Night Huntress - One Foot In The Grave Part 6

He smiled wryly. "You can hear my heart pounding, can't you? When I drank that blood in Ohio, I could hear yours. I could smell you on my hands."

"You're my friend." My voice quavered a bit, because the rawness in his face alarmed and-on a baser level-aroused me. "But we work together. I can't give you more than that."

He blew out a sigh through his nose and nodded shortly. "I know you don't feel the same way about me. Yet."

That single word made me draw back and head toward the door. It was too loaded with meaning for me to stay another minute.

"Answer me one thing before you go. One thing, and tell me the truth. Have you ever been in love?"

This stumbled me and I sputtered my reply. "Tate, I-I don't think this is something we should discuss-"

"Bulls.h.i.t," he cut me off. "I just laid myself open here. Answer the question."

Perhaps I also thought he might not remember this conversation in the morning, or maybe it was just his honesty. Either way, I answered him with the truth.

"Once. Years ago, before I met you."

Tate didn't blink, and his eyes bored into mine. "Who was he? What happened?"

I turned away, because now I was going to lie. When I answered him, it was as I walked out the door.

"You know who he was. He was the vampire I'd been sleeping with who wrecked your car the day we met. So you also know what happened to him. I killed him."

NINE.

WORK HAD BEEN HECTIC. IN SOME WAYS that was good. The frantic schedule over the last two weeks kept the awkwardness with Tate and me down to a minimum. It was hard to be gawky when your lives were constantly on the line.

Things with Noah weren't rosy, either. Despite his best efforts, my frequent absences strained our already tenuous dating relationship. And lately he'd started to drop hints about wanting to "deepen" things between us. Not that I blamed him for trying- we'd been going out for over two months, but it wasn't going to happen.

I already knew we wouldn't work, no matter how great of a person Noah was. There were too many lies between us, all mine, of course, and the bottom line appeared to be that I still wasn't ready to let go of my former doomed relationship. Hey, at least I'd tried. Now I had to let Noah down gently. I'd already told him I understood if my schedule was too difficult for him to handle. Either Noah was stubborn or he wasn't taking the hint. I had to start employing more concise methods, but I wasn't about to just say, We're through! and hang up on him. I liked Noah, and I hated the thought of hurting him.

Then on a Tuesday, abysmally early, my phone rang. I vaulted up to answer it, already looking for clothes and cursing whatever pulseless creature was causing trouble before eight in the morning, when I heard Denise's voice.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"Nothing! I'm sorry to call so early, but I couldn't wait to tell you. Oh, Cat, I'm so happy. I'm getting married!"

I didn't go through any of the "Are you sure? It's so sudden!" objections with Denise. She'd only been dating her new boyfriend, Randy, for two weeks, but Denise wasn't normally impulsive and she'd said that she knew she loved Randy and he felt the same way about her. Seeing the bowled-over look in her eyes, I knew anything I said about rushing, waiting, or caution would fall on deaf ears, anyway. Besides, she had enough to deal with. Denise 's parents refused to even meet Randy, since he was Catholic and they were Jewish. His parents weren't wild about their extremely short courtship, either. Who said falling in love was easy? Certainly not me.

I was planning a little chat with her parents. For years I 'd been trying to harness the power in my eyes. They weren't as potent as a vampire's, but I was going to give it my best shot. Denise deserved a happy wedding, and I would do my d.a.m.nedest to give it to her. What could go wrong? They couldn't be more opposed to the wedding than they already were.

I insisted on buying the flowers, the photographer, and the cake. They were taking on the expense for the rest of it. Denise tried to decline, but I threatened her with my knives and my PMS. In my nonworking hours, we scrambled to pick out her dress, the bridesmaids' dresses, the flowers, and the invitations. It wasn't until four days before the wedding that I met Randy. To my selfish relief, he was moving into her house, not the other way around. Denise said he was an independent software consultant-a computer genius, she'd gushed-and therefore it was easier for him to relocate than her with her local nine to five job.

Denise enlisted me to help unpack, and when Randy pulled up in a U-Haul, I got my first look at him. He was five-ten with light brown hair, rimless gla.s.ses, and a slim athletic build. He was handsome in an easygoing way, but I liked his eyes the most.

They lit up when he looked at her.

Randy held out a hand after kissing Denise h.e.l.lo. "You must be Cat. Denise can't stop talking about you. Thank you for all of your help with the wedding."

I ignored his hand and hugged him instead. "I'm so glad to finally meet you! And don't worry about the help. I'll probably never get married, so I'm living vicariously through her. Let's get you unloaded. Denise has her final fitting tonight, and she can't be late for it."

Randy coughed. "Um, honey, didn't you say we'd have enough help? There's just the three of us."

Denise laughed. "Don't worry. Cat comes from a long line of farmers. Believe me, we could sit and watch, but that wouldn't be polite."

Randy looked doubtfully at me. Denise, true to her word, hadn't told him a thing about my bloodline. He thought I just worked for the government.

Randy followed me to the back of the truck. "Are you sure about this? I'm meeting my friend tonight, one of the groomsmen, and he offered to help. I told him we didn't need it because of what Denise said, but I could call him. You don't want to strain yourself."

"Randy, that's sweet, but don't worry. We'll be done in no time."

Half an hour later, Randy gaped at his furniture neatly arranged in Denise's pretty two-story home. Sometimes being half dead didn't all suck.

"Farmers?" he asked in disbelief, looking at me.

I smiled. "Farmers. Back five generations."

"Right," he said. Denise hid her giggle.

"Go shower," I urged her. "We have to leave."

"Randy, what time will you be back tonight? Should Cat and I grab dinner?"

"Yeah. I'm meeting my friend, so I'll be a while."

I cleared my throat with mock menace. "Okay, I'm going!" she relented.

"Thank you for all of your help," Randy said again. "Not just the moving today. Or the wedding. Denise told me how you've always been there for her. It's rare to have a friend like that."

He stared at me without pretense, and I knew why Denise felt a connection with him. There was something very direct in his gaze.

"You're welcome." I didn't say more than that. Somehow, I didn't need to.

"I'm ready," Denise chirped several minutes later.

I gave Randy one last hug goodbye. "It was great to finally meet you."

"Likewise. Take care of my girl."

"Oh, she does," Denise a.s.sured him. "She does."

Four hours later, after Denise's fitting and then an uninterrupted-for once!-dinner, I dropped her off at home and arrived back at my house. It was nearly one A.M. Almost an early night for me.

I froze as I got out of the car and felt a faint charge in the air outside. There were no unusual sounds, just the background noises of people in the surrounding houses, and I didn't sense anyone. Still, I stretched my hands and felt the empty air of the driveway like it had form. There was the barest impression of inhuman energy, not strong enough for the source to still be there, but something had been. Maybe it was just some creature who'd pa.s.sed by. It wouldn't be the first time. Something about the residual aura didn't feel threatening. Vampires or ghouls gave off a different vibe when they were hunting to kill. Mentally I shrugged. If some evil dead thing had found me and had malicious intent, they would be waiting inside. To be safe, I entered cautiously, then checked all the rooms. Nothing.

I took a shower and climbed into bed. No monster was under it-I'd checked as a stupid precaution-but still, that odd feeling lingered. I could have sworn it felt like someone had been in my house. But that was stupid. Jeez, I was getting as paranoid as Don.

I closed my eyes with finality, trying to shut out the memory of that old childhood bedtime prayer...If I should die before I wake...

I slept with one of my knives under my bed, telling myself I wasn't being paranoid. I was just being cautious.

Yeah, right. I didn't believe it, either.

TEN.

DENISE, IT'S ALMOST TIME.".

We were sequestered in our own private room of the country club to avoid running into the groom. The ceremony and reception would be held on site. Denise beamed at me as I adjusted her veil.

"I don't know what you said to my parents. You must have drugged them, but I don't care!"

In all innocence I hugged her. No need to tell her I had drugged them, with the essence of vampire hallucinogenic in their iced tea, then practiced mind control with my eyes. It had worked, to my astonishment. While they still were dismayed over the religious differences, they were here.

Felicity sauntered into the room. I didn't like her, but she was Denise's cousin and one of the bridesmaids, so pleasantness was required. While I'd been helping Denise get ready, she'd been scouting out the guests for any single males. The woman was perpetually in heat.

"That last groomsman finally showed up," she remarked.

I sighed in relief. Now we wouldn't have to delay the wedding.

"He's yummy," she continued. She thought anyone able-bodied with a d.i.c.k was yummy, but I kept that to myself. "I only saw him from behind for a second, but what an a.s.s."

"Um, Felicity, could you get the flowers?" I suggested, rolling my eyes at Denise.

Denise grinned. "Good news, Felicity. He's the one you're paired with tonight. I've never met him, but Randy said he's single."

Denise had segregated the bridal party to a long rectangular table with every seat boy-girl-boy-girl. I thought it was a bit odd to have the bridal party segregated like that, but this was her show, not mine.

"Yummy," Felicity purred again.

I pitied the man. She'd probably feel him up under the table before the toasts even began.

Randy's brother Philip poked his head in. "Are you ready, Denise?"

She turned to me with barely contained excitement.

"Let's go get me married!"

I smiled at Philip. "We'll meet you in front."

Denise eschewed the traditional wedding march for a lovely instrumental ballad. Instead of the ushers escorting each bridesmaid down the aisle, Randy and the groomsmen were waiting in front. The bridesmaids would walk down one at a time in pecking order. As the maid of honor, I was last before Denise. I fluffed the train of her dress one final time before taking my place in the entranceway.

As I stepped into the room where the forty-five family and friends were gathered, I felt a wave of pure inhuman power.

Motherf.u.c.ker, one of the guests was a vampire. They'd better be planning on only eating cake, or I would have to get real frisky with the silverware. That would be a neat trick, slaughtering a guest at the reception without anyone noticing. My eyes swept the crowd from right to left, seeking out the source.

My mother sat next to Noah, whom Denise had invited before I could tell her that I was trying to break things off between us. Noah smiled at me as I walked down the narrow aisle. I smiled back and took inventory in a military manner. Bride's side of the room, clear. Groom's side of the room, clear. For some reason, it didn't occur to me to look at the front where the wedding party stood. Even when I did, it took a second for recognition to register in my suddenly paralyzed mind.

His hair was different. Honey-brown instead of the platinum blond from my memory. It was also longer than before, curling over his ears instead of hugging his head like a sleek helmet. Pale skin glittered against the ebony fabric of his tuxedo, such a creamy breathtaking contrast. Eyes so deep brown they were nearly black bored into mine with none of the shock I felt. Objects in motion stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

I proved Newton's Law of Inertia, because even though my breath caught and my heart skipped a beat, I somehow managed to keep walking down the aisle.

Bones's gaze devoured mine. Inside me a completely unfamiliar sensation exploded, taking my lagging mind a second to diagnose it. Joy. Pure, unadulterated joy flooded me. I was actually about to spring forward and hurtle myself in his arms, when I stopped myself.

What was Bones doing here? And why didn't he look surprised to see me?

That froze me from any craziness, like flinging myself at him as I 'd been tempted to do. If Bones wasn't surprised to see me, then he knew I'd be here. But how did he know that? And the most important questions-How did he find me? What did he want?

Now wasn't the time to find out. This was Denise's wedding. I wouldn't ruin it by causing a scene. Thank G.o.d and all his saints, I thought, that my mother isn't looking closely at the groomsmen. She'd have no hesitation about ruining Denise's day in a spectacular way. Whatever Bones had in mind, I'd deal with him after the wedding.

Or I'd pa.s.s out. Whichever came first.

Without further drama, I took my place by Felicity. She leaned over and hissed in my ear as Denise began her walk down the aisle.

"Don't even think about the hottie; I call dibs."

"Shut up," I replied, too low for the guests to overhear. My palms were sweating and my knees felt like jelly. How was I ever going to make it through this wedding? Bones's nearness was unbelievable. For four and a half years I had dreamed about him, and now I could reach out and touch him. It didn't even seem real.

Randy took Denise from her father's arm, and they held hands. The appointed justice began the modified version of the wedding vows sans religious references. Bones turned and faced the man when the rest of the groomsmen did.

The ceremony was a blur. I had to be nudged by Felicity to accept Denise 's bouquet when it was time for the ring exchange. When the justice finally p.r.o.nounced them man and wife, I was relieved. How terrible of me. This was my best friend 's wedding, and all I wanted was for it to be over so I could have a moment to pull myself together.

Denise and Randy ascended back up the aisle, and I nearly ran when it was my turn to follow them. Philip tried to restrain me to a sedate walk, but I yanked on his arm to speed him up.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I lied in desperation. What I had to do was take a moment alone to recover my blasted equilibrium. "Tell Noah not to wait for me; I'll go straight to do the pictures afterward."

As soon as we left the sanctuary, I bolted for the ladies ' room, my flower bouquet forgotten on the ground where I 'd dropped it.