“Jaxson!” She released her grip and she stood.
“What was that for?”
“Never, and I mean never, touch me when I lose myself.”
“Lose? What does that mean?”
“Nothing. Never mind. Are you OK?”
“I’m fine, and let me say, that was awesome! I knew you were quick, but dang, I never saw it coming. I went from standing and touching your shoulder to on my back with your hands around my throat in less than a heartbeat. Like I said, awesome! I mean, look at you. You’re tall, lean and very strong, but more to my point, you don’t look like what most people would expect a vamp to look like.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Look at all the movies and books over the years. Ghostly white runway models basically, or old horror movie monster. You are a very beautiful, healthy, average-size woman. Not a pencil. You have curves and nice ones, I might add.”
Her eyes rolled and she shook her head.
“It would have served you right if you were hurt.”
“Can I get up now, or are you not done standing there glaring at me?”
“I’m so done.” She scooped up her bag and walked toward the door.
“Wait!” He said. She stopped her advance but didn’t turn around.
She asked, “What?”
“You said you had a few more questions, so ask before you leave.”
With her back to him, she tilted her head slightly in his direction. “If you can answer this question correctly, I will listen to the rest of your argument because if you know the answer to it, you might actually know me. What is it I crave, the one thing as a vampire I have to have in order to live? You already know it is not blood.”
She leaned her ear toward the living room and listened to his heartbeat, his breathing, his pulse picking up and even the proverbial wheels spinning in his brain, but she did not hear an answer. There was only silence.
That is what I thought.
Without glancing back, she moved once more and his voice stopped her yet again.
“Anna! Do this, think back over your life since you were changed and you will see I have been there the whole time.”
“Jaxson, my memory is crystal clear, and you stepped into my life when I moved from Australia back to Faytown.”
“You asked how I knew, and I am telling you, if you think back, really think back, you will find me.”
Spinning on her heels, she faced the man still on the floor. “What is the purpose of this? What is this going to solve? Why can’t you just tell me how you know?”
“Because, Anna, by doing it this way, it will answer more than just one question. When you find me in your past, you will understand why I can be a part of your future. I have never left you and I never will, no matter what you decide.”
“I hate riddles, Jaxson! If you really knew me, you would know that.”
“I do know that, and I am sorry, but this is something you are going to have to do or you are right, we will never work because you will never understand.”
“Whatever, Jaxson. Call me when you are ready to tell me more than riddles.”
Chapter 2
The phone was in her hand, the cold plastic to her ear. Her aggravated voice pushed through the receiver. “Paige, you need to get over here. I need to talk to you.”
“What happened, Anna?”
“I will explain it when you get here, but basically Jaxson knows everything.”
“What? I will be right there.”
Her ears picked up the sound of fabric rustling and soon the dial tone. Plush carpet cushioned her steps as she paced the length of her living room. Her mind, a train station of thoughts and confusion, were coming and going in all directions at once.
What am I? Think about the past. Find him. Crap! None of this makes sense. Nineteen seventytwo...Sebastian…intoxicated…turned….
“Anna!”
She stopped moving, snapped her head up, and looked at her dearest friend standing in front of her. Paige was a petite athletic body shape covered in a baby blue jogging suit that perfectly matched her eyes. Hair as stubborn as straw and colored the same framed her face. Her brows were furrowed and there was a frown on her lips. She looked both upset and confused.
“What? Why are you yelling? I have sleeping neighbors.”
“I knocked three times and called your name several times and got no answer, so I came in and you didn’t even notice. I had to yell to pull you out of your own mind. Me being able to sneak up on you tells me this is serious. You would be dead if I had been a hunter.”
“No I wouldn’t have. Your scent is a safe one. It’s one I know and I connect it with friend and safety. Had a hunter shown up, their scent would have interrupted my thoughts immediately.”
“Anyway, tell me what happened. I thought you were…doing the deed.”
“We did.”
“How was it? Was the…presentation bad? Small pointer and boring pitch?”
“No, actually it was great. He knows what he’s doing, and the pointer…well larger than life.”
A smile broke across her face and a flush heated her cheeks. “That is not the point. He knows more than just the secret itself.”
“What do mean ‘more’? What all does he know? He can’t possibly know every—have you fed this morning and had your coffee?”
“Yes on both, but I could use more coffee. Join me in the kitchen and I will make us some.”
“And explain!”
“Yes, and explain.” She walked to the small kitchen and started making coffee.
“How about some music? That always helps.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
Water sloshed in the small glass pot as she moved from the sink back to the counter. She filled the coffee maker with water and put coffee grounds in the filter, and she smiled when the music filled the room.
One of my favorites, “All American Nightmare” by Hinder. Love this group. Good friends always know what you need.
Her muscles relaxed and her breathing calmed. She closed her eyes and let her mind and body fill with the beat of the music. Half the song had already played before she opened her eyes. She pushed the start button on the coffee maker just as Paige walked into the room.
“I have to say, I love what you did with the place. I love all the colors.”
“Thanks. How long has it been since you have been here?’
“Two months, I think. Remember? I was gone to that nursing conference and then Ozzie and I went on vacation?”
“Oh, right, Virginia and then Hawaii. Well, I had to do something while my best friend was gone.” She smiled at Paige and poured a cup of coffee for herself and her friend. “So I redecorated.” She handed the cup to Paige.
“It looks as if everything is new. How did you come up with the colors?”
“Everything is new.” She sat at the table across from her best buddy. “I went with themes. The kitchen, as you can see, is a vintage café theme. The color on the wall is mocha. I got a great deal on the café table set.”
“I love the Italian café mural. The window across from it makes the colors brighter. It's nice.”
“Thanks. I think it makes the small space look bigger.”
“I think you’re right. This is a huge house. Did you redo all of it?”
“Yep. Let’s finish our conversation about Jaxson, and then I will give you a grand tour.”
“Oh, right. Yes, let’s do.”
With her knees pulled to her chest and butt in the chair, she retold the entire story. Music played in the background and warmth from the sun swam across her skin as she spoke her mind. Her body relaxed completely and she felt calm.
Paige always helps me sift through the crap and find an answer.
The coffee mug was warm against her lips. She sipped her drink of choice and waited for her friend’s reply.
Well, here it comes. I see it on her face. I know what she’s going to say.
�
�Well, you have two choices. You can either do as he asks and hope to find some answers or you can move once again. Before you object, I would never let you be alone. I would move with you.”
“I don’t know what I am going to do, but if I leave, you can’t come with me.”
“Why not? We have always taken care of each other. We have been friends since grade school.”
She could see the hurt on Paige’s face and quickly clarified. “What about Ozzie? Would you really leave him behind?”
“If that is what it takes. He would have a choice. He could either come along or stay behind.”
“Paige! How can you say that? I know you love him.’
“Yes, I do, but I’m sworn to you and that’s my first priority.”
Reaching across the table, she laid her hand on her friend’s fingers. “Thank you for that, and I’m grateful for your friendship, but I couldn’t allow you to leave the man you love. As you said, we have been friends since grade school. It would break my heart to know you gave him up.”
“I would have to. There is no other choice, Anna. Wait! Before you ask anything else, how about we cross that bridge later and table this conversation until you decide what it is you’re going to do? If you figure something out, you may not have to leave and this argument, which it is bound to turn into, will not be necessary.”
“Fine for now, we will table it. However, you are going to have to answer some questions. I get the feeling there is something I don’t know. The look upon your face tells me I’m right. I can’t believe you would keep something from me.”
“It’s nothing really. I’ll tell you another time. For now, how about we concentrate on one problem at a time? What are you going to do? Think about it or move?’
“Any advice on the subject?”
“Yes, do what he says. What could it hurt? Perhaps there is something there.”
“One of the big benefits of being a vampire is my mind is perfectly clear and my memory doesn’t fade. What’s there to be learned from this little game?”
“I’m aware of how your crazy mind works. Maybe there’s something you overlooked or knew about but never paid it much attention. Perhaps there was something that was said or done that you didn’t understand at the time and looking back will make it clearer.”
She sat back in her chair and thought about the suggestion.
Maybe…hmm “So you think he is telling me the truth?”
“I have no idea. It’s strange, though. How does he know? Only a few people know about you. Well, know that much about you. I mean, Ozzie now knows what you are, but he has been recently added to that very short list.”
“Yes, and given his profession I’m surprised he hasn’t come after me yet. You know I love you, Paige, but if his hunter side comes out and he comes for me…I will kill him.”
“He knows that, but he also knows that you don’t take human life. That’s what he really hunts, supernatural things that are a threat to human life. Although, I must say, some of the things he says he hunts just puzzles me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes I have to keep from laughing when he talks about his work. I mean, come on. Some of the stuff just doesn’t really exist. I see that look, ghosts don’t exist, Anna. You and I both know that.”
“Really? I have to disagree with you.”
“You’re kidding, right? How can you possibly think they exist? It’s just old legends and such.”
“I’m of old legends and such.”
“No you’re not. Legend says vampires are all blood-sucking demons. I have met plenty of vamps, you included, and they’re not what legend says they are. All of them are different in one way or another. Some crave blood while others crave different things. Most of you don’t need to take human life to feed. Only the sadistic ones take human life.”
“See, you just made my point. What you mean to say is they exist but not in the way legend portrays them, so I think ghosts exist, yes, but maybe not the way most people think. Maybe you should ask him about it. He’s a hunter after all. I have been with Ozzie on a few hunts, he knows his stuff. If he came up to me and said he knew a pink and polka-dotted minx existed, I would believe him.”
The look of concession on Paige’s face made her smile. She almost laughed out loud when her friend rolled her eyes before she spoke.
“I guess you have a point, so I will ask. Now back to your problem, stop evading. What are you going to do?”
“Not sure yet.” She sipped more of her coffee.
“I still think you should do as Jaxson says. If you want, I can stay and talk it out with you.”
Sighing deeply, she answered, “No that is fine. I think I should do this alone. I can put myself into deep vampire meditation and re-watch my whole vampire life.”
“What’s that like?”
“It’s a lot like a cross between a coma and a TV show. You feel yourself there, but you have no control over what happens. You are just there going through the role.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s kind of cool and creepy.”
“Weird. Do you want someone to watch over you while you are in this state? Ozzie and I can take it in shifts, you know he won’t mind. He likes you.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you mention it, it might not be a bad idea. You two can stay here in the guest room. I had it redone with you in mind. It has a woodsy scene with a hint of a woman’s touch. “
“Really? That’s wonderful. I will go get Ozzie, and we will be back in about an hour.”
“Thank you.”
“No, Anna, thank you! If this works, I won’t have to find out if Ozzie would follow me if I left.”
“I think you have nothing to fear on the Ozzie front, but you’re right. Even if I don’t get the answers that Jaxson thinks are there, I may learn something I need to know, anyway. Besides, I have been looking for Sebastian for six years, so maybe doing this will clue me in on how to find him.”
“Why are you looking for Sebastian? I thought you hated him.”
“Not hate, just despise. I used to, yes, but now I despise him for what he did to me. Granted there are some major Benefits to this life, but it’s unnatural. No one is supposed to live forever. Even you, with your condition, don’t live forever. You age slower, but you will eventually die.”
“True, but you still didn’t answer my question.”
“I want to find him because I have questions of my own that need answers; answers only he has.”
“Such as?”
“One problem at a time, remember?”
“Oh, right. OK, I will go and get Ozzie, you get whatever you need to be ready and I will see you in a bit.”
“OK. Thanks again.”
Warmth surrounded her frame and seeped through her skin. It embedded in her bones when she hugged her friend goodbye. Pulling away, she felt unease and sorrow where happiness and joy usually resided—her heart. There were butterflies in her stomach as she moved her tight muscles and walked her friend to the door.
I hope for her sake this works. If it doesn’t…I will just be without answers. I could never stand the pain in her eyes if she had to lose him.
The cold metal sent chills through her body as she leaned against the door. She took a deep breath, shoved off the door with her shoulders and walked to her room. Her feet went from warm to cold as she strode from room to room, carpet to wood. Her entire body felt tired and weary as she entered her bedroom. All the stress started to take its toll. Soft carpet massaged her soles as she walked the distance to her big fluffy bed. She took a deep breath and flopped onto it in an awkward position.
This is my favorite place to think. My room! It's so serene, so peaceful. Soft lavender walls, plush white carpet covering the floor and matching satin curtains over the windows. My little piece of heaven. Oh, I need matches.
Rolling onto her side, she pushed off the bed and stumbled to her bedside table. She bent over the opened drawer and shuffled through her col
lection of junk.
I know those matches are in here somewhere. Frustration took over. She slammed the drawer shut and nearly jumped for joy when a book of matches slid off the table and onto her feet.
Oh, right, forgot I put those there. I really need one of those long, candle lighter things. I would at least see where I put that.
With the matchbook flipped, she pressed against the back and pulled the match through it. A small, hot flame erupted at her fingertips. Her hands moved slowly. She lit the three candles on her bedside table and hurriedly and carefully lit the three on the other side.
Ugh, lavender and sulfur don’t quite mix well. At least the sulfur will fade. This never gets old. The smoke from the candles against the wall gives the illusion of purple haze. Ha ha, “Purple Haze.” Hmm, I wonder if I said that to Paige if she would get it. Anyway, I guess I better get back to getting ready. No time like the present or some sort of crap….
Shaking her hand, she extinguished the flame and tossed the match in the ashtray.
Guess since I am basically going to sleep, I should probably put on my PJ’s. I wouldn’t want to wake up because I was uncomfortable.
Casually she dropped the matchbook. She headed to the dresser, stripping out of her clothes as she went. The cool air from the open window played along her bare skin.
Now, what pajamas to wear? I need something comfy, very comfy.
Drawers opened in layers, her hands covered with fabric as she sifted through her dresser.
Oh perfect! Look, my soft and fluffy AC/DC jammies. Love these!
Dressed for bed with her pillows scrunched and comforter up to her chest, she rolled onto her side and prepared her mind for meditation. She held her breath and let it out slowly. Her eyes closed, and she dove into her mind.
OK, focus…1972, Australia, New Year’s Eve… Sebastian.
Her muscles locked tightly in place as she began mentally sifting through her subconscious. Flashes of her life came to dance behind her eyes.
Chapter 3
Swinging her arm back, she shut the door and rushed into her retro style living room. She placed her keys and purse on the hall table then paused momentarily to take off her shoes and call out for Ozzie. There was no answer.
Rock n Roll Promises (YAE) (Rock n Roll Paraphantasy Series) Page 2