The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,93

with a frown. "How is the supply holding out? Do we need to hold a blood drive?"

Leonora considered briefly, and then shook her head. "No, we should be fine. Well, so long as there aren't any more incidents, we should be fine."

Teddy nodded and glanced back to his plate, then pushed it away with a sigh. "I'll take you now and warm this up when we get back."

"It's a er eight o'clock, Teddy," Harper said quietly. "Finish your dinner, I'll take her." Harper stood, then paused, and frowned. "I forgot, I don't have - "

"Use my car," Teddy interrupted, withdrawing keys from his pocket. "You'd best use my boots and coat too."

"Thanks." Harper grabbed the keys, then glanced to Drina before asking him, "You don't happen to have an extra pair of boots and another coat Drina can borrow, do you?"

"In the closet," Teddy answered, pulling his plate back in front of himself.

"Can I come too?" Stephanie asked, as Drina stood to join Harper.

"Only got the one extra coat," Teddy announced around a mouthful of pork chop.

"It's probably better you stay here anyway," Drina said apologetically. "We'll be right back."

Stephanie looked so despondent that Drina asked, "Is there anything you want us to get while we're out?

We could stop at a store on the way back."

"Chocolate," Stephanie announced at once. "And Coke. And maybe you could stop at the house and pick up my coat on the way back?"

"Good thinking," Harper said as he led Drina out to the front hall and the closet beside the front door. He handed Drina a coat and pair of boots, then pulled out the same for himself. "We can pick up our coats and boots too while there and stop borrowing Teddy's."

"And you can drop me off so I can collect the SUV," Anders announced, jogging lightly down the stairs behind them, already in coat and boots.

"Also good thinking," Drina decided, as the other hunter moved past where they were donning their gear and slid out the front door. It would be be er not to be dependent on Teddy for transport. The man had enough responsibilities in this town and didn't need them being any more of a burden than necessary.

"Maybe we should pick up my car, too," Harper murmured, apparently thinking along the same lines.

"Your car is toast." Drina reminded him quietly of their accident.

"Oh, right." He frowned, and then said, "Well, Victor said I could borrow his car while they were gone if I needed it. We could pick that up."

"That's probably a good idea," Leonora commented as she stepped into the entry to take her coat from the closet. "We could go to the house first. I can drop you two and Anders off there, and go on to the blood bank alone. Then you'd just have to stop at the store on the way back to get Stephanie her treats."

Harper immediately stuck his head into the dining room, and asked, "Would you mind if Leonora drove your car, Teddy?"

"Nope. She's had her license longer than I've been alive," he said easily. "I was only going to drive with her so she didn't have to go alone. But if she doesn't mind . . ." He shrugged.

"She will no be alone," Alessandro announced, coming down the stairs to catch the conversa on. "I too will go."

"Sounds like a plan," Harper said wryly, quickly pulling on his coat and dragging on his boots. When Drina straightened from comple ng the same task, he took her arm and urged her around Alessandro and Leonora toward the door. "We'll go heat up the car and give you two some room to get your stuff on."

He didn't wait for a response but urged Drina outside. She stomped out onto a small porch, her feet sliding about in the overlarge but warm boots. The coat was too big as well, but also did the job, protecting her from the cold night.

Harper kept a hand on her arm as they descended the stairs and headed for the driveway in front of the house. Watching her tramp forward through the snow, he asked with concern, "Are you going to be all right in those?"

Drina grimaced as his hand ghtened on her arm, preven ng her from falling when her feet slipped about inside the boots, and the boots slid on the slippery snow. "For now. But tomorrow I think I will have to visit Wal-Mart again."

Harper nodded, and then said, "I suppose Stephanie won't be able