The car soon slowed down just past Henry’s Hardware and Katrina could make out the outline of two bodies. She was pretty sure she knew who they belonged to because that late at night there was a slim chance it would be anyone else. Cole pulled to the side of the road and turned off the ignition. He opened his door, but before he left he turned back towards Katrina.
“I’ll be right back.” Cole gave her one last look before he turned and headed towards the two figures, she could now see were Jake and Andrew.
Katrina nodded and watched as he stopped in front of Jake. She couldn’t make out the conversation from where she was sitting, but every so often Andrew and Jake’s heads turned her way. Then Jake's demeanor suddenly changed. His face filled with tension and the cloud of his emotions hit her full force. It was like having her body invaded by an unwanted storm. She tried to push the feelings aside and focus on them, but it was difficult. Jake's emotions were on high alert and they were overwhelming her.
They talked a few more minutes and then all three of them headed back towards the Camaro. Jake ran up to the side she was on and yanked the door open. His eyes immediately started doing an inventory over her face and body.
“Kat!” Jake reached in and wrapped his arms around her.
The moment he hugged her, Katrina let go of all the emotion she’d been holding in. She leaned her head into him and cried.
“I’m so sorry,” he pleaded, his voice cracking. Lifting her head, Katrina could see tears start to fill Jake’s eyes. “If I had been there maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe I could have stopped it before—”
“It’s not your fault.” Katrina cut him off. “Brody’s been taunting me like that for years.”
“I know, but I should have been there. It’s my fault.”
“Don’t blame yourself. He’s always been an ass to us.”
“I promise I’ll never leave you alone like that again,” Jake said, wiping his tears on his sleeve.
“Hello, Kah-tree-na.” Andrew pronounced every syllable carefully, as he walked out from behind Jake.
“Hi.” Katrina managed to barely choke out. Without meaning to, she found herself staring at Andrew. She had never actually met or seen him up close before. All she knew was what Jake had told her and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him yet.
“So, where to?” Andrew asked, looking across the car at Cole.
“The truck,” Cole answered, as he climbed in and started the ignition. Jake gave Katrina one more quick squeeze and then followed Andrew into the back seat.
Katrina shut the door behind him and attempted to wipe away some of her tears with her hand.
“Here.” Cole handed her a tissue.
“Thanks.” Katrina crumbled it in her hand and began wiping any evidence of her meltdown away.
The five-mile trip to school was spent in silence. For Katrina, it seemed like it was the longest trip ever. Her shock was starting to wear off and she wanted answers. Answers Cole promised her. The anticipation was starting to eat away at her already fragile nerves.
Pulling into the school's desolate parking lot, Katrina realized why she never went there at night. The emptiness that emanated off the asphalt felt lifeless and hollow. Only a brief part of it was lit up by the moon. That only added to the mysterious feeling that plagued the night. When they neared their empty parking space, confusion and a hint of panic washed over Katrina.
“Where’s the truck, Jake?”
“I don’t know. It was right there.” Jake sounded as irritated as she did.
Through the corner of her eye Katrina saw Cole tense up. He pulled into the parking space and shut off the engine. Rubbing his hand on his face, he seemed very agitated by something. Katrina caught him nodding to his reflection in the rearview mirror and out of the corner of her eye she saw Andrew's head nod in agreement. Neither one of them spoke out loud, but they seemed to be having a conversation.
“We’re going to go look for the truck,” Andrew suddenly spoke, cutting into the silence.
“We’ll be right back,” Jake added. He squeezed Katrina's shoulder and then followed Andrew out of the car.
Cole gave Andrew a stern look and watched him walk off with Jake. From the moment he sat back in the car Katrina waited for him to speak. He sat fidgeting with his keys, his eyes lost in deep thought. It was a little unnerving to wait out his silence, but she didn't have a choice.
Cole ran his fingers through his hair and then turned to face her. “Let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“When you were unconscious earlier, what were you dreaming about?”
“Does it even matter?”
“It might matter more than you think.”
“I really don’t see why it should.” Katrina was becoming agitated. She wanted answers and he wanted to talk about her dreams. Not to mention the dream was too bizarre to share. There was no way she was going to share it with anyone, least of all him.
Cole leaned in closer and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. “Humor me.” He was so close, their bodies almost touched.
Her body tingled and the electric current she usually felt was back and this time it was even stronger. She had to look away or she was going to lose it. Katrina stared down at her hands and felt the current ease. She thought back to the dream and shook her head. “I don’t know. It was really strange, but it felt very real.”
“Tell me,” he pleaded.
“I woke up on a dirt floor in this basement. At least I think it was a basement. It might sound weird, but you were there too.”
“Go on.” Cole gave her a strange look, as if he knew what she was going to say next.
“You kept calling me—Caroline. I remember getting mad at you for that. We were wearing these funny clothes.” As she spoke, Cole started laughing. “What?” she glared back at him.
“Nothing. Sorry, go ahead.” He cleared his throat and waited for her to finish.
“That’s pretty much it,” she sighed.
“So, there was nothing else? Nothing at all?”
“There was another odd thing.” She swallowed before continuing. “We were being attacked by some kind of animal.”
“Werewolves.” He nodded his head.
“What are you talking about?”
“The creatures you saw. They’re werewolves.”
“How do you know that?”
“You saw what I am.”
“No.” She forced out a nervous laugh. “I was having a hallucination. Stress causes people to do that all the time.”
“I forgot how stubborn you can be,” Cole mumbled to himself. Turning his attention back to her, his lips pressed together in a firm line and he became serious. “Trust your eyes.”
“Believe I saw you getting ready to have Brody for dinner?”
“No. I stopped him from—” Cole stopped mid-sentence and pain filled his eyes. “Draining him dry would have been an added bonus.”
“How can I be sure you don’t want to do the same to me?” Katrina stared at him and then put her hand up to her mouth in shock of a terrifying realization. “You brought us out here, so you and your creepy cousin could have a midnight snack!”
“That’s ridiculous!” There was a hint of amusement behind Cole's laughter.
“Is it? Who knows what Andrew’s doing to Jake right now?” For some reason that statement made him laugh even harder.
“You’ve seen too many movies. It’s not like that. Needing blood to survive doesn't make all of us become savages.”
“What does that mean?” She started to edge away from him.
“There are some vampires who enjoy the kill,” his voice became serious again.
“Do you—kill people?” Her curiosity was causing her to lean in closer to him.
“No. My family’s different. We only take what we need to survive and we never hurt anyone.” Cole hesitated a second and it was obvious by his tight face the subject was making him uncomforta
ble.
Katrina took a moment to process what he said, but then another question arose and before she thought better of it the words were already leaving her mouth. “How come you can walk around in the daylight?”
“Another misinformed myth. We can walk around in daylight like you or anyone else. Our skin is pale from a pigmentation deformity. It happens from a chemical oddity in our blood.”
Katrina wanted to say something in response, but she was at a loss for words. Everything that happened so far seemed like a dream and she wanted to pinch herself to see if she'd wake up.
Cole must have picked up on her apprehension because his voice became very soft and gentle. “You believe me, don’t you?”
“I don’t know. This is a lot to take in at once.” She felt a bit overwhelmed by the overload of information and her mind was trying to stay grounded in reality that it wasn't real, but she couldn't deny the fact that the more she talked to him the more her body had started to relax. Despite everything she’d been through in the past few hours, he hadn’t attacked her and he had plenty of opportunities. She hated to admit it, but she was actually starting to feel safer around him than before.
“You’ll remember everything in time.”
As he looked up, Katrina’s eyes met his. In that moment her heart stopped. It was like staring into a beautiful ocean. Feeling the electric current start to swelter under the surface, Katrina immediately looked down at the floor. Staring at the car’s carpet, Katrina's voice was barely above a whisper. “Remember what?”
“This.” His voice came out as a hoarse whisper causing Katrina's body to respond. She lifted up her head as Cole bent towards her and gently cupped her face.
The moment his lips met hers, Katrina's body tensed. Her shock soon faded into a sweltering sensation of need, need for him. Katrina closed her eyes and gave in to the floodgate of emotions his kiss released inside of her. The current of electricity that always built between them slightly faded into the distance and Katrina was unable to hold her feelings back any longer. She stopped over-thinking about what he just told her and let her body do the rest.
Cole’s icy cold, yet soft lips held hers ever so gently. His sickly sweet scent caused a friction of warmth to coil deep inside her belly. Her whole body weakened in submission, as his hands left an intense friction of heat against her cheeks. Shivers of ecstasy pulsated from her very core. Katrina was becoming lost in him and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck. Their bodies were pressing together so close; Katrina felt his body quiver under her touch. They were merging into one being, one soul and Katrina felt a strange hint of familiarity about it all.
Caught up in their moment, they were oblivious to the light tapping on the car’s window. It wasn’t until the sound became more of an impatient pounding that the two finally managed to pry themselves apart. Katrina missed his touch as soon as he pulled back and looked towards the window.
Andrew was staring back at them. “Time to go. It’s getting late.”
Katrina's head was still spinning from Cole's kiss, as she looked over Andrew's shoulder and found Jake standing with his hands in his pockets. He wouldn't make eye contact with her, but Katrina could sense through the bond that something was off. His emotions were just as intense as hers. She wondered what the two of them had been up to while they were supposed to be looking for the truck. Now that she thought about it, it was odd to be looking for a truck in a dark field in the first place. Their body language also seemed strange. They stood much closer than was necessary.
Jake and Andrew climbed inside the car and were very quiet. Katrina was picking up on a very strange vibe, but wasn't sure if it was an appropriate time to discuss it. She decided she would talk to Jake about it later and tried to keep things friendly.
“So, did you guys have any luck?” Katrina asked.
“With what?” Jake looked at her confused.
“The truck, Jake?”
“Oh, that. No, we didn’t see it anywhere.” He shook his head, but wouldn't look her in the eye.
She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. “What did you think I meant?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged.
“Uh-huh.” Katrina let the discussion stop there. It was obvious he wasn’t going to tell her why he was acting the way he was. She had been down this road before and knew a lost cause when she saw one. Instead, she turned around.
The car fell silent as Cole pulled onto the empty highway. The Camaro's engine was the only sound that echoed inside the small space. The trip home was both a little tense and a little awkward.
Katrina's thoughts were elsewhere. Her mind kept replaying their kiss over and over and each time, the intense feelings took over her body. Sitting inches from Cole didn't help matters any. His presence was overpowering and her body couldn’t shake the anticipation for more.
Katrina was brought back down out of her foggy haze as the car slowed down. She was filled with a mixture of relief and sadness. The night had been a crazy one, but she wasn't sure she was ready to leave yet.
Looking at the crème colored farmhouse, Katrina frowned. Something wasn't right. “What time is it?”
“11:30,” Cole said.
“Great. What are we going to do, Kat?” Jake asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“What’s wrong?” Andrew asked from the backseat.
“Our mom’s still up.” Katrina started to freak out. “So, we’re going to have to tell her the truck’s been stolen and come up with a really good excuse for being late. Because there’s no way we can tell her the truth. Not to mention the fact that neither one of us called her.”
“Do you want us to come in and smooth things over?” Cole offered.
“No. That’s all right.” Jake shook his head and sighed. “We’re going to have to face her sooner or later.”
“It’s no trouble.” Andrew assured him.
“Thanks, but we can handle it. Kat and I’ll just have to get our story straight before we go in.”
While they were talking, Katrina’s eyes started to roam through the field. She was trying to think of good excuse her mother would believe when something caught her eye. The moon only lit up a part of it, but she knew what it was. “What the hell!”
“What's wrong?” Cole asked.
“Over there,” Katrina extended one of her fingers towards the side of the house.
“How did the truck end up here?” Jake sounded annoyed.
“Is this someone's idea of a joke?” Katrina grew pissed at the thought of it.
“It’s not a joke. It’s them.” Anger and concern filled Cole's voice.
At the same time, Katrina jumped. From the back seat Andrew let out a low hissing sound. When she turned around to look at him, she gasped in shock. His fangs were out and his body went rigid. It was obvious he was lost in his own world. There was a feral look burning within his deep cobalt eyes. One that screamed he was ready to kill. And it made every hair on Katrina’s body stand on end.
Even though it frightened her, Katrina found herself fascinated. She couldn’t look away nor did she want to. Adrenaline flooded her body and the sound of her pulse started to pound in her ears. She was so caught up in the sight of Andrew she almost forgot where she was. It wasn’t until Cole’s voice broke through the silence, that she came back to reality. “They’re gone.”
“Who are they?” Jake asked.
“I’ll explain later,” Andrew hissed through his fangs.
Katrina's eyes were wide in shock and she couldn't look away from Andrew. Jake's description of him ran through her mind and she had to admit he looked every bit as frightening as Jake had said.
She was still staring at Andrew when the sound of her door opening caught her attention. Katrina turned and found Cole waiting for her. How the hell did he get there so fast? She had been so caught up in Andrew's reaction that she never even heard Cole get out of the car.
He must have caught the question in her gaze
because his lips curled into a deep smile, as he offered her his hand. “Let me help you.”
“Thanks.” As Cole's fingers curled around her hand, Katrina felt the familiar spark of current shoot through her body. His hand was strong as it held her, but still gentle at the same time.
On her feet, Katrina slightly swayed back and forth. Cole wrapped his hands around her waist and held her tightly against him. If he had been anyone else, she would have knocked to the ground with her, but he wasn't. His abnormal strength was just another reminder he was definitely not human. And as the night began it scared the hell out of her, but now she wasn't sure what to think of it all. Having him so close caused her body to respond. Her head was still trying wrap around the fact that he wasn't human, but her body had its own agenda. Butterflies consumed her insides at the feel of his hands pressing into her.
“Careful.” Cole was so close his cool skin brushed against her cheek.
Real smooth! Katrina's cheeks blushed. “Sorry.”
“Don't be.” A gleam of fire flickered through his pupils and he pressed his hand to her face.
Katrina's breath caught. His voice was soft and smooth, like velvet. She stared at him too dumbfounded to speak. At the moment, time seemed to stand still. There was no one else but the two of them. She held onto that belief until she heard the sound of Jake clearing his throat. That brought her back down to reality and fast. What the hell am I doing! He's a vampire!
Cole quickly removed his hands from her waist and she turned away, her face inadvertently meeting Andrew's. She was so embarrassed she wanted to crawl under a rock, but Andrew only smiled. He gave her a quick wink, took Jake by the hand and walked on ahead of them. That's when things started to slowly make more sense to her.
The sudden chill of Cole's hand in hers drew her attention back to him. He pulled her towards her house, as they walked side by side. Katrina could feel his eyes on her the entire time. Katrina slanted her eyes in his direction and felt a strange connection to him.
“I’m sorry if my cousin scared you,” Cole apologized.
“Yeah. Is that normal?”
“It can be. Depends on the situation,” Cole shrugged. She was going to ask what that meant, but part of her wasn't sure she really wanted to know. “Can we give you and your brother a ride to school tomorrow?” He changed the subject.
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