Night Of The Living Dandelion Part 24

"Isn't that where Marco's friend Vlad lives?"

"That's who the plants are for."

Claymore tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I don't think I should make that delivery. I might be forced to punch him in the nose."

I glanced at Claymore's skinny frame. If he tried to punch a soldier trained in the martial arts, he'd be the one who would end up with a b.l.o.o.d.y nose. "Clay, Vlad did not bite Jillian."

"But Vlad is the reason she thinks she's a vampire. If anything happens to her, I shall hold him personally responsible."

"Listen, Clay, all I need is for you to carry the box up to Vlad's door. Then you can return to the car and wait for me there. You don't even need to see Vlad."

"Good," he said grimly. "I'm not fond of having to use my fists against another human being."

It took Claymore two trips to get both long boxes containing the plants to the door of Vlad's apartment, and then he stood there squeezing his hands together, as if being near Vlad made him anxious. "Are you certain you want me to leave you here?"

"Yes, Clay. I'll be out as soon as I instruct Vlad on how to care for his plants." And do a little harmless reconnoitering. Of course, that all hinged on Vlad being home. I'd tried to phone him earlier, but he hadn't answered.

"Then I'll meet you at the car," Claymore said, and practically sprinted to the elevator.

I waited until the elevator had ascended, then raised my hand to knock, only to have the door open suddenly. I squinted to see inside, but it was pitch-black. "Vlad? Are you there? I brought your plants over."

Vlad stuck his head out and glanced up and down the hallway, causing me to look, too. What or whom was he checking for?

"Okay. Come inside." He stepped back so I could walk in. "Where are your crutches?"

"I left them in the car. Why is it so dark in here?"

"I'll tell you in a minute." He dragged the boxes inside, then shut the door and locked it, leaving me unable to see my own hand in front of my face.

I s.h.i.+vered from the chilly temperature in the apartment. A fan was running somewhere, sending currents of cool air into the room, carrying with it the fragrance of some kind of herb. I sniffed. Was he making a pizza?

I could hear him moving around behind me, but I couldn't tell what he was doing. Then I heard old hinges squeaking, as though a lid was being opened. My first thought was of the photo of a casket on the HOW TO KILL A VAMPIRE Web site. Then the skin on the back of my neck p.r.i.c.kled, as though someone was standing nearby. I s.h.i.+vered again and rubbed my arms. My ankle was starting to throb, too.

"Vlad? What's going on?"

"Come with me." His voice was a husky whisper near my ear. He took my arm and led me through the apartment. The smell of herbs was overpowering now, as though Vlad had doused himself in them.

"Where are we going?"

"To my bedroom."

I swallowed hard. "Why?"

"There's something I need to show you."

That sounded like a line from a bad movie. Come with me, little girl. I have something to show you. Thwack!

Calm down, Abby, my voice of reason said. Vlad is Marco's trusted friend. Do you really believe he would hurt you?

It was that kind of thinking that got people killed in every horror movie I'd ever seen. I wondered if I should pull my arm free and bolt for the door. Then I remembered my ankle and decided not to try it. Instead, I slipped my free hand into my purse and felt for my cell phone.

"Listen, Vlad, let's do this another time. I'll come back with Marco and you can show both of us."

"That won't work."

Correction. It wouldn't work for him. It most definitely would work for me. "The thing is, Vlad, Claymore Osborne is waiting for me in the car and if I don't come out-"

"Claymore is outside?"

Vlad didn't sound pleased, which was exactly the reaction I'd hoped for. Now he knew that someone else knew that I was in his apartment. He'd have to let me go. "Yes, Claymore Osborne. So if you'll show me the way out-"

"You can't leave." He was insistent and his grasp was solid.

My heart started to gallop in apprehension. My fingers fumbled over my wallet. Where was my cell phone? "Why can't I leave?"

"Abs?" a raspy voice called. "Is that you?"

I knew that voice. "Jillian?" I turned toward where I thought Vlad was, catching the barest glimmer of the whites of his eyes. "My cousin is here?"

"She collapsed outside my door. I brought her inside, and she was s.h.i.+vering so hard from a fever that her teeth were chattering. So I put her on the bed, covered her with blankets, and made her tea. She's been sleeping for hours."

"Abs?" Jillian called again.

"Could you turn on a light?" I asked Vlad.

"Jillian said lights hurt her eyes."

"She'll survive."

Vlad turned on a wall sconce that threw out a very weak light. I glanced behind me and saw that he had steered me past a doorway and was leading me down a wide hallway that had three more doors in it. I a.s.sumed the one we'd just pa.s.sed led into the living room. The apartment seemed to be built in the European style, where each room could be closed off by a door.

"Are you sure you should be walking without crutches?" he asked.

"My ankle is fine." Although it did feel a bit puffy.

Vlad led the way, carrying a black mug in one hand. I pa.s.sed an open doorway on the left, glanced into it, and saw a refrigerator and range, obviously the kitchen. On my right was a closed door with a strange blue light emanating from beneath it.

"That's my plant room," Vlad said. "I'll show you that later."

He pa.s.sed another closed door, but offered no explanation, coming to a stop at the end of the hallway. "She's in here." He stood back and allowed me to enter his bedroom. In the dim light from the hallway, I could just make out my cousin's form under a pile of blankets.

"Could I have a little more light?" I asked.

Vlad crossed the room to a window covered by heavy wooden Florida blinds and opened the slats just enough to allow in a bit more light. I saw Jillian lying on a ma.s.sive bed that had a dark wooden headboard that reached almost to the ceiling. It was carved with scrolls and swirls and seemed like something out of a Gothic horror movie.

The bedroom was large for an apartment, and had a high vaulted ceiling and a palladium window that was covered by a pleated room-darkening shade. Against the wall opposite the bed was an enormous armoire made out of the same dark wood. Tucked in one corner was a cozy armchair and ottoman, with an arc lamp behind the chair, making the perfect reading corner.

"Abs," Jillian said, making an effort to raise her head. "You came! You do care."

"Of course I care, silly. But you shouldn't have bothered Vlad."

"I was compelled to," she said, then let her head fall back onto the pillow.

"She was seeking her own kind," Vlad said with a hint of humor. "You know how we vampires like to stick together." He moved past me to sit on the side of the bed. "Jillian, I brought you more herbal tea. Would you like to sit up and drink it?"

She nodded.

I watched in astonishment as Vlad put his arm behind her and raised her far enough to sip the tea. "Is it my oregano tea?" she asked.

"Yes. Drink it all. You're still dehydrated."

She did as she was told, draining the cup. Then she sighed. "That tasted good."

Vlad propped the pillows behind her so she could sit up. "Now you can visit with your cousin while I brew more." On his way out, he whispered in my ear, "You didn't happen to bring her medicine along, did you?"

I reached into my purse, found the small cylinder, and slipped it to him.

"I'll be back with more tea," Vlad promised her.

As soon as he was gone, I sat down on the bed and took Jillian's hand. It felt cool and as dry as paper, not the soft, moist hand of a young woman. "We've been worried about you, Jillian. Claymore, your parents, my parents-we've been searching all over town for you."

She motioned for me to come closer. I leaned in and she whispered, "Tell me you're not really wearing yellow rain boots."

"You're hallucinating."

"Thank G.o.d," she said with a sigh, and closed her eyes.

She couldn't be that sick if she was worried about my boots. I dug deep into my purse and pulled out my cell phone. Sure. Now I find it. "We need to let Claymore know you're here so he can pa.s.s the word along to your parents."

"No!" she cried, and grabbed the phone from me, clutching it to her chest. "Claymore wants to kill me."

"Jillian, stop it. Claymore loves you!"

"He brainwashed you, Abs. Can't you see that?" Her eyelids fluttered closed. "Whatever happens, I forgive you for trying to poison me."

Then she fell silent. Alarmed, I felt her wrist for a pulse and found it beating healthily. I watched her for a moment, but she seemed to have slipped into a deep sleep, so I tiptoed out of the room and started down the hallway only to see Vlad coming toward me carrying one of the boxes.

"I've got tea brewing. It should be ready in ten minutes."

"Vlad, we need to let Claymore know Jillian is safe. He's frantic with worry."

"If you want to, that's your choice, but I promised Jillian I wouldn't call him until she gave me the okay, and I don't break promises."

He opened the door to a room that glowed with an eerie blue light. "Come in."

Said the spider to the fly.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

The room that I entered was filled with exotic plants lit only by the blue-white glow of overhead plant lights. All around me were stands holding species I'd seen only in catalogs. Fascinated, I circled the room, admiring the strange but beautiful blossoms, while Vlad unloaded his new plants, placing each one in a carefully chosen spot. Oddly, what I didn't see was dandelions. Not a single weed. He'd told me his supply was low, but still, what had he done with them?

He brushed off his hands and rose. "These are great additions, Abby."

I noticed that the flats I'd brought were not in the room. "What about your new dandelions?"

"Well . . . they're for a different project."

"What kind of project?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He smiled. Were his teeth actually glowing or was that the blue light?

"What kind of violet is this?" I asked, pointing to a specimen that was a deep rose color at the center blending to burgundy on the edges. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It's called Vampire's Kiss. The petals in the center resemble fangs. Appropriate, right?"

I didn't know what to say.

"The African violets are my favorites," Vlad said. "I developed a fondness for them while I was with the Rangers. We trained in some pretty exotic locations."

"That must be where Marco got his love for them," I said.

"You know about that? He made me swear not to tell anyone. Marco must trust you deeply." Vlad glanced down, as though embarra.s.sed. "Well, of course he does. You're going to be married. Shame on me for suggesting otherwise."

"He told you about our engagement?"

Vlad studied me for a long moment, as though wondering why I needed to ask. "Marco trusts me, too."

I felt my face get hot. "I know he trusts you, Vlad. Shame on me."

"I wish you trusted me." He held up his hand before I could reply. "It's okay. I know I'm different. It's hard to trust people who are different."

"It's not that I want to mistrust you. I just don't know you well enough to have the confidence in you that Marco has."

"Then I suppose you have to decide whether you can trust Marco's judgment."

When he put it that way, how could I argue?

"I should get Jillian's tea now." Vlad started out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "I made it from the oregano and basil leaves she brought with her. I was surprised she had knowledge of such a remedy."

"Me, too." I followed him across the hall into his kitchen, where he turned on a light, although again, not a bright one. The kitchen had black appliances, black granite counters, medium oak cabinets, and tan walls-a beautiful look, if a bit dark.