Keepers of the Flame (Trilogy Bundle) (10 page)

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When I woke up the next morning, I knew he was gone. I wondered briefly if I'd dreamed it all but I saw an indentation on the pillow where his head had rested. There was a note sitting right in the middle of it. With a smile I picked the note and sat up. Leaning against my headboard, I opened it and felt my smile widen as I read.

Last night was the best night of my life.

Thank you for being there.

Your boyfriend,

D.

I hugged the note to me and grinned. I had a boyfriend! And not just any boyfriend either, I was Dylan Farley's girlfriend. I repeated it to myself so that it would sound more real. “I'm Dylan Farley's girlfriend.”

It was still difficult to take in. After thinking about him for eight long months and pining for him, he'd finally made the move. I couldn't wait to tell Claire, but I didn't want to do that over the phone. I checked the alarm clock by my bedside and yelped. It was already
eight a.m. and I had a class at nine a.m.

I jumped up and rushed into the bathroom. I got ready in record time and stopped in front of the mirror to make my hair into the French braid I'd fallen in love with. I headed for the door, then paused. I walked back to my dressing table and picked up a tube of rose red lipstick. Carefully, I dashed a little over my lips and rubbed them together. Nodding in satisfaction, I rushed out.

Katrina was waiting for me on my way out and she thrust an apple into my hands.

“Sleep well?” There was a weird note in her voice and I turned to look at her searchingly. “Oh come on, did you think you could sneak a man in here and I wouldn't know about it?” She rolled her eyes.

“I didn't sneak him in!” I protested.

“Whatever,” she waved a hand in dismissal. “Hurry up now. He's not going to be waiting forever.”

Who? I wanted to ask, but I caught sight of the time and yelped again. “See you later, Katrina!” I called and rushed out.

Outside the house I came to an abrupt halt. Sitting out there in a BMW convertible was my very own boyfriend. He smiled at me and I felt my face light up in response.

“Hurry already! You're running late for class.”

I didn't need any further urging as I rushed down the steps and jumped into the car.

“Hi,” I said breathlessly.

“Hi,” he said and leaned down and kissed me. Right there, outside my home. Probably in full sight of Katrina and the entire world!

Leaning back into his seat, he smiled at me. “Did you mind my kissing you just now?”

If I'd had any doubt about his intention, I guess he just put that to rest. I shook my head and smiled shyly. “Nah.”

“Good,” he said and pressed on the gas.

As we flew through the town on our way to the college, I felt like I was soaring several thousand miles above ground level. I was finally in a real, adult relationship with the guy I was crazy about. Nothing could go wrong.

After another quick kiss, I dashed out of Dylan's car and hurried to my class. I was a few minutes late and the class had already started. It was a psychology class and we were supposed to be learning about introduction to psychology, but my mind was somewhere else. Specifically, in a BMW convertible. I saw Claire standing just inside the lecture hall and hurried over to where she was.

“You're late,” she said and turned away. “Come on, I saved us some seats.”

I followed her gratefully to the seats she'd saved and sank into mine with relief. I opened my text to the portion we were supposed to discuss that day, something on sensation and adaptation. I thought of the sensations caused by Dylan's kisses and knew I could definitely adapt to those. I smirked at my wit and quickly kept a straight face when Claire shot a questioning gaze at me.

“What?” she mouthed.

I shrugged and signaled that there was nothing.

She dug into her purse for those tiny colored notes she never went anywhere without and scribbled something before passing it to me.

You have that weird smile on your face, now fess up!

My smile broadened and I picked up my own pen.

Dylan finally came over last night. We're now officially dating!

What??? Yay!!! Is he the yummy guy who dropped you off this morning?

I read the note and nodded before handing it back to her.

Boy, that kiss was something, babe! Glad he came to his senses. I should hate him but since you're so happy I'll put a hold on that.

I'm glad you don't hate him C. Thanks.

She nodded at me and we decided to pay attention to the lecturer who was saying something about how beneficial pain was. Yeah right. The remaining time flew past even though I felt it didn't go fast enough. Dylan had promised to come pick me up after school and he was spending the rest of the day with me. I wanted to drink in as much of him as I could before something happened. It's not like I was expecting anything bad to happen, you understand. It's just that I got to learn quite early that you can't really count on anything or anyone to be there for you forever. Not even my vampire parents could keep that promise. It wasn't their fault, I know that. But regardless of whose fault it was, the end result was the same. They were gone.

After the class, Claire and I hung around waiting for Dylan and Jason. Jason was a third year student and lived only a couple of houses from Katrina's. He'd taken pity on the lost little girl I'd been when I first came to the states and had befriended me. I like to think I was responsible for him and Claire getting together.

“Hi Luanne.”

I turned when I heard my name and had to force myself not to wince.

“Hey, Keenan.”

He moved close to me, clearly invading my personal space. “Yesterday was fun,” he murmured.

I moved back but he only moved again. I frowned. I wasn't comfortable with how close he was. “It was great.” I lied.

“So can we do it again, just the two of us this time around?”

I moved back a few steps. “Er, I'm afraid that's not possible.”

“We could invite them along again if you prefer,” he said nodding towards Claire who was lip locked with Jason. Before I could reply, he stretched out and gently caressed my bare arm.

It was the lightest of caresses, but I'd never felt so repulsed in my life. I shuddered and hastily stepped back, then promptly tripped on a crack on the pavement and was about to go down. Quick as lightning, he caught me and held me upright.

“Thanks, Keenan.” I said slightly breathless.

“You're welcome, baby.”

I tried to step back but his hold on me tightened. “Er, you can let go now.”

“What if I like holding you?” he murmured.

Now he was getting me good and mad. Who did he think he was, pawing me and calling me
baby,
which I detested, by the way. I was just about to lay into him when I heard a voice behind me.

“Introduce me to your friend, Lu.”

Dylan! I felt relief course through me. I knew he was mad as hell but at least it meant that Octopus Keenan instantly let me go. I stepped back hurriedly and bumped into Dylan's chest. His arms went around me and steadied me.

“Ah, that's Keenan. Keenan, this is Dylan, my boyfriend.” Would I ever get used to saying that?

A change came over Keenan then and absolute fury filled his face. “Your boyfriend?” he spat. “What kind of crap is that? Last night when you were with me you made no mention of a boyfriend. Or were you planning to date us both?”

We had attracted a small crowd by now and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. I did my level best to avoid attention of any kind and now one misguided date with that creep was going to ruin things for me.

“What do you mean when she was with you?” Claire had noticed what was going on and had come to my rescue. “We all went out together yesterday, all four of us. We dropped Lu off at her place so what the hell are you talking about?” She walked right up to Keenan the Creep and got in his face.

“You stay out of it, bitch!”

I could hear the gasp among the onlookers. Claire looked like she was about to kick off her shoes and get into a boxing match right there and then. But Jason was one step ahead of her. He shoved Keenan roughly and the slimmer man went tumbling down.

“Watch your mouth,” he said mildly.

Almost as though he'd floated up, Keenan was back on his feet. He would have taken aim for Jason, but Dylan was right there, beside Jason. There must have been something in Dylan's countenance, which made him think twice about taking the offensive. With a scowl and a look of intense hatred directed at me, he walked away.

I stood rooted to the spot and every part of me was trembling. What had I done to deserve such hatred? I couldn't understand it and it bothered me deeply, in a place I hadn't known existed.

“Lu, are you okay?”

I looked up at Dylan in a daze. One part of me was glad to see him, but I was still wondering how I could have inspired such hatred in another person.

“I think I'll take her home now,” he told Jason and Claire.

Both guys shook hands and Claire came to hug me. “I think I like him,” she whispered in my ear.

I blinked then and gave her a small smile before returning her hug. “You're the best, Claire. Thanks.”

I turned and took Dylan's outstretched hand and we walked over to his car. The drive home was silent, we were both lost in thought. Or maybe I was the only one lost in thought as Dylan kept giving me searching glances.

We stopped at a traffic light and he turned to me.

“What's up, Lu?”

I shook my head in confusion. “Did you see the way he looked at me? Like he hated me.”

“Forget about him, he's not worth it,” he said taking my hands and rubbing them with his.

“But why would anyone hate me?”

“Because he can't have you?”

I looked at him in apparent confusion and he laughed shortly, throwing himself back in his seat.

“Have you looked at yourself lately, Lu?” he asked in exasperation. “You are beautiful, no, you are stunning! Any guy would kill to have you and you turned him down publicly like that. Of course he'll hate you.”

I got what he was saying, but I was still convinced it was deeper than that. Still, I decided to let it go for now and I smiled at Dylan.

“I'm stunning, huh?” I said, batting my eyelashes at him.

He looked stumped at the sudden change in me and sat there staring at me until an impatient beep behind alerted us to the fact that the light had changed.

“Women! I'll never understand you,” he muttered before driving off.

As we drove up to the house, I knew instinctively that something was terribly wrong.

“Katrina,” I murmured in trepidation as I glanced at the house. The stone on my neck had begun tingling, which was scary. I had a stone which hung from a chain around my neck and last year, it had tingled or gotten warm anytime there was danger nearby. It still tingled sometimes but it hadn't gotten warm in so long. I reached up to touch it now and could feel the warmth on my fingers.

“Something's wrong,” I told Dylan.