Stage Fright (Bit Parts) (25 page)

Isaiah looked away.  Reminding him of his weakness was a low blow, but one I had to make.

Wanting to bring some levity back to the situation, I put my hands on my hips and gave him a teasing glare.  “So don’t threaten me with a lockdown, Mr. Vampire Hunter.  You can bully other people with that voice and those muscles…” and what a perfect pair those assets made! “…but you’ll never intimidate me!”

Perry chuckled.  “Outfielder, I think you finally met your match.”

Isaiah’s lips twisted as he reigned in a smile.  “Bully?  I’d never bully anyone.”

“The ball hawk might disagree,” Perry said.  “So would that kid you caught shoplifting last week.  And the… ”

“I get it,” Isaiah growled.  He shook his head in resignation.  “Fine.  Have it your way, Cassandra Jaber, but you damn well better come back to the mats for more training.”

No argument there.  I smiled innocently up at him.  He glared back, but his amber eyes were as warm and sweet as melting sugar.

Perry lifted his glass of ginger ale once more.  “Okay, if Cassie is determined to join our league, she needs a kick-ass superhero name.  I vote for Diva.”

I would have laughed if Perry hadn’t looked so intent.  Isaiah, taking the whole thing much less seriously, winked at me.  “Cassandra’s not a diva.”

“No, you’re right.  How about Starlet?” Perry suggested.  When I shook my head, he said, “Spotlight?  Stagecraft?  Backstage Pass?”  When both Isaiah and I protested loudly, Perry reddened and dropped his head.  “Yeah, you’re right.  That could be taken the wrong way.”

“What’s your superhero name?” I asked.

“Professor Getts,” he said as if it was obvious.

“Don’t ask,” Isaiah said when I frowned.  “Just remember that Perry’s a cyber-nerd.”

Perry drew himself up.  “I resent that!  I maybe an overweight, adult male who co-owns a comic book shop and spends too much time playing video games, but I am not a nerd.  I am a highly evolved member of the species.”  He drained his Vernors.  “Hey!  What’s that word for a young, innocent actress?”

“Ingénue,” I said, “but there’s no way I’ll let you call me that.”  Although the whole idea of a superhero name was silly, I was enjoying it.  I hadn’t had enough silliness in my life lately.

“Leading Lady,” Isaiah suddenly said.

Perry rubbed his chin, thinking.  “The Outfielder and his Leading Lady.  Works for me.  Cassie?”

I smiled at Isaiah, quite happy to be his leading lady.

Chapter Seventeen

When Isaiah asked to borrow Perry’s car in order to drive me home, Perry winked at me.  “You can borrow
my
baby, but if I find a scratch on it, you’re doomed.”

Isaiah smiled tightly.  “I understand.”

“You do realize that I’m only doing this for Cassie, right?  I’d make you
walk home.”

“Just give me the damn keys!”

Perry’s grin widened.  “Maybe
you
should stay here and wait for the wrecker while
I
take Cassie home.”  When Isaiah growled, Perry laughed and tossed him the keys.  “Have fun, you two.”

Isaiah looked comically large behind the wheel of Perry’s Civic.  He had to move the driver’s seat all the way back, and even then his chin nearly rested on his knees.  As he drove, he turned the radio on, switching from Perry’s bland Clear Channel to the public radio station which was airing a jazz show.

“Miles Davis.  Kind of Blue,” I said, recognizing the song.

He smiled, flashing his strong, white teeth.  “You keep amazing me.”

“My dad likes jazz,” I said.  “I know a lot of the standards, but really, I’m more of a Lady Gaga fan.”

He groaned theatrically.  “Just when I was beginning to think you were perfect.”

Perfect?!  I turned my face to the window to hide my enormous grin.  “You know, for a guy whose baby was just demolished by vampires, you’re in a pretty good mood.”

“The vamps only damaged my car.  They didn’t hurt anything I really care about.”

A rush of warmth filled my chest, and I felt as giddy as a school girl whose secret crush sends her a mushy Valentine.  I wanted to text Andrew right then and there to say:
You were right.  He likes me!  He really likes me!!

All too soon, we pulled into my driveway.  The Civic’s headlights swept the front yard, briefly illuminating the For Sale sign.

“You’re selling your house?” Isaiah asked.

“I’m squatting here until my parents sell it.”  I gathered my purse and the ash-wood stakes Isaiah had insisted I bring along.  “Which stinks because I’ll have to find a new place once they do.”

He walked me to the door.  The porch was dark, but the lights were on in the back of the house.  Probably, Andrew was in the kitchen fixing me a ten-course meal.

“You live alone?” Isaiah asked.

“My friend Andrew, the comic book geek, lives with me,” I said.  “Remember Dracula from the play?  That’s him.”

“He’s a good actor,” Isaiah said.  “Very convincing.”

“I’ll tell him you said that.”

The front door was locked.  When Andrew didn’t answer my knock, I dug through my purse, trying to find my keys, an impossible task in the dark.

“You’re the first person I’ve met who owns her own, black hole,” Isaiah said.

“Very funny.”  I bounced the purse up a down a few times, listening for the jangle of keys, but still couldn’t find them.  “I hate the dark.”

“I kind of like it,” he said.  “It makes it easier to do this…”

He bent down, putting his lips against mine.  His kiss started gentle – a teasing brush against my mouth – but soon grew more intense.  Fierce desire, something I hadn’t felt in a very long time, sparked in my chest and flowed outward, spreading delicious, heat throughout my body.  He cupped my face with his hands while I held his shoulders, pressing myself tightly against him.

When we broke apart, he said, “We need to talk about this shine thing of yours.  Whoever attacked you tonight is still out there.”

I kissed him to shut him up, but a moment later, he pulled away.  “I’m serious, Cassie.”

I ran my fingers along one of his dreads, marveling at how soft it was.  “It was probably Martin.  Or maybe Geoffrey.  At any rate, the guy was more out of shape than I am
.
”

I tilted my chin up, begging for another kiss, but he backed away.  “Those aren’t Hedda’s only human blood banks.  Some of the grieve’s blood partners could be dangerous.”

“None of them know where I live,” I said, “and my roommate’s a pretty big guy.  Besides, once they get it through their thick heads that I
refuse
to be anyone’s blood partner, I’ll no longer be a threat.”

To my relief, Isaiah gave in and let me pull him close once more.  “You are a stubborn, stubborn woman.”

“Blame it on my genes.  When Greeks and Lebanese intermarry, they produce pretty kick-ass offspring.”

He laughed.  Putting his arms around me, he finally met my kiss.

When the porch light came on, it was like being doused with icy water.  Reflexively, I jumped back, as if I was still in high school and my parents were signaling me to come inside.  “Andrew, I’m going to kill you,” I muttered.  Isaiah laughed and reached for me again.

The doorknob rattled, and Caleb came outside.  It wasn’t clear which of us was more surprised.  For a moment, we stared at each other.  Then Caleb smiled smugly, like he didn’t just hold the winning hand, but owned the whole, damn casino.  “Cassandra!  Surprised to see me?”

‘Surprised’ was an understatement.  ‘Horrified’ would have been more accurate.  Having Caleb in my home was like seeing a large rat slinking along the baseboards in the kitchen.  “What are you doing here?”

Andrew stepped into the doorway.  He avoided my eyes.  “Caleb came to talk.”

“And apologize.”  Caleb’s eyes softened as he gently touched Andrew’s shoulder.  Although I hated to admit it, I knew that Caleb really did love my friend.  True, his love was obsessive and warped, but at least it was stronger than that of Andrew’s family who had kicked him to the curb and never looked back to see if he was okay.

“I’ll see you soon, Drew,” Caleb said.  He smiled crookedly.  “I’ll even keep the TV remote out of the kitchen.”

Andrew chuckled at what was obviously a personal joke between them.  Before the good-bye could become too heartwarming, however, Caleb added, “Be sure to get to the gym tomorrow.  The trainer’s expecting you by nine.  And I want you trying those new protein powders I brought.”

That wiped the smile from Andrew’s face and all the goodwill from my heart.  Instantly, the memory of Andrew’s bruise and the violent scene on their front lawn returned.  Caleb was possessive, controlling, and manipulative.  Everything Andrew
didn’t
need in his life.

“Love you,” Caleb said.

Before Andrew could answer, I said, “If you love him so much, why do you beat him up?”

Caleb swore, but the obscenities died on his lips when Isaiah planted himself between us.  Caleb tilted his head back farther and farther, taking in the massive chest, broad shoulders, strong jaw, and finally, intent eyes.

“Something wrong?” Isaiah rumbled.

Caleb swallowed.

“Caleb, this is Isaiah,” I said.  “Isaiah, this is Caleb, Andrew’s
ex
-boyfriend.”

Color rose in Caleb’s cheeks.  “Stay out of it Cassandra,” he growled.  “Tell her, Drew!  Tell her that we agreed she wouldn’t come between us again!”

Andrew kept his eyes down and said nothing.

Caleb swore again but stormed off the porch, purposely knocking against Isaiah as he passed.  He crossed the lawn at an angle to reach his SUV which was parked up the street.  A moment later, an engine roared to life and sped off.

I let out my breath as Andrew slipped back into the house without a word.

“Do you want me to stay?” Isaiah asked, concerned.

“No, I can handle it.”  I wanted to talk to Andrew alone.

“If anything happens, call me.”  He folded me back into his arms.

I laid my head against his chest.  “I almost wish Caleb was a vampire.  That way, I could keep him out of the house and stake him if he got too aggressive.”

Isaiah laid his cheek against the top of my head.  “The courts don’t take a kind view of vigilantes.”

“I guess not.”

We kissed again but more sedately this time.  As Isaiah drove away, I stood on the porch and watched until I couldn’t see his taillights any longer.

Andrew stood at the sink rinsing out a pair of coffee mugs.  He eyed me warily, probably expecting me to go nuclear.

I fought to keep my tone light.  “So you called Caleb tonight?”

“No.  He just showed up at the door.”

“What do you mean he just showed up?  How’d he find you?”

Andrew shrugged.  “No idea.”  His troubled eyes met mine.  “Before you start in, Caleb and I had a really good talk.”

My heart sank.  I didn’t want them fighting since Andrew might get hurt again, but I didn’t want them making up, either.  “And?”

“And nothing.  We talked, that’s all.  Caleb apologized like he said.”

I grit my teeth.  “That makes it all better?!”

“No, but it’s a start.  He agreed to stop drinking and get counseling.  He also said that he understands I need my freedom, so he’s going to help me get a car.”

No wonder Caleb had looked so smug.  He’d played a masterful hand.  After this, Andrew would probably move back into Caleb’s condo by the weekend.  Too upset to speak, I hid my dismay by opening the fridge and rooting around for a Coke.

“Caleb only wants what’s best for me.  He’s very supportive, Cassie.  More than you know.”

 “So you keep saying.”  The Coke was hidden behind a wedge of brie and a package of meat wrapped in white paper.  Probably the ingredients for Andrew’s next culinary miracle.  On that thought, I slowly shut the door to the fridge.  “What about your new career goal?” I asked.  “Did you tell Caleb that you’re giving up acting and going to cooking school?”  It was a cheap shot, but I wasn’t pulling punches where Caleb was concerned.

Andrew flinched.  “I did.”

“And?”

“He didn’t like it, but it’s not what you think!”  He tripped over his words in his hurry to explain.  “He’s absolutely right, Cassie.  A food addict has no business being a chef.”

“Andrew!  You’re
not
a food addict!”  Almost worse than the physical abuse was the way Caleb twisted Andrew’s mind, making my best friend constantly doubt himself.  “I keep telling you, you’re beautiful.  Your body is perfect!”

“You don’t understand.  My weight used to be a huge problem.”

When I rolled my eyes, Andrew went into his bedroom, and returned a moment later with an old high school year book.  He opened to a page and shoved it at me.  “Look.  Right there.  That’s me.”

I stared, fascinated.  It was a group shot of the yearbook committee.  At the edge of the group stood a boy so massive that half of him hadn’t made it into the picture.  Peeking out from between a pair of jowly cheeks and overly long bangs were Andrew’s eyes.  I’d never seen a sadder, more miserable-looking kid in my life.  No wonder the guy never gave himself enough credit for his looks.  He probably saw that heavy, awkward boy every time he looked into a mirror.

I wanted to tear the book into pieces.  “Don’t do this to yourself,” I begged.  “You were beautiful then, and you’re beautiful now.”

“You think that four-hundred-twenty pounds is beautiful?  Please.”

“Listen.  When those pictures were taken, you were still in the closet, right?”

He nodded.

“And once you came out, what happened?”

“Do you mean before or after I got kicked out of the house?”  Then, seeing my pain, his expression softened.  “After I came out, I decided to become the person I always wanted to be.” He touched the picture.  “Caleb helped me do that.”

I took Andrew’s hand.  “Maybe he helped you back then, but he’s only hurting you now.  You’re not a food addict.  Don’t listen to him!”

“That’s funny because he’s always telling me to not listen to you.”

There was no winning this argument.  At least not tonight.  Deciding I didn’t want the Coke after all, I put it back in the fridge and headed for the shower.