All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire(105)

 

She took the elevator to the first floor, then strode down the hall. What kind of bear was he, anyway? A friendly little brown Boo Boo Bear or a huge grizzly? An image flitted through her mind of Howard turning bright yellow and fluffy with a sunburst on his tummy. She snorted. Well, why not? If vampires could be real, so could Care Bears.

 

She passed some mortal employees going about their daily work. As far as they knew, they were making synthetic blood for hospitals. They were, actually. They had no idea that the night shift consisted of Vamps who were making Chocolood, Blood Lite, Bubbly Blood, Blissky, and Bleer.

 

Night and day. Two different worlds. Could she possibly live in both?

 

She passed by Constantine's closed nursery. She missed the little guy. As she walked past Shanna's dental office, she noted the sign on the door. On vacation, will return soon. Shanna, who managed to exist in both worlds, still had major problems keeping herself and her family safe.

 

Toni entered the MacKay security office. "Hi, Howard." Don't think of him as a bear. "Sorry, I'm late."

 

"No problem. You haven't missed anything." Howard sat behind the desk, looking like his usual cheerful self. "Not much going on today."

 

Not a grizzly, Toni thought. Far too friendly and easygoing. Maybe a pink Cheer Bear. She sat beside him just as he pushed the doughnut box her way.

 

"Thanks." Toni hesitated with her hand halfway in the box. There were plain doughnuts and bear claws. She quickly grabbed a plain one and scanned the monitors. She could see Sabrina still sleeping in the silver room. Phineas and Dougal were on the twin beds in the guardroom, while Ian lay dead as a doornail on the floor. Poor guy. Though he would hardly notice a hard floor.

 

"So I heard it got rough at the Horny Devils last night." Howard grabbed a bear claw from the box.

 

"Yeah, pretty grisly." She winced and crammed the doughnut in her mouth to keep from talking.

 

"Like a virgin," a female voice sang.

 

Toni sat up and looked around.

 

Howard chuckled. "Your pants are singing."

 

Toni jumped up and pulled the phone from her pocket. She opened it, cutting off Madonna's claim that she'd been touched for the very first time. Carlos's idea of a joke, no doubt. He could laugh all the way to hell. "Hello?"

 

"Menina, how are you?"

 

"Carlos." Toni walked across the office. "I swear I will have you declawed."

 

He laughed. "I see you like your new ringtone. How is Sabrina?"

 

"She's still asleep." Toni glanced at the monitor.

 

"Are you able to talk freely?"

 

"Sure. I'm in the security office with Howard Bear—uh, Barr." She winced.

 

Howard chuckled and grabbed another bear claw.

 

"Menina, the police were just here in the apartment building, looking for you and Bri. They knocked on all the neighbors' doors to ask about you."

 

Toni swallowed hard. "So they think I'm involved in her disappearance?"

 

"They suspect you. They questioned me, too, and asked to see my apartment."

 

"Good grief, what about Teddy?"

 

"Don't worry. I sent him out this morning with some money and instructions to buy new clothes and a new hairstyle. We're supposed to meet in Washington Square at three."

 

"He's fine, then?" Toni had worried that Teddy wasn't quite ready for the real world.

 

"He's very happy. The police are looking for him, too. They had photos of him and Bri. I gather the hospital takes pictures of all the patients when they're admitted. I acted very shocked and concerned, of course, about Bri's disappearance."

 

"Good." Toni could just imagine Carlos putting on a convincing show for the police.

 

"They think Teddy and Sabrina might have developed a romantic relationship and escaped together."

 

"Did they say anything about the nurse, Bradley?" Toni asked.

 

"No, I suspect the hospital wants to keep that little problem a secret."

 

Toni checked the monitor again. Bri was still asleep. "I asked her about her purse. She thinks it's still at her uncle's house."

 

"Hmm." Carlos paused. "I could drive over there and see if the maid would give it to me."

 

"But we would still have the problem of her uncle Joe wanting her back in the psych ward."

 

"And problems with the police," Carlos added. "I'll bring Teddy this afternoon, and we'll discuss strategy."

 

"Okay, sounds good."

 

"I–I hope Bri can get over her fear of me," Carlos said sadly.