Page 93 of Benjamin and the Thief

She motioned toward the room where her brother had taken refuge. He stared at them through the glass.

“You should be good now for a while,” Benjamin said. “Santiago, it’s okay to come out now.”

Benjamin reached for a wet wipe from the nurses’ station and handed it to her.

“Here. To wipe away your tears.”

“Thank you.”

Santiago came out of the room and walked toward them. He refrained from hugging her again, and she was glad for it.

“You look good,” she said to him. “Black suits you better than orange.”

“Yeah, never liked orange much,” he replied. “Benjamin got me the suit for the funeral.”

“What funeral?”

“Yours.”

“Oh.”

She looked at Benjamin. Nobody had mentioned to her that she would have to be declared dead now that she was a vampire, nor had Brandon mentioned it.

“You have to do that for all people who get turned into vampires?”

“No,” Benjamin said quickly. “But I had to make sure the Prestons are getting a long prison sentence, not just a few years. With you officially dead, they’ll face murder one.”

“I guess I missed a few things.”

“I’ll let Santiago fill you in.”

At his words, she stared at him in panic. “You’re not leaving us alone, are you?”

“No, don’t worry. I’ll stay here until Santiago wants to leave.” He addressed Santiago, “And of course you can visit as often as you like, until we figure out something permanent for Catalina.”

She gave Benjamin a clandestine look, but she didn’t want to ask him what he meant by that, not in front of her brother. It was a conversation that should be private.

As if he’d noticed her look, Benjamin met her eyes. A warm golden glow appeared in his irises. It was the same look she’d seen when they’d made love. Her heart filled with warmth and confidence.

With a smile, she turned to her brother. “Now tell me what happened with the Prestons.”

As Santiago told her the extent of the Prestons’ crimes, and how Judge Norton had helped them, and was now also under arrest and facing a lengthy sentence once convicted, she felt something akin to normalcy return to her. Her brother was innocent and free again, and the real culprits would pay for what they’d done. Without Benjamin, she could have never done this. He and his colleagues had done more than what she’d ever expected anybody to do.

Her belief in the good in people was restored. And it didn’t really matter whether they were human or vampire. What mattered was what was in their hearts. She knew that now, because she could feel it inside herself. She was still the same person, the sister who would do anything to free her brother, the daughter who would give anything to help and support her parents. And Benjamin was still the same man she’d fallen in love with. And she was prepared to fight for that love to see it bloom again.

41

After he’d accompanied Santiago to the lobby so he could leave, and made sure he had a standing visitor pass to see Catalina in the medical center for as long as she had to stay there, Benjamin returned to the clinic. Normally, Buffy would be in attendance during the day, but Maya had ordered that no human staff was allowed in the clinic until it was certain that Catalina could handle herself around humans. Right now, as he’d seen for himself, she couldn’t. He hoped he could change that.

When he entered, he found Catalina in the room she’d occupied for the past two days and nights, ever since she’d gotten shot. He still shuddered at the memory of it, but now he knew for certain that turning her had been the only way to give Catalina her life back.

Benjamin remained standing at the door to the room, and Catalina turned toward him. Their eyes met. Seconds ticked by in silence, while only their eyes communicated, their emotions remaining unspoken. Her irises changed from a rich brown to a fiery gold. He could see what was in her heart just by looking into her eyes, and the realization that she felt no anger toward him made his heart rejoice. He responded to her silent declaration by bridging the distance between them with three long steps.

Without a word, she put her arms around him, and he welcomed her invitation and pressed his lips to hers, capturing them to explore her mouth. Everything about her was different and yet the same as before. There was even more fire in her now than when she’d been human. The passion with which she responded to him seemed limitless. She was more demanding than before, urging him to use his full strength on her. She was challenging him with her new body, her new power, showing him that she could take everything he was willing to give her.

Her taste was undeniably tantalizing. He’d been with vampire females before, but this was different. This woman was more than just a vampire. He could feel her soul reaching out to him. There was a bond between them, one that blood alone couldn’t explain. Their hearts were already one, beating in synch, and beating for each other.

Catalina’s mouth was warm, her tongue beseeching, her scent drugging. As he explored her mouth, he felt her fangs descend. She hadn’t learned yet how to control them, but he didn’t mind. On the contrary. Unable to resist the temptation, he licked over one fang. She gasped and reared back, severing the kiss.