All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire(88)

 

Ian gave Toni a questioning glance.

 

She shrugged. "Teddy, do you know what you're doing?"

 

"I'm not stupid," he grumbled. "I was head of the math department at St. Bartholomew's Academy."

 

"Ye're a teacher?" Ian asked.

 

"Yes." Teddy eyed them warily. "Does that mean I'm not cool enough to hang out with superheroes?"

 

"Actually, I think ye're exactly what we need." Ian motioned for him to follow. "Come."

 

"Cool." Teddy followed him into the hall. "Are we beaming up to the mother ship?"

 

Toni peeked out the door and saw them teleport away. Beam me up, Scotty. She wondered why Ian was interested in Teddy's teaching background. And while Teddy certainly had good credentials, he seemed a little shaky on reality. She didn't want to find fault with him, though, not when he'd saved her from the perverted nurse.

 

Bradley had fallen across the bed sideways. She tugged at his body to align him better with the bed.

 

She noted Bri's belongings on the open shelves. Two sets of clothes and another set of pajamas. She slipped on Bri's jacket, then spotted some underwear on the shelf.

 

She glanced at Bradley, and inspiration struck. She grabbed a pair of Bri's panties, then stuffed them into Bradley's hand. Then she took one of Bri's bras and fastened it around his head like a cap. Let him try to explain that in the morning.

 

Ian zipped into the room. "I think Teddy's a bit disappointed to be sitting in a car instead of a spaceship." He eyed the nurse. "That's interesting."

 

"I like it." Toni gathered up the rest of Bri's belongings. "Shall we go?"

 

Ian smiled. "There's never a dull moment with you, Toni." He teleported her to the parking lot.

 

Toni opened the Jaguar's passenger door and peered inside. Teddy was squashed into the tiny backseat with Sabrina. She leaned against him, her eyes droopy with medication.

 

"Bri, Carlos is going to take you to a hotel where you can rest," Toni told her.

 

Bri blinked at her. "I thought I was in bed. How did I get here?"

 

"You'll be fine," Toni insisted. "You just need some rest. I'll come see you tomorrow."

 

"No." Bri struggled to sit up. "Don't leave me." Her face crumpled. "I think I'm going crazy. I don't know how I got here."

 

Toni winced. "All right. I'll come with you. Just a minute."

 

"We have to hurry, menina," Carlos warned her.

 

Ian touched her shoulder. "It's all right. Go with yer friend. Ye can call me later, and I'll teleport over to bring you home."

 

She threw her arms around him and kissed him. "How can I ever thank you?"

 

His mouth twitched. "I'll think of something. I'll see you later." He stepped back and vanished.

 

Toni climbed into the Jaguar. "Let's go."

 

"Were you kissing that man, Toni?" Sabrina asked.

 

"Sure she was," Teddy replied. "The superheroes always get the girl."

 

Jedrek sat at his desk, studying the photo of Roman Draganesti and his family. How could a man be so smart and stupid at the same time? His Stay-Awake drug was fantastic. But the idiot had used the drug so he could babysit? If the moron had any sense at all, he would give the drug to his Highlander thugs, and they would spend the daytime killing their enemies who rested helplessly in their death-sleep.

 

It could happen. Jedrek had ordered twice as many daytime guards. But as tough as the Russian mafia guys were, he didn't like depending on them for safety.

 

What he needed was that damned drug. Then he could spend a few days killing Vamps. He thumbed through the stack of photos, relishing the thought of staking them all. MacKay and his wife. Buchanan. MacPhie.

 

"Master?" Yuri entered the office, followed by Stanislav. "You wanted to see us?"

 

"We need to plan our next move," Jedrek announced.

 

"They're having their Christmas Ball tomorrow night at Romatech," Stanislav suggested.

 

Jedrek shook his head. "Too predictable." His hand paused on the photo of the black Vamp. "Remember this one?"

 

"Yes," Stanislav answered. "Phineas, the traitor."

 

Jedrek arched a brow. "You haven't killed him yet?"

 

Stanislav gulped. "I will, Master."

 

"See that you do." Jedrek resumed flipping though the photos. He stopped on the mortal girl with blonde hair. He'd seen her last night after the bombs had gone off. She'd run across the parking lot, screaming MacPhie's name. The ground had been littered with wounded men, but she'd gone straight to MacPhie.