NEW HOME
by Virginia Dare
I moved to the little house in town a few years after my husband died. The kids are all grown and have moved away to live their own lives. The old house was just too big for me by myself. It was meant to be a home for a family. The large backyard should be a place for children to play and for family barbeques and parties. One woman didn’t need four bedrooms. So, I sold the house and bought this two bedroom house on Shady Lane. Admittedly I may have bought this house because it’s on Shady Lane. I love the idea of being the old woman on Shady Lane. Well, not so old yet. I’m just sixty one. That thought makes me laugh. The idea that at sixty one I’m not so old when I can remember thinking 40 was old. The older I get the further that old age gets.
My first day in my new home I saw my neighbor for the first time. It was early evening and I’d been working in the guest room, I just happened to glance out the window. He was a very good looking man who appeared to be in his thirties. I had glanced out my bedroom window as he and his daughter relaxed on chaise lounges by his large in ground pool. She was blond and tan, wearing a bikini while he was obviously in good shape, tanned and enjoying a cocktail. His yard and pool area was well lit so it didn’t seem odd that they might enjoy an evening swim. I thought about going over and introducing myself when I saw him reach over and run his hand up her thigh. Then he got up and pulled her into his arms, kissing her while his hands ran down her back, resting on her buttocks. So not his daughter, at least I hoped not. But introducing myself? Well, that was never going to happen. I laughed as I left the window and headed downstairs to make myself some dinner.
My doorbell rang, which startled me. I wasn’t expecting anyone and today wasn’t a good day, I had so many boxes to unpack and furniture to move. I opened the door to find my best friend Karen standing there holding a bottle of wine and a basket of cheese and crackers.
“I thought you might need some help, or we could just hang out and get drunk.” She grinned.
“Let’s get drunk, I have a story to tell you.” I pulled her into my house and we sat at the kitchen counter.
As I was searching for the corkscrew I told her about my neighbor and the girl who was easily younger than my youngest child. She jumped up and tried to see if they were still in his yard. “You can’t see anything from here, you need to look out a window upstairs.” I laughed as we ran up the stairs to spy on my neighbor. They were still there, only now they were in the pool but her top was off and he was, well all over her.
“Oh my lord!” Karen gasped. “Julie, you don’t need cable tv, you have all the porn you need outside your window.”
He went underwater and the bikini bottom floated to the top of the pool but he remained under for another minute. When he surfaced she put her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what was happening now.
“Oh my gosh.” Karen breathed as she backed away from the window. Before I could move, he looked up and saw me. His eyes locked on mine, or at least that’s how I felt. He smiled before returning his attention to the girl currently making love to him in his swimming pool.
“Oh shit!,” I growled as I pulled the blinds down. “He saw us.”
Karen began laughing. “Really? So, when do we put your house on the market?”
“What?” I looked at her, confused and still unsettled by not only being seen but the way he looked at me.
“You don’t want to live here after seeing that, do you?” She was having trouble talking, she was laughing so hard.
“The hell I don’t!” I exclaimed. “I’m not embarrassed. He should be embarrassed.”
But he obviously wasn’t. He looked as if he enjoyed being watched. “Well I know I won’t be borrowing a cup of sugar or anything else from him. I just hope my neighbor on the other side isn’t kinky too.”
“Well, let me tell you, I’m going to be visiting frequently. I don’t see much action and that was hot.”
I slapped her arm. “You’re incorrigible! Come on, let’s go get some dinner.”
“I didn’t get around to helping you much. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not, this was great.”
“Okay, so stay over tonight and we’ll unpack tomorrow. I want pasta. Does that work for you? We can go to Leonardo’s”
“Sounds good. Maybe he’ll have his girlfriend over tomorrow, this is better than soft porn.”
Sure enough, Karen burst into my room, “Wake up. He’s got another girl out there. Come on!”
I rolled over and looked at my phone, it was five in the morning. It was still dark outside. “Are you crazy? Go to bed, Karen. Stay away from the windows. He doesn’t need to think we’re voyeurs.”
“Well, I am a voyeur, it’s the only action I ever get. I’ll let you know what happens.”
She ran out of my room and I heard her go back into the guest room where she would have a clear view. Sighing heavily I got out of bed, intending to make her get away from the window and go to bed.
“Oh my God, Amy, you have to see this! They’re doing it in the pool!”
“Karen, Get away from that window!” I happened to catch a glimpse of the action and stood there staring, open mouthed, as they made love in the pool. She was backed up against the wall of the pool with her arms around his neck as he well, he did “it”. Suddenly he looked up at the window where we stood watching. Instead of being angry or embarrassed he smiled at us. It was a wicked smile.
I backed away from the window. “Get away from there, Karen, he saw us!”
She laughed. “He doesn’t seem to care and neither do I.”
“Karen! Come on!” I said heading for the stairs. Now that I was up, I knew there was no going back to sleep.
“Oh, Hell no. I’ll be down in a while.” She answered distractedly.
I have to admit I was embarrassed. Not only by what I’d seen but being caught watching a second time. I was a voyeur! I’m sixty one years old and I’m a peeping Thomasina! “I’m going to make breakfast, come down and eat or don’t but I have to start unpacking.”
Very distractedly she responded “Okay, oh my goodness they’re getting out of the pool. He’s got a great body. Oh my, and he’s big! Really big! No wonder that girl looks so happy! Did you hear me, Amy?”
“Oh God.” I groaned as I ran downstairs.
A few minutes later, Karen joined me in the kitchen. “He’s so hot!”
“Karen, we need to stop looking at him. Seriously, I have to live here, and he knows we were looking.”
“Yeah, he knows. He winked at me.”
“Oh my goodness.” I seriously wonder if I can live here now. “This is so embarrassing.”
“He wasn’t embarrassed at all. In fact he smiled at me as he left the pool with his little friend and they were both stark naked, I’ll have you know`. I think he likes being watched.”
“I wonder if he’s the reason the last owner sold this place.” I put the scrambled eggs and bacon on the plates along with the buttered toast.
“Can I move in with you? This is the most action I’ve seen in a long time!”
“We are not looking out any more windows, Karen. I’d love it if you moved in but not so you can spy on the guy next door.”
Karen laughed. “I won’t promise to behave, you know me better than that.”
“Karen, would you really like to move in?” I hadn’t thought about a roommate but having Karen living here might be a good thing. We’ve been best friends for decades and we’ve travelled all over the world together since my husband Bob hated travelling and I loved it.
“I hadn’t thought about it but you know, that would be nice. I can sell my apartment, and we can split the bills here. I’d have to bring Felix.”
“Of course, you know I love that cat. Are we really going to do this?” I was getting excited about the idea. I really hated living alone.
“Why the hell not? We spend most of our time together anyway. But I’m sneaking a look at that guy whenever possible, just so you know.” She laughed.
“What you do in your room is up to you, I’m not telling you what to do. Splitting the bills sounds great. When do you want to make the move?”
“I’ll put my apartment on the market tomorrow but I am paying rent, we can figure out how much is fair but I’m thinking one third of your mortgage payment.”
I laughed “I don’t have a mortgage, I paid for this place outright once the sale of my house went through. I can help you pack up your stuff and we can move whatever furniture you want over here.”
“Truth is, that bed I slept in last night was better than mine. I need to keep my books and bookcases but there’s plenty of room in the guest room for them. I was planning to buy new living room furniture soon, so I can sell mine without regret. I won’t need much.”
“Oh Karen, I’m so excited. It never occurred to me that we could be roommates but I don’t know why it didn’t. I mean we share rooms whenever we travel. Are you sure you want to give up your place? You could just rent it out for a while and see how things work out.”
“I don’t need to. I know we’ll be fine. If anything happens and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll buy an RV and travel. I always wanted to do that.” She laughed.
I felt so relieved. I hadn’t realized how much I hated living alone. And now my best friend would be moving in with me.
“Amy, when do you want me to move in? I can wait until the apartment sells or I can move in right away.”
“Karen, why not today? We can go pick up some of your stuff and Felix, this afternoon and then I can help you pack up everything else over the next few days.”
“Sounds good, Amy. Let’s do it.”
That evening, Karen was settled in what had been the guest room but was now her room. Felix found his bed in the kitchen but preferred the oval rug in front of the fireplace. He had no problem feeling at home and neither did Karen. I might have some adjusting to do, having lived alone for a few years, but it was comforting to know there was someone else in the house and Karen was the perfect housemate.
We’d been together for a couple of months when the man next door rang the doorbell. Karen had continued peeping at him with his many women. She commented that none of them ever came back, she believed he was the epitome of a playboy. I wondered if there was something wrong with him. Finding him on the other side of the door unnerved me but Karen was quick to invite him in.
He stood inside the door, smiling that charming smile and directed his question to Karen, not me. I knew he’d seen her watching him but he was at least twenty years younger than us, so I thought he just got off being watched. But I had to reconsider when I saw him obviously flirting with my friend.
“I am so sorry to bother you, but as I was about to cook my dinner I found I was out of sugar. Might I borrow a cup, please?”
Karen practically fell over herself inviting him to the kitchen so she could get the sugar. He looked over his shoulder at me with an amused look on his face. I remembered having said that I’d never borrow a cup of sugar from him, but we were in the bedroom and he was in his yard, he couldn’t have heard me. I was being ridiculous.
“This is Amy and I’m Karen. It’s so nice to meet you.” She said as she pulled the sugar cannister out of the cabinet.
“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you. My name is Dimitri Thorne.”
Karen was smitten with the guy, it didn’t matter that she was so much older than him. He was flirting right back so it didn’t seem to matter to him either. Felix had started to come into the kitchen, hissed and backed out. Something about this man gave me goosebumps and not in a good way.
“You two should come swimming sometimes, my pool is heated. It’s quite relaxing.”
I tilted my head and asked the only question that had been running through my mind, “Why do you only swim at night? I’ve never seen you outside during the day.”
He chuckled. “Why, I’m a vampire of course. I can’t be out in the daylight.”
My mouth dropped open, I felt the shock of his words right down to my feet.
Karen laughed. “That’s so funny. I’ve always found Dracula to be very sexy.”
He laughed too but he looked over at me and there was something in his eyes that I found frightening. “Actually, I’ve always been a night owl. I’m a writer and an artist. I work all night, then sleep most of the day. I find the dark, quiet nights very comforting. My models prefer it as well. Thanks for the sugar. Perhaps you will join me for dinner one evening. I’m a very good cook.”
Karen readily accepted. He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “And will you join us Amy? I would enjoy getting to know both of you since we are neighbors. It would be good to be friends as well.”
I couldn’t seem to find my words so Karen accepted for me. “Of course she will. Just let us know when you’d like to get together.”
“Hmm, Let’s plan on Saturday evening. I have a very late appointment but six thirty would work. I look forward to it.” He once again looked at me and his eyes seemed to look right into my soul. His arm brushed against mine as he passed me on his way to the door and I inhaled sharply. He smelled like some spice I couldn’t quite catch.
“I look forward to seeing you both on Saturday.” He told Karen as she held the door for him. Closing it behind him she leaned against the door and sighed.
“He’s so sexy, don’t you think so Amy?”
“Karen, he’s much younger than we are. It’s inappropriate to…”
“Oh poop, Amy. Have you never read a Cougar romance. Well I wouldn’t mind being his cougar. From what I’ve seen he’s got some great moves, not to mention a large package.”
“Karen!” I exclaimed but then we were both giggling like a couple of school girls.
I had to admit I was curious about his house. The yard and pool were obviously designed by a decorator, so the house must be amazing too. Still something about the man left me feeling edgy. I knew I was just being silly but I couldn’t shake it. Not even when we were standing at his front door on Saturday night.
The door opened and I was once again struck at this handsome man, six feet tall, well built, dark hair just a little on the longer side. His deep brown eyes seemed to look right into your very core. When he smiled it was almost blinding. He was perfect. I had to admit if I was twenty years younger I would definitely be interested. Karen was definitely interested despite the difference in their ages, and Dimitri seemed to share that attraction. Don’t get me wrong, Karen was still a beautiful woman but she was in her sixties and he couldn’t have been more than forty.
“Ah, welcome ladies, please come in. Would you like a glass of wine?” He asked as he led us into the living room.
Karen was quick to accept the offer but I asked for water, I was uneasy and I wanted to keep myself alert. I knew I was being irrational. I had no reason to mistrust this man yet, I had to wonder why I never saw the same girl twice. I had begun to entertain the possibility that he was a serial killer or something.
For dinner, he served us very rare steak which I couldn’t eat no matter how much I tried. I enjoyed the salad. After dinner, we returned to the living room. I admired the many antiques he had and he explained they had been in his family for many, many years.
I noticed that Karen and Dimitri seemed very familiar with each other, with Karen frequently touching his arm when she spoke. I was becoming increasingly uneasy, and finally I decided it was time to leave.
“Dimitri, this has been lovely, but I remembered you saying you had an appointment this evening, so I think we should go.” I nodded toward a very reluctant Karen.
“I am so glad you could join me. I have enjoyed getting to know my new neighbors. His voice was husky as he reached for my hand and brought it to his lips. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that but I needn’t have worried. His attention was immediately diverted to Karen and when he kissed her hand, she giggled like a school girl. She then invited him to dinner at our house the next weekend. I was not a happy camper when we got home.
Karen was confused by my reluctance to have Dimitri come to dinner and I was at a loss to explain it. I didn’t understand it myself.
On Wednesday I went to my son’s house to celebrate my granddaughter’s birthday. I invited Karen to join us but she begged off, claiming a headache. When I came home I was surprised to find she wasn’t at home. She came in an hour later she was wearing her bathing suit with a beach towel around her shoulders.
“I thought you were feeling ill, Karen.”
She was offhanded as she responded. “I was but I felt better and Dimitri suggested a swim in his heated pool might be good for me. And it was.” She grinned.
“Oh Karen, you didn’t.” I was shocked to think she had joined the ranks of women seduced by Dimitri in that damn pool.
“I most certainly did. And he is every bit as good as I thought he would be. The best lover I have ever had.”
I had no words. I couldn’t believe she had actually done it, and I didn’t understand why I felt as if she’d done something to me. It was none of my business what she did or who she did it with. On our travels, Karen often found a man to enjoy and it never bothered me. What was different about this one? Was I jealous?
I told her I was very tired and went to my room. A short time later I heard Felix outside my door and when I opened it, he ran into my room and jumped up on my bed. I looked across the hallway, to find Karen’s door was open a little as she had always kept it so Felix could come and go. It was strange that he ran into my room, but I didn’t give it much thought.
The next morning at breakfast, Karen was very quiet. I thought she might be upset with me for my response to her adventure the night before. “Karen, Felix spent the night in my room. I wonder if he’s feeling okay.”
She shrugged. “He’s fine. I couldn’t sleep so I went back to Dimitri’s for a while. Felix was just lonely I guess.”
“Oh.” Something was not right, but I didn’t know what it was.
Over the next few days, I felt more and more strange around Karen. I couldn’t understand what was happening.
On Saturday, Dimitri arrived carrying a bottle of wine. Once we were all sitting in the living room, I excused myself to check on dinner. When I came back, I was shocked to find Dimitri holding Karen in his arms, kissing her neck. When he looked at me, he let her go. She smiled at me in a very strange way. “Come join us Amy.”
It was then that I noticed the bit of blood on Dimitri’s mouth, and there was some on Karen’s neck. I froze as the realization of what was happening began to sink in. I didn’t believe in vampires but I knew people played at role playing vampires. I just never thought Karen would be one of them. Dimitri held out his hand to me. “Join us, Amy. I promise you’ll like it.”
Karen began sucking on Dimitri’s neck and I lost it. I ran from the house grabbing my car keys and purse as I went. I drove to a nearby hotel and checked in. I had no idea what I should do. I just couldn’t stay there. The next morning, I returned home to find Karen gone, her closet was empty. She’d taken everything she owned. Everything but Felix.
I never saw her again. I reported her missing, but the police came back to tell me she was right next door and seemed perfectly fine. I knew then that what I had seen wasn’t role playing. Dimitri really was vampire and now so was my best friend. I put the house up for sale and it sold within days. I moved to a small town a hundred miles away, where Felix and I live happily. I haven’t met my neighbors, and I don’t intend to. One woman knocked on my door, but I didn’t answer it. I never answer it. I have no interest in making friends. I rarely go out when I do, I’m always back before dark. I spend my days reading, working on my many craft projects and writing a book about vampires. I believe in them now.
My first day in my new home I saw my neighbor for the first time. It was early evening and I’d been working in the guest room, I just happened to glance out the window. He was a very good looking man who appeared to be in his thirties. I had glanced out my bedroom window as he and his daughter relaxed on chaise lounges by his large in ground pool. She was blond and tan, wearing a bikini while he was obviously in good shape, tanned and enjoying a cocktail. His yard and pool area was well lit so it didn’t seem odd that they might enjoy an evening swim. I thought about going over and introducing myself when I saw him reach over and run his hand up her thigh. Then he got up and pulled her into his arms, kissing her while his hands ran down her back, resting on her buttocks. So not his daughter, at least I hoped not. But introducing myself? Well, that was never going to happen. I laughed as I left the window and headed downstairs to make myself some dinner.
My doorbell rang, which startled me. I wasn’t expecting anyone and today wasn’t a good day, I had so many boxes to unpack and furniture to move. I opened the door to find my best friend Karen standing there holding a bottle of wine and a basket of cheese and crackers.
“I thought you might need some help, or we could just hang out and get drunk.” She grinned.
“Let’s get drunk, I have a story to tell you.” I pulled her into my house and we sat at the kitchen counter.
As I was searching for the corkscrew I told her about my neighbor and the girl who was easily younger than my youngest child. She jumped up and tried to see if they were still in his yard. “You can’t see anything from here, you need to look out a window upstairs.” I laughed as we ran up the stairs to spy on my neighbor. They were still there, only now they were in the pool but her top was off and he was, well all over her.
“Oh my lord!” Karen gasped. “Julie, you don’t need cable tv, you have all the porn you need outside your window.”
He went underwater and the bikini bottom floated to the top of the pool but he remained under for another minute. When he surfaced she put her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what was happening now.
“Oh my gosh.” Karen breathed as she backed away from the window. Before I could move, he looked up and saw me. His eyes locked on mine, or at least that’s how I felt. He smiled before returning his attention to the girl currently making love to him in his swimming pool.
“Oh shit!,” I growled as I pulled the blinds down. “He saw us.”
Karen began laughing. “Really? So, when do we put your house on the market?”
“What?” I looked at her, confused and still unsettled by not only being seen but the way he looked at me.
“You don’t want to live here after seeing that, do you?” She was having trouble talking, she was laughing so hard.
“The hell I don’t!” I exclaimed. “I’m not embarrassed. He should be embarrassed.”
But he obviously wasn’t. He looked as if he enjoyed being watched. “Well I know I won’t be borrowing a cup of sugar or anything else from him. I just hope my neighbor on the other side isn’t kinky too.”
“Well, let me tell you, I’m going to be visiting frequently. I don’t see much action and that was hot.”
I slapped her arm. “You’re incorrigible! Come on, let’s go get some dinner.”
“I didn’t get around to helping you much. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not, this was great.”
“Okay, so stay over tonight and we’ll unpack tomorrow. I want pasta. Does that work for you? We can go to Leonardo’s”
“Sounds good. Maybe he’ll have his girlfriend over tomorrow, this is better than soft porn.”
Sure enough, Karen burst into my room, “Wake up. He’s got another girl out there. Come on!”
I rolled over and looked at my phone, it was five in the morning. It was still dark outside. “Are you crazy? Go to bed, Karen. Stay away from the windows. He doesn’t need to think we’re voyeurs.”
“Well, I am a voyeur, it’s the only action I ever get. I’ll let you know what happens.”
She ran out of my room and I heard her go back into the guest room where she would have a clear view. Sighing heavily I got out of bed, intending to make her get away from the window and go to bed.
“Oh my God, Amy, you have to see this! They’re doing it in the pool!”
“Karen, Get away from that window!” I happened to catch a glimpse of the action and stood there staring, open mouthed, as they made love in the pool. She was backed up against the wall of the pool with her arms around his neck as he well, he did “it”. Suddenly he looked up at the window where we stood watching. Instead of being angry or embarrassed he smiled at us. It was a wicked smile.
I backed away from the window. “Get away from there, Karen, he saw us!”
She laughed. “He doesn’t seem to care and neither do I.”
“Karen! Come on!” I said heading for the stairs. Now that I was up, I knew there was no going back to sleep.
“Oh, Hell no. I’ll be down in a while.” She answered distractedly.
I have to admit I was embarrassed. Not only by what I’d seen but being caught watching a second time. I was a voyeur! I’m sixty one years old and I’m a peeping Thomasina! “I’m going to make breakfast, come down and eat or don’t but I have to start unpacking.”
Very distractedly she responded “Okay, oh my goodness they’re getting out of the pool. He’s got a great body. Oh my, and he’s big! Really big! No wonder that girl looks so happy! Did you hear me, Amy?”
“Oh God.” I groaned as I ran downstairs.
A few minutes later, Karen joined me in the kitchen. “He’s so hot!”
“Karen, we need to stop looking at him. Seriously, I have to live here, and he knows we were looking.”
“Yeah, he knows. He winked at me.”
“Oh my goodness.” I seriously wonder if I can live here now. “This is so embarrassing.”
“He wasn’t embarrassed at all. In fact he smiled at me as he left the pool with his little friend and they were both stark naked, I’ll have you know`. I think he likes being watched.”
“I wonder if he’s the reason the last owner sold this place.” I put the scrambled eggs and bacon on the plates along with the buttered toast.
“Can I move in with you? This is the most action I’ve seen in a long time!”
“We are not looking out any more windows, Karen. I’d love it if you moved in but not so you can spy on the guy next door.”
Karen laughed. “I won’t promise to behave, you know me better than that.”
“Karen, would you really like to move in?” I hadn’t thought about a roommate but having Karen living here might be a good thing. We’ve been best friends for decades and we’ve travelled all over the world together since my husband Bob hated travelling and I loved it.
“I hadn’t thought about it but you know, that would be nice. I can sell my apartment, and we can split the bills here. I’d have to bring Felix.”
“Of course, you know I love that cat. Are we really going to do this?” I was getting excited about the idea. I really hated living alone.
“Why the hell not? We spend most of our time together anyway. But I’m sneaking a look at that guy whenever possible, just so you know.” She laughed.
“What you do in your room is up to you, I’m not telling you what to do. Splitting the bills sounds great. When do you want to make the move?”
“I’ll put my apartment on the market tomorrow but I am paying rent, we can figure out how much is fair but I’m thinking one third of your mortgage payment.”
I laughed “I don’t have a mortgage, I paid for this place outright once the sale of my house went through. I can help you pack up your stuff and we can move whatever furniture you want over here.”
“Truth is, that bed I slept in last night was better than mine. I need to keep my books and bookcases but there’s plenty of room in the guest room for them. I was planning to buy new living room furniture soon, so I can sell mine without regret. I won’t need much.”
“Oh Karen, I’m so excited. It never occurred to me that we could be roommates but I don’t know why it didn’t. I mean we share rooms whenever we travel. Are you sure you want to give up your place? You could just rent it out for a while and see how things work out.”
“I don’t need to. I know we’ll be fine. If anything happens and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll buy an RV and travel. I always wanted to do that.” She laughed.
I felt so relieved. I hadn’t realized how much I hated living alone. And now my best friend would be moving in with me.
“Amy, when do you want me to move in? I can wait until the apartment sells or I can move in right away.”
“Karen, why not today? We can go pick up some of your stuff and Felix, this afternoon and then I can help you pack up everything else over the next few days.”
“Sounds good, Amy. Let’s do it.”
That evening, Karen was settled in what had been the guest room but was now her room. Felix found his bed in the kitchen but preferred the oval rug in front of the fireplace. He had no problem feeling at home and neither did Karen. I might have some adjusting to do, having lived alone for a few years, but it was comforting to know there was someone else in the house and Karen was the perfect housemate.
We’d been together for a couple of months when the man next door rang the doorbell. Karen had continued peeping at him with his many women. She commented that none of them ever came back, she believed he was the epitome of a playboy. I wondered if there was something wrong with him. Finding him on the other side of the door unnerved me but Karen was quick to invite him in.
He stood inside the door, smiling that charming smile and directed his question to Karen, not me. I knew he’d seen her watching him but he was at least twenty years younger than us, so I thought he just got off being watched. But I had to reconsider when I saw him obviously flirting with my friend.
“I am so sorry to bother you, but as I was about to cook my dinner I found I was out of sugar. Might I borrow a cup, please?”
Karen practically fell over herself inviting him to the kitchen so she could get the sugar. He looked over his shoulder at me with an amused look on his face. I remembered having said that I’d never borrow a cup of sugar from him, but we were in the bedroom and he was in his yard, he couldn’t have heard me. I was being ridiculous.
“This is Amy and I’m Karen. It’s so nice to meet you.” She said as she pulled the sugar cannister out of the cabinet.
“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you. My name is Dimitri Thorne.”
Karen was smitten with the guy, it didn’t matter that she was so much older than him. He was flirting right back so it didn’t seem to matter to him either. Felix had started to come into the kitchen, hissed and backed out. Something about this man gave me goosebumps and not in a good way.
“You two should come swimming sometimes, my pool is heated. It’s quite relaxing.”
I tilted my head and asked the only question that had been running through my mind, “Why do you only swim at night? I’ve never seen you outside during the day.”
He chuckled. “Why, I’m a vampire of course. I can’t be out in the daylight.”
My mouth dropped open, I felt the shock of his words right down to my feet.
Karen laughed. “That’s so funny. I’ve always found Dracula to be very sexy.”
He laughed too but he looked over at me and there was something in his eyes that I found frightening. “Actually, I’ve always been a night owl. I’m a writer and an artist. I work all night, then sleep most of the day. I find the dark, quiet nights very comforting. My models prefer it as well. Thanks for the sugar. Perhaps you will join me for dinner one evening. I’m a very good cook.”
Karen readily accepted. He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “And will you join us Amy? I would enjoy getting to know both of you since we are neighbors. It would be good to be friends as well.”
I couldn’t seem to find my words so Karen accepted for me. “Of course she will. Just let us know when you’d like to get together.”
“Hmm, Let’s plan on Saturday evening. I have a very late appointment but six thirty would work. I look forward to it.” He once again looked at me and his eyes seemed to look right into my soul. His arm brushed against mine as he passed me on his way to the door and I inhaled sharply. He smelled like some spice I couldn’t quite catch.
“I look forward to seeing you both on Saturday.” He told Karen as she held the door for him. Closing it behind him she leaned against the door and sighed.
“He’s so sexy, don’t you think so Amy?”
“Karen, he’s much younger than we are. It’s inappropriate to…”
“Oh poop, Amy. Have you never read a Cougar romance. Well I wouldn’t mind being his cougar. From what I’ve seen he’s got some great moves, not to mention a large package.”
“Karen!” I exclaimed but then we were both giggling like a couple of school girls.
I had to admit I was curious about his house. The yard and pool were obviously designed by a decorator, so the house must be amazing too. Still something about the man left me feeling edgy. I knew I was just being silly but I couldn’t shake it. Not even when we were standing at his front door on Saturday night.
The door opened and I was once again struck at this handsome man, six feet tall, well built, dark hair just a little on the longer side. His deep brown eyes seemed to look right into your very core. When he smiled it was almost blinding. He was perfect. I had to admit if I was twenty years younger I would definitely be interested. Karen was definitely interested despite the difference in their ages, and Dimitri seemed to share that attraction. Don’t get me wrong, Karen was still a beautiful woman but she was in her sixties and he couldn’t have been more than forty.
“Ah, welcome ladies, please come in. Would you like a glass of wine?” He asked as he led us into the living room.
Karen was quick to accept the offer but I asked for water, I was uneasy and I wanted to keep myself alert. I knew I was being irrational. I had no reason to mistrust this man yet, I had to wonder why I never saw the same girl twice. I had begun to entertain the possibility that he was a serial killer or something.
For dinner, he served us very rare steak which I couldn’t eat no matter how much I tried. I enjoyed the salad. After dinner, we returned to the living room. I admired the many antiques he had and he explained they had been in his family for many, many years.
I noticed that Karen and Dimitri seemed very familiar with each other, with Karen frequently touching his arm when she spoke. I was becoming increasingly uneasy, and finally I decided it was time to leave.
“Dimitri, this has been lovely, but I remembered you saying you had an appointment this evening, so I think we should go.” I nodded toward a very reluctant Karen.
“I am so glad you could join me. I have enjoyed getting to know my new neighbors. His voice was husky as he reached for my hand and brought it to his lips. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that but I needn’t have worried. His attention was immediately diverted to Karen and when he kissed her hand, she giggled like a school girl. She then invited him to dinner at our house the next weekend. I was not a happy camper when we got home.
Karen was confused by my reluctance to have Dimitri come to dinner and I was at a loss to explain it. I didn’t understand it myself.
On Wednesday I went to my son’s house to celebrate my granddaughter’s birthday. I invited Karen to join us but she begged off, claiming a headache. When I came home I was surprised to find she wasn’t at home. She came in an hour later she was wearing her bathing suit with a beach towel around her shoulders.
“I thought you were feeling ill, Karen.”
She was offhanded as she responded. “I was but I felt better and Dimitri suggested a swim in his heated pool might be good for me. And it was.” She grinned.
“Oh Karen, you didn’t.” I was shocked to think she had joined the ranks of women seduced by Dimitri in that damn pool.
“I most certainly did. And he is every bit as good as I thought he would be. The best lover I have ever had.”
I had no words. I couldn’t believe she had actually done it, and I didn’t understand why I felt as if she’d done something to me. It was none of my business what she did or who she did it with. On our travels, Karen often found a man to enjoy and it never bothered me. What was different about this one? Was I jealous?
I told her I was very tired and went to my room. A short time later I heard Felix outside my door and when I opened it, he ran into my room and jumped up on my bed. I looked across the hallway, to find Karen’s door was open a little as she had always kept it so Felix could come and go. It was strange that he ran into my room, but I didn’t give it much thought.
The next morning at breakfast, Karen was very quiet. I thought she might be upset with me for my response to her adventure the night before. “Karen, Felix spent the night in my room. I wonder if he’s feeling okay.”
She shrugged. “He’s fine. I couldn’t sleep so I went back to Dimitri’s for a while. Felix was just lonely I guess.”
“Oh.” Something was not right, but I didn’t know what it was.
Over the next few days, I felt more and more strange around Karen. I couldn’t understand what was happening.
On Saturday, Dimitri arrived carrying a bottle of wine. Once we were all sitting in the living room, I excused myself to check on dinner. When I came back, I was shocked to find Dimitri holding Karen in his arms, kissing her neck. When he looked at me, he let her go. She smiled at me in a very strange way. “Come join us Amy.”
It was then that I noticed the bit of blood on Dimitri’s mouth, and there was some on Karen’s neck. I froze as the realization of what was happening began to sink in. I didn’t believe in vampires but I knew people played at role playing vampires. I just never thought Karen would be one of them. Dimitri held out his hand to me. “Join us, Amy. I promise you’ll like it.”
Karen began sucking on Dimitri’s neck and I lost it. I ran from the house grabbing my car keys and purse as I went. I drove to a nearby hotel and checked in. I had no idea what I should do. I just couldn’t stay there. The next morning, I returned home to find Karen gone, her closet was empty. She’d taken everything she owned. Everything but Felix.
I never saw her again. I reported her missing, but the police came back to tell me she was right next door and seemed perfectly fine. I knew then that what I had seen wasn’t role playing. Dimitri really was vampire and now so was my best friend. I put the house up for sale and it sold within days. I moved to a small town a hundred miles away, where Felix and I live happily. I haven’t met my neighbors, and I don’t intend to. One woman knocked on my door, but I didn’t answer it. I never answer it. I have no interest in making friends. I rarely go out when I do, I’m always back before dark. I spend my days reading, working on my many craft projects and writing a book about vampires. I believe in them now.
