by H G Lynch
He grinned. “But you’d lie. There’s no way in hell you’d have told me what you were
really just thinking about,” he said in a low, intimate voice, unable to help himself. But, obviously realising he’d seen her thoughts, Ember’s eyes went wide, and then she went the colour of beetroot, flushing to the roots of her caramel-blonde hair. She almost looked like she might cry. Uh-oh, Reid thought suddenly, dropping his smirk. Ember swallowed visibly and flipped her hair over her face so he couldn’t see her. Damn it! He hadn’t meant to upset her. What was he meant to say? She’d already figured out what he’d seen, and it would only piss her off more if he denied it. “Look, I’m sorry, I just… I can never tell what you’re thinking, and you honestly looked like you were contemplating the rationality of the existence of God or something. I wouldn’t have intruded if I thought… Well, I guess that’s the problem. I don’t think before I act…” he sighed, that last mainly being a mutter to himself. But she caught it and answered.
“Yeah, so I’d noticed,” she chirped sharply, her voice like shards of glass falling.
“It wasn’t like I expected… I mean I wasn’t trying to find… Not that I mind, but I just…” He continued grasping at straws but he could tell it was no use. She was going to keep her guard up around him constantly now, and he’d probably never get a chance with her. Maybe it’d be easier on her if I just-
“It’s OK,” she said suddenly, her voice quiet.
Reid blinked, thought he’d misheard. “What?”
She still wouldn’t look at him and he suspected she was still red under that curtain of hair but she sounded calmer at least. “It’s okay. I just should’ve known better,” she murmured. Reid wanted to ask her what she meant, why she should’ve known better, but he decided to let it slip. He had the feeling he’d only upset her more if he kept questioning her about it.
For some reason, it reminded him of that day at the skate park when he’d asked if she was a virgin or not, and she’d gotten all angry and flustered. Maybe there was still part of her that was too innocent, that tiny part that wasn’t demonic and ferocious. The idea that there was a hidden vulnerability in her gave him a strange thrill, a desire to find that softness in her.
After that they walked in silence for a bit. Reid watched her as she watched the waving tree branches and the navy-blue expanse of sky, dusted with puffs of grey clouds. The way the moonlight caught her face made her look ethereally pale, made her hair shine like molten gold.
Suddenly, she lowered her gaze to his. Her eyes were dark as sapphires in this light. “Hey, by the way, how did you know I was in the tree? I mean, you must’ve known I was there before I gasped because you were already gone.” She looked puzzled, an expression she had so often that he wondered if she ever stopped thinking about things. It seemed that there was always something going on in her head.
“I could smell your scent. The scent of your blood and pheromones,” he explained, contemplating the idea that this information might freak her out or disgust her.
Instead, Ember considered what he’d said for a moment, and shrugged. It was astounding the way she accepted these things with nothing but interest and calmness. Surely she was in shock or something? There was no way she was really taking all this in and still didn’t run screaming. Yet, he thought she was. There was something in her eyes, the thoughtfulness to the tilt of her mouth. Yes, she was absorbing it all like a sponge soaking up beads of water, and she wasn’t scared. She was singularly unique, and Reid knew he’d already fallen for her, fallen so deeply that he was sure to drown if he found out she didn’t return his feelings.
Finally, they reached the big wooden doors to the dorms and Reid hesitated, stopping her by gently tugging her back by the hood of her jumper. She looked disgruntled and confused but didn’t lash out for once.
“I don’t think we should go in together. If someone sees us, the rumours will only get worse,” he explained sympathetically, feeling the frown on his own face.
He was amused by how she’d been handling the rumours so far, with witty retorts and bitchy remarks, brushing off everyone and putting some people to shame. He’d been watching her intently since Monday, despite what she’d said to him then. She was at her most demonic, and it was a little scary to watch her sometimes.
Reid focused back on the present, searching Ember’s face for some sign of defensive anger, some sign that she’d lash out at him or anyone they passed in the halls but the look she gave him was far from angry. She was smiling lightly, devilishly and her blue eyes were warm and deep. “I don’t care. They are only rumours after all, right?” And dear God, was that a seductive tone?
Judging by her expression, he decided that it most definitely was a seductive tone, and he was taken aback once more. His heart did a funny little jump, and if he hadn’t known better, he would’ve pulled her to him right then and kissed her.
Ember giggled at his expression, and slipped into the dorms, not waiting for him to follow. Rolling his eyes heavenward with a silent prayer, Reid stood for a few seconds, before following her in and catching up to her. She was toying with him. The little blonde demon was playing with him like a cat with a mouse! He was sure of it. She had to know how irresistible her teasing was. The thing was… he had a feeling she didn’t.
Ember
Ember ignored the whispers and stares they got as they climbed the stairs and walked to her room. She even paused at the door to talk to Reid. Distantly, she was surprised there was anyone up at this time, but of course there were plenty of students rushing to and from each other’s rooms for late night recreations. A couple of people even stopped to watch what would happen as she stood to talk to Reid.
“You know the rumours are going to go out of control tomorrow, right?” Reid asked in a whisper, his blue eyes concerned. God, if he got any cuter, she’d end up wrapping her arms around him and never letting go.
“So? Rumours are only rumours. Only gossip whores believe that crap anyway,” she said loudly, boldly meeting the gazes of the few who’d stopped. They immediately turned away and Ember smirked. Reid smiled faintly at her.
“You really are a tough-” he started but she cut him off,
“If you say ‘kid’, I’ll slap you,” she said, anticipating his next words.
“I was going to say ‘girl’ actually.” Reid grinned. He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced down, agitating the dark carpet with toe of one boot. “So,” he said awkwardly, and she wondered if he would kiss her. For once, the idea didn’t make her feel like running away.
“So… I’ll see you tomorrow,” Ember sighed, rubbing her forehead. She had one hell of a headache. Reid nodded and smiled. Then, looking around and seeing there was nobody pacing the halls since she’d scared them off, he kissed her on the mouth. A chaste, sweet kiss, just a mere brushing of lips. But it was enough to make Ember dizzy and her stomach clenched hotly. Grinning, Reid chuckled, before sauntering off down the hall with the smuggest grin she’d ever seen on him - which was saying something.
Ember got into her room and flicked on the ceiling light, regardless of Sherry. Right now, Ember was too tired to care whether or not she woke her friend.
She pulled off her boots and jumper, pulling on her pyjamas again. Standing in front of the mirror over the dresser, she brushed her hair, making sure there were no lingering bits of bark or pine needles. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, and her freckles looked awfully dark against her pale skin.
It wasn’t until she’d been to the bathroom and brushed her teeth that she noticed that Sherry wasn’t in her bed. The dark covers were wrinkled, and something white rested against the pillow.
“Where the…?” Ember frowned at the empty bed, messily made up with a scribbled note on the pillow. Ember picked it up, suddenly feeling exhausted, and read:
Hey Emz. Don’t worry, haven’t been kidnapped. Went to see Ricky. Go back to sleep. X
Ember sighed and put the note down. She didn’t want to t
hink about whatever Sherry was doing with Ricky at this time of night. The issue of his showing up in the fight with the witches, and the fact that Reid would be back in his - and Ricky’s - room by now didn’t really register with Ember’s sluggish, insanity-laden mind until much later.
Ten minutes later, after Ember had turned out the light and was trying to drift off, the door opened. Ember groaned, thinking that this night was never going to end, but it was only Sherry who came in, carrying her shoes in one hand and shutting the door quietly with the other. With her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Ember could see Sherry moving slowly across the room, shoulders hunched.
“I’m awake. No need to tiptoe about,” Ember muttered, not moving. She was too comfortable and too tired to bother moving. Sherry jumped at the sound of Ember’s voice and pulled her hair over her neck conspicuously. Ember was dead-beat tired but not stupid as not to realise why Sherry was doing that: Love bites. Or, Ember thought with her newly discovered secret in mind, Vampire bites?
“I thought you’d be dead as a log till morning,” Sherry whispered apologetically. Ember reached out one arm lazily and flicked on the bedside lamp. Sherry cringed from it.
“I wish,” Ember replied, her voice slow with exhaustion, “I went for a moonlight walk after having a nightmare and ended up bumping into the last person I wanted to see.” She rolled her eyes, not really lying but not telling the whole truth. Even Sherry would think she was nuts if Ember told her the whole story.
“Reid, I’m guessing. Did you, uh, sort things out?” Sherry murmured, dumping her shoes by her bed and wandering over to her dresser to pull out pyjamas. Ember watched her paw through her clothes until she tugged out a camisole and began digging for the matching shorts.
“Pfft,” Ember made a sound half-way between a hiss and a snort. “If anything, things just got more confusing. I didn’t think it was possible.” Ember almost laughed aloud at just how much more confusing things had gotten. Only, it wasn’t really emotional confusion anymore, so much as psychological confusion. As in, she wasn’t entirely sure if she was still sane.
“Hmm,” was Sherry’s simple distracted reply. She was still searching for her pyjama shorts, half tossing things out of the drawer. Ember noticed something just then and had to stifle a giggle in her duvet.
“Uh, you know your t-shirt’s on the wrong way?” she stated with an irrepressible grin. Sherry whirled, blushing, and stared down at her t-shirt.
“Oh, I, uh, just…” Sherz stumbled for words and Ember just laughed tiredly.
“Hey, you do what you want. Just wait until tomorrow if you’re going to get all gossipy; I don’t think I can take any more news tonight.” Ember waved at her dismissively and Sherz smiled sheepishly in return.
After they were both in bed and the light was out, Ember fell asleep quickly, despite the revelations and questions whirring in her brain. Thankfully, she didn’t have any more goddamned dreams.
Sherry
“Ember, time to get up.” Sherry prodded her friend, who was still out like light at eight o’clock in the morning. Ember groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her face. Sherry sighed as she stood, hands on hips, glaring at the lump in the bed before her. “Ember, we have school. You need to get up.” Ember made a muffled sound like a snort under the pillow and grumbled.
“As if I give a…” The end of her sentence was indistinct as she shifted under the covers. Sherry rolled her eyes, wondering when she’d become her best friend’s mother, and grabbed the end of Ember’s duvet. She flung it off the drowsy girl and to the floor, eliciting an irritated, sleepy growl from Ember.
“I’m not going to school today!” Ember sat up, rubbing her head. Sherry had to admit her friend did look awfully exhausted, with purple splodges under her hazy blue eyes, and her skin was paler than usual.
“Fine. I’ll tell them you’re ill, but this is the last time I’m covering for you,” Sherry warned as Ember hastily bundled up her duvet from the floor and snuggled back into it. Watching her friend exasperatedly - and a little worriedly - Sherry couldn’t help but wonder about what Ember had been up to with Reid, while she’d been with Ricky, which had tired her out so much?
Knowing she wouldn’t get an answer from Ember, who appeared to already be asleep again, Sherry sighed and closed the curtains before grabbing her schoolbag and leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.
Ember
It was after one in the afternoon before Ember was even awake enough to look at the clock without the numbers blurring in front of her eyes. She was glad she’d chosen to stay in bed today because she would’ve zonked out in class sixty times by now if she’d gone to school. But she took little comfort in the extra sleep, because she could clearly remember every detail of why she needed that extra sleep.
Groggily, she rolled out of bed and scrambled under it for her bottle of coke. She desperately needed her fix of caffeine, otherwise she’d be a mindless zombie in a bad mood for the rest of the day. She needed her head clear to think, seeing as she had a hell of a lot to think about. She chugged the coke straight from the big, two-litre bottle and got to her feet as she twisted the lid back on it. Carelessly, she dropped the bottle onto her bed and went to the bathroom to shower, hoping the hot water would wake her up.
Once she was semi-presentable, with her hair sitting neatly in golden waves and her teeth brushed, she carefully made her bed, smoothing out every wrinkle until you could’ve bounced a coin on it. Suddenly, it seemed the whole room was a mess. The books were out of order on their shelves, the clothes in her dresser were piled in sloppily and the make-up on the nightstand really should’ve been put away.
Ember vaguely noted, in the back of her mind, that none of these things really mattered. That she was finding distractions - displacement activities, as her Chemistry teacher back home had called it - because she didn’t want to think about last night. But, of course, it was unavoidable, and eventually, after having put every out of place particle in the room back in order, Ember dropped onto her bed and folded her legs. It was time to think, no matter how much of a headache it would give her.
Not three minutes later, while she was staring hard at a blank spot on the wall, having skipped the actual thinking and gone straight to just mindless daydreaming, a knock came at the door. Ember knew without hesitation who it would be.
She sighed and somewhat unenthusiastically muttered, “Come in.” Sure enough, it was Reid who entered, closing the door softly behind him as if frightened he might scare her off. Apparently, her casual acceptance of his vampirism last night was lost on him.
“Hey. How… how d’you feel?” he murmured, lingering by the door with his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t wearing his beanie today, or his cut-off gloves, looking almost vulnerable without them.
“Apart from exhausted? I’m great. You don’t have to act like I’m some terribly frightened little mouse. If I was worried about you being a vampire, I wouldn’t have slapped you last night, would I?” she grumbled, flopping back tiredly onto her pillows. Reid hesitated, then, with a grin, came and bounced down onto the bed by her feet. She rolled her eyes at him. “So why are you here? A real reason or just wanted to ensure I wasn’t going to run screaming ‘Vampire’ around the school?” Ember smirked and felt his hand close on her ankle. He tugged her down the bed, and laughed when she hissed at him. Ember struggled to fix her t-shirt, which had ridden up when he’d tugged her, feeling uncomfortable with his gaze lingering on her exposed skin.
“Stop staring at me or I might think you really will try to eat me.” She jerked her ankle free and slid back up the bed, tucking her knees up to her chin and watching him carefully. Reid just smirked and shrugged.
“I don’t have to be a vampire to want to do that,” he stated simply, as if it were a well-known fact. Ember wanted to get angry or embarrassed but instead she just gave him a mild glare and tossed a pillow at him playfully.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she stated s
imply as he laid himself out on the bed next to her. He looked at her with lazy blue eyes and a smile.
“No. I didn’t.” He smirked as he said the words. Ember vaguely recalled having avoided a question of his with those words before. She reached out a hand to rap him on the forehead but he caught it easily. “Nuh-uh-uh. You don’t get to do that anymore.” He grinned, an astonishingly bright smile with fangs showing. Her heart jerked and her breathing caught for just an instant upon seeing those fangs. Did he really have to do that?
“I can still do this,” She retorted, springing on him like a snake out of a striking coil. She landed astride his stomach, and he gazed up at her with wide, startled crystal-blue eyes. She could feel her own heart hammering on her ribs but she was determined to make him see that she wasn’t scared of him, that his being a vampire didn’t bother her. Far from it, in fact.
“Well, this is a nice change,” she said smugly, letting her hair fall on either side of her face.
“What might that be?” Reid replied, quirking an eyebrow curiously.
“I’m the one pinning you for a change.” She laughed, and felt his breathing stop for just a heartbeat.
“Only because I’m letting you. I’m enjoying this much more than you think,” he chuckled, his eyes darkening with a kind of heat. That heat seemed to melt into Ember, too, and she began finding it difficult to think of a reason to ever move.
“Mh-hm. Are you going to get off, or are you going to kiss me? I’d prefer the latter but…” Reid grinned, obviously picking up on her change in mood. She quickly shifted off him and hid her blush. “C’est la vie,” Reid sighed and propped himself on an elbow to look at her. He really did look like some sexy angel, lying there with warm blue eyes and a seductive smile on his soft mouth.