Blood Price

grimaced. "It's all yours," she promised.

    The nurse puttered about for a few moments, rearranged the blankets, checked the IV drip and bandage that covered Vicki's left arm from hand to elbow. On her way out, she ran into Mike Celluci on his way in.

    "I'm sorry." Drawing herself up to her full height, she blocked the door. "But visiting hours are over."

    Celluci gently moved her aside and, as she started to bristle, flashed his badge. "Police business,' he said, and closed the door.

    He shook his head at heavy purple circles under Vicki's eyes, clicked his tongue at the IV
    drip, bent down, kissed her, and said without straightening, "You look like shit."

    "Actually, I'm feeling much better." She reached up and pushed the curl of hair back off his forehead. "Yesterday, I felt like shit. And speaking of yesterday, where were you?"

    "Writing up my report." He threw himself into the chair Tony had pulled up beside the bed.
    "Sure, you can laugh. That's one part of police work you should be glad you're free of."

    It didn't hurt as much as it used to. In time, she suspected, it would hardly hurt at all. "What did you say?"

    "I told the truth." He grinned at her expression. "Okay, not all of it."

    "And Norman?"

    "He got away while I was trying to keep you alive. Fortunately the chief remembers you through rose colored glasses and thinks that's a sufficient excuse. There's a country wide APB
    out on him." He shrugged. "It won't do my arrest record any good, but the killings will stop and I figure he got what was coming to him."

    Vicki wasn't sure that she agreed so she kept silent. It smacked too much of an eye for an eye. And the whole world ends up blind.

    "Your new boyfriend's a little shy."

    She had to grin at the tone. "I told you. He's a writer. He's used to being alone."

    "Sure. And I've told you, you're a lousy liar. But I owe him for taking care of that . . .
    teenager, so I'll let it go for now."

    Vicki's grin twisted. Coreen had no idea she'd finally met her vampire and that said vampire had convinced her that much of what had happened, hadn't. According to Coreen, Henry's version had left out both the lesser demon and the Demon Lord and had placed all the blame on Norman Birdwell. In a way, Norman was at last getting the recognition he craved.

    She reached over with her good arm and poked him in the thigh. "That teenager, as you call her, just paid me a decent wage for that little dustup, so I'll thank you to speak of her with more respect."

    Celluci grimaced. "Vicki, she's an airhead. I have no idea how he kept her quiet about, well, you know ..." He couldn't say it, that would make it too real. ". . . but I shuddered to think of her getting to the press. And now," he heaved himself to his feet and headed for the door. "I'll get out of here so you can get some sleep." Sleep was a long time coming. She palmed the pills they tried to give her and lay listening to the hospital grow quiet.

    It was close to 1:00 when the door opened again.

    "You're awake," he said softly.

    She nodded, aware he could see her even if she couldn't see him.

    "Were you waiting for me?"

    She tried to keep her tone light. "Well, I didn't think you'd be here during regular visiting hours." She felt his weight settle on the side of the bed.

    "I wasn't sure you'd want to see me."

    "Why not?"

    "Well, you can't exactly have pleasant memories of the time we shared."

    "Not many, no." Some of the memories she found very pleasant, but Vicki wasn't sure she wanted to remind him of that just now. With four hundred and fifty years of experience, he had enough cards already.

    Henry frowned, secure in the darkness. She said one thing, but her scent. . . .

    "It must have been difficult for you to get in here."

    "Hospitals have few shadows," he admitted. "I had hoped I could see you after you got out. . . ?"

    "Sure." Would he understand what she was offering? Did she? "We can have dinner."

    She couldn't see him smile, but she heard the laugh then felt the cool pressure of his fingers around her hand. "Do you believe in destiny?" he asked.

    "I believe in truth. I believe injustice. I believe in my friends. I believe in myself." She hadn't for a while, but now she did again. "And I believe in vampires."

    His lips brushed against the skin of her wrist, and the warm touch of his breath when he spoke stood every hair on her body on end.

    "Good enough."

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