“We’ll get back on it right away.”
Alex gulped his drink. “What’s going to happen when Crawford finds out Gabe and Seth are gone?”
“Probably nothing. I’m the one who’s going to catch flak. I screwed up. I should have kept closer tabs on them. Especially Gabriel.” Doc stood and rubbed his chin. “You realize I have to notify Crawford.” He started toward the door, then stopped and turned around. “I’m curious about something. Why did the two of you decide to stay?”
Roman answered first. “Something’s changed.” Yeah, like Grace and his unborn child.
“I’m with Roman,” Alex added. “Anything’s better than vampirism.”
“It might not seem like it,” Doc said, “but you both made the right decision.” He winced. “Wish me luck telling Crawford. It’s never pleasant to be the bearer of bad news.”
“You’re doing it now?”
“Might as well get it over with.”
Roman stood and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. “There’s no need for you to do this alone. They were my responsibility. I’ll go with you.”
“So will I,” Alex said.
Doc held up his hand to stop them. “It’s better if I don’t get anyone else involved. This project and everything connected to it is my baby. I can handle him.”
They wished him luck and said goodnight.
Roman stared at his cell phone, hating what he had to do. “I need to update the Elder Council that our team is now two men short.”
“Shit. I forgot about them. Can’t you request replacements without telling them about Gabe and Seth leaving?”
“Normally, I’d stall. Considering the problems we’re having with the formula, it’s best to turn our territory over to the L.A. team. As much as I hate to admit it, by ourselves, we’re not strong enough to battle slayers.”
Stepping down also eliminated another problem—having to tell the Elder Council about Grace and his impending fatherhood.
24
Doc
As much as Doc hated to perform the unpleasant task of informing his boss about the vampires’ leaving, he had no choice. Crawford needed to be informed immediately. If he found out on his own, Doc would lose his job, which would leave the vampires completely at the mercy of his supervisor. And Doc would never let that happen.
Pulling a deep breath into his lungs, he let it out slowly before trudging down the empty hallway to Crawford's office. His feet felt like cement blocks as he forced his legs to move forward. How was he going to tell his boss that Gabriel and Seth had left the program? Worse yet, how could he tell him they’d turned back to vampires? Bracing himself against the wall, he wiped sweat from his brow. After drawing another deep breath, he forced his feet toward his destination.
When he arrived at Crawford's office, the door was already open. Behind the desk, his boss sat signing papers.
Coughing to clear his throat, Peters knocked lightly on the doorjamb. “Excuse me, sir. I need to talk to you about a situation.”
Crawford looked up from a stack of papers and his brow furrowed. “Shut the door.”
With tentative steps, Doc entered the office. He closed the door and stopped at the chair facing the desk. To steady his knocking knees, he gripped the top of the chair and leaned against the back for support.
His boss pushed his chair away from the desk and tapped his pen vigorously against the armrest. “What happened?”
Dreading to relay the information he came to deliver, he shoved his shaking hands into the pockets of his lab coat before proceeding. “Gabriel and Seth have left the program.”
Crawford gripped the pen and glared at him. “And how do you know this?”
“Alex and Roman informed me when they returned to the lab without them.” Here it comes. The lecture. God, I hate this job.
Veins in Crawford's neck bulged, his face reddened and he threw his pen across the room. He jumped from his chair and pounded both fists on the desk—signaling his tirade was about to begin. “I made a monumental mistake when I involved you in the program. Obviously, you weren't up to the task, were you?”
“No, sir,” he answered, studying his shoes.
As Crawford paced behind his desk, his rage seemed to subside. “I'd fire you right now, but you know too much. You also helped develop the formula and you've befriended Roman. He trusts you and Alex trusts him.” He leaned against his desk, and pointed at him with sharp jabs. “I swear to God, if either Roman or Alex leave the program, I will hold you personally responsible. From now on, watch them like a hawk in case Gabriel or Seth try to contact either of them. Your job's on the line. Do you understand what I'm saying?” he asked in a hoarse voice.
You need me more than I need you or this institute. “Yes, sir.” Standing tall, he puffed out his chest. If it wasn’t for his friendship with the vampires, he’d have left a long time ago.
Returning to his chair, Crawford sat and crossed his arms. “So tell me. Have Gabriel and Seth turned?”
“Apparently so.”
“And where do you think your vampires are now?”
Now they're my vampires? He bit his bottom lip. “Roman and Alex doubt they'll remain the area. Hopefully, they're heading to L.A. or San Diego. Because God help us if people around here start turning up dead.”
Crawford spun his chair around and stared out the window. “Where they go is probably irrelevant, because wherever they are, we better pray they can't be traced back to the institute.”
25
Grace
Grace took Deanna’s advice and skipped classes the next day. Still sore from her confrontation with the priest, her aching body needed the rest and she slept until noon. To her relief, Jerry had been apprised of her accident and penciled a different bartender’s name on the schedule to cover her shift for a few days.
At seven o’clock that evening, she stepped into the shower and welcomed the hot, pulsating water spray beating the tightness from her shoulders and back. She stayed in the shower until her shoulders were raw. She turned off the water and wrapped herself in the fluffy bath towel. After drying herself, she pulled on an oversized T-shirt, slipped into a pair of cotton pajama bottoms, and combed snarls out of her freshly washed hair. Turning sideways in front of the full-length bathroom mirror, she sucked in her stomach. Good! She wasn’t showing yet.
Before her pregnancy became more evident, she needed to tell her best friend the truth about her condition. Might as well get it over with. She padded into the hallway, and knocked on Deanna’s open bedroom door.
“Deanna?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you decent?”
“You know I’m never decent,” she joked. “But come in anyway. I’m in the bathroom.”
Grace gave a half-hearted chuckle and crossed the bedroom to enter the bathroom. Deanna, in a short, black dress, stood in front of the sink, toothbrush in hand.
“Before you go out, can we talk?”
“Sure. What’s up?” Deanna squeezed a dollop of toothpaste on her toothbrush and started brushing her teeth.
Staring at the floor, Grace took a deep breath and ran her palms over her stomach. “There’s something I want to tell you.”
Deanna stopped mid-brush and stared at her.
The word pregnant stuck in Grace’s throat. Saying the word aloud terrified her. Anticipating her friend’s response terrified her even more. While contemplating how to approach the subject, Grace watched her own hands rub her stomach.
Deanna’s gaze flew to Grace’s midsection. Her eyes grew to the size of half dollars. She dropped her toothbrush in the sink, leaving traces of toothpaste smeared around her mouth. “No! Please don’t tell me you’re pregnant!” Her knees buckled and she grabbed the edge of the sink.
The wide-eyed horror on her friend’s face brought tears to Grace’s eyes. She nodded and burst into tears.
“Oh, my God, Grace! Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Deanna grabbed a hand to
wel and wiped the toothpaste from her mouth. “How far along?”
“I’ve missed a couple periods and started getting sick—”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner? I could have helped you.”
And get this reaction? “I tried telling you yesterday morning, but you didn’t—”
“That’s what you wanted to talk about?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“You’ve got to get rid of it.”
“I knew you’d say something like that.” Grace stormed out of the bathroom and kept running until she reached the living room. Deanna followed close behind. How could she be so insensitive?
“Stop, Grace! Stop!” Deanna caught up and pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her.
“It’s my baby, not yours,” Grace cried out, pulling away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those awful things.” Deanna sat on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. “Come. Sit.” Snatching the remote from the coffee table, she muted the television. She scooped a handful of peanut M&M’s from a small, clear plastic bowl on the coffee table and popped them into her mouth, one at a time.
“Aren’t you going out tonight?” Grace pulled a Kleenex from the box of tissues on the end table, and wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
“It’s not a date or anything. Just a few of us from class going out for a drink.” Deanna picked up her cell and sent a quick text. “No hurry. I’ve got plenty of time. Do you want to talk about the baby?” she asked, and resumed eating M&M’s.
Grace shook her head and sat next to her friend. She stared at the wadded-up tissue in her hands, hoping the floor would swallow her up.
“Or not. Either way, I’m here for you.” Deanna un-muted the television and tossed a handful of candy into her mouth. Speed-chewing, she stared at the TV—her gaze fixated on a Seinfeld re-run.
Fearing she’d say something to invite a lecture on safe sex, abortions, her job, school, or vampires, Grace remained silent. Quietly seated next to Deanna, her own mind filled with doubts.
What kind of mother would she be? How could she take care of an infant when she could barely take care of herself? Was Deanna right? Maybe it was a mistake to bring this baby into the world, after all. She hated herself for entertaining such thoughts. Tears stung the backs of her eyes.
“It’s Roman’s, isn’t it?” Deanna blurted.
“Yes.”
“Be right back.” Deanna walked into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of imported beer and a large bag of barbeque potato chips. She ripped open the bag and thrust it in front of Grace. “Chips?”
Without looking up, she shook her head. “I’m not hungry. Nothing sits right in my stomach anymore—especially Italian food. The smell of garlic makes me nauseous.”
“Must be tough, especially with your lab project.” Deanna popped a few chips into her mouth.
“That’s why I’m resigning from the team. And it was my bright idea to use garlic as an ingredient in the first place.” Considering the irony, a weak smile tugged at Grace’s lips.
“All your hard work. It’s not fair. See what this pregnancy is doing to you? It’s ruining your career.”
“But it’s not about me. It’s about the animals and the environment.” Her voice caught and she rubbed her forehead, trying to relieve the rapidly emerging headache. “What good am I to the team if I keep excusing myself to go throw up in the restroom? The project will go on. With or without me. It has to. We’re saving animals.” She raised her voice in frustration. “Do you have any Tylenol?”
“Sure do.” Deanna disappeared into her bedroom and returned with a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water. She handed both to Grace.
“Thanks.” Grace washed down two tablets with the glass of water.
Without missing a beat, Deanna continued the conversation. “I hate for you to quit your project. Can’t you use something besides garlic?” she asked, chewing on chips and chipping away at Grace’s frazzled nerves.
Grace closed her eyes and blew out an exasperated breath. “We can use rhubarb leaves, but they’re toxic. There will be other experiments. Other environmental causes. I’ll be fine. This isn’t the end of the world.”
Another round of silence and munching on snacks.
“I’ve been thinking, Grace. It might not be a good idea for you to go back to your apartment at all. Move in with me. You’ll be safer here.”
“But I have a lease.”
Deanna snorted. “Yeah, right! Your lease is month to month. The landlord only requires you give a thirty-day notice.”
“But I like my place.”
“I do, too. It’s a cute apartment. But you shouldn’t be alone right now. Promise you’ll give notice right away. If you won’t, I will. I can get some of the guys to help pack up your stuff and move you out of your place and in with me. You won’t have to lift a finger. We’ll take care of everything.” She reached over and touched Grace’s arm. “Please think about it.” She stuffed her mouth with a handful of chips.
“Maybe I shouldn’t even have this baby.” She hadn’t meant to say those words aloud, but it was too late to take them back.
“Are you having second thoughts about keeping it?” Deanna asked, still chewing.
She shrugged. Maybe Deanna’s right. I don’t even know if the baby’s human. If it’s a vampire, maybe it would be better if it never took a breath.
“If that’s what you decide.” Deanna’s eyes lit up. “I can take you to a clinic or a doctor who’ll terminate your pregnancy.”
“No!” She gasped, feeling both guilt and shame for even entertaining such a thought. How could she do this to a baby who didn’t ask to be born?
Deanna stared at the television and chugged her beer. “I know you want to do the right thing and all, but give it some thought. Roman won’t be able to help you. You’ll probably be raising the baby by yourself. It’ll tie you down. And what about your future? Your dreams?”
“I’ll put them on hold. Right now, I have to take care of my baby.”
“Then you should call your parents. I bet they’ll help you.” Deanna put the chip bag down and picked up the bowl of M&M’s.
“My dad told me if I ever got in trouble, not to call him. He always said, ‘You made your bed, now lie in it’ or something like that. They’ll pressure me to give my baby up for adoption.”
Deanna seemed to perk up. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe you should give adoption some thought.”
But Grace stood firm. “There’s nothing to think about. I’m keeping my baby. It’s part of me now.”
She grimaced. “What if it’s a—”
“What if it’s not?”
“If you keep it, whose last name will it have? Yours?”
She shook her head. “His. And if it’s a boy, I’m naming him Romano Santos, Junior.” Her friend’s grilling was taking its toll on her and she prayed her headache wouldn’t turn into a full-blown migraine. Squeezing her eyes shut, she massaged her temples. “Can’t we talk about this some other time?”
“I don’t want to upset you or strong arm you into doing something you don’t want to do.” Deanna’s voice hitched. She paused. “Romano Santos is a great name. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you mention his last name.”
“He’s Argentinean.”
Deanna dabbed a tissue under her eyes and wiped her nose. “Are you mad at me?”
Grace shook her head. “Of course not. I’m exhausted. And my head is killing me.”
“Why don’t you try get some rest before Romano Santos, Senior, gets here with your car? Romano Santos,” she repeated. “It sounds distinguished and kind of rolls off the tongue. Little Romano Santos. I like it!”
Relief settled over Grace, drawing a smile. She picked up the velvet pillow next to her and hugged it. Deanna was right. She would be safer living here. “I’ve thought about it. And I’d love to stay with you. I’ll give my notice tomorrow.”
Deanna wipe
d her mouth on a tissue. She stood and brushed crumbs from her lap. “There…now that we’ve settled that. I can finished getting ready to go out.” Her eyes misted. “I can’t believe we’ll finally be official roomies,” she said with a grin.
“Neither can I…and I can’t wait.” She knew the move would please Roman, and couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
* * *
An hour later, as Grace lay on top of her bedspread, next to Roman’s lean, muscular body, a welcome calm swept over her. This was exactly how she’d always imagined it would feel to be loved. Cherished.
He lifted her hand from his chest and kissed each of her fingertips. “I’m glad you’re going to live with Deanna. Knowing you’re not alone, I’ll breathe a lot easier.” He hesitated. “I wish we were moving in together.”
“So do I,” she whispered and touched his face. Was that a tear? She knew Roman had to return to the lab before morning, but didn’t want him to leave. “Please stay with me tonight.”
“I’d love to,” he whispered and feathered tiny kisses across her forehead and eyes. “But that’s not possible right now,” he said softly, and played with her long hair, winding and unwinding it around his index finger.
“Roman?”
“Shhh.” His fingers grazed her cheek, sending shivers up and down her spine.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Afraid he’d leave if she fell asleep, she fought to stay awake. But soon her eyelids betrayed her. They closed and she drifted off.
26
Roman
Roman waited until Grace was asleep before he called Alex to pick him up.
Less than a half-hour later, Alex arrived. He brought news of rumors that slayers had been sighted and tracked to neighboring Riverside County.
“Let’s check it out before heading back home,” Roman said and climbed in the passenger seat of Alex’s SUV.”
The Ortega Project Page 17