Snowflake and the relationship

A guy who just wasn't a cat lover

Steve just wasn't a 'cat lover' or so he kept telling me.  That is, until, one day, a little sad looking kitten seemingly dropped out of the sky into our backyard.  Cold, lonely, hungry and very filthy, this little kitten fit into Steve's one had, when we first found her.

I noticed her in the backyard in June and asked Steve what in heck was that white thing in our yard?  He went to check, and declared it to be a kitten.  His first attempt to bring her in the house resulted in Snowflake not having any part of his placing her in an empty bucket for transportation purposes.  She flew, literally, from the bucket and ran into the woods.  Steve said she probably was 'gone for good.'  Later, after dark, we heard a faint 'mew' coming from our storage shed area.  Steve grabbed his flashlight and there that kitten was, cowering by the outside shed wall.  He picked her up by the scruff of the neck, saying:  "This time I got ya."  When I saw her dangling from his hand, she had a contented look on her face, as if to say: "Hey, Mom must have found me."

So she has grown, and grown, 12 ponds worth anyway.  We all discovered what love and good food can do.  She now has adopted Steve, the not a cat lover, and he has taken to her like a fish to water.

She hops on his lap, rubs her head on his leg to be picked up and comes to him for food, litter and water requests.  Not to mention the snack requests too.

I'm amazed at how much a not a cat lover, has changed and opened his heart to this sweet kitty.  Goes to show, one never knows where love is concerned. 

 

 A satisfied look after the latest snack.

 She recommends this life to anyone.

She has a thing for Steve's feet.

 

Resurrection of a blog

I hadn't been writing on this shared blog as much as I could have been.  We breathed new life back into it recently so I'm continuing to write here once again.

I have been steadily making progress on my third Something in the Blood book.  This is the last and final episode of what happens to the heroine, Cheryl.  There are some interesting twists and turns in the final installment and I hope my readers will enjoy them.  If I am lucky, it will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

I want to take a brief moment to thank my good friend, Suzanne, for giving me at least one interesting idea and I am  weaving it into the story line. I get ideas from news feeds, the Internet, on the street, at the mall, my wonderful husband, at the grocery store and from friends. So my followers on Facebook had better watch out, you never know when you might be giving me ideas for a story.   I love keeping alert to anything that will give me a glimmer of something interesting to place in a book.  

This last one has taken me longer to write because between my computer dying to making sure it is the most interesting ending I can write, it has been a rather long journey.  But it is, as always, an interesting and fun journey.  I want this last one to be my best yet.  

Thanks to all my readers who remain loyal and I want you all to enjoy what happens to the band of vampires of Something in the Blood, the Turning. 



Excerpt: Something in the Blood, the Turning
 I stopped packing for a moment to look at the newspaper lying on the bed.

Visiting detective found dead, three area young women missing.

A detective, who had recently been called in to assist the local police, was found this morning, dead in his car. Police said that three area young women have been reported missing as well. Authorities think there may be a connection between the incidents. Police theory says that the visiting detective had been called in to assist with solving a series of strange murders and missing people in our area. They speculate the detective may have tried to rescue the three young women, confronted the killer and was shot for his heroic efforts. That was all the police report had to offer, we hope to keep you updated as the case unfolds.

Hero indeed, I couldn't help but be irritated by that line, but the part about 'three young women reported missing' did make me feel a twinge of sadness. Sadness for my mom and for Karla's mom too. Not ever knowing where your children went or what happened to them is something they'll have to live with the rest of their lives.

Yet, here we are, here I was, packing to take a trip to move to Transylvania. I figure the police will tire of looking for us, especially with few clues to help them and no bodies to ever confirm we were dead.

We are dead, at least by human standards, but not the lie down in your grave, staying dead, kind of dead. Not in the conventional sense as humans understand death anyway.

Something in the Blood, Chapter 7

I just barely got downstairs when the doorbell rang. I heard Rachel talking to someone and then she came into the kitchen with a cop in uniform. I looked up and the cop said I was needed downtown, at the station. I asked him what this was all about but he said he wasn't at liberty to say. Rachel had a worried look on her face as I followed this guy to the police car.

As I entered the police station I noticed a lot of people milling around, some in uniforms, some in regular clothes. The cop led me into a room with a big glass window, a table and two chairs. He told me to have a seat and someone would be right with me. I wondered what in hell the police could possibly want with me. I soon found out.

A man, looking like he had slept in his suit, entered the room. He introduced himself as Detective Jenkins. He asked me if I'd like a soda or water or coffee, I declined and asked him what this was all about.

He began by asking me if I had been on Gossamer Road on the night of April the third at eleven at night. I told him yes, I was going home from a party and had lost my bearings and gotten lost. I asked him why he wanted to know. He told me a Mr. Clement had placed me there at that time of the night. I said I didn't know any Mr. Clement and Detective Jenkins said the gentleman in question had come in recently and gave a report about something happening to his friend.

I recalled the newspaper headlines and then I recalled one of the guys who had attacked Karla and I was named Clement. I told the detective two guys had attacked us but that a car came along and the lights must have scared them off because they ran. He told me Mr. Clement said some guy had attacked him and his friend, Bubba, and that he hasn't seen Bubba since. The detective asked me if I recalled seeing anything suspicious at that time. I told him no, and something must have happened after the attack. He said Mr. Clements had been arrested and that he was ranting on about some guy, possibly with me, had attacked them and he was worried his friend might be dead. I told him I was sorry I couldn't help him but that I was glad this guy was in jail. Then the detective asked me why I hadn't reported being attacked and I told him since they got scared off, I didn't come in to report it since nothing bad had actually happened. He asked me about Karla, it seems he had gotten the hospital report about my friend having stitches. I explained to him she had gotten the cut from falling because she had too much to drink. He scolded me for us drinking under age and then thanked me for telling him what I knew. He called in the officer who brought me here and told him to take me home.

As I was leaving, I saw Karla in the waiting room. She shot me a look and I gave her a 'don't say a word' look, kind of a scowl actually. I thought: “For heaven's sake, this once, keep your big mouth shut.” I made a phone gesture to my ear, an indication for her to call me later. She nodded in acknowledgment.

At home, Rachel decided to grill me about why the police wanted to see me. I made up a story about something happening at the party Karla and I had been to and they wanted a report from us. That seemed to satisfy her, except for the small lecture concerning hanging out with Karla too much. I assured her I haven't been seeing Karla as much lately. I'm sure she took that as I was working harder on my grades. I wondered what she would say if she knew I was hanging out more with Duncan instead, a vampire. I smiled inside at the idea of her knowing that.

I decided to go to my room and wait for Karla to call me. My phone started playing music and it was Duncan. “Hello?”

“What were you doing at the police station?” I wondered how in hell he knew that. When I asked, he just said he has his ways.

I explained to him that some detective was asking me about the night of the attack. I told him how I had said I knew nothing much about that. Duncan asked me what the detective looked like. When I described him, Duncan suddenly fell silent. He said my description fit the assassin who has been hunting him and his friends. When he said that, it was my turn to fall silent. I told him that Clement guy had filed a report.
“I should have hunted him down and killed him when I had the chance. That creep.”

I was a bit shocked, I'd never heard Duncan talk like that before. I could feel the venom dripping from his every word. It kind of scared me that Duncan could hate someone so much. It also scared me that the detective was trying to kill Duncan.

Just as I hung up, Karla called me. “What did they ask you?” She sounded out of breath. I told her what the detective asked me and what I had told them.

“I told them close to the same thing then. I said I hit my head because we were on a back road, lost, I had too much alcohol and had to pee. I explained I stumbled when I went to go pee, then those two guys showed up. I also told them a car came along and must have scared them off or something. Do you think that detective believes us?”

I told her I didn't know, but I was glad her story and mine were the same. I was worried though, worried what that detective was up to and what he might do next. Those two men were the bad guys, not Duncan. If it hadn't been for Duncan, Karla and I would have been coyote food or something. I told her not to worry. Besides, I was doing enough worrying for the both of us.

Duncan texted me and asked: “You want to come over tonight? We won't have the place to ourselves, everyone is back, but we can swim and hang out, if you'd like to.”

I sent back: “Sure, that sounds fine to me. What time?”

“How about eight or so?” I told him eight was great and I'd be ready. I was hoping to be alone with him, at least by the pool, to talk to him more about that detective guy. I wanted to know what he wanted me to do now.

Duncan picked me up and we went to the mansion to hang out. Everyone was home, like he said and of course everyone acted glad to see me but Blade. He was his usual aloof self as far as I was concerned. I wondered why, I certainly hadn't done anything to offend him at least nothing I knew of. Maybe he just doesn't like humans.

Duncan and I changed into our suits and went up to the roof to swim. The night air was chilly but the warm pool water felt good on my skin when I got in. We were swimming for a while when Blade came outside too. He motioned for Duncan to come out of the water. They stood over in the corner talking when it looked like Duncan got an angry look on his face and started raising his voice. They were too far away for me to tell what was said, but I could tell they were both quite angry. They looked like they were arguing.

Duncan came back to the pool and got in and Blade went back inside. But in a few minutes Blade came outside again. He also had his swim trunks on this time and got in the pool.

“So Duncan tells me you were at the police station today talking to Detective Jenkins.” Blade had a hard look to him, like he hated the world or something.
“Yes, yes, I did.”

“What did he want?”

“Blade, knock it off!”

Blade shot Duncan a look: “What? I'm just trying to make conversation. You told me to get to know Cheryl, now you're telling me not to?” Duncan shot him a disgusted look and started to swim.

“He just asked about an incident that my friend, Karla and I were in the other night. That's all.”

“The one when Duncan saved your asses?”

“Blade! I'm warning you, man.”

But Blade continued. “Was he asking about Duncan? Was he asking about us?”

“Why would he ask about you? He doesn't know I know you at all. I'm sure of it.”

The next thing I knew, Blade was right in front of me, nose to nose. “Good, let's keep it that way, shall we?”

His breath was hot and his eyes were flashing, almost red. He scared me, he looked like Satan himself. Then Duncan was right behind Blade. He grabbed Blade's arm and said: “I warned you to let it go. Now leave Cheryl alone.”

Blade narrowed his eyes and looked at Duncan. “Just because you think you're in love with some damned human could get us all killed. Jenkins isn't one to give up easily and he's very dangerous. Your beloved human could very well slip up and Jenkins finds out where we live and kill each of us. Is that what you want?”

“Cheryl would never tell him where we live. She'd never lead him to us.”

“Yeah, right. Maybe not on purpose, but Jenkins is cunning and he could easily figure it out, using her.”

“That's not going to happen, Blade, he's not going to find us, especially not through Cheryl.”

With that, Blade shot me a look that made me understand the term; if looks could kill, and started to go back inside. At the doorway he turned to look at me, “You better hope that's true.”

His last remark made me shudder and it felt like someone had walked across my grave. I literally shivered thinking about how he looked at me and what he said.

“Blade hates me. Does Blade hate all humans or just me?”

Duncan gave me a hug and climbed to the edge of the pool and sat down. “There was a time Blade didn't dislike humans. I'm not sure he liked most of them back then, but he did tolerate them. In fact......” Duncan's voice trailed off.

“What, what were you about to say just then? What? Tell me, I want to know.”

“There was a time he loved a human. A beautiful woman.”

“When, recently, a long time ago, when?” I kept prodding Duncan to continue.

“It was a few centuries ago; three hundred years to be exact. He met her in France at a masquerade ball on All Hollow’s Eve, Halloween, to you. He got to know her and fell deeply in love. They were together for five years and she was even going to turn, for Blade, she loved him back too. But it wasn't meant to be.”

“Did she fall out of love with him? Did she find someone else? What happened, Duncan? Was she a princess or something?”

Duncan laughed when I mentioned the princess part. “Hardly royalty. She was a maid, serving drinks and food that night. Her family were pretty much indentured servants to the rich family throwing the party. What happened was, she led Jenkins, he called himself another name back then; right to where Blade and his family were staying. Jenkins killed everyone, Blade narrowly escaped the slaughter.”

“Why would she do that if she loved Blade? I don’t understand, Duncan.”

“Jenkins offered her a great deal of money. Enough money so her family didn't have to be servants anymore. Apparently her human ties, blood ties, to her family were stronger than her love for Blade.”
“That's awful. But my family members aren't indentured servants. I'm not going to do that to you. Did she just disappear then?”

Duncan looked down at his feet swishing the water around. “No, she didn't just disappear.”

“What then? There's more to this than you are telling me. Please finish. Tell me what happened.”

“She didn't know Blade's family had been killed over what she had done. She met Blade, like they planned, for him to help her turn so they could be together, forever. But instead of turning her, Blade killed her for betraying him. Blade has never gotten over it. So you see, it's not you at all. It's what you, what we, remind him of.”

“Oh my gawd, I'm so sorry for Blade. To live forever with that sorrow must be awful. What about you, all these centuries, you've never loved any humans?”

“Yes, yes I have. I'm not going to insult your intelligence and lie and say, no, I never did. I have, a couple of times.”

“So? Why aren't those women with you? Why didn't they turn?”

“Frankly, the other women didn't want to turn. Oh, sure, they said they did, but they decided, at the last minute, they really didn't want to, so we always broke up. I never saw any of them again.”

“Oh. That's why you told me I have to be sure and that's why you didn't help me turn the other night? Even though I said I did want to turn.”

“Yes, Cheryl. We all say things in the heat of passion we really don’t mean. I wasn't going to turn you then. I want you to be rational at the time, if you decide you still want to. Not in the heat of passion. I want you to think it over and be absolutely sure. If you're not sure, you would regret it and eventually grow to hate me.”

I looked down at the water then. I could never imagine hating Duncan. I had fallen too deeply in love with him to ever imagine not loving him, for any reason. I must have been quiet for quite some time because Duncan put his robe on. “Maybe we had better be getting you home now. Are you ready?”

I got dressed and I noticed the ride to my house was very quiet. Maybe I was just pondering what he told me about Blade. Maybe I had an awful lot to digest in my brain. When we got to my house, I started to open the hearse door. Duncan reached out and took my wrist. “I do love you, Cheryl but as you know now, it's more complicated than just being in love. Think over all you know and don't be too hasty to turn. But remember, whether you turn or not, your decision will not change my love for you.” With that, we kissed and I went inside the house.

Something in the Blood Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I woke to my cell phone playing that wretched Madonna song. I picked it up to check and saw it was Karla. Gawd, Karla before coffee.

“Hello?” I knew my voice sounded groggy and I squinted at the clock. It said one in the afternoon, I had slept all morning.

“Hey, Sleepyhead. Did you see the headlines in the paper?” Her voice sounded like she'd just discovered gold or something.

“Yes, I saw it. What about it?” I decided to feign ignorance. No sense fueling her suspicions any more than I had to.

“Well, did you see where that missing guy's car was found?” Before I could even answer, she gushed on. “It was on the same road we were on. Do you realize Duncan probably saved our lives?”

“Well, since you got a gash on your head and the other one grabbed me, I pretty much figured they meant us no good will.” Really, how hard was that? She ignored me and rambled on anyway.

“Duncan is our hero. I'm feeling fortunate he likes us so much.” Likes us? I didn't have the heart to tell her she might not have gotten saved had she not been with me. But then, I might not have been in that situation, had I not been with her either. I just let her ramble on while I tossed in an occasional grunt to acknowledge I heard her.
“Do you think Duncan has anything to do with that guy disappearing? I mean, he took pretty good care of them, from what you said.”

“I really don't know. Duncan said those guys took off. Maybe they pissed someone else off and got done in. They are ex cons after all and up to no good that night. Could have been anyone they made mad.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right. So how did his meeting your family go last night? They like him, he like them?”

“Karla, I have to go. I haven't even had my shower yet. I'll call you later. Byeeeeeee.” I decided I didn't want to deal with her without a cup of coffee first at least. But I couldn't get what she said out of my mind. She was just voicing everything I had been thinking. Could she be right?

I went to the kitchen to make coffee since no one seemed to be home. I looked at the calendar. Just the weekend and spring break would be over. What would I do in school? I felt like the events of meeting Duncan, nearly being killed and wanting to make love to him, had matured me way beyond my 17 years. I felt like I'd outgrown school and school friends, just over break. I definitely felt like I was outgrowing Karla.

The smell of coffee was so inviting. I figured I may as well shower while I was waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. The wall phone rang, it was Duncan.

“Hey, want to do something today?” He sure sounded bubbly today.
“Sure, what you have in mind?” I really wanted to say, yeah let's sleep together, but I kept my cool.

“There's a great exhibit at the local art museum. Wanna go see it? They're featuring some great street artists.”

“You mean like Banksy? That sounds like fun. Sure, what time will you pick me up?”

“How about you pick me up in the Mustang? Say, around 2:30?”

“Sure, give me the address again? I'm not sure I remember it.”

“Come on, you were here. You said you put it in the GPS, I'm sure it's still there. If not, call me on your cell and I'll guide you.”

“Okay. I'm going to take my shower. I'll be there by 2:30 then.”

I enjoyed the hot water running over me. I wondered if his house was visible today or not. I couldn't see it the other day from the road. Strange, to say the least.

I dried off, got a cup of coffee and it tasted so good when I sipped it. I searched the cupboard and found a do-nut, so I consumed that too.

“Well, Sleeping Beauty, you finally woke up?”

I jumped a foot. “Gee, Rachel, you sneak around much? You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought no one was home. Where did you come from?”
“I was in my room, working on my laptop. I have a term paper due after break. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You have plans for the day?”

“Yeah, Duncan is taking me to the art museum. There's a new exhibit there.”

“He's a fine young man. It's nice to know he's in to culture too. He's good for you. Don't mess it up.”

What in hell did she mean by that? She think I was going to make the same mistakes she did? I instantly felt guilty for thinking that way. I felt my face flush hot.

“Yes, he's a good guy, I agree. I like him a lot.”

I looked at Rachel to see if there was any disapproval on her face. None. Usually she would give me a stern warning about the 'evils of men' if I said I really liked a guy. But this time, nothing. I found that to be quite odd, for her especially.

By one, I was dressed and ready to go pick up Duncan. I decided to wear my jeans and a sweatshirt. I guessed it was good enough for the museum art show. I followed the GPS directions I already had in there and sure enough, there was Duncan's house. On the hill, just as I remembered it in the moonlight. Why could I see it today, but not the day Karla and I drove here? I decided I was going to ask Duncan and wait for a decent answer this time.

I drove up the winding driveway and up to the front door. Duncan came dashing out of the house to the driver side window.

“You want to come in? You can meet the friends I live with here.”

I was hesitant, but I admit I was dying to see what the house looked like inside, so I agreed. I climbed some huge steps leading up to a wrap around porch. The front area of the porch was held up by two massive pillars. The front door swung open and the girl I first met at the ice cream stand was standing there, smiling at me.

“Come in, welcome. Duncan has told us a lot about you.” she reached out and hugged me, her skin felt like Duncan's, cool and soft, like a salamander's. “I'm so happy you decided to come in.”

The inside seemed dark, not completely, but like the outside looks at twilight, just before the sun sets. I had to adjust my eyes. I saw three guys standing there. The same three who were also at the ice cream shop when I first met Duncan.

“Oh, I'm forgetting my manners. I'm Ophelia, this is Blue, that's Drake and that solemn looking young man over there is Blade.”

I smiled and said: “Hi, I'm pleased to meet all of you.” Everyone came over to give me a hug. Everyone that is but Blade. I smiled at him and said I was pleased to meet him too.

He looked at me, lowered his head and said: “Yeah, whatever.” Then he turned and left the room.
“Don't mind him, he's been grumpy for a few days. Off of his feed I suppose or something.” Ophelia chimed in when he left.

“Is he on a special diet or something?”

Duncan laughed out loud. “I guess you could say that.”

“Well I suppose we need to be going. They're serving sandwiches and tea if we are among the first museum visitors. You ready to go?”

“Uh, yes, okay, let's get going. I hope the sandwiches aren't those nasty little cucumber thingies.”

Duncan smiled and placed his hand in the small of my back to guide me to the car. Once inside I decided to ask: “So how come I can see your house now, but the other day it was invisible?” There, I worked up the nerve to ask him.

“I'm not sure what you're implying. It looks fine to me.”

“Duncan, come on, stop acting like I'm a fool or crazy or something. It's pretty insulting you know, when you do that.”

He frowned and reached for my hand. “Come on, Cheryl. Is this really that important?”

“Yes, it is, to me anyway. We aren't leaving until I get a satisfactory answer to my question. I hate feeling like I'm going crazy.”

“Okay. But this is another area you have to promise not to freak out on me. Agreed?”

I shook my head, “Agreed. I promise. But I have to know.”

“The house, mostly in the day time, is invisible to most humans.”

“Humans, what in hell do you mean, humans? What in hell are you then?” I waited for an answer, wanting to know and not wanting to know at the same time. But I had asked, so now I waited for an answer.

“We sleep a lot during the daylight hours. We're most vulnerable when we are asleep. We have to protect ourselves from an assassin who has been hunting us for a very long time now.”

“Assassin? What kind of assassin? Why would this assassin want to kill you? I still don't understand.”

“I'm a vampire, we're all vampires. We share this house because all of our families have been killed by an assassin who has been chasing us for over 300 years now.”

I blinked, looked at him and tried to wrap my mind around everything he was telling me. Vampire? Duncan? Everyone in that house? I didn't know if I should run or just continue to listen. I decided to continue to listen.

“Years ago we lived pretty much in peace, in another country. But there is a family of assassins who have dedicated their lives to killing all of us vampires. The assassin’s families were killed by vampires. Not by us, but that doesn't matter to the assassins. They hate us all. They have vowed to kill us all. Good vampires and bad ones.”

“There are good vampires? So you and your friends are good ones? How can that be, don't you all suck blood from people?”

“Well, yes we do. But we good ones don't just kill in order to kill. We don't kill just anyone. We feed on the bad people, the scums of the earth. Those who really deserve it.”

“You telling me some people deserve to die? How can you just decide that?”

“I'm telling you some people don't deserve to live. Some people, like the two guys who tried to kill you and Karla. Those guys were let out of prison, but they did kill innocent women, for a long time.”

“But if the courts decided they were not supposed to stay in prison, how can you just determine they are guilty, they deserve to die?”

“They were let off easy, for lack of evidence. They had smart lawyers. Courts and juries don't see all of the evidence. They cannot read the heart.”

“But you can?”

“Yes, Cheryl, we can. Remember you asked me and I told you about my ability?”

“Like knowing Rachel's past? Yes, I recall.”

“Those two men had left a string of dead women across 4 states. Most of the bodies have never been found. Those two guys were good at hiding evidence.”

“So you killed them?”

“Well, I killed one of them. The other guy got away. He's still out there someplace. But trust me on this one. Both men are terrible people, nothing but evil on their minds all of the time. They'd have killed both of you and then kept on killing. They had to be stopped.”

All of this was almost too much to absorb. Duncan, my Duncan, a killer. A blood thirsty vampire. No, vampires only exist in horror films and books, not in real life, not in my city. But here he was, sitting next to me, explaining he is one.

“Why haven't they found the guy's body? Won't you just get caught one day?”

“I told you those guys and many like them, are good at hiding evidence, but I'm better at it. So, no, we won't get caught by the police, but the assassin, well, he's entirely another matter. A force to be reckoned with.”

“I think I want to go home now. I don't feel like going to the museum after all. I'm not sure I'm feeling all that well. Is it okay if we just skip the museum and I go home?”

“Cheryl, are you going to be okay? Do you hate me now?”
I wasn't sure what I was feeling, but I said: “No, Duncan, I don't hate you. But maybe it's best we don't see each other for a little while. I have a lot to think about now. I'll call you sometime. Okay?”

He had a disappointed look on his face. “Sure, Cheryl, you do what you feel is best for you. I've lost a few wonderful friends, who were human over the years, once they found out. I understand.”

I felt like a total creep, but I just left once he was out of the car. I could hardly see to drive. I started to cry and I cried all the way home. I had to have some space between us. Space and time to sort out all he said to me just now. I parked the car and went straight to my room. I suddenly decided that the remaining two days of spring break would be spent in my room, in bed, sleeping. I didn't care to think about what Duncan had told me. I just felt confused and depressed and I wanted to sleep.

The weekend seemed to creep by slowly, too slowly it felt like, until it was Monday, time to return to school. Dragging around, getting ready for school, made me realize the weekend had gone too fast, not too slow. I looked in the mirror, I just didn't care how I looked.

At my locker, Karla found me, as always, and tried to start up a conversation. She told me I had dark circles under my eyes and I looked like hell. I didn't care, I couldn't find any interest in her teenage prattle anymore. My first class, science, held about the same interest as Karla's incessant talking.

By lunch, Karla was getting fed up, losing patience with me and so, of course, she said so. I must have not shown much interest in that fact, she said I seemed different, and she also said something about giving up on me.

Different? Did she say, different? I wanted to yell at her how she didn't know from different. I just found out my boyfriend, maybe the guy I loved, is a killer, a vampire who sucks blood from people. Yeah, yeah, granted from only bad people, but he still is what he is. I was glad when the school day was over. I couldn't have taken much more of it.

My life went on pretty much like this for two weeks. I was getting skinnier and Karla asked me if I was Anna or MIA because I was getting too damned skinny. I told her neither one, which was true. I was getting skinny simply from worry.

One evening, at about eleven at night, my cell rang. I picked it up, it was Duncan.

“You still mad at me? You hate me now? I miss you so much, please, please let's talk.”

Texting back: “I don't hate you, honestly. Do you want to get together sometime soon?”

Duncan: “Soon? How soon? What about, now?”

I heard tapping on my bedroom window, I pulled back the curtain, it was Duncan. I opened the window. “What in hell are you doing here? How did you get here so fast?”

“I was just outside anyway, hoping you'd say you want to see me.”
Seeing him made all the fears and doubts of the past two weeks melt away. I ran into his arms, hugging him as if we'd been apart for months. What in hell had I been thinking? I did love him and I needed to stop fighting my feelings for him.

“You want to do something tonight?”

I looked at him and I smiled. “Yes I do. You know what it is I want to do?”

He said: “Here?” I laughed a small little laugh, not wanting to wake anyone in the house.

“Can we go someplace else? Maybe someplace more romantic, a place where we won't be interrupted?”

“We can go to my house. Everyone else is gone for two days. They have some business to take care of, we'll be alone in the house, just the two of us.”

I reached for the car keys. “No, not the car. You might wake everyone up when you start the engine.”

“You got a better idea? You have the hearse down the street?”

Holding out his arms for me to climb on; “Here, I didn't use the hearse. Come fly with me.” He was smiling and out the window we went. We sailed far above the city, kissing each other along the way. The night breeze was blowing in my hair and softly across my skin. I felt like I could do anything at that moment.

I could see the rooftop of his house. We landed, gently, on the veranda outside a bedroom window. “This is my room. Come on in.”

He opened the double glass windows, we walked inside and I gasped. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw his room.

“What is it? Are you okay? You seem frightened.”

“I'm not frightened. On the contrary, I feel like I've come home. I know this room.”

“You do, how?”

“I saw it in my dreams. You were making love to me, in my dreams, in this very room.

There it was, the four poster bed, the satin sheets and velvet blankets. This room is exactly as it looked in my dreams when we were making love. I couldn't believe it.

Duncan took me in his arms. We kissed, that long, sexy, electrifying kiss just like the night he kissed me in the car. I kissed back, remembering the last two weeks of hell without him.

“Do you want to take a swim? We have a heated pool on the rooftop. It's very pretty in the moonlight and very relaxing.”

“I have no suit, nothing to wear but my underwear.”

“We can swim nude. You have a beautiful body, just take off our clothes and swim.”
So we did. He led me to the rooftop pool and I stripped off my clothes, so did he. Strangely enough I didn't feel the least bit embarrassed to be naked in front of Duncan. When I mentioned that, he laughed. “It's because we're really soul mates you know. You and I. It's why you knew what the bedroom looked like even before you set foot inside of it. We were meant to be together.”

I floated on the warm water, lying back looking at the stars in the black sky. They shone brilliantly and I had never felt so alive in all of my life. I could get used to living like this, with Duncan, being his soul mate forever and ever.

After a long swim, Duncan climbed from the pool. He held out a soft looking purple, velvet robe. It was exquisite looking, with a lovely white sable collar and cuffs. I climbed out of the pool and he wrapped my body in the robe. He placed his arms around me and held me for a while, kissing me with so much passion I thought I'd faint.

“Shall we? Are you sure you're ready for this?” Duncan's liquid voice, reassuring, soothing.

“Yes, I'm ready. I've been ready for a long time now.” I meant that too. I'd been dreaming about this for a long, long time. I was not only ready, I was eager.

He picked me up as if I weighed nothing at all and carried me to the big bed. “It's not too late to change your mind. I will understand, you know.”

I answered his remark with a kiss, a very passionate kiss, letting him know I had no intentions of changing my mind.

“Are you going to bite me? Will I become one of you now, when it's all over?”

“Is that what you want? To become as us? To live forever as we do?”

“I don't know, no, maybe, I'm not sure.”

“Shhhhhh. Don't worry about that. I know how to be careful.”

I closed my eyes, letting this moment, the feelings, wash over me. Duncan kissed my neck and then a small sting and then a feeling I'd never felt before. I felt like I was floating, floating above the earth, seeing things I'd never seen before. They say your first time hurts and isn't that pleasant. But with Duncan, no pain, only pleasure. Pure, unadulterated pleasure like I had never imagined. Afterward, I felt weak, I fell asleep and was glad my first time was with Duncan. It was like I'd been saving myself for him all these years.

When I woke up, I smelled bacon, and coffee. I sat up in bed, taking in all the aromas. Duncan came through the door, pushing a cart covered with a white linen tablecloth. On the table was a silver cover and a wine glass, some juices, and a beautiful black rose in what looked like a crystal vase. I was impressed.

“Your breakfast awaits, my beautiful one.” Duncan approached the bed, offering me a hand. I grasped his hand and he led me to a Victorian-looking table by the window overlooking the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. Duncan seated me, bent down for a kiss and removed the silver lid from the platter. On the platter was bacon, eggs and sweet rolls galore. I looked at him and smiled.

“You never eat, so why do you have food?” I was curious.

“I took the liberty of shopping for some food. Yes, I was hoping you would come with me last night, here, to spend the night with me. I admit it was a bold move on my part. Are you upset with me?”

How could I ever be upset with Duncan? He was treating me like a queen. Treating me like I'd never been treated before. “No, I'm really very flattered. No one has ever called me beautiful before. No one has ever treated me like this.”

He took a seat across from me and watched me eat. “So, now, am I like you are?” I remembered him gently biting my neck and I recalled the feelings I'd experienced. Recalling those feelings actually made me blush.

He smiled. “Do you really want to be like us? Truly?”

“I, I don't know. So much has happened. I just know I've fallen in love with you and want to be with only you, forever and ever.”

“No, you aren't like us. I would not want you to be anything but absolutely certain. Do you realize all you would be giving up to become like us, like me?”

“But you bit my neck, those feelings, I assumed that well, maybe.”

“Let me explain about vampires. What you don't know would fill a book. What you don't know is a lot. Yes, I bit your neck, but gently, a love bite, not enough to turn you into someone you aren't ready for yet. It's tricky biting someone enough to turn them. Too long and the person is dead, not a vampire. Do you understand? Explaining this to a human isn't easy you know.”

“I think I understand. So last night's biting was just affection, vampire style?”

He laughed that wonderful laugh again. “Yes you could say that. Just enough to make your experience enjoyable, not to hurt you, not to turn you into anything but my love slave.”

I looked up. “Really?” I must have had an astonished look on my face, because that question made Duncan laugh out loud.

“No, that love slave part, I just threw in for good measure. To see your reaction. I like how you assign me powers I really don't possess, yet find it hard to accept those I do. I find it refreshing and very cute.”

I have to admit he had a good point. I had been catapulted into a world I knew nothing about. A world I never knew existed, except in fairy-tales and horror stories. But here I was, smack dab in the middle, up to my neck in this strange new world. Odd as it seems, I wasn't frightened, not with Duncan as my guide to it all.

I ate breakfast and Duncan suggested I should probably get back home. I knew I couldn't just walk in the front door, since my family, specifically, Rachel, would probably be up by now. So Duncan delivered me to my bedroom window, as mysteriously and quietly as I had left it.

Something in the Blood; Chapter 5

Chapter 5

At eight o'clock, the doorbell rang and I knew it was Duncan. Rachel told me to answer it and she and Mom were watching Wheel of Fortune on TV when I let Duncan in.

Mom turned the TV off and stood up and introduced herself then Rachel introduced herself as well.

“Duncan, where are you from? Were you born around here?” I figured Rachel would be the first to be nosy, so that didn't surprise me one bit.

“No, actually, I moved here a few years ago, after my family was killed.”

“Your family was killed? I'm so sorry to hear that.” Rachel moved closer to Duncan on the sofa, acting like she couldn't get close enough to him. For a minute I thought she might attempt to sit on his lap or something. Duncan didn't notice, or if he did, he didn't seem to mind. He simply smiled and thanked Rachel for being so kind.

“How did your family die? Are all of them gone?”

“Well it was more like a hereditary disease. Yes, all of my immediate family are gone.”

“Was it a fire or something? A car accident?”

“More like a tragic disease, a mutant gene. It tends to wreak havoc on my family sometimes. I guess you would say it's something in the blood.”

I looked up. I didn't like hearing that some disease might kill Duncan too. I wasn't in love with him, but for some reason, I felt sad to think he might not be around one day. He noticed me look up at his last remark.

“Well, I have been tested, many times and so far so good. If I keep one step ahead of this scourge, I have no doubt I can maybe beat it one day. The testing can get complicated, each time it occurs, but I find it can be a challenge. If I live right I can conquer it.”

He looked straight at me now. “So I need not worry if I continue to pass the tests. I plan to be around for a long time. If the fates allow.” Was he smiling right at me now? It seemed so.

“That's good to know you keep passing the tests then. I hope you are around a very long time. My sister seems to have grown fond of you.” Rachel smiled at him like she had grown fond of him, more so than me, in just one meeting. I tried to ignore it, but there it was. I had never seen her act so Mooney over anyone, especially some guy. I hardly knew what to make of it. Mom also seemed enthralled with Duncan as well. I guess I should have been glad, this meant they would not be making a stink over my seeing him. But as glad as it made me, it also made me feel uneasy in some weird sort of way. But that's the kind of appeal Duncan seems to have on people, especially women.

I was growing tired of this conversation so I looked at Duncan. “Aren't we supposed to go see that hockey game you've been looking forward to all week?”

At first he looked surprised at what I just said, but he caught on quickly.

“Yes, we do have tickets and all, I'd hate to lose the money spent. I guess we should be going.”

We both stood up and Rachel held out her hand. “Very nice meeting you, Duncan. Thank you for coming over.”

Shaking her hand he smiled: “Thank you for inviting me. Cheryl has a lovely family.” When he touched Rachel's hand, they both flinched a bit, like some kind of electrical spark had been generated, but just for a second then it left. Like a flash in the pan.

We said our good nights and went to the hearse. “So, I think that went rather well, don't you think?” He was smiling at me and fiddling with the CD player, turning on some soft music in the background.

“I guess, if you say so.”

“Why? You didn't think so? Your sister and mother seemed to like me.”

“Yes, that's the problem. They seemed to like you too well. It was sort of creepy and embarrassing at the same time. Hell, Rachel doesn't even like guys. She hates men, really.”

“No, she doesn't hate men. She likes men just fine. She's just given up on them for now anyway. She doesn't trust them.”

“How in hell do you know? You just met her. I live with her. She constantly harps at me how men are out for only one thing. She never dates and she tries to squelch any fun I want to have.”

“She is probably just trying to keep you safe. From what I noticed last night, on that dark road, you just might need looking after. You shouldn't allow Karla to talk you into things you really don't want to do, like wild parties and dressing you up like a hooker.”

“Hey, who's side are you on anyway?”

“I didn't know I was choosing sides. But if I must, then I'm on your side. I'm fond of you too, in case you hadn't noticed and I want you to stay safe. It's a big rough world out there sometimes and you need to be aware of it.”
“Well anyway, how do you know Rachel doesn't hate guys and I didn't know that? You got some psychic powers or voodoo or something I should know about?”

“Well don't get freaked about it, but yes, I do have an ability. I don't think I'd call it voodoo or anything, but an ability.”

“Shit, now you really are creeping me out. So tell me more, did you sense anything else about Rachel. While we're on the subject.”

“For one thing, nice young ladies shouldn't swear so much. For another thing, you're sister has always liked men. In fact, now really don't freak out here, she had an abortion two years ago, so I'd say she liked a man that well anyway.”

I was stunned, I was also kind of pissed. How did he know that? Was he making that up? “How in hell do you know if she had an abortion and why in hell don't I know this?”

He looked at me through narrow eyes. “When I shook hands with your sister, I got flashes of her life. I get those when I touch people, most of the time anyway. That's how I know. It's a gift and a curse all at the same time.”

“Hell you say. Do you know all about me then, since we've hugged and all. You know everything about my past now?”

“Well, frankly, no, not so much with you. I've never run across anyone that it didn't always work on, that is, until I met you. I can't get a reading on you like I can others.”

Now this whole thing was really getting creepy. “You're telling me you shook her hand and got all that?” Creepy as it was, I did remember both he and Rachel reeling back for a moment, like a charge passed between the. I knew he was right, something had passed between them. But Rachel, having an abortion? I figured she hated men.

“She probably didn't want you to know. Maybe she felt you were too young, maybe she was ashamed, or maybe she didn't want to tarnish her big sister image you have of her. Whatever the reasons, I'm sure she was hurting emotionally, going through that all alone. So try to not be so hard on her, she means well. She loves you very much you know.”

I thought of all the times I snapped at her and suddenly felt ashamed. Should I tell her I know, maybe make her feel less alone? But if I did, how would I explain how I knew? Duncan had put me on the spot, in an awkward position with this bomb. I hated it.

“How do you have this ability? You some kind of Martian?” I looked right at him now. I almost hated him for knowing something so personal about Rachel. Hated the fact that he knew, but me, her flesh and blood sister, didn't know.

“I assure you I'm no Martian. This is an ability that has been handed down through generations in my family. My bloodline, so to speak.”

“So, Mr. Smarty Pants, you know what those guys last night intended to do then?” I asked in a kind of accusing voice, but I did want to know.

“Frankly, yes I do know. But I'm not sure you really want to know.”

“Yes, I do really want to know. You don't think I can handle it?”

“Okay then, if you can handle it, here it is. They had every intention of raping you both, and killing you. That's why you need to be much more wary and careful than you usually are.”

“Maybe you're just trying to scare me?”

“Look, Cheryl, I'm trying to keep you safe. It would almost kill me if anything ever happened to you. I'm quite fond of you.”

As creepy as all of this new information was, it strangely made me feel safe when I was with Duncan. I also felt like I was quite fond of him too. Could I be falling in love with him? It sure felt like I might be.

Duncan pulled into the park by the lake. There was a bright, full moon and it shone on the water, making it sparkle. The stars were out in full force and it was beautiful. He turned the hearse off and turned to me, scooping me up in his arms. “I really, really do like you, very much. I just want you to know that.”

He leaned down and kissed me, a kiss like I'd never felt in my life. The kiss made me feel weak and I was glad we were sitting down because my legs felt like jelly. I responded in kind, kissing him with a passion I never knew I possessed. It was wonderful and exciting and scary all at the same time. When people talk about sky rockets and fireworks, I never believed them before, but I did now because that's exactly how it felt, kissing him like this.

I found myself wanting more than kisses and I started to unbutton his shirt. He suddenly let up his embrace and sat back, looking at me.

“What's wrong? Don't you feel it too?” Suddenly I worried maybe he didn't feel like I did and I felt embarrassed at being so bold.

“No, that's not it. I do feel the same way, but.” His voice trailed off.

“But what then?”

“Cheryl, have you ever been with a guy before? I mean, have you ever made love to a guy?”

Now I really felt embarrassed. I thought about lying, but figured he'd see right through that too. “No, but I do want to make love with you. Don't you want me too?” I was almost afraid of the answer.

“I do, but with you, I want it to be special. To have some meaning, especially for you, your first time. It has to be right and I think you should get to know me better. Know more about me, then make your decision. I don't want you to regret it later is all.”

Duncan, dear, sweet, Duncan. I think at this moment I really knew I was falling in love with him. Looking out for me was becoming a way of life now for me. I was beginning to like it, a lot.

“Okay, I'll wait then, but it won't be easy. I'll wait until I get to know you better then. But I'm sure I'll still feel the same way.”

“There's so much about me you just don't know yet. I hope you mean that and will still feel the same way once you know me better. No one is perfect you know, not even me.”

“I think it's time I took you home now. It's been a big day and we'll see each other tomorrow. I'll call you.”

I really didn't want to go home, to leave him. I'd have been thoroughly content to have spent the entire night here, in the moon light and in his arms. But I reluctantly agreed to let him take me home.

We pulled up in front of my house and he reached over and kissed me again. Not the long, passionate kiss like by the lake, just a quick peck on the cheek, but it still was electric.

“I'll call you tomorrow and we'll do something together. Good night Cheryl. Sleep tight.”

I waved as he pulled away from the curb and went inside. The house was dark so everyone must have already been in bed. I decided I was thirsty and grabbed a juice from the fridge. I sat down at the table and noticed the newspaper. The headlines read: Another ex con on parole, has come up missing. Bubba Hicks's car was found along side the road, but no body has been found. Bubba's sister reported him missing when he failed to return home last night. She thinks he might have been in the company of another parolee, Clement Baxter, but that has not been verified as Clement has no relatives in the area. Police are beginning to wonder if someone is taking out parolees in the area since several have come up missing in the past few months. Police say they are looking into it and have considered bringing in an outside detective, an expert in this sort of thing, but that also has not been confirmed. Police would like anyone who might know anything about this, to call them.

The new report placed this Bubba guy in the same area where Karla and I were attacked. In fact, they found his car on the exact same road we were on. I wondered if Duncan had anything to do with Bubba's disappearing. But Duncan had said those guys took off, not wanting to tangle with him anymore. But still, I couldn't help but wonder if he was telling me the truth. I refused to think of dear, sweet, Duncan, my Duncan, as possibly having anything to do with that guy's disappearance. Even if those guys were ex cons and probably scum who wanted to kill Karla and I. Duncan had saved our lives.

I put it out of my mind, at least for now. I was tired and needed sleep. Once I laid down I had dreams, dreams of making love to Duncan and they felt so very real. I dreamed I was in his mansion on the hill, in a big bed with red velvet blankets and red satin sheets feeling cool against my bare skin.

Something in the Blood; Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I could smell coffee when I walked in the door, which meant Mom was finally up and around.

“Oh, Honey, I didn't know you'd be home so soon. Is everything alright at work?”

She probably meant: “You didn't get fired did you?”

“Yeah, Mom, everything's fine there. It was just so cold and we weren’t getting many customers, so the boss decided to close up early.”

“Oh, I see, yes it has been pretty chilly for this time of year. Did Karla give you a ride home?”

I didn't feel like getting into a big discussion over meeting a new guy and getting a ride home from him, so I just answered: “Yep, she did. She stopped by for a Coke and I was closing up.” I decided that's all Mom needed to know, for now anyway.

I grabbed an energy drink from the fridge and decided maybe I'd go to my room and look at my homework. I no sooner got into my room and my cell was playing Madonna's Like a Virgin. I hated that tune but Mom had programmed it into my phone as a joke. She was paying my cell bill so I couldn't very well bitch to her about it.

I didn't look right away because I figured it was probably Karla anyway, being nosy about Duncan. But when I sat down at my computer desk and flipped open the phone I saw it was Duncan.

“Hello?” I hoped my voice wasn't cracking with excitement when I answered.

“So the proper etiquette is to wait a while before calling a girl to ask her out. You know, keep her guessing. It's been at least 25 minutes since I dropped you off, so I figure I've kept you guessing long enough. You wanna go out this Wednesday night?”

I loved his sense of humor and said: “Well I'm usually not allowed out in the middle of the week, on a school night, except summer. But it is spring break, so sure, I'd love to go out this Wednesday. What time?”
“How about 9:00, is that too late?”

Since Mom works nights at the hospital, I knew 9:00 would be just fine. She'd be working anyway. So I said: Nine is good. How should I dress?”

He seemed kind of surprised. “What, what do you mean?”

“I mean, will we be going someplace formal, to the beach, to fast food..............or what? I don't want to show up at a fancy place in shorts and a t-shirt.”

He laughed and said: “Dress casually, we'll figure out where to go when we meet. That OK?”

I was a bit disappointed, I was hoping it would be a fancy place. It was almost like he was reading my mind or something. “Heck, wear your prettiest dress, let's go all out and have a romantic dinner. First real date and all.”

I smiled and told him I was looking forward to it then. I was excited, after all, most guys I ever dated took me to fast food because most of them had no money and no job. “This should be interesting,” I thought as I said good-bye.

I decided to start on my homework, spring break or not, I wanted to keep my grades up since I knew I'd be stuck working most of my break. If I wanted to see Duncan I'd have to keep my homework caught up or Mom would forbid me to go out. My social life was pretty much nil now that I had a job anyway. I certainly didn't want it to go down even more because my homework might not be done.

I sat down at the computer and decided to read the local paper online. The latest headlines said”

Another Parolee Comes Up Missing

Yesterday a local parolee's body was found in a secluded wooded area, about two miles from his abandoned car. It hasn't been determined if there was foul play or not.

The article went on to say this was the sixth parolee that had gone missing in four months. It explained that all the parolees were convicted of dealing drugs and some were suspected of even maybe murdering people too.

The article gave me a little shudder, but then they were considered bad people in our city. Maybe their missing was a good thing. They wouldn't be preying on anymore people. In fact, when asked of people on the street and in the comment section, that was exactly what others were saying too.

I was about to start my term paper when my cell phone started playing that Madonna song again. Thinking it might be Duncan forgetting something, I answered it without looking to see who it was. It was Karla.

“So hey, was the ride home creepy in that hearse?”

“No, it wasn't so bad. The seats are soft and very comfortable as a matter of fact.”

“Did it smell like dead corpses?” She has a fascination with the macabre that I'd never noticed before now.

“Nope, it smelled like fruit in there. Like a nice fruity air freshener actually.”

“Weren't those kids all kind of creepy?”

“No, they're just Goths, not so much unusual about that look.”

“Well I've never seen them around school or anything. Don't you find that's kind of odd?”

“No, maybe they just moved here. I didn't talk long to Duncan to know all this stuff yet.”

“Yet, what does that mean? You aren't seriously thinking about seeing him again, are you?”

“Well as a matter of fact he's asked me out this week.”

“Where you going, to see Saw or something?” She giggled when she said that like she thought it was a big joke.

“Nope, he's taking me to dinner, to someplace fancy he says. I think it'll be nice.”

“Is that creepy girl with the lip ring going too?”

“Nope, just Duncan and I. No one else.”

“Look, I really have to get a start on my homework, fun as this is discussing my taste in guys and all. OK?”

“Well, fine, but call me and tell me all about your date. Promise me?”

“I'll promise you I will think about it. Gee, Karla, I never knew you had such a nosy streak in you.”

She giggled and said goodbye and hung up.

After writing some of my paper on the pros and cons of gun control, I started to get hungry and went downstairs to see what we had for a snack.

“Hey there.” I looked up and saw my sister Rachel sitting at the kitchen table, eating ice cream. Rachel attends the local community college and is two years older than I am. She's usually pretty cool, but since she attends college she sometimes thinks she’s way smarter. She also can act like she's Mom sometimes when it comes to looking out for me.

She doesn't have much of a social life either. It's not that she isn't pretty or anything, because she is. She says that men are a distraction and they are usually only out for 'one thing' in this world. She has decided it's better to get her degree and become established in a good job before she even thinks about dating and marriage. She used to date some in high school, but she was mostly pretty studious and studied a lot in her spare time.

I wasn't anything like her. I'm not as pretty and I have to work a lot harder than she did at keeping my grades up. I do have a social life and I like it that way just fine, usually much to Rachel's disapproval.

“So how’s the ice cream business treating you, Sis?” She asked with a bit of mocking in her voice.

“Hard to tell yet, I've only been there two days and today it was so cold we closed early. Ask me this again in about a month or so. I might have a better idea by then.”

She laughed and went back to eating her ice cream. I decided the ice cream was too much, working around it all day made me lose my appetite for the stuff. I decided to pop some microwave popcorn instead.

“That's not your dinner I hope.” Rachel was asking me. She's studying to be a dietitian so she thinks she knows all about proper nutrition, especially for growing teenage girls, as she likes to put it.

“I'm not that hungry. I just need something light is all.” I replied.

“You aren't going through some fad diet or anything, are you? I'd hate to see you look anorexic. You're skinny enough you know.”

“No, I'm just not real hungry is all.” I hated when she pulled this stuff.

“Well, OK then. Just don't knuckle under to peer pressure. I know Karla can have a big influence on you sometimes.”

Rachel had always made it clear she thought Karla was not a good influence on me. But I liked Karla, I liked that she was popular and included me in her circle of friends. Karla was wild, I suppose but she was also exciting and fun to be with.


I wondered just what Rachel would say about Duncan. I knew I might have to tell her and Mom one day I was dating him, but not right now. I decided I'd wait and see how it went. After all, maybe we would only have one or two dates and he'd dump me, or I'd dump him. So I figured it was best to just not mention Duncan for now. I'll wait and see if we become a steady item. If I have to tell them, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Wednesday evening came and I had my prettiest outfit laying on the bed. I put on my best perfume, the stuff Rachel gave me for Christmas and got out my prettiest shoes for the big night out on the town with Duncan.

Mom had already left for work and Rachel was out at the local library studying. I did a last minute check of my hair and makeup and looked out the bedroom window. Duncan was here exactly at 8:50, giving us only ten minutes to get to the other side of town, the restaurant district. I wondered why he was cutting it so short and I'd even, by 8:30 worried that he was going to stand me up. Not like I'd never been stood up before, but somehow, with Duncan it really mattered if he showed or not. I had an inner feeling ever since we had met. Like I was compelled to be with him, like I couldn't say no to him about anything. A feeling I loathed and loved at the same time. A feeling that just added to the excitement of being with him.

When I got outside, Duncan came up the walkway to escort me to the hearse. I was stunned by what he was wearing. He had on a suit, but it looked so outdated. I was beginning to wonder if he bought his clothes at the Salvation Army Store or something. I knew it was outdated, but somehow he was able to pull this look off. I don't know how, but he was able to blend this outdated suit with his Goth look just beautifully. We walked to the hearse and he opened the door for me.

“Wow, you look lovely tonight.” Speaking in that beautiful, almost liquid, voice of his.

The way he said it, with a genuine tone to his voice, made my knees feel like they were going to buckle. I was glad I could just sink into the front seat and not have to walk any further.

When he got behind the wheel, I told him he also looked very nice. The suit was like a crushed velvet, and a midnight blue, dark like the night sky. Anyone else would have looked silly in that suit, but it just made him look like a rock star.

“I made reservations at the Blue Moon. I hope that's OK. I probably should have asked you where you wanted to go, but I kind of like surprises and hope you do too.”

I was surprised. The Blue Moon is the fanciest and most expensive restaurant in the city. “Isn't that pretty expensive?” I asked him.

“Don't worry about that. I wanted our first date to be something special. I think you're pretty special, so it's only fitting. Besides, my family has money, we always have. I guess some people might even call it old money. So don't ever worry about the expense.”

Once we got out on the open highway, Duncan floored the gas pedal and we seemed to fly, literally fly. I was glad the windows were as tinted as they were but I could still see the other car lights and city lights streaking by at a pretty fast rate. Strangely enough, even though we were flying low, I didn't feel scared. I only felt safe, like being with Duncan made me feel like nothing could ever hurt me.

We pulled into the parking lot and two valets came running up to the hearse, like they were his personal parking attendants or something. The guy who took the car keys acted like he knew Duncan. “The usual spot, Duncan, just in case you need the car in a hurry and I'm not right here.”

Duncan smiled: “That's fine, Bob, thanks.” With that he handed the valet guy his keys and he took my hand as we walked to the restaurant door.

When we walked in the door, it seemed like everyone was staring at us, or at Duncan anyway. The lady behind the podium smiled like she knew him. “Hi Duncan, do you want the usual table?”

“Yes, that will be just fine.” He answered back. It made me wonder if Duncan brought a lot of girls to this place. I felt a small twinge of jealousy but I quickly got over it as we were escorted to our table.

“The best table in the house, as always.” The lady said. Duncan smiled and the waiter came over quickly and asked what we'd like to drink. “I'll take a Coke.” I said. Duncan said he was fine and the waiter nodded and went to get my drink. I looked around and looked out the big window next to us. The view was breathtaking. We could see almost the entire city from this window. I could see why it was the best table in the house as I took in the view.

“So,” I began. “Are you some kind of space alien?”

Duncan looked puzzled and his eyebrows came together just above his nose in an endearing way. I thought how damned cute he looked when he did that.

“What do you mean, space alien?” He almost had a laughable tone to his voice when he asked me.

“Well people seem to all know you, almost revere you. I just wondered if you have some alien quality about you or something.”

“Oh, you mean like the X-Files kind of thing?” He seemed to be mocking me, but not in a bad or malicious way.

“Well yeah, maybe like the X-Files thing.”

“Yes I'm an alien and the hearse strikes you as a space ship?”

“Yeah, OK so maybe you can shape shift the hearse and make it seem like it's a car.” The minute I said that, it sounded dumb, even to me.

“Nope, not an alien, at least not a space alien anyway.”

I wondered what in hell that meant, 'not a space alien.' But I dropped that question. “Well, a rock star, a celebrity of some sort?”

“Nada, none of the above, sorry to disappoint you. Were you hoping for some mystery here?”

I pondered what he said for a minute and just as I was going to ask more, the waiter asked if we were ready to order.

Duncan looked at me: “Ladies first. Do you know what you want?”

“A burger? Is it OK to order a burger in this fancy place?”

Duncan smiled and said: “Whatever you like. I like a lady who's easy to please. Do you think you can whip up a burger for my date?” He was looking at the waiter and smiling.

“Absolutely, Sir. How do you want that? Medium, rare or well done, Madame?”

“Oh, well done, and some fries too, with gravy?”

“Certainly, Madame, coming right up. And you, Sir, what can I get for you?”

“I'll take a steak, very rare.”

The waiter nodded and wrote on his pad and went to get our food.

“So how come I've never seen you around? Do you go to high school?”

“Well we've been here a long time, we've just never met is all, it's a big city and no, I do not go to high school, not anymore.”

“You aren't a dropout or anything are you?”

He laughed that special laugh again and said: “No, I graduated a long time ago. I'm not a dropout.”

“But you look like you're about 17, like me. So I naturally assumed.”

“Well, never, ever assume anything in this world, Cheryl. Just when we think we have things figured out, we really don't.”

“What does that mean?” I was becoming very curious about the way he answered sometimes. Kind of like riddles and very, very mysterious.

“I'm not 17, I just look young for my age is all.”

“So just how old are you then?” I was curious and I felt like I had to know, now. He was causing my curiosity to rise.

“I'm 26 so that makes me about 9 years your senior. Too old for you to be hanging out with?”

“No, I've always liked older guys. They are usually a lot more mature and respectful than the stupid guys my own age. I've never had much use for their nonsense.”
“Younger guys are nonsensical?” He had a wry little smile when he asked that question.

“Sure, they wear pants to show their underwear and think girls are going to swoon. They also look like they all need a haircut and a good shower. They kind of give me the creeps.”

“And I don't? Give you the creeps that is?”

“No, you are kind of mysterious and I think that's exciting. But no, not any creepy feelings here. Although.” I trailed off after saying that.

“Although what?” He was looking into my eyes when he asked that one.

“I was just going to say that my friend, Karla, the one you met at the ice cream shop, she thought the trench coat was a bit much. She thought it reminded her of the Columbine kids.”

I waited for his reaction, like maybe a look of surprise or something. I searched his face, nothing, no shock and definitely no surprised look.

All of a sudden he leaned forward and said: “Look, those Columbine kids had definite problems. They wanted revenge, which is always going after the innocent which is always a bad thing. But, justice on the other hand, can be a good thing.”

That statement took me by surprise. The statement and the seriousness behind his voice, took me totally off guard. I had no idea what to say after that one.
I decided to lighten up the conversation some. “So, will you be stopping by the ice cream shop more often this summer?” I was hoping it would lighten Duncan's mood.

“Yeah, about that. How come you are working and not having fun with your friends? Do you just like having your own money?”

“Well, I'm trying to get a car of my own and Mom says I have to come up with half the down payment before she'll help me. So I'm stuck working to raise the money.”

“ I might be able to help you out there, if you'd like me to.”

That statement really intrigued me. I was the one leaning forward this time. “You can, how?”

“I just finished working on a 1968 Ford Mustang and it's just sitting in my garage doing nothing. Would you like to drive that, then you won't have to spend all of your summer working.”

Oh my gosh, I thought. Would I? Silly question. I knew immediately my mom and Rachel would be asking me where I got it, meaning I'd have to explain Duncan, but I didn't care. I wanted to see that car.

“Can I look at it first?” I asked.

He laughed out loud, people turned to look at us then. “I offer you a free car and you need to look at it?”

“Do I sound ungrateful by saying that?” I didn't want to sound ungrateful but I did really want to see it.

“No, not at all. How about after dinner then? We can swing by my place and I'll show you. Sound good?”

I agreed, and about then the waiter brought our food. The burger, in the fanciest restaurant in town, tasted so good. It was the best burger I'd ever eaten. I attacked it like I was starving and all through dinner I noticed Duncan hardly ate anything. I tried to brush that aside, even though I found it quite curious.

When we finished eating, the waiter asked Duncan if he'd like a to go box for his dinner. Duncan hadn't eaten anything much, from what I could tell. He seemed to be more interested in watching me eat the whole time. He waved his hand at the waiter and told him no, that's fine. Then Duncan asked me if I'd like to see the dessert cart. I was so stuffed from that huge burger I'd just eaten that I declined. He asked the waiter to bring us the check then.

After paying the check, and leaving what looked like a rather large tip on the table, we walked outside to the parking lot. The hearse was already there, waiting and I also found that to be curious too. But I figured that since Duncan appeared to be a regular at the restaurant, maybe the waiter or someone had called ahead to let them know we were done and needed the car.

Once inside Duncan said: “So if you like the Mustang then you can quit that summer job?”

“I hadn't thought too much about that, but yes, I suppose I can. Except then I'll have to work for gas money.”

“Don't worry about gas, I'll see to it that the tank is always full, just let me know when you need anything for it and I'll see that you get it. OK?”

I thought, wow, this was turning out to be a pretty good deal, for me anyway. I nodded my head, yes.

“I'm really surprised you asked me out and not my friend, Karla.” I said as we drove along the streets.

“Oh, now why is that?” I could tell there was a hint of surprise in his voice when he asked me that.

“Well, every time we meet guys, she's the pretty one, the one guys ask out. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind, I've gotten used to it. I'm just happy Karla chose me to be her friend, she's a lot of fun. But she is so much prettier than me.”

“Cheryl, do you really think that looks are everything in this world?”

“Well, yes, at least for girls they seem to be anyway.” I answered and thought it funny especially coming from the cutest guy I'd ever met. Easy for him to say, I thought.

“Well you shouldn't underestimate your worth you know. You're fun, interesting to be with and you keep me on my toes. I really like that. Besides, I already told you I was driving by and wanted to meet you, that's why I stopped. It's not like I really like ice cream even or anything.”
“So you just saw me standing there and stopped?”

“Well, not exactly correct, but sort of.”

“What do you mean, sort of?”

“What would you say if I said I could smell you, and it peaked my curiosity?”

“I'd say I need a better deodorant or I need to lay off the perfume.”

“No, really, nothing like that, I don't think you would totally understand. So let's leave it at I saw you there and stopped.”


I didn't get a chance to say much else. The next thing I knew we were driving up a long and winding driveway, lined with tall trees and very dark. The house was secluded out in the countryside all by itself and it sat up on a steep hill. There were dim lights coming from the house and it looked eerie in the moonlight.

We drove up to a garage and the door opened automatically and then we were going down into an underground garage. We stopped and got out. I looked around, blinking my eyes to get used to the dim light. I could see the forms of what looked like a lot of cars lined up against a back wall.

“It's this way, follow me.” Duncan was making his way to the left of the fleet of cars parked there. He stopped in front of the Mustang. “Here she is, isn't she a beauty?”

I found myself looking at one of the most beautiful cars I'd ever seen. It was a candy apple red and so shiny, even in this dim light the paint shined and sparkled.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It looks flawless, are you sure you want to trust me with it?”

Duncan laughed that wonderful laugh again. He put his arm around me and smiled down at me. “I wouldn't have offered it if I had any doubts.” He handed me the keys. “Go ahead, sit inside, start it up, see if you'll like it or not.”

I was the one laughing now. How could I not like this beautiful car? It was much more car than I'd ever be able to afford. I knew when I sat inside that I'd be the envy of all my friends. I also knew I'd have to explain where it came from, to my mom and to Rachel. I didn't care though, I loved this car so much, I'd have walked through fire to be able to drive it. I also knew that explaining this car and Duncan to my mom might be the equivalent of walking through fire, but I honestly didn't care, I wanted it so badly now.

“Well you can drive it home tonight if you'd like. I'm glad you like her, she's been fun to work on.”

“You sure you won't need it?” I was asking.

“Well as you can see, we are not in need of cars, we have plenty. We're not exactly car poor.” He was grinning and he reached out and hugged me. I hugged him back, and he felt so comfortable, it felt like I belonged here, in his arms. But as good as it felt, I let go and suddenly looked up at Duncan's face. I was a little embarrassed that I had just hugged him so quickly. I searched his face for a hint of surprise at my actions, but I only saw those beautiful eyes and that even more beautiful, smile.

“Well then.” I quickly said. “I guess I'd better be getting home now.”

I knew it was only eleven and not a school night, but decided I might need m sleep and be rested when I had to answer questions tomorrow morning from Mom and Rachel about this new found car I'd be driving.

Duncan looked at me and said: “I can follow you home in the hearse, if you'd like.”

I declined, just in case Rachel was home before me. I didn't relish the notion of explaining Duncan and a car all at once. Even though I knew I'd have to explain him when I explained about where this car came from. He nodded and said he didn't mind, but if I was sure I'd be fine, then he understood. We said good night and I started the car up. All the way home I was smiling over this wonderful car and the fact I could quit that stupid job, even though without that stupid job, I'd probably have never met Duncan at all.

A chapter a day from Something in the Blood

I have decided to share a chapter a day from Something in the Blood one, for free to all my fans who stop by here. If you like the first edition, I hope you will look forward to Something in the Blood II which will be out and on Amazon in August. Thank you and enjoy Something in the Blood I.

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