Page 40 of Love Bites
"Collin wants to talk to you."
Luke took him. For a second or two, he listened to his brother, then "What are you talking about?" He glanced at Talon as he spoke, a scowl appearing on his face. "What do you want from Dad's office? I have to get ready for classes, you know."
A few beats passed in which Luke listened to Collin.
"What do you mean you're sick?" Luke's eyes darted to Talon again. "You're joking. That's not funny." Luke held the phone away from his face to look at the display as if Collin had sent him a picture. "Holy shit," he murmured, looking at it.
"Will you open the door to the office now?" Talon asked, trying not to come across as too impatient. He could guess what sort of picture Collin had sent his brother. Ideally, he would have liked to avoid drawing any more humans into this, but he didn't blame Collin. The situation was complicated—and if his instincts were right, Luke wasn't human anyway.
"I..." Luke looked from the phone to Talon. His face had gone pale. "You did that to him?"
"I don't know what happened to your brother," Talon said, truthfully. "But I'd like to help him feel better." Which was why he didn't have time to stand here arguing. He stepped forward to take his phone back from Luke. "Collin?"
"Yeah? Is my little brother not listening?"
"I'm going to assume you don't want me to use force."
"No way. You lay a hand on him you're dead." It was amazing that Collin actually managed to make that sound like he meant it when talking to a vampire. His spirit was one of the many things that made him worth protecting.
"Understood. How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay."
"Liar."
Collin snorted. "Just get a move on, okay?"
"I will. Get some rest." Talon ended the call and turned to Luke. "Do I have to show you my teeth or will you cooperate?"
"Your... teeth?" Luke took a step back, glancing at the window behind him. He appeared a little like a scared kitten. Talon might have felt sympathetic if he hadn't been pressed for time. Collin depended on him.
"I'm a vampire. Your brother is suffering from a strange disease that might be related to vampirism and we suspect that your father might have gathered the information we need to beat it back. I cannot enter the office because it is warded. Will you cooperate?"
It was perhaps a bit much to take in all at once. Luke took a deep breath and swallowed, then inhaled again. "This isn't some sort of sick game?"
"I don't have time for games." Sensing that there was no way around this, Talon opened his mouth and extended his fangs for Luke to see.
Luke's eyes grew wide. "Oh my God. They're real."
"They are. Now if you would please..." Talon motioned to the door that led out of the kitchen.
"I still can't believe Collin wants me to work with a vampire. Avampire." Luke shook his head, his eyes still wide, but at least he was moving even if he kept muttering to himself.
"You can't tell anyone about this," Talon informed him as they moved up the stairs. "Absolutely no one, do you understand?"
"Who would even believe me?"
Fair enough.
Talon stood behind Luke as the boy opened the office door and stepped through. "What are we looking for?"
Talon scanned the room without trying to enter it. He wasn't completely stupid. The old man might not have stopped at the burning door handle. "We're looking for any notes on Collin or any of you. Anything about your birthmarks. Just hand me any folders or notebooks you can find."
"Okay." Luke went to work, rooting through his father's shelves and the drawers of his desk. Anything he found, he piled up just outside the door so Talon could reach.
Most of what Talon saw where thick journals filled with notes on vampires, vampire culture, how to defend yourself against vampires... there were some interesting observations there, and some that were utter nonsense.
Many vampires enjoy to not only drink blood but to bathe themselves in it as a way to strengthen their paranormal powers.
