Always the Vampire

The four of us took a short stroll on the dark beach to kill time before meeting Ken and David, me praying they wouldn’t be delayed. Much as I was coming to like Lynn, I’d done about all the entertaining I could do for a day.

When we topped the beach access steps, I spotted the vampires on the south end of the parking lot, half sitting on the hood of a tan Ford Taurus sedan. Not an entire division of Marines, but they were the keys to phase two of my plan, and, boy, did they look the part. In uniforms of black slacks, medium blue shirts, and dark sneakers, they exuded the spit-and-polish spirit. They even came to attention as I approached with my party in tow.

“Hi, guys. Thank you for coming.”

“We’re at your service, Princess Cesca,” surfer-blond David replied.

“It’s just Cesca,” I said automatically. “David Marks, Ken Crandall, meet Deke Saber and Triton Delphinus.”

“Pleasure,” each of the vampires said as they shook hands.

“And this is Lynn Heath. Your protectee.”

“Ms. Heath, nice to meet you,” tall, dark, and fanged Ken said.

“Ma’am,” David acknowledged. “Would you like to ask us questions before you accept our protection? We can sit there in the arbor.”

He pointed to the structure at the head of the beach access walk, and I watched Lynn, Saber, and Triton for their reactions.

Lynn’s eyes sparkled at the males, but Triton and Saber were tougher sells.

“How long have you been vampires?” Triton asked.

“Since the 1980s,” Ken replied.

“So before the VPA,” Saber said.

I knew where Triton was going, and David apparently did, too.

“I assure you, we’re well adapted to bottled meals,” he said. “We will not harm Ms. Heath.”

“What do you men do for a living?”

Lynn rolled her eyes. “Triton, you’re not my father.”

“It’s a fair question, ma’am,” Ken soothed, and turned to Triton. “David is a web developer. I’m a dance instructor.”

Ken watched Triton, waiting for the crack that didn’t come.

“A dance instructor? Really?” Lynn gushed. “Would you teach me to merengue?”

“Lynn.”

“Chill out, Triton. It’s only a dance.” She turned back to Ken. “Well?”

“It’ll be my honor, ma’am.”

With that, Triton was overruled.

Saber knew how to reach the beach house, so I rode with Ken and David. We covered the few miles in minutes, and since I didn’t have a driveway, I directed Ken to pull onto the grass instead of parking behind Saber on the blacktopped road. This way the car would be closer to the house, near the flagstone walkway. Couldn’t hurt for a quick entrance or exit, though I hoped neither would be necessary.

When I opened the door with pride, Saber’s reaction didn’t disappoint. He gaped at the changes as soon as he walked inside. The crisp white paint on the wood plank walls and the same treatment on the door casings and baseboards provided a high contrast with the oak floors and exposed beams I’d cleaned, sanded, and restained in a dark finish. The large ceiling fan with its directional lights moved air efficiently throughout the thousand square feet or so. And for being mishmash garage sale finds, the furnishings completed the cozy look of the place.

“You did all this in the few weeks I was gone?”

“I told you it wasn’t a ratty shack anymore.”

“How did you get licensed people to complete the jobs so fast?”

“I asked nicely.”

“Hah,” Triton said. “I waited on workers for months when I renovated.”

“That’s because you aren’t a pretty woman,” Lynn shot back, then turned to me as she dropped her duffel bag beside one of the two rather ugly wicker chairs I had yet to spray paint. “It’s a great place, Cesca.”

“Thanks, let me show you around. Ken, David, I need you to take the tour, too.”

While Saber and Triton peeled off to poke around on their own, I pointed out that the daybed in the living area had a trundle bed hidden beneath a striped, ocean-colored coverlet. They’d have to move the oval coffee table out of the way to get to the trundle, but it was there if needed.

Next, I showed Lynn, David, and Ken the bedroom I’d painted a light blue gray color. White iron twin beds sat against the far wall, dressed in plain light blue linens from a bed-in-a-bag ensemble. A dark wood nightstand nestled between the beds, and a dark wood chest of drawers stood on the opposite wall.

“I had storm shutters installed all over the house and I’ve left them closed, but I haven’t been here in the bright day enough to know how much sun will still get in.”

“We noticed the shutters from outside, but sunlight won’t be a problem. We travel with special sleeping bags. We’ll do.”

“Oh, okay, then, next room.”