A Special Gift

by Alice Brown

  My Aunt Kate is the director of our underground elderly facility, and has been ever since it opened over seven years ago. Again, Mom played a significant role in not only getting the underground retirement village going, but also in helping to push retail shopping down there as well.

  I asked my Aunt Kate not too long ago if she ever planned to get married. Out of my father’s three sisters, she is the only one to remain single. She is certainly a beautiful lady. Her reply, “If the good Lord wants to throw someone in my lap, then I’ll think about it. Otherwise, I am just too busy to go out and try to find a husband. Besides,” she added with a grin, “who needs a man?”

  Aunt Elizabeth is the youngest of my father’s three sisters. She was only fifteen years old when she was changed into a vampire. So although she is actually in her fifties, she still looks like a fifteen year old girl. She dated Alec Storm, who is also a member of the VCTF, for several years until they finally tied the knot and married about two years ago. These days her time is divided between running the “Meals on Wheels” program for our elderly or needy vamps and taking care of their adopted daughter. About a year ago, during one of his missions, Alec found a small abandoned half-vamp child. Knowing his wife loved children but could never become pregnant because she is a full vampire, he scooped the small, scared girl up and took her home with him. Grandpa Charles helped them with the legal paperwork to adopt her. Their little girl, Jessica, is almost three years old now, and thriving under the love of her new parents.

  Rounding out my extended family tree is Aunt Jordan and Uncle Davidrick. Aunt Jordan works as our cleaner; it is her job to clean up any situation that involves vampires so humans remain unaware of our existence. Although she and Uncle Davidrick are of no blood relationship to me at all, they are close family friends, and I think of them as family. Aunt Jordan is loud, tends to speak her mind, and doesn’t put up with anything from anybody. Uncle Davidrick is about as totally opposite from her as can be. He works at the local hospital and is in charge of the morgue. I know, not a pretty job, but someone has to do it. Besides, working at the hospital gives him full access to the blood bank. That comes in very useful to our community.

  Now, back to my frustration. I am frustrated and confused on two different levels. One, my father doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge that his little girl has grown up and wants to use her “super cool” ass-kicking abilities on the bad guys; and two, my feelings toward Marshall. Or maybe I should say I am frustrated over his lack of feelings toward me. One would think with as much family as I have, I would have my choice of ears to vent to. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

  If I vent my frustrations about my career—or lack thereof if my father gets his way—then there’s a big chance that it’ll get back to him. I just don’t want to do that. And Marshall, well, since he is my father’s second-in-command and just about everyone in my family is linked to the VCTF in some way, shape, or form, I would hate for someone to slip up and say something, especially since it seems he is not going to acknowledge the mating bond.

  I did break down and try to speak to Aunt Jordan about the situation. I knew she and Marshall were not the very best of friends, but her response still stunned me. As soon as I mentioned my feelings toward Marshall changing, Aunt Jordan stuck her fingers in her ears, stated she was not listening, all the while chanting “la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la” while I continued to try to speak with her. I always knew the woman was a little on the crazy side, but her behavior still puzzled me. Then when she decided to act like an adult again, she said, “Stephanie, this is a conversation you should have with him and your family.”

  Why in the world would the fact that I am fairly certain Marshall is my mate be a “family matter”? Is it because he and my parents work together? I don’t really see where that would be a problem since we have been the best of friends for years. Unless it has something to do with the fact he is a full vampire and much older than I am. This entire situation isn’t making any sense, and I know I probably should sit down with Mom and talk to her about this, but for some reason, I can’t bring myself to do so.

  And as far as my dad is concerned, I suppose part of the problem of my working for the VCTF is even though I have all of these super cool abilities, my vampire strength has not hit me. Since it generally hits around the age of ten to fourteen years old, and I am well past that, I don’t think it will. I overheard my dad tell my mother it is probably because I have so many other gifts; the strength was evidently passed over. And just the thought of sending out his half-human only daughter, who doesn’t have any vampire strength, to fight a rogue vampire, is enough to send my father over the edge.

  But I have already helped the team on numerous missions. I’ve helped locate missing children, find criminals on the run. I even helped us win the war against the rogue vamps a few years ago. Seems mom’s biological father was also a vampire, but hated the society because his friend, and mom’s first husband, was sentenced to death for the repeated abuse of a human—aka my mother.

  And all that has done is whet my appetite, causing me to yearn to do more. Aunt Julietta and her husband, Uncle Scott, sympathize with me when Dad or Marshall throw up roadblocks to keep me from joining the team, but they’re no help. Since they both also work for the VCTF, aka, Dad, they will not go against him because he’s their boss.

  No, upon thinking this one through, I don’t exactly feel comfortable speaking with anyone I know about my frustrations. And so I go on, letting my emotions eat a hole in me, and not sure whom I can talk this situation over with. At least I have you, dear diary.

  Chapter Six

  Kevin leaned up against the headboard and gently tugged his wife so she leaned against the side of his body, her head on his shoulder. He softly rubbed her upper arm with his hand. “She hit me up again.”

  Erica knew exactly what he was talking about. “I know. I heard the entire conversation.” She lifted her head off his shoulder to look him in the eye. “And, Kevin O’Rourke, if you have a problem with our daughter working for the VCTF, then man up and tell her. But don’t blame it on me.” Giving her best impression of her husband, Erica quoted, “And I know if you were injured your mother would damn well never forgive me.” She playfully slapped him on the shoulder. “Throwing that guilt card on her was rotten, and you know it.”

  “Yes, well, I am going to end up giving in. Maybe I’ll present her with the official VCTF ring for her birthday.”

  “Honey, she is good. You know it as well as I do. The fact she can astral project is a huge help. If she is in projected form, as far as we know her body can’t be injured.” Erica tried to soothe her husband.

  “Yes, I know,” Kevin replied on a deep sigh.

  Erica sat up. “I have something I want to share with you, but you are not allowed to freak out.” She watched as her husband cocked an eyebrow at her. “And you have to promise to keep this information between the two of us,” she ordered.

  He remained motionless except for a tiny twitch in his right eye. She knew his molars were ground together.

  Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I think Stephanie has found her mate.” She stopped and watched her husband’s mouth drop open in surprise. She quickly held her hand up.

  “I said I think. I don’t know for sure. Now, this is the part I don’t want you freaking out about.” She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for this next part. She honestly had no idea how her husband was going to accept it. “I think her mate is Marshall.”

  Kevin’s face immediately relaxed as he wrapped an arm around her and brought her body up tight against his. He leaned down to kiss her and then chuckled, “You had me worrying there for a minute. I was afraid you were going to tell me it was someone like that geeky kid, Richard Moore.”

  “So you are okay with Marshall?” Erica verified.

  “Honey, the man has practically had his own bedroom here ever since she was a little girl. He has always been drawn to her. I wonder if he is
waiting until she officially turns into an adult next week before doing anything. You know, I thought about the possibility of their being mates last year when he gave her that diamond necklace on her birthday.”

  Kevin leaned down to devour his wife’s mouth. He didn’t want to discuss their daughter any longer, nor his second-in-command, who might be her mate. No, right now he wanted a little Erica for a late night snack.

  *****

  Stephanie slipped on her shoes and walked out of her bedroom to head downstairs. It was Friday, and for once she had plans. They were not the greatest of plans, but they were still plans, something to do on a Friday night. She had invited her friend, Mary, for a sleepover. Mary was a half-vamp also, and lived with her parents underground. She was one of Stephanie’s few friends close to her own age. When she had invited Mary to come spend the night, it had sounded like a good idea, something to take her mind off her own problems. Now, her mood had soured, and she wasn’t so sure.

  Stephanie’s father had installed an elevator just off her mother’s office, which led directly down to the underground community. It was like going to the next town over. Stephanie had heard the stories many times over about how her mom had played a major role in getting the retirement village up and running before she was even turned into a vampire, but that was years ago. Since then it had expanded tremendously, with full shopping facilities, a bowling alley, a large park, a community center where large parties and the annual charity ball were held, the school for the half-vamp children—although Stephanie had never attended—a medical center, the judicial system, and several other businesses all calling the underground development home.

  About a third of the vampires currently residing in the society were also living underground. Most wanted the freedom to be and act like vampires in the privacy of their own home, and not have to keep up the pretense of acting human twenty-four hours a day. In choosing to live underground, they found the freedom to be who they were. The humans remained clueless that anything even existed beneath their feet.

  Stephanie had free reign to go underground whenever she pleased, and usually spent a good deal of her free time visiting with the elderly living down there. Usually, she would stop off at her friend Mary’s house on the way home, and the two girls would sit on Mary’s front porch and talk.

  She had skipped visiting the elderly center today and had gone straight to Mary’s house instead. She could see Mary waiting on her porch from two blocks away.

  “Hey, Stephanie!” Mary called out as she waved to her friend.

  Stephanie waved back but did not return the greeting. She wasn’t in the mood for company this afternoon, and that didn’t bode well for their sleepover. She felt miserable, and now wondered why in the world she had invited Mary to begin with.

  For Mary’s benefit, she plastered what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face as she walked up the steps to the front porch.

  “Are you ready to go?” she winced at the gruffness in her own voice.

  “Sure, I’ve got my overnight bag right here; I was just waiting for you,” Mary replied in her usual bubbly mood.

  Mary hopped down off the porch steps, and the two girls proceeded to the elevator that would take them up and into Stephanie’s house. As they stepped off, Stephanie heard her mother call from her office, “Hi, girls! Mary, how are your parents doing?”

  Mary spun around to find Stephanie’s mother sitting in her office with the door wide open. “They are fine, thank you, Mrs. O’Rourke,” she replied respectfully.

  Erica smiled at her daughter’s friend, and then told the girls to have fun as she went back to her work. The girls continued up the stairs and into Stephanie’s room, where Mary dumped her bag on the end of the bed.

  “Stephanie, are you okay? You seem distracted, or a bit distant,” Mary inquired.

  Stephanie stared at her friend for a moment, uncertain. She was well aware Mary was a bit on the ‘boy crazy’ side, but who else did she have to talk to? Besides, isn’t that what girlfriends are for? Sighing deeply, she made up her mind. “Drop your mental shields. I don’t want to take the chance of someone overhearing us,” she whispered to her friend.

  She immediately started pouring her problems on her friend through a telepathic link, which she had opened immediately when Mary dropped her shields. “I know I have told you all about my friend, Marshall?”

  “Yes, he is your friend that you grew up with, right?”

  “Yes, we have always been friends. Up until recently, I viewed him as only a very close friend.”

  “Okkaaay, what has happened recently that has changed your feelings?” The thought had barely finished forming when the light bulb went off, and she suddenly knew what was bothering her friend.

  “You have feelings for him, don’t you?”

  “You must promise me not to say a word to anyone. I mean it, Mary. He works with my dad; he’s my dad’s second-in-command. I mean, if I noticed the mating bond, surely he did too, right? Obviously he doesn’t want to complete it.”

  Mary’s eyes grew huge. “Mating bond! You think you and Marshall are mates! Wow! I mean, you are so lucky! Do you know how hard it is to find your mate?”

  “Yeah well, since it is obvious he doesn’t want to complete the bond; remember what I said, not a word to ANYONE!”

  About an hour later, the girls went downstairs to see if there was anything in the house to munch on. Mary had walked ahead of Stephanie and was leading the way down the stairs. About halfway down, she stopped abruptly. Unfortunately, Stephanie wasn’t watching where she was going, and collided with her friend, nearly sending the two of them tumbling down the remaining stairs. Stephanie glanced down to the bottom of the stairs and realized immediately why Mary had stopped mid-way. Marshall stood at the bottom of the stairs, just barely holding back the laughter threatening to escape. She quickly glanced over to Mary and noticed that she was staring at Marshall as if she had never seen a male vampire before. Great, just freaking great. And I had to go and open my big mouth and share with her that he is my mate.

  “Who is that?” Mary whispered as she stood like a granite statue mid-step on the stairs.

  “That’s my Marshall,” Stephanie replied as she threw a smile down his way.

  Mary immediately whipped around and raised an eyebrow. “That’s Marshall?” With her back to Marshall, she mouthed to Stephanie, “He’s hot!”

  Stephanie, getting more embarrassed by the second over Mary’s behavior, grabbed her hand and pulled her friend down the stairs. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.” But if I catch you near him after today, I’ll make you regret ever having met him.

  As soon as the girls had started descending the stairs again, Marshall grinned up at Stephanie and said, “Hey, Steph, how’s my girl today?”

  Stephanie stopped on the last step, which put her a bit closer in height with Marshall than normally. He was all smiles to her. She quickly introduced Mary to him, happy to see that Marshall was polite but reserved with her friend.

  As soon as the introduction was over, Stephanie found herself being lifted off the bottom step as Marshall wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her, depositing her on her feet next to him. He gave her a playful hug, setting her back down on the floor a moment later. He glanced over to Mary, who was just coming off the last step. “So, are you two girls having a girls’ night tonight?” he inquired.

  Stephanie glanced over to her friend before answering. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she watched Mary openly smiling and twirling a piece of her hair with a finger as she coyly replied, “Yes, we are.” You are going to be lucky to be left alive at the rate you are going! The nerve of her. She had just opened her heart up and told her friend she had feelings for this man, and here she goes flirting with HER Marshall.

  “What brings you here?” Stephanie asked, turning her attention back to Marshall, trying to tamp down the possessive and angry emotions flowing through her like lava. She took a deep breath, hoping th
at would help. Nope, try another one. After the fourth deep breath, she finally started feeling more like herself.

  “Oh, nothing much, I needed to deliver some paperwork to your mom. Hey, are you doing anything tomorrow evening?” he inquired, keeping direct eye contact with only her. His first impression of Stephanie’s friend was not a good one. The girl was openly flirting with him. Even though he was sure Stephanie didn’t know the depth of his feelings toward her, he still found it rude of Mary to flirt openly with him. Little did the girl know she didn’t stand a chance.

  “I’ve got nothing on my agenda, why?” Stephanie responded, a bit breathlessly. Marshall cocked his head and studied her for a moment, noticing that her heart was racing. Was that because she was mad at Mary, or could it be that his little flower was finally blooming?

  “I was wondering if you would like to go check out the new underground movie plaza. It just opened this week; Joshua and Jennifer went last night, and they said it is really nice. Want to go check it out?”

  “Sure, what time did you have in mind?” Stephanie responded with a smile. As far as she was concerned, this was just another time they would spend together as friends. As much as she might want things differently, nothing ever came of it, the two of them hung out as friends like this all the time.

  “I’ll be over tomorrow afternoon. We can go from there,” he stated nonchalantly as he grinned at her. Good God, the man should come with a warning label. Why does my throat threaten to close up and my stomach gets butterflies when he flashes that smile? As far as Stephanie was concerned, he was the most handsome guy on the face of the earth. Strong build with a solid chest, dark hair and naturally dark complexion, he managed to get her juices flowing any time he was near her. Add in his silky hair that came just to his shirt collar, and Stephanie just wanted to stare at him all day. He always looked at her as if she was the only girl in the world. Now that she thought about it, she had never seen him look at anyone else that way. She certainly had never seen him give the time of day to any other female. She glanced over to catch him staring at her, looking like he wanted to eat her up. It felt like he was looking into the depths of her very soul. She smiled at him and replied, “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”