All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire

CHAPTER 14

A dinging sound nudged Toni from her sleep. Where was she? Oh right, the silver room at Romatech Industries.

A flash of light drew her attention, and she stiffened when she realized she wasn't alone in the dark room. Then she recognized the red and green plaid kilt. The broad shoulders and black ponytail that curled on the end.

The red exit light above the door cast a dim, red glow across the room. Ian removed a bottle of blood from the microwave. That must have been the source of the dinging sound. She glanced at the bedside clock. Time to get up for work. She sat up, and the rustle of sheets caused Ian to turn toward her.

"Och, I dinna mean to wake you."

"It's okay. It's time for me to get up."

"Ye can sleep late if ye like."

She immediately collapsed onto the bed. "Oh God, yes."

He chuckled. "Everyone is staying here for their death-sleep. There are a few bedrooms here in the cellar, all with surveillance cameras. Howard's in the MacKay office, watching over us."

Toni glanced up at the camera in the corner. The red light indicated it was turned on.

"There's a second office for day security," Ian continued. "They watch over the mortal employees and guard the building. I hear it's verra busy upstairs during the day. Lots of mortals making synthetic blood, bottling it, and shipping it to hospitals and blood banks."

"You're not worried one of the mortal employees will stumble onto a Vamp in his death-sleep?"

"The mortals are no' allowed in the basement. Ye need a special key card to make the elevator come here or access the stairway. I left one on the table for you here."

"Did I miss anything while I was sleeping?"

He shrugged on shoulder. "The townhouse was invaded."

"What?" She sat up. "The Malcontents were there?"

"Aye. Phineas killed one. He was verra proud of himself. Jedrek tried to teleport away with me, but I slashed his arm to get free."

"Good grief," Toni whispered. This was awful. "Are you okay?"

"Aye." Ian finished his bottle and rinsed it out in the kitchen sink. "We expect they'll try something tonight, so ye should get more rest while ye can."

"Okay. I'll just go to the bathroom first." She padded to the bathroom. Once she was done, she shut the door behind her and let her eyes adjust to the red-tinted darkness. Ian was no longer in the kitchen.

She moved toward the bed and halted. There he was, on the far side, lying on top of the covers, wearing his kilt, a white T-shirt, and his knee socks.

"What are you doing?" She glanced around the room. There was only one bed. Maybe if she pushed the easy chairs together, she could manage—

"I willna molest you, lass. Verra soon, I'll no' be able to move." He clasped his hands together over his stomach and studied the ceiling. "Though I hope ye willna have yer way with me while I'm unable to defend myself."

She snorted. "Right. Because there's something so irresistible about a corpse."

His mouth curled into a half smile as he looked at her. "If it bothers you to sleep next to me, I can lie on the floor. Once I'm dead, I'll hardly know the difference."

"I've dated a few guys with the same level of sensitivity," she muttered while she debated whether to climb back into bed.

He yawned and closed his eyes. "I'll be gone soon."

She sat on the edge of the bed. "Does it hurt?"

"To know there's a beautiful woman lying next to me, and I'll no' be able to touch her?" His eyes opened and glimmered with humor. "It's a living torture. But no' for long."

She scoffed. "I meant does it hurt every morning when you die?"

He lay there, his gaze roaming over her slowly, lingering here and there as if he were memorizing every tiny detail. Her skin tingled, responding to his gaze. Just when she thought he wouldn't answer, he spoke softly.

"It's like slipping into a black hole, so black and deep there is no light, no feelings, no thoughts." He blinked slowly, the twinkle in his eyes fading. "I wish I could dream."

"What would a vampire dream about? Big vats of blood? A shiny, new coffin with leather upholstery?"

"Nay. I would have a lovely dream." A hint of a smile played on his lips as his eyes drifted shut. "About you." His face went lax.

Me? Toni's heart raced. He would dream of her? She leaned close to study him. "Are you dead yet?"

He didn't answer. He just lay there, the most gorgeous man she'd ever known. Her gaze settled on the dimple in his chin. She'd wanted to touch it the other day. She'd reached for it, but had lost her nerve.

She would have the nerve now. But not the opportunity. She glanced up at the surveillance camera. It wouldn't do for Howard to see her touching Ian's face.

She slipped under the covers and lay on her back beside him. God help her, she wanted to snuggle up to a dead body. This was wrong on so many levels.

She rolled over, putting her back to him. So wrong. And yet, it was starting to feel so right.

Thank God there was a different receptionist working at Shady Oaks Sunday evening. Toni had worried about Doris being there and recognizing her from her sex addict routine. She tried to look a little different by wearing her glasses instead of contacts and pulling a knit cap down low to cover her blonde hair.

Carlos had picked her up at Romatech. The sun had still been up, and all the Vamps still dead. Howard had assured her everything was under control, so she was free to go. Still, she felt that uneasy sensation of being pulled in two different directions. Ian had thought the Malcontents would attack again. She hated not being there to help.

"We're here to see Sabrina Vanderwerth," she told the receptionist.

"You'll need to sign in and fill out this form."

While Carlos signed them in, Toni quickly filled out the form, including Sabrina's name and ID number.

The receptionist checked the form against her records, the same records Toni had snuck a peek at the night before. "I'll need your IDs." She examined their driver's licenses, then filled out name tags for them.

"I'll hold your licenses here until you return and sign out." She handed them the clip-on name tags. "Wear these at all times. You cannot bring any personal items or food or drinks into the wards. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Toni was directed toward the guard, who went through her handbag, then patted her and Carlos down.

He unlocked the door. "Follow the sidewalk across the courtyard, then turn right to Ward Three."

As they crossed the courtyard, Toni looked around. Inside each building, another guard was posted. She shivered. The place was like a prison.

Carlos opened the door to Ward Three and followed her into a small foyer. The guard checked their name tags and took their request form, which he placed in a sliding metal box. It slid into a nurses' station, all enclosed in glass.

"Put your coats and personal items in these bins." The guard motioned to some plastic bins on a table.

While they filled the bins, a brawny male nurse entered the nursing station and examined their request form. "Come to the door," he spoke through an intercom.

There was a buzzing sound, then the metal door opened.

The male nurse motioned for them to enter. Toni noted his name tag said Bradley. And the hall smelled of disinfectant and despair.

"Are there visitors for me?" a young man asked as he shuffled toward them in corduroy house shoes. His Spider-Man pajamas were crumpled, and the red color had faded to pink.

"They're not here for you, Teddy," Bradley growled. "Go back to the men's room."

"Okay." Teddy ran a hand through his dark hair that had a streak dyed white down the middle, making him resemble a skunk. He shuffled back down the hall.

"This way." Bradley led them to the right. "Sabrina will be in the women's rec room. We keep the men and women separated except at mealtime. It's better that way since we get the occasional sex addict."

Toni winced.

"Here you are." Bradley motioned to an open area, then strode back down the hallway.

A female nurse sat behind a counter, watching everyone. In the middle of the plain white room, there were two tables, surrounded by orange plastic chairs. More plastic chairs lined the three walls. A television, mounted high in a corner, played an animated movie with the volume turned down low. The air was stuffy and warm. Stifling.

Two middle-aged women sat along the wall, across from the television, staring dumbly at it. One's hand kept twitching, and the other one's mouth drooped open. Their eyes looked dead. Toni's heart squeezed in her chest.

In the corner, a young female patient sat beside a male visitor, her husband perhaps? They were both quiet, as if they no longer knew what to say to each other.

Toni's heart was already breaking when she spotted Sabrina. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and a blue T-shirt. Her hair, usually a bouncy and shiny blonde, was dull and frizzy. She sat at a table, swinging her feet back and forth as she studied a magazine. Her sneakers flopped loosely on her feet. The shoelaces had been removed.

As Toni moved closer, she realized it wasn't a magazine Sabrina was looking at, but a coloring book. She flipped through the pages, then stopped at a page that hadn't been colored yet. She removed a broken pink crayon from a plastic bin and started to color.

This was the ace student at NYU who had made the dean's list for the past six semesters? Toni squeezed her eyes shut. I will not cry in front of her. I'll be strong.

"I could kill her uncle," Carlos whispered.

Toni took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face. "Hi, Sabrina!"

Bri turned toward them, her face blank, then she blinked. "Toni! Carlos!" She stood. "You came to see me."

"Of course we did." Toni gave her a hug. "We've been worried about you."

"You're looking good, menina." Carlos hugged her, then sat across from her at the table.

Toni sat next to her. "How have you been?"

"I'm okay." Bri held up her arm to show them the blue plastic ID band around her wrist. "I got promoted to blue today. I'm so glad not to be yellow anymore."

"What's wrong with yellow?" Toni asked.

"It's for suicidal patients." Bri selected a green crayon from the bin. "Not that I was suicidal."

Toni swallowed hard. "That's good," she whispered.

"They just put everyone on suicide watch when they first get here," Bri explained.

"I wonder why," Carlos muttered as he glanced around the bleak room.

"I was so lonely," Bri continued. "I had to eat all my meals alone, and I had to sit here by myself when the others went to the gym."

"Hi, Sabrina."

They turned to see Teddy shuffling into the room.

He cricked his head to the side. "You have visitors?"

"Teddy!" Bradley marched toward him. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay in the men's rec room?"

"Okay." Teddy wandered back down the hall.

"Crazy moron," Bradley muttered as he followed.

"I'm not crazy," Teddy protested.

Sabrina went back to coloring as if everything was normal. "I met Teddy at lunch today. I think he's lonesome. No one ever comes to visit him." She smiled at Toni. "I'm glad you came."

I will not cry. Toni smiled back. "I'm glad, too."

"Teddy's not crazy," Bri whispered. "He's just very sad. He was in a car accident with his girlfriend, and she died. He was driving, so he feels guilty."

Toni nodded. "It's terrible to feel like you've failed someone you love." And God help her, she was going to fail Sabrina if she didn't get her out of this place. "We want to get you back home."

"I'm trying to get better. I'm having delusions."

"You're not delusional," Toni insisted.

"I have to admit it if I'm going to get better. That's what my therapist says. Anyway, lots of people here are delusional." Bri smiled. "Even some of the guards. Last night, they said there was a giant black cat running around the courtyard."

Toni glanced at Carlos, but his face remained blank.

Bri took a purple crayon from the bin. "I have to color Jasmine's hair purple. They took all the black crayons away 'cause they were too depressing."

Toni stifled an urge to scream. How could anyone stay at this place and not get depressed? "Bri, I did what you asked. I went to Central Park to see if any vampires would come and attack me."

Bri shook her head while she colored. "Vampires aren't real."

"You're right," Carlos said quickly, then gave Toni a pointed look when she started to interrupt. "You should tell your uncle that you made a mistake. You were simply traumatized by the attack. But you're all better now, and he should let you out of here."

Toni knew that strategy wouldn't work. Bri would need her uncle's okay in order to be released, and he would never give it.

Bri dropped the purple crayon back into the bin. "Uncle Joe wants me to stay here until they get the right combination of meds for me. It might take a few weeks."

Or forever, Toni thought wryly. As long as Uncle Joe was in charge of Bri's future, she would have none.

Toni had wanted to help Bri by proving the existence of vampires, but so far, she'd failed to come up with any proof. And now she doubted Uncle Joe would acknowledge any proof. It simply wasn't in his best interest to ever let Bri out of this hospital.

A sense of panic grew in Toni as the minutes ticked by. Carlos asked mundane questions like what they'd eaten for supper. Toni was finding it hard to even breathe.

"Would you like to have this picture?" Bri asked as she finished coloring.

"Yes." Toni forced a smile.

Nurse Bradley strode toward them. "Visiting hours are over," he announced.

"Tomorrow we're making Christmas stockings and putting up a tree." Bri handed the picture to Toni. "Can you come back?"

"Of course. I mean, I'll try." Toni was afraid Uncle Joe would deny her access once he saw her name on the visitor sign-in sheet.

"Let's go." Bradley motioned impatiently.

The couple in the corner separated. The husband headed down the hall. The woman sank into her chair and silently began to cry.

"This way, please." Bradley glared at them.

Toni hugged her friend, then quickly walked away before Bri could see the tears in her eyes. She followed Carlos back into the foyer and winced when the heavy metal door shut with a final click.

They slowly put on their coats and gathered their belongings, so the visiting husband would leave before them. A few minutes after he exited, they started across the courtyard.

The cold air slapped Toni's face, bringing her a sense of urgency. "We have to get her out," she whispered.

"I know," Carlos replied. "I've been trying to come up with a plan all evening."

"Her uncle will never release her." Toni's voice rose in panic. "We'll have to—"

"Shhh," Carlos warned her. He motioned to the oak tree and its massive branch that extended over the wall. "I could try to get her up that tree, but there's still the problem of getting her out of the ward. The damned place is locked up tighter than a nun in a chastity belt."

"We have to do something."

"I can't see a way out of here."

She grabbed Carlos's arm. "Don't say that! There's got to be a way." They just needed to get past the guards and the locked doors. "Oh my gosh, I know how to do it."

"How?" Carlos asked.

"We teleport her out."

"We can't do that."

"But we know someone who can."

"You're going to ask that vampire, Ian?" Carlos asked. "Are you sure he can be trusted?"

"I think so. I hope so." He'd offered to help her. And the more Toni thought about it, the more she knew it was the only way.

Toni insisted Carlos drive her straight back to Romatech. It was dark by the time they arrived. The guard at the entrance gate recognized her and waved them through.

Carlos stopped the car by the front door. "I know you want to talk to Ian alone, but leave me in the loop. This will require some planning."

"Okay." She pulled her knit cap off and fluffed up her hair. She wanted to look decent for her talk with Ian.

"Once Bri is out, we'll need a safe place to keep her. We can't just take her back to her apartment."

"Why not?" Toni snapped her eyeglasses into their case, then dropped them in her handbag. Her eyesight was a little fuzzy from a distance, but it would be fine for a close-up conversation. She pulled the visor down to check herself in the mirror.

"Toni, her uncle might suspect we're behind her disappearance and charge us with kidnapping."

That made her pause. She flipped the visor back up. "But Bri would come willingly with us."

"Are you sure? After all she's been through, do you expect her to trust the next vampire who comes along?"

"Well, I did." Toni winced. "But I had strong motivation. I was trying to help Bri." Tears threatened her once again. "We have to get her out of there."

"I agree. I don't like what those meds are doing to her. She's lost all her fight. She's not herself anymore."

"I know." Toni dragged in a shaky breath. She was barely retaining control over her emotions.

Carlos patted her arm. "It'll be all right, menina." He glanced in the rearview mirror. "What the hell is that?"

Toni glanced over her shoulder. The parking lot was well lit, and she spotted a short man, bundled up against the cold, trudging toward the front door of Romatech. He had a large black garbage bag slung over one shoulder. "He's carrying something kinda bulky."

"He?" Carlos glanced back, then shifted his gaze back to the mirror. "He doesn't show up in the mirror. All I see is a bag floating along in the air."

"Really?" Toni snapped down the visor to look in the mirror. Sure enough, the garbage bag was moving on its own. "That looks so weird. He must be a Vamp."

They sat in the car and watched the short man go through the front door.

"I wonder what he's got in the bag," Toni murmured.

Carlos snorted. "A dead body?"

Toni swatted him. "These Vamps aren't like that."

"You've known them for a week, Toni. How can you be sure what they're capable of?"

"They saved me when I was in trouble. Let's just hope they can save Sabrina." She opened the car door to get out. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Carlos waved, then drove back to the entrance gate.

Toni entered the large foyer with its gleaming marble floors and huge potted plants that concealed surveillance cameras and metal detectors. She turned down the hallway on the left, headed for the MacKay security office.

The short Vamp with the stuffed garbage bag was halfway down the hall. He stopped at a door and punched in a number on the keypad.

The door across the hall opened, and Shanna hurried out. She stopped. "Laszlo! How good to see you."

"Mrs. Draganesti." The short man bowed slightly. "How do you do?"

"I'm fine." She moved closer to him. "What did you bring?"

He opened his bag, and she peered inside.

"Laszlo, these are wonderful! Thank you!"

He blushed. "I'd better get them inside." He scurried inside the door with his mysterious bag.

What the hell was going on? "What's up?" Toni motioned toward the locked door.

"Toni!" Shanna gave her a hug. "Have you seen my office yet?" She pointed at the dental office across the hall.

"No." Toni suspected Shanna was trying to change the subject.

"You need to make an appointment," Shanna continued. "All the MacKay employees get two free checkups every year. Well, actually, not free. Angus pays for it. Have you met Angus?"

Definitely trying to change the subject. "No, I haven't."

"Hi, Mommy! Hi, Toni!" Constantine called out.

Toni spotted him hovering about four feet off the floor in the room next to Shanna's office. This had to be his nursery. The doorway was partially closed off by the bottom half of a door. The top half was open, and Constantine had levitated so he could see them in the hallway.

"Hi, Constantine." Toni peered into his playroom. It was full of toys, books, stuffed animals, a twin bed, and some comfy chairs. "Wow, you have a lot of stuff."

"You can say that again," Radinka muttered as she returned some books to a bookcase. "You two had better hurry up, or you'll be late for Mass."

"Okay." Shanna leaned over the door to hug her son. "I'll see you afterward, sweetie." She started down the hall, then stopped when Toni didn't join her. "Aren't you coming?"

"I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Ian." Toni gestured toward the security office.

"Howard's the only one there right now." Shanna moved closer. "All the Vamp guys are at the chapel, making sure it's safe. They're worried the Malcontents will try something tonight."

"Like what?"

Shanna sighed. "They blew up our chapel last summer. Luckily, no one was there at the time."

Toni winced. "That's terrible."

"Yeah." Shanna glanced toward the nursery and lowered her voice. "That's why I'm leaving Tino in the nursery with Radinka. Just in case. Come on. You need to meet Father Andrew. He's wonderful."

Toni followed her down the hall and into the main foyer. "I don't know if I should go. I wasn't raised Catholic."

Shanna grinned. "Neither was I. But these old Vamps are so medieval, it's all they know. Did you know my husband was a monk?"

"I didn't know that." Toni followed Shanna into the right wing. She wondered how old Ian was exactly, but didn't want to draw attention to her interest in him. "Are all the guys medieval?"

"No. Gregori's young. Roman transformed him in 1993, when some Malcontents attacked him outside in the parking lot. Poor guy was just picking up his mom from work."

"How sad." Toni grimaced. But it did explain how he managed to have a mortal mother who was still alive. "What about Connor and…Ian?"

"They were transformed after some battle in Scotland in the 1500s, changed the same night, so they've always been close. Roman changed Connor, and Angus changed Ian."

"They wanted to be changed?" Toni asked.

"Oh yeah. They were both mortally wounded. It was either be changed or die." Shanna entered a room on the right. "This is our fellowship hall, where everyone visits after church. I just want to make sure everything's ready."

The room had two long tables, both draped in long, white tablecloths. It was obvious that one was meant for Vamps, and the other one for mortals. The mortal table boasted a cheese/deli tray, a veggie and dip tray, a bowl of punch, and a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

The other table had two large bins filled with ice and bottles of blood. The microwave was in the center of the table, flanked by rows of glasses.

"Ladies, the service is starting," a male voice spoke from the hallway.

There was no mistaking that deep, lilting voice. Toni's heart fluttered in her chest. When she turned to face him, her heart did a bigger flip.

"We'll talk later." Shanna patted Toni on the arm, then hurried from the room.

Toni approached Ian, and her heart speeded up under his intense scrutiny. "I need to talk to you."

He raised his eyebrows. "Are ye ready to finally confess yer secrets?"

Her face heated. All the other Vamps had trusted her from the beginning. Only Ian had suspected her of a hidden agenda. "How do you know I have secrets?"

He leaned close and whispered, "Yer heart is racing. Yer cheeks are on fire." He smiled slowly. "And now yer eyes are flashing an angry, but lovely, shade of green."

"You're like a human lie detector." She glared at him. "It's very aggravating to lose the option of lying."

He chuckled as he curled a hand around her elbow. "They say confession is good for the soul."

The sound of singing drifted from the chapel. Deep, male voices. The Vamps were singing a hymn.

"Why does a Vamp worry about the state of his soul?" she whispered. "You could live forever."

"None of us live forever."

"So you're praying for salvation?" She guessed that made sense. Who would need redemption more than a vampire?

"I pray for many things, Toni." His hand slid down her arm, then lingered by her fingers. "I pray ye'll trust me with the entire truth."

And she would pray that he understood.