“You’re just lucky you graduated last year, Celeste,” said Nathan. “We aren’t allowed to go clubbing on a school night.”
She gave him a pouty look. “Oh, come on. Your mom’s probably staying at my dad’s tonight, anyway; she won’t even know.”
He sighed. “Nikki’s grounded and I have to work tomorrow night. I’d be wiped out by then.”
Something changed in her expression and I watched as Nathan’s eyes seemed to dilate as he stared at her in wonder.
“Meet me there at ten o’clock,” she murmured, running her nails over the hand he’d planted near her window. “I promise you won’t regret it, Nathan.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” he answered, his eyes his face flushed.
“What the hell, Celeste?” I snapped.
She looked at me wide-eyed. “You’re free to tag along.” She smiled, giving me a hint of fang. “I won’t bite.”
I was so angry that I wanted to punch her, but I knew she’d kill me, literally. Instead, I just gave her a murderous look. “No, we’re both skipping tonight’s club invite. Sorry.”
Nathan turned to me. “That’s rude, Nikki. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, but don’t be such a bitch to Celeste!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled, shaking my head.
“Don’t worry, Celeste,” he said turning back to her. “I’ll be there.”
She gave me a triumphant smirk and then restarted the engine. Batting her eyes at my clueless brother, she said, “See you later, Nathan.” Then she took off, kicking up rocks and dust in her wake.
“What was that all about?” he asked, turning back to me. “You don’t have to be so damn rude to her all the time.”
I shook my head. “She just put you in some kind of trance. Don’t you even realize that?”
He scowled. “You’re completely nuts.”
I grabbed his arm. “Don’t go out tonight. Mom will kill you if she finds out, Nathan.”
He didn’t answer me, just shook my hand away and started walking back towards the cabin.
Chapter Eleven
Feeling frustrated, I went to my bedroom to sulk and decided to remove the bandage from my wrist. It was still a little sore but the pressure from the bandage was bugging me and my skin was getting itchy. Once it was off, it felt so much better that I decided to call Rosie the following day to find out when I could come back. The idea of sitting at home grounded was too depressing anyway.
Grabbing some lotion with aloe to soothe my itchy arm, I went back downstairs to watch television and to find out if there were any more missing teens in town. Fortunately, the biggest story was about a sixty-year-old woman who’d just given birth to triplets. I thought about my mother giving birth to Caleb’s child and shuddered, wondering if vampires could even impregnate people. I hoped to never find out the answer.
It was starting to get late and I sent my mom a text, wondering when she’d be coming home. Sure enough, she called me back right away and explained that she was going to stay at Caleb’s again.
“Don’t you have to work tomorrow?” I whined.
She cleared her throat. “Yeah, but I’m taking the morning off to do some shopping for the trip. I’m going out of town, remember?”
“How can I forget? God, mom, you’re never home anymore,” I complained. “And this weekend, you’ll be in Vegas? We never see you anymore.”
“Stop being so dramatic, Nikki. Jesus, why can’t you just be happy for me?” she asked. “I’ve met a man who makes me happy and you two will be leaving for college soon. You know how I hate being alone,” she murmured.
Yeah, well… so do we, I thought.
“What about your eyes?” I asked. “Won’t all the bright lights in Vegas bother your irises or whatever’s bothering you?”
She chuckled. “We’ll be sleeping during the day and enjoying the city at night, like everyone else does. Anyway, I doubt we’ll even be outdoors much. With all the shows and things that Caleb has planned for us.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
“Listen,” she said, “tomorrow I’ll take you and Nathan out to dinner to make it up to you. Somewhere nice, I promise.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled.
She groaned. “Nikki, just give me a break. It’s only one weekend. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been on vacation?”
It wasn’t just one weekend that I was worried about. I somehow sensed that Caleb would be turning her into a vampire during their trip to Vegas, which would last a lifetime. He was going to take my mother away from me and it was tearing me apart. Just thinking about it, I began to panic.
“Mom,” I begged. “Please don’t go away this weekend. I’m… I’m…scared that something’s going to happen to you.”
She sighed. “Oh, you’re being ridiculous. Look, I’ve got to go. We’ll talk more about this tomorrow night.”
“But…”
“Like I said, we’ll talk about it tomorrow night. I love you, Nikki.”
Before I could answer, she hung up the phone.
I sighed and tossed my phone off of the bed. It was after nine and I’d also had no luck talking Nathan out of going to Club Nightshade. I felt so powerless and frustrated. Part of me wanted to go to the club with him, but another part of me wanted to see if Ethan would pay me a visit. I was curious to see if he’d found out what the hell was going on.
“I’m leaving,” declared Nathan, sticking his head into my doorway. “Last chance to tag along, Twerp.”
I shook my head. “No way.”
He sighed and then stepped into my bedroom. “Look,” he said, sitting on the edge of my bed. “I know we’ve been arguing a lot lately, but I want you to know, I’m on your side.”
I stared at my big-hearted brother with his deep dimples and bright blue eyes and was terrified that Celeste would harm him. I wanted to beg him to stay home, to tell him he was being manipulated, but I knew it would go in one ear and out the other. “Thanks,” I answered. “Just be careful tonight.”
He grinned. “If anyone should be careful, it’s Celeste. When she gets a whiff of my new cologne, she’s not going to be able to control herself.”
“You’re so pathetic,” I said, unable to hide my smile.
He stood up and went over to my balcony door. “Keep this thing locked,” he said, turning the knob. “If you really believe in boogiemen, then maybe you shouldn’t be making it so easy for them to get into your bedroom.”
I closed my eyes. “Goodbye, Nathan. Call me if you need me.”
“You too,” he said.
When he left, I opened my eyes and pulled out the butcher knife I’d hidden under my bed. If something bad was going to happen, at least I’d have a weapon.
***
I was sound asleep when something brushed against my arm, jerking me out of a deep sleep. I bolted upright and looked around the room, my heart beating wildly in my chest. When I was able to convince myself that I was really alone, I released a shaky breath and allowed myself to relax.
Wondering about the time, I looked at my alarm clock and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just past one and I still had five more hours of sleep before I had to worry about getting ready for school. I closed my eyes to try and fall back to sleep, when I noticed the chill in the air. My body began to shiver and I looked towards my balcony in horror; the door was wide open.
“Ethan?” I whispered, reaching for my knife.
Nobody answered.
I got up out of bed and crept towards the balcony, terrified that someone was going to swoop in and kill me. When I finally reached the glass and peered outside, my jaw dropped.
“Duncan?”
He was sitting alone at the small bistro table on my balcony, staring out into the moonlight. He turned to me and cleared his throat. “Hey, Nikki.”
I stepped outside and knelt next to him. “I’m so happy to see you,” I said, my eyes welling with tears. I had no idea how much I’
d missed him until now. “God, I thought you were dead.”
He touched a strand of my hair. “I’m still here.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “So, how long have you been sitting out here?”
He shrugged. “Not too long.”
“Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing his hand. He was chilled to the bone.
He looked away. “I’ve been… better.”
I rubbed his hand, trying to warm his skin. “You should really come inside. It’s freezing out here.”
He turned and stared at my hand as I continued to rub his. “Nikki, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?” I teased. “Does being alone with me in my bedroom scare you?”
He looked into my eyes, and what I saw there stopped my heart. “No,” he answered. “But, it should scare you.”
Chapter Twelve
I jumped up and moved away. “What…what happened to you?”
He smiled bitterly. “What do you think happened?”
“Are you a…vampire?” I asked.
He stared ahead, looking lost. “I don’t know what I am. I haven’t fed on anyone’s blood or anything. But, I can’t say the idea doesn’t consume me day and night.”
I stared at his face, which was much paler than usual, but hauntingly beautiful. He’d always been nice looking before but whatever had changed him now emphasized everything I’d loved about his features. I had an incredible urge to touch his face, but was a little frightened of what he’d do.
“How did this happen?” I asked.
He leaned back in the chair and sighed. “You remember how Ethan went after us Sunday night and the truck flipped?”
I remembered someone had, but wasn’t about to argue about it now. I only nodded.
“Well, you blacked out and I pulled you out of the cab. It was then that Ethan decided to strike.”
My eyes widened. “He really attacked you?”
“Yes. Your admirer, or whatever you want to call him, brutally attacked me and left me for dead.” He closed his eyes. “He’s lucky I was only human at the time because now…I’d rip is throat out,” he growled.
I stared at him in confusion, “But how did you end up a vampire?”
He opened his eyes again and the strange light I’d seen in Ethan’s eyes was also reflected in Duncan’s silver eyes. “Celeste. She found me and brought me back.”
“Celeste made you a vampire?” I asked.
He shrugged. “She calls it something else, a Roamer or something. Anyway, I’m certainly not the same physically. Now, I move like the wind and have more strength than I’d ever thought possible. It’s like a double-edged sword; both awesome and horrifying at the same time.”
I moved closer to him and touched his arm. “What are you going to do?”
He grabbed my wrist and scowled. “You have to quit touching me.”
I searched his eyes. “Why?”
He licked his lips. “Because I don’t know if I can trust myself around you.”
I shook my head. “You…you’d never hurt me.”
Not Duncan. Somehow I felt safe with him, even like this.
He stood up. “I should go.”
“Wait, are you going home?”
“I don’t know. I have this growing hunger and I don’t know what I’m capable of anymore. Jesus, Nikki,” he said. “I almost lost it on this drunken woman earlier. She’d offered to give me a ride and I… I wanted to tear her throat apart. I could smell her blood. It was…” Tears filled his eyes and he turned away. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he choked. “I’d never forgive myself.”
My heart went out to him. I reached for his hand again but he wouldn’t let me touch him. “I want to help you,” I whispered. “Stay here tonight, you’ll be safe. I just somehow know that you won’t hurt me, Duncan.”
He looked into the sky and murmured, “I just can’t take the chance. Not with you of all people.”
I tried a different approach. “Ethan’s out there somewhere, and he’s much stronger than you because he feeds. You want revenge? Then you either need to feed, which personally, I think is a bad idea for obvious reasons, or hide out until you find a different way to get through this.”
He shook his head. “I don’t…”
“I know you don’t want to hurt me. Just come inside and rest,” I urged, pulling him into my warm bedroom.
He relented and smiled sadly as he stared at my mattress. “I would have given anything to have you drag me in here these last couple of months.”
I stared up at him and sighed. Part of me still cared deeply for him, but the intense feelings for Ethan confused the hell out of me. I didn’t know who or what I wanted. Now, I was half in love with two vampires, which even I knew was insane, not to mention very dangerous.
I tossed a couple of pillows and a blanket at him. “There you go. Now you can rest and we’ll talk about it in the morning. I’m staying home from school, by the way. I’ll help you get through this.”
He sighed and then got down on the carpet, not saying anything.
“Goodnight, Duncan,” I said, sliding under my sheets.
He still didn’t say anything.
I moved to the edge of my bed and looked down at him. “Duncan?”
He cleared his throat and turned so his back was to me. “Goodnight.”
Obviously, I couldn’t really sleep with him down there, but I felt like I was doing the right thing. It was my fault he’d been turned into a vampire and I planned on helping him deal with it. As I began sorting things out in my muddled head, I heard a choked sob coming from the floor.
“Duncan,” I murmured, going to him.
He turned to me. “Don’t. I don’t want your sympathy.”
“How about my shoulder?” I whispered, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
“Things are so fucked up,” he choked. “All I wanted was to work on boats and be with my dad. It was all that mattered. Then I met you, and...”
Then he met me and I messed up his life, I thought. Now he’s cursed for life.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into all of this.”
“No,” he said, pulling away so we were looking into each other’s eyes. “You don’t understand. What I was trying to say is…then I met you and I didn’t care about anything else. I love you, Nikki. You’re all I think about. I’ve missed you so much, and now that I’m one of these… things,” he said with a grimace, “we won’t ever have a chance…”
I placed my finger on his lips. “Shh… Duncan, don’t ever say ‘never’, okay? There might be a way to beat this and I’m going do everything in my power to help you.”
His eyes began to glow brighter and as I stared into them, a wave of intense desire swept through my belly.
“Duncan,” I whispered, as he grabbed my hand and brought it to his mouth.
He kissed my finger with his lips, taking a small taste with his tongue. “Oh, God,” he groaned, shuddering with pleasure. “You taste so good.” Then, he realized what he was doing and tried pushing me away. “No, get away from me.”
But my heart was pounding in my chest and I couldn’t help myself. I slid my fingers behind his neck and pulled his mouth to mine, hungry for his lips. “Kiss me,” I whispered against his closed mouth. “Please.”
He moved his face away from mine. “Stop. I’m sorry, I must have done something to you,” he said.
But I couldn’t stop. Whatever fire he’d ignited was growing and I couldn’t help myself. “It’s okay, Duncan,” I said, touching his lips with my finger, knowing it would be his undoing. “Just let me kiss your lips.”
Duncan released a heavy sigh, but gave in. He wrapped his hands around my waist and turned me over until he was on top of me, our bodies pressing together. As our tongues met, I could feel his excitement below pressing up against me. Wanting to feel it closer, I wrapped my legs around his torso but he froze up.
&n
bsp; “We have to stop,” he gasped, his eyes smoldering with hunger. “Before I lose control.”
I slid my hand into his dark, wavy hair. “I’ve already lost control,” I replied, dragging his mouth back to mine.
He kissed me hungrily, sucking on my tongue as I moved my hands over his shoulder muscles and down his back until I reached the curve of his buns. I gripped them tightly in my hands and he groaned against my mouth. “Nikki.”
“Duncan,” I whispered back.
His cool hands began to move under my shirt, first touching my belly, making my quiver because of the chill. Then they moved to my breasts and the sensation was oddly… exciting.
I gasped.
“You okay?” he whispered.
I nodded and closed my eyes as his hand was replaced by his tongue, which was only slightly warmer.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered huskily.
“Duncan,” I breathed, clutching his hair in my hands and pulling him closer to my breasts.
Something happened in that moment. He stiffened up and moved his face away from my skin. “I have to leave,” he said, “before I can’t stop myself from taking you.”
I released a sigh. “You don’t have to.”
He clenched his jaw. “We’re not talking about the same thing. The hunger is magnified being this close to you.”
I touched his lips again. “Duncan…”
He moved his mouth away from my fingers. “Stop,” he said, staring down at me, his face flushed, his eyes blazing with fire. His mouth opened slightly and it was then that I saw the fangs. “I need…”
“If you need blood that bad,” I interrupted, “take it from me.”
It was my fault he was a vampire and I felt I owed it to him anyway. I’d already sacrificed myself to Ethan, and I trusted Duncan much more.
“No,” he growled. “I’m not going to do that to you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, offering my neck again. I pushed my dark hair away from my neck. “Just take enough to sustain you for a while.”
His breathing increased until he was almost gasping. He lowered his lips to my skin, licking just below my ear. I closed my eyes, anticipating the pain from his teeth.
Shiver (Night Roamers) Page 6
