The Lady Has Needs (4 page)

The serum she’d developed only kept the Loup’s from turning into wolves during the full moon, but it wasn’t enough to fix stupid.

The cologne from the guy she was with last night was still in her room.
Nice.
But not better than Dominick’s. The vampire had more of an earthy scent, but Max’s, or whatever his name was, cologne smelled more like a rainforest. Max had a big dick though that scratched her itch, but he had the personality of a dead horse.

The house didn’t like Max either, even though it didn’t toss him from the front porch. It did rattle and make settling noises the entire while Max was there. Lillian had no doubt that the house wouldn’t give Max a second chance, so she just added another notch to her one-night stand calendar of forgotten men.

Lillian finally got out of the bed, pulled the linens off with her, and walked through the house naked to toss the sheets into the washer. She kept her drapes drawn most of the day so her noisy neighbors wouldn’t look in. She already knew that they were curious about the parade of guys she’d brought home over the years when her father William and her brother Devon weren’t around. She knew they thought she was a slut, but she really wasn’t. She just liked sex and had a very active libido. One of these days she was going to find Mr. Right, and then the parade would end. Until then, she would just keep looking.

Lillian showered, put clean linen on her bed, and then went into the kitchen to fix herself some breakfast. Autumn had arrived so Lillian ate oatmeal, waffles, and bacon, and drank a cup of tea. She tried to have a cup of hot tea at breakfast and cup at night before bed to help her relax. She didn’t get around to drinking some last night with Max there, but she would make up for it tonight because there was no way she was going to meet anyone remotely pleasant at Julius’s party. She was so glad she was going to be masked and in a costume and hopefully Julius would not even recognize her. She’d been surprised when the invitation arrived since he didn’t like her either. Usually, their meetings ended in an argument with him threatening to bite her and turn her into a vampire and her threatening to lob off his head and dick with a sword.

But he claimed that he was interested in her synthetic blood. He had extended the olive branch and wanted to serve it at his party. She would kick his ass if he was lying to her and just invited her there to try to humiliate her. He was shorter than her and she had a black belt in Taekwondo. Her father didn’t raise a fool. He’d taught her and Devon how to defend themselves in case there was a zombie war or if one of the many preternatural beings in the world decided they had a death wish and wanted to mess with them.

Lillian grabbed her purse and headed to her stylist to get her hair done, followed by a visit to the nail place for a manicure and a pedicure, then off to her godmother’s to check on her.

Summer Breeze, a middle-aged voodoo priestess, was one of her mother’s closest friends. Summer still blamed herself for not being able to get to Lillian’s mother in time to protect her from the rogue vampire who had killed her. Lillian only blamed the vampire.

He was dead now too. Her father had hunted him down and sliced off his head and tossed it and the rest of him into the swamps to feed the alligators.

“Come on in,” Summer said to Lillian. “I like your hair.”

Summer was from Jamaica, like Lillian’s mother. Summer came from a long line of Voodoo priestesses and Lillian had grown up attending many of their rituals. Summer wasn’t wearing one of her colorful bandanas or the white long skirt and blouse she normally wore when entertaining the tourists. Her thick brown hair had been braided and pulled to the top of her head in a fashionable bun.

“How’s Jelly?”

Jelly was Summer’s pet python.

“He’s fine. My husband took him to the pet store to get him some nice fat mice.”

Lillian turned up her nose. She liked Jelly but could do without the rodents.

They walked through the shotgun house until they reached the kitchen. Summer had baked Lillian’s favorite date nut bread. Lillian sat down at the table.

“How’s your papa?” Summer asked as she sliced off two pieces and put the bread on saucers.

“I guess he’s okay,” Lillian said. “I haven’t heard from him or Devon for a while. He’s hunting in Africa and my brother is in Australia.”

“And they left you alone again.”

Lillian nodded. “I’m used to it.”

“A pretty girl like you should be married by now,” Summer said. “What’s wrong with you?”

Lillian shrugged. “I’m still looking for Mr. Right.”

Summer laughed. “There’s no such man, child. And you’d probably have to kiss a lot of frogs until you find a decent one.”

“I thought I found one last week,” Lillian admitted.

“Oh, you mean the vampire,” Summer said as she placed the bread and a cup of tea in front of Lillian.

“You know about him?”

Summer nodded. “I saw him in a dream. He’s a big strapping guy with blond hair and bedroom brown eyes.”

“That’s him,” Lillian answered. “His name is Dominick…”

“Rathbone,” Summer finished for her. “I know that too.”

“He saved me after I was kidnapped by some wolves.”

Summer sat down at the table chuckling. “How many times has that happened to you in thirty years?”

Lillian felt embarrassed. She did get taken a lot. “Too many.”

“You better start carrying that gun in your hand instead of in your purse when you leave the lab.”

“Probably,” Lillian said sampling the bread. “Ooh, this is so delicious, nanny.”

“So, is this Dominick taking you to the party tonight?” Summer asked.

“No,” Lillian answered. “I haven’t heard from him since the night he saved me.”

Maybe the anal probe had been a little too much. But he seemed to enjoy it.

“Don’t worry, he hasn’t deserted you,” Summer said. She raised her cup and sipped some of her tea. “Just don’t let him turn you.”

The last thing she wanted to become was a vampire. She liked the daylight and food. “I’m only trying to help them,” Lillian admitted.

“I know, child, but sometimes you have to look out for number one. The reason you can’t find a human man is because you hang out with the preternaturals,” Summer said to her.

“I can’t help it if I like a little monster in my man,” Lillian said. She had an insatiable appetite for sex and only the creatures of the night could satisfy her.

“And be careful tonight. Julius McMahon is a snake and can’t be trusted.” She got up and pulled a silver chain and cross from her pocket and handed it to Lillian. “It’s a new one. I had it blessed by Father James. He even dipped it in holy water as a precaution.”

“Thanks, nanny,” Lillian said as she rose and hugged her godmother.

“You’re welcome, child. Evelyn would have been so proud of you continuing her work.”

Lillian’s mother had lost her life trying to tame a renegade vampire with the synthetic blood she had created. But it didn’t work. Lillian had taken up the struggle when she graduated from college, but she’d tweaked the formula and had tested in on a couple of vampires and werewolves she’d slept with to see if it worked. So far, she’d gotten positive results and was ready to mass produce it.

Summer and Lillian finished their treat.

“Dance a little at the party and have fun,” Summer said to Lillian as she walked her to the front door.

“I will,” Lillian promised. She hugged her godmother. “Thanks for the date nut bread and the cross.”

“Make sure you put the chain on with your costume tonight,” her godmother said. “It will do you no good in a jewelry box.”

Lillian had learned from experience that a blessed cross only protected her against some vampires. The older, more powerful ones were immune to it. That’s why she had to carry stakes and holy water where ever she went.

Lillian and Summer stepped out of the door and onto the front porch. Lillian’s husband Vincent had returned with Jelly.

“Hey, baby girl,” Vincent said to Lillian.

“Hey, Uncle Vincent,” Lillian said. She stroked Jelly’s head. The python looked up from his position around Vincent’s neck, hissed, and then lowered his head again. “It’s nice to see you again, Jelly. “

Lillian continued down the stairs and walked to her car. She waved goodbye to Vincent and Summer, got into her car, and drove away. She had to get to the dressmaker to pick up her costume for the party. She would be attending the event as Cinderella.

Chapter Four

What is taking him so long?
Cyril was worse than a female when it came down to getting ready for an event.

Dominick was already dressed. He was going to Julius’s party as Prince Charming.

Cyril was going as a Disney prince too….Prince Eric from the Little Mermaid.

Dominick had snickered at first when Cyril told him about the costume and he couldn’t wait to see his positively staid sire in something bright and cheery.

“I’m ready,” Cyril said from behind him.

Dominick turned around. “Damn, you look good.” Cyril wore light blue trousers and black knee boots. The costume came with a gray coat with tails, a white shirt, and a red tie. Cyril didn’t have to wear a wig because he had dark hair like Eric. He just styled it a bit differently than he normally wore it…a little long in the back with a part on the right.

“Do I really look okay?” Cyril asked.

The man had an ego as big as all outdoors and wouldn’t leave the house unless he looked perfect.

“You look amazing,” Dominick said.

“You do too, Prince Charming,” Cyril said walking around him. “Although Prince Charming has brown hair. The blond does work though.”

Dominick’s costume came with a light gold jacket with dark gold applets on each shoulder and a dark gold belt for his waist. The pants were a deep red color with a dark gold stripe down each leg.

“I suppose you will be fighting ladies off you all night,” Cyril said.

His sire had always been jealous of all the attention Dominick got. Dominick couldn’t help the way he looked. Cyril was handsome too, but he was so damn arrogant that women found it hard to warm up to him. “I’m only seeing one young lady tonight,” Dominick answered. “Miss Lillian Moreno.”

“How will you find her in a masked crowd?” Cyril asked. “You mess with so many females. Do you even remember what she looks like?”

“Yes, she’s five feet eight and approximately one-hundred and forty pounds. She has shoulder-length auburn hair and green eyes.”

Cyril headed for the door. “That description could fit thousands of women.”

Dominick followed Cyril. “There’s only one Lillian Moreno. I can’t wait for you to meet her. She could be the one.”

“The one what?” Cyril asked.

“The future Mrs. Rathbone,” Dominick said as they stepped outside.

Cyril laughed as they got into the car.

“Maybe I should take my car,” Dominick said.

“No way,” Cyril answered. “You’re not leaving me at the party with a bunch of bores if you get lucky. We’re going there together and leaving together.”

“What happens if you get lucky?” Dominick asked.

Cyril chuckled wickedly. “Then you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay for the night.”

The driver drove away from the curb. Julius lived across the Mississippi River on the west bank side of New Orleans in Belle Chasse. The streets were busy with traffic.

Julius’s mansion was located past the Naval Air Station on a private road in what people referred to as a rich neighborhood. Julius had no close neighbors, which probably worked out well for him since he was so obnoxious. The driver let them out of the car once they arrived and went off until Cyril would need him.

Cyril and Dominick showed their invitations to the vampire at the door and got admitted. The music was loud and there were people in costumes everywhere from the foyer to the grand ballroom. Cyril had a ballroom built in their home too, but so far he had given zero parties. The man’s only acquaintances besides the people who worked for him were Jonathan and his wife Magda.

Speaking of Jonathan, the man was hard to miss as they stepped into the ballroom. He was the tallest person there and dressed like Paul Bunyan in a checkered shirt, green knee pants, and black boots. He’d left behind his ax which was a good thing because it would make some of the vampires present very nervous. Jonathan didn’t really need an ax. He could probably snap off Julius’s head with his bare hands.

Their host entered the ballroom dressed as the pirate John Lafitte. The long black wig did nothing to make him appear taller. At his side was a stunning black female who was dressed sexily as a nurse. Her long shapely legs caught more than a little attention from the men in attendance.

Cyril stopped talking long enough to Jonathan to admire her too. His sire had really kinky tastes. The female would fit in that category just because she was with Julius.

Julius walked up to the front of the room. The band stopped playing music. He grabbed one of the microphones. “I just wanted to welcome everyone to my party. There is plenty of food for those of you who can eat. And for those of us who are on a liquid diet there is plenty of a new synthetic blood called New Life donated by the lovely scientist Lillian Moreno.”

There were a lot of negative comments against Lillian. Dominick looked around the room.
Where is she?
He couldn’t pick her out in the crowd.

“She’ll be here later,” Julius said. “I haven’t tried the stuff myself, so you will have to be the judge whether you like it or not. It’s supposed to be as close to the real thing as it can get. I have heard from one vampire who said it made him very horny, and then he said it made him able to perform all night.”

The crowd laughed at Julius’s statement.

“I don’t know about that,” Julius said. “If that’s the only side effect, then it’s probably a good thing.”

A very good thing, Dominick thought, remembering his night with Lillian.

The door opened and a young woman appeared.

“Here she is now,” Julius announced.

The crowd turned to the door and stared.

Lillian was dressed like Cinderella in a blue ball gown and translucent slippers. The neckline dipped dangerously low, revealing the top of her breasts. The bodice called attention to her small waist.