But I have to try, she told herself, and held in her mind an image of Jimmy her Jimmy, not the poor creature she was about to see but the tough, swaggering, acerbic man she'd spent the past six years with. She wasn't about to give up on him, let him go under without a fight.

After driving through a neighborhood of sprawling mansions that combined Tudor, Greek revival, and anything else the builders chose to mash together in a nightmare to a.s.sault the senses, Meghann finally arrived at a fawn -colored Mediterranean-style mansion with a Spanish tiled red roof, which was quite tasteful in comparison to its gaudy neighbors.

Eclectic, Meghann thought, admiring the sprawling wings that jutted over the valley, bay windows, and iron trelled balconies of the cul-de-sac, towering over its neighbors on a high, lonely hill that was Lord Baldevar's new home. The only thing wrong with this breathtaking house was its owner.

Meghann sighed, well aware that her sudden aesthetic appreciation for Lord Baldevar's home was simply a way to avoid thinking about what awaited her inside. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Charles and linked her arm through his as they walked up the stone and travertine path toward the front door.

Head regally high, Meghann marched to the door and jabbed the bell with one long nail.

Within a few seconds, the door swung open and a tall mortal scowled down at her. "This is private property, kid. Get your a.s.s outta here oh, wait. Are you Meghann? s.h.i.t! I'm sorry. Um, I'm Vinny, Lord Baldevar's a.s.sistant. He told me you were coming by. Please come inside. I'm really sorry it's just you're uh well, not what I expected."

"It's all right," Meghann said graciously. She was sure few people wearing skull-and-crossbones bandanas and Marilyn Manson T-shirts had contact with Lord Baldevar. With a scowl, Meghann remembered the demure clothes the fiend used to force her into, making her the vampiric version of a Stepford Wife.

The mortal servant wasn't what Meghann had expected either. Not that his existence surprised her; she remembered from her time with Lord Baldevar that he required a round-the-clock familiar to keep an eye on his home during the day and dispose of bodies at night.

But the last servant, Trevor, had been a grim, silent man Meghann despised for the eyes that roamed over her body whenever his boss wasn't watching. Vinny, on the other hand, seemed quite respectful and eager to please.

Not bad looking either, Meghann thought. A puzzle though the patrician features and blond hair were at odds with the coa.r.s.e voice that boasted a strong Brooklyn accent.

Curious, Meghann scrutinized his face a bit more closely and saw she was right. Although they were invisible to mortal eyes, Meghann easily detected the lines of small, microscopic scars along his jaw and under his ears.

Plastic surgery to alter his features and dye to change his hair, Meghann thought, noticing the black roots at his scalp. There was a story behind this servant Stop avoiding Jimmy, a voice hissed, and Meghann sighed. First the house and now Vinny was she going to inspect Lord Baldevar's furniture next to avoid her lover?

"Did Lord Baldevar tell you why we're here?" Meghann asked and indicated Charles standing behind her.

"He didn't say you were bringing anyone but I guess it's okay," the servant replied uncertainly. "He told me you're here to see well, you know the freak."

"He's not a freak," Meghann said sharply. "He's simply sick and we're here to help him. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a lot of work to do. Come on, Charles."

"Uh, wait a second. Lord Baldevar left this for you said you were gonna need it."

The servant plainly cowered at the white-hot fury in Meghann's eyes as she stared at the fire ax he held outstretched toward her. "If you don't want it "

"Oh, no." Meghann s.n.a.t.c.hed it from him, liking the feel of the weapon in her hands. Not that she had any intention of using it on Jimmy. No, she was hoping that arrogant motherf.u.c.ker would put in an appearance so she could whack his head off like she should have done forty years ago.

What about the blood you need? Charles asked, knowing from the speculative look in her eyes what she planned to do with the ax.

Isn't Jimmy of my bloodline now? Meghann replied. I'll rescue him from this h.e.l.lhole and drink from him while I work on healing him. Not that she expected her evening's work to go so smoothly but the thought of decapitating Lord Baldevar was a pleasant fantasy that soothed away some of her anxiety.

Vinny relaxed at the soft smile on Meghann's face and gestured impatiently at Charles. "Are you coming in or not? I'm not holding the door open all night."

Meghann kept her expression calm, but she and Charles both felt on edge while he put one foot over the threshold.

But nothing happened no invisible force field barred him from entering Lord Baldevar's home.

In a way, Charles's easy entry disturbed Meghann more than being repulsed would. She knew this was Lord Baldevar's way of telling them he considered their combined forces so insignificant that he didn't need to bother barring the mansion to Charles because there was no way the young vampire could harm him.

"He's upstairs last room on the left," Vinny said and pointed to the marble staircase.

"We know." Meghann had known where to find Jimmy the minute she entered the house. Easily, she'd sensed the presence of another vampire even if the emanations were substantially different from any she'd ever felt before.

"Look," Vinny said, withering under her brusque tone. "I didn't mean anything before. It's just that he scares me. I'm sorry."

Meghann softened and gave the mortal a quick smile to show no offense had been taken. What had happened to Jimmy was not this man's fault.

"Call me if you need anything," Vinny told her, giving her a warm grin in return.

"He likes you," Charles remarked as they headed up the stairs.

"That could be a good thing," Meghann said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"He's Lord Baldevar's familiar has complete access to this house during the day. If he likes me, I'd offer him my body in a heartbeat if he'd agree to cut off his boss's head."

"It's a thought," Charles agreed. "Of course, he'd probably want money too but we can arrange that."

Meghann stopped before the closed cherry-wood door and tried to summon up the courage to turn the bra.s.s doork.n.o.b and face what Jimmy Delacroix had become.

Charles grasped her shoulders and Meghann turned to give him a weak smile.

She thought he looked as uncertain and nervous as she felt.

Do it, Meghann told herself and flung open the door. At first, it was an anticlimax because Meghann didn't even see Jimmy though she felt the desperately unhappy, unthinking presence nearby.

Indeed, Meghann was almost relieved by what she saw. She'd fully expected Lord Baldevar to have shackled Jimmy up in some dank, dark cell whatever modern-day version of a dungeon he could arrange.

But this room far exceeded her expectations. It was a small, padded room much like the kind found in any well -run mental inst.i.tution. Of course, it was thoroughly soundproofed so Lord Baldevar's neighbors wouldn't hear his insane fledgling howling the night away.

No bed or furniture, Meghann noted, but that didn't surprise her. In his current state, Jimmy would only tear them apart.

Where was he? Then Meghann's eyes fell on a white-haired creature hunched over in a corner of the room, by the boarded-up window.

"Jimmy?" she said softly and stepped into the room, Charles close behind her.

She got no response, and expected none. Jimmy's name meant nothing to him now but she was surprised he hadn't tried to attack. Then she noticed the feminine, shapely leg beneath him and realized Jimmy's docile behavior was the result of feeding.

"Jimmy," she repeated and put her hand on his shoulder, forcibly wrenching him from the woman beneath him. But what she saw when he turned around and growled like some animal made her drop her hand and gasp in shock.

Good G.o.d, what had happened to him? If she saw him on the street, she'd never recognize him, so changed was his body and aura. Jimmy was gaunt he'd lost even more weight than she had. But Meghann was relieved to see that apart from the long, unwashed white hair, he'd suffered no permanent deformities as a result of transformation.

Not that what happened to him wasn't terrible, that she didn't long to kill Lord Baldevar for what he'd done to this innocent man that never harmed anyone. To be kept like this Meghann recoiled at the sweaty, foul, dirt -encrusted body, the rags he wore for clothing. If he wasn't immortal, she knew his unhygienic condition would have led to all sorts of running sores and illnesses.

But his physical appearance, revolting and pitiful though it was, wasn't what made Meghann's eyes fill up with tears that spilled down her face and onto her lover's emaciated filthy form. No, it was those mad, sightless eyes that stared through her without a spark of recognition. There was no consciousness there, no spark of wit or intelligence.

"Good G.o.d!" Charles thundered.

Meghann followed his disgusted gaze and her breath caught in her throat The woman Jimmy was feeding from The ax fell from her hands as Meghann dashed to the bathroom connected to Jimmy's room, barely reaching the toilet before she started retching.

"Uck," she choked helplessly and watched all Lee had given her to eat leave her body as she vomited in loud, jerky heaves that made her ribs hurt. Thankfully, though, no blood came up so Meghann wouldn't lose any of the strength she'd gained from feeding or have to seek out Lord Baldevar and beg for more of his blood.

Shakily, Meghann stood up and flushed the toilet. Then she went to the sink and washed her mouth out with cool water before splashing some on her face.

Jimmy, she thought, and leaned her hands on the porcelain counter to regain her equilibrium. What has that monster done to you?

Meghann had known that Jimmy would kill any prey he was given; in his current state all he knew was his need for blood. Of course, he'd drain dry anyone he was given. But the other Meghann put her hands over her face, but nothing could block the image in her mind that poor woman beneath Jimmy, that lone eye gazing out from a face gnawed away to nothing but a few shards of bone and limp, stringy muscle framed by a mop of beautiful blond hair that only emphasized the horror of her face.

Lord Baldevar didn't feed him, Meghann realized. Not normal food at any rate.

He gave him prey and expected him to cannibalize their flesh as well as drink their blood.

A loud crash from the bedroom made her flinch and then she heard Charles scream, "Meghann!"

She dashed back into the bedroom and saw Charles struggling with Jimmy. By the different position of the corpse, Meghann surmised that Charles must have yanked the body from Jimmy before he could desecrate it further, and been attacked for his trouble. Charles might be older but Jimmy's insanity gave him the strength of ten vampires and he was using every bit of it to try and hold Charles down, desperate for the blood he sensed flowing through him.

Offering up a silent prayer that Jimmy would someday forgive her for what she had to do, Meghann picked up the discarded ax and flew at him. She used the long handle to put Jimmy in a chokehold to restrain the thrashing, howling vampire.

Jimmy let out a long, inarticulate howl of rage while Charles allowed his body to go completely slack. Too senseless and blood hungry to react swiftly, Jimmy wasn't able to stop Charles when he pulled his arms free and then chopped down on Jimmy's forearms with all his strength.

Meghann heard the dull snap of his arms breaking, and pulled the ax away from his neck, allowing Jimmy to crumple to the ground, screaming with pain and frustrated blood l.u.s.t.

"Jimmy," Meghann sobbed, sinking to the ground and wrapping her arms around him, "my poor baby, please hear me. Simon can't have taken it all from you, remember me, please. It's Maggie; I can help you." His nonrecognition made her weep harder. "Come back, Jimmy, come back. Oh, G.o.d, please "

While she cried, Charles ran to her bag and quickly withdrew a small transfusion pack of blood, which Jimmy immediately sensed. He kicked Meghann from him and howled like a small infant at Charles, trying to grab at the bag with his useless arms.

Charles dropped the pack on the floor and Jimmy crawled over to it.

Please, Meghann prayed, watching Jimmy tear at the plastic with his blood teeth and gulp greedily. Please let this work.

Meghann and Charles both held their breath while Jimmy fed. First, his forearms healed but then yes, yes, it happened! The wild, rabid look left Jimmy's eyes. He became still and calm, gray-blue eyes half closed.

"You were right," Charles said in wonder. "What did you put in that blood?" "Clozapine and Valium to calm him down." Of course, Meghann had spiked the blood with enough of both drugs to sedate an entire psychotic ward of mortals.

"You're going to treat him like an insane mortal."

"Like a mortal in the throes of a bad reaction to LSD," Meghann clarified.

"LSD-induced psychosis and transformation-induced psychosis (a disease she unfortunately couldn't write up for any psychology journals) are caused by the same thing overstimulation of serotonin receptors in the brain. Clozapine blocks the receptors hence, Jimmy's psychotic symptoms are suppressed."

"Do you think he'll have to take Clozapine with his blood feedings for the rest of his life?"

Meghann shook her head. "I'm going to start him off with high-dose feedings and gradually decrease the dosage until there's none in his bloodstream."

"How do we restore his mind?"

"Jimmy's been badly traumatized. Hopefully, between the drugs and being in a safe, nonthreatening environment, surrounded by familiar objects, he'll start to come back to himself."

Meghann knelt by Jimmy and hugged him close, not minding that the dirt and gore were ruining her own clothes. "I believe you can hear me, Jimmy. I know some part of you understands what I'm saying; you're just a little lost right now.

I'm going to help you, baby. You'll get well. It's no wonder you're sick though the way Lord Baldevar has kept you. Well, his reign is over."

"Is it?"

Meghann whirled around, the ax poised for attack.

"You look just like a deer in headlights," Lord Baldevar commented and took a step toward her, his grin broadening when Meghann brandished the ax threateningly. "Come now. Surely the catamite that stands so valiantly by your side has explained that you need my blood to survive?"

"I'll I'll use Jimmy's."

"Will you? And what kind of potion did you give him to produce his newfound tranquillity?" Lord Baldevar gazed at Jimmy as a research scientist might at an intriguing specimen interested but dispa.s.sionate. "Will your concoction affect my child if it enters your bloodstream?"

Not willing to concede that she hadn't thought of that, Meghann tightened her grip on the ax and narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare hurt Jimmy!"

"Give me that before you hurt yourself." Lord Baldevar raised his hand, and Meghann yelped when the ax flew from her hands. He twirled the weapon in his hands, taking an experimental swipe at Jimmy's neck.

Charles came to her side, grabbing her by the shoulders before she could run at Lord Baldevar. "He's just trying to antagonize you."

"Even a dumb animal can perceive a threat." Lord Baldevar gave Jimmy, who simply stared up apathetically, a contemptuous glance. Then he turned his attention to Meghann, keeping the sharp blade of the ax at Jimmy's neck while he talked. "I should have known my little psychiatrist would embrace this mindless creature as some kind of crusade. What do you think, girl? That you can feed him a drug c.o.c.ktail with his blood and restore his broken mind? Why, pray tell, should I allow this creature to continue to live?"

"If you don't do precisely as I demand," Meghann said with a coldness Charles had never heard in her voice before, "I'll take a coat hanger to this miserable b.a.s.t.a.r.d inside me."

For the smallest instant, something flickered in Lord Baldevar's eyes before his face became a cool, inscrutable mask shuttered gold eyes giving no clue as to his thoughts.

Charles gave silent thanks that the monster's entire attention was on Meghann; it gave him a chance to compose his face before Lord Baldevar could see the shock in his expression. Was Meghann actually going to try and bluff Simon Baldevar? One look at her stony face told him that was exactly what she had in mind.

Frightened by what the s.a.d.i.s.t might do to his friend, Charles shoved her behind him.

"Don't you hurt her," Charles warned, thinking he sounded like a puny weakling trying to stand up to the schoolyard bully.

"Meghann." The vampire spoke quite calmly, each syllable of her name drawn out.

"No!" Charles cried when Lord Baldevar moved toward them.

"Cease your protestations. Do you think, no matter what vile threat she makes, I will raise my hand to the girl when she carries my heir? Come here, Meghann. I wish to speak to you."

When Meghann didn't move, Lord Baldevar raised the ax again and Meghann flew out from behind Charles before he could stop her.

Gray clouds surrounded by gray clouds. They cut everything off she can't feel no sensation at all just floating in a gray numbness can't make her mouth form words can't really think where am I? where's my body?

everything's so fuzzy can't think . . .

Abruptly, the mist cleared and Meghann found herself sprawled on the floor, Charles staring down anxiously.

"What the h.e.l.l did you do to her?"