by K. Aten
Keller looked into the verdant eyes of the woman she loved and grinned. “I didn’t even notice.”
Sarah snorted. “Bullshit but thanks anyway. Listen, if you go save me some pizza, I can be in and out of the shower in five minutes.”
Keller gave her a lecherous look. “Better yet, we could take a long shower together and hope for the best on the pizza.”
The musician laughed and swatted her on the shoulder. “Nice try but I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure they used most of the hot water.” She winked at the other woman. “Later though for sure.”
Blue eyes twinkled at the promise implied. “I’m counting on it.” Keller turned before her libido could get the better of her and set a quick pace into the kitchen. Sarah watched the shorter woman’s tight ass walk through the door then went off to take the quickest shower in history.
In the kitchen, Annie and Jesse were busy making silly faces at each other and happily munching away. Keller grabbed a paper plate and a slice of her own then hopped up on a barstool. Annie swallowed her bite and leveled a cool eye at her boss. “Just for the record, Miss Keller, I should so kick your ass for scaring us like that!” Keller kept chewing and pointed at her own chest with a look on her face that said “who, me?” Jesse wisely kept silent. Annie continued. “Yeah, you!” A few minutes of silence went by while they ate then Annie cocked her head to the side. “Well at least you look better than you did a few days ago.” She didn’t mention the bandage that was neatly wrapped around Keller’s arm. She knew without a doubt that there would be nothing underneath but healthy healed skin.
Keller shrugged. “Sorry about that and yeah I feel a lot better. I think I was just tired and sore from the fight at the bar the other night.”
Annie grumbled only partially under her breath. “Not to mention pissed at a certain wishy-washy brunette we all know and love.”
Jesse, who had noticed Sarah and Duke’s entrance into the kitchen, slapped her on the arm and hissed. “Annie!”
The younger sibling turned to the door with a sweet smile on her face. “Heh, hi, sis. We saved you some pizza!”
Sarah growled. “Whatever, brat! We’ll talk later about what’s appropriate to say to someone’s significant other. Unless you’d rather I spill my guts to Jesse now…” She left the threat hanging in the air.
“Don’t even think about it! If you tell her anything about me as a kid, I’ll kill you.”
Sarah laughed and tugged Annie’s ear lobe then grabbed her own pizza. “Yeah, you and what army, kiddo?” Despite the friendly squabbling, the look the two sisters shared was full of love.
Keller looked at Jesse. “Have they always been like this?”
Jesse shrugged her shoulders. “Beats me.” Then she took another bite.
Sarah pointedly changed the subject. “So when is your lease up, Jesse? We need to come up with a day when all of us are free so we can help move you.”
Keller gave the three women a surprised look. “Jesse’s moving? Where?”
Annie smiled broadly. “Here with us! Isn’t that awesome, Keller?”
Keller smiled fondly at the younger women while an interesting thought concerning Sarah’s living situation popped into her head. “Sure is, A.”
Sarah smirked. “Be sure to keep your calendar open, Keller, we’re going to need some help with the heavy lifting.”
Annie looked at her diminutive boss and snorted. She then remembered the bar fight and nodded seriously. “Oh yeah, good thinking, sis.” She leered at her lover. “You two can carry all the regular furniture. We’ll get the bed, won’t we hot stuff?”
A pretty red blush worked its way up Jesse’s neck until her face was a vivid scarlet. Her mouth gaped open and she turned to look at Sarah. “Has she always been like this?”
The older sister burst out laughing. “Only since you got into her pants!” She looked at Keller. “Little Miss Innocent has hit the road for good.” Everyone laughed at that, even the little miss in question. Keller regretfully broke up the little party when she finished her last breadstick and looked at her watch.
“Sorry to be a downer, ladies, but I have to get to the bar.”
Annie grimaced. “Ooh, work, I forgot about that. Sorry, Keller, but I wouldn’t want to be you!”
“Oh, I’m sure!”
Sarah set her unfinished piece of pizza back on her plate. “I’ll walk you out.”
Dusk was falling outside. A fine mist drifted down from the clouds that had been hanging low all day. Keller wasn’t looking forward to going in to work. She wanted nothing more than to sit on her leather couch with Sarah and bask in the warmth of her fireplace. She wanted to explore the newfound closeness that had developed between them. As they walked to the car she voiced her fears. “I hate that I have to leave. I’m still a little afraid that you’ll change your mind. I’m afraid that you’ll start denying how you feel again.”
Sarah took her hand before she could get into the convertible and gazed at Keller sadly. “I’m really sorry for that. I wish the things that I’ve done these past few months didn’t make it so hard to convince you now.” A look of regret flashed across her face. “I never meant to hurt you, Keller. I was just so scared.” She laughed mirthlessly and ran her free hand through her dampening hair. “Hell, I’m still scared shitless but I’m ready to try.”
Keller gave her an unreadable look. “That’s all I can ask then.” She knew without a doubt what Sarah had not quite been convinced of, there was no try for them. They were together whether they wanted to be or not. “Will I see you tonight?”
Sarah smiled and leaned in for one last kiss. “Of course, I’ll be there when you get home.”
Keller nodded once then got into her car and drove away.
Chapter Seven
THE NEXT FEW weeks moved by rapidly. The community had settled down quite a bit with the apparent absence of the mysterious basher. Sarah spent about half her evenings at Keller’s condo and the other half in her and Annie’s home. The Sunday morning of Jesse’s move dawned clear and warm. An hour before noon, Sarah and Annie sat in their kitchen drinking cooling cups of coffee. Per the usual, both women added enough sugar that they didn’t need the caffeine jolt. Sarah gave her sister a soft smile. “So today’s the big day, huh? Are you excited?”
The younger woman was practically giddy, not needing the coffee or the extra sugar to get her going. To her sister’s inquisitive eyes, she almost seemed to glow. “Oh my God, Sarah, you have no idea!”
“So what is the plan for the day, how much stuff does she actually have?”
Annie cocked her head to the side to think. “Her apartment was furnished, so surprisingly little.” She slowly ticked items off on the fingers of her left hand. “Let’s see…bed, dresser, TV, nightstand, computer and desk, and boxes containing her clothing and assorted odds and ends.”
Sarah nodded. “That shouldn’t be too bad then. Keller said she would meet us here at noon, so I know we have at least the four of us. Do you guys have any more of your friends coming to help?”
“No, with so few things, the four of us should be able to do it all in no time. She rented a small moving truck so we could get everything in one trip. You know the kind with one of those dolly things?” She looked at her sister expectantly and when the older woman nodded, she continued. “Anyway, when I talked to her this morning, she was on her way to pick it up. I figured when Keller got here we could ride over to Jesse’s apartment together.”
Sarah stood to rinse out her coffee cup. “That sounds perfect.” She glanced down at her pajama pants and tee shirt. “I’m going to go put some clothes on that I don’t mind getting dirty and then run to the store for donuts before Keller gets here. Can you think of anything else that we may need?”
Annie shut her eyes and pursed her lips in consideration. “Hmm, how about ice? Then we can put some drinks in a cooler and have them handy while we’re loading the truck.”
&nbs
p; Sarah laughed. “Good thinking, Annie-girl!” She grinned devilishly and swatted the younger woman on the arm as she walked by. Calling over her shoulder, she said, “Just think, someday you’ll be as smart as me!”
Annie chuckled and finished her own coffee. “Yeah, yeah, whatever!”
After Sarah left the donut shop, she stopped at the convenience store near the house so she could get some ice for the cooler. Something heavy had been weighing on her mind since shortly after Keller drank of her blood. Not wanting to upset the fragile relationship they were beginning, Sarah had not brought the subject up with her lover. Despite their initial conversation about Keller’s vampirism, Sarah wasn’t exactly clear on how Keller’s disease was transmitted. Because of that ignorance, she panicked a little more each day thinking that maybe letting her lover do what she did wasn’t completely safe. Sarah wasn’t just against being infected with Keller’s disease, she was terrified. She knew Keller could tell something was bothering her but Sarah had yet to confide her fears.
LATER THAT EVENING, the four women finished eating the Thai Guys take-out they had picked up after unloading the last of Jesse’s furniture. Tired but content, Annie and Jesse were in the love seat snuggled together watching TV and Keller was in the kitchen helping Sarah with the dishes. Duke sat patiently next to the counter, awaiting any scraps that might fall. Keller voiced an idea she had earlier in the day. “Hey, since this is the girls’ first night living together, what do you think about staying the night with me?”
Sarah rinsed the last plate and carefully placed it into the dishwasher. She gave her lover a curious look. “They’ve been dating for months. It’s not like one or the other staying the night is a novelty.”
Keller gave her a little grin. She thought to herself in a little singsong voice, she’s missing the point. “Well, it is a lot different when you’re actually taking the big step of moving in with someone.” At Sarah’s continued uncomprehending stare, she continued, “Not to mention they’ll probably be twice as loud tonight as they normally are.”
Sarah made a face. “Ahh—I see your point.” She thought for a second, scratching at her ear before slowly shaking her head. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Duke has a vet appointment first thing tomorrow morning so I would have to drive all the way over here, then drive all the way back past your condo.” She gave her lover a sad smile. “I would love to stay the night with you otherwise.”
Keller gave her a smile that was both shy and proud. “Well, I think I have a solution for you then.”
“What’s that?”
The bar manager watched the other woman’s face to gauge her reaction while she spoke. “I made a trip to the pet store the other day and picked up all the things Duke would need to stay the night.” She continued before Sarah could think of forming an objection. “There’s even a great park that runs between the condo and the river. Many people walk their dogs down there. It’s very open and clean.”
Sarah was touched by the gesture but almost giggled at Keller’s demeanor. She walked over to her lover and slid her arms around the shorter woman’s waist. Standing in the close embrace, Sarah leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. “You didn’t have to do that but thank you very much.” Looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the woman who was quickly claiming her heart, Sarah didn’t feel her usual fear at their deepening intimacy. It felt nice, it felt right. After another slightly longer kiss, Sarah pulled away. With a wink and a grin at Keller, she addressed the dog. “Come on, Duke, let’s go pack your pajamas.”
On her way through the living room, Sarah informed her sister of her plans. Annie raised her eyebrow. “What about Duke’s vet appointment tomorrow morning? Do you need me to take him?” The look on both her and Jesse’s face indicated their feelings on that particular idea.
Sarah smiled at the two women on the couch. “No, Duke is coming with me to Keller’s tonight.” Annie gave her an incredulous look and she added, “Apparently she has made her condo pooch friendly with all the comforts of home. He should be fine.”
“Oh, okay then.” The last was said distractedly as Jesse began to run her fingers across Annie’s neck seductively. Sarah shook her head and went to pack an overnight bag for her and Duke. She was suddenly very glad of Keller’s invitation and was touched by the extent to which the bar manager had gone to make her feel welcome. She also thought that being alone with Keller later might be a good time to talk and voice some of the concerns she had running through her head. Her voice was a quiet murmur in the stillness of her bedroom. “We’ll have to see…”
Duke was excited to go for a ride. Sarah laughed at the fidgety dog’s actions. Usually he would whine at the door when she would leave to stay the night with Keller. She felt bad for him but she didn’t know what else she could do. She smiled to herself during the short drive to Keller’s condo. Her lover had come up with a perfect and touching solution. After parking in the visitor’s lot, Keller walked up and took Sarah’s duffle bag while she clipped the lead to Duke. The three of them went inside the big building but the elevator proved to be too much for the friendly dog. He balked at the opening. Sarah apologized as she tried to lift the reticent dog and carry him through the doors. “I’m sorry, Keller, I don’t think I’ve ever tried to get him in an elevator before.”
Even though Sarah was embarrassed for her pooch’s behavior, Keller took it all in stride. She laughed. “Well I could carry him through the door with no problem but I don’t want to freak him out. So we’ll just go with plan B and take the stairs up.”
When they walked through the door to the condo, Duke immediately took off to explore his new surroundings. Keller laughed at his antics while Sarah yelled, “You better be good, buddy, and stay out of the toilet bowl!”
Sarah took her overnight bag into the bedroom just as Duke was making his way back to the kitchen where Keller was busy looking for a nice bottle of wine. When the curious dog stuck his head into the wine cooler with her, she laughed and pushed him back out of the way. She sat her selection on top of the counter and opened another cupboard nearby. “Hey, buddy, you want a treat?” The Husky immediately sat on his haunches with his big duster tail sweeping a path on the hardwood floor. Sarah came back and stood near the island, watching her pooch shamelessly perform tricks for the expected reward. Once he had his snack, Keller showed him where his new food and water dishes were, as well as a large fleece dog bed and a few assorted toys. Sarah laughed as she watched the Husky settle into his new bed with a hard rubber chew toy, knowing he was in doggy heaven.
“Now that he’s taken care of, what ever shall we do, hmm?”
Keller laughed at the seductive look in her lover’s green eyes. She popped the cork on the wine bottle and grabbed a couple of glasses from the rack then walked into the living room. She set the items on the low coffee table then went over to turn on the fireplace. “I think I’ve got it covered.” Even though it was July, the evening turned rainy and cool after they got the last of the stuff moved. The flickering light from the flames provided a nice ambiance and helped take some of the wet chill from the air.
Flushed with interest, Sarah nodded and walked toward Keller, who was already reclining on the butter-soft leather couch. “Oh yes, that will work for starters.” Once they were both seated with the wine poured, Sarah raised her glass in a toast. “To Annie and Jesse, I hope they don’t wear out the bed on the first night!”
Keller laughed. “Here, here!”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, shoulder to shoulder. Both women were reveling in the simple act of being near each other. Their height difference was even more obvious on the couch yet they seemed to fit together somehow. Keller knew something had been bothering her lover. She could feel Sarah’s unease through their growing bond but she knew the hazards of pushing things too soon with the emotionally reticent singer. She had a feeling that some quiet time alone might just make Sarah open up and discuss what the problem was. Sh
e didn’t have to wait long.
“Keller…” Sarah began tentatively.
Keller was gently caressing Sarah’s fingertips with her own. She looked up at Sarah’s inquiry. “Yes?”
Nervously, Sarah raked her free hand through her hair and thought of how to continue. She looked at Keller, reassured by the blue eyes gazing back at her. “I—um, I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about how your disease is transmitted.”
Suddenly Keller knew what had been bothering the other woman. She put a comforting hand on Sarah’s arm. “It’s okay. There is no possible way you could catch my disease just from letting me drink your blood. You have to be near death to get it and even then there has to be an exchange of fluids for you to be infected.” She gave her lover tender smile. “You’re safe, I promise.”
Sarah blushed at having her fears so easily read. Embarrassed, she pulled her hand free and stood to walk across the room. She looked out the windows into the city. Her fears went so much deeper than merely becoming infected. “I’m sorry, I’d like to explain I—I just—” She stopped, unable to fully verbalize the many emotions she had running through her head.
Keller stood and joined her at the windows. “It’s fine, you don’t have to explain if you don’t want.”
Sarah looked away from the window and down at her lover. She sighed and reached out to take Keller’s hand. “I know I have a lot of issues, and I know you’ve been very patient with me.”
Keller pointed toward her own teeth. “Hello, you have issues?”
Sarah laughed and jiggled the shorter woman’s hand. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But still…” She took a deep breath. “Can we go sit down again? I would like to try to explain this a little better.” After the women were seated back on the couch, Sarah began to talk about herself, something she had been reluctant to do in all their previous times together. Keller knew some of Sarah and Annie’s history from the younger sister but she really wanted to hear things from Sarah’s point of view. Sarah told her what life was like with two loving parents and what it was like having a much younger sibling. It didn’t take a psychiatrist to know that the singer’s fear of loss and subsequently, her fear of commitment, began with the death of her parents. Keller suspected that that another reason her lover didn’t want to be tied down was due to the fact that she was forced into a responsibility that she neither wanted nor was ready for—raising her younger sister.