As they walked down the long hall past the mess, across the hub, to the elevator bank, the vampire flirted with every woman they passed, using a range of techniques from gestures to cat calls to body movements that could only be described as obscene. Elora thought Ram had cured her of blushing, but she felt it coming on and hated herself for not being able to control it. Black Swan knights should be above blushing, even in the presence of live p**n .
Every single woman responded to the antics, some with giggles, some with blatant sexual interest. When Elora realized that Ram was enjoying the effect they were having on women more than he should, she said, "Great Paddy," under her breath and rolled her eyes at no one in particular.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Your days of charismatic seduction are over."
"To be certain. I'm just enjoyin' watchin' the goin's on from the other side of satisfied."
"Very smooth, Ram."
The newly established alien vampire barracks was large enough to accommodate five single beds without disturbing the TV-centric lounge seating or the pair of pool tables. The trainees were more than okay with the arrangement because they were given permission to use one of the entertainment centers normally reserved for active duty knights.
The refrigerator was stocked with blood substitute and Glen showed them how to use the microwave if they preferred it warm. He also showed them how to request on demand video with French subtitles. The video feed had been programmed for trainees, which meant no p**n .
The vampire stood idly by and watched with curiosity as the beds were made up with comfortable linens. Their curiosity made Glen wonder out loud about their sleeping habits. They confirmed that they did not sleep, ever. Glen then asked if they would like the beds to stay or go. The vampire seemed amused and Glen understood three of them to turn to each other and say, "There is more than one use for a bed, oui?"
Glen didn't bother trying to correct the misimpression of a future that included anything other than sleeping taking place in those beds. That was simply beyond his present pay grade.
Word spread like wildfire through Jefferson Unit that there were five pure vampire, unknowing authors of the plague and aliens from another dimension, being temporarily housed in the trainees' rec room. Naturally everyone wanted a glimpse, but access was restricted for the time being. It was fortunate that the room was down a short hallway, easily blocked off. One of the former teams of vampire hunters was assigned guard duty - not for the purpose of keeping the vampire in, because that would be impossible, but for the purpose of keeping curiosity seekers out.
It was late when the original dinner guests turned to leave.
"Does it no' matter to anyone else that we did no' get dinner?"
Storm grasped Ram by the shoulder affectionately. "Let's go to the lounge and see if they can rustle something up."
Everybody more or less fell in line behind them. Litha asked Elora about the baby.
"You can't leave without coming to see him. Are you staying tonight?"
"No. We'll pop home after dinner."
Elora smiled. "I keep forgetting. The ability to be anywhere almost instantly... Well, why ever sleep somewhere that's not your own bed?"
Litha leaned close and whispered conspiratorily, "Do you really have to ask that?"
Elora laughed loudly enough that Ram and Storm both turned around to see what their wives were finding so amusing. Elora gave them a too-precious look of innocence and hammed it up with a couple of big blinks. Litha wore an expression that said, "It's a complete mystery why she spontaneously breaks into hysteria at times."
When Ram and Storm turned around, Elora grasped Litha's forearm and made a motion with her head, signaling that they should let the others pass by. When they had lagged far behind the rest of the diners interruptus, Elora whispered, "You're showing!"
"I know."
"How is that possible?"
Litha shrugged. "Our baby has a unique heritage. We don't really know what to expect. My grandmother told me that, after my dad was born, he became an adult incubus in three days, complete with the sum of both parents' experiences stored in his memory. In detail." She chuckled under her breath. "Three years from now we could be taking her to preschool or planning a wedding."
Elora's brain seemed to stop working when she tried to grasp that. "Wow."
"I know. So. I guess we have to be flexible." She frowned a little. "And I'm not sure that's Storm's strong suit. The pregnancy is going a lot faster than... You know the only doctor they'll let me see is that quack they had treating you."
Elora nodded. "You can't just walk into any OB/GYN and say, 'Hey. This might be a little outside typical.'" She paused and Litha sighed. "It could turn out to be good. Shorter pregnancy preferable to longer pregnancy? Anytime."
"I guess so."
"What are you going to tell Storm's family? And the monks?"
"The monks are no problem because their sect is basically mystic. They'll be cool about it. Storm's family? I don't know. He said we're going to have to buy a story from Ram, that, 'Rammel is king at making shit up'."