All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire (21 page)

He removed his red Santa cap with the attached wig. “That’s one.” He took off the beard. “And that’s two.” He tossed them on the table. “Yer turn.”

“What’s the secret Santa thing? And what are you all hiding behind the locked door across from the nursery?”

He circled his fingers around her ankle again. “That’s two questions.”

“But they’re related, aren’t they?”

“Och, now that’s three.”

She nudged him with her foot, and the bell on her slipper jingled. “Just answer the question.”

He smiled. “Roman started the Secret Santa Pact in 1950 when he became coven master. We have a few Vamps around the country who work the night shift, sorting mail for the post office. Each year, they gather the letters addressed to Santa, and we collect toys. Then on Christmas Eve, some Vamps dress up like Santa to deliver the goods, including places like halfway houses and women’s shelters.”

Toni sat silent for a while, absorbing this latest news. What more proof did she need that these Vamps were kind and noble? “That is so awesome.”

“Thank you.” He pulled both her feet into his lap and removed one of her green slippers. “We enjoy it quite a bit.” He took off the second slipper. They jingled when he tossed them on the table.

“You mean you’re one of the Santas?”

“Aye. I’ve been doing it since I came here to work in 1955.” He slid one of her fuzzy red socks off. “There are a hundred of us now.” He pulled off her other sock.

“What are you doing?”

“I answered yer questions.” He threw the socks on the table. “Two questions.”

“But you removed four articles of clothing.”

“Nay. Socks and shoes come in pairs.” He wrapped his hands around one of her feet and began massaging it.

How could she argue when it felt so good? “Okay. Ask your next question.”

He sat there, quietly rubbing her foot while he considered. “Do ye want children?”

That surprised her. “Yes.”

He removed his belt and sword and slid them down the table to the pile of clothes.

“That’s it?” she asked. “One lousy belt?”

“’Twas an easy question for you.”

“Do you want children?” She knew the answer wouldn’t be easy for him. He could never have children if he married a Vamp.

“If I ever have children, I would consider myself greatly blessed.”

“That’s a bit evasive. But still nice.” She uncinched her brown leather belt, and her wooden stakes clattered onto the table.

He stood and shoved the stakes across the table, so that they tumbled onto the floor.

“A bit sensitive about those, aren’t you?”

“Aye.” He plucked the feathered cap off her head and tossed it onto the pile of clothing.

“What are you doing?”

“Ye asked a question, and I answered it. In fact, I just answered another one.” He tugged at the lacings on her green elfin tunic.

“Stop that.” She swatted his hand away. “Those questions didn’t count. That was normal conversation. Now ask an official question, please.”

“Verra well.” He sat back down in his chair and studied her. “What do ye want most in life?”

“That’s a big one. You’ll have to remove five articles of clothing for that answer.”

“Four.”

“All right, four. But I get to choose which ones.”

He smiled. “Agreed.”

What did she want the most? “Every morning, I start my day with four affirmations. I guess you could say they’re what I want most in life. Or what I want to believe the most. The first one is I deserve to be happy.”

“Aye, ye do.”

She slid off the table. “I’m taking your boots.” She yanked them off and smiled at his argyle socks. So Scottish.

“Yer second affirmation?” he asked.

“I will accomplish my goals.”

He nodded. “Ye have worthy goals.”

She unbuttoned his red velvet jacket. “Take it off, Santa.”

He tossed the jacket on the table, along with the small pillow that had masqueraded as a belly. “Go on.”

“Number three is I will achieve something meaningful with my life.”

“That is important. That’s why I fight the Malcontents.” He stood when she tugged on his white T-shirt. He pulled it over his head and tossed it aside.

She eyed his bare chest. The patch of black, curly hair, the strong pecs, the six-pack abs. His red velvet pants were tied at his hips by a white drawstring. She took the end of the white cord in her fingers and gently pulled.

“And the fourth affirmation?”

She glanced up at his face. “It’s always been the hardest one for me to believe.” And the hardest to confess. Her eyes stung with tears. “I am worthy to be loved.”

“Lass.” He smoothed back her hair. “I have never met anyone more worthy of love than you.”

“Ian.” She touched his face. “That’s what I think about you.”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back with all the passion that had grown inside her for days. He slanted his mouth over hers and invaded her with his tongue. Her knees grew weak. There was such hunger in his kiss. It made her feel desperate. Feverish.

She raked her hands down his smooth, bare back. “I want you.”

“Ye have me.” He wadded her green elfin tunic in his fists and pulled it up and over her head. Her long-sleeved red T-shirt soon followed. Before she could lower her arms, he had her bra unclasped.

“You’re very quick.”

“Aye.” He flung her bra aside. “Like you, I intend to accomplish my goals.” He cupped one of her breasts.

Her nipples hardened under the gaze of his red, glowing eyes. She squeezed her thighs together. “What is your goal?”

“To make ye moan.” He rubbed his thumb over a tight nipple, and she did moan. “To make ye shudder and scream.” He leaned over to take her nipple into his mouth. He suckled, teased her with his tongue, then gently tugged.

She shuddered and leaned back in his arms.

“I want to feast on you.” He gave his attention to her other breast.

Through a haze of sensual pleasure, she recalled that word feast. He was tormenting her nipple with his tongue. Were his fangs next? “You want to bite me?”

He lifted his head and gave her a look of admonishment. “I’m no’ doing this for food.”

“But you said feast.”

His mouth quirked. “I was referring to oral sex. Do ye have any objection to letting me kiss and suck on you?”

She gulped. “No, that would be fine.”

He slid his fingers underneath the waistband of her red tights and slowly tugged them down. “And ye’ll no’ be shy about getting all juicy when ye come on my face?”

“No,” she squeaked.

He smiled as his hands curved over her bare rump, dragging her tights down further. “Naughty lass, ye’re no’ wearing undies.”

“I learned that from you.” She smoothed her hands over his biceps, then over his shoulders and onto his chest. “You’re the most beautiful man.”

He snorted. With her tights rolled halfway down her thighs, he grabbed her at the waist and set her on the table. Then he grasped her tights and finished dragging them down her legs.

“I’ve been wanting to touch yer legs for days.” He lifted them and rested her ankles on his shoulders. “So long and golden, kissed by the sun.” He slid his hands down to her thighs and turned his head to kiss her calf.

Toni squirmed on her bare rump, becoming more and more aware of the slow, throbbing need between her legs. He moved forward, coming closer to her core, kissing the inside of her knee, her thigh. The red glow of his eyes in the dark sent a thrill through her. God, she wanted him.

“Please.” She fell back onto the table. She hooked her feet around the back of his neck to pull him closer.

He stroked his fingers across her belly, and she trembled. “By all the saints, I can smell yer scent. It’s so sweet. I canna resist tasting you.”

His words struck a primeval need inside her, making her even more wet. And ready. She opened her thighs to him.

His eyes burned red. He dragged his fingers into her curls, then leaned forward. “I want to see yer face when I touch you for the first time.”

She focused on his red eyes, then gasped when his fingers slid between her legs. She shuddered as he stroked her gently, easing his way between her sensitive folds. She saw a flash of white teeth as he smiled.

“Ye’re so verra wet.” He inserted a finger inside her. “And verra warm.”

“Yes.” She pushed against him.

“Och, puir lass.” He waggled his finger inside her. “Ye’re in sore need of attention.” With his other hand, he tweaked her clitoris.

She squeaked. He pressed against her, and she pushed back.

She dug her fingernails into the table. “Please, hurry.”

He removed his finger. “We’ll take it slow next time.” He sat in a chair and rolled it up to the table. Meanwhile, he cupped her bottom and pulled her up to his face.

“This, sweetheart, is what I mean by a feast.” He pounced on her, dragging his tongue over her engorged skin, probing, tasting, licking.

Toni squirmed, and he held her steady. She panted, closing her eyes as all sensation centered on her hot skin and his glorious mouth. He tickled her clitoris, then sucked on it gently. She cried out. Her legs tensed. His tongue flitted.

She screamed. A heart-stopping, delicious shudder crashed over her, then swelled up to crash over her again and again.

“Och, Toni.” He stood and pulled at the drawstring on his red velvet pants. “I’m dying for you.”

He stopped suddenly, tilting his head and frowning.

“What is it?” She struggled to sit up. Her body was a melted heap of frazzled nerve endings.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered. “The alarm has gone off.”

Ian cursed again as he threw on his Santa coat. With vampire speed, he buttoned it up and yanked on his boots.

What bloody awful timing. He would have been tempted to let Connor or Angus deal with this, but the alarm had been triggered by an emergency psychic call for help from Phineas. Ian had taught the young Vamp how to fence. He had to be there for Phineas, no matter how much he wanted Toni. And God, he wanted her.

She was leaning over to pull on her red tights. Her long blonde hair fell forward, partially hiding her flushed face. She straightened, flipping her hair back as she wiggled the tights over her hips. By all the saints, he’d never realized that putting clothes on could be so sexy.

“Bloody hell,” he whispered.

“Is it bad?” She snatched her bra off the floor.

“Aye. It’s downright painful. I’m rock hard and about to explode.” He belted on his sword.

She paused with her bra half on. “I was referring to the attack.”

He glanced at the window overlooking the parking lot. It was still snowing, so visibility was bad. “I can hear them outside. Phineas must have been making the rounds.”

He put on his beard, wig, and hat. “Stay here. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“But I should help. It’s my job.” She pulled on her red T-shirt.

“Stay here,” he repeated. “There are plenty of Vamps to take care of the matter.”

“You don’t think I’m strong enough to fight a Malcontent, do you?”

“Honestly, I’d rather no’ find out.” He teleported to the parking lot and saw the tracks in the snow where other Vamps had crossed the pavement to the woods. He heard the clash of swords in the distance. Drawing his own sword, he zoomed toward the noise.

As he entered the woods, the snowfall became lighter as snowflakes were caught by the canopy overhead. He spotted a dozen red Santa suits in a clearing. They were standing still, so each had a slight dusting of snow on his hat and shoulders. Most of the Santas had formed a loop around a pair engaged in a duel. Phineas and a Malcontent, dressed in black. They circled each other slowly.

Two more Santas had a second Malcontent pinned against a tree with their swords poised to strike his heart.

Ian joined the circle of Santas. “What happened?” he whispered to the man on his right.

“Phineas was making his rounds in the woods here,” the Santa answered, and Ian recognized Robby MacKay’s voice. “Two Malcontents jumped him, and he called for help. We sounded the alarm and came running.”

Swords rang out as the Malcontent lunged at Phineas. He parried the attack and forced the Malcontent to retreat.

“We captured that one.” Robby nodded toward the second Malcontent pinned against the tree. “The other one challenged Phineas to a duel, and he accepted.”

Ian watched the duel carefully, gauging each one’s skill. They appeared evenly matched, though he detected more desperation from the Russian.

“Let’s go, Stanislav!” the captured Malcontent yelled. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

“The second I see your body start to teleport, I’ll stab you through the heart,” one of his captors warned. Ian recognized his French accent. Jean-Luc Echarpe.

“The devil take it,” the second captor grumbled. It was Angus. “Let’s just skewer the bastard and get it over with.”

“I’m unarmed!” the captive shouted.

“Ye were armed two minutes ago before ye threw yer sword down,” Angus argued. “Look, Yuri. Aye, no need to look surprised. I know who ye are. ’Tis a simple matter of being time-efficient. If we doona kill ye now, ye’ll just come back, and we’ll have to do it later. So I say we slaughter you now. ’Twill save us all a lot of time.”

Jean-Luc chuckled. “You expect him to agree with you?”

“If you’re as good and noble as you claim to be,” Yuri said, “then you’ll never kill an unarmed man.”

“Och, I hate it when they say that,” Angus growled.

Jean-Luc pressed the point of his sword against Yuri’s throat. “Don’t be a coward, Yuri. Pick up your weapon, and we’ll settle this like men.”

“Now ye’ve scared him,” Angus said. “I think he’s wet his pants.”

“I did not!” Yuri protested. “Stanislav, I’ll leave without you.”

Stanislav was busy with Phineas. Both men eased slowly to their right, their legs bent, their swords ready.

“Stan the man, you’re going down,” Phineas spoke softly. “Why are you doing this? I always thought you were pretty decent. You were the only Russian I could stand to talk to.”

“You double-crossed me, you bastard.” Stanislav slipped in the snow and quickly righted himself. “You tricked me into telling you where Katya was.”

“She was a bitch, Stan. Haven’t you realized yet that you’re on the wrong side? You’re one of the bad guys.”

“Traitor!” Stanislav lunged forward, swinging his sword wildly.

Phineas blocked each move, and Stanislav fell back, breathing heavily.

Phineas circled him. “You’re not going to live through this, Stan.”

“Let’s go!” Yuri yelled.

“I can’t!” Stanislav wiped sweat from his brow. “Jedrek will kill me if I don’t kill Phineas.”

“You’re up shit creek.” Phineas advanced, and with an expert thrust, he sent Stan’s sword flying from his hand.

Stanislav backed away.

Phineas grazed the tip of his sword on Stanislav’s chest. “The way I see it, you have three options. You can be killed by me, killed by Jedrek, or you can join our side.”

“Now wait a minute.” Angus strode toward them. “I seriously doubt we could ever trust this bastard.”

Stanislav vanished. Ian turned just in time to see Yuri teleport away, too.

“Merde,” Jean-Luc muttered.

Angus sighed. “Ah well.” He patted Phineas on the back. “Ye did well, lad.”

Phineas sheathed his sword. “I should’ve killed him when I had the chance. I just…”

“Dinna want to?” Angus asked. “That’s what makes you one of us, lad. We kill when we have to, but we doona relish it.”

“But he’ll just come back,” Phineas said.

Angus rested an arm around his shoulder. “There are always bad vampires in want of killing. I’ve lived over five hundred years, and that has never changed. One thing that time has taught me is there’s no need to be in a hurry to kill.”

“Aye, that’s true.” Connor spoke from the circle. “Ye kill one, and two more show up the next night.”

“It’s freezing out here,” Roman observed. “Let’s get back to the party.”

The Santas walked back to the parking lot. Ian sheathed his sword.

Robby leaned toward him and whispered, “Ye’d better wash her scent off before Connor or Angus get a whiff of you.” He strode off to join the other Santas.

Ian winced. He waited till all the Santas had entered Romatech, then he zoomed down to the silver room. With vampire speed, he showered and redressed.

He sprinted to the stairs. When he heard a dinging sound behind him, he glanced back. The elevator doors opened, and Toni stepped out.

“Toni.” He strode toward her. So much for her doing as he asked and staying in the conference room.

She spun around. “Ian. What are you doing down here? I thought you’d be with Phineas.”

“I was, but…what are you doing down here?”

She lowered her voice. “I was in the foyer, finding out what happened outside, when Emma MacKay whispered to me that I should retire for the evening. She’s one of the big bosses, so I didn’t want to argue, but I got the impression that she knew what we’d been doing…”

“Vamps have a verra good sense of smell. I received a similar warning.”

She stepped closer. “They can smell that we…you know?”

“I know verra well. Unfortunately, a few others have noticed, too.”

“Good grief,” she muttered. “Can’t we get a little privacy around here?”

Ian grinned. “Are ye so eager to jump in bed with me?”

“Quiet.” She glanced around the hallway. “I don’t want to get you in trouble. And I don’t want to get fired. I sure don’t want to lose my memory, not after…you know.”

“Are ye referring to how ye gushed all over my face?”

She winced. “We shouldn’t talk about that.” She glanced around the hallway again.

“We’re all alone, sweetheart.”

She scanned the ceiling. “But there are surveillance cameras around here somewhere.”

“Aye. That’s why I havena taken you into my arms.” He folded his arms over his chest. “I just took a cold shower, and it dinna help.”

“Oh, Ian.” She sighed. “I don’t know where we can go. All the bedrooms down here have cameras.”

“I’ll figure out something. It’ll be easier once Connor takes Roman back into hiding. And Jean-Luc is having a house party in Texas, so a lot of the guests are teleporting there later tonight.”

“That’s good.” Toni yawned.

“Ye’re tired. Go on to bed, sweetheart.” As he watched her enter the silver room, he knew he could never give her up. He wasn’t sure how he could fit into her plan to run an orphanage and school. But he knew he loved her enough that he couldn’t bear for her to sacrifice any of her dreams. Somehow they would make it work.

Connor wouldn’t dare erase her memory if she was engaged to him. That was a big step, but it didn’t cause any warning signals to flare up inside him. It simply felt right. And exciting.

The next morning, Toni called Carlos to see how Sabrina was faring.

“She’s fully awake now,” Carlos reported. “And full of questions. She wants to know why she can’t go home. And how you managed to get her out of the hospital. I asked Teddy to stay quiet till you got a chance to talk to her, but he keeps dropping hints about superheroes.”

“Tell her I’ll explain everything this evening when I get off work,” Toni said. “Or I’ll try to.”

“There’s another problem,” Carlos continued. “The local stations have posted Bri’s photo on their television newscasts. They say she’s been kidnapped. I don’t dare take her anywhere she can be noticed.”

Toni winced. They couldn’t stay hidden in a hotel forever.

“I thought we could meet you at that vampire nightclub,” Carlos suggested.

“The Horny Devils? Why?”

“It’s a great place to hide. No mortal would ever look for her there. And I doubt any Vamp would call the police to report her. It’s also a really good place to convince Bri that vampires are real.”

“I don’t know.” Toni frowned. “It might scare the hell out of her.”

“The male Vamps there are strippers. They’ll seem harmless.” Carlos lowered his voice. “Bri still thinks she’s delusional. We have to give her proof that she’s right, or she’ll end up back in a mental hospital.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll ask Ian to take me there tonight. We’ll meet you at five-thirty.” She hung up.

Early that afternoon UPS delivered a small blue box for her from Tiffany’s. With her heart racing, Toni pulled out a gold heart-shaped pendant on a gold chain. It came with a note—All my love, Ian.

He loved her. She could hardly concentrate on anything for the rest of the day. She didn’t want Howard to know she’d received a gift from Ian, so she slipped the heart underneath her polo shirt and let it nestle between her breasts.

When the sun went down, she hurried to the silver room to change clothes. “Thank you, thank you!” She grinned at Ian as she ran into the bathroom to change.

“We need to go to the Horny Devils,” she called out to him. He was in the kitchen drinking his breakfast. “We’re supposed to meet Carlos, Bri, and Teddy there.”

“They’re going to the Horny Devils?” he asked. “Why?”

“So we can convince Bri that she’s not delusional.” She pulled on a pair of jeans and a green sweater, then opened the door. “Can you teleport me there?”

“Aye.” He pulled his cell phone from his sporran. “Let me warn Vanda. And I’ll need to tell Howard that we’ll be gone for a little while.”

Five minutes later, Toni arrived with Ian in the alley outside the Horny Devils.

Carlos was already there with Bri and Teddy. He motioned to the bouncer. “That guy wouldn’t let us in.”

Bri gave Ian a suspicious look. “Why are we here? I just want to go home.”

“We can’t go to the apartment, Bri,” Toni said. “Your uncle would look for you there. We need to hide you here for a while.”

Bri cast a nervous glance at the huge bouncer. “What is this place?”

“I bet it’s their secret Batcave!” Teddy exclaimed.

“It’s more like a nightclub,” Toni explained. “Vanda is expecting us, right?”

“Aye,” Ian answered. “She agreed to let you hide in the VIP room. She even had some mortal food delivered.”

“Mortal?” Bri whispered.

“I knew it!” Teddy leaned close to her. “He’s from another planet. That’s why he has superpowers here.”

“I’m no’ a superhero,” Ian grumbled.

“Of course you are!” Teddy insisted. “You have superpowers, man. And I’m gonna be your sidekick.”

“Ian, we have to tell them the truth,” Toni said.

He frowned. “Are ye sure they can handle it?”

“Sabrina deserves to know that she was right all along.” Carlos looked at Sabrina. “Menina, you were never delusional.”

Bri shook her head. “No, I was wrong. Vampires aren’t real.”

Ian glanced at Carlos. “Ye know the truth then?” He gave Toni a disappointed look. “Ye were no’ supposed to tell anyone.”

“Carlos needed to know what was going on,” Toni said. “And besides, he knows how to keep a secret.”

Ian regarded Carlos curiously. “Aye, he certainly does.”

Carlos exchanged a quick look with Ian before turning back to Sabrina. “Menina, remember how you were attacked by some vicious vampires?”

She shook her head. “I was mistaken.”

“You asked me to go to Central Park and find them,” Toni said. “Those same vampires jumped me.”

Bri gasped. “No!”

“Yes. I was attacked. And I might have died if a guy with a sword didn’t come along and save me.”

“Did he have superpowers?” Teddy asked.

“Yes,” Toni replied. “He stabbed one of the attackers, and he turned to dust. The other two vanished. Then the guy with the sword teleported me to Romatech.”

“Is that another planet?” Teddy asked.

Ian groaned.

Toni smiled. “It’s Romatech Industries. They manufacture synthetic blood. Connor, the guy who saved me, told me he was a good vampire.”