“They only dated a month,” my mom whispered.
I cried harder and sunk my head to the table. God, this was getting beyond ridiculous. My mother seemed to agree, but grudgingly tried soothing me the same as Ashley, and eventually my tears stopped and we resumed our weekly meal. They didn’t ask me any personal questions for the rest of the night…thank God.
That night I apparently had no tears left, since I went straight to bed and straight to sleep.
Wednesday was bitch day…that’s the nicest way I could frame it. I woke up mad. I put on the shortest skirt I had and the reddest, clingiest top. I angrily ripped through my hair with a flat brush and tossed it all up in a high ponytail. I drove ten miles over the speed limit and mentally dared a cop to pull me over – Californians did love a good car chase and in the mood I was in, they’d get quite a show.
I yelled, actually yelled, at Clarice when she asked me to recopy a report because it wasn’t lined up just right. I may have yelled something about where she could shove said report. Tracey ducked down behind her wall and avoided me…which was good. I couldn’t deal with any Hot Ben stories today. I snapped at the men eyeing my purposely clingy shirt to “take a photo, it would last longer”. I bit off the head of the poor batista, who didn’t quite get my afternoon drink hot enough. And then I yelled at some jerk on the street that was walking in front of me, because he wasn’t moving fast enough. See…bitch.
Sometime throughout the day, my sister must have called Tracey because that evening, they both showed up at my house and dragged me, nearly kicking and screaming, to a local bar. After snapping at a couple patrons who were whispering about my sister, Tracey and Ashley started pouring vodka after vodka down my throat. I stopped snapping at people around 4 or 5 drinks and started loving on several of the burlier men in the room. By 7th drinks, I was happily dancing with a few. By 9th drinks I was praying to the porcelain God and cursing my friends and family.
Which brought me to Thursday…remorse day. With a throbbing head and a tilting stomach, I dressed in a long, shapeless skirt and a long, shapeless blouse. I pulled my hair up as much as I could and sullenly made my way out into the too bright, early morning sun. Wearing sunglasses to my chair, I apologized over and over to Clarice and offered to take in her dry-cleaning to make up for it. She seemed rather pleased with how I was dressed, and how genuinely sorry I seemed, and took me up on it.
Tracey smiled down on me from her side of the wall and I cringed, remembering that at some point last night, Hot Ben had joined us and I may have…grinded on him on the dance floor. I threw her an apology and she laughed, rather loudly, and said she was just happy I had fun. I may have had fun last night, but in the dehydrated state I was in now, fun was the least of the adjectives I’d use to describe my day. After handling Clarice’s dry-cleaning, and silently cursing at myself for doing it, I meandered home and made nice with a quart of Ben and Jerry’s.
Friday arrived at long last and with it came…longing. I missed him. I missed his scent. I missed his smile. I missed his stubble. I missed his dress shirts and slacks, and the shoes that he always matched his belt to. I missed his espressos. I missed his dog. I missed the quiet conversations. I missed the walks in the park. I missed his touch. I missed his kiss. I missed…everything.
I don’t remember the day. I’m not even sure if I went to work. All I remember was the gnawing ache of loneliness, ripping my insides apart. I couldn’t inhale completely, it hurt. I couldn’t exhale completely, that hurt too. This was when I realised what that last kiss had done to me. Somehow, that one magnificent kiss in the car had inextricably bound me to him. I had felt a connection in that moment, that I’d never felt with another human being, and while his humanity was now in question, what with his human side dying and his vamp side taking over, one thing was not in question – I still felt connected to him, more than I’d ever felt before, more than I could imagine ever feeling again. It scared me…it thrilled me.
Halina had told me once that Teren had claimed me, and at the time, I’d been a little offended, but now I understood. Now surprisingly, I felt the same. I felt a claim on him and I knew – with everything inside me, that I would see this through with him. Whatever was to come, we would face it united. That’s the only way I could see my life unfolding now – wrapped protectively in his arms, whether they were warm and alive or cold as the grave.
I think I broke every traffic law there was getting to his house. I walked up his steps and knocked lightly on his door, wondering what to say to the man I’d avoided for days. Nervousness tickled my stomach as I waited the 2 seconds for the door to swing open, and then I saw him, and my nerves evaporated. He was stunning, better than I remembered – jet-black hair, shiny in the sunlight, strong, stubbly jaw, maybe a touch longer than he usually kept it, full lips dropped open in surprise at my arrival, and the loveliest shade of pale, but tired, blue eyes, that were regarding me with a mixed expression of hope and sadness.
It turns out that I hadn’t needed to worry about what to say. It turns out that my body had fully intended on doing all the talking for me. I greeted him with my lips firmly latching on to his, one of my legs wrapping around his slacks and my hands running up his impressive chest. His answer to my body’s question was lightning-quick as he pulled me inside, slammed shut the door, and streaked us both upstairs to his bed.
After that…he took his sweet time.
To Be Continued on Next Chapter…..
Herewith I add a Chio Bu video action for you
Starring: Yagami Saori
童貞弟を誘惑したつもりが…まさかの逆転！超絶倫弟にハメられまくる無防備な爆乳姉 八神さおり
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CHAPTER SIX
I woke up in a familiar bed with familiar, warm arms around me and a familiar, furry lump sleeping at my feet. I breathed in deep, now that I could again. I snuggled back into the warm, bare chest behind me and the arms automatically tightened as he drew me in. It was the warmest, safest feeling that I’d ever had, and I couldn’t quite believe that I’d put myself through nearly a week of misery by denying myself his presence. Of course I would stay with him through his transformation. What would my life be without him?
He nuzzled my hair as he inhaled deeply himself. “You smell so good,” he murmured.
“Nearly edible?” I muttered back, as I turned in his embrace to gaze at him.
He raised his head to look at me, his eyes filled with a new emotion, a happy, peaceful one. He ran a finger down my cheek and then along the artery in my neck. “Delicious.” He smiled softly.
I frowned slightly. “Things are going to change.”
He relaxed back on an elbow as he looked down on me. I scooted over to my back and stroked his arm lying across my stomach. “Yes,” he said simply.
“When will you die?” I couldn’t even say the word louder than a whisper, but he heard me just fine.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose it could be any day.”
I nodded and placed my hand on his chest, to feel the pulsating life beneath his skin. “I’ll miss this.”
He placed his hand over mine and we both felt his doomed heart beating. “I will too.”
I looked up to his face as that registered with me. He was dying, and he didn’t want to. I was so selfish - worrying all this time about how it would affect me that I didn’t even consider how he felt about it. Concern for him filled me. “Will it hurt?”
He stroked my fingers on his chest and looked down at the pillow. He frowned. “No one will give me a clear answer on that. They just keep saying “it’s uncomfortable” or “you’ll be fine”.” He looked back to me and a trace of fear was in his eyes. “I’m assuming that’s a yes, it’s going to hurt like hell.”
I reached up to stroke his face. “Are you scared?”
He closed his eyes briefly at my touch and then reopened them. “Yes,” he whispered. He looked back to the pillow and I ran my hand back down his chest and bit my lip. “I know I shouldn’t be. I know that I’ll be fine.” He looked back over to my eyes and searched my face for a second. “But, I’ve only ever been human. This is what I know.” He patted his chest, his heart, and then he sighed. “I will miss feeling my heart beat. I will miss coffee. I will really miss food. I will miss…feeling normal.”
I pulled him to me for a tender kiss. “I’m so sorry, Teren.”
We kissed warmly for a few moments and then he pulled back. Gazing at me adoringly again, he brushed some hair off my forehead. “Don’t be. I’ve known this was my legacy my whole life. I’ve had plenty of time to prepare myself.”
“It will still be an adjustment for you.” I cocked my head to the side as I studied him. “You’re always going to look like this, aren’t you?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
I frowned. “How am I going to explain that to my family?” I looked down at his chest. “And we’ll never be able to eat with them.” I looked back up to his eyes. “Oh…we’ll never be able to have dinner together.”
“Sure we will. I’ll still cook for you.” He grinned widely and sat further back on his elbow. “I’ll just have to start making you pork dishes. I think I’d starve, just living on chickens.”
I had the odd thought of him draining a pig in the kitchen and couldn’t stop the laugh. He laughed with me and then we kissed some more. Man, I’d missed that. After a moment, he pulled away again. “Things will change, Emma…but one thing, will not.”
“What?”
“I’ll still love you.”
I could only stare in silence at the amazing, doomed man beside me. Warmth and emotion flooded my body and I blinked to keep back those darn tears. “I love you too.” I ran my hand back through his dark hair and pulled his lips to mine again. I savoured the heat of that kiss as our mouths moved together perfectly. “I’m going to miss your warmth,” I muttered against the stubbly softness of him. “What else will change?”
He pulled back and thought for a moment. “Well, I’ll be even stronger and faster. I won’t age and I’ll heal fast. My sense of smell will be even more acute. I’ll be more aware of blood. I’ll be…”
“Hungrier?” I asked hesitantly.
“Thirstier.” He gave me a very pointed look as I absorbed that. I suppose if all he consisted on was blood, he would need it more often and in larger quantities. I could see that being a problem, if he were ever really, really hungry - regardless of what Alanna told me about her and her husband.
“Will it be a difficult for you…being around me?”
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t let this continue if I thought that. I’d never hurt you, Emma. I’m not going to turn into some crazed monster. I’ll still be me.” He hesitated and I could see a debate in his eyes.
“Just tell me. I don’t like secrets.”
He lay back on the pillows and gazed at the ceiling. I propped up on an elbow so I could see him better. He seemed to not be sure how to word what he was thinking about. I gave him another moment to reflect while I drew a circle on his bare chest.
Finally he spoke, although he still didn’t look at me. “My mother may have downplayed the thirst.” He looked over to meet my curious eyes. “She didn’t want to scare you, they are still hoping for that grandchild, and my father really isn’t in any danger from her, but the blood is more intoxicating than she led you to believe. And once I change, that desire will get worse. You’ll be…tempting to me.”
“I’ll be food.” He nodded solemnly. “Could you feed on me without killing me?” I surprised myself, both by asking him that and by being calm when I asked it.
He sat up on both elbows and gazed at me intensely. “Yes. I can sense how much is too much. I would never take more than your body could handle. I would never bring you harm.”
I sat up a bit as I regarded him with narrowed eyes. “How can you be sure of that? How do you know you could control yourself? You’ll be more vampiric, maybe you just won’t care?”
He brought a hand to my cheek. “My feelings won’t change. I’ll always care.” He tenderly stroked my cheek. “How do you know you can take one small bite of the sweetest dessert you’ve ever tasted and be satisfied?”
I thought about his analogy and tried to forget that in his scenario – I was dessert. “Well, I guess that would depend on how hungry I was. If I was starving, I probably wouldn’t stop.”
“I would never sample you if I were starving. I wouldn’t come near you if I were anywhere close to starving.” He sat up on the bed with me.
We were having a frank conversation, so I decided to just be frank. “You wouldn’t just attack me and take it?”
He was shaking his head before I’d even finished my question. “I would never take it without permission. No…only if you wanted me to taste you.” He looked down and blushed slightly. “I would actually love that. It’s really quite…intimate. You may enjoy it too.”
“I don’t think so, Teren,” I said very slowly. “Would you…feed on anyone else, if I always told you no?” I found that I couldn’t meet his eye when I asked that, and I had to stare at my fingers tracing patterns in the silky sheets.
His hand came up and he gently grabbed my chin, making me look up at him. “No. I would never do that…ever. You’re the only one I want to drink from.”
That comment actually pleased me, which made me shake my head a little. “This conversation just got creepy.”
He laughed and relaxed back down to the pillows. “Just? I thought it was creepy ages ago, but I just kept going with it.”
“Shut up.” I smiled and laid down on him, putting my head on his shoulder and draping my arm over his chest. “Would my blood be sweet to you?”
He grinned widely as I looked up at him. “Like the finest wine.”
“Hmmm…that’s oddly flattering. Still pretty creepy, but flattering.”
He laughed again and kissed my temple. “I do love you.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.” I nestled deeper into his shoulder and sighed happily.
“Well, you have as long as you like to listen.”
Spike stirred from his resting place at our feet and stood up on the bed. He shook out his long coat and then lightly stepped in-between Teren and me and settled back down. We both laughed as we were forced apart from each other by his size. Spike licked my cheek and rested his head on my shoulder, almost protectively.
“Hey boy, I missed you.” I scratched him behind his ears and he thumped his tail happily.
Teren sat up on the other side of him. “You missed the dog…did you miss me?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe…a little.”
He leaned over Spike to kiss me. “It seemed more than a little last night.”
I grinned and pulled him down to me, making Spike scoot out of our way. “Okay…maybe a lot. Maybe I was miserable. Maybe I cried a lot. Maybe I told off my boss. And maybe I even got wasted and danced inappropriately with my friend’s boyfriend. Maybe… ”
He raised his eyebrows at me. “Wow, you were busy. I just sulked a lot.” He cupped my face in his strong hands. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you everything right away. I was so afraid you’d leave me.”
I blinked back the darn tears again, although a couple may have made it past my defenses. “I’m not going anywhere. I missed you so much.” I brought him to my lips and proceeded to show him…again, just how much I’d missed him.
Closer to lunchtime, I was lounging in the kitchen, wearing my boyfriend’s just long enough dress shirt. He was making us a late breakfast of bacon and eggs and dressed only in gray lounge pants.
I was very happy.
I came up behind him and slipped my arms around his trim waist. He smiled and turning towards me, popped half a piece of bacon in my mouth. He popped the other half and I kissed his bare shoulder and hugged him tight, while he flipped my eggs. When he was done, he made up a plate for me (he must have picked that habit up from his mom), and set me at the table with a kiss on the head. He made us both cappuccinos and then joined me at his stylish kitchen table.
I held his hand while we ate. I kissed his wrist periodically. I sappily gazed into his pale eyes. I couldn’t help it. I almost felt like the vampire – I just wanted to devour him. And I definitely never wanted to let him go again. Which left one little situation we hadn’t discussed yet. As he swept away our plates and made more coffee, I wondered how to bring it up to him.
This is what I came up with…
“Your parents will be thrilled that we’re back together.”
He set my coffee in front of me and sat back down. “Yeah, they’d be downright euphoric if they knew what we just did.” He grinned widely. “Twice.”
I laughed and shook my head. “That’s just so wrong on so many levels.”
He took a sip of coffee then shook his head. “Tell me about it. I never thought they’d go so far as to discuss my sex life over dinner, while meeting my girlfriend for the first time.”
“I never imagined upsetting any parent because I wasn’t…copulating like bunnies with their son.”
He laughed at my turn-of-phrase. “God, I know.” He closed his eyes and shook his head again. “They can be mortifying.” He opened them and looked at me, a little embarrassed. “I’m so sorry about that. I think they’re getting a little desperate.”
I sipped my coffee and then grinned at him. “You think? They asked me if I was attracted to you. Like I’m not the one usually ripping your clothes off.”
He laughed heartily. “Yeah, well, I didn’t feel the need to mention that to them.”
“Thank you for that.” I took a long draw of coffee while I watched him laugh. “So…they want an heir?”
He stopped laughing and set his coffee, that he had just been about to sip, down on the table. Looking at me very seriously, he smoothly said, “Being with me doesn’t mean that you have to get pregnant in the next six months.”
“But if it’s going to happen, it has to be before you die.”
He looked away. “That’s what they believe, because that’s how it worked for them. I don’t think it works the same for me.”
I blinked. “Why not?”
He blushed and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “Because…I’m a guy.” He shrugged his shoulders.
I blinked again, not really understanding his argument. “So…”
He sighed. “Women have to be alive for a baby to grow inside them. Obviously, a dead body can’t grow, can’t provide the necessary nourishment.” He looked down at his pants oddly. “My…contribution just kind of hangs out and waits for the opportunity.”
I couldn’t help it - my happiness that we were in this mess together and the oddity of the situation, culminating in that last look at his pants – I started laughing. I started belly laughing. Tears were streaming down my face.
He twisted his lips and looked at me like I was emasculating him. “It’s not funny.”
I managed to spit out around chuckles, “Your family is irked at you, because you haven’t knocked up some poor girl yet. That’s kind of funny.”
He smiled then and finally laughed with me. “I suppose it is, in a way.”
Eventually our laughter died down and I grabbed his hand. “Honey, I think your family is right.”
He blinked at me. “What?”
“I think once your body is effectively dead, what swimmers you have will die, or at least they won’t be viable for long. There’s a lot going on in the male system. It takes quite a bit of hormones and nutrients to make and keep active baby-makers, and I don’t know for sure, but I think you’ll be shooting blanks afterwards.”
He blinked at me again. “Anything else, Doctor?”
“It’s just an opinion.” I suppressed another laugh and shrugged my shoulders.
He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad everyone is so interested in my reproductive system.”
I spat up the last of my coffee that I had just swallowed and he laughed softly into his cup. Collecting myself, I waited until he was taking a sip of his coffee. “Maybe you should just give them what they want?”
I was vastly rewarded. He spat up his coffee and gaped at me. Still feeling on a high from just being back together with him, I stood up and straddled him in his chair. That made him smile, as he set down his coffee and rubbed his hands on my thighs. I gazed into his pale eyes and imagined for a second having a black-haired, blue-eyed, fanged child with him. It was an interesting thought, but it was all happening so fast…
“Why haven’t you yet, since you know how important it is to them?” I asked quietly, not sure if I wanted an answer to that question.
He sighed and his hands stroked the outside of my bare thighs. “Great, now you sound like them.” He sighed again and gave me an exasperated look. “Who exactly am I having this vampire child with?”
I raised an eyebrow at him as I laced my arms around his neck. “Surely, you’ve been with other girls before?”
He twisted his lips at me and gave me a wry look. “I am 25…yes.”
“Well, one of those girls.”
He was already shaking his head though. “I’m not bringing someone into this…situation unknowingly.”
I blinked and pulled back to look at him. His hands slid up to my hips. “I’m the only one you’ve ever told?”
He shook his head again. “No. You’re just the only one who hasn’t run away…for long at least.” He laughed and I smiled at his attractive, happy face. “There was even this one girl who tried to stake me – with a stiletto no less.” He rubbed his bare chest. “That hurt a bit.”
I laughed, then bent over to kiss his old injury. “How very ‘Single White Female’ of her. What happened to these girls?” I tried to picture some woman trying to heel him to death, and the image made me obscenely happy.
“Great-Gran hunted them down-”
I cut him off and partially stood off his lap. “OMG! She ate them?” I had a momentary second of panic at the thought of that wild, black-haired beauty tracking me, if my reaction had been a little more extreme at his parents’ place.
He laughed and pulled my hips back down onto his lap. “No, can I finish? She tranced them, made them forget…although, she probably did nibble a bit first.” He furrowed his brow as he considered that.
I ignored the nibbling part and focused on the more pertinent part of the sentence. “She what? She like…hypnotized them?”
He shrugged. “Sort of, yeah.”
“Wow…can you do that?” I could see numerous instances where that little trick would come in handy - cutting in front of people in long grocery lines, dealing with the DMV, sneaking us into Hollywood movie premiers. He burst my bubble pretty quickly though.
“No, it’s a full blown vamp thing. She’s the only one of us that can do it.”
“Oh, too bad…” No way would I ask her to hypno someone for me.
He laughed once. “Why, you want your mind erased? Something you want to forget?” He twisted his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest and got a little disgruntled sounding. “Maybe your dirty dancing with that guy…”
I bit my lip, wishing I hadn’t mentioned that. “No…well, actually, yeah, I would like to forget that but no, I was thinking that’d be a handy trick.” I leaned over his arms on his chest excitedly. “I mean for speeding tickets alone…”
He laughed and slung his arms around my waist. “It’s nice to see you’ll only be using our powers for good.”
I smiled and rested my head against his. “Just being practical with my vamp boyfriend and his vamp family…especially if I’m going to have his vamp child.”
He froze and stopped smiling. “You don’t have to do that.” He shook his head against mine. ”I’m not even sure if we should continue this…trait.”
I pulled back to watch his worried expression. “I don’t know if I want to yet.” I put my hands against his chest. “I guess I’m just telling you that I’ll consider it. I’ll consider it if you will.”
He half-smiled then and shook his head. “Okay. We’ll…consider it together then.”
“Together…I like that idea. I love you.” I smiled warmly at him and kissed him softly.
“I love you too,” he whispered against my lips.
We spent most of that Saturday lounging around his house in various stages of undress (we would have made his family quite proud that day – which amused me and icked me out). We didn’t bring up the baby topic again, or his impending demise, but both subjects swirled around my head. I was finally becoming okay about the latter event. Him not being as human as me would be a startling change, but really, I was in too deep with him to let that little hiccup ruin our relationship. And I looked at Alanna and Jack as my role models. They were happy. Deliriously happy I’d dare say, and we could have that too. Plus, my boyfriend would be a hot twenty something for…well, quite possibly for eternity. I didn’t overlook the bonus of that. Although at some point, I suppose that would make me a cougar.
The former event, getting pregnant within the year, that one was a little harder to wrap my head around. It wasn’t that I’d never pictured having kids. I had even done the 5 second ‘what would our children look like’ analysis on Teren’s and my first date, but it was always a way off in the future event - right up there with teleporting and flying cars. It was definitely not something I thought I’d ever feel such enormous pressure to do right away. Most parents want their kids to wait until they’re settled and ready – and preferably dating for longer than a month. But Teren’s family doesn’t have the luxury of waiting. It really is now or never with them. That’s a lot for a girl to consider.
Sunday, we decided to take Spike for a long walk along the beach. As he yipped at birds and merrily dashed up to the edge of the water, before spinning and running back to a safe distance, I held Teren’s warm hand in my own and marveled at the novelty of walking on a sunny Californian beach with a vampire.
“Why doesn’t sunlight affect you?”
He laughed and looked over to me. “I have been waiting for that question since I first told you what I was. You held out much longer than I thought you would.” I smacked his shoulder and laughing again, he answered me, “Some of the vampire side effects seem to be diluting with each mixed generation.” I looked up at him with a confused face, and he shrugged his shoulders and explained further. “Great-Gran is a full vampire, so she can’t be in sun at all…”
“Hence the being nocturnal,” I stated and he nodded.
“Gran can be around sunlight, but she generally avoids it. She says it’s like sticking your head in a hot oven.”
I cringed as I remembered opening my mom’s hot stove as a child and having that wave of heat blast me in the face. Being in that for only 2 seconds hadn’t been enjoyable. “Oh, that doesn’t sound pleasant at all.”
“Yeah. Mom can be in the sun for short periods of time, but after awhile, it does make her uncomfortable and if she stays too long, she burns – like an intense sunburn.”
“Huh…and you?”
He held his palms up to the sunny sky. “I love the sun and it appears to love me right back.” He laughed. “I suppose that could change when I fully cross over, but I don’t think so. Mom and Gran said they both were the same afterwards, in that regard.”
“Interesting. What about silver and garlic and holy water?”
“Ah…are we having the myths conversation?” I squeezed his hand and nodded enthusiastically. He laughed again and shook his head at my reaction. “Well, they are much the same, although the water one is a complete myth, and garlic is more gross than dangerous.”
“Oh…good to know.”
He laughed again. “Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you all of our weaknesses.”
I poked him in the stomach. “You don’t seem to have any. You seem to have all of the benefits with none of the setbacks.” He laughed again and shrugged. “So…our kids would have that too?”
“Kids…now all of a sudden you want more than one?” I poked him again and he laughed. “Yes, our kids would be even more human.” He said the last part quietly and looked over at the ocean, where Spike had finally gotten enough courage to dip his paws. His eyes looked speculative and I wondered what exactly he was thinking about. Before I could ask though, he turned back to me and smiled widely. “I wouldn’t mention anything about kids around my parents, unless you want them breathing down your neck…even more.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry. I had no intention of doing that. I suppose we should go back there soon.” I sighed and watched a now semi-wet Spike bark at a seagull. “I should apologize for the way I left.”
He swung our hands. “You have nothing to apologize for. They were out of line and you had every right to ask to leave.” He looked over at me pointedly. “If I were human, I’d have done the same.”
That was the first time he’d ever referenced himself as anything but human, which he usually emphasised. It gave me a slight shudder, which I ignored, as I snuggled into his side while we walked.
“How exactly was Halina turned?”
“Standard vampire lore – she was drained of all her blood and it was replaced by a vampire’s.”
“Oh.” I thought on that for a moment. He stressed earlier that he wouldn’t be a monster, that he would still be himself when he changed, and I just couldn’t see why anyone would turn a woman so obviously pregnant. “Why would someone do that to her, when she was with child?”
He looked at me and then looked down at our feet crunching along in the perfectly white sand. “Sometimes, people are just bad, Emma…whether human or vampire.” I clenched his hand and laid my head on his shoulder as I thought about how true that was. The world was just a messed up place. He sighed and I looked up at him. “Personally, I think he was just curious what would happen…to the baby, I mean.”He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s too late now. We can’t ask him.”
“Oh, did he run off and leave her alone?” For some reason, that sounded worse than him turning a pregnant woman. I’d think being a new vamp would be scary, especially all alone. Teren surprised me by laughing.
“No…not exactly.” I looked over at his eyes with scrunched brows. He explained. “Great-Gran kind of staked him. She was a little…angry.”
My mouth dropped wide open. “She staked him! A little angry…”
“Okay, maybe a lot.”
“Remind me to never piss her off.” A shudder passed through me and if it were possible, I was now even more terrified of the teenage-looking vampire.
“That would be best…” Teren nodded and smiled. He obviously saw a side of Halina that I didn’t, and he found part of her highly amusing.
“What happened to her husband? Imogen’s father?”
“He died…around the same time.” His smile left and his tone went flat.
Realising that the vamp that turned her had probably killed him, which would explain the anger and the subsequent staking of her creator, I turned the conversation. “So, you really can be staked?”
“Sure. We heal most everywhere else, but…the heart – destroy that, and with anything, not just wood, and you destroy us. We don’t know why, but it’s the one human thing we really seem to still need.”
I squeezed his hand. “That’s nice.” Now he looked down on me with scrunched brows. “Something we’ll still have in common,” I explained.
Holding onto his arm, we walked along the beach in silence. I watched him discretely as we shuffled along the sandy slope, edging down to the breaking waters of the Pacific. His tan skin wrapped around my slightly paler skin, his black hair shining in the sunlight, the slight rise and fall of his chest, as the breeze compressed his shirt tightly to him, his pale eyes watching his pup frisk back and forth from the surf to the dunes. He was so alive. It was so hard to picture him any other way.
“Maybe the change won’t happen with you. Maybe you’re different…maybe you’ll stay human?”
He looked down on me. His eyes looked wistful for a moment, before he shook his head. “I can feel it, Emma. It’s coming, I’m already changing.” He stopped and put his arms around my waist. “I’m sorry…but I will die.”
I looked down and willed my eyes to not water; if he could handle this, then I could. I felt his hand on my chin and I looked up at him. The very edges of his lips curled in a smile and then he brought those lips to mine. For a moment, as the sea breeze tickled our skin and the heavenly scent of him, mixed with the faint residue of salt in the air, I forgot that things would change. That they already were changing. I took my one moment in the sun with my vampire, and forced out all the rest.
I spent Sunday night at Teren’s again, so Monday, I had to wake especially early so I could go home and change into work clothes. Teren worked earlier then I did, so he was nearly ready to leave himself, when I finally got my slow body out the door. He gave me some coffee in a travel mug and kissed me softly as we said goodbye at my car, which hadn’t moved from his driveway since Friday night.
I was all smiles and giggles as I drove home. I was all contented sighs as I got dressed and styled my hair into loose waves. I was all doe-eyed goofiness as I walked into work and merrily said good morning to Clarice, who grunted some sort of response. And I was reminded just how much had changed, yet again in one weekend, when a familiar blonde cautiously peeked her head over my cubicle wall.
I shut the drawer from where I was stuffing my still overly full purse when I saw the top of her blonde head. I smiled and laughed at her apprehension. “Hi ,Tracey! Good morning.” My voice was all happy and light, darn near rainbows and sunshine.
She poked her head up all the way. “Hey. You seem in a better mood.” She narrowed her eyes. “You were really out of it Friday. I thought Clarice was going to random drug test you.” She furrowed her brow and raised an eyebrow at that, like maybe she thought Clarice should have.
I giggled in my happiness. “I’m not on drugs, Tracey. But I am happy.” I stood up and leaned over the wall with her. “Teren and I got back together. Everything is…” I sighed like a lovesick dork, “wonderful.”
She hesitantly smiled, maybe remembering my many mood swings last week. “That’s great, Emma. If that’s what you want…then I’m happy for you.”
I frowned. “What do you mean, if that’s what I want? Of course it’s what I want.”
She frowned too. “Well, you obviously broke up with him for a reason, and there are plenty of other fish out there. Just don’t feel like you have to…settle.”
I pulled back from the wall and made my way to my desk to turn on my computer. “I’m not. Nobody…settles for Teren Adams.” I flicked the screen on and watched it come to life. “He’s amazing, Trace…the best.”
I looked over my shoulder and she made a movement liked she shrugged. “I’m just saying. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.” I smiled at her concern, and then she left that train of thought and hopped right on another. “Coming to class tonight? Lita’s back teaching, but Ben’s going to take the class with me…like my own personal trainer.” She winked at me.
I laughed. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Clarice’s attitude never changed with me. If I was happy, sad or peeved she was still snippy, curt and too picky to ever be truly happy. By the end of my work day, I was welcoming the stress-relieving side effects of heart thumping physical activity. The class was packed, as it usually was on a Monday night, and as I looked around at the thirty or so other participants in the mirror walled room, I fed off the energy building and let myself get excited. Tracey and Hot Ben stood in the back and were mostly ignoring everyone else. He played with her pony tail and she felt his bicep, his blonde highlights exactly matching the shade of her hair. I stopped watching them after that.
Lita, dressed in skin tight, black aerobic pants and a crop top workout bra, turned on the hard, fast music and skipped out to the front of the slightly springy, wooden floor. She led us through a series of warm ups, her brown hair bouncing behind her, as she went over her weekend mishap, involving a sick dog and a box of missing chocolate-covered cherries.
Several people around me matched my laughs as we listened to her. She had us sweating through the laughter in no time. Then we got down to business. By the end of class, I was drenched and sore and high with endorphins. I drove straight to Teren’s house, all gross and sweaty. He didn’t care. He pulled me in for a kiss as he opened the front door (before I’d even had a chance to knock). I showered and changed while he finished making dinner and afterwards, we had a lovely meal on his patio and watched the sun begin to set.
And then I asked him…
“Will you meet my family tomorrow night?”
He glanced at me with a serious face. “I don’t know, Emma…that’s a big step.” He grinned as I smacked his shoulder. “Of course I will. Shall I pick you up after work?”
I leaned over the table and kissed him. “Yes…you shall.”
He laughed and patted his lap. I walked around the table to him and plopped myself down, snuggling in his warmth, and we sat and watched the sun sink all the way from sight.
When I got home that evening, I called Ashley to let her know Teren would be joining us for dinner tomorrow. I called her, for one, because she was my best friend and I told her everything (that I could, anyway) and secondly, because she was my go-between for Mom. She assured me that she would let Mom know Teren and I had patched things up, and were together and happy, and under no circumstances was she to badger him about the breakup (I love my sister). No - ‘my daughter was a wreck, how could you do that’? No - ‘what are your intentions now’? And definitely no - ‘are you going to marry her and give me grandchildren’?
I got enough of that on his side….
To Be Continued on Next Chapter…
CHAPTER SEVEN
The streetlights flashed across Teren’s face as his brows came together in concern and his eyes softened with sympathy. Aside from the light jazz coming from the radio, the car was pin-droppingly quiet as he regarded me compassionately. My own face was a mixture of quiet acceptance and ancient grief. I bit my inner cheek to stop the emotion I could feel seeping into my body, seemingly absorbing into my skin from the stillness of the car and the solemnity on his face. Finally, his husky voice broke the calm of the car.
“I’m so sorry about your father, Emma.”
I’d told Teren about my family’s situation, so he’d be prepared when he met them. It was a hard story for me to tell, even after all this time. I didn’t cry anymore when I told people what my father had done for my sister, but the ache opened again. It took a few deep breaths and quite a few “let it go” mantras in my head to seal the wound shut again, but after a few moments of Teren’s calming gaze, I did.
He’d been sweetly sympathetic while listening to my story, of course, and he was now holding my hand as we drove to the charming café that had become almost a second home to the three of us. A trio of women that I had just invited a man into. This should be interesting. At least they won’t eye him like a meal, as I’m pretty sure Halina had eyed me.
“Thank you.” I replied quietly, my voice still a little thick. Clearing my throat, I added, “It was a long time ago, but Mom still doesn’t like talking about it, so please don’t bring it up.” He gave me a look that clearly said ‘I’m not an idiot’ and then turned back to the road. “I should warn you about my sister.” I really didn’t like talking about it either, and mentioning Ashley’s appearance was my least favourite part – her scars didn’t define her – but a head’s up was warranted. He turned back to face me. “She was injured really badly in the fire…she’s quite scarred.”
“Oh.” His voice oozed understanding and he squeezed my hand.
“She’s alright now, although, she’s had so many surgeries I can barely remember them all…but they’ve done all they can and she’s still pretty…” My thoughts drifted off for a second.
He squeezed my hand again. “Don’t worry. I’d never stare or make her self-conscious in any way.”
I nodded and stared at him for a moment. All of a sudden, I blurted out, “Can we tell her?”
He knew exactly what I meant. He glanced back at me with a furrowed brow. “It’s not something I just go around telling people, Emma. It’s…private.”
This time I squeezed his hand. “I know that, Teren but…” I sighed. “She’s my friend and my family. If I’m going to be a part of yours, I could really use her support.”
He looked over at me, and just when I thought he was going to say no, he nodded. “Are we telling your mother too then?”
I grimaced. “God, no…she’d freak out.”
He laughed and shook his head as he turned back to the road again.
We arrived at the café a little while later and he opened my door, like the gentleman he was. I studied him as I stepped from his car: black, fitted shirt that matched his hair, worn un-tucked over perfectly faded jeans – he looked amazing. I adjusted my own short, black skirt and pink cashmere tank top and fluffed out my bouncy brown hair - I looked pretty amazing too. We made a cute couple. He smiled as I laced my arm through his and we strolled into the café arm in arm.
The hostess gave me a ‘not bad’ look as she eyed Teren, and nodded to a corner in the back. I smiled at her and pulled him in that direction. I started getting nervous as we made our way down the aisle. I looked over at him to see if he had butterflies too, but he seemed absolutely calm and relaxed, like he was meeting my family for the umpteenth time instead of the first. It bothered me a little, that he was so at ease, when I had been such a bundle of nerves before meeting his parents. I decided that that was simply because his family could have ripped my throat out at any minute. My family was pretty…tame, in comparison.
We approached the table in the back and stopped at the end. I noticed Teren’s eyes widen just slightly as he absorbed the sight of my sister, but his smile never wavered and his gaze was polite, not the unabashed staring that her disfigured head and body usually inspired. My mom and sister were a little more unabashed in their staring at him. They were both pretty curious about this attractive man beside me, who’d had me reduced to a quivering pile of sobs last week.
“Mom, Ash, this is Teren. Teren, my mom, Linda and my sister, Ashley.”
Teren politely extended his hand to my mother. “Hello.”
Her lips tugged up at the corner. “Hello, Teren. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“And you.” He extended his hand to Ashley without a second’s hesitation. “Hello.”
She smiled warmly, her eyes, the only part of her face not affected by her horrific, warped flesh, twinkling at the polite man before her. “Hello.”
“May I?” Teren pointed to the seat on the bench next to Ashley, and she smiled and nodded. I took the seat next to my mother, who was smiling approvingly at him. I ran my foot up the side of his jeans a bit as I smiled at him. He glanced up at me and grinned softly, his hand touching my knee under the table.
We made small talk, Teren asking every polite question there was regarding my mother and sister’s lives, until the waitress, Debby, came to take our order. She didn’t even look at the three of us women, knowing exactly what we would order. Instead, she eyed Teren, a little too enthusiastically, if you asked me, especially for a married woman. He ordered a really rare steak, which made me bite my cheek to stop the grin; my vamp liked it bloody. He noticed my reaction and winked at me. I coughed into my hand to not laugh out loud.
My mother kept up a steady stream of conversation about her and Ash, while we waited for our food. Once we were served, and all digging into our plates, she moved onto his family. “What do your parents do, Teren? Emma said she visited with them not too long ago.”
I sputtered on the sip of soda I’d just taken, but Teren calmly answered her. “They run a ranch near Mount Diablo.”
My mother seemed as taken aback by that as I had been, although, probably for completely different reasons. It’s just not every day that you meet or hear about actually ranchers – human or otherwise.
“Oh…interesting. Maybe someday we could visit?” She smiled at the idea and my sister brightened as well. I sputtered again on the second sip of soda I’d tried taking. My mother shot me a look. “Are you okay, Emma?”
“Yep, just fine,” I croaked.
Teren laughed and smoothly answered my mother. “Maybe someday that can be arranged. They’re pretty busy right now. It’s just the four of them and the help won’t arrive for another few weeks.”
My mom perked up, interested in his story. I was as well. I’d never heard him talk about his family to someone not in “the loop”. “Four of them? Who all helps out on the ranch?”
I cringed, wondering what he would say to that. He smiled and answered effortlessly. “My father, his wife and her two sisters.” I blinked at him but tried to keep my expression even.
My mom shook her head. “Your father must have his hands full, with a house full of women.” Teren grinned and I inadvertently giggled. My mom ignored me, too interested in Teren’s family dynamics. “So…I couldn’t help but notice you said ‘his wife’ and not your mother…”
Teren looked away and then back at her. His face looked solemn. “My mother died a few years ago…cancer. My father remarried.”
My mother stretched her hand out to touch his arm, while I tried not to gape at him. I’d never heard him lie about his family, but I suppose if our families were ever going to meet, he would need an excuse for his mom’s young age. I made a mental note to memorise his lie, in case I was ever asked it. “I’m so sorry, dear.” She patted his arm affectionately and by the look on her face, I realised that he had just completely won her over.
Sure enough, for the rest of the evening she beamed at him, and the entire table talked and laughed comfortably. And just like that, Teren fit right into my family, like he had always been there. I loved him a little more for that.
As we were getting ready to leave, I grabbed my mom’s arm. “We’ll take Ashley home, Mom. We were thinking about getting drinks after dinner and we’d love her to come.” Ashley still lived with Mom while she attended school and they often drove together; driving was a touch uncomfortable for Ash.
My mom gave me a critical look. “Emma…” Ashley was also only 19.
“I’ll make sure hers are virgins, Mom.” I discreetly winked at Ash, to let her know I had no intention of doing anything of the sort. Ashley never got carded, people just kind of let her do what she wanted, which worked out well for us on occasion.
My mom sighed, “Okay…be careful.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Of course, Mom.” I didn’t mention that I had my own personal pit-bull alongside me, although, I really didn’t think of Teren as dangerous…unless you’re poultry, of course.
We all stood, and were about to start walking up the aisle, when Teren offered his arm to Ashley. My mom had been about to do the same and she grinned widely when she noticed Teren doing it first. “May I,” he said, with as charming a voice as I’d ever heard him use. My sister flushed a little and nodded. She took his arm and they walked in front of Mom and me. I smiled at Teren’s back as they walked ahead of us, heads bent in low conversation. Sometimes he seemed so much older than 25, like he was from a different generation, a sweeter more chivalrous one. I suppose his houseful of women, of strong willed vampire women, had something to do with that.
Once outside, he gave my mother a warm hug, all the while still lacing his arm with Ashley’s. My mom looked downright giddy as she hugged me, and inwardly, I sighed. They loved him…the baby talk was going to follow soon. I’d be surrounded by it on both sides. Although, knowing my mom, the baby talk was going to be preempted by the “marriage” talk. My mom did love a good wedding.
We waved goodbye as she pulled away in her little compact, and then the three of us piled into Teren’s car. He took us to a local bar that was relatively clean and relatively quiet. The lights were dim, to create an atmosphere of “let’s drink more” I guess, but some people still noticed us as we entered. They all instantly stared at Ashley. She straightened her shoulders, gripped Teren’s arm tighter, and dealt with it, as she did every day of her life. My blood boiled at what she had to endure daily and I shot some nasty glares at the looky-lous.
Teren quickly led us to a small, round table in a back corner, on the opposite side of the room as the pool table, so we could actually hear each other over the sound of the balls clanking together. Almost immediately, a short, rather dumpy waitress was at our side. Staring at Ash, and not even bothering to hide it, she asked, “What’cha want tonight?”
Teren ordered a beer and we ordered rum and Cokes. The waitress scuttled off and Ashley relaxed her stance, just a bit. I put a hand on her thigh and she leaned her head against me.
“Thanks for inviting me out,” she said politely, looking at both Teren and me.
“Well…we did have a hidden agenda.” She raised her head and eyed me curiously when I said that. I shrugged my shoulders and lowered my voice, “We wanted to talk to you about something with Mom not around. Something you can NOT tell her about.”
Her back straightened and her expression got excited and a touch worried. “OMG, are you pregnant?” She looked back to the bar. “You really shouldn’t be drinking if you’re pregnant.”
Teren laughed pretty hard and I knew he was enjoying the fact that my family was just as interested in babies as his. Well, maybe not just as interested. I very lightly smacked her arm and she frowned. “No! God, no! This is about Teren, not me. He’s…a little different.”
Ashley eyed him curiously and he sighed a little. “You are? How so?” she asked quietly, her eyes sweeping over him, searching for something on him that made him as different as she was.
He looked about to speak, but just then our drinks, arrived so he shut his mouth and waited. The dumpy woman set down his beer and our drinks, while flicking glances over Ashley’s body. I felt like screaming at her, “yes, she’s scarred, we know that”, but I knew Ashley would not want that sort of attention brought to her. Ashley smiled softly at the woman through her half disfigured lips, and thanked her when she was done.
The waitress mumbled something about enjoying our evening and then backed off, to the other side of the room. Ashley brushed it off, as she always did, and turned to face Teren, still waiting for his mystery announcement.
I started to worry for just the slightest second, that Ashley wouldn’t take it as well as I thought she would. What if she screamed? The bar wasn’t packed, but there were a couple of beefy looking guys playing pool, and another guy at the bar who had gone way past beer-belly and was shooting for keg-belly. While they probably would not physically be a problem for Teren (he was pretty strong and dang fast, after all), he wouldn’t get out of the bar without causing quite a commotion. But I quickly pushed that thought aside. Whatever my sister’s reaction would be, it would be quiet and contained. She wasn’t one to bring unnecessary attention to herself. And if I was alive and well after so much intimate time with Teren, then he obviously wasn’t that dangerous.
With Ashley intently watching Teren, he seemed unsure how to tell her. He looked back to me and kind of shrugged. I twisted my lips and thought about the best way to say it, without sounding completely insane…there really wasn’t one. “Just bluntly tell her?” I suggested.
He seemed to think about that, and then shook his head and even smiled. “She’ll just laugh.” I smiled, remembering my initial reaction to the blunt way he’d told me. Ashley looked between us, confused. Teren sighed and leaned into us. “I don’t think she’ll believe it, unless she’s sees it.”
I looked around the bar again. Aside from the waitress and the three large men, there were a handful of other customers, and another waitress and the bartender. A few people were still staring at Ashley; those people quickly looked away when my gaze fell over them. I looked back to Teren. “Can you do that…here?” He had his back to the main part of the bar, but the bartender could possibly see. He seemed busy pouring drinks and chatting with keg-belly man though.
Teren took a quick glance around. “Yeah,” he said when he faced us again.
My sister was finally tired of being in the dark, so to speak. “Do what? What are you guys talking about?”
Teren met her eyes and held her gaze, a very, very faint glow emanating from his in the dim bar lights. His face was completely serious and I got those nervous butterflies again. “Ashley, I need to show you something. It will explain to you why I’m different…if you let yourself believe. I’m only going to do this once, so please pay close attention.”
He slowly opened his mouth and her eyes automatically tracked the movement. What was left of her brows furrowed in confusion as she waited. Slowly, and with more control than I realised he possessed, he extended his fangs to her. The lengthening of his teeth to sharp and unnaturally long daggers was unmistakable. Watching him do it, left no room for misinterpretation - he was vampire.
My sister’s eyes widened to saucers. “Holy…crap…”
He immediately popped them back up and closed his mouth. He cocked his head to the side as he studied her reaction. He looked as if he were waiting for her to toss her drink on him…or try and kill him.
She did neither.
She turned back to me and pointed at him. “Seriously? Vampire?” I nodded and she broke into the widest grin her scars would allow. “That’s so freakin’ cool!”
She and I both started giggling as Teren started shaking his head at us. “What is it with you Taylor women?” We both laughed a little harder at that.
Ashley started in on the questions. She asked a lot of the same ones I did – How old are you, what can you do, so you live on blood? After she asked that she blinked, and before he could answer, she said, “Wait…I watched you eat food?”
Now Teren and I glanced at each other and started laughing. In hushed tones, he proceeded to explain his condition to her. He left out exactly what he had left out the first time he’d told me - that he was dying and that his family had certain…expectations before he died. Watching Ashley shake her head and try to absorb everything he was telling her, I understood better why he’d left that stuff out the first go round. It was a lot to take in all at once. He was right, segments were better.
While Ashley was laughing over the fact that he had a dog (named Spike, no less) a couple guys walked near our table to sit at the bar on this side of the room. They were the sort of guys who looked like they believed that they were Pharaohs, and everyone should really be kneeling at their feet. They seemed in a perpetual bad mood that everyone was not. They took one look at my sister and one of them muttered “freak”. I was just about to rip the gonads off that one, when from beside me I heard a low, animalistic growl. It was impossibly deep and absolutely terrifying. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight out.
Teren flicked his head around to the men, who were eyeing him warily. “Apologize,” he seethed. I don’t know if it was his very faintly glowing eyes or the deadly intent in his voice or the otherworldly growl, that I just realised had come from his chest, but the guys immediately sputtered “sorry” and took off to the other side of the bar. Maybe, like most bullies, they were just completely chicken when confronted by a true threat. And from what I had seen and heard from Teren just now, he was definitely a true threat. Maybe I’d have to rethink my opinion of him not being dangerous.
Teren spun his head back around to us; he looked pale and unsure of himself. I was about to ask him if he was okay when Ashley touched his arm. He startled a bit, but Ash was too excited to notice. “That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! I wish you could have bared your teeth, that would have been just amazing, but I know you can’t expose yourself like that.” She patted his arm, like he was an obedient puppy that had just defended its master. “Thank you, Teren.”
She smiled warmly and finally seeming to be more of himself, Teren smiled back and shook his head as he held her hand. “Don’t mention it.” From the faint tightness around his eyes, I kind of got the feeling he meant that literally.
We finished our drinks with no further provocations, although the men seemed to be gathering up their courage on the other side of the bar, and were eyeing Teren with a ‘we can take him’ attitude. Not feeling the need to risk a confrontation, that would most certainly end with Teren displaying one of his many extra attributes, we paid our waitress and headed back to the car. I looked back at the creeps and noticed that they were bumping fists and laughing with each other, like they had just successfully evicted us from the bar. Idiots. They had no clue how lucky they were that Teren had no desire to actually fight them. They’d probably pee their pants if he did bare his teeth at them.
