Accidentally Married to…a Vampire?(Accidentally Yours #2)(11)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Oddly enough, she wasn’t hung up on his vampirism. Maybe because her field of study, Evolutionary Biology, was grounded in the improbable becoming reality. Take the overly endowed Argentine lake duck, for example, with a member the length of its body. Or the Madagascar sucker-footed bat with real suction cup feet.

When it came to Nature’s will, wasn’t anything possible? Even nocturnal human-like creatures with super strength? Who drink blood, and live for thousands of years, and look like they just walked off the cover of Hotty Magazine, and…She shook her head. Okay. Maybe not.

From another world, then? She had witnessed Niccolo flag down a blue pickup that night by merely whispering, “Stop your mechanical carriage.”

After the driver pulled smoothly to the side of the two-lane highway, Niccolo instructed him to take Helena to her hotel and guard her with his life. The driver nodded with an obedient, empty gaze and waited for Helena to get in. As she was about to step inside the cab of the truck, Niccolo unexpectedly pushed her against the side of the vehicle and slanted his mouth over hers. His hands cradled the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. No one had ever kissed her so passionately, with such desperation.

Before she knew it, she was indulgently stroking his tongue with hers and within moments, he had her aching. She knew that only the feel of his skin, of their bodies merging, could possibly extinguish that little blaze—okay, forest fire—scorching her insides.

Niccolo broke the kiss, leaving her breathless. “If I don’t stop now, I will not be able to. And you must go before they catch up to me,” he’d said.

Helena had nodded, her mind a jumbled mess of hormonal overload and adrenaline.

“Helena, remember what I said. Do not think of hiding from me. I need you, and I’ve never needed anyone.”

“I—I don’t understand,” she’d replied.

He placed a soft kiss in the corner of her mouth. “You were born for me—to save me from this hell. I will not rest until we are together again and you are safe with me…forever.”

That powerful word haunted her every breath. Even now as she paced across the hardwood floor of her immaculate room. Why was his life a hell, and why did he believe Helena would rescue him? Did he intend to make her like him? “Forever” carried a lot more weight when it was said by a vampire. Regardless, she knew she wouldn’t be content until she saw him again.

I am certifiable.

“Dammit. Where the hell is he?” She glared at her pink cell on the nightstand.

As if magically complying with her wish, the phone suddenly rang, making her jump.

Caller unknown. Helena’s heart nearly stopped. She plucked up the phone and listened for several moments before answering. “Hello?”

“Hey, Lena! What’s going on?”

“Ann?” Helena asked, hiding her disappointment.

“Yup! Where are you, girly?”

Helena sighed. Helplessly pining away at…“Home. Is everything okay?”

She heard a gasp on the other end. “I’m calling from a payphone, sitting here all alone with bags of plates and cups. You forgot, didn’t you?” Ann was irate.

Helena’s mind raced. “Nooo. How could I forget? It’s so…important…Okay. I forgot. What are you talking about?”

“Yeah. Weird. Considering the surprise beach party thing was your brainchild…”

Oh hell! “Jessica’s birthday.” It was a girls-only bonfire party. She had to go pick up the drinks, logs, cake, everything. And the party started in an hour.

“Be right there.” Helena slammed down the phone and scrambled to her closet. Crap. Okay. Jeans. Find jeans. She turned and began digging through a pile of neatly folded clothes in a basket on the floor. Dammit. She tugged open her top dresser drawer. “There you are!” Helena had few pleasures in life, but she never skimped on comfortable well-fitting jeans: classic straight leg, ultra-low waist.

“Helena, my love,” she heard a deep voice whisper from behind.

Helena gasped and held on tight to that breath.

Jeans clutched to her chest, she turned slowly toward the voice.

There was no one there.

“It’s official. I’m obsessed.”

***

Helena arrived just as the dozen other guests showed up. She’d invited all of the girls from their surf club and a few close friends from the university—mostly Wino Wenches. After summer was over, they’d all be going off in separate directions to start their lives. Jess was taking a job in Seattle. Ann in Chicago. Some of their grad school classmates were going on to doctorate programs out of state.

Helena had planned to live with Aunt Rita and work for an ecological disaster response organization based in San Diego. Helena had loved her internship, cataloging mutating bacteria from the Gulf Coast last summer, and only wanted to get back into the field. She loved learning. She also had a mountain of school debts to pay and wanted to work for a few years before going for her PHD. If she went. For the first time ever, her future felt like a murky pond instead of a wide-open road paved with possibilities.

Helena looked up at Jess who’d just arrived and realized the event was in her honor. A satisfied grin swept across Helena’s face as Jess squealed with delight and hugged everyone while laughing hysterically about being duped.

Helena realized how much she would miss seeing her friends every day. They’d been her rock these last years and filled a void left by not having much family around.

Helena pasted on a smile. The party must go on.

She passed out sodas for the drivers and beers to everyone else. She then popped in an old Beach Boys CD. Everyone sang and laughed, ate cake and talked about their plans for the future. Everyone except Helena. She just listened and soaked them in, knowing it would be the last time they’d all be together.

Life felt so short.

***

Just after midnight, the party died down and the guests said their goodnights. Helena plopped herself down in the sand between Jess and Ann. They stared at the dwindling flames, listening to the low crackle of the logs and the crashing waves in the background.

“Thanks Lena, that was the best birthday I’ve ever had,” Jess said and squeezed Helena’s hand.

Helena put one arm around Ann and the other around Jess. “Love you guys.”

“Love you too, Lena,” Ann said.

Helena wished she could bottle this one moment in time and keep it safe forever.

Forever. She sighed inwardly. How silly. Nothing is forever. Change was the one constant in the universe; this much she knew. Lately, the air was thick with it, like a sticky mist blanketing everything around her. Even her bones knew it was coming.