by J. L. McCoy
“Watch it, little man,” she smiled and teased as she took a sip from her glass.
“Where’d you run off to?” Trey asked as he finished his blood and loaded the glass into the dishwasher
I held up a chunk of long wet hair and smiled. “Shower,” I said with a grin.
Trey turned back to me and crossed his arms over his chest. “I haven’t seen you eat all day, darling. I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you?”
I bit my lip and slowly nodded my head. “I’m starving.”
Trey hopped into action and grabbed Hunter who had just gotten up to put his empty glass in the sink. “Come on, stud muffin. I need an escort into town.”
“What for?” Hunter asked, his brow furrowing. He looked kind of tired and I bet he had planned on going to bed.
“We have absolutely no suitable food in this house and that girl is starving. I’m going to go grocery shopping for her at that 24 hour Randall’s down the road,” Trey said as he tied his scarf around his neck. “Are you coming or not?”
“I don’t know,” Hunter said reluctantly and Trey rolled his eyes.
“I’m sure there will be a few lonely, single women there,” he said in a sing-song voice.
Hunter’s eyes lit up. “You’re driving,” he said as he headed out to the garage.
Trey shook his head and looked back over at me. “Gets him every time. We’ll be back in two shakes and I’ll have something ready for you to eat in no time.”
“Thank you, honey,” I said with a grateful smile. “But, you don’t have to. I can go tomorrow when I wake up. One night without food won’t kill me.”
“Nonsense, dear,” Trey said waving his hand dismissively in my direction. “It’s my pleasure. We’ll be back soon,” he said and followed Hunter out.
“Well, that was sweet of them,” I said under my breath.
“Trey adores you,” Aoife said with a genuine half smile. “Get used to it. I see you have a towel over your shoulder. Are you planning on going swimming?”
I glanced over at Jameson out of the corner of my eye and saw him downing his glass in a hurry. I smiled and turned my attention back to Aoife. “I thought I’d check out the hot tub tonight.”
Aoife tsked and stood up, taking her glass over to the sink and washing it out. “Not in that outfit, you’re not.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and looked down at my hands. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
Aoife laughed and beckoned me to follow her. I took one last look at Quinn, Lochlan, Jameson, and Seamus, and followed Aoife into the foyer and up the stairs.
We stopped at a door across from the media room. “Wait here. I’ve got just the thing for you,” she said as she opened the door and disappeared inside.
I didn’t have to wait long. Aoife reappeared with a small mass of black string and material in her right hand. “This is brand new. Still has the tags on and everything,” she said as she handed me the suit. “Bathroom is around the corner. You can change in there.”
“Th…thank you, Aoife,” I said in disbelief. She was being nice to me and I didn’t know how to handle that.
She flicked her wrist in my direction and pursed her lips. “Think nothing of it. Now, make sure you drag Jameson with you. Nothing says romance like a moonlit soak in a hot tub.”
I nodded my head and gave her the best smile I could. So that’s it! That’s why she’s being nice to me. She’s thrilled I’m dating Jameson and that Archer is no longer on my radar. I stifled the snicker I felt rising and turned on my heels to go change.
I quickly stepped out of my clothes and took the tags off the bikini. When I held it up, I almost choked. The ‘bikini’ was little more than three, five inch triangles that were supposed to cover each of my breasts and my cookie. I bit my bottom lip and silently cursed Aoife. This had to be the tiniest bikini ever made. I sighed, said to hell with it, and began putting it on and tying it securely around me. When I finally had it on and everything covered, I spun around in the mirror and shook my head. Oh, hell no! I can’t go out in this thing! I was contemplating taking it off when a small knock sounded at the door.
“Baby, are you about ready?” Jameson asked through the door.
“I’ll be out in just a sec,” I said as I grabbed my clothes and put them back on over the suit. I’ll just have him turn around when I go to get in the hot tub. He’ll never know. I grabbed my towel and opened the door.
Jameson was standing there wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and I swallowed hard at the sight of his delicious hipbones and chiseled chest.
I sighed as I took in his body. “I’m a lucky girl,” I whispered with a smile.
Jameson laughed and bent over, throwing me over his shoulder and flashed down the stairs. I couldn’t help the squeals and giggles that escaped my mouth as we traveled into the kitchen and through the back door.
When we got out to the hot tub, Jameson gently set me down and tested the water with his hand. “Nice and hot,” he said with a smile. “Are you ready to get in?”
I bit my bottom lip and set my towel down on a nearby lounge chair. “Yeah, but you have to close your eyes while I get in, okay?”
“Why?” Jameson asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“Um,” I said as I felt my cheeks flush hot. “Aoife leant me a bikini.”
Jameson laughed and nodded his head. “I think I understand, love. I’ve seen some of Aoife’s bikinis and there isn’t much to them.”
I nodded my head and took off my shirt. Jameson’s eyes got wide as they immediately went to my ample chest. “Wow…” he said and licked his top lip. “That thing is barely covering your nipples.”
“I know,” I said with a groan as I covered my chest with my hands and turned away.
Jameson laughed again and I heard him step into the water. “Come on, my shy Skye,” he said sweetly. “I’ve already seen you naked, remember?”
I groaned and shrugged one shoulder. “Just cover your eyes, okay?”
Jameson said he would and I looked over my shoulder at him. He had both of his hands over his eyes and I breathed a sigh of relief. I quickly took off my shorts, high stepped it over to the hot tub, and gingerly got in.
“Oh, God, this feels good,” I said as I closed my eyes and leaned my body back in one of the built-in contoured seats. “I could get used to this.”
Jameson chuckled and grabbed my arm, pulling me up. He took my spot in the seat, pulled me onto his lap and began massaging my shoulders. I sighed and relaxed into his touch.
Jameson massaged my shoulders, neck, and back as we talked about our mutual love of music, his band The Manky Langer, my hobbies, and where he wanted to take me on our first real date next week.
Before I knew it, my body was boiling from the temperature of the water and I needed to cool off for a few minutes. He grabbed my hand and helped me out of the hot tub. I give him points for trying to keep his eyes to himself, but as soon as he saw my bikini he did a double take and said something in a language I didn’t understand.
I laughed as I walked the few feet over to the pool. “What language is that anyway?” I asked as I stepped in. “All of you guys speak it and I can’t understand a damn word y’all say when you do.”
Jameson flashed to the diving board across the pool and dove in. “It’s Gaelic…Irish Gaelic,” he said, popping up next to me a few seconds later. Damn! They’re fast in the water, too! “It’s the language of our father, the original vampire of our species. Most of us happen to be from Ireland or Western Europe, so we are pretty much already familiar with the language when we are turned. Those who don’t know it learn it.”
“Gaelic,” I said, testing the name. “I’ve never heard anyone speak it here in the States before. It’s a beautiful language, though.”
“Aye,” Jameson said with a smile.
I stood up in the three feet of water and reached up, throwing my arms around his neck. “Say something to me in Gaelic,” I said sweetly.
Jameson smiled, wrapped his arms around my waist, and looked deeply into my eyes. “Tá mo chroí istigh ionat, Skye. A-chaoidh,” he said in a gentle whisper.
I recognized that as the same thing he told me in the stockroom yesterday. It sounded so beautiful coming out of his perfect mouth. “What does it mean?” I asked, leaning closer to him.
Jameson smiled and brushed a lock of wet hair from my cheek. “It means ‘My heart is within you. Forever.”
My stomach did an unexpected flip and my heartbeat picked up. I slowly stood on my tip toes, my eyes never leaving his beautiful pale green ones, and I kissed him softly on the lips. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me, Jameson,” I said when I finally pulled away, raw honestly and deep affection painting my voice.
Jameson cupped my neck and smiled. “I meant every word, my love.”
I leaned in for another kiss but my stomach growled loudly, halting me.
Jameson laughed and looked down at my stomach. “I think someone’s hungry.”
I grimaced, bit my bottom lip and nodded my head. “I’m absolutely starving. Do you think Trey and Hunter are back yet?”
He grabbed my hand and led me to the underwater stairs. “Let’s go find out, baby. You’ve got to get some food in you. I’m sorry breakfast burned this morning.”
I looked over at him confused as we climbed the stairs. “You burned breakfast?” I asked, my brow furrowed. “I wondered what happened to it. When I woke up, after I passed out, and went down stairs to join you, I noticed that everything had been put away.”
“Aye,” Jameson said stopping in front of our towels and wrapping me in mine. “It was a mess.” He quickly dried off as I carefully slipped Aoife’s bikini from my body. I dried off and redressed in my thong, jean shorts, and crop top and followed Jameson into the house.
We had perfect timing. Trey and Hunter were just now walking in and their arms were completely loaded down with reusable grocery bags.
“Did you know that they make these wonderful canvas bags that you can use to carry your goods home in?” Trey asked as he passed me, a huge smile on his face.
I laughed and nodded my head. “Yep, they’re pretty awesome huh? It allows you to be stylish AND protect the environment at the same time.”
Hunter rolled his eyes as he passed me. “He’s always amazed by the smallest things.”
I laughed and helped them unload the groceries. Trey had gone nuts in the grocery store. He bought every kind of fruit and vegetable they carried and at least ten different kinds of gourmet cheeses. There were breads, meats, canned soups, crackers, nuts, and even an assortment of tea tins. There were boxes of cake mix and cans of icing, deli meat and fresh fish, cereal and milk.
“Damn, Trey,” I said trying not to laugh. “Did you leave any food in the store for other people?”
Trey stopped unloading the groceries and looked up at me uncertainly. “Uh-oh. Did I buy too much?”
I reached over and put my arm around his shoulder. “You did amazing, Trey, honestly. Just be sure that you freeze the fresh meat so it doesn’t go bad. I couldn’t possibly eat all of it before it would have a chance to spoil.”
He smiled brightly and resumed unloading the groceries.
Jameson walked over and kissed my right temple. “I’m going to go take a quick shower,” he said then turned and walked toward the foyer. I thought about following him up and hopping in there with him, but the allure of food was too overpowering.
“So, what’s for dinner?” I asked as I started putting stuff away in the refrigerator drawers.
“I’m going to make a fresh fruit and cheese plate,” Trey said, excitement in his voice. “Doesn’t that sound delicious?”
I laughed and nodded my head. “Indeed. I can’t wait to try some of those cheeses you bought. I absolutely adore cheese.”
Trey nodded emphatically. “My mama used to make the best goat cheese this side of the Mason-Dixon Line. She’d infuse it with a bit of spring onion and we’d smear it on the hot water cornbread that she used to make special to go with it.” He closed his eyes for a moment as he remembered it fondly. “Almost makes me miss food,” he said as he opened his eyes and resumed unloading the bags.
I bit my lip and contemplated the question I was dying to ask him. I didn’t want to pry, but I was genuinely curious. “Trey, can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can, darling,” he said in his light southern lilt.
“Where are you from? I’m just curious. It’s obvious you were born somewhere here in the south,” I said as I grabbed an apple and went to the sink to wash it off.
“Obviously,” he said with a laugh as he put the last bag away. “I’m a southern bell through and through. I was born in 1837 right outside of Brothersville, Georgia. It’s known as Hephzibah today, though. I grew up living in a tiny one-room shack with mama, daddy, and my younger brother Jacob. Daddy grew corn and sweet potatoes on the little piece of land he owned and Jacob and I helped him farm.”
I hopped up on the kitchen counter and took a bite out of my Golden Delicious as Trey began washing fruit and cutting cheese.
“Mama incessantly kept trying to marry me off to the neighbor girl from the time I was 17. She wanted grandbabies, she said.” Trey chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I decided it would be best to move away at 19 before she caught on that I was a homosexual. Those things were just absolutely unacceptable back then and it would have killed her if she found out about me. Daddy would have probably killed me, too, come to think of it. He was a kind man, don’t get me wrong, but he was also a staunchly religious Southern Baptist.”
He got out the pretty floral paper plates that he had just bought and began arranging the slices of fruit, cheese and flat bread upon it. “Anyway, I packed up, kissed the family goodbye and took a train to the big city of Boston. I had heard through the grapevine that northerners were…our more laid back counterparts; sophisticated and worldly, if you will. I soon got a job working the front desk at the brand new Parker House hotel.”
Trey’s brow furrowed and he was silent a moment as he perfected his plate presentation. He cleared his throat after a minute and resumed his story. “I had the most unfortunate luck of running into a Dark One not long after I began working there. He was checking into a room and he was very flirty with me. He was a handsome enough man, very tall and lean; he dripped sophistication and class. His smile, though, was what had won me over and I agreed to have a drink with him in his room after I got off work. Needless to say, I didn’t walk out of that room.”
“Oh, no,” I said, swallowing a mouthful of apple. “What happened?”
Trey picked up the plate, walked over to the kitchen table, and set it down. I followed him over and took a seat across from him. “He drained me to the point of death and then dumped my body in the alley behind the hotel,” he said with a sigh. “Jameson came across my body soon after. Archer happened to own a tavern across the alleyway and Jameson had gone out the back door for something or another. I don’t remember any of this, mind you. Archer and Jameson filled me in after I awoke from the change. Anyway, Jameson found me just in time and carried me inside. If Archer had hesitated even a second before giving me his blood, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you today.”
“Oh, Trey,” I said reaching over to hold his hand. “That’s just awful! Did you ever find the Dark One that nearly killed you?”
Trey smiled and patted my hand with his other. “You bet your sweet self we did. Jameson tracked him down and brought him to Archer and me. Our species takes our responsibilities to protect very seriously, so Archer made sure that man couldn’t hurt anyone again. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw that I had survived. It was priceless.”
“So, you were 19 years old when you were turned?” I asked, digging into the luscious plate of apples, grapes, mango, strawberry, pear, brie, sharp cheddar, and geitost.
“I was. The year was 1856, June to be exact,” he s
aid as he watched me eat with great interest.
I made a happy sound as I bit into a stack of strawberry, apple, and geitost cheese. “Thank you for going to the market for me and fixing dinner tonight. You are just so sweet, honey. I’m so glad Jameson found you and made you a part of his family. And, I’m glad I got to meet you. You truly are a kindred spirit, my friend,” I said smiling happily.
“I feel the exact same way about you, sweetheart,” Trey said with a genuine smile then his face got serious. “This is purely a hypothetical question, but…would you ever consider becoming one of us…a vampire?”
I stopped chewing in surprise and set my piece of flatbread back down on the plate.
Jameson walked into the kitchen, wearing only a pair of jeans and wet hair. He walked over and leaned against the island, facing us at the table, and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at me questioningly. “Well,” he said when the silence dragged on. “Would you?”
I looked down at my plate and thought a moment. I enjoyed my life and being human. I loved food and I loved my family. I knew that if I ever became a vampire, I’d have to give both of those up and I didn’t want to do that.
I looked up at Trey, then Jameson, then back over to Trey. “I don’t think so, honey. I don’t think I’d be able to give up my family. My mother and I are really close. I never knew my father and she’s all I ever had growing up.”
Trey nodded his head in understanding. “It’s hard to let go of your old life when you change.”
We talked a bit more about happier things while I finished most of my dinner. Trey retired to his room for the night after cleaning the kitchen and Jameson and I went into my bedroom to hang out.
“Do you ever miss being human?” I asked Jameson later as we cuddled in bed.
Jameson took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “No, not really. I’ve had some amazing experiences in my 294 years on this earth; experiences that I never would have been able to have had I not met Archer and become what I am today. You lose a lot when you change, but you gain even more in return. The hardest thing about turning is watching those around you die. You form attachments and friendships with mortals and it’s difficult when you lose them.”
