Thanks

Melinda

Alone Time

 I reflection that my father was just playing with me, this is a different way to break my emotional depression and physical outcast. The house was clean of all his belongings. I was bewildered. It took me a few turns around to see if he had just moved everything. There was no sign that he was ever here. With each room explored, I knew that he had really left me. Something deep inside of me was ecstatic. There was only one bag that I could see, a canvas bag. As I realized whose bag was on the couch, stunned by the truth in my father’s words, he wanted me to find a way to stay with Thomas. I was pleased, but terrified as well. How do you resume a relationship with a person that had changed into the top feared immortal?

Thomas was still here. His duffle bag, that I had bought for him lay on the couch, with everything spilled out of it. I was unsure if it was haste that made his packing terrible? Even to what clothes that spilled out, as if a body had been opened up and everything pulled out, his clothes showed no sign of respect. No matter what, they needed to be wash. I was waiting for a green gas to start rising from the bag to come after me.

Absent-minded picking everything up and headed to the washroom. My stuff was here as well. I frowned, which one had brought it? Most of it was dirty, and mixed matched. It was a tossup. It was clear who packed his and packed mine. It was not as if they could have opened the closet doors and pulled something out for me. When I get home, I will be organizing my closet so that all the sets where together. Never know when I would get mad again and leave.

Starting the water, letting the soap mix, I started to separate everything. As I was going through the pants, something hard hit my hand. Thomas pants. I had already pulled enough money out to buy what we were staying in, and do a remodel on it. I shoved my hand in. I pulled out a odd shape metal chucks. When I saw the color, I knew what it was. It was the top part of his phone. My eyebrows buried deep into frown I turned it over. It was the screen. It had the first picture that he had taken of me, with it. I was sticking my tongue out at him. Now I was sticking my tongue at me. I laid that on the washer with all the money, and keys. All the pants went in the washer.

No dryer, just a clothesline to hang the clothes on, I set out on a mission. Grabbing the pins, I set out to try my hand at old time drying.

“Amay, can you come here?”

“No.” he growled at my response.

“Please” that was forced.

“Fine.” I walked into the house. My eyes flickered over his wet body. A towel wrapped around his trimmed hips. Life sucked right now. His hair, deep black from the water, which dripped onto his ivory toned skin. He looked so good.

“Where are my clothes?” his voice tight.

“What clothes?” I was amused. He really did look good. Wet.

“The ones that was on the couch?” he did not seem too happy with me.

“Oh, washing. They were dirty. –I put two and two together- Oh Opps sorry.” I smiled. He, any vampire did not need to take a shower, damn them, but he liked too. A natural normal human activity should be kept, in case a situation calls for it. I had been told that, but Thomas had taken a shower the same night, every night since he came to stay with us.

“All my pants are washing?” Looking away, trying to keep my emotions calm.

“Yeah, all of them are in the wash. They were dirty. Everything that was in your pockets is on top of the washer.”

“That means I am in a towel, until they are dry. Of course, I could take the towel off.” I watched as a slow smile creped across. I frowned as he twisted this situation into his favor.

“It really was an over sight. You should take your clothes into the bathroom with you. I’ll be out side.” He started to adjust his towel. I did not get out of there fast enough to not hear his chuckle or miss the tight thigh.

 I stayed in the washroom; I felt it was the safest place to be. I watched as the machine with through its stages to clean what I had put in there. Just like a washing machine I had went through the stages of life, and ending up back in the same end. The end. I came out with the basket full of wet jeans. There were more clothes than just his. He will see that now. Jerk. He should know better than playing with me like that. What was he thinking anyways? He knows that he and I are no longer. I wish, NO it cannot happen. I cannot let it happen. I cannot have my father send him away too. If I can be a good girl, then, just maybe he can stay and I can love him from afar.

“Delivery.” A man was standing by a over sized car. When did he show up? He was holding a box.

“Can I help you? I did not move.

“I have a delivery for Thomas Carleano?”

“He is in the house.”

“There is a postal due?” He looked ashamed.

“How much?” I walked over, not getting too close. I took the invoice.

‘Better have gold in there. Hang on.” I walked back to the washroom. He was not going to need that type of money here.

I handed him the money. He raised his eyebrow at the cash.

“If you could sign it, here.”

“I will sign it. It’s for me.” Thomas was walking out of the house with his towel on. It looked lower. His skin glowed; he was able to pull the look off, since he just got out of the shower.

‘Fine.” The person said. I watched as all his hoped died.

“Why are my parents sending you stuff?”

“Because I’ll accept it. Though if the delivery person is male. Maybe I will get his name and make sure he delivers them. You would accept them.”

“Grow up, Thomas” I walked back out. I caught the smirk.

I tried my best to ignore him. He really was a god now. How can you ignore someone that you really want? He was everywhere I went.

Finally giving up. All besides one load was hanging the first load not done drying. I do not think it would matter to Thomas. He never said anything. Played with the TV, walked around the house in the towel, that he had wrapped a belt around. I went through the back door and started on dinner.

Stew. It had been awhile since I had cooked. I always let Matt cook. I pulled my hair up and away from my face. The breeze was cool and wonderful. I pulled my shirt up. Tucking it under the belt that was just above my waist. Exposing my stomach and hips. I turned Thomas was watching me. I frowned pulled my shirt down again. I went back out to the washroom.

Taking my time, I folded each pair of pants, shirts. It seemed that everything was dry now that the wind came up. A little stiff but clean and dry.

“Pants are dry.” I said, dropped the basket, and went into the kitchen. I added seasoning to the flavor.

“Is this the way it would be?” I looked up.

“What would be?”

“Us, are we going to be like this?”

“I guess it depends.” Grabbing the bread, I started cutting.

“On” He was not going to drop this.

“Us. I need to grab the rest…”

“Amay, I love you. As far as I feel, we are still us. When I heard you jumping. I felt it! The wind, then nothing. NOTHING mattered to me. I lost you. I lost everything. I would of should have done it all differently. It was insensitive of me to do that. Forgive me, Amay. Tell me that you love me still. You still want us.” His pleading broke my heart. Did he not know we could not be together?

“I do love you and want us. I just do not know. It is different. How can we go back to us?”

“Time.”

“Is this our time? To see if we can? If not what then. What if I can’t what if you do…”

“Then you will be changed.”

“You say that so easily.”

“I could not change you before. Now I can.” I looked at him.

I pulled the stew off the fire.

“Then I guess I need time.” I rushed out.

The last load I paused with each piece of his clothing. Could I live without him? No. He knew that. Everyone knew that. I just tried to prove that. It is working for Michael. I could make it work.

I walked in the front door. Thomas had set the table.

“Do you want a glass?” I poured me a glass of milk.

“Please”

“Thank you” he said as I sat a glass in front of him.

“How can you…? It’s strange that you want other things.”

“I want a lot of other things, Amay.” He caught and held my eyes.

“Explain.” I broke the smothering look.

“Vincent did not bite me. We talked. I needed to decide. More venom in me was not what I needed. I had to make the decision, vampire or human. I really thought about it. Hard. It was painful. My body was numb. I chose human. Zack busted in and said that you left.’ – He looked away-

‘I could not find you. I kept calling, like a human. When you finally turned on your phone. I thought I could talk you out of it. Change your mind. Give you want you wanted. Then I heard your voice. There was nothing I could do, as a human. The venom, it was as it was waiting. I do not think I had a chance. I would have fought it. I rode in four airplanes, in serve pain. Wanting to kill everyone. I thought of you. That eased my pain.” – He looked up at me. The pain was still there.

“If I had told you, would you have still jumped? Would have you believed me?”

“Yes, No.”

“This is what I am. Amay, you made me. I understand now, where you are coming from. I want to change you. To share my venom with you. I do not want anyone else’s. We are all different. I just need time. I feel fine, but I lose control a lot when I am around you.”

“Then why are we alone?”

“We’re not, really. Your father is still here. There are others watching.”

“The delivery man?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are we being watched?”

“To make sure I don’t kill you. Even with everyone so close, it would not matter.”

“Eat. Stew is better hot.” The decision was up to me. Hmm I wondered what my father was up too. I snuck a glance at Thomas. Who was just staring at the food?  

“Does it not taste right?” He looked at me.

“It’s fine. Really good I forgot how well you do cook. You should cook more.”

“If I understand all of this, right. - He looked up at me, with hope.-which us, is up to me. No one else.”

“That’s right. I don’t know who it would be left up to.” He was confused. Father did not tell him anything.

“What would be our next step?”

“I don’t know. Being close to each other.” I played with my food.

“We can watch TV after dinner. Sit on the same couch. Would that work?”

“Amay, I am not going to attack you. It would not matter if you were sitting on my lap or out in the woods. If I wanted that, I would have done it before and not be sitting here trying to bring us together again if I just was going to kill you when you get close to Me.” he rolled his eyes.

“Soorrrryy.” We finished dinner in silence.

“Michael, who was he?” I had sat down at the other end of the couch. Folding clothes.

“A friend of the family.” He was looking at me.

“How close of a friend, is he?”

“That was the first time I have seen him in five years. He is married.” I sat each shirt in place.

“He was very protective of you.” I raised my eyebrow.

“Really. Not too protective, I sent him home. Where he belongs.”  I grabbed up my clothes. I should learn to keep my mouth shut. That brought Thomas up.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Michael and I were friends, now not so much. After he was changed, he tried to kill me a few times….”

“WHAT!”  The memory of the angry Thomas and the view of an angry Thomas was not the same. Once bluish blood rushed to his flesh, now it showed nothing.

“My father finally stepped in and well, this was the first time that we saw each other.” His jaw clenched, locked was a better word.  His fists at his sides were white. He was not breathing. I moved slowly putting my clothes away.

“I’ll. Be. Back.” I looked up, but he was gone. Thomas was smart; I could not tell how much of his mind had changed as well.  I knew that he guessed that Michael and I were more than friends were.

The night was warm, too warm for me. I hated it. These were the nights that I liked Thomas here with me. He was cool even after feeding. I missed him. I wondered through house, waiting for him to come back, there was no sign of him returning. I could not call my father, which I felt that is where Thomas was. I debated with myself over the tension between Thomas and me. I knew that I was the problem, but there was not much I could do to do to change it. Everything was in my hands, but I just did not know what or how to do it. I felt myself slipping with my decisions, finding faults in every turn I made.

The house became too much, outside seemed more open. I needed to catch my breath, a lot happened today. Laying a blanket across the wooden bench, I sat down with my diary in my hands. This latest events was bound to make it in there.

A light breeze picked up, blowing across my fevered skin. I never thought anything about the wind, until I heard the trees cracking. I sat up, looking around. I did not see anything. I hated being alone. My heart picking up its rhythm. I had no idea where I was, realizing that, I was scaring myself more than the sounds from the forest.  All nighttime sounds had stopped. The eeriness of being exposed and no protection fell on to me. I was not sure if this was a test, or there really was something out there. I looked back at the house, could I make it back in time? I doubted it. I prayed that it was Thomas.

Another crunching sound behind me. I sat up. Ok, it is not Thomas. He would not scare me like this. The breeze came up. I realized I am dinner. UGH! Another reason why I should be change to a vampire. Childish thoughts filled my mind. I scribbled into my book as what was happening.  I listened; I could make out how the animal was moving. This was not a bear. It was larger.

The snap of the branch echoed around me. I swallowed hard. Standing I looked towards the sound.  The trees rushed as what was in it was deciding if attack me, or play with me. Either way, Tonight, I was going to die. Panic. Was this not what I tried to do myself?

“If you are going to do it, then do it. Stop playing with me.” I tossed my diary. The page I was on opened it. The last three words rang. I love Thomas! The growl was low, and dangerous. The chills that ran down my spine mimicked the low tones of the growl. My breath caught, it was the eyes that I seen first. Blood red, bright against the stained gray fur. There was no white in its eyes. Even in the dark, I made out the thirst in them. The muzzle, snarling at me. Its yellowish teeth glimmered in the moonlight. It stalked me. I stood still. Maybe Thomas would get back in time, to change me.

“You should run, little girl. Go screaming for help, little girl” the voice sent chills down my spine. It stepped forward. Stalling it acted as if it was going to rethink in next move.

“No.” I stood my ground.

“Aww so brave. Your blood will be sweet.” His steps forward, finally gave me the sight of seeing my attacker for the first time. I was in awe to what had decided to come my way. Fear welled deep inside me; trying to be brave in this standoff, I did not let his massive twisted form scare me.

“Do you not know who I am?” The werewolf took a few steps towards me. He looked amused.

“You tell me not to play with you, why do you play with me?”

“I am not playing with you. I just want you to know who you are stalking. Who will come after you?” I could almost feel Thomas coming. I felt a sense of false safety.

“Write my name down, girl. I am not afraid of anyone.”

“My name is Amay Carleano, Daughter of Vincent Carleano” He paused. His eyes darkened in his memory recall of the name. I saw as the information that he was searching for came to him. When he focused back in on me, the deadly intent was profound by whatever was in his mind. The ill way his muzzle twisted told me that he was smiling at his thoughts.

“Aww Amay. This is a change. So unprotected. I wonder why?” OI that backfired. He advanced on me. His massive frame it looked UN natural. Someone messed up on him. I realized that I was a prize worth dying. I knew our name brought fear, but I was unsure as to why it was feared, this was the first time that after they realized whom I was backed away, leaving me alone. This one, was older, more sure of his self sure that he was going to get away with it. His muzzle flesh pulled back to show that my death, meant more than a meal.

“How the vampires will mourn their lost. The werewolves will celebrate your spilled blood. I will take your body back, and show them that you are dead and how easy it was to take you down. Sweet victory and there was no lost.” Now I was scared.  I sucked in my breath as he leaped. I should have told him I wanted it to work.

Knocked out of the way. I fell into the bench. I could not tell who was saving me, just someone was. I hoped. The growling and fighting was in the trees.  I could not move. The nasty tearing of flesh made my skin crawl. That is what it would have sounded like if it had been mine. The hissing, the growls, snarls of anger. Snapping of trees was all I could hear. They did not speak. 

It did not sound like Thomas. He was different now.

Dead silence. It was the worst. Nothing moved around me. The air stopped blowing. It was thick. I could smell the blood.  I bent low to the ground.

Then Thomas walked out of the forest. His clothes were torn. He looked unhurt.

“Thomas!” I screamed and ran for him. I threw myself against his frame. I was crying. I kissed his neck.

“Are you alright?” He asked his arms wrapped around me.

“Don’t worry about me. You. Are you all right, bleeding? Cuts? Broken bones?” He made a funny sound.

“Yeah I am fine. I don’t bleed no cuts, and no broken bones.”

“I don’t believe you, in the house so I can check.” He stopped walking. He picked me up.

“You were almost killed and you are worried about me. I have never seen you in shock before, this are strange. I should call your father.”

“No. – He looked at me- ‘he will make me go home.’ He raised his eyes brows. ‘I don’t want to go home, yet. Don’t we need our time?”

“Amay this is serious.”

“So am I. All I could think about what not telling you that I love you and I do want to try again. I was so stupid.” He crushed me to him.

“You are not stupid. We need to get inside.” His head turned and listened for a second. I just nodded. He carried me inside. I laid my head on his shoulder. I let out a sigh of content. He squeezed me.

“Will it come after me again?” I looked up at Thomas. His face looked shadowed as he thought.

“I cannot say that he won’t. He seemed very intent on killing you, and for that, I ask forgiveness for leaving you alone. I will not be doing that again. As you see, human emotions have not left me. I do have a feeling that this is not over.” I frowned when he looked down at me. I knew that he wanted to show me that he was serious and this was not a game.

“Are we going to leave?” I was afraid to ask this question. He closed his eyes as he thought about this question.

“I can only say, is that we can take it day by day. We need to be careful. If there are signs of anything else, then we will leave right away. Tomorrow I will clear around the house. So that there is a wider birth between us and the forest.”

“Thomas where are we?”

“A small town, which is all I know. This house is a friends of your fathers, and he is letting us use it so you can rest and regain your strength. You need to sleep.”

He wrapped us up and lay on the couch. I turned to him, throwing my leg over him, as if I always did. Finding my spot that was slightly firmer I went to sleep.

“My baby.”

“What can you do? Anything special?” I asked Thomas as he chopped firewood.

“I really don’t know?” He said as he swung and spilt another massive log in half.

“Dad has this mind thing. He can figure anything out. It seems that it is men that always have something special.” He rolled his eyes at me.

“If I have to have a special power, it would be protecting you. I looked back last night, all the times you get into trouble.”

“Last night was not my fault. I was minding my own business.”

“If you had been in the house…”

“I would have if someone would have come home.” I came back at him.

“You really are impossible.”

“Yes, I know, you have told me enough times.” Another crack. He really was strong. Since he was not using any tools. He was strong before. I knew what the special in him was. It may have to do with me.

“Why have there not been any packages today?” There had not been any in a week.

“I was with Vincent and we decided that I would be fine. You would be fine. He left. Amanda said the twins were being extra rowdy. Something about an extra floor.”

“Great”

“I think we have enough. Let’s get you warm.” He picked up two massive logs that should have been spilt a few times more. They would burn slow.

With the fire lit and us snuggled on the couch. We talked. We talked like before. He played with my hair before. Everything we did before, we did now. Besides the physical. Kissing.

Closing my eyes as he stroked my cheek. It felt wonderful. His fingers pushing my hair away from my face. I turned my face forward to him. Give him the hint what I wanted. His fingers traced my lips. They parted on their own. My breathing changed as his fingers gently followed my curves of my neck. I shivered as they touched my collarbone.

“I never knew you responded like this.” His breath sweet. Life was unfair. I could not say anything. I felt his face towards mine. I thought he would just kiss my forehead. When his lips touched mine, I sucked in my breath. That encouraged him. Soft as a feather, he moved our lips to what he wanted. I did not mind. He was kissing me. He was testing the emotion something new. I did not mind. He broke it off, looking at me. He came back down again, this time a little harder. It was like a flood. He pulled me tight against him. He held me. His desire was evident. That was new. He kissed my face, my neck playing with the rushing blood in my veins pure torture.

“Thomas, stop. He froze. My body was on fire. I pushed away from him. We had never gone that far. I pulled my shirt down.

“I’m sorry.” His words were soft, tortured in a likeable way.

“WOW I need to breathe. WOW” He pulled me back into his arms. His mouth found my neck again. OH!

“You are driving me crazy, please take me upstairs.” That brought a halt to everything. Good going!

“We can’t go there.” My head fell back. My pulse was pounding. I knew he heard it. It was next to his ear.

“Let me…cool down.” Taking in a few deep breaths, I let them out slowly.

“Too bad it was not like that before.” I said more to myself.

“It was. I could hide it better.”

“Great. Now he tells me.” He chuckled at me.

“Are you tired?”

“Of what. Sleep defiantly not!” He rolled us so that we were lying on the couch again.

“I do love you Amay.”

“This will work. It will work. I know it will work.”

“It is working.” He corrected me.” He was right. I found my spot sleep claimed me.

“Sleep well?” His eyebrow rose. UGH. I was talking in my sleep.

“Which part, before the talking or after the talking?” He gave me a devilish grin. I groaned.

“Kill me now. Get it over with UGH!” His body was shaking with the laughing that he was trying to hide. It was that bad.

“It’s good to know that you want me when you are sleeping. I must say, I wonder if there is any minx in you. It took a lot of self-control on my part. You did not have any.” That bad.

“Your fault.” I accused him. He took full credit. I had to get out of the covers. My body was burning with embarrassment. I had to yank my shirt down. My pants were gone.

I watched him fish my pants out of the blanket. They were shredded.

“It took a little time to get that self control under lock and key.”

“OI” Seems hung from threads. I could not tell if they were pants.  I ran upstairs. I think he was playing with me. His laughter told me so.

His laughter in his eyes, told me he had not forgotten last night. I frowned at him. He had decided to take me to dinner. The laughter was there, just smothering now.

Claiming that what brought did not go I needed to shop for something decent.

 I found a slinky black dress that I could say covered me leaving enough flesh exposed to tease him. Four-inch heels. I came to his shoulders. I pulled my hair back and up. Letting just a few strands touch my shoulders. 

I kept my eyes down. Lady like. Blushed when he touched me. I played my part as well as his open cast one.

“I think you should wear more clothes like this.” He ran his eyes down me. I blushed. I was very uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the woman in the shop said this would be the perfect come back. The dress impact reminded both of us of last night events. The memory shined in both of our eyes. We were playing a different game as we entered into a role that our lives had taken. The spark between grew into a wild fire as we denied each other what we wanted.

When I had met him here. I thought he was going to go into a fit. He knew the game. This time, we had taken it up a few notches.

“Do you know that every man in this room wants you?” I looked up, shocked, blushed, and lowered my head, just a tad. He sucked in his breath.

“What about you?” My words were light, soft. Child like.

“I wonder what jail would be like. I really want to throw you on the table and have my way.” My head shot up, eye round. My cheeks stained red. That is when I knew he was no longer playing.

“Dance with me.” He stood. His voice low, controlled. I stood. Followed. He twisted me under his arm in a sexy slow twirl. Pulled me tight against him.

“Is this how we are going to play now? Are you going to test me, Amay?” His voice dipped as he said my name.

“Just a little pay back.” He raised and locked his eyebrow. Cocking his head to side, to get a better look at me. He grinned. Wicked.

“Hmm I get it. Let’s play.” He spun me around the dance floor. There was no music. We danced to his rhythm. When he brought me back to him. He would crush me against him. I was out of breath, his lips moved against my exposed skin.

Everyone was watching.

“Your mine, no one else will touch you.” He said as he brought me back. I was like a yo-yo.

I danced away. I came back.

“That does include you.” I spun away. He did not look happy.

“When I can, you better watch out.”

“When, you mean if. Vamp boy.” He growled low. It was dangerous. Girls made lovely sounds. If they only knew.

“You will be the death of me.” Thomas whispered as I came back and did a little number that I saw on MTV. I won. We found a common ground that we were both comfortable with. Friends, with a supreme closeness.

“We are fine, when are we going home?”

“Is that what you want, to leave?”

“Nope, just wanted to know so I knew when to throw a fit.” He rolled his eyes at me.

“We have been here for a while, now.”

“Should have not said anything.” He smiled.

“I am glad that you don’t want to go. I always wondered what it would be like, just you and I.”

“You know we don’t have to stay with my family.” He looked away.

“That is debatable.”

“Father?” He nodded. I looked away.

“We can always just get married and call it good. Then we can leave if we wanted to.” He frowned at me. He did not tell me no.

I wondered what life I would have back at home. How protective they were going to be? Little did I know that my questions would be answered in the morning light?

I woke to him packing. I groaned and fell back on the couch.

“We have to go.”

“Another words he said it was time.” He frowned at me.

The airplane ride home was melodrama. It was a long trip home. Thomas had set it up that it would take a few more days to get home, then the two flights it would have it he chose the other option. We decided to sight see when we could.

I let out a defeated sigh as we pulled into the driveway.

“I know.” Thomas had the same look on his face.

“Should have gotten married.” He gave me a look even that would not stop us from returning here.