Chapter Fourteen
“Well?” Charlie pushed, wondering if I was going to help him or not.
We went back to our table and sat. I had to give his question serious thought, because while he’d proven he wasn’t on moonshine, the dancing trick also meant that some of my feelings back on the island hadn’t been drug induced.
That mystical, intense connection I’d felt while Stark and I danced had reached deep inside my bones, practically bringing tears to my heart.
Not out of sadness or fear so much, but because being with him in that moment had felt like warmth on a frigid night, a fresh breeze on a hot, sticky summer day, or a spicy queso taco-lupa on an empty stomach after a long night shift.
Or maybe it had been more like a life raft floating in an ocean of the unknown, because no matter where I was, or how bad things got, I knew he would always be there.
Point was, the feelings I’d experienced had been real, and it terrified me. Deeply.
I love a monster…
Worst of all, his actions had proven he didn’t feel any of those things I’d just mentioned. At least, not for me. And there was nothing more horrifying than having my heart irreversibly attached to someone who would use, manipulate, and harm me.
So what should I do? I couldn’t fix him or change myself to accept such a damaged man.
I can’t tell anyone. Not ever. This secret had to be taken to my grave. I mean, how could I convince anyone that vampires were evil if they knew I was genuinely in love with one?
“So?” Charlie pushed again.
“It’s incredible. The music and dancing really worked on my sister. How’d you figure that out?”
“I told you, not all vampires are bad. And luckily for us, we have a fairly ancient one on our side.” He leaned back in his chair triumphantly.
Well, it sure as hell wasn’t Stark helping out. He was all about saving himself.
“You ready?” Charlie produced a vial of golden liquid, the same color as our prize-winning whiskey. It had to be his tester batch of moonshine.
“Here? Now?” I looked around the room, checking to see if anyone was watching.
“I’m told the flavor isn’t great, so you can mix it with whatever you want.”
That must’ve been why Stark had given me the strawberry protein shake. He’d wanted to mask the flavor. And provide me with twenty-seven essential vitamins and minerals. How thoughtful, I thought sarcastically.
“Why put a pig in an Easter dress?” I grabbed the vial and removed the small black cap. The smell hit me like a bag of dirty underwear.
“Damn. What’s in it?” I asked and then swiftly held up my palm.
“Wait. No. Don’t tell me.” Because it was probably something gross.
At best, moonshine was an ancient narcotic, and like I’d said, I just wasn’t a fan of drugs.
Doctor’s orders only, and even then, I was a pill about pills.
Mother Nature had given me a fully functioning body, and I trusted her more than humans.
Except when it comes to the fact she made vampires. Why? Wasn’t like we humans didn’t have enough challenges.
Lately, we’d been turning against each other.
Right, left. Young, old. Rich, poor. Those who were still drinking the Kool-Aid and those who were pretty darn pissed off at the masses drinking said Kool-Aid.
All brought to us by the powers that be, just hoping we’d be too busy fighting amongst ourselves to notice they were about to help vampires conduct a major power grab, one that would put us all on the chopping block.
The only thing that could save us now was uniting against a common enemy. But could we get the word out around the entire world in time? And if we did, would enough people believe the truth?
I had to admit, either way I sliced this turd, it was still a turd. God, if we beat the vampires, you’d better not have ET showing up on my doorstep next.
“Here goes.” I threw back the vial of moonshine and swallowed, instantly gagging.
“Drink this.” Charlie pushed my coffee toward me.
I grabbed the brown mug and chugged, super thankful it was our normal lukewarm sock water. People didn’t come to the Flaming Rooster for a caffeine fix. They came for the strong drinks, new chest hair, and no-frills atmosphere.
“Bleh!” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
“How do you feel?” Charlie asked.
“Like I licked an overripe ball sack.”
“I won’t ask how you know what that tastes like, but any effect?”
I waited a moment, trying to gauge any changes in my mood. “I feel…nothing.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
Charlie took his phone from the table and dialed a number. “It’s me. I need you to tell her to stand up and kiss me. Tell her to do everything I say.”
“Wait. What?” I snapped.
Charlie put the phone on speaker, and a deep unknown voice came through. “Miss Kicklighter, I want you to rise to your feet and kiss Mr. Cross. Obey him until he tells you otherwise.”
I hopped from my chair and licked my lips. Oh no. His recipe was working. And who the hell was on the phone?
“Thanks. I’ll text you the results.” Charlie ended the call and stood with squared shoulders. “You heard him. Kiss me.”
My entire body tensed, attempting to resist. He was doing exactly what I’d feared.
This wasn’t sex, but a kiss meant something.
Especially a first kiss. It was a thing two people did in a moment when their desires overcame their fear of rejection.
That kiss could change two people’s futures and set them on a path together.
Despite my thoughts, I stepped towards Charlie, my lips doing that duck thing. One step closer and his tonsils would be going through the Masie carwash.
He pressed his palm against my shoulder, holding me back. Maybe he wanted to see how hard I would fight to obey the command.
“Stop doing that. I really have to kiss you,” I complained.
He moved his hands on my upper arms and smiled down at me, amused. “That’s because you really want me, don’t you?”
I mean, you’re cute and all, but no. I just had my heart broken by a nasty old vampire. “Yes.” I nodded dumbly, my mind in a serious fog.
“Okay.” He sighed with a grin. “You can kiss me.”
Was this a game to him?
I pushed myself onto my tiptoes and pressed my mouth to his. Relief instantly washed through me, like a pressure valve releasing in my brain.
Charlie broke away, looking pleased. Was it because his recipe was working or because he’d enjoyed it?
“Are we done now?” I asked, feeling wobbly. Also, pretty annoyed.
“Not yet. Say that you want me to take you away and never look back,” he commanded.
What? Hold on. Hold on. “Yes.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do. Come on.” He took my hand and walked me toward the bales of hay near the front door of the Rooster.
No, I don’t want to go. “Charlie,” I yelped, still unable to assert myself.
We stepped outside onto the porch and faced each other.
“Kiss me again,” he commanded.
“Charlie.” Why was he doing this?
My body obeyed and kissed him. This time longer. And though he didn’t use his tongue, the relief flooded my body with pleasure.
“Good. Now say it again. You want to come with me, don’t you?
” he asked. “Then you want me to fuck you because you know that a cold, dead, reanimated corpse will never really satisfy you. He can’t give you children, love you without his twisted strings attached, or connect with you like a real man.
Because vampires are human husks, Masie.
Empty inside. Animals. And in your heart, you know it, don’t you? ”
What the hell is Charlie doing? This felt more like a performance than a test. Was someone watching us? Was Stark out here keeping an eye on me? If yes, why would Charlie try to provoke him?
Oh God. The answer hit me. Charlie had just told me they were rounding up vampires. The bad ones. Was this a trap for Stark?
“Answer me,” Charlie commanded.
My pulse raced, expecting Stark to swoop in at any second, only to be ambushed.
“Yes. It’s all true,” I said, being partially honest. Stark was an animal. Didn’t matter how much I love him. He would use me and manipulate that love, all in the name of power. Still, the thought of him being dragged away, locked up, and killed left me feeling sick.
Charlie stared down, as if waiting.
Suddenly, his cell rang. “Yeah?” he answered, then listened.
“Okay. I’m heading out.” Charlie looked at me again.
“I’m going to have to come back for you later.
Then we can finish this.” He brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear, the same way Stark had done a million times. “I’ll walk you back inside.”
Charlie grabbed my hand and led me to a corner near the jukebox. People were still line dancing, but he took me by the waist for a close dance.
“Let the music in,” he whispered in my ear.
After a minute, I felt the fog lifting.
“Feeling better now?” Charlie asked, swaying with me to the beat of the music.
“No. Not really.” I stomped his foot. “What the hell was that?”
“Ouch.” He stepped back a little, keeping his hands on my hips. “Success. The formula works.”
“No shit, buckaroo.” I narrowed my eyes, still swaying with him. “You were using me as bait to get at Stark.”
“If I’d told you, you probably wouldn’t have agreed.”
I was so sick of being bamboozled.
He added, “I’m sorry, but we couldn’t risk losing a chance to grab him.”
“Well, it didn’t work, and now you’ve lost my trust,” I snarled quietly. By the way, why hadn’t he come? Stark wasn’t just the poster child for jealousy, he’d practically invented it.
“That’s too bad, because we still need your help.”
“You think I’d help you after this?” I argued. “You made me kiss you.”
“I hope you understand. We don’t have a lot of time to make our moves, and every piece of the plan counts.”
Mulling, I stared over his shoulder at the Flaming Rooster logo on the wall behind him.
I remembered when Uncle Jimmie painted it years ago.
It had always made me laugh—a certain cheesiness to it.
A fiery, tough rooster that loved to sing and mingle with humans.
It reminded me how this place, my life, and my family were worth fighting for.
“I’m sorry, Masie,” Charlie repeated quietly, “but I didn’t actually take advantage of you, did I? And what’s a few harmless kisses in the name of freedom?” He grinned.
“You’re not funny,” I scoffed.
“No. I guess I’m not, but I did mean what I said about Stark—who he is. What he is. He’ll never really care about you.”
My eyes teared up a little. “Yeah. I know.”
Charlie stared with pity. “He can’t help it, Masie. He’s a vampire. It’s just what they do. It’s why my cousin killed my girlfriend.”
I gasped.
He added, “Said she smelled like sunshine and couldn’t resist.”
So this was why Charlie no longer believed in coexistence. That, and he’d seen their big playbook.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“Being sorry isn’t going to save us,” he explained. “You need to choose. Our side or theirs. Because Stark will do everything in his power to control you, and if you want us to win, then you need to use his feelings, his weaknesses, against him—just like I attempted to do tonight.”
Jealousy, money, and the need for power and control, those were Stark’s weak spots. “I understand.”
“Good, because that vampire thinks he owns you, and his biggest fear is being proven wrong.”
“How do you know what he feels?” I questioned.
Charlie looked at me like I was crazy.
“What?”
“You and Montgomery Stark are like…the Romeo and Juliet of the vampire world.”
What? “Why?”
“You two are their favorite soap opera. Some hate you. Some are rooting for you. But many vampires believe if you ever unite, you’d be dangerous.”
That was dumb. “I’m not dangerous, Charlie.”
“Anna is.”
“And I’m not her,” I said firmly.
“Tell that to the vampires of the world.”
I whooshed out a breath. “It’s a hoax. Stark lied to them. And anyone who knows me in real life would figure out I’m not her in under a minute.”
Charlie flashed a knowing smile. “Then don’t let them get to know you.”
I tripped on his words and frowned.
He added, “You never know, Masie, having vampires believe you are the most beloved, powerful, iconic vampire to ever walk the earth could come in handy.” He paused for a long moment. “And it might just save us, too.”
He had a point. I knew he did. But I wasn’t a liar, and even if I wanted to be, I couldn’t pull off being Anna for very long.
(A) I never knew her. (B) I was not in favor of vampires and humans living side by side.
Not anymore. And (C) from the books I’d read, she was one kinky, horny toad.
She’d actually kept detailed diaries of her life, which were considered sacred in the vampire world.
“I hear you,” I said, “but Anna supposedly loved Stark unconditionally, with a passion, and that’s something I can’t do.” Loving Stark was like loving a serial killer. I could wish for him to change all day long, but he never would. “What I mean is: I’m on our side. And I hope that’s enough.”
“It has to be, because we need you.” The song ended, and we both stopped dancing.
Suddenly, I felt that fog lingering in my head again.
Charlie’s expression turned intense. “Kiss me again.”
“I’d rather not.” I looked away, wanting to crawl into a hole and die. The last thing I’d expected tonight was to come here and find out that my feelings for Stark back at the island had been real. Or that I might be playing an even bigger role in things than I wanted.
Charlie must’ve seen the pain in my eyes, because he said, “I’m sorry about all this, but you did great. Unfortunately, the formula isn’t strong enough. You broke too soon. Add more of the first ingredient to the recipe I gave you. Five percent. I gotta go and catch a flight.”
“You’re leaving?” Weirdly, I wanted him to stay. Charlie seemed like the only person in the world right now who wasn’t spiraling. He had a plan to save us, and it gave me comfort.
Charlie looked surprised by my comment. “You’re strong, Masie. You’ll be okay just as long as you don’t get distracted by Stark.” He turned to leave. “I’ll have the ingredients shipped here tomorrow. Good luck.”
Charlie left, and I said a tiny prayer for him. What he was doing came with danger. Lots of it.
I went back to my table and opened the piece of paper containing the recipe.
Gasp! “No. That can’t be right.”