15. Willow
Fifteen
Willow
W illow tied a bow around her middle with the strings from her dress and looked at herself in the mirror. Her dress was on the shorter side, stopping right above her knees and had a brightly colored pattern of sunflowers and bluebells. She had her hair up in a high ponytail and limited makeup on so as not to irritate her sunburn she accidentally received on her walk the previous day. She was getting tanner lately—the perks of moving to a sunny state.
Her intercom buzzed, alerting her that her friend had arrived. She ran downstairs and met Marla by her car. She wore red skinny jeans, black wedges, and a black long sleeved silk top. It was simple, but sexy.
“Look at you! Matteo won’t be able to keep his hands off you again.”
“Thanks, I figured I would wear these pants since they make my butt look good. Do you really think Matteo will still be interested in me? I haven’t heard from him since the club, so I don’t think he cares that much.” Her tone grew sad. “I don’t want to do another one-night stand, either.”
She felt her eye twitch. Matteo had said he would text her, but clearly he was not a man of his word. That would be the last drink she ever made him.
“Maybe he’s shy. Or stupid. Actually, he’s probably both. Do you really want a shy, stupid man?”
Marla shrugged, not even breaking a small smile at her attempt at humor. “I don’t think he’s either of those things. I think he’s a very handsome, silly guy with a great smile and he’s got connections to the most powerful men in Vista Maria. I’m not surprised he wouldn’t want me when he could get any girl he wants.”
“His loss then, because you’re pretty amazing. Maybe instead of shy and stupid, he’s shallow. That’s the worst type of guy to have in your life, so maybe you’re dodging a bullet. There’s plenty of better fish in the sea.”
Marla tilted her head back and sighed with her eyes closed. “Yeah, but sexy, single, vampire fish are rare. I thought I finally found my Edward.”
“Oh, so you do know he’s a vampire. I was wondering, but didn’t know how to bring it up. Gage informed me when we went on our date and it blew my mind.”
“You didn’t know? Welcome to the club, it’s kind of hard to stay ignorant to them when you live down here. Speaking of your date, have you guys talked since then, or is he like his friend?”
“He’s come in for coffees throughout the week, but I haven’t texted him. I don’t want to come on too strong or seem desperate, and he hasn’t messaged me at all. Plus, I don’t even know if I want to be in a relationship yet. My last one didn’t end so well, and I feel safest by myself.”
Marla’s eyes widened. “You are living every girl’s dream right now! I am so jealous. You have an attractive, rich, powerful vampire interested in you and you didn’t even have to chase after him. If you turn him down before you give it a shot, I’ll be disappointed in you.”
“Yes ma’am.” She smiled and linked her arm through Marla’s. “Who’s driving?”
“You can, I don’t know where they live and apparently you’ve already spent the night there.” She winked.
When they arrived, they were both surprised at the number of people that were attending this party. They had to circle the large block twice before finding a place to park, almost two streets over.
“I regret wearing heels,” Marla moaned as they started their trek to the mansion.
Willow thanked herself quietly for wearing simple black flip-flops. “I didn’t realize Sammy knew so many people. But then again, I don’t really know her that well.”
“Maybe tonight we can get to know her a little better and expand our friend group to three.”
“If we can even find her tonight.” Willow paused as they approached the mansion and observed the chaos in front of them.
The front was lined with cars parked bumper-to-bumper with groups of people huddled around the sportier ones, taking pictures and checking out the engines. The girls made their way through the impromptu car show to the backyard to find it packed with women in skimpy swimsuits, men sporting six-packs, and a whole pack of people wearing similar Baja hoodies sitting in a circle passing a joint. If they were younger, it would have felt like a cliché high school party from an 80’s movie.
Not seeing anyone they knew in the yard, the girls decided to maneuver their way through the crowd to go inside the mansion. The interior was as packed as the exterior, with people in large groups huddled together, shouting over the stereo that was alternating between rap and rock songs .
“I am so glad you’re here!” Sammy sprung out of nowhere and wrapped Willow into a tight hug as they entered into the kitchen. Willow could tell from the neurotic energy coming off her that she had probably been drinking before the party even started.
“What did you do, invite everyone you saw on the beach?”
“Yes.” Sammy burped and waved her hand in front of her face. “Sorry, I chugged my rum and Coke and the carbonation makes me gassy. I don’t have friends, so I invited anyone I saw on the beach. Hey, I need to make you two a drink!”
Willow and Marla grabbed each other’s hands and followed Sammy to the kitchen island that was completely covered in red Solo cups, two liters of various pop, and glass alcohol bottles. It was the total opposite from how the tidy kitchen looked the last time she had been here. They pushed their way through the mass of people huddled around the island and once at the center, Sammy threw a few cups to the ground in search for clean ones.
“I can totally go for another rum and Coke, is that good for you two?” Sammy called over her shoulder as she dug through the bottles of various half-drunk alcohol.
“That’s fine,” Willow shouted over the music.
She noticed Marla hidden behind her looking like a small, scared rabbit caught in a trap. She couldn’t blame her—this was extremely overwhelming, and all she wanted to do was go home and watch a movie on her couch. The vibe here was different from the club, with no dancing and people only wanting to get wasted and take selfies to show off that they were in a mansion.
“Where is Gage at?” Willow shouted over the music.
Sammy scrunched her face up. “Huh?”
“Gage! Where is he at?”
“I think he’s sulking in his room like an antisocial creep. He got all pissy with me for inviting so many people, so you might want to avoid him. I don’t know why he got so irritated with me. Horatio and Matteo live here too, and they’re not mad.”
Sammy finished the drinks and spun around to hand Marla one, a feline smile spread across her face. “Matteo should be in the living room. Here, take this shot for courage and some confidence. You look like you need it.”
Sammy thrust a bottle of vodka into Marla’s hand and all but poured it down her throat when she hesitated. She joined her with her own bottle of vodka that she then passed to Willow.
“We’re here to get fucked up and have fun!” Sammy shouted. The people nearest to them cheered in agreement.
“I don’t think we’re going to stay too long,” Willow began, but was cut off when Sammy put her finger to her lips.
“Don’t say that, you just got here. Come on, don’t be party poopers—do another shot, mingle a little bit, and let loose. You seemed to enjoy your night at the club. I heard you left with Gage.” Sammy wiggled her eyebrows.
“He took me home because someone drugged my drink and tried to rape me.”
Sammy sucked her bottom lip in. “Oh, well…I’m glad that didn’t happen. I promise you’ll be safe here, these people know better than to pull any crap like that cause we’ll kill ‘em.” She cackled and revealed her new sharp canines. “Damn, it feels good to be powerful.”
Sammy reached for another cup, forgetting she already held one in her hand. Willow put her vodka bottle back on the island and pulled Marla off to the side. “I think she’s extremely wasted and I doubt we’re going to get to know her very well tonight. What do you think about heading out, grabbing a pizza, and throwing on an old horror movie at my place?”
“She seems kind of mean anyway. Your idea sounds absolutely amazing, but I do want to see Matteo before we leave. My outfit looks pretty good, and I want him to see me in it.”
“How about we finish our drinks she made us and then leave? That will give you time to find him and flirt a little.”
“Whatcha guys whispering about?” Sammy joined them and leaned heavily on Willow. “You are so pretty, by the way.”
“Thank you, but we were about to make our way into the living room to find Matteo. It was nice seeing you again, Sammy.”
“I can help!” Her eyes grew big and she spilled part of her drink onto Willow’s dress, leaving a large brown spot on her chest. Marla quickly grabbed a stray napkin off the counter and dabbed it up before it could get much worse.
“Matteo!” Sammy screamed and started pushing people out of the way as she made her way to the living room, pulling Willow with her.
“Oh my god,” Marla whispered under her breath.
“Matteo! Your pretty little slut is here!”
“Sammy, what the hell?” Marla’s face turned red.
“Relax, I’m only joking. You look more like a prude than a slut with all that material you have on.” Sammy waved her hand up and down.
Willow could see the tears starting to well in Marla’s eyes and pushed Sammy’s arm off of her shoulder. She tried to keep her tone even, reminding herself that the girl was very drunk and not in full control of her words or actions. “I think we can find Matteo on our own, but thanks for your help.”
She quickly pulled Marla away before Sammy could respond. As they made their way through the room, she spotted Matteo and Robby taking up residence on a beat-up leather couch that must have been brought in specifically for this party. Matteo looked up and his eyes were instantly drawn to Marla. He whispered something to Robby, who also looked over.
“Hey Matteo, Robby.” Willow nodded and stood in front of them. “Have either of you seen Horatio? Sammy is getting a little too drunk and might need his help.”
Matteo groaned. “That girl cannot seem to hold her liquor. Did she do anything embarrassing?”
Marla looked down at her heels and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “No. She’s being kind of mean, though.”
His face hardened. “Mean how?”
“I don’t think she liked my outfit very much. I guess it is a little plain.”
His eyes swept over her and a genuine look of confusion clouded his face. “What’s wrong with your outfit? I think you look nice.”
She peeked up at him. “Do you really?”
“Yeah, black and red are my favorite colors.”
Joy pierced through Willow as she watched her friend’s confidence come back. Marla suddenly stood up straighter and was making eye contact again, all due to one little compliment from a pretty boy. She nudged her and Marla took the hint, sinking down into the couch next to him. Matteo’s face turned a light pink and he began fidgeting with the assortment of band pins he had attached to his vest.
Maybe he was just shy. She supposed she could forgive him for not messaging her this past week, and decided to make him his coffees again.
Robby’s voice caught her attention. “Gage is up hiding in his room, he’s not really a people person. Here,” he leaned over to the table next to them and grabbed a red bowl, “take these chips to him. When he’s cranky like this, food or sex seems to help.”
Willow flushed but took the bowl. She made her way through the crowd again, holding onto the bowl with a death grip. Between the stoners eyeing it and the drunken people falling into it, she was surprised she made it up the stairs with half of it still intact.
She stood in front of his door and debating on knocking or walking straight in. She was curious to find what he would be doing if she barged in unannounced, but her manners outweighed her curiosity. She gave a few gentle raps and clutched the bowl tighter.
The door cracked open and one green eye peered out at her.
His eye glanced into the bowl. “Did Sammy send you up here with a peace offering?”
“No, Robby did. He said food helps when you’re cranky.”
The door widened and Gage stepped to the side to let her in, taking the bowl from her. “I’m not cranky, I’m fucking annoyed that my house has turned into a nightclub. When Sammy was planning this, she said she was going to invite people from the marina and a few people she knew from the beach to have a cookout in our backyard. She didn’t tell me she was inviting all of Vista Maria.”
“It is pretty intense down there. How’s Buffy doing with all these strangers in her home?”
“She’s terrified.” He frowned and looked toward the bed. “She won’t even come out for catnip.”
“Poor baby.”
She went over to the bed and crouched down on her hands and knees to peer underneath. Sure enough, there was a white ball of fur pressed up against the wall, shivering. While Willow murmured some soothing baby-talk to the kitten, she noticed the sound of the music quiet and become a distant thumping rhythm she could feel through the floorboards.
She sat up and watched as Gage walked away from the door he had closed. The energy of the room suddenly felt more intimate. She stood up and brushed her dress down, picking imaginary dirt off the front. She was happy to see that the brown stain from earlier had turned into a less noticeable off-white thanks to Marla’s quick thinking. He placed the bowl on the nightstand and they stood in awkward silence, not looking at each other.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “You uh, look nice. ”
“Thanks, I’ve been getting tanner since I’ve been talking walks outside before work. I’ve decided to take a break from my yoga classes, so that’s how I stay active now.”
“I’m glad you walk in the daytime. Don’t go walking by yourself at night, it’s not safe.”
She scrunched up her face and tilted her head at him. “I thought the vampires that lived here follow your rules.”
“They do, but sometimes a rogue one from another family will pass through. The death rate has increased, and I’ve confirmed it’s from vampire attacks.”
Willow thought back to John’s comment about the missing baker. “Does this have something to do with that Waldo guy?”
“Yes, he’s been letting his men kill people in both our territory and Daytona.”
“How come?”
“That’s a long story.” He looked away and Willow could tell from the way his eyes grew glassy that it was a sad one, too.
“So how do I keep myself safe from these rouge vampires? I normally carry pepper spray, is that enough?”
His eyes refocused on her and he smirked. “I don’t think that will help much against the monsters that roam these streets at night.”
She took a step closer. “Then what do I need to protect myself from these nighttime monsters?”
“Me.”
Willow’s breath caught in her throat with a sudden desire to touch him. “And how are you going to protect me?”
His smirk widened, and she noticed the light glint off his sharp canines. “I’ll rip their fucking throats out if they touch you. Don’t forget, I’m the scariest monster on these streets.”
He was the one to close the gap between them. Willow forgot to breathe as his lips crashed down onto hers and his tongue pried its way into her mouth. She shut her eyes and allowed his entrance into her body, his tongue gliding over her teeth. She tried to do the same, but he pushed her tongue out and filled her mouth more deeply. His hands ran up her sides and toward her back as she lifted her arms to capture his neck and pull him closer.
He lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he placed her on the bed. She continued to hold on to him as she ran one hand over the base of his neck and up into his soft, blond locks. She closed her hand, gripping a handful of hair tightly in her fist as he dropped down on her. She could feel the pressure of his entire body against hers and she spread her legs even further to allow the entire length of him to be pressed against her core.
He sat up, breaking their intense kiss, and ripped his shirt off to expose the full rosary tattoo and a chest that looked like it was chiseled by a Greek sculptor. Before lifting her dress above her head, he bent down and untied the bow laced against her midriff with his teeth.
Once her dress was off, he looked down at her laid out beneath him and gently dragged his fingers across her stomach. She flinched at the tickling sensation and watched as his eyes filled with lust and wonder.
“You’re absolutely beautiful,” he murmured.
He bent his head down to touch the soft place beneath her breasts and placed a light kiss. She shivered as he gently dragged his teeth along her sensitive flesh. She arched her back and she felt him tense like he was having to hold back.
In her new position, he was able to slide his hand under her back and unclasped her white bra that was hiding her rounded breasts. With his other hand, he slipped her matching lace underwear down and she was soon naked under his passionate gaze.
She couldn’t believe her fantasy was becoming reality when he slid off the bed and knelt on his knees. He dipped his head between her thighs and let out a growl of approval as he dragged his tongue over her entrance and along her clit. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and pulled them apart further so he could properly bury his face between them.
She ground against him as he began to flick her clit with the tip of his tongue and inserted a finger into her opening. She gasped as a pleasant heat started at her core and worked its way into her lower belly as he sucked her clit into his mouth. He slipped another finger into her and began pumping both, filling the room with a wet sound as her juices soaked his hand.
She closed her eyes and tilted her head as she focused on the feeling of his fingers sliding in and out. In and out. His rhythm was smooth and delicious and she involuntarily whimpered as her hips thrusted up, wanting more.
His mouth let go of her and trailed a line of kisses from her navel up to her breasts while continuing to work his hand inside of her. He curved his fingers just enough to hit that precious spot.
“Oh, fuck me.” She drew each word out in a sensual call and lifted one leg to grab it and fold it against her chest to give him room to go deeper.
His fingers were great, but she needed more now. She opened her eyes to drop her leg and grab his face. She pulled him to her lips.
“Fuck me,” she begged again in between kisses.
He ripped his hand out of her, causing her to gasp from the unexpected emptiness, and yanked his zipper down revealing his hard length. She bit her lip and gazed at the appendage that would be worthy of starring in porn. Her toes curled, imagining how deep he would be able to fill her and wondering if all of him would even fit.
“You look nervous,” he rumbled.
She didn’t answer, only slid her body up further on the bed to allow him room to mount her. He smirked and slid his pants off, revealing his fully-naked form before climbing on top of her .
She ran her hands down his shoulders, appreciating the hard strength she felt, and gently ran her nails down his back. She grabbed both of her legs this time and brought them to her shoulders, fully exposing her opening to him. He looked at her like she was a valuable painting hanging in a museum.
He reached a hand down and helped himself inside. If she thought the feeling of his fingers in her was heavenly, this was otherworldly. She couldn’t stop the moan as he fully sheathed himself in one slow push.
“Jesus, Willow.” His breath caught and he cradled her face with his hand as he looked down at her.
It was too much for her, she wasn’t used to a man looking at her with so much passion. She didn’t know what to do or how to respond, and her discomfort was ruining the moment.
It was time to change things up.
“I know you’re capable of more than this, so fuck me already.” She whispered in his ear.
His dark laugh rumbled through her. “Your wish is my command.”
Her breath was knocked out of her as he rammed himself into her wet chasm. As he dove into her roughly again, he placed a hand on her neck and leaned down next to her ear.
“You drive me fucking insane.”
He tightened his hold on her neck, restricting her breathing slightly as he began pounding into her. Her eyes rolled back at the intense pleasure she was feeling, no longer thinking about anything other than him filling her. Her nails ran down his back again, this time digging in as her sex swallowed his entire length. He angled himself so that he was hitting her clit with each thrust against her. Her waves of ecstasy were building the same time stars began to dot her vision.
He loosened his grip and she gasped in air as the waves crashed over her and she screamed out in bliss. As soon as he heard her scream of pleasure, he came filling her with his warmth and crashed down on top of her.