by Tish Thawer
She laughed and shook her head. "Oh...young love. I remember it well."
We continued talking about boys and the gushy feelings they gave us while we finished breakfast, and then headed back to my room to start painting.
It had taken us most of the day just to paint the ceiling. Not because it was a particularly large room, but because we sucked at painting. I kept hitting the walls and having to do touch-ups, and even though Mom was in awesome shape, we had to take a lot of breaks because our arms kept getting tired from painting above our heads. Eventually we finished and decided we would head out for a late lunch while the paint dried. So, after we both showered and attempted to wash off all the black specks that decorated our hair and skin, we headed to the local pizza place.
As we were seated in our booth, I heard a familiar voice. "Hey guys, can we join you?" Jillian and her mom Adrienne were walking towards us.
"Absolutely," my mom answered.
Jillian and I had been best friends since we were little. She had moved here from Arizona when she was six, and we'd become best friends on her first day of school. We'd grown up together, enjoying the same things until the end of junior high. That's when I became extremely focused on my school work, and she became a volleyball queen. We'd remained best friends and had always supported each other in everything that we did, and right now, I couldn't wait to tell her about my date with Christian.
"I was so glad when you called, Loraine. Jillian and I were just watching movies to pass the day, and this was a great reason to take a break and get out of the house," Adrienne said.
"Of course. I figured if we were going to be enjoying pizza and talking boys, you two should join us."
I hadn't known Mom had called them, but it didn't surprise me. She knew me so well. So, for the next hour and a half, I gushed to my best friend and her mom about the amazing guy I had just met, and how I couldn't wait for our next date. They "oohhhed" and "aaahhhed" at all the romantic details, and loved the idea of watching a movie in the park while being wrapped in his arms. "He sounds just about perfect," Adrienne said.
"He is...I'm almost sure of it." I laughed and continued to answer her questions with a huge smile on my face, but suddenly I noticed that Jill was being quieter than usual. I didn't ask her about it because I didn't want to upset or embarrass her, but I figured that she was just a little jealous of all my "Christian talk." She was used to being the center of attention, so instead of talking about Christian, I directed the conversation to Mom and Adrienne and began to stuff myself with pizza.
"Well, I think our paint should be dry by now. It was nice to seeing you guys." Mom waved goodbye as I slide out of the booth.
Feeling a little disappointed at Jill's reaction, all I said was "Bye," and then followed Mom out the restaurant. We drove home in silence and then headed back up to my room to finish our project without conversation.
"Okay, are you ready to starting hanging your moons and stars?" Mom's tone was casual, but I could tell there was something on her mind.
"Did you notice how Jill got all quiet when I kept talking about Christian?"
Sighing, Mom stopped spreading the crystals on my bed, and just looked at me. "Yes, I did. I think she was a little jealous. Are you okay?"
"Yes and no. I just expected her to be happier for me. I don't want anything to come between me and Jill, but I'm not going to stop seeing Christian just because she's feeling insecure or upset that for once she's not the center of attention."
A loving smile spread across Mom's face, and she stood up and hugged me. "When you choose a man over your best friend, it can be a scary thing. But, it is also the first sign that it may, in fact, be the start of a serious relationship."
I melted against her and felt the sting of tears that were threatening to spill, so I closed my eyes. "Thanks, Mom. I love Jillian, but for the first time in my life, I feel like everything else needs to come second, including her. I'm falling hard for Christian, and thanks for not making me feel silly about it."
"You're welcome, sweetie, and I'm so happy for you. Now let's make some magic." She pulled away from our hug and brushed her thumb gently over my cheek before moving towards my dresser to grab a sack full of small silver hooks. "You stand on your bed, and I'll hand you a hook. Just screw them in, and then I'll give you a crystal."
It took us over an hour to get all of them strung up, which ended up being perfect timing, as the sun had finally gone down. "Are you ready for this? It's going to be amazing," Mom said.
I wasn't convinced, but as soon as I lay down on my bed, Mom opened the curtains to let the moonlight flow in and I was speechless. She’d been right. I was amazed as I watched the beautiful little stars and moons twinkle and spin right here in my very own room. "Oh, Mom. It's beautiful." I lunged off the bed and into her arms. "I love it. I absolutely love it."
"I'm so glad. And, I love you, too. I'm so proud of the woman you're becoming, and I feel like this is just the start of some pretty magical things that will be happening in your life."
"I think you're right."
* * * * *
CHAPTER TWELVE
Freak You Out
(Christian)
I spent the next couple of days after my initial date with Rose trying to avoid the jokes and teasing from my family about how I'd fallen for a human. I had not been successful, so when Bobby approached with a smirk on his face, I braced myself for yet another jab.
"So, tonight's the first night you're gonna see Rose again, right?" Bobby asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. I just wondered what exactly you were planning to do for your second date." Bobby puckered his lips and put his hands behind his head as he wound his hips around and around.
"You've really got to get some new moves." I shoved past him and headed towards Evie's office.
"Oh, I can show you some new moves if you need some help," he yelled just as I slammed the door shut.
After settling myself in the chair in front of Evie's desk, I said, "I need to warn you that I might beat the shit out of Bobby later."
She laughed as she offered me a glass of dark red blood. "Well, just don't get blood on the carpet."
I shook my head and politely declined. I couldn't stand drinking blood from a glass. Even if it was heated up, it just didn't taste the same. Plus, I never knew which donor Evie was currently using for her supply, and I didn't like not knowing where my food had come from. "I've invited Rose down tonight to come see me during my break. I told her that I didn't have much time off work so we'd have to work around my schedule. I wanted to appear as if I have a normal job and responsibilities. Is that alright?"
"Yes, that's fine. But you know you can come and go as you please, so you don't have to pretend your boss is such a tyrant who won't give you a day off." She smiled as she set the glass back down on her desk.
"I know, but since Rose isn't twenty-one, and I'm really not ready for her to meet everyone just yet, I thought this would be a good compromise. I suppose I could continue to see her outside of here, but I don't want her to feel as though I'm hiding my work from her. This way we still get to see each other, and her curiosity is satisfied."
"That sounds reasonable, but you know that we are all going to want to meet her sooner rather than later. Maybe I'll host a company mixer for just employees and their guests next month. How does that sound?"
I could tell that she was chomping at the bit to meet Rose. Hell, they all were. "That sounds just fine. And thanks for not rushing me, Evie."
I stood as she gracefully made her way around the desk and enveloped me in a hug. "You were my first son, Christian, and I'm beyond happy for you. Take all the time you need."
Just as I left Evie's office, I received Rose's text. "I'm almost there."
I had told her to text me when she was close so I could meet her outside. I didn't want her running into anyone without my protection. I knew all the vampires who came to The Rising Pit were decent people and would nev
er hurt Rose, but I wasn't willing to take that chance. Besides, the thought of someone else sinking their fangs into my girl threatened to send me into a fighting rage.
As normal vampires, we couldn't kill each other. Only our Sire had the poison of true death, and therefore the ability to eliminate us. But, because of our super-strength and speed, our fights tended to be epic. It was rare for vampires to fight amongst themselves though, and the only time that it happened was usually over territory, which sometimes included humans. As archaic as it seemed, I definitely felt that I had a claim to Rose. In my mind...she was mine.
I watched her pull into the parking lot. My veins were sizzling with anticipation. Our first date had been perfect, and the conversation we had that same night had only solidified my feelings for her. But since this was the first time we'd seen each other since, I was feeling a little apprehensive about how things would go. Especially since in the back of my mind all I could see was my vampire family rushing out of the club's door and bombarding us with questions and embarrassing the crap out of me.
"Hi, gorgeous," she said, just before throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me gently. Guess things are going to go just fine.
"Well, hello to you too, beautiful." I knew I was smiling like an idiot, but the fact that she seemed just as excited to see me as I was to see her only made me want to smile more. "How was your trip down? Did you have any trouble finding the place again?"
"Nope. Your directions were perfect, just like you."
As she started to close her eyes and lean in for another kiss, I lifted her off the ground and spun us around. The sound of her laughter was like sweet music to my ears. "Since you're not twenty-one we can't go inside the club, so do you mind if we just hang out in my car?" I knew it sounded like a lame pickup line, but I just wanted to get her inside my car before another vampire in the area smelled her and came to check things out.
"Sure, that sounds great."
I felt more relaxed once we were sitting inside my car, so I reached out to hold her hand. It felt phenomenal being able to touch her again, and to be able to talk face to face. We spent the next fifteen minutes talking about random things, like how long I had worked here, and whether I liked it or not. She asked if the weird hours bothered me, and if I ever thought about doing something else. I hated lying to her about such stupid little details, but I really had no choice. Only when she seemed to drift off into her own thoughts did I worry that my lies weren't convincing enough. Then, suddenly she leaned forward and kissed me, and this time with a little more heat.
"I'm sorry. I love talking to you, but watching your mouth move is a little distracting." She smiled shyly, but I could tell from the heat in her eyes and the sudden rise in excitement that she really didn't want to listen to any more of my stories.
I studied the planes of her beautiful face: the luscious contour of her lips, the mesmerizing sparkle of her light blue eyes, and the smooth perfection of her long blonde hair; I too was suddenly done with small talk. I leaned in, threaded my fingers into her hair, and pulled her lips to mine. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before she broke away and climbed into the backseat. I wanted to laugh, but not because she was being funny or silly, but because I was so happy my undead heart felt like it was going to explode. She was so confident and secure in her sexuality, and obviously she knew what she wanted, and that was damn sexy. I knew we wouldn't be going all the way in the backseat of my car, but just the thought of being able to explore Rose and the level of our connection had me worried that keeping my drifting at bay was going to be a huge problem tonight.
"Sorry. Does this make you uncomfortable?" she asked.
This time I did laugh out loud as I climbed into the backseat to join her. "You're asking a guy if making out with a beautiful girl in the backseat of his car makes him uncomfortable? Um...no. It makes me the luckiest man in the world."
Her smile not only lit up the backseat of my car, but also my heart. With a serious look on her face, she continued, "I don't expect us to jump straight into the sack, but the connection I feel with you is unexplainable. I know this will sound weird, but it's almost as if there's something magical about it. I don't know...like I said, I can't explain it. I know this is only our second date, but for me it feels like we've known each other forever. I just hope that doesn't freak you out."
I took her hands in mine and looked deep into her eyes. "Rose, you don't have to worry about doing anything that is going to freak me out. I'm sure that most people wouldn't understand it, but I feel exactly the same way. You're right, there is something magical when it comes to the way I feel about you. It's like we were together in another life or something. Everything with you is so easy and natural, and I love how confident you are. A lot of people have a tendency to deny what's happening to them, but I'm glad we can both accept our feelings and not be afraid of them."
I caught her as she threw herself into my arms, hugging me as though her life depended on it. "Christian, you make me feel so comfortable and safe. I can honestly say that this is the first time that I've ever felt ready to start a relationship." She pulled away from the hug and with a teasing glint in her eyes, she said, "And I have to admit, I've never been as turned on by a man as I am by you."
That was the last thing we said to one another for quite some time. Because from that point on our bodies and mouths were otherwise occupied. The feel of Rose in my arms and the intensity of our kisses was something that I'd never experienced before. I was thankful that there weren't any lights in this part of the parking lot, because if there had been, then I'm sure she would have seen my drifted appearance. Instead, our eyes were closed or it was just so dark that she really couldn't tell the difference. I truly was the luckiest guy in the world.
* * * * *
From that day on, Rose and my relationship only grew. She would come visit me during my breaks at least a couple times a week, and every couple of weeks I would take her out on a real date, using the excuse of needing to wait for my paycheck to do something special. I just loved how normal everything was progressing. We had decided that we weren't going to sleep with each other until the time was right, because as intense as our feelings were, just talking and exploring each other was the perfect way to justify those feelings without throwing sex into the equation. Plus, if we were to actually have sex, I didn't think I would be able to control my urge to bite her, and since that would expose my secret–having sex was just not an option.
* * * * *
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dying to Ask
(Rose)
Christian and I had been seeing each other for about a month and a half now. I would almost venture to say that we were in love, even though neither of us had said it yet. We weren't having sex, but I was happy with that decision. It just made our conversations and the times we spent together that much more real. Our relationship wasn't about sex, though if our makeout sessions were any indication, our sex life was going to be amazing when it finally did begin.
But, tonight I had other plans. While spending all of my extra time with Christian was certainly wonderful, it was definitely taking its toll. I was dreadfully behind in all of my classes, and I had a paper due this week. I refused to let all my hard work go down the drain just because of a guy. So, I had bit the bullet and told Christian that I couldn't come down tonight because I had made plans with Mom to stay late after school in order to get some research done in the library. She was working late, conducting a class at the swim complex, and agreed to pick me up when she was done.
I was walking out of the library when my phone rang. "Hi, honey. Look I'm sorry, but this session is running late and I need you to take the bus over to meet me here instead. Is that going to be okay?"
"Sure, Mom. No problem. Just give me the address again." I quickly rummaged through my bag to grab a piece of paper and a pen to jot down the address. "Okay, got it. Looks like I should be there just after dark."
"Perfect. Just head around to the o
utdoor pool when you arrive. Thanks, honey. I'll see you soon."
The bus ride went by pretty fast, and I arrived just after dark as expected. Walking around this huge complex was a little freaky at night, so when I approached the pool, and didn't hear anything, but instead saw thrashing waves in the pool, my nerves were shot.
"Mom?" I called out. There was no answer. I slowly walked towards the pool but stopped only after two steps because once I looked closer, I saw my mom and a guy struggling underwater. Oh god, please no!
I had never been faced with any kind emergency situation, so even though I wasn't proud of it, I was panic stricken and completely frozen. I couldn't move or scream until the moment the waves in the water started to clear.
What I saw was enough to scare me into motion. I ran back around the corner of the building and hid while I watched as a man climbed out of the pool carrying my mother in his arms with his mouth plastered to the side of her neck.