Chapter 5
FIVE
I woke to two things: a thinned crowd along the lake, and a leather jacket draped over me. Blinking, my eyes slowly adjusted as I pushed myself upright on the bench. A sharp pain throbbed in my head with every movement.
“Hey, don’t get up too quickly,” a reassuring voice said. As I turned to see who it was, my stomach lurched, and I bent forward, emptying its contents onto the ground. Deep red blood pooled around my boots.
“Looks like you’ve had too much to drink,” the voice said again, and a hand gently held back my hair. I turned to see hazel eyes staring back at me, a strand of dirty-blond hair falling messily over them.
My anticipated meal.
He was the man I had seen earlier, watching me by the lake.
Up close, he was even more appealing than I remembered.
A lopsided grin tugged at his lips, revealing dimples that added to his charm.
He wore a long-sleeve shirt that clung to his arms, accentuating the muscles beneath.
He was striking. An intriguing mix of rugged masculinity and boyish charm.
I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt, though I was unsure if it was born of desire or hunger.
Before I could fully process how he made me feel, my stomach churned, and I leaned over to vomit once again.
“Are you okay?” His hand grazed the nape of my neck as he continued holding my hair.
“What happened?” I asked, clutching my head as I tried to stand. I needed to walk, clear the fog, and figure out what had gone wrong. Though my body felt weak, it was betraying me. My legs were unsteady beneath me, and I swayed.
“Hey, sit back down. You’ve had quite a bit to drink,” he said. I didn’t have much of a choice but to lower myself back onto the bench beside him. His hand gestured casually to his lap. “You can lay your head on me if you need to.”
I raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical glance. “Nice try.”
He grinned again, that same effortless smile—one that had probably worked on countless girls before. But damn if it didn’t have an effect on me too. The dimples appeared once more, tugging at something inside of me.
“Aren’t you cold?” I asked, assuming it was his leather jacket draped across my shoulders.
“No.” He stretched his arms along the back of the bench, settling into a more relaxed posture.
“I run hot. You’re the one who should be cold.
” His gaze dropped, lingering on the exposed skin of my legs.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, feeling a wave of warmth radiating off his body. It was strangely comforting.
“Sorry if I got vomit on your shoes,” I muttered. “I don’t know what happened.”
“You collapsed,” he said, his voice soft. “So, I carried you over here and waited for you to wake up.”
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up.
Why did I faint? It didn’t make sense. As a Vampire, my body shouldn’t have reacted like that to blood.
I should have been able to consume it without issue.
I could usually tell when someone had too much alcohol or drugs in their system, but this?
It was different. Something was wrong. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and pushed the thought aside.
“You carried me?” I asked, more for the distraction than anything else.
“Yeah,” he replied with a grin. “You weigh less than my friend’s drum set that I cart around all the time.
I’m in a band, and I’m the only one with a van, so I’m used to hauling heavy equipment.
Not that you’re heavy,” he quickly added, catching himself.
“It’s just … my equipment doesn’t usually wear silk. ”
“Well, now this silk needs a trip to the dry cleaners,” I muttered, rolling my eyes inwardly. Another guy in a band, all talk and no substance. I knew the type too well.
“At least all the wine you drank matches the colour of your dress.”
Sure. Wine’s as convenient as anything, I thought. I was feeling a bit better now that the blood was out of my system, but hunger still gnawed at me, and I felt disappointed that the meal I had anticipated had been cut short.
I stared off into the lake. People still meandered around, laughing and drinking. I searched for Vail, but she was gone. A pang of disappointment settled deep within me. I pushed myself up from the bench, feeling abandoned.
“It’s getting late. I should go. Thanks for helping me,” I said, offering his jacket back.
He took it, his fingers brushing mine. “Do you need a ride home?”
“My car is down the road,” I replied, motioning toward the path leading back into town.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be driving.”
I scowled at him, pursing my lips. “I’m not drunk.”
“Well, that’s not what the evidence on my shoes says,” he teased, grinning in a way that made my stomach flutter. For a moment, I found myself staring at his smile, but then I snapped back to reality, mentally scolding myself. I couldn’t afford to fall into old habits again.
“Okay, fine. I’ll just walk,” I muttered with a resigned sigh. “It was nice meeting you.” I turned and began walking down the path.
“I can give you a ride,” he called out, his tone eager. He quickly fell into step beside me. “I didn’t have anything to drink tonight. Got off work late and came straight here for the fireworks.”
“No, you really don’t have to do that,” I insisted, my pace quickening. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. “Don’t you have friends waiting for you or something?”
“I haven’t seen them since the fireworks, and my phone’s dead. They’re probably cabbing back. Besides, I insist. I’d feel horrible if I left you alone after seeing you ... well, you know, vomit your guts out.”
I stopped walking and sighed, knowing I couldn’t talk him out of it. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he replied, extending his hand. “I’m Connor.”
I hesitated for a moment, but then took it, offering a quick, polite handshake. “Rose.” I could feel the warmth of his skin, the pulse thrumming through his veins. I forced myself not to focus on it, trying to ignore the desires surging inside me.
We remained silent for the rest of the walk. When we reached a white van, Connor stopped, his hand sweeping toward it. “This is me.”
“You’re not going to kidnap me, are you?” I asked, eyeing the van.
“Hey, people give white vans a bad rap,” he said, opening the passenger door for me. I wiped my boots on the grass before climbing in. Once seated, I noticed a peculiar smell and saw empty cartons of chocolate milk scattered across the floor.
Connor apologized about the mess and tossed the cartons into the back of the van. They bounced off the various musical instrument cases cluttering the space. “Everyone’s got a vice,” he explained with a grin.
Little does he know.
He turned the key in the ignition, and the van struggled to start, the engine turning over repeatedly before finally roaring to life. Once it started, he peeled off into the night.
“Where am I taking you?” he asked.
“I’ll give you directions,” I said, drawing my knees up and holding them on the dashboard. Hunger gnawed at me, quiet but insistent. I could feel it, crawling beneath my skin, something feral and unfinished.
“Why haven’t I seen you around here before?” Connor asked, his look flicking over to me.
“Who’s to say you haven’t?” I said, keeping my tone neutral. The truth was, I hadn’t been in a car this close to a human in ages. Being near him made me feel uneasy. The tightness in my skin, the pounding in my head …it was all too much.
“I think I’d remember seeing you,” he said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not what it sounds like. I just—”
“It’s okay, I’m teasing you,” I interjected, offering a reassuring smile.
“Well, you’re not from Lakeview. I grew up here, so I’d know if you were. Where are you from?” Connor asked.
“I’m just passing through,” I replied.
“Guess that’s why I’m driving you to the motel then?”
I caught his smirk.
“I won’t give you directions anymore,” I sat back in the seat.
We didn’t speak as the road blurred by, the last of the New Year’s partiers making their way home. Connor turned into the parking lot of the motel and cut the engine. The sudden quiet seemed louder.
“This is it.” He shifted, the fabric of his leather jacket crinkling as it brushed the seat.
Then he leaned in closer. His gaze locked with mine, and I could feel the intention behind it.
He was close enough that I could taste the mint on his breath.
Had it always been there? Or had he planned for this moment, hoped for it, gum tucked between his cheek like a promise?
“Maybe we can see each other again before you leave?” he asked, his voice low and filled with anticipation. “My band plays most nights at the Winking Judge. You should come by.”
I couldn’t resist a playful tease, so I leaned in just a little, letting my lips curl into a sly grin, my voice just above a whisper. “If you’re lucky.” Then, in a smooth motion, I slid out of the van and closed the door.
I glanced back through the window and added, “See you around, Connor.”
“Goodnight, Rose,” he replied with a soft smile. I walked away still feeling his eyes on me.
Once in my room, I flicked on the table lamp, and it cast a soft glow around the space.
The curtains breathed in the night’s breeze from the window I left open.
I looked down the street just in time to spot Connor’s van turning a corner.
A strange, almost electric tug pulled at my chest, and I realized, without quite knowing why, that I would be seeing him again.
I straightened, a decision forming in my mind. I wouldn’t drink from him. Not yet anyway. He knew my name, and that changed things. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun with him first.
I hadn’t let myself think like this in ages.
Normally, I didn’t trust humans. But something about tonight had felt different.
For years, I had built walls around myself, pushing people away, and keeping my distance.
But tonight, after seeing Vail again, something had cracked, leaving me feeling exposed.
I took a quick shower, washing away the dirt and blood from my legs, the hot water soothing the tension in my body. I scrubbed at the dirt from beneath my nails, but my manicure covered it well enough. I wrapped a robe around myself and padded barefoot across the dingy motel carpet.
I reached to close the window and saw a bat swooping through the tree lines. Draven, I thought. His name flickered through my mind, as it often did when night fell, or bats flew across the sky. I blinked, and the bat vanished, swallowed up by the trees.
A bittersweet smile tugged at my lips as memories of Draven resurfaced. The years had blurred, but the memories of him, the first time we met, of the desperate ache that had bound us together, remained as sharp as ever.
I lay down on the bed, and it creaked under me.
I tried to relax, but the anxiety of my earlier fainting spell lingered.
I hadn’t felt that vulnerable in so long, and it unsettled me.
What had happened? Why had I reacted that way?
My fingers moved to the spot where my mother’s necklace used to sit, but it wasn’t there.
I hadn’t worn it in years, but its absence pressed against my chest, a constant reminder of the day I met Draven.
One of the worst days of my life.