Taking the day off was easy for Samantha. Being the boss definitely had its perks at times. It

was easy for things to go terribly wrong when it came to dealing with State agencies, but luckily

her small staff was pretty competent. When she called her office manager to leave a voicemail

that she was taking the day off, she felt secure that the office could survive one day without her.

Crawling out of bed around ten o'clock, she had stumbled through her small 1940's house to

the kitchen and poured herself some coffee. She loved automatic timers. Her cat curled around

her feet, muttering about the lack of food, and she managed to pour most of the cat food into the

bowl and not onto the floor. The tabby she had picked up at the Town Lake Animal Shelter did

not act like it had ever been a stray. Beatrice was decidedly aristocratic in bearing and threw a

disdainful look at the few bits of kibble on the floor.

"Fine." Samantha picked up the bits of food and almost tossed them in the bowl, but didn't

want to upset her Feline Majesty, so she threw them away.

She had never needed much sleep before meeting Cian, so usually their late nights did not

really affect her, but last night had drained her. The bright sunshine pouring through the trees

that towered over her small house filled it with dappled light and shadow. Opening the

refrigerator, she pulled out cold Pesto A Go Go pizza from Austin Pizza and began to eat.

Breakfast was so overrated.

She had snagged as many of Austin's free publications as she could last night at the Magnolia

Cafe after she had left Cian's. She had felt upset and wanted queso. Sitting at a corner table,

feeling like a jilted girlfriend, she had gone through all the announcements and ads she could

find, looking desperately for someone who could help her. She had considered the Catholic

church, but as someone raised Southern Baptist, she was slightly suspicious of their methods.

Picking up the few publications she had yet to read, she sat down at her tiny breakfast table

and began flipping through them as she munched on the delicious pizza loaded down with pesto

and goat cheese. Every once in awhile, she had seen announcements for lectures on the

supernatural in town. She had never attended, though her curiosity had been piqued. Before Cian,

she had not believed in anything supernatural, but God, Jesus, and angels. Now she was engaged

to a vampire, a hot one at that, and she was a lot more open about the supernatural. It made life

more exciting and a little scarier all at once.

Tapping the end of her highlighter against her cheek, she arched an eyebrow as she came

across a small announcement in one of the smaller weekly magazines.

“IS THE SUPERNATURAL REAL? EVIDENCE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED BY

JEFFERY SUMMERFIELD, OWNER OF CENTRAL TEXAS SUPERNATURAL AND

OCCULT BOOKSTORE.”

Tucking the highlighter cap between her teeth, she tugged it off then highlighted the ad in

bright, cheery purple. Then she noticed the date. The cap hit the table and rolled onto the ground

as she exclaimed “Holy shit! It's today!”

Beatrice pounced on the purple top to the highlighter and smacked it across the kitchen like it

was a hockey puck.

Tearing the page out of the magazine, Samantha rushed through her house into the bedroom

and began digging through her fresh laundry for something to wear. What did you wear to an

occult lecture? She had no idea, but she didn't want to look like an idiot.

Digging out a black skirt with big white, abstract splotches and a black tank top with a white

flower on the shoulder, she made a slight face. All her clothes were so cutesy. After seeing

Amaliya lounging around in just plain jeans and a t-shirt, she felt decidedly unsexy. Though, she

thought with evil glee, her legs were longer than the female vampire's and her hips were trimmer.

At least she had that over the sexy vamp.

As per the usual, trying to hurry only resulted in her dropping the soap in the shower

numerous times, burning her eyes with shampoo, falling halfway out of the tub when she tried to

get out and managing to drop her makeup all over the floor.

By the time she made it out the front door, jostling her big white bag stuffed with a notebook,

pens, and a Bible-a spur of the moment choice-she felt like she had fought a major battle already.

Unlocking her little convertible Volkswagen, she glanced up the quiet street to see a few of her

neighbors out walking their dogs. It seemed so normal here, but she knew things were far

different below the surface of it all.

Even though she was worried she wouldn't make it by 11 AM to the Spiderhouse, the coffee

shop where the lecture was being held, she drove carefully and listened to her Patsy Cline CD to

soothe her nerves. Despite her calm appearance, she was nervous as hell and the last thing she

needed to do was have a wreck. It wasn't a long ride from her house on the edge of Hyde Park to

the infamous Drag that lined one side of the UT Campus. She parked in the Spiderhouse parking

lot and made her way to the old house converted into a coffee shop. It was funky and cool and

very Austin. A large board covered in flyers and announcements had one big poster on it

announcing the lecture, and she sighed with relief.

Two huge worn stone statues, a lion and winged leopard, stood guard on the steps leading up

to the purple house. She patted them as she passed and wove her way past college students

animately talking as they exited the building. Following the wraparound porch, she carefully

maneuvered past small tables filled with students typing away on their laptop computers or

reading their textbooks. The patio was large and full of old statues that were missing pieces here

and there, old rusted patio chairs and tables, Christmas lights, and people from all sections of

Austin life catching a quiet moment before returning to work or school.

Samantha found the lecture in the patio in the back of the house and there was a nice

gathering of people already seated at the picnic tables. On the large screen, that was usually used

to show movies or classic TV shows, there was a projected slide of Bela Lugosi as Dracula with

the words “Are they real?”.

Taking a seat at the last table, she set her bag down and took out her notebook. She noted that

she didn't look that out of place as she looked at the assortment of students-housewives, a few

elderly people, and a large man in a wheelchair-gathered around the tables waiting for the lecture

to start. Looking around curiously, she tried to figure out who was the lecturer. She finally

settled on an older man having an animated conversation with a woman with too much lipstick

smeared on her lips.

“Okay. I guess we should start. It's ten after eleven and I think this is it,” a young man said as

he slid off a bench. He was wearing very battered jeans, a t-shirt that read “Got Blood?”, and

flip-flops. His plain brown hair was kind of scruffy, with long bangs hanging in his eyes.

What was she expecting? Giles from Buffy?

“This lecture series is all about the different popular supernatural creatures that exist in our

modern subconsciousness and where their legends originated. We'll address the possible theories

as to their attributes. Such as does lycanthropy really make a werewolf? We'll discuss the

possible supernatural aspects of these creatures and whether or not there is viable evidence to

back up these claims.” The young man spoke quickly, but not as confidently as he was trying to

project. He looked a little nervous and he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans once or twice.

“Will we be discussing your father's works?” This came from the older man in the audience.

“Yes, we will be discussing my father's life works and his conclusions.” The young man

bounced slightly on the balls of his feet, then said, “Okay, let's start.”

Samantha settled into her seat, ordered an Italian soda from a green haired girl wearing a

white slip of a dress, and began to take notes.

Apparently, she was at the first lecture and it was a basic overview of the monsters that

Summerfield would be addressing through a six-part series. She noticed that vampires were

going to be in two weeks. Damn.

It was very obvious that most of the audience was well versed in monster legends and soon

the interaction was on a level that was way over her head. She wrote down anything that was on

the slides the young man was going through, but she felt very confused by some of the terms.

At noon she ordered a sandwich and another soda and rubbed her cramped wrist. To her

surprise, no one else seemed tired or bored and she felt a little guilty. Despite his very youthful

appearance, it was clear that Jeff Summerfield was smart, witty and knew his stuff. A few times,

she noticed him looking her way before his gaze darted away.

Finally, it was over and her plate of half-eaten food was being invaded by flies. Closing her

notebook, she pondered how long she should wait before approaching Summerfield. He was

immediately swamped by several people who were anxious to talk to him. He stared at them

intently as they talked and nodded once or twice, but she could tell he was curious as to why she

was there. She could see his eyes moving toward her in quick little glances. Maybe she stood out

more than she thought.

Finally, the older man clapped Summerfield on the back a few times, then shook his hand

before wandering away. The back patio was finally empty of everyone, but them.

She wasn't surprised when he walked over and sat across from her. He looked a little tired

now that the lecture was over and he wasn't “on” anymore.

“I've never seen you at one of these before,” he said pointedly.

“I don't come to them,” she admitted. “But you did a really good job today. I liked it.”

“Thanks,” he answered with a slight smile. “I don't have my father's finesse, but it went

okay.”

Samantha had managed to glean from the lecture that his father was a well-known paranormal

expert, and she said, “I'm sure he thinks you're awesome.”

“I hope so. He passed away a few months ago and taking up his mantle is not easy.”

“Oh, I'm sorry.”

He shrugged his skinny shoulders slightly. “It's okay. I'm Jeffery. Call me Jeff.”

“Samantha. People call me Sam.”

“Like Bewitched, huh?”

“But I can't wiggle my nose,” she said with a smile.

“You're obviously sticking around for a reason. How can I help you?”

“Uh.” She pursed her lips, and then made a face. “Okay, this is going to sound really, really

crazy.”

“Okay,” Jeff said slowly. “How could it be crazier than what we talked about today?”

Samantha laughed brightly, and said, “Okay, true.” She leaned toward him, her gaze intense

and whispered, “My boyfriend is a vampire.”

Jeff's eyes slightly narrowed. “Really?”

“Yeah. A real vampire. Like....um..Dracula or Angel from Buffy. Except I don't think he gets

all gnarly when he vamps out. Not sure on that.” She pondered this for a moment, her brow

furrowed. “I've never seen his teeth either, but I've seen him do some really vampy things.”

Jeff leaned toward her and said in a low voice. “And you are telling me this why?”

“Because there is a new vampire in town. And I think she's totally evil. And I think she's

doing a spell on him or something to get him to be evil. I need to know what to do.”

Jeff blinked slowly, then looked away from her as if mulling something over.

“What is your boyfriend's name?”

“I can't tell you that.”

“Is it Cian ó Loinsigh?”

Samantha blinked. “Uh, no. His last name is different. It's Lynch.”

“Lynch is the English variation of ó Loinsigh,” Jeff answered.

“Oh, shit! You know my boyfriend!”

“My father knew him. They made a pact back in the day that still stands to this day.” Jeff

sighed softly. “But if another vampire is in town and Cian isn't taking care of it, there is a

problem.”

“Did I just get my boyfriend in trouble?”

“If there is another vampire in town, we may all be in trouble.”

* * *

With the casual elegance he was known for, and actually quite proud of, Roberto laid out all

the tools he would need for his impromptu excursion. Industrial strength trash bags, twist ties, a

bag full of garbage, an extra-large garbage container, duct tape, several rolls of black plastic tarp,

and the keys to the Lexus RX. Taking hold of the ladder he had purchased that morning at

WalMart, he set it before the nearest window and decided to start there.

It took almost an hour to cover the windows with the black plastic, sealing it into place with

the duct tape. By the time he had finished, the area around the chamber was dark and no sunlight

crept in anywhere near it. Satisfied that Cian would be safe, Roberto popped the panel and

entered the code.

The wall slipped open with a soft hum and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the

absolute darkness that enshrouded the vampires. Slowly they took form in the murk and he could

see that Cian was holding Amaliya close to him. He was not surprised. He had seen his master

steadily falling under the influence of her presence.

That was why he had to do this.

Removing her from Cian's arms would be a little difficult, but he knew the vampires would

sleep through it all. And thankfully, Cian's blood infusions made Roberto strong despite still

being basically human. Being a human servant to a vampire did have its advantages.

He leaned over and steadily applied pressure to Cian's arms. He projected what little power he

had toward the vampire. He knew that his master would sense his presence and not be

threatened. Slowly, Cian's arms came apart from around the woman and Roberto maneuvered his

Master's sleeping body into a more comfortable sleeping repose on his back.

Taking a deep breath and steeling himself inwardly, Roberto reached for Amaliya. As he had

known they would, her eyes flashed open and her lips parted. It was a survival instinct and he

knew she was still fully asleep. To protect her as she slept, her body took on an even more sexual

and voluptuous look in order to bespell whoever was disturbing her sleep. He had to admit that

she was alluring in her own way. If she wasn't such a damn disruption, he would have possibly

entertained the thought of seducing her.

He did so enjoy seducing beautiful, exotic women.

Using what little vampire power he had inherited from Cian's blood, he ignored her seductive

aura and pulled her toward him. Her clothes were stiff with dried blood, but her skin was pale

and beautiful. Over the last few nights, he had seen her fully coming into her new vampire

nature.

Which was all the more reason for her to go.

Picking her up, he found her surprisingly heavy. He carried her over to the tarp on the floor

and laid her down, then returned to close the chamber. The wall descended, sealing off Cian, and

Roberto felt a sense of relief that his master was too weak to awaken during the daylight hours.

Disturbed by her open eyes and the way they trailed after him, he leaned down and closed

them with his fingertips. They immediately reopened. Frowning, he grabbed a heavy bag and slid

it over her head and down to her hips. Then, he yanked another bag over her legs and wrapped

the duct tape around her securely.

Cian would be upset. He knew that. But his Master was blinded by the lust he felt for the new

vampire and the feelings she drew out of him. It was not as if Roberto was particularly fond of

Samantha; he actually found her too cutesy and too chirpy to suit him. But just as Amaliya drew

out the darker aspects of Cian's personality, Samantha drew out Cian's human side. Roberto

found both women annoying. Cian had been best when Roberto had been his only companion.

He had been strong, sure, and merciful when need be.

Roberto wasn't sure if he could get rid of Samantha without Cian's wrath, but he could get rid

of Amaliya.

Setting the over-sized trash can down, he studied the wrapped up form of the vampire and

then made his choice. He picked her up and just dumped her in and shoved and twisted until she

fit snuggly at the bottom.

As the second son of a rich Spanish landowner in Mexico nearly a hundred years before, he

had been ignored in favor of his brother. It had been made clear to him very early in life that he

was expected to find his own way while his brother would inherit everything. Roberto had

responded to this by becoming a bit of a con artist and a womanizer. By sixteen he was cast out

and on his own.

That had suited him just fine. He had rich taste and found ways to ensure a good life for

himself. In his late thirties, he was rich, well-established, and living on his own hacienda in

Mexico. Then he had seen torches in the distance on his land one night. He had ridden out to

inspect what was going on and found men torturing a man they had tied to a tree with silver

chains. Angered that they were lynching anyone on his land, Roberto had shot and killed the four

men without pause. It was when he had gone to untie the man they were torturing, that he

realized the man had blazing red eyes and sharp fangs.

“Release me and I will not hurt you,” Cian had hissed.

Roberto had hesitated, then said, “What are my assurances of this?”

“None. It's a gamble. I'll take their blood, not yours. And if you give me shelter, I will make

sure you are richly rewarded.”

Roberto was never one to shy away from a gamble.

Now, here he was: rich, the companion of a powerful man, practically immortal, and still

protecting Cian as he had that night.

Picking up Amaliya's bag, he shoved it down next to her. He pushed a full garbage bag down

on top of her and opened up the top. He pulled the sides of the bag down firmly over the lip of

the trash can and secured it with a little bit of duct tape. Once done, he put the lid on, then took it

off again and peered in. It looked just like any other trash can. No one would ever guess that a

bound vampire was at the bottom of it.

Replacing the top and snapping it closed, with the handles that locked into place to hold the

top shut, he smiled with satisfaction. Not certain of how long it would take for him to get back,

he took the plastic and duct tape off the windows and rolled it up into another trash bag. Within

an hour, the apartment looked just as it had and Amaliya was tucked away in the trashcan.

Cian needed him to protect him and that was exactly what he would do. That was his role in

Cian's life and he would not let his master be the fool.

As for Samantha, perhaps Cian's true nature had awoken enough for him to send her away.

Though, Roberto would miss sparring with her.

Oh, well.

Picking up the car keys, he grabbed hold of the handle and pulled the trashcan so it would

pivot on the wheels at its base. With a small, smug smile, he pulled the trash can out after him

and locked the apartment door.