Blood Hunt (22 page)

“I will,” Sarah said. Rhes slid the ring onto her finger, and let her hand go. He watched as Sarah traced the ring with the fingers of her right hand, feeling the circular center diamond and the two oval stones that flanked it. He understood that she was admiring it – seeing it – in the best way that she could.

“They’re diamonds in a gold band,” Rhes said.

“I’m sure it’s beautiful, baby. I wish I could see it, instead of having to imagine.”

Rhes sat down on the bed next to her, still holding her hand, and Sarah leaned her head against his shoulder.

“You think we’ll ever have a normal life again?” she asked him.

“Yes,” he replied without a trace of doubt in his voice.

“How can you be sure?”

“Because it’s all we really want. We’ll get there. We just have to deal with a few … bumps in the road, first.”

Sarah laughed. “They’re big bumps.”

“No kidding. Sarah, do you remember how last year Sid offered to make me a partner if I’d help him open a second bar, and I turned him down, and you got pissed about it?”

“Yes. I told you I was sorry. I just—”

“No, you were right. I’m ready to run a place, and avoiding the responsibility just because it’s easy to keep living on our salaries and letting Two cover the expensive stuff is the wrong thing to do.”

Sarah was quiet. Rhes knew she agreed with what he was saying, but also understood that she wanted him to express it himself. He continued.

“We’re going to get married, and start … well, we’ve already started a family, I guess, but there’s going to be a baby eventually too, and I have no idea what’s going to happen to Two. I can’t count on her money, and even if I could, it’s not what I want to do. I want to know that my family can depend on me. I’m not expecting you to quit your job or anything, but I have the opportunity to go into business with a guy who’s already shown he can make a shitload of money in the industry. I want to take it, for us.”

Sarah put her arms around him, squeezed gently, kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad! You’ll be great, and I’ll have to worry less about some drunk jackass stabbing you, or something.”

“Yeah, now you can just worry about me having a heart attack or something from the stress.”

“You’ll be fine. Rhes, seriously, I think this is great and you’ll be terrific at it. But if it’s not what you really want …”

“It’s what I really want. Promise. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I already told Sid I was going to talk to you about it.”

Sarah kissed him again, this time on the lips, and said, “You know … they say the best sex you’ll ever get is on the night you propose.”

“What about the people who save it for marriage?”

“Guess they’re missing out.”

Rhes took the edges of Sarah’s T-shirt and pulled it up over her head, tossing it on the ground. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and he cupped her breasts as he kissed the place where her neck met her shoulder. Sarah shivered and put her hands in his hair.

“So you’re saying that broken ribs or not, this is totally going to be worth it,” he said.

“I’ll be gentle,” Sarah told him.

Rhes laughed, pushed her softly onto her back, held her hands in his, crossed above her head, and kissed her.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he said.

* * *

It took three days for the vampires to contact them again. Living under guard was surprisingly stressful; Rhes and Sarah never saw any of Jakob’s people, but they could sense being watched during the night. Attempting to go about their normal lives was more difficult than it sounded.

In the end, they realized there was little they could do but wait. Rhes’s boss, Sid, had been thrilled to hear that Rhes was ready to take on an increased role in the business and told him to take as much time as needed to heal. Sarah had returned to work, teaching her kids three days a week. Molly, largely oblivious to what was going on, had continued to live the life of a thirteen-year-old girl, or as near to it as one who had been through so much could live.

The phone call came shortly after dusk on the fourth night after the incident at Two’s apartment. Sarah answered.
“Hello?”

“Is this Sarah Taylor?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I am a friend of Jakob’s. He asked me to call you.” The voice on the phone was female, and Sarah wondered if it might be the same woman who had driven them to the hospital.

“Oh, OK.”

“Your friend Two is alive and well. She has come under the care of one of our council members and shouldn’t be in further danger. She has been informed that you are safe as well, and understands that it is not in your best interests to see her at this time. She may contact you at some later date, after her issues with the council have been resolved.”

“When will she—”

“I can’t speak for your friend or for the council. I can only relay the information given me. We are working with the Burilgi to exonerate you of any guilt related to the incident in her apartment on Monday. When this is accomplished, and Jakob thinks it will be very soon, you will be notified and your guards removed.”

“OK, but what about—”

“I’m very sorry, but I don’t have any other information at this time. The council hasn’t met, so there’s been no judgment.”

“Listen, we went looking for Two for a reason. she has a friend in Ohio, a girl who used to be a vampire, and—”

“The council is well aware of Ms. Perrault and is investigating her situation. Please do not trouble yourselves with it any further. We will call again when we know more. Goodbye.”

There was a click, and Sarah was left holding a dead receiver. She returned it to its cradle and sat for a moment on the couch, processing what she had been told.

“Who was that?” Rhes asked from the kitchen.

“Friend of Jakob’s.”

He came into the room, curious. “What’d he say?”

“She. And … not much. Two is OK, and has been told not to contact us because it might endanger us, I guess. They’re working on the other thing, so we can stop being watched. And they already know about Tori.”

“Ah. Well, great.” Rhes sat down next to her and took her hand. She leaned against his shoulder.

“She wouldn’t let me ask any questions. I tried, but she just cut me off.”

“Was she rude?”

“Not really, just businesslike. I think it might’ve been the woman who drove us to the hospital. That would make sense, if she works for Jakob.”

“Could be a girlfriend.”

Sarah shrugged. “Could be. Dinner almost ready?”

“Ten more minutes.”

“Need any help?”

“Got it covered. Put pot pie in oven, set table, sit and wait for pot pie to become golden and delicious.”

Sarah smiled. “OK. Molly keeps asking if we’ve picked a date yet. She’s very excited. She wants to be in the wedding party.”

“So that’d be your sister, and Molly, and Jill from school. Anyone else?”

Sarah was quiet for a moment and then said, “You know I’d ask Two if I could.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I
want
to. I just don’t know if we’ll ever see her again, or – if we do – whether she’ll be able to go out in the sunlight anymore.”

“Ouch, yeah, I hadn’t even thought about that. Well … that’s Two’s choice. It’s
way
out of our hands at this point.”

“Yeah. Rhes, I want to ask Molly about the other thing. Adopting her. She’s never asked about it … maybe she’s scared to, but I think it’s what she wants. We should find out for sure.”

“OK. You sure you want a teenage daughter? You’re young enough to be her sister.”

“I’m positive. What about you?”

“Can’t imagine life without her at this point. I love the kid.”

“Me, too.”

“All right. Then we’ll ask her at dinner … which should be just about ready. So if you’ll kindly remove your head from my shoulder, I’ll go finish things up.”

Sarah smiled, doing as he asked. As Rhes headed for the kitchen, she stood and went to tell Molly that dinner was ready.

* * *

“Ohmigod … YES!”

Molly’s eyes were wide and sparkling with joy. Sarah had expected a positive response, but it was gratifying to hear the girl’s feelings expressed so emphatically. They hadn’t beaten around the bush at dinner. After talking for a few minutes about the events of the day, Sarah had simply turned to Molly and said, “When Rhes and I get married, we’d like to adopt you. Would that be OK?”

After a momentary pause to process this question, Molly’s excited shout had followed. Now she was glancing back and forth between Rhes and Sarah, looking happy but unsure, as if she doubted the reality of what they were saying.

“You’re serious, right?” she asked.

“Very serious,” Rhes said.

“Absolutely,” Sarah agreed.

“So, like, I’d be your real daughter and I can call you Mom and Dad and everything?”

Sarah nodded. “If that’s what you want, Molly. We’d love to be Mom and Dad.”

“It is! Totally! Oh, this is so … cool …” Molly’s voice wavered. Sarah took her hand just as the girl burst into tears. Molly stood and Sarah stood with her, embracing her. Molly wrapped her arms around Sarah, crying into her shoulder.

“You OK, kiddo?” Rhes asked.

“She’s all right,” Sarah said. She felt Molly nod against her, still crying. “I think she’s just a little overwhelmed.”

They both knew Molly’s story; she had been shuffled from foster home to foster home for most of her life, and had never been lucky enough before now to find a caring set of guardians. Instead she had found apathy and neglect, which had allowed her to come into contact with drugs, sex, and violence. Molly had been eleven years old, living in a Queens housing project and already smoking crack cocaine, when a friend had first introduced her to heroin. Within six months she had run away from home in pursuit of money to afford the drug. Life at Darren’s had followed, a waking nightmare from which there had seemed no escape.

Then Two had brought her salvation. Molly’s body still ached for the drug sometimes, but as badly as she wanted it, there was something she wanted more, something that kept her from turning back to that life, something that she had spent her entire young life searching for without ever knowing it.

“All I want is a mom and dad,” she cried into Sarah’s shoulder.

Sarah hugged her and said, “I know, sweetheart. We’re here. We love you.”

Rhes stood up, crossed the room, and put a hand on Molly’s shoulder. “We can’t wait for you to be our daughter.”

Molly sobbed, her hands wrapped tight into the fabric of Sarah’s sweater. Rhes and Sarah waited, letting her cry, until she had at last regained some control. She loosened her grip on Sarah and stood back, sniffling and rubbing her hands against her eyes.

“Sorry,” she said finally.

Rhes laughed. “Nothing to be sorry about. Couldn’t have asked for a more enthusiastic reception.”

“I can’t wait to tell my friends! Do I get to change my name and stuff?” New York State had assigned her a last name, Smith, and Molly hated it.

“Of course,” Sarah said. “You can be Molly Thompson. Or maybe Molly Taylor-Thompson, if we go that route.”

“Or you can pick a random last name and we can all change to that,” Rhes said. “I’ve always liked Santiago, myself. Listen to the majesty:
Rhes Santiago!”

He rolled his “R,” and Molly and Sarah laughed.

“I think Thompson will do,” Sarah said. “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, and their daughter Molly Thompson. Sounds good to me.”

“Me, too!” said Molly.

“Motion passed,” said Rhes. “Let’s celebrate this historic decision by finishing dinner. There’s ice cream in the freezer and I’ve been waiting all day to break it out.”

Chapter 12
The American council

“God, I’m bad at this shit,” Two said, pulling at her skirt to adjust the position of the waistband. It seemed like no matter what she did, the fabric didn’t want to hang on her hips in a way that she approved of. Behind her, Stephen laughed.

“Those panties are lovely, but you might want to pull the skirt up in the back,” he said.

Two growled and hiked the skirt back up an inch. “Am I still exposed?”

“No, that will do.” Stephen’s lips were set in a subtle, sarcastic grin.

Naomi laughed. “Honestly, Two, you’d think we were putting you through some kind of torture. Have you never worn a skirt before?”

“I’m … more of a jeans person.”

“Well, you look wonderful. You needn’t worry.”

Two shrugged. “I’m not worried, just annoyed.”

She understood the necessity for the professional attire. This was, after all, a meeting of the most powerful vampires in the United States. It wasn’t even that the skirt was uncomfortable – it was, in fact, so soft and smooth that she almost understood why it had cost hundreds of dollars – but rather that she was unable to make herself look the way she wanted. This skirt, like virtually every other piece of clothing in existence, would sit better on Naomi’s curvy hips and emphasize her longer legs. Next to the vampire, Two felt like she looked short, dumpy, and unattractive no matter how she dressed.

Naomi was wearing a long black gown that hugged her body and complemented her figure very well. She also had on a pair of black gloves that stretched nearly to her shoulders, and her honey-colored hair was pulled up into a bun. Emeralds sparkled at her ears and around her neck. She smelled of exotic flowers and was wearing makeup that accented her cheekbones and eyes.

Stephen was dressed in a manner that, Two thought, was consciously set just a bit below the obviously formal standards of the council. He was wearing dark khaki pants and a cream-colored button-down shirt, loose at the collar, its sleeves rolled up. His reddish-brown hair was pulled into its customary ponytail. Still, Two noted, he had put on an obviously expensive pair of leather shoes, and a Louis Vuitton wristwatch that she doubted was fake.

Two’s outfit was assembled from the best of the items that she had purchased at the boutique a few weeks before. Her long black skirt, made up of multiple, shifting, translucent layers, was complemented by a green silk blouse that matched her eyes. Naomi had helped her pick out jewelry that worked well with the outfit, and had applied Two’s makeup while chatting gaily about events of the week. For a brief moment, Two had been reminded of her first meeting with Melissa. Would this friendship turn out like that one had, in the end?