Forest of the Forbidden

by W. J. May

  When she said that, my mind flashed back to my interactions with Jesse. In the woods, when we’d first met, he’d gone to great pains to remind me of predators, and he’d actually mentioned them pouncing on their prey with a fatal bite to the neck. He’d told me that Max had a natural instinct to hate him. The mountain lion had been frightened away by him, and he’d told me it was because of his scent. Likewise, the night of the party, he’d mentioned that there were many dangerous predators prowling around, and the party, he’d mentioned the other guys claiming us.

  Thoughts of the party suddenly snapped me back to the present. “Julie, do you think you were bitten at the party?”

  “No. Why? I just got hurt from the vase, when the glass broke.”

  “You assumed that. We all did. Can you remember anything?”

  “No. I was too wasted. It’s all a blur.”

  “Try to think.”

  She suddenly gripped my arm tight. “Are you trying to say we walked into a party of vampires?”

  My bottom lip trembled. “Maybe.”

  “Then why didn’t they kill us?” she asked, her voice rising an octave.

  “One of them obviously fed off you.”

  She gasped, then glanced down to think. “Probably the blond chatting me up.”

  “Maybe your blood tasted so good that he followed us that night to finish you off.”

  She gasped. “That’s a horrible thought, but while we’re talking about it, why didn’t the werewolves kill us? They coulda jumped through the glass and ripped us to shreds.”

  “I haven’t figured that part out yet, but I’m starting to put the pieces together.” I swallowed hard. Could my crush be a vampire, or am I just blowing things out of proportion? As I thought about Jesse, something else dawned on me. “What if Jesse won’t take his shirt off at the lake because there’s no scar?”

  “There has to be some sort of scar. He was bleeding all over the place,” she said. “I saw the wound. It was real.”

  “I know, but he healed.”

  “Don’t vampires heal right away?” she asked.

  “Maybe he’s different, not like a normal vampire. If he can walk in the light and eat regular food, maybe it also takes him longer to heal.”

  Julie slowly touched her chin. “I bet that’s why he didn’t want to go to the hospital or tell the police.”

  “When he was shot, he so sure he was gonna be fine. Anyone else would have been worried, thinking they were on their deathbed, but he knew better. He knows he’ll never die.”

  She clutched her heart. “This is all so weird. Just listen to us. We sound like lunatics.” She gripped my shoulders. “Give me more. Give me something I can sink my teeth into...uh, no pun intended.”

  “Do we really sound like lunatics? I don’t think so. Jesse’s mom tries to keep him isolated for a reason. That’s why he’s homeschooled.”

  “Maybe that’s a flat-out lie. If he’s hundreds of years old, he doesn’t have to be schooled at all.”

  “That would be beyond weird.”

  “What if you’re his bonded mate, like in vampire lure?”

  “I don’t believe in that. We just have an awesome connection.” I tapped my chin. “It can’t be forced or contrived. It’s real. I can feel it.”

  “Are there any other hints we’ve overlooked?”

  “Hmm. Well, he did compel a mountain lion. I watched him do it.”

  “You mean when he saved the kid at the zoo?”

  “Exactly. Also, there’s an ankh in his tattoo. Do you know what those mean? I know the Egyptians used them a lot, and Jesse said every symbol in his tattoo has a meaning.”

  Confusion crossed her features. “I don’t know, but we can Google it.”

  Julie jumped on her computer and quickly typed the word in the search engine. I peeked over her shoulder and was stunned when I read the screen.

  “Immortality,” she said in a stunned voice.

  I swallowed hard. “I need to see him.”

  “Are you kidding? What if he compels you to forget everything? He compelled Max and that big cat. What if he’s dangerous, Taylor? You can’t just waltz in there and tell him you know his secrets. What if he kills you?”

  “What do you think I should do?”

  “Break up with him before he a, sips on your vein for a nice, warm drink, b, makes blood your next drink of choice, and c, just flat out kills you.”

  “I can’t give him up like that.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “Don’t vampires use telepathy or something to control their victims?”

  “I’m not a victim.”

  “You’re letting him take drag you down a slippery slope, Taylor.” She gripped my arm. “What if these recent attacks were him and not some wild animal?”

  A chill shot down my spine. “I can’t imagine him hurting anybody. You should see him with the animals at the zoo, especially the injured ones and the babies.”

  “Does any vampire really want to be the way they are? They’re bloodthirsty and can’t help themselves. We need to go to the sheriff.”

  “We can’t.”

  “Why? Because you’re trying to protect Sir Sucks-a-Lot?”

  “Because they won’t believe us.”

  “Still, we gotta try.”

  “They’ll laugh at us. All it will do is make us look silly and alert any vampire living here that we know they exist. If we go to the cops, we might be putting ourselves on a hit list—just like Fred was.”

  She bit her lip. “Hmm. I didn’t think of that. You’re right. We can’t let anybody know about this, especially when we don’t know who is a vampire and who isn’t.”

  “And we don’t know who the werewolves are either.”

  “How did we end up in a town like this?” she asked.

  “They’re trying to blend in,” I said, “and they’re doing a really good job. The thing is, if there are vampires and werewolves here, there should be many more deaths occurring. They must be controlling the way they eat so they don’t bring suspicion to themselves.”

  “So they’re not dangerous because they’re in Bloodaholics Anonymous.”

  “Obviously, one fell off the wagon,” I said as I glanced down to see who had left a text on my phone.

  “Who is it?” Julie asked.

  “It’s Jesse. He’s at my house waiting for me.”

  “Your parents are gonna be gone all day. You can’t face him by yourself. It isn’t safe. Let me come with you.”

  “No. I need to talk to him privately.”

  “Then do it at McDonald’s or something, in a public spot.” When I didn’t answer, she continued, “What if Jesse is the killer?”

  “It wasn’t him,” I said.

  “You don’t know that,” she retorted.

  I reached for my purse. “If he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already. He’s had plenty of opportunities.”

  “Don’t confront him like this, Taylor. You were clueless to his lifestyle before, but now you know his dirty little vampy secret. If he’s aware of that, he might take you out with one big, giant bite right there at the house.”

  “It’s a risk I have to take.”

  “Fine, but at least take some precautions.” She turned and left the room.

  “If you’re getting your father’s gun, I don’t want it!” I yelled.

  She returned instead with a Bible and a wooden crucifix. “Here. Vampire repellents.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Honey, this is just the beginning. I’m far from done. The Internet has hundreds of tips.” She ran to the kitchen and came back with cloves of garlic.

  “Seriously?” I repeated.

  “I don’t have any holy water, but I can get some at church this Sunday.”

  I tried to hand all the stuff back to her, but she insisted I take it.

  “You know, we shoulda figured this out already. Jesse is too hot to be human. Guys like him shouldn’t exist on this planet, let alone in the middle of
the woods in Big Bear Lake. Who knew that vampires could come in fifty shades of sexy?”

  “Right,” I said.

  “Just don’t be seduced by his hypnotizing eyes. Jesse may be handsome and sexy, but remember that he’s always out for blood. You shouldn’t invite him in when you go home. Your house can be your sanctuary, so just stand in the doorway so he can’t hurt you. Promise?”

  “I promise. I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “Or slurped dry.”

  In spite of her warnings, I didn’t think Jesse would hurt me. Then again, I wasn’t sure who he really was or how everything would turn out. All I knew was that I needed to talk to him.

  “Taylor, you haven’t even asked what kind of hardware you need to take down that bloodsucker,” Julie said.

  “I have everything you gave me.”

  “Yeah, but those are just for protection. To destroy him, you’ll need a wooden stake to pierce his heart.”

  “What!? I’m not killing anybody. Besides, if I did, his blue-eyed coven would come after me.”

  “Right. I didn’t think about that. But if he comes after you, you’ll have no choice but to stake the night-stalker.”

  “He walks in daylight, Jules.”

  “Oh yeah. But you can’t just let him suck every single red blood cell out of your body,” she retorted. “I bet he gets off on it too, the pervert.”

  “That’s it. I’m leaving.”

  “That’s it. I’m coming.”

  I sighed, knowing I wasn’t going to be able to change her mind again. “All right. I guess in this case, I can use a third wheel.”

  “Let’s find some more stuff. If we get the lighter fluid from the basement, we can fry the undead bloodsucker, burning him into a million ashes.”

  “I suppose that might work,” I said hesitantly, not wanting to picture it.

  I followed Julie to the basement door, and after she stepped in to head down the stairs, I quickly locked it behind her.

  She pounded hard with her fists. “Taylor! Let me out.”

  “I can’t believe you want to fry my crush!” I said.

  “Let me out! You can’t just leave me trapped down here!”

  “Your mom will be home in less than an hour. You’ll be okay. I need to do this myself.”

  *

  Halfway home, I pulled off the side of the road. I couldn’t stop gasping for air, and I felt like I was having a panic attack. Since I’d never had one before, I wasn’t sure. I ran a hand through my hair and tried to think clearly, trying to come to terms with the fact that Jesse could be a vampire. Do I just have some sick imagination? Am I a mental case? If he was, in fact, a vampire, I would despise what he was, and I would never be okay with him killing people. But is it my right to judge him? Maybe he just feeds on rodents or shops at a blood bank. Maybe I’m just completely crazy. Or...maybe my heart is just as lonely as his.

  I wanted to scream, so as I sat there in my car, that was exactly what I did.

  * * *

  Chapter 20

  My chest heaved, and I sucked in giant gulps of air as I pulled into the driveway. “Keep calm,” I told myself.

  As I walked up the sidewalk, he smiled.

  My heart stopped. “Breathe,” I told myself.

  “Hey, you,” he said.

  “Hi, Jesse.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and lowered his mouth on mine. His warm lips were so enticing, so addictive. His gentle touch was like none I’d ever experienced.

  But my feelings about him were all mixed up. I was aware of what he might be, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop, couldn’t let go. I wanted to keep moving forward with him. I wanted him more than my next gulp of air. I felt myself sinking away from reality. Any normal girl would have run, but I couldn’t. His lips felt so soft and warm, and I loved the way he tangled his fingers in my long, black curls. The thought of letting him go tore at my heart, and I simply couldn’t. I simply wouldn’t.

  Still, I needed answers.

  He looked into my eyes, and I was awestruck, my lips still tingling. “I was thinking,” he said. “Why don’t I get us a boat so we can go out on the lake, just the two of us?”

  “Sounds nice, a chance to escape all the drama for a little while.”

  He threaded his fingers through my long locks, his flirtatious grin fixed on his face. “I’d love to have you all to myself.”

  “You know how much I love being with you,” I whispered.

  His smile eased into a big grin, and he gently caressed my face and softly kissed me. “How about this weekend?”

  I drew in a short breath, but the words remained frozen in my throat. I walk over to the railing and stared into the woods.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  He regarded me intently, his hair swaying in the soft breeze wafting in from the silent woods.

  “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” I finally answered.

  He came from behind and hugged me. “Like what?”

  I spun around, then pushed the black hair from his face, raking my fingers through it. “I’m so thirsty. How about a soda?”

  “Sure. I’ll take a Sprite or Pepsi.”

  I unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Jesse, we need to have a long talk. Let’s have a bite to eat and chat.” When I glanced over my shoulder, he was still standing at the doorway.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked.

  “No need for that. I mean, after that fantastic kiss on the lips, do we really have to be that formal?”

  “I don’t want your parents getting mad that I came in without permission,” he said.

  I slowly walked to the doorway and stared into those eyes that still took my breath away; there was nothing dead about them. “Are you able to come in and get it yourself?” I asked.

  “I’m not really that thirsty anyway,” he said. “I’d rather hang out here on the porch.”

  Our eyes locked. He was so handsome with those strong, chiseled features, eyes as blue as the sky, and lips sculpted perfectly for kissing. I stared at his sensuous mouth, and he looked so cute with that pouty bottom lip of his.

  “Are you coming back outside?” he asked.

  “Are you coming inside?” I retorted.

  We stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, and it would have taken a knife to cut the tension between us. The challenge had been issued, and we both refused to give in.

  “Something’s changed between us,” Jesse said. “I can sense it.”

  I shook my head.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “I put two and two together.”

  “And what did you figure out?”

  “I want to know what you’re hiding from me, Jesse,” I finally blurted out. “What’s going on?”

  Jesse stared at me in silence as he contemplated what my words implied.

  I inched closer to the doorway. “Take off your shirt,” I demanded.

  His beautiful eyes shone as he gazed straight into my eyes. “I had no idea you were so bold, so kinky.”

  My lips pressed into grim lines. “I need to know if I’m crazy, which is a very serious possibility. Take off your shirt right now please.”

  He gazed deeply into my eyes. “No.”

  “No?”

  He smiled. “No.”

  I cleared my throat. “Why not?”

  “Why not?” he repeated. “Because I suddenly feel very shy. You’re treating me like a piece of meat.”

  “Maybe the real reason you don’t want to remove your shirt is because you don’t have a scar from the bullet wound. I’m sure it healed very fast, and that’s why you didn’t want to go to the hospital,” I said.

  He nodded, seemingly impressed with my insights. “Why?”

  “Because I think you’re special.” If I was right, he would know what I was talking about. I didn’t want to risk our friendship by flat out calling him a vampire, just in case it wasn’t true.

&nbs
p; His voice cut into my thoughts. “Special? I’m glad you think so. I feel the same about you.”

  Boldly, I held up the crucifix. “Cut the games, Jesse. I know what you’re hiding. You’re immortal.”

  He laughed. “Listen to yourself, Taylor! Do you think a cross can actually stop me?”

  “Maybe not, but apparently, you can’t come in without being invited.”

  He shook his head.

  I continued, “If necessary, I can also kick a leg off one of my mom’s wooden chairs.”

  “To stake me?”

  “Only as a last resort, if I need to defend myself,” I retorted.

  “I’m a little curious about how you came to this interesting conclusion.”

  The massive lump of dread thudded down into the pit of my stomach like a lead balloon. “I put the pieces together, and they all fit quite nicely. Why don’t you stop trying to hide from me when I know the truth? You can trust me to keep your secret. My bond is my word.”

  “Those were my words.”

  “And I mean them.”

  He gazed deeply into my eyes, then slid his shirt over his head.

  My gaze darted from his powerful shoulders to his rippling abs and perfect chest, sculpted with hard muscles. His hair fell in disheveled waves across his forehead, but I didn’t see any scars on his perfect skin.

  “I knew it!” I said, gasping. “It’s gone!”

  “Looks like we’ve got a lot to talk about,” he said.

  I tried to ignore the dry sensation inside my mouth. “How long did it take you to heal?”

  “About twelve hours. It was a deep wound,” he said.

  My eyes widened. “What are you?”

  “You’ve clearly already decided that. You’re holding a Bible and a crucifix and threatening to stake me.”

  “Don’t forget the garlic. My pockets are loaded with it.”

  His gaze narrowed. “I love a girl who’s always prepared for battle.”

  “Are you going to answer me or not? What are you?”

  “I think you already know the answer to that, Taylor.”

  I fidgeted and tried to look away. “I don’t.” I gazed up as he loomed over me. Shivering, I was thankful for that invisible barrier that kept me safe.

  His blue eyes began to glow, like nothing I’d ever seen before. I watched his teeth turn from normal to pointed fangs, right before my very eyes. My heart lurched, and I suddenly began to gasp for air.