Sex, Lies, and Vampires

at four in the morning, so we had the street to ourselves as we trotted down the empty sidewalk.

'Where are we going?' Melissande asked, her voice hushed as she wrapped her arms around herself. 'Are you sure that Belinda has gone to destroy herself? She is Saer's Beloved—she knows that to destroy herself would mean his end as well.'

'Oh, she knows what she's doing. Or she thinks she does.' I stopped in the middle of the street to look back at Christian's house. Silhouetted against the black sky, blacker figures moved around on the roof, setting up quickly rigged sensors that would alert us to anyone who tried to get in via the top floor. 'First Adrian, now Belinda… I don't know why everyone thinks the only solution to the problem of your brother is to martyr themselves. Why don't we split up? You go down that way to the intersection. I'll go this way.'

'But she's had at least ten minutes! We'll never catch up to her—'

'She doesn't have a car, there are no buses or trains running at this hour, and heaven knows there are never any taxis when you need them, so she must be going to Saer on foot. I'm assuming that he is fairly close, as she probably knows. I know when Adrian is around.'

Melissande stilled, closing her eyes as she held her breath for a few heartbeats. 'He is near. Very near.' Her eyes opened again, and even in the dim light from the streetlamp I could see her fear. 'Oh, Nell, what are we going to do? If Saer knows that Belinda intends on stopping him'—she choked for a moment—'I have been so stupid, so blind, but I see it all now. Forgive me, Nell—'

We didn't have time for her to unburden herself about either her treatment of Adrian or her unquestioning acceptance of whatever Saer told her. I gave her arm a squeeze before gently shoving her in the direction of the intersection. 'You can don your hair shirt later, after we find Belinda and stop her.'

She didn't say anything, and I didn't stay around to give her another chance to vent. I jogged down the road, trying to open myself to possible movement ahead, but the only thing I sensed was a sudden rush of anger that washed over me at the same time a voice barked in my head.

Hasi! By Christ's bones, what are you doing, woman? Are you out of your senses?

I turned in mid-jog and waved at the dark figure that blended into a gable on the roof of Christian's house. Not quite, although I'm seriously starting to wonder if I wouldn't prefer life as a boring old history professor rather than a dashing, adventuresome Beloved to a nummy blue-eyed vampire. Belinda's gone. I think she's planning to kill herself in front of Saer in an attempt to destroy him, too. Melissande and I are trying to find her, scouting around the neighborhood for signs of either of them.

Swearing of the most profound sort filled my mind, quickly replaced with a familiar arrogant voice. You will do nothing of the kind! It is dangerous to be outside the safety of the house! Not even for Belinda will I have you risking yourself. You must return immediately. I will find her.

Don't worry, we know how to protect ourselves, I told him with a whole lot more confidence than I was feeling.

Hasi, I insist that you return at once! You do not know the danger you are in!

Sorry, I must be going out of range of my receiver. You're breaking up. All I can hear is static.

You can hear me with perfect clarity, Nell. Distance is no barrier to us. Do not move one more step! I am coming down.

You can't. You have to stay there. You're the one with the ring. If you go, Damian will be unprotected.

More swearing echoed in my head. I will give it to Christian. Do not move.

I stopped at the end of the street. Although I was too far away to see anything, I knew Adrian was making his way through the house. It was imperative that he stay there to protect Damian. If Saer got his hands on the boy… just the thought of it made my stomach roil. Adrian, my love, I know you want to protect me. I know you want to save Belinda, too. But you must stay there and keep Damian safe. Saer will use him to bring us all to our knees if he is left unprotected.

Hasi—

I think I see something. It looks like a woman running down the middle of the street. I'll let you know if it's Belinda.

Nell, I command you—

Roger wilco, over and out!

I closed my mind to Adrian's increasingly incensed orders, focusing my energy on making my weak leg carry me down the road without collapsing. 'Immortal my ass. What I'd give for a good bionic leg,' I grumbled as I ordered my body to put on a bit of speed. 'I just hope being immortal means you can't die of a heart attack… Belinda! Hey, Belinda! Stop! It's me, Nell!'

Needless to say, it was Belinda who was pelting down the street. She disappeared down one side street, only to return and cross the road to another street. Obviously, she too had been searching the neighborhood for Saer, but surprisingly, she hadn't found him. He must not have been as near as Melissande thought. 'Belinda!'

She stopped as my bellow echoed down a row of semi-detached houses, turning to face me as I huffed and puffed my way up to her. 'Thank… God… I… found… you before… too… late… man, I'm… out… of… shape.'

'Nell,' she said, clasping her hands together and looking just like you'd expect someone to look when martyring themselves for a deranged power-crazy vampire. 'Don't try to talk me out of this. It's the only way to stop him. I'm his Beloved—I'm the only one who can do this.'

I doubled over, clutching my knees to keep from keeling over. 'What is it with you people? It's all or nothing, do or die to you guys. Well, that's not the American way, dammit, and I'm not going to stand by while you commit suicide in the name of honor and all that other crap. Damian needs you. I need you. I assume you've got some sort of time-share arrangement, or whatever you call it, worked out with Adrian, and that means I'm going to have to be a stepmom to that monster, and I'll be damned if I'll do it without you helping me!'

She looked indignant for a moment over my reference to Damian as a 'monster' then her eyes puddled and she threw herself on me, engulfing me in a hug. 'Oh, Nell, you're the sweetest person! I'm so glad Adrian has you. He's needed someone for so long. I knew that when we were together. After we'd have sex, he'd have the most heart-wrenching, lost look in his eyes.' I pulled myself free, holding up a hand. She stopped, hiccupping twice. 'Too much sharing?'

'Way too much. I would greatly appreciate it if you could expunge from your mental filing cabinet any and all intimate memories of Adrian. I can cope with you and him having a child together, but I'd really rather ignore what went into making that child.'

She gave an odd little laugh, brushing away the tears that had rolled down her cheeks. 'I will expunge.'

'Thanks mucho. Now, if you're done with the Saint Belinda routine, can we get back to the house? Adrian's probably having a hissy fit to end all hissy fits, and he really is a lot easier to deal with when he's allowed to have his own way.'

'But Saer—'

'We'll deal. Remember, we have the ring, and all he has are a bunch of hatemongers.'

'Yes, but—'

'No buts. Come on, we're short of time.' I tugged her the way I'd just come. She resisted for a moment, then gave in and trotted next to me.

'You do not know how angry Saer will be to find that you and Adrian have joined forces with Christian. He was counting on Christian's assistance to destroy Adrian.'

'Tough noogies. Christian's on Team Nell now.' I slid her a glance. Her lips twitched. 'I mean Team Adrian. So Saer can just suck on that fact.'

She laughed as we picked up the pace. The back of my neck was beginning to tingle, as if there were a lot of static electricity in the air. 'You've learned quickly about Dark Ones and their need to always be dominant.'

'I had a crash course in it from a master in the art. Hey, do you feel something—'

The words died on my lips as Adrian merged himself with me, not just his mind, but his whole being, his frustration and white-hot fury boiling into me until it obliterated everything I was. Hear me, Beloved. Do not return to the house! Belinda has betrayed us. Saer is here in the house, allowed in by her treachery. Christian has smuggled out Damian and will guard him with his life. I will use the ring against Saer, but, Hasi, I