Chapter Twenty-Five

Theo

So, it hadn’t been a dream. The vampire had actually carried me back to the hotel. I didn’t think anyone had carried me since I was five. It was creepy as hell. I tapped into security and traffic cams between the alley and the hotel, erasing incriminating footage. Nothing quite so disorienting as waking up in a hotel room with a vampire pleasantly talking to your boyfriend about breaking up with you.

But, dude, was Robbie amazing or what? I Interfaced and pulled ambient electrical waves together in order to magically create footage for the last few hours. It was astonishing watching Robbie internally fight the mind-fuck that vampire was doing to him, and then turn it around. It was actually wicked cool, and I wanted to hug him and congratulate him, but he had politely asked that I go to Abi’s room. Every part of me had wanted to debate him. Leave him alone with a vampire? Who was trying to control him? It was strange that he didn’t need or want me in there. I had the television playing what was going on in Robbie’s room. I had also trained some electrical attacks on the bloodsucker so if anything went awry, he’d be zapped like a bug.

It was a weird combination of emotions that I was feeling. Pride and adoration mixed with—and I’m not proud to admit this—fear, because I couldn’t help but think I might be losing him. I knew soon Robbie wouldn’t need me. Indeed, he’d want to spread his wings and go out and experience life. I had in the last year witnessed a breathtaking young man come into his own. It had been my honor to observe, but there’s no way he would want to be anchored down to a lump like me. He was vibrant and so smart it was scary. He was active and loved running and working out and exploring. Soon he’d realize just how different we were. Man, that day was going to suck.

I shook my head to rid myself of the inevitable. The more pressing issue was helping Abi. I had mad skills when it came to technology, which was not mind magic. Kat had skills with blood magic, which had everything to do with the body, not the mind. After watching the videos and compiling some interesting clips for Robbie to study, I started putting feelers out there for a mind mage. I exhausted my list of acquaintances and broke down and called Kat.

“Hey, honey, aren’t you deejaying tonight?” Kat asked in lieu of your traditional “hello.” She had once told me that life was too short to mince words. Or eat bad food. Kat was pragmatic like that.

“I called my relief to come in early after I woke up in a hotel room with a vampire trying to mind control Robbie,” I said, nonchalantly. Kat’s hard to shock, so whenever I could get her attention, I took advantage of it.

“Oh, well, that’s my responsible grandson. Now what were you saying about a vampire?” I could hear her taking a sip of something on the other end. It was strange how I often caught Kat in the middle of hydration, but I guess not, considering she usually had a glass or cuppa going on.

“There’s just no shocking you anymore, is there?” I retorted.

She giggled in response. “Is that what you were going for, Teddy?”

“Would be nice. Sometime,” I pouted.

She exclaimed with a hint of sarcasm, “Oh, no! Not a vampire. Trying to use his…her?”—she questioned before just going on—“mind control abilities. And obviously not succeeding because you wouldn’t have said trying.” Kat laughed lightly. “What happened, Teddy? What’s up? Oh, and happy Pride.”

“Was deejaying at the Pit and some vamp got Abi. He was biting her in the alley, and Robbie and I came in to rescue. But she was bleeding out. I gave her some of my blood and woke up in the hotel room. Robbie Commanded the vampire to carry me! Anyway, Abi is apparently under his control, and I am putting out my feelers to see if there are any mind mages out there,” I summarized.

“Oh, Teddy.” Kat’s tone had changed to one of concern. “Are you okay?”

She would take the grandma stance and ask about me first. “Yes, I’m fine. I’ll admit I was pretty freaked on a couple levels. I mean, having Abi bite me was one thing, but then waking up listening to Eli the vampire talking to Robbie about making him his ‘pet’ is quite another. Then I found out that Abi was still mind-fucked, but apparently Robbie isn’t affected by the vampire…I don’t know. Being carried by a vampire. Yeah.” I sighed heavily and admitted, “I’m okay but more than a little weirded out.”

“I’ll say. And Robbie? You said that he isn’t affected by the vampire?”

“I don’t know all the details, actually. He kicked me out so he can talk to the vampire alone. Guess he doesn’t need my sorry ass in there mucking things up. Whatever. I’ve calibrated some glasses to let me see the effects of mind magic or Robbie’s Commands, and didn’t see that he is being controlled by the vampire.” I was still trying to parse it all out.

“That is curious. First off, I’m sure that Robbie has things under control. And, honey, don’t worry about the vampire, or Abi. I have several friends who can help. I know a vampire who is very adept at mind control who will be happy to, in fact. May take a couple of days to get here, but I can ask.” I love my grandmother. She’s a font of information and resources.

“Thanks, Kat. Let me give Robbie a little time, and I’ll call you in case we need him.”

“Her,” Kat corrected, mischievousness coloring a little laugh. “Been meaning to look her up in fact…”

That meant sex. Kat was as free as they came when sex was involved.

“But you should know that you will likely have to kill this vampire,” Kat offered.

I sighed heavily. The thought had occurred to me, but I didn’t quite want to cross that bridge just yet. This Eli guy had attacked both Abi and Robbie, but killing? It wasn’t the first time I had gone into battle, but in general I wasn’t one who liked the thought of killing another being.

“Okay, Teddy,” Kat said to my unspoken complaint. “I love you, honey. Let me know if you need me.”

“I’ll always need you, Grandma,” I said, quickly hanging up before she could bristle at me calling her by anything other than Kat.

I glanced over at the television and scowled. Robbie was calmly talking to the vampire, and so I sat back and watched the magical energy flow between them. The whole situation was jacked. Shrugging, I turned to what I do well: information. Eli from Stinson Beach. I started my search.