The Accidental Vampire(98)

Elvi. "Why the hell didn't you tell me what was going on? I'm the police captain here.

You should have told me."

"She should have stayed in bed where she was safe," Victor snapped as Mike rejoined

them.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Victor, Ellen," Edward said, emphasizing the name.

"You have a dreadful tendency to get yourself into trouble. I really think the best place

for you is indoors until we men solve this matter."

"There is no we" Brunswick said coldly. "I'm the cop. This is my town. You're just

visitors here. I'll solve it… Now that I know it's happening," he added with another

glare at Elvi.

"If you'd at least told me what was happening, Elvi, I could have kept an eye out for

anyone skulking around," Mike added.

Elvi peered at the angry male faces surrounding her for a moment and then stood up

and pushed her way through them, muttering, "I have some pies in the oven I need to

check on."

"Well done, gentlemen," Harper murmured as they watched her make her way into

the house, her posture defeated. "Attacking the victim is always very effective."

Victor glanced at the German sharply, and then let his head drop back to the ground

with a sigh as he realized that was exactly what he'd done. Worse yet, he hadn't just

attacked her, he'd blamed her. He hadn't meant to, but the whole thing had terrified

the hell out of him. When he'd realized that Elvi was trapped in the burning shed it had

been Marion all over again. Victor hadn't been there to witness his first wife's death,

but he'd heard about it and had nightmares ever since. He couldn't lose Elvi to fire too.

He couldn't lose her at all. She had become the most important thing in his life. He

wouldn't lose her now.

"Well, hell!" Brunswick ran an agitated hand through his thinning hair. "I suppose we

owe her an apology."

"I'd say so," Harper agreed.

"Well, come on then, Argeneau," he said, turning away. "We may as well get it over

with before she gets herself upset enough to start crying or some other female thing. I

hate a crying woman. Elvi isn't usually like that, but she's been through a lot lately

and…" Brunswick paused and turned back as he realized no one had followed him.

Victor still lay on the ground and the rest of the men were staring at him silently.

"What is it? Can't you get up?" Brunswick returned to join the circle of men.

"Not at the moment, no," Victor admitted calmly.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" He dropped to his haunches at his side. "Where are you

hurt? Let me have a look."

"I don't think so," Victor said dryly.

"I think the birdbath, she landed on his…"Alessandro glanced to Harper and Edward for

help. "How you say? Bowls?"

"The birdbath landed on his groin," Edward said with exasperation.

"Oh." Brunswick pulled back, obviously no more willing to look at the wound than

Victor was to have him look.

" Si." Alessandro nodded. "I hear something pop when she hit. I think he be very sorely

hurt."

"Thank you, Alessandro," Victor said dryly.

"What do we do?" Mike Knight asked.

"We wait," Harper said with a shrug. "It will heal itself. It just takes time. He probably

won't feel much like moving until it does, though."

"And he'll need to feed," Edward murmured.

"It's a good thing I brought more blood, then," Brunswick commented.

The immortals merely exchanged glances and then turned to peer toward the firemen.

They had finished spraying down the shed and were now putting away their

equipment.

"Mike," Harper said suddenly. "I think you should take Teddy over to examine the shed

for evidence."

Mike glanced at him with surprise. "I… Yes," he said suddenly, his face going slack.

Turning he walked to the shed and stood facing it. When Harper then turned his gaze

on Brunswick, the police captain followed. The two men stood silent and still, staring at

the burnt shed in silence.

"I shall fetch your dinner," Edward said, turning to head for the firemen.

"I'll help." Alessandro hurried after him.

"Thanks," Victor breathed, closing his eyes.

Elvi scowled out her sunroom window at the men still congregated in her backyard.

She'd come inside, switched the cooked pies in the oven for three uncooked ones,

then come upstairs to shower. A glance out the bathroom window while she waited

for the water temperature to warm up had shown Teddy and Mike standing staring at

the shed while the rest of the men, including the firemen, stood in a circle around