I Like Your Fangs

Chapter 4

His hand is curled around mine. His arm is wrapped around my waist. His stride matches mine perfectly. His eyes don't wander. His name is Lukas Klein. And he's my boyfriend.

We enter Lidell High School, our hearts beating in rhythm, our sly grins meant only for each other. Lukas carries my backpack on his shoulder, while he hugs me close to his side. I rest my head against his shoulder as we walk, my fingers laced with his at my hip.

Jenna is waiting by the corner of the hall, spotting me with a friendly wave, which is cut short immediately as she zeroes in on Lukas's wandering hand. Jenna zips over to us, pushing past the crowds of arriving students until she's in the middle of the hallway. I smile at her casually, looking over her scrunched blazing, red hair and equally alluring outfit. Jenna never failed to dress strangely, yet completely in style. She had a gift for it. 

"Nice outfit , J!"

She rolled her eyes at me and quickly jabbed a finger in the direction of my hand holding Lukas's.

"Please, if you think I'm blond or just extremely oblivious, spare me aggravation!"

I stared at her stupidly, and Lukas looked the other way, stifling a chuckle.

"Whatever do you mean Jenna?"

"Either you two are going out, or you guys just like to make hand-babies for fun!"

Lukas stared at me dumbfounded, mouthing the words "hand-babies?" questioningly.

I laughed, "Okay, you caught us Detective Jenna, we're dating."

I smiled at Lukas and he snuggled closer to me, leaning down and giving me a slow kiss on the lips.

"Please! My eyes are bleeding. Put those things away! Okay, listen, I'll see you in Math class. You two...." Jenna glanced at Lukas's protective stance, and she simply patted my shoulder in compensation for a goodbye. I giggled into Lukas's collar and looked up at him.

"I think I like her!" Lukas whispered down to me, and I laughed again.

Lukas handed me my bag as we arrived at my locker, and I quickly shoved it in, grabbing my binders and pens to go to English class. Lukas stared down at his schedule, before quickly crushing it in his fist and tossing it in the garbage can. I looked over puzzled.

"What are you doing?"

Lukas grabbed me by the waist, leaning me against my locker as he grazed his nose against the side of my throat. I laughed, ticklish from his playful touch. He dragged his lips to my ear and rested his head against mine.

"Come on, why don't we ditch? This place is a dump, and I can think of so many other things that would be so much more fun."

I liked the sound of his voice, and I gently kissed the crevice between his ear and jaw. Lukas closed his eyes softly, and I whispered quickly, "Tempting as that sounds, I have an English exam that I have to take. I need to at least get by for this semester. See you in Math."

Lukas pulled away, agitated and began to walk down the hall. My brow furrowed and I caught up to him, "What's wrong?"

"Don't you see? We don't need all of this. We don't have to go to school Rachel. This is just a waste of your time!"

I couldn't grasp what he was saying, "Lukas. I need to finish High School. That's the only way I'll get into college."

"My god Rachel! Open your eyes! There's no point in you getting a job, let alone acquiring a college degree!"

"Why?" Lukas was fuming now, as was I. The halls had emptied minutes ago, and not a soul was in sight. Our voices echoed off the lonely corridors  and tiled ceilings.

"Because you are never going to stay in one place. And eventually, someone will find out your secret. You're going to live forever Rachel, and all those people, will die off."

I froze, realizing the importance in Lukas's words. And they terrified me. Lukas saw the sudden change in emotion on my face, and I took a step back from him. Ever since the night I was turned, I had lived my life simply, thinking that this would all just go away, like all the other problems that surfaced in my life. But this one, this one wasn't going to leave any time soon.

It was terminal. I was going to live forever, while everyone else I loved, would die off of old age and illnesses. Like regular, breathing human beings. I wasn't human. I didn't know what I was, but I knew one thing for sure. I didn't like it.

Lukas's anger subsided, and he took a step closer to me, gathering me into his arms soothingly. "It's going to be alright. I'll be here, to help you. Rachel, I understand this is all still new to you, but don't try and ignore what you are -"

"What am I Lukas? Hm? What am I!" I shoved him away from me, furious with the pathetic answer he had given me. Lukas held out his hand, quietly and calmly. He didn't reply, only waited for me to look at him. I stared at the floor, hoping that my gaze would burn a hole through it. A sudden wave of pain made my head throb, and I grabbed my forehead with one hand, shutting my eyes in surprise. Damn migraines!

"Ugh, that hurts," I muttered to myself.

"What hurts?" Lukas took my hand away from my head, gently holding it at his side as he brought me into his arms.

"I've been getting these intense migraines, they hurt like hell." I kept my eyes shut, trying to steady my breathing.

"Have you fed?"

"Yeah, I had a bowl of cereal this morning with - "

"You eat human food?"

I looked up at Lukas confused, "What else would I eat?"

Lukas shook his head with a laugh, "You need blood Rachel. That's what vampires feed on. Since you're still a Fresh-Blood, your body is accepting the old things, that the Human Rachel would eat. But I can see that..."

"See what?"

"That you're quickly transitioning, you aren't going to be a Fresh-Blood much longer."

My eyes grew wide and I shook my head vigorously, "No! There is no way in hell that I'm drinking blood! That's just...gross." I shuddered at the very thought.

Lukas pulled me towards the hall, leading me to my next class. "Well, you're going to have to, or else those migraines will never stop, and..."

"And what?"

"And you'll die."

I was about to shout back at him, but he shoved me into English class, and now I had to deal with an angry Mrs. Carson.

Great, now I had to drink blood. Which meant that if I wasn't going to be a Fresh-Blood, I was going to have to mate with Lukas soon. My migraine grew worse as I processed the nauseating thoughts.

Food for thought.