Gazing out at the shimmering expanse, my thoughts wandered back to Elmcross. I recalled the nights spent by the river, the soothing sounds of nature that had once been a constant comfort. My eyes drifted upward to the night sky, where I spotted the faint red dot of Mercury. It made me think of my father and the stories he used to tell me about the stars when I was a child. It had been years since I’d thought about him, and though I barely knew him before he passed, it felt strange to still have those memories.
Connor’s voice reached me before he did. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, appearing at my side.
I looked over at him, his eyes radiant in the night and his dimples deeply formed by his smile.
He is beautiful.
“Hi,” I said, taking a step closer.
Without a word, Connor removed his leather jacket and extended it to me. “You seem cold.”
I accepted it, and the warmth enveloped me, carrying the faint scent of him. I breathed in, and as I did, my stomach growled, unsure if it was the hunger from a missed meal or the subconscious desire to feed on the human next to me.
“That’s a nice necklace,” Connor murmured, his fingers brushing lightly against it. I didn’t stop him. His touch was warm, seeping through the cool metal. I wanted him to linger—to let his fingers drift lower, tracing a path along my skin. My body ached for more.
“It belonged to my mother.”
“Where does she live?”
“She passed away when I was young,” I told him. There was something about staring off into the lake that made me feel vulnerable.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you, but it was a long time ago, and I had support,” I gave him a small smile and turned around, hearing a shout.
Donovan and Diana were jumping up and down in excitement as the flames roared from the gasoline they had just poured on the fire. The hunger inside of me roared as well; being near all these humans wasn’t helping, and I could feel my self-control starting to slip. I looked at Vail, who shifted uncomfortably, but I ignored her.
Looking back at Connor, I said, “I still think about my mother a lot, but not as much as I used to. It’s strange how some memories linger while others fade.”
Connor nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t seen my mom in a while. Not that it’s the same thing as what you went through,” he quickly added, almost apologetically. “She lives on the other side of the country. But we talk pretty often, mostly about music. It’s something we both love, so it helps keep us connected.”
“How long have you been in a band for?” I asked, wanting to redirect the conversation.
Connor’s eyes lit up. “It’s been quite a while. We all joked about it in high school—Sam, Don, and me. You know, touring, recording, etc … Then Sam met Ivy. Her dad had a big garage, so we could practise there on weekends. Diana came into town last year. We heard her at an open mic and knew we had to invite her into the band. She’s a perfect fit. We’re like a family, you know?”
“That sounds amazing,” I said, trying to sound engaged, though hunger gnawed at me. The night was quiet, and Ibreathed through my mouth, determined not to inhale more of Connor’s scent. “Have you guys toured?”
“No, not yet. We’ve mostly been playing at the same bar,” he admitted. “That’s why I was so surprised to see you tonight. It was a last-minute gig—we’d never played there before. But touring is definitely on our minds. When the right opportunity comes, we’re all ready to drop everything and go.”
“That’s nice, knowing what you want.”
We stood in silence for a moment, and then Connor cleared his throat.
“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you …Would you like to go out with me sometime?” He ran his fingers through his hair.
Fuck.
“I’m not looking for anything serious right now,” I told him. Sure, I was attracted to him, and fooling around would be fun, but the last thing I needed was to get involved with a human. I knew the Vampire-human relationships never worked out.
The air between us grew awkward, and I found myself glancing at the empty bottle in his hand.
“Want me to grab you another drink?”
“Yeah, sure, thanks. They’re in the back of the van,” he replied.
I strolled toward the bonfire, its flickering glow casting long shadows on the ground. Walking past Vail, I squeezed her shoulder as she listened to Diana’s story.
I walked over to Connor’s van, where the back doors were already open. As I maneuvered around them, I nearly collided with Donovan, who was digging through one of the cases in the van.
