I sighed but hugged her back. “Thanks, Bestie. You must be missing Theo like crazy.”
“I am missing him, but it’s nice spending time with you girls. I know we’re concerned about Frankie, but I think we should take our minds off things tonight by having a girly night. What do you say, Luce? Movie, snacks and paint our nails?”
“Sounds good to me, because it’s my last free night this week. My date nights start tomorrow. Five evenings, five dates. I have to anticipate Frankie wanting his house back and so I need to find love and new accommodation.”
“You can stay here if you need to. We’ve loads of spare rooms.”
Lucy placed a hand on her chest. “Thank you for the offer. That is so nice of you given that you’re still basically honeymooners.”
“Honeymooners living with the mother-in-law.” Shelley interrupted.
“Well, I am really hoping to find my own love to snuggle with, and if not then I need to get my own place. Learn to stand on my own two well-heeled feet.”
Part way through girly night the phone rang. Shelley picked it up. “It’s Theo.” She said before pressing the answer button.
Shelley did a lot of saying ‘yes’ and ‘okay’ before ending the call.
She smiled before speaking. “So Frankie is through the worst. He’s settled and is now accepting normal O-neg. It looks like the founders blood has worked and he’s completed the change. But he’s asking to see-”
I interrupted. “Oh God, so it’s not completely worked.” I stood up, grabbing my bag. “This is my life now. Frankie’s companion. Destined to never be left alone to find my own love.”
“Lucy.” Shelley finished.
My jaw widened, and I slumped back down on the sofa. “Say what? Not me? He wants to see Lucy?”
“Yep. Looks like you’re free again, Kim. Theo says you can return home now if you like, the threat to your safety has passed.” She turned to Lucy. “Don’t worry, he’s not transferred his attention to you. He wants to talk to you that’s all about your accommodation.”
“Oh. Looks like I’m being evicted already.” Lucy said.
“Well you can come back here afterwards if needed. I promise it’s no trouble if you want to stay a few days.”
“Thank you. Well, I guess I’d better get my coat on and phone a taxi.”
She left the room, and I looked at my best friend.
“It’s really over? I no longer have a permanent vampire shadow?”
“That’s right. You’re a free agent now, Kim. So the question is, are you still committed to your career or are you back on the market?”
I thought about my added ‘dummy date’ bit to the contract. I could go on tons of dates now and have some one-night-stands. Then I thought about how lovely it would be to be completely on my own for a bit. I decided I was re-amending the contract and taking that section back out.
“Career only for now. Plus nice quiet evenings in. I just need to swing by the supermarket for a packet of batteries for B.O.B.”
Shelley laughed. “You’ll be buzzing in every sense of the word.”
Chapter Fourteen
Lucy
As the taxi drove me to Frankie’s house my body became consumed with feelings I hadn’t experienced in years. I felt dizzy, my stomach churned and my heart suffered palpitations. After the first minute of believing that with the loss of my horn I was becoming ill, I realised that I was experiencing feelings of apprehension. My humanity was most definitely returning. I didn’t know what I would face at Frankie’s. I would be one of the first people to see his new form. Would he be the same, or was this Frankie, version three? Not a Wizard, not a half vamp; maybe none of Frankie would be left at all and instead I’d find a cold, calculating vampire.
As the taxi pulled up outside the house, it looked like I was going to be getting my answers soon.
Theo greeted me at the door. I looked behind him noting the seemingly quiet house.
“Where are the vampires from the caves?”
“They’ve returned home. Frankie doesn’t need them anymore. He’d already had all his vamp training even though he’d not turned properly and so with his refrigerator stocked with O-neg, he’s been discharged from their care. He’s passed all his tests and is now a fully-fledged vampire.”
Theo had thrust his chest out such was his pride. I guessed he was now a ‘proud dad’, having sired Frankie. A strange warmth radiated through my body. Whoa, was this… joy? I was happy for Frankie and Theo. All these new sensations would take some getting used to though.
“Is it safe for me to enter his room?” I said.
“Oh he’s not in his room; he’s sitting on the sofa with Maisie.”
* * *
Theo was staying over one final night and so he accompanied me to the door of the living room where I knocked and waited. It was very strange having lived here for a short while to now be feeling so uncomfortable at being here.
“Come in.” His voice could be heard like a mumble through the wood of the door.
I opened the door and there he was. Sitting on the sofa, looking exactly the same as ever in appearance. The difference was all in his posture. No longer was he folded into himself, or trembling, or looking anxious. Now he was sat back on the sofa relaxed, with a laptop on a tray on his knee, and Maisie curled up at the side of him in her feline form.
“Lucy,” he said jovially. “Come sit, we have much to discuss. By the way, congratulations on the losing of a horn. Is there a horn fairy who takes them away and puts money under your pillow? Oo-er, horn fairy. Sounds like a job I’d enjoy.”
Hesitant, I walked over to the armchair and sat down in it while Theo took a seat at the other side of Maisie. I watched as Maisie stood up and stretched out her legs, her back arching, before her head looked around as she decided how and where she was going to sit back down.
“I’d stay away from Theo’s lap unless you want trouble from Shelley, and bear in mind she won against Satan.”
Maisie fell back down against Frankie’s side.
“How are you getting on with the fact that Maisie is a werecat?” I asked him.
He shrugged half-heartedly. “Makes no difference to me. I’m a vampire now and there’s a longstanding truce between vamps and weres in Withernsea so she has a home here as long as she wants. That’s one of the reasons I’ve asked you over.”
I slumped a little in my seat. “Oh, of course. Maisie will need her own room now. That’s fine, I can stay at the farmhouse a few more days while I look for new accommodation. It’s been kind of you to let me stay.”
“It’s weird you turning a bit nice. Good weird though.”
I picked imaginary fluff from my sweater. “It’s taking a little getting used to. I’m having feelings I’ve not experienced in years.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Tell me more.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Anyway in terms of letting you stay, well, I think you kind of moved yourself in, but no that’s not what I want to say. After a chat, Maisie said she’d prefer to stay as a family pet and curl up on the end of my bed still. So what I want to ask you is would you like to keep renting the room? I’m going to be asleep through the main daylight hours and you can make sure Maisie gets fed etc. I’ll be around in the evenings, but I guess most of the time you’ll be at work at the restaurant. We shouldn’t get under each other's feet too much, but it would be nice to have company.”
I smiled. “I’d love that, Frankie, because I class you as a friend. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you in such good shape.”
He looked himself over. “I really am, aren’t I? Good to see a change of species hasn’t ruined my physique or exceptional good looks.”
I started laughing. “This new you will take a little adjusting to.”
“Yeah, me too. Daily O-neg.” He shook his head. “It’s all very new and strange. However, I found a new interest.” He nodded towards his laptop.
“Oh yeah, Pornhub?” I
quipped.
He winked. “Not while Theo’s here, but I might check that out later, now the equipment should be working again. No, Theo here is an absolute legend at investigations. Do you know he tracks vamps mortal enemies as his career?”
I looked over at Theo, my lips parting. “Really? Wow.”
“Yes.” Theo straightened up. “It’s quietened off of late as people are getting better at doing their own internet searches and apps are being developed all the time. I’m probably going to wind the business up soon to be honest as I’m considering running the farmhouse as a bed-and-breakfast.”
“I think that’s an amazing idea, Theo, and I don’t know if you’ve realised but you kind of already are. You’ve had Kim, Frankie and me all staying there. It makes sense to open and start charging.”
“That’s very true, Lucy. I think when I return to my home I will begin to draw up some business plans.”
“Anyway, back to me,” said Frankie. “So Theo saw how I was with the supe book and my interest in learning about all species. Now you know there’s the prophecy about Theo and Shelley’s child and how it will be the complete ruler of Withernsea? Well, I’ve started researching that. Theo had done a little research on it and I’ve taken it over. I’m going to write my own book. All about the different supernaturals in Withernsea - an updated version - and try to find out what the correct details of the prophecy are.”
“That sounds fantastic.” I said genuinely pleased for him.
“Well, a doctor’s shift patterns don’t align with vampire hours so I’m going to ring my managers tomorrow, end my period of sickness, and hand my notice in. I have plenty of savings to tide me over, but Theo is going to help me develop a paid app where each species can log on to find out all about their ancestry and develop their own family trees using all the research I’ll have gathered. It’s a lot of work but I’m looking forward to it.”
“Well I worked in admin and was a bookkeeper so if there are any small tasks I can do to help, I will. Obviously I have my own job, but it would be interesting to learn about my place of birth.”
“Thank you. I may just take you up on that. Well, anyway, the room is there if you still want it. Most of your belongings are still in it I presume?”
“Yeah, I just took a few bits to Shelley’s while you were busy completing the turning. So other than packing those things up I’m ready to move back, so maybe tomorrow?”
“That’s fine and by the way, no need to be quiet when you come in. Theo assures me we aren’t light sleepers. We do sleep like the dead. You can put music on, etc. Just act like I’m not there.”
“Okay. Well I’ll go back to Shelley’s shall I and get my things for tomorrow?”
“No need.” Said Theo. “I’ll pop back now and get Shelley to collect your belongings if you like, seeing as it doesn’t cost me cab fare. You begin to make yourself at home and many congratulations on your new official place of residence.”
After I agreed he went whizzing off.
“He’s had a few nights without his wife and wants to bone her in an empty house doesn’t he?” I said to Frankie.
“His balls will be bursting.” Frankie guffawed.
“Poor Mary.” I said. “They will really have to find a way where his mother can have some peace.”
“Well, you never know I might turn something up with all my research.”
“I might be able to help you with some of that.” I grinned with mischief.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, Kim’s set me up with five dates in a row after the disaster which was Todd. I have a different species each night. I’ll ask them questions for you, if you like? It’ll give me something to do on the date if they’re boring as all hell.”
Frankie nodded, his face turning more serious and losing some of his humour. “Sure, if you don’t mind. I don’t want it interfering with your love life though.”
“It won’t. It will give me a chance to get to know them better, and then each night I can come and report back. Unless things go brilliantly, and then you’ll have to wait for my report until I get home.” I winked.
“As long as the report stays PG.”
He looked like he was going to say something else but then Theo whooshed back with my travel case. “Here you go. Shelley says you’ll both have to come over for a meal one night soon. You’ll find you get used to eating human food again, Frankie. It usually does taste as it used to, but you will gain no nutrients from it, so no more worrying about getting your five-a-day. That’s all in your bottles now. I think he’ll be okay now you’re staying, so I’m going to go home. Can you make sure he has his drink regularly, Lucy?”
“I will do.” I agreed.
“Okay, well, I’m off back to the missus.” Said Theo. “We’re at the end of the phone if needed, but if you could try not to call tonight, I’ll love you forever.”
And with that Theo left once more.
“I suppose you’ll want to go get settled in your room now?” Frankie said, and I felt a little dismissed before I realised this was his first night alone in months and one of his first nights as a proper, fully-fledged vampire.
“Yeah, I’ll leave you to it. Night, Maisie.” I said, tickling under her chin and getting a purr for my troubles.
I hesitated in the doorway and turned back around to him, “I’m glad you survived, Frankie. Withernsea is a better place with you in it.”
Then I went to my room.
Chapter Fifteen
Kim
There I was, batteries changed over in my battery-operated-boyfriend. My electric blanket had warmed up my bed and I had an erotic novel and my Captain America collage on the top of my duvet. I was just about to climb into my bed when the phone rang. I picked it up and the caller’s name was displayed across the screen.
FRANKIE.
Oh, for pity’s sake. He was cured and he was still bugging me!
“Hello?”
“Well hello to you, my ex-lover. I’m ringing with my most heartfelt apologies of my behaviour of the last few weeks. You’ll be pleased to know I’m entirely cured and now don’t want to be in your company again in the slightest.”
“Hurrah!”
“We still good though? Friends right?”
“Yes, absolutely. Friends who barely see each other except for in passing or when in group activities.”
“Oo-er, tell me more about these group activities.”
He certainly was back.
“I meant like if there was, God forbid, another triple date, or a get-together or anything like that.”
“Oh, I knew what you meant, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“You really are you!”
“I am, Kim. Albeit a supercharged vampire Frankie.”
I climbed under my duvet and sat with my back against the headboard. The warmth from the blanket sank into my bones. It was heavenly.
“So it all absolutely went okay? You are like Theo now?”
“Yes. Everything that went wrong has been overwritten. I’m on normal blood and I’m developing a new app with Theo’s help and so not going back to the hospital as a doctor.”
I’m really pleased for you, Frankie.”
“Thanks. Well, I’ll let you go, it’s getting late. I just wanted to apologise, but also to say thank you. For all that I drove you mad, you looked after me. You were a fantastic friend, Kim, and if anything similar happens with you when you’re turned into a were, well you know where I am.”
I spluttered. “W-W-what do you mean turned into a were? There will be no such thing happening to me.”
He chuckled down the line and then hung up.
Twat.
I looked at my Captain America collage and my B.O.B. and knocked them onto the floor. Frankie mentioning weres had killed my libido. That man was a B.O.B.blocker.
* * *
Shelley was late in to work, and when she eventually dragged her sorry looking ass through the door at ten-thirty, she popped her hea
d around my door sheepishly, clutching two coffees.
“Come in, slacker.”
She flopped into the chair opposite my desk. “Theo returned home. Mary made herself scarce.”
“Lucy?”
“Returned to Frankie’s. He offered her a regular room rental.”
“Ah, so then the traveller returned to his own bed, board and lodgings and wished to lodge in your bed and board you right?”
“That would be correct and so once he had finally gone to sleep, I snuck into one of the guest rooms and had another couple of hours sleep. I apologise but I think I’m the undead one in our house today.”
“Hey, you’re the boss. I was never exactly on time when I was playing hide the sausage with Frankfurter. So you do what you need to do and I’ll cover while I’m being a career woman. Because.” I drum-rolled my desk. “Ladies and gentlemen. Frankie has now left the building.”
Shelley giggled.
“Are you going to pass me my coffee then?” I asked her.
Her mouth cocked to the side.
“Oh my God, there isn’t one for me is there? You’ve bought two for yourself.”
“I’m very, very tired.” Pouted Shelley.
“Unbelievable.” I turned my attention back to my laptop.
“So, Lucy was saying tonight is the first of five dates you’ve set up for her?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Because of the double/triple date fiasco.”
“And so is it the start of Darius’ five dates too?”
Shelley had the audacity to wink at me. I completely ignored it; a fact for which I felt I should be rewarded, so later I would buy myself a coffee and two doughnuts seeing as my boss wasn’t on the case.
“It is, and I feel I’ve chosen him five fabulous matches and shouldn’t be at all surprised if he isn’t completely besotted with one of them by the end of the week.” I span around in my chair.
The Complete Collection: Supernatural Dating Agency Books 1-6 Page 22
