arms around Diandra. “Dia, honey, face facts. Obviously we know
the horror movies and novels got it wrong. You are a vampire, you must be. Yes,
you're awake. Yes, it's daytime. You've not burned up into a pile of ash, I get
that. But stop and think a minute- really think. You've been eating regular
food, but how much have you been eating? You've eaten nonstop since
RaeLynn was born and haven't filled up. You're always complaining about being
hungry. Even with all the food you've eaten, none of your clothes fit you
anymore. It's like you're not getting any nourishment from what you've eaten.
You've changed, Dia, and we need to figure out the rules fast.”
The ivory cat
had been listening outside the bedroom door. Now he cocked his head to the side
as though thinking, or hearing something neither human heard, and ran back down
the stairs on silent padded feet. He ran into the parlor and jumped out the
same window Jonah had flown out of and landed silently on the lawn. A moment
later a knock sounded at the door.
The women
exchanged puzzled, wary glances and made their way downstairs. Lizbeth opened
the door, gun still in the small of her back in case it was needed. When the
door was opened, the two women looked outside at nothing. No one was there, no
car in the driveway. Lizbeth strained to listen and heard nothing but the sound
of the ocean. Then she looked down and saw the old-fashioned picnic basket on
the welcome mat. She carried it inside, set it on the coffee table and stood
back.
Diandra lifted
the lid and gasped. Her knees buckled and she sat down heavily on the loveseat.
The basket was full of intravenous blood bags, the type that hung from the pole
for blood transfusions. Hands shaking, she reached between the bags and pulled
out a type- written note. She cleared her throat, once, twice, and reluctantly
read the letter aloud.
“ Welcome to
a new life. There are twenty-eight bags of blood in this basket- a two week
supply. You will need two bags a day every day for about two months until your
body has full adjusted to the change. Then you'll be able to cut down to one
bag every other day. Sunlight, garlic, and crosses will not hurt you or kill
you, as I'm sure you've noticed on your own. We'll discuss what will at a later
date. In the meantime I leave you with two pieces of advice:
Protect
your head and your heart.
Be nice to
the ivory cat. He likes tuna, but do not feed him any other human food unless
you like shampooing your carpets regularly.
Signed, a friend.”
The woman
looked at each other, fear evident on their faces. No one knew but Jonah,
right? So who was this mysterious friend? And what was this business about a
cat? Diandra's eyes kept straying back to the bags of blood as though drawn to
them by a magnetic pull. Finally she could resist no longer and let out a cry
as her fangs protruded and pierced a bag. She sucked the blood down thirstily
as tears ran silent down her face.
Chapter Ten
Diandra
excused herself to go lay down for a while. Lizbeth wet a cloth for her to put
over her eyes, knowing they must burn from all the tears. She tried to get her
to open up and talk about what had happened downstairs, but to no avail.
Diandra told her she was not ready to even think about it, let alone discuss
it. Lizbeth knew it was a lie, knew she was lying down and thinking hard, but
she let it go. Diandra would talk to her when she was ready.
As Lizbeth
walked downstairs she heard a noise coming from the kitchen. The housekeeper
had off for the day so the kitchen should be empty. She crept down the hallway
carefully, pulling her gun from the small of her back. She hurried her steps a
little more as she heard the sound of a cabinet door opening and closing.
Drawing a steadying breath, she pushed open the swinging kitchen door and
stepped into the kitchen. Lizbeth laughed as she saw their “intruder.” A
slender ivory-colored cat sat on the kitchen floor, pawing at the
the horror movies and novels got it wrong. You are a vampire, you must be. Yes,
you're awake. Yes, it's daytime. You've not burned up into a pile of ash, I get
that. But stop and think a minute- really think. You've been eating regular
food, but how much have you been eating? You've eaten nonstop since
RaeLynn was born and haven't filled up. You're always complaining about being
hungry. Even with all the food you've eaten, none of your clothes fit you
anymore. It's like you're not getting any nourishment from what you've eaten.
You've changed, Dia, and we need to figure out the rules fast.”
The ivory cat
had been listening outside the bedroom door. Now he cocked his head to the side
as though thinking, or hearing something neither human heard, and ran back down
the stairs on silent padded feet. He ran into the parlor and jumped out the
same window Jonah had flown out of and landed silently on the lawn. A moment
later a knock sounded at the door.
The women
exchanged puzzled, wary glances and made their way downstairs. Lizbeth opened
the door, gun still in the small of her back in case it was needed. When the
door was opened, the two women looked outside at nothing. No one was there, no
car in the driveway. Lizbeth strained to listen and heard nothing but the sound
of the ocean. Then she looked down and saw the old-fashioned picnic basket on
the welcome mat. She carried it inside, set it on the coffee table and stood
back.
Diandra lifted
the lid and gasped. Her knees buckled and she sat down heavily on the loveseat.
The basket was full of intravenous blood bags, the type that hung from the pole
for blood transfusions. Hands shaking, she reached between the bags and pulled
out a type- written note. She cleared her throat, once, twice, and reluctantly
read the letter aloud.
“ Welcome to
a new life. There are twenty-eight bags of blood in this basket- a two week
supply. You will need two bags a day every day for about two months until your
body has full adjusted to the change. Then you'll be able to cut down to one
bag every other day. Sunlight, garlic, and crosses will not hurt you or kill
you, as I'm sure you've noticed on your own. We'll discuss what will at a later
date. In the meantime I leave you with two pieces of advice:
Protect
your head and your heart.
Be nice to
the ivory cat. He likes tuna, but do not feed him any other human food unless
you like shampooing your carpets regularly.
Signed, a friend.”
The woman
looked at each other, fear evident on their faces. No one knew but Jonah,
right? So who was this mysterious friend? And what was this business about a
cat? Diandra's eyes kept straying back to the bags of blood as though drawn to
them by a magnetic pull. Finally she could resist no longer and let out a cry
as her fangs protruded and pierced a bag. She sucked the blood down thirstily
as tears ran silent down her face.
Chapter Ten
Diandra
excused herself to go lay down for a while. Lizbeth wet a cloth for her to put
over her eyes, knowing they must burn from all the tears. She tried to get her
to open up and talk about what had happened downstairs, but to no avail.
Diandra told her she was not ready to even think about it, let alone discuss
it. Lizbeth knew it was a lie, knew she was lying down and thinking hard, but
she let it go. Diandra would talk to her when she was ready.
As Lizbeth
walked downstairs she heard a noise coming from the kitchen. The housekeeper
had off for the day so the kitchen should be empty. She crept down the hallway
carefully, pulling her gun from the small of her back. She hurried her steps a
little more as she heard the sound of a cabinet door opening and closing.
Drawing a steadying breath, she pushed open the swinging kitchen door and
stepped into the kitchen. Lizbeth laughed as she saw their “intruder.” A
slender ivory-colored cat sat on the kitchen floor, pawing at the
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