In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete Second Season: Episodes 6-10 (11 page)

“This feels like a real date, huh? Not like just hanging out, but a real date.”

Vanora grinned at him. “It definitely qualifies as a real date.”

“Which was on purpose,” Dan assured her, his nerves showing in the way he tore at his bread. “Totally. I mean, I want this to be special.”

“And it is. I promise. It's very nice.”

“I know you come from money and I'm just a poor grad student, but things will change once I graduate. I've got that job lined up and things are going very well.”

Nodding, Vanora tucked a bit of the bread into her mouth and chewed. It was delicious.

“So, anyway, I've been thinking about a lot of things in my life very seriously. When we started seeing each other, I know we both agreed to just see where it went. Nothing serious.”

“Right.” Vanora could feel her heart speeding up. As she suspected, Dan was about to ask her to take the relationship to a deeper level.

“I'm an old-fashioned guy,” he continued. His eyes stared into hers, imploring, a little frightened, and full of hope. “I had some wild days in the past and I got burned in a lot in relationships. That's why I wanted to handle things differently with you. Plus, you're so rare, Vanora.”

Lifting her eyebrows, Vanora wasn't sure what he meant. Did he mean her albinism?

“Most girls are like...well, Rhonda, nowadays. But you. You're sweet, smart, and so beautiful. That's why I love how you carry yourself. You have this quiet dignity that just steals my breath away.” Dan leaned forward, his hand resting over hers. “I also like that you're a church-goer like me. That we like all the same things. It feels really solid when I'm around you.”

Vanora tried not to look at the pinky ring glittering beneath his tanned hand. A reminder of another time, another man.

“I want to make this exclusive between us,” he said, his voice dropping. It was husky with emotion. Blue eyes staring into hers, he smiled shyly. “I'd like for us to declare ourselves a couple and work toward something more permanent in the future.”

Tilting her head, Vanora tried to remember the words she had been practicing for this moment. The moment felt far more significant than she had thought it would. In her mind, dating exclusively was a huge commitment, but now she realized Dan was asking her to give serious consideration to a real future together.

“You mean...” She hesitated and drank a bit of tea to clear her throat. “You mean, see if we should one day...marry?”

The wide, exuberant grin on Dan's face said it all. “Yes, exactly.”

The weight and intensity of the question was rather overwhelming. Vanora stared into his cornflower blue eyes, a smile on her lips, and terror in her heart. Dan was everything her family would want for her: kind, intelligent, educated, charming, funny, sweet, and handsome. Yet, gazing at him, she didn't actually see Dan, but another face.

“Vanora?” Dan prompted, his smile starting to fade.

“Yes. Yes. Of course!” Vanora latched onto the thought of his light filling her life. The usual darkness felt far away when he was near. Maybe they could build a life together far away from the monsters. Yet, her heart ached inside her chest.

Dan's kiss was firm and sweet against her lips. “You're amazing.”

Laughing, she pressed a hand to his cheek and smiled at him. “So are you. You're everything wonderful about the sun: golden, bright, and beautiful.”

“And you're everything wonderful about the night: mysterious, pale as the moon, and shining bright in the darkness.” Dan winked at her. “How's that for poetic?”

Trying to keep her smile from fading, Vanora said, “It was wonderful.”

The drive back to her apartment was made in comfortable silence. Dan held her hand as he drove while Vanora admired the city of Austin under the low winter sky. The stars and moon were nowhere to be seen and the air was thick with the promise of rain. Staring through her reflection in the window, she felt adrift. The landscape outside the car felt far away and remote. Only Dan's warm hand holding hers made her feel attached to the world.

She was trying very hard to make a life for herself beyond the darkness that consumed her brother and sister. For months, the vampires had been far from her and she'd had a taste of a normal human life. Even in the aftermath of her terrible nightmare, she wanted to cling to the life she had created. She didn't want to fear the night and the monsters it hid in its dark wings.

“This was a very good night,” Dan said at last.

“It was,” she answered with a bright smile.

“The first of many.”

“Without a doubt.”

The car turned down the dimly-lit lane toward the apartment complex tucked among the thick copse of trees lining the road.

“Now that we're an official thing, I would like you to meet my folks. Maybe we could drive up to Dallas and visit soon.”

“That would be nice.” The words came easily, but felt as though they were lines in a script. They were playing out a scene and she knew her part. Yet, it didn't feel real. Within herself, she was bothered to realize she didn't believe she'd ever met Dan's family. She'd never see his family home. The thought elicited a shiver.

“Cold?” Dan turned up the heat. “It's really freakin' cold this winter.”

“It'll be spring soon.”

“The Hill Country will be full of wild flowers. We should take a trip out there, too.”

The joy flowing from Dan should have filled her hope, but instead, she felt as though she were slipping away from him, lost in a torrent of black waters.

Darkened stores and homes slid past the car, one building blending into another in an endless collage. Tall streetlights stood guard over the road, illuminating their way. In the distance, she saw a man standing on the side of the road near the entrance to the apartment complex. It was a dark, solitary figure, clad in black. The stance seemed familiar and as the car approached, Vanora leaned toward the window. The beating of her heart accelerated.

The car slowed, Dan flipping on the turn signal, and he started to turn into the apartment complex. The shadowy figure was illuminated by the headlights. Vanora found herself looking directly into those familiar intense amber eyes. The wind swept Armando’s curly black hair away from his fine aristocratic face and his lips spread into a smile.

“Armando,” Vanora gasped under her breath.

“
What?” Dan asked.

Vanora glanced over at Dan's boyish face illuminated by the lights of the car’s control panel. He looked so innocent, so vulnerable, and completely unaware of the evil that existed in the night.

“Oh, nothing,” Vanora responded as the car left Armando in its wake.

Why was Armando here? How did he know where she lived? She hadn’t even told Alisha. Her stomach was a coil of knots and her pulse beat harshly.

Dan parked the car and turned it off. “I’ll walk you to the apartment.”

“
I’ll be fine,” Vanora said quickly.

Dan caught her hand. “I’m not trying to invite myself in.” Kissing her hand, he smiled at her over her red nails. “I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Oh!” Vanora hadn’t even considered that Dan might try to stay the night now that they were in a committed relationship. She just wanted to make sure he was safe from Armando.

“
And that's another reason why I am so glad I met you.” Dan slid out of the car and hurried to open her door.

The crisp, damp air bit at Vanora’s cheeks as she let him pull her out of the car. “I’m not sure I understand.” She was distracted, her eyes scanning the dark trees and foliage tucked around the tall apartment buildings.

“Well, call me old-fashioned, but I always liked the idea of my future bride being able to wear white.” Dan slipped his arm around her waist, the car beeping behind them as the alarm kicked on.

The mist from her breath filled her vision. Vanora tried not to be obvious as she searched the night for the vampire. “Well, it
is
the standard wedding dress color.”

“
But a lot of women, like your roomie, really shouldn’t be wearing white on their wedding day, huh?” Dan winked at her, snuggling her into his side.

“
Oh.” Vanora was speechless for a second as she finally directed her full attention finally on the conversation at hand. “Because we haven’t had sex…you think...”

Pressing a firm kiss to her forehead, Dan sighed contentedly. “I was really worried I’d never find a girl like you.”

Vanora’s eyes slightly widened. Dan thought she was a virgin. While she had been trying very hard to heal a broken heart, he’d thought she was maintaining her so-called purity. Tilting her head to gaze into his handsome boyish face, she was speechless.

“
I will always treat you like the lady you are,” Dan said in a sweetly passionate voice.

The memory of Armando’s searing kisses, the heaviness of his body over hers, and how he had filled her with both pain and pleasure bloomed in her mind. Knowing the vampire was around, she blushed deeply.

“You should be proud. It’s rough in this day and age,” Dan said in all seriousness. “I made some mistakes when I was younger, but I’ve been celibate for the last few years. Should things work out between us, it will be like the first time.”

“
First time?”

Vanora stopped cold, Dan almost tripping over her. Spinning about on her heel, she gazed into Armando’s handsome face. He was just a few feet behind them. How much had he heard?

“Armando,” she said, her voice abundant with so many emotions. The impulse to tuck up her hair and straighten her clothes made her angry with herself. She didn’t care what he thought of her appearance. Raising her chin, she said, “What are you doing here?”

Returning to her side after his stumble, Dan smiled at Armando. “Hi!”

“Hello,” Armando said simply, but without any mirth.

“
This a friend of yours?” Dan asked Vanora. “Or a neighbor?”

“
Friend of the family,” Vanora answered, giving Armando a warning look.

“
Yes, a friend,” Armando said in such a way that he might as well said he had ravished her multiple times on the sofa in the library of her family home.

Dan’s smile faltered just a tad.

“An
old
friend of my sister’s.” Vanora tried to project with her eyes that Armando needed to keep his mouth shut.

“
Are you visiting?” Dan asked, his blue eyes sliding toward Vanora to regard her with fresh worry.

“
Yes,” Armando said vaguely, his accent rich and yet cold.

Vanora felt like kicking him. “I didn’t
know
you were in town. No one told me.”

Dan’s shoulders relaxed, a goofy smile forming. “Oh, you’re not staying with Vanora.”

“No, I’m not,” Armando answered.

How could he be so handsome with such a terrible scowl on his face? Hands plunged into the pockets of his wool jacket, the burgundy of his scarf draped around his neck and flung over one shoulder set off his gold eyes and dark hair perfectly.

“Well, it was nice seeing you,” Vanora said, gripping Dan’s arm tightly and trying to push him onward.

“
Go home,” Armando said to Dan in a deep, commanding voice.

“
Okay,” Dan answered, his eyes growing unfocused.

Vanora gasped as Dan disengaged from her grip. Without a kiss, hug or even a word goodbye, he strolled away. She watched him walk across the courtyard, her heart thundering in her ears. When he was safely inside his car, she turned her angry gaze to Armando.

“Get the fuck out of my life.”

Turning on her heel, she stalked toward the far side of the courtyard past the pool where her apartment building stood. When she didn’t hear Armando following, she looked over her shoulder. He was gone. Yet, her skin was tingling and instinctively she knew she was being watched. Her eyes anxiously swept over the complex, studying every shadow. She was strolling past the pool when a single red rose dropped at her feet. Vanora jerked her head upward and her eyes found Armando sitting casually on the railing of a second story apartment balcony. He was busy studying the hem of his long overcoat.

“It’s time to come home, Vanora,” he said simply, his golden gaze flicking toward her.

Vanora deliberately stepped on the delicate rose, crushing its soft petals into the pavement. “Stay away from me.”

“Is this the way you greet all old friends?” Armando raised an eyebrow at her. “You didn’t even introduce me to your date.”

“
He’s none of your concern,” Vanora retorted.

Armando showed her the tear in his coat’s lining. “I did this avoiding your gaze at the restaurant. It was a good coat, too.”

“You were at the restaurant?” Vanora looked down at the rose. “You took that from the flowers he sent me. You’re following me? Spying on me? What the hell?”

Armando merely shrugged.

Vanora deliberately walked away from him. Armando dropped down beside her with casual agility. He matched her pace.