CHAPTER 18:

JADEN'S POV:

I wake up before dusk and Catalina is still asleep in my arms. I kiss her lightly on the top of her head. Last night was wonderful. I finally have my Catalina in every way possible. I want to get this revenge business over with, so that we can start our life together.

Catalina moves in my arms. She lifts her head up from my chest to look sleepily up at me, "Wow, this isn't something that I'm used to happening."

"What isn't?" I ask, while brushing back a lock of hair from her face.

"Waking up with a man. Unless you count right after my family died and I used to sleep in Noah's bed, because of my nightmares. But, that wasn't quite the same thing," she says.

I kiss her on the forehead, "Now the only bed you'll sleep in is mine."

She gives me a dirty look, "Not in any bed that you have in that apartment of sin downstairs."

I still plan on moving out of that apartment, since it upsets her to have caught me with another woman there, but I'd prefer to just move up here. I better not rush it, though. "I'll move my things into another apartment."

She looks thoughtful for a moment, opens her mouth as if to say something, then closes it. She sits up says, "So, what's on the agenda for tonight?"

I pull her back down, onto my chest, "First, I need another taste of you."

She laughs, "Didn't get your fill last night?"

"Never," I gently grab her jaw and bring her lips to mine for a kiss. "I love you."

She looks at me with so much emotion in her eyes, that I can never doubt it when she says, "I love you too, Jaden." I swear, I'll never get tired of hearing her say that. I rip the clothes off of her body and am rewarded with her cute, angry face. "Jaden! You have to stop doing that or I won't have any clothes left."

I laugh and stare down at her beautiful body. "Don't worry Kitty Cat, I'll just go online and order you some more."

She huffs, then as her anger fades, I think she realizes that she's naked, because she blushes. "Jaden . . ."

"Shh," I tell her and kiss her again. I get on top of her and between her legs. She wraps her legs around me. I kiss and suck on her breasts, then rain kisses all over her face. I thrust into her and within minutes bring her to climax. I bite into her breast and follow her a few minutes later. The previous bite from the night before has already healed. Nothing feels better or tastes better than my Catalina.

Before we can even cuddle, Catalina jumps off the bed, surprising me, "Where are you going?"

"To take a shower, before you can carry me off again," she says and runs into the bathroom.

I relax back onto the bed and can hear Catalina turn on the shower. My relaxation doesn't last for long because the worries that I have creep back up. Jonathan and Daniel should be a piece of cake to take care of. What I am worried about is the fact that Catalina will one day die. I wouldn't ever expect her to become a vampire for me, but it would solve that problem. How can I ever ask her to do that, though?

I am a rarity, myself. I've met very few other vampires like me, who have good morals and value human life. I haven't seen another like myself since I moved to the United States a century ago. Back then, communication wasn't what it is now, so we've lost touch.

When I lived in Paris, I befriended a vampire named Antoine who was much like me. He was quite a character. He always used to say that human women were too soft and warm to kill. He said that there were many better uses to put them to.

I was living in London when I met a vampire named Alice. She'd had children in her human life and still held a special fondness for human children. She ran an orphanage and told me that she loved me. I tried to make myself love her, but she just wasn't the woman for me.

There have been a few other vampires over the years like those two, but I lost touch with them, too. I always have to be on the move because I don't age and because my parents always follow. Eventually, they become impatient and persistent in their pursuit of us three becoming a 'family'.

Now that I know just how far they go to gain information on me and my personal life, I am worried about Catalina. I can only pretend for so long, that she means nothing more than the other women in my past. Eventually, it will become apparent just how much I care for her and I fear the danger that will put her in. It would be just like my parents, to try to use her against me.

I wonder how hard it would be to convince Catalina to leave this city and move elsewhere. Of course, me taking her with me may just make our relationship obvious. When my parents follow, as they always do, they will know that she was too important for me to leave behind.

This seems like a no-win situation. I could always kill them. I've avoided it in the past, because I would have to get them while they are separated. Something that I've never seen them do. I think they realize that their strength together makes them a harder target for enemies.

Threatening them some more may also work. Perhaps there is some small part of them that actually does care about me, as their son. Would they be reluctant to hurt her if they knew how much I love her?

I hear the shower turn off and the sound of Catalina drying off. She enters the bedroom in just a towel and I am tempted to rip that off of her too. Probably better to leave her alone for now, before she thinks that I'm some sort of sex addict. She goes into the closet and comes out wearing black leggings with a belted purple cotton dress and black boots.

"Where are you planning to go?" I ask her.

"I am going hunting and you are welcome to join me," she is tucking a sheathed blade into each boot.

I groan and get out of bed, "Of course I'm coming with you. Someone has to keep your reckless self alive."

She puts her hands on her hips, "I can take care of myself."

"Catalina, I've told you before that a couple times, if I hadn't used mind control on the vamp, you wouldn't be standing here today. I may not like your friend Noah, but the one thing that he is right about, is that you should never have gone hunting by yourself."

"Whatever, hurry up and get ready. I have an idea of where we should go hunting tonight," her smile is worrying me.

"You mean, we aren't going to the usual places?" I ask warily.

Her smile turns wicked, "Nope."

I take my turn in the shower and walk to the guest room that has some of my clothing. While I am buttoning my shirt, Catalina walks in. She sits down on the bed, "Jaden?"

"Yes, angel?"

"I was just thinking that maybe, instead of moving into another unit downstairs, maybe you could just move in here?" she isn't looking at me when she says this.

I walk over to her and bring her chin up, to look her in the eyes, "I think that's an excellent idea."

She gives me a relieved smile, "Okay."

"Does that mean that you will be moving in here permanently?" I ask.

"I think so. Maybe. I need to talk to the others," she looks worried.

"If they are your real friends, then they'll understand," I reassure her.

"Yeah, I know," she says. Then her demeanor changes into a playful one, she grins, "Well, this can be your room, since you already have stuff in it. Hope you like it!" She stands up and strides out of the room. What a brat! She didn't mean that . . . did she?

When we get into my car, she has a large messenger bag. I am curious, "What's in there?"

"The crossbow that you got me," she says nonchalantly. What could she mean to do with that?

"What do you plan on needing that for?" I wonder.

"Just drive towards the vamp club that you took me to and you'll see," she says.

"You don't plan on going in with that, do you?" I ask her.

She laughs, "No way. I'm not suicidal."

"Okay, just making sure," I drive to the club and she asks me to park half a block down. "What are you looking for?"

"It's still early, so I don't think they have customers yet, but the big guy is already manning the door," she tells me. I look at the bouncer stationed at the door that she is talking about. "Jaden, if you could just pull up in front of him so that I can ask him a question?"

I do as she asks and stop the car in front of the bouncer. He comes to attention, trying to see through my tinted windows. Catalina pulls out the crossbow, that's already loaded and rolls down the window halfway.

The bouncer glares, "What's your business?"

I can't see Catalina's face, but I can hear the smile in her voice, "Wanna suck?"

The bouncer gets a cocky smile on his face and steps forward. Then, Catalina yells, "Suck on this, asshole!" and brings up the crossbow, firing it. The vampire looks down at the stake in his chest, then turns to fire and ash.

I push down hard on the accelerator and speed off. Catalina is laughing, but I am not happy with her, "That was an idiotic thing to do, Catalina! What were you thinking?"

She stops laughing, "I'm sorry." I don't believe that she is. "Oh, come on Jaden, I made sure that no one else was around. Plus, if any other vamps came along, I trust that you'd be able to protect me."

"That's besides the point-" I start.

She cuts me off, "Admit it. That was awesome."

"Fine, I admit it, but next time tell me all of your plans ahead of time," I tell her.

"Okay, no more surprises," she agrees.

"Where to now, angel?" I ask. It's hard to stay mad at her.

"I'm hungry. Why don't we get something to eat? Well, why don't we take ME to get some food. It's optional for you," she says.

"What do you want to eat?" I ask her.

She looks down at my crotch area and says, "Irish."

I look at her in mock seriousness, "If you don't stop that, I'm going to pull over and ravish you."

She laughs, "I'm just teasing you, Jaden!"

I laugh also, "I know. That's the problem."

"Seriously, though. I'm in the mood for Chinese," she says.

"You'd better be talking about the food," I threaten.

She gives me an innocent look, "What else would I be talking about?"

We argue about which Chinese restaurant to go to. Her favorite is near the home she lives in with the other hunters. My favorite is downtown. She finally wins, because she is the one who actually needs the nourishment. How do I argue that point?

While we are eating, I ask her, "So, do you want to go to my really cool apartment after this and watch a movie?"

"You mean your ridiculously decorated apartment?" she raises her eyebrows.

"Yes, my really cool apartment that's loaded with Van Damme movies, that you happen to like and a baseball mitt chair that you have to admit is comfortable as hell," I remind her.

"Actually, I was thinking that it's about time that you formally meet my friends. I need to know that they'll accept you," she tells me.

"And if they don't?" I am fearful of the answer to this question.

"Then they weren't my friends to begin with. I'd always care about them. They did save my life and teach me to fight back against vampires. But you have never even killed a human, I don't see what they could have to possibly hold against you," she explains.

I wonder if they would hold against me, killing Jessica. I did do it in the process of saving Catalina's life. Of course, I don't want to offer up that information. I know I'll have to tell Catalina eventually, but I'd prefer to wait until our relationship isn't still new.

"I guess I'm up for meeting them," I say to her.

She smiles and picks up her phone, she calls someone, "Hey Noah?" Silence. "Jaden and I were going to stop by, so that I can introduce him to everyone." Silence. "Don't be prejudiced, Noah." Silence. "Just tell me, is everyone there right now?" Silence. "Whatever, we'll be there in fifteen minutes. Let everyone know that we're coming." Silence. "Fine, bye"

"I take it they aren't as excited to meet me, as I am to meet them?" I ask sarcastically.

Catalina gives me an apologetic smile, "They'll come around. Look at it this way, it only took two years to get me to love you. Maybe in two years, they'll love you too."

I laugh bitterly, "Doubtful. I actually wanted you to love me. I could give a crap whether or not they do. I just don't want you to lose your friends because of me."

She puts her hand over mine and leans over the table to give me a peck on the lips, "Everything will work out just fine." I hope so, for the sake of her happiness.

**********************************

THANKS FOR READING!

AND, OH YEAH

COMMENT!

VOTE!