Soul-Mate [Immortal Love Series]

Chapter four

Annabel

ANNABEL

SHANE WAS OUTSIDE the principal's office while I talked to Mr. Gilmore, a vampire who looked like he had been at least forty years old when he was turned. He seemed impressed by my résumé yet intrigued by my choice to teach English Literature in the middle of nowhere.

The lack of people aspiring to teach at Affinity had been crucial for my acceptance. The death of an old vampire teacher, this one a whopping sixty years old when he had been turned, was the reason for the vacancy. I wasn't the one who had killed the old vamp, but I would have loved to finish him off, given the chance. He was killed because he partook in an all-you-can-eat buffet of blonde girls and young boys in Las Vegas.

I spent most of the interview distracted. I was still aroused by Shane's kisses back at the motel. Even while one-hundred-and-forty-two-year-old James Ward was quite attractive for a blood-sucking vampire, Shane had something else, some kind of force that pulled me to him and made me feel like a powerful, sexy woman.

I wanted him badly. I had already come to terms with that fact. Besides, Shane was a good friend of James Ward's, so my initial intention to seduce James was out of the question as soon as he saw Shane's hand on my shoulder, marking his territory. I didn't mind. I only had eyes for Shane at that point. It was like he had cast a spell on me, so I didn't care about James or my plan to flirt with him. I would get the information I needed some other way.

When the interview ended, James and Shane walked down the corridor, having a friendly conversation. Shane's hand didn't leave mine, which rendered me more confused and distracted than ever before. We looked so much like a couple, I didn't even recognize myself or my behavior. I was not the type of girl to give her hand to a boy and be mushy and clingy, but it felt nice and normal.

I was losing it. I needed to ditch him and start thinking straight.

"You better stop doing that, or I can't be held responsible for what I'll do next."

"Doing what?" I asked, puzzled by Shane's words.

We were outside the school entry. James had said his goodbyes and disappeared around the corner. Meanwhile, I was trying to find an excuse to be left alone for a while. I needed enough time to call Jason and explain to him my lack of success in finding clues to the vampire's domain.

"Biting your lip."

"I'm not―" I broke off, catching myself biting down again as I thought over his answer. There it was: my teeth on my bottom lip, wreaking havoc on it in response to my frayed nerves.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, obviously puzzled by my hesitation.

Normally, I was alone and, in turn, didn't speak much. I really only had Jason to talk to, and that was on the phone. In my line of work, I couldn't make new friends. I also had Jessica who was a witch and supernatural hunter like me. I was naturally quiet and didn't have the social skills necessary to make small talk or even make up a good excuse as to why I needed to be left alone for a minute.

"Nothing's wrong," I said, but I made a mistake. I didn't look him in the eye to reassure him, so he didn't believe me. Instead, he put his hands on my arms, making me face him and lose my senses again.

He had stunning, concerned blue eyes. I couldn't help it, so I kissed him as I fell into his embrace. That's right. I kissed him. I couldn't get our kisses in the motel room out of my mind since we'd left for my interview. I just had to kiss him again. Everything seemed to fall into place when our lips molded together. It even explained why I'd been reacting so senselessly to him since the first minute we'd met.