Part 25 (1/2)
A cryptic Stay out of it and a resigned I know you won't stay out of it, so be careful.
Was this vamp my soul mate or what?
I dialed his number, but hung up after the third ring. Really. What was I going to say? He would just start questioning me and I would have to lie and, well, that was no way to treat a soul mate. Better to let the whole thing blow over. I wouldn 't have any reason to lie, and honesty was the best policy. Until then? Avoidance.
My mother gushed, ”Margie, you're so witty. I'm so lucky to have you as a daughter -in-law,” and I eyeballed the small window near the ceiling. No way was I squeezing my b.u.t.t through that, but I could totally flap my way out if things got too deep.
I pulled out my new pink nail polish. I was just swiping my baby toe when Nina knocked on the door.
”You can't stay in there forever.”
I finished up the toe and moved on to my nails. ”I'm not staying in here forever. I'm escaping through the window in a matter of minutes.”
”You can't do that. We need you for Truth or Dare.”
”Now I'm really out of here.”
”I know it's kind of lame, but it was Mandy's suggestion. She thought it would be a great way for us to get to know one another.”
”I lived with my mother for four hundred and ninety-nine years. Trust me, I know all I need to.”
”Your ma brought two cases of blood.”
My stomach gave a traitorous growl. ”I'm not hungry.”
”It's imported.”
My fangs tingled and I swallowed. ”N-no thanks.”
”Come on. It's girl time.”
”It isn't girl time. I'm here on business. How am I supposed to concentrate and hone my matchmaking skills with my mother here?” ”It's just a few days. As soon as you find Esther, we all go home.”
”Esther?” I went for a laugh. ”Esther who?”
”I saw the b.l.o.o.d.y sofa, remember? I know you. You're like a pit bull. She disappeared on your watch. You're not just going to let it go. Besides, what else would bring you to Texas? And don't give me that c.r.a.p about finding your inner strength. You can do that at Bloomingdale's like the rest of us.”
”She's in trouble.” I told her about Mordred and the ritual. I ended with a ”I know she's here, but I can't seem to get a solid on her exact location.”
”You're thinking about it too much. You need a break. Play some Truth or Dare and have a little fun. Maybe it'll help.”
”Getting grilled by my ma hardly qualifies as fun.”
”Please.” Her voice softened. ”You can't leave me out here by myself. I might slip up and start crying and then she'll know.”
I debated with my conscience for the next five seconds, capped the polish and hauled open the door. ”I'll play Truth or Dare, but if she mentions Spin the Bottle, you're on your own.”
She grinned. ”You're the best friend a vamp could have.”
”Don't remind me.”
Barry had finished his opening act and Kid Rock came on as the headlining attraction. The b.u.mp and grind melody of ”Cowboy” vibrated the air around me and sent a burst of desire pulsing from my knees to my shoulders. My toes sank in the sand.
The breeze whispered across my bare skin and made the concho fringe on my bikini tinkle.
Kid kept wailing about the suns.h.i.+ne s.h.i.+ning, and every nerve in my body wound tight. Need pulsed through me. I felt s.e.xy.
Seductive. Ready.
As if on cue, the deep, mesmerizing voice sounded behind me.
”Take off the corset.”
”Your wish is my-Wait a sec. A corset?”
I glanced down. Sure enough, the bikini was gone. Instead, I wore a white lace-up, complete with drawstring pantaloons.
The song faded and the wind picked up, whipping at me and plastering the thin material to my skin. I wiggled my toes. Hard, rough wood sc.r.a.ped the bottom of my feet. The floor seemed to tilt and I grasped at the handrail as a wave of seawater welled up over the side and drenched me.
Forget my beach oasis. I was standing at the helm of a pirate s.h.i.+p (a la Rudolfo and Gwen). My heart skipped its next beat as I turned to face my kidnapper.
Okay, so this wasn't so bad.
Ty's blue eyes gleamed with neonlike intensity. His long, dark hair hung loose around his shoulders, framing his handsome face.
He was bare-chested, his shoulders broad, his arms ripped. He wore only a pair of tight black pants that left little doubt that he wanted me.
”Kiss me,” he commanded, and I stepped forward. My arms slid around his neck and I tilted my head back. I closed my eyes and brushed my lips against his- ”Help!” The cry shattered the whole Stockholm thing I had going on. My eyes snapped open and I twisted around in time to see Esther struggling in the water. Only it wasn't water. It was a thick, sticky crimson that sucked at her.
I tried to jump in, but Ty's arm stole around my waist and jerked me back against his body. He held me immobile while the blood sucked Esther under.
I struggled and the arm clamped tighter.
”Forget about her, dear. You shouldn't be running around, worrying over a lowly made vampire.”
Dear?
I twisted, only to find my mother standing behind me. And Nina. And Mandy, who carried a two -headed baby who looked like Eddie Munster and Lawrence Welk.
My eyes snapped open to the dim light of the motel room. I sprawled in the one and only chair. Nina and my mother were piled on the bed, while Mandy snored softly on the roll-away. There wasn't a two-headed baby in sight.
I glanced at the clock. It was five thirty A.M. Still an hour until daybreak. The truth that Mandy shaved her legs only during the summer, Nina had a secret crush on David Ha.s.selhoff, and my ma had once dated Napoleon had obviously been too much excitement for one night. They'd crashed early.
Stretching my sore neck (we're talking one of those plastic upright chairs), I pushed to my feet. My heart chugged like a freight train and my nerves buzzed.
I downed half of one of the bottles that my mother had brought, but it did little to ease the tightening in my stomach.
I could still feel the sea salt on my skin and smell the b.l.o.o.d.y sea surrounding me. Esther 's image alternated with Eddie and Lawrence, and I knew there was no way I was going to fall asleep right now.