When Dusk Comes, page 23
“Nothing, just interrogating Charlie, but she won’t crack,” he answered with a good-natured smile.
“Baked beans are ready!” Gail announced as she hustled toward the group with the hot dish.
“That smells amazing.” Charlie’s mouth watered.
“Just a few more minutes on the ribs. Can’t rush perfection!” Pete warned with his tongs in the air as he returned to the grill to baste the ribs with his secret sauce.
“I’m sorry about my dad,” Erin whispered as she took a seat next to Charlie on the picnic table. Her gun jammed into her hip as she maneuvers her way in.
“Oh please, he’s great. You’re lucky to have a parent like him. Someone who cares about you.” Her words were heavy with sadness, but Erin didn’t have time to comfort her before Pete and Gail arrived with the rest of dinner.
“I’m not big on prayers or speeches or anything,” Pete started as he lifted his glass. “But I want to say I’m glad to have my baby home for a few days and to welcome a new member of the family.” He glanced over at Charlie and gave her a smile. Erin didn’t miss the more meaningful glance he gave Gail and the blush that formed on her cheeks. “Cheers!” he shouted and the rest of them chanted back while clinking their glasses.
* * *
“Sure you girls can’t stay another day?” Pete asked as he stopped his old truck in front of the hangar for charter planes.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Erin said with huge sad eyes. “I wish I could,” she swore, reaching for the bag Pete pulled from the back of the truck.
“I know you gotta work, kiddo,” he said, blushing a little. “And listen, Charlie, you come by anytime, all right. This is your home, too.” His strong arms pulled Charlie into a hug. Erin could see the emotion on her face as she returned the embrace. Nothing builds bonds like a week of sitting in kayaks waiting for the fish to bite.
“Thanks,” she responded with a soft smile. “I will,” she promised before rolling her bag toward the jet.
“I’m so proud of you,” Erin whispered as she hugged her dad hard.
Tears form just behind her eyes and emotion stuck in her throat.
“I’m so proud of you, Erin. I love you,” he affirmed with another hug.
“Don’t take so long to visit, okay?”
“I won’t,” she promised.
Erin let the tears fall as they may until she got close to the jet. She decided to revisit her dad’s employment with Lucía. Pete was one of the most accepting people Erin knew. Maybe it was her emotions talking, but she was sure he could handle the whole supernatural thing. Maybe. All she knew for certain was that she was sick of always saying goodbye to someone.
* * *
“I’ve never asked how much you spend on your one hundred and one apartments,” Erin joked as she walked through the door of the two-story Sao Paulo penthouse. This was one she had never visited.
“Too much,” Lucía admitted as she strode toward Erin and greeted her with a long lingering kiss. “I’ve missed you,” Lucía whispered when she
released Erin’s lips. She’d craved Erin for days and had to refrain from taking her in the doorway.
“I’ve missed you like you wouldn’t believe.” Erin dropped her bags before wrapping her arms around Lucía’s neck. “But first, I need to get the airplane stink out of my hair.” She smiled before heading to the bathroom.
When Erin returned, Lucía was still staring at the blinking lights of the city below.
“Hey,” Erin said gently. “What’s wrong?” She could tell Lucía was a thousand miles away. “Did you make any progress?” she asked, remembering that business called her away. Guilt pulled at her stomach.
She should have insisted on staying by Lucía’s side, but she needed a break from the cloaks and daggers. She needed to recharge.
“No,” Lucía admitted with a soft shake of her head. “But I don’t want to talk about that now.” She moved away from the window as if willing to leave her dark mood behind. “Tell me about your trip.” She cleared the shadows from her face, but Erin could see them lurking beneath the surface.
“Well, my dad was grilling Charlie about you.” She forced a smile, bringing brightness back to Lucía’s chestnut eyes.
“Is that so?” she asked with a quirked eyebrow. “And what information did my dear Charlie provide?”
“All good things,” Erin promised. “He wants to meet you.”
“How about we get together for dinner when I’m in Boston next month?
I had intended to surprise you,” Lucía divulged.
“Oh, and how is that gonna go?” Erin laughed at the absurd scene in her mind. “We all order our steaks medium rare and you order your blood O
positive?” she asked, still cackling. “You can’t eat food!” she spelled out as if Lucía needed to be informed about her own gastrointestinal capabilities.
“I can eat.” Lucía gave Erin a very serious stink eye. “There’s no nutritional value, and too much nauseates me. It would be like you drinking blood. You could, but why would you?”
Erin felt like an idiot. The heat rushed to her face, and there was nothing she can do to stop it. She turned on her heels ready to disappear into the bathroom, but Lucía’s elegant fingers around her wrist kept her feet planted.
“There is something I just can’t seem to get enough of.” Lucía sighed along the column of Erin’s neck as she pulled her toward the bed.
“What’s that?” Arousal and embarrassment struggled for control of Erin’s emotions.
“I’ve been so hungry.” Lucía pulled off Erin’s towel with one tug and sent it tumbling to the ground. She ran her open palms over her body, touching the firmness of her flesh and softness of her skin.
Erin’s body was so warm from the shower. Lucía pulled her closer. Her natural scent mixed with the crushed rose petals in the bath soap. The sweet fragrance lingered in the air. Lucía pulled her even closer as they moved backward toward the bed. But Erin had no intention of laying on her back.
Not just yet.
Lucía’s spine collided with the wall, and Erin’s body pressed against her to ensure she was properly pinned to her spot.
“Miss Lewis,” Lucía warned in her stern authoritative tone, but Erin was intent on her mission. She moved with fluid grace down Lucía’s body.
Her blazer and blouse fell to the floor, and then there was nothing but Erin’s tongue blazing a trail down Lucía’s taut torso.
“Should I stop?” Erin asked, her faux innocence making her eyes huge as she unbuckled the thin belt around Lucía’s trousers. Lucía glanced down, instantly falling victim to her unspoken purpose. Erin couldn’t stop the
devilish grin that formed on her lips when her efforts produced a low rumble in Lucía’s throat, but by then Lucía had already thrown her head back against the wall and laced her fingers in her wet blonde locks.
The material of Lucía’s pants made a slinking sound as they slipped from her hips. Erin’s heart raced as she placed the tiniest kisses along Lucía’s upper thigh, just below where the black silkiness of her underwear ended. She shifted her weight, growing impatient with the game.
“Erin,” Lucía growled, pushing her mouth harder against her. The drop in Lucía’s tone told Erin that she had changed, and the knowledge sent a surge of excitement pulsing through her body.
In one swift movement Lucía pulled Erin up off her knees and into her arms. Her body bounced as she hit the bed, and they both worked quickly to get her clothes off.
“I told you I’d missed you.” Erin moaned when Lucía’s fingers found her dripping with arousal.
“I love you,” Lucía whispered into her lips. She pressed her face against her, always willing herself to get closer despite full body contact.
“I love you,” she responded with a grin and soft kiss. “Are you hungry?” she asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.
“Ravenous,” Lucía admitted with a mischievous grin that exposed her extended fangs.
“I thought so,” Erin whispered before pushing her onto her back.
A deep rumble formed in Lucía’s chest as Erin climbed on top of her and placed a knee on either side of Lucía’s head. She dipped down to let Lucía taste her before she shifted to one side, exposing her inner thigh.
Lucía couldn’t stop herself from biting into the soft flesh. Her black eyes rolled in her head as Erin’s warm blood filled her mouth.
A loud sound at the door forced them out of their steamy bliss. In less than a millisecond, Lucía covered Erin’s naked body with the bedspread and appeared at the door in a blur of movement. Blood stained her lips and formed two ghoulish lines across her cheeks and down her back, but she didn’t waste time wiping it away or covering herself. She swung open the ornate teak door ready to exsanguinate whoever had decided to interrupt them.
“My Queen,” the guard said as he cast his eyes to the floor.
“This better be worth the price of your heart beating in my hand after I rip it from your body,” Lucía threatened, her fangs bared in a display of power and position. Her face changed immediately as she scanned him.
“Stay here.” Lucía barked at Erin as she pulled on a silk robe. The door slammed hard behind her.
* * *
The library buzzed with energy. Lucía could sense six of her own guards, Charlie, four unknown vampires, and a human child? Lucía was sure she must be mistaken but was horrified to find she wasn’t when she stormed into the room.
All the clamoring in the room halted as soon as Lucía arrived. Four guards were restraining two struggling vampires while the others stood on either side of another pair. The latter two she recognized as locals. They were loyal as far as she knew, but she could not be sure where anyone’s allegiance lay.
“O que aconteceu?” Lucía asked the female vampire bowing in due reverence for answers. She approached the young girl clinging to life in Charlie’s arms.
“Minha Rainha,” the woman began in Portuguese before switching to the common tongue.
Lucía motioned for the woman to come closer. She didn’t look up from the human girl, who couldn’t be older than twelve.
“My daughters and I were crossing through the favela when we smelled much blood,” she explained, sneering at the pair still trying to free themselves of Lucía’s guards, albeit silently. Lucía detected the blood on them too, and it didn’t belong to the young girl alone. Lucía could see the girl’s pulse slowing despite Charlie’s pressure on the gaping wound on her neck. “The two of them had already drained the child’s parents and brother when we arrived.” Disgust marred the woman’s face. “They were toying with the young one,” she explained as darkness clouded her face. “My eldest daughter stopped them, but she traded her life in exchange.” The tears welled up in her auburn eyes.
Lucía could feel the rage reverberating from the woman’s body, and could not understand how she was managing her composure.
“We brought the monsters here, Minha Rainha, but did not know what to do with the child.” She finished and stepped back to stand near her only remaining daughter.
Erin moved down the hallway toward the sound of an unknown woman speaking with a heavy accent. She knew Lucía would be none to happy with her for leaving the room, but there had obviously been some emergency and she couldn’t just stand idly by without offering to help. The
voice was loudest behind a closed door, and Erin took a deep breath before pushing her way inside.
“This is what you do all day?” Erin screeched as she stumbled upon the bloody scene. This was the side of Lucía’s business she had never been privy to, and now she understood why. Several pairs of eyes turned to glare at her as she slid through the tension in the air. Erin caught foreign insults from a captive duo, but Lucía herself barely managed a glance in her direction.
“What shall we do, Lucía?” Samael appeared out of nowhere but apparently needed no clarification from anyone about what was going on.
Erin wondered when the hell he came back from whatever corner of the world he’d been hiding in. “This is a direct assault on your authority,” he explained unnecessarily.
“We are already inside your hive,” one of the captured vampires hissed.
“You are as good as gone.”
“For fuck’s sakes!” Erin screamed in horror when her mind finally registered that Charlie and Lucía were holding a little girl. She ran to her side and took the girl’s wrist to check for a pulse. It was so faint she could barely feel it. “Do something! She’s dying!”
“Deal with them,” Lucía nodded toward the murderous vampires, signaling the guards to pick them up and take them out of the room. Samael followed behind without a word. The rest of the room emptied on Lucía’s order, leaving Erin, Charlie, Lucía, and the unconscious girl alone.
“I know what you’re considering, my Queen, and she is too far gone,”
Charlie warned.
“You can’t let her die,” Erin cried, not understanding the hesitation. All she could see was a little girl on the brink of death.
“Go, both of you,” Lucía commanded.
“Come on.” Charlie scrambled to her feet and reached out a hand to help Erin up.
The numbness in Erin’s legs spread to the rest of her body. “Please,” she pleaded, her eyes trained on Lucía and the little girl she was holding against her chest. Without a word, Lucía’s eyes turned black and her fangs extend into deadly points.
Chapter Twenty
Erin was sitting on the bed with her knees pressed against her chest when Lucía came stumbling into the room.
“Oh Jesus,” Erin cried when she saw Lucía, her bloody robe clinging to her body. “What happened.” She wiped the blood from her face, managing only to smear it and make it look even more horrific.
“I couldn’t save her,” Lucía said so weakly that Erin was sure she’d collapse. Erin noticed the self-inflicted wound on Lucía’s arm and the unusual paleness in her skin. “She couldn’t take my blood,” she said with a cracking voice.
“I’m so sorry.” Erin held Lucía in a tight embrace. “I’m so so sorry.”
She cried with Lucía’s head buried under her chin. Her biceps burned, and she realized she was holding Lucía up more than her own legs were. “Come on, let’s get you washed up.”
There was no resistance from Lucía as Erin peeled off the blood stained robe. She stood motionless like a wax figure until Erin guided her toward the bathroom. Erin was sure Lucía hadn’t even blinked while she turned the shower on and placed her under the hot water.
“Lucía?” Erin asked tentatively after the bathroom had filled with steam, but Lucía made no attempts to wash the blood off.
Lucía didn’t answer. She pushed open the frosted glass shower door and pulled her inside, clothing and all. “I need to drink.” Her face was a pale question mark.
“Okay,” Erin said slowly.
Before she could utter another word Lucía’s fangs buried themselves deep inside her neck, and she drank with ferocious desperation. Erin focused on a point on the wall and worked hard to suppress her fear. She repeatedly reminded herself that Lucía wouldn’t hurt her. The mantra kept her alarm from turning to panic. She’d never bitten her like this before.
There was no passion or desire, only true, animalistic hunger.
The water ran down Erin’s jeans and dripped into her shoes. She tried to stay focused as her head got woozy and her body became too heavy to support. Lucía pulled back just before the room turned black.
“I’m sorry I took so much,” she said, holding Erin tightly against her.
Her eyes regained their usual brown hue. “I’ll call for some food,” she continued, her voice returning to normal and fangs retracting to dull points.
Erin stripped the rest of her clothes from her body to bathe, trying to hide her unsteadiness. “Do you want to talk about it?” Erin searched Lucía’s face, noting the turmoil hiding just beneath the surface.
“I couldn’t turn her,” Lucía said as she closed her eyes.
“You tried,” Erin insisted, having no point of reference for this. “She was already so far gone. You did what you could, my love.”
Lucía ignored Erin’s cheerleading. “You don’t understand. I should have been able to save her,” she said shaking her head.
“Listen,” Erin said, bringing Lucía’s chin up with her finger. “I think you’re so unbelievable. You are so brave and selfless.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her emotion. “Charlie told me about the risk in turning
children, and you could have died trying to save a strange child. You’re incredible,” she added, pressing her cheek against Lucía’s forehead.
“I’m not well,” Lucía admitted. “In Costa Rica I was poisoned with some toxin. Even if that girl wasn’t so young and badly injured,” Lucía’s voice quivered, “I don’t believe I could have turned her. I wouldn’t have survived it.”
The news slammed into Erin hard. “I’m so sorry I pushed you to do it. I didn’t know.” Guilt and regret flooded her chest. My thoughtless impulse could have killed her. “I never want you to take this risk again, my love, not for me or for anyone else.”
The water running over their bodies was the only sound for a long time.
“There’s no need to talk about this now,” Lucía said, the exhaustion still heavy in her words. “We have a lifetime to figure it out.”
“I love you,” Erin whispered.
“I know.”
* * *
“I’ve called you all here for a very important announcement,” Lucía said after Charlie entered the study and sat near the fireplace as far from the others as she could manage.
Lucía’s eyes scanned the room before she continued. Samael, the twins, Erin, and Charlie. These were the people who needed to understand this first.
“We all know these attacks are getting more violent and more frequent with each passing day. Anything we do is twisted to fit some narrative we
can’t control. I won’t risk anymore senseless violence against innocents.”
“Baked beans are ready!” Gail announced as she hustled toward the group with the hot dish.
“That smells amazing.” Charlie’s mouth watered.
“Just a few more minutes on the ribs. Can’t rush perfection!” Pete warned with his tongs in the air as he returned to the grill to baste the ribs with his secret sauce.
“I’m sorry about my dad,” Erin whispered as she took a seat next to Charlie on the picnic table. Her gun jammed into her hip as she maneuvers her way in.
“Oh please, he’s great. You’re lucky to have a parent like him. Someone who cares about you.” Her words were heavy with sadness, but Erin didn’t have time to comfort her before Pete and Gail arrived with the rest of dinner.
“I’m not big on prayers or speeches or anything,” Pete started as he lifted his glass. “But I want to say I’m glad to have my baby home for a few days and to welcome a new member of the family.” He glanced over at Charlie and gave her a smile. Erin didn’t miss the more meaningful glance he gave Gail and the blush that formed on her cheeks. “Cheers!” he shouted and the rest of them chanted back while clinking their glasses.
* * *
“Sure you girls can’t stay another day?” Pete asked as he stopped his old truck in front of the hangar for charter planes.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Erin said with huge sad eyes. “I wish I could,” she swore, reaching for the bag Pete pulled from the back of the truck.
“I know you gotta work, kiddo,” he said, blushing a little. “And listen, Charlie, you come by anytime, all right. This is your home, too.” His strong arms pulled Charlie into a hug. Erin could see the emotion on her face as she returned the embrace. Nothing builds bonds like a week of sitting in kayaks waiting for the fish to bite.
“Thanks,” she responded with a soft smile. “I will,” she promised before rolling her bag toward the jet.
“I’m so proud of you,” Erin whispered as she hugged her dad hard.
Tears form just behind her eyes and emotion stuck in her throat.
“I’m so proud of you, Erin. I love you,” he affirmed with another hug.
“Don’t take so long to visit, okay?”
“I won’t,” she promised.
Erin let the tears fall as they may until she got close to the jet. She decided to revisit her dad’s employment with Lucía. Pete was one of the most accepting people Erin knew. Maybe it was her emotions talking, but she was sure he could handle the whole supernatural thing. Maybe. All she knew for certain was that she was sick of always saying goodbye to someone.
* * *
“I’ve never asked how much you spend on your one hundred and one apartments,” Erin joked as she walked through the door of the two-story Sao Paulo penthouse. This was one she had never visited.
“Too much,” Lucía admitted as she strode toward Erin and greeted her with a long lingering kiss. “I’ve missed you,” Lucía whispered when she
released Erin’s lips. She’d craved Erin for days and had to refrain from taking her in the doorway.
“I’ve missed you like you wouldn’t believe.” Erin dropped her bags before wrapping her arms around Lucía’s neck. “But first, I need to get the airplane stink out of my hair.” She smiled before heading to the bathroom.
When Erin returned, Lucía was still staring at the blinking lights of the city below.
“Hey,” Erin said gently. “What’s wrong?” She could tell Lucía was a thousand miles away. “Did you make any progress?” she asked, remembering that business called her away. Guilt pulled at her stomach.
She should have insisted on staying by Lucía’s side, but she needed a break from the cloaks and daggers. She needed to recharge.
“No,” Lucía admitted with a soft shake of her head. “But I don’t want to talk about that now.” She moved away from the window as if willing to leave her dark mood behind. “Tell me about your trip.” She cleared the shadows from her face, but Erin could see them lurking beneath the surface.
“Well, my dad was grilling Charlie about you.” She forced a smile, bringing brightness back to Lucía’s chestnut eyes.
“Is that so?” she asked with a quirked eyebrow. “And what information did my dear Charlie provide?”
“All good things,” Erin promised. “He wants to meet you.”
“How about we get together for dinner when I’m in Boston next month?
I had intended to surprise you,” Lucía divulged.
“Oh, and how is that gonna go?” Erin laughed at the absurd scene in her mind. “We all order our steaks medium rare and you order your blood O
positive?” she asked, still cackling. “You can’t eat food!” she spelled out as if Lucía needed to be informed about her own gastrointestinal capabilities.
“I can eat.” Lucía gave Erin a very serious stink eye. “There’s no nutritional value, and too much nauseates me. It would be like you drinking blood. You could, but why would you?”
Erin felt like an idiot. The heat rushed to her face, and there was nothing she can do to stop it. She turned on her heels ready to disappear into the bathroom, but Lucía’s elegant fingers around her wrist kept her feet planted.
“There is something I just can’t seem to get enough of.” Lucía sighed along the column of Erin’s neck as she pulled her toward the bed.
“What’s that?” Arousal and embarrassment struggled for control of Erin’s emotions.
“I’ve been so hungry.” Lucía pulled off Erin’s towel with one tug and sent it tumbling to the ground. She ran her open palms over her body, touching the firmness of her flesh and softness of her skin.
Erin’s body was so warm from the shower. Lucía pulled her closer. Her natural scent mixed with the crushed rose petals in the bath soap. The sweet fragrance lingered in the air. Lucía pulled her even closer as they moved backward toward the bed. But Erin had no intention of laying on her back.
Not just yet.
Lucía’s spine collided with the wall, and Erin’s body pressed against her to ensure she was properly pinned to her spot.
“Miss Lewis,” Lucía warned in her stern authoritative tone, but Erin was intent on her mission. She moved with fluid grace down Lucía’s body.
Her blazer and blouse fell to the floor, and then there was nothing but Erin’s tongue blazing a trail down Lucía’s taut torso.
“Should I stop?” Erin asked, her faux innocence making her eyes huge as she unbuckled the thin belt around Lucía’s trousers. Lucía glanced down, instantly falling victim to her unspoken purpose. Erin couldn’t stop the
devilish grin that formed on her lips when her efforts produced a low rumble in Lucía’s throat, but by then Lucía had already thrown her head back against the wall and laced her fingers in her wet blonde locks.
The material of Lucía’s pants made a slinking sound as they slipped from her hips. Erin’s heart raced as she placed the tiniest kisses along Lucía’s upper thigh, just below where the black silkiness of her underwear ended. She shifted her weight, growing impatient with the game.
“Erin,” Lucía growled, pushing her mouth harder against her. The drop in Lucía’s tone told Erin that she had changed, and the knowledge sent a surge of excitement pulsing through her body.
In one swift movement Lucía pulled Erin up off her knees and into her arms. Her body bounced as she hit the bed, and they both worked quickly to get her clothes off.
“I told you I’d missed you.” Erin moaned when Lucía’s fingers found her dripping with arousal.
“I love you,” Lucía whispered into her lips. She pressed her face against her, always willing herself to get closer despite full body contact.
“I love you,” she responded with a grin and soft kiss. “Are you hungry?” she asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.
“Ravenous,” Lucía admitted with a mischievous grin that exposed her extended fangs.
“I thought so,” Erin whispered before pushing her onto her back.
A deep rumble formed in Lucía’s chest as Erin climbed on top of her and placed a knee on either side of Lucía’s head. She dipped down to let Lucía taste her before she shifted to one side, exposing her inner thigh.
Lucía couldn’t stop herself from biting into the soft flesh. Her black eyes rolled in her head as Erin’s warm blood filled her mouth.
A loud sound at the door forced them out of their steamy bliss. In less than a millisecond, Lucía covered Erin’s naked body with the bedspread and appeared at the door in a blur of movement. Blood stained her lips and formed two ghoulish lines across her cheeks and down her back, but she didn’t waste time wiping it away or covering herself. She swung open the ornate teak door ready to exsanguinate whoever had decided to interrupt them.
“My Queen,” the guard said as he cast his eyes to the floor.
“This better be worth the price of your heart beating in my hand after I rip it from your body,” Lucía threatened, her fangs bared in a display of power and position. Her face changed immediately as she scanned him.
“Stay here.” Lucía barked at Erin as she pulled on a silk robe. The door slammed hard behind her.
* * *
The library buzzed with energy. Lucía could sense six of her own guards, Charlie, four unknown vampires, and a human child? Lucía was sure she must be mistaken but was horrified to find she wasn’t when she stormed into the room.
All the clamoring in the room halted as soon as Lucía arrived. Four guards were restraining two struggling vampires while the others stood on either side of another pair. The latter two she recognized as locals. They were loyal as far as she knew, but she could not be sure where anyone’s allegiance lay.
“O que aconteceu?” Lucía asked the female vampire bowing in due reverence for answers. She approached the young girl clinging to life in Charlie’s arms.
“Minha Rainha,” the woman began in Portuguese before switching to the common tongue.
Lucía motioned for the woman to come closer. She didn’t look up from the human girl, who couldn’t be older than twelve.
“My daughters and I were crossing through the favela when we smelled much blood,” she explained, sneering at the pair still trying to free themselves of Lucía’s guards, albeit silently. Lucía detected the blood on them too, and it didn’t belong to the young girl alone. Lucía could see the girl’s pulse slowing despite Charlie’s pressure on the gaping wound on her neck. “The two of them had already drained the child’s parents and brother when we arrived.” Disgust marred the woman’s face. “They were toying with the young one,” she explained as darkness clouded her face. “My eldest daughter stopped them, but she traded her life in exchange.” The tears welled up in her auburn eyes.
Lucía could feel the rage reverberating from the woman’s body, and could not understand how she was managing her composure.
“We brought the monsters here, Minha Rainha, but did not know what to do with the child.” She finished and stepped back to stand near her only remaining daughter.
Erin moved down the hallway toward the sound of an unknown woman speaking with a heavy accent. She knew Lucía would be none to happy with her for leaving the room, but there had obviously been some emergency and she couldn’t just stand idly by without offering to help. The
voice was loudest behind a closed door, and Erin took a deep breath before pushing her way inside.
“This is what you do all day?” Erin screeched as she stumbled upon the bloody scene. This was the side of Lucía’s business she had never been privy to, and now she understood why. Several pairs of eyes turned to glare at her as she slid through the tension in the air. Erin caught foreign insults from a captive duo, but Lucía herself barely managed a glance in her direction.
“What shall we do, Lucía?” Samael appeared out of nowhere but apparently needed no clarification from anyone about what was going on.
Erin wondered when the hell he came back from whatever corner of the world he’d been hiding in. “This is a direct assault on your authority,” he explained unnecessarily.
“We are already inside your hive,” one of the captured vampires hissed.
“You are as good as gone.”
“For fuck’s sakes!” Erin screamed in horror when her mind finally registered that Charlie and Lucía were holding a little girl. She ran to her side and took the girl’s wrist to check for a pulse. It was so faint she could barely feel it. “Do something! She’s dying!”
“Deal with them,” Lucía nodded toward the murderous vampires, signaling the guards to pick them up and take them out of the room. Samael followed behind without a word. The rest of the room emptied on Lucía’s order, leaving Erin, Charlie, Lucía, and the unconscious girl alone.
“I know what you’re considering, my Queen, and she is too far gone,”
Charlie warned.
“You can’t let her die,” Erin cried, not understanding the hesitation. All she could see was a little girl on the brink of death.
“Go, both of you,” Lucía commanded.
“Come on.” Charlie scrambled to her feet and reached out a hand to help Erin up.
The numbness in Erin’s legs spread to the rest of her body. “Please,” she pleaded, her eyes trained on Lucía and the little girl she was holding against her chest. Without a word, Lucía’s eyes turned black and her fangs extend into deadly points.
Chapter Twenty
Erin was sitting on the bed with her knees pressed against her chest when Lucía came stumbling into the room.
“Oh Jesus,” Erin cried when she saw Lucía, her bloody robe clinging to her body. “What happened.” She wiped the blood from her face, managing only to smear it and make it look even more horrific.
“I couldn’t save her,” Lucía said so weakly that Erin was sure she’d collapse. Erin noticed the self-inflicted wound on Lucía’s arm and the unusual paleness in her skin. “She couldn’t take my blood,” she said with a cracking voice.
“I’m so sorry.” Erin held Lucía in a tight embrace. “I’m so so sorry.”
She cried with Lucía’s head buried under her chin. Her biceps burned, and she realized she was holding Lucía up more than her own legs were. “Come on, let’s get you washed up.”
There was no resistance from Lucía as Erin peeled off the blood stained robe. She stood motionless like a wax figure until Erin guided her toward the bathroom. Erin was sure Lucía hadn’t even blinked while she turned the shower on and placed her under the hot water.
“Lucía?” Erin asked tentatively after the bathroom had filled with steam, but Lucía made no attempts to wash the blood off.
Lucía didn’t answer. She pushed open the frosted glass shower door and pulled her inside, clothing and all. “I need to drink.” Her face was a pale question mark.
“Okay,” Erin said slowly.
Before she could utter another word Lucía’s fangs buried themselves deep inside her neck, and she drank with ferocious desperation. Erin focused on a point on the wall and worked hard to suppress her fear. She repeatedly reminded herself that Lucía wouldn’t hurt her. The mantra kept her alarm from turning to panic. She’d never bitten her like this before.
There was no passion or desire, only true, animalistic hunger.
The water ran down Erin’s jeans and dripped into her shoes. She tried to stay focused as her head got woozy and her body became too heavy to support. Lucía pulled back just before the room turned black.
“I’m sorry I took so much,” she said, holding Erin tightly against her.
Her eyes regained their usual brown hue. “I’ll call for some food,” she continued, her voice returning to normal and fangs retracting to dull points.
Erin stripped the rest of her clothes from her body to bathe, trying to hide her unsteadiness. “Do you want to talk about it?” Erin searched Lucía’s face, noting the turmoil hiding just beneath the surface.
“I couldn’t turn her,” Lucía said as she closed her eyes.
“You tried,” Erin insisted, having no point of reference for this. “She was already so far gone. You did what you could, my love.”
Lucía ignored Erin’s cheerleading. “You don’t understand. I should have been able to save her,” she said shaking her head.
“Listen,” Erin said, bringing Lucía’s chin up with her finger. “I think you’re so unbelievable. You are so brave and selfless.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her emotion. “Charlie told me about the risk in turning
children, and you could have died trying to save a strange child. You’re incredible,” she added, pressing her cheek against Lucía’s forehead.
“I’m not well,” Lucía admitted. “In Costa Rica I was poisoned with some toxin. Even if that girl wasn’t so young and badly injured,” Lucía’s voice quivered, “I don’t believe I could have turned her. I wouldn’t have survived it.”
The news slammed into Erin hard. “I’m so sorry I pushed you to do it. I didn’t know.” Guilt and regret flooded her chest. My thoughtless impulse could have killed her. “I never want you to take this risk again, my love, not for me or for anyone else.”
The water running over their bodies was the only sound for a long time.
“There’s no need to talk about this now,” Lucía said, the exhaustion still heavy in her words. “We have a lifetime to figure it out.”
“I love you,” Erin whispered.
“I know.”
* * *
“I’ve called you all here for a very important announcement,” Lucía said after Charlie entered the study and sat near the fireplace as far from the others as she could manage.
Lucía’s eyes scanned the room before she continued. Samael, the twins, Erin, and Charlie. These were the people who needed to understand this first.
“We all know these attacks are getting more violent and more frequent with each passing day. Anything we do is twisted to fit some narrative we
can’t control. I won’t risk anymore senseless violence against innocents.”
