Bones knocked on the grimy door in front of him and a petite blonde opened it, eyeing him. She smiled warmly, then called "Cheyney, customer," as she took his arm and led him inside.
Cheyney ascended a staircase. "Hello, Sir. What is your pleasure?" His eyes raked Bones. "Needing something special?" His tone was too knowing.
Bones drew a long, deep breath. Vampire. Oh, Cheyney wasn't a vampire but he had the scent on him. Been drinking vampire blood, Bones thought. Complicates things a bit.
"I'm told you have a certain someone who is very special…" Bones replied, fastening on a sinful smile.
"Oh? A referral. Ésmee is, in fact, just what you are looking for. Tell me, though, who sent you to us?"
Bones' eyes glowed. "Ancille." And he punched Cheyney so hard he heard several bones break.
The blonde screamed, but Bones caught her before she could run away. "What's your name?"
"Liliane," she whispered, eyes darting between Bones and Cheyney.
"It's all right, I won't hurt you. Ancille sent me. She's going to be here in a bit to talk to you."
Footsteps on the stairs brought his head up. A tall redhead with an off the shoulder gown watched him cooly. "Vampire," she said, voice as cool as her stare.
"Ésmee?"
That earned him a quirked brow.
"I'm a friend of Ancille and Élisabeth."
That cracked her control slightly. "Where is Élisabeth?"
"Sleeping in my bed."
That got both of Ésmee's brows up near her hairline.
"Were you aware of her condition?" Bones asked crisply.
"Not before today. I take it Ancille knew?"
"Yes. She knew me from a run in with some SS blokes a few months back and knows what vampire blood can do. She brought Élisabeth to me in hopes that I would prevent her miscarrying."
Ésmee's face was slightly incredulous. "And you did it? Why?!"
He gave her a hard stare. "Why do you ask?"
She smiled humorlessly. "Because vampires always want something."
"Because I could, and because she needed my help. I've offered Ancille and the rest of you a place in my home, as a live in donor. All your needs cared for in exchange for some of your blood. Ancille wishes to accept but she doesn't want to leave the rest of you, and especially not Élisabeth."
Ésmee tilted her head. "Interesting proposal, Vampire." She raked her eyes over him. "Only our blood?"
Bones regarded her steadily. "I will not rape or coerce you into sex. But…" he inclined his head. "If there was mutual willingness….."
"What's your name?"
"Bones."
Her eyes widened and he was suddenly wary. She looked like she recognized that name, but he couldn't remember seeing her before.
"Your sire is Ian," she said, watching him. "I was once part of the entertainment at a gathering he hosted. You were there, but Ian himself chose me." She lifted her brows again. "You chose none of the paid entertainment."
"No, I was with my dear friend that night, Annette," he said, remembering the gathering she must mean. Oh, Ian had plenty of them, but he hadn't attended very many and only one in Paris. Then he looked at her more closely. "That soiree was fifty years ago if it was a day."
Her lips curved up knowingly. "Indeed." She blinked lazily, gazing through her lashes. "I wonder how I am still so beautiful at age 76."
"So that's why you get the vamp clients. They pay you in blood and you share it with Cheyney."
Ésmee shrugged daintily.
Bones sighed. He needed to get home to check on Élisabeth. "Are you interested in my proposal or not?"
She tilted her head, considering, then surprised him with her next question. "Does Ian need any donors?".
