they looked. He used fingertips to move the phone close enough to pick up. He handed it to me without a single question. Micah didn't make me waste time explaining myself.
I called the Circus of the Damned, the special number that wasn't in the phone book. Ernie, who was Jean-Claude's human errand boy and sometimes appetizer, answered. I asked if Bobby Lee was still there. When I described him, Ernie said, "Yeah, can't get rid of him. Seems to think he's in charge."
Since I sort of thought he was in charge, too, that worked for me. Bobby Lee came on the line. "Anita, what's happening?"
"Ask Ernie to find you some crosses, and put them on the doors to the guest rooms."
"Can I ask why?"
"To keep the bad vampires from doing any more metaphysical tricks today."
"That explains absolutely nothing to me."
"Just do it."
"Don't you need to put crosses on the coffins to keep vampires from using their powers?"
"There's only one exit from each room, it's like a bigger coffin. Trust me, it'll work."
"You're the boss, at least until Rafael tells me otherwise." He asked Ernie for the crosses. I could hear Ernie's voice protesting in tone, though not the words.
Bobby Lee came back on line. "He's worried that the crosses being in plain sight on the doors will impede ourvampires when they wake."
"Maybe, but I'm more worried about what our guests are doing right now. When night falls, we'll worry about it. Until then just do it."
"Are you ever going to explain to me why I'm doing it?"
"You want to know, fine, the new vamps are using vampire wiles to suck energy from Jean-Claude, and through him, me. I have felt like shit all day."
"You know, I like you, Anita, you explain things when I ask. I almost never understand what the hell you're talking about, but you talk to me like I'm bright enough to understand it, and know enough about magic to follow all the big words."
"I'm hanging up now, Bobby Lee."
"Yes, ma'am."
I handed the phone to Micah so he could put it close to the pile of clothes, which I had no chance of reaching without dribbling water all over the place.
I leaned back against Micah, and he sank deeper into the water, so that even the tip of my chin was submerged. I wanted to sink in against his body, be held, and drowse. Now that the shadow was off of Jean-Claude, I was tired. It was almost as if now I had permission to sleep.
But there was one other crisis to talk about. "Jason told me that Nathaniel collapsed at work last night."
"He's tucked into his room, sandwiched between Zane and Cherry. He's fine." Micah kissed the side of my head.
"Is it true that he collapsed because the two of you can't keep feeding my ardeurtwice a day?"
Micah went very still around me, and his silence said it all.
"Did you know that the two of you couldn't sustain me?"
"You feed on Jean-Claude, too," he said.
"Fine, did you know that the three of you couldn't sustain me?"
"Jean-Claude keeps saying that your appetite should go down soon. The three of us could feed you if you only needed to be fed once a day. Twice a day is harder."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.
He hugged me, and I let him, but I wasn't happy.
"Because I know how hard it is for you to take new people to your bed. I was hoping you wouldn't have to."
That reminded me. "I sort of did."
"Did what?" he asked.
"Took someone else to my bed." I felt like I should be squirming with embarrassment, but my ability to be embarrassed wasn't what it used to be.
"Who?" he asked, voice soft.
"Asher."
"You and Jean-Claude," he made it more statement than question.
"Yeah."
He cuddled me against him. "Why now?"
I told him my reasoning.
"You are going to make those vampires very unhappy tonight."
"I hope so." I turned in his arms enough to see his face. He looked peaceful enough by candlelight. "Does it bother you, about Asher?"
He seemed to think about it for a second or two. "Yes, and no."
"Explain the yes," I said.
"While you need the ardeurfed, there's plenty of your time to go around. I'm a little worried about what happens if you get a string of men now, with the ardeurrising, then the ardeurgoes away. You're going to have some unhappy people, if you get too many of them."
I frowned. "I hadn't thought about that. I mean I haven't had intercourse with anyone but