Dhampir Love (4 page)

      Pulling in the driveway I noticed a bunch of flowers and two yellow rose bushes in the trunk.  He carried several buckets of flowers over to the well planter and started clearing it out.

     “How did you know I wanted flowers?” I asked, opening the door.

     “I saw you looking at the planter and thought you would like to have some,” he said, straightening up. 

     I went back in the house, got my gloves and headed out to help Tony.  We spent the rest of the afternoon planting all he had bought.  Satisfied with our work, Tony went to take a shower.  I
went to the kitchen and made myself a sandwich.  I was sitting at the table when Tony came out and went to get his flask. 

     “Mildred doesn’t think you’re
all
human.”

     “What would make her say that?” he asked.

     “I don’t really know.  All she said was she met some people in Italy that looked like you and they weren’t human.”

     “She’s guessing,” he said.  “I look like any other human,” he added, and then smiled his half smile.

     “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” I said.  “Try not to let her see your flask.  I’m sure she’ll really be curious then.”

     “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, and laughed.

     Tony and I settled in for the evening watching the news.  All was quiet in Mayville.  Bob, news anchor, reported Detective Cooke’s passing and announced his cause of death was an apparent heart attack.  Funeral services would be announced as soon as they became available.   The phone started ringing. We both got up to answer it.  Tony got to the phone first so I sat back down on the sofa.  Hearing a noise outside, I looked out the window to see Mildred standing in the middle of the road looking toward the house. 
What on earth
!  Getting up, I went to the door.  Mildred saw me and started running back toward her house as fast as she could.  For her to think Tony was strange was ridiculous.

     Standing in the doorway looking toward her house, I heard Tony hanging up the phone.  “What’s going on?” he asked.

    “Nothing, who called,” I said, turning to face him.

     “Father has another shipment of equipment coming in tomorrow for the blood bank, and needs me there when it arrives.  I have to sort
the boxes and make sure there in the right rooms.”

     “Sounds like you have your work cut out for you then.”

     “Come with me,” Tony said, wrapping his arms around me.  “I have something to show you at the blood bank.”

     I nodded my head yes, turning back to the front door.  I closed and locked the dead bolt before heading to bed.  Tony took care of the back door.  From helping Mildred and planting, I was exhausted.  The second my head hit the pillow, I was out.

     In the morning, Tony and I headed to Portland.  As we passed by Mildred’s, I noticed she was standing inside the front door. When she saw the car, she hurried and closed the door.  Now I knew for sure, Mildred was the strange one.

     The trip to Portland was tiring and traffic was backed up for miles.  A semi
had jack-knifed in the middle of the road. Traffic was being diverted to the off ramp and detoured to the next highway.  Instead of a two hour trip, it was three.  Tony took the opportunity to mention, me becoming his wife.  He smiled his half smile and asked, “Now that you’re going to be my wife, I would like to know when?”

     “I really hadn’t thought about it,” I said, looking at the passing scenery.

     “I think since spring is here, we should start planning, don’t you?”

     “Are you in a rush to marry me?”

     “I just want you to be my wife and the sooner the better.”

     “I’m not going anywhere.  I will always be the only one for you.  You know that.”

     “Yes, I do, but I want to be able to call you my wife instead of my finance.”

     “Did you have a date in mind?” I asked.        

     “I’ll leave that up to you,” he said, reaching for my hand and glancing at my ring.  “I guess I’ll have to get you a wedding band.”

     “I don’t need one.  This ring is the only ring I need,” I said.

      Tony parked in front of the blood bank, leaned towards me and kissed me.  I hugged him and started kissing his neck.  He moaned and whispered, “You need to wait until we’re home.”

     “I miss
ed you last night.”

     “So did I, but right now we need to go inside.” 

     I smiled the biggest smile because we were going to be married.  I didn’t have a clue when, but I knew it was going to be soon.  He was my Tony and I loved him with all my heart.  “I love you,” I said, before we got out of the car.

    “I love you too.  Will you help me with the boxes?” he asked, opening the car door.

     “Sure.” Looking around, I noticed Victor already had the sign out front.  At the bottom it read ‘Opening Soon’. 

      The delivery truck pulled up before Tony and I walked into the building.  Two men exited the cab and went to the back of the truck.  Tony talked with them and I went inside.  All of the previous owners’ equipment had been cleared out.  Tony carried a box to a room and sat it down.  “Father said we should be open for business in a couple of months.”

     “I’m happy he is expanding his business.”

     After the boxes where in their rooms, Tony took me down a long narrow hall.  Before opening the door, he looked at me and smiled.
  “This is your office,” opening the door.  The room had a desk with a small lamp sitting on top and two filing cabinets in the corner.  A door was in the west wall. 

     “Where does that lead too?” I asked.

     Tony went to the door and opened it.  “This is my office.”

     “Right next door to each other,” I said.  “I like it.”

     “I can’t be far from you, Jess.  I’d miss you being too far away from me.”

     I laughed.  “Sure you would,” I said, with a smirk.

     Tony and I went to the Steak and Grog for dinner.  We sat in a dimly lit corner of the restaurant.  No one noticed Tony drinking from his flask.   “I asked Malinda to be my bridesmaid, but you need a best man.”

     “Isn’t Malinda dating Mike?” Tony asked.

     “I think they’re still seeing each other.”

     “When we get back to town, let’s stop at the hospital and ask him.”

      “It sounds good to me.”

     Driving back to Mayville, I leaned my head on his arm.   Closing my eyes I pictured myself walking down the aisle with my eyes on Tony standing at the altar.  I wasn’t in a rush to get married because we were living together. I knew he wasn’t going anywhere and neither was I.  Tony seemed to be in a hurry and asked me every day when we would say, ‘I do.’

     Before going to the hospital to see Mike, we stopped at the diner.  Malinda was coming to work.  She saw us and came over to the table.  Tony had his arms folded on the table, my left hand rested on his arm.

     “Isn’t today your day off?” I asked Malinda.

     “New hire didn’t show.  By the way—Congratulations!  When is the big day?” Malinda asked.

     “
We haven’t decided yet,” Tony answered.  “Is Mike working tonight?”

     Malinda looked at the clock behind the counter.  “He is.  He should be there at eleven.”

     “Tony needs a best man and who better than Mike,” I said.

     Malinda winked at me and smiled wide heading back to the counter.  I was guessing she was still seeing Mike.

     After drinking several cups of coffee, Tony and I went to the hospital.  Mike was sitting at the nurse station. He looked up when the elevator door dinged and smiled when he saw us getting off the elevator. “What brings you two here so late?”

     “Tony and I are getting married and ….”

     “No kidding,” he said, getting up from his chair.  “Congratulations Guys!  When is the big day?” he asked, hugging me and shaking Tony’s hand.  He looked down at my ring.  “That’s a nice ring.”

     “
Thanks. We haven’t set a date yet. We—well Tony would like to ask you something.”

     “Sure, what would you like to ask me?”
Mike took a step back and leaned against the counter.

     “I’
d like to know if you’ll be my best man.”

     “I’
d be honored to be your best man,” he said, smiling from ear to ear.

     “Thank you, Mike.”

      Getting back to the house it was late.  I went straight to bed.  Tony stayed in the living room watching his favorite program.  Sleep wasn’t about to come, so I started thinking about my wedding vows.  I wanted to say my own words and let my heart speak.  Getting a piece of paper and pen from the nightstand, I started writing.  ‘Tony, when I first met you….’  I wadded the paper and threw it toward the waste basket sitting against the wall.  Grabbing another piece of paper, I started again.  ‘Tony, you have made my life complete…..’  Wadding up the paper I threw it toward the waste basket.  Now was not the time to try and figure out what I was going to say.  Laying the paper and pen on the nightstand, I closed my eyes, smiled because I was marrying the greatest man on earth.  Soon I was asleep.

     In the shadows a black cloaked figure followed Tony.  Running as fast as I could to catch him, I tripped over my feet.  “Tony” I yelled.  Tony didn’t hear me.  He stopped at the end of a bridge and the black cloaked figure grabbed him.  “Tony” I yelled again stretching out my hand.  When I blinked, Tony and the black cloaked figure were gone.  Searching through villages I asked everyone I came too if they had seen him.  My Tony was gone.

     My eyes flew open and I sat straight up in bed gasping for air.  I thought about the story Mildred had told me and guessed that was the reason for the silly dream.  Turning to Tony’s side of the bed, he wasn’t there.  Getting up I hurried to the living room.  Seeing Tony asleep in his chair, I breathed a sigh of relief.  I checked the front door to make sure it was locked.  Going over to his recliner, gently laying my hand on his shoulder, he opened his eyes.

     “I must have dozed off in my chair,” he said, groggy as we headed down the hall.

      He climbed into bed and his eyes closed the second his head lay on the pillow.  He started snoring lightly. Scooting close to him I hugged him until I fell asleep.    

     Opening my eyes, the sun was peeking through the slit in the curtain.  Tony was stirring beside me.  I smiled when he kissed the top of my head
.  I got out of bed and headed to the kitchen, grabbed the calendar from the wall and sat at the table. I started looking through the months stopping at June.  June would be a good month to have a wedding.  It wouldn’t be too hot and we could have it outside; providing there was no rain.  I smiled because Tony and I were going to be husband and wife.  I was never as happy as I was the morning I told him I would marry him.  

     Tony went to the refrigerator to get a fresh flask.  The phone started ringing just as Tony was about to sit at the table.

     “Hello,” he said into the receiver. 

     “Hello son.  Did the equipment arrive at the blood bank?” Victor asked.

     “Yes father.”

     “I called because I have important news to share.  I received a call from Thorment.  He’s the head vampire of the Mortensin clan in Italy.”

     “I didn’t realize there were still vampires.  You and William are the only two I thought existed,” Tony paused.  “I can’t forget Charlotte.”

     I shivered when he mentioned Charlotte’s name.

      “Oh son, there’s a lot more of us than you know.  I didn’t feel the need to say anything, until now.”

     “Is something happening, I need to know about?” Tony asked.

     “Thorment holds an annual meeting and has called me to come.  He also wants you present.”

     “Me—Why,” Tony sounded surprise.

     “He is calling for Jason’s presence as well.  Apparently, he’s having a problem with half-human offspring and needs to set ground rules,” Victor said, calmly.

     “When is this meeting?” Tony asked.

     “Next month. We shouldn’t be gone for more than a few days.”

     “I have to let Jess know.  I’ll talk to her and call you later this evening,” Tony said, calmly.

     “That will be fine, son.  I’ll wait for your call.” Victor hung up.

     Tony hung up the phone and sat beside me at the table.  He looked at me with confusion in his eyes.  “What is it Tony?” I asked.

     “Father and I have an important meeting to attend in Italy next month.”

     “What kind of meeting?” I asked.

     “Apparently, it has something to do with Dhampir’s.   Father didn’t go into details.  He said I have to attend the meeting. Something to do with rules for our kind,” Tony mumbled.   

    
“If you have to go,” trailing off the sentence.