“-It's when I changed. It's the same for vampeals and vampires both. The first day you change is a day to remember and celebrate.” Kyli sighed. “Even if it's not exactly a memorable occasion, it's still something to enjoy after the first year in which it happens.”
“So when do you-” Zack was cut off again.
“It's when I got my period, Zack. Are you happy?” Kyli shouted at Zack.
Zack said nothing.
“Or in your case when yours balls dropped.” Kyli was tearing into Zack now. She popped her head out from her closet mirror. “Oh, that's right, you haven't reached that point in life yet.” Kyli's words cut deep.
Zack slowly got up, again. He braced himself with his arm and sat down on the couch. He remembered what Kyli had said about when she had turned and how she had violently attacked her friend. He was distraught. He had poorly misjudged the situation and her. Kyli was right to attack him.
Kyli finished her makeup, she was surprisingly fast. “God, I love being a vampeal.” Kyli was vividly entrancing. Dark black eye shadow heavily lined her eyes. Her lipstick was thin and bright red. She had applied a small amount of rouge and was showing a beautiful amount of color.
Zack stared at Kyli, she was a “Fox.”
Kyli stopped moving. “What did you call me?”
Zack thought about how he should respond, thinking of what Kyli might say if he told the truth. Kyli might hurt him again. She might do a lot of things, but Zack thought for a moment, he thought hard. It didn't matter if she didn't like what he had let slip out, he meant it. She was damn sexy and he wanted to let her know it. “You are a fox.”
Kyli looked at Zack with an odd expression that she was never known to use, she was startled. Honestly jolted by what Zack had said. She was speechless.
Zack continued. “You look fantastic, Kyli. I want you to know that.” She was still and silent. “The reason why I was jealous was that I wanted to be with you. I mean that I want to be the guy beside you tonight when everyone in the room is staring at you, knowing that I'm the one you chose to be with. Because, Kyli, I want you.”
Kyli smiled. Zack had said the right thing this time. With great speed, she ran into her bedroom and returned with a set of folded black clothes. “Here.” She tossed them on the couch next to him. “These are for you.”
It was a full set of men's clothes, a new suit in fact, that appeared to be in Zack's size. She was expecting this and Zack had just realized it. She had a large grin while Zack scoffed. “You had this planned, didn't you?”
“Of course I did, Zack, you know me well enough to know that.” Kyli's face relaxed and calmly she spoke again. “Now get dressed, a table for eight isn't easy to hold at Claire de' Monse'.”
“For eight? Who else is coming?” Zack asked while taking off his shirt.
“You, me, my dad, Cherry, Ellen, Crystal, Grey, and Marin.” Kyli rattled off the names as Zack put on the white buttoned shirt and black silk tie.
“Marin? Why is Marin coming?” Zack removed his shoes and socks.
“Marin is still my favorite musician, Zack. Even if he is going to kill you in a few days.” Kyli said as Zack put on the black socks and shoes.
Zack looked down at his pants.
“Just take them off, you have underwear on right?” Kyli looked Zack in the eye and he nodded. “Then here.” Kyli pulled his pants down and handed him the black dress pants for the complete suit. Zack pulled them up and zipped them shut.
“What about a belt?” Zack asked while scanning the pants for approval.
“Stand up.” Kyli commanded.
“Why?” Zack questioned her.
“Do you want to come or not?” Kyli gave him the ultimatum.
Zack stood up. “So?”
“Look down and check them out.” Kyli smiled.
Zack's pants fit great and looked amazing. There weren't loops for a belt at all. It was tailored to him. “Oh.”
Kyli handed Zack one more item. A pure black satin blazer to match Kyli's stockings. “Let's go.”
Zack and Kyli left downstairs for the reservation at Claire de' Monse'. Zack had heard of the restaurant in the past. It usually was only for celebrities that came into town and rich senators that were visiting. All Zack could think about on the way over was if he was going to be paying his own bill. Most plates were the cost of his dad's paycheck. Zack was worried how much it would cost.
As they drove past the valet parking in the long black Roadmaster, Zack noticed the limo Marin and Yugo had invited him into a few weeks ago. There were many expensive cars around it, including a cherry red, 1960s two door convertible Maserati. Zack had the impression that he was in for an interesting night.
The valet opened Kyli's driver's side door first, then Zack's. She had apparently been there before and they knew she drove her own car. Zack and Kyli were ushered in by the host personally. Everyone was wearing black and white. It was a very formal scene, completely alien to Zack. Even the hostess was wearing a modest black dress. All the hostesses Zack had ever seen had been either wearing a white tank top with an owl on it, or a bandanna as a shirt. John, his father, was a fan of western road houses and hot wings.
“This way Ms. Waterfield, Mr. Giver.” The female hostess invited them into the center of the restaurant.
Zack could see six people sitting with two seats open to the left of Kyli's father, David. Zack recognized David, Ellen, and Marin with ease. There was a young woman in a full dark red pants suit with a white shirt and red tie. He imagined this was the well connected Cherry, Marin had mentioned when they met the psychic. She was to the right of David. Next to her was a man in his mid thirties with an ostentatious flare about him. He wore a large thick spiced fur coat that appeared to be made of rabbit. He had short reddish ginger hair and several freckles. He looked somewhat short next to Cherry and especially next to Ellen to his right. Ellen was dressed in the same suit he was in three weeks ago. His hair seemed straighter then normal somehow. Zack didn't think anything of it. There was a glow about him. To Ellen's right was a peculiar man. He had dissembled attire. He was wearing a full gray outfit. Not a suit, but a long gray trench coat with a very large forties style fedora hat, also in gray. It was so large that it hid his eyes and Zack could only see his pale skin on the exposed hands that were crossed above the table. To his right was Marin, next to the other open seat destined for Zack.
“Glad you could make it, Kyli.” David nearly ignored Zack.
Marin tipped his head towards Zack, to acknowledge him.
“Yes, good to see the young love birds in their prime.” The young lady in the red suit stood up and clapped twice. “I'm Cherry. Nice to meet you Zack.” Cherry seemed circumspect to Zack. She waited before she extended her hand to Zack. She appeared to be about five foot five and around the age of fifteen. She had a provident way of conducting herself. Her hair was a crisp short red, often referred to as a pixie cut. She was thin and seemingly athletic.
Zack shook Cherry's hand, it was soft, cold, and dainty, a contrast to her defined physique. She had a mollifying nature. “It's a pleasure, Miss Cherry.”
“I see you've taught him some manners.” David interjected with delight.
Zack was being picked on again and he knew that if he wanted to impress Kyli, he needed to go through the motions. “And I'm sure I can learn much more, she's a great teacher.” Everyone was pleased with Zack's answer.
“Kyli, I'm happy to see you've worn that dress. It's stunning on you dear.” The man in the large fur coat spoke up. He had a thick Irish accent. He acted a bit girlish in his mannerisms, leading Zack to believe he favored men more than women. He was flagrant about his body language too, hanging on Ellen as if he was a hand bag accessory, locked arm in arm next to his chair.
“I love it, Crystal. Thanks for making it in such short time.” Kyli smiled, then bowed her head slightly.
“Don't thank me dear, thank Ellen. He barked at me for thinking of telling you no.” Crystal said, sm
iling at Ellen.
“A day to make a dress from scratch seemed a little too harsh. I wanted him to spend more time at home rather than on the commission.” Ellen explained.
Zack felt more and more apart from the group as the conversation went on. There was a camaraderie there he did not possess. He peered down at his table set and could see no menu. There were only glasses of water placed for each person, Zack found this very odd.
A waitress came to the table and began to take orders. She was dressed in a sleek nearly transparent cocktail dress that caught Zack's eye. She took Kyli's order first and proceeded to David and then around the table.
Cherry noticed Zack's wandering eyes and interrupted him. “So Zack, what do you do for a living?”
Zack recognized that Cherry was saving him before Kyli realized Zack was checking out another girl. He sighed and smiled. “I'm a student. I'm thinking about working at the movie theater though. Great night shift.”
Cherry laughed heartily. “You would say that.”
Marin cracked a small grin. “Do they offer medical?”
Marin's dark little joke was not taken in good humor by the majority of the group. David drank the rest of his water. Kyli glared at Marin silently. Cherry rolled her eyes away from the awkward scene. Ellen and Crystal bit their lips at the same time. And the man in gray at the other end of the table began to chuckle. It started as a light sound and quickly grew to a very audible laugh.
“You might just need it in a few days, kid.” The man in gray tilted his head back and laughed more. Slowly regaining his composure, he continued. “But I don't think a doctor is going to be able to help you as much as you're going to need. Maybe if they offered a life insurance policy?” He cachinnated.
Zack and the rest of the group didn't know what to say. Marin's little joke was uncouth, but it wasn't as mean as this one.
Zack stood up and placed his hands flat on the table. “And who the hell are you to laugh at my death?”
“Me, I'm Grey Gibbons.” He said in a polite manner, a little out of character considering his last statement.
Zack didn't take the explanation easily, he stood tense with irritation.
“Relax kid, I'm one of the good guys.” Grey spoke with an older, thirties style accent. Sounding more like a fictional Dick Tracy than a shady man living in the present day. His hat tipped up revealing his pale white face. He was in his late twenties. His teeth were small and sharp, Zack got a clear view of a set of vampire fangs as he spoke. His hair was short and dark. His face was small, his jaw line was thin and lightly defined. His eyes were a bright green, almost luminescent in the restaurant atmosphere.
“Don't mind him, he's the nettled one of the bunch.” Crystal mentioned.
Grey shrugged at Crystal, then turned to Zack. “Besides, I'm the one who found out your boy here is gonna whack you a few months ago in the first place. If it wasn't for me you'd be dead by now kid.”
Zack sat back down. This new release of information settled Zack's nerves. Grey was not a mean person, only intrinsic.
David leered at Grey. “Don't tell him more than you should, Grey.” David spoke with authority, leading Zack to believe Grey was under his employ.
“What he means to say is stop bragging, dammit.” Cherry made light of the situation.
“I can't help it doll, he's just so young and impressionable.” A comment that seemed off coming from Grey. There wasn't a single person at the table physically over the age of thirty. Even if Grey was a vampire he still appeared to be no more than a family friend that happened to work for them.
As Zack calmed down he asked Grey as he sat down. “What do you do Grey?”
Everyone at the table except for Zack and Grey chuckled as if they knew what was coming next, yet were going to let it continue regardless.
Grey smiled, cocked his head to the right sharply and suddenly. Then answered Zack's question with grandeur, boasting about what he was. “Me, I'm a dick.”
Kyli hung her head down. She had heard this punch line many times before. It was the most embarrassed Zack had ever seen Kyli.
“So you're a dick, I already knew that.” Zack's petty come back was easily foreseen and everyone else at the table could tell where this was going except Zack.
“I find the people that don't want to be found, kid. That includes Marin or anyone else that might need locating.” Grey winked his right eye at Zack. He was hinting towards something. “As you can tell, I work for the chairman over there.”
“Shut up Grey.” David said nicely.
“Don't mind him, you've never worried about his rants before.” Cherry was a voice of reason at the table.
“As I was saying.” Grey smiled at David. “Put it all together and you get me, kid.”
“What a personal blood hound?” Zack replied.
Kyli tapped Zack's left ankle with her foot. Not so much as hurting him, but to inform him not to egg Grey on.
Grey cracked a smile. “Close, kid, damn close.” He shook off the comment. “I'm the pet dick.” Grey said proudly.
Ellen covered his mouth with his left hand, his clement resolve refusing to let him laugh. Crystal burst out with a loud chuckle. Kyli shook her head in disapproval. David held his forehead in his hands in disbelief. Cherry sighed. Marin, the only one not to react emotionally to Grey's off company joke, offered a smile towards Zack and patted him on the right shoulder.
“Why is it the only one consoling me is Marin?” Zack found it quite ironic that his eventual assassin was the only one offering him solace in his moment of social unrest at a dinner table full of recent acquaintances.
Ellen spoke up and leaned in towards Zack. “It's because Marin has the heart to get to know you before he commits to anything.” Ellen smiled. “He won't truly act until he knows who you are inside.”
“He says the sweetest things when he wants to.” Crystal complemented Ellen as he squeezed his arm.
"Please forget about Grey's badinage. We do." Cherry instructed Zack.
The waitress came back with a round of drinks for everyone except Zack. Everyone had high class drinks such as smooth vodkas or temperate wine. She handed Cherry a warm old wine. David received a cold Champaign. Crystal had a bourbon and Ellen a virgin martini. Marin had a wet martini and Grey a dirty martini. Kyli had a cherry seltzer, but there was nothing for Zack.
“Excuse me, you never asked me for my drink order.” Zack asked the waitress, thinking he'd been left out.
The waitress hid a small grin. “No Mr. Giver, I haven't forgotten about you.”
Five other waiters made their way over towards the table. Two of them were carrying a large white pitcher with a single tall glass beside it.
“What's that?” Zack dared to ask.
“It's your drink order.” The waitress explained kindly. “Ms. Waterfield ordered ahead for you. It's a gallon of chilled whole milk.”
Everyone including the waiters clapped in celebration.
Kyli put her hand on Zack's left knee. “It's to honor your turning day. I never really told you my congratulations, so here it is. Plus some comfort food.”
“Swallow the blood like milk eh?” Zack's comment was meant in good fun.
Marin froze as Zack's words entered the air. Everyone saw it as a lively inside joke between Zack and Kyli, with no further meaning, except for Cherry and Marin. Cherry stopped smiling altogether. Marin knew to read into it farther and remember to tell Yugo of its significance later. Yugo had told Marin to keep an ear out for that exact phrase. It meant the demon had presented Zack with a true temptation. Something the demon might be able to force on him if Zack were to get into a pinch.
Zack noticed Marin's blank face. “What's the matter?” He was oblivious to Cherry.
“I forgot to ask you something, that's all. Don't worry about it for now, enjoy tonight. We'll talk later.” Marin was being very personable to Zack. It was strange.
David stood up and raised his Champaign glass high. “Here's
to the day some say changed our lives.”
Everyone cheered with their glasses high as they drank to the toast.
Cherry stood up. “And the damn bastard that crammed it down our throats!”
Grey clapped, appreciatively. Ellen coughed, rolling his eyes. Crystal followed the applauses. Marin put his hands together twice, yet made no sound. David sighed and finally Kyli stood up.
“I second that!” Kyli announced.
Everyone drank again and David sat back down. Kyli and Cherry followed suit and quickly settled down. The waiters brought out everyone's main course. Once again, Zack was never asked for his order. David was served first, a large steak dinner with onions and mushrooms. Kyli had two small rib eye steaks, very rare. Cherry had a very well done half rack of ribs. Crystal had a medium porterhouse steak that he shared with Ellen. Grey had a club sandwich with extra sliced pickles on the side. Marin was given a plate of raw liver and onions. Once again, Zack was given nothing.
Zack put his hand on Kyli's leg to get her attention. Not realizing how high he was aiming, it landed on her right inner thigh. This definitely got her attention.
“Zack, when did you grow guts?” Kyli remarked.
Zack thought Kyli's response was odd, until he figured out where he had placed his hand. A chill ran down his back and caused his arm to subtly shake for a second. “That's not what I meant.”
“Then keep not meaning it, that felt good.” Kyli said with a pleased expression on her face. “Where'd you learn that? Too many video games? That vibration hit everything right.”
Kyli's leg was smooth and warm. The black silk stockings added to Kyli's already lustful physical presence before Zack. He forgot why he had wanted to talk to her. Suddenly all that remained was the feeling to keep stroking Kyli's thigh.
“And what did you want again?” Kyli asked.
Zack didn't say anything.
“Are you going to take this any further?” Kyli inquired to Zack. Hoping he'd say yes.
A part of Zack knew what he was doing was brazen and risky. He wanted to continue. “And what if I said, yes?”
Kyli placed her hand over Zack's and stopped him. “Let's not do this here.” Kyli slid Zack's hand out of her lap and off her leg.
Demon Vampire (The Redgold Series) Page 41
