by RK Close
He pushes his glasses up on his nose and crosses his arms over his well-developed chest. “They can only kill me once,” he says, smiling. I look at him and roll my eyes in disbelief.
I don’t get him.
“Are you breaking another rule by loaning me this dagger? What about teaching me to use it?” I ask, with one hand on my hip and the other moving the dagger around as I slice through air, talking with my hands.
“Don’t worry. Conor went back home yesterday. I’ll help you catch Zac, and then go into hiding until I figure something out,” he says, showing little to no concern for his own safety.
Maybe the dream had more to do with his family, and Zac was merely the instrument that my mind conjured up.
***
We make plans to go to the gym in order to stick to our sporadic, yet consistent, routine of going daily. After the gym we plan to go to a park where I’ll have my first crash course in fighting with a dagger. This should be interesting. I’m no Celtic warrior, but I can fight when necessary, and I have been training to defend myself for three years—excluding my first encounter with Adam, because I don’t count that one. He changed the rules on me, and I had the handicap of being human. Now that I have Adam’s blood in me, I’m stronger, my reflexes are faster, and everything is just better. Aside from all the emotional aspects, I would say having vampire blood in me has been a plus. Not if I died, though. That would not be a desired outcome.
I do not want to be a vampire.
***
Gabe and I arrive at the gym and head for the free weights. I try to focus on my workout, but find myself watching Gabe through the numerous mirrors around the gym. I’m pretty serious when I exercise, but Gabe is a machine. I could watch him all day. Nice thing about the mirrors, I can see him looking over at me, but he can’t tell I’m looking at him unless he looks into the mirrors. He obviously hasn’t mastered the art of mirror-watching.
Forty minutes later we are both soaked in sweat, so we head to the treadmills for some active recovery and cool down. I program mine to an easy jog. Out of the corner of my eye I can tell Gabe steps onto his machine, and is adjusting the settings. I glance over at him, and what I see causes me to lose my rhythm on the treadmill and almost fall. He looks at me to see if I’m all right, and then begins his run.
I have to slow my pace down to a fast walk because Gabe is shirtless, and the view is what caused me to falter. He is covered in black and red tribal-like tattoos all over his arms, back, parts of his torso, and shoulders. They look Celtic in design. His gorgeous body is glistening with sweat, and every muscle ripples while he runs. I can’t help stealing glances at him, trying not to be too obvious.
He is absolutely glorious to behold. I finally give up, stop my treadmill, and plop down on the floor in the corner with my water bottle and a towel to watch the show. Gabe must feel my emotions, because he looks over his shoulder at me and I’m slammed with lustful feelings that would make my legs buckle if I wasn’t already sitting on the floor. I quickly look away and start the difficult process of shielding my emotions from him.
Public toilets, litter boxes, root canals…and don’t look at him again until he’s wearing a shirt.
***
We both manage to pull it together by the time we leave the gym. As is our routine when something like this happens, we don’t talk for a while.
After driving a little while in silence I suddenly feel the urge to clear the air about what Adam and I are doing tonight. Well, some of it, anyway. I’m not telling Gabe that I agreed to let Adam bite me. He doesn’t need to know that.
“Adam is taking me to an opera tonight. It’s no big deal, but he wants to go, and I need to get out of the condo more, so I think it’s a good idea,” I say, nervously stealing a glance at him as I drive. He doesn’t look at me or say a word, but his jealous emotions fill the small car, and I’m suffocating. We both roll our windows down at the same time.
I can feel jealousy, anger, and regret, all warring with reason and understanding. It’s hard enough to wade through my own emotions at times, but feeling someone else’s is painful and disturbing. It’s the heavier feeling that comes through loud and clear.
When he still doesn’t respond, I say, “You’re not saying anything. I can tell you’re upset, and I don’t want to pretend that I don’t know.” I watch the road and wait for him to answer.
“I don’t know what you want me to say to that. Do you want me to say ‘have a great time? I’m happy for you both’? Well, I’m bloody not happy about it. I can’t stand the thought of that leech touching you, or being near you, or kissing you or…” He stops as suddenly as his rant started. “I wish I’d thought to ask you out again, myself.”
He turns away and looks out the window. I’m floored by his honest response, and don’t know how to respond. If this was four weeks earlier, I’d have been thrilled. How did life get so complicated?
“I’m sorry, Gabe. I can feel your frustration, but I don’t know what to do about it. I understand if you’re tired of the drama with me. I would be and I am as well. I don’t know how I feel about anything at the moment. I’m trying to stay alive, and keep those I care about safe, which includes you,” I say, pulling into a parking space at the park.
He’s looking at me now. I get out of the car and he follows suit. I walk around to his side, and we lean against the hood of the car.
“I’m not ready to give up, Sam. Unless you decide for sure that you don’t want me to have feelings for you, I’m waiting for you to figure it all out. I don’t like that the vampire is waiting for the same thing,” he says, looking over the park.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about Adam. He let me know loud and clear that he was only interested in a physical relationship. I’m not interested in a temporary fling,” I say, trying to hide my disappointment.
Gabe perks up visibly. “A fling is not what I’m after, Sam. You know that, right?”
“I guess I do now,” I say, giving him a little smile. “I still don’t know if I’m ready to start something with all the crazy going on in my life and yours at the moment. Can we agree to be friends while we continue to get to know each other?” I ask.
He smiles and gives me a warm hug that’s almost platonic.
As I pull away, I add, “And please keep your shirt on when you’re around me, okay?” I give him a shy smile, while his is brilliant and confident.
We find a quiet place in the park that’s hidden behind some trees and bushes to practice. This morning we packed a blanket and a couple sack lunches. Having finished our workout, we decide to eat before training. After a quick lunch, Gabe shows me one defense move after another. He insists on repeating each move like fifty times before going on to the next. I’ve decided he’s a masochistic teacher, and tell him so.
“You learn the moves by repetition, throughout years of training. You don’t have years. If you know at least enough to lend the element of surprise, it could be the difference between life and death,” he says seriously.
I don’t tell him that the close body contact between us during this training is wreaking havoc on the “let’s be friends” rule that I made.
I’m almost as mentally tired from shielding my emotions from him as I am from the physical exertion. My mental shields are going to collapse soon and we’ll end up making out on this blanket instead of training.
Once again, he comes from behind me and runs his hands down my arms to grab my wrists. He then guides my arms through the defensive, then attack position we are currently working on. For the second time in one day I’m drenched in sweat, and still no shower.
Dropping down on the blanket, I lie back and close my eyes. I can tell when Gabe sits beside me. He’s tired as well. We lie there for a few minutes, catching our breath and relaxing as we listen to all the sounds of nature and the muffled voices of people in the park.
“So Adam says that this blade can kill a vampire, or at the very least, seriously wound them,” I say, t
urning my head to look at him.
He turns and looks at me, and I marvel at how natural and comfortable this feels. I’m always more alive when I’m in nature. It’s always called to me. I’d rather be outside than in on most days.
“He’s correct. We have certain weapons that have been passed down for generations, and are said to be blessed by angels,” he says. “There is something special about them because they are the tools we use to kill vampires and rogue werewolves. Other weapons don’t work, but these do.”
“Oh, interesting…wait, did you say werewolves?” I say, lifting up on one elbow to look at him.
“Yes, we have little trouble from them unless one goes rogue or there is a deadly turf war. They tend to police their own pretty well. And they’re half human, so most abide by human laws as well as pack law.” I blink at him.
Of course there are werewolves. I mean, why wouldn’t there be? I don’t have enough mental energy to even get into this new element. I’ll do what I’ve been doing to stay sane: compartmentalize it and put it on a shelf until I can manage to wrap my head around it or it bites me in the butt. No pun intended.
“How do you feel about being the descendant of fallen angels? Does it bother you?” I ask.
I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but felt odd asking.
“I believe we all have choices and how we choose to live says more than our bloodline. I’m a sum of my actions, not my ancestry. I follow the light of God, and fight evil where I find it. I believe he will judge me as a man, not as the descendent of a forbidden union from so long ago,” he says, sounding secure in his belief.
Adam once said something similar to me. I think he and Adam are more alike than either of them care to admit.
I ponder his words. It makes sense to me, but how will God judge his family if they kill him? I push that thought aside and relish the sun on my face.
“What about vampires? What are they, and where do they fit in?” I ask with my eyes closed.
“There are many different legends surrounding vampires, and we’ve never been sure which one holds truth. Some believe they are demons or fallen angels turned demons, but I don’t believe that. Some believe it is a plague or virus of the soul. There may be some truth to that. My uncle believes they are an abomination brought on and created by the Fallen. A scourge on humanity as punishment for humans being favored by God. There is also the belief that they lose their souls when they become vampire, but I think that happens when they choose to give in to their bloodlust. Adam and Jacob seem to be more the exception than the rule, but there are others like them.” I open my eyes and see that he is basking in the sun with his eyes closed as well.
Makes me sad that Adam is denied this feeling, if the legends are true. He certainly does avoid the sun.
I pick up my phone and look at the time. Oh, crap! I’m going to be late for the opera if we don’t hurry. We gather our stuff and hurry home.
Time to rock that red dress.
Chapter 29
Gabe and I arrive home before five o’clock. I thank him and say good-bye, leaving him in the living room as I run toward the shower.
The opera starts at eight, and it will take us thirty minutes to get there, so I have little time. Washing my hair takes forever because I have so much. Then there’s drying and curling because I don’t have time to let it dry on its own as I usually do. My toes need polish, and of course I want to take some extra care with my makeup and hair tonight. I don’t want the dress to look better than the person wearing it.
An hour and a half later I have my hair piled loosely on top of my head with a few long, soft curls hanging down in a romantic fashion. I’m wearing more makeup than I normally do for dramatic effect, and I must say the end result is incredibly satisfying. The dress hugs my body like a glove or a second skin, whichever is tighter. I’m loving the way I look in it.
After I attach the thigh-sheath to my upper leg, I walk around the room to see if it bothers me. I’m aware of it, but not hindered when I walk. Knowing I’ll be out with Adam, I considered leaving it at home, but since I’m not wearing the pendant, and Adam is not going to follow me into the lady’s room, I might as well get used to keeping it with me. Gabe also fashioned one for my arm, and another for my back. Not sure how those will work since I haven’t had a chance to try them out, but the one for my thigh works easily with the dress.
And I kind of feel like a bad-ass knowing I’m wearing it.
I twirl in front of my full-length mirror, feeling like a movie star ready for the red carpet. Unfortunately, my co-star only wants casual sex, so he’s not such a star, after all. That knowledge still stings, so I decide to push that thought away with all the other things I don’t want to think about at the moment.
Tonight I’ll pretend that I don’t know how Adam feels yet, and simply enjoy the evening. I need to have some normal events to look forward to right now. Okay, going on a date with a vampire will never be normal. And agreeing to let said vampire bite me is way off the normal scale. Oh, crap! I keep forgetting that I agreed to that. My confidence takes a little detour south.
I look at the clock. It’s 6:20 p.m., so I’ve made good time. Adam should be here, and Gabe should be back at his place. At least I hope so. I didn’t want him to see me all dressed up to go out with Adam. Especially after our talk earlier today. I wonder, if Adam hadn’t inserted himself into my life, would Gabe and I be happily dating? Would I have even known what Gabe is, or that average humans are not the only fish in the sea? Another thought for another day. Tonight, I’m going to enjoy myself…right up until he bites me.
I dab some gloss on my lips and take one last look in the mirror. Damn, I look good! Now I need to make sure I don’t trip in these heels. Grabbing my little black clutch, I walk out of my room and into the living room to face the vampire who doesn’t think I’m worth more than a one-night stand.
Tonight, I’ll make him regret that notion.
Adam is standing at the patio doors looking out into the night, as usual. He turns around when he hears me come out of my room. I almost trip when I get a look at him. Wearing a black tuxedo with a red paisley vest and cummerbund, he looks incredibly dashing. He’s such a vision that I stand there gawking, and totally forget that I was going to be the one to rock his world with my sexy self.
I do get the satisfaction of seeing his eyes start to glow in their otherworldly way. That, and the smoldering look on his face as his lips actually part in what I hope is approval.
I’ve never seen the awe-look on Adam before. He does dark, brooding, and sexy like nobody’s business, but never that look.
That works for me.
I close my own mouth and gather my wits about me. With the way we clean up, I suspect we may turn some heads tonight. Time to work this dress.
Adam regains his composure quickly.
“You could rule the world tonight,” he says quietly.
But not him, I think sadly. My true thoughts are hidden behind a seductive smile.
“That is the strangest, yet best compliment I’ve ever received. You look quite handsome, yourself.”
“Saying that you look beautiful would not do justice to the vision before me.” He walks over and offers me his arm. “There isn’t time for dinner, but there is a place near the opera house where we could have a drink and you could indulge in an appetizer. Would you enjoy that?” I take his offered arm, as we step out of my condo.
“I would be dangerous if I didn’t eat something, so that would be perfect,” I say, giving him a sideways smile.
“I’ve never met a more dangerous woman,” he says without looking at me.
I wonder what he means by that.
He leads us out of the lobby to a limousine waiting at the front of the building. I look at the limo, and then at him. This must be a bigger deal than I thought. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was trying to impress me.
The driver opens the door for us, and he holds my hand as I carefully ga
ther my dress and slide into the long white limo.
It’s huge! We could totally have a party in here. The leather seats are a dark maroon with plenty of colored lights running the entire length of the vehicle, reminding me of a disco from the seventies. It’s also rather secluded and private back here. There is a darkened blind between the driver and us.
Adam slides into the seat next to me and proceeds to pull out a bottle of wine from a small hidden ice chest built into the console. The limo glides into traffic, and I could almost forget we are driving. Taking two glasses out, he pours one for me and another for himself. I look at him with my eyebrows raised in question.
“It’s not desirable to drink alone,” he says.
“I didn’t know you were renting a limo. Why did you?” I ask, taking a sip of my wine, and finally relaxing back against the plush seat.
“I didn’t want any distractions, and it is the opera. Have you seen Phantom of the Opera?” he asks, holding his wine casually.
His other arm rests behind me on the seat. I feel him touch one of the loose curls hanging down my neck. It gives me a chill. I don’t feel Adam’s emotions, but he can feel mine. Sometimes I forget this detail.
With Gabe, we both feel each other’s stronger emotions, so it’s impossible to forget about it. It’s always there. Supposedly, it will wear off within a month or two. Nobody seems to know for sure. It’s such a big no-no that anyone living has never known of it happening. I’m looking forward to that particular side effect going away. It might be easier to figure out how I feel about Gabe when we are no longer connected through anger, lust, frustration, and jealousy. His jealousy, not mine.
Because of Adam’s blood, he always has a hint of my feelings and emotions. If either of them could read my thoughts I’d have to leave the state, or maybe the country. I couldn’t stay within a mile of either of them.
I turn myself toward him, preparing to make conversation. When I look at his face I’m taken aback. His eyes are smoldering, and he looks like he’s about to eat me alive. My breath catches in my throat, and I shy back from him. He sees my reaction and corrects the look on his face. He even looks away for a moment. I’m startled by the raw hunger on his face. It reminds me of the first night I ever saw him. The night he caught me taking pictures of him and Rebecca he had a similar look. I wonder.
