The Devil & Lillian Holmes (27 page)

She lost strength and clung to him. “No, please! What have you done?”

“Did you not want your freedom? It cannot be undone.”

“Oh, you stupid man!” She pounded him on the chest. “Why did you do that, George? I am not ready to do this vampiring alone! Are you leaving me?”

He shook his head. “Only if you wish it. In fact, I’d rather marry you. But I needed to know…” He shook his head again.

Lillian sighed. “Oh. I wondered, too. But when I saw you in Marie’s clutches, I knew. I didn’t come to rescue my maker. I came to rescue my George.”

“Then marry me,” he said.

“I’ll consider it. Oh, look at you! You cannot stand a taste of your own medicine. I will marry you, George.” She pressed her lips to his. “I love you so much.”

“And I love you.”

“It is not so different from mortal love, is it?” she mused. “Not at all.”

“Not at all,” he agreed. Brushing a strand of hair away from her face he said, “You look as though you are ready to drop. I was going to say that you’ve had quite a week, but it was not much more demanding than any since I met you, I suppose.”

So much, though, since he first met her. The revelations of the Jackal and Dr. Schneider, of the birth of her child, and that kidnapping to the asylum. Her becoming a vampire. Aileen’s murder. Her parentage, the destruction of her mother, the rescue of her son, the care of Mr. Doyle and a house full of children… And, he gulped down a bit of worry, there was a matter left undiscussed. It seemed nothing in some ways, and yet knowing Lillian as he did, he wanted nothing unsaid between them.

She had lain back on the bed. He lay beside her and kissed her knuckles. “Love, does it bother you that I… How can I put this?”

“What?”

“That I lay with your mother?” George closed his eyes, wondering if Marie could ruin his happiness from the grave. “It is a very distasteful situation to you, I can imagine, even if it happened centuries ago and I was a different person then. Does it change everything?”

“Did you love her?”

George snorted. “I don’t know whether I am happy or ashamed to say that I did not at all love her. I could barely stand to be in her company, except for those brief interludes where… She exaggerated, you know.” He could not ever finish that sentence. He had indeed been a different person then. A person who would seduce his brother’s wife and revel in the nights they shared, nights bent on physical pleasure alone. He wondered at times that he had not ended up similarly hideous on the outside as Marie. There but for the grace of Lil went he.

Lillian shrugged. “You were a different person then,” she repeated. Then she gave a quiet laugh and tried to make light. “And, George, you did not know then what this year would bring. Look at what my letter to a favored author did! Had I known, would I have done things differently? Perhaps. Must I turn my back on everything I have because of it?”

George stared into her eyes. “I dearly hope not.”

“Then put all aside and kiss me.”

He pressed his lips to hers and ran fingers through her silky hair. “I would lose myself in you, Lil. Every day and night, forever.
Forever.”

She didn’t reply but pulled at his shirt, nibbling every inch of him as she stripped him bare. He shuddered at her caresses and cried out as she punctured his neck and licked the burning flesh there. She grew stronger from his blood and showered him with kisses, running her hands up and down his body.

He pushed her onto her back and pulled the layers of nightclothes from her, frantic to have her soft flesh against his. “Tell me…tell me anything, Lil,” he said, desperate to hear her voice. “Talk to me.”

“Give me everything, George. I would have another taste of you as you enter me. I am starving.”

“Not yet, greedy one,” he said with a laugh. He nibbled at her ear and neck, and suckled at her breasts, making her arch and cry out. He covered her mouth then, lest she wake the house, and his excitement grew.

With a strong grip to keep her silent, he worked his mouth down her belly until he heard the loud throb of her pulse at the top of her thigh. He licked the juncture and looked into her eyes, then pierced the skin and sucked at the blood seeping out. He licked at her wound then pulled himself away, reminding himself that too much would send them down a dangerous path, but it took great restraint.

Lillian reached for him and pulled him on top of her, whispering his name and begging for release. He kissed her as he freed his sex and pushed himself inside her body, let her envelop him in tight warmth. He pinned her hands down and told her to be quiet as he pressed deeply in and out. She buried her face in his shoulder, but her low muffled moans brought more flame to his ardor and he slammed into her, harder and harder, wondering if he could somehow claim her body and soul. For she had claimed his.

When he poured into her, he gasped her name. She arched up and dug her nails into his back, calling to God and clenching tightly around him. They fell into an embrace, and he kissed her gently one last time.

“Sweet one, how do you feel?”

“Ah, I would feel this way every hour of every day.”

“What a splendid plan.”

His beloved was a silent a moment before saying, “I’ve been thinking, George.”

He smirked. “That sounds dangerous. Do tell.”

“I’d rather like to be married sooner rather than later. Kitty suggested we should choose a date for our wedding and—”

George sniffed out a laugh. “Yes, I remember. Since when did you rely on Kitty for your direction, though? I thought that was Bess’s position.”

“Bess would agree.” Her face serious, Lillian seemed to steel herself. “Sooner rather than later. Does that frighten you?”

“The prospect of those two women instructing me on wedding plans? That does instill a bit of abject terror, yes.”

“I mean it, George! Are you ready? What with Jack and the state of this house…” She shook her head. “I would not blame you for changing your mind.”

“Nonsense, of course you would blame me. Your left brow just arched. And of course you would have every right to blame me, as I just proposed!” He shook his head and laughed again. “Lil, last night I wasn’t sure we were going to survive to be able to have this conversation. I would marry you today if you were willing to go to the courthouse, but I suspect you desire something slightly more elaborate.” He pulled her into a tight embrace to remind her of all she meant to him, but a sudden stray thought had him making a small noise of concern.

“What?”

George sat up and tapped his finger against his chin. “I wonder what Jack will think about his parents getting married. How will we explain that?”

Lillian shook her head. “Darling, he knows we’re vampires and doesn’t seem to mind. He hasn’t had the most normal upbringing. This will only be a good thing in his eyes, I believe. I’d be surprised if it were otherwise.”

George watched as she rose, cleaned up and bustled about the room, getting ready to greet her new son and tackle the list of things she must accomplish. He watched her and suddenly realized he hadn’t taken his own advice. He hadn’t buried any ghosts or forgiven himself for his sins. Not really. But it was time. While he wasn’t sure he deserved this happiness, he did know that Lillian and Jack needed him, and it would serve everyone better if he were to say “fuck it all” and get to work.

He jumped out of bed to get dressed, saying, “I’m going to check on Doyle. Come by as soon as you can. And I’m holding you to our night together.
Tonight.”

“George, one more thing,” Lillian said. “The Learned Order…”

“Indeed. You did say you were starving. We must eat tonight before our rendezvous, is that not so?”

Lillian’s face showed hunger, anger…and then the emotions lessened. “It would be good to know which of them is culpable first. Perhaps Arthur can enlighten us more on that subject.”

“He’ll likely be ready for a feast of his own,” George said. Then, “Hurry. You really must visit your newborn. It’s very bad form to leave them waiting.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Johnnie Moran expresses doubts.

Lillian stared at her empty bed and choked back a sob. She should have guarded Jack all night. What kind of mother ignored her child to lie with her lover? Brought home by vampires? Of course he would be scared and have taken the first moment to escape. They’d formed no bond; she couldn’t blame him!

She ran down the stairs, hoping to catch George, but was drawn to a racket in the kitchen. Mr. Lincoln was howling and barking. She pushed open the door to see four boys—Jack included—Cook, and Mr. Lincoln all eating a mountain of bacon, biscuits, and eggs.

“Did not!” her son argued with Darby. “You never ran that fast!”

“Did too! All the way to the park and back. I has witnesses.”

“
Have
witnesses, Darby.” Lillian rubbed at her temples, wondering if she were imagining this. Sally, Sarah— Damnation! What was Cook’s name? She was the sister of the Eisner woman who’d helped at Aileen’s funeral.

The woman stood and tried to calm the boys but slid on some eggs Mr. Lincoln had drooled onto the floor.

“Miss Holmes, a suggestion?”

“Anything!”

“A maid and a nanny. Don’t mean to be overstepping, mind you. Mrs. Eisner said that you seemed a bit… Well, she said you could use help.”

“No, please tell me,” Lillian said. “I’m not used to such things. Addie and Thomas…they are in Chicago, you see, and I don’t know when they’ll return.”

“I know sisters searching for a post….”

“Yes, right away. Could they share a room? I am running out of rooms.”

Cook straightened and grinned widely. “I will speak with them today. When could you meet?”

“If they come with your recommendation they may start the moment they arrive. You know the room that belonged to Mrs. Adencourt? It is now theirs. But they will have to ready it themselves. I think there are linens and such somewhere…”

“There, there, don’t be troubled about those things. First things first. We three will make a list of what’s needed and present it to you. The boys—especially Jack—could use some new clothes as well. If you like.” Cook seemed a bit tentative.

“Yes!” Lillian said. “Thank you, thank you! And Bess and Kitty will help with the clothes. They love such things. Oh, Lord, I must speak with Bess. She will be so worried!”

“And there is the gardening and such,” Cook piped up. “You don’t have a man to do the garden and heavy work?”

“Can you do that too?”

Sally—yes, it was Sally—rubbed her hands on her apron and laughed. “Let me sit with the Misses Dawson and see what is what. At least the cold weather is here and the weeds will stop growing. Oh, miss, you do have coal coming, don’t you? Temperatures will be dropping very soon!”

Lillian groaned and shrugged. “Maybe Thomas arranged for that ahead of time. I’m not sure.”

“All right, then. We still have time. I’ll see to it all.”

“Thank you so very much, Sally. I believe there are accounts at Eisner’s Grocers and the general store across the street.”

Sally laughed again. “Yes, I believe so, as I am Jacob Eisner’s sister, remember?”

“Of course you are.”
God, when did I become so unreliable and forgetful? I do need so much help!
And, although a shot of anxiety filled her at the thought, she knew that it would be best to always be clearheaded. Would giving up her medicine be as bad as the last time? Would she need help again? Surely George would help her. But Jack, he must not know, must not see…

Her son swung his feet from the high stool at the table and stared at her. He waved a bit shyly, and Lillian felt her legs grow weak. It was something akin to falling in love, this tug at her heart of maternal joy. How many such moments had she missed?
No, do not go back. There is too much to be done.

“Boys, I have pennies for you!” she called. The Musketeers lined up in front of her, wiggling in excitement, but Jack just watched. “Do you remember the rules?”

“Don’t go far,” Darby said and saluted.

“Be careful,” Paddy added and saluted.

“Mr. Lincoln is to go outside again?” Billy asked.

Lillian laughed. “I give up. Mr. Lincoln may always come inside, as long as he is not muddy. You also must bathe him in the yard, but he may sleep in your room. Is that all right, Sally?”

“You are the mistress, Miss Holmes. I would suggest that Mr. Lincoln not eat upstairs, though, as he is not tidy at meals.”

The boys cheered, and even Jack joined in. “Can I play too?” he asked.

“It’s not a game,” Darby chided. “We do investigatin’ for Miss Holmes. And she pays us. We’re her little lieutenants.”

“That’s right, my lieutenants. I want to know if certain people are still in the city. No hearsay, no gossip of old ladies. I shall write the names down, and you will ask Cook to help you with the pronunciations. Commit them to memory.” Lillian pulled her smallest notebook from her bodice and recorded the names of the members of the Learned Order, as well as H.L. Mencken. She glanced up at Sally, wondering if the woman could read, but Sally nodded knowingly and took the list from her. Of course, she also looked at it and offered a questioning look, no doubt wondering why Lillian spied on the city’s finest men.

“Jack, you will come with me, as we must call on the very nice man who pushed you to safety last night,” Lillian said.

“He chased me forever,” Jack complained.

“And I will thank him for that as well.”

Lillian led Jack by the hand into the parlor, afraid to speak to him or look at him too long, lest he vanish into thin air.

“We must buy you a new suit of clothes,” she said. “Several. And new shoes. Oh, my, it’s chilly and you don’t have a coat. Well, we’ll stop at Hutzler’s Palace before going to Mr. Phillip’s house, how will that be?”

“’Sall right. I’m not cold.”

The rap on the door startled her, and Lillian waited for someone to answer it before realizing how long it had been since Thomas had been about. She muttered, “I can still open my own door, at least. I think.”

On the porch stood Johnnie Moran, pale and tired, anxious and furious. Not since Aileen’s murder had he worn such a fierce expression.