FALL FOREVER
By Melanie Marks
Copyright 2013 Melanie Marks
Cover Image © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime
All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents
Fall Forever
Rafe’s Forever
DATING SUCKS
(Note: this is just a paranormal bonus story … ’cause Halloween is on its way.)
I was just hungry. Really, really hungry. And it was dark and late and he was out jogging. I can’t resist a moving target. I just … can’t. Especially ’cause, you know, I was so hungry.
Plus, I’d just resisted my sort-of-boyfriend, Cory. Didn’t touch him (his throat, I mean) though he smelled so good I wanted to suck every last drop of his yummy, tasty blood. But I didn’t, and so I’d been proud, feeling all I-can-have-a-boyfriend-and-not-kill him, but then, walking home, there was Jogger Man, and geez, I couldn’t help myself, I pounced.
But even as I did it, I thought, “I’m in control. I’ll just drink a little—a tiny bit.”
I figured I’d put him in the hospital, probably. But I swore to myself, “I won’t kill him. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t.”
But then, I did.
Ugh!
And now, today at school, I found out it was Austin Cole’s dad. Austin Cole’s. Wa! I love Austin Cole. I do. He’s yummy hot, but not in a pretty-boy way, not in an every-girl-in-school-has-got-to-have-him way either. Just a sexy I-play-the-guitar-and-take-care-of-my-little-brother way.
I used to follow him home after school and peek in his windows, watch him eat spaghetti and get the sauce all over his mouth like it was blood, like he was tempting me, teasing me. But he wasn’t. He didn’t know I was alive.
But then, a few months ago, I saved his little brother, Tanner. The kid was out in his yard, playing ball with his friends while I watched Austin through his bedroom window, watched him do his calculus homework, eating potato chips dunked in ketchup.
I saw Tanner dart in the street to get the ball, saw the car zooming toward him way too fast. There was no time for it to stop. I leapt from the bushes and across the yard, quick as a jaguar, shoving Tanner out of the road. I saved his life without breaking a nail, and finally got Austin’s attention.
The car had squealed on its breaks, making Austin run to the window in alarm. He saw me save Tanner, his dear little brother that he gave piggyback rides and taught to peddle a bike.
“Wow we were lucky you were nearby,” Austin said after he invited me into his kitchen for some leftover spaghetti that I couldn’t eat. “You saved my brother’s life.” He looked at me with awe in his eyes. “That’s incredible.”
I smiled, totally agreeing—quite incredible. Usually, things go the other way around, but today I saved a life rather than took one. Yay me! I felt very grown up and mature. And in love.
That afternoon Austin discovered we liked the same type of music. (I already knew, as I’d been stalking him for months. However, this was my first time inside his house. [I have to be invited in.] I acted all Wow, we like the same kind of music, what an amazing coincidence.)
We had an awesome jam session. He let me play his guitar, though that’s really, totally his thing, but he let me do it anyway, because, you know, I saved his brother’s life. So, sweet, adorable Austin played the drums instead of his precious guitar, and little Tanner conquered the base. We rocked.
It was the best day of my life. And no blood was shed. Yay me.
A few days later was the school talent show. That morning, Austin stopped me as I was coming out of my first period class, biology.
“Hi,” he said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?” He drew close to me, probably only trying to avoid the mob of student traffic mowing through the halls, but his eyes looked kind of sparkly and You-look-good-to-me like. So, my spirits were suddenly soaring through the roof.
I could smell his spearmint gum and coconut shampoo and boy-deodorant. I tried concentrating on those aromas rather than the intoxicatingly delicious scent of his blood.
How did he know this was my class? I wondered. Excitedly, I couldn’t help speculating, Is he stalking me?
He smiled, like he could read my thoughts. Which was hot. “I have your schedule memorized,” he said.
Tasty.
“Are you going to the talent show tonight?” he asked.
I licked my lips, thinking. I had a date with Corey.
Corey went to a different school. I did that on purpose, chose a boy from a different school. So, I’d be available to Austin … if he ever wanted me to be available. A girl’s got to think ahead when stalking, ‘cause ya never know. But the thing was, I wasn’t done with Cory yet; I’d only just begun.
When I didn’t answer right away, Austin leaned against the locker beside me. “I want you to be there,” he said.
Awww!
I smiled, huge as Texas, “Okay.” Easy answer. “I might be kind of late though. I have something to do first. Or maybe after.”
His eyes twinkled. “Just be there, okay?”
If I had a pulse, it would have quickened.
“Okay,” I promised.
That night I went out with Corey, because I promised him that I would. We kissed a while, then I said, “I have to go.”
“No, not yet,” he murmured, kissing me seductively on my neck, making me wild and hot for it—his blood, that is. “I love you so much, only you.” He kept kissing and kissing and kissing. “I think about you every second of every day. Tell me you love me too.”
I couldn’t exactly do that.
“Look,” I said, pulling away from him, dizzy and breathless and hungry. “I have something for you.”
It was an intricate gold chain that once belonged to my grandfather. It was worth lots of money. I wanted Corey to have it because he liked me so much. I liked that about him.
His eyes lit up. “You got me a gift? That’s hot.”
I helped him put it on, telling him that the necklace was special to me, that it had belonged to my grandfather.
“I’ll keep it forever,” he promised.
We kissed some more. Corey kept murmuring, “I love you Irelan, only you. Tell me you love me too. Show me.”
I showed him I liked him … by not killing him.
Then I had to leave for the talent show. I was late. When I got there, Austin was on the stage with his guitar. It was already his turn to perform.
He smiled all happy and toothy when he saw me, then announced to the crowd, “I wrote this for an amazing girl that I like a lot. It’s called Irelan.”
I sucked in my breath. Awww! Shivers of utter happiness racked through my body.
The song was pretty and sweet. About a girl that saves a boy and changes his world. The song would have brought tears to my eyes. If I had tears. I could only stare. And smile.
After the talent show, Austin invited me to go get ice cream with him and Tanner. I couldn’t eat ice cream, just the thought of it made me shudder, but I came along anyway. Of course. Nothing could stop me.
When it was my turn to order, I leaned down and whispered to Tanner, “What flavor would you have gotten if not what you have there—that Double-Chocolate-Delight?”
“Bubble gum!” he said.
So, that’s what I ordered, in a cup, rather than a cone. Then I used my spoon a lot, dipping it into the ice cream, swirling it around.
When Tanner finished his cone, I rubbed my belly like I’d eaten quite a bit. “I’m full,” I gasped. “Tanner, do you want the rest of my ice cream?”
He did.
Austin smiled, watching his brother wolf the ice cream down, then he turned to me, his eyes bright and sparkly. His voice was full of wonder as he said wh
at he mentioned often, “You saved his life.”
That was cool to hear and to know, I saved his brother’s life. Austin mentioned it again a few days later when he bought us tickets to see Scream Dream, my favorite band. And he whispered it in my ear as we watched “Demon from Hell in 3-D,” right when it was getting to the good stuff. Not only that, he took my hand as we worked on a song called, “Blood, blood, I want your blood.” He looked into my eyes and said, “You saved my brother’s life.”
He mentioned it a lot, just out of the blue, at the most unexpected times: “You saved my brother’s life.”
But now, ugh! I’d taken his dad’s. Grrr!
When I got to school and found out it was Austin’s dad (Jogger Man) that I’d devoured last night in the park, I dropped my books and ran to his house. When Austin opened the door and saw it was me, Irelan, he wrapped his arms around me, like I was an angelic fairy that would bring him comfort. The feeling was superb.
He pulled me into his house.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he murmured, seeming to really, truly mean it.
He had me sit with him at the kitchen table. He made me cinnamon toast that I couldn’t eat, but methodically crumbled into pieces on the plate, hoping it looked like maybe I’d perhaps at least eaten a bite or two.
“It’s so freaky weird,” Austin said rubbing his forehead, then his eyes. “My dad died the exact same way as Clair.”
Um, I forgot to mention Clair, didn’t I? That was Austin’s girlfriend. I killed her too, a few months ago. But that hadn’t been an accident. She had caught me peeking in Austin’s window. She had threatened to tell Austin. So, of course, she had to go. Face it, I wanted her gone anyway. She just gave me an excuse. But, interesting to note: she didn’t taste that good, at all. Skinny girls are yuck. Trust me.
I stared up at Austin now.
Luckily, he wasn’t that sad about his dad. I mean, he was sad. But only sort of. Apparently his dad was a mean drunk and yelled at Tanner a lot.
Still, I felt like I should say something soothing and sweet and girlfriend-ish-like … not that I was his girlfriend. I mean, since I saved Tanner, and Clair was dead now and everything, Austin and I had become close, super tight. But not like boyfriend and girlfriend, not yet.
Clair had only been dead a few months. Apparently it takes time to mourn the loss of a girl that gives you love letters sprayed in perfume. Or maybe it was because she was murdered right in his backyard by a wild wolf … or something. Maybe he felt kind of guilty about that, responsible.
But for the past few weeks, he’d been looking at me all I-think-you’re-dreamy like. So, I went out and got me a practice boyfriend, Cory. So, you know, I could practice not killing him. In case Austin ever got around to touching me with more than just his eyes.
When/if Austin kissed me, I didn’t want to get all blood lusty. Not like I did with my last boyfriend. Poor Nate. He was a good guy. Cute.
But tasty.
Gazing at Austin now, I crumbled up more toast. “Wow, really?” I said. Crumble, crumble, crumble. “Your dad died from an animal attack too?”
“Yeah,” Austin sat sullen with a furrowed brow. “A vicious wild animal is killing everyone I love.” He gazed up at me, staring into my eyes. “Be careful, okay? I don’t want to lose you too.”
I smiled. That kind of sounded like he loves me, right?
Austin’s gaze grew deeper—gasp!—turned longing-like. He slowly drew towards me.
My (figurative) breath caught in my throat, thinking This is it! He’s finally going to kiss me. I’m finally going to feel his amazingly tantalizing, blood-red lips press against mine. The thought had me purring. But then—drat it! He jerked away from me with a groan. “Maybe you shouldn’t hang around me, Irelan,” he said. “I’m bad luck. I’m worried for your safety.”
Why are the sweet boys the most tasty? It’s so not fair.
I wanted to blurt out to him that he didn’t need to worry about me being attacked by the “wild wolf” plaguing his life, but just then Tanner tugged at my jacket trying to coax me to stand. “Let’s go to the park.”
He didn’t have to go to school today either, since his dad died last night.
His eyes were red from crying. I tried not to notice. Instead, I tried to focus on what Austin had said, that his dad was a drunk and yelled at him a lot.
“The park?” I bit my lip. It was a bright, sunny day. The kind I like to hide out from, ’cause the sun kind of burns, a little. But hey, the kid’s dad died.
“Alright,” I said, hopping to my feet. Then I pulled Austin to his. He kept my hand, even after he was up. He gave it a gentle squeeze, making me look into his eyes. He didn’t say anything aloud, but his gaze said, “I love you.” I was pretty sure. It made my stomach flutter, made it feel like I had a million butterflies dancing around in there, doing the happy dance.
We held hands all the way to the park. As we walked, I thought about poor Cory, my practice boyfriend, how I needed to break up with him, how I needed to do it all nice and gentle and with great care since he liked me so much and thought of me every second of every day.
But oh!
When we got to the park, Cory was there … with a girl. He didn’t see me as he was pressed against a tree, kissing the girl, running his fingers through her hair all You’re-mine-and-I-love-you-so-much-I-think-about-you-every-second-of-every-day.
The girl was pretty, blond and cheerleader-like with curves and pom-poms. She had a gold chain clasped around her neck. The special chain I’d given Cory!
Suddenly, I knew where I’d seen the girl before. She was at the party Cory took me to last week. She had called me a freak when I said I liked Scream Dream and she’d laughed when I spilled my punch. Cory saw all that. Cory knew.
I licked my lips, deciding I didn’t need to be too gentle with Cory. In fact, it seemed I didn’t need to be gentle at all.
Suddenly, I was feeling wolfishly hungry. Lucky for me, it seemed I would soon be getting a main course. And dessert, too.
Lucky me.
Fall Forever
CHAPTER 1
Riley’s kiss! His kiss, mmm. It was hot and passionate. Had me melting into a puddle. His strong arms wrapped around me tighter, pulling me closer and closer, his hungry mouth exploring mine as though he couldn’t get enough.
My heart exploded with pleasure, my knees going weak.
I purred. His mouth on mine was so tantalizingly my world was evaporating into nothing but carnal bliss. There was nothing else; only me and Riley; our hands and tongues and heat.
Passion burned through me. Everything inside me igniting. But as I tried to bring Riley closer still, he groaned, pulling away. He rested his head against my forehead, his breathing as rapid as my pounding heart. “No, Jones.”
What the—?
I tilted my head, tried to catch my breath as I watched Riley back away from me.
His eyes still heated flames, he ran his hands through his disheveled hair as though he wanted to tear it out. He exhaled and backed away even further. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You shouldn’t have?” I leaned against his office door for support, the world rushing back into my conscious, only dimly aware I wasn’t breathing as I watched Riley rub his flushed face with the palms of his hands.
“You’re going to get back together with Finn.” Riley’s voice sounded tortured. He looked up at the ceiling, then back at me. Agony glistened in his dark eyes. Eyes that usually laughed and teased. Now they looked haunted. “And now I’m going to know what it’s like to kiss you.”
“Riley,” my voice caught. “I’m not going to get back together with Finn.”
Uncertainty flickered in his eyes. For a moment. Then he shook his head slightly as though fighting off hope. As though he didn’t even want to go there.
He scrubbed his flushed face again, seeming tormented. “Finn’s my best friend and you’re his girlfriend—you’ve always been his girlfriend. The whole ti
me I’ve known you, Jones.”
“But I’m not anymore, Riley. I’m over him.”
Riley shook his head ruefully. “You’re not over him, Jones. You can’t possibly be over him—a minute ago you were crying about the guy.”
His husky voice came out as a tortured growl, “We’ll count the kiss as your free pass—the one Finn gave you. No harm done.”
My heart dropped to the floor like a brick. No harm done?!
No harm?!! I clutched my stomach, my whole body twisting with pain.
It was as though he wasn’t listening to my words—or he didn’t want to hear them…. Was that it? He’d had his kiss—what he’d sought after for so long. Now the challenge was over and didn’t seem worth all of the drama it would bring.
A shattering ache ripped through my insides—through my heart and entire soul. Was Riley really, truly the player he had always appeared?
Had I just been played?
I didn’t want to believe it was true—and deep down I didn’t. I knew Riley. I knew he wouldn’t take advantage of me when I was aching and hurting from finding out Finn was cheating on me. He wouldn’t take advantage of my vulnerability like that. Though I knew players did that sort of thing—I knew he wouldn’t.
Yet … here he was. He had kissed me—and now he had second thoughts.
No matter the spin on it—I still felt played.
And hurt.
And abandoned.
My throat and chest went tight. I couldn’t breathe. Still, I managed to choke out, “But you just told me you want me to be your girlfriend.”
His eyes sparked.
His breath drew in sharply. Then sadness welled in his eyes. “I do, Jones. You know that.” He clenched his jaw muscles, going pale. “Well, I hope you know that.” He murmured softly, “Maybe you don’t. But that’s what I’ve wanted since the first time I saw you—that’s all I’ve wanted.”
His eyes looked completely defeated. “But Zoey, you have to talk to Finn first—you have to get things straight with him. Believe me Jones, I’m praying you come back to me.” He paled. “I’m just not sure you will.”
Fall Forever (Fall For Me) Page 1