Standing Before Monsters (Vorans and Vampires) (37 page)

Nicola looked up and asked, “Are we taking her to Marek’s?”

The other girl paused in her examination of a strapless dress that would be good for the Lair. She was fifteen and couldn’t drink of course, but as a guest she could certainly pass through without issue. Meanwhile, her eyes asked of them, what was Marek’s?

Ignoring Sami a moment, he answered Nicola, “Do we have enough room for her here? At least there is room at the Lair, even if she uses your room there, since you are here most of the time now.”

“Your bed can hold two or three easily. She can sleep with me during the day and there are enough chairs to sit on in the living room. Why send her away?” the vampire asked a bit slowly as if she were considering the details aloud for him to follow.

Nick was slightly surprised, but had seen the two together when he had arrived. They had bonded as much as he and Charlotte with the werewolf bond, he thought. “I wasn’t sure that you would want to share and it would be another set of ears, if you want to do other things.”

Being fifteen, Sami was a little too old to try and fool with euphemisms. The girl was surprised, however, and asked, “I thought Charlotte was your girlfriend.”

The brunette had returned with a plate and a bottle of orange energy drink. A refill of electrolytes was just part of what he needed to replenish however. Hearing the conversation, Charlotte smiled and nodded, “He is, but they were together first.”

Looking really confused, Sami looked between the women and then at Nick before asking, “Both of them?”

With a big sigh, he hung his head. Nick knew what she was thinking and had to say, “It’s a long story.”

“Longer for me than her,” Nicola quipped though there was no accusation or anger to the comment. She was simply amused by the length of time that she had known the man before finally coming together.

Sami looked at Nicola and said, “You look barely older than me. How old are you, if I am allowed to ask?”

It brought laughter to the other vampire’s lips. In some circles, it might be bad to ask a vampire’s age, but the number with a virtual immortal mattered little. The bigger the number the more powerful a vampire was, however.

Nicola didn’t worry over the number, especially in present company, “Ninety-nine until September, but I am just a baby compared to Nick and Marek.”

Sami gave him the look and he had to think a moment, “Records weren’t that good back then, but I am pretty sure that I am one hundred thirty one.”

The girl’s jaw dropped and she blurted, “But Nicola looks barely older than me and Nick is maybe in his middle twenties or so.”

When her eyes went to Charlotte, the brunette just spread her hands and said with a smile, “I’m just twenty-six, hopefully like I look. With all these werewolf and vampire headaches, I might age before my time.”

Sami turned serious as she looked at Nicola again and asked, “How old were you when you became a vampire?”

Looking wistful, the blonde dancer smiled as her eyes seemed to wander into the past. “I was twenty-one when Marek made me into a vampire. Unlike you, I was given the choice and he had told me about Nick’s blood before I risked my life.

“I was a ballet dancer and had followed my career to America. When I met Marek, I had been checking out New York’s clubs. Dancing of a different kind was found there, but I loved it. I also thought that I loved Marek. We were going to be vampires together and be in love forever, but pretty quickly we figured that we just made better as friends.”

“Then you were stuck as a vampire living with Marek and his new girlfriend,” commented Nick as he worked on the second sandwich Charlotte had brought for him. Cheese cubes and potato chips had been halved and the woman had put werewolf portions on the plate. Even his bottle of orange drink was down to less than half left.

Nicola shrugged, “I like Audrey and never really had a problem with her. She was kind of like a sister to me and a good friend. Besides it isn’t like I didn’t try again over the decades.” Leaning towards Sami, she whispered loudly, “Believe it or not I am not a ninety nine year old virgin.”

The girls giggled even as Nick covered his eyes pretended to be dizzy as he ate his sandwich and tried not to hear the vampire’s words.

Sami’s smile faded slightly as she asked, “So am I going to be stuck like this for the rest of my life, however long it is?”

Nick and Nicola exchanged looks of worry, but the vampire nodded, “Yes, this is the way you will look, aside from haircuts and makeup; but don’t worry I’ve seen a lot of girls who looked your age in their twenties. Once you are actually old enough to go to clubs, I’m sure you will find boys that will love your looks.”

“Hmmm,” Sami hummed and looked at Nick deviously, “so how old do you think I’d need to be before Nick would want to date me then? I mean he’s going younger, so...”

While the other women laughed, Nick shook his head adamantly, “Great just what I need, another girl with a smart Alec streak. Actually, I was debating on giving up on women and moving into a monastery lately.”

As the vampires giggled, Charlotte asked with a smile on her face, “And when did you start debating that?”

“About five to ten minutes ago when this conversation headed down a wrong path,” he replied with a smile.

Nicola stood up dropping the towel before pushing him back to kiss him. “You wouldn’t want to give us up, now would you?”

She rolled away almost as quickly before walking to the closet and asking over her shoulder, “We are going to the Lair then?”

“I need to let him know about these reapers that tore through a nest of vampires, if nothing else,” he replied.

Sami moved to sit next to him on the bed and asked, “Am I the else?”

He nodded and said, “Originally I thought that the lack of room alone would make it impossible. Logan and Kate are in the spare room. I barely sleep, but Charlotte uses the bed at night while Nicola uses it during the day. If you stay here, then you have to share the bed with Nicola.”

The other vampire carried a red dress in front of her and said as she went to her suitcase for underwear, “I’m happy to share the bed with my new little sister, if she doesn’t mind. Otherwise, there is a room open at the Lair for you,” she changed to speaking directly to Sami. “It’s technically my room, but I’m not using it anymore other than as storage. We’re still trying to figure out our new arrangements, since all this is pretty new to us as well.”

Sami looked hopeful as she looked at Nick and asked, “I can stay here with you all and I get to go to a night club?”

He wasn’t sure which part truly thrilled her, but Nick nodded slowly. “If the three of you don’t mind, then it’s fine by me. We’ll have to try and figure out what to do for schooling and maybe your parents.”

Her green eyes found his curiously again.
“My parents?”

Sighing, the voran nodded and admitted, “We can’t have humans knowing about vampires and werewolves or it will cause a panic. We police them and kill the strays as fast as we find them, so to bring your parents into this is against all we’ve known; but if you think that they could keep it a secret then perhaps we can try.”

Bouncing on the bed in excitement, the girl leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing an underpants and the strapless dress the women had all liked. Stripping off the shorts and shirt with no regard for Nick being in the room, Sami followed Nicola into the bathroom already talking like a little sister to her trying to figure out what to wear.

“And on that note, I think I need more to eat and drink,” he said to Charlotte who had a bemused smile on her face. Standing with the empty plate and bottle, the outnumbered man prepared to leave.

The brunette stood with him blocking his path as she wrapped her arms behind his neck. “You know that you are in trouble with that one. She has a crush on you. You are the hero who saved her and apparently Sami isn’t anymore shy around you than Nicola.”

A passionate kiss from Charlotte finished the set of lips on him. Letting him go, she pulled off her top reminding him why he wouldn’t want to become a monk anytime soon.

Chapter 21- The Report

Pulling up in front of the warehouse turned nightclub in his BMW brought some confusion from the valets, who wondered where his two seat Mercedes roadster had gone. When the three ladies exited the other three doors converging on him to escort them inside, sly smiles from the men and understanding nods from the female valets made the man want to cringe. He would certainly be labeled a player if he wasn’t careful.

He gave the keys to the first valet to arrive and walked slightly ahead and between the three women. Unsure of whether he should escort any of them more personally like a gentleman, since being with two women was hardly gentlemanly, Nick started off just being nearby them. Charlotte’s hand took his arm and Nicola pulled Sami by the hand before taking his right arm. Already worked out among them, the man wanted to sigh. Women, especially vampires and werewolves, were just too complicated. The monk thing was sounding good in its simplicity again.

At the door Brian, also known as Hawk for his bouncer name, was joined by a new face. A Hispanic man only about as big as Nick was in charge of the door while the massive black man was in charge of whom approached that door. Seeing Nicola, the big man’s eyes widened in surprise. He had rarely seen her come in through the business entrance.

“Hi, Hawk,” Nicola greeted climbing up the stairs ahead of the others reaching up to squeeze the big man’s left cheek like an old aunt playing with a little nephew. “Did Marek hire someone knew to help you?”

Hawk nodded saying, “He did me a favor. This is my sister’s fiancée.”

As she stood in front of the other man, he glanced over her at his future brother-in-law. “She’s one of the owners, Jose, so is he,” the bouncer added gesturing to Nick. Even so, the big man noticed Sami and shook his head. “She looks a little young, Nick.”

Nodding, the voran said, “A niece of mine, she’s under age, but is only passing through. If she manages to find alcohol in her hand on my watch, my brother will kill me.”

Both Charlotte and Sami looked at him in surprise, Nick laughed and joked, “I’m fostering her, but like I said no alcohol for the fifteen year old.”

Hawk laughed at the joke. A common practice for men with their mistresses or other escorts was to call them their nieces. Since he didn’t need anymore girlfriends in his life, he certainly didn’t need that kind of niece.

Taking the younger girl’s hand, Nick led her through the door into another good crowd. He heard her say, “Whoa”, as they skirted the dance floor. The older girls urged him to take Sami onto the dance floor for a song or two. Feeling like the uncle he joked about earlier, Nick watched as the girl followed the beat well in front of him. Nicola and Charlotte found their way to them and the four danced together for several songs.

Nick ordered drinks, specifying a simple diet coke for Sami, much to her disappointment. Vampire or not, she was still fifteen and he wouldn’t start her off drinking on their first night watching over the girl.

With Nicola leading them through the VIP section, the four were within the true lair soon enough. Lenora and Vicki had followed them into the vampire only section of the warehouse. Without missing a beat, Lenora set on Nicola, “Oh no, did Nick get tired of you and trade you in for a newer, smaller model?”

Nicola’s hand was on Nick’s arm and started to tense in anger. She managed to say calmly, “Is Marek on patrol?”

“Of course,” the rival blonde retorted.

Sami frowned and asked, “Who is this jerk?”

The comment brought an angry look and the woman said to Nick, “You need to teach your pet to behave.”

Placing his hand across the teen’s stomach as she started to step forward, Nick stated, “Marek hasn’t managed to teach you any manners yet, Lenora? Vicki at least knows to hold her tongue for the one who let you live.

“The others tolerate you because they hoped to replace the friends they lost and because we hoped that you five might be able to find a home here. You might wish to remember that any of your hosts who allow you to stay here, are vastly more powerful than you are. They are also your elders.”

He could tell that his words fell on deaf ears. If anything over the last month, Lenora had become more insufferable. She acted like she ruled the coven instead of Marek, though in front of him she tried to act like a model citizen. Normally, the woman would at least try to pretend for Nick as well.

Using a burst of speed, the voran was at her side, an aura blade before her face reminded the vampire that she had nearly been sent to the final death two months ago. He said quietly, “Know your place, child.”

As if a vampire could turn even whiter, Lenora paled in fear. Her eyes revealed that she was listening now and looking at her death. She forgot that he was a vampire hunter and had begun to just think of him as Nicola’s boyfriend or one of the vampires. Reminded of the night Nick helped Jake and Ray kill the elder vampire Cyrus, the blonde said weakly, “Yes, I remember.”

The blade retracted and Nick stated, “You are here to help the coven. We let you stay here and expect you to pay your dues before you get the same rights as the others.”