Rare Blood

Chapter Fourteen: Tinted Green

It didn't take Hector and Roxy long to find the girls place. She lived over a barn, Roxy laughed aloud at the thought. "A descendant of a god living over a barn," she said unable to hide her amusement. Hector took her hand and they went up the wooden steps faster than any human could see. The door was locked so Roxy pulled a bobby pin from her hair, picking the lock in under a second. They could've easily broken the door, but that would’ve made their trasspassing obvious, and that wasn’t an option.

As soon as the door closed Roxy smelled Cyrus. She looked at Hector who was already going through a stack of papers on a hideous Formica kitchen counter and said, "Cyrus has been in here."
Hector didn't falter in his search, replying, "I don't think Ms. Faye Porter is dead at all. Her scent is fresh in here. Cyrus must be trying to hide her."

"Faye, that's an old one."

"Roxy look around. We need to find anything we can with her family information and look for work or school stuff too. We have to hurry because who knows what Cyrus will do once he finds out we’re on her trail."

"Do you think he knows what she is?"

"Cyrus is smart. If he doesn't he’ll figure it out."

"Why don't we just try to talk to Cyrus? Maybe he'll give her to us."

Hector looked at Roxy with disbelief in his eyes. "Do you really think he's going to hand her over? I mean look at these," he said motioning to the flowers. "They reek of him and he wouldn’t give some human flowers like this just to turn her over to us."

Roxy had to admit they were beautiful and Cyrus didn't do things like that so she knew Hector was right. "What if we just tell Octavius that Cyrus has her? We could make it look like he's after her whole family for himself."

"If I thought handing Cyrus over would keep us safe, I would do it, but I don't. We can't risk it. I had to wait a long time for you to come to me and I'm not about to let The Council take you away."

Roxy went over to Hector and kissed him. He pushed her away after a minute, saying, "Mi amor, not now we have work to do. Go check the bedroom and make sure you put everything back the way it was."

Roxy went through the bedroom closet finding no decent brand name clothes or shoes. How a girl could live like that, she would never know. Everything the girl owned probably came from a department store sale rack.

It took a few minutes but she eventually found a pay stub and hollered to Hector, "She works at a place called AJ’S. I have the address."

He appeared as she finished the sentence and started helping her go through the rest of the bedroom, "let's go check it out when we're done here. They should have some paperwork on her."

"You don't think we should wait and see if she comes back?"

"No. I don't want to have any contact with her or Cyrus until I hear from Tatiana-"

"Who?" Roxy questioned, cutting him off.  She was all ears as she waited for his response.

"Tatiana, She’s my maker," he responded, devoid of emotion, hiding his feelings.

"Tell me about her," Roxy demanded trying unsuccessfully to fight her response. It was jealousy and she didn't like it.

"Roxy, we don't have time to talk about this now."

"Fine, but you will tell me about her later."

He ignored her and said, "Let's go find this place she works at, there's nothing else here."

A few minutes later they stood out front of the diner. It was open and they went in. The diner was not the type of place Roxy would ever eat at, but they got a table anyway. When their waitress came over Roxy didn't wait for Hector and bluntly asked the girl, "Do you know Faye Porter?"

Hector glared at her, but she didn't care she wanted to leave so they could talk about Tatiana.

"Um, why do you ask," the girl asked a little suspicious.

Roxy knew what to say, "She's an old friend of mine. She said she worked here, I was hoping to say hi if she was around."

"Oh, she's actually off tonight. I think she works tomorrow though."

"Thank you," Roxy said then got up.

"Are you not going to eat," the waitress asked.

"No. I'll come back tomorrow, and don't tell her we were here if you see her. I want to surprise her tomorrow. I'm so excited," she squealed like a teenager and the waitress laughed saying, "I don’t work tomorrow so your surprise is safe."

Hector and Roxy walked outside and he turned to her saying, "You did well in there."

"I'm not as useless as I seem."

"You're not useless. Now, we either wait here until they close, or come back. You're choice."

"Let's come back. We can go to my apartment; it's not far. We can talk privately and I can get some clothes."

"Lead the way," he said and she did.

They arrived at her building a short while later and once inside she asked out right, "So Tatiana is your maker? And you called her?"

"Yes."

"Have you slept with her?"

"Roxy...," He said like he was annoyed at her question before answering, "Yes, a long time ago."

"Then I don't want her help."

"Roxanne, she's older than Octavius. She loathes the Vampire Council's and I've already called to her."

Roxy knew what it meant to call your maker. It meant Hector used the telepathic link between them. The link allowed for a progeny to reach out to their maker and vice versa.   She didn’t have the connection anymore. Her maker was dead and the thought that Hector was connected to another that way made her nauseous.

"Roxanne, don’t be jealous. I have not spoken to her or seen Tatiana in over a decade. It will take a while before she can come to me. And trust me when I say I'm not interested in her for anything other than assistance. She can help.  She will help."

"Why?"

"Because she owes me,” he answered flatly.  “I killed her husband after she turned me and she owes me for that still."

"How long were you with her," Roxy asked feeling biter.

"I don't question you about all of the men you've been with, so do us both a favor and stop. I want you. I've wanted you since the day I met you.  After Dominique’s death and the council appointed Cyrus as your guardian all I could do was wait for you to seek me out.  You have, and here we are.  I only want you."

“Prove it,” she demanded.

“Is this not proof enough?  I’m here now trying to get you out of this mess.”

"I want your blood," she said, stalking forward towards him. 

"Roxy we can't do this now."

"You will let me take your blood if I ever meant anything to you."

"Roxy, stop this nonsense."

"I can't. I need to feel close to you, but if you don't want that, Ill go to the Council and turn myself in. Save you all this trouble."

Faster than she could see to block Hector had her by the throat, "You will not force me," he growled, but then he pulled her forward to his throat, inviting her to bite him. 

She sunk her fangs in deep and swallowed greedily knowing when his Tatiana showed, Roxy would have Hector’s blood in her and the thought thrilled her.