Skye Morrison Vampire 2 Sins of the Father (18 page)

Jameson smiled and brushed a lock of wet hair
from my cheek. “It means ‘My heart is within you. Forever.”

My stomach did an unexpected flip and my
heartbeat picked up. I slowly stood on my tip toes, my eyes never
leaving his beautiful pale green ones, and I kissed him softly on
the lips. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,
Jameson,” I said when I finally pulled away, raw honestly and deep
affection painting my voice.

Jameson cupped my neck and smiled. “I meant
every word, my love.”

I leaned in for another kiss but my stomach
growled loudly, halting me.

Jameson laughed and looked down at my
stomach. “I think someone’s hungry.”

I grimaced, bit my bottom lip and nodded my
head. “I’m absolutely starving. Do you think Trey and Hunter are
back yet?”

He grabbed my hand and led me to the
underwater stairs. “Let’s go find out, baby. You’ve got to get some
food in you. I’m sorry breakfast burned this morning.”

I looked over at him confused as we climbed
the stairs. “You burned breakfast?” I asked, my brow furrowed. “I
wondered what happened to it. When I woke up, after I passed out,
and went down stairs to join you, I noticed that everything had
been put away.”

“Aye,” Jameson said stopping in front of our
towels and wrapping me in mine. “It was a mess.” He quickly dried
off as I carefully slipped Aoife’s bikini from my body. I dried off
and redressed in my thong, jean shorts, and crop top and followed
Jameson into the house.

We had perfect timing. Trey and Hunter were
just now walking in and their arms were completely loaded down with
reusable grocery bags.

“Did you know that they make these wonderful
canvas bags that you can use to carry your goods home in?” Trey
asked as he passed me, a huge smile on his face.

I laughed and nodded my head. “Yep, they’re
pretty awesome huh? It allows you to be stylish AND protect the
environment at the same time.”

Hunter rolled his eyes as he passed me. “He’s
always amazed by the smallest things.”

I laughed and helped them unload the
groceries. Trey had gone nuts in the grocery store. He bought every
kind of fruit and vegetable they carried and at least ten different
kinds of gourmet cheeses. There were breads, meats, canned soups,
crackers, nuts, and even an assortment of tea tins. There were
boxes of cake mix and cans of icing, deli meat and fresh fish,
cereal and milk.

“Damn, Trey,” I said trying not to laugh.
“Did you leave any food in the store for other people?”

Trey stopped unloading the groceries and
looked up at me uncertainly. “Uh-oh. Did I buy too much?”

I reached over and put my arm around his
shoulder. “You did amazing, Trey, honestly. Just be sure that you
freeze the fresh meat so it doesn’t go bad. I couldn’t possibly eat
all of it before it would have a chance to spoil.”

He smiled brightly and resumed unloading the
groceries.

Jameson walked over and kissed my right
temple. “I’m going to go take a quick shower,” he said then turned
and walked toward the foyer. I thought about following him up and
hopping in there with him, but the allure of food was too
overpowering.

“So, what’s for dinner?” I asked as I started
putting stuff away in the refrigerator drawers.

“I’m going to make a fresh fruit and cheese
plate,” Trey said, excitement in his voice. “Doesn’t that sound
delicious?”

I laughed and nodded my head. “Indeed. I
can’t wait to try some of those cheeses you bought. I absolutely
adore cheese.”

Trey nodded emphatically. “My mama used to
make the best goat cheese this side of the Mason-Dixon Line. She’d
infuse it with a bit of spring onion and we’d smear it on the hot
water cornbread that she used to make special to go with it.” He
closed his eyes for a moment as he remembered it fondly. “Almost
makes me miss food,” he said as he opened his eyes and resumed
unloading the bags.

I bit my lip and contemplated the question I
was dying to ask him. I didn’t want to pry, but I was genuinely
curious. “Trey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course you can, darling,” he said in his
light southern lilt.

“Where are you from? I’m just curious. It’s
obvious you were born somewhere here in the south,” I said as I
grabbed an apple and went to the sink to wash it off.

“Obviously,” he said with a laugh as he put
the last bag away. “I’m a southern bell through and through. I was
born in 1837 right outside of Brothersville, Georgia. It’s known as
Hephzibah today, though. I grew up living in a tiny one-room shack
with mama, daddy, and my younger brother Jacob. Daddy grew corn and
sweet potatoes on the little piece of land he owned and Jacob and I
helped him farm.”

I hopped up on the kitchen counter and took a
bite out of my Golden Delicious as Trey began washing fruit and
cutting cheese.

“Mama incessantly kept trying to marry me off
to the neighbor girl from the time I was 17. She wanted
grandbabies, she said.” Trey chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I
decided it would be best to move away at 19 before she caught on
that I was a homosexual. Those things were just absolutely
unacceptable back then and it would have killed her if she found
out about me. Daddy would have probably killed me, too, come to
think of it. He was a kind man, don’t get me wrong, but he was also
a staunchly religious Southern Baptist.”

He got out the pretty floral paper plates
that he had just bought and began arranging the slices of fruit,
cheese and flat bread upon it. “Anyway, I packed up, kissed the
family goodbye and took a train to the big city of Boston. I had
heard through the grapevine that northerners were…our more laid
back counterparts; sophisticated and worldly, if you will. I soon
got a job working the front desk at the brand new Parker House
hotel.”

Trey’s brow furrowed and he was silent a
moment as he perfected his plate presentation. He cleared his
throat after a minute and resumed his story. “I had the most
unfortunate luck of running into a Dark One not long after I began
working there. He was checking into a room and he was very flirty
with me. He was a handsome enough man, very tall and lean; he
dripped sophistication and class. His smile, though, was what had
won me over and I agreed to have a drink with him in his room after
I got off work. Needless to say, I didn’t walk out of that
room.”

“Oh, no,” I said, swallowing a mouthful of
apple. “What happened?”

Trey picked up the plate, walked over to the
kitchen table, and set it down. I followed him over and took a seat
across from him. “He drained me to the point of death and then
dumped my body in the alley behind the hotel,” he said with a sigh.
“Jameson came across my body soon after. Archer happened to own a
tavern across the alleyway and Jameson had gone out the back door
for something or another. I don’t remember any of this, mind you.
Archer and Jameson filled me in after I awoke from the change.
Anyway, Jameson found me just in time and carried me inside. If
Archer had hesitated even a second before giving me his blood, I
wouldn’t be sitting here with you today.”

“Oh, Trey,” I said reaching over to hold his
hand. “That’s just awful! Did you ever find the Dark One that
nearly killed you?”

Trey smiled and patted my hand with his
other. “You bet your sweet self we did. Jameson tracked him down
and brought him to Archer and me. Our species takes our
responsibilities to protect very seriously, so Archer made sure
that man couldn’t hurt anyone again. You should have seen the look
on his face when he saw that I had survived. It was priceless.”

“So, you were 19 years old when you were
turned?” I asked, digging into the luscious plate of apples,
grapes, mango, strawberry, pear, brie, sharp cheddar, and
geitost.

“I was. The year was 1856, June to be exact,”
he said as he watched me eat with great interest.

I made a happy sound as I bit into a stack of
strawberry, apple, and geitost cheese. “Thank you for going to the
market for me and fixing dinner tonight. You are just so sweet,
honey. I’m so glad Jameson found you and made you a part of his
family. And, I’m glad I got to meet you. You truly are a kindred
spirit, my friend,” I said smiling happily.

“I feel the exact same way about you,
sweetheart,” Trey said with a genuine smile then his face got
serious. “This is purely a hypothetical question, but…would you
ever consider becoming one of us…a vampire?”

I stopped chewing in surprise and set my
piece of flatbread back down on the plate.

Jameson walked into the kitchen, wearing only
a pair of jeans and wet hair. He walked over and leaned against the
island, facing us at the table, and crossed his arms over his
chest, looking at me questioningly. “Well,” he said when the
silence dragged on. “Would you?”

I looked down at my plate and thought a
moment. I enjoyed my life and being human. I loved food and I loved
my family. I knew that if I ever became a vampire, I’d have to give
both of those up and I didn’t want to do that.

I looked up at Trey, then Jameson, then back
over to Trey. “I don’t think so, honey. I don’t think I’d be able
to give up my family. My mother and I are really close. I never
knew my father and she’s all I ever had growing up.”

Trey nodded his head in understanding. “It’s
hard to let go of your old life when you change.”

We talked a bit more about happier things
while I finished most of my dinner. Trey retired to his room for
the night after cleaning the kitchen and Jameson and I went into my
bedroom to hang out.

“Do you ever miss being human?” I asked
Jameson later as we cuddled in bed.

Jameson took a deep breath and slowly blew it
out. “No, not really. I’ve had some amazing experiences in my 294
years on this earth; experiences that I never would have been able
to have had I not met Archer and become what I am today. You lose a
lot when you change, but you gain even more in return. The hardest
thing about turning is watching those around you die. You form
attachments and friendships with mortals and it’s difficult when
you lose them.”

“I can’t imagine,” I said sympathetically. I
patted Jameson’s chest after a moment and got out of bed. “I’m
sleepy, babe. Take those pants off and get under the covers. I’m
going to go put on something to sleep in.”

Jameson chuckled and smiled wickedly. “I’m
going commando, is that okay?”

I bit my lip and smiled sexily. “So, does
that mean I can, too?”

He nodded his head and wagged his eyebrows. I
laughed and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and get
undressed. I grabbed my black silk robe off the hook behind the
door and threw it on. When I walked out, the room was dark and
Jameson was in bed. He pulled back the covers for me and I took off
my robe and climbed in next to him. The mattress was so soft and
the sheets were a dream. They were silky and cold and I loved the
way it slid against my naked skin.

Jameson pulled me to him and I wrapped my arm
around his waist and laid my head down on his cool chest. “I love
holding you in my arms,” he whispered and sighed contently.

I squeezed him briefly and placed a soft kiss
on his chest. “I love the way you hold me,” I whispered back. “I
feel so safe in your arms, Jameson.”

“Goodnight, baby,” he whispered as I listened
to the slow song of his heartbeat and quickly drifted off to
sleep.

The next morning I awoke to my Blackberry
chiming on the nightstand. I opened my eyes and peered at the clock
on the iPod dock. It was 11:30am and I groaned and rolled over to
cuddle up with Jameson. Instead of finding my boyfriend, I found a
single pink tulip and a note on his pillow. I picked up the flower
and smelled it before I read the note.

“
My love,

I am sorry I left without saying goodbye, but
I couldn’t bear to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully. I had
to leave early today. The Manky Langer CDs are ready so I’m going
to pick them up before I go to band practice. Don’t forget, I have
a show tonight at Drop Kick Dan’s so I won’t see you again until
after 1am. I hope you have a wonderful day, love. I’ll miss you
every second that we are apart.

Forever yours,

J”

I smiled and swooned, lifting the sweet
smelling flower to my nose again. Jameson was so sweet to me. I
truly felt lucky to be his girlfriend. I rolled back over and sat
up, reaching for my phone. I had several text messages and spent a
few minutes replying to them. One was from my ex-boss, Dan Kennedy,
telling me how much he wanted me back. One of his new waitresses
wasn’t doing as well as hoped. He told me that he’d double my
salary, but I had to decline. I told him that I missed him and
would see him soon.

The last message was from Nikki. She sent me
a picture of Styvi Nix and the caption read: “We’re on our way to
Auditorium Shores to participate in the Dapper Dude & Diva
Doggie Dash 5k walk today! All proceeds benefit the local no-kill
shelter. Lyric is bringing his Corgi Nirvana, so it should be a
blast! Styvi says she misses you, mom. I’ll send some more pics of
our walk later. Love ya, cupcake!”

I smiled and scrolled down on my phone. The
picture was of Styvi Nix and she was sitting in the front seat of
Nikki’s Volvo. Styvi was wearing a black and neon yellow tulle
tutu, a neon yellow tank top, and she had Nikki’s cat rimmed black
readers on her face and her long tongue was happily hanging out of
the corner of her mouth. I immediately covered my mouth and
laughed. The clothes were SO over the top. Nikki must have taken
her out shopping at a pet boutique. I replied back to her, thanking
her for the picture and telling her to have fun.

I set my phone back down and took care of my
morning necessities. I put on tight black Capri workout pants, a
black sports bra and my Vibram FiveFingers running shoes. I wanted
to go for a run this morning and I thought the lake scenery outside
would be perfect. I threw my hair up, grabbed my iPod and arm band
and walked out my bedroom door.