"Good grief," I whispered, pulling out a lacy fuchsia bra with matching undies. The tags were still attached, and they weren't cheap. "This is crazy."
"Hellooooo?" Cindy called rounding the corner.
"Oh," I responded, quickly tossing the obscene undies back in the drawer.
"Were those?" she began, but I shushed her as Christopher stepped into the closet.
"Hey, Frosty," Christopher said.
Cindy snorted.
"Hi," I responded shyly. To Cindy, I asked, "Wanna meet at Warehouse Video later?"
She shook her head. "I wish, but the place shut its doors a few months ago."
"No," I cried, slamming the drawer shut harder than I planned.
"It's so sad. The guy who owned it closed the shop and moved to St. Bart's. At least that's what my mom said." Cindy opened a drawer and pulled out a teal scarf.
"That's awful," I agreed, watching Christopher watch Cindy with an amused expression.
Warehouse Video, better known as "our house" had been around forever. Cindy and I started going there years ago. All the high school kids went for coffee, videos, and snacks. Mainly though, we used it as a hang out... a place to call our own. Our house.
"Dang. What else did I miss?" I was struck by the knowledge that life continued on. It didn't matter whether I was around to witness it or not. Two years. It felt like a lifetime. I forced back my sadness.
Cindy tied the scarf, and adjusted it while watching her reflection in the mirror that ran the length of a wall. Finally she said, "Nothing too important. I missed you though. Terribly." She sighed and hugged me. Unwinding the scarf, she placed it back in the drawer. "I've got to get to work. Come by the restaurant when you get a sec."
"I will, if it isn't too late."
She squeezed my hands. "I'm working all day tomorrow too."
"Okay." It always surprised me-impressed me really, that Cindy worked so hard even though her family had money. Her other friends thought working as a waitress in an Italian restaurant was beneath her-certainly beneath them. Cindy seemed to enjoy it.
When she reached Christopher, she punched him in the arm. "Be nice, or you'll regret it. I'll conjure warts on your nose, and other places, if you catch my drift," she said pointing to the front of his jeans.
Christopher snickered. "Got it."
"I'm not kidding, vampire Hunter. I've got skills."
I raised an eyebrow. Apparently Cindy knew all about everyone, including Chace aka Christopher aka my Hunter. And she was threatening the vampire Hunter with genital warts. So charming.
Gabe probably filled her in, I thought.
Christopher pointed his first finger at her, like his hand was a gun, and made a chk-chk sound with his mouth.
Cindy gave me one of her looks. This one said, 'I can't believe I ever thought this idiot was hot.'
I shrugged.
She kissed her middle finger, flipping him off, and left.
Chapter 6
When I heard the bedroom door close, I slumped into the chaise. I was suddenly, overwhelmingly tired, and... thirsty. It didn't matter my body had been in a prostrate position for two years or that I drank from Dorian not too long ago.
Christopher still wore a smirk on his sexy lips, and I wondered what he was thinking. Pushing off the wall, he sauntered over and casually lowered himself to a spot next to me on the chaise.
For some reason I imagined him and I in Sharra. Me in the heavy dress. Him dressed like a fairy-tale Prince. The way he'd talked to me about kusala and akusala-balance in all things. Perception, and how good and evil depended upon it. The way we kissed and drank each other's blood. He'd brought out feelings-of lust, of hunger, of need. I enjoyed it very much. The memory sent heat to my cheeks.