Sexiest Vampire Alive(69)
Madison frowned. “You have something against vampires?”
“I’m sure some of them are very nice, but—let’s be honest about this, Maddie. They’re dead. I don’t want you to get involved with any of them.”
“But I wouldn’t,” Madison insisted. “I’m not attracted to any of them.” Her gaze shifted to Abigail.
Please don’t say anything, Abigail beseeched her with her eyes.
Madison’s frown deepened. “I don’t understand, Mom. It’s not like you to be so . . . prejudiced.”
“I don’t mean to be rude. I just don’t want you to form a relationship with any of them. Think about it. They can live for centuries, right? They would either tire of you after a few years, or they would insist on making you a vampire. How can I possibly condone that?”
Madison bit her lip and glanced at Abigail. “Some might think it’s romantic.”
Belinda scoffed. “Only in fiction. In reality, he would be killing you.”
Abigail swallowed hard. Her mom was bringing up valid points. Even she had warned Madison several nights ago that falling for a vampire was sheer folly.
It was like that old saying her grandmother used to joke about. If you’re going to fall in love, it might as well be with a rich man. And if she was going to fall in love, why couldn’t she find a live man?
Her shoulders slumped. She needed to admit the truth. A relationship with Gregori was truly impossible. But how could she possibly find anyone as wonderful as him? He was everything she’d ever dreamed of. Except for the vampire part.
Madison stuck out her bottom lip. “I thought you would be happy for me. I really want the job at DVN.”
Belinda sighed. “It would worry me too much for you to be around vampires.”
Madison huffed. “But Abby’s going to be around them when she goes to China!”
Abigail jerked up in her seat and shook her head.
“What?” Belinda gave her a shocked look. “You’re doing what?”
Madison winced. “Sorry, Abby. I thought she knew.”
Abigail shot her an annoyed look, then turned to her mother. “It’s a research trip, that’s all. Just a few days.”
Belinda’s eyes narrowed. “Is your research connected to me?”
“It’ll be fine, Mom. The Vamps will only be there to protect me. They’re super strong and fast. They have special abilities like superheroes.”
“Yeah!” Madison nodded. “It’ll be like traveling with Superman and the Justice League!”
Belinda frowned. “I don’t think you should go.”
“Mom—” Abigail started to say she was doing it for her, but that would only make her mother more opposed to the trip. “I need to do this.”
Belinda’s eyes shimmered with tears. “Sweetie, my health is my problem. You can’t take responsibility for everything.”
Abigail blinked to keep her eyes from misting up. “How can I live with myself if I don’t try everything I can do?”
A knock sounded at the door, and the Secret Service agent cracked it open. “The meeting has started in the Oval Office. The president requests Miss Abigail’s attendance.”
“I’ll be right there.” She stood and picked up her portfolio. “It’ll be fine, Mom.”
Her mother sighed wearily. “I hope so.”
She waved at Madison as she crossed the room. “See you later.”
“Good luck.” Madison eased up close to her and lowered her voice. “With everything.”
Was she referring to Gregori? “Thank you.” Thank you for not mentioning him to Mom.
With a smile, Madison patted her on the shoulder. “You’ve always worked so hard. You deserve to be happy.”
So Madison approved? Abigail nodded and left the room.
Sure, she wanted to be happy, but could happiness be found with a vampire? She’d certainly felt happy in Gregori’s arms last night, but what if that sensation proved to be fleeting? Could her happiness endure if it made her parents unhappy? What if her mother was right and Gregori’s attraction to her faded away as she grew older? What if he expected her to become a vampire, too?
She shuddered. Kissing Gregori was one thing, but getting involved to the point that he’d want her to become a vampire, too—that was really frightening.
She should stop this now before she fell totally, irreversibly in love. Stop falling in love? A chill prickled the back of her neck.
It might already be too late.
Gregori stood when Abigail entered the Oval Office. His chest tightened, and he fought an urge to pull her into his arms. She was wearing a lab coat as if she’d just come from work, and she had a leather portfolio gripped in one hand.