~

It’s not that I am indecisive, well, sometimes — no, actually not really — maybe a little at times, but my point is — what was my point again? Oh yes, Malachi is a vampire — does that make me a bad person to need to think of the big picture in all of this?

Blood. That was a big part of the big, big picture. Whose blood? Mine? Other people?

Was there a future to be had between a human and a vampire that was destined to walk the earth until someone killed him — again — properly this time with something wooden and spiky?

And what of the man himself? Could Malachi really be trusted? He’d wanted to kill Gran — that had to be a black mark against him.

Had he changed? Do vampires change? They certainly don’t grow old — which brings me full-circle back to him walking the Earth for the rest of his … life.

Was I being petty?

Was I over thinking it? I mean, perhaps this was Malachi’s MO — perhaps I was a challenge that he wanted to win, and once he had then he’d move on like a creep in the night.

I didn’t do one night stands. But, even if Malachi had something longer in mind, the man didn’t age — how long could longer be?

I mean, did I want to look as if I was robbing the cradle when I was in my forties, fifties, or older still? Sure, everybody loves a love story, but don’t tell me that people didn’t talk behind your back when you were lip-locking with someone that was young enough to be your offspring.

He had rescued me on a few occasions. He’d fought with us against the werewolves and my aunt. He’d even let Gran zap the heck out of him without much complaint, and she was doing better. But still, was he a good guy?

Yep, some really big questions and very little answers to be had, but what was new about that?

The bistro was buzzing today. It had an endless supply of tourists, and at times like these, I felt like putting a revolving door in the front of the shop.

Luckily all hands were on deck, and I could spend my time hiding in the kitchen, baking cookies, and … thinking. It wasn’t my favourite pastime.

The door opened, and Moira came in with a tray full of dirty dishes. She eyed me for a long moment with a small frown.

“What?” I finally asked because I hated to be treated like a specimen in a Petri dish.

“What are you doing with that vampire?”

“The one hiding under the counter?”

“What?” She took a step and leaned over to look. Then she huffed. “Don’t be annoying.”

“Can’t help it, I guess you’ve finally rubbed off on me.”

“Malachi?”

“Someone call?” he asked, stalking into the kitchen and making Moira jump in place. Busted, nosy witch.

“I wanted to see if it was true if the Devil did appear when you called his name, and here you are,” she said, all bright eyed and bushy tailed for fresh meat to get her claws into.

“I’m guessing that Maggie got the good personality, Eileen got the sugar and spice side, and you…”

“Don’t finish that if you don’t want to spend the next five minutes healing,” she warned.

“Hello,” Nena called out, just before she pushed open the back door and came in.

“Hey, I hear you’re thinking about leaving.”

I liked her and thought it was a shame that she wasn’t staying on the island. We’d even offered to put her up while she found somewhere to live if she wanted to relocate, but apparently, the attractions of the mainland were just too strong.

Personally, I think it might have had something to do with Jack. The two of them had been inseparable since the other night, not that I was gossiping.

“I’m actually off in a few hours.”

“Well, our door is always open for visits,” Moira said, and I hoped she’d take us up on that.

“And spellwork,” I added. “We owe you a big one, and maybe you can teach me some of those moves...”

“Moves?” Malachi said, frowning as he folded his arms. “Like with knives?”

“I’d be careful if I were you,” I warned him. I liked the idea of my mental fork, but I could take that next step up to knives.

“I’ll say no more,” he said, with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

“And what about Jack?” Moira asked.

“Jack and I don’t live too many miles apart so who knows?” she shrugged.

“Gran; if the mood takes her,” Moira said.

“Huh?” Nena looked lost.

“She wouldn’t.” I shook my head.

“It’s Gran, and matchmaking is her thing,” Moira protested.

“True.”

“Well, I prefer to let nature take its course…”

“Me too,” Malachi offered me a cocky grin, and I snorted contempt back at him.

“I’ll see, and I just saw him. He’s got a call out to the Point before he leaves…”

“What?” That jarred me out of the death glare that I was offering to Malachi.

“Oh, not again,” he groaned, but I was already grabbing a towel for more cookie dough covered hands and rushing for the door.

“I’ll drive,” Malachi called after me, and I didn’t care who was driving as long as I got there.

 

~

 

 I could see them in the distance, one big, rowdy drunken Scotsman, and Jack, and they were arguing. It couldn’t be now – right? I mean, the weather was right, we were probably in the right place on the Point, but, what – he was going to slip?

That would have been a kick in the visionary pants, but I suppose my vision didn’t warrant dark magic.

With the sound of Nena’s motorbike roaring by, taking the flatter grass cut into the well-trodden ground, Jack turned a look in our direction, and that was when it happened. The stupid drunken man saw his chance and aimed his whole body weight at Jack’s chest – I almost fell over my own feet, and I tried to run faster, but I was never going to be fast enough.

Jack’s body stumbled backwards, his arms flapped around like the little bird that wanted to fly, and then he did.

I blindly raced towards the edge behind Malachi; who was running so damn fast that I didn’t think he’d be able to stop, and he didn’t – he launched his body from the perfectly good land – who the heck in a month of Sundays did that?