“Have a wonderful time,” I smile at her kind words and then I flash my uncle a wide eyed look, as I leave the lounge. I stride back out into the hallway, to see that Rachel is still talking with Dalton. I march over to her and I stare into her blue eyes, as I inform her that he is my date.
“I’m ready to go,” I say as I push past Rachel. I step out into the damp, cool night and Dalton surprises me, when he places his hand onto my lower back. He rushes me to his car and he opens the door and slides me in. I sink into the leather seats and my heart begins to race, as I realise that I am actually doing this –I am going out with Dalton, the gorgeous, mysterious guy with the ever changing eyes. He slides into the car and he clicks it into drive, as the car speeds off, I look back at Rachel, who is still standing in the doorway. I take a deep breath and then I turn to look at Dalton, as he manoeuvres his Porsche through the streets of Portland.
“So where do you want to go?” He says as we stop at a red light. I blankly stare at him as he awaits my response.
“You asked me out, haven’t you planned a date?” He laughs and then he gently squeezes the bridge of his nose.
“Would you like some dinner?” He asks as he pushes his foot down onto the gas pedal.
“It depends are you hungry?” I ask as I look away from him.
“I’m not hungry for food; I don’t really eat from restaurants.” I turn to meet his gaze as he locks his eyes onto mine. I shake my head as I have no idea what he is saying.
“That sounds… crazy,” he laughs at my reaction.
“Yeah, it probably does, so you wanna eat or not?” I shake my head at him. “I’m not hungry,” I say as I gently bite my lower lip.
“Okay, so what do you want to do?” My patience with this guy is really wearing thin. Sure he’s stunning, but come on the guy is a sap when it comes to talking with girls. I shake my head at him, as I fear that this is going to be a long night.
“May I remind you again, that you were one who wanted to take me out? I really don’t feel like tutoring you on how to date. If you’re not feeling this, then please just turn the car around.” Dalton laughs at my words and then he gently stops the car at the side of the road. My heart is racing and my annoyance is building. I wish that I never agreed to this date –this guy is strange.
“I’m well aware that I asked you out, but you have to know something about me, I don’t do dates. So forgive me, if I need a little help.” I frown at him, as I don’t buy what he is saying. How can a guy like him not know how to date? He obviously uses this as his pick up line and I am not impressed.
“You really expect me to believe that you don’t date?” He laughs at me again and my temper is now at boiling point.
“I don’t really care what you believe, but believe this, when I saw you lying face down in the puddle, your appearance and your ass, lured me in. I felt that you were the most mysterious, beautiful girl that I have ever seen. I needed to get to know you and I broke my rule of not dating, so that I could spend time with you.” I roll my eyes and my face flushes hot –this guy is now even weirder than before and I have no idea of how to respond.
“I bet that you say that to all the girls?” He rolls his eyes at me and then he reaches over and grabs my hand in his. I flinch from his icy touch and I need to quiz him on why is hands are always so cold. “Your hands are freezing,” he clears his throat and then he rips his hand away from mine. I feel that I have offended him, so I try to make peace.
“We could go and see a movie, if you like?” He smiles at me and then he starts the engine of the car. “They’re showing re-runs of the shining at the Cineplex,” Dalton looks at me with wide eyes.
“You actually like that movie?” I frown at him.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I snap. Dalton holds his hands up in the air, as his lips begin to tremble.
“It’s not a very good chick flick, you know?” I scowl at him as he slams his foot down onto the gas pedal. The car lunges forward and I grip onto the arm rest for peace of mind.
“I’m not into chick flicks,” Dalton laughs at me again and now I am beginning to get annoyed with his constant mocking.
“I get it, your weird, but I like that about you.” I narrow my eyes at him and then he melts my heart when he smiles at me. I bite my lower lip, as I try to hold back my burning rage.
“So tell me about yourself?” I ask in a firm, annoyed tone. Dalton fidgets around in his seat as my words ring in the air. He looks uncomfortable, but I maintain my burning gaze at I wait for his answer.
“I was raised in the south, Louisiana to be exact. My family owned a plantation and my brother and I worked the fields. I was in the army and I have lived a long, strange and sometimes boring life, but now that we have moved here, I feel that I have the chance to have a fresh start.” I am smiling at him –without knowing it. I stare deep into his eyes and I feel lost in their sea. He is very mysterious, but open at the same time. I have no words to describe him –he is amazing.
“May I ask how old you are?” He gently coughs and then I notice that he is gripping the steering wheel of the car, very tightly. I sit nervously as I await his answer.
“I’m twenty-two,” he says in a low voice.
“Okay, so how is that a long, boring life?” I snap. Dalton turns to face me and his eyes are blood red. His lips are white and they are quivering. I jump back in my seat as I take in his appearance –he looks like a demon. “Your eyes,” I scream. He violently makes a right hand turn and now we are speeding along the dark street. I can hear his breathing, as he hisses loudly in my ear. I am terrified of him and where is he taking me to. My eyes are blurry, as I stare out at the fast moving trees that we are passing by. My heart skips a beat when I realise that he is talking me to the woods. I can hardly breathe when he pulls the car into a small opening at the edge of the trees. He switches off the engine and then he turns to face me. His eyes are back to their normal colour, but I cannot understand why they changed in the first place. Dalton is staring at me and I jump when he reaches out for my hand. His knuckles are white and freezing, his lips are trembling and there is a deep hissing noise forming in his throat –what is wrong with him?
“Stay still, don’t move, things could get messy if you do.” My heart is pounding as watch him take long, slow breaths. I lean back in my seat and I try not to show my intentions, as I slowly reach for the door handle. My fingers collide with the cool sliver metal of the door handle and as I go to open it, Dalton’s arm reaches over and pulls my hand away from the door. I am stunned at how quick his reactions are and I cannot believe the speed of his hands. He is like a superhero, but one that terrifies me to my very core. “I said don’t move,” he snarls through his gritted teeth. I instantly do as he says, as I am terrified of him and of his next movements. “I’m sorry about that,” he says after a minute or two of slow breathing. My hands are shaking as I lock my eyes on his.
“What are you?” I ask in a shaken voice. Dalton exhales and then he looks at me, with his eyes as red as fire. I jump from the sight, but this time I force myself to look at him. His lips are white and they are quivering harder than I have ever seen them before. His red eyes are burning through me and when his lips gently part, I see two sharp daggers in his mouth. My heart is now beating so fast that I feel it’s going to burst out of my chest at any moment. He reaches over and he touches my leg, with his icy fingers. I flinch, but I manage to compose myself long enough so that I can hear his explanation.
“You know what I am,” he says softly. I shake my head at him because what I am thinking –doesn’t exist. “Say it,” he urges me. I frown at him and then I shake my head again.
“I can’t, things like this don’t exist. What I think you are isn’t real, they only exist in bad movies and books, not in real life.” Dalton lunges towards me, his eyes are burning red and when he parts his lips, I see the two sharp daggers again, but this time I recognise them as fangs.
“I’m a vampire,” Dalton says in a deep s
narling voice. My eyes are trying to adjust to his changing appearance and I am shocked because my terror is slowly starting to fade. His icy hands are clasped onto my face and his nose is grazing mine. He is staring deep into my eyes and my lips are shaking with desire. I know that he is dangerous and he has just told me that he is a vampire, but somehow I am drawn to him even more now. He is oozing with lust and desire and I can feel his cool breath tickling my skin. I want him to kiss me and it looks like I am getting my wish, as he leans in towards me. His hands are tightening around my face and his white lips are moving closer to mine. I can hear him snarling; as I watch his red eyes dart from side to side. My throat is dry and I cannot absorb this anticipation any longer. So I jerk my head towards his and now our lips are touching. He is kissing me, softy whilst he holds my face in position. His icy hands tingle and send shivers down my spine, but I like them and their cool touch. He slowly pulls back from me and I watch as he runs his tongue along his lower lip. His eyes have returned to their cool blueness and as he opens his mouth to speak, I notice that his fangs are no longer there.
“Rose,” he says in a shallow voice.
“Yes,” I say, as I place my hand onto his leg. He looks down at my hand and then he rolls his eyes as he lifts my hand away from his skin.
“Don’t touch me, okay?” I frown at him and then I agree.
“Okay,”
“We need to talk about this,” I move closer to him –resisting the urge to grab his hand.
“What is there to talk about? You’re a vampire, it’s crazy, but it’s true.” Dalton cocks his head to one side as he runs his finger along my thigh.
“I’m dangerous and I don’t know if I can control my thirst around you.” I nod as I take in his words, but I smile as I disagree with them.
“You wouldn’t hurt me,” Dalton laughs and then he runs his fingers through his slicked back hair.
“How can you be so calm about this? Don’t you have a million questions you would like to ask me?”
“Of course I do, but I want to get to know you, properly. I can’t explain how I am feeling, but I really like you and I know that’s crazy because I have just met you, but it’s how I feel. Please don’t let this be the last time that I see you.” Dalton’s eyes flash red and he grips the bridge of his nose as tries to breathe through his hunger. I reach over and I attempt to place my hand in his, but he stops me by grabbing my hand first.
“Aren’t you scared of me?” I shake my head at him.
“No, it’s weird because I was before, but now that I know the truth, I am surprisingly not frightened of you.” I smack my lips together as I cannot believe the words that have passed from my lips. Dalton has just told and showed me that he is a dangerous vampire and here I am intrigued by it. People like him and vampires aren’t supposed to exist in the real world, they are fictional, made up in movies and books, not living, breathing, stunning guys in the shape of Dalton. I cannot believe that this is true, but something inside of me is screaming that it is. For months now there have been unexplained attacks and mysterious robberies at the local hospitals, but the attacks were declared by animals and the robberies, well they are still a mystery. As I look at Dalton in the moonlight, I cannot help but wonder if he was the culprit in all of those attacks.
“You’re one crazy, weird girl, but I am intrigued by you.” I cannot hold back my smile as his words linger in the air around us.
“You’re really a vampire?” I ask in a shaken voice. Dalton exhales and now my curiosity is building. “How can you breathe, if technically you’re dead?” Dalton laughs at my question.
“My body functions pretty normally,” I shake my head in disbelief –I am so curious to know more about being a vampire.
“Can you tell me about it?” Dalton re-positions himself in the seat and now his hands are stretched out across my lap. He is gently running his fingers along my thigh and I am beginning to feel a little uneasy, but I don’t want him to stop. The coolness of his skin is tingling mine and I don’t want that feeling to go away. As I stare at him, I feel connected to him and I want to know more about his vampire life. I shake my head at my thoughts, as I still cannot believe that he is a vampire.
“I have super strength, I can see for miles and I can hear the slightest noise like a loud speaker. I sleep and I drink coffee, but I feed on human blood.” I bite my lip as I take in his words and I need to know more.
“How old are you?” Dalton laughs and then he places his hand onto my chest. My heart begins to beat extra fast at his icy touch.
“I have been twenty-two for one hundred and sixty five years.” I shake my head in amazement.
“Wow,” is all that I manage to say.
“Rose, I know that we have just met, but there is something about you that lures me in. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you and I never feel that way, about anything or anyone. I know what I’m about to ask you is massive, but I need you to keep my secret. You can’t tell anyone that I am a vampire, will you do that for me?” I pout my lips at him.
“If I do, then what do I get in return?” He laughs at me.
“How would you feel about spending some time with me, as my… friend?” I raise my dark eyebrow in his direction.
“Friends?” I say in a sarcastic tone.
“I don’t do girlfriends, I’m sorry, but that’s my number one rule and I never break it. I can offer you friendship and someone to make out with, if that’s enough for you, then I’m all yours.” I consider his words and I am little annoyed by them, but I am in no position to argue with him and I really don’t want to lose him, so I will agree to his conditions.
“It’s a deal,”
Four
Two weeks have passed since Dalton told me about his dark secret and every one of those days, I have spent with him. We have talked –about everything and I am really enjoying getting to know him. He has told me all about his life – before he was a vampire, he and his brother, Nicholas lived in Louisiana with his parents. He fought in the civil wars and he has told me that he loved his small, but satisfying life on the plantation. I haven’t yet asked him how he was turned into a vampire or who turned him, I guess I am scared of his answer. When I am with him, I don’t see the predator that he claims to be, I see a gentle, loving person, who is funny and very charming. I haven’t yet seen his vampire side, because he always feeds before we hang out. When I stare into his deep blue eyes, I try to imagine what is going on in his head. I can never be one hundred per cent sure that he doesn’t thirst for my blood, but I somehow like the danger and the urge that thought brings. His existence is fascinating to me and I love the aspect of him being an immortal. Any other girl would go running the opposite direction, but not me. I adore the time that we have spent together –in the black, darkness, of the Portland nights. Dalton can go out in the sunlight, but he prefers the darkness of the night. He climbs up to my bedroom window and I escape –without making a sound, then he jumps to the ground with me hanging onto him for my life. He always places me into his car and then we speed off into the night –alone. Dalton is very respectful, he maintains his distance from me, but sometimes my desire takes over and I instigate the first kiss. His lips are icy –except for when he drinks coffee, the caffeine heats up his body, so he isn’t cold to the touch. I cannot lie and say that he doesn’t frighten me, but something in his eyes alerts me that he would never hurt me.
“Rose,” I hear Rachel shout from the living room, her voice is urgent and quite deafening. I quickly finish my coffee and then I rush into the lounge, to see what all the fussing is about. When I enter, Rose is standing in front of the TV, her hands firmly placed on her hips and her golden hair hung loose around her shoulders. I walk over to her, ducking my head around her so that I can see the TV set. Rose notices me and she turns to face me, her eyes are raging, but they look scared at the same time. Her lips are white and her hands are slightly shaking on her hips. I look at her –with concern in my eyes, wondering what has
her so rattled. “Have you seen this?” She says as she moves one of her hands away from her hips and points towards the TV set. I move my eyes away from hers, as I focus on the news flash that Rachel is watching. My heart begins to beat a little faster, when I take in the words of the news anchor. She is rambling on about some attack on a teenage girl and I sigh as I feel for her, but I still don’t understand why Rachel is so flustered by the news. Attacks are a regular occurrence here in Portland, every weekend there is some group of teenagers on the news, getting into fights and being arrested because they drank too much at the latest party. I shake my head, as I look at Rachel and I cannot put the pieces together as to why she is so shaken.
“What am I supposed to be seeing? Some kids got into a fight, again?” Rachel narrows her eyes at me and then turns down the volume, but leaving it loud enough so that she can still hear. She turns to face me and she sighs as she begins to talk.
“A girl was attacked and killed.” My heart begins to race –this usually doesn’t happen. Rachel begins to cry, so I take her by the hand and lead her onto the sofa. She falls into the cushions and then her head falls into her lap. I focus my attention on her, as I feel that she is very shocked and upset by the news. I place my hand onto her slim back as I try to comfort her.
“What exactly happened?” I ask in a soothing tone. Rachel flips her head back against the soft sofa, her eyes are blotchy and red and her cheeks are stained from her tears.
“They said that she was out walking her dog and she never came home. Her mom went out to look for her, and that’s when she was found. Lying in a ditch, her throat was ripped open and the blood was flowing down the street.” My heart has sunk into the pits of hell –what if Dalton was the culprit? I try not to show my fear and anxiety as I lock my eyes on Rachel’s.
“Did they say who was responsible?” Rachel shakes her head at my question and then she cries again.
“No, they said it was some type of animal. Rose, I’m scared, that girl went to my school. I sat next to her in history and now she’s …dead.” Rachel lunges into my arms and I am forced to hold her. Her tears are soaking through my tshirt and her hair is grazing my neck. I squeeze her, as I need to feel her warm body next to mine. My mind is rushing in a million different ways and I am now terrified and dreading my night with Dalton. I cannot shake off my fears that he is too blame for this. I have never asked him about his feeding methods –I was always too scared of his answer. But these new events are going to force me to ask that dreaded question –what does he feed on? Young girls, animals, blood bags, those thoughts sound crazy in my own head and for the first time since that night he drove me to the woods, I am scared of him. I don’t know what he is capable of and maybe I should cut my ties with him, before it’s too late. With Rachel gripped onto me and her tears soaking my clothes, I feel protective of her. I would never live with myself, if something were to happen to her; I need to warn her to stay indoors. I pull away from her and and she gently wipes at her eyes with her sleeve as she locks her eyes on mine. My heart is pounding and I am trying hard to not to show my emotions.
Forever Yours (#1) Page 3
