Emerald Eyes (17 page)

“What did he say to you?” Debra Jean asked, suddenly looking at Chuck with daggers. “He get outta line?”

“It’s okay, Debra Jean.”

“No it’s not! You’re crying.”

“He just wants me back now that I’m with Devin. I knew I shouldn’t have danced with him.”

Chuck took his seat back at the far end of the bar; determination written all over his face. He wasn’t done.

“Typical man,” Debra Jean quipped. “Now that you have someone else he’s not about to let you go without a fight.”

Alex came up. “You okay, hon? Cause if you’re not, I’ll tell him to leave.”

“As long as he lets me alone, it’s okay. I just don’t want to dance with him anymore tonight.”

“Well…You let me know if he gives you any problems.”

“I will.”

“Okay…Want another beer?”

“Yes! Please!”

“You got it.”

The band got livelier and the crowd drunker, and so was Madison halfway there. Debra Jean was right with her. And Chuck wasn’t just sitting. He started asking a pretty brunette to dance shortly after Madison walked off from him. And he had kept asking the young woman to dance, which she was gladly accepting. Madison figured he was just trying to make her jealous. But it wasn’t working. She knew why he was doing it. Every now and then, he would stare in the mirror where she was facing and meet eyes with her. Pissed, she’d just look off.

Debra Jean observed curiously. “Boy! He is really trying to get you jealous.”

“I can see that. He’s just wasting his time.”

“I have seen him leave with her before, though. Think they’ve dated some.”

“Oh?”

She waved Alex over. “Another round, sweetie.”

“Okay…but you’re getting there kind of fast. We’ve still got a couple of hours to closing.”

“We don’t care,” Madison stated. “Beats sitting at home waiting for a man that’s not going to show tonight.”

“When is he coming back?” Debra Jean asked.

“Haven’t got a clue. Not even really sure where he’s at.”

“Just wondered.” Her eyes got real big then. Chuck had ditched the brunette and stood to Madison’s right.

“Please dance with me?”

She sighed, exasperated. “Chuck! Don’t even start.”

“Just one dance. I promise I won’t say one word. Just please…dance this one song with me. Scouts honor…” he saluted. “I will be good.”

“Were you ever really a boy scout?”

He feigned a hurt expression. “Damn right!”

She looked at Debra Jean, who told her it was her call. She turned back to Chuck. “Okay…but if so much as breathe a word about anything but the weather, I won’t dance with you again!”

His eyes squint in a smile. “Promise.”

He kept his promise, but held her close as they danced, nuzzling his nose in her hair. She pulled back a little and he quickly apologized. He also apologized for bringing things up again. She gave him a warning look, and he shushed. When the dance was over, he led her back to the table and thanked her. Then he went off to ask the brunette to dance again. The brunette gave Madison a dirty look but accepted Chuck’s offer.

“Interesting,” Debra Jean noted.

“Yeah…Well, she can have him.”

“Are you absolutely certain you mean that, Madison?” she studied her friend inquiringly.

“Yes! No! Shit! I’m not sure. Damn! I’m so freakin’ confused right now.”

“I kind of got that. But where is Devin?”

“I don’t know. He wants me to choose. But I’ve already chosen.”

“Devin?”

“Yes!” At that very moment, she knew she had made her decision. She wanted Devin more than anything else. Somehow, someway, she would deal with no sunshine and no babies. She just could not envision herself without Devin.

“He has doubts though?”

“Something like that.” She wanted so much to tell Debra Jean everything, but knew that she couldn’t. The woman didn’t even know werewolves existed, let alone, vampires. There was no way she could explain her true dilemma.

Debra Jean lifted up her bottle to take a drink but stopped, looking in the mirror. “I’ll be
shit!”

“What?”

“He’s here, hon. Devin’s here.”

Madison whipped her head around. Sure enough, her tall, dark and very mysterious but awesome man had just come in the front door. He smiled in the way that only he could smile, penetrating and irresistible. She smiled happily back. He slowly began making his way around the dancers on the floor.

Chuck saw him and stopped dancing, confusing the brunette. He just let her go and walked out.

“
I’ve never!”
the girl hissed and stomped off to her seat.

Observing, Debra Jean said, “With you around, hon…things just get more and more interesting.”

“That’s for sure,” Alex stated, nodding to Devin as he stepped up. “Can I get you a drink?”

“A cold beer,” Devin replied and asked the lady on the stool by Madison if she’d mind moving over. She said it wasn’t a problem and gave Devin her seat. Devin thanked her and sat down, and then, eyes turned to Madison, he immediately reached for her hand. “Sorry I was gone so long. But I had to know.”

Her eyes leaked tears, she was so happy to see him. “I’m just glad you’re back.”

“I won’t leave you again,” he promised and leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips, and then sat straight as Alex brought him his beer. He paid for it and Alex walked off.

“Guess this means you won’t be spending the night here” Debra Jean said. It was more of a statement than a question.

“No…she won’t,” Devin replied for Madison. “She’ll be with me.” He squeezed her hand and asked her if she wanted to dance. She nodded yes.

He led her to the floor and took her in his arms and held her as close as he could and still appear respectable. For anything else was not his style.

At the bar, Alex asked Debra Jean if she was disappointed that Madison wasn’t spending the night now. She said she was a little, but she was just happy now to see her friend happy. “That’s my girl,” he said and went to wait on some latecomers that had just walked in.

About halfway through the dance, Chuck came back in, said something to the brunette. She grabbed her purse and went to follow Chuck, who’d gone on outside, but stopped at the door and came up to Madison and Devin, obviously wanting to say something.

“What?” Madison asked.

The woman called her a bitch for hurting Chuck the way she had, and then it happened so fast, it took Madison a second to realize. The brunette attempted to slap her, but Devin interceded with an iron grip to her wrist. She yelled out in pain and went to curse, but saw the look in his eyes and suddenly got quiet, staring horrified. He released her arm and, visibly shaken, she quickly sputtered apologies and ran to the door where Chuck had come back in for her. Chuck went to come over, but she begged him not to, and they left.

“Whew!” Debra Jean breathed, having witnessed the entire scene.

“Shi-it!” Alex agreed. “What is it about your friend? She just seems a magnet for trouble.”

“What I’m beginning to think.”

The dance ended and Devin suggested that maybe they should leave. There had been enough excitement in the club for one night. He said this, studying the faces of her friends.

She agreed they should go. He escorted her up to the bar and apologized to Debra Jean and Alex for the little scene.

“Not your fault,” Alex said. “You just got here.”

“You just stopped the woman from slapping Madison…Only God knows what that’s all about. Do you know, Madison?’

“Other than Chuck being upset over me and Devin, I don’t know. She must like him a lot. Just wanted to take up for him.”

“It wasn’t her call,” Devin stated.

“That’s right,” Alex agreed, and then looked at Madison. “She had no business trying to slap you.”

“Well…Hopefully the next time we’re here, things won’t be so crazy. I’m beginning to think I should just stay away from here period.”

“Now don’t go saying that, Madison,” Alex stated. “We want you here.” He looked at Devin. “Both of you are welcome anytime.”

“Thank you,” Devin replied. “Hopefully, the rest of the night will be nice and dull. You folks have a good evening.”

Debra Jean gestured with a raise of her beer bottle. “You too!”

He quickly led Madison out the door and to her car, where she let him take the keys, as she was a little drunk to be driving. Once headed down the road, she looked over at him. “You were gone a long time. I was beginning to think you weren’t ever going to come back.”

“I wasn’t far at all, Madison.”

“Where were you?”

“The old cabin…Have you forgotten it so quickly?”

“Shit! Guess I did forget about it. I just assumed you really had left.”

“Madison…Never assume anything!”

She laughed at herself. “Now you sound like my mother. She’s always telling me that.”

“And you haven’t learned it yet?’

She shook her head. “Apparently not.” She felt woozy. “And I think I had more than enough to drink.”

He smiled with his eyes. “My place or yours, sweetheart?”

“As long as it’s with you, I don’t care.”

“My place then. But we can take your car home first.”

Chuck tore into his driveway. Gloria glanced worriedly over at him. “Man…this Madison or whatever her name is has really done a number on you!”

“You don’t know anything about it, Gloria!”

“I can see she’s hurt you!” she retorted.

He sighed out heavily. “Look…I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be harsh with you. Though we’ve only dated a time or two, you’ve been there for me.”

“I like you a lot, Chuck. You know that. And I’m sorry I tried to slap her. I was just so angry that she had you so upset.”

“Yeah…You really shouldn’t have tried to slap her. And in front of him…especially.”

“Why? What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s just not someone you want to piss off, Gloria. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Okay…Guess I’ll have to accept that. God! You are so full of mysteries. I know you have something in your past you say you can’t tell me about. Now there’s something about this Devin Knight too?

“Yep.”

“I’ve seen him around from time to time over the years. Weird. He just never seems to age.”

Chuck sniggered at that.

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“Anyway. He’s always seemed like a very nice person. Just keeps to himself. I think tonight’s the first time I ever saw him with a woman.”

“He was good friends with Mattie Ray.”

“Oh! That sweet neighbor of yours that died not long ago?”

“Yeah…In fact, Madison is her niece. She inherited her aunt’s cabin.”

“Oh! I did not know that.”

“Now you do.” He turned and his face relaxed. “I’m sorry if I’m a bit edgy. You’re a nice person. You don’t have to be with me…I can take you home, if you want?”

“Chuck! I want to be here. Okay? I don’t care if you have some deep, dark secret. From what I’ve seen of you, you’re one hell of a nice guy.” She broke into a grin then. “And one hell of a good lover!”

“You remember that, huh?”

Grinning wickedly. “How could I not? I know it was only a couple of times. But I definitely won’t forget. I was kinda hoping we could…you know. Do it again. Tonight maybe? That
is
what you had in mind in bringing me here, isn’t it?”

He reached over and smoothed back her black hair that reminded him of Tickling Feather’s. “I am more than a little horny. You think you want to have sex with me when you know how I feel about Madison?”

“Yes! I hope I can make you forget about her for a little while. Even if it is for just one night.”

“You deserve better. You know that.”

“Chuck! I don’t care. I want you to make love to me.”

“Okay, lady. Your wish is my command.” He opened his door and went around and let her out. “Come on then.” He took her hand and led her inside, where Shep greeted them warmly. The dog seemed happy to see her though she had only been there a couple of times before. And it had been months since the last time. She hugged the dog and ruffled his ears, and then Chuck led her to his bedroom and told Shep he had to stay out. The dog let out a little whine, but walked on off.

“He’ll get over it,” he promised Gloria. “Now, where were we?” he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to bed.

Devin pulled Madison’s car into her drive. “Still want to go back to my cabin?”

“What time is it?”

“Around one. Why?”

“I know you have to be home when the sun comes up. Or shortly after. So, maybe we should go to your place. You do want me to be with you all night, don’t you?”

His lips tipped at the corners in a somewhat amused smile. “Not a question, Madison. I want you with me…period.”

“I wasn’t really sure.”

“My sweet, I want you to be my mate. Forever! You know that.” He emphasized with his eyebrows.

“When you were away so long, I wasn’t sure. I began to doubt.”

“I was just waiting for you to choose. And you chose. Made your mind up when you were talking to Debra Jean.”

“But you were there so quick?”

He opened his door, zipped around and let her out. “My love, I was never away from you. You just thought I was.”

“Oh! You said you were in the old cabin.”

“During the day. But the rest of the time I was with you when I wasn’t feeding.”

“Okay…”

“Now, we will have to begin all over. The effects of my blood have nearly worn off.”

“Start the transitioning all over again?”

He grinned wryly. “Yes. But it is rather enjoyable, isn’t it?”

The way he said it and the way he looked at her made her want to melt right then and there. A thrill shivered threw her just thinking of making love with him.

Knowing her thoughts, he smiled significantly, swept her up in his arms, and the next thing she knew, they were on his front porch and he was unlocking the door. He carried her over the threshold, closed the door and locked it. He let her down then. “Would you like anything to eat or drink before we…make love?”

“I only want you,” she said in all honesty.

He held up a finger. “One moment.” He went over to his entertainment center and put on a CD. Seconds later, soft classical music filled the room.