A Dream Forbidden (Lillith Mercury ) Page 16

  "I don't really want to wear this," I said, slipping off the oversized pajama top I'd put on. "I was just being polite."

  "No need for pretense here, love," he said softly.

  While I slid between the red silk sheets Bade turned out the light. It was then I noticed the candle he had burning beside the bed.

  "Do you want me to put it out?" he asked.

  "No, I like it. It smells familiar." I took a deep breath. "It smells like you."

  "I burn this scent in my apartment," he said with a smile. "It's called cedar and oak moss."

  "I like it." I sighed as I rested my head against Bade's chest. "Bade?"

  "Yes, love."

  "Will you tell me a bedtime story?"

  "Does Dracula always read to you?" he asked as he took a book of fairytales from the bedside table.

  "Most of the time."

  "You miss him don't you?" When I didn't answer he said, "There's no shame in that, love. I'm not judging you."

  I curled up to Bade, tightly pressing the front of my body against his side. He put one arm around me and opened the book over his chest so that I could read along. I fell asleep halfway through Beauty and the Beast.

  * * * *

  I awoke early the next morning still tightly pressed against Bade's side; however, someone else was against my back. Marco's arm was stretched across me and his hand touched Bade's thigh. Neither of them seemed to notice or care. I wiggled slightly and found that Marco was also completely naked. Despite how this sounds I wasn't aroused. I was spent, emotionally, physically, and psychically. The last few weeks had really taken a toll on me.

  I knew that werewolves recovered more quickly from physical injuries if they slept next to other werewolves. But I had no idea that you could recover mentally too until I lay there a moment and paid attention to how much better I felt touching the both of them. It felt almost like being hypnotized or taking a sleeping pill. It was that wonderful feeling between sleep and wakefulness when you haven't had time to remember everything you're supposed to worry about.

  I stretched and yawned as Bade rolled toward the window. I snuggled up against his back and Marco wrapped his arm more tightly around my waist. I had missed being near him so much. But in that moment I didn't worry about it. As long as Marco touched me all was right with the world.

  * * * *

  We were awakened a few hours later by Johnny.

  "Holy shit," he said from the door.

  Bade and I both jumped but Marco didn't even move as he asked, "What do you want Johnny?"

  "Well, I came to see if Lilith wanted breakfast, but I think I'd rather get in the middle."

  Marco and I normally slept without the sheet and I was very glad that I'd managed to tangle myself in the covers the night before. It wasn't like Johnny had never seen me naked before, but he'd never caught me in bed with two naked men.

  "We'll be down in a few minutes," Marco said, still not bothering to move.

  "You sure I couldn't just …"

  "No, Johnny. We'll be down later," Marco growled.

  "You just don't want to share," he taunted.

  "We're not having a three-way Johnny, and we're certainly not having a four-way, now go away," Marco replied irritably.

  "Well, if you're not then what the hell are you doing?"

  "It's a werewolf thing," Bade rumbled as he put a pillow over his head, "you wouldn't understand."

  "You should put that on a t-shirt," Johnny suggested.

  He had already closed the door by the time Bade threw a pillow at him.

  ?

  Chapter Twenty

  Once Johnny had gone back downstairs Bade yawned and said, "I'm not really hungry."

  "Me neither," I said, snuggling back up to his side.

  "Well, fuck me," Marco growled and Bade and I laughed. "I am hungry after he had to mention breakfast."

  "Shut up," Bade snapped. "I'm trying to ignore my stomach."

  But about that time it growled and he said, "Shit, I might as well get up."

  Bade pulled on a pair of jeans and went downstairs while Marco went to the bathroom. By the time he came back out I was already dressed. It hadn't been awkward with Bade in the room, but now that we were alone silence hung between us. I didn't want things to be weird after the time I'd spent with Dracula, especially since it was all his idea. Marco was right, I had been safe.

  "I haven't been having sex with Dracula," I said softly, "or Bade."

  "I never thought you had."

  As usual, the kindness in Marco's eyes broke my heart. He was always pleasant to look at, but his eyes added a warmth to his appearance. At least that's what happened every time he looked at me. Even if he'd never voiced his feelings, I knew Marco loved me every time he looked at me. It was plain to see, and I couldn't believe how many years it had taken me to notice. But I saw it now and I was afraid of losing it.

  "When you decide to proceed with what we talked about, I'll understand," he said, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I'm not saying I like the idea, because I don't. But I couldn't live with his suffering or his death on my conscience." My vision blurred with tears as he said softly, "He needs you more than I do right now, Red. And that's saying a lot."

  I couldn't speak. I looked up and the expression on his face cut me to the bone.

  "I do not share you lightly," he whispered fiercely. "In fact, I don't even share you willingly."

  "What are you saying, Marco? When I go through with this … will I see you?"

  I could barely bring myself to ask the question. The thought of not seeing Marco again was too terrible to even speak.

  "You'll never be rid of me, Red. But I doubt you'll ever be rid of Dracula either."

  "Then what will become of us?"

  "I don't know, but I'm not abandoning you."

  Marco kissed me then and everything he felt was in that kiss. I fell into his arms as I wrapped myself around him. I needed to be near him. Marco had become an essential part of my life. A minute without him was like a minute without air. I didn't know how I would handle being without him if that's what it came down to.

  After we left the bedroom there was no longer any awkwardness between Marco and I, which made me feel better. When we finally went downstairs Johnny and Bade were still cooking breakfast and Alek was making some tea. Marco spent most of the day with me and sent Bade along for rehearsal that night.

  As soon as I arrived my eyes sought Dracula on the stage. I wasn't even aware that Bade was with me as I approached the vampire like a moth to a flame. The more I was near him, the more I wanted to be. I couldn't live without Marco, but part of me wanted nothing more than to stay with Dracula in his castle. Marco made the rest of my life seem short when I thought of being able to spend it with him. But Dracula was beginning to make forever seem like not enough time.

  "They've finished the rest of our costumes," Luther told me as I walked behind the stage and followed him to my dressing room.

  "Good, I was tired of not having the right dress for the right scene."

  "Not to mention we have our first performance in less than three weeks."

  When Luther pointed this out my heart fluttered. In two and a half weeks we would do this in front of an audience. I hadn't played Christine in so long. Even though rehearsals had gone well, part of me wondered if I was too old for the part. After all, Christine is supposed to be in her teens and I was twenty six. But given my heritage, I could easily have passed for eighteen with no makeup. Then again, why was I worried? The Phantom was supposed to be middle-aged and Dracula was over two thousand years old.

  Luther was already dressed in his ruffled white shirt and tight black pants. He began to put on a form fitting blue jacket while one of the ballerinas tightened my corset.

  "Should you be in here?" she said, sneering at him.

  "Give me that." He pushed her aside and finished tightening my corset himself.

  "Stupid little bitch," he mumbled as she left my dressing room
. "I'm sick to death of all these little prima donna ballerinas. The show does not revolve around them."

  As I turned to face him Luther said with a smile, "It revolves around me."

  "I thought it revolved around me," I said haughtily.

  "Actually, it revolves around me," Dracula said as he came through door, dramatically unfurling his cape as he bowed to me. "I am The Phantom after all."

  He bent to kiss my hand and Luther growled, "Show off."

  "One shows what one has," Dracula teased.

  "Talent," I said then blushed at my words.

  Dracula obviously had talent when it came to his seductive ways; I just never intended to say it out loud.

  "You are of course referring to my considerable acting skills," he commented smoothly.

  "Of course." I could feel myself blushing deeper.

  Luther rolled his eyes. "Well, at least he's more tolerable than the ballerinas."

  Luther and I had been sharing a dressing room ever since the theatre opened. Not because he didn't have one of his own, he just somehow always ended up in mine. But like I'd said before, I didn't like to change clothes in front of Luther. I think it's because I could still remember him as human and Bade had always been an animal to me. Maybe I was just a little bit afraid of breaking Luther's heart too. There was a changing screen in my dressing room where I went if I had to get naked. Other than that I was alright with being scantily clad.

  "Just so you remember," Luther teased, "she ends up with me."

  "But it was a hard decision," Dracula purred as he put his hand on my waist and led me into the hall.

  He and Luther were having entirely too much fun playing opposites in this production. They teased each other relentlessly, but at least it was entertaining. Once again Dracula did not remove his mask during rehearsal. As I sat on the steps, still wearing the white gown from the last scene, I closed my eyes and remembered how he used to be. I saw his face in the candlelight the night we'd spent together. I had only known him for two days at the time, but I'd felt his presence in my mind for a lifetime. Touching him came easily, because I already felt I knew him. Every part of him was a new and yet familiar discovery.

  While I cherished this memory Luther came running back from behind the stage.

  "Lilith, come quick."

  "Why, what is it?"

  "Just come," he said breathlessly. "And where's Dracula?"

  We were just taking five between scenes and Dracula was talking to Alek in their shared office. I went to get him before we both met Luther in his dressing room. There we found the willowy vampire ballerina who'd given Dracula the once-over a few weeks ago. I remembered her vividly as the one who wanted to know if he was the "real Dracula."

  "Luther, I know you hate the ballerinas, but isn't this a bit much?" I asked.

  She was bound to a chair with silver chains and she looked near tears.

  "You don't understand," he said quickly. "I caught her talking on this."

  He handed me her cell phone and I obviously failed to see the significance.

  "I followed her back here because she smelled familiar," he said, still talking fast. "I just couldn't place where I'd picked up that scent before. Then it hit me. The night we were in an accident trying to get to you." He paused before saying more calmly, "The night Mary was killed. I stepped out of the cab to get a breath of air and I caught that scent. And just now I heard her calling someone Khan."

  Well, that was a horse of a different color.

  "Is this true?" Dracula asked, his voice soft and deadly.

  When she didn't answer I backhanded her, knocking the chair and the ballerina to the floor. I really hadn't liked the way she looked at Dracula and enjoyed hitting her more than I should have.

  "He asked you a question, bitch. Do you or do you not know the vampire Khan?"

  She spit on my shoe and I nearly went blind with rage. It wasn't that I was so fond of the shoes. It was the fact that I'd tolerated her presence while she made eyes with Dracula for months now. Every rehearsal, always batting her eyelashes at him, and all the while she was helping to plot his murder. Not that he'd returned her affection, but it still made me angry.

  I took off the shoe and rubbed it in her face. She struggled, but the silver chains kept her bound. Vampires, who were all descended from Dracula, had an extreme allergy to silver, though not as bad as werewolves. They wouldn't die from a silver bullet, but it would really make for a shitty day. He was the only vampire who could touch silver. My guess was he'd developed a weakness from carrying it with him so long. It was a cat o'nine tails with silver tips that had left the scars across his back. He could touch the metal without pain, but a silver weapon would still leave a scar.

  I had an idea, and it wasn't pleasant.

  "Luther, go get some plastic, enough to cover the bathroom floor," I said darkly.

  Luther had a bathroom attached to his dressing room which was where I intended to put the ballerina. His dressing room adjoined mine through the other side. I crossed our shared bathroom and locked my dressing room from the inside. Dracula went out to tell Alek to have the dancers finish rehearsal without us.

  "What are you going to do?" the ballerina asked me.

  She was still tipped over on the floor.

  "Why?" I asked as I began to remove my dress.

  She didn't respond. She only watched as I stripped down to my white corset and stockings. I moved the lovely white gown to my dressing room and when I returned Dracula and Luther were back.

  "What do you plan to do?" Luther asked, taking in my appearance with a glance.

  But Dracula seemed to know what I planned, and the look on his face said that he approved.

  "Put the plastic on the bathroom floor, make sure the shower is closed, and anything covered that might stain," I said matter-of-factly.

  I had never tortured anyone before. I wasn't even sure I was capable of it. Alfred had always handled that sort of thing, but Alfred wasn't here anymore and this woman had had something to do with Mary's death and a plot to kill Dracula. If I was going to start, now was the time.

  Even if this wasn't the norm for me, she didn't know it and I doubted Luther or Dracula would give me away. I was at the very least a good actress and determined to scare her into telling me what I needed to know.

  "Move her into the bathroom please," I said to Dracula.

  She hissed and snapped at him as he lifted her, chair and all, and sat her in the middle of the plastic covered floor. There was a neat little table with a vase of flowers beside the shower. I removed the vase and sat the table closer to her.

  I walked back into Luther's dressing room and returned with a drawer I'd pulled from his table. You'd be surprised what actors have lying around as props. I pulled out a large silver ring, a bowie knife, a lighter, and a cigar.

  "Do you believe in God?" I asked.

  "What's it to you?" she spat.

  I pulled a crucifix from the drawer and slapped it to her forehead before she finished speaking. The vampire shrieked as the holy object burned into her flesh.

  "I'll take that as a yes," I said, setting the cross on the table.

  "What the fuck do you want?" she hissed.

  "I want to know where Khan is and what part you played in Mary Jasper's murder."

  "Who's Mary Jasper?"

  "The young girl you got by mistake," I said coldly.

  The vampire didn't speak, but I saw recognition in her eyes.

  "I'll ask you one more time, where is Khan and what part did you play in Mary's murder?"

  Luther was turning pale, but I knew he was in this for the long run. Elijah was his friend too, and he'd known Mary. He would do what it took to punish all those responsible. He also liked Dracula, no matter how much they harassed each other, and he hadn't taken kindly to the idea of someone wanting to kill him. He liked the idea of them trying to kill me to hurt Dracula even less.

  ?

  Chapter Twenty One

  "I s
uggest you tell her," Luther said.

  "What are you going to do to me?" She laughed as if we were insects buzzing around her.

  I didn't know if I could follow through with the threat. But I took her hand and placed it on the table.

  I put the knife over her index finger as I said, "Where is Khan?"

  She laughed and I hit her across the face with the hilt of the knife. I couldn't bring myself to do what I had threatened.

  "What's the matter?" she taunted. "Lost your nerve werewolf hunter? You're not used to dealing with vampires are you?"

  She ranted on for a minute or so. Dracula and Luther remained very quiet. Luther stood behind me and Dracula watched from behind the ballerina. My pulse was racing so that I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.

  "What did you do to Mary?" I asked.

  For several minutes she didn't answer and I pressed the cross against her forearm. The vampire screamed and started cursing me in what sounded like French. After this she spit at me again and said, "You really want to know the things that were done to her?" Then she laughed sadistically. "Unfortunately, you killed the ones who could have given you a more graphic description. You see, they were directly involved. I just watched."

  May God forgive me, but that was all the provocation I needed. I chopped off her index finger as I roared, "What did you do to her!?"

  She screamed and cried so loudly that I began to worry if someone would hear us. I looked around nervously and Dracula assured me, "I told Alek not to turn off the music. We are far enough behind the stage that it should muffle the sound."

  With that out of the way I turned back to the ballerina.

  "Well?"

  "Bitch," she hissed. "If you think I'm telling you anything now you're fucking crazy. You're dead anyway, you're fucking dead!"

  No sooner had she said these words than I chopped off another finger.

  Her scream was a mixture of anger and pain as she said, "It doesn't matter what you do to me." Then she began to laugh maniacally. Her fangs were fully extended and it made her thin face look even more gaunt. "Khan will kill you for this."