Adriel continued his rant. “Have you already forgotten what’s happened to Caleb since he arrived here days ago? Do you think he wants to face another vampire who appears to be out for blood?”
“No,” Theo admitted in a small voice.
“The last thing he needs is to be traumatized further by you for the sake of a joke,” Adriel admonished him. “Do not do it again.”
“I won’t.” Theo turned to me, his head low. “I’m really sorry, Caleb. I was being stupid.”
“Hey, it’s okay, really,” I said. “I know you didn’t mean it, I just freaked out by instinct.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Adriel growled.
To my own surprise, I met Adriel’s gaze and said, “I’m not. He didn’t mean it.”
Tension hung thick in the air. I held my breath, briefly wondering if Adriel was going to snap at me.
Then, he slowly turned around and walked away.
I sighed once he disappeared. “Sorry.”
Theo’s eyes widened. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who caused this mess.”
Feeling shy under all the attention, I scratched the back of my neck. “Still, I feel like it’s my fault. If I hadn’t been so scared of Margaret, I would’ve known you were joking in the first place.”
“Aw, man, don’t do that.” Theo put his hand on my shoulder. “Come on. It’s not your fault she attacked you, and it’s not your fault I scared you. You’re human, after all. We’re the ones who should be careful.”
I smiled weakly. “Thanks, Theo.”
“But man…” Theo shook his head. “I’ve only seen Adriel so pissed a handful of times. Usually he’s so calm and collected. I totally thought he was gonna rip my head off.”
“Me too,” I mumbled. “Why did he get so mad?”
Theo watched me curiously. “Huh? You don’t know?”
I didn’t know what Theo was talking about, so I shrugged.
“Dude, he totally wants to protect you,” Theo explained. “It’s so obvious!”
Protect me…?
“I mean, yeah, it’s his job right now, isn’t it?” I asked.
A tiny smirk appeared at the edge of Theo’s lips. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He dropped the subject and stretched out his arms. “Well, I better get going. I feel like if I stick around, Adriel’s pissed-off aura is gonna choke me to death. Later, Caleb!”
I tried not to be disappointed that he was leaving. “Okay. See you.”
With that, Theo hopped out the window and disappeared into the night.
Leaving me all alone again.
My slightly sour mood returned as I sat on the couch. I didn’t feel like playing video games alone. With nothing else to do, my mind wandered - once again, to Adriel. But this time there was nothing sexy about my thoughts this time.
Remembering the way he’d appeared so suddenly, almost like mist, made me shiver. I honestly did feel bad for Theo, the way Adriel scolded him like that for a simple mistake.
Even if it was a mistake that nearly made me piss my pants in fear.
I frowned. Maybe I wasn’t cut out to live among vampires like Benji was, after all. Would I freak out and freeze like that every time I saw vampire fangs? Would the nightmares I had of Margaret attacking me return every single night?
But there was nothing I could do. Leaving the Tenebrae estates without Adriel accompanying me would make me free game for Margaret. Hell, even going outside the cottage without him could end in my death. Just thinking about it stressed me out. I felt like a chicken in a coop filled with foxes.
First my illness, and now this. Could I ever catch a break?
4
Adriel
If my heart could still beat, it would have been racing all night.
Following the incident with Theo frightening Caleb, the only thing on my mind was Caleb’s expression of pure terror. I refrained from closing my eyes in case that image flashed into my vision. It was a horrible, gut-wrenching feeling to know that Caleb had been so utterly afraid under my watch. In his own home, no less.
I’d failed him. I cursed myself.
As annoying as he was, I didn’t want to let him down as a protector. I was the only thing standing in the way between him and another one of Margaret’s unhinged assaults. Even though she hadn’t attempted to attack him again since the first incident, that was no guarantee she wouldn’t try it again eventually.
I had to be on my guard.
The following night, Caleb was back to work. It was my duty to escort him safely off Tenebrae property and to his workplace, just in case.
I waited for him by the front door. Outside, the air was crisp and chilly. To blend in with the humans, I wore a long black coat, leather gloves and a fashionable pair of black boots. I checked my watch. Roughly half an hour before Caleb’s shift began, and I was determined to get him there on time. I looked up the stairs, expecting to see him at any moment.
Finally he appeared and hurried down the steps. He was dressed in his job uniform, a simple button-up shirt with the company’s logo on the breast and a slim pair of blue jeans.
“Sorry I’m late,” Caleb mumbled. He seemed to be averting his eyes. Neither of us spoke since last night, not beyond any niceties like good night’s and thank you’s.
“You’re fine,” I told him. “You will be on time, I promise.”
He shot me a shy smile. Up close, I noticed how small he looked in the workplace shirt, how baggy it was around the edges - like it was the right size, but Caleb just didn’t fit. I made a mental note to investigate later.
“Now follow me,” I said.
We left the cottage for the first time in days - for the first time since Caleb moved in, to be precise. Beside me, Caleb inhaled a deep breath of air. He must have been pleased to be outside.
I led him to the garage and unlocked my vehicle, which was one of three lined up next to each other. Each respective car belonged to my brothers and I. Caleb’s eyes were wide as he glanced around at their shiny, sleek exteriors.
“Wow,” he murmured. “These must’ve been expensive.”
I shrugged. “Not with the funds we’ve accumulated over the years. But to a human, I suppose they are.”
Caleb winced and didn’t press the topic. I realized after we entered the car that I’d probably been too callous with my answer, considering Caleb’s current financial situation. I didn’t want to bring up the topic again after a long silence, but I needed to watch my mouth in the future.
“Your shirt,” I said as I drove. “It seems large on you.”
“Oh.” Caleb picked at the front of it self-consciously. “Yeah, it is.”
“Why is that?”
Caleb stared out the window. “It fit me fine before, um… before I got sick. But then I lost a lot of weight, and even after the surgery, it never really came back.”
“Why don’t you ask your manager for a smaller size?”
“...This is the smallest one.”
“I see.”
Caleb sighed softly and leaned his head against the window. From the corner of my eye I saw his tired eyes reflected in the glass.
Was it something I said? Or is that sad expression just my imagination?
“Do you like your job?” I asked after a period of silence.
Caleb shrugged. “I mean, it’s a job.”
“You dislike it?”
Caleb paused and thought for a moment. “It’s more like, I’m grateful to take what I can get. I never got to go to college, since - “
He stopped abruptly and didn’t continue.
“Since?” I asked cautiously.
After a moment, Caleb said in a quieter voice, “Since my parents died. And they, uh, didn’t really have college funds set aside for me.”
My heart clenched. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged again. “That’s life. It kicks you when you’re down.”
The mood in the air soured and I felt like it was my fault. “At least you have your he
alth now.”
Caleb turned to look at me with a strange expression. Had I said the wrong thing again?
“Yeah,” Caleb said finally. “It’s all thanks to Pierce. I really don’t know what I would have done without his help…”
“Pierce is kind,” I said. “He and Theo, they’ve always had a soft spot for humans.”
“And you don’t?” Caleb asked.
“It’s not that I don’t like them,” I explained, “but our lives are so fundamentally different. It makes it difficult to get attached.”
Caleb winced. “Oh.”
“That’s not meant to be offensive,” I added quickly, noticing his puppy dog eyes. “It’s just the reality of the matter.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
We drove on in awkward silence.
What the hell is going on? Why is everything that comes out of my mouth upsetting this boy? Is it me, or is it him?
I focused my attention on the road, my lips and grip on the wheel tight. This situation didn’t need to get any more uncomfortable.
We approached Caleb’s workplace, but I didn’t want to leave the tension in the air. I tried one last time to break it without hurting his feelings this time.
“You said your parents didn’t leave a college fund,” I began carefully. “Does that mean you would have liked to go to college, if you could?”
Caleb glanced curiously at me. “Um… I dunno. Since it was always out of the question, I never really thought about it.”
“Hypothetically, then, what would you choose to study?” I asked.
“Hm…” He put a finger on his lip in thought. “I liked science in school as a kid, but not math, and those two things usually go hand-in-hand, and I wouldn’t wanna work in a lab or anything like that.”
“You could go into biology and research things in the field,” I suggested.
“Maybe,” Caleb said without enthusiasm. “That’s still a lot of school, though.”
“This is a hypothetical conversation, remember? No need to hold back.”
Caleb laughed. “No, I mean, I’d get bored being at school for that long. Honestly, I’d want to go to college and learn a hands-on thing. Academic stuff goes over my head after a while.”
“I see,” I said. “What kind of hands-on subject were you imagining?”
Caleb suddenly went quiet. He ran his hand through his hair and mumbled, “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Nothing you learn at college could be embarrassing,” I told him. “What is it?”
“Well…” He shot me a cautiously optimistic glance. A shy smile spread across his lips. “I wanted to, um, be a writer.” He paused for a beat and the color in his cheeks deepened. “Because of your books. That’s how much they inspired me.”
He wants to be a writer… because of me? Because of my novels?
It was a sweet sentiment, of course. A bit predictable, but that was the way humans were. What I didn’t want to tell him was how difficult it could be for a new author, how much work it went into each book, the costs, the mental strain -
When we hit a red light, I hit the brake a bit harder than intended from the surprise. Even with the seatbelt on, Caleb lurched forward in his seat. “Whoa!”
“My apologies,” I said. “That wasn’t intended.”
“It’s okay,” Caleb mumbled, but he was clutching at his side as if in pain.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded.
He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Ever since the surgery, I get these random little pains once in a while.”
“Have you told anyone about this?”
“Yeah, the doctor said it was normal… Anyway, about the college thing.” He bit his lip. “If - hypothetically - I did go to school for it, do you think I would have a chance?”
I barely heard his question. I was still focused on his mysterious pain. Why hadn’t I heard about this earlier? How long had he been living like this without telling anyone? Frustration bubbled inside me. Humans, especially young male ones, were terrible at taking care of themselves!
“Um… Adriel?”
Caleb’s voice snapped me back to attention. “Sorry. What did you say?”
Slumping in his seat, Caleb mumbled, “Nevermind.”
At that moment I pulled up to the curb of his workplace. It was a surprisingly upscale convenience store, nothing like the run-down ones we passed on the way. With one look at the logo and company name, Midnight Run!, I knew exactly how everything would fit into place.
Caleb gathered his things like he was in a hurry to leave. His cheeks were tinged red and he avoided my gaze.
“Wait, Caleb,” I said firmly.
“What is it?”
“Where are you going?”
He blinked. “Um… I’m going to work?”
“Did you forget something?” I asked, feeling frustrated again. “You can’t be left alone.”
The shock on his face was evident. “Huh? But - even at work? It’s so far away from Margaret!”
“Caleb, listen to me,” I said seriously. “My brothers and I have known Margaret for longer than you and have been alive. Her behavior is not normal. We have no idea what she’s capable of. Leaving you alone, even for a second, could spell death for you.”
“But - “
The frustration welling within me turned to anger. I needed Caleb to understand the severity of the situation. The image of Margaret, crazed and out of control, soaked in human blood, flashed before my eyes. I shut them to erase the image before I looked at Caleb again.
“The last time we went hunting, she completely lost control of herself,” I told him firmly. “She doesn’t see humans as living beings, just a disposable source of blood. She’s already proven that she wants to harm you. We don’t know if she’ll go out of her way to hunt you down. Do you understand?”
After a tense moment, Caleb nodded miserably. “Yeah.”
“Good.”
“So what does that mean, then?” he asked. “You’re gonna be with me at work, too?”
“I suppose it does, yes.”
“We can’t do that!” Caleb cried. “What’s my boss gonna think? And my coworkers? I’m just a guy working the night shift, they’re not gonna understand why I randomly have a bodyguard! I mean, not that I don’t appreciate what you’re doing, and I sure as hell don’t wanna get killed by Margaret, but…”
I reached over and put my hand firmly on Caleb’s shoulder. He froze up.
“Trust me,” I said. “I have it under control.”
The anxiety in his eyes faded. “Okay.”
Caleb waited on the curb after I told him not to go anywhere, then I parked the car in the employee section of the lot. I took one last protective glance at my car.
If any humans touch it, I swear I’ll suck the life out of them...
I returned to Caleb. “Ready?”
“I guess so.” He took in a deep breath. “Okay. Hopefully this won’t be weird…”
We entered through the front door. Brightly lit aisles and arrays of colorful packaging greeted us. A few customers roamed around, picking up late night snacks.
The only thing I didn’t like was the fluorescent lights beaming down at us. I scowled a bit, but tried to ignore them. At least they wouldn’t set me on fire.
A young woman at the front counter perked up when she saw us. “Caleb! Hey!”
“Hi, Jess!” Caleb smiled and raised a hand to greet her.
“Hello, sir,” Jess said to me. “Can I help you find anything?”
“No need. I’m not here to shop, but thank you for the offer.”
She blinked, a little confused by my statement, but said, “Um… Okay. Anyway, how was your mini-vacation, Caleb?”
He joined her behind the counter. “It was good and bad. I got to see my brother, finally. And he’s, like, really pregnant. It was so weird to finally see it in person. It was like… Woosh!” He made a brain exploding gesture.
Jess laughed. “So craz
y! When was the last time you saw him, ages ago, right?”
“It felt like it, yeah,” Caleb said a little sadly. “But it’s all good now. Actually, Benji’s mate - his name is Pierce - he’s the one who offered me a place to stay.”
Jess gasped. “No way! You’re not living in that crappy apartment anymore? No offense.”
“None taken. No, I live on the fancy Tenebrae estates now.”
Her jaw dropped. “That rich-ass mansion place? You’re joking.”
“Totally not joking,” Caleb assured her. “It’s as cool as it looks, by the way.”
With a laugh, Jess said, “Cool but kinda creepy. I mean, it looks like vampires live there!”
For a brief moment, Caleb’s eyes flashed to me. Then he quickly looked back to Jess and gave a fake laugh that she apparently bought. “Yeah, totally. Just like Abyss Blood Saga.”
“Yeah!”
Watching Caleb and Jess, I felt a strange pang of jealousy. Their conversation was so lively and animated. So comfortable. Nothing like the way Caleb and I spoke when we were alone together. What did this human girl have that I didn’t? Why could Caleb get along with her so well, but not me? Was I doing something wrong?
No, it can’t be. I’ve lived decades longer than Caleb. Even if I am a vampire, if anyone should know more about human interaction, it should be me.
At that moment, a door behind the counter opened and an older man trudged out. He wore a different colored shirt and I saw the text above his name badge that read Lewis: MANAGER.
“There you are, Caleb,” Lewis said. “Good to see you in on time.”
Caleb tried not to make a face, and I shared his offended sentiment. We weren’t just on time, we were early. I made sure of it.
The manager looked to me now and put on a fake smile. “Hi, there, sir. Can I help you with anything tonight?”
“No, thank you,” I said. “As I told your other employee, I’m not here to purchase anything.”
Instantly Lewis’s expression changed. “Ah. Just looking around, then?”
“Not particularly.”
Lewis scowled. “‘Scuse me?”
Jess began to look a bit nervous, her eyes darting between her boss and I. Caleb looked uncomfortable as well, but for a different reason.
Omega’s Vampire Bodyguard: Tenebrae Brothers Book 2 Page 3
