Christmas Consort

Gun Shot Vampire

When Silas came back up with the tea, Kylie was standing with a very large pistol pointed at the door. One eyebrow went up quickly, one hand slowly.

"I was thinking if I threatened to shoot you maybe you could let me go?"

"Kylie, that gun will hurt me. If you pump me full of lead my insides will be torn up. The pain would be considerable, but the biggest issue would be the loosening of my self-control. I would need blood. I could become like Lara was after the car accident."

"Fat chance of that." Kylie couldn't believe it of him. Didn't want to. She lowered her weapon and sat on the bed holding it, staring at it.

He brought her tea in and set it on the night stand. Then he backed away to a chair by the shutters.

"I am sorry Lara hurt you. And I am sorry I can't let you go. Not yet."

She continued to stare at the gun. "So it would hurt? Tear you up just like anybody else?"

"Not as badly as a human. We are tougher than that. But we do feel pain and healing requires blood."

Kylie covered her face with her hands and began crying. Her shoulder shook and her whole body contracted around her sobs.

Silas sat dumbfounded for several beats. Then he moved slowly over, placed a hand on her back and sat down beside her. She curled into him and cried, and sobbed, and moaned. He had no idea what to say, so he simply held her till she pushed him away.

She sniffled and wiped at her face. "Your shirt is a mess."

She was right. Crying was a much messier affair the way she did it. "Well, I'll buy a new one," he said.

Kylie laughed, sniffed, laughed and began crying again. Quiet fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "It's not like I blasted a whole in it. You could wash it."

He inspected the salty water and goo on his shirt. "This will launder?"

She nodded and he said, "Well, I'll try that first then."

Kylie was so hungry and tired. She knew she wasn't thinking straight. She poked at his torso with one finger.

"Here and here. That's where I shot the Man in Black."

"You shot Jackson Ridley?"

She nodded. "With that .44. Do you have any idea how big a hole that thing leaves? And I think--I think he was trying to save me from the Mayo Man. And I shot him, twice. Here and here."

"What's a Mayo Man?"

"Who gets up from something like that? And now you tell me that I hurt him. I hurt him bad, and he walked away. He didn't come for blood. Although he probably should have. I deserved it. Everything just happened so fast."

Her face contorted strangely and another long sob accompanied more tears. Silas took her lightly by the shoulders.

"Kylie. Jackson Ridley is incredibly strong. He doesn't feed on humans at all and vampires rarely. And what he does is protect people from killers, Wild Ones usually. If Jackson came to your defense when this Mayo person came after you, then Mr. Mayo is a cold-blooded killer and you needed back up. And Jackson is fine. He came by here about six months ago. Right as rain. I promise."

She blinked at him, eyes full of hope. "You're sure?"

"Yes. In fact he'll probably be back around Christmas."

She was nodding her head and breathing normally again. "You could call him. I could tell him how sorry I am and thank him for saving me. How far away does he live?"

"I don't know where he lives and if he's ever had a phone he doesn't give out the number. If you really want to talk to him, sticking around here is your best option."

"Thank you."

"You are very welcome. Now, can I bring you some rice creepy cereal or a hot soup alphabet with vegetables?"

"The soup sounds delicious, but I think I'd like to take a bath first."

He practically leapt off the bed. "Of course. I've got the bathing items you requested. Let me grab those articles. I will return directly. Then you can see to your toilet and I'll go heat the soup. The only shop open had everything on your list so I got it all and it's in the kitchen. The bath is here across the hall. Would you like me to draw the water?"

Shaking her head, she came to the door and leaned on the frame watching him down the hall.

"Silas?"

He turned. She said, "You don't have to wait on me."

"Well, certainly not in the toilet." He was indignant, his chin dimple bobbed.

Soaking in the claw-footed tub up to her neck, Kylie kept smiling over the things Silas said. Rice Creepy Cereal had potential for Halloween marketing.