Promise Me Anthology (10 page)

Heather opened her mouth to say
my
boyfriend
, but shut it. Devlin was not her boyfriend. He was a
vampire, and she was just his donor, a thought that made her
flush.

Her brother took it for admission. “He’s
married, isn’t he?”

“No,” Heather insisted. “We meet there
because it’s easy when he’s here on business.”

“Oh really?” Ulysses said mockingly. “What
business is he in?”

Heather glared at him, saying nothing. Devlin
never talked about where his money came from. He rarely talked
about himself at all. They talked about songs and music and movies
and current events, sang to one another—sometimes duets—and had
sex. Her time with Devlin had been relaxing, a diversion from her
schoolwork...until it had eclipsed her life.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Ulysses said, furious.
“I’ll find out on my own.”

A shiver of fear went through Heather. Devlin
had never hurt her, never so much as yelled at her. Yet he had
always set the rules of their relationship, right from the
beginning. And the look of the man in black at Dev’s hotel room
door had spoken volumes about the kind of people Devlin knew. “No.
Leave it alone.”

“No,” Ulysses said wrathfully. “You’re my kid
sister and he’s taking advantage of you.”

“It’s over, all right?” Heather burst out,
blinking furiously to push back her tears. But they spilled out
anyway. “We broke up last night. So just leave it alone! Get
out!”

Ulysses turned away from her and stormed
out.

Heather closed the door after him, shaking.
Ulysses was in his first year of college now for computers, after
returning from 2 tours abroad with the U.S. Army. He knew how to
fight and kill people. But something told her that Dev and his
guards had a lot more experience.

* * * *

Heather didn’t see Devlin for the next
semester. With his absence, most of her old drive to excel
returned. She threw herself into her schoolwork, bringing up her
grades and ending the semester with solid As. Every time her
friends asked her to go and sing karaoke at Eclipse with them, she
agreed, desperately hoping Devlin would be there. She always made a
point to sing Total Eclipse of the Heart, hoping the words would
somehow magically call Dev back to her. But he never appeared.

The phone rang just as she was walking in the
door, exhausted from her last final exam.

“Hi Sis,” Ulysses said.

Something in his tone said there was trouble.
“What is it? Tell me.”

“I’m going for another tour,” he confessed.
“We’re leaving in only a day at most. I’m going to miss your
graduation. I’m sorry, but—”

“You told me you were done,” Heather said,
her throat suddenly dry. “You were lucky to come through two tours
without a scratch! You can’t go back for another one!”

“I don’t have a choice,” he said defensively.
“I need more money for next semester. That job I’d lined up for
next year I thought was a sure thing evaporated. This is the
easiest way. It’s only another year.”

“Mom and Dad—”

“They allotted us equal funds for college,”
Ulysses said lightly. “It’s not anyone’s fault that you’re smarter
than me and got those scholarships and I didn’t get any. I’ll be
fine, sis. But I do want you to write me when you can. I’ll send an
email as soon as I’m settled in—”

“You could get a loan—”

“I made myself promise not to go into debt,
not for any reason. I’m not going to break it.”

This couldn’t be happening.
“Don’t go,
please. I can help pay for your college, as soon as I get a
job—”

“In what, like another three years?” he
teased, his falsely cheerful tone not quite concealing his sadness.
“No, you’ve got your life on track, sis. Keep going. I can figure
this out on my own. Take care, okay?”

“Okay,” Heather replied automatically. Then
she carefully replaced the receiver, hating the loud dial tone for
its cold finality.

* * * *

Heather’s next semester was to be her last.
She spent hours sending applications applying for internships for
the coming summer, and working hard to maintain her GPA. But the
day before graduation, Heather stood before the mirror wondering if
this was what she really wanted.
How did you ever know for sure
what the right path was? Maybe no one ever did.

The phone rang shrilly, the caller ID
identifying her father. Heather knew it had to be serious, as he’d
never called her before, only her mother had. “Hello?”

“Heather, Ulysses...he’s been hurt. Pretty
bad. They’re discharging him from the army. He’s coming home as
soon as he’s stable enough to travel—”

Panic seized her. “What happened?”

“Shrapnel of some kind. He’ll walk again in
time. That’s the early prognosis, at least. We can be happy about
that—”

Heather sat down, dizzy.
This can’t be
real.

“Look, I have to go. Your sister’s waiting
for me to pick her up at school, and your mother’s in no condition
to drive—”

“I understand. Keep me posted, Dad,” she
responded hollowly, then hung up the phone. She sat there for
several minutes, her thoughts more and more frantic. Then she
called Devlin’s cell phone from memory, praying the number was
still the same. The same voice mail message that she’d heard close
to ten months ago clicked on, asking her to leave a message.

Please let him understand how much I need
him.
“I need you now. Tonight. More than ever. Please, Dev, I
need to see you. I need someone to care.”

Heather clicked off the phone, then collapsed
onto her bed, sobbing on and off. She cried herself to sleep
eventually, succumbing to exhaustion just after midnight.

Heather was roused sometime later by gentle
kisses on her face. She opened her eyes to see Devlin lying beside
her on her bed. She grabbed him and squeezed herself tight to his
broad chest, bursting out in fresh tears as he stroked her
hair.

“Shh,” he said, holding her. “I’m here.
You’re not alone.”

When she’d calmed down, Heather explained her
brother’s injury. “I understand you’re upset,” Devlin said when
she’d finished. “But you said he’ll walk again. That’s much better
than the alternative.”

“I’m just scared,” Heather said, burrowing
close. “He could have died, or been blown to bits.”

“But he’s neither. In point of fact, he’s
coming home for good,” Devlin assured. “You should be celebrating,
instead of crying, especially as you’re set to graduate soon.”

“How did you know?” Heather asked, furrowing
her brow in confusion.

“I’ve paid attention,” he said lightly. “I
planned to send you a graduation gift, Bright Eyes.”

“You haven’t seen me in months,” she accused
harshly. “Not one call.”

“Not by choice,” Devlin answered, drawing her
close. “You were losing yourself in me, Heather. I did what I
thought was best for both of us under those circumstances.”

Heather didn’t soften. “You mean you wanted
me to stay human because you can’t drink from me if I’m
vampire.”

“Technically, I can,” Devlin admitted. “But
that’s not half as fun, take it from me.”

“I want you,” Heather whispered, clutching
him. “I want us to be how we were.”

“I want that, too,” Devlin said lustfully,
pressing his hips tightly to hers. “If you’ll agree to break things
off when they progress to the point they did before.”

Heather nodded, then her mouth sought his
hungrily.

“No,” Devlin said, drawing back. “When I said
celebration, I meant it.” He stood, then offered his hand, helping
her up. “Go get dressed to kill, Bright Eyes. I’ll be back with the
car in ten for you.” He left, tossing her a last wicked smile over
his shoulder. Heather dashed for the closet, already planning the
perfect outfit.

* * * *

The dinner at the Hilton hotel restaurant was
lavish. While Devlin himself didn’t eat anything, Heather enjoyed
dish after dish, ending with a chocolate cheesecake for dessert.
Even the sullen stare of the familiar man in black lurking near the
front of the restaurant couldn’t take away Heather’s joy. Because
every woman that came in was looking at Devlin, and casting looks
of envy her way. It was as wonderful as she’d fantasized, being out
with him and being the center of his attention.

Better yet, when they left the restaurant,
Heather and Devlin left together via his SUV, the man in black
driving them. “Where are we going?” she asked curiously. “This
isn’t the way back to my dorm.”

“To my home,” Devlin answered generously.
“It’s time you saw it.”

A rush of hope rose up within Heather.
He
did care about her.
“Why now?”

“Because you had my cell number for months
and didn’t call, because I said not to.” He hugged her close. “I
know how much you wanted to, but you trusted me. You didn’t try to
push for more than I could give. That means I can trust you.”

They drove through wide gates, then up a long
curving driveway. Devlin helped her out of the car, then up to the
main front door. A muscular man opened it—some kind of bodyguard,
as he was armed—and Devlin guided her up a flight of stairs to his
bedroom. It was more a suite than a room, encompassing a large
fireplace, several antique velvet chairs and matching couch, and a
huge bed, its wooden headboard carved with an ornate oak tree.

“This is beautiful,” she said in awe.

“Thank you,” he said cordially. He closed the
door, then took her hand. “Come.”

Devlin undressed Heather slowly before the
fire, then lay her down on the rug. “You’re beautiful,” he
whispered, as he unbuttoned his shirt. “Like a newly hatched
butterfly, just spreading its wings for her first flight.”

“Help me to fly,” Heather whispered hungrily,
reaching for him.

* * * *

Afterwards, Devlin held her as they watched
the crackling flames slowly die.

“Would you have called me?” Heather said
finally. “If I hadn’t called you?”

“I’m not sure,” Devlin answered. “But you
want to know if I wanted to, and the answer to that is yes.”

Heather didn’t reply.

“You keep taking my absence for not having
feelings for you,” Devlin continued, irked. “When it’s the opposite
that is true. I am and remain concerned for you. I didn’t want you
to get sick, Heather.”

“I don’t care,” Heather said, turning in
Devlin’s arms. “The truth is I was going to ask you to turn me, if
that meant we could be together more often.”

Devlin let out a long irritated breath. “I
told you, once you turn, what we have is done. Permanently.”

Did he only want her for her blood?
She couldn’t bring herself to ask him. “I just want you in my
life,” Heather elaborated. “Why not see one another as long as we
can, then turn me?”

“You want to be a vampire nurse?” Devlin
said, sarcastic.

“You’re a vampire,” Heather said right back.
“There must be ways to hold a job and still—”

There was a crash from downstairs, then a
series of shots. A loud siren began to sound.

Devlin jumped out of bed, pulling on his
clothes. “Get dressed. Hurry!”

Heather complied. “What is it? A fire?”

“Worse,” Devlin said hatefully. “Vampire
hunters.”

If not for the depth of hate in his tone, she
would have laughed. Instead, Heather hurried to dress. Devlin
finished and turned to her, grabbing her arm. He sat her on the
bed. “Stay here and don’t make any noise,” he urged. “I’ll be back
soon.”

“Wait!” Heather cried. “You shouldn’t go out
there! What if they catch you and...stake you?”

Devlin snorted, standing. “I’m in no danger,
Heather. But I need to know why they attacked now.” He left,
shutting the door behind him.

Heather waited what seemed like an eternity.
An hour later, she went to the door and opened it tentatively. No
one was about. But there was an ominous feeling in the air, as if
something evil was lurking in the shadows, holding its breath.

“You can come out,” a female voice said in
contempt. “If you’re done quivering, that is.”

Heather looked up and saw a tall woman with
long brown hair walking toward her. She was dressed in a simple
back dress. There was something odd about it, but Heather couldn’t
think what. Then she realized the hem was indistinct, as if the
woman was not garbed in cloth, but with shadows.

“Where’s Devlin?” Heather ventured.

“Interrogating the prisoners,” the woman said
casually. “He told me to see you got home. If you come with me,
I’ll have someone drive you home.”

“Is he alright?” Heather persisted.

“Once he drains the two hunters, I’m sure his
mood will improve,” the woman said darkly. “Come now.”

Drain? As in kill?
Heather followed
the woman downstairs to the garage. “Why did they attack?”

“I think it’s a test of hunterhood,” the
woman said with a smirk, gesturing to the SUV. “If you can assail
the vampire king’s house and live to tell the tale, there’s a lot
of respect to be gained. Almost no one does.” The SUV suddenly
started up, startling Heather. A man was already behind the wheel.
“Take her home, Vince.”

“Vampire king?” Heather said blankly, turning
to face the woman.

“Didn’t you know who you were fucking?” the
woman said in contempt. “Didn’t you even ask Dev who he was before
you bared your neck?” She shook her head. “Women like you are the
reason males continue to rule this world.”

“Ease off, Leri,” Vince said gruffly,
shifting nervously. “I have no problems taking your orders.”

“Because you know I’ll turn you into a
castrated duck if you don’t,” the woman said sweetly with icy eyes.
She turned back to Heather. “Goodbye,” she said with an arrogant
sniff, then turned and walked elegantly away.

Heather was silent the whole trip back.
Devlin was a king. If he turned her...if she could make him love
her...she could be his queen.