The Comanche Vampire (23 page)

Ned
didn’t.
 
He knew the name, some artist
who’d painted happy family scenes a long time.
 
He’d had a calendar, once.
 
But
his experience with holidays had limits and his family died long ago. “No, I
don’t, Anne, not really.
 
I told you I
don’t decorate or do Christmas.”

“You
did but I didn’t think you could be serious.”

“I
was.” Damned if they weren’t flirting with an argument and he didn’t know why.
“Is there something you want to tell me before we get there?”

Anne
sat up in the seat, her back rigid as a stone and straight as the edge of a
ruler.
 
She glared at him and then her
expression changed.
 
Some of the tension
in her posture slackened. “Oh, Ned, no, there’s not.
 
And I’m sorry I’m acting like such a
bitch.
 
I guess I’m nervous about
bringing someone new home to meet the parents.
 
I’m not as worried about what you’ll do as what they might.”

“I
can handle it.” Ned had no doubts. He could deal with anything, he figured
although he’d rather not.

“Daddy
can be mean sometimes,” Anne told him. “He’s cruel if he’s drinking. And he
will be, sooner or later, for Christmas. Promise me you won’t get drunk.”

With
a mixture of disdain and disgust Ned snorted. “I don’t really drink much,
Anne.
 
You ought to know that by now.”

Her
smile blossomed, bright as a daffodil before it faded. “I didn’t think so and
I’m so glad.
 
I guess I should tell you
Christmas isn’t always happy.
 
Daddy will
drink too much and that’ll make Mama cry.
 
My uncles will argue and if we get through the celebration without
someone walking out in anger, we’ll be doing something.”

Although
it’d be a long trip to turn around and head home, Ned considered it. “I wish
you’d told me this before we came, Anne.”

She
scooted back beside him and put her hand on his thigh. “I figured you’d know
how the holidays usually go in real life.
 
If you’d rather not experience it, I guess you could drop me off at my
folks and head for one of the two motels in town.”

Ned’s
warrior’s heart wouldn’t let him abandon his woman. “Hell, no. I’m not going to
leave you in such a mess alone.
 
But if
it’s like that, why’d you want to come home so bad?”
Anne sighed and made a little laugh. “It’s Christmas and somewhere in all the
craziness, there’ll be a few good moments.
 
And it brings back so many memories … happy ones.”

If
he lived forever, which seemed likely, Ned would never understand the white
mind.
 
But he didn’t tell Anne because it
would wound her feelings. “I love you,” he said instead. “Let’s go do this
thing.”

As
they entered Rusk Ned decided it wasn’t much different than other small towns
he’d seen. To Ned’s relief, heavy clouds rolled in to block the sunlight. Anne
directed him to a street a few blocks away from the downtown business district
and pointed. “There’s home.”

The
two-story house, sandwiched between similar homes, fit between a pair of tall
oaks.
 
He parked behind the other
vehicles and before he could grab their luggage from the back, Anne leaped out
and sprinted to the porch.
 
Ned saw why
when he spotted an older man, thin and spare, waiting.
 
“Daddy!” Anne cried as she hugged the man and
Ned watched as Anne’s father wrapped one arm around his daughter’s back.
 
His other hand held a smoldering cigarillo.

Ned
approached with their bags, wary and uncertain.
 
He knew how to deal with enemies in open combat or on a raid by using
violent force.
 
Meeting a stranger who
wore a stern expression beneath his graying hair presented a greater
challenge.
 
Ned paused at the foot of the
porch steps.
 
“Ned, this is my dad,” Anne
told him. “Robert
Delahanty
.
 
Daddy, this is Ned Big Eagle.”

“Call
me Bob,” Mr.
Delahanty
said as he extended a hand.
“I’d say I’m pleased to meet you, but I don’t know you yet.
 
Maybe I will be in time.”

His
laconic Texas drawl irritated Ned, but he summoned up a pleasant expression to
mask his emotions. “Thanks, Bob,” he replied.
 
He wondered what else he might say without
sounding stupid or starting a fight.

Anne
intervened.
 
She linked her arm through
his. “Come on, let’s go meet my mama.”

Anne
led him into the house along a hallway toward the back.
 
On the way Ned noticed the huge Christmas
tree glittering in the front parlor, the gifts heaped beneath its branches, and
the mantelpiece covered with fresh holly.
 
Every room they passed contained the same kind of bric-a-brac, dried
flowers, potpourri, ceramic angels and such Anne had in her apartment.
 
In the kitchen, Anne’s mother bent over the
table as she rolled out dough.
 
She
glanced up and smiled.

Although
her face wore more age and Ned noted the fine lines cut into her skin, she
looked much like Anne.
 
Her hair was
short, though, cut and curled tight and her body a little heavier.
 
“Hi, honey,” she said. “I’m glad you’re
here.
 
I’ve got supper cooking but I
thought I’d make a couple of pies for dessert.
 
I’d hug you but I’m covered in flour. This must be your Ned.”

“Yes,
it is. Ned, this is my mom, Rose
Delahanty
.”

Her
smile radiated genuine warmth so Ned nodded. “It’s nice to meet you,
ma’am.
 
Thank you for inviting me to
spend Christmas with your family.”

Rose
laughed although she never lost rhythm with her rolling pin.
 
“Anne’s the one invited you, but you’re
welcome.
 
You can put your bags in the
guest room.
 
Anne can show you.”

“Thanks.”
Guest room? He’d figured they would share sleeping space until now.
 
Anne led him back to the stairs.
 
Once upstairs, Ned paused.
 
Three bedrooms opened from the top of the
staircase and an open area at the end of the hall held a daybed.
 

“Put
my stuff here,” Anne said. “I get to sleep here.”

“So
where’s this guest room?”

She
pointed to a narrow flight of steps he hadn’t noticed. “It’s in the attic.
 
They remodeled it a few years ago into a kind
of studio bedroom space.
 
It’s not bad,
just no bathroom.”

He
stared upward. “I
kinda
thought we’d be sleeping
together, honey.”

Pink
flushed her cheeks. “Well, I didn’t.
 
I
knew mama and daddy wouldn’t hear of it.
 
But we’ll just be here a couple more days.”

Disappointment
didn’t begin to cover how he felt. “Well, shit.”

“I’m
sorry, Ned.”

“Yeah,
me, too,” he said. Anne’s odd expression warned him there must be more. “What
else didn’t you tell me?”

The
blush turned crimson. “Well, everyone’s coming home so there’s a full house.
Mama and Daddy share the front bedroom. Timothy and his wife are sleeping in my
old room. My sister’s in the other room with her kids.
 
Tim’s kids are downstairs in the den.
 
I’m out on the landing and then you’re in the
guest room with my brother David.
 
He
just got divorced and he’s having a hard time.
 
But don’t worry, there’s plenty of space and two separate beds.”

Ned’s
temper had mellowed over many years, but anger rose up, hot and powerful.
“Anne, you should’ve told me.”

She
wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come if you knew.”

“I
probably wouldn’t have,” he said with force. “Or I’d have brought along my damn
lodge and set it up in the backyard.
 
I
don’t know your brother.
 
He’s a stranger
to me.”

“You
didn’t know me when we met.”

“That’s
different.” And it was, although he couldn’t explain how.
 
He was a man, she was a woman and there had
been a spark between them. And Anne knew something about his culture.
 
Ned doubted her brother did.

“Is
everything all right up there?” Bob called up the stairs.
 
The aroma of his cigarillo followed his voice
and Ned craved a smoke.

Anne
shot Ned a sideways glance. “We’re fine, Daddy.”

“Better
be,” he returned. “Sara’s here with the kids.”

“Okay,
we’ll be down in a few.”
 
Anne turned
back to Ned. “You’re mad.”

He
nodded. “Yeah, a little.
 
I’m not used to
sharing space.”

Her
expression softened. “I know, Ned. And I should’ve told you.
 
I didn’t think you’d mind so much.”

Some
of his anger waned. “Aw, I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it.
 
I’m different than most people, especially
taibo
.
I can stand it for a few days, I
guess. If not, I’ll rough it in the yard. I’ve slept out plenty.”

She
reached out her hand and stroked his arm. “Don’t do that. It’s going to be
cold.”

Ned
couldn’t stay angry.
 
“I don’t suppose
your brother can sleep on the landing and you can bunk with me?”

Her
grin almost blinded him. “No, but I wish I could.”

“All
right, come show me where I’m sleeping,” Ned told her.
 
Anne nodded and he followed her up the narrow
stairs.
 
The huge open room offered
comforts, a television, a stereo, a mini-fridge and two full-size beds, one on
either side of the space.
 
Several worn
but still serviceable recliners faced the TV beside a pair of scarred end
tables.
 
He tossed his single canvas bag
onto the bed nearest the windows.
 
At
least he’d be able to look outside. “Come here, honey.”

“What?”
Anne asked as she obeyed.
 
Ned said no more
but he pulled her over and planted a full kiss on her mouth.
 
At his touch Anne’s body lost its tense
stance.
 
She molded against him as his
lips sought hers.
 
She met the kiss and
gave it back with powerful heat.
 
His
dick hardened as their connection deepened and he yearned to take her.
 
Ned undid her blouse and ran his hands over
her breasts.
 
Beneath the thin lace of
her bra, Anne’s nipples tightened and swelled. Ned let his lips stray from her
warm mouth down her throat.
 
When Ned
breathed against her nipples, she moaned.

“Like
it?” he whispered.

“Very
much.” Anne shivered and Ned savored the ripple.
 
She ran her fingers over the back of his
neck, beneath his braid.

Her
light touch ramped up his desire another few notches.
 
He wanted her now and meant to take her.
 
Ned whispered, “Turn around.” Anne obliged
and he leaned her over one of the recliner seats.
 
He jerked down her slacks and panties, then
undid his belt and jeans.
 
His cock
emerged, swollen and solid as granite.
 
“Bend forward,” he directed and when she did, he entered her moist pussy
from behind.
 
Ned slid into her and then
rocked her, each stroke swift and intense.
 
The different position fired an erotic delight and it swept over his
body with the force of fire.
 
He used his
hips to thrust in and out.
 
Although Anne
crammed a fist into her mouth to prevent making noise, a few sharp pitched
sounds escaped.

Somewhere
outside Ned caught the sound of multiple car doors slamming and a babble of
voices but he paid little mind.
 
He
wasn’t thinking but reacting on a physical level.
 
As the pleasure level climbed, his tension
increased and he growled into Anne’s ear, “Come with me.”

Her
wordless groan brought his release, a furious rush of sensation as Ned came
into Anne.
 
She thrashed under him and he
hoped it was as fine for her too.
 
Afterward, she sank to her knees but he caught a glimpse of her grin
beneath the wild curtain of her hair. “Aw, honey,” he said and then
stopped.
 
The heavy tread of footsteps
echoed on the wooden stairs leading to the attic guest room.
 
In moments, someone would enter the room to
discover them, clothes in disarray and cheeks bright with afterglow. “Shit,” he
swore. “Anne, someone’s coming up the stairs.”