Blood Candy (19 page)

“And the Kingsley family?”

“Three nights ago,” Hayden said with a
self-assured grin.

“The Kingsley’s have rights.” The Magister
lifted the gavel up over the table.

“The law is less than clear on these matters,”
Anastasia said before the gavel came down. The Magister lowered the
hammer, giving her time to speak again. “According to law I could
bite and claim every mortal under the acquaintance of any other
family. The fact of the matter is the girl and my son are in love
and have been for some time. Where is it written that a mortal
cannot be courted over a frame of time? The law does not fit this
situation.”

“I ask that the Magister not take any of this
nonsense into consideration,” Hayden said. “She cannot prove her
son was courting the girl. As a matter of fact, I proclaim
everything she and her mortal nitwits say a lie.”

“Can you prove this?” the Magister asked
Anastasia.

“I needn’t prove anything. This isn’t a mortal
court of law. The girl is on my side of the table. She is here with
me in my domain.”

The Magister leaned back in his chair, his
eyes searching Anastasia. “Possession does not give blood rights,”
he said, and then his eyes went to Candy. “Though it’s clear to me
the girl has taken the side of her choosing.”

“She could be charmed!” Rupert
shouted.

Anastasia glared across the table and said,
“We all know she’s not charmed. Aside from the fact my family
doesn’t practice such immoral acts, you can clearly see she is here
of her own free will.”

“She’s not charmed,” the Magister agreed with
an agitated glance down his nose at the British vampire. “It’s
clear both parties want the girl and both parties have rights to
some degree. Therefore, I pronounce this to be settled through
contest. The winning family will have rights to the girl and both
families shall not bring grievances against the other in her regard
again.”

Rupert slammed his opened palms on the table.
“Bollocks!”

The Magister lifted his hand as if he meant to
reach out across both the table and Hayden to strike Rupert. Hayden
leaned back and Rupert cowered. The Magister slowly lowered his
hand back down.

“Don’t speak out again you little shit,” the
Magister said. The Misfits all smiled at the tongue-lashing. “This
is the Mullin’s domain. They decide what form the contest
takes.”

“Give us a moment to confer,” Anastasia
said.

The Mullins and Candy walked away from the
table. The Misfits joined them, Jimmy going straight to Candy’s
side. “This isn’t fair,” he told Anastasia. “You never mentioned
anything about a contest.”

Anastasia ignored him. “Figure out a way to
beat them,” she said simply to her sons, and then she went back to
her seat at the table. Everyone made a tight circle so they could
talk without being overheard. Blake and Chester were deep in
thought.

“What exactly does he mean by a contest?”
Felicia said.

“A challenge,” Chester said, all too happy to
answer her question.

“What kind of a challenge?” Were-Jew
said.

Blake sighed, seemingly conflicted. “A duel.
Pistol duels are still very popular, but my aim is terrible. And
Rupert’s too fast for me to take with a rapier. I don’t know what I
could beat him at.”

Candy was astonished by the talk of dueling
with deadly weapons but she kept her mouth shut. These vampires
were trying to claim her as if she was livestock and their safety
wasn’t anywhere near as important as her own.

“Remember little brother, it’s a contest
between families,” Chester said. “I think I could take Rupert, but
I’m not sure about who he’d choose as a partner. Hayden is head of
the family while their father is away, so there is no doubt he
knows what he’s doing.”

“I can’t think of anything,” Blake said. “I
need time.”

“I need your decision,” the Magister said on
cue.

White Paul passed a worried glance from the
brothers, who were deep in troubled thought, to Candy. “You’re so
screwed,” he said.

Blake lifted a finger to him. “I don’t want to
hear a word from you. You should be ashamed of
yourself.”

Chester glared at White Paul as well. “Is he
the jerk who wrecked the bathroom?”

Felicia stomped her foot. “Enough of that!
You’re wasting valuable time.”

Blake shook his head. “Maybe
Monopoly?”

Everyone groaned.

“Yeah, let’s leave Candy’s fate to the dice
rolls in a Monopoly game,” Jimmy said.

Magister Fedora’s voice boomed, “I need your
answer.”

The vampire brothers passed grave glances to
each other. Medium Dave, standing outside the circle near the
table, snapped his fingers. “How about basketball?” he
suggested.

The gavel smacked the table. “Basketball it
is!”

Everyone spun around on Medium Dave. “What?”
he said. “Basketball was invented in America so these British guys
can’t be good at it. And besides, Blake used to be captain of his
team, right?”

When the Magister stood up, Candy could have
sworn the shadows behind him swelled and followed. “Two nights from
now at nine o’clock,” he said. “I’m not familiar with basketball,
so I’ll need a rundown of the rules. The girl is to stay with the
Mullin family until then.”

“I’m quite familiar with the game. I can
referee,” Nigel offered.

“Standard rules. Full court, five on five with
fifteen minute quarters,” Blake said.

Hayden grinned. “Suit yourself.”

“I’ll leave it to Sir Nigel to find a suitable
location,” the Magister said. “See you there, Miss
Mullin.”

He swept out of the room, melding back into
the shadows near the door.

“Yes, see you there,” Hayden chided. Rupert
blew a kiss to Candy and then followed his brother out of the room,
laughing all the way.

Blake threw his hands up. “Great.” He pointed
at Medium Dave, his eyes narrowing. “Who told this asshole he could
talk?”

Jimmy reluctantly spoke on his friend’s
behalf. “It’s not like you came up with anything, and you’re
supposed to be good at basketball. This sounds like it’s probably
the best chance we have.”

“You don’t get it,” Blake said. “They are
faster
and
stronger. It wouldn’t matter if we turned
professionals into vampires, they would still stomp
them!”

Candy couldn’t tell if Medium Dave was upset
by what he had done or not. He stood there expressionless like he
always did. Anastasia put a hand on his shoulder.

“I think David here is right when he says the
English don’t know anything about basketball,” she said. “It’s a
distinct advantage in our favor. It will even the odds.”

That didn’t stop Blake from staring daggers at
Medium Dave. Anastasia turned to face the Misfits.

“Candy will stay at the mansion until the
game,” she said. Before anyone could protest, specifically Jimmy,
she continued, “This isn’t up for debate. My family and I have gone
to considerable lengths to help her and there’s still the
basketball game to deal with. You Misfits have done your part in
protecting her, but you’re well in over your heads and way out of
your league. I’ll finish what I have set out to do, which is the
protection of this girl against the Englishmen.”

Jimmy looked into Candy’s eyes. She wasn’t
sure what to think. She did know she was tired of being on the run
and having to hide. She glanced at Melvin who had been silent the
whole time. He had been adamant about not separating, about being
careful around vampires, but now he waited on Jimmy’s decision.
Candy lowered her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t know what to
say.

“You’ll be safe with us until the game,”
Anastasia said.

“What about my friends? Don’t they matter?
They matter to me,” Candy said.

Anastasia didn’t bother to hide her contempt
when her cold eyes went to the Misfits. “They are lycans. They can
take care of themselves; they’ve made it this long. They may be
good at running, but how long can they run with you slowing them
down?”

Anastasia glared at White Paul when he stepped
forward. He held the vampire girl’s eyes for perhaps a second
before he bowed his head.

“Let the girl decide,” Anastasia said. “I warn
you now that my family will waste no more time trying to save her
from Rupert if she’s going to run off and fall prey to him anyway.
Candy takes the offer of protection in my house until the game or I
call it all off. I’m not going to risk my sons’ well being for
nothing.”

Anastasia was right. Candy couldn’t look at
Jimmy when she addressed the Misfits.

“It will be okay. They want to
help.”

Jimmy lowered his head. After a moment, he
looked back up and he seemed calm, though Candy figured he was
probably mad as hell.

“I’ll be thinking about you,” he told Candy.
“Misfits forever.”

Candy gave him a weak smile. “You all make
sure to get somewhere safe. I’ll be pissed if I don’t see you at
the basketball game, if something happens to you.”

Jimmy tried to return a smile but it didn’t
quite come out right. The rest of the Misfits waited for him at the
door. He walked towards them, glancing over his shoulder once, and
then with a frown he hurried after the others.

Nigel strolled up next to Anastasia. “Odd
bunch,” he said. “Are you sure you want them at the contest? It
could be a distraction.”

“Not entirely,” she said.

Candy put her foot down. “They’re going. I’m
not going anywhere with you if you don’t let them know where it is.
I’ll leave. I’ll do whatever. I’ll go to another vampire family if
I have to. Because that’s what you want after all, isn’t it? My
blood?”

Anastasia curled up one brow.

“I’m not as stupid as you think.”

“Very well, my dear. The Misfits can go,”
Anastasia said.

Chapter Fifteen

Candy paused at the front steps of the
mansion.

“You’re nervous,” Blake said.

Candy kept her eyes on the ground. Of course
she was nervous.

“You can trust us.” Blake didn’t move closer
to her. He gave her some distance.

“It’s funny,” Candy said. “I was told to never
trust a vampire, that vampires
want
people to trust them.
This is the second time you told me I can trust you.”

Blake glanced over his shoulder to the house.
They were alone. Darkness stretched out beyond the expansive yard
of the estate and the night was warm and still.

“What do you think?” Blake asked her. “Never
mind what other people say, what do you think?”

Candy shrugged her shoulders. She honestly
didn’t know. “I don’t know you. I only know you’re a
vampire.”

“Let’s take a walk. If it makes you more
comfortable we can stay out here all night.” He smiled that
annoyingly irresistible smile.

They walked along the edge of the yard where
it was well lit. There was a gazebo not far from the mansion. Like
everything else around there, it was bigger than it needed to be.
Lights on the outside of the gazebo sparked to life as they neared,
illuminating the yard for a few hundred feet.

“I wish you wouldn’t be so nervous.” Blake
paused at the entrance of the gazebo. There was an outdoor swing
chair inside. “We only want to help you.”

Candy couldn’t refute his claim that he only
wanted to help, but she still didn’t feel right. The more she
thought about it, the more she wished she had gone with the
Misfits.

“I doubt you’d think the same way if you were
in my shoes,” she said. “Actually, no one with half a brain would
be standing here like I am.”

Blake offered a weak smile. “I can appreciate
that. What can I do to prove you have nothing to be afraid of? That
you can trust me?”

“I don’t know.” She wanted to trust him. She
wanted the nagging voice in her head to go away.

“I know you didn’t ask for this.
Unfortunately, there are bad vampires just like there are bad
people. We aren’t bad vampires.”

Candy had to force back a laugh and ended up
snorting. “Do you realize how absurd that sounds?”

“It sounds absurd because you’re prejudiced.
The stories haven’t given us a kind depiction over the years, and
movies only made it worse. Look, I’m not saying you should trust
vampires just like I wouldn’t tell you to trust a random guy you
met in a bar. All I’m saying is we’ve gone out of our way to help
you. And I’ll answer before you ask: I did it because I think
you’re beautiful. And kind. And all around a wonderful
person.”

Candy couldn’t keep herself from blushing, or
thinking he was saying everything she wanted to hear, everything
she
needed
to hear. They ventured over to the swing and sat
down together. She found that she liked being close to him again as
he pushed gently with his feet, sending the swing into a relaxing
motion.