Sunrise at Sunset (Sunset Vampire #1) - Page 12

The Return

Caleb thought that he heard voices as he stirred from his dreamless sleep, not the distorted kind of voices that might plague the mentally ill or addicts, but rather a series of muted tones speaking in hurried and urgent fashions. His eyes opened slowly, revealing not pitch blackness, but illumination from a dim glow through the sheer curtains of the bedroom window. While it was still nighttime, moonlight emanated into the room from beyond.

Sitting up in bed, he slipped from beneath the sheets and into his blue jeans. He didn't bother with a T-shirt and went to the open doorway. Caleb no longer bothered shutting the bedroom door unless he was changing clothes. A friendship had formed between him and Paige, bonded forever through a shared sense of survival and the battle for it.

He stood listening in the hallway. The voices came from the downstairs sitting room, across from the foot of the stairs. He could see the open French glass doors leading in, though not the interior of the room itself more than a few feet, and he strained to understand the voices as his heart raced.

Alton's voice registered in his mind. They're back already!

Caleb tip-toed to the top of the stairs and stood statue-like, gripping the banister with his right hand for balance in the darkness.

"…watching him closely after that…" Paige noted.

"…seems like a normal reaction…changes to be expected…" muttered Alton's voice.

"…changes? Don't know the half of it…" Paige countered.

Caleb frowned, trying desperately to hear more.

"…kidding?!…attacked a gunman with a crow bar?" Katrina demanded incredulously.

Upon hearing Katrina's voice, his pulse increased, and his heartbeat pounded in his chest. The anticipation of actually taking Katrina in his arms built.

All conversation downstairs abruptly stopped.

Katrina appeared, staring up at him from the foot of the stairs outside the sitting room. She wore black denim jeans that fit her like a glove and a royal blue, loose-fitted, sleeveless blouse. She stood with her bare feet slightly parted and set, and her arms were folded across her chest. Her shock-red hair was pulled tightly over her head into a ponytail.

Caleb gazed upon her face, wholly unprepared for what he saw. Her pale features were hard, and her green eyes were glowing heatedly. They were angry eyes. She was still a vision of beauty, but her visage was tinged with both fierce and predatory qualities. She stood resolutely, appearing fully as the image of a classic vampire, both beautiful and terrible at the same time. Any normal person would have fled running in terror, but he held his ground.

His heart almost stopped as he gazed fully upon her feral beauty. He felt butterflies in his stomach, and his breath caught in his lungs. Despite her intimidating appearance, she was still the focus of his only desire.

Katrina's features softened slightly, but her eyes still glowed green. Caleb somehow sensed that she was moving quickly from anger to desire. The differences were subtle, but somehow he just knew.

He wanted to leap down the stairs to tackle her, but instead mustered his willpower. He steeled his expression with a frown and crooked his finger at her in a slow, beckoning motion as he tightly held onto the banister railing with his left hand.

"You left me, and I was so angry, but I missed you so much that I wanted to die. Then I almost did," he whispered in a choked voice.

A fleeting moment of anguish crossed Katrina's face as her sharp vampire hearing registered his comment. The corner of her mouth upturned in a feral scowl. Her fangs were already extended, making her look terrifying.

Something blared in his mind like a siren. She looks angry – and hungry!

Katrina heard his heartbeat thundering in his chest from where she stood at the foot of the stairs. In fact, she could smell him from where she stood: his body, his blood.

Caleb swallowed hard once and whispered hoarsely, "Am I worthy of you?"

Her green eyes flared brightly before she launched upstairs at him. He had seen her move fast, but was wholly unprepared for the rapid velocity that she displayed, or for the impact of her body plunging into his at the top of the stairs, causing the air to rush from his lungs. He lost his grip on the handrail, and his body spun clockwise before abruptly stopping, only then able to inhale air sharply.

It was a miracle that he was still standing upright, but he quickly realized why. She held him like a vice around the waist with her left arm while cradling the back of his head with her right hand. Her lips pressed into his as she almost drew the breath from his lungs.

He grasped her shoulders, pulling her to him. They kissed passionately and desperately, savoring the moment. He was both relieved and ecstatic to have her safely in his arms again…finally.

Caleb felt his excitement increase as his heart thundered, and he dug the toes of his bare feet into the carpeted floor and pressed against her with all of his strength, trying to push her towards the wall behind them.

She pulled away from his lips slightly with an entirely surprised expression. Her mouth upturned in an amused manner as she allowed her body to be pressed against the wall. Her lips quickly found his again. I can be gracious, she conceded.

Time seemed to stop as the heat passed to his bare skin in waves from her still-clothed body. Using all the strength in his lean form, he urged her to move sideways until she was in the doorway to the bedroom and then urged her backwards towards the bed. They fell onto it with a bounce. A feverish excitement rose in their bodies, but hers held an additional insistence of thirst.

Their faces parted by mere inches as they lay side-by-side across the bed.

Caleb frowned and asked in a slightly insulted voice, "Why didn't you wake me when you got back?"

"I looked in, but you were fast asleep. You looked exhausted, and I wanted to let you rest," she replied sympathetically. "I knew you were safe, and that was enough at the time."

"Well, it's not enough for me," he endearingly chastised her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized with a smirk.

"Apology accepted," he said before softly kissing her lips. He pressed the right side of his face towards the bed linens, leaving his neck completely exposed for her. Saying nothing, his intentions screamed, I'm yours.

She bent to kiss him softly on the throat. She kissed him again harder before realizing that her thirst was an intense, animal craving. He felt one of her razor-sharp fangs scrape menacingly across his skin.

"You're insane," she harshly whispered against the skin of his neck. "I can't."

"Why not?" he insisted with confusion. "You're hungry. I can tell."

"It's too much. I'm so hungry. I just want to tear your throat out right now," she rasped. "I have to feed first, or you're going to die."

A pang of shock ran through him as he realized just how close he was to being a meal instead of a mate. "Okay, but hurry back," he urged.

She stared at him with intense, glowing eyes, promising pointedly, "Oh, I will."

The bed lurched, and she was gone.

Caleb lay there listening to his heartbeat racing in his ears. He was filled with elation that Katrina was finally home and safe.

As he sat up, he heard lighter conversation and some chuckling coming from downstairs, though primarily in Alton's and Paige's voices. He moved to the attached bathroom and flipped on the light. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and massaged his fingers back through his hair. After turning off the light and returning to the bed, he lay down in the moonlight and waited. His thoughts drifted aimlessly when he heard Katrina's voice downstairs followed by Paige's giggling.

"I'm waiting, Kat," he teased.

Katrina appeared at the doorway with glowing green eyes, though lit with passion rather than hunger. Her red hair spilled down, framing her face like a mantle, and she held an amused smirk on her lips. "Demanding, aren't we?" she commented while closing the door behind her.

He started to rise from the bed, but she lifted her right leg and used the ball of her bare foot to press against his muscled chest, nudging him back onto the bed before her.

"Lose your clothes," she quietly ordered.

He smiled while reaching for the buttons on his jeans. "The alpha vampire returns, I see."

"Oh, you have no idea," she muttered as she slid seductively from her jeans and blouse in the moonlight.

A shiver ran down his spine as he lay naked before her. His eyes locked onto the beauty of her body as the excitement rose in his.

She moved slowly and deliberately until she was lying atop him. Her lips met his, kissing him hard.

Then time stood still as their bodies conveyed mutual love and longing.

Later, she lay across his body lazily, her hand caressing his face. "It's nice to feel how much you missed me," she murmured with a smile and kissed his chest. She was truly happy for what felt like the first time in an eternity.

He ran the fingers of his hand soothingly through her long hair and across her scalp. "I can't believe you're finally here," he murmured. He was filled with so many emotions: relief, joy, but most of all love.

They lay together in silence for a period of time before he decided to revisit something. He started to sit up, and she moved away from him slightly with a curious expression. Realization played on her face as she watched him turn his face to the right, leaving the other side of his neck exposed to her.

"Safer for me now?" he whispered.

Her eyes flashed brilliant green for a split second, and she kissed him on the base of his exposed neck. She parted her lips, and he felt her razor-sharp fangs press lightly against his skin. He shivered only once before relaxing the muscles in his body as he leaned against his right arm, which propped him up slightly. She made a small murmuring noise in her throat.

"Somewhat safer, perhaps," she said.

Guiding him to lay back down on the bed, she sat up and straddled his body with hers. She bent down to kiss him lightly on the neck, and he turned his face to kiss her. She kissed him on the lips only once and used her left hand to rotate his face to the right again, facing away from her. She gently pressed against his face, holding it in place.

"Kisses later, my love," she whispered wickedly. "Blood first."

Her lips touched the supple skin of his throat before parting slightly. She pressed her tongue against his skin and held it there until the surface of his neck began to feel slightly numb. Meanwhile, the sound of his own pulse raced in his ears.

Seconds later, Katrina's fangs pressed against his skin, and he felt a slight prickling pressure into his neck. He remained completely still and breathed shallowly as her lips sealed against his throat. Then he heard, and felt, tiny suckling sensations as small moans of pleasure reverberated through her.

I love him, and his blood, she thought while drawing his sweet blood into her mouth. He tasted perfect to her.

Caleb noticed that she was pressing into his neck with more pressure than she had used on prior occasions. And while not particularly painful, it was uncomfortable, and he felt stronger nudges of her mouth pressing against his neck. Time seemed to stop again as his thoughts drifted aimlessly. He felt strangely satisfied as he lay completely helpless before her, knowing it was his blood being so casually drawn by her. And yet he felt safe and loved.

She pressed into his neck with a renewed pressure, and he felt an aching sensation where her fangs penetrated for a second time. She had never done that to him before, and his muscles tightened with concern. "Sorry, my love," she murmured as she retracted her fangs and slowed the suctioning of his blood into her mouth.

After a time, he felt her tongue pressed against his throat again, which she held there at length. The numbness spread soothingly through his neck once more, and he welcomed it after her more aggressive feeding. Finally, she kissed him on the neck and moved to lie along his body with her face against his chest.

He turned to stare at the ceiling and whispered with complete sincerity, "I love you so very much."

She smiled, kissed his chest, and replied in a wholly satisfied voice, "And I love you, completely."

They lay together quietly in genuine contentment, both reveling in their reunion. But eventually, his physical and emotional exhaustion took over, and he fell peacefully asleep.

However, while tired herself, Katrina remained awake, just cradling him next to her. She felt so satisfied just being there alongside him, and she wanted nothing more in life than to hold him in her arms.

He means everything to me, she mused while listening to the rhythmic sounds of his heartbeat and breathing.

When Caleb finally stirred, groggily realizing he was alone, he opened his eyes but immediately blinked to make sure that what he was seeing was real. The room was brightened by the growing light of morning emanating through the sheer curtains of the bedroom window. He rolled out of bed and sat on the edge of the mattress for a moment. Getting up, he made his way to the window, parting the curtains to see outside for the first time in days. The sun had only partially risen. Since the room was on the front, western side of the house, he wasn't able to receive any of the direct eastern sunlight. Still, he sighed while appreciating the simple ability to gaze outdoors at the glow of dawn.

For a few minutes, he stared out the window as the morning sunshine spilled onto the far side of the front lawn, well beyond the shadow of the large estate's roofline. He had almost forgotten how bright the outdoors appeared in the morning. He stretched, recalling the reunion the night before between him and Katrina with a giddiness that made him feel like a child on Christmas morning.

He wandered into the bathroom to shave and use some mouthwash before pulling on some blue jeans and a T-shirt. Then he recalled something from before Katrina's and Alton's departure. He went to the nearby nightstand, picked up an ink pen and notepad, and began scribbling down some information. He tore off the sheet, folded it in half, and slipped it into his back pocket. I need to remember to give this to Katrina.

Not bothering with shoes or socks, he made his way to the bedroom door. "Warning, daylight in doorway," he announced.

He waited, but heard nothing and carefully opened the door to slip from the room. He pulled the door shut behind him out of both courtesy and concern for the vampires in the house. One vampire in particular came to the forefront of his mind, and he smiled as his hand released the door handle.

It took only a split second to realize the hallway was pitch black, and he started to fumble for the hallway light switch when he thought he heard something on the stairs. Before he could react, he felt strong arms envelop him, and soft lips passionately kissed him. He recognized those lips and was only too happy to return the affection in kind.

Finally, he forced himself to draw in a breath, and the sweet scent of cherry blossoms filled his nose. It smelled wonderful and instilled happiness because it was Katrina's preferred fragrance.

"Good morning, my love," she breathed wistfully.

"Good morning, Kat," he replied with a smile, knowing full well that she saw it in the darkness.

Her fingertips lightly caressed the left side of his neck where she had bitten him twice the night before. "How are you feeling this morning?"

He understood the implied meaning in both her action and question and replied, "Never better. Very little soreness, actually."

"Good," she replied happily before kissing him again. "I'm sorry for the aggressive feeding on you last night." She made a mental note to be more careful with him until she had firmer control of her recent violent emotions.

"I enjoyed every minute," Caleb replied sincerely.

She started to release him from their embrace, but he tightened his arms around her waist and just held her against his body. He realized just how much he had missed her for those few days. But then, at the time, he hadn't been certain that he would ever see her again. He swallowed hard at how vivid those thoughts were until mere hours ago.

"I know," she said, seeming to gauge his embrace and body language. "I missed you desperately." A warm feeling flowed through her as she relished his body against hers. This is exactly what I've been fighting so hard to return home to.

His embrace slackened, and they slowly unwound their arms from around each other. She turned to lead him by the hand towards the stairs in the darkness, but he immediately tugged against her. "Hey," he quipped nervously. "I can't see in the dark like you, remember?"

"This is a trust-building exercise," she replied slyly.

She pulled on his arm to draw him to her side. Wrapping one arm around his waist like a vice, she lifted him up slightly, and they plunged down the stairs, though to him it felt more like a plummet. Before he could blink, his bare feet touched the cool tile at the bottom, and his heart was racing.

"Do we have trust issues?" Caleb asked carefully.

Katrina's lips once more found his briefly. "Just playing with you," she whispered. She hadd been craving some of the excited feelings of her recent hunt and longed to share some of the tamer sensations from that experience with him.

"Hey, no playing on the stairs," scolded Paige from the kitchen down the hall to their left.

"Um, adults here. Babysitter not needed anymore," chided Katrina.

Caleb adored Paige. He chuckled as Katrina held onto his hand while leading him through the dark to the glow of light radiating from the kitchen area.

"They grow up so quickly," Paige muttered mock-forlornly as they approached the entrance to the well-lit room.

"Too true," Alton agreed solemnly.

Katrina and Caleb appeared in the doorway and released hands.

"Feelin' a quart lower this morning, kiddo?" Paige inquired playfully as she perched on a stool at the breakfast bar wearing faded blue jeans and a black Ramones T-shirt.

He merely grinned back at her.

Alton sat on a stool near Paige and chuckled. He wore casual slacks and a cotton golf shirt and was sipping blood from a crystal goblet. Caleb momentarily marveled how little it bothered him to see that now.

"Good morning, you two," Caleb greeted with a smile. He reached for Alton's hand to shake it, and the vampire returned his firm grip with a perplexed expression.

"Alton, I want to thank you properly for helping Katrina, for helping me," he began earnestly. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, and I don't know to repay you. But if I can ever do anything for you…"

Katrina's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she viewed the exchange with intense interest. Alton smirked, and his eyes darted to Katrina before Caleb noticed.

The stately vampire considered Caleb introspectively. "I've known Katrina a long time, and I hope you realize just how much you mean to her."

Caleb nodded his understanding while glancing up at Katrina. "I think I do."

"Then I charge you with doing something for her each day to make her happy," Alton bequeathed to him. "And in doing so, you can repay a little of your debt to me one day at a time."

Caleb smiled and promised, "I can do that."

Katrina flashed a relieved smile and winked at Alton. She hadn't been certain how he was going to respond to Caleb's offer.

"Hey, what about me?" Paige demanded in a mock-huffy tone.

Caleb grinned, smoothly crossed the short distance to her, and hugged her. "Thanks for taking such good care of me, babysitter. What can I do to repay you?"

Paige hugged him back warmly. "Aw hell, just go out clubbing with me sometime."

"But not by yourselves," Katrina interjected with a raised eyebrow at Paige, who merely stuck her tongue out in response.

As Caleb pulled away from her, Paige nailed a lightning-fast kiss on the side of his cheek and grinned brightly.

"So, Caleb, what are you going to do today?" Alton asked curiously.

"Well, I -" he began before stopping in midsentence to stare curiously at Katrina. "I suppose it'll be up to Kat."

Katrina raised her eyebrow at him, and the beginning of a grin formed on her face. That was unexpected.

"Oh, and I almost forgot," he offered while reaching into his jeans pocket to retrieve the folded piece of note paper he'd scribbled on earlier. "These are my email logons for both home and work and my cell phone and home phone voicemail passwords, so you can review anything that Chimalma may have sent me."

He handed the paper to Katrina with a sincere expression on his face, and she looked back at him with a degree of satisfaction.

"What have you done to Caleb while I was away?" she asked as her gaze shifted to Paige intently.

"Oh, didn't I mention?" Paige asked with a smirk. "In addition to babysitting, I mentor as a big sister now, too."

Caleb's first request that morning was to go outside and stand in the morning sunshine. Though he enjoyed the estate, he was desperate to be outdoors again. Katrina considered his request as she looked to Alton for his initial reaction. The tall, dark-haired vampire shrugged noncommittally.

"Okay," Katrina agreed in a cautious tone. "But we'll go out through the front side of the house, and I'll stand in the shade to watch. However, once the sunlight becomes too strong or directly prevents my observation, I expect you to return inside when I give the word."

Caleb nodded. "Done."

"I want to go too," Paige insisted.

Katrina frowned and asked, "Really? When was the last time you braved a daylight excursion?"

Paige considered her question and conceded, "Been a long time."

"Get our coats," Katrina prompted the younger vampire.

Caleb ran back upstairs to grab socks, shoes, and a jacket and returned to the front entry area just as the two women were slipping into leather winter coats that fell to well below their knees. They buttoned their coats to their necks, wrapped black scarves around their hair, and put on dark sunglasses and leather gloves. Together, the two vampires looked like they were attending a funeral.

Caleb shrugged into his black leather jacket, though he didn't button it. He looked to Katrina, who nodded for him to open the front door. A fairly cool, crisp December morning breeze pressed inside upon the door's opening, and Caleb stepped eagerly outside and took a deep breath. The fresh air was cool to him, but hardly cold, so he didn't bother zipping his jacket. The sky was clear blue without a cloud to be seen, a very welcome sight, to say the least.

He stepped out onto the lawn and made his way to the south side of the house where the sunlight was already shining brightly onto the dormant, brown grass. Katrina and Paige hugged the wall, well in the shade, as they slowly walked to within fifteen feet of the edge of the house where Caleb stood. He closed his eyes as the sunlight shone upon his face, and he smiled with pleasure at the feeling of the heat on his skin.

Meanwhile, Katrina whispered to Paige softly, "How does it feel?"

Paige looked up at Katrina and muttered, "Just like standing on the edge of a volcano and watching it erupt."

Katrina smiled and sympathized with the description. Even standing in the shade of the house was uncomfortable with the growing sunlight bathing the world around them in a bright glow. To their eyes, the ultraviolet radiation from the sunlight seemed to cast a colorful aura all over Caleb's body, particularly where it shined on his exposed skin. It looked to them like he was being irradiated in a fiery glow.

"I'd be a cinder by now," Paige muttered darkly.

Katrina just nodded her head, recalling her experience in the sunlight that day when she first met Caleb as a child. It wasn't a pleasant memory. "Caleb looks beautiful, almost like a shining angel," she whispered in an admiring tone.

Paige looked up at her friend, then back at Caleb. "Yeah, I guess I can see that."

He slipped out of his jacket and let the sunshine rain down upon his T-shirt clad torso. He stretched his arms out from his sides as he slowly turned. It felt exquisite because the house blocked most of the cool breeze, leaving only the direct sunlight to warm him. This feels amazing, he mused appreciatively.

He paused and turned to look with concern at the two bundled vampires standing in the shade of the house. "Are you two okay?" he asked with a frown.

"We're fine," Katrina answered neutrally. "For now."

Paige said nothing but seemed to be looking around somewhat anxiously as she stood in the relative safety of the shade. "If somebody shows up with a mirror, we're toast," she mumbled irritably.

Katina felt the small area of exposed skin on her face begin to prickle uncomfortably with the increasing UV in the atmosphere. She gauged from the youthful vampire's comment that Paige must be feeling the same thing. One glance at her pensive-looking friend confirmed that. She looked back at Caleb and could almost feel the happiness and satisfaction emanating from him in waves. It made her smile, despite her growing discomfort.

After a time, which Caleb lost track of, the sun began rising to a point where it was overtaking the formerly ample shade of the front yard. The light began moving closer and closer to the west of the house, which only increased the anxiety that both vampires were feeling. He continued to stand in the sunshine, taking his time to look around at the outdoors he had taken forced refuge from for so many days. This is freedom, he thought happily.

A few minutes later, Katrina instructed in a firm voice, "Caleb, please return inside the house now."

His smiling face turned to Katrina, and he nodded his acknowledgement.

The women began backing away as Caleb picked up his jacket from the ground and walked towards them with a curious expression. As he got closer to them, they increased their retreat towards the front porch. Paige quickly led the way back through the front door with Caleb close behind. Katrina remained at his back once he approached the steps and followed him inside the house, firmly closing the front door behind them.

"That was fantastic!" he exclaimed as he tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair. "I almost forgot what the sun looked like."

Katrina smiled as she shrugged out of her coat and removed her scarf and gloves.

"You looked like a miniature Chernobyl standing out there," Paige muttered whimsically to him. "Meanwhile, I felt singed just standing in the shade watching you."

"It was so nice to be outdoors again. I bet you two were glad that I didn't decide to go on a jog out there," he quipped with a mischievous grin.

Paige rolled her eyes and retorted, "And you'd be on your own, Mister Blowtorch."

But Katrina simply gave him a wicked smile, pulled herself to her full height to tower before him, and replied ominously, "The sun would set before you knew it, and you'd be free game for me, my love."

His smile faded quickly, and he adopted a more humble expression as he folded his arms across his chest. "Sorry, Kat," he muttered with a tone of respect evident in his voice. "Thanks so much for letting me outside this morning."

"That's what I thought," she replied smoothly with a sly smile. "And you're welcome."

Alton chuckled as he walked into another room.

By late morning, Alton told Caleb that Paige wanted his help in the garage. On his way there, he reflected on his most recent visit there when Paige was interrogating one of the assailants who had attacked them. He wondered why Paige wanted his help and momentarily considered the pile of dead bodies that she had stacked on the floor following the attack. He shivered, anxiously hoping he wasn't going to be handling corpses.

As he slowly peered into to the garage from the hallway near the kitchen, he heard someone pulling something heavy across the garage floor. His vision into the garage increased, and he saw Paige placing a broken china cabinet against the wall. It was one of the larger pieces of furniture damaged in the house during the assault. He let out a sigh, happy it wasn't something of a more grisly nature.

Paige looked up with a smirk and teased, "Hey there, kiddo. Where've you been hiding? I need help clearing some space for all the junk we have to stack out here for disposal."

Caleb gave a nervous grin and asked, "Oh, that. Where's all of the, um, you know?"

Paige adopted a perplexed look and smiled at his intended reference. "Oh, so that's why you had that look on your face," she offered with a knowing tone. "Alton and I disposed of those thugs last night after he and Katrina returned. We found their panel truck and hauled them off in it."

He frowned. "But how did you dispose -"

"We buried the weapons and ammunition in a rural location and burned the bodies inside the truck some distance from the weapons. It's not very tidy, but should be far enough away from Atlanta that our tracks are covered. We returned just before dawn, not long before you came downstairs this morning."

Caleb's eyes widened. "Well, that's impressive."

"Thanks," she replied with a smug expression. "Now, let's clear some space out here."

The perky vampire tossed some gloves to Caleb, but he had to step back to get a good catch angle on them. As he did, he abruptly backed into Katrina, which startled him as he staggered slightly off-balance. Katrina chuckled at his surprised reaction while her left arm instantly wrapped around his waist to steady him against her. She fluidly presented him with his cell phone in her right hand.

"Vampires are too stealthy for their own good," he mumbled with a degree of embarrassment.

"Your voicemail is clean, and there are two messages from coworkers you'll want to listen to. Also, your work and home email inboxes are cleaned out. Again, you'll want to read a number of new messages," she informed him while ignoring his comment.

He leaned his head back against her shoulder as he retrieved his cell phone from her hand. Its return lightened his former irritation at having been caught off-guard by Katrina's sudde