“Good grief. You’re just a glutton for punishment, aren’t you?” Laura scoffed and took another drink of her soda. “And here I am, making an art out of using men to get what I want.”
“Why?” I sniffled and wiped my face on the sleeve of my tee shirt. Laura tried and failed to hide her disgust, finally choosing to inspect her nails instead.
“It beats being a pitiful waif who’s so blinded by nobility that she gets walked on all the time.” She gave me a strained smile. “Not that that’s what you are. It’s just a lesson I had to learn early on to survive in my world.”
“That’s horrible, Laura.”
She turned to look at me, sending her wave of blond hair over her shoulder. “I can see how it might seem that way from a distance, but David and I do love each other, in our own screwed up way.” She smirked at my distasteful glare. “This isn’t the first time we’ve taken a break, and it’s not always him stepping out of line. The tabloids aren’t as completely bogus as we all wish they were.”
I’d never admit it to Laura, but I had a copy of every magazine she’d ever so much as been mentioned in. They were stashed in an old gift box under my bed. It was the only glimpse I’d had of her life for a lot of years. I was at least certain that half of the crap they said about her was not true, but the other half left me wanting to pick up the phone, though, in the end, I never did.
I shook my head, pitying my sister despite her efforts not to be pitiful. “I don’t want a rollercoaster for a love life.”
Laura shrugged. “Then learn to love the good doctor. He should keep things nice and stable and boring for you.”
“Stable doesn’t have to be boring.” I refused to believe that. Maybe it was a rarity—in any world—but it didn’t mean I was ready to give up on trying. Even as the newly dead, maybe especially as the newly dead, I needed hope in my life.
A long stretch of silence passed with Laura sipping her soda, and me sniffling and dabbing the snot and tears from my face with the hem of my tee shirt. Once my mild hysterics had dried up, Laura wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me in for an awkward half-hug.
“I’m sorry life is sucking right now. I hope it gets better. For both of us.”
“Me, too.” I took a deep breath and returned the hug, patting her on the back. Through the silky fabric of her nightgown, I felt a strip of metal clasps. “Are you seriously wearing a bra to bed?”
“No. I just finished a video chat with David,” Laura said. “Had to make sure the girls looked their best.”
“Gah.” I crinkled my nose. “Can we change the subject to something other than our fucked up love lives?”
She snorted. “You asked.”
“And I’m sorry I did.”
“Fine.” She slipped the straps of her bra down her shoulders and under the sleeves of her nightgown so she could pull her arms through before rotating the bra to unhook the clasps. “Tell me what happened last night that you almost got yourself fried like an egg on the front porch this morning.”
Not exactly the lighter subject I was going for. I chewed my bottom lip, trying to decide how much I could and should tell her, and how to best condense it. “There’s a vampire serial killer in St. Louis, and I screwed up and let her get away last night.”
Laura’s brow bunched. She extracted her bra from the top of her nightgown and dropped it on the counter before turning her full attention back to me. “That sounds like an awfully big job for a newbie. Did they really expect you to take her down singlehandedly?”
“Well, no,” I stammered. “But I’m the reason she got away.” I chewed my thumb nail. “I don’t know if I’m going to get another chance to prove myself. If I don’t, I’ll be stuck with some shit job that will make me wish I was deader than I already am.”
“But Agent Knight came to you,” Laura said. “He asked for your help, didn’t he?”
“Yeah…” I sniffed and reached up to tighten my ponytail. “I guess he wasn’t offering a permanent position. Just a single assignment. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop pushing. There’s still a chance I could help solve this case. I’m hoping that at least earns me an interview.”
Laura frowned and tapped her fingernails on the side of her empty can. “You’re not doing something that could get you in trouble with these big, scary vampires, are you?”
“No. Not yet, anyway.” I gave her a tight smile. “But I am going to a party with Roman Thursday night. He thinks there’s a possibility that this serial killer could show up there. If she does, I’ll be ready.”
The click of tiny toenails signaled Duncan’s arrival in the kitchen. He paused at the counter and turned gloomy eyes up at us before letting out a low, mournful howl.
“I guess Mandy hasn’t come home from her date yet,” Laura said, giving the Chihuahua a pouty face. “No people food for you, Duncaroo.”
“Date? What date?” How had I missed that? She must have slipped out of the house while Vin and I were having our long, uncomfortable talk in the kitchen earlier.
“She and Serena went to a late show at the movie theater,” Laura said, glancing at the clock on the microwave. “Maybe they stopped to grab dinner afterward.”
“Serena? Serena Banks?” I snapped.
Laura leaned back in her stool and blinked her wide, astonished eyes at me. “You couldn’t tell what was going on between them at dinner?”
The idea of Mandy and Serena together was too much. I hadn’t known either girl played for the home team, but that wasn’t what bothered me. If Mandy and Serena became an item, it would only be a matter of time before Serena found out the truth. And then Alicia would find out. And then I’d die all over again.
“But they just met,” I balked. “And Serena is going off to college. And she’s my late partner’s daughter. And Mandy is a werewolf!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Laura slid off her barstool and circled the counter to throw away her empty can. Duncan followed, his tail wagging hopefully. “Is she only allowed to date other werewolves? You’re dating a human.”
“That’s different,” I said.
“How?”
“I require humans for sustenance.”
“And Mandy doesn’t.” Laura gave me a berating glare. “Which, technically, means she’s less likely to maul her dates than you are. So why shouldn’t she be allowed to date humans?”
I ground my teeth together. “Let’s try that subject change again.”
“Fine.” Laura snagged another diet soda from the fridge and cracked it open. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Thanksgiving.”
Laura choked on her first drink from the fresh can. She coughed and hacked over the sink a minute before catching her breath. “Thanksgiving?” she rasped. “What about it?”
“We haven’t had one together since Mom died.”
“That’s months away. Why is it even on your mind?”
I shook my head. “It just is. What do you and Hollywood do every year?”
Laura set her can down on the edge of the counter before wiping the corners of her eyes with her pinky fingers to clean up the mascara that had bled during her coughing fit. “Well, David doesn’t have a lot of family that he’s close with. His parents are dead, and he was an only child. So we usually take a mini-vacation to the Bahamas while the rest of the cast and crew are off with their families.”
“Oh.” Lots of sunshine, then. Great. Even giving up the window seat on the plane wouldn’t fix that one. “What about Christmas? What do you do for that?”
Laura cleared her throat. “It depends. Sometimes we do another vacation, and sometimes we stay at home and hit all the celebrity holiday parties.” She pressed her lips together and fingered the lace collar of her nightgown. “The set goes dark for a couple of weeks around Christmas and New Year’s. I could always fly back for a weekend to visit. We could do our own thing. It doesn’t have to be on the holiday itself, right?”
“I guess not,” I sai
d.
Laura put a hand on her hip. “And it’s not like you’re going to care if there’s a big, fancy meal prepared since you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it anyway.”
“That’s not the point.” My cheeks warmed, and my eyes burned, threatening to tear up again. “I’ve just missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Laura gave me a lopsided smile. “We could always stuff an apple in Vin’s mouth and make him curl up on a serving platter if that would make it more festive.”
I snorted and grinned at that. Then I sobered as I thought of Alicia and Serena. “I’m going to have to come up with an excuse to bail on the Bankses. I hate to do it, but there’s no other way.”
“Tell them you’re visiting me,” Laura said. “When I come to town to visit you, I’ll slap on a blond wig and have dinner with them one night if you want. Speaking of,” she added. “I really need to dye my hair back, so the color has time to settle before shooting begins. Is that going to be a problem?”
I sucked in an anxious breath. This was it. No more daylight backup plan. I was on my own. The front door opened and closed before I worked up the nerve to answer Laura, and Mandy joined us in the kitchen, much to Duncan’s delight. He yipped and danced happy circles around her feet.
“I’m starving,” she announced on her way to the refrigerator, though a wide smile split her face nearly in two.
“Join the club,” Laura said under her breath, earning another grin from me.
“Speak for yourself.”
Mandy stuffed a plate of leftover chicken breast and mashed potatoes in the microwave before turning around to face us. “Is that lawn mowing gig still up for grabs?”
“As long as you don’t plan on telling your new girlfriend any secrets you shouldn’t.” I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Right, because that would go over real well.” Mandy snorted. “Sorry about the morning breath, babe. I was howling at the moon and licking my ass last night.”
Laura made a horrified face. “You do that?”
“What? No.” Mandy blushed, but I’d caught her a time or two. We all had our dirty secrets, I guess.
“Yes,” I said to Laura. Mandy opened her mouth to protest, until I added, “You can go ahead and dye your hair back for your soap opera.”
Mandy’s embarrassment faded, and her bottom lip slowly bloomed out. “You’re really leaving? And taking Duncan Punkin away forever?” She bent over to scoop up the frantic Chihuahua and snuggled him in the crook of her arm like a baby.
Laura scowled at her. “I know you’ve just been fattening him up so you can eat him.”
Mandy scratched Duncan’s belly and wiggled one of his paws. “That’s right,” she baby-talked to him. “I’ll eat you up, little toe beans and all.” Then she looked up at Laura. “You better do that video chat thing with us like you do with that creepy old dude—with more clothes, of course, and puppy face.” She held up Duncan for emphasis.
“That old dude is basically your uncle.” Laura gave her a malicious smile that prompted the mother of all eye rolls.
“In what level of Hell?” Mandy asked, her tone lighter and more playful than I expected.
“You’re in an oddly chipper mood,” I noted, wondering just how well her date with Serena had gone.
“Is that a problem?” Mandy’s cheeks flushed, and she shrugged one shoulder. Duncan licked her hand to encourage her to keep scratching his belly.
I shook my head. “I’m glad you’re happy, and extra glad that you’re staying.”
Mandy grinned. “Maybe change isn’t all bad.”
Chapter Sixteen
After Laura and Mandy had turned in Tuesday night, I spent an hour doing pushups on the back patio. The exercise helped burn some of my pent-up energy, and, despite the fact that vampires were naturally stronger than humans, we apparently had to maintain our muscle mass the same, mundane way. So unfair.
An hour before sunrise, I crept back into my bedroom, careful not to wake Vin, and picked through my closet for something that said cocktail casual vampire party. Not surprisingly, I didn’t have much to work with. My final choices came down to a blue pantsuit I’d worn to a department charity dinner a year ago, or a lavender summer dress Alicia had helped me pick out for Serena’s high school graduation.
I thought of Vanessa and her classy, gothic style. Envy drip-brewed from my chest into my stomach again, and I fingered through my wardrobe once more in search of something black, tight, and sexy. Nothing.
It was too late to find something online since the party was only two days off, but maybe I could make it to the mall and find something that would work before they closed Wednesday night. I’d have to leave the house immediately after sunset. I set a reminder on my phone.
I woke Vin just before sunrise, officially ready to boot him out of my bed before I kicked off for the day. I didn’t want to think about how traumatic it would be for him to roll over and spoon my cold body in the early hours of the morning. And I definitely didn’t want to be the one to help him discover any deep-seated necro-fetishes he might have.
“What time is it?” Vin whispered, squinting in the light from the fire hydrant lamp on the night table.
“Almost six,” I said, handing him his shirt and shorts. “Get dressed. I’ll make you some coffee and OJ to…replenish your fluids.”
Vin glanced down at his crusty briefs and winced. “Oh, wow. Last night was…”
“Intense?” I offered. He nodded sheepishly.
“I’m so sorry I crashed on you, especially after…”
“Don’t sweat it.” I headed for the door, hoping to hide my own awkward reaction. “I’m going to get on that coffee and OJ before the rigor mortis sets in.” Oh, the things I’d never thought to hear coming out of my mouth.
“Thanks, babe,” Vin called as I stepped into the hallway.
Babe. I cringed but didn’t say anything. Either the high from his blood was wearing off, or I was just being moody and irritable because I couldn’t have my cake and eat it, too. Not unless Vin changed his name to Cake.
I shoved my disdain and guilt to the back of my mind and focused on setting up the coffee pot. I couldn’t have a cup with Vin, but I still enjoyed the smell. It filled me with longing and nostalgia that stretched back as far as my childhood, when my mother had guzzled down a full pot every morning before taking off for her shift.
I could feel the sun creeping closer to the horizon, so I went ahead and set out a mug and the cream and sugar. Then I dropped a bagel on a plate and dug the tub of cream cheese out of the refrigerator before filling a glass of orange juice and adding it to the growing spread on the breakfast bar.
Vin joined me just as the coffee maker hissed its farewell note. He slid onto a barstool and gave me a shamefaced smile. His dark hair stuck out on one side, and his glasses looked slightly cockeyed on his nose.
“This looks great. Thanks.” He peeled open the cream cheese, and I turned to grab a butter knife out of the drawer for him. “Thanks,” he repeated.
“You should probably have some protein soon, too,” I said, trying to recall what else we were told to eat after doing blood drives at work. “Maybe some steak and leafy greens.”
Vin yawned and nodded. “Really, I don’t feel half bad. How much do you suppose you drank?”
I shrugged. “Maybe a cup?”
Vin took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “So half of what I donate for one of your blood bags every week.”
I frowned. “You’ve been drawing your own blood, too?”
“Of course.” He blinked at me, confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know. It’s just…I didn’t realize…” My voice trailed off.
It made sense, I guess. I wasn’t sure why the thought of drinking his nameless, faceless students’ blood didn’t bother me as much. Ignorance is bliss? Now I felt like I should get to know them, maybe buy them dinner or something. Not that I could explain my mysterious gratitude without ruining everything.
Vin took a bite out of his bagel and watched me with calculating eyes. The scrutiny was less intimidating with his messy hair and cream cheese-laced mouth. My wristwatch buzzed.
“Time for bed.” I circled the counter and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
He swallowed hard and turned toward me for a real kiss that I managed without shying away from his morning breath. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“I have some errands to run, so it might be late,” I said, trying not to sound too relieved.
I liked Vin, despite my conflicted feelings for Roman, and I didn’t want to hurt him. But I also needed some space to deal with all the noise in my head and to focus on figuring out how I was going to find the rest of this blood harem I needed to have in place like yesterday.
Vin nodded. “I have to be in early at work Thursday morning anyway. Maybe Thursday night?”
I pinched my lips together. “Maybe just for a bit. My next undercover assignment is later that night.”
“You didn’t say anything about that before.” Vin’s brow pinched.
“I just found out,” I lied, not wanting to hash out the more honest reasons minutes before sunrise. My limbs were already growing stiff. I leaned over Vin and gave him another quick peck. “We’ll still have a couple of hours Thursday night before I have to go.”
He nodded slowly and gave me a pained smile. “Sure. That sounds great.”
“Goodnight.” I headed off for my bedroom before anything else could be said.
Vin was a good guy. I had to keep reminding myself of all the things he’d done for me. He was also attractive and intelligent and…stable.
Maybe Laura was right, and I was just craving what I couldn’t have. I’d done a lot of that in my lifetime, and now I knew just how much I had taken for granted because of it. I didn’t want to take Vin for granted, too. But that didn’t stop my heart from wanting what it wanted, no matter how forbidden.
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