4 Vamp Versus Vamp

by Christin Lovell

  One photo in particular caught my eye. It was taken the first year we met. My chubby face had a big smile on it as I leaned into my friend’s embrace. I had on jean capris with a long shirt to cover my chunkiness; meanwhile, Mel had on white shorts with a tank top that showed her midriff on the side with her arm draping over me. The picture made it obvious that we were opposites. I was fat; she was thin. She was blonde and blue-eyed; I had dark hair and brown eyes. And while her eyes glittered with happiness, my smile, though wide, didn’t quite reach my eyes.

  None of that ever mattered to her, though. She was determined to make our friendship work. She stood up for me on the playground and in PE when others taunted me. She introduced me to everyone she spoke to, always making sure I was included. In truth, she fought to give me happiness any way she could. She was always fighting to give me the life I wanted to have, full of popularity and glamour at the time, even when I’d given up on it for myself.

  A single tear splashed her desk. I rapidly wiped it away, not wanting to mess anything up. Mel’s closet was a complete pigsty, but her bedroom was usually spotless. It was reflective of her. She put on a great façade, gave the illusion to everyone that she had a great life, but behind closed doors, her life was anything but. Her mom ruled with an iron fist. I was the only friend allowed over, and for a social butterfly like Mel, that was difficult. We understood now why that was, but it didn’t change things then.

  I jumped at a knock on the door. I’d been so wrapped up in my thoughts I didn’t hear anyone coming. I swiped at the few stray tears on my face. “Come in.”

  “I think the stress is getting to us,” Kellan stated as he closed the door behind him. I watched as he moved towards me.

  “Maybe.” I shrugged my shoulders, avoiding eye contact.

  He grabbed my hand, sliding the ring back into place. “I trust you, but I’m a jealous bastard. That ring says you’re mine and to keep away. That ring says that it’s my job to protect you regardless of the circumstances. That ring says that forever wouldn’t be worth living without you. Kai will never respect our relationship, but I have to wonder if he isn’t pursuing you because you don’t smile enough. Maybe he thinks I don’t make you happy.”

  “But you do make me happy, Kel.”

  “Not lately. I find you laughing with others more than me.”

  “Not because you don’t make me happy.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe I’m insecure about Kai because I know I’m slacking in some departments and he could steal you away.”

  “You could try to kill me right now, but you would still own my heart.” I frowned, realizing in that moment how difficult it must be to leave an abusive relationship when you love the person.

  He cupped my face, his thumbs caressing my cheeks. “It’s not going to get easier, which means we have to become stronger.”

  “I’ll always be willing to fight for us, with or without a prophecy.”

  He shook his head once. He stared down at me, but it was obvious his mind was elsewhere; he’d blocked me out, though, leaving me wondering what dark alley his mind was wandering down. Slowly, he closed the gap between us, capturing my lips. His mouth opened, his tongue swiping along mine.

  Everything came crashing through as we connected. Every emotional scar was revealed in his mind, every insecurity was laid out there. His feelings were raw, the visions flashes of vulnerability. I melted into him, my heart reaching out to him. I understood the depth of his love, which unveiled the depth of his fear in losing me. When you loved someone more than life, how did you deal with the constant risk to their survival? When you loved someone more than breath itself, how did you handle a moment when someone else stole their breath away? Kellan acted on instinct, the vampire way, but out of love, a human weakness. I was his weakness, his only downfall, and perhaps would be the reason for his predicted fall.

  “If I died protecting you, it would be an honorable death. I would never regret dying so you could live another day.”

  “I don’t even want to think about that. Let’s just focus on staying together, fighting together.”

  “Deal.” He gently pulled away.

  I inhaled his breath, the sweet essence of his life. It was the oxygen that pumped the blood through his veins, for his heart was barely viable.

  He kissed my forehead. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something, but I don’t want to upset you.”

  “Sure.” I nodded, waiting with bated breath.

  “Your parents had a beautiful home, but there are ghosts around every corner. How do you feel about getting our own place?”

  My lips lifted in the corners. He knew me so well. “I already talked to Aunt Claire. She should have some listings printed off for us to review right now.”

  “Then let’s go. The least I can do is buy you the home of your dreams, Miss Jackson.” He grinned, his dimple winking at me. His emerald eyes sparkled. How easily I could get lost in him again.

  Aunt Claire, Gabi, and Jack were piled into the living room. They each looked like they wanted to say something, but held back.

  “What?” I cocked my head and eyed them suspiciously.

  “Nothing.” Gabi shook her head, averting her eyes. Not a typical response for her.

  “What’s going on, guys?”

  Gabi caved. “Kalel called me.”

  “And?” I lifted a brow in her directions. She fidgeted. “Gabi.”

  “I’m not a tattletale, okay? I would just say to grill your man a little harder.” She narrowed her eyes at Kellan.

  Kellan tensed beside me.

  Aunt Claire had been silent until now. “You hurt her, and I’ll use every ounce of leverage I have with the High Authority.”

  “It’s nothing like that.” Kellan’s tone was venomous.

  I took a step back at his attitude. Was this really the same man I had been with upstairs? “What am I missing?”

  Kellan's face was hard as a rock. His hands were fisted at his sides, and he was glaring in Gabi’s direction. “My business is my business,” he stated through clenched teeth.

  “Yeah, well, when it affects my friend, then it’s no longer just your business,” she growled, throwing her fingers up to create mock quotation marks.

  He took a step towards her. “You don’t get to decide that.” Ice was cooler than his tone.

  Jack was in front of Gabi, his chest puffed out and a snarl on his face in half a second. “Back up off the lady. You created the problem for yourself by keeping secrets. She hasn’t betrayed you, only hinted at your own betrayal.” In his anger, his island accent curled each word, emphasizing his demand.

  Hints of the Jack I remembered from Puerto Rico came through. His eyes were dancing with amusement despite the set of his jaw. He enjoyed watching others sit in fire. It was unnerving. The entire scene made me nauseous.

  “Betrayal?” I gulped.

  “Ask him about his nighttime activities while you’re snoozing away, Lex,” Gabi said from behind her husband. She peeked around his hard physique to glower at Kellan.

  My eyes ping-ponged between the two of them; one was my friend, the other my fiancé. It wasn’t easy to decide who to believe when trust was the foundation of both.

  “I’ve got the papers to show you, Lexi. Why don’t we leave these two to work things out without you being pulled into the middle?”

  I bit the inside of my mouth. Why was peace so hard to find? Probably because it wasn’t found; it was created. But how does one create peace when both parties have guns aimed at each other based off their own half-cocked ideas or partially verified agendas that will never align?

  “Come on, sweetie.” Aunt Claire grabbed my hand and led me into Mr. Hartford’s office. She closed the door behind us. “This is a soundproof room, and also where Gabi happened to take the call. From what I heard, Kellan has been an active night owl, but I don’t believe he’s cheating on you. I think he’s up to something, but sleeping around isn’t it. What I believe isn’t imp
ortant, though. It’s about what you believe, and I didn’t think you needed to decide out there. They were trying to get you to decide between two relationships, not the real issue at hand.”

  I strolled over to a chair situated in front of the elegant desk. It was a nice office, but then again, Mel’s mother had enjoyed nice things.

  “Why don’t we focus on houses instead of…whatever that was or is?” I folded my hands in my lap.

  She nodded and came around to the desk without another word about it. She sank into the white leather executive chair and retrieved her briefcase from the floor. “I have an array of options for you. If you want my professional opinion — ” She opened the manila folder and set it on the desk between us. She met my gaze. “Do you want my professional opinion?”

  “Of course.” I leaned into the desk, glancing at the page lined with multiple listings and pricing for a specific zip code.

  “I think a condo would be the best option for you, preferably one in the middle of downtown with a bit of height to it. It takes away the break-in danger, or at least lowers the risk if you’re on an upper level. They have several buildings with excellent security features, but I’m interested in one in particular because it’s guarded by an ex-army vamp. You also wouldn’t have to worry about a lawn being overgrown in the time that you’re traveling. It’s also much more manageable, in the way of keeping it clean, than a home.”

  “That sounds…perfect.” I sighed in elation.

  A sense of calm washed over me for the first time that day. It was like this was exactly what I was supposed to do. It would be hard walking away from all the good memories I’d had with my parents in their home, but living, moving on so I could live, would be easier without their deaths, particularly my mother’s, dampening every corner.

  “The one I scouted for you in downtown is on the sixteenth floor. It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with a bonus room or office next to the master bedroom. It’s a split plan with the master and bonus room on one side and the other bedrooms and second bathroom on the other side. It has an open floor plan with a fully upgraded kitchen and a beautiful island with plenty of storage space and counter space in case you decide to pursue a pastry career.”

  I studied the photos on the printer paper in front of me. My stomach knotted the moment I saw it. This was the exact condo Jack had shown us all in his vision of my future. The condo was beautiful. It boasted gorgeous hardwood floors in the main living area and plush Berber carpet in the bedrooms and the bonus room, high ceilings and neutral textured walls. It had a wonderful view of downtown with an outdoor balcony; unfortunately, it was the beautiful balcony that the vampires would intrude into my home from, though. Without further reflection on the awful memory, I merely accepted the fact that this was my new home.

  “There’s a twenty-four-hour concierge service, a rooftop pool with a lounging deck, and finally a twenty-four-hour gym. I already told you about the security. There’s also a garage with key-card access only that connects to the building. Both the garage entrance and the front entrance take you through the lobby. What do you think?”

  I ran my hands over my jeans along my thighs. “Go ahead and put in an offer for whatever you feel the place is worth.”

  “Don’t feel like you have to rush, sweetie. Why don’t I make an appointment for us to go see it with Kellan, and you can make your decision then?”

  I nodded. “Sure. Just let me know when.”

  “Of course.” She straightened the printouts on the property before paper-clipping the pages together. She passed them to me, putting the remainder of the properties back in the manila folder. “Keep this so you can show Kellan later.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Claire.” I folded the papers and stuffed them into a back pocket of my jeans.

  She smiled. “Anytime. You know I’ll always be here for you, Lexi.”

  “I know.” I beamed.

  She sighed, having returned everything to her briefcase. “Now, let’s go check on everyone. Hopefully Jack prevented World War Three from erupting in the living room. Steven would hate for the furniture to be destroyed.”

  “I don’t know how he can live here with her touch everywhere,” I pondered aloud.

  “To each their own.” She shrugged. “I know he loved her, but I think it’s more about offering a better transition for Mel and Kyle.” I nodded. She placed an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go referee.”

  “Ay. I hope things were smoothed over by now.” My chest tightened in anticipation.

  Chapter 16

  Everyone was in a corner when we returned to the living room. Gabi and Jack sat side by side on the sofa, Kellan was leaning against the wall next to the entertainment center, his arms crossed, and Kalel was sitting in the love seat, quietly observing the scene. He was impeccably dressed in a pair of black slacks and a pale blue button-up shirt that looked great against his bronze skin and dark hair.

  “Hey, Kalel,” I greeted.

  “Hey, Leka. Glad you got out in one piece.” He hugged me and kissed my cheek.

  “What brings you here? I figured you’d still be cleaning up the mess from earlier.”

  “Gabi called about your bakery plans, so I brought over the contract for the blood.”

  My eyes cut to Gabi. She blushed, sinking deeper into the protection of Jack. “I’ll pay?” she offered sheepishly. When I didn’t immediately relent, she huffed. “Do you know how hard it is to crave sweets all the time and never be able to indulge? You are the first and only vamp I’ve come across who was brilliant enough and is talented enough to combine blood with desserts so I could give in to every single one of my cravings over the last two hundred years.” I pursed my lips, watching her closely. She laced her fingers, holding her hands in front of her chest as she silently mouthed, “Please, please, please, please, please?”

  I sighed. I understood the cravings aspect. I still remembered what a Starbucks Frappuccino tasted like. When you grew up relying on food for comfort, it was painful at times to not be able to anymore. I was forced to face everything head on. “I’m going to start small. If I like it, I’ll keep going. I’m not making any promises, though.”

  “Yay!” she cried. She was up out of her seat and squeezing me in the blink of an eye.

  I chuckled before backing away to give her a stern look. “Now, do you care to explain how in the middle of an argument with Kellan you thought to call him for business?”

  “Because it was for business. Kalel here is who Kel’s been sneaking around with at night.” Gabi cut her eyes at Kalel.

  “What we’re doing is none of your business, Gabi.” Kalel frowned.

  “Then why did you even mention it?” she snapped.

  “I said I couldn’t do anything Saturday night because Kellan and I had plans.”

  “You also indicated that it wasn’t the first time you had rendezvoused with Kellan at night.” She cupped her hands on her hips, leaning into her words.

  “Gabriella, this conversation is over,” Kalel commanded. His eyes flared; his full lips tightened into a straight line. I’d never seen him this angry before.

  “Fine. Whatever. But if you’re doing anything even remotely illegal or anything involving women, your asses will be bacon the moment I find out.” She plopped back down on the love seat with Jack.

  Jack had been observing the interaction silently from where he was. He squinted his eyes, cocking his head, and he glanced back and forth between Kellan and Kalel. He closed his eyes for a minute; the room fell silent as he drew into himself. His eyes shot open and met Kalel’s. “Be careful.”

  The lone warning sent chills down my spine. Serum rose in the back of my throat. Fear danced through my veins. Curiosity boggled my mind as my heart began to race, the unknown causing its flight.

  I chewed on my lip, creasing my brow as I fought to control my reaction. Slowly my veins began to illuminate. Crap. This wasn’t the time to get worked up. I looked to Kellan. His face softened the moment he
saw me.

  “I’m not cheating.”

  “I know that, Kellan.” My frustration surfaced. I was angry that danger had to party so closely to us all the time. “I also know that Jack wouldn’t issue a warning unless there was something to be cautious about. Don’t get hurt.”

  His eyes traced the blue lines running beneath my skin. “Calm down, babe. We’re taking every necessary precaution. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “Honey, why don’t you move away from the electronics, just in case,” Aunt Claire suggested in the calmest voice possible.

  I stepped closer to the front door, away from everyone. I took a few deep breaths, waiting for the expansion of my lungs to squash my angst. A few moments later, I was back to normal.

  Every face in the room held concern as they watched me from afar. I gave them a small smile, trying to brush off the issue.

  “Are you okay?” Kellan asked, closing the gap between us. He enveloped me in his arms, kissing my head.

  “Yeah.” My voice was barely above a whisper.

  “Are you sure, sweetie?” Aunt Claire’s forehead creased as she studied me.

  I shook my head. “I’m sure, thanks.”

  “Um, why don’t we focus on that blood contract you brought, Kalel,” Gabi interjected, breaking the unspoken tension: their belief that I wasn’t okay.

  “If you’re starting small, I won’t worry about a contract. I’ll just sell to you by the case at a discounted rate since I know you’ll be a repeat customer. If business grows, then we’ll set up a fixed-rate contract based on the units of blood per month auto-shipped.”

  “Sounds good. By chance did you bring any blood with you?”