All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire - By Kerrelyn Sparks Page 0,76

to Roman, still holding Constantine in her arms. Other than a few scrapes, Roman

looked fine. "Hurry back inside," Roman warned them. "There could be more explosions." In the distance, sirens wailed.

小??. 139 懈蟹 235

Toni wondered how they would explain this to the police. She glanced around the parking lot. It wouldn't do to have swords or wooden stakes lying about. She spotted a black garbage bag on the ground next to a black Lexus.

She peeked inside. Video games? Had Gregori brought these to work? They were all brand-new and unopened.

"I'll take that." Dougal grabbed the bag and zoomed to the front door. "But--" Toni jumped when Ian suddenly appeared beside her. "What's the deal with the sack of toys?"

"A secret Santa thing." Ian ushered her toward the front door. "The woods are clear, but we could tell where they'd been hiding." "Yeah, man." Phineas dashed up to them. "The freakin' cowards teleported away." Toni winced at the blood on Phineas's face. "You two need some medical attention."

"Roman and Laszlo can patch us up," Ian said. They entered the foyer and found everyone headed to a waiting room. Toni glanced down the hall and spotted Dougal with the garbage sack of video games. He was opening the locked door across from the nursery.

"Come." Ian ushered her into the waiting room.

Father Andrew was praying with Radinka. Others were sitting silently as if the full force of shock had finally overcome them. Connor was pacing back and forth, with Constantine following him, mimicking Connor's gait.

When the little boy spotted Toni, he ran up to her with his arms raised. She picked him up and

gave him a hug. "Roman and Shanna are in the operating room with Gregori," Connor explained. "He was hit the worst."

"Will he be all right?" Toni realized Constantine had closed his eyes and was falling asleep on her

shoulder. "He has some major cuts and burns," Connor said, "but if he makes it till sunrise, he'll be able to heal during his death-sleep."

The operating room door opened, and Roman and Shanna stepped out. "Gregori will be fine," Roman announced, and everyone sighed with relief. Radinka rushed forward. "Can I see him?" Roman nodded. "He's conscious. Laszlo's giving him a blood transfusion." After Radinka went into the operating room, Roman moved toward Connor and Ian and lowered

his voice. "Some bad news. Gregori said a Malcontent did a Vulcan mind meld on him, whatever

that is, and the Malcontents now know about the Stay-Awake drug." "Then they'll know ye're the inventor," Connor said. "I want to take you and yer family into hiding tonight."

小??. 140 懈蟹 235

Roman frowned. "Very well. But I want to tend the wounded first and deal with the police."

"Howard can deal with the police. We're leaving as soon as possible," Connor ordered. He turned to Ian. "Ye'll be in charge here." "But what about the Christmas Ball?" Shanna asked. Connor shrugged. "'Tis no' important." "Of course it is," Shanna protested. "Everyone's coming. We have to do it, Roman." "I'm more concerned about your safety--" "We'll be safe," Shanna interrupted. "Angus and Emma are coming. And Jean-Luc, Zoltan,

Giacomo--they'll all be here. You can't get any safer than that."

Roman exchanged a glance with Connor. "She makes a good point. We'll have a small army here." "And I refuse to let the Malcontents destroy our Christmas," Shanna argued. "If we cancel, it'll

look like we're scared of them."

Connor hesitated. "They could still try to infiltrate the party. And they would target Roman for capture because he knows how to make that damned drug." "It's a costume ball," Shanna said. "They would have trouble recognizing him." Her face lit up. "I

know! We have a hundred Santa Claus costumes. All the men can wear the same costume. It'll totally confuse them."

Roman grinned. "I like it." A hundred Santa Claus costumes? Toni wondered. Why would a bunch of Vamps have Santa costumes? Was it somehow related to what Ian had called the secret Santa thing?

Connor nodded slowly. "'Tis crazy enough it might just work. But we're still leaving tonight.

We'll come back for the ball on Tuesday." "Agreed." Roman was halfway back to the operating room when Dougal opened the waiting room door.

"Roman, the police are here." "Howard will handle it," Connor said. "Where is he?" "Laszlo was bandaging his leg." Roman peered inside the operating room. "Howard, are you

done? The police are here." "I'm on it." Howard limped across the waiting room to join Dougal in the hallway. Roman's gaze wandered over the Vamps in the waiting