Nate’s other hand came down and squeezed my thigh, as if he knew what I was thinking. My leg stilled and I turned to look at him. His fingers were so long that he was brushing my inner thigh, and I felt serious wetness gathering in my core. He was so close. My breath caught and I searched his face to understand what he was doing. Not that I was complaining.
Nate’s eyes locked with mine, and he gave me another one of his gorgeous smiles. “Oh, I think Alicia and I are a little more than friends.”
Too many questions were swirling in my mind. He knew my name? And he and I were more than friends? Had I walked inside the lunchroom or an alternate universe?
Nate squeezed my thigh again and my lips parted in a silent gasp. His eyes dropped to my mouth, and I bit my lower lip in an attempt to keep from leaning forward and kissing him.
“Come on, babe,” he said in a slightly deeper voice than before. “I’ll walk you to your next class.”
He stood and held out his hand, waiting for mine. As if I were on autopilot, I placed my small hand in his larger one and let him pull me out of my chair. He grabbed my bag and hung it over my shoulder, making sure my hair was not trapped under the strap, and then pulled me to his side, circling his arm around my shoulders as we started walking towards the exit.
“I’m sorry. I think I’m losing the plot,” I whispered.
“Ssh.” He pressed his lips on my temple, and I felt an electrical current going through me from the contact. “They’re still watching.” His warm breath against my skin caused my eyes to flutter closed and I let out an involuntary sigh. He chuckled softly. “You’re not going to faint on me, are you England?”
Was I? I thought there was a very high chance of that happening. “Um, no, I won’t,” I said instead.
This was all for show then. He’d probably seen me with those girls, and thought he should come to my rescue. I felt a pang of disappointment, and at the same time relief. I wouldn’t know what to do if he was really flirting with me anyway.
He held me tighter against his side, and I found myself relaxing, just a fraction. I felt so small against his side. He had to be over six feet tall, and he was broad. I could feel his hard muscles pressing into me, and it only made me want to feel more of him.
With a show of courage I hadn’t known I had, I looped my one arm around his waist and let my fingers slide on his hip.
He laughed softly. “Are you copping a feel, England?”
I felt utterly embarrassed and started pulling my hand back, but he grabbed it with his free one and placed it back on his hip without saying anything.
We walked like that for a while. I knew that, by now, we had to be away from the lunchroom, and I doubted one of the girls would have followed us. So why was he still holding me? And why was I complaining?
“Do you think they’re still watching?” I asked eventually, knowing that I would probably regret it.
He shook with silent laughter and stopped abruptly, turning around to stand in front of me. I lifted my gaze and looked at his face. He had an easy smile on his lips, and his eyes were roaming over my face as if they were searching for something.
He brought his hands up and brushed a few strands of hair from the sides of my face, tucking them behind my ears. My pulse was going wild, and I felt my mouth going dry. Was he going to kiss me? Oh bugger, I’d never been kissed before. Embarrassing, I know, but it was true. I was a virgin in every way possible. My heart kicked in my chest, and I got lost in his emerald eyes. If he was going to kiss me I was sure to die.
He leaned forward and I stilled, not even breathing in the prospect of his lips finding mine. As I sucked my last breath, I caught a whiff of his scent, like ocean and something devastatingly perfect. But it never happened. Instead, he brushed them over my forehead before whispering, “No, they’re not watching anymore.”
He pulled back and I exhaled forcefully. Another sting of disappointment. “Oh,” I breathed. “Um, thank you. For helping me get out of there. Julia is my roommate, even though she insists she has asked for a single room. We’re not friends and I don’t even know the other girl.” I took a deep breath, frustrated now by my nervousness. “What I’m trying to say is that I appreciated you coming to my rescue. Not that I needed rescuing, I could have handled it myself. But it was definitely, um, helpful of you and…” I took another deep breath and let it out slowly. “Thank you.”
He grinned widely, and took a step backwards. “Don’t mention it. I do know her sister and, if they’re anything alike… well. Let’s just say you’d better keep your eyes open when she’s around. You never know what she could do, just to mess with you.”
My eyes opened wide. “Do you think she’s dangerous? You think she’s going to try and hurt me? I could go to the administration and ask for a room change. I know it would be difficult to find an alternative, but I wouldn’t want—”
“Alicia.” I sucked in a deep breath at the sound of my name in his deep voice. He placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed reassuringly. “She’s not going to hurt you. Girls like her are all bark and no bite. I was just saying that she’s probably not someone you should try and get close with. Her sister is bad news, and I suspect she’s much the same. I’m just glad I could get you out of there before she could sink her proverbial talons in your pretty face.”
“Call me Ali,” I blurted out. I took a deep breath and nodded, bringing my lip between my teeth. “Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say. Aside from the fact that we barely knew each other, the circumstances of our meeting today had been above awkward. “Um, I should probably go to class.”
He nodded and tilted his head to the side. “Ali. Can I walk you there? Where are you heading?”
“Um,” I pointed behind me, somewhere, I had no idea where. “Biology. I’m supposed to go to the labs.” I was begging on the inside that he would walk me there. I yearned for a little more time with him.
His gaze darkened by a passing shadow, and he took a retreating step backwards, as if I’d just threatened to hit him with a sledgehammer in his family jewels. “Do you mind if you go alone? I can’t… I mean… I should…”
I nodded immediately, sensing his hesitation and wanting to release him from this obvious moment of nervousness. “Sure. It was nice seeing you, Nate,” I said, walking backwards. “And knowing your name. Thank you, again.” I whirled around and started walking – almost running – towards the labs. I was utterly disappointed that we had to part ways, but also relieved. The intensity of everything I was feeling around him was something I needed to further analyze in order to make any sense of it.
What did I know about him? His name was Nate Lockwood. He was an awe aspiring piano player. He was obviously older than me, probably a senior. He was a vampire. He had the most gorgeous smile I’d ever seen… which was beyond the point.
Moving on.
Julia had said she’d known who he was. And that he knows her sister. Blimey. Did that mean that her sister used to be his girlfriend? If that was the case why had he said that he didn’t know her sister that well? Could it mean he’d found out things about Julia’s sister that broke his heart? Had she cheated on him? And who in their right mind would cheat on a guy like Nate? Just thinking of the way his hand held mine, squeezed my shoulder, brushed my hair, just thinking of how it felt to have his lips against my skin – even through the curtain of my bangs – brought shivers all over my body.
Now, this wasn’t a normal reaction.
Again, my scientific mind started reeling. It was all about chemistry between two individuals of the same species. Especially when referring to two subjects of the opposite gender. Most likely, his body secreted pheromones that were compatible to the receiving side of my body, therefor reacting in order to activate the need for breeding through sexual intercourse…
What in the bloody hell was I thinking? I groaned loudly at myself. Why did I need to analyze everything? Bugger! Why did I have to be like this? Dad had always said I think too m
uch. Even Oli had said that to me. Admittedly, Mother had always said that I needed to think more, but – again – I was not about to start actually listening to what Mother told me. I just needed to… how would Oli say this? Go with the flow. Just let everything unravel on its own and see what happens.
By the time I reached the labs I was resolved to do just that. If I was ever to meet with Nate Lockwood again, I would just… go with the flow. Hopefully I could manage that.
Nate
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
I was a complete asshole. With a patent. Seriously, I should be offered a place in the Guinness book of records. This day had started badly and it didn’t seem like it was going to end any differently.
First, I got up to find Kay all but screwing Evy on the kitchen counter. Worst sight ever. Evy was my sister for fuck’s sake! Plus, I was still feeling that pang of jealousy for not having what they have anymore.
Next, the moment I’d stepped my foot into campus, the whispers had started. And, even though I couldn’t hear them, I knew exactly what they’d been saying. “That’s the guy. The guy who got kidnapped by Garth and almost died. Yeah, his girlfriend did die. And then he left for a year and came back now to finish his Bachelor. Poor guy.” Or something along those lines anyway. It was written all over their faces.
Then, when I entered the lunchroom, determined to just skip the rest of the day, I saw England cornered by those two vultures. I knew immediately who one of them was. Macy Walters’ little sister. Just another carbon copy of her. Fake hair, fake tits, fake giggles, fake everything. Everything inside me had roared to run to her defense. It was almost above my control.
As a result, I’d gone there and used the same technique Kiara had used on me once: flirt to get everyone else away. Only with Kiara it had been different because we knew each other. When I sat next to Ali without even knowing her name and started flirting, I’d prayed she would know it was all for show, and she would go with it, gladly taking the escape I was offering.
And, against my better judgement, I’d enjoyed every part of it. The way her eyes had widened when I’d called her ‘babe’ or when I’d touched her thigh. The little gasps she’d let out whenever I would get too close. And I couldn’t deny the spark of energy that had jolted my body when I’d pressed my lips to her temple and her forehead. I’d been this close to kissing her when we were finally out of the vultures’ sight, only to remember that I didn’t want this. I didn’t want another relationship that could possibly break my already broken heart. And it wouldn’t have been fair to sweet Ali to ask for something when I could give nothing back.
Hearing her say that she was heading to the labs had finally drawn me out of my stupor and given me the exit I’d needed. I hadn’t gone near that building since last Christmas. And I wasn’t planning on ever going again.
When classes were finally over, I jumped in my car and all but flew out of there. I had no desire to go back to the apartment and possibly relive another horrifying moment like the one in the morning. So the only other place I could go was the gym.
I pushed the door open and the familiar bell announced my arrival. Luke’s head appeared from the office and a smirk broke out along his face when he saw me.
“Welcome back, asshole!” he offered.
I grinned and greeted him with my middle finger. I went straight to the treadmill and set it on the highest setting for fifteen minutes.
“Are you trying to fucking kill yourself?” Luke hissed from behind me.
I flipped him off again and heard him huff, before his hand appeared over the treadmill’s display and set the speed to half of what it had been.
“What the fuck?” I bit out, trying to set the speed back up. He smacked my hand away. “Fuck off, Luke. I never asked for a personal trainer.”
“You don’t get to break your neck in my gym, Nate. Or any other part of your body for that matter. Take it easy. It’s not like you’re going somewhere.”
I huffed, but didn’t argue any further. I just ran the rest of my time in the speed he’d set for me and then moved on to the flat bench.
“What’s gotten up your ass?” Luke asked when I got to five presses.
I lowered the bar and said, “Just a lot in my mind,” before pushing it back up.
He came over my head and looked down at me. “Still having trouble sleeping?”
Luke and I had become good friends in the short time since Kay had come back from China. For some strange reason, it was easier for me to talk to him than to my brother. I’d told him about my insomnia, and he’d seemed to understand. He was an ex-marine and knew a thing or two about PTSD. “Yeah, still.” I did one last lift and then put the bar back in its place. “Nothing I do seems to work.”
I sat up and turned my back to Luke. It was easier to talk to him, but sometimes I couldn’t stand his observant gaze. But apparently, he didn’t have to look at my face to know what my problem was.
“That’s because you’re still grieving. And I don’t think you’vecompletely accepted what has happened. You’re still attached to the past, Nate, and there is no way you’re getting any decent sleep unless you let it go.”
I dropped my head in my hands, taking a deep breath. “I know, man. Shit, I know. But to tell you the truth, I don’t think I’m ready to let it go yet.”
A long pause followed, until Luke moved in front of me and I lifted my head to look up at him. “At least you’re being honest to yourself. I think you’re ready, but there’s no point in trying to convince you. You’ll get there when you think it’s time. Just…” he shook his head. “You’re too young to feel like you’ll never find what you had with Kiara again. And I know that this might sound cruel, but I believe that everything happens for a reason. And if fate took her… maybe you weren’t meant to be.”
Anger simmered in me and I opened my mouth to explode, but he stopped me with a lift of his hand.
“What I’m trying to say is that I think there is something out there for you that’s even bigger than what you had with Kiara. And if you don’t get over her loss, you might miss it. Fate is there to guide us, but you have to work your way through it, Nate. Nothing will happen if you don’t make it happen.”
Before I could say anything, he turned and left. And I just sat there, gaping at his retreating form and not being able to process his words. How could it be possible? How could what Kiara and I had not have been right? How could I ever find something better when what we had was great?
I shook my head in confusion. Luke had to be crazy. His overly romantic side was consuming him. The guy needed to get laid, asap.
Chapter 3
Alicia
“Glad to see you again, Miss Dover,” Professor Sommers approached me in the lab. “How was the first week of classes?”
It was Friday and I hadn’t met Nate at the lunchroom again as I’d hoped, but at least I hadn’t been cornered by Julia and her sidekick either.
I just shrugged and gave him a small smile. “Mostly quiet. It still hasn’t ended. Something interesting is bound to happen.” Meaning I hoped I’d see Nate again, soon.
Professor Sommers cocked an eyebrow. “I knew someone that used to say that a lot. Is that your motto?”
I shrugged again. “Not really. Just hoping it could become. Hoping I could get to the point where I would actually believe it.”
He laughed softly. “Well… I have an idea. Have you taken up on a research yet?”
I shook my head, my ears perking up at the prospect of a personal assignment already. I’d thought that was something only juniors and seniors could do.
“You’re aiming for med school, correct? Become a doctor?”
I nodded and my eyes widened in anticipation. “Yes.”
He smiled warmly at me. “Follow me.”
We walked out of the lab and towards the basement. No other student seemed to notice or care that we were leaving, and I suddenly felt nervous.
“Last year, one of our seniors started
a research over some special conditions concerning a specific vampire’s blood.” We went down the stairs and through one of the doors to our right, which he opened with a key-card. “Are you aware of the effects the vampiric enzyme has on people with the Gene?”
I nodded, eager to share my knowledge. “When a subject with the vampiric Gene consumes human blood that contains the vampiric enzyme, the subject’s organism mutates, developing an addiction that consumes the subject’s mind and body and eventually drives the subject to loss of physical and mental function control, rendering the subject unfit to socialize with other humans without being a threat to their well-being,” I answered almost in one breath.
Professor Sommers nodded and took a dossier in his hands. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now. The senior’s research, as I already told you, was around one specific donor’s blood. The specialty to that blood was that the donor had developed immunity to the enzyme.”
I was rendered speechless. I could only blink at the revelation he’d shared with me.
He offered me a half-smile. “I can see that you’re surprised. So, before you have the chance to argue with me over the possibility of something like this happening, let me reassure you that there is absolutely no mistake to what I just told you. The donor is indeed immune to the enzyme. Now, what our senior was trying to do, was to develop a vaccine that would re-enact the conditions under which the donor developed the immunity, so that we would be able to transfer it to every vampire in the world, and thus eradicate the threat of the addiction.”
I was hanging by his lips. I hadn’t heard of such a vaccine, which would only mean it was either still an on-going research, or it would soon be announced to the world. And since I didn’t believe that the senior in charge of such a research would willingly give it up, I assumed they had finally reached a breakthrough and I would be asked to work on another branch of that. So I was overeager to hear him giving me the punch line.
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