“I’m good. Just a little blood… I mean a drink mishap,” I caught myself just in time.
“Well I love the new dress. It’s hot!”
“No you did not just pull a Paris! I’m definitely fining you for that one.”
“Yea, yea. Put it on my tab.” We broke into unified laughter.
Glancing around, I realized no one missed me in the time I was gone. I was thankful for Caleb’s presence; Mel certainly would have been aware of my absence sooner had he not been distracting her.
“Lexi, do you mind if I have a word with you?” I was surprised to see Al there requesting my presence.
“I’ll meet you on the dance floor in a bit,” I told Mel turning back to him. Suddenly nerves flooded my stomach.
“I know Kellan told you about me, and I don’t want to take you away from your party, but I would like to talk to you about a position within the ranks of the vamp army. We could use a fierce offense like you, especially with the proper training. And I believe your nasal restraint may be an asset in the position as well. I wanted to mention it now so you can consider your options, but they’ll be actively pursuing you soon,” he stated.
“What options?”
“This is a full time job, a career that you can’t put down on a whim. You must agree to a minimum ten years of service and are bound to serve on any battlefront you are called to in any continent,” he answered. “College, a regular life, will not be easy to maintain. I offer you this position because I see you as a great strength. No inexperienced vampeen has ever defeated a vampire in one mighty strike. I was impressed, and that does not come easy with my years on earth.”
“Thanks Al. I’ll definitely think about it.”
“You did good Lexi. You should be proud. All of us are.”
I smiled and nodded. I didn’t know what else to say. The vamp army, the recruitment only team, wanted me. They saw potential in me I’d yet to acknowledge within myself. This was an honor I didn’t want to decline, but I knew it was far greater a commitment than I was able to accept without apprehension, if I could truly at all.
How would this affect me further? I was lucky I didn’t lose more than I did with my transformation alone, but a move like this would withdraw me from the human world completely on many occasions. Being submerged as I was currently, I wasn’t sure how I could explain frequent absences ongoing, yet it was still an honor, an opportunity I had to consider for the chance alone.
I moved to the dance floor, locating Mel quickly grinding unashamed against Caleb. I began swaying to the music near them and was abruptly pulled against someone. I was startled to turn and see Jason.
“Great party,” he yelled over the music; little did he know he didn’t need to.
“Thanks,” I replied dancing with him. Mel shot me an ‘oh my God’ look.
“I like this dress more,” he winked placing his hands on my hips.
I just grinned. I bit my tongue against the obscenities rising, begging to be screamed at him. ‘You’re a pompous, sexist jerk’ was one of them. But I wouldn’t stoop to his level. I was as pretty as the girls in his league of followers, his social clique of prepsters now, but I didn’t want to be compared, associated with, or deduced to any of them.
Just as Jason slyly moved his hands to my butt, he was thrust away from me by an aggravated Kellan. His eyes pierced Jason in a way I saw made him shudder.
“With that move I’m cutting in,” Kellan announced. I noticed he had changed his clothes to dark-wash jeans and a black button up shirt.
I laughed and Kellan smiled baring his dimple yet again. Grooving to the beat for a solid minute, I commented, “I didn’t picture you being a good dancer.”
“I’m surprised at you too.”
“Guess we’re even then?”
“Not even close,” he winked. He pulled me in swaying against my body. This was the closest to raunchy I’d ever been with Kellan. He kissed me lightly on my lips yet never lost his rhythm.
We danced the night away. One good thing about being a vampeen is not exhausting easily, granted you eat (or drink) your proper diet that is.
The party started to die down around midnight and the stragglers disappeared by one. I had successfully avoided… okay so I threatened them all, but it kept them from embarrassingly forcing over two hundred classmates to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me.
~~~
“O.M.G. The party was awesome Lex!” Mel gushed, radiating with excitement as she entered my hotel room pajama clad. I was already in my comfy attire on the bed – Victoria Secret capri sweats and a tank.
“I know, right?” I replied.
“Very action packed,” Kellan winked as he came out of the bathroom in the closest thing to pajamas I’d seen him wear. He fashioned a pair of navy blue basketball shorts, a sleeveless white t-shirt displaying the muscle definition in his relaxed arms and a pair of socks. He sat next to me on the bed and kissed my forehead.
“You have to watch this!” Mel squealed as she plugged her video camera into the TV with a cord. “You have to see Jason and Jenny’s reaction to you! I already uploaded it on YouTube with my laptop!”
She played the scene several times through bursting with avenged laughter each time.
Seeing myself as I exited the limousine sent chills down my spine. It forced me to see the strong, beautiful woman I was today, and allowed me to pack away the fat, insecure girl I was just two weeks ago.
The expression on Jason’s face was priceless. It was a cross between a deer caught in headlights and a man about to burst with lust. His eyes lit up with a desire not even Kellan had projected at me.
As for Jenny, her blue eyes literally shimmered green with envy for a millisecond as she caught Jason’s expression. Her cheeks reddened and her beauty burned away with hate as she watched me.
As gratifying as this moment was, it was also sad. Why must the human world revolve around the outer representation of a person? Beauty isn’t flesh alone. Even Jenny, who was attractive to most men, turned ugly the moment her inner hatred seeped into her outward expression. Maybe I was the example they needed to see. Hopefully my Cinderella story would make other Jasons think twice before picking on the porkers, the four-eyes, and the awkward women.
I can’t change humans, vampeens, or vampires. I’ve realized I can only hope to inspire them to change; lead by example.
Yawning, Mel announced, “I’m exhausted Lex. I’m going to go to bed. This beauty doesn’t come without sleep.”
I chuckled. “Thanks for everything. I loved it all! You are definitely hired for next year.”
“Next year? I’ll think about it. My rate may increase substantially by then though just to warn you.”
I glared sarcastically at her, “You wouldn’t dare Melanie.”
“Good night Alexa. Good night Kellan,” she taunted on her way to the door.
I laughed as I threw myself back on the bed. “Kellan?”
“Yea?”
“Thanks for my gift. I love the iPod. I’m really excited to listen to all your songs.”
“I hoped you would.”
“Kellan?”
“Yea?” he asked, brows raised with anticipation.
“Kiss me.”
“I love a woman who knows what she wants,” he grinned staring down at me.
“…so are you going to kiss me?” I questioned seconds later.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said as he playfully pounced me.
I laughed as our lips collided. All my worry, anger, elation and reflection from tonight poured through me into the intensity of my grip. I ran my fingers through his hair.
Knock – knock – knock.
Frustrated for the interruption, I broke away. “Yea?” I called.
“Lexi, open the door. Your dad and I want to say good night,” my mother called.
I protruded my bottom lip in a pouty face as Kellan rolled on to his side. I opened the door. My dad had his hands on his hips and a ste
rn look on his face.
“Alexa, you better not have been doing something you shouldn’t be doing,” he scolded.
“Dad, we were just kissing. Mel and I aren’t those types of girls, remember?” I smiled. Putting on my ‘daddy’s little girl’ charm, I hugged him while kissing his cheek.
“You better not be. I don’t care what you are. I will take you down if you hurt my little girl Kellan,” he called.
Kellan appeared at the door. “Trust me when I say I have no intention of doing that.”
“Well good night sweetie. Good night Kellan. Keep your hands to yourself and sleep in your own room tonight,” my mother warned while hugging me.
“I can’t do that,” Kellan said. “But I can promise we won’t have sex.”
“You better not,” my dad fumed, fire lighting behind his words. He recovered quickly, stating a calm, “Good night kiddo. I love you.”
“Love you too Dad. Night.” They entered their room across from mine for the night.
“Good night Lexi! Good night Kellan!” Aunt Claire called down the hall, hand in hand entering her suite with the DJ.
“Good night Aunt Claire. Thanks again.”
“Make him wear a condom!” Kellan yelled. I elbowed him, but he didn’t seem to notice. He only chuckled with amusement.
“Always,” she winked.
I was happy, relieved to see Kellan out of his shell with someone other than me; I just hoped it would be with Mel, not my aunt. I was slowly seeing the side of him that I had somewhat enjoyed in Mike – a sense of humor; of course Kellan’s is darker, more cynical, but still present.
I smacked him several times on the arm as we retreated into my room. “I can’t believe you said that!”
“I believe you requested a kiss,” he prompted.
“I believe you owe me a kiss,” I smiled.
“Yes, of course. How rude of me.”
He threw me on the bed hovering me one second later with his lips locked and loaded. We picked up where we left off, hands grasping at each other as the energy of tonight exploded in our feisty caress. Melding into his arms effortlessly, submitting yet holding my own, I was falling into him layer by layer.
Peeling back our shells of defense, corrupted with anxiety, we connected emotionally. I felt his heart jumping, though it doesn’t beat often with his vampire side reigning supreme internally, resounding with love and adoration, strength and protection. Merging beyond, I felt the cosmic explosion of color; felt the thrust of passion in an unspoken alignment.
“My words scared you tonight?” I thought, reflecting his reaction to my heart pour to Mel over him during my make-up session.
“I’ve never felt so strong towards anyone, and never had a woman love more than my body. It’s scary.”
“I agree. But I can’t change how I feel.”
“I would never ask you to,” he answered internally, caressing my face with his hands. “The vamp army? That’s a big honor. What have you decided?”
“Can’t you see or feel that?”
“Not until you solidify it. I’ll support you either way.”
“I know,” I replied beaming inside. “You lied about Keira. I should be mad.”
“But you’re not. Why?”
“Because I clearly see you would pick me over her.”
“Any day for all of eternity. After all, you are my forever girl.”
“And you my forever,” I whispered aloud between the gentle brush of his lips. Rolling sideways, he cradled me in his arms, holding me tight as if to protect me from anything that would jeopardize forever with him.
EPILOGUE
“Want to go for a walk? The sun should be rising in about twenty minutes,” he offered.
“Sure,” I smiled taking his hand as I slid off the bed.
We put on our shoes and walked down to the beach below. Side by side, hand in hand, we strolled parallel to the ocean. The sky was just beginning to reflect a dark blue at the tip of the grey mass. The sun had yet to peak yet her brilliance was already beginning to appear.
So much had changed for me in two and a half weeks. I’d gone from girl to woman, teen to vampeen; from weak and insecure to a strong, confident vamp warrior.
I’d decided I was going to decline Al’s offer for now. I needed to adjust to my new life currently without further complications via impulse of opportunity. Just because a door is open doesn’t mean you have to walk through it. If I’m meant to be a soldier for my kind, then the offer will stand when I’m ready.
I would go back to school Monday. I wasn’t sure how Jason’s crowd would react to me ongoing; unsure if the tides would change. My looks were different, yet I was the same person inside; that’s a relief to me. My biggest fear wasn’t being accepted after, but being rejected by the ones I loved the most; losing them over something I couldn’t control. I’d learned that in not changing who I was, who I stood for, in coordination with my outer transformation, that was the biggest factor in why I didn’t lose what I had with Mel. She realized I was the same person. I didn’t snide her along the way which allowed her to embrace me for who I’d always been – Alexa Lorrayne Jackson – best friend and soul sister to Melanie Anne Hartford. My dad was coping on the single breath that I was still the same inside as well; I was still daddy’s little girl despite my new womanly figure to boast.
As for Mike, he was the one that changed. A tiny part of me wondered if he would ever threaten me again, but my intuition informed me that I’d be prepared for him if he tried. Krav Maga master or not, I’m a vampeen – one step above a human, one up on a vampire in the realm of humanity and control. I don’t self-destruct on instinct; mental clarity leaves me pure. I don’t mind a mental block on blood or humans; in fact, I’ve embraced it as a gift. I will never feel like an alcoholic who loses control when a bottle of scotch is opened nearby.
The royal cake topper of all I’d been bestowed was Kellan. Reading, living through the character experiences in my books and fairytales I’d read, they all painted love mildly in comparison to what I shared with him. Many times the heroines, the leading ladies, love and lose or love without reciprocation, yet I had been blessed by God – Yes a vampire, vampeen, immortal can be blessed by God.
I have discovered that we are treasured above all others by Him, or at least I like to view it this way. I’m not speaking in an effort of favoritism, but rather in creation. We are the closest to his exact likeness. We bear his physical resemblance, as humans do; but we are exact in other realms of comparison beyond what any human could fathom possible.
We are infinite in lifespan should we live admirably; though He bore no creation, no manifestation, we are offered the same forever as He holds dear. We run at optimum speed, have the strength of the strongest predator; both of which are every soldier and athlete’s prime goal of attainment. He allows us the enhanced senses He used to make the earth; we are the ones who enjoy all of its glory from hearing the tiny spring of a grasshopper to seeing through the cocoon at a butterfly’s transformation with our enhanced vision. We are given the ability to wipe out nations with our muscle, yet are taught to roam idly with compassion for humans; warned against mass man-slaughter despite our feeding habits.
Above all else, the greatest proof of choice by God I’ve confirmed through Kellan. Humans are limited to love in one lifetime, yet vampires and vampeens alike are granted love for eternity, the same length He embraces us for.
“Look,” Kellan returned me to my reality with a pointed finger towards the ocean’s infinite horizon. The sun’s beauty was rising to greet us with a rainbow of colors announcing its arrival.
“It’s beautiful,” I smiled.
“As are you,” he grinned baring his irresistible dimple.
I watched the sun rise in the reflection of his bright green eyes, reliving the last three weeks in three minutes knowing it would seem like three seconds in my eternity.
~~~
Dear Reader,
Thank you for purchasi
ng this book. Hopefully you grew to love Lexi as much as I did and do throughout her journey. Life is certainly unpredictable, but it’s our reactions that determine whether the situation overwhelms us or not.
Presently, I’m working on the second installment of Lexi and Kellan’s journey. Diary of a Vampeen: Vamp Yourself for War will hopefully be out soon.
In the meantime, feel free to visit my website for updates: www.christinlovell.com
I always love to hear from my readers as well. Feel free to contact me via my website or via email at [email protected]
Thanks again for taking a chance on my book.
Love and Lex,
Christin
Diary of a Vampeen Page 29