Temptations
I did my usual bedtime routine before heading to the living room in search of something to do. An excitement about life was kicking in, so going to bed now would probably be useless. My eyes fell on Dennis’ door, which was barely cracked. Like an invitation, maybe?
I stood, half wanting to see if he was still awake and half scared to even knock on the door. After a minute I decided to be brave and quietly made my way down the hall. I stopped a few feet from the door to second guess everything and stare at it like an idiot.
“You can come in, you know.”
I smoothed my hair and pajamas, then pushed the door open and strode inside.
Dennis was sitting on his closed coffin, lighter in one hand and an ignited paper in the other.
His eyes flickered in the flame’s reflection, casting an eerie glow across the whole scene.
I watched in fascination as the crinkled paper burned to nothing.
“Do you ever put that lighter down?”
“Sometimes.” He dropped the smoldering paper.
“Sorry if I’m bugging you,” I mumbled.
He smiled and lit a second paper. “You’re not. And you were right,” his darkened eyes rose to mine, “it was an invitation.”
“Oh.” I shifted uncomfortably. “You heard that?” And then I mentally slapped myself. Of course he heard it. Why would I ask such a stupid question?
He laughed and dropped the remains of the second paper. “You can shut it now.” I closed the door and rubbed a hand up my arm, suddenly wishing I’d gone straight to bed with Ari. Or at least changed to modest pajamas first. “You seem nervous.”
“Yeah, you’re not.” I stopped to make a face. “I mean you don’t. Make me nervous. I’m not because you don’t make me.”
“Nervous?” His eyes stayed on me as the flame reached a third paper’s edge.
“I am not. You don’t make me nervous. You’re a pyromaniac and it’s creepy.”
“Then why’re you in here?” He dropped the charred paper and closed his other hand around the flame.
“Because I’m too happy to sleep and I wanna talk to someone. I’m a little happier than I probably should be,” I admitted. He set the lighter down as I came to sit beside him. “Can I hang out in your coffin?”
“No.” He gave me an incredulous look, like I’d requested his firstborn child.
“But I’m a vampire and I wanna lie in a coffin. Yours looks so comfy. It’s so nice.” I let my legs fall to either side of the closed coffin, swinging them while I rubbed the smooth surface between. “Please?”
“Fine.” He stood and flipped it open without warning, laughing as I fell off with a yelp and a thud.
“Why are you always knocking me over?” I sat up to glare.
“So you can get in the coffin.” He gestured as I stood.
“I really can?” I grinned when he nodded. “This is so exciting!” I hopped over the back and landed on the soft satin sheets. They were blood red and so comfortable. I crossed my legs and bounced. It was also surprisingly spacious. I wanted this coffin bed for myself.
“You can’t have it.” Dennis pulled his dark shirt off and tossed it aside.
“What’re you doing?” I asked, trying not to stare.
“Changing. You’re welcome to join.”
“I already did.” I pointed at my pajamas.
“So change out of them.”
My eyes fell to his bare chest as I thought about it. And then to his abs. And slowly to the hem of his pants. It was tempting. So very tempting, but…
“Nope. If you want sex, find someone else.”
“I have no interest in that.” He started digging through a drawer while I ogled his muscular back. This was my first time seeing his full tattoos. Assuming there weren’t more elsewhere.
“Why not? I’m sure you could find someone.”
“Strangers aren’t appealing. Once you’re bound, if you’re attracted to your bind, sex with anyone else is nothing. It’s dull. Your bind is the only person you’ll enjoy. If you don’t want your bind then nothing will change. For me, it changed.”
“Really? And it’s the same for me, too? Assuming I’m attracted to you?” I watched as he unbuckled the spiked belt and let his pants drop. He was only in dark boxers now. I shifted, trying to calm my rampant nerves.
“Really. It goes both ways.”
“Sucks for you. I guess you’ll be celibate for a while.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m sure you’re worth the wait.”
“Trust me, I am.” I couldn’t keep the flirtation from my voice, but I was determined to control myself. I must stick to the rule.
“What rule are you talking about?” He returned to the coffin and I scooted to the opposite side. It was taking all my willpower not to pounce on him. This was literal torture.
“Get out of my head. I’m trying to be a vampire in a coffin. Stay over there so I can rest in peace.” I lay down and turned away from him. Much to my dismay, he settled beside me. “Can you scoot over?”
“It’s my coffin. You can move if you want more space.”
“Whatever.” I sighed and rolled over to face the ceiling. That was fair enough. “I feel like this day has been going forever. Are days always this long as a vampire?”
“Yeah, they drag. We move faster than humans so time feels slower even though it’s the same. Plus, the lack of sleep makes days a few hours longer.”
“That’s annoying. I guess I need more hobbies.” I rested my hands behind my head, causing my short top to ride up.
“And more friends,” Dennis said, playing with my bellybutton ring. “Have you ever had a boyfriend?”
I eyed him, wondering why he cared, but his expression didn’t change. He seemed genuinely curious. “No,” I said.
“Girlfriend?”
“No. I’ve never been in a relationship.”
“Because you’re scared they’ll leave you.” He managed to guess when I didn’t even think it.
“Why wouldn’t they?” I turned to the ceiling again, trying to avoid the way he always looked at me. “I’m sure you will, too. But it doesn’t matter. You’ll trade me for another bind, eventually.”
“You only get one. There are no trades and no redos. This is it. You’re stuck with me,” he said, trailing a hand down my stomach.
“Really?” I stared at him. This made things even more confusing. “Why’d you pick me out of everyone? You didn’t even know me.”
He didn’t answer. Just ran a finger along my hip tattoo, tracing every curve of every letter. My stomach fluttered at the soft touch, but I willed my body to calm down. I was determined to follow my rule.
“What rule?”
“Nothing there is no rule,” I said in a rush.
“I’ll answer yours if you answer mine.”
I almost forgot what we were talking about when his hand slipped past my waistband, barely stroking the lace beneath. “Stop trying to seduce me or I’m leaving.” I shot him an ‘I’m serious’ look.
He withdrew and felt my immediate disappointment—that much was clear from his quiet laugh. “I’ll keep my hands to myself. If I behave, will you at least answer a different question?”
“Depends. What is it?”
“What’d you go to juvie for? I’m curious. I didn’t know I’ve been hanging out with a felon.”
“I’m not a felon.” I laughed at the exaggeration. Well, kind of. My only convicted felony charges were in juvenile court, so in my book it didn’t count. “You really wanna know?”
“I do.”
“It’s a long story,” I warned. “Multiple stories.”
“It’s not like I’m going to sleep anytime soon.”
“No, really. It’s a super long story.”
“So tell it.”
“No, really—”
“Sometime before I turn fifty.”
“You’re such a smartass. Okay, fine.” I turned to face him and propped on an elbow, settling in for the long tale.
“The first time was the beginning of senior year. Some girl was having a house party and invited everyone in our grade but me. I didn’t ask why ‘cause I didn’t care, but she randomly told me it’s because I’m a slut who already fucked one girl the first week of school and made out with two guys I’d just met. ”
“Did you?”
I shrugged. “Word travels fast. I didn’t think the whole school would find out. Anyway, she said she didn’t want me at the party because I would sleep with everyone in sight and ruin all her sheets. Rude, right? So I laughed and went back to what I was doing.”
“You weren’t mad?”
“I was pissed, but I didn’t lose my temper. I hardly ever do. Only if someone hurts Ari or anyone else I care about. I’d rather plot my revenge and do it later.”
Dennis smiled in approval. “Keep going. This is interesting.”
“I ditched last period a week later to destroy her car. Keyed it, slashed its tires, broke all the windows and doused the inside with lighter fluid. School got out and she ran up screaming so I told her I fucked a guy in her backseat that morning, she shouldn’t leave her doors unlocked, and I decided to clean up for her.
With fire. ‘Cause I wouldn’t want her getting contaminated, would I?
“So I tossed a match and everything went up in flames. I thought it was hilarious, but everyone else was freaking out. I’m assuming someone called the police because they showed up with the fire department.” I giggled at the memory. It was a fun day.
“Did you really fuck a guy in her car?” Dennis asked.
“Of course I did.” I sat up with a new rush of energy.
He followed suit as I scooted back and crossed my legs.
“She left the doors unlocked. What else was I supposed to do?” I grinned before saying, “Okay, I lied. She didn’t leave the doors unlocked.
I picked the locks. But I was gonna set it on fire anyway, so it’s not like it mattered. ”
“Aren’t you scared of fire?”
“Yeah. I dunno why I didn’t care that day. Who knows what was going on up here.” I waved a careless hand at my head.
“Wait. That can’t be the end.”
“No, there’s a lot more to that story.”
“Finish it,” Dennis encouraged. “Stay here all night, if you want. I wanna hear the rest.”
“I was charged with vandalism and arson, but since it was my first offense and it wasn’t violent the courts went easy on me.
I did some time in juvie, my aunt appealed the sentence and I got released early for good behavior.
I finished out the sentence with house arrest—minus going to school—and community service. ”