Terry and I drove up to an entrance in a very elegant wooded gated neighborhood on the outskirts of Seattle. I rang the buzzer and heard Ann’s voice.
“It’s me, Zoey.” And the gate opened. It was almost a mile to the house, with trees and paved driveway that led to a stately style manor.
“How much money did Sebastian give them?” Terry asked. “I hope once he changes me I can get something equal to that. Just think, servants and strapping young men to satisfy my every whim.”
“I don’t think he does that for everyone. They helped me out of a jam.”
“What do you think I’m doing, and besides I’m your friend, and Sebastian owes me and I aim to collect.” I shot her a quick glance. It looks like I was taking care of her instead of the opposite way around.
Terry glanced my way as I turned the corner and the house came into view. She said, “I guess this is what you call hiding in plain sight.” I knew what she meant. Instead of them going to a small town and out in the woods somewhere, they found an estate in the richest neighborhood of Seattle.
We parked the car under the entryway to the front door and Terry and I jumped out. She stood waiting until I walked around to her side, “Did you tell her you were bringing a friend?”
“No, and let me do the talking,” I said.
“I hope you don’t try to disguise what I am.”
“Heaven forbid if I ever told them you were almost an undead.” I rolled my eyes at her. “I don’t have to tell her because the minute her boyfriend sees you he will know.”
The door opened and Ann stood smiling and looking like the servant and not the owner of this mansion. She wore a pair of jeans and a red and black flannel shirt. “Zoey, it’s good to see you.” She grabbed me and hugged me. “Who is your beautiful friend?”
“This is Terry. She’s my body guard. She will be staying with me.” Terry pushed me in the side.
“Come in and let’s go to the sunroom,” Ann said. “This is my favorite part of the house. I followed behind Ann through the foyer and then Terry stopped.
“I would rather not, Ann. You are Ann.”
“Where are my manners,” I said. “Terry this is Ann.”
“Let’s see what Robbie is up to instead. He’s working in the garden.” We followed Ann out of the back door where there was a pool and surrounding the pool stood a large green hedge and a mixture of colorful flowers. Robbie was on his knees pulling weeds when he looked up.
“What’s wrong, Robbie,” Ann said.
“Why did you bring that into my home?” he said. His eyes turning colors. His eyebrows forming a V in the middle of his face.
“Robbie, you said Zoey was welcome here at any time.”
“Yes, Zoey, but not that vampire standing next to her.”
“She’s Zoey’s friend.”
“I didn’t come here to be insulted. I’m not a vampire yet.” Terry turned and started walking around from behind the house, before I could run after her. I finally caught her and stopped her from getting into the car.
“You can’t leave me now and where will you go?” I said.
“I’ll find someplace. Maybe go back to that apartment we had. I wanted to see it anyway.”
“Don’t go, Terry.” I stopped her from closing the door. “I have the keys.”
“No Terry don’t go. You made Robbie nervous and he never gets nervous,” Ann said. “We’ll figure something out.”
“Why because I’m beautiful, and he can’t be around me because I’m so sexy,” Terry said. I rolled my eyes at her. There she goes with her egotistical smugness.
“Because you are so vain and because Robbie is a werewolf,” I said to her.
“Then I know I’m leaving. Werewolves are our mortal enemies. That man of yours could kill me in my sleep,” Terry said looking to Ann. Ann walked over to her and put her hand on Terry’s shoulder.
“He won’t do anything because he’s harmless,” Ann said. “Let’s go see your rooms. We have nothing but rooms and bathrooms. We’re planning on having a large family.”
We walked back in the house and hurried up the stairs.
“Pups running around all over the place. It’s a good place for it,” Terry said warming up to Ann. “I can see why you would want a place this large.”
“We have over twenty acres,” Ann said proudly. Ann opened one door on the second floor and she pointed to the next room. That room is yours, Terry.”
“Where is your room?” I asked.
“Over there.” She pointed to a large room in the corner. There are five rooms and baths on this floor and on the third I really don’t know how many. When we leave to go to our cabin where Robbie can hunt and meet up with his pack, we call people in to clean the place. We do that once a month. As long as you’re here, we won’t do that because Robbie promised Sebastian that he would protect you when he’s not around. You can’t have strangers running through the house and being nosey,” Ann said.
“But that’s my job,” Terry said with a laugh. Ann laughed with her. They entered my room and the place was out of an architecture magazine. All chrome furniture and a large sofa. The windows thick from ceiling to floor, and without curtain where all you see is trees and wildlife.
“This place is beautiful, Ann.”
“I’m glad you like it,” she said to me. “Make yourself at home. There are clothes you can wear and you too, Terry.”
“Thank you but we have some,” Terry said. “I have to go and prepare a meal for us, Zoey.” She glanced up at Terry. “Do you eat the same thing Zoey and I eat?”
“No. I’m not the fruit and vegetable kind. I’ll find my own food if you have any fresh animals running around on your property. Do you have any dogs?” I nudged Terry. Not everyone will find that funny.
At first Ann turned up her nose, and then she realized that Terry wasn’t kidding. “I’ll let Robbie show you where you can find something to eat,” Ann said and walked out of the room before stopping and looking back. “If you need anything call me,” she said.
“If you think I’m going to let that wolf show me where to find something to eat you are out of your mind. Don’t you know he would rather cut my head off than look at me?”
“Quiet, Terry. Someone might hear you. You know about werewolves hearing.”
“And I know about everything else about them. They have an insatiable appetite for sex. He could get me out there in that woods and fuck me senseless. And I might enjoy it and before you know I will be sucking his blood and he will kill me.”
“You’re out of your mind. I can’t wait until Sebastian gets here and changes you. And aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? First off, he doesn’t like your kind. You’re no longer a human female and second, he’s devoted to Ann. Look at the way he looks at her. Didn’t you hear him say that they were planning a family?”
“I guess you’re right, Zoey. I did get carried away but that’s because I’m so lonely and I can’t control my appetite for human blood. And my sexual desire is heightened. That doesn’t mix. Sex and being almost undead.”
Terry walked away from me and opened the door that led to the adjoining room. As she stood in the doorway she said, “I think I need some rest before I go on a hunt for food. Tell Robbie that I don’t need his help. He can only get in the way.” And she left and closed the door behind her.
I had been tired also. I fell across the bed and then I heard Ann. “I made us a light meal. I don’t like to eat pass six o’clock.”
It was dark outside and I said, “I’ll take a shower and I’ll be down shortly.”
“Where is Terry,” Ann said.
“In her room,” I said getting out of the bed and opening her door. “She’s gone. I guess she got hungry and took off in the nearby park to find something. I didn’t want to tell Ann what I suspected.
“Where is Robbie?”
“Downstairs waiting for us. He wanted to apologize for being a dick,” she said with a ready smile. “Don’t tell Robbie that Terry isn’t here,” Ann said her mouth quivering. “He gets nervous when vampires are around. Although he liked Sebastian. But he’s not sure about Terry.”
“Terry is a good person. She isn’t used to her new state of being. She’s confused and...” I wouldn’t go any further because Ann was getting jumpier than before.
“If you don’t tell Robbie, I won’t,” I said.
When we reached the dining room, Robbie was sitting at the table with a beer in his hand. “Where is your friend?” He asked.
“She’s tired and needed some more sleep,” I said looking to Ann.
“Too many nights of draining blood from unsuspecting humans,” Robbie said as Ann reached over and took his beer from him. He didn’t protest. He just looked at her with apologetic eyes and lowered them when she locked eyes with him.
The subject changed. “Where’s Sebastian? I thought you two would be together.” I took a bite of my salmon salad and started telling him about how Sebastian found me in Italy and got me and Terry out of that place. Robbie didn’t flinch when I told him about the horrors in the castle. It appeared to be a story he had heard before, but didn’t want to hear again.
I had finished the salad the same time I had finished telling the story. I neglected to tell him that I didn’t know when I would see Sebastian again.