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?
"You're protective," he finally observed in a quiet voice. "Listen, you've saved my life on no less than two occasions since I've known you. I cherish your role as a guardian in my life, Paige, as well as my best friend."
She turned to mark him with a penetrating expression. The corners of her mouth upturned slightly with satisfaction, and she moved in a blur to close the distance between them, lightly kissing him on the check before returning to her original location next to him. It startled him, but he was nevertheless pleased.
"Okay, Harry Potter, let's go kill some trolls," she relented while saving her avatar settings.
He rolled his eyes. "My guy's a holy warrior, not a magician. And I think we're fighting Orcs."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're such a nerd," she teased. "Nothing complex here. Just some ugly little dudes with clubs who need slayin'."
They thoroughly enjoyed the remainder of the day with no more uncomfortable topics.
By late afternoon, they looked through printouts of houses for her to consider visiting. A couple of hours later, the sun had dropped below the horizon, and Katrina raised the metal shutters on the windows around the house to reveal the colorful hues of the evening sky. It was one of the few near-daylight conditions that a vampire's physiology could safely endure.
"Hey," Caleb prompted Paige as he appreciated the view of the manicured front yard via the sitting room window. "It's almost sunset. I'll race you!"
She smirked. In a blur she was opening the front door before he even got up from the couch. They both walked outside onto the front lawn, and he admired Paige's pale skin in the final moments of dusk. While a vampire's skin was pale under artificial lighting, it took on a nearly ghostly appearance at dusk or pre-dawn. He stared at her thoughtfully, finding her pallor just as eerily beautiful as Katrina's.
She acknowledged his attention, cheerfully recognizing the sense of awe in his eyes.
"Careful staring at vampires, Caleb," she warned with mock-seriousness. "We're mean and always raring for a meal."
He moved to stand next to her and reached up with one hand to touch the side of her face lightly. Her skin was soft and warm to his touch, and he smiled at her.
"Don't kid yourself. Some vampires are genuinely wonderful beings," he observed as he withdrew his hand.
Her eyes widened in momentary surprise. "So are some humans," she softly amended as her gaze met his.
Then the front door opened, and he turned to see Katrina standing at the top of the porch stairs. He stared at the beautiful woman before him.
My mate, my vampire.
She moved in a blur to stand next to him, and one arm gently draped around his waist. He swallowed hard as he appreciated her beautiful eyes in the faint glow of daylight from the horizon.
I love you so very much, he thought. The woman before him had not only saved his life as an adult, but had killed his abusive father when he was merely a child. Those memories, so recently restored, flooded back through his mind in a raging torrent. He recalled the formerly short-haired brunette named Amber who had ended his years of abuse when he was merely eight years old. Angel Amber, he recalled.
Katrina must have read the adoring expression either on his face or in his eyes, because she pulled him to her as she bent down slightly to kiss him on the lips. He responded only once so as not to make Paige feel uncomfortable.
Still, the blonde vampire discreetly observed the exchange.
Rub it in, Red, she thought.
"Beautiful evening," Katrina congenially observed as she looked to the faint glow remaining on the horizon.
"Yep, and night's finally arrived," Paige agreed as both the sky and western horizon continued to darken.
Caleb stole a fleeting glimpse of both vampires and felt immediate contentment. He realized at that moment how fortunate he was to have each of them in his life and how completely happy it made him.
"Life is good," he whispered.
Both vampires turned to look at him with satisfied expressions.
"C'mon, tiger, it's time to go out on the town," Paige insisted as she hooked one arm through his.
But Katrina maintained her grip around his waist and bent to place a final warm kiss on his lips. It was a somewhat possessive gesture, but she wanted to make a point to Paige. Caleb responded to her kiss in kind, and Katrina tossed a set of car keys to Paige.
"You two have fun tonight. Take the Audi."
"Thanks, Red," Paige replied as she tugged on Caleb's arm. Message received.
"We'll try to stay out of trouble, Kat," Caleb gently offered. "See you later tonight?"
"Sure," Katrina responded as she reluctantly released her grip on him. "Be careful."
As Paige pulled him behind her up the porch stairs to enter the house, she quipped, "Don't worry, you overgrown Amazon. The elf archer-mage is on top of everything."
Katrina's expression turned slightly confused. "What?"
"Never mind. I'll tell you later," Caleb called back with a chuckle before being pulled into the house behind the short vampire.
Paige changed into a pair of jeans and red camisole and slipped into a black leather jacket as she bounced down the stairs. Caleb met her in the kitchen, and she took a long look at him in his jeans and fitted black t-shirt that accentuated the definition of his chest. She flashed him a look of approval.
"Grab your leather jacket," she advised as she stuffed her license, credit cards, and cash into her jacket pockets.
Minutes later, they were on the road. Caleb thoroughly enjoyed the drive around town with Paige in Katrina's Audi. The car was an impressive piece of automotive machinery and effortlessly glided down the road. She noted his enthusiasm, silently appreciating the happiness emanating from him.
They had only driven a block from the addition before he was able to convince her that he should drive, since he knew the locations of the houses that they planned to see. The spunky vampire was happy to indulge him, doubting that Katrina let him drive very often. She knew that the red-haired vampire was a control freak, which likely extended to her driving habits.
However, their house-hunting wasn't as satisfying as Caleb's appreciation for driving was. It only took Paige a few minutes at each of the four prospects to determine they just weren't for her. The first was much larger than she wanted, and the second was in a neighborhood that she didn't care for. The third house had a nice layout from what she could see through the windows, but didn't have a basement. She wanted a sublevel room, though not one as elaborate as Katrina's. The final home on their tour was too far across town, nearly outside the county.
"Expecting trouble?" he asked when she voiced her concern.
"Babysitter's always expecting trouble," she dryly observed. "Especially when it comes to you. You seem to attract it."
He shook his head at her response, amused by both her continued reference to being his babysitter and for sounding so much like Katrina at that moment. Still, he silently conceded that his life had become a lot more exciting, and dangerous, since becoming involved with vampires.
Paige studied him with a curious expression as they stood on the front lawn of the final property.
After a moment, he broke from his reverie and asked, "So, where to next?"
She expectantly held her open palm out towards him. "My special errand. And I'll drive."
Half an hour later, they pulled into the parking lot of a Harley Davidson dealership.
Caleb gaped at her with a wide-eyed expression and challenged, "You're kidding."
"Be nice," she mildly admonished. "There's still a lot you don't know about me, kiddo."
He expectantly followed her into the main showroom. A burly-looking fellow with goatee and Harley t-shirt greeted them as they entered. Paige had apparently been shopping ahead of time, because she knew exactly what she wanted to see.
The man led them to a red and chrome touring bike, though it appeared to be built more for speed than touring. Caleb had only ridden a motorcycle a couple of times and only as a passenger when catching a ride around campus with a friend while he was a college student. Caleb had a hard time imaging the petite young woman before him commanding the road on the impressive street machine.
Paige's appeared delighted as the salesperson described some customizations that had already been made.
"How about a spin?" she asked with a menacing grin.
"Uh," Caleb stammered.
The salesperson chuckled at his reaction and offered, "Little lady, take him out, but bring him back alive."
He rolled the bike as if it were a toy towards the extra-wide doors leading out to the parking lot. Caleb marveled at the guy's strength and at how easy he made it look to move the huge cycle across the floor.
Geez, does this guy bench press these cycles in the back room or something?
Paige grabbed two visor-equipped helmets and passed one to Caleb as he absently followed behind her. The guy scowled as he noted Caleb's hesitant expression, but the man's face reflected sincere surprise as Paige easily balanced the bike between her legs and remained upright.
"Somebody's a natural," he observed.
"Somebody's had a history with hogs," she clarified then turned her attention to Caleb. "Put on that helmet and hop on, kiddo," she ordered before slipping on her own helmet.
Caleb swallowed hard as he popped the helmet over his head and moved to sit behind Paige. The engine started with a growl, and she revved it slightly.
"Arms around my waist," she ordered in a loud voice.
He tentatively wrapped his arms around her petite waist, but she reached down and grabbed one of his wrists.
"Tighter!" she ordered, and he increased his hold around her.
Caleb lifted his feet to press against the passenger foot pedals as Paige kicked the bike into gear. They proceeded at a slow pace until reaching the street, at which point she gunned the bike, and they leapt out onto the road.
"Crap!" Caleb exclaimed as his arms instinctively tightened around her waist. He thought that he heard her laughing, but wasn't entirely certain.
She was quite satisfied to feel him tightly hugging her, and she relished the wild freedom of being on a motorcycle again. This was the surprise she had been waiting all day to spring on him, and it was working out just perfectly, in her opinion. She had researched the various models on her flight from California, having decided that her new life in Atlanta would include a cycle. She had been an avid rider since the 1950s, but had not owned one in many years.
Now it's time to rekindle my relationship with Harley Davidson.
Caleb finally reconciled himself to the fact that Paige wasn't going to let them fall over on the street and was surprised that she rode so well. He had definitely found a topic to talk about over dinner later that night. Suddenly, he was happy that they hadn't eaten yet because his stomach was knotted with tension. As if by instinct, his arms enveloped her waist.
That's my boy, Paige thought, loving the feeling of his strong arms encircling her. She increased speed while weaving in and out of traffic.
They test drove the cycle for about twenty minutes before Paige made her way back to the dealership. By the time they whipped into the parking lot, Caleb had become a permanent fixture on Paige's back. She lurched the cycle to a stop just outside the main doors, cut the engine, and flipped the kickstand into place with the toe of her shoe.
"Time to let go, tiger," she suggested as she lifted her helmet off. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."
He released her with a start and slipped his helmet off just as the salesperson walked outside. They both got off the cycle, and the man looked at Caleb with a raised eyebrow.
"I see he didn't fall off or throw up in the helmet," the fellow observed.
Caleb scowled but remained silent.
"Nah, I took care of him," Paige replied with a smirk.
"Lucky guy," the man said as he eyed her with an appraising look. "Well, whaddaya think?"
"I'm game," she said. "Throw in the helmet and a set of leather saddlebags and you've got a deal."
The man seemed momentarily caught off guard by her smooth, haggle-free terms. "Done," he replied. "Come on in, and we'll knock out the paperwork."
"My new toy," Paige cooed as she followed the guy into the showroom.
"Him or the bike?" the guy asked, gesturing with his thumb towards Caleb.
She merely giggled in response as Caleb blushed in three shades of red. Both, she silently confirmed.
As Paige completed the sale, Caleb browsed the host of accessories on display. After a few minutes, his eyes settled on the one-piece leather riding suits, immediately recalling something he had once seen in a vampire movie. He beamed with satisfaction as he turned to stare across the showroom where Paige was standing.
"Oh, babysitter," he cooed softly.
Paige's head pivoted in a blur, and her blue eyes expertly targeted him in her sights. After a spontaneous assessment, she beheld him with a curious expression. He discreetly used the crook of his finger to beckon her to him. She said something to the salesman and wandered over.
"Wassup?" she asked.
"So, promise me you'll give me another ride on your new bike," he baited.
She frowned. "Well, yeah. Anytime, anyplace. I'm riding it home tonight, after all."
"Great," he said. "Tomorrow, then. Shall we say, just after lunch?"
She spared him with a deadpan expression. "Not funny, Caleb."
"Shouldn't be a problem," he optimistically ventured, pointing to the leather outfit before him. "That is, if you're wearing one of those."
Her eyes darted to the apparel display, and the edges of her mouth upturned slightly. Smart kid.
"Hate to tell you, Sherlock, but it's not like one of our kind hasn't already thought about that," she offered in a milder tone. "It's not without some risk and not very practical for anything but riding around. But yeah, I'll bite."
She paused with an evil grin, which merely elicited a groan from him.
"However, you have to promise me something," she stipulated. "If I give you a daytime ride, you have to commit to a nighttime ride."
"You're on," he agreed with a shrug.
Then he wondered what the catch was.
She seemed quite satisfied as she picked one of the black leather suits from the selection before her. She selected a set of leather gloves and briefly browsed the leather riding boots. Minutes later, she proceeded over to the counter with the additional merchandise while the salesman observed her with anticipation.
After dinner, they returned to the estate, where Katrina was surprised by Paige's purchase, but smoothly congratulated her on the acquisition. Caleb recounted a more sedate version of his test drive experience and deliberately avoided any mention of his riding agreement with Paige.
The following day, it was barely eleven o'clock when Caleb sat down to lunch in anticipation of his daytime ride. As he ate, Katrina walked into the kitchen to heat some blood in the microwave.
"Somebody's hungry early, I see."
He casually shrugged. "I've got plans at noon."
"That's nice," she remarked as she removed the glass of blood and took a quick swig. At least he's staying active with all his spare time. "What's on the agenda?"
"Riding with Paige," he replied around a mouthful of potato chips.
A steely expression crossed her face. "At noon?"
Paige walked through the kitchen with an armful of clothes, heading for the utility room at a speedy pace. "High noon, Red. A deal's a deal."
Katrina's green eyes narrowed to slits, and her demeanor darkened as she intently stared into Caleb's eyes. He shivered slightly at their intensity.
"What deal?" she demanded in a stern, quiet voice.
He swallowed his bite of sandwich and drank from his glass of cola. Oh no. Not good.
Katrina patiently waited, looming before him like a statue while staring at him flatly.
"Um," he awkwardly began, "Paige offered to give me a ride on her cycle at noon."
"Caleb Taylor!" Katrina exclaimed.
He winced slightly.
"How could you? As if you don't fully know how dangerous that is."
Paige zipped back through the kitchen wearing a mischievous grin. "Ha! I get him tonight, though."
As the blonde vampire raced upstairs, Katrina demanded, "Exactly what does that mean?"
Caleb immediately regretted the agreement with Paige. "Well, I kind of agreed to a nighttime ride in return for a day ride."
She glared at him, and he swallowed hard at the stony expression on her face.
"Kat, it's just a ride," he protested. "And, after all, she's going to wear protective gear."
Paige reappeared, twirling around like a model in her new leather outfit complete with black leather boots. A cocky expression accompanied her energetic aura as she pulled on a pair of leather riding gloves.
Katrina took a moment to stare at her friend before looking to the ceiling with exasperation.
"You're an idiot to go through with this, Paige," she said. "What if something goes horribly wrong?"
"Everything will be fine. Just a quick out and back," Paige insisted in a cavalier tone. "Keep your shirt on, Red. Tell me we haven't done far more dangerous things for far less reasons."
"We both did some stupid, careless things out of sheer ignorance when we were younger," Katrina corrected. "Now I know my limitations better and realize the consequences of failure. I won't be able to help you if something goes wrong. What if you wreck and your suit becomes torn? Your exposed skin will start burning in seconds."
Caleb didn't like the direction of the conversation, and the implications of failure generated a series of horrific flashes in his mind. Why did I have to be so stupid?
"Look, this was a mistake," he insisted. "We don't have to do this, Paige. We'll wait to go riding tonight instead, okay?"
Paige let out a deep breath, shaking her head as she perched her hands atop her hips. "Honestly, Red. You wanna scare the kid by arguing about this?"
"He should be scared," Katrina growled as she cast a glare at Caleb. "I vividly recall how painfully the sun burns. Get burned badly enough, and there's no coming back from that."
Her memories replayed the past. It had only been eighteen years since she had tried committing suicide by facing the morning sun. Though she had lost her nerve at the last minute, severe damage had been done to her body. It was only the actions of an innocent, eight-year-old boy named Caleb that had saved her. The momentary recollection almost lightened her mood. Almost, but not quite.
"I know what I'm doing," Paige insisted between clenched teeth as she reached out to grasp Caleb's arm. "Hell, I did something like this a decade or more ago, anyway. And we'll both be safely back before you know it."
"Wait," Caleb protested, but Paige took his arm in her vise-like grip and pulled him towards the direction of the hallway leading to the garage.
"Oh, shut up! Honestly, the lengths you have to go to these days just to have some freakin' fun," she muttered.
"Be careful!" Katrina barked with aggravation as Caleb was dragged into the garage. You better be careful, or I'm never going to forgive you, she silently added.
Paige shoved her helmet over her head and thrust the spare helmet at Caleb. After putting it on, he stared into the charcoal-tinted visor on Paige's helmet, wondering if she were actually planning to go through with their plan.
"Do you see any exposed skin?" she asked in a muffled voice.
She looked almost like a black-clad astronaut in her leather outfit. He scrutinized her closely then shook his head. She flexed her arms and wrists and seemed satisfied. Then she pointed to the garage door and spun her finger in the air. He went to press the garage door button on the wall.
Paige straddled the cycle and hurriedly waved him to return to her as the door rose. Sunlight permeated into the garage little by little until the garage was illuminated by the ambient glow of daylight. He hiked his right leg over the back of the bike, and she revved the engine.
She glanced back over her shoulder at him while feeling his arms slip in front of her stomach and tighten around her waist. She took a deep breath as she put up the kickstand, and they lurched out onto the driveway, marking her first journey into direct sunlight in nearly fifteen years. Despite her outward display of confidence, she wrestled with feelings of uneasiness as she realized how vulnerable the sun made her feel. Still, Paige Turner liked nothing better than a challenge.
As they rolled onto the neighborhood street, Paige steeled herself for any negative reactions. However, the charcoal-tinted visor did its job, and her face and eyes felt nothing more serious than a mild tingling sensation. The complete coverage of the remainder of her body effectively protected her. As they proceeded past the gate and out onto the neighborhood street, her confidence grew by the moment. By the time they were on the county road outside the addition, she once again felt completely in control of her situation.
However, Caleb was still concerned for his friend and silently berated himself for placing someone he cared about in potential danger for the sake of a spontaneous dare. As they smoothly coasted atop the asphalt, his imagination ran scenarios about what he should do if Paige suddenly found herself in distress from the effects of sunlight exposure. A macabre vision of feverishly trying to bury her body in dirt along the side of the road flashed in his mind. Then he realized that they hadn't even brought a shovel or any other tool for effective digging. At the very least, he thought, he could drag her into a shaded area and cover her up with something.
I'm such an idiot.
However, within ten minutes or so, he began to realize that Paige seemed quite at ease with their circumstances, and a hopeful sense of success crept into his spirit. Before long, a feeling of guarded relief formed, which further tempered his anxiety.
Half an hour later, he was actually enjoying their daytime ride. He affectionately patted her stomach with his right hand, and she revved the engine in response.
Ever since meeting Katrina, he had bemoaned the fact that his interactions with a vampire were stunted by daylight. It was as if a moat existed between two separate worlds of day and night. Now the chasm had been bridged and realities began to coalesce with one another. However, the new dimension was tempered by the cold realization that if Paige could do this, so could other vampires. That meant his daytime kingdom was no longer pleasantly safe from direct influence by prospectively negative forces.
But then, it never really was, he rationalized with sober realization. Blissful ignorance.
Paige peered over her shoulder at him for a brief second, having sensed a subtle change in his body.
Everything okay back there? she wondered as she reached down with one hand to pat his arm.
Her concerns were abated by a gentle pat from his palm against her stomach.
Much better, she thought and once again focused on their enjoyable journey.
She revved the engine, which caused the cycle to lurch slightly, and Caleb's arms tightened around her waist. She appreciated the firm feeling of his body against hers.
The things I have to do for a friendly cuddle, she thought with a snicker.
By the time they returned to the estate and parked in the garage, both of them were feeling quite satisfied with themselves. When the door finally closed, Katrina appeared before them in a blur, her arms folded before her and a stern expression on her face. However, her visage was replaced with a measured sense of relief upon seeing them no worse for wear and in no distress.
My two little daredevils thankfully returned unscathed, she silently noted with a quick peck on Caleb's lips.
"See, Red? Nothing to worry about," Paige good-naturedly offered.
"It was great!" Caleb added.
"Mm-hmm," Katrina dubiously hummed as she followed them into the house.
By evening, it was time for Caleb to make good on his end of the bargain. Paige donned a pair of faded blue jeans, black t-shirt, and black leather jacket, along with her leather boots. She wandered into the front entry room where he was sprawled on the couch with his laptop surfing the Internet and quietly stood in front of him with a smirk on her face and her hands resting atop her hips.
"Evening's here, kiddo," she reminded him.
A tentative glance up at her was his only response as he closed the various programs in Windows. He still felt a little guilty about their daytime ride together, although he had enjoyed it very much in the end. Despite her virtual anonymity of being clad in leather riding gear and helmet, somehow just being outside with her during the day made him feel happy. However, he regretted the angst the act had caused Katrina. In fact, she had avoided him and Paige for most of the afternoon, remaining secluded in the lower chamber at her computer.
Paige noted his distracted body language and tried to discern the nature of his mood.
Her silent query went unanswered as he powered off his laptop, set it aside on the end table, and quietly rose from the couch. He cast an innocent, curious gander at her and asked, "Ready then?"
"Garage," she instructed in a resolved tone. "I'll tell Red we're leaving."
He shrugged and made his way towards the back of the house.
"Grab a leather jacket," she added in a raised voice. "There's an unseasonable chill outside tonight." That, and Katrina will kill me if I let anything happen to you, including catching a cold!
He snatched his jacket on the way out to the garage and barely had time to pick up the spare helmet before Paige appeared beside him. He started slightly with surprise, not having heard the door from the house open and close.
She giggled in response, happy to have caught him off-guard.
She activated a garage door remote from her jacket pocket and slipped on her helmet while he peered outside into the night. He noticed a peculiar fog had started to form and zipped up his leather jacket halfway.
After mounting the cycle, she motioned to him and started the engine. The motor revved to life as his leg swung over the seat.
Paige felt the satisfying, telltale warmth of his arms as they slowly wrapped around her waist.
That's my boy, she admired. Hold on, tiger, she added with a chuckle. Now's my turn to have some real fun.
She eased the bike out of the garage and quickly headed in the direction of the addition's exit. It was a wonderful night for a ride, and she was happy not to have to wear the cumbersome riding gear. She longed to feel the wind whip around her as they rode, as well as the satisfying sensation of Caleb's arms tightly wrapped around her midsection. By the time they had exited the addition onto the open road her anticipation had grown into a hunger.
They were soon racing down the asphalt county roads.
I could ride with him across the entire state tonight, she happily mulled.
As for Caleb, he eased into a state of appreciation rather quickly, and he took the time to survey the subdued landscape they passed. The foggy evening inspired ominous feelings within him, though he enjoyed spending time with Paige.
It looks kind of creepy outside tonight. Classic vampire weather.
Paige continued to increase the cycle's speed as they proceeded through the cool, foggy evening. They parted the moist air as they pressed forwards, creating a wispy swirl of fog in their wake.
There were few cars on the semi-rural county roads, and they only passed three after leaving the neighborhood. Caleb thought that the dark, oppressive conditions seemed to thwart his awareness of their velocity as they sped along. It was as if they floated on a dark sea of mist, partially illuminated by the fuzzy halo of an occasional street lamp.
Suddenly, the headlight on their cycle went out, plunging them into near darkness. Caleb's arms immediately clamped around Paige's body like a vise, and he thought that he felt her body momentarily vibrate somewhat.
Is she laughing?
The vampire took great pleasure in switching the headlight off and heartily laughed at Caleb's instantaneous, nervous reaction. Of course, her vision was well-accustomed to seeing in darkness, so she had no trouble viewing the road or surroundings around them. However, it had to be terrifying to the human melded to her back.
Now comes the payback, she resolved with satisfaction.
But even in her sense of retribution, she also felt the purely invigorating feeling of the young man's body pressed against her back. It made her feel needed and powerful. She grinned to herself despite his obvious alarm.
"Paige!" Caleb shouted after what felt like an eternity in darkness with the feeling of swift motion almost causing his stomach to feel queasy. "Stop!"
She glimpsed the view via one of her side mirrors and noticed what looked like another motorcycle shadowing them; one with its headlight likewise extinguished. Her mind raced with the possibility that another vampire was likely trailing them.
Surely that's not Katrina.
She hadn't recalled seeing another bike in the estate garage, merely Katrina's and Caleb's vehicles. She instinctively increased the speed of their cycle, concentrating her attention on putting more distance between them and their mysterious follower.
Caleb's heart caught in his throat as he heard the engine revving into a higher gear and felt their velocity increase.
"Oh shit!" he barked and concentrated on keeping his stomach in check.
"Hold on, tiger!" Paige shouted, uncertain if he would be able to understand her.
She expertly maneuvered their cycle around slight curves, while concentrating both on their balance and the topology of the road. In a split second, she observed a sign on the corner of a gravel road they passed in order to mark their current location and immediately noted another small sign indicating that a scenic turnout was coming up.
Their cycle continued up a sharp incline as the turnout loomed ever closer. Her eyes darted to the side mirror, and she quickly estimated that a greater distance had formed between them and their pursuer.
Paige wheeled the cycle sharply to the left and into the shallow parking area that was bordered by metal railing. The bike skidded to a halt as she killed the engine, and Caleb practically rolled himself off the back seat while yanking the helmet off his head.
He staggered slightly off-balance, cursing. "Dammit, Paige! What the hell are you trying to do, get us both killed?!"
But she ignored him for the moment and stared off to their left towards the small entrance through which they had just passed. As she deftly removed her helmet, she heard the faint sound of another motorcycle engine gearing down and then idling in the distance. She perched her helmet on one the handlebars and focused on Caleb.
He loosely held his helmet in one hand while staring back at her incredulously. His eyes were wide with a mix of excitement, fear, and angst.
"Well?" he demanded in a strained voice as he steadied his still-queasy stomach. "What's your friggin' problem? Is this 'scare the crap out of Caleb night,' or something?"
"Oh, stop being so dramatic," she admonished with annoyance and turned her attention back towards the turnout entrance.
"Dramatic?" he irritably countered.
"Shhh," she insisted with a quick wave of her arm.
She moved in a blur, only to reappear at the side of the county road to stare into the distance.
Just who the hell is following us? she wondered.
He fell silent as he watched her obvious distraction at something further up the road. He thought they had come from that direction, but it was quite dark, and he actually had no idea where they were.
He inspected his surroundings. He didn't think he had ever been there before, and he stared across the cliff-like view into the fog beyond the metal railing before him. The mist parted slightly in places, and he speculated that the few fuzzy orbs of light in the distance might be from some local town.
Caleb moved closer to the railing and tried to see into the darkness below. It seemed they must be some height up, though he couldn't see the bottom of the drop-off. Then he started with surprise as Paige reappeared to his right and firmly grasped his upper arm with an iron-like grip. She pulled him back away from the railing in a steady manner.
"It's a nasty drop, kiddo," she quietly warned. "Let's get you back over here away from the edge, okay? You're kind of accident-prone."
He rolled his eyes, but retreated back in the direction of the cycle. She released his arm and pulled her cell phone out with a fluid motion. He started to ask her something, but she began speaking.
"Red? We're at a turnout off the Russell-Brasstown scenic route," she said in a quiet voice. "Pretty sure that we've got a visitor. I'm headed back with our boy. Meet me en route?"
Our boy? he wondered. Just who came up with that little nickname?
She snapped the phone shut and neatly slipped it back into her jacket pocket before he even saw her move. "Back on the bike, okay, kiddo?" she suggested while reaching for her helmet.
But he backed away from her. "Yeah, right. That little stunt was enough for me."
"Oh, grow up, Caleb," she tersely admonished. "I was just having some fun. Like I'd do something to endanger you."
Her chastisement caught him off guard, and he stared back at her in bewilderment. "So, that's your idea of fun?" he countered.
"We're being followed by someone. Back on the bike," she ordered. "Now, Caleb."
He hesitated, wondering what was going on. "Really?"
She loudly snapped her fingers and pointed to the cycle seat. "Do as I say."
He blinked at her suddenly demanding attitude and walked over to the bike as he slipped his helmet on. She moved in a blur, reappearing in the driver's position while straddling the cycle. The engine roared to life a second later, and she turned her head to peer at him over her left shoulder. She revved the engine once as if to punctuate her demand.
Paige hasn't acted like this before, he noted with alarm. So serious.
It seemed completely out of character for her, but he decided that, at the moment, the better part of valor was to comply. He hiked his leg over the back seat, and his arms slowly enveloped her waist.
But rather than a gradual start, Paige gunned the cycle, and they lurched into movement. Caleb noted that at least she had turned on the headlight. His arms tightened around her, but instead of feeling her softer body as he had earlier, it almost felt as if his arms were enveloping the trunk of a statue.
The county road seemed deserted as they accelerated through the fog. However, Paige once again noted the pursuing cycle in her mirror. The dark-clad figure appeared to be deliberately trailing them from a distance with their headlight off.
Less than twenty minutes later, Caleb saw an approaching set of headlights and fog lamps in the distance. And while he realized that they were traveling at a high rate of speed, the oncoming vehicle seemed to also be approaching them at a fast rate.
Is that who's been following us?
Only seconds passed when the vehicle appeared to slow, pull to the side of the road, and then stop with its hazard lights flashing. As they drew closer, Caleb finally recognized the Audi and saw Kat standing with her arms folded before her chest in the bright luminance of the headlights.
Paige slowed the cycle and stopped a mere foot from the front of Katrina's car. Her arm reached back around Caleb's chest and rolled him off the back of the bike with a swift motion. He had barely set his feet onto the pavement before Katrina's arm protectively wrapped around his waist and drew him before her.
"I'm going back to check out our visitor," Paige said in a raised voice that Caleb was able to understand over the purring of the motorcycle's engine.
Katrina nodded once, and Paige backed the cycle up another foot then revved the engine. The bike lurched into motion, kicking up gravel as it spun, and she raced back in the direction from which they had just come.
Caleb's mouth was agape as he pulled his helmet off and watched with awe as Paige raced away from them. She wielded the cycle as if she were some sort of stunt racer.
"Get in the car, my love," Katrina insisted as she squeezed his body slightly in her embrace to focus his attention. "Let's get you back home."
"But aren't we going to follow her?" he protested.
"Paige is an alpha and can handle herself perfectly well," she explained as she herded him towards the passenger side of the car. "She'll call if she needs help."
He stared into her eyes dubiously, but she pointedly ignored him and instead took his helmet from him and tossed it into the back seat. Then she gestured with her head towards the passenger seat and waited for him to sit down.
"Buckle up," she prompted as she closed his door, appearing in the driver's seat mere seconds later.
The velocity of her movement made his head swim.
She wheeled the car around to head in the direction opposite from where Paige had gone and propelled them back towards Mableton. Caleb worried for his friend as he studied the rear view through the side mirror, hoping that Paige would be okay.
I know Paige is capable, but we don't have any idea who our stalker is. His experiences in London had only emphasized that there were very dangerous vampires lurking in the world.
Katrina surveyed him with a hint of concern and reached out to caress her fingertips soothingly along the side of his face.
"Did you enjoy your ride for the most part?" she asked to distract him.
He cast a furtive glance at her. "Sure. I mean, it was surprising how different riding with her felt at night versus daytime." It seemed prudent to avoid telling her how alarmed he had been as they had sped through the night sans headlamp.
She sensed some evasion in his response.
"Do you remember the last time that I was speeding you away in my car following an unexpected encounter?"
He eyed her suspiciously, easily recounting when they had raced across town from the restaurant where the renegade vampire, Chimalma, had nearly trapped him last winter. It felt like an eternity since that dangerous encounter. Finally, he recalled, "Yeah, that was a bucket load of fun too."
She stifled a smirk at her mate's dry wit. He's so adorable when he's flustered.
"Well, unlike then, you're not in any danger this time," she explained. "It's not beyond expectation that a curious vampire might just be traveling through town. Having declared my claim to Mableton and part of Atlanta earlier this spring, there were bound to be those who would take pleasure in flaunting their unannounced defiance when traversing my territory."
Caleb acknowledged the possibility, but doubted that this was the case. Vampires didn't usually strike him as recalcitrant teenagers out to thumb their nose at authority.
Vampires usually do everything for a reason.
"Maybe," he replied in a dubious tone.
Katrina wasn't entirely convinced herself. She slipped her cell phone from her purse and called Devon Archibald, a vampire indebted to her employ as restitution for his poor judgment in nearly killing Caleb as wayward prey. She called upon him from time to time to help patrol and secure her territory.
Following her brief chat with Devon, she focused on Caleb with a confident expression. "Devon's going to patrol our area first and then around your campus. He'll let us know if something, or someone, turns up."
Caleb suddenly realized that they had already arrived at the gate entrance to their addition. Wow, we must have been racing back here.
Once in the estate, Katrina went to their sublevel chamber to finish some emails and call Alton while Caleb retrieved a Coke from the refrigerator and sat at the kitchen bar to reflect on the evening's events. He wondered what could have been of so much interest that another vampire would care about him and Paige so much.
After finishing his cola, he felt restless and went out to stand on the front porch to wait for Paige's return. The fog had begun to clear, revealing large patches of the night sky.
"Nice night, but you'll have to move further away from the house lights to stargaze properly," rumbled a deep baritone off to Caleb's left.
He turned in the direction of the voice and saw Devon's hulking figure just a few feet away. The ebony-skinned vampire stood with his muscled arms folded before him. His gleaming white teeth were exposed in a wide, self-satisfied grin.
Caleb nodded at the imposing figure, having recently acquired an appreciation for the vampire who had once tried to make a meal out of him. Following their recent trip to England, Caleb and Devon had discussed the works of Shakespeare, which Caleb had brought back in a leather-bound collector's edition as a souvenir for Devon. While hardly friends, per se, the two had formed an increasingly comfortable rapport.
"I'm actually Paige-gazing at the moment," Caleb quipped. "How did you get here so fast from Marietta?"
Devon worked evenings as a security guard for a company near his home in Marietta and was a bouncer for some local clubs. A drive to Atlanta should have taken longer than the time that had passed since Katrina had phoned him.
"I was at your college's library doing some research when Katrina called," Devon said. "I was actually thinking about taking a literature class, but wanted to review some of the texts listed in the online syllabus before deciding."
Caleb immediately approved of the vampire's interest in taking a college course. Despite the stigma that large-framed, muscled men typically garnered, Devon was highly intelligent, often rivaling Caleb's own grasp of various literary subjects.
"That's great," he said. "I'll be happy to recommend some good professors, if you're interested."
"I'd appreciate that," Devon replied. "But what I'm most interested in is finding out more about who it is that I'm supposed to be looking for."
Caleb rehashed his and Paige's brief experience that evening, to which Devon intently listened as he spied a sole car traveling past their driveway gate. There was not much for Caleb to relay, actually. As Devon walked out into the large front yard in the direction of the driveway, Caleb followed.
"I hear a motorcycle," Devon offered, cocking his head to one side.
"It's probably Paige," Caleb ventured, though he couldn't hear anything yet. A few moments later, he recognized the roar of Paige's new Harley. As the entry gate opened, he moved to stand in the middle of the driveway.
Paige pulled the cycle alongside the young man and idled the motor as she slipped her helmet off. Devon folded his arms before him with a curious expression.
"Did you catch up to him?" Caleb asked, taking in the confident manner with which she perched atop her seat. He was again impressed by the petite vampire's ability to manage the cycle beneath her.
"Him?" she challenged.
Caleb shrugged. "Whomever."
"Whoever they were, they took off as soon as I headed after them," Paige absently explained. She focused her attention on him with a narrow-eyed expression. "So, did you tell Mother Hen all about your ride?" she asked.
As if on cue, Katrina appeared on the front porch as Caleb sneered.
She's wondering if I told on her or not.
"I told her it was quite different riding with you at night," he said.
Katrina appeared beside him in a blur with an expectant look on her face.
"Sorry, Red," Paige replied to her unasked question. "They took off, and I wasn't able to catch up."
"Hmm," Katrina replied as she casually draped one arm across Caleb's shoulders. "Any ideas?"
Paige shrugged. "Only one. They're riding a fast machine to outrun me, I'd venture."
"Caleb seemed to enjoy his ride tonight," Katrina said, baiting her friend with a penetrating expression.
"Yeah?" the blonde vampire hedged. "Well, that's good. It was fun, after all."
Caleb curled one arm around Katrina's waist, gently guiding her in the direction of the house. "Well, I guess that's a wrap for now, then."
Katrina relented and allowed herself to be led back towards the house. Paige watched them depart for a few moments then proceeded up the driveway towards the garage with a self-satisfied expression. She admired Caleb for his judicious silence.
Later, Devon reported the results of his patrol of Mableton, but he had found nothing by the time he headed back to Marietta. Paige even went on a nighttime prowl on foot, but she also found nothing. Katrina remained at the estate, suspicious of prospective vampire interests in either her or Caleb. After their London experiences in March, she wondered if her assistance to Alton in the subway raid had placed her on the radar of any opposing vampire factions.
Her mind continued to contemplate a host of possibilities and scenarios as she lay in bed snuggled beside Caleb. She reveled in his body's proximity as his arm tightened around her body from behind. He stirred slightly, and she caressed his arm. His lips briefly pressed against her bare shoulder, and she appreciatively purred while he drifted back to sleep.
This is perfect, she thought in appreciation, reveling in the warmth of his body against hers. This is all I need.
The next day was uneventful for the most part. Caleb went grocery shopping to acquire items that he needed to do a barbeque that evening. Granted, he was cooking only for himself, but any occasion to fire up the grill required serious planning in his mind.
Hey, it's a guy thing, he rationalized.
The strange events of the previous evening had been all but forgotten by the time sunset arrived. Despite the waning daylight, the prominent shade on the east side of the house provided enough protection that Katrina and Paige comfortably moved out onto the back porch to watch Caleb prepare the grill. The two vampires perched on patio lounge chairs while sipping warm blood from glasses as they observed him.
Eventually, following a final trip into the house to finalize preparations, Caleb returned holding a large plastic Frisbee.
"Anyone feel like tossing this around while I cook?" he baited.
Paige considered the atmosphere with a quick peep at the sky and set her glass aside on a nearby table. "Go for it," she challenged.
With a single swipe of his arm, the disc hurtled through the air and into a deeper region of the backyard. Paige moved in a blur to chase it as Katrina chuckled. The youthful vampire caught it with one hand just inches before it touched the ground, giggling with satisfaction.
"Red!" she called while tossing the Frisbee to her left across the large expansion of yard towards the trees of the adjacent property.
Katrina sped out of her chair and into the yard like a bullet as Caleb placed meat onto the grill.
Damn, that was fast! He once more marveled at the speed that vampires were capable of moving compared to humans.
"Oh Ca-leb," Katrina taunted a few seconds later.
"Bring it on," he chuckled as he closed the lid of the grill.
The rapid exchanges among the trio often left Caleb struggling to keep up. Both vampires heartily laughed or giggled as they watched him either triumph or flounder in his efforts to catch the elusive disc. On one occasion, Paige sped ahead of Caleb to catch him before he nearly slammed into the trunk of a large tree while concentrating on snatching the Frisbee from midair. Soon afterwards, he recalled his grilling responsibilities and raced to attend to his food before it burned on one side.
After turning the meat, Caleb expertly threw the Frisbee back towards Paige. The vampire caught it smoothly with one hand as it started to pass behind her back. He shook his head at her graceful motions as she deftly propelled the glow-in-the-dark plastic disc towards Katrina, who sped backwards in a blur to match the high velocity of the Frisbee as it sailed towards the northern extreme of the property line. With a ten-foot leap, she snatched it from the air then propelled it back towards Caleb.
He laughed as he ran southwards towards the wooded tree line of the opposite end of the property. While not a vampire, he was both athletic and fast for a human, and he closed the distance to the Frisbee as it began losing altitude. The disc spun downwards at an angle as he reached with outstretched fingers to grab it in mid-air. Paige giggled and playfully cheered in support of his efforts. With confidence, he slung the disc towards Paige, who was positioned to his right, halfway between his and Katrina's positions.
However, as Paige ran backwards to line up a perfect catch, something from the edge of the tree line behind Caleb caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She immediately changed direction to run towards him with wide-eyes.
"Down, Caleb!" Katrina shouted in horror.
An arrow hissed through the air at Caleb. He still had a puzzled look on his face as Paige slammed into him. She twisted and expertly rolled her slim body beneath his so that he didn't impact the ground directly, landing upon her instead. The arrow imbedded in the turf at a slant not two feet from where they lay.
Katrina was already racing towards Caleb as another arrow arced in the air towards his location. Paige immediately rolled him beneath her and presented her petite back as a protective shield for his body. His eyes were wide as he watched the second shaft drill into the ground mere inches from the first shaft. He turned his head to stare up into Paige's bright blue eyes, fearful that she might be hit by additional arrows plummeting towards them.
"Don't worry, I'm durable," she reassured him.
Despite acknowledging the truth in her statement, he frowned.
"Crap!" he exclaimed as a third shaft impacted the ground barely a foot away from the first two.
Katrina squatted next to them, glancing down to ensure that they were uninjured and scanned the tree line for only a second before racing towards it with a deep-throated growl.
"Stay here!" Paige ordered before racing after Katrina, her eyes ablaze with fury.
Everything had happened so fast that Caleb barely registered her departure, staring instead at the three wooden arrows stuck in the ground. He quickly rose to his feet to move next to a large tree trunk for partial cover and strained to hear anything beyond the sound of the wind rustling the trees and his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The sun had set completely, and darkness enveloped the backyard except for the dim illumination provided by the ornate lamps surrounding the patio area.
He absently dusted the seat of his jeans to remove stray grass and dirt as he scanned the periphery of the backyard. Then his eyes focused on a dark-skinned figure standing at the northern end of the property line near some pine trees. The figure appeared to be a dark-haired man wearing dark slacks and a turtleneck shirt. His hands were held out to his side, and he appeared to be unarmed.
"Vampire," Caleb muttered, to which the figure inclined his head in polite acknowledgement. The mere fact that the visitor could hear him from that distance was additional confirmation of his suspicion.
The figure made a brief beckoning gesture with his right hand, as if summoning Caleb towards him, and said, "Truce. I bring a message."
Caleb hesitated, and then saw the figure hold up a folded piece of paper in his left hand. He looked to his left and saw no sign of Katrina or Paige, so he shrugged and walked towards the figure.
Okay, call me crazy, but he seems peaceable enough. He said "truce," right?
Katrina and Paige raced through the woods onto the adjacent properties, searching frantically for the individual who had launched the arrows, but they found nothing.
"We should've heard or seen them by now. There's no way that a human could move that fast," Katrina angrily muttered.
"One of us then," Paige growled from thirty feet away, having easily heard her friend's comment.
"Harrumph," Katrina grunted and waved Paige to continue off to the right while she canvassed the left.
Caleb tensely stood before the vampire, though sporting the bravest expression that he could muster on short notice. He silently berated his body's anxious heartbeat for giving away his true demeanor to the stranger. However, a corner of the vampire's mouth upturned slightly, and his irises began to glow with a yellowish hue. The stranger's eyes scrutinized Caleb in an instant.
"Greetings, Caleb Taylor," he offered. "I regret that I don't have time for pleasantries, but I'm sure you understand."
"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," Caleb countered. "We've never met."
The stranger sagely agreed. "Yes, you are at a disadvantage at the moment. And yes, I also know that you're afraid."
Caleb frowned, squaring his shoulders with bravado in response. However, the figure held out his empty palm in a peaceable gesture with a facial expression that spoke of a parent stilling the actions of an animated child.
"We're aware of your meeting with Alton in London," the vampire plainly stated. "And we hope that your mate hasn't committed to a course of action, yet."
"Your contacts in London? The ones in the Tube tunnel system?" he pressed.
The vampire appeared perplexed. "Tube system? No, our contact observed you while site-seeing in the city."
Not from the Tube system? Caleb pondered with a blank expression. I didn't recall seeing any other vampires while site-seeing.
Noting the young man's obvious confusion, the stranger hastily continued, "I represent parties of a moderate mindset, and we are not supportive of Alton's agenda for the summer conference. We hope that your mate will consider remaining neutral in the matter and abstain from attendance."
"Why not tell her yourself?" Caleb queried, hoping to stall the stranger until either Katrina or Paige could return.
The ebony-skinned stranger held up the note in his left hand and extended it towards Caleb. "Katrina's reputation precedes her, and she might not receive us in a manner that we would prefer. We had to take a small risk to draw her away while we instead reached out to you," he explained. "The note explains everything. Please give it to your mate."
"Ever hear of trying email or a phone call?" Caleb challenged.
The vampire shook his head. "You are most amusing, young man. But the new ways are not always mine. I still prefer the traditional methods of our kind. I leave you in peace. For now."
The stranger focused on something beyond Caleb, causing him to peer back over his shoulder. By the time he looked back, the figure had already blurred into the trees north of him.
Caleb's eyes scanned the surrounding area, finally settling on a lone figure standing less than fifty feet to his left. A woman in similar dark clothing to the stranger's and carrying a hunting bow looked at him with a sneer. By the glow of one of the estate's eaves lights, he confirmed that she had short auburn hair and pale skin. Her eyes momentarily flashed hazel, and she briefly winked at him before turning to disappear in a blur of motion.
"Damned if life doesn't keep getting stranger with these vampires," he muttered after letting out a deep breath. Then he heard what sounded like two charging bulls coming from the forest of the neighboring property to the south.
After a few minutes, Katrina stopped, realizing that there was no sign of the intruder, no scent, and no other obvious trail to follow. Paige instantly appeared at her side.
"Nothing. No trace at all," Katrina growled.
Paige cocked her head to one side and whispered, "Wait. What if this weren't an attack? What if it were a diversion?"
Katrina's face showed momentary surprise. "Diversion from what?" Then her mind instantly formed a picture of her mate, and she turned in a fury to speed back to their property.
Paige became a mirrored blur at her heels.
When they broke from the tree line, they instantly spied Caleb standing with his back turned to them at the north end of the yard.
Relief poured through Katrina as she determined that her mate appeared unharmed. She stopped just short of him, reverting to a human-like speed. She walked up behind her mate and wrapped her arms around his upper shoulders and across his chest while resting her chin on the top of his left shoulder.
Paige stopped beside him, curiously looking up at his face.
"We lost them," Katrina softly lamented. "Not sure who they were, but they're gone now."
"Yep," Caleb said. "They just left. The female vampire was the one with the bow."
Katrina's heart froze and her eyes widened as she realized how easily she could have just returned to find her lover's corpse. A sharp intake of breath from Paige marked the short vampire's response, while her eyes reflected unsettled surprise at Caleb's revelation.
Caleb felt Katrina's grip tighten around him to a nearly uncomfortable level.
"I'm sorry, my love. You could've been killed. We were foolish to leave you alone and unprotected."
"Who knew, Kat? In the end, they only wanted to pass along a message," he reassured her, though he still felt somewhat anxious. "Besides, you had no way of knowing."
"What message?" Katrina growled.
He recited what the stranger had said and tried to hold up the note in his right hand, but Katrina's continued embrace trapped his arms in too vise-like a manner for him to move.
Instead, Paige glanced down and retrieved the message from his hand. "Crushin' our boy, Red," she casually observed as she unfolded the note.
Katrina's grip loosened considerably, and she kissed him on the cheek in silent apology. He appreciated their closeness despite the serious circumstances and relaxed in her arms.
"It's in Latin," Paige offered, handing the note to Katrina. "I never quite mastered Latin."
Katrina released Caleb and quickly read the note. Despite the darkness, her vampire vision had no problem discerning the text.
Paige watched her face for a reaction to the contents, and then absently sniffed the air. "I think your stinky dead meat is burning, kiddo."
"Crap!" Caleb cursed as he raced over to the patio grill. He grabbed the metal tongs and flung the grill cover open, only to be met by a billowing cloud of smoke.
Katrina's eyes flickered to him in a moment of distraction then concentrated on the note again as she wandered in his direction. Paige darted across the yard to retrieve the arrows and the Frisbee then returned to walk beside Katrina. She observed Caleb's ministrations with mild amusement as he hastily pulled the meat off the grill and transferred it to a platter.
A few minutes later, everyone returned inside the house, and Caleb checked on French fries baking in the oven. The vampires sat on barstools at the kitchen island counter while Caleb removed additional side dishes from the refrigerator to place them on the countertop. Then he went into the small downstairs basement to retrieve some blood for Katrina and Paige. As he heated it in the microwave for them, Katrina stared at Paige with a dark expression.
"The note indicates that a group of moderates of our kind prefer the traditional manner in which vampire matters have been handled to this point. They don't favor any form of union or organization. And since I'm well respected in the vampire community right now, they would prefer that I not allow my status to be misappropriated as a figurehead in Alton's latest venture this summer."
Caleb placed a plate, flatware, and a glass of iced water on the counter between Katrina and Paige. He retrieved the two heated glasses of blood and placed one before each of the women.
"Thanks, tiger," Paige said before returning her attention to Katrina. "So, exactly what do you intend to do?"
Caleb removed the fries from the oven and piled some on his plate. He filled the rest of his plate with half-burned, grilled brisket and slathered it with barbeque sauce. Then he sat on the remaining barstool between the two vampires.
Katrina wryly smirked at the heaping portion of food on her mate's plate then looked at Paige. "I'm not sure. But I'm not ready to declare either way for now. I think that I'll keep an open mind."
"Alton's counting on you," Paige warned.
Katrina frowned. "That may be. But then, so is Caleb. And his best interests come first."
Caleb stopped eating, and he peered at Katrina's emerald eyes with a wary expression. Her gaze appeared steely and somewhat distant, and he recalled seeing that look once before. "Oh, no, you don't," he sternly warned as his heart rate rapidly increased. "You've got that 'I'm going to lock him up safely in the house' look again, and that's sure as hell not going to happen."
Katrina arched an eyebrow at her mate and shook her head with a sigh. He's never going to let me live that down, is he?
She recalled when she had gained his permission to try and save him from Chimalma and secured him in the estate under Paige's watchful eye until she and Alton could hunt down their enemy. It had nearly driven him crazy to be locked up in the house for days on end. Still, he did give his permission to let me protect him.
Paige snickered and stole a crispy French fry from Caleb's plate. He noticed her and curiously surveyed her as she crunched on it.
"It's okay, my love," Katrina assured him. "I promise not to overreact."
Caleb accepted that and returned to eating.
"Why don't you tell me about the woman with the bow again," Katrina prompted.
He shrugged. "Beautiful woman with short, auburn hair."
However, he became distracted as Paige snatched a longer fry, dipped it into her glass of blood, and then ate it. He groaned. "Eww, gross."
"Hush," Paige muttered and promptly procured another of his fries.
"Ahem," Katrina cleared her throat, used her hand to grasp his chin, and gently rotated his face towards her to recapture his attention.
"Sorry," he sheepishly offered as he stared into her eyes.
She adopted a forgiving expression, briefly kissed him, and encouraged, "You were saying?"
"She winked at me before she disappeared," he recalled, to which Katrina adopted a less-than-amused visage as she released his chin.
"Careful, kiddo," Paige mock-warned. "She might have her eye on you for more than just target practice."
Katrina flashed her friend a dirty look, but Paige shrugged and innocently replied, "Hey, I'm just sayin'."
"But I still wonder about the male vampire," Caleb said. "He seemed older somehow, like Alton does at times, although he could pass easily for his thirties or so. And his yellow eyes were unique."
Something that he said struck a nerve in Katrina, and her attention bored into her mate with sudden intensity. "Yellow eyes?"
"Yeah, they were ominous-looking," he replied. "Kind of eerie, actually."
Katrina pursed her lips as Paige watched with sudden interest.
"Know that one, Red?" she asked.
"I think so," Katrina replied. "He sounds just like a vampire I encountered while traveling through northern Africa back in the early 1900s. If he's who I'm recalling, then he's an ancient one. I think his name was Hakizimana."
Caleb and Paige both looked at Katrina.
"It means 'God Saves,'" Katrina explained.
"Yeah, well, I think he said his name was Ted," he said.
Katrina stared at him as if he had just turned into a frog before her eyes, while Paige exclaimed, "Ted? He said his name was Ted?"
He chuckled while holding up one hand, admitting, "Sorry, I made that up. I just wanted to see your faces. It was priceless."
Katrina rolled her eyes and shook her head. Paige snickered while mussing Caleb's hair with one hand. "Good one, tiger."
Then she stole another of Caleb's French fries.
He smiled at Paige's compliment. "He actually never told me his name. You know, in the end, neither of them seemed overtly hostile. Still, I was ready to fight for my life, if necessary."
"You didn't challenge him, did you?" Katrina asked.
Caleb shrugged. "Not really. I was just resigned to stand up to them."
Paige stopped chewing a fry, and her pale blue eyes narrowed. She shot at glance to Katrina with a look of concern.
Not a good approach, kiddo, she recognized.
"On that topic," Katrina sternly began, "the next time something like that happens, you don't approach them. You run, either to me or Paige, as fast as you can. Understood?"
He clenched his jaw, not wanting to just turn and run every time a vampire showed up on his turf. He thought that he made a fairly level-headed decision earlier that evening, and it had turned out to be correct.
"So, I should just stand there and get eaten?" he snapped.
Katrina took a deep breath. "No, but you're not equipped to confront a vampire, particularly multiple vampires. Promise me you won't do anything careless like that again."
"Fine," he replied in a tight voice while stabbing two fries with his fork.
She had misgivings about his sincerity, but let the topic drop. It's only going to antagonize him further by harping on the subject, she resolved. But she worried about his taking too many chances around vampires. He was very fragile as a human, and his life could be snuffed out in a moment. That was something that she couldn't endure.
He slowly returned to eating, and the three of them silently sat through the rest of the meal. Katrina and Paige somberly observed him as they drank their glasses of blood. Even Paige's previously playful mood of stealing fries had abated. When he finished, he cleaned up and then rinsed the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.
"I'm going to confer with Alton and see what he thinks," Katrina finally offered. She popped a kiss on Caleb's cheek then retreated down the hallway with the note in hand.
He activated the dishwasher then leaned against the counter watching Paige. "Thanks for covering me in the yard this evening."
She darted from her seat to embrace him warmly. "No problem, kiddo. Babysitter's always on duty."
Like I could do anything less for him. He's such an important part of my life now.
He fondly recalled her self-appointed nickname when he had first met her last fall.
Geez, my friends would never let me live it down over that "babysitter" business, if they ever heard about it. Still, he knew that in her own quirky way she meant well. Paige is one of the best friends that Katrina or I could ever have.
