open communication with a vampire who was trying to force a connection, could geranium oil cause some sort of psychic static? Note to self, roll around in geranium oil the next time I met up with Sophie. And Jane, who had occasional psychic flashes into my mind. And Jane’s friend, the vampire Dick Cheney, because it just seemed like a good idea to give him static in any way possible.
Reaching over Cal’s head, I located a bag of Sour Worms that I’d hidden in one of those hollowed-out dummy books people typically use to hide jewelry or liquor. I perched on the opposite side of the seat and opened to the first chapter of the book, wondering whatother helpful little nuggets lurked inside. Maybe there was a plant that could keep vampires from insulting or vomiting on you.
“You’re just going to sit there and read?” he asked, incredulous. “You don’t want to talk about the frightening interaction with Council officials?”
I bit a blue-and-orange gummy worm in half and shrugged. “Nah. You heard what they had to say. The only thing we learned is that the Council isn’t that great at investigating missing persons. And I’m pretty sure Ophelia knows where you are but thinks you’re safer with me. The less time I spend talking to you one-on-one, the less time you have to be a jerk. ”
Given Cal’s nauseated expression as I bit into another worm, he seemed far more concerned about my choice of candy than any offense he might be causing. “It would seem Ophelia suspects something is amiss within the Council offices, too. She wouldn’t be able to make accusations without proof,” he said. “And if she’s found to be building a case against her fellow Council members, it could cause serious political problems for her. It would seem she’s embracing willful ignorance, and we’re on our own.”
“Or she’s the one who poisoned you, and she wants you to stay put so she can come back to finish the job.”
“How do you maintain such a sunny, cheerful outlook on life?” he asked, scowling at me.
I shrugged blithely and returned to my book, reading about cedar oil’s aura-cleansing properties. “I believe in the power of positive thinking,” I told him. “I am positive that this is going to come back and bite us in the butt.”
6
No matter how much you try to protect your household’s schedule, it’s inevitable that a vampire’s presence will disrupt it. The best course of action is to make small changes over time, rather than resisting it altogether. Resistance is futile.
— The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires
C al and I settled into an uneasy stalemate. Now that his nausea had finally eased, it was as if healing took up all of his energy. He slept, rising only to feed and then go back to the master bedroom. After the vomiting and the inappropriate touching, I didn’t have the heart to send him back to the basement. I stayed close to the house, asking Jolene to do the actual daytime running for me while I made as many arrangements as I could over the phone.
The distance I’d put between us seemed to have forced him into a slightly snarky, but polite, persona. He didn’t make inappropriate jokes, but he wasn’t exactly friendly, either. I couldn’t help but feel that we’d lost ground in terms of cordial relations.
My replacement BlackBerry arrived the next morning,heralded by a loud thump against the door. Joe Wallace, our mailman, did extra-speedy deliveries so he could finish his work early and fit in a few hours of fishing. He seemed to see “Fragile” stamps as a personal challenge.
Sipping coffee, I went outside to retrieve my dented box and immediately started to sneeze violently. I groaned, wiping at my watering eyes.
Pine pollen.
I could stand the scents and sheddings of almost every flower out there. But every spring, when the pine pollen blew so thick it formed a sickly yellow film over every standing surface, I went running for the Benadryl. It was supposed to be
Reaching over Cal’s head, I located a bag of Sour Worms that I’d hidden in one of those hollowed-out dummy books people typically use to hide jewelry or liquor. I perched on the opposite side of the seat and opened to the first chapter of the book, wondering whatother helpful little nuggets lurked inside. Maybe there was a plant that could keep vampires from insulting or vomiting on you.
“You’re just going to sit there and read?” he asked, incredulous. “You don’t want to talk about the frightening interaction with Council officials?”
I bit a blue-and-orange gummy worm in half and shrugged. “Nah. You heard what they had to say. The only thing we learned is that the Council isn’t that great at investigating missing persons. And I’m pretty sure Ophelia knows where you are but thinks you’re safer with me. The less time I spend talking to you one-on-one, the less time you have to be a jerk. ”
Given Cal’s nauseated expression as I bit into another worm, he seemed far more concerned about my choice of candy than any offense he might be causing. “It would seem Ophelia suspects something is amiss within the Council offices, too. She wouldn’t be able to make accusations without proof,” he said. “And if she’s found to be building a case against her fellow Council members, it could cause serious political problems for her. It would seem she’s embracing willful ignorance, and we’re on our own.”
“Or she’s the one who poisoned you, and she wants you to stay put so she can come back to finish the job.”
“How do you maintain such a sunny, cheerful outlook on life?” he asked, scowling at me.
I shrugged blithely and returned to my book, reading about cedar oil’s aura-cleansing properties. “I believe in the power of positive thinking,” I told him. “I am positive that this is going to come back and bite us in the butt.”
6
No matter how much you try to protect your household’s schedule, it’s inevitable that a vampire’s presence will disrupt it. The best course of action is to make small changes over time, rather than resisting it altogether. Resistance is futile.
— The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires
C al and I settled into an uneasy stalemate. Now that his nausea had finally eased, it was as if healing took up all of his energy. He slept, rising only to feed and then go back to the master bedroom. After the vomiting and the inappropriate touching, I didn’t have the heart to send him back to the basement. I stayed close to the house, asking Jolene to do the actual daytime running for me while I made as many arrangements as I could over the phone.
The distance I’d put between us seemed to have forced him into a slightly snarky, but polite, persona. He didn’t make inappropriate jokes, but he wasn’t exactly friendly, either. I couldn’t help but feel that we’d lost ground in terms of cordial relations.
My replacement BlackBerry arrived the next morning,heralded by a loud thump against the door. Joe Wallace, our mailman, did extra-speedy deliveries so he could finish his work early and fit in a few hours of fishing. He seemed to see “Fragile” stamps as a personal challenge.
Sipping coffee, I went outside to retrieve my dented box and immediately started to sneeze violently. I groaned, wiping at my watering eyes.
Pine pollen.
I could stand the scents and sheddings of almost every flower out there. But every spring, when the pine pollen blew so thick it formed a sickly yellow film over every standing surface, I went running for the Benadryl. It was supposed to be
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