This time had shaken him so deeply that he didn’t want to let her out of his sight.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to. Not yet anyway. Cliff and Emma left after lunch, something about heading home to water their plants and feed the dog. Sean was so happy to have Nicole home again that he hadn’t really been paying attention.
After Sean told Nicole that Melanie said she should take it easy today, they parked their butts on the sofa and spent the afternoon playing video games while they razzed and teased each other. They were just about to start binge-watching The Mandalorian again when Cliff and Emma returned.
“Time to go,” Cliff announced with a smile.
“Go where?” he asked. “Did Seth call a meeting?” Sean had hoped to spend the evening relaxing with Nicole. She was stubborn enough to insist on resuming her role as Becca. So, for all he knew, she might leave again tomorrow.
“No. We’re going to our place.” Cliff curled an arm around Emma, who leaned into his side with a smile. “I thought I’d make burgers for dinner, and your grill sucks. Plus, our backyard rocks. You can relax by the fish pond, stretch out on the sofas and stargaze, or even dance under the moonlight.”
Emma smiled up at him. “I love dancing with you under the moonlight.”
The two shared an affectionate kiss.
Sean looked at Nicole.
Her eyes twinkled.
Both turned to Cliff with big grins. “You had us at burgers.”
An hour later, Sean slouched on one of the cushy chairs on Cliff and Emma’s back deck.
The relative newlyweds lived in an isolated country home with a large meadow in the back surrounded by multiple acres of forest. It was nice. Quiet. No neighbors around for miles. And the couple had worked hard in recent years to turn it into their dream home.
The sleek back deck Cliff had added was large enough for a sizable social gathering. But he didn’t stop there. Cliff had many friends in the Immortal Guardians’ world and made a habit of inviting them over. So after he finished the deck, Cliff added a limestone path that led to a large outdoor living space twenty yards away that he and Emma designed together.
It was awesome. Just looking at it eased Sean’s stress so much that he was seriously considering adding something similar to his home.
The same limestone Cliff had used in the path made up the floor of the circular living area. An enormous fireplace with attached stone benches dominated one side of the space. Since the air tonight carried a brisk breeze, a fire crackled merrily in the hearth. Two sofas, a couple of armchairs, and an ottoman large enough for him to sleep on provided additional seating for the other guests Cliff invited to tonight’s barbecue. All the furniture bore sleek, modern lines and thick, comfortable cushions. A pergola stretched above it, the retractable awning tucked away to reveal the bright stars above.
Beyond that rested a smaller limestone circle that supported a large table with half a dozen chairs and what looked to Sean like an entire outdoor kitchen: a grill, an oven, a refrigerator, a sink, and a couple of things that remained a mystery to him. Pretty solar-powered lights illuminated it all.
Bastien and Melanie arrived shortly after Sean and Nicole. Then Sheldon—Richart’s Second—showed up with his girlfriend Tracy—Lisette’s Second—and several bags of groceries. Those two rarely left each other’s side, often carrying out their duties together. And Sheldon was renowned for feeding hungry immortals, always aiding Darnell and other Seconds in preparing lavish meals for the Immortal Guardian crew and keeping piles of sandwiches on hand for Seth and David to grab between calls.
Of course, Lisette arrived, curious to see what her Second was up to. Much to Sean’s surprise, Roland and Sarah joined the growing crowd, along with their adopted son, Michael. The most antisocial of the lot, Roland wasn’t as beloved as his brethren. But he had helped Cliff with the backyard construction, so Sean assumed that had netted him an invitation.
Naturally, Marcus and Ami brought little Adira to the gathering. Marcus and Roland had been best friends for eight centuries. And their children adored each other. The toddlers now alternated between chasing each other around the flower-filled meadow and marveling over the fish in the pond.
After years of believing that everyone with retractable fangs and preternatural speed was a bad guy, it still tripped Sean out sometimes to see the close family bond these immortals shared.
How lucky was he to be a part of it?
Cliff and Sheldon manned the grill while their friends and makeshift family stood or lounged in little groups throughout the backyard, laughing and talking, teasing and enjoying the cool night air, anticipating a scrumptious meal before they embarked upon their nightly hunts.
Sean wasn’t getting as much one-on-one time with Nicole as he would’ve liked. Right now, she stood across the yard with Tracy and Emma while he sprawled in his chair and shot the breeze with Bastien.
If Sean and Krysta had thought their entrance into the Immortal Guardians’ world had been hair-raising, it had been nothing compared to Bastien’s. Sebastien Newcombe was the proverbial black sheep. He had somehow eluded Seth’s detection when he transformed and had spent the next two hundred years believing he was a vampire. Not only that, he’d thought Roland had killed his sister. Determined to exact his revenge, Bastien had spent most of his immortal years trying to track Roland down, then had raised an impressive vampire army—the first successful one in history—and pitted it against the Immortal Guardians in an attempt to slay them all. So most of the immortals had loathed him when Seth had brought him on board.
Sean, however, hadn’t been invested in the Immortal Guardians’ past when he’d met Bastien. And he had appreciated the Brit’s honesty and enjoyed his sometimes dark sense of humor. Sean also admired Bastien’s dedication to helping Cliff and the other vampires fight the insanity that clawed at them. He now considered Bastien and Cliff his other besties, as Nicole would say.
Sheldon nudged Cliff aside at the barbecue and held out a hand.
Smiling, Cliff removed his apron, which sported a cartoon gladiator, and handed it to Sheldon. The two bickered for a moment over who could produce the best burgers. Sheldon was sure he was the barbecue king. Cliff laughingly ceded him the title and headed toward the house.
After pausing a moment to drop a kiss on his wife’s lips, he continued on to the deck.
Bastien scooted over so Cliff could sit beside him on a love seat next to Sean’s chair.
“Vegans Do It Like Gladiators?” Sean said, quoting the apron. “Are you a vegan now, Cliff?”
He grinned. “Hell yeah. How do you think I bulked up so fast?”
Sean studied him. Cliff wore a pale blue T-shirt that left his brown arms bare. And those arms bore biceps the size of bowling balls. His shoulders were broader, too. And if his thigh muscles got any bigger, he’d have to go up a size in pants. “You are sporting more muscle than you used to.” A lot more.
Bastien grunted. “I bet I could still beat you at arm wrestling.”
Laughing, Cliff gave him a shove.
Bastien smiled.
For many long moments, the men watched their friends and loved ones mingle. Every face wore a smile. Laughter abounded. They really were like one big, happy family despite the dark existence they sometimes led. Seth and David had done a phenomenal job helping the immortals they shepherded find contentment and happiness in this existence.