Chapter Twenty-Eight
Tessa grinned at Bailey as they set the table for dinner. It had been a hectic morning. The first order of business had been a quick trip to the market in search of the perfect prime rib. With that accomplished, she and Bailey had spent a hurried few minutes dusting and vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom before going to their own rooms to shower and dress for the day.
Tristan had given Bailey his cell phone number and she had called him last night to invite him to dinner. Tessa wasn’t sure how she felt about having another shape-shifter in the house, but she kept her misgivings to herself.
Their guests were scheduled to arrive at four.
At three thirty, Tessa set out chips and dip and a vegetable platter. She checked to make sure there was plenty of ice, chilled the wine Andrei had dropped off the night before, checked the roast and the potatoes.
Luke and Jilly arrived a few minutes before four, Tristan shortly thereafter.
Bailey made the introductions.
Tessa smiled as she shook Tristan’s hand. He was a handsome young man, almost as tall as Andrei, with short, dark brown hair and vivid green eyes. He was obviously ill at ease in a roomful of strangers, but he greeted each of them politely. Tessa noted that Bailey couldn’t keep her eyes off him.
“Where’s Andrei?” Jilly asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him. Oh,” she said, hurrying toward the front door, “he’s here.”
She felt her heart skip a beat as he swept her into his arms and kissed her. And kissed her again, his hands moving up and down her spine, then delving into her hair.
“I missed you,” he murmured.
She gazed up at him, breathless, her other guests forgotten. “You should miss me more often.”
“Darlin’, I miss you every second we’re apart.” He smiled down at her, his eyes alight. “I have news but I’m not sure if it’s good news or not.”
“What is it?”
“I stopped by Katerina’s place on my way here. There’s still no sign of her. It looks like she packed up and left town.”
“That sounds like good news to me!”
“If she’s truly gone from Cutter’s Corner, then it is. If she’s still here . . . shielding her presence . . .” He shook his head. “It’s easier to fight an enemy you can see.”
“Well, let’s not worry about her now,” Tessa said, taking him by the hand. “For today, let’s pretend she doesn’t exist.”
“All right, love.”
Still holding her hand, Andrei exchanged greetings with Luke and Jilly, shook hands with Tristan, gave Bailey a one-armed hug. If he was surprised to see Tristan, he didn’t let on.
A short time later, Tessa announced dinner was ready and they sat down to eat. She glanced at Andrei, seated to her left. Was it uncomfortable for him to be here, she wondered, watching the rest of them enjoying the meal?
Catching her gaze, Andrei shook his head. Food had held no interest for him since he became a vampire. And yet . . . he stared at the thick slice of rare prime rib on Tessa’s plate and felt his mouth water. As if watching himself from a distance, he picked up her knife, took the fork from her hand, cut a small piece of meat, and ate it. It seemed odd to consume something that wasn’t liquid, odder still to have to chew before he swallowed. The meat was rare and tender and slid easily down his throat.
Tessa stared at him, as did everyone else at the table.
Shrugging, he helped himself to a slice from the platter in the center of the table. He might regret it later, he thought as he took another bite. But for now he was going to enjoy it. Later tonight, he would ponder how it was possible for him to consume mortal food.
* * *
The night had passed pleasantly enough, Tessa thought as she loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. Jilly and Bailey had offered to help, but she had insisted on doing it after everyone had gone home. “It’s a holiday,” she’d said. “Let’s not spend it in the kitchen.”
Now, near midnight, she switched on the machine, turned off the light, and went into the living room, where Andrei waited for her. Jilly and Luke had gone home; Bailey had gone out with Tristan.
“It was fun, wasn’t it?” Tessa remarked, curling up on the sofa next to him. “At least after we all managed to relax.”
He chuckled. The amount of preternatural power in the room had raised the hairs along Luke’s arms. “I think Tristan will be good for Bailey.”
“Do you really think they’re destined to be life-mated?”
“I guess it’s possible. I don’t know much about the shifter community.”
“But you knew they existed?”
“I’ve run across one now and then.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“You know you can ask me anything.”
“I thought you couldn’t eat . . . you know . . . regular food. But you ate the roast. How did you manage it?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even know where the urge came from. I haven’t eaten solid food in centuries.” His gaze moved to her throat. “I think it has something to do with your blood.”
She lifted a hand to her neck. “What do you mean?”
“It’s made me stronger in ways I can’t explain. Perhaps that includes the ability to consume mortal food from time to time.”
She stared at him, eyes wide.
He laughed softly. “It’s pretty amazing. Who knows? Tomorrow night I might try a hamburger.”
She didn’t know if he was kidding or not. But there were more important things on her mind. “Do you really think Katerina is gone for good?”
“One can only hope.” Andrei wrapped his arm around Tessa’s shoulders and drew her closer. “Let’s not talk about her now,” he whispered, his voice husky with desire.
He gave her no time to respond. Lowering his head, he kissed her, gently at first, then with greater intensity. Somehow, they were lying side by side on the sofa, their bodies pressed so intimately together Tessa couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.
His hand slipped beneath her sweater, his skin cool against her heated flesh as he kissed her again and yet again, his tongue teasing hers in a dance as old as time. She couldn’t think, could scarcely breathe. There was only Andrei, his mouth on hers, his hands caressing her until she thought she might die from wanting him.
She felt his fangs brush against the side of her neck, featherlight, a silent plea.
Gasping, “Yes,” she clung to him as the only solid thing in a world suddenly spinning out of control.
She cried out in protest when he sat up, drawing her with him, straightening her sweater.
Tessa blinked up at Andrei, her whole body throbbing with desire. Before she could ask why he’d stopped, Bailey entered the condo.
The girl blushed to the roots of her hair. Stammering, “I’m sorry,” she averted her face and bolted for her room.
The sound of her door slamming was very loud in the silence that followed.
With a sigh, Tessa ran a hand through her hair, then glanced at Andrei.
He traced her lower lip with his fingers. “And the fair maiden is saved by the bell yet again,” he muttered dryly.
* * *
When Tessa woke Friday morning, the first thing she noticed was Andrei resting beside her. It was, she thought, starting to be a habit, and a dangerous one. They had indulged in some hot and heavy kissing last night before she’d managed to put on the brakes. She wondered how much longer she could play with fire before she got burned, or Andrei ran out of patience with her.
Propping herself up on one elbow, she spent a few moments admiring the strong lines of his face, the width of his shoulders.
“If you keep looking at me like that,” he murmured, his voice deep and sleep-roughened, “I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Blushing from head to foot, Tessa jerked her gaze away, only then noticing the beautiful cherrywood secretary she had admired at Andrei’s. Somehow, he had carried it into her bedroom during the night without her hearing a thing. She had planned to put it in the living room by the window, but it fit perfectly on the wall across from her bed.
“Andrei, you remembered.”
“Of course.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “What would you like to do this morning?” he asked.
“I know what you’d like to do,” she muttered.
“Are you reading my mind now?”
“That’s not really necessary.” She glanced at the sheet, and the visible evidence of his arousal beneath it.
Andrei chuckled, not the least bit embarrassed.
It was oh, so temping, Tessa thought, but something held her back. She wanted him desperately and yet, once they made love, she was committed. She couldn’t share her body without sharing her heart. Once she crossed that line, there was no turning back. And as much as she wanted him, as much as she loved him . . . the word, vampire, slithered, unwanted, through the back of her mind.
She met his hooded gaze, her own tormented, his filled with a look of such understanding and sadness that she quickly glanced away before he saw her tears.
“Tessa.”
She shook her head, refusing to look at him.
“Tessa. It’s okay. You have every right to be afraid to tie your life to mine. I don’t blame you.” He placed his hand on her back. “I just want you to be happy, the way you were before I turned your life upside down.”
His hand fell away, though she could still feel his touch.
When she turned around, he was gone.
The tears came then, slowly building in intensity until she fell back on the mattress, sobbing. Why was life so complicated? Why couldn’t she have fallen in love with some ordinary guy? She didn’t want to live without Andrei, but she couldn’t bring herself to have an affair with him. She wanted marriage and a family. A man who would come home from work at night and ask about her day. She wanted a marriage like the one her parents had—a solid relationship built on love and trust. Was that asking too much?
She cried until she had no tears left, then went into the bathroom to wash her face. She frowned at her reflection. If she went into the kitchen, her eyes all red and puffy, Bailey was going to know something was wrong.
Her heart skipped a beat when her cell phone rang. Was it Andrei? She ran into the bedroom and snatched it off the nightstand.
It was Jilly. “Hi!” she said exuberantly. “Are you sitting down?”
“No, why? What’s wrong?”
“Luke asked me to marry him!”
Tessa dropped down on the edge of the bed.
“Tess? Are you there? Did you hear what I said?”
“That’s wonderful, Jilly. I’m . . . I’m happy for you. For both of you.”
“You don’t sound very happy.”
“I am, really.” She forced a smile into her voice. “So, when’s the big day?”
“Gosh, we haven’t settled on a date yet, but we both want a small wedding. Just close friends and family. Nothing fancy. You’ll be my maid of honor, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks! I’ve got to go call my mom. I wanted to tell you first. Tell Bailey and Andrei, okay? I’ll call you later!”
Of all the rotten timing, Tessa mused. Tossing her phone on the bed, she went to tell Bailey the happy news.
* * *
Andrei wandered the busy streets of Cutter’s Corner. It was the day after Thanksgiving. Most of the businesses were still closed, although the movie theater and the specialty shops were crowded with people who had the day off.
He and Luke had swept the town before, searching for any vampires who had decided to stay but, having nothing better to do, Andrei had decided to look again. Thus far, it had been a waste of time.
If his preternatural senses were to be trusted, he was the only vampire left in town.
Perhaps it was time to move on.
He ducked into a restaurant, something he rarely did. He ordered a glass of the house chardonnay, which came with a small basket of bread and crackers. He had been a fool to think Tessa would be his. Oh, he could compel her to stay with him, to share his bed, he could even make her believe she loved him, but the idea held no appeal. It wouldn’t be real, and more than anything, he wanted her, warm and willing. He didn’t blame her for not wanting him. For being afraid of him, deny it though she might. Other than the desire that sizzled between them whenever they were together, they had little in common. And yet, he wanted her like no other woman he had ever known. Needed her in ways he didn’t understand.
Without thinking about what he was doing, he buttered a slice of bread and took a bite. And then another. He frowned when he realized what he was doing. And then, angry without knowing why, he tossed a handful of bills on the table and left the restaurant.
He preyed on the first mortal that crossed his path. Only when he realized he was close to draining the woman did he free her from his thrall and send her on her way.
What the hell? How could he be hungry for both bread and blood? What the hell was happening to him?
* * *
“Married?” Bailey paused in the act of adding cheese to her sandwich. “Wow. I knew they liked each other, but didn’t they just meet a little while ago?”
Tessa nodded. “It does seem a little sudden, but . . .” She shrugged. “They seem happy together.”
“I guess.”
“How are things going with you and Tristan?”
Bailey shrugged. “Oh, you know.” She sliced a tomato. “He’s really cool. I like being with him. I still don’t know about that ‘life-mate’ thing, but I kind of like hanging out with the pack. I feel like I belong there, with them.”
“Oh.”
“I like it here with you, too,” Bailey said quickly.
“Well, you know you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.” Tessa pulled a soda from the fridge, then sat at the table. “Was it really terrible in your foster home?”
“Yeah. They had three kids of their own, and two other foster kids. They made us eat last and wear their kids’ hand-me-downs. Plus we had to do all the chores, and whenever they went out with their kids, they locked us in the basement.”
“Bailey, maybe you should go to the police and report them.”
“No! There was an older girl there—Kim—when I first arrived. She told the school principal that Mr. Fischer molested her. No one believed her. A lady from social services came to the house a few days later, but all she saw was what the Fischers wanted her to see. They gave us nicer clothes to wear and made sure we were all clean and had nice haircuts. Mr. and Mrs. Fischer were on their best behavior. They threw out all the booze and stocked the refrigerator with milk and good food. The social worker congratulated them on being such outstanding foster parents. A week later, Kim ‘fell’ down the basement steps and broke her neck.”
“Bailey, that’s terrible! We’ve got to do something.” But what? They had no proof of any misconduct other than Bailey’s word.
The girl nodded. “Mrs. Fischer isn’t so bad, but she’s afraid of her husband, just like the rest of us.”
“Would you go back, if he wasn’t there anymore?” Tessa asked.
“No. I’d rather stay here, with you, or with Tristan’s pack.”
Tessa stared out the window. There were all kinds of monsters in the world, she mused. She couldn’t blame Mrs. Fischer or Bailey for being afraid to confront the man. If he’d killed once to protect himself, what was to stop him from doing so again?
But she knew someone who wouldn’t be intimidated by the man.
If she ever saw him again.
* * *
Tessa wasn’t sure how she did it, but she managed to get through the rest of the day, and when it was over, she congratulated herself because she’d only cried five or six hundred times. If only Andrei hadn’t read her mind. If only he hadn’t been so understanding. She loved him, she really did, but was love enough? They lived such different lives.
Jilly called early Saturday morning, insisting Tessa go with her to look at wedding dresses. “Even though we want a small wedding, I want a long white dress and veil.”
So it was that Tessa found herself sitting in one of the dressing rooms at Maribel’s Bridal Shoppe, admiring one gown after another, each more beautiful than the last.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever decide!” Jilly said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “I love all of them! You should try one on.”
“Me? Whatever for?”
Jilly cocked her head to one side, her eyes narrowing. “Okay, what happened?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m sure you do.”
Blinking back tears, Tessa looked away.
“Oh, Tess, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known, I never would have dragged you in here, of all places.”
“It’s all right.”
“No, it isn’t. Let me change and we’ll go to Tommy’s for a burger and fries and you can tell me all about it.”
Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in a booth at Tommy’s.
“Nothing happened,” Tessa said, dropping a straw into her soda. “Not really. We were in bed Friday morning—just talking,” she clarified. “And I started thinking about Andrei being a vampire. I knew he wanted to make love to me, and I wanted him to, but I just couldn’t. I mean, once we make love . . .”
Jilly’s eyes grew wide with disbelief. “You haven’t done the deed yet? Seriously?”
Tessa shook her head. “He read my mind. He said he didn’t blame me for not wanting to commit, that he just wanted me to be happy. And then . . .” She fisted the tears from her eyes. “And then he just . . . left.”
“Oh, girlfriend, I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“I don’t know what it would be.”
“I know how much you care for him,” Jilly said, obviously choosing her words carefully. “But maybe it’s for the best.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” Pushing her plate aside, she said, “I’m sorry, but would you mind if we go home now?”