He bent down and fastened the chain around my right ankle, saying, “Your costume is amazing.”
Smiling, I replied, “Yours is too. You look like you could take on a whole tribe of Tusken Raiders.”
“Thanks,” he said, looking like he wasn’t sure if I was being serious or kidding around.
“Well, I’m not sure if you would win, but you could definitely take them on.” Laughing, I grabbed my purse and we headed out the door to go to the party. We were going to meet Christopher there, and I was anxious to see what his costume would be.
From the moment we walked in the door, I was excited about the party. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and anything that celebrates it on a day that is not October 31 is fine by me. My eyes flitted from person to person, taking in all of their costumes. I saw eyepatches, togas, princess dresses, and weapons. The only common theme seemed to be ‘less is more’. I blushed just looking at some of the costumes people had on. There were multiple girls wearing underwear with accessories, and I saw at least one guy in just boxers.
I felt a hand on my arm and turned around. “I’m going to go get a drink,” Kevin said. “Want one?” I nodded, and he went off in search of beverages. My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for Christopher. Finally, I saw him heading towards me. I smiled as soon as I realized what his costume was.
He was dressed as a vampire. He was wearing black pants and a silky black shirt. He had boots on that reminded me of the ones that Angel wore in Buffy’s world. He was wearing a silver pendant, a variation of the medical staff with two snakes entwined around it and a silver ring with a Celtic symbol that I didn’t know. Of course, he had elongated incisors, completing the stereotype.
I smiled at him as he walked up to me. “I like your costume. It’s amazing.” Rising one eyebrow, I asked, “Where did you get the inspiration for the pendant? It’s great, but I never would have thought of the medical staff for vampires.”
He shrugged, simply saying, “It just kind up happened.”
I stood on my tip toes, looking into his eyes. It didn’t look like he was wearing fake costume teeth. “They look so real,” I breathed. I reached up a hand to touch them, but, before I could, he grabbed it. “What-“ I started to say, but he raised it up to his face, kissing the back of my hand like an old English courtier. Laughing, I curtsied. Without warning, He grabbed me, pulling me close to him.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” he said, just like in my dream. Then, he kissed me. I was so startled that I had no time to react. He pulled back quickly, ending the kiss that had only lasted a few seconds. Misinterpreting the expression on my shocked face, he said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... I’ll go now.” He wheeled around and walked quickly out through the door. I stood frozen to the spot I was standing on, unable to move breathe, or talk.
“Are you ok?” asked a voice behind me. I turned to see Kevin holding to cups full of some unknown liquid, probably containing at least a little alcohol. I took one of the cups and took a large gulp. Filled with resolve, I handed the cup back to him.
“Yes,” I managed to get out. “I’m fine.” Looking up into his eyes, I added, “Listen. I have to go. Something came up.” I called over my shoulder as I ran towards the door, “Call me tomorrow!”
I stopped as soon as I got out of the building. “Christopher!” I yelled, trying to spot him. I walked down the path to the nearest parking lot. Still calling his name, I started searching the spaces for his blue BMW. Finally spotting it, I ran over to the space it was occupying. Christopher was nowhere to be seen. I banged my hand on the windshield before sinking to the ground. I once saw on Scrubs that the first few hours after one friend makes a pass at another are crucial, determining what their relationship would be for the rest of their lives. I hoped that the allotted time limit wouldn’t pass before I got a chance to tell Christopher how I really felt.
“Excuse me,” a strange voice said behind me, “Is everything alright?”
“Yes,” I replied, still looking for Christopher. I made up my mind to stay by his car until he came back to get it.
“Are you sure?” the strange voice asked. Turning to look at the person trying to help me, I gasped when I saw that my would-be helper had fangs identical to the ones Christopher had been wearing.
Chapter 11
“What?” I started to say, but the stranger cut me off.
“Shhh.” He put a finger to his lips. “This won’t take very long.” He smiled, showing me even more of his teeth. I started running as fast as I could, trying to get away from him. After only a few seconds, I collided with someone. I looked up to see him standing in front of me, laughing. He shoved me up against a nearby Hummer. Just another reason to hate Hummers, I thought, They’re a very convenient shape to trap people up against. I kicked out, nailing him right in the sensitive area for males. Unlike in the movies, he didn’t drop the floor sobbing, scream like a girl, or even flinch. He just laughed, saying, “this won’t hurt a bit,” before leaning in, probably with the intent of draining my blood.
“Yes, it will.” Christopher’s voice floated through my head as my attacker dropped me. Looking up, I saw Christopher standing a few feet away, next to his car. As my assailant walked towards Christopher, all I could think was, Christopher doesn’t know he’s a vampire! Then it happened, Christopher’s smile changed right before my very eyes. His teeth shifted back to what I had seen at the party, when he had been wearing his costume. They were identical to the vampire’s. Eyes that had seemed stunning now seemed cruel and deadly. The stereotypes I had thought were fake just a few minutes before now became weapons, able to kill.
Recognizing Christopher, he stopped. “People have been looking for you. We should talk, but first, I’m hungry.” He turned back towards me with a feral, animalistic gleam in his eyes I had never seen before in another person.
“Leave her alone,” Christopher demanded, grabbing his arm and turning him forcibly.
Snarling, the other man said, “Why should I? She’s human.” He spat it out, almost as if living was something to be ashamed of. Continuing, he said, “Why are you protecting her.”
“Back off,” Christopher said, his voice a combination of resolve and ice. He did. Christopher continued, “this is my territory and my hunting grounds. I eat who I like, and I leave who I like. Do not challenge me here, Damien.”
“But…” he began.
“Leave,” Christopher cut him off and bared his teeth, asserting his authority. Damien quickly ran off through the trees, stopping only once to turn and stare at the two of us one last time.
We watched him, standing still until he disappeared out of sight. As soon as he was gone, Christopher turned, pulling me close to him, again. He kissed me for the second time that night. This time, however, I kissed him back. It felt amazing to be held and kissed by someone a gorgeous as Christopher. I hadn’t really liked someone since Josh, and to actually be liked back is every female’s fantasy, girl, woman, or in between. His lips were soft but commanding, and he held me close, one hand around my back and the other tangled in my hair. I was in a state of bliss, not wanting it to end. Then, I felt his fangs with my tongue and remembered what he was and what had happened. I wasn’t quite sure if I was ready to accept the fact that he was, indeed, a vampire, but I had to get back to reality. Breaking the kiss, I jumped backwards. We stared at each other for a moment, still feeling the afterglow of the kiss. Then, it was my turn to run away, sprinting back to my dorm.
Chapter 12
I walked into my room slamming the door before sliding down it, coming to rest on the floor. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I knew from previous experiences that it would be hard to stop them. I thought about all that had happened.
I realized then that I really liked Christopher. I had since the fire in the theatre. Before, I had never considered him anything more than a good friend. Clearly, I had been wrong. He must have been planning the kiss for a while; he had practically admi
tted as much. Taking a deep breath, I said to myself, “I like Christopher.”
However, he was clearly a vampire. His costume had been real. I did not know what legends were true and which ones were myths, but I knew what Christopher really was. He had a second face, complete with fangs. His skin was pale, and he probably drank blood. That would explain the size of his refrigerator.
I also couldn’t forget that I had been attacked that night. The vampire that came after me recognized Christopher. He ran away from us when he realized that my rescuer was Christopher. That meant that Christopher was something to be feared, that he was more dangerous, more deadly. And, he had been able to run faster than humanly possible and had thrown me up against a Hummer and kept me there with little effort. Christopher could probably do worse than that. He had made my assailant back off without throwing a single punch.
If I did start a relationship with Christopher, there would be serious complications. What would it be like to date a vampire? Would I be in danger because of his powers and his thirst? Was there some kind of vampire food chain that caused Christopher to be so scary to the other vampire, and just how far up on it was he? Finally, why was Christopher at college? There would be no need for a vampire to try to fit in in the human world. The worst part was that there was no one I could ask for help. I usually went to Kevin for advice, but I didn’t want to betray Christopher’s secret. Besides, then I would have to tell Kevin about the kiss.
How would Kevin react when he found out? If my dream was any indicator, and it had been with Christopher, Kevin was probably in love with me. He would probably react negatively to the idea of me being with someone else. Would he really feel like he wanted to die, like I stabbed him in the heart? What would he do when he found out that Christopher was a vampire? I valued his friendship too much to let anything get in its way. But I wanted Christopher in ways that I’d never want Kevin. Would I have to choose between them? I wasn’t sure if I would be able to.
I got up gingerly and laid down on my bed. My soft sheets always made me feel better when I’m sad or worried. As my thoughts swirled around in my head, I drifted off to sleep.
Christopher and I were at his kitchen table, sitting and reading the newspaper. “I love you,” I told him. He looked up at me, smiled, and said, “I love you too.”All of the sudden, Kevin burst in. “I loved you!” he told me. Still smiling at Christopher, I ignored him. Kevin pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head. The handsome stranger again took his place, mouthing, “I told you.”
“I’m hungry,” Christopher said, looking at me, completely uninterested in what had just taken place. We both stood up, and he grabbed me. I tilted my head to the side, allowing him to bite my neck. As his fangs pierced my skin, I woke up, one hand clasped around my neck, shaking.
Chapter 13
The next morning, my alarm had just begun to ring when someone knocked on my door. I stood up, walked over to the door, and opened it. There stood Christopher. As soon as the door was opened fully, he grabbed my and kissed me. Everything I had been planning to say, all of my objections and questions flew out of my head as I began to kiss him back. Pulling him into my room, I shut the door. I tried to push him away as my senses and my mind returned, reminding me what I needed to talk to him about. But, he held on, not letting me get a word in. Eventually, I was able to gasp, “Stop, Christopher. We have to talk about this.”
Pulling my mouth back to his, he murmured, “Later. Please, later.” As much as I wanted to give in, I couldn’t.
“No.” I pulled away and crossed the room to my bed. Sitting down, I said, “Stay over there. I need a minute.” As I sat on the bed, catching my breath, I knew what I would do next. I stood up, walked over to Christopher, and slapped his right cheek. He took a step back, raising his hand to his face. “That is for not telling me what you are, letting me get attacked, and assuming I felt the same way about you.” I took a step forward and dragged his mouth to mine and gave him a brief, passionate kiss. “And that is for saving me.”
He grabbed me, whispering in my ear, “I’ve wanted this for a while.”
I planted a kiss on his cheek before drawing back a bit. Closing my eyes, I commanded, “Show it to me again. I need to see you as you really are.” Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes. Christopher’s face was exactly as it had been the night before. I reached up and put a hand to his teeth. “How?” I asked.
“I was in college, at a place just like this. A friend and I went out drinking and were attacked. We were brutally beaten and left for dead. A professor found us and changed us. Now, I am a vampire.”
“How dangerous are you?”
“I used to be feared and revered by others of my kind. I used to hunt, to kill. Now, I don’t.”
“Am I in danger?”
“Yes,” he started, but a knock on the door cut him off.
“Who is it?” I called out, gesturing for Christopher to be quiet.
“Kevin,” he said quickly, “Thank God you’re ok. Open your door.”
“Hold on,” I said. Turning back to Christopher, I whispered, “Get in my closet. I don’t want him finding out about this, not yet at least.” Opening my closet door, I shoved him in with an apology. As I opened the door to the hall, Kevin rushed in.
“Have you heard about what happened last night?” he demanded.
“No. Calm down. What happened?”
“A girl was found completely drained of blood close to the dorm where the party was held. You left in such a hurry and I didn’t hear from you after that, so I was worried that you had been attacked, too.” He grabbed me and hugged me, his relief evident that I had not been made a vampire’s meal.
Stepping back, I told him, “Well, I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you. I’ll see you at breakfast, ok?” I opened the door, and gestured with my hand. “I need to change and get ready.” He walked out, and I sat down on my bed, stunned into silence. I heard the closet door open and felt the bed sag a bit as Christopher sat down beside me. “Was it you?”
“Of course not!” Christopher looked outraged that I could even suggest such a thing.
“How do you drink then?” If I was going to accept this, I needed to know everything about it.
“Blood bags. I buy them from a contact at the blood bank.” I’d known that Christopher had money based on his apartment, so I accepted his explanation. It made sense that vampires would have some way to feed that didn’t involve killing people or there would be a lot more unexplained deaths.
“If it wasn’t you, that means Damien killed her. She died because of me, because you stopped him from taking a little blood from me.” Guilt flooded me at the thought that I’d led to the death of another person.
Pulling me to him, Christopher argued, “No. She died because of me, because I stopped him from snacking on you. He would not have killed unless provoked. Her death was a warning to me. Do not blame yourself.”
“Why would he do such a thing?” I asked, incredulous.
“He and I have always competed. He probably thought I was the same Christopher he knew, the one that killed frequently. He was challenging me, nothing more.” My jaw dropped.
“Nothing more? A girl died, Christopher. It’s not nothing. Tell me everything. I want to know about you and Damien and your past. Now,” I demanded.
“What do you want me to tell you? That I could never kill a human? Well, I’d be lying.” He looked at me, eyes blazing.
As hard as I tried to keep them contained, tears started streaming down my cheeks. I pulled out of his grasp, turning away from him. “No. I want the truth, the whole truth. I can take it.” I felt him grab me, and turn me around to face him. He pressed his lips to mine before putting a note in my hands.
“I will see you in class. Read this and take the time to think about it. Whatever you decide, I will follow your lead.” I stood there as he left the room. Unfolding the note, I saw his elegant handwriting. Sitting on the bed, I began to read his explanation.
&nb
sp; “I’d like to say that most of the stories are just myths, that all creatures of the night are good and gentle. That the brutal thirst is just fiction made up by the uninformed that stumbled across a piece of forbidden information. I’d like to say that I, myself have never taken a life, never done an ‘evil’ act. I’d like to believe that I’m safe from my former darkness, that I could never hurt, would never hurt you. There are so many things that I’d like to say and have you believe. Unfortunately, most of them would be lies.
“True, I would no longer describe myself as evil, but the thirst and the memories remain. I haven’t killed in over forty years, and I haven’t had a ‘fresh’ meal in almost that long. I would love to tell you the truth about everything, tell you my story and the story of those you may encounter, but I have neither the time nor the masochistic tendencies to see you hurt by the whole story, so I’ll just tell you the basics. There are many myths, like the toxicity of sunlight, stakes, and most holy artifacts. Garlic stings, crosses can burn, a destroyed heart is fatal, and silver can be dangerous, if not deadly. Other than that, it’s hard to separate myth from fact, story from reality. Some have tried, dying for their efforts. And still, our origins, our beginnings, remain a mystery.
Blood Delirium (Blood Trance Book 1) Page 4
