Not as Deep or Dark

Chapter 2

Before leaving the condo, Henry changed his shirt and packed a few necessities into a duffel bag.

As they walked to his vintage car, Vicki pointed to the bag and asked, "How long do you plan on staying?"

Henry tried to hide his grin and said, "As long as it takes."

"You aren't giving up, are you?"

"I'm going to get what I want."

Vicki closed her eyes and leaned back against the headrest while Henry drove to the apartment complex she called home. Since it was well within walking distance from her office and shopping mall, it suited her needs. She didn't much care whether or not it met his much higher standards.

As though reading her mind he said, "I've spent years in mausoleums, caves, abandoned houses and even under tarps. I treat myself to luxury when I can, but I don't need it."

"So you say. You haven't seen my place."

"What makes you so sure?"

Vicki sat up, "You've been spying on me?"

Shrugging, he admitted, "More or less." He parked behind the complex and looked toward the eastern sky and said, "It's getting light."

Vicki got out of the car and started up the steps with Henry close behind saying, "I'll explain later."

Vicki mumbled under her breath, "You'd better believe it."

The top floor apartment had one bedroom, bath, kitchen with dining area and a living room with a small balcony. The thing that most attracted her to the apartment was its closets. The one by the kitchen was double doored with plenty of room for coats, vacuum, ironing board and crates of books. There was even enough floor space left to allow Henry to lie down on his side with knees bent.

Wedging himself in he said, "This'll do," she started protesting as her mother's lessons on how to treat a guest kicked in." He held up a wire hanger and made ready to secure the doors from the inside saying, "There's no time to argue. I'll be fine."

"Wait!" She hurried into her bedroom and came back with one of her pillows and a blanket. She tossed them at him saying, "At least let me think I played the good hostess." She closed the double doors and heard him wrap the coat hanger around the inside knobs. She patted the closed doors and whispered, "Rest well," and heard him whisper back, "You too."

Vicki fell across the bed and just before falling asleep she mumbled into the covers, "Am I crazy? There's a vampire in the closet and demon marks on my arms. This has been a helluva year."

What seemed like a minute later, the irritating ring of her phone finally broke into her dreams of snapping jaws and clinging arms.

"Wha?" was all she could get out before her mother's cheerful voice chirped, "Good morning."

"Mom! Stop! I just got to bed."

"Victoria! It's after eight in the morning. You should be getting ready for work. You're not coming down with something are you?"

Vicki rolled over onto her back and said, "I'm not sick. I worked late."

"You a job that lets you have regular hours. You need rest in your condition."

"My condition, as you call it, won't get better with sleep. It's what it is. I'm going blind within the next ten years, so while can still see, I'm going to live my life the way I want."

"Well! You don't have to get snippy with me, young lady."

"Sorry. I'm short about a year's worth of sleep."

"Is Michael keeping you up all hours?"

"Not just him."

"You've got someone new? Who is he? When do I get to meet him?"

Vicki looked looked in the direction of the closet, "Henry's not good at family stuff. You might say he's different."

"What does Michael say about him? I trust Michael's opinion."

"Michael has nothing to say about him."

Vicki tuned her mother out as she groped for her glasses and lost track of what she was saying and said, "MOM! Hanging up now. I'll call you later and we can plan a get together."

"Rosalie's daughter visits every other Sunday for dinner."

Vicki mumbled under her breath, "Rosalie's daughter needs a life."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I'll come see you when I get a chance."

"I've heard that before. My boss is here. Call you soon."

"Wait for me to call you."

"Like that'll happen anytime soon. Next time tell me about Henry."

With a sigh Vicki broke the connection, stood up, stumbled out to the kitchen and

patted the closet door as she went by saying, "It must be nice to sleep through ringing phones, traffic, and garbage pick-up."

There was no chance of falling asleep again so she got ready and walked to the office hoping to finish the paperwork on a few cases so she could get paid.

Looking at Coreen's desk, she promised herself a call in the early afternoon.

Just as she sat behind her desk the phone started ringing. "Nelson Investigations."

"Hi Vicki, it's me."

"Hey Coreen. I was just thinking about calling you. How are you feeling?"

"All right, I guess." She paused, then said, "Vicki, I need some time."

Vicki looked at the files on her desk and said, "Take what you need. There's not enough here to keep us both busy."

"Would you be okay with the idea of my not coming back at all?"

"Take some time and think about it. You don't have to make up your mind today."

"Thanks. About my last paycheck..."

"There'll be a check in the mail for the last few days you worked. I can't afford to give you vacation pay."

"No problem. I'll be in touch. Promise."

Vicki hung up and said to the wall, "Rats. There goes the one person who understood what happened."

Vicki looked at her files, booted up the computer and checked on some facts before finishing up the paperwork and sending out statements. The rest of the morning moved quickly and just about the time she was thinking about eating, Mike walked in with a fast food bag and two large coffees.

"Hey Vick. If I feed you, can we talk?"

"You don't need to bribe me, but it helps."

"About last night, it was real, right? Vampires, demons, possession, it's all real?"

"As real as it gets."

"I've been suspended for two weeks. Long enough for me to hunt down Fitzroy and end it."

"God, Mike. Give it a rest. Henry is my friend and I'll do what it takes to keep him safe. Don't make me hurt you."

"Vicki! He's a blood sucking parasite that's brought you nothing but trouble."

Vicki braced her hands on the desk and stood, "Michael Celluci I'll say this one last time. Henry's my friend. Hurt him and you'll be hurting me."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm in love with you and that thing is keeping us apart."

"Our constant fighting drove us apart. You're in the habit of telling me how to live my life and I'm in the habit of doing as I please."

"So you'll throw away ten years because of a vampire?"

"We were already apart before I met him. I'm not going to be a nice little girl and listen to her daddy telling her what to do. You lost that right before you ever had it. Mike, if you want to remain my friend, leave my other friends alone."

"Vicki, I've got to get my own life and career back on track and if your going to be a part of it, he goes for good."

"That's up to you. Personally, I want both of you as friends and partners."

"And sex?"

"My business. You're not buying a car, so quit shopping for the best deal. I come with strings attached and one of them is Henry."

Vicki's sleeves pulled back as she was talking with her hands waving about and the recent bruise from Henry's bite caught Mike's eye, "Did he feed from you after I left?"

"Out of bounds. That's not your business."

Mike was about to say more when when Vicki stopped him, "Mike, leave now, before the real fight starts. Come back when you can accept me and my choices. I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, so don't tell me how to live mine."

"Fine, but if there are any corpses drained of blood, I'm coming to you first, then hunt down Fitzroy."

***

She got back to the apartment a little after four, checked the closet door and sat down on the couch to watch TV.

Henry became aware of the cramped position he was in, but remembered where he was and what had happened. Surrounded by the scent of Vicki, he breathed deeply and thought that's good. He listened and heard the slow steady heart beating a few feet away and knew she was asleep. Unwinding the coat hanger, Henry stood and moved moved silently to where she lay. He leaned in to kiss her cheek and she didn't move at this touch. He looked at the deep brown circles under her eyes and her exhausted, hungry and drained appearance. Frowning, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He took off her jeans and shirt, then decided the bra didn't look all that comfortable and removed it too. The vampire and the man looked at her with desire. In their eyes, she was perfect with the curves and mounds of a woman's body meant to be loved and cherished. She was everything he wanted in a woman and he planned to have her and love her for ever. Right now she needed sleep, then a hot meal. He could and would give her both. He placed a deep compulsion in her mind that would keep her sleeping until sunrise.