“Thanks,” I said, “but I’ve gotta save room for the ham puffs.”
Bliss stared at me as I slid my glass over to Lucien.
He winked at me and drank.
CHAPTER 8
I cleared away the rest of the lamb, all of the puff pastries, and a good portion of the caviar. I’d never been huge on fish, much less their eggs, but it was there. And the crackers weren’t half-bad, either.
“Bet you never even heard of a saltine,” I said to Nina.
“I’ll drink to that,” she said, either half-soused or highly amused, probably both.
“Here, here,” I said, toasting her with the last of the caviar.
I had plenty to celebrate. Topping the list was the fact that I had not been eaten by a tiger tonight.
The vampires had lost interest by this time and were busy trying to one-up each other on who had endured the most annoying minions. Points were given for base groveling, years served, and most obnoxious way they died. And it seemed they always died.
Big surprise there.
Yet another reason why no self-respecting weregirl should bind herself to a guy like that.
I licked a bit of caviar off my fingers.
Of course I did notice Lucien hadn’t joined in on the minion talk. In fact, he looked a little green. Good for him. Using people was just plain wrong.
I nudged him. “You feeling okay?”
He nodded. “Slightly put off by the conversation.”
Lucien used a napkin to wipe his forehead and a trickle of perspiration glinted near his ear.
I’d never seen him sweat before. I’d never even seen him warm.
His chin dipped and he braced his hands on the edge of the table. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was struggling to remain upright.
I covered his hand with mine. “Cripes.” Something was definitely wrong. “You’re burning up.”
I flagged down the waiter. “Can we get him some water?”
He was abnormally pale.
Everyone at the table was watching now—except Bliss. She’d become quite interested in her gold bracelets.
Then it hit me with a sickening thud. “You drugged him, didn’t you?”
Her eyes locked with mine. “No.”
She’d answered too fast, and without a hint of surprise.
Bliss had been after me. I’d given my wine to Lucien right before he got sick.
I ran a finger along the inside of his glass and found traces of glitter. Slimprol.
Of all the ... Fury welled up inside me as I stalked toward the tiger. “Now would be a really good time to tell me what’s in Slimprol.”
She stood, her chair toppling over. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I resisted the urge to grab her by the braid and shake her. Barely.
“Get him into the car,” I said, refusing to turn my back on the tiger.
Vinny hoisted Lucien out of his chair.
“Is he okay?” Tia stammered, bobbing in her chair, clearly afraid to stand.
“No, Tia,” I bristled. “He’s not okay.”
But he would be. I’d see to it myself.
I snarled at Bliss and a blaze of triumph shot through me when she backed up a step.
She’d messed with the wrong werewife.
“I’m not through with you,” I said, as Francine led her away.
That’s it. Run, tiger.
It took all I had not to chase her.
Soon. Right now, I had to take care of my own.
Lucien was getting sleepier and sleepier. His head dipped and Vinny had to readjust his grip as he took on more of Lucien’s weight. I helped make way for them as they rounded the table.
Lucien’s breathing grew shallower with each breath. “I don’t understand,” he gasped as we led him out the door. “Alcohol doesn’t affect me.”
“You’ve been drugged,” I said, helping him navigate the front step, hoping he was aware enough to understand. “You have to stay awake.”
“Drugs don’t work on me,” he said, voice slurred.
I glanced back at Nina’s house. “This one does.”
We sped off in Vinny’s car, not even caring about breaking cover. Lucien lay across me in the backseat. He wasn’t moving. I smoothed his hair back, just to have something to fuss over.
This was bad. We had no idea how to reverse whatever Bliss had given him.
“Contact the Vampire Council,” I told Vinny. “See if they’ve learned anything about Slimprol.”
Lucien was dead weight as we pulled him out of the car. His skin was clammy, and his face had gone deathly pale.
“Drag harder,” Vinny said. He took Lucien’s head and shoulders while I took his feet. “He’s not helping us at all.”
“Stay with me.” I planted Lucien’s feet on the ground, then slipped underneath and helped lift him out. “You hear me?”
Tia came running up the driveway. She’d lost her shoes and had the wide-eyed look that told me she’d be no help to us.
“Go home, Tia.”
“But, Heather, I—”
“Not now.”
We could be fighting for Lucien’s life here. He was immortal, but he wasn’t un-kill-able and I still didn’t trust Bliss not to make a lethal move. She was desperate, vicious, and out for blood.
Vinny was thinking the same thing. “Lock the door,” he said when we’d made it inside.
I threw the dead bolt and the chain. Then I set the security alarm.
There was no way we could drag Lucien up the stairs. In fact, we made it as far as the couch in the living room.
“Easy does it,” Vinny said, out of breath as we laid Lucien on the white couch facing the fireplace.
“How could Bliss even think she’d get away with this?”
Vinny pulled out his cell phone. “I doubt she was thinking that far.” He hurried toward the kitchen. “Rodger? Get me Milosh.” He took the rest of the conversation in the garage.
Lucien struggled just to keep his eyes open. His pupils were fixed and dilated. His breathing had slowed as if he were asleep.
“Stay with me.” I ran my fingers through his short blond hair and touched my lips to his forehead. “Come on. You can do it.” I kissed his eyelids and his cheeks.
God, he had impossibly long eyelashes.
I was anxious. Terrified, really. It was as if a big hole had opened up in my chest, waiting to be filled, or crushed.
His eyes fluttered.
“That’s it,” I said. “You don’t want to miss this.”
I brushed a kiss over his lips, and then another. A tear splashed down on his cheek and I wiped it away, glad that no one saw.