The Comanche Vampire (29 page)

“There’s
Gary,” he said. “I need to go say howdy and see if he knows when I work. The
new schedule should be up.”

Anne’s
expression wilted. “I forgot that you’d have to go back to work,” she said. “I
thought we’d have all the time together.”

“We’ll
have plenty,” he told her. “I hadn’t thought about it either, but I guess it’s
back to the real world now that we’re home.”

“Go
find out,” she said.
 

Ned
nodded. “Okay.
 
Leave the bags. I’ll get
them … go on inside. I’ll be there in a minute.”

He
walked across the winter brown grass to the corral. “Hey,” he called as he
approached Gary.
 
His ponies responded to
his voice and Sun whinnied as if in response.
 
Gary turned around.

“You’re
back.
 
Did you have a good time?”

Ned
laughed. “Part of the time,” he said.

“I
see she came back with you. Is Anne moving in?” Gary asked.
 

Ned
patted Sun’s nose with one hand.
 
“
Naw
, not now anyway. She’s spending the rest of her break
from the college out here, though.
 
Are
the new schedules up at work?”

“Hell,
yeah.
 
I’m working every night through
New Year’s Day and I think you are too…
 
Wait, I copied it off.” Gary pulled a crumpled, folded piece of paper
from his pocket. “No. You work the next three shifts on the 26
^th
, 27
^th
,
and 28
^th
, then you’re off until New Year’s Eve.”

“Shit,”
Ned said. “I guess I’ll go break the news to Anne and get around.
 
What time is it?”

“It’s
almost ten, man. That’s why I’m out here.
 
I thought I’d feed your horses before I headed into work.
 
We both start at eleven tonight, work until 7:00
in the morning.
 
You better get your ass
in gear.
 
The bosses weren’t thrilled you
took off again.”

“I
know,” Ned said.
 
“They weren’t bashful
lettin
’ me know.”

He
grabbed their luggage and headed inside.
 
Anne curled up into a corner of the couch and he thought she’d been
dozing.
 
“Hey, honey,” he said. “Here’s
our stuff.
 
I
gotta
get ready for work and head out before long.”

Anne’s
eyebrows lifted half way to her hairline. “Tonight?” she asked.
 

Ned
sighed and sat down beside her for a moment. “Yeah, and I’m sorry.
 
I work the next three, have two off, then I
go back New Year’s Eve.”

She
inhaled hard and released a sigh. “Oh. I’d hoped we could spend New Year’s Eve
together.”

Ned
would never understand the emotional attachment Anne had for special occasions
and holidays, but her disappointment was evident.
 
He’d never paid a lot of mind to the change
of years, no more than numbers to him, but he remembered how many couples he’d
seen together on New Year’s Eve at the casino and at other places in earlier
years.
 
It’s significant for couples, he
thought.
 
“I can see if someone will
trade shifts with me, Anne.
 
I’d like to
spend it with you too.”

Her
face brightened. “That’d be wonderful if you could try, Ned.
 
How soon do you have to leave tonight?”
 

He
glanced at the clock.
 
“As soon as I
change clothes and braid my hair.”

“Let
me,” she said and he nodded.
 

“All
right, honey.”

Putting
on his black pants, the white shirt, and tie seemed almost surreal after his
trip to Rusk and back but once he was dressed, Ned felt the same old routine
wrap around him like a spider’s web.
 
He
undid his hair, combed it and headed for the living room.
 
Anne had a kitchen chair waiting so he sat
and she braided his hair with deft fingers.
 
He enjoyed the feel of her hands working through his hair and if he’d
had time, they would have shared some loving.
 
If he didn’t leave, though, he’d be late so he kissed her good-bye.
 
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said. “Have
the coffee ready.”
  

He’d
meant it as more of a joke than anything but she grinned. “Yes, Ned, I’ll have
it waiting and I’ll be here.”

The
full impact of that hit him with the force of a strong wind.
 
Not since he was
Pea’hocso
had he come home to anyone.
 
Once, Aiyana
waited but it had been so long ago he’d almost forgotten how powerful coming
home to someone one could be.
 
Emotion
welled up within his chest and threatened to drown him in its depths.
 
He grasped her, and kissed her hard and fast.
“I’m glad,” he said. “I’ll be looking forward to coming home for once.
 
I love you, Anne.”

Anne’s
smile beamed with the glory of a full moon. “I love you, too, Ned.”

After
that, he drove too fast to get to the casino and although he needed blood after
his long and emotional day, Ned steeled himself to wait until break.
 
He’d take what he needed then, but his heart
and thoughts drifted home where she waited…for him.

Chapter Fourteen

New
Year’s Eve brought freezing rain and sleet, but Ned had to work.
 
No matter what the weather, record crowds
were expected to throng into the casino, so he took Anne with him to work.
 
At first she protested but he insisted. “I’d
rather have you with me,” he said. “I don’t want you out at the house alone if
the power goes out.
 
I’ll try to take my
dinner break at midnight so we can ring in the New Year together, okay?”

He
managed to nail the catch phrases she expected and after a few more protests,
she agreed. “All right,” she told him. “I’d worry about you driving home anyway
if the roads get icy.”

Ned
didn’t care about slick roads.
 
The worst
thing that could happen to him would be crashing the truck, but he’d walk away
without permanent damage.
 
Anne wouldn’t,
though, he realized as he glanced outside at the falling sleet. Any injuries
she suffered could be serious or fatal. “Let’s head on into town,” he told her.
“Pack a bag and we’ll get a room at the motel closest to the casino.
 
If we wait until tonight, the roads could get
pretty slick.”

He
booked one of the last vacancies at one of the larger chain hotels near the
interstate, less than a half a mile from the casino.
 
Ned handed Anne the card key while he carried
the luggage to their second floor room.
 
He hadn’t stayed in many hotels or motels and when he had, they tended
toward the one-story, cinder block basic variety.
 
The spacious room boasted a king-sized bed, a
table with two chairs, desk, dresser, and a large television.
 
Anne adjusted the heat while Ned opened the
drapes.
 
The view overlooked the parking
lot and the multi-lane highway beyond.
 
He glimpsed the casino’s bright sign and turned to Anne with a smile.
“What do you think, honey?”

“It’s
nice,” she said. “I peeked in the bathroom.
 
There’s a whirlpool tub!”

“You
like that?” he asked.

Anne
nodded. “We can enjoy it together later or in the morning.”
 

Ned
glanced over at the digital clock on the bedside table.
 
“It’s one-thirty,” he said. “I’m not scheduled
until seven.
 
Why not use it now?”

In
one graceful motion she pulled off her sweater and dropped it to the carpet.
“Let’s take a bath,” she said as she slid out of her jeans. “I’m game if you
are.”

Sensual
fire danced through Ned’s veins and his skin tingled with anticipation.
 
He’d never tire of Anne or fail to be tempted
by her body.
 
If she failed to accept his
reality or decided to part, Ned knew he’d remember the sensations she delivered
for eternity. And he’d mourn the loss of their intimacy and pine for the love
they shared.
 
Make memories, he told
himself, and live in the moment.
 
Ned
circled Anne with his arms and tilted her head back for maximum kissing.
 
He brought his mouth down onto hers with
tenderness and hunger combined.
 
He
wanted to show her how he felt, something he often found difficult to express
in words so he demonstrated with slow precision.

Her
lips yielded to his and her body relaxed into his embrace until they molded
into one.
 
Anne’s soft mouth tickled his
and she nibbled.
 
Ned resisted the
extreme temptation to bite and moved his lips down her throat.
 
He kissed the hollow at the base and then
pressed his mouth between her breasts.
 

Her
body heat radiated over him in waves, fierce and fiery.
 
He squeezed her butt and steered her toward
the bed.
 
Anne collapsed onto it, her
hands roaming over his body, nails scratching, fingers caressing.
 
Although he wanted to hurry, he took his
time. Ned teased her opening with the tip of his cock, entered a little and
retreated until he thought he’d die with wanting release. Anne, judging by her
whimpers and the way she writhed beneath him, needed the same. Her garbled
whispers included his name and the word ‘please’ repeated.

Temptation
loomed and he gave into it, letting his fangs run down the smooth, skin of her
throat but never breaking the skin.
 
He
didn’t crave blood, not yet, but he delighted in the sharpness against Anne’s
softness.
 
Ned ached to sink them into
her flesh but he refused. Unknown to her, it would be the third and final time.
He wouldn’t without her permission and as much as he’d like her as a permanent
companion, he wasn’t at all sure he’d inflict immortality on her even if she
desired it. How he longed to bite and drink, not for the blood, but for the
intimacy and the forever aspects.
 
But he
didn’t.
 
He raked his teeth over her fair
skin and left love tattoos, but never broke the skin.

Ned
couldn’t wait any longer.
 
He drove his
cock into Anne with might and force.
 
Instant sensation gripped his dick and spiraled through him, intense and
extreme.
 
Pleasure rocked him and he
pumped harder, pushing for the ultimate moment of climax.
 
Anne wrapped her legs scissors style behind
his back and held tight, driving him deeper.
 
Her moans combined with her nails clawing at his back brought him home
and he came in a series of powerful shudders.
 
He carried Anne with him and she bucked as much as he did.
 
Afterward he lay outstretched on the bed, his
head resting against her shoulder, familiar and cozy.
 
“That was good, honey,” he said.

“Oh,
yeah!” Her heartfelt agreement evoked a smile and once he gathered himself, Ned
swept her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.
 
He deposited her into the garden tub and
turned on the taps as well as the whirlpool jets.
 
Anne giggled as he climbed in beside her as
the tub filled.
 
He ran the water as hot
as they could bear it and savored the relaxation.
 
After such satisfying sex, he lay boneless
and content.
 
Anne kept her eyes shut,
but from the bemused expression on her face Ned thought she basked in her own
puddle of pleasure. They remained there until the water cooled, although Anne
twice added more heat, but by late afternoon they emerged, fingers and toes
wrinkled.
 

“Do
you want to eat before we go?” Anne asked.
 
Ned shrugged. “If you want, we can. I’ll buy you dinner at the casino.”

Anne
retreated into the bathroom while Ned dressed in his standard work garb and
emerged in sparkling glory.
 
He admired
the way the short, emerald evening dress swirled around her thighs and ogled
the deep neckline.
 
It fit her to
perfection and he liked it.
 
She’d tamed
her hair into a riot of curls held up and back with a clip. Her make-up was a
little heavier than usual.
 
Her eyes
gleamed bright, emphasized by kohl and mascara.
 

“What
do you think?” she asked as she made a little pirouette.

“You
look damn good,” Ned growled. “I could eat you up.”

She
grinned. “Anytime but now,” she said. “I wanted to dress up for New Year’s
Eve.
 
Would you like me to braid your
hair?”
 
He nodded, afraid if he touched
her he’d lose control and take her one more time.