Kimmy has the most beautiful brown curly hair I have ever seen, I was always jealous of her hair. She has brown eyes with long eye lashes. To say she is beautiful is an understatement. She never has a problem getting a man.
The door jingled. I looked up, surprised to see a guy in a ski mask pointing a gun directly at Billy. I missed a heartbeat for about two seconds. I thought I was having a heart attack and placed my hand on my chest.
Chapter Five
“Get on the floor,” the robber yelled, pointing his gun in my direction. I actually considered arguing because I didn’t know when the floors had last been cleaned and I was in a brand new outfit. I reluctantly got down on the floor, which is not easy in a skirt and heels. Both Billy and the robber stared at me as I tried to gracefully get to the ground. I used the rack of potato chips to steady myself down. I tried to keep my face off the nasty floor.
The robber was short, probably a teenager. I really didn’t think he would shoot us, but I didn’t want to take any chances. He started walking toward me, but I was more worried about the Cheetos smell on the floor and what I had to eat at home for dinner. He grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me up. He was really strong for such a little guy. It took his strength to help me to my feet. In that outfit there was no way I could have done it on my own. For a second, I was thankful I wouldn’t have to go through that embarrassing, awkward moment of trying to get up. He pulled me by my hair toward the cash register.
“Why the hell did you make me get on that nasty floor in the first place?” I asked angrily. I don’t have courage unless it dealt with my fifty dollar pair of heels.
He gave me a crazy look and stuck his gun to my head and turned back to Billy. “Now empty the register or she gets it.”
I never understood why people say that line. I get what? I think I get a bullet but why didn’t he just say ‘or I’ll shoot her?’
Billy gave me a look of terror and started opening the register. The door jingled as some poor soul walked in. I felt so bad for the customer.
“Get down!” the masked man yelled at the unlucky visitor.
“I would let her go if I were you,” a familiar voice said. Ezra! Thank god!
The robber pulled my hair harder. This guy was really getting on my nerves and now he was hurting me.
“Ezra, it’s just a teenager. That gun probably isn’t loaded,” I yelled, trying to save him unnecessary fighting.
In response, the kid pointed the gun up in the air and pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot hurt my ears. It took a minute for my hearing to return.
“Never mind, Ezra, forget what I said,” I whispered. This guy was pissing me off. First, he made me ruin my new shoes and now my ears would never be the same. I slammed my leg down as hard as I could, stabbing my beautiful new heels into the top of his shoe. I then turned around and went to punch him in the face but before I could, Ezra had the robber by the throat as if he weighed nothing. The gun fell to the ground.
“But… you’re—” the robber started to say, stuttering.
“That’s right I’m a vampire like you,” Ezra interrupted, before he could finish.
I felt stupid that I hadn’t seen it before. The guy was pretty strong. But then again, how was I supposed to know? Ezra was the first vampire I had ever met. I hadn’t seen any fangs. I didn’t think there was any way to tell a human from a vampire. I turned to Billy to see his expression, knowing he had to be in shock, learning that vampires were real. He had a blank stare, as if he had heard this all before. As he closed the register, he seemed very calm.
I walked over, grabbed a paper, plopped some money down on the counter and walked out.
I wasn’t upset. Probably more in shock than anything. I just needed to get away from Ezra. I couldn’t look into those beautiful eyes in my unpredictable state. He had just saved my life…again. I didn’t know what the robber would have done if Ezra hadn’t been there. I felt like I was piling up a list of reasons I owed Ezra, I couldn’t even remember why I was avoiding him to begin with. As soon as I got to my car and opened the door, Ezra called my name. I jumped because he was standing right next to me when he said it.
“Holy crap, Ezra! What the hell? Why do you have to keep sneaking up on me? You scared the shit outta me.”
He gave me a stare that made me feel like a piece of raw meat sitting next to a starving pit bull. He was wearing a long sleeve tee shirt and a jacket. It was still fairly warm outside. I guessed vampires didn’t care about temperature differences.
“What?” I snapped when he didn’t say anything.
He just continued to stare at me with those beautiful blue eyes that sparkled in the evening light. Shit, he can read my thoughts. I couldn’t keep thinking things like this.
“You’re blocking me,” he said as he studied my face. I couldn’t think of what I had done differently. The news that I could block him was good to hear, so he didn’t know I was admiring him. Maybe this could work out between us. The more I looked him over, the more I wanted him. He was so smoking hot it was hard to resist touching his rock hard pecks. After the day I’d had, I just wanted to run my hands up and down his muscles and kiss his neck. Just to be in his arms would make the pain go away.
I must have stopped blocking him because he took me in his arms and gently grabbed the back of my neck. He pulled my face to his and softly kissed my lips. He ran his hands through my hair and gently pulled, which gave me goose bumps.
As I had wanted to do, I ran my hands up his chest and back down to his abs. I could count his six pack through his shirt. He slipped his tongue into my mouth as we continued to kiss, pulling me tight to his body. After a minute, he pulled away.
I didn’t want to open my eyes, but was curious about what his expression would say, so I did. He was staring me down with the same blank expression on his face
“You figured out how to block me.” He stood uncomfortably close to me. He was so tall I had to look up to him.
“So what did you hear to make you do that?” I asked. I was curious to know how I blocked him, I needed to learn so I could do it more often.
“That I’m irresistible and maybe things could work between us,” he said as a smile broke across his face. Of course he would hear the most embarrassing things.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I was hungry and tired. I needed a shower after being on the nasty floor. And maybe some wine to calm myself after what had happened tonight.
“Can I come home with you?” he asked. I’m sure he meant so he could make sure I was safe but as he said it my heart skipped a beat and I had a tingle down below. I had a flash of him joining me in the shower and had to grab my head as if it would block him out.
“Oh God, please tell me I just blocked you,” I said, embarrassed.
He chuckled and grabbed me around my waist, pulling me close to the bulge growing in his pants. Guess I hadn’t blocked him out. I felt mortified and knew my face must be bright red.
“How about you stay out of my head? I can’t block you, but it’s so rude to invade my privacy like that.” I pushed him away. I was now so embarrassed I was angry.
I crawled into my car and slammed the door. He was standing in the same spot as I peeled out of the parking lot. I had to keep my emotions under wrap. I felt like I was going to cry at any second but if I walked into my mother’s house crying, she would be halfway to her shot gun before I could begin to explain. She was extremely over protective. I couldn’t do it, tears leaked out as I turned down her street. If I went inside, I would be required to explain the situation to her and my mother and men do not mix.
The Christmas I was six years old, we were standing in line to get a picture with Santa and the guy behind us hit on my mother. He said she was a fox and asked for her number. My mother responded by breaking the guy’s nose. Now that I think back, her response was slightly dramatic, but that’s my mother for you. I’ve never seen her even look at a guy before, let alone date anyone. I have no idea how I came to be, sin
ce I’ve never met my father. I’ve never even seen a picture of him, and we do not discuss him, at all.
I decided to leave her paper on the porch. She wouldn’t understand and would be extremely upset but it was only a stinking paper and I needed to get home. I would have to make up an excuse later about having some sort of virus that I didn’t want to give her. The entire way home I pondered what disease I could use and tried to keep my mind off men. I pulled into my normal parking spot and noticed a familiar silver car.
I dragged my feet as I walked toward my apartment, wondering if he had made himself at home inside or if he’d actually listened to my plea for privacy and was waiting outside. I threw my shoulders back and went up the stairs, letting out a sigh of relief to see Ezra leaning against my door.
“Surprised you didn’t just let yourself in,” I confessed as I unlocked the door.
“I’m a vampire. I need an invitation,” he said, which shocked me. I thought that was a myth. He started laughing. “That was a joke, Emily.”
I started laughing with him. I was just about to shut my door when Gavin’s door flew open and the girl who was there earlier stormed out.
“You’re a jerk, Gavin,” she yelled, stomping down the stairs.
I shut and locked my door and turned around, Ezra was standing across the room, staring me down with that same look he had earlier. It made me nervous to have someone look at me like that, especially when they looked at hot at Ezra.
“Do you want something to drink?” I said it to break the silence but after I said it I realized how stupid it sounded. I covered my face in embarrassment.
“I am a loser. Sorry, I forgot.” I really had forgotten that he was a vampire and only drank blood. I wasn’t about to offer him a drink from my neck. I wondered what that felt like, it must hurt. I let my hands down, and Ezra hadn’t moved.
He started walking in my direction. I know now what a mouse feels like when a cat spots it. My life flashed before my eyes. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me but the look he was giving was saying either he wanted sex right here and now or that he was about to eat my head off. He was standing inches away from me, and I could smell his cologne, like cool water. My heart pounded as he gently rubbed my arm.
I leaned in response to his touch. Our chests were touching as his hand moved up my arms one last time and kept going, until he held my face. His cold touch felt good against my warm skin. He softly kissed my lips.
The room spun as he kissed me again. I moved in as close to his body as I could. His kiss left tingles on my lips from the coldness. After a minute, he pulled away and looked me in the eyes, his bright blues were burning a hole into my heart. I had thrown men out of my life forever and this vampire came in and swept me off my feet, and now I was worried I was falling hard for him. I wished I could read his mind and know how he felt about me.
He turned quickly and plopped down on my couch and started searching for my remote. I was left standing in the same spot, feeling let down. He obviously knew what I had been thinking, but didn’t have a response to my confession.
I stomped down the hall to my room, mumbling the entire way something about him being a bloodsucking pig. I slammed the door and took a long shower, put on my pajamas and crawled into bed.
Screw him. If he wanted to play this game I could play too. I knew I was being silly, I didn’t even know this guy all that well. I couldn’t just throw my ambitions to the wind because he was hot, or maybe that didn’t sound like such a bad idea. I mean, he was really hot. But I definitely could not expect him to feel anything for me this soon. I decided to stop acting so childish and go sit with my company. I was also very hungry and couldn’t stay in my room all night, especially while my stomach was already growling like a rabid dog.
I went out to my living room and found my apartment completely empty, except for me. Guess I had scared him off. My ambitions would have to stay intact for a while longer. I would have texted him to apologize for being such a goober but I didn’t have his phone number.
I dressed quickly and decided to go out for food. The roads seemed to be strangely abandoned, I felt ridiculous as I waited at the red light next to my favorite 7-eleven by myself.
After a minute, I took this as fate calling so I turned into the store. I walked in to the chime greeting, I swear one day I would rip that stupid bell down and stomp its life to pieces. Hmm, I was actually feeling kind of moody. I went to the back and grabbed a Mountain Dew and a bag of beef jerky—dinner of champions. I went to the counter as I had déjà’ vu. The incident a few hours before had been completely erased. Billy was sitting behind the counter, reading a gossip magazine with his feet propped up on the counter.
“What’s new, Billy?”
He put his magazine down and stood. “Not much, sorry about what happened earlier,” he said, looking nervous. His response made me think about what had happened and I realized I still had some questions.
“Hey, why were you so calm about what Ezra said?” I asked, hoping maybe he would laugh and think Ezra was a crazy man.
“Oh, about him being a vampire?” He laughed as he said it, like it was a big joke. I let out a sigh of relief as I returned a smile and chuckled, playing along.
“Emma, I am a vampire too,” he said finally, while I was still laughing, which cut me off. He still had an amused look on his face and I must say for such a geeky guy his smile really lit him up and made him very attractive. He suddenly wore a look of shame and started looking on the counter and scanning in my items.
Oh shit, I thought as I remembered a very important vampire trait
“So all you bloodsuckers can read my thoughts?” I asked. I wasn’t angry at Billy, just aggravated at my lack of privacy in the world.
Billy just laughed. “Yes, Ezra is not the only bloodsucker who can read minds.”
I gave him some money for my dinner and decided to stay and talk a bit, not like I had any place else to go.
“So how well do you know Ezra?” I am ashamed to say that I was prying, but if I was going to let this guy into my life or bed I needed to check up on him.
“Uh, I really don’t,” he replied, apparently not caring that I was looking for information on the guy.
“What do you mean? He’s in here every time I come in, and he knew your name the other night,” I pointed out.
“Emma, the only time he has ever come in is when you were in here.” He stared at me with a look of concern. I suddenly felt sick, like I had been played.
“But yesterday he was in here when I came in,” I replied, giving myself a sliver of hope.
“He waited out in his car for almost an hour before you got here that night. I thought he was waiting on you.”
The vampire I couldn’t keep my hands off of was stalking me. So basically I could add crazy, stalker, murdering vampire to the list of guys who just didn’t work out. On that list there were also gay transvestite, dude with the Barbie doll collection, dude who thought he was a superhero, engaged guy, married guy and of course…cheating guy.
Yes, dude who thought he was a superhero, I dated him. Of course, in my defense, I thought the cape was a joke when we first met. I figured out later that it wasn’t. And gay transvestite…I don’t even want to go there. It was unnerving to think that I had a vampire stalking me.
“So what happened to your robber vampire guy?” I asked curiously. I was trying to shake the creepy feeling.
“Your boyfriend took him away in cuffs,” he stated, shrugging. I had a sick feeling come over me, I had to leave. I grabbed my bag of treats and walked out.
Chapter Six
I called Kimmy as soon as I got in my car. I really needed some girly advice.
“Yo ho, what’s up?” Kimmy answered. She was my wild and crazy friend who always made me laugh and was awkward when it came to emotions. I could pour my heart out to here and cry a gallon of tears as long as I understood I would only receive a pathetic pat on the back as her reply. But for some reason, I just felt the
need to talk to her.
“Hey, Kimmy. How’s it going?” I said, trying not to sound like anything was wrong but it’s kind of hard when you get news that a vampire is following you around like a lost puppy.
“Spill,” she commanded, not fooled.
And I did, keeping out the part about Ezra being a vampire. I didn’t want her to think I was crazy too. I included the drunken night with Gavin.
“Ew, what a total creepzoid.” Leave it to Kimmy to know exactly how to put it.
“I know, right, but he was so sexy,” I replied.
“Hmm. Well, that changes things dramatically. So he is a sexy stalker, almost unheard of. So why not just go after Mr. Hot Pants next door?” she asked.
I had given up guys and then I had two completely gorgeous and got burned yet again, only twice this time.
“Mmm, well besides the fact that he already has chick drama, I think I learned my lesson about guys. I should probably stay away,” I admitted, pouting.
“Oh… well… I have a hot neighbor down the hall from me and I think she swings for the other team if you want me to give her your number,” she said seriously.
“Ya know, I think I’m ok right now. Thanks, though. I haven’t quite given up completely and crossed over to the dark side.” I laughed, embarrassed. I mean I understand why she would offer, with a record like mine, no one in their right mind would date again. But men are my weakness, like cake is to fat kids. Ok, cake is my weakness too.
“Maybe I should go on a man diet, and every time I even think about a guy I have to run a mile or clean my apartment,” I offered.
“Yeah, you do that. Tell me how it goes,” she said sarcastically, knowing how much I loathe physical labor or anything physical except sex, for that matter.
I hung up the phone as I pulled into my parking lot. Someone had taken my dang parking spot, I hate when they do that. I pay good money for my own parking spot. It has my apartment number on it, so it’s saved for only me. Guess some dumbass can’t read. I had half a mind to write a fake parking ticket and put it under their wiper. I had to park two buildings down from mine, and I was heated as I locked my doors. Nothing I hated more than having to park far away. I’m not one of those crazy people who drive around the store parking lot for hours waiting for a close parking spot, or the customer stalkers who stalk you to your car and wait with their blinker on so everyone has to awkwardly pass by because they are so damn lazy. But this is my home and I pay for my parking rights.
Dare to Bleed (Emily Sullivan Series) Page 4