The Librarian's Vampire Assistant, Book 5 Page 13

  “Yeah. That was fun, Mommy. I like making new friends.”

  “Good. Because that’s exactly what you’re going to do. Maybe we’ll even throw a birthday party for you next year.” She’s never had one.

  “Will Daddy be invited?” she asks in that tiny hopeful voice.

  “Yeah, sweetie. Of course.”

  “How about cousin Freddy?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. He might be really busy, but we’ll invite him. Okay?”

  She nods her tiny head.

  “All right then. Get some rest.” I lean over and kiss her forehead. “I bake muffins.”

  “I bake muffins, too.” She smiles and rolls over, closing her eyes.

  I drink in her preciousness for a moment, not wanting to let her out of my sight, really.

  “She is quite the creature,” a deep voice says behind me.

  I glance at the doorway. Michael is standing there, arms folded, leaning against the doorjamb and looking the part of the handsome vampire king. I can’t get enough of the view.

  I get up, walk over to him, and smile before reaching for the light switch. I give it a flick, keeping my eyes glued to his.

  He smiles though it doesn’t touch his eyes. I appreciate the gesture anyway. He wants me to feel comfortable. It’s his duty.

  He turns his large frame and allows me to pass. When I do, I take his hand and pull him along, down the short hall into the other bedroom.

  I don’t bother turning on the light, because I’m a vampire now. I can see just fine.

  He closes the door behind him, and we face each other in the dark.

  “I’ve never actually done this before,” I say.

  His dark eyes fill with a subtle confusion.

  “Oh, I mean, yeah—I’ve done that. Obviously.” We do have a daughter together. “But I haven’t, you know, tried it in this body.”

  “Better enjoy the experience while you can, then, because tomorrow, you’ll be human once more.” He holds out his arms in some sort of invitation. “I’m all yours, librarian.”

  So sure of himself. At least that part about Michael never changes.

  I feel my cheeks flush.

  “Are you blushing, librarian?” he asks.

  I wasn’t expecting to feel shy or embarrassed about this. “In my defense, it has been over five years.”

  He steps forward, grabs me by the waist, and pulls me into him. “Then fear not. I remember where all the parts go.” He leans down and kisses me.

  Like before, his lips feel soft and silky, and while I know he doesn’t feel emotion, our bond is still there. That connection between us never went away. Still, my stomach is all knots and flutters. I want him, but in a way that’s way more intense. When a vampire wants, she wants with everything she’s got.

  I slide my tongue past his lips, brushing it across one of his fangs. When we were together before, I was human, and he was careful to keep them away from me. Now he lets me touch them, and the fang rubbing seems to turn him on.

  His grip tightens on my waist, and his lips start moving with abandon. I feel him harden through our clothes and press against my stomach. For me, it’s emotional. For him, it’s physical. Or maybe both?

  My new less-destructible body takes over, all thoughts fading into the background.

  We both kick off our shoes, never breaking the kiss. I unbutton his dress shirt with ease. His pants are next. He helps me out of my tight dress, taking a moment to appreciate my body. I do the same, admiring his ropes of lean, hard muscles and broad shoulders, the swells of his biceps and the ripples of his abs. I float my fingertips over the curved mounds of his chest.

  “That tickles,” he says with a smile.

  I laugh. I know it doesn’t.

  I trail my fingertips down the center of his torso, committing every inch of his ripped body to memory. Before, with my human eyes, I saw him as a sort of god—too perfect for words. Now I see him as a man. My man.

  I brush the back of my knuckles over the trail of coarse hairs that starts below his navel and ends above his thick, pulsing manhood.

  His body jerks as I wrap my fingers around it, appreciating its perfection. He groans and closes his eyes, rocking his hips. It’s good to know all of his equipment still works, even if his heart is cold.

  Suddenly, he takes me in his arms, and faster than I can process, he has me on the bed beneath him. His mouth is on mine, and my arms are pinned over my head.

  All I can say is that this is not like before. He’s rough and demanding, and it’s exactly what my vampire body craves.

  His soft lips glide down my sensitive neck, and he bites down at the very moment he enters me.

  Oh wow! I wasn’t expecting that, but it feels incredible. My head pushes back into the pillow, and my body floods with pulses of ecstasy that make my toes curl. I feel weightless and on fire, but in a good way. And the sensation of him inside me is so intense I almost can’t take it. It’s too good. Without a doubt, this new body’s heightened awareness is a plus in the sack!

  With each thrust and grind, I have to bite down on my lips to keep from screaming out his name and waking Stella.

  The heat grows more intense as we move faster. The tension in my core begins to build, and I’m almost afraid. The pleasure is already too powerful. What will happen when we climax?

  My heart’s going to stop, I think. Then I laugh. I’m worrying about having too much fun? My body is nearly indestructible!

  I let go and embrace the moment, the feeling of our bodies taking and giving.

  As we move together, he lifts his head and stares into my eyes. He doesn’t have to say what he’s feeling, because I’m in his head and he’s in mine. I’ve never felt the bond like I do in this moment, like something links our souls.

  Then it hits us. I feel myself disappear, melting into the hard waves of sinful ecstasy. I don’t know where I end and he begins, but it feels so, so, sooo good.

  His deep groan vibrates in my ears, and then he collapses on top of me.

  “I’m panting.” I laugh. “I’m actually panting.” It takes a lot to make me winded now.

  “That was incredible, Miriam.”

  I blink up at the ceiling. “Did you just say my name?”

  He’s quiet for a long moment. “So I did.”

  I push him off me and sit up so I can see his face. “Say it again.”

  “Miriam.”

  “What’s your daughter’s name?” I ask excitedly.

  “Stella.”

  Ohmygod! He’s back! “How do you feel?”

  He sits up and stares at my face. “I feel…I feel…good.”

  I throw my arms around him and start to weep. “You’re back! You’re back!”

  “I should’ve known,” he says.

  “Known what?” I pull away.

  “That you were the key to making me whole again. Clive was the one who taught me how to shut off my emotions for battle. He told me to always leave a thread behind, something to pull on to help find my way back.” He flashes a sly little smile, and his eyes light up. It takes my breath away. “It was your hot librarian body.”

  I know it wasn’t my body that did the trick. It was us, our unbreakable connection that brought him back. And the way he’s looking at me right now, I know he loves me. I can see it in his eyes. I can feel it through our bond. My heart swells with relief and joy, filling in the dark hole that’s been there since we lost each other.

  I push him back on the bed. “I’m so glad you’re back, but let’s make sure you don’t have a relapse.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Michael

  I spend the night making love to Miriam, and I cannot recall ever feeling quite like this. Completely and utterly happy. Everything is brighter, my heartbeat feels unstoppable, and my emotions are more intense.

  “I wonder if it is because of you,” I say to Miriam as she brushes her teeth, and we prepare to return to headquarters the next morning. I already ran out and got t
he girls some toiletries and a few clean outfits from a small drugstore just down the road. All they had were gray sweats and rain boots.

  Miriam pulls her toothbrush from her mouth, soft waves of blonde hair cascading around her oval face. She still manages to look as sexy as ever in her baggy clothes. “Because of me, what?”

  “Feeling like I am on steroids. Not that I have ever taken them.”

  Miriam bobs her head and then leans forward to rinse her mouth in the sink. When she comes up for air, she smiles at me in the mirror. My heart glows brighter.

  “Do you think it is because of you? Our connection?” I ask.

  “I don’t know; it’s all new to me, so…”

  “It’s interesting.”

  “Will you miss it?” she asks. “Being a vampire?”

  I look down, mulling a bit. I am not used to having to sort through my mind to find my thoughts. Everything’s swimming together. “I suppose I will miss some things, but I have been like this for four hundred years. My biggest challenge will be adjusting—learning to be human again.” Honestly, I do not recall what it was like. I vaguely remember enjoying sunshine and certain bland foods, like bread. I remember the pain of getting hit in the face—I engaged in pugilism on the side while at school to make money.

  My parents abandoned Freddy and me to governesses and, later, boarding schools while they embarked on a new business venture in what is now known as New York City. From what I could learn through public records, they prospered for a time, selling building supplies from England to the settlers, but then the money either dried up or they simply stopped caring.

  My brother and I were left to fend for ourselves. I fought for money. Freddy won’t talk about what he did to survive, which means he probably struggled too. I can only hope that my second time around as a human is not as difficult.

  “There is only one way to find out how I will feel about being human again,” I say. “To do it. And then you and I are getting married.” I peck Miriam’s wet minty lips. “I will go wake up Stella. And don’t forget, you must call me Freddy from now on.” Which is why I am dressed in a black shirt and pants, like one of my own guards.

  I leave the bathroom and find Miriam standing in front of me. Someone is getting the hang of her vampire speed.

  “What was that you said?” she asks.

  I know she means the marriage part, but I am in a playful mood. I’ve just been making love all night to the woman I love, and I have my emotions back. “I said I was going to wake up Stella.”

  Miriam narrows her big brown eyes. “That other part.”

  “Oh, that.” I shrug. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll get used to calling me Fred—”

  “Stop it.” She laughs. “Say it again or the answer will be no.”

  So much is happening inside me, it is nearly impossible to wipe the smile off my face. I do it anyway so she knows how serious I am.

  I get down on one knee, take her hand, and hold it tightly in mine. “Miriam Murphy, will you start a new life with me today, human and human, man and wife, librarian and assistant librarian?”

  She smiles so brightly it blinds me with happiness. “Yes. I will marry you! Even though everyone’s going to call me a cougar.”

  I still look twenty, and she is in her mid-thirties. “Cougars are hot.” I hop to my feet and pull her in for a deep kiss. Everything about her is delicious and warm. I cannot get enough. I never want this to end. As vampires, it wouldn’t, but I want her to have her dream and a perfect life. She never wanted to become a vampire.

  I release Miriam. “Let us go wake up Stella.”

  “Stella. Say it again!” Miriam claps.

  “Stella.” I give myself a proud nod. “Feels good to be back.”

  “Mommy? Daddy?” A tiny little voice rings out from the doorway of the other bedroom.

  I look over at the small girl with a mess of blonde hair snarled on all sides of her head. She’s dressed in one of my extra T-shirts I had left here. It nearly reaches her ankles.

  “Are we going?” she asks.

  I walk over and pick her up, hugging her for the first time as her father. She smells like sunshine and joy. “She is so warm and cuddly, like a puppy.”

  Miriam laughs. “Did you just call her a puppy?”

  It’s the only frame of reference I have. One of the servants who took care of me when I was young got it from a neighbor. Sadly, the puppy grew into a very large dog, and the servants set it out on the street to fend for itself. Money was tight between payments from my parents.

  I set Stella down, determined to make her life everything mine was not. She will have both parents; she will have love; she will not go hungry. And I’m getting her a puppy she can keep.

  “Let us get ready to go. We must meet Michael at the lab and start our new lives today.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  We arrive at the lab just before seven in the morning. Freddy has been hard at work through the night, preparing everything in the basement lab adjacent to the jail. It is the only space in the building with reinforced concrete block on all sides. Not that I am worried about anything exploding, but if we were to be attacked by anyone, this lab could be locked down and secured. Not even a rocket launcher could get through the door and walls, and what’s inside must be protected at all costs.

  We return to the building the same way we left, using an underground service passage that was constructed in the early 1920s during the prohibition era. Vampires made hefty sums during that time, producing, moving, and selling alcohol to humans. We supplied almost ninety percent of the market. Because who better to operate under the radar? Of course, the history books will tell you it was hillbillies in the Ozarks, the mob, and people with distilleries in their basements, or rumrunners from Canada who kept the booze flowing, but really? Vampires.

  The building is quiet as we enter, and both Miriam and I are on high alert, making sure it is the right kind of quiet.

  I know the Keeper is still out there, waiting for his or her chance to strike. Also, someone tripped the alarm on one of the emergency exits yesterday. I did not want to alarm Miriam, but I have doubled security. Because today, this morning, Michael Vanderhorst is going to change the world. He will give his serum to his woman and “cousin” and announce to the vampires around the world that they are once again human.

  Then, in a turn of irony, which the world will gobble up since they are addicted to gossip, Freddy and Miriam will run off together. Gretta, my longtime loyal friend, will tell everyone that Miriam could not stand the cold heartless king anymore. Their loveless relationship was quickly replaced by Freddy, my doppelganger “cousin” with the kind smile and gentle disposition. They will run off to live quietly, the king vowing to behead anyone who mentions their names. He will take a lover, Gretta, and announce their engagement in one month.

  The king, after all, must appear powerful and in control. He cannot show a single ounce of feeling for the librarian, and what better way to prove she means nothing than to take another woman? Gretta is beautiful and desired by many men, so no one will doubt the king’s affection. She is personally thrilled about becoming queen. She, too, feels she can do much good.

  Using the keypad, I open the door to the lab and glance at Miriam, who’s carrying a sleepy Stella. “Are you ready?” I ask.

  Miriam nods.

  “Stella,” I say, “I don’t want you to be frightened. Mr. Nice is inside the room, but he is asleep, and he cannot hurt you. Okay? He has received a powerful sedative.”

  “It’s okay, sweetie,” Miriam adds. “I’ll be right here.”

  Stella pops her thumb into her mouth and snuggles her face into Miriam’s neck.

  “She’ll be okay,” Miriam says. “Let’s just get this over with.”

  I open the door, and we go inside. Stainless steel counters, with cupboards and refrigerators underneath them, frame most of the brightly lit room. My lab equipment—beakers, microscopes, and my modified centrifuge—ar
e set up in the corner next to my computer.

  In the middle of the room is Nice, stretched out on a gurney, wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. His arms and legs are in restraints, and he has a few tubes with clamps sticking out of his wrist.

  “Is everything ready?” I ask Freddy, who’s now dressed like me, wearing a crisp tailored shirt, black slacks and a black vest, with a white lab coat over it.

  I notice his pants have a few brown stains down the front.

  The focus of my gaze catches his attention. “Oh. We had a small issue with administering Nice’s chocolate syrup. It’s fine now. He’s out like a hibernating bear.” Freddy checks the monitor, which is hooked up to two electrodes glued to Nice’s forehead.

  I try not to look at Nice because I know what I will feel. The urge to murder him.

  “Are you all right?” Freddy asks me. “You look…uh…different.”

  “He’s back!” Miriam whispers with a giddy giggle.

  “Oh. That is excellent news. How did you manage it?” he asks her.

  Miriam blushes.

  “Oh. Really?” he says, catching on that the cure was of an intimate nature. “That is fascinating.”

  “Not as fascinating as this. Is everything ready?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  “Excellent. Let’s get Nice closer to the equipment.” I roll the gurney over to the corner of the room. “Miriam, I will go first, so you and Stella can sit over there.” I jerk my head at a few white molded-plastic chairs across the room.

  “What’s going to happen?” Miriam asks.

  I take Nice’s wrist and attach a small steel barrel, about the size of a spool of thread, to the end of the tube. “I am going to fill this small chamber with Nice’s blood, attach it to this machine that will separate out the white blood cells, and then the serum should come out right here.” I point to a very small glass vial attached underneath. It’s partially filled with cold human plasma that will hopefully keep the white blood cells happy for a few minutes until they’re deposited into their new home.