by K. R. Grace
The movie trailers began with no sight of Drake, giving me false hope he was going to be a no-show. Unfortunately, he slid into the vacant seat just as the opening credits started.
“Miss me?” he whispered in my ear.
I snorted.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught Chris leaning forward to glower at us. As much as I wanted to set him straight with the truth-that Drake and I weren’t a couple-it was a good thing to have him think something was going on. He needed to carry a torch for someone else. Preferably Wayley.
The main character came onto the screen and Wayley immediately started wiggling beside me.
“Dude’s airbrushed. What a dud,” Drake whispered, his warm breath rushing over my neck, causing my skin to prickle.
I turned to give him my “shut up before I slap you” face, and then redirected my attention to the screen.
About fifteen minutes into the movie, Drake reached over the armrest dividing us to grab my hand from my lap and tug it into his. He linked our fingers together, squeezing tight when I tried to pull away. To avoid making a scene, I gave in and tried to focus on the movie. Fat load of good that did.
He had a nice hand; large, warm, and lightly calloused. I felt secure…safe. Sometime during the movie, he began playing with my palm, tracing every line, crease, and ridge. When his thumb brushed over my wrist, I squirmed, shocked at the jolt of pleasure that coursed through my veins. My blood started to hum, and I was beginning to feel lightheaded. Who the heck would’ve thought my wrist would be a hot button?
“So this is what having sex with a corpse looks like,” he muttered a while later when the leading roles were doing the horizontal in a crypt. Ew.
“Huh?” I frowned. What the heck was he talking about? The vampire guy was acting very much alive while he ravished the mortal girl. Or was I missing something.
“The actress looks like a dead fish,” he snickered.
I tilted my head to the side as I studied her closely. She moaned in all the right places, but otherwise, Drake was right. Her hands stayed lifeless by her side and not once did she move her head. It was a little disturbing to watch, to be honest.
“Shut up and watch the movie,” I hissed, glancing around to make sure we weren’t drawing attention.
Drake leaned his head down, brushing his lips over my ear as he whispered, “Be honest. You see it, too.”
Nerve endings I didn’t know I possessed stood at attention at the contact. I swallowed hard as I nodded affirmatively. He chuckled and resumed torturing my over-sensitized hand. Okay, so it wasn’t torture. More like heavenly bliss, but his touch shouldn’t feel that good. Not so soon after Clint.
I’ll be honest and say I didn’t catch most of the movie. How could I focus on anything when Drake’s fingers were causing little explosions to go off in the lower region of my body every time he clustered his fingers together in the center of my palm and then expanded them out to mesh our hands together before retracting back to the center? It was thrilling and hypnotic, leaving me feeling like a shimmering hot mess. He provided further snarky commentary throughout the entire movie, causing me to snicker at the most inappropriate times. Yet, no one shushed us, so obviously we were keeping the volume down. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Even though I was a little preoccupied, I managed to get the gist of the movie. Immortal, lonely vampire meets mortal girl, they fall in love, but she turns him down when she realizes the only way they can be together is if he turns her into a vampire. Vampire dude tries to kill himself but can’t die. The end. Not all that earth-shattering if you asked me.
Put simply, it sucked.
“That was a lame movie. Where was all the killing and the blood-drinking? Or at least an angry mob that comes after him to burn him piece by piece. Anything other than all that mushy-gushy stuff,” Chris grumbled as we left the theater, following the masses out to the parking lot.
“I thought what those two had was so precious,” Onyx sighed, her eyes glazed over with wonder-lust.
“Too bad the girl turned him down or else we would’ve at least seen some blood drinking,” Giles complained.
“You boys just don’t understand romance.” Wayley frowned as she slid her arm through the crook of Chris’s.
I was with the boys. She should’ve allowed herself to become a vampire. Of course I knew vampires didn’t exist, and that my body would eventually die. But, something had changed inside of me. For the first time since his death, I realized just how much I needed to live and feel alive. I only had this one life. Might as well try to enjoy it. But to live forever on this earth had a certain appeal. Sure, it was messed up, but it was the only earth I’d ever known.
It didn’t get rid of the guilt I carried: I was able to live my life while Clint rotted in a shinny box six feet under.
Drake slipped his arm around my shoulder, drawing my attention to the fact he was walking free of crutches. When I looked up at him to ask the obvious, he placed a finger over his lips and winked, nodding at the others. Was he trying to point out to me just how self-involved and clueless these people were? Because, hello, old news. I could’ve told him that.
“What did you think of the movie?” he asked me.
I shrugged. “It was okay. It would’ve been better if she’d chosen him in the end. It felt like the writer ran out of time and slapped on a quick ending. It’s going to be hard to build a sequel off that.”
“Unless a new girl comes who will pick him,” Onyx argued.
“True, but with nothing else driving the plot, is it really worth watching? It would be the same movie all over again, just with an alternate ending,” I tossed back.
“I’m with Star on this one,” Chris piped in.
“Well, good thing the decision isn’t up to us,” Wayley shrugged. “I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”
The group decided to go to an all-organic restaurant in Market Square just a block or two over from the theater. I’d never been, but Drake seemed interested so I trusted his judgment. As we crossed the street, Drake held me close to his side, not saying a word.
I couldn’t understand why I was allowing him to touch me, let alone hold me like he was trying to shield me from any impending evil. What was even more mindboggling was how empty I felt when he released me to pull my chair out once we were inside and directed to our seats.
The conversation flowed smoothly amongst Onyx, Wayley, Chris, and Giles. Drake and I sat at the end of the table, content to be silent observers. Every now and then I’d catch him staring unashamedly at him. I’d dart my eyes away from his and my cheeks flushed.
While I ate my tofu and cheese sandwich, which was surprisingly really good for tofu, I listened to Chris and Onyx debate over which phone-booth time traveling machine was better, the one in Dr. Who or the one in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I wasn’t familiar with either, so I just listened.
I noticed Drake didn’t eat anything.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything? I can give you half my sandwich. It’s not like I’ll be able to eat this whole thing anyway,” I said, holding out half to him.
His silver eyes twinkled as he smiled endearingly at me, which was a little disconcerting. “I’m good, but thanks. I didn’t know we were going out afterward so I ate before I came.”
I opened my mouth to ask what his plans were for the weekend when his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he frowned before answering. I tried not to eavesdrop, but there was nothing to hear. After a few non-committal grunts, he ended the call and stuffed his phone back into his pocket.
“Everything alright?” I asked as casually as possible.
“I need to leave. Can I give you a ride home?”
I was about to decline when Wayley piped in, “She’d love that.”
Knowing I’d be wasting my breath if I protested, I stood and slipped back into my jacket. Drake tossed enough bills on the table to cover both our meals before guiding me out. I glanced over my sho
ulder to catch Wayley winking at me before I walked out the door. If I could use magic, I’d so turn her into a bug so I could squash her at that moment.
Drake and I walked briskly to the garage where his Jeep was parked. The wind blew strong and sent frigid tendrils down my collar and numbed my face. He tugged me to his side, shielding me from the brunt of it. By the time we climbed into his SUV, my nose was dripping and my teeth clanked together. Thank God for seat warmers, because I couldn’t feel my butt.
Once we were out of the garage, I had to talk. For some reason, I wasn’t okay with the silence. A first, I know, but I needed to hear his voice.
“So, um, what did you think about the movie?” I asked, sucking in my bottom lip. Why was it always like this? Jittery, nerve wracking, and comforting all at once?
“Don’t do that,” he growled when he glanced over at me.
“What?” My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. What the heck had I done?
“Bite your lip like that.”
Huh? “Why?”
“Because I can’t be responsible for my actions if you keep doing that.” The muscle along his jaw line flexed as he gripped the steering wheel tight enough it made a popping sound.
Oh. My. God.
Somewhere deep down inside, curiosity sparked, lighting a promising flame in my heart. I was almost tempted to bite my lip again to see what would happen, but he made the decision for me by answering my previous question as if the exchange hadn’t happened. “It would’ve been better if there was some fighting or bloodshed.”
“Yeah, and what was with the pretty boy she randomly picks in the end? The mortal. So not who I would’ve picked,” I laughed nervously.
“She was thinking with her joy stick.” Drake smiled mischievously.
It took me a second to catch the meaning before I started laughing. “That’s disgusting! Girls don’t do that!” I swatted his shoulder.
“Trust me, they do.” He challenged me with a raised eyebrow.
“Give me an example,” I demanded.
“Wayley.”
I frowned, not expecting that. “What about her?”
“She wasn’t interested in that guy for his intelligence and sparkling wit, Star. She was imagining him with his pants off and inside her.”
“Ugh! That’s disgusting. No she wasn’t! Not everyone thinks in the gutter like you.”
Drake turned to look at me as he stalled at a red light. “Trust me on this, babe.”
Oh, but his eyes were hypnotic. I’m pretty sure scientists would find proof that black holes existed in his silver orbs.
A mental reminder of sea green eyes I used to love to stare at once snapped me out of whatever trance I’d been put under.
“What would you do different with the movie?” I brought us back to the original conversation.
A slow grin inched on his face. “I’d have some naked girls.”
“You’re such a guy.” I rolled my eyes.
“That’s what you like about me.”
His eyes dropped to my lips, which made me involuntarily look at his. They were full and slightly parted. He moved his hand to cup the back of my head as he pulled me closer to him. This was happening. He was going to kiss me, and I was going to let it happen.
Someone’s quick panting, probably mine, reverberated throughout the vehicle just before he lowered his head. My breath hitched as his lips brushed softly against my cheek. A horn blared, breaking the spell. Drake released me to focus his attention on the road while I stared blindly out the window.
What the heck just happened?
All too soon, we were in my driveway. I saw my parents’ silhouettes in the front window and groaned.
“I forgot to call them after school.”
Drake moved to open his door, and I shot my hand out to stop him. “I’ve got this. Stay inside.”
He shrugged my hand off before climbing out of the Jeep. I watched as he skirted the hood of the SUV and opened my door, panic clawing at my throat. My parents were going to kill him.
“I’m not letting you talk to my parents, Drake,” I warned; his safety the most important thing on my mind.
“Who said anything about talking to your parents?” He asked as he reached across my midsection to unbuckle me. I hadn’t realized I’d yet to move. Butterflies released in my stomach under his touch.
“Then what are you doing?”
“I’m walking you to the door.”
“Huh,” I huffed as he wrapped his hands around my waist and hoisted me out of the Jeep and onto my feet as if I weighed nothing.
He linked our fingers, together and led me to the porch. I kept my eyes on the ground, so not ready to face the wrath of my parents.
At the doorstep, he gave me a quick hug and a light kiss on my forehead, making me feel like a little kid. “Tell your parents it was my fault,” he whispered into my ear just as the front door swung open.
Mom’s angry face was illuminated by the porch light.
“Say goodnight to Drake,” she ordered.
“Don’t be mad at him. I went to the movies with Wayley. He was just giving me a ride home,” I explained.
Did Drake just growl beside me? Because it definitely sounded like an angry wolf or tiger.
“I know. We’ll discuss this inside. Goodnight, Drake.”
Drake opened his mouth, obviously ready to protest, but then let out a frustrated sigh. “Goodnight, Mrs. Allistar.” Drake waited until I was inside before he went back to his Jeep. Even without looking at him, I knew he wasn’t happy with the way the night ended.
“Go to your room,” was all Dad said as I walked passed him.
I obeyed. Maybe they were so pleased I was out with friends that they would let this one slide. I changed into shorts and a hoodie before washing my face in my bathroom. When I returned to my room, Dad was leaning against the door frame.
“Did you have a good time?”
I studied his face to see if he was being sarcastic. The lack of emotion in his voice almost tricked me into believing he was okay with it all, but judging by his hard, angry eyes, he was definitely being facetious.
“Just saw a vampire movie,” I played along.
“Your mother and I are disappointed. We’ve been trying to reach you all evening, thinking you were dead somewhere. When Wayley’s mom called and said you went to the movies and left your stuff at their house, we were first relieved, then furious. The purpose of giving you a cell phone was so you could call us when you made plans. You are only a senior in high school, Elizabeth. When you’re out of the house, you can live by your own rules. Until then, it’s our rules. You’re grounded for three weeks.”
“Okay.” For me, that wasn’t a punishment. I saw the frustration in his eyes and inwardly smiled. If he really wanted to punish me, he would’ve made me go out every night.
He turned around and walked out of the room without saying another word. I plopped onto my mattress and thought the worst part was over. As I was about to slip into sleep, Mom came barging in and gave me a two-hour lecture about how irresponsible I was and how it wouldn’t hurt to start being part of the family again. I listened, but kept silent. When she left, I went to sleep and dreamt of Drake.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I’d only been asleep for an hour when the sound of an animal’s howl woke me. It sounded… sad. I decided to step out onto the back porch and investigate. Stuffing my feet into a pair of old black Crocs, I shuffled quietly through the house and out the back door.
I was a nerd for the moon and its phases. Tonight, a waxing gibbous moon peeked out from behind the clouds, giving the night sky a natural blue glow. The hoot of an owl sent shivers down my spine. Instead of walking around, I sat down on the porch swing and just listened. The howl came again. I stared at the thick of woods directly behind my house and watched as a dark form shifted. I held my breath, unsure of what it was. Then, the moon came out again, casting a glow on the object.
Standing only fifty feet away
from me was the largest wolf I’d ever seen. It was solid black and looked like it could eat a bear for a snack. My brain was shouting for me to run, but I sat motionless watching the wolf inch closer. It stopped about twenty feet away from me, and we stared at each other for a moment. A noise came from inside the house and startled him. I yelped in protest as he darted away.
Take me with you! My heart cried. To be so free without a care in the world. God, I wanted to be that wolf.
“Hey,” Dad’s voice came from behind me.
“Don’t worry, I was just about to go inside,” I mumbled and stood to my feet.
“No, sit down. I think you and I need to talk.”
I plopped back down and waited for what he had to say. I was tired of all the talks.
“Your mom and I care about you. You know that, right?”
I nodded.
“We just want what’s best for you. I know Clint’s absence isn’t easy. I felt like I lost a son when we got the news.”
The knot in my throat was back. I really wanted him to stop talking. If he continued down that road, I was going break into a million pieces.
“We thought moving you here would be a good thing. No one knows about what happened, and maybe a new set of faces would remind you that life is worth living. I’m starting to think we were wrong. Just give us a chance. You’re our only girl. We can’t afford to lose you.”
“Dad, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Then start taking care of yourself, kid.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything on that note.
“Get on inside,” he motioned for the door.
I did as I was told and made my way back to my room. Once in bed, I dreamt about the wolf. Only, instead of watching him run away into the night, I was running with him. We were a pair separated from society and yet considered part of it all at the same time.
It was wonderful.
Chapter Seven
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Drake
I was supposed to be hunting, but I couldn’t stay away.
