This a story continued from yesterday.
“Arthur?” I reached for his hand. It felt sticky and cold. “That really you?” My body quivered all over.
“Of course,” he said. I could swear a smile stretched across his face despite the fact I couldn’t see anything other than his blood-colored eyes. “When I went back to our home town a year ago, I found you’d left for college like you’d planned. I’ve been searching for you ever since, my love.”
Love. He called me love. Arthur never called me that.
“You sure about that?” I pulled his gummy hand from my cheek, watching his pure red pools. They didn’t flinch from me. “What did you do with my friends?” Panic riddled through me.
A round of laughter encircled us. Females and males.
I looked around into the shadows. The darkness kept out the audience hidden except for another pair of sinister eyes coming toward us.
Arthur or should I say whoever, put both his hands on my shoulders. His lips touched my cheek and brushed them against my skin toward my ear and whispered, “Don’t move.” This sent heated shivers on the inside and made my nipples hard.
What a great time for something like this, I thought. For crying out loud, Contessa, your friends are probably dead and you’re getting hot and bothered. Really? You should be ashamed of yourself.
“Why?” I whispered back.
“Trust me.”
“Why should I?” I kept my voice hushed, but firm.
“Please, Tessie.” His gentle words melted my insides.
Icy, slender fingers traveled up the back of my neck into my hair. “They were for dinner,” a female’s voice said. “They were tasty.” Her chilly breath swept against my other cheek.
Arthur made a deep-throated growl before he said, “She’s not for dinner.” He pulled me close to him burying my face into his chest. I breathed him in sniffing for remnants of chili dogs and Dial soap. Nope. He reeked of top soil and fresh blood.
“Achoo…achoo…Sorry…achoo…I’m…achoo…allergic to dirt,” I said.
The female chuckled and twirled a finger into a strand of my hair.
“I’m making her my mate,” Arthur said.
“Really?” The woman released my hair. “She seems too frigid to become one of us. She’d make a better meal.”
“Did you forget the deal?” He snarled at her. It’s a good thing darkness veiled their faces. They sounded like the monsters I sometimes dreamt about.
“Whatever,” the female huffed.
Scuffling in the dirt sounded around us and a door slammed.
“They’re gone,” he said.
I loosened myself so I could look back into his eyes. They changed. Black pupils evolved. The sight soothed me, but not enough to keep my mouth shut. “What’s going on?” I fought back tears that should’ve come sooner, but I’m not one to show open terror when threatened. “Where have you been? What happened to you? Why did you eat. My. Friends?” I shot the words at him.
“I’m a vampire,” he said.
“You’ve got to be kidding. Right?” I backed away from him and put my hands on my hips.
“No. I’m not.”
My knees went weak, pummeling me to the dirt floor. A shit-fit was coming on. “Seriously,” I said. “I need a Dove Chocolate Bar right now. In fact, I need a pint of their Unconditional Chocolate. Oh. My. God.” My mind went into a frenzy. It made my head throb more. Some stress eating would help me process this overwhelming information.
“Tessie. Don’t panic. I’ll get you whatever you want. As much ice cream as you want.” He must’ve dropped to his knees because he smoothed my hair back and his eyes held mine. “Come home with me. Be mine forever. That’s the only way I can protect you now. They know your scent. They’ll hunt you if I don’t turn you soon.”
“Turn me into what? A bloodsucking fiend?” Tears washed over my cheeks and snot ran down my lips.
“I love you. You’re my girl. Always have been. Ever since the fifth grade. We both know that.” He slipped his hands behind my head and cradled it.
I ran my hand underneath my nose, and dropped it down into my lap. “Well, before you turn me I want a diamond. And loads of chocolate. And I w—”
His lips pressed against and opened over mine, snot and all. His tongue gently made its way between my lips washing over and around my tongue. My body relaxed, and I took all of it into my mouth. Our tongues danced together until I could no longer breathe.
To be continued…
