Ben had unknowingly drunken all of his drinks and Teren’s as well. It was a miracle that boy could still stand. I told Teren it was a good thing Tracey was never going to find out about that; she’d stake him for sure.
Eventually, Teren explained to a slow looking Ben the general area of where we were going, and Ben shuffled off to his car with an equally slow looking Tracey. As Ashley and I got back in Teren’s car, I hoped that Ben could maintain focus long enough to not lose Teren on the highway.
Surprisingly, we all made it to the ranch together. As both cars drove down the super long gravel driveway, we passed under the huge, white wooden arch proclaiming the family name and I sighed contently, knowing I’d soon be a part of that family. Maybe recognizing what my sigh meant, my sister reached up from the seat behind me and slung her arms around my neck. We both giggled while Teren smiled at us.
As we got closer to the spread, I shook my head lightly and took in the beauty that was the Adams ranch. Sitting between the foothills, at the base of Mount Diablo, it was as close to idyllic as one could get. Green trees filled in the cracks between the valleys, where water obviously gathered in streams and pools. Teren and Ben would probably be spending some time this weekend fishing in those watery spots, regardless of the chill in the air. Boys would tolerate all sorts of adverse conditions for their hobbies. Men were weird that way.
Various colored cows lazily munched on some long tan grass, watching us as we passed. Farther in the fields, we could see even more cows basking in the early morning rays. That was one thing the family kept fully stocked on at all times – cattle, food for more than one species.
As we pulled into the driveway, I heard Ashley whistle lowly. “Wow, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this place.”
I smiled back at her as Teren parked his car beside Halina’s sporty European car. I knew exactly what she meant. The place was breathtaking…and huge. It consisted of three buildings, forming a U shape around a pool area in the back. The side buildings were low and long one-stories, while the main building was a huge two-story dwelling that dwarfed Teren’s place. Every building was capped with Spanish tile roofs that gleamed blood-red in the sun, symbolic and perfect. The rest of the building was made up of warm, honeyed wood and white stucco walls, embedded with smooth river rocks along the bottom, so it resembled a seamless stone wall, sort of castle-like, and also perfectly symbolic. If any of the humans visiting this weekend realized what kind of people they were really visiting, they’d have found it as humorous as I did, I was sure.
We stepped out of the car as Ben parked beside Teren. He and Tracey stepped out of their car with comically slack jaws. Teren grinned and I giggled at their faces. I suppose I’d looked like that on my first visit too. Locking arms with Ashley, I walked over to a still stunned Tracey. She looked at Teren oddly and then looked over at me, whispering, “You never told me Teren was loaded.”
I saw Teren’s lip twitch and knew he’d heard that. I grinned and shook my head at her bewildered face. “Because it doesn’t matter, Trace.” I watched his lips widen as he flashed his eyes to me in-between a conversation with Ben.
Ashley laughed at Tracey’s still confused face. Finally Tracey shook her head and said, “Why the hell are you still working for that bitch? You could probably buy the company.”
Teren laughed, switching it to a cough mid-chuckle, and I grabbed Tracey’s arm leading her to the house she couldn’t seem to get over. “They’re not that rich…besides, it’s his dad’s money.” I wasn’t entirely sure how his family had amassed such an amount, or whose it was technically, although they seemed to live a communal lifestyle…or a “nest” lifestyle, to put it in vampire terms, and probably considered whatever they had to be everyone’s. It was sort of a sweet way to live. Assuming everyone liked each other, which luckily, his entire family immensely loved each other, nearly worshipped each other. That was sweet too.
We all followed the granite steps to the huge wooden overhang above the front doors and I noticed the potted roses trailing up each one of the massive support beams holding the structure up. I grinned at the white beauties that the vampire women had put up for me. Nervous-excited energy flitted through me at the thought of tomorrow. Teren reached over and grabbed my hand, hearing my body’s change, and registering that I was nervous or excited or maybe both. He smiled at me encouragingly and moved his other hand to open the door.
The door swung in before he had a chance and I suppressed a grin at his mom’s impatience. Ben took a step back with the unexpectedness of that, and his face went a shade of green over his sudden movement. Groaning, he put a hand on his stomach and I narrowed my eyes, praying he didn’t toss his cookies on my beautiful new roses.
He kept it together though, and slapped on a gorgeous smile that almost made him seem normal, and not on the verge of being sick. I shook my head and turned to greet Teren’s…my…family.
“Emma,” Alanna beamed, as she, for the first time ever, ignored her son and swept me into her arms first. Her long black hair swished around my body as she humanly slow wrapped me in her cool embrace. I returned the gesture, feeling tears sting my eyes already. Oh, boy, I was never going to make it through this weekend.
She pulled back from me, eyeing me warmly, and then shifted her attention to Teren. He grinned and greeted her just as warmly as she’d greeted me. Yes, one thing this family had in spades, was love for each other.
When she pulled away from him, he swiftly hugged his dad standing at Alanna’s side, and then swished his arm out to indicate our friends. “Mom, Dad, this is Tracey and Ben, and of course, you remember Emma’s sister, Ashley.” Ashley had visited me at the ranch not too long after Teren’s conversion. Alanna and Jack gave her soft smiles of acknowledgement before he finished his introductions. “Guys, this is my father, Jack, and his wife, my step-mother, Alanna.”
Tracey and Ben threw on polite smiles as they shook Jack’s hand and I mentally reminded myself about Teren’s cover story. Alanna, Imogen and Halina, all looked too young to be his mother, grandmother and especially, his great-grandmother, so, to the outside world his birth mother had died a few years ago and his father had remarried, to a younger woman no less. Imogen and Halina were being “sold” as Alanna’s sisters. That story would work for several years, I suppose, until eventually Teren’s never-ending youth would have to have him be Alanna’s sibling as well. That would be a weird lie to say, she was just too much a mom to me.
Tracey was looking back and forth between Alanna and Teren, a clearly confused look on her still sickly face. I understood. Alanna and Teren were nearly carbon copies of each other; the resemblance was almost eerie. But he’d just established that he and Alanna weren’t blood related. Tracey was trying to figure that out. I smiled, picturing her astonishment when she met the other vampires; they were all eerily similar. That was one unfortunate part of the story. You just had to buy that they weren’t related to Teren, even though they looked just like him. Again, I suppose Teren could be altered in the story to be their brother…and again, weird.
With Jack looking ecstatic at having another fishing partner in the house, he clasped Hot Ben on the back, which made Ben wince horribly, and we were all led into the foyer. Tracey let out a low “wow” as she looked around the house. I smiled as I looked around too. The grand double staircase, the beautiful French doors that opened up into the impressive living room, the art along the walls, including the achingly stunning sunset that Halina had painted, and the naked, crying woman fountain in the center; it was beautiful and meticulous and classy, much like Alanna.
I noticed the details that weren’t there the last time I’d visited, as Alanna started walking the group to a side hallway that led to one of the different buildings (apparently, the guests weren’t staying in the main building, which was probably for the best). Alanna had set more potted roses along the banisters; the pot bases a swirled black and white marble, with faint streaks of red in them. The roses themselves alternat
ed between deep red and a white as pure as snow…or vampire skin. The roses had been strung along the railings, so they looped around them, all the way to the top, the colors mingling beautifully. White and red pillar candles lined the edges of every single step, and when they were lit, I’d imagined that the entire staircase would glow. Even more candles and roses were spaced throughout the room, a few petals floating in the fountain, and I shook my head as we left it. It was impressive…and only the entryway.
We passed through a covered breezeway, into one of the side buildings that the vampires never really seemed to use. I suppose that they planned on eventually filling all the rooms with grandchildren - great-great-great-great-etc-grandchildren. That was one of the things about living eternally – you had to plan for events really far out there. It sort of blew my mind. I wasn’t even sure what I’d be doing in the next six months, let alone the next sixty or six hundred years, although that last one wouldn’t really be a problem for me, as there was no way this human girl would live that long.
Alanna showed us into a room she’d set up for Tracey and Hot Ben. They both thanked her and laid down on the bed, face first. I chuckled at our tired, hung-over friends. As Alanna left with Ashley to show her to her room, Teren laughed at Ben, smacking his feet and telling him he’d go get his bags for him. Ben muttered something about Teren being an ass, for not being even just a little hung-over too, and then started snoring. I shook my head at the still drunk looking model and his equally still drunk looking girlfriend, and wished them both a speedy recovery from last night’s festivities.
Teren lickety-split got their things (which they didn’t notice, both having fallen back asleep) and then rushed to get Ashley’s as well. He blurred into her room, not having to hide any of his abilities from her, and she grinned and thanked him as she experimentally bounced up and down on the luxurious bed she was sitting on. Teren set down two black dress bags and cocked an eyebrow at me. I told him to not worry about it, and he grinned, knowing my dress was in one. I tilted my head as I studied the gorgeous man I was about to marry – that jet black hair and pale blue eyes, set off by impossibly sexy stubble - he was supernaturally perfect.
He leaned in to kiss me and then excused himself so Ash and I could excitedly whisper about the wedding. Alanna joined us, and after assuring me that Teren was bonding with his dad at their favorite fishing hole, I showed Alanna the dress. She oohed and aahed, and started crying pinkish tears in her joy. She hugged me again and patted my slightly larger belly, exclaiming how amazing I’d look, and how excited she was to have me join her family. As I clasped her chilly hand, I felt exactly the same.
Eventually, Tracey and Hot Ben woke from their “nap” and stumbled out to find everybody. Alanna pointed Ben to the general vicinity of where Teren was fishing with Jack, and Ben’s face brightened considerably. Looking like his normal handsome self, he grabbed some spare equipment and gave Tracey a quick kiss goodbye, before following Alanna outback, to where the jeeps were located.
Tracey had taken one look out her window after resting, and knew exactly what us girls were going to do while the boys played in the chilly waters. She’d decided that we were all sipping mojitos in the hot tub. Okay, she and Ash were sipping mojitos in the hot tub. I was sipping caffeine-free Coke and dangling my feet over the edge. The doctor had told me that anything hotter than bath water wasn’t good for the kids, and after all I’d gone through to get knocked up, I wasn’t taking any risks.
Ash would normally never wear a suit, but she felt comfortable around Tracey and I, and super comfortable around the vamps, and gleefully changed into a very modest one piece, while Tracey changed into scraps of material that I’m sure were illegal in several States.
They ducked out to the pool while I headed to the kitchen to prepare their drinks. I could hear Tracey’s exclamation when she saw it, from all the way inside. I giggled, remembering how impressed I’d been with it too when I’d first seen it. The pool area was exquisite. Flat river rocks made up a patio that seamlessly surrounded an Olympic sized pool, hot tub, and barbequing area. There just weren’t enough words to describe how natural and incredible this place really was. I hoped the ranch stayed in their family forever.
Alanna joined me, after seeing Hot Ben off, and slung a cool arm around my waist as I opened the fridge to look for some beverages that humans could drink. Alanna smiled and opened a drawer above the fridge, where several bottles of alcohol were tucked away. I was a little surprised at first, until she explained that Jack liked to have a drink or two with the hired hands, and Teren used to join them sometimes, back when he could drink.
As Alanna automatically started making mojitos, having heard Tracey’s request, I leaned back on the counter and watched her lightening fast hands work. “Are you guys going to be okay this weekend, Mom? I mean, you won’t go hungry or anything?”
She gave me a smile that I’d used her preferred form of address without having to correct myself, and then looked back to her work. “Of course, dear. We have ways to eat secretly.”
I worried my lip and looked out the window, to where I could see the rolling hills full of herds of cattle. “Yeah, well, I really appreciate all of the trouble that you’ve all gone to.”
She stopped and placed a hand on my shoulder, her youthful face warm and open. “It’s no trouble, Emma. You’re family.” My hand automatically went to my stomach and her eyes tracked the movement. With a small smile, she shook her head. “That’s not what makes you family, sweetheart.” I tilted my head, but she continued, that warm smile never leaving her. “You have my son’s heart…that’s what makes you family.”
She removed her hand and picked up a tray to put the drinks on. I felt my eyes water at her statement. That feeling only intensified with her next one. Picking up the tray, she shook her head again. “You have no idea how long he looked for you.”
I swallowed, a tear falling down my cheek anyway. “Probably as long as I looked for him.”A goofy grin broke out on my face, along with more tears, and I silently cursed my hormonal body. My current state didn’t mix well with those darn emotional vampires.
Alanna had pink tears in her eyes too, and she gave me a swift hug with her free arm. Both of us swiping our eyes, we headed out to the back. Seeing the area for myself, I gasped and felt my mouth drop open. A large, white wedding tent had been stretched out between the two buildings and dozens, no, hundreds of twinkling lights were strung underneath the canvas. Outdoor heaters had been set up around the perimeter, waiting to warm up the humans that would be bothered by a chilly December evening, and a Plexiglas floor had been constructed over the pool, effectively creating a huge open area where once only swimming had taken place. You could see the calm water under that glass, highlighted by blue underwater lamps. Walking on that glass, it would seem like you were walking right on top of the water.
Dozens of balloons in reds, whites and black were tied off at the four corners of the massive tent, and to every available surface around the patio. Candles and roses, also in the weddings colors, made up nearly every other flat surface. Tables lined the area on the edges of the pool and the pool-floor itself was already set up with rows upon rows of awaiting folding chairs. The far end of the tent held a low bench with candles and roses and a wooden arch directly over it was draped in the twining flowers. I blinked away more tears as I realized what I was looking at – the spot where Teren and I would be married.
Feeling Alanna’s encouraging pat on my back, I closed my mouth and muttered something along the lines of “it’s beautiful”. It was all new, too – none of this had been here when we’d visited last weekend. The hot tub was behind the tent, and as the sides of the canopy were tied open, I could see through it, to where Tracey and Ash were laughing in the massive tub of near boiling water.
Tracey noticed me walking up and exclaimed, “Isn’t this amazing, Emma!” She shook her head in open delight. “Your wedding is going to be so beautiful.” Her eyes misted as she said that, a
nd I saw a brief moment of wistfulness pass her features. I started to wonder if she and Hot Ben would get through this weekend without “the talk”.
As I took off my shoes and rolled up my pant legs, Alanna handed the girls their drinks. I watched Tracey, amused, as she took it and cautiously took a sip. She had to still be hurting some from last night. As the searing water hit my feet, I sighed contently. Alanna finished by handing me my Coke, and then cocked her head to the side, listening. I strained, but didn’t hear what her super ears could. Tracey took no notice about it, but Ashley watched her as intently as I did.
She smiled at me. “I’ll be back to check on you girls in a bit.”
The day was cold but clear, and a flash of sunlight played on her dark hair as she turned to leave. I wanted to ask her what it was, but she couldn’t really explain it in front of Tracey anyway, so I didn’t ask. I would just have to trust the vampires.
As I was banging my legs against the back of the tub and reveling in the mixture of chilly air and hot water, I started to truly relax. Everything was going perfectly…and everything would. This weekend was going to be fabulous. And I was going to come out of it…an Adams.
Conversion Book Two: Bloodlines Page 10