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"Get a Trauma team to the ER!" an urgent voice shouted from somewhere in the crowded emergency room. "Call surgery down here too!"
As doctors and other staff rushed around Houston General, one lone man was oblivious to all the noise and running. His thoughts were centered on the man they were trying to save.
Sgt. Levon Lundy sat wearily in the same chair he'd been in since riding to the hospital with his partner some seven hours earlier.
The native Texan rubbed his face as he thought back to the previous night when a simple stakeout had gone wrong.
He and his partner, Chicago born, Joseph LaFiamma had been working hard to uncover and bust a gang of bank robbers/drug smugglers turned murderers.
The gang had robbed 13 banks in a span of eight weeks; they had been connected to a new drug cartel in Houston and were responsible for eight-ten deaths.
They had gotten a break when a longtime snitch told of the next drug deal. A simple by the book job when it all went wrong.
Lundy could still hear and see the moment. A low life street thug he and Joe had busted last year stumbled onto them and things quickly went bad.
Shots, screams and utter chaos ensued and ended with his friend lying on the pavement with 3 bullet wounds.
"Damn." Lundy murmured, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the cold pain in his heart.
"Levon?"
The 6'2 blond Texan knew the soft voice that broke into his thoughts and he immediately put, what he hoped was, a strong smile on his rugged face as he looked up.
"Hey sugar." He stood to greet his cousin, seeing the concern in her blue eyes that mirrored his own. "Joann shouldn't have called you yet."
At 26, Morgan Harrison had seen and done things most people only dreamed of. The 5'4 half British young woman owned a successful company, was a former star Federal agent who now worked as a freelance operative.
She was also Lundy's only remaining blood family since he didn't count his father anymore.
"She didn't. I.actually..,well the feelings I got tonight were wrong so I knew something wasn't right." She replied quietly, the soft accent always stronger when she was upset. "I was in New Orleans.mediating. So it didn't take me long to fly to Houston."
Lundy knew he shouldn't have been surprised to see her since she and Joe had gotten closer recently. A still touchy area for them to face.
"How bad is he?" Morgan knew it was bad but kept silent. "What happened?"
"A bust went wrong and LaFiamma, the damn fool, shoved me out of the way and took all three slugs." Lundy's words were tinged with anger.
Morgan dropped her flight bag and sat next to her cousin, knowing he was madder at himself than Joe.
"He's been in surgery for almost 8 hours and nothing yet." Lundy took his tan Stetson off to run his fingers through unruly blond hair and noticed the dried blood on it and on his hands. "Damn, he was losing so much blood and."
"Joe's strong, Levon. He'll be fine." Morgan hoped she was right. "He's Italian and a LaFiamma. Trust me, that family is tough."
Lundy heard the hope in her voice and hated to dash that for her. "Yeah, sugar. I know he will." He reached over and lightly squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you're here."
"I was in New Orleans keeping Lestat and Zach apart." Morgan sighed, her eyes flicking like she felt something but ignored it. "Keeping Lestat there when he learned of this took me threatening to call Marius and the elders."
Still thinking that his baby cousin associated with real vampires still gave Lundy the shivers but before he could reply he heard footsteps coming closer.
"Sgt. Lundy?"an older doctor approached the waiting room slowly where more police were gathering.
The Texan stood up again, his blue eyes wary yet hopeful but one look told Lundy his hope was wrong.
"My partner?" He asked carefully, feeling Morgan's fingers curl on his arm. "How is he?"
Dr. Luis Rossi cleared his throat and consulted his chart. "Sgt. LaFiamma sustained severe internal damage. One of the bullets perforated his liver and another passed through his left lung. That coupled with the blood loss and shock, it made the surgery more difficult.
"He hemorrhaged twice on the table and his heart also suffered from the shock." Dr. Rossi met Lundy's eyes. "We've done all we can for him. Now it's just a matter of time."
Morgan's breath caught as Lundy closed his eyes. "He's dying?" it seemed his voice was a whisper. "You can't.there has to be."
"His injuries are too bad, Sgt." Rossi replied then coughed. "He insists on seeing you and your cousin."
Lundy nodded, looking at Morgan. "Darlin'?" he was wary of letting her see their friend in this shape. "You don't have to.."
"No, I want to see Joe." She murmured, ignoring the shadow feeling she was feeling in her mind.
Following Rossi up to the ICU ward, the doctor looked back at them with sympathy and understanding. "He's in a private room and the Mayor called and said to give you both permission to come and go. Take your time."
Lundy silently thanked the doctor, opening the door to his partner's room and caught the harsh oath before he said it.
Sgt. Joseph LaFiamma was a pure born Italian with dark, handsome drop dead looks, thick wavy always styled black hair and a fashion sense that drove Lundy nuts.
Now, his usual handsome face was near white as he laid in the bed with tubes, wires and monitors.
Joe's green eyes were closed but flickered as the door opened to admit his partner.
"Laying down again LaFiamma?" Lundy forced his voice and tone to be light despite the hammering in his chest.
A weak raspy laugh answered him as Joe turned his head toward his friend and tried a cocky grin.
"Figured this.beats paperwork." The Italian replied, wincing as pain flared. "You get the dirty work."
"Yeah, typical." Lundy snorted, reaching over the bed rail to lightly squeeze his friend's arm. "How you doin' partner?"
LaFiamma knew his partner didn't need to be told. That he already knew the truth as well as Joe did and the easy words were meant as a distraction.
The pain came and went now thanks to the drugs, the priest had come by with Last Rites and Joe knew he didn't have the time to make amends to all his family but he did need to say some things.
"Lundy.my family.y'know they can't bury me in Chicago." Joe seen the Texan's blue eyes change and quickly grabbed his wrist. "Call Zach or Lance. My cousins will."
"You're not gonna die LaFiamma. Kelly will freak if that happens." Lundy cut in impatiently, then nodded resignedly. "Alright, 'IF' anything happens, we'll take care of it."
Joe's hazy mind caught the 'we' just as he caught sight of who else was present and he met Lundy's eyes to try and gauge the emotional reaction.
"Hi babe." He finally murmured as Morgan slowly came closer. "I ain't as bad as this looks."
Morgan who had seen death firsthand many times could easily see the signs here and battled to stay calm.
"Kelly says you had better be out of here by the time the 'Raiders arrive so he can kill you proper for causing all this fuss." She commented, concentrating on looking anywhere but at Joe.
Joe tried to snicker at this but ended up in a painful cough, waving Lundy off. "Fine, but I need to talk to her a minute."
Lundy doubted if this was a good idea given his cousin's emotional state but agreed. "I'll go give your cousins in New Orleans a call." He knew what Joe wanted to say and decided it was better if he was busy.
"Stan'll be here by the morning." Morgan absently fiddled with the blankets on the bed and the IV going to his arm, blinking as Joe lowered the bed rail. "No, that should stay up."
"Stan will be too late." Joe seen her eyes before she looked away again but he still had strength enough to catch and hold her hand until she sat on the bedside. "We both know that so we can stop pretending I'm not dying."
Morgan's eyes closed tightly against the pain in her chest. "Dev or I could try to heal." a finger lightly brushed over her lips, stilling the words.
"Listen to me Morgan." Joe breathed as deep as he could right then, figuring this was going to be hard. "We never did focus on what we were but I need to tell you some things.
"Starting with you're a very wonderful, lovely young woman who puts up with a lot, including Lundy and some off the wall mercs and I never want you to doubt yourself." Joe winced as he moved on the bed, slowly lacing his fingers with Morgan's. "I guess I should've mentioned this more but."
Morgan shook her head, suddenly scared. "No, you cannot say that and then die. It's not fair Joe. I can't put my trust in you, fall in love with you just to allow you to die." She refused the thought.
"Ah, so you do love me." Joe's smile was weak but devilish as he looked at her. "I was.just going to say.thanks for putting up with me."
He seen her tense then slowly look at him, blue eyes filled with tears then uncertainty. "You."
Joe waited a few seconds before lightly touching her cheek, brushing at the tears. "Of course I love you and that why I want you to send Lundy in. Don't want you to.see this."
She started to argue when a knock sounded and the Texan poked his head in, holding a cell phone. "Morgan, talk to his cousin. He switched to swearing in French and lost me."
"Lance." Both Joe and Morgan agreed but as she hesitated, Joe quickly tugged her closer to touch her lips in a gentle kiss that he deepened before letting go reluctantly.
"Go and soothe Lance before he gets the urge to show up dragging the family." Joe urged lightly, catching her eyes and smiling.
As Morgan took the phone and slowly left the room and it was just the 2 of them, the façade faded and Joe slumped back.
"I don't want her in here at the end, Lundy." He stated as his friend pulled the chair closer. "Damn, I never meant for this to happen."
"What? Getting shot or falling in love with my cousin?" Lundy deadpanned, hoping he could keep it together for all their sakes. "Joe."
LaFiamma waved a hand. "Don't want you going stupid and mopey on me Lundy. We're cops and cops die. You'll have to be strong for her. I mean it Lundy.if you let her down I'll haunt you forever."
"I'll always take care of Morgan, LaFiamma but I wish to God you'd stop talking like this." Lundy muttered, feeling the breeze suddenly as the window in the room opened. "What the hell?"
Figuring the wind had just blown it open, the Texan started to go close it when he suddenly went limp.
"Lundy?" Joe blinked as his partner collapsed but instead of falling to the fall, a pair of strong arms deposited him on the couch in the room. "Oh Lord, do I really deserve you as my last sight?" he groaned, the pain beginning to sear again and he knew time was short.
A dry laugh followed as a body materialized, dressed in crisp clean jeans with a red T-shirt and black leather jacket, Lestat deLioncourt shook his head at the mortal cop.
Lestat had always loved mortal humor and he especially loved Lafiamma's wit. The blond haired, gray-eyed vampire had first met Joe and his partner close to a year ago and he found it amusing to tease the cops since they both found his presence unsettling. He also did it as a way to protect Morgan whom he thought was too naïve and vulnerable.
"I suppose for a practicing Catholic a vampire wouldn't be a good choice." He agreed, his voice still soft with just a mild accent left of his Parisian youth. "Did you know Louis was also catholic when I made him? I myself, up until recently with my trip to Heaven and Hell, never considered religion."
"There a reason you're here Lestat?" Joe asked wearily, glancing at his friend with concern. "Lundy alright?"
The vampire waved a white skinned hand in easy dismissal. "A mild trick of the mind. He'll wake up when I want him to or leave but there'll be no aftereffects." He promised, then grew serious as he looked down at Joe. "Morgan was in New Orleans keeping me from murdering Zach when she got the feelings about you. I followed because this isn't right."
Joe rolled his eyes. "No joke but I can't fight fate Lestat." He sighed. "Worried about Morgan.she'll."
"I can stop this Joseph." Lestat interrupted him firmly, smiling when he seen the green eyes flash up to his. "I can halt this mortal death you're nearing and give you Immortality, power and with my blood, less of a need to drink blood."
All this settled in as Joe blinked, staring at the other man incredulously. "You're talking about.." He stopped, unsure of the words.
"I can make you a vampire Joe. You won't have to worry about Morgan or Lundy." Lestat nodded, stepping closer. "Drawback is the sunlight thing and you.could never have the relationship with Morgan you want but life is better than death, my young friend."
Joe was silent as he considered all this. "This goes against what the priests taught." He murmured, gasping as the pain in his chest got worse again. "Lestat, be serious. I could never."
The young vampire scowled as Joe started coughing violently and he knew time was short and getting shorter.
"Are you ready to die Joe?" he asked. "Have you done or said everything you've wanted to? Consider that and how your death will effect Lundy and Morgan.
"Your life will change slightly but it will be graced with more things than I can explain here. You could, with Devan's help, even remain a police officer. Joe, you have suffered for your faith, your career and your family. I offer you a chance to choose life for yourself for once."
Lestat knew he had said all he could since he would not force the change or the Blood on anyone, especially not a friend. He'd learned that lesson well from David.
Joe stayed silent as he closed his eyes and battled his inner feelings of his deep faith and his desires. He only knew of vampires from television and movies, his real life exposure to vampires was still so limited he wasn't certain of the choice.
Then as pain hit again, Joe thought of his partner and friends. Leaving them was the worst to him, loosing Morgan and it was this thought that made him doubt and it was this doubt that Lestat jumped on.
"Joe, I know your fears but trust me once the change is over you will see your world see new eyes." He was extra careful when he walked to the side of the bed with the rail already down. "It is a 2 part process but I assure you it'll be quick."
Joe still had serious doubts and considered asking Morgan her opinion when the vampire lightly touched his hair, then slowly moved to his throat to touch for the veins.
"She won't be happy at first as Morgan feels protective towards you." Lestat caught the thoughts as he continued to gently brush his hand against Joe's hair, face and cheek. "In fact I gauge her reaction to this will be quite violent. To me at least."
"I.don't want to hurt them Lestat." Joe whispered, his mind clouding and he wasn't sure if it was the drugs in his body or Lestat's powers. "Morgan and Levon.. My death will hurt 'em but I don't want."
Lestat sighed, never fully understanding mortals thoughts when he felt Joe's heart begin to slow and finally swore harshly. "Time is up Joe. I wish this was easier."
Before the Houston cop could react or think, the vampire had twisted his fingers though his hair in order to turn his neck upwards and Joe felt the sharp piercing sensation of Lestat's fangs on his throat.
Having seen a vampire attack on TV, Joe wasn't expecting the sudden burning or the feelings of the blood coursing out of him as Lestat firmly held him in place as Joe's instinct was to fight the attack.
"Relax Joe and this will be over soon." Lestat promised, letting his fangs sink deeper and drink deeper to take enough blood to put the Italian cop at the brink of death but not kill him. "Soon your pain will be over."
"First off, stop cussing at me in French or I'm going to tell your mother and second translate the clean parts of that." Morgan Harrison was totally unaware of what was happening down the hall from her as she winced at the voice on the phone.
Lance Duvall swore again from New Orleans. As one of Joe's cousins who still associated with him and a former partner of Morgan's the young Cajun was angry and upset for more than one reason.
"I said first if Joe dies all hell will break loose and second is a few of your local boys have reported that a certain vampire isn't in the city any longer."
A cold chill froze Morgan as she heard this. "Lestat? Lance, where's Lestat?" she demanded, looking quickly down the hall and concentrating on a power she tried to avoid.
"Got me, chere. Louis and David both said he took off shortly after you did." Lance replied, unaware of what that could mean. "I've called Zach and he said we could be in."
Morgan was about to answer when her unique link with Joe took a dramatic nosedive and another feeling hit her. "Joe." She whispered, dropping the phone and bolting down the hall with a quick shout to one of her own employees. "Joe?!"
Lestat pulled back when he knew it was enough and he carefully laid Joe back on the bed just long enough for him to use his own fingernail to slice his wrist to allow blood to flow freely from the open wound down to the now semi-dead police officer's mouth and before the wound quickly healed he firmly put it to Joe's lips.
Conscious thought was a thing of the past and Joe fought the drugging sensation and the strange feelings he had now like the horrible hunger he felt yet he instinctively fought them.
"No Joe. You have to feed for the change to be complete. My blood will make you stronger, just relax and let your body do what it needs to." Lestat soothed, not mentioning the downside to the change and figuring he'd have to move the cop before that happened.
Hearing Lestat's voice made Joe relax somewhat and his sudden hunger made him give in to the urge and he grasp Lestat's wrist and eagerly found the source of the warm liquid he was craving.
"Good boy." Lestat smiled as Joe's lips closed on the wound and sucked the blood he was giving. As Lestat had drunk from the oldest vampires and also from the one called the Mother of Vampires his blood was strong, so strong not even direct sun could kill him now. For this reason, he knew if he gave his friend enough of his blood, Joe could survive without fear or need. "Drink freely."
As this was occurring, Lestat was oblivious to his time limit until.
"Joe, what's." Morgan froze inside the door, her blue eyes going wide then dangerous as she took in the sight. "No."
"Now darling, just consider this before you react." Lestat could read the girl well enough to know her motions.
Morgan's eyes caught sight of her cousin laying on the couch seemingly unharmed but unconscious then she settled on the bed.
"Tell me you didn't do this." She whispered, unable to move as she seen her friend limp in Lestat's arms, the blood on his neck, and the fact that the vampire had his wrist pressed to Joe's mouth. "No, lestat."
Gently easing his wrist away as Joe fell back limp and unconscious, the vampire stepped toward Morgan who backed away, her eyes starting to blaze.
"He was dying and I could stop that. Joe accepted it." Lestat shrugged. "Morgan,."
Her scream wasn't unexpected but the wave of power that sent the vampire crashing to a wall was.
"You had no right Lestat!" she snapped furiously, looking for something to hurl at him. "He was human! Humans die!"
Lestat forced most of his anger of being attacked down but didn't back down as he moved across the room quickly to grab her wrists and hurl her closer to the bed.
"You love him and yet wanted him to die?!" he was shocked by the thought. "How when I know how you feel for him?"
"I loved him and wanted him to be at peace!" she returned, fighting against his greater strength and was shocked when she felt the cold feel of metal on her wrist as handcuffs snapped to the bedrail. "Lestat, what the hell are you doing?"
The former singing star/author smiled as he lightly caressed her cheek before easily lifting Joseph LaFiamma's weight over his shoulder. "To complete the change, my love. When you're calm, you'll see I'm right. Lundy will wake soon and release you."
Before the girl could reply, the vampire disappeared with Joe and leaving the room empty and her heart cold with dread of what is to come.
"Argh." Levon Lundy groaned as his head ached when he woke up. The last thing he recalled was sitting with his dying partner when things went weird. "Damn it. Joe?"
He quickly sat up and looked toward the bed and was shocked to find his partner gone and his cousin sitting on the floor by the bed, held there by his cuffs.
"Morgan?" he knelt down next to her, looking for injury but just heard her soft sobs as she stared at the floor. "Sugar, what the hell happened?"
The Texan gently lifted the girl's face toward him and got more alarmed when he seen the despair in her eyes. "Morgan?" he asked again. "Where's Joe?"
She waited as he located the key to the cuffs before trying to answer his questions. "Gone."
Her whispered reply bothered him, cause it didn't sound right. "If Joe.died, who did this?" Lundy asked, tossing the cuffs aside and holding her hands and feeling them shake.
"Not died, Levon." Morgan finally looked him fully in the eye. "Lestat came and took him.Levon." she stopped as a fit of tears poured forth and she could still see the event right before her link with LaFiamma was cut off. "He turned him."
The words weren't clicking for Lundy as he looked at his cousin and carefully rethought what she said. " 'Turned him'? As in.turned Joe into a." the thought was too outlandish to consider yet as Morgan turned into his arms he had a horrible idea that it was true. His friend had become the undead.
"That stupid moronic imbecile!" a harsh voice echoed Lundy's own but he knew he wouldn't have been able to give off the presence that the vampire Marius did.
After fully understanding what had happened, Lundy knew they were going to have to have a lot of help to keep this quiet and also to handle it so he called on a few of his cousins more stranger friends to cover the story of LaFiamma's disappearance and also called in some muscle.
"He knows the rules clearly state we DO NOT turn those close to us." Marius turned from stalking to look at Morgan. "Lestat can be impetuous but this is."
"Dumb, stupid, uncalled for, not to mention dangerous?" Louis put in helpfully from across the living room of Lundy's ranch.
The two vampires were as different as could be. Marius was a tall, striking blond man with blue eyes and 5000 years old. He had the bad break of being called lestat's sometime mentor. A former Roman who favored the color red in whatever he wore.
Louis was younger at only a few hundred years. A native to the plantations of Louisiana when Lestat made him. Louis had a love/hate relationship with his maker and right then was one of the times he hated him. Slightly shorter than Marius with long brown hair, he had the white skin of a vampire who had drank from one of the older ones.
"Thank you Louis." Marius shot the younger a look while looking again at Morgan. "I know you're angry but we have to face this."
Morgan had been silent since last night, just occasionally speaking when needed to one of Lundy's friends who had come by with condolences.
"Face that my friend is now a vampire?" Morgan looked back at him, her blue eyes tired but still angry. "Why?"
Lundy heard her tone and couldn't blame her for feeling helpless and confused. He'd been feeling like that all night but had managed to keep it together for her sake.
"I hate to ask this but what the hell happens now?" he questioned curiously, sitting on the couch next to his cousin and feeling her move closer.
Neither vampire answered right away then Marius sighed. "We find them and see what Joe has to say."
"What happens if laFiamma changed his mind?" Lundy asked, not sure if such a thing was possible. "Is there a way to reverse this?"
"If there was, I would have taken that option several centuries ago Levon." Louis assured the Texan grimly then frowned. "It is a possibility that Lestat acted rashly if Joe wasn't thinking clearly but as for fixing this.one way but it's goes against our code to kill one of our own."
Lundy knew what this meant and swore. Could he kill his own partner, his best friend if it meant saving his soul?
"The sun's down. The change should be about complete." Marius gauged time frames. "Any idea where they'd be?"
"Joe's place." Morgan was sure of that even though her bond with the Italian had been destroyed.
The 3 men glanced at her in concern. "Sugar, maybe you should wait here til Kelly comes." Lundy suggested lightly, unsure what they'd be walking into.
"No." she calmly refused, meeting his blue eyes. "I want to go because I owe Lestat and if Joe has change his mind then we'll end this tonight."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Louis muttered, stepping from Lundy's truck and looking up at the apartment building where Joseph LaFiamma lived. "Morgan, be calm."
The young woman turned a calm smile towards her friend but there was no mistaking the power in her eyes. "I'm always calm Louie."
Lundy rolled his eyes, using his spare key to open the first set of doors and as they went upstairs, he slowly drew his handgun. "I know it's useless but I feel better with it." He spoke to Marius who had looked at him oddly. "What can hurt you guys?"
"The sun if they're young, a stake to the damn heart, having the head chopped off or..me." Morgan's voice was ice as they neared the door to the apartment.
"Yep, she's calm." Louis muttered as Lundy started to open the door when it opened. "I feel like I'm in Paris again."
An utter calm was in the well-polished apartment like Joe always kept it. His sense of style included his home, with modern furniture and a bedroom loft.
"Perhaps bringing Armand wouldn't have been a bad idea." Marius agreed in a low tone, his eyes looking around.
"Lestat show yourself in 5 seconds or I fry you anyway and the hell with giving you a chance to explain." Morgan snapped, knowing the vampire could hear them and knew they were there.
A low chuckle had Lundy turning in a quick circle but Louis motioned him to keep the gun down.
"I actually expected someone earlier." Lestat came from the loft upstairs, dressed as he had been last night. "Marius, you didn't have to come clear to Houston."
The elder vampire shook his head. "Wasn't fighting with Zach bad enough that you had to come here to actually make Morgan furious with you?"
"It wasn't me intent to make her angry, just save a mutual friend's life." Lestat replied calmly, coming down the steps slowly and carefully avoiding Morgan who was glaring at him.
"But it wasn't your choice to save his life. It was Joe's." Lundy pointed out when he thought he heard a step then Louis hissed out a breath.
"Yeah, my choice Lundy."
The voice caused them all to look up and freeze at the sight. "Oh hell." The Texan muttered, feeling his heart do a jump-start then it kicked him in the gut.
Joseph LaFiamma had always been a healthy fit man, tall at nearly 6'4 with wavy thick black hair and deep green eyes and a great love for Italian leather loafers and clothes.
All that was the same now as he came to the top of his stairs. Except now, his normally tanned skin was a shade that told of his change from living mortal to something else. It wasn't as white as Lestat or Marius but didn't have the same healthy cast as most humans.
At Joe's voice, Morgan looked up and her face went past white. She seemed actually startled and only Lundy's hand on her arm kept her from stumbling and then she turned on Lestat.
"One reason besides your idea of helping him why you'd do this?" she demanded softly, refusing to look up. "Why L?"
Lestat seemed to consider her question as he also read her genuine pain. "I thought.I thought this would make you happy. I knew his death would hurt both you and Lundy."
"Did you think to explain to the boy of what he has lost?" Marius demanded coolly. "The changes that aren't all exterior? His feelings will change, as will his senses and many other things?"
"Yes, of course I explained some of those." Lestat retorted as if insulted. "Some more I was waiting until he adjusted."
Joe was watching the scene silently as if considering something when his eyes landed on his partner. "You think I made a mistake?"
"I think you were scared of dying despite that front you put on for us but.no LaFiamma, I don't really think you know what you've done." The Texan replied slowly, not flinching from the green eyes that were watching him. "But.whatever else I want to help you."
"He doesn't need help. Joe can survive on his own and with more of my blood he will be safe." Lestat declared firmly, not seeing his mistake.
"He will also be forever marked." Morgan snapped, still avoiding looking up the steps. "The more of your blood he has the more his skin will go white until not even Devan's magic's will be able to fix. Did you think to explain that?"
Joe turned his eyes on Morgan and soon became aware of the fact that he could no longer feel her as he had before.
"Morgan?" his voice was soft but the girl closed her eyes in pain. "Why can't I feel.?"
"We haven't been able to understand what happened to the bond between you and Morgan, Joe." Marius sighed, sitting down on the leather sofa with ease. "She is immune to vampires and can feel us approach, thoughts occasionally and etc. I discussed this with our eldest and she suggested that due to the fact the you and Morgan were already linked the connection could have been severed."
As this sunk in, Lundy figured there were several things his partner hadn't been aware of.
"What is he expected to do now?" he asked of any vampire present. "Houston thinks he's dead and even if Devan or Kelly could work up a story how could he still work?"
It was Louis who answered. "There are vampires who work. Morgan has a long distant relative in Toronto who is a cop and also a vampire."
"La Croix made Nick and Nick still has color to his skin!" Morgan snapped, finally looking up at LaFiamma and biting her lip.
"Nick has also had centuries to accept this. Joe will have to start all over someplace!"
"Whoa!" finally having enough of being talked about, Joe let out a shout and came the rest of the way downstairs. "Slow down. Let me get used to the idea of being alive still."
Silence hit his apartment as even Lundy started getting edgy. "Joe, you're not alive." Lestat put in carefully. "Your life ended last night."
"Has he fed?" Louis questioned, knowing this would be the test of Joe's conviction over his choice.
Lundy nearly gagged at this thought and he caught Joe's look, knowing he felt the same.
"You told him nothing." Louis accused, remembering his own horror after the change. "Damn it Lestat!"
"Enough." Morgan cut in firmly, looking around and seeing no other choice. "Leave us alone."
Five sets of eyes stared at her. "You sure about that Morgan?" Lundy asked warily, waving his friend off. "I didn't mean it like that Joe."
"He hasn't fed and is going to be confused." Marius sought to warn but got overrode.
"Lestat did this and I'll fix it." Morgan waved them away, pausing to give Lestat a hard thought as Louis dragged him out. "Levon, I'll be fine. Go downstairs and wait for Dev or Kelly."
Lundy reluctantly nodded, lightly brushing a kiss over her cheek and held out a hand to his friend. "Remember LaFiamma, she's mean when she's upset."
Obviously shocked by Lundy's reaction, it took Joe a couple seconds before he shook the extended hand but he couldn't block the new thoughts that he was getting.
"Is.my skin really that cold?" he asked after the door closed and they were alone, his eyes looked at his new white skin as if surprised to see it so pale. "I never noticed last night or before if Lestat or the others were so cold."
"Some vampires have the ice cold skin which is why the older ones wear gloves to cover both the white skin and to give some warmth when around mortals." Morgan spoke quietly as she wandered around the apartment she had become so used to and found a bottle of wine and 2 glasses. "Joe, Lestat left out a lot of things."
LaFiamma actually chuckled, turning to look at her. "Yeah, babe. I figured that out earlier when I woke up and sort of threw up the rest of my humanity. His words, not mine." He slumped on the couch but frowned as Morgan headed upstairs. "You don't want to go up there."
Muttering under his Joe was amazed at his new speed but he still couldn't head his friend off.
Morgan had glanced in the bathroom then handed him one of the glasses of wine. "Drink."
"Lundy will kill me if you get drunk." Joe smiled, but blinked as his new eyes found his surroundings fascinating until he learned he could hear Morgan's heartbeat.
As he drank the red wine, he frowned more. "My taste buds must be asleep." He murmured.
"Vampires have no need of food or drink. You have little to no taste but to maintain appearances you will appear to do both. Hot drinks are a particular favorite." Morgan took a much bigger drink than usual of her own wine as she paced the loft bedroom. "The only nourishment you'll crave is.blood."
Joe's green eyes looked at her. "No way around that?" he guessed, figuring this was part of the downside. "We'll cope somehow with that."
"Joe, you don't understand." Morgan slowly neared him, hesitating only briefly before lightly touching his face. "Some vampires, like Zach, keep their feelings. Physical, emotional and sexual. But the latter is risky cause it could cause death to your partner if not careful."
"Not sure I like where this is going, kid." Joe muttered, setting the wine aside to take her hand in his and loosely held it. "I still feel what I did for you and for Lundy. Now I want to kiss you but I'm not sure if that's a good idea."
Morgan slowly pulled away to finish her wine, looking back at him. "Why? Tell me what you feel, Joe."
"A hunger. I held your hand and could actually feel your pulse, hear your heartbeat and." Joe paused, looking away from her eyes even though I had the hunch she knew what he sensed. "Wicked downside to this afterlife stuff right?"
"There are ways to get blood without killing. If you were to drink enough of Lestat's blood you would hardly need to feed. Until then, blood banks are an option I've seen used or criminals but there is a danger to that route." Morgan heard his breath hiss out and actually felt his pain, knowing that as a newborn, his hunger had to be severe by this time.
She poured another glass of wine and drank it quickly, feeling his hand on her shoulder.
"Easy, Morgan." Joe had never seen her drink and was surprised to feel her shaking under his hand. "What's wrong?"
"When I first came to Houston, you risked a lot to protect me and to help me and Levon reconcile." She began quietly, not moving away from him even as his hands slowly began to caress her shoulders, arms, and neck. "After that even with Kelly bothering you, learning what else I am, and everything else you were kind and patient. I fell in love I think the moment I stepped off that plane."
"Nice to know." Joe smiled, leaning closer to breath in the scent of her hair. Everything seemed to be enhanced with his new vampire senses. "Don't tell Lundy this but I think I fell in love with you that same day."
His fingers gently played through her hair, forcing any other urges back as he seen the vein her neck beating under his fingertips.
"Morgan."
She slowly turned to him, making the choice she had to. "You once told me that we would do nothing in our relationship until I was ready." She murmured, seeing his green eyes begin to change.
"Yeah, I said that." Joe replied, his throat tight and dry as he wasn't even aware when his hand touched her face to slide lower to her throat. "Point?"
Morgan knew he would never do what he had to unless he was distracted or relaxed enough to not consider the act. "I'm ready."
Joe's thoughts snapped back as he stared at her and he was certain his cold skin had gone red hot. "You're drunk." He decided.
"No." she quickly leaned up to kiss him uncertainly, unsure of how to seduce a man. "I'm tired of being scared and I want my first real lover to be you."
"Too dangerous, hon." Joe tried to be rational but it was hard when he could practically smell her want, her blood but he was also well aware that his new strength could hurt her. "I'm not sure what would happen and this hunger is getting."
Not giving either of them a chance to think, she brushed a second kiss over his lips and this time felt him respond when he cupped the back of her head with gentle fingers.
Joe wasn't aware when he let his hands roam a little more but paused at her small moan and when his tongue touched the most pressing reminder of his life altering choice. The fangs had come out in response to the feel of blood pounding.
Morgan saw his look and nodded, touching his face. "You need this." She slowly pulled the long auburn hair to one side to expose her neck and lightly guided his hand up to her throat and pulsing vein.
"No." Joe refused firmly when he realized what she was offering. "No damn way in hell, Morgan!"
"Joe, think. I'm not having you hunt like some gutter trash vampire." She stated, catching his hand and holding on despite his greater strength. "I am immune to a vampires powers. I cannot be touched or hurt by one.unless I allow it.
"I am offering you what I would never allow any vampire to try. You need the blood now and I'm willing to give it to you." She replied quietly. "Joe, I love you."
LaFiamma closed his eyes and tried to control the urges like lestat said he could but the burning hunger was threatening his self control so much that he could practically hear her blood in his ears.
"I love you too." He whispered, lightly touching her throat before drawing her to the bed to sit beside him. "Bear with me Morgan. I've never done this before."
"Me neither hotshot." Morgan tried to keep from shivering at his touch, as Joe's fingers lightly caressed her throat then slid down lower.
Trying to go slow as to not scare the girl, Joe fought to remember if Lestat had said anything about drinking blood from a living person.
He carefully kissed her neck before gently laying her back on his bed and felt her pulse get more rapid as his desires did. "After this, I'll show you love." He whispered.
Morgan heard his voice, felt his touch, his breath but couldn't answer as his touch warmed her skin and she welcomed the touch of his hands as they curved over her then back to her throat.
"Forgive me." Joe murmured, closing his eyes and allowing his feelings to take over and his new canines(fangs) easily pierced soft skin on Morgan's throat and sank in deeply.
The sudden pain surprised her and Morgan reacted by tensing but slowly relaxed as Joe held her tightly to him and drank deeply, shocked by the feelings this had and feeling his friend's fingers curl into his hair.
So new at this was Joe that he did not know the moment to stop drinking so it wasn't until he felt Morgan stiffen then go limp that his mind snapped back to control and he pulled back to look down and froze.
"Morgan?" he gently touched her face, seeing the girl was limp and almost lifeless when her eyes flickered. "Baby?"
She tried to form a word then just reached for his hand, smiling weakly. "You'll learn soon." She assured him softly.
"Oh my God." Joe quickly felt for a pulse and was horrified that her pulse was straining. He had taken too much blood and she was dying. "Morgan?"
"I love you Joe." Morgan murmured, clutching his hand even as Joe was panicking more. "Take care of Levon for me."
"No." Joe drew her into his arms, willing her to stay alive even as he heard his apartment door slam open as Marius outside picked up his distraught thoughts.
Levon Lundy took in the scene slowly, not sure he wanted to think right then even as Louis gasped.
"Joe, what happened?" Lestat demanded, looking at the dark haired Chicago born cop holding Morgan limply. "LaFiamma?"
Marius had seen what had happened. "She allowed him to feed and because he had no teachings or knowledge he took too much."
Lundy neared his friend, seeing blood on his mouth. "Joe? Let her go." He urged gently, feeling his cousin's neck and closing his eyes. "She's dead."
"No!" Joe snapped, holding her tighter as his thoughts closed in to forget those around him and the scream came from the depth of his soul.
"NNNOOO!!!"
"Joe!" a voice snapped in near fear, as hands started shaking him roughly. "Wake up, Joe!"
"No, not dead!" Joseph LaFiamma screamed in terror, sitting straight up on his couch with his eyes snapping wide open. "Huh, wha.." he looked around dully to see he was in his living room, on his couch with a concerned Morgan Harrison kneeling next to the couch looking at him curiously.
"Joe?" she eyed him warily, wondering if she should call Levon.
LaFiamma glanced at her quickly then he was scrambling to sit up fully before grabbing Morgan and pulling her into a tight embrace. "You're alive." He breathed in relief, pressing relieved kisses against her hair then pushed her to arms length and moved her hair to look at both sides of her neck. "No teeth marks."
"Joe, what's wrong with you?" Morgan demanded, worried all the recent traumas in his life had driven the Chicago native mad. "Joe?" she blinked as he pushed away from couch to find a mirror and stared at himself.
"Skin color's good, normal tone, no fangs." Joe finally slumped against his kitchen counter. "I'm alive. I'm still human."
That did it for Morgan who was staying with her cousin's partner while the ranch was sprayed for bugs and Levon bunked with Joe Bill McCandliss.
"I'm calling Levon, Joe." She quickly went into the kitchen and reached for the phone when he finally managed to stand and put a hand over hers.
"I'm alright Morgan." He assured her, seeing the doubt in her blue eyes and also sensing her fear. "Really."
Morgan doubted that but let him lead her back to the living room.
"You woke me up screaming and I couldn't wake you up. Over 30 minutes I tried to wake you. What the bloody hell happened?" she demanded in concern.
"You wouldn't believe me, babe." Joe laughed dryly but despite his light tone he couldn't hide his shaking hands. "You o-kay?"
"Scared me senseless when you started screaming." She admitted, smiling shyly when he brushed a hand over her hair. "Bad dream?"
Joe considered what to say then decided on the truth. "I dreamed I'd been hurt bad, dying and Lestat came and turned me into a vampire."
"Ahh, Lestat did what?" Morgan blinked at this, not liking this dream much. "No wonder you screamed."
"No, actually I screamed because at the end you had allowed me to drink but I took too much and.I.I killed..you." Joe whispered, shuddering as he recalled the last vivid moments of that dream.
Morgan had stilled, seeing and feeling his anguish and fear. Not sure what she could say, she reached out to touch his arm. "It was a dream, luv. I'm fine."
"I know, babe. I know." Joe sighed, leaning back on the couch and closing his eyes. "I doubt if I'll sleep again tonight but you should try."
"No, you and Levon never leave me when I'm upset." She refused, watching him closely. "Joe, it was a dream. I talked with Lestat last week and he is happily tormenting my local boys in Paris for the summer.
"Go upstairs and lay down for awhile." Morgan urged, never seeing him this upset. "Lestat would never touch you because he knows I'd fry him."
Joe opened one eye to look at her. "I don't care about that or him, Morgan." He scoffed, his green eyes softening. "I killed you."
"In a dream, Joe. I know you would never hurt me." Morgan replied then seeing the grimness on his face, sighed. "Maybe tonight is a bad night to stay. I'll take a cab over to my apartment."
Morgan swore silently if that damn vampire was up to anything she'd fry him even as she threw what little she had there into the small flight bag and reached for the bedside phone to call a cab.
"No, Morgan." Joe's hand closed over hers, stopping it. "I told Lundy you were staying here and you are." He declared firmly, gently turning her toward him.
"You're upset and having me here will make it worse." She argued, understanding how nightmares worked. "Joe, it's fine and."
The rest of the words were cut off when Joe leaned down and kissed her, stilling the conversation until he felt her tense and broke the kiss.
"You're staying here." He declared again, tracing her cheek with a finger and suddenly very aware of the simple nightshirt she had on to the fact he was only wearing his slacks. "I'll try to sleep but I will be downstairs if you need anything."
"Think Levon would yell if you stayed up here with me?" Morgan deadpanned, seeing his eyes go wide then his wicked grin.
"Your cousin and mine would all yell if they found that out, babe." He returned, starting to turn when she caught his arm.
"So, they don't find out." Morgan met his eyes calmly, sighing. "Joe, I'm not asking for anything just that you sleep in your own bed and if you have another dream I'll close. Nothing will happen."
LaFiamma considered this and the risks if his partner found out about this then he saw something else in her eyes that he hadn't before. Her fear.
"You're explaining this to Lundy." He muttered but did slowly sit on the bedside and held out a hand to her. "You can also explain it to my cousins."
"Coward." Morgan smiled accepting his hand and allowing him to gently kiss her before turning and holding her loosely in his arms. "Joe, when.I mean..between us."
"When you're ready." Joe promised, letting his hand rest lightly on her lower thigh and waited for her response. "Kelly due in soon?" he asked.
Morgan curled toward his chest, sleep coming easier in his arms. "Hmm, tomorrow." She yawned, missing his groan.
"My luck." Joe muttered, looking down at her with a smile. "I love you." He whispered, caressing her hair and face and falling back to sleep.
Neither of them seen the slender gray eyed shadow that slipped into the room and watched them silently for a few minutes, the moonlight shining on the fangs as he smiled at them before slipping back out with a thought of the future.
THE END
