Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) by Jessica McBrayer Page A

down to earth.”
    “I need to take a shower,” I say, holding out my hand for Bast to help me up. Craving clean with lots of soap and scrubbing involved and at least half a case of hand sanitizer.
    “I should assist you in the shower in case you are a bit unsteady,” Sebastian says, his expression innocent.
    “Uh huh,” I say.
    He smiles.
    “That’s my cue to go. I’ll see you two downstairs,” Helena says.
    Sebastian starts the shower. We get in and the hot water helps ease all my aches and pains. Bast washes my back for me and then gently helps ease the rest of my aches. Damn he is good. He is an unselfish lover. How could I not love that? We get out and he towels me dry. He carefully pats my shoulder and back dry.
    “I have been thinking. I have a necklace of my mother’s that is silver. Remember? I wanted to give it to you as a wedding present. Let’s see if you can wear it.” He runs his fingers lightly across my shoulders.
    “Oh Bast, what a beautiful gift that would be. But surely you understand I need to wait until my situation is clear?”
    I turn in his arms, letting him wrap his strength around me. Standing on tip toe, I kiss him lessening the sting of my words.
    “I am not suggesting this to pressure you. Perhaps this could be the first test?” he says carefully. I agree. He’s right. It will be helpful to know if I can wear silver.
    Sebastian retrieves a large blue silk-covered box from the safe in his dressing room. I have only seen the necklace once before. He snaps open the lid and it is as beautiful as I remember. A thick collar, typical of the era, heavily laced with sapphires and diamonds, is displayed against a white satin lining. Sebastian’s family had been wealthy aristocrats and members of French court in the seventeenth century. I know he has several pieces of his mother’s jewels he has saved, although this is the most beautiful and meaningful to him.
    “Sebastian, it is exquisite.” I’m reluctant to touch it, though my glitter whorish heart wants it.
    “Let me put it on you, Cherie.”
    He opens the clasp and lays it on my neck. It immediately starts to burn my skin.
    “Oh God… get it off! Bast, get it off.”
    He removes it instantly, but not before we can smell my flesh burning.
    “Lily, fuck! I’m so sorry! Your neck! Helena!”
    Helena comes flying up the stairs and into our room.
    “What happened? Oh, darling. Let me get some aloe vera and I have some calendula ointment made up for the maid—she burnt her finger ironing last week. What did this?”
    “We tried on my mother’s silver necklace,” Sebastian says. She and Sebastian exchange looks—I don’t miss the concern in their eyes.
    “Well, we can deal with this,” she says calmly. “I’m tired of the silver coffee and tea service. I’ve been looking for an excuse to pack it up.” She smiles as if it will be easy to accommodate a ravening beast by putting away the silver.
    I nod, unable to meet their looks.
    “It’s all right, Lily. I have some beautiful china pots I have wanted to use and now Andrew gets to.” She gently rubs my shoulder and leaves to get the balm.
    “Cherie, I will have my mother’s necklace reset in platinum,” Sebastian says gently.
    “Bast, that will destroy the historical significance.”
    “I don’t care about that, I lived it—I care that it was my mother’s and now it will be yours and that will happen one way or another, I will see to it,” he says as he tentatively touches my shoulders.
    “Now we should probably get out of these towels and put some clothes on so Helena can doctor you up. You don’t want another scar and the mark will start healing fast.” He casually puts the jewelry away. “You know Zoe knew about these and wanted them.”
    “How did she know about them? Was she Queen at the time?” I ask with surprise. I stop in my tracks.
    “Yes she was Queen. Zoe was one of my many conquests, ma petite. It was about a hundred and fifty years ago.