Vampire Bride

Chapter Twenty Three - Part Two

Maxwell

"You are taking me home and not to your place, right?" Charlie questions me as we get onto more populated streets.

"I would prefer if you stayed with me. You saw him Charlie, he's waiting for the perfect moment. And you're giving him the perfect moment."

"I can't stay with you forever, Maxwell," she claims, completely irritated by my mentioning the idea of staying with me.

"That's not exactly true." Unwillingly, I abide by her unspoken words and drive to her house. The radio is the only noise that fills the car all the way there. I can tell she's nervous and uneasy, but she remains quiet, battling her thoughts herself.

We reach her house sooner than I would have liked. "At least stay in the car while I check the house over," I tell her. Her hand lingers on the door handle while I talk, but eventually falls back into her lap.

An exhale of her breath ruffles her hair that falls in her eyes.

"Stay put," I tell her before I finally exit the car. The door quietly shuts as she starts to reply, but I ignore her and make my way to the front door.

I hesitate on the front porch, listening for the faintest noise. Besides the hum of the insects outside, it's completely silent and after entering inside and searching every nook and cranny, I find no one.

I barely step outside the front door before she starts yelling in my direction. "Well?" She stands outside the car, leaning against the hood.

"I thought I told you to stay inside," I retort, trying my hardest to keep the anger out of my voice.

"I thought I told you a lot of things too, but you never seem to listen either." Her arms are crossed over her chest as she snaps her answer at me.

"You can go inside, but I'm staying with you as long as I can, which will be until a few minutes before sunrise."

She walks right past me to enter the house. "I'll allow it," she says with a smirk.

A smile of my own creeps onto my lips at the thought of her believing she has a choice in the matter. Instantly, she goes into her room to change into her pajamas. When she finally sits next to me on the couch, she has her hair up in a ponytail, along with her favorite tank top and plaid bottoms on.

"Care for something to drink or eat?" A laugh explodes out of her mouth and chases the silence away. "Just thought I would be a good hostess, but not that good." She continues to laugh as she turns the TV on.

Hours go by with her eyes glued on the TV and her mouth shut. She doesn't even bother covering up her yawn. "Well, I'm off to bed. Feel free to watch whatever you want and make sure to lock the door on your way out."

I don't hear the bedroom door close, so I assume she left it open. The glow of the TV fills the living room, but even though it's on, I don't pay attention to what the moving picture is illustrating. Trying to get as comfortable as I can on her couch, I prepare myself for the boredom that's bound to happen during my wait until sunrise. I dig out the small trinket that Grace sent in her package. Flipping it in my hands I try to figure out what it is and why she sent it.

Does it have something to do with what's going on in Austria? With Benjamin?

The sound of a trashcan crashing to the ground from outside startles me as well as Charlie. I shove the object back in my pocket and leap from the couch.

Within seconds she comes running out of her bedroom. Her voice is breathless from her fear. "What was that? Is someone here?"

To ease her fear as well as my own, I stride up to the front door. I think I would know if a vampire prowls outside, but that's not always the case. Carefully, I open the door to reveal an empty front porch and a deserted street. All except for a woman walking her dog. I witness her pick up the trashcan her pet must have knocked over.

After shutting the door and purposely taking a few minutes before I speak, I tell Charlie the verdict. "Someone's dog tipped over a neighbor's trashcan. Go back to bed."

"Does green eyes have a dog? It could be a trick."

"Why would a vampire have a dog, Charlie? It's enough to watch humans who have longer life spans die. Having a dog is just asking for depression."

"Oh. Right." Her eyebrow perks up. "I guess you have a point. Maybe you can stay in my room with me...you know, like sit on a chair in the corner or something."

"Sure." I waste no time following her to the bedroom.

She points me toward a bench that's up against one of the walls. Sitting there watching her sleep brings some peace to my mind. At least having her in sight makes the stress I have diminish a little. Her breathing becomes slower and deeper as she finally drifts off. Trying to avoid the squeaky floorboards, I exit the room when I feel a soft vibration coming from inside my pocket.

I answer my phone casually. "Hello, Grace."

"Did you get my gift," she anxiously replies.

"Yes...but what is it exactly?"

"Eugene told me about the attack and I got my hands on something. Something for you to protect Charlie with." The words are strained as if she is forcing them out.

"I can protect Charlie just fine. It's not like I haven't killed another vampire before."

"You never know. Just promise me you'll always have it with you. And don't go playing with it it's dangerous."

"How am I supposed to figure out how to use it if I can't play with it?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll figure it out if one of your lives depend on it. You have lots of enemies Maxwell so keep it a secret. Benjamin would kill me if he knew I sent it you of all people." She quickly changes the subject. "How's Charlie. Alive?"

I ignore her calling out my past and my tally of enemies I've racked up. "What are you doing with Benjamin anyways?"

"Nothing that concerns you. Just some favors."

"Since when do you do favors for Benjamin?"

"Since when it helps me...and maybe even you and Charlie."

The squeak of a floorboard alerts me of a second pair of ears listening. "Grace, I'll discuss this with you when you get back. I have to go." Quickly, I put the phone back in my pocket. Without turning around, I address Charlie. "Spying now, love."

"Spying...not listening to orders, it's just another thing you tell me not to do, but you can't seem to stop yourself from doing either."

"Go back to bed."

"What did Grace want?" she questions. "I heard something about Benjamin."

"Nothing that concerns you. Grace can handle herself and Benjamin. Now go back to bed." In the blink of her eyes I race down the hall and come to stop at her side. Gently spinning her around I force her feet to take steps toward her room.

It takes quite a bit of nudging to get her back into bed, but once she does, I tuck her underneath the covers, along with placing a kiss upon her forehead. She grunts in disapproval, which forms a smile on my face as I walk back to the bench in the corner. She stares at me from underneath the blanket, making sure I don't sneak off again. After an hour or two, she finally falls asleep due to exhaustion.

I remain on the bench until a few minutes before sunrise just as I said I would. Reluctantly, I lock the door behind me and race to the confines of the hotel. The lock of my own door just makes me think about the snap of the lock on Charlie's front door.