Blood of the Maple

“Mmm. Parker.” She shifted on the sheets. “Where are you?”

He didn’t know if she realized she was speaking to him or if she thought she was dreaming. “I’m heading to The Greenhouse. Someone named Carter told me you’d gone home. Are you all right?”

“A bit singed, but otherwise fine. How are we talking?”

“We’re bound together, sweet. I can see you.” He ran his finger across her lips and groaned when they parted. “I can feel you.”

Her tongue darted out, trying to taste his phantom flesh. “Can you make love to me like this?”

Parker’s cock jumped. He was grateful the Renfield was paying more attention to the road than the state of Parker’s jeans. “Oh hell yes, but not now. Brian’s driving, and I’d hate to embarrass myself that way. We’re meeting with Selena to see if my curse has been lifted.”

“What happened? One minute we were fighting, and the next we weren’t. Everything pretty much died around us without our help.”

“Dragos decided Terri would look better minus her head.” He didn’t tell her Brian’s theory that taking Terri’s head might not be enough to kill the bitch.

“Did Dragos do anything else with the body?”

Parker groaned. “Fuck. You think she’s alive too?”

“Who else thinks so?”

“Brian. It’s why he wants me to see Selena.”

“Go. Tell me what happens when you get home. And, Parker? Be safe, okay?”

Warmth spread through him at her concern. “I promise. Sleep well, sweet.”

“Wake me when you get here.”

He pressed a spectral kiss to her lips before pulling away, the awareness of where she was a low hum in the back of his mind. He’d keep it alive until he knew for certain Terri was gone for good.

They pulled up outside The Greenhouse. Selena’s car was already in the lot, along with Mollie Ferguson’s. Parker got out and greeted the witchdoctor. “Selena. A pleasure.”

“Parker.” She tilted her head, her markings flaring to life. “Yup. You’re cursed.”

“Shit.” Parker glared up at the mountain. “What is it going to take to kill that bitch?”

“Fire.” Parker turned, stunned, to find a disheveled Mollie Ferguson behind him. She had on the tattiest pair of jeans he’d ever seen, a T-shirt that had more holes than cloth and sneakers a ten-year-old boy wouldn’t be caught dead in. Her hair was in a sloppy ponytail, and her glasses were askew.

She’d never looked more human.

“Fire?”

Mollie nodded. “The only way to truly kill a weed is to rip it out by the roots or burn it.” Fire flickered along her skin, and Parker danced back, his instincts driving him away from the threat. Something in her eyes scared him, a burning flame that could burst at any moment. “Bring her here. I’ll be more than happy to take care of her for you.”

Selena took one step to the left, widening the gap between her and Mollie. “Yes. Well. Here’s hoping she takes the hint and leaves town.”

“Right. She’s going to leave without me? I don’t think so.” Parker sighed. The Greenhouse’s walls were covered in dead vines. More than one window was broken. Scorch marks dotted the brick-and-mortar structure. He could already tell the damage was widespread and would be expensive to repair. “We’re so fucked.”

There was a sneeze and a whoosh. Parker glanced over at Mollie, who was batting at a cinder on Brian’s jacket. “Sorry.”

“No harm done.” Brian pointed her toward her car. “You must be exhausted. Let’s face it. Parker’s a night owl. Let him deal with some of this.”

Mollie’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right. There isn’t much more I can do here.” Her expression pleading, she straightened wearily. “Please, Dr. Hollis. Make this right.”

“I will.” And he meant that in more ways than one.

Brian helped the exhausted woman to her car, and they watched her drive off.

Parker stepped into The Greenhouse and groaned. The inside was much worse. He would be cleaning up this mess for days. He hoped Amara slept well without him.

“It is time to lip-synch…for your life!”

Amara shoved some popcorn into her mouth, unable to tear her eyes away from the fabulous not-women on the screen. Glinda had never let her watch anything like this. She was absolutely fascinated. And where did they get those gowns? And the heels? They were to die for! “Are you sure they’re men?”

Brian yawned, nearly cracking his head open. “Mm-hmm.”

“They’re too pretty to be men. There has to be a trick somewhere. Oh!” Amara bounced up and down, almost spilling the popcorn in Brian’s lap. “I love this song!”

Brian yawned again. “Are you sure you aren’t tired?”

“Nope, I’m good. That nap helped a lot.” Amara pouted as the judges declared the winner. The pretty one with the sparkly eye shadow was sent home, but damn if the Asian girl hadn’t rocked. At least the funny blonde had gotten to stay. “This is fascinating.”

“Somehow I don’t see Parker in sequins.” Brian lay down, his head not quite on the arm of the couch, his feet tucked under her thigh. It looked like his head was floating, so Greg had to be there, holding his lover close. “Did you ever dress in drag?”

“Nope.”

“Not even that time with Mary Jane and the six pack?”

“You are not going to let that go, are you?”

Brian snuggled closer to Greg. “Nope. Who the hell was Mary Jane, anyway?”

“Mary Jane is another term for grass, weed, aka marijuana.” Greg sighed. “Fine. One night I was high off my ass and had a serious case of the munchies. I’d drunk a six pack with my bud, but we were starving. We headed out of our dorm and went searching for munchies, but we didn’t want any ordinary old crap. We wanted, for some bizarre reason, peanut butter mallow bars.”

“Let me guess. You went to buy some and ran into a hippie vampire?”

“Nope. The hippie vampire ran into us. Literally. He was doing that freaky-ass fast-as-shit thing you see vampires doing in the movies. He must have hit our van doing thirty miles an hour. Dented the front end in but good. My friend was knocked out, but I managed to climb out.” Greg chuckled. “First thing I did was ask him for peanut butter mallow bars.”

Amara was intrigued. She hadn’t heard this story from Parker yet. “What did he do?”

“Before or after he picked himself out of the tree he’d flown into?”

Brian laughed. “Oh Goddess. I can see it now. There you are, love beads dangling, asking for peanut butter while Parker picks leaves out of his teeth.”

“Nah, he hadn’t met Terri yet. Leaves didn’t do it for him until a couple of years later.”

“How’d you find out he was a vampire?” Brian rubbed his eyes. Amara didn’t think he’d be awake for much longer.

“The usual way. He was hungry, I was convenient and he bit me. Hell, he even gave me mallow bars after. It was the best date I’d been on in years, which is fucking pathetic now that I think back on it. We’ve been friends ever since.”

“You two are insane.” Brian yawned, his eyes drifting shut.

“Yeah, but he’s my best friend, you know? I worry about him.”

“I do know.” Brian stroked Greg’s leg. “Let me know when he gets home, ’kay?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Greg? You mind if I keep watching this?” Another episode was about to come on, and Amara had to know who won and who went home.

“Not at all. I’m lovin’ that Asian girl. She is smokin’!”