Earth, page 8
She shook her head.
“The way he blended fact and myth within his imagination was marvelous. You know he was Irish, don’t you? He’d never set foot in Romania, but he captured the atmosphere well in his Gothic horror story. The result was rather good, though; I’ve also never been to Transylvania.”
“And sleeping?” Her question halted my rambling chain of thought.
“Do I ask you about your sleeping arrangements? No. I’m not interested whether you sleep with one witch or many, or if it’s someone different every night. But as you ask, vampires don’t have to sleep in coffins and don’t have to sleep in the earth of their native country, but they may choose to do so. I’m rather partial to Romanian soil myself.”
“You think you can tell the difference between British and Romanian soil?”
“Now, that is an interesting question with an interesting answer. Yes, of course. The soil is flavored with the blood of whoever died or was buried there. You can eat what they ate and experience their death when you immerse yourself in soil. I can feel the fear, anger, and sadness that seeped into the soil in the final moments of a person’s life.”
She leaned forward, fascinated.
“I see the war that killed them, or sometimes I’m disappointed to find the ground is comprised of the bodies of people who slipped away peacefully in their sleep. The local soil around here tastes of dissenters, non-conformists, and revolutionaries. It’s rich in the blood of Quakers and witches who were buried side by side in the cemetery.” I pointed to the wall—beyond it lay the place where we’d passed through the earth.
This talk reminded me of my hunger. After meeting Malka earlier, she’d put me off my breakfast. I didn’t need much, but I was hungry. I couldn’t help glancing at the rhythmic pulse in her neck. “The ground is full of information, as you will find out when you develop your earth skills.”
“You sound serious and convincing, but it’s unbelievable. I want to see proof.”
Without commenting, I allowed my fangs to descend. Before I was able to flash my toothy smile, the sharp sound of rain pattering on glass distracted us, and we stared at the window together.
“I never expected rain. It wasn’t on the forecast,” she said.
“It is my guess that Fire is telling the Water Boy about you right now.”
“What?” she asked while staring intently at her house.
I watched the droplets of water slide down the panes of glass in the sash windows. “It always rains when he is upset.”
She wasn’t listening. Why would she be interested when I was talking about a person she wasn’t aware existed? All her attention focused on the house opposite and the front door as it opened.
The young man whom I had mentioned stepped forth.
There was no way my hungry fangs were going back into place with him in view. Oblivious to rain, Water Boy wore no top. He did not need to cover up his perfect swimmer’s body. He was in excellent physical shape and showing it off to best advantage in mere lightweight baggy trousers.
After descending the steps from the front door, he paused on the pavement and held his hands up. The rain landed on his palms for a few seconds before he placed them against his cheeks in the way one might rinse one’s face in a basin of water.
“How strange,” Malka whispered as he turned his face up to the sky and ran his fingers through his hair.
I thought nothing of it though I understood interacting with the rain in that way might seem strange to someone unfamiliar with the ways of witches.
After basking in his element, Water Boy looked in our direction and walked toward us. He must have seen us sitting by the window. The rain cleared up just as suddenly as it had started. Again, no surprise.
Malka held her breath as she watched in fascination. I would have done the same if I breathed. He was breathtakingly beautiful, and he tasted that good too.
“He’s coming this way,” she whispered. With no concern for subtly, she leaned forward to get a better view as he commenced climbing the set of steps to my front door. When he disappeared out of sight, the bell rang, and I recognized Maria’s footsteps as my female servant went for the door.
Malka turned to me and whispered, “Why do you think he’s not wearing a top? Are you sure we’ve not died and gone to heaven? You know, hot guys with no shirts seems like my idea of heaven.”
I laughed. “Water Boy isn’t partial to clothing. I think it might please you to know that like oil repels water, he repels clothes at every opportunity.”
“All his clothes?” she seemed to be thinking aloud.
I laughed. “You and I could be friends, Malka.”
She looked at me and gasped.
I saw the shock on her face at the very second when she spotted my fangs.
She did ask to see them.
CHAPTER TEN
One hell of a toothy smile
Malka Selby
ARE THOSE TEETH REAL?
Did he put fake teeth in his mouth while a semi-naked man walked through the rain outside and distracted me? I wanted to see plastic joke teeth come away from his gums. I didn’t know what to make of the possibility that they were real, and he’d been telling the truth. That I’d survived sinking into the earth like a woman with lead boots in a swimming pool and was sitting and talking with a vampire was no less credible than believing this was the afterlife.
At the sound of footsteps entering the room, I turned, expecting to see the shirtless man from outside, but a mature woman wearing a yellow floral apron over a dress stood before us.
“Sir.” She curtseyed. “Beck Colborn is at the door.”
“Show him in, Maria. Beck never needs to be left outside. And bring in some water.”
The lady’s gaze darted to me but didn’t linger before dropping to the floor. Through eleven years in posh boarding schools, I’d visited many grand homes that had servants; however, Maria seemed incongruous in this average terraced London home. A please and thank you from Varu wouldn’t go amiss, either. How hadn’t I noticed Varu’s arrogance from the start?
“She’s wondering about you being here.” He didn’t wait for Maria to leave the room before speaking about her in a low voice. “She should know Beck’s always welcome. He doesn’t need an announcement.”
With rain droplets glistening on his bare chest, the man entered. He appeared unselfconscious as he walked toward us. He stopped in the middle of the room and dropped his head into something that was more than a nod but not quite a full deferential bow.
I might not have noticed the subtle behavior but for having watched Maria curtsey beforehand. It left me wondering who the fuck I was sitting with. Who was this Varujan, the Romanian vampire who had servants and visitors bowing to him?
“Come on in, Beck. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Varu remained seated.
I stood up and held out my hand, dragging my eyes from Beck’s tattooed torso and up to his face. I might be dead, or possibly not, but I hadn’t forgotten my manners.
The stranger’s smile was as sexy as his body, a little crooked and a lot cheeky. We held eye contact as Beck walked toward me, and then a big warm hand clasped mine.
“You’re fully aware of how eager I am to meet Malka.” Answering Varu, Beck’s eyes never left my face. “I’m Beck Colborn, and I’m pleased to meet you at long last.”
“And you didn’t consider bothering with clothes?” Varu chuckled.
“I didn’t stop to think about it.” Beck glanced down at his body as if he had no idea what he was wearing. My gaze went with his. Raindrops clung to his broad shoulders, and one or two streamed down his body, cutting a curved path over the ridges of his stomach muscles.
The movement of his head forced me to look up. He grinned at me, having caught me staring at his body. I didn’t want to stop at looking. I blushed. Our hands had been together for a little too long, so I let go and sat down.
No one in possession of their full faculties stepped out of their house, at night, in the rain, and didn’t realize they were only wearing jogging bottoms and sneakers. I deduced Beck might be gorgeous, but he couldn’t be the full ticket.
“I was in a hurry to get out of there.”
“Fire in a bad mood?”
“Mmmm, yes, but more that I wanted to come and meet you, Malka. Once Haydn told me you were here, there was no keeping me away.”
Beck pulled a chair away from the dining table and sat close to me. His knees spread wide apart; his feet rested on either side of me, so I was almost enveloped between his legs. Almost. He’d positioned himself just far enough from me for it not to feel too suffocatingly close, but near enough that it seemed we were embarking on a long-term relationship that might end in marriage.
His widely spread legs, of course, beckoned my gaze toward his crotch, but using great willpower, I resisted the urge to check out the goods presented to me.
Oh, for fuck’s sake, my eyes swept over his entirety, as they did a sweep of the entire room. I didn’t linger or stare, but I tried to memorize what I saw for later re-examination.
Despite the way he’d entered, I had the impression Beck was familiar enough with the inside of Varu’s house to make himself at home and rearrange the furniture. He sighed and turned to Varu. “When Haydn came home, I was almost asleep. He woke me up. We argued.”
Varu nodded. “He was annoyed when he left here.”
“Why did you want to meet me in such a hurry?” I asked.
“I’ve heard so much about you from Air and Haydn.”
“Air?” I echoed in bewilderment.
“Yes. And, naturally, I’ve always wondered what it will be like when you return.”
“Naturally?” Echoing whatever he said became the way to converse. Beck seemed to miss that these weren’t just words but questions.
He bit his lip and looked at Varu as if seeking help. The vampire’s expression remained unchanged and impossible to read.
“And I’m here because Haydn told me you’re in this house, and you didn’t want to come home with him.”
“Can you blame me? He’s an ass. And he just attempted to murder some women right in front of me. For all we know, they are dead. And he behaves like it was all no big deal. How can I trust him not to take a swing at me?”
“Ha! He didn’t make a wonderful impression then.” Beck laughed, as if he wasn’t one bit surprised about the poor first impression.
But who laughs when they are told their friend might have murdered two women? This cute guy was apparently a sandwich short of a full picnic.
“If I may explain, Malka, he didn’t murder any women.” Varu’s trick teeth were no longer visible, and I hadn’t seen him remove them.
“But I saw it happen.”
“Did you see blood?”
“No, I didn’t stop to check them for a pulse, either. But if they aren’t dead, they were hurt, and they could have died.”
“You wouldn’t have found a pulse. He didn’t kill them, because they were already dead. There was no blood because he cut down vampires, and they hadn’t eaten.” Varu crossed one leg over the other. “I don’t know if he killed them or just injured them, but I can tell you, we don’t have pulses.”
He held up his arm, offering his wrist to me should I wish to check for a pulse.
I didn’t.
“And they were threatening you. So, it wasn’t quite a cold-blooded attack by Fire; it was self-defense. He was perfectly right to take such action.”
I was surprised to hear Varu defend Haydn when they seemed at loggerheads over everything.
Beck cast a side-eyed glance at Varu. “Haydn’s infuriating at times, but he wouldn’t hurt anyone if he didn’t have to.” He winked and added, “And vampires don’t exactly count as people in his eyes.”
I turned to look at Varu. “If you really are a vampire, why aren’t you bothered about their deaths?”
“I’m not in any way connected to the Turkish vampires. They’re a modern group,” he said dismissively. “Those vampires were unfamiliar to me, and I’m not sure if he ended their existence. Their heads were still attached when we left them.”
‘Heads were still attached,’ was a phrase I didn’t need to hear. “Aren’t you worried Haydn will kill you?” I pressed.
Beck raised his eyebrows, and Varu shook his head. “He wouldn’t. We have peace on this road.”
“That’s right. It’s a peaceful road. And I’ve come here to see if there’s any way I can tempt you over to our side of the street.”
I turned my full attention to Beck once again. He was the third man I’d met this evening who lived on this street, and just like the others, he was certainly something beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, they were all as batshit crazy as characters from the Mad Hatter’s tea party. “Well, I’ll have to think about it.”
“Take your time. As I said, I’m here to tempt you.” His legs seemed to part a little wider, and his crotch raised a little. That was probably just in my crazy mind.
“Are you propositioning me?” He could tempt me into many things.
His chest expanded. I don’t know about the other parts; I didn’t look.
Seriously, I did not look.
“If you like.”
I like, all right.
“Let’s just get the flirting done with and get to the point.” Varu shifted in his seat. “She’s ready for the knowledge of you, Beck. I hate to disappoint you, Malka, but Water Boy won’t give you everything you’re hoping for. At least, not tonight. He’ll make you wait.”
My cheeks heated as I stumbled for a retort. “You’ve got it all wrong about me, after what I said about heaven and hot men earlier.” I totally failed to find any witty comeback.
At that moment, Maria entered, carrying a tray with two glasses and a jug of water with slices of lemons and ice. This time she didn’t curtsey, but she maintained her interest in the carpet. She put the tray on the dining table and backed out of the room.
Without acknowledging the interruption, Varu said, “I have a predator’s sense of smell, Malka. When your body’s aroused, it gives off the most delightful odor.”
I was mortified. It was bad enough when dogs put their faces up against your crotch. “Are you saying you’ve been sniffing my damp panties while I’m wearing them?”
Beck snickered.
Varu shrugged. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” And I noticed those teeth again as he grinned.
I wasn’t going to be outdone. I was a British queen of upping the ante, especially after it worked so well the night before.
“You’re half wrong and half right about me wanting Beck in that way. I’d actually imagined a threesome with the two of you.” I’d intended to shock them, but they both looked at me with smiling approval. If that didn’t surprise them, if they liked the idea of a ménage à trois I could do one better. “And by that, I mean me watching you two fuck each other as well.”
That got a reaction, but nothing that I might have expected. They glanced at each other, winked, and smiled right back at me—smirks on their smug faces.
“Wait!” Some of the things slotted into place. “Hold on. Are you two actual, real-life lovers?”
“I can’t be real life anything, Malka. I’m not alive. As for lovers, well, it’s complicated.”
Varu and Beck exchanged glances.
“Not exactly.” Beck shrugged. “You should tell her.”
“When I picked Beck up in a gay club years ago, drinking his blood and fucking him was what I had in mind. It’s an interminable story, but suffice to say things didn’t work out that way.”
“So far.” Beck raised one shoulder, suggesting things might change in the future.
Fuck me sidewards.
These guys had totally turned my game on me. The next goal of my sex life was to watch two guys fucking. I wouldn’t mind it being these two guys.
“Are you telling me that despite sniffing my panties all night, my fantasies about you and me are staying as just that because you’re a gay vampire?” I knew gay and bi and trans people. It was no big deal. It was just unexpected, because I thought he’d been flirting with me. How had I misread the signals?
“That’s not a simple question,” he answered mysteriously.
“Hey, I didn’t imagine it. You were coming on to me in the Smoothie Shack, not the other way around. Or were you just trying too hard to win customers with your charm? Or were you hoping to lure me somewhere and drink my blood?”
Beck put his hand on my knee. “If you’re going to ask questions, you need to stop firing them at him and give Varu a chance to answer.”
Okay, so Water Boy had my runaway pattern of speech all worked out already and was prepared to challenge me on it.
“Vampire desires aren’t the same as for humans. And, since you ask, Malka, since the moment I met you, I’ve wanted to drink your blood. I still do. Blood is better than sex, for us, most of the time. Although nothing can beat the two things together.”
“A vampire’s bite doesn’t have to kill you or turn you into a vampire, Malka,” Beck added. “It is amazing.” He seemed to go glassy-eyed and speak from experience.
“But I promised Fire that I wouldn’t bite you tonight,” Varu said.
“That arrogant prick, Haydn, is Fire?” I asked.
Varu nodded.
“He’s not the boss of me and gets no say what I do with my body or my blood, I’ll have you know.” I had a good mind to offer all my blood to Varu right then out of rebellious spite.
“He doesn’t. But I’ve made a promise to him that I consider binding for one night only. Now everything else will be easier for you to understand. Before Beck arrived, I was telling you the basics about witches and vampires, but Beck here would be better at filling you in.”
Hmmm, filling me in: that’s exactly what I imagined.
“Filling you in on the details of your kind. Witches, I mean. Not what you’re thinking.”
