“Since you broke your last one, we figured we should get you some extra protection for this one,” Bradley said, grinning.
“Ha! You’re right about that,” Leesa said as she began working her phone into the bumper.
“You’ve been without a phone for awhile now,” Aunt Janet said. “Your uncle and I figured a college girl needed a phone—especially a girl with a boyfriend.”
“Thanks, Aunt Janet, but Rave doesn’t use phones, remember?”
Leesa wondered if the rubber bumper would keep Rave’s magical energy from frying the phone if he touched it, but she doubted it. She stifled a giggle as a totally absurd thought popped into her head. If the rubber bumper did manage to protect the phone from Rave’s heat, maybe she could get a pair of those thick rubber lips people wore for costumes and use them to protect her when she and Rave kissed. She shook her head and chased the foolish thought away.
“Oh, that’s right,” Aunt Janet said. “I forgot. Still, your uncle and I will feel better knowing we can get in touch with you anytime we want, and that you can reach us if you need to. I’m sure that goes double for your mother.”
“It’s great, Aunt Janet,” Leesa said. “I’d been thinking it was time to get a new one. Now I don’t have to.”
“Speaking of Rave,” Judy said, “where has he been? Are we going to see him for the holidays?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Leesa said. “His clan has all gone away for a bit, on some kind of pilgrimage.”
“All of them?” Uncle Roger asked, puzzled. He had grown up not too far from the Maston settlement. “I don’t remember ever hearing about them doing that.”
“Is it a religious thing, for Christmas?” Aunt Janet asked.
Leesa shook her head. “No, it’s not really religious. It has something to do with the solstice. I don’t completely understand it, but it’s not something they do every year. There’s something special about this year.”
“Where did they go?” Judy asked.
“Somewhere up north… in New Hampshire.”
Uncle Roger grinned. “Never heard of anyone making a pilgrimage to New Hampshire,” he said. “Those people are certainly strange. No offense, Leesa.”
Leesa smiled. “None taken.”
She noticed Bradley was watching her, a very thoughtful look on his face.
“What is it?” she asked him.
Bradley hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Is Rave a vampire,” he asked, finally.
Leesa was stunned. Where had that come from?
“What?” she managed to stammer. “Not hardly. Why on earth would you ask that?”
Bradley looked chagrined. “Just something I was thinking,” he said. “You told us the other night the solstice makes vampires extra hungry or something. And now you say Rave is gone, also because of the solstice.”
“So?” Leesa asked, not clear yet where her brother was going with this.
“So I was wondering if maybe Rave’s gone away right now so he wouldn’t be tempted, to…you know.”
Leesa suddenly got it. “To drink my blood, you mean?”
“No… I mean, yes. Don’t get me wrong, Rave seems like a really great guy, and I can tell he’s crazy about you. So, when you started talking about the solstice again, I thought, maybe…because he’s crazy about you…maybe that’s why he’s not around right now.”
“Oh, come now, Bradley,” Judy said. “Just because Rave’s people left for a pilgrimage doesn’t make him a vampire.”
“There’s more to it than that,” Bradley said. Now that he had opened up the subject, he was determined to follow through with it. “There’s the whole thing about no phones or cars or anything. And how easily he caught that grafhym when we needed its blood for you, Mom.”
Leesa shook her head. Not much got past her brother. He was so far from the truth it was laughable, but at the same time, he was closer than he knew. Before she could reply, Uncle Roger joined in.
“Didn’t you say he had Special Forces training or something, Leesa?” he asked. “Back when Rave captured the one-fang for you?”
“Not Special Forces, but lots of special training,” Leesa replied. “Trust me, Bradley. Rave is not a vampire. I assure you.”
“If Rave was a vampire, honey,” Judy said to Bradley, “why would Leesa have had to offer herself to that monster Stefan in order to free you?”
Bradley had no answer to that. “I guess you’re right. That wouldn’t make any sense.” He turned to Leesa. “I’m sorry, pumpkin. I was just worried about you.”
Thank you, Mom, Leesa thought. “That’s okay, big brother.” She smiled to let him know it truly was okay. “Old habits are hard to break. You looked after me for a lot of years. No reason you should stop now.”
“Now that we’ve got that settled,” Judy said cheerfully, “there’s still a few more presents under the tree.”
Leesa was relieved to have the focus taken off Rave. Still, she wondered how much longer she would be able to keep his true nature a secret—and what would happen when her family finally learned the truth.
23. A WELCOME GUEST
Three days after Christmas, Leesa and Bradley were in the new apartment, assembling inexpensive furniture purchased from the IKEA store in New Haven. They had driven down the day before in Uncle Roger’s Expedition and picked out everything they thought they would need for their mom and Bradley to be at least semi-comfortable. Leesa would be going back to school in less than a week, so they had just borrowed an air mattress from Uncle Roger for her to sleep on up in the loft. They didn’t really have to figure out how to furnish the loft until school ended for the summer.
They had already put together a bed for their mom and one for Bradley. The instructions were clear and simple and few tools were necessary. Leesa was now assembling a pair of dining chairs to go with the table Bradley was building. Their mom was at the bakery, working. Bradley had set up a CD player, but all of Leesa’s music was back at the dorm, so they were listening to a collection of Christmas carols borrowed from Aunt Janet. Leesa did not mind extending the holiday spirit a little longer at all.
A knock on the door surprised them both. They were not expecting visitors—indeed, no one other than Aunt Janet and Uncle Roger even had the new address yet.
Leesa looked over at Bradley and saw he was in the middle of attaching one of the legs to the table.
“I’ll get it,” she said.
She laid the chair she was working on down on its side and stood up. She guessed it was probably the apartment manager at the door, or maybe one of the maintenance staff, but when she opened the door she found herself looking at the last person she expected.
“Rave!” she exclaimed joyously.
Without thinking, she leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and hugging him tightly. She had missed him fiercely, but hadn’t known just how much until this moment.
Rave held her weight easily. “It’s nice to see you, too,” he said, smiling.
“It’s a good thing you are not human, Rave,” a voice from behind him said in a joking tone. “Otherwise, this one might have broken your back.”
Leesa looked over Rave’s shoulder and saw two volkaanes grinning at her. She felt herself blush as she disentangled herself from Rave’s arms and lowered her feet back to the ground.
That Rave’s companions were volkaanes was obvious. They were both outrageously handsome—though not quite as gorgeous as Rave, of course—with the same dark copper locks and bronze skin. They appeared to be around Rave’s age, though with volkaanes you could never be sure. All three were wearing jeans and long-sleeved flannel shirts. Rave’s was black and white, the other two red and black.
Rave eased to the side and introduced his friends.
“Leesa, this is Dral and Bain. They are my birth mates and my friends.”
Leesa grinned sheepishly, still a bit embarrassed about her recent display, and held out her hand. The two volkaanes each shook it in turn. Both
exuded the same warmth from their hands as Rave.
“She is as pretty as you described, Rave,” Dral said, grinning.
Leesa blushed again and began twirling her fingers in her hair. Still, she was thrilled to hear that Rave talked about her to his volkaane friends.
“Nice to meet you both,” she said. “I’m not sure what birth mates are, but any friend of Rave is certainly a friend of mine.”
“We were all born from the same Festival of Renewal,” Dral explained.
“We grew up and trained together,” Bain added.
Leesa remembered Rave telling her that volkaane offspring were raised communally and were not considered adults until they were forty. No wonder they were close.
“How did you find me, Rave? We just moved in here yesterday.”
“We stopped at your aunt and uncle’s. Your aunt gave me the address.”
“Oh. Well, come in, everyone,” Leesa said, grabbing Rave’s arm.
Dral and Bain exchanged glances.
“Thanks,” Dral said, “but we will wait outside.”
They each moved silently about twenty feet to the side and stood with their backs against the wall. Leesa understood immediately they were acting as sentries. She wondered whether Rave’s visit meant she was in danger, or if the volkaanes were just taking normal precautions.
“Is everything okay, Rave?” she asked while they were still outside. If something was wrong, she didn’t know if he would be able to tell her in front of Bradley.
Rave kissed her forehead and her knees immediately felt weak. It had been way too long since she had felt even a brief touch of his lips.
“Everything’s fine. The Elders insisted that if I wanted to return to Connecticut to see you, I had to bring two companions for safety, just in case. By the way,” he added, “I got Max’s message.”
Leesa blushed yet again. She grabbed his arm and led him inside.
“Bradley, look who’s here.”
Bradley was stretched out on the floor, screwing in a fastener for one of the table legs.
“Don’t get up,” Rave said.
“Hi, Rave,” Bradley said from where he lay. “Thanks. I’ve almost got this thing finished.”
Leesa still had a tight hold on Rave’s arm. “I’ve missed you sooo much,” she said.
“Hey, c’mon Sis, don’t get all gooey on me,” Bradley said, chuckling.
Leesa gave Rave’s arm a squeeze. “Sorry, big brother,” she said to Bradley. “I’ll try to control myself—at least until I get Rave alone.”
Rave grinned. He loved seeing Leesa interact with her family, because volkaanes had no real families of their own. Balin was the closest thing he had to a father, and Dral and Bain the closest thing he had to brothers.
“Done,” Bradley said. He got up from the floor and extended his hand to Rave. “Nice to see you again, Rave.”
Leesa watched as the two shook hands. Bradley’s expression didn’t change, so she guessed Rave still had enough control of his inner heat to make his hand normal temperature.
“You, too, Bradley,” Rave said. “You look much healthier than the last time I saw you. It’s good to see.”
“Thanks,” Bradley said. “I feel great.”
“I hope you’ll excuse us,” Leesa said to her brother. “Rave and I are going into the kitchen to talk.”
“No problem.” Bradley nudged an unopened box with his foot. “I’ve got plenty to keep me busy.”
Leesa led Rave by the arm into the kitchen.
“Oops,” she said, standing in the middle of the kitchen floor. “I forgot there’s nowhere to sit in here yet.”
“Sure there is,” Rave said. He picked her up effortlessly and deposited her onto the tiled counter between the sink and the stove, leaving his hands on her hips. “See?”
“Ha! I guess you’re right,” Leesa said. She draped her forearms over his shoulders and gave his ribs a gentle squeeze with her knees. “This is pretty comfortable. Pretty sexy, too.” She cocked her head slightly. “So, what brings you all the way down from New Hampshire?”
“I missed you. Isn’t that enough?”
“I’ve missed you, too. But why do I think missing me might not be quite enough to get you to go to the Council of Elders and to bring two friends down here with you?”
Rave looked at her sheepishly. Leesa loved it when he looked that way, because it did not happen often. He was usually so confident and in control.
“Well, I did miss you,” he said. “And I wanted to check on you and make sure everything was all right. But you are right. There is more. I might be gone a bit longer than I originally expected.”
That was definitely not something Leesa wanted to hear. “Oh, no. Why?”
“The Council has decided it is safer for everyone that way. For volkaanes, vampires and humans.”
“How long will you be gone, then?”
Rave shrugged. “I’m not sure. Unless we hear that vampires are running out of control and our presence is needed, it could be awhile.”
Leesa’s heart sank. Why did she have to fall in love with a volkaane? She quickly squashed the thought. Rave was by far the best thing ever to happen to her, despite the obstacles. And there were more than a few, for sure.
“Three people disappeared within two days of the solstice,” she told him. “Plus one more the other day. There’s no way to know if it was vampires, but even if it was, I’m guessing four isn’t enough to count as ‘out of control’ yet, right?”
Rave shook his head. “No. I’m afraid it will take more than that.”
“That sucks—no pun intended. So, how long can you stay?”
Rave’s handsome features seemed to darken. “Just this afternoon, I’m afraid. We must leave before dark.”
Leesa was disappointed, but that still gave them a couple more hours.
“Want to go for a walk?” she asked.
“Sure,” Rave said, smiling. “Walking with you is one of my favorite things.”
“Oh? And what are some of your other favorites?” Leesa asked flirtatiously.
Rave’s grin widened. “Well, let’s see. I love carrying you, of course.”
Leesa smiled. She couldn’t argue with that—she loved it, too. She knew Rave understood that was not what she wanted to hear, though.
“And what else?” she asked.
Rave leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the mouth. His lips were gone almost before they touched her, but Leesa still felt the familiar thrill shoot through her body.
“And I really love kissing you,” Rave said. “I just wish we could do it more.”
Leesa sighed. “Me, too. I hope you’re not wasting your time up there in New Hampshire. You’d better be practicing that Rammugul thing—practicing it a lot.”
Rave laughed. “Trust me, I do little else.” He lifted her down from the counter. “Let’s go get started on that walk.”
Out in the living room, Bradley was sitting on the couch, taking a break from assembling furniture. He had managed to complete a small end table while Leesa and Rave were in the kitchen. He stood up when they emerged.
“Rave, can I ask you something?” he said.
Leesa watched her brother carefully. She recognized the curious look he always got when he wanted to know something. She hoped he wasn’t going to ask Rave about being a vampire.
“Sure,” Rave replied.
“If your people don’t drive or ride in cars, how did you get down here from New Hampshire? Is there a horse and buggy parked outside?”
Rave laughed, but Leesa was worried. How was Rave going to explain how easily his kind covered long distances?
“No, there is no horse and buggy, I’m afraid,” Rave said easily. “Sorry to disappoint you. When we have somewhere important we need to go, if it is not walking distance, we are allowed to ride the bus. We have a different definition of walking distance than most people, though.”
Leesa smiled, amazed at how easily the lie came from
Rave’s lips. She knew just walking onto a bus would probably fry every electrical system on the thing. The Mastons had lived on the edges of society for so long, she guessed they had come up with plausible explanations for most of the questions curious humans might ask.
“Important things like coming to see my sister?” Bradley asked.
Rave smiled. “I can’t think of anything more important. Can you?”
Leesa smiled. She loved hearing that. She took Rave’s hand.
“Nope, I can’t,” Bradley said.
“We’re going for a walk,” Leesa told him. “I hope you don’t mind me leaving you here with all this stuff for a couple of hours.”
Bradley grinned. “Of course not. Rave rode the frigging bus to come see you, after all.”
They all laughed. Leesa grabbed her parka and cap and led Rave out the door.
Outside, it was cool but not freezing. The mid-afternoon sun shone down from a mostly clear sky, providing a bit of warmth. Leesa guessed the temperature was in somewhere in the mid to upper thirties. Not bad for New England at the end of December.
The light layer of snow from Christmas Eve had long since melted. Dral and Bain crossed the small lawn and fell silently into step behind Leesa and Rave as soon as they started toward the side walk.
Leesa had no particular destination in mind. She simply led them out to the main road and turned east, toward Middletown. She didn’t care where they went—it was enough to be walking with Rave and holding his hand. They talked lightly, easily. She told him about Christmas, about her mom’s job at the bakery, about the trip to New Haven for furniture. Rave told her about the caverns in New Hampshire and the temporary shelters his people had erected outside them. She hoped the shelters would be very temporary.
For the most part, Dral and Bain walked silently behind them, though now and then one of them would make a comment. Whenever Leesa looked back, she saw the same alert vigilance in their manner that she always sensed from Rave. The volkaanes were not really worried about vampires right now—it was a bright afternoon and they were walking along a fairly busy road, so it was unlikely any of the creatures would be in the area. This was simply the way they were—careful, alert and attentive to the things around them.
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