Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (17 page)

Annie’s answering laugh sounded like bells. “Come on, Abigail! I know you better than that!”

I couldn’t help but smile, then I shrugged, saying nothing.

“Is it those vamps back there? Because if it is …”

“No, not the vamps,” I replied, still watching the road.

Then a light seemed to brighten her emerald green eyes. “Zac,” she simply said.

Abruptly, I turned my head to look at her.

She smiled with self satisfaction for having figured it out. “Do you like him?”

“Annie, you sound like we’re in the third grade!” I laughed.

“Answer the question,” Annie continued. “Do you like him?”

“Of course,” I replied, still looking at the road.

Then came the hard question. “Do you love him?” Annie asked quietly, almost a whisper.

I nodded, then eyed her with eyes filled with conviction. “Yes.”

“Well,” Annie replied jubilantly. “What’s the problem, then?”

“Well, Annie,” I began sarcastically. “Let’s see here. I’m his bodyguard. He’s my charge …”

“Yeah, yeah, rah, rah,” Annie mocked. “There’s more to it than that.” She thought for a moment, then asked. “Is it because he’s human?”

I sighed, giving up, then nodded my head.

“What’s the problem?” she repeated. “So what? He’s human! Make him a vamp! Keep him!”

Suddenly my eyes flared. “No! I can’t do that to him!”

“Why not?” Annie asked innocently, unable to see my point.

“Annie,” I began, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “I can’t condemn him to a life of constant thirst. The animalistic parts. It takes a while to gain control over your emotions, remember?”

Annie winced, remembering the difficulty she had adjusting to this new life. It took her years to gain control, and years to forgive me. “That part doesn’t last long in comparison,” Annie said quietly.

“Annie,” I began again, trying to explain my point of view. “I hate to bring it up, but you remember how difficult it was for you to adjust.” I paused, hating myself for bringing it up to her. “I just couldn’t do that to him. And what if he hated me? I just couldn’t live with myself.”

Annie turned sharply toward me. “You couldn’t
live
with yourself?” she asked in stunned disbelief, then turned to face the road, shaking her head. “Oh, you’ve got it bad for this guy!”

“Thanks, Annie,” I replied sarcastically. “Really helpful.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?” Annie’s eyes flared. “Either you keep him or you don’t.” Then she looked out the window for a moment. To Annie, everything was cut and dry. “Does he love you?”

I sighed. “He says he does.”

“Then go for it!” Annie said, turning in her seat to face me. “In all the years you’ve walked the earth, have you ever fell in love before?”

I shook my head, watching the road, unable to meet her gaze.

“Star,” Annie gently replied. “You are living proof that love doesn’t happen every day. But when it does, you have to grab onto it with both hands and don’t let go.”

And I knew she was right. This was a once in a lifetime thing and probably wouldn’t happen again.

“Anyway,” Annie interrupted my reverie. “You have a few more years before you have to make a decision. Guys are usually older than girls anyway.” I gave Annie a disbelieving look. “Figuratively speaking, of course,” Annie amended. I sighed again. “Just relax, Star!” Annie said, rubbing my arm to calm me. “Just relax and go with the flow.”

“What’s with all this ‘go with the flow’ business?” I said, turning to face her.

“What?” Annie asked innocently.

“That’s what Rick said,” I replied, exasperated, then imitated his perfect baritone voice. “Go with the flow.”

“So?” Annie retorted. “See? Rick’s telling you the same thing, so don’t worry about it! Just go with the flow!”

I laughed, turning my attention back to the road. “Okay, I’ll ‘go with the flow,’” I laughed sarcastically.

Annie pushed me gently on the shoulder. “See if I’ll help you anymore!”

“Rick said that, too!” I said, smiling. “Hey! Maybe you and Rick have more in common than you think!”  And as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew it was the wrong thing to say.

“You think so?” Annie brightened, jumping excitedly in her seat.

“Annie, that’s not what I meant …”

“So you don’t think so?” Annie asked, crestfallen.

“I’m not getting in the middle of that one!” I held up a hand in surrender. “That’s between the two of you!”

“So you wouldn’t object?” Annie asked, with a surprisingly serious look on her face, “if Rick and I got together?”

“Of course not!” I said with a smile. It really helped to have this girl time with Annie. “That is, if you
both
are in agreement.”

“I was afraid you would say that,” Annie replied, dejected.

“Annie, don’t give up hope,” I replied, cheering her up, but hating myself for encouraging her like this. “But throwing yourself at him the way you do doesn’t help your case.”

“What do you mean?” Annie asked innocently. And in her emerald eyes, I could see that she really meant it. I guess that her teasing was just so second nature to her that she really gave it no notice.

“Play a little hard to get,” I said, mischievously. “Don’t appear so available.”

“But I am available …” Annie replied, not getting my point.

“Stop throwing yourself at him, Annie!” I spelled it out for her.

“Oh,” Annie said, sitting back in her seat. “That’s just my way of playing.”

“I know, and don’t ever change,” I told her. “Just tone it down a bit where Rick is concerned.”

Then she grinned impishly. “I’ll try. But where Rick is concerned, I make no promises!”

“So you really like him?” I asked, turning to face her. “I mean, in a romantic way. No joke?”

Annie nodded, sitting back with a faraway look in her eyes, turning her attention toward the road. “For a long time. Too long.”

“Has there been anyone else?” I asked, probably already knowing the answer, but asking anyway.

Then Annie turned to face me, surprising me. “Not that I loved.”

“Wow,” I replied. “You really do love Rick? Seriously. And not just as a boy toy?”

Annie smiled, one side of her lips curling into a half smile. “Well, Rick would be a great toy,” she mused, then grew serious.”But no, he wouldn’t be a toy to me. I really care about him.”

“You’re serious,” I said, more of a statement than a question. “Do you love him?”

“I’ve loved him for a long, long time.”

“How long?” I asked, really curious now. I really had no idea Annie felt this way about Rick for so long.

“Well, since I was human,” Annie replied. “Rick had already lost his wife. I tried to hide it from him, but I loved him then. In fact, he’s the only man I’ve ever loved.”

“Wow,” I said, unable to say more. That was a lot to absorb in one night. “Well, go for it!”

Annie laughed, like she couldn’t believe I had just said that. “What do you think I’ve been doing?”

“Playing around,” I said seriously. “Let him know how you really feel; no joking around about it.”

“I don’t know …”

“Look, Annie,” I replied, understanding. “I know how difficult it is to bare your soul. To let your true feelings be known. But do you really want to go the rest of your life with Rick not knowing?”

“But he does know!” Annie practically shouted.

“Annie, he’s not taking you seriously,” I explained. “Have a heart–to-heart talk with him. Let him know how you really feel. Without joking.”

Then Annie laughed, breaking the spell of the moment as we entered Cooperstown city limits. “Well, I guess we both have some decisions to make,” Annie said, lifting an eyebrow as she turned to look at me.

I laughed. “I guess we do,” I replied, slowing down to a crawl within the city limits. “Where do you live, Annie?”

“You can just take me to your house,” Annie replied. “I’ll run.”

“Annie,” I insisted. “I’ll take you home. I want to see where you live.”

“It’s just a little place …”

“So?” I replied. “Where to?” I looked in the rearview mirror and Rick was still following. Maybe it would do Rick some good to know where she lived, too. I smiled as the thought of Annie and Rick crossed my mind. Well? Stranger things have happened.

”Okay,” Annie replied, exasperated. “Make a right at the next street.” I did as she asked, then followed the winding road until it ended near the lake. Annie guided me to a small, single story stone cottage, probably a two bedroom.

“Annie, this is beautiful,” I replied. “There’s nothing wrong with this!”

“It’s small,” she said sheepishly, “But right on the lake.”

“I love it!” I smiled widely. “It’s beautiful! A little cottage!”

Annie smiled widely, pleased with my reaction. “Thanks! Well it’s home to me. I got it for a song.”

“Hey,” I replied. “That always helps.”

“And the views are spectacular,” Annie added, pride leaking into her voice.

Rick waited impatiently behind us, turning his lights off, then he gunned the engine.

“You guys want to come in?” Annie asked politely, but sincerely.

I smiled, then replied, “Not tonight, Annie, but I’d love to some other time.”

“Tomorrow?” Annie asked and before I could answer, added, “Oh, goodie!” Then she clapped her hands excitedly like a child on Christmas morning.

“Annie, I didn’t say …”

“It’s settled then!” Annie said, then added, “And feel free to bring Zac with you if you want.”

“I’m going over to check on him tonight,” I replied with a faraway look in my eyes, thinking of Zac.

Annie laughed.

“What?” I asked innocently.

“Nothing!” Annie replied cheerfully, her smile lighting up the night. “That’s it! It’s just so good to see you like this! This is definitely a first!”

“Annie, I’ve got to go,” I said, shaking my head with a sigh. “See you tomorrow.”

“And tomorrow night, too!” Annie said jubilantly. She was so excited I really didn’t have the heart to say no.

“We’ll see,” I replied with a half smile, then put the car in reverse, hinting politely.

“Tomorrow then!” Annie said, jumping from the car and shutting the door. 

“Annie …”

“See you!” She said jubilantly, obviously not taking no for an answer, then turned to wave seductively at Rick. In the rearview mirror, Rick shook his head, but a half smile lit his lips, amused, as he watched her enter the little cottage. Well, you never know. She might rub off on him yet.

And as I watched her disappear into the house, I was glad that fate had brought Annie back into my life again.

Once Annie was safely inside the house, Rick backed out of the driveway from behind me and headed home as I followed. Rick was very protective, whether the object of his protection needed it or not. And secretly, I was glad fate brought Rick back into my life again, too.

I followed the winding road the short distance home, watching Rick’s tail lights the whole way, thinking of Zac. Suddenly, I was filled with worry, wondering if a rogue vamp got to him yet. After what we learned tonight, I knew I couldn’t leave Zac alone for long. Rick, Annie, and I would have to run surveillance on Zac around the clock. With a million dollar price tag on his head, any rogue vamp—or human, for that matter—would be after him.

I pulled into the driveway beside Rick at our two-story stone house and turned off the lights, but not the engine. I rolled down the power window as Rick approached, then squatted down and crossed his arms in the window, looking at me smiling, but said nothing.

“I’m going over to keep an eye on Zac tonight,” I told Rick innocently, as he smirked knowingly. “Oh, come on now, Rick! After what we heard tonight? We can’t leave him home alone for long.”

“I know, I know,” Rick laughed. He wasn’t fooled. “It just does my heart good to see you like this!”

“Oh, go away.”

“What is it you say? Not likely?”

“Well, here’s to hoping,” I replied, looking straight ahead, then back into Rick’s eyes, this time serious. “We’ll have to take shifts guarding him.”

“I know,” Rick replied, then couldn’t resist another smile. “Are you sure you’re going to let the rest of us have a turn?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “When I need to hunt,” I joked along with him.

“Okay,” Rick said, patting the car loudly. “Be careful.”

“I will,” I replied, then added. “And watch the car!”

Rick held his arms up, innocently backing away, then the look on his face turned serious. “I’ll be right back,” Rick said, running at vamp speed toward the house.

“What’s up?” I asked, throwing the car into park and turning off the engine. But before he could answer, I knew. I smelled it.

Another vamp was here.