33

When Savannah and John reached the medical center in the basement, it was empty except for the doctor, whom John introduced as Maya, and one child, who suffered from dehydration and lay in a hospital bed, a drip attached to her arm.

“Where is everybody?” John asked.

“We checked all the kids out; they’re fine. And hungry. They’re all up in the H lounge,” Maya said. “I ordered some food for this little one here.” She smiled at the child in the bed and ran her hand over her head. “Chocolate ice cream and cookies, right?”

The little girl, who was a little shorter than Buffy and probably only nine years old, smiled weakly.

“Why don’t you guys go up to the H lounge and see what’s taking them so long?” Maya suggested.

“Sure thing,” John agreed.

On their way up, Savannah asked, “H lounge, that was the lounge where you brought me, right? What does H stand for?”

“Human,” John said without hesitation. “It’s meant for our human employees and guests. There’s also a V lounge.” He cast her a quick look, as if to check whether he should continue. “Only vampires are allowed there, because we serve blood there.”

“What do you mean by serve? Do you keep humans there to drink from?”

John chuckled unexpectedly. “No. Of course not. There’s a bar with blood on tap. The company purchases it from a blood bank.”

“Does that mean you don’t drink from humans? You don’t bite them?” If that was the case, it would mean they were rather civilized.

“Yes and no.”

When she raised an eyebrow, he continued. “Some of us live entirely on bottled blood, others drink from their human mates, few of us go out to hunt these days. We prefer to have permission to drink from a human. It’s more gratifying.”

“Gratifying?” She wasn’t sure what he meant by that.

He sighed. “A vampire’s bite is very sensual. Many of us like to combine the act of feeding with the act of sex, because it heightens the pleasure.”

“For the vampire?”

“For both partners, the human, too. That’s why we prefer to drink from those we are drawn to sexually and emotionally. It’s a way for us to share ourselves with our human partners.”

“But doesn’t that mean you’re turning them into vampires too, I mean, by biting them?”

“That’s not how it works. Only in death can a human be turned.”

“I guess television got a lot of things wrong then.”

“They also got a lot of things right. But we’re not the bloodthirsty monsters they make us out to be on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We’re more like Angel than Nosferatu. Sometimes troubled by our wish to hold onto our humanity, but also driven by our need for blood. It’s a delicate balance.”

She contemplated his words. “I can see that. But you seem to be in control of that need.”

They stopped in front of the H lounge, and John gave her a long look. “Savannah, I wish I could say you’re right. But I’m not in control, not when I’m around you. There were many times, when I wanted nothing more than to sink my fangs into your lovely neck and drink from you. And it took every ounce of my strength not to do it. I don’t know how long I can still hold back that need.”

She gasped, and her chest lifted. With parted lips, she stared at him. But it wasn’t fear that paralyzed her. It was something he’d said earlier, that the bite would heighten her pleasure.

“I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I know this is not the time to ask your permission, not with everything you’re going through, and I would never act without your consent, but when this is over… when this is behind us… I will ask for permission.”

She shivered involuntarily.

John opened the door to the lounge for her, clearly not expecting an answer, and ushered her inside. The kids were running around, filling plates with food, marveling at the many choices, and looking happy and relaxed. A large number of adults, mostly women, mingled with them. Each woman seemed to have taken charge of one girl, focusing all her attention on the child, and catering to her every need.

“Who are all these women? Are they vampires?” Savannah whispered to John.

“Some of them are, but some of them are human. Most are the wives and daughters of the vampires who run Scanguards. Samson’s wife is here, Delilah.” He pointed to a beautiful woman with long dark hair and a warm smile who was handing a napkin to a little girl whose mouth was covered with chocolate. “And you met their daughter already, Isabelle. She’s a hybrid.”

“A hybrid? What is that?”

“She’s part human, part vampire.”

“Does that mean her mother is human?”

“Yes.”

Savannah ran her eyes over Delilah. She wore a casual dress with a plunging neckline, revealing her flawless neck. There were no blemishes on her skin. “You said a vampire bites his partner. But I see no marks on her neck.”

“And you won’t, though he likely drinks from her every night.” She felt John’s hand on the small of her back, gently touching her. “When we bite our partners, we seal the puncture wounds with our saliva to heal them instantly. It prevents the skin from scarring.”

Savannah felt heat radiate through her. “Oh.”

“And we don’t always drink from the neck.” She felt him move closer, so she could feel his hot breath at her ear. “There are many inviting spots.” Her nipples pebbled. “Like those.”

Suddenly he stepped away, dropping his lids as if ashamed. “I’m sorry, Savannah. I got carried away. I shouldn’t talk to you like that. It’s not the right time. Not the right place.”

She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I owe you so much. For everything you’re doing.”

He shook his head. “Please promise me something. If and when you say yes, don’t do it because you think you owe me something. You don’t. I’m doing this as much for me as for you. I lost a child. I know what it feels like. And I don’t want you to go through it. I’m doing this because I couldn’t save my own child. You don’t owe me anything. All you owe me is a truthful answer. Whenever you’re ready for it.”

“You’re an honorable man, John. You’re more than any woman could ever hope for.”

He smiled. “Come, why don’t I introduce you to Delilah?”

As if she’d heard them, Delilah looked in their direction and waved for John and Savannah to join her.

“Delilah, this is Savannah,” John introduced them. “Savannah, this is Delilah, Samson’s wife.”

When Savannah shook Delilah’s hand, John added, “I’ve filled Savannah in on everything. She knows about us.”

Delilah smiled. “I’m glad. I hate hiding things, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

Then John looked past her and said, “I see Samson. Excuse me for a moment.” He marched away to the far end of the lounge, where Samson stood talking to Amaury. They were the only other men in the room, and were keeping to themselves, maybe so as not to frighten the young girls who seemed to feel comfortable in the company of the other women.

In another corner, the sketch artist Detective Donnelly had brought to Scanguards was sitting at a table with two girls, who were talking animatedly and making gestures to describe the man they’d seen.

“I’m sorry to hear that your daughter is still missing,” Delilah said.

Savannah sighed. “I think we have a lead. Detective Donnelly is working on it right now. But the waiting is driving me crazy.”

Delilah smiled at the little girl who sat next to her on the large sectional. “More ice cream?” she asked.

“May I?” the girl asked excitedly.

When Delilah nodded, the girl jumped up and ran to a cart that seemed to have been brought in specially and looked at the display of different ice cream flavors.

“It’s so nice of you all to do this for the kids,” Savannah said.

“We figured they’d be hungry, and we wanted to take their minds off what they’ve been through. So, when Samson told me that the kids had arrived, I called all the other wives and asked them to come.” She pointed around the room. “The blonde with the pixie haircut is Nina, Amaury’s wife. And you’ve met her boys, the twins, Benjamin and Damian.”

“She’s their mother?” Savannah’s mouth gaped open. “But she can’t be older than twenty-five herself!”

“Actually, she must be forty-eight or forty-nine now. I lose track.”

“That’s impossible. And you don’t look like you could have a son Grayson’s age either.”

“Well, thank you. But I assure you, he’s my son. But we don’t age, you know, Nina, myself, and the other wives.”

Savannah leaned closer and dropped her voice so none of the nearby children could overhear them. “But John said you’re human.”

“I am. But we’re blood-bonded to our vampire husbands. And as long as they’re alive, we remain the age we were when we first bonded.”

“So you’re immortal?”

“Not exactly. We can die.”

“Like John’s wife?”

A sad smile flashed over Delilah’s face. “He told you about that?”

Savannah nodded.

“It was tragic. But, yes, we can die from accidents just like any human, but we remain young and healthy, and our husbands’ blood can heal injuries and illnesses we might contract.”

“Your husband’s blood. Are you saying…” She couldn’t finish the sentence or the thought.

“Yes, I drink his blood on occasion. That’s what keeps our bond strong, and my body young.”

Stunned, Savannah stared at Delilah. A human who drank a vampire’s blood? She’d never imagined that. There were a lot of things she’d never imagined. She’d never imagined this world she’d been thrown into. But it was real.

Delilah chuckled, when a young Chinese woman holding a little Asian girl by the hand walked past their seating area. “Ursula, let me introduce you.”

She approached with the child.

“This is Savannah Rice; Savannah this is Ursula. She’s Oliver’s wife. You probably haven’t met him yet, but you will.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ursula,” Savannah said and shook hands with her.

“We’re all keeping Buffy in our thoughts,” she said. “She’ll make it through this. I can feel it.” Then she motioned to the girl tugging at her hand. “I think somebody wants more cookies.” She allowed the girl to pull her toward the food area.

Delilah laughed. “Their parents are gonna be annoyed with us for spoiling them like this.”

“Their parents won’t mind, as long as they’ve got their little ones back.” Tears suddenly stung in Savannah’s eyes.

The girl Delilah had been taking care of came back with a large bowl of ice cream. “Are you crying?”

Savannah sniffled. “No, honey, I’ve just got something in my eyes.”

“Oh, okay. But it looks like you’re crying.” She offered Savannah her bowl. “Do you want some of my ice cream?”

At that, tears started running down her cheeks. A girl who only hours ago had been locked up in a dark and dirty shipping container was offering to console her. There was still so much good in this world, despite all the evil.

And now Savannah had the support of all of Scanguards, a company of vampires and preternatural creatures more powerful than she could have ever imagined.

“We’ll find Buffy,” Delilah said softly. “We’ll find her.”