Hmmm…that was another super power I wouldn’t mind having. Knowing exactly where Teren was at all times. That could come in handy. Of course, it was a two way street, and that would be a little annoying if he always knew where I was too.
She shook her head, her black hair rippling. “Jack sure loves having him here. I think he gets a little overwhelmed sometimes, being around so many girls.” She laughed again and sat in a chair beside me.
I laughed too. “I bet. How long has Teren been away?”
She sighed. “He’s very good at calling us, but we haven’t seen him in over four months.”
My jaw dropped a little. I couldn’t imagine not seeing my mother and sister for that long. I got irritated at him for her, and it could be heard quite clearly in my voice. “Why has he been gone for so long? You don’t live that far away?”
She looked at me and her pale eyes seemed to bore straight through me. I felt an uncontrollable shiver run down my spine and I held my breath. Breaking our intense eye contact, she looked at the river rock around her feet. “He has his reasons,” she said quietly.
Before I could respond to that, she patted my knee and smiled warmly at me. “I’ll let you get back to your book. That’s a good one, I always cry at the end.” She patted my knee one last time and stood. “Dinner’s at dark,” she said, as she turned to leave.
I wanted to protest that she didn’t have to go, that she could stay and chat with me, but I could only watch as she silently slinked back into the house.
Teren and Jack came back just as the sun was hitting the highest hills. Jack was beaming at his son, who was holding a couple large fish strung on a line. I wiped the inevitable tears from my cheeks as I closed my book and watched them finish walking up the path to the patio. Alanna flitted out from somewhere the second their feet hit the stones, and snatched the fish from Teren while giving him and then Jack a kiss on the cheek. She flitted away again and Jack laughed, watching her leave.
“Always in a rush, that one. The trout will probably be filleted and fried by the time we get in there.” He laughed again and shook his head at his wife.
Teren laughed once at his dad and then leaned over my chair and gave me a kiss. I smiled at him and noticed that his jeans were wet from the knees down. “Did you catch the fish with your hands?” I asked sarcastically.
He grinned and winked at me, and my mouth dropped a little. Not answering me, he flicked his eyes down my body. “I like your suit.”
I twisted my lips. “Yes. Interesting choice for your parents’ house.”
He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Only showing off your…assets.” He blurred away from me just as my arm was swinging around to smack him, and I caught only air instead. I frowned and he held his hand out to me. Rolling my eyes, I let him stand me up. “Just kidding,” he said, as he pulled me in for a tight embrace.
His mouth started distracting me as he brought his lips to mine. He was a fabulous kisser. I started getting swept away in the softness and stubble and wet warmth of it, when I felt his hand gently tug at one of the strings of my top.
“I will stake you where you stand if you pull that string out,” I muttered against his lips. Remembering where I was, I looked around the pool area, but sometime when we’d been kissing, Jack must have gone inside. I felt a teensy bit embarrassed about that.
Teren laughed softly at my comment. “I could sweep you upstairs, if you really aren’t happy with that suit.” His laugh turned a little husky and he started kissing me again, running his hand up my back to gently grasp my neck.
I started getting lost in him again, until I firmly remembered where I was, and what I had promised him at the beginning of this little journey. I playfully pushed him back from me. He was a little breathless, which made me grin satisfactorily. “Nope, you’re cut off. Remember?”
He gaped at me and then tried to bring his hands back to my body. “You weren’t serious about that, were you?”
I smacked his hands away and giggled. I hadn’t really been at the time, but with vampires that could hear every delightful groan - I was serious now. “Yep. No treats for you, vamp boy.” He frowned as I wrapped the plush bathroom towel around me and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go get ready for dinner. Your fish is probably nearly done.” He pouted, but let me lead him to the glass doors leading to the living room.
“We could go somewhere really far away. I run really fast,” he grumbled under his breath.
I shoved him through the door ahead of me. “Upstairs! Go change your wet clothes….and maybe take another shower.” He grinned at me over his shoulder and we made our way to the stairs.
Gran was walking down one set of stairs as we were walking up the other. She glanced over at us, sighed and looking awfully sad, looked away. I watched her glide down the stairs and wondered what vampires got sad about. Teren wasn’t watching her and didn’t seem to be too concerned over it. Once we were at the top and heading down the hallway, I asked him if she was alright.
Not looking at me, he said, “Yeah, she’ll be fine.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I’m feeling a little grimy after the long day. I think I will take a shower.” He kissed me lightly on the cheek and then blurred into our room.
He left the bedroom door open for me, but I’d felt the proverbial one slam shut right in my face on the conversation I’d been trying to have with him. It stung as much as an actual door would have. Forcing calmness into my body, I decided that he just didn’t want to talk openly about her problems here, with super ears everywhere, but surely he would tell me later. A voice in the back of my head screamed that that didn’t excuse the rudeness, but I tried very hard to ignore that voice as I changed back into my jeans and shirt.