Accidental Sire(63)

"No, smartass. I choose to make it normal by not dwelling on the things I can't change, like my relationship with my mother or my husband, and focusing instead on what I can do to make my life better-for me and for Danny. I understand the feeling that it's safer to pull up the rope ladder and isolate yourself, but you can't do that now. Vampires, for all our solitary ‘children of the night' crap, are social creatures. We need that support system, and you just happened to land right in the middle of one of the best support systems you could ask for. You should take advantage of it. Even if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I will try."

Libby gave me a speculative look. "Well, I think it's time you headed home."

"I know, I know, you've got to drive me."

"Actually, no, I think you should walk back alone. I'll tell Jane that after we talked I drove you home."

"I'm sorry, what?" I coughed up part of my coffee back into the cup. Classy. "Is this a trick?"

"I know what it's like not to trust yourself, not to be trusted. I think you need to take a walk. Be out in the world and prove to yourself that you can get from point A to point B without hurting anyone or getting hurt yourself."


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"Still feels like a test," I told her. "Jane will be pissed if she finds out."

"Well, if Jane asks, I have some parenting experience I'm going to fall back on to justify my decision. Or I will run. Running also sounds good."

I stood, hooking my purse over my shoulder. "Thanks, Libby."

Libby's hand shot out, catching my wrist before I could walk away. "If you screw me over here, I will deploy my mom guilt in ways you can't even imagine."

"Thank you for the warning."





9




New vampires need quiet time to themselves to help gain perspective. But don't call it "time-out." They find that very insulting.

-The Accidental Sire: How to Raise an Unplanned Vampire

I didn't feel completely safe until I'd gotten several blocks from the office, and not just because I didn't want Jane to see me wandering around unchaperoned. Dr. Hudson was still lurking out there somewhere with his medical instruments of terror.

The farther I walked, the more I felt the weight on my shoulders slip away. I'd forgotten what it was like to choose which direction I would walk, how quickly I would get somewhere. The stars above seemed to twinkle a little brighter. The air smelled . . . well, OK, it still smelled like car exhaust and doughnut grease, but still, it was nice to be outside.

I had about twenty miles before I reached River Oaks. When I left the city limits, I sped my pace up to a jog, heading off the county road and cutting across the woods. I grinned to myself as the few remaining leaves on the trees brushed over my head. I carefully picked my way over the roots and fallen limbs I could spot so easily in the dark.

I felt like Little Red Riding Hood, skipping through the woods. But the Big Bad Wolf could suck it. He was no threat to me. I was the apex predator here, in the dark. Unless Jed did that mutant shark thing again. Because I was sure sharks trumped vampires.

Libby had been right. I needed this. I needed a little bit of space, some time to think, without worrying about whether Jane could hear me. In the distance, through the trees, I could see a weird, rounded shape against the branches. A water tower? What kind of weird-ass town put their municipal water supply out in the middle of nowhere?

Still, I bet the view from up there was pretty fantastic, even better than the sights we saw from the tops of Jane's trees. I climbed up the rusty rungs of the ladder, taking two steps at a time without much effort. I could feel the tower swaying ever so slightly as I moved around the catwalk. I could see the whole town from up here, every tiny glowing light, like a little galaxy. 

I rounded the tower, pleased to see an old-fashioned drive-in theater, the screen just visible on the horizon. It was close enough that I could see Brendan Fraser's face smiling at me through the darkness. I gasped, sinking to the metal grate and hanging my arms over the rail.

Just as I got comfortable, my purse started buzzing. It had been so long since I'd carried a cell phone I almost panicked. I couldn't remember how the damn thing was supposed to work. The fact that it was basically a preschooler's toy phone complicated matters. I hit the giant green button to accept the call. Ophelia's voice came echoing out of the receiver.

"Hello? Meagan? I do not appreciate you ignoring my attempts to respond to your maddeningly vague e-mail. You could at least pick up the phone."