Lover's Kiss (12 page)

Chapter 16

Beth was sitting on the floor and watching John when his eyes twitched beneath his eyelids a few minutes later. He blinked his eyes open and glanced around, then recoiled from her. He leaned up and looked down at legs, but she'd pulled her jeans back up and looked presentable again. His eyes lingered on her thigh.

"Yes, that just happened," Beth reassured him. "You're not crazy."

"I'm not so sure about that," he mumbled.

"I love you, baby," Beth said. "And you told me you loved me. I would have never done any of this otherwise."

"Any of what?"

"Making you like I am. Well, maybe."

"Maybe?" he asked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You have to die first and then rise again."

"Jesus Christ."

"Not exactly," Beth said. "I mean, not at all, really. I don't know much about him, but—"

"I wasn't referring to him," John said. "Not directly, anyhow."

"Oh! Sorry. Penny can explain things so much better anyhow, we really should go see her."

"Last time I saw her she wasn't too happy with me," John pointed out.

"She's better now. Sort of," Beth said. "We had a heart to heart."

"Wait, are you two together, or not?"

Beth smiled. "It's complicated."

"A lot of things are complicated with you."

She laughed. "You have no idea! I'll tell you all about it, but not now. We'll have all the time in the world soon, but we have to get you through this first."

"Through what, this dying thing? Most people don't come back from that."

Beth took his hand and slid it under the bottom of her shirt. She positioned it on her chest and ignored his wide eyes as she brushed his palm across her breast. "Pay attention," she scolded him. "What do you feel?"

"Uh, your boob?"

Beth rolled her eyes. "Deeper. Inside of me."

He frowned and concentrated before staring at the bulge his hand made under her shirt. He lifted his wide eyes to hers. "Holy shit."

Beth nodded. "I rose again. You will too, as long as you fight for it."

"Fight for it?"

"Yes. It's— it's hard for me to explain. Penny is so much better at it. We have to go see her. And yes, I love her. I love her so much it hurts to think of not being with her. She saved me, John. She helped me and saved me and gave me this eternal gift. All she asked for in return was for me to love her. How can I not?"

"Uh, I don't understand?" he answered. "I mean, how can I compete with that?"

"You don't have to," Beth assured him. "I love you too, remember?"

"I've been on a few domestic calls where three-ways didn't work out so well."

Beth grinned. "Stop thinking with your dick, John. Soon that won't matter. You'll find pleasure and satisfaction in other ways."

He blinked a few times and shook his head. "I'm so confused. Feels like there's a fog in my head, I can't even think straight."

"Dehydration," Beth confirmed. "I probably took almost half your blood. Enough that I was worried you were going to die."

"Wait, I thought you said I was going to?"

"Sorry, I meant from the blood loss, not the change."

"The change?"

"Becoming like me."

John rolled onto his back and dropped his arm across his face while he groaned. He left his other hand trapped on Beth's breast.

"Ahem," Beth said. "We really need to be going. Later, if you're up for it, I'd be happy to fool around."

He turned to look at her. He extracted his hand from her shirt. "You said you don't get off from that anymore?"

"I don't, but it's still fun. And I like making you happy. I did make you happy, didn't I?"

He nodded and then caught himself. "Wait, are you like some black widow or something? You mate and then, uh, kill?"

Beth rolled her eyes. "I've had sex with three people in my life— sort of. The first wasn't really a person, he raped me over and over again and tried to get me pregnant with his litter. The second was a frat boy in the burned down house we drove past on campus. He got me drunk and drugged me up so they could have a frat party gang bang. Before it got too far Penny saved me. She killed him and the others and burned the house down."

His jaw hung loose as he stared at how matter-of-factly she discussed the nightmares she'd endured. "Wait, pregnant with a litter?"

Beth waved it aside. "Later. I'll tell you all about it. The important part is the third time was the charm. The third time I was in a sexual encounter it was with a kind, caring, and amazing man that captured my heart while it was still beating."

"The park?"

"The park," she confirmed. "Now get up, lover, I've got to get you to Penny."

He grunted and nodded, then let her help him sit up. Penny helped him put his shoes on and then grabbed a jacket out of his closet before she put her coat back on. She glanced back from the door, making sure the pistol was lying under the couch where she'd hid it after he'd fainted. The gun didn't scare her, but she didn't want to run the risk of complicating anything with Penny.

"Ready?" she asked him.

"I guess?" he asked. "We taking my car?"

"Sure, I'll drive," Beth said. "I haven't driven in a few weeks now, I kind of miss it."

"On these roads? Should I be scared?"

Beth grinned. "Trust me."

He swallowed and nodded back into the house. "Garage is that way."

Beth followed his directions to the garage and took the keys to his Chevy Impala. She oohed and ahhed at the digital dashboard before almost backing it out through the garage door.

"You haven't driven in a while, have you?" he asked as he reached over and pressed the garage door opener button clipped to his sun visor.

"It's been a few weeks," she admitted.

"I was right, wasn't I? About Elizabeth Stenger. That's you."

Beth bit her lip and nodded. "It was."

He grunted. "Do you parents know that you're still alive?"

Beth pulled out and edged down the snow covered driveway. The engine and tires worked together to plow through the five inch drifts as though they weren't there. She turned onto the road before answering. "I'm not. Beth Stenger died. I'm Beth Adams."

"Beth? I've been calling you Liz."

"I let you," Beth said. "I was trying to be clever."

He groaned. "How many other lies have there been?"

Beth ran her tongue across her teeth as she considered his question. She shook her head. "Not many, if any. I never wanted to lie to you, just to protect you. And me."

"No more, okay?"

"No more lies?"

"Right. If some guy gets frisky in the club and grabs your ass, you tell me. I'm not going to beat him up, I just want to know."

"Sounds kind of controlling."

He frowned. "Well, um, I don't mean it that way. I just wanted an example."

"Okay. No more lies, I promise," Beth said.

"So…Beth," he said.

Beth glanced at him and smiled. "Baby, you can call me just about anything you like."

He chuckled. "I'll try to remember that."

"Oh, except for pet. Don't call me pet."

"Pet?" he frowned and let the question hang in the air.

Beth nodded. "That's what Penny calls me. It's special to me, but don't tell her I said that."

John sighed and shook his head. He glanced out the window at the passing houses and buildings. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Something amazing," Beth promised. "Now sit back and enjoy the ride, we'll be there soon."

He did as she asked and leaned back until she rounded the corner of Penny's building. She frowned and slowed near the front. "I've never used the parking here," she admitted.

John smirked. "Head around one more time, it's on the south side."

"I feel dumb," she admitted after rounding the next corner and pulling into the parking ramp that dropped to a subterranean parking garage. An untended gate was across the entrance. "Crap, I don't have a card."

"Type in one-two-oh-seven-five-five-four-three," John said. "And don't tell anyone I gave you that code."

"Some kind of cop-code?" she asked.

"Something like that. Emergency services personnel."

"Cool," Beth said and followed his instructions. She let out a happy yelp when the gate rose in front of them. Beth pulled in and found an empty spot to park in near the elevator. She waited for John to join her, he was still moving slow and having trouble catching his breath.

"Sorry," he said. "Feeling wiped out."

"It's okay. I know what you're going through. It's better now though, right? At night?"

"Yeah, I guess. I could barely move earlier."

Beth nodded. "Stay out of the sun, it'll make you miserable now. Later, after you die, it will kill you."

His eyes widened. "This is like old school Dracula stuff. What about sparkling and being a daywalker and all that?"

Beth dropped her head a little and fixed him with a stare. "Really?"

"I don't know what to expect, remember?"

"Okay, fair enough. No, there's no sparkling. Sunlight will kill you. You saw what I did earlier with the knife?"

He shuddered and nodded. "Yeah."

"We can heal ourselves, just think about it and make it happen. We can make ourselves stronger and reshape our bodies. I worked out before to lose weight but there's no way I could get this kind of shape without plastic surgery."

"Porn star hot," he said with a smile.

Beth laughed. "Something like that."

"So I can give myself a foot long dick?"

Beth laughed again. "So immature!"

He shrugged. "Just asking."

"I think what you've got is perfect. But soon you'll realize it doesn't matter."

"You're the first woman to say size doesn't matter and mean it."

Beth laughed again and stepped into the elevator. "Come on, Long John, let's go stare at some dancing girls."

"Yeah, like I can take my eyes off you."

"Maybe I'll get on stage and do a dance for you."

"Holy shit," he breathed. "I just meant I wouldn't risk pissing you off by looking at anyone else."

Beth grinned. The elevator stopped at the lobby. "Don't worry, I'm not the jealous type anymore. I know you won't find another woman that can do what I can. Well, you can, but she'll be just like I am."

John stared into the lobby. "Uh, where to?"

"Out the front and around, I think," she said. "I don't know if there's a back entrance."

"I thought you ran the place with Penny?"

"I do, but I always use the front door and our private elevator inside." Beth shrugged. "I'll ask though, that's a good point. Ready?"

John took a deep breath and let it out. He rolled his head, stretching his neck, and nodded.

"Don't be nervous, it's okay," Beth said.

"Sure, I just have to convince your vampire girlfriend to let you spend some quality time with me, what's to worry about?"

Beth laughed and tugged on his arm. "That's the spirit!"

Chapter 17

"Hey hon, you're not— That's the cop!" Candy blurted as Beth brought him around the corner of the bar. She offered him a wicked grin. "I've always said if you can't pay 'em off, screw 'em! I guess you took that literally?"

"Candy! Stop!" Beth hissed.

Even the fluorescent lighting and myriad colors couldn't hide the flush that colored John's pale cheeks. "I don't— we can't be—"

"Relax, baby," Beth said. "Candy's just jealous because she can't compete with you."

"What?" Candy blurted.

"What?" John said in unison.

"Oh yeah, she wants me," Beth said and winked at the bartender.

The blond laughed. "You wish! You wouldn't know what to do with me, princess."

"You're probably right," Beth agreed. "But it would be fun trying to figure it out."

Candy's eyes widened while John gasped beside her. Beth grinned and turned away from them both. Her gaze locked with another blond sitting in a booth near the wall of the club furthest from the stage. Beth froze and waited.

"What's wrong, do you know her?" John asked after Beth stood motionless for several seconds.

Beth didn't respond. Instead she watched as Tiffany turned to her mate, Hunter, and whispered something to him. He turned and studied Beth with the eyes of a predator. He grinned, baring wolfish teeth.

"Beth, you're not moving, are you even breathing?" John hissed.

She wasn't. She jerked and smiled, turning to him and offering a shrug. She kept turning until her back was to Tiffany. She could see her in the mirror behind the bar, but she tried hard not to stare at her directly. "The blond and the man with her. Stay away from them."

John nodded and looked in the mirror. After several seconds he grunted. "Problem?"

"Not yet," Beth said. "They're dangerous though. Trust me."

"I can—"

"No, you can't," Beth interrupted him. She felt Penny approaching but showed no signs of noticing. "Everything's different now. Everything will change."

John frowned. "Liz, I—"

"You found him," Penny said as she walked up from behind them. "Did you tell him about us?"

Candy's head whipped around and her jaw dropped. Beth stiffened and glanced at the blond. She turned and noticed the two werewolves were watching them. "Penny!"

"Come with me," Penny ordered. "Upstairs."

"Upstairs?" Beth asked. "What about the club?"

Penny turned to the bartender. "Candy?"

She nodded, "I can handle it. Maddy's here too."

"All right, upstairs then," Beth agreed. She glanced in the mirror at the two wolves that were watching her like she might stray from the pack so they could pounce on her. She suppressed a shiver. "Definitely a better place to be."

"You need to tell me about them," John whispered to her.

"Later," Beth said. "They're something else entirely."

"Just out for a good time. They don't have any idea what they want to get themselves into."

"They what?" John asked.

Beth shook her head and took his hand, pulling him with her around the bar and down the hall to the private elevator. John grunted after they piled in and it climbed fast enough to make him lean on Beth to keep from falling.

The elevator decelerated and dinged, announcing the penthouse level. The door slid open, revealing the hallway of Penny's apartment. She stepped in and motioned John to follow. Beth gave him an encouraging smile and followed behind him.

"Holy crap," John whispered as he followed Penny into the massive open concept main section of the apartment. The state of the art kitchen opened into a combination dining room and family room.

Penny turned on him and had his throat in her hand before he realized she'd stopped moving forward. His breath hissed before she twisted his head and exposed the bandages.

"Two bandages?" Penny growled. She glanced at Beth.

"I bandaged him better than that," Beth announced. "He changed them."

Penny rolled her eyes and used her other hand to peel them off and study the wounds. She nodded. "Clean. Good punctures. I'm impressed."

John managed to wheeze a little, but he couldn't get enough air to talk.

"Penny, put him down," Beth urged. "You're choking him."

Penny looked down and saw John stretching to put pressure on his tip toes. She shrugged and let go of him. He dropped and stumbled, trying to regain his balance. After three awkward steps back he ended up crashing on the floor and grunting as his breath was knocked away.

John coughed while pushing himself across the floor and trying to get away from Penny. She smiled at him, baring fangs in the process.

"Penny!" Beth scolded. "Stop trying to scare him."

"I thought he was a defender of the people? How could I scare him?" Penny asked.

"You found a way," John rasped. He coughed again and cleared his throat before looking at Beth. "Can you do that?"

Beth glanced around and then shrugged. "Maybe."

"Jesus," he muttered.

Beth rushed over to his side and knelt down. "You will too! Soon. Remember?"

"You'll do a lot of things," Penny agreed. "If you survive."

He stretched his neck and rubbed it with his hand. "A lot? Like what?"

"Killing the people you swore to protect," Penny said. "In cold blood— no, hot blood. You'll tear their throats out and drink them dry."

"Why are you doing this?" Beth snapped at her mentor. "You weren't like this with me!"

"Weren't like what?" John asked.

"I thought he should know what he's getting into. I gave you a choice, remember? You didn't do that for him."

"No, I didn't," Beth agreed. "But that's because you would have killed him if I hadn't!"

"Woah! What the fu— what's going on?" John demanded. He stood up, with Beth's help, and glanced back and forth between the two women.

"You knew too much," Beth explained. "You were figuring things out and I knew you wouldn't leave me alone. So it was that, or this. I couldn't let that happen to you."

Penny snorted but remained silent.

"What about the part about murdering people?"

Beth glared at Penny before turning back to him. "Yes, you will."

"Beth, I can't do that. That's wrong! Do you mean you do that?"

"Every night," Beth agreed. She glanced at Penny and hoped she could sense her pride and mischief when she said, "But I'm getting stronger. Already I don't need to do it as often."

"But— that's wrong! You can't kill innocent people!"

Beth frowned at the shocked look of horror on his face. She reached for him but he recoiled. Beth nodded and dropped her hand. "There's animals."

"Animals?"

"You can drink from animals, right Penny?"

Penny scoffed. "Please. Nobody feeds from a stray dog unless they have no other choice."

"But they can?"

Penny rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"There, see? You can."

"You don't though," he accused her.

Beth groaned. "No, but you know what, I've never fed on anyone that was a good person. Drug dealers, muggers, rapists, and addicts. Except I'm done with addicts."

Penny smiled for the first time and nodded at her. "Good girl."

"And you," Beth spun on her creator. "You need to be nice. John's part of our family now. You agreed to it. You're going to give him your protection so nobody else comes after him. Stop worrying about me, you feel how I feel. You know there's nothing that can keep us apart."

Penny's lip curled but, after seeing John staring at her with wide eyes, she nodded. "I'm having a hard time with this. I don't regret it— far from it! I've lived a long time without ever trusting and caring so much."

Beth smiled and winked at her. "I know, and I appreciate it what you did. Every night and every time I see you."

"Um, should I leave you two alone?" John asked.

Beth turned back to her dying boyfriend. She laughed and shook her head. The laugh faded as she got serious and said, "All the men— people like us, I mean— have been killed and because they can't control themselves. So nobody turns any men. But Penny's one of the elders of our kind, so as long as you don't screw up and she gives you her protection, you'll be okay. Just don't screw up."

"Don't screw up? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. I don't think I'll make a good, uh, vampire. I don't want to kill anyone."

"You can stop bad guys. Make them disappear," Beth reasoned.

He considered her suggestion and shook his head. "Without due process? No trial or jury? Just me as the executioner. I'm not Judge Dredd."

Beth glanced at Penny and got a shake of a head in response. "Who?"

"Never mind," John said.

"You will kill," Penny said. "The thirst will make you. There's no escaping it, but if you try you will lose control and do something stupid. Then I will have to kill you."

"I'm going to buy you a puppy for Christmas next year," John said. "You really need to lighten up."

Beth laughed and then laughed harder when she saw the perplexed expression on Penny's face. She shook her head. "A puppy? That's awesome! Now John, there's one more thing you need to know. I do love you, but we've got a long ways to go before we can really decide if weren't meant to be together forever. Forever means a really long time to us now. Like, hundreds of years. Maybe thousands or more."

His nostrils flared as he sucked in a surprised breath. "What's that mean?"

"It means you have to share. I'm staying with Penny too. No kinky sex, you perv, it's just because I love her. We're soul-sisters or something. It's hard to explain. Maybe someday I can describe it."

John looked at Penny and saw the half smile on her face. He looked at Beth and opened his mouth, but before he could ask his question a ringing of chimes and bells floated through the apartment.

"What's that?" Beth asked as she turned her attention to Penny.

Penny held up a hand and strode across the apartment, her heels striking the floor but leaving no marks. She reached around the island in the kitchen and pulled out  sleek phone handset. "Hello, this is Penelope."

She listened for a moment and then looked at Beth. She held the phone out. "It's for you, pet."

"I never knew you had a phone! Who is it?"

"Candy."

Beth's frown deepened as she took the phone from Penny. "Candy?" she asked.

"Hey sweetie, there's someone here asking for you."

Beth rolled her eyes. "The blond and her boyfriend? Tell them I don't—"

"No, someone else. Someone, um, more mature. A real nice lady, but she looks like she's been ridden hard and put away wet a few times too many."

"An old la— oh! Um, okay, I'll be right down. Thanks!"

Beth hung up the phone. "I ran into a sick woman the other night. Cancer, she said. Terminal. I told her I could help when she was ready. I think she's ready."

Penny met her gaze and then turned to look at John. "Funny how things have a way of working out."

John frowned and glanced back and forth between the two women. "What?"

Beth grinned. "Stay here, sweetie, I'll be back in a little bit."

"I'll try not to bite him," Penny said.

John sucked in a gasp as Beth's boots clacked against the floor on her way to the elevator.