Tall, Dark & Hungry (5 page)

"Oh!" Her eyes widened on Chris. "I'm sorry. I forgot to ask."

"Ask what?" Bastien queried, afraid he already knew.

"Chris can't go back to his apartment until it's repaired, and he has nowhere to stay. You have Mrs. Houlihan to look after him and… well, I was hoping he could stay here. If you didn't mind," she added.

"Of course he doesn't mind." Lucern moved forward to take his fiancée's hand and lead her back to the elevator as he said, "Bastien can always be counted on in a pinch. He'll take care of everything on this end, and he'll even send the things we'll need once we're there."

Bastien frowned, oddly displeased by those words despite their truth. He
was
the one everyone always turned to. They did all count on him. And, in this instance, he would certainly send the "things" they would need in California. Namely, blood. But while he usually had no problem being the one everyone counted on, for some reason Lucern's assuming that as usual he would take care of things, was rather annoying.

"We'll call when we get to California," Lucern assured him, pressing a button on the elevator panel.

Bastien stared as the metal elevator doors slid closed, then turned slowly to survey his guests. Terri was standing beside him, looking a little lost. He didn't blame her. She had taken the last of her vacation time and flown all the way here from England to help with her cousin's wedding, but Kate wasn't going to be around.

Chris was shifting uncomfortably on the couch, looking as if he'd rather be uninjured and on a plane to California. Who wouldn't?

And Vincent was standing by the editor, glancing from him to Terri as if trying to decide who would make the tastier snack. Bastien wasn't surprised when his gaze settled on Terri.

"Bastien, I could use a bite," his cousin announced as if on cue. "It was a long flight."

"You will eat out, thank you," Bastien said firmly.

"Okay," Vinny agreed easily—too easily, Bastien thought. And he wasn't surprised when his cousin turned to Terri and asked, "You wouldn't happen to be hungry, would you? Care to step out for a bite?"

"Actually—"

"Mrs. Houlihan will make you something," Bastien interrupted quickly, moving closer to Terri in a protective manner. He'd be damned if his cousin was going to sink his teeth into her. She was—well, she wasn't on the menu.

"Do you think she could make something for me, too?" Chris Keyes asked tentatively from the sofa. "I could do with something to eat as well."

"She'll make something for both of you," Bastien agreed, then glanced at his cousin. "You'll have to find your own food."

"Oh, surely Mrs. Houlihan could make enough for him to join us," Terri said.

"Vincent has a… digestive condition. He needs a very particular diet, and I'm afraid I haven't anything here he can have." Bastien spoke carefully, knowing his cousin would get the message. Everyone in this household was under his protection and off-limits. Well, Terri and Mrs Houlihan definitely were. Bastien didn't know Chris and didn't much care if Vincent bit him, except that, were he to do so, one of the women might witness the act. No, Vincent would have to prowl the streets for his food. It shouldn't be that difficult a task.

"I'll go see if Mrs. Houlihan has recovered sufficiently to see to a meal. In the meantime, Vincent, behave." Bastien started to exit the room, then thought better of it and turned back. He was glad he had, for he noted Vincent had moved closer to Terri, his eyes on her lovely neck. "Terri, perhaps I should show you to your room on the way. You can get settled while the meal is being prepared."

Sardonic amusement flashed across Vincent's face, but he remained silent.

"Oh, that would be nice." Terri picked up her carry-on and moved toward her suitcase, but Bastien beat her to it.

"This way," he said, and led her to the guest rooms. He gave her the one Lissianna usually used. It was the more feminine of the chambers, and it also happened to be right next to the master bedroom, which he was now occupying. Close enough for him to keep a protective eye on her, he assured himself as he led her inside and glanced around the rose-and-blue-hued room.

"Mrs. Houlihan keeps all the rooms ready in case family or friends drop in, so you should be all set," he said as he set her suitcase down at the foot of the bed. "But if there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, it's lovely." Terri set her carry-on down on the bed and unzipped it, commenting, "It's a shame about Kate's friend having the toilet fall on him. What a freak accident. And this is the worst time for it."

Bastien knew she was thinking that now she had absolutely no reason to be there burdening him, but her words also made him realize that while he had removed Terri from Vincent's grasp, he had left Kate's coworker firmly in it. Alone. "She'll be grateful for your presence now more than ever," he assured her. "In fact, you may find yourself doing more than you ever intended in preparation for the wedding."

Terri looked a little more chipper at the thought. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Yes. Well, it's true. Kate will be grateful for your help. In fact, you may be sorry you came. She and Lucern have both been going a little squirrelly trying to arrange it all, and fix last-minute problems. Now it will be you dealing with it. You and me."

"Oh yes, you're the best man," she remembered with a smile. Then she added, "Actually, Kate said that your mother was very helpful, so I wasn't too sure if she really needed me. But I'd already booked the flight, so I came anyway."

"Mother has been as helpful as always," Bastien allowed. "But Lissianna's pregnant, and Mother's been rather busy lately helping set up a nursery and such."

"Lissianna? That's your sister, right?" Terri asked. "Kate mentioned her."

"Yes." He hesitated, then admitted, "Kate hasn't spoken much about you to me. Apparently she told Lucern about you, but I don't see him as often as all that. I've been bouncing between Canada and Europe for most of the last six months, and only shifted to New York recently," he explained, so she wouldn't be offended that Kate hadn't told him about her. "I notice you don't have much of a British accent. You weren't born there. Did you move to England because your husband is from there, or—"

"I'm not married," Terri said quietly.

"Oh." Bastien nodded, unable to stop the smile that spread across his lips. He was glad she wasn't married, though he wasn't prepared to examine why too closely. "Well. Take your time about settling in. I'll call you when Mrs. Houlihan has finished making—"

He stopped speaking as a sudden shriek sounded from the living room.

Chapter Three

«
^
»

Bastien cursed under his breath and hurried out of the guestroom. He was very aware, as he ran back up the hall, that Terri was on his heels. He'd rather she wasn't; the Lord alone knew what they were about to find. Well, actually, with Vincent in the penthouse it was an easy guess. He might have tried to bite Mrs. Houlihan again and failed to control her mind, but that was doubtful. Vincent was as old as Bastien, and found it easy to manipulate the minds of his victims. Which meant that Mrs. Houlihan had probably walked in on him biting Kate's coworker.

That was exactly what had happened, Bastien saw as he skidded into the living room. Vincent must have been serious when he'd said he was hungry. The man was still bent over the back of the couch, his teeth fastened on C.K.'s neck. He hadn't stopped feeding at Mrs. Houlihan's interruption, but had merely speared the housekeeper with hard eyes. No doubt he was trying to control the woman's thoughts as he fed, but he hadn't succeeded by the time Bastien arrived on the scene.

Terri was on Bastien's heels, and he felt alarm course through him at the thought of her witnessing this, but even as she flew into the room behind him, Vincent retracted his teeth and straightened.

Just beginning to relax, Bastien noted the horrified stare of his housekeeper and followed her gaze to Chris Keyes's neck. He immediately grimaced upon spotting the two red dots there, one with a teardrop of blood sliding down the skin beneath. Bastien gave Vincent a look that made his cousin glance down. Sighting the problem, Vinny nonchalantly reached down and turned his dazed victim's head enough to hide the mark from Terri's view.

Fortunately, she didn't appear to have noticed. Her focus was on the housekeeper. "It's okay," she said soothingly, moving to the woman's side. "Mrs. Houlihan, is it?"

The housekeeper wasn't in the mood to be soothed. She jerked away from Terri's gentle hold as if the younger woman were tainted.

"It's not all right," she snapped, then turned on Bastien in fury. "Mr. Argeneau, sir, you've been a good employer. You have. And this has been an easy job, and I'll not deny it. You're hardly here, there's no cooking involved and little more than dusting. I spend most days watching my soap operas. But now you've brought these… these… monsters here." She included everyone in her sweeping look. "I'm no one's dinner. I quit."

"Mrs. Houlihan." Bastien moved to follow as the woman whirled to storm out of the room, pausing when Terri caught his arm.

"Perhaps you should let her go," Terri suggested quietly. "The woman's obviously high-strung. I mean, she can't really believe Vincent is a vampire. That's just silly. I'm thinking she's just upset that she'll actually have to start working."

"I'm sure that's it," Vincent agreed, but his innocent expression was unable to fool Bastien for a moment. His cousin was silently laughing his head off at the situation. He'd always had a slightly twisted sense of humor.

"Yes, I'm sure it is," Bastien agreed, just for simplicity's sake. "But I still need to talk to her."

He needed to clear the woman's memory. Keeping her on was impossible now, so long as Vincent and the others were around, but he had to at least wipe her memory before she went blabbing about what she had seen.

Bastien strode out into the entry and paused in shock. It was empty. He'd expected to find Mrs. Houlihan collecting her coat from the closet or something, but she was gone. The elevator doors were closed and the room empty. The only exit was the elevator or the archway he'd just come through. She couldn't have left so quickly. What about her things? All her clothes in her room? Her coat?

Turning on his heel, he strode back into the living room and straight to the wall unit holding the monitor with a view of the interior of the elevator. It was still on, and right there, live and in black-and-white, was his very upset housekeeper. She was riding down to the main floor with arms folded defensively across her chest and one foot tapping as she anxiously watched the lit floor numbers mark her journey downward.

The woman had left, just like that. She'd lived here for some ten years and had just walked out, leaving everything she owned behind. Bastien could hardly believe it. Dear God, he had to catch up to her and repair this somehow—not just clear it from her memory, but make reparation. Where would she go, for heaven's sake?

He turned back to the others, mouth opening to excuse himself from the room, but paused. Terri was eyeing him sympathetically, apparently thinking he was upset at losing a maid. Vincent was grinning unabashed, not at all concerned that he had just thrown Bastien's life into turmoil. And Chris Keyes was shifting uncomfortably on the couch, apparently having recovered from the momentary daze Vincent had induced while feeding off him.

"Er…"

Bastien glanced toward the editor, and the fellow grimaced. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for a glass of water? They gave me painkillers at the hospital, but those are wearing off and I could really use more."

"Water? Yes," Bastien said, relieved to find that Vincent had at least managed to veil the editor's mind while feeding. He glanced to Terri. He had to see her fed, too. But he'd promised Mrs Houlihan would make the meal. And Vincent—he had to deal with Vincent.

That was when Bastien realized that fate had just turned everything upside down. His orderly life was gone, and at that moment he really wasn't sure if he'd ever get it back. At least not before Lucern and Kate's wedding. How long was that? Oh, yes. Two weeks. Fourteen days of hell before his life might get back to normal.

How had this happened, he wondered with a combination of dismay and confusion. Things like this simply didn't happen to him. He was the details man—he didn't
have
problems, he solved them for everyone else.

He had a problem now. Three of them, in fact. Terri, Vinny, and the editor. Actually, he had four problems, because he really had to catch up to Mrs. Houlihan and clear her memory before she told anyone about Vinny. He supposed he could wipe her mind clean and convince her to return too, but the chances of the memory wipe sticking weren't good if she stayed in the penthouse: there was a good chance that some situation, something said, or just seeing Vinny prancing around in his cape and teeth would bring the memory back. In effect, he and his kind were able to bury memories, not really eliminate them. Still, he had to bury that memory, and quickly, to avoid future trouble. But first he had to see everyone situated here and give Vincent a good talking-to. Otherwise Terri might soon be sporting her own puncture marks.

Speaking of the editor, Bastien decided to put him in one of the guest rooms. The man would be safer there. That seemed a sound decision. It also gave Bastien a purpose and made him feel more in charge again, despite the chaos reigning around him.

"Right." He clapped his hands together. "Let's get organized. You need a room… er…" He stared at the editor, trying to recall the fellow's name. He'd remembered it earlier. C-something, he thought, but the name just wouldn't come. He didn't bother to try to hide his irritation as he asked, "What's your name again?"

"Chris," the slender editor answered. "Chris Keyes. Kate probably calls me C.K. when she mentions me, though."

"Oh, yeah." Bastien didn't really care; he had more important things on his mind at the moment. His glance slid to Vincent. "Which room did you take?"