by Dakota Lake
I crossed my legs and tugged the dress down. Not that it made much difference, I suddenly felt as though I was completely naked in front of him.
“Don't it looks fine.” he said walking over to the balcony door.
I blew out a breath and tried to compose myself.
“Do you want to go upstairs or hang out in here?” he asked.
I smiled and my eyes flickered to the ceiling. He grinned and opened the balcony door. “I'll meet you up there. I think it's best if I take the trellis.”
“Yes cause scaling the building doesn't look suspicious at all.”
“Race you to the top.” he said playfully.
“Not fair I have to take a corridor and a flight of stairs.”
“Well that depends how bad you want it.”
“How bad I want what?”
“Just picked you up few midnight treats. Soda....chocolate.”
My hand was already on the door handle. I looked back at Senka one last time, he laughed softly and closed the balcony door.
I raced along the corridor picking up more and more speed as I went even I was surprised at my sudden speed. The stairs came into view then something blocked my view and I ran straight into it. I fell backwards from the impact and crashed into a small table. The table toppled over and the vase of flowers flew off and I fell down with it. I heard the smash and crunching sound as I landed on top of the broken vase. I sat up surrounded by pieces of broken vase, water and flowers scattered everywhere.
“Ruby, I'm sorry. You came out of nowhere.” Emmett said standing on broken vase that crunched under his feet.
He pulled me up by my elbow and away from the debris.
“What are you doing? I thought you were asleep for the night?” he asked brushing me down. “What did you do to your nightdress?” he asked pulling at the fabric frowning.
“Nothing. Get off. I'm fine.” I said pushing his hand away and taking a step back. Two guards appeared on the stairs rushing up to see what had happened.
“She's fine. Just a broken vase.” Emmett called over the banister. “You're on your way upstairs aren't you?”
“What! No. I was just stretching my legs.”
“Ruby you're a terrible liar.”
“Well it's none of your business.”
“While Cam's not here everything you do is my business. Someone has to keep an eye on you.” He looked around. “What's that smell?” he mumbled quietly.
His eyes landed on the floor next to my feet. “Are you hurt?” he asked.
I looked down at the floor and noticed a few spots of blood. I held up my hand and saw a cut running down the edge of my palm.
“I must have landed on some of the broken vase.”
Two maids ran up the stairs with cleaning buckets and paper towels. They were still dressed in their maid outfits. Knowing Cam he probably made them sleep in them. I held my hand and thought it was strange how I hadn't noticed the cut before. I rubbed my thumb across the cut and frowned at how little feeling there was for such a deep wound.
The two maids got straight to work cleaning the floor and picking up pieces of vase. Emmett took one of the paper towels and handed it to me at arms length. I took it and pressed it against my hand. “What you don't like blood?” I asked.
He was keeping his distance from me with his sleeve over his nose.
“It's not that.” He shook his head keeping his eyes glued on my hand.
I looked down at the two maids cleaning up the mess I had caused. I recognised the one picking up the flowers as Katie from the kitchens.
“Do you think Cam will be mad about the vase?” I asked turning back to Emmett but he was gone. I hung over the banister looking for him on the stairs but he wasn't there. I turned back and looked at the maids, they hadn't noticed anything strange and were still busy cleaning the floor. Where had he vanished to so quickly?
At least he was gone which meant he wouldn't be asking me another fifty questions about where I was going. I followed the banister rail round heading upstairs.
Vampire....The word came out almost as a whisper.
I stopped and looked around and saw Katie watching me, she quickly looked away and went back to scrubbing the floor. I turned slowly keeping my eye on her but she didn't look up again. I was sure Katie had said it but not out loud. I walked into the main games room and spotted Senka, he was sat at the back talking to someone sipping on a beer bottle with his legs crossed resting his boots on the table. I walked along the room passing a pair of boys playing pool. One of the boys smiled at me and nodded in my direction then he looked over at Senka smirking. The other one was looking down at my bare legs and wasn't even trying to hide the fact he was openly staring. I smoothed the back of my dress down over my butt suddenly feeling extremely self concious.
Senka saw me and waved me over. I hovered next to the couch but didn't sit down. I politely smiled at the other person he was talking to. The guy had a buzz cut all over and looked built. He obviously spent many hours in the gym pumping iron from the size of his scarily big biceps that bulged under his tight T-shirt.
“What took you so long?” Senka asked before downing the rest of his drink.
“I had a little run in with a table and a vase.” I said holding my injured hand in the other. Senka dropped his boots to the floor and sat up pulling my hand over to inspect it. “What happened?” he asked removing the paper towel.
“I ran into Emmett, I didn't see him lurking behind the corner. I ran straight into him and bounced off him back into a table. Cut my hand on a vase.” Senka stood up and picked me up without warning scooping my legs up.
“Let's get you cleaned up.” He carried me out of the room, any chance of me trying to keep my dignity was gone as I was sure my panties were on full display from the way he was carrying me. He set me down on the kitchen counter and dug through an overhead cupboard. Looking at the cut under better lighting it now looked deeper than I'd first thought.
“I'm not sure but I think I might need stitches. Maybe I should go down and see the Doc.” “Let me see.” Senka took my hand and started cleaning the blood off with a wet paper towel. He was inches away from my face and my cut suddenly didn't seem as important. All I wanted to do was stare at Senka's cute face all night. He had taken his beanie off and his hair fell down in front of his eyes, I had to resist the urge to push it back off his face.
“So what's the damage?” The guy with the big biceps asked walking into the kitchen. “I think I need stitches.” I said trying not to show how much Senka's touch was affecting me, I didn't really need an audience this was already awkward enough as it was. The guy leaned over Senka's shoulder and had a quick look at my hand.
“Stick a bandage on it and you'll be as good as new in the morning.” he said winking at me and sipping on his beer.
Senka tensed at something he had said. But I didn't think he'd said anything out of place. Senka leaned against the counter in between my legs wrapping my hand in a bandage. The other guy downed the rest of his bottle and placed it on the counter.
“We'll catch up later Senk. Have a good night you two.” He smiled at me and patted Senka on the back.
“Goodnight Trip.” Senka replied.
“All finished.” he said turning to face me placing his palms flat on the counter either sides of my legs. A couple of boys walked into the kitchen and over to the fridge but Senka didn't move and stayed where he was.
“You don't think I need stitches?”
“Wait until morning and see how it looks. Does it hurt?”
I shook my head. “Nope, I can't really feel it. I didn't even know I'd hurt myself until Emmett pointed it out. It was weird he said he could smell something then he looked straight at the floor where I'd dripped blood.”
“That's cause he's a freak.” one of the boys said taking an energy drink from the fridge. He walked passed us unscrewing the cap. “That's why he's not allowed up here. He's a freak of nature and he's Cam's little bitch.”
Senka went to the fridge and retrieved an energy drink. Energy drinks and alcoholic drinks was all I ever saw him or anyone else on this level drinking. He walked back over to me and leaned against the counter, he offered me some drink but I turned it down I didn't like the stuff. He downed half the bottle and looked at me.
“Say it,”
“Say what?” I asked hopping down from the counter.
“Ruby,” he looked at me with a look that made me feel powerless like I would tell him anything at will.
“Why did he call Emmett a freak of nature? I mean I get that Emmett is Cam's little lap dog but why does that make him a freak of nature? Is there something wrong with him or am I missing something? It's not the first time I've heard someone up here calling Emmett a freak.” “Emmett is just different to us. There aren't many that like him and especially no one living on this floor.”
“Different how? I still don't understand. So what no one likes him so that makes him a freak of nature?”
Senka finished his drink and threw it in the trash can across the kitchen, it dropped straight in first time.
He looked at me and scooted along the edge of the counter stopping in front of me. He lifted my bandaged hand and rubbed his lips along my knuckles gently kissing them. I got the picture he didn't want to talk about Emmett anymore and this was his way of distracting me. But this was one distraction I liked maybe a little too much. He looked at me and held my hand close to his chest. “What do you want to do?” he asked.
“What do you want to do?” I asked back.
I liked the way we were together but I thought if he knew I had feelings for him he might not want me hanging around so much. I didn't really know what I meant to him but I was sure he didn't go around kissing every other girls wounds. I got the feeling he liked me but it was hard to tell as he kept his feelings closely guarded around me. It was only on few occasions like this that he let his guard down.
“I think a game of pool would be a safe choice.” he finally said.
We played a few games of pool but I was sure he was letting me win. We made some very questionable alcoholic drinks that we downed in shots with a few of the other guys. We played drinking games and a game of darts but after that many drinks my co-ordination was a little off and my darts kept hitting everything but the dartboard. We finally ended up on a couch in the main games room, Senka was chatting to someone about some shooting game they both played. I laid back against the end of the couch, my legs resting on Senka's lap. My thoughts drifted back to the weird dreams I'd been having of Mack. I watched Senka as he chatted and joked with his friend, every few minutes he would look back at me and squeeze my foot letting me know he hadn't forgotten I was there. I wanted to tell him about the dreams but at the same time I didn't feel like I wanted to share those dreams. They felt private and special in some way, something was special about them. I looked over the back of the couch out the window at the dark cloudy sky and watched the clouds moving. My eyelids became heavier and heavier to the point I could no longer keep my eyes open.
I felt something on the side of my face but I didn't want to open my eyes, I was sure I'd only just closed them.
“Ruby, I have to go back to work and you need to get up, you have classes this morning.” I smiled at the sound of his deep husky voice snuggling further into the bed.
I wasn't sure how I'd got into his bed but I didn't care I just wanted to stay here forever. Senka's bed felt ten times more comfier than my own.
“Hey you, don't ignore me. I know you can hear me.” Senka said as his hands slid down to my waist.
“Not fair.” I said trying to push his hands away from tickling me. “You know I hate that.” “What even when I do it?” he asked sticking his tongue out at me.
He looked freshly showered, his hair was damp and hung across his face.
“What time is it?” I asked rolling over.
“Nearly seven.”
“Can't you pull a sickie and stay here?” I stretched my arms width ways across the bed. “Don't,” he said zipping up his hoodie. “I can't just take a sick day, as tempting as that is. But they would know I'm lying.”
“What you don't get sick?” I asked sitting up and crossing my legs.
He smiled and looked over at his dresser. It was full of soda cans, different chocolate bars and a variety of chips. All my favourite items of junk food I could never find downstairs. “Don't go,” I whined.
“Stop that. You have classes soon and Kenzie will be around today. He should keep you busy for a few hours.”
“What time are you coming back?” I asked.
“I don't know? But something tells me the sight of you in my bed won't be able to keep me away for too long.”
He walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down next to me leaning over, putting his arm on the other side of my leg. He leaned in closer, the fresh scent of coconut drifted to my nose. I knew it was the shower gel he used, then I thought of Senka in the shower and I felt my cheeks burn. “Where did you sleep last night?” I blurted out.
“I didn't.” he grinned.
“What you don't sleep either?”
“Not when there's such a beautiful creature sleeping in my bed.”
I really hoped he was joking, I had no idea what I did in my sleep I just hoped I didn't snore. He was looking at me, more like watching me and it made me feel self concious. My hand shot up to my head smoothing any loose wisps of hair down. Senka grabbed my hand in his and pulled it away from my head.
“Don't do that.”
“Do what?” I asked.
“Panic about how you look.”
“Why you don't care about how I look?” I asked.
“No I don't.” he said casually, tilting his head looking at me from a different angle. I felt a small stab at my feelings, if he didn't care it was because he only saw me as the fun girl from downstairs and nothing more. But if he didn't like me why did he always find an excuse to put his hands on me? If he didn't wand to lead me on he was sending all the wrong signals. His hand came up to the side of my face and for the first time I wanted to move away, but I didn't. “I don't care about how your hair looks because it wouldn't make a difference to me. You could dye it green or shave it off either way I'd still be crazy about you.”
I looked at his face a little taken back with what he'd said. This was the first time he had opened up about how he felt about me.
He leaned in closer and kissed me on the cheek like he normally did when we parted ways but today he bought his hand up and placed it on the side of my face gentle rubbing his thumb over my cheek. Then he kissed me again only this time it was on my lips. I didn't move, I couldn't, I didn't want to. I just closed my eyes. He gently pushed his lips against mine, it only lasted a few seconds but a few seconds was long enough. My whole body shivered under his touch and I felt the familiar butterfly sensation inside me the one I always got when he touched me only it felt ten times more fluttery as he was kissing me.
“I have to go.” he said kissing my cheek working his way back down to my lips for one final kiss. I would be replaying this moment inside my head all day, no doubt about it.
He stood up and walked to the door, flipped his hood up and turned back to me.
“I'll be back tonight. Don't fall back asleep.” Then he left.
I flopped back against the pillow and closed my eyes remembering his lips on mine. I tried not to fall asleep but it didn't last long and I soon drifted off again.
Chapter Three
Knocking from outside the bedroom woke me up.
“Ruby, you in there?” Alex called, knocking at the door again.
I groaned and rolled over. “Yeah, what do you want?” I called back to him.
“Senk told me to wake you up if you hadn't got out of bed by nine and Grayson is downstairs looking for you.”
“What's the time?” I said more to myself looking back at the nigh
tstand, the clock flashed 9.10am in red digits.
“Can't believe it's nine already.” I threw the covers back and hopped out.
“So are you getting up or do I have to come in there and drag you out of bed?”
“No Alex. As much as you'd love to drag me out of bed, I'm already out.”
I threw the bedroom door open, Alex stood in the way. He raised an eyebrow at me and moved to the side holding his arm out to the corridor inviting me out of his way.
“Nice dress.” he said to the back of me as I hurried along the corridor.
I hadn't got far when one of the bedroom doors in front opened and a girl stepped out. I skidded to a halt in front of her but she turned into me and we collided.
“Sorry!” she squealed as we stepped back from each other.
She had auburn reddy brown mid length curly hair, wearing gold hoop earrings and a very tight short red dress. I looked down at her bare legs her skirt must have only been a few inches lower than her underwear. She was barefoot with a black clutch purse under her arm.
I bent over and picked up her pair of black stilettos from the floor and held them out for her. “Thanks.” she said flashing a beautiful smile full of pearly white teeth as she took her shoes from me.
“It's okay.” I said politely trying not to stare at her very skimpy dress. I couldn't believe I had been so worried about my own dress when she was wearing even less.
The bedroom door opened and one of the boys who I couldn't remember his name filled the doorway. He was shirtless and just zipping up his jeans. “Hazel, you forgot your bra again.” he said grinning, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame.
“Oh shoot!” she said grabbing at her chest checking to see if she was wearing one or not. She ran back into the room and I quickly turned away feeling awkward I had just witnessed that. It was obvious what they had been doing.
