Fiona continued, “I believe she’s doing the best she can to come to terms with her new condition. Look, tell me about the Annie you knew.”
“She was smart. She wanted to be a doctor. And she was brave. Annie was always the first to try anything.”
“She’s still smart,” Fiona assured her. “The only reason you’re not dead right now is that your sister, your
vampire
sister, insisted you be rescued. She came up with the plan to free you. She wouldn’t let it go. Not until we agreed to help get you out of there.”
Amy’s concrete wall of resolution seemed to crack as she looked at Annie.
“And she’s still brave. Even when Ivan insisted she stay behind to be safe, she demanded to come along and to carry that knife so she could fight for you. She stood up to that vampire, risked her life, and killed him to keep you safe.”
Amy bit her lip and lowered her head. Another crack formed.
“Amy, we weren’t going to help. Nic refused. She knew he would. I’m not happy about it, but she kidnapped my best friend to force us to agree to help. I know that sounds bad, but the point is she did whatever it took to ensure
you
had a chance to live, to not be killed, or worse, to become a vampire.” Fiona reached out and lifted Amy’s chin to meet her eyes.
“You owe her an apology and Ivan your thanks. This wasn’t his fight. He could have refused to help and walked away, but instead, he nearly died rescuing you.” Fiona’s voice had quieted. “No matter what else she is or has become, she’s still your sister, and she still loves you. Get it?”
The wall crumbled and Amy stepped through the opening.
“Yeah, I get it.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Then she turned around and went to Annie. Ivan let go of Annie and gave her a gentle push.
For a moment, the two sisters stared at each other.
“I’m not going to bite, you know.” Annie smiled through her tears.
Amy bit off a laugh. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Well, I couldn’t help it if you were always sticking your finger in my mouth,” Annie shot back.
“That’s because it was always open.” She laughed and held out her arms.
Annie fell into her embrace. “I love you, sis,” she whispered as she clung to her sister.
“I love you too, sis. Thanks for coming for me.” Amy wiped away her tears with her hand. The sisters stepped apart. “What do you want me to tell Mom and Dad? Are you alive? Dead?” She raised her arms in frustration.
“Tell them I love them and I’ll miss them. Say I met a good man who cares about me and wants to take care of me. Tell them I’m going off to start a new life with him, and I’ll keep in touch through your e-mail, all right?”
Amy nodded. “Sure. That should hold them. It would be just like you to run off with some guy. I guess I just always thought when that happened, you’d be on the back of a Harley.” They grinned at each other.
Fiona let out a breath of relief as the two young women came to an understanding.
“A Harley? I didn’t know you had a thing about bikes, baby.” Ivan took a tentative step toward them. Annie held out her hand; he took it as she pulled him to her side.
“That was ages ago. Now I’m into plain, white vans.” Annie gave him a playful elbow in the ribs. He slipped his arm around her waist.
Fiona asked, “Ivan, what happens now?”
“I’d really like to get cleaned up.” Ivan looked down at his clothes. He stuck a finger through the rip in his shirt and wiggled it. “The cleaners are going to hate me when I drop these off.”
“Throwing them away would work better.” Annie shook her head as she looked at her own clothing.
“But these are my favorite jeans.” Ivan made a face and everyone chuckled, and then he grew serious. “Look, Annie and I need to disappear. If I hang around when the Board discovers Marcos and his gang are dead, even the dumbest Board member will figure out I was involved. I may have survived that first cleansing, but surviving two is a dead giveaway.” His wolf grin flashed.
“Get it, Fiona. Dead giveaway?”
“I get it, Cho.”
“Will they come after you?” Amy asked, now concerned about her sister and Ivan.
“Probably not.” He shrugged. “It depends on how many people Marcos pissed off, who his friends were, and what happens when the Board gets over its shake-up. What I do know is that it’s no longer safe for us here. The town has gone to hell, and they’re letting just about anyone move in.” Ivan started to turn away and then swung back and stuck out his hand. “Thanks, Nic. It was a good fight. You really kicked ass.”
Fiona held her breath. Nic hesitated as Ivan’s extended hand held steady. Nic reached out and took it in a firm grip. “You too.”
“I’ll return Beth to her house within the hour.”
“If she’s hurt, I’m coming for you,” Nic replied. “Tell her to call Fiona as soon as she’s free.” He released Ivan’s hand. “And, Ivan, this doesn’t mean we’re friends. If I find you hunting in my town, I’ll have to kill you.”
“Right. Don’t worry, sheriff, just give us a day’s head start, and we’ll be out of town before the next sunup.” Ivan gave a sharp nod that Nic returned, and then turned on his heels and walked to the van.
“Take Amy home for me, Fiona?” Annie asked. “And thanks for believing in me enough to give me the knife.” Her gaze darted to her sister. “And for everything else too.”
“Sure. I knew you could handle yourself. Come on, Amy.” Fiona and Amy walked over to where Nic waited next to the Jag.
Annie followed Ivan to the van. He opened the passenger door, and she climbed inside. Walking around to the driver’s side, he slid into the seat, and the engine roared to life.
The van drove off into the night.
— • —
They pulled to the curb outside Amy’s and Annie’s home, and Amy got out of the backseat.
“Thanks, guys. I don’t know what to say,” Amy said as she leaned into Fiona’s window.
“In her own way, Annie’s happy,” Fiona assured her. “She’ll be fine.”
With a nod, Amy stepped away from the car, turned, and walked to her house.
“Let’s go home,” Fiona said, resting her head against the seat back.
“Home?” Nic asked.
“Yeah, home. Your place.” Fiona closed her eyes and relaxed.
“You heard the lady. Floor it, before she changes her mind.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Nic grinned.
“Nic, don’t screw this up.”
He pulled away from the curb and had to keep himself from speeding all the way back to the house. They were almost to Nic’s turn off when Fiona’s cell phone rang.
“Beth? Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Some strange friends you’ve got, Fi. Next time you’re part of some stupid frat prank, let a girl know first. I messed up my new manicure, broke a nail, and my head really hurts.” Fiona could hear Beth’s pout over the phone.
“Don’t worry. I don’t think I’m ever going to do that again. The whole Greek thing is so overrated. Everyone knows what’s really hot are Romans.”
“Good one, princess.”
“Whatever. Look, I’ll call you later. I have to call Jason. We had a date tonight. He’s left like a dozen messages on my cell.” Beth hung up and Fiona burst out laughing.
“They told her it was a fraternity prank,” she said as she gasped for breath. “And she believed it.”
“What’s so funny about that?” Nic asked.
“Romans. Togas. Come on, Nic, get a clue.”
“Oh.” He laughed. “I get it.”
“Don’t worry, princess. I’m the brains of this outfit. He’s just the brawn.”
“So what does that make me?”
“One lucky girl, sweetheart.”
“Don’t tell Nic, but I think he’s going to be lucky too.”
“It’s about time.”
“I had to be sure, Cho.”
— • —
After they got home, Nic hung his sword up, and Fiona leaned hers in a corner. She was halfway to the couch when he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to him.
“God, you were incredible tonight.” His mouth found hers and lingered. “It took me back to the first time I saw you, naked, kicking vampire ass. I can’t help it, you drive me wild.”
“Oh God, Nic. The first time I saw you draw that damn sword, you had me.” She kissed him and slid her hand down his chest to touch the place where his jeans were straining to contain his erection.
“Don’t tease me. It’s not fair.” Nic looked into her eyes.
“No teasing. I made a decision tonight during the fight. Life’s too short.” She bit her lip and sighed. “I want you. I want you to be the one I give my gift to.”
“Your gift?”
“My virginity. It’s the most cherished thing I have to give.”
“But you said you were going to wait until you got married.” His expression said he was puzzled.
“All I really needed was to be sure I wasn’t throwing it away on someone unworthy.”
“Are you saying I’m worthy?” His eyes lit up.
“Yes.”
“And that I’m the best man you know?”
She smirked at his teasing, refusing to cry “Uncle.”
“Well…”
He leaned in close to her and whispered seductively in her ear. “I want to hear you say it. Say, Nic, you’re the best, bravest…”
“Don’t forget handsome.”
“And most handsome man I know. Repeat it.”
“Oh, all right.” She huffed. “You’re the best, bravest man I’ve ever known.” She gave him a smirk.
“You forgot most handsome,” Nic quickly reminded her.
“Did I?” she asked in wide-eyed innocence.
“You did.”
“Let me try again.” She cleared her throat. “Nic, I love you.”
There was silence. Watching as Nic’s expression changed from playful to serious, Fiona’s heart sank as she realized she’d made a big mistake.
It’s too soon! I’ve ruined it.
Now Nic would run like the wind as far from her as he could get. Desperate to save something, she tried some damage control. “Look, if you can’t say those words to me, I just have to live with that.” She shrugged, trying to look casual.
Nic stared at her in disbelief. “You mean I don’t have to say ‘I love you’?”
“I don’t want you to lie to me and say it because you feel obligated.” Angered, she pushed away from him. “You’re being a real jerk.”
Nic grabbed her by the shoulders, pushed her down on the couch, and lying over her, pinned her beneath him.
“Say it again.” He pulled her arms over her head and grinned down at her.
“Say what, you idiot?”
“The part where you said you loved me.”
She growled. “You heard it the first time. Now get off me.”
“And I want to hear you say it again.” He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed her. “You’re staying right there until you say it for me.” This time, he laved his tongue over her cheek and nibbled on her ear.
Fiona struggled, but she couldn’t shift him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed. He ground his hips into her, pressing his erection against her belly.
“I suggest you give in, princess. I think he’s got you.”
She took a deep breath and let what was in her heart out. “I love you.”
“So, you love me.” Nic smirked. “And you don’t need to hear me say it to you.”
“Stop it, Nic. Just tell her.”
“No, Cho, I sure as hell don’t want him to lie to me. Nic, I can’t make you love me. If you don’t, you don’t, and I accept that.” She tried to keep the hurt from her eyes.
He lowered his mouth to her and kissed her, at first soft and gentle, and then each kiss built in intensity as he pulled on her lips, captured her tongue and sucked it, turning her resolve to mush. Damn him, despite her hurt feelings, Fiona couldn’t help but melt in his arms.
•
“She loves me!”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
His kisses spread to her cheeks, her eyes, her brow, each more joyous than the next, each singing with his heart.
“She’s mine!”
“Nic, say it. You’re hurting her heart.”
“Fiona.” Stopping his attack on her face, he grew serious. “I don’t know how to tell you this.”
“What?” Her eyes shimmered as tears filled them.
“I love you. I guess I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you naked in that crypt swinging a sword. I tried to fight it, but it’s hopeless. I’m afraid it’s terminal.”
Fiona’s smile was so big, so radiant, he was blasted by its intensity.
•
“He loves me!”
“He always has, princess. Me too.”
“You love me.” She let the words wash over her. “I almost gave up hope.” Her voice trembled right along with her body.
“I love you, darlin’. I have to have you with me every day and every night. Until the end.”
“Right, it’s terminal.” She laughed.
Nic got up and pulled Fiona to her feet. She cocked her eyebrow, his lip curled up, and their attack began. She threw herself into his arms, and he swung her up and over his shoulder. As he carried her down the hall to his bedroom, she waved back to Cho as he sat in his tree.
“Can we have some privacy, Cho?”
“But, Fiona, I was waiting for this.”
“No way, Cho, this is between my woman and me.”
“Damn it, Nic, that’s not fair.”
“Sorry. I promise when it’s your time to get laid, I won’t listen in, either.”
“Hey, what do you mean, my time?”
There was no answer as the door slammed shut.
“Guys, what do you mean? Guys?”
Silence.
“Do you have something planned for me? Is she pretty?”
•
Nic tossed Fiona onto his bed and dived in after her. Laughing, they removed each other’s clothes, fumbling turned into ripping as their hands got in each other’s way. Nic pulled her shirt over her head while she was trying to take off his shoes. The scramble left them out of breath and giggling like kids.
“I love you.” Fiona opened her arms to him. They were naked at last, physically and emotionally.
“I love you.” Nic’s laughter bubbled up. He was surprised at the joy filling him, and that, once said, it was so easy to say it again. He never thought he’d ever feel so completely, totally, in love, and he couldn’t remember being this happy, not since before his parents died.