by LM DeWalt
“Of course not, Lily. I love you, vampire and all,” he whispered, his voice soft and sexy, sending chills through my body. “I never stopped thinking about you or loving you, not even for a minute. Please forgive me.”
I shook my head, “I don’t know.”
“Please tell me what I have to do to make things right between us. I don’t ever want to lose you again, no matter what.” Fear showed in his eyes and I knew I had to stop what I was doing to him.
“You really want to make this right again?” He nodded. “Well, let’s see… I want lots of romance, you know, flowers, carriage rides, moonlit walks on the beach,” his frown changed to a smile and lit up his eyes. “Then I want lots of hand holding, touching, caressing, and of course, lots of kisses and whatever else that might lead up to.”
My feet left the floor as he wrapped me in his arms and spun around, kissing me before setting me back on the floor. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, Christian. I never stopped and I never will.” I leaned in again and, as his lips met mine, a knock at the door interrupted us.
“What is it?” we both yelled at the same time.
“Let’s go, you two. Everyone else is waiting downstairs. You can make out later,” Fiore yelled from the other side of the door before disappearing down the stairs.
“She has not changed a bit,” Christian said. He zipped our suitcases closed and hefted them off the bed. “Shall we?”
“I believe that has been decided for us.” I closed our bedroom door and followed him down the stairs.
The limousine waited in front of the building for us and that took us to a nearby marina where we loaded our luggage onto a motor boat and settled in for the ride. Aloysius navigated the boat himself. The ride to the island where we would spend almost a week lasted only an hour and a half. Jose Luis was enjoying all the newness he was experiencing from him becoming a vampire. He stood in the back of the boat and held his arms out to his sides. When the boat bounced, he kept his balance and that made him laugh hysterically. Once he became bored with that activity, he checked out his enhanced senses of smell and sight. He marveled at the discovery that he could see further into the ocean than he could when he was human.
“I bet I can swim a lot faster,” he stated as he leaned over the side. “I bet I can even swim faster than the boat.”
“Is that a challenge?” Aloysius yelled from his place at the wheel.
Jose Luis turned to Christian and me with excitement on his face. “Can I, please, please, please?” He held his hands together and bounced up and down like a five year old begging for candy.
“I don’t know…” I shook my head and looked up at Christian. His smile widened.
“I don’t see any harm in it. Does anyone else?” he asked the rest who were gathered around us. Everyone shook their heads. I nodded and threw my arms up in defeat. I knew I had to let him explore what he can do as a vampire, but it didn’t stop me from worrying about him and wanting to protect him.
“You felt the same way about me at first, remember?” Christian whispered into my ear. “He was a pretty strong human. He will be an even stronger vampire, I’m sure. Let him explore his new state.”
“Ok,” I held my hand out to help Jose Luis onto the side rail. “Make sure you jump as far from the boat as you can. Propellers, remember? I will let you go on the count of three.”
His eyes lit up and his lips widened in an ear to ear grin. Everyone who was gathered behind us only a moment ago ran to stand at the rail. I looked toward Aloysius and he smiled mischievously, his hand on the throttle and ready. He seemed to be enjoying this as much as Jose Luis and, if he felt sure about it, I had no reason not to. I nodded to the rest and they nodded back, excitement in their eyes as if they were watching their favorite sporting team take on a rival.
“One…two…three,” I yelled and everyone chimed in. I let go of his shirt and backed away, watching as he pushed off with his feet and dove into the air higher than I would have expected. I stopped breathing.
As we all gripped the railing in anticipation, Jose Luis made a small splash as he made contact with the water. He took a breath, his dark hair visible just above the water and then disappeared from view again. The boat sped up, rocking the spectators. Christian wrapped an arm around me and smiled. “Isn’t it great to have some fun and not worry about anything else for once?”
“Yeah, for once,” I replied as I kept my eyes on the ripples in the water where I thought Jose Luis should be. “Something else is in the water.” I pointed.
“What? Where?” Aaron held his hand above his eyes to shield them from the sun.
I searched the water again and saw a dark trail just behind where I expected Jose Luis. “Right there. Don’t you see it?”
“Yes, I do. What is it?” Aaron asked as his eyes caught the spot I pointed to.
“I don’t know,” I said as I kicked off my shoes, hitting Fiore in the leg with one. “I’m going in after him.”
“No, Lily, wait,” Christian grabbed me around the waist as I tried to climb the railing. “I think he’s ok.” He stared at the dark spot with squinted eyes.
I held my breath as I squinted and focused on the dark spot that had grown longer behind him. I wasn’t even sure which trail was his anymore. Again I tried to climb the rail but this time both Aaron and Christian held me back. Laughter suddenly erupted from the group and they started clapping their hands.
“Wow! Will you look at that?” Aloysius yelled as he slowed the boat again.
THIRTY-FOUR
“That is by far the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life,” Fiore exclaimed, her hands to her mouth.
“Unbelievable,” Kalia said under her breath.
It wasn’t until that moment that I realized I had pressed my face into Christian’s chest, shielding my eyes from whatever was happening. “Look, Lily,” Christian coaxed me. “You really don’t want to miss this.”
My jaw dropped as my eyes met with what all the oohing and awing was about. With Jose Luis in the lead, jumping clear out of the water before diving back under, was a pod of four or five dolphins. They were all jumping out of the water and diving back in just as Jose Luis was doing. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. “That is absolutely incredible,” I said as I stared at the group showing off in front of us. “They’re doing whatever he does.”
“I’d say he made some new friends,” Fiore said as she reached my side with my shoe in her hand. She bent down and picked up the other one, handing them to me.
“Aloysius, you know he’s going to beat us there,” I pointed to the land mass coming into view.
“I somehow think he forgot all about racing. He’s a little preoccupied right now,” he answered with a laugh. “Most people have to pay for an opportunity like this.”
After a few more jumps, Jose Luis stopped and started treading water as we slowed the boat to a stop. The dolphins surrounded him and vied for his attention. Looking at us and waving his arm in the air, his smile grew wide as he stroked one dolphin on the head with his free hand. “Look at me,” he yelled. Another dolphin pushed the lucky one out of the way and placed its head under Jose Luis’s hand. “They’re fighting over me.”
I laughed and nodded, full of pride. “Yes, they are. They really like you.”
“Are you swimming to land or would you like to join us?” Aloysius yelled to him.
“I’ll meet you there,” he said as he looked toward the land. “I can make it in a few minutes. I’m not even tired.”
As the boat lurched forward again, Jose Luis made sure he stroked all the dolphins before diving back under the water and heading toward the island. Christian and I stood hand in hand, smiling with pride and happiness. If anyone deserved this moment of calm and peace, it was Jose Luis.
The chatting group dispersed to gather luggage and belongings as Aloysius tied the boat to the post at the dock and we prepared to step onto the island. From the small dock
, a few thatched roof cabanas, raised on stilts, were visible spread out on the beach. “What is this place?” I asked as we followed Aloysius off the dock and onto the sand. Jose Luis was climbing the rocks on the side to join us on the beach. Christian was there to meet him and pull him up onto the sand.
“It belongs to a business. They use it for their employees to vacation. I know the owner and, since no one had signed up for this week, I rented it from him,” Aloysius explained as he pointed to the cabanas. “There is one for every couple. I hope you don’t mind sharing with Jose Luis, Mateo.”
“Not at all,” Mateo answered. He carried his suitcase and took Jose Luis’s from me as he headed toward the cabana he was claiming. Christian and Jose Luis approached as I climbed the wooden steps to one of the available cabanas, next to the one Kalia and Aaron had claimed.
“Wasn’t that awesome?” Jose Luis yelled as he ran on the sand.
“It really was. I’m so glad you liked it. We all did,” I wrapped an arm around him, not caring that he was getting my shirt wet. “How do you feel?”
“A little thirsty, I think, but it’s not too bad,” he waved back to Mateo who waited for him on the small front porch. “I’m going to go see our room.”
“What is he supposed to eat while we’re here?” I asked Aloysius before he entered his cabana with Fiore behind him. “He’s a newborn. He can’t go without hunting.”
“Not to worry,” Aloysius looked down at us from his porch. “I thought about that before we left Miraflores. The refrigerator on the boat is stocked with bags of blood just for that reason.”
My jaw dropped. “Where in the world did you get it?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer but I asked anyway.
“I know someone at the hospital. Not to worry, they have plenty more.” He turned and entered his cabana.
“Who doesn’t he know?” I muttered as Christian led me to ours.
“For someone who mostly keeps to himself, he does seem to know a lot of people,” Christian said as he set our luggage on the floor next to a double bed. Mosquito netting hung around the bed and I noticed it was because the windows were just open squares with no glass and certainly no screens. There would definitely be no privacy on this trip.
Despite how primitive our accommodations appeared, a ceiling fan with a light hung above the bed. On both sides of the bed sat thin, wooden nightstands and at the bottom of the bed was a trunk. A folded flannel blanket sat on the lid.
“I guess there’s no harm in leaving our stuff in the suitcases,” I said when I lifted the lid to the trunk and its mustiness invaded my nostrils.
“Come on, you two,” Kalia yelled from outside. “We’re going for a swim.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent playing in the water and having a good time. Even the most serious of our group, Aloysius and Aaron, surprised us by sneaking up behind their women, picking them up, and throwing them in the water. Of course, not to be left out, Christian did the same with me, throwing me well over his head. Unfortunately for me, I landed within Mateo’s grasp. Mateo grabbed me and threw me back to Christian before my feet even touched the sandy bottom. Jose Luis laughed until he noticed me swimming toward him and tried to turn to get away from me. I jumped out of the water as high as I could, my feet barely skimming the top, and twisted my body to aim in his direction. He screamed just as I grabbed him and threw him over my head.
“That’s what you get for laughing!” I yelled as I swam toward the shore. The sun was finally beginning to set, its colors vibrant above the horizon. Shore birds flew in all directions above us. I wrung my hair out even though it was full of sand and walked toward the towels we had spread out on the beach. The rest of the group made their way out of the water and toward their towels, laughing and joking as they went.
“It couldn’t get any more perfect than this,” Christian said as he ran a smaller towel through my hair. “Our whole family, all together.”
“I know,” I said as I took the towel from him and set it on the sand next to me. “I just keep waiting for that to change. We can’t possibly be this happy for long.” I turned to look at him when I noticed Fiore.
“Fiore, what the hell are you doing?” I asked. She sat on her towel with her back to Aloysius as he rubbed lotion onto her back. She was working on her front. “You realize the sun is setting and we don’t tan, or burn, don’t you?”
“Of course I know that,” she pouted my way. “I just love the smell. Want some?” She held the bottle out to me. I shook my head and rolled my eyes at her.
“While you are all relaxing, I’m going to go gather some firewood,” Aloysius stated, wiping his hands on the edge of his towel. “A nice bonfire is just what tonight calls for.”
“I’ll help you,” Christian, Aaron, and Mateo chimed in at the same time. They stood and followed before Aloysius could answer. Jose Luis looked at me expectantly.
“Go on,” I motioned. “As soon as your hunger gets uncomfortable, you come and get me. Ok?”
“Sure,” he said and ran off to catch up with them. Though he always ran fast, there was a new grace to his gait since he was reborn. It was hard to believe that had only been this morning.
“It has been quite a day,” Kalia said as she dragged her towel to my side with Fiore joining her on my other side.
“Yes, it has,” Fiore said as she plopped belly down on hers. “It started as a bad day but it will have a happy ending.”
“I hope so,” I said.
“Have more faith, Lily,” Kalia took my hand in hers. “We’re all together and we are all in one piece. What more could we ask for?”
“I know,” I turned onto my stomach, head toward the ocean, and rested my head in my hands. “But we’re still missing Leilani. Then there’s still the matter of Melinda and Ryanne to deal with and you haven’t really resolved anything with Maia.”
“One step at a time,” Kalia said as she laid the same way on her towel. “We will get Leilani back and, as far as Ryanne and Melinda, there should be no problem. We are much stronger as a family than any of them could ever be.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked considering one of our group was a brand new vampire and one was only half.
“Just think about it, Lily,” Kalia took my hand and held it in hers. “What exactly are they fighting for? Revenge? Power? Their claim on the city? None of those things matter and, in the end, they have nothing because they don’t have love. All they have is anger.”
“That’s true,” Fiore said. “We are fighting to keep those we love safe. They don’t love anyone but themselves, if even that. It wouldn’t surprise me if they end up turning on each other, especially if they are all after the same thing.”
“I hope you’re right. It would be funny if they all turned on each other and we could just sit back and watch them kill each other,” I laughed at the image in my head of Ryanne and Melinda trying to tear each other’s heads off. “Oh, there’s something I have been meaning to ask but haven’t had a chance yet.”
Kalia turned on her side to look at me. I heard the voices of the men as they approached and missed my chance again. Jose Luis led the group, a bundle of wood in his arms. The rest followed, laughing and joking with each other as they carried their piles. From the looks of it, we could enjoy sitting by the fire until the sun came up.
Jose Luis dropped his pile a few feet away from our towels and came running over to us. “I’m hungry,” he said and dropped to his knees in front of the three of us. He pulled his top lip up and muttered, “Shee,” I couldn’t help but laugh at his pronunciation of ‘see’ while trying to show his protruding fangs.
“Ok, let’s go to the boat,” I got up with the help of the hand he offered me and wrapped my towel around my waist. “Mateo, are you hungry?”
“I got him,” Fiore said and got up from her towel, leading Mateo to her and Aloysius’s cabana.
As Jose Luis and I boarded the boat, I thought about another issue that had been lingering in
my mind. Why was I warned, multiple times, about Aloysius not being who I thought he was? Did I dare just come out and ask him? No matter how helpful and caring Aloysius was with us, I couldn’t help but feel a bit intimidated by him, especially when I thought about his reaction the first time we met; the first time he touched my hand. He had frozen in place when his skin made contact with mine and stared into my eyes almost with fear. Why?
THIRTY-FIVE
Once we finished with Jose Luis’s first feeding, who enjoyed a whole bag of blood by himself, we changed out of our suits and gathered on the beach. Christian and Aloysius had a fire roaring and Aaron had gotten the beach chairs from the boat and set them up around the fire. The sun was almost completely down and some orange hues still remained over the water. We settled in our seats, staying silent for a few moments while we looked around in awe at the beauty of the island. The view was gorgeous and, looking around at my loved ones, I couldn’t help but feel like maybe there was hope for happiness. For the longest time, I didn’t believe in happily ever after then. When I finally thought I did, it was ripped from my hands. Now, with all of us here together again, and with our new additions, I was starting to feel like maybe it was possible after all.
“Won’t we need jackets or something for when it gets really dark?” Jose Luis broke the silence. Fiore laughed from across the circle.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, already feeling defensive toward my new son.
“Nothing at all,” she answered leaning to the side so she could see me around the fire. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve been around a new vampire, besides Christian, of course, especially one so young. Christian knew more or less what to expect. Jose Luis knows only what he’s seen.”
“You’re right, of course. I apologize,” I said to her and then turned to Jose Luis. “You won’t notice the temperature difference. You won’t ever feel cold and you won’t ever sweat when it’s hot.”