Dark Secrets

by P. L. Midnight

  Chapter Nine

  I woke several hours later to find sunlight shining through the gap in curtains, telling me it was well past dawn. Vincent’s arm had somehow draped itself over me as had his heavy leg pinning me in our spooning position.

  I needed to use the bathroom, so I had to wake him. I tried slipping away from his intertwined limb, which just seemed to clamp down tighter against me. I wondered when he’d gotten so strong. I wiggled some more and backed against him only to be embarrassed by his male protrusion. I moved just a little and he groaned wrapping his arms around me.

  “Emma, honey, please hold still. You’re making it difficult.”

  “Vincent, I have to get up.” I blushed when I realized what he meant.

  “Sorry.” I knew he was probably blushing as he untangled his limbs from me.

  When I came back into the room, he was just getting out of bed. I couldn’t believe how buff he’d gotten over the summer. He’d shed his signature long sleeved sweater and stood before me naked to the waist. His chest was much broader than it had been before. My eyes followed his smooth, hairless chest to the trail of pale hair that disappeared beneath his trousers. I’d never seen him without a shirt before and I liked what I saw.

  I enjoyed the view of his backside, too, as he turned away from me to put on his shirt. His pants had slid down sometime during the night, which gave me a nice view of the indentation above his backside and curve of his hips.

  I pulled my eyes away from his tussled white and blue hair and six-pack when he turned around as he buttoned his shirt. I hadn’t realized I was staring and nearly drooling until he quirked an eyebrow at me.

  “Um, sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. I’ve just never seen you without a shirt before.”

  “I’ve never seen you without a shirt either.” He sniggered as he continued noting my bright cheeks. “It’s ok. I know I look different. So do you, I like what I see. I think you do, too.” He said as he finished pulling his sweater over his head. “Let’s get downstairs and I’ll make you the most amazing pancakes you’ve ever tasted.”

  “Sounds great, do vampires eat pancakes?”

  “I’ll just throw him a bag of blood.”

  Victor said nothing. Therefore, he must have made himself scarce as promised during Vincent’s visit.

  I admonished Vincent anyway, “Really, Victor’s being very kind to let me stay here. He’s also letting all of you come visit me. He’s even given us the privacy I requested.”

  “Well, he’d probably like a bag of it anyway. You know he does drink blood. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. Victor’s not really a bad sort. I guess I’m just not crazy about sharing you with another guy, especially a vampire.”

  “You’re a wendigo, so what. It might be good to have him protecting me, if everything in that letter is true.”

  “I think all of us will make formidable shields for you. Let’s talk about it later. I want to spend my last few hours with you having fun, not talking about the other guys.”

  “That sounds like a good plan. See you shortly.”

  I went downstairs after putting on a sweater and a pair of my jeans that I found in the dresser. Vincent was making waffles and Victor was nowhere around. That late breakfast sounded yummy and so did the company.

  I chuckled as I went into the room being surrounded by the off-key sounds of Vincent’s attempt at singing. At least the pancakes smelled good.

  I walked into the deafening serenade as I walked into the kitchen. Vincent was standing at the stove flipping pancakes while belting out the lyrics to Don’t Stop Believing. Woah, I’d forgotten how bad his singing was, but his cooking smelled up to par as the sweet fragrance of blueberry pancakes filled the kitchen.

  I walked up behind him and tickled his sides around his waist as I did when we were kids. He captured one of my hands and interlaced our fingers, a romantic gesture that he seemed to be fond of doing. I didn’t resist when he pulled me tight against his back as he cooked. I lay my cheek against his broad back and shoulders.

  “Good Morning again.”

  “Good Morning to you, too, but I think it’s late afternoon.”

  “I guess that’s what we get for staying up most of the night, but it was fun.”

  “Yes, it was. I did notice that you still haven’t taken any voice lessons.”

  “Really, I believe I was just insulted and here I was singing my heart out for you.” As he said that, he pulled me around to the counter, which was loaded with containers of spices, a large dish of blueberries and flour everywhere. No one could accuse Vincent of being a neat cook. “I bring you fresh blueberries and what thanks do I get.”

  He popped one of the juicy berries into my mouth. I spoke with my mouth full allowing a little juice to trickle down my lips. Vincent was watching and before I could even chew the rest of the berry, he kissed me and snatched the tart sweetness with his tongue, swallowing it in one quick gulp.

  “I hope you enjoyed it.”

  “I did and if you’re going to insult me, I’m not sharing any more of my blueberries.”

  “You think?” I said as I made a move for the bowl, “besides aren’t they Victor’s berries?”

  “Nope, I brought them in my little Emma bag.”

  While still stretching for the berry bowl that was now out of my reach and held precariously above Vincent’s head I said, “What’s a little Emma bag?”

  “Ah, that’s the small sack that Sebastian let me bring along. It’s got special things in there for you.”

  “Your pancakes are burning.”

  He quickly put the bowl down and went to salvage what was left of the smoking pancake. I wasted no time downing a few of the blueberries while he was busy.

  “Can I help?”

  “I’ve tasted your cooking and it’s about as good as my singing.”

  “Ouch, that hurt. It’s that bad?”

  “Well, not really, but you already know you can’t touch my blueberry pancakes.”

  “I guess I’d agree with that. Are you going to share them?”

  “Yes, you can have the burned one.”

  “I don’t think so, Vincent. I’m holding the blueberries hostage until I get some pancakes.”

  He turned the stove off and turned to face me with a sly grin on his face. He had something in his hand, but I wasn’t sure what it was. All of a sudden a dusting of flour covered the front of my shirt. Not to be outdone a soft blueberry hit the top of his head leaving a lovely blue stain in a white section of his hair.

  That started it. I thought Miles and Victor had had a food fight, but it was nothing compared to the mess Vincent and I were making. The kitchen was in shambles as blueberries and flour flew around us. Vincent’s hair was now dotted with blue spots and flour dusted me from head to foot.

  Just as I was considering launching an egg, someone cleared his throat. Immediately I rethought my action and gingerly put the egg back where it belonged. I was busted again. Victor stood in the doorway of what was left of his pristine kitchen. His hand on his hip and the other on the doorframe, he stood there watching us. He didn’t look happy, but he wasn’t exactly mad either as he inspected the disaster before him, trying to hide a smirk.

  “Mrs. McClain isn’t going to be happy when she sees this mess. Where did you get blueberries anyway? I don’t eat the little blighters, so there weren’t any here.”

  I was embarrassed to be caught messing up his orderly kitchen after he’d opened his home to me. What had I been thinking? I couldn’t help wondering if I was a child or a woman.

  I believe you are a bit of both. I’m not mad, printesa. I know your friend and you will clean it up. Besides, you look rather fetching with flour on the tip of your nose. It looks like you got a few shots in, too. Ice ass, I mean Vincent’s hair looks better with the blue spots, gives it a two- toned blue look.

  Victor spoke in my mind then walked over to me and kissed the floury tip of my nose. Before Vincent could say anything, he disappeared
leaving us to our own devices and a big mess.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking. That was embarrassing. What must he think of us?”

  “I don’t know what we were thinking either. I’m supposed to be your shield, watching over you. Here I am getting into trouble with you, but it was fun wasn’t it. The look on Victor’s face was priceless wasn’t it? It’s a good thing he’s crazy about you or we could both have been vampire blood.”

  “Really, I doubt if Victor would drink our blood. If he’d wanted to he could have a long time ago.”

  “I heard that vampires can, like enthrall you or something while they suck your blood. Then you wouldn’t remember being bit.”

  “I don’t believe Victor would do that to me, even if he could.”

  However, after I said it, I remembered how Victor had healed my wounds. I’d never know if he had bitten me or not, would I?

  Printesa, you are obsessed with this biting thing. What you told Vincent was right. I’d never do that to you. I won’t enthrall you either. The taking of blood between mates is a very erotic thing. When I do drink from you, I will make sure that you know I’m doing it. Believe me, when the time is right, you will beg me to do it.

  I don’t think so, Victor. Could we talk about this later? I don’t want Vincent to know that you can even enthrall someone. I think the whole vampire thing rather creeps him out.

  Really, that’s interesting since he’s a freaking wendigo. Do you even know what he’s capable of doing?

  Later please, Victor.

  As you wish…that quickly, he withdrew from my thoughts, which he’d somehow kept Vincent from hearing yet again.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say, Vincent?”

  “I was telling you to be careful around Victor. I don’t believe he’d intentionally hurt you either, but vampires are very powerful beings and he’s damned old.”

  “Let’s get this mess cleaned up before Mrs. McClain quits and Victor gets really mad. I don’t want him to kick us out.”

  “I agree, but you know Victor would never kick you out of here. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It probably wasn’t nice, but I think flour looks good on you.”

  “Yes, and blueberries bring out the blue in your eyes, silly.”

  We spent the better part of two hours righting the kitchen. I didn’t know those silly blueberries could hide in so many places. I felt kind of bad about wasting them, because they were so tasty and Vincent had brought them especially for me.

  We were finally awarded for our efforts by sitting down to a rewarmed stack of blueberry pancakes and crispy bacon, which was slightly cold, but still good.

  Vincent was right about one thing. He still made the best blueberry pancakes I’d ever tasted. I thanked him. I wondered if we could all someday have meals together, or would it always feel awkward to me. Vincent had watched me all through our impromptu meal. Could I handle all of them watching me like that? Probably not, at least for a while, I still missed the others though and wished they could have shared the fun with us. Then I realized that if we’d all had a food fight, we’d never have gotten the kitchen clean.

  Vincent washed the dishes so I could go upstairs and shower. I quickly showered and changed into some clean clothes, so I could go downstairs and dry the dishes and put them away while Vincent cleaned up. I would miss his new “blueberry hairdo” though.

  I went downstairs just as Vincent was finishing the last of the washing. I shooed him out of the kitchen and began drying the dishes. I nearly dropped a glass when Victor’s arms encircled me from behind pulling me against his hard body.

  He whispered in my ear tickling my neck, “mhmm, this is nice. You look good out here, like a proper mate.”

  “I’m glad you think so. It was the least I could do. I don’t know what possessed me to behave that way in your home.”

  “I do. You were forgetting your worries for a while and having some childish fun. No harm done, printesa, you two cleaned it up. I’m glad you did clean the kitchen up, though. I didn’t want to lose another housekeeper.”

  “Do you have regular food fight messes in your kitchen?”

  “No, that one with Miles was the only food fight I’ve ever had in here. My domestics seem to quit for different reasons. I think this place scares them.”

  “It couldn’t be the big, bad vampire that lives here, could it?”

  He turned me around for a leisurely kiss before Vincent returned. It was another of those knee-weakening kisses that I’d come to expect from Victor. I felt like I’d been thoroughly kissed when he finished. “Do you still think I’m a big, bad vampire? Perhaps I’m just a great kisser and they get upset that I don’t kiss them like I do you.”

  “You’re full of yourself you know.”

  “I’d like to be full of you.” He slyly smiled giving just a hint of fang, which made me shiver.

  Before I could say anything, the ornery vampire disappeared and Vincent came into the room.

  Chapter Ten

  “The kitchen looks good. Want me to help with the last couple of dishes, slow poke?”

  “Nope, I got them.”

  “Why don’t you go start the movie you brought? What did you bring anyway?”

  “Twilight.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding. I’m staying with a vampire and you bring a flick like that?”

  “I thought you liked it.”

  “I do, but don’t you think it’s kind of weird to watch it here? I don’t want to offend Victor.”

  “The guy lived in Hollywood. He’s probably heard about every vampire flick that’s out there.”

  “Yeah, I guess so, but it doesn’t mean he likes them in his home. Let’s go watch it, but next time no vampire movies, ok?”

  He shrugged, but didn’t answer as he went into the room to put the movie in the DVD player. I put the last of the dishes away and went to join him. As I started to walk out of the kitchen, a hand squeezed my bottom causing me to start. As I turned around a satisfied, smiling Victor disappeared.

  Vincent was sitting on the end of the couch. He motioned for me to come and sit by him. We watched the movie that I’d almost memorized as we sat together. Unlike Miles or Victor, Vincent was laid back around me and still almost shy at times. He held my hand and a couple of times I caught him watching me, but that was all that happened. It was kind of nice not to have to think about what I was supposed to do around him. I could just be myself, a girl-woman who had really no clue about how I was supposed to act around a boy or a man.

  We had a quick frozen pizza and walked outside to sky watch. The first night stars were starting to appear and as always Vincent remembered every constellation and every star. I’d almost forgotten how much I enjoyed stargazing with him. It had been too long. He didn’t really remember the myths of the constellations, but he was interesting undemanding company. When I asked if he knew any of the stories, he reminded me he was a scientist not a storyteller. He said that that sort of thing was more Sebastian’s thing. I stored that information away for another night.

  I knew it was nearing the time when Vincent would be transported back to Raven and the rest of the guys. We walked hand in hand to the edge of the porch to await Sebastian. He’d be transporting Vincent back to wherever they were all staying. Vincent pulled me closer to him and lifted my hand, palm up. He grinned at me as he placed a small black velvet box in my hand and said, “You didn’t think I’d forget your birthday, did you? This is a little belated gift for my girl.”

  “Oh, Vincent you didn’t have to get me anything. You being here was gift enough.”

  “I know, but I wanted to. Now open it before I have to go. Raven’s coming with Alex soon. I think he thought it would be better if Alex didn’t come alone, because he tends to aggravate you.”

  “He does, but he did save my life. I’ll be nice. He’s one of my shields, too,” I said as I opened the little box. A tiny glass bubble suspended on a delicate silver chain sat inside the velvet box. I love
d it. It reminded me of the frozen bubbles and the special night we’d shared.

  I grabbed him around his neck and pulled him to me for a quick hug. I kissed his cheek as a thank you. He smiled and turned that nice pink shade that he wore so often around me. He gently took the box from my clumsy cold fingers and removed the necklace from it. He unzipped the jacket I wore and placed the tiny keepsake around my neck. He kissed the back of my neck ever so softly when he was finished.

  “I love it. It reminds me of the frozen bubble formations you shared with me and our special night.”

  “I knew you’d love them. I had this made especially for you sometime ago. I knew one day I’d get to share those bubbles with you. I figured you’d love them. They’re a scientific wonder aren’t they? My breath is so bitterly cold that it makes them freeze even when it isn’t cold enough.”

  “I’ll always remember last night with you, Vincent. I’d forgotten how much fun we used to have.”

  “Me, too, moppet,” he said as he turned me around for a chaste kiss that was beautiful in its innocence. I ran my hand down his cool cheek and smiled into his eyes, glad that he was one of my shields.

  We heard flapping in the distance, which must have been Raven’s wings. I was surprised that Sebastian hadn’t transported Alexander and Raven. They said that Sebastian had been busy analyzing my blood and doing some other things for the Order. The guys must have decided to come together under the cover of the dark night.

  It was cloudy, so it was doubtful they’d be seen by anyone, even though they were noisy.

  Vincent pulled me towards him, “I hope you’ll think of me and remember all the fun we had, Emma. May I kiss you one more time before I go?”

  In answer to his question, I leaned in even closer and covered his lips with mine. We gently kissed enjoying the feel of our merged mouths until we were interrupted by the sound of Alexander’s voice, “Woah, you didn’t waste any time getting reacquainted did you?”