Page 47 of Bad Luck Vampire

“Hey, buddy, you got any spare change?”

Stiffening, Alasdair opened his eyes to see a man in his early twenties jogging up to his open window.

“My girl got pissed and kicked me out of the car here in the middle of nowhere. I need an Uber or something to get home, but have no money,” the young man explained when Alasdair didn’t immediately respond. “I’d pay you back.”

Alasdair considered the fellow, an idea taking shape in his head.

“What’s your name?” he asked, not wanting to expend the energy it would take to read him.

The kid’s eyebrows rose at the question, but he answered, “Eddie.”

“Okay, Eddie,” Alasdair said, hitting the button to unlock the doors. “Hop in. I’ll give you a lift.”

“Thanks, man,” Eddie said with relief, and hurried around the front of the SUV to get to the passenger door. He had it open and was sliding in when he suddenly froze.

Alasdair had no idea if Eddie could smell the blood, or if he saw something that spooked him, but didn’t wait to find out. He immediately slid into his mind, took control, and had him finish getting in and close the door. He then made him shift over to sit right next to him, straddling the center console. Much to his relief the kid had long legs and was able to reach the brake and gas pedals, so he had him start the SUV engine.

Handling the steering wheel himself, Alasdair had Eddie press down on the brakes and shift the SUV into gear, then ease his foot off the brakes and onto the gas so that Alasdair could steer them out of the parking space. It was a tricky business, much harder than it would have been had he been able to handle everything himself, but they managed it.

Alasdair relaxed somewhat once they had driven away from Sophie’s apartment building. Mostly because he figured he could handle anything else that came at him that night. He could control mortal police officers if they got pulled over, just as he was controlling Eddie. But he could not control Sophie. That was part of what made her his life mate. But it was also what made certain things difficult.

Once they’d turned off Sophie’s street, Alasdair had Eddie place his wrist near his mouth and then bit into the vein there and fed as he peered over his hand and steered. He made sure not to take too much, not just for Eddie’s sake, but also for his own. He only wanted enough to reduce the cramping he was experiencing, not enough to have the healing start in earnest. Alasdair was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to drive while suffering the kind of agony that could bring on.

When he felt he’d had enough to meet the precarious balance he was aiming for, Alasdair let Eddie have his hand back and concentrated on driving.

They were twenty-five minutes from the Enforcer house. Twenty-five minutes until he could blood up and heal. Alasdair kept telling himself that over and over during the long drive as he felt the crushed bones in his knee trying to reknit, and felt his fibula slowly pulling back into his body. He was having similar pains in his skull, pelvis, and arm, but knew the repair work was going slowly and wouldn’t get far until he could feed properly. It was just something he was going to have to suffer for now.

“Sophie, love.” The words played through her mind as she stared down at the spot where Alasdair’s SUV had been. She had rushed out to her balcony the minute she’d hit her apartment after he’d insisted she go back inside, but he’d already left. Now she just stood there in the cold night air, his words playing through her mind. Sophie, love. She’d been so stunned at his use of the endearment that she’d allowed him to convince her to go back inside.

But those weren’t the only words she kept hearing in her head. I have the weekend off, but am hoping to spend it with a certain beautiful nymph who has bewitched me.

Had she bewitched him? He’d certainly bewitched her. Sophie’s body was still tingling from the things they’d done that night, and in anticipation of the weekend ahead.

Although, she was also a little concerned about that fainting business. Sophie had passed out during every one of their half dozen lovemaking sessions. Well, they hadn’t made love every time. The first time she’d orgasmed had been in the entry, and then the fifth time had been in the shower. Both of those had been purely oral not intercourse. And both times Alasdair had pleasured her and gone without her reciprocating, she thought guiltily. Irritation at feeling guilty was quick to follow, because she’d tried to reciprocate a couple times on waking, but he always managed to keep her from even touching him. Alasdair was always either holding her hands over her head, or tangling something around her hands or arms, hampering her ability to even caress him. She was beginning to think he had some kind of bondage fetish.

Sophie didn’t know whether to be annoyed at the possibility or not. The truth was what he’d done to her felt so damned good she thought she might have a little leaning toward that fetish herself. Aside from a bit of guilt that she hadn’t done for him what he had for her, she’d really enjoyed the night, and was sad that he had to work and it had had to come to an end.

Well, guilt, irritation at feeling that guilt when she didn’t think it was her fault, and some concern about her repeated fainting. Maybe she should start taking iron supplements or something, Sophie thought, and then tried to recall how long it had been since she’d last been to the doctor for a checkup. Too long, she supposed. Sophie had always hated going to the doctor and avoided it at all costs. She should probably call and make an appointment. Just check to be sure everything was all right.

Sophie, love.

Alasdair’s voice whispered through her mind again, sending another shiver through her body.

What a man, Sophie thought on a sigh, and then frowned as she recalled watching him catapult over the car that had hit him. That had scared her to death. She’d thought her curse was kicking in and she was watching yet another loved one die in front of her. It was enough for her not to want to see the man again. First her parents had died in a fire when she was a child, then her best friend had died from anaphylactic shock when she was a teenager. Those deaths had been followed by the accidental deaths of two fiancés she’d had... Sophie could not watch another person she cared for die. Not that she cared for him, she quickly assured herself. But her panic and agony when she’d watched him tumbling over that car and slamming to the pavement belied that.

“I can’t believe he wasn’t even hurt,” she muttered to herself. It had been dark and she hadn’t been able to see him very well, but he’d seemed fine, she acknowledged and murmured, “Crazy,” as she let the scene play out in her mind again.

The driver hadn’t had his lights on. He’d also been speeding and hadn’t even tried to swerve around Alasdair. It had looked deliberate to her.

They really should have called the police, Sophie thought impatiently. And Alasdair knew that. The man was a police officer. He should have been calling 911 before she’d even got downstairs.

Maybe he’d report it when he got to work and have them put out an APB on the car or something, she thought next. Had he got the license plate number of the vehicle? Sophie had been too far away and viewing it all from the wrong angle to see it herself. Maybe she should call him.

“Girl, you’re just looking for an excuse to hear his voice again,” Sophie said to herself as soon as that thought cropped up. “You should go to bed before you do something pathetic and stalkerish.”

That seemed like a good idea. Better than standing out here in the cold, at least. Maybe getting some sleep would help clear her thoughts. Right now, her mind was hopping from thought to thought like a mad bunny, taking her emotions along for the ride. Sleep seemed the smartest thing.

Nodding at the decision, Sophie turned and headed back inside to find her bed. It still smelled of Alasdair when she cuddled into it.

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