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

  From the label, Coleen deduced the orange concoction was supposed to be some type of cheese dip, but the odor the dip gave off when Isla opened the jar reminded Coleen of antifreeze.

  “I’ll have to pass on the junk food.” Coleen was trying not to retch at the faux cheese odor. “I hope you’re not offended.”

  Isla shook her head as she poured the bag of chips into a large white bowl. “I don’t like this crap any more than you do.” She opened the refrigerator. “Julian can have the chips, dip, and ice cream.” Isla turned to face Coleen, a large tray in front of her. “I’ve made us a cheese plate with cured meats and pickled okra that will go perfectly with the wine.”

  Coleen looked up at Isla, and even though the more adult version of snack food didn’t appeal to Coleen any more than Julian’s version, the hopeful look on Isla’s face brought a smile to Coleen’s. “That’s perfect.”

  Isla grinned, and slid the tray onto the table. “Honestly, though, I’m not completely ruling out ice cream.”

  Coleen leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs. “One shouldn’t be too hasty.”

  Leaning against the counter, Isla seemed nervous. “You don’t have to stay for every film. I mean, they’re really long and I get it if you aren’t into blowing an entire Sunday watching the wizarding world of Harry Potter.”

  Coleen looked at Isla closely. She was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a peach colored crew neck t-shirt, and a pair of brown leather flip-flops. The peach color sat nicely against her tan skin, and Coleen had an almost overwhelming urge to touch her. Coleen’s attention was drawn to the narrowness of Isla’s waist just above the flare of her hips.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Coleen had lost track of the exchange.

  Isla frowned. “I was saying ten hours of movies might not be your thing, and that’s cool.”

  Coleen stood, and feeling more in control, closed the space between her and Isla. Tentatively, Coleen placed her hand on Isla’s waist. Isla shifted, and looked up at Coleen, her heartbeat thumping in Coleen’s ears.

  Coleen slowly leaned toward Isla, and brought her lips to within an inch of Isla’s neck. The full length of their bodies came together. The feel of Isla’s breasts pressed against her, along with the heat of Isla’s skin, sent sharp sparks of electricity through Coleen’s body. The room spun as Coleen was enveloped in citrus and floral scents.

  A quiet gasp escaped Isla, followed immediately by Julian yelling from the living room. “Are y’all coming?!”

  Coleen steadied herself, and leaned back, her eyes meeting Isla’s. Without a word, Isla stepped around Coleen, and grabbed the bowl of chips and the jar of dip. “Patience is a virtue, Jules!” The waver in Isla’s voice was slight, and the only evidence that her proximity to Coleen had had any effect.

  Coleen continued to stand with her back to the kitchen. She was utterly confused by her body’s reaction to the human. She had not expected the nearness of Isla to affect her so viscerally. In the past, the seduction of a human had always been a matter of academics. Coleen’s goal was always to either feed on the human or turn them.

  The actual consummation of the relationship had always occurred once the human became a vampire. The notion of being physically intimate with a human had never interested Coleen, though she could appreciate their culinary and aesthetic appeal. It would seem her reaction to Isla, like so many other aspects of the human, was unexpected and not entirely unpleasant.

  “Everything okay?” Isla was standing on the other side of the table.

  Coleen turned around. “I was looking for a bottle opener.” She reached for the bottle of wine. “I thought I would open it up and let it breathe.”

  Isla nodded as she picked up the cheese and meat tray. “It’s in the drawer next to the fridge, and the glasses are in the cabinet over the sink.”

  Coleen smiled and waited until Isla had left the room before retrieving the bottle opener. Pulling the cork free, Coleen took a deep breath in through her nose in an effort to purge Isla’s aroma. The cherry and wood notes of the wine masked the lingering floral and citrus scents, but did little to clear Coleen’s head.

  Determined to push through, and knowing leaving was not an option given her past unscheduled departure, Coleen poured herself a generous amount of wine. She took a long drink before making her way to the living room.

  Isla and Julian were sitting on an overstuffed, dark brown sofa. Julian was leaning over the arm of the sofa, repeatedly immersing one of the corn chips into the cheese dip. Isla had a remote control in her hand, her attention fixed on the television.

  “Would you like some wine?” Coleen put the empty glass down on the wooden coffee table in front of Isla.

  “Maybe later. Do you want anything other than wine?” Isla slid over, clearly intending Coleen to sit next to her.

  Coleen, figuring she was already in deep, sat down next to Isla. “Wine is fine for now.” She turned her attention to Julian, who was noisily crunching on a mouth full of chips. “Julian, are you ready?”

  Julian grinned, and swallowed the chips before speaking. “I was waiting on you two.” He flopped down next to Isla. “You were taking forever.”

  “Not long enough.” Isla muttered as she gently nudged Coleen’s leg with hers, and pressed the play button on the remote control.

  When the first film ended, Julian stood up in front of Isla and Coleen. “So, did you like it?”

  Coleen stretched her arms over her head and faked a yawn because she assumed that was what one did after sitting through a two hour long movie. “It was fun.”

  Julian, clearly unhappy with Coleen’s lack of enthusiasm, seemed on the verge of pouting before Isla interceded. “Don’t even. You know the first film is your least favorite too.” Isla stood up, and playfully messed with Julian’s hair. “So Coleen gets to not love the movie too.”

  Coleen slid to the edge of the sofa. “I thought it was very – ah, imaginative.” Having known a few witches in her day, the notion that they needed a small inanimate wooden stick to wreak havoc was just ludicrous to Coleen.

  It didn’t surprise her that humans had come up with these bastardizations of what it truly was to be a witch. After all, they only knew, and could then only imagine, what witches had told them to believe over the centuries.

  It was the same with vampires. That’s why even in the past hundred years, Coleen had still occasionally come across humans who thought they might save themselves with a cross and a wooden stake in hand.

  “I have to pee.” Julian announced before trotting down the hall.

  “He’s so subtle.” Isla shook her head as she began cleaning up the chip crumbs that littered the side table. “Is this cool? That we’re just hanging out?” Isla didn’t look up at Coleen, but the concern in her voice was enough to tell Coleen the casual question mattered.

  “I’m enjoying the time with both of you.” Coleen stood and picked the half eaten cheese and meat tray up. She had managed to eat a few pieces of cheese, and most of the pickled okra, but the smell was becoming too much for her. She could have simply not breathed, but she was enjoying Isla’s scent too much to deprive herself of it.

  “Just leave that on the counter. I’ll clean it up later.” Isla nodded toward the kitchen.

  Coleen walked into the kitchen, and put the tray on the counter next to the sink. Isla came in a moment later with a nearly empty bag of chips in one hand, and a half empty jar of cheese dip.

  “I hope he doesn’t get sick later.” Isla frowned. “At least I’ve managed to keep him away from the sodas today.”

  “Is that because of the sugar and caffeine?” Coleen leaned against the edge of the counter.

  “It’s because of what the sugar and caffeine do to Julian.” She put the lid back on the jar of cheese dip, and slid it into the refrigerator. “He’s out of control with it.”

  “I can’t imagine that.” Coleen didn’t know any other children, but Julian seemed very well behaved.

  Isla’
s brow arched. “Well that’s because he’s been told to be on his best behavior when we have company.”

  “Do you have a lot of company?” Coleen knew Isla had told her at Stone Werks that she didn’t indulge in frivolous affairs, but that didn’t mean the occasional one night stand was out of the question.

  It seemed odd to Coleen that the sexual habits of a human should matter to her, even as a curiosity. The split second she had thought of Isla with another woman had been a very uncomfortable one for Coleen.

  Isla stepped in front of Coleen, her brown eyes focused on Coleen’s lips. “Not lately.”

  Isla leaned in, the warmth of her lips pressed to Coleen’s. A split second later, Isla’s hand was at the back of Coleen’s neck, pulling her closer. The sudden onslaught intensified as the tip of Isla’s tongue darted across Coleen’s bottom lip.

  A low moan filled the room, and Coleen couldn’t understand why it was coming from her. Isla had her pressed against the counter, her mouth triggering a spinning sensation in Coleen’s stomach. Fearing she was nearing the point of losing control, Coleen was trying to figure a way out of a situation she didn’t really want to escape.

  “Are we watching another movie?” Julian’s voice came from the kitchen entrance.

  Isla nearly jumped backwards as she turned to face her brother. “Yep. Do you want the ice cream now or later?”

  Julian looked from Isla to Coleen, and then back at his clearly flustered sister. “Later.” He grinned as he walked out of the kitchen.

  “Jesus.” Isla ran her fingers through her hair. She turned to face Coleen. “That could have gone better.”

  Coleen was so focused on retracting her incisors and ensuring her eyes weren’t glowing that she was having difficulty speaking. Her efforts became more encumbered when Isla stepped back into her space and wrapped her arms around Coleen. Instinctively, Coleen’s arms encircled Isla’s waist, pulling her closer.

  A magnificent weight bore down on Coleen, and then it pushed through her in a warm wave. Even with all of her centuries, she could not remember this feeling. The entirety of her body and mind were in this space and this moment with Isla. Coleen had no desire to be anywhere else.

  Isla stepped back, and cupped Coleen’s cheek in her warm hand. “We better get back in there before he revolts.”

  Coleen managed a nod and faint smile. “I just need to use the restroom.” She quickly excused herself, and once in the restroom closed and locked the door.

  The half-bath was under the stairs, and had no windows. Coleen relished the darkness, and left the light off as she stared at herself in the mirror. What am I doing? The voice in her head was harsh, and impatient.

  Coleen clutched either side of the sink. She had always cared for her companions over the centuries, and had even liked them as humans, but something felt different and off with Isla. Coleen’s affinity for the woman was growing, and to her surprise, a physical attraction was growing as well.

  Coleen was no stranger to sexual trysts, but she had never been intimate with a human. The fact she had railed against such a pairing for the entirety of her existence made her wanting Isla that much more uncomfortable.

  Uncomfortable but wonderful. A softer voice emerged in Coleen’s head, and she wanted to cling to it.

  What does it matter anyway? I’m turning her. It’s clear she is attracted to me, and turning her will only fuel that.

  Coleen’s mind raced, and then ground to a sudden halt. She was relieved that Isla and she had finally made a connection, but she was still conflicted over Julian. He was far too young to turn, and couldn’t be trusted to keep their secret if she turned Isla and the two stayed in each other’s lives.

  Isla’s feelings for her brother would fade when she became a vampire, but Coleen’s affections for the child would not.

  “Coleen? Are you okay?” Isla’s voice, followed by a faint knock, pulled Coleen back to the present.

  Opening the door, Coleen smiled at a concerned Isla. “Sorry.”

  Isla looked over Coleen’s shoulder. “No problem. I just want to make sure you’re feeling okay.”

  Coleen took Isla’s hand in hers. “I’m great. Is Julian ready for the next movie?”

  Isla smiled and squeezed Coleen’s hand. “Yes, and I broke down and gave him a Coke.” She led Coleen down the short hallway to the living room. “So brace yourself.”

  Julian going hyperactive was the least of Coleen’s concerns. No, the barrage she really needed to brace herself against was far more perilous and could literally last forever.

  ***

  Coleen pulled up to her house. It was after ten o’clock at night, and though she knew it wasn’t possible, she felt tired. Isla, Julian and she had watched all but two of the Harry Potter films, while Coleen continued to mull over in her mind what to do with the two of them. She was grateful they had forgone the last installments because Julian had fallen asleep.

  As days went, Coleen had certainly had more exciting, but she couldn’t recall having many that were more enjoyable. She was reliving her goodnight kiss with Isla when she saw movement near the side of the house.

  A second later, a tall man with light blond hair and a broad chest and shoulders emerged from the shadows. His eyes shone a bright blue in the darkness. “You’re getting slow in your old age, Coleen. I remember a time when I wouldn’t have gotten within a hundred yards before you spotted me.”

  Coleen sighed heavily, and unlocked the back door. “Hello, Claudio. I wasn’t expecting you for several more days.”

  “Or at all.” Claudio followed Coleen into the house. “I’ve sent you emails, but hadn’t heard from you.” He put down the small leather bag he was carrying. “Did you forget I was coming?”

  Coleen had forgotten, but didn’t see the point in admitting it to her old friend. “How could I? Every ten years, plus or minus a few days.” She leaned in and quickly kissed the man on both cheeks. “You’re looking well.”

  “As are you.” Claudio reached for an old fashioned glass, and filled it from Coleen’s bottle of Glenlivet. Holding the bottle up, he smiled at Coleen. “Drink?”

  Coleen nodded, and put down her purse and kicked off her leather flats. “Bring the bottle into the library.”

  Claudio tucked the whisky bottle under his arm, and followed Coleen through the house and into the library. Coleen fell back onto the sofa, and reached for the glass of whisky Claudio offered her. “Thank you.”

  Claudio sat in a chair across from Coleen. “You’re welcome.”

  The two sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes as they enjoyed their drinks until Claudio finally spoke. “You smell of human. Are you hunting again?”

  Coleen had also smelled human on Claudio. Unlike the scent of lilac, roses, and oranges that Isla had left on her, Claudio smelled of blood and sweat from no doubt one of his recent kills.

  “I’ve been in the market for a new companion.” Coleen took a drink of her whisky. “I don’t know if you heard Rayven was killed four years ago, by a coven and a pack of lycans.”

  Claudio winced. “I had heard. I’m sorry.”

  Coleen shrugged. “It was upsetting at the time.”

  “And now?” Claudio emptied the glass of whisky and immediately poured himself another one.

  Coleen handed her half empty glass to Claudio for refreshing. “I cared for Rayven, but we weren’t in love and she would have eventually left.”

  Claudio paused mid drink. “I don’t think I have ever heard you use that word, Coleen.”

  Coleen knew the word her friend was referencing, and wasn’t in the mood to get into it. “How long are you staying?”

  Claudio and Coleen had known each other for nearly five hundred years. They had met during the onset of the witch scare in Plymouth Colony during the sixteen twenties. Claudio had gone by the name Samuel Tynan then, and had been good enough to pretend he was married to Coleen’s companion Hester.

  This had avoided any number of complications,
not the least of which was an ignorant homophobic cluster of humanity attempting to burn the two women at the stake.

  “A few weeks.” Claudio emptied his second glass of whisky.

  Coleen put her empty glass on the end table and stood up. “You know the rules. Whatever you hunt, you kill, and be sure to dispose of the body properly.” She walked toward the hall. “Emma has left the city, so any trouble you find with the authorities –” Coleen frowned, her longing for Emma still fresh. “She won’t be able to help us.”

  Claudio nodded and refilled his glass. “Understood. And Coleen – it’s good to see you again.”

  Coleen smiled. “It’s good to see you, old friend.”

  Walking down the hall, Coleen pulled her blouse over her head. She crumpled the garment in her hands, inhaled deeply, taking the last of Isla’s scent in before tossing the shirt on her bed. Stripping down, Coleen turned the shower on. Three jets of water streamed toward the center of the tiled stall, while steam rose and quickly filled the bathroom.

  Standing under the nearly scalding water, Coleen wondered why she had used the word love. She spoke ten different languages, and couldn’t recall the last time she had uttered the single syllable. Love was not something useful to an immortal. The span of thousands, even tens of thousands of years in a lifetime meant there was never one love or one right person.

  Coleen got out of the shower and dried off. Brushing her wet hair, it occurred to her she had actually loved many people, but none more than she had loved herself. She had only ever spared bits of herself, never committing the whole.

  Slipping into a pair of black silk panties, and a matching silk tank top, Coleen scanned the bookshelves that lined one of the walls of her bedroom. Then she glanced at the discarded Kindle that lay on one of the shelves. It was a gift from Emma, and Coleen had accepted it graciously with no intention of using it.

  Picking up the device, she powered it on, and was impressed with how easy it was to setup. Within ten minutes she was downloading books. Sitting in a brown leather chair, Coleen pulled her legs up under her, and smiling to herself, typed in Harry Potter.