Wicked Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 4)

by Primo, Jaz

  I nodded, though I had virtually no experience to draw upon by comparison.

  “Can’t I become a light in your life?”

  She stared back at me, her green eyes glistening in the lamp light above us.

  “My love, you already are,” she said. “You’re the reason I was singing tonight.”

  That meant the world to me.

  I squeezed her hand in mine and she returned the gesture. Then I lifted her hand to gently brush my lips across her soft skin.

  “Come on. Let’s go find Alton,” I said. “I’ve come to a decision tonight, but I want both of you to hear it together.”

  Her arched brow held a silent question, though she said nothing as we walked hand in hand toward the estate.

  * * *

  We found Alton sitting at the dining room table furiously typing on one of his laptop keyboards. I noticed that he’d already packed away the large monitors.

  He looked up with a curious expression as Kat and I took seats at the table.

  “Have a pleasant walk, my boy?” he asked.

  “Yeah, it’s just what I needed, thanks. I cleared my head and did some thinking,” I said. “In fact, I’ve come to a decision.”

  “Indeed?” he asked, deftly closing the lid of his laptop and neatly folding his slender fingers atop the case before him. “Do tell.”

  Why did I suddenly feel as if I was sitting down for a discussion with a parent?

  Kat reached out to take my hand in hers beneath the table. Despite her neutral expression, I could almost feel the tension coming off of her in waves.

  Why’s she so tense?

  “I’ve decided to go back to college this fall,” I said. “I want to pursue a PhD in history so I can teach again. With positions being so scarce, I need every edge to compete.”

  I looked over at Kat to see an unmistakable expression of relief on her face, and she squeezed my hand supportively.

  Well, at least one of us seems wholly pleased.

  In truth, I was still warming to the idea. I’d much rather accompany Kat to London, but I realized it would likely lead to more conflicts between us; just the kinds of emotional tension we hardly needed. It seemed like things kept piling atop one another with us lately, each issue adding to an increasingly unbearable weight.

  Eventually, something was bound to break our relationship in half, and I couldn’t bear the thought of that happening.

  I mean, how many challenges could one relationship withstand anyway?

  “I, for one, applaud your decision,” Alton said.

  “And I support your decision, as well, my love,” Kat added.

  Okay, this is way too easy.

  I felt I’d made a logical decision, though I hoped I wouldn’t soon regret it.

  “Have you given any thought to which college you’ll apply to?” Alton asked.

  Why did I feel like I was talking to my parents all of the sudden?

  Memories of having the same topic of discussion with my mom so many years ago flooded over me. I’d selected Georgia State University back then.

  “Not in depth,” I said. “Maybe Georgia State again. I liked the faculty there, and they have strong history department. A lot of it will depend upon program availability, I suppose. It’s only July, but that’s still really late in the summer to be applying for the fall semester, especially PhD programs.”

  And funding. I’ll definitely have to look into some student loan programs.

  “A reasonable choice, I suppose,” Alton said.

  I frowned at him.

  Just what did he mean by that?

  “Given my late start, I need to start applying immediately,” I said.

  Kat squeezed my hand. “I’m sure there’s still time to apply.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of someone appearing near the open French doors.

  Paige.

  “Yes?” Alton asked.

  Her blue eyes locked onto mine. “Sorry to interrupt the meeting,” she said, stuffing her hands into her front jeans pockets. “I’d like to talk to Caleb for a minute.”

  I glanced at Kat, who released my hand and nodded.

  “Certainly. We’ll speak more on this later. Perhaps tomorrow, in fact,” Alton said. “He’s all yours for now.”

  I couldn’t imagine what Paige needed to talk to me about but the set look to her eyes concerned me.

  * * *

  I followed Paige through the house and out through the front door. She finally stopped at the driveway where she leaned against the side of her car.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  “So, we’re going to college, then,” she said.

  My eyebrows shot upward. “Whoa. Just what do you mean by we?”

  She gestured back toward the house. “I overheard what you said in there. You know Red’s not letting you go alone.”

  That much was probably true.

  “Paige, I don’t even know where I’ll end up at,” I said. “I haven’t even been accepted anywhere. Hell, for all I know I could end up in Alaska or worse.”

  “So be it. Alaska wouldn’t be so bad,” she said. “It’s practically dark there for half the year. I’d have one hell of a social life without all the damn sunlight. It’s night for twenty hours a day during the winter.”

  “Well, maybe,” I said.

  “But absolutely no summer classes,” she said. “We’d come home every May, no matter what.”

  She was so unbelievably cute sometimes.

  I simply adored her.

  Then something else occurred to me.

  “Now what’s the matter?” she asked.

  “I can’t separate you from Ethan like that. You’ve only just met,” I said. “It wouldn’t be fair to either of you. I mean, he’s only just relocated to Atlanta to be with you.”

  “True,” she said. “But he can always fly up to see me on weekends. And then there’s all those semester breaks. They still do that, right?”

  I laughed. “Of course they do.”

  However, her plan didn’t exactly sound like a formula for potential success with Ethan.

  But then, considering my situation with Kat, I was hardly an authority on sound vampire relationships.

  “I’d feel a lot better if you talked to Ethan about this first,” I said.

  “I already did,” she said.

  I frowned. “How’s that? I just got through telling Alton and Kat—”

  She removed a smart phone from her back pocket and wiggled it before my face. “Hey, ever hear of a smart phone? They’re pretty handy,” she teased. “You should get one soon and ditch that ancient flip phone of yours.”

  I stared at her blankly.

  “Hello? You mentioned college while we were out for a walk, Sherlock,” she said.

  Oh, yeah.

  “You’re going to need way more brain power if you expect to do well in college,” she said, tapping my forehead with her fingertip.

  “Shut up,” I groaned, swatting at her finger and meeting only empty air.

  “Anyway, Ethan approved the idea,” she said. “He said he’s spending a lot of time at the hospital establishing his practice, which might take months. In fact, he said he’s been worried about neglecting me. And he understands I’m your surrogate vampire. I’m duty-bound.”

  I looked at her sharply.

  Again with all this talk about duty?

  “What?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “I don’t know about this, Paige,” I said.

  “Aw, listen kiddo, this’ll be good for both of us,” she said, reaching up to place her soft palm against the side of my face. “And, unlike some, I’m not about to abandon you. I’m here for you, tiger.”

  Her palm felt warm and comforting against my skin, but what she said bothered me.

  “Paige, nobody’s abandoning me,” I said.

  “I’m just sayin’,” she said softly. “And you can damn well bet I’ll be there to call you out when your
bullshit meter pegs.”

  “Lucky me,” I muttered.

  She instantly withdrew her hand and popped me on the back of the head with the flat of her palm.

  “Hey!”

  “It pegs so frequently, you see,” she said.

  “Oh, brother.”

  “It’s settled then,” she said, pulling me into a tight embrace. “If you’re going to college, I’m going with you. Otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble you’d get yourself into? You’re practically a magnet for chaos.”

  I wrapped my arms around her and considered the situation. I had to admit it was an intriguing prospect at the very least.

  “That’s a physics concept from one of Ethan’s documentaries,” she said. “You’re bound to learn about it in college.”

  I chuckled.

  Things were happening so fast. Hell, I’d only just settled on the idea an hour or so ago.

  Still, the vision of Paige on a college campus tickled me.

  “You’re going to college,” I said. “As in, actually taking classes?”

  She pulled free from our embrace and planted her fists atop her hips. “Hey, don’t be such a doubter. I’ve gone to college before, you know.”

  That definitely ranked as one of the day’s biggest revelations.

  “I see. And precisely what did you major in?”

  “Sex Ed,” she said with a grin. “I made straight A’s!”

  Chapter 20

  Caleb

  I put off the remainder of my discussion with Alton and Kat concerning my plans to return to college until I could do some research. Of course, they spent hours in closed-door sessions in our dining room together, pouring over printouts and looking at laptop screens, so it wasn’t hard.

  I suspected they were formulating their plans for Kat in London.

  I still felt put out that she didn’t want me to accompany her. Nevertheless, I understood the nature of her objections, and I was willing to respect her perspective; for the time being, at least.

  What I would’ve given to be able to listen in a little bit on their deliberations. Some of their interactions appeared intense, which worried me somewhat.

  They looked like two generals planning a war.

  I tried not to dwell on that analogy at length.

  Instead, I spent most of my time in the small library that Kat and I had converted into my office scouring university websites for prospective history post-graduate level PhD programs.

  Somehow I had the feeling each of them would grill me on details and particulars as if it were some finely-tuned mission.

  It’s the ‘two generals’ analogy all over again.

  As was my luck, I was paired with the world’s most detail-oriented and meticulous vampires.

  Speaking of details, there were many variables to compare and consider, including tuition costs and financial assistance—likely student loan eligibility in my case—as well as application periods that were still open to me, given my late start.

  In fact, I’d had a difficult time sleeping the night before because my mind felt overwhelmed by the details.

  By mid-morning, I’d narrowed my selections to a handful of colleges, foremost of which was Georgia State University, my alma mater for my former undergraduate and graduate degrees. At least GSU was closer to home; not that Kat would necessarily be around when I visited.

  I sighed over that realization.

  While I liked living in the estate, it could be a pretty lonely place for me alone. Not that I dreaded living alone; it was just much cozier in an apartment rather than an expansive, empty mansion.

  Wait. Does our estate qualify as a mansion?

  “Busy?” asked Kat.

  I jolted in my chair and abruptly looked up from my laptop with a frown. “I hate it when you sneak up on me like that.”

  She shrugged, leaning against the door jamb with her arms casually folded before her. “It’s a vampire thing.”

  “Right,” I said.

  “And you could’ve closed the door.”

  I gave her a weary-looking expression.

  “Never mind. Let’s finish our chat about college,” she said, turning to walk away.

  “But—” I barely managed before she disappeared from view.

  I helplessly looked down at the various stacks of printouts covering my small desk.

  Did I have everything I needed for an in-depth discussion?

  “Oh, what the hell,” I said, gathering up my research and grabbing my laptop. “It’ll have to do.”

  In the dining room, I couldn’t help but notice the mildly amused expressions on Alton’s and Kat’s faces as I sat down, arranging my stacked paperwork before me.

  “You brought a script?” Alton asked.

  “Funny,” I said. “Really. I’m laughing on the inside.”

  “Somebody’s feeling a little grumpy this morning,” Kat said.

  I started to counter with something sarcastic, but Alton quickly interjected, “Why don’t you share with us what you have there, dear boy?”

  “Um, sure,” I said.

  I spent the next twenty minutes describing my efforts, finishing with the names of five colleges I had in mind, including the University of Idaho, the University of Oklahoma, the University of North Dakota, and of course, Georgia State University.

  They politely listened and appeared interested, occasionally nodding at points, all of which assuaged my earlier feelings of aggravation.

  By the end of my presentation, I felt much better about the quality of my research and my evaluation process.

  “You said you picked five colleges, but you only named four,” Kat said.

  “Oh, yeah,” I said. “The University of Alaska in Anchorage; the tuition’s not that bad, actually.”

  “Anchorage?” she asked with a frown.

  “Yeah, kind of surprising, right?”

  “I have a suspicion as to who may have suggested that one,” Alton said.

  Kat glanced at him and then stared at me in a penetrating fashion, though I quickly broke eye contact with her and looked at Alton.

  “Well, I’m actually torn between Georgia State and Oklahoma,” I said.

  Alton thoughtfully tapped his chin. “Reasonable selections,” he said. “Both are rather folksy places, aren’t they?”

  “Folksy?” I asked.

  “However, I’d like you to consider an additional option,” he said.

  “Oh? Such as?”

  “There’s a wonderful campus in New Haven, Connecticut,” he said.

  “A college in New Haven?” I asked.

  “Yale,” he said.

  My mouth dropped open in shock.

  Oh, that New Haven college.

  I traded looks with each of them, shaking my head.

  “No way,” I said.

  “Why not?” he asked. “Did you even consider Yale?”

  “No, I’m pretty sure I didn’t.”

  “Caleb, if this is about tuition…” Kat said, reaching out to grasp my forearm.

  “Of course, it’s about tuition,” I said, pulling away from her. “But that’s just for starters. And before you say anything else, no, you’re absolutely not paying my tuition.”

  “Caleb,” she said gently, placing a supportive hand on my shoulder.

  “No,” I said firmly.

  “Young man,” Alton began authoritatively. “You shouldn’t discount things out of hand. Please try to bear an open mind.”

  I laughed aloud. “Seriously, no.”

  He arched one brow, instantly projecting an imperious expression.

  I’ve upset the king, it would seem.

  “Yale has one of the finest History and Renaissance Studies programs in the States,” he said. “Besides, the city of New Haven isn’t currently declared by any vampires. It’s neutral territory, which is far less complicated for us. You should at least consider Yale.”

  “Alton, you just don’t get it, do you? They probably wouldn’t even respond to
my email,” I said. “I’m a veritable nobody; no connections, no society background. Hell, I don’t even qualify for a minority preference of any kind. I’m a WASP with no angle.”

  I looked over at Kat to see her wearing a perfectly livid expression.

  “You are not a ‘nobody’, ” she emphatically stated.

  “Indeed,” Alton said.

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Well, I am as far as they’re concerned.”

  There it was. It was hardly self-depreciating to point out the truth.

  “If that were so, then why are you scheduled to meet with their Dean of History tomorrow night?” he asked.

  My mind took a couple of seconds to process what he’d just said.

  “What?” I asked. “How’s that?”

  He sat back in his chair, a satisfied expression adorning his face. “It would seem that, despite your protestations, you do indeed have valuable connections.”

  I was dumbfounded.

  Me? Yale?

  “But tuition,” I said.

  “Again, you have options you haven’t yet considered,” he said. “We can discuss that tomorrow evening after we see how your meeting with Dean Eddings goes.”

  “Dean Eddings. Tomorrow night,” I parroted.

  “Precisely at 8 o’clock. Our flight departs at five. We’ll be flying on Sunset Air, of course,” he said.

  “You and me?”

  “And Katrina, naturally,” he said.

  I looked at Kat, who maintained a neutral expression.

  “Naturally,” I said.

  Somehow, I should’ve known she’d want to accompany us.

  Still, she was my mate, after all.

  “You should have more than enough time to review Yale’s website, familiarize yourself with the campus, and pack. Now, if you’ll please excuse Katrina and me, we have some additional pressing business to attend to,” he said.

  Pressing business?

  His attention returned to some paperwork before him, and I rose from my chair in a state of semi-fugue.

  My gaze shifted to Kat, who appeared to be struggling at containing a smile. She even winked at me.

  I’d barely reached the closed French doors to leave when Alton prompted, “Oh, and Caleb, please do pack a suit. You can leave your stylish concert T-shirts at home this trip.”