Angel's Guardian: A Contemporary Vampire Romance by Zeecé Lugo Read Free Book Online Page A

before the disaster could grow out of manageable proportions. In crisis management, it was always best to expect the worst.
    It took him a moment to get the temperature just right and to adjust the flow of water. His aim was not to pressure-clean the little bundle of misery. “Put your brother back in the tub.” When Max guided the gentle stream of water over him, the baby began to coo and kick his little legs in pleasure. The water ran off the babe and the green goo flowed down the tub.
    The vampire picked up the soap and began to gently wash the baby, making a great effort not to miss anything. Nina handed him whatever he needed. Soon, he found himself handling the baby with ease, and he gave him several soapings just to make sure he was truly clean and the smell gone. He wrapped the baby in a towel and passed it to his sister. “Take him to the mattress while I clean the tub.”
    After cleaning the bathtub and returning the things to the basement, he helped little Nina put a fresh nappy on the baby. When they were finished, he held the baby up for inspection.
    Not bad, he thought, for a first time. It was definitely sort of lopsided, but the baby could kick those little legs faster than a Ninja Turtle. Even with his vampire speed, it took Max six tries to get the diaper taped. For the moment, the little one slept peacefully. He would wake up soon enough wanting a feeding.
    Max sat on the stairs, feeling emotionally drained but strangely content. He remembered feeling the same way after winning major field battles. He faced a fearsome task, and he prevailed. Not bad. Now, he must face the rest.
    Across the floor, Nina sat by her mother’s pallet, eating a candy bar. He wondered if that was the last of them. The little girl was subsisting on cheese sticks and candy bars. She had not had a bath or a proper meal in days. He couldn't just sit around doing nothing.  
    He went over to the mother. She was still breathing. Possibly, she was not as weak as he first thought. Maybe the answer was to help her get better and send her on her way. He placed his hand to her forehead. She seemed a little cooler, and he could see beads of perspiration forming along the hairline.
    “Nina,” he came around and sat on the floor next to her. “What do you normally eat?”
    “Cheese sticks and Snickers.”
    “No, I mean at home, before you came here.”
    Nina perked up at the thought. “Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, chicken and carrots. Mommy sometimes made pasguetti.”
    “You mean spaghetti,” he corrected.
    “That’s what I said,” she answered, rolling her eyes at him. “Sometimes we went to McDonald’s if Daddy took us.”
    Why didn't he think of that? There were dozens of places that offered ready-made meals for humans. The answer was that he didn’t frequent those places. He knew about food because he had a close human friend and often socialized with him. He knew about liquor because he enjoyed a stiff drink now and then. If you asked him where to find a good whiskey at midnight, he could think of a dozen places. Where to find a nice, juicy vein? No problem.

 
    CHAPTER 8
     
    The moon, white and voluptuous like a proud, fat bride on her wedding night, had just cleared the horizon. From the third-story window of his topside mansion, Vadim Denisov stood close behind his wife of many centuries. His arms held her close to him as they gazed at the moon like two young lovers. He breathed in the scent of her hair, so pleasingly familiar to him, and basked in the comforting warmth of her body.
    He considered himself a very lucky man. A long time ago, he found the perfect mate. He fell in love with her at first sight, and in the usual vampire way, never stopped loving her. It was a blessing that she'd loved him back. Marriage, for vampires, could be heaven or hell. If you married for love, and both partners loved, it would last fresh and powerful until death.
    Sometimes, the marriage was one of convenience. In some