"Here they come."
Lissianna glanced out the van window at the warning from Juli. Thomas and Greg were descending the porch steps. Her cousin had obviously borrowed one of Dwayne's shirts, Greg's bloodstained one was missing, a Metallica T-shirt in its place.
"He looks so pale," Vicki said with concern.
Lissianna didn't say anything They all knew Greg had been shot. Her mother had made her close her eyes, then fed her several bags of blood once they'd all settled in the van. Then Lissianna had told them what had happened since leaving the shelter as they waited for Martine and the men to join. them.
"Here comes Mom, too," Elspeth said, as Martine came around the side of the house.
"Good, we can get going," Marguerite commented, then glanced toward the back of the van. "Mirabeau, is there any more blood in the cooler back there? It looks like Greg could use some more."
"A couple of bags," the woman answered. "Should I pass them up?"
"Yes, please," Marguerite said. "Lissianna, close your eyes."
Sighing, she closed her eyes and listened as there was shuffling around, then the side door of the van opened.
"We're going to be a little crowded in here, Greg," Lissianna heard her mother say. "But it isn't far to the house."
"Lissianna can sit on my lap." Greg sounded better than he had, but his voice was still tired and weak, she noted with concern.
"Lissianna, you can open your eyes," her mother said. "I've hidden the blood."
She opened her eyes with relief and the first thing she saw was Greg's face as he peered back from the front passenger seat. He smiled at her warmly, then held out his hand.
Lissianna grasped his fingers and moved forward in a crouch to position herself on his lap, leaving her seat between her mother and Jeanne Louise for her aunt Mar-tine. Mirabeau, Elspeth, and the twins were all crowded on the back bench seat.
"We have more blood here for you, Greg," her mother announced, then ordered, "Close your eyes, Lissianna.'"
Sighing, she closed her eyes. Lissianna leaned back against the door to try to stay out of his way as he fed. She heard the back door of the van close as Thomas finished putting the empty cooler away, then, a moment later she heard the front door across from her open and the van rocked just a bit as Thomas got into the driver's seat.
Greg accepted the bag of blood Marguerite held forward and slapped it against his teeth like an old pro. He'd had six bags in the house and was feeling much better, but he knew he could probably take several more.
His gaze slid to Thomas as the other man closed his door and did up his seat belt. Lissianna's cousin grinned as he peered at the pair of them cuddled up on the front passenger seat. He shook his head.
"You two are a mess. Can't leave you alone for a minute, and you're in trouble," Thomas teased, then said more seriously, "You do realize, Lissianna, that you're going to have to quit your job?"
"Yes, I know." Lissianna said quietly, but thought it might be a good thing. Father Joseph's comments about her taking advantage of the already disadvantaged had stung. She could never again have considered biting another client at the shelter without those words haunting her. Straightening her shoulders, she said, "I guess I'll have to look for another job, something that doesn't conflict with Greg's hours maybe."
Greg gave her shoulder a squeeze with the hand that wasn't holding the blood bag.
"So, when's the wedding?" Marguerite asked.
The question caught Greg by surprise, but Lissianna was so startled her eyes popped open. Of course, they landed right on the bag of blood he had pressed to his teeth. He saw her eyes dilate, then she moaned, "Oh darn," and slumped against him.
Greg sighed and readjusted his hold on her to be sure she wouldn't slip from his lap.
"Son," Marguerite began from the backseat, then paused to ask, "May I call you son?"
"Uh, yes, ma'am," he murmured.
"Thank you... son."
Greg glanced around to see her smile, then she said, "You really have to concentrate on curing Lissianna of this phobia."
"Yes," he agreed solemnly. "It's on the top of my priority list. First thing tomorrow morning... er... night.
After we sleep," Greg finished finally, then added, "And as for the wedding, that'll take place as soon as I can arrange it."
"Good boy." Marguerite leaned forward and patted his cheek, then whispered in a voice only he and Thomas could have heard, "I told you my daughter would love you. You really are my best birthday gift ever."
Greg's mouth dropped open as he recalled the first time he'd been kidnapped. After tying him to the bed, Marguerite had patted his cheek and said, "My daughter is going to love you. You are my best birthday gift ever!' Surely she wasn't now saying that she'd planned all of this? That she--
His gaze dropped to Lissianna nestled in his arms, then up to the grinning faces of everyone in the van. His family now, he realized. Feeling rather stunned, Greg turned toward Thomas as he spoke.
"Welcome to the family, Greg," the vampire said with amusement.