Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

Like most vampires, he trusted only a chosen few. Erik was one of them. They had met in Ireland over two hundred years ago. Rhys grinned at the memory. They had both been hunting the same woman, a bonny lass with hair like fire and eyes as green as the Emerald Isle itself. Had Rhys been younger and less in control of his hunger and his anger, he might have challenged Erik. Instead, they had called a truce and shared the wench. A tasty morsel, Rhys recalled. He had been all for draining her dry, but Erik, always gallant where a pretty woman was concerned, had talked him out of it.

Though it had seemed unlikely at the time, the two vampires had become friends.

They had met again by chance in California shortly after Rhys had destroyed the former Master of the City. Erik had been tired of wandering by then and had decided to settle down for a while. Like all the other vampires in the area, Erik had sworn his allegiance to Rhys. Until now, Rhys had never doubted Erik's loyalty.

Rhys grunted softly as he opened his bedroom door. Someone had put a price on his head, and until he knew who it was, everyone was suspect, including his best friend.

The mortal who had tried to destroy him had apparently left the city. And so, it seemed, had Erik. Coincidence? Perhaps, and perhaps not.

Rhys smiled at the woman waiting for him in his bed. He would worry about traitors and bounty hunters tomorrow.

The night was young, the woman was tall, blond, and willing, and he was very, very thirsty.

Chapter 24

Daisy slept until almost noon. Upon awaking, she lingered under the covers, thinking how nice it was to be home again, to sleep in her old bed in her old room. To pretend, for a few minutes, that she was safe, that nothing could hurt her here, in the house where she had spent most of her childhood.

Turning onto her side, she stared at the curtain covering her window. Where was Rhys? Would he come after her and her family? When would it be safe for her and Alex to venture outside during the day? The vampire couldn't enter the house without an invitation, but her family couldn't stay inside indefinitely.

Her thoughts turned to Erik. She wondered if he was awake. Was it too early to call? Warmth curled through her at the thought of hearing his voice. No matter how many times she told herself there was no future for the two of them, she couldn't imagine her life without him. They had spent so much time together lately, being without him now made her feel empty somehow, as if a vital part of herself had gone missing.

When her stomach growled, she threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Padding into the bathroom, she took a quick shower, brushed out her hair, pulled on a pair of lavender sweats, and hurried downstairs.

As was to be expected, Alex was in the kitchen cooking up a storm. She stood in the doorway a moment, watching him. He wore an old Boston Red Sox T-shirt and a faded pair of cut-off jeans. His feet were bare.

Moving into the kitchen, Daisy poured herself a cup of coffee, then sat at the much-scarred oak table, her mug cradled between her hands while she watched Alex flip pancakes. He really was in the wrong business, she mused as she sipped her coffee. The world had lost a great chef when he decided to be a vampire hunter.

Alex glanced at her over his shoulder. "How many pancakes?"

"Six, seven, a dozen. I'm starving!" She was glad he had decided to make a late breakfast instead of an early lunch.

"Bacon or sausage?" he asked with a grin.

"Both."

"Gotcha! Do you want eggs? I've got fried and scrambled."

"No. Yes, scrambled."

Five minutes later, Alex handed her a plate, then sat down across from her. "It's good to be home again, isn't it?"

Daisy nodded. Her roots, the majority of her memories, were here. Birthday parties and Easter egg hunts, camping out in a tent with her dad in the backyard, making brownies with her mom, breaking her arm when she fell out of the big old elm tree in the front yard. Her first kiss on the front porch. No matter what she did, no matter where she went, this would always be home. "The pancakes are wonderful."

"A little orange juice in the batter," Alex said with a shrug, but she could see he was pleased by the compliment. He had always been the best cook in the family.

"I'll have to remember that." Alex tucked into his breakfast and Daisy did the same, thinking again that it was good to be home.

Daisy was on her second cup of coffee when she said, "I've been wondering about something."

"Yeah? What?"

"Your encounter with Costain. Did you drink his blood?"

"Are you nuts? Why would I do that?"

"I know you wouldn't, on purpose. I just thought that, you know, during the struggle...we wouldn't have much hope of escaping him if the two of you had exchanged blood. You know that."

"Well, yeah, but it's nothing to worry about."

"You're sure?"

"Of course!" he said emphatically, but Daisy thought he looked a little doubtful.

"Where's Brandon?"

"He got up early this morning to take Paula Christmas shopping."

"Christmas shopping! It's only October."

"Uh, Daisy Mae, I hate to tell you this, but it's the first of November."

She blinked at him. November? It couldn't be, she thought, then shrugged. With all that had been going on in her life the past few weeks, keeping track of the days had been the last thing on her mind.

Her father entered the kitchen a few minutes later, a grin settling over his face as he filled his plate. "It's good to have you back home, boy," he said, taking a seat at the table. "Brandon's not the cook you are. And with your mother gone...well, I was getting mighty tired of cold cereal."

The three of them made small talk while they ate, commenting on the weather and speculating on what Irene and Aunt Judy were up to.

"New Zealand will never be the same," Noah said with a grin. Pushing his plate away, he slapped his palms on the table. "So, Alex, you up for a day of hunting?"

Daisy tried to talk the two of them out of leaving the house, but they brushed her concerns aside, confident that the two of them could handle Rhys Costain or any other vampire they encountered while the sun was up.

Daisy prayed they were right as she followed them to the front door. Standing on the porch, she waved as they climbed into her father's pick-up.

Her father tapped the horn a couple of times in farewell as he backed the truck out of the driveway.

Daisy stared after them until they were out of sight; then, too antsy to sit still, she loaded the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, wiped off the table, and washed up the frying pans. After cleaning the kitchen, she dusted all the furniture, vacuumed the carpets upstairs and down, mopped the kitchen floor, and did a load of laundry, and still Alex and her father hadn't returned.