Trapped by the press of bodies all around her Tania was helpless. Which is why when she was struck from behind she was unable to do anything but flail wildly. Catching someone’s shoulder, she was able to keep from falling flat on her face in front of the rest of the people crowding into the living room. Taking a deep breath she looked down, embarrassed, and saw, with mounting horror that the contents of her now empty cup were splashed across the shirt of the boy whose shoulder she had grabbed.
“Oh my god! I am so sorry,” Tania apologized profusely as she righted herself before her hazel eyes met a set of very black ones.
The boy in question raised one elegant brow quizzically then smiled down at her, making Tania redden and look away. She had to admit he was quite good-looking, his high cheekbones and sharp chin giving him an almost fey appearance. Feeling a tug on her hand she looked down and found the boy towing her gently through the crowd with an ease that startled Tania, who’d been struggling through this selfsame crush no more than a few moments before.
When they finally came to a stop they were standing along the wall of the room that had been cleared out of all furniture except the table, speakers and laptop needed by the DJ. This was the area of the house designated as the dance floor. Again Tania felt the gentle tug on her hand but this time she held back, shaking her head.
“I don’t dance,” She called over the noise that was a combination of loud music, shouted conversations and laughter.
The boy’s smile widened and he leaned in from in front of her to whisper into her ear, deep brown hair falling forward to partially screen his face, “You do now.”
Startled by the smooth richness of this stranger’s voice as well as the fact that his voice hadn’t been drowned out by the roar of the crowd, Tania didn’t realize she’d been towed out onto the dance floor until the boy was behind her and forcing her to gently sway to the music with him.
Flushing hotly, Tania could count on one hand the number of times she’d danced with a guy, she was relieved that he kept his arms and hands around her waist. The last guy she’d danced with had had wandering fingers and the memory was not a pleasant one for either of them, Tania was sure. Self-consciously, she glanced about the room and was further embarrassed to see several people staring at them, causing Tania to lock her gaze on the ground, unable to take the feeling of those eyes on her.
As the song came to an end, the boy released her and leaned down to whisper once more in her ear, “Now we’re even,” before melting into the crowd with ease. Tania couldn’t do anything but stand there and stare after him for a long moment. She only moved when she heard the sound of her name being called.
“Tania! Oh my God! I can’t believe it!” Sarah gushed as she grabbed Tania’s arm and dragged her to the corner of the room. “I can’t believe you just danced with Alex Donovan!”
“Who’s Alex Donovan?” Tania asked face and tone both filled with confusion.
“You don’t know who Alex Donovan is? You just danced with him and you don’t know who he is?” Sarah asked, incredulity clear in both her voice and the look she gave her.
Tania shrugged. “So who is he?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “God don’t you pay any attention to what goes on around here? Alex is like the most popular guy in the whole school. He’s also one of the hottest. Everyone knows who he is- except you, apparently.”
Shaking her head, Sarah turned and began walking around Tania towards the front hallway when she stopped suddenly and frowned at her friend. “Why is your back all wet? Did someone spill something on you?”
“What?” Tania reached back and touched the back of her shirt, finding it damp all around the top and middle. “That bastard! He did that on purpose! This was a brand new shirt too. Damn him,” She cried.
“Tania what the hell are you talking about?” Sarah asked, giving her friend a look that said she thought the other girl was losing her mind.
“I accidentally bumped into that Alex guy and sort of spilled my drink on him. So then he dragged me in here and started dancing with me. Obviously he was doing it just to get my shirt wet too. That’s why he said ‘Now we’re even,’ Gah! And I apologized and everything too. That ass.”
“Right,” Sarah said stretching the word out for several syllables. “Anyway let’s go get more drinks. I’m not nearly as drunk as I should be.”
Muttering about people who didn’t believe others when they were obviously telling the truth, Tania followed Sarah back into the sea of humanity, sliding around and in some places, pushing people out of the way. Eventually they made it to the relatively clear space in front of the kitchen and got their cups refilled. Deciding against attempting the crowd again, the two joined one of the larger talking groups of people that dominated the room.
First one then two hours slipped by and it was then that Sarah began having difficulty walking straight. Laughing, Tania and another of their friends, Jill, got their coats from the pile in the hall and began leading Sarah out of the house and towards their university’s campus. They had just reached the front porch when a voice called out, telling them to wait. The three girls stopped and turned, watching as the dark figure approached them. When he finally entered the circle of light cast by the streetlamp Tania glared at him while her two friends’ eyes widened.
“Ladies, I must beg your pardon. I need to borrow your friend for a moment. I’ll do my best to be quick so you don’t have to stay out in the cold any longer then you have to,” The boy, Alex, said, charm practically oozing from every pore.
Blushing and giggling, Sarah and Jill nodded their agreement much to Tania’s dismay. Again she found herself being towed forward by this irritating man.
“What do you want?” She snapped, pulling her hand away and settling it on her hip. “And I hope you know that was a mean, dancing with me just to get my shirt wet.”
Alex grinned at her. “Well I thought I’d better introduce myself. I’m Alexander Donovan but please call me Alex. And you got my shirt wet first so we’re even.”
“I apologized for that.”
“Apologies won’t dry my shirt.”
“You’re an insufferable prick, you know that right?”
This made him laugh. “Most people would argue with you. Most people think I’m charming.”
“Obviously most people don’t get that close to you, Alexander. Now if you’ll excuse me, my friends are waiting,” Tania told him before turning about and walking away.
“It’s Alex,” He called after her.
“Whatever Alexander,” She shot back over her shoulder.
“Alright you have to tell us what he wanted.” Sarah said after one last glance behind her to make sure they were out of earshot.
“He introduced himself.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. Except for him being so obviously full of himself it’s sickening.”
Sarah rolled her eyes again. “Sure he is. Now let’s hurry up. It’s fucking freezing out tonight.”
Jill laughter was loud in the cool autumn air. “You’re the one who’s the slowest, Miss I-can’t-walk-without-falling.”
“Oh yeah?” Sarah replied and went on to prove that Jill was indeed correct by tripping over the curb and falling backwards onto the grass. Laughing again, Jill and Tania helped her up and continued on their way back to campus.
Glancing up at the stars dusting the clear, dark sky, Tania couldn’t help but smile. The weather had warmed back up after their cold weekend for which she was grateful. She hated lugging her bulky blue coat around from class to class. Hefting her backpack a little higher, Tania began the long walk back to her residence.
She had just left the circle of light that surrounded the Fine Arts building when a dark figure separated itself from the larger shadow of the tree it had been resting against. Tania stopped dead in her tracks, heart beginning to beat faster as the figure slowly stalked towards her.
About to turn and run, Tania heard the figure speak. “You know it’s dangerous for you to be walking around alone this late at night.”
Tania recognized that smooth voice and made a face. “I’m fine. Now go away,” she told him before walking off.
“Oh no, you’re not getting away that easily,” Alex said following her down the path. “And I’m serious. Things can be pretty dangerous after dark. You don’t know what could be hiding in the shadows.”
“Like an obnoxious jerk,” Tania snapped.
Alex laughed. “I was thinking more along the lines of some kind of predator but that works too.”
“Seriously Alexander, go away. You’re bothering me.”
“Hey my name’s Alex.”
“You told me your name was Alexander.”
“But I don’t want to be called Alexander. I want to be called Alex,” He complained, tone approaching a whine.
“Well since I don’t really care what you want I’m going to continue calling you Alexander,” Tania replied.
“That’s not fair!”
“Getting revenge on someone for an accident isn’t fair either.”
“But that was funny.”
“I think this is pretty funny.”
Alex made a weird choking noise before changing the subject. “So which rez do you live in?”
“None of your business.” Tania crossed her arms over her chest as she stopped dead in the middle of the forest lined path. There was no way she was going to tell him where she stayed on campus.
“It is my business. I need to know how much longer I need to guard you from the monsters that roam the school at night.”
“You don’t need to guard me at all. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’m not a little kid,” Tania retorted, hands on hips.
Alex shook his head. “You don’t even know what’s out there.”
“A couple of bats, an owl or two… and maybe a raccoon.”
“If that was all I wouldn’t be here.”
“So what? The boogieman’s out there waiting to get me?” Tania asked sarcastically.
“Not the boogieman. As far as I know he doesn’t exist. I was thinking more along the lines of wolves, mountain lions or other such dangerous creatures.”
Tania rolled her eyes and began walking away again and once again Alex followed her. “I’m serious. There are all kinds of wild animals in the woods around here.”
“Uh-huh.”
“There are!”
“Sure whatever.”
“I’m telling the truth!”
“Of course you are.”
At this point Tania had come to a stop outside the large red brick building that was her home. Even this close to midnight it was still brightly lit, most students being the nocturnal sort. Tania turned to face Alex and made a shooing gesture. “I’m back. Now go away Alexander,” she told him before fishing out her keys and opening the door.
“It’s Alex!” he called after her.
“What’s with you?” Madison asked in her gentle voice as Tania sat down at the table. The cafeteria was, as always, filled with students in a variety of costumes ranging from pyjamas to suits, all chattering and eating, some studying and a handful watching the projected TV screen at the far end.
“Nothing,” Tania muttered stabbing her scrambled eggs repeatedly with her fork.
“You’re attacking your food so it’s not nothing,” Chloe replied, giving her a look that promised extreme measures if she didn’t confess.
“It’s that annoying SOB. He followed me home last night.” Tania snapped.
“Who’s the annoying SOB?” Chloe asked.
Sarah clapped her hands. “Oh my god! He talked to you again?” She said before turning to Chloe to explain. “Oh and she means Alex Donovan. She seems to have developed some kind of weird grudge against him.”
“I do not have a weird grudge against him. He just bothers me,” Tania muttered resuming her attack on the poor unsuspecting eggs.
Jill laughed. “He told you he’s a vampire didn’t he? It’s some kind of ongoing joke he likes to play on people.”
“Uh…No. He just told me I was going to get eaten by wild animals. He actually tells peoples he’s a vampire?”
Sarah rolled her eyes, it being one of her favourite moves. “Yeah but it’s just him being funny. No one actually believes him.”
“See that’s the kind of thing that indicates someone is mentally unhinged.”
“No it’s just a game. Honestly Tania he’s not serious.”
“Whatever,” Tania answered in a tone of clear disbelief.
“What time are we going to laser tag on Friday?” Madison asked and soon the girls were discussing their upcoming trip and eventually Tania relaxed, smiling and laughing with her friends, putting Alex from her mind.
Tania left her Egyptian Art and Architecture class feeling refreshed. She’d had a nice nap in that class same as she did most of the time. She was among the last to leave and so she was the one who noticed the red-haired girl struggling to carry three rather large and leafy plants down the hall.
“Um, do you need any help with those?” She asked hesitantly.
“If you don’t mind that’d be great.” The girl replied, relief evident.
Tania grabbed the middle plant, allowing the girl to hold onto the other plants more easily. The girl smiled at her through the leaves, brilliant green eyes almost the same shade as the plants she carried. “Thanks a lot. I’m Ilana by the way.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Tania. What’re the plants for?”
“Oh I’m a member of the Environmental club. We’re setting these up around school as it’s starting to get cold out and we’re worried about the frost.”
Makes sense, Tania thought. “Oh. So where are we taking these?”
“Down to the lobby area. We’ve cleared out the corners so just put it down in whichever one you want.”
Negotiating the stairs was a bit of a challenge so the two girls fell silent as both concentrated on not falling or dropping their burden. Once they reached the bottom, Ilana set one of her plants right into the corner nearest the stairs. Following her example, Tania put hers in the corner opposite to it, near the glass doors that were the entrance to the Science building.
“Thanks for the help,” Ilana called from above. Tania looked up and saw the red-head halfway up the stairs, grinning. “I’m going to limit myself to two from now on so you don’t need to worry. Thanks again.”
Tania smiled back at her and waved before leaving, hurrying down the asphalt path that cut across the courtyard. She didn’t want to be late for dinner with her friends.
“You really don’t listen do you?” A voice said from behind Tania causing the girl to jump before she whirled about and glared at Alex.
“Go away,” she snapped as she stormed off down the unlit path.
“If I do that, something might get you.” Alex replied, grinning as he kept up with her angry strides with no apparent effort.
Tania stopped suddenly and whipped about to face him. “Look,” she spat “I told you two days ago I don’t need you to walk me home. I’m perfectly capable of getting there by myself. You’re an annoyance.”
“It’s ten o’clock. It’s far too late for you to be walking around by yourself. When I say there’re monsters out there I’m not kidding.”
“Well those don’t bother me,” Tania said walking off. “The only one who bothers me is you, Alexander, because you won’t leave me alone.”
Alex laughed. “It’s not my fault you insist on walking home alone in the middle of the night. And it’s Alex.”
“I’m nineteen. I can take care of myself. And I certainly don’t need someone like you to protect me.”
“Well you’re right about me not being perhaps the best choice to walk you home but I’m definitely stronger than anything out there.”
Tania took a page out of Sarah’s book and rolled her eyes. “Oh I’m sure.”
The smug smirk Alex flashed her made Tania’s hand itch to slap it off. “I am incredibly strong. The strongest in fact. No one can defeat me.”
“God you’re just as arrogant as you are irritating.”
“It’s not arrogance when it’s true. It’s pride.”
“No it’s called being full of yourself.”
Alex laughed again. “And aren’t you the same? You’re so sure you can handle anything that comes at you by yourself.”
“That’s because I can,” Tania replied, shrugging her backpack into a more comfortable position as she continued down the shadowy, tree-lined path.
“Then isn’t that arrogance as well?”
“No because I don’t go around saying how I’m untouchable.”
“But you do say you can take care of it yourself which is practically the same thing.”
She glared at him and his twisted logic which had left her without a good reply. “Will you just shut up and leave me alone. You’re really getting on my nerves!” Tania snapped as they reached the top of the hill that was beside her residence.
“That I can’t do. It’s too dangerous for you to be alone. Not that it isn’t dangerous with me, but it’s less so.”
Tania rolled her eyes, glad she was almost to the door of her building. “Oh right. I forgot. You’re a scary vampire,” She mocked as she unlocked the door.
“How’d you know that?” Alex asked, and Tania was pleased to note he seemed genuinely shocked.
“Because my friends told me,” She shot over her shoulder before walking inside.
“How did they know?”
Tania glared at Alex who was still right behind her. “Don’t follow me,” she growled as she walked down the hall to her room, keys in hand.
“Tell me,” he demanded as he followed her down the hall and watched her unlock the door to her room.
“I said leave,” Tania snapped, attempting to slam her door in his face, but he caught it and easily pushed his way inside, kicking the door shut behind him.
Trapping her between him and the wall, Alex leaned forward, and said in a gentle and almost friendly tone “Now I really must insist. Tell me.”
Tania’s glare intensified. “Because you tell everyone that, you stupid narcissist. Now get the hell out of my room Alexander!” She growled, shoving him away and stalking to the far corner of her room where her phone was. She’d kill him. Just kill him. Invading her room like this. If he didn’t leave in the next two second she was going to call security.
“It’s Alex.”
“Like I care.”
“You should,” He said following her and trapping her between his arms and her dresser. He leaned down, stopping when his face was only inches from hers. “You really are in quite a bad position.”
“Get off Alexander, you psycho.” Tania hissed, trying to shove him away again but this time Alex didn’t move the tiniest bit.
“It’s Alex,” he told her leaning even closer and smiling, black eyes seeming all the darker in the gloom of her unlit room. “And trust me, angering a vampire’s never a good thing to do.”
Tania snorted. “You really think you’re a vampire, don’t you? I knew there was something wrong with your head.”
Alex’s smile widened. “I don’t think, I know. Just watch my mouth.”
Tania made a face but complied, mostly because she didn’t have much of a choice, trapped as she was. Looking at his open mouth she could see that the canines were much longer then a normal person’s and were in fact quite pointy.
“Hurray. You found a store that sells vampire fangs. Good for you. Now shoo.”
“Keep watching,” Alex ordered, and this time Tania watched as the fangs shortened and his teeth became ordinary. As she continued to stare, the canines elongated again then retracted then elongated and then retracted. All the while Alex was chanting in a singsong voice “Fangs go in, fangs come out, fangs go in, fangs come out,” in between changing his teeth.
Tania gasped and inhaled deeply, ready to scream. Alex seemed to have figured that out as well because he pushed off from where his hand rested on the wall and clapped one hand over her mouth. “No screaming now,” he warned her. “We wouldn’t want to wake anyone up.”
Reaching behind her, Tania grabbed hold of the only thing she could think of that would save her. Holding the ugly cross her grandmother had insisted she bring to school with her in front of herself like a shield, Tania said, voice shaking “Stay away from me.”
Alex’s mouth quirked upwards into a half smile, before he reached forward and pulled the cross right out of her hands. Seeing her shocked face, his smile widened. “What? Did you expect me to burst into flames or something?” He asked, putting the cross into his pocket.
“But…but…you’re…” Tania stammered, trying to back away but running up against her dresser instead.
He made a face. “Just because I’m a vampire doesn’t mean I’m afraid of crosses. I’ve been inside plenty of churches and not turned into ash or whatever it is people expect me to do when presented with a cross. I’m also not afraid of garlic or sunlight. I happen to like garlic and I’m out in the sun everyday it’s nice. Sunglasses are unfortunately necessary as the sun does bother my eyes. And sadly, I can’t tan. But really. The stuff people believe,” Alex said shaking his head mournfully.
“But do you…I mean how…” Tania had difficulty articulating what she wanted to ask.
“Blood bank. It’s easier besides it’s in the rules that we’re not allowed to take blood from someone unwilling. And personally I’ve never bitten anyone. It seems to me to be pretty messy and who wants blood all over their clothes?”
“I…ah…” Tania began before looking at Alex’s amused face. Noting his dancing eyes and the way he kept grinning at her obvious shock, she got angry. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”
“Immensely,” He replied, his grin turning into a smirk.
“You…you bastard!” Tania all but shrieked before striding forward and pushing him towards the door. “Get out and stay out, you egotistical ass.”
Laughing once again, Alex let her shove him out. “Goodnight Tania,” he called as he left.
“Got to hell Alexander!” she spat back at him.
Still laughing, Alex left.