Chapter 23

“Oh, Gwyneth, I’m afraid I blew it.”

“Of course you didn’t. Any fool can see that Sly loves you with all his heart.”

“He probably does have to think it over, Morgaine.” Chad interjected. “This isn’t the kind of decision a man like him would take lightly. Now, if it were me, I’d say definitely not, because who wants to be saddled with the same ball and chain for centuries? Maybe millennia? Not me.”

Morgaine flopped backward in her chair. “Thanks, Chad. You’re a big help.”

“I’m just sayin…”

“Don’t listen to him, Morgaine. I don’t think the problem is with Sly. Personally, I think you are nuttier than a tree full of squirrels for wantin’ to be turned.”

Morgaine questioned her own sanity for the umpteenth time. “I probably am. I don’t know. It just feels so right.”

“Let’s pretend for a minute that he did it. He turned you. What would you get out of it?”

She placed a finger over her lips as she thought. “Hmmm…immortality. The chance to spend eternity with the man I love.”

“Every woman’s dream…to be twenty-nine forever.”

“Thanks, I’m thirty, and Sly is twenty-seven. He turns twenty-seven again next month, and the year after that and the year after that…”

“Anything else?”

“Strength and speed, I guess.”

“Okay, and what would you lose?”

“As long as we have Sly wine, nothing.”

Gwyneth planted one hand on her hip. “Which brings up a major point. What if somethin’ happens and y’all don’t have it anymore?”

“What could happen?”

“What if the building burned down and all you could do was get your asses out on the sidewalk. Or say a nuclear war started. Everything would be contaminated.”

Morgaine huffed, annoyed. “Yeah, and what if a spaceship full of alien monkeys broke in and made off with it?”

“I don’t know about the aliens, but a gang of teenagers might steal all the alcohol you have.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Well, one good thing came out of this little exercise. Clearly, we need to hide a fireproof safe somewhere with a separate supply in case of disaster.”

“See? I’m good for something.”

“I never said you weren’t, Chad.”

“Then why do you ignore me when I’m trying to reason with you? Oh, that’s right, you’re a woman.”

Gwyneth wagged her finger. “That’s enough female bashin’, Mr. Chad.” She cocked her head. “I’m curious. What happened to make y’all hate women so much?”

“I don’t hate women.”

“Then why do you criticize us every which way?”

“Because it’s fun.”

“Fun for you, maybe. Not so much for us.”

“Turnabout is fair play. Why don’t you get into the spirit and try some man bashing?”

Gwyneth laughed. “I can think of much better things to do with a man.”

Chad groaned. “It’s times like this I really miss my body.”

“So, Gwyneth, how are things going with Nathan?” Morgaine asked.

She giggled. “Well, now… I’m havin’ loads of fun with him.”

“Really? That’s a nice surprise. I didn’t expect you two would have that much in common.”

“Oh, we don’t. But for some reason, it don’t matter neither. I get more out of how he makes me feel.”

“Really? How?”

“Well, I’ve never realized my full power as a woman before now.”

Chad coughed. “The hot, witchy, Southern Belle is just discovering she has power over men? God help us.”

“It ain’t like that, Chad. I could take advantage, but I don’t. I’m simply teachin’ him how to treat a lady. That way if things don’t work out for us, he’ll be all prepared to find someone else to love someday.”

Sometimes Morgaine thought she knew her cousin, and then she’d go and do something completely unexpected. “That sounds very altruistic of you.”

“All true what?”

“Altruistic. Adjective. Unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others as opposed to egocentric.”

“Oh. Well, yeah. That’s me all right. I’m as concerned and devoted to Nathan’s well bein’ as I am for y’all’s.”

“Good.” Morgaine smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. So how are you teaching him to treat women?”

“Well, today he’s buyin’ me a Christmas present.”

“Christmas? But we don’t celebrate—”

“That don’t matter. He does. So, I’m lettin’ him buy me a gift. It’s part of bein’ all-true-istic.”

Morgaine smirked. “Oh, is it now? I hadn’t thought of it that way. What are you buying for him?”

“Do I have to buy him somethin’? It ain’t my holiday.”

Chad snickered and muttered something about the blind leading the dumb.

Gwyneth jammed her fists on her hips. “You take that back, Chad. I am not dumb.”

“I should say not. Any woman who gets a guy to buy her a gift without being expected to give one in return is pure genius.”

“Crap,” Morgaine said. “I just remembered Sly probably celebrates Christmas too. Gwyneth, will you take me shopping?”

Gwyneth’s eyes brightened. “Shopping? Ya’ll want to go out with me to shop for presents?”

“Yes. If I made it all the way to New York and back, knowing there was an evil vampire out there waiting, I think I can make it to downtown Boston now that the danger is gone.”

“Oh, that reminds me. Weren’t we gonna check to see if there were any other vampires in the area for Merry and Jason?”

“I already did. There’s a small faction in East Boston.”

“Ain’t that where the airport is?”

“Yes.”

“It makes sense they’d hang out there. Cheap rent and they can sleep through the noise.”

“With plenty of people coming and going, and no one aware of who belongs and who doesn’t, it’s a perfect place to pick off a lone stranger once in a while. Someone who might not be missed right away.”

“So how does that help Jason and Merry?”

“I don’t know. On the one hand, their kids won’t be playing there, but on the other, Jason has to travel.”

“Doesn’t the team travel together?”

“I imagine so. I’ll just warn him not to go off by himself if he can help it.”

“I guess he’ll have to hold it until he gets on the plane and use the tiny bathroom onboard,” Gwyneth said. “That’s a shame. At least when women go to the bathroom, we go in groups. Who’s the stupider sex now, Chad?”

Sly needed a long walk to clear his brain. This was a decision he couldn’t make lightly. On one hand, he’d never be lonely again, and he wouldn’t have to watch Morgaine age and die, but what if after a century or two, she just wasn’t into him anymore?

What would she be getting out of it? Immortality? If she was right and vampires lost their humanity over the years, it might not be all that great. Strength, agility, the power to mesmerize others? She probably wouldn’t use those assets anyway, unless for self-preservation. He’d want her to have those abilities if she ever needed them.

Perhaps they’d give her an added sense of safety and she’d be able to overcome her agoraphobia. But, oh Lord, what if something horrible happened and they no longer had the wine cure. How the hell would a nyctophobic vampire deal with a darkness-only existence?

As Sly wandered the Boston University campus, he snapped out of his obsessive musing when a scream shattered the evening. Charging in the direction of the distress, he realized his inner crime-fighter had become an ingrained habit. He no longer had to hunt down criminals to feed. What would he do with the perpetrator?

A young man dashed across the quad with a purse. A female student was in pursuit but lagging behind.

Sly still could make a difference and would. It was crazy to think he’d lose his humanity. Just as it was crazy to think Morgaine could ever lose hers.

He spotted where the guy would resurface after rounding the corner of an old brick building. The nearby parking lot might be his destination, so Sly stationed himself between the building and the lot.

Sure enough, the purse snatcher cast a glance over his shoulder as he zoomed around the corner and ran headlong into Sly, who stood his ground as firmly as the brick building.

“Oomph!”

Sly picked up the guy by his jacket collar. “Hand over the purth.” Oops. His fangs had descended out of habit.

The young man stared openmouthed but didn’t release it. Not that he wouldn’t have if he could make his fingers move.

Sly shook him. At last, the purse fell out of his hand and landed on the ground.

Now, what to do with him? Sly had no desire to drink from him. He could retract his fangs and mesmerize him, so all the young man knew was he had been bested by a freakishly strong older dude. That would work.

“What’s your damage?” he asked the petty criminal.

“I need money. I—I can’t feed my family.”

Sure. Chances are he can’t feed his coke habit.

Sly erased his memory and tossed him in the direction of the parking lot with a final bit of advice. “Get a job.” The guy ran off.

The female student approached carefully. “Mister, can I have my purse back, please?”

Sly smiled, picked it up and handed it to her.

“Thanks. I don’t have very much money in here, but I’d like to give you something for your trouble.”

“Keep it,” Sly said. “I’ve got everything I need.” Realizing he was right, he sauntered off, whistling.

As Sly approached his apartment building, he spotted a couple at the top of the stoop. A very tall blond man and a woman with short, highlighted, brown hair turned and two pairs of blue eyes brightened, recognizing him just as he realized who they were.

“Konrad! Roz! What brings you here this lovely evening?”

Konrad jogged down the steps and surrounded him in a man hug, thumping him on his back.

He returned the friendly raps and glanced up at his old werewolf friend.

Roz smiled and waited at the top of the steps. “I heard you have your own key now.”

Sly chuckled as he ascended with Konrad. “Yeah, and my own apartment, but you knew that.”

She cocked her head and stared at him quizzically…as if she didn’t know.

“I may be giving it up at soon though.”

Roz sucked in a deep breath. “You’re moving out? Why?”

“I’m getting married.”

Konrad’s jaw dropped. Roz glanced at Konrad and mumbled “That was fast.”

She may not have meant for Sly to hear it, but he did and laughed. “Why are you so surprised, Roz? I heard you were the one who suggested Merry offer me the love shack.”

She giggled. “Oops. She told you what we named your apartment, did she?”

“Yup.”

“You’re not upset about the matchmaking, are you?” Konrad asked.

Sly shook his head. “Far from it. Everything has worked out better than I could have hoped.”

“You’re with Morgaine, right?” Roz asked.

“Correct.”

“We thought we noticed sparks between you two.” Roz winked. “I guess you just needed a little push.”

“Here, let me get you inside and we can talk some more.” Sly fit his key in the lock and let them in. “Who did you come to see?”

“Whoever’s around,” Konrad said. “We’ve missed everybody.” He shrugged out of his jacket and helped Roz with hers. “We were in town for the Nutcracker and thought we’d stop by.”

“Great idea. If no one’s expecting you, who do you want to start with?”

Roz and Konrad stared at each other as if communicating telepathically. Oh yeah, they probably were.

“Why don’t we all go see Morgaine? You two can tell us about your plans.”

Sly led the way to the elevator. “There’s not much to tell. I just asked her. Merry and Jason offered their penthouse for the hand-fasting ceremony, and we agreed to take them up on that.”

As they rode the elevator to the third floor, he asked, “So how about you two? Made any plans yet?”

“Not yet,” Roz said. “We’re still settling into the routine of private school life. All we’ve figured out so far is we’ll have our ceremony next summer.”

Konrad squeezed her. “But now that we have a two-week break, there’s plenty of time to make reservations and stuff. I guess we’ll have to plan on an evening so you can attend, but we’ll be careful to avoid the full moon of course. That could be awkward for my pack and Roz’s relatives.”

Roz raised her eyebrows. “To put it way mildly.”

The old friends chuckled.

The elevator came to a stop, and they proceeded to Morgaine’s door. Sly knocked. No footsteps sounded on the other side. Could she be out and about? Nah. He knocked again. When there was still no answer, he said, “She must be over at Gwyneth’s.”

They traipsed across the hall and knocked on the opposite door. Again, no footsteps. Another knock. No answer.

“That’s strange. They must have gone out together.”

Suddenly, the decorated broom hanging on Gwyneth’s door jumped.

Konrad chuckled. “It looks like Chad’s home.”

Sly had never needed to communicate with Chad when Morgaine wasn’t around, but it might be nice to try. “Hey Chad, can you make the broom move up and down for yes and side to side for no?”

The broom lifted a couple of inches and fell back in place. “Okay, that looks like a yes. Are Morgaine and Gwyneth in the building somewhere?”

The broom swept the door back and forth until Sly interpreted out loud, “No.” He turned to his friends. “Hmmm…That’s unusual.”

Roz shrugged. “Maybe they went shopping. Morgaine and I went a few months ago. She had all kinds of fun trying on new clothes.”

Sly nodded. “She told me about your makeover. She really did have fun. That’s probably where they went then.”

He turned to leave but before he got far, he felt something soft whap him on the back of the head. Spinning back to face Gwyneth’s door, he noticed the broom wagging back and forth.

“Do you have something to say to me, Chad?”

The broom lifted and fell. That meant yes.

Sly looked at Roz and Konrad. “Can either of you hear him?”

“No,” they both answered.

Now what?

At that moment a door downstairs opened.

“Nathan?” Sly leaned over the railing and called down.

He couldn’t see him, but it was Nathan’s voice that answered, “Yeah, buddy?”

“Can you communicate with Chad?”

“Not unless he points to something, and I happen to guess what he wants. Usually, he just points to the TV and if I don’t turn it on, he points with his middle finger.”

Roz and Konrad chuckled.

“Who’s up there with you?” Nathan asked.

“It’s Konrad and Roz back to visit,” Konrad said. “We were trying to find Morgaine, but the girls aren’t here.”

“I know, they’re Christmas shopping.”

By now, Nathan had found the one spot where he could look up through the stairwell and make eye contact with the trio leaning over the third-floor railing.

Sly’s eyes grew wide. “Christmas shopping? Like, for us?”

Nathan grinned. “Well, yeah. It’s not like they buy gifts for each other at this time of year.”

“Shit,” Sly muttered. “I didn’t get her anything. And tomorrow is the winter solstice. That’s the holiday they celebrate. It’s called Yule. If we’re getting gifts for our holiday, we should reciprocate for theirs.”

Roz spoke up. “You know what, Sly, you should go get something for her while there’s still time. We can always visit Merry and the baby until you get back.”

He thought it over and agreed. “Okay, I wouldn’t just run out on you, but this is important. What should I get her?”

Roz tipped her head and tapped her bottom lip, as if she were giving it some thought. “Hmmm…. What do you give a woman you want to marry? Oh, I know!” She waggled her third finger on her left hand. The pretty little marquis diamond sparkled in the light from the sconces.

“A ring? Really? It’s that simple?”

Roz smirked. “If you can afford it, you’ll never have an easier, no-brainer gift to buy.”

Only Sly couldn’t afford it. The visitors had called Merry and were welcomed up into the penthouse, so Sly was on his own to figure this out.

Nathan waited at the bottom of the stairs, and he jogged down to talk to him.

“How do you know they went Christmas shopping?”

“Gwyneth stopped by and asked me all of my sizes, so I guess I’m getting clothes.”

“Did you buy her anything yet?”

“Yes. She has pierced ears, so I got her a pair of earrings.”

“Hmmm…” Unfortunately, Morgaine had about seven piercings, so Sly didn’t know how to handle that. Would he have to buy three and a half pairs of earrings? And, with what? Would she want something he got with his charm, good looks, and powers of mesmerism?

Sly shook his head. “I have to think of something else. Got any other ideas?”

“I thought Roz told you what to get.”

Sly hung his head. “I know. A ring. I can’t afford anything, much less a ring. I haven’t begun tutoring yet, but I dropped off some flyers around the colleges. If only I had another couple of weeks. Do you know when they’re planning to do this?”

“You can borrow some money from me. I have a bunch saved, just in case I get evicted.”

In case he gets evicted?Who thinks about that when saving money? Oh, yeah. He was talking to Nathan, Mr. doom and gloom.

“I’m sorry, Nate. I couldn’t take your money. Not that you’ll be getting evicted or anything. It’s just that to me, it would seem like you’re buying Morgaine’s ring.”

“But I’m not marrying her.”

Sly chuckled, trying to picture the unlikely pair. “No, you’re not, so I should be the one to buy her a gift.”

Nathan clapped him on the back. “I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes, buddy. But I doubt Morgaine is the type to expect a big, fancy diamond ring. You could probably get away with a thin, silver band.”

Ha. Silver. I might burn my fingers on it. And she might too if I turn her. Then, it was as if a light bulb lit up over Sly’s head. Of course! “You’re right. She’s not the type to care about expensive material things. I know just what to get.”

“Good. Glad I could be of help.”

“I do have to do an errand though.”