by Jenna Bernel
I sat tentatively on the dugout bench, looking up at him through my lashes. He was still standing at the top of the steps. I tapped the seat beside me, licking my lips, trying to entice him to join me, but only got a mouthful of clay. This was so much harder out in the daylight, feeling exposed, and probably looking the opposite of sexy in my dirt mask. Alec bit his lower lip, showing me his own gleaming set of fangs, and before I could blink, he was on the bench next me.
"Hello, Dani. It's a pleasure to see you again," Alec said, obviously picking up my name when Harper screeched it across our classroom. He glided the tips of his fingers down the length my arm, and I tried not to recoil like a frightened, little mouse would.
"Hello, Alec is it?" He nodded in approval, like that name wouldn't be burned in my brain for the rest of my life. His honey-colored hair glinted like tiny fireflies in the sunlight, which was as unnatural as seeing a vampire exposed to its warmth.
"It has been too long since I last saw you. What brings you to Mapleton, Alec? I don't often have the pleasure of bumping into day-walkers as mouthwatering as you," I purred, leaning into him, getting a waft strong enough to only mean one thing. There was no doubt he was an Infinity. Well, there went Plan B: to kick his ass and make a run for it, if he refused to bite the bait, so to speak. I was positive he must have had the Gift of super-vamp strength, because he was too confident in my Infinity presence, and tacitly insisted he was the one in control here.
"I came to see you, Dani," he said in an equally seductive tone. Was that just bloodlust talk? Or did he really somehow know where I lived? Alec leaned in towards me, sweeping my hair behind my shoulder to expose my neck, evaluating his prize, and I could see his words were only bloodlust. This must all have been some strange coincidence because The Basement was one hundred percent anonymous. Members could only pass the token; the rest was up the recipient to figure out what it meant. We couldn't even exchange names, let alone addresses, and I would certainly never do that.
His cheek brushed the soft skin where my pulse would be drumming like thunder if I hadn't turned. I had a flashback to our first and only moment together in that clothing store, and forgot how surprisingly warm his skin felt for a vampire. Then he inhaled deeply, skimming the crook of my neck with his breath. After learning what a forbidden faux pas it was for him to approach me that way, uninvited, I imagined how I would twist his nuts ‘til they popped, if I ever saw him again. And now here I was, gritting my teeth, and inviting him right back into the nape of my neck instead.
His fangs touched my skin and I sighed with relieved anticipation, realizing his instincts to bite were clouding his thoughts the longer he nuzzled my neck. This would all be over soon. One taste of my blood, and he'd be seizing in no time. Then I could call Eli to help me get him out of here. But when he hesitated and didn't break the thin seal of my skin, I feared I must have slipped up, that he had some sort of mind reading Gift too.
He pulled back, looking at me with hungry eyes. "Ladies first," he choked out, pushing his greed for enhanced power aside. He tilted up his own chin, and I swallowed with unease at the proposition.
What did he know? Who was he? What would happen if I took a taste? The questions swirled in my head as the fuzzy desires began to consume me in my vampire state. Confusion sunk in. I was losing control of my focus in the temptation of his offer. It became hard to ease the greed with an Infinity neck in my face. Maybe that was part of his plan. If I took just a little sip, what harm could there be? I could match his Gifted strength for enough time to stand a chance at escape, but I wouldn’t need to escape. If I played the game right, he would go next, and then I would be the one with the upper hand.
Without knowing anything about this stranger, it would be like turning Eli all over again, something I promised myself I'd never do. But right now, breaking the rules was a necessary means to an end, and I'd have to figure the rest out later.
I leaned in, feeling as nervous as a vampire could, and another inhale kicked my instincts into high gear, his perfectly bronzed skin calling me closer. I pressed my cool palm to the back of his neck and pulled him in tightly as I dipped into his heavenly scent. He cradled the back of my head with a surprisingly gentle touch until my cheek rested on his neck, close enough to bite.
"Just one thing," he whispered softly in my ear.
"What?" I replied with slight agitation. My instincts had fully overtaken me, and all I could think was about piercing his skin. I was no better than an eager young vamp.
"My Infinity Gifts are a little unusual." His breath almost felt hot in my ear, which seemed impossible.
"How?" I asked, my focus starting to return as I realized how careless I was being.
"I don't think you'll believe me when I tell you who sent me," he said. The bloodlust in his voice was fading, and alarm began to course through me as my fighting instincts surfaced.
"And who sent you, Alec?" I asked, closing my eyes to cut off my other senses, trying to focus on all my strength since my cheek was still pressed against his neck.
He dipped down, holding me tighter. "The 7th Circle."
My eyes snapped wide open, and I shot upright, when his hand firmly gripped onto my hair. I butted heads with him in a loud crack, and he released me just long enough for me to rip free. I stood up, spinning into a jump-kick, and slamming my heel squarely into his chest. A swoosh cut through the air as he went flying and his body carved a dent into the dugout wall upon impact, as if a stick of dynamite was just chucked at it. Gravel crumbled down in a cloud of dust around his solid frame. I aimed for another kick at his head, but his reflexes surpassed mine, and he grabbed my outstretched leg, while simultaneously hooking the other one out from underneath me. I buckled to the ground without time to catch myself, landing on my back with a hard thud. I hitched my knees up, jumping as I arched my back to recover to a standing position, but in midair, he leapt onto me. My back slammed onto the ground again when he landed on top of me, and another dust cloud billowed up around us. His knees locked on either side of my hips and he pinned me to the dirt floor with no possibility of kicking free. He got a firm grasp on my shoulders, restraining me completely, and I violently snapped my fangs at his face, trying to shred him to bits, but he was out of reach.
"Relax, Dani, I'm not going to hurt you. I just couldn't help, but have a little fun," he said with the annoying taunt of a teenager, like he wasn’t at least two hundred years old. I couldn't say I was having very much fun, unless I could sneak in a jaw-breaking punch to wipe his smile off his face; now that would have been fun. My greed for more power was shoved away, his neck no longer appealing; and God only knows what a taste from this vampire hit man would do to me. All I could think of at this point was survival.
"What do you want, you jerk-off?!" I spat out while trying to thrash free from his grasp.
"Jerk-off? That's a little harsh, considering I'm the one who's saving you from Stella's wrath."
I registered the name Stella and was instantly paralyzed. Stella is the oldest vampire of the 7th Circle. She's the powerful and notoriously ruthless leader of the group, which runs The Basement, and the entire vampire world. The 7th Circle can bend any creature they'd like to their will, doing as they please, and they often kill for sport just because they can. The queen bee, Stella, is known to be the most cruel and heartless of them all. This group takes and gives life as if it were a fun game of chess. Until now, I thought I remained under their radar as no more than a harmless rook, not worth bothering about. Once on Stella's radar, however, living sounded more like a curse than an answered prayer.
"If you're not here to kill me, why did she send you?" I asked suspiciously, looking up at Alec. His eyes softened, making him almost seem human… almost.
"It's difficult to explain at the moment until I work a few things out. But you should know I'll be sticking around for a while. I must say I am pleased to have an assignment with such a beautiful beating heart who hangs out with humans during the day. It will be a w
elcome change of pace," Alec said sweetly, ignoring my question like a boyfriend who just gave me a compliment. I scoffed, while internally cursing.
My head was spinning. It had to be Brooks, right? I knew Brooks was The Basement's little insider spy. I never should have conducted my business at the bar, raising his suspicion of my affinity for young vamps. I should have stuck to the dark corners of the dance floor. What was Alec trying to work out? Maybe I was on the 7th Circle radar as a possible threat, but they must not have known everything I do at The Basement. If they did, I'd surely be dead by now. I had to try and salvage this.
"I can make my heart beat, so what? I'm an Infinity. It's one of my Gifts. I live among the humans so I don't get caught up with old, too-cocky-for-their-own-good douche bags, who act like juiced-up young vamps as a pathetic overcompensation for their tiny equipment." I stated, flexing my jaw while flitting my eyes downwards where his legs straddled my own.
"Ha! Brooks was right. You are a clever one, but I didn't expect anything less. You don't have to lie to me like the rest of your little friends, Daniella. It's a waste of your breath, and you actually need it," he said in a laugh. He acted like I had no chance at trying to hide my secrets, and the mention of Brooks confirmed my theory. He then released the grip on my shoulders, pressing his hands to the ground on either side of my head as he hovered over me, his cheek tugging up on one side in a bewitching smile.
"Just say the word anytime, Dani, and I'll be happy to prove that I'm very well equipped to handle anything you can throw at me," he teased with an irritating amount of confidence, only proving my point. I pressed my hands to his chest, pushing him off me with such force, he went sailing backward into the already dented wall, and created a full-on cascade of crumbling cement.
He started to laugh. "I'll take that as a maybe," he joked, coughing the dust that he inhaled with his laughter from his lungs. I jumped up to flee, but he pulled on my wrist, and I crash into his chiseled chest.
"Don't be stupid, Dani. No amount of running will ever keep you safe from Stella anymore," he said, holding me against him, like we’re about to slow dance. The sound of my nickname strummed so casually through his lips, as if he’d said it a hundred times before today. Suddenly, I wondered how much he truly knew.
"And what if I want to be stupid?" I asked, tilting my head up to look at him as he cupped my face. His expression turned serious.
"When Stella finds you, she won't come after you. Instead, she'll take everyone you have ever cared about and mail them in pieces to your hiding place, using their body parts as if they were house-warming presents. This, I promise you." Alec finished the sentence with a nervous swallow, like he had witnessed it firsthand, sealing the gravity of his promise. For all I knew, this hired hand of Stella’s who was holding me was the one who wielded the axe. I slowly stepped back to show him I wouldn't run, and suddenly felt sick. Can vampires throw up?
I closed my eyes and nodded with somber understanding, as the embrace that Alec observed just minutes ago between Evan and me flashed across my mind. Then I knew I couldn't just walk away from this. I had to figure out a way to protect the people in my life from a world they were never meant to be a part of. I needed a plan. Alec grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together, and I looked down at them with confusion, interlocking too naturally.
"Why don't you show me around my new school? It'll be a good way for us to get to know each other, and the principal has already generously offered your guidance services," Alec said, wagging his eyebrows. A silvery blue light beamed from his stormy irises, telling me he must have Tranced her. I ripped my hand from his and crossed my arms. This guy had to be kidding.
"Are you delusional?! Just because I'm stuck at this school with some day-walking minion of that old, over entitled bitch, doesn't mean I'm going to give you a guided tour to use as a map to the destruction of my life!"
That was it. My human emotions conquered my instincts, and my blood flooded with a tingling heat, reviving me back to life. I threw my head back and sucked in a sharp breath from the unintentional turn that I wasn’t ready for, as forceful bursts of flowing sparks filled my veins until it reached my soul. My heart started to beat, and I took a few quick breaths, trying to slow its rate, while putting my hand to my chest before blinking my eyes back to Alec. He stepped toward me and gently put his hand over mine as it rose and fell with new oxygen in my blood, pumping its way through my heart.
"Very impressive. I must say; you’re a wonder of our kind," he said, staring at our hands’ rhythmic movements under my breath. I stepped back, slapping his hand away.
"And don't worry. I won't tell the 7th about that nasty little comment. You'll thank me later," Alec said with the sharp authority of a military man, no doubt, offended that I insulted his captain.
Alec scanned me with the eye of a keen detective, making me his ultimate mystery to solve. His expression seemed enthralled. He was in a state of utter fascination, bearing witness to something only Grandma Ulla and Eli had ever seen. He was making this usually happy moment feel wrong and invasive. I didn't like being this way in front of him. I hated that I let him see that, peeling back a layer which only brought him closer to a conclusion. I turned away, wondering how I would keep these secrets and the people I cared for away from the 7th Circle now that Alec showed up at my school and inserted himself into my life.
"Ready to get back to class?" He asked, and I looked over my shoulder, watching him wipe the dust from his jeans.
"No," I barked, but he offered his arm for an escort, regardless. I pursed my lips and glared at his arm, then up at him, and his smile told me he was going to enjoy torturing me for however long he was here. I flipped my hair as I spun away, trying to mimic the Harper Huff before ignoring his gesture, and climbing the stairs solo.
"This would all go much smoother if you didn't fight me every step of the way, but I'm up for the challenge," he said to my back, following me.
That's exactly what I was afraid of.
Chapter 9: Backed into a Corner
By the time I actually cleaned up and returned to Senior Sculptures, Mr. Farrel had four detention slips waiting for me. He wrote two for taking my sweet time cleaning up, one for horsing around in class, and another for my tank top. Citing my bare shoulders was a total reach, since I accidentally left my sweater in class, and did not intentionally come to school that way. Alec stepped in, telling him my delay was his fault since he'd gotten turned around in the halls, and I was helping him to his locker. It was a blatant lie, but my tardiness was Alec's fault, so I didn’t mind when he Tranced me out of two days detention.
The grateful feelings were short-lived when the principal came into the room and thanked me for volunteering to show Alec around all week, then took the liberty of matching the majority of our schedules! Now I was stuck with this shady vampire who seemed to be here only until he got the order to kill, all day long. Not to mention he'd be walking down the halls, in my own high school full of warm-blooded students, which to him were nothing more than a delicious meal for the taking!
"911! I need to see you! Meet me in detention after school, room 136." I texted the urgent message to Eli when Alec started talking baseball with the guys, and I managed to slip away from the lunch table momentarily. He told them the coach was granting him a late tryout after school. Gee, I wonder how that happened. But I saw my opening to meet Eli and explain what was going on. I guess Alec thought of another way to invade my life since most of my guys friends played on the baseball team. He had me completely on edge, and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Alec already seemed to know so much about me, that I couldn't understand how I was still alive. There was something he wasn’t telling me, but why all these games? What did he want?! A roar of laughter erupted at our lunch table as I approached, coming back from the "bathroom."
"What's so funny?" I asked, returning to my seat.
"Oh my God, Alec was just telling us some hilarious childhood stories about you and the
summers your families spent together in Germany." Harper laughed idiotically and my eyes bugged out of my head at the implication.
"Yeah… Dani. Why didn't you ever mention the Wests when talking about visiting your Grandma?" Evan questioned, not looking as amused as the others by Alec's antics at the table.
"I mostly hung out with Will. You know, cuz when you're nine years old, you’re worried about girl cooties and all that, but we're as tight as can be now, aren’t we, Dani?" Alec said while giving a fake tiny tap to my chin, like I was his little buddy, and it took everything in me not to punch him in his junk.
"Hmm! Never heard of you or the West family of New York," Evan said sharply, tilting his head toward the table to level his eyes with Alec. He wasn’t buying any of this, and why should he? Evan knew everything about my family and me, well almost. Alec wrapped his arm around my shoulder, slowly and purposefully, and Evan's jaw flexed when he flicked his gaze on Alec's hand, like he was about to saw it off.
"Well, it's New York's loss. We are so happy you're here with us." Harper intimately emphasized the last word, like she was picturing the wedding invites as she reached out and warmly touched Alec's forearm resting on the table, all while her other hand was holding Evan's. Evan whipped his glare in her direction, and her blatant insinuations in his presence. Clearly, he was frustrated with the effect Alec was having on her and the rest of the group. Poor Evan didn't know that it was nothing personal. She was just a classic candidate, fitting all the major traits of the blood whore profile. This behavior was likely to continue whenever Harper was around Alec now, as was already evident at the beginning of lunch.
Harper was so miffed about her new clay-stained top, and the fact she was forced to wear her gym shirt all day, that at first, she refused to even sit with us at our usual table, practically dragging Evan away by the ear. Then Alec came with tray in hand and sat down, emitting the alluring danger that a vampire exudes. At that point, Harper magically forgave me and rejoined our group. That alone started Evan and Alec off on the wrong foot, and it was getting worse, fast. The tension was building. I was still stunned that Alec knew about my vacations in Germany, and my older brother's name, and who knew what else! I was officially, completely, freaked out. I didn't even know what to say.