Married, that sucks. But, they aren’t together anymore and haven’t been together for over two centuries, so that has to count for something...I think.
I mean, come on, Tanis has dated and slept with other people in that time. Just because I haven’t slept with anyone...actually, damn it. He’s the first boy I’ve ever kissed, and you can’t exactly call him a boy. Tanis is a man, a man who has seen more than three centuries worth of world changing events. The most I can brag about seeing is...nothing really. Not in comparison to the wonders he’s seen.
Shit! This isn’t going to end well. I know it...it can’t! Yes, age is nothing but a number, and Mom kept reassuring me of that while we folded my laundry after Tanis left last night, but it didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“Sweetheart, age doesn’t matter when it comes to matters of the heart,” Mom assured me. “Hell, if you tell anyone this, I’ll kick your ass, but I’m older than your Dad.”
That I didn’t know and it actually made me feel slightly better.
Mom was nice to Tanis. Dad walked him to the door and only glared at him a little bit. And Jarvis seems to like him; they were talking privately before Tanis left for the evening. I hope it was friendly banter and not more death threats from both sides—boys are ridiculous most of the time.
“Count Suckula is here!” Jarvis called up the stairs.
Damn it.
I woke up late and barely had time for a shower. I threw on whatever was folded on the top of the laundry basket. Since nearly all of my clothes were jeans and tee shirts, it was safe to assume that it matched.
“Any day now!” he yelled.
“Bite me!” I yelled back as I scrambled to get my shoes on.
Jarvis was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I slid down the railing.
“You’re a real douche bag,” I informed him, taking the sack lunch he was holding out for me.
“And you love me for it,” he smugly reminded me.
“You have your moments,” I said and kissed him on the cheek before heading out the door.
Leaning against the passenger side door of a pearly white European carriage was Tanis with a smile on his face. Of course he looked like a damn model standing there in his expensive designer clothes. Even though he was just wearing jeans and a v-neck sweater with a dress shirt and necktie under it, I was more than confident that the outfit cost more then I make in a month; he looked like a British model.
“Good morning,” I greeted, hurrying to the SUV.
“Duckie,” he greeted with a nod. “How was your night?” he asked then smirked.
“You tell me, you were there,” I reminded him, trying to keep my voice down so Jarvis didn’t hear that Tanis snuck in the window again last night for a couple hours in Heaven.
“That I was,” Tanis amusingly agreed with a mischievous smirk and smacked my ass in passing, causing me to jump.
When I slid into the passenger seat, I nearly hopped back out.
In the backseat his cousins sat smiling wide at me, fangs clearly visible.
“Er, hello?” I greeted and nervously tucked my hair behind my ears.
“Hello,” they said in unison before laughing.
Tanis appeared in the driver seat in a blur of movement and smiled at me. “I thought it would be lovely if you got to know me family more,” he said.
“Huh?” I asked dumbfounded.
“I dare say, you are not nervous about being in a car full of vampires, are you?” he teased. “I thought Miss Jay Dee was not terrified of anything, especially vampires. Especially after that little showing at the garage with me brother,” he mused.
“SUV,” I instantly corrected. “And no, not really. Just surprised is all...and I was armed when your douche bag brother was around.”
“Indeed,” Tanis said, his smile falling and he handed me the silver dagger that I had slammed into his brother’s hand.
“Thank you,” I said and smiled wide causing him to shake his head.
Romeo leaned forward, popping his head between our seats. “Don’t let our presence stop you two from doing whatever it is you do on the way to school,” he said then smiled wide. “Seriously, I am an avid supporter of voyeurism.”
Steffen punched him in the arm, knocking him back in his seat. “Shut up. It’s a wonder you can get laid at all, you’re such a child.”
And the bantering started.
After that they, hardly noticed that I was even there so I just sat back and watched.
Steffen was a good guy, very likeable...he reminded me of Jarvis. His wife, Abigail, wasn’t what I was expecting, to say the least. She was very sweet and warm, most of the time she was stuck playing peacekeeper, however what she said was final; none of them questioned it. She was a woman with power in an SUV full of boys—well, minus me. Tanis sat quietly, laughing at them, occasionally shaking his head at one of them in the rearview mirror, his free hand wrapped around mine, drawing circles with his thumb on the palm of my hand as he drove.
“Do you work tomorrow?” Tanis asked when we got to school.
“No, Joe is closing the shop for the day because of the party. Why? Oh god, what did your brother do to the shop?” I groaned, expecting the worst.
Again, they laughed.
Steffen wrapped his arms around the seat and hugged me. “Nothing. I kept an eye on the little shit, even got to taunt him. I wasn’t nearly as good as you, but it was still fun. I made sure that he picked everything up and closed up properly before I gave him his ring back. Let me tell you, he bitched and whined the entire time.”
Thank God.
Abigail giggled. “I don’t think anyone has ever put that jerk in his place before. Bravo, girlie.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled and blushed. “It wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve never been known for my common sense, case in point, I’m in a car full of vampires.”
“SUV,” Tanis corrected with a smile.
“Would you like to go shopping with me tomorrow in Seattle?” Abigail asked with a smile.
“Huh?” I choked and turned around to face her.
She rolled her large, dark brown eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Shopping. I know that this area doesn’t have a mall or anything, but Seattle isn’t that far away and we’ll be back in time for your party. Just some early morning shopping to arouse the senses and caress the soul,” she said with a longing sigh.
“Again, huh?” I choked.
“It’s been far too many days since I’ve been in a dressing room, so how about it?” she asked.
Nervous, I chewed on my lip. “Um...well,” I stammered.
How do I word this without offending her?
“Are you scared to be alone with a vampire who isn’t physically attracted to you?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, her thumb absently spinning her diamond encrusted wedding band around her ring finger. “You are beautiful and your tits are amazing, especially since they’re natural, but I only like to watch those earning what I throat as they spin around a pole. Sorry.”
I laughed.
“Scared? Yes,” I admitted. “Of a vampire? No. I don’t like shopping,” I said and they laughed.
Tanis coughed, trying to clear the amusement from his voice. “It is not nearly as bad as you think it is, Duckie. You might actually like it.”
I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he pinched my lips together.
“Worst case scenario, you drag them to an automotive store and go shopping there.”
Everyone was laughing again, even me. Abigail thought Tanis was kidding but he was serious, and he knew that I’d do just that.
“Fine, it isn’t like I can get out of it. What time?”
“Six,” she beamed and I groaned.
“That sucks. The Seahawks play their first preseason game tonight,” I mumbled.
Steffen popped his head between the seats that time. “No shit? Did you want to come over and watch? We have a theater in the basement we can watch the game on.”
Tanis groaned and softly bashed his head into the steering wheel.
“No shit?” I laughed. “Hell yeah...oh wait, I promised Jarvis and Yahto that I’d watch the game with them.”
Steffen smiled wide. “Bring them! The family isn’t like most vampires. We don’t have anything against werewolves. In fact, Toran has been considered the werewolf to vampire relations advocate for centuries, since he was turned...yeah, I shouldn’t have said that. Either way, bring them. I’m sure your man can whip up some food while we watch the game since he wouldn’t be caught dead watching a ‘football’ game.”
I smirked and looked over at Tanis. “You don’t like sports?”
“Bloody Americans and their football. You do not hardly ever use your bloody foot so why call it ‘football’?! It should be bloody called what it truly is! Americanized rugby with pads since Yanks are obviously pansies,” he said, making a mocking face so I punched him in the arm, getting a growl from the vampire I assaulted in return and a roar of laughter from the three behind us.