The Deal Taker (Book III)

Chapter Eleven - The Honeymooners

                                                                                     Chapter Eleven

                                                                                 The Honeymooners

I SLEPT NEARLY THE ENTIRE flight out to wherever we were heading. I would have slept the two hours it took to get us to the airport if I weren't so wired from the events of the night. Although I asked about a million times, Matthew wasn't giving me any hints where we were spending our dreaded honeymoon. I would have sat staring out the window of Matthew's plane—a plane we had to take specially for its sunlight-proof windows, otherwise I'd be widowed instantly—but I realized I wouldn't have the slightest clue where we were anyway. I haven't done much traveling outside of Chicago, especially in a plane.

The flight itself was around six hours, though it could have been shorter or longer because I spent the whole time drooling on my leather seat. When we had landed and pulled into some large warehouse, we were instantly ushered into a simple black car with equally black windows like we were about to be assassinated or something. Matthew drove, to my surprise, and not a speck of sunlight penetrated the tinted windows. The car made it appear to be nighttime, which I was accustomed to by now.

"Where the hell are we?" I questioned, mystified by amount of trees around us.

"Anchorage, Alaska, where the days are shorter and the nights longer. We're not staying here though. We have a bit more driving to do."

Alaska? This took me entirely by surprise, mainly because I thought Matthew would take us somewhere huge and cliché like France or Italy. But Alaska? Wasn't it all ice or something? Where were the polar bears?

We drove for well over two hours before veering off onto some gravel road I was certain would be the last road I'd ever see. Trees upon trees blurred past us as Matthew sped up the curvy road. The sun began to disappear behind one of the hills, seeming to make Matthew become a bit more chipper than before when he was mostly quiet. We talked most of the car ride about random things he'd ask me or I'd ask him. At one point he'd asked me whether I had left Chicago before I had met him, which led to a long story about the time I met a biker and traveled just outside of Illinois before quickly finding a way back when the guy pulled a knife on me. After several awkward minutes of Matthew shaking his head, I asked him why he'd choose Chicago to live in, of all places. Though I have asked him this before, I was still perplexed over it.

"Chicago has one of the highest crime rates in America," he answered with a wave of a hand. "Vampires are often drawn to places with high crime rates because it makes for an easy meal; no one is surprised when someone comes up missing. I've lived in other cities with higher crime rates, but I've had to move several times before people suspect something about me."

"You moved to Chicago for an easy meal?" My tone was flat and entirely judgmental.

His eyes met mine for a second before returning to the road. "No. I moved to Chicago because it's a magnet for other vampires. I have to maintain order, so when I find a vampire has wreaked havoc, I must handle the situation. Besides, I spend most of my time traveling. Chicago is simply my main location until I'm forced to move once more."

I thought about his answer, almost surprised he said he handles out-of-control vampires. I knew he had some sort of job managing people, but I've never asked for details. "You've always been home as long as I've known you. Well, except for the two or three months you had left."

Over a year ago, back when I was happily with David, Matthew had left for nearly three months on what I was told was a business trip. Before leaving, Matthew had slipped something into my drink to make me have dreams about him while he was away. I think he was hoping I'd develop feelings for him, but the most it had done was question my sanity. Several months ago Matthew admitted he had left in hopes of getting over me, though apparently absence made the heart grow fonder because he returned with a pair of diamond earrings for me, claiming he hated my cheap jewelry and gave it as an employee appreciation thing. Admittedly, I sold those earrings a few months ago for some extra cash.