Vampire 01 - Daughter of Darkness

more elegant than Daddy.”
    Buddy sat with his mouth open.
    “What?” I asked.
    “Do you always call him Daddy?”
    “What else should I call him?”
    “Holy smokes. It sounds like I’m going to meet a Greek god or something. Now you do have me nervous.”
    “Sorry. I guess I do go a bit overboard when I talk about him.”
    “That’s okay. It’s wonderful to think so highly of your parents, I guess. I mean, I look up to my father and my mother. My father’s a pretty bright guy, and he keeps himself fit.”
    “Oh, Daddy looks years younger than he is.”
    Buddy nodded. Then he paused, tilted his head, and gave me a coy smile. “He doesn’t walk on water, does he?”
    “No, but I think he could,” I said, and he laughed.
    “I do love you, Lorelei. I’ve never seen or heard a girl talk like you. You’re special.”
    “That’s what Daddy says.”
    “He’s right. I guess he is a genius, and if he’s so intelligent, he’ll immediately see how deeply and sincerely I care for you and approve of me. Hey,” he said after a moment. “You don’t look happy about that.”
    I brushed his hair off his forehead. “No matter what, Buddy, I’m very happy I met you, got to know you.”
    “Great, only don’t make it sound like the last scene in
Casablanca
or something. There’s always tomorrow when it comes to us, Lorelei. Tomorrow forever.”
    “Tomorrow forever,” I repeated.
    He shook his head. “Looks like I have to do more convincing.” He sat up to kiss me.
    This time, I tried to control my passion so he could take the lead in our lovemaking. I wanted it to be softer and gentler and take longer, too. I tried to tell myself that this was the way Ava wanted it to be, but I felt it was more. With each caress, each kiss, we seemed to tighten and solidify the connection between us. This was the reason making love was the most intimate thing you could do with someone else, I thought, but only if you did it like this, with concern and care and not selfishness. In those precious minutes, you visited each other’s very soul, and if it was real and meant to be, you were like one person ready to share every joy and every sadness.
    When we were finished, I was crying softly.
    He smiled at my tears and kissed them away. “I hope those are tears of happiness,” he said.
    “They are, but they are tears of sadness, too.”
    “What? Why?”
    I didn’t answer. I rose and reached for my clothing instead.
    “What are you doing? It’s only a little past eight. We’re only twenty minutes away, and you told me we had to be there no earlier than ten.”
    “I want to go home now,” I said. “Just get dressed.”
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Get dressed,” I repeated.
    He started to dress, but he looked very unhappy. “Did I do something wrong, say something wrong?”
    “No.” I turned to him. “I wish you had,” I said, and walked out of the bedroom.
    “Huh? Why?”
    “I’ll wait for you out back,” I said.
    Before he could reply, I left. I wanted to be alone for a few moments to argue with myself.
    What are you doing? Are you mad? Daddy is waiting. What possible excuse can you give, and what good would even the best excuse do? You would have failed, and Daddy would be in grave danger. Mrs. Fennel and Ava would be furious.
    Ava was right. This was too easy. But it shouldn’t be this easy. I shouldn’t be delivering someone as wonderful and good as Buddy. I should be delivering the type of young man Ava delivered and Brianna delivered—lustful, selfish, deceitful men who had hoped to use them for pleasure and leave them. I didn’t have to use any guile or any seductive tricks to capture Buddy. Besides, he had captured me as much as I’d captured him. It couldn’t be. It wouldn’t be.
    You’re the one who won’t be
, my other self replied.
That’s what won’t be if you don’t bring him to Daddy. You will be cast out and be less than an orphan.
    “What’s going on?” Buddy asked, coming up behind me.
    My heart was pounding. Thoughts and words became jumbled in my brain. A hot flush came over me and was quickly followed by a chill that almost made my teeth chatter. My body was in turmoil, a part of it in rebellion, a part of it opposing that rebellion.
    I took a deep breath.
    “We don’t have to wait here any longer,” I said. “We can wait for him at my house.”
    “Oh. Yeah, I suppose we could. That makes sense. You’re a character. You scared me, jumping up like that. Talk about