by Cali Mann
“My mom worked as a receptionist at an auto shop most of my childhood. I only got to come here because of scholarships and student loans.” I didn’t want to think about how long it was going to take to pay them all off. Why was I telling her all this anyway?
“Just you and your mom then?” she asked. “No other siblings?”
“Nope. Just Mom and me.” Even with the two of us, there hadn’t been many extras. I can’t imagine what we’d have done if we’d had to stretch our meager finances to two children.
She frowned.
“You don’t have any either?” I asked, gazing at the confusing sadness clouding her gray eyes. Why did she care? “Siblings?”
Greer shook her head, her shoulders slumped.
I didn’t understand what was wrong, but I didn’t really have time for it either. If she had emotional problems, she should go to the health center. I wasn’t equipped to deal with that sort of thing. I was a tutor, not a counselor. I opened my mouth to say as much, but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, I tapped my pencil on the page and muttered, “But we’d best get back to the Celts.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” she said with a shrug. She leaned closer and gazed down at the notes.
Her crisp apple scent rolled over me and I sighed. Was she feeling lonesome and missing home? Most people did their first year at college. It could take some getting used to, living on your own. I nodded to myself. That must be it.
“Distinguishing what is Celtic and what is not can be a difficult proposition,” I read aloud from the text. “And why do you think that might be?”
She bit her lip as she considered.
As I watched her, part of me longed to help her with whatever troubles she had, even though I knew it was a bad idea. Fiona had been enough of a romantic adventure for me. I needed to keep my head down and my eyes on the prize of my degree. But something about Greer pulled on my heart strings. Maybe it was the damned chivalry my mother had instilled in me. I wanted to take Greer in my arms and soothe away her problems. But that wasn’t my job. I was her tutor, not her friend, and definitely not her lover.
Greer
I found it quite sad that Seb didn’t even know he had a brother. Sure, he wouldn’t be excited to find out that Bash was a vampire, but nobody’s perfect. At least that’s what I told myself as I got ready for my date with Bash. After we’d talked until the wee hours of the morning, Bash had convinced me that I should give him a chance.
I dug through my clothes, trying to find something that said ‘sexy’ without being ‘easy’. Those kinds of clothes were harder to find than one might think. I sighed. Ella was out this evening with her sorority buddies, so I was alone. I could just magic something up. Bash had said we were going bowling, which sounded very pedestrian for a vampire, but at least meant I didn’t have to dress to be outside half the night. Even with my sweater dress, I’d been frozen by the time I’d gotten home before. I grabbed one of the catalogs stacked on Ella’s dresser and flipped through it. She’d been more than happy to tell me how much she loved shopping. Murmuring some magic words, I set about replenishing my wardrobe with cold-weather clothes from the pictures. Who knew when I’d get another chance without my roommate at home? By the time I finished, I was tired and hungry from the energy cost of the magic. I grabbed a protein shake from the mini-fridge to tide me over. Surely there’d be food at the bowling alley.
My phone hummed and I flicked open the screen.
Dad: Have a good time on your date.
Papa: Not too good a time. Be careful.
When they called this morning, I’d told them that I was going out. I grimaced. Not about Bash being a vampire. I wasn’t quite ready for that conversation yet. My dads were generally pretty open-minded, but they would worry. College was the first time I’d been so far away from them and I wasn’t known for making good choices about romance—about anything really. I glanced toward the work that was still piled on my desk.
Still, it was Friday night. I needed … no, deserved some fun. That’s what college was supposed to be: fun. I grabbed a cute skirt and a black shirt with a lace midriff and grinned. Perfect. I slipped them on and did my hair and makeup. I was slowly going a bit darker in my colors. I could get away with that here. I donned my black boots and a newly-magicked wrap-coat, then hurried downstairs to meet my date.
Bash pulled up in a shiny sapphire-colored sports car. He stopped and came around to open the door for me. He wore a button-down shirt, black jeans, and a leather jacket. His jet black eyes surveyed me appreciatively.
“Pretty car,” I said, climbing in.
“Had to pick you up in style.” His hand on the roof, he leaned in to whisper, “And the owner of this beauty was delicious.”
I froze. He’d eaten someone? This had been another bad choice. I needed to get out right now and stay far away from this vampire.
Bash swung the door closed and ran around to the driver’s side. He slid in, laughing at my expression.
“A joke, dear Greer,” he said. “I rented it.”
“Oh.” A blush crept up my cheeks. I had decided to trust Bash. He was a good guy, for a vampire, and I needed to stop assuming the worst of him.
“By the way,” he said. “You look lovely tonight.”
“Thank you.” I folded my hands in my lap, promising myself I’d be better behaved.
The bowling alley wasn’t far away, but not walkable from campus. With the pink and blue neon lights flashing on the roof, there was no mistaking it. Bash opened my door and offered a hand to help me climb out. His fingers were chilled, but not uncomfortably so.
When we stepped inside, the pop music crashed over us and the smell of hot fries made my stomach growl.
Bash chuckled. “So food first?”
I blushed again but nodded. A protein shake didn’t really count as dinner. We crossed to the bar and Bash grabbed me a menu. I surveyed the contents then ordered a burger and a basket of fries. “You want anything?”
Bash pushed my hair off my shoulder. “You offering?”
“I meant food?”
He arched an eyebrow. “And I didn’t?” Then he grinned. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
“Do vampires eat food? I mean, other than blood?” I didn’t actually know. Vampires and their lifestyles hadn’t played a big part in my magical education other than ‘stay far, far away’.
“I can and sometimes it’s quite tasty, but I prefer blood.”
“But you can survive on animal blood …or blood bags?”
Bash looked pained. “Survive being the important word there. It’s much more pleasant to drink from a live human.”
I frowned. “But you don’t kill anyone.”
“I haven’t yet,” he said with a wink. “And there is a certain amount of pleasure for my … victim as well.” The heat in his eyes was unmistakable.
Resisting the urge to fan myself with my menu, I swallowed. Who knew I’d find this sort of thing attractive? I’d fangirled over the vampire tv shows with everybody else but I’d always considered blood-drinking kind of gross.
The food arrived and I dug in, while Bash went to get us some bowling shoes. He came back with two pairs that looked equally clownish. I laughed at the deadly vampire wearing multi-colored shoes.
“If you want,” he said with a smirk, “you could magic them a normal color.”
I laughed. “What fun would that be?”
We slid them on and carried the fry basket over to our lane. The pins were lined up neatly and the electronic scoreboard flashed overhead. Old fashioned eighties music played on the sound system and Bash sang along with the songs.
“Like a vir-ginnn . . .” He glanced at me guiltily.
“Eighties music?” I asked with a smirk and surveyed the available balls.
“My mom,” he said with a helpless shrug. “Madonna is her favorite.”
I snorted and turned to survey the choice of bowling balls. I always choose by color, not by weight, but I’d been lucky that
the ones I’d chosen had mostly been lighter weights. I eyed a sea-green ball but it didn’t feel right.
“What about your parents?” he asked, choosing a steel gray ball from the rack.
“My dads are more classical guys. Papa especially.” I looked down at the hot pink bowling ball I’d picked up. It was a good weight despite its color. “I don’t know what my mom liked.”
“Is she gone?”
I shook my head. “Not dead. She’s been different these last few years.” I met his eyes. “Because of the dark magic.”
He grimaced. “Yeah, that stuff will kill you.”
“Your brother is coated in it.” I took my ball over and sat on the bench of our lane.
“What do you mean?” The surprise in his voice was genuine.
I frowned. So he hadn’t been responsible. I hadn’t really thought so. Vampires didn’t do magic, they were magic beings. “I guess it’s from the curse.”
Bash nodded sadly.
“Does your brother ever lighten up?” I asked, curious.
“No, even when his ex was around,” Bash said. “He’s boring.”
I grimaced. “He has an ex? I thought he lived for his work.”
“Oh, he does,” Bash said. “But Fiona could at least make him laugh, well, before she left.”
“She left him?”
He nodded. “She moved in with some rich guy.” Bash leaned closer and whispered, “His house is full of vampires.”
“Dangerous bloodsucking ones?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Like me, you mean?” he asked with a wink, but then he sobered. “No, they’re the real boring murdery type.”
I frowned. “They’re bad vampires?” I laughed at myself. Had Bash already won me over with his good vampire act? Was I starting to believe there was such a thing? I bit my lip. Maybe I was.
Bash picked up his ball and walked onto the lane. I admired the smooth lines of his body as he lined up his shot. For a nightwalker, he had muscles in all the right places. His tight jeans molded to his ass and his button-down shirt was open in front and exposing the muscled expanse of his chest. I laughed at myself. You’d think I was the one who needed to get laid, not Seb.
When I stood to take his place, he curved his hand around my hip and kissed me. I leaned against him, deepening the kiss. He tasted of moonlight, if it had a taste. It was dark and twisty, but sexy too.
“For luck,” he whispered and then pushed me towards the lane.
I hadn’t found someone this attractive in a while, and my rational brain was running around screaming, ‘no, no, no.’ I didn’t need to fall for a vampire. I’d made enough bad choices since coming to college, I didn’t need to make any more. Who am I kidding? Enough bad choices in my life. I ran my finger over my lip. And Bash was definitely a bad choice.
Glancing over my shoulder, I found him watching me the way I’d looked at him. With a grin, I put an extra sashay in my step and tossed the ball toward the pins. It rolled in the direction of the alley and I whispered a magic word under my breath. The ball slid back to center and slammed into the pins.
Bash enveloped me in his arms from behind as we gazed up at the scoreboard announcing: strike.
“You cheated,” he whispered in my ear.
“Prove it,” I said.
“If you’re going to cheat, I might have to distract you.” He chuckled, kissing my neck. The feel of his lips on my skin sent a shiver of pleasure through me.
I smiled. “You can try.” I knew then that I was going home with him tonight, no matter what my pesky good-side said. I strutted back to my seat.
We made it through two games before we gave up and headed back to Bash’s apartment.
Greer
As soon as we stepped inside, I gazed at the surprisingly bright bachelor pad. For a basement apartment to have the line of upper windows that let in the streetlight was unusual, and probably painful for a vampire during the day. It was clean and well kept with rows of cabinets lining the small kitchen area and an island with barstools. A gray couch and a large screen tv sat at the other end of the room.
Not what I’d been expecting from an evil vampire. I grinned. “Have guests often, do you?”
Bash raised a dark eyebrow. “Change your mind?”
His fingers ran over my hips, and I trembled. All my nerve endings were firing as if we were already naked. “No.”
He chuckled, pulling me back to the dark bedroom. There weren’t any windows back here, and I don’t know what I expected. Maybe black silk sheets and candles, perhaps? Bash flicked on the lights.
Soft lighting illuminated golden brown paneling and full bookcases. If it hadn’t been for the four-poster bed in the middle, I’d have thought I was in a library, not a bedroom. I traced the spines of some of the ones nearest to me, and read aloud, “History of Greater Europe? The Conquests of the Vikings?”
Bash tilted his head. “What, my brother’s the only one who can be educated?”
“You said you just sat in on classes?”
He nodded. “Just cause I don’t pay for them, doesn’t mean I’m not interested.”
“Don’t you ever run into Seb?”
“No, he’s more the daytime type,” Bash said. “I’m a night owl.”
Thinking of Seb’s early morning tutoring lessons, I laughed. “And of course, vampires have a wee sunlight problem.”
“That too,” he said, unbuttoning the front of my blouse. His kisses followed his fingers, teasing each inch of skin he revealed.
I took a stuttering breath. Before he carried me away, I had questions. Why did he stay in the same town as his brother? If his twin couldn’t remember him, then wouldn’t he want to be as far away as possible?
Bash kissed along the curve of my breast, his thumbs dipping beneath the lace to stroke my nipples. They budded instantly, more than ready for him.
My fingers clutched the thin material of his shirt, wanting to rip it from his body.
“Do it,” he whispered as if I’d said my thoughts aloud.
I grinned, curling my nails into the fabric and using a bit of magical help, yanked it apart, exposing the smooth muscle beneath. I’d been rougher than I intended because thin lines of blood crossed his chest.
Bash groaned and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me to the bed. He dropped me on the soft white sheets and pushed apart my knees.
I gazed at him, wondering what he would do next. Because that was it, wasn’t it? What really attracted me about the vampire. I didn’t know what move he was going to make. I nibbled at my lip.
He unzipped my thigh-high boots and peeled them off one at a time. After setting them aside, he leaned in and kissed his way up my thighs.
I leaned my head back, savoring each touch.
When he reached my skirt he pushed it up and found his way to my core. Touching me through the lace underwear was delicious torture and I raised my hand to magic them away.
His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist, and he lifted his eyes to meet mine. He gave a small smile and a minute shake of his head. “My home, my rules.”
My heart skittered against my chest. “What do you mean?”
His other finger slid aside my panties and into my folds. “No magic unless I tell you to.”
I licked my lips, wanting him there, wanting him deeper. “But—”
He withdrew his fingers and gestured toward the door. “If it’s not your pleasure . . .”
This was my out. Mentally my good girl side was already halfway out the door, but I had said I wanted this and I did. My gaze roved over his muscled shoulders, the intense look in his coal black eyes, and the fang that peeked in the corner of his mouth. I’d never slept with a vampire and it was one night. My pristine conscience could handle one night of debauchery. He wouldn’t ask me to do anything that didn’t result in pleasure.
Releasing my wrist, Bash started to back away.
“No,” I gasped. “I’ll do it your way.”
He smiled, his grin fu
ll of dangerous promise. “Lie back on the bed and don’t move.”
I swallowed and did as he asked.
“Lift your hips.”
I did so, and he slid my skirt over them.
Then he surveyed my offering. My blouse was open, showing my black lace bra and matching panties. Everywhere his eyes wandered, my skin heated as if it was preparing itself for his touch. My nipples hardened, pressing against the rough lace. I shivered even though the room wasn’t cold.
His lips parted and his fangs descended.
Was he going to bite me? I’d wondered at the bowling alley, what it would be like. Was I going to find out?
Bash pulled off the shreds of his shirt and unbuttoned his jeans.
I followed his every movement, locking on the bulge in the front of his pants.
He slid them down his legs with excruciating slowness as if knowing his effect on me. The jeans gone, he stood in gray jersey boxers that left just enough to the imagination.
My fingers twitched and he raised an eyebrow. I forced them to be still and shook my head.
He lay down on the bed next to me, so close that we could be touching but we weren’t. His skin was cool, I knew from touching him before, but in that tiny space between us, it seemed to radiate heat.
“What do you want, Greer?” he asked, almost casually, like a cat playing with a mouse.
“Touch me,” I said, wanting him nearer, wanting to shift myself closer to him, but he kept the distance so precisely. What was this connection that we had? I’d had sex. I’d had boyfriends. But I had never needed someone like this. Was it just because he told me I couldn’t use my magic? Or was it because he was forbidden fruit?
“How?”
“Like you did before,” I gasped. I slid my eyes across his chest. He didn’t have any dark magic fuzzies like Seb, even though by nature, he was dark magic.
His hand slid over my thighs and he pressed his fingers against my underwear.
I couldn’t help the surge of my body up to meet them.
Bash pressed the lace against me, swirling his fingers around my clit and I groaned. Each nerve sparked at the pleasure surging through me and the tiny bit of pain. Wetness hit my underwear and warmth filled my cheeks. He knew how much I wanted him. Why was I embarrassed by my reaction?
