1 Dead Girl's Guide to Style (2 page)

I grabbed the phone again and punched in the number before I had a chance to change my mind. The first ring sounded and then another. If I was lucky he wouldn
’t answer. I loved getting voice mail—that way I could just leave a message. Caitlin couldn’t say that I hadn’t tried to call him.

After four rings, I was just ready to hang up when a sexy baritone voice answered. I hadn
’t expected that, but I wasn’t going to get my hopes up too much. He could look a lot different than the smooth sound suggested. Besides, it wasn’t about the looks anyway. I just didn’t want this guy to be weird. He could have model good looks, but if he was bizarro, I would run from the reception hall before they could say ‘chicken dance’.

“My friend gave me your number
,” I managed to get out. “For a date.”

“That was thoughtful of her,” he said.

Well, he seemed pleasant so far, I guessed. That was when I realized Caitlin hadn’t even told me this guy’s name.

“I
’m sorry, but Caitlin didn’t give me your name.”

“
Caitlin
didn’t?” He sounded confused as if maybe I’d just woken him from a nap.

“No, she didn
’t,” I repeated.

Oh, great, let the weirdness begin.

“You do have a name, right?” I asked.

“My name is Max Dupree.” His deep voice reverberated through the line, piquing my interest.

“It’s nice to talk to you, Max.” After a long pause, I asked, “Do you want to meet me at the Starbucks on Main tomorrow?”

“How about I meet you across the street at the Fountaine Cemetery?” he said.

I paused. What kind of date wanted to meet at the cemetery? The vampire creepiness was already starting. I’d known this guy would be weird. At least now I knew that he was probably a vampire. I was going to get Caitlin for this.

I sig
hed, then said, “Sure. I’ll meet you at the entrance.” He’d better not pull any funny business though.

“It says on my caller ID that this is Vamp Style?” he asked with curiosity in his voice.

“Yes, that’s me. My name is Hadley Wilds, but I assume Caitlin must have told you that much. Or did she forget to tell you my name too?”

“Who?”

Oh, this guy really was out of it. “Caitlin. You know, Clark’s girlfriend,” I said.

“
You own Vamp Style?” he asked.

I guess
ed she hadn’t shared too many details about my life with this guy after all. That was probably for the best. The less he knew about me the better off I’d be.

“
Yes, I do. I’m a stylist for the newly turned,” I said in my best professional voice.

Hey, I always had to promote my business. Times were tough and I had to use any chance I could to put my company’s best high heel forward.

He paused and then said, “Well, I could use help in that department.”

Oh great, he
’d probably meet me wearing his PJs.

“Do you need my help before the wedding?” I asked.

“What wedding?”

I sighed and said, “Caitlin’s cousin’s wedding. So do you need help?”

Another hesitation, and then he said, “No, I guess not.”

Maybe I should bring a suit as a backup plan. Whatever. As long as he wasn’t wearing sweats and a T-shirt with holes in it, I’d make the best of the evening. Of course, just then the thought hit me that maybe he wouldn’t wear anything at all. Yeah, he could be a total freak.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said.

I hung up with
a sigh. All that I could do now was hope for the best.

The next afternoon I was at home attempting to style my hair. After thirty minutes I decided I’d wear it down and wavy. My only concern was the heat. I’d probably regret not having my hair in an updo off my neck.

I lived in a recently remodeled small carriage house. It was a cramped space, but I liked the coziness. There was a loft area for my bed and the main floor had a living room and kitchen combo. I sat at the vanity next to my bed and stared at my reflection. I had just an hour before meeting my mystery date. Caitlin had been so busy with her work that I hadn
’t gotten a chance to ask her more questions about this enigmatic man.

I slipped
into the blue dress she’d given me and gave my hair one last spritz of spray. The sun was beginning to set and I was thankful for the dark of night. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the daytime, but the evening hours were when I felt most comfortable. Yes, I was aware of the whole vampires can't go out into the sunlight thing, but like I said before, for some reason the vampires in Savannah were immune to the devastating effects that the sun had on other vampires. I still didn’t understand why it was just the vampires from Savannah. Other vampires had moved here, but it didn’t work for them. They had succumbed to the deadly outcome of the sun.

Yes,
I could go out into the sun, but I was more susceptible to sunburn. I wore sunglasses everywhere I went because my eyes were sensitive to the brightness. I didn’t stay directly in the sun for more than a couple minutes. I wasn’t going to burn to death within a few seconds anyway, so I was safe—it would take at least a couple hours for that to happen. It just meant that I couldn’t get stuck outside anywhere without shade.

The shades were drawn
, blocking the sunlight from streaming into my small space. Steep stairs led from the loft. They were a little terrifying, but I tried not to think about falling. Breaking a bone had the same effect for me as it did for any living person, so my vampire status meant nothing where emergency visits were concerned. I grabbed my bag and keys then headed out the door.

I hadn’t planned on b
eing a stylist to vampires—the career had just kind of happened. Apparently, I had a natural knack for it. My services were in high demand. With vampires coming back after two hundred years, there were a ton of confused bloodsuckers wandering around.

I walked the short distance to the corner of Elm and Main. A cemetery sat at the corner. A small army of moss-covered trees guarded the space. It had been there since the 1700s. I didn
’t usually pass by often even though my office was just a short distance away. The graveyard brought back too many sad memories. I had a lot of non-vampire friends who were buried there. But that was a story for another time.

As it turn
ed out, the heat had subsided and the night was balmy. A slight breeze carried across the air, caressing my bare skin. I clutched my small purse tightly as if it would offer some protection from what might be lurking under the cover of night. There had been an increase in attacks against vampires lately and I had no idea why. Apparently, someone wanted to test our defensive abilities. I didn’t like violence and I tried to avoid it as much as possible. Biting necks wasn’t for me. Well, unless it was a little nibble with a consenting partner.

When I neared the cemetery, darkness had already seeped in, making it difficult to see much beyond the front entrance. Movement shifted out of the corner of my eye and I spun
around. No one was there. I turned back around and continued toward the entrance. From the corner of the graveyard, I noticed a shadowy figure. Was that my date? It was definitely a man. At least I hoped it was a man and not some other creature.

All this man needed was mist to form around him and I
’d probably leave his butt there. If this was my date, then he was already too creepy for me. I should have known since he wanted to meet me here. I watched with wide eyes as the mysterious figure neared. One wrong move and I’d let him have it.

From out of the shadows, the man appeared. He m
ight be weird, but he was gorgeous. His lean, muscular physique moved with ease around the headstones. He had that bad-boy vibe going on with mysterious dark bedroom eyes and a roguish smile. There was no way he could hide his sexiness. Vampires were notoriously charming and seductive.

Before I knew what was going on, I found myself envisioning running my fingers through his thick dark hair. Okay, I was getting carried away. The fashion guru in me knew that he would even look good in the aforementioned sweatpants. At least Caitlin had gotten this part right and sent me on a date with a hunk of a man.

He returned my stare as he neared. He looked dashing… and deadly.

When he reached the gate, he said, “Are you Hadley Wilds?”

I nodded, and for a moment found myself speechless. His presence was even more compelling up close.

Finally, my voice worked, and I said, “Are you my date?”

A small grin twisted the sides of his mouth. Max was even more handsome when he smiled. Maybe this date wouldn’t be so bad after all. Now that he was close, I could see that he wore a black button-down shirt and black pants. Did he think we were going to a funeral? Caitlin was off the hook for now. He was okay so far. A little creepy, but okay.

“I suppose I am,” he said as he gave me a slow appraising look.

“Are you ready to go?” I asked as I gestured down the sidewalk.

Max
smiled brightly. “Yes, I’m all set.”

He walked out from the graveyard and moved along the sidewalk beside me. Oak trees lined our path and branches swayed with the wind.

“I hope you don’t mind if I ask why you wanted to meet here?” I glanced at him.

He stared ahead and then said, “I was visiting a grave before you arrived.”

Oh, well, that made sense, I guessed. “I’m sorry. Was it a loved one?”

Max
glanced at me and then said, “Yes.”

That was all he offered, so I didn
’t press the issue. Maybe I’d find out from Caitlin later, although she hadn’t provided any details about this man thus far.

I looked him up and down. “You said you needed help from a stylist.”

He flashed that dazzling smile again. “It’s been hard adjusting. I could use a little help.”

“It looks like you did okay for tonight.” I couldn
’t help but offer a smile.

And to think that the only smile I
’d thought would cross my lips tonight would be when I said goodbye; I had been completely wrong.

“Don’t be fooled. I had help from someone at the store. I don
’t have many other clothes other than this.” He gestured at his shirt.

“Well, stop by my office and we can work out a plan for you,” I offered.

“I’d like that,” he said.

Max and I
continued down the sidewalk, but my anxiety increased. This wasn’t first-date jitters. A strong presence sent out a vibe from somewhere not far behind us. I cast a glance over my shoulder, but didn’t see anyone.

We
’d only taken a few more steps when all of a sudden Max grabbed my arm and yanked me to the side. I stumbled, but managed to keep myself upright. He dragged me behind a tree near the edge of the graveyard. This was it. Max was going to kill me—as in permanently kill me. He probably had a stake and would stick it through my heart. I’d be nothing more than a pile of ashes. Paying the rent next month or having to go to the dentist for my fang checkup wouldn’t be an issue any longer. I hoped Caitlin would feel terrible for setting me up with this creep.

With his hand covering my mouth, I was ready to punch him in the ribs with my elbow. I’d just started to put that plan into action when I saw the men run past.
These weren’t joggers either. They were way overdressed for that. Actually, they wore suits and looked as if they were headed to a wedding too.

When they
’d passed, Max released his hand from my mouth. “I’m sorry I grabbed you like that.”

I straightened my dress and looked at him. “I can see that now, but if you ever do that to me again I will be forced to inflict great pain upon you. What is going on? Do you owe a gambling debt?”

He shook his head. “They’ve been trailing me for some time now.”

Great. Caitlin had fixed me up with a criminal. So he hadn
’t killed me, but the men following him probably would kill me. Either way, I was screwed.

Brilliant stars twinkled in the pitch
-black expanse of sky and a soft breeze made the moss sway in the treetops. Such a pleasant evening, but now it had turned bizarre in an instant. I was almost afraid to ask him what was going on, but I knew that I had to.

“Who are the men?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” he responded.

Max didn
’t look at me when he said that, but I knew that he wasn’t being completely honest with me. It didn’t matter. I’d get this date over with and be out of here.

Max peered around, looking for any sign of the men. In the distance, I spotted a couple people walking, but the men weren’t around… not that I could see
, anyway. For all I knew, they were hiding somewhere and watching us. Perhaps behind one of the tall tombstones.

“I think we should get to the wedding.” I pointed down the street.

“You’re right. We should go. I’m sorry again that that happened,” he said.

For a moment while he stared at me with those big brown eyes, I felt sorry for him, but the feeling subsided when I came to my senses. I couldn
’t get involved in any crazy vampire stuff. I liked to live my life as far away from that drama as possible.

After a long, searching look into my eyes, he said, “We should go.”

I wouldn’t allow him to drop the subject that easily. “Do you have some reason to believe they want to harm you?”

Max ran his hand through his hair. “Well, I don
’t think they want to take me out for beer and pizza.”

I sighed and looked out across the path where the men had disappeared. “Do you think they
’ll come back?” I asked.

“Let
’s not hang around and find out.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me back to the sidewalk.

After a few steps, I glanced down and realized he was still holding my hand. He noticed and immediately let go.

“Sorry,” he said softly.

I shrugged my shoulders. “That
’s okay.”

We made our way down the street and of course I couldn
’t help but look over my shoulder every few seconds. In the distance echoed the clomp-clomp from a horse-drawn carriage against the cobblestone street. The sound always brought back memories. Not to mention the fragrant scent from magnolias that drifted across the air.

Thank goodness we weren
’t far from the church. I had to find Caitlin as soon as we arrived and thank her for fixing me up with a crazy vampire.

“So why don
’t you tell me a little about yourself?” I asked, trying to break the silence. “What do you do?”

He cast a glance at me from under those thick dark eyelashes. “I haven
’t been back long, so I’m in transition.”

Oh, even better. She had fixed me up with a guy who didn
’t have a job. The gifts just kept coming.

“How long have you been back?” I asked.

“Two days,” he said matter-of-factly.

I almost walked into a lamppost when I looked over at him with my mouth open. He didn’t act as if he’d only been back two days.

Max grabbed my arm and led me around the light. “I take it you’re shocked by that admission.”

“You could say that, yes.” I tried to keep sarcasm out of my tone.

“My return hasn’t been without its difficulties, but I’m trying to adapt quickly.”

“Savannah is your hometown?” I asked.

“Yes, I live very near here.” Every word from his mouth had a seductive quality.

E
ach shadow on our journey sent my senses on edge. I tried to focus on the beauty of the night with the dazzling panorama of stars and the warmth that surrounded me instead of focusing on the creep factor. Yes, I was a vampire—creature of the night, blah, blah, blah—but my favorite color was pink, for heaven’s sake. Did I mention I hated fighting?

After walking in silence for a couple minutes, we finally made it to the huge gothic cathedral. Twin spires stretched toward the sky. Pitched gables and stained
-glass windows decorated the façade. In spite of what people thought, I could definitely be around crosses and religious items. I wasn’t a demon, just an immortal who drank blood. Big difference.

“I
’m sorry I acted so shocked. It’s just that you seem so well-adjusted. You must not have been gone long,” I said.

He shrugged his powerful shoulders. “I
’ve been gone since 1884.”

With wide eyes I glanced at him again.

He didn’t let my stunned expression stop him from continuing as he said, “It happened quickly and didn’t give me much time to realize what had transpired. I have a lot of missed time to make up for.”

“You can say that again,” I said.

We’d finally reached our destination. The gothic style church loomed large in front of us. I couldn’t wait to see the inside decorated for the wedding. Caitlin had said her cousin had chosen pink and purple as her wedding colors. That was something I would probably have to see to believe. Oddly enough, I was enjoying his company. His voice had a soothing quality.

He stared. “When did you return?”

I moved up the large steps of the church. “I was only gone for three days.”

“Three days?” he said with a raised voice.

“I work fast, I guess,” I said around a smile.

The large wooden doors of the cathedral were closed. I pulled on one, but it didn’t budge. They had locked the doors.

“The wedding must have already started,” I said around a sigh.

“I
’m sorry,” he said softly.

I glanced at the time on my phone. “It
’s okay. I guess I got the time wrong.”

Just as I was about to suggest that we turn back, the church doors opened and a mass of people came streaming out. Max and I stepped out of the way
as the guests filed out. I looked around the crowd for Caitlin, but couldn’t find her anywhere.

“Do you see Caitlin?” I asked.

Max gave me a confused look and shook his head. He was no help. I scanned the crowd again and finally spotted her. Our eyes met at the same time and she ran over. Caitlin looked stunning in her mid-length golden silk dress. Her hair was swept up into an elegant updo. A soft pink gloss covered her lips.

She grabbed my arms. “Oh
my gosh, I thought you weren’t coming. Where’s your date?”

I pointed beside me, but Max wasn
’t there.

She looked over and frowned. “Okay, you brought your imaginary date?”

I looked at the groups of people around us. Had he disappeared? I couldn’t believe the guy had bailed on me like that. That was when I spotted him standing across the parking lot. He smiled and waved as he casually leaned against a car.

“Oh, there he is.” I pointed.

Caitlin followed my pointing finger with her eyes. “I don’t see him.”

I gestured. “Over there, leaning against the car.”

She frowned. “The one wearing all black?”

“Yes, that
’s him,” I said.

She stared at me with bewilderment. “That
’s not Clark’s friend. That's not who I set you up with.”

My stomach dropped. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s not Clark’s friend,” she repeated.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “That’s not the guy I set you up with.”

“Then who is he?” I looked from Max to Caitlin.

She leaned in closer as if he would overhear. “I don’t know. You’re the one who brought him. Where did you find him?”

“In the graveyard.” The words slipped from my mouth before I realized.

“You found him where?” At least Caitlin’s voice hadn’t reached a hysterical level yet.

“I called the number you gave me.” I pulled out my cell phone and the paper from my purse that she’d given me. “Then he asked me to meet him at the cemetery so we could come to the wedding together.”

She looked at my phone and the paper. “It’s not the same number.”

“Oh
my gosh. What have I done?” I clasped my hand over my mouth.

Caitlin shook her head. “The better question is why he is with you? Didn’t you notice he didn’t have the same name?”

“You didn’t even give me his name.” I released a deep breath. “Then you wouldn’t call me back. I called the guy and he answered. Why did he go on a date with me?”

We looked over at him. Max was watching the crowd and patiently waiting for me to talk with Caitlin. No wonder he
hadn’t hung around when she walked up.

Caitlin clutched her handbag and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “What exactly did he say when you called?”

“I just explained that I was calling because of our date and then I told him about my business. He’s just been brought back,” I added.

Caitlin studied Max, then focused on me again. “What did he say when you mentioned me?”

“Well, he did act confused.” I shifted from one foot to the other.

We looked at him again. He was still taking in the surroundings and studying the people around him. If he sensed us watching him he didn’t let on.

“What do I do now? I’m out with some crazed vampire,” I whispered.

Caitlin stepped closer to me, as if that would put much
-needed distance between her and Max. “Maybe he was just confused when you told him what you did. After all, he is newly returned,” she said.

I nodded. “That
’s true, and he did say he wanted my help.”

“That could be it then. I can
’t believe you are out with a complete stranger.”

“Well, it
’s not much different from what you were doing to me,” I said.

She frowned. “At least I
’d met the guy before.”

I waved my hand. “That
’s beside the point now anyway.”

Caitlin studied the mystery vampire. “Well, he is good-looking. You should finish the date. Maybe he
’s not a crazy vampire after all. He kind of has a sad quality about him too. Makes me feel sorry for him.”

I looked at Max. “Yeah, I kind of feel sorry for him, but I
’m not sure why. He’s very fit, so I think he can take care of himself. I don’t know, he just seems like a lost puppy dog with those big brown eyes.”

Caitlin nodded. “So, it
’s settled, you’ll finish the date. I doubt you would have liked my guy anyway.”

Something told me I should do the opposite of what Caitlin said.

“Okay, I will tell him the date is off,” I said.

She placed her hands on her hips. “Fine, then you
’ll go out with the date I wanted for you in the first place. This time I won’t let you call him. There’s no telling what kind of danger you’ll get yourself into.”

“So you don
’t trust me? Is that what you’re saying?” I asked.

She snorted. “Yes, that
’s what I’m saying.”

“Why wouldn’t you trust me?”

“You said you’d be nice to Alberto when I fixed you up with him and we know how that turned out. The guy has issues with clowns yet you took him to the circus.” Caitlin shook her head.

I folded my arms in front of my chest. “And yet you continue to fix me up with dates. Plus, I paid for the damages to the clown’s costume.”

I released a deep breath. I had to make a decision soon because I felt Max’s stare. What would I do?

Caitlin had me in a pickle. I
’d rather finish this date than go on another blind matchup. I was finished with this awkward conversation though. It was time to escape.

“I guess I should go tell him that we
’re going to the reception.” I shook my head at the craziness of the situation.

Caitlin smiled. “I get a dance with him, right?”

I snorted. “Absolutely.”

“I plan on finding out everything about him too,” she said as I walked away.