She touched up her lip gloss again, then pouted to her reflection. “What does he care what I look like, anyway, and why should I care what he thinks?” Ariana said to her reflection in the mirror before she turned the light off and headed out the bathroom door.
Becky stood up and turned the television off. “You ready to go and eat, Hermione?”
“Who?” Ariana asked, clearly puzzled.
Becky stared at her like she had a third eye in the center of her forehead. “Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the Harry Potter movies.”
“Never been into fantasy. How things change, eh?”
Becky scrutinized her friend’s unusually gloomy expression. “Bad headache?”
Ariana rubbed her temples. “Let’s get some food. The sooner we get Rainey to help me with this, the better. I don’t think I could survive one day, let alone till Monday.”
“Monday isn’t that far away.”
Ariana grumbled irritably all the way to the mess hall.
The two girls got their trays of food and sat at the same table they’d sat at the night before. There were only a couple of people in the room and they were sitting in a corner booth, looking at a big book that had to weigh at least twenty pounds.
“What is that they’re reading?” Ariana asked.
“Oh, that,” Becky said between mouthfuls of food. “That is for advanced students in Mr. Daily’s class. You gotta be a Merlin to get in there, but the road you’re on you might be in there by next week.” Becky struggled to suppress a chuckle.
“What is it?” Ariana asked.
“Oh, nothing. Just replaying the scene when superwoman flew into my room to save the day with a can of hairspray and a lighter.” Becky laughed out loud.
Ariana tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. “It wasn’t that funny, Becky. He could have been dangerous.” Becky guffawed and Ariana threw one of her potato chips at her. “Besides, who else was gonna save you?”
“Girl, after I got done with him, he would be the one who needed saving.” Becky flicked her shoulder with her fingers twice as if to say ‘piece of cake,’ and both girls laughed.
Ariana grabbed her head again. “I think I’m gonna have to talk to that Julia woman. This is really driving me insane.”
Becky swallowed the food she was chewing. “You really don’t want to do that. She is evil, Ariana. She won’t help you with anything unless she gets something in return.”
“I don’t have anything to give her.”
“You’ve got a soul, don’t you?” Becky asked, her smile long gone.
“Uh, yeah, and I’d like to keep it; I’m kinda attached to it. Listen, Becky, I’ve been wondering about something.” Ariana pushed the food around on her tray, dreading Becky’s answer. Still, she had to ask. “Now that I’m a witch and live on an island full of vampires… does that mean I’m going to Hell?”
“No, no, no. Of course not. The whole myth about vampires not being able to set foot in a church and not being able to touch crosses is just that, a myth. We have a church here on the island. If you’re used to attending church, you can still go. There aren’t enough people on the island to have a church for every religion, so we just have the one. It’s beautiful and truly flawless – spiritual and pure, if you know what I mean. Different religions go at different times.
“Abe doesn’t allow devil worshipping on the island.” Becky stood up doing her best impression of Abe. “Anyone caught worshipping Lucifer on my island will be sent to see him soon after.”
Both girls laughed out loud and Becky sat back down. “I’ll get you a schedule. If you are working or have school when your religion meets, just tell Tiff or Rainey and they will work around it. And you don’t have to be a Wicca just because you’re a witch. I’m not. If you believe in God, then that’s fine. Even the vamps go to church. They have church at night, for obvious reasons. A lot of them got turned against their will, and they believe they still have a soul, a chance of salvation. I believe they do. Well… most of them. Not sure about Julia.”
“Is she really that bad?”
“Hmm. I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong. If she was really evil, Abe would have banished her by now. He won’t tolerate bad behavior on his island. None of the vampires who kill or turn their victims against their will are allowed here. If Abe gets wind of one, he gets the Force together.”
“The Force?”
“Psychic witches and some specially-trained vamps. They hunt down the villains, put them in a cage and when the sun comes up – poof! They turn to dust. I believe those kinds of vamps are going to Hell.”
Ariana sighed in relief. “Yeah, me too. Evil people can’t have a soul. Could you get me a schedule, please? I’d like to find out more. Do you go to church?”
Becky put the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth. “Yeah, I go on Thursday nights at ten. That’s when Catholics meet.”
“I’m Catholic, too,” Ariana said, excited.
“Great. Then you can just ride with me. I’ll show you where it is on our way to the shopping mall.” Ariana’s eyes brightened at the mention of shopping. Becky seized her chance to cheer up her new friend. “The mall isn’t that big, but it carries anything we could want: clothes, electronics, and OMG shoes. I have, like, forty pairs. If there is something special you want, all you have to do is tell Brandon, the mall manager. He’s a warlock, and he’ll put it on the list for the next incoming shipment.”
“Are there Catholic vampires that go to the same mass as us?”
“Yeah, the majority of the people there are vamps, including Abe.” Becky smiled at Ariana. Funny how her eyes changed when Abe’s name was mentioned. Like there was a light going on in the background.
Suddenly uneasy under Becky’s intent gaze, Ariana took a big bite of food. Becky smiled. “I saw you eyeing him last night. I don’t have to read minds; it’s all over your face, so you can stop pretending in front of me. Just don’t let Julia catch you looking at him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ariana interrupted Becky’s speech, eyes glued to the table top. “Abe is just… really nice looking, that’s all. It’s not a crime to appreciate the appearance of another person. His eyes… He has eyes like the ocean, kind of a blue-green that you can see through, so clear. I’ve never seen anything like ’em.”
“Uh-huh. Whatever you say, babe. I’ve been here two years and I’ve never noticed what color his eyes are. Come on, let’s go see if Rainey figured out how to turn your brain off, and collect your start-up fund so we can go shopping.”
“It’s not what you think, Becky. Honestly.” Becky made a face and stared back unblinking. “Okay, there’s no point in arguing with you anyway, is there?”
“Nope, I always win.”
CHAPTER 15
Abe had been lying in bed for hours trying to count those damn sheep. Three hours later he decided to start shooting the sheep. After four hundred twenty-seven thousand one hundred and thirty-two dead sheep, he had lost count how many times he had tossed and turned. He gave it up, got out of bed and went to the shower.
He let the scalding water run down his back for fifteen minutes without moving. He just couldn’t get Ariana out of his mind and it was pissing him off that she was this close to him and he couldn’t even say ‘hi’. How long was he going to have to wait? Abe turned off the shower, towel dried and put his pajama bottoms back on. Surely Rainey was awake by now, he thought to himself as he headed to her lair.
Abe got in the elevator and pushed the button for the basement. He noticed too late that the elevator was going to stop on the first floor to pick up someone else; he should have put a shirt on. When the doors opened his stomach shot up in his throat so fast he couldn’t say a word. Ariana and that Becky girl stood staring wide-eyed at him.
Becky found her voice first. “Sorry, My Lord, we will get the next one.” She pulled Ariana a step back.
Abe stumbled forward, trying to keep the doors from closing. “No! I me
an… N-no need. Join me, please.”
The girls stepped into the elevator and immediately Abe caught the scent of Ariana’s blood. His mouth watered and his fangs elongated. He shifted back until he bumped into the elevator wall. Abe noticed Ariana was standing very still and looking at the floor. Her hair was up in one of those clippie things, baring her neck and that throbbing jugular vein. He just couldn’t stop staring at her. Becky’s voice was rambling on in the background about shopping and different places to eat, and then he heard her say ‘Code Red’ – that snapped him back to reality. He started listening to what she was saying.
“I figure we will get there around ten o’clock. That’s when all the hot guys start showing up. I have a lot of friends. I’ll call some of them and have them meet us there so you can get to know some more people on the island besides me and Rainey.
Abe almost came undone. There would be no other guys flirting with Ariana. He was going to make damn sure of that. He grabbed the steel rail along the elevator wall and it bent under the pressure of his hand. Ariana glanced at him, then hurriedly put her head back down.
The elevator dinged letting them know they had arrived at their destination. Abe considered letting the girls get off and riding the elevator back up to his room, but Ariana’s intoxicating scent had him walking forward.
Becky pushed Rainey’s door bell.
“What time is it, anyway? It’s been so long since I had a decent sleep. This nonsense going on in my head is confusing me. It feels like it’s mid-afternoon,” Ariana said.
If this was the only thing Abe could offer Ariana, the time of day, then he would give it to her. “It’s one thirty,” he said and wondered about the nonsense that was going on in her head.
Ariana turned and locked eyes with Abe, and for a split second the world stopped turning. They gazed at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
Ariana smiled at him and said, “Thank you.”
Aw, her voice was like an angel’s. Abe took a mental picture of her smile so he could gawk at it later.
“Come on,” Becky said and pulled Ariana through the door. “Rainey said we could come in and she didn’t sound happy.”
Abe followed without another word, his eyes roving all over Ariana. Her hair was blond and he could tell it would fall past the middle of her back if she didn’t have it tied up. Her neck was slender, as was her waist. When his gazed followed the sinuous line of her hip he noticed a change in his own body; something was growing and it was unlikely it would go unnoticed. Bad timing. Damn pajama bottoms.
The girls entered Rainey’s lair. Abe stopped at the door. “You go first. I can wait. I’ll speak with Rainey later.”
“Oh, no. You’ll speak with Rainey right now. Get your ass in here, you big idiot!” Rainey yelled. “You, girls, get a coke and have a seat. I need to speak with Abe, alone.”
Abe followed Rainey into her bed chamber. Her comforter was on the floor, as if she’d had a restless night, too. Vampires could go for days without sleep, but they would need sleep eventually. Abe had already been awake since Tuesday, before he saw the love of his life in a crystal ball. It was starting to wear on him. If sleep wouldn’t come until he had Ariana in his arms, he was going to have to get her quick, before he collapsed.
He shut the door behind him and watched as Rainey paced back and forth in front of her bed, no doubt working out the best way to chew him out. He took one step towards her and raised his chin; he would take it like a man.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into her. I was on my way down here to see you and they got on the elevator from the first floor. Nothing I could do.” Well, he could have told the girls to wait for the next one instead of inviting them in, but Rainey didn’t have to know that.
“Putting some clothes on would have been a good start.” Rainey’s voice was a little too loud, but the walls were soundproof, so she could let rip a little. “What the hell, Abe? Pajama bottoms? You have no idea how you look – or don’t you care? And you just happen to run into the girl we decided was best for you to stay away from right now? Did you hit your head or something? You swore you would stay away from her. Was it not you in here just last night telling me you did not want to screw this up? The last vision tells us something bad will happen if someone makes a certain choice. Until we figure out who that someone is and what that choice is, Ariana is off limits to you, you got me?”
“Uh… I –”
“No. Just shut the hell up; I’m not finished. After you left last night I did the test on Ariana, to see if she has any witch blood in her, and guess what? She’s more witch than I am. And a mind reader on top of that. So I really hope, for your sake, that you had flowers and birds on your mind during that elevator ride.”
“Shit!” Abe said. “That’s what she meant when she said she had a bunch of nonsense going through her head. Do you think she heard everything I was thinking?”
“Every little thing, Romeo.”
“Christ!”
“Exactly. Listen to me, Abe. I want you to walk out of here while you think of anything but her. I really think the two of you look cute together, but we have to do it right or the shit’s gonna hit the fan! Not only will you scare her off, but there’s so much more at stake here. A hot guy visited my dreams last night and he says something bad is going to happen on the island. I will try and make sense of it all, but right now I’ve got to think of Ariana. She’s been here two days already and still lives in borrowed clothes. It’s time to make her comfortable. So I’m using your credit card to take her shopping.”
“Buy her all she wants; make her happy. But, Rainey, I can’t stand it much longer. I’ll play by your rules for now, but I have no energy left to fight the way I feel. And my patience’s running out.”
Abe closed his eyes in concentration and pulled his favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, to the forefront of his mind. He figured that would be something safe to think about. He stomped out of Rainey’s chamber and past the girls without raising his eyes, concentrating on how many home runs each player had hit the year before. Right before he touched the door handle, Ariana spoke.
“You like the Cubs, too? I’m sorry, I thought you asked how many home runs Alfonso Soriano hit last year. It was twenty-nine, right?”
What was with this girl? Abe thought. He was never going to be able to ignore her the way Rainey wanted him to. I mean, for God’s sake, she liked the Cubbies, he thought.
Rainey walked out of her bedroom and looked at Ariana, then to Abe. “Well, are you going to answer the girl or not, Abe?”
Abe broke eye contact reluctantly and spoke in a low voice. “Yeah, that’s right, Alfonso Soriano had twenty-nine home runs last year.” Then he looked up at Ariana, just before he walked out. “And I didn’t say it, I thought it.”
Abe slammed the door, leaving Ariana with her mouth hanging open.
Tears sprung in her eyes and she put her hand to her forehead. “He hates me. I accidentally read his mind and he hates me.”
Rainey walked to Ariana, took her hand and dropped to the edge of the couch, next to her. “He doesn’t hate you; he’s just in a bad mood, that’s all.”
Ariana looked at Rainey with a confused expression. “Why do you want the High Vampire to stay away from me? Have I done something wrong? I wasn’t trying to listen to your conversation, but I can’t really turn my head off.”
“Sweet Jesus!” Soundproof bedrooms were obviously no obstacle for mind readers, and that opened up a whole new can of worms. “How much did you hear?”
Ariana’s gaze dropped to her lap. “Just that you were mad because he was talking to me. I probably wouldn’t have noticed with everyone else’s thoughts in my head, but I kind of recognize your inner voice… and Abe’s, too.” Her stare remained firmly fixed to her knees as she whispered. “You like him… Abe, I mean. Don’t you?”
Rainey sighed. “Not the way you think I do, honey. I promise you there’s nothing like that going on. And I can
tell you Abe likes you very much, only this mess we’ve got to sort out… Well… it’s bigger than we thought. I need Abe to think straight, so I want him to keep away from anything that may distract him. I promise you: soon, really soon, we will sit down and explain everything to you – the reason I brought you here and the reason…” Rainey chose her next words carefully. “The reason you and Abe have to stay away from each other for now.” Rainey looked at Ariana and smiled at seeing her pout like a toddler who dropped his ice-cream. “You really like him, don’t you?”
Becky butted in. “That’s what I said, but she denied it. I mean you should have seen her drooling over him in the hall a minute ago, she didn’t even hear you say come in.”
Rainey shot Becky a fierce look. “Shut up, Becky!”
Becky rolled her eyes. “I’m just sayin’.”
Rainey put her arm around Ariana’s shoulder and squeezed gently. If Ariana liked Abe half the battle would be won. She would just have to figure out a way to make it work without anything bad happening. Hell, she might as well just let the two love birds go at it and deal with the consequences. “Do you, Ariana? Do you like Abe?”
Ariana kept her head down and sighed. Her shoulders drooped as she stopped resisting. “So what if I do? I’m just a nobody. He’s the High Vampire; he can have anyone he wants. Why would he even look at me?”
Rainey sent a silent ‘thank you’ to the Heavens as she stood up and picked up her purse. “You’re not a nobody, Ariana, or I wouldn’t have flown over a thousand miles to get you. I said I will tell you. Please, trust me. You are very, very special. Now…” Rainey opened the door to her lair, “… are you two ready to go shopping?”
Eternal Island (Book 1 in the Eternal Series) Page 8
