringing them up to date. Instead, I sometimes think they're dragging him backward. He's had a lot to deal with, though. His career takes up so much time, and The Jury makes most of the decisions for the Network. He's a almost figurehead. He's also active in defending against vampiric crime..."
"Who are you trying to convince, Matthew?"
"I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything..." Matthew's voice trailed off as his keen hearing detected howls, growls and the sound of fighting.
"We're almost there," Gareth said. "Paul and Vick are on duty now."
They walked down a long corridor. Gareth pulled back a bolt on a thick metal door and turned to Matthew. "Brace yourself."
Matthew waited, his body tense and ready, his pulse racing. The sound of fighting grew louder. The scent of the wolves and the hybrids was overpowering.
"You pull the door," Gareth ordered.
Matthew obeyed and a hairy torso nearly leapt through. Gareth kicked the creature inside. Matthew joined him, yanking the door shut as he stepped into a small, steel-enforced room. A grate leading to a narrow tunnel was thrown open. Vick stood in front of the opening, fighting off a group of wolves, while Paul and Gareth managed to fling back the one that had tried racing out the door.
"Get the grate!" Paul shouted to Matthew, who lunged at the door as Vick leapt out of the corridor. The wolves hurled themselves against the grate. Claws slashed Matthew's clothes and skin. Still he managed to force the grate shut. Paul threw several bolts, then dropped back, panting.
"Bastards always manage to break through. At least once a week." Vick gasped, leaning against the wall.
Both hybrids were sweat-soaked and tired-looking.
Paul pushed himself to his feet. "I'm outta here."
"Good luck, Matthew." Vick glanced over his shoulder. "Judah and Frank will be down in a day to relieve you."
Matthew glanced at the two as they left. He snarled as a hairy paw wrapped around his neck and smashed him backward into the grate. Matthew grunted and pried the fingers loose while other claws tore through his clothes. He stumbled away from the grate, his lips curled back over his fangs as he glared at the mass of hairy bodies that slowly shrank back and disappeared down the corridor.
"Let's work on the bolts." Gareth picked up a wrench and approached the door. "Then we can rest until they come back. Be careful, too, because Judah said he thinks he's heard them pushing their way through the ceiling."
Matthew glanced up at a dent in the metal. "Great."
"Don't worry, Matthew. After a couple of shifts, you'll be a pro."
"Just what I always wanted."
"It's not a bad time to practice your magic, either. I've been working on a chant to raise a barrier. Telepathy and magic don't seem to work well with the werewolves, though. Maybe their brains are too primitive."
Matthew thought of Vincent's telepathic skill and said, "I don't think a primitive brain has anything to do with it."
\*
"Okay, I got it!"
Matthew glanced beside him as a tall, thickly built hybrid leaned on the grate and helped him hold it shut while Gareth slammed the bolts into place. A spear thrust through the space between them, nearly stabbing Matthew, who leapt out of the way. Growling, he turned to Judah, who poked the spear through the grate. The wolves slunk back.
"Come on, Matthew," Gareth said. "Our shift's over."
Thank goodness. Matthew blinked sweat from his eyes and shrugged his sore shoulders. "Those damn things are relentless. How many did we shoot?"
"Several, but they'll be back."
"I have to find a way to kill them."
"Why?" Judah demanded. "Because they're different from us? Typical."
Matthew lifted an eyebrow. "Surely you don't like them?"
"I'm one of them."
"Not by choice."
Judah's mahogany gaze flew to Gareth, and he bared his teeth. "You've been talking, old man?"
"Calm down, Judah," Gareth said. "I'm not in the mood. No, I didn't reveal your secrets. They're yours to keep."
Judah's hate-filled eyes glared at Matthew before he turned back to the grate. The sound of wolves drew closer. Before the beasts could appear, Matthew and Gareth hurried out the door.
"Well, I'm going to get some blood and some sleep," Gareth said. "I advise you to do the same."
Matthew sighed. There was no one he really cared to beg blood from, and he wondered how safe it would be to hunt. Just his luck, he'd approach a hybrid from the Network and give himself away.
"Well, looks like I'm just in time." Mindy, wearing a purple bra, matching shorts and black boots, approached Matthew. She stroked her throat as her gaze raked him from head to foot. "I'll give you a special deal. Twenty-five---"
"Mindy!" Gareth snapped. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. He's a guard and you're going to charge him for blood? You know that's against the rules."
Mindy's nose wrinkled. "Yes, well, he doesn't know that. Or at least he didn't."
"Part of our arrangement is some of the hybrids and humans offer us blood in return for our protection," Gareth explained to Matthew.
"I don't think it will be bad for either of us. You look like you can really give a love bite." Mindy reached out to place a hand on Matthew's chest, but he caught her wrist and pushed it away.
"Love is the key word," he said. "I'll make other arrangements."
"So my blood ain't good enough for you?" Mindy snarled. "You asshole. Who do you think you are? You'll never get a drop outta me, I'll tell ya!"
Matthew waved his hand in annoyance as he made his way out of the sewer.
Aboveground, the sun shone brightly---too brightly for an Immaculate in need of nourishment. He squinted against the harsh rays as he made his way to his building. Partway there, Paul raced up to him. "Matthew, you gotta help me."
"What's the matter?" Matthew sighed. He wasn't in the mood to help anybody--- except himself to a warm shower and a few hours' sleep.
"There was a fire last night a couple of blocks from here. Some of the hybrids are hurt bad. They're down in the training hall. It was the best place to bring them. There are some humans there, too. Not hurt. The wounded ones were taken to hospitals, but most of the hybrids refused. Thought too many questions might arise. There are some human families who lost everything. Will you come?"
"Of course. I'll get my supplies."
In his apartment, Matthew picked up his bag and gave one last, longing look toward his bed before following Paul down the sewer.
\*
"Matthew! We didn't get much time off, did we?" Gareth called from where he sat in a corner of the training hall, wrapping the arm of a wounded hybrid.
Matthew guessed about thirty people, hybrids and mortal---several of them children---sat there. The scent of blood, burned flesh and fear hung thick on the air. Geneva, Jimmie and Vick helped the wounded hybrids as best they could.
"Where are the worst cases?" Matthew asked.
"There." Geneva pointed toward the group of hybrids lying around Gareth. "I separated them."
"Good." Slipping on plastic gloves, Matthew stooped by a hybrid who'd been burned from head to foot. "This guy needs to be in a hospital."
The hybrid groaned in protest and tried inching away from Matthew.
"A hospital wouldn't work for him," Gareth said. "He's insane and would give himself---and us---away within moments. Just do what you can with him."
Matthew forgot his hunger and exhaustion as he set to work, muttering about the stupidity of this weird community.
"I have to see if I can get some food for these people." Paul glanced at the mortal families.
"Not only that, we're going to need more supplies," Vick said. "Storage is almost empty again."
"We're low on money, boys," Geneva reminded them.
"We're always out of money." Jimmie shrugged. "Nothing new."
"I have money." Matthew cursed himself for volunteering again. His father had spent several years in the military and he'd always said, "Never volunteer." But Matthew had never taken Buck's advice.
As Paul and Vick approached, Matthew said, "My jacket, inside left pocket. Just leave enough for another month's rent."
Gareth glanced at him from where he bent over another burned hybrid. "You don't have to do this."
Matthew sighed. "So what was that job you were telling me about?"
"I really didn't want to get you involved with that right now, at least until you've spent some more time with us. It's only fair that you're prepared---"
Matthew interrupted, "You know what they say, Gareth, tomorrow may never come."
"God, you're generous and beautiful." Geneva reached for Matthew, but he moved backward, his gloved hands still bandaging his patient.
"Can you keep your hands to yourself for once?" he said.
She folded her arms across her chest and shrugged. "I'm surprised you could even keep a wife, you cold, heartless---"
"Geneva! Make yourself useful!" Gareth snarled.
She cast Matthew one last, longing look before assisting Gareth.
\*
Several hours later, Gareth and Matthew sat in a corner of the training hall to finally get some sleep.
"So what's so terrible about this job?" Matthew asked. "Not much can shock me after everything I've seen, and I don't just mean since coming here."
"I realize that." Gareth closed his eyes and pulled his long coat up to his neck. The training hall was the driest, warmest place in the sewers. "I just thought you'd want to be better prepared, seeing how you are."
"What do you mean, seeing how I am? You scarcely know me."
Gareth smiled sleepily. "A person only needs to talk with you for a couple of moments to know you like everything done with precision. You like knowledge and preparation. In short, you have a perfection complex."
Matthew glanced at his filthy jeans and ripped leather jacket. "I'm dressed like this and I have a perfection complex?"
"I have seen your picture in the paper and on television. If you hadn't pulled back your hair on that first day, I never would have recognized you. Now that your beard is longer, it's a better disguise, but before, you looked just like your brother. He must not have been too happy about having his picture all over the news as well."
"Why was Adam's picture in the news?"
"He's your twin. They said you might be trying to look like him. I understand he was even picked up for questioning by the police."
Matthew sighed. He hadn't intended to hurt the people closest to him, but he'd managed to upset every one of them.
"Adam can handle it," Matthew murmured. "He can handle just about anything."
"Like you?"
Matthew rolled onto his side, kicked a rat away from his shoe and closed his eyes. "Are you going to tell me about this job? It's not illegal, is it?"
"According to the Network it is. Humans aren't involved at all. Hybrids and several Immaculates. That's why I wanted you prepared."
Matthew's eyes opened and he turned to Gareth. "Enough with the secrecy. Exactly what am I getting into, Gareth?"
\*
"I can't believe I've agreed to do this," Matthew said as he and Gareth waited outside an abandoned warehouse across town. The scent of hybrids and Immaculates was strong, even through the brick walls.
"You don't have to," Gareth told him. "You can wait until you feel you're ready."
"I'm ready."
"If you can fight off the wolves, you can do this, even though Immaculates come from all over the world to practice here."
"Practice and gamble."
"There's money to be made with this type of fighting. The Network has outlawed it."
"Of course. Apparently they weren't getting their share of the profits," Matthew said bitterly.
The door opened. Two hybrids dressed in red Tshirts and red pants with black stripes down the outsides of the legs stared at them.
"Gareth," said one of the hybrids, "Ms. Ferrer is waiting for you and your hopeful."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Hopeful?"
"In order for you to be admitted to the competition, you have to pass some tests," Gareth explained, "to ensure you're of high enough quality. It measures your strength, stamina and such. You'll have no problem passing."
"This way," said the other man in red.
Gareth and Matthew followed them down a short corridor and through a door at the end of the narrow hallway. They stepped into a large room with a high ceiling. Two ropes dangled from the ceiling, and two metal cylinders, like the ones in Gareth's training hall, stood in the center of the room, which was divided by a smooth metal barrier. A tall, blond Immaculate male stood beside a short, voluptuous hybrid female. She wore clinging black pants, high-heeled boots and a tight black halter top that accentuated her firm, curvaceous body. Like Dulcie, Matthew thought, forcing memories of his wife out of his mind. He had to concentrate on the task at hand.
The woman's straight, glossy black hair hung Cleopatra-style down her shoulders. Vivid blue eyes stared from beneath her sleek bangs. Burgundy blush and dark red lipstick brightened her full face. Her gaze swept over Matthew as he, Gareth and the men in red approached.
Her form was so much like Dulcie's. Her nipples poked against the black material barely restraining her full, firm breasts. Her hips flared beneath like those of a Greek statue, and flowed into rounded thighs. Matthew's cock twitched, then he reprimanded himself. This bitch was not Dulcie. Her expression was cold, hard and immovable as a glacier.
Gareth nodded. "Rosa."
"Gareth, let's see what you've brought me." She circled Matthew. "Take off your jacket."
Annoyed, Matthew slowly removed his jacket. Beneath, he wore a black tank top and black drawstring pants over his boots. Rosa's pale eyes lingered over his shoulders and biceps and trailed up long forearms lightly dusted with dark hair. Her discerning look stopped at his hands and she smirked.
Taking one of his hands, she examined his scarred palms, then his long, elegant fingers.
"Graceful." She dropped his hand and looked into his eyes. "Intelligent. Such a pretty mouth. You're no fighter. Gareth, you're wasting my time."
Gareth smiled. "You're so young, Rosa. Look deeper."
She stared hard at Matthew. "Powerful? Yes. Skilled? Perhaps. A fighter who will win in this ring? Never."
"I guarantee he'll surprise you."
"Who is this?" Matthew motioned with his head toward the woman.
She flung him a contemptuous look and said, "Darling, you must be from out of town."
"Rosa Ferrer is the daughter of a Spanish crime lord, now dead."
"Crime lord?" Rosa scoffed. "You do my father a disservice. He founded one of the finest martial arts schools in Spain. His fighters won tournaments all over the world."
"Yes, but how did they pay for their training? He ran an underground fighting ring where men---quite against the law---often fought to the death for his entertainment. He wasn't careful, however, and was murdered by a hybrid vampire."
"Yes, he murdered my father," Rosa said. "Not any big loss, but this vampire was intelligent enough to realize the daughter was more worthwhile than the father. He made me immortal. I took all my father's money and his idea for the competitions and moved to America. It's been over eight years since I started with a single stinking ring in an abandoned parking lot. Now I run the finest training ground for Immaculates in the world. There was little fun in mortal men. Only one fighter stood out among my father's pathetic crew---and he was no mortal, but a hybrid. Very beautiful. In fact, something about this one---" she nodded at Matthew, "---reminds me of him. Brett was his name. I was a child then---eighteen years old---but I had a mad crush on him. Of course, I didn't know he was a vampire until after I was changed."
Brett. Curcio Ferrer. No wonder the name sounded so familiar! Brett had often told the story of how, years ago, he and Jocelyn had first met while fighting each other in Curcio Ferrer's underground games. He wondered what his biological father and Jocelyn would think when they learned that Curcio's violent legacy lived on in New York City.
Rosa sighed. "Enough about me. We might as well test him and get it over." She glanced at the blond Immaculate. "Alfred is our best regular. Now...Gareth, what is his name?"
"Matthew."
Rosa glanced at him. "Now, Matt---"
"Matthew," he corrected.
"Of course." Rosa smiled wickedly. "You don't have to beat Alfred, but you do have to keep up with him to be admitted. Otherwise, you'll last all of two seconds and bore my audience as well as me. I don't want that."
"As you said, let's get this over with." Matthew's harsh gaze moved from Rosa to Alfred, who sneered, his fangs exposed and eyes glowing.
"Start with the ropes."
Alfred ran across the room and leapt, climbing the tall rope quickly.
Matthew, realizing the man had given himself a head start, felt the first stirring of anger. He tore across the warehouse, his fangs lengthening as he ran, and climbed the ropes. Within seconds he'd tied with Alfred. Together they touched the top, but Matthew beat him to the bottom.
Alfred narrowed his eyes at Matthew, who growled deep in his throat.
"Oh," Rosa purred, "a growler. I love it. Gentlemen, the cylinders."
Both Matthew and Alfred approached the metal cylinders. At a signal from one of the men in red, they attacked the metal with kicks, punches and strikes.
Rosa folded her arms across her chest, her fingers tapping her shoulders. "He's not bad, Gareth. Not the greatest skill I've ever seen, but he's fast and very strong. Maybe you're right. He might just surprise me."
The final test was to scale the barrier. This time, Alfred and Matthew started together, running across the room and leaping up the barrier. It took each of them several tries to penetrate the smooth metal enough for them to climb.
I feel like an idiot, Matthew thought as he bounded halfway up the wall and slipped down. Finally, he pulled himself over the top and leapt to the bottom, landing in a squat, Alfred beside him. For a long moment, both Immaculates glared at each other, their fangs exposed and chests heaving.
"You're in, Matthew," Rosa announced. She sauntered out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "Will you be fighting for blood or money?"
"Money," Gareth replied.
Rosa paused and licked her lips as her gaze trailed over the tank top clinging to Matthew's perspiring chest. "Maybe I'll toss in some of my blood as a bonus. Maybe."
She and Alfred left together.
Gareth whispered to Matthew, "Women always like your kind."
"My kind?"
"Sweet face, body like a god. Don't pretend you're unaware of it."
"I don't really care about it."
"I wonder what she's like?" Gareth pondered.
"Who?"
"You told me never to mention her."
Dulcie.
"I bet she's beautiful."
"Gentlemen, come with us," one of the red-garbed men said. "We'll bring you to the locker room where you can prepare for your fight."
The scent of excitement permeated the warehouse as Matthew and Gareth walked side by side to a ring in what had once been the loading dock. Rosa sat on a raised platform above the ring. Red-garbed hybrids stood at each corner of the ring and at the back and front entrances. A single light at the top of the thirty-foot ceiling illuminated the room. Matthew glanced at the small group of well-dressed hybrids seated in chairs around the ring or lingering at the bar at the far end of the room. The scent of alcohol mixed with blood wafted on the air.
Matthew felt many gazes upon him.
"They're deciding whether or not to bet on you," Gareth said.
"I can hardly wait."
"Remember what I told you. Be careful in there. No rules apply, much like fighting the wolves down below."
"What do you mean, no rules apply?"
Matthew paused as he neared the ring. The ropes were made of platinum-dipped barbed wire.
"How am I supposed to get in there?"
A shriek sounded across the warehouse as a tall Immaculate dressed in black shorts and a red T-shirt raced toward the ring. He leapt and somersaulted over the ropes, his ponytail snapping behind him as he landed. Fangs exposed, enormous muscles rippling in his forearms and shoulders, he snarled at Matthew.
"Gareth, I can't do that," Matthew said under his breath, glancing at the onlookers and Rosa, who awaited his entrance into the ring.
"I said you weren't as ready as you'd like to be. You don't have to somersault. Just jump in."
Muttering under his breath about looking like as ass, Matthew ran and sprang over the ropes, animal-like. No sooner had he landed than the redhead's foot lashed across his face, staggering him.
His opponent assaulted him with a relentless shower of kicks and punches. Matthew lifted his hands to protect his bleeding face, and a solid kick in the stomach sent him tumbling over the ropes.
The sounds of laughter mingled with boos. In the ring the redhead lifted his arms and shook his fists over his head, smiling. He hissed at Matthew.
"I lost?" Matthew asked Gareth as he stood, his arms scratched by the barbed wire. The platinum would leave scars that would take ages to fade.
"Not unless you give up. These fights are either three times out of the ring or until one cries mercy."
"Mercy?" Matthew wiped his bloody nose on his sleeve. "Don't bet on it."
He raced toward the ring and jumped in. The crowd gathered closer. This time when he landed, he was prepared for the redhead's onslaught. He blocked the barrage of powerful kicks, punches, elbows and knees. The other Immaculate possessed strength and experience, but Matthew finally saw an opening and landed a punch square in his face, sending the redhead sprawling onto his back.
Stunned by the force of Matthew's blow, the redhead leaned back on his elbows, his eyes unfocused. Bloody saliva dripped from his fangs and the corners of his mouth.
Above the onlookers' shouts of approval, Gareth bellowed, "Finish it, Matthew! Why the hell are you standing there?"
Matthew's moment of hesitation allowed the redhead to regain himself. He kicked Matthew's knee. Matthew dodged the first blow, but the man's other foot kicked him in the groin. Pain staggered him. The redhead leapt up, his knee smashing into Matthew's jaw.
To Matthew, the room suddenly went black. He felt himself tumbling.
"Oh, God." He choked on his own blood as he landed flat on his back.
As his vision cleared, he realized he'd fallen outside the ring again.
The redhead growled from the other side of the barbed wire as Matthew pushed himself to his knees, blood running in a steady stream from his lips.
"Edgar!" Rosa bellowed from the platform. The redhead glanced at her as she tossed a platinum-tipped stake at his feet.
Matthew took a step toward the ring, but Gareth grasped his arm. "That's enough, Matthew. We don't need her money this badly."
Matthew's vision blackened again, this time with utter rage. He snarled, "Fuck her and him!"
He leapt into the ring as Edgar lifted the stake to kill. After landing, he immediately sprang, kicking Edgar in the face. He landed, spun to the ground and knocked the redhead's feet out from under him.
Edgar growled and flipped to his feet. He feinted a kick at Matthew's abdomen, but lashed his foot hard across Matthew's face. Matthew caught his leg in one arm and his wrist in the other before the stake landed. Still holding Edgar's arm, Matthew kicked the man's base foot out from under him and twisted his wrist. Edgar shrieked as his arm snapped. Matthew's heel slammed into the redhead's groin. The man clutched himself in agony. Retrieving the stake, Matthew threw back his head and howled, neither caring nor remembering where he was. Stake poised to kill, he dove at Edgar.
"No!" the redhead shouted. "I give up! Goddamn it, you win!"
Matthew paused, his hand so tight on the stake that his fingers ached. Once again he howled long and loud before gazing out at the silent crowd. He glanced up at Rosa, whose blue eyes stared at him from her frozen face. Matthew flung the stake up to her so it landed at her feet.
He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. "I think I'm quite finished."
Leaping out of the ring, he met Gareth, who smiled and said, "Are you sure you're quite finished?"
Matthew tossed him a vicious look. "I cannot believe what just happened here. Where do we get paid?"
"Her majesty approaches now."
Rosa hurried to keep up with Matthew's long strides. "I haven't enjoyed a performance so much in years. I've never heard a vampire howl quite like that. Oh, I've heard my share of growlers and hissers, but that was an extraordinary sound. So sexual. When can you fight again?"
"How much did I make?"
"You get a thousand dollars."
"A thousand dollars?" Matthew wiped his bloody mouth. "I look like a guy who retained the wrong end of a grenade and all I get is a thousand dollars?"
"Darling, you're new and rough." Rosa trailed her fingertips over Matthew's biceps. He jerked away, though his gaze again strayed to her breasts in the tight black shirt. The fight had aroused him and made his blood catch fire. God, he wished Dulcie was around so he could wrap his arms around her, sink his fangs into her neck and bury his cock deep in her hot, slick pussy.
When he met Rosa's gaze, she smiled, blinking slowly, catlike. "You're going to need blood. Allow me to treat you and your friend."
Matthew forced himself to keep his eyes from her slim, white throat. "No thank you."
"Charlene!" Rosa called to the bartender. "Give Matthew and Gareth whatever they want."
Rosa took a wad of bills from her back pocket and tucked them into the front of Matthew's pants, her fingertips tracing the velvety flesh of his semierect cock through his pants. To his annoyance, it grew even harder and he repressed a shiver as desire stabbed his gut. He caught her wrist and snarled, "Don't ever do that again."
Rosa glanced at Gareth. "Such a gentleman you've brought us. I'll be seeing you both again, I'm sure."
Rosa sauntered away.
Matthew glanced at his bulging crotch and muttered, "Why do I feel like a call boy?"
Gareth laughed and motioned with his head toward the bar. "Come on. We can at least get some blood. And guess what, Matthew, it's out of a bottle so you don't even have to know where it came from."
"I'm a married man."
"Yes, and I'm still dying to know more about your wife." Gareth handed Matthew's jacket back to him.
Matthew sighed, shrugging on the jacket, counting the money and sticking it in his pocket.
Again his thoughts strayed to Dulcie, and he wondered if she thought about him as often as he thought about her. She was a lusty, beautiful woman. He knew the size of her sexual appetite. Would she remain faithful? Could he possibly expect her to? He wanted her to be happy, but part of him wanted her to miss him as deeply as he missed her.
Selfish bastard. He hadn't realized the extent of his self-centeredness until he was deprived of Dulcie. She allowed him to live exactly how he wanted, work whatever hours he chose to. She gave in to his every sexual desire and was his best friend---all without complaint. And he'd left her. Now he was in so deep, he just couldn't go back.
\*
In his room, Matthew glanced at his reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, washing blood from his face. The cuts and bruises had already begun to heal after the blood he'd drank at Rosa's bar, but the scratches on his arms remained raw and fresh. Luckily they weren't particularly deep, so he cleaned them, showered and stuck on bandages.
He'd just pulled on his jeans when Todd knocked on his door.
The boy stared at Matthew's healing face and bandaged arms before he yanked a baggy gray sweater over his head.
"Man, who kicked your ass?"
"Nobody---" Matthew playfully tweaked the boy's nose, "---and don't swear."
"What happened?"
"Nothing important."
"Ma says to come over for dinner. It's done."
Matthew followed Todd to the next-door apartment. He'd made an arrangement with Laurie. If she cooked for him, he'd supply her family's food. Laurie agreed the plan suited them both. She prepared breakfast and dinner for him daily. Lunch he handled on his own.
In the apartment, he took his place at the table beside Todd.
"God---" Laurie stared at him as she served bowls of stew, "---what the hell happened to you? Is it from those things in the sewer?"
"No," he muttered, "from the things across town."
"Huh?"
He shook his head. "This looks good. I really should learn how to cook."
"What did you do before you got married?"
"My mother cooked."
She giggled and pointed a ladle at him. "You're just too cute. I mean, you're like some guy out of a nineteen-sixties' sitcom. I bet you grew up in a suburban house with a white picket fence."
"Tan."
"Huh?"
Matthew shrugged as he accepted a slice of bread from the plate she held out. "It was a tan picket fence."
"I probably should have guessed a black picket fence. That's what you'd think a family of vampires would have."
"My family is not immortal. I was adopted."
"They adopted a vampire? Weird. How did they feed you blood?"
"They didn't know. They still don't know."
She narrowed her eyes. "Wasn't it hard for you? How did you keep it from them?"
"Long story."
"Guess you don't want to talk about it?"
"Not really."
"It's okay. I didn't get along too good with my parents---more my mom. My dad's in prison for life."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I never really knew him. Can't say I really knew my mom either. She had lots of boyfriends. Liked them better than me. One thing I'll never do is put no man above my kids. No more guys for me. I'm done."
"Maybe you just should be more selective?" he suggested.
"Selective? Don't you got eyes? Look at the scum in this neighborhood. You know you and Gareth are probably the only decent guys here."
"Ma, can I have more?" Todd asked.
"Sure." She ladled another helping of stew into the boy's bowl. "Eat up, kiddo."
"How's the baby today?" Matthew asked.
"Good. Real good. She ain't been sick since we got the medicine."
"Excellent."
"I made this real cool thing for dessert," she said. "They call it a torte. Ever seen one?"
Matthew smiled. "Yes. Laurie, have you ever thought of attending cooking school?"
"Cookin' school?" She shrugged. "Not a bad idea. I love to cook. Think you can make pretty good money doing that?"
"Not bad, I think, depending on the restaurant you work in."
"Think I could do that? Go to school? I got a GED. Was pregnant through most of high school, so I didn't graduate with the rest of my class."
"Why don't you look into it?"
"Where would you start with something like that?"
"Do you have a phone book?"
"Sure." She stood, walked to a drawer and tossed the yellow book to him.
He flipped through. "Here you go. There's a cooking school not far from here. Why don't you call them tomorrow?"
Laurie took her lower lip between her teeth. "You think so? I got the kids and all."
"You said Geneva watches them while you're at work. Why not while you're in school? I'm sure because of your income, arrangements can be made for tuition."
"Geneva might not want to do that."
"I'll talk to her."
"She'll listen to you." Laurie brightened. "Just watch yourself. She might give you a grab you know where."
"Where, Ma?" Todd asked.
"Just keep quiet and eat, kiddo."
Todd glanced at Matthew and shrugged as they both reached for more stew.
\*
Matthew spent the remainder of the week in the training hall, helping with the wounded and training with Gareth, Geneva and other hybrids and mortals experienced in the fighting arts. Pete taught him somersaults and backflips. The next time he entered Rosa Ferrer's ring, it would be with dignity. He was also determined to learn all he could about weapons from Geneva. Though she took particular joy in landing as many painful blows as possible, Gareth constantly reminded Matthew that if he didn't refrain from using his brute strength against her, he'd learn little.
"How much practice before I learn everything she knows?" he muttered one afternoon as he rubbed a particularly large bump on his shin.
"Well," Gareth drew a long breath and smiled, "she's had about six hundred years of experience. You're what? Forty years old?"
"Thirty-eight."
"A baby. Just a baby."
Matthew bristled with annoyance as he lit candles in the empty corridor outside the training hall. He and Gareth had been using it to practice magic in private. Tonight, Matthew actually looked forward to the meditation. Tomorrow he had another shift of guard duty---this time with Judah as his partner.
Morning came quickly, and he and Judah silently entered the small room to relieve Paul and Vick from their shift.
The wolves had been quiet for the past hour, so the guard change was remarkably simple.
Judah and Matthew stood alone at opposite ends of the room.
Judah extended his claws and examined their gleaming tips. "Heard you almost got yourself killed in Ferrer's ring."
"Who did you hear that from?"
Judah shrugged. "I'm not disloyal to my sources. I'm not a disloyal person, unlike my present company."
"How can you presume to know anything about me?"
"You're a rich doctor whose brother heads the Network. That's all I need to know. How long do you plan on slumming, Matt?"
"For as long as I have to, Jude."
"I heard you're married. Aren't you afraid something bad will happen to your wife while you're away? Shit, you don't even give a damn about her."
"Never mention my wife!" Matthew hissed, his fangs and claws extended.
"Why not? You might as well say you killed mine!" Judah snarled, his feet spread apart and his fists clenched at his sides as he howled long and loud.
"What the hell are you doing?" Matthew snapped, glancing toward the grate.
"Calling my cousins."
The sound of wolves echoed down the corridor. Several of the beasts flung themselves against the grate, shaking the room.
Judah released the bolts. Matthew jumped to stop him, but he was too late. Together, the Immaculates rolled into a wall as the wolves burst through.
Judah howled as he fought the wolves. Matthew's howls joined the others as he tried forcing the wolves back into the corridor. Judah made his way to the door, relatively unhindered, and called, "Have a fun watch, Dr. Winter!"
Judah's laughter echoed as the door slammed shut, trapping Matthew with the wolves.
Panic struck him as he shoved the hairy bodies toward the grate, pulling his gun and shooting. It took him nearly an hour to secure the grate by himself. He leaned against the wall, panting, drenched in blood and sweat.
He had to get out of there! No one knew he was alone except for Judah, who was off gloating somewhere. Even if he shouted for help, no one would hear him. He was too far below.
His only chance was to run for it.
He reached the door, but the wolves' breath and clicking toenails sounded up the corridor. Inevitably, they'd break through again. If he left for help, they'd overrun the sewers, then the city. God knows what would happen when they got loose. He'd have to handle the shift himself. It was only twenty-four hours.
Only, he thought, if I live that long.
\*
Matthew snarled as he flung the bolts through the locks. He glanced up sharply, saliva dripping from his fangs. The ceiling dented down farther. It was only a matter of time before the wolves broke through.
Time. He didn't even know exactly how much had passed since Judah left him. Within hours his bullets had run out. His two spears had snapped, making them almost useless for distance fighting.
He felt like an animal, a rabid beast, devoid of emotion. Never in his life had he been so tired, yet each time he heard those growls, he mustered some reserve and managed to defend himself. By rights the wolves should have been dead a hundred times over, but as Gareth and the others had warned, they kept coming back.
Matthew's clothes and skin were ripped to shreds. His sweat-and blood-soaked hair matted against his scalp and neck.
I'm going to die in here. No one's coming back. Twenty-four hours was up ages ago.
Only his ability to block the narrow entrance when the wolves broke through the grate saved him. He held them off one at a time until they eventually fell back for a few moments, then he fixed the locks.
The door burst open and he spun, his nerves close to shattering. His lips drew back over his fangs and his gory claws poised to slash out the first throat they contacted. Hoarse growls rumbled in a throat raw from screaming.
"Matthew, my God!" Gareth said, Paul behind him.
Matthew sagged gratefully against the wall.
"I can't believe that asshole!" Paul snarled. "Goddamn Judah. He said he split a shift between you and Vick. Vick's been gone for two days!"
"Two days?" Matthew rasped. "I've been down here for---"
"Forty-eight friggin' hours," Paul said. "You okay?"
Matthew shook his head and stumbled out of the room. Wolves growled behind him, but even as Gareth and Paul began fighting them through the grate, their actions sounded as if from a great distance.
Matthew closed the door, walked a couple of feet, and lay on the damp floor in the corridor.
He tugged what was left of his jacket around him and closed his eyes. His last conscious thought was, I'm going to kill Judah.
\*
Matthew awoke an hour later and pushed himself to his feet. His entire body ached. Cursing, he pressed a hand to his lower back as he slowly walked to the training hall, where he cleaned up a little before making his way to the streets above.
"Are you all right?" Geneva asked, wrinkling her pert little nose at him. "You're a mess."
He ignored her as he wiped his face on a towel.
"You need blood," she said. "Mindy is walking the corridors down here tonight---"
Matthew's look stopped her mid-sentence.
She shrugged, turning away. "Laurie starts her classes tomorrow, so I'm watching her kids like you asked me to."
"Good."
"In the morning, we'll be at your house to watch cartoons."
"What's wrong with their house?"
"I said the only way I'd do all that baby-sitting is if you helped me when I need it. Well, your television has a better screen."
Matthew shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, too tired to argue.
As if in a daze, he walked out of the sewer and to his room. After undressing, he didn't bother showering but flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.
\*
"Matthew?"
The room was dark, so black that even Matthew's vampiric eyes couldn't discern the shape of anything, but he knew her voice, her scent. His pulse raced and his breathing quickened. She was here!
"Dulcie?" he called. "Dulcie?"
He turned and she was in his arms, her cheek nuzzling his chest, her arms tight around his waist.
"Matthew, I miss you so much." She squeezed him hard.
They were naked, their bodies warm. Her full breasts felt so good pressed against his torso. The nipples hardened, rubbing him as his swollen cock felt so deliciously trapped between their bodies.
He rained kisses across her forehead and cheeks. His mouth covered hers, his eyes slipping shut as he relished the softness of her lips and the gentle stroking of her tongue against his. Gentle fingers sifted through his hair and her warm palm caressed the back of his neck.
"I love you, Matthew. I love you so much."
"I love you more than anything, Dulcie." Lifting her, he buried his face in her shoulder. Her bare flesh felt so smooth and warm. God, he wanted to devour her, love her, hold her forever! "I want to be with you so much."
"You can't!" Panic sounded in her voice. He felt as well as smelled her fear. "You have to stay away. The Network is still looking for you. So are the police."
"Are you all right? That's all I care about."
"Yes, I'm fine."
"You're hiding something from me."
"I'm not."
"Dulcie---"
"Matthew, don't waste what time we have, even if it is just a dream."
"This is a dream, isn't it?" he whispered. If felt so real, yet he was asleep. Wasn't he?
Several feet in front of them, a dim light shone upon a bed of black silk. He walked to the bed and placed her on it. Kneeling beside her, he was so transfixed by her that he scarcely noticed the smoothness of the sheets beneath his legs. As his gaze held hers, powerful emotions threatened to overcome him. It seemed like forever since he'd seen her, held her.
"Let me touch you," he whispered, running his fingertips through her hair and down her cheek. He traced the shape of her lips, his pulse skipping when the tip of her moist, pink tongue flicked across his finger. How he wanted to feel that tongue and those lips on his cock!
It throbbed and swelled, brushing against her soft flesh as he stretched out on his side next to her and stroked her beautiful white throat.
"You are so beautiful," he said, his hand curving around one full breast, his thumb circling the nipple. "I felt like I'd never see you again."
"I've been so worried about you, Matthew." She caressed his bearded jaw and ran her fingers through his hair. "Are you safe?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
Closing his eyes, he rested his head against her breast and extended his claws, drawing gentle circles on her hip. His touch didn't break the skin, but tickled it.
Moving his hand lower, he sheathed the claws again and caressed the delicate flesh rimming her pussy. It was damp. Her warm juices bathed his finger as it slid inside her, feeling, loving her by touch. Beneath his cheek, her heart beat faster.
"I love you so much, Matthew."
"I love you, too, my sweet, loving wife."
"Oh, Matthew." She wrapped her arms around him. They clung to one another as if nothing could ever part them again. "You're hungry. I can sense it."
Even in the dream, his need for blood was almost unbearable.
"Drink from me." She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Make love with me, Matthew."
His pulse racing with desire, Matthew took her lower lip between his fangs and pricked gently. He licked the blood away and kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking hers and tasting every corner of her warm, wet mouth.
Tangling her fingers in his long, thick hair, she kissed him with equal vigor. Her smooth leg slipped between his. She stroked his calf with her foot and sank her fingers into his bottom, squeezing the ultra-firm muscles.
Matthew lifted his face from hers and gazed into her glowing, vampiric eyes.
"My love," he whispered, kissing her brow and eyelids. With long, savoring sweeps of his tongue, he lapped her throat and collarbone. Pressing soft kisses over every voluptuous inch of each breast, he avoided her nipples, saving the delectable ruby peaks for last. As he licked and kissed her torso, his hands danced across her thighs and pelvis. Long, sensitive fingers stroked through her pubic curls and dipped into her drenched pussy, gathering wetness that he used to tease her plump clit.
Finally he took one of her nipples between his lips and tongued the delicate-skinned nub. Dulcie moaned with desire, the sound more beautiful to his ears than the softest magical chant. He used the tip of one fang on her nipple and she cried out in total surrender. Gripping his head close, she arched against him, her pelvis thrusting against his rubbing hand.
Growling with need, Matthew loomed over her, prodding her slick entrance with the tip of his cock, so swollen with passion that he felt it might burst before the first full thrust.
"Oh, Matthew!" she cried, clinging to him with arms and legs, her breasts crushed against his heaving chest.
"Dulcie, my love!" he panted, his eyes closed tightly, his lips hovering over her throat. "My darling, darling wife!"
His cock swept into her, then withdrew almost to the tip. As he impaled her again, his teeth sank deeply into her flesh and he drank and came, quenching his thirst and his desire...
\*
Matthew jerked awake, his heart pounding and his body tingling in the aftermath of perfect sexual gratification. Dazed, he glanced around the familiar, dingy little room, the pain of longing sharper than any from the physical wounds he'd received over the past several days.
He was completely alone. Though her scent filled the room, Dulcie was not beside him. Blinking away tears, he closed his eyes and lay back down, wishing he could return to that wonderful dream and never wake up. It had been more like a vision than a dream. So agonizingly real that his chest and throat ached with repressed sorrow.
Unable to fall back to sleep, he walked to the bathroom, shocked to find his wounds had almost completely healed. Even the scars left by the platinum barbs in Rosa's ring had faded a bit. It appeared as if he'd taken a large amount of blood and his body had regenerated quickly. He even felt better, powerful, yet he hadn't taken a drop of blood since he'd left the sewer.
"It couldn't have been," he murmured, clutching his wedding ring that dangled from the shoelace around his neck. His magic wasn't nearly strong enough to incite such an experience. Sighing, he closed his eyes. "Dulcie, if it was a vision, can you still hear me? I love you. I love you so, so much!"
As Matthew entered the training hall, his gaze locked with Judah's. The other vampire wore a taunting expression in spite of a glimmer of mild surprise. He stood beside Gareth, who glanced anxiously from one Immaculate to the other.
"Have a fun watch, Matt?"
"Judah!" Gareth snapped, grasping the man's bulging biceps as Judah raised his hands to fight.
Matthew approached, his arms relaxed at his sides. He willed his fangs into submission as he smiled at Judah. "It was an experience. I love new experiences."
"It won't happen again, Matthew," Gareth said. "I assure you."
"I assure you it will." Matthew's gaze remained fixed on Judah's. "From now on, I'll take every scheduled watch alone."
Judah snorted. "I knew you were an arrogant prick, but I really didn't think you were stupid."
"That's ridiculous, Matthew," Gareth interjected.
"Obviously it isn't. If I could do it once, I can do it again even better. It's good training, wouldn't you say, Jude?"
Judah glared, his teeth grinding. His booted foot kicked the wall behind him, scattering fragments of brick. He marched silently out of the training hall.
Gareth shook his head at Matthew. "You can't be serious?"
"There's no reason why I can't take a shift alone. It will make fewer shifts during the week, and it will be good training, particularly if I'm going to be a regular in Rosa Ferrer's competitions."
Gareth shrugged. "I suppose you have a point. You liked it, didn't you?"
"Fighting those wolves alone for two days? Absolutely not."
"I meant Rosa Ferrer's competition. I could sense how much it excited you."
"No," Matthew murmured. "I just did what had to be done."
"You have a lot of power and innate instincts. Part of us is primitive, and it's especially true of alpha male Immaculates. It's a violent world down here, Matthew. If you lie to yourself, your own instincts will devour you."
Matthew sighed, running his hand over the brick wall. A surge of power swept through him just from thinking about the fight. "All right, maybe I liked it a little, but it doesn't mean anything."
"Oh no?" Gareth smiled before walking away and leaving Matthew with his thoughts.
Dulcie, what would you think of all this? I believe part of you would love it as much as I do. I wish we were together.
"I wish," Matthew whispered, closing his eyes. "I wish."
\*
Three weeks later
Matthew's fists slammed the metal pole in the training hall. He growled, his fangs exposed and his heart pounding from rage as much as from physical exertion.
He'd been there for hours, hoping to calm the emotions that had burned him for nearly a week. Out of desperation for his old life and agonizing need for Dulcie, he'd returned to Boston, planning to find a way to prove his innocence. To his irritation, Gareth had actually convinced Matthew to let him join him. Fortunately, Gareth's magical skills had come in handy.
Things were even worse in Boston than Matthew had imagined. The research center as well as the hospital crawled with Network agents. One had actually caught him watching the center from a distance and pulled a gun on him. Matthew had managed to turn the tables and forced the man into an abandoned train station, where Gareth had used his psychic powers to search their captive's mind.
Virtually the entire Network hunted Matthew, with a surprising number of them paid under the table by Jay Ashford. The bastard wanted Matthew dead.
Matthew's first impulse was to track down Ashford and tear him limb from limb. When Gareth convinced him to think before he leapt, Matthew saw clearly the incredible danger he'd left Dulcie in. With so many agents after him, he would be caught. Even if Matthew managed to escape, Ashford would think he'd made contact with Dulcie. Matthew shuddered to think of what might happen to her then.
The safest way for him and those he loved would be to stick to his original plan. He needed to hide until the Network lowered their guard, then he could slip back to Boston and find a way to prove his innocence and Jay's evil. The only way he could truly protect Dulcie from the likes of Jay would be to keep as far from her as possible.
The separation was nearly destroying him. Usually, when he was upset, he could throw himself into his work and block out the world. Without his research, he needed to vent his energy elsewhere. He practiced fighting constantly and took as many shifts with the wolves as he could handle, hoping he might find a moment of calmness through sheer physical exhaustion.
It never seemed to work.
In Rosa's ring he'd already gained a deadly reputation. Two days ago, he'd killed a man for the first time there. He'd tried ending the fight after nearly knocking the other Immaculate senseless. The man had a platinum dagger hidden in his boot and almost stabbed Matthew in the back when he'd turned to leave the ring. To the delight of the crowd, a struggle ensued. After sustaining a slash across his chest, Matthew had wrestled the knife from the other vampire and instinctively turned the blade on him. Afterward another instinct had taken over---the desire to heal. But it was too late. His aim had been true and his opponent was dead.
That kill hadn't rested well with Matthew. Few times in his life had he been angry and desperate enough to take a life.
"I think it's dead."
Matthew stopped hitting the badly dented pole and spun, facing Pete.
"Good. Then it fits my mental state," Matthew growled.
"Sheesh, what a grouch."
Matthew's teeth ground as he unwound the sweaty wraps from his hands and headed topside. He wondered if he hadn't been better off handing himself over to The Jury, even if it meant death. When he finally had the opportunity to return to his old life, he feared he might have changed too much to be worthy of Dulcie again.
About the author
A lifelong fan of action and romance, Kate Hill likes heroes with a touch of something wicked and wild. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in publications both on and off the Internet. When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys dancing, martial arts, and researching vampires and Viking history.
Kate Hill welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora's Cave Publishing at 1337 Commerce Drive, #13, Stow, Ohio 44224.
Also by Kate Hill:
Ancient Blood: Darkness Therein
Ancient Blood: Deep Red
Ancient Blood: Immaculate
Ancient Blood: In Black
Ancient Blood: The Blood Doctor
Ancient Blood: The Holiday Stalking
By Honor Bound anthology
Forever Midnight anthology
Horsemen 1: Dream Stallion
Horsemen 2: Captive Stallion
Horsemen 3: Highland Stallion
Knights of the Ruby Order 1: Torn
Knights of the Ruby Order 2: Crag
Knights of the Ruby Order 3: Lock
Midnight Desires
Moonlust Privateer
Vampires at Heart anthology
Discover for yourself why readers can't get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora's Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

