Page 2 of Vampire Lee

Dillon Ross walked into the kitchen and almost backed out. Murrie was still there. He’d escaped earlier when Murrie had walked in with a vampire. He’d hidden in his room for some time, but he was hungry, and Murrie rarely had meetings in the kitchen. And he never allowed vampires into the house. Apart from Mars, but he lived here, so it was hard to ban him.

Hesitating in the doorway, he wondered if he could escape without Murrie noticing him. The moment the thought popped up in his head, Murrie turned his head and looked at him. Damn.

“It’s safe to enter. Lee has left.”

Lee? He didn’t like that Murrie talked about a vampire so casually. Would he be back? Maybe Dillon could stay on the third floor and never come down here. He was the only one living on the third floor. The others lived on the second. There was one available room, but he liked being the only one on his floor, so he hadn’t moved into Kenia’s room. He’d never met Kenia. She’d been working with the others but had sold Devin back to their vampire master some months ago.

Dillon wished he could say he was sorry, but if she hadn’t done it, they never would’ve rescued him from being a blood slave. So he was grateful Kenia turned out to be a traitor. It didn’t mean he wanted to stay in her room, though.

“Can we install a kitchenette on the third floor?” He was sure Devin would order groceries for him. Devin always did things for him.

Murrie stared at him. “A kitchenette? Why?”

Dillon didn’t answer right away. They often tried to get him to eat with them, but he always declined. Devin served him food on the kitchen island now and then when there was no one else around. It was okay. It had taken a couple of months, but he could handle eating with Devin in the room.

“So I can cook.”

“You can cook here.” Murrie’s eyes narrowed. “Has Devin said you can’t cook here?”

“No!” He might wish Devin would back off from time to time, but all Devin wanted was for him to be part of the group. But Devin had been given three more years than Dillon had to come to terms with what happened to him.

Dillon was exhausted. All he wanted to do was put a zillion locks on the door to his room, curl up in bed, and sleep for an eternity. His nightmares always woke him, so he didn’t get much rest, but he wished he could have a space where he could relax.

Walking down here and never knowing who he’d bump into made him break out in a sweat and threatened to stall the air in his lungs.

“Then I don’t see why we need to install a kitchenette. I can order a coffee maker if you don’t want to walk down here every time you want a cup of coffee, but let’s keep the cooking on one floor only.”

Dillon wanted to be angry, but he didn’t have the energy. “I don’t drink coffee.”

Murrie stared at him. “You don’t drink coffee?”

Steps approached behind him, and Dillon was forced to either scramble backward and risk bumping into the person or enter fully into the kitchen.

He hurried forward.

“Oh, Dillon, there you are.” Devin sounded as if he was about to laugh. “I have something for you.”

Dillon turned around and stared at Devin, who was holding a tray filled with plastic cups. From the cups, tiny plants were peeking up. “You have flowers for me?”

“Jalapenos.” He chuckled. “Or, it’s more than jalapenos, but I have a few different varieties of jalapenos and some other peppers, and a couple of eggplants since I read you needed to plant them early too.”

Dillon stared at him, not understanding. “What am I to do with them?” He wasn’t a fan of jalapenos, and Devin knew it. Which most likely was why he was laughing. Dillon narrowed his eyes.

“Plant them.”

They looked planted already.

At Dillon’s blank look, Devin huffed. “In the garden. I want a kitchen garden. I want to be able to walk out there and pick the veggies I need for cooking.”

A sense of horror spread in Dillon’s chest. “What? Why? You order everything online.”

Devin might look put together, and he didn’t cower as soon as someone moved, but he rarely left the house, and if he did, Mars was with him. He might be further along than Dillon ever would be, but he wasn’t living life like a normal human.

“I do now, but I don’t want to. Homegrown is more nutritious, has no pesticides, and with this economy…” He shook his head. “I’ve decided you’re our gardener.”

Dillon stared at him. He’d begged Murrie for a kitchenette so he wouldn’t have to ever interact with people again, and now Devin tried to give him a job. A job he didn’t want.

“You’ve decided?” Dillon’s heart hammered so hard it hurt. Devin wouldn’t hear it, but Murrie most likely would.

Devin grinned. “Yup, I’ve decided. Murrie said I’m in charge of the kitchen but can delegate. I want a kitchen garden, and I’m delegating.” He held the tray out for Dillon, and without knowing why, he took it. “I have a stack of seed packs in the pantry. I want greens, I want tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, and—”

“I don’t know anything about gardening.”

Devin shrugged. “Me either, but we’ll learn.”

We? Was it Dillon’s job or were they doing it together? “Are there any garden beds?” He’d looked out on the patio a couple of times since he got here back in October, but that was all.

“Eh…” Devin glanced at Murrie. “Can we have some garden beds?”

Murrie laughed. “Sure. Make a plan and order what you need. Don’t forget soil.”

“Oh, crap!” Devin sagged a little. “I saw an ad about seeds and got excited, realized I don’t have time to garden, and figured it was something Dillon could do. I didn’t think about needing stuff other than seeds.” He grimaced and turned to Dillon. “We’ll make a plan.”

Dillon glanced at the doorway. This was a new record. He never had long conversations with anyone, and he wanted to escape now, but where should he put the tray?

* * * *

Lee looked out over the bar as he poured a beer. It was a decent crowd, some new faces, but mostly people who’d been here before.

“Vampire Lee!”

Lee allowed himself to close his eyes for a second before turning to Eli. “Here two nights in a row?” It wasn’t unusual.

“Did you find Rei?” He wiggled his eyebrows, and Lee swallowed a sigh.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Eli studied him for a second. “Did he turn you down again?”

“What? No.”

“Then why the glum face? Was it a bad fuck?”

Lee scoffed, then laughed. “Twat. I needed to talk to him, not get my dick wet.”

“One thing doesn’t exclude the other.”

Lee grinned, dropping his fangs a fraction. “True, but it wasn’t my aim.”

The man he’d recognized as Jala’s friend came walking toward the bar, and tension crept into Lee. He did his best not to let it show. He was a shifter, a bear, and while he hoped there were too many scents mingling around the bar to allow him to pick up on any nerves from Lee, bears had the best noses.

“It should always be your aim, man.”

Lee shook his head but chuckled. “Is that why you’re here tonight?”

“I don’t do vampires.”

Lee stared at him for several seconds. “What?”

“I wasn’t coming on to you.” Eli gave him a serious look, and Lee barked a laugh. Pissing bastard.

“I don’t do wolves, so don’t worry, laddie.” He winked at Eli before moving toward the bear he didn’t want to serve.

“Likes to live dangerously and only fucks jaguars, is that it?” Eli’s call followed him all the way to the bear, and he sighed.

“What can I get you, sir?”

“You’re dating a jaguar?” A chill shot up Lee’s spine at the calculated look.

“Not dating, no. What can I get you?”

The bear looked at him for a too-long moment. “A beer, please.”

Lee gestured at the bottles on display.

“Whatever you have on tap is fine.”

Nodding, Lee grabbed a glass and poured a beer. He didn’t look at the bear as he did, but he sensed his gaze on him.

“Vampire Lee!” A call came from the other end of the bar, and he nodded in confirmation. Once the glass was full, he put it in front of the bear and accepted the cash he handed over. Damn, he’d hoped for a credit card, so he could get a name.

Once the bear waved off the change Lee tried to hand back to him, he dropped it in the tip jar and moved toward the man who’d called for him. Another beer, a woman wanted a whiskey sour, a vampire in an expensive suit asked for a glass of their finest red wine, and the night rolled on.

The bear didn’t leave his stool, and he drank his beer so slowly Lee wanted to snarl at him. Why was he in a bar if he didn’t plan on drinking? Especially since he appeared to be on his own.

Time and time again, he looked up only to see him study Lee, and it made his skin crawl.

More time passed. A young bear female was flirting with him, and he played along for a little bit, but he didn’t do females, never had and suspected he never would. Unless he grew ancient and got bored. He couldn’t see it happening, though.

“A whiskey, please.”

Lee almost jumped when the bear spoke while he was pouring yet another beer. “Coming right up.” Lee grinned at him, went to switch the beer for money, and grabbed a whiskey tumbler. “Ice?”

“No.”

Nodding, Lee poured two fingers and placed the glass in front of him. He paid cash again. “Is your jaguar friend here?”

The chill was back. “No, I haven’t seen him today.”

“But he comes here regularly?”

Jaguars were rare. Lee wasn’t sure how rare, but Rei was the only jaguar who ever came to the club, so rarer than vampires. Or maybe it was only that Hagwall didn’t have a population of them. “Now and then. He works odd hours.”

“Doing what?”

Oh, fuck. “I’m not sure, to be honest. Different projects, I think.” Cases, different cases, but projects could work as an explanation.

“You have to introduce me sometime. I’ve never met a jaguar.”

“You’re staying in Hagwall?” He might recognize him as someone Jala knew, but he wasn’t in many times per year. When he came, he often came several days in a row though, which supported Lee’s theory of him moving around.

“For the time being.”

Lee nodded, waved as someone called for Vampire Lee, and studied the bear for an extra second. “What’s your name?”

“Aaron.”

Somehow Lee doubted it, but it was something at least.

“And you’re Vampire Lee.”

Lee grinned despite not wanting to. “Lee is fine. It’s only the wankers around here who call me Vampire Lee.” He twirled a finger around the bar before moving to one of the idiots who looked a millisecond away from calling out for Vampire Lee.

* * * *

Dillon woke to a scream ricocheting through the room. The long-sleeved T-shirt and pajama bottoms were clinging to his sweaty skin, and he pulled in one hasty breath after the other.

The ceiling lamp was on. He always left it on, so he’d be able to see the room the moment he woke. Two large windows faced the backyard of the property and the small, forested area. He rolled out of bed and stumbled over to rest his forehead against the glass. He was on the third floor, not underground. The lawn below was where Devin wanted them to have the garden beds. The wall surrounding the property should be tall enough to keep monsters out, but Dillon didn’t trust it. The future kitchen garden bathed in sunlight most of the day. Had to mean it was the south side of the house, right?

Dillon suspected his brain had stopped working while he’d been in the underground mansion. Things he’d known, things anyone with common sense and basic education knew without having to think, eluded him.

He might not have been a genius before, but now he felt stupid. As if his brain had lost the ability to put simple things together.

His windows faced south, but he had to think about it for it to make sense. Broken. His mind was broken.

No monsters were visible in the yard. One of the patio lamps cast a faint glow on the grass, and Dillon wondered if someone was out there. He wouldn’t go check, but why else would the light be on? He frowned. Was Devin out there? No one else would turn on a light. Monsters saw well in the dark.

Glancing at the clock, his frown deepened. It was twelve minutes past three in the morning. No one should be up now. He looked out the window again. The lamp was on. Fear clawed at him, not fear for himself this time, but fear for Devin. He wasn’t out there alone. Mars wouldn’t let him. Unless he’d managed to sneak out without waking Mars. Vampires slept.

What if Devin was out there and someone came by? The vampire who’d been to the house. He had seen them, knew both he and Devin were here.

His breathing sped up. He was distantly aware of not thinking rationally, but the patio lamp was on. He didn’t make it up, and there was only one person who’d switch it on.

A vampire who wasn’t Mars knew they were here. He’d seen them both, would know he could get to them, could grab them when the others weren’t looking.

Murrie seldom allowed anyone into the house. He’d had a few people come over for interviews, but then he’d informed Devin and Dillon beforehand, so they could make themselves scarce.

Devin had more knowledge about what was going on than he did since he worked as an assistant for them. Dillon winced. He should do something too.

Everyone told him he didn’t have to, and Devin hadn’t done anything but live in the house for three years before he’d taken on kitchen duty.

Dillon had only been there for seven months.

If they’d given Devin three years, he could hide in his room a bit longer. If only Murrie had agreed to give him a kitchenette.

A shadow moved over the grass and Dillon’s heart jumped to his throat, thrumming so fast he feared it’d break.

He had to make sure Devin wasn’t alone on the patio.

Grabbing his phone, he turned on the flashlight before scrolling until Mars’s number showed on the screen. He’d never called Mars before. He hadn’t called anyone in the house. Below Mars was Murrie’s number. He’d preferred to call Murrie, but…

As silently as he could, despite being the only one on this floor, he opened the door and tiptoed out into the corridor. Walking down the stairs, he moved faster than he normally did. Everyone should be asleep. He shouldn’t meet anyone.

He passed the second storey and hurried down the last flight. As his bare feet touched the hallway floor, he swallowed around the lump in his throat. He walked through the dark kitchen and stilled when the patio door came into view. It was closed. Spring might be here, but the nights were still chilly, so it made sense to close the door.

He walked closer, holding his breath as he did. There, on one of the wicker chairs, was Devin. A blanket wrapped around him, and a cup cradled in his hands.

He should call Mars. His thumb trembled as he held it over the screen. It wasn’t safe for Devin to be out there. Anyone could steal him. But what if Mars was angry at being woken up? Maybe he’d run down here all snarly and fangy, and Devin would be angry with him for ruining the calm.

He could text, but was it any better than calling? Maybe he wouldn’t wake. Was it better if he did or not? He hadn’t talked to Mars, not since the day after the rescue, when Mars promised he wouldn’t use mind control on him ever again. This time around, he’d get to keep his memories, so he’d know what was out there.

Dillon had been rescued by Mars and the others twice. When Devin had been abducted, he’d known Dillon, while Dillon hadn’t had a clue who Devin was. Turned out they’d been in the same underground brothel before, but they’d been rescued. Only, the first time, Mars had erased Dillon’s memories and let him go. Leonardo had found him again.

He didn’t remember the time before Leonardo had caught him the second time, though he had wondered where the scars covering his body had come from. Now he had three years’ worth of memories, giving him a constant feed of details about how the scars had ended up on his skin. There wasn’t a single spot not covered in bite marks other than his face, feet, and hands. He wore long sleeves and pants all the time so as not to have to look at them.

If a text to Mars would ensure neither he nor Devin ended up as blood slaves again, he could live through Mars’s wrath for being woken.

His hands trembled as he typed that Devin was on the patio, and he was going there too to make it harder for anyone to abduct them. Then he put the phone in the pocket of his pajama bottoms and stepped out. It was harder for someone to grab two people than it was to grab one.

Putting himself in danger for a little bit was his way of repaying Devin for having helped get him free.