Born Again by Rena Marks Page A

took a moment to breathe deeply. “Yes,”
she whispered throatily when she could manage to speak.
    “I’m so sorry. It was years ago, wasn’t it?”
    “It was eons ago. But it feels like yesterday to me.”
    “You miss her terribly.”
    “Yes, I haven’t had a best friend since. But you, I’ve
found, are going to move along that route just fine.”
    “You know,” Sara said slowly, “I was actually wondering if
you felt it too. The closeness. I didn’t know if it was just me, or my psychic
feelings projecting, or what the hell was going on.”
    “I feel it,” Francesca said quietly and for once the shadows
were chased from her heart. She was staring into Sara’s eyes and love shone
through.
    “I’m not gay,” Sara said simply.
    Francesca gave a tender smile. “No, you are not.”
    “Are you, uh—”
    “Do I consider myself gay? No. I have experimented with
threesomes and more and I can feel love in many forms, but normally I am not
attracted to a woman walking down the street.”
    How could she possibly explain to Sara, who had no idea that
vampires existed, that centuries of life made people as old as she experiment a
little? Or a lot. Human life was over in the blink of an eye, vampiric life
dragged on and on until so much more became tolerable. Standard. Accepted. Desired.
    Sara looked the tiniest bit relieved at her answer. “Good,
because I have something I need to tell you.”
    “What is it?” Francesca asked, emotions running rampant at
the thought of Sara confiding in her just like the old days and yet fear that
was evoked from the worry on Sara’s face.
    “I’m seeing someone besides Aric. It’s horribly unfair to
date them both.”
    And then tiny tendrils of fear reached through Francesca’s
chest, clawing their way up to clutch at her rapidly beating heart, like icy
cold fingers. “Oh? Who is he?”
    “You don’t know him, but his name’s Beauregard Pierson. I
met him the same day I met Aric. I really didn’t know Aric well enough to tell
him and I wasn’t sure how to approach it since we started seeing each other.”
    It seemed that Francesca’s face was a bit paler than usual,
but her voice was normal when she spoke. “How long will you continue to balance
things?”
    “At first I thought only long enough to choose one. Unfortunately,
the choice isn’t that easy.”
    “There has to be a way,” Francesca murmured, trying to
comfort Sara but her breathing was rapid and her palms damp.
    “It should resolve itself,” Sara decided and then stood. “Well,
I’ll let you get dressed. Meet you downstairs?”
    Francesca nodded.
    “Okay, go back to whatever you were doing in the mirror when
I so rudely interrupted.” Sara grinned.
    Francesca rolled her eyes and was surprised when Sara leaned
forward and kissed her cheek before slipping quietly from the room.
    With the sudden tears that blurred her vision, Francesca
never noticed the yellowish-green eyes set in the wizened old face that
appeared briefly in the mirror where she had been standing before.

Chapter Six
     
    Aric finally arrived, his presence distracting and
comforting all at once. He glided into the room and Sara’s attention was
instantly riveted upon him.
    He was a beauty to behold. His hair dark against his light
skin and tonight he had only the briefest shadow instead of the usual stubble
on his jaw. Green eyes glittered from across the room as he moved toward her, taking
her hand before bending to kiss her cheek.
    “You look ravishing,” he whispered and her insides melted at
the husky tone of his voice.
    “So do you,” she said and meant every word. “I missed you
today.”
    “I’m sorry. I was unavoidably detained. I certainly didn’t
want to leave you by yourself with all the doubts and fears you carry.”
    She smiled, because he seemed to know exactly what she felt.
    “Shall we head downstairs?” he asked. “Are you hungry?”
    “I am.”
    She wrapped her arm in his and they made their way