All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire(78)

 

"And I refuse to let the Malcontents destroy our Christmas," Shanna argued. "If we cancel, it'll look like we're scared of them."

 

Connor hesitated. "They could still try to infiltrate the party. And they would target Roman for capture because he knows how to make that damned drug."

 

"It's a costume ball," Shanna said. "They would have trouble recognizing him." Her face lit up. "I know! We have a hundred Santa Claus costumes. All the men can wear the same costume. It'll totally confuse them."

 

Roman grinned. "I like it."

 

A hundred Santa Claus costumes? Toni wondered. Why would a bunch of Vamps have Santa costumes? Was it somehow related to what Ian had called the secret Santa thing?

 

Connor nodded slowly. "'Tis crazy enough it might just work. But we're still leaving tonight. We'll come back for the ball on Tuesday."

 

"Agreed." Roman was halfway back to the operating room when Dougal opened the waiting room door.

 

"Roman, the police are here."

 

"Howard will handle it," Connor said. "Where is he?"

 

"Laszlo was bandaging his leg." Roman peered inside the operating room. "Howard, are you done? The police are here."

 

"I'm on it." Howard limped across the waiting room to join Dougal in the hallway.

 

Roman's gaze wandered over the Vamps in the waiting room. "Phineas, you're next." He strode into the operating room with Phineas following him.

 

"Come on, Connor. I'll look at your cuts." Shanna ushered the Scotsman to the operating room.

 

"Ye're a dentist, no' a doctor," Connor grumbled.

 

"If I can pull teeth, I can pull the glass out of your face." She shoved him inside and glanced back. "You're next, Ian."

 

Toni winced. "That's going to be fun."

 

Radinka left the operating room, smiling. "Gregori's going to be just fine. Here, let me take the little one and put him to bed." She took the sleeping Constantine in her arms and left the room.

 

"Ye should get some sleep, too," Ian told Toni. "Ye've had a rough day."

 

"It wasn't all bad." Her gaze wandered to his mouth. Between the terrible hospital visit and the awful explosion in the parking lot, there had been a glorious kiss.

 

Hopefully, Ian would know what she was referring to, since she didn't dare mention it in a room full of Vamps with super-powered hearing.

 

He stepped closer. "Ye doona regret it? Ye called the first one a mistake."

 

"I was confused. I'm still confused." She shook her head. "I don't know what to make of all this. And I still need to talk to you. It's really important."

 

"Ye're ready to spill yer secrets?"

 

"After they take care of your cuts."

 

"I'm fine." He glanced around the room. "No' here. Come on."

 

He led her from the room.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 17

 

 

 

 

Ian strode down the hallway. "Ladies' or gents'?"

 

"Excuse me?" Toni asked.

 

"Which restroom do ye prefer? I want to wash up a bit."

 

"Oh. Ladies', I guess. If you don't mind."

 

He smiled. "As long as it's empty." He pushed open the door to the ladies' restroom. "Hello?"

 

Toni followed him inside and looked under the stalls.

 

"Romatech is fairly empty on Sunday night. Just a few people who come to Mass." He turned on a water faucet and washed his hands in the sink.

 

She stood behind him. "You're not in the mirror. I can see myself like you're not even there. It's so creepy."

 

"Thank you." He cupped water in his hands and splashed it on his face. Blood swirled around the sink. "Now tell me yer secrets." He yanked paper towels from the dispenser and pressed them to his face.

 

"Careful," she warned him. "You don't want to push any glass further in."

 

"Obviously I canna see what I'm doing." He tossed the towels in the trash.

 

"Here, let me." She dampened some paper towels and folded them into a pad. Then she gingerly patted his brow.

 

"Yer secrets?"

 

"All right." She plucked a shard of glass from his hair and tossed it in the trash. "After my grandmother died when I was thirteen, I was shipped off to a boarding school in Charleston. I was miserable until I met Sabrina."

 

"Yer roommate?"

 

"Yes. She came to school after both her parents died in a small plane crash. She'd been an only child, so she was really alone. At first I just thought it was cool that there was someone there who was more miserable than me. But then I got to know her, and we became best friends. More like sisters, really."