4 Vamp Versus Vamp

by Christin Lovell

  “Give it a few days.” I squeezed her hands. “In a week, all of this will be but a distant memory. It’ll feel like merely a dream. Plus, you have a lot of us here to help you.”

  She narrowed her eyes at Jack. “Except for a certain someone who just wants to laugh at me.”

  “Oh, no, Melanie. I do not wish to laugh, but you are entertaining. That is not a bad thing. Should you need help, I would gladly give it to you.”

  “He just talks big and bad,” Gabi said.

  “Hmph. Are you willing to help me right now, Jack?”

  “Sure. With what?” To his credit, he didn’t hesitate.

  Mel’s grin was the biggest I’d ever seen; her eyes glittered with some unrecognizable emotion. “I want to paint your car pink, Jack-o.”

  Gabi struggled to stifle her reaction, one of pure indulgence. Poor Jack.

  Jack coughed; a single brow rose in a questioning challenge. “Why?”

  “Because every villain always drives a black car, and I think we should start a new trend. Plus, considering what you put Lexi through, I figure, you at least owe us a little ball-busting power.” Mel shrugged her shoulders.

  I released her hands, throwing mine up in the air, thus announcing my neutral stance.

  Jack turned to Craig and Steven. He met their gazes directly. “Forgive me.” In a flash he had Mel pinned against the wall.

  Drexel moved within an inch of Jack, prepared to intervene if necessary. Craig was next to him. I could tell he was debating whether or not to pound into Jack.

  Jack focused on Mel. “This is what power is. It’s not the material things a vamp owns; it’s his strength coursing through his veins. You aren’t even an hour into your birth and you’re already challenging a mature vampire. This is the help I’m offering you. It is a piece of advice. Don’t mock that which you can’t persuade, and never confront an opponent you haven’t observed because you’ll surely lose.” He gently set Mel back down on the couch. Turning, he came chest to chest with Craig.

  “Don’t ever treat her like that again. Perhaps you’ve forgotten, mate, but I’ve oogled your style before, and I’m not piltered to face it.” Craig’s body was a mass of tension.

  Jack chuckled, slapping Craig on the shoulder. “Relax. I meant to help her, not intimidate her.”

  “Um. I have an idea. Mel, why don’t we go make an inventory list of all the clothing items you need to purchase? That way you won’t forget anything if you get distracted by the noise.” I wanted to slide past any more impending drama. I thought we’d experienced enough over the past forty-eight hours.

  “Kiss that brain.” She giggled. “I love it. Let’s go, ladies.” Mel rushed towards the stairs, pausing at the bottom. “Clair, Gab, come on,” she ordered.

  I fell into step behind them, Drexel pinned to my rear the entire way.

  I looked at Kellan. “Have fun with the guys. Keep the peace.”

  “Thanks. You’ve really left me with a fun job.”

  I winked at him, then raced up to Mel’s room with the girls.

  We spent the next eight hours laughing, sharing, and bonding over everything from worst outfits worn to most embarrassing moments. To my dismay, Drexel didn’t seem the least bit bothered; he never exhibited any signs of impatience. Rather, he hung back silently. It was as if he wasn’t even there.

  We’d taken our time stuffing most of Mel’s wardrobe into trash bags for donation; we’d meticulously created an itemized list of what we were discarding so she could repurchase it or find something similar in a size up. I was proud that by the end of our long session, she was much more balanced and graceful in her movements. In repetitively bending and unloading her closet, she’d gained control.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to go shopping! My dad said he would buy me whatever I wanted as a sweet-sixteen present. I hate to inform him that I want a whole new wardrobe.” She danced in place, staring at the thirteen thirty-gallon trash bags set around the perimeter of her bedroom. “He’d better take me today, too, because I’m not wearing this outfit again tomorrow.”

  “You have a couple pajama pants that still fit,” I reminded her with optimism.

  She rolled her eyes. “That’s not even nice, Lex. I wouldn’t be caught dead out in those.”

  “In some ways you are technically dead. You’re human part of you is pretty much dead anyway,” Gabi stated. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

  “Such morbidity. I completely agree with you, Mel. You should go shopping today. Human or vamp, you feel better when you’re wearing clothes you like and are comfortable in. Confidence is key no matter what you are.” Aunt Claire crossed her legs as she sat down on Mel’s bed.

  “I always liked you, Claire. I used to wonder if you and Lex were actually related, but since she’s turned vamp, her style has vastly improved. I just wish you’d gotten a hold of her sooner.” Mel tweaked my nose.

  “Yeah, yeah. I may need to go shopping again, though, if my clothes keep getting destroyed.” I tried not to think of the events of earlier.

  The room grew quiet.

  “Okay. What are you guys not telling me? What’d I miss?”

  “A lot.”

  “Ugh! It’s my curse, I swear. I always miss all the juicy stuff.” She plopped onto the bed beside Aunt Claire.

  “You didn’t miss it in my car.”

  “Don’t remind me. Since you brought it up, though, what are you going to do about a car?” Mel looked at me expectantly.

  “I’m not sure, really.”

  “You can drive one of your parents’ cars if you’d like,” Aunt Claire offered.

  I shook my head immediately. “I wouldn’t feel right. It’s…it’s too close to home for me.”

  She nodded her head. “I can talk to Auggy about an army-issued vehicle.”

  “So he can keep even closer tabs on me? No, thanks. The thing would probably have interior and exterior cameras as well as a gazillion satellite tracking devices.” I chuckled despite how serious I was.

  “You’re probably right. I’m sure Kellan wouldn’t mind shopping for a new car with you, or I can go if you want.” Aunt Claire was right about that one. I think all men have an appreciation for cars to a certain degree.

  “Thanks. I’m not in any rush. It seems like I’m always with someone these days, so it’s not at the top of my list.”

  Gabi checked her watch. “Well, girlies. It’s been fun. I have to head out, though. I’ve got Bladang business to tend to.” She scowled. “That’s what I get for cutting my honeymoon short.”

  “Thanks for coming.” I gave her a hug.

  She gave the other women a quick embrace. “I’ll call someone. We should do a spa day. Maybe that’ll ease the tension of executing a few vamps.”

  Mel lifted her brows. “Do you really?”

  “It’s part of the job,” Gabi replied. “Talk to you later.” I heard her descend the stairs. She said her goodbyes to the men and left with Jack.

  “Jack never showed me my bakery lady.” I feigned upset.

  “He told me he’d e-mail it at a later date,” Aunt Claire said.

  “Oh, okay. No biggie.”

  “Those were really good dessert thingies, Lex.” Mel shook her head emphatically to further assure me of her statement.

  “I’m glad you liked them.”

  Aunt Claire stood. “It’s about time we get going, Lexi.” She gave Mel a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Take care. Try not to wreck the house.” She winked at Mel.

  “I don’t think I’m that bad.”

  “I’ll see you downstairs, Lexi.”

  “Okay.” I waited until Aunt Claire had closed the door before sitting on the bed next to Mel. “Can you believe you’re a vampeen?”

  “It seems surreal. I remember when you came back from your vacation.” She threw her fingers into the air, creating quotation marks.

  “Yeah. That was definitely an interesting night.”

  “You’re the reason I made it through, Lex. I rem
ember how poised you were. You were so well put together even though it’d just happened. And with everything that you’ve faced since then… You’re amazing. You’re the vampeen I’m aspiring to be. You give me hope. That’s how I know I can pull myself together. That’s how I know that everything will be okay. Because you’ve shown me that it will be, no matter what or who comes at you.”

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Half the time I feel like a fumbling mess, but I appreciate your sentiment. Regardless of whether you’re a human or a vamp, you’re going to struggle with something. I learned that it’s not what’s happening to you, it’s how you’re reacting to what’s happening to you that determines how it affects you. So just stay strong. It’s hard in the beginning, but I promise it does get better. You learn to tune things out.” I patted her thigh with my hand. “Are you ready for some exciting news?”

  She smiled, facing me. My arm fell to the bed. “Always!”

  “I’m going to look at a condo with Kellan. It’s in downtown and has vamp security. If everything works out, then I’ll be moving.”

  “I’m so happy for you. I’m sad for me because downtown seems so far from me, but I’ll be over all the time.”

  “Eventually you’ll move into Craig’s place. It’s closer.” I pursed my lips. “Does Craig even spend time at his house anymore?”

  She laughed. “Not really. He has a luggage full of clothes here. My dad’s set him up in the spare bedroom.”

  “Does your dad like him?”

  “He adores him. They’re opposites in a lot of ways, but somehow they’re still two peas in a pod. It actually gets annoying sometimes.”

  “That’s good, though.”

  She lifted and dropped her shoulders, her head nodding in unison.

  “Have you thought about school anymore?”

  “You know, when we were younger, I always said I wanted to be a fashion designer, and my backup plan was to be a veterinarian.”

  “You still can be.”

  “Yeah, but before I was in a rush. I didn’t want to flounder around with fashion and then be forced to rush through school, only to end up a thirty-year-old vet intern. Now, though, since I know I have essentially all of eternity to pursue it, I don’t feel the same pressure. I would actually be okay with getting my GED and then getting a job at the local coffee shop or at a department store.” She sounded wistful.

  “I’m leaning towards a GED, too. With everything going on, I wouldn’t have a normal high school experience with normal memories even if I wanted to. I’m already different. I’ve already left that world behind in most ways. It’s strange, because at first I missed it. I fought hard to have everything I did as a human, but as I’ve adjusted to my new life, embraced who I am now, I’m not as upset.”

  “How about Monday we go together to withdraw and sign up for a GED class?”

  “I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”

  She beamed. “I’m so excited for the future, Lex.”

  “You know, I am, too. It’s a little scary to think about, but I also know the unknown can be exciting. It’ll be great to see where we’ll be in ten years.”

  “How about twelve when it would have been our ten-year high school reunion? If I was human, I would have eaten that shit up. I would have flaunted my success and fashion prowess in everyone’s faces. Can you imagine Jason and Jenny then?” She broke into a fit of laughter. “O.M.G. It’s so wrong, but I’m sure Jason will end up a pot-bellied, washed-up salesman on the brink of divorce or in an unhappy marriage, and Jenny will probably still have her looks but be completely dependent on her husband.”

  I rolled my eyes. “My, my, you’re cruel. Maybe we should plan to crash the party, though.” My lips lifted with indulgent mischief.

  “Aww. I love you, bestie.” She yanked me into a bear hug. “We’re just there. No matter how different we were at times, we’ve always been on the same wavelength. I love it!”

  I squeezed her for a moment before breaking away. “Well, I have a house to go see, and you have a shopping trip to plan.”

  “Take pictures. I’ll call you later.” She ushered me out her bedroom door.

  I knew without checking that Drexel was behind us, and the guys were waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Don’t gander your yullers all in one packle.” Craig smacked Kellan’s shoulder lightheartedly.

  “I don’t plan to drain my bank account. I’m just going to look at a place,” Kellan said.

  “Uh-huh. You’re takin’ her, though, mate. Women always gidder your doughballs.”

  “Hey!” Mel ran straight into Craig, knocking him backwards.

  “Uh, I’ll see you guys later.” I waved at them.

  “Good bye, Lexi. Bye, Kellan. Thanks for everything.” Mr. Hartford opened the front door for us.

  “No problem. ’Bye.”

  “Catch you later, Steven.” Kellan tossed a hand his way.

  “’Bye, loves. Don’t piddle it all,” Craig yelled after us.

  I looked at Kellan. “He’s your friend.”

  “And look at yours,” he countered.

  “We really were made for each other.” I smiled.

  He pulled me into his side as he escorted me to his car, Drexel in tow.

  “I’ll follow you, but don’t try to shake me,” Drexel stated.

  Kellan nodded his head. He opened the passenger door for me. It wasn’t long before we were on our way to look at our future home.

  Chapter 23

  “I can’t believe my best friend is a vampeen.” I gazed out the window as we sped down the interstate.

  “Both of our best friends are vampeens.”

  I giggled. “You’re the odd man out.”

  “Technically, I did still turn like a vampeen.”

  “I love you regardless of what you are.”

  He laced our fingers together across the console of his car. He lifted my hand to his lips.

  We sat in comfortable silence until we got off the exit for downtown Charleston.

  “What’s the address?” Kellan asked.

  I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. I chuckled. “Aunt Claire texted it to me. She always thinks of everything.” I passed my phone to him.

  “We’ll be a block and a half from the army headquarters,” he stated.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.”

  “I guess we’ll find out.”

  He handed me back my phone and focused on the road. Five minutes later we’d found parking a block from the building, since the on-site parking was gated, literally, with a wrought-iron gate obstructing the entrance to the garage.

  Drexel opened the door and Kellan held my hand as we stepped into the lobby of the building. We immediately had to pass through metal detectors. The alarm sounded. A security guard, presumably the ex-army vamp, considering the speed at which he moved towards us and intercepted us. He had an athletic build that appeared a bit lanky in his head-to-toe black uniform. The scowl on his face said he meant business.

  He looked right at Kellan. “What are you packing?”

  Kellan pulled out his wallet and flashed something at the male.

  The guard lifted his chin to Drexel. “And you?”

  Drexel cut his eyes at the guard. “Don’t fuck with me, Sanders. You know I’m still on.”

  “What are you all doing here, then?” Sanders pressed, blocking us from further entering the space.

  “We’re here to look at a unit for sale. Our realtor should already be here. Claire Maxwell,” I said.

  “Wait here a moment.” He sped off to the front desk. I saw him flipping through a log.

  “It’s nice in here, minus the uptight security.” I studied the vaulted ceilings with recessed lights and modern pendant lighting. The floors were travertine, and the concierge desk stationed in the center of the space was dark cherry wood with a granite counter. Seating areas had been strategically placed, with the floor-to-ceiling windows on
the front of the building offering a nice view of the coffee house and another tall, architecturally exquisite structure.

  Sanders returned to us. “I just need to make a copy of your I.D.s, and you’ll be good to go.”

  I raised a brow. “Isn’t that a little much?”

  He leaned in a little closer, hovering near my face. Kellan tensed beside me and Drexel stepped up next to me. “From the looks of it, you need all the security you can get, little girl. The army doesn’t assign their men to bodyguard vampeens on a regular basis. You must be special. So, unless you’re going to object to me I.D.ing everyone who walks in the door, including whoever is after you, then I suggest you just hand over your photo I.D..”

  “Aren’t you a pocket full of sunshine?” I rolled my eyes, passing him my driver’s license.

  He chuckled. “I’m not all bad, am I, Drexel?” The way Sanders looked at Drexel hinted at a heated past. The only problem was I couldn’t determine if it they’d had a relationship that turned sour or if they’d had a disagreement over business.

  Drexel grunted, following Sanders to the concierge desk. He made copies of our photo I.D.s before pointing us to the elevators off to the right side. There was a set of elevators to the left as well, but I decided to follow the directions of the person who actually worked there.

  Kellan punched the call button. “Why does he rub me the wrong way?”

  I didn’t reply. Instead, I faced Drexel, watching him closely. I waited until we got on the elevator to ask. “Personal or business?”

  He pursed his lips, refusing to hold eye contact with me for longer than a second. “Both.”

  I tried to picture the two men together. They were the opposite of each other. Drexel was muscled with bulk, while Sanders had a leaner build. Drexel had short dark brown hair and brown eyes, whereas Sanders had overgrown blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Drexel was rougher around the edges, while Sanders was more polished. They both were about the same height and had equally hard alpha personalities, but I felt like Drexel would be the one to crack first in a fight.

  I slipped my hand into Drexel’s, giving it a gentle squeeze. He gazed down at me, his face a mask to the emotions I knew were brewing inside him. He faced the front of the elevator but left our hands joined.