Page 34 of Lucy

“I know for a fact that she is, indeed, dead.” Brendon said it with such finality that Jenny and Clark didn’t dare respond.

“Let’s adjourn this meeting,” Viv said with a sigh. “We can reconvene later to talk about particulars.”

She stood, and Brendon and Ace followed her from the room. I still found it strange to watch her with my face, her mannerisms being so different from my own.

Joanie left with the triple A’s. Jenny and Clark followed them.

“Might I have a few moments with Lucy?” Veti asked.

Henry removed his hand from my shoulder and he and Marcus stepped out of the room. When it was only Veti and me left she turned to face me, taking my hands into hers.

Veti had always been there for me. From my first scraped, knee to my first period, she was there. Suddenly it dawned on me that we had gone from spending almost every waking moment together to just a few stolen moments here and there. My heart actually felt like it was hurting, and emotion clogged my throat.

“Please tell me what is going on with you,” Veti asked in a low voice.

“I think I am falling in love.”

The honestly of the statement surprised both of us. Veti blinked and swallowed twice before responding.

“I knew that you had a crush on Marcus, but Henry? It’s only been a few weeks. How can you know?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know for certain. But the way I feel about both men is overwhelming. I know that vampires don’t really believe in soul mates.”

She shook her head. “They don’t, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. I am just scared that you are jumping into things so fast. You used to tell me everything.”

“I know, but I am grown up now, Veti. You have spent so much time taking care of me that I think you have forgotten how to live for yourself. I don’t want to push you away. I only want to set you free. I don’t need a mother anymore, but I could sure use a friend.”

Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she nodded. “I could use a friend as well. I love you, Lucy Lou. I can’t promise that I won’t freak out occasionally, I have been at this mothering business for a long time now. But I don’t want to smother you. And you are right, you are grown up now.”

She embraced me, and I inhaled the familiar scent of her perfume. I hugged her tightly to my chest and whispered, “I love you back, Veti.”

By the time we left the conference room we both had red-rimmed eyes. The talk had been good, cleansing even. It was long past time, and even though it was hard for both of us, it was the right thing.

Veti deserved to live the life that she was meant to live. I would never, ever forget what she gave up for me.

“Is everything alright?”

A deep voice asked, bringing my eyes up and then up again. The man was staring at Veti, clearly concerned at her upset. I searched my mind, trying to remember his name.

“David!” Veti blushed and lowered her head. “Everything is fine.”

“Are you certain?” he inquired again.

“If you would both excuse me for a minute,” I said and disengaged my arm from hers.

Veti gave me a death glare for deserting her, but I blithely ignored it.

I noticed that as I walked away her eyes were smiling, and she was answering the tall man. Perhaps this was what Veti needed all along. An arm snaked around my waist and pulled me against a firm chest.

“I saw what you did there,” Marcus murmured into my hair.

I smiled a goofy smile, thankful that he couldn’t see my face. “Just a little matchmaking.”

He turned me in his arms, and I swallowed my grin, hoping that he wasn’t upset with me.

“You are one in a million, Lucy.”

The grin slipped out and to my surprise one spread across his face as well. But I didn’t have long to see it because soon he was kissing me, and to be honest I would prefer that any day of the week.

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