Broken Heart 01 I'm the Vampire, That's Why (36 page)

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"I ripped it off her neck," I said proudly. "You don't have to worry about her anymore. Patrick banned her."

"Woo-hoo!" Ruadan pumped his fist in the air. "After the binding ended,Nara sought the protection of her Family and stayed out of Patrick's sight for several centuries. Never would give him the coin, no matter what he offered. She would settle for nothing less than another binding.

"I heard she joined the Consortium. And Patrick probably let her so that he could figure out how to retrieve the necklace. Then again, Lor's been working on him to learn forgiveness and all that jazz."

"She was trying to cut off my head with your swords," I said. "That's when he banned her."

" 'Atta boy! That woman's soul is black as sin and always will be. AllNara will ever care about is herself."

I glanced at him, at the handsome, silly vampire who'd created a master freaking race.
Big dumb puppy
.

But handsome. I was beginning to think
GQ
looks were a requisite for male vampires.

"So, what's your name, lass?"

"Jessica Matthews."

"Jessica. Good name. Yeah, I like it." He waved a hand around in approval or dismissal. "So when's the binding?"

"Well, you see… I have two kids and I'm not—"

His eyes widened and a smile split his lips. "Hot damn! I've got grandkids! What are their names? Do they like Disney World? Do they likeParis ? Do they like Porsches?"

I stared at him, at his elated expression, and realized that the first freaking vampire ever made was the almost-grandfather of my kids. It completely blew my mind. I mean…
whoa
. "Ruadan… my children are mortal. And Patrick and I are practically immortal."

"So what?"

"They're going to
die
."

"Everyone dies," said Ruadan.

"You haven't!"

"I imagine I will eventually." He shifted, making himself more comfortable. "This is a nice bed."

Was he really thickheaded? Or did he have an undiagnosed case of attention deficit disorder?

"If I do the binding with Patrick, we'll be hitched forever. I'll watch my kids grow up and… pass away."

"Or not."

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"Huh?"

"Jessica." He turned onto his side and looked at me. The wisdom of ancients sparkled in a gaze that had looked at the world for more than four thousand years. "You don't know what life will bring you. And you only live one moment at a time. What if Jenny and Bryan wish to attempt a Turning? What if they get married and have families and grow old and die? What if you and Patrick decide to greet the dawn when their time has passed? Or live on to guard the children of your children's children?"

"I… don't know."

"Exactly." He smiled. And in that smile, I saw the joy of a man who'd learned a thing or three about living. "Life is change. So what if you don't know what's going to happen next week or next century? You only have to live now, right now. And you can find happiness today, with Patrick.

"I like you, Jessica." He leaned over and kissed my forehead. "You're cute and tough and sexy." He rolled off the bed and jumped to his feet. "Gotta go. Got a hot date inMalaysia ."

"Wait a minute. You're leaving?"

"Well, yeah. But I'll be back for the ceremony and to meet my grandkids."

"Ruadan," I said, "maybe you could stick around and help us out. The Wraiths are causing all sorts of problems. We're trying to build a whole new kind of town."

"Don't worry so much, Jessica. Everything will be fine."

"Is that a prophecy?"

He shrugged. "
Is fear rith maith ná drochseasamh
."

As Ruadan sparkled out of sight, I remembered that Patrick had said the same thing to me.
A good run
is better than a bad stand
.

"Fine!" I yelled to the disappearing ancient. "I'll fix things myself. But you are so buying us a Porsche…

inParis !"

I rolled up the scroll, tucked it into its box, and put it away, along with the coin, in the nightstand drawer.

I checked on my kids… asleep, finally. Good. I was feeling the pull of the sunrise.
Patrick, are you
coming home
?

I climbed into bed and fluffed the pillow under my head. Exhaustion sat on me like a row of anvils.

Patrick
?

Céadsearc.
Lock your bedroom door. Keep it locked. Don't open it for anyone
.

Yeah. Okay.

Sheesh. I'd locked everything and checked it twice.
Jessica… I love you. Love you, too
.

I succumbed to the darkness, falling into dreamless sleep.

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"Jessica!"

I nearly leapt out of my skin. As it was, I went on full alert and scrambled out of my bedcovers. I truly missed coffee. I could use a pot about now. The digital clock on the nightstand blinked 7:11 p.m. in big, annoying red numerals.

"Jessica!" A fist pounded on the door. Wait. I'd fallen asleep. Patrick never arrived. But the last thing I remembered was that he told me to keep my bedroom door locked.

"Jessica? Are you awake?"

The voice had a French accent and an urgent tone. I crossed the room and put my hand on the knob.

"François? How the hell did you get into my house?"

"I am a vampire," he said. "It is nothing to circumvent locks and alarms. We must go,
chérie
. The Wraiths followed the RVs. They have taken Patrick's bus and hold the children hostage!"

I immediately tried to connect with my kids. They were still asleep. So… were they asleep because they were safe and sound with Damian? Or were they knocked out by gas or glamour by the Wraiths? My entire body tingled with apprehension. I wanted to trust François, but right now, the pope could be on the other side of that door and I wouldn't open it.

"If you got through the other security," I asked, "why can't you get in here?"

"Patrick has spelled it. Only he can go in."

"Why would he put spells on my bedroom?"

"To protect you, of course. Come,
chérie
. We need your help. Are you not worried about Bryan and Jenny?"

Yes. But I was also worried about why François needed me out of this room so urgently. I quickly changed clothes and retrieved the swords from the dresser. I wasn't sure what I was going to do.

Patrick?

He didn't respond. Foreboding wrapped cold fingers around me. Something was wrong.
Patrick? Hey,
sleepyhead, are you there
?

There was complete silence in my mind. This was bad. Patrick had been living inside my head with me and he wasn't there. Which meant he had blocked me (and he'd sworn never to do that again) or he was incapable of thought. As in still unconscious or… my stomach squeezed. Okay. I wasn't going to think
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that. Patrick was fine. He was just… well, I didn't know. I reached out to the only other person with whom I had a mind connection.
Lorcan
?

Jessica? What do you want?

He sounded pissy and I figured I deserved whatever anger he harbored. But he was going to have to rake me over the coals later.
Are you still with Marybeth and Linda
?

They are still at rest. Patrick and I both gave Linda a strong suggestion for sleep, which will keep her out for a little longer. Marybeth hasn't stirred, but she survived the Turn .. .
she is a vampire, just as you
wanted
.

Give me the guilt trip later, okay? I asked you to do something difficult and it sucked for you and I'm sorry. François is here and he really wants me to leave the room. He really wants me outta here. He says the kids are in trouble, but they're asleep, and as far as I can tell, safe. Worst of all, I can't reach Patrick.

It's like he's… well, he's not there. And he told me to keep the bedroom door locked.

Something must be wrong if you're actually doing as my brother asks.

Hel-lo. Hysterical woman here. Make fun of me later. I'm scared.

All right, bean-shithe.
Give me a moment
.

"Jessica?"

"Oh, uh… sorry, François. I had to go to the bathroom."

"What? Why?"

Crud. Vampires didn't have to potty. "To get my… lotion. I have dry hands."

"You wait to rescue the children because you wish to put lotion on your hands?" He pounded on the door. "Come out, Jessica! I cannot help you as long as you remain in there."

Was François really trying to help me? I didn't believe my kids were in trouble. But I knew Patrick was.

Maybe François had been told that the RVs had been attacked and was relaying that information to me.

Or maybe François had hoped I would panic and open the door to him so he could harm me.

Jessica?

Lor! Thank God. Can you reach Patrick?

No. Patrick left here just before sunrise to go to you.

Oh my God. You don't think he got caught in the sunlight, do you?

No. I think he was captured.

The Wraiths? Shit, shit, shit! Okay. Look. You have to protect Linda and Marybeth and Stan. I'll figure out what François really wants and if he acts like a dickhead, I'll use my swords on his sorry ass. I'll meet you at the RV and we'll figure out how to rescue Patrick and save the day and all that.

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Jessica… that's the dumbest idea I've ever heard.

You got a better one?

Jessica—

I'll see you in a few minutes.

Oh for… fine! But don't die.

"Jessica? This is getting tiresome,
mon chérie
. Please open the door."

François was a nice guy. A really nice guy. He had a groovy accent and buff bod and mischievous sense of humor. I liked him. All the same, I got on my knees, head low, and opened the door.

As it creaked open, François slashed out with a long, silver sword, probably hoping to gut me by surprise.

He missed me.

But I didn't miss him.

"Hi Frankie." I shoved the first sword into his stomach. The second plunged into his chest. I whipped them out and danced backward. He followed, looking more annoyed than injured.

The garbage stench that I had whiffed in the gym so often nearly knocked me over. Whatever he'd done to suppress whatever was causing that rank scent wasn't working anymore. It was like diving headfirst into a septic tank.

He swiped at me, but I salsa'd out of the way. He swung again and again, in a clumsy way, and I had to wonder if he was inept with the weapon or trying to fool me enough that I would lower my guard. The swords clanged against each other, and slowly, I maneuvered so that his back was to the bed and mine was to the door.

Then I knocked aside his sword and plunged my blades into his stomach. I shouted, "
Fulaing
!"

For once I knew what a Gaelic word meant: Suffer. The
sidhe
magic in the swords blazed, and for a moment, François glowed gold. He jolted as if shocked and, howling in agony, fell to his knees and swayed.