Fangs But No Fangs (34 page)

He paused at that.

Oh God, they were in a cult. Although she hadn't noticed Christian having any odd religious beliefs. She didn't notice that with any of them. And what cult would let its members own a nightclub? That didn't seem to add up.

But Christian said slowly, "I guess you could say, we are in a cult of sorts."

She frowned now, waiting for him to continue.

Instead of giving a description of their beliefs and strange rituals, he said, "You know the man who came in today?"

She nodded. Was he a member, too?

"He was here to see me."

This was the big news? She stared at him, confused. That the odd man in the tweed coat was here to see… Her eyes widened.

He nodded at the realization in her eyes. "I'm the vampire."

Jolee gaped at him. Was he serious? He sure looked serious. Dead serious. She laughed slightly at her pun. This was crazy.

He still just watched her, no amusement on his perfect features.

"You are kidding, right? Sebastian set you up to this, didn't he? I can tell he's a joker."

He shook his head. "I was born in 1795. In England. That makes me two hundred and ten years old."

She stared at him again, then shook her head. "There is no such thing as vampires."

"Yes, there are. I'm one. My brothers. Jane."

Jane? Jane, the girl next door, sweet and friendly?

"This is ridiculous," she stated, getting irritated. Why was he telling her this? What was the point? It wasn't funny. It was creepy.

"Why are you telling me this?" she demanded out loud.

"Jolee," he said almost coaxingly. "I didn't want to, but I had to. You deserve to know."

"Deserve to know you are insane?" She stepped back from him.

"I know it does sound insane. I know. But it's the truth. Lilah was a vampire. She made me a vampire, and she made my brothers vampires, as well."

She couldn't even think what to say. He wasn't relenting on this. He didn't think this was a joke, he believed it. She could see his conviction in his pale eyes.

Rage filled her. She loved this man. She trusted him, and he was telling her something stupid like this. She suddenly didn't know who this guy was.

"Lilah was a vampire?" she asked slowly.

"Yes."

"And you're a vampire?"

"Yes."

"Show me," she said suddenly. "Show me you're a vampire."

He stared at for a moment, but then looked away. Finally he admitted, "I can't."

"Why not?" she almost taunted, her anger making her rude. "If you are a vampire, shouldn't you have fangs and turn into a bat and all that good stuff?"

"Yes," he said. "But I can't. Since I've been here I've stopped using my abilities, and now it's like my vampirism has gone dormant. That was why I wanted to meet Dr. Fowler. I had hoped he could help me."

Dr. Fowler? Oh yes, the crazy in the tweed.

"Help you bite?"

"Yes."

This was just nuts. Then she recalled something the man had said. "He was here to help you bite so you could mate."

He nodded. "Yes."

"With me?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God!" She covered her face with her hands. "Oh my God."

"Jolee, I know this is a lot to absorb."

"Absorb? I don't intend to absorb this. You are crazy."

He started to step toward her to speak again, but she put up a hand to stop him.

"No. I don't want to hear any more."

"Jolee, I love you."

She laughed bitterly. "Well, this is an interesting way of showing it."

Her emotions were strangling her, rage, fear, hurt, disappointment. "You know what? You need to go."

When he didn't move, she pointed at the door. "Now."

He hesitated, then nodded. Without another word, he left, leaving her in the kitchen to stare at the closed door.

She remained in the kitchen, staring blankly for… she had no idea how long. Then she finally crossed to turn the lock and barricade the door with one of her folding chairs.

What had just happened? She didn't even know. She couldn't believe any of it. Christian, the man she'd made love with, worked with, trusted more than anyone in her life, the man she loved, had just told her he was a vampire. It was so crazy she couldn't wrap her mind around it. She couldn't believe it.

He'd said he was as bad as the men she'd dated in the past. But he was wrong. He was worse. Because he'd made her love him, and then he'd revealed that he was insane.

She closed her eyes and tried to pull in calming breath. But a ragged, frantic laugh escaped instead. Why? God, why was this happening? She'd loved him. She'd thought she'd found the perfect man.. Finally.

How had he acted so normal? Okay, he was never normal. He was always far different from anyone she'd ever met. But he hadn't acted insane. She paced her living room, trying to understand how a person could just suddenly say what he had. It didn't make sense.

She paused, looking out her window at his darkened trailer. He did stay up all night. But she'd woken him up many times during the day. Shouldn't he be dead or something during the day?

"Why are you even questioning this?" she asked herself. "He's crazy. You have just made the mistake of falling for another loser. Again."

Except she knew that wasn't true. She'd never fallen for any other man. Not like she had for Christian. And that was why this hurt. It hurt so much she could barely breathe.

A vampire? Why a vampire? Because he was nuts. There didn't have to be any reasoning behind his choice.

He did get pale a lot.

"So he's sick. He probably needs medication."

He was very strong.

"So he's physically fit."

Why was she trying to find things that supported his delusion? Was she that desperate for a man? No, she was just that desperate for him.

Then she remembered the list on his fridge. His twelve steps to being human. He had that because he believed he was a vampire. Nausea filled her. All the time they'd been together he'd believed he was a vampire. Although it wasn't like it mattered when he believed it. He did believe it.

She collapsed onto one of her folding chairs and dropped her face into her hands. She wasn't going to cry. But she'd never wanted to more.

Her heart was broken. And she'd left her bar in the hands of a family of wanna-be vampires.

"How did it go?" Rhys asked as soon as Christian entered the bar.

"Great. She's pissed, and she thinks I'm a lunatic."

"She'll come around," Sebastian assured him.

Yeah, she'd come around and realize she was insane herself to have feelings for him. And who could blame her? Jolee just wanted someone normal. She wanted a man to stand by her side and love her. Even if she ever did believe him, she wouldn't want his lifestyle. She'd been on the outside looking in for her whole life. Why would she become an even bigger outcast than her last name had made her? She wouldn't. And Christian knew it had been just another selfish act on his part to expect that of her.

Christian kept the bar going the remainder of the night along with his brothers and Jane. He'd closed up, putting all the money in a zippered bank bag that Jolee had in her desk. He'd bring it home with him since she didn't have a new safe yet— one oversight when he was replacing items.

He wrote her a note, telling her he had the money and he'd drop it off tomorrow. He didn't add that that would be the last time he'd see her. He imagined that was implied.

"Was Jolee not feeling well tonight?" Jed asked as he slid off his stool and headed toward the back door.

"No," Christian said.

Jed nodded. "You don't look too well yourself."

He shrugged. He didn't care about himself, only Jolee. Was she okay? He hoped so. He hoped she would go on and forget about him. She deserved to be happy, and if he couldn't give her that, then he prayed she found happiness with another. The idea made him ache, made him want to shout out in pain, but he had to let her go.

"You two had a fight, eh?"

He blinked at Jed. A fight? He wished. He could apologize for a fight. He could make amends. He couldn't make amends for who he was, aside from just leaving her alone.

"A bit more than a fight, Jed. I don't think you will be seeing me around much anymore."

"Why? What happened?"

"Let's just say we're too different." He assumed the old man would think he was saying that he didn't fit in with her and her life. After all, when he started here, he didn't. Now, this stupid, run-down bar was exactly where he wanted to be. But he should have known better about this shrewd old man.

"Give her time. It takes us mortals a little time to wrap our minds around beings like you."

Christian stared at him. "Mortals? Beings like me?"

Jed shrugged with nonchalance. "You don't live behind a bar for thirty years and not see a few things."

Jed's blue gaze actually unnerved Christian. How could this man be so wise, so blasé about what he was saying? He didn't consider insulting the old man's intelligence.

"How did you know?"

"It was that face of yours. Prettier than any man should be. And your brothers, too."

That surprised Christian. Most humans didn't notice that. They just responded to the beauty. They didn't question it.

"And," Jed added, "I have been watching you tend bar for quite a few nights now. While those bottles were blocking the mirror, I didn't see. But the other night, I noticed something a little strange about your reflection. You're a little see-through, son."

The mirror. He hadn't even thought about that the other night. But apparently no one else had noticed. Vampires weren't invisible, as folklore portrayed them. They were more just… blurry. And a little see-through. But someone would have to be looking for it to really notice.

Then he realized that was one thing he could have used to prove to Jolee he was telling the truth. He couldn't show his fangs or transform to shadow, but his odd reflection would have been there. Now it was too late. And for the best, too. She needed a normal life. A real life. He knew that now.

Still he stared at Jed, then shook his head. "You're something. Why didn't you say something earlier?"

Jed grinned. "I didn't see any point. I can tell you are a good sort, no matter what you are. Another thing you learn from living behind a bar. And I know you love our Jolee girl. She'll come around."

She wouldn't, but Christian didn't tell the man that. He'd only argue and there would be no point.

"Good night," Jed said, thumping him on the back with almost fatherly affection. The gesture caused Christian's chest to tighten. He'd come to care about this old mortal, and he would miss him.

"Good night, Jed."

Jed disappeared outside, and Christian finished locking up. He didn't have a key, but fortunately Sebastian's powers weren't shot. He locked the door from the inside and slipped under the door in the form of mist. He was a terrible show-off.

"So what do we do now?" Sebastian asked when they got back to the trailer park. Christian glanced at Jolee's trailer. All the lights were off. Not even her radio played.

"I'm going to bed." Christian trudged up his front steps, actually feeling his 210 years of existence.

"You really are a complete dolt, you do know that," Sebastian stated as he followed him into the trailer. "Jolee is your mate. You spend nearly two hundred years worshipping a lunatic, then you finally find your real mate. She is wonderful and loving and crazy about you, and you plan to just let her go."

Christian turned to his brother, irritated. "I don't want to let her go, but I can't make her accept me. You know that. Look what Lilah did, trying to make Rhys accept. She practically destroyed us all. I won't hurt her!"

He took a breath, calming himself. "Besides, she deserves better than me."

With that he left his brothers and Jane in the living room. He needed to be alone. He went into the second bedroom, which was bare except for an old mattress on the floor. He collapsed on it, dropping his arm over his eyes. He just wanted to forget. He just wanted to feel no pain.

Jolee looked at her clock. It was 8:30 a.m. and she hadn't managed to sleep a wink. But how had she really thought she was going to? Not every day did the man she loved tell her he was a vampire. That merited a night of insomnia.

She sighed and pushed out of bed, padding to the kitchen. She supposed she should walk to the bar and make sure that everything was all right. For some reason, she believed the place was fine, which was strange as she thought Christian had to be certifiable. And the rest of his family was questionable at best.

She wandered to the fridge and got out a pitcher of orange juice. She carried it to the counter and started to reach for a glass. Her hand paused as she noticed the items on the counter-top. She set down the pitcher, and with shaking hands she lifted the item. The zippered money bag from her bank. The one she had to put her money in for deposits.

She looked around. The metal chair was still wedged under the doorknob. She'd also placed one under the handle of the back door. Even her windows were locked. How had this appeared here?

Beside the bag was a white piece of paper with small, crisp handwriting lining the width. She picked up the paper and began to read.