Maxwell
The warmth coming from her body as she presses against me is intoxicating. I can feel my ice-cold body start to heat up in spots. It's a weird feeling, but I welcome it because it tricks my subconscious into thinking it's a step closer to being human. As she tugs a fistful of my hair and urges me to sink deeper into her neck, my fingertips dig into her skin. The sound of her hissing breath in my ear as I crush her only adds to my excitement.
Lifting her off the ground, I spin us around, so we're facing the direction that Benjamin is located in. I know he watches us and I want to see the look on his face. Within seconds after averting my gaze, I see him with clenched fists glaring at us. My mouth still suctions itself to Charlie's neck, and my hands slide up and down her body. The curve of her butt fits perfectly in my palm. If I stretch far enough, I can touch her bare thigh.
With Charlie's hands still latched on to me, it gives us the reaction we're hoping for. Benjamin breaks the stare he has on us and storms away with his second bride, the bride he chose over Grace. Grudgingly, I detach from Charlie. Sticky blood gathers in the corners of my mouth, but I quickly lick it away before I look at her.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, afraid I took too much.
Her hand goes to her head. Her eyes squint closed. "Just a bit dizzy is all." The words come out with a sigh.
I know she's not used to the withdrawal of blood and this isn't even a regular basis. Some vampires feed from their humans three times a day, just as a human eats three meals a day. "Let's get you something to drink," I instruct her.
She seems as if she's in a daze as she follows my lead with her fingers gripping my forearm. By the time we arrive at the bar Charlie seems to be getting better. She slaps her hand on the bar top and asks for a shot of something strong. Her voice takes on a slur as if she's already drunk.
"I think my love here will have a glass of juice," I say, correcting her.
"That's probably a better idea," she mumbles out as she agrees with me.
We make our way over to the corner where Grace is located. Once she comes into view we see her sitting next to a chipper young man. He has his pink button-down shirt open, showing his hairless tanned chest. At first glance, I see five bite marks on him. Charlie immediately plops down into a chair, totally oblivious to the leaking blood bank on the other side of Grace.
"If I recall you seem to be in better shape than the last time he sunk his fangs in you," Grace jokes.
"What I'm willing to do to keep my beating heart," Charlie replies, matching Grace's joking tone.
Just as I am about to offer for us to leave, Paige runs up to Charlie. "I requested a song and I want you to join us on the dance floor." Her blonde hair whips as she sways her head. If I could vomit, I would. This Paige is the complete opposite as my Charlie and I don't want any aspect of her rubbing off on Charlie or worse yet...tainting her. She's insecure and desperate as she flaunts herself in front of everyone. She treats herself as her vampire treats her, like meat.
"I'd rather not," Charlie says in a snobby tone.
"Oh my God, Maxwell told you. I'm so sorry. I was just...I mean, when I saw you kiss Aiden I thought I had a chance with Maxwell," Paige whines.
"What? You kissed Aiden?" I abruptly say, interrupting their conversation.
"No...yes, but not how you're thinking it happened."
"I saw it, Maxwell. It was entirely Aiden putting the moves on her," Grace chimes in.
Charlie's eyes light up as she hears the next song play. I can tell she doesn't want anything to do with Paige, but the pull of the song is winning her over. Not to mention that she doesn't want to argue with me further. "Fine, but we are not friends," she reluctantly states.
"Whatever you say," Paige jokingly abides.
Without a word said, Charlie jumps up and runs to the dance floor with Paige trailing behind her. I try to stop her, but Grace grabs my arm to stop me. Aiden and Eddie meet them at the edge of the dance floor. She stays in full view. Aiden's brave enough to glance at me as he grabs Charlie's hand to twirl her around. My fists involuntarily clench and unclench. The feel of warm blood gathering in my palm snaps me back into reality.
I watch her as I used to when she was at her favorite nightclub. Except if I were to kill a man here no one would look twice. The only one I would have to answer to is Aiden's vampire, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Grace's hand still clamping down on my arm breaks my train of thought. Her strong grip pushes me back down into the seat Charlie occupied.
"Let her dance. You have nothing to worry about," Grace urges.
"I'm not here to watch her dance, Grace. I've watched her dance with fools for quite some time." My temper is starting to get the best of me.
"Settle down."
"You're blood drunk, Grace. Don't lecture me." My words cut her off.
Grace stands in front of my face, blocking Charlie from my view. She leans in extra close, and both her hands find their place on my shoulders. Her fingers painfully squeeze the muscle lining the bone. "The connection has been made for a while now or am I wrong? Since that first touch many things have happened or am I wrong? She didn't kiss that fool. That fool kissed her and she hated it. She was repulsed and shocked at the same time."
"She still doesn't want to become a vampire." Saying the words makes it more real. The truth can hurt greatly when it's spoken aloud.
"Don't be such a baby. You're just blind, you think so little of yourself. You can't see how she looks at you. You think she was just acting a little while ago when you bit her. She'll come around sooner rather than later. Just be patient even though I've never known you to be. We didn't want to become a vampire, so why are we so quick to make her one?" she lectures.
I go to retort a smart comment, but she refuses to hear my words.
"Shut up," she orders before she bites aggressively into her meal's wrist.
I hear the snapping of cartilage and the gush of blood. Left with no choice, I stare in the direction of a dancing Charlie. To my dismay, when I finally get the will to look directly at her I see something I least expect. She points at me with her index finger. It starts to curl in toward herself, gesturing me to join her. When I don't move she runs over to me.
"You don't want to dance with me?" she says in a sad school girl voice.
"If you're doing this to upset Benjamin further, rest assured that he's gone. We can actually leave whenever you please."
She grabs both of my hands and tries to lift me off the chair. The chair itself drags across the floor a few inches from her determination. I come to a stand so she doesn't have to keep struggling. She brushes herself off with a huff. Taking my hand one more time, she leads me to the dance floor.
"I'm doing this to be nice if you must know. And to shove it in Paige's and Aiden's faces."
Knowing that she's dancing with me to make others jealous is an interesting concept, but I'm curious if there's another reason. "Are you really doing it to be nice or are you starting to like me?"
Her laugh sounds like music to my ears. Her wide smile makes me feel alive. There has never been anyone in my lifetime that has made me feel anything remotely close to how I feel when I'm with her. She just shrugs her shoulders, refusing to answer.
I dance to the upbeat music and the occasional slow song. To feel her body close to mine again puts all my worries aside. More than once Aiden tries to steal her away from me, but Charlie just laughs in his face and turns away. Her behavior pleases me more than I want it to, but I don't say anything to make it stop. Except when a yawn escapes her mouth I put a close to the night.
We walk side by side down the halls. We still have a ways to our room when she starts grumbling that her feet hurt. Right in the middle of the hall, I watch her whip off her heels. The smack of her back against the wall as she loses her balance puts a small smirk on my face. Oh, how graceful she is.
Once she reaches my side, I lift her up in my arms. Her scream of surprise echoes throughout the halls. "Maxwell, put me down," she protests.
"Would you stop squirming before I drop you?" There's no way I would drop her, but maybe the threat of falling on her face will get her to settle down. "Just lay your head on my shoulder and relax," I add.
She doesn't listen to me right away but within a few seconds her head is upon my shoulder. By the time we reach the room, she's sound asleep. I carefully place her in bed and slip off her dress. I have no time to admire her body as she grabs the blankets and utters the word 'pervert' in my direction.
I read the clock before I crawl into bed next to her. Just a little past midnight. Placing my hands under my head as I try to fall asleep, I hear Charlie's voice. Her words put a smile on my face. "Goodnight, Maxwell."