And Then He Bit Me

Chapter One-2

Connor must have been racing, because he made it in less than half the normal time. The SUV’s windows were darkened, but with my enhanced vision, I saw the front passenger seat was occupied. When I got a second look, I decided I’d take my chances with Security. I stepped back, and that’s when Jack rolled down his window, and barked, “For God’s sake, get in, Emma!”

I straightened my shoulders and got in, all the while thinking I had to have the worst luck tonight. Jackson Carter Duvall, my ex-boyfriend and kind-of best friend, got to see me at another low point.

After I was securely fastened in my seat, Connor hit the accelerator. “I’ve already called Dad. He’s been in touch with the Director to see how bad this really is.”

“Connor, you did not need to bring Dad into this. I handled it. I followed the Desperate Measures Handbook.” I knew the dang thing by heart by now. The new edition would probably have a new chapter titled If You Are Emma Lee Brandt, Do Us All a Favor and Give Up. Please.

“Emma, don’t take this the wrong way, and that guy definitely got what was coming to him, but what the hell were you thinking?”

I stiffened. Connor used to never raise his voice to me, because I’d normally sock him one, twin or not. If I hit him now, I’d probably knock him out, and then we’d undoubtedly crash. I decided to defend myself instead. “I was thinking that I had a pretty good cover with the horror film. What was I supposed to do—let him start announcing to everybody and their brother that I was a vampire? They might have believed he was crazy, but I didn’t think the Community would want the attention. Plus, he kept saying he was going to follow me and our family around until he had proof. So you tell me what I should have done differently.” Out of breath, I flung myself back against the seat.

Connor glanced at me in the rearview mirror as he continued to drive. “You should have punched the guy, and called me. And then Jack and I could have paid him a little visit tonight.”

“For your information, I tried elbowing him in the chest, but he refused to quit. And remember, I did call you.”

Apparently that reminder made my brother lose it. “You’re killing me. You are freaking killing me!” Connor shouted. “You don’t get it, do you? Every time you, not anyone else, YOU have this cursed ability to bring the humans down on our heads. EVERY TIME YOU DATE A HUMAN!”

How dare he talk to me like this? “I like humans. Robert and Devotion apparently love humans! After all, they married them! And besides, we’re mostly human, remember? Or is that something you’d like to forget?” Devotion, my best friend, was going to brain Connor for his attitude. She’d have to get in line.

Connor spoke through clenched teeth. “I like humans, too. But you don’t see me dating them as fast as possible. Geez, you’re discarding them like tissues. And just in case you forgot, we are vampires before we are human. You don’t have to like it, but that’s just the way it is.”

Jack, my reluctant knight in shining armor, said quietly, “Connor, that’s enough.” Connor finally shut up.

I knew my brother was right. I knew it. But I was stubborn enough to stare ahead for the next three minutes until he skidded to a halt in our parents’ driveway. As I stared at the brick two-story house, I remembered when this place used to be my refuge, instead of my pit of personal doom.

Dragging my feet, I made it to the front door. “I’ll see y’all later. Thanks for bringing me home to Mom and Dad.” I really, really hoped they heard the mockery in my voice, but I was afraid they heard the frustration and fear instead.

Why was I being deposited at my parents’ house like a recalcitrant teenager? Oh, yeah. When your father is on the High Council, he is not only your parent, he’s one of the rulers of the Mid-South, including you. Yay.

“We’re going in with you. Goodness knows you’re going to need a friend in there,” Jack informed me. Then he muttered, “Let alone, maybe an attorney,” with him being the attorney in this situation. Even though Jack was a pain in the rear, professionally he was somehow a well-respected attorney in the Community, even at his young age.

My dad opened the door, a stern look on his face. “Emma, Connor, come in. We’re waiting for everyone to arrive. Oh, hello, Jackson. Come on in.”

I waved half-heartedly at my brother, Robert, who was rubbing his hands over his face. “Hi, Robbie.”

“Hey,” was all he said, glancing from me to my companions, and then settling on our father. I realized then, that my unflappable brother was worried. Still, that wasn’t so bad. Robert had on occasion looked worried, such as when the Supreme Court had to decide the winner of the 2000 presidential election; or, when we discovered that I had accidentally dated a vampire hunter who tried to kill me, or, the time his now-wife, Parker, was nearly killed by one of our kind; or, ...okay, I’d better stop with the examples. I was comforted by the fact that at least Robert didn’t act like he was choking, while pulling at his collar and loosening his tie.

Crap. There he went. I was so screwed.

I wished for the millionth time that Robert had become a starving artist like I’d always thought he should have been, instead of following after our sister, Margaret in our father’s footsteps at the Council. The past few years, I only saw him truly relax in his own home.

The smartest thing he ever did was defy our father by marrying Parker, a former human. The political outlook had shifted to blood purity that year, and Dad didn’t think it would look good for an up-and-coming Council member to go outside our Community. Robert threatened to quit and disown our family. Needless to say, my father gave his unneeded blessing, and soon grew to adore Parker, just like the rest of us.

I loved her simply for the fact that she made Robert smile and laugh. That’s when I got my old Robbie back, the big brother who would swing me onto his shoulders, and teach me how to hold my nose as I drank blood, and then chase it with a Coke.

Jack ended up sitting next to me on the couch as I explained the evening’s events to my parents, and my brothers. Dad, his face nearly as red as his hair, royally chewed me out, saying I’d have to be more responsible when handling matters the vampire way, even if the guy deserved it.

This was just another item on the list of things that I wasn’t responsible about, like insisting on trying to make a living by working for humans.

Connor broke in before my father could think of any other faults. “Dad, Emma’s not entirely to blame. I dared her to go on the second date, and you know how stubborn she is...”

“You are not helping!” I hissed.

Dad held up his hand. “Be that as it may, Connor, you didn’t make the choice to bite and drain a human in a public place.” He turned to me, the disappointment and sympathy obvious to everybody in the room. “Your mother told me you’ve been hoping to find another human who would be willing to turn this time.” I felt Jack’s gaze on my frozen face. “And as much as we know you loved Kyle, you’ve got to be realistic. Things...things don’t seem to work out for you with humans. You’re not a kid anymore, Emma. You’re twenty-seven years old. Start acting like it.” I fought the urge to suddenly cry.

The phone finally rang, and my father picked it up and listened for a few minutes. “Good. Thank you, Phillip. You have my word this won’t ever happen again. Yes, I’ll tell her.”

He hung up the phone and told us, “Wesley Sommers is in his bed, and when he wakes up in the morning, he’ll remember he made a pass at you, you got up and left, and he fainted from a recently-discovered case of anemia. By the way, the puncture wounds had healed by the time Security arrived. He’ll forget he suspected you were a vampire. You were lucky, Emma. They’re sending you a bill for the clean-up.” Of course they were.

My only response was to start to stand up, but my dad stopped me with his next words.

“This can’t happen again. You know what this means: no more humans. Period. And I’m not only speaking as your father, but as a member of the High Council. You’ve had too many warnings.”

Ugh. I had to bite my tongue so I wouldn’t snap back at him. Sometimes I hate my good manners and respect for my elders, especially when I want to just tell them to mind their own business.

What did they know, anyway? Most vamp guys my age were alpha males to the highest degree. Talk about your control freaks. My parents were worried about human men? What about the fact that vampires oozed sexuality with every breath? I might find myself in a worse predicament. Bitten and pregnant. What would the neighbors think?

My parents hadn’t been thrilled with many of the choices I’d made. Most of them involved humans: dating them, living amongst them, and working for them. It was the last one that my father refused to forgive. I had brought dishonor on my family by working the past couple of years at low-paying jobs that my father in particular felt were beneath me. Actually, he always felt any job working for humans was beneath me. He was simply hurt when I finally told him at the end of my senior year of college that I had no intention of pursuing a career in the High Council.

I don’t know why he was so angry and upset with my decision. After all, it wasn’t a big deal that Connor was working in the entertainment field. He’d already interned with a record company with vampire ties. Why wasn’t I allowed the same courtesy? Dad had two other children who had followed in his footsteps. That wasn’t too bad.

I’d been determined to forge my own path. I just forgot to plan out my destination. Well, I kind of had, by thumbing my nose at my parents while suffering from a broken heart which probably showed the lack of that supposed intelligence Grandma always insisted I had.

My father’s voice broke into my thoughts. “I am this far from ordering you to an emergency High Council hearing. Do you understand what I am saying here?” Gone was my father; High Council Member Brandt had taken his place.

“Dad!”

“I mean it, Emma. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. It will not be said that you got away with a further infraction because of who you’re related to.”

“Dad, come on!” Robert protested. “You can’t be serious. This is not her fault. You act like she’s begging all the weirdoes out there to ruin her life and embarrass her in front of the Community.”

“Robert, at the very least your sister has been reckless, the way she has completely flaunted her lifestyle, and the fact she’s turned her back on the Community all these years.” Ah, so that was the real problem.

“Let me get this straight. You’re really upset because I’m still living among humans. Your feelings are hurt.”

He frowned at me. “That’s enough, Emma Lee. You wanted to turn your back on your family and heritage, and against my better judgment, your mother convinced me to let you have your freedom. We should have reined you in years earlier. I blame myself for that. All you’ve proven with this independence of yours is disaster after disaster.”

When I started to break in, he continued. “The only way you will avoid a hearing, and believe me, it will be a public one, is for you to live according to our heritage and laws. You will own up to your responsibilities in this matter, and for God’s sake, will try to look like you’re actually sorry you’ve broken the rules.”

He looked at my outfit. “Living among humans has also been detrimental to your wardrobe. You are a member of one of the premier families. Start dressing and acting like it.”

I couldn’t help it; there was a growl that had started in my chest. There was nothing wrong with the way I dressed. So, I wasn’t dressing as conservatively as I used to. I didn’t mind longer skirts, and solid colors that used to make up my classic wardrobe, but I also didn’t have a problem with my shorter and trendier ones, either. I wanted to have fun with my outfits. Was that so wrong?