Alive #2
“Let’s hope I bought a good one.” I bit my lip, wondering again if this was horrible news. It might be fine, but my manic self would buy a blade of grass for a thousand dollars if someone called it special. “How long ‘til your dad will be home?”
“His plane lands in an hour, and it’s an hour drive to the airport. We’ll drop our things off and then I’ll go get him.” She turned to the guys and smiled. “Thanks again for letting us stay here. It was… fun.” She hesitated at the last part.
“Anytime,” Sean said. “Emy, don’t forget we have a shift tonight.”
“Bye, Emy. Bye, Ari.” Mateo gave us each a warm hug. “I’ll see you guys later?”
“I’m sure you will.” I waved around the room before collecting our things and heading outside. “Is the new bike a good one?” I asked Ari as she closed the door.
“Yup. And don’t worry, it was a legit sale. I checked everything the day after you bought it. Good seller, it’s in good condition, he gave records of maintenance, the price was fair, you have the title. Considering you were completely out of your mind, you did everything right. I have the keys.”
A wave of relief washed over me. Thank fucking god. “Do you think I’ll like it?”
“Oh, you’ll love it.” She grinned as we descended the stairs. “Pretty sure my dad and Aunt Helen will hate it but I know you’re a vampire, so I’m not worried. All the danger is gone. I’m just never getting on the thing with you.”
“Fair enough.” I laughed, thinking back to the one time she rode with me on the old one. It was probably the scariest few minutes of her life, but I was having a great time. I was having a fun time today, too. As a matter of fact, I felt alive again for the first time since I’d killed that girl.
“I’m guessing you don’t remember going for an overnight run?” Ari asked.
“A what?” I cocked my head. What even was an overnight run?
“You went jogging at night. For the whole night. Without shoes like an insane person.”
“Seriously? I hate running. Why would I do that to myself? And why didn’t I wear shoes?”
“You said, and I quote, ‘I’m not a weak shoe wearing bitch.’” She grinned as I burst out laughing. “I couldn’t talk you out of the run or into shoes, but I did stop you from selling Tuffy. So you’re welcome. I’m the best cousin ever, I know.”
“You are.” I linked my arm through hers, smiling as we reached the street. “Thank you.”
* * *
After an eternity of searching for the perfect second day of work outfit, I settled on something classy-yet-skimpy for extra tips. I was only halfway into my shirt when the familiar clang of chains arrived.
“Hey, Vixen.” Dennis smoothly landed near my window seat.
“Sure, you can come in.” I kept changing, unsurprised.
“I totally just invited you through the window. I love when you do that.” I propped my boobs up in a black corset and began to clasp the front.
“I also love when you set my bed on fire.” I pointedly looked at the charred comforter that I’d forgotten about until coming home.
“Anytime.” He smiled and leaned against the wall, having already put the window screen back. “I was walking nearby and thought I’d say hi. See what you’re up to. And see how much you miss me so far.”
“Not at all,” I said. Then frowned when I realized it might not be true. Which was horrible, since it had only been a few hours. I stared at him, wondering if he could hear my thoughts. If he could, he didn’t show it. “Since you’re here, can you help with this top?”
“It’s not a bra?” Dennis walked over.
“No. It’s a corset that I found in the lingerie section of a store.” I held back an aroused shiver as his hands brushed my skin.
“Whatever it is, I like it.”
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorites. If you can tighten the laces, that would be perfect.
” I talked him through how to properly lace the back.
Eventually, he got it down and I was fully tied in.
I turned to the mirror to admire the final product before remembering I have no reflection and turning back to him.
“I have to leave for work. It’s my second day of training. ”
“I know that.”
“I know that,” I mocked him and rolled my eyes. He smiled. “You only know because you follow me around when I’m not at your place.”
“Or maybe because I live with Sean and he’s training you?”
“Or that,” I admitted. He laughed as I grabbed my keys and left the room. “Ari, I’m going.” I strode to her room and pushed the door open. She was sifting through her closet. “Are you coming?”
“Yeah, but Sean’s picking me up.” She held up a blouse to compare with another. “Before you ask, I refuse to ride with you ever again because you drive like a maniac.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I would drive myself, but he’ll just pop up in the car if I try,” she carried on. “He still won’t let me go anywhere alone because I’ll supposedly get enslaved or murdered. Which I think is an excuse. I think he just likes annoying me.”
“You know why? Because you like him! You wanna date him,” I sang, dancing around her in a circle, “and he likes you too, he wants to date you—”
“You can’t sing.” She shoved me onto the bed and I let out a dramatic cry. “Go to work. I’ll meet you there in a little while.” She tried to shoo me from the room but I flopped into deadweight. “You’re like a wet noodle.” She laughed and rolled me to the floor.
“Because I’m melting?” I stayed on the floor the same crooked way I’d landed.
“What’re you doing?” Dennis was in the doorway, watching me with judgement in his eyes. “I’m not judging you.”
“I’m sick and tired of you listening to my thoughts.” I sat up to glare at him.
“You said it out loud. Dear god, what is wrong with you? Sometimes I wonder if you’re okay.”
“I’m spectacular.” I stood and left the room as Ari snorted with laughter. These people were so rude. “Where are you going?”
“I wanna meet your uncle,” Dennis said, falling into step beside me.
“He’s gonna interrogate you.” I examined Dennis, who didn’t seem deterred by my warning. “Alright,” I shrugged lightly, “if you really wanna. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” We got downstairs to see my uncle reading a newspaper on the couch. “Uncle Tom?”
“Hey, niecy.” He looked up, then turned serious when he saw Dennis. “Who’s this?”
“My friend Dennis,” I answered casually in the hope it would go unquestioned.
“And how’d he get in the house? I’ve been sitting here since I got home.”
“Uh.” I froze at his words. Crap. He was right. The three of us had caught up in this room after they got back from the airport. He told us the trip went well, Ari told him how her midterms went, and I told him about my new job. As far as I knew, he’d been on the couch the whole evening.
“He’s a vampire, right?”
“What the fuck?” My eyes widened as the words slipped out. “Oops, I meant what the shit? Wait, no, what the hell, heck! Fuck. What in the world?” I pouted as my uncle started laughing.
“I know how much you cuss. There’s no need to censor.” He looked at Dennis expectantly.
“Yeah, I’m a vampire,” he said. “So is she.”
“Dennis!”
“What? He’d find out eventually.”
“It’s okay. I already knew.” Uncle Tom folded his newspaper and dropped it on the table. He was barely having a reaction, which seemed like the opposite of what should be happening.
“I’m so confused.” I held up my hands for everything to stop. “Why are you so calm about this?”
“We’ll talk when you get home. You too, Dennis. I need to talk to you since you already bound my niece. You are bound, right?”
“How’d you know?” I asked at the same time Dennis calmly confirmed.
“That’s not important,” Uncle Tom said. “How long has it been?”
“It’s been,” I paused to count but I couldn’t. My mind was racing.
“Since Halloween. Almost three weeks,” Dennis said. “Seventeen days, to be exact.”
“I thought so. Go to work, you’re gonna be late. I need to take care of some things. I might be back a while after you, but we’ll talk when I get home.”
“Wait, but I’m so confused? I’ve never been this confused in my life.”
Dennis took my hand and led me away. Still, I was barely moving.
I was too confused to walk. Eventually, he got me through the door and halfway down the drive.
I kept stealing glances at him as we walked.
Did he know my uncle already knew? Did he plan this?
Had they somehow met before and only pretended to be meeting for the first time?
“No. To all of that.”
“Was that out loud again?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. Oops.” I smiled sheepishly, then stopped walking. My eyes widened at a realization. “I’ll be right back!” I was gone before he could answer—in and out of the house before my uncle could notice I’d returned—then back with a new set of keys dangling from my hand. “Wanna go for a ride?”
Dennis considered me before smiling. He gestured for me to lead the way. I squealed and ran to my new baby. Ari was right: it was perfect, beautiful, gorgeous, everything I’d ever wanted. It was the perfect motorcycle. So perfect I’d named her Tuffy 2.0. Tuffy for short.
“Hop on.” I patted the seat behind me.
“Can I drive?”
I laughed so hard, I almost forgot what was funny.
Almost. “Of course not. Get on.” I patted the seat again.
He sat behind me and a wave of butterflies hit when his arms wrapped around my waist. My top was so small, there was barely a barrier between us.
He chuckled—probably because he could feel my horniness, too—as I started the bike and took off.
It was exhilarating. I hadn’t been on one in years. And not needing a helmet made it so much more freeing. My hair was whipping through the wind, probably smacking Dennis the whole time but I didn’t care. This was the best ride I’d ever had.