I shook my head. “Nah.”
“People?” she said.
That gave me pause. “Vlad’s scared of people. He thinks they’re out to get us.”
“Other vampires?”
“Eh. Same as people. There are good ones and bad ones.”
“Let’s go with nothing. No fear.”
“Do you want one of these T-shirts too?” I asked. “There are a bunch.”
She eyed it skeptically. “Maybe to sleep in, or if my other clothes are dirty.”
I insisted on getting her one.
Half an hour later, I was staring at my phone as I sat next to freshly washed crystals, incense sticks, and Heaven meditating in a circle of candles while holding an egg-shaped rock. She was playing music that I would describe as sounds of ancient healing, and her face had a look of peaceful determination and gritty contentment, if that was a thing.
Things weren’t perfect, and I didn’t know how to fix my life, but it was nice to see Heaven making peace with vampirehood, and even stretching beyond the fears and limitations that had held her back as a person.
When a car pulled up to the house, I assumed it was Vlad returning from dropping off Dr. R. I steeled myself. There was no way I was going to promise anything to him tonight. He could wait while I mulled things over. There was no deadline on eternity.
When I peeked out the front window, my stomach dropped to the floor. It wasn’t Vlad. The outdoor light shone like a spotlight on a Valentinepolice cruiser.
How many people had Vlad told our secrets to? Should I get ready to be run out of town with torches and pitchforks?
As I watched, Wayne Jarvis stepped out of the passenger side door in a cheap suit and a winter jacket that he probably bought at Costco. He was straight out of the movieFargo.
I would’ve preferred torches.
A uniformed cop stepped out of the driver’s side door. I pressed my back to the window and tried to compose myself. “Heaven,” I said. “Wayne’s here. With a cop.”
Her eyes went wide. “Why?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” I tried to stay calm for her, but it was definitely not fine.
Heaven blinked herself out of her meditative state and grabbed a spray bottle. She hit the switch on her Himalayan salt lamp and spritzed it with some sort of lavender mist.
“I’m keeping the demons out.”
“Let’s activate these too.” I took the bottle and spritzed my fangs. “Ugh—that’s disgusting. It doesn’t taste how it smells at all.”
Horror movie style, I heard their boots crunching the snow, then walking up the stairs, and finally echoing in the hollow space under the porch where they stopped just on the other side of the front door.
Get ahold of yourself, Tiffenie.
The doorbell rang, a new one that played a gong sound through speakers Heaven had installed throughout the house. Thank you, GoFundMe.
“Hello, Mr. Jarvis,” I said as I opened the door, my voice an eerie overlay to the fading sounds of ancient healing.
“Hello,Ms. Blair.I’m sorry to intrude in the middle of the night, but it’s urgent.” He said my name with no warmth, last name only, as if it would be easier to take me down if he kept it impersonal. As he stepped over the threshold, he left a booted footprint in the salt Heaven had just spread.
“Do you like the new deck?” I asked. “No more holes, huh?”
He gave a perfunctory nod. A look passed between Heaven and me. Something wasn’t right.
“What can I help you with?” I asked, wondering if showing a little fang would help or hurt in this situation.
