A Vampire for Christmas(59)

Charity, you don’t tell strangers stuff like that,” the older one hissed.

A vampire? How could Daniel save a person from becoming a vampire? Had he bitten someone and now as a result, she was changing?

She pressed against the fence, but when the older girl insinuated herself before her, Olivia stepped back out of respect.

I don’t want to cause any trouble,” Olivia offered. “If he’s busy helping your mother I’ll catch him later.”

The younger of the two tugged on Olivia’s sleeve and said, “Your eyelashes are really long.”

Olivia blinked. The false eyelashes were also annoying, but much needed on stage. “They’re not real.”

Like Santa? Daniel told us Santa isn’t real.”

He did?” How dare he? Though she shouldn’t judge. She had no idea the mood or context in which he’d said that to the girls. “Santa is real if you want him to be.”

But he still doesn’t bring presents to girls who don’t live in houses,” the little one said and followed with a dramatic sigh.

She didn’t know what to say to that. Hell, she could write a check and put the girls and their mother in a nice hotel for months. But that would never solve their problem if the mother had no stable form of income.

Aren’t you girls cold?” She placed her hand on the little one’s head and felt little warmth. “How about I buy you some hot chocolate at the café down the block?”

The girls exchanged looks, but Olivia could read the warning flash in the elder’s eyes to her sister.

Right,” she said. “I’m a stranger. You should never go places with strangers. You two are very smart.”

The soft tones of “O Holy Night” echoed out from behind the fence. Daniel was singing with a woman. For what reason, she couldn’t know. But it wasn’t her place to intrude. She’d wanted him for herself tonight, but obviously, he had more important things to do.

He has a life away from your bed. Get that into your brain. You scared him off by confessing love. The risky move failed.

A life that obviously had much more meaning than she could ever see beyond his fangs and danger.

Daniel’s a good man,” she said to the older girl. “You can trust him.”

I know that. He’s been here almost every night since my mom was bitten. Except that one night. Don’t know where the heck he was then.”

Snuggled in Olivia’s bed beside her. Hell.



He’ll save her,” the oldest offered. “I know he will.”

Olivia managed a weak smile. For the sake of the girls, she hoped Daniel could save their mother. Her heart warmed to know what he was doing. Truly, his soul was worthy.

Merry Christmas,” she offered, and wandered down the street. The driver followed at a slow creep.

In the café she ordered three cups of hot chocolate to go, and upon spying a lost and found box full of mittens and caps, asked if she could take two. The owner said they’d been in there for months, so she was welcome to them.



THE MIDNIGHT BELLS from a church down the block had chimed over an hour ago. Daniel eyed the moon, noting it had fallen in the sky. The bright disk reminded him of the Christmas tale of the wise men following the star. Pray, Laura’s soul had followed the bright this night.

He held her tightly still, and she hadn’t moved in a while. Maybe she had fallen asleep? It was the best option to fight the cravings.

Thinking about cravings… She had been here. He’d felt her presence outside the fence earlier. Had smelled her delicious sugar cookie scent. She’d come looking for him? He was glad she’d not interfered, but sad he’d missed her gorgeous smile.

Until he remembered that kiss onstage. She would have never let it happen if the man hadn’t meant something to her. He couldn’t accept it had been a sweet peck, either. He’d lost her, yet he’d never really had her.

How to possess a bright star when she belonged in the sky, shimmering for the masses to follow?

The smell of hot chocolate stirred his appetite. Giggles from outside the gate surprised him. That Charity and Mary could find some humor on this bleak night heartened him.

In his arms, Laura stirred and lifted her head. She stretched her mouth in a yawn and tugged out of his grasp to sit against the makeshift cardboard walls of her lean-to.

How do you feel?” he asked on a raspy whisper.

Oddly…not hungry for blood.” She shifted her tongue in her mouth and tilted her head. “Do I smell hot chocolate?”