Only Fire

Chapter 2

My mind was as vacant as the bare walls that surrounded me, completely mesmerized by the intensity of those ice-blue eyes. As his mischievous smirk formed when his gaze wandered to my legs, my immediate impulse was to slam the door in his face. The loud sound resonated throughout the dilapidated dump, shaking the unsteady foundation as I ran to the couch and grabbed the damp clothes to cover my hot skin. 

Though the flesh was usually hot, this time it was burning with hatred and something else. I was used to hating vampires, but I was not used to wanting to cover this human encasement when he stared at my legs. What was this weird human feeling? 

I had read about this in many books, the ones that kept me from feeling too isolated. His eyes on my bare skin made my blood rush to my cheeks. I felt them burn from the heat. I didn't even need a mirror to know they had turned red. Was this what humans referred to as embarrassment?

My body cringed, and a hiss escaped through gritted teeth as the cold cloth burned, but I painfully made my way to the door, wondering if the icy vamp was still outside. Of course, he was.

"What do you want?" I asked as I opened the door and laid my eyes on him. He was inspecting the tiny shack.

"Looks cozy," he said. "Can I come in?"

Most myths about vampires were just that, myths. But a few were true. One, they cannot have direct contact with sunlight, or they would burst into flames and be reduced to ash. Unlike me, they would not come back. 

Two, they do feed on blood. Human and animal blood. Most prefer humans as the sport of hunting is more fun for them. 

And three, they must be invited into any dwelling.

Usually, there was no way I would let the undead icicle into the shack. Unfortunately, we were lab partners, meaning we would have to meet outside of class, so I had no choice. A low grumble escaped my lips as I trudged back to the door to invite death into the abode.

"Sure," I said, opening the door wider, and with my gestures, I motioned for him to come in. A chilly wind blew past me as he stepped over the doorway's threshold and lowered his black umbrella. Though for once, I ignored it as the scent that accompanied the cold wind was much more potent and slammed into me.

I backed away from him and pressed myself against the door as the atmosphere smelt of lilacs and rain. Instead of welcoming winter inside the house, it was as if I welcomed spring.

He ignored my actions and walked straight to my couch, bouncing twice as if testing its sturdiness.

"Figures your home would be about as inviting on the inside as it was on the out," he said as he looked around at the empty walls. 

I cringed at the word, ready to spill the contents I had for lunch onto the floor. Instead, I inhaled a deep whiff of air and swallowed back the nausea letting the fire take control. At least now I was knocked from the stupor in which his scent had put me in. 

"Are you here to make fun of this place, or do you have something you need to tell me?" I asked as I moved over to my small kitchen table, taking a seat. I would dare not sit beside the icicle. Even if I craved a little interaction, why was it always with him? 

He leaned over, opened the backpack he had sat between his legs, and pulled out a decent-sized packet of papers.

"Here," he said, holding the papers out to me. I stared at him and made no attempt to move. Zane rolled his eyes, visibly frustrated that he had to explain himself.

"You left before Mr. Schwartz said to grab the packet off his desk about our senior lab project, so I grabbed it for you."

Obviously, he was not moving, so I had to. I cautiously stood up from my tiny table and walked over to him. With one hand, I reached out and took the packet from him, barely grazing his fingertips when I did. Again, with the tingles. I yanked away as if I had received a paper cut. I honestly did not mean it. Zane cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.