Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 32

"Um...sure, okay. But...why?"

"To prove to my friends that angels do exist."

It was a ridiculous line, like one some cliche some sleaze-bag idiot would say in a bar, but coming from his lips, it seemed sincere. I couldn't help but smile at his blatant flirtations, and the heat in my blus.h.i.+ng cheeks scorched my skin. With him, it wasn't just a pick-up line. He was trying to break the ice, and it worked; again, I was absolutely melting.

"Well, in that case, I need to take yours too," I said.

"You're more than welcome," a buddy nudged, "but he doesn't show up on film."

Jesse nudged him back. "Stop it! You're talking crazy."

"Am I?" the guy said walking off.

Jesse looked back at me. "That's Tom. Once he's had a few beers, he talks all stupid. So just ignore whatever moronic stuff he comes up with."

I laughed again.

Another slow song began, and Jesse casually took off his jacket and smiled. The fabric of his long-sleeved s.h.i.+rt clung to his broad shoulders and muscular chest, and the white cotton made his shoulder-length hair stand out even more. "Would you like to dance?" he asked like a gentleman, offering me his hand.

I grinned. "I'd love to."

He shot me his leading-man smile and wrapped his arms around my waist as I placed my arms on his shoulder. My heart jumped into a new rhythm of excitement, dancing to the music drifting around us as we stared intently into each other's eyes. I was nervous, but at the same time, I felt comfortable and safe; scared but happy. I'd never felt such a strange mix of emotions before, and I couldn't stop smiling. There was a thrilling, rus.h.i.+ng, euphoric something going on between us, and for that one timeless moment, everything in my life seemed perfect.

We swayed back and forth to the music, slow and close, and I rested my head in the crook of his neck. I never would have imagined myself dancing with someone like Jesse, someone so beautiful. I couldn't believe he was holding me. I felt I was walking on air. I'd always laughed at that cliche before, but for the first time, I suddenly knew what it meant.

Some of the guys I'd been chitchatting with at the party didn't seem to be fans of his, and I could feel the tension like daggers in my back as they shot me glares. As much as I wanted to be with Jesse, I didn't want to cause any trouble, so I thought it was best that we head back to Julie's house. I had a nice buzz, but I wasn't trashed like she was. When I glanced over, I noticed that she was drinking a second cup of coffee, so I hoped that would sober her up enough to drive us home in one piece.

"I hope she's okay to drive," I said to Jesse.

"If not, I'm sure you'll get her home safe and sound."

"Do you live around here?" I asked.

"Yes, here in Big Bear Lake."

Excitement flooded through me when I discovered he wasn't merely a tourist who'd be taking off anytime soon. I smiled up at him, then glanced down and noticed a bracelet on his arm, leather woven with silver beads and decorated with weird symbols. "I love that," I said, nodding toward it, "but what do the symbols mean?"

He shot me the most beautiful grin, a movie star smile. "You've gotta get to know me better before I can tell you all my deep, dark secrets," he said. He smiled when he said it, but I got the feeling he wasn't joking.

I gave him my best flirty smile. "Is that a promise?"

"You have my word...and my word is my bond."

I smiled again, then nervously fidgeted with my hands like some silly little middle-schooler. I really had no idea how to keep up the conversation with such a hot guy, and every word was a struggle. "How old are you?" I finally asked, since I couldn't think of anything else.

"Seventeen."

"Really!? Me too."

"So is this a new school year for you?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe we'll be in some of the same cla.s.ses."

"Nah, I'm homeschooled. Like I was telling you a while ago, my mom is a bona fide control freak, and-"

"Taylor!" Julie called. "I feel sick. I think I'm gonna pa.s.s out."

When I glanced over, she was teetering. I rushed over, but before I could reach her, she swayed to the left and toppled over. She tried to grab a side table on the way down, but it didn't help; she crashed to the floor, knocking a huge vase over in the process.

"Oh my gos.h.!.+ Julie!"

The alcohol was one thing, but I couldn't understand why blood was gus.h.i.+ng from her neck, trickling down onto her s.h.i.+rt.

Chapter 4.

When I ran over to my friend and looked down at her wounds, I a.s.sumed the shattered vase shards must have cut her during her fall. I only hoped she wouldn't need st.i.tches, because she was bleeding pretty profusely. Someone handed me a kitchen towel, and I applied pressure to the wound. "She needs a hospital or a doctor or maybe some st.i.tches and-"

"No!" said a woman who was suddenly standing over me, looking down at Julie. "It's a shallow cut, nothing a bandage and some peroxide can't fix."

I looked up. "Are you sure? I mean, she's bleeding really bad, and-"

"Positive," she said, cutting me off. "I'm a medic. Let me go get my medical kit from the car."

I squeezed Julie's hand. "Are you okay?"

Her eyes fluttered open. "I-I think so."

"Just lie still and hold on. There's a medic here, and she's going to help."

"A medic? Wow. Lucky for me. I drank way too much, huh?"

"Yeah, that's putting it lightly. Do you remember me cutting you off?"

She offered a half-smile. "Yeah, but I still sneaked drinks behind your back."

Knowing it was important to keep Julie awake, I engaged her in conversation until the woman came back.

"Can you give me a hand?" the woman said to Jesse.

"Sure," he said.

She then went to work to cleanse the wound and put a sterile white bandage on it.

Once Julie was all fixed up, Jesse and I helped her back up to her feet.

"See? Good as new," Julie slurred.

"It'd be best if she gets some rest now," the medic said.

"But I-I can't drive," Julie stuttered. "I'm toasted...and now wounded from a p.i.s.sed-off vase."

Jesse pulled me to the side. "Can you get her home?" he whispered.

"This is so embarra.s.sing, but her car's a stick s.h.i.+ft, and I've got no idea how to drive one. I probably can't drive any safer than she can right now."

"Lucky for you, I can."

"But then how will you get back?" I asked.

"I can walk."

"No, it's way too far, Jesse."

"I'll be fine." He bit his lip and looked down at Julie as if he was worried. "It's best we sneak out of here."

I furrowed a brow. "Sneak out? Why?"

"You see that guy she was dancing with?"

"Yeah. She told me his name, but I forget."

"It's Jonathon, and he's an absolute psycho. I'm afraid he might follow her home if he sees her leaving."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Are you sure? That's insane."

"I heard him claim her, and I heard some of the other guys claiming you. They may look like your average drunken frat boys, but they're beyond dangerous, Taylor. The nice guys are outnumbered here. I've got a couple of buddies here, but we're no match against the others. They'll jump us, and I'm not sure I can protect you."

"Wait...claiming people? Just what kind of party did she bring me to?" I muttered to myself.

"A dangerous one," he retorted, overhearing my conversation with myself. "My buddies will distract them while I sneak you two out the back door."

"Great idea," I said. "Maybe they won't see us leave."

"That's the plan."

Jesse wrapped his arm around Julie and helped her walk out the back door of the cabin. Gripping my purse tightly, I followed. A cool breeze blew through my hair, and I shuddered, wis.h.i.+ng I'd worn a coat. I couldn't believe the extreme temperature change; earlier that day, I'd been sunning on the beach, and now Mother Nature had invited Jack Frost over for a nightcap.

"How much did you have to drink?" Jesse asked Julie.

"She's had way too much," I answered for her. "I bet she'll puke all over the truck."

"Hey!" Julie said. "I can answer for myself." Her gaze turned to Jesse. "Mr. Gorgeous, Handsome Prince, I had lots of beers, a Long Island iced tea, beers, and some shots," she answered. "Oh, and there was this one bubbly purple thing the color of that dinosaur on the kids' show and-"

"Do you remember where the keys to your truck are?" he said, cutting her off before the confession could continue.

"Hmm. Maybe you'll have to frisk me, Officer McHottie," she said in a flirty tone.

I rolled my eyes, mouthed an apology to Jesse, then reached into her pocket and grabbed them. "They're right here."

"Hey!" she said. "I didn't want you to frisk me!"

"This isn't the time for games, Julie," I said. "We have to get out of here and back home."

"I'm freezing!" she retorted. "Who turned on the air?"

I reached in the back seat and handed her a blue sweater. "Wear this."

She put it on and smiled. "Mmm...so warm. Gosh, I'm so drunk. Thank you though."

Jesse helped my intoxicated new best friend into her pickup. She sat between us and laid her head on his shoulder, and when he glanced at me questioningly, all I could do was shrug and apologize again on behalf of my drunken friend.

"I guess she had a little too much to drink," I whispered.

"A little?" He laughed.

Julie tapped him. "Are you Prince Charming?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, turning the key in the ignition. "Because I helped bandage you up?"

"Are you the hot guy from the woods?" she asked. "The hero who saved Little Red Riding Taylor from the big, bad mountain lion?"

My cheeks blushed. "Julie!" I said.

Before he could answer, she continued, "You have black hair and eyes like that crayon. Taylor told me all about you."

My cheeks grew even hotter with embarra.s.sment, and I suddenly wished with all my heart that my life had a rewind b.u.t.ton.

"And Taylor was right," she continued. "Your eyes are gorgeous, like the sky."

I cleared my throat and glanced at him awkwardly. "You do have pretty eyes," I admitted.

He grinned back at me. "And so do you."

I couldn't stop grinning from the compliment as we sped along the road, until something jerked us forward.

"What the heck?" Julie said, stunned.

"Feels like we blew a tire," I said as we came to a jerky stop.