“And another thing, if you don’t want to be with me, then just tell me. Don’t throw me into the arms of another man because you think that’s what I want. Ask me what I want, Kellan. I’m always frank with you. I don’t beat around the bush or play games, but that’s all you seem to be doing lately. I’m not asking for an in on what you, Kalel, and Auggy are up to, but I damn sure expect a heads-up if you’re walking into danger.” I threw my left hand up in front of his face. “This ring on my finger says that we both are there to protect each other, support each other, and, above all, love each other, even when we’re angry, even when the other person has messed up, even — ”
He hauled me into his arms and planted his lips on mine before I could go on. He wrapped his arms around me, cradling my back as his lips caressed mine. He was soft, yet urgent; there was angst in his touch, yet somehow it seemed to calm me. I relaxed into him, allowing my mind to open as our souls fused together again, as they always did.
“I’m sorry. I know I can never take back what I said or how I acted, but I do love you. I will always love you and want to make us work.” There was sincerity in his thoughts.
“You didn’t act sorry. You came at me like a bat out of hell. Don’t come at me angry twice in a row.”
“I’m a guy. Better. I’m a male vampire. We’re impulsive and run off testosterone, which sometimes makes us think with a different head or not at all.”
“I don’t care what you are, I just care about how you treat me. You could be a criminal, and as long as you loved me and treated me like an equal rather than a victim, then I would love you still.”
“So if I killed Kai, you’d still love me.”
I bit his lower lip, drawing blood, as I pulled back. He laughed, wiping his lip. “Not even funny.” I shook my head.
“Okay, bad example.” He drew me back into his grips. “I’m not perfect, and I’m going to mess up again.” He stared over me at the bun atop my head before meeting my gaze again. “Just promise you’ll keep me in line. Say something then, or before if you can, not long after I’ve opened my mouth and inserted my foot.”
I chuckled. “Deal.”
“Are you two done yet?” Kai sighed.
Kellan looked at the vampire leaning against his car across the street. Kellan’s eyes lit up with mischief. “For now we are.”
Kai didn’t buy into Kellan’s jab. “Fine. Get in the car and let’s go.” He didn’t look back before climbing into the driver’s side and starting the vehicle.
Chapter 21
“It’s time,” I called as I looked at the clock. It was two minutes until midnight, until my new vampeen best friend was revealed.
Gabi, Jack, Aunt Claire, Kellan, and I went down to the basement to join Craig and Mr. Hartford. Kai had taken off shortly after we returned to the house. He never even said why he’d come in the first place.
“Eek! I’m so excited,” Gabi squealed. She grabbed my hand, pulling me closer to the casket with her. We all waited on pins and needles around the coffin.
Craig checked his watch. “It’s time.”
My heart thundered in my chest as I clung to Gabi. This was it. This was Mel’s big moment, a moment we’d all been anxious for. Mr. Hartford and Craig each grabbed one half of the coffin and lifted the lid. A chill ran down my spine as I stared at her. She was gorgeous. Mel had always been beautiful, but she had a new glow about her, even in the darkness of the basement.
Craig fell to his knees, taking her hand in his. Tears wet Steven’s eyes as he gazed down at his daughter, willing her to wake now.
I jumped when Mel’s eyes flew open; my hand flew to my chest. I laughed silently at myself. Gabi squeezed my hand tighter.
“Holy sugarplums. This basement hasn’t been dusted in what looks like a century.”
“Wow. Such beautiful first words.” I giggled.
She sat up, grabbing the back of the coffin, unfamiliar with her rapid speed. “Whoa. That felt like a roller-coaster ride.” She turned her head and studied Craig beside her.
“Hello, love.” His voice was tender, his eyes mesmerized by the sight of her.
“Hey, yourself, cutie. Did you know that I have night vision?”
He chuckled. “Really?” As if he didn’t have it himself.
“Uh-huh. And I can see that you’re even cuter than I thought you were.” She leaned in close, inspecting him further. Her eyes roamed his face like she was seeing him for the first time. “I never realized you had a couple of freckles on your face. They’re adorable.”
Mr. Hartford cleared his throat. She looked up at him and smiled. “Hi, Daddy.”
In the blink of an eye she was out of the coffin. Craig and her dad stabilized her as she worked on adjusting her speed and balance. “That’s going to take some getting used to. I feel like a car that has a rock on the gas pedal and no one steering me.”
“That’s actually a good analogy,” I said. She threw a smile at me over her shoulder.
With her standing, I was able to really get a good look at her. She appeared to have filled out her clothes a little more, putting on weight rather than losing it. Outside of that, she looked like the same old Mel, but with a healthy complexion. I’d never realized how sallow and sleep-deprived she’d appeared before. Her skin was radiant, her hair gleaming like a multi-tonal rainbow of blonde.
She stood on her tiptoes and gave her father a long hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. Craig yanked her into his arms right afterward.
Mel sniffed the air. She pressed her nose to Craig’s chest, her eyes widening. She proceeded to inhale him repeatedly in different places. “Mmm. You smell amazing.”
Craig laughed and stepped just out of reach as she moved to his armpits. “I don’t smell like dandies and floras everywhere, love.”
“I’m going to turn on the light now,” Aunt Claire stated.
Mel squished her eyes shut as if she were a human who’d been sleeping in the dark and was warned of the impending bright pain of her eyes adjusting. Craig ran a hand over her back. “It’s not the same. Your glamours don’t burn as a vamp.”
Light flooded the room, allowing us all a candid view of our newest transformer. Mel blinked a few times, looking around the room. “O.M.G. I can see everything. Holy sugarplum fairies. Do you see what I see, Lex?”
“Depends. What do you see?” I smiled, amusement lighting my soul with bliss as I watched her. I could only imagine how this was for my family after my transformation.
“If I really concentrate, I can see the colors that make up the white of the bulb. And sweet fig plums and pie, I can hear everything. Mr. Martin’s snoring is atrocious.” She sniffed the air again, her senses on overload. “And…” She looked directly at me. “You baked while I was asleep, didn’t you?”
I beamed at her. “Ding, ding, ding!”
One second she was beside Craig, and the next she was hugging me. It was going to take some time to get used to her being able to keep up. I was accustomed to her human pace; her vamp speed tipped me off-kilter. I threw my arms around her enthusiastically.
“Are you going to hog her all night, or do I get some attention, too?” Gabi pouted sarcastically.
Mel giggled. “Of course you do, Gab.” She reached out with one arm and tugged her in, creating a three-way hug.
Mel abruptly withdrew. “Ugh! Someone stuffed me like a turkey, because these jeans are too tight.” She lifted her shirt and unbuttoned and unzipped the offending pants. She breathed a sigh of relief. “A million times better.” She looked around the room before cuddling closer into me and Gabi. She peered down her sweater through the collar. “Ugh. God is so cruel sometimes. He gave me at least five to ten pounds on my body, but tell me why he left my boobs exactly the same puny size?” She harshly exhaled in a huff.
Gabi shrugged. “Sorry, chica.”
Craig came up behind Mel, nuzzling her neck. “You make my pitter patter regardless of the coozy of your tidbits, love.”
She blu
shed, leaning into his caress. “Whoa! Is it hot in here or is it just me?” she moaned. Suddenly, she broke away from him, rubbing her neck. “Um, why do I have the inane desire for you to bite me?” No sooner had she moved away from him than serum flooded her mouth. Her eyes flew open as she clamped her mouth shut. She bounced in place, her arms flailing as she panicked.
I gripped her arms firmly, pulling her attention entirely to me. “Listen to me, Mel. Swallow it. That’s your serum. It’s what will heal your injuries and the wounds of others if you crave human blood.”
She swallowed hard, standing there stricken in front of me.
“It’s okay, Mel. Every vampeen experiences it. We all have it.”
“And vampires?” she croaked.
“They have it easy. Their serum oozes from their gums. We’re the ones stuck with an awful gag reflex.”
She looked at Gabi. “You know, I hate you just a little bit more in this moment.”
Gabi laughed her off. “That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. And speaking of cookies, we have sweets that Lexi baked earlier waiting for you upstairs in the fridge.”
Mel ran her tongue over her teeth. “How do you know what you want?”
“You won’t until you try. If your serum level doesn’t go down with human food, then you’re after blood. You can consume both fine, though. You just have to make sure you take in more of what your body actually craves,” I explained.
She nodded her head. “Okay. That doesn’t seem that bad. I can do this.” She closed her eyes, her fingers flying to her temples. “Did you ever feel like you were in a weird tunnel? Or maybe the matrix? I don’t know. Everything is so vivid, so overwhelming. I can’t even think straight right now. It’s like I’m in some alternate universe where everything is so… so… loud.”
“It takes time to adjust to it all,” I said.
“You’ll acclimate yourself in no time, sweetie,” Aunt Claire said encouragingly.
Mel flinched. “I even hear cars in the distance.” She grunted. “It feels like I live in New York City. People are sleeping, but I hear so much that it sounds like everyone is up and moving about.”
I watched her carefully. Fear coiled in my stomach as I remembered my dad’s transformation. He was turned into a vampire, but he didn’t turn out right. For some reason, Mel’s actions and reactions were jolting my memories of him. I sucked my lower lip between my teeth, working out my angst on it.
Two arms encased me from behind. Kellan’s warmth pressed against my back. “She’s going to be fine. Everyone handles the change differently.”
I stared at her, studying her carefully as her eyes traveled the room again. She abruptly soared upstairs, inadvertently crashing through the door that led to the main level.
She cursed under her breath. “Um, sorry, Dad.” I heard her fumble for her footing. It wasn’t that we weren’t graceful; it’s that we responded to what our brains told us to do at a quicker pace.
Craig, Aunt Claire, and Mr. Hartford chased her upstairs. Steven reassured Mel that he wasn’t upset and that her accident-prone agility was to be expected the first few days at least.
Jack put an arm around Gabi. “She’s your friend.”
“Oh, please, like you haven’t dealt with a few vampeens in your life.”
“I have, just never at their infancy. It’s quite comical.” He smirked.
“Hey! I heard that Jack-o-lantern!” Mel cried from above.
“Oh, she’s going to be fun.” I wagged my brows, Gabi and I cackling together.
Chapter 22
We all reconvened in the kitchen. I noticed Drexel stood in the shadows most of the time. He acted like a fly on the wall rather than an imposing brute. Mr. Hartford had already begun cooking a steak and some eggs for Mel.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I seriously hope my cravings center around actual food and not humans. Can you imagine how hard it would be living with Kyle, the whole time craving him? And my dog. Poor Ruby might end up being a snack.” She fidgeted. “Maybe I should let her stay with my aunt.”
Craig smirked, kissing Mel’s cheek. “Your Ruby will never be slurp-worthy, and Kyle, the pitten bonger that he is, would sniper your sniffer. He smells more like the mangy mucker than Ruby.”
“Are you saying my brother stinks?” Mel’s fists dug into her hips.
“If the Quaker quakes.” Craig shrugged.
“Ugh. These pants are killing me.” Mel disappeared upstairs. I heard her rummaging through her closet.
“Is it me or is she a bit… flighty for a new vamp?” I scrunched my brows, trying not to worry.
“It’s her personality. It’s been amplified. Combine it with her new senses and abilities, and she’s a firecracker. Craig and I plan to stay by her side for at least the next week straight to monitor and help her,” Mr. Hartford said. He removed the steak and eggs from the fry pan. Blood from the steak immediately ran onto the side of the plate with the eggs. He dug out a fork and knife from a nearby drawer and set the food on the dining room table.
Mel returned in a pair of VS capri sweats, a staple in the comfort section of our wardrobes. She stuck out her bottom lip. “Like, none of my clothes fit me anymore. It’s depressing. All those fabulous items are just in the trash because someone thought I’d be at my optimal health a few pounds heavier.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Half of us jumped back as she whipped past us, focusing on the dining table. “Is this for me?” Her eyes lit up as she rocked from side to side at her waist.
I wrung my hands. Her sporadic and erratic actions were eating at me. Kellan brushed into me from behind, linking his fingers through mine, effectively keeping me from twitching. I leaned into him as I watched Mel cut into the steak. She didn’t bother sitting. She stuffed the large piece of meat into her mouth, chewing with gusto before swallowing.
She cocked her head to the side. “What am I supposed to be waiting for?”
“If your serum level doesn’t go down, then you require human blood, not food,” I replied.
She bounced up and down, clapping her hands. “Yay! I’m a foodie!” Mr. Hartford visibly relaxed. I gathered from that one move that he wasn’t looking forward to teaching his daughter how to properly feed from a human. “Ooh, but I think I still want to try your dessert stuff, Lex.”
“Why don’t you finish your food here first, honey?” Aunt Claire suggested.
“Being a vampeen isn’t any more fun than being a human if I can’t skip right to dessert.” She pouted.
“Oy, chica. You are… Hm. You are certainly a handful at this stage.” Gabi’s face was twisted in a partial cringe and partial amused awkward expression.
“You’re just jealous ’cause you can’t keep up.” Mel winked, sauntering to the fridge for the treats I’d baked earlier. She passed the cake to Craig before taking out a plate with the cupcakes and cookies on it. She sniffed at the plate, scrunching her nose. “I don’t really smell much. Only the lingering scent of chocolate and vanilla.”
“It’s probably because they’re cold. It tends to subdue the smell.” I squeezed Kellan’s hands, waiting, anticipating her reaction.
I watched as she carried the items to the table. Craig had set the cake beside her steak and eggs on the table. She sat down in front of the food, the cold plate from the fridge still in her hand. She looked like a panther preparing to pounce on its prey. Without warning, she dropped the plate on the table, the glass of the platter creating a loud noise upon its collision with the table. No sooner had she dropped the plate than she’d stuffed all of its contents into her mouth.
We all stared in shock and amazement as Mel devoured the cupcakes and cookies, followed by the entire cake I’d baked alone. Even Drexel seemed surprised. She moved on to the steak and eggs next, and successfully polished off everything that had been in front of her in just under a minute.
She sighed. She stacked the plates on top of each other and stood to take them away. Steven ke
pt opening and closing his mouth. In the end he reached for the now empty dishes and took them to the sink. Mel shrugged.
Abruptly, Mel’s eyes widened in alarm. She made a face similar to sucking on a lemon, grimacing as she swallowed the serum that’d risen. She shook her body out. “Ugh. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that. At least I don’t have to walk around living the true life of a vampire living off humans, although their blood actually tasted good in the desserts. Or maybe it’s just your desserts that taste good, Lex.” She seemed to be talking to herself more than any one person, although she’d addressed me in the end. I opted to remain silent, allowing her to talk through her thoughts as they came.
She strolled beyond us toward the living room. Halfway there, she turned and faced us all. “Is there something wrong? Oh! Sweet sugar, did I grow an extra appendage?” When no one replied, she frowned. “Um, am I that much of a freak at this point?”
Recognizing the hurt in her tone, I let go of Kellan and went to her. I grabbed her hands and led her into the living room. I pulled her down on the sofa with me, squaring my shoulders towards her. “I think we’re all a little shell-shocked. As overwhelming as it is for you to get used to this way of life, we’re still adjusting to having you completely in this world. And, to be honest, I’m not sure I was prepared. You’re vivacious and quick, certainly not like the human Mel I’m familiar with.” She retreated. I immediately sought to amend her interpretation of what I was saying. “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just saying that it’s new to all of us, and it’ll take time. If we’re staring, it’s because we’re trying to compute that you’re one of us now, not because there’s anything wrong with you. You came out perfect.” I smiled.
She seemed to lighten at that. “Thanks. This isn’t what I thought it would be. It’s a little harder. The moment I think something, I’m doing it. There’s no delay like when I was human. That and I think I’m the first vamp ever to get a migraine. My head is pounding with all this racket.”
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