What is Real?

“I was safe until you messaged me in that bar.” I remove the bandage. “Explain how this fucking happened and was that creepy dude a vampire or did that waitress bitch spike my whiskey?”

He rubs his hand over his face. “Why must you be so difficult?”

“Why are you so protective and bossy? You don’t even know me.”

“Do you always answer a question with a question?”

“When it comes to you, I do. So what happened?”

“You should have let me walk you to your room, but you didn’t listen.” I feel my cheeks warm because I remember not wanting Frank near me because he made me feel hot and weird, much like he is doing now. “The creepy guy followed you as I said that he would. He grabbed you. You tried to fight back, but he held you too tightly. His fangs were on your neck when I got there. You must have run from him and taken a wrong turn because you were in a dead-end alley instead of being at your motel. I got there as fast as I could and got him off of you. You had trouble walking, so I carried you here and changed you into my shirt because your dress was ripped and covered in blood. It is in the trash can if you don’t believe me,” he explained.

I got up on wobbly legs and looked into the trash can. He was telling the truth. “Fine, I believe you. But why me?”

His face contorts as if what he is about to say pains him. “We have a treaty. They aren’t supposed to hunt in city limits. You are human and an outsider, so you are like crack to a recovering addict to young vampires like him.”

“Are you Buffy or something?”

He chuckles, and it twists my insides. “Oh, darlin’, I am all man and I only fight when necessary.” That made my cheeks heat, and I had to look away. This guy might be infuriating, but he makes me feel funny in ways that I haven’t in a long time, if ever. “Now, go get dressed so that we can leave. Despite how good you look in my shirt, I doubt your family would think the same.” 

I go wobble into my bathroom and shut the door. I sniff the dress that I had hanging up. It smelled okay and didn’t look bad. I had to wash it because I spilled coffee on myself trying to avoid hitting someone’s white dog when I came into town late last night. I walk out and throw him his shirt. “Take it, but I am not leaving Darkness Falls yet.”

Frank looks at me with an intense, studying gaze that makes my heart pound. I don’t want to tell him the full reason that I am here. He will think that I am insane because my hunch is just that…pure insanity. Although after nearly becoming a snack for a vampire, my hunch is sounding less and less crazy. I want to lie to him, but this voice inside my head makes me want to trust him. He did save me from a vampire, so he might understand. “I am looking for my father. All of my efforts have led me here to Darkness Falls. I found a note from him addressed to my mother and a picture of them surrounded by people, long before I was born. My mother became ill before my fifteenth birthday. My father swore he could fix it and that he needed time. It has been ten years, and it is as if he disappeared without a trace. I have been all over these last few months to find him. My mother died a few months ago, so he is the only family that I might have left. So I need to find out what happened to him, even if I'm a horrible daughter, is why he never returned.”

Frank nods. “What is his name?”

“Ed Thomas. My research said he spent a lot of his life here. Have you heard of him?”

“I am not sure, but chances are some of the elders might. I can ask around and text you later. It is time to go,” he urges.

“No, I am not going anywhere. So if you discover something, you can tell me face-to-face.”

“Can’t you understand that I am trying to help you? Why are you so damn stubborn?” he says with a near imperceptible growl.

“I deserve to know if my father is dead or alive. If this town killed him, I deserve to know that, too.”

Frank stands. I get up from the edge of the bed where I had been sitting, but I feel a warm weight on my shoulder. Gently, but with controlled strength, Frank pushes me down. It is now impossible for me to stand unless I want to hurt myself or have to resort to kicking him in the balls. Which I might. I glare up at him. “What the fucking hell, Frank. You couldn’t get me to go using your words, so now you have resorted to getting physical. The old Grace might have submitted, but this one doesn’t. Let me go!”

He leans down. “Grace, sugar, trust me if I wanted to get physical, it would be far more than this.” He looks into my eyes. “Now, listen to me, sweetheart.” His face is so close that it makes the air feel suffocating and electric all at the same time. But I won’t back down, I won’t be intimidated by any man…not anymore. “You will go pack your suitcase. I will leave to give you a few minutes, but when I return, I am driving you home.”

His voice isn’t threatening, but it is deep and commanding.  His proximity is intoxicating, and I can’t decide if I hate it or enjoy it. “We will see about that.”

Frank takes in a deep breath as a low growl comes from deep within his broad chest. He bites the inside of his cheek as if he is trying to keep from saying something. He gives me a long, hard look before he pulls away and turns toward the door. “See you shortly, Grace.”