Bloodlines

by S. C. Stephens

Chapter 6 Pre-wedding Jitters

 

  I stared at the ceiling of our bedroom, waiting. I mentally traced every raised section of the textured walls, making images out of the patterns, where there really wasn't any. Anything to distract my mind. Anything to stop myself from wondering how Teren was doing, if he was feeling any better. That last horrid image of him covered in blood wouldn't leave me. Several of the patterns on the walls reminded me of the pool of red liquid we'd been huddled in. God, I hoped he was okay.

  As I shifted for the thousandth time in the too quiet room, I finally heard the door crack open. It was late, several hours past the time everyone had called it a night, and the hallway behind him was dark. His eyes glowed at me until he walked into our dimly lit room. I sucked in a sharp breath when I saw him.

  He softly closed the door and stood beside it, letting me take him in. He looked like something straight out of a Steven King novel - splotches of dried or drying blood covered him, his jeans and shirt saturated with it. His face had deep red smears and smudges, both from the act of being sick and my bloody hands caressing him. He stood slightly hunched and his face looked worn, close to exhaustion, if not already there. His pale blue eyes were slightly unfocused as he looked at me, but a small smile was on his lips.

  "Hey," he whispered hoarsely.

  My eyes instantly watered at the sight of him and I flew out of that bed to throw my arms around him. My forcefulness made him stumble back a step, and I choked back a sob at how frail he seemed. His arms swept around me securely though, as he held me tightly.

  "Teren, what were you thinking?" I murmured in his ear.

  He didn't answer, only softly stroked my back. I pulled away, my hands going to his blood smeared cheeks, cupping them and searching his eyes. He tilted his head and gave me another small smile. Hating the evidence of his painful night all over him, I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bathroom. He willingly followed, his feet shuffling heavily on the padded carpet, as he forced his body to move.

  I closed the door behind us, not really expecting any distractions, but playing it safe anyway. He watched me, almost blankly, and I thought only sheer will power kept him standing. I came back to him and gently swept his shirt over his head. His chest was smeared with dried blood from where the wet shirt had stuck to his skin. Some sections of the shirt were still wet, and I threw it in the corner of the recently cleaned bathroom. Bringing my eyes back to his chest, I bit my lip and felt mine start to water. His fingers came to my chin, lifting my gaze to his. "I'm fine, Emma. " He shrugged in a tired, but casual manner. "Just a little. . . discomfort, but it's gone now. " He smiled softly again.

  My mouth dropped open as the sounds of his muffled screams earlier filled my ears again. A little discomfort? I shook my head. "You didn't have to do that," I whispered, my voice sounding loud to me in the quiet room.

  His fingers, still tainted red, brushed over my cheek and he tilted his head as he regarded me. "Yes, I did. We couldn't have all walked out on dinner with your family, especially Mom and me. We had to appear normal. "

  My hand grabbed his hand, flattening his cool fingers to my cheek. "No, none of you should have had to do that. " I shook my head again as I stepped into him, bringing my warm arms around his cool body, wanting him to feel the comforting heat I provided. Looking up at him, I bit my lip. "We could have gone somewhere else, or eloped. I was so selfish to ask for this. "

  He immediately grabbed my cheeks, shaking his head. "No, Emma. We wanted this. We all wanted to give you this. "A warm smile lit his tired face. "You deserve a normal family dinner. I wanted to give you that, we all did. We crave normalcy too. " His eyes stared intently into mine. "And we want to give you a normal wedding experience. "

  I sighed and then cocked an eyebrow at him, rubbing a smidge of dried blood off his chin pointedly. He grinned crookedly and shook his head. "Well, as normal as we can give you. " He shrugged and then looking too tired to keep standing, sat on the edge of the tub.

  I watched him sitting, looking up at me with a content face, and sighed again. Turning from him, I stepped over to the shower and turned on one of the dual heads. Under the sound of the water, I again said, "You didn't have to do that. "

  As I turned back to him, he smiled, and I knew he'd heard me. He didn't comment though, only slipped his stained shoes off. I helped him remove the rest of his clothes and then helped him get in the shower. It felt a little odd to help him, when he was usually the supernaturally strong one, but the evening had sapped a lot of that strength, and as he sagged against the shower wall, I slipped my pajamas off and hopped inside, to continue helping him.

  He laid his head back against the wall, his eyes closed and his usually nearly tanned face pale. The spray of water hit his chest, droplets landing on his face and mine, the dried blood starting to break apart and run like rivulets down his body. I shook my head at the red streams and grabbed some soap, determined to see that bloody mess gone. He exhaled contently as I worked the soap into a lather and spread the bubbles over his chest, pausing, to scrub harder in the more concentrated areas. The bubbles forming on his body turned pink from all of the blood, and the water streaming around us went through various spectrums of the shade.

  Noting the haggard look on his face and the shallow way he was breathing as I scrubbed his cheeks, I lifted a corner of my lip and wryly said, "You finally look hung-over. "

  He cracked an eye at that and smiled. His eyes glanced down my naked body once, before closing again. "Totally worth it," he muttered.

  I ran some soap in his hair, watching my fingers turn pink as the dried blood in the blackness came clean. "I don't see how anything could have been worth that," I muttered.

  Hearing me, he opened his eyes again. His hands came up to my hips, pulling me into him. "You're worth it. You're worth anything. "

  I sighed at my pinkly suds-up fiance, and laced my arms around his neck. I ran my fingers back through his wet hair and just took a moment to appreciate him. For me, he and the women had willingly done something that they knew would cause them intense pain. And as Halina had explained, while cleaning up the bloody mess he'd left, Teren had made the situation worse, by allowing the nearly toxic food to stay in his system much longer than was necessary, or healthy. She'd explained that anything but blood in their system now had a nearly acidic effect on them, and what Teren had done had literally eaten holes in his body. If it weren't for his super healing ability, it would have killed him. Sort of brought new meaning to the word allergic. Well, I guess we had a viable excuse for him to not ever eat out with us again - extreme food allergies.

  I smiled and shook my head, kissing him softly and resting my wet head against his. His hand came up to grab some suds on his chest and teasingly, he plopped them on my hair. I laughed and he smiled, then closed his eyes again, too tired to keep them open.

  While he continued to lean against the wall for support, I cleaned the rest of him, paying close attention to his fingers, ears and neck, anywhere where blood would pool, and be visible to someone else. When he was sparkly clean, I shut the water off and helped to dry him.

  Looking half asleep on his feet, we crawled into our oversized bed, naked. His lukewarm from the shower body wrapped around me, and his head dropped down to rest in the crook of my neck. He sighed contently and buried himself further into me. I cradled his head, kissing him softly, before shutting off the lamp and closing my eyes.

  Before sleep took me, I started replaying the evening, again marveling at what he'd done for me. As I smiled and stroked fingers down his back, I whispered, "Thank you. "

  Thinking he was already asleep, I was a little surprised to hear him murmur, "You're welcome," into my skin.

  I hugged him tighter and then a thought struck me. "When did you guys realize you'd have to do this?"

  His body stiffened and I adjusted myself to look at him. Cautiously lifting his head to look at me, apprehension was clear on
his face. I furrowed my brow at seeing it. He sighed a cool breath and then closed his eyes for a second, before meeting my gaze. "We've always known this would happen this weekend, Emma. " He shrugged. "We've been preparing, since you first said you wanted it here. "

  Horror and guilt went straight though me. I pushed him away and brought my hands to my mouth. "Why didn't anyone. . . ?" I couldn't even finish the thought, but Teren understood.

  His hands came to my face, lowering mine. "We didn't want you to worry about us. We knew we'd be fine. . . once it was over. "

  I shook my head, tears forming again. "We could have gone somewhere else. We could have gotten married at a courthouse, Teren. "

  He stopped my sputtering with his lips. When I was calmer, he muttered, "This is what you wanted, what you deserved to have. Our. . . problems were manageable. "

  I stared at him, speechless. Then irritation flared in me, like it does sometimes, when I'm really worried. "You could have given me a heads up! I could have been told what would happen, instead of finding you covered in blood and not knowing why!" My tone got especially heated on the end as I replayed my fear.

  He blanched and looked guilty again. "You're right. . . I'm sorry. " He shook his head on his pillow, his fingers coming up to move a strand of hair behind my ear. "I just didn't want to you to worry. . . and I honestly didn't know it would be that bad. I'm sorry if I scared you. "

  I hugged him tight after he said that, my temporary anger gone. "You did, Teren. You terrified me. "

  He murmured that he was sorry again, his voice thick with the need to sleep, and I hugged him tightly, needing him close, even if he was slipping from consciousness. When I again was sure he was asleep, I playfully muttered, "I wonder why Halina got to be the lucky one? You guys draw straws or something?"

  He chuckled in my arms, still awake. "No, she just wouldn't have been able to tolerate it like us, so it wasn't an option for her. " I pulled back, surprise in my face.

  He looked over my expression, his eyes lighting the distance between us in the dark room. He shrugged. "The side affect of food is less severe for us than for her. Her full vampire body doesn't react. . . as well. "

  My mouth dropped open at that. As well? I didn't think him spouting blood all over the bathroom floor was exactly "well". It was worse for Halina? How much worse could it get? He sighed, taking in my stricken face, and shrugged again. "She probably would have lost it at the table. "

  I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. Yes. . . that would have been worse.

  Teren was still asleep when I woke up the next morning. He looked better, as I watched the sunlight flash on his dark hair. His face didn't look so pale anymore and he didn't have any circles under his eyes anymore. No sign of fatigue was with him at all as he slept beside me. I shifted on my side to watch him, suddenly realizing that this was the last morning I'd wake up beside my boyfriend. Tomorrow morning, he'd be my husband.

  He was a stone still sleeper: no fidgeting, no fussing, no snoring. Looking at him closer as he laid on his stomach, his head angled towards me, I realized he wasn't even breathing. Curious, I put my hand in front of his face. Nope, nothing. No breath at all. It was eerie, and too reminiscent of when he'd died, and I pulled my hand away.

  "What are you doing?" he muttered, his eyes still closed.

  I laughed and ran a hand through his hair. A smile cracked his face, the still look finally leaving him as he woke up. "Just seeing if you were alive. " I giggled at my own joke and he peeked up at me, his pale eyes amused.

  "Cute. "

  I giggled again and sat up on my elbow. "I just never noticed that you don't breathe when you sleep. " I shrugged. "It's kind of creepy. "

  He stirred, inhaling a deep breath, obviously just for show, and then stretched out before propping himself up on his elbow, facing me. "That is just what every man wants to hear on his wedding day. " He grinned crookedly at me and leaned in.

  I obliged him, and leaned in to meet him, pressing my lips to his. His slight warmth from his shower last night had worn off, and he was cool again. I tried to not think about that awful moment, of finding him in a pool of his own blood, and I instead focused on the miraculous things he could do with his mouth. He scooted closer to me as I let my memories fade, until his cool body was along the length of mine under the sheets. His hand reached out to pull my elbow out from under me and I gasped as I fell back to the bed. He was on top of me in a flash, still kissing me intently, purposefully.

  Gently pushing him back, I playfully muttered, "What do you think you're doing?"

  His hands slid over my body as his mouth shifted to my ear. "I really thought you'd have that figured out by now. "

  I laughed huskily and pushed him away when his mouth drifted back to mine. "We can't have sex before we get married, Teren. "

  He pulled back, looking normal and healthy, and. . . incredulous. His hand rested on my stomach and he gently squeezed while cocking an eyebrow. "Really?" His voice matched his disbelieving eyes and I clearly got the implication - 'what does it matter, if I've already knocked you up?'

  I laughed and shifted my body out from under his. Standing, I stole the sheet and demurely wrapped it around myself. He frowned at me and made no move to shield his bare body with the remaining covers. I bit my lip as I took in the sight of him, but made my body stay where it was. "Yes, really. We may have done things backwards, but we'll at least do the wedding night the right way.

  I sat down on the edge of the bed and he finally softly smiled and scooted over to me, covering himself in the process. "Alright, love. " He said, after kissing my cheek.

  He looped a lock of hair behind my ear, and I again thought of being this man's wife. Immediately after that thought, the image of him in blood returned to me. I frowned, wishing I could keep that one away. He frowned too, and I tried to fix my face back to happiness. He'd seen it though. "What's wrong?" His knuckle stroked my cheek as he looked over my face.

  I could feel my eyes water as I gazed at him, and hated that I was nearly crying already. "I'm just glad you're okay," I whispered.

  He sighed and pulled me to him. "I'm sorry I worried you. I'm fine. . . we're all fine. " He pulled us down into the bed, lying on his back and wrapping me securely to his chest. I heard my heart through his body and made myself believe it was his.

  My worries left me as peace flooded me. He held me for what felt like an eternity. It probably would have lasted for an eternity too, except he cocked his head and then started chuckling, covering his body more securely with the bedding between us. I raised my head, curious, but he only grinned and shook his head.

  Just as I was going to ask him what was going on, our door busted open. I gasped in surprise and clutched the sheet wrapped around me even tighter as Tracey and Ashley bounded into our bedroom. Teren didn't even flinch, and I had to assume he'd either heard them coming.

  Feeling every spot of skin on me heating, I sat up and glared at the two of them. "We could have been having sex, you guys!"

  Ashley blushed and giggled, looking away, but Tracey pouted and looked at Teren like he'd completely let her down. "I know," she muttered gloomily, and I thought that she'd actually been hoping for that. Teren laughed at the look on her face and snuggled farther into the bed, slipping his arms under his head. I was pretty sure he wouldn't have let us get caught like that, not with those super ears of his, although, sometimes he did get a little. . . lost in the moment.

  "Good morning, girls," he said brightly, looking completely relaxed and comfortable, even though I knew he was probably a touch embarrassed, and if his skin could still do it, he'd probably be blushing slightly.

  Ashley giggled and greeted him and Tracey gave him a sly grin, probably picturing the thick quilt over the top of him being gone. I rolled my eyes, kind of wanting to smack her, but then she grabbed my hand and helped me pick out some clothes for my big day, while Ashley sat down on the bed.

&nb
sp; Teren and Ashley watched me get dressed under the sheet, managing to slip my clothes on without ever revealing my naked body (an art form that really, only girls have mastered) and then Ashley turned to Teren on the bed.

  "Are you feeling better?" she politely asked him.

  I caught the curiosity in her voice, she had to be wondering what could possibly make a vampire not feel well, but Tracey didn't seem to catch it, asking Teren before he could answer Ashley, "Yeah, you getting cold feet or something?"

  I inadvertently laughed - Teren's feet were actually very cold - and he shook his head at me and Tracey before answering my sister, his tone just as polite as hers had been, "I feel much better, thank you. "

  When I was dressed, I leaned over him, kissing him firmly, before I had to leave him for the afternoon. Finally, a giggling Tracey and Ashley pulled me off of him. All of us laughing as they held me back, I playfully told him, "I guess I'll see you later. Don't be late. "

  He grinned and shook his head as the girls literally pulled me through the door. Once in the hallway, I heard him respond with, "I wouldn't dream of it. "

  Several steps down the hall, the giggling girls finally let go of my arms, seemingly assured that I wouldn't rush back into that gorgeous, naked man's arms. I was tempted to do just that, but laughing along with them, I let them drag me down the gracefully curving dual staircase to the kitchen.

  Holding hands with my two best human friends, we came across my two moms. My plump mother was humming to herself as she scrambled a pan of eggs on a ceramic burner. Her grin was a wide one as she worked, and her brown eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. I shook my head, thinking my mom was in hog heaven here. My second mother, Alanna, was frying up a batch of bacon, the maple smell mixed with the telltale hiss of frying grease, making my mouth water. I prayed my stomach stayed down today.

  Alanna looked up a second after my mother, and they both nearly greeted me in unison, "Good morning, Emma. "

  Feeling giddy and anxious and eager for today, I giggled as I sat on a stool at the center island. Ashley and Tracey each sat on stools beside me, the chairs creaking merrily as they twisted them back and forth experimentally.

  "Good morning, everyone," I said chipperly, sort of feeling like a Disney princess, especially since Tracey had made me put on my fuzzy white slippers with the word bride on the front of each in big, black script. She'd wanted to buy me the matching jacket too, but I'd put my foot down on that one.

  Mom beamed at my enthusiasm, her eyes starting to mist already, and Alanna next to her gave me a warm greeting. I eyed her more carefully than I had my mom, to see if any of her lingering sickness was still with her. But her skin was the normal olive color it always was, her pale blue eyes showed only happiness, and her perfect, lineless face was only giving me a warm look of reassurance. I was sure that if I could have asked her how she was, she would have shaken her head and told me that she'd never felt better.

  Just as I was about to ask her anyway, Tracey popped up beside me. "Teren's got amazing Pecs, does he work out a lot?"

  Ashley giggled into her palm while my mom gave Tracey a blank look, probably wondering when she'd seen Teren's chest. I smacked Tracey across the arm as Alanna softly chuckled and studied the bacon she was cooking. Tracey made an offended noise and looked at me, confused. "What? I'm just saying. . . he's deceptively defined. " She shrugged and ran a hand through her long, blonde locks. Her lip turned up into a wry grin. "That's not a bad thing. "

  I closed my eyes and shook my head, picturing Teren busting up laughing in our room right about now. There was just no way he hadn't heard her. Alanna pretty much confirmed that for me, by glancing upstairs and smiling widely. Shaking her head, she went back to cooking her bacon. I shifted the conversation by asking what the plan was for today. Mom shook off her confusion at Tracey's knowledge of Teren's body (her absolutely correct knowledge), and started animatedly going over her plan to help Alanna prepare all of the food for the guests.

  My jaw dropped at that. They were going to spend all day cooking for, at last count, one hundred and fifty people? Alanna chuckled and assured me that most of the food was already prepared and in the freezer, they simply had to heat them up. They were going to spend today preparing the "finger foods" - cookies, dips, mini-sandwiches, and various forms of pastries. That not sounding like any fun to me, I wished her and Alanna well.

  As the girls and I dug into the steaming plate of food Alanna set before us, I began to wonder how I'd pass the time today. The nervous energy in my body was only building, and the actual ceremony wasn't until seven o'clock at night, well after dark, so Halina and Imogen would have a chance to fully enjoy the festivities. As the still steaming eggs burnt my tongue with my excited food shoveling, I started to think that maybe I should find a more constructive way to taper off this feeling. Besides, I couldn't spend all day eating. I did have a dress to fit into tonight. Unfortunately, the only other things I was coming up with, involved Teren's aforementioned Pecs, and while that would be wildly entertaining for me, it sort of left the other members of my wedding party out.

  As I finished my food way before anyone else, and had started in on my sister's, Tracey came up with spending the day going out and getting mani/pedis and having our hair twisted into fabulously intricate up-dos. I didn't really want to leave the ranch, but I was buzzing like a woman who'd just downed six shots of straight espresso, and with my mother emphatically agreeing that they'd get more done without me around, I was finally convinced to go get pampered. It was my day anyway, right?

  Tracey thought it would be fabulously fun to not tell the boys we were leaving. I didn't spoil her fun, by letting her know that Teren was well aware of everything we'd just talked about. She also thought it was great fun for me to leave my bride slippers on. I groaned dramatically, but secretly loved it. I wanted everyone to know that I was getting married today. Hell, I felt like announcing it on the radio, or interrupting the scheduled programming with breaking news. Something big - because that's how I felt today, that something big was happening. Something big and wonderful. . . and eternal.

  After the seventh hug and kiss, my mom practically shoved me out of the kitchen so she could get down to business with Alanna. While hugging Alanna, I did secretly ask her if she was okay, and she did tell me that she felt great. I knew she would say something like that, but at least by my asking, she knew that I'd been worried about her. And I had, I'd worried about them all.

  Whispering a goodbye to Teren, the three of us girls scrambled into Alanna's sleek sedan that she let us borrow. The car was black and luxurious, with cream leather seats that were so soft, you almost felt like you melted into them. Tracey ran her hand over the edges of the cushions and sighed as her head dropped back. "This is the life. " She rocked her head over to me. "Now I seriously wish I'd met Teren first. "

  She winked at me, so I knew she was kidding (she was hopelessly in love with Hot Ben, after all), and I shook my head at her, suppressing a laugh. If she realized that the owners of all the fineries she was enjoying this weekend, no longer had heartbeats, she'd never come near this place again. Luxurious or not, Tracey wouldn't deal with the idea of vampires being real very well.

  As I drove us back into the city, I wondered if we'd even find a place to accommodate three of us on such short notice. Then Tracey pulled out her cell phone and speed dialed her salon. That clued me in that maybe it wouldn't be a problem. Five minutes later, we all had reservations at Bella Sole. I had to smile that the name of the salon meant Beautiful Sun. If they only knew the irony of them doing a vampire's fiance's hair.

  Tracey kept us occupied for hours. Time flew by as we were pampered - our toes painted in a girly shade of pink, our nails dipped and buffed and French manicured, and our hair curled into long spirals and twisted into elaborately done up-dos, except Ash, who had her hair curled, but left it down. Since only one side of her head would grow hair, I think she felt more secure having i
t the way she was used to having it. The salon girls seemed a little reluctant to touch her at first, but with more than a few tip encouragements from Tracey, they finally got over their unease at my sister's startling appearance, and by the end, were treating her the same way they treated me.

  After a late lunch at a small cafe close by, we grabbed coffees (and cocoa for me) and headed back to the ranch, eager to start dressing for the big event. Pulling up to the drive, we could see that a few guests had started to arrive, even though it was still hours away from the actual ceremony. Some people just really like weddings.

  The girls pulled me into the guest room Ashley was using, giggling the entire way. We sat on the edge of the bed and talked about all the things girls talk about when they get together: catty girls at work, or at school in Ashley's case, the current mystery running through our favorite television shows, the most unusual sexual requests, positions and/or places. I kept my mouth shut on that one, thinking that Tracey would not want to know the things my bloodsucker liked doing. While Tracey and Ashley gabbed and changed into their dresses, I started to wonder what my bloodsucker was up to.

  I wasn't sure how he'd spent his day, or how he was feeling now. I wondered if he was also feeling the anxious butterflies that were currently swarming around my stomach. A stomach that was also starting to veto the BLT I'd eaten at the cafe. Either that or Grande sized hot chocolate I'd just finished tilting back.

  As Ash and Tracey adjusted the clingy, blood red fabric of their dresses, I put a hand on my stomach and exhaled slowly and carefully, hoping pure will power could convince my belly that everything was fine. It wasn't working though. I closed my eyes as my stomach churned. I felt a bead of sweat on my professionally done makeup and bit my lip, knowing that that was the least of my concerns now. Clamping a hand over my mouth, I shot off the bed and ducked out the door, muttering "be right back" as I ran for a bathroom.

  Running blindly down the hall, I began to wonder where the bathroom was on this side of this stupidly huge house. I ran into an open door that looked promising, and nearly groaned in frustration when I saw it was just another stupid bedroom. Then I noticed the cracked open bathroom door and exhaled in relief. I would have done the happy dance if I'd have had the time. I didn't though. The only thing keeping down my lunch was the hand covering my mouth.

  Dropping to my knees, I lost it right at the toilet. Knowing I was pretty much ruining my makeup, I couldn't help a few tears from falling. I hated getting sick. When my body was empty, I sat back on my heels and rested my head on my arms over the seat. I felt myself sniffling, more tears forming, and not wanting to be alone in my discomfort anymore, I suddenly wished Teren was with me, and not out bonding with the boys somewhere.

  As if on cue, cool arms soundlessly wrapped around me. I was pulled back into a muscular chest as the arms twisted me into a carrying position. As he stood, I sighed contently and wrapped my arms around his neck, just glad to have him near. He kissed my head and walked me back to the bedroom. I buried my face in his cool shirt, the smell of the outdoors filling me - water, grass, and nature - all with a light hint of his cologne underneath it. He was manly and wonderful, and his mere presence had a calming effect on my queasy stomach.

  He laid me down on the bed and came up to lie beside me. I lolled my head over to look at him as he propped up on an elbow to watch over me, almost protectively. I smiled at the look of concern in his face. "You found me," I whispered.

  He half-grinned at me, a finger coming out to wipe off my smudged mascara. "I heard you," he said softly, his smile shifting to a pout. "Are you alright?"

  A small laugh escaped me at how trivial my sickness was, compared with what his had been. "I'm fine, Teren, really. " I shook my head, my smile feeling huge to me. "This is nothing at all. " My arms snuck out to clutch his body and I pulled him into me, like we were two magnets that couldn't bear to be apart.

  A small laugh escaped him as I clung to his body and then he sank down to the pillows and held me just as tight. "Good," he murmured, his nose sliding along my neck. I shivered at the cool touch and felt him smile as he pressed his lips to a vein there. I had to imagine that vein was pulsing faster than normal. "Why did you run into this guest room anyway? There is a bathroom right by Ashley's room at the other end of the hall. "

  I lightly smacked his shoulder. "Because this house is too damn big, and I have no idea where everything is. " He chuckled and I pulled back to look at him, his pale eyes catching a flash of sunlight streaming through the window next to us. "Why were you in the house? I figured you boys would be off in the wilderness somewhere, hunting vicious trout. "

  He laughed at my comment and bit his lip. "I've been feeling edgy, anxious. " He gave me a sheepish grin. "I was scaring the fish away. " I laughed at that while he shrugged at me. "I thought I'd get something to eat, thought maybe that would calm me down. "

  I raised my eyebrows at him, happy that he was feeling what I was feeling, but wanting to tease him some. "Oh, nervous?"

  He smiled and shook his head. "No, excited. " He bit his lip and then leaned over to kiss me.

  I relaxed into the feeling of that cool mouth on me, that glorious tongue sliding against mine, and let myself indulge in this man I was going to marry, just a few hours from now. My hands threaded up into his hair as he shifted his weight over my body. My fingers slid up his cool t-shirt as his hands palmed me through the outside of my button-up. I groaned and rocked against him as his lips moved down to my neck, that course stubble sending tiny waves of pleasure through me. As his tongue found the spot in the crook of my neck that he preferred, I pulled his hips directly over mine.

  He groaned a little as he instinctually pressed against me. "You know cold cow's blood won't satisfy you right now," I whispered in his ear. He growled low in his chest and pressed against me again in answer. I suppressed a moan, quickly inhaling my breath instead. He was ready for more than just a love bite, and I sort of was too. Breathily, I added, "You can snack on me, if you like?"

  "I always like. . . " He rumbled a low growl again and the lips pressing heated kisses into my skin turned into the pinpricks of fangs, ready to plunge deep inside me. I gasped at the thought, but pushed him back.

  "What do you think you're doing?"

  He blinked, his eyes full of passion and hunger, his fangs extended to drinking length, and his brows furrowed in puzzlement. "You said. . . "

  I rolled my eyes and smacked his shoulder. "I'm getting married in a matter of hours. " I pointed to the glaringly obvious vein in my neck that he'd been about to puncture. "I don't need to go down the aisle with a hickey. " Or circular fang wounds.

  He looked down, embarrassed. "Oh, right. " He peered back up at me with just his eyes. "Then, where?"

  The look of clear desire still on his face, made me feel supernaturally sexy, and with a quick glance to make sure the door was closed, I gently pushed him to the side of me and began slowly unbuttoning my white long-sleeved blouse. His breathing stopped as he lasciviously watched my fingers exposing my skin, button by slow button. When the shirt was completely opened, his breathing started again, heavier than before. With my newly perfect, French manicured nails, I drew a line straight down the middle of my chest. Stopping just above my bra, I grabbed a section of the cup and pulled it back, exposing the creamy skin on the top part of my breast, the part my bra and dress would easily cover.

  "Here," I whispered, my other hand reaching up to his neck and pulling him to me.

  He exhaled a cool breath across my skin, his eyes closing just before contact, and then he sunk his teeth in, gently, tenderly, and yet at the same time, commandingly. I gasped at the tremor of pain, followed by the warm heat of my blood being pulled from me. His cool lips desensitized the skin around the area, and the cool brush of his tongue soothed me, just as surely as it ignited me too. He made a purring noise, his hands clenching and unclenching my hips as he drank from me. I smiled. This was the last
time he'd do this from his girlfriend. The next time, I'd be his wife.

  I was in a euphoric, connected, peaceful state of mind, when everything suddenly took a drastic turn. Somewhere in my haze, I registered the one sound Teren and I really couldn't afford to hear right now. The sound of a door rapidly swinging open.

  "Teren, you in here?"

  Hot Ben stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him, just as Teren and I both shifted to look. Teren's super abilities hadn't registered that Ben was opening the door, until it was too late; he did sometimes get caught up in the moment when we were like this. And we'd definitely just been caught. My mouth dropped a mile wide and my whole body tensed, as Teren lifted his head to stare at Ben, his mouth also wide open in startlement. In the brightly lit room, the blood on Teren's tongue and dripping down his chin was startling. As were the all too apparent fangs.

  Ben, at first, didn't notice. "Oh, hey, sorry guys. Trace said she saw Teren go in here, but I didn't. . . know you. . . were both. . . " His voice trailed off as what he was seeing started clicking together in his mind. I could almost hear the gorgeous boy's thoughts out loud - Oh, I caught them almost screwing, cool. Wait, why is there blood on Emma's chest? Wait, why is there blood on Teren's mouth. . . and holy shit, are those. . . fangs?

  Teren inhaled sharply as the realization of what had just happened struck him. His teeth immediately retracted with his breath. Ben's eyes widened and he scrambled to open the door. "How did you. . . ? Oh my god. " He managed to open it in his fumbling, but it was quickly slammed shut by Teren, who was instantly standing at Ben's side holding shut the door.

  Hot Ben stepped away from him, like he had the plague. "How did you. . . ?" he said again, clearly confused by Teren's speedy abilities. "Stay back," he muttered as he bumped into a dresser.

  I sat up, pulling my shirt tight to my body, knowing that my white bra and shirt were now bloodstained; Teren hadn't had time to close the wounds. "Its okay, Ben. "

  Ben looked at me, nearly frantic. "Run, Emma, I'll hold him off. "

  I smiled softly, warmed that Hot Ben was willing to take on a vampire for me, and shook my head again. Teren answered Ben before I could start to. Walking toward him with a hand outstretched, like Ben was a terrified dog who might bite him, Teren calmly said, "I can explain. Please. . . calm down. "

  Ben tittered, sounding on the verge of a panic attack as he nervously laughed. "Explain? You can explain your teeth. . . what the hell was that, Teren?" His eyes shifted to mine. "What the hell were you doing to her?"

  Teren cocked his head, looking flustered and embarrassed, not to mention scared that he'd just lost the closest thing to a friend that he had. While he floundered for something to say, I said, "He was hungry, I told him he could bite me. " Still clutching my shirt, I walked over to Teren's side, putting my other hand on his arm. Teren looked back at me, sadness in his pale eyes.

  Ben looked between the two of us, like we were both mad. His eyes darted to the door behind us and I could nearly see him calculating the odds of getting around both of us lunatics. I sighed and wondered when the screaming would start. Ben opened his mouth a few times, running a hand through his blonde highlights. "Bite you? Hungry? He's what. . . ? A. . . a. . . "

  "Vampire," Teren calmly stated, raising his chin a little.

  Ben snorted, looked at us disbelieving, and then swallowed nervously. "You guys are nuts. I'm gone. " He moved then, edging around me to get to the door, but Teren moved to block it. Ben pushed him out of the way. Well, he tried to. I could see that he put a lot of strength into the move, but if Teren didn't want to move, no human could make him.

  "Let me go," he said through clenched teeth, looking like he was torn between cowering, and peeing in his pants, or fighting back, and using some of his kickboxing skills on Teren. I didn't know how to tell him that neither response would help him escape.

  "He's not going to hurt you, Ben," I said quietly behind him.

  Ben flicked a glance back at me, panic and fear only making him more attractive. "Then tell him to let me go. " He twisted to me, grabbing my arms painfully in his fright. "Don't let him kill me. " I heard Teren sigh behind him, and start to say his name, but my shirt had fallen open when Ben jarred my hands free and my blood-soaked bra elicited a harsh reaction from an already freaked out Ben. He inhaled in sharp pulls and his tight-to-begin-with fingers, dug in even tighter. I cried out and hunched over as the pain shot through both my arms.

  That was all Teren needed.

  He shoved Ben off of me. And when Teren wanted a human to move, that human moved. Ben flew to the other side of the room, smacking into a wall and sinking down into a slump. He slowly raised his head and Teren was instantly standing right in front of him, bent into an aggressive crouch, a low growl coming from his chest. Ben shied away from him and I hurriedly ran over to the pair, putting a hand on Teren's back.

  I knew the reason for Teren's overreaction, but poor Hot Ben would never understand. Teren had helplessly watched me be brutally attacked before, and had vowed to never let that happen again. While Ben wasn't exactly harming me like our maniac captor had, the instinct to defend me was still the same. Teren would never let anyone harm me again, even a friend.

  I rubbed soothing circles into Teren's back, urging him to calm down. He looked at me, his fangs extended and a mean sneer still on his face. Seeing my concerned face, his entire body relaxed. Closing his eyes, he sighed and lightly shook his head. When he opened them again, he was calm again, his fangs hidden away. With a sheepish face, he turned to Ben and extended a hand. "Sorry, man. I get a little. . . protective of her. I didn't mean to do that. " I squeezed Teren's arm while he extended his hand farther to Ben. "I really wish you hadn't walked in here. "

  Ben stared at his hand, like it might ram through his chest at any second. Looking terrified, he whimpered, "Are you going to eat me now?"

  Teren retracted his hand when it was obvious Hot Ben wasn't going to touch him. Rolling his eyes, a small laugh escaped him. "Yeah, Ben, I'm gonna drain you dry. "

  His tone was incredibly sarcastic, but I elbowed him in the ribs anyway. Ben didn't catch the teasing note in Teren's voice and looked about to be sick. "Oh god. . . "

  I sighed and squatted in front of him, putting my hands on his shoulders. "He's joking, Ben. He's not going to kill you. " I rolled my eyes and threw a glare at Teren over my shoulder.

  Teren sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm still the same person, Ben. I'm still the same smartass that goes fishing with you, and jokes with you about Tracey's shoe fetish. " His hands patted his chest as his brows scrunched in hopelessness. "I'm still me. This is just a part of. . . me, but it doesn't change my character. I'm still the same guy that you know. Am I a killer?"

  Ben grudgingly looked over my shoulder at him. Inhaling a calming breath, he kept his gaze locked on Teren's. I could practically see the courage building in him, as he considered all the times that Teren could have killed him, if he'd really wanted to. He obviously hadn't, Ben was still a breathing human being, so maybe he was piecing it together that being a vampire, didn't automatically make you bad.

  With a shake of his head and a much clearer voice he said, "You're. . . a vampire. "

  Teren extended his hand to Ben again, his face nearly begging Ben to take it. "Yes. . . and I'd never kill you. "

  Ben eyed him for long moments as I moved away from the two friends. Finally, Ben nodded and took his hand. Ben stared at that hand while Teren effortlessly pulled him up. "I really am sorry about flinging you into a wall," Teren said sheepishly.

  Ben didn't respond to that, just kept staring at Teren's hand after they separated. Finally he pointed at it. "Is that why you're always so cold?" Teren shrugged and nodded. Ben ran a hand down his face as he slowly shook his head back and forth. "I can't believe this. " He looked over at me, slowly buttoning back up my shirt. "And you've known about this?"

  I bit my li
p and then nodded. "From nearly day one. " I walked over to Teren and grabbed his hand, lacing our fingers together and gazing up at him adoringly. He looked back at me, adoration clear on his face too, although, I could see the worry in there. He'd really loved his time with Hot Ben. I looked back to Ben, my voice as confident as my gaze. "Believe me, when I say that you don't have to worry about him hurting you. . . or me. . . or any human. " I shrugged as Ben's mouth dropped open a little. "He doesn't eat people. "

  Ben's still startled face shifted to take in the embarrassing stain right over my breast. Damn, I'd really liked this shirt too. Teren followed his gaze and coughed once, a little embarrassed. "Um, that wasn't really eating. . . " He looked back at Ben, a devilish half-smile on his face. "That was more. . . foreplay. "

  Ben's eyes widened again and then he shook his head, running both hands down his face and then back through his hair. He seemed a little confused as to how drawing blood could possibly be erotic. Oh, if he only knew. . .

  Teren put a hand on Ben's shoulder and Ben looked up at him, his beautiful face an odd combination of horror and wonder. As I thought of his panicked reaction, I started remembering my own initial reaction. Teren had always said I was rare. As I watched Ben's eyes slightly widen as they focused on where Teren was touching him, and I remembered Teren telling me that nearly every other girl he'd ever told, had had much the same reaction as Ben, I came to appreciate just how rare and odd my initial reaction had been. And what a relief that must have been to Teren. I squeezed his hand tighter.

  In a soothing voice, Teren spoke to Ben, as one would a person going through shock. "Ben, I know this is hard to take in and I'll admit, having you know about this, would make our friendship so much easier. . . " he shook his head, a heavy sadness in his eyes, "but, if this freaks you out too much, you don't need to remember it. " He shrugged on the end of that and looked resigned that, either way, things would be different. And I suppose they would. Ben would either remember, and have to come to terms with Teren's reality, or he'd have his mind wiped, and Teren would have to deal with the fact that his best friend couldn't accept him for what he really was. I squeezed his hand even tighter and he lightly squeezed back.

  He dropped his hand from Ben's shoulder as Ben gave him a blank look. "What do you mean?" Ben backed up a step, like Teren was about to do something. "What are you gonna do to me?"

  Teren sighed, cocking his head and muttering something under his breath. I wondered what, but figured he was probably speaking to his family. They had to know what was going on. Well, maybe not Halina, since she was probably still sleeping. Teren sighed again before answering him. "I won't do anything. . . but when Halina wakes up-"

  "Halina?" Ben interrupted, his eyebrows furrowing into perfectly attractive points. "Your step-mom's hot sister?" Teren started to speak, but I could see the light go off in Ben's brain as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped. "Oh, god. . . she's one too. " He cocked his head at Teren. "Did you turn her?" His eyes hardened just a bit at that, like, if Teren said yes, then he was going to kick his ass. I bit my lip to stop the inappropriate laughter that was bubbling inside of me.

  Teren gave him a half-smile and shook his head. "No, actually, she's my great-grandmother, and she's the one that. . . spawned all of us. " Teren chuckled lightly then and I couldn't help but match him.

  Ben gaped at us. "All of. . . " His mouth dropped open further as more lights clicked on. "Oh god, they're all. . . the whole family?"

  Teren shook his head, still chuckling. "No. . . my dad is human. "

  Ben looked pale, and I released Teren to help him sit on the bed, sitting beside him and stroking his broad back soothingly. Ben ran his hands through his hair repeatedly, before slumping his head in his hands over his knees. "All of them. . . " He looked up at Teren. "It's all a lie?" His face looked incredulous, and a little hurt.

  Teren sat on the other side of him, careful to keep his distance. "Yes. But you can understand why we have to, right?"

  Ben nodded woodenly, still looking lost in thought. He stared at his knees for a moment before looking over at Teren again. "Then, Alanna. . . ?"

  Teren smiled widely for the first time since this little fiasco. "Is my mother, my birth mother. "

  Ben looked incredulous again. "Vampires can have children?" I giggled, my hand going to my stomach reflexively. Ben caught the movement and blushed, realizing that of course they can, since I was expecting. It wasn't that simple, but Ben didn't need to know all the gory details. "Oh," he muttered, looking between my stomach and Teren.

  Teren beamed at me, not feeling the need to explain all the facts to Ben either. Ben watched our little love fest for a minute, and then turned to me. "Aren't you worried that they'll," he flung his hands at my stomach and shrugged, "you know?"

  I cocked my head, completely confused. "That they'll what?"

  Ben flushed and shrugged again. "Eat you. . . from the inside. "

  His face grimaced at the thought. Mine did too, and at the same time that my hand came around and smacked him harshly in the chest. "God, Ben! Ew!" I smacked him again as he cringed away from me and Teren chuckled.

  Trying to defend himself, Ben muttered, "Hey, I'm just saying, there has to be blood and stuff in there and what if they get hungry and you know. . . "

  I smacked him again, really putting my comparatively frail human strength behind it. Ben made pained noises as he tried to block my hits. "God! No! They are just babies. There will be no blood swilling in the womb. Ew!" I smacked him again as Teren full on laughed.

  Ben finally managed to stop me from clobbering him and apologized, throwing a, "she's worse than you," to Teren, which made him laugh even harder. As I watched the exchange, I thought about what he'd just said and whispered to Teren, "That won't happen, right?"

  Hot Ben was busy rubbing his arm from where I'd fisted him and hadn't heard me, but Teren had, and gave me a 'really' face before rolling his eyes and shaking his head, no. I smiled and relaxed. That's what I'd thought anyway.

  When the laughter died down, Ben looked back at Teren and silently stared at him, like he was seeing him for the first time. Finally, he shook his head and muttered, "I still can't believe it. I mean, we've hung out during the day. . . we went camping for God's sake. " He scrunched his brow. "I've seen you eat. . . lots of times. Are you sure you're a vampire?"

  Teren chuckled and then sighed, knowing he'd have to explain his special brand of vampirism. Taking a few minutes he went over his family line. When he was done, Ben looked even more confused. "So. . . you can eat, and be in the sun, and you were born, not created, so. . . you're mainly human?"

  Teren sighed. "No, not. . . anymore. "

  Ben scrunched his face, his perfect features looking so puzzled, it was charming. "He died recently. Side effect of vampirism," I said while Teren gave me a loving glance.

  Ben's mouth opened and he looked from me back to Teren. "Oh, sorry, man. " He gave Teren an odd, friendly pat on the arm, like I'd just said Teren's dog had died, and not him.

  Teren laughed at the move and shrugged his shoulders. "It's not so bad. " I laughed at his causal answer to being a member of the walking dead, and Hot Ben shook his head, still stunned. I patted Ben's back, hoping he'd choose to remember this conversation, for Teren's sake.

  As he was still piecing the puzzle together, he looked between the two of us and shook his head, yet again. "But. . . you ate last night?"

  I stopped laughing as I thought of that. Teren did too, as his eyes locked to mine. A moment of shared sympathy passed between us and then Teren answered Ben's question. "I. . . paid the price for that. "

  Ben brought a hand to his chin, making a connection. "Oh, that's why you were sick. " Teren nodded and Ben looked amazed. "You willingly got sick, to pass as human?"

  I nodded, my eyes watering. "Yes, he did. " My hand stretched across Hot Ben to grab Teren's knee and he laid his cool hand over mine, squeezing gently before releas
ing it.

  As I pulled back, Ben watched our connection break, his face still speculative. "The club. . . the drinks?" He looked over at a suddenly sheepish Teren.

  "I switched my full ones for your empty ones. " Teren shook his head, his eyes apologetic. "You never noticed. "

  Ben suddenly laughed, his face relaxing. "God, I thought I'd suddenly become a lightweight. " Teren laughed with him and then, still studying his odd friend, Ben's face turned serious again. "So, that's your whole life? Playing a role, living a lie?"

  Teren sighed, looking past him to me. "It feels like that sometimes. " He shrugged. "I wouldn't if I had a choice. But this. . . isn't a choice for me. It never was. " Ben sighed and put a hand on Teren's shoulder. I nearly cried at the contact, so did Teren. His eyes watered a bit, as he watched Ben's reaction carefully. "So, like I said, we have ways to make you forget, if you don't want to remember this. " That last part came out in a whisper, and the moisture in his eyes got dangerously heavy.

  Ben looked him over and then looked back at me. "I just. . . I need a minute to process this. " He looked back at Teren. "Do I have a minute?"

  Teren nodded, smiling slightly. "Of course. "

  Ben looked at each of us again and stood shakily. "I need to go lie down," he muttered.

  Teren nodded and stood with him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ben looked back at him, not flinching at the contact. I took that as a promising sign. "You can't tell Tracey, you can't tell anyone. " He gave him a pointed look. "We're trusting you. "

  Ben swallowed and nodded. He took a step to the door then turned to look at me. "You've know about him from the beginning, Emma?" I smiled and nodded. Ben shook his head, amazement in his face. "Wow, you're a strong person. I don't think I could. . . " He let that trail off, as he looked back at Teren. My earlier hope that he'd be okay with it, faded a bit.

  As he took a step towards the door, Teren called out to him. "Ben. " As he looked back, Teren continued. "Halina will make the choice for you, if she knows that you know. You can't let her see that you know the truth. " Ben swallowed, looking a bit frightened again. He took another step towards the door when it seemed that Teren was finished. As he got to the handle, Teren spoke again. "I would really rather you make this choice for yourself, so please, be careful what you say. . . even alone. We have exceptionally good hearing. "

  With his hand still clasping the metal lever of the door, he turned his bleach-blonde highlighted head back to Teren, a perfect brow cocked. "How good?"

  Teren smirked and took a step towards the door. Lowering his voice, he said, "Good enough to know that last night, Tracey asked you if you would. . . " Teren looked over at me and then took a step to Ben, whispering something in his ear.

  Ben paled, his mouth dropping. "Jesus, Teren! We weren't even in the same building as you. "

  Teren raised an eyebrow. "I know. . . "

  Ben paled more, his blue eyes as wide as lakes. "Oh, that means they all. . . "

  Teren grinned and nodded and Ben shut his mouth, flushing with color as he said, "God, I wish I'd known that earlier. " He cringed and shrugged. "Sorry. "

  Teren laughed and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I've heard worse. " Then Teren cringed and Ben let out a nervous laugh. Sighing at the both of us, Hot Ben shook his head and finally opened the door to leave. I was happy that he was at least not screaming at the top of his lungs. Muttering goodbye, he practically fled the room that had probably just changed his entire view on life.

  I sighed and walked up to Teren, clasping his hand. He sighed and looked down on me. Not knowing what about that to comment on, I playfully said, "So. . . what did Tracey ask him?" I grinned and Teren grinned with me.

  "You don't want to know," he whispered in my ear as he leaned down to kiss my cheek.

  I sighed and rested my head against his shoulder. "Now what do we do, Teren?"

  He sighed and rested his head against mine. "Now. . . we get married. "