by Jane Jamison
Hank had never understood the attraction of video games. As far as he was concerned, it was wasted time. Time they could spend working on the ranch. Still, he didn’t have anything to fuss about. Both his friends pulled their weight and more.
“She is, my friend. She is.”
Jack was definitely smitten with Sunshine Lorner. Silly name aside, she sounded like a really good woman. Pretty with all the right curves as well as a good head on her shoulders. But how had she figured out that vampires existed without running into one before? At least he assumed she hadn’t since she still believed some of the ridiculous myths about vampires. “When is she coming?”
Jack gave him a strange look. “I told you. Tomorrow around noon. I’m going to teach her to ride.”
Hank fought to keep his temper under control. Still, the tips of his fangs dug into his lower lip. “Oh? Is that so? You’re going to take the day off and leave the work to us. Is that right?”
Jack let out a curse as his last man standing bit the dust. He tossed the controller to the side. “Okay, Hank, you tell me. I meet this amazing girl and feel this incredible connection with her. What was I supposed to do? Shake her hand and tell her it was nice to meet her?”
Shit. He has a point.
“Fuck. I don’t know. But you’re not going to spend the entire day with her.” He searched for an answer. “We’ll have to split the time between us.”
“Damn straight,” said Dade. He took a swig of his beer. “Equal time and all that.”
“And whoever’s not entertaining her will be busting his ass getting chores done.” He looked to Jack then to Dade. “Deal?”
“Sure thing, man.” Jack snatched up the controller, nodded at Dade to signal he was ready to play, then started the next game. “You’re going to really like her, guys. She’s a big, beautiful woman with a brain. And blonde, too.”
Big, beautiful, and blonde, thought Hank as he walked down the hallway and into his bedroom. Their sprawling ranch house wasn’t luxurious by any means and needed some updating in the kitchen and bathrooms, but his grandfather along with others in Lost had built the house. Except for the time they’d spent away at college, before his father had fallen out of a tree and broken his neck, Hank and Jack, who had come to live with Hank’s family the year before Hank’s father had died, had known no other home than Lost.
College had been an amazing time and a major turning point in his life. In all the men’s lives. They’d been both lucky and unlucky to have been assigned Dade Weil as their roommate in the three-bunkbed-style dorm room. From the first, Hank had known there was something different about Dade, but he’d never guessed that their new best friend was a vampire.
Hank studied his reflection in the mirror. Although he kept his beard neatly trimmed, it could use another going over, especially since Sunshine would be visiting them tomorrow. Granted, he’d probably meet her after working in the field, and he’d undoubtedly be sweaty, but at least he could look as groomed as possible. He took the small grooming scissors and began cutting wayward beard hair.
Excess alcohol and vampires didn’t mix. Then again, excess alcohol and any underage college kid didn’t mix. He and Jack had found that out the hard way.
But he didn’t blame Dade. Hell, Dade hadn’t been a vampire for very long and was still learning how to control the urges. Add in the exhilarating factor of being on his own for the first time in his life, and the ability to party hearty, and Dade flat-out blew it.
The three of them had downed a mixture of alcohol, throwing vodka and other clear booze into a blender and adding apple juice to hide the fact that it was forbidden booze should anyone else on their dorm floor pop their head into the room. The dorm assistant, who happened to live in the room next to theirs, was a sneaky son of a bitch who loved catching any of the guys breaking the dorm’s rules. Little did they know that Bob-a-Snob DA was gone that weekend.
By the time they’d emptied out all the liquor bottles, they were as drunk as any three young men could be without falling on their faces. Then when Dade had started talking about how vampires were real, Hank hadn’t given it a second thought and had admitted that they already knew. Sure, he’d been surprised that he hadn’t guessed Dade was a vampire, but then again, he’d grown up in Lost. Maybe he’d just gotten used to seeing vampires around town. Still, not once had he or Jack ever wanted to be bitten and transformed.
It’s kind of funny when you think about it. We’re from Lost and yet, Dade was the vampire.
How were they supposed to know that Dade would take their casual acceptance of vampires as a sign that they wanted to become vampires? But then a drunk vampire’s thinking was like a drunk human’s thinking. Anything could happen. Before Hank or Jack knew what was happening, Dade had held them down and bitten them, changing their lives forever.
When they’d come to the next day, Jack and Hank had been furious. But once they’d realized what they could do as vampires—like compelling a teacher to give them an A—then they’d come to enjoy their new lives. The boys had helped each other learn the ins and outs of being vampires. By the time they’d graduated, they were inseparable friends. He and Jack had invited Dade to come back home with them, giving him a share in the ranch.
Hank snipped another stray hair from his beard then ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. If he had time, he’d get a trim.
Calm the hell down. You don’t know what this girl’s really like.
At least, that was what Hank told his reflection.
He’d find out tomorrow. He just hoped Jack was right.
Letting out a pent-up breath, he undressed as he headed for his bed. Not that he thought he’d get any sleep. He was still too wound up.
Would she be ugly? But Jack had already said she was pretty, and their taste in women was usually the same. As long as she wasn’t ugly on the inside, it would be all right.
She was fat. Jack had said as much. But Hank didn’t care. In fact, he didn’t think “fat” was a bad word. How a woman carried herself, how she acted and thought, her morals and beliefs were a whole lot more important than a number on a scale. Besides, he liked big girls. Big girls meant there was more of her to love.
She was smart. That was a relief for Hank. Any woman who wanted to be their woman had to have a good mind. After all, beauty would fade, but stupid always stayed.
The only other problem he could foresee was that she wouldn’t want all three of them. Even before Dade had bitten them, the three friends had agreed that they’d share one woman. They had no interest in having a traditional marriage with one man and one woman. Sharing a woman brought a level of spice to the relationships that a simple marriage couldn’t. And there was always the idea that, if she got angry with one of them, the other two could step in and soothe her over.
Sharing one woman was the way to go. Although his parents had been human and in a traditional marriage, he and Jack had seen enough ménage relationships in Lost to know that was the life for them.
But would Sunshine Lorner be the right woman?
* * * *
Sunshine found the ranch easily enough. Getting out of the car, however, didn’t prove to be as easy. In fact, if Jack hadn’t knocked on her passenger side window, she might’ve sat there for several more minutes.
He opened her driver’s door and offered her a hand getting out of the car. Normally, she would’ve told any man opening her door that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but she had to admit that it felt nice. Sexy. Even a bit romantic. “Thanks.”
The two men standing on the front porch of the house made their way toward her. She’d gathered as much information as she could last night from Hillary about Jack and the other two men. Never mind that Hillary had done her best to backtrack and say she was only kidding when she’d told her that Jack was a vampire. Sunshine didn’t buy her protests at all. But were the other two men vampires, too? When Sunshine had finally asked that question too many times, Hillary had abruptly stood
up and declared she was tired and was going to bed. Sunshine knew an excuse when she heard one. After all, the sun hadn’t even set!
“Sunshine Lorner, the one with the brown hair is my older, yet not wiser friend, Hank Challenger.”
Hank put out his hand even as he tossed a scoffing look at Jack. “Older, better-looking, and wiser. Ask anyone.”
“I figured as much.” She smiled, acknowledging his joke, then shifted her attention to the blond god standing next to Hank. “Hi. You must be Dade Weil.”
Laughter shone in his soft brown eyes. Eyes that reminded her of a puppy she’d had as a child. Yet this man was no puppy. With muscles that looked like stacked bricks, he was all male. “I am. So how did Jack described me?”
“Actually, I’m not sure that Jack described either of you.” But Hillary had.
A quick silent exchange between the men told her she’d just messed up.
“So you’ve been asking around about us?”
She’d have to watch Dade. He was a sly one. “Maybe. A girl needs to find out who she’s going to be visiting, right? Especially when it’s three strange men.”
Jack shot her a wink and took her hand to lead her away from the others. “They’re the strange ones. But don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
I’m sure you will. The question is, do I want you to keep me safe from them?
They were in the ranch-style house before she knew it. Instead of taking her to the living room, Jack led her through it and into the small galley kitchen. He opened the fridge, pulled out two beers caught between the fingers of one hand, and offered her one.
“It’s a little early to be drinking, don’t you think?” she asked.
Hank and Dade waited for Jack to get them drinks, too.
“Is it?” Jack leaned closer to her as he peered at the clock on the stove. “Hell, it’s already noon. We’ve been up for hours.”
The nearness of him swept her up, causing her to drag in a breath of his aroma. He smelled like sweat, dirt, and a manly scent she couldn’t quite place.
If I could bottle that scent, I’d make millions. Hell, billions.
Instead, she said, “Nice house.”
“Thanks.” Hank leaned against the counter. “It’s been in my family for a while now. We three are hoping to keep it that way.”
“So you guys met in college?” She took a sip, giving her a chance to look around the place.
“Looks like Hillary did a good job of filling you in.” Dade took a sip then said, “Did she tell you that I’m the one who changed them into vampires?”
Chapter Three
Sunshine sputtered, spewing a bit of beer onto her chin. “What did you say?”
Jack snatched a paper towel off the roll and dabbed her chin. “Never mind him. He’s only giving you a hard time. You know. About the vampire thing.”
“Is he?” She eased Jack’s hand away from her mouth. If she could’ve, she would’ve eased it lower on her body. “So you’re not vampires? All three of you?”
Hank jerked his head toward the living area and led the way back to the couch. “Have a seat, sugar.”
Before she could admonish him, Jack jumped in. “Don’t call her by any sweet names. She doesn’t like it.”
But maybe I do now. The sweet names are growing on me.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just something we say around here.”
Just something they say? Well, that just blows.
Hank set his beer on the coffee table and motioned for her to sit beside him.
She did, at once feeling far too large to get too close to him. Tugging her tight shirt down, she did her best not to meet his eyes. Did they think she was too fat? Ugly? Even gross? She’d had men call her those things before. Why should these men be any different?
The sickening wash of self-doubt and poor self-image threatened to overtake her. Too many times before she’d let her feelings about her body shake her. But not now. Not with them. It wasn’t as though she’d come to the ranch seeking lovers. She was there to help them. It didn’t matter what size she wore.
“Anyway, thanks for inviting me to visit.”
“If I recall, you invited yourself,” quipped Jack. “But I was working up to it, anyway.”
“You were?” She thrilled at the idea. If only she’d waited for him to ask her. “Why?”
“To prove to you that I’m—that we’re—not vampires.” He flashed a smile. “And because I wanted to get to know you better.”
She almost messed up and said, “Really?” Fortunately, she managed to keep that unsaid. “And to teach me how to ride?”
“Sure thing,” interjected Dade. “We’d be happy to take you out riding.” He took the other side of her on the couch, wedging himself between her and the arm.
She shifted, but there wasn’t any way of making more room. Instead, she had no choice but to relax and enjoy having his hard body next to her fluffy one.
“Not we.” Hank’s gaze met hers. “We have work to be done, so only one of us can take you out at a time.”
Were they fighting over who got to be with her? Or were they trying to spend as little time as possible with her without being insulting? She averted her gaze, too afraid that it was the latter reason.
“Oh, come on, Hank. Give the nose-to-the-grindstone foreman thing a rest.” Jack leaned against the back of the couch. “For the first time in a blue moon, we have a guest to entertain. And I’m going to make sure she has a good time.”
Sunshine craned her neck around and found her face only inches from Jack’s. “Seriously. I don’t want to cause any problems or make you miss work.” Even if the words “have a good time” had sent the growing warmth between her legs into a full-fledged fire. Was Jack’s idea of a good time the same as hers? She sure hoped so.
Suddenly, a ball of fur landed in her lap. “Oh!” The tabby cat leaned against her. His purr echoed into her breasts. “Aw, and who is this?”
“That is the lady of the house,” answered Hank. “Sunshine, meet Kat. Kat, meet Sunshine.”
“Kat? You named your cat Kat?” She let out a puff of derisive air. “Surely you could’ve come up with a better name than Kat.”
Jack rounded the couch. “Probably. But I guess we weren’t as inventive as your parents. How did you get your name, anyway? Why did they call you Sunshine instead of Becca or Theresa or some other regular name?”
Stroking the cat and earning its purrs relaxed her, helping to ease some of the lustful torture inside her. “My parents are a bit eccentric. Mom said I was born just as the sun came out and a ray of sunshine flowed over me.” She laughed. “Yeah, I know. Pretty kooky.”
“Actually, that sounds nice.”
She met Dade’s eyes. “Thanks. That’s the first time anyone has ever said that.”
Silence came, but it wasn’t awkward. Instead, she felt closer to them, as though a simple thing like saying her name was nice had broken the strangeness between them.
But then it came back.
“So you think our buddy Jack is a vampire, huh?” Hank took a long swig of his beer. “Because you did a bunch of research online. Is that right?”
She wasn’t certain if he was making fun of her or not. “That’s right. And then Hillary pointed him out to me.”
“I’ll bet she’s changed her tune since then,” added Dade.
She cringed inwardly. “Well, yes. But I think she’s lying.”
“Which time?” asked Jack. “And, by the way, don’t go telling her that you think she’s lying. She’s small, but she’s as tough as nails.”
“The second time. She might be tough, but she’s not a very good liar.” She faced Jack, wanting to see his reaction when she said, “And you are a vampire. I know you are.”
He groaned then looked away.
“But Jack goes out in the sun. And, although the rest of us don’t like it when he does, he eats garlic,” insisted Hank.
“Not to mention that he ca
n see his reflection in the mirror,” added Dade. “What has he done that makes you believe he’s a vampire?”
They were doing a good job of making her feel foolish. After all, she really didn’t have much to go on. Really just Hillary pointing him out, which now she had retracted.
And my gut.
Her instincts were pretty dead-on most of the time. But were they this time?
“Like I said before, I’ve done enough research to know that something real has to be behind the myths. Every nation in the world has a myth regarding vampire-like beings. And you know what they say. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Now that she had to explain her reasoning, she could see that what she had was pretty thin. None of the men fit the stereotypical vampire profile. They walked in the light. They didn’t wear black clothes and have super black eyes. Their accents weren’t thick and foreign.
Shit. Am I getting this all wrong? Do I believe Jack’s a vampire because he really is one? Or because I really want him to be one?
Yet again, her gut told her she was right. Besides, now that she was in Lost, why not see it through?
“You came to give me the cure.”
Was Jack helping her, encouraging her? She hoped so. “Yeah. As soon as my friend Walter comes up with one.” Kat leaned hard against her, reminding her to keep stroking her fur.
“And you think that’ll be soon?”
Was there hope in Dade’s tone? Could he be the vampire who would take the cure? Providing he was a vampire. “Knowing Walter, yes. And, by the way, Walter—my genius friend—thinks vampires exist, too. He’s been working on it for a few months now.”
“A few months, huh?” Jack barely kept from grinning as he took a drink to cover his amusement. “You do realize that it takes years for scientists to discover treatments, much less out-and-out cures. Not a few months.”
Irritation grew, but she fought it back. “Of course, I do. But you don’t know Walter. If anyone can figure it out, he can.”
“Do you like Walter?”
Hank’s strange question threw her. “Sure I do. He’s my friend.”
