questions; questions about her gift, her health and probably lots of other things that set her slightly apart from her peers, but that she had no answers for.
“ If you ever do want to find out, I might be able to help,” he offered. “Just let me know.”
“ Thank you, but I came to terms with not knowing years ago.”
They met up with her parents at the car and headed back to Frankie's house. Frankie could tell that her mother was bursting to ask what had happened between them on the walk; she was sure Cecilia had observed their every move, but Frankie was in no hurry to have their conversation examined.
Dante pulled up outside her house and got out of the car to say goodnight to everyone. He and Frankie spotted Will at the same time, sitting on the front step, waiting for her.
Chapter Six
Frankie closed her eyes and wished for just a few moments to herself, but when she opened them again, Will was still there.
“ I'd better go.” Dante leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Call me if you need me.”
“ Don't forget this.” Frankie slipped his jacket off.
“ I think your need might be greater than mine,” Dante glanced to her parents and Frankie realised that she'd have to talk to Will outside if they wanted privacy.
Frankie nodded and ushered her parents over to Will. She could see her mother's eyes positively twinkling with excitement.
“ Will, these are my parents, Cecilia and Peter. Mum, dad, this is D.C.I. William Campbell.”
Though her mother knew that Frankie had dated Will at university, she had never met him in person. Frankie had never allowed her mother to meet any of her boyfriends, although that was only really two people, Will and Alex.
Her parents said 'hello' to Will, then Frankie did her best to usher them inside as soon as she could.
“ Will you join us for a nightcap, William?” her mother asked, positively delighted at the chance to grill him.
“ He's here for work, Mum. You and Dad unpack and settle in, I have to talk to Will in private.” She grabbed Will's arm and pulled him away.
They walked down the road for a short way, then sat down on the wall that separated the grassy bank that lead to the beach, from the pavement.
“ How are you?” Frankie asked.
Will sighed. He seemed more grumpy than angry now. She hoped that was a good sign.
“ I don't know. I feel like I don't know anything any more.”
Frankie wished she knew what to say to make him feel better.
“ How do you deal with it?” he asked her. “Knowing what's out there?”
“ I've never had to learn to deal with it,” she answered honestly. “I'm one of the things that's out there, so I've always been aware of the supernatural around me.”
“ I just don't know what to do with this. What are the rules? How does it work?” He suddenly seemed to realise something and turned to her. “And why the hell are you taking your parents out with a vampire? And how could you let him do that to you?” he pointed at her neck, looking revolted at the memory.
“ One at a time.” Frankie took a deep breath. “Okay first of all, that's the first time Dante has ever fed from me.”
“ That you know of. He could have put the whammy on you like he did me.”
“ He couldn't. Their mind control doesn't work on me.”
“ Why not?”
Frankie shrugged. “Probably because of my gift, but I don't have any concrete answers. All I know is that a vampire has never successfully vamped me.”
“ That's what they call it, being vamped?”
“ No, that's my slang. But drinking blood is just what they have to do to survive, Will. They don't hurt anyone and it actually feels very nice.”
“ Yeah, I saw,” he sounded bitter.
“ Oh, don't get possessive on me. That's the first time and I only did it, because it seemed like the quickest way to get you to believe us.”
“ So are you guys dating now, is that what this little 'meet the parents' is all about?”
“ No, my parents turned up out of the blue and
“ If you ever do want to find out, I might be able to help,” he offered. “Just let me know.”
“ Thank you, but I came to terms with not knowing years ago.”
They met up with her parents at the car and headed back to Frankie's house. Frankie could tell that her mother was bursting to ask what had happened between them on the walk; she was sure Cecilia had observed their every move, but Frankie was in no hurry to have their conversation examined.
Dante pulled up outside her house and got out of the car to say goodnight to everyone. He and Frankie spotted Will at the same time, sitting on the front step, waiting for her.
Chapter Six
Frankie closed her eyes and wished for just a few moments to herself, but when she opened them again, Will was still there.
“ I'd better go.” Dante leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Call me if you need me.”
“ Don't forget this.” Frankie slipped his jacket off.
“ I think your need might be greater than mine,” Dante glanced to her parents and Frankie realised that she'd have to talk to Will outside if they wanted privacy.
Frankie nodded and ushered her parents over to Will. She could see her mother's eyes positively twinkling with excitement.
“ Will, these are my parents, Cecilia and Peter. Mum, dad, this is D.C.I. William Campbell.”
Though her mother knew that Frankie had dated Will at university, she had never met him in person. Frankie had never allowed her mother to meet any of her boyfriends, although that was only really two people, Will and Alex.
Her parents said 'hello' to Will, then Frankie did her best to usher them inside as soon as she could.
“ Will you join us for a nightcap, William?” her mother asked, positively delighted at the chance to grill him.
“ He's here for work, Mum. You and Dad unpack and settle in, I have to talk to Will in private.” She grabbed Will's arm and pulled him away.
They walked down the road for a short way, then sat down on the wall that separated the grassy bank that lead to the beach, from the pavement.
“ How are you?” Frankie asked.
Will sighed. He seemed more grumpy than angry now. She hoped that was a good sign.
“ I don't know. I feel like I don't know anything any more.”
Frankie wished she knew what to say to make him feel better.
“ How do you deal with it?” he asked her. “Knowing what's out there?”
“ I've never had to learn to deal with it,” she answered honestly. “I'm one of the things that's out there, so I've always been aware of the supernatural around me.”
“ I just don't know what to do with this. What are the rules? How does it work?” He suddenly seemed to realise something and turned to her. “And why the hell are you taking your parents out with a vampire? And how could you let him do that to you?” he pointed at her neck, looking revolted at the memory.
“ One at a time.” Frankie took a deep breath. “Okay first of all, that's the first time Dante has ever fed from me.”
“ That you know of. He could have put the whammy on you like he did me.”
“ He couldn't. Their mind control doesn't work on me.”
“ Why not?”
Frankie shrugged. “Probably because of my gift, but I don't have any concrete answers. All I know is that a vampire has never successfully vamped me.”
“ That's what they call it, being vamped?”
“ No, that's my slang. But drinking blood is just what they have to do to survive, Will. They don't hurt anyone and it actually feels very nice.”
“ Yeah, I saw,” he sounded bitter.
“ Oh, don't get possessive on me. That's the first time and I only did it, because it seemed like the quickest way to get you to believe us.”
“ So are you guys dating now, is that what this little 'meet the parents' is all about?”
“ No, my parents turned up out of the blue and
Similar Books
