The Vampire Gene

"We're looking for an engagement ring," Angus told him. He nodded, glanced at me briefly, and removed a tray from beneath the thick glass. The rings were smaller than some of the others, and not as flashy, but they appeared to be beautifully designed - to my uninitiated eye, anyway.

There were two that I particularly liked, and I finally decided on one with an oval diamond embedded in a simple platinum band. Elegant and unfussy.

"This one." I held it out to Angus.

"Let's see if it fits." He slid it over the knuckles of my left ring finger. It was a perfect fit. I held my hand out, admiring the way the ring just seemed to belong there. The man with the woolly cap nodded, and replaced the tray with the remaining rings. Angus gave him a black plastic card, signed a slip of paper and thanked the old man, who nodded graciously. We walked outside together into the weak wintry sunshine, and it dawned on me once again that I was engaged to be married. I wondered if I'd ever get used to the idea. I didn't have much time to become accustomed to it, either. Because in ten days I'd have to get used to the idea of being married. Good grief.

The drive home was conducted in a comfortable silence. Angus didn't need directions to get back - he seemed to have an unerring sense of direction and a spectacular memory. By the time we got back to his place I had begun to feel exhausted.

"You're tired." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I sighed, and suddenly the frenetic madness of the past week seemed to catch up with me. I felt drained.

I dragged myself out of the car and inside. The white kitten that he had recently given to Mark appeared as if out of nowhere, and mewled at me. I picked it up and it purred.

Angus followed me inside. "Upstairs. You can sleep in my bed."

I nodded and climbed the stairs, cradling the kitten in my arms. I glanced at the spare room. It now contained a desk, complete with computer and stationery, and an antique-looking wardrobe, which I knew was actually a cunningly disguised gun safe. I smiled. Those were both new; they would have arrived this morning. Fergus worked fast.

I carried the kitten to the main bedroom, removed my jacket and jumper, and climbed into the massive wooden sleigh bed, pulling the bedding up around my chin. The kitten snuggled up next to me, still purring, and I fell asleep, cocooned in the delicious male smell of the man I loved.