Love Bites (8 page)

“I see,” Rachel said slowly.

“We are not possessed by demons who contort our
facial features and who feed on or delight in torturing people.”

“Uh-huh.”

“There is a scientific explanation and basis for our state.”

That caught her attention. She was listening, Etienne noted with relief.

“You see, our ancestors are very old,” Bastien explained. “They're from before Roman times, before the birth of Christ. Before recorded history, actually.”

“Oh?” Rachel was looking uncertain again.

“Yes. Our original home was a place some people refer to as Atlantis.”

“Ah.” Etienne knew from Rachel's tone of voice that Bastien was losing her again. She had that skeptical look on her face once more.

“Our scientists there were quite advanced. They developed…well, the easiest explanation is a sort of nano.”

“Nanos?” She relaxed, back on sure scientific footing again.

“Yes. And they combined it with some tricky bioengineering to create specialized nanos that act as a sort of benign parasite.”

“Parasites?” Bastien definitely had her interest now, and Etienne felt his hopes rise that she would finally accept what was happening.

“Yes. They feed off the blood we produce.”

“So it's a science experiment gone wacko,” she clar
ified, relaxing a little when Bastien nodded. “But how did these nanos get into your people?”

“They were deliberately introduced,” he admitted. “You see, they were engineered to reside in the bloodstream and to help repair damage done by injuries—rather like microscopic surgeons working from the inside, so to speak. But once these nanos were introduced to the bloodstream of our ancestors, it was found that not only did they repair tissue, they regenerated it as well, and fought illness.”

“I see. So they repair and regenerate your body, in effect keeping you young and healthy, and in exchange then feed off blood?” she asked slowly.

“Exactly.” Bastien smiled.

Rachel seemed to consider for a moment, then she commented, “I imagine it takes a good deal of blood to constantly repair and regenerate tissue.”

“Yes,” he admitted. “More than a normal human body can possibly produce.”

“Hence the need for sucking neck,” Rachel guessed.

Etienne cleared his throat, and everyone in the room gave a start.

“Well, don't look at me,” he said irritably as they turned toward him. “That's not my phrase.”

“We don't ‘suck neck' anymore,” Lissianna said soothingly. She moved to take up position on Rachel's other side. “It's true that in the past there was some necessity, and occasionally health issues or…er…
phobias”—she glanced at Greg and the couple exchanged smiles—“have made one or two of our kind revert to the old ways. However, biting people has been frowned upon since the advent of blood banks.”

“Blood banks.” Rachel's eyes widened. “Jeez, they'd be like fast-food restaurants, a McDonald's for vampires.”

“More like a deli than McDonald's. All cold cuts.” Lissianna grimaced with distaste. She had been forced to “suck neck” up until recently due to a bad case of hemophobia. There was nothing more debilitating to a vampire than to be unfortunate enough to faint at the sight of blood—something Lissianna had suffered since childhood. She was cured now, but Etienne knew she was still trying to get used to cold bagged blood.

Rachel was silent, a look of distaste clear on her face. “And now I'm like you?”

Lissianna took her hand so that both she and Bastien held one. “Yes,” she said solemnly. “Etienne turned you to save your life. You are now a vampire.”

Rachel's shoulders slumped. “But I don't even like blood pudding or rare steak. If it's even the slightest bit pink, I gag. I'll never be able to—”

“That can all be worked around,” Lissianna assured her. “If necessary, you can continue to take your blood intravenously as you have been.”

Rachel didn't look much impressed. “My dentist is
going to love this. The first time he does a set of X rays, he'll freak.”

“That won't be a concern. You won't need to visit the dentist anymore,” Bastien assured her.

“I won't?”

“No,” Lissianna answered. “Or a doctor, either. You are now cavity-and illness-proof. The blood will see to that.”

“No more flu shots or dentist drills?” Rachel asked.

Lissianna turned a triumphant smile on Etienne. “I knew you hadn't presented it properly. I bet you didn't tell her about the orgasms, either.”

“I told her she'd live forever and never age. That should hold more sway than dentist or doctor visits,” Etienne said irritably.

“Maybe to someone who's never had to suffer them,” Rachel said distractedly. Then she asked, “Orgasms?”

“Well, that's my cue to leave.” Greg picked up his glass and turned to the door. “When women start talking sex…”

Bastien patted Rachel's hand and stood as well. “Yes, this part is best left to the women, I should think.”

“Hmm.” Lucern grunted in agreement, but he really looked as if he would rather stay and take notes. He got reluctantly to his feet and headed for the door, approaching Etienne at the same time as Bastien. As if it were a shared thought—which it probably was—
they each took him by an arm and dragged him to the door.

“Come along, little brother. You can show us the latest additions to your new game,” Bastien said.

Etienne didn't protest. There was no use in doing so. Even being a vampire didn't help dealing with two overbearing brothers like Lucern and Bastien.

 

“Orgasms,” Marguerite said as the door closed behind the men.

Rachel glanced at Etienne's mother. The woman—the much older woman, if she was really seven hundred and thirty-six years old—was smiling with wicked glee as she came to take Bastien's vacated seat. “You won't believe it.”

Lissianna chuckled at her mother's enthusiasm, then explained, “Marguerite can explain better than I. I was born of vampires and never experienced a mortal sex life. But Mother started out human and was turned like yourself. According to her, the difference is mind-blowing.”

“I'll say.” Marguerite ran her tongue over her front teeth and made an appreciative sucking noise. “I fainted every time for the first year.”

“Fainted?” Rachel gaped. “The whole first year?”

“Oh, my dear!” Marguerite patted her hand. “The difference just can't be explained. It's overwhelming. You connect with your partner and experience his pleasure as well as your own combined.”

“So, it's like twice the pleasure?” Rachel asked.

Marguerite shook her head. “More like twenty times. Somehow the blood increases sensitivity. Your sense of smell will be ten times better than ever, you'll be able to hear more, see farther, and you'll be extra sensitive to touch.”

“Sex, twenty times better?” Rachel tried to wrap her mind around the idea but just couldn't. Perhaps it would have helped to have had more experience to draw on. Rachel hadn't expended a lot of time or effort on her social life the last few years. She had been engaged at University, but after catching her fiancé in bed with her roommate, she had concentrated most of her attention on work.

“Being more experienced wouldn't help, dear,” Marguerite said sympathetically. “You'll understand once you've experienced what I'm talking about.”

Rachel stared at the woman, uncertain, then cleared her throat and asked, “Did you just read my mind?”

“I'm afraid so.” Marguerite bit her lip. “I
am
sorry. It's a bad habit. I'll try not to intrude on your thoughts in future.”

Rachel shrugged. She'd just have to guard her thoughts. And she was more interested in other things at the moment. “Can I read minds now too?”

“Not yet. You'll have to learn to do it. There are many things you will have to learn.”

“Like what?” she asked curiously.

Marguerite pondered. Rachel suspected she was trying to decide what wouldn't overwhelm her. Finally, the older woman said, “You'll find you're much stronger than you used to be. Quicker, both in body and mind. You'll be able to see better in the dark too.”

“Like nocturnal predators,” Rachel said.

“Yes. Your eyes will shine when light hits them in the dark, like those of a night animal.”

Rachel raised her hand self-consciously toward her face and glanced from Marguerite to Lissianna. They both had silver-blue eyes. Etienne did too. “Are my eyes like yours now?” She hadn't really noticed when she'd looked in the mirror upstairs.

“More a silver-green color, dear,” Marguerite judged. “The original color was green?”

“Yes.” Now Rachel was curious to see.

She'd barely had the thought when Lissianna stood and moved to a purse resting on the bar. The blonde dug through it briefly, then turned back, a compact in her hand. Opening the compact, the young woman walked over. “I'm two hundred and two years old,” she said, handing Rachel the mirror.

Rachel managed an embarrassed smile at having the unasked question answered, reminding herself she'd have to watch her thoughts around this family. Then she peered into the mirror to examine her eyes.

“Wow,” she breathed. The concern over guarding her thoughts was quickly forgotten. Then she frowned. “This will be interesting to explain to my family.”
Glancing up, she was just in time to catch the exchange of glances between mother and daughter. “What?”

Lissianna shook her head, but her smile was a little strained. “Claim they're contacts.”

“Good thinking,” Marguerite said. But the words were suspiciously hearty, and she got to her feet. “Now you should rest. You're tired.”

Oddly enough, the moment the other woman said the words, Rachel
did
feel tired. She also had the inkling that reading minds might not be the only thing they could do.

“You can control minds,” she accused.

“It's a useful trick that helped in the old days of hunting,” Marguerite said calmly.

At least she didn't lie, Rachel thought with resignation. Then another thought struck her. “Was Etienne controlling my mind earlier?” She didn't specify those passionate moments in the bedroom, but she didn't have to. Marguerite could read her thoughts, after all.

“Luckily enough, Etienne is unable to either read your thoughts or control you,” Marguerite said.

“Why is that lucky?” Rachel asked. She thought it was, but why did Marguerite?

“Because good life mates can't read or control each other. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a partnership. It would be a master and a puppet.”

The comment was slightly confusing to Rachel, since she had just met them all and wasn't anyone's
life mate, but another question came to mind. She asked, “How old is Etienne?”

“Three hundred and twelve.”

“Three hundred and twelve,” Rachel echoed. Her distress returned. The man was three hundred and twelve years old. She'd tried to jump an old man. He was a serious geriatric.

“Do not fret,” Marguerite said. This time her voice was soft, whisper soft. Almost as if she hadn't spoken at all but breathed the words. Or merely thought them. “Ease yourself. Things will be less distressing after you rest.”

“Yes.” The word slipped from Rachel's mouth of its own accord. Not that Rachel much cared. The only thought in her mind was that she was weary and needed rest.

“Come,” Marguerite said, getting to her feet. Rachel did as she was told.

 

“Brilliant!” Bastien grinned and slapped Etienne on the back as Etienne shut the program down. “This one will be an even bigger hit than the first.” Lucern and Greg nodded.

“That good is it?”

All four men turned to the door in surprise at the sound of Lissianna's voice. Greg smiled at the sight of her and moved to her side, his arm slipping around her in welcome. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“All done explaining the delights of vampire sex to Rachel?”

“Hmm.” She smiled and kissed him back, then turned to her brother. “She's enthralled, Etienne. We may have increased your chances.”

“Ha ha.” Etienne turned off the computer and stood. “Where is Mother?”

“She took Rachel upstairs to put her to bed.”

Etienne laughed. “Tucking her in like a child?”

“She
is
a child,” Lucern commented, leading the way out of Etienne's basement. “She's barely twenty-five.”

“Nearly thirty,” Etienne corrected.

“Still a child,” Lucern said with a shrug.

“Everyone's a child to you, Lucern,” Lissianna joked.

“Not everyone. Just everyone under four hundred.”

“You mean everyone but you, Mother, Bastien, and maybe a hundred of the more ancient vamps in the world,” Etienne said with disgust. At three hundred and twelve he was growing tired of being called a child. He even sometimes yearned to be human, to have a normal lifespan and family. But that feeling always passed.

“Well, what are we going to do about your friend Pokey?” Greg asked as they returned to the living room.

“Pudge,” Etienne corrected.

“Your mother said his name was Pokey.”

“She seems to have a mental block when it comes to his name.”

“I've been thinking about it,” Bastien spoke up. Everyone listened. When Lucern had chosen to pursue writing and other creative pursuits upon their father's death, rather than run the family businesses, it was Bastien who had taken on the mantle. They all respected him for it, and for the effort he went to on everyone's behalf. “As we discussed, since the hospital officials and police already think Pudge carried Rachel away with him, it would be expedient if we could persuade her to claim such. They would arrest him and put him away for kidnapping. Etienne must convince her to do this.”