“Vail! Please wait!” I cried out, but she continued, disappearing into the trees, leaving me to sit alone. My mind became a tempest of swirling thoughts and emotions. “Please don’t go,” I whispered to the wind, my plea lost amidst the rustle of leaves.
FIVE
January 1, 2010
I woke to two things: a thinned crowd along the lake, and a leather jacket draped over me. Blinking, my eyes slowly adjusted as I pushed myself upright on the bench. A sharp pain throbbed in my head with every movement.
“Hey, don’t get up too quickly,” a reassuring voice said. As I turned to see who it was, my stomach lurched, and I bent forward, emptying its contents onto the ground. Deep red blood pooled around my boots.
“Looks like you’ve had too much to drink,” the voice said again, and a hand gently held back my hair. I turned to see hazel eyes staring back at me, a strand of dirty-blond hair falling messily over them.
My anticipated meal.
He was the man I had seen earlier, watching me by the lake. Up close, he was even more appealing than I remembered. A lopsided grin tugged at his lips, revealing dimples that added to his charm. He wore a long-sleeve shirt that clung to his arms, accentuating the muscles beneath. He was striking. An intriguing mix of rugged masculinity and boyish charm. I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt, though I was unsure if it was born of desire or hunger.
Before I could fully process how he made me feel, my stomach churned, and I leaned over to vomit once again.
“Are you okay?” His hand grazed the nape of my neck as he continued holding my hair.
“What happened?” I asked, clutching my head as I tried to stand. I needed to walk, clear the fog, and figure out what had gone wrong. Though my body felt weak, it was betraying me. My legs were unsteady beneath me, and I swayed.
“Hey, sit back down. You’ve had quite a bit to drink,” he said. I didn’t have much of a choice but to lower myself back onto the bench beside him. His hand gestured casually to his lap. “You can lay your head on me if you need to.”
I raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical glance. “Nice try.”
He grinned again, that same effortless smile—one that had probably worked on countless girls before. But damn if it didn’t have an effect on me too. The dimples appeared once more, tugging at something inside of me.
“Aren’t you cold?” I asked, assuming it was his leather jacket draped across my shoulders.
“No.” He stretched his arms along the back of the bench, settling into a more relaxed posture. “I run hot. You’re the one who should be cold.” His gaze dropped, lingering on the exposed skin of my legs. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, feeling a wave of warmth radiating off his body. It was strangely comforting.
“Sorry if I got vomit on your shoes,” I muttered. “I don’t know what happened.”
“You collapsed,” he said, his voice soft. “So, I carried you over here and waited for you to wake up.”
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up. Why did I faint? It didn’t make sense. As a Vampire, my body shouldn’t have reacted like that to blood. I should have been able to consume it without issue. I could usually tell when someonehad too much alcohol or drugs in their system, butthis?It was different. Something was wrong. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and pushed the thought aside.
“You carried me?” I asked, more for the distraction than anything else.
“Yeah,” he replied with a grin. “You weigh less than my friend’s drum set that I cart around all the time. I’m in a band, and I’m the only one with a van, so I’m used to hauling heavy equipment. Not that you’re heavy,” he quickly added, catching himself. “It’s just … my equipment doesn’t usually wear silk.”
“Well, now this silk needs a trip to the dry cleaners,” I muttered, rolling my eyes inwardly. Another guy in a band, all talk and no substance. I knew the type too well.
“At least all the wine you drank matches the colour of your dress.”
Sure. Wine’s as convenient as anything, I thought. I was feeling a bit better now that the blood was out of my system, but hunger still gnawed at me, and I felt disappointed that the meal I had anticipated had been cut short.
I stared off into the lake. People still meandered around, laughing and drinking. I searched for Vail, but she was gone. A pang of disappointment settled deep within me. I pushed myself up from the bench, feeling abandoned.
“It’s getting late. I should go. Thanks for helping me,” I said, offering his jacket back.
He took it, his fingers brushing mine. “Do you need a ride home?”
“My car is down the road,” I replied, motioning toward the path leading back into town.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be driving.”
I scowled at him, pursing my lips. “I’m not drunk.”
