Michele Bardsley - Broken Heart, Oklahoma 2 Dont Talk Back to Your Vampire

For my daughter Katherine Anne And for her Gigi For my friend Evangeline Anderson And for her mom

For my keeper Terri Lugo And for her grandmother

And so our mothers and grandmothers have, more often than not anonymously, handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see.

Alice Walker

I frowned at Lorcan. Was that statement meant. to be protective or was it meant to be a threat? I didn't have a chance to ask for clarification, because he rose into the air and flew toward the clearing. The growls and screeches still echoed in the forest, which meant the beast hadn't gotten the cage down yet.

Well, I huffed as I crept toward the ongoing melee, somebodygot out of the wrong side of the coffin today.

I ducked behind a clump of bushes and peeked over the tangle of leaves. The lycan'sparfum de sewer attacked my nose in such a heinous way that I pinched my nostrils shut.

Lorcan alighted on the limb and drew up the chain holding the cat's cage. The lycan howled, leaping and swiping to no avail. The second that Lorcan opened the cage door, Lucifer lit out of it like her tail was on fire. She skittered up the tree to a high branch, then leapt to another tree. She repeated this pattern until she was long gone. If that wasn't just like a cat! Not even a Well, so long and thanks for all the fish as she left her rescuers in mortal jeopardy.

Lorcan yanked the chain off, then dropped the cage onto the lycan's big, furry head. The creature shrieked in pain as the cage bounced off and rolled onto the ground. It stomped on the cage, clutching its skull and yowling.

Feeling sorry for it, I dared a peek into its mind.

Once, he had been a vampire. I grabbed that much from his lumbering memories, but no name, no Family connection. And I got those same flashesthe pain, the blood, the chainsas I had with him and the other two last night. Who had locked him up? Tortured him? And let him go in Broken Heart?

Not sure what to do, I glanced up at Lorcan. If I hadn't had super vamp hearing, I wouldn't have heard the words he whispered: Nl neart air. I must release you to Tr na Marbh.

He sailed out of the tree and dropped to the ground. To my utter shock, a sword made of sparkling gold light appeared in his hands. Lorcan's eyes were filled with compassion and sorrow as he raised the blade.

Lorcan! I leapt from my spot and landed in front of the lycanthrope. I crossed my arms to block his blow and he cursed a Gaelic blue streak as his wrist smacked into mine. The blade tumbled from his grip. The minute it left his hand, it sparkled into nothingness.

What the bloody hell are you doing? I nearly took your pretty head off!

Wait just a I blinked at him. You think I'm pretty?

His mouth dropped open. Then his lips thinned and his silver eyes went flat. Leave it to a woman to find a compliment in the fiercest of words. He put his hands together and the sparkling gold light sword reappeared. Get out of the way, Eva, and let me put the poor soul out of his misery.

No. I whirled around, my heart poundingfrom confronting the scary lycan or telling off vampire royalty, I didn't know. I kneeled in front of the hairy, smelly creature. There, there. It's okay. What's your name?

The lycan stared at me, a gleam of intelligence in his dark eyes. He pointed to his mouth and shook his head.

You can't speak. Okay. Then think it.

Faustus.

Faustus.

Images filtered from him: his struggle among dark-robed figures, taken into a shadowy room that smelled of antiseptic, forced onto a steel table and bound with thick chains. Syringes took out blood and others injected the substance that had turned him into the mutated lycan.

He was turned into a hybrid against his will. I looked at Lorcan and flinched at the steely expression in his eyes.

The lycan's roar warned me. I whirled around in time to get swooped into his big, furry embrace. I yelled, Let me go!

The lycan released me instantly. Experimentally, I pointed at him and said, Sit.

His big butt hit the ground. He looked up at me like he was a puppy instead of a murderous Bigfoot.

Stay.

Lorcan grabbed my elbow and yanked me out of Faustus's grasp. What the hell is going on? How do you know about him? How can you make him obey you?

I tapped my temple.

Glamouring does not usually include telepathy, he said.

You've seen the nightly act, Lor. Animals love me. This might be crazy, but I think I can communicate with animals who can also take human form. Or who were human at some point.

Lorcan looked at me as though I'd plunged his glittering sword into his heart.

Are you okay? I asked.

Of course. He shook off whatever was bothering him. As Lorcan studied the lycan, I thought about Lucifer. I'd heard her thoughtsthey were very human. If my hypothesis was correct, then she had been a human at some point. And ifthat was true... who was she?

Then Lorcan touched my elbow and nodded toward Faustus. I can't transport all three of us. Will he follow you?

I don't know. I looked at the lycan. Where do you want to take him?

My brother's house. It's closer than the compound, and it has suitable... facilities.

I looked at Lorcan. I won't let you hurt him.

I figured that out after you threw yourself in front of my blade. His hand drifted to my hair. I felt his long fingers stroke my temple. Beheading is one of the few ways to kill a vampire.

I know.

You are either brave or foolish.

Probably both. I felt unnerved by Lorcan's gentleness. It was like being touched by velvet wrapped around a sword pointone slip of the velvet, and I'd be cut by the sword. I stepped away from him. How was I supposed to react to his touch, to the look in his eyes? I had no doubt he was still angry with me. I was angry with myself. I'd used up my allotment of dumb decisions in my lifetime; I shouldn't have tried to rescue Lucifer without help.

I'm sorry, I said.

He blinked at me. What?

Do you only recognize an apology when it comes from your own lips? I smiled to soften the reprimand. I endangered myself by coming out here alone. I'm grateful you showed up and prevented me from doing something really stupid. I swallowed hard, filled up by emotions I couldn't name. Thank you.

He stared at me, his silver eyes mercurial. You are welcome,a stirn .

I looked at Faustus.We're going to help you. Get up, okay ? The lycan got to his feet, then grasped my hand lightly with his large, furry one, as if he realized his strength might hurt me. Of course, he couldn't really hurt mea vampire healed quickly of most injuries.

Expectant, we both turned to Lorcan.

We'll walk, he said. He strode around us and we followed. Vamp vision allowed me to see him clearly and I must admit I admired his backside. My heart hitched as I thought about what Lorcan must look like without his clothes. Although I'd seen his yummy chest, I couldn't help but think about the rest of him. Then I felt so guilty about picturing a four-thousand-year-old monk naked that I redirected my thoughts to all the tasks that awaited me in the library. But then my eyes coasted down Lorcan's well-defined back and his... oh, my. Black really accentuated hisno, no.Bad Eva .

As we left the woods and headed across the cemetery, I asked Lorcan if I could use his cell phone. I called Tamara, but she didn't answer either her cell or the library's phone, so I figured she was in the shower or listening to her music at eardrum-busting levels. I left two voice mails and returned the slim electronic device to Lor.

What the fuck is going on? asked Jessica. She glanced around the living room, which was roughly the size of Manhattan, and blew out a breath. Whew. She's not skulking around. Stupid Cussing Jar! Jen's made a mint off me this week.