by Ward, H. M.
Collin grinned at Nate, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, only I’d be stupid enough to try.”
CHAPTER THREE
The bell rang and everyone scattered. Collin didn’t run to his next class. Instead he turned back when no one was looking and pulled opened the auditorium door. He needed to be alone. Walking through the dark space, he navigated the narrow aisles and wandered backstage until he found the metal door leading to the basement. It scraped opened as he pulled it hard, and Collin descended the stairs in darkness. When he stepped onto the lower landing he heard a sound—the scuffing of feet followed by a deep sigh. His heart lurched when he realized the person he was trying to avoid was in his favorite spot. There she was, sitting in his seat on the old leather couch with her Chuck-clad feet kicked out in front of her, propped up on the table. Solid black jeans coupled with the black tee shirt made her skin appear to be perfect porcelain—pale and smooth. Long dark curls were draped over the back of the couch, leaving her slender throat exposed. Ivy’s head was tilted back, as she stared up into the darkness.
Collin flicked on the light. Ivy normally would have jumped. She startled easily, but this time she didn’t move. She just turned her gaze toward him slowly, as if she was half asleep. Her big brown eyes blinked, adjusting to the light. Her voice was soft, “Where’ve you been?” Her gaze locked with his, but the only thing she felt was grief.
Never taking his eyes off of hers he answered, “Away. There was something I had to do.” Collin walked toward her while he spoke, until he came to the table where Ivy’s feet were perched. He stopped, glanced at her feet. Conflicting thoughts flew through his mind. He should leave. There shouldn’t be any more contact with this girl. His infatuation with her would kill her. She wasn’t part of his world, and he didn’t want her to be. The life of a Valefar was devastating, but he couldn’t find it in him to turn away. Collin saw the hollow expression in her eyes and desperately wanted to see it replaced with laughter. He turned, glancing at the stairs. When he looked back at her, Ivy seemed so...
Screw it. He couldn’t leave her like this. He moved toward the girl, apprehension gone, and before she could retract her legs so he could pass, Collin straddled them. He sat down on the table, facing her and lifted her feet onto his lap. The touch soothed her slightly. The tension that lined Ivy’s shoulders eased, as she sank back further into the couch, slouching.
Her dark curls had fallen forward and were hiding her face, so he couldn’t see her red, puffy eyes. She lowered her gaze, staring at her feet while she spoke, “Ah, that explains a lot,” she replied sarcastically as he took her feet. Then her brown eyes met his. “Always cryptic, aren’t we Mr. Smith?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. He almost smiled, but there was something about her that kept him from doing so. She seemed completely crushed. It was as if the life had been drained from her body. He pulled on her feet, trying to get her to sit up, or push her hair out of her eyes, but Ivy didn’t move. There was a span of silence before he asked, “How long have you been sitting down here?”
She shrugged. “Mom said I couldn’t have any more absences. I stayed home two days and that was it. Since then, I’ve been sitting down here, away from people.” Collin’s gaze shifted to the spot next to the couch. Ivy’s backpack was on the floor, still bulging with books. She never went to her locker.
“If you didn’t go to homeroom, they didn’t mark down that you were here.” He started to say something else, but Ivy interrupted.
“I stuck my head in and waved at Tanner before I came down here. He can’t mark me absent. I just get straight cuts all day.” She sounded like she didn’t care. “I’ll sit in detention next week... Or get suspended, but I don’t think they’d do that. Nobody shows up for class two days after a funeral.” Her voice was hollow, her gaze vacant.
Collin stared at her, trying to see her hidden eyes. She was worse than he thought. Without a word, he stood and yanked her ankles up with him, as he rose.
Ivy squealed as she started to slide off the couch. “Smith, you ass! Let go!” Her tangled mess of curls fell away from her face. Her head slid down the back of the couch as he pulled her legs up, yanking her off the seat.
Collin spoke over her, “Since you’re cutting anyway, let’s get out of this dark hole in the ground and go somewhere else.” Ivy tried to kick him, but he held her ankles too tightly. He released her feet as her back was about to fall off the bottom cushion and crash into the floor. Her legs fell with a THUMP.
Ivy slid forward as her legs slammed down, and fell on the floor, butt first. An oof noise rushed between her lips before she could look up at him. He expected her to glare, but she didn’t. She looked down, allowing her hair to hide her face and folded her arms over her chest. “You go. I don’t feel like it.”
Collin crouched down, lowering his gaze until she looked up at him through her curls. His lips twisted into a smile, “It’s not optional, Taylor. You need some sunshine.” She rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Collin reached for her. Caught off guard, she didn’t know what he was doing. Ivy felt his hand slide around her waist and before she knew it, Collin was thrusting her over his shoulder and standing up.
She screamed, arms flailing, “Put me down!”
He laughed, “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” Ivy’s palm smashed into his face as her arms flew every which way. He finally grabbed her wrists to keep from getting punched in the face again, as he moved to the stairs that were across from them on the side of the basement.
Ivy went still, seeing where he was headed. He could feel the tension building in her body as her muscles flexed, trying to break free from his grip. “Don’t you dare, Collin. Put me down!”
He stopped suddenly, and flipped her so fast that she thought she was going to fall. Ivy rapidly went from being wrapped around his shoulders to being cradled in his arms. Collin looked down at her. “We’re going outside, Ivy. Will you be walking, or will I be carrying you?”
As he spoke, she watched his lips moving slowly, asking gently. Ivy didn’t blink or shirk off his touch. Her gaze remained locked on his for too long, but neither of them looked away. Collin could feel the curves of her body in his arms, the way that she fit perfectly against him. Every muscle in his body was corded tight, waiting for her answer.
Her soft, pink lips finally parted as she looked away from him, “I’ll walk. If it means that much to you, I’ll come.” He smiled softly at her, and gently placed her feet on the floor. Ivy straightened her shirt, and smoothed her hair back over her eyes, before she turned toward Collin and punched him in the arm. A weak smile lined her lips as she looked up at him. “You’re such an ass,” she laughed and stepped in front of him, and pushed opened the exterior door.
In that second, Collin got exactly what he wanted for her – a smile.
CHAPTER FOUR
Collin’s throat was tight as he looked at her. Ivy walked next to him on the sand. Whenever the wind blew, her hair would lift off her face and he’d see just how miserable she was. He wanted to comfort her, but wasn’t sure how.
“What’s with you and Field 5?” she asked suddenly. Ivy turned and looked up at him for a second. The wind whipped Collin’s hair in a million directions. She looked at his sapphire eyes for a moment, before returning her gaze to the place where the sand met the sea.
He laughed, “I could ask you the same thing.” They’d driven to Robert Moses, a beach not too far from the school. Living on Long Island, there was always water or a beach nearby, but they both seemed to choose this one, and this spot—Field 5.
She smiled softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, you could. I like this one because it’s usually empty. Especially now, when summer’s over and everyone is at work. I could sit here all day and watch the waves crash into the sand. There’s something about the water—the sea. It’s so vast, and endless. People say it makes them feel small, like a speck in the universe.”
“And you?” he asked,
prodding the rest of the thought from her.
She shrugged, never looking at him, keeping her gaze on the waves. She stopped walking and sat down on a sand dune, burying her toes in the tiny grains. Her brown eyes remained fixed on the sea as Collin sat down next to her. “It’s comforting. The sea is steady, never ceasing, always moving. It gives life and takes life.” She blinked and turned her pale face toward him. “I can’t explain it.”
His eyes trailed over her face, resting on her eyes. They were filled with turmoil and heartbreak. The wind whipped her hair, sending her curls flying. When the gust softened, one curl clung to her lips. Collin reached his hand up slowly, took the dark tendril, brushing against her mouth as he did so, and tucked it behind her ear. Ivy watched him, but didn’t speak. Her hands were draped over her knees, carefully watching Collin’s hand until the curl was secured behind her ear. Ivy said nothing, until she blinked, looking away. After a deep breath of sea air, she stretched, reaching her hands over her head and arching her back. Her eyes closed as she exhaled. Then, without warning, Ivy fell back on the sand, her hair spreading around her like a puddle of spilled ink. She breathed deeply, her eyes tracking the clouds sliding across the sky.
Collin watched her for a moment. The curve of her neck and the rise of her breast as air filled her lungs. Her dark shirt clung to her body showing off curves that were normally hidden. Ivy turned her head and looked at him, noticing his eyes on her waist. She said nothing, just patted the sand next to her, and he leaned back.
“What are we looking at?” he asked.
“Nothing. Nothing at all. And it’s perfect.” Her dark gaze turned to meet his. “Thanks. I needed this.” She took his hand, squeezing it in his for a second before she released him.
“Any time, Ivy. Any time...”
CHAPTER FIVE
The memory of the beach and the scent of the salt water clung to him for the rest of the day. Collin knew that he should have left her alone. As soon as he realized that it was her sitting in the basement of the school, he should have bounded up the stairs and not looked back. But, when it came time to make that choice, he couldn’t. Now he regretted it. The turmoil within Ivy was so devastating that he couldn’t leave her alone. He kept telling himself that she would be fine. People dealt with loss all the time. Death was part of life, she’d get over it. So they parted after the beach, even though he didn’t want to.
Now it was time for more deception. Nicole was suspicious, and he had to make sure she didn’t sniff out his weakness. He cursed himself for getting attached to Ivy. He wasn’t even sure when it happened. It didn’t matter. It was too late now. The best thing he could do was act like Ivy was another notch in his belt, another pretty face to have in his bed.
Tugging on a black shirt, he slid it over his body and smoothed it out. Collin looked in the mirror, running his fingers through his dark hair. His eyes were bright blue, gleaming like topaz. Damn. It was from thinking of Ivy. His eyes were a window to his soul, literally. When he was enraged they turned deep red, as if they were bleeding. When he was happy, they were light like this. It was something to do with having his soul shoved back inside of him. Collin had to control it better. He found that he was constantly acting, forcing his body to comply with his mind. Reaching for a dark blue blazer, he swung it around his shoulders, sliding into it. The dark color made his eyes appear darker. Good. He reached for the ruby ring on his dresser, and placed it on his finger, before heading out the door.
As he headed to the party, Collin thought of what he promised Nicole. He wasn’t sure if he could do it. Feeding was necessary, but he hated doing it. Feeding with her sounded as appealing as getting skinned. He didn’t want to, but he knew it would be enough to distract her from Ivy for a while. It was what the Valefar girl wanted—him.
As Collin approached the waterfront house, he could hear the base beat thumping. Cars and kids were everywhere. He wove his way through the throngs of people and found Nicole as soon as he walked through the door. She was dancing, pinning her curvaceous body up against some fool she probably planned on draining. The expression on his face said he had no idea his minutes were marked. And the way he was groping Nicole, sliding his hands up and down her body while they danced, made Collin think he deserved it. A guy that treated a girl like a piece of meat was trash. Collin watched them for a moment, Nicole dancing, swaying her body, moving hypnotically, luring the guys watching her. Collin couldn’t take it anymore. He rolled his eyes, annoyed, wondering how many guys she planned to suck dry that night.
Collin stood across from Nicole, behind the guy dancing with her. “Beat it, kid.” His voice was low, threatening.
Nicole stood still. A smile seeped across her red lips as she acted like she was caught doing something wrong. Collin shouldered past the boy, and took Nicole in his arms, yanking her body against his. She gasped, her golden hair falling over her shoulders. Wicked girl, he thought. Nicole liked to play and tease men senseless. Collin hated that about her. The guy sulked away, not realizing his life expectancy just jumped several decades. Collin ignored him, turning his gaze to Nicole. She wore red fuck-me heels that put her nose at exactly the same height as his. She watched him for a moment, waiting to see what he would do.
“Dance with me, Niki,” Collin purred into her ear. She threaded her hands around Collin’s neck and leaned closer to him, feeling his body against hers, and started dancing again. Her red dress clung to her body, revealing every curve. As she swayed, he noticed how low her neckline was and how much he could see. Collin knew Nicole was an adept seductress, and learned her tricks long ago. Now, they tended to irritate him.
A thought jumped up in his mind—a comparison really—before he could chase it away. Ivy’s innocence compared to Nicole’s sultry nature. Ivy barely seemed aware of what her body did to him. She made no notice of her curves, and didn’t seem to realize she could use them to ensnare him. Startled by the path of his thoughts, he blinked hard, pulling Nicole tighter to him. Collin had to stop wishing for things he couldn’t have. This was his life.
Nicole shattered his thoughts, sliding her curves against him, softly, teasing. Collin looked at her, unaffected. She smiled at him, “You smell like the beach, Valefar. What on earth have you been doing today?” A wicked smile spread across her red lips, “Or should I ask who have you been doing today?” She laughed. She thought he was the same man he was a century ago. She had no idea. His lips smirked like he found her amusing, though he did not. She pressed her body against his, and he could feel every inch of her through that skin-tight, red dress she was wearing, but his mind was elsewhere.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Ivy, and Nicole mentioning the beach only made the thoughts renew in his mind. Desire coursed through him. There was nothing he wanted more than to feel Ivy against him like this, wanting him. As he watched her lying in the sand earlier that day, seeing the sunlight touching her soft skin, he wished he could caress her like that. The thoughts hadn’t formed into words, but he realized it now. When Ivy laid next to him on the sand earlier, he wanted to run his finger across her lips and pull her onto his chest. He wanted to feel her against him, and know she was safe. Collin nearly choked when he realized the extent of his feelings. Worry creased his brow as an unwanted thought crushed into his mind.
Do I love, Ivy? he wondered. Valefar can’t love. That’s not possible. And yet, Collin hadn’t felt like this since he was turned. No. It wasn’t possible. Soulless creatures, can’t love, but a voice in the back of his mind said that he was no longer the same as the evil creature he held in his arms.
As if she sensed Collin was thinking about another girl, Nicole pressed herself tightly against him, and kissed him deeply. Her long nails scraped across his face, getting knotted in his hair as she pulled him to her. She tasted like sin, sweet and seductive. His arms wrapped around her, fighting the urge to push her away. This was necessary. He had to do it. When Nicole was jealous, she could make a man forget to breathe. And she was so jealou
s. He felt every curve of her body, as his hands slid lower, cupping her butt.
The music blared on, pounding loudly inside his head. The room was stiflingly hot and having Nicole in his arms made him hotter. Nicole pulled away from his lips, gasping for air as she leaned in to kiss his neck. Collin continued to dance with her as she kissed him. Her thin fingers reached below his jacket, lifting the hem of his dark shirt, as she ran her hands over his flat stomach.
Other couples around them were doing the same thing, or more. This wasn’t the kind of party for people who wanted to dance and go home. It was filled with drugs, sex, and smoke. The good girls avoided parties like this. The daring girls, the shy ones who showed up to see what it was like, were instantly labeled sluts for the rest of their high school lives. It wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t meant to be. Sex was a drug as much as anything else. It was intoxicating, and easily addictive. The rich kids that held these parties had no parents around to stop them. It was the perfect place to get lost and relax with people as fucked-up as he was. At least that was what Collin told himself. Anyone who willingly ventured into a place like this was saying good-bye to one life, and embracing another.
Nicole’s kisses trailed down Collin’s neck, across his chest, and now she was pressing her lips to the other side, forcing him to look the other way. Collin complied, forcing himself to relax in her arms. Nicole couldn’t hurt him, and fucking her might help clear his head. There was no way he should have a relationship with a mortal. What the hell was he thinking?
Collin’s eyes flicked to the darker corners of the room, looking for a place for the two of them, when he spotted Ivy. He froze, not believing what he was seeing. Ivy was sitting on some guy’s lap, dressed in a tiny top that barely covered her mid-drift and a short skirt that revealed long smooth legs. Her dark hair fell down her back, and was completely smooth. Collin almost didn’t recognize her. Between the clothes, the hair, the guy with his tongue down her throat, and his hand under her shirt she was nearly unrecognizable.