“Hey Millie.”
She jumped at the sound of her name, her head snapping around in uneasiness. It wasn’t Micah; he only ever called her by her full name. She had been walking on pins and needles since her vision waiting for him for jump out from behind anything and take her. If his words were meant to put her on edge, he had succeeded. The knowledge that he was close made her jump at shadows that weren’t even there.
The handsome, purely human face of her neighbor cleared in her vision clamping down on her paranoia. His hands were shoved carelessly in the pockets of his jeans and he had a lingering cinnamon scent clinging to his skin—he’d been downstairs raiding the kitchen most likely—his warm brown gaze never leaving her face. Half his fascination, she knew was because of what she was, but she liked to think that most of it wasn’t and that he was genuinely interested in her.
“Oh Jeff,” she breathed out pasting a soft smile on her face “You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he apologized moving closer to her.
Millie relaxed her posture. Jeff was harmless. He was human. He too had a room in the house here. She had seen him a couple of times, had spoken to him. He was a friendly person with a kind open face who always had a smile for her. He was taller than her but not by much, with muscular arms and a slim waist.
“What’s up?”
“Um,” he shifted on his feet nervously “I was just wondering what you were doing next week.”
She would probably be hiding from the vampire that wanted to kidnap her. “Nothing. Why?”
“Well the Valentine’s Dance is then.” her eyebrows pulled together in mild confusion. “Valentine’s Day. Its next week. I don’t usually go for commercial holidays and—anyway I was wondering if you don't have any plans that is, if you’d like to go with me...to the dance.”
“I don’t know,” she answered thoughtfully “I might be busy then.”
His shoulders drooped at her rejection “Well if you change your mind let me know.” She nodded telling him that she would, watching as he turned and walked down the hall, two doors away. He looked at her over his shoulder and shot her a wide smile before he entered his room.
With a sigh, she turned the key as it noisily unlocked the tumbler and pushed open her door. Depositing her bag on the desk she unpacked it, neatly placing the books in a pile. Peeling off the layers that had kept her warm, she reached down and unzipped her boots, they dropped with a soft thud.
She had an hour to herself before she would be going to the library resuming her search. She tried not to be disheartened by her lack of progress, but her frustration was mounting. Her desperation running on extremely high levels, especially after what Micah had said.
She would rather die and belong to him; sadly she had no way of doing so, not for a lack of wondering. She had even in one of her darkest moments tried. Maybe it had something to do with her bond with Micah; she couldn’t die if he didn’t. It made her wonder if he was dead if she too would die. It didn't seem like such a bad thing. She was tired of living a life that didn't change.
The ringing of her phone pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts.
“Hey Kate,” she answered when she grabbed the device from off the table, falling unto the bed resting her heel at the edge of the mattress, wiggling her hovering toes.
“Hey Grasshopper,” greeted Kate “So what if I don’t call you, you don’t call me?”
“Yeah well I didn’t know if you would take my calls. Being busy and stuff over there. I hear running your own company keeps a person occupied.”
The entrepreneur in Kate wouldn’t allow her to do nothing, and with her business sense anything she started grew into a huge success. She had helped Millie make money, and lots of it which was very convenient, it made running and hiding so much easier.
She could hear the smile in Kate’s voice “Busy? Me. Yeah right, I’m dying of boredom over here, there is literally nothing to do anymore, and the place basically runs itself. What’s going on with you?”
Millie contemplated telling her about Micah, but decided against it. That would just make her worry needlessly and she really didn’t know if his threat was real.
“I just got asked out on a date,” she blurted instead.
“Really, are you going to accept?”
She pursued her lips staring up at the ceiling “I don’t know.”
“I think you should. You deserve to be happy. Dating is a big part of being normal.”
“You and I are not normal. I’m a freak of nature and you’re a vampire.”
“Minor details.”
“I think years down the road he would begin to notice that I don’t really age.”
“Who’s thinking in terms of years? Have a couple of months with him, have some great sex, or in your case any sex and then leave. There is nothing complicated about that.”
“I can’t do quick and easy and hook-ups were never really something could I do.”
“Honey, your life can’t be all about Micah. And don’t tell me that it’s not. Most of your choices have been influenced by him. You need to start living your life for you. Try as much normal as you can. You don’t have to marry the guy. Just go out with him. One date is not going to bring about the end of the world.”
She sighed heavily. Maybe Kate was right. One date with Jeff wasn’t a big deal. She complained about not having a normal life but she had never really tried. Jeff was normal, simple and that to her was wildly refreshing.
She waited at the base of the stairs, her hearing up when she heard his footsteps. He was climbing down the tiers pulling a beanie over his head, his backpack hooked over a shoulder.
“Jeff,” she called when he was close to her. He greeted her cheerfully. “About the dance,” he perked up like a little puppy “It turns out I won’t be busy after all, so I’d love to go with you.”
The smile that formed on his face was bright enough to chase away the cold. “Yeah?”
Millie nodded. They stood looking at each other in silence before he asked her if he could buy her a cup of coffee. It was such a normal thing. A boy and girl meeting for coffee, that it made her smile widen. Kate was right, she could still enjoy normal even if she wasn’t necessarily so.
* * * * *
Millie had worn red. It was cliché colour especially for a Valentine’s Day Dance, but she had found the short sparkly number at a clothing store in town and immediately wanted it. She felt silly, shopping and going out on a date when there was a pregnant threat hovering over her head, but the look on Jeff’s face when he greeted her at her door made it all somehow worth it.
They’d been out together—mainly just for coffee—and he had walked her to school every morning. It was nice, having someone to talk to and not having to worry about the shadows that moved. Her trips to the library were still unyielding but Jeff was a welcome distraction from her crazy life.
The hall had been transformed into a sea of red, white and pink. Balloons and streamers hovered overhead heart cut-outs and ribbons flooding the walls. The exit though, she noted, was hidden behind a table of food, and the entrance was a constant trickle of people. She didn’t like the limited escape routes or the fact that there were so many people here but she forced herself to calm down, to stop looking for trouble and just enjoy the moment.
“Would you like to dance?” asked Jeff. Millie liked that when he was talking to her, he always made eye contact. It made her feel like she were the most important thing at that moment to him.
She hesitated, she wasn’t one for dancing. A smile deepened in his cheeks as he took the glass she held, resting it on their table and taking her hand. He easily pulled her to her feet. She left her hand nestled in his as they made their way to the dance floor, maneuvering around swaying bodies.
Jeff turned Millie to face him and pulled her close. She could feel the rhythmic, speedy beat of his heart and the warmth clinging to his skin. It felt nice being in his arms. It had been a long time since she had just been held—if she had ever— and the companionship he offered was precious. His hands were resting modestly on her hips as they swayed in time to the slow tempo of the music.
She’d had a great time with Jeff tonight, but it wasn’t much of a surprise, he was a nice guy and she liked spending time with him. But now that she was standing at the threshold of her room, nerves were skittering under the surface of her skin. What did he expect now?
Jeff studied her. She was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen, and the alluring beauty she possessed often left him tongue tied. He wondered if she would invite him in, but he wasn’t going to push it. She didn’t seem like the type of girl. There was a look about her, that of someone who had been hurt before and he wanted to take things slow. Millie was someone who came with a lot of baggage, but he didn't mind putting in an effort for her.
He leaned forward and she hesitated, pulling back a fraction, making him veer to the side and planting the kiss on her cheek.
“I had fun tonight,” she said giving him a tiny smile when he pulled back.
He nodded still unable to believe that somehow, this beautiful creature had voluntarily spent time with him. “So did I. Maybe we can go out again sometime.”
“I’d like that,” she beamed truthfully, and Jeff wanted to do back flips and whop out his elation.
It had occurred to her sometime during the night that she did like his company. He was easy to be around and she didn’t have to worry about what his motives with her might be. He was refreshingly mundane and there was a rare honesty in his gaze that she found enchanting.
“Good night,” she bid before turning into the room.
A soft smile remained on her face, her cheeks feeling warm; maybe there was something to this dating thing after all.
“Well now isn’t that just sweet.”
Millie jumped and whirled around at the sound of those words, her bag slipping through her fingers. Terror crashed into her, turning her knees to jelly, quickly draining away the glow of the evening. Chest heaving, she stood with her back to the door for some modicum of support, a lump tightening her throat, but it wasn’t Micah perched on her bed waiting on her.
Somehow she had missed the warnings. Now that she was so dreadfully aware that he was here, Millie could feel a tingling, a warning in her bones that told her that she simply wasn’t alone. She was growing careless.
“Who are you?” she demanded surprised that the words came out evenly, but everything about him screamed vampire. Screamed dangerous.
He was lounging easily in her bed his long limbs stretched out on the mattress. His light brown hair was short, his skin very lightly tanned and his tawny eyes assessing her interest. Not the look of a predator, but with that of a man with interest in a woman, his eyes trailing up from her bare legs, noting the slender curves of her body that was on display in her dress before landing on her face. Nothing about him seemed on edge; in fact he seemed rather comfortable in her space.
Millie couldn’t help but take him in also. He felt dangerous but mostly there was something about him that tugged on her feelings as a woman. On a dark, raw primal need to have him.
“Who are you?” she repeated her voice growing stronger, her instincts to fight clawing its way to the surface, past her fear. “And how did you get in here?!”
“I’m no one in particular,” he answered a smile creeping onto his handsome face, his voice low and gravelly sliding smoothly over her skin. “Your landlady, a nice woman by the way was very easy to charm, even easier to glamour.”
Millie’s lips parted in angst, her eyes widening. Mrs. Burge. Did he hurt Mrs. Burge? “What did you do to her?”
“Oh nothing, she’s fine,” he waved away her concern with a flick of his wrist.
“Why are you here?” her eyes flickering fractionally to the window. She was standing between him and the only way out, unless he decided to jump out the window, which he could easily do. “I don’t know anything.”
“I believe you. I am, however not here for information. In fact I’m very curious about you and what you’re doing here.”
Something appeared between his fingers amidst tendrils of black smoke. He flipped her student ID between his fingers, reading her name aloud and Millie held her breath her. He had Talents. She inwardly rolled her eyes, of course he did, he was a vampire after all, and he felt old, powerful.
He rose off the bed, his gait nonchalant but confident, but he reeked of danger—dark and sexy. There was nothing about the way he moved that would alleviate the edge you felt when he looked at you. He was standing before her now but she wasn’t going to back down, she could fight him off. But that wasn’t her first instinct. What she really wanted to do was wrap herself in his arms and bathe in the enticing smell that surrounded him.
Alarmed by her reaction Millie threw a punch, but he easily sidestepped her arm, catching her wrist. She yanked her hand back, swinging out at him again with a soft battle cry. He was fast, faster than she anticipated, dodging each of her attacks.
“Now that’s not nice, I’m trying to have a conversation and you’re hell bent on fighting me.”
“Then just get out!”
She swung at him again, and he took her forearm and pulled her to him, her back pressed to his front. The feel of him, hard taut muscles made her feel, utterly tiny, utterly female when compared to him. She jabbed her elbow into his stomach, and he let her go with a soft amused chuckle.
Annoyed that he wasn’t taking her seriously she readied her stance; centering her body before taking off in a run. She jumped into the air, hoping that it would knock him off-balance and give her an edge over him. He caught her easily pinning her to the bed with his body, making unwanted shivers - that weren’t all bad - dance along her skin. She wiggled under him he had her arms pinned above her head and her thighs cradled his hips. It was a very intimate position. She rocked her hips, trying to push him off, but he was larger and heavier and seemingly unmovable.
“If you don’t stop moving like that and I might think you like this position,” he cockily whispered in her ear.
“Get off me you bastard,” she bit out, trying to unshackle her wrists from his hands.
A smile played at the corners of his mouth “Well I have to say you weren’t what I had expected, Millie,” his voice caressed her name.
Her body froze and she raised her lashes to meet his eyes. Eyes of blazing gold met hers and fear coiled deep in her belly. What did he want from her? Did he work with Micah?
“I’m not going to hurt you wildcat,” he murmured soothingly when he noted the look in her eyes. She was definitely afraid of something. Her body softened and the tension slowly seeped out of her, but her eyes were still locked with his and he thought she had a pair on her. Wide and beguiling.
He leaned forward and inhaled deeply, thinking that her scent was by far the sweetest he had even seen, and it had nothing to do with what she was. He had been waiting for her, listening to the awkward conversation on the other side of the door with a certain amount of amusement.
There was a flush over delicate features her eyes like a precious glittering gem stones drinking him in. Her petite frame molded under his and all rational thought was rapidly leaving his brain and culminating below his belt. He needed to leave now before something that he wouldn’t mind happened, because in truth it had been quite a while since he felt sexual excitement quite this strongly.
He frowned. He didn't have this type of reaction to her, and he'd been following her for days. But now that her scent encircled him and the feel of her petal soft skin brushing against his body he just simply wanted her in the most basic of ways. The way a man wanted a woman.
He reluctantly rose off her, straightening the lapels of his jacket. She did make a sight, especially with her hair mussed and her clothes a disheveled mess, bunched around her waist. Her legs were open very immodestly but that only made his desire raise more. If he didn’t have strong discipline and restraint he might’ve just taken her then.
“I’ll see you again,” he promised, then tilted his head to the side studying her a fraction before adding “I like you in red.”
And in a cloud of swirling black smoke he disappeared leaving her staring at the empty space where no signs of him remained, her chest heaving, fingers digging deeply into the bed spread.
Millie scurried to her bag and dug out her phone before sinking into the mattress again, her mind whirling in a thousand different directions. There was a lingering thought in her mind making her wonder if anyone had heard the commotion, but he’d probably taken care of all of that. She hadn’t told Kate about the incident with Micah but now she didn’t have a choice. She had another vampire after her. His interest in her was confusing because she’d never seen him before and she could tell that he was older and stronger. He’d deflected her defenses quite easily and that scared her, she was always confident in her ability to protect herself, until now.
Picking up the phone she dialed Kate’s number and waited, her body shivering lightly. She looked down and frowned at a slit that wasn’t originally there revealing hints of her skin. The idiot had even ripped her dress.
“Hello,” answered Kate’s breathless voice.
“Katie,” Millie couldn’t stop the tremble that had crept into her voice, and now she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“Millie?” concern quickly seeped into Kate’s voice “What happened? What’s wrong?”
Words just wanted to pour out of her. But the jumble of words in her head wouldn’t have really made sense, so she took a deep breath and focused her thoughts into a single sentence. “I think I might be in trouble.”
“I’m on my way,” a soft sad smile touched her lips; she could always count on Kate when she was in trouble. “Give me a couple of days to get things settled here and I’ll be there.”
Millie nodded, though Kate couldn’t see it as the line clicked dead.