“She’s right, Grace,” Roman said in agreement
Everyone seemed to know what was best for her. But shouldn’t she have a say in what to do and where to live? Were Roman and Deanna over-reacting? “I need more time to get my stuff. And what about my car?”
“Don’t worry about your car. Someone will get it for you,” Roman said.
“You sure you want a roommate who’s being hunted by some priest?” Grace asked, fearing her upcoming stay at Deanna’s place might jeopardize their friendship.
“I want to help keep my friend safe,” Deanna answered. “Do you know this priest, Roman?”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Unfortunately, I do. From the description, I’m pretty sure he’s Father Darius.”
“What are you going to do?” Dreading Roman would rush off and confront the priest, Grace swallowed hard. From what she’d heard of the conversation, any meeting between him and the priest would not end well. She hoped Roman would be victorious.
“You don’t want to know,” he answered too quickly. “I need to call my team.”
Deanna cocked her head and eyed him with confusion. “Your team? I don’t understand.”
“You’ve seen them with me at the club,” he explained. “And Grace, I agree with Deanna. It’s best if you stay away from the club from now on.”
“I can’t afford to take any more time off.”
Roman shook his head and held up his hand, stopping her from arguing further. “Don’t worry about money. You drew Father Darius into the open. I owe you.” He hurried into the kitchen, and leaned against the counter. And with his back to them, he made his phone call.
She hated seeing her best friend get mixed up with vampires and slayers on her account. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to drag you into this. I’ll make this up to you, I swear.”
But Deanna didn’t answer. Rigid and silent, she sat on the love seat and fixed her trance-like stare on Roman.
The phone conversation lasted less than five minutes, but it seemed like hours. Tension followed Roman back into the living room. Pocketing his phone, he crouched in front of Grace. He held her hands and stared into her eyes. “I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. But I’m going to have to leave now. There’s a meeting.” His voice became soft. “Please believe me when I say I’d much rather stay here with you. But this is real important.” He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her palms.
“Is this about the…?” Grace’s weak voice trailed off.
“Yes. It’s about the priest.”
* * *
Grace
* * *
After Roman admitted he’d been a vampire, Grace tossed and turned all night. Deep slumber eluded her and sporadic nightmares plagued her sleep. In one dream, she was being chased by a child-vampire with dark, curly hair. In another, she was the vampire, tied up, and Deanna drove a wooden stake into her heart. Her eyelids popped open and her heart pounded like a jackhammer. A migraine threatened to explode.
The alarm on the nightstand glowed six o’clock. She yawned, threw back the covers, and sat flopped on the edge of the bed like a rag doll. From the foot of the bed, a pile of clothes stared back at her. So much for Deanna taking her home to pick up clothes and her backpack. The same jeans and sweatshirt she’d worm the day before waited patiently for the new day. Hopefully, no one in her classes would recognize yesterday’s attire. She brought the stack of clothes to her nose. They failed the sniff test.
Nausea struck with a vengeance. Grace raced to the bathroom and dropped to her knees in front of the commode. Bracing her hands on the sides of the seat, she vomited bile. The dry heaves that followed made her ribs hurt whenever she moved. Exhausted, she folded her arms on the seat and rested her forehead on her forearms.
When the urge to vomit disappeared, she pushed herself to stand. At the sink, she turned on the cold water, and rinsed her mouth. She shuffled back to the bedroom and rummaged through her purse for the individual pack of cheese crackers she kept for emergencies—especially when she’d lose herself in thought while working on her pesticide research project and forgot to eat. Seated on the edge of the bed, she nibbled the crackers. When she’d eaten them all, she curled up on the bed and remained in the same position until her stomach stopped churning.
Once the nausea disappeared, she hurried back to the bathroom for a quick shower. Hot water beating against her body, mixed with the sweet fragrance of citrus shampoo, soothed her jangled nerves and her headache gradually subsided. The sore ribs remained, however. She toweled off, and slipped on yesterday’s wardrobe.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee lured her out of the bedroom. Glancing around the kitchen, she saw no one. Must be set on a timer.
“Thank you, Deanna.” She poured herself a large cup of delicious-smelling, too-hot-to-drink coffee. Waiting for the coffee to cool, she stared into the cup and pondered her dilemma. Roman made her promise not to tell anyone about the baby, but how could she keep such important news from her best friend? She couldn’t.
Something about the conception seemed amiss. How the hell did she get pregnant in the first place? She’d been on the pill ever since she and Jake started having sex. If Roman always used a condom, he must have some mighty strong swimmers. Supernaturally strong. Her breath caught and she brought her hands to her chest. Maybe her baby wasn’t human after all, perhaps something…supernatural.
But she already loved the tiny life growing inside. What would she tell her parents? Especially her perfect dad. No matter how hard she tried to make him proud, she always seemed to disappoint. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed her baby would be normal.
Deanna finally made an appearance in the kitchen and tossed her a purple T-shirt. “You can wear this today. It’s going to be hot outside.”
Grace caught the shirt in mid-air. I must really reek. “Thanks!” She quickly pulled off the sweatshirt and slipped on the fresh T-shirt.
Deanna wasn’t her usual chipper self. An unsettling scowl settled on her face. She reached into the pantry, grabbed a couple of breakfast bars, and tossed one to Grace.
“Thank you,” she answered anemically. Her stomach churned and she fought the urge to vomit. She wanted to tell Deanna about the baby, but changed her mind when her friend wouldn’t even look her way.
“Is something wrong?” Grace’s voice quavered.
“Uh-uh. Just thinking.” Deanna gathered her textbooks from the dining room table and hurried to the front door.
Grace followed. “Are you mad at me?”
“Of course not! But this whole vampire thing is a little overwhelming.”
“For me, too.”
“Are you ready to leave?” Deanna asked coolly.
Her chilly demeanor tied Grace’s stomach in knots. Deanna deserved to be told the truth. But even after hours of soul-searching, she still wasn’t able to come up with an easy way to address the subject of the baby she carried. Drawing in a deep breath, she proceeded cautiously. “Before we go, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Deanna checked her watch. “Is it important or can it wait? We’re running late.”
“It’s nothing,” Grace answered, stunned by her friend’s brusque comment. To avoid eye contact with Deanna, she grabbed her handbag and sweatshirt and ran out of the apartment.
20
Grace stayed after class to speak with Ryan, her backup on the project team. Tall and lanky, Ryan wore his long brown hair in a man-bun and sported wire-framed glasses. “Is there any ingredient in our pesticide that’s lethal to anything besides insects? Anything poisonous?” she asked, grimacing, fearing she’d overlooked something about the formula. “Think. It’s important.”
Across the table, Ryan clicked his pen repeatedly and shifted in his chair. “We specifically wanted the pesticide to be safe for plants and animals. You know more than any of us how hard we worked to develop a non-toxic formula.” He cocked his head. Curiosity shone in his eyes.
“Why are you asking? Did something happen?”
His question caught her off guard. She didn’t want to arouse suspicion that something had indeed happened. Something terrible.
“Not at all. I needed confirmation from a respected colleague.” She shot him a friendly smile and shoved the notebook into her handbag. Once she got home, she’d add the notes to data she kept in her backpack. “I’ve got to go. See you tomorrow.”
“Sure thing.” He pushed his chair away from the table, picked up his notebook, and hurried out the door.
How could she be relieved to learn the formula was safe for humans and animals when vampires were neither? She’d heard tales of garlic’s effect on the undead and wondered if one of the ingredients used in the pesticide had been what killed Roman’s vampires? Or were the allegations fiction? The best way to find out the truth about garlic was to ask Roman—the real deal. Even so, she wondered if, by asking, she’d reveal her part in his vampires’ destruction. A knot formed in her stomach at the possibility he’d end their relationship after discovering she was in charge of the pesticide program. Realizing how much she didn’t know about vampire biology, she decided, without disclosing her true motives, to make a point to quiz him on the subject ASAP.
Her cell phone rang. Deanna’s name showed on the screen.
Grace hit Talk. “Hi, Deanna.”
“Hi. Would you mind sticking around for couple more hours? I’ve got an important committee meeting that I forgot about. I’m sorry, but I can’t miss it. I’ll pick you up or we can meet at the cafeteria.”
Grace drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No worries. I’ll catch a ride with someone. I need to get home and change out of these clothes and get ready for work.”
“You’re going to work?” Deanna shrieked.” I thought you agreed to stay at my place until it was safe to go home.”
“I know you said I could stay with you until this blows over, but this morning you acted like you didn’t want me in your apartment.”
An uncomfortable silence seemed to go on forever.
“I never said any such thing,” A smidgen of guilt sounded in Deanna’s denial.
“You didn’t have to. I felt it.”
“Right now, it’s too dangerous for you to go home.”
“I know it’s risky, but no matter what you say, I’m still going to work tonight. And if that priest shows up, I’ll confront him. I need to get this over with, once and for all.”
Deanna gasped. “But you promised you wouldn’t set one foot inside the club.”
“I don’t have a choice,” Grace argued.
“Yes, you do.” Deanna’s voice slid up an octave.
“It’s a chance I have to take. I need my job. I can’t let some freaky old priest dictate how I live my life.”
In the background, someone called Deanna’s name.
“I have to go. Call me back in a half hour when I have a break. Bye.” Deanna disconnected the call.
Grace had no intention of calling her back. Right now, she needed to get ready for tonight’s shift. But she had a problem—no car. Considering the chilly ride to school this morning, coupled with Deanna’s emergency meeting, there was no way she could count on her for help. She needed to find a different way home.
As she rushed out of the lab, she spotted Brent in the crowded hallway, and waved him down. He nodded his acknowledgement and she motioned for him to follow her away from the foot traffic and across the hall to the large, glass display case filled with collegiate science awards.
“Brent, would you be able to do me a favor?”
His face lit up. “Sure. What do you need?”
His enthusiastic response brought a smile. No questions asked. Always willing to help. Brent showed he was a good person and an even better friend.
“Here’s my problem.” And it definitely was a problem. “My car’s at my apartment and I’m here. Can you give me a ride home? I need my car to get to work tonight.”
“Your carriage awaits. Let’s go,” Brent answered with a broad grin.
If he knew the problem she faced—being impregnated by a vampire—he probably wouldn’t talk to her, much less hang out. “Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
“You have no idea how much this means to me.” She gave him a grateful hug.
Brent blazed a path through the congested hallway and into the crowded parking lot. He stopped next to a red Mazda Miata convertible. “This is it,” he announced, beaming.
“Wow! It’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.” Her breath caught as she grazed her fingertips across the vehicle’s shiny hood.
“It’s a birthday present from my parents.”
“For being a good boy?” Why did I say that? The remark made even her blush. Of course, he was a good boy.
“Hop in.”
She didn’t need a second invitation. She dropped her handbag on the floorboard and settled in the passenger seat. The short, but exhilarating, ride to her apartment would free her mind from worrying about her pregnancy…or Roman. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned back on the headrest, freeing her long hair to whip across her face. The noisy ride made conversation impossible, which suited her just fine. She didn’t feel like talking anyway and for a short time she forgot her problems, reveling in this carefree moment.
The car swerved and came to an abrupt stop.
Her eyelids snapped open. “We’re here already?” She glanced over her shoulder and spotted her apartment building. “Bummer!”
Brent grinned. “I can open it up on the freeway if you want.”
The proposition sounded tempting, but…. “No. I need to get some zees before the start of my shift.” A small statue on the dash captured her attention. “Who’s this?”
“That’s Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers,” he explained, handing her the silver figurine.
She ran her fingers over its cool, smooth surface. “I didn’t know you were religious.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
“I’ll bet you are.” She paused, considering her next remark. “I’m wondering if you’d answer a question.”
“Shoot.”
Not wanting to arouse suspicion, she proceeded cautiously. “I don’t know much about the Catholic Church. Someday, when I have more time, I’d like to talk to you about it.”
His eyes widened. “Are you thinking of converting?”
“Don’t tell me you forgot I’m a preacher’s kid gone bad? My dad would strangle me for sure if I turned Catholic.” She laughed nervously and handed Saint Christopher back. “I’m kind of curious about some things.”
He cocked his head. “Like what?”
“Like what priests do.”
Brent’s brows furrowed and eyes narrowed with curiosity. “You mean like…their duties?”
Her questions seemed to have raised a red flag. “Forget I asked. It’s not important.” She gave a dismissive wave. To halt further discussion on the subject of priests, she quickly retrieved her handbag and opened the door. “Thanks for the ride. See you.”
“Was it something I said?”
No. It was something she said. Poor Brent, she always seemed to mess with him—even unintentionally. “Not at all. I need to get some beauty sleep before I go in tonight.”
“Believe me, you don’t need beauty sleep. You’re already pretty enough.” He stared at her with doe-eyes.
She laughed. “Yeah, right! I need to scoot. Thanks again.”
“Glad I could help. Call me when you want to talk more about the church or…priests.”
“Will do.” After a quick scan of the surrounding area to verify no one had followed her or was watching her apartment, she hopped out of the car, and swung her handbag over her shoulder. Why in the world did I ask him about priests? As she made her way to her apartment building, she glanced back at a slack-jawed Brent, still parked at the curb.
She waved goodbye and waited for him to leave. When he
finally drove away, her breathing returned to normal.
Mulling over her dilemma, questions kept popping up. Questions she couldn’t answer. Should she have warned Brent that a priest might be killed? If so, would he be able to stop it? Should he? If she’d introduced the subject, Brent would have wanted to know more. And she wasn’t about to implicate Roman in a possible murder plot. No, she decided, remaining silent was the best decision. Besides, Roman was probably kidding, anyway. Wasn’t he?
Once again, Grace scanned the surrounding area for anything suspicious. Finding nothing, she dashed into her apartment and bolted the front door. She dropped her handbag on the coffee table and rummaged through it, searching for her cell phone. When she found it, she brought it to the kitchen, where she kept the charger, and plugged it in.
Now that she was finally in her own place, she kicked off her shoes, and lumbered into the bathroom to turn on the water for a shower.
She shed the clothes she’d worn for two days straight and jumped in a much-needed shower. As minutes ticked by, she grew more paranoid about the priest who’d asked about her at the club. Had he found out where she lived and now waited outside her front door? The possibility was terrifying. She turned off the shower, grabbed a towel, and dried herself.
Slipping on a robe, she scampered into the living room and peeked through the peep hole on the door. When no one stood behind the door, she let out a sigh.
Too nervous to sit down to a meal, because of her pregnancy, she poured herself a tall glass of milk and forced herself to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and an apple.
Because she’d promised Roman she’d stay at Deanna’s for a few days, she filled a small suitcase with enough clothes and underwear for a week, then tossed in toiletries and her phone charger. She rolled the suitcase to the door and set her backpack next to it.
Tonight, she needed to be alert at the club. If the priest showed up while she was on shift, she’d confront him in front of witnesses. She made a mug of hot chocolate, sat on the bed, and turned on the television.
The Ortega Project Page 14