Chapter Eight
Kate stalked out the door, her pace quickening even more as she approached the familiar tree line. Ducking into the protective canopy of the greenery, she found a large, flat rock a hundred yards in and settled on it. She waited for Tanya to appear.
Tanya followed Kate at a slower, more human pace as she tried to figure out just what it was Kate was so upset about. Tanya understood that her leaving had hurt Kate a lot, but her staying would have destroyed them both, and she thought that Kate knew that. She followed Kate's scent into the forest and found her perched on the rock. Tanya sighed and moved over to Kate's side. She told herself that she had done nothing wrong, so there was no reason to worry about what Kate would say.
Kate took in Tanya's stance as she glided to her side and then nodded slowly as she seated herself next to Kate. Before Kate could say a word, Tanya spoke quietly.
"I realize this was a huge shock to you, Kate. Please, believe me when I tell you how sorry I am for springing it on you this way. I had intended to tell you before you returned home, so it wouldn't be this way. Jesse literally showed up earlier today. He called me when he was in Washington State, and told me he wanted to come up and see me. The sound of his voice alone lifted me out of the depression I'd been steeped in for the last month, how could I deny him?
"I'm so sorry Kate, for what I put you through after Irina's death. I didn't understand. I was afraid I was losing the one thing I had left in this life, you. We had just watched our youngest sister destroyed and burned for no other reason than Caius's mood and sick desire to destroy those of us who are different from him. And instead of turning to me, your big sister, you turned to Garrett. I understand now why you did it. But at that time I didn't. And it hurt me so deeply, and I was so jealous. I know that my leaving hurt you, but don't you understand that if I had stayed, it would have destroyed us both?"
Kate was silent for a long time. "Tanya, I told you before, I only want you to be happy. It was such a shock to come home and see this. I know I over reacted but... If Jesse makes you happy, then I have no choice other than to accept him," she said softly. Then she grinned. "But I do reserve the right to shock his ass if he ever does stupid things that hurt you."
Tanya felt the weight lifted from her chest, as it seemed that Kate would forgive her after all. She reached over and grabbed her into a hug. "I'll warn him. Try to be nice to him. He isn't so bad once he gets over himself."
Kate laughed, then abruptly stopped. "Tanya, I noticed his eyes are red. Is he... going to try our life?"
Tanya bit her lip. "Honestly, we haven't discussed it. I won't force him to choose though. I am sure with enough of us around, he'll make the right decision." I hope, she added silently.
Kate frowned but didn't question Tanya's decision. After all it really wasn't either one of their decisions, it was Jesse's. "Tanya..." Kate sighed quietly. "I hope he decides to join our ways. If he doesn't... He can't hunt anywhere near here."
She nodded. "I know. I'll talk to him." Tanya stood up. "I truly am sorry for hurting you Kate. I just want us all to be happy."
Kate smiled a bit. "Isn't that what we all want out of this existence? To be happy and live it as best we can?"
-
By the time they returned to the house, everyone had shifted into their normal activities. Eleazar was grading papers for his psychology course, Carmen was playing on the piano, picking out a soft tune. Garrett had turned on the TV and was watching some show that was on. Jesse had retrieved his bag and was quietly sketching in the corner. They all looked up, warily, Tanya thought, as the sisters entered the room.
Kate flashed them all a brilliant grin that only a newlywed has before she bounded over to Garrett on the couch. She curled up into his side, and reached for the remote. Tanya watched as Garrett playfully smacked her hand away before giving in to her and handing the remote over. Tanya wondered at that. How much a man changes for the woman he loves. She had seen it in Edward, and later in Garrett. Would the same happen for her?
Tanya walked quietly over to the corner where Jesse had gone back to sketching, peeking over his shoulder to see what he was drawing. It was a drawing of the living room she saw, with Garrett sitting on the couch, Carmen at the piano, and now he was adding Kate next to Garrett. She noted that Eleazar was also there, but half in, half out of the picture as he sat in his chair near the window, grading.
Jesse's hands flew across the paper, the charcoal leaving behind an almost perfect rendition of the scene in front of him. To him, this was something new and exciting. It got boring drawing the same four walls all the time in his cottage. To have a new group of people to observe and draw, maybe paint... he was excited by the thought. He glanced up to Tanya, as she watched him. Giving her a smile he stopped drawing for a moment and reached out, pulling her closer. Tugging her down so her ear was close to his mouth, his breath tickled the hair there as he whispered. "Is everything okay?"
She bit her lip and nodded. "I was hoping you'd want to go for a walk or something with me."
Jesse looked down at his drawing, it was nearly complete. "Just let me finish this real quick before they all move," he said with a chuckle. His hands were back to flying across the page, adding the shadows and finishing touches. It was done in five minutes. He set it down and stood up, offering his hand to her.
Tanya looked at it, really looked, and noted the long fingers, the strong hands. My god, even his hands were beautiful, she thought. Maybe she was doomed after all. That thought brought a strange smile to her face, and Jesse gave her a weird look. Tanya took his hand, lacing her fingers with his, before she said, "I'll tell you later."
Jesse shrugged and led her toward the front door. They stepped out and walked down the driveway. It was a companionable silence they shared, walking hand in hand. They must have walked a mile or so before either spoke. Some things you just couldn't hide from your vampire family unless you were far enough away from their super hearing.
"Jesse, I wanted to tell you that I am really happy you're here. More so now that Kate knows and accepts it. Though she said if you get out of line, she reserves the right to shock your ass back into place," Tanya said with a smile. She leaned back, looking at his ass. "Though I think I'll keep your ass to myself." She grinned at him.
Jesse laughed. "It's all yours Tanya. Kate will have to make do with shocking something else into line."
Tanya sighed. "There is one thing we haven't discussed. You're hunting habits... they... conflict with our way of life," she paused, and let out another sigh. "I don't know what to say. I want to ask you to learn to hunt our way, live our way. But that's not my choice, it has to be yours. So, I will ask you, please, if you are going to hunt people, don't do it anywhere near here, or in Fairbanks. I'm sure you understand our need to keep a low profile. We've been living in this area for many many years, and would hate to have to leave."
Jesse stared straight ahead as he thought over her words. "I... can't promise you I will live your lifestyle. But I will try it for you." He turned his head to look at her. "Can we do that? I will try, but I won't promise that I can do it. And if I... hunt humans, I will not do it anywhere near here." His eyes pleaded with her. He wanted so badly to make her happy, but he just didn't know if he could hunt animals. He had watched her do it, but just the [i]smell[/i] of them turned his dead stomach.
Tanya looked over to him and she nodded slowly. "It's all I can ask for. I want you to be happy too." They had stopped walking and she reached out with her free hand to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Tanya delighted in seeing his visible shiver at her touch. "It's really not so bad when you get used to it," she said with a smile.
Inwardly, he cringed, but forced a smile. "It's... going to take some getting used to." His thumb stroked the delicate flesh on the inside of her wrist, and Tanya felt the tingle all the way to her toes. Slowly he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.
Tanya, for her part, was having none of that and she reached up with her free hand and put it behind his neck, pulling him closer for a real kiss. She felt his laugh as he smiled against her mouth and obliged her willingly. Her lips parted and he was teasing her tongue with his own. The kiss lasted for hours, or was it only minutes? Finally, she pulled away, her breathing ragged, and looked at him, surprise evident on her face. "Do you think... It will always be like that?" she asked him.
Jesse laughed, it was a joyous laugh. "I hope so, doll."
Tanya's eyebrows raised at the use of the word 'doll' and she pushed him back toward the trees lining the road they had been walking along. "Doll?" she said. Her voice had a tinge to it he couldn't quite place. Was she kidding? "Doll?" she asked again, pushing him a bit harder. He was inside the tree line now, and he stumbled over something. He would have stayed upright, had Tanya not come barreling at him at that exact moment, knocking them both to the ground.
He landed hard on the ground, and he could see the trees above scraping the sky. Tanya landed on top of him, and he looked up into her eyes. There was a smile on her face now. "Doll?" she asked breathlessly, before lowering her lips to his, reclaiming the passionate kiss they had shared moments before.
