A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2) (31 page)

A wave of disappointment washed over her, and she shook her head for a brief moment, feeling almost sorry for Gil and his friend. The young rocker hadn’t been that bad a guy overall, and she felt somewhat conscience-stricken by what she had just done.

“If only you’d been more honest with me,” she muttered absently and turned to race from the area. “And I really hate the term ’babe!’” she growled.

But she realized that the matter had been more than simple honesty. It was a grave matter of maintaining her anonymity among a planet full of humans, and the fact that Gil took that for granted while trying to profit from it was inexcusable in her mind. There were limits to her sense of compassion, and Gil Yeager had exceeded them.

As she raced away from the crash site across the coastal landscape, her mind wandered back to thoughts of Caleb and how fortunate Katrina was to have someone like him in her life. Of course, he was a part of Paige’s life as well, but it was a different sort of relationship. A pang of jealously flashed through her, but she quickly stifled it.
Sure, I’m fond of Caleb. Hell, I love the little guy
.
He’s not a bad kisser, either
.

But the evening’s earlier conversation with Gil at the restaurant replayed in her mind, and she wondered why the misguided former singer was so convinced that Caleb had been something more than just family to her. Then she wondered if somehow she had been the one who had the wrong impression about that issue, after all. It was a sense of doubt that scared her a little bit, actually.

Maybe I should stay away from Caleb for a while
, she resolved gloomily as she made her way back towards the city. An odd feeling pervaded through her at that thought. For someone who had always been so independent and self-sufficient since her turning in the early 1900s, Paige was suddenly surprised to find that the idea filled her with a sense of longing and melancholy. The confusion she felt over the matter struck her with a mix of shock and aggravation. Suddenly, her traditionally simple vampire life was becoming somewhat complicated, and by a human, no less.
I love Caleb, but that’s a good thing. Right?

She knew she would have to lay low for a time until she was certain there were no ties back to her for Skeet’s and Gil’s deaths. It was a blessing of sorts, because it would give her time to reflect on the issues, and her feelings, surrounding her relationship with Caleb. But a part of her wanted to stop and call him on the phone to talk to him. Just the sound of his voice might cheer her up. It was nearly magical, the manner in which he always managed to make her smile or laugh. Of course, she realized it would be some time before it was safe to contact him again.
Then again, maybe it’s better if I don’t.
The complications fueling her intense emotions were both confusing and annoying.

“Well, crap,” she muttered irritably, speeding through the night on her way back to the city.

Paige Turner didn’t appreciate complications, particularly those involving relationships.

* * * *

Chapter 6: England

The sole communication that Katrina and Caleb received from Paige following her departure from Atlanta was a brief text message she sent to Katrina’s cell phone indicating she had arrived home safely. And while Katrina found that to be perfectly normal and expected, Caleb was less pleased with the development. However, he reluctantly honored his promise to his mate not to attempt further communications with Paige until an appropriate time had passed. The problem was that the term “appropriate time” was far too arbitrary for his satisfaction.

Still, life proceeded, and he was once again preoccupied with the progression of the spring semester and all the associated functions of teaching at a community college. He spent a great deal of spare time drilling with Katrina, refining his mastery of self-defense techniques, including his recently acquired knowledge of knife fighting. He admitted that she had been correct in stressing that, while firearms were effective, the proliferation of sharp, bladed objects made them more important for weapons training.

On the social front, Katrina and Caleb spent time with William and Tanisha Browning. Caleb was pleased that his mate enjoyed visiting with the Brownings and their excursions to dinners and evening events attending plays and films. They even went out dancing at a local club one Friday evening in early March. Caleb had enjoyed seeing Tanisha really let her hair down that night and had been amused to see a much less controlled version of his friend as she danced heatedly with her husband. Tanisha later kidded him that if he ever said anything to their peers, she would blacklist him from future social events. Of course, Katrina was quite a sultry dancer when she wanted to be, as on one occasion when she had lost herself in the moment, grinding against his body.

The weeks passed quickly as Caleb prepared for their upcoming trip to England. Katrina helped him confirm that his passport was in order and made the arrangements for their flight to, and hotel stay in, London. She was an excellent, detail-oriented planner, one of her many admirable traits. He marveled at the amazing woman who had selected him as her mate and thanked the Fates for the day he had met her. However, the day that his memory held as their first meeting was not necessarily accurate, and he looked forward to the opportunity to have his memory restored completely. Though potentially emotional, he wanted to understand the true nature of their initial meeting. He hoped that the doctor whom Alton had recommended was indeed as good as the reputation that preceded him.

It was a Friday afternoon in mid-March and the last day of Caleb’s obligations at the college prior to the weeklong spring break. He chatted excitedly with Tanisha in his office as he crammed items into his backpack and tidied up his desk. She sat in his guest chair, listening with amusement as he described the anticipation of his first overseas journey. After a quick goodbye and Tanisha’s good wishes for a safe journey, he hurried out to his car and barely noticed the drive home as he appreciated the spring temperatures and late day sunshine.

He pulled into the garage, and the door had barely closed behind his car before Katrina appeared at his driver’s side door. She kissed him and smiled brightly as he rushed from the car, forgetting his backpack in the passenger seat, and hurried into the house to finish packing for their trip. With a pleased smile, she calmly reached into the car, pulled out the backpack, and carried it inside behind him.

She had spent the entire day packing while he was at the college so she would be available to help him with his own preparations. Her assistance included watching over him to ensure that he didn’t forget anything important, such as his passport, new exclusive joint-account credit card, or his collection of notes and brochures on London that he had assembled meticulously during the past month. Additionally, she made arrangements for Devon Archibald to check in on the estate a few times during the week. She also left word with the security system monitoring company to make Devon the primary local contact at night, but to respond immediately to any daytime alarms.

Within a couple of hours, evening arrived in full. Caleb finished packing, and Katrina made a call to Sunset Air to send a car to pick them up. One of the company’s additional services was to arrange for secure transportation to and from the airport, if desired. In order to avoid leaving their car at the airport, she had quickly decided the added cost was well worth it. Additionally, their luggage would be automatically processed and loaded on the plane.

“Are you ready?” she asked with a smirk as she noticed Caleb glancing at his watch for the third time in less than twenty minutes.

“Me?” he asked innocently, folding his arms across his chest. “Oh, sure. Yep, ready to go.”

“You’re adorable,” she observed with a smile as she regarded his nervous energy. He had a contagious sense of wonder and anticipation about him, which she found endearing.
You’re definitely keeping life both fun and interesting for me
.

Katrina’s cell phone rang, and she gave the Sunset Air driver a temporary access code to enter the neighborhood gate. Then she manually opened the driveway gate to allow access to the front of the estate. Minutes later, a black limousine pulled up in front of the house, and Caleb hastily carried their luggage to the back of the car. His heart was beating fast as he anticipated what he hoped was the journey of a lifetime with Katrina.

* * * *

Their aircraft was a three-engine airliner specially outfitted with oversized fuel capacity for non-stop transatlantic flights. The interior of the plane was laid out in a series of special oversized compartments reminding Caleb of miniature hotel rooms. Each compartment had locked and closed portal windows and was tastefully furnished using lighter colors. In the center of the room were four large seats facing a large flat-panel display inset into the wall panel.

The already roomy seats were fastened together in pairs so that a set of two could be turned into one large area, much like a small sofa. Mounted before each seating space and appearing to be adjustable forward, up, or down, was a small oak-finished table. Suspended directly above each of the four seats was a console with an individual drop-down LCD display, reading light, adjustable air vents, and buttons to summon attendants or control the display.

Set behind the single row of seats was a small bed and a large overhead storage compartment. Next to the bed was a small doorway leading into a private bathroom, including a small shower. All in all, it appeared to be a comfortable setup for long-term flights. Katrina had reserved an entire compartment for them, though Caleb had no idea exactly how many other passengers might be on the flight in the other compartments, if any.

She sat next to him in the set of two seats closest to the outer wall of the fuselage. She noted the curious expression on his face as he viewed the interior of their compartment.

“Geez, this is nicer looking than any plane interior I’ve ever seen,” he observed with awe. “It’s like our own little apartment. There’s even a bed back there.”

She grinned at him, pulled up the seat arm that was barring her from snuggling next to him, and commented, “That’s right. This is your first time on a Sunset Air charter flight. It’s unlike most anything humans are used to, for obvious reasons.”

He scooted closer to her and placed his hand on her thigh. “Are there any other passengers on the flight?” he asked as the aircraft’s engines roared to life.

“Passengers are asked to please buckle their seatbelts, remain seated, and secure any loose cargo until we’re airborne,” announced a pleasant female attendant’s voice over a small speaker set into the console above them.

So much for snuggling
, Katrina observed.
Maybe later.

The two of them buckled their seatbelts as she replied to her mate’s question, “I sensed three vampires and one other human.”

“The human would likely be a --”

“Companion, most likely. Although I discovered one of the pilots is human, as well as two of the flight attendants.”

He nodded at the information and felt the plane begin to move. His grip tightened on Katrina’s thigh, and he inhaled deeply. He had never flown overseas before, and while not scared, he was a little nervous as to what to expect.

She noted his increased grip and turned her head sharply to look into his eyes. “It’s your first time flying, isn’t it?” she asked.

He offered a shy smile as he returned her gaze and shrugged. “Well, over water,” he conceded. “I’ve usually traveled via trains, buses, or cars. My mother and I didn’t travel a lot, except for short car trips. Money was tight for us when I was growing up, and flying around the country was pretty much out of the question. When I relocated to Atlanta for college, I drove down from Ohio, mainly to have my car available. My college baseball team flew a couple of times, but those were just short flights. So, this is my maiden flight over water. Kind of strange and lame for someone who’s twenty-six years old, isn’t it?”

She smiled back at him and noted how endearing his expression appeared to her. Sensing a sort of vulnerability in his eyes, she stretched her left arm across his shoulders supportively. “Not at all,” she reassured him. “Are you nervous?”

“Nah,” he retorted casually, though there was a tightness in his voice. “Although it’s a big ocean we’re going to be flying over, and I’m not too keen on swimming in it.”

She looked at him with amusement. “So, you don’t care for the ocean then?”

He frowned. “Well, I’m not fond of deep water at all, really. I can’t swim.”

Her smile faded as she took in that important fact to file away for future reference. Her protective nature kicked in, and she reassured him, “Well, there’s no swimming on this flight, so you’re in luck. And besides, Sunset Air has one of the safest flying records in the industry. It’s one of the few airlines where the safety of its passengers really is their first priority.”

A man’s deep voice resonated over the intercom, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re preparing for take-off. Please fasten your seatbelts at this time and remain seated until we’re airborne. We’ll announce when it’s safe for you to move around your cabins. Thank you for flying Sunset Air.”

Caleb rechecked his seatbelt and glanced over to ensure Katrina was buckled in. He looked up at her with a tight-lipped smile and gazed around the cabin as if seeking a distraction of some kind. She reached out to grasp his right hand in hers and noticed that his palm was slightly moist.
Ah, he’s a little nervous after all
, she considered with a smirk. She found it somewhat endearing and made a mental note to be particularly reassuring towards him.

“So, Sunset Air only caters to vampires, don’t they?” he asked absently.

Katrina nodded and explained, “Well, they’re vampire-owned for a reason, but they cater to human customers using a separate fleet of aircraft. They’re a legitimate business focused on a profit-making venture, after all. It’s just that their vampire-supportive fleet specializes in safe, relatively anonymous, sunlight-free transportation. It’s one reason why their fares are so exorbitant. Of course, the amenities are numerous as well.”

He nodded silently as the aircraft seemed to shift abruptly. He thought it must be taxiing across the runway to prepare for take-off. Though, without a window view, it felt to him like riding in a closed box on wheels.

Minutes later, he felt a sensation of acceleration, and his body was pressed back into the seat cushion. He felt a tell-tale uplifting, tickling sensation in his stomach, as well as a feeling of being lifted upwards at an angle. He continued to feel that for a time, until the plane seemed to bank again before leveling off. In the end, it was a smooth and pleasant experience, and he sighed appreciatively.

“There. We’re in the air now,” Katrina commented softly with a small pat on his shoulder.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Richard Webber speaking,” announced a deep, male voice over the loudspeaker. “We’re airborne now and will continue non-stop to London. We welcome our human passengers and request on behalf of your safety that you please stay in your assigned cabins. Our staff will be happy to provide for any and all your needs, and we hope you enjoy the flight. Thank you for traveling with Sunset Air.”

Katrina unbuckled her seatbelt, but Caleb merely stared up at her with a curious expression. “Let me guess,” he ventured as he folded his arms before him. “That must have been the vampire pilot.”

She smirked at his reaction. “Now, now. Humans are guests just like the vampire passengers. It’s just that our kind are hesitant about mingling openly with humans in these circumstance. Please don’t take it personally.”

“But
you
can leave the cabin, right?” he pressed with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Her eyes quickly darted to him, and she looked over at the nearby plasma display nonchalantly. “Well, yes, I suppose I could. They do have a bar area set up for vampires to socialize in.” But she brightly countered, “However, I plan on spending the flight here with you, enjoying my mate’s company. It’s our first real traveling experience together, after all.”

He frowned slightly, but then shrugged and unfolded his arms with a sigh. “Yeah, I suppose it’s nice to have some privacy together,” he acknowledged with a half-smile.

She grinned slyly, reached over to unbuckle his safety belt, and tilted her head towards his to kiss his soft lips. Following a couple of additional kisses, a light knock sounded at their cabin door.

“Come in,” Katrina replied.

A tall, brunette woman wearing a Sunset Air stewardess uniform peeked into the cabin with a pleasant expression and asked, “May I offer you warm towels?”

“Yes, thanks,” Katrina replied as she sat up in her seat beside Caleb.

The woman entered, and Caleb noted that her nametag read
Trish
. She presented Katrina with a warm, moist towel using a pair of tongs and repeated the process for Caleb. He appreciated its warmth and happily rubbed his hands and face with it.