Once Bitten, No Longer Shy by Julie Steimle (chrome ebook reader txt) 📕

here to leave his mark.”

“Alright.” Matthew gestured to JJ for them to leave the room. “We’re taking the couch downstairs.”

Of course they were. Troy inwardly groaned, flopping back on the bed.

“Should I go home?” Nicole whispered to Troy.

He shook his head. “I’d doubt they’d let you. They’re going to watch us until the sun is shining high.”

She was quiet for a moment, then whispered, “You didn’t really…?”

He rolled over and stared at her. “Oh, heavens no. Kill a guy? I might not like the creep, but I’m not someone who attacks people. That’s stupid. Besides, Matthew and the rest had your case down pat. I’m sure you would have succeeded in suing Brandon for harassment. There was no need for me to do anything.”

Touching his face, she sighed, then leaned in to kiss him.

“We should get some sleep,” Troy murmured, pulling up the blankets for them both. He reached out an arm for her.

She bit her lip, hesitating, then snuggled in close. Her breath was soft as she whispered, “Do you want a little bit more before we go to sleep?”

Gazing down at her, Troy felt somewhat exasperated. He said, “You’re not even a little bit tired?”

“I just feel like I owe you,” she said.

Wrapping his arms around her, Troy said, “Nicole. You don’t owe me anything. I just like being with you. We don’t have to have sex if you don’t want to.”

She giggled. Then she snuggled closer. “Ok…”

It took Troy a little longer to fall asleep, as her heart slowed to a calm rhythm. He liked that she was at peace with him. Her heart had taken a more frightened beat earlier. He could tell she was terrified that maybe he had killed Brandon. But he hadn’t. What good would have killing Brandon done for anyone?

When the morning finally arrived, Bobo got up and made breakfast for everyone. Troy fetched something for Nicole to put on so she could take a showers first. They put her clothes in the washer, starting a load. In the meantime, Troy cleaned up his bedroom and went down—shirtless—to stand in front of the open curtains while the sun shone into the room. He could feel his skin sear as the sunlight touched it. But as always, he did not turn to ash. The police with Matthew took pictures.

One whispered to Matthew, “But how can you be sure he did not drink any blood?”

“Like I told you,” Matthew hissed back through his teeth, “even the SRA say no vampire can abide sunlight. It’s not him.”

“Then who?” the cop snapped.

“We have to keep investigating.” Matthew then nodded to Bobo, scooping up one more bite of New Orleans, Cajun breakfast with his fork before gesturing to JJ that they had to leave. He saluted Troy then headed to the door.

Nicole came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She looked around, listening to the washer running still. “Are they gone?”

Troy nodded, shifting on his stool. “Yes. And as you can see, I am still alive. Not guilty.”

She giggled, crossing barefoot and damp over to him.

“Whoa!” Bobo shielded his eyes, as the towel did not quite give enough coverage. “Go up and get dressed! Please!”

With a flirtatious wink, Nicole kissed Troy on the nose then turned to go upstairs.

“Oh!” Troy jumped out of his seat. “Your clothes are still in the washer.”

She bit her lip, walking backwards then halted. “Can I put on your clothes then?”

Troy was very glad he could not blush. “Sure.”

Nicole stayed until her clothes were clean and dry, which was closer to noon. She was annoyed her cell phone reception was so poor in the apartment and went out onto the roof for it to work. When Troy came up, she said, “You should put a garden up here. This is the perfect space for one.

Sauntering up to her with hands in his pockets, Troy looked around and said, “I’m not really into rooftops. They always seem to be a place where vampires could get me.”

“Even in the day time,” she said, curious, but teasing.

Troy shook his head. “Of course not. But I’ve been hiding from vampires for so long, old habits die hard.”

He then kissed her.

“Will you walk me to the car?” Nicole asked after a few more kisses.

He nodded, sighing as he breathed her in.

After he walked her to the car, he spent the day in the lab working on his copying and transcription. It wasn’t until later in the afternoon when Bobo came in to bring him news on the police investigation that he stopped for lunch. It was already in the afternoon.

“There isn’t a whole lot to say,” Bobo explained, “except that Matt wants me to escort you places from now on.”

Troy rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“You need a bodyguard,” Bobo said, though there was a twinkle in his eyes that mocked him. Of course he did not need a bodyguard. His strength and speed had increased to such a level as an incomplete vampire that what they were really calling for was someone to watch him—a new babysitter. Troy thought it ironic. It was a good thing, in many ways that Art had left when he did. And it seemed even more fitting that Bobo, the one he could not threaten, was now set to watch him.

It didn’t make a difference anyway, Troy hadn’t killed anybody and Matthew was sure to find the vampire who did kill Brandon.

“Which brings me to tonight,” Bobo said.

Troy lifted his head from his lunch, which Bobo had made—a sandwich with dill pickle slices and peanut butter. It was weird, but tangy, one of Bobo’s cheap favorites.

“You have that vampire meeting tonight, right?”

Troy stiffened. He had forgotten. But yes, he had that meeting. Troy wondered why no one from the group had called him or texted him about Matthew or the others visiting them. None had. Or possibly his phone was off. He went to find it.

“You do still have that meeting, right?” Bobo asked again, watching him.

“Yeah,” Troy said, scrolling into his texts. There was only one. It was from Joshua—not Johnson but Brandon’s friend.

It said: *You did it.*

“We should. Do you think Matt will come?” Troy pulled up Mr. Lenox’s number to text him. What could he say?

Bobo shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Do you think they visited everybody in the group?” Troy asked.

He could hear Bobo cringe. Looking up, he saw his friend bite his lip, thinking. His heart certainly sped up a little.

“Blurt it out,” Troy said. “They only suspect me, right?”

Moaning, Bobo shrugged but then nodded. “Not Matt, but the other cops do. They don’t trust no one who is a vampire and they say you’ve got motive.”

Troy nodded. He did have motive.

But he still texted Mr. Lenox.

*Hey. A friend is coming to the meeting. He’s not a vampire, but the guy is impervious to harm, so he won’t be uncomfortable with us.*

Troy sent it.

“I’m sorry about this,” Bobo said.

With a nod, sighing, Troy said, “yeah, I know.”

 

After more work on his manuscript and then a jog together around the neighborhood for exercise, Bobo left with Troy to go to the evening meeting as promised. It was a quiet subway ride, and they went in subdued to the meeting.

Cameron was already there. He waved to Troy then eyed Bobo, gazing up at him. He then pointed, looking to Troy. “He’s not a vampire.”

With a nod, Troy gestured to Bobo in introduction. “This is Robert Lafon, Best known as Bobo. He’s an old friend from school.”

“Put ‘er there,” Cameron said, sticking out his hand. He tried to put a monster grip on Bobo and found himself cringing under the strain of the handshake. When he let go, he shook off his hand. “Ow! Wow, what a grip!”

“It’s probably just your grip,” Troy murmured.

“And mine,” Bobo said, glancing ceiling ward.

“You do a double grip?” Troy stepped back, allowing his mouth to fall open.

Chuckling, Bobo shrugged. “It still feel pain, you know.”

“What?” Cameron looked to Troy for an explanation.

But Troy was not in the mood. “Hey, have you heard about Brandon Turner?”

Cameron shook his head. “No. What happened with the pervert?”

“You knew he was a pervert?” Troy gazed at Cameron, a little shocked.

But the man merely shrugged and said, “Sure I knew. Nicole said he loved to feel up her—” He peeked to Bobo. Leaning near Troy, he whispered, “Does he know about you and Nicole?”

Troy nodded. “Bobo’s my roommate. Nicole stays over all the time.”

“All the time,” Bobo mouthed.

Troy saw him.

Immediately Bobo tried to act innocent.

But Cameron laughed and continued. “Well, you know Nicole was going around the group—until she settled on you.” He winked at Troy. Troy was once more, for the billionth time, glad he could not blush. “But Brandon wouldn’t take the hint to leave her alone.”

“That, I saw,” Troy said.

Lifting up his hands, clearly wishing to stay out of their spat, he said, “Point is, we kept waiting for you to kick Brandon’s a—”

“You’re here!” Steve marched in cheerily, grinning.

Bobo turned, hearing the vampiric tenor of his voice. Troy wondered if it affected him the same as regular people, or if vampire talk could hypnotize him as well. It was an innate trait for vampire, yet a skill Troy had not dared delve into. It scared him. But Steve was an expert.

“Is this a friend?” Steve gestured to Bobo. Then he paused and stepped back from him, pointing. “You have an aura of the macabre. People have died because of you…”

Troy stepped between them, mostly because Bobo actually looked shook up. “Hey. What are you doing?”

“What’d you bring him for?” Steve stared up at Bobo, amazed and yet enthralled. He peeked also to Troy with wonder. “You… you know a lot of freaky people.”

This time Bobo rolled his eyes. He said, “Lemme guess. He’s the full vampire.”

As Troy was nodding, Steve performed a sweeping bow to Bobo. “Steve Windmiller, at your service.”

“How long have you been alive?” Bobo now peered at him, intrigued.

“Longer than the hills,” Steve said, almost hypnotic.

Troy moaned. “Would you knock it off?”

Cameron shook his head then stuck a pinky into his ear, as clearly Steve was messing with the voice.

Bobo stared, definitely focused on Steve’s voice. It bothered Troy so much that he pinched Bobo on the arm, risking the pain.

“Ow!” Bobo stared back at him. Then he blinked. “Sorry man. I didn’t…”

“You are no guard against a real vampire,” Troy said, shaking his head. “You’d better tell Matt.”

“Maybe what we need is Rick here,” Bobo muttered, nodding as he gestured for them to go find seats.

“Mr. Lenox is not here yet,” Cameron said, peeking down the hall.

That did not sound good for some reason. Mr. Lenox was always timely.

“Maybe one of those outside vampires are back,” Troy muttered.

“Outside vampires?” Bobo echoed.

Cameron nodded. “There’s a pair that likes to harass Mr. Lenox. Gerard,” he said with a nod to Steve who apparently called him Gerard, though Troy had not noticed. 

“I should deal with them,” Steve muttered.

“When?” Cameron laughed. “You promised Gerard last week. What was the delay?”

“They weren’t here?” Steve said.

But Troy felt that was a lie. He had a feeling that Steve was afraid to be outnumbered. They exchanged a look. Steve gave the slightest nod. He understood. Problem was, Troy was not able to help him. The Order of Blood was still looking for him.

“Sorry I’m late,” Mr. Lenox said marching in with his suitcase. He looked up and down Bobo then shrugged, going the rest of the way in.

“Harassed by vampires again?” Cameron asked, shooting Steve a terse look.

“No, students, actually,” Mr. Lenox declared with a weary grin. “It seems my, uh, fan club has been gone for the past week. They found a better target, I think.”

Troy and Bobo exchanged a look. Bobo nodded.

“And who’s this?” Mr. Lenox said, “I presume he knows our condition.” Then he looked to Troy, blinking in remembrance. “Oh, that’s right. You said a friend who is impervious to harm is coming. Pleasure.”

He stuck out