Kindred (Kindred, Book 1) (44 page)

“Pretty good really.” And then he blushed slightly. “Um, I think... I think I might ask her to marry me.”

His head had ducked down, the flush deepening, he clearly wasn't sure about what I would say. Me? I just squealed and wrapped my arms around him.

“That's fantastic news! I couldn't be happier for you both. Have you got it all planned, the proposal? The Ring? Oh, what ring will you get her?”

“
Calm down, Luce, calm down!” But he was grinning, grinning like the cat who had got the cream. “I haven't got the ring yet and I've got no bloody idea how to ask her. I was hoping you'd come up with something.”

“
Oh, no way! This has to come from you, from your heart. You know Celeste, you know what she would like. Anyway, I'm too much of a practical person, for me it doesn't have to be wine and roses, romantic candlelight settings with a string quartet in tow, I'd far prefer an intimate moment, a private place, somewhere that means something to both of you and a proposal from the heart. Nothing fancy, just the honest to goodness truth of how that person feels. That's what I'd like.”

“
Well, for someone who didn't want to offer any advice, that's pretty good and thorough. You've thought a lot about this haven't you?”

Had I? I didn't think I had, I mean I am only 25 and I have a career and a hobby that keeps me fairly busy, a deadly dangerous hobby, but still, it does take up a lot of my spare time. So no, I didn't think I had put much thought into it, don't all girls just naturally know though? And then of course, I'm immortal now, how could I ever think of marrying someone in the same light again? No human marriage would work, they'd grow old, I wouldn't, they'd have to know what I was, which isn't too scary a thing, well, maybe just a little. But, it just wouldn't work. And vampires? Well, they don't marry, do they? It's not like I'd seen a lot of couples in my somewhat limited exposure to their kind.

But, it did make me pause for breath, yet again another perfectly normal part of my future that had now been turned on its head. I really am a freak aren't I?

I didn't tell Rick any of this though, I just said, “Every girl's dream, isn't it?”

He looked at me a bit funnily then, I'm not sure if he believed me or not, but he just smiled and took a sip of his drink.

“
So, any idea when you'll do it?” I asked to break the silence.

“
Soon. I don't think I can contain myself much longer. It's making me jumpy and she's picked up on it. Hey! I don't suppose you'd be my best man, would ya?”

I laughed out loud at that. “Jeez mate, you'd better do better than that when you do ask Celeste to marry you!
I don't suppose
is not a good way to start it off. But, yeah, I'd love to be your best man.”

I felt all warm and glowy inside. This was great. My best friend was getting married and he wanted me there with him, right there. I'd thought maybe Rick and I were growing apart. He'd started dating Celeste and I, well I had started getting involved with a vampire, even if I didn't have a choice. Right then though, I couldn't have felt any happier, being here, having fun with my best friend.

“Anyway, that's enough about me, what about you? You haven't told me how every thing's going with the Nosferatin thing. We didn't get much time the other night at
Sensations
, I had to leave.”

He looked a little puzzled then and I'm not surprised. A deep glaze from a vampire can do that to you and as it was Bruno who had carried out the glazing, I'm betting he planted it deep.

“It's OK. A bit crazy at times, but what can I do? I've just got to get on with it, haven't I?”

“
You're not scared? At all?”

I thought about it then, was I scared? Hell yes, you don't just stop being scared, do you? It's not like you wake up one day and say all those evil dark horrible things that keep happening to you are just a phase, they'll pass, it'll be all right. Even if I am a Kiwi and our perpetual saying is:
she'll be right, mate
. I knew this life I now lead would never be right again, but being scared was not going to change a thing, other than make me jittery and unable to protect myself when needed. So, no, I was still scared, I just wasn't going to let it rule me.

“
It's not like that, you don't stop being scared, but you do have to face that it's there and then not let it take over your life. I'm still scared, Rick, I just work my way through it.”

“
How can you be around them, Luce?”

The question took me by surprise. What on earth could he mean? I had to be around them, I'm a vampire hunter by birth, I don't have a choice. It calls to me and I have to answer. I thought Rick knew that.

“What do you mean?”

“
Well, they're evil, aren't they? And yet you seem to be spending more and more time with them. Aren't you worried?”

“
About what, Rick?”

I didn't like where this was going, he had that look in his eyes again. That wild eyed look of someone on a mission, I just wasn't sure I wanted to know what mission Rick was going on right now.

“About being hurt! About being their food! About becoming one of them!” He'd really raised his voice on that last one, a vein had started throbbing in the side of his head, I couldn't take my eyes of it.

“
You know it's not like that, Michel is not like that.” I tried to keep my voice soft and level, non-threatening, trying to get a bit of cool back into the heat of the moment.

“
Does he feed from you?” His eyes bore into me as he asked that.

“
That's none of your business!”

“
So, that's a yes then. Jesus, Luce! You're just dessert to him. Something to keep him alive, if you can even call what he is
alive
.” The last was delivered with grimace and spit.

“
I am not dessert.” My soft and non-threatening voice had vanished. I was all low and barely contained fury now.

“
Oh come on. I've seen the way he looks at you, the way they all look at you. Like you're dinner, or a particularly tasty pudding. They devour you with their eyes, Luce and if you can't see it, you're blind.”

“
It's not like that, Rick, you don't know.”

“
Then try and explain it to me, Luce, because I'm having a real hard time understanding how you can be so close to a thing that kills, that controls other people against their will with just a look, that takes what he wants and never lets go, that walks all over you and then sucks from your vein. Tell me, because I just don't get it. He is not alive, Luce, he isn't even human!”

I was shaking, I could feel it, a small shudder through my entire body, but my voice was still even and low. “I'm not human either, Rick. I kill. I can control others with just a look. I'm not sure I can let go of something that is mine and who knows, when I come into my powers in a few days time, maybe I'll suck from a vein too. What does that make me? What do you think of me?”

He looked at me in a mixture of shock and disbelief and could it be? Disgust? He was trying to hide that last one, but I saw it, I know I did. Then he simply downed the last of his drink and headed to the bar.

My heart was stammering in my chest, my breathing was uneven, I'd fisted my hands and could actually feel my nails digging into them. Small tears had filled the corner of my eyes and I dashed them away angrily. Of all the people to turn from me I had not expected it to be Rick. Sure, I could stay here and try and win him back, butter him up, tell him lies. Tell him that I wasn't going to see much of Michel again, that I wouldn't let Michel feed from me, that I wasn't changing, becoming more supernatural than human, that I was still me. I could have done all of that. He was a friend after all and you fight for your friends and their friendships, don't you?

But I didn't. I just picked myself up and walked out the door, straight through the busy atrium of the Tower and out to the night. My night. The darkness wrapping around me like a familiar friend, one who didn't judge, one who didn't ask those difficult questions, one who just said,
hey, I'm here for you and always will be.

So much for getting my friend back.

I hadn't been aware of where my feet had taken me, I thought I'd been heading in the direction of home. But when I came to an intersection and looked at the street signs, Mayoral Drive and Queen Street, I realised I'd been heading towards
Sensations
without even knowing about it. I hesitated. Did I really want to go up Queen Street? I could just turn around right now and head home, curl up on the couch and pretend this night never happened.

Part of me wanted to, but a bigger part, the part that makes me get up off the ground when a vampire's knocked me down, or run towards the danger when my fear is screaming no, that part of me said, no. Don't hide who you are. Don't try to be something you're not just because someone wants you that way. If Rick couldn't see that I was still the same person inside despite everything that was happening to me, then he could go to hell.

Right now, I needed friends and as weird as it was to say it, those vampires at
Sensations
were my friends. I started up the hill.

Jett was on the door again. Seems Bruno had moved on to greener pastures. As to be expected, he was dressed in black. The same black jeans and tight black T-Shirt I'd first seen on him. He wore it well. His long curly hair was tied back at the base of his head today, it made the features on his face stand out even more than usual. The nose so much bigger and uglier, with its slightly crooked bend, but the smile he gave me was genuine and it lit up those big blue eyes and made you not want to look anywhere else. I chided myself for looking. Michel may not be able to glaze me any more, but other vampires still could. Best to be more careful.

“Hey, Jett!”

“
Hey yourself, Lucinda.”

“
You know, you can call me Luce, all the others do.”

“
The master does not.”

“
Yeah, well, the
master
calls me whatever he damn well likes, but you, you can call me Luce. OK?” I hadn't meant that to sound so rude, really I hadn't, it just kinda came out that way. “Sorry, that was a bit rude. I've had a rough night.”

“
There is nothing to apologise for.” His face was even, neutral. I think he meant it. I think.

“
So, is it busy in there tonight?” For some reason I just wanted to be prepared, a big crowd of dancing humans just wasn't my cup of tea this evening.

“
Private function.”

OK. “Can I go in? Or will they chuck me out without an invite?”

“This is your home, you can come and go as you please.”

“
Um, it's not my home, Jett. I have an apartment.”

He just looked at me as though I was the one who was crazy. Jeez, vampires!

“Your home is with the master. The master lives here.”

This was so not going anywhere. “Right. I'll go in then.”

He nodded, that slow short incline of his head he seems to do and opened the door to the inside.

I was immediately met with a mixture of vampire
Sanguis Vitam
signatures, differing power levels, tingles and pinpricks along my skin, more so than usual and with a cursory glance around the room, I recognised the scene. No Norms. The only humans here were groupies and willing donors. The vampires were partying tonight. I wonder why?

It was kind of like a scene from a movie. Seriously gorgeous people lounging around on sumptuous furniture. They were all dressed to impress too, latest fashions, stunning outfits, flawless make-up and hair. Some were openly feeding, others getting a little too familiar for the public setting that it was and still more hiding in the shadows doing God knows what. I didn't want to look too closely, those were images I could gladly keep from repeating in my dreams.

There was a heady scent in the air too, intoxicating even, it sent shivers down the spine. Did vampires give off pheromones when en masse like this? It wasn't quite an orgy, but I didn't doubt it could turn that way in a flash. This was so unexpected. I'm not a prude, but I'm not a swinger either. I don't frequent those sorts of places where they dress up in leather and wear whips and chains like jewellery.
Sensations
had always had a little zing to it, the dark furniture, lush surroundings and low lighting screamed indulgent behaviour, but this? This was something else entirely.

I scanned the room for a familiar face, but couldn't see anyone other than Doug behind the bar and he was busy, orders flying off the counter in that vampire preternatural speed. Whoever was footing the bill for this bash was gonna feel it. I decided I'd just head in the direction of the Private area, when a vampire stepped in front of me, barring my way.

He was tall, really tall, so I had to crane my neck back to look up at him. That's not saying much, I have to look up at most people, but still, he looked like a tree. Strong arms in a casual dress shirt of deep red, over tight form fitting black trousers. I'd got so used to vampires wearing black lately that my eyes lingered on the shirt, taking in the broad chest, thick arms. I shook myself and kept on tipping back to get a look at who this guy was. He obviously wanted my attention, but I wasn't going to step back and show fear. That would have been a dead give away, emphasis on dead.