"Is Lucern okay? He looks awfully pale."
At Allison's comment, Kate glanced worriedly at her author. Luc was awfully pale. She'd thought so in his room, but he seemed even more so under the lights here in the large reception area of the welcome brunch. She should have insisted that he bite her.
She had tried, of course. She'd told him to just do it, but Chris had been knocking insistently on the door, and Lucern had refused. He'd feared she might be faint afterward, and he didn't want her trying to get ready, suffering a dizzy spell and perhaps falling. Besides, there wasn't time, he'd said. He'd do it later.
Now, as she took in the pallor of his skin, she could have kicked herself for not being more insistent.
"Kate?"
She turned and forced a smile for her boss. "He's a little jet-lagged. He'll be okay."
Allison accepted the lie and turned her attention back to her meal, leaving Kate to fret over Lucern. She was going to make him bite her first thing upon leaving the brunch; they could run upstairs for a quickie before going to the reader hospitality suite. And then she'd have to find a way to get him a real supply of blood. She'd considered the matter, and even if they were able to get hold of Bastien today, she was sure it would be tomorrow before he could arrange another shipment to be delivered.
Kate frowned as she realized that Bastien could be calling right this minute, and there was no one in their room to answer the call. And there wouldn't be all day. Or tonight either if they attended the cover model reunion. Perhaps they could skip that. Lucern wasn't really needed there. The fans would all be interested in the male cover models and might not notice his absence. Allison and Chuck would, however. Kate frowned down at her plate. Allison wouldn't mind, but Chuck would. As far as he was concerned, the company had paid for Lucern to be there and he would want his money's worth.
"Does he speak?"
Kate glanced sharply up at Chuck's acidic question. She had made sure that Chris was on one side of Lucern and she on the other. Allison was directly on her right, and Chuck was next to Allison, but the publisher was leaning in front of the editorial director, his chin practically resting on her chest as he spoke. Allison was seething, and Kate couldn't blame her. Chuck was something of a pig, hitting on all the women in the office and trying to look down their tops. He wasn't well liked by the staff, and they could hardly wait for him to be replaced. As a rule, presidents at Roundhouse were changed almost yearly. Kate just hoped Chuck Morgan wasn't the exception. No one at Roundhouse had been happy when he had arrived to replace George Sassoon. Their last president had been an exceptional man who had moved to publishing from radio and television, bringing all of that savvy with him. He had done wonderful things for Roundhouse. No one had been surprised when he had been snapped up by a bigger company. Chuck Morgan was a poor replacement.
Her gaze drifted past his sneering face to Jodi Hampton, the writer who sat beside him. Jodi was throwing curious glances at Lucern. Kate wasn't surprised. Aside from him being an attractive man, Lucern was receiving an unusual amount of VIP treatment. The editors and personnel of Roundhouse were supposed to be spread out among a couple of tables so that all their writers felt included. But Chris and Kate weren't going to leave Lucern's side all week, and Allison and Chuck had wanted to meet the mysterious Mr. Argeneau, so they were all grouped around him. Which left only Deeana Stancyk and Tom Duchamp, the VP of Promotion, to circulate among the thirty other Roundhouse writers in attendance.
"I said, does he speak?"
Kate's gaze shifted back to Chuck. He was one of the few men whose features reflected his unpleasant nature. He had a pockmarked, florid face, a drooping gray mustache and a bespeckled, balding head.
Kate considered the question. Unfortunately, Lucern was rather taciturn at the best of times. At the moment, he was silent as stone. She opened her mouth to offer an excuse for his silence, then just as promptly changed her mind. They had wanted him here; she had got him. Perhaps if they weren't happy with his performance, they wouldn't make her pester him in the future. She merely shrugged and said, "Not much."
Chuck didn't seem pleased. Kate didn't care. It was the truth, and she couldn't be held responsible for Lucern's nature. Her gaze slid to the writer again. Chris was talking, and Lucern was nodding dully. There were lines of tension around his eyes that worried her. It made her wonder if he was in a lot of pain. She immediately began trying to think of a way to get him bloodand more blood than the pint he'd said it would be safe for her to give him. She briefly considered finding him a lineup of victims to bite, but as much as she enjoyed the idea of putting Chuck at the front of the line, there was no one else she wanted to feed to him.
Kate was still pondering the problem when the plates were cleared from the tables and the awards ceremony began. She listened halfheartedly as the nominees were named for each category, followed by the winner. Kate clapped when the others did, but she was mostly lost in thought.
"And the final nominee is Luke Amirault's Love Bites."
Kate jerked upright in her seat as Luc's pseudonym was called out. She wasn't at all surprised that Lucern was doing much the same thing next to her. She'd forgotten to tell him that his book was nominated in three different categories. She winced when he turned an accusing glare on her.
"You're nominated. That doesn't mean you'll win," Kate said soothingly.
"And the winner is Luke Amirault for Love Bites!"
"Merde," Lucern muttered.
"Shit," Kate echoed in English. She hesitated for a moment, but when Lucern showed no sign of getting up, she leaned toward him to explain, "You have to go up and get your award."
"I don't want to."
Kate felt her heart squeeze at the childlike complaint. Six hundred years old and he still sounded like a baby. Men were the same no matter the species or was it race? Whatever. Catching his elbow in her hand, she stood abruptly, forcing him up with her. "Neither do I. So we'll do it together."
Much to her relief, he allowed her to force him to his feet and then toward the stage at the far end of the room. People were clapping and calling out congratulations, some yelling they really enjoyed his books. Lucern seemed oblivious to it all. The skin on his face was tight, his expression almost pained as he walked doggedly forward. Kate couldn't decide if it was due to hunger or a reaction to being the center of attention. She knew he must hate this sort of thing. She'd learned of his reclusive ways while in Toronto. And if she hadn't caught on after three days in his company, his mother and sister had revealed a lot about him at the wedding.
Kathryn Falk, Lady Barrowthe woman behind Romantic Times Book Club Magazine, the conference, and various other concernswas waiting on stage to present the award herself. She smiled widely as Kate and Lucern mounted the steps to the podium; then concern flickered on her face as she noted their odd behavior. Kate tried for a brighter smile to reassure the woman, but she could have used a little reassurance herself. Lucern wasn't the speech-making sort, and some sort of speech would be expected.
"Congratulations, Mr. Amirault," Lady Barrow said as she handed over the award. "I've very much enjoyed your vampire series."
Lucern grunted, took the award and started to walk offstage. Kate gaped after him, then muttered under her breath and hurried after him to catch him by the arm.
"You have to say thank-you," she hissed, urging him back toward Lady Barrow and the podium.
"I don't want to."
Kate frowned at the weakness in his voice. She almost preferred his "No's" and had to wonder just how much the lack of blood could affect his mind. If she didn't find him some blood soon, might he lose it entirely and just go nuts? She cringed at the idea.
"Just say thank-you," she ordered grimly, steering him to the podium.
"Is he all right?" Lady Barrow asked in a whisper as Lucern paused in front of the microphone. He stared blankly out at the sea of faces. Kate wondered if the crowd looked like a feast of steaks to him, then nodded.
"Jet lag," she lied.
"Are you sure that's all?" Kathryn looked doubtful, so Kate added, "And a bit of a tummy flu, I think." Then she gave in, admitting, "He isn't at all well."
"Oh, dear," Lady Barrow murmured.
"But we're hoping it passes quickly," she assured the woman. "We might miss the cover model reunion to go to the doctor."
"Doctor? At night?"
"It was the earliest appointment we could get," Kate lied.
"Oh." Lady Barrow shook her head, then seemed to realize that Lucern had been standing silently at the microphone for several moments. The room had fallen into an expectant hush.
Kate moved to his side and gave him a nudge. "Say thank-you."
"Thank you," he said dutifully. It was a rather ungrateful growl. And he immediately stepped back after saying it. Kate cringed, but Lady Barrow saved the day by stepping up between them and catching his arm. She urged him forward again, then took control of the microphone and said, "Ladies and gentlemen." She added the last with a grin toward the table of male models, the only males present other than the handful of male publishing personnel and the occasional writer's husband. "As you can see from his pallor, Mr. Amirault isn't feeling well, but he insisted on attending today's ceremony to thank you all for your support." She allowed a moment to pass for that to sink in, then continued, "I for one am grateful he showed up. Let's all give him a round of applause and thank him for his wonderful stories. Thank you, Luke."
Kathryn Falk turned to give him a hug, and the crowd broke into applause.
Relief coursed through Kate. Lady Barrow had saved the day! Then she noticed how Lucern's nostrils were flaring, and that he lowered his face to the woman's neck. Even more disconcerting was the silver glow that had come into his eyes. His lips moved along Lady Barrow's skin in search of a pulsing vein.
Kate's eyes widened in horror. He was about to bite Lady Barrow right there on the damned stage!
"No!" The shriek left Kate's lips as she saw Lucern's teeth extend. It was a loud shriek. The entire room fell into stunned silence. But Kate didn't care, because Lady Barrow jerked out of Lucern's arms and whirled around in amazement. Lucern scowled at her for the interruption of his meal.
"Er" Kate said into the deafening silence. Moving to the microphone, she added, "No. There's er no need to thank him. Lucern is he's just grateful he er had this opportunity to thank you all. Er thank you."
The crowd began to clap again, but Kate hardly noticed. Lucern was moving closer to the unsuspecting Lady Barrow, that hungry look still in his eyes. Forcing a smile, Kate snatched his arm and marched him away.
"You were going to bite her," she accused.
"I just wanted a bit." He sounded sullen.
"Just a bit?" she exclaimed. "Right there on the stage for all to see?"
"They would have thought it a publicity stunt," he defended himself. Then he sighed and admitted miserably, "I couldn't help myself. She has strong, sweet blood."
Kate stared at him. "You didn't"
"No, you stopped me in time. But I can tell by the smell."
Kate grimaced, then noted that the lines around his eyes had deepened and were around his mouth as well. "How bad is the hunger right now?" It was a stupid question. The man had nearly bitten Lady Barrow onstage. The hunger was bad. What she really wanted to know was, "I mean, are you in pain?"
He nodded grimly.
"That little bit of sunlight yesterday caused this much trouble?" she asked. If so, it seemed to her that vampires were weaker than humans in some ways. Rather fragile, in this respect at least.
"That little bit of sunlight yesterday, the guy seated next to me on the plane with a cold who kept coughing at me, the"
"Being around sick people uses up more blood?" Kate asked with alarm. They were in a hotel with a couple thousand peoplegerms were probably rampant here. No wonder he was such a shut-in.
"Yes." Lucern nodded. "The nanos apparently surround disease and kill it off, but it takes up more"
"Blood," Kate finished unhappily.
"Yes. And then there is the sunlight in here today."
Kate peered around the bright room with surprise. The walls were solid without windows, but there were skylights overhead. They were frosted skylights, and it hadn't occurred to her that they might be a problem. She should have thought of it. Her gaze moved to the table they sat at, and Kate almost groaned as she realized that she had chosen a table positioned directly under a skylight.
"The alcohol last night didn't help either," Lucern continued. "It dehydrates the body, too."
Kate frowned. She'd noted the crushed beer cans, empty pizza box and piles of peanut shells around the coffee table in front of the television this morning. It looked as if Chris and Lucern had enjoyed a boys' night. Now Luc was paying for it in spades. It seemed his state was a result of a lot of things. The latest reason was her fault, however.
They had nearly reached the table. Kate steered Lucern away from it and toward one of the exits. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" He sounded confused.
"To find you food." She stepped out of the reception hall and peered around. There really wasn't time to go to their suite. Somewhere closer was needed. She dragged him toward the men's room.
"Go inside and see if it's empty," she suggested. "If it isn't, make whoever's in there leave. You can do that, can't you? You know, control their mind and"
"Yes. But"
"Just do it," Kate insisted.
Lucern shook his head, but pushed through the door. A couple minutes later, the door opened and a man walked out. Kate recognized him as one of the male models. She smiled nervously at him, but he didn't smile backhe didn't even seem to notice her standing there. His eyes were glazed, his expression blank.
She watched him walk away, then slid into the bathroom, relieved to find Lucern alone.
"Okay." She walked determinedly to him. "Let's do it."
Lucern shook his head as she held out her wrist. "I can't."
"What do you mean, you can't?" she snapped in exasperation. "You've already bitten Chris and me once, so of course you can. Just get your teeth out."
"Kate, I can't. It would hurt."
"It didn't hurt last night," she pointed out.
"That was because you were overwhelmed with sexual desire."
Kate flushed, but didn't bother denying it. She had been rather hot and bothered. "What's that got to do with it?" Her eyes narrowed. "Chris wasn't"
"Of course not." He was starting to sound impatient. "But I can control his mind."
"So control mine."
"I can't, Kate. Your mind is too strong."
"It is?" She felt pleasure fill her. Her mind was too strong. Wasn't that nice? She had a strong mind. Oh, she realized suddenly, she even had a stronger mind than Chris, because, from what she'd seen upon returning to the room last night, Lucern had no difficulty in controlling him. She would have liked to gloat about that, but Lucern was still speaking.
"The only time I can get into your head is when you're sleeping, or when you're wrapped up in passion. At least, I assume I can then. You didn't feel any pain when I bit you last night, did you?"
Kate shook her head. "No. No pain at all."
He nodded. "Then your mind must have opened enough for me to infuse it with pleasure."
"Hmm." Kate digested that. "How do you know you can get into my head when I'm sleeping?"
Guilt crossed Lucern's face, and Kate suddenly recalled the erotic dream she'd had in his home. "You didn't" she said.
He flinched at the accusation, then raised his hands placatingly. "I was just checking on you. And you looked so sweet and sexy, I started thinking about what I'd like to do to you and I didn't realize you were receiving my thoughts until you er" He shrugged uncomfortably. "I stopped right away."
Kate glared at him, feeling vulnerable and exposed. The dream she'd had in his home hadn't been a dream at all. Or had it? His fantasy? Was it a dream? A waking dream? It hadn't been hers.
The bathroom door opened, and both she and Lucern glanced sharply toward it as a middle-aged man started into the room. Lucern scowled at him, his eyes flashing silver fire. Leave.
The man stopped abruptly, his eyes glazing over; then he turned and obediently left the room.
The minute they were alone again, Kate grabbed Lucern's hand and pulled him into one of the stallsshe could hardly let him keep putting the whammy on people who entered the bathroom. The stall was a close fit, but she supposed it was good enough for biting. "Just do it, Luc. You need the blood. You're starting to look like the walking dead."
"I don't want to hurt you."
She heaved a sigh of exasperation, but was secretly pleased that he was so reluctant to cause her pain. Especially when he was obviously suffering so horribly himself from something she could ease. The pain would be the equivalent of a shot. At least, she hoped that was the extent of it.
"Look. What if I open my mind to you?" she suggested, though she hadn't a clue how to do it. She supposed she would just think open thoughts. "Let's try that, shall we? I'll open my mind and"
"Kate," Lucern began, and she knew he was going to refuse. She was standing in a damned men's johnin a stall, no lessoffering the stupid man her blood like she was some freak female Renfield, and he just stood there being all chivalrous and Old World. He must be really old. In her experience, men these days took what was offered regardless of whether it was good for the woman or not. Hell, sometimes they took what wasn't offered.
"Dammit, Luc," she interrupted impatiently. Grabbing the collar of her scoop-necked dress, she twisted it over to reveal the pin she'd used to attach her bra strap to the material.
"What are you doing?" He was scowling again.
Good, she thought irritably. She was feeling rather crabby, herself. She'd thought only babies needed spoon-feeding. Undoing the pin, she slid it free of her bra, quickly jabbed herself on the tip of a finger, then squeezed it viciously until a nice fat drop of blood came to the surface. She shoved it under his nose determinedly.
"Are you hungry?" she asked. She followed when he backed up against the stall wall trying to avoid her finger, then waved it under his nose. Triumph rose within her when she saw his nostrils flare. "Come on. You're hungry. Have a taste. Just a lick. If you don't like it, we'll find you someone else. If you do, a little nibble at my neck will make you feel better. Come on, Lucern, try a little Kate for breakfast and" Her words died on a startled gasp as he licked the blood off the tip of her finger. It was such a quick scrape of his tongue across her finger she hardly felt it, but much to her satisfaction, his eyes glowed silver. She had him.
Kate tipped her head to the side and squinted in preparation for what was to come, then remembered about the opening-her-mind thing. She thought, My mind is open. Lucern can come in. My mind is open. Lucern can come in.
Apparently, opening one's mind wasn't so easy. She felt Lucern's hands on her arms, then the brush of his lips against her neck, then agonizing pain as he began to insert his teeth.
"Ow, ow, ow." Despite herself, Kate began to struggle. Lucern pulled away at once. He still held her, though, his hands digging into her arms, his breath coming heavy, the silver fire in his eyes an inferno as he fought to control his thirst.
Kate bit her lip unhappily, ashamed to learn that she was a wuss. But it had hurt so much. No shot had ever been that bad. But, then, shots weren't nearly as large as Lucern's teeth. She pressed a hand to her throat. "I guess I don't know how to open my mind."
Lucern pulled his hands away. "You'd better leave. I don't think I can control myself much longer."
Kate hesitated, then moved forward, sliding her arms around his neck.
"What are you doing?" he asked harshly.
"Well, if I have to be sexually excited to let you in so it doesn't hurt, you'd better get busy and excite me," she said.
"Kate, we're in a water closet. This is hardly the place to"
"Not very adventurous, are you?" she asked. "Forget where we are and get to it, buddy. This is a public washroomsomeone could come in at any moment," she pointed out. Leaning up, she pressed her lips to his. It was all she had to do. Lucern promptly began to kiss her back, his arms closing around her like steel bands.
Kate supposed what followed was the vampire version of a quickie. It was not at all like the passionate moments they had shared in their suite. She couldn't explain it, but there was intent behind his every action, as if he weren't fully involved, but performing certain acts to excite her as necessary steps toward biting her. He seemed distant somehow. Uninvolved. His kisses were practiced and still exciting, but even as she moaned in response and opened to him, she was aware that he wasn't completely there. At least, she was aware of it at first. As his tongue thrust into her mouth, she became a little too preoccupied to care.
Lucern unsnapped the buttons that ran down the front of her dress and slid his hand inside, then under her bra to cup one breast in his cool palm. Kate moaned into his mouth. She shuddered as his thumb flicked the tip of her nipple.
Next he slid his leg between both of hers, forcing her dress upward until his upper thigh rubbed against the very center of her. Kate gasped, then kissed him almost frantically. When Lucern broke away, she moaned, her head dropping backward as she arched and shifted against his leg, wanting more. She felt his lips nibble along her neck, but everything felt so good she merely murmured her pleasure and tilted her head to give him better access. Then she was aware of his sucking at her neck. This time she didn't mistake it for a hickey, but there was no pain until her foggy brain told her what he was doing and that there should be pain. The excitement started to fade away.
Just as Kate felt the first faint stirring of pain, Lucern seemed to realize what was happening and distracted her. He slid his hand under her skirt, his fingers feathered lightly up her inner thigh, urging her legs a little further apart. Then he pushed the wispy cloth of her panties aside and stroked her. Kate forgot all about what was happening at her neck. She gasped and murmured in pleasure, squirming in his caress, then cried out as he slid a finger into her.
"Oh, Luc." She gasped, sliding her fingers through his hair and clutching his head to her as if it were her only anchor to sanity. She moaned as she rode his hand, her body humming with an excitement so fierce her legs grew weak. Kate opened her eyes and tried to warn him that her legs were giving out, but she was distracted by the fact that everything seemed blurry. She wanted to tell Lucern that, too, but it seemed too much effort. An odd lassitude was stealing over her.
The stall wall at her back vibrated as the door of the next cubicle banged open. Kate supposed that someone was in the washroom with them. It didn't bother her too much, but then Lucern lifted his head and frowned. He glanced back at Kate, and concern covered his expression.
Cursing softly, he adjusted his hold and turned Kate, lowering her to sit on the toilet. He didn't say anything, but his expression was grim as he straightened her clothes and did up the buttons of her dress. Once he'd put her back together, he unlocked the stall door, peered out, then lifted her back to her feet, pulled her arm over his shoulder and half-walked, half-carried her out of the bathroom. Kate didn't see anyone, but the stall door next to the one they'd been in was closed and she could see feet under it. Someone had come in, she realized with vague interest.
"There you are! I've been looking for you two everywhere."
Kate peered around and spotted Chris coming toward them. His expression was tense, his voice urgent. "Chuck is livid. Lucern won both of the other categories he was nominated for and wasn't around to accept the Jesus, Kate, are you all right? You look like hell."
"She isn't feeling well," Lucern explained, mentally kicking himself. It was his fault. He'd taken too much bloodhe hadn't been able to help himself. Once the sweet, warm fluid had burst over his parched tongue and into his mouth, he'd been lost. If someone hadn't distracted him, he didn't know what would have happened. His anxious gaze slid to Kate's wan face, and he berated himself again. Fortunately, he hadn't taken enough to cause serious damage, but Kate was going to feel weak and
"I thought you were the one not feeling well," Chris said with confusion. The editor moved to take Kate's other arm and some of her weight.
"It's catching," Lucern muttered. He steered them toward the elevators.
"Great," Chris said. "Then I'm sure to catch it next." He brightened. "But you seem to be getting over it. You've got some color in your cheeks again. At least it passes quickly."
Lucern flinched guiltily. The color in his cheeks was thanks to Kate's blood. It was also the reason she was now so weak. He was feeling a bit better. A bit. He'd guess that if he could get another couple of quarts of blood, he'd be back to his old self.
"Where are we going?" Chris asked as they waited for the elevator to arrive.
"I'm taking her upstairs to lie down."
"No." Kate suddenly forced herself to straighten. She managed the attempt, but swayed weakly. "We should go to the hospitality suite."
"You're in no shape to go to some stupid hospitality suite," Lucern argued. "You need something sweet and rest. To rebuild" He paused, not wishing to say more in front of Chris.
"I just have to sit there. They'll have refreshments," Kate insisted. She turned to Chris. "Are they almost done with the awards?"
"Yes. Another half-hour, I would think." The editor glanced at Lucern as the elevator doors opened and they helped Kate aboard. "She should be okay in the hospitality suite. We can keep an eye on her. Chuck will have a fit if she doesn't show."
Lucern remained silent as Chris pressed an elevator button. He wasn't happy with the decision, but he didn't want to jeopardize Kate's job. And he would keep an eye on her.