Bloodlines

by S. C. Stephens

Chapter 18 Surprise, Surprise

 

  The basis of our new plan was to try and save the children. Teren was coming to terms with the fact that I may or may not survive the shift, but with every day that passed by, there was a greater chance that we could save them. He stopped doing research from a madman and started doing research in medical journals. He spent every second he could pouring over premature deliveries, how to incubate and preserve children that were only the size of small heads of cabbage.

  The lungs were the biggest issue. If I made it to thirty weeks, it was keeping them breathing that would be the hardest part. I eagerly poured over this research with him, finding it fascinating and hopeful, instead of terrifying and nightmare-inducing, like his previous research had been.

  His manic need to save me, shifted to this as well, and it didn't take long before he was "interviewing" doctors and specialists, although in a much nicer fashion. All in the guise that he was writing an article on preemies for the magazine he worked for. It was the first time his career had proved a useful cover story and he gloated a bit about that. Hot Ben helped him with this too and I smiled that at least he wasn't coming home with black eyes anymore.

  The rest of his family helped out eagerly too, ordering (and in some cases, I'm pretty sure, stealing) supplies that they'd need. Pretty soon, a room right next to ours was set up as a sort of nursery. Sort of, because it mainly resembled a hospital room - two incubators, a couple heart rate monitors, and vials and vials of some sort of medicines. I wasn't sure if any of the vampires knew what any of the stuff really did, but, they were going to try. It was the only option left to us.

  Teren told me late one night, a week before my birthday, that he'd bring in a doctor. Worst case scenario, if nothing he did was going to save them, then he'd rush to a clinic, kidnap someone, and bring them to the ranch. Then he'd have Halina wipe them, once the children were out of the woods. He'd do it as many times as was necessary to keep them alive.

  I smiled and kissed him, telling him to ask the doctor nicely first, before just confiscating with him. He gave me a sheepish smile and promised that he would. A part of me relaxed, grateful that it seemed my children may actually survive this. Now, the only real question was, would I?

  Halina shocked me by saying that she'd give me her blood. I stared at her after she said that - she didn't do that, ever, she was actually firmly against the idea. She had certain resentments over her life, and wouldn't restrict someone else with her affliction. She'd even admitted that she hoped I didn't end up like her. And if I had her blood in me, I'd be resumed to a life of never-ending night, digging a hole in the ground if I had to, to escape the day. But, it was better than being dead, I suppose.

  Although, I already had v-juice in me. I wasn't sure if I could be turned twice. Here's where knowing another mixed would come in handy. Especially one that had tried to turn someone. But, she promised she'd try. If I didn't come around, she'd try. Besides, I was already a vampire anyway, she reasoned, and either way, I was dying. She said that in the end, my being like her would be preferable to my not being around anymore. She followed that with, "You're far too entertaining to just let die. "

  But, like I said, we weren't sure what would happen to me, and finding mixed hadn't been going well. And now, I was pretty sure we were done with rustling up vampire nests. Teren was done anyway. Even if he hadn't admitted that he couldn't handle it anymore, Halina made it quite clear that his method of "interviewing" was over. She'd ripped him a new one when she came home after her overnight trip.

  It had been very late the following evening when she'd rushed back to the ranch. She'd woken us both up and berated him for a good hour and a half on his foolish behavior, the rest of his family waking and occasionally interjecting their concerns as well. Teren sheepishly looked at my lap, while I sat beside him on our bed, absorbing their chastisement. Halina had arrived at that nest just as he'd been about to end that poor woman's undead life. Ben had been trying to get him to back down, but he'd been set on his course of action and had simply ignored Hot Ben pulling on his arm. But he couldn't ignore Halina.

  She'd torn in there, called his name, and then pushed him into a wall when he hadn't responded to her. From the way she told the story, he'd gone straight through the wall into another room. The terrified vampire had blurred out of there after that, probably to go join up with the love she'd been protecting.

  From there, things had gotten a little hairy. Teren had been furious that Halina let her get away and had actually charged his great-grandmother. Halina had tossed him through another wall. At this point, Teren said Ben disappeared on him, muttering that he hadn't signed up for torture. Halina towering over him and Ben's comments had snapped Teren right out of it. He hadn't seen it that way, until that very moment.

  He sighed and buried his head in my neck when he admitted that to me, still avoiding looking directly at Halina. She went on to tell me that after she'd finally gotten Teren to leave, she'd stayed, looking around the countryside for the female, since she didn't have time to run home. Teren looked up at her then, curious and hopeful. She glared at him. "No, I didn't find her, but you can bet that her boyfriend now has a huge score to settle with you. "

  He hung his head again, his arms around me tightening. I clutched him back and looked up at Halina, her slight body still in a scolding position. Then her expression changed and a sly smile lit her lips. "A different male came to the nest shortly before dawn. He looked around the remains of his house and was naturally curious, so I filled him in. " She grinned in such a way after that, that I had no doubt that he'd done a little "filling in" as well.

  I shook my head and looked away from her. Teren lifted his head again, his eyes hopeful. "Did he. . . ?"

  He didn't finish that, but Halina shot him a look. "No, Teren. No more questions. You are done. " Lifting her head, an air of authority seemed to shimmer around her and I was reminded then, that this woman was the true head of the Adams clan, regardless of impressions. Teren knew this too and dropped his head again. "I will check out the name he gave me. . . and any other name I get from that. "

  He sighed and then nodded, his head still down. She sighed and walked over to him. She put a hand under his jaw, lifting it. He avoided eye contact for a moment, but then looked back at her. Her face softened and she murmured low, fast Russian phrases. He swallowed, his eyes misting, and then nodded. She finished with the phrase for "I love you", and then left us in the room, heading to soak in a bath before she had to hide away for the day.

  Teren had been subdued after that, embarrassed by his actions, mortified by his commitment to killing someone. We spent a lot of time talking about it. He spent a lot of time feeling guilty about it. His need to protect me, already ramped up after our abduction months ago, had driven him nearly over the edge. It can be such a fine line between right and wrong. That gray realm gets a little larger with every hard decision we make over the years. I knew from experience what being in that realm felt like, and knew the torment Teren felt. But falling into the black side wasn't an option for him, I wouldn't let it be, and if that meant pulling back a bit, letting someone a little less emotionally attached (and just slightly less) take over, then so be it. If it would save his soul, then so be it.

  And so we stopped focusing on me and started focusing on the children.

  It was a brilliantly beautiful spring day, just a couple before my birthday, and Ashley and I were distracting ourselves from that fact by painting the nursery. Well, nursery/hospital. We had a can of pale yellow and a can of pale green, since we still didn't know if I was having boys or girls, or one of each, I suppose. The fumes from the open cans burned my sensitive nostrils, but I ignored it. And even though I detested painting, I cherished the moment, cherished the connection I felt with my children as I did it.

  Ash painstakingly slid her green roller over a section of one of the walls while I laughingly blurred over my section. "That's not fair,
Em," she chuckled, going back to her humanly slow method of painting. Even slower than most since her joints were a little stiff where the scars on her body were thick.

  I laughed at her and continued painting at a regular speed, wanting to savor this bonding moment with my sister. Teren was at work, but Alanna looked in on us periodically to check our progress and offer us snacks. Even Jack poked his head in, slinging an arm around each of us, a fatherly pride on his face as he examined our work. "It's beautiful, Emma," he said, squeezing me tight as he looked over one of the two-toned walls we'd completed.

  "Thank you," I said back, leaning into his side, taking in the scent on him that was so similar to Teren's. Teren was so much like Alanna and the girls looks-wise, that sometimes it slipped my mind that this burly ranch man was a part of him too.

  When I slung my arm around his waist and laid my head on his shoulder, he flushed and looked a little embarrassed by the display. Then he quickly kissed my head and darted out of the room. I heard him sniffle once he was in the hallway and I felt my eyes water. He may try to hide it, but he was worried about me too.

  As Ashley was going over what details she knew of premature babies, having studied more about human anatomy during her nursing classes, than anyone else in the house, I heard the sound of tires crunching up gravel. I paused in painting, a growl burrowing up from my chest. Ashley paused mid-sentence, her eyes wide. She'd never hear me growl before; that was generally something I reserved for Teren.

  I stared through her, cocking my head as I listened. I wasn't sure why, but I was having a reaction to whoever was approaching. It wasn't Teren, he was still miles away in San Francisco, and it wasn't my mom or Tracey, they were both at their jobs. I suppose it could be Hot Ben, but something inside of me, knew that it wasn't.

  I closed my eyes, listening harder, but other than Jack asking Alanna what was wrong, Ashley breathing heavily, and the two fast and fluttery heartbeats inside me, blending with my own, the house was deadly quiet; all of the awake vampires were listening just as hard as I was.

  As the tires stopped and the car shut off, I set down my roller, the harsh smell mixing unpleasantly with Ashley's fear. "What is it, Emma?" She looked around the room, like something creepy was going to come through the walls. For a second, I wondered if that had been how I'd looked to Teren, when I hadn't been in the know and he'd heard strange noises.

  I tried to throw on a casual smile, to ease her quickly panicking face. "Someone's here. I'm sure it's just Peter or a friend of Jack's. " Ashley nodded and set down her roller. She knew that the ranch had help come in sometimes, and she'd met the man who led them, Peter, at my wedding. The family had been holding off on bringing anyone here, until my situation was resolved, but Ashley didn't need to know that.

  Look at me, being the secretive one for a change.

  Swallowing, I tried to push away my discomfort at not being completely honest with my sister. True, I wasn't sure who was here, but my body knew it was a potential threat, and that sort of ruled out any ranch hand.

  As calmly as I could, I walked to the door, Ash close behind me. I paused in the doorway and looked down to the other end of the hall, where Alanna was similarly paused in Imogen's door. Imogen behind her was blinking in the faded, hazy light in the hallway, even those weak rays causing her pain. Jack stepped past the two of them and held his hand out for his wife. As Alanna took it, Imogen whispered that she wanted to see who was here, but Alanna told her to stay in her room, that we would check it out. I nodded at Alanna after she said that and then started down the hallway towards her and Jack.

  Ashley behind me, not having heard any of that, grabbed my arm, slinging hers around mine as we walked together. Hearing one set of light footsteps outside, casually strolling up to the door at an unhurried pace, I looked down at Ashley attached to my arm. "You should stay up here with Imogen," I told her.

  Ashley looked at me blankly. "I thought it was just a friend. " I bit my lip, too late catching my error. Ashley noted my reaction and stiffened her stance as we reached the stairs. "I'm with you, Emma. " She shook her head, the half with hair dangling around her shoulders. "I'm not leaving your side. "

  I sighed and then stopped as Alanna caught up to us. Locking eyes with my sister, I realized it was pointless to argue with her. She was a Taylor after all, and we had a tendency to be. . . stubborn. Sighing again, I nodded over at Alanna and Jack beside us. "Stay behind us, then. "

  Ashley nodded as we all started walking down the stairs. Outside, I could hear the person calmly standing in front of the door, waiting. I could even hear their smooth, steady heartbeat. I knew, it being broad daylight and all, that they would be human, but still, the thumping rhythm was reassuring.

  Shifting her stance so she was holding my hand, Ashley and I stepped down to the front door, right behind Jack and Alanna. Not sure who was here, my tension got the better of me and my fangs dropped down. Ashley's eyes widened at seeing them, the image still a little shocking to her, and I breathed out slowly, gaining control again and retracting them. The human outside, may or may not know about us. I didn't want to accidently tip off a could-be hunter.

  That person silently waited, still not even knocking, and Alanna closed her eyes for a brief moment. Slapping on a farm boy smile, Jack stepped forward to open the door. I held my breath as the warmer outside air hit my skin, the scent of the ranch coming with it. Even with all that was going on, my body could sense the blood in the air. Somewhere out there, a cow was bleeding. Sickeningly, my hormonally revved up body desired it. Desired it so strongly, that I had to clench Ashley's hand to stop myself from blazing across the fields to find the wounded beast. I clenched my mouth shut, fearing that I'd lose control on my teeth while I fought off the urge.

  Seeing the person who'd managed to rile up a house of vamps, helped quench that desire. It was a short, tan, blonde, Valley girl, or so I'd imagine. She had a shaggy crop of ridiculously over styled hair, and sunglasses so dark and round that they sort of resembled bug eyes. She started smacking on a piece of gum, the smell nearly pushing me back a step, and smiled brightly at us. Dressed in high heels and a designer dress, she looked very out of place here. Clutching her Prada bag to her side, she extended a hand out to Jack before he could even say hello.

  "Hi-ya, I hear you're looking for me. " She said that brightly as well, her voice saccharinely sweet.

  Jack opened and closed his mouth, not sure what this head-to-toe manicured woman, who had clearly never shoveled cow poop in her life, wanted with him. As he mumbled an, "excuse me?" Alanna stepped around him to stand beside the girl outside.

  She turned her head to Alanna, still smacking her gum like one of the cows smacked on grass blades; the sound was loud to my sensitive ears, and annoying. She calmly took her glasses off, shoving them in her pricey bag. Shifting back on one hip, her gaze locked on Alanna's, and it then became perfectly clear that she wasn't here for Jack.

  Still bright and cheery, she said to her, "You've been causing quite a stir, looking for me, so I thought I'd come find out why. "

  Her face turned to me as Ashley and I stepped down to stand on her other side. Her eyes were a blue-green, and seemed older than the twenty something she appeared to be. As I scrunched my face, confused, and Ashley whispered, "Who is she, Emma?" the woman dropped her smile and stopped smacking on her gum.

  Her entire demeanor changing as she stared at me. She tilted her head and narrowed those blue -green eyes. "What do you want with me?"

  Taking a step back at the sudden viciousness in her tone, I sputtered, "I don't know, I don't even know who you are. "

  The woman sighed and looked exasperated. "Well, god, with the stories I've heard, you've knocked on every nest, in every state in the southwest, looking for me. " Putting her hands on her hips as my eyes widened, she gave me a crooked smile. "I was expecting to be expected. "

  My already wide eyes opened comically wider and Ashley beside me gas
ped. I vaguely registered Alanna muttering something to her mother and Jack saying, "I don't believe it," but I could only gape. The tiny debutante in front of me had a pair of perfectly white, and on her, perfectly dainty, fangs, just visible inside her wry smile.

  I stupidly looked up at the sky, at the sun. She laughed at my maneuver, finding great humor in my surprise. "Yes, I'm mixed. . . just like you," she looked back to Alanna when she said that.

  My eyes watered and I nearly wanted to hug the girl. We'd been looking so long, Teren had risked so much, and now, here was one just showing up on our doorstep. A hand flew to my mouth as I held in a cry. Ashley beside me slung her arms around me and I heard her sniffle.

  The woman seemed confused as to why we were so emotional over her arrival. I wasn't sure what Teren had been telling the vamps he'd run into, but this woman didn't seem to realize who I was, and what we needed from her. She only seemed to sense that the heartbeatless Alanna was a mixed. She didn't know I was too. . . for now.

  Cocking a pale eyebrow at me, she repeated, "What do you want with me?"

  I reached out for her arm and she hissed at me and backed away. I paused; she may be playing at casualness, but she was wary of this group of mixed, knocking on vampires' doors to find her. I didn't blame her, I would be too. I held my hands up, in a gesture of peace. "We just want to talk to you. To know. . . if you know, how to help me. I've been changed, a few weeks ago. "

  As I said that, I rested my hands on my stomach, clearly outlining my pregnancy, and relaxed the hold on my teeth. They dropped into place and this time, her eyes widened. "Holy hell," she exclaimed. Turning to Alanna, her tan face flushed, she bit out, "What did you do? Why would you try and turn a pregnant woman. " She stepped up to a startled Alanna, putting a hand on her cool arm. "Don't you know how dangerous that is? Were you trying to kill them all?"

  I stepped up to the woman, relief that she seemed to know something about this, winning out over caution. I released myself from Ashley and grabbed the girl's shoulders, twisting her to face me. Her eyes widened at me being so close, but mainly, she just looked pissed off. "She didn't do this. I was attacked. " I shifted my head so my dark hair fell away from the scar on my neck. "My husband tried to save me. . . by doing this. "

  Her eyes locked on my scar, her face softening in sympathy. She looked back up at me as I relaxed the grip on her arms. Tears in my eyes again, I whispered, "I'm going to die soon. . . and if I do, they do. Can you help us?" My voice warbled as the tears finally fell down my cheeks.

  She sighed again as she looked over my face. Finally pulling back from my grasp, she extended a hand out to me. "My name is Starla. " She cocked an eyebrow at me. "I think I should meet your husband. "

  I bobbed my head, excited that she hadn't just flat-out told us no. "Of course, yes. He's in town, working, but I can take you to him. " I shook my head, my smile so wide I was sure I looked slightly medicated; I hadn't even retracted my fangs yet. "He's so eager to meet you. "

  Her face fell into a disgruntled expression. "Yes, I know. "

  My sister came up to grab my hand again, watching Starla curiously, as Jack moved to stand beside Alanna, not looking as if he was convinced this was a welcome development or not. At Starla's words and tone, I dropped my head, remembering everything Teren had been doing lately. My sweet, generally gentlemanly husband, had been acting anything but gentlemanly lately. All to protect me of course, but to an outsider, that was of small significance.

  When I was about to apologize for his behavior, she continued, "The last nest I heard about, happened to be an acquaintance of mine. " She tilted her head as I peeked up at her. The last nest Teren had gone to, had involved him almost shoving a stake through a woman's heart. "If my friend hadn't had nice things to say about the pure vampire in your midst, our meeting today would be a much different one. "

  Her blue-green eyes turned to ice and, for a moment, the Valley girl looked quite menacing. I felt a growl rumbling up in my throat, but forcefully shut it off. She did have a point. I exhaled softly and nodded to her, pulling my teeth back up. "He's been under a lot of stress lately. He's very sorry for hurting your friend. "

  She started smacking on her gum again, looking casually perfect, and flicked her hand dismissively. "One of the guys was my friend. " She spun on her high heel, turning to head back to her car. Over her shoulder she added, "The girl was a snotty little bitch. He should have staked her. "

  As she sauntered back to her car, I clenched my jaw to not speed off after her. She may be mixed, like most of the Adams, but I still didn't know her. Looking over at Alanna and Jack, I watched as Alanna shifted in the sun uncomfortably; she was already needing a break from it. She looked at me with heartbroken eyes, "Emma, I can't go with you. " Jack squeezed her waist, urging her to go back in the house.

  She walked up to me instead, her cool fingers sliding over my cheek. "Be careful. " I nodded as her hand came down to rest on my stomach. A brief second of hope passed her face as she glanced up at Starla, checking her watch as she stood leaning against her BMW. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then Jack ushered her back in the house.

  Once he'd closed the door on her, he walked up to me. Looking unsure about the whole situation he told me, "I can come with, if you like?"

  As I watched him glance at the door behind him, I knew he really wanted to stay with Alanna. They didn't like to have to be apart and I knew he'd worry about her, if he left her behind. Understanding that, I grabbed his arm. "Teren will be with us soon. It's okay, if you want to stay here. "

  He relaxed, his face looking a little sheepish that he wasn't going to come with. Giving both Ashley and I a warm hug, he stepped into the house with Alanna. Imogen and her daughter both counseled me to be cautious and apologized for not being able to go.

  I shook my head at the closed door. "It's okay. Tell Halina about this when she wakes up. . . if we're not back yet. Then. . . have her come find us. " I heard then agreeing, and promising that they would. I suddenly felt tremendous relief over being low jacked. Even if Teren and I got separated, someone could find me.

  Ashley was staring at me with an eyebrow cocked as I turned back around to her; she'd only caught my half of that conversation. I heard the blonde mixed girl sigh and ask if I was coming, but I focused my attention on Ashley. Her curious expression eased as I put a hand on her shoulder. "Stay here, Ash. "

  She immediately shook her head, her hand clenching over mine. "No, I'm by your side until the end, Emma. We're blood. " Starla snorted at that, but my eyes watered and I nodded my head. She was right. My blood may be all wonky now, but before all this craziness, Ashley and I were blood. If the situation had been reversed, you'd have to physically separate me from her.

  I grabbed her arm and pulled her tight to me, the faint smell of paint that was lingering to our skin and clothes briefly overwhelming my acute senses and I let myself feel just a sliver of hope that maybe that beautiful nursery would indeed get to be filled.

  The mixed was examining her manicure as we approached her car, her mouth still chomping away on that sickeningly sweet bubble gum. With a bored expression, she muttered, "Finally," and then opened her door and got inside. Ash and I walked around to the other side, and I helped Ash get in the back seat, wanting her as far away from the stranger as possible. Hoping I was doing the right thing, I shut my door. Then Starla started the car and we pulled away from the Adams ranch.

  Alanna and Jack reappeared at the door as I watched in the rearview mirror. They both looked hopeful, regretful, and very, very worried. I stuck my hand out the window and waved, wanting to ease their minds, and maybe my own as well.

  As we approached the end of the drive, an idling car pulled in behind us. It was pitch black with black tinted windows. The girl didn't react to the person following us, so I figured they were together. "Friend of yours," I asked casually.

  Starla looked over at me, a wry smile on her lips. "Did you
really think I'd come out to a strange nest alone?" Her eyes scanned the road as she pulled out onto the highway. "I'm not an idiot," she muttered.

  I wanted to ask more about the car trailing close behind us, but as her car sped down the road, on its way back to the city, my Teren-pull kicked in. It started faintly at first, but I knew it would increase exponentially, the closer we got to him. I'd never been on the "moving" end of the pull. I was usually the one waiting around for Teren to come to me. There was a slightly different edge, being the one heading towards the other. It gave me a rush.

  Practicing my breathing technique, I settled into her bucket seats, closed my eyes and inhaled and exhaled slowly and deeply. Her gum smacking stopped and I heard her shift to look at me. "Huh, I guess you were telling the truth. You are bonded to your husband. "

  I peeked my eyes opened and looked over at the seemingly high-maintenance woman. She rolled her eyes and stepped on the gas, the car surging forward. I inhaled a quick breath and dropped my head onto the seat as the draw to him spiked in me. My breathing heavier, I asked, "You know what this is?"

  She resumed her gum smacking and I resisted the urge to snap at her to stop that annoying habit. With a short laugh she shrugged. "I've seen it before. It's the blood bond between a creator and his or her createe. " She looked over at me, tilting her shaggy-haired head, the pieces so spritzed with an overpowering, floral hairspray, that I was sure even a hurricane wouldn't move a strand. The scent was nauseating and I started to worry that my morning sickness might come back. "It's designed to keep them close to each other. Being new is the most critical time for a vampire. The bond helps to ensure that the Sire won't stray far from his child. " She grinned widely at me after she said that.

  I groaned, partly because of how fast we were getting closer to Teren, partly because of what she'd said. "Please don't call me his child. . . it's creepy. " She laughed, her tone amused at my comment and my discomfort. Sighing as my agitation grew, I said, "So, it all comes down to blood, doesn't it?"

  She laughed and blew a quick bubble, popping it noisily, "We're vampires, honey. . . everything comes down to blood. "

  I tried to relax back into my seat, to force the draw to Teren from my mind, but that was pointless and impossible. Gripping the seat as the pull increased, I asked, "Does it go away?"

  She glanced at my white-with-strain fingers. "Well, it's different for everyone. For some, it's only a mild recognition of each other, but the bond can be much stronger, especially if there was a connection pre-turning. "

  I laughed, in a tittering, agitated sort of way, and started squirming in my seat. My entire body wanted to be miles ahead of where we were. The waiting was torturous. "As I said, we were married. " I groaned after I said that, and not because of any comment she'd made.

  As I bit my lip and closed my eyes, she sighed. "This should be fun. Do you two have any level of control, or is he going to rip your clothes off in the middle of his coworkers?" Her tone was quite sarcastic.

  I opened my eyes and glared at her. "We can handle this. He'll be fine. " My words came out between pants, and even I didn't believe them. I pictured him in his office, gripping his desk to restrain himself from blurring towards me. I knew that sensation, feeling him approaching and not able to do anything about it. That was torturous too.

  She shook her head and turned back to the road. "Yeah, I can see that. Well, regardless, in most of the cases I've heard of, it usually eases up after the first year. . . or so. "

  Almost immediately after she said that, my sister started ringing. Okay, it wasn't her, it was the cell phone in her pocket, but my revved up hormones only registered the loud sound coming from her body. I glanced back at her, eager for a distraction, any distraction. Furrowing her brow, she dug in her pocket and pulled out the tiny flip-phone.

  "Hello," she said quietly, the caller ID not registering with her. Her eyes widened and then she looked up at me. Without saying anything, she handed me the phone.

  My breath fast, I clenched the thing and put it to my ear. Before I could speak, words filled my head. "Why did you leave the ranch? Why are you coming to the city? Where is your phone?" Teren's voice in my ear was fast and breathy. He was definitely feeling this.

  "Oh," I sighed, squirming in my seat again. "Well, I left so fast, I guess I forgot it. " My body was reacting to just his voice, so I ended up answering his most inconsequential question first.

  "Emma," he groaned. "Why are you coming to me? Is everything okay?" I heard what sounded like him biting his lip and then something that sort of sounded like wood splintering.

  "Yes," I sighed again, my voice husky and strained, and not really sounding like I was answering a question, if you know what I mean.

  Starla beside me groaned loudly and snatched the phone away. "Good god, you two have no control whatsoever. I'm not just gonna sit here and listen to you have phone sex. " Putting the cell to her ear, she chipperly said. "Hey there, vamp boy. " I could hear Teren's low growl and gripped the seat tighter, a growl of my own escaping my chest.

  Starla rolled her eyes at me and spoke to Teren before he could start questioning her. "Your girl and I are coming to get you. Clear your schedule for the day. There is someone who I think you should meet, someone who will be very interested in speaking with the both of you. Someone I think you'll be interested in speaking with too. "

  I straightened and tilted my head at her; she hadn't mentioned this before. "Who?" I could hear Teren ask. His voice seemed slightly calmer.

  Starla smirked into the phone. "Now, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. We'll be to you soon. . . which, I'm sure you're perfectly aware of. "

  Silence on Teren's end and then, "Who are you?"

  She smiled brightly. "Name's Starla. See you soon. " With that, she snapped shut the phone and handed it back to my sister. She grinned over at me, smacking her gum noisily as her blue-green eyes sparkled in the sunshine. "Curious now, aren't ya?"

  I could only gape at her and shake my head.