by Primo, Jaz
She moved to stand behind him, draping her arms across his chest. “No, my love. I’m perfectly fine with what we decided.”
Her thoughts were momentarily lost in silent recollection. It had been less than a month since her in-depth discussion with Paige regarding the young vampire’s affections for Caleb. Following that, Caleb had urged the blonde vampire to relocate to the Atlanta area. It’s probably for the best.
“Kat?” Caleb gently asked as he sensed his mate’s quiet distraction.
Katrina broke from her reverie, hugged him, and gently patted him on the chest. “Sorry,” she answered. “Everything’s fine, Caleb. We’ll find a suitable house for Paige.”
He craned his neck upwards to brush his lips against hers.
“Thanks, Kat,” he noted with gratitude.
If only Alton weren’t so established in England, maybe he could move closer as well, he mused. He had no remaining immediate relatives, so Paige and Alton constituted the closest thing he had left to family. Since his mother’s passing, he had felt so alone in the world.
Family is so important, he silently recognized. It’s wonderful to be surrounded by those that care about you.
* * * *
The next few weeks passed uneventfully for Caleb and Katrina. Finals and the spring graduation ceremony were both over by the second week of May. Despite the fact that she hadn’t yet committed to attending the Slovene conference, Caleb declined offers to teach during the summer semester. Instead, he cleaned out his office a week later and was free to pursue a host of activities at home. At the very least, he would have a free summer to spend with Katrina.
He started his time off by reorganizing the contents of their cavernous four-car garage, including sorting items to be stored in the attic. He also tended to some plants in the large flowerbeds in the front yard, though Katrina assured him the lawn service that she had contracted with could handle that. He conceded to feeling a little stir-crazy with all the free time on his hands.
One morning around four am, Caleb rolled towards the left side of the bed and found that Katrina was gone. Such a revelation wasn’t unusual, given that his mate could only safely leave the house after sunset. It stood to reason that sundown to sunrise would be the prime time for vampires to socialize, roam, or hunt. So he wasn’t offended when he frequently woke to find Katrina missing. He knew that by morning she would likely be lying next to him to greet him upon waking. On those few occasions when she wasn’t, she was usually somewhere in the house preoccupied with one of her numerous interests.
After making a quick trip to the bathroom, he still felt restless and proceeded upstairs for a glass of ice water. He paused in the main hallway halfway to the kitchen upon hearing voices coming from the back section of the house. He immediately recognized Katrina’s voice, but strained to listen to the other female voice. Moments later, a telltale giggle gave away the guest’s identity.
Paige! It’s Paige.
It had been less than two months since he had last seen her, but it felt longer. He easily recalled his flight to California to convince her to relocate to Atlanta so she would be closer to him and Katrina. Fortunately, she had agreed, but stipulated that she had to complete a contract security job over the summer first. Despite the delay, he was excited that she would be making Atlanta her new home in just a matter of months.
He quickly pattered through the kitchen and into the entryway to the living room at the back of the house. Katrina winked at him from her place on the couch, and their guest rose from the recliner where she had been sitting.
Paige’s petite body was lithe as a ballerina’s. Her youthful, twenty-something features were haloed by her blonde bob, evoking the flapper dancers of the 1920s. A set of piercing, deep blue eyes targeted Caleb, while her playful smile appeared nearly devilish against a backdrop of pearly white teeth. She had the kind of mischievous grin that made him feel as if he’d just sold his soul but relished the bargain. Her form-fitting blue jeans and high-cut Ramones concert t-shirt playfully evoked exuberant sexuality.
She took in his appearance with amusement; his slightly mussed hair looked appropriate given his ensemble of cotton sweatpants and Georgia State football t-shirt. “Hey, tiger,” she purred invitingly. “Come give your big sister a hug.”
He crossed the short distance in seconds, and she giggled as he hoisted her off the floor, encasing her in a bear hug. She patted him on the back with one hand while playfully pinching him on a butt cheek with the other.
“Hey,” he yelped as he hugged her tightly to him. “No pinching!”
“Sisters don’t typically pinch their brother’s butts,” Katrina observed dryly, though she considered no less a playful response from her best friend.
Paige popped a quick kiss on Caleb’s cheek and quietly retorted, “We’re more like kissin’ cousins, really.”
Katrina rolled her eyes.
“Missed you, kiddo,” Paige whispered in Caleb’s ear.
“Missed you, too, babysitter,” he whispered back, still holding her tightly. “It’s great to see you!”
Oh, I’m liking this a lot, Paige appreciated. Then she abruptly pulled away from him, teasing, “All right, you can stop groping me. It’s getting just plain creepy now.”
He chuckled, shaking his head, while Katrina observed the pair with a good-humored expression.
“And somebody smells particularly tasty,” Paige observed with a sly expression. Her bright blue eyes gleamed as his scent generated a strong urge for his blood.
“Sounds like somebody’s hungry,” he countered and eyed his mate. “Want anything, Kat?”
“Just you,” she suggested. “But heat up a type A for each of us, I suppose.”
“My favorite,” Paige remarked with approval.
“Gee, I wouldn’t have guessed,” Katrina mocked.
“Two type As coming up, m’ladies,” Caleb crisply snapped.
Minutes later, he returned from the kitchen with two glasses of warmed blood. He placed one glass on the end table next to the recliner where Paige sat and handed the remaining glass to Katrina as she reclined on the couch.
“Thank you, my love,” his mate offered appreciatively.
“Thanks, kiddo,” Paige remarked and made a small space on her recliner. “Have a seat, and take a load off.”
But Katrina gently cleared her throat and motioned to the empty cushion next to her. Caleb shook his head slightly at his mate’s rather possessive response and wearily plopped down on the couch next to her. Truth was, he was too tired to care where he sat.
However, Paige briefly stuck her tongue out at Katrina, who scowled in silent reply.
“You’re up early,” Katrina absently observed before taking a sip from her glass.
“Yeah, couldn’t get back to sleep,” he replied with a tired sigh.
“Don’t you have to teach later this morning?” Paige asked.
“Thankfully, no. The semester just ended, and I’m taking the summer off,” he explained.
Katrina procured a small pillow next to her, placed it on her lap, and lightly patted it with her hand. “Why not lay your head down?” she suggested.
He shrugged and lay prone with his head on the pillow as he stared at Paige. “I thought we wouldn’t see you until later in the summer. What brings you to town?”
“I’m actually headed to my contract job, but thought it would be nice to visit for a few days on my way there. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” Katrina insisted. “We’re happy to see you.”
“You’re always welcome here,” Caleb added with a yawn, to which Paige appreciatively winked at him.
Katrina sat her glass down on the end table to her right and pulled a comforter from across the back of the couch. She smoothly unfolded it and draped it over him. “Tell us what you’ve been up to,” she prompted as she soothed her fingertips through Caleb’s hair.
As Paige recounted her packing activities at her home in California, the
preparations for her contract job, and a host of other information, Caleb was lulled into a comfortable state. Somewhere during the drone of Paige’s conversation, his eyelids grew heavy, and he effortlessly fell asleep.
As Katrina waited for Paige to finish speaking, she momentarily reassessed Caleb’s state of consciousness before looking at the young vampire across from her with a curious expression.
“Now that Caleb’s asleep, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here? Not that you’re not welcome here, of course, but we’ve known each other a long time, and I recognize when something’s up with you.”
The edges of Paige’s mouth upturned slightly with amusement at her friend’s direct query. Always looking for the angle, aren’t you, Red? The truth was that she felt slightly uneasy about her reason for being there. Her feelings weren’t something she was used to laying out for everyone to see. “Remember the conversation you and I had with Caleb at my townhouse back in March?” she asked.
Katrina nodded. How could I forget? You confessed some strong feelings for my mate that night.
While not entirely surprised over the revelation, she had felt a little uncomfortable with it. Still, Paige had been very open and honest with her, which had reassured her somewhat.
“Caleb said I had nothing keeping me in California anymore,” Paige offered, and then paused to look over at the young man across from her to assess his state of slumber. “Well, after you both left, I didn’t think too much about it. Then the past couple of weeks, I’ve been mulling those thoughts over a little bit. Frankly, I’ve been feeling a little lost without you two around. So, I figured I would stop by on my way overseas. I wouldn’t mind spending a little time with our boy, in fact. Maybe scope out some of the houses that he’s been nice enough to check into for me?”
Katrina was reassured that her friend seemed to be laying everything out on the table in a straightforward manner. A sardonic smile crossed her lips.
“It’s silly, but it almost sounds as if we’re negotiating joint custody over him, doesn’t it?”
“Aren’t we?” Paige insisted.
“Fair enough,” Katrina amicably conceded as she continued to run her fingers lightly through Caleb’s hair. “Naturally, I’m sorry if I seemed a little suspicious.”
“I’d be surprised if you weren’t, Red.” She was all too aware of her friend’s tendency for suspicion, and possessiveness, when it came to Caleb.
“Caleb was correct when he said that you’re always welcome here, Paige,” Katrina insisted. “Your timing’s pretty good, actually. Caleb’s been rather stir-crazy around here as of late with all the spare time on his hands.”
Paige smirked, content with her friend’s more settled manner. “Oh, I think I can take care of that for you.”
* * * *
Chapter 2: Messengers
When Caleb awoke, he immediately recognized two things. First, the room that he was in was dark except for the dim illumination of a digital clock on the nightstand. Second, he was lying in a bed rather than on the living room couch. Still groggy and feeling somewhat dazed and disoriented, he rolled over in bed to find Katrina staring back at him with a beguiling expression.
“Good morning, sleepy-head,” she wryly offered. She could tell by the expression on his face that he was confused, which amused her to no end.
“Wha..?”
“Our bed,” she supplied with a soft voice. “No, it wasn’t a dream. No, you didn’t walk; I carried you. And finally, you’re welcome.”
He took a moment to comprehend everything that she said. For one, he couldn’t believe she had transported him to the bedroom without waking him. Never mind the thought of her carrying a grown man to bed seemed utterly silly, if not embarrassing. He imagined that Paige would tease him to no end about it, of course. Finally, he wondered what he was supposed to be grateful for.
“I’m welcome? For what?”
“Helping you get back to sleep, of course.”
“Oh. Thanks. I think.”
He squinted at his watch, noting it was almost nine o’clock, and yawned. “Well, I want you to stop carrying me to bed like some oversized rag doll,” he grumbled.
She affectionately kissed the tip of his nose. “What’s on your agenda for today?”
He pursed his lips. “Well, if it’s a nice day, I thought I might go for a jog. Otherwise, I’m pretty open to suggestions. Why?”
“No reason. Paige would like to spend some time with you, I think.”
“That would be great. You okay with that?”
“Well, she is your surrogate vampire and guardian, after all. So, yes, I’m okay with it.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he pressed, “Why do I get the feeling that you two negotiated the terms on this already?”
“Caleb, I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“Mm-hm.”
“Why don’t you get dressed, and I’ll see about getting breakfast ready.” She slipped from beneath the sheets in a single, fluid motion.
Before he could inquire further, she had dressed and was exiting through the doorway leading to the first floor hallway. He stared after her curiously for a few moments before finally getting out of bed.
He shaved, dressed, and went upstairs to find Katrina cooking breakfast for him while Paige sat at the kitchen counter watching her with a lazy expression. She immediately perked up as he walked into the room.
Not wanting to pass her by and seem rude, he exchanged a quick kiss on the cheek with Paige before hugging Katrina from behind. He breathed in the scent of sausage links and eggs as they sizzled away in a large pan on the stovetop.
“Good morning, Cookie,” he teased.
“Cookie?” Katrina paused with a spatula in her hand.
He almost winced from her tone. “Um, it’s just a historic nickname for the wagon trail cooks who used to feed the cowpokes on the cattle drives.”
“Let’s just stick with Kat, shall we?” she suggested.
“Right. Sorry, Kat,” he apologized. He rose up on his toes and kissed the back of her neck.
“Much better,” she responded, neatly slipping the cooked food from the skillet onto a nearby plate.
“I don’t know how you stomach cooking dead meat for him,” Paige bleakly observed while shriveling her nose. “The smell’s horrible.”
“I’m actually getting used to it in small quantities. Still, you do that when you love your mate. Sometimes the small sacrifices are the most meaningful,” Katrina said.
She glimpsed at Paige over her shoulder with a pointed expression.
Caleb discreetly peered at the two women as he filled a glass with ice water at the refrigerator.
“Yeah, makes sense,” Paige off-handedly conceded.
During breakfast, Caleb and Paige discussed their plans for the day. Once sunset arrived, Paige wanted to drive by a couple of local houses that were for sale. She also mentioned taking him out to dinner at a restaurant of his choice after they ran a special errand, about which she was tight-lipped.
It all sounded like fun to him, but he couldn’t help wondering what the errand might be. The last time she had taken him on a mysterious errand, he had been forced to interact with a vampire who had nearly beaten him to death. Granted, that meeting had turned out better than he had expected.
Katrina left the pair to their own devices and occupied herself with activities in her office. Caleb couldn’t help wondering if that might have been part of some arrangement between the two vampires, but he couldn’t say for certain. After breakfast, he talked Paige into joining him to play a medieval role-playing game on the console in the theater room. While he already had a character drawn up for use, Paige needed to create one.
Caleb queued up his iPod on the stereo system, and Bear McCreary’s “Passacaglia” began to play. Paige looked up curiously as he returned to his seat.
“You have your own soundtrack music?”
“Bear McCreary is far better than the game’s
music. Trust me.”
Paige rolled her eyes at him.
As she scrolled through the game’s available avatars, she noticed a pre-saved character called Kat, which predictably was a red-haired Amazon warrior. She adopted a wry expression and selected a petite elf archer-mage for herself.
“Cute choice,” he noted as he stared up at the character images on the wall-sized screen before them.
“Cute?” she retorted. “We can’t all be tall Amazon warriors, kiddo, but I can still get the job done. Perky people can be deadly too, you know.”
He stared sidelong at his friend. “What’s that all about?”
Her pale blue eyes darted to him then returned to configuring her avatar. “I’m just sayin’.”
He stared back at her in confusion, which she noticed. She focused a piercing gaze upon him.
“What is it with you and tall, imposing women, anyway?” she pressed with a hint of annoyance. “You defy most standards, my friend. I mean, most guys that I know like women their own height or shorter, and a lot less demanding.”
“What’s your beef with me?” he demanded, pointing to himself with his thumb. “I’m the happy one here. You’re the one who sounds annoyed.”
His attention reverted to the screen before him. “And yeah, it’s true that most of the women I dated in the past were my height or shorter, but what the hell does that have to do with anything? It’s the nature of the person rather than their physical stature.”
She dryly observed, “Yeah, right. Like you don’t melt before her when she towers over you. I think it’s a turn-on for you. Face it, you like imposing women.”
“Imposing? Kat’s not –” He broke off, flustered. “I mean, yeah, she can be, I suppose. But she’s kind, loving, and --”
“I get it. You like ‘em tall, angry, and mysterious.”
“She’s not angry. She’s, well, protective.”
“Uh-huh,” she noted in a dubious tone. “I can be protective.”
He stared at her in confusion. Where the hell did this conversation come from anyway?