I Heart Vampires

by Siona McCabre

  “You sure that’s possible?” She asked coyly.

  “I guess we’ll have to see.”

  With my hands, I pulled her toward me and planted a delicate kiss on her forehead.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” I assured her.

  She left the room with the most tantalizing glance. I waited until she was a little bit down the hall before I headed toward the exit. There was nothing I wanted more in the world than to have kissed her longer, but I had to check myself, regain control. I had to keep her safe. I strolled out into the parking lot. I stood there alone, working steadily to quell my evil desires. I sucked in the cool night air through my teeth and closed my eyes. They were only closed for three seconds before I got that same odd feeling that I wasn’t alone. When I opened them, there was Haley.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, clearly not pleased. Haley put on her most alluring smile. “I knew you were taken with this Paige girl, but I didn’t realize it was ‘prom’ serious,” she mocked. “Leave me alone.”

  “No, I get it. Everyone needs a little side project every now and then.” Her ice-blue eyes were practically glowing. “Shut up, Haley.”

  “Pale would suit her quite nicely,” she suggested. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Think about what? Drinking from that pretty little wrist? I’m sure you’ve thought about it.” In one sudden movement I leapt forward, grasped her dainty throat with one hand, and held her tight. I brought my face up close to hers.

  “I will not hesitate to tear you into the smallest pieces and scatter them so far apart no one will even remember what you looked like.”

  She chuckled. “Let it out, Noah. There. Do you feel like a man?”

  I released her. “Leave me out of your wicked little games.”

  A hint of frustration began to peek through her playful exterior. “See, that just doesn’t work for me, Noah. You’re mine, you know.”

  “Not the way I see it.”

  “Then let me paint you a picture. Whether you like it or not, you have my traits running through your veins. I created you—we are eternally linked. You have a destiny far bigger than you can manage by yourself, and you’re fooling yourself if you think you’re invincible. You want me as an ally, Noah. Trust me, you do not want me as a foe.”

  “Don’t you get it? I don’t want you as anything. I want you gone, out of my life. Permanently.”

  The muffled sounds of the party rumbled on in the background, indifferent. Haley let out an exasperated sigh.

  “That’s not an option, Noah,” she maintained.

  “I’m not going to be any part of your sick, twisted machinations, you psychotic freak. You will never, and I mean never, use me, or my powers again. Whatever I’m destined for, it has to be pretty significant if you want me so badly. So here’s an option for you: stay away from me, or I’ll find a way to use my power to keep you away.” There I was, facing off against a vampire who had been around longer, and was probably much stronger, than I could possibly imagine. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t let her destroy my life any more. I wasn’t going to be a pawn in her game.

  The cordiality drained from her face. “You think you’re the only one who’s special? Let me ask you, how do you think Malcolm managed to punch you, when you can move impossibly fast, huh? Why do you think he was so quick to distrust you?”

  I didn’t have an answer for her. It was really irritating how she seemed to know everything. Then again, she’d been around the block a few times…

  “Hate to break it to you, Noah, but your dear friend is born to be a vampire hunter. Let that sink in. The ‘silly’ research he was doing doesn’t seem so silly now, does it? I can’t wait to see how your beautiful friendship turns out.”

  Vampire hunter? As in garlic, crosses, and stakes through the heart? Wonderful.

  “There’s a reason we travel in numbers,” she continued.

  Vampire hunter or not, Malcolm was my friend. I wasn’t going to falter. “I’ll take my chances,” I said defiantly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Haley, I have to get back to my friends.” Without giving her another chance to wax poetic on my “destiny” or whatever else she was using to try to seduce me, I turned and walked away.

  She yelled after me. “Don’t you dare walk away from me! This isn’t over! I’m going to ruin you! Your family, your friends, your precious Paige, they’re dead! Do you hear me, Noah? Dead!”

  “Not as long as I’m around,” I muttered.

  ****

  “How much longer do I have to wear this thing?” Paige asked, touching the blindfold.

  “Not much longer, we’re almost there.” I gently guided her forward. Her arms spread out in front of her, feeling at the misty air for obstructions. “You can put your arms down,” I chuckled, “I’m not going to run you into a wall or anything.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  She lowered her arms to her side and smiled in anticipation. “You better not be leading me back home or something…like, ta-da! We’re back! It’s been swell, but it’s past your bedtime.”

  In one swift move, I pulled the blindfold from her eyes.

  A path of yellow rose petals bordered by two lines of tea candles led to a special spot at the base of a weeping willow. A checkered flannel blanket lay perfectly on the manicured lawn of Mae Ness Park, hosting a classic woven picnic basket and an iPod stereo. Above the blanket hung the feathery branches of the willow, strung with soft, twinkling Christmas lights.

  “Oh, wow.” Paige turned to me and smiled, her eyes wide with wonder. “Wow!” she repeated.

  Without further hesitation, I pulled a red rose from behind my back and presented it to her. Yes, her favorite flowers were marigold, but in my book, nothing beat the romance of a single red rose. Her eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled its vibrant scent. When they opened again, I saw her rich brown eyes searching mine.

  “Shall we?”

  We linked arms and walked the short path to the blanket. I turned on the iPod (I’d made a special mix for the occasion) letting the subtle, heartfelt melodies of Iron & Wine, Joe Purdy, and Van Morrison create the kind of magic that only good music can. It was perfect. Paige sat on the blanket in stunned silence, drinking in every detail. I pulled a box of homemade peanut butter cookies (thank you, Mom), and a container of milk from the basket. Paige burst out laughing.

  “Milk and cookies, I love it.”

  “What can I say? I’m young at heart,” I grinned. “And they’re peanut butter!”

  “Your favorite.”

  “You don’t miss anything, do you?”

  “Well, I should know by now. They’ve been your favorite since eighth grade.”

  My hand drifted up to her face. As my palm settled on her cheek and I placed my fingers gently around the nape of her neck, she shuddered.

  “Your hands are so cold,” she said quietly.

  “Cold hands, warm heart?” I tried.

  “I’ll buy that,” she replied with a shy smile. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “How come you never made a move in all these years?”

  I took a deep breath and answered sincerely. “I was scared. And I guess I always thought I would have time. That you would always be around. I kept telling myself that when the right time came along, I’d know it and I’d be ready.”

  “So, is this the right time?”

  “It was always the right time, I was just too afraid to do anything about it.”

  But I wasn’t afraid anymore.

  She bit her lip and looked at me. Her hazel eyes sparkled.

  I took the plunge. “I love you, Paige.”

  I could hear her heart beating faster. A wave of goose bumps rippled over her flawless skin.

  “I always have,” I added.

  She took a breath and smiled. “I love you, too.”

  There it was. Finally. We shared a quiet, nervous laugh. But there was nothing left to be ner
vous about.

  “This is me making a move,” I whispered. I took the slightest breath and held it as I slid my hands around her waist, pulling her close. She was so tiny, so soft and warm. I kissed her gently this time, and she kissed me back. For a good five minutes we were Noah and Paige, two people in love. Nothing else mattered.

  When we finally separated, we sat for a moment, my arms still wrapped around her. I stared into her eyes, overwhelmed with joy for the first time since I could remember. I couldn’t break away from her intoxicating gaze. I actually felt human. Warm. As though there was hot crimson blood running through my veins in place of that dark sludge. I was so complete I could have died…again. I wanted to freeze that moment of absolute perfection in time, never to be tainted or touched by the dull blade of consequences or the sadness of reality.

  If I was going to live forever, I wanted to live forever in that moment.

  Chapter 21

  “No, I’ll pick you up. Malcolm said he and Classie were going to grab a bite to eat beforehand, so they’re just going to meet us at the bowling alley.”

  I pressed the cell phone closer to my head—I was getting spotty reception and didn’t want to lose Paige before we’d sorted out our plans for the night. I could barely hear her, but from what I did hear, she was challenging me. I laughed.

  “Oh yeah? We’ll see about that…when you see the spin I put on that ball, you’ll be begging me for mercy!”

  She said something about seeing if I could “walk the walk,” then I heard her mom calling for her in the background.

  “I’ll let you go. See you tonight…I love you, too.”

  Click.

  I smiled to myself. Things couldn’t have been any better. Paige and I were finally together, and it was even more incredible than I’d imagined. Malcolm and I were back to best friends, although I hadn’t told him yet that he was a vampire hunter…I still wasn’t sure how to bring that up. Celia’s infatuation with Aaron Stone made it okay for Malcolm and Classie to be dating. I hadn’t seen or heard from Haley since the night of the prom. Graduation had gone off without a hitch. All in all, it was shaping up to be a great summer.

  I looked up from where I was standing. The glowing red sign of Sandy’s Diner beckoned. I’d decided to get a summer job to help Mom with the bills. Because I didn’t want to miss a single moment with Paige and my friends over the next few months, I figured I should apply for the night shift. Might as well. I didn’t need to sleep, after all.

  The diner was dead inside. A grizzled, chain-smoking waitress with the nametag “Doris” eyed me skeptically when I asked about the opening for the overnight line cook. The cigarette hanging from the edge of her wrinkled mouth bounced with every word she said.

  “You cook eggs?’

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she corrected.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I repeated.

  “Grilled cheese?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Hash browns? Burgers? ’taters? Fries? BLTs?”

  I wasn’t aware there was cooking involved in Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwiches, but I answered in the affirmative. So what if I’d never been a line cook before, how hard could it be? Doris squinted her eyes at me real hard for an uncomfortably long time. I wasn’t sure what she was doing, so I stood still and waited for her to say something. Finally, she grunted and shuffled toward the back of the diner, mumbling something about “smoke break” and “finding them papers for ya.” I allowed myself a satisfied smirk. I’d landed the position.

  DING!

  I turned just in time to see a group of tough-looking men file into the diner. There were about eight of them, and their group was made up of a few different ethnicities. The one thing they all had in common? They were menacing. If this was the usual clientele, it was no wonder Doris had so many gray hairs. I pretended to text to avoid eye contact. Much to my displeasure, they surrounded me at the counter. The tallest, buffest of the group stood right behind me. I could feel his cold breath on my shoulder. I wasn’t sure what to do.

  “Noah Vance?” The man asked in a deep, gravelly voice.

  I braced myself and spun around to face him.

  “I don’t want any trouble, guys. I’m just applying for—”

  That’s when he stepped out from the center of the group. My jaw hung slack. I could barely say it.

  “Dad?”

  After twelve years, he looked almost exactly the same as when I had last seen him: frozen in time at thirty-six years old. His broad shoulders were set back, relaxed. He was more muscular than I remembered, though, and the worry lines in his forehead had smoothed. I stood there shell-shocked, as his dark brown eyes took stock of me. Mom always said I had his eyes.

  “Hi, Noah.”

  My mouth opened as I struggled to find words. Any words. Come on, Noah. Any words at all will suffice. Dad looked to one of his friends.

  “Give us a minute, Will?”

  Will nodded and herded his crew to guard the diner entrance.

  Dad took a breath. “I came as soon as I heard.”

  Even though it was painfully obvious what he was talking about, my brain had ceased to function. He saw me struggling and spelled it out for me. “That you got turned.”

  I nodded. Of course. “I’m so sorry, Noah. I’m sorry this happened to you. I would give anything to undo it.” I shrugged, still speechless. After all this time, here he was. My dad was right here, standing in front of me, talking to me. “It was Haley,” I spoke. He clenched his jaw and lowered his eyes. I could tell by his grimace that he wasn’t a fan.

  “She’s evil, Noah.”

  “I gathered.”

  “She’s the one who turned me, too.”

  Whoa. I didn’t even know what to say to that. “She told me—”

  “Lies. She told you lies. She tell you about the clans?”

  “Somewhat.”

  “Forget what she told you. Her clan, the Udi, is evil. They treat people like commodities, insects, even. Their ultimate goal is to enslave the human race. We’ve been at war with them for hundreds of years.”

  “We?”

  “The Naga. Shortly after Haley turned me, I left. I ran away. William found me wandering somewhere in Montana and brought me into his clan. We fight to keep humanity safe. All we want is to coexist. Most of the Naga didn’t choose to be vampire, the choice was made for us. Haley’s responsible for a number of our clan, in fact.”

  My legs started to feel like jelly. I lowered myself into a booth.

  Dad sat across from me. “I know it’s a lot to take in,” he continued, “but you need to hear this. We don’t eat people, Noah. The Naga, I mean. We’re vegetarians when it comes to feeding. Sometimes we raid blood banks when we need extra strength for a fight. As Naga, we’ve dedicated our existence to fighting the Udi. Sometimes we even work with the vampire hunters under a truce to help our numbers.”

  Vampire hunters? Plural?! This was all too much. My head began to spin. My dad reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “Stay with me, Noah—I’m almost done. The reason I’m telling you all of this is because I talked to Will, and we want you to join our clan.”

  I was just reeling. The Naga standing by the door exchanged subtle glances. After a minute, I got a grip. “Why, Dad? Why you? Why me?”

  He pulled his hand away and hung his head in shame. “There’s one thing that Haley didn’t lie about. You’re special, Noah. You have an extraordinary power. I didn’t know about this until after I’d heard about your…change…but Haley had been looking for you for a long, long time. She was off by just one generation.” When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes.

  “She thought you were me,” I whispered in disbelief.

  Dad nodded. “You’re part of something much bigger than you know. Once Haley realized her mistake, I’m assuming she had to wait until you were old enough. A man. It’s probably why she let me go so easily.”

  All this new unsolicited knowledge a
nd the sight of my father’s sorrow were overwhelming.

  “I’m sorry,” Dad murmured as he blinked back the tears and straightened up. “We don’t have much more time. I need to know if you’ll join us. But before you answer, you need to know that this is a bitter, deadly feud. As part of the mission, and in order to protect all the people you care about, you have to cut all your human ties. Permanently.”

  That sunk me like an anvil. For a split second I had begun to picture a life where not only could I have my family and friends for as long as they wanted me, I could also have my father back. His last comment had shattered any hopes of that ever happening. At the same time, it made sense. And it finally put to bed that terrible question that had haunted my mother and me for the last twelve years. I didn’t even have to think about my answer.

  “No.”

  My father’s face fell. Apparently that wasn’t the answer he had been expecting.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I can’t join you.”

  He nodded twice.

  “Come on, Patrick. Time to go,” Will said calmly in his thick English accent.

  Dad and I stood at the same time and sidled out of the booth. He pulled me into a fierce hug. Four seconds later, he let go, turned around, and joined his friends. Will gave me a solitary nod.

  “Noah,” Dad called out.

  “Yeah?”

  He paused. “I…I love you both.”

  “I know.”

  Then, as if shaking off the damp of the night, my father shivered. A moment later, the only trace of Will and his ghostly crew was the flutter of a napkin on the greasy countertop.

  ****

  Watching the ball carefully as it rumbled like an obsidian boulder toward the configuration of unsuspecting pins, I waited for the fateful moment…“Strike!” I flung my hands in the air triumphantly. With the swagger of a champion, I sauntered back to join my group.

  Classie shook her head. “Three in a row. Ridiculous,” she said.

  “Isn’t that a hat trick or something?” Malcolm wondered.

  “A hat trick is three goals in soccer. What Noah did is a turkey,” Classie explained.

  “You’re a turkey!” He replied, proceeding to tickle her until she was crying with laughter.