Bound by Blood Box Set

by Lane Hart

  “How about I go home and change then swing by and pick you up?” I asked.

  “Sounds good,” she agreed looking happy and excited, as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

  My knee started bouncing with excitement. I was so ready to get out of this place. I would take Kate out and show her a good time. Maybe she’d even leave with me at the end of the night. I couldn’t imagine watching her leave her with some other guy, him doing who knows what with her.

  Damn, I just met this girl, but for whatever reason, the idea of her with anyone else made me want to punch a hole in the wall. I shook the thoughts of her with another man from my head, and turned around to look for the waitress. I pulled out a twenty dollar bill from my wallet and handed it to her before she laid our check on the table. I had places to go and the opportunity to dance with a beautiful girl.

  “Are you ready?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I can’t wait.”

  I liked seeing her in a better mood. She’d had a bomb dropped on her today and she needed something to take her mind off of that.

  I grabbed her small delicate hand, which felt like it belonged in mine, then we risked our lives crossing the street again. By the time we made it back it was dark in the parking lot so I walked her over to her car. I smiled again thinking it was funny that she drove a Mazda too.

  “So where should I pick you up?” I asked as she sat down in the driver’s seat. I didn’t want her to feel obligated to tell me where she lived.

  “Do you know where the University Village Apartments are near Madison?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I didn’t tell her that at some time or another I’d probably spent at least one night in all ten buildings in that complex.

  “I’m in 4A.”

  “Alright, I’ll see you around,” I pulled out my phone to see what time it was. It was getting close to nine p.m., “How about ten?” That should give me time to shower again and find something decent to wear.

  “Sure, see you then,” she smiled as she closed the door, cranking her sporty little black convertible and then drove away.

  I climbed into my own car ecstatic. I had a real date with a beautiful girl. I’m sure I’d find a way to fuck it up, like being honest with her about what I am, but for now I felt awesome.

  I almost forgot, but at the last minute I drove through a fast food joint and grabbed Chris’s shake. I was hoping he’d be so distracted with it that I could ask him some witch questions I had without him becoming suspicious.

  It was doing the trick. I’d poured half of the shake into a bowl and set it on the kitchen floor for him. I stood watching with my back against the kitchen counter to start in with my questions.

  “This is good shit right here,” he said between slurps and licks.

  “So, hey man, did you ever meet any witches before you, your, um, accident?”

  “No, why? Well, only my mom and sister. Why?” he asked.

  “Just wondering. I know there aren’t many left.”

  “Yeah, and I haven’t seen any since I hit puberty. Ha! I’d know if I had,” he laughed as he continued slurping.

  “Why’s that?” I asked confused.

  He raised his mouth from the bowl, chocolate dripping from his chin as he looked up at me.

  “Dude, you don’t know?” he laughed again showing his pointy kitty teeth. “Warlocks and witches get it on like Donkey Kong! It’s the pheromones, you know?”

  Fuck. How did I not know that? Probably because there just weren’t enough witches or warlocks left to have two in the same room. Well, there hadn’t been until today.

  “What do you mean pheromones?” I asked through gritted teeth as I started pacing. Chris didn’t notice, and kept right on slurping and talking.

  “You know like hormones or whatever. I don’t really know what it is but a witch and warlock will lose their shit near each other, like when a dog goes in heat, well, yeah, that’s exactly what it is.”

  “You’re full of shit,” I said rubbing my face. This so wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

  “It’s true. I remember, before my mom died, her telling my sister to avoid warlocks because she’d get knocked up or whatever.”

  I cringed when he talked about his mom and sister. They’d both been found and killed by the D.R.A. That’s why he’d turned himself into a cat, since they were close to finding him, but it was only supposed to be temporary. The idiot didn’t consider that he or another witch or warlock would have to do the counter-spell as a man or woman. Not a cat. With his family gone, he didn’t have anyone else. Until now. Until I found Kate.

  Looking at him licking up melted milkshake from a bowl on the floor made me feel bad for not telling him about her. Chris deserved to be a man again. Maybe then he could move out of my place. That was a pretty good motivator. But if what he said was true, I didn’t want him and Kate ever in the same room if she even agreed to do the spell.

  “So Chris, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I met a witch today,” I told him.

  He stopped drinking and came running over and jumped up on the counter beside me, his chin still dripping wet and making a puddle.

  “No fucking way!” he exclaimed, his green cat eyes wide in surprise.

  Now the cat was out of the bag, or the witch in this case, and there was no going back.

  “What did she look like? Was she hot? Was she old? Tell me!” he demanded as he started bouncing from the floor to the counter.

  “Calm the fuck down!” I yelled so he’d be still. Why was I telling him this? Oh yeah, he was a man in a cat’s body.

  He finally stopped jumping around and sat still on the floor waiting in anticipation so I would continue.

  “She was at Madison’s blood drive. I was drawing her blood and noticed it was almost black. Her name’s Kate Adams and she’s, she’s um, kind of cute I guess,” I told him, intentionally downplaying how absolutely gorgeous she was.

  “Holy shit! Finally! I have waited so long! And she’s cute and young!” he exclaimed. “This is the best day ever! I can’t wait to hit that!”

  “Wait, what? Hit what?” I asked.

  “Her ass. The witch. You said her name’s Kate? Did you get her number? Can you call her for me and tell her to come over?” he kept right on running his mouth.

  “No, no, no,’” I said as I pushed away from the counter. I needed a drink or maybe ten.

  “Why not?” he bitched, then narrowed his eyes. “Is that where you went tonight? Out with her?” he asked accusingly.

  “Yes! And she’s shy and sweet. I’m not going to let you “hit” that!”

  I really didn’t like the idea of him with Kate. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him about her, but then I’d be an even bigger jackass.

  “Why not? Because you want her? Is that it?” he asked angry.

  “Yes, I like her, and I’m taking her downtown to a club tonight, so what?”

  “She’s a witch! A fucking witch, and you are a bloodsucker. Have you told her that yet?” he asked, knowing I hadn’t.

  “No, but I will, eventually. But get this, her dad’s a D.R.A. agent,” I told him so he’d understand how delicate the situation was.

  “No shit? That’s damn ironic. But whatever, when she finds out what you are she’ll go running and screaming away like they all do, well, except for the ones that have to let you finish because you pay them for it.” That was a low blow, even for him. “She’ll want a warlock, not a damn vampire. She’ll get all hot and bothered just being in the same room with me.”

  I was tired of this fucked up conversation so I headed to my room to get ready. I slammed my door then remembered to go back and lock it.

  This was going to be a disaster. Chris was a jerk. Maybe I was a little jealous and worried that Kate would rather be with him. Damn, I’d only known her for a day and was already head over heels and fighting with my roommate over her.

  After my third shower of the day I found the one pair of khakis I actually owned, a whit
e long-sleeve button down shirt that I rolled the sleeves up on, then put on my Timberland boots, since sneakers were a no-go in the club.

  “Chris, I’m gone. I’ll probably be back before morning,” I yelled, then I was out the door before he could respond. I knew he was pissed but I was too excited about seeing Kate to give a shit.

  I pulled up to her apartment complex and was so excited I almost skipped up the sidewalk to her door on the ground floor. Kate answered as soon as I knocked and I was blown the fuck away, losing all capabilities of speech.

  She was wearing a short, and I mean short, tight, black strapless dress with black “fuck me” heels.

  “Should I change into something else?” she asked nervously after I just stood there with my mouth hanging open.

  I shook my head since my mouth wouldn’t work.

  “So, this is okay?”

  I nodded. She still looked uncertain from my lack of verbal response. Oh, the things I was imagining doing to her in that damn dress.

  “Kate, you look really, um, wow,” was all I could get out of my mouth. She blushed and looked away. I was starting to think she may have some serious self-esteem issues.

  “Thanks, I think,” she said quietly

  I felt so awkward with this girl, like I didn’t deserve to be near her. She was so young and innocent, and the things I wanted to do to her wouldn’t have even been legal just a few months ago.

  “When’s your birthday?”

  “September eighteenth,” she answered. Oh good, she wouldn’t be eighteen much longer.

  “So you’ll be nineteen soon?”

  She looked confused. “Yeah, that’s usually what comes after eighteen,” she said with a smile. “Why, and when’s your birthday?”

  “You just look so young I feel like I need proof of age from you, and mine’s March eighteenth.” Although I wouldn’t be twenty-seven then. I’d be somewhere in the neighborhood of eighty-five.

  “So, are you ready?” I finally asked getting out of my perverted fantasies.

  “Yes,” she said as she grabbed her purse and phone, then locked the door behind her.

  “You mind if I drive? Parking is rough downtown at night and vandalisms are pretty common. I’d hate for someone to mess up your car.”

  “Sure,” she said and I opened the passenger door for her. I’d already cleaned all the trash out of my front seat in anticipation. I didn’t want to tell her I was driving in case she bailed on me I’d have a way home.

  Madison’s campus was so close to the downtown clubs and bars that I couldn’t believe she hadn’t been to any of them yet. After a few circles around the block we finally found a parking spot. I convinced Kate to leave her things in my car and told her I’d just carry her ID and cash for her. Which I had no intention of letting her actually use to pay for anything. Then we made our way into the new club appropriately called Sin.

  I again debated whether or not I should take Kate to a place like this, but she looked too excited to call it off. I couldn’t resist holding her hand on the way in, and was hoping she wouldn’t tell me to get lost as soon as we walked through the door. At least her things were still in my car so she’d have to talk to me eventually to get them back.

  I made sure I was in line first to pay for both of us even though she protested. They gave me the over twenty-one green admission bracelet and her the red under twenty-one bracelet, then we were in Sin. The music was bumping as we stood by the bar to get a feel for the place. I bought a few Jell-O shots for us even though I knew she was underage. I wasn’t going to let her get drunk but I wanted her to have a good time and finally experience a real college night out.

  “That was really good,” Kate said stretching up on her toes and so close against my ear I could almost feel her lips. Another thing I loved about clubs was that you had to be really, really close to each other to communicate.

  As we stood looking out onto the dance floor, Kate’s hips started swaying lightly to the music, as she looked wide-eyed at the crowd’s provocative dancing. I tensed up when I noticed that there were a lot of eager fucking eyes on her, and, like my own, they couldn’t seem to look away from her either. Maybe I should have suggested a longer dress. Hell, no. That damn dress was well worth a bar brawl or five if it came to that.

  I rubbed my hand down her bare arm as I leaned down to talk to her, “So, what do you think?”

  “It’s loud, but I like it. Thanks for bringing me,” she said, grabbing my arm and pressing her hand against my chest as she stretched up to my ear. My breath caught as her palm caressed slowly down my chest and stomach before she removed it.

  I couldn’t resist sliding my arm around her small waist and pulling her closer to me as I spoke to her over the music.

  “You’ve got a lot of admirers,” I told her honestly. I didn’t like how depressed she’d sounded earlier, but I really didn’t want to see her leave with anyone else either. No telling what might happen to her.

  Kate looked around and blushed, then stretched back up so that her hand was pressed against my chest again, barely leaving an inch of space between our bodies.

  “You’ve got quite a few admirers yourself,” she said with a smile. Even if that was actually true, I only saw her.

  The atmosphere, mixed with a little bit alcohol, and my jealousy that she could even possibly leave with someone else gave me courage.

  I pulled her flush against my body and leaned down to her ear. “Are you one of them?”

  “Hell, yes,” she answered immediately, making me smile as she looked up at me with eyes I could drown in.

  I reached down and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, and loved how her eyes closed just from that simple touch. My fingertips grazed down the side of her beautiful face before I pressed my lips to hers just once.

  When I pulled back to gauge her reaction, her lips were still parted and her big beautiful eyes were filled with what I was pretty sure was lust. I took that as confirmation that I wasn’t going to get slapped and went back to her lips for more. Her arms came around my neck, keeping me right where I was, and letting me know she was all in. I backed her up the two steps to the club wall, pressing myself against her. Not only did I want to feel her sexy little body against mine but I also wanted to block her from all of the bastards that had been eye-fucking her.

  What started as hesitant and soft kisses gradually grew and changed. Our tongues teased and explored in and out of each other’s mouths, the kiss deepening, becoming more demanding and urgent. I had to say I was pretty damn shocked by her enthusiasm.

  The rest of the club fell away and it was just the two of us. Kate’s hands rubbed through the back of my hair, and I had to keep reminding my hands that we were in public as they roamed down the small of her back, wanting to go lower. My hands were not the only body part having a problem with control. I had given up on worrying about the very obvious erection pressing against her stomach. It was no fucking secret that I wanted her.

  I had no idea how much time had passed before we eventually pulled apart, both of us flushed and panting.

  “That was even better than all the times I’ve imagined kissing you since I saw you this morning,” I told her as we caught our breath. Her eyes widened before she looked away and blushed. I was trying to get a read on her but I couldn’t quite figure out what she was thinking.

  “It was definitely unexpected,” she replied so softly I barely could hear her over the music.

  “Unexpected?” I thought I’d been pretty obvious about my intentions. If anything I was surprised she was interested.

  “Yeah, but in a good way,” she said with a shy smile. “I’m going to run to the restroom. Would you get me another one of those Jell-O shots?”

  “Sure, I’ll be right here,” I told her, even though I didn’t want to separate from her. I knew the sea of men in the club were about to converge on her during her trip to and from the restroom.

  I kept an eye on her to make she made it safely ac
ross the room without being accosted then headed to the line at the bar.

  Chapter Six

  Kate

  I felt like I was floating as I walked across the dark crowded club to the bathroom. My heart was pounding almost as loud as the music, and my breathing and legs were still shaky. Wow! That kiss with Sam had been so incredibly hot. I knew there had to be a goofy smile on my face but I didn’t care. And oh the warmth that spread through me, causing the throbbing between my legs was like nothing I’d ever felt before. Although, just looking at Sam had almost the same effect. But damn! Now I was pretty sure he was actually attracted to me since I felt his arousal pressed against me. Oh, and he wasn’t the only one turned on, even though the little voice in my head was trying to warn me that I was just one of the many he’d made out with.

  Pushing that unhelpful thought aside, I used the facilities then quickly freshened up in the bathroom, in a hurry to get back to Sam. As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom though, I was met with an unknown man’s, “Hey beautiful, where are you going? Wanna dance?”

  “Um, no thanks,” I said quickly, not even looking at the guy as I kept walking across the club. I had shuffled my way through the crowd of people and was almost back to the bar when a drunk stepped in my way.

  “Hey, girl. How ‘bout you let me buy ya’ a drink?”

  This time I had no choice but to look at the guy right in front of me, blocking my path with his pickup line. In my three inch heels he wasn’t much taller than me with black hair and red eyes. The eyes and his slurred speech were giveaways of just how intoxicated he was, along with the strong smell of alcohol coming from his disgusting breath blowing right in my face.

  “No thanks, I’m with someone,” I said as I took a step back to put distance between us.

  “Oh, it’ll only take a minute, he ain’t gonna’ miss ya’,” the drunk said as he took a step closer and reached his arm out to my waist.

  “Excuse me,” I said as I tried to dodge him, but he stumbled to his right, back in front of me, blocking the way again. Oh for the love of God!

  “Hey baby, there you are. I was getting worried about you.”