“The ink will disappear ohe blood dries, so you will have to read it fast.” Casey added and walked beside Cisco. “I don’t think he sent you here to bee a meal, Cisbsp; I am only a few days old and have no desire for your blood. I smell the chemicals still swimming around in there.” She wrinkled her nose. “So I think you are safe enough. Sylvie is over two hundred and trol her urges better than I .”

  “These appear to be at numbers with Cisco’s name and Amber’s name.” Sylvie paused, “Code. you record the numbers for me please?” Without a word, the little AI sed the paperwork and beeped in Sylvie’s ear ohe operation was pleted. “Casey, Kody will have to fix these. They aren’t even talking at this point.”

  Casey walked over and looked at the names, “Why Amber? It’s clear as a bell, Amber Lane.”

  “They were together once.” Cisco spoke up without being prompted. “Um…He always liked her afterward. I thought there was something added in for Miss Jennifer Rivers as well.” He shrugged.

  Sylvie walked over and lifted the sick man from his wheelchair and sat him in the seat where Casey had been. “I know what he wanted me to do, Cisco.” She looked at Casey. “Only if you have no issue with this, my blossoming-cherry.”

  Reopening her finger and adding more blood to read the ink further, Casey looked up with her bright sunlit eyes. “What? Oh..Sylvie..my dream-berry, I could care less if you try to make a ward.” She ughed, “I am not going to freak out if you kiss the guy.” she shrugged, “Besides there is a possibility he won’t live through the process.” Casey looked back at the paper. It’s got the word key, right here. Safety deposit box, maybe?”

  Suddenly ed for his limited life, Cisco cleared his throat. “Um…mistresses? What was that about not living through the process? I know I have a week, but I would prefer to spend it with family if…well…if you ot help?”

  “Good to know you aren’t super possessive, bunny-bunch.” Sylvie giggled a like the pair were once again ba rhythm. “artin was a ward of mine.” Sitting on the arm of her plush chair, Sylvie started listing off one fi a time what a ward was. “I don’t have the best track record of making wards. Martin was the only ohat has survived, thus far.” Sylvie paused, “I stopped trying to vert my friends when my ability to obtain a ward would kill them instead of fortifying their body and mind to assist in my needs.” Spotting that her charm was still firmly in pce, Sylvie pced her hand on his shoulder. “I lift that charm, if you’d like. I think you might panic though. It’s your choice.”

  “That’s okay, Mistress. I have been in a panice I found out that the chemo wasn’t w, this is a bit of relief, Mistress.” Cisco fided and got quiet.

  Casey walked over and sat down oher arm of the chair. “If you do this, I will tell you everything I know about it, from that perspective. I was a ward once.” Reag over the back of the chair, Casey spped around until Sylvie took her hand. “Finally. I was ready to use smoke signals.”

  Smirking briefly, Sylvie kept ting on her fingers, “That is why Marti you to me. You see, he was terminal twenty years ago, and his version saved him.” Sylvie took a moment and took a breath so she could speak, “It isn’t without risk. You could pass right now, or end up living awo hundred years or so. Longer if you bee a vampire..but that is another issue for aime.”

  “Mistress Sylvie.” Cisco affirmed and closed his tired eyes, “I have fought this for over ten years and I am tired. Part of me just wants to slip into sleep and not think about this.” He paused and his breath hitched as he wheezed in, “The other part of me wants to live so badly it hurts in my chest.” Reopening his light green eyes, Cisco looked betweewin vampires. “I could die any sed, there is no guarahat I will make it a week, that was just what the doctors told me and I was holding on to that for dear life.” ging his mind, Cisco reached for Sylvie’s hand. “I uand and will gdly serve your needs.”

  Giving a worried look to Casey, Sylvie raised her eyebrows and got a cool sweet look from her partner in response. “Cisco, I want to be pletely open with you about this. You will be pletely bound to me, if this works. Your very existence will revolve around me and I will be able to trol you with just a thought.” Hearing Casey sigh tentedly from the other side of the chair, Sylvie stuck her to at her partner and then resumed her little speech. “As you tell, my lovely parthere has a positive opinion about her time as a ward and she was bound to the oldest vampire known.”

  “I was.” Casey winked and blew a kiss to Sylvie. “You will meet her, siwilight Tonight is one of her best ers…assuming you say yes, Mister Rambles.”

  Nodding in uanding Cisco looked up into Sylvie’s eyes again and saw the vampire shaking. “Mistress? If it is meant to be, then I will serve you faithfully and willingly.” He nervously flexed his big arm. “I will enjoy having my strength back.” He gnced over to Casey and blushed, “Your mother is quite vigorous.”

  Sylvie pinched her nose and burst out ughing.

  “Fubsp; I really didn’t o know that, Cisco.” Casey blew some of her hair from her eyes, “Why the fuck does every guy tell me about my mom?” She looked questioningly over to her lover. “Why?”

  Hearing the joyous ughter from Sylvie, Cisco began ughing as well. “Laughing is infec-”

  Without warning, Sylvie swallowed her fear and kissed Cisco squarely on the lips and then stood in front of him and waited.

  Witnessing the transformation through her bzing sunlight eyes, Casey watched ihe effect of the ward's kiss on Cisbsp; Skin that went from light pink and ashen, turned maroon and then a healthy chestnut. Missing patches of short white hair, ged to deep glossy bck with springy curls and grew to the tips of his shoulders. Hearing Cisco’s hospital gown begin to tear, Casey looked down and saw the man’s huge bulges across his arms and chest. “Jesus Christ, this guy is a fug monster.” She jumped off the chair and to his feet. “o sit there, I am sure you walk now.” Casey pyfully fanned herself. “I suddenly don’t want to be a lesbian at this exaent.”

  “You sure? I am fairly certain there is a cold of …well.. waiting for us.” Sylvie chuckled lightly. “I have to admit I am staring at you myself.” Sylvie walked over to Casey and gave her lover a kiss on the cheek. “You know he is going to be around here pretty often these days. What will you do with all that gazing time?”

  Snickering softly to himself, Cisco turned and bowed to Sylvie, “Mistress, I have never felt so..vigorous” He said in a silky and cultured at. “We are both fortuoday..” He fshed his jubint abreaking smile to Sylvie before turning on his heels, where he suddenly had Casey’s hand on his chest. “Mistress?” Cisco asked and blinked his green eyes softly at Casey.

  Havi how toned and muscur Cisco was, Casey retreated her hand and took a deep breath. “Smooth all over, not a hair on your body, my friend.” She walked and pulled up a chair that was across from the chair he’d been sitting in. “Have a seat, Mister Rambles.” Casey leaned bad rubbed her palm gently, recalling her past then simply pced her hands on the arms of the chair. “I have to thank you.”

  “For what?” Cisco rolled the ‘F’ as he spoke. “I am afraid I do not uand Mistress Casey.”

  Images of her past ran through her head and disappeared after they’d run their course. “Later. We have lots of time for me to talk about everything.” She looked over to Sylvie questioningly.

  Breathing softly into her hands, Sylvie’s eyes shifted to new moons and she took a few steps back. “Wele to the family, Cisco.” She walked behind Casey. “Help him adjust, if you please.” Sylvie gently teased and hugged her lhtly. “I will be on the sofa, meditating before we leave for the meeting.”

  “Mmmm, Yes…Mistress.” Casey cooed bad waited for Cisco to finish rec.