Vampire Friend (Vampire Hero Book 2)

by V. B. Andrian

  Three sets of footsteps moved towards the door, and then it closed and the room was once again peacefully silent. I pulled Ali tighter against me, closing my eyes to just enjoy the moment a little more.

  “Nate?”

  “Hm?”

  “Are we getting up?”

  “Nah-uh.”

  Her body shook with silent laughter. “I would really like to try your grandmother’s pancakes.”

  “Hm.” I let my hands roam until I was grabbing her waist, and then dug my fingers in, making her squirm and laugh. “Don’t care.”

  “Nate, stop!” she laughed as I kept tickling.

  “Nope.” I was relentless.

  Her arms came around and poked at my own ribs, making me yell out in surprise and seize my torture. “Did you just… tickle me?”

  “Maybe…?”

  With a quick move I flipped her on her back and climbed on top, digging my fingers in her ribs and nailing her legs down with mine. She yelled and laughed, which only made me smile and tickle harder.

  “Nate, stop!”

  I wouldn’t. “Say you’re sorry.”

  She laughed some more. “I’m sorry.”

  “Do you mean it?”

  “Yes!”

  I stopped and watched her as she struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes locked with mine, and I saw them sparkle before her hands whipped up to tickle my sides. I moved quickly and grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head while using the rest of my body to hold her still.

  The rest of my lower body. Where I was hard as steel.

  We stared at each other for one, two, five seconds during which we were both breathing hard. The moment seemed to draw out as the tension between us changed, electrified, becoming something else entirely. That urge to kiss her was back with a vengeance. I could almost taste her, the memory of her lips on mine so vivid it was painful. My eyes darted there, and I felt her entire body shudder in response, snapping me back to reality.

  I pulled back quickly, dropping her hands and sitting up on my haunches. I blinked several times to get myself back together. “Fuck,” I mumbled, looking everywhere but at her. I’d done it again, not even hours after I’d gotten her back.

  She sat up and cupped my face with both hands, forcing me too look at her. “Nate, don’t. Don’t do this.” I searched her face to find she was worried. “It’s alright.”

  I shook my head, dropping my forehead on hers. “It’s not, Ali. I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep hurting you.”

  “You’re not,” she insisted, running her hands up and down the sides of my face. “We’ve talked about this before. It’s alright. I’ll tell you if it gets too much.”

  I shook my head again, unable to look at her anymore. My body was still seeking for her, and I didn’t know what I’d do. I was a fucking mess.

  “Nate,” she whispered, and I felt her lips brushing the edge of my mouth as she spoke, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my cock. “It’s alright. If you want to kiss me, it’s alright. It won’t mean anything. Just relax, like we’ve talked about. Let go.”

  And I did. My lips found hers blindly, like magnet to iron. She let me brush them once, then twice, before I used my tongue to ask for permission to enter, tracing the seam of her lower lip. She opened for me immediately and I dove in, hungry for her taste and warmth. A groan escaped my mouth, and I felt it shaking her entire body. I brought my arms around her, holding her steady as I explored her mouth.

  My mind was screaming that this was wrong. That of course this sweet girl would let me keep taking what I wanted without asking for something in return. But my body was ruling me, demanding that I take more, everything, anything she was willing to give.

  The moment I felt her hands digging in my hair, I should have pulled back. But it was that exact moment the sweetest sound escaped her, something as low as a breath, but it reverberated inside me and fogged my senses, until all I could think about was that I wanted to hear it again.

  I pushed her down and lined my body with hers again, pressing my cock to her center, and there it was again. A little louder this time, a soft moan that made my dick throb. She obviously felt it, because she pushed her hips up, grinding against me and drawing an animalistic growl from my chest.

  The knock that came on the door I decided later was a divine interference.

  “Guys, time’s up,” we heard Evy’s voice yell, and I broke off the kiss. “Unless you want us to barge in there again, get your sweet asses up!”

  I was breathing hard. My ears had registered Evy’s words but my attention was entirely on Ali. I was looking at her now, and I swear I’d never seen something sweeter and more beautiful in my life. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were flaring, and her bow-shaped lips were swollen from my kisses. Something inside me roared, something that wanted me to stand on the bed and start beating at my chest, while yelling it was me who had done that to her. It was me she was panting for, squirming for.

  I let my pulse slow down as I drunk her in. I tried to feel guilty. I did. But all I could actually think about was that I wanted more. And I knew I wouldn’t have stopped if Evy hadn’t knocked. I wouldn’t have stopped until I’d gotten her naked and made her come, see that flush moving down her entire body. So, yeah, I needed to find the guilt inside me, because this was a whole other kind of wrong.

  “Nate,” she breathed. “Don’t apologize.” Could she read my mind? No, she just had experience with this kind of behavior from me. “I told you it was alright. Don’t feel guilty.”

  I swallowed a couple of times, just to make sure I could control myself before answering, “I know. I don’t feel guilty. But I should.”

  She shook her head and brought her hands down to stroke my face. “No, you shouldn’t. We see where things take us, remember? And besides, if anyone should feel guilty it would be me. I asked you to kiss me.”

  She had. And even though I knew it wasn’t an excuse, I let myself breathe in relief as I closed my eyes. “Alright. But I’m buying you a huge ice cream at the zoo, to make up for it.”

  I felt her exhale. She’d been honestly afraid I would apologize again. And I realized what would really have hurt her would be for me to take it back, to regret what I’d done.

  I opened my eyes to search for hers, just as she let out a laugh. “A kiss and an ice cream? It must be my lucky day.” Then she bit her lip as if she’d said too much.

  I grinned at her and pushed back, releasing her and standing on my feet. “Just think. If you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll even let you have two ice creams.”

  I looked over my shoulder as I walked to the door, and found her smiling widely at me. Alright. I wouldn’t regret the kiss, if only because I really liked that smile.

  Chapter 13

  Nate

  Being with my family again was something I hadn’t realized I’d needed. I’d missed it. The months I’d spent in Palm Springs recovering from the events of the previous December were like a bad dream. I was there, but I wasn’t. Now I was finally enjoying my time with them again. And having Ali there was like an added bonus.

  Things weren’t awkward with us after that morning. We’d had an amazing time at the zoo with the others, and I’d bought her two ice creams. Of course I would. Her smile had grown bigger as the day went by, and her laughter was the best medicine for my doubtful heart. She was okay. We were okay.

  Now we were gathered around Carla’s table after eating our weight in stuffed turkey, yams, apple pie, and cranberry sauce. The warm cider had made us all loud and happy, and my grandparents were enjoying themselves by sharing Kay’s and my most morbid teen stories. Evy and Ali were giggling uncontrollably, which made me and Kay look at each other before removing their wine glasses from in front of them.

  “Hey!” Evy protested, scowling at Kay.

  “No more alcohol for you, princess,” Kay warned.

  “Jesus, fuck, guys. Not in front of everyone,” I murmured, recognizing the beginning of their f
oreplay.

  Apparently I hadn’t said it lowly enough. “Language, Nate,” Gran scolded.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled as Ali burst into more giggles. God, I wanted to tickle her just so that she would keep laughing.

  “Alright, alright. You kids behave now,” Carla raised her voice, though her eyes were filled with mirth. “We finished dinner and we still haven’t expressed our gratitude for the day.” She turned to Colin. “Honey, would you like to start?”

  Colin nodded and sat back on his chair, looking at everyone with a small smile. “I’m grateful that I got to share this day with everyone in this room. And I’m always grateful for my wife and daughter. You girls are my brightest stars and I love you both.”

  Carla gave him a beaming smile, before going next. “I’m grateful that my house is once again filled with love and laughter, and my family is with me. I love you all.” She leaned to Colin and they kissed softly.

  “Ew, guys,” Evy cringed as the rest of us laughed.

  Luke was sitting beside Carla so he went next. “I’m grateful to be able to spend this day with friends instead of in the desert, fighting a never-ending war. May all the men there be safe.”

  Everyone nodded in response. Now it was Gran’s turn. “I’m grateful both my boys are well and happy. I’m grateful Ben and I are still here with them. I’m grateful my son and daughter brought them to us and I know they’re watching them from Heaven.” Tears dripped from her eyes and she quickly dubbed them away. My heart constricted at her words, but it was only the soft kind of pain that always lingers when my parents are mentioned.

  Gramps draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “I’m grateful for my family and for our friends that had us here.” He had to have been really emotional to not throw in a joke or two.

  It was my turn now. I cleared my throat and glanced down at my wine glass. “I’m grateful to have a family and friends that love me no matter what. I know I’ve been an asshole – excuse the language Gran – this past year and,” I squeezed Ali’s hand under the table, “I still am most of the time, but I’ll get better. I promise I will.”

  Ali squeezed my hand back, and it took a few moments to get myself back together until I was able to lift my head and look up again. Gran and Gramps were both looking at me in tears, and I sent them a small smile, which they returned ten times bigger.

  Everyone turned to Ali. She looked nervously around and cleared her throat many times, but when she spoke her voice was still groggy. “Um, I guess I’m grateful that you had me here today, even though you don’t know me all that well. And that for the first time in my life ever since my Dad died I have people – as in more than one person – around me that actually seem to care for me.”

  I felt her small hand squeeze mine with all of her strength and I let her, watching her bite her lip and blink back tears of her own.

  “Ugh, you guys are trying to make me bawl,” Evy groaned. “Fine. I’m grateful for every single person around this table and for the love you all have given me. And, Ali, if you make me want to cry again I swear you’ll end up walking around wearing the tiniest, most embarrassingly sexy clothes you’ll ever see in your life.”

  Everyone laughed as the girls hugged. Ali’s hand was still in mine, and I squeezed to keep it there, forcing her to wrap only one arm around Evy.

  Kay cleared his throat and stood, pushing his chair back. Everyone turned to look at him in surprise, and I half-expected Colin to scowl, but he didn’t. Instead, a smile formed on his lips, and his eyes flared as he glanced at his daughter for a brief second, before turning his attention back to Kay. Weird.

  “I’m grateful to finally be able to live my life again,” Kay started. “Gran, Gramps. I know I’d been a mess ever since Mom and Dad died, but I’m back now. And I swear I’ll make it up to you every day from now on. Nate,” he turned to me, “I know it looks bad when you lose someone. It looks like you’ll never be the same again, but that’s not the case. You just need to find something that makes you feel alive again. You told me that, and maybe you should try to learn from your own advice.” I swallowed hard and gave him a small nod. He turned his attention to Evy. “I thought for years only blood could make me feel alive. And then one day it was nothing compared to what you made me feel, Evelyn. After one day with you eighteen years ago you changed my whole life, and then you did it again last year, when you opened that door. My heart is beating just for you now, just because of you, and I know I never want it to stop.”

  He dug his hand in his jeans’ pocket and took out a ring, before going down on one knee.

  Motherfucker!

  Every woman around the table brought a hand over their mouths, as Evy drew in an audible breath. “Kaylan…”

  Kay held up the ring, looking in her eyes. “I know we didn’t start out all that well, with both of us wanting to rip each other’s throat out, but if you put that aside you’ll see we’re great together. And I can’t live without you, princess. I tried it and I almost died. You brought me back to life, literally and figuratively, and I want to live the rest of it with you, trying to make you happy. Please let me, Evelyn. Marry me.”

  No one was even breathing. You could hear a pin dropping. And then Evy started shaking her head, and I felt like thunder had struck me. And, by the looks of it, Kay felt pretty much the same. She was saying no?

  “Evelyn…” he whispered, taking her hand. “You’re saying… no?”

  Evy just kept shaking her head, and I saw she was keeping her eyes closed tightly. A sob rose from Ali’s lips and she held both hands in front of her mouth.

  Kay’s expression turned desperate. “Evelyn, look at me.” Evy kept shaking her head. “Baby, we don’t have to. If you don’t want to then we don’t have to.”

  “No!” Evy finally said without stopping her head-shake. It was getting kind of annoying. And what did the ‘no’ mean? No to the proposal or no to taking it back?

  I glanced around at the table to see my grandparents looking at the couple with a half-terrified half-hopeful expression. Carla was silently crying in her handkerchief – again, no idea if they were happy or sad tears. Colin was eyeing his daughter sternly. Ali’s back was on me, but she was still holding her hands in front of her mouth. And Luke was smirking. Huh. If Luke was smirking then the outcome had to be good, right?

  Nevertheless, Evy kept shaking her head in denial, until I was sure Kay would burst into tears.

  “For the love of God, woman, talk to the man,” Luke roared. “You’re giving him a heart attack, thinking you’re saying no.”

  That seemed to effectively snap Evy from whatever state she’d been stuck in, because she sprang up on her feet and walked around a stunned Kay, forcing him to twirl on his knee to keep looking at her, knocking his chair down before spinning around to face him and the rest of us. She seemed furious.

  Huh?

  “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she cried out as tears started flowing down her cheeks. “You waited for this exact moment to ask me in front of everyone and make me cry? You’re such an asshole, Kaylan. An arrogant, infuriating asshole.”

  Carla and Gran gasped, Colin and Gramps seemed confused, Luke and I started chuckling, and Ali’s shoulders shook with silent tears. I pulled her to me with her back to my chest, whispering in her ear, “It’s okay. She’s gonna say yes.”

  Ali nodded, still crying. “I know.”

  She knew? So those were happy tears? Ugh. Women.

  Kay stood right in front of Evy, grabbing her in his arms and holding her within an inch from his mouth. “Tell me you’ll marry me, princess. Say it.”

  Evy started shaking her head again, tears still flowing from her scowling eyes, and I knew this was no longer a proposal, but foreplay for them. Jesus, fuck.

  Kay squeezed her more, cupping the back of her head. “Say it, Evelyn. Say you’ll be my wife.”

  I swear she was going to get whiplash from all that head-shaking. A growling sound came fro
m Kay, and I was certain he was going to caveman her ass upstairs and make her scream her agreement. I felt like heaving all that delicious dinner.

  “Evy!” Ali snapped, startling everyone.

  “Yes, okay?” Evy finally said. “I’ll marry you, yes.”

  And that was all she said before Kay crushed her mouth with his, as the rest of us exploded in cheers and laughs.

  “Thank God,” Gramps whistled.

  “Oi. Get a room,” Ali called out and giggled, effectively making the newly engaged couple break their face-eating kiss. Luke burst out laughing even harder as I sighed in relief, growing more confident by the minute that I would actually be able to hold my dinner down.

  Everyone stood to congratulate the couple, and I went to my brother first. We hugged hard and he whispered in my ear, “Trust me, Nate. It’s worth moving forward. It’s worth living.”

  I nodded, pushing back the urge to get out, away from all this, somewhere where I could hear my own thoughts and process everything. I went to my sister next and lifted her in a tight hug, as she laughed and cried in my shoulder.

  “You’re really going to be a Lockwood now. Brother and sister by law.”

  She laughed and cried harder. “I know. World, beware!”

  I put her down to let everyone else take their turn, and I discreetly slipped out of the dining room to the kitchen for some privacy. Mixed feelings of happiness, sadness and jealousy coursed through me. I wanted that. I wanted to one day find what my brother and sister had found, but how could I with a torn up heart?

  I raised my eyes to the ceiling, taking a much needed breath. Please, help me, Kiara. Tell me what to do. Because I want that. I didn’t before, but I do now. And you’re gone and I’m lost.

  I felt hands on my back and my arm, and I turned around to find Gran looking at me with a watery smile, tears of happiness in her eyes. I smiled as widely as I could despite my feelings, and hugged her tightly.

  “I can’t believe he’s finally healed, Nate. Your big brother has finally healed. Now it’s time for you, baby-boy.”