A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2) (44 page)

Katrina caught his attention with a sparkle in her eyes, and he smiled warmly.
But most of all, when they love you, it’s like being the center of their universe
.

* * * *

Early Friday evening, Katrina and Caleb paid a final, brief visit to Dr. Guilhelm. The three of them had a productive discussion regarding Caleb’s progress in dealing with his new memories. Later that evening, it was time for them to bid goodbye to Alton and the city of London. The stately vampire seemed quite sincere when voicing his regrets over the unplanned events that had overshadowed their stay. He promised a completely different experience if they were able to visit again. He even accompanied them in the limousine ride to the airport.

Katrina hugged her tall friend and former mentor, kissed him on the cheek affectionately, and whispered in a sincere tone, “Alton, you’ve been a consummate host for both Caleb and me. Thank you for everything. And come visit when you can. We’d both like that.”

Alton nodded and kissed her on the cheek in return. “Count on it,” he muttered with a disarming smile. Then he turned to Caleb and reached out to shake his hand.

But this time, it was Caleb who pulled Alton towards him and clasped him on the back briefly in a partial hug. The vampire chuckled and grinned with approval as they parted.

“Try to stay out of trouble, scamp,” he teased.

“Keep an eye on your couches,” Caleb replied.

Minutes later, Katrina and Caleb boarded the Sunset Air flight. Once they settled into their cabin, which was as elaborate and comfortable as the one in which they had traveled to England, Caleb felt his eyelids growing heavy. He had been on the go since early that morning. But the day’s events had finally caught up with him, and he yawned dramatically.

Katrina smirked, settling down beside him. She rotated in her seat and kissed him warmly. “I love you,” she offered after their lips parted.

He smiled. “Love you too.”

Soon after takeoff, Caleb fell asleep, remaining that way for most of the return flight. Katrina frequently glanced at him fondly and read the mystery novel she had started back at the hotel.

* * * *

Chapter 9: Reconciliation

Caleb and Katrina arrived back home in Atlanta on Saturday evening at the end of spring break. While Caleb had enjoyed his first venture outside of the country, at least the part not relating to being pursued or attacked by vampires, he was nevertheless happy to be safely back home. It was evident by Katrina’s lighter disposition that she felt the same. She called Alton and Devon Archibald to let them know they had returned home, while he called Paige. Unfortunately, he had to leave voicemail for her since she didn’t pick up. It was yet another unanswered call in a series since February, which bothered him a great deal.

I wonder what’s up with her? Maybe it’s the situation with Gil
, he wondered. It seemed reasonable to expect that such an event would have disturbed her, at any rate.

He spent the remainder of the weekend readjusting his body’s internal clock to their home time zone. Naturally, Katrina seemed to be completely unaffected by the change, but she was both understanding and accommodating of his eating and sleeping adjustments.
Yet another enviable condition of being a vampire
, he considered wistfully.

The next week was rather hard on him. Returning to the routine of teaching after such an international experience seemed surreal. In addition, Paige still hadn’t returned his repeated calls and voicemails, a fact he mentioned to Katrina. Her response had been rather subdued, but it was evident to him that she was equally displeased.

Fortunately, Tanisha Browning was only too happy to listen to his overseas experiences, which were naturally devoid of any adventures involving vampires. Still, he mentioned seeing Alton, whom he described as a close friend of Katrina’s who operated an investment firm in downtown London.

By the second week following their return, Katrina received a request from Alton to fly to Richmond, Virginia to meet with prospective participants regarding the upcoming summer vampire convention. At least, that’s how Caleb recalled the explanation. In the end, it meant she had to leave town on a Tuesday evening with an expected return during the weekend.

By that time, he had stopped looking into dark corners or empty hallways expecting to see a rogue vampire jump out at him. His confidence was bolstered by the appearance of Devon Archibald in and around his office on the evenings that he taught. For once, he hadn’t minded the hulking vampire’s presence. As a thoughtful gesture, Caleb gave Devon a leather-bound trilogy of plays by William Shakespeare he had purchased in London. The towering vampire had been pleased by the gift and even discussed some classic literature he’d been reading of late. Caleb found their interactions pleasantly unexpected and began to form a tentative appreciation for Devon’s company.

By Wednesday evening, another of Caleb’s failed attempts to contact Paige resulted in his throwing his phone across the room. It wasn’t until Katrina called later that evening that he went to pick it up off the floor. The situation was starting to get to him, and an idea born of desperation formed in his mind.
If she refuses to return my contact attempts, then I’m just going to go hunt her down.
The only mitigation to his idea was Katrina; he definitely wanted her buy-in on the matter before proceeding. And he wanted to speak to her in person about it.

First, he reserved a late-night flight to Richmond using the exclusive credit card she had issued to him. Following his last class Thursday evening, he rushed home and packed a suitcase with a few days’ worth of clothing. He drove his car to the airport, parked in the extended parking area, and flew to Richmond.

Taking a taxi to the hotel where Katrina was staying, he acquired a key under the auspices of being her fiancé. The shared credit card account was particularly helpful for convincing the desk clerk, as well as a discreet cash gratuity, so he could surprise her.

When Katrina entered the hotel room, she nearly froze in place, seeing Caleb lying on the bed reading a novel he had brought with him.

“What are you doing here, my love?” she asked carefully.

“Hi, Kat,” he offered, setting the book aside. “Just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.”

“I’m surprised,” she conceded with raised eyebrows as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside him. She glanced at the novel he was reading and asked, “What’re you reading?”

He grinned. “Oh, just
Twilight
. It’s a vampire romance. It’s actually pretty good. You should read it sometime. It’s the first in a series.”

She shook her head, smirked, and chastised mildly, “I’m sure. But isn’t the reality of being with an actual vampire enough for you?”

He shrugged. “Well, truth is stranger than fiction. But what can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic, and maybe I can identify a little bit.”

“I could use a little of that romance,” she suggested.

He smirked. “Lucky I arrived when I did.”

Following a passionate interlude, hot shower, and time holding her in his arms, Caleb broached the weighty subject on his mind. “I was hoping to ask you about something while I was here,” he ventured carefully.

She heard his heartbeat increase anxiously and lifted her head from his chest to gaze into his eyes. “Oh?” she inquired.

“I’m concerned about Paige,” he began, to which she frowned slightly.

“Oh, yeah, that,” she noted.

“I feel like our friendship is on the line. And, well, I want to fly out to California and find out what’s going on,” he explained. “Of course, I’d like your blessing on the idea first.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she regarded him for a few quiet moments. “And what if I said no?”

He seemed surprised by her question, but replied earnestly, “Well, I wouldn’t go then.”

“So, if I forbid it, then you won’t go?” she pressed.

He looked directly into her eyes and touched the pendant around his neck. “I won’t defy you, Kat. I’m your mate.”

Her eyes flashed for a mere second, and her lips upturned ever so slightly.

He knew immediately that she liked his response.

That’s exactly what I needed to hear
, she thought with satisfaction. She kissed him lightly. “Fine, I approve.” She laid her head down on his chest, appreciating the strong sound of his heartbeat, which had calmed considerably after her issuance of approval. “When are you leaving?” she asked quietly.

“Well, seeing as it’s Thursday night, and I need to be back by Sunday night, I’d like to go --”

“Tomorrow morning. I understand,” she interrupted. “I suppose you’ve already booked a flight from here?”

“Um, just in case you said yes,” he replied sheepishly. He hadn’t counted on her approval, but thought it best to be prepared just in case.

She chuckled. “You’re unpredictable sometimes, my love. But then, I suppose it keeps life interesting, doesn’t it?”

He merely smiled, not wanting to risk saying something stupid in response. Instead, he settled down to a few hours of sleep before he got up to prepare for his quick shuttle to the airport.

His flight to the west coast was aided by the upgrade of his tickets to first class, which Katrina had naturally insisted upon. He had initially resisted the suggestion, not wanting her to spend the additional funds, but she had merely smirked.

“The cost is of no consequence, you know,” she told him. It was one of the few times she alluded to her financial state, which he knew was considerable after five hundred years or more of development. “Travel under my terms or not at all,” she had insisted with an air of superiority. She could be quite imposing when she wanted to, and he felt the better part of valor was to acquiesce peaceably.

He had rolled his eyes and agreed, not wanting either to insult her persistent generosity or risk changing her mind about his trip altogether. Still, he felt that she spent too much money on him. It wasn’t something he was used to in his life. He even felt uncomfortable carrying the exclusive credit card in his wallet. Still, it made his vacation purchases much easier to abide. His personal credit card wouldn’t have lasted the trip.
European vacations sure are expensive
, he had reflected on their flight home.

As he reclined in his first-class seat thinking back on events, he shook his head. His mate was one of the kindest, most loving women he could ever imagine.
How did I ever get so lucky? I certainly don’t deserve her.

After a change of flights in Denver, the last leg of his journey went by quickly. He tried not to think about his upcoming meeting with Paige, though he was looking forward to seeing her. He hated confrontation and anticipated that she had been avoiding him for some reason that eluded him.

So he distracted himself with some in-flight music. He also tried reading more of
Twilight
. Given his current circumstances, he found the melodrama of the storyline a little too close to home, despite the expert quality of the author’s writing.
If only vampire relationships could work out like in the romance novels
, he thought darkly as he slipped the book back into his carry-on bag.
Still, sometimes relationships are just plain difficult, vampires or not.

Finally, he watched part of an unremarkable film playing on the small monitor built into the back of the seat in front of him. After wiping down with a complementary hot towel and briefly napping, he sat quietly as the flight made its descent into Los Angeles. It was early evening, and he was thankful for having gained a couple of additional daylight hours by coming west, though he’d miss those hours when he flew back Georgia.

After picking up his luggage and acquiring a taxi, he gave Paige’s address to the driver and sat back in the seat to stare at the passing sites. It was remarkably warm for a March evening, and he marveled at seeming to have changed seasons as well as time zones by flying out to California. It was his first visit to the west coast, and he momentarily wished that Katrina were there with him, partly because he loved traveling with her and partly because he dreaded his eventual meeting with Paige.

He took a moment to text Katrina to let her know he had arrived safely and was on his way to Paige’s. He had just enough time to look up at the beautiful sky and waning sunset before her reply arrived.

Glad U R safely on ground. Call when U arrive @ Paige’s condo
.

Well, she’s trying
, he mused.

Another message arrived:
Luv U. Kat.

He smiled as a warm feeling flowed through him. Then he leaned back against the seat with a sigh and tried to enjoy the ride. At least he didn’t have to drive in an unfamiliar place, particularly at night. The traffic was fairly heavy, and he thought it would take the patience of Job to navigate through it on a daily basis. Still, it was Los Angeles.

Darkness had fallen fully by the time the taxi finally delivered him to the address he’d given the driver. He almost thought there had been some mistake when Paige’s two-story condominium proved to be one half of a duplex structure and appeared quite ordinary, though relatively new. It was a mix of reddish-brown brick and white vinyl siding. The surrounding neighborhood was a series of duplexes on both sides of three successive streets with medium-sized homes built on either side of the condominium neighborhood. Somehow, Caleb had envisioned something a little grander, or at least edgier, for Paige.

There wasn’t a car in the driveway, but perhaps it was already inside the single-car garage. He shrugged, paid the driver his fee and a handsome tip, and took his luggage in hand. As the car pulled away, he silently appreciated the large quantity of cash that Katrina had forced upon him before heading out west. The amount of the cab fare had surprised him.
Score another one for Kat’s generosity
.

He sat his luggage on Paige’s small front porch and rang the doorbell. Fortunately, the porch light was on, casting a comforting glow against the surrounding darkness. He paused and rang the doorbell again.
Vampires have excellent hearing and move as quickly as lightning, so Paige probably isn’t home.

“Hm, sunset wasn’t long ago, so I must have just missed her,” he muttered under his breath. He honestly hadn’t anticipated that possibility and pursed his lips as he considered his next action.
I probably should’ve called her when I landed.
Although he admitted he had been too reluctant to do so at the time.
Damn.

He pulled out his phone and called Paige. Her cell rang until rolling to voicemail.

“Crap,” he muttered before redialing the number again. Once again it went to voicemail. So, he sent a text message to her:
Guess who? Big surprise for you!

He sat on the worn wooden bench with wrought iron arms that sat next to Paige’s front door and proceeded to call Katrina. Unlike Paige, his mate picked up on the second ring.

“Caleb? Are you at Paige’s yet?” she asked in a concerned tone.

“Yep.”

“And? Is she upset?”

He shrugged and replied irritably, “Don’t know, Kat. She’s not here; won’t even answer my calls or return my text message. The sun already set by the time I arrived, so she’s probably out doing...something.”

There was a pause at Katrina’s end of the phone for a few seconds, and he frowned.
Are you still there?

“Maybe you should call a cab and check into a hotel, my love,” she finally suggested.

A wave of annoyance flashed through his mind, and he clenched his teeth together tightly for a moment.

“Did you just grit your teeth?” she asked.

That startled him, and he blinked while abruptly relaxing his jaw. “Sorry,” he apologized. “It wasn’t you, naturally. I’m just annoyed, that’s all.”

She sighed wistfully, as if in a sympathetic manner.

He considered her advice and made an instant decision based more upon his temper than anything else. “No, I’m going to just sit here until she comes home,” he insisted. “After all, she’s bound to show up before morning.”

“I don’t like that idea,” Katrina objected.