Page 33 of The Vampire Always Rises
“That’s right, there are more steps. Let’s see ... we must be up to step four or so by now. More than halfway through them,” I said with particular significance that he ignored.
“I doubt if we’ve done more than two steps,” he said, his eyes moving between the rearview mirror and the road in front of us.
“There’s the mind thing—that’s marking, according to the books.” I turned around as best I could with the seat belt on, and patted the dog, taking the opportunity to look out behind us. There were a few cars on the road at this hour, but not a whole lot of traffic. I wondered if Merrick saw something I didn’t. “Then the kissing, which I have to say is pretty spectacular. How many lovers have you had?”
The look he sent my way was one of disbelief. “Why do you want to know?”
“Well, I was technically a virgin before we got together, although I ... you know ... have toys. I mean, I didn’t have them before my father died, but once he was gone, I kind of ran amok in a sex toy shop. If you’re ever in the market for a vibrator, I’m your girl.”
“I will keep that in mind,” he said without the slightest twitching of his lips, but I felt his amusement, and relaxed a little. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with a man who didn’t have a sense of humor.
“So it will be nice to know that one of us can bring lots of experience to the sexual table.” I patted him on his thigh. “We can both contribute. I’ll be the source of info as to which vibe carries the biggest bang for the buck, and you can demonstrate lots of positions and interesting sexual additions like blindfolds.”
“Into bondage, are you?” Now he did look amused, although the expression faded almost immediately.
“No.” I looked out of the window, noting absently the streetlights of cross streets blurring past us.
“You surprise me.”
I said nothing, still watching the lights.
Have I said something to offend you?
Why would you think that?
Because I can feel your distress. Is it because I am not interested in your sexual toy reviews?
“Goodness, no. I’ll give you those whether or not you want them, because I think you’re closed to new experiences until you see how fabulous they are. You know, how you are with me.”
“Then why are you upset?”
I picked through my words carefully. “One of the promises I made to myself when I was younger was that I wasn’t going to be a victim. I wasn’t going to dwell on what happened in the past. I was going to put it all behind me, and move forward.”
“And that has something to do with sex?”
“No. It has something to do with being tied up as punishment.” I kept my eyes on the lights, refusing to let the darkness that those memories brought with them fill me. I’d worked too hard to expunge the dark from my soul to let it back now. “Bondage isn’t a fun thing for me. It’s something to endure.”
“I see.” Anger burst through the car, a sort of red haze of anger that seeped into every pore. A spurt of adrenaline accompanied my brain’s being filled with images of vengeance against nameless men.
Wait ... nameless men? Is this you getting so furious again? I told you when you got mad about the beatings that it was in the past. I’ve made my peace with it. I just don’t happen to like being hit or tied up.
Merrick snarled into my head something quite rude.
Clearly, the situation needed to be lightened a bit. I did what I could to downplay the events of the past. “Buzzing bumblebees, Merrick! Why are you so angry because my father was part of a whackadoodle cult, and the Elders clearly had issues with women? It couldn’t be in part because you know deep down I’m your Beloved, could it?”
“I dislike anyone being abused,” he said self-righteously. “It’s one of the things I have fought so long against, in case you missed that point of my repeated discussions of just what it is I do, and why I do not need or want a Beloved.”
“Well, lucky you, you got one anyway,” I said, and decided to put a little icing on the cake. I leaned over and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.
The look of outrage he seared me with in response gave me immense satisfaction.
It wasn’t long after that we found a twenty-four-hour vet hospital. The tech there kindly scanned the white dog’s entire body for a microchip, but came up blank.
“The man says they can’t take the dog unless you are abandoning him, and then there will be a charge,” Merrick told me, translating for the tech. He reached for his wallet, and started pulling out cash.
“There’s no need for that,” I said loudly, glaring at him, and taking the thin emergency leash the vet hospital offered. “Kelso is coming with me.”
“Kelso?”
