Vampire (Alpha Claim 8-Final Enforcement): New Adult Paranormal Romance (Vampire Alpha Claim)

by Eros, Marata

  Bill said, “They pissed me off. They came here and were going to essentially kidnap some of our children.”

  Great, I knew that would start the political talk from Gramps.

  “Back in my day—”

  “Pop.””

  He held up his hand. “Just a sec, Alicia.”

  Mom's mouth closed with a snap. That would have never worked with anyone else.

  “We followed our Constitution. Now, it has been amended five hundred fifty million times and we can barely have a gun for our homes. The criminals have more rights than the innocents.”

  “Well, damn , Mac, you sure have enough weaponry,” Jonesy said.

  “Language,” Helen said.

  Jonesy rolled his eyes.

  Bill gave him The Look.

  “Sorry, Mom,” Jonesy grumped.

  Gramps had the crooked mouth, and suddenly I realized where I got the urge to Laugh at Inappropriate Times from. Could've done without that.

  “Do you really have a minefield here, Mac?” Bry asked.

  The teens leaned forward.

  He nodded. “Not like what you're thinking. Nobody's going to die, but they may leave a little lighter.”

  Tiff barked out a laugh. “Involuntary amputation.”

  “Something like that,” he agreed with a wink.

  “Speaking of that, I heard something really funny,” Tiff said.

  We looked at her. “It's a joke about clowns,” she continued.

  Bry frowned. “You hate clowns.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes. “Gnomes, dummy.”

  “Whatever, they're all pretty creepy,” Jade said.

  I looked at her. Hadn't known she had it in for them.

  “Anyway,” Tiff said, protracting the syllables “What do you do with an amputee with wings?”

  Holy shit , Mom was gonna have a goat. I looked at her quickly and her breathing had become erratic and her eyes were beginning to bulge, but Tiff wasn't known for catching subtleties.

  “I give, what?” Jonesy said, vaguely interested.

  “You put chain saws on all the stumps and set them loose on the clowns.”

  Alex and Tiff started howling but nobody else.

  Sophie and Jade looked at Tiff as Mom was gasping in the background.

  “That's truly twisted,” Sophie said with a vague smile.

  Tiff was trying to rein it in.“It's an old one!”

  Alex turned to the rest of the teens. “And you said I was weird for the blow-up doll!?”

  All the parents and Gramps looked at Alex.

  Who belatedly realized that little gem got them thinking in the wrong direction.

  He began to stutter some response when Bill held up his hand. “I think we're going to forget we heard that last comment.”

  “You kids are some strange rangers,” Gramps said without rancor.

  Bry, the only mundane said, “Let's talk about that.”

  Gramps looked at him expectantly, “We have two kids that have a thing for the dead—”

  “I wouldn't say I have a ʻthingʼ for them,” I started.

  Everyone stared at me.

  Okay.

  Bry discounted my comment, continuing, “An Empath who dates an AFTD, a girl that can project her spirit or whatever, a super-human strength guy, a Null—and then the real kicker—a mystery paranormal.” Bry shook his head.

  We looked at Jonesy.

  “Exactly my point, son, a motley crew,” Gramps said.

  “I guess what I mean is that's the ʻnew normalʼ now,” Bry said.

  Grampsʼ face lit up. “Been meaning to ask, where's the cute little number you had here last time?”

  “Barbie,” Tiff clarified.

  Gramps frowned. “No, I thought her name was Chloe, Cindy, Christine—”

  “It's Christi, and yeah, she dumped me.”

  We were all quiet for a second.

  “She was a hot little ticket.”

  Mom frowned at Gramps. He added quickly, “But she thought a lot of herself.”

  “She needed her broomstick all the time,” Jonesy said.

  Gramps laughed.

  “Plus, she was big-time prejudiced.”

  Helen and Bill looked at Jonesy like elaborate.

  He shrugged, hesitating. “She didn't like AFTDs, and she didn't like me because I'm African-American.”

  Gramps scrubbed a rough hand over his face. Slowly, he said, “I think, for someone that has that mindset,” he tapped his head, “they don't like anything or anyone that's different.”

  “She liked that horse's ass Carson. Because he's the same as her brother, Pyrokenetic ,” Sophie said.

  No one corrected her language.

  Gramps nodded. “That exactly affirms my point. Whatever she deems as ʻacceptableʼ should be all there is, in her opinion. What she doesn't understand is that we're this big.” Gramps put his index finger and thumb a hair's breadth from touching. “Our differences are our strengths. It's her ignorance showing. And a lot of air between the ears.”

  “Which is a way to prove you're stupid if anyone was doubting,” John said.

  Dad looked at him. “Where'd you hear that?”

  “My dad. He said purposeful ignorance is the same as stupid.”

  A smile hovered at Dad's lips. “Pretty close.”

  Jonesy said, “More jokes. This,” he waved his hand around, “is too heavy for the birthday bash.”

  I laughed. “Did you think your birthday was going to turn out this way?”

  Jonesy looked at me seriously. “Dude, with you anything can happen. And,” he pointed his spork straight in the air, “I did get cake so everything's cool,” he finished, spearing a bite and popping it into his mouth.

  The simplicity that is Jonesy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  The week kept grinding on, Alex had been put into the first core class for what they were classifying as (surprise!) Body. This quantified anyone who manifested physical attributes beyond normal range. Throwing zombies and people fifteen or twenty feet apparently qualified.

  Go figure.

  They were completely puzzled by Jonesy, but he wasn't too worried. He was in the school he wanted to be in and thought about it like this: (he told me during Algebra I, when we should've been studying), “...I figure, my skills will come online when I need them. Like when some catastrophe happens, like when I'm with you. Perfect.”

  I slunk down in my seat. “Sometimes, I just want to get together and hang, and not have a bunch of strange shit come up.” I flung my hood over my head as the Math teacher went on about integers.

  Jonesy socked me in my arm.

  I stifled a very unguy-like yelp. “Hey, dumbass, save that for the losers.”

  His almost black eyes got very close to mine. “Cut the Emo shit Hart. We need you to be you . You feel me?” His voice was serious for once.

  We stared at each other. I knew what he meant, but maybe I didn't always want to be the reasonable one. I wanted a vacation from all this crap: the government, the losers riding my ass, and especially this murdering freak that was targeting the safety net of all paranormals.

  John, who was completely ignoring the lecture because he'd tested out of integers two weeks ago said, “It sucks Caleb, but sometimes people get dealt the shit end of the stick, and you have to work with what you've been given.”

  “Misters Hart, Terran and Jones—would you boys like to share what's so critical that you need to compete with my important talk on Integers?”

  Wonderful.

  John saved us with, “Both Jonesy and Caleb had some questions on your first lecture from yesterday and I was bringing them up to speed, Mr. Tyler,” he lied smoothly.

  They stared at each other for about ten seconds. “That is very helpful, Mr. Terran, next time, try to restrain your enthusiasm for a time when I am not also talking.”

  “Okay.”

  That was a close one.

  We survived boring Math, and were shoving
all our crap in lockers that weren't next to one another (freshmen got the shaft on choosing locker assignment).

  Jade, Sophie, Tiff and Mia came walking up. I glanced at Mia then right back to Jade. Gorgeous as usual, in skin-tight black jeans that flared at the knee and almost dragged the ground, hot pink ballet flats poking out underneath.

  Jonesy dug an elbow into my ribs. “Wake up, dipshit.”

  I laughed. “Was I staring?”

  Jade grinned. “Kinda.”

  “Totally,” John said without too much accusation as he was sort of staring at Tiff.

  I think there was a group shift going on.

  I hadn't seen Mia since the unfortunate Scenic Incident, in which I had raised Gran last year and the Weller kids looked like battering rams.

  She was one of those girls that didn't look her age, but looked eighteen already. I knew she was around our age.

  “How old are you?” Jonesy asked, unconcerned by manners.

  Bry, who had just walked up, heard Jonesy's question. “You're a sophomore, right?” he directed at her.

  “Yeah,” she said, flicking a piece of stick straight, honey-colored hair behind her shoulder.

  Bry tracked the movement. Seemed like I wasn't the only one in the group with a staring problem. Mia had grown up and Bry was noticing.

  Tiff looked sorta miffed and said, “Let's talk about Jade's birthday.”

  A frozen fissure spread in my gut and landed into the center of my brain like a block of ice I had utterly forgotten Jade's birthday was tomorrow . I tried desperately to contain my expression but the Js' smiles froze on their faces in an odd, zombie-like way.

  Hardy-har-har- not . “Cool, yeah,” I said, feigning nonchalance. “But, I think she's coming by my place first, then we'll swing by the hide-a-way. My mom's got all kinds of food and crap ready.”

  “And banana cake?” Jade asked hopefully.

  I swallowed and it hurt going down.

  “Right!” I croaked out.

  Jade gave me an odd look then looped her arm through mine, (over my hoodie, thank God; no-touchy, no-telepathy), kissing that tender spot she could reach right under my ear.

  I would have given my life on the spot for her as she whispered, “Love you, Caleb.”

  I turned her in my arms, flat-palming the small of her back as I pressed her hips into mine. “I love you more,” I whispered back.

  “Get a room!” Jonesy hollered.

  We smiled and broke apart. Payback was a bitch, and Jonesy's time was coming. We walked away, John and I watched him watching Sophie.

  Love was an Alice in Wonderland hole, and Jonesy was white-knuckling the edge, his feet dangling above the precipice.

  ****

  I raced in the front door, slamming my backpack on the chair and jogged into the kitchen, Onyx on my heels.

  I almost mowed Mom over. “Hey!” she yelped.

  “Mom, thank God!”

  She had a spot of flour on her nose and her apron on which usually meant kitchen business.

  I dared to hope.

  “Did you remember it was Jade's birthday tomorrow?” My words ran together.

  She put her hands on her hips, a wooden spoon stabbing out from her side. “Of course, silly.”

  I sunk down into my normal seat at the kitchen table. I had been saved from certain death by my mom. The Gift!

  My head snapped back up. I stood up as if goosed.

  Dangling off one of Mom's fingers was a silver chain with a heart.

  My hopes sunk and she saw my face. “What?”

  “Thanks, Mom. But, I need to pick something out for her.”

  “Oh,” she said, wrapping the whole thing in her fist.

  “Listen, can we go to the store so I can pick something out? I like what you got for her, but I want to pick something out myself.”

  “Okay.” She looked at the pulse-clock hanging on the wall. “If we hurry, we can get to the store and back before the cake's done.”

  Onyx wagged his tail, standing close to Mom because he knew who was in charge of the food. The traitor.

  “Okay,” I said, relieved.

  She ripped off her apron and tossed it over the back of a chair and we piled into the car.

  *

  The choices were endless. Everywhere I looked was jewelry and I can see why Mom thought she was helping.

  Mom was leaning forward and talking quietly with the clerk as she handed over the heart necklace. I thought about what Jade wore all the time, just silver hoops.

  Mom walked over to where I was. “Any luck?”

  I shook my head. I'd know what I wanted to get her when I saw it. I couldn't hold back the defeated exhale.

  “I thought a necklace was a good choice because she wears the same earrings all the time. And a ring is too formal—so, that leaves a bracelet or a necklace,” Mom said, obviously thinking aloud.

  I gazed at the bracelets. Jade was small, and they were all the standard size, so that probably wouldn't work. My eyes scanned the racks of necklaces until suddenly I saw it. A charm.

  I walked over and asked the clerk, “Is that a dream-catcher?”

  “Yes it is,” she answered, glasses perched on the end of her nose.

  It was beautiful and delicate, like Jade. In its center was a small green stone, it twinkled as I moved the charm and the “feathers” moved.

  Mom raised an eyebrow.

  I answered her unspoken question, “She's Cherokee Indian, Mom.”

  Mom got the look in her eyes when she'd made a connection. “Ah, that explains her unusual coloring, but not the last name?”

  “French,” I said. A sudden, unbidden image of us making out swept through my mind.

  Mom's eyes narrowed on my face and I quickly said, “So, I thought she'd like one of these.”

  “Does she have one?” Mom asked, distracted for the moment.

  I nodded. “There's one strung along the back of her bed.”

  “You've been in Jade's bedroom?”

  The clerk's eyes widened.

  Yeah I had.

  “It's no big deal, Mom.” God bless it. “Anyway,” I said, exasperated, “her grandma gave it to her mom when she was a baby. It was tied over her cradle, and it's been on every bed since. It's supposed to ward off bad dreams.”

  “Dream-catcher,” Mom repeated thoughtfully.

  “I'll take it,” I said and the clerk smiled.

  As Mom turned away, the clerk winked at me.

  Winked.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Jade and I were up in my room again, entangled on my bed where I'd snuggled her up against my chest, my chin resting on her head. In her hands was the charm I'd bought her in the nick of time.

  As I'd left the store, I'd remembered to buy a chain for her to wear it on. I wanted to see that little charm sitting between those sexy bones that marked the center of her throat.

  For now, she kept stroking it, making the small, sterling “feathers” move where they glittered in the filtered light through my gauzy curtain.

  Her head fell back into the well of my shoulder. I lowered my mouth to hers in the invitation it was.

  My lips moved over her mouth as I cradled the back of her head with my free hand and pressed her lips harder to mine.

  She gave a small moan and turned in my arms, the necklace clutched in her hand, she got up on her knees, those green eyes looking directly into mine. “I love you, Caleb Hart.”

  My heartbeat leapt into my throat. She knew how I felt, she was in my arms, and not all of it was love, there was a dose of lust in there too. Or more than a dose.

  She laughed. “I feel that way too.”

  I felt heat creep up my face, busted.

  “It's normal for us to want to be together that way.”

  “You haven't gotten the ʻtoo youngʼ lecture?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Memorized it.”

  We sat for a moment locked in each other's arms. Not one to waste time, I began explorin
g her mouth again but she pulled away. “How long have we been together?”

  Had to think about it for a sec. “Six months, I guess.”

  “Right. So, nobody knows where we are or how we feel but us.”

  I pulled away to look at her. “Where is this coming from?”

  She lowered her face.

  Jade had my full attention now. I pulled her closer until our chests were touching and she had to lean her face back a little to see me.

  She reached up and moved the hair out of my eyes and it fell back down. She smiled. “Aunt Andrea has been giving me grief about seeing you.”

  “What? I thought she was okay with us?”

  “She doesn't like all the danger with the zombies showing up all the time.”

  “They don't show up all the time,” I said.

  Jade stared at me.

  Okay, maybe they made an appearance more than I wanted. “Still, the only time you've been hurt was by your dad.”

  Her face fell, and I immediately felt like a tool. “Shhh, don't cry.” I swiped a tear off her cheek. “I didn't mean anything except with all the zombies that show up, none of them ever hurt you. They protected us. Look at Clyde!” I ducked, catching her eyes.

  She laughed through her tears.

  Clyde was, well, he was Clyde .

  Jade settled down, plopping on her butt and sitting cross-legged on my bed. Onyx saw his opportunity and leaped up next to her where she buried a hand in his fur. She stroked his head. “All the zombies are cool.” She paused, thinking about that. “Well, the smell is God-awful. But ya know, they make stuff happen. They've saved us. Especially that one last year.”

  The warrior. I'd never forget how completely perfect he was, juiced up with one of the Graysheets life force. He'd been a thing of beauty.

  “But, my dad is running around like a loose canon, and Andrea's worried about my safety. I've got a feeling is all. I wanted you to know; I feel like something is going to tear us apart.” Her bottom lip trembled.

  I moved in, lightly clasping it between my teeth.

  She giggled, trying to push me away. But not too hard.

  Falling back on the bed, we made good use of our time. My words ringing in her ears.

  I'm not going anywhere.

  *

  Mom had outdone herself (even for her), as I looked at all the food. She had fried twenty kilos of chicken, made brownies, a cake and had a case of pop standing by.