by Gayla Twist
“I really have,” Tommy agreed with him.
“But now you deeply regret it,” Dorian went on. “From here on, you’re going to actually be considerate of other people. You’re going to try harder in school and you’re going to stop feeling entitled just because you’re popular and mildly good at playing football.”
Dorian looked at me over his shoulder again. “Do you know of any girls at your high school who are nice, but maybe not that good looking?”
I had to think about it. I’d attended so many schools in my life that I’d stopped committing most people’s names to memory. But there was one girl in my English class who I’d noticed, solely for the fact that she seemed even more miserable than I was. She was a little chunky, but not exactly overweight. Her shoulders were always hunched over her books and her hair was constantly hanging in her face. I couldn’t tell if she was nice or just quiet, but she was the only female I could think of who might work for Dorian’s plan. “There’s a girl called Janet Kelly,” I told him. I only remembered her name because it sounded like she could star in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
Turning back to Tommy, Dorian said, “You are going to turn over a new leaf. You are going to look for the good inside a female, rather than her outward appearance. There is a girl at your school named Janet Kelly. You are going to find yourself attracted to this girl. You are going to go out of your way to befriend her. And then, if she’s interested, you are going to start a very sweet romance with her. You will never pressure her for sex or anything like that. You will sincerely like her and want to be good to her. If she decides she doesn’t like you, or she breaks up with you, then you will accept her decision like a gentleman and only wish the best for her. And that’s how you will model your relationships with females for the rest of your life. You will look for a mate who deserves love and kindness because she is a good person. You will no longer be attracted to females who expect love and kindness just because they are pretty.”
“Okay.” Tommy bobbed his head up and down as if this was a brilliant plan and he completely supported it. “But what do I do about my car?”
That was a good question. His mother would probably notice a missing roof.
Dorian ran a hand across the back of his neck while thinking. “Somebody stole your mother’s car. You have no idea where it is or what happened to it. After you dropped Haley off, you thought you’d get some snacks at the Grab-n-Go. The lot was full, so you parked on the street. You went in and bought your snacks, but by the time you came out the car was gone.”
“Is that really going to work?” I asked.
Dorian shrugged. “It will once we take him by the convenience store and then drop him at home.
“Why wouldn’t he use his cell phone to call his parents? Or even the police?” I asked. That’s what I would have done.
“Oh yes.” Dorian scratched his chin. “I always forget about cell phones. They’re such a nuisance.” He turned back to the mortal. “Tommy, you left your phone under the seat so it was stolen as well. Please put it there now.”
Tommy did as he was told, although he didn’t look happy about it.
“Don’t worry,” Dorian told him. “There’s a good chance the thieves who stole the car won’t find your phone and you’ll get it back.”
“Okay, cool.” Tommy brightened.
We flew Tommy over to the Grab-n-Go. He seemed to really enjoy flying, although Dorian had to repeated ask him to please keep his voice down. By good luck the small parking lot in front of the convenience store was actually pretty full, so we sent Tommy in for some snacks and then flew him back to his house.
“Tommy Sherman,” Dorian said, once he’d smoothed down Tommy’s hair and straightened his clothes. “You never saw me and you never took Haley to the woods and parked the car there. You chatted with her for over an hour while parked out in front of her uncle’s house. Then you walked her to her door. On the way home you decided to stop for snacks and that’s when your car was stolen. Got that?”
“Yes,” Tommy nodded. He was eager to please.
“You don’t believe in vampires, you don’t remember seeing me and you don’t remember flying.”
“Awe, that’s too bad,” Tommy said. “The flying part was awesome.”
“Okay, you now have a love of flying. You might even try to become a pilot, if you can get your grades up. But you will always be a very cautious pilot and never try anything dangerous or stupid,” Dorian said.
Tommy broke into a huge grin. “I would love to be a pilot. I hope I can do it.”
Dorian looked deeper into his eyes. “You can do it, but you have to work very hard. Now it’s getting late...”
I cleared my throat. “Um, Dorian? I think I’d better say something.” I had previously given Tommy some commands of my own that might have interfered with Dorian’s plan.
My maker stepped to one side. “Be my guest.”
“Tommy,” I said, fixing him with my best vampire stare. “You’ve really enjoyed our last few dates and you’ll always think fondly of me, but before you dropped me off, we decided that we were just going to be friends.”
“We did?” Tommy looked surprised.
“Yes,” I told him. “So we aren’t dating anymore,” I added. “You’re no longer attracted to me.”
“Are you sure?” Tommy asked. “Because you’re pretty damn hot.”
“I’m positive,” I assured him. “I’m no longer your type.”
I glanced over at Dorian and he gave me a nod. “Okay, now go inside,” I said. “You’re going to have to tell your parents about the car.”
“Okay,” he said, amiably. “I’m sorry we won’t be dating anymore, Haley. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” I said. “Oh, and tell all your friends that you were just kidding about Sheila having saggy boobs. It was a dick move and you’re sorry you said it.”
“I really am,” Tommy agreed as he headed down the sidewalk toward his house.
“Saggy boobs?” Dorian asked in a low voice.
I shook my head. “It’s not worth getting into.”
Dorian snaked his arm around my waist. “Do you feel fully avenged how?”
“Yes,” I told him. “For the most part.” It wasn’t so much that I felt avenged as that I no longer needed it.
“Good. Now are you ready to leave this town and allow me to show you the wonders of the vampire world?”
“Oh yes,” I kissed him lightly on the lips. “More than ready.”
“Good.” He gave me a playful kiss in return. “I want to show you the world, but I’m trying to plan our itinerary, so I need you to rank these words in order of interest. Ready? Fire, ice, water, air and earth.”
It was an impossible request. I had no frame of reference, “Can’t you at least give me a hint of what it’s all about?” I asked.
“No.” He shook his head. “That would spoil my fun. But I will tell you that there is no right or wrong answer. And I’m happy to show you everything, even if it takes us a century.”
I thought it over. Earth didn’t sound all that promising. I was used to earth. And air sounded like flying. I loved to fly, but I knew we were going to be flying to get most places so that could maybe go further down on the list. That left fire, ice and water. It was winter in Ohio, so I was getting plenty of ice and I didn’t really know how to swim.
“Okay,” I finally said, “I’m going with fire as my first choice and then ice, water, air and earth.”
Dorian chuckled. “Isn’t that the exact same order I said when I listed them for you?”
“Was it?” I couldn’t remember.
Dorian pulled me close and wrapped his other arm around me. “The longer we’re together, the more I think that we actually are made for each other.”
“Mmmh” was all I could say as I sunk into his kiss.
We stood there for several minutes, just lost in each other’s embrace. Finally Dorian managed to pull away slightly. “I think we should get st
arted. If we stand here much longer the neighborhood will start to talk.”
“I’m ready when you are,” I assured him.
“Good,” he said, nuzzling against me. “Then let’s go to Cleveland.”
Chapter 21
Haley
“Cleveland?” I stammered. I mean, I liked Cleveland, but it wasn’t exactly what I would have guessed as a glamorous hotspot for the undead. “Why are we going to Cleveland?”
“Because,” Dorian said, kissing the tip of my nose. “I want to show you the world. But I also want you to feel comfortable and at ease so you can enjoy yourself. I figured we’d start out with a smaller city. We can get you some clothes, and shoes, and whatever else your heart desires so that you feel appropriately glamorous once we head for New York or Vienna or wherever we choose. I mean, I don’t want to just chuck you in the deep end.” He looked at me. “Unless that’s what you want.”
I thought about how embarrassing it would be to roll up on a fancy undead party dressed in my worn plaid skirt and not knowing any of the vampire etiquette. “I definitely don’t want to be chucked in the deep end,” I told him. “Cleveland sounds great.”
Dorian gave me a dazzling smile and I swear I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. “Great,” he repeated. “Now is there anything you want to pack or anyone you want to speak to before we go? You’re not likely to return here for quite some time.”
I thought it over. “I really should say something to Uncle Kevin,” I told him. “He is kind of responsible for me and I don’t want him getting in trouble if I just disappear on him.”
Dorian appeared rather pleased. “Perfectly understandable,” he said. “Now that you mention it, I really should leave word for my aunt and cousins.”
“Yeah, and I should tell my mom something,” I added after thinking it over. “She’s crazy, but she does really love me and I wouldn’t want her to worry.”
“She’s staying down in Kentucky?” Dorian asked.
“Near Kentucky.” I wasn’t sure how familiar Dorian was with Ohio geography outside of Tiburon. I was surprised he even knew about the Grab-n-Go when he was talking to Tommy.
“It’s probably best if I accompany you,” he said. I wondered if I would ever stop loving his antiquated way of speaking. “And besides, I would be delighted to meet your mother.”
“No, that’s alright,” I said quickly. My mom probably wouldn’t be fazed by meeting another vampire, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for Dorian to meet my mom. She’d been pretty normal, relatively speaking, the previous night. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be tearing the wallpaper off the walls with her fingernails tonight. “I hope you don’t mind, but it’s really something I need to do on my own. My mom is… interesting.”
“I understand,” Dorian told me. “I can always meet your charming mother at some other time. But are you sure you’ll be alright flying alone?”
There was plenty of night left and I knew my mother had a trusty closet. “I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I’ll be the scariest thing out there.”
Dorian gave a soft chuckle. I loved to hear him laugh. “Do you think you’ll be back tonight?” he asked. “I don’t want to rush you, but I also can’t wait to get started.”
“It might take me awhile,” I had to admit. My mom would probably want some time with me before I took off. “But if I don’t see you tonight, then I’ll meet you in front of Uncle Kevin’s house at dusk tomorrow.”
Dorian frowned. “Would you mind just coming by the castle?” he asked. “I don’t want to be seen lurking around here if you’re unable to make it back that quickly.”
“Okay,” I said. It really wasn’t fair to leave him standing around. “How about I text you if I don’t make it back tonight?”
He frowned some more. “I’m afraid I don’t have a cell phone.”
“Oh. Right.” I felt a little stupid. “I guess cell phones aren’t really a vampire thing.”
“Not really,” he told me. “But I have heard they’re becoming more popular with fledglings. And if it would make you more comfortable, I’ll be happy to acquire one.”
The new, adoring Dorian was soooo awesome. Much better than the old I’m-just-going-to-bark-orders-at-you Dorian. “We can pick one up in Cleveland,” I said, giving him a shy smile. I had a flash of anxiety over money flair up in my gut, but I forced it back down. Dorian had told me himself that the Vanderlinds were as rich as Midas, and as his progeny I was practically part of the family. The thought of him buying me expensive clothes and things made me uncomfortable, but I decided I was just going to have to get over it.
“Okay, then I’ll see you later tonight,” I said, wondering if I should kiss him goodbye. “Or at least by tomorrow evening.”
Feeling awkward, I went to pull away, but Dorian caught me by the arm. “You don’t really think you’re slipping off without me kissing you again. Do you?”
I felt myself blush. “No.”
It was a little challenging trying to fly after being so thoroughly kissed. I kept getting distracted. I found that if I started thinking about Dorian, then I ran the risk of nearly bumping into a chimney or getting tangled in some power lines. Sometimes flying was more dangerous than driving a car.
As I approached Sterngrove, I saw that my mom’s light was on again. I had thought that they usually gave the residence something to help them sleep. But knowing my mother, she had found a way to spit out the pill or avoid the shot. She could be crafty when she wanted to be.
I tapped at the window and a few moments later my mother opened it wide. “Oh,” she exclaimed, but in a whisper. She looked back into the room for a moment and then out at me again. “I wasn’t expecting you to visit again so soon,” she told me, still keeping her voice very quiet. “Are you sure you want to come in?”
“Um, yeah,” I told her. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Mom looked back into the room again. “Alright, I guess,” she said, pushing the window open a little wider.
It wasn’t like my mom not to be happy to see me. “What’s going on?” I asked as I sat down on the sill and entered the room.
“I think she’s worried about having too many guests,” a woman’s voice said from the far corner of the room. I whipped my head around to see Ilona lounging in a chair, looking malevolent.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded. “How did you get in?” I turned my eyes to my mother. “Did you actually invite her in here?” If Mom knew about vampires, then she should have known better than to invite one she didn’t know into her room.
“She didn’t have to,” Ilona informed me before my mother could reply. “I didn’t need an invitation,” she said, getting to her feet. She was dressed in more snug black leather, her outfit bordering on dominatrix.
“Why not?” I demanded.
The vampiress shrugged. “It turns out that no one thinks of this facility as home.”
Great, I thought to myself. Ilona had access to terrorizing my mom on a technicality.
Releasing a droll little laugh, Ilona added, “It’s a sad commentary on the mental health care in this country. Don’t you think?”
“Why are you here?” I asked her. I wasn’t in the mood to put up with her stupid jokes.
She gave me a menacing smile. “The same reason you are,” she said. “I’m here to tell your mother that you’re about to run away with Dorian Vanderlind, the biggest womanizer in undead history.”
“He’s not like that anymore,” I said, sounding a bit defensive, even to my own ears.
“Why not?” she wanted to know. “Dorian has been a playboy for almost a hundred years. Why would he stop now?”
“He’s changed.”
“Oh, he’s changed,” Ilona said, forcing herself to laugh. “Isn’t that the mantra of all women in abusive relationships? He’s changed. He’s going to change. He’s promised he’s going to change.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ve known Dorian for
the last half a dozen decades and he’s never going to change. I just thought your mother should know the truth about your new love.”
“He has changed,” I insisted, directing my words toward my mom. “What we have is really special.”
“Oh, is it special?” Ilona said with a scathing laugh. “Does he feel connected to you in a way he’s never felt with any other female?”
My stomach dropped. How did this vampiress know what Dorian had said to me? “It’s true,” I insisted, although not with the same conviction I’d had a minute earlier.
“I’m sure it is,” Ilona said, her voice smug. “And it was true for me. And it’s been true for hundreds of women all over the world. And maybe he does truly feel that way. Maybe each time Dorian says it, he actually means it. At least for that moment, anyway.”
I felt a flash flood of insecurity. Maybe Ilona was right and Dorian was just using me. I felt tears welling my eyes, although I thought crying might be a very un-vampire thing to do.
“Is that why you’re here?” my mom asked Ilona. “You flew all the way down to Sterngrove and broke into a convalescent home to warn my daughter that the boy she loves is a scoundrel?”
“Well… yes.” Ilona stammered, caught off-guard.
“That’s very considerate of you,” Mom went on. “Is that what you do for a living? You fly around warning vulnerable young women about lascivious men?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ilona nearly spat out the words.
“Oh.” Mom nodded. “So you’re making a special exception for my daughter?” She placed a hand on Ilona’s forearm. “Did this Dorian boy hurt you very badly? Is that why you’re doing this?”
Ilona lifted her chin. “He didn’t hurt me at all,” she informed us as she stepped away from my mother’s caress. “As a matter of fact, I am the one who ended our relationship.”
“I see,” Mom said, nodding. “And why did you end it? Was it because he was cheating on you?”