Dalton climbs into my window, early the next morning and I am surprised because I wasn’t expecting to see him this early. I am still in my bed and I frown at him when I see that it’s only 7: am. Dalton walks over and he slides onto my bed, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as he settles in next to me. I rest my head on his chest and I look up into his eyes –holy crap he’s gorgeous. The sun is beaming in through the window and onto Dalton’s exquisite face; I can’t help but wonder how he can walk around in the sunlight. I am so intrigued by his life and I want to more about being a vampire. I want to know how he turned and what it felt like. I want to know who was responsible for changing him, into the immortal that he is. I run my fingers along his jawline as I try to fuel my curiosity.
“We haven’t really talked about the fact that you’re a vampire.” Dalton sighs and then he runs his fingers through my hair. His lips are rosy and his skin is flawless, he is breath-taking in the morning light. My brown eyes focuses on his and my lips begin to shake, I need his kiss. Dalton smiles at me –as if he can read my mind. He leans down and places his lips onto my mine, I melt into his kiss and I scowl at him, when he rudely pulls away from me. He laughs at my reaction –a sight that makes my heart shatter into a million pieces.
“Talk,” he says through his smug smile. I readjust my position, moving slightly away from him, so that I can see fully into his eyes. He waits patiently for me to speak, pushing his dark eyebrows together in a sexy move. I blush at his appearance and then I begin to question him about his one hundred and sixty five years.
“Tell me about when you were turned,” Dalton nods and then he begins to explain.
“As you know, I grew up in Louisiana, I had a normal life, simple, but satisfying. My parents were, quite, wholesome people and very traditional. My brother, Nicholas, was very rebellious as a human. He would betray our father just for fun and with him being the oldest, there was certain expectations for his life. My father arranged for Nicholas to chaperon a girl over the summer, she was from a high society family and my father and hers were partners in the army. Nicholas, being the self-centred, person that he is, didn’t like the thought of being told what to do. So one night he sneaked out of the house and he didn’t return for two weeks. My father was furious with him, but when Nicholas returned, he had changed. I noticed it straight away; I saw his eyes changing colour and our maid started to disappear at night times and in the morning she would be pale, tired and her dress would be buttoned all the way up to her neck. I grew suspicious about Nicholas’s behaviour and there were stories about night walkers and creatures that drank blood. At first I wasn’t sure about confronting him, so I seduced the maid instead. When she undressed herself, there was bite marks all over body, he was ravenous with her, and then my fears were confirmed. I confronted him and he didn’t deny it. He basked in his power and he adored seeing the fear in my eyes. He lunged forward and he feed on me, my skin was on fire and the pain that he caused me was overwhelming.” I shake my head in disbelief; his story is so powerful and captivating. I need to know more.
“Who turned him?” I ask as I slide up in the bed.
“I don’t know, he said it was some girl he met in New Orleans, but I didn’t really care who turned him. I was more frightened of what he did next, he turned me.” My eyes jolt out of my head at his confession –I need more information.
“Did you ask him to turn you?” Dalton sighs and then he shakes his head.
“No, I never wanted this. I have spent my entire existence, hating what I am. I have this demon side to me, and no matter how much I think that I’m in control, my desire for blood always wins. I enjoy the feed and I stalk my prey, look what I have done to you. You shouldn’t entertain me; I’m a tragedy waiting to happen.” Dalton’s eyes melt into mine and I can see the pain that’s buried underneath. He hates what he is, but I don’t see the monster that he claims to be, instead I see the loving person that I know is inside of him. If only he could let me in, I could make him love himself and maybe one day he could love me. My head is all over the place as his words ring in the air and my heart is pounding at his desirable stare. I slide my hand onto his chest and he follows my fingers with his eyes as I graze his shirt. He looks up at me with those eyes –blue and mesmerising, my heart shatters and my lips tremble, when he grazes my cheek with his finger. My eyes gently close and then I feel him, urging me to open them. My eyes pop open and his face is an inch from mine, his cool breath is blowing against my skin and I can hear his slow, sharp, breaths inhaling my scent. His lips are quivering and I know what he wants, but I am going to refuse his fix. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction, I want him to beg and tell me that he needs me. I want him to open his mouth and tell me that he cares about me; I want him to admit that he has feelings for me. His breathing intensifies as his lips turn white. I pull back from him and he reaches after me, clasping both sides of my face in a firm grip. His white lips are shaking with desire and hunger, but I maintain my stubborn stare.
“You drive me crazy, but I like it. I have waited for you for one hundred and sixty five years. I need you, let me feed.” I can’t resist smiling at his words –finally he admits that he needs me. My body pushes forward and I wrap my delicate arms around his neck. He gently stokes my hair as he moves it away from my neck. His mouth moves onto my neck, lightly kissing my skin as his fingers tilt my head to one side. He breathes, slowly, and then he sinks his fangs into my skin. The sting is powerful, but soon fades when the pleasure erupts. His warm hands are sliding across my chest and down onto my back. My eyes are slowly closing and then re-opening as he drains my blood. He feeds for another few seconds and then he pulls his daggers out of my skin. He returns his lips to mine and I can taste the blood as our lips move together. Dalton pulls back from me and he is gasping for air. His eyes are red, but they quickly fade back to their cool shade of blue. He tilts my head to one side –again as he takes in my wounds. He stares at me for a few moments, until a knock comes to my door. I leap out of my bed and I race over to the door. I turn back to look at Dalton, but he is gone, I frown and then I pull my hair over both sides of my neck as I push open the door. Rachel is standing in the doorway, smiling at me, wickedly.
“What do you want?” I say in a bitter tone. I instantly regret my harshness as my eyes lock on hers. “So, what’s up?” I say in an upbeat voice, trying to make up for my bitterness. Rachel pushes past me and she flops down onto my bed. Her eyes dart to a little spot of blood on my pillow and my heart races as she quizzes me about it.
“Why is there blood on here?” She says as she holds my pillow into the air. I walk over to her, trying to maintain my coolness.
“I’m not sure; I must have popped a zit or something.” I say as I snatch the pillow out of her hand and throw it onto the other side of my twin bed. Rachel rolls her eyes and then her ecstatic smile returns. She reaches out and pulls me onto the bed next to her. I flop down and my eyes adjust to her smiling face –she must have a new boyfriend. The only time Rachel really smiles is when she has met some new guy. The rest of the time, her face is like thunder. “So who is he?” I ask, as I fold my arms across my chest. Rachel narrows her eyes at me.
“What makes you think there’s a guy involved?”
“C’mon there has to be, you never smile.” I state. Rachel gently slaps me on my leg and I can’t help but scan my room to see if Dalton is anywhere in sight. I press my lips together when I don’t see him, and Rachel waves her hand in my face.
“Earth to Rose,” she exclaims. I shoot her an apologetic glance and then I urge her to continue.
“Sorry, you were saying?” Rachel rubs her hands together in excitement and then she explodes.
“I have met an amazing, gorgeous guy.” I laugh at her.
“I knew it,” Rachel pouts her lips at me and then she begins to gush.
“I wanted to talk to you before I said yes to going out with him,” I frown at Rachel in confusion –why would she need m
y permission to date a guy?
“You’ve lost me,” I say. Rachel nervously combs her fingers through her luscious hair and I am sensing that she is nervous.
“The guy is Dalton’s brother, Nicholas.” My eyes jump out of my head at her words –she can’t be serious?
“I’m sorry what did you say? You’re going out with Dalton’s. Older. Brother?” I emphasize each word for a dramatic effect, but I have only angered Rachel.
“I knew that you would ruin this for me. Why can’t you just let me be happy?” I reach across and grab her hand, but she rudely pulls away from me. Her blue eyes are raging and I realise that I sound like a spiteful bitch. But there is no way that I can allow her to go out with Nicholas, after what Dalton has just told me about him. He turned his own brother into a vampire and what if he does the same or worse to Rachel? I could never live with myself if something happened to her, and I can’t run the risk of losing her. I need to talk her out of this, somehow.
“I want you to be happy, but Nicholas is … dangerous and he is far too old for you. Uncle George would never allow you to date him,”
“Why are you allowed to be with Dalton, but I can’t go out with Nicholas?”
“I’m not with Dalton, we’re just … friends.”
“C’mon how crazy do you think I am? I have seen you two together, laughing and joking, just stop lying, Rose and tell me the real reason that you don’t want me to see Nicholas?” My throat dries at her words –does she know about him? I shake off my anxiety as I try to bluff my way out of this.
“Dalton told me that he is dangerous. He isn’t a good guy, Rachel, that’s my reason for asking you to stay away.” Rachel shakes her head and then she narrows her eyes at me as she leaps from my bed. I watch as she walks over to the door, she pulls it open and she pauses as she leaves.
“I’m going out with him and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!”
I leap off my bed and I rush over to the window. I push back the curtains and I franticly look at the ground below. I frown when I don’t see Dalton, I turn away and head back over to my bed, and I jump out of my skin, when Dalton hustles in through my open window.
“We have a major problem.” I say as I rush over to him. He places his hand onto my shoulder as he nods.
“I heard,” he says in a smooth tone.
“I can’t let Rachel go out with your brother, what if he hurts her?” Dalton senses that I am upset, so he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me as he kisses the top of my head.
“I will talk to him, I won’t let him hurt her, I promise.” I increase my grip on him and I dig my nails into his back as I hold onto him for my life. He holds me for a few minutes and then he pulls back from me, heading towards the window.
“I’ll go now, keep your cousin here.” I frown at him as I don’t want him to leave me. I want to go with him, I want to look into Nicholas’s eyes and I want to tell him that he is not going out with Rachel.
“I’m coming with you,” I state. Dalton shakes his head at my suggestion.
“That’s out the question, now stay here.” He marches over to the window and I march after him. I grab his shirt and he spins around to face me. His eyes are raging as he blankly stares at me. I maintain my grip on him as I fear that if I let go, then he will jump out the window, before I have the chance to breathe. “Rose, what are you doing? I told you to stay here,” Dalton exclaims.
“I need to come with you,” Dalton laughs at me and then he places his hand onto my cheek.
“Baby, I don’t need you to come with me, I can handle my brother.” I shake my head at him.
“I want to look into his eyes and tell him to stay away from Rachel. She’s only sixteen and he’s … old compared to her.” Dalton laughs again.
“You make me laugh, Miss Rose, now let me go.”
“No, I’m coming with you.” Dalton’s smile quickly fades at my persistence, and I can tell that he is annoyed with me. But I don’t care, I need to go with him, I won’t pass Rachel’s life into the hands of a vampire, who says he doesn’t care about humans. I have seen glimpses of hope and kindness in Dalton’s eyes, but just in case he is the monster that he says he is, I am not going to risk Rachel getting hurt over my feelings for him.
“Why can’t you just do as I say?” I scowl at him –who does he think he is?
“I’m not some puppet that you can control,” Dalton rolls his eyes at me and then he clasps the bridge of his nose as he thinks. His eyes dart form side to side and my heart is racing as I await his words.
“Get dressed, I will go and get the car.” I smile at his words and then I stand on my tip toes and kiss him on the cheek. I close my eyes for a split second and he is gone. I watch as my curtains blow from his departure and then I rush and get changed. I throw on jeans and a black sweater; I leave my hair loose around my neck and lightly tie my scarf around my skin. I pull open my drawer and I take out my contact lenses, I scowl as I realise that I have none left. I sigh as I lift my black ray bans from my dresser. I place my glasses onto the bridge of my nose, I frown at myself –I hate my glasses they make me look like a geek. I grab my phone and I shove it into the back pocket of my jeans and then I rush out into the narrow hallway. I run down the stairs and I smile when I hear Dalton, tooting the horn of his car. My uncle and Jen are sitting in the kitchen. Eating their breakfast and swapping newspapers. I pop my head around the doorjamb as I alert them that I am going out.
“I’m off, see you guys later,” I say as I wave them goodbye.
“Wait a minute, bugs,” my uncle shouts after me. I sigh and then I place my head around the doorjamb –again.
“Your truck is ready; maybe that yahoo can drop you off at the garage on your way home.” I frown at his choice of words and then I nod as I agree.
“Yeah, thanks,” I smile and then I rush along the hallway towards the door. I step out into the cold and I shiver from the icy weather. I run towards Dalton’s car and he pushes the door open for me. I climb in and when I hit the seat, he reaches out and places his hand onto my forehead.
“What are you doing?” I say as I move his hand away from me. He pushes his eyebrows together at my actions and then he places his hand back onto my forehead.
“You’re freezing, I took too much blood.” I shake my head at him and then I reassure him that I am fine.
“No, it’s just cold outside, I’m good.” Dalton presses his lips into a full line and my heart races as I fear his next move. I don’t want him to think that he has hurt me by feeding on me, I need the pleasure that his feed brings and I am not going to give it up.
“I can’t feed on you anymore; it’s not fair on you.” Oh no, he has just said the very thing that I have been dreading. I have to make him see that I am okay and that he hasn’t hurt me. If he doesn’t feed on me anymore, then what will be his reason for sticking around? He has already said, one million times that he doesn’t care about me, so if he doesn’t feed, then he will leave. Dalton will be out of my life and that thought cripples me. I need him, I want him, and I think that I love him. I have never felt this way about anyone and my heart aches when I am apart from him. Everything about him lures me in, his smile, his deep blue eyes, his scent. I love him, I do and I would rather die than lose him.
“Don’t be crazy, you’ll starve and anyway, I’m fine.” Dalton rolls his eyes and then he reaches out and grazes the arm of my glasses.
“Those glasses are sexy on you.”
Three