Vampire Bride

Chapter Twelve - Part One

Charlie

My office chair squeaks as I stretch my back against the curved seatback. I'm dreading having to tell Morgan of my departure. No doubt she'll have questions I won't be able to answer.

I see her stand enthusiastically in the doorway. She almost skips to my desk. "Yes, Charlie."

"You're awfully happy today. Is there something I'm not aware of?"

There's a blush that attacks her cheeks. "No, just stuff with James." She crosses her legs only to uncross them. She repeats the gesture several times and after the third time I have to tell her stop. Her love-struck mood makes me want to gag. I place my hands on the desktop in front of me, intertwining my fingers.

"Oh my gosh. What did you do to your hand?" She gasps.

I see her extend her arm out as if to touch mine, but I slide my hands back onto my lap. "I broke a plate last night, nothing serious."

Morgan sucks in a breath and has a look of sheer horror on her face as she eyeballs me. "Your...your neck."

Shit. I forgot to cover my neck up.

"There's two holes that look like—"

I cut her off. "Oh, it's nothing. I went to the dermatologist about these sunspots I had. They cut them out, is all." I move my hair over my shoulder to cover the bite mark. "Listen, I called you in here to discuss something other than my wounds or how awful the party was on Saturday night."

"That bad huh?"

"Let's just say it was something I wasn't expecting...something else I wasn't expecting is a spur of the moment business trip."

"Okay. Am I coming with you?"

And the lies roll off my tongue. "No. I called Dave and asked him to assist you in my absence."

"What business trip is it? I've been making most of your appointments and coordinating the schedule." Here start the questions.

"I don't know the exact details yet," Oh lord I sound like an idiot. "but it's...party related. I'll tell you all about it when I get back."

Throughout the rest of the day I feel guilty. Morgan's ecstatic about her interpretation of a promotion. I don't know how she would react if I told her I didn't have a choice in giving her this believed promotion, but I don't stomp on her good mood.

Within an hour after telling her of my supposed business trip I decide to leave. "Morgan, I'm heading out."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," she says without looking at me.

As soon as I get home, I head straight into the kitchen to start my apology for Juliet. I bake a dozen chocolate cupcakes, frost them, and add my finishing touches. Bold letters in white frosting decorate the tops of a few of the tiny cakes. As I stare at the desserts lined up in a box, I read the message I spelled out. Sorry.

I close the lid and quickly return to my car. Being a Tuesday, Juliet is bombarded by her students' school work, so I know my visit will be unwanted, but yet much appreciated. I drive slowly, procrastinating my arrival. I've never been one to deliver bad news. Taking some well-deserved deep breaths, I gradually make my way to her front door. The time between when I ring the doorbell and her opening the door feels like eternity, but really is only a couple of seconds.

"Well, what a surprise. Her majesty has decided to grace me with her presence." Her voice drips with sarcasm.

I hold out the box to her. "I made cupcakes." My voice perky and gentle to ease into the disappointment she's in for.

She grabs the box and waves me inside. "What's going on?" Her bored tone throws me off guard. She's on to me.

"Nothing...well, not nothing, just something came up and I'm not going to be available to go to dinner and the club on Friday." I speak fast, hoping that my still chipper voice makes her less mad. Before she can reply, I race over to her and open the box, allowing her to read my message.

I view a hint of a smile on her face and I know she'll forgive me sooner or later. "I promise when I get back we can have a girls' night. You can come over and we can do each other nails or drink my stock of liquor I don't touch." I wag my eyebrows at her, praying that she agrees and saves me the lecture.

"Apology accepted. And since you're here, care to organize some of my papers? It can be part of your apology."

"Sure, only if I get a cupcake, though."

"I guess I can part with one," she replies as she places a large stack of papers in front of me. She quickly states what she expects of me and leaves the room. When she finally comes back she places a cupcake on the coffee table, one for each of us along with a glass of wine.

She holds up her glass in salute. "To the atrocious writings of sixth graders." Our glasses clink together before diving into the essays.

My eyes are dry and burn with every blink, my mouth is dry and my glass is empty. I hide a yawn as my body involuntarily stretches. It really isn't until my eyes get watery that notice how dark it's getting.

"Holy crap, you've been here for three hours. No wonder you're falling asleep and drooling on the papers. I release you from you duties." Juliet claims.

"I was not drooling." I shriek.

Her eyes roll, "Sure."

My body aches as I stand up from hunching over the papers for so long. I've no idea how she can manage doing this all day. Like a good hostess, she walks me to the door, rubbing her own back as well.

"I'll call you when I get back." I wave profusely as I walk to my parked car.

I don't think twice about going straight to bed after getting home. My stomach isn't hungry and nothing on TV is keeping my mind from wandering to more dire...dreadful thing. I think about this so called presentation on Friday as I lie in bed trying to sleep. Maxwell's lecture about The High Council just makes me more fearful. I wrap the blankets tighter around me, praying that they give me extra comfort.

Which they don't.