The Comedown – Rainbow Kitten Surprise
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Vlad led me with a firm hand on my shoulder toward a booth in the back. Most of the patrons were previous Mardi Gras goers, their head in one hand, a cup of water or coffee in the other. These guys clearly went too hard too early, it was barely 9pm.
I slid in on one side and watched him walk over to the counter. It always surprised me when I watched other people interact with him. The boy at the counter took a small step back as Vlad spoke, his shoulder's tensing when he finished speaking his order. He handed over two bottles of water and a coffee cup on a tray and gingerly took the money from Vlad's outstretched hand.
I snorted at the look on his face when he walked away. Honestly, Vlad could look scary when he wanted to but come on. Man up a bit.
Before sitting, he shrugged his denim jacket off, his tan arms covered in a sprinkle of dark fine hairs. Another good thing about him, his physique. He wasn't overtly thick in muscle, neither was he lean. He was the perfect balance in between. My wildest thoughts could only imagine what his chest and stomach looked like... and what hidden wonders lay-
I jumped slightly when the edge of the mug knocked my knuckles. I frowned into the dark mug and blinked up at him. "You didn't even ask me if I drank black coffee."
"I know you do." He retorted, opening the cap to one of the water bottles.
I narrowed my gaze. Now, how would he know that?
Clearly seeing the question on my face, he replied with, "In Bali, you had one every morning."
I easily masked my surprise as I poured a bit of sugar into my mug. On our family vacation four years ago – the last time I saw Vlad – I'd barely even seen him. Maybe a pass on the beach, a smile in the kitchen, a 'pass the wine' at dinner, but never long enough for him to realise I had a black coffee with my breakfast near enough every morning.
Maybe it was the smell, I thought as I took a tentative first sip.
Slowly, I halved my coffee and not one word was uttered between us. He looked everywhere but directly at me. One large hand continuously twisted the bottle cap tighter and then loose before he completely abandoned it altogether and curled his hands into two relaxed fists in front of him.
His eyes lifted to meet mine, his eyebrows lowering over his deep brown eyes in a frown before he said, "Are you a little more sober?"
"A little." I replied, the headache settling in between my eyes. "You're a spoil sport."
"You were alone." He countered not even a sparkle of humour to his eye.
"I can take very good care of myself, thank you. And I had been until I caught sight of you." I murmured the last part more to myself but he heard me and looked right into my soul.
Finally a small spark as the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Did I catch you off guard?"
"A little." I repeated watching the curve lift higher only to drop again. God dammit, Vlad just give me a smile. Just a glimpse more of your humour or teasing and I'll be set for another four years.
His thumbs massaged the top of his index fingers as he cleared his throat. "Why are you in New Orleans, Anna."
Straight to business then? "I go to college here. I'm in my twenties now by the way, twenty-four to be exact." I finished my coffee and pushed it to the side.
Clearly, he wasn't amused with my answer because his jaw ticked. "Your aunt said you went to Stanford."
"Well, that just shows how long it's been since you last spoke to any of us. I graduated last year, I'm at med school here."
The tick to his jaw relaxed when I looked up and saw a new form of intrigue. "Med school?"
"Why is it everyone looks so confused when I say med school. Yes, I want to help people, shocking for a vampire, isn't it?"
"Yes, it would be shocking for a vampire but you're only half. So only mildly surprising."
Now he was just trying to piss me off. I leaned back heavily in the booth and said, "A bit rude."
His eyes softened a little. "I have nothing against what you are, Anna you know that. I was joking."
"Funny."
We were silent a moment as we watched each other. He was calculating his next bout of questions, I could see it in his eyes.
"Is it just Mia?" He began.
I spun the sugar shaker in my hands and looked at the metal lid with a raise of the brow. "What do you mean just?"
"Is it just you and Mia here."
"No, Nina is here."
"Good."
"If I read between the lines of this conversation, it almost sounds like a warning."
"It is a warning." He stated.
"We don't need protection we can look out for ourselves."
Vlad leaned forward ever so slightly, his forearm covering half the table and his hand curling into a white knuckled fist. "Can you? If I put you in a situation similar to what your mother or aunts had to go through how would you deal with it?"
I swallowed my quick retort because I suppose he was right. What my mom went through when she was younger than me, it was almost unbelievable. And she was human too. Fighting a vampire five times her age and surviving? And my aunt Amy, Mia's mother, surviving a vampire hunter? And aunt Chelsea! Just because her maker – and husband – was one of the first sires, vampires' sought after her for leverage but failed.
Clearly satisfied with my silence his hand relaxed. "Being what you are, half human and vampire..."
"What are you saying?"
"The inhuman beauty of a vampire and the innocence of a human, it can be..." His dark eyes travelled along my neck and back to my gaze. "Disconcerting."
Now, that was unexpected. And the spark he lacked in his eye a moment ago flashed ever so slightly.
What could he mean by disconcerting? I mean, there was not much difference between me and an average vampire really. Sure it was a little bit of a surprise but disconcerting? Now he was just trying to make me dislike him a little. No matter how sexy the furrow to his eyebrows were.
"I don't know what you hope to achieve by insulting me tonight, Vlad but you're either doing it or going about this is in the complete wrong way. I'm not a child anymore, I'm not sure whether you've noticed."
The words died on my tongue when he actually smirked. Smirked! "What?"
"Nothing." He replied, again any form of happiness erasing from his face like it was a foreign entity.
For now, I let that go. "Well... now it's my turn. Why are you in New Orleans? At first I thought someone sent you to spy on me and Mia but judging by your line of questioning it doesn't sound like it."
He crossed his arms over his chest as if to say, it's none of your business. But instead, he answered with, "I live here."
I snorted with a roll of the eyes and grabbed the bottle of water. "You don't live here. I'm sure my aunt would have told me."
"I have an apartment not far from the city. I'm visiting."
"And my names Jennifer Lopez. Vlad, I'm well aware of the craziness of our world, so please don't bother hiding it from me. What's going on?"
"Nothing's going on." He insisted with a small shrug to his shoulder. This was the most nonchalant I'd ever seen him which only furthered my suspicion that he wasn't telling me the truth.
"Alright. If you won't tell me I'm sure I could think of other ways to force it out of you. Just give me some time, I'll figure it out."
"I'm not giving you the chance, kid."
When he looked at his watch my eye twitched at the nickname. What will it take for me to convince him I wasn't that teenager that wore sweatpants and baggy band tees around my uncle John's house anymore? Clearly this one encounter wasn't enough, how long would it take? He already thought I couldn't take care of myself for crying out loud.
And what was my agenda here? Seduce him? Sleep with him? And then what? Finally figure out what it is that made me so attracted to him in the first place?
Well, you sort of already know that.
I held in my laugh at the thought. It was the mystery. The darkness around him. And maybe, back when I was a teenager, my daddy went red at the sight of me staring at Vlad whenever he'd be around.
I wasn't a teenager anymore and dad had no say in who I dated.
So cross that reason out...
I released a breath and eyed him. "Vlad."
"I've known you since you were a kid." He reasoned.
"Were being the most important word. And barely." I clarified. "I could count on one hand how many times you visited Vancouver."
"If I remember correctly, you were ready to stay young. You went to Chelsea's house one evening after school and you'd thrown your homework out of her window. Even after I'd tried helping you."
A light blush rose to my cheeks as I cleared my throat. "I don't really remember that. You have a good memory."
"It's hard to forget those things." He smiled fondly and I had to return it. I banked the smile to memory and smiled wider. I'm set for another four years. But then my smile dropped into a scowl when he said, "Not so sure about being a responsible adult though."
He was just too damn honest. "I can do what I want to do. And your game of twenty questions has tired me out; everyone must be wondering where I am."
I picked up the bottle and stood, he joined me grabbing his jacket off the back of the booth, and followed me out the door. The boy behind the counter stared with a short gulp before turning back to the customer in front of him.
"Do me a favour and keep me being here to yourself."
"A favour?" I raised a brow. "Do you think you deserve a favour after how many times you've insulted me?"
He ran a hand over his cropped hair and sighed. "Insult's a bit strong..."
"Hurt my feelings then." I said with a challenging smile.
"I'll owe you." Even as he said the words he pursed his lips. "It's important you keep my being here between us."
I pretended to think about it before I said, "Fine. I promise."
"Thank you. Look after yourself, please."
"As much as you think I can't, I will." I winked turning on my heel and walking away. But as soon as I turned a corner, my smile disappeared and I sighed. I probably won't see him again for another three or four years.
And the progress report from the last time?
Zero. Zilch. Probably wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole.
Back to the drawing board it is.
**
I opened the front door to my home and dragged my feet over the threshold, only I made it two feet before Gretchen engulfed me in a hug. "Where the hell have you been?"
I patted her shoulder and looked around her to Nina, Mia and Jack all stood in the living room looking glittery, dishevelled and probably well on their way to a hangover. Judging by their red eyes they probably stopped drinking when I did and that was two hours ago. Everyone had completely come down off their happy high and it was my fault.
Heck, I didn't realise how long Vlad and I were talking until I saw 10.30pm when I called Mia.
I smiled sheepishly and released my practiced lie: "I made some friends, went back to Saint's and Sinner's and had a few drinks. It's no big deal, I just didn't have any signal to tell you guys."
If Vlad wanted me to keep him being here quiet then I would. Maybe in a few weeks I'd tell Mia, assuming he'd be gone by then. But for now, I'll do as he asked.
Especially for that future favour. I could think of a few right now.
"You went back?" Mia asked her eyes narrowing slightly.
Don't bite your lip. "Yep. Had a few drinks, but I left before it got too wild."
There was one habit on this earth that was a tell-tale sign I was lying or nervous. I blame my mother. She didn't do it anymore but when I was younger she used to. The lip bite.
And Mia knew me too well, for me to get away with this. It was just the question of how long.
I cleared my throat and looked to Nina's inquisitive stare instead of Mia's. "Guys, I'm sorry. Honestly, there wasn't any signal so I just carried on. I'm okay, see?"
Even Nina was giving me a disapproving look. I shook my head at them and sighed. "Right now, I kind of just want to wash away all of this glitter and go to bed."
Gretchen huffed a little angrily and said, "Fine. But I'm coming over tomorrow and having a lecture on how not to walk away with strangers when you're an eleven out of ten. I'll have a slideshow ready."
I smiled despite her stomping toward the front door. Next was Jack. "I shouldn't have left you after I found you but you looked like you'd seen a gho-"
"No, it's fine." I quickly interrupted when Mia's eyes narrowed behind him. Dammit, Jack. "I was just feeling a bit sick. Too many tequila shots. Come over with Gretchen tomorrow, I'll sit through her stupid slideshow and then we can all watch a movie."
He pursed his lips but nodded. "Okay. Sorry for leaving you."
"It's not your fault." I chuckled but hugged him before he left.
Nina and Mia didn't move a muscle. Both of them stared at me with crossed arms, their pupils dilating a little in frustration. "I'm going to hop in the shower if you guys are just going to stand there."
As soon as Nina opened her mouth, I rushed off upstairs to my room. I showered away the night and the surprise of the evening, and shrugged on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
Only when I returned to my room, I'd realised I hadn't locked the door.
Mia sat on my bed, showered with her hair in a towel and her nose flaring slightly when she sat at the edge of my bed, her feet lightly kicking my clothes on the floor. "What's that scent, I feel like I know it."
Son of a biscuit eater.
Although we were only half vampire, we still had an acute sense of smell. I didn't think Vlad's scent would be on me considering we'd only hugged for ten seconds. But here Mia was, wrinkling her nose and frowning just like her mom.
"Probably the alcohol." I shrugged as nonchalantly as I could, scooping up my clothes and throwing them in my bathroom. "What's up? Need something?"
"You're being weird, I'm not stupid." She patted the spot beside her. "Sit next to me and tell me what really happened."
"Mia, seriously nothing happened, it was a great night though, wish you were with me." I tried for a light chuckle but even to my ears it sounded forced.
I could see behind her eyes she didn't want to let it go but the curiosity was clearly killing her. "Why?"
"I may have met a few lovely guys."
"Any your type?"
"Tall, dark and handsome? Triple check. But alas, numbers weren't exchanged. So it's up to fate." There was absolutely no lie in that. No number exchange, he was tall, dark and devilishly handsome...
"For crying out loud woman." She huffed. "I just want you to fall in love and have lil vampire babies, and live happily ever after."
"You want me to stop being a third wheel don't you."
"No, baby, I want you to be happy. You're my sister, I want you to find the love I have. Nina's my rock but you're my blood. I couldn't live without either of you and I can't wait for you to have it too."
"I don't believe I need love to be happy."
"No, you don't but it sure does help."
I stared at her a moment and considered her words. "How did you know you loved her?"
Mia's smile was nostalgic. "In college, she walked into my room after a shower with pimple cream dotted all over her face complaining that she thought vampires were flawless."
"That's when you knew?" I laughed.
"If she trusted me to see her at her best and worst, then there was no one else I wanted to be with. I learnt what love was when she fell asleep in my arms with damp hair and one of my t-shirts on. And I knew I was in love when she came out of the shower." She took my hand and squeezed. "You'll know when you know though, Anna. There isn't a rush... but it'd be nice for us to double date."
"Oh, the endless double dating possibilities. I swear you swore off double dates after I introduced you to my ex, Dave."
"That boy picked his nose and grabbed a handful of my popcorn, no thanks." She shuddered. "Absolute liberty."
Both of us started laughing and reminiscing on some of the weird dates I'd gone on. Nina tiptoed in half an hour later with her laptop and a bowl of popcorn which only made us laugh harder.
"I heard the word popcorn when I walked past earlier and I started craving it."
"If only you knew the rest of the story." I grinned.
And that's how all three of us ended up snuggled up watching Pretty Woman at midnight. The girls were knocked out before Julia Roberts made it to Rodeo Drive, it'd been a long day.
My mind often wandered to what Vlad could really being doing here in New Orleans. If he wanted me to keep it a secret for now then, fine, I would. As long as whatever it was he was dealing with stayed in his world and out of mine and the girls.
I wasn't my mother or aunts, he hit the nail on the head earlier, I had no clue how I would deal with any situation similar to theirs.
And, to be honest, I was not ready to find out.
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