All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire

CHAPTER 22

"They're holding us prisoner!" Sabina trudged about the silver room.

"They're keeping us safe." Toni opened a can of chicken noodle soup and poured it into a saucepan. "This room is lined with silver so no vampires can teleport in."

She didn't dare tell her friend that she knew how to unlock the door. The last thing they needed was Bri running around White Plains, claiming she'd seen vampires and were-panthers. She'd end up back in Shady Oaks before the night was over.

Bri collapsed into an easy chair. "This is crazy."

Toni stirred the soup as it heated on the stove. "You'll find it easier to accept everything once all the drugs are out of your system."

"Why would I want to accept vampires? And Carlos—I can't believe him. I feel so betrayed."

"Your uncle was the one who betrayed you." Toni tamped down on the anger she'd been squelching for hours. First Ian had tried to order her around. Vanda had treated her like a lowly worm. Carlos had somehow forgotten to tell her he was a shape shifter, even after she'd told him about vampires. And Sabrina was acting like they'd ruined her life instead of rescuing her.

Toni gritted her teeth. "I'm sure Carlos can't help being born a shape shifter, no more than I could help being born an illegitimate embarrassment."

Sabrina yawned. "That's it, isn't it? You accept all these…weirdos because they're outcasts, and you've always felt like an outcast, too."

Toni started to argue, but paused. Sabrina could be right. She'd always felt a natural empathy toward anyone who felt unworthy or didn't fit in. Ian's fear that he didn't deserve true love because of his jaded past—that had touched her deeply. It had made her determined to prove him wrong. And her eagerness tonight to jump into danger to rescue Vamps—was she still trying to prove she was worthy?

"I can't believe you're working for the Undead," Bri grumbled. "I mean, you get attacked by vampires, and then you go to work for them? That's crazy."

"There's a world of difference between the Malcontents who attacked us and the Vamps I've been working for." Toni poured soup into two bowls and brought them to the table.

"They both look violent to me." Sabrina sat at the table and yawned. "I'm so tired."

"You've been on some strong meds." Toni set two spoons on the table.

Bri rubbed her eyes. "I can't believe I saw one of my best friends turn into a panther."

"We'll try to get you back to a normal life as soon as possible. You'll need your IDs. Do you know where your handbag is? Shady Oaks or your uncle's house?"

Bri ate some soup while she considered. "I don't remember much. I think it's still at Uncle Joe's house."

"We'll get it back."

Bri frowned. "When you say we, you mean you and that vampire?"

"Yes. Ian."

"He was bossing you around."

"He was anxious to keep me safe." Toni had realized too late how vulnerable she would be. She'd always fought well in practice sessions, but the good Vamps fought with honor. The Malcontents resorted to vanishing and taking hostages. "It's hard to compete with a vampire."

"Exactly." Bri set down her spoon. "You can't compete with them, Toni. You don't belong in their world. Whatever possessed you to join up with them?"

"I did it for you. I wanted to find proof that they existed, so I could prove you weren't delusional."

Bri's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. Here I am, giving you a hard time, when you've been such a good friend. You've always been there for me."

Tears burned Toni's eyes. "Careful, or we'll both start blubbering."

Bri sniffed. "It scares me for you to be with those creatures. I don't want to lose you."

"You haven't lost me."

Bri frowned. "You said you were in love with him."

Toni set down her spoon. "I am."

"How long have you known him? A week?"

"A little bit longer." Toni took her bowl to the sink.

"But not very long. Can a relationship forged that quickly last an entire lifetime?"

Toni rinsed out her bowl, then cleaned the saucepan. Bri's comments stung, but she knew her friend was truly concerned about her. "I'm not sure how things will work out." Or if they even could. "But I do know I love him."

"He's very good-looking, I'll grant you that, but Toni, he's dead."

"Only half the time."

"You want half a life?" Sabrina yawned again.

"Go on to bed. You're exhausted." Toni took her bowl to the sink.

"We've been working on our plan for ten years."

"I know." Toni rinsed out her bowl.

"You can't live in both worlds, Toni."

She turned and saw Bri climbing into bed. The same bed where she'd seen Ian in his death-sleep, where she'd touched the dimple in his chin. "I really do love him."

"It was a chapter in your life, but it's over," Bri whispered. "Just like the hell I've been through the past week. It's time for us to move on."

Toni turned down the lights so Bri could sleep. Then she collapsed in the easy chair. A dull ache was spreading in her chest. It grew more and more as reality sank in.

For the last ten years, she'd clung to their mission of the orphanage. It had kept her going when the workload from school had seemed too hard. It had given her a noble purpose and identity when she'd felt unimportant and unworthy. She hadn't expected Ian to come into her life, or love to bloom in her heart and make her feel whole.

A few times during the last week, she'd felt pulled between two worlds—her new world with the Vamps and her old world with Bri. When Ian had offered to help her rescue Bri, she'd felt elated, as if the two worlds were finally connecting and she could have both.

The ache in her chest intensified, squeezing her heart. What if the two worlds could never coexist? What if she was forced to choose? How could she fail Sabrina after all they'd been through? How could she ever give up Ian?

It was midmorning when Toni awoke in the large bed. She glanced at Sabrina sleeping peacefully beside her and wondered where Ian was spending his daily death-sleep. Probably next door with the other guys.

She showered and skipped her morning affirmations. They seemed like a cruel joke now. Yes, she was worthy to be loved, but that didn't guarantee it would work out. She dressed in her uniform and slipped her cell phone into a pants pocket. Time to go see the bear. Her supervisor.

She took the elevator to the first floor, then strode down the hall. What kind of bear was he, anyway? A friendly little brown Boo Boo Bear or a huge grizzly? An image flitted through her mind of Howard turning bright yellow and fluffy with a sunburst on his tummy. She snorted. Well, why not? If vampires could be real, so could Care Bears.

She passed some mortal employees going about their daily work. As far as they knew, they were making synthetic blood for hospitals. They were, actually. They had no idea that the night shift consisted of Vamps who were making Chocolood, Blood Lite, Bubbly Blood, Blissky, and Bleer.

Night and day. Two different worlds. Could she possibly live in both?

She passed by Constantine's closed nursery. She missed the little guy. As she walked past Shanna's dental office, she noted the sign on the door. On vacation, will return soon. Shanna, who managed to exist in both worlds, still had major problems keeping herself and her family safe.

Toni entered the MacKay security office. "Hi, Howard." Don't think of him as a bear. "Sorry, I'm late."

"No problem. You haven't missed anything." Howard sat behind the desk, looking like his usual cheerful self. "Not much going on today."

Not a grizzly, Toni thought. Far too friendly and easygoing. Maybe a pink Cheer Bear. She sat beside him just as he pushed the doughnut box her way.

"Thanks." Toni hesitated with her hand halfway in the box. There were plain doughnuts and bear claws. She quickly grabbed a plain one and scanned the monitors. She could see Sabrina still sleeping in the silver room. Phineas and Dougal were on the twin beds in the guardroom, while Ian lay dead as a doornail on the floor. Poor guy. Though he would hardly notice a hard floor.

"So I heard it got rough at the Horny Devils last night." Howard grabbed a bear claw from the box.

"Yeah, pretty grisly." She winced and crammed the doughnut in her mouth to keep from talking.

"Like a virgin," a female voice sang.

Toni sat up and looked around.

Howard chuckled. "Your pants are singing."

Toni jumped up and pulled the phone from her pocket. She opened it, cutting off Madonna's claim that she'd been touched for the very first time. Carlos's idea of a joke, no doubt. He could laugh all the way to hell. "Hello?"

"Menina, how are you?"

"Carlos." Toni walked across the office. "I swear I will have you declawed."

He laughed. "I see you like your new ringtone. How is Sabrina?"

"She's still asleep." Toni glanced at the monitor.

"Are you able to talk freely?"

"Sure. I'm in the security office with Howard Bear—uh, Barr." She winced.

Howard chuckled and grabbed another bear claw.

"Menina, the police were just here in the apartment building, looking for you and Bri. They knocked on all the neighbors' doors to ask about you."

Toni swallowed hard. "So they think I'm involved in her disappearance?"

"They suspect you. They questioned me, too, and asked to see my apartment."

"Good grief, what about Teddy?"

"Don't worry. I sent him out this morning with some money and instructions to buy new clothes and a new hairstyle. We're supposed to meet in Washington Square at three."

"He's fine, then?" Toni had worried that Teddy wasn't quite ready for the real world.

"He's very happy. The police are looking for him, too. They had photos of him and Bri. I gather the hospital takes pictures of all the patients when they're admitted. I acted very shocked and concerned, of course, about Bri's disappearance."

"Good." Toni could just imagine Carlos putting on a convincing show for the police.

"They think Teddy and Sabrina might have developed a romantic relationship and escaped together."

"Did they say anything about the nurse, Bradley?" Toni asked.

"No, I suspect the hospital wants to keep that little problem a secret."

Toni checked the monitor again. Bri was still asleep. "I asked her about her purse. She thinks it's still at her uncle's house."

"Hmm." Carlos paused. "I could drive over there and see if the maid would give it to me."

"But we would still have the problem of her uncle Joe wanting her back in the psych ward."

"And problems with the police," Carlos added. "I'll bring Teddy this afternoon, and we'll discuss strategy."

"Okay, sounds good."

"I–I hope Bri can get over her fear of me," Carlos said sadly.

"I hope so, too." Toni hung up. She also hoped Bri could get over her fear of five orphaned were-panther children. Those poor kids needed help. They needed acceptance and love, so they wouldn't grow up feeling like monsters who deserved to be butchered like their parents.

"A guard's coming." Howard stood and lumbered toward the door.

Toni noted the daytime Romatech security guard on a monitor. He was holding a small gold box.

Howard opened the door. "Yes?"

"This was delivered to the front gate. For Toni Davis."

"Thanks." Howard closed the door and offered the small gift box to Toni.

She eyed it warily. "Do they expect me to fall for that again?"

Howard smiled. "This is legit. I saw Ian order it online last night."

"Really?" She grabbed the box and unraveled the golden ribbon. Inside the box, on a bed of cotton, lay a beautiful, gold filigree heart. She grinned. With the filigree design, it was obvious there was nothing hidden within the heart. It was pure.

Wedged in the top of the box was a note.

My dearest Daytona,

You've brought sunshine back into my life.

Ian

She pressed the note to her chest as her heart constricted with emotion. In that moment, she knew no matter what happened, she would not make a mistake as long as she followed her heart.

When Ian awoke Thursday evening, he warned Dougal and Phineas to be extra vigilant. Jedrek would be completely healed after his death-sleep and no doubt plotting to avenge his embarrassing defeat at the Horny Devils.

While Phineas and Dougal made a sweep of Romatech and the grounds, Ian called Angus to give him an update and request extra guards. Angus was still at Jean-Luc's home in Texas. Since Jack and Zoltan were planning to return to Europe soon, they agreed to stay in New York for a few nights before teleporting east. They would arrive before dawn.

A quick check of the monitors in the security office showed him Toni's location. She was in the Romatech cafeteria with Sabrina, Carlos, and Teddy. He studied the monitor screen closely. Toni was wearing the heart necklace he'd ordered. That was a good sign. She was laughing with Carlos and Teddy. Sabrina was eating quietly, casting an occasional wary look at Carlos.

According to Howard, Carlos, and Teddy had arrived an hour ago and filled out employment applications for MacKay Security and Investigation. Carlos would make an excellent guard when he wasn't busy tracking down more of his own kind. As for Teddy, Ian had different plans for him. He stopped in Shanna's office to pick up her folder, then he proceeded to the cafeteria.

Toni's pretty green eyes lit up when he approached. Her hand moved to the golden heart on her chest. "Thank you."

"Ye're welcome." He kissed her cheek, then greeted the others.

Sabrina watched him curiously. "He's wearing a kilt," she whispered to Toni.

"He's a medieval Scotsman," Toni whispered back.

"Oh." Sabrina's eyes widened.

"We have some nachos left." Carlos motioned to a plate on the table. "But I don't suppose you're interested."

"I already ate." Ian sat at the end of the table.

"Anyone we know?" Carlos's amber eyes twinkled. "Ouch." He glared at Toni.

Ian smiled for he'd heard the kick underneath the table. "I mostly drink AB positive. It's my favorite flavor." When Toni's cheeks turned a pretty pink, he inhaled deeply. "Smells like heaven on you."

Her blush deepened. "You can taste a difference between different blood types? And you can tell which type people have?"

"Aye." When Sabrina grimaced and turned away, Ian realized he'd better change the subject. He tapped the folder he'd brought from Shanna's office. "This is something that Roman and Shanna have been working on since Constantine started levitating at the age of three months."

He glanced at Sabrina and Teddy. "I should explain. Roman Draganesti is the owner of Romatech and inventor of synthetic blood."

"I already told them who's who," Toni said.

"And Howard told Teddy and me about the war against the Malcontents," Carlos added.

"Good." Ian opened the folder. "Roman and Shanna have a second child on the way. Heather and Jean-Luc plan to have children, too."

"You're talking about half-vampire children?" Sabrina asked, her nose wrinkled.

"Aye, it's the only way we can be fathers," Ian glanced at Toni, wondering how she would feel about giving birth to such a child.

Her gaze met his, and her eyes widened. Did she know what he was thinking? Did she know how deeply he was falling in love with her?

Carlos cleared his throat.

Ian broke eye contact and removed a few large photos from the folder. He slid them down the table. "This is a property in upstate New York that Roman recently purchased. There's a mansion, numerous other buildings, a pool, tennis courts, and three hundred acres."

"Wow." Teddy grabbed a picture. "It's huge."

Toni studied a picture of the main house. "It's beautiful." She passed the photo on to Sabrina.

"Impressive." Carlos looked at an aerial shot of the extensive grounds. "Roman must be extremely wealthy."

"Aye, but this is no' meant to be a show of wealth. Roman's keeping it a secret. He and Shanna realized some time ago that the children would need a safe place to be educated and learn their special skills."

Teddy looked up from the photo he was examining. "You plan to turn this mansion into a school?"

"Aye." Ian handed them the rest of the photos. "You understand the need for secrecy about this? The children attending this school will be unique."

"What about were-children?" Carlos asked. "Would they be welcomed there?"

"Yes." Ian nodded. "Any child with abnormal abilities. Or children who simply know too much. Heather's daughter falls into that category."

"This is so cool!" Teddy thumbed through different photos. "A school for future superheroes! Would they live on campus?"

"They could." Ian shrugged. "Some of the Vamp children could be teleported there if they wanted to live at home."

"This is great." Toni passed another photo to Sabrina. "I can't wait to introduce you to Constantine. He's so smart and sweet. And he can already levitate and teleport."

Sabrina remained quiet, frowning at the photos.

"Look at this." Carlos pointed at a picture of a lake. "There's an island here. It would be the perfect place for my kids to practice their panther skills without putting any other kids in danger."

Toni leaned forward to look. "That's an excellent idea."

"The main problem Roman and Shanna face," Ian continued, "is finding teachers and administrators who can be trusted."

"Count me in," Teddy said.

"Me, too," Carlos said. "I'd love to bring my orphans there."

Ian gave Toni a questioning look. "What do you think?"

"I think it was very wise of Roman and Shanna to plan ahead like this. I don't think Tino could be happy in a normal school." She turned to Sabrina. "This would be an interesting place to run, don't you think?"

Sabrina slowly stacked the photos. "It's a beautiful place. And an interesting idea." She gave Toni a worried look. "But this was not our plan. We wanted to help children who were homeless, starving, and suffering. This Constantine has a billionaire dad to take care of him. What about the children who have nobody? We can't turn our backs on them just because these mutant children are more interesting."

Toni's cheeks turned pink. "Don't call them mutants, please."

Sabrina's eyes narrowed. "You're not planning on having any, are you?"

An awkward silence fell upon them. Ian watched Toni carefully, but she avoided his eyes. Her blush reddened. Was she embarrassed to be involved with him?

Sabrina pushed the stack of photos away. "This is admirable, but it's not our plan. Toni and I have been working on our own plan for ten years."

Toni closed her eyes with a pained expression. A twinge of panic crept into Ian's gut. What if she decided to completely leave the Vamp world behind? What if she left him?

He grabbed the stack of photos. "There's three hundred acres here. We can build more buildings. We doona need to turn children away."

Toni finally looked at him. "We could fit a regular orphanage in there?"

Ian took her hand. "We would have to okay everything with Roman. But I do want ye to keep both worlds. Ye shouldna have to choose one or the other."

Her eyes glimmered with moisture. "That would be good."

"Look at this field behind the mansion." Carlos showed a photo to Sabrina. "It would make a perfect soccer field."

She snorted. "I can see where your priorities are."

"Come on, Sabrina." Teddy leaned forward. "This is the coolest opportunity ever."

She sighed. "I'll think about it. I still need some time to adjust to…everything." She glanced warily at Carlos and Ian. "And I still have a year of school left. That is, if I can go back to school without my uncle trying to lock me up."

"We were just talking about that before you arrived." Toni selected a chip from the tray and bit into it. "We need to get Bri's purse from her uncle's house and somehow convince him to leave her and her money alone."

Carlos grabbed a salt shaker and sprinkled more salt on the chips. "The police came by today, looking for Bri, Teddy, and Toni. We need to get this mess straightened out before one of us gets arrested."

Ian considered as he stacked the photos back into the folder. "Where does this uncle live?"

"Westchester." Carlos munched on a chip. "I've been there before. I think I could get the maid to bring me Bri's things."

"I should go," Sabrina said.

Ian shook his head. "Nay, ye'll be safer here with Teddy." He stood. "Carlos, drive Toni to the uncle's house. Then call me, and I'll teleport there to meet you. I have to go somewhere else first."

"Where?" Toni asked. "What are you planning?"

"I left my cape in Scotland. But Roman has a vampire cape and tuxedo at the townhouse. I need to get into costume first."

Toni's eyes widened. "Costume?"

Teddy grinned. "Cool! I always said you needed a cape."

Sabrina frowned. "What are you going to do my uncle?"

"Doona fash. I'll no' be violent." Ian smiled. "But I doona believe yer uncle will enjoy his encounter with Count Dracula."