Page 81 of Twilight Longings

Kadie woke in the middle of the night, uncertain what had roused her. The fire had burned out, the house was quiet. Rylan lay resting beside her.

Sitting up, she glanced around the room, gasped when she saw someone standing by the door, looking back at her. At first, Kadie thought it was Eleni, and then she recognized Rosemary. Rosemary? Kadie pressed a hand to her heart. It was her friend’s ghost And she wasn’t alone. Donna and Shirley were there, too, pale shadows of their former selves.

Slipping away from Saintcrow’s side, Kadie took a few steps toward Rosemary. “What are you going here?”

Keeping you safe. A woman was here, looking for you. She is very sensitive to ghosts. We frightened her and she left.

“Thank you,” Kadie whispered, certain the woman in question had been Eleni. “She’s evil.”

Rosemary’s ghost nodded.Be careful, Kadie. She hates you.

“I know. Thanks for the warning.”

“Who are you talking to?”

Kadie glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Saintcrow. “Rosemary’s ghost.”

He muttered an oath as he sat up and glanced around the room. “I don’t see anything.”

“She doesn’t like you much, remember?”

“Yeah. Is she still here?”

“I don’t see her now, but I can feel her presence. And she’s not alone. She said Eleni was here but they frightened her away.”

Saintcrow grunted. Vampire magic couldn’t keep his sire out, but a couple of old ghosts could do the trick. It was something to think about.

Kadie’s appointment with the doctor was Monday afternoon at two o’clock. She had fretted about it all day Sunday, by turns anxious and excited. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a doctor or a dentist. Vampires didn’t get sick or get cavities.

Saintcrow insisted on driving her. He overrode her protests, saying she wasn’t going anywhere alone as long as Eleni was a threat, and then went into a long discourse on what could have happened if Eleni had followed her into Cheyenne.

“Yes, yes, I know,” Kadie said. “I need to be more careful. I won’t go off alone again.”

“See that you don’t.”

“You’re like an old mother hen with one chick,” Kadie muttered.

“And you’re as helpless as that chick,” he reminded her. “You don’t have any defenses against her.”

“Neither do you!” Kadie retorted.

“True. But she doesn’t wantmedead.”

His words sent a shiver down her spine. Eleni was an old vampire, Kadie thought. A look from those green eyes could probably drop her where she stood.

The examination was uncomfortable and embarrassing. She was going to ask for a female doctor next time, Kadie mused, as she tossed the paper gown on the examining table. The fact that she had no insurance had caused some consternation, but in the end, they had agreed to let her pay cash. She shook her head as she left the doctor’s office. Saintcrow always paid cash for everything.

He was waiting for her by the front entrance.

“Why didn’t you come in?” she asked, as they walked to the parking lot.

He shook his head as he opened the door for her. “The place stinks of urine and blood and death.”

Of course, she should have remembered that his senses were far stronger and more sensitive than were hers now.

“So, what did the doctor say?”

“They did some tests and the doctor said he didn’t see any reason why I couldn’t conceive and deliver a healthy child. He said everything looked fine. He took my blood pressure and listened to my heart and my lungs. Naturally, I couldn’t tell them why I was worried about conceiving.”

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