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Without warning Irving kicked Morgan in the ribs, effectively knocking the air out of him. “That’s for polluting the casket with your disgusting fingerprints!” he declared.
Morgan yelped in pain, doubling over with his hands pressed to his side. “I think I need an ambulance,” he moaned.
“I’ll call for one after you tell me what you were planning to do to my daughter,” Sage said.
Morgan turned over on his back like a helpless turtle. He truly was in a dire state. His face was so black and swollen his features were almost indistinguishable. It was a miracle he’d been able to tell Sage as much as he had. “We were just gonna hold her for ransom until we got our money back plus interest,” he replied. Due to the increased swelling of his lips, Morgan’s speech was sloppy.
“That’s not true!” Harper butted in. “You told me you were going to cut off one of my toes and mail it along with the note.”
Morgan squirmed and griped when he saw the wild look in Irving’s eyes. With a growl, Irving grabbed the man by the front of his shirt and lifted him from the ground. "You cretin!" he cursed. "Seeing as you're so keen on lying, why don't I toss you with the other gang members and let you lie there?"
Morgan screamed. "No! Please!" Irving hurled the man's bulk over his shoulder like a bag of trash.
Sage cringed as she heard the sound of Morgan's body thump atop the bodies of the other two men. The brutality of Irving's strength, paired with the mess of blood that sprinkled his face and clothes was oddly sexy to her. She was aware he had super strength and speed, but she never would have imagined he'd be so powerful and dominating in the face of a threat. What especially aroused her was the fact that he'd turned rabid on account of her and her daughter. It comforted Sage to know that she'd always be safe with Irving by her side. Still, she was glad she'd stopped him from killing anyone. As much as she despised those gang members for trying to hurt Harper, she wasn't sure she wanted to be implicated in a series of casualties.
"Should we call for an ambulance?' Sage asked.
Irving shrugged. "Why waste the paramedics' time on these brutes?"
"Amen," Harper chimed in. "Those guys used chloroform on me. They can rot in hell."
Sage stroked her daughter's dark hair affectionately. She rubbed Harper's shoulders in sympathy. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, honey," she said.
"Me too," Harper agreed. "There's no one to blame but dad, and he's dead."
Irving licked the blood from his fingertips and released a sigh of satisfaction. "I'd say that about sums up that matter," he said. "Allow us to abscond from this festering flesh farm," he continued. "I doubt my wits will last much longer in a town named after the number that cannot be said." Before leaving the bloody scene, Irving toggled the parlor's light switch multiple times.
"I just have one question," Harper remarked as they hurriedly vacated the ranch, "how is it that this nervous undertaker dude has red eyes, fangs, and the ability to seriously kick ass?"
"Well... erm..." Sage looked to Irving for help. He eyed her apprehensively. Clearly, he hadn't thought about the consequences of using his vampire powers in front of Harper although if it really came down to it, Sage could have Irving to make Harper forget everything she just saw. It was far better for their newly formed relationship however, if Sage came clean.
For his part, Irving remained speechless, taking his cue from Sage’s pointed look. "Do you remember those vampire novels you used to read when you were a teen?" Sage asked. She hoped the truth wouldn’t be too much for her to handle.
"Uh, yeah. What are you trying to say? Vampires don't exist," Harper stated.
"Don't they?" Irving challenged her. He smiled, showing off his inhumanly sharp teeth.
Harper stopped dead in her tracks. "Is this some sort of sick joke?" she questioned. Her eyes were wide. Both Irving and Sage observed her with serious expressions. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed. The reality had sunk in: vampires were legit.
"Holy shit, indeed," Irving said with a sigh.That pairing of words had always struck him as odd. "Please accept my apologies for my violent behavior. I assure you, I'm usually well-mannered."
Harper was all questions in the car ride to the Church and Chapel funeral home. Her inquisition reminded Sage of a toddler who’d just discovered something new. Sage needed to pick up the items Cameron had packed away for her, so she figured she may as well give Irving a lift.
“Do you sparkle in the sun?” Harper asked. She was sitting in the back seat and had already made the observation that Irving’s face did not show up in the rear view mirror.
“No, of course not!” Irving replied. “Why does everyone think this? It’s absurd. My brother has resorted to distributing sparkly sunscreen to support this perplexing rumor.”
“Wait… are you saying there are more vampires like you?” Harper pressed.
“Naturally, yes.”
Initially, Sage was a little wary of all how Harper's interrogation would affect Irving. To her delight he didn't seem to mind all of her questions. He answered them all with tact and honesty. One of the many aspects Sage adored about Irving was his truthfulness. Having lived for so long, he didn't seem to feel the need to sugar coat things or make up stories to hide behind.
"Don't be fooled by the way the media has portrayed vampires," Irving told Harper. "I know better than those materialistic pigs, life as a vampire is a cursed one. Sure, I possess unwavering beauty and heightened abilities, but these positives in no way make up for the suffering I have and continue to endure as an immortal being. I cannot grow too fond of any mortal, as I will be forced to watch them die. I cannot take pleasure in food or even see my own reflection. Worst of all, I have committed atrocious acts to satiate my hunger for blood. There are more days than not that I long for my existence to end."
Irving's speech distressed Sage. It troubled her to think he'd lived in misery for so long and, while she was pleased to be a positive influence in his life, there was one obvious flaw in their relationship: Sage was mortal. Would it not hurt Irving to inevitably be forced to watch her age and wither away? At some point Sage knew she would have to bring this matter up with him. For now, she was content in taking their relationship slow.
