Summit at Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 3) (6 page)

He shook his head at her response, amused by both her continued reference to being his babysitter and for sounding so much like Katrina at that moment. Still, he silently conceded that his life had become a lot more exciting, and dangerous, since becoming involved with vampires.

Paige studied him with a curious expression as they stood on the front lawn of the final property.

After a moment, he broke from his reverie and asked, “So, where to next?”

She expectantly held her open palm out towards him. “My special errand. And I’ll drive.”

Half an hour later, they pulled into the parking lot of a Harley Davidson dealership.

Caleb gaped at her with a wide-eyed expression and challenged, “You’re kidding.”

“Be nice,” she mildly admonished. “There’s still a lot you don’t know about me, kiddo.”

He expectantly followed her into the main showroom. A burly-looking fellow with goatee and Harley t-shirt greeted them as they entered. Paige had apparently been shopping ahead of time, because she knew exactly what she wanted to see.

The man led them to a red and chrome touring bike, though it appeared to be built more for speed than touring. Caleb had only ridden a motorcycle a couple of times and only as a passenger when catching a ride around campus with a friend while he was a college student. Caleb had a hard time imaging the petite young woman before him commanding the road on the impressive street machine.

Paige’s appeared delighted as the salesperson described some customizations that had already been made.

“How about a spin?” she asked with a menacing grin.

“Uh,” Caleb stammered.

The salesperson chuckled at his reaction and offered, “Little lady, take him out, but bring him back alive.”

He rolled the bike as if it were a toy towards the extra-wide doors leading out to the parking lot. Caleb marveled at the guy’s strength and at how easy he made it look to move the huge cycle across the floor.

Geez
,
does this guy bench press these cycles in the back room or something?

Paige grabbed two visor-equipped helmets and passed one to Caleb as he absently followed behind her. The guy scowled as he noted Caleb’s hesitant expression, but the man’s face reflected sincere surprise as Paige easily balanced the bike between her legs and remained upright.

“Somebody’s a natural,” he observed.

“Somebody’s had a history with hogs,” she clarified then turned her attention to Caleb. “Put on that helmet and hop on, kiddo,” she ordered before slipping on her own helmet.

Caleb swallowed hard as he popped the helmet over his head and moved to sit behind Paige. The engine started with a growl, and she revved it slightly.

“Arms around my waist,” she ordered in a loud voice.

He tentatively wrapped his arms around her petite waist, but she reached down and grabbed one of his wrists.

“Tighter!” she ordered, and he increased his hold around her.

Caleb lifted his feet to press against the passenger foot pedals as Paige kicked the bike into gear. They proceeded at a slow pace until reaching the street, at which point she gunned the bike, and they leapt out onto the road.

“Crap!” Caleb exclaimed as his arms instinctively tightened around her waist. He thought that he heard her laughing, but wasn’t entirely certain.

She was quite satisfied to feel him tightly hugging her, and she relished the wild freedom of being on a motorcycle again. This was the surprise she had been waiting all day to spring on him, and it was working out just perfectly, in her opinion. She had researched the various models on her flight from California, having decided that her new life in Atlanta would include a cycle. She had been an avid rider since the 1950s, but had not owned one in many years.

Now it’s time to rekindle my relationship with Harley Davidson.

Caleb finally reconciled himself to the fact that Paige wasn’t going to let them fall over on the street and was surprised that she rode so well. He had definitely found a topic to talk about over dinner later that night. Suddenly, he was happy that they hadn’t eaten yet because his stomach was knotted with tension. As if by instinct, his arms enveloped her waist.

That’s my boy
, Paige thought, loving the feeling of his strong arms encircling her. She increased speed while weaving in and out of traffic.

They test drove the cycle for about twenty minutes before Paige made her way back to the dealership. By the time they whipped into the parking lot, Caleb had become a permanent fixture on Paige’s back. She lurched the cycle to a stop just outside the main doors, cut the engine, and flipped the kickstand into place with the toe of her shoe.

“Time to let go, tiger,” she suggested as she lifted her helmet off. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

He released her with a start and slipped his helmet off just as the salesperson walked outside. They both got off the cycle, and the man looked at Caleb with a raised eyebrow.

“I see he didn’t fall off or throw up in the helmet,” the fellow observed.

Caleb scowled but remained silent.

“Nah, I took care of him,” Paige replied with a smirk.

“Lucky guy,” the man said as he eyed her with an appraising look. “Well, whaddaya think?”

“I’m game,” she said. “Throw in the helmet and a set of leather saddlebags and you’ve got a deal.”

The man seemed momentarily caught off guard by her smooth, haggle-free terms. “Done,” he replied. “Come on in, and we’ll knock out the paperwork.”

“My new toy,” Paige cooed as she followed the guy into the showroom.

“Him or the bike?” the guy asked, gesturing with his thumb towards Caleb.

She merely giggled in response as Caleb blushed in three shades of red.
Both
, she silently confirmed.

As Paige completed the sale, Caleb browsed the host of accessories on display. After a few minutes, his eyes settled on the one-piece leather riding suits, immediately recalling something he had once seen in a vampire movie. He beamed with satisfaction as he turned to stare across the showroom where Paige was standing.

“Oh, babysitter,” he cooed softly.

Paige’s head pivoted in a blur, and her blue eyes expertly targeted him in her sights. After a spontaneous assessment, she beheld him with a curious expression. He discreetly used the crook of his finger to beckon her to him. She said something to the salesman and wandered over.

“Wassup?” she asked.

“So, promise me you’ll give me another ride on your new bike,” he baited.

She frowned. “Well,
yeah
. Anytime, anyplace. I’m riding it home tonight, after all.”

“Great,” he said. “Tomorrow, then. Shall we say, just after lunch?”

She spared him with a deadpan expression. “Not funny, Caleb.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” he optimistically ventured, pointing to the leather outfit before him. “That is, if you’re wearing one of those.”

Her eyes darted to the apparel display, and the edges of her mouth upturned slightly.
Smart kid
.

“Hate to tell you, Sherlock, but it’s not like one of our kind hasn’t already thought about that,” she offered in a milder tone. “It’s not without some risk and not very practical for anything but riding around. But yeah, I’ll bite.”

She paused with an evil grin, which merely elicited a groan from him.

“However, you have to promise
me
something,” she stipulated. “If
I
give you a daytime ride,
you
have to commit to a nighttime ride.”

“You’re on,” he agreed with a shrug.

Then he wondered what the catch was.

She seemed quite satisfied as she picked one of the black leather suits from the selection before her. She selected a set of leather gloves and briefly browsed the leather riding boots. Minutes later, she proceeded over to the counter with the additional merchandise while the salesman observed her with anticipation.

After dinner, they returned to the estate, where Katrina was surprised by Paige’s purchase, but smoothly congratulated her on the acquisition. Caleb recounted a more sedate version of his test drive experience and deliberately avoided any mention of his riding agreement with Paige.

The following day, it was barely eleven o’clock when Caleb sat down to lunch in anticipation of his daytime ride. As he ate, Katrina walked into the kitchen to heat some blood in the microwave.

“Somebody’s hungry early, I see.”

He casually shrugged. “I’ve got plans at noon.”

“That’s nice,” she remarked as she removed the glass of blood and took a quick swig.
At least he’s staying active with all his spare time.
“What’s on the agenda?”

“Riding with Paige,” he replied around a mouthful of potato chips.

A steely expression crossed her face. “At noon?”

Paige walked through the kitchen with an armful of clothes, heading for the utility room at a speedy pace. “High noon, Red. A deal’s a deal.”

Katrina’s green eyes narrowed to slits, and her demeanor darkened as she intently stared into Caleb’s eyes. He shivered slightly at their intensity.

“What deal?” she demanded in a stern, quiet voice.

He swallowed his bite of sandwich and drank from his glass of cola.
Oh no
.
Not good
.

Katrina patiently waited, looming before him like a statue while staring at him flatly.

“Um,” he awkwardly began, “Paige offered to give me a ride on her cycle at noon.”

“Caleb Taylor!” Katrina exclaimed.

He winced slightly.

“How could you? As if you don’t fully know how dangerous that is.”

Paige zipped back through the kitchen wearing a mischievous grin. “Ha! I get him tonight, though.”

As the blonde vampire raced upstairs, Katrina demanded, “Exactly what does that mean?”

Caleb immediately regretted the agreement with Paige. “Well, I kind of agreed to a nighttime ride in return for a day ride.”

She glared at him, and he swallowed hard at the stony expression on her face.

“Kat, it’s just a ride,” he protested. “And, after all, she’s going to wear protective gear.”

Paige reappeared, twirling around like a model in her new leather outfit complete with black leather boots. A cocky expression accompanied her energetic aura as she pulled on a pair of leather riding gloves.

Katrina took a moment to stare at her friend before looking to the ceiling with exasperation.

“You’re an idiot to go through with this, Paige,” she said. “What if something goes horribly wrong?”

“Everything will be fine. Just a quick out and back,” Paige insisted in a cavalier tone. “Keep your shirt on, Red. Tell me we haven’t done far more dangerous things for far less reasons.”

“We both did some stupid, careless things out of sheer ignorance when we were younger,” Katrina corrected. “Now I know my limitations better and realize the consequences of failure. I won’t be able to help you if something goes wrong. What if you wreck and your suit becomes torn? Your exposed skin will start burning in seconds.”

Caleb didn’t like the direction of the conversation, and the implications of failure generated a series of horrific flashes in his mind.
Why did I have to be so stupid?

“Look, this was a mistake,” he insisted. “We don’t have to do this, Paige. We’ll wait to go riding tonight instead, okay?”

Paige let out a deep breath, shaking her head as she perched her hands atop her hips. “Honestly, Red. You wanna scare the kid by arguing about this?”

“He should be scared,” Katrina growled as she cast a glare at Caleb. “I vividly recall how painfully the sun burns. Get burned badly enough, and there’s no coming back from that.”

Her memories replayed the past. It had only been eighteen years since she had tried committing suicide by facing the morning sun. Though she had lost her nerve at the last minute, severe damage had been done to her body. It was only the actions of an innocent, eight-year-old boy named Caleb that had saved her. The momentary recollection almost lightened her mood. Almost, but not quite.

“I know what I’m doing,” Paige insisted between clenched teeth as she reached out to grasp Caleb’s arm. “Hell, I did something like this a decade or more ago, anyway. And we’ll both be safely back before you know it.”

“Wait,” Caleb protested, but Paige took his arm in her vise-like grip and pulled him towards the direction of the hallway leading to the garage.

“Oh, shut up! Honestly, the lengths you have to go to these days just to have some freakin’ fun,” she muttered.

“Be careful!” Katrina barked with aggravation as Caleb was dragged into the garage.
You better be careful, or I’m never going to forgive you
, she silently added.

Paige shoved her helmet over her head and thrust the spare helmet at Caleb. After putting it on, he stared into the charcoal-tinted visor on Paige’s helmet, wondering if she were actually planning to go through with their plan.

“Do you see any exposed skin?” she asked in a muffled voice.

She looked almost like a black-clad astronaut in her leather outfit. He scrutinized her closely then shook his head. She flexed her arms and wrists and seemed satisfied. Then she pointed to the garage door and spun her finger in the air. He went to press the garage door button on the wall.

Paige straddled the cycle and hurriedly waved him to return to her as the door rose. Sunlight permeated into the garage little by little until the garage was illuminated by the ambient glow of daylight. He hiked his right leg over the back of the bike, and she revved the engine.

She glanced back over her shoulder at him while feeling his arms slip in front of her stomach and tighten around her waist. She took a deep breath as she put up the kickstand, and they lurched out onto the driveway, marking her first journey into direct sunlight in nearly fifteen years. Despite her outward display of confidence, she wrestled with feelings of uneasiness as she realized how vulnerable the sun made her feel. Still, Paige Turner liked nothing better than a challenge.

As they rolled onto the neighborhood street, Paige steeled herself for any negative reactions. However, the charcoal-tinted visor did its job, and her face and eyes felt nothing more serious than a mild tingling sensation. The complete coverage of the remainder of her body effectively protected her. As they proceeded past the gate and out onto the neighborhood street, her confidence grew by the moment. By the time they were on the county road outside the addition, she once again felt completely in control of her situation.