“What the hell took you so long?” Vera’s heart did not weep in disappointment. She did not want to run back upstairs and cry her eyes out. She did not.
Plastering on a smile she said, “Sarina how good to see you. Come on in.”
“Sorry for the attitude, I just was starting to feel like a cop banging on that door.” Vera motioned for her to take a seat and then took the one opposite hers.
“No problem. What can I do you for?” She hadn’t talked to Vane’s mate one on one...ever.
Sarina shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Okay, well, see I wanted to talk to you. But I know it’s not really my place, yet I’m just kind of nosey enough to push that aside and come over here late at night.”
Vera’s mouth pulled into a real smile this time, though a flicker of unease rolled through her. “I understand that and I respect your tenacity. I give you leave to say what you want,” she said grandly.
Sarina’s looked as if a wish had just been granted. “Thank you so much for that you don’t know how much I appreciate that. Okay, so first, I know you’re sad and I want you to know that if you need to talk to someone, I’m here. Also, I would love to get to know you more so I wanted to ask you over for dinner sometime. And lastly, I am dying to know what’s going on between you and Jackson Marsh.” Her eyes twinkled so brightly, it was a wonder they didn’t sparkle.
Vera cleared her throat—twice. She ran through everything Sarina said twice before she could figure out what to say.
“Um, well, thank you. I assure you I’m not sad, and I would love to come over for dinner sometime just give me a ring.” Nice, sweet smile, there. She ignored the question about Jackson Marsh, she was not going to talk about him, wasn’t even sure if she could without crying.
Sarina was stronger and smarter than she originally gave her credit for because she didn’t stand up to leave. Instead, she leaned back her chair and gave her a saucy smile. “Would you perhaps be interested to know that I saw Jackson Marsh today?”
Vera flung herself into a sitting position, her ass nearly falling out of the chair as she tried to get closer to Sarina. “What, what do you mean? He was here. On Kategan land?” Panic, shock, hope, and excitement spun through her all at once. Stupid girl don’t get your hopes up.
Sarina leaned forward like she was about to divulge the juiciest of gossip. In a loud whisper she said, “He came by Vane’s today, or should I say tonight. He asked where Rome was and so on and so on, and then he asked about you.” She tossed her head back and pretended to fan away the heat from her face. “The man’s eyes were so hot when he talked about you I swear I had to crack a window. The man smoldered.”
Vera absorbed her words with a mixture of denial and stupid hope.
Sarina cocked an eyebrow and pretended to study her nails. “So would you like to know what else he asked about?”
Vera could only nod dumbly.
Sarina grinned from ear to ear. “He wanted to know where you lived. Said he needed to talk to you. Vane wouldn’t tell him either. Oh my god, you should have been there. It was awesome. I thought there was going to be a fight. Jackson got all angry-eyed and dark, even his scent smelled...different. Vane only told him after he fessed up about being changed into a vampire. Then there was this other thing that he promised me and Vane not to tell anyone about.”
Vera grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “What promise? Tell me, please!” She didn’t hide the desperation in her voice. Her hands were shaking when she finally pulled them back.
Sarina cocked her head and smiled softly. “You love him, don’t you?”
Vera slumped in her seat with defeat and said miserably, “So much. He is my mate.” Sarina nodded, her eyes gentle and understanding.
“He cares about you, you know. I may not have any right telling you this, but I think that’s why he came here today. For you.”
Vera nodded mutely, her mind buzzing with a thousand thoughts, doubts, fears, and hopes.
“Well I’ll leave you alone now, but I just wanted to tell you that you have a friend close by if you want to talk, go shopping, trash the male sex, or get drunk and watch Twilight.” Vera laughed for the first time in four weeks.
She went to Sarina and hugged her tight. “Thank you,” she said softly. Sarina squeezed her back.
“Anytime darling.” She gave a girly wave then left out the front door.
He came back. Well of course he came back, he lives around here, but he came asking about her. Did he still want her? She didn’t have so much pride or attitude that she would deny him if he came back groveling—okay if he came back at all. She would take him back in a second.
She walked back upstairs in a daze. When she got to her bedroom, she just stopped. She had no idea what to do. After doing the dishes she’d felt energized into doing something—namely going out and getting drunk. But now she couldn’t. The bathroom light drew her attention and like a moth, she went to it. Her makeup was scattered across the sink so she methodically started picking it up.
He asked about her. What was the promise? Did he want her back? It had to be something good, right? Or else Sarina wouldn’t have looked so evilly happy. Maybe he was going to apologize. Hope had her eyes widening and a small smile twitching on her face.
Don’t be stupid, Vera. She slammed her hand against the wall, her teeth grinding together. He had a month to call, to write, to come see her. He wasn’t coming back with a bouquet of roses and an “I love you.” A fuck, that’s all he would want.
She switched off the bathroom light, and then there was a knock at the front door.
# # #
Jackson cursed himself again and the silly package sitting in the passenger seat next to him. He stared at it hard, then turned back towards the road, his hands screwing against the steering wheel.
God he’d never felt this before, and it fucking sucked.
She wouldn’t even like it. Hell, she wasn’t even going to let him in the door, he just knew it. He banged his head against the steering wheel for the twelfth time and followed Vane’s directions to her house.
He didn’t know what kind of mystical powers were at work but he did know that he was in love with a woman who was not human, and he didn’t even know if she had a job. Not that he blamed her for that. He never asked. Was too busy staring at her, grumbling at her like some kind of caveman. Real smooth, Jacks.
There was no way she’d take him back. Even if he groveled, which he planned to do a lot of. He was a vampire now, as in, needs blood every day to survive. Sure, she won’t mind. Riiiiight.
He cursed the passing streetlights. They shone beams into the car and glinted the shiny red paper of the package back at him. A cruel reminder. Warm heat flared over his cheeks and he tried to pretend it wasn’t there.
He was one stupid son of a bitch. He’d fucked the greatest thing in his life up. Now he had to try to get it back, because living without it, he was only a shell of himself. Physically he was a wreck, mentally, a borderline monster.
He had Dmetri to thank for a lot though. The man had helped him, taught him so much shit he’d never even contemplated in his life. Like making sure he always had a supply of blood nearby so he didn’t get “hunger pangs.” Hunger pangs in a hungry vampire equals death to humans or animals alike.
Jackson slowed as Orchard Drive came into focus. He turned down it and found her house, pulling to a stop in front of it. His gut was bending and twisting with nerves, a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and his fangs threatened to drop at the thought of seeing her again.
Would she be happy to see him? He’d thought of this moment a thousand different times since he’d fucked up with her. He was determined to make it up to her. He just hoped like hell that she didn’t hold a grudge. He lifted the box out of the passenger seat and got out of the car.