38. Christopher
Chapter thirty-eight
Christopher
A few minutes earlier
Tig herds us into the first large cavern—called the Big Room. Carrying the boxes of vacuum cups, I lean back, looking up…and up…and up, dizziness engulfing me. The ceiling is six stories high over my head. I lower my gaze to keep from falling over.
The cavern is cooler than it felt when we rescued Zinnia, but then, a gun battle has a way of heating my blood with little time to notice the ambient air.
The smell is musty but moist. The continuous plink of water dripping off the mineral towers—creating stalagmites and stalactites in the process—would drive me crazy if I lived here.
But maybe over time the residents learn to shut out the annoying sound.
Surprisingly, the nest did their best to avoid damaging the unusual mineral formations. They built elevated platforms and covered them with rugs and furniture they scavenged.
The vacuum cups are a big hit. As Lehm introduces Maria to the remaining vampires, Tig pulls me aside. “How’s Lehm settled in so far?”
“Fine.” I glance at the nest’s remaining residents. A few mortals chose to stay as well. Addiction to vampire bites? Fear of change? True love? Who knows. Isn’t any of my business. “What happened to the other vampires?” I’m not sure I really want to know, but I feel obliged to ask.
“Transported to an experimental site.”
My eyes widen with shock. “What the fuck, Tig. You’re gonna let the Lux experiment on them?”
“Not that kind of experiment.” She chuckles.
“Rehab. No one knows if a vampire who’s lived their entire life post-Collapse as a renegade can adjust to living in a mixed dome.
They’re too wild, too stuck in survival mode to be trusted to run an ark like you do.
But some jobs only vampires can safely perform—the tasks are too risky for mortals. We’re looking into those.”
While Tig’s been talking, I’ve kept my eyes on Maria and Lehm, guarding them. But they both look great.
Maria’s dress makes her the belle of the ball, and my cock gives a kick at the thought of slowly stripping the dress off her. I need to avoid those thoughts right now.
Trying to distract myself, I move my gaze to Lehm. He seems to be doing okay. And I was right—those shorts hug his butt enticingly. My cock gives another kick.
Dammit, that’s not helping.
I look away, knowing I need to find a way to be around him without constantly noticing how attractive he is.
Tig huffs. “Chris, are you listening?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Then what did I just say?”
“The vamps who reneged on our first deal are going into rehab.”
“And after that?”
“Uh…”
“Thought so. We’re getting information from the Tucson and Phoenix domes on why they expelled the mortals.
We suspect some suffered from psychological illnesses.
Medications might help them. They’ll go through a different kind of rehab, and the Lux are discussing changing the pharmacological formulary that’s provided to the more civilized mortal-only domes. ”
“Can you repeat that in English?”
“You know how you deliver to the domes crates the Lux provide once a month?”
“Yeah.”
“Those crates contain the vaccines, medications, and training manuals for the dome’s doctors. The supply of medications they receive is the pharmacological formulary.”
“Oh.” Something’s wrong. A vibration in the air, and the hair on the back of my neck rises. I stop Tig with a gesture, then scan the cavern. One man at the periphery of the party is tracking Lehm.
Diego. Lehm’s maker.
Tig grips my wrist. “He isn’t doing anything wrong. Yet.”
“Did you settle the deal with him?”
“He’s getting most of what he wants. He can make a new fledgling but needs the vampire council’s approval for the particular mortal.”
I continue to stare at Diego. “I get it. No sociopaths.”
“We have enough of those already. So whoever he turns will go through a battery of tests first.”
I watch as Lehm steps away from Maria’s side, moving like he’s fighting a puppet master. I recognize what I’m seeing. Diego has agreed to release Lehm, so exercising his maker’s powers to compel Lehm to come to him is illegal in the mixed communities.
I see red and huff.
Tig grips my shoulder. “No violence.”
When Lehm is within reaching distance, Diego pulls him close, whispering something in his ear I can’t hear.
I shake off Tig and whoosh over to Diego, my hand landing on his chest, ready to claw his heart out, despite Tig’s order. “Let go of Lehm. Now.”
“Why, my friend, whatever is the matter?”
I glance at Lehm, jerking my head in Diego’s direction. “What did he say to you?”
Lehm holds steady, his eyes on mine. “He said, ‘Is this the way you repay my generosity?’”
I extend my claws, curling them into Diego’s chest. “You got your deal. You’re supposed to release him.”
Clasping both of my arms, Diego laughs. “So, my friend, you’ll take care of my fledgling?”
The question startles me. I hadn’t considered myself in a step-maker role on top of everything else. But Diego has a point. Lehm is a new vampire. I back my claws out of his skin.
“Yes, I’ll take care of him.”
Diego kisses me on both cheeks, turns to the side, and slaps my back. “Take your new fledgling. I’ll see you at the market in a month. You had better treat him well.”
Part of the deal with the nest is that I’ll hold regular market exchanges with them, offering products only the Lux can supply. “I guess we’ll see each other in a month.”
“Good. And bring some of that alcohol-infused dark wine. I enjoyed that, my friend.”
“We’ll see. But Diego—don’t try any mind control on Lehm again. Leave him alone. No means no. Got it?”
I don’t wait for a reply and wrap an arm around Lehm’s shoulders, guiding him back to Maria. “Let’s go. The Tucson dome is closest—we’ll trade for donor blood there.”
We make the rounds to say our goodbyes.
Rose, who remains their leader, shakes my hand. “Tig gave us a radio. We’ll be in touch to set the market date.”
“Works for us. Goodnight.”
Once we’re on the road for the Tucson dome, Lehm says, “Thank you for your help with Diego.”
“My pleasure. If he calls to you, let me know. He’s not supposed to use his mind powers on you anymore. Don’t be afraid to speak up.”
We fall silent on the ride. I’m still not sure how I feel about my attraction to Lehm—or the idea I’m his step-maker.
It’s taken me a while to get accustomed to having one fledgling.
But two? And a mortal stepdaughter? All of it feels overwhelming.
I’m living with—and responsible for—more people than any time before in my life.
And what do I tell Maria? Honesty is important. I’ve learned that lesson. But what I’m experiencing with Lehm is just attraction, right? I’ve been attracted to others—both men and women—and never acted on it. So is that alone an offense worthy of confession?
The trade with Tucson goes well—we end up with plenty of donor blood for three vampires. We return home, and I go into the shower first because I have to put the donor bags through decon. When I exit the dressing room, dry and clothed, I dump all the donor blood into the hallway refrigerator.
The muffled smacks of Zinnia’s footfalls echo toward us as she screeches happily and jumps into my arms. “Did you bring me a present?”
I hug her. “Not this time, munchkin.”
She leans back and gives me her playacting pout. “I bet you didn’t look very hard.”
I spin her around in my arms. “We weren’t out scavenging.”
Maria exits the dressing room, and I hand Zinnia off to her mother.
“Where’s Papa Lehm?” Zinnia scowls, crossing her arms. “You didn’t leave him behind, did you?”
“Never.” Maria kisses her cheek. “He’ll be right along. And baby girl, you don’t get a present every time we go out.”
The door opens and Lehm steps into the hallway.
“At least you brought Papa Lehm home. He’s my present.”
Lehm takes her from Maria and hugs her tightly, with a glance in my direction. “I’m very glad to be home, too.”
From the other end of the hallway, Ari snickers. “What a happy family.”
I snort. The guy knows just where to poke to get under my skin. “Say goodnight to Uncle Ari. I’m sure he has other places to be.”
“But we haven’t finished our game,” Zinnia whines.
Ari joins us and tickles her. “Another time, sugarplum. Besides, I was about to lose.”
Zinnia sticks her tongue out at him. “That means I win.”
Ari winks at me. “I guess it does. But I’ll return for my revenge.” He sounds like a cartoon villain. “You’ll see. I shall prevail at Go Fish.” He taps his watch and disappears.
Zinnia squirms in Lehm’s arms. “Can I get down?” He sets her on her feet, and she runs to the couch where the unfinished game waits. She lays down all the pairs in her hand, then fishes through Ari’s cards for the remaining match she needs. “I win.”
“Indeed you do, baby girl.” Maria gently guides Zinnia to her bedroom, leaving Lehm and I alone in the living area.
My attraction to him is still there, and by the way he awkwardly turns away and grabs a book from the shelf, he’s feeling it too.
Yeah, I need to tell Maria about this.
“Uh, Lehm, before you go… I, uh, I plan on talking with Maria about our situation.”
He furrows his brow. “I don’t understand. What’s there to talk about? We settled this. You two are getting married, and I’m here for Zinnia.” He tenses. “Unless you’re kicking me out?”
“No, no, I’m sorry—it’s not that.”
His frown relaxes. “Then what?”
I feel my cheeks warm. “I’m bisexual. Both men and women interest me. Maria already knows that. But what she doesn’t know is I’m attracted to…you.”
Lehm’s eyes widen.
“I won’t act on it, of course, but I want to tell her, uh, that I find you attractive.”
His jaw drops, then he turns away. “I—I’ll leave. I don’t want to interfere with what you and Maria have together.”
“You aren’t interfering.” I grip his arm and turn him to face me. “Please don’t leave. I just want Maria to know. She’s taught me how important honesty is. I don’t want her to think I’m hiding anything from her.”
Lehm runs a hand over his chin, but avoids my gaze. “If you think it’s best. But we could just ignore it.”
He said we. My stomach does flip-flops, zings of arousal going right to my groin. He feels the same way I do. Shit. Now I have even more reason to tell Maria. “I don’t want to keep secrets from her.”
“Okay.” Lehm looks thoughtful, then nods. “Thanks for telling me. Goodnight.”
I’ll have to ask Ari how long before the Lux can expand the dome and add the extra rooms they’ve promised. I feel bad that Lehm has to sleep in the warehouse.
When Maria finally joins me in the master bedroom, her hair is damp from bathing Zinnia and moisture rolls off her face from the steam.
I want to lick it off her.
“Zinnia is asleep. Took three books. I think Ari is still sneaking her chocolate. The caffeine is keeping her wired. You’ll have to talk with him about that again.”
“I will.” I’m sitting on the end of the bed and pull Maria onto my lap. “In the meantime, I have a question for you.”
She rocks her bottom on my lap. “The answer is yes.”
“You haven’t heard the question yet.”
“Whatever you want to do, I’m happy to try it.”
Sex. She thinks I’m talking about sex. Well, that’s not a great start. “Uh, I told you early on that I’m bisexual. Do you remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
How do I explain the situation without hurting her? I should have practiced before diving right in.
She tilts her head in confusion. “Was that the question? If I remembered?”
“Ah, yeah? Sort of.”
“Okay…”
Damn, I’m fumbling this again. I need to just say it.
I huff. “Thing is, I think I’m attracted to Lehm.”