Simply give me the word, me love, and atonement you shall have.
“Does this Marsha Heder still live in the area?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Why?” she asked, and opened an eye to look at me. “Did you plan on killing her?” she said ominously.
“The thought crossed me mind,” I told her honestly.
Jay Dee softly snorted. “Don’t worry about it. She got what was coming to her. Karma is a bitch,” she purred. “She weighs like three-fifty and is only five-two on a good day. She got knocked up her freshman year and dropped out of high school, doesn’t know who the fathers of any of her four kids are, so why lower yourself to her level? I’m over it. In the end, I got the better end of the deal.”
She may be over what had happened to her, however I am not.
Homicidal thoughts aside, what they did to her was horrible, and as usual, Jay Dee didn’t hold any ill-will because of it.
“Duckie, I have never played Seven in Heaven before, however, if you would care to play now, it would be an honor and privilege to hold you in me arms and caress your lips with mine.”
She chuckled. “Thanks but that isn’t necessary. I think we played many hours in Heaven last night, and it was much better than I could have dreamt of.”
“Silly bird,” I whispered and leaned down and caressed her lips with mine.
Married, that sucks. But, they aren’t together anymore and haven’t been together for over two centuries, so that has to count for something...I think.
I mean, come on, Tanis has dated and slept with other people in that time. Just because I haven’t slept with anyone...actually, damn it. He’s the first boy I’ve ever kissed, and you can’t exactly call him a boy. Tanis is a man, a man who has seen more than three centuries worth of world changing events. The most I can brag about seeing is...nothing really. Not in comparison to the wonders he’s seen.
Shit! This isn’t going to end well. I know it...it can’t! Yes, age is nothing but a number, and Mom kept reassuring me of that while we folded my laundry after Tanis left last night, but it didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“Sweetheart, age doesn’t matter when it comes to matters of the heart,” Mom assured me. “Hell, if you tell anyone this, I’ll kick your ass, but I’m older than your Dad.”
That I didn’t know and it actually made me feel slightly better.
Mom was nice to Tanis. Dad walked him to the door and only glared at him a little bit. And Jarvis seems to like him; they were talking privately before Tanis left for the evening. I hope it was friendly banter and not more death threats from both sides—boys are ridiculous most of the time.
“Count Suckula is here!” Jarvis called up the stairs.
Damn it.
I woke up late and barely had time for a shower. I threw on whatever was folded on the top of the laundry basket. Since nearly all of my clothes were jeans and tee shirts, it was safe to assume that it matched.
“Any day now!” he yelled.
“Bite me!” I yelled back as I scrambled to get my shoes on.
Jarvis was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I slid down the railing.
“You’re a real douche bag,” I informed him, taking the sack lunch he was holding out for me.
“And you love me for it,” he smugly reminded me.
“You have your moments,” I said and kissed him on the cheek before heading out the door.
Leaning against the passenger side door of a pearly white European carriage was Tanis with a smile on his face. Of course he looked like a damn model standing there in his expensive designer clothes. Even though he was just wearing jeans and a v-neck sweater with a dress shirt and necktie under it, I was more than confident that the outfit cost more then I make in a month; he looked like a British model.
“Good morning,” I greeted, hurrying to the SUV.
“Duckie,” he greeted with a nod. “How was your night?” he asked then smirked.
“You tell me, you were there,” I reminded him, trying to keep my voice down so Jarvis didn’t hear that Tanis snuck in the window again last night for a couple hours in Heaven.
“That I was,” Tanis amusingly agreed with a mischievous smirk and smacked my ass in passing, causing me to jump.
When I slid into the passenger seat, I nearly hopped back out.
In the backseat his cousins sat smiling wide at me, fangs clearly visible.
“Er, hello?” I greeted and nervously tucked my hair behind my ears.
“Hello,” they said in unison before laughing.
Tanis appeared in the driver seat in a blur of movement and smiled at me. “I thought it would be lovely if you got to know me family more,” he said.
“Huh?” I asked dumbfounded.
“I dare say, you are not nervous about being in a car full of vampires, are you?” he teased. “I thought Miss Jay Dee was not terrified of anything, especially vampires. Especially after that little showing at the garage with me brother,” he mused.
“SUV,” I instantly corrected. “And no, not really. Just surprised is all...and I was armed when your douche bag brother was around.”
“Indeed,” Tanis said, his smile falling and he handed me the silver dagger that I had slammed into his brother’s hand.
“Thank you,” I said and smiled wide causing him to shake his head.
Romeo leaned forward, popping his head between our seats. “Don’t let our presence stop you two from doing whatever it is you do on the way to school,” he said then smiled wide. “Seriously, I am an avid supporter of voyeurism.”
Steffen punched him in the arm, knocking him back in his seat. “Shut up. It’s a wonder you can get laid at all, you’re such a child.”
And the bantering started.
After that they, hardly noticed that I was even there so I just sat back and watched.
Steffen was a good guy, very likeable...he reminded me of Jarvis. His wife, Abigail, wasn’t what I was expecting, to say the least. She was very sweet and warm, most of the time she was stuck playing peacekeeper, however what she said was final; none of them questioned it. She was a woman with power in an SUV full of boys—well, minus me. Tanis sat quietly, laughing at them, occasionally shaking his head at one of them in the rearview mirror, his free hand wrapped around mine, drawing circles with his thumb on the palm of my hand as he drove.
“Do you work tomorrow?” Tanis asked when we got to school.
“No, Joe is closing the shop for the day because of the party. Why? Oh god, what did your brother do to the shop?” I groaned, expecting the worst.
Again, they laughed.
Steffen wrapped his arms around the seat and hugged me. “Nothing. I kept an eye on the little shit, even got to taunt him. I wasn’t nearly as good as you, but it was still fun. I made sure that he picked everything up and closed up properly before I gave him his ring back. Let me tell you, he bitched and whined the entire time.”
Thank God.
Abigail giggled. “I don’t think anyone has ever put that jerk in his place before. Bravo, girlie.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled and blushed. “It wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve never been known for my common sense, case in point, I’m in a car full of vampires.”
“SUV,” Tanis corrected with a smile.
“Would you like to go shopping with me tomorrow in Seattle?” Abigail asked with a smile.
“Huh?” I choked and turned around to face her.
She rolled her large, dark brown eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Shopping. I know that this area doesn’t have a mall or anything, but Seattle isn’t that far away and we’ll be back in time for your party. Just some early morning shopping to arouse the senses and caress the soul,” she said with a longing sigh.
“Again, huh?” I choked.
“It’s been far too many days since I’ve been in a dressing room, so how about it?” she asked.
Nervous, I chewed on my lip. “Um...well,” I s
tammered.
How do I word this without offending her?
“Are you scared to be alone with a vampire who isn’t physically attracted to you?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, her thumb absently spinning her diamond encrusted wedding band around her ring finger. “You are beautiful and your tits are amazing, especially since they’re natural, but I only like to watch those earning what I throat as they spin around a pole. Sorry.”
I laughed.
“Scared? Yes,” I admitted. “Of a vampire? No. I don’t like shopping,” I said and they laughed.
Tanis coughed, trying to clear the amusement from his voice. “It is not nearly as bad as you think it is, Duckie. You might actually like it.”
I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he pinched my lips together.
“Worst case scenario, you drag them to an automotive store and go shopping there.”
Everyone was laughing again, even me. Abigail thought Tanis was kidding but he was serious, and he knew that I’d do just that.
“Fine, it isn’t like I can get out of it. What time?”
“Six,” she beamed and I groaned.
“That sucks. The Seahawks play their first preseason game tonight,” I mumbled.
Steffen popped his head between the seats that time. “No shit? Did you want to come over and watch? We have a theater in the basement we can watch the game on.”
Tanis groaned and softly bashed his head into the steering wheel.
“No shit?” I laughed. “Hell yeah...oh wait, I promised Jarvis and Yahto that I’d watch the game with them.”
Steffen smiled wide. “Bring them! The family isn’t like most vampires. We don’t have anything against werewolves. In fact, Toran has been considered the werewolf to vampire relations advocate for centuries, since he was turned...yeah, I shouldn’t have said that. Either way, bring them. I’m sure your man can whip up some food while we watch the game since he wouldn’t be caught dead watching a ‘football’ game.”
I smirked and looked over at Tanis. “You don’t like sports?”
“Bloody Americans and their football. You do not hardly ever use your bloody foot so why call it ‘football’?! It should be bloody called what it truly is! Americanized rugby with pads since Yanks are obviously pansies,” he said, making a mocking face so I punched him in the arm, getting a growl from the vampire I assaulted in return and a roar of laughter from the three behind us.
Whenever you are not looking forward to something, it always sneaks up on you.
Jarvis and I didn’t get home until after midnight, even though the game was over by eight. My usual group of boys that I watch the Seahawks on Sundays with joined me at the vampire’s lair, as Yahto called it. Only Steffen, Abigail, Romeo, Sabirella, and eventually Tanis, opted to watch the game with us. Sabirella mainly checked on the loud group of young people in her basement and Tanis pouted the entire time. He hated sports and was only subjecting himself to it because I was one of three girls in a group of fifteen guys, most of which were werewolves who kept growling at him every chance they got, and he was silently staking claim to his property by sitting next to me with a book and MP3 player. Steffen and Abigail were laughing at his expense, surprisingly Romeo and Jarvis hit it off, and after I threaten to cut a few balls off, the rest of the werewolves settled down and enjoyed the game and new company.
I was one of the best Seahawks games I’d ever watched.
But the night ended much too soon. One minute I was kissing Tanis in the parlor out of sight of Jarvis and the other werewolves, before he walked me to the car, and the next my eyes were snapping open when my alarm clock went off at five-thirty so I could get up and go shopping with a vampire…er, vampires, pluralized; Romeo invited himself.
I prayed that Georgiana wasn’t going to join us. She didn’t like me in the slightest, and started in on me as soon as I walked through the door, but her colorfully rude comments were answered by Sabirella which resulted in Georgiana disappearing to her room for the night.
That was a God sent.
Romeo assured me that it wasn’t me per se. It was, but it wasn’t. For whatever reason, the rest of the Ashton clan didn’t like seeing Tanis happy. When I pressed it, Romeo summed it up in two words: d’Artagnan’s mini-me.
Enough said.
I wasn’t entirely sure what I was supposed to wear shopping. Honestly, shopping wasn’t my thing in the least, and most likely I’d just end up in the arcade playing Soul Calibur, but I had still questioned it a few times that morning.
There was a knock at the door which was followed by Jarvis. “Hey, are you up?” he whispered.
“Obviously,” I said and rolled my eyes, then finished tying my shoe. “What’s up?”
He slipped into the room, silently shutting the door behind him. “Are you going to be okay going out with them today? I mean, I know you can handle yourself, which is awesome, but will you be okay?”
“Yeah...well, I might need some pepper spray or a stun gun to keep Romeo from humping my leg like the horny little dog that he is, but other than that I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “They’re cool, as you discovered last night, and wasn’t it Mom who is always bitching that I never have any friends who are girls, and that I never go shopping or do girlie stuff?”
“True, but I don’t think this is what she had in mind,” he pointed out with a chuckle.
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” I reminded him and he laughed. “If anything happens, I’ll run, it’s what I do best. You’ll be home if I need a ride, right?”
He looked away from me and bit his lip.
“Where are you going?” I demanded.
“Out with a friend,” he shot back defensively.
Oh, that isn’t too bad.
“A old broad?” I teased.
“God no, I mean, not ‘god no’ to the old broad part, but ‘god no’ to the…never mind,” he groaned. “I’m going out with a dude. Okay, that sounded just as gay. Either way, call Tanis if something happens, I trust him.”
I nearly fell off of the bed in shock.
What did he just say?
“Oh shut up,” he complained and knocked into me. “You could have done a lot worse, and if you hadn’t noticed, he likes you, a lot! He’d give you the world if you’d only ask for it.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” I whispered.
“Shut up. Tonight is your birthday.”
“Thanks for the recap.”
“Ignoring you,” he sang. “Why don’t you surprise everyone, more so than just showing up on the arm of a vampire, and dress up?” he suggested.
“Did Mom put you up to this?” Instantly I was suspicious.
“No,” he groaned. “You don’t have to go all balls out with makeup and shit, just dress in something slightly nicer than jeans and a tee shirt, that’s all I’m saying. You’ve never had anyone to impress before, now you do, not that he needs impressing, he’s already crushing on you like a stalker.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled, but couldn’t help but smile.
My brother was right; I had a reason to dress up that night.
Correction, not a reason, but a someone, and that someone was more than worth it.
“A dress?” I whispered.
Jarvis slipped off of the bed and looked at me with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open. “Whoa, you seriously have it for this suck head,” he said.
I shrugged but nodded.
“Hmm…I don’t like it,” he mumbled with a mischievous smirk before looking around my room, as if he was looking for something. “Your favorite colors are still red and black, right?” he asked, pulling his attention back to me.
“Why?” I asked suspiciously.
“No reason,” he said and batted his lashes at me innocently.
“Black is a shade, however, I like red and black best. Why, what are you scheming?”
“Nothing,” he gasped as if he were insulted.
I glared at him. “Se
riously, Jarvis, I’m not in the mood. I’m tired, crabby, am a year older, got my ass handed to me last night by my annoying brother who felt the need, for whatever reason, to throw my ass in a pool...you seriously have no inside manners,” I scolded.
He smiled wide.
Why do I bother?
“What are you up too?” I groaned and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.
He made a face at me. “I’m going to pick you up something to roam around town in if you must know, but nothing that special because I’m a broke ass college student. Stop being so damn paranoid! You act like I don’t know that you’re going to bitch and complain until Christmas about whatever anyone gets you, and then you’ll start all over again at Christmas about what they got you for Christmas. It’s a vicious cycle with you, Sis. Can’t you just smile pretty and nod like you love it?” he pouted, batting his lashes at me.
I’ll admit, he had a point.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I don’t mean to be a difficult bitch, but I feel like you aren’t telling me something, and that I should be pissed at you already for it. That’s all.”
“Whatever do you mean?” he teased and cupped his balls.
That should have told me something right there.
“Y’know, that little voice in the back of my head which is yelling ‘Jarvis is going to get his ass kicked hardcore tonight!’” I said with a shrug and he laughed. “It’s hard to ignore. Forgive me?” I pouted and batted my lashes at him as he had done to me and he laughed, then headed for the door.
“Stay out of trouble and call your suckhead if you have any problems. Love ya!” he called out as he headed down the hall.
Weird. Jarvis is totally up to something, I just don’t know what. I don’t think he’s conspiring with Yahto since he’s helping to set up the stage and dance floor with the rest of the pack for the festivities tonight. Plus, Yahto is pissed at me about Tanis and the little shoving match they got into which resulted in both of them getting knocked into the pool last night. Damn it! Who could it be? Jarvis has a lot of friends in the area so it could be any of them, and they don’t particularly care for me so they wouldn’t tell me what he’s up to. Damn, that is going to bug me all day.
Forbidden Alliance: A Werewolf's Tale (Forbidden Alliance Trilogy) Page 19