But Teren had lost his, looking over my shoulder. While I heard my sister nervously giggle and Starla mutter, "God," Teren stopped my fingers from slipping inside his slacks. He looked down at me quickly while he gently pushed me back from him. "Emma," he whispered, his hands cupping my cheeks, trying to bring me down.
My breath eventually evened as his slightly glowing eyes enveloped me. Swallowing, I nodded in his hands that I was better. From behind me, I could hear Starla resume her cow-like gum smacking. Saucily she said, "Yeah, I can tell you guys have the bond well under control."
I turned to face her, about to tell her where to go, when suddenly the door leading to the stairs burst open. Hot Ben came striding out, breathing heavy and holding his stomach. Hurriedly walking up to us, he ran a hand through his highlighted hair and shook his head. "God you're fast, Teren."
I blinked at seeing him and Teren answered my unasked question. "I called him. I wasn't sure what was going on." His brow furrowed as he looked back at Starla and then over to my sister, she waved as she stood at the back of Starla's car.
Teren shifted his attention back to Starla as I heard Hot Ben sidle around to his other side and ask him what was going on. Not answering Ben, Teren narrowed his eyes at the mixed creature in front of him. Her blue-green ones were faintly glowing in the dim lights. As a human, the glow would have been hardly noticeable, easily dismissible, if you didn't know what you were looking for. To a partial vampire, the glow was unmistakable. Teren's mouth dropped open.
"You're..."
She extended a hand to him. "Mixed...and I hear you've been looking for me."
Hot Ben gasped beside Teren and stared at Starla with a look of complete wonder on his face. Teren's face sort-of matched Ben's as he stared at her, for a moment too stunned to even take her hand. She waggled it in front of his face, her lips twisting in annoyance at being ignored, and he finally woke up from his daze and grasped it.
Both of his hands enclosed over hers and his eyes moistened. I bit my lip to not start hormonally crying at the sight. Teren had waited so long for this moment. "It's...amazing to meet you. Thank you for finding me." His voice was nearly reverent as he said that, and I momentarily hoped that this tiny blonde thing wouldn't let Teren down. He'd built up meeting more of his kind in his head, and so far, she hadn't been what I'd been expecting.
A little taken back by his reaction, she pulled her hand away. "Yeah, well, you've been causing quite a stir, poking your finger in every vamp nest you can find." She raised an eyebrow. "That sort of thing doesn't go unnoticed."
Teren straightened his stance, shaking his head lightly. "I had good reason."
Starla's eyes flicked to my stomach. "Yes, I've been brought up to speed on that."
Teren stepped towards her, arms outstretched like he was going to grab her. His fingers barely brushed her arms. That was all the closer Teren got to her. Suddenly, he was shoved back. And by shoved back, I mean he was pushed thirty feet and landed harshly on his back. As he smacked his head to the pavement, Hot Ben pulled a stake from his pocket and moved into a defensive crouch. My sister screamed and backed up a step. I teetered on my feet, not sure if I should run to Teren's side, or run to my sister's. Indecision held me in place.
A part of me also wanted to smack Starla for pushing Teren. Only, it wasn't Starla who'd tossed him back. With the draw of the pull, I'd completely forgotten that Starla wasn't alone. Teren's seemingly aggressive move had drawn the attention of her bodyguard. Ben and I eyed the imposing man warily. He was standing in the space Teren had been, having blurred into a battering ram, the moment Teren had stepped up to Starla. He was taller than Teren and wider too. His hair was a light brown that matched his slightly glowing brown eyes, and he was dressed in head-to-toe black, like he thought that was an inconspicuous outfit. Crouching down in a protective stance in front of Starla, his fangs were dropped, as a low growl broke the sudden silence of the room.
Starla's "muscle" was a mixed too, albeit it, an undead one. There was no thumping heart to be heard in his barrel-sized chest. But he had to be only partially vampiric, if he'd been assigned to protect her during daylight hours.
Teren popped up from where he'd been tossed aside and zipped back to the man. I speedily moved to block him at the last moment, holding him back from leaping on the vampire. It took quite a bit of effort on my part, since Teren was a little revved up. Hot Ben came over and helped me, holding back Teren's other arm. He eventually calmed down as Starla sighed and walked around her protection, thumping his chest with her hand.
"Down, boy," she muttered. Coming up to Teren, she cocked her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, he doesn't like me being touched." Her turquoise eyes flicked to me, then back to Teren. "You can understand?"
Teren shot the man a hard look and then focused again on Starla. Ashley came up beside me and clutched my arm. I clutched hers back, both glad she was here, and wishing she was far away. His voice irritated, but a forced patience in it, Teren bit out, "I was just going to ask, if you can help us?" His voice and face softened as he looked over at me and then back to Starla. "Can you help her?"
Starla looked between the two of us as her bodyguard behind her crossed his arms over his chest. She sighed and shook her head. "Not me, but you should speak with Father. He sent me here, curious what you wanted with us. But seeing what you've done," she shook her perfect head of hair disdainfully, "he will definitely be interested in your...situation."
Teren nodded eagerly, the thought of maybe getting some answers, outweighing his irritation at being thrown across the room. As Starla chomped on her gum and indicated the car with her head, I looked over Teren's body. He seemed fine, but that had looked like it had hurt. "You alright?" I asked, as Starla got back in her bimmer.
He eyed the big man, zipping back to his black car on the other side of the lot. "Yeah, I'm fine." He brought his eyes back to mine; they sparkled with hope. "I'm great, Emma."
Over Teren's shoulder, I watched Hot Ben causally put his stake back in his pocket. I had the feeling he was always armed with one now. Twisting, I watched my sister eyeing where the big vampire had gone. She was fine with Teren, and fine with the tiny, unassuming blonde vampire, but that big guy had freaked her out. I could smell the fear on her.
As Ben moved to walk to his car, presumably to follow us, I blurred over to him, stopping him. He paused and blinked at me suddenly standing in front of him. I rarely moved blindingly fast in front of him. I was just glad I hadn't tripped along the way. Putting my hands on his chest, I searched his blue eyes. "Teren and I can handle this." He immediately began shaking his head and objecting. I shook mine more forcefully and dug my fingers into his skin. "No, please...take Ashley home."
I said that quietly, and glanced over his shoulder at my brave, scarred sister. She was determined to see this through with me, no matter how much the whole thing terrified her. Ben looked over at her too, his body slumping as he did. Ben had always been very gracious around my sister, never looking down on her deformity; never treating her any differently than he did any other friend. His eyes took in her slight frame, shaking slightly as she stood with her hands clutching her elbows, locking her arms around her body. Her eyes flicked over to mine then, and she smiled slightly - it was a forced one.
Hot Ben glanced over at Teren, who nodded, having heard that entire conversation, and then turned back to me. "Alright, Em." Surprisingly, his arms came around my girth to wrap me in a swift hug. In my ear he whispered, "Be careful...both of you."
We stepped apart and I nodded at him, tears in my eyes again. He stepped back from me and nodded, his chiseled face determined. I had the feeling he would take his assignment with ferocious seriousness, protecting Ashley from every bad thing in the city, maybe even staying by her side all night, just in case. For the millionth time, I could have kissed Hot Ben.
Teren held out his hand for me as I heard Starla sigh in exasperation, and mutter that we were all worse than her pampered, Princess of a sister. Ignoring her, I took Teren's hand. His cool fingers giving me strength, I walked up to the car. Ashley walked up as well, as she noted that it was time to go again. I gently put my hand on her shoulder as she moved to open the door.
"No, Ash. Not this time."
She sputtered and shook her head at me and I dropped Teren's hand to grab her shoulders. "I love you, Ashley, and I know you love me. You don't need to do this to prove it to me." She shook her head and started to say she wasn't, when I interrupted her. "I know, and if I were in your shoes, you'd have to pry me away." I pulled back, my fingers going to her wet cheeks. I stroked the roughness of her scars, ignoring the odd feeling skin.
"This is something Teren and I need to do together, alone." I leaned in close, resting my head on hers. "I love you, but I can't have you there with me. I need to know you're safe..." My voice trailed away as emotion cut it off. I felt Teren's hand come up to my shoulder and I suddenly had a greater respect for him always wanting to keep me away, to keep me safe. Having someone you love in danger was harder than having yourself in danger.
Ashley started to cry in earnest, but eventually nodded. I pulled away from her, wiping my own cheeks. Telling her I loved her, I kissed her forehead. As Teren and I got into the car, I watched Hot Ben come up to her and put his arms around her comfortingly. She twisted and held him tight. He stroked her back and watched us through the window, his jaw clenched as he nodded at Teren again.
Starla started the car and snorted as she pulled away. "God," she muttered. "Overdramatic lot, aren't you? You'd think I was driving the two of you to certain death." She started to laugh as she pulled out into the street and Teren and I gave each other uneasy glances in the backseat.
Once it was clear we weren't staying in the city, Teren leaned forward in his seat to talk to Starla. Clutching my hand tight, he said, "Where are you taking us?"
Starla popped a bubble and looked at him in the rearview mirror. "L.A.," she said casually.
Teren nodded and sat back in his seat, his cool side edging right up to mine. Starla reached in her purse on the passenger's seat, dug out her bug-like sunglasses, and turned the radio up. Some pop hit boomed through her speakers and I figured she was discouraging us from asking any farther questions.
I sighed and leaned into Teren, happy that at least, for once, we were doing this little adventure together. Teren sighed as well and kissed my head before leaning his cheek on it. A twin nudged against a sore spot and I adjusted in my seat to get comfortable. Los Angeles? That was several hours from San Francisco. I settled in for a long drive, grateful that once the sun set, Halina would blaze her way to us. She wouldn't have time to run back to the ranch, but Teren and I could find somewhere for her to hide. It would just be nice to have our "muscle" with us.
After a few silent miles, Teren shifted to look at me. I pulled away from his side and looked up at him. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows and highlighted his eyes that matched this sunny Californian spring day. "You smell like paint." A corner of his lip lifted after he said that.