Chapter 32: Heart, Part 3

"Play a little hard to get," I said, mischievously. "Don't appear so available."

"But, I am available ..." Annie replied, not getting my point.

"Stop throwing yourself at him, Annie!" I spelled it out for her.

"Oh," Annie said, sitting back in her seat. "That's just my way of playing."

"I know, and don't ever change," I told her. "Just tone it down a bit where Rick is concerned."

Then she grinned impishly. "I'll try. But where Rick is concerned, I make no promises!"

"So, you really like him?" I asked, turning to face her. "I mean, in a romantic way. No joke?"

Annie nodded, sitting back with a faraway look in her eyes, turning her attention toward the road. "For a long time. Too long."

"Has there been anyone else?" I asked, probably already knowing the answer, but asking anyway.

Then Annie turned to face me, surprising me. "Not that I loved."

"Wow," I replied. "You really do love Rick? Seriously. And not just as a boy toy?"

Annie smiled, one side of her lips curling into a half smile. "Well, Rick would be a great toy," she mused, then grew serious. "But no, he wouldn't be a toy to me. I really care about him."

"You're serious," I said, more of a statement than a question. "Do you love him?"

"I've loved him for a long, long time."

"How long?" I asked, really curious now. I really had no idea Annie felt this way about Rick for so long.

"Well, since I was human," Annie replied. "Rick had already lost his wife. I tried to hide it from him, but I loved him then. In fact, he's the only man I've ever loved."

"Wow," I said, unable to say more. That was a lot to absorb in one night. "Well, go for it!"

Annie laughed, like she couldn't believe I had just said that. "What do you think I've been doing?"

"Playing around," I said seriously. "Let him know how you really feel; no joking around about it."

"I don't know ..."

"Look, Annie," I replied, understanding. "I know how difficult it is to bare your soul. To let your true feelings be known, but do you really want to go the rest of your life with Rick not knowing?"

"But he does know!" Annie practically shouted.

"Annie, he's not taking you seriously," I explained. "Have a heart–to-heart talk with him. Let him know how you really feel-without joking."

Then Annie laughed, breaking the spell of the moment as we entered Cooperstown city limits. "Well, I guess we both have some decisions to make," Annie said, lifting an eyebrow as she turned to look at me.

I laughed. "I guess we do," I replied, slowing down to a crawl within the city limits. "Where do you live, Annie?"

"You can just take me to your house," Annie replied. "I'll run."

"Annie," I insisted. "I'll take you home. I want to see where you live."

"It's just a little place ..."

"So?" I replied. "Where to?" I looked in the rearview mirror and Rick was still following. Maybe it would do Rick some good to know where she lived, too. I smiled as the thought of Annie and Rick crossed my mind. Well? Stranger things have happened.

"Okay," Annie replied, exasperated. "Make a right at the next street." I did as she asked, then followed the winding road until it ended near the lake. Annie guided me to a small, single story stone cottage, probably a two bedroom.

"Annie, this is beautiful," I replied. "There's nothing wrong with this!"

"It's small," she said sheepishly, "but right on the lake."

"I love it!" I smiled widely. "It's beautiful! A little cottage!"

Annie smiled widely, pleased with my reaction. "Thanks! Well it's home to me. I got it for a song."

"Hey," I replied. "That always helps."

"And the views are spectacular," Annie added, pride leaking into her voice.

Rick waited impatiently behind us, turning his lights off, then he gunned the engine.

"You guys want to come in?" Annie asked politely, but sincerely.

I smiled, then replied, "Not tonight, Annie, but I'd love to some other time."

"Tomorrow?" Annie asked, and before I could answer, added, "Oh, goodie!" Then she clapped her hands excitedly like a child on Christmas morning.

"Annie, I didn't say ..."

"It's settled then!" Annie said, then added, "And feel free to bring Zac with you if you want."

"I'm going over to check on him tonight," I replied with a faraway look in my eyes, thinking of Zac.

Annie laughed.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing!" Annie replied cheerfully, her smile lighting up the night. "That's it! It's just so good to see you like this! This is definitely a first!"

"Annie, I've got to go," I said, shaking my head with a sigh. "See you tomorrow."

"And tomorrow night, too!" Annie said jubilantly. She was so excited I really didn't have the heart to say no.

"We'll see," I replied with a half smile, then put the car in reverse, hinting politely.

"Tomorrow then!" Annie said, jumping from the car and shutting the door.

"Annie ..."

"See you!" she said jubilantly, obviously not taking no for an answer, then turned to wave seductively at Rick. In the rearview mirror, Rick shook his head, but a half smile lit his lips, amused, as he watched her enter the little cottage. Well, you never know. She might rub off on him yet.

And as I watched her disappear into the house, I was glad that fate had brought Annie back into my life again. Once Annie was safely inside the house, Rick backed out of the driveway from behind me and headed home as I followed. Rick was very protective, whether the object of his protection needed it or not. And secretly, I was glad fate brought Rick back into my life again, too.

I followed the winding road the short distance home, watching Rick's taillights the whole way, thinking of Zac. Suddenly, I was filled with worry, wondering if a rogue vamp got to him yet. After what we learned tonight, I knew I couldn't leave Zac alone for long. Rick, Annie, and I would have to run surveillance on Zac around the clock. With a million-dollar price tag on his head, any rogue vamp-or human, for that matter-would be after him.

I pulled into the driveway beside Rick at our two-story stone house and turned off the lights, but not the engine. I rolled down the power window as Rick approached, then squatted down and crossed his arms in the window, looking at me, smiling, but said nothing.

"I'm going over to keep an eye on Zac tonight," I told Rick innocently, as he smirked knowingly. "Oh, come on now, Rick! After what we heard tonight? We can't leave him home alone for long."

"I know, I know." Rick laughed. He wasn't fooled. "It just does my heart good to see you like this!"

"Oh, go away."

"What is it you say? Not likely?"

"Well, here's to hoping," I replied, looking straight ahead, then back into Rick's eyes, this time serious. "We'll have to take shifts guarding him."

"I know," Rick replied, then couldn't resist another smile. "Are you sure you're going to let the rest of us have a turn?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "When I need to hunt," I joked along with him.

"Okay," Rick said, patting the car loudly. "Be careful."

"I will," I replied, then added. "And watch the car!"

Rick held his arms up, innocently backing away, then the look on his face turned serious. "I'll be right back," Rick said, running at vamp speed toward the house.

"What's up?" I asked, throwing the car into park and turning off the engine. But before he could answer, I knew. I smelled it. Another vamp was here.

I carefully removed my Glock from the back of my pants and took the safety off. It was fully loaded and ready to go. Holding the weapon down, I headed for the house. Although it was pitch black inside, I could see with complete clarity, even the tiniest details. Sometimes it's nice having infrared vision. I held up my weapon and backed against the wall. I looked around the living room, on the ready, then on to the kitchen. Obviously, Rick was scanning the upstairs. My heart thumped and venom filled my mouth in anticipation of a kill. I looked around the bar in the kitchen, then into the garage. I looked around in the garage, weapon in hand, stepping around a jeep Rick must have bought earlier without telling me. Nothing.

Then I hurried at vamp speed to the sliding glass doors where I picked up his trail.

Rick, I thought loudly, knowing he could hear me. Out here.

Within a second, Rick was silently beside me, his Kimber Solo 9mm in hand, as well.

He went out the back, I thought, my eyes looking into his. His trail goes out here.

Rick nodded, and then said in a low voice. "You go check on Zac, now! I'll follow our visitor's scent."

Zac! My God, no! I thought, when Rick grabbed my arm.

"He's probably okay, Star," he said gently, too quiet for human ears to hear. "Just go."

I nodded, regaining control, and darted at vamp speed out the front door, leaving my car in the driveway. I followed Zac's scent down two streets, and over five until I came to his house, a pale yellow two-story house, surrounded with neat hedges. The house was secluded, sitting alone on approximately three acres of land with no neighbors close by.

Making sure no prying eyes were present, I quickly swept the area and didn't smell anything out of the ordinary. He's okay, I thought to myself, but I knew I wouldn't be able to rest until I saw for myself. I walked around to the back, checking out the house. Along the second story, there were slide windows along the back and sides of the house. I looked up at the window all the way to the right, and it was cracked open to let fresh air into the house. But I could smell Zac's sweet scent coming from the open window, sending a burn down my throat.

Quickly, I scaled the side of the house and looked into the window. I smiled to myself, as Zac was sleeping from one corner of the bed across to the other, his feet dangling off one side, lying face down. He hugged a fluffy pillow with a white pillowcase shoved under his head. The only thing covering him was a sheet around his middle section as he slept shirtless. My heart pounded within my chest as I carefully slid open the window and easily swung my body inside, landing silently on the balls of my feet.

My eyes traced every curve of each muscle within his back and down his arms, then down to his very muscular legs. His skin held an even tan, glistening in the moonlight streaming in through the far window to the right. As the moonlight lightly caressed his gorgeous body, I smiled to myself. Because despite his beautiful body, what struck me the most was the expression on his face, as he smiled innocently with a boyish grin. Suddenly, he turned over, dragging the white sheet with him, now pale blue in the moonlight. As I darted into the shadows, he didn't wake. And at that moment, watching him sleep, I knew it was already too late. My heart was completely and irrevocably his.