Exception
I strode into the living room, content to start my day. It was morning now—maybe early afternoon?—and I was dressed and ready for adventures.
“Good morning.” I sat beside Ari, who was studying on the couch.
“You’re finally up.” She smiled and set the thick book aside. “I wanna go shopping. Do you think it’s safe? It’s overcast and I don’t see any sunlight.”
“I don’t know,” I realized. Dennis had said as much, but I was still suspicious the sun might melt us and he was plotting to get rid of me that way. “I’ll ask Dennis.”
I left to do just that. I hadn’t seen any of the guys yet, but it was safe to assume he was in or on his coffin setting things on fire.
I made it halfway down the hall before realizing I’d forgotten my meds.
I veered into Mateo’s room instead and beelined to the dresser, where I’d left them beside a glass of water.
“Time for your happy pills?”
I turned to see Dennis leaning against the doorframe. I nodded and finished swallowing pills. “Is it safe to go outside right now?”
“You’ll be fine. What’re you shopping for?”
“How’d you know we’re going shopping? Never mind, I don’t care. I’m thinking clothes and maybe a new tattoo…” I trailed off at the way he was watching me. “Why?” I asked suspiciously. It was weird he even cared.
“Because I have something in mind.”
“Oh, yeah? Like what?”
“Like the things you’d keep in here.” He was suddenly beside me.
He tapped Mateo’s top left drawer—the same spot I kept my lingerie at home.
My stomach flipped as he smiled. “I prefer black. Although I do like you in red. Lace is sexy. Maybe cutouts. Easy access is always fun. Skirts, thigh highs. I trust your judgement. Get us something nice.”
“Your audacity is insane.” I brushed past him to leave, ignoring the jolt through my body when we touched. He followed close behind. “Dennis,” I stopped in the doorway and turned, placing a palm on his chest, “I have a rule. It’s very important to me. Stop trying to make me break it.”
“I can’t hear what this rule is, but I’m guessing it’s something I wanna break?”
“I’m sure it is, but we’re not breaking it. I’m not breaking it.” I spun and started down the hall. “Ari, are you ready? I need to get away from Dennis.”
“Yeah, we can go.” She was already waiting by the door with keys in hand. She said a polite goodbye while I waved an annoyed hand over my shoulder.
“Don’t forget something for me.”
I turned to see him watching me with that same devious smile. I titled my head, wondering if he honestly expected me to buy something for him, before deciding. “Nope. Bye.” I laughed and closed the door.
* * *
Some hours and one new tattoo later, I ran up the stairs ahead of Ari, more than excited to show everyone my new baby.
We’d spent a while shopping for clothes before returning to the tattoo parlor, and now my left side had a gorgeous vixen that started beneath my bra and ended a couple inches past the top of my shorts.
It was perfect. Probably my new favorite.
“We don’t have a key,” I remembered as we reached their door. “I hope they’re still home.”
“They’re probably in the same spot as usual playing the same video game,” she said, turning the knob. Lo and behold, it swung right open.
“Hey,” Mateo greeted as we entered.
Ari and I fell into a fit of giggles. They were playing the same game in the same exact spots they always sat. Only Dennis was missing this time.
“You guys shouldn’t leave your door unlocked. It’s not very safe.” Ari moved past me to sit.
“Not safe at all.” I squished into the seat with her and all our shopping bags.
“Emy, get your own chair. You don’t fit.” She tried to shove me off, but I nestled closer.
“If anyone tries to rob or kill us, I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine.” Sean flashed his fangs in the usual adorable smile.
“What if Ari’s here? She’s human. She might die,” I pointed out.
“Hey!”
“She has me,” Sean said. “Nothing’s gonna happen on my watch.”
I glanced over to see her trying not to smile. I could tell Sean and I were thinking the same thing: she’s so cute when she gets all shy like this. “I almost forgot!” I dropped the shopping bags and hopped up.
“Finally.” Ari spread out in the chair.
“Lookie what I got.” I pulled my shirt over my bra. Sean paused the game as I unbuttoned my shorts and rolled them down a couple of inches. “Isn’t it pretty?” I gushed, turning sideways to show the vixen with its gorgeous mix of black and purple shading.
“That’s awesome. I love it.” Sean leaned forward to get a better look while I smiled proudly.
“It’s perfect,” Mateo said, walking over to take in every detail. “It suits you. Especially the colors.”
“Yay! Thank you.” I buttoned my shorts and pulled my shirt back down. “Ari helped me pick everything out.”
“Where’s yours?” Sean asked her.
“Nowhere,” she said, laughing at the thought. “I’m not getting any. Needles and I are not friends. Minus my ears.” She gestured to the magenta pearl earrings I’d gotten her years ago.
“I’ve been trying to convince her to get one since her eighteenth birthday. It’s not gonna work. Where’s Dennis?” I moved aside so they could restart the game.
“In his room,” Sean said.
“I wanna show him my new tattoo. But first…” I scooped up my shopping bags and dumped them atop our growing pile of things.
“I feel like we’re moving in.” Ari came to set her bags near mine, then stepped back and frowned. “This is a mess. I’m gonna fix it.” She started rearranging while Sean watched with a smile.
“I’ll be back,” I announced, nearly skipping down the hall to Dennis’ room. I went to knock, but it opened by itself. Well, that was creepy.
“Or maybe I heard you coming and opened it,” Dennis said as I stepped back.
“Don’t do that.” I walked past him into the pitch black room, not bothering to wait for an invitation. He shut the door. “I have to show you something. You have to turn the lights on, though.”
“Why? I can see,” he said it like I was stupid for wanting light.
He’s the stupid one for being so anti-light.
And then I remembered all the vibrant colors I could see in Mateo’s unlit room.
And every dark place, actually. In that case, why couldn’t I see colors in here?
“Because there aren’t colors in here.” Dennis gestured to our surroundings.
His lips turned up in a teasing smirk as I realized it was true; the red sheets and chair were the only color in here.
“What do you have to show me?” He leaned against the chair, eyes freely roaming my body.
“My new tattoo.” I rolled my shorts down and pulled the shirt above my bra so he could see. “Isn’t it perfect?”
“Yeah.” He reached out and I stepped back. “What?”
“No touching. It has to heal.”
“You’re a vampire,” he said.
“What about it?”
“It’s already healed.”
“Oh.” I touched the tattoo. No wonder there was no residual pain. I hadn’t even noticed. “Go ahead. I guess you can touch it.”
“I like it.” Dennis ran a hand along my side, admiring the work. “Why a fox?”
“For my middle name. You heard the conversation, remember? I picked it out the day after Halloween when you kept popping up at the mall.”
“Right.” He seemed distracted.
To be perfectly honest, so was I. My eyes strayed to his lips. A familiar sensation started as I tried not to focus on his hand still tracing my new tattoo. I fidgeted, causing him to smile.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.” His other hand rested against my waist, toying with the hem of my shorts. “Am I making you nervous?”
“No.” My heart was beating a millisecond too fast.
“You’re lying.” His eyes glistened in the lack of light, which did nothing to help how intimidated I suddenly felt. Not intimidated as in danger. More like hopelessly horny, out of control, wildly attracted to him.
“You never make me nervous…” My breath caught as his hand reached the lowest part of my new tattoo.
“Still lying.”
“You know what?” I finally composed myself and nudged him away. “I’m not nervous. Go away.”
“It’s my room,” he said.
“Oh, yeah.” I looked at the black carpet. He’s totally right, this is his room. “Well fine. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Stay.” He caught my arm when I made to leave. “I’m messing with you.” He grinned at my annoyed sigh. “I have fun talking to you. Even when you’re being awkward.”
“Aw, you like hanging out with me? I feel so special. Is that why you bound me?” I went to sit on the closed coffin, getting comfortable since he wanted me to stay.
“No. That would be a waste of a bind.”
“Oh.” I frowned, trying to process the brutal honesty. I was used to his insults, but this one seemed personal.
“You took that the wrong way.” He sat in the chair, once again watching me like I was the most interesting thing. “I’m not saying you’re a waste of a bind. I’m saying I wouldn’t bind someone just because they’re fun to talk to. That would be a waste. There are other reasons.”
“That means you bound me for something better?” I perked up. “Tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me—”
“If you don’t stop, I’m throwing you out.”
“You can’t throw me out. I’m a vampire now.”
“I’m still stronger than you. I can carry you out.”
“Alright, fine. If you’re still stronger than me, then how does that work? It seems like we should be the same now.”
“Biology,” he said. “Genetics, size, muscle mass, everything that factored in as humans still makes a difference as vampires. It’s not as drastic, but it’s still there.”
I was having a hard time focusing. I was listening, but at the same time I was fully aware of the way his hair was falling toward his eyes. His lips moving. His heartbeat. His scent. How far he was and how much closer I wanted him to be.
“Huh,” I murmured, hoping he couldn’t tell how much I was lusting over him.
“I can tell.” He smiled.
“I dunno what you’re talking about.” I averted my eyes as butterflies took over.
“Lying again.” He ‘tsk’ed and shook his head. “What am I gonna do with you?”