simply refuse to think about it being over... Cac !”
Date #2
D evereux felt himself flying through time and space until, as if cosmic brakes had been applied, everything stopped and he was unceremoniously dumped on his ass on a marble floor.
“ Efutue! Yes,” he said, leaping to his feet, his hands fisted at his sides, “I will definitely kill them when I get back. A slow death. I will drain the blood from their miserable carcasses, then tear off their conniving heads and burn the remains in a huge bonfire, while I dance in celebration. I will – ”
“Oh, my,” said a tiny, breathy voice. “That sounds terrible. I hope I haven’t done anything to contribute to whatever those people did to you.”
Devereux spun around to face the speaker, assuming a fighting stance. After what he’d just been through, it was best to be prepared for anything.
The meek voice belonged to a petite, beautiful woman with long golden-blonde hair and big blue eyes, dressed in what looked like a lab coat. She reminded Devereux of a slightly older version of Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland .
“Who are you?” he demanded, crouched low, still scanning the area. “Where am I?”
She threw her shoulders back, stepped forward and locked gazes with him, her wide eyes making her look young and innocent. She held out her hand. “I’m Lilly, a chemist at Devereux International’s Chicago office. That’s where we are.”
He straightened and studied his surroundings properly. “Yes, of course.” He took the hand she still held out toward him. “I was just here last week, approving a new line of blood research.” He tilted his head, frowning. “I do not remember seeing you then. Am I to assume my... friends... Elliott and Laurence, arranged for you to meet me here?”
“Yes,” she said in her tiny voice, as if she would frighten herself by speaking any louder. “I was part of a group the site manager introduced you to on your visit. When your friends put out the call, I told them I had seen you from afar and would love to meet you, both as a scientist and as a woman.”
Well , he thought, making sure his mental boundaries were firmly in place and she would not be able to read him, if she even had the capability, perhaps things are looking up. While she does seem to be quite young – maybe not even twenty – there is a depth of intelligence in her eyes that speaks of wisdom beyond mere years. Maybe something can be salvaged from this insane idea.
“I see.” He willed the tension to roll off his shoulders and pointed to the chemist’s paraphernalia in the room. “This looks interesting. Introduce me to your research and we can get to know each other.” He gave the smile he’d heard women describe as devastating.
Obviously charmed and flustered, Lilly opened her eyes wider and pressed a palm to her chest. “Yes, um, certainly, of course. Right this way.” She took a few steps, turned back to look at him, and tripped over a briefcase, crashing to the floor like a mini-redwood in the forest.
He hurried over to lift her up. “Are you all right?” The question was an unnecessary one to ask a vampire, but good manners required he be concerned.
“Oh, yes.” She stood. “I’m just embarrassed. I was trying so hard to make a good impression on you and now I’ve shown you my dark secret. I’m the most clumsy vampire on earth.”
“Surely not.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Do not be so hard on yourself. Everyone falls.” He laughed. “As you noticed when you saw me sprawled across the floor a moment ago. It is normal to lose one’s balance occasionally.”
“I wish it were an occasional thing for me. But I honestly think something went wrong during my transformation. I used to be ungainly as a human, but now I’m not only uncoordinated, I’m also absentminded.”
“Certainly you are exaggerating. Come. Show me.” He indicated one of the state-of-the-art laboratories. “What are you
Date #2
D evereux felt himself flying through time and space until, as if cosmic brakes had been applied, everything stopped and he was unceremoniously dumped on his ass on a marble floor.
“ Efutue! Yes,” he said, leaping to his feet, his hands fisted at his sides, “I will definitely kill them when I get back. A slow death. I will drain the blood from their miserable carcasses, then tear off their conniving heads and burn the remains in a huge bonfire, while I dance in celebration. I will – ”
“Oh, my,” said a tiny, breathy voice. “That sounds terrible. I hope I haven’t done anything to contribute to whatever those people did to you.”
Devereux spun around to face the speaker, assuming a fighting stance. After what he’d just been through, it was best to be prepared for anything.
The meek voice belonged to a petite, beautiful woman with long golden-blonde hair and big blue eyes, dressed in what looked like a lab coat. She reminded Devereux of a slightly older version of Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland .
“Who are you?” he demanded, crouched low, still scanning the area. “Where am I?”
She threw her shoulders back, stepped forward and locked gazes with him, her wide eyes making her look young and innocent. She held out her hand. “I’m Lilly, a chemist at Devereux International’s Chicago office. That’s where we are.”
He straightened and studied his surroundings properly. “Yes, of course.” He took the hand she still held out toward him. “I was just here last week, approving a new line of blood research.” He tilted his head, frowning. “I do not remember seeing you then. Am I to assume my... friends... Elliott and Laurence, arranged for you to meet me here?”
“Yes,” she said in her tiny voice, as if she would frighten herself by speaking any louder. “I was part of a group the site manager introduced you to on your visit. When your friends put out the call, I told them I had seen you from afar and would love to meet you, both as a scientist and as a woman.”
Well , he thought, making sure his mental boundaries were firmly in place and she would not be able to read him, if she even had the capability, perhaps things are looking up. While she does seem to be quite young – maybe not even twenty – there is a depth of intelligence in her eyes that speaks of wisdom beyond mere years. Maybe something can be salvaged from this insane idea.
“I see.” He willed the tension to roll off his shoulders and pointed to the chemist’s paraphernalia in the room. “This looks interesting. Introduce me to your research and we can get to know each other.” He gave the smile he’d heard women describe as devastating.
Obviously charmed and flustered, Lilly opened her eyes wider and pressed a palm to her chest. “Yes, um, certainly, of course. Right this way.” She took a few steps, turned back to look at him, and tripped over a briefcase, crashing to the floor like a mini-redwood in the forest.
He hurried over to lift her up. “Are you all right?” The question was an unnecessary one to ask a vampire, but good manners required he be concerned.
“Oh, yes.” She stood. “I’m just embarrassed. I was trying so hard to make a good impression on you and now I’ve shown you my dark secret. I’m the most clumsy vampire on earth.”
“Surely not.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Do not be so hard on yourself. Everyone falls.” He laughed. “As you noticed when you saw me sprawled across the floor a moment ago. It is normal to lose one’s balance occasionally.”
“I wish it were an occasional thing for me. But I honestly think something went wrong during my transformation. I used to be ungainly as a human, but now I’m not only uncoordinated, I’m also absentminded.”
“Certainly you are exaggerating. Come. Show me.” He indicated one of the state-of-the-art laboratories. “What are you
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