Chapter 5
Chapter Five
ION
It’s been weeks since the kiss, yet the memories are a constant in my mind.
It was a kind of torture to watch her sleep and ease away her nightmares without any more intimacy that night.
She should have a human man to care for her and share a normal life with her.
I will see the twins through this difficult time and make sure their mother sleeps.
After that, there can be no place for me in the Manning family.
I’m lucky to have my own family, even if I’m distracted by thoughts of Lori most of the time.
Today, my granddaughters and their mates have invited me to a picnic and hunt in the woods northeast of Harmony Glen. Max is a Sasquatch and lives in a fine cabin nearby with Tilda, who is out running in the woods with Mari.
We hunted together for a while, and I’ve had my fill of both fresh meat and the thrill of the chase. Now, the nice glass of wine in my hand and the quiet company of my old friend Sam and new friend Max suit me very well.
Max tends a small fire. Winter draws near in Harmony Glen. I am not bothered by the cold, but both Max and Sam are warm-blooded.
I study the stone, arranged with nine others around the fire. “Were these here when you bought this property, Max?”
With a nod, he sits across from me. “I think they have been here a very long time. There is an energy to this place.”
As I touch the cool stone, I feel the essence of long ago pulsing within. “It’s interesting to find such circles on this continent.”
“Will you be going over to see Lori tonight?” Max tosses a stick into the flames.
“Not tonight. She has other plans, and the twins are at a friend's.” A knot tightens behind my ribs.
Sam studies me for a long moment. “Forgive me, old friend. If Mari has explained this to me correctly, you go to the Manning house every night to help them sleep and then guard them until morning.”
“Yes.” For nearly a month, I’ve cared for the Mannings as they slept. Not going tonight seems wrong, as if I’m abandoning my duty. However, the text I received this morning said that my services were not needed this evening.
He cocks his proportionately large head. “And then you leave as the house wakes up, without even a kiss.”
I don’t mention that there were kisses on one occasion since there have been none since. “That is correct.”
“But you…um, like Lori, or am I mistaken?” Sam is generally direct and polite. We have known each other long enough that it’s within the parameters of our friendship to discuss a romance even if none exists.
“How could anyone not like her?”
Max narrows his eyes. “She is a good person. I wouldn’t like to see her hurt.”
There’s no warning in his tone. He’s stating facts. I understand. “Neither would I.”
“The twins’ father is a real jerk, from what she’s told me. Drunk most of the time. He only shows up when he needs money or wants to make trouble.” Picking up another stick, Max pokes at the fire.
My gut tightens at the idea of anyone leaving their family. I abandoned mine, unsure of my ability to do no harm, and they died anyway. Even all these centuries later, the possibility that I might have saved them haunts me.
In a blur of movement, Mari and Tilda return from their run and, smiling, sit beside their respective mates.
“What are you men talking about that has you looking so serious?” Tilda slips her hand into Max’s.
Since a full change of subject isn’t possible, I try to direct the conversation away from me. “Lori Manning’s ex-husband and a man leaving his family.”
Mari runs her hand over her large bump. A giant and vampire mix has never been born before. Perhaps the child won’t be a vampire at all. After all, Mari, Tilda, and I were human once. Time will tell. She frowns. “He must be an idiot. Those girls are darling.”
Tilda agrees. “I can’t believe he didn’t come when Olivia was missing.”
Max fixes his gaze on me. “I wonder why you wouldn’t pursue a relationship with Lori if you have feelings for her.
Since you spend every night watching over her and her daughters, I believe it’s more than just liking the lady.
Since it’s been a month, I gather you have no intention of acting on it in a romantic way? ”
“She’s human. She should have a human mate.” I keep my baser and my deeper thoughts to myself.
Mari stands and stretches her back. “You deserve happiness, Ion. If you care for Lori, why deny yourself?”
“Since when has my personal life become so interesting to all of you?” I finish my wine and go to the stone near Tilda and Max, where three bottles stand ready. Once I’ve refilled, I return to my seat.
A soft smile pulls at Mari’s lips. “It’s obvious that you and the lady share an attraction, and your family wants you to be happy.”
The wine slides down my throat, cool as it goes.
The taste of grapes and spices dances on my tongue.
“I’m happy to have a family here in Harmony Glen.
That is enough for me for now. At some point, all of these people I’ve come to care about will begin to die.
I’ve lived in many places and seen the deaths of many friends.
Attaching myself to someone who will not survive into my old age has not made me happy in the past, and I’ll not find peace in such pursuits. ”
Mari frowns. I see a slew of questions burning behind her eyes, but she graciously keeps them to herself.
I’m swept up in having family, as in the old days when the four of us from the village made a little life for ourselves with several others we’d sired.
We made a pact to always ask permission of those already near death, and we also agreed that anyone who broke that pact would meet the same fate as Drack.
I’m the only original member of our group still living.
Mari and Tilda have talked me into going to a dance that nearly everyone and every monster in town attends.
It’s not that I don’t like a festive event as much as the next person.
However, often my presence hinders others from enjoying themselves.
Having one of the original vampires present can put a pall on a party.
Harmony Glen has been kind to me and my family, so as a show of my respect for the community, I will attend for one hour and then make my way home.
A large white tent is set up near the lake with heaters for the warm-blooded. There’s a central dance floor, a bar, and a band playing an eclectic mix of music from the past five decades.
Sam hands me a glass of wine as he steps beside me at one end of the makeshift room. “Have you been helping the Mannings sleep every night these last weeks?”
“Not as much. The twins are recovering. I suspect Lori still struggles, but she hasn’t asked for my help in over a week.
” It’s actually been eleven days since I saw Lori.
It’s strange how much I miss our nightly chats over a glass of wine and how I long to help her with her sleep just so I can be near her.
I drink the wine, which is not very good.
Mari and Tilda are across the tented area talking to a gentleman about his piano lessons. Max had to work and will likely make his way here later.
Sam drinks a quarter of his giant-sized beer. “She’s dancing with John Fieldstone.”
Shifting my attention to the dance floor, my vampire senses heighten.
Having only ever seen Lori in jeans or baggy sweatpants and loose-fitting shirts, the sight of her in a yellow dress that clings to her curves is enough to tighten every muscle in my body.
And I mean every muscle. The material slips along her hips and ass, making my mouth water and my canines extend.
It’s impossible to ignore the male hand riding her back just above the swell of her bottom.
Jealousy is an emotion I’ve not experienced in my vampire life.
Once, when I was a human, I thought myself in love with the daughter of a farmer who lived outside my town.
She loved and married one of her neighbor’s sons, and my heart broke.
That pain pales in comparison with seeing Lori in another man’s arms.
I’ve met John Fieldstone on two occasions. He’s a nice enough fellow. He lives in town and has some kind of online business. He’s tall and fair-haired. I find no fault with the man, but the monster inside me doesn’t feel the same.
Sam drains his supersized beer. “You did say you thought she should find a human man. John is human and decent.”
Something about Lori Manning brings out parts of me that I worry I cannot control. Desire, rage, and jealousy sweep through me like a wildfire in a drought. As controlled as I can be, I place the wine on a nearby table. “I think it’s time for me to leave.”
Placing his large hand on my shoulder, Sam says, “They’re walking this way.”
Blinded by my emotions, I hadn’t noticed that the music had ended and Lori and John were indeed making their way in my direction.
The front of her dress does nothing to relieve my growing sense of chaos. The dress is cut low, showing off her full breasts, and tied behind her neck. She’s like a sunflower in full bloom.
Holding myself in place, I meet her gaze. “Good evening, Lori. Hello, John.”
John smiles and keeps his hands tucked into his pockets. “Hi, Mr. Radu. I wasn’t sure you’d remember me.”
Forcing down an aggressive growl, I put on a nonthreatening mask. “The benefit of being a vampire is that I remember everything. It’s nice to see you both.”
Lori fidgets and wrings her hands. “I’m surprised to see you here. I didn’t take you for a man who enjoys this kind of thing.”
Because I’m old. Too old for this fresh young woman. “I am attempting to be an active part of the community. Where are your daughters tonight? How have they been sleeping?”
“They’re with Willa’s family, admiring the animals in the petting area.” She points in the general direction of the corral built specially for this event. “They’ve been sleeping through the night, and tonight they’re going to try a sleepover.”
“I’m pleased to hear that they are feeling better.” I would swear she gave me a deeper look when she told me the twins would not be at home tonight. My body certainly believes there was an unspoken offer behind her words.
She blushes, and the sound of her blood rushing through her veins increases. “Sorry that I haven’t been in touch lately.”
My heart pounds once, then again. Her perfume, light roses and musk, with an undertone of her own alluring wildflower scent, is like a sensual beacon calling to me. I long for her, and getting out of here before I do something regrettable is urgent. “I should be going. Forgive me.”
Sam calls, “Ion?”
I ignore whatever else he might have said as I walk at a brisk clip away from the laughter and crowds. As soon as I’m far enough so as not to be seen, I break into a run and head for the forest.
Not stopping, I let the beast free, hoping the exertion will remove all human emotion and feeling.
When the sun comes up, I am still running and hunting. It’s rare for me to allow my vampire to take control, but the monster needs release. Feeding on a deer is not the blood I truly crave, but it will suffice. It is the hunt, not the kill, that I need.
The first tawny hint of morning is the best time, and I scent the buck before I see him. When I end his life, I do so easily and infuse calm into the animal. He need not suffer for my survival. His blood is sweet and nourishing, but the monster is not satisfied.
When I circle back to a cool stream, I plunge into a deeper shaded area and wash the blood from my clothes, hands, and face.
“Ion, what’s wrong with you?” Head in my hands, I let the cold water soothe me.
Even as a young vampire, I never sought to kill or destroy.
Many vampires I made, and those sired by others, became obsessed with their power, but I never allowed the curse to control me.
Meditation and finding a sense of peace with the world around me have always been my guides.
Since meeting Lori, my grasp on that focus is in pieces. She is in my every thought. The sight of her with another man, even a more appropriate one, forced a simmering rage to the surface. I haven’t felt anything like it since my village was destroyed.
One thing is certain: I need to regain control before I can ever go back to Harmony Glen.