hear, he's not going to be around much longer."
"What are you talking about?" My voice was steady, but my stomach took a dive.
"Oh, someone I've been seeing tells me Marcus has made a lot of enemies over the years. It might be time for some payback, from what I understand."
"You're full o' shit," I sneered. "Marcus can look after himself. He's had a lot of practice."
"Don't say I didn't warn you," he sing-songed on his way out.
I could hardly wait for the rest of my shift to be over, during which, I sent out many a mental warning to Marcus.
He'll be all right , I told myself. He can't be taken by surprise.
He's always aware of what's going on, even when he's asleep.
I knew where he lived and how to get there now, so I decided if he didn't show up at the bank or my apartment, I'd drive up to his place and bang on the door.
102
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
I needn't have worried. When I pulled up outside my apartment building, he was there, standing on the steps.
"Whew! Am I glad to see you," I said, flinging myself into his arms.
He laughed and crushed me to him. "Were you worried about me?"
"That jerk Kurt came by the bank. Come on in—"
"I know."
"Jeez, is there anything you don't know?" I asked as I ushered him inside.
"Many things," he said, looking around at my modest abode. "But conversations like those, I have a habit of overhearing. I hope you don't mind."
"I don't mind. I'm glad your early warning system is so finely tuned." I put my arms around him and nibbled at his earlobe. "What did he mean about you having lots of enemies?"
He sighed. "When you have lived as long as I, you are bound to make a few enemies along the way. Actually, I think I have been rather fortunate in that I have many more friends than enemies. I can name only two who may be of danger to me."
"Who are they?" I asked, leaning back, so I could see his face as he answered.
"The Comte d'Arcy for one, although it has been many years since last we crossed paths. The other is an even older adversary, and one I have not given a thought to in many years. Long ago he and d'Arcy joined forces. They have 103
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
caused me problems from time to time. Now, it seems they want to do me greater harm."
"What?" I exclaimed, leading him to the couch. "But why?"
"Because of you, dear Roger."
"Me?" I looked at him in horror as we sat down close to each other. "What did I do?"
"It's not so much what you did, but rather what I did. I fell in love—something they cannot abide or allow to happen."
I gaped at him. "But why? You said d'Arcy had another lover. Why would he care about who or what you have now?
And who's this other guy? What did he do to you?"
"So many questions." He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. "I have put you in danger, my beloved."
"I don't care about that," I cried. "I care about you, only you, and..." I kissed his neck as I continued. "Even more now that you've said you love me." "And perhaps our combined love will help us prevail," he said softly in my ear. "Often, the forces of love are stronger than those of evil." "If either of those guys comes near you," I said fiercely,
"they'll be sorry fuckers!"
He laughed gently, kissing my lips and caressing my cheek with his fingers. "My brave warrior," he chuckled. "I do believe, that together, we can give them more than they bargained for."
"So what's the plan?"
"Well, for the present, you are safe here in your apartment. In case you did not notice, I was unable to enter until you invited me in." 104
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
"You mean that part isn't a myth?"
"Exactly. A vampire cannot enter where he has not been invited."
Right. That's why he'd been standing on the patio at Mark's place. He had to wait for me to ask him in.
"Well, there's no way I'm asking those jerks in here."
"However, there is always a way to circumvent that problem—and his name is Kurt."
"Kurt! That asshole better not come around here, or I'll pop him
"What are you talking about?" My voice was steady, but my stomach took a dive.
"Oh, someone I've been seeing tells me Marcus has made a lot of enemies over the years. It might be time for some payback, from what I understand."
"You're full o' shit," I sneered. "Marcus can look after himself. He's had a lot of practice."
"Don't say I didn't warn you," he sing-songed on his way out.
I could hardly wait for the rest of my shift to be over, during which, I sent out many a mental warning to Marcus.
He'll be all right , I told myself. He can't be taken by surprise.
He's always aware of what's going on, even when he's asleep.
I knew where he lived and how to get there now, so I decided if he didn't show up at the bank or my apartment, I'd drive up to his place and bang on the door.
102
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
I needn't have worried. When I pulled up outside my apartment building, he was there, standing on the steps.
"Whew! Am I glad to see you," I said, flinging myself into his arms.
He laughed and crushed me to him. "Were you worried about me?"
"That jerk Kurt came by the bank. Come on in—"
"I know."
"Jeez, is there anything you don't know?" I asked as I ushered him inside.
"Many things," he said, looking around at my modest abode. "But conversations like those, I have a habit of overhearing. I hope you don't mind."
"I don't mind. I'm glad your early warning system is so finely tuned." I put my arms around him and nibbled at his earlobe. "What did he mean about you having lots of enemies?"
He sighed. "When you have lived as long as I, you are bound to make a few enemies along the way. Actually, I think I have been rather fortunate in that I have many more friends than enemies. I can name only two who may be of danger to me."
"Who are they?" I asked, leaning back, so I could see his face as he answered.
"The Comte d'Arcy for one, although it has been many years since last we crossed paths. The other is an even older adversary, and one I have not given a thought to in many years. Long ago he and d'Arcy joined forces. They have 103
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
caused me problems from time to time. Now, it seems they want to do me greater harm."
"What?" I exclaimed, leading him to the couch. "But why?"
"Because of you, dear Roger."
"Me?" I looked at him in horror as we sat down close to each other. "What did I do?"
"It's not so much what you did, but rather what I did. I fell in love—something they cannot abide or allow to happen."
I gaped at him. "But why? You said d'Arcy had another lover. Why would he care about who or what you have now?
And who's this other guy? What did he do to you?"
"So many questions." He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. "I have put you in danger, my beloved."
"I don't care about that," I cried. "I care about you, only you, and..." I kissed his neck as I continued. "Even more now that you've said you love me." "And perhaps our combined love will help us prevail," he said softly in my ear. "Often, the forces of love are stronger than those of evil." "If either of those guys comes near you," I said fiercely,
"they'll be sorry fuckers!"
He laughed gently, kissing my lips and caressing my cheek with his fingers. "My brave warrior," he chuckled. "I do believe, that together, we can give them more than they bargained for."
"So what's the plan?"
"Well, for the present, you are safe here in your apartment. In case you did not notice, I was unable to enter until you invited me in." 104
My Vampire and I
by J. P. Bowie
"You mean that part isn't a myth?"
"Exactly. A vampire cannot enter where he has not been invited."
Right. That's why he'd been standing on the patio at Mark's place. He had to wait for me to ask him in.
"Well, there's no way I'm asking those jerks in here."
"However, there is always a way to circumvent that problem—and his name is Kurt."
"Kurt! That asshole better not come around here, or I'll pop him
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