Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (23 page)

“If you want me to …”

“If
I
want you to?” Zac said, his beautiful blue eyes flaring. Then he leaned his head back against the head rest, closed his eyes, and placed a hand on his forehead, steadying himself. He waited for a minute to calm himself, then gently asked, “Abbey, do you love me?”

“You already know the answer …”

“Just answer the question, Abbey! Do you love me?” Zac asked me point blank and all my defenses fell to ash around me as tears slid slowly down my cheeks.

“Yes, Zac,” I began, openly crying, looking him straight in the eye as it all came flooding out. “I love you, Zac! You! You’re sexy and funny, but you know what I love the most?” Zac just looked at me, tears brimming his own eyes. “I love who you are on the
inside
! I love your compassion, you’re bravery. So, yes, Zac, I love you …”

Then suddenly, he pulled me into his arms and his lips were crushing mine as he pulled me across his lap, cradling me within his arms across the seats. And his lips moved with mine with a hunger unmatched by human or immortal, as my lips answered every question his asked. He held me with one arm under my head, his fingers twining into my hair and his other arm pulled me into his broad chest. His lips moved with mine in familiar ways, as if we were made for each other. And I knew at that moment that I had been waiting for him, for this moment, my whole life. Then I pulled away, breathless, and I don’t need breath to live. But now I knew. I needed him.

“Then I’m not going anywhere, Abbey,” Zac whispered into my ear, his voice low and husky. Then he pulled back to look directly into my eyes, and said with all the conviction ever spoken, “I love you, Abbey. And as long as you’ll have me, I’ll be here.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” I replied, but turned away, as a tear slid slowly down my cheek. Zac forced me to look into his eyes.

“What is it, Abigail?” Zac asked so sweetly, his eyes filled with so much love that the tears spilled over onto my cheeks.

“But how will this work, Zac?” I asked, for once, unable to see my way into the future. “I mean, I’m a vamp and you’re human …”

“Shush …” Zac softly replied, placing a gentle finger to my lips. “Everything will work out, Abbey.” And the sound of my name on his lips was very, very sweet. Zac looked out the front windshield for a moment, then looked down at me, still cradled within his arms. “Abbey, some people have a lifetime to love each other, others have a few days or a few hours.”

“Zac, don’t say it …”

“Shush, let me finish,” Zac interrupted, trying to find just the right words, then his lovely azure eyes looked deeply into mine as he softly spoke. “I don’t know how much time we have, Abbey, but I want to be with you always. For the rest of my life, no matter how long that might be.”

“Zac, you don’t know what you’re saying,” I replied, as I tried to sit up, but Zac cradled me tightly to his chest, forcing me to look into his eyes, not willing to release me. Of course, I could have broken his hold with ease, but couldn’t find it within me. “This life is not an easy one and I couldn’t condemn you to it …”

“Shush,” Zac replied, “Let’s not talk about it tonight. Let’s just enjoy being together while we still can.” Then he took my head into his hands ever so delicately, and kissed me softly, sweetly, as passion and love like I’ve never felt before enveloped us both.

Then I heard hard, purposeful footsteps, drawing near, outside the car.

I sat up just in time to see a figure walking toward us, across the parking lot, in the darkness of the night.

It was a vamp.

“Go, Zac, go!” I yelled into his ear, as I pulled my Glock from the back of my pants.

“What the hell?” Zac yelled, immediately slamming his foot onto the gas, gunning the engine so hard the tires squealed, sending a shower of pebbles behind us as he quickly and expertly cut the wheel toward the truck stop exit.

The rogue vamp snarled and stepped in front of the car, running directly in front of us. Zac tried to go around him, but the vamp ran toward us, head on. Without thinking, I stretched across Zac, leaning out his driver’s window, as he maneuvered the car around me.

“What the hell?” Zac asked, but still kept driving as I stretched across him and unloaded my clip into the rogue vamp out his window. The vamp fell to the ground.

“Don’t stop, Zac!” I yelled at him as I reloaded.

“Don’t worry, I’m not!” Zac yelled, smiling. “Wow! I’m glad you’re on my side!”

I smiled, sitting up, then looked quickly out the back window. “We’ve got company!”

“How did they find us?” Zac yelled over his shoulder, expertly keeping the car on the road. Two vamps behind us were swiftly gaining on us.

“Who the hell knows?” I leaned out the passenger window and unloaded my Glock on them both, taking them down.

“Will shooting them kill them?” Zac yelled, his eyes wide, as he turned back onto I-81E, then took the 194 exit onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike. We still had a ways to go, and it was already dark.

“Probably not, but it’ll slow them down and buy us some time,” I replied, thinking, watching the road and street lamps quickly passing by.

“How did they find us, Abbey?” Zac asked, a bit shaken.

“They may have caught your scent,” I replied, hating myself for what I was about to say. “Or they may have recognized your car.”

Zac waited for a moment, letting it sink in, then calmly replied, “We have to ditch my car.”

“We don’t have to destroy it, but, yes, we have to ditch it,” I replied, knowing how much his car meant to him. “It’s attracting too much attention.”

“Okay, what do we do?” Zac asked, watching the exits pass by.

I thought for a moment. “Look, let’s park it in a parking lot and get another car. When we see your father, we’ll have him pick it up. Either that or Annie and I will come back for it later.”

Zac looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Annie, too?”

I nodded, then replied, “You know you can’t tell anyone?”

Zac laughed, relaxing a bit. “Who would believe me?” Then he looked me in the eye with a wicked smile. “Would you?”

I smiled, “Well, you have a point,” I replied, then a thought occurred to me. “Zac, I don’t want this life for you.” My voice was merely a whisper. “You’re mother was right to keep you out of all this. I would if I could.”

“Maybe it’s not your choice anymore,” Zac replied, never taking his eyes from the road, as a hidden strength filled his voice. He was stronger than I thought.

“Zac, I …”

“Let’s talk about it later,” Zac said, looking out the rearview mirror. “First, let’s change wheels.”

I nodded, then spotted a car lot. “Pull in here,” I said to Zac. “I have an idea.” Without slowing down, Zac pulled into the lot. Right away, I spotted a new black Challenger Hemi GT. Just what we need. A hemi will outrun almost anything. Well, almost. “How about that one?”  I asked Zac, nodding toward the car.

“Looks good,” Zac said, worriedly. “I have the money for this, but I won’t have access to it until the morning.”

“Don’t sweat it,” I said, giving him a wink. “I got us covered.”

“Abbey, I can’t let you do this,” Zac replied, looking around nervously.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it,” I replied, as the corner of my lips mischievously raised. “Your father might end up paying for it, anyway. I have an unlimited expense account with the agency.” Not that I needed it. I had more money than I would ever spend in a lifetime, but didn’t say that to Zac.

Zac smiled broadly. “Wait a minute,” Zac said, smiling wickedly, then pulled a credit card from his wallet. “Dad gave me this and told me to use it only in emergencies. I think this constitutes as an emergency. Besides, after what you told me, I’m sure he can afford it.”

I laughed. “I like your style. Come on,” I replied, taking his hand. “Let’s get a car before anyone else shows up.” Then suddenly my cell phone vibrated in my jean’s pocket. I quickly looked at the caller ID. It was Rick.

I quickly flipped it open as the salesman walked up. “Great timing, Rick. Can’t talk now.”

“Star, where are you?” Rick asked, frantic.

“On our way to D.C.,” I quickly replied as the salesman drew near.

“How’s Zac?” Rick asked calmly.

“He’s fine, a bit shaken, but fine.”

“What’s going on?”

“Can’t talk now,” I replied. “Hey, did you get that guy at the school?”

The salesman was getting closer.

“Yeah, Annie and I got him,” Rick replied. “She’s here now.”

I laughed. Well, maybe Annie might get her wish after all. “Tell her I said, hi. Hey, will you do a protection detail on Zac’s mother? I’m afraid they might grab her to get to him.”

Zac’s head snapped up, but I shook my head reassuringly.

“Already on it,” Rick said, then added. “Annie and I are taking turns keeping an eye on her.”

The salesman drew dangerously close; within earshot.

“Look, I got to go, Rick. I’ll talk to you later.”

Star!” Rick yelled as I snapped the phone tightly shut.

Zac gave me an odd look, his eyebrows pulling together, but said nothing just as the salesman walked up.

“Good afternoon,” an older man with thinning gray hair and a friendly smile approached. He wore a striped shirt, a solid gray tie, and dark gray pants with sensible shoes, and a name tag that read, “Wesley Harper, Your Friendly Service Agent.” He seemed friendly enough. No power suit. A working man who was about to get the sale of the day. That is, if he played his cards right.

“We’ll take this one,” Zac said, indicating the car, taking control, shaking the man’s extended hand.

“Son,” the older man began, suppressing a smile, then placed a fatherly hand on Zac’s shoulder. “Don’t you want to test drive it first?”

Zac shook off his hand, then firmly repeated, “I said, we’ll take it.”

“Now, don’t you want to ask your father first?” the elder man asked, smiling knowingly.

“As a matter of fact,” Zac gave the elder man a sly smile. “I have his card,” then leaned in closer for effect and said in a low voice, “We’ll take the car.”

And before the man could say anything more, I intervened. “I think I’d do as the man asks.”

“Now wait a minute …”

Suddenly, my green eyes flared, using my mind control. As much as I hated to do it, he was leaving me no choice. “We’ll take the car, and you’ll run his card. By the way, it’s good.”

Wesley stepped back and blinked a few times, then replied, “Sure, no problem.” He shook his head, a bit dazed, then continued, “Come right this way and we’ll get the paperwork signed.” 

He’ll have a headache in the morning.

Zac gave me a puzzled look, but I silently shook my head.

The salesman led us into the office, and Zac finalized the paperwork as I stood guard, casually looking out the window.

“You just need to sign here … and here …” Wesley replied with a grandfatherly smile, very compliant, as he pointed to the lines that Zac was to sign.

“Sir,” I interrupted, smiling sweetly. “Do you mind if we leave our car here in the back for a few days, out of the way, of course? We’ll be back within the week to pick it up.”

“Sure!” Wesley was more than compliant now. I should watch pushing the minds of the elderly in the future. “Tell you what … why don’t you park it off to the side, in the far corner. It’ll be out of the way and under lock and key at night.”

“It’ll be safe?” I asked, concerned that we might come back to a frame on cinder blocks instead of Zac’s shiny red Shelby Mustang convertible.

“Sure! No one will bother it,” Wesley smiled, then continued. “In fact, I’ll see to it myself.”

“Thanks, Mr. Harper,” Zac said with a half smile, as he stood and extended his hand.

Wesley took it, then replied, “It was a pleasure doing business with you. And if there’s anything else you need …”

“We’ll be sure to see you,” Zac replied politely, unable to believe the difference in the elder man’s demeanor.

“You be sure to do that!” Wesley added, thrusting a small folder wi
th the title and pa
work into Zac’s hand.

“Let’s go,” I quietly said to Zac, who was smiling broadly, as we quickly darted out the door.

“Man, that felt good!” Zac said, relief coloring his voice, then he looked at me, smiling mischievously. “Whatever you did, you kind of overdid it, don’t you think?”

I laughed, then replied. “Hey, you got the car, didn’t you?”

Zac laughed, and the sound was music to my ears.

“Here, give me your keys and I’ll park your car in the back,” I said, holding out an extended hand, then smiled, incredulous. “That is, unless you want me to drive your new baby.”

Zac laughed, handing me the keys, then he replied in a husky voice, “But that’s not my new baby.”

I smiled, despite myself, as my heart fluttered, “Let’s get out of here.” As I walked off, I could feel Zac’s eyes watching me go, and I knew it felt just right.

I pulled the car around to the back and Zac was waiting for me, quietly gunning the engine, getting a feel for his new wheels. And from the look on his face, it was definitely his new baby.