Page 39 of Twilight Destiny

“You can ask me anything,” Kadie said, smiling.

“Are you happy as a vampire?”

“Most of the time.”

“Most of the time?”

“There are moments when I regret being turned,” Kadie said, choosing her words carefully. “I haven’t been a vampire so long that I’ve forgotten what it was like to be human. I still remember the taste and texture of food and sometimes I miss being able to walk in the sunshine without wearing a hat and sunglasses and long sleeves. But those times are rare, and getting rarer every day. I love Saintcrow more than you can imagine. I wouldn’t change a moment of our time together for anything in the world.”

“And the blood?”

Kadie shrugged. “It’s a fact of life. And it’s not so bad. Once you get used to it, you really don’t want anything else.”

Rosa didn’t say so, but she found that hard to believe. “But you steal it from people. It’s not like they want you to take it.”

“It doesn’t hurt them if you do it right. And we don’t take enough that they miss it. I mean, people give more when they donate to the Red Cross than the small amount we take. Have you tasted Kincaid?”

Rosa stared at her, horrified by the very idea. “No! Why would I want to?”

“Has he tasted you?”

“No.” But even as she said the word, she wondered if it was true. Saintcrow had told her vampires could mesmerize her, drink from her, and she would never know it. “At least I don’t think so.”

“You should let him,” Kadie said, her eyes filled with understanding. “You’ll like it.”

Later that night, lying in bed, Rosa thought about what Kadie had said. Was it possible to enjoy being bitten by a vampire? It seemed unlikely. Impossible, even. Try as she might to put the thought out of her mind, it not only followed her to sleep, it was her first thought when she woke in the morning.

Sitting up in bed, she hugged her pillow to her chest. Would she like being bitten by Jake?

Did she want to know what it was like badly enough to let him bite her? Could she trust him not to take too much? Not to take it all?

What if one bite turned to two and he made her a vampire? The thought gave her pause. Wasn’t that why she had come to Morgan Creek in the first place? To find a vampire who would change her?

Somehow, the thought wasn’t as exciting as it had been. Certainly not a decision she wanted to make in the few days she had left. She would have to go home the day before her vacation was over to give herself time to unpack and get ready for work. She had been employed as a receptionist in a dentist’s office for the last year or so and she loved it. The pay was better than average, the hours were good, she got holidays off, and they offered medical and dental benefits. Plus, she got to meet new people every day, and her coworkers were friendly and easy to get along with.

Throwing the covers aside, she headed for the bathroom. What if she pretended to be a vampire on a weekend, she mused, and then frowned. Sure, she could sleep days and only go out at night, but she would still have to eat. And pretending to hunt would be silly. She couldn’t go around following people, pretending they were prey. Besides, she had a pretty good idea of what hunting was like from going out with Jake.

Brushing the idea aside, she showered and dressed, indulged in a big breakfast because she was human and she could eat anything she liked.

Only two more days to spend with Jake, she mused with a sigh. She was going to miss him dreadfully, she thought as she loaded the dishwasher. And Saintcrow, too. If Jake would transport her home, and Saintcrow would return her rental car to the airport, she could stay three days instead of two.

She spent the rest of the morning catching up on her laundry. Would Jake miss her when she was gone? Probably not as much as she was going to miss him, she thought, as she folded her tee shirts and sweaters, hung up her jeans.

When it was done, she decided to go into town and pick up a few souvenirs so she’d have something to remind her of her visit. As if she’d ever forget the time she’d spent here. Little chance of that, she thought.

One of the novelty shops carried a variety of mugs and shot glasses embossed with the name of the town. There was also a shelf of bobble heads. She grinned when she found one of Dracula. The perfect memento, she mused, plucking one off the shelf. She bought a pair of mugs, too, a dish towel with Morgan Creek embroidered on the hem, and a bright blue tee shirt with the town logo on the front. She also bought a Morgan Creek magnet for her fridge.

Saintcrow was up when she returned to the house. “Been souvenir shopping, I see.”

She shrugged. “I’ll be leaving in a couple of days. Some of us have to work for a living, you know.”

He grunted softly. He had never held a job in his life. In the old days, whenever he’d needed money, he had taken it from his prey. When he needed clothing, he’d stolen it. He had taken his rest in caves, abandoned warehouses, empty tombs, and bombed-out buildings. Over time, he had invested some of the money he’d stolen. Now, he owned all the stores and the hotel in town, as well as a dozen prime stocks, all of which provided a tidy profit.

Dragging his mind from the past, he asked, “So, have you made up your mind?”

Rosa sank down on the sofa. “I think so. I like the good things about being a vampire—not getting old or sick, living a long, long time, all those neat supernatural powers. But giving up the sun and food and living a normal life, having kids … ” She shook her head. “For now, I’m happy to be what I am.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Come on, I’ll take you to lunch.”

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