by Ostle, J. L.
“Oh come on, you are drooling over them, just like the rest of us.” She waves her hand around the room at the screaming girls. Emz, with her long, wavy dyed red hair, green eyes, and tanned skin, has been my best friend since grade school.
She’s the complete opposite of me with my long dark brown hair, dark blue eyes, and pale white skin.
I look around the crowded stadium and see women screaming and crying as they watch the band play. I even see a girl take off her bra and throw it toward the stage. I put my head in my hands, not believing that I am going to see shit like this constantly. “I am a woman; I will admit they are drop dead gorgeous…”
“Emphasis on dead,” she interrupts, winking at me.
“But…” I give her a look. “I won’t go there; you know I will be professional. Besides, they wouldn’t go for a girl like me anyway.” I look down at my black skirt and blouse, having wanted to look as professional as possible when I meet the band for the first time.
“You need to stop talking about yourself like that. You are gorgeous. I would love to have eyes like yours.”
“Yeah, that’s what guys are looking for these days, nice eyes,” I say sarcastically. God, I can’t think. Beaten Hart plays rock-pop type music. I am more of a power ballad kind of girl, but I do like songs that are catchy. “Should we head backstage?” I point to the double doors that lead to the back.
“Hell yeah.” Emz jumps up and down with excitement.
I grab hold of her hand, and I maneuver us both through the crowd, by the time I get to the back door, sweat has formed along my forehead. I wipe it away with the back of my arm, taking out mine and Emz’s backstage passes from my bag.
Walking down the hall, I see a huge, scary looking security guard. He looks like he could break you in half without breaking a sweat. I walk toward him, giving him a shaky smile, and show him our passes. He checks them over and lets us through.
Once we rounded the corner, Emz looks back over her shoulder. “Holy shit! I swear I thought I was going to pee my pants; that man is scary.”
“No wonder they hired him. Only an insane person would mess with him,” I say, releasing the breath I was holding.
We continue walking until I see what looks like a metal detector with another two security men who don’t look as scary. We show our passes, step through the detector, and I see a red light beam up and down my body before I’m told I can go.
I wait for Emz, and once she is approved, we are told to head straight down, we walk through another set of double doors. I see a room that says Beaten Hart on the door, so that must be their changing room. I look to the right and see another set of doors—I head toward there, opening it up a little and poking my head through. When I see couches, food, and drink on a table, I sigh in relief; this must be the meet and greet room.
“Think we can sit in here.” I open the door wide and walk in, heading to the table grabbing a bottle of water, downing half of it.
“Look at all the food.” Emz grabs a pastry of some sort and groans. “So, so good. You need to try one,” she says with her mouth full.
I look at the food; I do feel a little peckish. I grab a strawberry tart, when I take the first bite, I groan out loud, I have never tasted anything like it. “Oh my god, I swear this is better than sex,” I moan.
“I don’t think you have had sex with the right person then.” I freeze, hearing a voice behind me. “I am happy to rectify that though, sweetheart.” I turn, and I see the whole band standing there looking at me and Emz. Then all their eyes focus on me, and I feel my body start to heat up.
I have done my research on each of them, seen pictures, but seeing them this close is making my body feel like it’s screaming at them.
Screaming for them to touch me.
Why am I thinking such things? They aren’t that irresistible.
“Hi, sorry, I hope you don’t mind. I am Ivory; I will be your PA while you’re on tour,” I mumble over my words.
Rush, the lead singer, smiles, enjoying my uncomfortableness. “Ah, you’re our new babysitter? I wouldn’t have thought Finn would let a girl have the position, especially a girl like you.” His eyes trail all over my body, and I am sure my face is turning bright red. Dammit, his voice pierces right through me. He is the bad boy of the group; he really does scream it with dark green eyes and shaggy brown hair that you want to run your fingers through.
“What do you mean a girl like me?” I bite my lip, and he takes one step toward me then stops, his eyes looking at my mouth.
“Petal, I don’t think a girl like you can handle a band like us. No offense, but you look like too much of a good girl, and we are a bunch of badass vampires.” He stands closer to me. “I’d even bet a thousand dollars that you are a virgin.” My mouth drops open in shock that he would say something like that.
What has my virginity got to do with anything?
“None of your business. Besides, how does my goodness and virginity status have anything to do with this job? If you are expecting a girl you can use as a sex toy, I’m afraid you will be disappointed since you are stuck with me. So suck it up, pretty boy.”
“I think I have fallen in love with you. I don’t think I have ever seen a woman put Rush in his place before. I can die a happy man now,” Zeke, the drummer, interrupts and comes over to hug me. “Welcome to our fucked-up family.” He smiles at me; Zeke seems much warmer and friendlier. He has light brown eyes, thick, dark brown hair and a smile that makes you want to giggle like a school girl.
“Thanks, Zeke.” I give him a shy smile.
“I am going to like you.” Slate the lead guitarist pulls me into him, squeezing me. “You smell really good.” He inhales, and I pull back. He gives me a wink before taking a seat on the couch, his eyes roaming over my neck to the top of my chest. Slate has messy, dirty blond hair and light blue eyes that don’t look real, as if he is wearing contacts, but he isn’t. I could just sit and stare at him like I’m being pulled in, but I force myself to look away.
I look at Caspian, the bassist, and he just stands against the wall, his eyes trained on me like he is trying to read my thoughts. “You must be Caspian.” I walk toward him, extending my hand, but he doesn’t take it. His eyes remain on mine. I step back, moving over next to Emz. His dark brown hair looks almost black and falls over his eyes, giving him that mysterious broody look.
One thing they all have in common from the images I have seen on social media is that their bodies are perfect. Smooth, white skin, eight-pack stomachs, muscular legs and arms. They look like they could be models if they wanted to.
“They are all looking at you,” Emz whispers in my ear. I look at each one of them and see their eyes are trained on me.
If they are trying to intimidate me or scare me off, it’s kind of working.
“Ah great, you’re here.” My eyes zoom to the door, and I smile, relaxing a little when I see Finn, the band's manager. He is the guy who interviewed me. “I hope you had no trouble getting past security.” He comes over and shakes my hand.
“No problem at all,” I reply.
“I hope the band hasn’t tried to scare you off.” He looks at each band member.
“Would we do a thing like that?” Rush says, trying to look innocent.
“Yes, like you did to the last three PA’s I hired.” I wonder what he did to the last three that made them quit.
“I am sure you fill each and every one of them on what we are like, what our needs are, what we are capable of; it’s not my fault if they can’t hack it.” Rush stands, coming over, his eyes full of mirth.
“Well, Ivory isn’t your typical girl; she is different from the others. I have full confidence in her,” Finn says smugly. At least he feels confident about me.
Just wish I felt confidence in myself.
“You thought I wouldn’t go near a virgin, is that it?” Rush smiles. “If they are attractive and have a pussy, I will fuck them, virgin or not.” Rush and Finn have a stand-off.
Rush looks my way and walks toward me, standing so close that his body almost presses into mine. “I know you’re a virgin.” His eyes pierce me.
“Unless you are a doctor and have been down there, I can reassure you that I am no virgin. I had a boyfriend who I was with for two years and trust me, we didn’t just hold hands and cuddle in that time.”
“You’re lying,” he tells me, sounding a little-pissed off.
I am starting to get angry. Why is he getting so worked up about my virginity?
“Why would I lie? If you want to call him, go right ahead.” I take out my phone, but he just keeps looking at me. “Why do you care?”
“I can smell it on you.”
“You smell it on me?” I start laughing; he looks at me like I’m crazy, stepping back. “Are you using your supernatural powers? I’m afraid that shit doesn’t work on me.” I stop laughing and shrug.
“What do you mean it doesn’t work on you?” Zeke asks.
“Like I said, she isn’t your typical girl; she is a rare breed. She is a shield,” Finn tells them.
“I knew something was up when I couldn’t read her,” Caspian says, walking toward me, looking at me one more time with pure concentration. “Fascinating.” He steps back, leaning against the wall.
“It looks like we have to use our charm, don’t we guys?” Slate laughs.
“I have never met a shield before.” Zeke smiles at me. “At least we know our secrets won’t get pulled out of her.”
Ivory
Rush comes forward and stands in front of me, his eyes so pitch dark they turn black. “Kneel,” he commands me, but I just look at him. “Kneel down,” he says more sternly. I just cross my arms and give him an are we done look. “Fuck this shit.” He walks toward Emz and smirks at her. “Kneel.”
I start to get angry that he would try that shit on my best friend. “Go fuck yourself,” Emz says, giving him the finger before coming to my side where we both glare at him.
“Holy shit, is she a shield too?” Zeke asks.
“No, but as long as she wears her necklace, she’s basically like me.” Emz has been there for me since I was four years old, even though I only found out what I am when I was fourteen.
Emz and I were at our childhood park playing on the swings when a group of vampires came over. They were giving orders like Rush tried to do, but I kept telling them no and to go away; I knew what they were when I saw their fangs. They were day walkers, a rare vampire breed.
It was the first time I’d seen them, and I was so scared; I thought we were going to die that day. I held onto Emz’s hand, wanting her to be close to me if our life was about to be over, but when they tried to come near us, they couldn’t. It was like a safety bubble was around us.
I told my parents what happened, and they found seers to help figure out what I was. Since that day, I’ve researched and trained my power. I even put some of my blood in a little vial and soaked that vial in my blood and used it as a discreet pendant, so no one can remove it apart from me.
It worked. No supernatural being can harm us by using their powers. Unfortunately, if we get shot or stabbed, my blood is useless. Emz and my family and hers all have their necklaces and have been sworn to never tell a soul what it does.
“Can the necklace come off?” Slate asks, fascinated by it.
“Only by me. You can try if you want, but it might burn your skin.”
“I think I’m good,” he chuckles.
“Can you be bitten?” Rush asks behind me, moving my hair to the side, exposing my neck.
I turn my head facing him. “Want a taste?”
“Hell yeah.” He beams.
“Ivory,” Finn jumps in.
“It’s okay if Rush wants a taste; we are going to be like family, right?”
“Exactly.” He smiles at me. I watch as his eyes turn dark once again and his fangs release. He licks his lips before moving toward my neck. When I feel his lips on my skin, it causes goosebumps, but all too soon, Rush is thrown backward, hitting the wall. I am laughing when he stands back up, rubbing his hands on his jeans. “You tricked me?”
Everyone in the room starts laughing. “Do you honestly think I would let you bite me after you tried to compel my best friend?”
“Marry me?” Zeke goes to his knees. “I will be faithful until the day you die.” He looks up at me in awe.
“Yeah because you are immortal and can enjoy the bachelor life again after.” Emz laughs at him.
“At least I was faithful in the time I was with her.” He stands back up. “Think about it, Petal.” He winks at me.
“Right, now that you haven’t scared off your new PA,” Finn says directly to Rush who seems to be sulking on the couch. “It’s time to bring in the meet and greet people. Please behave.” He points to each band member. “Ivory, make sure they don’t do anything supernatural. Some of the people who come to these things can be a handful, so just do what I told you to.”
I nod. “Oh, can I ask, are you a vampire like they are?” I know the band is and have been alive for over a hundred years.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Of course.”
“I am. I am over five hundred years old.” Wow. He must have been turned when he was in his late thirties.
“You must be rich then if you have been around for a long time, why manage the band?” I ask out of curiosity.
“Who do you think turned them?” He smiles at me and walks out the room, and before I have time to process what he said, the meet and greet people—mostly hot women—enter.
Perfect.
I look over at Rush; it seems that the women coming in have cheered him up. He walks over to a few who fawn all over him, telling him how amazing he is, and he is eating it right up.
The other band members have their own fans adoring them. When I see a little girl, who looks around ten, standing near the door, holding hands with someone I presume is her brother, who looks about fifteen, I walk over.
“Hey kids, you going to come meet the band?”
“My sister loves them, but with them being” —He looks behind me and then leans forward— “Vampires,” he whispers. “I am making sure I keep her safe.” I look at him sticking by her side; it is so adorable. They look so similar with light brown hair and light brown eyes.
“Being the big brother, of course, you do what you need to. If you come with me, I will introduce you to the band and let you get their autographs.”
“Thank you,” the little girl says in a quiet voice.
I smile at her and start heading toward Zeke who has a girl linked to his arm. “Zeke, you have a little fan that wants to meet you,” I tell him, and he smiles at me before seeing the girl and bending down so they are eye level. The girl who had been clinging to him gives me a look.
“Who are you?” She asks.
“Their PA.” She doesn’t say anything in response.
“Hi, little one, you a big fan?” Zeke asks her.
“The biggest.”
“She has all your posters, CD’s, and magazines,” her brother says, rolling his eyes.
“Wow, you must be our number one fan.” He takes her book and pen and writes a little message then signs his name. “There you go, if you give our Ivory here your address, I am sure we can send you out some tickets to our next concert.”
“Really?” the girl shrieks. “You are the best.” She hugs him, and he hugs her back.
“Can I ask something?” her brother asks when Zeke stands up.
“Shoot.”
“Can I see your teeth?” He shows his teeth, pretending to be a vampire. Zeke quickly does it, his fangs popping out. The boy looks amazed. “That’s so cool.”
“Stay in school.” Zeke messes the boy’s hair.
“Come on, let’s go see Casp
ian.” I take the girls hand, and we head toward Caspian, who hasn’t got anyone hanging off him. He just stands there, watching around the room. “Caspian, can you sign the girl’s autograph book please.”
“Sure.” He takes the book and signs his name, drawing the band’s heart logo.
“Thank you, Caspian,” the little girl says, blushing a little. I am sure I see Caspian give a small smile, but it’s gone so quickly I’m not completely sure.
“Right, let’s go see Slate.” Slate is sitting on the couch with a girl on each side of him. “Slate can you sign this girl’s book please.”
“Slate, who is this girl?” one of his girls asks. I look at her, seeing her perfect long blonde hair and blue eyes.
“She’s the band’s new PA,” he answers, sitting up, grabbing the book, and signing it. “Thank you for enjoying our music.”
“Thank you.” She motions her hand at him to come in closer. “You are my favorite,” she whispers, but I heard it. She blushes deep red, and Slate has the hugest grin on his face.
“You made my day.” He winks at her, and I swear she almost swoons at him.
“Come on you.” I take her hand, and we head over to Rush. I left him last since he has five girls on him. When he spots me walking toward him, his demeanor changes, and his eyes go a little dark. “Rush, can you sign this little girl’s autograph book, please?”
“Please? I like you using that word.” He smirks at me, and I roll my eyes.
“Just sign the book.” I shake my head.
“Please Rush.” The little girl looks up at him.
“Isn’t she precious,” a brunette coos, bending down. “She looks so good, I could eat her.” I know she isn’t saying it figuratively. “Little girl, want to show us your neck?”
“Courtney,” Rush warns her.
“I just want a little taste,” Courtney purrs. “Show us your neck, little one,” she asks again, but as I have hold of one hand, and she’s holding her brother’s, I know they won’t succumb to Courtney. But the little girl starts to hug onto my leg.