Dead Perfect

He sipped the wine the waitress had brought him, amused by his maudlin thoughts. He had been content with his life until he met Shannah, but a few months in her company had him yearning for things he thought he had put behind him forever.

Things like marriage…He grunted softly. He must be losing his mind, to sit there and contemplate marriage to a mortal. A mortal who was dying. But she didn’t have to die. With luck, his blood would keep her alive for years to come, or he could bring her across and keep her with him forever. He swore softly. He knew how to bestow the Dark Trick on a mortal, but he had never done it. What if he tried and failed? There wasn’t much he was afraid of, but the thought of trying to bring Shannah across, and failing, filled him with dread.

Would she accept the Dark Gift if he offered it to her? She had come to him looking for a vampire but he had known she didn’t really believe vampires existed, that it had been fear and desperation that had sent her to his door. How would she feel if she knew that he was indeed a vampire? Would she still want the Dark Gift if she knew obtaining it was a very real possibility?

He sat in the bar until it closed and then he went out into the darkness once more, enjoying the beauty and the quiet of the night.

A patrol car slowed, keeping pace with him for half a block or so before going on.

A dog barked at his passing.

A cat hissed at his approach and then scurried up a tree.

He walked by Shannah’s house, pausing in the shadows to listen to the even sound of her breathing. Assured that she was sleeping soundly, he returned to the park where he had taken her earlier and sought shelter in the cool loving arms of the earth.

In the morning, Shannah wasn’t surprised to find that Ronan was nowhere in the house. She made some excuse to her mother about his having an early appointment with his agent in the city, then spent the rest of the day wondering where he was and what he was doing and why she was surprised that he wasn’t there in the first place. He was never around in the morning.

Still, he might have told her he would be gone.

She had breakfast with her parents, then helped her mother tidy up the house. Later that afternoon, she and her mother drove into the city. They had lunch at Shannah’s favorite restaurant, and then did a little more shopping.

They were leaving one of the department stores when someone called Shannah’s name.

Turning, she saw her friend, Judy Kingston, hurrying toward her. Judy had blue eyes, red hair, and a pixy nose dusted with freckles. Shannah felt a twinge of guilt for leaving Middletown without telling Judy good-bye.

“Shannah, I don’t believe it!” Judy gave her a hug. “You don’t know how I’ve missed you!”

“Oh, Judy,” Shannah said, returning her friend’s hug. “I’ve missed you, too!”

Judy smiled at Verna. “Hi, Mrs. Davis.”

“Hello, Judy. If you girls will excuse me, I’ll just run into the drug store while you chat. I need to pick up a few things.”

“Sure, Mom,” Shannah said.

“Shan, where have you been for the last eighteen months?” Judy asked. “Your parents wouldn’t say much, except that you’d moved to California, of all places.”

Shannah shrugged. “I just needed to get away, you know? Look at you!” she exclaimed, hoping to change the subject. “Mom told me you were pregnant again!”

Judy placed one hand over her swollen belly. “Aren’t I always?”

Shannah laughed. Judy had two boys and twin girls. They were, Shannah thought, four of the cutest red-headed kids she had ever seen.

“I think this is going to be our last one,” Judy said. “Or should I say the last two.”

“Twins again?” Shannah exclaimed. “Oh, Judy, how exciting! I think.”

“Shannah, I’m twenty-six years old and I have four kids under the age of six and two more on the way. Believe me, I’m past being excited.”

Shannah nodded, though it was hard to feel sympathetic when Judy had everything Shannah wanted and would never have.

“How are the other kids doing?”

“They’re all fine. My mom’s home with them, God bless her. I love my kids dearly but if I couldn’t get out of the house once in a while, I swear I’d have a nervous breakdown.”

“Well, you look terrific.”

“I look fat, but you look great.” Judy sighed dramatically. “I don’t think I’ll ever be skinny again.”

“Listen, do you want to go have a cup of coffee?”

“I’d love to, but I can’t. I’m already overdue at home. My mom’s great about watching the kids every week or so, but I feel like I’m taking advantage of her if I’m gone for more than a couple of hours. It was great seeing you again, Shan. Call me soonest.” She gave Shannah a hug. “Oh, and tell your mom good-bye for me.”

“I will. And you give your mom my best.”

With a nod and a wave, Judy hurried down the street.

Shannah stared after her friend. She and Judy had been practically inseparable all through school, but then Judy met Alex and the next thing Shannah knew, Judy had graduated and married Alex. Since then, it seemed as though Judy was constantly pregnant. Shannah felt a sudden wave of envy for her friend. Judy didn’t know how lucky she was. She had a wonderful husband, happy, healthy kids, a nice house and, God willing, years to enjoy it all.

With a sigh, she went into the drug store to look for her mother. She found her at the cash register paying for her purchases.

“Did you and Judy have a nice chat?” Verna asked as they walked toward the car.

“Yes. I sure have missed her.”

“She’s missed you, too. I know she’d love it if you moved back home. Of course, your father and I would like nothing better.”

“I don’t know, Mom,” Shannah said evasively. “We’ll see.”

It was a little after four-thirty when Shannah pulled into the driveway of her parents’ home.

Switching off the ignition, Shannah noticed there was a late model Honda parked in front of the house. Though there was nothing ominous about the car’s appearance, she hurried up the walk to the front door and into the house.

“Is anything wrong?” her mother asked, hurrying into the house behind her.

“No, nothing,” Shannah assured her mother, and then almost jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Verna said.

“No!” Shannah said, “I’ll get it.” Taking a deep breath, she opened the front door, felt her heart jump into her throat when she saw Jim Hewitt and Carl Overstreet standing on the porch.