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I could feel Valerie’s stare as I ended the call.
“Why aren’t you back there with him?” she asked when I handed her the phone.
“I’m no longer a vampire,” I said and the truck swerved slightly before Valerie got her shock under control.
“Is that why you went away?”
I met her gaze and shook my head. “No, we were on the run and still are.”
“From...” Valerie started and closed her mouth. Michael must have schooled her in the fact that saying an archangel’s name can bring them to you. Especially a fallen archangel.
I met her gaze and she inhaled.
“He did this to me,” I said with enough venom in my voice for her to know exactly who I was referring to. “And it comes with a hell of a price.”
Valerie slowed as she pulled up to the gate and pressed the button on the remote attached to her visor. The gate slowly opened and she rolled the truck through, engaging the remote again once we cleared the space. She waited until the gate latched and studied me for the first time, her gaze scanning me and falling on my left hand.
“You’re married?”
I smiled and glanced at the elaborate engagement ring and wedding band adorning my finger. “Yes. We got married as soon as he recovered...” I whispered. My mind drifted back to his fumbling proposal in the thicket near where we built our mountainside cottage. He wasn’t sure whether to get down on one knee or not, and his fidgety posturing had me laughing so hard that he almost didn’t continue.
I can still hear his exasperation when he told me to please stop, he had something important to say and he couldn’t while I was laughing at him. When I wound down, he dropped to his knee and took a deep breath before uttering the most perfect proposal, sending packing the last piece of my heart that still had doubts. I couldn’t help but love him even more and the certainty that we were meant to be together brought forth the only logical answer. Yes.
His expression morphed from the unsure and sincerely timid one he delivered when he asked me to marry him to the brightest, most dazzling smile I had ever seen. The fond memories of his proposal and the wild love making that followed brought forth a wave of fresh tears that I blinked away.
I already missed that all-consuming passion.
“Were you cured then?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I’ve only been cured for a week,” I said. God, it’s only been a week? Seven days since we last made love, since we last touched without him wincing. How am I going to survive without his touch for the rest of my life? The thought gripped me as the garage doors opened and we drove into the darkness.
“You know, we could prop the mattress against the back door,” Valerie said and I glanced at the doorway and the ambient light filtering through the window panes, glad for something else to focus on.
“That would work,” I said and we got out of the cab, crossing to the tailgate. After Valerie lowered the gate, we pulled the mattress out and maneuvered it between the truck and her little Fusion, leaning it on the wall so that it covered the entire back doorway and part of the back wall.
I returned to the truck and unhooked the utility straps around the tool chest. Within seconds of release, the top popped open and Damian sat up blowing air out of his lungs like he was attempting to control an all out anxiety attack.
“So, I hear you got married,” Valerie said as she leaned on the edge of the tailgate.
Damian sent a smile her way and then met my gaze. “Yes, I did.”
“So, what’s going to happen now that she’s back to normal?”
His gaze never left mine. “Honestly, I have no idea,” he said in all sincerity and my throat constricted, the lump getting bigger by the second.
Silence filled the space and Damian broke eye contact, glancing around the garage.
“Where’s your Uncle Ted?”
“He went with Michael,” I said and Damian pressed his lips together before he climbed out of the box. That was a look I was accustomed to receiving and I gave him my signature eyebrow raise in response.
“He shouldn’t have gone with Michael; that was a big risk.”
“Showing up here was a big risk,” I countered. “If I had known Valerie was living here, I never would have suggested we come home.”
“Hey,” Valerie interrupted and we both turned our gaze toward her.
“No offense, it’s just wherever we go, trouble seems to follow,” Damian said, diffusing the flash of irritation in our host’s face.
“Well, I am offended. I’ve missed your company. Uncle Ted means well, but he’s never played a game of chess in his life and he certainly isn’t as well read as you are.” Valerie’s glanced moved from Damian to me. “And I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she added bringing her gaze back to Damian.
He stared at Valerie and then turned toward me. “I have never met two more stubborn and pigheaded women as the two of you.”
“Well, I’ve never met anyone so moody who didn’t have PMS,” I said and sent him a saccharine smile before hopping down to the ground next to Valerie. “Maybe we should leave him alone for a bit,” I said and glanced over my shoulder, meeting his exasperated gaze.
“Naomi, you know the dangers, but she doesn’t fully understand.”
Valerie turned on him. “I took quite a few advanced courses in theology for my undergrad degree, Damian, and I’ve had endless conversations with Michael about vampires and angels, so I know much more than you give me credit for. I know where you came from,” she said. “I know what kills vampires and demons. I know incantations to bring Michael here if we ever need him and I’m far enough along in my medical degree to understand genetics too, so don’t treat me like a child.”
All I could think was, Damian just got served, and I had to hide the smile that surfaced. Once I was sure I could keep my face neutral, I chanced a glance in Damian’s direction. He had taken a seat on the tool chest and ran a hand through his hair. I could tell he was measuring his response because his gaze was locked on the truck bed and not Valerie.
“I’m sorry,” he finally said and met her glare. “You’ve accomplished a lot in five years.”
Valerie softened. “I had to grow up real fast,” she said, reminding both of us of the hardship she had survived.
“I know,” he whispered, his gaze dropping and that all too familiar expression of blame crossing his handsome features.
“It wasn’t your fault,” both Valerie and I said in unison and we traded a glance. I guess she knew his expressions as well as I did, after all, she had known him all her life until I entered the equation.
He allowed a brief twist of a smile and he sighed. “Wireless?” he asked, pulling the computer out of the backpack.
“Yes. The passphrase is Angels with a capital A,” Valerie answered.
“Thanks. Why don’t you two go visit,” he said and tossed me my duffel bag. “I’ve got some work to do.”
I nodded and hauled the bag over my shoulder. “I’ll check on you in a little while,” I said.
He rolled his eyes and settled down on the truck bed, flipping the laptop open and started hammering on the keys.
Valerie gave us a strange look and then headed into the house, holding the door and waving me inside. She gave me a tour of the house, which was larger than the front indicated. The ranch sprawled out in a horseshoe with the living area covering most of the side where the garage attached and the sleeping quarters covered the opposite side. The family room opened to a u-shaped courtyard with a beautiful patio which surrounded a covered in-ground pool.
She led me to the guest suite and I sighed at the more than modest accommodations.
“This is the guest room and I don’t think Michael will mind letting you have it now that you’re back to being human,” she said and waved at the king size bed decorated with soft blues. “The bathroom reminds me of Damian’s in the old house.” Valerie swung the bathroom door open, showcasing a marble bathroom that could have been a replica of the one we used to have.
“Oh, Valerie, this is beautiful,” I whispered and the tears sprouted again, but this time I wasn’t able to stop them with a flurry of blinks. I dropped the bag on the floor and covered my face.
Her warm arms wrapped around me and I melted into her, letting myself succumb to the soul-strangling sobs.