Chapter 305) Cashing In On A Promise

No matter who enters your life, I will love you more than any of them.

The pretty young woman, her tanned skin commemorating the past summer spent in the sun as much as her husband’s busy traveling schedule allowed, rushed through the long hallway, her heels clacking rhythmically, as she neared the slender pale young man with the black, shaggy hair covering parts of his handsome, chiseled face. His crystal-bright light green eyes sparkled with mischief.

Her attempt to hurry past him was foiled by a lightning-fast reaction, as he grabbed her and gently pushed her against a wall, then kissed her. She responded to the affection briefly, then tried to wiggle free.

“Chase, I am busy.” Hailey protested.

“You always are, my busy bee. We need to talk, Patches. And do not try to blow me off again.”

“I need to get a few emails out to the event coordinators, Maddie asked me to review a few press releases and Connor needs his afternoon sippy cup, so he can go down for his nappy.” she listed her most urgent tasks, to which her husband only shook his head.

“Email can wait. Maddie is our PR girl, she can handle the press stuff herself. I am a celebrity, as all the paparazzi and fans everywhere always so readily and enthusiastically remind me, so we’re gonna make everyone wait, cos we’re eccentric. And Connor will be fine. When, Patches?”

“When – what?” she wondered, now shaking her head too, finishing with a little shrug.

“Don’t play coy. You have been brushing me off for months again. At first I thought as punishment for me not wanting to do it in the middle of us making love, but now, I am starting to think someone got cold feet again. Do I smell chicken? Yup, it’s my wife!”

“Oh. THAT! No, not cold feet. Chase, it’s just not a good time right now. We just finished a big tour, barely finished the album, unless your father finds some parts that he wants redone then you and Colton will be in the studio for hours on end again, and soon it’s award season again. Are you planning on going to the Starlight Awards without me, cos I am laying around in the dark somewhere transforming into one of you? I already bought the dress, no refunds!”

“Oh, good grief, what a lame excuse! Have I ever gone to that gala without you? No. Nor will I this time. You’ll wear your dress; besides, the gala is a while out and nominations haven’t even gone out yet. When, Hailey? No more wishy-washy. Brass tax, babe.”

“After Christmas maybe? Or maybe we should wait till Connor is in school and …”

He silenced her with a kiss.

“No, Patches. Connor is almost three now, that’s three more years till school. You have been stringing me along since before he even was conceived. This is happening and it will be this year. It’s already winter again, so, when? If you do not pick, I will pick for us. I am tired of waiting. You and I had a close call, WAY TOO close, the scare is still in my bones. What if you were to get pregnant again? Once you are, I cannot turn you, and I can’t go through that again. For over 9 months fearing what might be. No. You can’t do that to me.”

“I thought we agreed, no more kids.” Hailey blew his worries off.

“We did, and I wasn’t talking about an intentional pregnancy, but I am a Cameron and ever since you said ‘I do’ almost 7 years ago now, so are you, for better or worse. And as much as we both enjoy releasing tension in the bedroom from all the stress with my tight schedule … I am surprised we don’t have ten kids yet.” Chase told her.

“We both use protection, come on Chase. It’s not rocket science.”

“You know how many of my siblings and cousins were conceived at the most inopportune times with the parents swearing up and down to have used multiple forms of protection? May not be rocket science, but we Camerons dance to our own conception drum.”

“Fine. I was kinda hoping it could be while it’s still warm out. It’s winter now, and I chill so easily.”

“You can still wear clothing while you are waiting to transform. And even after. Look at me, all fully dressed here. I know, I am simply amazing with my ability to get and stay dressed, especially knowing my father – and my son. Both seem to have trouble with those things.”

“So funny, you. But didn’t you say vampires are always cold. You are very cold to the touch. And honestly, I kinda want to drop a few pounds before I can’t change my figure anymore.”

“Holy shinkes! You don’t need to lose weight, you look perfect! And yes, we are cold to the touch, but we don’t feel it. So, let’s roundfile those lame duck excuses. What else you got, Patches? Throw it all at me so I can shoot all down one by one and we can make actual progress.” Chase smiled and winked at his wife.

“What about Connor?”

“What about him? Someone will watch him, like they do when we go on date night. That’s basically all it’s gonna be, like a date with an intense outcome and lasting effects. You won’t feel much, except some stinging when I break skin and some burning afterwards. You know that, you had me and even Colton feed on you before, you know what it’s like and we have talked about all this many times before. Just turning lasts a bit longer, you will have to drink my blood too and then the following days you occasionally feel a bit iffy, eventually food smells make you sick, then the taste, and then at some point you keel over, passed out. Then for a while you will be in a sort of light coma until the transformation is done. Can be a few hours, or several days, depends on the person. I asked everyone I knew who has transformed. They all say the same thing.” Chase told her.

“Okay. Fine. I guess I promised and we have to do it at some point. Plus, you scared me with that pregnancy thing, you are not the only one who would freak out if I get knocked up again, cos I don’t need that near-death experience again either. My brother Grady called earlier, they got accidentally pregnant again, neither he nor Giulia are really prepared for a third child, so I guess you have a point with the accidental pregnancy theory, and they are my family, not even Camerons. Should I tell my parents?”

“We already told them. With my parents there. Remember?”

“No, I meant that we are actually doing it soon.”

“Up to you, babe. Just think, if we do it soon enough, you won’t ever turn 30, at least not visually, only on paper.”

“OK, sold! We deserve a weekend away anyway. ”

“All right. Let’s talk details.”

Later that night ...

With the nonchalance of a seasoned rock musician, the tall, slender man dressed in all black, slid his hand into the back pocket of his leather pants and pulled out his cell phone. The name on the Caller ID made him grin devilishly before he answered.

“Del Sol Valley brothel and escort service. How can we put a smile on YOUR face tonight?” he chirped into the phone, suppressing a chuckle.

“I am gonna do it, dad! It’s finally gonna happen. I am so excited, but also extremely nervous and had to tell someone!”

“Do what, kid?”

“Hailey!”

“You called me after I literally just got off stage from a 3-hour gig to tell me you are about to screw your wife?! Imma going to spank you, Chase!”

“No. I am not doing my wife. I mean, I am, but not right now. I mean, argh dad, now you have me all discombobulated. I wouldn’t call you for that. No, dad, she is letting me turn her.”

“Oh, cool. That’s been a long time in the making. Congrats! What about Connor? Assume after the deed is done you want him out of the way, so he doesn’t accidently see his mother keel over lifelessly. I mean, we Camerons are famous for impeccably shitty timing.”

“Ah, yeah, that’s the part where you and mom come in. Hailey and I have spent the past few hours discussing where she wants it to happen. We both agree it should be somewhere special, meaningful. Avalon Park came up, we have so much history there, but you know, it’s so public and too risky with all the damn paparazzi seemingly growing on trees sometimes. So, we discussed going back to Tartosa, because that’s where I almost lost her during Cait’s wedding when she suddenly went into labor, and we thought it would be cool for a renaissance, the place where she almost died giving birth to my son is the one where she finds immortality. But then she decided on one place that is very special to us, because we had a lot of firsts there and it definitely offers much needed privacy from fan and press: Cameron Mansion.”

“Come again?! At my home? How is that special? Who wants to get turned at the in-laws’ house? You sure your girl wasn’t drunk? You sure you didn’t have husband hearing on? You may wanna double-check that shit, kid.”

“No, dad, I am sure. You and mom aren’t exactly your run-of-the-mill in-laws and well, Patches and I had our first real honest talk at your place, by the pool, after which we became close friends. We had our first kiss there a long time later. Our first … ahem … other things happened at the Cameron Mansion. And I asked her to be my girl there, in the garden, I asked her to marry me there in you guys’ dining room during my 18th birthday party, … it’s big. It’s meaningful.”

“Well, fine then. Just let me prep your mom, so we can keep your pesky younger siblings out of your hair. I don’t really want those brats more in my hair, but it’s a father’s plight to do anything for his kids, I shall sacrifice what little is left of my nerves to give you and Hailey the privacy you need to make this special and memorable – in a good way. He he he.”

“No, that’s fine. They don’t bother us, but I do have a favor to ask of you and mom. We want this to be an us-moment, not a big deal to others, not until after the fact. Meaning, don’t tell anyone. And honestly, with you and mom nearby it would make me feel better too. Plus, you guys know exactly what to do afterwards, when she starts turning …”

“You got it, kid. When?”

“You guys busy this weekend?”

“Oh dayum! Wastin’ no time, huh? I’ll pencil you guys in for the entire week. Trust me, you’ll both need it. At least I get some quality time in with my grandson. And you and I can screw around on 2Dark 2C’s album together. I got a few WTF parts I wanted to ask you about anyway. That’ll keep you busy while your wifey takes a long coffin nappy. You did tell her about the coffin part, right? Cos when my mother got herself turned, I must say, that almost took 4 grown men to get her into that thing and we had to sit on it until she fully passed out.” Blaine laughed, Chase chimed in, relieved.