Vampire Bride

Chapter Twelve - Part Two

Maxwell

As soon as the sun set, I left Grace's house. I wanted to be as far away from there as Charlie did. But with a few days past, I have to go back. A bad mood accompanies me as I make final preparations for my unwanted trip. As if I own the house, I enter through the front door without knocking. The quietness that lingers within the halls is upsetting.

Where is she, I say to myself as I search the first floor with no luck. However, the open patio door in the kitchen gives away her location.

I instantly spot Grace's pale body that seems to glow slightly in the darkening sky in a swimsuit with sunglasses on, lying on a lawn chair. "Do you think I can get a tan from the moon?" she asks as I stand alongside her.

"The moon's not even out yet." Is that why she's in a bikini? She's trying to get a tan?

"I know the moon's not out yet, you idiot, that wasn't the question. What do you want that's so important it can't wait for another day?" Annoyance distorts her voice.

"I need to ask you to do something."

"I made that poor girl hate me because of you, what more can I do to ruin a friendship I haven't even had a chance to build yet?"

I didn't even have to say that it involved Charlie. Grace is just that good at reading me. "She's out of the house at the moment. I need you to go pack her luggage and bring it with you when you leave tonight."

"She can't pack her own bag why exactly?" Her cocky tone starts to irritate me.

"She thinks we're leaving Friday not tomorrow. She won't have time to pack. Just do it, Grace."

She jumps up from her lounge chair and gets in my face. "I can see why she doesn't like you very much. You owe me." With her hateful words spoken, she struts away to change.

"Remember to not touch anything that you don't need to. I don't need her to realize somebody was in her house," I say in her direction before she gets inside. "And she'll know." The slam of the patio door is all I need for a response. I quickly leave to finish the plans I had scheduled for tonight.

Within a few minutes, I arrive at an apartment complex. A gentle knock is all it takes for the sound of footsteps to rush across the floor to the door. I took watching Charlie's life very seriously and with that dedication to find out as much about her as possible, I learned important factual information about those that surround her. Such as where Morgan lives. I get the sensation of the young assistant looking through the peephole in the door in front of me as Charlie did the night I told her about vampires. Morgan, unlike Charlie, opens the door to greet me kindly.

"You're friends with Charlie, right?" she asks.

"You remember me?"

"How can I forget?" I see her blush as she admits something she wishes she didn't.

"You can call me Maxwell. I'm going to tell you something, but I need to know if you can keep a secret, Morgan?" She nods eagerly. "I'm going to keep our Charlie company on her trip, but I'm surprising her by leaving tomorrow instead of Friday like she assumes we are. I just wanted to inform you of the change and ask you to keep it a secret. Can you do that for me?"

I watch her jitter as she tries to find her words. I might not be able to influence her as I can with Charlie, but apparently Charlie is unaware of my charm. "Of course I can. She'll be angry at first, but she'll love it."

"I'm sure she will...and thank you. I'm positive we'll see each other again." I walk away satisfied. Morgan's words are spot on, Charlie will be angry. However, I'm not sure she will love any aspect of the trip.

With Grace packing Charlie's bag and Morgan aware of the soon absence of her boss, all I have to do now is wait until the sun sets tomorrow. I go back to the hotel and count down the hours.