Blood Sisters_ Vampire Stories by Women - Paula Guran Page 0,135

it for a moment then scribbled her answer underneath.

Not anymore.

It took three weeks to find where the other spent her days. Vicki used old contacts where she could and made new ones where she had to. Any modern Van Helsing could have done the same.

For the next three weeks, Vicki hired someone to watch the other come and go, giving reinforced instructions to stay in the car with the windows closed and the air conditioning running. Life had an infinite number of variations but one piece of machinery smelled pretty much like any other. It irritated her that she couldn’t sit stakeout herself but the information she needed would’ve kept her out after sunrise.

“How the hell did you burn your hand?”

Vicki continued to smear ointment over the blister. Unlike the injuries she’d taken in the alley, this would heal slowly and painfully. “Accident in a tanning salon.”

“That’s not funny.”

She picked the roll of gauze up off the counter. “You’re losing your sense of humor, Mike.”

Celluci snorted and handed her the scissors. “I never had one.”

“Mike, I wanted to warn you, I won’t be back by sunrise.”

Celluci turned slowly, the TV dinner he’d just taken from the microwave held in both hands. “What do you mean?”

She read the fear in his voice and lifted the edge of the tray so that the gravy didn’t pour out and over his shoes. “I mean I’ll be spending the day somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why? Never mind.” He raised a hand as her eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. You’re going after that other vampire, aren’t you? The one Fitzroy told you to leave alone.”

“I thought you didn’t want to know.”

“I already know,” he grunted. “I can read you like a book. With large type. And pictures.”

Vicki pulled the tray from his grip and set it on the counter. “She’s killed two people. Eisler was a scumbag who may have deserved it but the other …”

“Other?” Celluci exploded. “Jesus H. Christ, Vicki, in case you’ve forgotten, murder’s against the law! Who the hell painted a big vee on your long johns and made you the vampire vigilante?”

“Don’t you remember?” Vicki snapped. “You were there. I didn’t make this decision, Mike. You and Henry made it for me. You’d just better learn to live with it.” She fought her way back to calm. “Look, you can’t stop her but I can. I know that galls but that’s the way it is.”

They glared at each other, toe to toe. Finally Celluci looked away.

“I can’t stop you, can I?” he asked bitterly. “I’m only human after all”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Vicki snarled. “You’re quintessentially human. If you want to stop me, you face me and ask me not to go and then you remember it every time you go into a situation that could get your ass shot off.”

After a long moment, he swallowed, lifted his head, and met her eyes. “Don’t die. I thought I lost you once and I’m not strong enough to go through that again.”

“Are you asking me not to go?”

He snorted. “I’m asking you to be careful. Not that you ever listen.”

She took a step forward and rested her head against his shoulder, wrapping herself in the beating of his heart. “This time, I’m listening.”

The studios in the converted warehouse on King Street were not supposed to be live-in. A good seventy-five percent of the tenants ignored that. The studio Vicki wanted was at the back on the third floor. The heavy steel door—an obvious upgrade by the occupant—had been secured by the best lock money could buy.

New senses and old skills got through it in record time.

Vicki pushed open the door with her foot and began carrying boxes inside. She had a lot to do before dawn.

“She goes out every night between ten and eleven, then she comes home every morning between four and five. You could set your watch by her.”

Vicki handed him an envelope.

He looked inside, thumbed through the money, then grinned up at her. “Pleasure doing business for you. Any time you need my services, you know where to call.”

“Forget it,” she told him.

And he did.

Because she expected her, Vicki knew the moment the other entered the building. The Beast stirred and she tightened her grip on it. To lose control now would be disaster.

She heard the elevator, then footsteps in the hall.

“You know I’m in here,” she said silently, “and you know you can take me. Be overconfident, believe I’m a fool and