of his cottage. “Let me get your pills.” And he disappeared through a door. Dorian paced around until the old vampire returned with a small box. He opened the lid and showed Dorian the six bottles of pills. “Another six months supply.”
He handed them over.
Dorian reached in his pocket and paid him. “Thanks again, Aptyp.”
“No problem…” He glanced out the front window. “It’s snowing heavily now…Care to stay the night?”
“No…I’m a bit stiff…but I can handle it. Just want to get back. But thanks for the invite.”
“You’re always welcome, friend…” he laid a fatherly hand on Dorian’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to think that I am not sympathetic to your obvious concerns…Yet, it does amuse me sometimes…that you can be so caring for humans.” Dorian went to speak, but he interrupted. “Not that it’s all that bad of a thing…I suppose it could be good…from a human perspective.” He paused to grin. “But you have to admit, you are a bit unusual. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I am so fond of you. You’re simply a delight to know.”
“You’re complimenting me?”
“Yes…Certainly. But don’t you worry too much. I could be wrong about Klaus, but I think he will abide by your wishes as long as you don’t make him angry.” He shrugged slightly and dropped his hand down.
“I hope you’re right.” Dorian shook hands with Aptyp then. “Again, thanks!”
“More than welcome!” He opened the door and snow was blowing in sheets across the path. “Sure you don’t want to stay?”
“Positive.”
“Okay…Good running then.”
Dorian merely nodded and took off in a blur, not wasting another second. He just wanted to get home.
At Amber’s request, Paul stayed for a while. They took turns walking Star around her property, letting the dog familiarize with his new home. Once they felt reasonable sure he had an idea of where he was, Amber took the dog inside, and Paul went to the truck and got the sack of food for him.
Amber had a large wooden bowl that her husband had brought into their marriage. It had belonged to his grandmother. They had never really used it, just kept it. She thought she’d put it to use and sat it in the floor beside the back door for Star’s food. And she found a heavy, flat-bottomed crockery bowl that she filled with water. Soon as she finished, Paul came in the front door with the dog food swung across his shoulder.
“Where you want it?”
There was a space between the sink and the refrigerator. “You can set it there for now.” She indicated with a nod.
“Looks like as good a spot as any.” He let the bag down and pulled the string, opening it. Star was there instantly, sniffing. “Ho! Look who is hungry!” He ruffled the dog’s ears, and Star barked in response. “I think he’s going to be a bit vocal,” he commented.
“Sounds like it.” She handed Paul an old mug. “I think we can use this as a scoop.”
“Works for me.” He dug the mug down into the sack scooping up the dry food. He did this four times, filling Star’s bowl. “There you go, big fella,” he said and stood, facing Amber. His eyes crinkled in a smile.
“What?” smiling back and touching a forefinger to his chest, playing with a button on his shirt.
“This.” He took her in his arms and kissed her.
She kissed him back. It felt good being close to him, that comfortable feeling again. That was what he was to her, a very pleasant and at ease person that had the amazing ability to ground her. She felt secure and safe. He pulled back then, eyes still smiling.
“Want to stay for supper? I have some chicken pieces I was intending on frying.”
“Sounds great...But I’m sure Judy has supper cooked already. If it weren’t for that, I’d say yes.”
She reached up and straightened the collar of his jacket and looked up at him like there was something on her mind.
“What?”
“You…Not too many men would be as considerate as you.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“I haven’t met a lot of them…Though Derek was.”
His face darkened ever so slightly.
Her brow furrowed. “You don’t like me mentioning my husband?”
“Not that…really. I’m sure he was a wonderful man…Just that I want you to like me for me…Sometimes I wonder if you like me because I remind you so much of him.”
“You do remind me of him…a lot! But you are different in many ways, too. You are more laid back than Derek was. And you do seem to worry about me in ways he might not have.”
“Under the circumstances as of late…He probably would have.”
“Could be. Anyway…I see many things in you that I saw in him…and I also see many things that I didn’t see in him.”
“I hope they’re good?”
She cracked a smile. “Of course…” She changed the subject then. “Maybe you can stay for dinner some other time? Hey…Bring Judy too!”
His face brightened. “Really?”
“Yes…Sunday! You bring her out Sunday evening. I’ll cook something special. What do you like?”
“Pot roast with the potatoes and carrots cooked with it. My absolute favorite.”
“I’ll have to make a trip to your store to get it…But pot roast it is. Say seven?”
“Absolutely.” He kissed her forehead then, stroked Star’s head, as the dog was now through eating and watching them with attentiveness. “You take care of her now, Star.”
Star yipped, as though to say he would.
Paul kissed Amber’s forehead and headed for the front door. Just as he was going out, he stuck his head in and tapped on the lock. “Don’t forget.”
“I won’t…Gonna walk Star once more, since he just ate…Then I plan on us staying in the rest of the night.”
“Good…I’ll call you later.” With that, he shut the door.
Amber bent over then and fondled her dogs head. “How’s about that walk?”
A short yap was his response. She hooked on his leash and they went out the back door. It had been dark for a little while, but she didn’t plan on being out long. She had her dog with her, anyway. She felt completely safe with him at her side.
Six:
Judy poked her head through the door, scanning around the store. Sally was behind the register, straightening ones out in her hand.
“Any signs of that brother of mine?”
Before even turning her face to Judy, Sally chuckled lightheartedly and said, “Nope. But looks like you might want to get used to it.” She neatly placed the ones in their slot, closed the register and focused her attention on Judy.
“Yeah…” Judy sighed. “Little tired of dinner getting cold.”
“Small price to pay for your brother’s moment of happiness, wouldn’t you say?”
Judy twisted her mouth around. It was obvious she had become accustomed to being Paul’s center of attention since their folks had been killed. “You’re right, Sally. I want him happy.”
“Sure you do! He really likes her! Haven’t seen him so cheerful in a long time. And if he plays his cards right, she might end up being a new member of your family.” Sally cocked her head slightly. “How do you think you’d feel about that?”
Judy shrugged. “I know I’ve teased him about it, but hadn’t really seriously thought that far…Although I do like Amber.”
“That a girl…You may be young, but you still have a good head on your shoulders,” she put out a hand, “in spite of your age, I mean.”
“Not all teenagers are mall-shopping shallow. Some of us do care.”
“Don’t take me wrong, hon. I know there are plenty of kids your age that have some sense…But you gotta admit that there are a lot who don’t.”
“Could say the same for some adults…Ever watch the evening news?” she said, comically bugging her eyes.
Sally stared at her momentarily and then broke out laughing. “How’d we get on to this subject?”
Judy laughed, too. “Crap…I don’t know.”
Just then both turned as Paul came in the door, all smiles. “Evening…ladies.” His glance fell on Judy. “I know…Late again.”
“Yep.” Was all she replied.
Looking surprised, Paul asked, “You’re not even the slightest bit angry that I let dinner get cold…again?”
Sally interrupted, “I think she was just getting concerned.” She winked at Judy.
“Yeah…I’m learning that when you head over to Amber’s that you might be a little later than you say.”
Paul stepped behind the counter and put an arm around each one of them. “Don’t know what I’d do without the two of you.” He kissed the top of each ones head, held up his wrist and seeing it was after seven, he said, “You can take a break, Sally…I’ll watch the store for ten minutes.” Turning to Judy, “Dinner’s cold anyway, right? Don’t mind, do you?”
“No,” she said half-heartedly. Then thought about it, raised on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “But I’ll go warm it up…quick spaghetti tonight.”
“Ah…Sounds good. Did you make a salad?”
“Of course,” she crisply replied and disappeared into their home.
Sally took a pack of Marlboros and her Bic from her pocket and went out the front door, resting up against the window to the side.
Paul went to tidying up so there wouldn’t be so much to do at ten when they closed.
Sally had barely lit up her cigarette when the tow-headed Klaus walked up from what seemed to be nowhere, giving her a start. No car had pulled in that she could see, unless it was around the side. She dropped her cigarette. “Shit! You scared me!”
He wasted not a moment in retrieving it for her, handing it to
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