Seer: Thrall (31 page)

After that, we spent a few minutes talking about what we'd each been doing that morning.

"I finished roughing out the web pages for Dolores," I explained. "I just have sample data for now, but when I'm next at my desk, I'll send her screen shots to see if she's happy. She might have changes. After that, I have to add the code to talk to the database. It's a pretty easy project."

"So good work to start with."

"Yes." I paused. "Did you send the drawings?"

Solange shifted in her chair. "They should receive them today," she said. "Sidney, I don't want to talk about it. We'll both get upset."

"Because you aren't going to stop her, and you don't want to tell me?"

"No, because we've barely started on it, and it's upsetting to think about, for both of us."

"All right. I'm sorry."

"It's all right," she said. "I'll keep you posted what we do. You're going to have to dream about her some more."

"I know. Are you coming home this afternoon?"

"It's your afternoon with Millie," she said. "I thought I'd work. Is that a problem?"

"No. I want to go clothes shopping though. I can ask Amanda."

"How about I get home later in the afternoon and we go together? We can shop until we drop, with dinner for a break."

"Do vampires drop when they shop?"

She smiled. "No one is safe at Wal-Mart at Christmas."

I laughed. "So true. But we aren't going to Wal-Mart, so you're safe."

"I'll protect you."

"You'll make sure there aren't any pins in the clothes?"

"Not necessarily, but after you poke yourself, I'll heal the resulting punctures."

It was my turn to laugh. "I just bet you would."

Solange smiled. "I love your laugh, Sidney."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. We both turned. Cadence was there, her arm around Amanda's waist. I was struck by the incongruity of the sight. One could guess both their professions with a glance. Cadence was dressed as a successful, professional lawyer, and she carried herself as one. Amanda was dressed in flowing earth tones and tall, brown boots. She wore no make up, but she had a necklace festooned with crystals, and from her ears hung earrings in peace symbols. I suddenly realized...

"You were a hippie!"

She laughed. "I'm still a hippie," she said.

The differences between Solange and I weren't quite as striking, but they were still distinct. Like Cadence, she was dressed professionally. I had dressed up, but I hadn't aimed for professional. And even in my most professional attire, I didn't think I measured up to Solange in style or bearing.

But when I looked at her, she was smiling softly at me. I didn't think she cared, even though I did. I wondered then and there whether I was worried about all the wrong things.

Solange and I stood, and when she took my arm, I let her.

"Are we inviting Aubree?"

"She's with a client," Cadence replied.

* * * *

Lunch was pleasant and relaxed. Cadence and Amanda held hands for much of the time, which I thought was sweet.

Midway through the meal I announced, "There are two events at our house this weekend. Dolores and Aubree are coming for dinner on Friday. And we have a barbeque scheduled for Saturday with cards afterwards. It will be a mixed crowd. The two of you are invited to both events."

Amanda immediately turned to Cadence, and I thought I could read her decision in her expression. In turn, Cadence turned to Solange, who made a very subtle nod of her head. "We'd love to come," Cadence said. "Let us know what we can bring."

I looked back and forth between Solange and Cadence, my gaze coming to a rest on Solange. "She just asked your permission." I said it quietly enough no one at the surrounding tables would hear me. I was a little surprised, although not upset.

"She did," Solange said. "But that's because she doesn't know you handle our social commitments."

"Was your nod permission or an order?"

"Permission," Cadence answered.

"Is Saturday your normal card party?" Amanda asked.

"We have a formal event once a month," I explained. "But it informally seems to be turning into weekly." I smiled. "I think I'm going to start doing the prizes any time we have at least two tables."

* * * *

I was lounging in the library by the time Solange came home. Millie had come and gone, and I'd showered and changed. Solange appeared in the library doorway, but I hadn't heard her, and I'm not sure how long she watched me reading before she said, "Hello, Sidney."

I looked up. She was smiling lightly while leaning in the doorway. I started to stand, but she waved me to stay seated. "I want to talk to you about something."

"All right. Do I need a drink first?"

"From me or alcohol?" she asked lightly.

"I was thinking alcohol."

She crossed the room and sat down in a chair facing mine at an angle. She took the book from me and glanced at it, then inserted my bookmark and set it on the end table next to my chair.

"I want to know your schedule for tomorrow."

"Work in the morning, exercise in the afternoon," I said.

"Are you seeing any clients or going anywhere?"

"Maybe you'll come for a bike ride with me," I suggested. "That's all."

"If I suggested you may not be in any shape to work in the morning, will that make you angry?"

"Not necessarily," I said after a brief hesitation, "but I'd want to know why."

"I want you to dream tonight. And that also means one of us will be drinking from the other. Either way, I don't believe you'll be able to work effectively tomorrow."

"We agreed my dreams come first," I said.

"It's going to be upsetting, Sidney."

I looked away from her. "Then I won't want to be alone," I replied finally. "What is your plan for that?"

"I'll stay with you," she replied. "If you want."

I nodded just once. I turned back to her. "Is there more?"

"No; that's all."

"Then please help put me back in a better mood, then we're going clothes shopping."

She stood then collected my hands and pulled me to my feet. I went willingly, puzzled what she had planned. She drew me only a short distance to one of the sofas instead, sitting down then patting the place next to her. I sat, and she rotated me until I was seated sideways, then pulled me backwards until I lay partway across her lap, cradled in one arm.

"Are you about to bite?"

"I'm about to give you a small taste," she said.

At the thought of her blood, I began to smile, and immediately I squirmed in anticipation. "I'm still addicted," I said.

"You'll always be addicted," she replied. "But you aren't out of control, and it's not your personality to let yourself get out of control. This is just a taste, to help your mood."

"What will you do later?" I asked.

"One of us will take enough from the other to reinforce our connection, so I can guide your dreams. Then tomorrow, after Amanda has done her drawings, the other will take enough to help ease the memories."

"I'll be stupid tomorrow, won't I?"

"Yes, but you'll be fine by Friday." She paused. "I'm going to have to get myself worked up just a little so I can bite." She didn't wait for permission, but she began caressing me, especially my neck, and I knew what she was thinking about when she did it.

I closed my eyes. It felt nice, and I was becoming attuned to her touch. My body quivered with growing anticipation of my own.

"Just a taste, Sidney," she said, and her voice had changed. I knew if I looked, her fangs would be out. There was a brief pause, then she said, "Open."

I dutifully opened my mouth, and she slipped two fingers inside. She'd bitten them both, and immediately the welling blood coated my tongue.

I shuddered with the taste and, involuntarily, I grabbed her wrist, forcing her fingers a little deeper into my mouth. I sucked hard, but of course, I only got a taste of blood.

The two punctures healed nearly immediately, and I only got a few drops from each of them. I whimpered in disappointment, but Solange simply used her thumb to caress my cheek.

Slowly, I released her wrist, and she withdrew her fingers from my mouth as I continued to suck on them.

We stayed like that for a few minutes afterwards, me cradled across her lap. Then she bent over and kissed my forehead. I opened my eyes and looked up at her.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Her fangs were still out. She smiled past them.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Thirsty?"

"I wasn't. I am now." She reached out and caressed my neck, then snatched her hand back.

"You may drink if you want," I told her.

"Not now," she said. "Later." She looked away from me. "I should go take the edge off, but I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"There are three ways," she explained. "Drink from you; drink from a bottle; drink from someone else. If I drink from you, we won't be going shopping, and I want to go. If I drink from a bottle, I have to drink enough to slack my thirst, and then I won't be able to enjoy you as much later. And there's no one else I want to drink from, Sidney."

"I think that's a longer conversation," I said. "I don't think we should have it now. Is there someone whose wrist you can have?"

"Of course."

I struggled to sit up. She tried to stop me, but then she helped me instead. I rotated on the sofa so I was facing her, and I pulled her face to me. "I want you to go do what you must so we may have a pleasant evening without stress. In my mind, that means find a wrist but drink sparingly."

"I don't want to, Sidney," she said. Her tone was somewhere between a growl and a whine.

"Well, you have a choice. You may have my wrist now, but if so, you don't get my neck later. Or you can go find another wrist, and you may have my neck later. Or I guess I can see if someone else wants to go with me."

She growled at me, but she climbed from the sofa. "Ten minutes." By the time she was at the door, she had her phone out, and I heard her say, "I need a wrist. Find someone."

I smiled. It felt good to stand up to her. It felt even better she did what I told her to do.

It was more like fifteen minutes when she found me in the foyer. She looked calmer but wouldn't meet my eyes. "Let's go," she said gruffly.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong."

"Did you find a wrist?"

"Yes. Let's go if we're going."

I stepped in front of her. "Look at me." She tried to edge around me, but she did it at human speeds, and I stepped in front of her. "Solange, look at me."

Slowly she lifted her eyes to mine. They were a little wild and twitchy.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"If you don't want me to get into the habit of lying to you, I really don't think you should lie to me."

She averted her gaze. "I'm embarrassed."

"Why?"

"My lack of control. I feel like a new vampire. It's embarrassing."

"Oh." I thought for a second or two. "I'll consider it a compliment that I unnerve you that much." I reached out and caressed her cheek.

"You told me not to treat you like a lover, Sidney."

I smiled. "Yeah, but you didn't forbid me from the same." My smile turned into a grin. "Please, Solange, I want a pleasant evening. Do you think we can do that?"

She paused, then nodded, offering a small smile of her own. "What are we shopping for?"

"Fall and winter dresses," I said. "Is your car out front? Do you mind driving?"

"It's out front, and I had expected to drive." I took her arm and pulled her to the door.

Solange really was a good driver, and I was very comfortable as a passenger in her car. I was frequently a nervous passenger, but both she and Audree were always cool, calm drivers. And now that I knew they were vampires, I felt even better about it. They had fabulous reaction times, after all.

How odd, to feel safe alone in a car with a creature that drinks human blood -- my blood -- to survive. But as Amanda had said, it was all so surreal.

During the drive, I told her my problem.

"I thought you looked nice today," she countered.

"Not counting a few basics from Target, I haven't bought any new clothes for over a year," I explained. "We can just go to dinner if you don't want to shop."

"Oh no," she said. "I love to shop." She glanced over at me. "In many ways, I am still growing accustomed to this concept of having such riches in choices."

"You've had a great deal of money for a long time," I observed.

"Yes, but the concept of an indoor shopping mall is relatively new, only about fifty or sixty years old, although shopping arcades have existed in Europe for nearly two hundred. But I've lived in the New World for most of that."