The Vampire Keeper (18 page)

He planted another fiery kiss upon her lips and guided her backward into her loft.

Jezalyn lay awake in bed; it was now Tuesday, no longer Valentine’s Day. This year Jezalyn was somewhat glad the day was over as she lay nestled in her bed deep in thought. There had been two declarations of love made yesterday, one she received and one she gave. As she deliberated on her Valentine’s Day events, her phone rang; it was Blaise, and she answered the phone with an icy hello.

“Hey,” Blaise replied upbeat trying to compensate for her coolness.

Jezalyn sat there silently not because she didn’t know what to say or ask, but because she no longer felt she had the right to question him after what she had done herself last night.

After hearing her pause, he continued, “Chris told me you came by looking for me last night.”

Blaise heard an “Um-hmm” escape Jezalyn’s voice.

He attributed her shortness to unhappiness with him, so he reminded her of his prompt response to her late night visit; “When I heard you had dropped by, I tried to call you a back. When I got no answer, I got a little worried…”

Jezalyn, no longer being able to hold in her hurt and anger, cut him off, “Really? Were you worried that I found about your late night rendezvous?”

Blaise responded coolly, “You mean my date with the campus library to finish my chemistry paper.”

Jezalyn sat up in the bed as her temper grew at his response, but she kept her voice calm not wanting him to suspect the level of her anger just yet. “Oh, so that’s where you were last night?”

“Yep, I was there until about three this morning,” responded Blaise cheerily.

“Really, it just so happens that I drove by the library on my way out last night and you were not there, either! What lie are you going to give me now?” Jezalyn blurted out heatedly.

Blaise sat there silently for a moment as he tried to deliberate on the turn in conversation, but that silence only prompted Jezalyn to respond with more conviction.

“Who is she?”

“Who is who?” Blaise angrily shot back at her.

“Oh, don’t deny it. Your roommate told me last night you were staying the night with me —again! You have never spent the night with me once, so it can’t be that you stayed with me again.” Thus without a slight pause or chance for Blaise to come up with a more suitable explanation, Jezalyn continued, “So, I ask again. Who is the girl you are staying over with?”

“There is no girl,” blurted out Blaise, realizing the conversation was leading into an area where he knew he could not explain himself.

Jezalyn fired back, “If there isn’t someone else, then why are you lying to him and me about where you were?”

There was only silence; Blaise made no response, not even an overwhelmed sigh. His only thought was,
If I tell her the truth, there certainly won’t be a chance for us.

Jezalyn sat there for a moment waiting for him to respond, but when he did not, she took a deep breath and said, “Fine. I am sorry, but I can’t be with a cheating liar.”

Blaise made one last remark, although now he was too angry to try to pacifying her, “I swear, Babe, there is only you.”

“Just tell me where you were last night, and preferably the truth,” she demanded.

“This is bullshit! I’ll talk to you later,” said Blaise as the phone went dead.

Even though there was not enough time for Jezalyn to respond, she instantly decided that his avoidance and anger on the subject proved his guilt. She found herself half at ease at Blaise’s reaction since she herself was just as wrong as he. Jezalyn was glad she did not have to divulge to Blaise that she let Larkin stay the night. Although he would immediately suspect they had slept together, he would not have been entirely wrong. It was true Jezalyn had spent the night nestled safely in Larkin’s arms until the break of dawn, but it would have been Blaise’s assumption that she had given Larkin the intimate caresses that he had longed for, which would have been incorrect. Jezalyn smiled, as she thought about Larkin and the night they had spent together.

She thought about how Larkin had questioned her, once they came up for air, about her relationship with Blaise. She could not believe it; Larkin was questioning her motives as she had done earlier, but this time it was toward her own declaration, not Blaise’s. Jezalyn had decided right away that she would tell him everything. She told him about the Valentine’s Day date at the park, Blaise’s pledge of love, and her thoughts of his betrayal and lies. However, she did not tell Larkin the part about the date not living up to her expectations, or how she once wished she were on a date with him instead. She expected herself to cry as she related the story to him, but she did not and that left her somewhat puzzled and justified in her current feelings.

Jezalyn smiled again to herself as she remembered relating to Larkin how her feelings for him came about:

I know that, to you, it must look like I am only responding to Blaise’s unfaithfulness, but tonight you made me realize he was not the disloyal one. I must have been slowly slipping from my relationship with him as I unsuspectingly found myself thinking of you. As I danced with you tonight, while you were spinning me to and fro.
Then, she recalled a little laughter broke out between them.
I felt a sensation in the pit of my stomach that I had never felt before, and all I knew was that I couldn’t let you walk out that door.

A sudden pulsation interrupted her thoughts, she gazed down at her hand and without a moment’s thought clicked the end button on her phone. Less than a minute later the phone rang again, and she repeated the same function as before, except this time after pressing the end button, she threw the phone onto the bed and pranced into the kitchen to retrieve some left over orange juice. She unconsciously smiled as she took a sip staring somewhat lost in thought out of the window. Jezalyn cheerily returned to her bedroom, juice still in hand, letting thoughts of Larkin run wildly through her mind. She picked up her phone, but before she made a call, she noticed a small box with a smiley face in it in the upper left hand corner, which indicated she had received a text message. Clicking the box, she soon discovered Blaise had not given up, and the message read, “Hey, I am calling but u won’t answer. sorry I got mad. let’s meet somewhere. we can talk this out.”

Jezalyn threw the phone back onto the bed, without responding, and grabbed a pair of jeans, a cute blue-green v-cut tee, and a pair of flats. She was pulling her hair back out of her face when she heard a knock at the door. Her heart sank and an ill feeling came over her as she thought,
Blaise! I should’ve responded
, but when she realized Blaise did not have enough time to drive from Monroe to Transylvania, she rushed to the door hoping to find Larkin on the other side. Relief and excitement overwhelmed her. It had only been thirty minutes or so since she received Blaise’s first call, and now she felt a different kind of emotion as she peered at Larkin, who stood in her doorway holding two cups of coffee and a little white bag, the type you get when you pick up your medicine at the pharmacy.

“Come in,” said Jezalyn with a welcoming grin on her face. Larkin strutted in and handed her a cup and the bag.

“What’s this?” asked Jezalyn graciously accepting the items.

With a beaming grin he said, “I thought you would like a cup of coffee and a bear claw to get you started this morning.”

Another large smile crossed her face, and she moved closer giving him a half hug and a peck on the lips. She enthusiastically pulled out the pastry and took a bite, and raised her hand to her mouth before muttering the words “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. So what do you plan to do today?”

“Work, and…” the sound of her phone ringing interrupted her. Although Jezalyn paused for the initial ring, she ignored it and continued her sentence, “… write a paper for my online class. What are you doing?”

“Do you need to get that?” asked Larkin as he pointed to the phone in her pants pocket.

“No, it’s just Blaise. He wants me to meet him later to talk about things.”

“Okay, so, what time are you doing that?”

“Um,” she shifted uncomfortably, “I didn’t agree to go yet.”

“I see,” was the only response he made.

“Do you think I should go?”

“Kind of. You need to make an official decision. Don’t you think?” asked Larkin.

Jezalyn nodded her head, and said, “Come on let’s go downstairs before I am late for work.”

He toddled toward the door and as he passed her, she kissed him adoringly. They went downstairs; she picked up a stack of books off the counter to stock on the shelf. They discussed a date for later that night while she placed the books on the shelf, but when her phone rang, they instantly knew who it was. Larkin excused himself with the claim of checking in on Wyler and Ana so that Jezalyn could have some privacy. Although Larkin wanted Blaise completely out of the picture, he knew that it could not happen without closure. Besides, Blaise did not intimidate Larkin since he could still read Jezalyn’s mind and sense her emotions. Larkin surprisingly hoped her emotions were pure, and until he knew for sure, he would be unable to have a more intimate relationship with her. Although he longed to seduce her the previous night, he needed to feel the full conquering and thing with blaze needed to be settled first. Larkin was reminded from frequent instances of observation how lust can drive people to merciless madness. Yet, it was unclear if Larkin clung to his antiquated sense of propriety simply out of habit or out of nostalgia for his humanity.

“What do you want?” questioned Jezalyn as she placed another book on the shelf.

“Hi, I just want to talk.”

“So, talk.”

“Can I see you?”

There was a long pause before Jezalyn said, “I don’t know.”

Blaise found hope in the break and requested, “How about a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you want?”

She made no response, so he continued, “We can talk this out. I know we can.”

Jezalyn picked at the wood on the shelf as she finally replied, “Okay.”

They decided to meet at a little coffee shop in the shopping center a few blocks from the university at three o’clock. After the arrangements to meet were in place, Blaise told her he loved her and hung up the phone.

Wyler was getting in his vehicle when he saw Larkin entering Julius’s house. Irritation soon followed this observation as Wyler thought,
If I knew Larkin was going to visit, it could have saved me a trip.
Then again, never being informed about things until after they turned south was part of his life as a Keeper. It was not in his power to demand the knowledge of Larkin’s every movement much less Julius’s. Besides, he found himself worrying more if he did know, so he never pressed the issue. He knew if either truly needed him then they would inform him, so as not to disturb their meeting Wyler checked his watch and backed out of the driveway. Jezalyn was supposed to get off in twenty minutes and he was still thirty minutes out. Wyler tried to speed, but he was stuck following a Parish cop, so he called the shop to inform Jezalyn about his delay. He became startled as he heard a male’s voice say, “Hello.”

Wyler checked his phone to make sure he had dialed the correct number before he intensely demanded, “Who is this?” Wyler could not imagine what man would be answering the phone at the shop with both Larkin and himself out.

“It’s me,” respond the manly voice on the other line.

“And who is me?” but before the voice could respond, Wyler asked another question, “Where is Jezalyn?”

“Monroe. Why?”

Wyler shook his head in disbelief as he recognized the familiarity of the man’s serious tone. An overwrought Wyler slammed on the breaks and bellowed out, “Larkin!”

“Yes, what is wrong with you? If it’s about the shop, don’t worry I got it covered.”

“We have a serious problem,” replied Wyler as he turned his car around and drove back in the other direction.

“Now what?” responded an extremely aggravated Larkin?

“First off, you’re at the shop.”

“Yes,” broke in Larkin with a condescending tone, “thanks for stating the obvious. I’ll let you know if I burn down the shop.”

Larkin could hear Wyler take a deep breath before he continued, “Secondly, I watched you go into Julius’s house less than twenty minutes ago. Unless you developed the ability to be in two places at once we have a serious problem.”

Wyler heard the crackling of plastic and knew Larkin was clenching the phone with his fist as he mumbled one name, “Theron.”

“Don’t worry; I am only about ten minutes from Julius now.”

“Wyler, don’t enter when you get there; it’s too much of a risk. If Theron is back, it’s only to wage a vendetta against me.”

“I know; it includes me too, but am I supposed to let him rip Julius apart?”

“I’m on foot, so I’ll meet you there soon. Don’t go in, wait outside for me!” was the last demand Wyler heard accompanied by a loud clang. Wyler had gathered that Larkin had dropped the phone since the clang was followed by silence and not a dial tone.

It had been a long time since he had broken a law, but now he found an acceptable reason. Wyler felt free and invincible; the adrenaline pumped through him as he sped down the highway back to Julius. Soon he found himself in Epps, and Wyler spotted Theron getting into an old black car parked almost a block from Julius’s house. Wyler pulled into a parking lot across the street and waited for Theron to drive off. Wyler exited his car as the tail lights disappeared around the corner. He ran up the driveway, not waiting for Larkin. Wyler felt he was in no danger since he had personally witnessed Theron’s departure.

Wyler abruptly entered the house to find it filled with smoke. The air he let in upon entering the house fed the fire causing the smoke to grow thicker. Wyler covered his mouth and nose with the top of his shirt as he dropped to his knees and crawled across the floor. He crawled toward a figure lying on the floor. When he reached the body, he discovered it was not Julius. The body was female; it looked like a bear had attacked her. She had deep scratches and torn tissue where her jugular vein used to be. Wyler hunted for Julius, trying not to rub his burning eyes as he crawled toward two more bodies that lay motionless.

When he reached the bodies, he discovered one was Julius and the other another female. Wyler pulled Julius onto his back to discover a large hole in his chest. He coughed as he examined Julius, but Wyler found himself stunned to discover Julius holding his own heart. He pried the heart from his hand and shoved it back into his chest cavity. Wyler knew from experience that he needed blood if he had any chance of saving Julius, so he checked the girl lying next to him. She had a pulse, although it was faint. He opened Julius’s mouth, pulled her arm over it, and slit her wrist with Julius’ protruding fang. He watched as the blood slowly drained into his mouth. Wyler realized she did not have enough blood left in her to revive him, so he laid the girl’s open wrist in Julius’s mouth.

The fire blazed all around them. Even though Wyler’s face and lungs were completely exposed to the smoke, he continued as if he was immune but all the while coughing uncontrollably. Still trying to block out the clouds of gray smoke that flood around him, Wyler pulled off his shirt and gathered it into a bundle and pressed it tightly over his face. With one last effort to save Julius, he grabbed a piece of broken glass hovered his wrist above the exposed heart and with one swift swipe slit his own wrist. The blood pooled up around Julius’s non-beating heart as Wyler lay collapsed face down on his bundled shirt over Julius’s chest.

***

Wyler awoke outside in an ambulance. An oxygen mask covered his face, and an EMT held out Wyler’s arm bandaging it with two fingers. The EMT noticed Wyler gained consciousness and quickly asked, “How many are inside?”

Wyler stared at him for a moment trying to focus before shaking his head back and forth in the hopes to deter anyone from searching the house. Wyler was not concerned about them discovering Julius since vampires burned to ashes; it was the female bodies, which seemed unlikely to turn to ash, strewn across the floor that worried him.

Larkin interrupted them, “I am the owner of this house. No one else was inside, besides him.”

“Well I will need to check you out also, sir.”

“There will be no need; I am fine.”

“Then you’re denying treatment?” asked the medic.

“Yes,” responded Larkin.

The EMT turned back to Wyler, “You should consider yourself lucky. It looks like you had minimal blood loss from your injury.” Pointing at a monitor, he continued, “Also, your pulse oximetry test shows that you have a mild case of smoke inhalation.”

“Ox- o- what?” asked Wyler pulling the oxygen mask off his face.

Placing the mask back over Wyler’s face, “You see this little white piece attached to your finger? It measures the degree of oxygen in your blood; however, since you lost some blood I think it would be best to get a chest x-ray to make sure your condition is not worse than what it appears,” said the EMT.

Wyler responded, “I am sure I am fine.”

“Okay, but if you start wheezing or have trouble breathing, I recommend that you go to the hospital immediately.”

Larkin interrupted, “I hate to break up this party, but, Wyler, I have to go.” Turning to the EMT, Larkin asked, “Where are you taking him, so I can send his wife?”

Before the medic could respond, Wyler took the mask off and said, “Wait I am coming with you!”

The medic pulled out a piece of paper for Wyler to sign, before letting him get out of the ambulance.

***

While Wyler was trying to save Julius’s life, Jezalyn was on her way to the coffee shop; it was almost three thirty before Jezalyn arrived at Rayne’s Coffee Corner, where she found Blaise patiently but nervously waiting. She entered the shop and Blaise hopped up to meet her, “Glad you made it. I got worried you changed your mind.”

Jezalyn responded nonchalantly, “Nah, just a little traffic.”

He guided her to the counter. “What would you like?” asked both Blaise and the barista.

She ordered a small hot chocolate without whip cream, and she sat down at the table next to the window while Blaise waited on her order. Sitting quietly, Jezalyn there to formulate a way to tell him about Larkin. She did not know how to handle the situation. Courtesy of her over protective grandfather, Jezalyn had never been afforded the luxury of having to broken-up with anyone. She did not want to hurt or lead anyone on either, and her confusion soon turned to anxiousness. Jezalyn rubbed her moist palm on her pant leg as she watched Blaise take her cup from the barista and walk back toward her. In that moment, she decided she would break it off without telling him about Larkin.

“Here you go,” said Blaise as he pushed the cup toward Jezalyn and took a seat.

“Thanks.” They sipped their drinks occasionally staring at one another waiting for the other to speak.

After a couple of minutes, Blaise asked, “How was your drive up?”

“Okay.”

After taking another sip of his drink, he asked, “So, how’s your hot chocolate?”

She replied, “Good,” but when she tried to take a sip, the hot steam met her lip, so she placed it back down in front of them creating an invisible barrier. “You said you wanted to talk; what do you have to say that I haven’t already heard?”

He sat there trying to construct a response. After a moment of empty silence, Jezalyn grabbed her bag and said, “Well, if you’re not going to talk, I’m leaving.”

Putting his hand out as a gesture for her not to get up, he said, “Wait, it’s just that I can’t tell you where I was last night. I am sorry.”

She placed her bag back down, “Why not?”

“Because, I just can’t, but I promise you it has nothing to do with me being with another woman.”

“Well if you don’t tell me, then this is the end,” said Jezalyn who felt somewhat relieved that she was breaking off the relationship without having to tell on herself.

He grabbed her hand, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

Somewhat intrigued at his secrecy, she urged him to tell her. “Well, your silence is resulting in the same outcome, so why don’t you just come clean, tell me the truth, and let the chips fall where they may.”

Blaise took a deep breath, leaned forward, and said, “I am a hunter. I was out hunting.”

“At night?” responded Jezalyn in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“Oh really, isn’t hunting at night illegal?”

“Yes.”

“Well, did you at least kill anything worth ruining our relationship over?”

“No, she got away.”

“She! I knew it! Where were you really at last night?”

He released a long sigh trying to hide his aggravation, “I was hunting,” but he was interrupted when Jezalyn mumbled under her breath, “Um- hmm, hunting for other females,” as she sat back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest.

Blaise read her defensive posture and knew he had no choice but to tell her even if it was unbelievable.

Her eyes grew big as he said, “Yes, I was hunting a woman, but the truth is she is a vampire. I am a vampire hunter.”

Jezalyn glowered at him with her big green eyes and began to cry, but it was quickly snuffed out when she thought,
He is absolutely insane, that is the lamest excuse in the whole world. How dare he insult my intelligence with this stupid lie?
“It is one lie after another with you! Why is it so hard for you to tell me the truth?” she asked sharply.

Blaise retorted, “It’s the truth!”

Listening to him vigorously defend his claim made her glower. “Yeah, like it was the truth you were going home to work on your paper, or stayed at the library until three, or maybe the truth was what you told your roommate about staying at my house, but no, I guess you would rather me believe you were crazy than tell me the truth. Besides, if you’re not going to tell me the truth, at least you could do is come up with a more believable lie than hunting vampires.”

Blaise could only nod his head as he heard Jezalyn dismiss his claim with a mix of laughter and anger. “Well, what do you want to do?” he finally asked.

Overwhelmed, Jezalyn choked out, “I am sorry; I don’t believe or trust…” Jezalyn’s response lingered off because she knew not only could she not trust him, but also she could not trust herself. The schoolgirl crush she once had on Blaise was now replaced by an intensity she had never felt before with Larkin. She patted her face, composed herself, and scowled at him with disdain as she said, “Vampire slayer? Really!”

She shook her head as she got up and said, “Good-bye Blaise; I wish you all the best with whoever she is.”

Blaise watched her bolt out the door but did not follow. He knew any chance of them getting back together was over. He became angry with himself for not anticipating the depth of her reaction. He had thought perhaps she would believe him or would just get angry, but eventually would get over it, yet he never dreamed she would truly abandon their relationship.