Sara Humphreys - Vampire Trouble

“Are you a mind reader?” Maya playfully smacked his arm with the back of her hand.

“Not exactly.” Shane went back to playing with her hair but kept his eyes on hers. “But I can sense there’s something troubling you.”

“We’re bloodmates.” Maya made the statement with some uncertainty. “Right?”

“Yes.” Shane rested his hand over her lower belly and stroked the soft flesh gently. “If I had any doubts, they were eliminated during the blood exchange. I haven’t had a heartbeat in four centuries. It took a minute even to figure out what was happening, but it was the most erotic, intimate moment of my existence.”

“I saw your memories.” Maya smiled and stared into the night sky. “The battles, the sadness when your maker left you, and the loyalty you feel for the Presidium. I saw it all.”

“Yes. That is part of the process, of giving myself to you.”

“Were you able to read my blood memories?” she asked quietly. “I know that you should be able to but…I’m kind of defective or something. I know Olivia couldn’t really read them, either.”

“Not all of them.” Shane’s mouth set in grim line, and he tipped her chin toward him with one finger, forcing her to look at him. “There is nothing wrong with you, Maya.”

“Yes, there is. Did you know that my turn took five days?” Maya took his hand in hers and sat up, pulling her knees to her chest, suddenly aware of her nakedness and feeling remarkably vulnerable. “ Five days ! It’s like I ride the short bus of vampires.”

“No.” Shane’s brow furrowed. “I was unaware that your conversion took so long. A traditional turn is two days, although Doug’s was only twelve hours.”

“Yeah,” Maya scoffed. “But he’s got angel blood. If we’re bloodmates, then I should be able to share all of myself with you but I can’t.”

“That’s it.” Shane’s tone was quiet but serious. He studied her closely and nodded. “Your bloodline must carry some kind of unique trait. It could explain why your blood memories are shrouded and why your turn took so long. You’re not Fae or Amoveo. I’ve tasted that type of blood before and I’d recognize it. And since you haven’t sprouted fur, it’s a safe bet you’re not a werewolf,” he said with a wink. “It’s not angel or demon either, because you don’t exhibit any of the traits that Doug and Pete have as vampires. It’s something else. That has to be the reason.”

“Will you help me, Shane?” Maya rested her cheek on her knees and looked at him pleadingly.

“Ask and it’s yours,” he whispered. He brushed the hair from her forehead. “Anything.”

“Help me find out who I am. How can I commit myself to you, to this whole bloodmate idea, if I don’t even know who I am?”

“Like I said”—Shane gathered her into his arms and held her, brushing the top of her head with a kiss—“I’ll always come and find you.”

The sound of Lottie’s car coming down the driveway prompted Maya to get dressed in record time. Shane offered to pack up the weapons and suggested Maya go inside to see if Lottie required anything of them. Maya picked some grass out of her hair before opening the creaky screen door and stepping into the brightly lit kitchen. Turning to close the door behind her, she caught a glimpse of Shane and couldn’t help but stop and stare.

He still hadn’t put on his shirt, and the clear, moonlit night was giving her a beautiful view of his broad, well-muscled back. Maya leaned against the doorway and watched him organize the weaponry with the same focused intensity that he did everything else, including lovemaking. A smile played at her lips, recalling the way his hands ran over her naked body and the heartbreaking tenderness that lingered in his kisses. Her hand went to her mouth, which tingled at the memory of rasping along his stubble-covered jaw.

“I smell sex.”

Maya yelped and spun around, immediately going into a defensive stance, and found herself face-to-face with Lottie, who was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her face. Feeling totally embarrassed, Maya dropped her hands as Shane appeared behind her with his gun drawn. He immediately tucked it into the waist of his jeans when he saw Lottie guffawing and leaning on the back of a chair for support.

“Yup.” Swiping at her wet cheeks, Lottie shook her head and plopped her leather messenger bag on the table. “It’s in the air, and it’s thick like the fog on the bayou. Damn.” She winked at Maya. “I may need a cigarette just from standing near you two.”

Maya folded her arms over her breasts, at a total loss for words. Mor-ti-fied.

“If you’ll excuse me.” Shane slipped past Maya and glanced at Lottie with a look on his face that resembled embarrassment. “I should put this bag away properly so everything is ready for tomorrow’s training. Maya, I’ll be taking a shower and then heading to bed. The sun will be up soon, and you will need your rest for tomorrow. We’ll be adding weapons to the hand-to-hand combat, and you’ll be learning to access them from the sentry coat.”

“How romantic,” Lottie said with a roll of her eyes.

“Okay.” Maya glanced at Lottie, who had opened the refrigerator and was cracking open a can of beer. “I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

“Good night, Lottie.” Shane tilted his head. “Thank you again for hosting us.”

“You bet.” When he walked past her, Lottie smacked him on the ass. “If she needs sleep, then you better make it a cold shower.”

Shane paused for a moment before silently exiting the kitchen through the swinging door. Maya fought to keep from laughing.

“How was work? Are you always out this late?” Maya asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

“Shit.” Lottie shook her head. “You kidding me? We got ten different conventions in New Orleans this week, which means things are hoppin’ down there on Bourbon.”

“What is it that you do, exactly?”

“I’m a fortune-teller. I work at a few little pubs in the Quarter. I used to have a table in Jackson Square, but the weather can be a bitch, so I picked up some indoor gigs.” Lottie removed the colorful scarf she had tied around her head and draped it over the bag. Obviously stiff from sitting for a long time, she stretched her back.

“I do what it sounds like. I can read the future, but it’s nothin’ that special. Most gypsies are taught the magic when they’re children and pass it on to theirs. I never did have kids.” She made a face. “Couldn’t find a man I could tolerate for more than a roll or two in the sack. Coulda done it on my own, I suppose, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Too bad, though.”

“Why?”

“My magic will die with me. I don’t have any kin, so our gypsy line will go the way of the dinosaur. Serves us gypsies right, I suppose. We are all so damn secretive, you know. The clans don’t share their magic with other clans, so when one clan dies out…that’s it for their family’s magic.”

“There are different kinds of gypsy magic?” Maya asked with genuine curiosity.

“Sure.” Lottie belched after taking another swig of beer. “There used to be a few hundred clans, but who knows how many are left? Not me. For all I know, I could be the last. Up until a couple of centuries ago, the clans used to gather, but after a lot of bickering and petty crap, that stopped. Us gypsies have powerful magic, but damn if we aren’t a stubborn lot. Anyway, like I said, my clan’s magic is about seeing the future.”

“Can you read the past?” Maya asked tentatively.

“Not usually, but sometimes I can.” Lottie took a big sip of beer and looked Maya up and down. “Why?”

“I don’t remember much about my human life, and it didn’t really bother me until recently.”