by Mari Mancusi
“Connection?” he finishes. I nod miserably. “I’ve felt it, too, of course,” he assures me, squeezing my hand in his, comforting me. “Usually I’m a loner. More comfortable with animals than humans. But there’s something about you. Something special. I can’t deny it, even though God knows I’ve tried.”
My heart swells at his words and I squeeze his hand back, so tightly he winces. I loosen my grip a little. “Then why . . .” I begin. “Why . . . would you tell me to work it out with Magnus? I mean, don’t you want me?” There, I said it. It’s out there. Naked. Vulnerable. Me.
“Oh, Sunny!” Jayden cries, as if shocked by my question. “Are you kidding me? Of course I want you. In fact, I want you more than anything in the whole world. You’re beautiful and special and smart and talented and in another world, another life, you and I are soul mates—I’m sure of it!” His eyes shine with unshed tears. “But right here, right now, things are complicated for us. You live two thousand miles away. You have a boyfriend. I’d never try to selfishly steal you away from your life and friends and family. I mean, what kind of person would that make me?”
“What if I want to be stolen?” I pout.
He grins at that, then grows serious again. “Look,” he continues. “Everything’s really intense now. You’re fighting with your boyfriend, we’ve just had a near-death experience—you don’t want to be making major life-changing decisions right now. Go talk to Magnus, tell him what you’re feeling—give him one last chance to make things right between you. And if you’re still not happy after that, well, you know how to reach me.” He grabs my arm, his expression serious. “But give him a real chance, okay? Try to remember what made you fall for him in the first place.”
“Oh, Jayden!” I cry. “I’m going to miss you so much. I—”
He waves me off. “Don’t say anything else,” he says, his voice cracking on the “else.” “It’s better if you don’t. Just promise me that you’ll always be my friend, Sunshine McDonald. That you’ll never forget me.”
My heart breaks at his words. Unable to resist a moment longer, I throw my arms around him and squeeze him tight. Well, as tight as I can without crushing his chest wound. He hugs me back, running light fingers up and down my back, electricity crackling from his touch. God, how am I going to leave this guy?
As our hug extends, my mouth seems to develop a mind of its own. I kiss his throat greedily, then move up to his cheek. Just one kiss on his soft cheek and . . . Oh God—I’m kissing him on the lips and I can’t seem to stop. He kisses me back, our mouths moving against each other, wild sensations coursing through my entire body, an endorphin rush of epic proportions. And neither of us seems capable of stopping it.
“Oh, Jayden . . .” I moan against his mouth. “I—”
“Hey, Sunny, I was able to get out early and—”
Jayden and I break apart and I bolt upright at the sound of Magnus’s voice. I whirl around and see he’s at the door. His face reddens as it must dawn on him what he’s walked in on.
“Oh dear,” he says, clearing his throat. “I . . . um . . . I didn’t know that you were . . . excuse me, I did not mean to interrupt.” He backs out quickly, shutting the door behind him.
I stare at the door. “Oh God,” I murmur, my heart leaping in my throat. This was not good. Not good at all.
“Boyfriend?” Jayden guesses correctly. I nod.
“I should . . . I mean . . .”
“Go,” Jayden instructs. “Talk to him. Give him a chance to make good.”
I throw him a grateful look—he really is the most understanding guy on the planet—and dash out the door and down the hall. “Magnus!” I cry at his retreating figure.
He turns slowly, shoulders slumped, looking, suddenly, all of his thousand years. “And to think,” he says slowly, as I rush to approach, “you were worried about me replacing you.”
My heart pangs in anguish at the hurt look on his face. I remember all the pain I felt from seeing him just talk to Jane. I can’t imagine what he must be feeling now—having walked in on his girlfriend making out with another guy. A million excuses whirl through my mind, but I know in my heart he deserves better than that. At the very least, he deserves the truth. Not to mention an apology.
“I’m sorry,” I say weakly, not knowing quite where to begin. It’s only been a few days since I last saw him, but it feels like a lifetime ago.
“I know,” he replies, his voice sad. He reaches out to me with both hands and no reservations, pulling me into a forgiving embrace I’m not sure I deserve. I collapse into him, grateful beyond belief at his understanding, while feeling unworthy of receiving it. He strokes my hair with long fingers, soothing me as sobs rack my body and tears burst violently from my eyes.
“Oh God.” I sob, my mouth against his shoulder. “I never meant to . . . I mean, I was actually saying goodbye and . . .”
“Shhh,” he murmurs, his cool breath brushing my earlobes. I’d forgotten how nice it was to be held securely in his strong, vampire arms. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. I think I understand exactly what’s going on here.”
I pull away from the hug so I can look at him. My vision’s still blurry from all the tears. “You do?” I ask.
He nods, a regretful look on his face. “Let’s face it; I haven’t taken very good care of you these past few months. I’ve been so preoccupied—so busy guarding the affairs of my coven—that I’ve ended up neglecting you and your needs. And then . . . then I took off to Vegas with another woman . . .” He hangs his head in shame. “Just like your father did so many years ago. Leaving you feeling abandoned and alone, I’m sure.”
Part of me wants to deny it. To tell him it’s not a big deal at all. But what good, at this point, could my being self-protective really do? It’d only succeed in pushing the problems we’re facing back under the rug—not exactly a great long-term solution. We both know we need to deal with these issues head on, if there’s any way to save this relationship.
“I’m not trying to be selfish,” I begin. “I mean, I know running the coven is important and I love the work that you do. I’m willing to deal with a workaholic even.” I give him a half-smile, then grow serious again. “But when you didn’t believe me about Jane—when you dismissed my fears and suspicions without even a moment of consideration that I might be right . . .” My voice breaks. “You shut me out. Called me jealous and childish. That really hurt.”
“I can imagine,” Magnus says, his face full of anguish. “If I were you, I’d probably have let Sasha do her thing . . . leaving me to flounder in my own stupidity. But instead, you kept going. Refusing to give up helping me, even though I demanded you stop.”
“What else was I going to do?” I ask. “Sit around and watch you die?”
He hangs his head. “Half of me thinks I would have deserved it.”
“Look, I know you’re older than me,” I continue. “And I know you have more experiences to fall back on than I do. But if this is going to work, we have to be equal partners. I’m not a child to be seen and not heard. And if you think of me that way, then it’s not going to work.”
“Sunny, sweetheart,” Magnus says, “I was a fool to think that. Blinded by my own stupid arrogance—and look—my pigheadedness nearly cost me my very life.” He shakes his head sorrowfully. “I promise you, I swear to you, I’ll never treat you less than an equal ever again, for the rest of my life.”
“That’s all I’ve wanted,” I reply, my voice choking with emotion. “I know I can’t be your blood mate, but I just want to be your partner. Someone you trust and want to share your life with.”
“About the blood mate thing . . .”
I suck in a breath. “Yes?”
“I don’t want one,” he declares. “Not now—and not ever. And I’m going to go to the council as soon as they convene and inform them of that so we’re not put in this situation again. After all, I am Master. I do get to make the rules, right?” He smiles lovingly at me. “And
you’re the only one, my dear, who I want to be bonded with for eternity.”
My heart wrenches at his words. “But . . .” I say, not wanting to be selfish. “If you need help running the coven . . .”
“Then I’ll hire an employee,” he finishes. “We vampires have become so set in our ways—so stubborn about following tradition that we don’t often think outside the box. But really, why does my co-ruler have to be bonded to me by blood? There are those in my coven that I would trust with my life—bond or no. Like Jareth, for example,” he says. “I’m thinking of promoting him to second in command. He’d make a great co-ruler, I think, don’t you?”
I nod wordlessly, feeling overwhelmed with all that’s happening. It’s as if someone opened my secret wish book and made every last one of them come true.
“Sunny, I’m so sorry I put you through all of this. And I plan to spend the rest of my life making this up to you.” He reaches out and strokes my cheek with cool fingers. “And vampires,” he adds, “live a very long time.”
I smile ruefully. “Let’s not even get into that whole thing. I mean, in a few years when I’m old and gray, people are going to think you’re hooking up with your grandmother.”
He chuckles, his fingers trailing to my hair, threading through the strands. “And they’ll still be jealous that I have you and they don’t,” he says.
“Mmm-hmm. Sure they will.”
We look at each other for a moment, neither saying anything. Magnus is the first to speak.
“That guy in the hospital bed,” he starts, his voice hesitant.
“Jayden.” The name is suddenly painful to speak.
“Do you . . . have feelings for him?”
I consider lying, but realize it won’t do any good. I nod slowly. “I kind of do. Not the same as I feel for you . . . but he’s . . . I don’t know . . . special, I guess. And he almost died trying to save me.”
“Right. He protected you while I was busy playing big, bad vampire leader.” Magnus sighs deeply. “I suppose I owe him my eternal gratitude. As long as he doesn’t start kissing you again.”
“I think we’re done kissing,” I say, feeling my face heat with embarrassment. “But I do want to be his friend, if that’s okay.”
“Sunny, I trust you with my very life. I would never forbid you from being with the people you love,” Magnus replies. “But I plan to keep you very, very busy, from now on,” he adds, a teasing look in his eyes. “Worshipping you, waiting on you hand and foot, doing whatever it takes to make you smile. So there might not be much time left for such . . . friends.”
“That’s fine by me,” I say, grinning from ear to ear. “I look forward to you being my vampire love slave.”
20
It’s five minutes ’til curtain and I’m backstage at the Hotel Sun theater, shaking like a leaf. This is no high school play—this is a real Vegas revue. People have paid actual money to see my performance onstage. Okay, I don’t have the hugest role in the world—I don’t even have to speak—but still!
“You ready?” Jayden asks, coming up behind me, a big fanged smile on his face. For tonight only, he’s playing Cornelius’s part of Dracula, until they can recast the part. At least now we know no one in the audience will be bitten for real.
I went back to his hospital room after talking to Magnus the night before—to apologize for the kiss and let him know that Magnus and I were going to try to make things work between us. He looked a little sad, but said he was happy for me, and wished me luck, once again making me promise we’d always stay friends. An easy request to agree to.
His only other stipulation? That I play Mina against his Dracula one time.
How could I refuse?
“My costume’s a bit skimpy,” I say, pulling out my wedgie for the thousandth time. “But I think I’ll live.”
Jayden laughs. “I think you look hot,” he tells me, making me blush furiously. “You know, in a friend way,” he adds, a teasing sparkle in his green eyes.
“Of course!” I agree. “Well, you look pretty good . . . in a friend way . . . yourself.”
He grins. “Okay, I’m going to tell the lighting director we’re ready to start. Break a leg!”
“You, too! But not, you know, like literally. You’ve done enough damage to yourself this weekend.” The doctors hadn’t wanted to release Jayden this morning, saying he was still weak from his transfusion. But the guy insisted, saying the show must go on.
And so it does. The dancing girls whirl and twirl as Jayden takes center stage, singing about his long-lost love. I watch, impressed, as he embraces his new role. He’s so talented—he really should move to Hollywood and try to start an acting career. Or maybe Broadway, he’s such a good singer and dancer. Of course, then he’d miss his animals—the dogs and cats who need him. Maybe he’s exactly where he should be, after all.
Lost in thought, I barely notice that act one has ended and act two has begun. The stage manager pokes me, telling me to get into position. Forcing myself to concentrate, I slip out onstage, heading toward Jayden. The audience roars its approval and for a second, I’m confused at all the attention. Then I look out and realize the whole place is packed with vampires from the consortium, come to cheer on my performance. (Let’s not forget, I’m their new hero!) Magnus waves to me from the front row and I smile back at him. So far he’s lived up to his promise of being hopelessly devoted and I’m enjoying every minute of it, even if I have decided to put the whole sex thing on hold—at least for the time being. Once we work on our issues, and are able to completely trust each other again, then, and only then, will we be ready to take our relationship to that next level. Right now, it’s just something to look forward to. Like a thousand other things we’ll be able to share in the future. Neither of us are going anywhere, after all. And, as Magnus pointed out, vampires live a very long time.
As I walk forward, I scan the rest of the auditorium. Next to Magnus sits Rayne, followed by Heather, Stormy, and . . . Oh my God . . . is that Mom and Dad? I almost trip over my platform shoes. What are they doing here? And sitting next to one another, nonetheless?
“Psst, Sunny, come over here so I can bite you,” Jayden hisses. Oh yeah. In my shock at seeing my parents I almost forgot what I was supposed to be doing. I glide over to “Dracula,” raising my hands over my face in mock panic. “Please don’t hurt me,” I adlib, deciding suddenly that Mina should speak. After all, a girl needs to stand up for herself, even to a vampire.
“I would never hurt you, Mina,” Jayden says huskily, in a grand English accent. Then he swoops down and takes me in his arms, pretending to bite me on the neck. His lips burn my skin and he presses his mouth down on me and I can’t help a little shiver.
Boys that bite, it’s all so much déjà vu.
Epilogue
After the play is over, I change quickly and head to the theater lobby, dying to know what’s going on with my family. They’re all there, waiting to greet me with open arms.
“You were awesome!” Rayne cries. “Totally awesome.”
“Amazing,” Mom agrees, kissing my cheeks. “I’m so impressed.”
“As am I,” Dad adds. He pulls me into a big bear hug—the type he always used to give us when we were kids. It feels good and I feel all my anger toward him slip away. “I’m so glad we didn’t miss it.”
“So you’re back?” I ask, after he releases me from the hug. “Your business trip is over?” I turn to Mom. “And what are you doing here?”
She blushes. “It’s a long story,” she says. “But let’s go somewhere quiet to talk.”
“Why don’t we head back to our place?” Heather suggests. “Then Stormy here can go to bed.”
“Mo-om!” she protests. “I’m so not tired!”
But her mother insists and so we pile into a couple of taxis and head back to the Strip and over to the apartment. Once inside, Heather puts Stormy into bed while Mom brews a pot of green tea and we all settle down in the living room. Well, maybe se
ttle down isn’t the right term. Rayne and I are positively antsy, wondering what this could be. Why on Earth would Mom come to Vegas? Why would she be making tea in the other woman’s house? And why doesn’t Heather seem the least bit upset about it all?
Mom and Heather bring over mugs of steaming tea and hand them to each of us. The tea warms my insides but isn’t able to quite stop the trembling. Despite her cheery attitude, something is definitely wrong and I can’t relax until I know what it is.
“So, guys,” Mom says, settling down in a small, white leather chair. With her long skirts and multicolor scarves she looks completely out of place in this modern décor. “You’re probably surprised to see me in Vegas.”
“Um, yeah,” Rayne says, before I can find my questions. “Just a little bit. What’s going on? Did you miss us too much? ’Cause we’ve really only been gone a couple days. But I know how you can be about your daughters. Unlike some relatives, I know,” she adds, glancing over at Dad, who at least has the decency to look embarrassed at her jab.
Mom shakes her head, looking drained and tired all of a sudden. “I wish that were it, Rayne. But this is actually a lot more serious than me just being an overprotective mother.”
It is? My pulse kicks up a notch as I worriedly wait for what she has to say. I remember what Rayne told me just before we left. About Slayer Inc. getting information on a new threat sweeping into town—one that might be after our mother, for some odd reason.
There’s more to your mom than you know, David had told Rayne.
“Mom, what are you trying to say?” I ask, finding my voice at last. “What’s going on here? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
She glances over at Dad. He gives her an encouraging look. Then she turns back to us. “Look, let’s just say things aren’t exactly . . . safe . . . for us in Massachusetts anymore,” she says slowly, choosing her words with care. “That’s why I was so willing to have you two come out here this week. I figured it’d keep you out of harm’s way, until I figured out our best move.”