Coleen: Forever (Waking Forever Series Book 5) Read online

  Coleen could see Isla was struggling. She assumed it was because she still held ill will towards Coleen and what she had done. For both their sakes, if there was going to be any hope of success for the evening, Coleen would have to force the conversation forward.

  “You had mentioned that you’re finishing your master’s in biology. What is your area of specialty?” Coleen grabbed at the most innocuous topic she could imagine, short of discussing the weather.

  “Evolution. Specifically, my research is around the last universal common ancestor hypothesis.” Isla’s tone was challenging, and Coleen knew she was testing her to see if she could manage a conversation about a relatively obscure topic.

  “Ah, yes, the notion that the lot of us started in one very small spot, and with one great grandparent a billion times removed.” Coleen had always preferred the arts over the sciences. Fortunately, her nearly three thousand year life, and the fact she never needed to sleep, had afforded her the luxury of studying both.

  Isla’s brow arched. “That’s right.”

  The waitress returned with Isla’s drink. “Have y’all decided on some food?”

  Coleen slid her empty glass to the edge of the table. “Nothing for me, but I will have another drink.”

  Isla declined as well, and squeezed her lime into her glass before continuing. “My masters’ thesis is about the ur-organism, or the forbearer of the last universal common ancestor.”

  Coleen smiled, content to continue this battle of intellect if it meant they weren’t sitting in a deafening silence. “Do you subscribe then to the assertions made by Theobald and Saey in 2010, and their formal test and conclusions regarding universal common ancestry?”

  Isla clutched her glass between her hands, and looked intently at Coleen. “Which assertions are you referencing?”

  Coleen grinned, pleased Isla was continuing the game. “The formal statistical test they published, pointing to a single cell having been the last universal common ancestor, even though it was a member of an early microbial community.”

  Coleen smiled at the waitress as she slid the Glenlivet in front of her. “The publication noted that only its descendants survived beyond the Paleoarchean Era.” Coleen took a long drink of her whisky. “The test all but disproved the horizontal gene transfer theory.”

  Isla sat perfectly still, her jaw slack. “What is your educational background?”

  Coleen shrugged. “I’m a student of life really. A little of this and that.” She took another drink of her whisky. “I don’t have the discipline for the extensive study that you do.”

  Isla nodded, and emptied her drink in three long gulps. “Then you’ve studied Darwin?”

  “I wouldn’t go so far as to say studied, but I have read several of his works, and couldn’t agree with him more.” Coleen was hoping the back-and-forth would last.

  “What do you consider his most applicable assertion?” Isla leaned back in the booth, and gestured for the waitress to bring her another drink.

  “One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die.” Coleen uttered one of her favorite Darwinian quotes as she slid her empty glass next to Isla’s.

  Isla rubbed her hands over her face, and stretched her neck to the left. “Look, I want to be honest with you. The only reason I agreed to this was to avoid a scene at the lab. I nearly didn’t show up at all… it seemed fair after what you did.”

  Coleen shook her head. “Fair is overrated, and often subjective.”

  Isla quickly countered. “Then it seemed fitting and just.”

  “I can say the same about justice.” Coleen waited for the waitress to leave, having deposited two more drinks at their table. “But you came anyway.”

  “Yeah. I don’t know why.” Isla quickly squeezed her lime into the second cocktail. “I’m just –”

  “A nice person.” Coleen spoke without a hint of irony.

  Isla looked up from her drink. “I’m not really.”

  “I think you are.” Coleen smiled.

  Isla lowered her voice. “What are you doing this for?”

  Coleen glanced down at her drink. “Having a drink with a friend?”

  Isla inhaled sharply. “Are you wanting to date me or something? What’s your angle?”

  Coleen bristled at Isla’s tone. What had been a relatively subdued exchange was quickly heating up. “Would that be so shocking?”

  “I’m not one of those women that needs reassurances that she’s attractive or worthy, but our lives seem infinitely different.” Isla’s light brown eyes remained locked on Coleen, as if scrutinizing her every movement for some sign of the motive she was now questioning the vampire about.

  “I enjoy your company.” Coleen wanted to say more. She wanted to tell Isla that she was beautiful and smart, and the fact she held her own with Coleen made her exponentially more interesting than any of her human contemporaries. In the end, Coleen thought it was best to say less, and see where Isla decided the conversation should go.

  “Elaborate.” The single word was spoken as a stern command, and Coleen couldn’t help but smirk at the human’s assertiveness in spite of her species’ inherent fragility. “Is this a joke for you?”

  Coleen was taken aback as she watched tears begin to form in the corners of Isla’s eyes. She had misjudged the conversation. Where she was having a bit of banter, Isla was clearly struggling.

  “No. I would never think –”

  Isla wiped at an errant tear as it rolled down her cheek. “I don’t have the time or energy for frivolous affairs, Coleen.”

  Coleen leaned back in the booth, her feelings a jumble of sympathy, concern, and a hint of irritation. “Well, I do have both the time and the energy for frivolous affairs, but I do not have an interest in such things.”

  Feeling she hadn’t said enough, Coleen continued. “And certainly not where you’re concerned.”

  Isla’s eyes widened before she averted her gaze toward the table. It was nearly a minute before she spoke, and when she did her voice was strained. “I was with a wonderful woman when my parents were killed. We had been together a little over a year, and were just getting ready to move in together when –” Her voice caught, but she pressed on. “When the plane crashed.”

  Coleen was surprised to see her own hand outstretched across the table toward Isla, and she felt happy when Isla eventually placed her hand in hers.

  “It was crazy after the accident. It wasn’t bad enough that both my parents were dead, but the media practically camped out on our front lawn.” Isla’s hand trembled as she lifted her drink. “Brenda didn’t care about any of that, she was really great.”

  Coleen, sensing Isla had stalled a bit, gently squeezed her hand. “Then what happened?”

  Another tear rolled down Isla’s cheek before she could stop it. “She didn’t want children. So, when it was clear Julian was part of my life, Brenda didn’t want to be.”

  Coleen thought of Julian, and how easy he was to be around. Though she had mourned her own child, she had never wanted another one. But Julian had sparked something human in her that she could only describe as maternal.

  “I’m sorry, Isla.” Coleen felt a faint tightening in her chest as she spoke the words.

  Isla pulled her hand free of Coleen’s and took a long drink from her cocktail. “It’s the past, but you see why I can’t be careless.” She crunched on a small piece of ice. “It’s not just my feelings that get hurt, but Julian’s too, and he’s been through enough.”

  “You both have.” Coleen said plainly.

  Isla closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “Anyway, I have to go.” She reached for her purse.

  Coleen was surprised by the one eighty Isla had taken. “You’re leaving?”

  Isla nodded. “I told you, the sitter has to leave at seven.”

  Coleen knew it was now or never if she was going to have any chance of maintaining a relatio
nship with Isla. She quickly checked all of her sarcasm, and pushed forward as directly as she could. “I like you, and you’re right when you say our lives are miles apart.” Coleen was relieved to see Isla had put her purse down and was listening to her.

  “I don’t want to be careless either.” Coleen needed Isla to know she had just as much at stake as she did. Regardless of all her strength, regret was an unimaginable weight to bear for all time.

  The two women looked at each other, neither seeming willing or able to speak. It was Isla that finally broke the silence. “I have time for one more drink.”

  Coleen smiled, and for the first time in ages, felt she might be making progress. “Wonderful.” She waved the waitress over, and the two women ordered another round of drinks. Something unspoken had passed between them, and the conversation ebbed and flowed more easily than Coleen had even hoped for.

  “Julian had just finished reading the first Harry Potter book, and I guess internalized it a lot, because I get a note from his teacher saying he had called her a Muggle.” Isla laughed, and then stopped suddenly when she saw Coleen wasn’t in on the joke. “You know – Muggle?”

  Coleen was embarrassed to admit she had no idea what a Muggle was, and only had a vague point of reference to the book series Isla was talking about. “Sorry.”

  Isla huffed. “Are you telling me you can discuss horizontal gene transfer theory, but have never read Harry Potter?”

  “I clearly have missed the more important things in life.” Coleen smiled. “Why don’t you tell me about these Muggles?” Coleen found herself in an unfamiliar, and not altogether unpleasant, position of having a human explain something to her.

  Isla shook her head, and finished the last of her drink. “It’s too complicated. Way more than ur-organisms, eukaryotes, and bacteria.” Isla joked, and then a nervous look spread across her face. “Do you – and I get that it might not be your thing – but do you want to come over sometime and watch the Harry Potter movies?”

  Coleen managed to force a frown onto her lips even though she was elated at the invitation. “I would love to, but I was under the impression the movies never do the books justice.”

  Isla reached for her purse, a glint in her eye. “Suit yourself. The entire series is over four thousand pages long.”

  Coleen suppressed the urge to tell Isla she could be through the series inside of two days. Instead Coleen sighed heavily. “When would I sleep?”

  Isla laughed. “Exactly. So, you’ll come over?”

  Coleen nodded, and seeing Isla take her wallet out, held her hand up. “Yes to the invite, and no, you are not paying.” Coleen reached for her own purse. “This is my treat.”

  Isla clearly struggled with the notion of letting Coleen pay, and she tensed, hesitating to put her wallet back in her purse. “Okay, but next time is on me.”

  Coleen looked at Isla, and made no attempt to hide her enthusiasm. “Then we’re agreed there will be a next time?”

  Isla glanced at her watch. “Not if I don’t get home in the next twenty minutes and the sitter quits on me.”

  “Then go.” Coleen smiled as she waved Isla on. “Call me with details for the next outing.”

  Isla started to hurry off, but then stopped. She turned, and quickly bent over, placing a light kiss on Coleen’s cool cheek. “Thanks for the drinks.”

  Before Coleen could push past the euphoria Isla’s scent and heartbeat had triggered in her, Isla was gone. Coleen placed her elbows on the table, and then covered her mouth with one hand. She hoped no one had noticed the inch long incisors protruding from her mouth.

  Chapter 9

  “You’re going over to her house to do what?” Rachel’s voice came from the speakers in Coleen’s Mercedes, filling the interior of the car.

  “I’m spending the day there.” Following the GPS’s instructions, Coleen drove into a middle class neighborhood in the North Central area of San Antonio. “Evidently I’ve missed an entire cultural phenomenon called Harry Potter.” The car went silent. “Rachel?”

  “I’m here. I just don’t know what to do with this information.” Rachel’s tone was hesitant. “Have you hunted lately?”

  Coleen thought the question odd. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, an entire day in a house with two humans.” Rachel spoke slowly. “I don’t want you to end up on the evening news.”

  Coleen chuckled. “You’re so young. You forget that at my age the hunger hardly exists at all. It’s nature’s way of rewarding us if we live this long.”

  “Just be careful.”

  “I don’t know what you imagine is going to happen. I’m going to suffer through what I can only assume is a terrible rendering of the supernatural world, score a few points with Isla, and go home.” Coleen pulled up in front of a two story, gray brick house. “I have to go.”

  Coleen disconnected the call before Rachel could remind her, yet again, not to murder Isla and Julian. Glancing at the clock on her dashboard, Coleen took a deep breath. It was ten in the morning, and according to Isla, they would be entrenched in Harry Potter for at least the next ten hours.

  Coleen had brought the perfunctory flowers and bottle of wine, and as she walked up to the front door with her offerings in hand, was amazed to find she was looking forward to her day.

  “Coleen!” Julian answered the door, and if not for the flowers and wine in Coleen’s hands, the boy looked as if he might fling himself at her.

  “Julian, it’s very nice to see you again.” Glancing up, Coleen saw Isla standing behind Julian with a smile on her face as she looked at her enthused brother.

  “I brought this for you.” Coleen smirked as she handed Julian the bottle of wine. “And these are for you.” She smiled as she handed Isla a bouquet of Casablanca Lilies.

  Julian looked closely at the red wine. “Cab burnt saving non?”

  Coleen let out an exaggerated gasp. “Oh, my mistake.” She took the bottle from Julian, and handed it to Isla. “This is for you.” Reaching into her handbag, Coleen retrieved a small, wooden box. “That means this is for you.”

  Julian’s grin lit up his face as he took the box from Coleen. “Can I open it now?”

  Isla put her hands on the boy’s shoulders, and moved him to the side so Coleen could come in. “I’m sure that’s the point, Jules.”

  Coleen walked into the house, and quickly patted the boy on the shoulder. “I would be hurt if you didn’t open it right away.”

  Isla had barely got the door closed before Julian had the wooden box open, and was removing the red tissue paper that encased the object inside the box. “What is it?” Julian held the cylindrical shaped gift in front of him.

  “It’s a kaleidoscope.” Coleen took the gift from him, and holding it up to her right eye, turned the base back and forth. “You look through this end, and turn the dial.”

  She handed the kaleidoscope back to a mesmerized Julian, who immediately held it to his eye. “We have one at school, but it doesn’t look anything like this.” The kaleidoscope was four inches long. The casing was solid maple with red and white chips of marble inlaid throughout. Pewter encased either end where the eyepiece and dial were set.

  Coleen didn’t dare tell Isla the piece was over a hundred years old, for fear she wouldn’t let Julian keep it.

  Isla tucked the bottle of wine under her arm, and reached out her hand. “Can I see it, Jules?”

  The boy reluctantly handed the gift to his sister. “Be careful with it.”

  Isla smiled. “I was about to say the same thing to you.” She looked at Coleen. “This is really nice of you.”

  Coleen grinned, genuinely pleased she had found something Julian would enjoy. “It seemed like a good fit.”

  Isla looked at Coleen for several seconds as if she meant to say more, but faltered. “I can show you around the downstairs, and then get these in some water.”

  Coleen followed Isla and Julian past the stairs, and toward the back of the house. She was always a
mused by the American tendency to give guests tours of their home. Short of showing a human where the toilet was, Coleen couldn’t imagine the location of a home office should matter.

  The house was modest. Light wood floors ran throughout the downstairs, and the kitchen cabinets were also a light wood with standard light beige laminate countertops. Coleen noticed the round kitchenette table and chairs seemed to be in an older style than she would have thought for Isla, as were the copper pots that lined the top of the cabinets along the ceiling.

  “Was this your parents’ house?” Coleen asked the question, but then the startled look that shot across Isla’s face made her think better of it. Julian had not taken notice of the exchange, as he was enthralled by Coleen’s gift.

  Isla retrieved a large glass vase from under the sink, and began filling it with water. “Yes. There wasn’t a lot of money after they died, but it was enough to pay the house off, and put some away for Julian’s education.”

  “Is that why you work and go to school?” Coleen put her purse on the table, and sat down.

  “Yes and no.” Isla began arranging the lilies in the vase. “I need the lab hours to ensure placement in a decent doctorate program, and I was fortunate to find a position that actually paid.” She stood and admired the flowers, before placing them in the center of the table. “Student loans cover the rest.”

  Coleen nodded as if she had any point of reference. She couldn’t recall the last time money had been of much consequence to her. “It sounds like you have a plan.”

  Isla laughed. “Then I’ve fooled you.”

  “Are we going to watch the movies?” Julian looked up from the kaleidoscope.

  Isla put her hands on her hips. “Yes, so why don’t you get the box set out, and Coleen and I will put the snacks together.”

  Julian sprinted from the kitchen, and Coleen was amazed by his infinite stores of energy. “Has he been looking forward to this?”

  Isla opened a narrow door next to the refrigerator to reveal a small pantry. “He’s seen the movies a dozen times. I suspect he is really after the junk food I’ve promised him while we watch the movies.” She pulled a bag of corn tortilla chips and a jar of an orange colored substance from the pantry.