"Sorry," she said, keeping her eyes low.
"Don't worry. My feet can take it."
"I really can't dance in these heels."
"I can't dance at all."
"You look like you're doing okay to me."
"Hey, Kevin," Alex called.
They both turned to face the half-demon.
"Watch your feet. She's gonna step a hole right through them."
"Shut up, Alex." Leese rolled her eyes. "Well, at least this isn't embarrassing or anything."
"Do you want to go for a walk instead?"
Her face lit up. "Yes. I can go for that."
They left through the front door, along with a few other couples leaving. Kevin peered down the long driveway to the street ahead of them, watching a few cars leave.
"You know the neighborhood better than me," he said. "I'm at your mercy."
"Let's just walk around the house. It's definitely big enough."
Leese had trouble finding her footing in the grass, and nearly took a fall. Kevin caught her, holding her up easily as she slipped her arms around his neck.
"I swear to God, I didn't do that on purpose."
He wouldn't have minded if she did.
"Yeah, they all say that."
"I'm serious!" she said, getting flustered. "I'm really not this clumsy."
She pulled her heels off, lowering her height by three inches. She wiggled her toes in the grass and nodded.
"There. Now, we can walk."
One time around Victoria's mansion wasn't enough for them. They circled the property several times, lost to whatever was happening around them. Kevin listened to every word she said. She simply commanded that kind of attention, whether she meant to or not.
Leese was so much more than a lovely figure. She was intelligent, funny, loved to laugh. She loved working with animals, and had a job as a vet tech, not far from her apartment. She'd moved out of her childhood home a year ago, and lived with a roommate to help pay the bills.
She was amazing, and already more accomplished than he was, unless selling cell phone cases was a career goal.
"Wow. My brother's married," she said, on their third pass of the grounds. "It's so weird. He looked after me growing up. I guess I finally have to start looking out for myself. Do you have a big family?"
Kevin had kept their talk simple up until that point. He was more interested in learning about her than he was talking about himself. But he took a breath, ready to accept the challenge. She was obviously interested in him, at least he thought so. Maybe.
"It's just me and my older sister. My parents…adopted parents, they died in a plane crash when I was fourteen. My sister and I have watched out for each other ever since. But lately, I get the feeling Victoria's keeping an eye on me, too."
Leese said nothing, but her eyes said it all. She reached out and squeezed his hand gently before letting go. He could feel the tingling in his fingers, and it wasn't magic. Was it possible to be smitten so soon after meeting someone? Probably not, but he definitely wanted to spend more time with her.
"We have something in common," she said. "Our older siblings taking care of us."
"Who knows? Maybe we have a lot in common."
"You're right. We're gonna have to walk around one more time to find out."
That was the answer to a very simple question. He didn't need to have Jack's skill to know Leese was enjoying his company, the same way he was enjoying hers.
The driveway was nearly empty as they started on their next lap. He didn't know what the next phase of the night was, but the wedding reception had to be coming to an official end soon. He had to come up with something to spend more time with Leese.
It was a feeling that eluded him for a long time.
Jack was right. Kevin was enjoying the moment, as Leese walked slowly next to him.
She pointed to the deck attached to the rear of the house as they circled the backyard. It had a grill, furniture, and speakers mounted above the sliding glass door.
"You want to sit down?" she asked. "My feet are killing me."
He stole a peek at her legs as they set foot on the deck. He wished he could say something cool and flirty, anything at all, but nothing came to him. There had to be something he could say or do that set him apart from the long line of other guys that no doubt tried to get her attention.
He laughed quietly to himself. He was a witch, and was struggling to find a way to stand out.
"This is perfect," Leese said. She dragged an ottoman toward the couch and sat in the middle, kicking her feet up and wiggling her toes. Kevin searched for another chair to sit in, drawing a laugh from her. "You can sit next to me. You're cute, but I'm not gonna molest you or anything."
Kevin sat next to her, trying to push the words you're cute out of his mind. She shifted her feet, making room on the ottoman for him. He laced his hands behind his head and propped his feet up. He couldn't stop from smiling. They both looked up at the beautiful night sky, the stars watching them.
"This is the most relaxed I've been all day," he said.
"Tell me about it. Just those heels alone. I'm so happy for Alex and Cindy, but I have to admit I'm glad this wedding is winding down. I hope your day wasn't as crazy as mine."
"Eh, it was just a little crazy. But it definitely got better as it went on."
"I'm with ya there, especially now."
There was a message in her words. He turned his head to see her looking at him with those blue eyes. She didn't break eye contact, and he was aware something was happening, he just wasn't sure what. She simply smiled at him, seemingly happy just to look in his eyes. He let the moment pass. He certainly wasn't going to reach for her hand or kiss her. But they both knew at that moment they would see each other again.
"So, Kevin," she said. "I've been rambling about me all night. Now it's your turn. What do you do for fun?"
Creating magical potions and reading a spell-book probably wouldn't have been the best answer.
The door next to them slid open, catching them both by surprise. They both jumped as light spilled onto the deck. Leese put one hand on Kevin's shoulder and the other over her heart.
A pretty head poked out.
"Leese," Cindy said. "I've been looking everywhere for you. I've called your cell phone five times."
"I turned it off and left it inside. Because, as you can see, I'm out here having a great time with Kevin."
Kevin smiled and lowered his head. He would never pretend to understand the language of women. It would be like anyone else trying to interpret the words of the written witch. But he picked up the tone in Leese's voice, asking Cindy to please go away.
Cindy stepped out onto the deck, not swayed by Leese's attitude. She'd changed clothes, wearing a pair of jeans and a white Orioles tee shirt. Kevin smiled, liking the look. He could definitely see what Alex saw in her.
"Alex and I are heading out. He left his tux with Victoria. You're gonna return it, right?"
"I said I would."
"And you have the number to the hotel?"
Leese turned a slight shade of red. Cindy and Leese were sisters now, and there were times she was as protective as Alex.
"I've got the number. I've got the address. I've got the room number. And, don't forget, I've had your cell number ever since you first bought one. Don't worry, I'll survive one night with you two boinking in a hotel room. I'll be fine."
Kevin tried to hold in a laugh, and it came out more a cough. Cindy's lip curled.
"Yeah. Looks like you're doing fine now," she said, looking at Kevin.
"Real funny. Have you met Kevin? Kevin, this is Cindy, the wonderful bride, the pain in the ass sister-in-law."
"It's nice to meet you, Kevin. I hope you had a good time." She smiled at him politely as they shook hands, before returning her attention to Leese. "Okay, we're leaving now."
There was a new voice. "Not so fast."
Victoria joined them on the deck, still wearing her dress. S
he carried a wine glass with a thick red liquid that everyone present was familiar with.
"I need to borrow Alex, just for ten minutes."
Cindy sighed. "I've got things I need to do to my husband tonight. Don't be cutting into my time."
"You only need thirty seconds," Leese said.
Kevin couldn't stop the laugh that came out.
"Ten minutes," Victoria repeated. "Then you can take Alex and do whatever you have to do to him."
"I don't like where this conversation is going," Leese said. "Okay, so, we all agree. Ten minutes. Go back in the house, and leave me and Kevin alone."
She playfully laid her head on Kevin's shoulder, looking up at the women sideways with a smile on her face. Kevin did the same, and the scent of her shampoo touched his nose.
"I have to admit," he said. "This is comfortable."
"Well, get uncomfortable," Victoria said. "I need you, too."
"I had a feeling you were gonna say that."
He rose to his feet. Before joining Victoria he grabbed Leese's heels from the couch that she'd been carrying. He dropped to one knee and slipped them on her feet, just a nice gesture he wanted to do for her. The move went over well, as he caught Victoria and Cindy trading looks, and Leese smiled.
"It was nice to meet you, Leese."
It was the first time he said her name, and she was speechless, a rare thing for her. All she could do was nod at him and keep smiling.
Like Kevin, she wanted to see him again.
CHAPTER 9
Victoria could hear Kevin's heartbeat as they walked through the house. As she would have expected, it beat harder than normal. Cindy and Alicia tried to keep their voices low on the deck, but she could still hear them. Alicia was pressing for as much information from her sister-in-law that she could, but Cindy knew nothing about Kevin. Alicia's own heartbeat, mixed with the quiet giggles and swooning, made it safe to say Alicia was very interested in Victoria's magical friend.
Victoria waved politely at a few of the remaining staff as they cleaned up. Kevin was quiet as they walked side by side. She could tell his mind was far away, no doubt wrapped up in Alicia.
"Well?" she asked.
"Huh? Well what?"
She smiled at his attempt to be coy, and gestured behind her. "What do you think?"
Kevin stopped in the hall, shoving his hands in his pockets. His heartbeat actually quickened as he replayed her smiling at him. "Wow."
The vampire laughed. That was a good way to sum up a first meeting.
"Leese is a wonderful young woman. Caring, kind, thoughtful—"
"Funny, smart, sweet, and let's not forget drop-dead gorgeous." Kevin sat down in a chair in the hall. "She's probably a little out of my—"
"Kevin, if you finish that sentence, I will slap you. And you don't want to be slapped by someone as strong as me."
He laughed, and lowered his gaze to the floor. "She knows about you."
She nodded and sat in the chair next to him. "Yes. Of course she does. You see how close the three of them are, and we're friends, too. She knows about vampires and demons."
"But she doesn't know about witches?"
"No. No offense, Kevin, but I don't run around Baltimore bragging about you."
"Yeah, I know. Low profile."
She put a comforting hand on his back.
"I think she actually might be interested in me," he said.
Victoria smiled. Finally, a little confidence, even if Kevin insisted on throwing the word might in there.
"You would be right to think that."
Kevin perked up. "Why? What did she say? Did you hear something?"
"Uh, let's see. 'Dear God, do you see how hot he is?' 'Where's he been hiding?' 'He touched my ankles. Now I have goosebumps.'"
"Seriously?" Kevin took a deep breath. "Can you help me set something up? I want to see her again."
Victoria pushed away a stab of guilt. That was what she wanted for Kevin. Normal problems. How to go about getting to know Alicia. Possibly make some new friends. Figure out what sight to see next in Baltimore.
Between Jack and what they dealt with at the office building, Victoria wasn't sure how much normal was in her friend's future.
"I have a feeling you'll do just fine without me. Listen, I need you to switch gears now, okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"Today, at the airport. We have to talk about it. I'm hoping it's all nothing, but still, we have to get everything out on the table."
"Okay. I can do that."
"Let's go meet the others. They're in the basement waiting."
*****
Jack paced back and forth just outside Victoria's bathroom in the basement. The TV in the corner was on, with the sound muted. The computer at her desk showed an animated screen-saver, a wiggly little line moving aimlessly. After watching the screen-saver for ten minutes he wanted to march over and shove his fist through the monitor.
Alex was in the bathroom washing up. Jack was alone with his thoughts, with only Victoria's spacious basement to keep him company. He tried to keep his anxiety under control, but thought another break might have been on the horizon. He simply snapped at times, another side effect of being awake for centuries. He'd collapse in a corner somewhere, crying and laughing hysterically, praying for sleep, for rest, for death. Tiffany and Erica were nowhere in the area to keep him in check.
The answer was so close, just walking around upstairs somewhere, fantasizing about a pretty young blonde. His hopes lay with a nineteen-year-old who didn't even have the confidence or vision to see that a beautiful woman was staring at him from across the room. It couldn't have been an older, seasoned witch. No, he was stuck with someone barely removed from puberty, who probably knew very little of what he could do.
He slammed his fist on the bathroom wall, his lip curling in a snarl.
"Hey!" Alex called. "I'll be out in a minute."
Jack tried to cling to hope. Like Victoria said, it was good to hope again. But hope had a funny way of letting you down.
His problems were also different now. A year ago, he would have been more than happy with death. A nice, peaceful, permanent sleep. He'd seen enough of the mortal world, and had no problem leaving it behind.
Then a young girl fell in his lap, and things had changed.
He needed to stay alive, for Tiffany, and to a lesser extent, Erica. He cared about them both, and would not just leave them behind.
The witch upstairs fighting hormones had a challenge. Remove Jack's curse, but not his life. Make him mortal again. He honestly didn't know if that was possible. The magic keeping him alive, if removed, could simply turn him into a two-hundred-year-old man, and he'd die on the spot.
That wasn't acceptable.
Alex emerged from the bathroom, wearing jeans and a tank-top underneath an open buttoned shirt. He wiped his face with a hand towel, and gestured behind him.
"You need to use the bathroom?"
Jack said nothing, simply glaring at him. Alex shrugged, and walked to the couch by the TV. He stretched out and kicked his feet up, obviously comfortable in Victoria's basement.
Jack was curious about the man with the wings. He'd encountered a demon or two in his long life, at very haunted locations. He knew about the gateways leading to the spirit realm, and the far fewer leading to the realm of demons. The typical haunted houses, places of violence and despair, they could let ghosts and demons peek through to the world of the living, move things around and cause havoc.
Apparently, Alex could do much more than peek.
"Are you okay over there?" Alex asked. "You haven't stopped pacing since you got down here."
"Don't talk to me."
Alex shook his head and relaxed on the couch. Jack could see he had more pressing matters on his mind, like leaving to spend time with his wife.
He continued pacing, but stopped when he heard a hitched breath from Alex, followed by a quick snore.
Jack leaned over the back of couc
h and shook Alex's shoulder. He sat up, stunned, and tried to push Jack's hand away.
"Hey, what the hell is your problem?" Alex said, irritated.
"You don't sleep around me."
"I'll sleep if I want to."
"No, you won't. Besides, how are you gonna sex up the marriage if you're all tired?"
Alex stood up and went to the fridge. He pulled out a soda and paced as well.
"Where's Victoria?" he asked. "I can't stay here all night."
"Be patient."
"No offense, Jack, but you don't strike me as the patient type."
Jack smiled. His patience was actually the stuff of legend. Time flowed differently for him. He didn't have fatigue or exhaustion to tell him what time it was. He once spent weeks strapped to a Nazi scientist's table, undergoing examination that would make a mortal go insane. He thought he was near that point a few times, as time passed slowly. The Nazi scientists and doctors tried to cut him open, shoot him, set him on fire. None of that bothered Jack. What got to him most was the darkness as they dreamed up what to do with him. Being strapped to a table, unable to move, unable to sleep, that pushed his mind to the limit.
But he was patient.
A mortal made a mistake. They tried to cut off his tongue, and were amazed when the scalpel only barely dug into his flesh. They left the instrument just a little too close to him on the table.
They paid for that mistake with their lives.
Jack still remembered when he heard the report about Allied forces discovering the Nazi experiments, the atrocities. They discovered the lab where nearly one-hundred Nazis were murdered. Not just Nazis, but secretaries, janitorial staff, their gore spread throughout the building. Many Allied forces left the hidden lab needing therapy.
Jack wasn't fond of mortals, and he had a temper.
The basement door opened, and Victoria walked down the stairs. Kevin was a step behind her. Jack could almost see glamour shots of Alicia in the witch's pupils. He couldn't help but feel amused, though, and actually wondered if Kevin had a one-nighter set up for the future.
"Hi, guys," she said.
"Victoria," Alex said, pointing at his wrist. "I can't stay long."
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