The New Neighbor (part 2)
Title: The New Neighbor (part 2)
Fandom: original
Rating: PG-13 (for some vulgar language)
Genre: urban fantasy
Spoiler Warnings: none
Word Count: 6,287 (only because LJ won’t let me post over 12K at once, stupid LJ)
“Walker speaking.” My heart automatically calmed at the sound of his deep voice. Something in me recognized that he could take care of it all.
“Evan? This is Trinity.”
“Hey,” His tone was wary, like he was expecting trouble. “What’s going on?”
“This is going to sound weird, but…I think maybe that guy from my window might be at the school.”
His voice deepened. “Where are you? Are you okay? Did you see him?”
“I’m inside. The doors are locked.” I stepped closer to the glass to look around. “He left a rose on my windshield. I think it’s from the bush next to my window.”
“Stay inside,” he ordered, his tone commanding. As if I would even consider stepping foot outside alone, unarmed. “I’m on my way. I’ll follow you home and make sure your house is safe.”
“Thank you.” My voice wavered embarrassingly on the words. I wanted to be strong, confident. But I was turning into a mess. I didn’t know how to handle this. I’d never had a stalker before. I didn’t even know what I had done to attract the guy’s attention.
Was it a parent of one of my students? I’d taught school for six years. I had met countless men throughout that time. But it would surely be one I had met recently. I couldn’t imagine the type of man to stalk a person would decide to start up suddenly years after the initial meeting.
A familiar black truck pulled into the parking lot, sliding into the space next to my car. More of the tension fled from my body as the driver’s side door opened and Evan emerged. He paused to stare down at the rose. Then he walked around my car, studying it closely. He knelt down several times, peering up under the chassis. I watched from the safety of the building as he ran his hands up along the frame.
Eventually he stood, wiping dirt from the knees of his police uniform. Reaching forward he snatched the rose from the car and crushed it in his hand, glaring around the parking lot. I didn’t know if he was trying to send a message to anyone who may have been watching, but it looked good to me. I felt safer.
I rushed to the doors as he approached, his long legs covering the payment quickly. I waited until he was within a couple feet to push the door open and go out to meet him. “Thank you for coming.”
He nodded, looking me over. “You okay?”
Gripping my purse strap tightly I tried for a smile. It felt tight. “I’ll be fine.”
“Your car looks good. I didn’t find any tracking devices or any other foreign articles, besides the rose. We should check out your house, make sure he hasn’t planted anything there.”
My throat closed off a little. Planted devices? In my house? He could have been in my house? I hadn’t even considered that terrifying idea. The world got a little blurry for a second there.
“Hey, hey, Trinity? Breathe.” A warm hand settled gently on my shoulder.
I focused on Evan’s concerned eyes and told myself to listen to him. I needed to breathe. I could forget about any intruders in my house because he would take care of them. It was his job and he was damn good at his job. So good there had been books written about it.
“Sorry about that,” I mumbled, embarrassed about the display of weakness.
He squeezed my shoulder. “It’s okay. Let’s get you home and get some food into you. You’ll feel a lot better then.”
My heart finally settled to a reasonable rate by the time I pulled into my driveway. But it skyrocketed again as soon as my eyes landed on my rosebush. Not only was the bloom gone, but so was half the bush. He had wanted me to know without a shadow of doubt where he had gotten that rose. He wanted me to know he was out there.
I sat in my worn driver’s seat, immobilized, staring at the massacred shrubbery. What kind of monster was I dealing with? Yeah, okay. It was just a fucking bush. But, that seemed like a damn clear sign of a deranged mind to me. I wasn’t safe.
I jumped as my door opened. Evan crouched down next to me. “We need to check out the house. I don’t want to leave you out here alone. So, I want you to stay with me, but behind me. Can you do that?”
I nodded slowly, mechanically. My mind was still on that rosebush. Evan’s large, slightly rough hand slid over mine, gripped my palm, and began to gently tug at me. I allowed him to pull me out of my car, because he was right. I didn’t want to sit out there alone while he was in the house. What if the guy had followed us from the school? I didn’t want to be alone outside with him.
We went through the house quickly but thoroughly. Evan didn’t overlook any potential hiding place. I was fairly confident he finished the walk through only for my peace of mind though. He had entered the house sniffing, and then visibly relaxed. If he hadn’t smelled anything unusual, then there couldn’t have been an intruder. Right?
I knew I would sleep better having gone over every inch of the house with someone else though, so I didn’t stop him. And when he decided to check every door and window lock in the house I didn’t complain about that either. Instead I went into the kitchen and started cooking. I figured the least I could do was feed the man.
By the time he made his way back to the kitchen to tell me that all my window locks were secure I was dishing up the stir fry. Oh how I loved fast and easy meals. He paused in the doorway, his nostrils flaring again. I just happened to glance up and catch that move. It wasn’t like I had been watching for him.
Right.
“Um…I have enough for two.” Because I had been sure to cook enough for two. Heck, I’d probably have left-overs.
His lips pulled into a leisurely grin that had me wanting to squirm. Really, the man was too delicious. “That sounds good.”
~~O~~
I saw him just as Thomas plastered himself against my body. Yanking my eyes away from the handsome man in the police uniform, I smiled down at the young boy. I wasn’t allowed to initiate hugs, but I loved when the kids chose to. So many of them didn’t get enough positive touch in their lives. There had been so many times throughout a school day that I would see a hurting little face and I would know that a simple hug would mean the world to that child. But I wouldn’t be able to give it. Not without risking my job.
And then how could I help the children? How could I broaden their minds? Who would be there to offer a warm smile and a patient re-telling when they were having a hard time grasping a concept? Being a teacher was what I was made to do. I wanted to save every little boy and girl in my school from heartache but sometimes that just wasn’t possible.
Thomas pulled away from me, sent me a bright smile, and ran off for his bus. I focused on directing the rest of the kids to their rides home until the pavement around me held only adults. Then the fatigue of the day caught up with me.
“Hey. Any sign of the peeper today?” Evan appeared beside me.
I jumped a little. He had moved so quietly I hadn’t sensed him coming. “No. I haven’t seen anything unusual today.”
“Hmm. Well, I’d still like to follow you home. Make sure he’s not lurking.”
My heart thudded in my chest. “Oh. Sure. I can’t leave for another half-hour though. Do you mind waiting?”
He shrugged so I led him into the school building. He paused at the billboard outside my classroom as I unlocked the door. His eyes roamed over the pictures covering the space.
“You really love kids, don’t you?”
I pulled the door open before meeting his eyes. Then I glanced toward the billboard. It was covered with shots of all the kids in my class. I was in some of them too, squatting down, smiling at either the camera or my students.
“I do.”
He followed me into my room and leaned against the wall as I made my way to my desk to pack up the papers I would spend my evening grading. I grabbed my lesson book too. It was due in a couple days and I hadn’t had time to plan out the next month’s lessons. Not in depth anyway. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do.
“So, why haven’t you had a few kids of your own?”
My hands paused on the stack of un-graded papers. That was an awfully personal question. Kicking myself into action again I shoved the papers into my bag. “Well, it does take two people you know.”
“There’s donor banks now. Or adoption.”
I shook my head, blushing at the very thought of walking into a sperm bank. “That wouldn’t be very fair to the kid would it? I wouldn’t feel right about intentionally bringing a child into a one parent home.”
He hummed deep in his throat in acknowledgement. “So, you want a kid but you don’t want to be selfish about it.”
I shoved the lesson book into the bag on top of the papers. “Well. It wouldn’t be right. Would it? I think kids deserve a father too. I can’t take that away from them as soon as they start their life.”
I glanced up to find him smiling at me. It wasn’t the face splitting, teeth showing smile that he’d shown when I offered him dinner the night before. It was more of a small, quiet smile.
“I like that.”
I snorted, the slightest bit of bitterness slipping through. “Yeah. It’s great. Being alone all the time. Who doesn’t like alone time?”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “You won’t be alone forever.”
I shrugged. “There’s no guarantees in life. But at least I have my students.” I grabbed a few sheets off my desk. “I’ve got to go run some copies. By the time I get them sorted it should be time to go.”
“Go on. I’ll wait for you.”
~~O~~
Evan showed up at the school every afternoon, just as I was ushering children to their parent’s cars or the waiting school buses. The other teachers noticed immediately of course. The parents were beginning to notice too. A cop in the parking lot was hard to miss. And those parents were worried. I knew because I’d been counseled by the Principal. She’d had complaints from parents, worried calls about the police presence in the afternoons.
So Evan started taking the time to change out of his uniform before coming to the school. His dedication to keeping me safe was surprising. Sure, keeping people safe was part of his job, but most cops didn’t focus so intently on a single person unless they were a suspect. Evan was spending every afternoon with me. He was eating dinner with me. He was even staying to watch stupid sitcoms with me.
I paused with my fork-full of lasagna half-way to my mouth. “How are you free every night? I thought the station worked on a rotating schedule, that you’d have to work in the evenings too sometimes.”
He shrugged, using his garlic bread to wipe up some of the sauce left behind on his plate. “This is kind of like work.”
“Oh? Do the guys in the patrol cars have home cooked Italian served with wine tonight?”
He smirked at me. “I didn’t say it was exactly the same. But there are similarities. I’m protecting you from a threat. This is serious.”
He popped his bread into his mouth, his eyes twinkling back at me. Despite that twinkle in his eyes, my heart felt a little twinge of pain. I shouldn’t be so bothered with the idea that this might be all about work to him. He only had another week left before his midnight deadline. Halloween meant nothing to him, other than the need to stock up on candy. But it was quickly becoming my least favorite night of the year.
Somehow over the three weeks we had spent together Evan had become a big part of my life. An important part. I saw him more than I saw Marla. I spoke to him more. If I saw something funny I’d snap a picture and send it to him first. Only later would I remember to forward it to her.
And he would be gone soon. That was just depressing. I lowered my eyes quickly, hopefully before he noticed the excess liquid in them. Shoving my food into my mouth was a useful distraction. For a moment. Then I focused on sectioning off another bite. I could get through the dinner without breaking down. Then the hour or so of TV that usually followed. I would have all evening to lose it as soon as Evan went home.
Glass crashed in the front room, followed immediately by a soft thud. Evan was on his feet before I could comprehend what I had heard. He stationed himself between me and the short hallway that led to the living room. Holding a hand back in a silent ‘stay’ command, he inched forward slowly.
After a moment of watching his back I bolted from my chair and headed for the back door. I had to make sure it was locked. Once my mind was at ease on that matter, I moved to the counter and grabbed my trusty knife. That thing had cut through countless vegetables. I didn’t think I would need it, not with Evan there. But I couldn’t just stand there empty handed.
Evan reappeared a moment later. He noticed the knife immediately. His lips pulled into a grin and he nodded. Then he held up a rock in one hand and a wrinkled white sheet of paper in the other. The paper was lined and messily torn from a notebook.
“This was tied to the rock. I’ll board up the window tonight but you’ll need to get that replaced in the morning.” His eyebrows furrowed. “He’s getting bold.”
My eyes zeroed in on the note. “What does it say?”
“You shouldn’t have cheated on me. You’ll be sorry.”
My mouth fell open. “What? I haven’t cheated on anyone! How could I cheat on him? I don’t even know him!”
I had the opportunity to repeat those questions over and over again to several nice policemen. That note was pointed enough to make it look like I was withholding information. I couldn’t make them understand that I really didn’t know what was going on, who was stalking me. I hadn’t had a boyfriend in years, as pathetic as that was. My last boyfriend was happily married and had become a missionary in Africa for crying out loud! I doubted he was throwing threats through my window.
My nerves were worn and eyes were red by the time they all cleared out. I closed the door behind them, cringing a bit as my gaze drifted across the space that had been my big front window just that morning. Evan had kindly covered the opening with plywood. It wasn’t my most impressive home improvement project to date, but it was definitely the most dramatic.
I jumped when I turned to head for my bedroom only to see Evan leaning against the back living room wall, quietly watching me. Grabbing my chest, I took a step back. “You scared the shit out of me!”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He pushed away from the wall. “Trinity…I don’t want you to be alone. This guy is elevating. He could be dangerous to you now.”
I sucked my lower lip between my teeth and considered his words. Turning my head I stared at the ugly plywood covering the window. He had thrown a rock through my window. He thought I was cheating on him so clearly he wasn’t completely in touch with reality. What exactly was his plan to make me ‘sorry’? Crazy people would go to some truly awful lengths to make their point. Nodding, I turned back to Evan.
“I don’t really want to be alone.”
He clapped his hands together. “Great. That’s settled then.”
Then he walked over to the couch, covering the space in three long strides, and fell onto it. “See you in the morning.”
~~O~~
“You do realize you’re basically living with him, right?” Marla’s tone was full of humor.
I didn’t see what was so funny. I glanced around again, to make sure the teacher’s lounge was still empty. “This isn’t funny. And it’s not like that. He’s just keeping me safe.”
“Hmm. I bet. With that big night stick of his.”
Rolling my eyes I collapsed onto the hard plastic chair. “I don’t know anything about his night stick. He’s just there to make sure this stalker doesn’t get me in my sleep.”
“I’m surprised you get any sleep at all, the chemistry zinging back and forth between the two of you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re just friends. Like me and you are friends.”
“Um, no. I have never wanted to lick you from head to toe. Except that once. And we’ve agreed to never let me drink Tequila again so this is the last we ever need speak of that.”
My cheeks suddenly felt hot. “He does not want to…do that. You’re being ridiculous. Didn’t you read any of that book? If he was interested he would have done something by now. He moves fast. He said so himself.”
“And just how many of those books have you read?” I could hear the devious little smirk in her voice.
Frowning, I answered, “through the third one.”
“M’hm. That’s what I thought. You really should have read the fourth.”
“What? Since when have you read them?”
Marla sniffed. “Well, I’ve got to do something with my time now that someone is too busy playing house with her new friend.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry, Marla. But he’ll be gone in less than a week. Then we can catch up. We can have a girl’s night the Friday after Halloween. Movies, booze, lots and lots of ice cream. It’ll be fun.”
Of course it would. It was always fun to spend all evening crying into a half-eaten container of melted ice cream.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure about him leaving,” Marla cooed. “You really should have read that fourth book, Trini.”
I placed the phone back in its cradle, my mind stuck on Marla’s parting words. What had she meant? What was in that last book? And when was I going to have time to sneak to the library to get it? To read it without Evan stumbling upon it? But then, did it really matter? She seemed to think whatever was in the book was the reason he was going to stay. But he had free will. Either he would stay or he wouldn’t.
~~O~~
“So, do you think this is enough candy for tomorrow night?” Evan held up two grocery bags.
My mouth dropped open. Stepping forward I peered into the bags. “Evan, you do realize you aren’t in the city anymore, right? Every kid in this neighborhood could hit your house three times and you’d still have candy.”
That might have been a slight exaggeration, but that was a lot of candy. There was no way he’d hand it all out.
He shrugged, dropping the candy by the front door. “I’ll just take it to the station. Those guys are eating all day. And they love sweets.” He paused for a second. “And who said anything about my house? I’m handing it out here.”
I ignored his last comment as I headed toward the couch, speaking over my shoulder. “Shouldn’t they be worried about keeping in shape? They’re supposed to be protecting us.”
He plopped down next to me with a snort. “Half of them think if they can still aim their gun and pull the trigger then they’re in shape. They’re good guys but this town’s police force is kind of a joke.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest and glanced toward the window that had just been replaced the day before. What was I going to do once Evan was gone? If the police were a joke and they were all that stood between me and the crazy stalker, then I was a goner. He’d sent me another threatening note, this time via the mail. The police had been all excited about it, thinking they could get prints off of it, but he had apparently been wearing gloves and he hadn’t even licked the envelope.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m going to keep you safe.”
I sent him the closest approximation of a smile that I could manage. I couldn’t call him a liar. He wouldn’t understand why I couldn’t believe his many reassurances. He certainly didn’t deserve any distrust or lack of faith in his abilities. I knew that as long as he was here, I would be safe. It was the while he was away part that had me worried. Because he would soon be away for the rest of my life. And once he was gone who knew how long that life might be.
Evan’s body suddenly tensed. His hand shot out, landing on my knee. The other hand flew up to his mouth, motioning for silence. Then he was up on his feet, moving stealthily toward the door. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears I couldn’t be sure he whether he was actually moving silently or if I just couldn’t hear him over the sound of my own heartbeat. Hell, whoever he was stalking could probably hear my heart pounding away.
I expected him to open the front door and leap out. Instead he peeked through the peephole then moved toward the back of the house. Being on the couch by that damn front window made me feel exposed, vulnerable. Mindful of the noise I could possibly make, I slid toward the ground. I didn’t want to walk in front of the window and make myself more of a target. I didn’t want to walk period. In fact, I wasn’t entirely sure my legs would hold me up if I asked them to. So I settled for crawling to the far wall. It was steady and offered the support I needed. Leaning against it, I listened carefully.
I heard absolutely nothing.
No, not true. I could hear my clock ticking. That thing was annoying. I needed to tear it down off the wall, but that would involve pulling a kitchen chair into the room and standing up within full view of that window. So, I’d just have to live with that damn annoying ticking.
I continued to hear nothing but the ticking.
And then my ears nearly shattered with the concussive boom of something exploding right outside my house. I was off my ass and running out the front door before I could take the time to think about whether it was a good idea to run toward the blast. And then I was standing on my porch, watching my car burn.
That asshole torched my car.
That fucking stalker bastard blew up my fucking car.
I didn’t even like the damn car, but it was mine. If anyone was going to get to blow it up it should have been me! Where the hell was he? I was going to kill him.
Evan jogged toward me, his concerned eyes roving over my body. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “Where is he?”
Evan nodded down the road. “He took off on foot.”
Putting my hands on my hips I stared him down. “Why the hell haven’t you gone after him then? Chase him down. Tear the shit out of him. I want that fucker gone. Hell. Shift and make him disappear. I don’t ever want to deal with this shit again.”
His eyes grew serious as I ranted, the meaning of my words sinking in immediately. I knew what he was. And now he knew that. He nodded. “We need to talk when I’m done.”
I watched Evan turn gracefully on his heel and begin down the road at a deceptively lazy lope that ate up far more ground than it appeared to at first glance. After a few yards he disappeared into the brush. Then I turned back to my car. The flames had lowered in intensity but it was burning steadily.
Marla would be so thrilled.
I gave Evan a five-minute start but I couldn’t really risk any longer. The neighbors were starting to gather. It looked strange enough that I hadn’t called any authorities immediately. I could chalk a little inaction up to shock. Any more would look like some kind of insurance fraud. Because I had so much to gain from destroying a car that rolled off the production lines while I was still in high school.
Of course the first question Evan’s coworkers asked was where was Evan. It seemed the whole town knew that he spent more time at my place than his own. I tried to think fast but my brain wasn’t willing to cooperate. So instead I just told the truth as I knew it.
Evan thought he saw the arsonist running down the street, so he ran after him. I hadn’t seen him since. Evan could come up with the cover story for how he spent his time during and after the chase. He’d been doing that for years. He was a pro. I would only say something stupid if I tried to create something on the fly.
So I gave yet more police interviews. This I was becoming a pro at. Then I gave a car insurance interview, as I watched the nice firemen examine the soaked wreckage of my car. The insurance man was still there as the fire chief walked up, a disturbed look on his face. He had reason to be disturbed. The stalker hadn’t meant to blow up the car at that time. His homemade bomb had been unstable. Instead of blowing when I turned the engine, it randomly blew.
I had to sit down, rapidly, at that news. That guy didn’t mess around. When he said he was going to make someone sorry, he made them sorry. Sure, it only lasted half a heartbeat, but he made his point.
I did get out of the insurance interview quickly after that point though. And then I found myself suddenly alone as all the emergency personnel left. The police were out searching for the arsonist/stalker. They did offer to send a patrol car by my house periodically. So at least they’d find my body more quickly.
I shut that line of thought down as fast as I could. Evan would be back and he would have gotten the guy. He knew what he was doing. He had probably already caught the guy. He just couldn’t come waltzing back in while everyone was around without inviting questions.
He would be hungry when he returned.
I moved to the kitchen, after ensuring every door and window was locked, and began cooking. I had a casserole fresh out of the oven when the doorbell rang. Taking my trusty knife in hand, I moved to the door. A quick peek revealed Evan, looking weary but relaxed.
As soon as I let him into the house he met my eyes with the most serious expression I had seen yet. “He’s gone. When they find him it’ll look like he was attacked by a wild animal. Now. How did you know about me?”
I backed away and started walking toward the kitchen. “I have dinner ready. You’ve got to be hungry.”
“Trinity.” He grabbed my arm. “This is serious. How did you know?”
I looked everywhere but his face. He had changed his clothes since he left to hunt down my assailant. His jeans were clean and his shirt smelled like fabric softener. His shoes had mud on them though.
“I have this friend,” I started quietly. My brain was spinning. How much should I tell him? How much would he believe? Should I tell him that he would disappear at midnight the next night? No. He wouldn’t believe that. Who would? And it would be too painful. I should just enjoy what time I had left with him. Bare necessities then. “She’s kind of…a witch. She told me.”
“A witch. Like broomstick and cauldrons?”
“I guess. She knew you were coming before you moved in.” Technically, true.
“So, you’ve known this whole time?” He sounded surprised.
I shrugged, glancing up quickly then away again. “Not the first time. That day you helped me with my groceries. She told me after that.”
“But you knew by the time you brought me the pie?”
“Yes.”
He grinned. “How much did she tell you about me?”
More touchy ground. How much in the books was right? How much should I let on? “That you’re a shapeshifter and that you occasionally use those abilities in your job. When needed. But that you’re a good guy.”
He nodded slowly with the look of someone deep in thought. “Okay then. Let’s eat.”
“That’s all? You say this is serious but that’s all?”
He smiled widely, the contemplative aspect clearing from his expression. “Yep. Dinner smells good. I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
I wavered on pushing the issue, then decided that my time with the man was limited. I shouldn’t waste it arguing over anything. So I gave him a smile and led him toward the kitchen.
~~O~~
I didn’t want to get out of bed. It was the first day of November. All of the kids in my class would be hyped up on sugar. They wouldn’t be able to stop making noise. They wouldn’t be able to sit still.
And I wouldn’t be able to unload any of the day’s frustrations on Evan when I came home.
I pulled the pillow over my head. My eyes were fighting against the invading light and they were losing. We had stayed up late, Evan and I. I had wanted to get as much time in with him as I possibly could before he disappeared. He was a night person naturally anyway.
“Hey, you’re going to be late for work,” Evan’s voice called through my bedroom door.
I jack-knifed into a seated position in my bed.
I could not have heard that voice.
He was gone.
And then I smelled the fresh coffee. It was real. He was here.
“I’m up,” I called out.
Then I grabbed my cell phone and headed into my bathroom. I turned on the shower and hit the speed dial for Marla.
“Wha?” Her voice was groggy.
“Marla!” I gasped out, glancing toward the door. How good was his hearing? Would he be able to hear the conversation over the shower? I decided to whisper just in case. “He’s still here!”
“You’re shitting me,” she drawled out sarcastically.
“I shit you not. He made me coffee.”
I could hear the smile in her voice. “I told you he wouldn’t leave. He couldn’t. You really should have read that fourth book.”
“Fine. What’s in that damn book?”
“The mating ritual.”
I sputtered. “The what?”
“Tell me, what did you do after he helped you that day in the rain? I bet it had something to do with food. And I bet you waited for him to eat. You have that freaky need to watch people enjoy the first bite of your cooking. I bet you kept feeding him too. Didn’t you?”
Lowering myself slowly to sit on the edge of my tub, I began to nod. Then I realized that she probably couldn’t tell I was nodding. There was no guarantee of course. She was a witch; she might have talents I didn’t know about yet. But I confirmed verbally just to be safe. “I did.”
“Of course you did. And he knew what he was doing when he accepted that present of food, cooked specifically for him. He even knew what he was doing when he took a bite before you. He’s had opportunities to get out of this, but he only dug himself in deeper, didn’t he? He made himself your protector. He moved onto your couch, Trinity. Whose idea was that?”
I stared at the steam rising from the shower enclosure. What was she saying? Her words were English but they didn’t make sense. “So…what does that mean for us now? He’s stuck with me?”
Marla huffed. “Shut up. He chose you, dumbass. He likes you. And yeah, he’s kinda bonded to you right now, a little. But it’s breakable, if you want it to be. It’s not like you have to marry him.”
“But you said it was a mating ritual.”
“Sure. The starting of one. No one said they mate for life or that it’s some kind of mystical bond that welds your souls together. You both have free will. Relax. See where this takes you. Enjoy yourself a little. Get laid. Please.”
“Um…I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up on her and quickly turned off the phone. I had to think over her words.
Who would have thought an apple pie would have the power to hold a man in a dimension not his own? I mean, I knew I made a good pie, but…
I washed quickly, aware of just how much time had passed. Evan had to be wondering what I was doing. He was very considerate of me like that. He worried about me. But not in an overprotective, plan every second of my day way. He just cared.
He made me coffee and escorted me home. He made stalkers disappear for me. He boarded up windows and camped out on my couch to keep me safe. He told me jokes to make me laugh and ghost stories late at night to keep me from sleeping. That last one was probably just to ensure I spent even more time with him. And who wouldn’t want to spend a little more time with him? Evan was a great guy.
By the time I was dressed and heading toward the kitchen I wasn’t sure why I had ever been worried about the whole bonding issue.
~~O~~
“Book five came out,” Marla announced as soon as I finished my hello.
Frowning, I reached for a ripe tomato. “And?”
“Well…I’m proud of you. I had no idea you knew so many positions. I really thought you were a missionary position kinda gal.”
The basket of vegetables hit the ground, scattering at my feet. I stared blindly at the garden around me. “No.”
Suddenly, the strange encounter with a prior student’s mother at the grocery store earlier in the day took on a whole new meaning. The funny look she had been sending me made so much sense with this new information. Oh no. No, no, no.
“Yes. Somehow you have made it into the series. She got the whole stalker thing worked in. I’m not in there though, so he’s just some random guy who saw you on the street and decided he liked you.”
“Gee, I’m so sorry you didn’t get to make an appearance in the book,” I muttered.
“Hey, I’ve apologized and promised I will never have another date drop me off at your house. Now do you want to hear what else is in the book? You do. Trust me. So, she messed with the timeline a bit. She stretched it out to cover the nine months you’ve been together now but she tinkered with it. She had you engaged by the time the car exploded. And in the book you didn’t find out you were knocked up until after the honeymoon.”
I gasped, lowering my hand to my still flat stomach. I hadn’t even told my family yet, or my Principal. I was barely halfway through my first trimester. It felt like longer only because we’d found out so early, through Evan’s freakishly strong senses. He could tell every little hormonal change in my body. He’d woken up one day stating that I smelled weird.
That hadn’t gone over well.
We had just gotten married a week earlier. And now anyone who read that stupid series was going to know far too much about our personal lives. I had never even considered that my life could get dragged into the books. How was that even possible?
“How is this happening?” I moaned.
“I guess the author was so connected to the character she created that the link wasn’t quite broken when he crossed over. You’re just going to have to live with the fact that major life events in Evan’s life might keep bleeding over to the author.”
“Fantastic.” I kneeled down to begin gathering my scattered harvest from the garden ground. Then an errant thought had me groaning again in despair. “Crap. Do you know what this means? I can’t live with all those readers knowing how boring some of my clothes are. I’m going to have to get all new panties.”
Fandom: original
Rating: PG-13 (for some vulgar language)
Genre: urban fantasy
Spoiler Warnings: none
Word Count: 6,287 (only because LJ won’t let me post over 12K at once, stupid LJ)
“Walker speaking.” My heart automatically calmed at the sound of his deep voice. Something in me recognized that he could take care of it all.
“Evan? This is Trinity.”
“Hey,” His tone was wary, like he was expecting trouble. “What’s going on?”
“This is going to sound weird, but…I think maybe that guy from my window might be at the school.”
His voice deepened. “Where are you? Are you okay? Did you see him?”
“I’m inside. The doors are locked.” I stepped closer to the glass to look around. “He left a rose on my windshield. I think it’s from the bush next to my window.”
“Stay inside,” he ordered, his tone commanding. As if I would even consider stepping foot outside alone, unarmed. “I’m on my way. I’ll follow you home and make sure your house is safe.”
“Thank you.” My voice wavered embarrassingly on the words. I wanted to be strong, confident. But I was turning into a mess. I didn’t know how to handle this. I’d never had a stalker before. I didn’t even know what I had done to attract the guy’s attention.
Was it a parent of one of my students? I’d taught school for six years. I had met countless men throughout that time. But it would surely be one I had met recently. I couldn’t imagine the type of man to stalk a person would decide to start up suddenly years after the initial meeting.
A familiar black truck pulled into the parking lot, sliding into the space next to my car. More of the tension fled from my body as the driver’s side door opened and Evan emerged. He paused to stare down at the rose. Then he walked around my car, studying it closely. He knelt down several times, peering up under the chassis. I watched from the safety of the building as he ran his hands up along the frame.
Eventually he stood, wiping dirt from the knees of his police uniform. Reaching forward he snatched the rose from the car and crushed it in his hand, glaring around the parking lot. I didn’t know if he was trying to send a message to anyone who may have been watching, but it looked good to me. I felt safer.
I rushed to the doors as he approached, his long legs covering the payment quickly. I waited until he was within a couple feet to push the door open and go out to meet him. “Thank you for coming.”
He nodded, looking me over. “You okay?”
Gripping my purse strap tightly I tried for a smile. It felt tight. “I’ll be fine.”
“Your car looks good. I didn’t find any tracking devices or any other foreign articles, besides the rose. We should check out your house, make sure he hasn’t planted anything there.”
My throat closed off a little. Planted devices? In my house? He could have been in my house? I hadn’t even considered that terrifying idea. The world got a little blurry for a second there.
“Hey, hey, Trinity? Breathe.” A warm hand settled gently on my shoulder.
I focused on Evan’s concerned eyes and told myself to listen to him. I needed to breathe. I could forget about any intruders in my house because he would take care of them. It was his job and he was damn good at his job. So good there had been books written about it.
“Sorry about that,” I mumbled, embarrassed about the display of weakness.
He squeezed my shoulder. “It’s okay. Let’s get you home and get some food into you. You’ll feel a lot better then.”
My heart finally settled to a reasonable rate by the time I pulled into my driveway. But it skyrocketed again as soon as my eyes landed on my rosebush. Not only was the bloom gone, but so was half the bush. He had wanted me to know without a shadow of doubt where he had gotten that rose. He wanted me to know he was out there.
I sat in my worn driver’s seat, immobilized, staring at the massacred shrubbery. What kind of monster was I dealing with? Yeah, okay. It was just a fucking bush. But, that seemed like a damn clear sign of a deranged mind to me. I wasn’t safe.
I jumped as my door opened. Evan crouched down next to me. “We need to check out the house. I don’t want to leave you out here alone. So, I want you to stay with me, but behind me. Can you do that?”
I nodded slowly, mechanically. My mind was still on that rosebush. Evan’s large, slightly rough hand slid over mine, gripped my palm, and began to gently tug at me. I allowed him to pull me out of my car, because he was right. I didn’t want to sit out there alone while he was in the house. What if the guy had followed us from the school? I didn’t want to be alone outside with him.
We went through the house quickly but thoroughly. Evan didn’t overlook any potential hiding place. I was fairly confident he finished the walk through only for my peace of mind though. He had entered the house sniffing, and then visibly relaxed. If he hadn’t smelled anything unusual, then there couldn’t have been an intruder. Right?
I knew I would sleep better having gone over every inch of the house with someone else though, so I didn’t stop him. And when he decided to check every door and window lock in the house I didn’t complain about that either. Instead I went into the kitchen and started cooking. I figured the least I could do was feed the man.
By the time he made his way back to the kitchen to tell me that all my window locks were secure I was dishing up the stir fry. Oh how I loved fast and easy meals. He paused in the doorway, his nostrils flaring again. I just happened to glance up and catch that move. It wasn’t like I had been watching for him.
Right.
“Um…I have enough for two.” Because I had been sure to cook enough for two. Heck, I’d probably have left-overs.
His lips pulled into a leisurely grin that had me wanting to squirm. Really, the man was too delicious. “That sounds good.”
~~O~~
I saw him just as Thomas plastered himself against my body. Yanking my eyes away from the handsome man in the police uniform, I smiled down at the young boy. I wasn’t allowed to initiate hugs, but I loved when the kids chose to. So many of them didn’t get enough positive touch in their lives. There had been so many times throughout a school day that I would see a hurting little face and I would know that a simple hug would mean the world to that child. But I wouldn’t be able to give it. Not without risking my job.
And then how could I help the children? How could I broaden their minds? Who would be there to offer a warm smile and a patient re-telling when they were having a hard time grasping a concept? Being a teacher was what I was made to do. I wanted to save every little boy and girl in my school from heartache but sometimes that just wasn’t possible.
Thomas pulled away from me, sent me a bright smile, and ran off for his bus. I focused on directing the rest of the kids to their rides home until the pavement around me held only adults. Then the fatigue of the day caught up with me.
“Hey. Any sign of the peeper today?” Evan appeared beside me.
I jumped a little. He had moved so quietly I hadn’t sensed him coming. “No. I haven’t seen anything unusual today.”
“Hmm. Well, I’d still like to follow you home. Make sure he’s not lurking.”
My heart thudded in my chest. “Oh. Sure. I can’t leave for another half-hour though. Do you mind waiting?”
He shrugged so I led him into the school building. He paused at the billboard outside my classroom as I unlocked the door. His eyes roamed over the pictures covering the space.
“You really love kids, don’t you?”
I pulled the door open before meeting his eyes. Then I glanced toward the billboard. It was covered with shots of all the kids in my class. I was in some of them too, squatting down, smiling at either the camera or my students.
“I do.”
He followed me into my room and leaned against the wall as I made my way to my desk to pack up the papers I would spend my evening grading. I grabbed my lesson book too. It was due in a couple days and I hadn’t had time to plan out the next month’s lessons. Not in depth anyway. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do.
“So, why haven’t you had a few kids of your own?”
My hands paused on the stack of un-graded papers. That was an awfully personal question. Kicking myself into action again I shoved the papers into my bag. “Well, it does take two people you know.”
“There’s donor banks now. Or adoption.”
I shook my head, blushing at the very thought of walking into a sperm bank. “That wouldn’t be very fair to the kid would it? I wouldn’t feel right about intentionally bringing a child into a one parent home.”
He hummed deep in his throat in acknowledgement. “So, you want a kid but you don’t want to be selfish about it.”
I shoved the lesson book into the bag on top of the papers. “Well. It wouldn’t be right. Would it? I think kids deserve a father too. I can’t take that away from them as soon as they start their life.”
I glanced up to find him smiling at me. It wasn’t the face splitting, teeth showing smile that he’d shown when I offered him dinner the night before. It was more of a small, quiet smile.
“I like that.”
I snorted, the slightest bit of bitterness slipping through. “Yeah. It’s great. Being alone all the time. Who doesn’t like alone time?”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “You won’t be alone forever.”
I shrugged. “There’s no guarantees in life. But at least I have my students.” I grabbed a few sheets off my desk. “I’ve got to go run some copies. By the time I get them sorted it should be time to go.”
“Go on. I’ll wait for you.”
~~O~~
Evan showed up at the school every afternoon, just as I was ushering children to their parent’s cars or the waiting school buses. The other teachers noticed immediately of course. The parents were beginning to notice too. A cop in the parking lot was hard to miss. And those parents were worried. I knew because I’d been counseled by the Principal. She’d had complaints from parents, worried calls about the police presence in the afternoons.
So Evan started taking the time to change out of his uniform before coming to the school. His dedication to keeping me safe was surprising. Sure, keeping people safe was part of his job, but most cops didn’t focus so intently on a single person unless they were a suspect. Evan was spending every afternoon with me. He was eating dinner with me. He was even staying to watch stupid sitcoms with me.
I paused with my fork-full of lasagna half-way to my mouth. “How are you free every night? I thought the station worked on a rotating schedule, that you’d have to work in the evenings too sometimes.”
He shrugged, using his garlic bread to wipe up some of the sauce left behind on his plate. “This is kind of like work.”
“Oh? Do the guys in the patrol cars have home cooked Italian served with wine tonight?”
He smirked at me. “I didn’t say it was exactly the same. But there are similarities. I’m protecting you from a threat. This is serious.”
He popped his bread into his mouth, his eyes twinkling back at me. Despite that twinkle in his eyes, my heart felt a little twinge of pain. I shouldn’t be so bothered with the idea that this might be all about work to him. He only had another week left before his midnight deadline. Halloween meant nothing to him, other than the need to stock up on candy. But it was quickly becoming my least favorite night of the year.
Somehow over the three weeks we had spent together Evan had become a big part of my life. An important part. I saw him more than I saw Marla. I spoke to him more. If I saw something funny I’d snap a picture and send it to him first. Only later would I remember to forward it to her.
And he would be gone soon. That was just depressing. I lowered my eyes quickly, hopefully before he noticed the excess liquid in them. Shoving my food into my mouth was a useful distraction. For a moment. Then I focused on sectioning off another bite. I could get through the dinner without breaking down. Then the hour or so of TV that usually followed. I would have all evening to lose it as soon as Evan went home.
Glass crashed in the front room, followed immediately by a soft thud. Evan was on his feet before I could comprehend what I had heard. He stationed himself between me and the short hallway that led to the living room. Holding a hand back in a silent ‘stay’ command, he inched forward slowly.
After a moment of watching his back I bolted from my chair and headed for the back door. I had to make sure it was locked. Once my mind was at ease on that matter, I moved to the counter and grabbed my trusty knife. That thing had cut through countless vegetables. I didn’t think I would need it, not with Evan there. But I couldn’t just stand there empty handed.
Evan reappeared a moment later. He noticed the knife immediately. His lips pulled into a grin and he nodded. Then he held up a rock in one hand and a wrinkled white sheet of paper in the other. The paper was lined and messily torn from a notebook.
“This was tied to the rock. I’ll board up the window tonight but you’ll need to get that replaced in the morning.” His eyebrows furrowed. “He’s getting bold.”
My eyes zeroed in on the note. “What does it say?”
“You shouldn’t have cheated on me. You’ll be sorry.”
My mouth fell open. “What? I haven’t cheated on anyone! How could I cheat on him? I don’t even know him!”
I had the opportunity to repeat those questions over and over again to several nice policemen. That note was pointed enough to make it look like I was withholding information. I couldn’t make them understand that I really didn’t know what was going on, who was stalking me. I hadn’t had a boyfriend in years, as pathetic as that was. My last boyfriend was happily married and had become a missionary in Africa for crying out loud! I doubted he was throwing threats through my window.
My nerves were worn and eyes were red by the time they all cleared out. I closed the door behind them, cringing a bit as my gaze drifted across the space that had been my big front window just that morning. Evan had kindly covered the opening with plywood. It wasn’t my most impressive home improvement project to date, but it was definitely the most dramatic.
I jumped when I turned to head for my bedroom only to see Evan leaning against the back living room wall, quietly watching me. Grabbing my chest, I took a step back. “You scared the shit out of me!”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He pushed away from the wall. “Trinity…I don’t want you to be alone. This guy is elevating. He could be dangerous to you now.”
I sucked my lower lip between my teeth and considered his words. Turning my head I stared at the ugly plywood covering the window. He had thrown a rock through my window. He thought I was cheating on him so clearly he wasn’t completely in touch with reality. What exactly was his plan to make me ‘sorry’? Crazy people would go to some truly awful lengths to make their point. Nodding, I turned back to Evan.
“I don’t really want to be alone.”
He clapped his hands together. “Great. That’s settled then.”
Then he walked over to the couch, covering the space in three long strides, and fell onto it. “See you in the morning.”
~~O~~
“You do realize you’re basically living with him, right?” Marla’s tone was full of humor.
I didn’t see what was so funny. I glanced around again, to make sure the teacher’s lounge was still empty. “This isn’t funny. And it’s not like that. He’s just keeping me safe.”
“Hmm. I bet. With that big night stick of his.”
Rolling my eyes I collapsed onto the hard plastic chair. “I don’t know anything about his night stick. He’s just there to make sure this stalker doesn’t get me in my sleep.”
“I’m surprised you get any sleep at all, the chemistry zinging back and forth between the two of you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re just friends. Like me and you are friends.”
“Um, no. I have never wanted to lick you from head to toe. Except that once. And we’ve agreed to never let me drink Tequila again so this is the last we ever need speak of that.”
My cheeks suddenly felt hot. “He does not want to…do that. You’re being ridiculous. Didn’t you read any of that book? If he was interested he would have done something by now. He moves fast. He said so himself.”
“And just how many of those books have you read?” I could hear the devious little smirk in her voice.
Frowning, I answered, “through the third one.”
“M’hm. That’s what I thought. You really should have read the fourth.”
“What? Since when have you read them?”
Marla sniffed. “Well, I’ve got to do something with my time now that someone is too busy playing house with her new friend.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry, Marla. But he’ll be gone in less than a week. Then we can catch up. We can have a girl’s night the Friday after Halloween. Movies, booze, lots and lots of ice cream. It’ll be fun.”
Of course it would. It was always fun to spend all evening crying into a half-eaten container of melted ice cream.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure about him leaving,” Marla cooed. “You really should have read that fourth book, Trini.”
I placed the phone back in its cradle, my mind stuck on Marla’s parting words. What had she meant? What was in that last book? And when was I going to have time to sneak to the library to get it? To read it without Evan stumbling upon it? But then, did it really matter? She seemed to think whatever was in the book was the reason he was going to stay. But he had free will. Either he would stay or he wouldn’t.
~~O~~
“So, do you think this is enough candy for tomorrow night?” Evan held up two grocery bags.
My mouth dropped open. Stepping forward I peered into the bags. “Evan, you do realize you aren’t in the city anymore, right? Every kid in this neighborhood could hit your house three times and you’d still have candy.”
That might have been a slight exaggeration, but that was a lot of candy. There was no way he’d hand it all out.
He shrugged, dropping the candy by the front door. “I’ll just take it to the station. Those guys are eating all day. And they love sweets.” He paused for a second. “And who said anything about my house? I’m handing it out here.”
I ignored his last comment as I headed toward the couch, speaking over my shoulder. “Shouldn’t they be worried about keeping in shape? They’re supposed to be protecting us.”
He plopped down next to me with a snort. “Half of them think if they can still aim their gun and pull the trigger then they’re in shape. They’re good guys but this town’s police force is kind of a joke.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest and glanced toward the window that had just been replaced the day before. What was I going to do once Evan was gone? If the police were a joke and they were all that stood between me and the crazy stalker, then I was a goner. He’d sent me another threatening note, this time via the mail. The police had been all excited about it, thinking they could get prints off of it, but he had apparently been wearing gloves and he hadn’t even licked the envelope.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m going to keep you safe.”
I sent him the closest approximation of a smile that I could manage. I couldn’t call him a liar. He wouldn’t understand why I couldn’t believe his many reassurances. He certainly didn’t deserve any distrust or lack of faith in his abilities. I knew that as long as he was here, I would be safe. It was the while he was away part that had me worried. Because he would soon be away for the rest of my life. And once he was gone who knew how long that life might be.
Evan’s body suddenly tensed. His hand shot out, landing on my knee. The other hand flew up to his mouth, motioning for silence. Then he was up on his feet, moving stealthily toward the door. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears I couldn’t be sure he whether he was actually moving silently or if I just couldn’t hear him over the sound of my own heartbeat. Hell, whoever he was stalking could probably hear my heart pounding away.
I expected him to open the front door and leap out. Instead he peeked through the peephole then moved toward the back of the house. Being on the couch by that damn front window made me feel exposed, vulnerable. Mindful of the noise I could possibly make, I slid toward the ground. I didn’t want to walk in front of the window and make myself more of a target. I didn’t want to walk period. In fact, I wasn’t entirely sure my legs would hold me up if I asked them to. So I settled for crawling to the far wall. It was steady and offered the support I needed. Leaning against it, I listened carefully.
I heard absolutely nothing.
No, not true. I could hear my clock ticking. That thing was annoying. I needed to tear it down off the wall, but that would involve pulling a kitchen chair into the room and standing up within full view of that window. So, I’d just have to live with that damn annoying ticking.
I continued to hear nothing but the ticking.
And then my ears nearly shattered with the concussive boom of something exploding right outside my house. I was off my ass and running out the front door before I could take the time to think about whether it was a good idea to run toward the blast. And then I was standing on my porch, watching my car burn.
That asshole torched my car.
That fucking stalker bastard blew up my fucking car.
I didn’t even like the damn car, but it was mine. If anyone was going to get to blow it up it should have been me! Where the hell was he? I was going to kill him.
Evan jogged toward me, his concerned eyes roving over my body. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “Where is he?”
Evan nodded down the road. “He took off on foot.”
Putting my hands on my hips I stared him down. “Why the hell haven’t you gone after him then? Chase him down. Tear the shit out of him. I want that fucker gone. Hell. Shift and make him disappear. I don’t ever want to deal with this shit again.”
His eyes grew serious as I ranted, the meaning of my words sinking in immediately. I knew what he was. And now he knew that. He nodded. “We need to talk when I’m done.”
I watched Evan turn gracefully on his heel and begin down the road at a deceptively lazy lope that ate up far more ground than it appeared to at first glance. After a few yards he disappeared into the brush. Then I turned back to my car. The flames had lowered in intensity but it was burning steadily.
Marla would be so thrilled.
I gave Evan a five-minute start but I couldn’t really risk any longer. The neighbors were starting to gather. It looked strange enough that I hadn’t called any authorities immediately. I could chalk a little inaction up to shock. Any more would look like some kind of insurance fraud. Because I had so much to gain from destroying a car that rolled off the production lines while I was still in high school.
Of course the first question Evan’s coworkers asked was where was Evan. It seemed the whole town knew that he spent more time at my place than his own. I tried to think fast but my brain wasn’t willing to cooperate. So instead I just told the truth as I knew it.
Evan thought he saw the arsonist running down the street, so he ran after him. I hadn’t seen him since. Evan could come up with the cover story for how he spent his time during and after the chase. He’d been doing that for years. He was a pro. I would only say something stupid if I tried to create something on the fly.
So I gave yet more police interviews. This I was becoming a pro at. Then I gave a car insurance interview, as I watched the nice firemen examine the soaked wreckage of my car. The insurance man was still there as the fire chief walked up, a disturbed look on his face. He had reason to be disturbed. The stalker hadn’t meant to blow up the car at that time. His homemade bomb had been unstable. Instead of blowing when I turned the engine, it randomly blew.
I had to sit down, rapidly, at that news. That guy didn’t mess around. When he said he was going to make someone sorry, he made them sorry. Sure, it only lasted half a heartbeat, but he made his point.
I did get out of the insurance interview quickly after that point though. And then I found myself suddenly alone as all the emergency personnel left. The police were out searching for the arsonist/stalker. They did offer to send a patrol car by my house periodically. So at least they’d find my body more quickly.
I shut that line of thought down as fast as I could. Evan would be back and he would have gotten the guy. He knew what he was doing. He had probably already caught the guy. He just couldn’t come waltzing back in while everyone was around without inviting questions.
He would be hungry when he returned.
I moved to the kitchen, after ensuring every door and window was locked, and began cooking. I had a casserole fresh out of the oven when the doorbell rang. Taking my trusty knife in hand, I moved to the door. A quick peek revealed Evan, looking weary but relaxed.
As soon as I let him into the house he met my eyes with the most serious expression I had seen yet. “He’s gone. When they find him it’ll look like he was attacked by a wild animal. Now. How did you know about me?”
I backed away and started walking toward the kitchen. “I have dinner ready. You’ve got to be hungry.”
“Trinity.” He grabbed my arm. “This is serious. How did you know?”
I looked everywhere but his face. He had changed his clothes since he left to hunt down my assailant. His jeans were clean and his shirt smelled like fabric softener. His shoes had mud on them though.
“I have this friend,” I started quietly. My brain was spinning. How much should I tell him? How much would he believe? Should I tell him that he would disappear at midnight the next night? No. He wouldn’t believe that. Who would? And it would be too painful. I should just enjoy what time I had left with him. Bare necessities then. “She’s kind of…a witch. She told me.”
“A witch. Like broomstick and cauldrons?”
“I guess. She knew you were coming before you moved in.” Technically, true.
“So, you’ve known this whole time?” He sounded surprised.
I shrugged, glancing up quickly then away again. “Not the first time. That day you helped me with my groceries. She told me after that.”
“But you knew by the time you brought me the pie?”
“Yes.”
He grinned. “How much did she tell you about me?”
More touchy ground. How much in the books was right? How much should I let on? “That you’re a shapeshifter and that you occasionally use those abilities in your job. When needed. But that you’re a good guy.”
He nodded slowly with the look of someone deep in thought. “Okay then. Let’s eat.”
“That’s all? You say this is serious but that’s all?”
He smiled widely, the contemplative aspect clearing from his expression. “Yep. Dinner smells good. I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
I wavered on pushing the issue, then decided that my time with the man was limited. I shouldn’t waste it arguing over anything. So I gave him a smile and led him toward the kitchen.
~~O~~
I didn’t want to get out of bed. It was the first day of November. All of the kids in my class would be hyped up on sugar. They wouldn’t be able to stop making noise. They wouldn’t be able to sit still.
And I wouldn’t be able to unload any of the day’s frustrations on Evan when I came home.
I pulled the pillow over my head. My eyes were fighting against the invading light and they were losing. We had stayed up late, Evan and I. I had wanted to get as much time in with him as I possibly could before he disappeared. He was a night person naturally anyway.
“Hey, you’re going to be late for work,” Evan’s voice called through my bedroom door.
I jack-knifed into a seated position in my bed.
I could not have heard that voice.
He was gone.
And then I smelled the fresh coffee. It was real. He was here.
“I’m up,” I called out.
Then I grabbed my cell phone and headed into my bathroom. I turned on the shower and hit the speed dial for Marla.
“Wha?” Her voice was groggy.
“Marla!” I gasped out, glancing toward the door. How good was his hearing? Would he be able to hear the conversation over the shower? I decided to whisper just in case. “He’s still here!”
“You’re shitting me,” she drawled out sarcastically.
“I shit you not. He made me coffee.”
I could hear the smile in her voice. “I told you he wouldn’t leave. He couldn’t. You really should have read that fourth book.”
“Fine. What’s in that damn book?”
“The mating ritual.”
I sputtered. “The what?”
“Tell me, what did you do after he helped you that day in the rain? I bet it had something to do with food. And I bet you waited for him to eat. You have that freaky need to watch people enjoy the first bite of your cooking. I bet you kept feeding him too. Didn’t you?”
Lowering myself slowly to sit on the edge of my tub, I began to nod. Then I realized that she probably couldn’t tell I was nodding. There was no guarantee of course. She was a witch; she might have talents I didn’t know about yet. But I confirmed verbally just to be safe. “I did.”
“Of course you did. And he knew what he was doing when he accepted that present of food, cooked specifically for him. He even knew what he was doing when he took a bite before you. He’s had opportunities to get out of this, but he only dug himself in deeper, didn’t he? He made himself your protector. He moved onto your couch, Trinity. Whose idea was that?”
I stared at the steam rising from the shower enclosure. What was she saying? Her words were English but they didn’t make sense. “So…what does that mean for us now? He’s stuck with me?”
Marla huffed. “Shut up. He chose you, dumbass. He likes you. And yeah, he’s kinda bonded to you right now, a little. But it’s breakable, if you want it to be. It’s not like you have to marry him.”
“But you said it was a mating ritual.”
“Sure. The starting of one. No one said they mate for life or that it’s some kind of mystical bond that welds your souls together. You both have free will. Relax. See where this takes you. Enjoy yourself a little. Get laid. Please.”
“Um…I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up on her and quickly turned off the phone. I had to think over her words.
Who would have thought an apple pie would have the power to hold a man in a dimension not his own? I mean, I knew I made a good pie, but…
I washed quickly, aware of just how much time had passed. Evan had to be wondering what I was doing. He was very considerate of me like that. He worried about me. But not in an overprotective, plan every second of my day way. He just cared.
He made me coffee and escorted me home. He made stalkers disappear for me. He boarded up windows and camped out on my couch to keep me safe. He told me jokes to make me laugh and ghost stories late at night to keep me from sleeping. That last one was probably just to ensure I spent even more time with him. And who wouldn’t want to spend a little more time with him? Evan was a great guy.
By the time I was dressed and heading toward the kitchen I wasn’t sure why I had ever been worried about the whole bonding issue.
~~O~~
“Book five came out,” Marla announced as soon as I finished my hello.
Frowning, I reached for a ripe tomato. “And?”
“Well…I’m proud of you. I had no idea you knew so many positions. I really thought you were a missionary position kinda gal.”
The basket of vegetables hit the ground, scattering at my feet. I stared blindly at the garden around me. “No.”
Suddenly, the strange encounter with a prior student’s mother at the grocery store earlier in the day took on a whole new meaning. The funny look she had been sending me made so much sense with this new information. Oh no. No, no, no.
“Yes. Somehow you have made it into the series. She got the whole stalker thing worked in. I’m not in there though, so he’s just some random guy who saw you on the street and decided he liked you.”
“Gee, I’m so sorry you didn’t get to make an appearance in the book,” I muttered.
“Hey, I’ve apologized and promised I will never have another date drop me off at your house. Now do you want to hear what else is in the book? You do. Trust me. So, she messed with the timeline a bit. She stretched it out to cover the nine months you’ve been together now but she tinkered with it. She had you engaged by the time the car exploded. And in the book you didn’t find out you were knocked up until after the honeymoon.”
I gasped, lowering my hand to my still flat stomach. I hadn’t even told my family yet, or my Principal. I was barely halfway through my first trimester. It felt like longer only because we’d found out so early, through Evan’s freakishly strong senses. He could tell every little hormonal change in my body. He’d woken up one day stating that I smelled weird.
That hadn’t gone over well.
We had just gotten married a week earlier. And now anyone who read that stupid series was going to know far too much about our personal lives. I had never even considered that my life could get dragged into the books. How was that even possible?
“How is this happening?” I moaned.
“I guess the author was so connected to the character she created that the link wasn’t quite broken when he crossed over. You’re just going to have to live with the fact that major life events in Evan’s life might keep bleeding over to the author.”
“Fantastic.” I kneeled down to begin gathering my scattered harvest from the garden ground. Then an errant thought had me groaning again in despair. “Crap. Do you know what this means? I can’t live with all those readers knowing how boring some of my clothes are. I’m going to have to get all new panties.”