Craving: The Willow Creek Vampires Series

by Stephanie Summers

  Remy was the first man that had paid her that kind of attention. It was entirely different. The way he made her feel was nothing she’d experienced before with the boys she’d been with. His kisses and touches felt like they were meant only for her pleasure. He was so good at playing the part. How many women had he seduced in 400 years? How many of them did he ever really have feelings for? Just what had he learned in all that time that he liked to boast about? She shook the thoughts away, and prepared for bed.

  As she climbed into bed, Remy stood looking out the window at nothing again. “I won’t sleep tonight. Don’t worry about finding me naked beside you in the morning.” He smirked as he glanced at her.

  “What a relief.” She turned on her side so that her back was facing him. After a few minutes, she gathered the courage to ask something that had been bugging her since the day before. “How did you know they wouldn’t read my mind?”

  “None of them, except Martin, were old enough, and he doesn’t possess it. That’s an ability that comes with age. Even then most can’t do it. I’ve been able to do it when I really tried only because it is a gift Bastian possesses. Our makers greatly influence the abilities we have. I’ve just never bothered to hone my skills.”

  “I was worried someone would know I wasn’t really with you romantically. I kept trying not to think about it, but it was really hard not to.”

  “I think we did a damn good job of convincing them we bang on a regular basis. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I guess so.” She wanted to scream that he’d made her almost believe they were together. She fought the urge to invite him into bed with her and finish what they started earlier.

  He laughed to himself as the quickening beat of her heart gave her feelings away once again. He concentrated on her, trying to hear. There was nothing. He never really liked listening in on thoughts before, but he was curious to hear exactly what she was thinking.

  “Do you mind if I lie beside you and watch TV? I can turn the volume down so I don’t disturb you.”

  “As long as you keep your pants on, it’s fine.”

  “Good, I can lose the shirt then.” He smirked and pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it over the back of the chair.

  She sighed heavily, but smiled to herself. In truth, she really didn’t mind if he lost his pants, but she had to keep up the act. She cleared her mind as much as she could and drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Hours had passed, and there was nothing on but infomercials. He turned off the TV, and continued to lie there bored. Sabine slept facing him now, and he caught himself looking at her again. He studied her face, memorizing every tiny pore of her skin, every strand of her hair, and every curve of her face. He watched the artery in her neck thump with every beat of her heart and longed to taste her. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted her.

  He’d started out loathing her and the idea of spending the rest of her life together. He couldn’t wait for the day to come when she would die and maybe he would free again. Feeding off only her was revolting to him. He’d enjoyed countless types, both women and men, for feeding in the past, and he couldn’t imagine giving that up. But, now…now, he realized that he hadn’t desired anyone but her since he got on the plane only a week before. The girl from Times Square even resembled her, and she was the only one he’d specifically chosen to feed from during that time.

  The past two years were spent watching over her, and although Bastian ordered him to keep her safe, he quickly grew to enjoy being around her, even if she never suspected he was there. He’d learned things about her that made him see who she really was. He knew she cried every time she watched a sappy romantic movie, laughed hysterically when she watched The Big Bang Theory, and was so invested in the characters on The Walking Dead that she spoke about them like she knew them personally. He knew she was obsessed with the band Ferrum and its lead singer. He’d even checked the band out, and found that he enjoyed their music, all because of her.

  He knew she loved to read and wished to have her own personal library. Ironically, the one place she would do anything to get out of was the one place where her wish would be fulfilled. He’d had the room adjacent to his remodeled with large shelves and a big, plush chair that had a little table attached to it by a bay window she could lounge in and read to her heart’s content. A door had been installed between his bedroom and the library for easy access. All the room needed was the books of her choosing. He’d even made sure to include an area in that library where she could paint if she wanted. And oh how he loved to watch her paint. It had quickly become one of his favorite things to do. The passion coursing through her when she created a work of art exhilarated him in a way he hadn’t felt in centuries.

  The way he kissed her earlier in the day was only a small sample of what he wanted to do to her. He couldn’t help but feel she would warm up to him if he changed how he treated her. A little respect could go a long way to building a bond between them. Sabine longed to be romanced, and he could do that for her easily.

  No. This wasn’t what he really wanted. She would die in the blink of an eye in comparison to his long life. The only way he could be with her would be to turn her into one of his kind. She would never go for that, and he wouldn’t turn her against her will. He had to bury those feelings deep inside himself before they got out of hand.

  He continued to study her, trying not to feel anything for her. As he did, he fell asleep and began to dream of her. Something he hadn’t done in over a century.

  *

  Sabine began to wake in the early morning hours of the next day. Her mind was fuzzy, and before she opened her eyes, she tried desperately to go back to sleep. Once her eyes were open, that would be it. She’d be wide awake. Her neck ached slightly, and her head was positioned in an odd angle like she was laying on something hard.

  Wait a sec. That doesn’t feel like a pillow. She peeped open one eye to see where she was and what was going on. Her head rested on his chest, and she looked down to see his arm firmly around her. Trying to free herself was no use. His arm was too heavy to try and move from the position she was in. She looked up to see him sleeping peacefully with the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. He looked happy for once, instead of his usual asshole-ish self. She pondered for a second if he was really asleep or if he was messing with her again.

  As if on cue, his eyes opened, and he saw her looking up at him. Instead of moving his arm or pushing her away, he stayed still. It was a make or break moment. If he moved her away, he would be back to pretending he didn’t have feelings for her, but, if he stayed where he was, maybe she would see him for who he was and who he longed to be, not the monster she thought he was.

  “I’m sorry. I must’ve rolled over onto you in the middle of the night. I’ll get up now.”

  “No…Stay. You’re not bothering me. It’s nice to cuddle sometimes. I like the warmth.” His grip tightened a little, and he gently squeezed her.

  She laughed loud, unable to control herself. “You like to cuddle? Or are you just fucking with me again?”

  “There’s so much you don’t know about me, Sabine. You think you’ve got me figured out, but you have no idea.” He let go of her and slid out from underneath her.

  She felt bad for laughing. She didn’t mean to offend him, and was just shocked that this evil vampire, who’d portrayed himself as such an ass to this point, wanted to cuddle with her. “I’m sorry, Remy. I shouldn’t have laughed. You caught me off guard, and I thought you were messing with me.”

  “You might as well get dressed so we can go.” He stood up and grabbed his shirt.

  “Remy…”

  “Go on, now. Get to it. I’m sure your parents are anxious for you to come home.”

  In that moment, she realized her opportunity was gone. The door he cracked open to his soul slammed shut.

  Chapter 11

  “Anymore hot hook ups between you two I should know about?” Delia questioned. They sat in t
heir usual spot at their Saturday evening café. Their routine of meeting up every Saturday wasn’t quite so routine anymore with both of the girls having jobs at different times. They still managed to keep up the tradition when they were both free.

  “Are you ever going to let that go? It was a one-time thing, and apparently it didn’t really mean much to him, anyway.”

  “I just wondered if he wanted to cuddle anymore.” Delia giggled, and lightly tapped Sabine on the arm. She couldn’t hold back the laughter any longer, and she let loose.

  “You know, I do feel really bad for laughing at him. It was horrible of me. He was so vulnerable right then, and I kicked him right in the balls.” She sipped on her iced coffee.

  “Has he been around at all?”

  “I’m sure he has, but I haven’t seen him. I’m sure he’s close now, if you want to know the truth. He probably heard everything we just said.”

  “Seriously? He’s around you all the time?”

  “I don’t know if it’s all the time. I don’t think he’s around much during the day, but he knew I was planning on running. He told me he just quit bothering me, but was never far away. So I’m guessing he’s somewhere close now, since it’s almost dark. Maybe he’s trying not to bother me again.”

  Delia grinned and said, “Remy? Come out, come out wherever you are! I will cuddle with you anytime you want!”

  “Shut your mouth, Delia! I don’t really want another scene here like the last time he crashed our Saturday ritual. You do remember how I blew up at him two years ago, don’t you?”

  “Alright, alright. I’ll stop.”

  He was there, seated at a park bench under a tree too far away for them to see, and he did hear every word they said. He almost made an appearance just to startle them, but he decided against it. He parted ways awkwardly with her before, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to be face to face with her just yet.

  He watched as a young man, appearing to be their age, approached the two girls. He sensed the boy was a vampire, but there was no way to tell for sure. In a town with a healthy vampire population, it was hard to distinguish who exactly was and who wasn’t. This young man was not one he was familiar with if he was a vampire, but then Bastian had so many guests at times it was hard for him to keep up with them all, especially when he was on Sabine watch.

  “I just wanted to say I really like your shoes. They’re awesome!” The young man smiled at Sabine with the straightest, whitest teeth she’d ever seen. His deep brown eyes mesmerized her instantly.

  “Thanks! I love my Chucks, but I had to make them my own.”

  “I’m Joshua, but you can call me Josh. I don’t think I’ve seen you ladies around here before. I moved here a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I’m Delia, and this is Sabine.”

  “Mind if I join you? I don’t really know anyone yet, and you two look like you might be fun.”

  They looked at each other and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

  “Thanks! I heard you laughing over here, and I thought to myself, ‘That’s where I need to be’.”

  The three of them talked about common interests for close to an hour before Delia announced she had to get home for the evening.

  “Yeah, I should be getting home, too.”

  Josh stood up, and walked with them until they got to the point where Delia went one way and Sabine went the other.

  “Hey, Sabine. Could I walk you home?”

  She shifted her weight nervously from one leg to the other. What would Remy think? What would he do if –no, when-he sees them alone together? Delia stood behind Josh nodding her approval.

  “Umm, I guess.”

  “You don’t sound so sure.” He chuckled.

  She giggled back. “No, it’s fine.” Let him see her with someone else. Why not? She’d felt very sexually frustrated since her encounter with Remy earlier in the month. Might as well see what this guy was willing to get into.

  He walked her to her front door, and lingered for a second. He stopped and turned to her.

  “Can we hang out again sometime?”

  “Absolutely. I’m free most of the time.” She quit her job, or rather she lost her job when she failed to show up for a week straight. She saw no point in getting another one when her parents showered her with anything she wanted. They felt horrible for her, and constantly tried to make up for it with an outpouring of love and gifts. She could probably murder someone and they’d be okay with it. They never stopped her from going anywhere or doing anything anymore.

  Remy sat just above them on the roof. He was convinced this one was vampire now that he was close. I should jump down and tear out his throat before he has a chance to say another word. She’s mine. She’s not open for anyone else to claim. He’s too young to even sense that I’m right here. He could never take care of her like I can. He could be an outsider living on borrowed time and will be gone soon, one way or another. He hesitated just before he jumped down. What was he doing? She wasn’t really his, not yet anyway. She would be officially in 11 months whether she liked it or not, but right now, she was free.

  *

  Her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of a soft peck on the window. She walked cautiously and raised the glass. In an instant, Remy stood in her bedroom behind her.

  “How about you use the front door next time?”

  “Dull.”

  “I prefer dull.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Sabine. I know better.” He stepped closer to her and looked down at her. His hand skimmed across her cheek before settling just behind her ear. She felt excitement stir inside her. Was this really going to happen?

  “And just how would you know what I like?” She spoke with a sultry voice, and looked back up at him, deep into his eyes, ready to receive whatever physical goody he wanted to give her.

  “I just do.” He laughed and stepped back out of her personal space. “By the way, you are aware your little friend from today is a vampire, right?” He plopped himself down in the chair by the window.

  “No, he’s not. I don’t believe you.” Josh was so sweet. He couldn’t have been a vampire. “You’ll say anything to annoy me.”

  “Would I lie to you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, so maybe I would, but I’m not lying to you now. Don’t trust him. Never trust a vampire.”

  “Using that logic, I shouldn’t believe you, and I’ve been stupid to trust you before this.”

  “You can trust me, just not any other vampire.”

  “Nope. No, you said never.” She ran the brush through her wavy hair, and turned away from him.

  “Fine. See for yourself, and when he rips your throat out I don’t want you crawling to me, begging to heal you.” He walked back to the window, and turned, blowing her a kiss before disappearing.

  She tried desperately to remember if there was anything about Josh that would indicate he was one of them. He seemed like any other guy her age. He dressed like a 20-year-old. He was into the same things a 20-year-old would be into. None of those things could completely rule out that he wasn’t a vampire. She would proceed with caution, though she wasn’t too worried. If he was, he couldn’t do anything to hurt her, or Bastian would have his head.

  *

  Once he was confident the vampire from earlier was nowhere near Sabine, he returned to Willow Creek Manor. Remy entered through the large doors, and headed up the stairs and down the long hallway to his room. As he rounded a corner, there stood Josh admiring some artwork.

  “Who are you?” He was not threatened by the young vampire at all. He wanted him to know that, too, especially after seeing him with Sabine.

  “Hey, Man. I’m Josh,” he said, holding his hand out to shake Remy’s hand.

  Remy left him hanging as he assessed him. “Why are you here?”

  “I was looking to settle down somewhere for a while. Heard from a friend of mine about this town. He contacted Bastian to see if I could crash here awhile, and here I am.”r />
  “Hmm.” Remy was gone in a flash. He knocked on Bastian’s door a moment later.

  “Come in! To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? I thought you would still be watching her, or has she gone to sleep for the night?”

  “She’s fine. Who is Josh, and why is he here?”

  “He is here as my guest. I am trying to determine whether or not I should take him under my wing. He shows great potential.”

  “Why didn’t I know about him?”

  “You are never interested in who comes and goes through our home. Why should he be any different?”

  “I don’t like him. You should send him away.”

  “No. I will not until I decide. You sound as if you have something personal against him. What is it?”

  “He’s shown an interest in her.”

  “And this bothers you? My how things have changed.”

  “It bothers me that he has no regard for our rules here. He shouldn’t be seen in public trying to canoodle with her. She belongs to me.”

  Bastian smirked, and laughed from his belly. “Remy. Let it go for now. He is harming no one, and he will not harm her. So what if he takes a liking to her? That is one more vampire ensuring her survival for the next year. Now, go. I wish to hear no more of this nonsense.”

  He left Bastian’s room, making his way back down the hallway where he last saw Josh. He wasn’t there. Sabine.

  Chapter 12

  She settled in under the covers. One more day down, 330 to go. She would miss her room and her bed. She’d miss all of the things she collected over the years. Not knowing how much she could take, she constantly added to her mental list of things she would absolutely have to take with her.

  Sleep evaded her. The possibility of Josh being one of them was disturbing her peace. Not that there was anything between them or that there ever would be. Still, she couldn’t shake him from her thoughts. Maybe she would see him again and could either ask him flat out or observe him and gather enough evidence on her own to decide.