“Huh-uh, there’s not,” Anne said with a yawn. “Now I’m sleepy.”
“Then take a nap.”
“Here?”
“Sure.” Ned didn’t mind. He’d sit in the middle of the living room, without pants, and hold her as long as necessary. Sleep didn’t matter to him and he had little else to do. He’d taken her hard and fast, now he wanted to cherish Anne.
“Are you sure? I’m probably heavy.” He leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Nope, you’re not.”
“Okay, then.” Ned watched her lashes drop to her cheek. Within five minutes, her breathing slowed and shifted. In ten, she slept with her face turned toward him in repose and her body a limp weight in his arms. He gazed down on Anne with tenderness. What did I ever do to deserve this woman and her love? Nothing. Ned marveled at what he’d gained but fear, the first he’d known in more than a century, seized him at what he had to lose. If he freed it, a tide of terror would consume him so he willed his mind still.
Through the hours of the day, he sat with Anne in his arms. With Ned’s heightened senses he focused on the beauty of the golden dust motes floating through the air. He admired the way tiny beams of light filtered through the wooden mini-blinds and danced across the floor. Anne’s breath blew against him and he heard the steady drumbeat of her heart. If he concentrated, which he did, Ned heard the whoosh of blood through her veins and arteries. Outside, the horses nickered and occasionally neighed. The clock on the wall ticked with relentless rhythm. Her scent, a combination of some sweet perfume and musk, entered his nose and remained in his consciousness. Anne’s skin warmed his always-cold fingers with body heat and the silk of her hair tickled his arm.
Ned soaked up all the small things and appreciated each. Although he’d thought Anne’s nearness would arouse him, he found it enhanced his emotions instead. A love as constant as the stars, one he thought would last as long as the heavens, filled his soul. He would’ve known total contentment if he wasn’t a vampire and didn’t need to confess the truth to Anne.
He had to tell her and he shouldn’t have bitten her a second time. One more and she’d become a damned creature of the night, but Ned wouldn’t make her one, not without her knowledge and permission. He wasn’t sure he would even if she asked because he’d always vowed he’d never wish this existence on anyone.
Although he didn’t sleep, he drifted into a somnolent state. His thoughts scudded through his mind, lazy as cumulous clouds drifting through a summer sky. Hours passed and when Anne stirred, the late afternoon heat had warmed the house.
Her eyes opened and she blinked. “Hey, what time is it?”
“Around four or so.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No, it’s the middle of the afternoon.”
Anne wiggled, sat up, and exited his arms. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. You must be so stiff. I can’t believe you held me so long. And you have to work tonight.”
He loved the way her cheeks flushed and her hair curled in every direction. “It wasn’t a problem, Anne.”
“Did you sleep?”
Did he lie or not? Ned fudged. “I got all the rest I need.”
Her brown eyes met his. “I doubt it, but thank you. I haven’t slept so well in a long time.” Anne paused and then sighed. “Sometimes I have trouble sleeping so I needed the nap. You’re so sweet to hold me and not mind it.”
Sweet hadn’t been a word anyone had ever used to describe Ned, not in any of his personas. Pea’hocso had been savage although Ned had to admit he’d had tender moments with his wife and children. He wouldn’t have guessed Anne suffered from insomnia. “Aw, I’m more selfish than that,” he told her. “I let you sleep so we can go grocery shopping when I get off, that’s all.”
Laughter bubbled from her mouth and her smile outdid the sunshine. “I’m looking forward to that. I can’t wait to fill your cupboards with something to eat. I need to go so you can get ready for work, but looks like I’d better redo your braid. It’s a little mussed.”
Her hands in his hair ignited wildfire and Ned feared it might erupt again. “I can do it.”
“Oh, no you won’t. Get dressed and I’ll braid it before I leave.”
It took every ounce of willpower Ned could summon not to make love to her again. He steeled himself to enjoy her touch without yielding as she braided his hair. Dressed in his work uniform, he kissed her before she walked out the door. “I’ll be by to get you around three-thirty or so.”
Anne nodded. Her fingers fluttered up to touch his lips and he put butterfly kisses on each one. “I’ll be ready. See you later, Ned.” She paused and then said it, the words pouring power and strength into his soul. “I love you.”
Maybe because his first language meant the most or perhaps because he’d said it to her first in Comanche but Ned gave it back in his tongue. “U kamkuto nu.”
He lit a cigarette and watched her leave, the smoke curling in slow spirals toward the ceilings, the tobacco rich and full on his tongue. But it was nothing compared to the emotion brimming in his heart or the anguish at the secret he kept.
Chapter Seven
Ned welcomed November because daylight savings time ended and the days grew darker. In life, he’d preferred the spring and summer but as a vampire, he liked winter. By the time the prairie tall grass turned from green to burnished gold, his relationship with Anne had deepened into something richer than he’d ever known. He cared little for the conventional notion of marriage. He didn’t need some holy man to bless their union or to put a ring on Anne’s finger. The harmony they shared and the love between them mattered more than outward trappings. Ned delighted in being in one accord with her. His soul beat in rhythm with Anne’s heart when they lay together.
In the early evening dusk, he often stopped by her apartment. Most mornings, they shared coffee before she headed to campus and she spent every weekend at his place.
On the second Saturday in November, Ned watched her sleep, curled under a blanket in his bed, and willed her to wake with his mind. Come on, Anne, I gotta go when Gary gets here. Ned’s bow and arrows waited by the back door and his buddy would show up any time. As if she heard him, Anne’s eyelids fluttered open. “Hey,” she whispered. “What time is it?”
“Almost time to go deer hunting,” Ned told her. His ears caught the whine of steel belted tires on the main road. “Gary’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“What time will you be back?”
“I don’t know, noon at the latest, probably earlier.” Clouds colored the skies leaden gray. Ned figured it’d rain or snow in a few hours. Ahead of the weather, the deer should be active but once the precipitation started, they’d hole up somewhere.
“Okay. I think I’ll sleep a while longer.”
“Sure, honey.” He’d started using the endearment for want of anything better. It pleased Anne. “I’ll see you in a little while.” Ned bent down to kiss her and as he walked through the house, the heat of her mouth lingered on his.
Wind chill enough to penetrate his cold-blooded body whistled through the open country. Ned led the way, feet moving through the dry grasses without a sound. Although he lacked visuals, he knew the deer were ahead and to the right. He caught their scent on the stiff breeze and swore he could smell them. Gary followed and without turning around, Ned followed his friend’s advance through the noise. Gary’s boots crunched against the frosty grass and as they moved into a thicket, closer to the game, he managed to snap twigs in his path.
Ned held up one hand. He could see the band of deer, six or seven of them. They huddled in the shelter of a large rock. He fitted an arrow to his bow and fired. It arced through the space and hit the deer on the side. Blood appeared but the deer took flight as the rest of the small herd scattered. “You got her,” Gary whooped. “Looks like a heart or lung shot!”
“Heart,” Ned said. He slung his bow over one shoulder and loped after the creature. Without waiting for his friend to catch up, he darted through the
brush and tracked the wounded deer. By the time he caught up with it, snow drifted down from the heavy sky and the deer dropped to its forelegs as he watched. It pitched over dead, dark eyes staring upward so Ned cut the throat so it’d bleed out. The warm rush of lifeblood tempted him and he tasted it. Although not as satisfying as human, it’d do in a pinch and with his energy flagging, he needed some so he drank. Then Ned wiped his mouth and swigged water from the canteen at his belt. His vampire moment passed and he focused on the kill. As he waited for Gary, he eviscerated the doe. When his buddy didn’t turn up, Ned lifted the deer across his shoulders and headed back toward where they’d left the truck. The snow thickened until he couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead but he emerged at the vehicle. He chucked the deer into the truck bed and climbed inside.
Gary startled. “Damn, I wish you wouldn’t do that. I didn’t know you were even here … you scared the crap out of me. Did you find the doe?”
“Yeah, I got her. She’s in back. Any luck?”
“Naw, they scattered and I hadn’t found any more. I damn near froze though, waiting for you to come back. I tried to follow but I couldn’t track you or the deer.”
Ned laughed. “It shouldn’t have been so hard, man.”
“It was for me. Want to take your deer to the processor?”
He hesitated. He could do it but it’d take hours. “Yeah, thanks. Can you drop me at the house?”
“No problem, if that’s what you want. I thought maybe we’d go grab a bite in town, though.”
“Anne’s probably cookin’ something. You’re welcome to eat with us, Gary. She won’t mind.”
Gary shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t want to intrude or anything.”
“You won’t be. The deer can wait.”
Both men laughed. Ned hung it from a tree out back and came in through the back door, mindful to wipe his feet. Anne fussed if he didn’t. Anne stood at the stove, briskly stirring a pot but she turned. “You’re back. Did you get a deer?”
“Yep, I took a good-size doe. Something smells good.”
“It’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and gravy. I decided it was time you tried poultry.”
The aroma smelled delicious but Ned wrinkled up his nose. Comanches hadn’t eaten birds back in his day and he’d never bothered to try any since. He’d never thought he’d like the taste, but Anne raved about her fried chicken until he’d promised to try it sometime. He hadn’t expected it to be now. “All right, but if I don’t like it, don’t be offended.”
He leaned to snitch a kiss but Anne pulled back. “You’re filthy. Is that blood?”
“Yeah, but it’s not mine.”
She laughed. “I’d hope not. Hi, Gary.”
“Hey, Anne.”
“Since you’re clean, I suppose you didn’t kill a deer.”
“No, I didn’t. Is the coffee fresh?”
“Sure,” Anne said. “Want some? Ned, do you?”
“No, I’ll go shower, honey. I’ll drink some when I come back.”
Modern plumbing ranked at the top of Ned’s list of favorite conveniences. He could do without most technology, but he enjoyed a good, hot shower or a long soak in the tub. He scrubbed off the blood and grime. On his way into the kitchen Ned heard some of the conversation so, shameless and curious, he paused to listen.
“The coffee’s great, Anne,” Gary said. “I about froze waiting for Ned to come back with the deer. I tried followin’ but I lost him. He’s about the best damn tracker I’ve ever seen. Even for an Indian, he’s better than most.”
“Really?” Anne sounded interested. “I thought maybe all Native Americans could.”
Gary snorted. “Most guys today aren’t any better than some city slicker, but Ned, he’s like a reincarnated Comanche warrior sometimes.”
“I see the same thing,” Anne said. “He’s got old ways, but I like that. He doesn’t talk much about his childhood, but I guess he must’ve been raised different. His family must’ve been very traditional. You’ve probably never seen the pictures, but Ned looks enough like Pea’hocso, one of the last free Comanche who surrendered with Quanah Parker, to be his twin brother.”
“Really? I’d like to see it sometime. You ought to see Ned in powwow regalia. He won’t dress or do it very often but when he does, it’s amazing. He looks more authentic than anything Hollywood ever dreamed up.”
Ned shuddered but he wasn’t cold. He’d never realized the two people closest to him saw through his modern mask. He wondered if they’d start comparing notes on his usual pallor or other odd habits. Before they could, he strolled into the kitchen. “I’m ready to eat.”
Anne turned to him. “Kiss the cook and I’ll feed you.”
Ned slid an arm around her waist, the other rested on her shoulder. “You don’t have to ask twice.” He inhaled her feminine scent, stronger at close range than the food aromas. God, he’d missed her while he tracked deer through the snow.
He touched his lips to hers then worked into a kiss. Her hands, encased in oven mitts, went around his neck as she responded. If Gary hadn’t been present, Ned figured dinner would’ve been on hold. “Let’s eat, then,” Anne said.
She put the platter of crisp chicken pieces on the table and brought the other dishes. Ned filled his plate but leaned down to sniff the chicken thigh he’d selected. Then he forked the skin free and munched it. The fried fat melted on his tongue, surprisingly good. “I like it so far,” he told her.
“Try the meat,” Anne said.
Ned used his fingers to tear off a hunk and put it in his mouth. The succulent chicken didn’t taste as bland as he’d expected. He liked the tenderness and the subtle flavor. He liked the seasonings she’d used, too. “It’s pretty good,” he said.
Her grin went full wattage. “I knew you’d like it!”
Gary reached for another piece. “This is damn good if I say so myself.”
“It is,” Ned said. He took a drumstick and bit into it with relish. “I never thought I’d eat any bird, but this is good, Anne.”
“I’ll introduce you to turkey, next. Or, you can just come home with me for Thanksgiving and try my mom’s. She’s a better cook than I am.”
A chunk of chicken went down the wrong way and Ned choked. They’d had the same conversation before and he had yet to change his mind. A family gathering was no place for an ancient Comanche vampire. On another level, though, he wanted to be there. “You know I’d like to, honey, but I’ve got to work and besides, I’m not sure your bunch is ready to meet me.”
Anne’s smile lost most of its sparkle. “I told you they’d welcome you like family.”
“I know, Anne, I believe it.”
Gary finished his third piece of chicken and scraped his plate clean. He stood up. “I’m taking off. Need to get your deer to the processor and I’ll leave you two to talk about the holidays. See you tonight, Ned.”
He swallowed a mouthful. “Yeah, see you at work. Thanks, Gary.”
“Don’t mention it and good luck.”
Damned if he wouldn’t need some. As soon as Gary exited through the back door, Anne frowned. “I really hoped you’d consider coming home with me.”
Ned could stalk a deer, kill it with a single shot, ride bareback and put any rodeo rider to shame, but dealing with an irate woman daunted him. “Anne, I did and maybe sometime I can.”
Anne finished her last bite and put her silverware diagonal across the plate. “Christmas would be good. You’ve got plenty of time to ask for a couple of days off work. But if you’re not going with me over Thanksgiving, I’m not going home. I want to spend the holiday with you.”
He stopped eating. Guilt seized him with sharp fingers. He’d known Anne loved him and he felt the same, but the depth of her emotion hit hard. If she’d forgo a family visit to be with him, he ought to tell her the truth.
He’d struggled with the right way to say it for weeks but never could manage to find a way to get the job done. His battle must have
shown in his face because Anne’s frown deepened as she stared at him. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s something I really need to tell you.”
He almost told her, came closer than he ever had but then he didn’t. The genuine concern in her face warned him off and the fear of ridicule kept him silent. “What is it?”
Ned blurted out the truth but not the biggest one. “I’m off all this week, after tonight. Gary and I both are so we can go hunting. I asked for the time off a long time back, way before I met you.”
Her taut shoulders relaxed and she laughed. Her smile came back, too. “Is that all? I thought you had some ugly secret or something. I’m glad you’re not working. You can come help me at the blood drive.”
One word stood out to him but he said, “Blood drive?”
“The Red Cross is having a blood drive on campus for two days, Thursday and Friday. I volunteered to help. It’s a good cause, really.”
He’d heard of such events but he’d always kept a distance. Too much temptation, he’d thought. “So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet, but in the past I’ve taken the information from donors or even put the bags of blood in the cooler.”
With an effort, he tried to sound jokey. “I guess you don’t get to stick the needle in the veins or anything.”
Anne shook her head as an odd expression flitted across her face, then vanished. “No, nurses and trained staff will do that. So will you?”
“Will I what?”
“Come to campus and hang out with me while I volunteer. You don’t have to do anything but keep me company. You could meet some of my colleagues.”
He’d avoided getting acquainted with her circle of co-workers and friends. The fewer people he interacted with, the smaller the chance someone might find his manner strange or question his actions. But Anne wanted it and so, for her sake, despite his misgivings, he agreed. “Okay, I’ll come for a while, depending on the weather.”
The Comanche Vampire Page 9
