Suckers Bite Back (San Francisco Vampires #5) (Vampires of San Francisco series) Read online

  Other Books by Jessica McBrayer

  Stained Series

  Stained

  Murder of Crows

  Raven’s Tale

  San Francisco Vampire Series

  Sucking in San Francisco

  Hell Hounds are for Suckers

  Sucking Bites

  Suckers go to Hell

  Suckers Bite Back

  Little Suckers Bite Too

  Suckers Lost and Found

  Audibles

  Sucking in San Francisco

  Hell Hounds are for Suckers

  Sucking Bites

  Suckers Go To Hell

  Stained

  Murder of Crows

  Raven’s Tale

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form whatsoever, without prior permission by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored, or introduced into any information storage system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without express written permission of the author. If you pirate this work I will come after you.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used facetiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or to events or locations, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art by Marik Berghs copyrighted © 2014.

  Copyright © 2014 by Jessica McBrayer

  ISBN 13: 978-0-9899530-3-0

  Published by Mess of Geckos Publishing

  810 Seaview Drive, El Cerrito, CA 94530

  For Hannah

  Always for you

  PROLOGUE

  Queen Zoe

  Queen’s Compound

  Present Day

  New Orleans, LA

  My fury should be sated by now. Lily has lost Sebastian and Aidan both. But from my reports she still has that djinn doing her bidding and Sebastian is as doe-eyed over her as ever. My little plan to break them up months ago almost worked. But no matter, I have a new plan. The incompetent fool who botched it up didn’t live long to regret it.

  “Witch! How much longer until you get me what I want?” I demand. The blond woman in front of me with one blue eye and one green eye looks at me, barely contained. I don’t trust her but I have arranged for her sister’s security and safety. She will cooperate. We both know who I am keeping her safe from as long as the witch cooperates.

  “Your Majesty,” she sneers, resentfully. “It takes time to find a djinn’s true name. I have been searching.” She flips her long hair behind her shoulder. The itchy-witchy bitch. You would think being one of the most powerful witches in the United States, she would be more concerned for her sister’s safety. She needs to come to heel. The sister, no magick in that one – a complete dud.

  “You’d better try harder. I have some hungry vamps that would be ever grateful to drain your sister. I could turn her instead. I wonder which you would rather.”

  She starts to chant under her breath.

  “No casting. I have very loyal followers who will kill her on my death. In fact you can guarantee my less loyal followers will kill her. No one to stop them like there is now. She is beautiful and smells delicious,” I say.

  “If you touch a hair on her head I will kill you and every vamp in here. You haven’t seen what I am truly capable of.” She is even more attractive in her anger. I am tempted to take her as a lover. It would be fun to tame that arrogance. Perhaps when she is no longer useful we will use her and her sister.

  “Rest easy, Celia, she is safe for now. Being treated very well. I want something. She is to remain intact, shall we say, until I get it.” I let my lip curl up.

  “I will keep you abreast of my progress,” she says, hating me but helpless, oh the pleasure. Revenge and diversion.

  “You may leave,” I say dismissing her with a little wave. Her hatred is almost charming. It’s a shame I will have to kill her when this is done. I will break her and then take her.

  In the meantime, I will sit back and let my game play out.

  Aidan, that beautiful Djinn at my beck and call can watch while I make Lily curse the day she was born. And this time I’ll make sure she is bespelled correctly. He will beg me for any crumb of attention. And if he’s not a bore… we’ll see.

  1 LILITH

  A baby.

  My best friend is having a baby with her ever-after. I am excited and honestly, very depressed and a little jealous. I will never be able to have a child. I am vampire. So is she, but she’s married a Demon and there is some kind of mojo magick that happens when that occurs that allows them to procreate.

  I’m not just blue because of the baby. Hannah, my bestie, also has Diel, her Demon. I have given up on two beautiful, caring men. Now I have no one. No one to care for or care about me. I’m a mess inside. I know and have no idea of how to clean it up. The only thing I have left in the world is my family and my work.

  I work at San Francisco’s Suicide Hotline taking calls from desperate people in the middle of the night. It makes me feel good to help others. It helps assuage the guilt I have from having to feed off them.

  I am sitting at work now, waiting for the little red light to blink, telling me someone is on the other end of the line.

  “Suicide Prevention, this is Lilith, how may help you tonight?”

  “Yes, I need to order a Chicago style meat lovers with extra jalapenos. I’ll come pick up,” says a clipped British accent. Obviously he has the wrong number, but I can’t help flashing back to my call with Aidan that fateful night when we met. Instead of laughing over the call, my mood drops.

  “Sir,” I whisper and then clear my throat. “You have the wrong number.” I pinch myself, hard. Forcing myself back under control instead of thinking of how it all has gone wrong this past year.

  “Are you sure I have the wrong number?” the jovial voice is asking, juxtapositioned with my feelings.

  “I’m sure, sir. It happens often. You transposed the last two numbers. This is the San Francisco Suicide Hotline.”

  “Oh my goodness, I need a pizza but not that badly,” he says laughing at himself. I give a half laugh.

  “Miss?”

  “It’s Lilith, sir.”

  “I’m Ian. Are you all right?” I hear the concern in his voice. When had we switched places?

  “Yes. No, but I will be. I’m sorry, Ian. Not what you expected when you called for a pizza is it?” I sniff.

  “No, but I like coming to the aid of ladies in distress. It’s a British thing.”

  I laugh a little louder this time. Irony cuts deep. Little could he know how a British accent had changed my life and left me in this low spot.

  “There you are. You’re already feeling better aren’t you?” he asks.

  “I better let you go so that I can keep the phone lines clear, Ian. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, love,” he says softly. I hang up quickly to stifle my sobs. If I were human there would be tears but since I’m vampire I only have burning eyes and make an awful retching noise. I try to get myself back together.

  I smell Meredith before I see her, sauerkraut and sausage. I retch on top of the sobbing.

  Meredith lays her chubby hand on my shoulder.

  “Lily, what’s gotten into you? You’ve reversed the roles of client – professional. I guess it just happens sometimes. I think it would be for the best if you just packed up and went home. You haven’t been at
the top of your game for a while now. Take some time off, think of it as a forced vacation, you know the kind where you don’t call us, we’ll call you,” she says as she smiles down sweetly. I know what she is really saying.

  She is firing me.

  I grab my purse and stumble out of the building. There is a heavy fog and mist to clear my senses a bit, enough that I stop crying. I can’t believe it. I don’t know where to go and I have no one to go to for comfort. I wander through the Haight district, where the hotline offices are located. It is one in the morning and I find a small club open. I step inside and find a seat at the bar. I order a dirty martini and hope someone really fucking drunk hits on me.

  I can’t get drunk from drinking alcohol but I can from someone who has a high blood alcohol content. I am scoping out my victim now.

  Candidate number one. A tall man looking like a piece of yummy chocolate. I hope he tastes as good as he looks. In fact, I think he is a famous football player. He has visited Sebastian’s club from time to time. The club is designed and named for me. Right this minute Mr. Linebacker is making a direct line for me and I am looking at him through hooded eyes, giving him every signal I can that I am available.

  I can smell the alcohol on him before he gets to me. He is a big guy and can handle more than most. He will definitely give me my fix. He walks up to me and puts a hand on either side of me on the bar, effectively trapping me, or so he thinks. I chuckle and lick my lips.

  “Aren’t you Sebastian’s babe? What are you doing out all by your lonesome, darlin’?” he asks breathing into my ear.

  I throw my arms around his shoulders.

  “I’m no one’s babe.”

  “Wanna be mine for tonight, sugar?” he asks getting serious and down to business. I’m glad we don’t have to play any games. I’m desperate to ease the ache in me.

  “Yes. Let’s get out of here. Come with me, Big Boy.” I smile back at him as I lead him towards the door. He grins like he hit the lottery. They usually do. Most women don’t come on so hard and fast.

  He holds the door open for me and I slip out from under his arm. That isn’t what he wants so he tucks me into his side and gives the valet his ticket. While we wait for the luxury vehicle to pull up, he keeps his hands warm on my ass. I don’t care anymore. It’s contact. I haven’t had any affection in a long time.

  “Nice car,” I say when a sleek white Escalade pulls up. It is burning fossil fuels as we speak. My little Prius would be pissed if she knew I was two-timing her.

  “Thanks,” he says to the valet as he holds the door open for me. I climb in and wait for him. As soon as we get going I am all over him, begging him to find a place to pull over. I don’t want to prolong this anymore and the tinted windows will hide my feeding. He does as I request and unbuckles to get nearer to me.

  “Hey, babe. I get that you want me and all, but I usually use a bed. This is kinda hot, though.”

  “I thought so too. Come here,” I say as I yank him over the seat by his collar.

  I run my hand over his beautiful shaved head and then make to kiss his neck but bite instead. It is like drinking a vodka tonic minus the tonic. Pure one hundred proof. Drinking my fill before pushing him off me. I fumble for the door handle and grab for my purse. I fall out of the tall vehicle onto a sidewalk in the Presidio area, my old stomping grounds. I remember hailing a cab and mumbling something about my address and by some miracle get home.

  2 SEBASTIAN

  I hear a car drive up and then Lily dropping her purse and cursing.

  “Lady, you got the mouth of a sailor,” a man says. “Thanks for the tip.”

  The car pulls away and something crashes against the front door and slides down it. I find Lily on the other side sobbing. I pick her up in my arms to carry her into the library but she starts hitting me.

  “Put me down dammit, Sebastian. I can fucking walk.”

  She’s never cursed at me before. The shock of it makes me release her immediately and she falls to the floor making her let loose a stream of expletives. I try to help her up and she hisses at me. I back away and hold my hands up. I’ve seen her drunk before and she is usually giggly and happy, never like this. I reach for my cell and do something I never thought I would do. I call Aidan for help.

  Aidan pops in and stands with wide eyes. Lily sits on the floor in a puddle of despair and anger. Aidan reaches to help her and she hisses at him too. He looks at me and I shrug.

  “Lilith, dear, what’s wrong?” Aidan asks squatting down beside her, careful not to touch her. She starts sobbing. She’s sprawled on the floor.

  “Lilith, lover, let me help you, please,” Aidan begs. His face is a mask of pain mirroring my heart. I hate seeing her in this state. I have no idea what has happened or how to help her, how to fix it.

  “Don’t call me lover. Not your lover and I’m not yours either, Sebastian. Have nobody,” she cries.

  “You will always have me, Cherie,” I say firmly.

  “And me,” Aidan whispers hoarsely. He seems to break because of what Lily says.

  “No, no one, no one to love me. No one.” She tries to get up but can’t. We both bend to help her and she hisses and shows fang so we back off. She ends up crawling, dragging her purse behind her.

  I hadn’t noticed Julian and Helena behind us watching the scene before them. For some reason I’m angry at them. It is a completely irrational reaction as I love them but I didn’t want anyone seeing Lily like this. Rejecting me. So vulnerable and unreasonable.

  Helena goes to Lily and she lets her help her, finally. I hear Aidan sigh. Helena takes the opportunity to scoop her up and flies up the stairs to Lily’s room. Aidan looks at me as if he is in shock. I feel like I am. This is the anti-Lily.

  “Let’s go into the library and have a stiff drink, Sebastian. Come on Aidan,” Julian coaxes. We follow him silently.

  Julian fixes him and me a brandies and I throw mine back. The alcohol burns going down and warms my body for the short time the vampire virus in me lets it. Julian sips his and puts a comforting hand on Aidan’s shoulder, sending calming energy out in the room which is Aidan’s only source of nutrition. He is a djinn and lives on the energy around him. Julian’s calm façade works, Aidan seems to relax.

  “Sebastian, tell us what happened,” Julian asks.

  “I heard a car pull up and then heard something hit the door and slide down it. I could hear Lily talk to the cabbie so at least she hadn’t driven herself home. I think she took the bus to work tonight.” I reach for the brandy and refill my glass. “I went to the door and found her in a tangle. I picked her up and she started hitting me. She cursed at me to let her walk and I was so shocked that I dropped her. She wouldn’t let me get near her so I called Aidan. You saw the rest,” I say as I rub my hand across my face and through my hair.

  Helena still isn’t back.

  “I’ve never seen her like this and I’ve never felt her energy like this. It was so hopeless. So broken. It’s killing me,” Aidan says. He sits down heavily on the settee. Andrew and Liam, the rest of our family arrive and are unusually quiet. They had heard Lily.

  “Do you know anything?” Aidan asks as he goes to Andrew, our sometimes butler and all the time friend and family.

  “A little. She was crying a lot. She was fired tonight,” Liam Chang, Andrew’s lover, says. He is a werevamp like Lily. He actually bit Lily and infected her before he knew what he was doing. We turned him into a vamp in order to lessen his symptoms.

  “Oh, mon Dieu,” I whisper.

  “There was more but she yelled at Helena to shut the door and, well, you know the room is sound-proofed so we didn’t hear anything else,” Andrew says, wringing his hands. He and Lily have a special connection. “I’m so worried about her.”

  “We all are, Andrew,” Julian says.

  I can’t help but feel responsible. I started her down this path. If I hadn’t been tricked into that love spell none of this would be happening. She wouldn’t feel she
had no one. She would know she is loved.

  Curse Zoe, that demented bitch.

  3 LILITH

  I feel Helena’s arms around me but it does little to console me. I feel so empty. The alcohol-laced blood is still burning its way through my body, letting me feel pain. I was going for numb.

  “Helena, can you just go?” I beg. I am done talking. I want a hot soak in my bath tub. My bath tub built for two.

  “Are you sure? You’re not yourself, Lily. I think we need to talk some more, darling,” she says as she smoothes my hair off my forehead. I swat her hand away. It just annoys me at the moment.

  “No, I want to be alone. I’m going to take a bath and try to forget this night.”

  “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll just be downstairs if you need me,” Helena says and she is gone like a sigh.

  I strip with some difficulty, letting my clothes fall where I toss them, not caring what a mess I make. I walk across the room naked knowing that no one will walk in. The marble floor of the bathroom sends a shiver of ice through my dead body as my feet hit it. I go to the tub and turn the hot water on full blast with just a touch of cold. I add some rose-scented foaming bath oil and sink into the hot water. The steam fills the room before I turn off the faucet with my toes.

  I lean back feeling warm inside and out. Why don’t I get drunk more often? I love the warmth of the alcohol spreading through my limbs, the numbness starts to set in, finally.

  I lay with my limbs floating in the aromatic water. I think about the fact that I no longer have a job. Nice.

  I didn’t know what to do with myself these last few months but at least I had my work three nights a week. I felt I was doing something worthwhile with my life. Now I have nothing. Hannah is too busy being newly married and getting ready to be a mom. Besides, it is so depressing being around her and Diel and all their wedded bliss. Something breaks in me every time I have to put on a fake smile and pretend I’m happy.

  Sebastian and Aidan walk around me like I’m a bomb ready to off. I’m responsible for that to a certain degree. I have put the distance between us. I still can’t wrap my head around what has happened. I love them both and resent them at the same time. It’s complicated and I haven’t sorted it out yet. I’m afraid I’m going to lose them completely before I get it figured out, but I’m not going to hurt them with my indecision again like I did in the beginning.