Blood Awakening

by Jamie Manning

  “Soo, do you wanna go with us?” Kayla finally asked, her voice quivering a bit from the intensity of Erik’s tone. I watched his face as he stared over Kayla’s shoulder out the window before finally taking in a deep breath and exhaling.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I do.”

  Kayla and I sat in silence as Erik went to pack. I had expected her to lash out at me for causing a rift between her and her friend, but she didn’t. I could sense by her demeanor, though, that she wasn’t entirely happy with me at the moment, but at least she was keeping her comments to herself. Less than ten minutes passed before Erik was back in the living room, lugging a tiny suitcase. He had also found time to change into what he would call more “proper” attire for a trip: a wrinkle-free, black button-down shirt, and oh-so-perfectly-fitted jeans. I hadn’t thought he could look more appealing than he did when he opened the door—especially so fast—but somehow he managed. My internal temperature climbed a few degrees at the sight of him—which totally confused me, since I didn’t have feelings for him. I think. Ugh.

  “You guys ready?” he asked, lurking by the door.

  “Bathroom run,” Kayla blurted as she stormed from the room and down the hall, leaving me alone with Erik. I kept my eyes locked on the hall where Kayla had just disappeared for as long as I could before finally looking at him. He smiled once my eyes met his.

  “So,” I said to break the peculiar tension in the room, “are you sure about this trip?”

  “I think so,” he answered. If I didn’t know how confident he always was, I would’ve sworn I heard uncertainty in his voice. “I think it’s time, you know? As lavish as it is, I can’t hide in here forever.” He extended his arm to showcase the virtually empty apartment and laughed. I hadn’t heard his laughter in so long; it was both refreshing and intoxicating.

  “Glad to hear it. I hope you’re right.” I was struggling to fight the nerves running up and down my body—and the urge to taste the blood flowing through his veins that I could smell constantly. Even though my heart belonged to Chance and no one else, I couldn’t deny that I was feeling something for Erik…and had been for a while. Those feelings, whatever they were, only intensified after Lila’s death. I had done all I could to help him deal with his loss, so naturally we grew close. How close was the unanswered question. I sidestepped him and stood next to the door. He had added cologne to his already mesmerizing scent, and it was driving me crazy. I needed to get away from him, fast.

  “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.” His statement surprised me. Not only because I didn’t know where he got the idea that I didn’t want him to go, but also because he had somehow managed to move up behind me without me knowing. His voice, soft and deep, was right in my ear, his body so close I could feel his heart beating against my back. I swallowed the nerves climbing my throat and turned to look at him.

  “I don’t care if you go,” I said, doing my best to sound nonchalant, though I was a crazy frenzy of emotions and hormones. Erik’s eyes drew me in, holding me tight and not letting go. I stared into them, lost in the deep blue pools of warmth. “If going will help you, then I’m all for it.” My voice was barely a whisper. Why is he able to get to me so easily? The only other person capable of that was Chance. I thought experiencing that sort of passionate attraction once in a lifetime was enough. Then Erik came into my life, and though at first I found him obnoxious and self-absorbed, something changed. Now the thought of being away from him was unsettling.

  “Good,” he said softly, the movement of his pouty lips hypnotic. He smiled, winked and backed away from me, and his self-absorbed gene reared its ugly head again. But even then, I still didn’t want to leave his side. I laughed and shook my head, amazed that he got to me. He was flirting with me, it was obvious, but no way was I going to flirt back. At least, I didn’t plan to.

  Kayla came out of the bathroom at just the right time, and the three of us left Erik’s apartment. We added his suitcase to ours in the trunk and climbed into the Volvo. As we wound our way out of town and onto the interstate, I couldn’t help but feel that there was nothing but trouble waiting for us in Boston.

  NORTHERN EXPOSURE

  We made it to Boston in less than an hour, which was impressive to me, seeing as how we stopped twice so Kayla could pee (p.s.—she wasn’t kidding about those bruises). Erik had been gracious enough to give me the front seat, but I understood why when he sported a sly grin both times I got pinned against the dash so he could climb out of the back. I think he did that on purpose.

  Being in a new city, and being a blood-sucking monster (okay half, but still), I was nervous about being surrounded by so many people. Sure, back in Wellesley there were people—and at times those people were plenty—but a city like Boston was teeming with them. I was unsure how all the scents would affect my bloodlust, how well I would handle the constant craving that always seemed to lurk just beneath the surface. Unfortunately we hit the city kind of late, the evening sun sinking below the horizon and casting an eerie glow across the towering skyscrapers of downtown Boston, so the abundance of fresh veins was at its peak. I did my best to ignore the heady mixtures of blood and sweat and fear and confidence that bombarded my senses even through the walls of the car, focusing instead on Kayla and her dad and doing my best to reunite them. I managed to keep most of the aromas at bay, but did catch the scents of several really cute college-aged guys loitering on the sidewalk in front of a bar as we passed by. I quickly held my breath until we cleared them. Once we were safely in the hotel room and away from the throng of people, I was finally able to relax.

  “I’m exhausted,” Kayla said, plopping face-first onto one of two beds—the one she and I would have to share. Erik claimed the other one, gently placing his suitcase on the bright orange bedding and unzipping it. I watched quietly from the chair in the corner as Kayla fell right to sleep and Erik hung clothes on the rack by the sink in the back of the room. I was so thankful that these two people were in my life, that they had been willing to die for me just a few weeks ago. The feeling was overwhelming. So much so, that I suddenly felt claustrophobic.

  “I need some air,” I said, standing from the chair and opening the door. The cold northern wind instantly filled my nostrils and helped clear my head. I quietly closed the door behind me so as not to wake Kayla, and leaned over the dark green railing of the balcony. Even though the hotel wasn’t what you would consider five-star, it was rather nice: Very clean exterior and interior, and the view of downtown Boston was beautiful—especially at night. The skyscrapers broke through the darkness with their illuminated squares, housing businesspeople and cleaning crews and homes full of loving families and sophisticated urbanites. The tallest one—impressive even from this distance—cleared the others by a long shot. Kayla had told me the name, but having Swiss cheese for a memory bank, I’d lost it. Either way, I was taken aback by the scale of the city, impressed with the beauty and tranquility of it all. I must have gotten fixated on the calming peacefulness I was feeling, because Erik managed to sneak up on me for the second time, going a step further by placing his hand in the small of my back.

  “Stop doing that!” I said, a bit too loudly as I spun around to face him. That wicked little grin was plastered on his face again, and all I could think about was knocking it off…or biting his bottom lip. Geez.

  “You like it,” he threw back, flirting. He clearly knew how he got to me, and he exploited that every chance he could. It infuriated me that he seemed so unaffected by the events that had led us to this place in our lives, while I was a stumbling ball of nerves and emotion, always on the verge of breaking down. It also infuriated me that he was able to crawl beneath my skin like no one else—not even Chance. But at the same time, that was one of the things I liked most about him.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “I wanted some air, too.”

  “Well, go get some air down there,” I said
, pointing to the farthest end of the landing. Erik peeked over his shoulder before looking back at me and laughing.

  “Why do I make you so uncomfortable, Ava?”

  “I don’t know.” The words came out before I knew it. I had fully intended on lying through my teeth and telling him he didn’t make me uncomfortable, not in the least. Now the truth was out there, hanging in the air between us like the thick fog rolling across the city.

  “So I do make you nervous. Interesting.” He took a couple of steps toward me. I should have backed away, I knew it; but I couldn’t. Something unseen was holding my legs in place. I was positive it was fear. Or nerves. Or want. Ugh. I could only stare as his flawless face inched closer, the glow of the moon illuminating his features, making him appear more godlike than human. “I think I know why I bother you so much.”

  I fought to not look away, to hold my ground with him. “Do you?” I asked, praying only I could hear the squeak in my voice.

  “I do.” His eyes never left mine.

  “Enlighten me.” I was being snarky, hoping that somehow my cold tone would push him away—at least far enough away that I couldn’t see the delicious-looking vein throbbing down the side of his neck.

  “Because you like me,” he said, leaning in so close I could hear his heart beating through his chest. “Don’t you?” I so wanted to tell him yes, to get it out in the open so I wouldn’t have to fight so hard to hide it anymore. But I couldn’t give in to temptation. I had to remain strong for Chance—the one guy in the world I loved more than anything. The same guy who couldn’t care less if I was alive or dead.

  “Don’t be so sure of yourself.” I took the plunge and put my hand on the exposed skin of his chest nestled in the V of his black T-shirt. (When did he lose the button-down? Not that I was complaining.) Heat thrummed through my hand, tinged with a pulse of energy. I fought the urge to wrap my other arm around his neck and draw him closer, instead pushing firmly on his chest. He backed away, smiling.

  “Okay, okay. I get it.” He kept smiling as he spoke, somehow making him even more sinfully irresistible.

  “No, you don’t.”

  “You’re in love with Chance.” I could hear pain behind his words. I looked away from him, afraid of the truth in my eyes. Of course I was in love with Chance. I always would be.

  “And you hate vampires.” I stared at the glow of the city, praying for a tornado or aliens to come sweep me away from this awkward-yet-wanted moment.

  “I don’t hate you.” I looked at him again. The crystal-clear blue of his eyes bore into me. “No way I could.”

  “But you don’t love me, either.” I wished he would turn and walk away, leave me to be embarrassed in private. “You barely know me.”

  “I know I like being around you. I know I don’t want to be away from you.” Two tiny steps, and the space between us was filled with his overbearing magnetism. “And I know you feel the same.” He dropped his fingers onto my wrist, slowly dragging them up my arm, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. I opened my mouth to speak—to tell him to either a) back off, or b) keep going. “Don’t waste your breath,” he interjected. “I know you love him, not me.”

  “Then you know why you have to stop this.” And he did. I didn’t look at him as I spoke; I couldn’t. My mind was too focused on the skin his fingers had just caressed, the fire his touch created. I wanted them back, desperately. “And besides, I thought you couldn’t stand me?” I again focused on the twinkling lights of the city, my heart beating so loudly it was nearly drowning out the beat of his. Erik moved slowly, turning his back to the railing and leaning against it. His muscular arm was inches from me, his skin prickling with goose bumps from the brisk night air—I hoped. He didn’t say anything at first, just stood there staring at the wall of the hotel behind us. I didn’t speak, either. I knew my words affected him, I could see it. He was silent because he wanted more from me. I was silent because I think I did, too. So the two of us just stood there, quiet and motionless, together but alone.

  “Things change,” he finally said, the decibel of his voice piercing the silence; I actually jumped at the sound. I turned to look at him, but his eyes remained fixed on the wall. What did that mean? Did that mean that now he did like me? That me being half vampire didn’t matter anymore? Or did he mean that I should give in to the inevitable change happening right in front of me and just kiss him or something? My mind pulsed painfully with questions.

  “I’m going to bed,” I said softly, pressing my fingers into my pounding temples. I looked at Erik again, but he didn’t look back—didn’t even acknowledge I was there—as I brushed past him and walked to the door of our room.

  “One more thing,” he said after my back was to him. I stopped but didn’t turn around, fearful that if I did, I might just give in to the overpowering feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  “What?” I heard rustling and felt him ease in behind me, his large hand once again resting on the exposed skin of my arm. He leaned down, putting his mouth next to my ear, his breath warm and inviting on my neck, the scent of his blood seizure-inducing.

  “You didn’t say no to my question.” A tiny laugh escaped his throat as his hand left my arm, slid along my side (more sweet fire trails) and opened the door. I was frozen, totally unable to move or speak, as he sidestepped around me and went inside. He was right, I didn’t say no. And I had no idea why.

  I somehow managed to steer clear of Erik the rest of the night, crawling into bed beside Kayla and instantly falling asleep. My mind was plagued with a barrage of fragmented memories—more distorted faces and voices—that kept me from getting any decent rest. So naturally I was up first the next morning, thankful for once that being half vampire meant I didn’t need much sleep. I sat up in bed, and my eyes immediately fell on Erik’s naked chest rising and falling in rhythm with his slumber. He was beautiful, no doubt about it, but I still wasn’t sure if I could trust him completely. Which was completely crazy considering all he had done—had lost—for me. When we first met, he was very standoffish—probably because he was a vampire hunter and I was a vampire—and wouldn’t share anything personal with any of us. But since his sister’s death, he had almost become like an open book, ready to chat about anything and everything. I was glad he felt comfortable enough around Kayla and me to talk, but it was a bit overwhelming to say the least. I quietly climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom. When I came out, Kayla was half awake, slowly rubbing her tired eyes.

  “Morning,” she whispered once she saw me. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Not too bad,” I lied—that bed felt like stone. “You?”

  “Great. Don’t want to get up.” She yawned and stretched and I smiled because she looked like she could be my baby sister instead of my stake-wielding best friend.

  “So what’s the plan for today?” I kept stealing glances at Erik, who was still fast asleep in his own bed, his naked chest still exposed.

  “Boston University,” she answered. “Best place to start, right?”

  “Right.”

  “I’m gonna take a shower first. Then we definitely have to get some food. I’m starving.” She climbed out of bed and sauntered into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. When I turned back to the room, Erik was leaning against the wall behind the bed, a serious case of sexy bedhead going on, his eyes locked on me.

  “Hey there, beautiful,” he said with a half-smile. He already had a deep, rather sexy voice, but given he had just woken up, his words were even more raspy than usual. I could’ve listened to him talk like that forever.

  “Stop it.” I was talking to myself more so than him. I wanted to stop fantasizing about how it would feel to lay my head on his bare chest, to fall asleep and wake up next to him every day. I ignored his inviting eyes and sat at the tiny round table beneath the wall-sized window at the front of the room.

  “Lighten up, Ava,” he
threw back, his tone comical. “You’re way too serious all the time.”

  “What reason do I have not to be? What reason do you?” He looked away from me, focusing instead on the darkened TV across from him. What I said made sense, and he knew it. Neither of us had cause to be happy...especially him.

  A large hand attached to a deliciously flexing bicep ruffled his disheveled hair. “We’re alive. Isn’t that reason enough?” His piercing eyes stared hard at me, making me feel uncomfortable.

  “Exactly why we shouldn’t ‘lighten up.’ We owe Lila more than that.” I had no intention of bringing up his dead sister, but he got to me. His cavalier attitude made me furious—mainly because I wanted to be that way and couldn’t.

  “We don’t owe her anything.” Erik’s words and aggravated tone surprised me. And Kayla, too, judging by the dropped jaw she was carrying out of the bathroom. She stood silent next to the sink, the large towel wrapped around her body doing little to catch the water dripping from her wet hair. I so wanted to yell and scream at Erik, to tell him we absolutely did owe Lila; we owed her our lives. But I didn’t. I sat there speechless as he climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom. Only then did Kayla speak.

  “What the hell was that all about?” she asked, crossing the room and taking a seat on Erik’s bed.

  “I honestly don’t know,” I said. “I just told him we shouldn’t act careless, you know. In honor of Lila.”

  “Um, you probably shouldn’t have said that.” Kayla’s nose was scrunched up like she had just smelled something rotten. Any other time, I would’ve laughed at her.

  “Why not?”