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“I wish I could tell you,” Cara said. “I do, but I can’t.”
“I can’t imagine what could be so awful that you can’t talk about it.”
“Bethy, if I told you…” Cara shook her head. How could she tell Sarah Beth that her parents were vampires, that Vince was a vampire? What if Sarah Beth didn’t believe her or laughed at her? Worse, what if she believed it and accidentally told someone else? Cara wasn’t sure how people would react to knowing that there were vampires running around. In movies, vampires were feared, hated and hunted. She had a feeling that if people discovered vampires were fact and not fiction, they would react with fear and loathing. For the first time, she wondered how many other vampires were out there. Her parents and Vince made three. Whoever had made her father and Vince made four and five.
“Cara?”
“I’m sorry, Bethy, it’s a secret and I can’t break it.”
Taking Cara’s hand, Sarah Beth said, “All right, hon, I understand. I just wish I could help.”
Cara nodded. “Me, too.”
Brenna watched Cara slowly climb the stairs to her bedroom. Gone was the bright-eyed young woman who had filled their house with joy, and in her place stood a listless girl with pale cheeks.
“Roshan, what are we going to do about Cara?”
He shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done, love. She has to work her way through this. No one can do it for her.”
“But it breaks my heart to see her looking like that. There must be something we can do to cheer her up.”
“Short of kidnapping Vince and bringing him here, I can’t think of anything.”
“Let’s do it then,” Brenna said, her eyes alight.
“Brenna, be serious.”
“I am!”
“If she wanted him, don’t you think he’d be here? It’s obvious that she can’t accept what he is…”
“But she accepts us,” Brenna remarked.
“Like it or not, we’re her parents. She didn’t have a choice in the matter. But she has a choice with Vince, and she’s made it. Bringing him here would only make it worse.”
“I don’t think so. She still loves him, she’s just hurt and confused.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but it has to be her decision, not ours. Besides, I’m not so sure I want her to be married to a vampire.”
She pinched his arm. “Have you forgotten that I’m married to a vampire?”
“No, love, but you’re not mortal.”
“Maybe Vince could bring her across,” Brenna said. “Think how wonderful that would be! The four of us, all together.”
With a sigh, Roshan put his arm around his wife and drew her against his side. “That would have to be Cara’s decision, too, love.”
Brenna grunted softly. “I liked it better when she had to do as she was told.”
Roshan nodded. “Life was certainly easier then,” he agreed. “But, like it or not, children grow up.”
“Maybe we should have brought her across when she was a little girl,” Brenna muttered.
“Maybe next time,” he said with a laugh. “Come on, love, let’s go for a walk.”
From the shadows across the street, Vince watched Roshan and Brenna leave the house. When he was certain they were out of sight, he took a deep breath, then ran across the street and knocked on the door before he lost his nerve. He knew Cara didn’t want to see him, but he had to see her one last time.
He shook his head. It seemed he was always leaving town, but this time he was going and he was going for good. It was just too damn painful to be in the same city, to know she was near, and not see her.
He knocked again, wondering if she had gone to bed, wondering if he shouldn’t just forget the whole thing.
Then it was too late. The door opened and Cara stood there clad in a long pink bathrobe, her hair falling over her shoulders like liquid gold.
She stood there blinking at him. Her cheeks were pale and her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to say good-bye.”
“You’re leaving? Again?”
“I think it’s for the best,” he said. “Don’t you?”
She didn’t say anything; just stared at him, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
Vince caught it on the tip of his finger and carried it to his lips. “Be happy, darlin’,” he murmured, and walked down the stairs.
“Vince, wait. I…”
He turned to face her. “What?”
She didn’t say anything; she just stood there, looking at him.
“I’m sorry I lied to you,” he said fervently. “Your father warned me that I’d break your heart. If I did, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was afraid I’d lose you.” He shook his head ruefully. “I lost you anyway, didn’t I? But I’ll always love you.”
“Will you kiss me good-bye?”
With a nod, he climbed the stairs, his gaze moving over her face, committing it to memory. As if he’d ever forget. He stroked her cheek with his knuckles, then bent his head and kissed her.
“Good-bye, darlin’.”
“Don’t go.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I don’t want to live without you. I love you.”
“Cara!” He swept her into his arms, felt his own eyes burn with tears as he held her close. Holding her, inhaling the fragrance of her hair, was like coming home after a long absence. “Darlin’.”
“I missed you.” She murmured the words against his chest. “I missed you so much. Every day, every night.” She looked up at him. “Promise me you’ll never leave me, no matter what. Even if I tell you to go, promise me that you won’t.”
“I’ll never leave you again, I swear it on all that I hold dear.”
“And you’ll still love me, even when I’m…I’m old and you’re…you’re not.”
He stroked her hair. “Even then.”
“You’re crying.” Lifting her hand, she captured one of his tears. It shimmered red in the porch light. Frowning, she looked up at him. “It’s blood.”
He nodded, wondering if she was already having second thoughts.
And then she licked it from her finger. “Come on,” she said, “let’s go inside.”
He followed her into the house and sat beside her on the sofa. He ached with the need to hold her, to bury himself in her softness and partake of her sweetness, but he was all too aware that Roshan and Brenna could return at any minute.
